The Devil continued to cause havoc in Salem, Abigail wanted to be a star, Ben worried about making a baby, EJ asked out Nicole, while Philip wooed Chloe.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Meemz and Horizon from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum to debate whether they love, like, or can’t stand the current storylines in Salem.
How would you rate Days of Our Lives overall right now? From 1 (I’m on the verge of not watching) to 10 (I love it and look forward to every new episode.)
Meemz: I would say a 7. I don’t watch every day, but I tune in to the stories I am invested in and won’t miss.
I think they need to balance the quality of the storylines. Some days the show is really good and some it is boring. (The one storyline I would never miss is Chloe/Philip.)
Jack: I’d give it about a 5 right now. There are some stories that I’m excited about. Johnny’s budding relationship with Chanel and Abe and Paulina are my favorites.
And some stories that have potential/are getting better, like Ben and Ciara’s baby drama and the parts of the possession nonsense that have to do with Julie worrying about Doug’s condition and praying he gets better.
But then some stories are so stupid that I can’t stand them. The possession nonsense and Gwen and Xander trying to blackmail a judge are two that come to mind there.
I read a recent article in Soap Opera Digest where the head writer said that he thinks characters have to be somewhat stupid for a soap to work, and I think that’s a big problem with a lot of what’s on-air right now.
I don’t like it when characters are stupid, nor do I enjoy endless variations on doppelganger and split personality storylines, and those things are dragging the showdown for me.
Horizon: I rate it a 6. After a very bland week replete with annoying developments. Usually, I hover around 7 or 8 and sometimes a 9 but never a 10.
Christine: I’m giving it an 8. The possession story has given new life to so many characters. Doug and Julie, and John and Marlena specifically.
And then we have Tripp interacting with Julie, Johnny with Abigail. I love that this story incorporates characters, both young and old, in a creative way. That has me tuning in every day, waiting to see more.
Your turn, Days of Our Lives fans! Rate how much you’re enjoying the show…
Are you surprised that Johnny is going ahead with the movie even after John asks him not to make it?
Meemz: Not surprised he does not seem that close to his grandparents, considering he lived mostly abroad.
Jack: No, because Johnny is young, and his passion has not been tampered with any education into how the film industry works. He wants to do what he wants to do and thinks people will just come around.
Horizon: Not really all that surprised. Johnny inherited his father’s bull headiness.
Christine: Johnny is young, he’s excited, and he thinks he’s right. So, no, I’m not surprised. But I’m hoping to see him have to deal with some bit of backlash because he’s charging ahead against John’s wishes.
The funny part is that thus far, Roman seems to have no reservations at all! So, no one can say that Johnny isn’t getting mixed messages from his family, and he’s obviously going to go with those who are encouraging him and giving him money to make his dream come true.
Should Abigail take on the role of a possessed Marlena for Johnny’s film?
Meemz: The offer is ridiculous, beyond ridiculous! Belle is available, and it’s her mom. And what happened to actual actors??
Jack: I have mixed feelings about this. I wish they had just kept the possession silliness to Johnny’s film. Then maybe I would like it better.
But since the Devil is hanging around again, I’m worried that Abby acting in the film will either open the door for her to be the next one possessed or for her DID to return (since she already said that having DID is like being possessed.)
Horizon: Why not? It adds some spice to her everyday life. Abby really fancies herself as some sort of star, which is silly, of course. But I’m glad she is back.
Christine: At first, I thought this was silly, but Abby was having such fun with the idea that now I’m on board. When was the last time we saw Abigail having fun?
Ben and Ciara are at odds over having a baby? Should they be worried about passing down Ben’s mental illness? Should they try to adopt?
Meemz: Argh, another boring storyline I actively skip. Why would they be worried.. the way Ben’s past has been brushed off, and now he’s Salem’s most loved citizen! The baby has a green pass at anything.
Jack: For one second, I wished that Jennifer was still in the show and Ben was still with Abby so that Jennifer could put her two cents in about how scared she was she’d pass down schizophrenia to her kids.
That said, I think Tripp gave Ben the correct information, and that since there is no such thing as a homicide gene, Ben’s fears are a bit overblown.
They could monitor their child for signs of psychosis and get them treatment before they turned into a killer (not that psychosis necessarily leads to violence, to begin with, something that DAYS continually gets wrong.)
And if Ben feels that uncomfortable, by all means, they should adopt. If, in the world of DAYS, Ben’s homicidal tendencies are curbed by medical treatment, then his past should not stop him from being able to adopt a baby.
But I also agree with Allie that there’s no rush and that they don’t need to have babies right away (though they can enjoy each other’s company off-screen, thanks. We’ve already seen enough of their sexathon to last a lifetime.)
Horizon: I am more in line with Dr. Tripp’s take. It is a bit of a risk for them to have children, but there is no guarantee their child would have mental issues. Probably worth the risk since the odds are better, the child does not inherit Ben’s “crazy evil” gene.
Christine: I like that Ben is worried about this because it’s realistic. But Ben’s mental health was further destabilized by growing up in an abusive environment, and I wish they’d address that too.
As for adoption, I can’t imagine any mother would choose an adoptive couple where one partner was so mentally ill that they murdered multiple people!
But as Allie pointed out, there’s no rush. They have plenty of time to research and consider their options. In the meantime, I wish they’d concentrate on finding careers they both enjoy, whether that’s working together or separately.
Should Nicole date EJ?
Meemz: Yes, why not? That’s if Brady will “allow” her. It’s a break from Rafe, but ultimately I think that’s the direction, even though I would have loved an EJ and Ava fling. New EJ’s energy matches Ava’s so well that they would be great together.
Jack: Absolutely not! EJ abused Nicole so badly that she tried to hide her pregnancy from him, and it is so patently obvious that he’s only using her now to stick it to both Sami and Rafe that she called him on it.
Horizon: Nicole is the master of the wrong move and will likely start dating EJ.
Christine: I keep remembering when EJ and Nicole first got together. I thought they were a great couple until Nicole miscarried, feared EJ would run back to Sami, and stole a baby to trick him.
There’s a lot of history between these two, much of it bad, but I’ve always found them interesting. So, I’m on board to see where this goes.
If nothing else, I hope it keeps Nicole away from Rafe and that stupid talking bear. That’s a storyline that makes me want to tune out!
Is Brady done trying to win back Chloe? Do you prefer Chloe with Philip or Brady?
Meemz: Is Brady done being Brady? That’s one character I wish to see gone. I am so tired of him and his attitude. In every scene, he is either rolling his eyes or claiming a woman’s choice as his own.
It’s been a terrible decline for Brady, who I tolerated with Kristen. She really uplifted Brady and made him interesting.
To answer the question, I will always want Philip and Chloe together.. they are meant to be, and we have seen how their love never went away over the years. Now that’s a story. 22 years of consistent love
Jack: I doubt Brady is done. He just isn’t interested in Victor’s idea, most probably because Chloe caught them in the act.
If I had to choose, I’d choose Philip. Brady goes into stalker mode whenever Chloe has another boyfriend, and that makes it totally inappropriate for him to date her at all.
Horizon: I say the jig is over. Give it a rest, Brady. You are starting to make a fool of yourself. I like Brady, but it is time for him to move on.
Christine: Brady has become one of my least favorite characters. What does it say when his healthiest most interesting relationship of late was with Kristen! Brady needs to go to California and spend some time with Tate.
Philip and Chloe have the potential to be a fantastic couple if Days would only let them. It seemed like we were taking steps in that direction this week. I just hope Brady doesn’t try and derail it again.
What disappointed you the most this week in Salem?
Meemz: Mardevil, the flashbacks! I don’t get why there are so many. I’m am still hopeful the story will get better.
Jack: The only reason I’m not disappointed by the possession story is because I expected it to be as stupid as it is. The Devil is apparently a teenage boy who is nursing a broken heart over the fact that Marlena chose someone else over him.
Why did she sit there and listen to that nonsense? Turn the tape recorder off and go tell someone. Sheesh. And then she lets the Devil possess her again and hits Julie over the head so that we have almost the same cliffhanger we had a week ago in Doug’s hospital room!
This story is bringing back memories of that awful Steve with a microchip in his head to make him think he’s Stefano story. I couldn’t wait for that stupidity to be over, and I can’t wait for this nonsense to be over too.
A close second is Gwen and Xander deciding that Gwen should offer sexual services to the judge and then blackmail him. Not only is this demeaning, but it’s totally unnecessary.
Gwen’s father is an investigative reporter who would LOVE to expose a corrupt judge’s ties to EJ Dimera. Jack has been anti-EJ since Abigail was a teenager, not that Gwen would necessarily know that part of it, and he prides himself on uncovering big secrets.
That scathing editorial he wrote when Xander was set free the first time should have been a huge clue as to what the two of them should do to resolve this problem, but no, instead, they’re going to do this stupid and outlandish thing.
Oh, and Gabi has no business calling Ava a Mafia princess when she’s the one wanting to hire a hitman to rub out her competition. Ugh. Ava insisting she get to run Gabi Chic before making a quick call to Angelo was almost as stupid too.
Horizon: The Ava/Gabi catfight was fun but introducing their sinister revenge plots felt ham-fisted and out of place. Granted, Gabi’s “rub her out idea” was worse than Ava’s revenge scheme, but this stuff was too heavy and came out of nowhere, it seems.
Christine: Gabi wanting to kill off her brother’s girlfriend because Ava annoys her was pretty over-the-top, even for Gabi.
As much as I liked Gwen trying to help Xander, it feels like they should have been able to come up with a better plan.
Why does anyone think Sami ran off to lick her wounds and his ghosting her kids? Sami doesn’t run; she fights. And she is a fierce mother, so none of this makes any sense.
And I’m not so much disappointed as lost on why the MarDevil smacked Julie in the head with a tray. Did the Devil just get so annoyed with Julie that he/she couldn’t hold back?
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline this week on Days of Our Lives?
Meemz: Philip telling Chloe, “You’ve always been the one that got away,” and Chloe saying, “I am still 100% on your side.” All the Phloe scenes, The Fire and Ice roses surprise! Wow, just wow!
Such a surprise and a dream come true to the fans!! Those scenes were some of the most beautiful scenes on Days in a long time. It took me back to the beautiful soap era where romance was tangible, and history was woven into the story beautifully ..and that Jadia chemistry…WOW.
Jack: As much as I hate the possession story, Julie had some beautiful scenes. I loved both her praying in the chapel with John and her conversation with Tripp.
Horizon: The scene with Abigail and Jack where Abigail starts to see a big hole in Gwen’s so-called story.
I’ll add a favorite quote. Gabi to Ava in front of Rafe at the house, saying, “the only way Ava can take the high road is if she made the wrong turn.”
Christine: I had a lot of favorites this week. Philip and Chloe! Fans have waited years to see some romance between these two, and I hope it continues.
Chanel and Johnny were just adorable. The actors are cute beyond words, and I love that they’re taking it slow, and he’s trying to woo her.
And Lucas getting in EJ’s face was just fun.
Now it’s your turn, TV Fanatics. Share your answers to our round table questions by hitting that SHOW COMMENTS button down below. Then check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
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C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
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