BIGGEST WASTE OF TALENT II I THE VETS, Y&R
Over the years, Y&R has arguably outshined the other shows when it comes to keeping the storyline spotlight on veteran players — and in a medium where fans build emotional attachment to characters over time, the front-and-center visibility of longtime faves is a big deal, one that plays a major role in viewer satisfaction. In 2018, many long-running Genoa City residents (e.g., Jack and Nikki) remained gloriously in the thick of things, but others, we saw veer into “glorified extra” territory. The show’s longest-running cast member, Doug Davidson (Paul), has been MIA, even though as police commissioner, and given his ties to Nikki, it would make sense for Paul to be featured in the J.T. murder mystery. Paul’s absence has meant that we are seeing even less of his wife, Lauralee Bell’s Christine, while another popular duo, Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren) and Christian J. Leblanc (Michael), have also been left in the storyline cold. (Though Lauren, at least, is getting a late-year boost by becoming Jabot’s COO.) Bottom line: Fans might have an easier time opening their hearts to new characters (or a family of them) if their airtime didn’t feel like it was coming at the expense of more established figures.