Salem International: Casting Notes: Arrivals & Departures

[nilyank]

6 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

They keep trying to redo Stefano's fixation on Marlena. Deimos was the same way with Nicole, you'll recall. At least Stefan didn't also bed three other women - they've kept his focus singular, which I appreciate.

But yeah. Huge waste. It's kinda like, now that I think about it, his entire Abby storyline could have been done by a ressurected EJ.

Thank god they didn't because Abby is singularly uninteresting, and I find highly unbelievable that EJ would give her the time of day when Sami and his children are out there in the world. It would have gone completely against who EJ was if was obsessed in any way with Abby the way Stefan was.

[DisneyBoy]

....I mean if ressurected EJ had amnesia, recalling only slutty Abifail.

[Silver Raven]

6 hours ago, SueB said:

If they kill off Nicole, and he's burned his bridges with Jen -- what is going to become of Eric? 

It's my understanding that he's going to be paired up with Sarah Horton.  Although with Sarah currently engaged to Rex, I wonder what's going to happen with Rex  Will he hook up with Chloe, now that Lucas is leaving?

[tribeca]

They sure move on quick in Salem 

[WendyCR72]

3 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

It's my understanding that he's going to be paired up with Sarah Horton.  Although with Sarah currently engaged to Rex, I wonder what's going to happen with Rex  Will he hook up with Chloe, now that Lucas is leaving?

I can definitely see Chloe with KL's Rex and imagine a lot of winks and nods since it was that version of Brady Chloe was married to. Just please don't have them break out into song this time around!

[JBC344]

3 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

I can definitely see Chloe with KL's Rex and imagine a lot of winks and nods since it was that version of Brady Chloe was married to. Just please don't have them break out into song this time around!

Yeah, I'd be pretty surprised if they don't pair Chloe and Rex up.  Days can't help themselves when it comes to those things.  Outside of the "sickly sweet" original pairing of Chloe and Brady, Nadia and Kyle always had really great natural chemistry.

[Silver Raven]

The actress playing Hayley Chen is Thia Meghia, from American Idol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mswF0jkO7TM

Hm.  Don't know why the video didn't show up.

[DisneyBoy]

Do you guys think they are purposefully mirroring the circumstances that drove Ben insane by having Ciara's Ex on his case?

[methodwriter85]

On 10/21/2018 at 11:32 PM, JBC344 said:

Yeah, I'd be pretty surprised if they don't pair Chloe and Rex up.  Days can't help themselves when it comes to those things.  Outside of the "sickly sweet" original pairing of Chloe and Brady, Nadia and Kyle always had really great natural chemistry.

I will fully admit that I absolutely loved and enjoyed watching those two sing together. Too bad it wasn't 80's Days, because then they could have had the budget to sing Top 40 like all the time.

[Silver Raven]

I read that Greg Rikaart and Gilles Marini are on contract.

[Silver Raven]

Will Bandon Barash come to the show before or after Kate Mansi and Billy Flynn leave?

[QueenSerena]

7 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

Will Bandon Barash come to the show before or after Kate Mansi and Billy Flynn leave?

It's close, but I'm pretty sure Barash arrives after they leave. Also, while I'm pretty sure Gilles Marini is still there, it seems Greg Rikaart may have been short-term again.

[ByaNose]

8 hours ago, QueenSerena said:

It's close, but I'm pretty sure Barash arrives after they leave. Also, while I'm pretty sure Gilles Marini is still there, it seems Greg Rikaart may have been short-term again.

Yeah, the six month tape schedule in advance messes everything up. I'm not even sure when Billy Flynn leaves and when he leaves is he going to leave with Kate Mansi?

[QueenSerena]

3 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Yeah, the six month tape schedule in advance messes everything up. I'm not even sure when Billy Flynn leaves and when he leaves is he going to leave with Kate Mansi?

They're supposed to be leaving together, as unlikely as it sounds given what's happening on screen now! Oh, and they've recently gone seven months ahead. There should be a longer production break coming up with the holiday season, but, yeah....

Edited December 5, 2018 by QueenSerena

[WendyCR72]

8 hours ago, QueenSerena said:

They're supposed to be leaving together, as unlikely as it sounds given what's happening on screen now! Oh, and they've recently gone seven months ahead. There should be a longer production break coming up with the holiday season, but, yeah....

So ridiculous, taping so far out. So when stories aren't working, it takes FOREVER to course correct, and by then, viewers walk away. Smart move.

[Chick2Chic]

Guessing JL is back for Caroline's memorial / funeral.

[WendyCR72]

That's a sweet pic Thaao Penghlis posted.

[boes]

6 hours ago, Chick2Chic said:

Guessing JL is back for Caroline's memorial / funeral.

Thanks for posting this, Chick2Chic, two of my absolute favorites!

[Apprentice79]

10 minutes ago, boes said:

Thanks for posting this, Chick2Chic, two of my absolute favorites!

I don't think that is a new picture. I think Thaao posted it because he wanted to shout Jenn out. I think that Jenn will be back for Caroline's funeral, but, Thaao is not back.  Bryan and Alison Sweeney will be back as Lumi for a Will story. A picture was accidently posted with them shooting a scene together with Chandler as Will in the hospital. They are shooting July 2019, that is crazy to me. Christy Clark just finished taping on December 3rd. 

Edited December 7, 2018 by Apprentice79

[nilyank]

1 minute ago, Apprentice79 said:

I don't think that is a new picture. I think Thaao posted it because he wanted to shout Jenn out. I think that Jenn will be back for Caroline's funeral, but, Thaao is not back.  Bryan and Alison Sweeney will be back for a Will story. A picture wasaccidetntly posted with them shooting a scene together with Chandler as Will in the hospital. They are shooting July 2019, that is crazy to me. 

Jenn's hair is different color that the photo, so I definitely think it is old.

[Apprentice79]

Just now, nilyank said:

Jenn's hair is different color that the photo, so I definitely think it is old.

Her hair was red and shoulder length for a movie she just shot. 

[QueenSerena]

2 hours ago, Apprentice79 said:

Bryan and Alison Sweeney will be back as Lumi for a Will story.

This makes me so happy! I was concerned only Sami would be back to visit him in the hospital, and now I wonder how serious things are for Will given both parents are coming back. I also wonder if we maayyyyyybe might get another wedding for Will & Sonny, since everyone's parents would be in town! I think it's me and probably 2 other people here who would love that, lol, but I'll hold out hope for it to happen.

[buffynut]

6 hours ago, QueenSerena said:

I also wonder if we maayyyyyybe might get another wedding for Will & Sonny,

I'd be up for that.  I'd also love it if they got away from the triangles for a bit, and did a different type of story for Will and Sonny.  I'd love to see them be happy, and decide they'd like to have a child of their own.  Has any of the soaps ever had a gay couple have a baby via a surrogate?

 

9 hours ago, Apprentice79 said:

They are shooting July 2019, that is crazy to me.

That truly is ridiculous.  At the rate they're going, if the show is ever not renewed, they will have more shows than they have days left to air them, not to mention, no time to write an ending. Hopefully, though, the show will be once again renewed in the spring.  Ratings are good, as in they aren't losing viewers as quickly as the other 3 shows, so hopefully that will help convince TPTB to keep the show on the air.

[DisneyBoy]

I hope Ron is smart enough to slowly bring Sami/Lucas back together over time. Having Drunk Lucas hallucinate Will asking him if he still loves Sami was a telling nugget last year. If they're both living in Italy now with their kid, maybe they'll become close again?

It could be a great long-term goal to pursue with these brief reappearances.

[QueenSerena]

5 hours ago, buffynut said:

I'd be up for that.  I'd also love it if they got away from the triangles for a bit, and did a different type of story for Will and Sonny.  I'd love to see them be happy, and decide they'd like to have a child of their own.  Has any of the soaps ever had a gay couple have a baby via a surrogate?

 

That truly is ridiculous.  At the rate they're going, if the show is ever not renewed, they will have more shows than they have days left to air them, not to mention, no time to write an ending. Hopefully, though, the show will be once again renewed in the spring.  Ratings are good, as in they aren't losing viewers as quickly as the other 3 shows, so hopefully that will help convince TPTB to keep the show on the air.

Ahhh! I hope you just spoke it into existence! I have no idea if soaps have done adoption/surrogacy for a gay couple but it's honestly something I've envisioned for Will & Sonny. Maybe once they get out of the Leo mess....

They must feel good about renewal to continue filming between Thanksgiving & Christmas. As you mentioned, there's no good way to really end the show if they flat-out run out of episodes to film before knowing their fate.

[Silver Raven]

5 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I hope Ron is smart enough to slowly bring Sami/Lucas back together over time. Having Drunk Lucas hallucinate Will asking him if he still loves Sami was a telling nugget last year. If they're both living in Italy now with their kid, maybe they'll become close again?

It could be a great long-term goal to pursue with these brief reappearances.

I don't see how they possibly could, unless they kill off EJ for reals.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Silver Raven

[Kitty Redstone]

9 hours ago, buffynut said:

I'd be up for that.  I'd also love it if they got away from the triangles for a bit, and did a different type of story for Will and Sonny.  I'd love to see them be happy, and decide they'd like to have a child of their own.  Has any of the soaps ever had a gay couple have a baby via a surrogate?

I'd love this as well.  IRL I so enjoy seeing Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent with their children (both born via surrogate) and think some version of their story would make some compelling, heartfelt soap. 

[DisneyBoy]

I've had enough with the babies personally. Between Tate, Holly, Lani's dead baby and BonBon AND Thomas AND Charlotte.... I've had my fill of invisible babies in Salem.

 

They're about as relevant to the plot as all of these character's jobs, which we also never get to see on-screen.

I agree it would be a groundbreaking story for a gay couple in daytime, but maybe they can try for that in 2020...after they've figured out how to write Sonny and Will as compelling individuals in a relationship again.

Edited December 7, 2018 by DisneyBoy

[buffynut]

50 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

I agree it would be a groundbreaking story for a gay couple in daytime, but maybe they can try for that in 2020...after they've figured out how to write Sonny and Will as compelling individuals in a relationship again.

Well since they're now filming July 2019, unless the idea has already been written, it wouldn't happen till 2020 anyway.

[DisneyBoy]

Well Raven, with JS refusing to return to the show (it seems), and EJ being a charcoal briquette, I could easily see Sami and Susan trying in vain to keep him alive for a few years off-screen only to have him die, and Lucas being supportive throughout the whole thing, leading to their eventual reunion. I mean, unless JS comes back, EJ pretty much is dead. I don't see them recasting him since AS isn't coming back full-time. What would they do - hire someone new and try to make it seem like "EJ and Sami are together and happy again! You guys happy now?" I don't see their fans buying that.

Either JS agrees to a return stint at some point, or EJ is finished. And if he was willing to return for AS's sake or the sake of the fans, this recent storyline would have been the perfect way to do it - just sit in a chair mumbling for a few scenes, and then get rescued by Sami and flee with her and Susan to Italy. Happily Ever After. Easy peasy. I'm guessing Ron must have tried to reach out to JS, gotten a "no" and used a double and the "scarred by fire" angle to cover for JS's absence. 

Honestly, if the series was about to end, I think it would be much more fulfilling for longtime viewers for Sami and Lucas to reunite, than for JS to miraculously reappear for one episode. Lucas is infinitely more rootable as a character and there's so much history there.

You're right buffy. If they start to film and execute it now, there would be a bit of time before it kicked in. But still, I'm so disappointed at how yuck Sonny is and how much potential is going to waste with Will. I care not at all for Leo.

[JBC344]

Is the show really still on a six month advance?  I thought that they took some extended time off during 2018, that put them at the 4 1/2 month advance. Which is still a lot but not as bad as 6 months.  I could be wrong but I definitely remember hearing that they weren't on a 6th month advance schedule anymore.

What is strange now is that we hear X months in advance that someone is leaving, we mentally prepare to say goodbye to the character well in advance.  Then when their last airdate rolls around we hear publicly that said actor(s) are back to filming and are back on the show. 

Don't get me wrong I'm happy to see these favorites back but it totally destroys any interest in their "goodbye" storylines knowing you will see them back on the show in a few months.

[Chick2Chic]

Sami doesn't want Lucas romantically, though. It would be like Marlena returning to Roman. They had a good run and have both moved on. It happens. 

I know some people are creating an entire purely speculative story from a spoiler picture of Sami & Lucas but in onscreen story, Sami has had years where all she had to do is snap her fingers for Lucas to return to her and she didn't want it. I'm not sure why Sami isn't allowed to move on with other men and *has* to return to Lucas when she's been clear she doesn't feel that way about him and has firmly friendzoned him. I think even Lucas has finally moved on after years of hanging on. Sami and Lucas had years together, some of it terrible and some of it good. I'm not sure why Sami *has* to return to a relationship we've seen her express zero interest in rekindling. There's a reason the show just had Sami mourn the husband she still loves for years then find out he's still alive while also having other characters onscreen reaffirm where Sami's heart is and who she loves.  Not to mention, when Sami was grieving, she turned to Rafe for sex & comfort, not Lucas. As I see it, Days has pretty much highlighted the last decade EJ and Rafe as Sami's main love interests in that if she's not with one, she's with the other. That her romantic feelings are have been torn between those two men. Sami returning for a romantic relationship with an ex-husband she only sees as a good friend isn't about what Sami wants at all as shown onscreen the past several years.

I think at this point, Sweeney is fine with Sami staying with EJ and not ping ponging to another romance, especially if she's only going to do drive-by appearances going forward. 

On 11/27/2018 at 2:50 PM, Silver Raven said:

I read that Greg Rikaart and Gilles Marini are on contract.

I hope they rehabilitate Ted as I like him being snarky. The sad sack he was in last week's eps was unappealing. That said, I find he and Hope have some chemistry so I'd like to see them maybe play that up when Jordan returns, which I think should be soon but who knows with the crazy ass film to air schedule. 

[buffynut]

2 hours ago, JBC344 said:

Is the show really still on a six month advance?  I thought that they took some extended time off during 2018, that put them at the 4 1/2 month advance. Which is still a lot but not as bad as 6 months.  I could be wrong but I definitely remember hearing that they weren't on a 6th month advance schedule anymore.

What is strange now is that we hear X months in advance that someone is leaving, we mentally prepare to say goodbye to the character well in advance.  Then when their last airdate rolls around we hear publicly that said actor(s) are back to filming and are back on the show. 

Don't get me wrong I'm happy to see these favorites back but it totally destroys any interest in their "goodbye" storylines knowing you will see them back on the show in a few months.

Actually, it's 7 months.   And, yes, Nicole just died, and yet she and Xander are filming.  🙄

Per http://www.jason47.com/days/productionschedule.html, last week they were filming for airdate July 7 to 15.

Week of 12/3/18-12/7/18 # 13629-13636 (airing 7/4/19-7/15/19)

[JBC344]

1 hour ago, buffynut said:

Actually, it's 7 months.   And, yes, Nicole just died, and yet she and Xander are filming.  🙄

Per http://www.jason47.com/days/productionschedule.html, last week they were filming for airdate July 7 to 15.

Week of 12/3/18-12/7/18 # 13629-13636 (airing 7/4/19-7/15/19)

Jeez, I thought they were getting better. 

[WendyCR72]

The tape to air delay is ridiculous. Ironically, an old script was posted at a soap board of SSH's debut as Julie, with all info - and the tape to air delay was a mere 8 DAYS!

[Chick2Chic]

[DisneyBoy]

Good. Now can she and Eric pleaasse just get happily married already??

[Kitty Redstone]

Yay!  I'm glad AZ is coming back.  Hopefully they'll free her once and for all from Brady and Daniel's ghost.

[ByaNose]

Yeah, back in the day the tape schedule turn around was two weeks as most soaps. Then in later years most soaps were on a month behind which the 3 remaining soaps still do except Days. I know they say it’s for budget reasons and how much NBC gives them for the year but I often wonder when it actually began?! There had to be a time when it was a normal taping schedule to then 6 months behind. How were they able even to get to that point? Did they take 2 or 3 months off and not tape? 

[Apprentice79]

2 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Yeah, back in the day the tape schedule turn around was two weeks as most soaps. Then in later years most soaps were on a month behind which the 3 remaining soaps still do except Days. I know they say it’s for budget reasons and how much NBC gives them for the year but I often wonder when it actually began?! There had to be a time when it was a normal taping schedule to then 6 months behind. How were they able even to get to that point? Did they take 2 or 3 months off and not tape? 

They cannot take too much time off from taping because they also have to take the crew into account who have unions who have to get paid.. They could always edit out stories out that are not working. 

[Chick2Chic]

[Silver Raven]

Robin Strasser has been seen in hair and makeup at the Days studio, apparently it was in Victoria Koneval's instagram (I don't usually follow instagram) The immediate speculation is that she's going to be a recast Vivian Alamain.

[Black Knight]

Why would they recast Vivian? Is Louise Sorel unavailable?

[DisneyBoy]

Oy VEY.

RON - STOP RECASTING THESE CHARACTERS.

[rcc]

9 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

Why would they recast Vivian? Is Louise Sorel unavailable?

Even though Robin is a great actress and will probably do well Louise IS Vivian. Or maybe a new character.

Edited February 10, 2019 by rcc

[kassandra8286]

I was wondering the same thing. I'm actually kind of bummed and I LOVE Robin Strasser. I wanna be happy about her coming on board, damn it! I hope there's a legit reason LS can't resume her role. (A legit reason like another commitment I mean, not a personal reason or illness, of course!)

Edited February 10, 2019 by kassandra8286

[Jaded]

I'm guessing Vivian may be needed for a Stefan O related storyline. Maybe it has to do with how he exits the show.

[Apprentice79]

1 hour ago, rcc said:

Even though Robin is a great actress and will probably do well Louise IS Vivian. Or maybe a new character.

I think that Robin will be Gabrielle, Eve's mother. Ron likes to bring back minor characters like Diana and Anjelica and rewrite them to fit his narrative. Plus, Robin and Kassie played aunt and niece on One Life To Live.  I cannot see Ron passing up the opportunity to write for them as mother and daughter on Days. 

Edited February 10, 2019 by Apprentice79

[peachmangosteen]

15 minutes ago, Apprentice79 said:

I think that Robin will be Gabrielle, Eve's mother. Ron likes to bring back minor characters like Diana and Anjelica and rewrite them to fit his narrative. Plus, Robin and Kassie played aunt and niece on One Life To Live.  I cannot see Ron passing up the opportunity to write for them as mother and daughter on Days. 

Oh wow, you are almost certainly right. That is something RC would not pass up.

Edited February 10, 2019 by peachmangosteen

[enchantingmonkey]

On another site, the writer of the article claims that Louise Sorel said she wouldn't be returning to the show, which was the fuel to the speculation that Robin Strasser would be a recast Vivian.  And, something about an exit story for Stefan.