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

[JBC344]

Aremid was always in the US. In the 90's it was more of a coastal small town. Think New England small fisherman's town in say New Hampshire or Maine. 

Previously it was never near Salem. The whole point was that Celeste fled there to be anonymous and give birth to Lexie where no one would ever think to look for her there. Stefano joined her there at a later date and they became friends with Rachel and her husband. 

[norcalgal]

Based on today’s show, lemme guess:  Rachel will pretend to be Ava  via exclusive texting using Ava’s phone?  Days already did this when Sarah?  Nicole? some female was missing/hostage and the culprit pretended that person was still around via text. If this is the route they’re going with hostage Ava, here’s why this is sooooo damned stupid:

•  the audience has to pretend Ava’s phone doesn’t need a passcode to access it 
• Ava has a business to run; ya think someone might, just might need to talk (not text) to her about a business matter
• the longer Ava exclusively communicates via text, the current holder of the single Salem brain cell might think “gee, this sounds familiar”
• it won’t look suspicious at all, no siree if/when someone tries multiple times to call or FaceTime Ava and can never reach her. Nope, not suspicious in the least.

In non Ava/Rachel stuff, does anyone sense chemistry between Holly and Doug III?  I don’t sense chemistry between Tate/Holly. 

[methodwriter85]

3 hours ago, norcalgal said:

n non Ava/Rachel stuff, does anyone sense chemistry between Holly and Doug III?  I don’t sense chemistry between Tate/Holly. 

I'm seeing it. It's subtle, but Doug is definitely giving her the heart eyes and Holly ain't minding that.

Edited Tuesday at 05:19 AM by methodwriter85

[DisneyBoy]

Ghosts/hallucinations can't push wheelchairs, can they?

Sigh.

I guess the best we can hope for now is that the Woman in White is Rachel 1.0's heretofore unmentioned...sister?

...

I hate what they did when they brought back Edmund and now I hate what they're doing as they bring back Rachel.

[JBC344]

7 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Ghosts/hallucinations can't push wheelchairs, can they?

Sigh.

I guess the best we can hope for now is that the Woman in White is Rachel 1.0's heretofore unmentioned...sister?

...

I hate what they did when they brought back Edmund and now I hate what they're doing as they bring back Rachel.

Until Rachel Blake interacts with Ava, I'm still going with a projection from young Rachel. Even then it could still be in Rachel's head. 

[Retired at last]

Kind of OT, but not sure where to post it - does anyone know what happened to the SalemSpectator.com site? It just disappeared and I am wondering if they changed their URL? Thanks for any help.

[norcalgal]

I forgot to comment yesterday that color me surprised Days brought up the point I made about Sophia's age when the baby will be born.  So Sophia outright said she would be "over 18" when the baby is born. WOW - Days actually can do basic math.

I think Tate had a good idea of looking for the ideal adoptive parents for the baby as a way to make adoption more palatable to Sophia's mom. I'm intrigued how far they take this tack.

One final thing:  Sophia doesn't go to a religious school, does she?  I find it unrealistic a person as super duper religious as Mrs. Choi would have Sophia go to a public school instead of a religious school.

 

[Ohiopirate02]

2 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

One final thing:  Sophia doesn't go to a religious school, does she?  I find it unrealistic a person as super duper religious as Mrs. Choi would have Sophia go to a public school instead of a religious school.

I find it pretty realistic. Many super duper religious people send their kids to public school especially in places where the religious schools care more about religion than academics. When I was in high school in the South, no one who wanted their kids to receive a proper education and attend some institution of higher learning including community college sent their kids to the religious schools. Back then it was known that you needed to get a GED after graduating from 2 of them and the third was a small school where all the "troublemakers" went.

[DisneyBoy]

I love Jada accurately characterizing Rafe as boring. 😄 Everybody knows it! Haha

Arnold being a bit homophobic is an interesting angle.

Did we ever see him played by another actor before he was surgically changed to resemble Rafe? What did he look like?

Fun seeing the two parties. Community moments like those are so much a part of the fun of soaps.

Paulina is loving her new body! Good for her...

Those ladies are drinking waaaaay too fast though....

Who is Jeremy Horton? And how old is Stephanie anyway....? Is she like Melanie, who nearly got married 20 years ago to Philip but is still young somehow?

The guys parties are historically so boring, LOL. Beers and standing around? Woohoo? These guys are all underwritten stiffs.

Strippers in the Brady pub? That feels slightly...sacrilegious.

EJ was hilarious with Gabi. Dan is having fun.

Why does this show always pretend people do these parties the night before the wedding?

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:24 PM by DisneyBoy

[brisbydog]

3 hours ago, Retired at last said:

Kind of OT, but not sure where to post it - does anyone know what happened to the SalemSpectator.com site? It just disappeared and I am wondering if they changed their URL? Thanks for any help.

They got deleted from the server with no warning last Wednesday. They are working on getting it restored but until then you need to join their facebook group

48 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

 

Who is Jeremy Horton? And how old is Stephanie anyway....? Is she like Melanie, who nearly got married 20 years ago to Philip but is still young somehow?

 

 

Jeremy is the son of Mike Horton and Robin Jacobs, so Jennifer's nephew.

Stephanie was born in 1989 and seems to be around that mid 30s age. Sort of like Abby who maintained her real age (unlike Brady who was born the same year and yet is twenty years older)

[norcalgal]

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I find it pretty realistic. Many super duper religious people send their kids to public school especially in places where the religious schools care more about religion than academics. When I was in high school in the South, no one who wanted their kids to receive a proper education and attend some institution of higher learning including community college sent their kids to the religious schools. Back then it was known that you needed to get a GED after graduating from 2 of them and the third was a small school where all the "troublemakers" went.

Color me surprised super religious folks would care more about academics than religious instruction. Seems contrary to their professed religiosity. After all, gasp - their kids might get unChristian ideas from a public school (shudder)! 

[Ohiopirate02]

2 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

Color me surprised super religious folks would care more about academics than religious instruction. Seems contrary to their professed religiosity. After all, gasp - their kids might get unChristian ideas from a public school (shudder)! 

It really depends on the faith and denomination. They also try their hardest to make their local public schools as Christian as possible. I had abstinence only sex education in the public school taught by a bunch of coaches since health was a part of PE. Kids could also opt out of the one or two days in biology where evolution was discussed. The school did allow for a bible club to meet on premises as long as the club met before the school day started.

[BuckeyeLou]

DisneyBoy there never was another actor playing "Arnold",  in the original FauxRafe storyline, Galen Gering played both parts like he is now.  I am getting a big kick out of Galen being "Goofball" Arnold & EJ(Dan) reaction to how Arnold was acting at the party :)  The girls party was a Hoot, everyone talking about their one regret..Belle's spilling the beans on sleeping with EJ had all the women shocked, lol.  And Chanel was so funny and then when she kissed Shawn! And all the nicknames for Steve  "Pirate Pete" "Cyclops", "One Eyed Willie", lol.

[DisneyBoy]

2 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I had abstinence only sex education in the public school taught by a bunch of coaches since health was a part of PE.

🙄

2 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Kids could also opt out of the one or two days in biology where evolution was discussed.

🙄

...I mean, let's not teach young people about their bodies, about human history or how to do their taxes. Why would they ever need to know about those things...right?

48 minutes ago, BuckeyeLou said:

DisneyBoy there never was another actor playing "Arnold",  in the original FauxRafe storyline, Galen Gering played both parts like he is now. 

Booooo. Sorry Galen but.... boooo 😆 You're no Eileen.

 

Jada: "I'm marrying Rafe tomorrow? I'm the luckiest woman in the world!!!"

Everyone Watching: "That's enough with the booze!"

[boes]

24 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

...I mean, let's not teach young people about their bodies, about human history or how to do their taxes. Why would they ever need to know about those things...right?

I'm sure Mrs. Choi insists that Sophia and the other teens learned about their bodies the same way she did.  You know, the Looby Loo method...

You put your right foot in
You put your right foot out
You give your foot a shake, shake, shake
And turn yourself about

Here we go Looby Loo
Here we go Looby Light
Here we go Looby Loo
All on a Saturday night!

It's when they got to the Hokey Pokey that all hell broke out.

Edited Tuesday at 11:23 PM by boes

[CanaryFan98]

3 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

It really depends on the faith and denomination. They also try their hardest to make their local public schools as Christian as possible. I had abstinence only sex education in the public school taught by a bunch of coaches since health was a part of PE. Kids could also opt out of the one or two days in biology where evolution was discussed. The school did allow for a bible club to meet on premises as long as the club met before the school day started.

I don't think it's religious as much as regional because while I grew up in a Christian/Catholic town I didn't go to a religious school. However this reminds me of the type of sex education I received and I grew up in the Midwest where it's rather conservative.

5 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

 

The guys parties are historically so boring, LOL. Beers and standing around? Woohoo? These guys are all underwritten stiffs.

Strippers in the Brady pub? That feels slightly... sacrilegious.

 

 

Now that you mention it, I don't know a male bachelor party on this show that was good although John's a few years back where they played baseball (off screen) seemed like fun.

There have been strippers before Caroline was well known for that. She had some in mind I think for Carrie's bachelorette party before her first wedding to Austin. Then later on Austin, Peter, Jonah etc showed up and crashed the whole thing apparently Caroline was in on it and they put on a show for the girls. It was fun.

[CanaryFan98]

Jada/Belle being friendly is odd to me given what happened with Shawn/Talia. There should've been more awkwardness between them.

[SouthernChick]

Belle and EJ still have chemistry!

[methodwriter85]

1 hour ago, SouthernChick said:

Belle and EJ still have chemistry!

This EJ has chemistry with everyone.

Except Sami, go figure.

[Rodney]

Loved the women's party.  It felt like the actresses were having as much fun as their characters.

I appreciated Stephanie mentioning Jeremy.  Because a different actress was playing her at the time, I'd totally forgotten that they'd been together.  Nice use of history there.

But . . . Jada looked shocked by the news of Johnny getting possessed by the Devil.  Why?  She's been in town for over two years now.  She seriously hasn't been told about that yet?!

[DisneyBoy]

😠

Well there it is. Ava's talking to her. She's not a ghost. Rachel Blake has been resurrected. For....this. So disappointed.

 

Martha and Dan are cute together but yikes....this is gross for Belle.

HUGE 👏👏👏👏👏👏 to Marlena for laying down the law. Atta girl!

(I wish she hated Ben half as much as she hates EJ though)

Edited Wednesday at 06:38 PM by DisneyBoy

[BuckeyeLou]

Belle & EJ are cute together...the actors have chemistry...I liked their verbal jabs at each other..OHHH Marlena: laying down the law!  Shawn had some good advice for Chanel.  The Lady in White is a 'trip", if she is so concerned about Rachel's feelings, why didnt she show up earlier, like after finding out about Rachel's birth.  Ohh: Lunar New Year is "Year of the Snake", Seymour fits right in! :)

[Rodney]

4 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Well there it is. Ava's talking to her. She's not a ghost. Rachel Blake has been resurrected. For....this. So disappointed.

If Ron is trying in any way to honor history, then I imagine that he will have Rachel switch sides or mindsets when she gets the full story, just like she did in her original storyline.  Right now, she's only operating based on her granddaughter's side of the story, not Brady, Kristen, or even Ava's.

[norcalgal]

Nailed it!  I called Rachel pretending to be Ava via text. Re-Ron recycling yet again.  🙄

[DisneyBoy]

He literally has two different characters being held captive in two different storylines at the same time.

Will he go for three?

[SouthernChick]

Did anyone find Marlena over the top? Yes, I get it she hates EJ, but she only mentioned Eric being the reason she hates him, not Sami who he has done worse to. Anyway, I get that it’s her house, so if Ejelle are going to continue I guess it will have to be at the DiMansion.

[Rodney]

1 hour ago, SouthernChick said:

Did anyone find Marlena over the top?

Not really.  E.J.'s hurt her family so many times.  She's entitled to act the way that she does toward him.

[Soapy Goddess]

5 hours ago, SouthernChick said:

Did anyone find Marlena over the top?

Yes. The song and dance were unnecessary. All she had to do is tell EJ to leave. Period.

[CanaryFan98]

7 hours ago, Rodney said:

Not really.  E.J.'s hurt her family so many times.  She's entitled to act the way that she does toward him.

I am not bothered by her reaction to EJ either but compared to Ben who has also hurt her family along with some others it's definitely hypocritical.

[boes]

14 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

He literally has two different characters being held captive in two different storylines at the same time.

Will he go for three?

Wouldn't it be great if Ron C. kidnapped himself?  

Apparently somebody put new batteries in RoboMar yesterday.  I hope they weren't the cheap Dollar Store ones.  They never last long, and, you know, leakage.....  She's got every right and reason to hate EJ and ban him from her home.  But lecturing her daughter for being around him, the daughter who is the mother of a grown child herself, is more than a bit rich, especially when she she finds Leo such delightful company that she has lunch with the putz.  Leo, the same guy who brought extended misery into her grandson's life.  

And, as you all mentioned, OllieBen Necktie Killer.

As long as she's more than fine with him, RoboMar doesn't have a pantsuit to stand on.

Or a square to spare.

[DisneyBoy]

Well said! I hope the batteries do last. It was almost like Deidre was enjoying herself!

8 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Yes. The song and dance were unnecessary. All she had to do is tell EJ to leave. Period.

I couldn't help but flash back to when Sami and EJ were getting married and EJ personally followed-up on the wedding invitation when he crossed paths with Marlena in the Square. She paused and took a breath and told him it would be hypocritical for her show up to support them since she doesn't believe they're good for one another. So no.

Something to that effect, but it was so sensitively and calmly stated that you could tell, as a mother, she was like "....siiiiiiiiiigh, you guys are a MESS and I have zero respect for you...maybe give that some serious thought?"

I applauded her then, and I applauded her yesterday as well.

Pet characters severely ruin everything. Ben and Leo fly in the face of whatever integrity Marlena has as a human being and as a therapist. "Ben is cured!" my ass. "He was just mentally ill!" my ass. Cured from thinking it's worth strangling a bunch of people to death just so shitty Abigail will stay with him??? And how exactly is Leo better now? He's yelled at his Mom and stopped hooking up, aka, he's no longer a slimeball and annoyance? Hardly!

I really try to compartmentalize some of things Marlena has done because when I think about them all at once - her staunch support of Eric and mistrust of Nicole, her love for Belle and her mistrust of EJ, her support of Ben and Leo and mistrust of Clyde - it doesn't add up.

Once you remind yourself "oh, it's just because Ben was being propped up to the heavens, and now, so is Leo" you can kinda ignore it.

Kinda.

 

I'm going to miss the current Rachel actress once she's gone. She's really grown into the part and embraced the "bad seed" energy.

[brisbydog]

Dee insisting on having all these 'buddy' scenes with her faves (Ben, Alex and now Leo) is so detrimental to her character. I guess she just gets what she wants though. 

The only ones that worked were Bobby and Li on some level, because they both desperately needed a shrink. Ben murdering her grandson should automatically mean she doesn't see him, ditto Leo helping kidnap her other grandson. And whatever Alex needed help for was so dumb (sex addiction?) that it was just so clearly made up so Dee could share screen time with RSW

[Sidney]

When I see Marlena onscreen now, all I see is Hattie. That's who she is now.  And I think that who she enjoys playing. Gone is the smart intelligent woman.

[PatsyandEddie]

I have no idea how DF and GG kept from cracking up in their scenes with those birthday hats on. I was snort laughing. 

[BuckeyeLou]

17 minutes ago, PatsyandEddie said:

I have no idea how DF and GG kept from cracking up in their scenes with those birthday hats on. I was snort laughing. 

And then when EJ did the train sound "ChooChoo" :)

[DisneyBoy]

5 hours ago, brisbydog said:

Ben murdering her grandson should automatically mean she doesn't see him

5 hours ago, brisbydog said:

Ben murdering her grandson should automatically mean she doesn't see him

5 hours ago, brisbydog said:

Ben murdering her grandson should automatically mean she doesn't see him

I reposted that three times for emphasis.

 

Because YES.

[SouthernChick]

I didn’t appreciate Marlena telling Leo about Belle and EJ. It’s not his business and a betrayal of Belle.

[SanDiegoInExile]

>>>Who is Jeremy Horton? And how old is Stephanie anyway....? Is she like Melanie, who nearly got married 20 years ago to Philip but is still young somehow?<<<

As someone else already noted, Jeremy Horton is the son of Mike Horton and Robin Jacobs. Robin was hired by Tom Horton to be Chief of Surgery, and there was a yearlong romance, with all the typical soapy intrusions.

Robin was devoutly Jewish and was insistent that Mike had to convert.  Alice was not pleased by that.  Robin briefly married pharmacist Mitch Kaufmann, while Mike was focused on Ivy Jannings and Diana Colville. Robin and Mike were trapped in the tunnels during a collapse. She was shot. They reunited, but eventually broke up again.

Dr Jacobs left Salem and returned 16 months later with surprise child Jeremy in the late 1980s.  Mike was involved heavily with April Ramirez, so Robin decided to move to Israel and raise Jeremy.  At that point, Michael T Weiss exited the show and so it was easy for Mike Horton to move to Israel as well.

Fast forward to 2007/8 and Jeremy shows up in Salem.  In his mid-20s, he hatches a scheme to launch an airline with service between Salem and Vegas.  Touch The Sky airlines is born.  Stephanie gives up racing cars, dyes her hair from red to black, decides to skip college, and becomes a flight attendant with Chelsea Brady on TTS, while romancing the pilot/owner Jeremy Horton.

That puts Stephanie at about 23 or 24 years old, only slightly SORASed at the time.  Jeremy Horton turns out to be a bad seed, even physically dunking Stephanie in a hot tub when she "makes him mad".  He claims he is misunderstood.  TTS airlines goes bust and Jeremy leaves Salem to avoid the law.

Stephanie and Chelsea vie for sexing up their Uncle Max.  Chelsea wins that lottery and they leave Salem.  Stephanie enrolls at Salem U.  By this time she is not aging at all, getting raped by Ford Decker, hiding his dead body at the sorority house, dating Philip Kiriakis, being kidnapped by an EJ henchman, and getting stuffed into a morgue drawer by the DiMeras.

Philip moved on to Melanie. Stephanie dated Dr Nathan Horton, Melissa Anderson Horton's son.  Chloe Lane got pregnant via Philip and Stephanie used her computer skills to change Parker's paternity.  (I recall she also changed some other results, and Grandma Caroline Brady lied and accepted the blame, knowing she wouldn't get jail time.)

Shelley Hennig got a network pilot and left.  So Stephanie was gone.  At this point she was roughly 27-28.

Fast forward to Abigail Klein showing up in Beyond Salem, about a dozen years later.  That would push her to 40.  But the SORAS machine has slowed down. Instead of 40, she seems to be playing roughly her own age, which is 36.

 

[DisneyBoy]

Wow! Sounds like she wasn't Ms Perfect after all.

She and Sarah should clearly be older than they are.

Interesting that Melissa's son had a long arc when Melissa herself has barely been on the show.