SOD Pic of Shelia/Phyllis

[JoelMTL]

In the cases you sight, the original actors were all very popular. They were replaced because they didn't want to continue on their respective shows. KB has made it clear how much she loved playing Sheila and was ready and willing to return. If a show with a vocal fan base like GH for example would recast Vanessa Marcil's role or Finola Hughes, there'd be an uproar.

[Ryan]

Hmmmmm......popular roles on GH have been recast. Kristina Wagner played Felicia for over a decade yet the role was recast (albeit poorly) with Sandra Ferguson. The role of Kendall on AMC was recast with Alicia Minshew (who people thought would bomb since Sarah Michelle Gellar did some an amazing job). It happens people. Roles are recast. It happens....

[Sweet_VeeVee24]

Well, I know that when GH decided to recast the role of Carly with Tamara Braun, I was kinda wondering if it would work..however, I didn't stop watching the show because of her being recast. There are a lot of folks that have been recast on shows; I know folks were wondering if Anne Heche's role ad Vicky/Marley on Another World would tank, but Jensen Buchanan did an awesome job in the roles, however in this case, if it is written that Sheila got an operation to alter her features to look like Phyllis, then to me, it would make sense to have Michelle Stafford in the dual role, not Kimberlin Brown. JMO

[DruRocks]

CRC as much as LML PISSES me off, I doubt she was the one who wrote the plastic surgery angle. When JS was at the helm every story was HIS.

Ummm didn't Kimberlin Brown play a recast Sugar (played by Robin Matson). Now not to say that Sugar was a MAJOR character but just saying.

Like I said after KB's awfuk stint last year, I really don't want to see her back.

I still say no Sheila, is the best.

[edgeofnik]

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Sorry, but if Terry Lester and Brenda Dickson can be recast in much more important roles then I'm sure Sheila can be recast. She is not all that, hell even if you focus solely on Y&R she is so low on the recast meter it's not even funny. I do love her in the role, but she is not the end all. IMO.

Funny you mention Alexis because Joan Collins was a successful recast for Beverlee McKinsey on Guiding Light. McKinsey is one of the all-time greatest daytime actors of all time and she managed to be recast. Twice actually because they also recast her on Another World.

I'll go on record -- I do love KB. I dislike what her last two S/L have been: 1) the botched return on B&B and 2) the 2005 return on Y&R. If anyone can pull this off, it's certainly MS. But as we saw with the aforementioned S/L, if the writing and plot SUCKS, the story will SUCK -- no matter how great the actor playing the role. This is going to be really, really good or just awful -- don't see a middle ground. I wonder what MS thinks of this? I'll keep an open mind. Who knows, maybe this will lead to the redemption of Sheila and they can undo plastic surgery and KB can come back with Erica in tow. Maybe to hook up with Philip IV. I'm just sayin!

[crc]

But she was story consultant and was making fundamental decisions for the show around that time, so I still think she should be held partially responsible. If she was making hiring decisions, I'm sure she was tweaking story in preparation for her own. The Sheila story was even cut short, which is a sign that a new writer was involved, so it's conceivable that she wrote the conclusion of it. Besides, what about the obvious. Why would Jack Smith write in the plastic surgery if he realized that LML was taking over his postion? (He has told SOD that LML was taking more and more of the writing duties during the time his son became sick, which was January.) Why would he write that whole plot point without discussing it with LML? Or, without considering if Brad Bell might want to bring her back to B&B? He could have just let Sheila go back into hiding and left it for someone else to decide her fate. I just don't think she should be handed any free passes here. Now, I'm not giving Jack Smith any free passes, either. He still had the title, so he's ultimately responsible for the story decisions while he had that title, regardless. And the whole story, even before LML started being credited as story consultant, was f'd up from it's execution and I blame that on Jack Smith.

Obviously, this is just my assumption, but an assumption based on actual published information (Adrienne Frantz's interview, Jack Smith's interview, etc.) and the fact that LML started being credited as story consultant as early as November 2005.

[DruRocks]

Jack Smith seemed like one of those guys who just cares about his ideas and goes through with it, regardless. I bet many didn't want him to do the Jill and Katherine mother/daughter twist and yet he went through with it. Looking back at his track record it is typical JS to start with a bang and end with a wimper.

[MarlandRulez]

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Kimberlin Brown is not even close to being the best or one of the best actresses in daytime. Very good, but unrecastable? Please.

tell it to Bill Bell who deemed Sheila so unimportant that by the end of the story he crossed her over to another show entirely. She has become a LEGENDARY daytime villain and character under Kimberlin. And Kimberlin ALONE. She is so unique.

[Drew]

I don't see anyone here that has stated that all recasts are bad, so I don't know why you're trying to prove some point by throwing out names of successful recasts Chris. That is NOT what we're talking about at all.

Kimberlin Brown simply IS Sheila. She's been Sheila for 13 years, on two different shows, dubbed a million times across the world. Not only is she Sheila ... she was not even asked to come back!! I absolutely 100% will hate any recast where the original actor is A ) available, B ) interested in returning and C ) not even asked! Bullsh!t! Bull f*king shi!t!

[MarlandRulez]

This is SHEILA. Sheila is world famous. I've been to France, Italty, B&B is always on at the hotels, EVERYBODY knows Sheila. SHEILA CARTER is a soap icon on an INTERNATIONAL SCALE.

[Drew]

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Sorry, but if Terry Lester and Brenda Dickson can be recast in much more important roles then I'm sure Sheila can be recast. She is not all that, hell even if you focus solely on Y&R she is so low on the recast meter it's not even funny. I do love her in the role, but she is not the end all. IMO.

Okay ... so, we have Kimberlin's Sheila for 14 years. Then Stafford's Sheila for ... 6 months, if that? It's destined to fail! It's poor, plot-based storytelling straight out of the book of James Reilly, just like everything else on Y&R these days, and they're going to ruin Sheila for a few months of story. Bull! Lester and Dickson's recasts worked because the show was looking towards the future, Y&R is looking for a quick fix. And clearly Michelle is not up to the task, if she thinks wearing little makeup and frowning is all that is needed to be Sheila F*king Carter!

[MarlandRulez]

THANK YOU, DREW!

The ONLY WAY i would ever accept this David Lynch style plot development is if the reflection Stafford's Sheila talks to is Kimberlin's Sheila and if we got a guarentee Kimberlin would be Sheila by the end of the story arc. But even then, its such an exploitation of a great character.

[MarlandRulez]

god, i can just picture the script right now.

PAUL (sliding tray in with bread and water): Wake up Sheila, its time for breakfast. If you even eat, you deranged monster.

PHEILA: Wait Paul, i can't find my blue colored contact lenses. Will you come in here and help me please?

PAUL: Oh don't try that old bird with me, lady!

[bellcurve]

As important as it is that Kimberlin Brown's Sheila is being ruined, I'm more concerned about the stuff that is underlined in bold and italics.

Y&R sets a bar for the soap opera industry and even off-line fans know this. If Latham and CBS piss on that fanbase and their sensibilities and overall desire for GREAT storytelling, daytime will suffer even more than it did after OJ. Period.

[Soapsuds]

I agree with Drew's statement storywise too. But to me Shelia was already ruined the last time KB returned.