Nah. I wish Reggie did take off, but unfortunately, McTavish just wasn't that into him when she took over five months after MBJ's Reggie was introduced. By the end of his run, he was a glorified babysitter for Lily -- who was getting story after story and even romance after romance. And then didn't get a send off.

I don't agree--McTavish seemed interested in him at first (the Dannii pairing, etc) so I always got the feeling i twas an outside influence who told her not to write for him

I'd forgotten about OLTL's RJ's introduction. Man the show could really use him now!

I don't agree--McTavish seemed interested in him at first (the Dannii pairing, etc) so I always got the feeling i twas an outside influence who told her not to write for him

No, it was clear she wasn't interested in him. Every time she was head writer, she spent a LOT of time tending to her pet creation, Jackson Montgomery. She turned GREENLEE into his biological daughter out of the blue, she brought back Lily, and she had Jackson obsess over the both of them. She rarely, if ever, played up Jack and Reggie's father/son relationship, while he was constantly worrying and trying to protect his grown, independently wealthy CEO of a cosmetics company daughter. Even when Reggie and Danielle were paired, they were window dressing to Jamie and Maggie. Then, for no reason at all, she had Reggie and Danielle break up after Danielle decided not to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Reggie, but to a grown ass stranger she never met before while blitzed on beer.

Yeah. She was REALLY interested. She wrote more romances for an underage autistic girl than she did for Reggie. Besides, it was obvious from the damage she did to the show during that stint that she was given plenty of leeway to write what she wanted. I doubt that ABC would say, "yes, undo the historic abortion, make Erica Kane a victim of child prostitution at the hands of her own father, have her lesbian daughter raped and impregnated and subsequently murder her attacker... but don't write for that Reggie character."

But I said all that to say this: When I think of a short term character who took off, I think of a character meant to be just around for, maybe, a few days to a month... and then constantly being used to either drive story or have story built around them. Unfortunately, Reggie had neither happen to him. He was just a short term character who was... there. Cute, funny, charismatic -- but there.

Then, for no reason at all, she had Reggie and Danielle break up after Danielle decided not to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Reggie, but to a grown ass stranger she never met before while blitzed on beer.

Worst. Story. Ever.

Yeah. She was REALLY interested. She wrote more romances for an underage autistic girl than she did for Reggie. Besides, it was obvious from the damage she did to the show during that stint that she was given plenty of leeway to write what she wanted. I doubt that ABC would say, "yes, undo the historic abortion, make Erica Kane a victim of child prostitution at the hands of her own father, have her lesbian daughter raped and impregnated and subsequently murder her attacker... but don't write for that Reggie character."

But I said all that to say this: When I think of a short term character who took off, I think of a character meant to be just around for, maybe, a few days to a month... and then constantly being used to either drive story or have story built around them. Unfortunately, Reggie had neither happen to him. He was just a short term character who was... there. Cute, funny, charismatic -- but there.

I'll partially concede your point though the Reggie/Dani pairing was under her.

I disagree though about leeway--I think at least some of it was dictated by the EP (McTavish is infamous for following orders it seems)--in the past McTavish has constantly, neverendingly written for Julia Barr and in interviews always mentions her and Brooke as faves--(even if arguably nearlya ll her Brooke storylines have been kinda lame she keeps on trying) but obviously something was holding her back from doing so this time.

I disagree though about leeway--I think at least some of it was dictated by the EP (McTavish is infamous for following orders it seems)--in the past McTavish has constantly, neverendingly written for Julia Barr and in interviews always mentions her and Brooke as faves--(even if arguably nearlya ll her Brooke storylines have been kinda lame she keeps on trying) but obviously something was holding her back from doing so this time.

Yet she had NO problem writing for Anna Stuart.

I miss Anna Stuart

I miss Anna Stuart

You aren't the only one but Stuart thrived while Julia Barr got nothing.

It's true but she was there to serve other characters

It would make my year if they got AS and JB to recur on OLTL, there are so many characters on the canvas these days, these wonderful daytime actresses need to be on the scene playing mothers, aunts, grandmas, et cetera.

JB wouldn't return to acting just for a recurring role.

I'm not so sure about that Eric, super selective, yes, but if the right part/short-term s/l came along, just maybe.

I'm not so sure about that Eric, super selective, yes, but if the right part/short-term s/l came along, just maybe.

I don't think she will ever return to ABC without a solid contract. Especially not after the way they treated her at AMC after 30 years. On the other hand, I don't think she would return to daytime at all without a contract role.

Yeah. She was REALLY interested. She wrote more romances for an underage autistic girl than she did for Reggie. Besides, it was obvious from the damage she did to the show during that stint that she was given plenty of leeway to write what she wanted. I doubt that ABC would say, "yes, undo the historic abortion, make Erica Kane a victim of child prostitution at the hands of her own father, have her lesbian daughter raped and impregnated and subsequently murder her attacker... but don't write for that Reggie character."

You'd be surprised. I can actually imagine TPTB approving all of that but not any story for a character of color. I'm not saying that's the case here but it's far from unimaginable.

McTavish did write for black characters during her first two AMC runs, and then at GL (although the stories she gave black characters at GL were horrible and offensive, so that may not count).

I hate giving her the benefit of the doubt because she probably doesn't deserve it, but I do think that any writer who works under Frons is automatically crippled.