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

[DisneyBoy]

Someone from over at daytime royalty reached out to the folks at DAYS (or a source/leak) and got confirmation that yes, they're supposed to be in Salem. Makes no sense, but there it is.

7 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

The stand-in John saying goodbyes is fine

He's a doing a good job with the few lines he's got. I can actually pretend its Drake.

[boes]

No way did Johnnie shoot EJ.  Show is making it too obvious.  

If Rachel didn't do it, then I expect it'll be Felicity, or Jan returned for a day, or Viv, or maybe Victoria crawled out of her crib and made it over to the DiMera Mansion and back.  

[DisneyBoy]

Or Shane in a Victoria disguise!

 

(Thanks for helping to keep things light boes)

[norcalgal]

12 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Someone from over at daytime royalty reached out to the folks at DAYS (or a source/leak) and got confirmation that yes, they're supposed to be in Salem. Makes no sense, but there it is.

Thanks for this @DisneyBoy.  I wish that same person could follow up and ask if Bo is truly in Salem, how come NOBODY is coming to see him?!  If x,y,z person has time to visit a critical John, why can’t they visit a critical Bo? 

[ASpring1900]

23 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Man, EM looked like a different actor in today’s flashback. I didn’t recognize him for a second. Mostly because he was a lot less bulkier in the flashback.

Agreed! He, GG and Lindsay Hartley were the reason I started watching Days in 2009, since I adored Passions.

 

On 5/28/2025 at 1:40 PM, DisneyBoy said:

...that flashback with sleeping Marlena sleeping in the penthouse and then moaning in the wind...was that voice supposed to be RoboJohn calling out "Mar! Le Na!" ?? It was SUPER weird. I laughed. High camp.

Extremely, extremely cringy. Yikes. 

Was that Christie Clark in the flashbacks?

[brisbydog]

15 minutes ago, ASpring1900 said:

Agreed! He, GG and Lindsay Hartley were the reason I started watching Days in 2009, since I adored Passions.

 

Extremely, extremely cringy. Yikes. 

Was that Christie Clark in the flashbacks?

Yes that was Christie

[DaphneCat]

3 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Thanks for this @DisneyBoy.  I wish that same person could follow up and ask if Bo is truly in Salem, how come NOBODY is coming to see him?!  If x,y,z person has time to visit a critical John, why can’t they visit a critical Bo? 

They had a VERY throw away line about how because of the sepsis Bo was in isolation so no one could visit him.  I guess they're allowing it now - maybe because he was given the drug or they think there's hope?

[Desperado]

It was nice to see Will, I’ve been trying to figure out why he looks so different, maybe no longer wearing a beard or major dental work?

I’m glad many of you are enjoying the return of actors in John’s family.

I apologize in advance for my next words, but…

I can’t with the actors pouring their hearts out to a mummy. I skipped everything but the flashbacks (everyone was SO young!)

Why couldn’t all these heartfelt conversations and flashbacks not be done with other characters before or during his funeral?

And the positive “he’s going to make it” dialogue also grates. Did they really think it would’ve been at all possible? How hard that must’ve been for the actors who knew better…

Again, apologizing to all who love these scenes, it’s all heartbreaking.

[Artsda]

Since when does Johnny call Brady, uncle Brady.  Grandpa John by Will too is odd. 

I can do without Johnny still going on and about EJ and Sami, to Marlena and that Will knowing too. Will worked with EJ and worked for him.  Johnny didn't care what Kristen did to Eric, Stefan did to Abby. He actually respected Stefan despite it. So Johnny can shut up, he's right he is not living up to his name. 

Sami and Sydney are actually coming? The show could use Claire, both her grandfather's are dying. 

I disagree with Brady saying he's first born.  It'll always be Carrie, biology or not. 

[JBC344]

2 hours ago, Artsda said:

Since when does Johnny call Brady, uncle Brady.  Grandpa John by Will too is odd. 

I can do without Johnny still going on and about EJ and Sami, to Marlena and that Will knowing too. Will worked with EJ and worked for him.  Johnny didn't care what Kristen did to Eric, Stefan did to Abby. He actually respected Stefan despite it. So Johnny can shut up, he's right he is not living up to his name. 

 

Sami and Sydney are actually coming? The show could use Claire, both her grandfather's are dying. 

I disagree with Brady saying he's first born.  It'll always be Carrie, biology or not. 

Johnny has actually called Brady "uncle Brady"in the past. Will calling John grandpa is new but it's probably a respect thing given the circumstance.  To be fair John for all intents and purposes is his grandpa.  

Yes, Carrie is 100% the first born and oldest. 

[DisneyBoy]

7 hours ago, Desperado said:

Why couldn’t all these heartfelt conversations and flashbacks not be done with other characters before or during his funeral?

I'm sure it'll continue during the memorial too.

Part of the problem for me is that we have three characters in serious medical condition, so in theory, they could all have loved ones visiting them and having flashbacks...which is really redundant. Think about it - Brady, Belle and Kate could all be fussing over comatose Philip right now too.

7 hours ago, Desperado said:

And the positive “he’s going to make it” dialogue also grates. Did they really think it would’ve been at all possible? How hard that must’ve been for the actors who knew better…

It's unclear where things were at with Drake when this was filmed. He'd heen going through treatment, but was he near the end? Or was there still hope? Not sure...and it's not our business. But yes, you could see the cast struggling.

5 hours ago, Artsda said:

Johnny didn't care what Kristen did to Eric, Stefan did to Abby. He actually respected Stefan despite it. So Johnny can shut up, he's right he is not living up to his name. 

Wow - solid points there! 

I was definitely weirded out by Eric speaking to Kristen in a kind tone at the hospital during their run-in. I have not forgotten that rape...or that Rachel is the result of her rape of Brady, either.

Edited June 1 by DisneyBoy

[brisbydog]

6 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'm sure it'll continue during the memorial too.

Part of the problem for me is that we have three characters in serious medical condition, so in theory, they could all have loved ones visiting them and having flashbacks...which is really redundant. Think about it - Brady, Belle and Kate could all be fussing over comatose Philip right now too.

It's unclear where things were at with Drake when this was filmed. He'd heen going through treatment, but was he near the end? Or was there still hope? Not sure...and it's not our business. But yes, you could see the cast struggling.

 

Drake passed away the week after they filmed the funeral 

[CanaryFan98]

9 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'm sure it'll continue during the memorial too.

Part of the problem for me is that we have three characters in serious medical condition, so in theory, they could all have loved ones visiting them and having flashbacks...which is really redundant. Think about it - Brady, Belle and Kate could all be fussing over comatose Philip right now too.

It's unclear where things were at with Drake when this was filmed. He'd heen going through treatment, but was he near the end? Or was there still hope? Not sure...and it's not our business. But yes, you could see the cast struggling.

Wow - solid points there! 

I was definitely weirded out by Eric speaking to Kristen in a kind tone at the hospital during their run-in. I have not forgotten that rape...or that Rachel is the result of her rape of Brady, either.

According to Eric Martsolf(Brady) after they filmed John's memorial, Drake passed 5 days later.

Which is why a stand-in John was fine for me given the circumstances. They are at least giving that character closure unlike Stefano where they completely screwed that one up knowing Joe was in failing health at that point.

I think if this show needs to be truly criticized the most for is the Claire erasure in all of this.

Claire has her grandfather Bo who's fighting for his life

Her Grandpa John who's dying.

Also you could throw in Phillip who had raised her like his own for a portion of her life and is also in the hospital.

Yet she's treated as an afterthought and might as well not exist to these people.

 

Edited Sunday at 03:09 PM by CanaryFan98

[norcalgal]

2 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Claire has her grandfather Bo who's fighting for his life

Her Grandpa John who's dying.

Also you could throw in Phillip who had raised her like his own for a portion of her life and is also in the hospital.

Yet she's treated as an afterthought and might as well not exist to these people.

Aaaaallll of this!  If not for Abe in an offhand way mentioning Claire (but not her name), she really would have been erased.  You’d think Claire’s parents might have said something about why Claire can’t come see her deathly ill granddads.

[CanaryFan98]

4 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Aaaaallll of this!  If not for Abe in an offhand way mentioning Claire (but not her name), she really would have been erased.  You’d think Claire’s parents might have said something about why Claire can’t come see her deathly ill granddads.

I wonder which parent tells her? Or how this will be addressed that she's not there. We know why Austin, Allie etc aren't there.

 

Did they even mention Lucas?

[DisneyBoy]

17 hours ago, brisbydog said:

Drake passed away the week after they filmed the funeral 

14 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

According to Eric Martsolf(Brady) after they filmed John's memorial, Drake passed 5 days later.

Thanks guys. I'd missed that.

 

14 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I think if this show needs to be truly criticized the most for is the Claire erasure in all of this.

Claire has her grandfather Bo who's fighting for his life

Her Grandpa John who's dying.

Also you could throw in Phillip who had raised her like his own for a portion of her life and is also in the hospital.

Yet she's treated as an afterthought and might as well not exist to these people.

Thank Ciara/VK (and by extension RSW). They sucked up all the attention during that era.

Hasn't helped that they barely gave ORK's Claire a love interest in Theo, and now their entire romance is happening off-camera.

Kinda like Andrew and Paul. *cough* Seeing a pattern here.

Thank goodness for Chanel and Johnny's consistent chemistry and appeal, because the only other young couples are Stephanie and Alex, and Chad and Cat, neither of whom are of any interest. And then there's Ejelle, and the Holly/Tate/Sophia/Doug thing. Sigh.

This show hasn't kept up with developing key younger characters and their romances well. I guess that's why I like Will so much. He was the last young person to grow into something really interesting.

Rachel and Thomas are starting off well but who knows if they'll ever make it to 30 or get to be in super couples. If we knew the show was lasting another decade then maybe.

Not that it's all about coupledom, but I suspect if the show had really invested in Cleo, we might have seen more effort to bring Claire back.

Heck, Vivian should be back both for John and Philip too.

 

Today is going to be rough. Hang in there friends.

[CanaryFan98]

7 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Thanks guys. I'd missed that.

 

Thank Ciara/VK (and by extension RSW). They sucked up all the attention during that era.

Hasn't helped that they barely gave ORK's Claire a love interest in Theo, and now their entire romance is happening off-camera.

Kinda like Andrew and Paul. *cough* Seeing a pattern here.

Thank goodness for Chanel and Johnny's consistent chemistry and appeal, because the only other young couples are Stephanie and Alex, and Chad and Cat, neither of whom are of any interest. And then there's Ejelle, and the Holly/Tate/Sophia/Doug thing. Sigh.

This show hasn't kept up with developing key younger characters and their romances well. I guess that's why I like Will so much. He was the last young person to grow into something really interesting.

Rachel and Thomas are starting off well but who knows if they'll ever make it to 30 or get to be in super couples. If we knew the show was lasting another decade then maybe.

Not that it's all about coupledom, but I suspect if the show had really invested in Cleo, we might have seen more effort to bring Claire back.

Heck, Vivian should be back both for John and Philip too.

 

Today is going to be rough. Hang in there friends.

Ciara may be part of it but honestly this show has treated Claire like an afterthought even before that. Which is why I wish she stayed Phillip's because I don't think Kate would ignore her.

[norcalgal]

Today’s show was another example why Chelsea should have remained dead. In a previous episode Hope says Chelsea is on her way, yet is still not there. Just ridiculous!

Nice to see how grown up Zack might look. Shoutout to Grandma Caroline and Pops! 

Goodbye John/Drake.  RIP.

[DisneyBoy]

Okay.

Big spoilers if you haven't watched today's episode yet. So go watch it, have your experience, and then read this.

 

This left me cold, guys. And I'm not trying to crap on it, believe me, but the creative decisions here and execution were...bad.

It was incredibly jarring to cut back and forth between John and Bo's circumstances because it only made the whole story look ridiculous by comparing the two men's situations and highlighting the absurdity and imbalance between them:

Bo Is imprisoned and tortured for a long time (months/years?) and develops cancer, then gets freed and nearly beaten to death by Aiden, survives another few days and dies from the cancer. Then somehow is put into suspended animation for 8-ish years, then is woken up but suffers from amnesia and cognitive issues, then gets shot and falls into a coma lasting at least 2 more years, then develops sepsis and is given an untested drug...and, after some 15 (?) years of physical torture and illness...survives!

John, while wearing a protective suit, falls into a small fire...and dies!

 

...really?!?!

 

And also: in the previous episode, Kayla and the staff of University Hospital tell all John's friends that he is "miraculously" recovering from his THIRTY PERCENT burns and injuries and there's every reason to hope he'll be A-Okay...and then he suddenly struggles to breathe and Kayla just shakes her head saying "it's his lungs, I guess. There's no hope. He's a goner. Want me to call the priest?" without even tenting his bed so he can get more oxygen...and then Marlena puts her body weight ON TOP of John (!!!!) and he just dies.

...who exactly thought this was good storytelling? Who at DOOL was like "yes, let's needlessly tell the audience he's making a huge fancy impressive recovery and then backtrack on it in half a second. They've never been to a hospital. They won't know the difference. They'll just cry because we raised the stakes artificially by saying good things and then immediately saying bad things about his condition! Those idiots will eat this shit up. Super realistic, right?"

Have these writers never been through the painful steps of watching someone die at a hospital? Of having to leave a room when their condition gets worse, and watching the staff escalate their attempts to care for the person?

I mean, John only had 30 percent burns right? You could have said he had 60 percent, and then this might have made more sense...but regardless, you still had his neck and hands exposed to the open air, with people TOUCHING his burned flesh as they visited, exposing him to contamination.

Is this being written by AI? Cause I think even AI would know how to break down these beats better or done a better job of showing how a person in this condition might pass away.

And, lest we forget, Ron's UNDEAD DRUG, from the Will storyline, which was used on other people after Will's passing. Yeah! You guys never undid the Undead Drug, so it's still out there! Why not inject John, hmm? Is there some reason you're acting like that drug doesn't exist? Could it be because the actor is dead, and having an Undead Drug really makes it impossible to kill off any character?

 

...and then, as if all that weren't enough, the big moment comes and some stupid-ass song sung by some woman nobody knows starts playing, so we have to listen to some tepid schlock about "I'll see you again, whenever, who knows, I love you, lalala, thanks for the paycheck" as JOHN DIES?? You aren't going to just make it a silent moment with the noise in the room? Or spring for a real song, something significant to the couple that might actually elicit some emotion? No?

 

This was John's death episode. The show's defacto male lead. You get ONE chance at that.

It felt like we were doing a trade of John for Bo, and you know what? I'm fucking over Bo. It's enough already. Peter ain't coming back for the next three years. You act like you're doing us a favor by bringing Bo back and resolving the dumpster fire that was his storyline for the last ten years...but nobody asked you to interrupt Drake/John's farewell to do it.

We could have easily had John die, be mourned and buried, and THEN cut back to Bo recovering following the use of the drugs. SIMPLE. Separate the events! Let them each have their moment!

Now what? Is Bo going to waltz into John's memorial to interrupt that too and say "Hi! Let's make it all about me today! I'm BACK! But I'm not staying, so you'd better fawn over me extra hard!"

 

...this isn't how you do this. Sure, fine, the flashbacks were nice, but not the execution of the story. And who has any attachment to the sight of this day player they came in to replace the other adult Zach? No one!

Did they not bring back the previous Adult Zach because they made the INSANE decision years ago to have that actor also pop up as a living guy trying to date Ciara, effectively having Ciara date her own dead brother? Yeah - we haven't forgotten about it!

 

I'm not ranting here, honestly, I'm just incredulous. Freaking Daniel Jonas got a better written death than this in terms of how it was depicted and the respect the moment was given.

The execution here was way off, half-assed and lame.

I'm sorry but I didn't shed a single tear, and that's no reflection on Drake's work all these decades, may he rest in peace.

Edited Monday at 03:16 PM by DisneyBoy

[CanaryFan98]

I do think John and Bo's stories should've been separate. I know back in the 90s when Isabella died it was also when Abigail was born that was a full circle of life but I remember that Isabella got the focus for that when it happened. I felt that was done a lot better in comparison to this.

However I can see why they wanted to give a bit of a respite from the doom and gloom over John.  Yet I would've preferred John this week until the memorial then give us the Bo/Hope stuff(unless Bo shows up at John's memorial).

I did like the flashbacks though of everyone. 

Claire wasn't even referenced with John and that's just wrong to me because unlike Bo, John has been her consistently present grandfather.

Edited Monday at 03:59 PM by CanaryFan98

[DisneyBoy]

I think Shawn D referenced Claire today.

[Retired at last]

I don't have Peacock, so I didn't see the show, but I did read some recaps and I have a question for you who did see it - did the fact that "John" appeared to talk to people when you knew it wasn't Drake's voice take you out of the moment?

Edited Monday at 06:23 PM by Retired at last

[boes]

20 minutes ago, Retired at last said:

I don't have Peacock, so I didn't see the show, but I did read some recaps and I have a question for you who did see it - did the fact that "John" appeared to talk to people when you knew it wasn't Drake's voice take you out of the moment?

It did, at least for me.  Knowing what was really going on made this both very sad to watch, as well as frustrating.

[DisneyBoy]

20 minutes ago, Retired at last said:

I don't have Peacock, so I didn't see the show, but I did read some recaps and I have a question for you who did see it - did the fact that "John" appeared to talk to people when you knew it wasn't Drake's voice take you out of the moment?

Last week, there were times he sounded remarkably like a hoarse Drake would.

Today not so much.

And Marlena basically said he could rest if he needed to, and then he just looked at her like "okay then", promptly closed his eyes and was "dead".

And you could barely tell his eyes were open anyway from the bandages.

[CanaryFan98]

2 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I think Shawn D referenced Claire today.

Yes related to Bo but nothing about her related to John as well. Especially since John has been the present grandfather.

[ASpring1900]

First, RIP to Drake. My comments are based on the fictitious show, not his real death.

This was a snoozer for me. And at 49 minutes, it was one of the longest episodes (I believe the longest one was 52 minutes). As I've said before, I hate "lamenting by the hospital bed" scenes and we got another double dose. I didn't watch Days during many of the flashback episodes, but Marlena and John were so, so cringy. Did it seem this awful when they were current episodes, for people who watched them? (Again, just my opinion). The strawberry/whipped cream schtick was always gross to me.

I was pleased to see Ciara in a top that didn't show cleavage-- until we got to Bo's dream!

Also, Peter R's voice gets me every time. It is so high!

 

[Sidney]

Seeing Carrie again is the only scenes I've enjoyed. I hope we get some scenes with her and Anna.

[CanaryFan98]

14 minutes ago, ASpring1900 said:

First, RIP to Drake. My comments are based on the fictitious show, not his real death.

This was a snoozer for me. And at 49 minutes, it was one of the longest episodes (I believe the longest one was 52 minutes). As I've said before, I hate "lamenting by the hospital bed" scenes and we got another double dose. I didn't watch Days during many of the flashback episodes, but Marlena and John were so, so cringy. Did it seem this awful when they were current episodes, for people who watched them? (Again, just my opinion). The strawberry/whipped cream schtick was always gross to me.

I was pleased to see Ciara in a top that didn't show cleavage-- until we got to Bo's dream!

Also, Peter R's voice gets me every time. It is so high!

 

I was never a John/Marlena fan tbh I preferred their other pairings and found them far superior to theirs. However I have accepted their place on the show and they do make a good blended family despite me not liking this pairing personally. In the end I accepted at this point in their lives the pairing worked. 

I think it was way more palatable in the 80s when he was Roman(and in retrospect probably should've stayed Roman but I digress).  However in the 90s? Not so much.

I will say the one good thing about Peacock is that they have the bandwidth for all those flashbacks it would've been reduced if it was still on NBC.

 

Just now, Sidney said:

Seeing Carrie again is the only scenes I've enjoyed. I hope we get some scenes with her and Anna.

Spoiler

We will see them together later this week don't have the exact airdate yet probably Thursday

 

[Ohiopirate02]

15 minutes ago, ASpring1900 said:

 but Marlena and John were so, so cringy. Did it seem this awful when they were current episodes, for people who watched them? (Again, just my opinion). The strawberry/whipped cream schtick was always gross to me.

I have always found them cringe. I base that on being young watching Marlena break up her family in pursuit of John and being pretty shitty to Sami in the process. I have a soft spot for Sami from this time period. Poor girl stumbles upon her mom and John going at it on the boardroom table. I know it's a soap and affairs are par for the course, but the beginnings of John and Marlena felt so wrong. 

I also find Bo and Hope cringe. Fancy Face is a horrible term of endearment. But again, I was too young to have seen them fall in love and everything that led to them sailing away from Salem with Sean Douglas. By the time I remember them Hope was dead and Bo had moved on with Carly and then Billie.

[norcalgal]

7 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Did they not bring back the previous Adult Zach because they made the INSANE decision years ago to have that actor also pop up as a living guy trying to date Ciara, effectively having Ciara date her own dead brother? Yeah - we haven't forgotten about it!

I wasn’t watching at the time so I didn’t realize they already had a grown up Zack on the show. Yikes to that storyline.  So what happened to that Zack?

35 minutes ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I was never a John/Marlena fan tbh I preferred their other pairings and found them far superior to theirs. However I have accepted their place on the show and they do make a good blended family despite me not liking this pairing personally. In the end I accepted at this point in their lives the pairing worked.

Same here. During the 80s SuperCouple heyday, I was always meh about John and Marlena. Jack and Jennifer were my OTP until Carly/Lawrence came along…even though they weren’t a true SuperCouple. 

24 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Bo had moved on with Carly and then Billie.

Aaaand speaking of Billie, no visit from her to see the father of her only child?  See, yet another reason why Chelsea should have stayed dead!  😡

[brisbydog]

Tough show and it very wisely focused on the three 80s super couples with no other stories

I felt there was no acting today with Steve and Marlena. That was all real grief

I cried when Bo opened his eyes. I'm glad it ended on that moment of joy

I was never a John and Marlena fan but I loved Drake. And I felt for his costars today. But the execution of it was lacking.

[CanaryFan98]

49 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

I wasn’t watching at the time so I didn’t realize they already had a grown up Zack on the show. Yikes to that storyline.  So what happened to that Zack?

Same here. During the 80s SuperCouple heyday, I was always meh about John and Marlena. Jack and Jennifer were my OTP until Carly/Lawrence came along…even though they weren’t a true SuperCouple. 

Aaaand speaking of Billie, no visit from her to see the father of her only child?  See, yet another reason why Chelsea should have stayed dead!  😡

I think he just left town and never looked back. I vaguely remember Tripp setting Ben up for the fire supposedly at the cabin.

[DaphneCat]

8 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

And, lest we forget, Ron's UNDEAD DRUG, from the Will storyline, which was used on other people after Will's passing. Yeah! You guys never undid the Undead Drug, so it's still out there! Why not inject John, hmm? Is there some reason you're acting like that drug doesn't exist? Could it be because the actor is dead, and having an Undead Drug really makes it impossible to kill off any character?

I think this is why someone dying on this show doesn't really have the impact it should any more.  We've been through this too many times to really care, when nine times out of ten, the character is going to pop back up like one of those bop-em clowns. 

We KNOW Drake is gone.  We KNOW John will never be seen again, but after approximately 348 "death" scenes where the character comes back alive it's just too hard to feel any emotion.  I don't mind Bo or PR but Bo should have stayed DEAD - especially since we saw him in "heaven."  Jack - who had his organs donated for God's sake, should be dead.  EJ and Will should both be dead.  Stephan, who lived without a heart for what, a year?, should be dead.  We watched "heartfelt" scenes where Marlena, Kayla and Kate all "died."  This show has cried "wolf" far too many times.

[CanaryFan98]

14 minutes ago, DaphneCat said:

I think this is why someone dying on this show doesn't really have the impact it should any more.  We've been through this too many times to really care, when nine times out of ten, the character is going to pop back up like one of those bop-em clowns. 

We KNOW Drake is gone.  We KNOW John will never be seen again, but after approximately 348 "death" scenes where the character comes back alive it's just too hard to feel any emotion.  I don't mind Bo or PR but Bo should have stayed DEAD - especially since we saw him in "heaven."  Jack - who had his organs donated for God's sake, should be dead.  EJ and Will should both be dead.  Stephan, who lived without a heart for what, a year?, should be dead.  We watched "heartfelt" scenes where Marlena, Kayla and Kate all "died."  This show has cried "wolf" far too many times.

With a few exceptions this has been the case I think they should just not have these type of death scenes unless the actor is gone in RL at this point. 

[DisneyBoy]

2 hours ago, ASpring1900 said:

Marlena and John were so, so cringy. Did it seem this awful when they were current episodes, for people who watched them? (Again, just my opinion). The strawberry/whipped cream schtick was always gross to me.

Some of the time it was good. I think in the pre-Kristen era, there was more natural acting between them. Once Kristen showed up, we started getting Smug Marlena gradually, who always was whispering about "Jawwwwnn!" and saying "Oh!" and kind of in her own orbit. Sure she was a leading lady, but she wasnt completely natural.

I think everyone has hated the strawberries! Speak up now if you don't and I'll retract that statement willingly.

2 hours ago, ASpring1900 said:

This was a snoozer for me. And at 49 minutes, it was one of the longest episodes (I believe the longest one was 52 minutes).

Thank you. I feel seen and heard.

2 hours ago, ASpring1900 said:

I was pleased to see Ciara in a top that didn't show cleavage-- until we got to Bo's dream!

Same...until the dream. Sigh. Always classy Ciara.

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Fancy Face is a horrible term of endearment.

👏👏👏👏👏👏

Between that and "Sweetness" I literally can't.

I just can't.

1 hour ago, norcalgal said:

I wasn’t watching at the time so I didn’t realize they already had a grown up Zack on the show. Yikes to that storyline.  So what happened to that Zack?

It wasn't really Zach at all. They just cast an adult Zach to appear as a ghost looking over Bo (which obviously makes no sense now since apparently Bo was in suspended animation at that point, thanks to Reckell wanting more attention after asking for Bo to be killed off), and then the producers immediately brought the same Ghost Zach actor onto the show for real as a guy interested in Ciara. She even told him "you look familiar....!" and then dated him. It was mega gross. Thankfully it ended within like a month.

34 minutes ago, DaphneCat said:

EJ and Will should both be dead. 

Will I don't mind because his death was practically a hate crime. They were purposefully killing their marquee gay character off unceremoniously after using his plot to get awards, and in a way getting back at Chandler too, I'm guessing. The concept of the stupid drug was the issue.

I guess if there's one silver lining to this 60th anniversary it's that ten years later we still have Will.

37 minutes ago, DaphneCat said:

We watched "heartfelt" scenes where Marlena, Kayla and Kate all "died."  This show has cried "wolf" far too many times.

And then they flashed back to it today like it was some great storyline...!

They really don't get it.

[Artsda]

Ciara told Hope she should have gone to get rest at the hotel with Chelsea. So Chelsea is around but not seen, they could have done same with Claire. 

Goodbye John. 😢

 

[BuckeyeLou]

After watching & processing today's show, the parts that moved me the most where with Steve & Kayla.  Steven Nicols & Mary Beth were so real in those scenes, I was crying along with them.  I felt like Deidre Hall was overly dramatic.  But, I was always a John & Marlena fan(except when I was a John/Isabella fan :)The flashbacks made me feel Old, everyone was So young, I always thought Drake Hogestyn was so handsome & made a great leading man.  I did like how the 2 stories over-lapped & we had one grieving family & one happy family, to be 'corny" it was the Circle of Life.  RIP Drake :(

  

[nilyank]

4 hours ago, ASpring1900 said:

The strawberry/whipped cream schtick was always gross to me.

It was annoying to be because that was originally created by Roman and Marlena and once they knew years later that John was not Roman, they should have stopped doing that. Same thing with him calling her Doc. I never liked it. They had several decades to make brand new memories. No need to continue to use Roman's.

[Soapy Goddess]

11 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I'm sorry but I didn't shed a single tear, and that's no reflection on Drake's work all these decades, may he rest in peace.

I agree with you wholeheartedly! I literally fast-forwarded 90% of this episode. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that.

[tessaray]

12 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

This left me cold, guys. And I'm not trying to crap on it, believe me, but the creative decisions here and execution were...bad.

I agree, for the most part. Though they did get me when Marlena told John he could rest. 

I'm surprised at how little Bo and Hope interested me. I guess I'm glad for Steve and Kayla (and Shawn's) sake, that they didn't lose both John and Bo. Otherwise, meh. I'm ready for this week to be over and it just started. 

[Badger]

I hated that cringey music too.  The rest was okay.  

[Retired at last]

I read a recap that said they used a new song. Was it sung by Peter Reckell's wife? Could that have been part of the contract talks?

[boes]

16 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Fancy Face is a horrible term of endearment.

It can't be just me that what immediately comes to mind when that term is used is canned cat food.

How much you want to bet Bo and Hope set sail on yet one more boat when PR's return stint is over?

Say hello to Gilligan and crew.

17 minutes ago, Retired at last said:

I read a recap that said they used a new song. Was it sung by Peter Reckell's wife? Could that have been part of the contract talks?

It was bad enough to have been sung by her.

14 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Between that and "Sweetness" I literally can't.

I just can't.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one.

[CanaryFan98]

14 hours ago, Artsda said:

Ciara told Hope she should have gone to get rest at the hotel with Chelsea. So Chelsea is around but not seen, they could have done same with Claire. 

Goodbye John. 😢

 

This show treats Claire as a second class citizen. They honestly should've just kept her Phillip's kid.

34 minutes ago, boes said:

It can't be just me that what immediately comes to mind when that term is used is canned cat food.

How much you want to bet Bo and Hope set sail on yet one more boat when PR's return stint is over?

Say hello to Gilligan and crew.

It was bad enough to have been sung by her.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one.

i think you mean Fancy Feast(although I can see how you could mistake the two) I remember when Nicole referred to her as Frowny Face for some reason that was funny to me and I actually like the endearment probably because it was from the 80s and a part of their history same with Kayla/Sweetness. If I didn't grow up watching this I would have felt differently. It wouldn't work on today's soap though.

I wouldn't mind them setting sail but they aren't getting the budget for another boat like the last time.  At least we would get an ending and they could always come back for visits afterwards which I'm fine with. The show needs the newer generation to carry it if they want a future.

13 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

After watching & processing today's show, the parts that moved me the most where with Steve & Kayla.  Steven Nicols & Mary Beth were so real in those scenes, I was crying along with them.  I felt like Deidre Hall was overly dramatic.  But, I was always a John & Marlena fan(except when I was a John/Isabella fan :)The flashbacks made me feel Old, everyone was So young, I always thought Drake Hogestyn was so handsome & made a great leading man.  I did like how the 2 stories over-lapped & we had one grieving family & one happy family, to be 'corny" it was the Circle of Life.  RIP Drake :(

  

Steve/Kayla have really been the underrated part in all of this and the show at this point. It's a shame the show doesn't know how to write for them at all though. They are the only full time supercouple this show has left right now and are wasting them.

I will say as far as the John Flashbacks it's a shame we probably won't get any of his non-Marlena love interests because he was able to have a place on this show when she was gone. I wouldn't mind seeing some John/Greta flashbacks either because he was fatherly with her.

Edited Tuesday at 03:48 PM by CanaryFan98

[norcalgal]

I’m neutral regarding the various terms of endearment, except:  “Doc”.  I agree with the above post that John shouldn’t have been able to co-opt (steal) Roman’s nickname for Marlena. So disrespectful to Roman.

Fancy Face:  I can see where Bo is coming from, because he and the Brady’s were working class, while Hope came from a more upper class/privileged background.

Sweetness:  again, I see where Steve is coming from, given there was very little sweetness in his life until he met Kayla.

[salvame]

It's rather unfortunate that these story lines are happening on the cusp of writers. Many things feel disjointed- the SLs aren't flowing naturally, details are lost (Ex: where the hell IS Bo?), and many things seem to happen offscreen, then vaguely referenced for the camera. I know Drake reportedly signed off on his story line, but it was lacking. Something. I didn't like the juxtaposition of John's death and Bo's awakening. It took away from both events,  and since John didn't live long enough to know the results of his ultimate sacrifice, what was the point? They could have run John's story this week, then Bo's next week. After all, that would only amount to a day difference in Salem time! 

So now, I have to go back and research John and Marlena's story, as I was not following DOOL back in the day!

[DisneyBoy]

1 hour ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Steve/Kayla have really been the underrated part in all of this and the show at this point. It's a shame the show doesn't know how to write for them at all though. They are the only full time supercouple this show has left right now and are wasting them.

I don't disagree, especially because they're fantastic with everything they're given...but I have zero faith in them having a front-burner storyline, because apparently the only one the show could put effort into was Ava, who was intolerable (no offense to TB).

And now, hopefully, Steve will be retired because we REALLY don't need Black Patch anymore. So who even knows what plotlines are possible for them, at this stage of their character's lives.

In some ways, we're almost better off with them being the glue of the cast and in supporting roles than seeing them thrust into the spotlight with amnesia or cheating or fake deaths or some villain or something.

1 hour ago, boes said:

It can't be just me that what immediately comes to mind when that term is used is canned cat food.

FROM DAY ONE. FROM THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT. AND EVER SINCE.

1 hour ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I wouldn't mind them setting sail but they aren't getting the budget for another boat like the last time.

I wouldn't mind Ciara and Ben joining them. And the whole friggin' thing capsizing.

55 minutes ago, salvame said:

I know Drake reportedly signed off on his story line, but it was lacking.

For all we know, Corday visited him in the hospital and said "would you mind if we started writing John out" and Drake just nodded. It's becoming broken telephone, I think, with the "Drake approved THIS" narrative.

I'd bet that if we let the actors dictate stories, we'd have an overwhelmingly better show in most cases. At least for a few months anyway. Couldn't get much worse, really.

58 minutes ago, salvame said:

I didn't like the juxtaposition of John's death and Bo's awakening. It took away from both events,  and since John didn't live long enough to know the results of his ultimate sacrifice, what was the point? They could have run John's story this week, then Bo's next week. After all, that would only amount to a day difference in Salem time! 

EXACTLY. I hadn't even considered that John never got to know that Bo lived because of his actions.

Overlapping them did take away from both events. Perfect way to say it.

59 minutes ago, salvame said:

So now, I have to go back and research John and Marlena's story, as I was not following DOOL back in the day!

Enjoy! It's a looooooong story, but there are several fan sites that recap it.

 

 

Today, I'm relieved to say, is a much more believably-written episode and sensitively handled, compared to yesterday's cartoon (and that's an insult to cartoons).

[BuckeyeLou]

Today's show is more emotional(at least for me). The Veterans are really bringing it.  EvenJosh Taylor(Roman) who usually bugs me, really gutted me today with his tears.  I thought Deidre Hall was more 'real" today, not so overly dramatic.  Julie was Julie ), even Paulina did not bug me, she is like all of us who dont know what to do to help a grieving person.  And the last scene really got to me, Marlena listening to the last phone message she had from John :(

[CanaryFan98]

1 hour ago, DisneyBoy said:

I don't disagree, especially because they're fantastic with everything they're given...but I have zero faith in them having a front-burner storyline, because apparently the only one the show could put effort into was Ava, who was intolerable (no offense to TB).

And now, hopefully, Steve will be retired because we REALLY don't need Black Patch anymore. So who even knows what plotlines are possible for them, at this stage of their character's lives.

In some ways, we're almost better off with them being the glue of the cast and in supporting roles than seeing them thrust into the spotlight with amnesia or cheating or fake deaths or some villain or something.

FROM DAY ONE. FROM THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT. AND EVER SINCE.

I wouldn't mind Ciara and Ben joining them. And the whole friggin' thing capsizing.

For all we know, Corday visited him in the hospital and said "would you mind if we started writing John out" and Drake just nodded. It's becoming broken telephone, I think, with the "Drake approved THIS" narrative.

I'd bet that if we let the actors dictate stories, we'd have an overwhelmingly better show in most cases. At least for a few months anyway. Couldn't get much worse, really.

EXACTLY. I hadn't even considered that John never got to know that Bo lived because of his actions.

Overlapping them did take away from both events. Perfect way to say it.

Enjoy! It's a looooooong story, but there are several fan sites that recap it.

 

 

Today, I'm relieved to say, is a much more believably-written episode and sensitively handled, compared to yesterday's cartoon (and that's an insult to cartoons).

Steve/Kayla could still have a prominent role and not necessarily have it be action related. As you mentioned they are a certain age especially Steve. Maybe they could actually bring back Joe and develop him as a character, have the child he lost turn out to be alive and hidden by Orpheus they find out about it and have to deal with this child seeing them as a complete stranger.

Commit to a real story with Stephanie. If they cared it could be done but they don't. I'm fine with them being the patriarch/matriarch roles just have them deal with their own family drama.

2 minutes ago, BuckeyeLou said:

Today's show is more emotional(at least for me). The Veterans are really bringing it.  EvenJosh Taylor(Roman) who usually bugs me, really gutted me today with his tears.  I thought Deidre Hall was more 'real" today, not so overly dramatic.  Julie was Julie ), even Paulina did not bug me, she is like all of us who dont know what to do to help a grieving person.  And the last scene really got to me, Marlena listening to the last phone message she had from John :(

Of course part of this love story he was Chris K but I digress.. 

However JT does well with the death stuff on this show. It's everything else as Roman he is lacking to me at least.

Speaking of Roman I do hope we get some tribute to Wayne Northrup at some point I mean he was important to Days too even if the show doesn't give him credit for it. His pairing with Marlena is why we have the Brady family on this show.

[CanaryFan98]

I did find the Julie/Marlena scene touching though hard to believe it was 6 months ago when Doug died.