Summer traditionally brings new characters to daytime TV. Many new ABC characters hit the canvas in the past few weeks and months. Here is how they are adding to the dynamic of Pine Valley and Llanview.

Ava Benton, long-lost step-sister of All My Children’s Lily Montgomery, surprised everyone when she showed up in town. Ava looks exactly like her younger sibling, but the similarities end there. This character presents a chance for Leven Rambin to showcase her acting skills. Miss Rambin is doing an awesome job with the character. Problem is the character seems to have no purpose beyond showing what the actress can do. It looks as if Ava is being positioned as a love interest for Jonathan Lavery. Jon is the ex-husband of Lily. That makes this an odd, creepy situation. Jon has been hung up on Lily since their marriage ended. It is doubtful that he really sees Ava as anything but all that Lily isn’t.

Another “newcomer” to Pine Valley is Greenlee Smythe-DuPres-Lavery. Greenlee is the daughter of Jackson Montgomery, making her Lily’s sister. She is also the former best friend of Kendall Hart-Slater and the ex-wife of Ryan Lavery. She returned after a year-and-a-half absence, with a new face and a bad attitude. Greenlee is bent on revenge. She has been hurt and betrayed by all the people she loved. One thing that has stayed the same with Greenlee is her fighting spirit. She knows what she wants, and she will get it. Heaven help anyone who gets in her way. She is going to make things very interesting for everyone in town—and for viewers.

Over in Llanview, new teens are making appearances. We’ve seen compelling story with Starr, Cole, Langston, and Brittney. With the school musical and introduction of new Llanview High students, One Life to Live is setting the stage for more from this crew. It just seems sort of pathetic that the most interesting people in town are the teens. Their parents have just become predictable and boring. Maybe some interaction with these young people would give them all an energy boost.

Miles Laurence is also a relatively new face in town. In many ways, Miles isn’t much more than a teen himself. After years being locked away in an institution, Miles is learning about the world around him. He is showing his Laurence roots, though. Miles has never gotten what he wanted, and now that he has Spencer Truman’s money, he has the means to make his dreams come true. He wants something—namely Marty Saybrooke—and isn’t going to accept no as an answer.

One character that will be fun to see develop is Talia Sahid. She has become a good friend to Antonio. Could that friendship turn into something much deeper now that his marriage is over? In the time she has been in Llanview, though, Talia has revealed very little about her past. She was a cop in NYC in September 2001, pulling duty at the Twin Towers. There has to be much more than what we have seen, though. It will be interesting to learn more about her and just what makes her tick.