And of course, Paul could have returned with a child from some later relationship. Give the kid the Martin surname and have Paul be recurring if they didn't want a contract player in that age group.

I don't think the recastings of Joey/Jake helped with that character and Kelsey never returned.

It was a problem for all shows as the 80's and 90's wore on. There were either no younger generations to take over or TBTB refused to bring back younger family members. eg Charlie, Kelsey.

Linc and Kelly should have announced she was pregnant on their way out in 1980 with that child mentioned along the way and coming back as a teen.

Or Jeff Martin could have a child. The possibilities were there.

11 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

And of course, Paul could have returned with a child from some later relationship. Give the kid the Martin surname and have Paul be recurring if they didn't want a contract player in that age group.

I don't think the recastings of Joey/Jake helped with that character and Kelsey never returned.

It was a problem for all shows as the 80's and 90's wore on. There were either no younger generations to take over or TBTB refused to bring back younger family members. eg Charlie, Kelsey.

Linc and Kelly should have announced she was pregnant on their way out in 1980 with that child mentioned along the way and coming back as a teen.

Or Jeff Martin could have a child. The possibilities were there.

Along the way, Tad (and here and there Jake) became the only Martin the show had an investment in. And in those last years, Tad himself was barely hanging on.