Scorpio Articles and Interviews
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The Accidental Therapist (1997)
by Adam Kelley, Soap Opera Digest 4/1/97

"He's not a psychiatrist, but he plays one on TV- and that's good enough for most fans.  'It's funny how often they ask me for advice,' Ian Buchanan marvels.  'They have decisions to make, or they're afraid to make changes, or they're not happy, or they have relationship problems.  They tell me all this, and then... they ask me what they should do.'  He pauses briefly, then adds, 'That's very strange to me.  I wouldn't ask them any of those questions.'

It's probably just as well that he wouldn't, since the very qualities that make both Buchanan and his B&B character such expert advisors- an unhurried-but-serious countenance and the pokerest of poker faces- aren't exactly helpful when the roles are reverested.  When Buchanan talks, you have to be patient; he like to form succinct sentences, and that takes time.   He answers questions with questions.  He can rationalize anything.  It all makes talking with him kind of like being in a really maddening therapy session, only you're not sure whether you're the doctor or the patient. To wit:

Buchanan:   "I don't drive.  I don't understand the concept."
Digest:   "You don't have a license?"
Buchanan:   "I do, but I don't use it."
Digest:   "Isn't not driving in L.A. a little inconvient?"
Buchanan:   "No.  I don't go anywhere unless it's absolutely essential."
Digest:   "But what if you need to shop?"
Buchanan:   "There's a market across the road."
Digest:   "But what if you want to go to a different store?"
Buchanan:   "Why would I want a different store?"
Digest:   "What if you want a new CD?"
Buchanan:   "Just on a whim?"
Digest:   "Yes."
Buchanan:   "I wouldn't do that.  I only buy compact discs when it's convient."
Digest:   "So you never hear a song on the radio and think, 'Oh I want that now.'
Buchanan:   "I don't listen to the radio."

Buchanan is, of course, aware of the difficulties inherent in talking with him.  He's not, by his own admission, much interested in saying what people want to hear him say.  'All my life, people would ask me, "Why don't you smile?"  And I would always say, Why don't you give me a reason to smile?"  I just find that to be so terribly controlling.  It means they want to feel like you're happy and accepting of everything they do.  They say, "Smile," and I think, "Okay, and would you like a handstand, too?  Maybe some cartwheels?"

'I can be insensitive sometimes,' he continues.  'I always try to be as honest as possible without being totally ridiculous.  And some situations require more discretion than honesty.  If someone has a horrible shirt and asks me if I like it, I try to assess how much they want to know.  Do they really care?  Are they stuck wearing it?   And am I in a mood to make them feel good or bad?  The problem is, if you're honest with somebody, then you have to take responsibilty for it.  And people get hurt.'

If Buchanan sounds especially reflective, don't blame it on his age.  Though he's now in his 40s ('I'm 41, which is the very early 40s'), the milestone went by practically unnoticed.  'It only took me about a week to adjust,' he says. 'Rather than get all introspective, I suddenly though, "Well, I've always liked to be around people who are older, because they're so much more interesting.  I just realized that there were good times ahead, and I relaxed."

He's equally relaxed about his current bachelor status.  'It's actually quite nice not seeing anyone,' he insists.  'I used to fall in love a lot, and I found it... restricting, because I'm terribly possessive.  I've never really had the sort of love that is liberating.  I attach myself when I'm in love.  I let pieces of myself go with the person wherever they are.. and when you do that, you just hope they take care of them.'

James could say the same thing.  Too idealistic and naive for his own good, the character has weathered some major romantic complications since his arrival, and is now living with two women; one is his wife, Maggie; the other, his pregnant ex-abductor, Sheila.  Buchanan, with his gift for making anything sound sensible, loves it.

'I know people see these [soap operaesque] situations as ridiculous, but I really don't,' he swears.  'I mean, I'm sure people do lose their virginity in earthquakes, as James did.   They do get held hostage.  Of course, if there were a larger group of characters, he might not have gone on to have a relationship with the woman who held him hostage.  That happened because we have a small cast.'

Buchanan is, in fact, thrilled that B&B came along when it did.  I has given him direction.   'After I left General Hospital, I did other things, and I enjoyed that for a time.   But it's very lonely and scary out there.  You move from job to job, which is hard, because there's not much continuity in my life.  I don't have any family in this country, and I don't have any dependents, except plants.'

He does, however, have lots of very, very good friends, one of whom lives in Malibu and has invited him over for dinner tomorrow.  From Buchanan's apartment in L.A., that's quite a drive.

Digest:   "So how will you get there?"
Buchanan: "I'm going to start walking tonight.  If I leave soon, I should get there just in time."

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