Members Paul Raven Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Tragic deaths are a part of soaps, but in the last decades that plot twist has lost its potency through way too many characters being killed off for short term dramatic effect and often to accommodate a popular actor departing. Hence the regular back from the dead trope used to undo previous mistakes. Who are some characters that you feel didn't need to die? Y&R Colleen Carlton obviously. All that came out of it was the loss of a next generation core character and the horrible Victor heart transplant story that isn't even mentioned these days. Dina- Marla Adams could still bring it and she could have taken Katherine's role as a kick ass older town matriarch. Cameron-if they only had Linden for a short time, why not have him escape, cause havoc and maybe disappear, thus leaving the door open for another return. Hilary-she could have easily left town and returned when Mishael came back, rather than the dull and covoluted Amanda story. Over to you guys.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AbcNbc247 Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Abigail Deveraux Dimera - killed off pretty much just because Ron didn’t get his way on a friggin storyline. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vetsoapfan Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 (edited) Going back a while... Duncan Eric, Search for Tomorrow Bill Prentiss, Love of Life Adam Drake, The Edge of Night Liz Stewart, As the World Turns Dan Stewart, As the World Turns Chuckie Shea, As the World Turns Greg Mercer, Somerset Mary Matthews, Another World Steven Frame, Another World Alan Quartermaine, General Hospital Tony Jones, General Hospital Bill Bauer (the second time), The Guiding Light Hillary Bauer, The Guiding Light Maureen Bauer, The Guiding Light Jennifer Brooks, The Young and the Restless Liz Foster Brooks, The Young and the Restless (Yikes! There are way too many characters to list, LOL!) Edited February 10 by vetsoapfan 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lye-C Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Jack Deveraux in 2012 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Althea Davis Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Taylor on Bold shouldn't have died and returned 1342 times. It made the show and the character look cartoonish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Faulkner Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 (edited) To paraphrase Alyssa Edwards, “Short-term thinking is a killer in this industry.” So easy to do a death for a quick dramatic impact (potential ratings boost) instead of thinking of other creative ways for a character’s departure. Funny how, especially in recent years, writers are told to avoid specificity with characters so that they have “freedom” to take them in different directions. Yet they are so often given leeway to kill off even crucial characters in permanent ways that wind up limiting story opportunities for key players (like how Hilary’s death completely undid all the work Y&R did to finally make Devon into a rootable leading man—just to stick it to Mishael Morgan). Or they’re forced to go sci-fi to undo those deaths. Also, when you have so many deaths, you can get numb to it. I can’t imagine “killing off” Spencer Cassadine on the backs of so many deaths (including RL ones) in Port Charles. It’s too much. Edited February 10 by Faulkner 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soapfan770 Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 (edited) Hmm, ho boy where to begin on this?!? Let me start with: ATWT: Jennifer Munson, Damian, Shannon, and perhaps Chuckie Shea AW: Any Matthews family member that was shamelessly killed off, Ryan, Frankie B&B: Any Spectra family member that was shamelessly killed off Days: I know nobody stays dead lol but I’ll go with Nick Fallon, Laura, and Abby’s latest death GL: Maureen wins the thread, but also Nadine, Jenna, and Ben Reade Y&R: Brad, Colleen, Hilary, Hope, and Robert Carlton As far as primetime soaps go…. OG Dynasty: Claudia Dallas: Kristen FC: Melissa, Maggie, and Lorraine Knots: Ciji, Linda Melrose: Sydney, Matt DH: Edie Revenge: Daniel Dynasty 2.0: I feel they should’ve just kept their version of Anders alive to the end Edited February 10 by soapfan770 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carolineg Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 I am surprised no one has mentioned Emily and Georgie on GH. Totally silly when you think about how much long term story both had to give. AJ is another short sighted death. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jdee43 Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 (edited) For Another World, killing off Bill Matthews off screen in 1970, to free up his wife Missy for adventures on the AW spin-off Somerset. Missy wasn't even on Somerset that long; both characters were lost forever to Another World; and Aunt Liz had her son taken away, weakening her character, giving her less to do. Killing off Bill started the dismantling of the Matthews family. And another early dumb one for AW was killing off John Randolph's daughter Lee in 1969. Both the characters of Bill and Lee had been on since 1964, and had lots of potential left. Edited February 10 by Jdee43 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AMCOLTLLover Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Georgie, Alan, Emily from GH 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lye-C Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Y&R: Phillip III, Rex, Brad, Colleen, Hope, Cassie, Drucilla 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mitch64 Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Guiding Light, any of the Bauers killed...Bill, Hillary and of course, Maureen. I disliked the Coopers but felt that killing Nadine was unnecessary and mean spirited...now if it was Buzz I would have gone with it! Maeve Reade should have never been killed off, just have her and Fletcher leave town together....two birds one stone! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vetsoapfan Posted February 10 Members Share Posted February 10 Frank was okay enough, but Nadine was the only Cooper I actually liked; the last one I would want to see killed off. On the other hand, I prayed daily for Buzz to be axed! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Efulton Posted February 11 Members Share Posted February 11 Another World owns this thread for me. Lee Randolph Bill Matthews Mary Matthews Steve Frame John Randolph Charlie Hobson Julia Shearer Sally Frame Quinn Harding Frankie Frame Ryan Harrison Bridget Connell 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted February 11 Author Members Share Posted February 11 ATWT Chuckie Shea Paul Stewart Y&R Diane Jenkins Ricky Williams 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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