Characters TPTB Tried/Try to Make Work, But they just DON'T (Past & Present)

[Mr. Vixen]

I agree. I loved SnB back in the day (even though I always liked Brenda and Jax more, before her 2002 return). I even liked Sonny and Carly, in the beginning with SJB in the role. But now it's just time to GO.

[carolineg]

Loved S&B and J&B, but they played the Jax vs. Sonny plot to the point of uselessness. Sonny should have been retired in 97 when he left Brenda at the altar. Finally realizing the power he craved cost him the love that he wanted. Tragic, sad, and at least gave Sonny a bit of self-awareness and the ability to be unselfish for once. I don't think early S&C is bad with SJB, but I think 97 was the perfect time to end his run as a character.

[Cheap21]

This basic bitch!

[carolineg]

So useless I forgot she exsisted. I was thinking I was missing someone from Days.........

[frequentsoapfan]

That whole family was useless.

[carolineg]

Pretty much. Boring and a waste of space. The brother (Dario?) and the sister Lindsay Hartley played were horrible. Rafe is the best and I think that pretty much says it all...

[KMan101]

I agree about Daniel and Rafe. They just aren't working. Rafe was semi working with Carrie but that was nixed because of the obsession of having pet supercouples ride off together. I think having Shawn Christian as Mike would have worked better if they insisted on hiring him. He could have had an already established child (Jeremy, who was wasted by Sheffer) and some of Daniel's traits (the laid-back hippy surfer esque guy, not the patient whore). And then they could have had him treat Kate and then sleep with her. Imagine THAT one. Wouldn't be the first time Mike and Bill shared a woman. Could have pushed them using John Martin as Bill (who worked well with Koslow and was overall well liked in the role, as brief as it was). Mike could of even mentored Nathan, Jeremy could have come back and maybe he felt he would never be the son Mike wants, but Nathan is the young doctor, like Mike was. Sigh. I wish I could write DAYS.

Anyway ...

Gigi worked at first and then FAILED. I remember being shocked at me liking Farah Fath as Gigi on OLTL. And then it all went to hell and she became so smug and entitled. Ugh.

I also agree about Sonny and Ryan. I wish ABC hadn't latched so hard onto "stars" and maybe we would have possibly gotten better developed leading characters instead of relying on the same ones in the same storyline for 10-15 years. I get longevity and veterans and all but still ... Sonny exiting in 97 was the perfect end to the character. They always could have brought him back. Sometimes you just have to let go of a good (at the time) character. Sonny was never the same anyway after that, IMO.

[DramatistDreamer]

(exhales) Thank you for mentioning Roger Howarth on ATWT. It doesn't seem to be the popular stance on ATWT boards but it's one I agree with. Paul Ryan used to be an intense character (for good reason) until Howarth's portrayal turned him into a hamfisted cartoon. Seeing him portray Paul was the first time I really wanted James Stenbeck to successfully kidnap his son.

[y&r_fan]

Notable mentions:

Genevieve Atkinson

Harmony Hamilton

Eden Baldwin

[JaneAusten]

ICAM. He completely ruined the character.

We need Soapsuds here to comment, as I know how much he loved RH on ATWT.

[frequentsoapfan]

Cane and his damn mother are horrible! I think his mother Gen is worse than he is. They really tried to push Jill of canvas to replace her with that banshee bitch. And her son with his ever changing back stories and bad weave.

[Gray Bunny]

GL's Ava Peralta. No chemistry, no charisma, no talent. Just a piece of pretty wood.

[carolineg]

The problem is that Sonny and Ryan weren't written to be leading men until they took off in popularity. They were strong supporting characters that were never meant to carry an entire show. Yes, MB and Sonny or Ryan and CM were popular, but they weren't what GH or AMC were about. I think MB is way more charismatic and a much better actor than CM (even with his mumbling) and could have been a good lead on GH with better writing, character growth, consequences for his actions, and actual acknowledgement that the mob is bad. I think they should have just written out both Sonny and Brenda in 97 and written out Ryan after Gillian. They could have brought them all back if necessary.

[frequentsoapfan]

Sonny was supposed to be the short term villian before popularity took over.

[carolineg]

Oh, I know he had a six month? contract and then he caught fire with Brenda and his friendship with Luke worked. I don't think it was a bad decision to keep him as a long term supporting character, I just am not sure he should ever have been a lead character. It doesn't work for me. I loved early S&B, but they were leads in their own story, not the foundatiion of the whole show.