What is the obsession with bringing characters back in soaps? Most of the actors/actresses leave because they've exhausted most possible storylines for them, so why do soaps think that when they bring back characters, that there will be any good enough storylines left for them to do. Do you like soaps bringing characters back, or are you against it?

I think it depends on the character. If, like you said, they have exhausted most of the storylines then i think they shouldn't be brought back. But if there are still plenty of storylines available, then i think bringing the character back would be a good thing.

It also depends on the necessity of it.

For instance, I will always strongly believe that EastEnders needed to bring Peggy back asap, but for Coronation Street there was no real need to bring Liz McDonald to return.

I think it's very rare that a character is brought back when all possible storylines have been used up. Granted, Liz hasn't had a major storyline since she came back, but she's always been involved with the Karen/Steve/Tracy/Amy storyline.

If a show is going through a poor spell, then the return of old faces from the past can give things a real boost - which I think happened tonight on EastEnders.

bringing back characters isnt something that happens alot in soaps, but when it does it makes a good storyline because it shows us that characters live on even after theyve left, it makes it more real. it has a good impact on bringing back characters on the public as well, because if they liked the character and it left but came back they would watch it.

like peggy returning today on EE, that was great, because its something different to keep us hooked and it lets us know how the character is doing. if you bring them back for a couple of episodes, i think that works better, because any more then you will get bored of the character. i believe they did it with spider in corri, it was nice to see how he was doing for just a couple of episodes and then he left again, peggy is fantastic, only with certain characters you can do it though, peggy will return full tiem i know, but tonight she was like a breathe of fresh air for the soap. lisa was another who tehy did it, she had a good storyline, she came back for her baby got revenge then left. it was good to see her back againa s well and she was like a breathe of fresh air as well, but if she had stayed any longer we would have gotten tired of her.

so i am a fan of bringing back long missed characters, like the mitchels especially paggy.

Well if you ask any EastEnders fan last year who they would want to see brought back, guaranteed three answers you'd get would have been Dirty Den, Peggy Mitchell and Grant Mitchell. Two of the three have returned. Now Den's return hasn't been the roaring success it was thought to be but I really think giving him back the Vic is a good idea.

I agree if the character has more potential for storyline, by all means bring them back. Its nice to see old faces for just one or two episodes aswell. like tonight, Peggy was brilliant to have back in EE and theres loads of potential for her to return on a full time basis. Same with Grant Mitchell, Same with Michelle Fowler.

Now if you were to bring back Simon and Tony, people would say, what? who? lol

In Corrie it was nice to see Karl again for the two epis, would like to see him again as Sean is staying in the Street. I agree there was no major need for Liz to come back either, but I like her, she's one of the Corrie classic characters and just her being there, being involved to whatever degree keeps that sense of familiarity for Corrie fans.

Peggy technically wasn't "brought back" because she never technically left, she took time off because she fell ill, they never wrote her out of the script.

Bringing characters back full-time always depends on the character, their connections (if there's any left) to the area and loads of other things. Whether it works or not always varies..

But I love it when when they bring characters back for a few episodes, usually for family occasions. It makes sense and as has been said, people like seeing old faces again and often they make a nice change from the current cast. I just wish they did it more often. HOW hard can it be to get an actor to play a role again for a few episodes?

I loved it when Bernice came back to Emmerdale earlier this year. It felt like she'd never been away but at the same time it was so nice to see her. Her character was more like the old, slightly bossy and up-herself character in her earlier days, rather than the more tragic figure she became towards the end.

Oh and that reminds me, stuff like phonecalls and "news" of other character's developments elsewhere are great to have, makes you know they're still there and their nearest and dearest haven't forgotten about them. Like with Bernice again, they came up with a whole mini-plot about her having baby troubles which we got to hear about. It's things like that you really appreciate and keeps the family connection alive.

The problem with bringing characters back is the generally they are never as good as they were before.

Den in EE - what a waste of time and money
Peggy in EE - likewise
Bet in Corrie - What a disaster
Liz in Corrie - why??? ffs

Yes thats right. I don't know why some people are complaining about her coming back, when it was practically a given in the first place that she would come back.

I agree, I think when old characters come back, if they were good 1st time round, then we have high expectations for their return, but they aren't usually as good 2nd time round. Den shouldn't have been brought back, because the storyline just didn't hold water for fans. Peggy's return may be a good thing, but I never liked her before, which is why I don't like her coming back. Bet shouldn't have been brought back in Corrie because she'd been exhausted of storylines, and had lost her sparkle. I'm still trying to understand why Liz was returned to us, and once Karen's gone, what are they going to do with her then?

There are also the characters that get brought back time and time again, and just don't last - Rickaay, Frank Butcher (and others, can't remember right now).

I like hearing news about characters who have left, because it adds realism that these people haven't just been forgotten. Likewise I like characters coming back for an occasional episode, like for a wedding, as with Andy McDonald in Corrie, because it's more realistic.

I really don't see the point in bringing characters back sometimes!

Sometimes it does work. But you can't bring back an old character from say the 80's to now and expect them t o fit into the dynamics of show! Times change!!

Den....what a disaster. Not only did the producers patronise the viewers by bring back Dead Den but he has had crap storylines and will never be king of Walford again as times change (imo).

Peggy I feel can only work when she has her family surrounded by her! She is renowned for her lines such as "But we're famallleeeeee!". Without them she cannot be head of the family!

Liz in Corrie....why?!? I think she is there to help with the Amy situation and at least she did not have a spectacular entrance and just blended in.

It can work with the right writers, but times move on. I would much rather see new faces developed on then bringing back past times who in turn will bring back old storylines.

One lot I would like back is Grant, Phil and Peggy as a whole! But that is only if we have families they have interacted with before to show their presence.

Home and away does it best!!

I was just about to say that very thing, Home & Away always like to bring back old characters and they always manage to give them interesting storylines when they return.

This is a repeat of what I said in the grant mitchell thread, not only would i like grant mitchell back but also michelle, simon and david wicks. You could have great storylines between michelle and grant (with the kid he doesn't know about) also Den will be there aswell. Simon as he could be introduced with the new steven character, and have a good storyline with Ian, he could also link up with den again. Then of course david wicks who was a quality character could also link up with simon, and i think a possible storyline between him and dennis would liven stuff up a bit. (with all their women chasing).

I really think Stephen Beale will be brought back to EastEnders when he's a bit older. It would be great to see him turn up on Ian's doorstep after so many years, and for Simon to appear later on. It would really bring Pat back into the loop a bit more in Albert Square. And counselling a warring father and son, with the added revelation of Stephen's sexuality would could be a great storyline involving Simon, Stephen, Pat, Ian, and then the new Beale twins aswell, their reaction to their brother returning, not to mention his news.