AMC: Actress not returning!!

[Southofnowhere]

RIP Kane Women.

The only Familes left in PV will be the Martins and Hubbards.

[Adam]

Good riddance. I mean I still respect Alicia Minshew, but the character of Kendall really serves no purpose anymore. I for one welcome this news. A Kendall-free AMC is an AMC I am perfectly okay with. Pales in comparison to the loss of David Canary. The show can get over this one, the other... not so sure.

Zendall no more

[jjjg]

No Adam AND no Zendall? Wow.

[Sylph]

Yup. Co-sign.

[Cat]

Zendall can sail off into the sunset with their oddly-named children (I'm sure we'll hear about a daughter called RedWings born to them somewhere down the line) and their love story will have the happy ending Zendall's fans long for. In the meantime, the fact that both Kaye and Minshew are not returning to AMC completely liberates the show and allows them to play a more ensemble cast. David Canary's retirement, by contrast with Minshew's, is a huge blow. And I still get anxious and nervous whenever Cam Mathieson and Rebecca Budig appear for long stretches.

[Adam]

I totally agree with your post, Cat.

This show has been held hostage by Zach and Kendall and their counterparts for the better part of the last 5 years. Its one of the many reasons this show and others have failed. The over reliance on a select group of characters after a while suffocates the rest of the show.

Zach and Kendall were very interesting and refreshing in the beginning, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The writers got caught up in trying to centre the show around this popular pairing and forgot about everyone else. Even in a coma this shrew (Kendall) was in our face daily.

Its a blessing. As far as I am concerned the REAL Kendall has been gone for quite sometime. When I look back on Minshew's run, I will remember fondly her first 3.5 years, everything after that... yeah I would rather forget it.

It is in no way Lish's fault, but if her leaving means the character of Kendall leaves too.... then BRING IT ON.

[Cat]

ITA. Zendall were popular and the fanbase was vocal and well-organized. So the order came from Frons to feature the pairing as often as possible. It degenerated from there with ridiculous plots and comas, to the point where I actively rooted for Annie to bring down her bullies Greenlee and Zendall! I suspect it was this over-exposure fatigue which prompted TK and AM to decide to leave the show, too.

The intense focus on anything Zendall (and Kendall) said and did, IMO, triggered the steady erosion in AMC's audience over the past few years. Even if you adore cheesecake, you can't have it every single day for years on end!

There could be an initial shock/drop as Zendall's core fanbase reacts to their departure from the show. However, AMC have been laying the groundwork for this departure for a long while now, and half the time when I tune in, I forget they are even on the show. Honestly, I think this is the best thing for AMC right now. I'd even say this may save its ratings over the medium-term if the HWs get their asses in gear. Kind of like when Days had to let go of John & Marlena and others in order to cut the fat and refocus the show on long-neglected others.

[AddictedToSoaps]

Aww, that's too bad. In small doses, I liked Kendall. At least the horror show known as Zendall is finally over. I hope we get at least one Kenlee scene before AM is done, even if it's a phone conversation or something.

[BethP]

Has this "news" been confirmed anywhere? If not, aren't we jumping the gun a little? Minshew has told people on one of her message boards more than once that she is returning following an extended maternity leave. I know things can change, but I'm not taking one unconfirmed report that seriously.

[Juliajms]

Nor should it be, she's choosing to leave of her own free will. If they want to recast at some point that's exactly what should happen. I'll be hoping it's a year or two away though. If ever a character needed a nice long rest, it's Kendall.

[dragonflies]

I think I'll wait for AM to confirm this herself. I don't see JHC giving something like this away on a radio interview.

[bellcurve]

[SFK]

No, I agree, I was just commenting on the reality of the situation... I don't think AM fans should assume that she owns the role and that AMC would *scoff* NEVER recast. I brought up SMG as a hypothetical for that very reason, the show is struggling (it'll struggle even more with DC's departure), so I'm prepared for them to at least try to pull out some major stops.

They have made so much of Erica's life about her children and her *children's children* in recent years which has, a. given her new and less self-involved material, and b. ensured her longevity on the show by making her a "relevant" matriarch who doesn't have to rely on solo "I am Erica Kane"-type storylines. Now she's back to wingin' it on her own and the show must find its way back to writing Erica for Erica, which we'd moved from with the presence of Bianca, Kendall, and their children in her life. If they lose Lucci, they know it's time to hang it up. Salary schmalary, say what you want, but NO, they simply DO NOT want her to go even if her (reduced) pay is still a nice chunk of the budget. They are going to want Bianca and Kendall back to keep Erica relevant and to make Susan's commute and future with the show worth it. You can only do but so much Jack crap, and frankly put, Erica is no longer the Erica of 1983. She's still a bad bitch but she's changed, and she's going to need those kids around.

[UKBoi]

Watch as we hear news that Alicia and Thorsten are joining OLTL. Frons will never let those two go. I wonder if Sarah Michelle Gellar is ready to come back.

[Eric83]

Since he loves them so much, maybe that can give OLTL a few more years.