Y&R: Primetime star joins the cast...

[Chris B]

Nia Peeples (ex-Sydney Cooke at "Walker, Texas Ranger"; ex-Carla Escobar at "General Hospital") joins Y&R as Karen Taylor, Nikki's campaign manager. Her first airdate is April 18.

I imagine thats from SOD, I found it on Soap Central.

Maybe I'm a complainer, but I'm sick of all these new adult characters with no ties to the existing cast. There are so many past characters who could compliment these stories if it were still a character based show. It truly seems as if Latham has ZERO idea of the history and doesn't care.

I'm sure she will be a good addition to the cast, but I'm just sick of this. So many core characters are marginalized and bringing in these people with no connections makes it a new show. Kinda like DAYS which is full of recasts or newbies.

ETA:

Here is a photo:

[DavidsMuse]

NP is coming on to play Karen, Nikki's campaign manager, when she opposes Jack for the senate seat. Which of the core characters has that kind of a background?

[SteveFrame]

None of the core characters do.

There is one character in the past of Y&R that such a past could have been created for but to most she would still be a new character.

I always loved the Peggy Brooks character who was an original character on Y&R. She was off the show for awhile and came back when the Williams and Abbott families were created. She was a reporter. She got involved with Paul's brother Steve and with Jack Abbott.

Since very little has ever been done with the character - it would be wonderful to see her in such capacity and since she has hardly ever been mentioned a career in politics could have been explained. But it would still have been a new character to most. Nia Peeples would have definitely been too young.

Hopefully she won't be around long and just be temporary for the purpose of the story. I am just so glad to see Nikki get this story. I am going to love the Jack/Nikki fights in this.

[Sweet_VeeVee24]

I hope they don't have her coming in to be love interests of someone, only to be 'whacked off' within a few months.

I remember seeing her in old clips of that television show Fame....I read that's where she got her start...plus she was married to the lead singer of Shalamar (Howard Hewitt) or something like that. She also made the One Hit Wonder spectrum with a song she did in the late early ninties.

[DrewH]

Well, it's nice to know Neil has a new love interest with Dru off-screen...

[DeeeDee]

Alex. All over again.

[Rhiannon]

Look at it this way.......

It's Nia Peeples she never stays on a TV Show long, so her visit to Genoa City will probably be brief.......

[Chris B]

It would be okay if this were the only one, but all of Latham's new characters have no connections and are generally shoved down our throats at the sake of vets we already love.

Her writing is so plot driven that she doesn't look to the past for inspiration it's all about the plot which means lots of new characters. Why not bring back some of the Abbott family to support him during his run for Senate? What about Nikki's sister who could go for Paul or even Victor? Nina and Phillip IV for Jill's storyline?

There are important characters who can be utilized better and are needed.

[SteveFrame]

Did I miss something. Nowhere am I reading that this is a love interest for Neil. Is that just speculation based on some? IF so I wish they would say so.

[heatherwebber]

Wow.

They hire a good actress to play what sounds like an interesting character and all anybody can do is complain.

[Chris B]

Steve, it's my speculation that she will be Neil's love interest.

As long as Jess Walton, Jeanne Cooper, Eric Braeden, Melody Thomas Scott, Amelia Heinle are being marginalized for the sake of newbies I will be complaining. Like I said before, I'm sure this will be a decent new character, but the show is being filled with them when there are legacy characters needed as well as about half the cast being wasted as it is.

The only highly interesting (and well recieved) newbie Ji Min is wasted. SOD said they got lots of emails for Jill/Ji Min, but Jill is an extra in her own story and Ji Min appears twice a month. The show doesn't need Nia Peeples, it needs a decent Dru or Olivia recast and the return of Nina. This is based on the stories they're already telling, not my wishes. It's common sense.

This is what happened to the ABC soaps, being filled with newbies and in the end it's not going to help the show. Right now things are okay, but remember Megan McTavish was loved at the beginning of her return.

[heatherwebber]

At least at first it sounds like this character IS a way of getting Melody Thomas Scott going in an actual storyline. But I can't understand complaining about something that hasn't happened yet. All I can see is good things coming from this announcement.

I'd spend my time complaining about the whole Sheila travesty.

[Chris B]

I can assure you that the new character will be featured more than Nikki. She's being used now because she happens to fit the plot. Just like Paul fit the Sheila plot and now his big return and relationship with Maggie is over. Nikki (like Paul, Jill, etc.) has been shown not to be a character Latham likes to write for so I don't know why I should believe this will be her story.

If anything it's more about Jack, Phyllis, Sharon, Nick and Brad who she does enjoy writing for. Victor and Nikki (and Victoria) pick up the scraps.