Back From The Dead.

[Paul Raven]

This has become a soap opera staple.

What do posters think?

I think it is a sign of lazy writing - using the death to create some drama,then grabbing the chance to bring back the actor or character to create more.

It does have a place but has become overdone to the point where almost every death has you wondering if the character will be resurrected.

This twist was used sparingly in the 50's 60's and 70's

Some examples :

Love of Life -Van's husband Paul Raven comes back as Matt Corby and creates havoc for Van & Bruce.

Search - Jo's presumed dead fiance Sam comes back deranged.

Days - Tom Horton comes back as amnesiac Mark and falls in love with his sister Marie.

Edge - Nicole returns just as Adam is involved with Brandy

General Hospital -Phil Brewer returns to cause more trauma for Jessie

Guiding Light - Bill Bauer returns.

Like any story it loses impact if overdone.Since the 80's it has become commonplace.

I would like posters to talk about the stories they think worked and those that shouldn't have happened .

Also,to help compile the definitive back from the dead list!!

[kelly1142]

IA it can be tiresome. For example, ATWT has had Paul presumed dead/returning from the dead like 3 times in the past 4 years. It's to the point where you can't understand why any character would actually believe he's dead in the first place LOL!

[Sweet_VeeVee24]

Well if anyone has been presumed dead/brought back to life more times than Paul from ATWT is Stefano DiMera from DOOL... That character seems to have an unlimted amount of nine lives;

[KSlater]

I hate back from the dead as a plot device. If someone has been killed off, he/she should remain gone forever. Maybe I have such a hatred for this because on my soap, Days, this has been overused to such an extent that I can't take any character's death seriously. I know that if a character dies, he or she will most certainly be brought back fully alive as if nothing happened the him/her. It's boring and takes away from the drama. I'd prefer that the writers took the time to truly build new characters to invest in than bring back ones from the dead.

[stenbeck212]

I hate it too. People in charge have let it become some sick staple of the genre. Writers can't get along without it, and EPs don't steer them from it. You can count on one hand the times it has actually worked. That's mainly because the character went away long enough for viewers to accept the deaths as real. Among those successes, I'd count the first reincarnations of Roger Thorpe and James Stenbeck. Some of the worst resurrections belonged to Reva Lewis and Sheila Carter (last year).

[Ponz]

DAYS is definitely the worst culprit. The last major character to die and stay dead was Isabella in 1992. To emphasise how meaningless death has become, the writers explained Rolf's resurrection with the single line "It didn't take".

[Sweet_VeeVee24]

Are they going to do that mess the same time around years from now when we see good ole Bart walking into the pub as if nothing happened to him?

How many times has Andre been dead/ revived back to life?

I also want to say that I hope we never see another 'entire cast death' only to revive alive and well on some deserted island.

[Toups]

I still LOL everytime I think about that line.

[Quent]

The last surprising return-from-the-dead for me was when Shannon O'Hara returned to Duncan, I never saw that one coming! On the other hand, Paul Ryan's returns have become ridiculous. Is he reimbursing Barbara for all these memorial services? The only remaining question is : Will he surpass his Dad in this category?

[Paul Raven]

To the best of my recollection Y&R has never done a back from the dead story apart from Malcolm.That in itself shows that Bill Bell's approach is the right one -he didn't kill off the characters in the first place!

Smith/Alden resurrected Malcolm and now Dru went over the cliff.leaving it clear for her return.

Some others

Steve Frame on AW.That might have worked had George Reinholt returned.

Luke on GH

Reva on GL

Roy on GH

Taylor & Macy on B&B

Victor Lord on OLTL

[GuidingAnotherWorld]

another would be Kathleen McKinnon from AW.

[Paul Raven]

Thanx Guiding!

Jake McKinnon was presumed dead for a few months when Tom Eplin left.

Also,Robert &Anna on GH. Was Holly also presumed dead at some stage?

Please keep posting and I'll compile a complete list.

[Dan]

Ironically (but not surprisingly), the show that started this whole trend was....Days of Our Lives.

GL

Beth: presumed dead twice

Phillip: presumed dead twice

Reva: presumed dead twice

Alan: presumed dead twice (possibly 3 times)

Alex: presumed dead once

Roger: presumed dead three times

Vanessa: presumed dead once

Buzz: presumed dead twice

Jonathan: presumed dead once (okay, Reva knew, but still)

[TC]

Definitely overused, but believe it can work if the audience is in on the scam.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but on EON, when Adam & Nicole's boat blew up, the last scene was Nicole clinging to the floating wreckage. The surprise was when Adam was found and Nicole was missing. The audience had seen her alive and knew there was still hope she'd be found.

[TC]

And here are a few more for your list:

Mitch Laurence OLTL

Asa Buchanan OLTL

Carl Hutchins AW

Margaret Cochrane OLTL

Todd Manning OLTL

Maria Santos Grey AMC

James Stenbeck ATWT