29 replies to this topic

[Zorro]

I sometimes feel badly for the actor who plays Declan cuz he gets dumped on a lot on this board.

In 1-13 Commitment, we saw two moments that rounded out his character.
1.) When he gave the news to Jack that Amily had left, he seemed calm, mature and genuinely concerned for his bro.
2.) When Conrad offered to send him to Charlotte's prep school, his reaction was farily gracious and mature, backed up by actually spending time in studying for the entrance exam.

Connor Paolo is the victim of undesirable story lines (rash, immature teen) and poor directing choices (dreadful accent); that these things have unfavorably shaped viewers perceptions of the Declan character.

[jessied112]

Gawd, Connor Paolo, though I love him, is just a mediocre actor compared to everyone else on this show. It's sad because I watched the show because of him, but acting against these fabulous people isn't doing him any favours. He's a decent actor when placed in the right role, but sadly this isn't for him. Plus, Declan's character, so far, seems out of place. Sure, he's Charlotte's boyfriend and Jack's brother, but that's all he is.

I guess I half wish for him to go back to Gossip Girl. At least on that show, he looks like the brilliant actor. But I guess since he's acted against such crappy actors for so long, he hasn't gotten the chance to showcase his abilities until now and sadly, it's gonna take a long while before he can at least try to measure up to everyone on here.

Also, get him a better storyline that connects to the overall plot instead of being a secondary character to Jack and Charlotte. Make him more interesting.

[MethodActor05]

Just what a major miscast this was. Nick Weshler ten years ago could have pulled this role off, but Connor Paolo...no way. Unfortunately he's got such a specific kind of look that it's hard to buy him as anything but a delicate, elfin-looking guy from a well-off family. Trying to buy him as a macho teenaged hunk from the wrong side of town just isn't going to work for him. Connor's look just screams cute gay twink summering in Provincetown with his handsome sugar daddy.

Every time he's in a scene with Krista Allen it's just obvious how much she can act rings around him. I've liked the guy as well, but I've come to realize what a limited range he has as compared to the rest of the cast.

[mac123x]

When Conrad offered to send him to Charlotte's prep school, his reaction was farily gracious and mature, backed up by actually spending time in studying for the entrance exam.

Scenes from season 2 that I'm dreading: Declan has conflicts with his stuck-up prep-school classmates because he's an outsider townie with no money of his own. It's just so trite, but you know the writers will go there for filler.

[angelita100]

Well he's alright. He's just not on enough to bother me. I like his scenes with Charlotte well enough. I was really unsatisfied with the "brother" scenes until the last couple. That to me is the main relationship that they needed to establish for him and they just didn't seem brotherly for the first 10 or so episodes. They are doing a better job now.


Accent doesn't bother me but I am distinctly in the minority on that one. They should get rid of it. I doubt anyone will care. If they can turn an Asian character white on a soap that will be nothing.

[sacreseries]

That to me is the main relationship that they needed to establish for him and they just didn't seem brotherly for the first 10 or so episodes. They are doing a better job now.

I totally agree with that. Till now, I feel more brotherly relationship from Nolan/Jack (the second best relationship of the show for me) than Jack/Declan. Charlotte and Daniel relationship is more interesting. Till the latest episode, Jack was more of a father figure to Declan than anything else. So, it's kind of part of Jack's character too and probably because we don't now much of their past and that their father's death was poorly written.

I sometimes feel badly for the actor who plays Declan.

I think Connor Paolo has a lot of work to do to make this character interesting and the writting staff does too. He did a good job on Gossip Girl and I'm glad he found something else. But I tend to think that he has been miscast. I was expecting a trouble teenager but Declan is just a simple, sometimes dumb, guy with no layers. I hated the weeding birthday scene when he just ruined the night but most of the time I tolerate him. I just wish there were more scenes with Jack that would be about them as brothers and not about their relationship with others.

[Spartan Girl]

I don't hate Declan. There have been some good character moments for him, like the moments Zorro listed, as well as the scene where instead of sending Charlotte Nolan's video of her ex cheating on her, he sent her a romantic video message.

That being said, he isn't that likable a lot of the time. It isn't because he's bad; he's simply a rash, selfish teenage boy. I really hated it when he didn't outwardly show any remorse over calling his father a loser right before he died and wouldn't go with Jack to scatter his ashes. He certainly has a lot of growing up to do, but he's got plenty of time for that. It's only the first season.

[JackTheNarrator]

I like nearly everything about this show except Declan, and I think it is in large part due to the actor.

I've seen very little about him that convinces me a girl like Charlotte Grayson would be interested in him for anything other than maybe a summer fling to upset her parents. He's not particularly good looking, not very smart or witty, he's naive, rash, and bland. He doesn't even rise to the level of a "bad boy," and seems more like a "little boy." Yet now she wants to make such a commitment to him that he's following her to school? I have so much trouble buying into this storyline, which bothers me because I like Charlotte a lot. Every time I see her with him, my brain screams "Why?"

[name234]

JackTheNarrator - I hear all of your points, but both of the Porters seem to be genuinely not into the wealthy people around them for their wealth. I suspect Charlotte has had a lot of interest from spoiled rich boys who behave like (Adam, the guy that was cheating on her) and Declan has been a bit of a twerp, but he isn't a jerk to Charlotte, and the fact that he's studying for entrance exams means he's willing to grow (up) to be with her.

[angelita100]

Loved Declan tonight. That was the best brother scene the show has had. I hope we get to see more of it. And I'm glad that he was so worked up to protect his brother. I foresee more of the same in the future especially if Jack comes under more scrutiny.

I think the best thing about him though is his scenes with Charlotte. I think he is a good boyfriend for her. Maybe not forever and ever amen but definitely right now.

Edited by angelita100, Mar 1, 2012 @ 2:25 AM.

[Spartan Girl]

Wow. Is Declan becoming...likable? Seriously, all this angst with the Porters and Graysons have been doing something good to his character. I actually felt sorry for him last night.

Granted, it was a stupid thing telling Mason Treadwell about Charlotte's pill-popping, but I don't think he meant to out her publicly. Maybe he should have maintained it was off the record. Then again, Mason probably would have blogged it anyway.

[doram]

I think I fell in love with Declan a little yesterday.

[Tweeky]

Declan to me comes across as a typical teenager who has a strong sense of integrity as shown by him not posting to Charlotte her trust-fund punk of a boyfriend cheating on her and instead sent a nice romantic video to her. I think with his accidental outing of Charlotte's pill-popping was unintentional but well-meaning plus he's seeing someone who he cares about a lot slowly coming unhinged, I hope that things go well between Charlotte and Declan as it's clear to me that Declan has serious feelings for her.

Edited by Tweeky, May 11, 2012 @ 1:31 AM.

[Tweeky]

Who else thought that 8-year old Declan, in the few seconds we saw him, looked so cute and adorable when has 8 back 2002.

Edited to correct for getting his age wrong, for some reason I thought he was 11 and not 8

Edited by Tweeky, May 11, 2012 @ 1:55 AM.

[legaleagle44]

I can't wait to see his reaction when he finds out what happened to Charlotte the night she tried to call him, and why she tried to call him. If Charlotte is indeed dead, he'll remember cutting her off so abruptly when she was reaching out to him for help, and he'll have to live with that knowledge for the rest of his life (OK, so Charlotte was a bitch to him and Jamie, but still -- how would you like to live with the knowledge that someone committed suicide after you brushed her off like that?)

[Spartan Girl]

If Charlotte is indeed dead, he'll remember cutting her off so abruptly when she was reaching out to him for help, and he'll have to live with that knowledge for the rest of his life

Let's not forget that the last thing he told his father before he died was that he was a loser, and even afterward, he maintained to Jack that he meant it. He didn't seem too remorseful then; he wouldn't even go with Jack to spread his ashes.

[Princess Aldrea]

Well, he's gotten some character development and become more likable since then.

[Trini Girl]

Well, he's gotten some character development and become more likable since then.

And thank goodness for that. TPTB should also consider developing his relationship with Jack; I think there needs to be more brotherly moments.

[Spartan Girl]

I'd *still* like to see him show some kind of grief and remorse for his father. I get why he lashed out at Charlotte, but he called his dad -- who, unlike his bitch mother, was always there for him and Jack -- a loser just because a bunch of stupid rich boys beat him up. He did not deserve that.

[doram]

I think that was because his dad was an alcoholic.

[MethodActor05]

It's really, really hard not to be bitter at a parent who was an alcoholic.

Declan definitely got better as the season went on- by the time he froze out Charlotte for the way she treated Staten Island Girl I was cheering him on. I think when they stopped playing him like he was supposed to be some rough and tumble blue-collar guy, the character started working.

[dimples1]

Declan didn't get on my nerves in last night's episode. Maybe it's because he's so against Jack throwing his future and happiness away on "doing the right thing" for fake Amanda. Also, that he wasn't around Charlotte was a plus for me.

[MethodActor05]

Charlotte and Declan's relationship really was a weak link for the show. They just didn't have any chemistry, but then again...it never really felt like they were in a "tru wuv" relationship- just a teenaged girl wanting something different and a guy wanting to with a hot girl, and the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it bonded them together until it didn't.

So Declan's being set up as a patsy to a "Bling Ring". Honestly, I'd be more into this if I thought the guy was going to try and seduce Declan. I'm just never going to think of Conner Paolo as a straight man.

[katsullivan]

I wonder if the show will ever explore Declan's mother's mysterious disappearance at around the time of Clarke's trial. Or if they've dropped that ball.

I think Declan/Charlotte had alot of chemistry and I found their relationship towards the end, when Charlotte had gone into a downward spiral and was even prepared to seduce him to help Daniel's trial, fascinating. Too bad it also seems to have been dropped.

[callietwo]

Well, who'd have ever thought Declan was going to be one of the most mature men on this damn show back in Season 1?  He's the only one with two cents worth of brains anymore!  

 

And I'm pissed the writers have now saddled him with impending fatherhood.  (most likely, Charlottes baby is his anyway.)  

[Spartan Girl]

Aw Dec.  After spending the better part of two seasons acting like an ass, you had to go and get all charming and sweet right before you die.  RIP.

[jessied112]

I'm probably naive and a fool to consider this, but this show (and many soap operas) have taught me to never consider someone truly dead until you see their body. So maybe wistful thinking that Declan's death was faked by someone and he'll reappear sometime next season to strike at the Graysons?

 

Whether that happens or not, I've missed most of this season due to some changes in my life, but I tuned in for the finale and as I catch up on the season, I'm sad to see Declan go. I always favored him over someone like Ashley or sometimes even Charlotte.

[dirtydi]

I was suspicious when we didn't see a body too.  Also I actually always liked Declan.  Never got all the hate.  Especially this season because I thought he was the most likeable character, besides Nolan.

[angelita100]

I liked him too and liked him with Charlotte.  I shed a tear or two for him.  I hate that they made Charlotte pregnant though if they were going to kill him off.

[legaleagle44]

I'm probably naive and a fool to consider this, but this show (and many soap operas) have taught me to never consider someone truly dead until you see their body. So maybe wistful thinking that Declan's death was faked by someone and he'll reappear sometime next season to strike at the Graysons?

Declan would never be able to pull something like that off -- nor would he have had any reason to.  He'd just found out, after all, that his girlfriend (who is herself a Grayson, remember) was pregnant with his child; why would he deliberately agree to go into hiding instead of being with her and raising his child? Besides, it's Jack who has the grudge against the Graysons, not Declan (especially since Daniel once saved Declan's ass by buying off a couple of shop owners who wanted to beat the crap out of Declan after Declan was dumb enough to steal from the shop owners). Nope, Declan is dead.