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PLANET 360: Back From The Dead, The Baby Switch: Should These Overused Soap Plot Devices Be Shown The Front Door?

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/HallmarkMovieChannel

Courtesy/HallmarkMovieChannel

In today’s latest installment of  the “Soap Dish” segment on The Hallmark MOVIE Channel’s weekly news entertainment Series Planet 360, Crystal Chappell (Venice, The Grove, The INN), Galen Gering (Days of our Lives) and Ignacio Serricchio (General Hospital) are back discussing this week’s topics:  overused soap opera plot devices.

The main point of discussion today was that of the obvious “back from the dead” storyline that is used to bring back characters, or actors, to their noted roles when they were “killed-off” in the first place! In addition, the often times long drawn out baby-switch plot device, and “Who’s the Daddy?” storylines,  which we have seen used over and over again, are bantered about!

Watch the segment after the jump. Then let us know if you think it’s time for returns from the dead and baby switches to be shown the front door at your favorite soap operas, in favor of a something less predictable and original?

 

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soaps could succeed with more realistic plots. we should deal with taboo subjects of politics, religion, class, race.

If soaps did that they would not be fantasy and believe, and that is the core true nature of soaps.. People watch soaps to getaway from the problems of the real world we need to live in..
They do bring in those subjects in at times, but then still it is 50%BS and 50% soap story telling lol ..
and I like that soaps are not real to life nor would I want them to be.
But c’mon, bringing back the dead is a bit overkill ..
All the jokes that were made about Dixie Martin and her 3 returns from dead, that a stake in her heart couldn’t keep her dead and much more LOL she was known as Dead Dixie and became joke..
So, dead bringing back is not cool.. just simply don’t kill them send them away..

They need to start writing soaps more like Revenge and Dallas! fans need more these days to keep them interested. This G rated soaps are not like the twisted tales and romps in the sack like they used to be! What happened to the knock down hair pulling cat fights! ZZZ We need more lots more! Love and sex and mystery in the afternoon! 🙂

I agree with you 100%! Dallas intrigues me SO much, and Deception. I also saw Revenge’s pilot, which was good too. DOOL is very boring. They need better writers.

I am OK with a ‘back from the dead’ IF only if it brings brings back a cherished/loved actor/character who is missed terribly, then cool with it..
The most ridiculous and stupid bringing back the dead was Dixie Martin brought back 3 times or was it 4 times, anyways that was pure idiotic writing ..

I do not think people should come from from the dead..
If it is a fan fav person leaving then do responsible writing and send them to Timbuktu for whatever reasons.

Baby switching is also stupid and way over used.. Hate waiting 15/20 yrs to find out who the father was because someone needs a kidney/whatever..

The GH baby switch of Sams baby was OK, it had a purpose to bring GH and OLTL characters together, and it went very fast and ended quickly.. It accomplished what it written for to bring OL characters to GH, and then ended.. ..

I like bringing characters back from the dead when it fixes previous plot mistakes. AJ on GH is a perfect example of this. Previous regimes decimated the Q family, the main family on the show. AJ, Alan, Emily, Justice … all dead. The only Qs with a storyline were Jason (Morgan – mob) and Tracy via Luke. Huge mistake. I welcomed AJ back from the dead and honestly hope we can get an Emily return as well. Some characters shouldn’t be killed off, especially when it is for no purpose other than shock value as I believe Emily’s death was at the time. Bringing them back from the dead opens a character base and I’m all dormitory. As a fan, I want what’s best for my shows. 😉

not dormitory … supposes to be I’m all for that. Hate auto correct. Lol

i feel the back from the dead plot device has been overused, especially at my fave show GH but at the same time if they didn’t do it it would prevent all these great comebacks they are currently doing. sometimes its needed to right the wrong of a previous regime, so hopefully the shows will learn not to kill off characters and instead find more logical ways to send them away. thats why i’m glad GH rencently instead of killing steve webber as everyone was speculating, he got send to jail, and i hope they send off jonny by just transfering him to a more secure prison and not use the plot device and kill him off. GH has overused it but for now they are getting a pass,i hope Claudia or actaully Sarah Brown returns, don’t care if she comes back as another character but in her case i would n’t mind it.

The now GH is be more sensible and not killing the characters off but rather sending them away, leaving them alive to someday return, perhaps….
Steve and Johnny sent to prison..
Lulu kidnapped and whatever will follow..
Jason is still missing and assumed dead, but not verified dead..
Caleb was not killed off but walked out of the morgue in a different similar looking body wearing the/his ring.
But poor Tray went forever bye bye but there was no connection to PC to keep him alive somewhere
lol the short stay characters can die; I need the drama.. ..

Trey did have connections in PC: his two mothers…Kate and Connie! lol

Nothing should be off the table when it comes to writing any show, as long as it’s done well.

Regarding this Planet 360 show– if you’re going to have a little content, you should step up the visual. The hosts look like they just ran out to the grocery store.

Diana Taylor, General Hospital, Merideth Lord, OLTL, and Jenny, AMC. I’ve been watching soaps for most of my life and I find I was far more committed to a dying character than I do now. Today every character who dies can always com back, you as the viewer invest less.

Days overused killing off Stephano and bringing him back from the dead so much iv grown sick of it just as much as when you see the same characters remarry more than twice like Victor and Nikki. I dont mind bringing characters back from the dead maybe just once(if to get a favorite back) or if no body was found. I also dont like it when characters have this ‘new’ face like when John claimed to be Roman yet he had a different height, different voice, different eyes, and the rest of his body is completely different than the original that no one seems no notice. Someone interupting a wedding is ok sometimes but it is very predictable when you know why b4 hand. Baby switches have happened in real life so that doesnt bug me too much. What bugs me is how most everyone in soaps are shown upper middle class…even those who seem poorer are shown living well. I would like to see characters with jobs other than in a big office,hospital(maybe a janitor instead of a doctor or nurse) police department and coffee shops and pubs. Would be nice seeing teens Molly, Rafe and T.J. working in a fast food burger joint or bagging groceries in a supermarket. Corantion Street has the most diverse characters with different ethnic and social backgrounds and different variety of jobs for them from factories, mailman, supermarkets and more. Its very realistic without loosing the feeling of escapism which is the reason we like to watch soaps. You dont see any of that campy stuff like some fans complain about on our soaps.

Time standing still in Salem is what currently bugs me just a little. The mantel clock on the fireplace in the Horton home is always set at 7:10 am or pm? And the glass on it looks deliberately frosted to cover it up so most viewers wouldnt see it. Is it suppose to be a working clock or just there for appearances…like Hope, Abe, and Kayla?

And thats another problem…when you have good actors like K.O, J.R. and M.B.E playing Hope, Abe, and Kayla and you treat them like background props! Whats the point?

You watch soaps for the tangled lives of these characters. A baby switch can tie two couples or families together for YEARS. It can provide story for decades and create really layered and complicated relationships between characters.

Back from the dead is more a result of course correcting bad choices of the past, which is the worse sin in my eyes, “killing off” a beloved vet or character and realizing too late that they should have come up with something else when that actor left. But these are ongoing shows, 52 weeks a year, that unique format causes writers to think in the here-and-now, and if someone is leaving, and leaving behind one half of a popular couple and is entangled deeply in the canvas, sometimes killing them off or having them mysteriously disappear and presumed dead is the only logical way that character would suddenly vanish and allow their on-screen loved ones to move on to other stories and romances. Then much later when you have the opportunity to get that star back, the “back from the dead” story creates months of complications. So much mileage comes out of these devices, there is no reason they should be retired in favor of more realism. Not gonna happen, and I think ANY soap writer would agree.

I love that characters can come back from the dead. It makes nothing final on soaps and I like that. Keeps the audience on their toes. The baby switches can get old. They are fine as long as they are used sparsely. Any show using any plot too often gets old and redundant.

weeell…
I think they should bring ”the kitchen” back from the dead..
In olden days the kitchen was the heart of the home, all were seen in the kitchens..

Now there are no kitchens in the homes .. where do these people eat lol ..

They dont need kitchens…theyr always eating out which makes me wonder why they are not all overweight with all the recent headlines complaining about fattening restaurant food ect and no one working out except for in the bedroom. lol

The main problem with the baby switch stories, IMO, is that they get wrapped up too fast. Although it wasn’t a baby switch story, it took YEARS for the reveal that Mike Horton was not Mickey’s son but his brother Bill’s. That secret was always in the back of fan’s minds and when it finally did come out it had great impact for the characters and the fans.

Back from the dead….only if it makes sense. As was said, Zombie Dixie was getting old. OLTL did it pretty well when it was assumed John McBain was dead but was really bandaged up and burned. (Though I could do with less traumatic body injuries such as burn victims miraculously restored to their former faces with no scars or heart transplant recipients having no scars.)

I think it took 8 or ten years b4 Mike Horton(they aged him of course) b4 he found out Bill was his father. It even took Julie and Doug like 6 years b4 they tied the knot. People had more patience back then, and i sure miss those slow paced character driven plots that seemed more believable than todays constant split them up, bedhopping, too faced paced storytelling.

I meant too fast paced…guess i was too fast paced writing this …dang it!

Replace these back from the dead storylines w/ more storylines for leading characters who are African american and Latino american and Asian american. hollywood needs to create more soap operas w/ racial minority leading characters bec they can succeed. The 18-49 demo of american idol is only .1 higher than scandal. That’s how great scandal is doing. It could very well topple fox’s highest rated tv show! Yet hollywood still lacks a lot of racial diversity from their day and night and reality soaps.

Compare racial diversity to the plethora of gay representations from hollywood. Yet only 1.7% of the american population is lgbt according to gay activist gary j. gates. It’s obviously very unrealistic for hollywood to have more lgbt chars than racial minority characters. But hollywood prioritizes lgbt chars while a lot of its storylines blatantly bash racial minorities. That’s hollywood’s kind of tolerance.

You’re very right. I do like that soaps are moving forward with LGBT characters, but we need more racial diversity, especially on DOOL. However, I don’t see how the soaps bash minorities.

Racial minorities are bashed through hollywood’s portrayals. Practically every soap opera only has rich families who are white while the racial minorities are portrayed as lower class. All the help of victoria on “revenge” season1 were women of color. The only woman of color was ashley from season1 of that horrid soap. She was of a lower economic status compared to all the white chars. The only Asian american char was takeda on season1 of horrid revenge. He never had any romantic storylines while padma had to be paired w/ nolan. The only Asian american female char had to be paired w/ a white char of course. No romantic storylines for the only Asian american male char on “revenge” bec hollywood’s racist. glaad and entertainment press and even manhattan media would be screaming homophobia if the only lgbt char nolan had no physical relationships. Yet soaps are primarily abt relationships. This is how hollywood bashes Asian americans. hollywood asexualizes Asian americans. hollywood hypersexualizes latino americans and African americans w/ high pregnancy rates and other unflattering portrayals. whiteness then is portrayed by tolerant hollywood as the ideal. It’s the same thing w/ films. scorcese is producing “revenge of the green dragons” w/c is abt chinese american gang members. That’s typical racism from tolerant hollywood. Chars who are chinese americans are seldom portrayed by hollywood as romantic leading men. While blacks and latinos are often portrayed as members of gangs. Now hollywood’s doing the same thing w/ chinese american chars. hollywood only tackles racial issues if it’s a “white savior” movie where the white char helps racial minorities. There’s a new fox drama pilot abt gang related violence. The speciality of the char of Asian american actor sung kang’s is w/ asian american gang related violence. This is what hollywood does. It has to bash asian americans thru these kind of portrayals. No Asian american romantic leading male and female chars on soap operas bec hollywood’s racist. Tolerant hollywood portrays a lof of black and latino chars as gang members. Now hollywood is portraying asian americans as gang members. It’s bec whiteness is the “cultural ideal” for tolerant hollywood. All the day soaps are really old. Yet those day soaps still don’t have Asian american and Latin american core chars. Some day soaps don’t even have core African american families!

Yet “reality” and night and day soaps have gay and lesbian chars that are majority white of course. hollywood creates a lot of white chars who are gay and lesbian compared to very little racially diverse chars. And yet there are a lot more African americans and Latino americans and Asian americans than people who are lgbt. It’s obviously bec hollywood is pushing for same gender marriage. Yet 50% of 10000 lgbt respondents to a survey don’t agree with marriage on principle. While only 27% of these surveyed with a partner would think of marrying that specific partner. hollywood creates all these lgbt chars bec it advocates same gender marriage. And yet tolerant hollywood blatantly bashes racial minorities thru the lack of racial minority chars and the kinds of racial minority portrayals. lgbt chars are the only kind of diversity tolerant hollywood prefers.

I think it depends on the why the writers are killing off the character and character whether or not I mind the character coming back. When an actor is leaving the show, and they are a highly associated with the character then having them “die” but not find the body, leaves room for the beloved character to come back- that is okay. And I’m okay with a character like Stefano on Days, dying and coming back, because it is part of his character. It is part of the fun figuring out how Stefano is going come back and when, that is cool with me.
But what I hate, what gets my blood boiling is when they kill a character during sweeps, but then we find out later that week or month, they didn’t die, it was all a mistake, or a rouse, or the death was faked for some reason. I hate that. I hate watching people mourn and go through a funeral when as a viewer I know full well the person they are mourning is alive– that kind of thing drives me nuts.
Prime example, Victor on Y&R, how many “fake funerals” did we have to watch over the years? The last one was this past September. Those kind of deaths, the ones written for fake drama, to grab quick ratings are the ones I wish there was some form of soap law that would banned those.

I actually wouldve liked hearing the opinions of the soap writers on this subject who write this stuff instead of the soap actors who play it.

I’m tired of characters being “brought back” after they die. Stefano is a good example. Either let him die or keep him alive. As for baby swaps, I hated the whole thing going on now with Parker being Daniel’s kid on DOOL. Too confusing and doesn’t make any sense. These storylines are good only if barely used, but it seems like that’s all that happens now, so it gets boring.

Over the past 30 years, I have seen every soap cliche used, and they don’t bother me if they are done well with good writing and acting. But I’ve never been more viscerally disgusted than by what is currently happening on DAYS with Chloe moving Parker to Brazil and putting Jennifer in the position to break up with Daniel so he can see his son again. I’m shaking with anger that this storyline was even approved, let alone that it’s actually playing out on my TV screen. I actually know someone that this happened to, and his life, and his family’s lives were painful and miserable for years until it was rectified.

If you have the ear of the show runners at DAYS, you might want to let them know how disparaging it is to see them be so cavalier about something so horrific to so many parents and children.

I don’t know if I can continue to watch this show.

Days Of Our Lives

‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast

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After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.

Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.

The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.

Photo: NBC

There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.

The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.

In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.

Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.

Photo: NBC

Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”

As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”

The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.

So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Sophia Seemingly Plans to End Her Life, But Not Before Setting Fire to Johnny’s Apartment With Him Trapped Inside

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The final few moments of the Thursday, April 30 episode of Days of our Lives, will pave the way, to what just may be the end of Sophia Choi’s (Rachel Boyd) life, but not as you may think!

After an unhinged Sophia paid a visit to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman), maced him in the eyes, knocked him out and then tied up to a chair, now conscious, she lets him know that she holds him responsible for all the trouble and trauma she has gone through from adopting her child, and her being sent to a mental institution.

So instead of the unregistered gun Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) gave her to finish off Johnny, Sophia sets up a plan to light candle, use nail polish remover and turn on the gas on the stove to ultimately create a mass explosion, which although Johnny pleaded to her not to that to all the innocent people inside his apartment building, she doesn’t seem to care.

Photo: JPI

FIERY FACE OFF

The plan was supposed to be, after she takes care of Johnny she will toss the gun in the Salem River, then focus on payback to Holly Jonas before leaving town to start a new life.

Now, Sophia makes her exit, leaving Johnny to be a few moments away from an explosion or gas inhalation, when Chanel (Raven Bowens) comes home after awaiting the results of her mammogram. She sees Johnny tied up, as he panics and tells her to put out the flame on the candle, things go awry, and a fire has begun and everything may go up in flames with Johnny and Chanel inside.

Photo: JPI

A BROKEN SOPHIA

Back in her room, Sophia breaks down after reading the social media comments about her, she planted, and then starts writing a suicide or farewell note which says. “I’m tired of begging for forgiveness for my mistakes. All I wanted was to move forward, to be loved and understood. But it’s clear that I was never going to get that. Holly Jonas said that I was dead to her. So, as her former BFF, I’m going to make her dream a reality.”

Photo: JPI

A DEADLY TRAP

Now, the fate of Johnny, Chanel and Sophia will be revealed on tomorrow’s May 1st cliffhanger, which may be the end of Sophia when she crosses paths with Kirsten at the bridge near the river. We do know Rachel Boyd is no longer appearing in the show credits section and is now off contract with the soap.

So, what did you think of the climatic final moments of DAYS? What did you think of the performance of Rachel Boyd as Sophia Choi? Let us know via the comment section.

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Breaking News

Jacob Martinez is ‘Days of Our Lives’ New Javi Hernandez Replacing Al Calderon in the Role

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Finally! The casting has been revealed as to just who would be Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Days of our Lives, Javi Hernandez. On Friday, April 30, the long-running soap opera revealed Jacob Martinez is taking on the part and he will first be seen this coming June 30th and then on all-new episodes streaming on Peacock.

As previously reported, the popular Calderon exited the soap opera last year to join the cast of the NBC primetime medical drama, Brilliant Minds as nurse Nico Silva, who in May will air the remainder of their second season. The series has been on the bubble for renewal by the network. His last episodes as Javi will also air this May on DAYS.

Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming, Martinez has been secretly ensconced in all the drama in Salem for quite some time. When viewers see the new Javi in story, we should learn what will happen in Javi’s relationship with Leo Stark played by Emmy winner, Greg Rikaart, plus his continued relationship with his relatives in the Hernandez clan. Currently, when Javi returned to Salem after taking care of his ailing father, and after the bust-up of his marriage to Leo thanks to Dimitri (Peter Porte), he claimed he had moved on with someone else while he was away from Salem.

Photo: JPI

Like Calderon before him, Martinez is a multi-talented actor and singer. Jacob’s resume is impressive having appeared in the musical In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and he was hand-picked by Joey Contreras to play the role of Grey. Other credits include: the short film, Memory Swim and the play Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage.

Martinez hails from Norfolk, Nebraska and appeared when he was very young at the Johnny Carson Theatre, and as DAYS fans know, Jacob is now working at the Days of our Lives studios, right where the “Tonight Show” is filled. In addition, Jacob Martinez is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).

Taking to his Instagram on Thursday, April 30 once the news of his casting was revealed, Martinez, expressed, “Way too many people to thank in one post, so I’ll just say THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to each and every person who continues to pour into me and encourage me to chase my dreams. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. I already feel beyond blessed, supported, and loved. See you all in Salem ⏳”

Jacob Martinez appeared on Friday on the Days of our Lives Instagram account announcing his casting. You can check it out below. Deadline was the first to report the casting switch.

So, excited to learn who is the new Javi Hernandez? Please welcome Jacob Martinez to the role and be on the lookout for his debut on June 30. Comment below.

 

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