The Abigail (aka Gabigail, aka Slappy, aka Failure) Deveraux Thread

[DisneyBoy]

Created by Ken Corday and Sheri Anderson....daughter to Jack and Jennifer....sister to JJ....wife to Chad...menace to all of Salem? Horton Princess? Heroine for the ages?

[drtslim]

I have an irrational hatred for this character (especially as played by KM).  They wrote a vixen but treated her like a heroine; and it just made me resent (and ultimately hate) her.

Edited January 6, 2021 by drtslim

[Peanut6711]

Kate Mansi made Abs a spoiled, sanctimonious, self-entitled, self-serving snob. MM isn't nearly as grating. In fact, MM looks less like KM and more like a younger Amy Steel (sounds like her voice too) from '80s horror movies (Friday the 13th II, April Fools Day). So maybe that's why I don't mind MM nearly as much.  That doesn't mean I haven't forgotten Abs's past and still long for the day that Ab has Chad's ONS w/Gwen rubbed in her face just so she might finally have a moment where she realizes how shitty what she did to Sami was when she crawled in bed...and the shower...and the hospital closet... w/EJ. 

4 minutes ago, drtslim said:

I have an irrational hatred for this character (especially as played by KM).  They wrote a vixen but treated her like a heroine; and it just made me resent and then hate her.

THIS! So true!

[tribeca]

Why does Abby get her own topic?

Abigail gets everything!

[enchantingmonkey]

It's like a Dissociative Identity Disorder with the two actresses being different personalities of the one body.  Marci Miller plays her as a vulnerable, flawed human being, while Mansi is the home-wrecking, scenery-chewing monster that thinks the whole world owes her something.  I can't even MM's Abigail doing half of the things that Mansi's version has done.  

And I'll come back again tomorrow to defend Miller's Abigail, if need be.  

kthanksbye.

[tribeca]

Kates Abigail is Jack daughter 

Marci is Jennifer’s. 
 

Both have a good sibling vibe with J.J.  

[boes]

11 hours ago, enchantingmonkey said:

It's like a Dissociative Identity Disorder with the two actresses being different personalities of the one body.  Marci Miller plays her as a vulnerable, flawed human being, while Mansi is the home-wrecking, scenery-chewing monster that thinks the whole world owes her something.  I can't even MM's Abigail doing half of the things that Mansi's version has done.  

And I'll come back again tomorrow to defend Miller's Abigail, if need be.  

kthanksbye.

I love her too.  She's been the main reason I've watched a bit more lately.

Mansi was FF for me.

[4evaQuez]

19 hours ago, drtslim said:

I have an irrational hatred for this character (especially as played by KM).  They wrote a vixen but treated her like a heroine; and it just made me resent (and ultimately hate) her.

 

18 hours ago, Peanut6711 said:

Kate Mansi made Abs a spoiled, sanctimonious, self-entitled, self-serving snob.

This is why I both love and hate KM's Abby. I think KM's Abby could be a tremendous character if they allowed people to properly respond to what a terrible person she is. I would love if we could get scenes with Jennifer and Jack or Jennifer and Hope (when she was on the show) where Jennifer discussed her guilt, anger, sadness, and confusion of who Abby turned into. I also wish we could get scenes of people being shocked that sweet, little Abby grew up to be a two-time homewrecker, murderer, liar, manipulator, and completely unstable - and that's when she's sane.

Instead, we get a a terrible person who people respond to as if she's Jennifer Rose Horton Jr.

I also disagree that MM's Abby is anything like Jennifer. Jennifer was/is spunky, introspective, a good judge of character - when the plot doesn't require she be a romantic fool - and always had a quiet strength about herself. MM's Abby lacks all of those qualities.

[DisneyBoy]

2 hours ago, 4evaQuez said:

This is why I both love and hate KM's Abby. I think KM's Abby could be a tremendous character if they allowed people to properly respond to what a terrible person she is.

 

 

[Petunia13]

I hate the character of Abigail but I find Marci Miller’s portrayal preferable. She brings much more nuance and feeling to the role and has a more skilled interpretation. I find her more interesting to watch. She also looked more like the child of Jack and Jennifer and she has some good chemistry with her family. I found her believable as the daughter of Jen / MR and new Jen / Cady.

in the bullshit going on w her and Chad I’m actively rooting for her something I’ve NEVER done for Abby. 

 

[enchantingmonkey]

11 hours ago, 4evaQuez said:

I would love if we could get scenes with Jennifer and Jack or Jennifer and Hope (when she was on the show) where Jennifer discussed her guilt, anger, sadness, and confusion of who Abby turned into. I also wish we could get scenes of people being shocked that sweet, little Abby grew up to be a two-time homewrecker, murderer, liar, manipulator, and completely unstable - and that's when she's sane.

This was a major Failure of the writing teams who decided to cast the character in such a manner.  It's unfortunate that viewers hate Abigail simply because of lazy writers.  

Boes, I attempted to "like" your comment multiple times, and got an error message every time.  Just putting that out there.  

I feel a warm glow of validation that even one viewer would, against better judgement, root for MM's Abigail.  

[Rafael]

I cant get over how she tried to exploit her father's funeral back in 2012 to hook her mum up with Daniel ...

 

Absolutely sickening!!! Ugh !!!!

[DisneyBoy]

Wait....what?

How did she do that?

[methodwriter85]

Abigail's SORAS is one of the gentlest in show history. She was born on-screen in 1992 and her birthdate was only pushed back to '88 with the Ashley Benson version in '06. Since then they stuck with casting actresses who are age peers with Ashley Benson. I also felt like there was this weird holding pattern with Abigail's age- it felt like she was in college for a long time, and eventually the show started treating Will and Abby like peers which they should have been. Will's was even more gentle (just 3 years) as well as Shawn, but they really fucked up Shawn's adjusted 1984 birthdate with Claire's SORAS. Ugh. In any event she's not my favorite character but it was funny to see people missing her when Ciara/Ben began to really eat the show. 

[DisneyBoy]

When was Abigail at her most relevant/likeable?

Thinking back, I struggle to think of a time she had her potential tapped in an enjoyable way.

I think you guys said her pre-Mansi portrayer was good but I don't remember hearing about what she did. Any good storylines?

I saw some clips of her trying to tell Chelsea not to give up her V card, but other than that...

Was kid Abigail fun? Or around?

[WendyCR72]

2 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

When was Abigail at her most relevant/likeable?

Thinking back, I struggle to think of a time she had her potential tapped in an enjoyable way.

I think you guys said her pre-Mansi portrayer was good but I don't remember hearing about what she did. Any good storylines?

I saw some clips of her trying to tell Chelsea not to give up her V card, but other than that...

Was kid Abigail fun? Or around?

Kid Abigail was around, because I remember her spending a lot of time with Peter (who?) and Jennifer, when he was first trying to date Jenn. She was played by twins Paige and Ryanne Kettner and had the requisite blonde hair like MR/Jenn.

[CanaryFan98]

I think that was probably the last time she was likeable before her teen years. While I liked Ashley Benson in the role her version was also problematic as well being cool with Chelsea drugging Patrick(or possibly drugging him don't recall).  I did like her bond with Nick though.

[Pearson80]

18 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I think that was probably the last time she was likeable before her teen years. While I liked Ashley Benson in the role her version was also problematic as well being cool with Chelsea drugging Patrick(or possibly drugging him don't recall).  I did like her bond with Nick though.

She was the best version of Abigail because she was  slowly tapping into her Devereaux/Johnson dark side and the show should have explored it.  She was both repelled and fascinated with Chelsea's diabolical schemes.  You could tell her Abigail was trying to be the good girl that her parents expected her to be but she was struggling with it..  Abigail being more like her father Jack and his side of the family should have been the way to write for Abigail.. 

The Nick/Abigail bond was so damn awesome. They got each other without having to say anything. Not to mention that they both had obsessive natures that could tip them to the dark side.  The show went too far with Nick while they whitewashed Abigail's  horrific actions after Ashley Benson left the role.. 

The Nick/Abigail/Max/Chelsea quartet should have been the show's future.  I was never a fan of Chelsea but she was intriguing when she was interacting within the quartet's dynamic.. The Max/Chelsea bond should never have been romantic, since they are adopted Uncle and niece.  Chelsea should have been with Nick, while Max/Abigail should have been a slow burn.  

Edited March 25, 2022 by Pearson80

[CanaryFan98]

I did like her version the best however I strangely can't imagine her as an adult Abigail now. Back then? Yes but if she returned to the role now I don't think you can go back again. 

 

Same with LB's Ciara and KS's Belle I loved those versions but it wouldn't work if they were to ever return to those roles now. 

[DisneyBoy]

Someone on Twitter referred to her as "Drabby" and I just have to say I loved it.

[ihavenoidea]

On 3/23/2022 at 6:50 PM, DisneyBoy said:

When was Abigail at her most relevant/likeable?

Thinking back, I struggle to think of a time she had her potential tapped in an enjoyable way.

I think you guys said her pre-Mansi portrayer was good but I don't remember hearing about what she did. Any good storylines?

I saw some clips of her trying to tell Chelsea not to give up her V card, but other than that...

Was kid Abigail fun? Or around?

I'm totally late on this, but I believe Will, Shawn and Abby are about the only 3 characters we've seen at all phases of life. Born on the show, toddler, pre-teen, teens, college, adult, parents, we saw it all with these three. I know she's not popular here, but I'll never think killing her or Will was right, even if Will has been undone.

[JBC344]

16 minutes ago, ihavenoidea said:

I'm totally late on this, but I believe Will, Shawn and Abby are about the only 3 characters we've seen at all phases of life. Born on the show, toddler, pre-teen, teens, college, adult, parents, we saw it all with these three. I know she's not popular here, but I'll never think killing her or Will was right, even if Will has been undone.

I just assume she will be brought back at some point. 

[DisneyBoy]

After the MM revamp, I don't see how else they could reimagine her though.

Miller brought her back to the level of a calm, seemingly normal person...but she became boring and lame and needy (Andre as a best friend??) and then was transitioned straight back into being crazy again. That didn't work so well with MM playing it so...it felt like they just burned the character out.

What would her new purpose be? It's too late to say she's always considered herself a serious journalist (they kinda tried that, but halfheartedly and only after she went nuts a few times) and too late to make her seem devoted to some other career path. If the only reason to bring her back is to play Mommy and Wife, Stephanie fills that role I suppose.

It seems they'd want her to be good and nice and pleasant as a legacy character if they brought her back again, but she became extremely complicated and very hard to root for at all. I think the character is toast.

Doesn't mean she isn't next to return though...

Edited July 17, 2023 by DisneyBoy

[ihavenoidea]

23 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

After the MM revamp, I don't see how else they could reimagine her though.

Miller brought her back to the level of a calm, seemingly normal person...but she became boring and lame and needy (Andre as a best friend??) and then was transitioned straight back into being crazy again. That didn't work so well with MM playing it so...it felt like they just burned the character out.

What would her new purpose be? It's too late to say she's always considered herself a serious journalist (they kinda tried that, but halfheartedly and only after she went nuts a few times) and too late to make her seem devoted to some other career path. If the only reason to bring her back is to play Mommy and Wife, Stephanie fills that role I suppose.

It seems they'd want her to be good and nice and pleasant as a legacy character if they brought her back again, but she became extremely complicated and very hard to root for at all. I think the character is toast.

Doesn't mean she isn't next to return though...

I get that, and I agree that the character probably needed a rest, goodness knows I didn't wanna watch her go crazy again, I just don't think she should have been killed. I would have written Chad and Abby off together again like they did in 2019, but I know some thought that would be unfair for Billy to lose his job. Chad's not exactly lightning up the screen with excitement anymore either however, he's turned into a purse holding obstacle for adopted cousins.

[CanaryFan98]

In retrospect, I think they should have given Chabby a HEA and bring them back for visits. 
 

The only way I could see Abby working onscreen again long term is if she and Chad were over. I think she can easily exist without him. As we see this can’t be said for Chad tbh. Well this version of the character. He’s too tied to Abby.