22 hours ago, Maxim said:

Do you guys think any of Sheila's "returns" past 2002 worked?

her peak was definitely in the '90s when she was this compelling, complex villain on both The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. Kimberlin Brown really made that character iconic during that era. 

22 hours ago, Maxim said:

Do you guys think any of Sheila's "returns" past 2002 worked?

No

12 hours ago, kalbir said:

Taylor pretty much replaced Caroline. Karen got lost in the shuffle because there were too many other females in the early 30s age range (Brooke, Macy, Taylor, Sheila) and not enough storyline to go around.

As someone who loved Caroline and never had much use for Taylor, the whole thing left me very annoyed. It was clear the show had zero plans for her beyond bringing her back. By the end she was having "hot" scenes with B-player Connor.

41 minutes ago, asafi said:

her peak was definitely in the '90s when she was this compelling, complex villain on both The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. Kimberlin Brown really made that character iconic during that era. 

Agreed. Especially during her first pre-cartoon-villain years... 1992-1993, Sheila was so captivating and menacing. When she communicated with her mother, you could almost feel sorry for her for her troubled childhood. But at the same time you doubted her every word. Was she saying the truth or was she faking the trauma as well to gaslight everyone? Bill Bell was so good at confusing you like that, at least that's how I felt.  

43 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

No

Enough said! ❤️

17 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

As someone who loved Caroline and never had much use for Taylor, the whole thing left me very annoyed. It was clear the show had zero plans for her beyond bringing her back. By the end she was having "hot" scenes with B-player Connor.

I remember being shocked how meaningless her final storyline was. Comparing it to how epic Caroline's end was... and how many powerful scenes it gave us (one that stands in my mind is how she made Stephanie and Brooke hold hands and forgive each other for one night. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.) Karen was finished in such a sloppy way. I remember she lied to Connor that she was pregnant, then they had this pathetic wedding and then she was gone.

@Maxim @DRW50 I believe Joanna Johnson quit in 1994, and if she did, she was smart to do so. I shudder at the thought of Bradley continuing to write for Karen. In the end it all worked out as Joanna went on to success as a writer and producer.

Edited September 6Sep 6 by kalbir

On 9/4/2025 at 12:48 PM, Soaplovers said:

then she was paired up with Anthony Geary's horrid character Bill Eckert then they went on an adventure to a make believe country where Emma Samms played a dual role.

Doesn't Geary's return as Bill Eckert belong in this category? A huge flop. I remember Geary talking in interviews about being very excited at the chance to get away from the Luke character.

The character was awful, the storylines were worse, so they had to kill him off and bring back Luke. Am I remembering that correctly?

On 9/4/2025 at 7:08 PM, AdelaideCate007 said:

don't know that we ever got anything out of Frisco's many returns outside of Georgie and then Felicia finally kicking him to the curb. He's just one of those characters, like mentioned above with Holly, that never translated well to GH once it moved in the 90s. Holly at least works in visits. I don't that Frisco ever has.

The Guza/JFP era was filled with these random vet returns that started off strong and then just fizzled out or ended badly. Rick, Stefan, when Felicia came back after Georgie died, whatever that was with Scott and Laura around 2007/2008. Even looking back, a lot of those Robert and Anna returns sort of sucked until they committed to them when Frank got there.

His second return, for the heart transplant story, was the last time I felt like the show used him well. Considering he mostly played adventure and romance as Frisco, I thought he didn’t let the story down. Everybody really rose to that challenge though. But beyond that I just don’t think he fit in anymore and I don’t really care enough about Frisco anymore to invest.

It was fun to have Robert back, but Anna was just a mess under Guza. She was fine in stuff with Robin, but that whole Eli Love thing was just stupid and beneath Finola’s talent and Anna was way too important for such throwaway stories.

8 hours ago, DeeVee said:

Doesn't Geary's return as Bill Eckert belong in this category? A huge flop. I remember Geary talking in interviews about being very excited at the chance to get away from the Luke character.

The character was awful, the storylines were worse, so they had to kill him off and bring back Luke. Am I remembering that correctly?

It was a disaster. First of all Bill was like three different characters in one year, because they were always trying to make it work. Riche and Geary managed to somewhat salvage him by turning him into an [!@#$%^&*], and mostly deadbeat dad. And for some reason after 2006 or so Geary decided that personality was Luke’s, and that he had always been playing him that way, which the audience knows was BS.

They had been solidly still in the top 3 for ratings most of the time between Monty’s stints. But after a few months the show crashed hard, lost like 2 ratings points, and never got back up into the 8.0’s again or ever really got close to Y&R again. AMC was the ABC winner then.

I think had they gotten Cari Shayne and Antonio for Port Charles as Karen and Jagger, it might have had an actual shot at real success, and Karen would have been as important as the show wanted her to be. The first recast was just okay, and the next was awful!

I know people actually enjoyed Marj Dusay as Alexandra Spaulding. But to me, they are like completely different characters in every way, and she was not a successful recast.

 

 

29 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

I know people actually enjoyed Marj Dusay as Alexandra Spaulding. But to me, they are like completely different characters in every way, and she was not a successful recast.

I would add to that Ron Raines was a terrible recast as Alan, his return was awful, and they never wrote the character beyond a cartoon villain the rest of the life of the show. 

It was always going to be difficult to replace Bernau, but there were better, more charismatic actors out there, and Raines was not responsible for the lousy writing for the character.

Guiding Light:

Reva's whole return from 1995 to 2009 wasn't a success.  Her very presence caused the show to adjust to accommodate a character and actress that really had no business being on the show after 1990.

Beth's return in late 1997 was a failure... not because the actress was horrible (she proved to be a decent Beth in her first goaround)... but because the writing instantly established her as the heavy and the character never truly regained the spirit and essence of the character.. even though the writing did improve for Beth somewhat.

For AMC, people have mentioned Maria, but her return was a massive success compared to sisters Julia and Anita.  Bobby was another dud.  The return of Bianca for the first gay wedding in soaps turned out to be an absolute disaster.

Dixie's return where she spent all her time mooning over Zach was a dud.  I'd argue that Ryan's return also fizzled, but the show must kept trying to make it work until the bitter end.  Speaking of Ryan, his brother's return also fits, IMO.  A cute love story between a murderer and an autistic girl?  Pass.  I think Aidan once told Jonathon and Erin that it was in really bad taste for them to stick around Pine Valley, where the friends and family of Jon's victims had to see him walking around free.

On GH, Lucky's recent return was a mess.  AJ's return could also be called one, especially now that Michael has just shrugged off Sonny killing him.  Robin's return after Michael's birth is another, damaging the character by having her go along with the Michael lie until her relationship with Jason ended, telling Karen to get over what Sonny did to her and getting mad that Mac wanted to put criminal Jason in jail.  The return and destruction of Rick was shockingly bad.  Stefan coming back to go completely psycho and be killed counts.

12 hours ago, titan1978 said:

I think had they gotten Cari Shayne and Antonio for Port Charles as Karen and Jagger, it might have had an actual shot at real success, and Karen would have been as important as the show wanted her to be. The first recast was just okay, and the next was awful!

Hmm, if I recall correctly, I think people ended up liking the second Karen (Marie Wilson) more than the first (Jennifer Hammon), but it's been a long time.

 

💔 Macy Alexander - So Macy’s big return lasted about two years (2001–2003) before it fizzled into another presumed-dead storyline.

• How she returned: Rescued from the car crash, living as “Lena” in Italy, rediscovered by Thorne.

• Why it fizzled: The emotional shock was huge, but within a short time she was sidelined into another tragic accident (chandelier, coma, presumed dead again). Fans felt cheated of a long-term story.

2 hours ago, asafi said:

💔 Macy Alexander - So Macy’s big return lasted about two years (2001–2003) before it fizzled into another presumed-dead storyline.

• How she returned: Rescued from the car crash, living as “Lena” in Italy, rediscovered by Thorne.

• Why it fizzled: The emotional shock was huge, but within a short time she was sidelined into another tragic accident (chandelier, coma, presumed dead again). Fans felt cheated of a long-term story.

Absolutely.

And it was even shorter. She returned in late December 2002, practically 2003... and then was killed off again in early October 2003. So...  something like 9-10 months. In this short stint the only more interesting thing she did was help the Forresters get their company back.  

Edited September 7Sep 7 by Maxim

On 9/5/2025 at 9:04 AM, Maxim said:

Do you guys think any of Sheila's "returns" past 2002 worked?

Honestly, I liked some of them. But I come from a different perspective on it.

 

I think everyone who knows me know that for the most part I was an ABC soap kid with a side of Y&R. So I KNEW of Sheila. But I didn't KNOW Sheila. People talked about her as dangerous. And I didn't know what a baby switch was at the time. So on Y&R when they started that countdown 'Miss Me?' tv spot for Sheila's 2005 Y&R return with the lullaby music in the background...ooooo chills. It also helped that I love Lauren and knew some of her history, but the stuff with Scott was before my time so I was excited to see her son. The writers did such a good job setting up her tension over meeting him...but that was back when Y&R was still being realistic in their writing...so I cared. And that coda...which I think was end of the week...when Lauren goes to see her son and leaves. And the dramatic camera angle when Sheila walks into frame. Closeup and dramatic music and all. I was hooked. And as the story continued I continued to be with Sheila stalking around town in wigs and accents (before we got Silk Press Sheila on BTG hehe). Crazy, but not too silly as it seem the writers were also setting up interesting dynamics post-return with Tom Fisher (Mmmm...the actor, not the character). Now mind you, I thought the poisoned necklace was silly, but overall, I was hooked. However, I don't remember most of the ending due to school. I remember Michael/Lauren's wedding. The blow-up boat. L and S teaming up in the prison. And of course, the sinister coda of Sheila going to the plastic surgeon. I thought overall it was good.

 

For B&B 2017...okay, it fizzled. lol. I'm just not sure if it is because of the writing or because of KB's real life going on at the time. But the set-up...who shot at Quinn? The ominous music. The creaking floor sound. The head turn. The dramatic music. Thankfully, that was not spoiled. And wasn't it a Friday cliffhanger, too...or just the Monday coda? In any case, it had me interested. And it was good to see her attempt redemption in a way that made sense (unlike how she is now...sorry, Sheila) and then having a Sheila/Eric/Quinn triangle, complete with catfights. It had been a minute since a soap had given one and they gave at least two. cherry on top was Sheila being the one to figure out the Ridge/Quinn emotional affair. And then after all that built up...it was done and she upped and vanished. Again...not sure if it was cuz of her real life outside of soap work. It just felt abrupt when there was still mileage for her. At the time at least.

 

On 9/5/2025 at 11:24 PM, soapfan770 said:

Y&R: Hmm another tough one. Poor David Tom in 2014. Malcolm returns but is now played by Eddie Winslow. Stafford’s return in 2019 is a return no one asked for. 

That Tom one I know I took personally since I officially became a regular Y&R fan (after decades of my mother loving it and the radio recaps on my way to school after being an idle fan) due to him and AB...the original Billy and Mac. One of my favorite (if not THE for me at the time) teen couples. I was a fan of the Corrs long before the prom episodes so their song 'Closer'...which was my favorite song off their first album...playing over Mac's makeover/arrival at the prom still has a very special place in my heart. My eyes are getting misty just typing that. It was such a time. Music. Production. The acting. They really captured that moment of the moment when someone sees you...truly sees you and knows they are in love. And that has always stayed with Teenage Me. So to have David Tom back...So I was in my feels. I was hoping to have Mac back, too, but we know how that ended. 

Just now, Taoboi said:

Honestly, I liked some of them. But I come from a different perspective on it.

 

I think everyone who knows me know that for the most part I was an ABC soap kid with a side of Y&R. So I KNEW of Sheila. But I didn't KNOW Sheila. People talked about her as dangerous. And I didn't know what a baby switch was at the time. So on Y&R when they started that countdown 'Miss Me?' tv spot for Sheila's 2005 Y&R return with the lullaby music in the background...ooooo chills. It also helped that I love Lauren and knew some of her history, but the stuff with Scott was before my time so I was excited to see her son. The writers did such a good job setting up her tension over meeting him...but that was back when Y&R was still being realistic in their writing...so I cared. And that coda...which I think was end of the week...when Lauren goes to see her son and leaves. And the dramatic camera angle when Sheila walks into frame. Closeup and dramatic music and all. I was hooked. And as the story continued I continued to be with Sheila stalking around town in wigs and accents (before we got Silk Press Sheila on BTG hehe). Crazy, but not too silly as it seem the writers were also setting up interesting dynamics post-return with Tom Fisher (Mmmm...the actor, not the character). Now mind you, I thought the poisoned necklace was silly, but overall, I was hooked. However, I don't remember most of the ending due to school. I remember Michael/Lauren's wedding. The blow-up boat. L and S teaming up in the prison. And of course, the sinister coda of Sheila going to the plastic surgeon. I thought overall it was good.

 

For B&B 2017...okay, it fizzled. lol. I'm just not sure if it is because of the writing or because of KB's real life going on at the time. But the set-up...who shot at Quinn? The ominous music. The creaking floor sound. The head turn. The dramatic music. Thankfully, that was not spoiled. And wasn't it a Friday cliffhanger, too...or just the Monday coda? In any case, it had me interested. And it was good to see her attempt redemption in a way that made sense (unlike how she is now...sorry, Sheila) and then having a Sheila/Eric/Quinn triangle, complete with catfights. It had been a minute since a soap had given one and they gave at least two. cherry on top was Sheila being the one to figure out the Ridge/Quinn emotional affair. And then after all that built up...it was done and she upped and vanished. Again...not sure if it was cuz of her real life outside of soap work. It just felt abrupt when there was still mileage for her. At the time at least.

 

That Tom one I know I took personally since I officially became a regular Y&R fan (after decades of my mother loving it and the radio recaps on my way to school after being an idle fan) due to him and AB...the original Billy and Mac. One of my favorite (if not THE for me at the time) teen couples. I was a fan of the Corrs long before the prom episodes so their song 'Closer'...which was my favorite song off their first album...playing over Mac's makeover/arrival at the prom still has a very special place in my heart. My eyes are getting misty just typing that. It was such a time. Music. Production. The acting. They really captured that moment of the moment when someone sees you...truly sees you and knows they are in love. And that has always stayed with Teenage Me. So to have David Tom back...So I was in my feels. I was hoping to have Mac back, too, but we know how that ended. 

Yeees! That 2017 return with the unexpected head turn made me pee myself from shock! (just joking!) Sadly... it unraveled quite fast from there. BUT... I still prefer that attempt to revive Sheila to what is happening since 2021. Sheila, IMO, should still be trying to cage Eric in some way. She used to be clinically obsessed with him. These days they haven't shared even 1 scene. Why is that? Why haven't we seen her interact with Lauren... at all! This is such a pity. Sheila should not be baking Mozarella sticks, but thinking of how to kill Donna Logan, poison her with mercury or something and... then move in the bedroom with Eric and the honey jar. Why on Earth would a person like Sheila fall in love with Deacon is beyond me... Sheila always fell in love with someone she perceived of higher status and importance. Why does she need to be with this bum Deacon? Bradley Bell just can't write anything.