When a popular actor decides to spread their proverbial wings and leave a soap, many times their character is often presumed dead. This offers the show a shot of drama and story for the other characters to play out. It seems to be a win/win for everyone.

But what happens when the actor decides that they want to return to the show?

Audiences get a short-term thrill knowing one of their favorites is coming back. The show gets a load of press about the return. And the actor can feel good about having job security for the next few years at the very least.

And the canvas becomes home to yet another back from the dead character. The small town that serves as the series’ setting add yet another zombie to the mix. And outside of a few one-liners, it is almost never dealt with.

General Hospital and Days of our Lives are the worst offenders when it comes to killing off characters and then bringing them back later on. Most of their characters have been presumed dead at least once.

In Port Charles, it’s a rite of passage to come back from the dead.

In a video, I hypothesized that the show originally wanted to lure Anthony Geary back to the show for an arc. To do this, they killed Luke Spencer off camera and had his beloved wife, Tracy, come home to reveal the news to his loved ones. Almost all of whom did not believe that the legendary character had died.

It might seem like a leap of logic for me to have that theory, but in the world of soaps and particularly GH, it makes sense. The move would have been a classic misdirection. And the story would have been the perfect caper tale for Geary, who had indicated that the right story would bring him out of retirement.

As we all know, Mr. Geary passed without ever returning. It should also be noted that trying to recast the character of Luke Spencer would be an exercise in tomfoolery. One that even these execs know better than to try.

Does the trope hold up, and what are the benefits?

When an actor like Steve Burton agrees to come back to a show- General Hospital, in this case- there’s almost a guaranteed ratings bump to follow. The fans love him and his character, Jason Morgan. Most were mad when he was let go due to outside circumstances.

His return to the show was not only an unqualified ratings success, but the critics admired the seamless way he was brought back. It was a classic soap story that carried the weight of a popular veteran.

But this is not always the case on soaps.

Days of our Lives recently brought back Lexie DiMera. The character was killed off via an inoperable brain tumor in 2012, when her original actress, Renee Jones, decided to retire. The ensuing story was emotional and put the character’s family on the front burner for months afterward.

Inexplicably, the show decided to bring Lexie back from the dead. The convoluted story had her brother EJ working with mad scientist Dr. Rolf in an experiment to bring her back.

She came back in the form of new actress Nikki Crawford. Fans warmed to her, even if the story was one of the most mocked in all of soapdom. Then, all of a sudden, Crawford announced she was done airing as Lexie, and the show is seemingly killing her again.

What was the point?

If it was to shock people, it worked, but it also made them mad. From a story point, bringing back this character seemed primed to fuel years of story and build a love triangle among the veterans that would explode fan engagement on social media.

The show is technically getting the fan engagement still, but not for the reasons they wanted.

At least half of the characters on General Hospital’s canvas have come back from the dead at least once. Some of them have come back multiple times. There are so many that there must be a support group for them.

Same with the characters on Days of Our Lives’ Salem.

It works well with those shows because they lean into the campier elements of soap operas. They don’t take themselves too seriously, poking fun at some of the more outlandish elements of their storytelling.

But on a show like Beyond The Gates, it wouldn’t work quite as well. The newest soap is much more grounded and rooted in reality. Even they are toying with a back from the dead story.

For background, Doug McBride was an original character. He was husband to Vanessa, father to Deanna and Donnell, and a thorn in the side to Joey, Vanessa’s lover. There are also the gambling addiction and being a doctor factors in play here.

Vanessa and Joey went on a getaway; Doug called and learned his wife was still with her lover. It sent him into an alleged spiral, and he “died” in a car accident. The audience knows that this was orchestrated by Joey in order to get rid of the man he saw as a block to his happiness. Characters on the show don’t know it.

Doug has started to appear to Deanna; we are led to believe this is all in her head. But the show has planted enough seeds, including never showing us the body, for them to bring him back in a mostly believable way.

As believable as a person coming back from the dead can be.

Which is to say that it only happens on soaps, just like men randomly taking off their shirts. Do you know how disappointed I was when I realized that they aren’t allowed to be shirtless in convenience stores, and they don’t randomly have six-packs no matter what.

But that’s a different article. And one far less believable than someone coming back from the dead. At least some people have faked their deaths; there’s a whole book on it.

Andrea Evans broke out as Tina Lord Roberts on One Life to Live. The fans loved her, and in return, she loved them. And in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, soaps were a vital part of the entertainment industry.

Those actors who were lucky enough to be popular on a show were golden, as good as an A-list movie star. Maybe even more privileged. And Evans was near the top of the list when it came to soap opera stars.

Many times, she was invited to join Regis Philbin on The Morning Show. The two had a good rapport and were entertaining for the audience.

It was after an appearance in July 1987 on the show that Evans first learned something was off. After they filmed, Philbin told her that he got her letter about her dog. She was confused because she hadn’t sent anything.

She brushed it off, thinking that there was nothing to it. Then, she began getting fake legal paperwork saying she was suing Philbin. This concerned her because she never entertained such a thought.

Once again, she convinced herself that it was nothing. A fan with an overactive imagination created the scenario. So, Evans decided to forget it. There was nothing to worry about, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t get weird fan mail all the time.

But things were about to escalate to scary new heights.

In the fall of 1987, Evans faced an encounter that she wasn’t ready for.

She told People Magazine: “But one day in the fall of 1987, I was standing in the lobby of the ABC studios in New York City, saying goodbye to my boyfriend at the time. Just after he walked out of the building, this little, well-dressed man came up, grabbed me, turned me around and started screaming at me about a dog and throwing phony legal documents at me. It was only a matter of seconds until he was thrown out of the building.”

Security removed the man, but it was enough to unnerve the actress. This was not something that she would be able to shake off as easily as the letters that were sent to her and Philbin.

After she calmed down, she began piecing things together. She called the police and told them about everything that happened with the man. They told her not to worry about it, that things wouldn’t go further than they already had.

The police were wrong.

A week or so later, the man showed up at the studio again. This time Evans had the day off. One of the production assistants called her and informed her that he showed up and that he tried to unalive himself because she wasn’t there.

But that wasn’t the end of it. He was escorted to Bellevue Hospital, where he gave Evans’ name as his next of kin.

In October 1987, he started sending her death threats. Some of them were written in blood; some had swastikas on them. Still, nothing could be done because he hadn’t physically harmed her.

Though, the FBI did inform her that they had a file on him because he also threatened President Reagan.

The man did not stop. He continued to send her letters, but nothing could be done about it. He was in and out of the mental health facilities. Evans noted that when he was released, he was placed in a halfway house 10 blocks from where she lived.

By the end of 1989, Evans was at her wits end. She left her role as Tina on One Life to Live and moved away from New York. The reason, the murder of Rebecca Schaeffer by her stalker.

When Evans would talk to people about the situation, most were supportive. But there were a few people who told her that it was the price of fame. That when someone decides to be on tv or in the movies, they give up their right to privacy and that dealing with stalkers was part of the package.

Evans did not agree with that assessment. She argued that nobody should have to deal with the stress of being harassed by someone just because of their occupation. After landing on that thought process, she decided it was time to rejoin the world of soap operas.

In March 1999, she joined the cast of The Bold and The Beautiful as Tawny Moore. The role was designed to be short-term, though the fans adored her. She left the show in June 2000 but would be back onscreen by September.

After her run, the production team at Passions reached out and asked her to join their show, which led to her second most iconic soap character, Rebecca Hotchkiss.

Of course, Evans would reprise her most beloved and iconic role on One Life to Live a few times, including in the lead-up to the series finale of the show. Her return was celebrated by fans and critics alike.

Sadly, Evans passed away on July 9, 2023, from breast cancer. In her final years, she spoke out about the stalker situation and hoped to make things better for those who choose to live their lives in the public eye.

The Master: I am Sonny Corinthos, and I used to be a mob boss.

Stone Cold: I don’t think we’re supposed to say that; we might end up in jail.

The Master: Nah, Frank won’t let that happen. And now we’re trying our hands at snarking a new soap. But first tell us about yourself, Jason.

Stone Cold: I’m Jason Morgan, originally Quartermaine. I was a med student and then got into an accident that gave me amnesia and turned me into an assassin for 30 years. But who hasn’t had that happen to them?

The Master: I forgot; I also had amnesia. My most recent ex-wife found me in a strange town and kept it a secret. Eventually, I remembered when the diner I worked at caught fire. When I came back to Port Charles, things with Carly were weird. Then when she didn’t jump when I told her to, I went to bed with Nina, and Carly caught us.

Stone Cold: Wasn’t I married to Carly during this time because we thought you were dead?

The Master: A tale as old as time.

Stone Cold: But then I had to leave for reasons. Only to come back later.

The Master: I don’t like when you leave; I get lonely.

Stone Cold: Well, I’ll never leave you again. This year. Probably not next year either. Although, maybe. There are some hotties on this new soap.

The Master: Shall we get started?

=

The Master: Why does this lady need three computer screens? She must be a very important character.

Stone Cold: No, silly. She’s clearly a gamer. They must be setting up a tournament for her to be part of.

The Master: Do they get a lot of product placement? We hardly ever get any. We rely on the kindness of people watching through the good week and the rest of the year.

Stone Cold: Tide AND Febreze are recurring characters on this show. They bring in the cash like we bring in the awards.

The Master: Woah. That much? How did they get so lucky?

Stone Cold: Produced by P&G.

The Master: We’re produced by Disney; we should have even more product placement.

Stone Cold: We do; they just call it corporate synergy.

Stone Cold: These two seem to be in love. When’s the last time we had a happy couple?

The Master: I think Ned and Lois are happy together. They were always so wonderful together.

Stone Cold: Olivia. Ned is married to Olivia. I’m pretty sure one or both of them are in the character closet. Or locked in the mansion’s attic. Wherever characters go when the writers don’t want to deal with them.

The Master: But these two are happy, or seem to be. She’s distraught over something.

Stone Cold: She keeps mentioning Scar. Do you think Disney paid for them to advertise the new Lion King movie?

The Master: Bastards. That should be our money. Wait. I think she has a scar from an accident or something.

Stone ColdL: That does make more sense.

The Master: Isn’t Kristina’s ex, Parker? What in the world is she doing here?

Stone Cold: She and her new lady friend seem to be in an apartment. Drinking some tequila. Do you think we should drink some tequila?

The Master: You know what happened last time we did that. Liz still hasn’t recovered from that hospital visit.

Stone Cold: You said you could handle it.

The Master: I thought I could, but it was so thick… Anyway, I don’t like that Parker moved on so fast. It’s only been 6 years since her breakup with Kristina. Seems a little fast if you ask me.

Stone Cold: Weren’t you in bed with Nina before even divorcing Carly? Not to mention our straight tequila night when you were married to Nina?

The Master: I said after the breakup. It doesn’t matter what you do during the marriage,

Stone Cold: I think I’m glad we never got together, officially.

The Master: Hurtful.

The Master: The two facing one another are exchanging insults like they’re bullets. Does this show not have violence? I mean, why not just pull out a gun and shoot?

Stone Cold: Beyond The Gates is less plot-driven than we are. They actually build their characters.

The Master: Shirtless men are characters!

Stone Cold: A little bit of SnarkEd coming out there?

The Master: Now you tell me what you would rather watch. Two people insulting one another or them shooting one another?

Stone Cold: Smitty, shirtless and in those basketball shorts.

The Master: WHERE?!

The Master: There’s Parker’s new gal pal with Kevin.

Stone Cold: But he’s married. Maybe it’s Serena. Perhaps Parker is dating Serena Baldwin now.

The Master: No, she’s on our show, seducing Michael.

Stone Cold: I thought she was off saving the whales.

The Master: Have you seen Michael naked?

Stone Cold: I have the internet; I know what LPSG is.

The Master: Maybe we should warn Parker that Kevin is trying to steal her gal.

Stone Cold: But Kevin is married. He loves Laura.

The Master: We need to warn Laura that Kevin is in love with a lesbian on another show.

Stone Cold: That’s it for us. Like and subscribe for more.

Nathan Dean returned to General Hospital on April 17, 2026. His return was limited and in order to honor the late Anthony Geary. Fans were shocked on July 27 when an announcer said that Christian Howard would be playing the role of Ethan from now on. Fans needn’t get into a lather, though; he was out just a couple of days later.

B…

Read more

When an actor decides to leave a popular role or is in the middle of a front-burner story, producers have a choice to make. Let the character go or find a new actor to play the part. It’s not an easy decision to make and is always a 50/50 crapshoot if it works.

When it works, we get General Hospital’s Rory Gibson. And when it doesn’…

Read more

Love in the afternoon was more than a slogan for ABC Daytime in the 1980s. It was the basis for the soaps. It was part of the foundation of my writing philosophy. But nowadays. Romance is about as scarce on the shows as the vocabulary with some of the characters.

I swear if I played the drinking game every time someone …

Read more

The Daytime Emmy nominations are officially out, and I have thoughts. My friends and colleagues over at General Hospital Snark have done a video about their thoughts, which strangely mirror my own.

Which made me doing my own video null and void. But this is soap operas, and in my wheelhouse, so I wanted to do something wit…

Read more

Damnit, I’m back in the Temu Alley. I thought this story was over, but then I remember it’s the week of July 4, and it’s repeat time for Beyond The Gates. Jacob is standing there on his burner phone texting someone, probably Smitty. Who wouldn’t text that tall drink of tequila?

“Yo, Jacob,” when he looks up at me, he seems surprised that I recognized him…

Read more

Temu Alley is crawling with people wearing hoodies, glasses, and headphones. Though, unlike Jacob Hawthorne, none of them are undercover cops. He sticks out like a smoat in Fairmont Crest.

“Jacob, you know this isn’t a disguise, right?”

“It’s Rashawd,” he tries to correct me.

“Call yourself Lady Gaga for all I care; this …

Read more

When the Pussycat Dolls announced their reunion tour, social media went crazy. Millennials posted about wanting to see the group. Former members threw shade at not being invited to join the tour. Even Gen Z got in on the fun.

But nobody bought tickets to the shows.

Quietly the group announced that they were canceling the e…

Read more

I am not everyone’s cup of tea. Shocking, I know. How could anyone not love my wit and chaotic nature? It’s one of those unsolved mysteries that the true crime community should look into.

Another mystery that needs to be looked into are the people who say performers and celebrities should stay out of politics but voted for a re…

Read more

The mystery of who the Isdal Woman is has puzzled people for more than 50 years. Those in the true crime community have no doubt heard about the case and may even have formed their own theory about what happened to the enigmatic woman at the center of the case.

One of the most prominent theories about the case is that she was a s…

Read more

Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries ever. He’d been convicted of jury tampering, attempted bribery, as well as mail and wire fraud. This was not an innocent man. But he also threatened people at the highest levels of the government.

During his time as the Teamsters president, he picked up enough infor…

Read more

I’ve been rewatching Ally McBeal and garnering ideas for my writing. There have been some ideas for romance books. Some have been for articles. This one popped up out of the blue as I finished the day’s binge recently. It struck me that they had taken a soap trope and made it feel fresh and exciting.

There’s a reason for…

Read more

Prompt is from : A case involving a theme park.

A group of wealthy men decided that they wanted to take on Mickey Mouse in the theme park wars. Rick Silanskas Jr., Larry Wilhite, Steve Hedrick, and Gene Bicknell came up with the idea to open a theme park in Vinita, Oklahoma. It was going to be massive.

It was to be called America…

Read more

Prosecutors in Santa Fe unveiled manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin on January 19, 2023. It had been rumored for months that they were seeking to charge the actor and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was the armorer on the Rust. They were being charged for the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

Hutchins was killed on the set of …

Read more

Ruby Rose went viral yesterday after making shocking allegations against pop star Katy Perry. The former Batgirl actress claimed that the singer sexually assaulted her nearly 20 years ago. All of the accusations were posts on the social media site, Threads.

One person posted about Perry enjoying the Coachella set done by…

Read more

Everyone knows I love soap operas. I have done deep dives into the history of them; I watch them. As a kid, I wanted to be a head writer for one, especially All My Children. And as I’ve worked on my writing career, soap articles and short stories have been a major pillar for me.

One of the shows that intrigued me is The Edge of Ni…

Read more

Jacob Hawthorne stands in the alleyway. He is, and I use this term lightly, disguised in a baseball cap and headphones. This begs the question, what is he listening to? I walk over to him and smile.

“Hey, Jakey. What are we listening to today?”

“I am not Jacob,” he says, shaking his head, “I am Rashawn.” Or whatever fake name I gav…

Read more

Daytime fans were stunned when Grammy and Emmy winner Kelly Clarkson confirmed the rumors that she made the decision to bring her talk show to an end. The Kelly Clarkson Show was enormously popular and often ranked as one of the most watched talkers.

In even more shocking news, Sherri, hosted by Sherri Shepherd, was outri…

Read more