Couplings that happened because writers didn’t know what else to do with the characters

[Chatty Cakes]

Y and Rs Kyle and Summer this round. He was in love with Lola, planned his wedding to Lola and then suddenly he says it’s always been Summer??  Makes no sense and the two are terrible together. Sitting in Jabot holding hands while Jack beams at them like they are the best thing since sliced bread. 
 

At the end of GL they paired everyone up so everyone would have a happy ending. Frank and Blake, Lilian and Buzz, Shane and Marina, Mindy and Rick.....etc

[Skin]

 

I would say the answer is "all of the above". If Brenda was the initial template for the story they probably wanted a replay of the Jax/Brenda/Sonny triangle, just with Jason as the third leg of this particular triangle. Thinking further it wouldn't surprise me if the writers were hoping for even more high stakes interest with the Carly/Sonny fans also adding to the mix for more interests/ratings.  They probably wanted an explosive tide of shipping to rise all their boats and interest in the show. 

[Vee]

We all know Sam's early years were nothing but a poor Brenda reskin. What annoyed me was when people used to argue with me about it, both Sam and Brenda fans, like 'oh no, they would never, Brenda is too unique.' Like, did y'all watch the show? TB's Carly even went meta about it in dialogue to Sam re: Brenda in early 2004. Sam wasn't the first or last attempt at a Brendabot, either.

 

I think Guza had no real interest in her and Jax (the initial pairing, which I felt was poorly handled) or in her and Sonny (a rite of passage for the hot hire per Frons, and a means to an end). He was always going for the Jason/Brenda analog. She was a Frons push that didn't work for him until then.

Edited July 13, 2020 by Vee

[carolineg]

 

I think it would have been a decent story with Brenda/Vanessa.  I am still not sure how much I would have enjoyed Jason/Brenda though.  I liked Brenda's hatred towards him and then their bickering friendship. It really would have changed what GH is now to give S/B a baby and have Brenda/Jason hook up.  I think at the very least the show's current attachment to Carson would be lessened.

 

 

 

 Lol!  I am like the biggest Brenda/Vanessa fan and it's clear Sam was a Brenda substitute.  The best GH could do on short notice.  GH spent years trying to employ any petite brunette that vaguely resembled Vanessa Marcil to recapture the magic lol.  I don't think Brenda as a character is so unique.  It was more the way Vanessa played her back then and the chemistry she had with her co-stars that made her special.  Brenda on paper isn't super ground breaking.   And now I don't think Sam/Brenda are very similar at all.  

    

I don't think Guza had an investment in Jax period.  Even with Brenda at the time.  He was a means to an end to pave the way for S/B and Brazen.  The Jax/Brenda coupling in 2003 was half-assed and Brenda already had doubts.  She was clearly meant to marry Jax and cheat with Sonny leading to a Brax divorce and Sonny/Brenda/Jason/Carly shenanigans.  

 

[Vee]

Oh, Guza didn't give a [!@#$%^&*] about Jax past the '90s.

[ChitHappens]

Laura and Kevin, GH. 

[carolineg]

 

Not even sure Guza cared much about him in the 90's?  He has and always will be a pesky road block for Sonny.  Jax's character has never really developed outside being a white knight.  IR is lucky he had chemistry with VM and Laura Wright because he would basically be a footnote without it.  IR gets the leftovers while Mo gets GH built around him.  His politics aside, IR was almost as popular as MB in the 90's but has basically gotten B stories since 1998.

[Vee]

Oh, I think he did then. He went full force with Jax and Brenda when MB left, and he later fought hard with Riche over Jax and Alexis.

[titan1978]

Guza absolutely was invested in Jax.  Look at all the characters that were gotten rid of during his tenure, and Jax remained. Yes, they tried lots of pairings that didn’t work.  But if you look at someone like AJ, who was also relegated to Sonny foil, there is a clear investment in Jax compared to him.

 

He can easily be written out now though.

 

Jax and Alexis is what should have happened.  Especially with Kristina there as a Sonny tie forever.  I enjoyed Ric and Alexis, but Jax creates more drama over the long run with Brenda returns, et all.

 

Before Maurice left, and when Brenda returned the first time, I felt the writing was geared towards us wanting Jax/Brenda to be together.  I especially felt that Carly could not hold a candle to Brenda for Sonny, and yet the writing made it seem like that was indeed where they wanted it to go.

[carolineg]

 

I am going to disagree.  IR/VM had an easy chemistry, but the writing was full force Sonny/Brenda.  And Carly was just bidding her time to get away from Sonny but alas it's done now.  Jax to me is def a Brenda appendage that is sill going strong.  When Mo left it was full force Jax/Brenda but that was never endgame to me, although Jax'/Brenda were very cute in 1998.  But let's waste time dragging VM's contract out to have her run after Jax for an entire year.........

[teplin]

If it's going where it looks like it's going, Kate & Abe on DAYS. 

[Planet Soap]

GH: Franco & Liz, I read somehwhere that Sonny and Carly was a result of the writers being unsure what to so with Carly after Michael's paternity reveal.

 

y&r: Agreed, Sharon with any man but Nick, and Jack with any woman since the mid 90s. I feel like Lauren and Michael were just slapped together.

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by ironlion

[dragonflies]

Ryan and Erica from AMC

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[SamandWillowFan]

Skye and Ric were teased for 5 minutes on GH because they didn't know what to do with either character.

[carolineg]

 

Also, Skye and Ned.  They changed her paternity to make it happen and it amounted to nothing.

 

Not an important pairing but Days Brady and Melanie.  What a random pairing that came out of nowhere and frankly was kinda creepy because Melanie seemed so young.