I'm referring to those pairings that come about because there are 2 characters on the canvas w/o love interests so the writers decide to pair them to fill guarantees and give them some airtime and stories.

Sometimes it's shortlived, others hang around on the backblocks and sometimes things work out and they become fully fledged couples.

I saw that GH put Robert and Diane together and that pairing didn't seem to go down well.

Y&R had Cane on contract and Lily was gone so we had a Cane/Traci story for a while.

What other examples past and present can we discuss?

90% of GH today. (Starting with Dante and Sam, who we were just discussing. Two characters the show doesn't want to get rid of bc of fandom but who they have no real interest in telling story for anymore.)

GL: Buzz and Lillian. Buzz and Alex.

GH: Maxie and Austin - they were a couple for about a year and I'm not sure that they kissed more than once.

Damn near every Rafe pairing on DAYS. Why's he still there again? 

Carter and Katie on BOLD. They clearly just felt that they had to do something with them. Especially when Katie would have made more sense with Justin.

Bold - Taylor and whoever it was available past 2007-8.

Meg & Damian on ATWT. I feel like they just slapped those two together because fans were tired of PEG. Meg was literally a placeholder until time to put Lily back with Damian. I feel like that story destroyed Meg and Damian even further. Damian was written more horribly than before, and Meg was turned into a nut and shipped off. There was no real payoff. 

I'd add Nick & Diane on Y&R. I feel like that tryst was just to bounce around and see who Maura West's Diane had chemistry with. It was also used to provide another reason for Redzilla to hate Diane. Horrible pairing and horrible story. 

Mel & Cyrus on GL. I just feel like they tossed them together to appease those of us who wanted Mel to have a happy ending. Sucks she had to get latched to a Foley. 

Roman and Kate on DAYS. It is like the writers threw up their hands and said -“she’s been with every other man in Salem-guess it’s Roman’s turn”

Robert and Diane - GH

Finn and Liz - GH 

Ridge and Brooke 2.0 - The Bold and Beautiful: When will Brad and Co. understand that Katherine Kelly Lang and Thorsten Kaye do not have romantic chemistry with one another? 

Rafe and every one of his pairings - DAYS 

 

 

Y&R:

Ashley and Paul

Ashley and Neil

Ashley and Tucker 1.0

Y&R

Paul/Nina

Days

Maggie/Don

Maggie/Neil

Marie/Howie

Shayla.

IYKYK.

14 hours ago, Khan said:

Shayla.

IYKYK.

While I do think Shayla was out of convivence in some ways due to SN leaving and Kim casting issues in other ways I think it was a bold idea.   It was executed poorly and MBE and CS didn't have much chemistry, but there were a lot of different beats to play with the pairing.  Having the two 'calmer' and less 'messier' sides of another supercouple pairing come together combined with Kayla's feelings of always being considered the lesser sister as well as both Shane/Kayla knowing they had already found their 'great love' is an interesting concept at least.  I know the pairing is universally reviled and I am the only one even mildly defending it though.  I could just see the pitch of the idea being intriguing. 

I personally would have went with Kayla/Marcus though.  That probably would have been a one way ticket to the backburner for Kayla unfortunately lol.

I agree about "Shayla"! There was some interesting stuff to play there. I get why it went over like a wet fart, but the concept is interesting if you come at it head-on.

12 minutes ago, Michael said:

I agree about "Shayla"! There was some interesting stuff to play there. I get why it went over like a wet fart, but the concept is interesting if you come at it head-on.

At the very least we got some good character work from Kayla calling out the Brady family on their favoritism and upbringing.  

23 hours ago, SheenaSoaper said:

Y&R:

Ashley and Paul

Ashley and Neil

Ashley and Tucker 1.0

Ashley and Neil were actually very good together but, they weren't really given much of chance. I wish they could have worked out though. I'm surprised about Ashley and Paul! I really don't remember that.