Soap Writers Original Plans

[titan1978]

I agree that you can’t blame Marlena for what happened to the Hortons.

 

If you watched the show in like 1987-1990, she wasn’t even there.  Jennifer Horton was the lead for her age range, and Mike Horton was given a b story or two, same with Melissa.  We saw plenty of Alice and Tom, not as much of Mickey and Maggie.

 

The Brady takeover is what did it.  Everything was tied to them.  Bo, Roman, Kim, Kayla, and you a lesser degree Caroline and Shawn.  I enjoyed all those characters.  But in hindsight they did disrupt the balance of the show.

[victoria foxton]

I would hardly call Mike's romances with Robin and April ''b stories''. Later on the quad of Mike, April, Eve and Nick was also a front burning story.

[titan1978]

I never considered them the three days a week crowd though.  When you watched back then people like Kim, Shane, Bo, Roman, Steve and Kayla were on 3 to 4 times a week.  Every week.

 

I’m not saying the characters you pointed out were not popular and driving story.  I just never thought of them as the “A” story group of characters.  Eve and Nick certainly got there though, there was a period of time I though Nick was also always on screen.  I loved Mike Horton back then but he never got the play of Bo Brady.

 

That was also part of the balance problem back then.  I can remember thinking Steve and Kayla in particular were always on screen.

[MichaelGL]

Under Lloyd Gold, Guiding Light was supposed to hold a Lighthouse Gala, which Meta was helping to plan but Mary Stuart passed away. I can't help but to think we got the time travel storyline in place of the Lighthouse Gala. 

 

Millie Taggart also had a scene where Phillip and Ross discussed possible insider trading charges against Phillip. I assume this somehow would have played into the Phillip/Olivia/Alan triangle.

 

The Ex wives Club had plenty of story threads; Alex blackmialing Mindy with a secret she wanted to keep hidden. Mentioning Alan-Michael (possible return under Taggart?) I vaguely remember Blake expressing interest in working at Spaulding again. 

[Paul Raven]

Both Bill Bell and the Dobsons had plans for other characters to be introduced when Y&R and SB debuted.

 

On Y&R there were Bruce Henderson's sons, Liz Foster's nephews Russell and Mark.

 

On SB the Andrade family had 2 offscreen sisters I recall.

 

 

 

 

[AbcNbc247]

Just remembered another one

 

If Tom Langan had stayed at DAYS, John or Stefano would have been Zack's father, not Bo.

[Mitch]

I thought it was Labine who utilized Meta more and started that whole Lighthouse thing.

 

The Taggart time, so much lost potential and the last time GL had a chance to save itself.  I remember Phillip was involved in something that Alan found out about at the start of the Phillip/Liv/Alan triangle and Olivia tellling Alan to "Call of your dogs!"  Would love to have Mindy brought back..it should have been Rick and Mindy instead of boring Mel...(she really only married him as she thought he was going to die, they should have held off and had her see Rick and Mindy's feelings for one another and backed off.)  I know that AM was supposed to come back and join Alex in fighting Phillip and Alan.

[Khan]

 

I still remember when TPTB asked viewers to vote.  People were SO. NOT. HAPPY. to have to choose between John and Stefano.  John won, I think, but only because he was the more appealing choice.  That's why Peter Brash and Paula Cwikly ended up retconning the whole thing, saying Bo, whom Stefano had brainwashed into becoming a mime or some noise, had had sex with Hope while she was still under the influence of Princess Gina.

[Toups]

 

No, I didn't.

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  I probably would've asked about every storyline he did on DAYS and Passions. It would've been the longest interview in history though. 

[Roman]

Roman's younger brother Marcus? so Bo was supposed to be Marcus?

[Khan]

 

I believe so.

[Roman]

From what i understand from back then, SA asked Wayne N. to come back. the producers wanted him to come back, but each time he said no. so after the last overture, she started looking for the new RB. when she casted DH, she felt she found him...but if he didn;t have chemistry with Dee, he would have turned out to be one of Stefano's sons (which they were going to do when they were trapped on the island after Lawrence A. caused and earthquake.)

Dallas:

If Phil Capice had not been forced out as EP (and had Patrick Duffy not have returned) Steve Forrest's character Ben Stivers would have turned out to be Jock Ewing.

[KMan101]

 

Yeah that seems to be the case with Frank/Vanessa. Shame. But we get Nina's legacy and Kim Nero. Anywho ...

 

And agreed on LW's Carly. Definitely the worst traits of both. I can't even imagine SJB playing this version. And it wouldn't be written like that with her in the role. Also think they do a disservice by not using Bobbie more. Like Heather Tom, I dream of SJB still playing Carly. But that's all it is. lol. And at least Laura Wright can act circles around Mo, unlike Heinle who sleepwalks through her scenes. Anywho ..

 

Agreed on Jarlena. It's their best option at this point. I'll take it at this point.

[Roman]

glad they kept the name Bo.

[KMan101]

 

So many good ideas, on paper. Gia as Sonny's sister makes a lot more sense. Taggert and Sonny share a sister. Courtney was always unnecessary. ALW should have been a Sarah Webber recast.

 

I love the idea of tying Zander to SBr's Carly.