Let me make super clear that I don't disagree with this. Absolutely, the lack of children isn't what makes a character, especially a woman, less interesting. Hope had a kid and she was a pretty blah character, at least when Marland wrote her. If anything, it was that child that kept her off the canvas permanently. But children on soaps are important for two reasons: as plot devices and as a way to keep core families alive over the many decades that soaps exist. Giving Maureen fertility issues was a plot device so that when Ed got another woman pregnant, it would be even more of a big deal. In the beginning, they left it open that it was possible for Maureen to still have kids, but that it would be difficult. Then over the following years, there was a revolving door of head writers, and it became murky what the original intent was. It should have been the central conflict between Ed and Maureen. FFS, Maureen was raising his child with another woman! He also, IIRC, never allowed Maureen to adopt Michelle. I believe this was brought up the one time they separated. (Because, heaven's to Betsy, he saw Maureen KISS Fletcher). He came up with a million excuses for why he didn't want more kids. All the time knowing that was the one thing Mo wanted the most. (PS's Ed was hard to take, and it wasn't just PS's fault. Ed was written as a total jerk most of the time). Frankly, I love both ideas: Maureen having a surprise miracle baby AND leaving Ed to work for his dire enemy, Roger. Maybe Roger would help her hide her pregnancy, or even let Ed believe he was the father. He could also help her out in any custody dispute over Michelle. Sweet revenge indeed. This way we have a new Bauer/Reardon baby to bolster both core families, and Mo gets the chance to grow as a character, instead doing things just to please Ed. She could still be the matriarch, but a stronger and less sappy one.
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DeeVee · 39 minutes ago 39 min
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