Current Plots Discussion II: Discussing Today's Episode and Current Storylines

[tribeca]

The actor who plays Maggie has a way of making all her scene partners better actors.  
  Maggie is kind of use to everyone loving her.   Wonder how she would feel when all these people she lays off are mad at her.  

[rcc]

5 minutes ago, tribeca said:

The actor who plays Maggie has a way of making all her scene partners better actors.  
  Maggie is kind of use to everyone loving her.   Wonder how she would feel when all these people she lays off are mad at her.  

Enough of Alex at Titan. Maggie doesn't need him around. I'm glad SR has a storyline.

[BuckeyeLou]

The actor playing Li(Remington?) is such a Hoot!  I love watching him!  His scenes with Gabi today were fun & funny...he is trying so hard, with that sly smile, and Gabi is trying hard to ignore him but I think she is impressed that he is trying So hard to win her over.  I also got a kick out of the scenes with Maggie & Xander, they have a "Mother-Son" relationship & I enjoy it.  And then Gwen & Alex together: makes sense to me.  And I like the young actress playing Wendy and her back & forth scenes with Johnny & Tripp.   I enjoyed the show today.

[brisbydog]

I feel like with the mention of Xander's bio mom last week they are setting up her coming to town and him juggling her with Maggie who he loves like a mom. I like the idea of them working together. I do believe he would be loyal to her.

Don't care about Ben's latest screw. God he is boring

Poor EJ. Johnny should really butt out now

[peachmangosteen]

Johnny's dumb ass getting his dad fucked up by drugs and he's just like 'oops' lol.

I love every single thing about this Gabi/Li story. 

Alex and Gwen were OK. Let them be fun partners in petty crime like Xander and Gwen should have been!

I am interested to see what happens with Xander working for Maggie.

[junemeatcleaver]

2 hours ago, Elio Kukui said:

Well, at least Xander's finally gotten some legal employment, but now he's doing Titan and the Spectator?

I thought he texted Gwen that he quit and that's why she jumped Alex.

[Artsda]

Johnny again no loyalty to his own dad but instead Abby's rapist instead.  Then Johnny is gonna be oops my bad?  He thought Ava was great and she murdered his grandmother, thought EJ was the bad one.  

My god they want Gwen this horrid recon to be lead of this show now she's with Alex. Abby gone, Jack and Jenn gone but Gwen and her legacy? What legacy? She should be in jail. 

 

 

[brisbydog]

32 minutes ago, junemeatcleaver said:

I thought he texted Gwen that he quit and that's why she jumped Alex.

No he just texted he hoped she was ok

[WendyCR72]

47 minutes ago, junemeatcleaver said:

I thought he texted Gwen that he quit and that's why she jumped Alex.

He told Gwen that the paper was her father's, so she should run it. He didn't come out with the words, "I quit!", but I think it was implied?

Either way, working with Maggie seems like a good move for Xander. If he is still involved with The Spectator, doubt it will be as hands on. Maybe that's where Alex comes in...

[WendyCR72]

44 minutes ago, Artsda said:

My god they want Gwen this horrid recon to be lead of this show now she's with Alex. Abby gone, Jack and Jenn gone but Gwen and her legacy? What legacy? She should be in jail. 

She should be worm food with Kristen. Maybe re-enact Thelma and Louise with those two and call it a day.

[Frozendiva]

I enjoyed Li being his charming self. He can be a bit likeable. Gabi my not be used to someone doing things for her and on some level, she may be enjoying this.

Johnny, you are stupid to Take Tripp’s ID and then go to Stefan, who you hardly know, and rat out your dad, who is actually being drugged by Stefan. Maybe tonight you finally got it.

Gwen and Alex are kinda random. Maybe he work with her at the newspaper.

I did like Maggie and Xander. They both do have a soft spot for the other. Chances are he will put aside most of his selfish interest and advise her in making corporate decisions. There is an easy rapport. Maybe it is just the two actors.

[worleybird]

The audio seemed to be off in the scenes between Eric and Sloan (in his bedroom) compared to all the other scenes today.

[boes]

13 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

Either way, working with Maggie seems like a good move for Xander. If he is still involved with The Spectator, doubt it will be as hands on. Maybe that's where Alex comes in...

Everything and everyone with Alex seems to be "hands on".  The only job he seems really qualified for is a ticket taker at an adult book store.

Every time he takes his glasses off and starts chewing on them, I have a brief moment of hope that somehow, someway, he'll swallow them.

Now THAT is an episode I'd watch again and again!

[BuckeyeLou]

Well, I got some chuckles out of today's show and we had lots of bare chests :) Leo wanting the details from Gwen's night & his eyeballing Alex(lots of double entendres.) Belle & Sloan working together & high-fiving their success & then Belle saying how much she still hates Sloan.  I liked the family dynamics today: Belle & brother Brady,  Johnny & his Father & Uncle Stefan.  Why all of a sudden is EJ calling his son "John Roman" when he has always called him Johnny?  

[DanaMB]

4 hours ago, worleybird said:

The audio seemed to be off in the scenes between Eric and Sloan (in his bedroom) compared to all the other scenes today.

It was. It was odd. 

[peachmangosteen]

3 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

Why all of a sudden is EJ calling his son "John Roman" when he has always called him Johnny?  

I thought that was weird, too. I think he calls him Giovanni often as well. It doesn't really make sense.

I'm glad to hear others had issues with the sound on the Eric/Sloan scenes. Like, how did no one notice that before it went to air?

[rcc]

30 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I thought that was weird, too. I think he calls him Giovanni often as well. It doesn't really make sense.

I'm glad to hear others had issues with the sound on the Eric/Sloan scenes. Like, how did no one notice that before it went to air?

They are too cheap to fix it. Good enough is what this show is all about.

[tribeca]

Nicole’s dress was really ugly.  
happy Stefan dropped the charges.  Was not in the mood for a long drawn out court drama.  
   Johnny needs to find a purpose. He is kind of a busy body right now.  
Brady and Belle were cute at their siblings breakfast.  
Belle protests too much about her hatred of Sloan.  It comes off more like jealousy.  

[Artsda]

Gwen praise for bedding all the hot guys in town, oh yay.  

Johnny should be more Dimera less Brady, he needs more to do. I hope they bring on Sydney as a bad girl.  She could have a lot of story to tell. 

[Frozendiva]

I didn’t notice any sound issues. Maybe because it doesn’t stream in Canada, at least not everywhere.

Stefan was a pushover to drop the charges. Court might be embarrassing in terms of Rolf wielding the hand mixer, clanging the crockpot, and finding new and intriguing uses for salad tongs. Belle, you doth protest too much about working with Sloan. This could be the beginning of a long lasting weird friendship.

So Johnny now knows that Stefan originated the drugging. EJ can just pass off his behavior as a 24 hour bug. Johnny needs a job.

Leo is far too nosy. The underwear did get on to worn on tv. Where are the ugly men in Salem? Surprised that Alex and Gwennie fit on the twin bed. Leo thinking she and Xander had reunited. Alas, Xandy still loves skinny Sarah (according to Leo).

[WendyCR72]

Where is Nighttime Hope (Remember that mess?) or Mardevil to "take care of" Leo when you need them?!

Seriously, dude has NO redeeming qualities whatsoever.

[boes]

I like Belle, generally, but DAMN I was wanting her to stop torturing that bowl of oatmeal or baby brains or a bowl of eels or whatever the hell she was punching down with that spoon while talking to Brady.  

Good LORD, Belle, just eat a spoonful and stop with the stabbing!

[Soapy Goddess]

13 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

Why all of a sudden is EJ calling his son "John Roman" when he has always called him Johnny?  

Maybe as he matures, Johnny will become known as JR...filling the necessary DiMera bad guy shoes. 

[peachmangosteen]

7 hours ago, boes said:

I like Belle, generally, but DAMN I was wanting her to stop torturing that bowl of oatmeal or baby brains or a bowl of eels or whatever the hell she was punching down with that spoon while talking to Brady.  

Good LORD, Belle, just eat a spoonful and stop with the stabbing!

I thought it was the famous clam chowder. And I figured that was why she never actually took a bite lol.

[4evaQuez]

This episode seemed like filler to me. EJ vs Stefan, Xander vs Alex, Johnny vs Tripp. I can't say I find any of these rivalries/potential rivalries exciting. Johnny vs Tripp feels like the only even match-up to me, but that's only because both are so bland.

The show needs to give Wendy a real purpose on the show. The actress is good, but the character is starting to feel superfluous. Granted, I think the show never really explained why she was so invested in Stefan's love life, but the actress still anchored the aimless writing. I think she's struggling to anchor the character in the continued aimlessness. 

I'm ready for Gabi to do something else. 

 

[CanaryFan98]

I'd be open to a Belle/Sloane frenemy type relationship.

I thought Belle mentioning that even though they didn't get along we need to find a way to make sure those two idiots(Brady/Eric) don't end up in jail. I thought was hilarious.

[chediavolo]

I feel like this is nowhere near the same show I started watching so many years ago. I can’t remember how many times in the last month I have fast forwarded or just shut it off in the middle. I feel like I’m in the mourning. . I don’t know if it’s going to get any better.  I don’t care about 90% of the storylines or any of that actors/characters . 

[Pearson80]

49 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

I feel like this is nowhere near the same show I started watching so many years ago. I can’t remember how many times in the last month I have fast forwarded or just shut it off in the middle. I feel like I’m in the mourning. . I don’t know if it’s going to get any better.  I don’t care about 90% of the storylines or any of that actors/characters . 

I feel the same way and it saddens me because Days is the only soap for me.  The others are too awful for me to care enough to watch..

[4evaQuez]

‘Days of Our Lives’ Scores Two-Season Pickup at Peacock

The renewal will take the soap opera through its 60th season.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/days-of-our-lives-renewed-season-60-1235353092/

Days has been renewed for two more years, and the show will definitely be seeing 60 years. The link also says that the show is one of its top 10 most viewed original shows on the streaming platform.

[peachmangosteen]

Awesome!

[CanaryFan98]

5 hours ago, Pearson80 said:

I feel the same way and it saddens me because Days is the only soap for me.  The others are too awful for me to care enough to watch..

Well I do watch GH when Laura is on and when the vets are focused on like Laura, Robert etc its not so bad the rest of the show? Yeah..

[methodwriter85]

38 minutes ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Well I do watch GH when Laura is on and when the vets are focused on like Laura, Robert etc its not so bad the rest of the show? Yeah..

Days has it's problems but it's never gotten to the point of Offensively Bad as the Sonny/Carly/Jason worship has. Although it got close with the Dr. Dan worship.

[Frozendiva]

I too felt this ep was filler.

Li getting Gabi an opportunity to relaunch a version of GabiChic might have potential. Even if it is at a Salem department store.

So EJ and Stefan are going to have a fake truce when both are still backstabbing? And EJ is still working with Li?

Johny, you should come clean about stealing Tripp’s ID.

Leo, why do you continue to size up the dudes that won’t be in to you? 

[SouthernChick]

I loved Xander defending Gwen’s honor to Alex. I’m glad he still cares about her well being.

[DisneyBoy]

10 hours ago, chediavolo said:

I feel like this is nowhere near the same show I started watching so many years ago. I can’t remember how many times in the last month I have fast forwarded or just shut it off in the middle. I feel like I’m in the mourning. . I don’t know if it’s going to get any better.  I don’t care about 90% of the storylines or any of that actors/characters . 

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

THANK YOU.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

 

Seriously, I get no pleasure hating on this show. I used to enjoy it. I still want to enjoy it but it's become such embarrassing nonsense.

So, yes, I have also felt "in mourning", as you put it. You are not alone.

[DisneyBoy]

3 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Days has it's problems but it's never gotten to the point of Offensively Bad as the Sonny/Carly/Jason worship has. Although it got close with the Dr. Dan worship.

I'd say Ben was/is worse, or rather RSW. He ATE the show, turned characters against their own nature (Ciara especially) and now we have Gwen and Leo following in his footsteps.

[DisneyBoy]

Just now, Elio Kukui said:

Then why watch?  Just don't.

I usually don't these days. Other longtime posters can attest to that. I went from viewing episodes on a weekly basis to almost never tuning in.

...and as someone who has followed the show for years, someone who has enjoyed the characters and the tone of the series, that should say something. I'm not uninvested. I'm not dismissing the series on a whim. It's hard seeing it in this shape. I miss enjoying it. It's difficult to see the show waste its time.

Can you fault me (us, really) for wanting this show to be better? Because It can be. Not perfect, not "just how I want it", but better.

There's still a lot of good to work with.

[DisneyBoy]

9 minutes ago, Elio Kukui said:

This isn't the show I started watching back in 2002, but I still like enough about it to watch it, anyway.  So I will.  Are there things I'd change?  Of course.  But I'm okay with enough that I won't abandon it.  In fact, I'll be glad we get two more years of it, at least.

I might see what you mean about Ben (though I don't, really), but Gwen and Leo still have several characters (a lot, in fact) who still call them out as they are and not fall over themselves in praise of them like it supposedly was with Ben, so I don't think they're even remotely comparable.

I'm very pleased it has been renewed, but I doubt I'll enjoy these next two years if they continue along the current path.

We clearly have different opinions of Ben - which is fine, that's the point of a conversation and a message board - but to highlight why I said that Ben ate the show... the man he choked the life out of ended up being forced to play his Best Man at his wedding. That's...profoundly messed up. Will nearly died/was declared dead, had amnesia, spent years living as "EJ", forgot about his family and husband, had to be found and rescued, and then had to readjust to life back in Salem and get to know his own daughter again. That's a hell of a lot to go through, and a hell of a lot to forgive.

And yet there he was, happily patting Ben on the back on his wedding day. Best buddies. Huh?

Vincent and Eve - who had their wife and daughter, respectively, murdered in cold blood by Ben for no good reason - were then characterized as insane villains for wanting some revenge against him. For reals?

On a better-written soap (which Days used to be) the audience would be rooting for the heroes to get revenge on the serial killer, because serial killers tend not to be positioned as heroes within the narrative. Yet...here's Ben, who after being diagnosed with "an illness", is somehow completely fine and terrific and such a swell guy, really.

It made no sense, which is why (I assume) they were glad enough to write him out and position RSW as "super sexy" Alex K, because that's probably how the folks BTS actually think of him. As so sexy, it doesn't matter what his character does or says...just keep him on the screen!

It's fine for new characters to come along and steal some spotlight...when they've earned it by being compelling. He is, sadly, not.

Imagine if half the energy and resources and story they'd channeled RSW/Ben's way had gone towards the character of Lucas, a veteran with major ties to the canvas whose last major storyline was...um...helping Adrienne through breast cancer? I think? I really can't remember.

Pet characters and storylines slanted in their favor almost always kill a show. If we, the audience, aren't all flipping out over how enjoyable a certain character is (say, Stefano, who was always a crowd pleaser in spite of his terrible crimes), it's best if the show doesn't prop them to the moon and back.

We STILL talk about Dr Dan, The Tan Man, for that very reason. But sadly, his kind seem to be slowly overtaking the series.

[WendyCR72]

43 minutes ago, Elio Kukui said:

Then why watch?  Just don't.

Or people have their own reasons for watching. Maybe hoping for change.

[Frozendiva]

Over the years, the characters have been a weird sort of family for me.

[methodwriter85]

1 hour ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'd say Ben was/is worse, or rather RSW. He ATE the show, turned characters against their own nature (Ciara especially) and now we have Gwen and Leo following in his footsteps.

Eh, at least Ben is gone and written off. You haven't had to see Ben or anyone that reminds you of Ben for at least the last six months. ;-)

[boes]

16 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

Eh, at least Ben is gone and written off. You haven't had to see Ben or anyone that reminds you of Ben for at least the last six months. ;-)

I don't know..... Gwen has a certain hairless and talentless quality that reminds me of Ben/Ollie.......

Maybe the Alex character..... he's as pisspoor an actor but otherwise I don't see it......

[boes]

2 hours ago, Elio Kukui said:

This isn't the show I started watching back in 2002

2002?   You're a young-un compared to a lot of us.   Many of us have serious history with this show and like it or not, we have allegiances that long pre-date this current reign of non-talent.  With all due respect, it's not for you - or I - or anyone, tell ANYONE what to care or not care about, especially with a show that's run longer than the majority of marriages in the U.S.

In a changing world, we love our stories and I, for one, among many others, will not be shamed for caring that something that gave us pleasure for so long is now being treated with such breezy contempt.

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by boes

[Soapy Goddess]

I, for one, continue to enjoy the show...and I've been watching every day for 57 years. Of course it's not the same show we watched back in the day, but as with real life, things can and do change. Perhaps for some, not for the better. But for many of us, it's like an old friend. We love them no matter how obnoxious they get or how senile they become. It's just comforting to know that they're around...good, bad or indifferent.

[chediavolo]

6 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

THANK YOU.

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

 

Seriously, I get no pleasure hating on this show. I used to enjoy it. I still want to enjoy it but it's become such embarrassing nonsense.

So, yes, I have also felt "in mourning", as you put it. You are not alone.

It’s sad, isn’t it? 😞

[chediavolo]

6 hours ago, Elio Kukui said:

This isn't the show I started watching back in 2002, but I still like enough about it to watch it, anyway.  So I will.  Are there things I'd change?  Of course.  But I'm okay with enough that I won't abandon it.  In fact, I'll be glad we get two more years of it, at least.

I might see what you mean about Ben (though I don't, really), but Gwen and Leo still have several characters (a lot, in fact) who still call them out as they are and not fall over themselves in praise of them like it supposedly was with Ben, so I don't think they're even remotely comparable.

2002? You’re a newbie. So I give you a pass. I’ve been watching since I was in school in 1972or 3 😳, on days off, the summers, vacations. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by chediavolo

[brisbydog]

Manufactured past issues between Alex and Xander, who have never interacted on screen prior to last week when Xander brought Maggie flowers, just to prop up some sort of rivalry for Gwen (of course). Only interesting moment was Alex stating that Maggie hates Xander, and Xander not correcting that, as we and he both know she loves him the mostest

 

[4evaQuez]

9 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'd say Ben was/is worse, or rather RSW. He ATE the show, turned characters against their own nature (Ciara especially) and now we have Gwen and Leo following in his footsteps.

I actually disagree with Gwen and Leo. Gwen is actually really isolated as a character. She stays in her corner of the show and rarely leaves. Leo moves around the canvas more but mostly as comic relief. The characters usually seemed annoyed by him. Outside of Gwen, he doesn't even have anyone who tolerates him.

This is different from Carly who was often said to be "brave and strong and loves with her whole heart" even though she was a cruel, evil woman. It's different from Sonny who shot a woman in the head while giving birth, and he was seen as the victim.

I think Jason - the beloved hired hitman - and Ben - the beloved serial killer - are really the only comparisons.

This was my first time meeting the adult Andrew Donovan as I didn't watch Beyond Salem 2. He didn't leave much of an impression. I also don't know if I felt his acting style would match JL/Theresa Donovan. I'm also not certain it would match well with the Kim actress or KP/Eve. I guess it doesn't matter since none of those people are on the cast. I could see him and Shane in scenes together.

I remember liking Paul when he was on the cast and his relationship with Will but not Sonny. I thought he and John were okay. I laughed at how Days must always put a poster of the city/country a person is living in on their wall. Paul had a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge to make sure we knew where he was.

I like Megan and Kate's dynamic. Kate actually feels like Kate again around her. I also like Megan's deliberateness. She feels more sinister than EJ or Stefan and more effective than Kristen. 

The Bo reveal at the end felt anticlimactic. I also wish Marlena or Kayla would have been the one to find him.

[peachmangosteen]

7 hours ago, boes said:

In a changing world, we love our stories and I, for one, among many others, will not be shamed for caring that something that gave us pleasure for so long is now being treated with such breezy contempt.

Conversely, those of us who don't see this show as the most poorly written trash of all time won't be shamed either.

10 minutes ago, 4evaQuez said:

I actually disagree with Gwen and Leo. Gwen is actually really isolated as a character. She stays in her corner of the show and rarely leaves. Leo moves around the canvas more but mostly as comic relief. The characters usually seemed annoyed by him. Outside of Gwen, he doesn't even have anyone who tolerates him.

Seriously. I don't see how Gwen and Leo compare in any way to Ben (or Dan or GH's Sonny/Jason). They don't have every character, including the people they murdered, bending over backwards to prop them. People can and do still hate/barely tolerate them. They haven't infested every single story on the show. There's really no comparison. 

[methodwriter85]

3 hours ago, chediavolo said:

2002? You’re a newbie. So I give you a pass. I’ve been watching since I was in school in 1972or 3 😳, on days off, the summers, vacations. 

So you were around for the start of Baby Hope. I had a professor go off on how Little Hope suddenly became 18 and ready to be married out of nowhere. She didn't use the term Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome, but Hope was a heavy one with her 1975 birth being retconned to 1965. That's actually a heavier one than what Ciara got (2006 becoming 1998) or Claire (2005 becoming 1998) although Shawn was allowed to age relatively normally. Like Last Blast Shawn would have been in 12th grade to Actual Age Shawn in 9th grade. He's up there with Abigail and Will as the legacy characters who were given gentle Soras.