Another Core Character Not Returning? (Spoiler)

Rove

Telly Talk Champion
LV
0
 
Messages
4,774
Reaction score
7,891
Awards
5
Location
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
I don't know why he, out of everyone, was fired.
The question should be. Why are the associated writers/producers not getting fired? It drives me crazy that the actors are doing their best with p?%s poor scripts. In "Snowflakes In Hell" it was Steven carrying the episode. And James was doing a fine job.
 

tommie

Telly Talk Hero
LV
3
 
Messages
6,121
Reaction score
8,654
Awards
9
Location
Sweden
Member Since
I dunno
I can't help but feel they're going to do their version of Al Corley-->Jack Coleman. I'm okay with the twist, but I hate seeing anyone get fired.

It might happen - one of the TvLine articles mentioned that Steven will be back later in the season with a "surprising plot twist". On the other hand, it would also explain why James McKay hasn't seemed as harsh on the show as Natalie Kelley.
 

xab

Telly Talk Active Member
LV
0
 
Messages
227
Reaction score
325
Awards
4
Location
france
I think they're going the recast route for Steven, maybe as yet another "tribute" to the original show.
I can't imagine they would let Cristal AND Steven as characters go after only one season...

Unless the show is turning into a unpredictable mess yet... Which is not impossible considering the twisted parade of endless twists...
 

Carrie Fairchild

Telly Talk Dream Maker
LV
3
 
Messages
1,952
Reaction score
4,803
Awards
7
Location
Central Park West
A little something for the fans who called me out, first when I revealed Cristal is leaving and later on when I said that Steven is also leaving.

Interesting to read the various comments underneath the post. In addition to various members & ex members of the cast sending him wishes (Nathalie Kelley, Liz Gillies, Rafael De La Fuente), the producers Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage also send him love. Which makes me think it was the network that made the decision to drop him after audience testing rather than a production team decision. Which leaves the question, is Steven gone for good or will he be back with a new face after a fiery accident in Paraguay?
 

ChrisSumner

Telly Talk Fan
LV
0
 
Messages
334
Reaction score
448
Awards
3
Location
San Antonio, TX
Member Since
2001
I’m curious what the plot twist will be, but I hope they do the full on Steven recast twist but in the end it’s still the same actor. I thought he was good and had strong chemistry with Blake, Sammy Jo and Fallon. I wonder what their focus groups are saying. I never imagined they’d fire him, Cristal I do understand.

I also agree with many in this thread that Nathalie would’ve been back this season has she not spoiled it. The reboot does explain why the show feels almost like it’s in a holding pattern this season.
 

Daniel Avery

Admin
LV
6
 
Messages
7,366
Reaction score
13,261
Awards
16
Location
Sunny South Florida
Member Since
June 10, 2000
but in the end it’s still the same actor.
I mentioned once before that a daytime soap actually pulled such a stunt and it went over brilliantly. On The Edge of Night, Nancy Karr investigated the sinister Bryson Clinic where mobsters were going to get plastic surgery in order to "disappear". She got caught by the couple who ran the clinic, and then fans saw her in a clinic bed with her face all bandaged up. Fans went NUTS because Ann Flood/Nancy was one of the most popular actors/characters. Nancy's bandages came off and the viewers saw.....it was still Ann Flood, looking just like she had before Nancy got "caught". There never had been any plan to recast. I think the Head Writer wanted to play with the fans when he did this, and of course it brought a lot of publicity to the last stages of the Bryson Clinic storyline when it was made to look like a fan favorite was being replaced. I have no way of knowing for sure if one was responsible for the other, but I believe this story on Edge occurred around the same time Steven ended up getting his plastic surgery recast, and both shows were on ABC.

It would be even more of a shock if they ultimately bring MacKay back, since most everyone knows about the Corley/Coleman switcheroo and expect it to be employed again.
 

Michael Torrance

Telly Talk Mega Star
LV
0
 
Messages
3,011
Reaction score
2,254
Awards
1
Location
Roaming
Member Since
2017 I think (unless it is 2016)
It would be even more of a shock if they ultimately bring MacKay back, since most everyone knows about the Corley/Coleman switcheroo and expect it to be employed again.

Especially if they have some actor (or him not speaking) having been "burned beyond recognition" and in need of plastic surgery. But I kinda wanna see them bring someone as hot as Huber as the new Steven. Or someone good looking but also talented as the original Steven, Al Corley.
 

Toni

Maximum Member
LV
9
 
Messages
5,142
Reaction score
10,672
Awards
20
Location
Fletcher Sanitarium, Barcelona, Spain
Member Since
September 12, 2001 (poster formerly known as Pam's Twin Sister)
Especially if they have some actor (or him not speaking) having been "burned beyond recognition" and in need of plastic surgery. But I kinda wanna see them bring someone as hot as Huber as the new Steven. Or someone good looking but also talented as the original Steven, Al Corley.

upload_2018-11-11_1-17-42.jpeg


Time has come for acting mummies to have
an equality in soaps auditions. This one is ready
for her closeup and become WC NuSteven!​
 
Last edited:

Willie Oleson

Telly Talk Schemer
LV
8
 
Messages
18,832
Reaction score
32,278
Awards
22
Location
Plotville, Shenanigan
Member Since
April 2002
Seems like his departure from the show is the channel's decision, not the show's.
I wonder, do they also have to approve all the creative decisions such as casting actors?
Because in that case they are (partially) responsible for JM as Steven, and it seems that they think it's not working. But couldn't they have anticipated this?
Since it is (in essence) a business decision, shouldn't they be the ones to show good judgment?

Or is it like the Big Brother show where viewers have to vote for their least favourite housemate?
 

Tony

Telly Talk Fan
LV
0
 
Messages
432
Reaction score
874
Awards
3
Location
London
I think James MacKay is a good actor, but I had reservations about him from the pilot episode.

My guess he's not 'sexy' enough for the CW audience, so it was a Channel decision to let him go and probably replace him.

I'm guessing Adam will turn up soon enough, and then the new Steven will be recast following the Dynasty pattern
 

Willie Oleson

Telly Talk Schemer
LV
8
 
Messages
18,832
Reaction score
32,278
Awards
22
Location
Plotville, Shenanigan
Member Since
April 2002
My guess he's not 'sexy' enough for the CW audience
But couldn't they have anticipated this?
I mean...they knew what he looked like when they hired him.
But it took them a whole season to realize that he didn't have the "CW look"?

Do these people-in-charge have any brains at all?
 

Michael Torrance

Telly Talk Mega Star
LV
0
 
Messages
3,011
Reaction score
2,254
Awards
1
Location
Roaming
Member Since
2017 I think (unless it is 2016)
I mean...they knew what he looked like when they hired him.
But it took them a whole season to realize that he didn't have the "CW look"?

Do these people-in-charge have any brains at all?

I think given the show's abysmal ratings, and the decision to keep the show on regardless because of the Netflix deal being lucrative, one has to wonder what kind of audience research they conduct. They could just run a poll here. Ooops, maybe we got him fired! :embarrass:
 

Daniel Avery

Admin
LV
6
 
Messages
7,366
Reaction score
13,261
Awards
16
Location
Sunny South Florida
Member Since
June 10, 2000
Well here's some scoop that makes this situation even more puzzling (to me at least).

https://tvline.com/2018/11/09/dynasty-james-mackay-leaving-fired-steven-season-2/

According to the article (who claims they got it from the network, NOT the producers), MacKay is simply "not a series regular" any more, but will appear in a limited number of episodes, and come back later in the season. In daytime they would refer to this as being "bumped down to recurring," as in "non-contract, but still around." Mackay's tweets make it sound much more final. Of course, he might not want to come back later in the season, so it might be final for him.

The article also seems to be teasing some general "tumult" behind the scenes at Dynasty, the sort of hint-dropping they like to do when they can't say it outright.
 

RottenSkipper17

Telly Talk Active Member
LV
0
 
Messages
217
Reaction score
69
Location
USA
What baffles me is that why are they now deciding to fire James MacKay this late in the game when they could have canned him back in May if he really wasn't doing that well to begin with. I mean, they had this whole fire drama and they could have easily have had him burned alive and then spent all summer finding a replacement like they did for Cristal. Now they are going to rush through the holiday break and possibly a large majority of the winter and early spring season trying to find someone else to play Steven, assuming that he's actually being recast and isn't being permanently disposed of for Adam. Maybe he did ruffle the feathers of the higher ups like Nathalie Kelley did and they retaliated by getting rid of him. Either way, this is yet another major black mark against an already struggling show and also lessens my confidence and faith in it even more.

And also if James MacKay being attractive really was a major problem, then maybe they should get rid of the guy that plays Jeff too - because he isn't exactly that good looking either!
 
Top