Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way out, Jason

[Ray_Krebbs]

After all the trouble Mack and later also Karen went to to help Jason out, they were very eager to get him out the door on Christmas Day 1991 for no good reason at all. Was there a good reason they got rid of him? Did you see any potential for his character? I think Larry Reilly died not long after, prompting Frank and Julie's exits. I feel an interesting storyline could be Julie dealing with being orphaned as a teenager, and Jason being there. Perhaps Karen and Mack could have fought to be her guardians against the Sollars (Frank and Pat's real last name). What are your thoughts/ideas?

 

[Stillwitty]

After all the trouble Mack and later also Karen went to to help Jason out, they were very eager to get him out the door on Christmas Day 1991 for no good reason at all. Was there a good reason they got rid of him? Did you see any potential for his character? I think Larry Reilly died not long after, prompting Frank and Julie's exits. I feel an interesting storyline could be Julie dealing with being orphaned as a teenager, and Jason being there. Perhaps Karen and Mack could have fought to be her guardians against the Sollars (Frank and Pat's real last name). What are your thoughts/ideas?

Well, Jason leaving temporarily for Sweden was the story line and completely understandable, since the kid had earned the Junior Year Abroad by winning the essay contest. What DIDN'T make sense was the producers never bringing him back: As you say, he was a great character with so much potential with Julie, Mack, Karen and little Meg and a terrific young actor.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I have seen a similar "fate" written for other soap characters, most notably teens and children with no family members on the show. It's easier if they invent an offscreen relative to take them in, but there are others like Jason Lochner who are written out and their existence never mentioned again. Others just quit being seen/mentioned and aren't even given the respect of a "write-out".

I do find it kind of funny that the title mentions him being hit by the door on his way out, since the character spent his entire tenure being beaten up (first by his father, then gang members, Brian Johnston, etc) TWB spent probably 75% of his tenure in black-and-blue makeup.

 

[Seaviewer]

I feel an interesting storyline could be Julie dealing with being orphaned as a teenager, and Jason being there.

Not the only interracial romance that was teased and then shied away from.