Khan

I never thought I'd say this, especially after all the talk we've had about it in other threads, but...I think there's a way you could sell people on Phyllis finding love with another woman.

Agree. After everything that Sonny and Carly have been through, whether together or apart, we need to see some evolution from the two, instead of the same-old, same-old. If anything, when Carly first learned about Sonny and Nina, her reaction should have been almost muted, for lack of a better word. Because, my God, Carly, we've ALL been down this road before with you and Sonny on countless occasions; and how many MORE occasions must we go down it before we finally get it through our thick-ass skulls!? Then, Carly could have arrived at the conclusion (either on her own, or with help from someone like Bobbie) that if she didn't react as badly toward the knowledge about Sonny and Nina as she thought she would, or as she would have at any other time in their long, tumultuous relationship, then maybe she and Sonny are really and truly over. Because, you know, that's life. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to make a relationship work, it just doesn't work.

IKR? I keep thinking about what Ron Carlivati said at the start: that he didn't know how to approach revisiting this story until he realized that the devil was just another villain. Talk about being led in the wrong direction, lol. Johnny is supposed to be a filmmaker, right? If he is supposed to be a filmmaker, and he has been possessed by the devil, then why isn't the devil exploiting Johnny's filmmaking abilities to spread his message(s) and win souls everywhere? Why does the devil even BOTHER with DiMera Enterprises? As I've said COUNTLESS times, I really don't approve of telling stories about demonic possession, especially on a daytime soap opera that, for the most part, has never been a supernaturally-based show. (Heck, I don't think this would have belonged even on DARK SHADOWS, lol.). But, if you're gonna tell this kind of story, then tell it right! We live in very polarizing times. We have become more tribalistic than ever before. If the devil didn't sow the seeds of our current state, then he is certainly working overtime, figuring out ways to exploit it. THAT should be the message of Ron Carlivati's story: that the devil is busier than ever; and that, to quote Reba McEntire, we gotta give this world back to God. Instead, it's like we're watching the worst teen sex comedy imaginable, with a possessed Johnny panting after Gabi like some damn cartoon dog, which is a form of Hell even the devil himself wouldn't want unleashed.

They could have had Paul Michael Glaser or Vincent Baggetta fill in for Michael Zaslow and it wouldn't have been as jarring to watch. Fabiani was just so wrong for Roger, even as a temp.

Adam's lingering animosity toward Victor is not only unmotivated, it's also tired af now.

What's gonna happen, though, when the devil is finally banished, and Johnny's soul is restored to him? Will he even remember dumping Chanel? Will Chanel feel compelled to reconcile with Johnny -- and deny her growing feelings for Allie in the process? And how will Johnny take it when he learns that not only have Chanel and Allie slept together, but that they're STILL sleeping together, behind his back (because, if they aren't, then there's no damn story)? Will Johnny return to the "dark side" -- this time without the devil's help? It just might be the only GOOD thing to come out of this horrible mishmash of "Salem's Lot" and "The Exorcist."

It's crazy to think that Brad Carlton, who'd been a major player in Genoa City for so long, would wind up frozen like a popsicle in some lake.

It certainly would've been more fun than watching Patty Jane Williams wreak havoc on Genoa City again and again and again (...and again).

Ah, the teen cabin...

Exactly!

But, BITD, she reminded me so much of the singer, I still can't look at her without hearing "Gloria" in my head.

Listen, I don't care how facked-up Holly Gagnier's face might look nowadays. I love my lil' Laura Branigan lookalike and I always will.

I keep thinking it's one of those scenarios where the two will eventually get fed up, lock Adam in a cage and then take turns screwing him in some basement while he's doped up on aphrodisiacs.

I'm not as anti-Justin Deas/anti-Buzz Cooper as the rest of y'all. I was okay with both actor and character being on the show; but, like every other character, he just needed to be used more properly. But I DID think it'd be fun to have Margaret Colin join him on the show for a brief arc as Lucy's mom, Sylvie. Listen, once you've survived the horror that was Joel Fabiani as Roger Thorpe....

Deep within the bowels of my GL fanfic lurks an Andy Norris/Samantha Marler hookup. Except, I imagined Philip Brown as Andy, and Cady McClain as Samantha (now an attorney, living once again in Springfield, running a private practice with uncle Ross).

In more ways than one. Agree. Exploring Brad's pre-Genoa City past was an intriguing idea, especially for a character who, like you said, had been exhausted. But, tying it to Nazis and turning it all into some cheap, Indiana Jones knock-off...? That's just not the kind of story that Y&R would ever have done well, not even during the Bill Bell/Kay Alden/Wes Kenney glory days. If anything, I would have revealed that Brad was born into a Mafia family and had changed his identity in order to escape from that life. They could have even said he had been overweight and homely-looking before he underwent reconstructive surgery, which would explain why the man was always so damn in love with himself, lol.

At the very least, Adam could delight in the fact that they're actively fighting over him, even though he has no intention of hooking up with either of 'em.

That tramp lives in the gutter where she belongs! (I'm kidding!)

Are you serious? *shrug* Okay. Well, like I said: Maggie's parents, Elmer and Dorothy Simmons, were killed in an auto accident that also left Maggie "crippled" for many years (until Mickey, as "Marty Hansen," showed up at her farm, fell in love with her and eventually got her the life-changing surgery that she needed). Now, obviously, this happened "before my time" and I don't have access to the DAYS archives; so, this is all dependent on these events happening off-screen. If the viewers at that time saw what happened, even if it was via flashbacks, then scrap the whole thing. BUT... Suppose Elmer, being a poor dirt farmer, with a wife and daughter to raise, fell into a midlife crisis. And suppose that that left him emotionally vulnerable to the teenaged Maggie's best friend: a lusty, young woman, perhaps slightly older than Maggie, but whose father is the pastor of the local church that the Simmonses attend, and where Elmer himself serves as deacon. Now, suppose that, on the day in question, Dorothy realizes her beloved husband is having an affair and heads off to confront him. Maggie, torn between her loyalty to her father and that of her mother, jumps in the car with Dorothy, hoping to dissuade her. (Of course, Maggie's tearful pleas fall on proverbial deaf ears.) Dorothy catches Elmer with the young girl. She heads back to the car. Elmer leaves the young girl and joins his wife, begging for the chance to explain. Maggie remains in the car, hoping in vain to play peacemaker between her folks. As Dorothy continues driving, however, her and Elmer's argument becomes more and more heated. Finally, at a pivotal moment, Elmer admits he never loved Dorothy; that he only married her because he thought she was pregnant (she wasn't; they had Maggie later)! Dorothy becomes completely unglued at that moment, causing her to lose control of the car and crash, killing herself and Elmer, and injuring poor Maggie. Unable to cope with the knowledge that her father had had an affair with one of her peers, as well as the truth about her parents' rocky marriage, Maggie has psychologically suppressed it all. Unfortunately, when this new character (played by Martha Byrne) arrives in Salem, and gradually, through the necessary chain of events, she reveals she is the product of Elmer's affair, making her and Maggie half-sisters, Maggie is forced to relive everything. Maggie breaks down emotionally, and comes very close to falling off the wagon, but finds the strength to attend an AA meeting. Julie also learns why Martha Byrne's character has shown up in Salem and why Maggie is dangerously close to going back toward the bottle. Fearing for Maggie's physical and emotional health, Julie is ready to tear Martha Byrne's character a new one. However, Maggie stops her, reassures her that she will be okay and makes the first, tentative steps toward accepting Martha Byrne's character into her family... Of course, down the road, their newfound, sisterly bond will be put to the test when Martha Byrne's character becomes involved with Xander, just as he and Sarah are getting back together, and they are on the verge of getting married.

Chances are, if Ron Carlivati had been writing GH back then, he would have had TG/Luke disguise himself either as his BRIGHT PROMISE character or his guest-starring role on “All in the Family” as a not-so-subtle wink to the audience.

Are we sure Johnny hasn’t been possessed by the spirit of Stefano DiMera instead?

By the way, I also stand by my other, most recent casting choices: Melanie Smith as a Billie recast, and Martha Byrne as a newcomer who turns out to be Maggie’s long-lost half-sister (a long-buried secret that ties in with the car accident that killed Maggie’s folks and left her paralyzed for a period).

So, I just googled Alma Delfina. Apparently, she’s only four years younger than Ana-Alicia; and since they apparently didn’t do much with Mama Hernandez when she was on the show…? Yeah, I’m standing by fantasy casting choice: Ana-Alicia as a recast for Adriana Hernandez.

Have we ever met Rafe and Gabi’s mom? I’d say Ana-Alicia might be good for THAT role (with either a returning A Martinez or Lorenzo Lamas playing their dad).