Old vs. New: Soaps Need More Characters… But Which Kind?

Out with the old, in with the new. Is that really the best policy when talking about adding characters to your favorite soap opera?

If there’s one thing you can count on with soaps, it’s that change is inevitable when it comes to their cast rosters. Young actors want to spread their wings, older actors want to retire, and sometimes a performer just feels like it’s time for a change.

Either way, a soap is left with a vacancy that needs to be filled. So the task falls upon the writing staff and producers to decide: Do you bring in a new character or bring back someone else? Each has their good and bad points.

Every character you love was new at some point: Who knows if a new one will suddenly take off to be the next Victor Newman, Jason Morgan, Marlena Evans, or Brooke Logan? After all, you won’t know unless you try.

Then again, what if they fall flat? Bringing back a beloved veteran is almost always a home run every time. General Hospital fans were thrilled to see super spy Robert Scorpio again! Days of Our Lives has brought back beloved heroine Theresa and fans are going crazy!

Soap Hub asked which you prefer, seeing a brand new character or getting an old one back on the show. Here are those results.

Everything Old Is New Again/strong>
After over 4,500 votes were tallied, a whopping 81% are convinced that getting a character back you used to love is the best way to go. You probably never wanted them to leave in the first place! New characters take so long to get used to, and your faves are like a beloved old shoe that fits perfectly.

Fresh Blood
For 19%, you get tired of seeing the same old pairings, the same old faces, and you want something – or rather, someone – who might spark new storyline gold. Sure, it may be a risk but the reward can be astronomical.

If someone didn’t take a chance, you might not have B&B’s Quinn, DAYS’ Tripp, Y&R’s Hilary, or GH’s Curtis… and that would be a huge loss for daytime.