ALL: Actors who returned in a new role - has it ever worked?

[Liberty City]

It was a "hey, we f**ked up, some come back!" type of situation.

[Maxim]

But it gave us that Caroline wig in flashbacks moment that can only be riveled by Krista's wig in 2021. That wig needed a twitter.

[Liberty City]

omg... I am not familiar with it?

[Maxim]

I envy you. I don't know how to find it... but it's there somewhere in the classic thread. Basically they put some hideous wig on JJ so that she can look like Caroline again.

[Liberty City]

Please register in order to view this content

 Not my Googling it and not being able to find anything.

[soapfan770]

Renee Jones on Days as Lexie #3 could be considered a big success compared to her Nikki Wade character a decade earlier and was more successful than the first two Lexie’s. She of course is a rare exception.

The whole doppelgänger/lost twin/same actor, different character has been completely over killed by both Y&R and Days. And back in the day I though Tamara Braun as Ava/Taylor recast was bad on Days. 

Even primetime soaps were not immune, especially for short-term stints and roles. Most notably Dallas brought back the Pam recast actress in another season as a Pam lookalike. 

[Planet Soap]

I liked SJB's run as Claudia and it was better than Tamara Braun's return as Kim. The writers did good in making Claudia a trouble maker like OG Carly was, not a nice woman like Kim. Unlike Kim's tenure Claudia's was actually concequential to plot, especially concerning Michael. SJB's  return was too short though IMO. 

The last time Sonny was interesting. Love that scene. 

[asafi]

Falcon crest - Melissa Agretti / Samantha Ross.

Melissa Agretti, later Cumson, Gioberti – Delores Cantu (1982; 1 episode), Ana Alicia (1982–1988; 178 episodes)

A feisty, selfish young heiress who inherits her father's land, the Agretti Vineyards, and agrees to a marriage of convenience with Lance in order to gain control of Falcon Crest. Melissa is the mother of Joseph, following an affair with Cole Gioberti, whom she later marries. Ana Alicia joined the cast later in the first season (replacing Delores Cantu, who played the part for one episode only) and left early in the eighth season when Melissa died in a fire. However, the actress returned for several episodes later in the season to play a Melissa lookalike, Samantha Ross.

[Soaplovers]

Guiding light:

Jordan Clarke played a character named Dr tim Ryan for a few years in the 70s.  He was the first guy both Rita and Eve Stapleton were involved with pre Ed Bauer and Ben.

He came back in 1983 playing Billy Lewis..and played him on and off till 2009.  

 

[Dr Neil Curtis]

John Aniston played a doctor on Days in the 70s and came back in 85 and played popular Victor Kiriakis, so it’s possible. 

[1974mdp]

ITA. After her initial introduction, they didn't seem to know what to do with her. It may have worked better if Karen had been a villian, the complete opposite of Caroline.

[Maxim]

I agree.

[Darn]

Probably doesn't count but Bethany Joy Lenz nabbing (or rather being handed) the role of Michelle after playing young clone Reva was obviously an enormous hit.

[kalbir]

@1974mdp @OpportunisticSlut I pointed this out in the B&B Old Articles thread, but I think Karen got lost in the shuffle. 1992-1994 B&B had too many females in the early 30s age range (Brooke, Macy, Taylor, Karen, Sheila) and not enough storyline to go around.

[Paul Raven]

Like John Aniston on Days there are many performers who had small roles on a show before landing a bigger role much later.

But I'm really referring to popular actors/characters who were dropped and then returned as an admission that the original departure was a mistake, and that hopefully a new role will recapture the magic.

Usually the original character was killed off, which created drama at the time but long term wasn't always the best move.

Despite the batting average being extremely poor as seen in the above examples, the soaps continued to try.