Charlie Mason
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025
Credit: Disney (2), Howard Wise/JPI (3), Jill Johnson/JPI
Ready for Action
The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives, The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital have big canvases, so we understand that not every character can be frontburner all the time. But the following aren’t just due but past due for a visit to the spotlight.
Bold & Beautiful’s R.J.
Brooke and Ridge’s son doesn’t just need a storyline, he has a ready-made one that’s just waiting to unfold. Why on earth was he removed from the canvas just as his parents split up and his half sister took over Grandpa’s company with her new boo?
General Hospital’s Alexis
Nancy Lee Grahn is an absolute powerhouse, and her character, as fiery as she is flawed. Both of them should be doing more than merely supporting the Davis girls through their travails. Maybe it’s (past!) time to bring on a new love interest.
Days of Our Lives’ Melinda
Guess there’s something better than being a fan favorite — being the writers’ favorite. But we can’t imagine why the powers that be wouldn’t be as taken with Melinda as we are. She’s a dynamo that would liven up the forecast no matter the season.
Young & Restless’ Noah
It was a whole big deal when the show recast Nick and Sharon’s son. But instead of capitalize on his new portrayer’s appeal, he was first turned into a Debbie Downer, then stuck in a dead-end “nomance” and shipped out of Genoa City. Fix it already!
Bold & Beautiful’s Zende
We suppose we should be counting our blessings that Eric’s adopted grandson is at all involved in the current war for Forrester. But considering the way he’s always been treated, it doesn’t make sense. Shouldn’t he be more tempted to join Team “Cope”?
General Hospital’s Terry
The chief-of-staff is daytime’s one and only trans character — and at a time in history when representation has never been more important. Let’s see more of her and boyfriend Yuri, aka the cutest couple with the last amount of screentime.
Young & Restless’ Elena
The doctor is in…need of a storyline. Since her breakup with Nate, she’s had less than nothing to do. How does that even happen to an appealing character with no family ties — she’s available to date anybody! Maybe even this strangely single guy.
Bold & Beautiful’s Thomas
When the show ended his relationship with Hope, it also ended him. Why? He should be on the frontlines of his parents’ war with Carter and Hope — and making fiancée Paris wonder whether his passion for the fight equates to lingering passion for his ex.
Days of Our Lives’ Aaron
Louis Tomeo is a born scene stealer. But he can only do that if he’s actually given scenes to steal! Stop sending Aaron off the canvas, please and thank you, and let him turn out to be the real father of the baby that Sophia’s carrying.
Bold & Beautiful’s Donna
Eric’s honey got what she wanted: him. So is that it? Is there no more to her than her desire to be with her husband? Donna’s a Logan, for Pete’s sake. Let’s see her messily meddling and stirring the pot in a way that makes Eric groan, “Must you?”
General Hospital’s Valentin
We like Brennan as well as anybody. But that was no reason to replace James Patrick Stuart’s well-loved Valentin with him — especially not when Charlotte’s father has unfinished business with both a conflicted Anna and currently single ex Nina.
Young & Restless’ Lauren
How on earth did daytime’s original Mean Girl-turned-mogul get reduced to a talk-to for other characters? The enduring character and her Emmy-winning portrayer deserve to be making things happen, not just discussing things that others have made happen.
Bold & Beautiful’s Poppy
Are we still asking “Who’s Luna’s father?” In fact, we are. Might we request that the enchanting Romy Park be moved to a new plot, one that allows Poppy to do more than be yelled at by sis Li and cry? Deacon and Sheila’s marriage could use shaking up.
Days of Our Lives’ Shawn
Now that “Shelle” is no more, Belle has moved on. But her former husband? Not so much. Dare we hope that as Belle rediscovers who she is without her longtime partner, Shawn will go on the same journey — and perhaps vie with J.J. for Gabi’s affections.
Bold & Beautiful’s Katie
One of the the greatest of daytime’s greats, Heather Tom has been reduced to commiserating with her on-screen sisters and doting on her new TV son. Give Katie a formidable new love interest and let them leave us asking, “Bill who?”
General Hospital’s T.J.
As the character himself pointed out, the death of his and Molly’s daughter felt a lot more like it was about his partner than it was him. Time to give Jordan’s son his due, perhaps with a rebound romance in which he gets to really “play doctor.”
Young & Restless’ Gloria
The show has in Judith Chapman the Bette Davis of daytime. But instead of shine a spotlight on her as Michael’s mischievous mother, the powers that be have pushed her so far onto the backburner that she’s fallen off. She’s an MVP — treat her that way!
Bold & Beautiful’s Finn
Is the doctor’s sole purpose on the canvas to reaffirm his and Steffy’s unbreakable love every few days? Shouldn’t he maybe…we dunno…have something to do. Give him a patient in whom he takes too great an interest. Have him meet a sibling. Anything!
Days of Our Lives’ Stefan
It never really made any sense to us that Brandon Barash was shown the door just as an EJ/Gabi/Stefan triangle was forming. But that wrong could be righted by bringing him back in time for Stefan to hook up with EJ’s ex, the soon-to-return Sami.
General Hospital’s Brad
We were delighted when Parry Shen was brought back to the show…but to what end? The lab tech has mostly puttered away in the background despite the fact that he’s such a crowd-pleaser he could — and should — be carrying a storyline of his own.
Young & Restless’ Lily
She’s a legacy character with an Emmy-winning portrayer. What is she doing on the bench? Put ’er in, coach, and let Christel Khalil drive some dang story already — and we don’t mean endless job switches. What ever happened to this flirtation?
Bold & Beautiful’s Deacon and Sheila
On what planet can the reformed con artist and his homicidal-maniac wife be turned into the show’s most boring couple? This planet, apparently, because that’s just what’s happened to Deacon and Sheila, story drivers who have become stuck in neutral.
