All- Characters what should have returned to the canvas a long time ago.

[Dr Neil Curtis]

I see that Days is finally bringing

Spoiler

Sarah Horton

Home, What characters are long over due for a return? I was thinking for Days, Melissa Anderson is long overdue for a return. There was so much potential left in that character, IMO. Especially during the time Nathan was dealing with the Stephanie/Melanie stuff and Maggie's courtship with Victor. She could have been against it all since she had dealing with Victor in the past with Pete and Ivy.

 

Others I would have enjoyed seeing:

 

Days:

David Banning

Trish Clayton

Steve Olson

Savannah Wilder

Tommy Horton

Charlie Janning (They could have replaced Daniel with him, being that Charlie was also his God son).

 

Y&R: 

Casey Reed

Olivia Barber

The Foster Boys

At least one of the Brooks Girls

Mamie Johnson

 

B&B: 

Margo (the could have recast since Lauren Koslow wasn't available)

 

GH:

Simone and Tom Hardy

Jeff Webber

Jimmy Lee Holt

Celia or Alexandria (not sure which one died, not that that matters much)

[Franko]

I'd welcome Mike Horton back, too.

[SoapDope]

Y&R....Brooks Prentiss, Jennifer Elizabeth Foster, Chuck Foster. These younger characters would bridge the first decade of Y&R to the current show. 

[Paul Raven]

Y&R

Chance Chancellor

Heather Williams

Ana Hamilton

Doris Collins

 

All with great recasts and terrific writing!

[AArredondo02]

Days:

David Banning (suitable actors to consider-Gregg Marx Dirk Benedict, Timothy Gibbs, Steve Guttenberg, Barry Van Dyke, Tom Eplin, Jon Hensley, Michael Park, Henry Czerny, Tim Daly, Michael E. Knight, Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Robert Newman, Sam Behrens, Bruce Boxleitner, Hunt Block, Jeffrey Meek, Scott Bryce, Ben Masters, Grant Aleksander, Laurence Lau, James Hyde, Todd McKee, Martin Steinmetz, James DePaiva, Bradley Cole, and so on)

Sandy Horton (suitable actresses to consider-Ellen Parker, Ellen Dolan, Anna Holbrook, Connie Sellecca, Lynda Carter, Lindsay Wagner, Peggy Lipton, Maureen Garrett, Susanna Thompson, Madeleine Stowe, and so on)

Trish Clayton (suitable actresses to consider-Patty Weaver, Kim Zimmer, Andrea Evans, Beth Maitland, and so on.

Savannah Wilder (suitable actresses to consider-Shannon Tweed, Nicolette Sheridan, Cali Timmons, and so on)

Tommy Horton (proper actors to consider-Dick Van Dyke, Nicolas Coster, James Sikking, Bernie Kopell, Gavin McLeod, Brett Halsey, Jerry Douglas, Kent McCord, Don Hastings, Larry Brygmann, Michael Storm, Chris Robinson, Robert Colbert, and so on.)

Steve Olson (suitable actors to consider-Stephen Schneitzer, Gregory Harrison, Justin Deas, and so on.)

Bill Horton (proper actors to consider-Craig T. Nelson, Fred Dryer, Jeff Pomerantz, Jerry Ver Dorn, Robert S. Woods, Kale Browne, and so on.)

Laura Horton (proper actresses to consider-Erika Slezak, Judith McConnell, Marj Dusay, Linda Evans, Susan Howard, Marie Masters, Kathryn Hays, and so on)

[j swift]

I hate to be a "Debbie Downer" on this topic, but historically returns of characters who have been off canvas for more than three years have never been satisfying or successful.  Even Roger Thorpe and Iris Cory, who both had excellent returns, suffered from dissatisfying endings. 

 

I would consider two additional factors for any character that I would want to see recommence under current conditions.  Does the current head writer do well with similar characters? and Has a character with similar qualities been successfully created by the current writing team?  

 

I think Brooks Prentice is an excellent character to bring back for a romance with Victoria.  However, given how Tucker (and each successive business character who was going to be a threat to Victor) was written, I don't know if it would be satisfying?   Scotty Fenmore is a perfect example of a character that is clearly missing from the story, but he has been so poorly written and recast that I don't recognize the character any more.

[Taoboi]

Hmmm...

 

GH

 

I would say a Webber...any Webber...but I would go with Jeff and Sarah for sure.

 

Y&R

 

I agree about Casey. All the stuff that Nikki has gone through and she still hasn't shown up.

 

 

[Chris B]

Y&R: 

In recent years with all the focus on media, the Brooks family easily could’ve be reinvented instead of so many new or tired characters. Olivia is also a must and I do think Keemo should be back and he would be if he were white. 

[vetsoapfan]

On 03/09/2018 at 12:46 AM, j swift said:

I hate to be a "Debbie Downer" on this topic, but historically returns of characters who have been off canvas for more than three years have never been satisfying or successful.  Even Roger Thorpe and Iris Cory, who both had excellent returns, suffered from dissatisfying endings. 

 

I would consider two additional factors for any character that I would want to see recommence under current conditions.  Does the current head writer do well with similar characters? and Has a character with similar qualities been successfully created by the current writing team?  

 

I think Brooks Prentice is an excellent character to bring back for a romance with Victoria.  However, given how Tucker (and each successive business character who was going to be a threat to Victor) was written, I don't know if it would be satisfying?   Scotty Fenmore is a perfect example of a character that is clearly missing from the story, but he has been so poorly written and recast that I don't recognize the character any more.

 

 

I think it is understood that when viewers cast their votes for important characters from the past whose return would strength or benefit a show, it is with the hope (a long-shot, I know) that the writing would be effective.

 

TPTB in charge of soaps now have little or no interest in the past, so it's doubtful they would actually mine their shows' rich history to re-integrate former favorites into the mix. It's only a fantasy that we will ever see any of these characters again, so while we are fantasizing anyway, we might as well dream about good writing too, LOL.  

 

When Claire Labine was writing Love of Live, she brought back original antagonist Meg Harper to the show, who had been offscreen for 18 years. It was enormously successful because the casting of Tudi Wiggins in the part was perfect, and because the writing was great. I'd even say that Meta Bauer's return to TGL in 1996, after an absence of 22 years, was successful (mainly because viewers were thrilled to see Mary Stuart back on soaps, and because the character was an original, beloved blood Bauer).

 

No matter how long a character has been away, a return can work if commitment to the character is there, and if the writing is good. Alas, the abysmal state of writing of today's soaps is what kills most potentially-viable returns.

Edited September 7, 2018 by vetsoapfan

[Dr Neil Curtis]

On 9/2/2018 at 9:51 PM, SoapDope said:

Y&R....Brooks Prentiss, Jennifer Elizabeth Foster, Chuck Foster. These younger characters would bridge the first decade of Y&R to the current show. 

I agree and Jennifer and Chuck could have brought story for Jill outside of the ongoing battles with Kay. 

[titan1978]

So many of these are too far gone.

 

Jeff Weber on GH is a great example.  Even in the 2000’s, when Steven was back, it would have been great to bring that character back.  You still had Alan there to compete at the hospital with Steve Hardy’s legacy.  Liz was still young enough to need her dad interfering in her life.

 

But now I don’t see a point.  The show as it exists now would not support or develop that character.  Nobody that old and new to the show is going to get a storyline.  Those days are over, because TPTB won’t do it.

 

 

[SteelCity]

Peter Blake on DAYS could be doing exactly what Stefan is doing and it would make sense and be a lot better. You wouldn't have had to make up a character who's now completely useless and isolated. 

 

As I said in another thread, bring back Eugene and Calliope briefly to usher in their children. They can have a connection to the canvas without the incestuous relationship that the rest of the characters have.

[j swift]

2 hours ago, SteelCity said:

Peter Blake on DAYS could be doing exactly what Stefan is doing and it would make sense and be a lot better. You wouldn't have had to make up a character who's now completely useless and isolated. 

Yes but, Peter Blake being with Abigail after being Jennifer's fiancee would be another case of Alan-Michael/Marina on GL   - SORASing making things a little icky

[SteelCity]

I could still see it and the creep factor kind of works. Besides, this is DAYS.

[ccroom50]

------All-Characters what should have returned to the canvas a long time ago!!------

 

------The Young and the Restless(Y&R)------

 Matt Miller

Dr. Casey Reed

Mamie Johnson

Marc Mergeron

Drucilla Barber Winters

Dr. Olivia Barber

Miguel Rodriguez

John Silva

Nina Webster

Chance Chancellor

Ronan Malloy

Jazz Jackson

Tyrone Jackson

Amy Lewis

Lynne Bassett

Cole Howard

Mari Jo Mason

Tucker MCCall

Gina Roma

 

------The Bold and the Beautiful(B&B)------

 Ridge Forrester(Ronn Moss version)

 Thorne Forrester(Winsor Harmon version)

 Kristen Forrester Domiguez(Recast the Role with a way better looking and acting actress)

 Felicia Forrester

 Macy Alexander(reverse her death and resurrect her alive and back from the dead)

 Clarke Garrison

 CJ Garrison

 Owen Knight

 Jackie Payne Marone Knight

 Nick Marone 

 Bridget Forrester

 Donna Logan

Thomas Forrester

Rick Forrester