Khan

Oh, I forgot about that, lol. In that case, I go back to my original choice: Declan.

Oh, God, it was THAT episode that hit number one? Sheesh. Ironically, for an episode where the victim is literally beheaded, "Horseman" was so dull to watch. Jessica's friend (and obligatory falsely accused party) was such a nerd; the object of his affections, who clearly was not into him, was irritatingly self-absorbed; and Judy Landers was, well, Judy Landers. Say what you will about "Menace, Anyone?" and its' blatant rewrites that rendered the whole effort a violent and incomprehensible mess, but at least it didn't bore you to tears!

Other shows and writers felt they had to double the amount of characters and scenes in order to fill each episode, which, IMO, created the bloated budgets that, in concert with the outrageous storylines of the '80's and '90's, led this genre to the pitiful place where it resides today.

I believe it, too. Same goes for the others that @kalbir mentioned. But I think Sullivan and others have said otherwise because they thought it looked better than admitting they were fired or let go. Let's not forget, too, that Susan Howard was a vocal supporter of EP Philip Capice, whom Hagman blamed for the show's falling ratings during the "dream season," making it clear he wouldn't return unless Capice was gone. Let's be honest: most of the females hired on DALLAS from 1988 onward were little more than bimbos with marginal talent but who could, at that point in their careers, work for cheap. In retrospect, Donna Mills was smart to leave KL when she did. Between the salary and budget issues and the increasingly off-key writing for Abby, she could see the writing on the walls.

Miller and Boyett must have produced the second promo. It's got all their hallmarks.

I hope not.

I think I would have given a nod toward the Bradys' Irish roots and named the child something like Patrick. Then, if they wanted to tie in the baby's direct lineage, Ben and Ciara could have given him two middle names: Beauregard Douglas. So, the full name would be Patrick Beauregard Douglas Weston.

Actually, @soapfan770, my idea was to make Esther the GC Slasher. And she killed all those people to put them out of their pain. It's what Katherine would have wanted.

And look who landed the No. 2 spot that week? "The Golden Girls." Two series (GG and MSW) about women who weren't under 30* managed, at least for one week, to top the Fiesta Bowl, "60 Minutes," all four primetime soaps (although, to be fair, they were all in decline anyway) and every single prestige series (like "Hill Street Blues," "St. Elsewhere" and "Moonlighting") that routinely won the lion's share of Emmy nominations and critical acclaim. That's why it has always pissed me off how the industry, Madison Avenue and others snub their noses at MSW in particular. A hit show is still a hit show, people, regardless of the age(s) of its' cast. (*But don't tell Blanche Devereaux that!)

"Baby Bo" sounds like an animated character on some rancid Disney Junior series.

So painfully true. And - like you said, @Paul Raven - the rare actors and characters who do "pop" get dropped. But, after seeing a mother and child interact at Chancellor Park, Amanda calls Devon on her cell, leaving a message on his voicemail that she's changed her mind and wants to talk things over with him...only to be surprised by the Genoa City Slasher, who fatally stabs her in the chest. (I'm kidding. I think your Nate/Amanda/Imani idea has promise.)

Of course. But my point is that that has been an issue with Abby through many, if not all, of the character's storylines, and not just the current one w/ Chance, Devon and Amanda. Ordway's inefficiency as an actor might amplify said issues; nevertheless, those issues have been there pretty much from the beginning, and long before Ordway took over the role. For me, it comes down once more to this basic point: you could recast Abby tomorrow, or send her away and bring her back down the road with a new actress, but that's not going to mitigate the issues with her, or make them disappear. We're STILL gonna be scratching our collective heads, trying to figure out who she is, and what the hell to do with her. Devon suffers from the same issue that has crippled AH's Victoria and especially Nick: an underwhelming performer portraying a character who should be more dynamic, and who is in desperate need of some growth, but because he (or she) has played that role for so long (too long, I might say) and TPTB either can't or won't replace them, evolution is now virtually impossible. IOW, Devon, Victoria and Nick are what they are; and as with Abby, you could have the Genoa City Slasher kill all three - Devon, Victoria and Nick - with his/her signature cotton bale hook next week, and I wouldn't miss not a one of 'em.

So, in Will's imagination, his mother and his step-grandfather enjoying watching well-muscled men strip on the holidays? That Will Horton is one kinky bastard.

True dat, lol. Now, this is an off-the-top-of-my-head suggestion, not fully developed, so PLEASE don't go off...but what if Devon and Abby decide to cohabitate for Dominic's sake, gradually fall in love and then wed? I still don't think there's anywhere to go with Abby after that, but.... *shrug*

Oh, FFS. If things have gotten THIS bad, then just cancel the damn show. Is Belle gonna shriek about everything that Jan? "JAN SPEARS HAS PUT THE TOILET PAPER ROLL ON THE WRONG WAY!!!!!"

It's possible that a long-lost daughter of Digger's could have emerged, going toe-to-toe with J.R. while gradually falling in love with Bobby, thereby keeping the Ewing vs. Barnes concept intact. But I don't know how successful that would have been.

Maddie Cawthorn is DESPERATE to come out.

"We Are the World" wasn't this maudlin. But seriously. Am I missing something here? I don't see what was so revolutionary about CNN+. To me, it just seems (well, SEEMED) like the other 42 news "channels" that air on PlutoTV.

Truthfully, if Abby were to die tomorrow, the Y&R canvas wouldn't miss her, and you wouldn't miss her either. And therein lies the problem. Again, JMO, but I feel like TPTB *have* tried everything (or, everything short of a "brain virus" and complete personality change) to make Abby Carlton Newman Chancellor happen; and with every maneuver, the results are always the same: zilch. I dunno, I think there just comes a point when you, as someone responsible for keeping this show going, have to accept that the character is hopeless; that you've tried your best (multiple recasts, multiple careers, multiple love interests, whatever) and your best, as they say, just isn't good enough. And no, I'm not fond of the suggestions that Abby should be written out instead and then brought back when TPTB devise a better strategy. One, that better strategy may never come; two, the longer you wait for that better strategy TO come, the easier or more tempting it's gonna be to forget her entirely and render her absence as a running gag (think DAYS' Sandy Horton); and three, even a superfluous and redundant character like Abby, who is nevertheless tied to Y&R's two core families, deserves better treatment than to be written off, possibly never to be seen or heard from again. Abby will never serve a real purpose alive, so I say, kill her off and let her have that purpose for once, if only as a catalyst for change in others' lives, especially in young Chance's. Victor and Ashley fans, who were pissed about Ashley's abortion BITD, finally had their fantasies of seeing a Victor/Ashley offspring being born and raised to adulthood, and that's great. More power to y'all. But, you know, maybe there's a reason why Bill Bell had Ashley abort their first baby. And maybe, just maybe, it's because he saw something that the rest of us didn't, or didn't want to. Forgive me, y'all, but when I saw SC in that clip, my immediate, knee-jerk reaction was, "She's literally turning Japanese."

One thing's for sure: Pam's exit was pretty much the end of the series' original "Romeo vs. Juliet/Ewing vs. Barnes" concept, if the concept hadn't already been abandoned before then. DALLAS seriously needed to reboot itself, because Cliff alone was simply no match for J.R., and J.R.'s dominance over everyone in the Ewing clan, including Bobby, just made the whole show look lopsided.

I'm just glad HK is gone. I mean, what Michael Muhney put her through, both in the media and in private, was stomach-churning, but I feel like we had to endure her underwhelming performances longer than we should have, precisely because Muhney's actions made it difficult for TPTB to let her go w/out making it look as if they were punishing her just for defending herself.

"And nothing of what she deserves!"

TBH...? I'm not crazy for my ideas for Paul and Sharon either. Now, you're not gonna change my mind about Abby and Ashley, no matter what. I still think Abby's an extraneous character who can't salvaged, no matter how many times you recast her, how many stupid relationships you stick her in, or how long you keep her off the canvas with the hope that you can bring her back if/when you think you know what to do with her. Abby has to go, it has to be permanent, and if it IS permanent, then, given Ashley's history, I think a(nother) mental breakdown followed by a stint at a sanitarium is the only logical fate for a woman (Ashley) forced to accept the untimely death of yet another child of hers. But, the Paul/Sharon thing...? Yeah, that's the kind of [!@#$%^&*] I'd scrap as soon as it hit the air. Which would be a very Bill Bell thing to do, I guess, lol. ETA: But I WILL say that I had it in mind for Sharon to give birth to a son, Caleb, who would have Downs Syndrome.

Agree, on both counts.

It would just break our hearts too much to see John and Marlena endure that. It was a very ambiguous storyline. Even as I was reading about it, I was never sure whether Eric and Susan's encounter was consensual. It's the kind of story that could never play today.