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

[CanaryFan98]

1 hour ago, 4evaQuez said:

I've mentioned that all my favorite Days characters are offscreen: Chloe, Jennifer, Hope, Sami, Bo, and Nicole. It's wonderful seeing Jennifer and Hope again. It feels like Days again with those two on screen.

I enjoyed all the Days' flashbacks and appreciated that the show chose so many from the 80s and before.

Was that a scene of Julie and Doug's first meeting? The flashback was so brief that I couldn't tell the context of their conversation.

Why was Hope wearing one earring in the flashback when she's pregnant with Shawn Douglass? Was that a fashion trend? I liked hearing Addie mentioned. It seems so rare that she is.

It was good seeing so many people in the Horton House. It feels like such a treat to see that many characters in one place now.

I wish they'd left Charlotte and Thomas with Holly instead of Xander. I would never leave my kids or grandkids with that man. 

 

No that was a date they had when they met Susan Martin played by Denise Alexander introduced them. He was hired to con Julie. 
 

Yes it was a trend then but I think it’s something KA has done before so I am not sure 

 

Chad would never leave his kids with Xander it would make more sense with Holly. 

31 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'm not necessarily a fan of Missy but yes, seeing her and KA back makes the show feel a little more whole.

Agreed about leaving the kids with Holly.

 

So.

Big Episode.

KA was the standout. She really didn't hold back and I think the pain of seeing her character regret not being there was relatable. Even if KA's schedule didn't make it possible for her to be in all the scenes with her costars - and if the idiotic creative team squashed the original happy ending of Bo's return last year and prevented them all from having scenes together again - I think she's really going to bring it now. Watching Hope process may well be the big takeaway here, for me at least. (Has KA ever won an Emmy? Not to be crass, but maybe if the material is solid, she could stand a chance now)

SR, as always, made Maggie's reaction pretty subtle and beautiful too.

The script had some nice use of flashbacks, particularly Julie kissing Doug's hand after recalling him kissing hers on a date. It was also cool to see Doug and Maggie dancing (I hardly recognized her!).

...it just strikes me as such a shame that people watching the show today, like myself, really have no idea how much fun Doug was as a character, or Bill as a performer. Seeing these rare clips is a window into another time, back when the show had nuance, a nice budget and actors who were triple threats putting their abilities to good use. I enjoy Sarah and Xander and Eli, sure, but, doesn't vintage Doug look like way more fun than any of these new guys? I kinda want to watch that show now.

I maintain that Jack should not have been the one handling so much of this. MA is really taking me out of everything. He's cringy, cheesy and almost acting like he's in a spoof or something. Like he's the MC of an after-school program (remember those?) I'm probably being a bit harsh on him but I really feel like they have a blind spot about his abilities and need to not give him heavy lifting to do at important moments, like this.

I'm not sure the show should have asked SSH/Julie to talk to the body of her dead husband on camera like that unless she was really comfortable with it and able to give a performance. I got the uneasy feeling this was really weird for her. Like she turned to the crew after each scene and said, wearily, "is that what you wanted?" and then trudged over to the coffee cart and asked herself "WTF am I doing today?" or something. Hopefully not.

Less is more. They could have just had her walk into the room and immediately flashed back to the date, and just kissed Doug's hand. Simple.

I also found it very weird that Julie's initial reaction wasn't to rush upstairs herself. She's a very take charge kinda gal and conversing with Jack and then sitting down struck me as unrealistic. She'd have sprinted up those stairs the minute Jack said Doug wasn't responsive.

Then Kayla just walked into the room - Julie and Doug's bedroom, where he was laying dead! - with this casual speed, like "the episode is almost over, I don't have time to waste." Things usually slow down in a situation like this. Where was Kayla's respectful hesitancy to intrude? They could have shown a time lapse and suggested Julie spent an hour or two just sitting with him, reminiscing and holding him. That would have felt more realistic. Doug passed away at home. Surely there was time for Julie to privately mourn him and say goodbye to his body without so many people interrupting.

And of course we have the (painful) beginning of John's death storyline, with him abandoning Marlena. I'm dreading the shape that this will take. What can they possible cook up to justify John going on a mission without so much as a word to Doc? We had that crap years ago with Bo, and it wasn't fun then either. I so wish Drake had been able - or asked - to record some audio as phone calls to Doc. It's going to be agonizing these next few months :(

Nice shot of all the women standing together in the Horton livingroom. I hope they got a picture of that.

Overall, I'm glad the episode just focused on the moments around his passing and family finding out.

KA hasn’t won an Emmy I don’t think she was nominated but I agree her reaction stood out. I also think Doug back in the day was way more fun than what we currently have. This is why it’s truly sad when these characters pass because we know there’s nothing to replace them in the future. I don’t see the same longevity 

[4evaQuez]

32 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

KA was the standout. 

I maintain that Jack should not have been the one handling so much of this. MA is really taking me out of everything. He's cringy, cheesy and almost acting like he's in a spoof or something. Like he's the MC of an after-school program (remember those?) I'm probably being a bit harsh on him but I really feel like they have a blind spot about his abilities and need to not give him heavy lifting to do at important moments, like this.

I also found it very weird that Julie's initial reaction wasn't to rush upstairs herself. She's a very take charge kinda gal and conversing with Jack and then sitting down struck me as unrealistic. She'd have sprinted up those stairs the minute Jack said Doug wasn't responsive.

I don't think it's crass. I assumed KA and SSH would submit their work for the Emmys. According to Wiki, SSH has been nominated 6 times since the 70s and her last nomination was in 2020 and has never won. I wouldn't be shocked if this is an award for both her performance and her longevity in the genre.

I completely agree with Julie seeming out of character regarding her initial response. I expected Julie to doubt Jack and run up the stairs to check for herself. However, as the scene progressed, I think, narratively, she stayed downstairs, so she and Eli could share a more intimate scene. The scene downstairs and the scene in the bedroom, before she checks on Doug, is the only chance she has with a direct descendant to mourn her loss. No offense to Eli, but once Jennifer, Maggie, and even Marlena entered the scene, his level of importance dropped dramatically. Once Hope arrives, he will take even more of a backseat. I'm going to assume Ciara will arrive, a direct descendant of Doug and a more popular character, and Eli's screen time will again drop dramatically. I think the writers correctly - I would argue - decided to give Julie and Eli their moment early.

This brings up your other point regarding Jack/MA. I agree that he feels widely out of place here. I think Eli should have found Doug to make the transition from Julie downstairs to Julie and Doug's bedroom more natural. While Julie is assertive, I could see her taking more of a pause with Eli than with Jack. Jack also felt out of place calling Kayla - for several reasons - and even dropping off the kids at Maggie's place. Maggie seemed genuinely insulted at Jack barging in, even though she said she wasn't. I couldn't imagine her having that reaction with Jennifer. 

[nilyank]

1 hour ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Chad would never leave his kids with Xander it would make more sense with Holly. 

1 hour ago, DisneyBoy said:

Chad would have left the kids with EJ.

[DisneyBoy]

57 minutes ago, 4evaQuez said:

I don't think it's crass. I assumed KA and SSH would submit their work for the Emmys. According to Wiki, SSH has been nominated 6 times since the 70s and her last nomination was in 2020 and has never won. I wouldn't be shocked if this is an award for both her performance and her longevity in the genre.

I completely agree with Julie seeming out of character regarding her initial response. I expected Julie to doubt Jack and run up the stairs to check for herself. However, as the scene progressed, I think, narratively, she stayed downstairs, so she and Eli could share a more intimate scene. The scene downstairs and the scene in the bedroom, before she checks on Doug, is the only chance she has with a direct descendant to mourn her loss. No offense to Eli, but once Jennifer, Maggie, and even Marlena entered the scene, his level of importance dropped dramatically. Once Hope arrives, he will take even more of a backseat. I'm going to assume Ciara will arrive, a direct descendant of Doug and a more popular character, and Eli's screen time will again drop dramatically. I think the writers correctly - I would argue - decided to give Julie and Eli their moment early.

This brings up your other point regarding Jack/MA. I agree that he feels widely out of place here. I think Eli should have found Doug to make the transition from Julie downstairs to Julie and Doug's bedroom more natural. While Julie is assertive, I could see her taking more of a pause with Eli than with Jack. Jack also felt out of place calling Kayla - for several reasons - and even dropping off the kids at Maggie's place. Maggie seemed genuinely insulted at Jack barging in, even though she said she wasn't. I couldn't imagine her having that reaction with Jennifer. 

I nodded reading all of your post. Well said. Eli would have been a great person to go check on Doug, whom he rarely sees, out of concern and then have the difficult job of telling his grandmother her husband has passed. I hadn't considered them needing to make space for a "moment" between the two of them before all the other characters sweep in, and that would have been the best way to do it. Let Jack and Jennifer handle the plating and food and all of that.

...was anyone else shocked to see the turkey get brought out? Like...Doug just died. I'm pretty sure no one gives a damn about the bird, Eli. No kidding appetites are gone. Thanksgiving is canceled this year, I'd say.

They should have just said they were going to donate the feast to the Horton Center, which, by the way, when was the last time we heard a single thing about that place? No one talks about it anymore!

I don't know about you guys, but when a loved one has died in a house, it takes on a kind of awkward gloom. I wonder if they're even going to address the question of where is Julie going to sleep now? It's likely she wouldn't want to reenter that room or use that bed for a few weeks, if ever again.

Also, Shawn D looks rough. I hope the actor is okay. They seriously need to recast.

Sweet idea to have Bo respond to Hope at the end...but I thought they'd already established that he was "doing well" and therefore not just laying in bed in a full coma. I thought he was already said to be doing physio or something...

[PatsyandEddie]

I cried. I don’t know how SSH did it so huge kudos to her. 

[FrankOFoley]

52 minutes ago, PatsyandEddie said:

I cried. I don’t know how SSH did it so huge kudos to her. 

Well said. I personally appreciate the work SSH did today. 

[CanaryFan98]

3 hours ago, nilyank said:

Chad would have left the kids with EJ.

I agree that would have been better if not Holly. 

[brisbydog]

Chad and Xander get along fine. Xander has his own child in the house and has not historically kidnapped Charlotte or Thomas. Bonnie and Justin are probably around, and Jack was besties with Xander so probably trusts him not to get his grandkids killed on his watch. I am sure he was a fun babysitter.

I wish they hadn't done the Doug body double, it pulled me out of the scene.

[4evaQuez]

1 minute ago, brisbydog said:

Chad and Xander get along fine. Xander has his own child in the house and has not historically kidnapped Charlotte or Thomas. Bonnie and Justin are probably around, and Jack was besties with Xander so probably trusts him not to get his grandkids killed on his watch. I am sure he was a fun babysitter.

I wish they hadn't done the Doug body double, it pulled me out of the scene.

But he has faked the death of Holly, Maggie's granddaughter. Maggie is a woman he claims to love.

He also played a crucial role in the Mickey/Rachel baby switch.

He's not a man I would leave with children.

[brisbydog]

37 minutes ago, 4evaQuez said:

But he has faked the death of Holly, Maggie's granddaughter. Maggie is a woman he claims to love.

He also played a crucial role in the Mickey/Rachel baby switch.

He's not a man I would leave with children.

As Bill Hayes wisely said, if it"s been 6 months since you last committed a crime then you are Salem cured.

[BuckeyeLou]

I admit to crying into Kleenex while watching today's show.  I loved the scene with Julie & Eli(he is so handsome & a good actor, with subtle facial expressions).  It was wonderful to see the Flashback scenes, made me nostalgic.  Maggie & Doug dancing together was beautiful!  I like the moments when the families gather together to support each other.

[JBC344]

A standout episode. Really loved the women coming together at the end, beautiful scene.  

 

[bybrandy]

I found KA’s inability to move her face distracting. The words and tone were correct but it just took me out. 
 

Matt used to be able to act, right?  Because now?  Not so much. 

Did Paulina have a special relationship with Doug?  She felt out of place to me but I’m here for Doug and John’s deaths I’ve been away. 

[SouthernChick]

Maggie saying Doug’s death reminded her of losing Victor took me out. It should have been Mickey. 
 

Loved all the flashbacks.

[rcc]

Paulina has to be inserted into every storyline in this show! When Ron's writing is over I hope that changes. 

 

[boes]

4 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I admit to crying into Kleenex while watching today's show.  I loved the scene with Julie & Eli(he is so handsome & a good actor, with subtle facial expressions).  It was wonderful to see the Flashback scenes, made me nostalgic.  Maggie & Doug dancing together was beautiful!  I like the moments when the families gather together to support each other.

I so agree.  It may not be a widely held opinion, but Eli slid into his relationship with Julie and Doug, and into the Horton family so believably because of what a fine actor Lamon Archey is.  He projects honesty and caring so naturally, IMO.  His and Julie's scenes, for me, carried the day.  Also, that ending shot with the women of Salem was very moving.

Jennifer's call to Hope, both actresses played that very well, I thought.

Well done, Show.

[junemeatcleaver]

10 hours ago, rcc said:

Paulina has to be inserted into every storyline in this show! When Ron's writing is over I hope that changes. 

 

Characters like Paulina and Leo should be recurring comedic characters used sparingly and during appropriate moments not driving storylines.

 

[norcalgal]

Thanks to a Black Friday special, I have Peacock again (at least for a while). ITA with all the various posts about:

• the emotion/acting and dialogue when Jennifer called Hope to give her the sad news 
• Eli the actor and character. Wish he’d return as a series regular 
• Matt Ashford’s acting not fitting the occasion/elevating the material 

Loved the flashbacks. I hope we have more of it as they continue the Doug passing storyline to its respectful conclusion. 

I didn’t see any of the Victor death story, and we still have the John Black passing to come on the show (RIP Drake), but I feel the actors and characters should have respectful, dignified death stories, fitting their status as long time honored veterans of the show. Don’t let me down, Days. 

[Ohiopirate02]

9 hours ago, boes said:

I so agree.  It may not be a widely held opinion, but Eli slid into his relationship with Julie and Doug, and into the Horton family so believably because of what a fine actor Lamon Archey is.  He projects honesty and caring so naturally, IMO.  His and Julie's scenes, for me, carried the day.  Also, that ending shot with the women of Salem was very moving.

I like the character and actor. I just don't like the character of Lani nor Sal Stowers. The character has always been paper thin and Sal does not have the ability to elevate any material.

[DisneyBoy]

Sal has somewhat improved, but seriously lacks range. It didnt help that her character was always a confused mess - as was her parentage - and her performances awkward. Eli was better off without her.

Remember that sassy cartoony lady assistant EJ had for a hot second? If we saw Leo and Paulina like that - once in a while, for a quick burst of fun - they wouldn't grate so much.

Ron overdoses us on his pet characters.

By the way, was it the crazy kidnapping nurse who drugged the B & S set after all? I never heard.

Edited November 30 by DisneyBoy

[brisbydog]

11 hours ago, rcc said:

Paulina has to be inserted into every storyline in this show! When Ron's writing is over I hope that changes. 

 

And Leo

[Rodney]

On 11/28/2024 at 11:02 PM, SouthernChick said:

I am tired of all these characters shitting on Cat. Zero compassion for her. There should be nuance to their reactions, but instead we get Jennifer and Julie basically telling Chad to let Clyde kill her. 

Only Jennifer did.  (And Jack even looked slightly horrified when she said it.)  Julie outright told Chad that she agreed that Cat doesn't deserve to be killed by Clyde.

Gabi shitting on her, however, was rich, since she doesn't even know her, and she's done waaaaaaaay worse than Cat has done, anyway.

15 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Remember that sassy cartoony lady assistant EJ had for a hot second? If we saw Leo and Paulina like that - once in a while, for a quick burst of fun - they wouldn't grate so much.

By the way, was it the crazy kidnapping nurse who drugged the B & S set after all? I never heard.

That was Rita, and I think that she was only a scab creation.  Hence us not seeing her again.

Some of us are thinking that it could be Whitley, and honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if that were the case.  Though I'd wonder how she'd be managing the poisoning from Bayview.

[DisneyBoy]

Today?

Fantastic.

Except for the stupid flashback to the shitty Devil storyline.

Edited December 2 by DisneyBoy

[Rodney]

Catching up with Friday.

Damn.  Susan was a looker in those flashbacks.  She's still beautiful now, but she was stunning back in those days.  And her voice . . . it sounds so different now compared to then.  I thought that people's voices stop deepening when they reach adulthood.  I didn't think that they keep deepening as they approach old age, too.

Was the flashback with the baby blanket from when Hope was pregnant with Shawn or with the baby that she lost before Shawn?

I had no idea that Doug once shared a dance with Maggie!

[Rodney]

Going on to Monday now.

Gloria Loring looks great, even after all of these years!  Nice to see Liz back after so long!  But to whom is Liz now married?

Maree Cheatham looks wonderful, too.  Last time we saw Marie was when Alice died.  Now she's here for Doug's death, too.

Which of Doug and Julie's weddings was Julie remembering before Steven showed up?

What kind of relationship did Steven and Doug have?

Wait.  Marie's the last one of the original Horton kids?!  When did Tommy die?!

So Ciara's had her and Ben's second child, and it was a girl whom they named after Addie.  Confused that Ben didn't want to at least honor his sister some way and name her after Jordan.

Which wedding was Marlena about to have in her flashback with Doug and Julie?

What was Liz and Marie's hatred all about?

[DisneyBoy]

1 hour ago, Rodney said:

Confused that Ben didn't want to at least honor his sister some way and name her after Jordan.

Ben has never cared much for women....

👀

So glad he wasn't anywhere near this episode.

 

Nitpicks: Ciara opening the box off-camera, in two seconds without any real explanation was ridiculous. And I also feel like Ron is getting pay off a fun thing that Sherri set-up, and that isn't fair.

I really felt like Marlena should have said she saw Julie two days ago, because how on earth can anybody set up a proper funeral in less than 24 hours? Even suggesting it only took three days is pushing it. Typical funerals are a week later or more. There are so many calls to make. A time jump here would have only been logical. Are we really to believe people flew into town the next day?

It probably couldn't be helped but the modern hairstyle of the actor playing Doug in the flashbacks really took me out of the scenes.

Lastly, the location for the burial looks exactly like where Victor was buried so...yeah. That's super weird.

Chad is going to be there for the services, right? He and Doug were close...

[Nique]

On 11/28/2024 at 3:17 PM, CanaryFan98 said:

The show actually invests in the females. Do they do that with the males? I think Mike could have been the family patriarch had they invested in him. He connects the show’s beginning yet that doesn’t seem to matter. Lucas could have had a presence also but the show doesn’t care about him beyond Sami and that’s barely. Eli could also have a place here as Julie’s grandson but they don’t see him beyond token status. 
 

There’s Shawn who should have carried the show into the future like we thought. Instead he’s reduced to being cheated on by Belle every couple of years. Total simp status. At least last time he did the cheating 

That being said the Horton women stand out and are more compelling but the men could have been the same too. 

 

He's a total cuck. It's embarrassing and I'm not even a fan of this version of Shawn Douglas Brady. The only time I have liked his Shawn is with ClaireBear particular ORK version. I have never seen a relationship get worse every time the actors are bought back but that's the case for shelle. It's a joke at this point Shawn looks like a punk ass itch, who wouldn't know what a set of balls looked like if it stared him in the face. Belle is a self asbored skanky disloyal waffling **** who has the emotional maturity of a toddler. Whose defining characteristics is that she is a hoe who continues to want her cake and eat it too see: only running to Shawn to tell him that she is screwing her sister rapist ex husband baby daddy because Sami caught them & was going to tell Shawn.

I don't necessarily believe cheating is a breaking point in a relationship depending on the writing, chemistry & relationship, but when it's the only thing consistent about your relationship something has to give.

I will say BB has tried despite years of humiliating writing and an afterthought unless Shawn is needed to be humiliated every other year by Belle. That said Shawn needs to be recasted with a more dynamic actor at least one who can generate chemistry outside of his family. Shawn hasn't been a dynamic character with presence and passion since JC played him. At least I can say MM Belle has it in spades with JKJ Phil which is the best chemistry she has had with a non male relative & the affair was the high point of her version. I know some people think she has it in spades with DF the softer side of sears EJ.

[CanaryFan98]

5 hours ago, Rodney said:

Catching up with Friday.

Damn.  Susan was a looker in those flashbacks.  She's still beautiful now, but she was stunning back in those days.  And her voice . . . it sounds so different now compared to then.  I thought that people's voices stop deepening when they reach adulthood.  I didn't think that they keep deepening as they approach old age, too.

Was the flashback with the baby blanket from when Hope was pregnant with Shawn or with the baby that she lost before Shawn?

I had no idea that Doug once shared a dance with Maggie!

She was pregnant with Shawn at the time. Susan was very striking back in the day and built like a brickhouse tbh. I also didn't know this about Doug/Maggie so that was nice to see. If Days made these episodes available I probably wouldn't bother with the current version of the show. 

As for today's episode Liz really fits with the show seamlessly as if she hasn't been gone for almost 40 years. A shame we never saw her sooner tbh.

Jennifer/Lucas scenes were good. 

I'm almost sad that this funeral stuff has to end because we know that it will go back to the Body and Soul stuff and meh.

I didn't like how Claire has been ignored in all this. Does she even know? I didn't hear it referenced. She was already ignored with Victor's funeral. When John's funeral is in a few months she better be there for that one at least. At least John and Marlena acknowledge her existence.

2 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Ben has never cared much for women....

👀

So glad he wasn't anywhere near this episode.

 

Nitpicks: Ciara opening the box off-camera, in two seconds without any real explanation was ridiculous. And I also feel like Ron is getting pay off a fun thing that Sherri set-up, and that isn't fair.

I really felt like Marlena should have said she saw Julie two days ago, because how on earth can anybody set up a proper funeral in less than 24 hours? Even suggesting it only took three days is pushing it. Typical funerals are a week later or more. There are so many calls to make. A time jump here would have only been logical. Are we really to believe people flew into town the next day?

It probably couldn't be helped but the modern hairstyle of the actor playing Doug in the flashbacks really took me out of the scenes.

Lastly, the location for the burial looks exactly like where Victor was buried so...yeah. That's super weird.

Chad is going to be there for the services, right? He and Doug were close...

Chad isn't going to be there and neither will JJ but Paulina will be unfortunately. 

As for the funeral given Doug's age I don't think it's that strange only because they probably had a plan in place years ago that this day would come sooner than later.  However this is a soap and Days is broke so I feel they had to FF through some stuff to pull this off.

 

Edited December 3 by CanaryFan98

[Rodney]

3 minutes ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I didn't like how Claire has been ignored in all this. Does she even know? I didn't hear it referenced. She was already ignored with Victor's funeral. When John's funeral is in a few months she better be there for that one at least. At least John and Marlena acknowledge her existence.

I don't recall Olivia or Isabel's Claire having much of an onscreen relationship with Doug the way that Ciara did.  That's probably why she's been ignored.

[Nique]

On 11/29/2024 at 2:06 PM, DisneyBoy said:

Also, Shawn D looks rough. I hope the actor is okay. They seriously need to recast.

He has looked emasculated on a couple occasions just like his mamma onscreen too. I sincerely hope he is ok I don't have anything against him and I know and have seen some of my favorites in that position of looking caved in cause of extreme weight loss.

[SouthernChick]

6 minutes ago, Rodney said:

I don't recall Olivia or Isabel's Claire having much of an onscreen relationship with Doug the way that Ciara did.  That's probably why she's been ignored.

I think she’s being ignored because TPTB no use for her character. It’s all about Ciara in their eyes. She better be at John’s funeral next year.

[CanaryFan98]

11 minutes ago, Nique said:

He's a total cuck. It's embarrassing and I'm not even a fan of this version of Shawn Douglas Brady. The only time I have liked his Shawn is with ClaireBear particular ORK version. I have never seen a relationship get worse every time the actors are bought back but that's the case for shelle. It's a joke at this point Shawn looks like a punk ass itch, who wouldn't know what a set of balls looked like if it stared him in the face. Belle is a self asbored skanky disloyal waffling **** who has the emotional maturity of a toddler. Whose defining characteristics is that she is a hoe who continues to want her cake and eat it too see: only running to Shawn to tell him that she is screwing her sister rapist ex husband baby daddy because Sami caught them & was going to tell Shawn.

I don't necessarily believe cheating is a breaking point in a relationship depending on the writing, chemistry & relationship, but when it's the only thing consistent about your relationship something has to give.

I will say BB has tried despite years of humiliating writing and an afterthought unless Shawn is needed to be humiliated every other year by Belle. That said Shawn needs to be recasted with a more dynamic actor at least one who can generate chemistry outside of his family. Shawn hasn't been a dynamic character with presence and passion since JC played him. At least I can say MM Belle has it in spades with JKJ Phil which is the best chemistry she has had with a non male relative & the affair was the high point of her version. I know some people think she has it in spades with DF the softer side of sears EJ.

While I actually agree with all of this I'm not sure a recast would make that much of a difference.    The show has to invest in Shawn and I just don't see them doing that beyond being Belle's husband. This show only seemed to care about these characters when Jason/Kirsten were in the roles.  The show already fated Shawn/Belle as the OTP because of who their parents were and neglecting the fact that you have to write that type of story and have the characters be just as compelling to make it happen. Recast Shawn? Maybe they would have chemistry but the damage is done for the reasons you listed above. 

I've seen BB in other things and enjoyed him way more in that than I do on Days go figure. It was a Lifetime movie with Melissa Archer and I thought they had decent chemistry(a shame they didn't cross paths when they were on Days).

 

[CanaryFan98]

19 minutes ago, Rodney said:

I don't recall Olivia or Isabel's Claire having much of an onscreen relationship with Doug the way that Ciara did.  That's probably why she's been ignored.

ORK had scenes with Doug and Julie not as much as John/Marlena but it was there. I found her not being at Victor's funeral stranger she had more scenes with him than Doug.

[Nique]

1 minute ago, CanaryFan98 said:

While I actually agree with all of this I'm not sure a recast would make that much of a difference.    The show has to invest in Shawn and I just don't see them doing that beyond being Belle's husband. This show only seemed to care about these characters when Jason/Kirsten were in the roles.  The show already fated Shawn/Belle as the OTP because of who their parents were and neglecting the fact that you have to write that type of story and have the characters be just as compelling to make it happen. Recast Shawn? Maybe they would have chemistry but the damage is done for the reasons you listed above. 

You know what that is true maybe a recast wouldn't make a difference in how days views the character outside of Belle's chump husband and Bo/Hope son basically in name since they don't care to much about that part. I do believe they're invested in Belle/MM given how much material she gets not tied to the pairing at least until they fire them again. Her family, the shit with Sami, EJ, Philip all versions, the affair. They actually move her around the canvas with investment in my view.

Yes the writing has to be there and days has never given them the type of writing that their parents and Super Couples have gotten. Shelle no matter the versions have never had great or even down right excellent writing. Also you can also have investment and great or good writing but if the chemistry isn't their isn't going to matter. Just like chemistry can only take you so far with subpar writing, great good writing can only take you so far when chemistry is lacking or non existent which is the case with BB, MM shelle. They should just break them up for good nostalgia can only take you so far and you can only play the same story for so long before it gets stale repetitive.

[CanaryFan98]

25 minutes ago, Nique said:

You know what that is true maybe a recast wouldn't make a difference in how days views the character outside of Belle's chump husband and Bo/Hope son basically in name since they don't care to much about that part. I do believe they're invested in Belle/MM given how much material she gets not tied to the pairing at least until they fire them again. Her family, the shit with Sami, EJ, Philip all versions, the affair. They actually move her around the canvas with investment in my view.

Yes the writing has to be there and days has never given them the type of writing that their parents and Super Couples have gotten. Shelle no matter the versions have never had great or even down right excellent writing. Also you can also have investment and great or good writing but if the chemistry isn't their isn't going to matter. Just like chemistry can only take you so far with subpar writing, great good writing can only take you so far when chemistry is lacking or non existent which is the case with BB, MM shelle. They should just break them up for good nostalgia can only take you so far and you can only play the same story for so long before it gets stale repetitive.

I agree the chemistry would have made this somewhat palatable and they don't even have that either. I don't get why they don't break them up for good. I mean they share a child that's enough to connect them. It is obvious the show has no interest in writing them as a couple onscreen and when they reunite the show dumps them afterwards so just let them live their separate lives. Who knows maybe Shawn might be a better character because of it(and I only say this because it's hard to imagine him being worse than where he is now when it comes to Belle)

[Giuseppe]

3 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I really felt like Marlena should have said she saw Julie two days ago, because how on earth can anybody set up a proper funeral in less than 24 hours? Even suggesting it only took three days is pushing it. Typical funerals are a week later or more. There are so many calls to make. A time jump here would have only been logical. Are we really to believe people flew into town the next day?

Did show specifically say only a day had gone by? I was assuming a time jump had taken place. Marlena saying she saw Julie briefly yesterday didn't have to be referring to the time we saw her visit Julie with the other Horton women (and Paulina) on Thanksgiving day. A week could've gone by, during which arrangements were made, people flew in, and Marlena made another trip to Julie's to check on her. 

[Nique]

4 minutes ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I agree the chemistry would have made this somewhat palatable and they don't even have that either. I don't get why they don't break them up for good. I mean they share a child that's enough to connect them. It is obvious the show has no interest in writing them as a couple onscreen and when they reunite the show dumps them afterwards so just let them live their separate lives. Who knows maybe Shawn might be a better character because of it(and I only say this because it's hard to imagine him being worse than where he is now when it comes to Belle)

Yeah it's time I hope they go in a permanent separation. 

[brisbydog]

I echo the disinterest in BB as Shawn and in Shelle as a couple. I do love Martha and I will ship the heck out of Belle and EJ

 

[norcalgal]

7 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Today?

Fantastic.

Except for the stupid flashback to the shitty Devil storyline.

I came here to post the exact same thing about the dumbass decision to include Devil Marlena in the flashbacks. I was like, wtf?!?!  Sooooo many decades of Marlena and Doug on the show - portrayed by the same actors - and THAT’S what they chose?!  Shame on you Days.

[DisneyBoy]

2 hours ago, Nique said:

the softer side of sears EJ.

Oh god 😆😆😆😆

 

[DisneyBoy]

 

2 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Liz really fits with the show seamlessly as if she hasn't been gone for almost 40 years. A shame we never saw her sooner tbh.

Fully agree. I'm loving Liz and I want her to sing.

2 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I didn't like how Claire has been ignored in all this. Does she even know? I didn't hear it referenced. She was already ignored with Victor's funeral. When John's funeral is in a few months she better be there for that one at least. At least John and Marlena acknowledge her existence.

THANK YOU. I miss Claire, at least the original version. At least ORK Claire was funny and sincere.

2 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Chad isn't going to be there and neither will JJ but Paulina will be unfortunately. 

Um...what's the logic there? Oh wait, are they both out of town on some dumb side mission I don't care about?

2 hours ago, Nique said:

He has looked emasculated on a couple occasions just like his mamma onscreen too.

I think you mean emaciated, aka skinny. But yeah, Belle has emasculated him a couple of times too.

And now that I'm thinking about it, Marlena does rock those blazers. ☺

1 hour ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Who knows maybe Shawn might be a better character because of it(and I only say this because it's hard to imagine him being worse than where he is now when it comes to Belle)

Ouch. But facts.

1 hour ago, Giuseppe said:

Marlena saying she saw Julie briefly yesterday didn't have to be referring to the time we saw her visit Julie with the other Horton women (and Paulina) on Thanksgiving day. A week could've gone by, during which arrangements were made, people flew in, and Marlena made another trip to Julie's to check on her. 

Huh - never considered that! Thanks!

1 hour ago, brisbydog said:

I do love Martha and I will ship the heck out of Belle and EJ

I also love Martha and will hate the heck out of Belle and EJ.

(Fine, she has chemistry with everyone but he was awful to Sami and that should be the biggest deterrent for her.)

53 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

Shame on you Days.

Shame on you Ron for even writing an elder abuse storyline and then handwaving it.

Marlena drugged and imprisoned an elderly man. That's messed up. And it was all for...what? The temporary boost in public image DAYS got because the Devil storyline was back?

It's best forgotten.

Edited December 3 by DisneyBoy

[Nique]

10 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

Oh god 😆😆😆😆

 

Well🤷‍♀️🤣 I hate EJ no matter who plays him but I was watching Days maybe during that Lumi/Sami/Ejelle mess and it just came at me after looking at him that compared to ruthless evil raping murdering James Scott EJ version he is a sad sac. Though Credit where it's do I do think him AZ had great chemistry compared to JS EJ. None with AS no loss there hopefully it ends that rapemance for good

9 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

I think you mean emaciated, aka skinny. But yeah, Belle has emasculated him a couple of times too.

And now that I'm thinking about it, Marlena does rock those blazers. ☺

Yes that's what I meant 🤣I asked my friend who I'm on the phone with to spell it out for me cause I didn't want to lose my post and retyping by going on Google to look it up 😅 I'm lazy today. She didn't know what the hell I was talking about 🤣

[salvame]

Monday's episode was the best one in forever!! I was elated to see Gloria Loring! I still have her album with Friends and Lovers! Doug's send-off is proving to be so worthy of his legacy to the show. Makes Victor's more pathetic by comparison. Yes, there were some things I could have done without, but on the whole, it was lovely to see so many folks return to ay tribute to Doug. And Julie has been a trooper. I expected more tears, until I realized that she has already shed her real life tears over her husband's passing. What an amazing couple and an amazing life!

[Soapy Goddess]

4 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'm loving Liz and I want her to sing.

Maybe at the funeral??

[methodwriter85]

2 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Maybe at the funeral??

I vote for The Facts of Life theme. But like, sadly. Sung slow like Bette Midler sings "The Glory of Love" at the end of Beaches. (She did co-write the song and Alan is dead so I would assume she has the rights to it, although copyright is a thorny issue.) 

[methodwriter85]

12 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

probably couldn't be helped but the modern hairstyle of the actor playing Doug in the flashbacks really took me out of the scenes.

Spoiler

I'm spoiling this but it's not Doug in a flashback. It's a modern day grandson Doug, but I think they were trying to trick us into thinking it was a flashback with the black and white. Which would have been clever if Peyton Meyer hadn't already been announced as joining the show as Doug's grandson. 

 

[chediavolo]

12 hours ago, Nique said:

He has looked emasculated on a couple occasions just like his mamma onscreen too. I sincerely hope he is ok I don't have anything against him and I know and have seen some of my favorites in that position of looking caved in cause of extreme weight loss.

Emaciated. But emasculated fits too! 😄
Edited: Sorry. I’m late ,,,

is Hope not coming back for her beloved fathers funeral?

Edited December 3 by chediavolo

[DisneyBoy]

8 hours ago, salvame said:

Doug's send-off is proving to be so worthy of his legacy to the show. Makes Victor's more pathetic by comparison.

Maybe they're learning...

But also, yesterday was the 15,000th episode so there was that additional incentive to go big and make it special.

Hey, I'm still upset about how they did (and didn't) write out Stefano.

5 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I vote for The Facts of Life theme

Was that her??

Thanks for the clarification Method. Wow 🙄 that was a dumb choice on their part. Super confusing.

3 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Is Hope not coming back for her beloved fathers funeral?

Apparently not...but she is coming back.

[DisneyBoy]

So we don't get to see how she opened the box? That's lame. Four adults spent months trying to pick it, but one glance from Magical Ciara and it just pops open?

On the plus side, this is the most I've liked Ciara in years. Except for her hoochie outfit.

Cass!!!! (I'm sorry, I'm calling him Cass this whole time. There are already too many Stephens, Stefans and Steves.) I want Cass to stick around to hang with Hope, but I guess if he ended the episode in the Square, he's leaving? That fast?

I love Marie. Beautiful woman. Great delivery. And she's the last original Horton? Please sign her up. I'd gladly watch her be a supporting character.

Ok, the time capsule was cute. Baby booties! The deed to the Horton Cabin! (shouldn't that have been more accessible for legal reasons though?)

I really wish they'd rebuilt St Luke's for this. An outdoor memorial in December? Weird.

I found myself very confused as to which details in the memorial were facts about Doug versus facts about Bill...I half wondered if Davey Crocket would be listed among the songs. Did Doug write those songs on the show?

Susan SH...what a trooper. Didn't see any tears, but her just doing this is remarkable. 

Liz sang! And of course, it was "Always". And they all joined in - in harmony no less! What a perfect idea. Beautiful delivery. 😥

But why show that clip of Doug collapsing in pain during the final montage? Odd.

Another classic episode.

Edited December 3 by DisneyBoy

[Rodney]

Belle's never met Liz or Marie before?  Crazy!

Could someone please tell me the bad blood between Liz and Marie?  I'm really curious as to why they wasted no time going at it with each other.  It had to have been bad for that to happen.