General Hospital’s Loss Is Days of Our Lives’ Gain? Pieces in Place for a Classic Character’s Comeback
Wednesday, May 17th, 2023
We should have seen it coming from the moment we learned Dimitri had another hostage on Days of Our Lives. After all, who would have the sort of leverage needed to get him out of the kind of trouble he was in? Well, it turns out we were way off with our guesses, but the real identity of the hostage should have been obvious: Andrew Donovan!
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He’s an agent of the International Security Alliance and the son of the head of the ISA, Shane Donovan, so yeah, if Dimitri wants everything against him dropped and Megan sprung from jail, that’s the family he’s going to have to tangle with.
Does the ISA really have that kind of power? Apparently! Cleary, they can bypass pretty much any law they want, skip over due process and imprison Megan in a state prison without any sort of trial. So why wouldn’t they have the power to get her out of it and grant Dimitri immunity after his own prison break? And now, it sounds like that power is concentrated squarely in Shane’s hands!
From the start of Megan’s tale and Bo and Hope’s return, we’ve been hearing a lot about Shane as the ISA has been front and center and he’s, as we noted, heading the organization. But as much as we’ve heard about him, we never got to see him. Except now Andrew’s been kidnapped, and Dimitri plans on using him to get what he wants. As he told Harris, “I would expect that he will personally see to it that Megan and I will both be set free.” He forgot about Kristen, but we’re sure Dimitri and Megan will fix that little oversight. In fact, spoilers pretty much guarantee it!
Now whether this goes down as Dimitri hopes is up in the air, but we do know that he’ll be sticking around Salem for a while. Shane, on the other hand, despite being mentioned quite a bit for the last couple months, has been MIA. And there’s good reason for that as Charles Shaughnessy has been busy over on General Hospital trying to destroy the world as supervillain Victor Cassadine.
Now, though, Victor’s dead and his plan thwarted — which means just about everything is in place for Shaughnessy to head back to Salem and return on the right side of the angels as Shane! Granted, Days of Our Lives shoots so far in advance, that all this Shane talk was shot back in the thick of Victor’s Port Charles days, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t be able to see him pop up to help deal with Dimitri and Andrew, even if just briefly. After all, Wally Kurth has been pulling double duty as General Hospital’s Ned and Days of Our Lives’ Justin for years!
But that could just be the prelude to Shane’s actual return a few months from now when Days of Our Lives has a chance to catch up to Shaughnessy’s exit from General Hospital. We briefly thought we got Shane back during the first Beyond Salem, but it turned out to be a villainous Drew masquerading as his twin. (Though he did pop up briefly eventually.) His last substantial return was back in 2017 to masquerade as a very-much-dead Stefano and get Hope out of prison.
With Andrew running around, Dimitri joining the show full-time and Megan about to secure her and Kristen’s freedom and (hopefully) start mixing it up with the rest of their DiMera family, this would be the perfect time for Shane to make his return to keep watch over everyone. After all, he first came to Salem to keep an eye on Stefano and if ever there was a time the DiMeras needed watching again, it would be now.
And with him and Andrew, maybe we could get the rest of the Donovans back in town too. The show’s mentioned Kimberly a few times when they were trying to deprogram Harris and we’ve had rumblings of an Eve return for a bit now.
What do you think? Is it time for Shane and the rest of the Donovans to head back to Salem and get a true legacy character (and family!) back?
Check out our photo gallery of all the actors who’ve returned or will be returning to Days of Our Lives — because Charles Shaughnessy may be next!
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<p>The <em>Living Single</em> vet returned to the small screen in a big way as Nurse Whitley.</p>
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<p>The <em>Young & Restless</em> alum signed a contract to bring back Dimitri just in time to heat up the summer of 2023 in Salem.</p>
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<p>As spring got ready to be sprung in 2023, all dressed up with someplace to go — Salem — were the head turners who play Andrew and Paul.</p>
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<p>Turned out, when Victoria Konefal came back as Ciara, her leading man was going to be pulling double duty as not only Alex but Ben. Wonder if <em>then</em> anyone will notice how much the characters resemble one another.</p>
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<p>At least some of March’s madness was destined to be inspired by the Emmy winner, who was set to reprise his role of Harris on the 20th.</p>
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<p>That late-winter chill viewers felt as February brrreezed into March wasn’t only to do with the weather. Megan’s portrayer was back in action to bring the villainess’ chilling plot to fruition.</p>
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<p>Like a bad penny, Nick turned back up in the hereafter and gave Marlena, Kate and Kayla — as well as viewers — a hell of a shock.</p>
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<p>As Marlena, Kate and Kayla began their new lives — well, afterlives, anyway — headed there way was a blast from the past: Jordan. Something tells us it’s gonna take her more than a few Hail Marys to get past the pearly gates.</p>
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<p>Aw, hell! No sooner had Susan turned up in heaven than it was revealed that the character we were really seeing had more in common with devilish Kristen than her sister!</p>
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<p>After pulling her life back together in New York with big brother Mike, Jennifer’s returning from rehab to spend the holidays with the Horton clan.</p>
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<p>What would the holidays be without cute kids to dote on? Thankfully, Julie wouldn’t have to find out since grandson Eli is returning to Salem at the end of December to let her bask in the “Christmas presence” of his and Lani’s twins.</p>
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<p>At the soap’s Day of <em>Days</em> event in the fall of 2022, Bo and Hope’s portrayers revealed that they were returning to their iconic roles. They weren’t the only comeback kids, either…</p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ winter preview gave us an early Christmas present: the news that Ciara would soon be among Salem’s lot again.</p>
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<p>In November 2022, NBC disclosed that it had rehired the Emmy winner as Harris Michaels, the character he originated back in 1988 and played again in Chapter 2 of <em>Beyond Salem.</em></p>
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<p>After more than two decades away from Salem — not counting a quick visit in 2010 — the fan fave, who succeeded Michael T. Weiss as Mike, finally retraced his steps and headed home in the fall of 2022. </p>
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<p>With not only Kayla but Marlena and Kate ailing thanks to Orpheus, the need for Dr. Rex on the canvas was obvious as the summer came to an end.</p>
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<p>If Rex couldn’t save Steve’s “Sweetness,” maybe his son Tripp could. ’Cause yep, his portrayer was making a comeback, too. And he wasn’t alone.</p>
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<p>James Lastovic’s replacement, who made his debut in <em>Beyond Salem, Chapter 2</em>, was slated to bring Joey, aka Tripp’s half brother and Steve and Kayla’s son, to the mother ship in the fall.</p>
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<p>The soap newcomer — as well as the best thing to hit daytime in ages! — made such an impression as Li’s sister, Wendy, in <em>Beyond Salem, Chapter 2</em>, that she was brought back for the show’s permanent move to Peacock.</p>
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<p>You’ve heard of a kiss before dying, right? Well, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ preview promo for the fall of 2022 included a kiss <em>after</em> dying for ill-fated Abigail, whose widower Chad was said to have figured out who killed her.</p>
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<p>Here, Sonny demonstrates the incredulous look that we’d have worn, if less handsomely, had hubby Will not made tracks back to Salem after his better half was stabbed in the back in a non-metaphorical way.</p>
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<p>It was hardly the first time that Jan had “gone overboard.” But when she made a splash off the side of Ben and Ciara’s boat, we thought maybe she’d stay sunk. We thought wrong.</p>
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<p>When opportunity <span style="text-decoration: line-through">knocked</span> phoned in the summer of 2022, the actor answered — and was revealed to be returning as Rex in especially creative fashion. (<a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/640174/days-of-our-lives-kyle-lowder-returns-rex-stephen-nichols-video/" target="_blank">See how here.</a>)</p>
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<p>No shackles were needed to keep Ben’s portrayer in Salem. Not as far as we know, anyway! After “Cin” set sail, the actor simply dropped anchor and took on the new role of Alexander Kiriakis.</p>
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<p>No, <em>Days of Our Lives</em> didn’t get a new leading man. That’s just the Emmy winner who originated the role of Kristen getting into another (chest) hairy situation as Susan’s brother, Thomas, in <em>Beyond Salem, Chapter 2.</em></p>
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<p>Like a bad penny, he just keeps turning up. In Chapter 2 of <em>Beyond Salem</em>, ill-fated villain Larry Welch was given the power to once again meddle in Bo and Hope’s affairs.</p>
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<p>OK, so technically, the actor didn’t leave <em>Days of Our Lives</em> as Roman. But he did return via <em>Beyond Salem</em> as, confusingly, his original character on the show — Chris Kositchek.</p>
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<p>Apparently, Megan takes after Daddy Dearest Stefano. In Chapter 2 of <em>Beyond Salem</em>, viewers discovered that Hope’s onetime rival for Bo was alive and, well, as scheming as ever.</p>
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<p>If there was one upside to Leo’s revenge plot, it was that it promised to reunite “WilSon” on screen. Now if only the show would let us keep them!</p>
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<p>Through the revolving door the <em>Days of Our Lives</em> vet was set to pass once again over the summer of 2022. Could Sami, with whom Lucas left Salem, be far behind?</p>
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<p>If it had been April Fool’s Day, we wouldn’t have believed that the news was real. But since it was April 18, 2022, that <em>Days of Our Live</em>s announced that Hope and Bo’s portrayers were returning for <em>Beyond Salem: Chapter 2</em>, we simply cheered.</p>
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<p>Eric fans prayers were answered in the spring of 2022 when it was revealed that only was he headed home to Salem but a major change of direction was in store for Nicole’s true love. (<a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/627855/days-of-our-lives-greg-vaughan-previews-eric-brady-return-family-crisis/" target="_blank">Read all about it here.</a>)</p>
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<p>Though the <em>Days of Our Lives</em> superstar has made it clear that she has no intention of returning full-time as Sami, a February 2022 Instastory hinted that she had <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/621771/days-of-our-lives-alison-sweeney-not-coming-back-as-sami-full-time/" target="_blank">at least been back on the set</a>, stirring the pot as her incorrigible character. We’re guessing about the “stirring the pot” part, but c’mon, when has the scheme queen not?</p>
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<p>No way would Jack miss buddy Xander’s wedding to Gwen. So he and Jennifer, despite her history with the bride, made tracks back to Salem for a ceremony that was sure to leave people saying, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/628638/days-of-our-lives-preview-xander-gwen-craig-leo-break-up-double-wedding/" target="_blank">“I do… not believe this is really happening.”</a></p>
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<p>After making her <em>Days of Our Lives</em> debut on <em>Beyond Salem</em>, the onetime <em>RuPaul’s Drag Race</em> contestant — and ace impersonator of Lisa Rinna (Billie) — was invited to appear on the NBC soap itself in spring 2022.</p>
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<p>You don’t need the glasses, Jan, we already know you’re as “shady” as they come. And when the bad penny turned up anew, she wasn’t alone — she was carrying Shawn’s baby. D’oh!</p>
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<p>Don’t look so glum. The <em>Young & Restless</em> alum (ex-Fen) made such a big impression as a recast Sonny on Peacock’s <em>Beyond Salem</em> that when Will’s handsome hubby was needed on the main show again, it knew just the actor to call.</p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em> didn’t just bring the actors back as Chloe’s parents in 2022, it brought them back for a polarizing storyline in which Craig was forced to break it to wife Nancy that he was gay. But wait, there was more!</p>
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<p>No sooner had Craig revealed that he was in love with the <em>Young & Restless</em> star’s scheming Leo than half the canvas — Chad included, obviously — began going to extremes to break them up.</p>
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<p>Masks. Alternate personalities. Baby talk. Heavens to Brady, there was nothing that wasn’t thrown at the fan favorite when at last Sarah’s portrayer was returned to the playing field in 2022.</p>
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<p>What could be worse than being thrown behind bars for a crime you didn’t commit? Being thrown behind bars for a crime you didn’t commit with your own “killer” as your cellmate! So EJ was poised to learn when Clyde’s portrayer returned in winter 2022 to make the jailhouse rock.</p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ original Kristen had already returned for <em>Beyond Salem</em>, but that in no way, shape or form prepared us for the “What the hell?!?”-ness of the devil transforming into the old version of the character, not Stacy Haiduk’s, in order to tempt John during its 2021 reign of terror.</p>
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<p>More than a year after the soap mainstay left <em>Days of Our Lives</em> — bequeathing her long-running role of Jennifer to Cady McClain, who subsequently won a Daytime Emmy for her work — it was announced that she’d be <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/606494/days-of-our-lives-melissa-reeves-returning-jennifer-christmas/" target="_blank">home in Salem for the holidays</a>.</p>
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<p>Trick or treat, indeed! Though it was Eileen Davidson who had played Kristen in <em>Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem</em>, it was <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/612191/days-of-our-lives-kristen-returns-visit-ej-victor-searches/" target="_blank">the troublemaker’s subsequent portrayer</a> — one of daytime’s most underrated actors, if you ask us — who’d be reprising the role as Halloween 2021 drew near. Hope the vixen remembered to pack her extensive mask collection!</p>
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<p>As May 2021 drew to a close, viewers gasped at <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ latest promo, which revealed that the Emmy winner would be reprising his role of Eric — and just in time to learn that bride Nicole had already broken their wedding vows, too!</p>
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<p>The daytime vet (perhaps best known for her run as vixenish Lorie on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>) kicked off 2021 by announcing that she’d soon be back on <em>Days of Our Lives</em>, where she’d last played Jennifer’s mom, Laura, in 2018.</p>
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<p>When the fan fave left <em>Days of Our Lives</em> as the “late” Ciara, she made it clear that <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/571461/days-of-our-lives-victoria-konefal-exit-ciara-brady/" target="_blank">she hoped to work again with her castmates</a> down the road. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that she’d be popping in at Christmastime in 2020 so that her character could offer “widower” Ben — and, in a way, all of us — a bit of holiday cheer.</p>
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<p>That same promo — seriously, that thing was<em> jam-packed</em> with spoilers — previewed a return to Salem for the indefatigable scheme team of Tony and Anna, who seemed to know more about Gwen than the rest of us. At the very <em>least</em> more than Abby!</p>
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<p>That same promo video teased a happy homecoming for the legacy character played by this three-time Emmy winner. But would Will be visiting Salem with better half Sonny? <em>That</em> question remained unanswered. Credit where credit is due: The show even builds cliffhangers into its ads!</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=921Tfv3oYGU" target="_blank"><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ promo for winter 2020</a> revealed that Steve and Kayla’s son would be receiving a Get Out of Jail Free Card for Christmas: Since Ava wasn’t dead, Joey obviously hadn’t murdered her!</p>
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<p>In late October of 2020, the <em>Melrose Place</em> alum revealed via social media that she had returned to work at <em>Days of Our Lives — </em>and just in time for Valerie to be on hand for the birth of her grandbabies, too.</p>
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<p>Just in time for Halloween, the veteran actor was slated to return the villainous Orpheus to the canvas (along with James Read as Clyde and William Utay as Rolf). Call us paranoid, but something tells us that Salem’s own Evil League of Evil isn’t getting together again to carve pumpkins and hand out candy.</p>
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<p>Only the good die young. So it was a safe bet that when this Emmy winner returned as manipulative Ava Vitali, as was announced in early September, the character was gonna have a pulse. And also an agenda. (She <em>is</em> manipulative!)</p>
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<p>“Here comes trouble,” you can just hear all of Salem grumble whenever the veteran actor brings back mad scientist Dr. Rolf, as he was set to do in September. Then again, you can also hear <em>viewers</em> going, “This is gonna be fun!” </p>
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<p>According to <em>Days of our Lives</em>’ fall-preview video, JJ Deveraux is getting out of Africa and returning home. Fingers crossed he forgets to pack the hangdog expression with which he’d stuck his handsome mug for so long!</p>
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