Krista & Kim were the best Mindys. That's a character I wished was a long term character during the latter years. Trish and Mindy should have made their way back to springfield to live by 1998 or 1999.

The reason the return fizzled was because Barbara Crampton was not right for Mindy Lewis.

I agree with you -- both Ann Hamilton and Barbara Crampton were poor casting, and of course the writing was awful because JFP never got Mindy. I guess I don't see it as a failed return because the character was only gone for about four to six months. If they had brought back the right actress then it would have worked.

The reason the return fizzled was because Barbara Crampton was not right for Mindy Lewis.

I don't think I've cared for Barbara Crampton in any role. Except maybe B&B's Maggie. But in a "oh, what a dumb broad..." sorta way.

What would you guys say about the Days, serial killing returns via the island from a few years back?

Another fizzle was Carrie and Austin in 2005. Both characters should have stayed away

HUGE epic fails, all around. The Captive Island, the prolonged homecomings, the lack of real emotional payoffs... not to mention 6 characters STILL were locked up in a castle for another year.

Carrie & Austin's return... sounded like a good idea, but the story was all types of wrong and once again showcased Jim Reilly's inability to come up with something fresh and new. And the set-up for this storyline was beyond absurd: Austin takes over Carrie's company without ever finding out who "The Company's President" is??? Ridic...

I don't think I've cared for Barbara Crampton in any role. Except maybe B&B's Maggie. But in a "oh, what a dumb broad..." sorta way.

I loved her on Y&R as nutty Leanna. I was happy to see her at GL. Bad idea!

She was fun at B&B when Bradley Bell wrote her as white trash. When she became a heroine, she sucked.

Home for the next week recovering from knee surgery & thought id comment. Worst soap returns that I can thinl of were:

Eva LaRue-AMC

Barbara Crampton when she was Mindy on GL.

Eden Riegels returns as Bianca

Sandra Ferguson return to daytime on Days.

Could someone give their views on Amanda Cory's return under Christine Tucci's Portrayal? I enjoyed her as Amanda.

Heaven's white party. That's hilarious. I had forgotten about that Thanksviging episode. At the time I was very annoyed that Thanksgiving had become Buzz's misery hour -- it gave me bad flashbacks of 94-early 95. I remember now when Meta stood up to him. Claire Labine wrote a lot for Meta. There was some good stuff when she and Claire argued over Michelle's labor, and then when she read the Declaration of Independence at the 2001 Bauer barbecue. It's a shame she passed on not long after they started using her again, and that they were then too lazy to even acknowledge Meta's passing, or Mary's beyond a title card onscreen, which was misspelled. At least Mary did get an honorary Emmy the year before she passed away.

I remember there were rumors that Michael Laibson wanted to cast his mother as Meta, which he denied.

Was Laibson's mother an actress????

Only is soaps could the Zachary angel actor get not only one job, but hired for several others. And no where else but on soaps could a man who couldnt play straight to save his life, actually be cast as a straight romantic lead.

I liked the Claire/Meta motherly fued over Michele. Meta used to give her hell all the time, but you could tell she kind of liked her, or at least understood her. I have to say, Mary Stuarts brief time as Meta, and she is still one of my favorite matriach's not soft and gooey like Marland made Nancy Hughes, not protected in a community and marriage like Alice Horton, but a tough old broad who has seen the world.

Originally it was Pam Long who toyed with the idea of bringing back Meta...which she should have done instead of casting Sarah...(like Reva needed another relative.) Can you imagine if they had brought Stuart in after Search died, she and Larry Gates would have been a senior super couple!!!

Stuart did get a nice onscreen goodbye from JVD and the cast, all gathered around the Bauer kitchen, it was nice and sweet.

Stuart did get a nice onscreen goodbye from JVD and the cast, all gathered around the Bauer kitchen, it was nice and sweet.

I remember that, but I meant more of a funeral, a tribute, or at least some mention of Meta's passing. I think they just said she went to see a relative or friend.

I did like Meta for the reasons you mention. She really was special and rare. A lot of that came from Mary but it helped when they began really writing for her, instead of just having her show up to drive Blake around. That was so bizarre, remember, when Blake had to pick up the blackmail sex tape and she called Meta and asked to be driven to the docks, without giving a reason why. Then she just had Meta leave. This woman at the docks alone in a wheelchair.

I think when Mary was ill and wasn't onscreen for many months, there were rumors that the show was going to bring in Helen Gallagher as Trudy Bauer. That would have been good casting, although the best would have been Trudy and Meta together.

Another fizzle was OLTL's Gabrielle. Fans waited nearly 10 years for her to come back and they wasted her. The story that brought her back wasnt all that great and marrying Asa was a waste of time. They did a disservice to fans of she and Max by not having them reunite. I did like ehr with Bo but that was a couple that was downplayed and she wasnt given any material to work with. Of course they then proceeded to kill her off

One of the biggest was Kin Shriner's move to Texas. He was paid a fortune and the hype was that his arrival would boost the ratings but Jeb made little impression on the show. He soon returned to GH.

Santa Barbara had a history of hiring performers who had scored in other roles but didn't fire at SB-

Vincent Irizzary as Scott

Eileen Davidson as Kelly

Thaao Penghlis as Micah

Stephen Nichols as Skyler

Poor, poor Robin Christopher

Poor, poor Robin Christopher

unfortunetely.

On a side note, love the featured star of your new avatar ad banner

unfortunetely.

On a side note, love the featured star of your new avatar ad banner

it was sad.

and thanks i don't have photoshop anymore (at the moment), so I'm stuck with making crappy banners with online programs. But I just had to honor Kate/Megan...I was so tempted to put a caption of her saying "Suck it Bellcurve!"...But I wasn't trying to get in trouble! Haha!

One of the biggest was Kin Shriner's move to Texas. He was paid a fortune and the hype was that his arrival would boost the ratings but Jeb made little impression on the show. He soon returned to GH.

Santa Barbara had a history of hiring performers who had scored in other roles but didn't fire at SB-

Vincent Irizzary as Scott

Eileen Davidson as Kelly

Thaao Penghlis as Micah

Stephen Nichols as Skyler

Would Robert Newman also count?

I also wondered if we should count Kin or Philece Sampler at Rituals or if that show was doomed no matter what.

Santa Barbara had a history of hiring performers who had scored in other roles but didn't fire at SB-

I think this is a huge issue that no one really wants to talk about. The actors click because of story/actor/character/fellow performers, and nothing guarantees the actor/character can strike gold more than once. GH is replete with examples of characters/couples who just couldn't make it work a second time. SB's Julia and Mason were not GH's Alexis and Cameron Sr., nor were Stephan and Katherine Days' Patch and Kayla. Even as good as Eileen Davidson is on Y&R, her Days character as Kristin was a flop until they added Susan. Even Tony Geary only hit the mark with one character.

I think Daytime is under so much pressure to "perform" that no one has really sat back to realize these highly paid/highly lauded actors are not a guarantee to success, and the shows are literally "paying the price" for that oversight.