The retcon I hate the most:

Days of Our Lives, Stefano Raised EJ

This unfortunate development was introduced by that hack Hogan Sheffer, who decided to totally undo Eileen Davidson's terrific exit storyline in order to make EJ Stefano's son.

In 1998, Stefano believed Susan had died and that Kristen, in disguise, had fled Salem with Elvis. In reality, Kristen was locked in a dungeon of a Caribbean harem, and Susan got her happy ending by evading Stefano and riding off into the sunset with Edmund and Elvis.

After EJ was revealed to be Stefano's and Susan's son, Sheffer spat on the story recapped above by saying Stefano had raised Elvis since childhood. This development ruined Susan's happy ending. And it left a lot of confusion: How did Stefano find out Susan was still alive and had Elvis? Why didn't he kill Susan and Edmund when he found out? How could Susan allow Stefano to take Elvis away from her? Did Stefano find out the truth about Kristen? If so, did he save her? If he did, where is Kristen now?

Even Dena Higley didn't follow up on this when EJ was almost deported in 2008 (even though he was born in Salem). Fortunately, I have a "fan-created" explanation in my head that makes sense to me (and should make sense to you as well) that I may share in the future.

What are your most hated retcons?

Anything written by Maria Arena Bell, Hogan Sheffer, Scott Hamner, and Company.

It seems like every other storyline on Y&R with this current awful writing regime has been one absurd retcon after another, weather it's with actual history or with the characters themselves.

Awful, awful writing team.

Edited March 12, 201015 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Latham's Cane/Phillip retcon was the worst. The worst Y&R retcon EVER. MAB and co. deserve props for undoing it and bringing the real Phillip back even though the entire story turned out to be such a letdown once Phillip actually came back to Genoa City.

But at least it re-established that Nina really was a Chancellor bride/widow and her son is a biological Chancellor.

Hey...since Phillip's alive, wouldn't that mean he's still married to Nina?

Edited March 12, 201015 yr by catsmeouch

I think they made Latham's retcon WORSE by raising Phillip from the dead and giving us that offensive "he faked his death because he's gay" nonsense. Not only did they ignore Phillip once he returned, they made it seem like the only reason they did it was to say they've "fixed" Latham's mistake.

They could have easily undid Cane as the Chancellor heir without bringing Phillip back from the dead. By bringing him back, they wrote themselves into a corner that they had no idea how to written themselves out of. They took the intelligence of their audience for granted, which has only gotten worse since.

Don't forget about Cane getting into the country with Phillip's Social Security number.

All time worst...

Rick had been drugging up Laura because of some crime she committed. Laura kills him and naturally she has a mental breakdown, because she's just a helpless woman, after all. Wait, Scott actually killed Rick, even though VIEWERS SAW LAURA KILL HIM.

Luke loathed his entire marriage to Laura. She was a constant burden. His children were burdens. He sat out on the porch and wondered why his life was over. He stuck it in every whore he could find. He screwed around with Holly when his wife was pregnant with his child. And best of all, Laura didn't care.

Hey...since Phillip's alive, wouldn't that mean he's still married to Nina?

Yes, and it also means Cane is guilty of identity theft and Phillip was an accessory to the crime.

But leave it to the hacks at Y&R to completely ignore all of this just to go along with their absurd agendas.

I think they made Latham's retcon WORSE by raising Phillip from the dead and giving us that offensive "he faked his death because he's gay" nonsense. Not only did they ignore Phillip once he returned, they made it seem like the only reason they did it was to say they've "fixed" Latham's mistake.

They could have easily undid Cane as the Chancellor heir without bringing Phillip back from the dead. By bringing him back, they wrote themselves into a corner that they had no idea how to written themselves out of. They took the intelligence of their audience for granted, which has only gotten worse since.

It was a good idea to bring Phillip back from the dead. But they didn't follow up on it properly, and that it was sucked. But I am glad Jill got her son back.

GH:

Luke cheated on Laura with Holly and Heather Webber.

Stavros is frozen in carbonite.

Rick/Laura/Scott killed Theresa Carter, and Scott let Laura take the blame. Also, Rick cheated on Lesley.

A.J. conspired to kill the comatose Jason in 1995, and Alan covered it up.

Skye is a Quartermaine (undone, thank God).

Luke and Robert actually never wanted to be tied down to family because they're so hardcore.

Paige Bowen gave up one of her kids on the black market.

ATWT:

Brad's insta-daughter and old flame.

Paul and Mick have mind-controlling microchips in their brains that explain all their bad storylines.

Adam Munson: Rapist/stalker.

Dusty has never heard of Dr. John Dixon, and neither have you.

AMC:

The unabortion.

Jesse the bigamist.

DAYS:

Anything involving Dr. Daniel Jonas.

Chelsea is Georgia. No, really.

What do you mean kid Max used to bounce baby Stephanie on his knee at the family picnic?

Stefano is responsible for Patch's disappearance in the '90s, even though Lawrence Alamain did it.

GL:

Leah Bauer is older than Harley's kids, but Susan/Daisy is still in high school after ten years.

San Cristobel. Period.

Maryanne Carruthers.

Jeffrey O'Neill and everything about him.

Amanda is Alan's sister, for no goddamn reason.

My sister Cassie.

Gus is a Spaulding - what do you mean, we have too many?

Ben Reade got diddled and killed some hookers.

Natalia and Rafe.

Hamp and Gilly.

Mallet: From decorated officer to hired assassin.

Sandy and all his retcons.

Psychic Reva.

PC:

Scott and Kevin's fathers were both psychic secret agents.

OLTL:

Victor Lord is alive, maybe.

Victor's magical Bahdra diamond, the source of his wealth and power.

Jessica was molested and has DID, just like Mom!

Rebecca Lewis is an insane serial killer.

Todd and Tea's eight year old daughter is actually fifteen.

Edited March 12, 201015 yr by Vee

I don't think they followed up on it at all. Phillip came back, said he was gay, and then he was ignored for months until they wrote him off.

I know many want to blame Thom Bierdz's bad acting or network interference for this. But the fact is, this horrid writing team had planned the show for months in advance and still had nothing written for the character once he returned.

If they didn't know how to plan for or write the character once he returned, then they shouldn't have gone in this direction at all. They just created more damage for themselves.

Jill is Kay' daughter-since changed but the adopted child retcon remains.

Katherine switched babies.

On DOOL,Neil Curtis is actually Allen Jackson,even though we saw other relatives with surname Curtis.

Sarah Horton is really Neil's daughter.

Marlena married Alex before coming to Salem

Besides the fact that EJ's arrival undid the rather fantastic Kristen exit story, I'm still well pissed off that EJ's now 30+ while Will, a child who was born well before EJ was born, is still a teenager? ...And had children with said child's MOTHER??!

The AMC unabortion comes to mind as probably the most damaging retcon EVER. That basically took a brick to AMC's history and beat it to death. But then again, I'd like to do that McTavish so in the end it all evens out, rly.

Edited March 12, 201015 yr by beebs

OLTL

Dorian has a secret 15 yr old child with Puerto Rican drug lord, who she passed off to her maid

Victor Lord is alive after 20 years only to die 2 weeks later

The AMC unabortion comes to mind as probably the most damaging retcon EVER. That basically took a brick to AMC's history and beat it to death.

Yes, and to top it all off, he was 25 years old in 2006. I know, I know, SORASing and all that, but holy crap at least try to kep SOME reality to the whole thing.

I remember sending an email to Frons in September 2005 asking him whether or not Josh was the unabortion (because Greg Madden had just mentioned Erica's abortion on the show, and a bunch of other stuff I'd picked up watching the show) and I got a reply from him or one of his assistant's, saying, "Who told you that?" LMFAO

My reply was, "No one. I WATCHED the show. Despite what you believe, I have a mind of my own and can put things together. But thank you for confirming my suspiscions. I will not be watching any longer."

Haha, because of that I knew Josh's fate 5 months before AMC revealed it and I was still STUNNED they actually went there.

But then again, I'd like to do that McTavish so in the end it all evens out, rly.

LMFAO, you and me both.

Besides the fact that EJ's arrival undid the rather fantastic Kristen exit story, I'm still well pissed off that EJ's now 30+ while Will, a child who was born well before EJ was born, is still a teenager? ...And had children with said child's MOTHER??!

That's annoying too. If they wanted Elvis Jr. on the show, they should have made him part of Will's teen scene, not the same age as his mother.

GL:

Leah Bauer is older than Harley's kids, but Susan/Daisy is still in high school after ten years.

This was actually the worst of them all. For Leah to be older ment that Mel and Rick were married for many years, and married when Rick slept with Harley..(so Harley screwed over her good friend Mel.) Susan/Daisy, played by that sweaty looking girl, was younger then Marina..so that means that Frank and Eleni were married when Dinah and Alan Michael ran into that car with a pregger Harley,but no,that cant be as A_M and Harley were married years before AM and Eleni,uh...never mind

That whole scenario showed why GL was cancelled, Wheeler didnt give her audience credit for having a brain and she didnt want the old veiwers who remember this, she wanted her new viewers, who somehow were sweaty trailer park people who loved to see rusty junk in people's yards, and just lurved them Kim Zimmer, Brad Cole and Beth Ehlers no matter how stupid their storyline was.

It was also to make Ehlers look younger then she was....to that I say, we all have eyes in our heads and we can see Ehlers was looking every bit of her 40plus years.

Maryanne Carruthers.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, and produced Wheeler's famous quote bitching about history getting in the way of a "story," LOL.

Jeffrey O'Neill and everything about him.

God I hope Wheeler finally got BC on top of her or Davey got to blow him, cause there was no other excuse I can think of in having to write a show in circles to keep a marginally talented actor on.

Amanda is Alan's sister, for no goddamn reason.

This could have been good, and could have actually made sense, after all, Brandon did originally lie and say Amanda was his, he could have been telling the truth (and he could have raped Jane Marie to scare her away from Alan all those years ago, a horrible secret that would have given Alex motivation in keeping to protect Alan (and Amanada.) I could see where they were going with this, Amanda married to Roger, taking on Alan and Alex for control of Spaudling, but MADD came in with her famous edict about business stories, the writers didnt take the time to connect the dots so it made sense, and they wrote Alex out...(imagine the cat fighting between those two.)

My sister Cassie.

Yea, I kept waiting for Reva to remember Sarah told her the baby was a boy, and for LW to take her nasty entitled cheerleader routine out of town.

Gus is a Spaulding - what do you mean, we have too many?

Gus as a Spaulding, just a plot line to intergrate Ricky Paul Goldin and his mascara into the canvas and to give the annoying Gush a villian in Alan.

Ben Reade got diddled and killed some hookers.

LOL...one sentance summed up Weston and Conboy's supposed "edgy," storyline.

Natalia and Rafe.

God, I wonder what the Eyebrow is doing now?

Mallet: From decorated officer to hired assassin.

And even retconned more, so that he was an assassin for years! All because Harley took her shrieking ass pointed nose elsewhere??