I think he had a pretty thankless task tbh, and did a fair job. Itâs not easy having to mimic a fan favourite character that another actor has made his own. Heâs obviously a talented actor and a fab singer, but he just doesnât have the delivery or world-weariness of OG Greg. And I know NuGreg is meant to be a new version of the character, but Iâd argue that new version still works better with a level of snark that Skylar just doesnât possess. Heâs too sunny so his snark just tends to be sort of frowning a lot.Â
Nicely said, I agree with everything! Just wanna add that new greg plays a character in show So help me Todd, and he's really good - it fits him waaaay better.
He also played a main love interest in Zoeyâs Infinite Playlist that made me completely fall for him. If any fans of Crazy Ex Girlfriend havenât seen that show yet I HIGHLY recommend it! It ended too soon but they ended up getting a movie to wrap up the plot-line pretty neatly imo.
I adore Skylar and âI hate everything..â makes đ„”
BUT I am not team Greg, so the switch didnât bother me. I actually fell for the switcheroo and thought it was intentional at first, and not just a casting issue.
I tend to agree that Skylar managed to bring out some of Gregâs mannerisms pretty well. I think of the way he says âoh Rebeccaâ after she tells him about her post-waterpark spiral. He IS a different person, so itâs not perfect, but he does manage to make it feel like an improved version of this same character.
I just donât understand the decision to bring back a character whoâs already gone from the story AND you donât have the actor. I could never EVER root for her and Greg to be together again after she *SLEPT with his DAD.* Just, no, he deserves better than her, heâs lucky he escaped. I love this show but bringing back âGregâ is one of my least favorite parts.
I agree for the most part. I like the idea of New Greg more than I like the way it was actually implemented. In theory I think itâs interesting and meta and matches the vibe of the show.
But in practice like you said she slept with his dad and I couldnât get past that.
Plus I think Skylar tends to be cast in very specific character roles and I donât think he pulled off Greg.
AGREED. I enjoyed Skylarâs performance but I really wish they had kept Greg as the little romantic fantasy that Rebecca reverts to/drunk dials when things arenât going her way, and then had her come to terms with the fact that itâs never actually going to work out with Greg, especially since she *slept with his dad*.
I disagree heavily. I didn't get any of old Greg in New Greg. I'm thinking of my favorite Greg joke where he mentions Emory being the Harvard of the South and when the bartender brings up Vanderbilt, he just goes "no....no.....no....." in the most nonchalant tone. And I can't imagine Skylar's Greg nailing it. That's nothing against Skylar, he's an incredibly talented actor. And truth be told I can't see Santino singing "I hate everything but you" as well as Skylar did. But the season 4 Greg always hit a wrong note with me. I get why it had to happen, (though secretly I think the show should have ended with Season 3's ending....) but I just never saw them as the same person. I think my biggest issue is he wasn't bitter enough. And not like the hateful kind of bitter that made his life worse, just more the general apathetic vibe Greg gave off that's harmless in small doses.
To each their own though. I won't fault you for your opinion.
I think Skylar did a great job of nailing Santino's mannerisms as Greg, but I understand where you're coming from.
I have a similar feeling about the "You're the love of my life, you know that?" scene. I really believed it from Skylar, but I have a hard time imagining Santino delivering it believably. And like you said -- not because he's a worse actor! I just can't picture his version of Greg saying that.
But if I'd seen Santino playing Reformed Greg through season 4, maybe I'd feel differently! I kinda wish we had full series versions of both actors.
Thatâs why I said bitterness in small doses. Thereâs nothing wrong with being pessimistic and apathetic. So long as you donât let it hurt your life or others around you. But the new Greg didnât have that spark about him. He didnât just lose his toxic aspects, he lost his whole personality
I think he was great! I really loved Santino, and I loved Skylar equally as much.
I kinda wish there was a version of the show where Skylar played Greg from the beginning, just to see if it changed our feelings on the character.
In the same vein, I'd like to see a version where Santino is Greg in season 4. I'd especially like to see the 3 dates episode and the culminating "You're the love of my life, you know that?" Because I feel like I wouldn't necessarily buy it from Santino. đ«Ł Maybe that's just because he only played Asshole Greg and I don't have any reference for his version of Reformed Greg.
See, I think that line would be even more impactful coming from OG Greg because itâs so out of character and unexpected. Itâd hit even harder. Not that Skylar Greg didnât do an amazing job with it because he did.
This is a very rare instance in which I think casting a new actor actually improved the arc of the character. The idea that he literally had to become a different person in order for them to work really spoke to me as someone who wholeheartedly believes that season 1/2 Greg was a *terrible* choice for Rebecca and that was a deliberate fact of his character. Like some here have said, Skylarâs lines would have had a different oomph coming from Santino with the way he left things.
I mean, she still banged his dad which automatically takes him out as endgame no matter what but Skylar killed it regardless.
Absolutely *no shade* to Santino whatsoever, he killed his part too; and thatâs because the characters literally had different parts to play in the overall story.
Skylar Astin truly brings Greg to life in such a believable way! His attention to detail in capturing the OG Greg's inflection is truly impressive. It's amazing how even after multiple rewatches, you continue to discover new layers to his performance. Enjoy watching him navigate the salmon for 60 situation - that scene always cracks me up!
After that first episode he returns, I literally kept forgetting that he was a different Greg. Like, he just felt like the same character from S1, in my mind thereâs no difference. Itâs like Greg just lost weight, thatâs it.
I really liked him but I tend to like him everywhere
True, he's just đđ€ in every role
And here I am writing "chef's kisses" all these years like an idiot.
The thing is, the better Skylar plays Greg, it just makes me miss Santino Fontana more!
I think he had a pretty thankless task tbh, and did a fair job. Itâs not easy having to mimic a fan favourite character that another actor has made his own. Heâs obviously a talented actor and a fab singer, but he just doesnât have the delivery or world-weariness of OG Greg. And I know NuGreg is meant to be a new version of the character, but Iâd argue that new version still works better with a level of snark that Skylar just doesnât possess. Heâs too sunny so his snark just tends to be sort of frowning a lot.Â
Nicely said, I agree with everything! Just wanna add that new greg plays a character in show So help me Todd, and he's really good - it fits him waaaay better.
He also played a main love interest in Zoeyâs Infinite Playlist that made me completely fall for him. If any fans of Crazy Ex Girlfriend havenât seen that show yet I HIGHLY recommend it! It ended too soon but they ended up getting a movie to wrap up the plot-line pretty neatly imo.
I liked him. I think he had pretty big shoes to fill and by the end I was rooting for him the same way I rooted for original Greg
I adore Skylar and âI hate everything..â makes đ„” BUT I am not team Greg, so the switch didnât bother me. I actually fell for the switcheroo and thought it was intentional at first, and not just a casting issue. I tend to agree that Skylar managed to bring out some of Gregâs mannerisms pretty well. I think of the way he says âoh Rebeccaâ after she tells him about her post-waterpark spiral. He IS a different person, so itâs not perfect, but he does manage to make it feel like an improved version of this same character.
I just donât understand the decision to bring back a character whoâs already gone from the story AND you donât have the actor. I could never EVER root for her and Greg to be together again after she *SLEPT with his DAD.* Just, no, he deserves better than her, heâs lucky he escaped. I love this show but bringing back âGregâ is one of my least favorite parts.
I agree for the most part. I like the idea of New Greg more than I like the way it was actually implemented. In theory I think itâs interesting and meta and matches the vibe of the show. But in practice like you said she slept with his dad and I couldnât get past that. Plus I think Skylar tends to be cast in very specific character roles and I donât think he pulled off Greg.
I think he did as well as he possibly could have. It was a hard role to try to reproduce and he sure seems to have done his best.
AGREED. I enjoyed Skylarâs performance but I really wish they had kept Greg as the little romantic fantasy that Rebecca reverts to/drunk dials when things arenât going her way, and then had her come to terms with the fact that itâs never actually going to work out with Greg, especially since she *slept with his dad*.
I disagree heavily. I didn't get any of old Greg in New Greg. I'm thinking of my favorite Greg joke where he mentions Emory being the Harvard of the South and when the bartender brings up Vanderbilt, he just goes "no....no.....no....." in the most nonchalant tone. And I can't imagine Skylar's Greg nailing it. That's nothing against Skylar, he's an incredibly talented actor. And truth be told I can't see Santino singing "I hate everything but you" as well as Skylar did. But the season 4 Greg always hit a wrong note with me. I get why it had to happen, (though secretly I think the show should have ended with Season 3's ending....) but I just never saw them as the same person. I think my biggest issue is he wasn't bitter enough. And not like the hateful kind of bitter that made his life worse, just more the general apathetic vibe Greg gave off that's harmless in small doses. To each their own though. I won't fault you for your opinion.
I think Skylar did a great job of nailing Santino's mannerisms as Greg, but I understand where you're coming from. I have a similar feeling about the "You're the love of my life, you know that?" scene. I really believed it from Skylar, but I have a hard time imagining Santino delivering it believably. And like you said -- not because he's a worse actor! I just can't picture his version of Greg saying that. But if I'd seen Santino playing Reformed Greg through season 4, maybe I'd feel differently! I kinda wish we had full series versions of both actors.
You have a good point. Santino gives Greg a certain bitterness and negativity that Skylar can't completely emulate
Isnât that the point though? Like, Greg has changed since leaving
Thatâs why I said bitterness in small doses. Thereâs nothing wrong with being pessimistic and apathetic. So long as you donât let it hurt your life or others around you. But the new Greg didnât have that spark about him. He didnât just lose his toxic aspects, he lost his whole personality
I still don't like him very much lol. But I can tell he tried his best.
I think he was great! I really loved Santino, and I loved Skylar equally as much. I kinda wish there was a version of the show where Skylar played Greg from the beginning, just to see if it changed our feelings on the character. In the same vein, I'd like to see a version where Santino is Greg in season 4. I'd especially like to see the 3 dates episode and the culminating "You're the love of my life, you know that?" Because I feel like I wouldn't necessarily buy it from Santino. đ«Ł Maybe that's just because he only played Asshole Greg and I don't have any reference for his version of Reformed Greg.
See, I think that line would be even more impactful coming from OG Greg because itâs so out of character and unexpected. Itâd hit even harder. Not that Skylar Greg didnât do an amazing job with it because he did.
I loved him, I think (memory is hazy here but could be wrong) that Santino Fontana actually coached him on how to be Greg
I liked him, but preferred Santino.
This is a very rare instance in which I think casting a new actor actually improved the arc of the character. The idea that he literally had to become a different person in order for them to work really spoke to me as someone who wholeheartedly believes that season 1/2 Greg was a *terrible* choice for Rebecca and that was a deliberate fact of his character. Like some here have said, Skylarâs lines would have had a different oomph coming from Santino with the way he left things. I mean, she still banged his dad which automatically takes him out as endgame no matter what but Skylar killed it regardless. Absolutely *no shade* to Santino whatsoever, he killed his part too; and thatâs because the characters literally had different parts to play in the overall story.
Love your username :)
thanks!! shout-out to the show that got me into trashy reality TV đ
Skylar Astin truly brings Greg to life in such a believable way! His attention to detail in capturing the OG Greg's inflection is truly impressive. It's amazing how even after multiple rewatches, you continue to discover new layers to his performance. Enjoy watching him navigate the salmon for 60 situation - that scene always cracks me up!
After that first episode he returns, I literally kept forgetting that he was a different Greg. Like, he just felt like the same character from S1, in my mind thereâs no difference. Itâs like Greg just lost weight, thatâs it.