Liberty City

Valentin was so hated that Helena warned Stavros, Stefan & Natasha (a.k.a. Alexis) to stay away from him, and not even contact him. Now we have... whew... not even close to that.

Retconning Valentin from being Mikkos' son to Helena's son with Victor was one of the stupidest things, too. Like, beyond stupid.

The problem is: Valentin was originally scripted as the illegitimate son of Mikkos Cassadine was shown in the summer of 2009 under executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and head writer Robert Guza, Jnr. But it was Frank Valentini and Jean Passanante & Shelly Altman who introduced Valentin as "Theo". The "writer" toyed with the idea of Valentin in 2013 (with Irizarry recast in the role). Borlenghi described Valentin as "morally bankrupt," while Stuart said he was presented to him as "brash and take no prisoners," which to me is a watered down concept of "morally bankrupt" to the point where he has moral. So, that's where I really struggle with the role of Valentin. And then Stuart told Soaps In Depth he enjoyed playing the "misunderstood [bleep]hole," which again, does not fit Borlenghi's "morally bankrupt" Valentin. The role was mutilated beyond repair. Borlenghi showed up for work... and it just never happened, which is disappointing. Then we got saddled with "papa" who speaks French like it's his love language. From my perspective, it should be Greek. I think of Deimos on DAYS (with Irizarry) and think, "Fück. We could have had it." Part of me feels like Peter Reckell could be open to a more permanent return now that a certain producer is gone. He left because he was not given anything creative to do, and I think if Janet Spellman-Drucker, with Paula Cwikly & Jeanne Marie Ford are able to give him something to do, he'd be open to it. Kristian Alfonso could be another story altogether. They legitimately gave him a lobotomy. It's so.... awe-striking to me, and not in a good way.

He'll most definitely be dropped by DAYS at some point; it's happened before, and it'll happen again. Surprised he got dropped 2018, honestly. We gotta find the interview he shittalked the return, lmao!!! FOUND IT! ❝ Stephen on if there were any serious talks about bringing him back to GH to reprise his role as Stefan Cassadine: “If they were ever truly serious about bringing me back for a long-term story, then they would have made a serious offer. And there was none of that. They brought back all those great actors for the 50th anniversary Nurses Ball and they did call me for that. I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ No, not for me. I felt slapped by that experience and I can’t believe that most of those actors went ahead with that plan. They are so talented and worth so much more than that.” ❞ ⏤ Stephen Nichols Opens Up About His DAYS Return, "Patch" Finding Bo Brady & Why No Sign of Stefan Cassadine on GH!

I think Borlenghi had those darker features that would have worked as a Cassadine. And, at one point, it was suggested Vincent Irizarry had been recast in the role, replacing Borlenghi. Stuart, to me, was the Timothy Dalton of Valentin, except he lasted in the role unlike Dalton as James Bond. It's just.... bad casting and a mix bag of writing. Trying to make a character, who Helena was petrified of on her death bed, into a romantic lead wasn't the path that should have been taken.

I find it hard to believe that Valentin was sold to us as being the one Cassadine that Helena was petrified of... and then he was.... nothing? Matt Borlenghi was meant to be Valentin, and then we somehow got James Patrick Stuart? Hmmm....

Exactly. Agnes Nixon developed the bible for All My Children during her time as head writer at Guiding Light, and tried selling the soap to both NBC & CBS, and then again to NBC via Procter & Gamble. Unable to sell it, she tabled it. She used pieces of her All My Children bible during her stint on Another World, and Rachel Davis was created through her vision of what Erica Kane would be. ABC sought out Nixon to create a soap opera, noticing the success of her Another World stint. That's where One Life to Live came from and, following that success, she brought All My Children to the table. And Children was the only soap (that I am aware of) where she served as executive producer, so it's clear, to me, that was her ultimate passion project from day one. Doesn't mean she doesn't love the others she was involved with, but it's very clear that Children held the apple of her eye.

Like @carolineg I do think Stefan would work on the present canvas. Do I think he would have worked more on the strike team or Patrick Mulcahey? Hell yes. But Stefan would work on the canvas. And, unlike Valentin, is a Cassadine worth fearing. I hate the vasectomy that Valentin, as a character, got from concept to debut.

I do enjoy seeing Chad Duell & Jane Elliot work together; honestly, even if I hate the character Elliot's Tracy is opposite, I love seeing her work. I'm just happy we have the Dame of GH back! Her exit left a noticeable hole in the canvas.

That moment you try-out a new television series, and it isn't what you expected it to be... but can't be arsed to change it. 🤣

I feel like it was likely Guza when Michael woke up from his coma, and it was Drew Garrett in the role?

I loved Chaunteé Schuler as Bonnie! I'll have to check out previews for the series. Thanks for keeping us in-the-know.

Michael Quartermaine should have never been a temporary thing; it was a nice turn for the character, and would have been a fantastic story: Carly, Jason & Sonny all tried keeping him from AJ & the Quartermaines, and in the end he chose them? Whew.... the story was there, and the "writer" ignored the fück out of it.

I think them teaming with NuTime Media will also be a major, contributing factor, as well. Per their website: ❝ Founded by President-CEO Morris McWilliams, an experienced National Media Sales Executive, NuTime Media is a MBE Certified Black-Owned Media Ad-Sales Representation Company with offices in New York and Chicago. NuTime Media specializes in the African American entertainment segment and media landscape. While at his former company, Related Media Inc., McWilliams represented the National Ad-Sales for “The Wendy Williams Show,” “Steve Harvey,” “Arsenio Hall,” “House of Payne,” “Family Feud,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Girlfriends,” “The Parkers,” “Chappelle’s Show,” “Meet The Browns,” and “The Queen Latifah Show,” through “CBS Media Ventures,” "NBC Universal Television,” “Disney ABC Domestic Television,” “Sony Pictures Television,” “20th Television” and “MGM Domestic Television.” NuTime Media has an Exclusive Partnership with CBS Media Ventures to represent many of the syndicator’s top-rated shows with African American audiences and to engage likeminded content creators to provide the advertising partners with more opportunities to reach this valuable consumer group in a very significant way on multiple platforms. ❞ The networks/shows they presently advertise through seem promising.

Oh, wow. Thanks so much! This is a beautiful find! I appreciate you so much!

Susan Flannery left in 1975; Susan Oliver (1975–1976) & Rosemary Forsyth (1976–1980) followed her portrayal.

Mr. Errol, you once again hit the nail on the head with your post.

Tinker has always been booked outside of daytime, though. This isn't anything new for him. It is realistically his time as Sonny Kiriakis that kept him locked in daytime, and given that was coming from the COVID era of filming, it made sense to lock in (although doing other projects outside of it).

Congratulations to The Price Is Right & The Young and the Restless on their accomplishments.