I’ve seen some sloppy crap on the soaps (with respect to casting and writing) that I watch, but that would’ve been unforgiveable (and the fans would’ve demanded a change). That was even worse when they changed Ming the Merciless from a vaguely Asian (albeit alien) caricature in the “Flash Gordon” film (and old serial) into just another white guy in a recent series.
Javier Bardem was one of the few people I could think of who could come remotely close to Montalban’s portrayal. I think I told you guys I had a strange dream where the late Ricardo Montalban came to my house for lunch and I immediately started in by asking his opinion of the “Faux Trek” film and recast and he just shook his head, “No. That’s not Khan.”
Soaps don’t have futuristic plastic surgery to make it actually possible to alter someone’s appearance that much, so they have to resort to BS Hollywood Magic plastic surgery (Have you ever seen “Nip/Tuck”?) or ignoring the change.
I recall “Dynasty”, the guy who played the gay son left the show, he came back after an “oil rig explosion” as a different actor. But then later they replaced Pamela Sue Martin with Emma Samms with no explanation given as to why she was suddenly less attractive and had a British accent.
Altering Khan’s appearance sounds a hell of that better to me than having no explanation given. (Better still, don’t cast Cumbersnatch, but oh we can’t have a villain with dark skin, no no no, even the old socialist Roddenberry is spinning in his grave)
I don’t recall you telling me about your dream. That’s awesome! What did Ricardo eat?