March 25, 2008

I have never been a Jax fan.  He’s always seemed a bit overbearing, controlling and incredibly indecisive when it comes to the women in his life.  “I love Brenda.  I don’t love Brenda.  I love Skye but will dump her within minutes when Brenda shows up.  I love Courtney but not enough to take the relationship seriously.”  Maybe he didn’t actually say those things but his actions spoke volumes.  Frankly, he got on my nerves.   

There have been three times in the past that I actually thought I could tolerate and maybe even like Jax a little bit and each of those times was when the showed teased us with a Carly and Jax union.  

It’s been years since their scenes together and my memory is probably not up to par but I seem to remember Ingo and Sarah Brown in their respective roles interacting as business partners.  I also remember the same type of interaction with Tamara Braun so if I’ve got my Carlys mixed up, forgive me.  The details of the scenes aren’t that important – it’s the chemistry I’m referring to.  

Jax has chemistry with Carly.  I’m not sure if it’s the way the characters are written or if it’s the actual chemistry between Ingo and the actresses playing Carly but there’s something there that has continued to work through three of the four actresses in that role.   

Does Jax still come off as overbearing and controlling with Carly?  Some might say yes but I say no.  Carly is demanding, high maintenance and stubborn.  She’s had to fight to get what she wants, become who she is and maintain her own sense of individuality in a world where women don’t matter as much as they’d like.   That’s got to be hard work.  Jax grounds Carly.  He takes her out of her position of battle and forces her to focus on reality.  He’s giving her a commitment he’s never shared with any of the other women in his life and Carly trusts that.  Jax gives Carly something Sonny never did and never could; stability.   

What some may consider exertion of control, I view as being firm in stability.  Jax continues to prove his commitment to his wife, standing by her when she makes decisions behind his back and calling her out on her own stupidity.  He tells her what she already knows but refuses to admit.  He makes her see things how they truly are instead of how she wants to believe they are.   He continues to stay true to their relationship while she continues to throw her ‘best friend’ Jason in his face.  If for no other reason, that is why I’ve grown to like Jax.  He is more tolerant of Carly than he has been of any other love interest and for me, it works.  

The relationship between Jax and Carly has shown me a depth to Jax I didn’t think existed.  He’s patient.  He’s faithful.  He’s understanding.  He’s mature.  Carly lacks any form of patience and is faithful only to her and Jason.  She doesn’t understand anything anyone else does if it negatively impacts her life in some way and even though Laura Wright has brought a sense of maturity to the character, she’s got a long way to go to be a grown up.   A successful relationship with someone like Carly requires a strong minded man and in this case, Jax fits the position nicely.  

I am a firm believer that the person you marry is your best friend.  I have many close friends and some female relationships that I consider to be of the ‘best’ quality but there is not one man in my life I consider a friend above my husband.  Maybe I’m of the minority in this but I believe there is a line drawn once a couple signs a marriage license and relationships with the opposite sex should take a backseat to the relationship with a spouse.  I know if I continued to choose my best male friend (if I even had one) over my husband like Carly has done repeatedly with Jason and Jax, there would be hell to pay.  Jax has a right to be frustrated and a right to stand up for what he wants for his wife and his family.  Sonny and Jason do have a place in Carly's life but neither should be in line with or above the relationship she shares with Jax.  I’ve found myself in total agreement with him lately and that has endeared me to the character.   

I can’t say I’d like Jax with someone else.  I think the characteristics I admire in him during this relationship would again annoy me in another.  He exhibited these same traits in his past relationships and like I said, I wasn’t a fan.  I think with the character, it takes the right woman to make them endearing over annoying and with Jax, that character is Carly.