Wendy

At this juncture, either find a permanent recast or have a line about Maxie settling down in X location, deciding she needed a change of scenery after all she had been through. After all the Mollys, as an example, at least the show finally found someone suitable and continued on. I do believe the role of Maxie could also be recast, especially since Kirsten didn't even originate the role. At the same time, however, it also depends on story, and it seems like GH has re-directed Cassius/"Nathan", so he is no longer dependent on Maxie. And wisely, Maxie wasn't in the midst of an important storyline, so if the character is not recast, nothing is really lost. Although it would be sad that none of Felicia's kids would be around, but hey...the nature of soaps.

Funny, I remember this, but I have zero memory of the actor's time on AMC. Sucks getting old. (Assuming 53 is old. LOL.) 😋

Sure, but death has no age requirement. Someone young can have an unexpected illness, car crash, whatever. Even if time is limited, I think it's great if people find love in their twilight years. It may not be the "love of their lives", but companionship and shared interests at that point in life are worthwhile. I know real life as far as Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes' marriage maybe makes someone else courting Julie a bit bittersweet, but it does happen in real life, so good for Julie if she enjoys some attention, I say!

If I had any confidence the show was heading back that way, that's one thing. But the preview seems to be doubling down on the human ZZZQuil that is Brady and Sarah with the equally-dull ILYs and Marlena basically alluding to Xander that he is delusional about reconciling with Sarah. (Then again, Marlena should not even be Xander's shrink as far as this goes, since Brady is her stepson, but whatever.) Add in more DiMera overload (Joe Mascolo/Stefano is GONE. Let them rest in peace already!), freaking cartoon Susan, and the misery that is Chanel's health, and yeah. Not too intrigued here. But the Kayla/Steve bit is always welcome, and Joy has a spark. Hope the show keeps her around this time, even if I think she deserves better than Alex. Finally, Stephanie shoots "an innocent man". Not too many of those in Salem, so that's really the only MILD curious angle here, IMO. One positive bit: The show IS re-introducing Chad properly. Weaving Conner Floyd into things SLOWLY, allowing the audience to adjust to him before throwing him into story. But his version of Chad, to me, doesn't seem to have many sparks with Belle, so I hope the show eases up there. (Though I doubt it will.)

Kristina did tell him she was gay, so I don't see it. (But I could see the show getting collective amnesia and having Kristina realize she is back to being fluid/bi, which is insulting, but right up the show's alley.)

So, typical GH incompetence? Honestly, soap audiences - at least by way of thinking from TPTB - are stuck in the 1950s. Conservative. At least, that's my impression since this show likes to give the appearance of progressive behavior but actually playing it safe. Meaning, Kristina can be sexually fluid/bi/gay (the show has gone all over the place), but in the end, no real story. And when there is a glimmer, it gets jettisoned fast. (Bye, Blaze!) So, the only way Kristina (and Lucas) was to ever be a lead is if the show had just left her straight. To be clear? I have no problem with representation. It's needed, but the current crop of writers and their inability or lack of interest to write Kristina as a fleshed-out person with her own love life (it's a soap!) has left her with crumbs. Frank wanting the accolades of representation, without having the spine to carry through. But I imagine that's de rigueur for all of the remaining soaps. At least US soaps. That said, I've never been much of a Kate Mansi fan, but I wish her well. Wonder if Lexi Ainsworth would make a return? (But again, for crumbs? She'd be better off staying away.)

This one I remember quite well! The guy excelled at playing menacing criminals. Had no idea he had passed away so recently. Thanks for the entertainment, Mr. Gibb!

Found this on BlueSky, posted just recently. Just an example of the hilarity of SORAS. Sarah lashing out regarding Neil and Maggie's affair behind Mickey's back, so she arranged to have Maggie find her in bed with Neil (who was retconned himself as her bio dad [Lane Davies' Evan Whyland was actually the dad, if I recall!], and Sarah didn't know, obviously!). All the way back in 1991. LOL! Sarah Horton must have found that fountain of youth!

The Steve/Kayla stuff looks good, anyway!

Oh, that disaster was epic. Yeah, Wayne should have just returned as Roman. Maybe explain JT's Roman as Chris Kositchek with a mind-altering brain chip. (On this show, it would work. But then, how to explain the Bradys having been so dumb? LOL!)

Especially when you consider that Taylor has now played Roman the longest. (Look, I have nothing against the man, but if he had to come back, it should have been as his former Chris Kositchek character! Even almost 30 years on, I still don't think of him as Roman Brady.)

I have read that Deidre's return in 1991 hinged on having Wayne return, too, at her request. So, if Wayne/original Roman didn't return, there is a chance that Deidre/Marlena wouldn't have either. It just worked out better for her in terms of reintegrating into the canvas than it did for Wayne Northrop. (Although, I think James Reilly had responsibility as far as that went. Wasn't he the one who didn't think there was story for Roman, leading to Wayne being fired? I liked John/RoJohn, but Wayne had a legacy on the show that should have/could have been respected, too, if written better.)

I preface this with the usual disclaimer that I hold the unpopular opinion of not shipping John/Marlena, but even I knew the significance of their reunion on the docks (Doc on the docks!) in 1991, with John - at that point - still believing he was Roman. Of course, the fallout from that, the two Romans, the gorgeous Chichen Itza remote in Mexico (back when soaps still had a budget!), and everything in between with Bo, Carly, Isabella (who had just discovered she was pregnant with Brady), well...it kept me watching. As much of a colossal mess that John Black later became, I still respect Days for not firing Drake Hogestyn (he did earn his own popularity when playing Roman), since that's usually the fate of recast actors when the original actors return to a role, and the whole saga fueled stories years down the line. Besides their former "brotherly" relationship, maybe it's another reason why John/Bo remained close. Both of them experienced their wives returning from the dead. LOL! In all seriousness, as much as Alison Sweeney's SORAS'ed Sami did shake things up, I still think the show chickened out in aging the twins when it did, since the consequences could have also driven story, i.e. maybe John suing for visitation and the Bradys being torn, Carrie caught between love and loyalty for two fathers, etc. It would have been messy, but a mess rooted in history and realism, no sci-fi needed! But Marlena's return was a ripple effect for John, the Bradys, Isabella, and the 'real' Roman himself. Objectively, it was a big moment that paid hefty dividends soap-wise.

Huh! This, I didn't know! 😊

Just another needless mistake on top of many as far as Days goes. Sigh...