Honestly Joss feels like the afterthought on the show now, and has for some time even before Dex died. Emma and Gio are where the money and rooting value is at. I knew Braedyn Bruner had it on Day 1 and GM has always appealed to me but has fully impressed this year.

Trina is the only character the show clearly wants to be the real afterthought, but if it was me it would be about Emma, Gio, Trina and then someone like Justus and Faith's imaginary scheming son lol. You could mix and match them together and play a quad or all sorts of combinations, since Trina and Gio were the original intent last summer (an idea almost immediately dropped). You can add other people in as well, maybe some kids from the Asian Quarter, Cam at some point, etc. If we were in the UK you could let Gio go bi too, but that's never happening here.

Edited July 2Jul 2 by Vee

Speaking of going bi, it would make a lot of sense for Joss to have a female love interest, since they haven’t been able to make a heterosexual romance click with her. With 2 women on contract for every 1 man in this cast, they really need more lesbians.

Come to think of it, Joss and Kristina aren’t technically related… 

5 minutes ago, bossruen said:

Speaking of going bi, it would make a lot of sense for Joss to have a female love interest, since they haven’t been able to make a heterosexual romance click with her. With 2 women on contract for every 1 man in this cast, they really need more lesbians.

Come to think of it, Joss and Kristina aren’t technically related… 

So, going for "love to annoy" toward "hot stuff in the city" ... Maybe so. I dunno. But, I do have one bone to pick. IMO Joss & Sexy Dexy worked, well, a lot more than just fine. Vaughn, meanwhile, is an old man, to Joss, anyway. I did not see that coming & I'll be fine if it just keeps going on, till it is well gone, for good!

1 hour ago, Vee said:

Honestly Joss feels like the afterthought on the show now, and has for some time even before Dex died. Emma and Gio are where the money and rooting value is at. I knew Braedyn Bruner had it on Day 1 and GM has always appealed to me but has fully impressed this year.

Trina is the only character the show clearly wants to be the real afterthought, but if it was me it would be about Emma, Gio, Trina and then someone like Justus and Faith's imaginary scheming son lol. You could mix and match them together and play a quad or all sorts of combinations, since Trina and Gio were the original intent last summer (an idea almost immediately dropped). You can add other people in as well, maybe some kids from the Asian Quarter, Cam at some point, etc. If we were in the UK you could let Gio go bi too, but that's never happening here.

You couldn't really do it in the UK either, aside from Hollyoaks, where, based on current material, Gio would, within the space of two months, have a baby with his boyfriend's sister, get hooked on drugs, get trafficked, then cheat on his boyfriend with a woman and try to get his boyfriend to join them. And be played by someone who constantly looks like he needs to take a big dump.

I still wonder if there were Gio/Joss plans. During the brief period where he was friendly with Trina and Joss they seemed to be pushing Joss more heavily, seemingly hoping for a big fan response. 

26 minutes ago, bossruen said:

Speaking of going bi, it would make a lot of sense for Joss to have a female love interest, since they haven’t been able to make a heterosexual romance click with her. With 2 women on contract for every 1 man in this cast, they really need more lesbians.

Come to think of it, Joss and Kristina aren’t technically related… 

Now you want to inflict Joss on the women of Port Charles?  Since all her love interests die or leave I guess there are a few woman that she could hook up with.  

 

4 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I still wonder if there were Gio/Joss plans. During the brief period where he was friendly with Trina and Joss they seemed to be pushing Joss more heavily, seemingly hoping for a big fan response. 

There seemed to be a push for Gio/Joss for a moment, but again, I am not sure the show had a real idea on what to do with Gio and sort of was waiting it out.  It was very much about liking GM as a presence and actor.  I am not sure he was ever meant to be long term until they came up with the BLQ/Dante plot.

I definitely have been happy to see Emma still around since I did like the recast from Day 1 just off of her vibe and how she really does look like an older Emma. And in spite of the writing, she has emerged as a character to root for. And plus Gio, they have become a couple I like to tune in to see in the young set. 

 

So 2 for 2 for recasts go to GH!!

1 hour ago, Taoboi said:

I definitely have been happy to see Emma still around since I did like the recast from Day 1 just off of her vibe and how she really does look like an older Emma. And in spite of the writing, she has emerged as a character to root for. And plus Gio, they have become a couple I like to tune in to see in the young set. 

 

So 2 for 2 for recasts go to GH!!

Which two? I ask because my numbers are significantly different. 

I say Hooray for Emmy-winning Casting Director on behalf of the following successes:

Van Hansis, Kate Mansi, K. Vaganos, Alexa Havins, Emma

Gio is a cast not a recast. 

Kai, while not exactly a bust, not a huge success either. But, it's not his fault he is not related to Mary Mae or Tom Hardy.

 

So I either have 1 or I have 5. 

EDIT TO ADD: And, I cannot believe I left him off, Rory Gibson as NuMichael is perfection. 10/10. Can't be beaten. 

Edited July 3Jul 3 by Contessa Donatella

Lulu, Michael, and Emma are the best recasts.

Mansi's Kristina is a hot mess, Vaganos is okay and fine but has the depth of a puddle, Van plays an entirely different Lucas, although he doesn't bother me.  So, like, yay!  It's not a bunch of OLTL characters playing recasts, but I don't think they are actually slaying casting.

GM was a true find as Gio and the show got lucky.  

29 minutes ago, carolineg said:

Lulu, Michael, and Emma are the best recasts.

Agreed.  

MY BAD!!! I was saying Emma and Michael when I did the post.

 

HOWEVER, you all are right. GH has been on it with the recast. Add Lulu (especially) and Lucas to that list.

I think there's a difference between being serviceable to a role and being natural.  To me Alexa, Rory, and Braedyn (I hope I am not being Natalia spelling that lol) embody the characters as they should be.

Van and Kristina V are totally fine.  They are just very different from Carnes and Pullos.

Mansi's Kristina is a whole other mess and I don't really blame her.  She's not the warmest actress and the writing works against her strengths.

33 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

MY BAD!!! I was saying Emma and Michael when I did the post.

 

HOWEVER, you all are right. GH has been on it with the recast. Add Lulu (especially) and Lucas to that list.

When we make lists, we inevitably get off into weird territory.

I'm not here to put anyone down. Kai is the only one being discussed who is on a lower level.

Van fit in immediately. If you didn't know you'd swear he's been there forever. He works in every scene with anyone they put him with. Who is that reminiscent of? Jane Elliot & if we allow for experience, he ticks off all the boxes.

Molly & Kristina were hired to do specific things & they have done so & will continue to.

Gio is a special snowflake. 

4 hours ago, DRW50 said:

I still wonder if there were Gio/Joss plans. During the brief period where he was friendly with Trina and Joss they seemed to be pushing Joss more heavily, seemingly hoping for a big fan response. 

I think they were purely winging it, in part because of such BTS chaos. IIRC Gio was explicitly announced at one point as being for Trina, but there was only a hint or two of that onscreen before they just had him meandering around with both girls doing nothing for months. My suspicion is Korte, FV, etc. tried to reposition Joss since Dex had lost his very brief luster and thought anything and anyone was game. Then they moved on.

My further suspicion is that with the recent success of both Emma and Gio (and them together), Frank may have lost his all-consuming interest in Joss. It happens with him.

3 hours ago, carolineg said:

Mansi's Kristina is a hot mess

I could see the vision with Mansi a little earlier than this time last year when Kristina was basically the only smart person in several stories, seeing through Ava and standing up to Natalia while still delusional about her father. I thought that I finally found Kristina credible as a major lead at that moment, even if the surrogacy thing was still going (and about to get much worse). But it faded as soon as, well, everything happened.

I think the character and recast could recover, but it's gonna take either a lot of work or a long break. Or both.

Vaganos is a passable watch for a character who has been played out for over a decade. I would just let Molly go for a number of years. KV or Pullos or whoever can show up for visits from time to time but I wouldn't bring her back on contract any time soon.

Edited July 3Jul 3 by Vee

3 hours ago, carolineg said:

I think there's a difference between being serviceable to a role and being natural.  To me Alexa, Rory, and Braedyn (I hope I am not being Natalia spelling that lol) embody the characters as they should be.

Van and Kristina V are totally fine.  They are just very different from Carnes and Pullos.

Mansi's Kristina is a whole other mess and I don't really blame her.  She's not the warmest actress and the writing works against her strengths.

And I would agree with that. And I know I made that VERY clear in the case of Alexa who fit in perfectly from her first frame. And I waxed poetic over her right up until her reunion with Laura. I can still wax poetic on her and her ability to lift up the writing when it irks me. I can say the same for Braedyn (hehe at the Natalia shade) as well. Such a great job of embodying aged-up Emma. I remember feeling like she did study her predecessor. As for Rory...I haven't talked too much him outside of his body but I love the direction he's taken Michael in so far...a direction Michael should have always gone in and definitely should have post-fire, not to mention post-affair reveal.

 

I also agree with Van and Kris V as well. I'm used to them now, but they are so different from Carnes and Pullos. It's Van for me more than Kris.

 

Same. I don't even love to hate her now. I just hate her on my screen. And it's so funny because I liked her and Blaze together. Not I just 'ugh.' 

My hatred for her aside, less Joss is a good thing 😂

In any situation, a horrible character, played by an inconsistent actress is just not sustainable.