DAYS- Steve and Kayla

[MikeGoldy]

So, I'm watching DAYS on soapnet right now, and as I'm watching the Steve and Kayla scenes, I can't figure out why I'm not getting into them. I used to love Steve and Kayla back in the day, and I still watch their old scenes, and love them. But why is it just not working this time around? were they gone too long; should they

have come back separately, so their characters could be developed indepently from each other? I don't know, but there is something going on with the acting. Part of me feels like Mary Beth Evans is sleepwalking through her scenes, and Nichols is going way over the top to compensate for it. What do you think could be

done to salvage the story?

[psychofan]

Well, I've only watched since 2001, so I didn't see Steve and Kayla "back in the day". However, I find them to be a total snooze fest now.

[Chris B]

Magic doesn't always strike twice. Like Mary Beth and Stephen on GH as different characters, it just doesn't always work. Now? Big flop and they should drop them like a hot potato for more popular (and successful) couples like Austin/Carrie (who I hate, but fans love) and Jack/nuJennifer.

Honestly, having them suck up so much airtime and being so dull is probably whats killing the ratings. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE both actors (on different soaps), but here? A total waste. I'd love to see Mary Beth back as Sierra on ATWT. Hogan gave her some great stuff whenever she was available.

[PhoenixRising05]

If you are watching this week's shows, I completely disagree. This has been the week that many that didn't care for them actually liked them.

To each their own I guess. I have always loved them and always will. Both SN and MBE rocked this week IMO.

[Chris B]

I've been watching this week and I'm still not impressed with either character. I just don't understand why DAYS keeps them when they are so crunched for money. They need to use it for the people who will bring in ratings. They probably paid a ton to get these two back and it's not paying off.

I have no doubt that Austin/Carrie or Jack/nuJennifer would bring in more viewers.

[PhoenixRising05]

Well, that's fine. I understand that not every couple or character is everyone's cup of tea.

You also aren't big on Hogan's writing so perhaps that adds to it Chris. That's fine. I was just saying that many others who were bored with them loved them this week. That's all.

They didn't pay a ton to bring them back. SN and MBE took massive pay cuts, which is why they were brought back. That has been mentioned all over the net. Austin and Carrie returned and brought in almost nothing. J&J hardly ever had any effect on the ratings. It's not who is onscreen so much as what is happening. If there is anything I learned, as long as there is action and things happening consistently, ratings will be much better off. Who is on screen and even quality of story hardly has any impact, at least not anymore.

[MikeGoldy]

The key is bringing back characters who have a reason for being back. And really, there wasn't a need for Steve and Kayla to be back after all of these years. However, that being said, I was thrilled when I heard when they were coming back! I just feel like somehow they are from a different show and a different era; there is something so retro about them now; like Patch is a character that could only exist in the 80s. I don't know; maybe the two needed to be completely broken up, have them develop separate identities from each other, and then bring them back to each other. Or viewers just have to get used to them again; I remember it taking a long time for the majoroity of the audience to get used to the returns of Marlena, Hope, andack Jennifer, when Deidre, Kristian, and Melissa came back.

[Jinxed Soul]

I thought they were both amazing this week! Although, I was relatively young when they were on the show years ago, and wasn't a regular viewer, therefore, I can't compare their performances now to back then.

I have no doubt though that Jack and Jen would bring in more viewers than Steve and Kayla.

The only thing I despise about Steve and Kayla right now is their storyline. Ever since their return, they haven't had any really problem-free times. Plus, their story is unrealistic and I hate it. I would've rather seen them put in a situation where Steve didn't get his memory back, and went onto pursue Billie further.

[scuba]

I totally agree with this.

I think Hogan made a huge mistake in having Steve get his memory back so soon. He should have taken advantage of Steve's amnesia to show him and Kayla falling in love all over again. The current sl would be so much better, imo, if Steve still had amnesia, Kayla was helping him through the torture flashbacks, and they were growing closer while trying to figure out his missing years. Instead we went from Steve not having any interest in staying with Kayla to him getting his memory back in a flash and being in love with her. How could newer fans get invested in this couple that way? I like them a lot, but that's mostly because I've seen the old clips. There curent stuff is good, but I'm not sure I'd be as into this couple as I am if I hadn't seen those clips.

[PhoenixRising05]

Steve and Kayla had to be brought back sometime. They left their story really open-ended.

I don't think J&J returning could bring in more fans. Days has the Steve and Kayla fans last summer but the transition hurt big time and drove many away. Some have come back but not all. The tarot card story is realistic in that it's psychosis and deals with the inter workings of the mind. The tarot card is a symbol of torture for Steve. Torture by electrodes is much more realisitc then brian chips and all. I took psychology classes in the past and this story is realisitic.

Having said that, I can see why some saw them as boring. If you didn't see them come together, it's hard to get into them. That and MBE was given nothing until they started making her more active in Steve's story. Now that she has, she shined. This past week she was great. SN has been great since his return. I don't think any character can be said to be an "80's character" or "90's" or whatever. That goes for any character. If we used that logic, we would say that Hope and Bo are only 80's characters or Austin and Carrie are only 90's characters. I don't think that makes much sense.

Like I said, no one has to like every couple or character. I think once we see more characters thrown back into the EJ story with Steve and Kayla it will be much better for everyone.

[Ponz]

I would agree that S&K's return has been met with an underwhelming reception (attributable to the writing, IMO) but I sure as hell wouldn't substitute them for Austin & Carrie. A&C's return was a bust and did nothing for the ratings. Judging by the boards, the majority of DAYS fans couldn't wait for them to hit the road. I love Christie but her character was totally destroyed by JER and there needs to be a LONG break before they ever bring her back. As for Peck...let's just say I'm glad he's contracted to another soap.

[Pest Spray]

For me, it's just about personal taste. I didn't like them in the 80s clips and tapes, and I don't now. This past week just made that clearer for me. I wanted to like them. I had a laugh or two when Patch was around Chelsea, but they're just not my taste. I prefer my agonizingly complex, angsty and imperfect to the core, John & Marlena. Just my ship, sorry Different tastes make the world go around, respecting that taste makes it livable.

There's big differences though... The returns of Marlena and Hope were both hyped up to the extreme, BUT, they lived up to it. Bringing in the ratings (DAYS was #9 in the ratings and brought to #2 and/or #1 - people have said both - with DH's return, and I'm not sure the ratings effect with KA, but there was a bump, I can't remember how big). And they were gone five and four years respectively, not 16.

[DrewH]

I'm a DAYS fan that has never saw the big deal about Steve and Kayla, the supercouple. Before they returned last year, I would research them and I found their storylines to be a big bore. I didn't find either character interesting while reading the summaries of what went down in the 80s. I watched clips of old school Steve and Kayla, and again, I found myself bored. I was not entertained at all. I never wanted the couple to return.

Since their return last summer, I have to say that as individual characters, I really enjoy Steve and I'm starting to like Kayla. Steve is a very interesting and complex character, which I like. Kayla hasn't done much, but recently, she's been more active and I have to say I enjoy her more. As a couple, they bore me to tears. When they're alone, I'm not entertained. It's not until EJ or Bo or any other character interacts with them that I enjoy the scenes.

Although I never thought their return was needed, DAYS did a great job bringing them back. The story sucked, but that was uncontrolable. Steve and Kayla, for whatever reason, are arguable the most popular couple to grace Salem, so they have a huge fan following, which was a good thing for DAYS. A&C, although very popular in the 90s brought nothing to the show when they returned in 2005. I can't tell you if Jack and Jennifer could carry a story that fans would be interested in because we never got that chance. They were always on the sideline.

[daysfan]

S&K have not been that great since returning but I hae liked them. Their love story in the eighties was and I even think Phoenix said this once was something you had to actually be there and watch. Not through clips but actually sit on the couch, chair, or whatever and watch it. Reading iti s nothing to compare what it was like.

[PhoenixRising05]

Yeah I did say that daysfan.

I think they had a very unique love story. I don't think it was planned. I mean, Steve was never meant to be a long-term character (of course Drake was never meant to remain long term either) so it wasn't really planned. All I know us seeing that journey and every moment of it probably is why I love them and that my feelings don't change even if the writing is less the stellar. Clips don't do it justice. It was magic. The type of magic you felt with Bo and Hope and all the other couples. I am not a big supercouple fan but I love the couples. Still, I wouldn't mind if they ever broke up as long as the new pairing was rootable. It happens in real life and I think if one of the couples ever broke up for good they would always love each other. Anyway, I think Steve and Kayla should ever break up. They seem right together. I don't know why but there is something between them that makes them fit and it's something I don't think they could ever have with anyone else. Maybe I am wrong but that is my feeling.

Nonetheless, I am not saying going back and watching the episodes from their journey together will make anyone that doesn't like them like them. I do think it will make someone see why some feel so strongly about them and they will understand them more. They just were magic together and still are. We haven't seen that magic much except for in moments here and there but it is getting better for them and I think it will continue to.