Lye-C

Eileen Davidson in the episode where she played four different characters

I think we can eliminate the actors who played Holly and Tate because they were new. I’m curious if only contract cast members signed or if recurring actors like the Hayeses and Judi Evans did as well.

Hilary on Y&R died offscreen yet they created Amanda instead.

I really would like to know which actors signed that petition. Or more importantly, who didn’t.

Norma and Edna on Passions (also daytime’s first gay wedding) It should have been Mike Horton who came out later in life. He was almost gay in the 70s.

I was just thinking about Robert Kelker-Kelly and how he played a cryogenically-frozen Stavros. Shouldn’t they have just brought back Stavros in 1996 with Stephen Nichols in the role instead of creating Stefan? Wouldn’t that have been easier and made more sense?

Robert Kelker-Kelly! I liked him too especially with Billie. I preferred Carly with Lawrence.

I can count on two hands the number of recasts I’ve actually liked: Heather Lindell Austin Peck Lauren Koslow Farah Fath Judi Evans Jay Kenneth Johnson BTW, I don’t just dislike Haiduk. Brynn Thayer was also terrible as Susan Banks. So terrible that they didn’t even show her face onscreen. EDIT: Peck and Koslow are the only recasts I like equally with their originators. The role of Kate wore out her welcome about twenty years ago and now I can’t stand her.

I will say this though: I liked Stephanie Cameron as Jennifer. She had the right look and was able to capture the essence of Jennifer. McClain’s portrayal is too cold, aloof, and bitchy. I don’t believe in recasting unless the actor is terrible and that’s all it comes down to. This isn’t a novel. It’s a visual medium. People watch for the performances. It’s Missy who makes Jennifer come to life. As we’ve seen, the recast Jennifer is an entirely different character. Jennifer in name only. They should have just cast McClain in a new role.

Then you haven’t been around enough. They’re all over the place. Actual Jennifer fans and JnJ shippers do not like McClain.

Jennifer fans, the ones who matter, don’t buy her as Jennifer and never will. She is liked by Missy haters plain and simple. The two statements you don’t think are true are objective facts.

Does anyone remember this Cybil character? Are her episodes on YouTube?

I definitely don’t agree. If the show can’t get the proper actor, don’t use the character. It’s just that simple. It’s the actor who makes the character, not the writing. That’s why you can’t just plug someone like Haiduk into a role like Susan Delilah Banks. It was Eileen’s performance that made the role. Also, McClain was not “good”. You just liked her on her East Coast soaps. Whatever character McClain was playing, it certainly wasn’t Jennifer Rose Deveraux. No the show did not make the right decision. If the recast were universally beloved, she’d be on contract and front burner. She simply pinch hits for Missy whenever Missy’s unavailable. Note that the show brought back Missy as soon as they could. Ditto with Eileen.

Ahh but there’s no need to recast. Jennifer could have “died” offscreen in the blackout and then returned whenever Missy wanted to.

Her 2020 exit was no different than Kristian’s exit at the same time After that, Missy was no longer on contract and so she could choose when she would or wouldn’t work. The racism accusation comes from her liking a post by Candace Owens, a conservative Black woman, on Instagram. No one mentions that Drake and Sweeney also follow Owens though. As a gay moderate I just roll my eyes and move along. Her personal beliefs don’t impact her portrayal of Jennifer. There was something I found problematic about Missy though and it’s rarely discussed. Back in 2011 when Matt returned, Missy was instructed to push the Jennifer/Daniel pairing which she did mainly on her Twitter account. This caused pushback from JnJ fans and she blocked a lot of them. But time heals all wounds because by 2018 she was all in on Jack and Jennifer, so I’ve forgiven her. While I’m on a roll, let’s talk Matt’s 2011 return. His initial rehiring occurred in April 2011 with Dena Higley as HW and Gary Tomlin as EP. Exactly one week later they were fired and replaced by MarDar and Noel Maxam. Matt’s return was then pushed back to September to coincide with the other big returns (Jarlena, Caustin). The writing was not in Jack’s favour which was most evident in that year’s Christmas episode when Daniel and Melanie shot death stares at Jack when he hung his ornament on the tree. After exiting the show, Marlene said in a tweet that some of the returns were not their choice (likely meaning Jack). That would explain why the writing was initially slanted in favour of Dannifer. I am curious about what Higley and Tomlin planned to do with Jack. When his return was announced in April 2011 it was never mentioned if it was full time or short term. Rumours abound that it was going to be short term and end with Jack committing suicide. Based on what Tomlin would later do to Jack I believe it. However, I have no idea if it’s true or not.

Thanks! That explains it. I think they used it within the past couple of years for something.

Missy has never made any racist comments nor has she not shown up for work. Shaming someone for having an affair is tacky especially when Scott deserved it. Jack is my favourite male character. I hope you hold EJ and Stefan the same regard. My top couples are Carrie and Austin, Philip and Chloe, Jack and Jennifer, Susan and Edmund, John and Kristen, John and Marlena, OG Shelle, Sami and Lucas, Eric and Greta, Mimi and Rex, Bo and Hope, Kate and Victor, Andrew and Paul, OG Brady and Nicole, and Abby and Max.

Sally’s Days was great soap. She gave us The Killing Pool (Eileen’s epic exit storyline), the death of Franco Kelly and its fallout, the wedding of John and Marlena, and Princess Gina/Swamp Girl. She was a worthy successor to JER and I’d love to have her back. Not entirely true. Days had the only permanent outdoor set (Salem Place) from 1992-2004.

I’m glad you like Jack and Jennifer. They’re in my top three favorite couples. Interesting. Maybe he didn’t want one.

No one cares about “blank slates” like Spencer, Scotty, etc. who haven’t appeared in over 30 years or who have never appeared at all. The show should naturally re-centre around Marlena and her family. She’s appeared in more episodes than any other character and it’s not even close. She’s the star of the show. She’s who the audience is invested in, not the blank slate Hortons or Julie who was off the show longer than she was on it.

What was the best twist that you never saw coming? For me it was on Passions when Charlie was revealed to be Alistair.

They can afford Always now?? Who are the actors playing Tom and Alice? Now Mac and Frances can’t lay claim to being the only Tom and Alice.

Thank you Donna but that’s a different man with the same name. I read an interview with JER once where he revealed that Susan was originally supposed to die in childbirth thus royally screwing up Kristen’s scheme but he loved the character and his creative juices were flowing. I’m glad he kept that story going into early summer. Totally unrelated but I heard that, back in 1990 after Hope and Ernesto blew up, Days filmed a scene afterwards of Ernesto escaping on a motorboat with a tied-up Hope but the show opted not to air it because the audience would be less likely to accept Bo with Carly if they knew Hope was alive. Not sure if this is true or not. I wonder if other scenes that would’ve changed a story have been left on the cutting room floor over the years.

I don’t know if “evil” is the right term but it was Kristen’s “this is the end of John and Marlena” scene in 1996. The following year, for pure evilness, was the “Ashes, Laura! Ashes!” scene. For Stefano, it was when he began luring her through her wardrobe and transformed her into his Queen of the Night. I don’t think he had kidnapped her yet in the 90s. I was so terrified of Stefano during the Golden Cage kidnapping, especially the moment when he was revealed to be on the plane with Marlena.

Weirdly enough I can’t find an obituary for JER at all.