Supercouple Discussion

[DisneyBoy]

Days has been dominated by the supercouples for the last few decades - Bope, Jarlena and Stayla, here's looking at you! - but I'm struggling to think of any real supercouples that have emerged over the last few years.

Ejami might qualify if not for the fact that they were constantly trying to kill each other. I know they had a lot of fans and viewers left when they did, but people have mixed feelings about them.

Haiden could have been a supercouple if the writing had been a little stronger from the beginning and they hadn't destroyed him for the 50th and then again last summer.

...is the best thing we really have left Chad and Abigail? I don't think the characters should qualify for supercouple status just because they've been on the show together for a long time, but I think they have their fans. They just don't have especially good writing or crackling chemistry. The fact that they had to recast one of the participants maybe should disqualify them.

Ericole seemed like they were being built up to be a supercouple but then that was torn down over the course of several years. Dannifer also seemed like a supercouple but the show also tore them apart and they constantly lived in the shadow of Jack and Jennifer, the same way Rafe and Hope are living in the shadow of Bo and Hope right now.

Brady seems to get a new woman every year or two so I don't know that any of them qualify, much as I have enjoyed some of them.

Don't even get me started on the retconning going on with Danicole. They weren't and never will be more than an afterthought coupling.

Is the show even trying to make supercouples anymore or are they just interested in giving the viewers romantic relationships with less of a thought to their permanency?

Do you guys think the supercouples helped or hurt the show? Have they been a stabilizing force throughout the course of these various writing regimes and allowed for more interesting long-form narratives, or have they kept the show trapped in a state of suspended animation and prevented natural evolution and character development?

Edited March 19, 2017 by DisneyBoy

[Silver Raven]

Julie and Doug MADE the show.  They were the first recognized supercouple, and got their pictures on the covers of non-entertainment magazines.  They put Days on the map.

[teacake]

11 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Do you guys think the supercouples helped or hurt the show? Have they been a stabilizing force throughout the course of these various writing regimes and allowed for more interesting long-form narratives, or have they kept the show trapped in a state of suspended animation and prevented natural evolution and character development?

Yes, lol.

Sometimes discussions of supercouples make it seem like the show was a victim of their own success.  I tend to think it was a lazy response to the difficult situation of fans demanding these characters together at all costs.  The outcome of the stories became increasingly unhitched from what actually happened in them, but with some more effort on the part of the writers, it could have been different.  Instead it spiraled until ~nothing mattered.~

[rcc]

Bo and Hope were a super couple. Now this show is trying to make Rafe and Hope into the next super couple and I hope RC changes that pronto. It's cringeworthy, bubble baths and all!

[TigerLynx]

Super Couples weren't the problem.  It was the writers being unwilling to accept that certain couples or characters didn't work, and insisting the fans like them no matter what that screwed things up, and the same thing happened with other soaps.  That along with TIIC telling viewers if they don't like the SLs to not watch which is what the fans did.  It's easy to change the channel and watch something else, or turn off the TV.  It's not so easy to get viewers back once they are gone.

[Gladrags]

Seems like producers and writers are too fickle, and actors jump around so much these days for a supercouple to take shape and connect with the audience. 

[WendyCR72]

On 3/20/2017 at 2:57 PM, rcc said:

Bo and Hope were a super couple. Now this show is trying to make Rafe and Hope into the next super couple and I hope RC changes that pronto. It's cringeworthy, bubble baths and all!

This. Dear Lord, this.

As for supercouples, I do think that died out in the '80s/early '90s at the latest  for all soaps. Sure, there are arguably "popular" pairings now, but just by virtue of soaps dying and audience numbers now a puddle instead of an ocean, I think the "supercouple" days have long since died.

[DisneyBoy]

I guess the official DAYS Supercouples are:

 

-Marlena/John

-Jack/Jennifer

-Steve/Kayla

-Carrie/Austin

-Bo/Hope

-Shane/Kim

 

...that everybody?

[swtrgrl]

I think they're trying to saddle us with the next gen: Chad/Abby

But old school? Definitely Justin/Adrienne added to that list.

[Apprentice79]

9 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I guess the official DAYS Supercouples are:

 

-Marlena/John

-Jack/Jennifer

-Steve/Kayla

-Carrie/Austin

-Bo/Hope

-Shane/Kim

 

...that everybody?

Original Roman/Marlena with Wayne Northrup is a supercouples as well...Carrie/Austin are not a supercouple... They were a very popular couple, a couple created that by Sherry Anderson, but, she never fully wrote them..

[Silver Raven]

Doug/Julie are the UR supercouple, they were on the covers of magazines back in the day as the epitome of supercoupledom.

[WendyCR72]

I'm going to add a controversial choice to that list, but I'll explain my reasoning:

I'd also put John/Isabella on that list, maybe one of the last from the early '90s. I put them here because SOD made sure to note that it was getting "inundated" with mail - after Marlena had returned in 1991 - that people did not want John to leave Isabella. I'm sure there were PLENTY of John/Marlena fans, but the fact that this was mentioned - in conjunction with a John/Isabella cover - tells me that it seems like they also struck a cord and did get an on-location Mexico deal, which seemed like a "thing" for big couples.

And I'd even add Bo/Carly to that list. And, as much as I personally hated them, Bo/Billie. That seemed to signal the end of "big" couples , IMO.

[Irlandesa]

I always think of supercouples as a distinctly 80's phenomenon.  There were supercouples that started in the 70s and definitely many that began in the 90s, especially the early 90s, but the 80s were when soaps knew how to write the "make-em-wait" version of couples.  They all seemed to be doing it.  It was also the time when soaps were very popular and spending their cash on lavish location shoots. 

Starting in the mid-90s, supercouples could happen but it became harder.  The money was tighter so they couldn't add as many location shoots to boost the fantasy.  I think soaps started fearing the attention span of the audience and couples would move at a much faster pace than they would have in the past.  More and more the couple would be the story instead of the romance going hand-in-hand with another interesting story. Production started speeding up and you wouldn't get those surprising pairings that the audience would respond to like Jack and Jennifer and I think Steve & Kayla.  And I really don't think JER's brand was supercouple even though it was DOOL's brand.

I don't think supercouples are the problem. I think TPTB are the problem and the reason I moved away from daytime soaps. They sometimes have a hard time seeing the reason that certain couples became supercouple because of the individual characters in the couple.  Sure, there's chemistry...etc.  But ultimately, it was about how Bo interacted with Hope and their different points of view because of their backgrounds.  And, in another thread, they talked about Kim and Shane's journey together, then what drove them apart, and what brought them back together.  One of the frustrations I have with how they've brought Jack in the past is that the ultimate goal always seems to be reuniting Jack and Jennifer.  I want that--sure.  But Jennifer is more than her relationship with Jack and Jack is definitely more than his relationship with Jennifer.  There's no harm in having both characters on the show and letting them breathe as separate entities before reuniting them.  What would happen if they acknowledged that what Jack feared when he resisted getting together with her has, 30 years later, played a part in causing conflict?  How do they get together when neither one of them is trying to get back together?  The story might have to be about something else and the show would be better for it.

Sami is the character who has come closest to supercoupledom in recent years whether people think it's with Lucas or EJ.  And part of the reason that is happens to be because I think the show needed her for more than just her romances at the time.

I love supercouples.   I like certainty in an uncertain world.  I just prefer long fun journeys.  It's why telenovelas are more my speed than US soaps these days.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Irlandesa

[Apprentice79]

7 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I always think of supercouples as a distinctly 80's phenomenon.  There were supercouples that started in the 70s and definitely many that began in the 90s, especially the early 90s, but the 80s were when soaps knew how to write the "make-em-wait" version of couples.  They all seemed to be doing it.  It was also the time when soaps were very popular and spending their cash on lavish location shoots. 

Starting in the mid-90s, supercouples could happen but it became harder.  The money was tighter so they couldn't add as many location shoots to boost the fantasy.  I think soaps started fearing the attention span of the audience and couples would move at a much faster pace than they would have in the past.  More and more the couple would be the story instead of the romance going hand-in-hand with another interesting story. Production started speeding up and you wouldn't get those surprising pairings that the audience would respond to like Jack and Jennifer and I think Steve & Kayla.  And I really don't think JER's brand was supercouple even though it was DOOL's brand.

I don't think supercouples are the problem. I think TPTB are the problem and the reason I moved away from daytime soaps. They sometimes have a hard time seeing the reason that certain couples became supercouple because of the individual characters in the couple.  Sure, there's chemistry...etc.  But ultimately, it was about how Bo interacted with Hope and their different points of view because of their backgrounds.  And, in another thread, they talked about Kim and Shane's journey together, then what drove them apart, and what brought them back together.  One of the frustrations I have with how they've brought Jack in the past is that the ultimate goal always seems to be reuniting Jack and Jennifer.  I want that--sure.  But Jennifer is more than her relationship with Jack and Jack is definitely more than his relationship with Jennifer.  There's no harm in having both characters on the show and letting them breathe as separate entities before reuniting them.  What would happen if they acknowledged that what Jack feared when he resisted getting together with her has, 30 years later, played a part in causing conflict?  How do they get together when neither one of them is trying to get back together?  The story might have to be about something else and the show would be better for it.

Sami is the character who has come closest to supercoupledom in recent years whether people think it's with Lucas or EJ.  And part of the reason that is happens to be because I think the show needed her for more than just her romances at the time.

I love supercouples.   I like certainty in an uncertain world.  I just prefer long fun journeys.  It's why telenovelas are more my speed than US soaps these days.

I wish that I could like your post 1 million times.  This is the best post that I have read about the supercouple phenomenon.  I too love telenovelas...The ones from Mexico and Brazil great...I learned Portuguese because of my love of telenovelas..lol

[Irlandesa]

13 hours ago, Apprentice79 said:

I too love telenovelas...The ones from Mexico and Brazil great...I learned Portuguese because of my love of telenovelas..lol

Mexican soaps are a bit too broad for me but I do like some from other countries.  In fact, I've been addicted to a Turkish drama on Netflix but only one season has been uploaded.  Seems wrong.

[Apprentice79]

31 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Mexican soaps are a bit too broad for me but I do like some from other countries.  In fact, I've been addicted to a Turkish drama on Netflix but only one season has been uploaded.  Seems wrong.

Like our American soaps, the telenovelas have gone down in quality.  They hire models who cannot act and the stories are no longer good. Thank god for youtube, I get to rewatch my favorites all over again..  Xica Da Silva from Brazil  was awesome and Tais Araujo was the first Black woman to star as lead,  in a Brazilian soap, that is crazy to me, since Brazil has the largest Black population outside of Africa...It was her first role and she killed it...

Edited July 26, 2017 by Apprentice79

[DisneyBoy]

I think Ericole has reached supercouple status officially now. Agree?

 

....and do you think the series (and the actors?) will ever let it happen?

[nilyank]

2 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I think Ericole has reached supercouple status officially now. Agree?

No. I never bought Nicole's love for Eric who has made the same claims to other men and sometimes during the same year.  As for Eric, he has loved her, but I want him to find someone else and finally be happy. Any happiness he had with Nicole only last days if at that.

[JBC344]

11 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I think Ericole has reached supercouple status officially now. Agree?

 

....and do you think the series (and the actors?) will ever let it happen?

I would disagree just on the basis that the two characters have actually spent very little time together overall.  This incarnation of both adult characters on the show is about 25 years at the most. 95% of the time they have spent apart due to both characters being off the show for long stretches at a time. 

I think if AZ was a permanent cast member and they paired them up eventually they would get there somewhat soon. 

[Black Knight]

The only supercouple pairing Nicole is part of is that of her and her bottomless box of kleenex.

[Apprentice79]

14 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I think Ericole has reached supercouple status officially now. Agree?

 

....and do you think the series (and the actors?) will ever let it happen?

No. Jack and Jennifer were the last supercouple on this show. Lumi was the last couple to get supercouple writing and they were not a supercouple either. Ken Corday went on the record and said that he did not want the show to create supercouples. They were too much to sustain in the long run, he prefers different couples that don't reach supercouple status.  It is why Sami went from Lucas to EJ and Rafe, then going back to EJ.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Apprentice79

[WendyCR72]

Supercouples on Days died in the mid '90s or so.

[DisneyBoy]

Call me crazy, but I thought Bristen came pretty close back in 2012/2013. And if the writing had been better, Haiden would have also been one for the record books. (But that's obviously conjecture because the writing was against them from the 50th anniversary on.)

 

Lumi doesn't qualify? Hmmmm....

[Apprentice79]

11 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

Call me crazy, but I thought Bristen came pretty close back in 2012/2013. And if the writing had been better, Haiden would have also been one for the record books. (But that's obviously conjecture because the writing was against them from the 50th anniversary on.)

 

Lumi doesn't qualify? Hmmmm....

No, Lumi got supercouple writing due to their evolution in becoming a bonafide couple.  If Lumi was a supercouple, they would be together.

Bristen, I don't think so. 

Supercouples died in the 90's as Wendycr72 mentioned in her post above.  Ken Corday did not want the formula to continue. Plus, the writers who wrote supercouples were all gone.  Every couple written since then have been second tier and third tier couples. 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Apprentice79

[WendyCR72]

I think one can look at "Supercouples" by tier on this show:

The 1970s (yes, the '70s!, the decade I was born, so this observance is not firsthand!) had Doug/Julie, who made the cover of Time Magazine long before there was a Luke/Laura. So they may be the forerunners.

Then came the '80s, which pushed the premise into the stratosphere - on all soaps. Still, on this show, there was Marlena and WN's Roman, the beginning of Bo/Hope, Steve/Kayla, Kim/Shane, then DH's Roman/Marlena.

Later in the '80s came Jack/Jennifer, which segued into the early '90s with Bo/Carly V1.0, John/Isabella, and then John/Marlena reconnecting. Throw in Carrie/Austin as the new generation's answer to the supercouple and Bo/Billie (whom I actively disliked, no matter who played the roles, but I know they were super popular), and I think that came to the end of the line, since then, JER came on and blew up the "supercouple" deal to smithereens, likely with Ken Corday's blessing.

Every couple since, even popular pairings, never really made it to the "supercouple" tier, and likely never will. Maybe EJ/Sami qualify (even if they disgust me as a romantic pairing) since they had very passionate fans, but that's murky. 

[enchantingmonkey]

It'd be fun if someone could plot out the trajectory of a supercouple from the 80s and show how that compares and contrasts to how couples are written today.  There were some good points above about why they may have came to an end in the 90s.  I feel like supercouples were replaced by rabid fan bases who insist that their favorite couple be kept together.   

What was it about Brady and Kristen or Eric and Nicole that made you felt they reached that status, DisneyBoy?  

I watched CBS in the 80s, and always liked it when Reva and Josh were torn apart and trying to fight their way back together than I did when they were happily reunited.  I saw some of that torment with Eric and Nicole, which may have been the only reason I liked them as a couple.  But, Eric and Nicole didn't have that larger-than-life quality of Josh and Reva.  The funny thing about Brady and Kristen is that I couldn't remember why she ever loved him during her latest return to Salem and their trip to Nashville.  At least Eric and Nicole do/did have a palpable chemistry, I thought.  

[peachmangosteen]

What exactly makes a supercouple/"supercouple writing?"

[Apprentice79]

12 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

Later in the '80s came Jack/Jennifer, which segued into the early '90s with Bo/Carly V1.0, John/Isabella, and then John/Marlena reconnecting. Throw in Carrie/Austin as the new generation's answer to the supercouple and Bo/Billie (whom I actively disliked, no matter who played the roles, but I know they were super popular), and I think that came to the end of the line, since then, JER came on and blew up the "supercouple" deal to smithereens, likely with Ken Corday's blessing.

Jarlena was the last supercouple closing out the 90's.  To be fair, they had supercouple status going back to when John was Roman.  

I also think that Austin/Carrie could have become a supercouple with proper writing, but, Ken Corday wanted the show to be actor-proof and no more supercouples.

Bo/Carly version 1 also had the makings of a supercouple. I think that Peter leaving really damaged the couple because of backstage tension between the recast Bo and Crystal Chappell who played Carly. She left the show because of him and she said that had Peter not left the show, she would have stayed as Carly. So, we almost got a Carly/Bo/Hope triangle.  

Edited November 5, 2018 by Apprentice79

[4evaQuez]

I think it's hard for the show to have supercouples because the show does not know how to write for individual characters anymore. Hope was fundamentally different from Bo. Same with Jack and Jenn. While I actually don't think John and Marlena's personalities are that different, I still see them as individuals and see how their personalities balance each other. With today's characters, I'm not sure who they are as individuals, and that hurts how I see them as a couple.

 

Next, which adds to my previous point, young actors don't stay with Soaps. I know this has always been an issue for Soaps as they are/were seen as a starting point. However, characters are on the show for years and leave no lasting impact. I was shocked to discover that Carly and Lisa  T's Melissa Horton were on the show for a relatively small amount of time, yet both have major pairings, storylines and personalities that impacted the canvas. I can't say the same for Melanie Jonas, Danial Jonas or Rafe. Or the fact that the popular Chabby pairing have gone through two different recasts: one for Chad and one for Abby. Or the fact that one of the major interlopers in their pairing is also a recast: Ben. Same for Will in the Will and Sonny pairing. It's hard to keep momentum for a pairing through various recasts and the chemistry and personality changes - which also result in writing changes.

 

The last time there were pairings I thought had potential for supercouple pairing is actually the current Chad and Kate Mansi's Abby. I also had hope for Nick and Gabi. A dreadful recast in the former and horrendous writing in the latter destroyed both pairings for me.

[Irlandesa]

On 11/4/2018 at 8:48 PM, DisneyBoy said:

Lumi doesn't qualify? Hmmmm....

I'm torn on Lumi.  There's a longevity to them.  A history.  But is there an inevitability to them?  That I don't know.

On 11/5/2018 at 8:45 AM, peachmangosteen said:

What exactly makes a supercouple/"supercouple writing?"

Writing on its own can't make a supercouple. I've seen soaps try, and fail, to do that.  It's part of the reason I hate having filming months in advance.  But supercouple often starts with an accident.  Back when budgets were bigger, characters used to cross paths more in parties or at restaurants even if they weren't headed for a big story.  If a good dynamic was seen, writers might eventually work those characters back together for a larger story. 

Then there's a story that hopefully doesn't focus just getting the two together.  Attention is paid to who the characters are--why they get along and why they might clash.  And so often it involved waiting and push/pull.  I feel like waiting at least a year for a couple to have sex was not unheard of. 

Soaps film ahead, move at a much faster pace and don't have the viewing numbers to really get there these days. 

On 11/4/2018 at 10:52 PM, enchantingmonkey said:

It'd be fun if someone could plot out the trajectory of a supercouple from the 80s and show how that compares and contrasts to how couples are written today.  There were some good points above about why they may have came to an end in the 90s.  I feel like supercouples were replaced by rabid fan bases who insist that their favorite couple be kept together.  

The internet may have made them more visible but trust me, those fans were there in the 80s too.  In fact, they're probably the reason supercouples exist.

As for a trajectory, since Jack and Jennifer are the last soap couple standing that could bring me back to any soap, I can't really speak to how couples are written now but I'll try to fill in what I can find about their trajectory. Under spoiler tags for scrolling purposes only. 
 

Spoiler

 

Feb 1989-Jennifer goes into Jack's office looking for Diana.  She wants to write a story about a horse.  Jack asks what it's called.  She tells him it's Jennifer's Beauty and leaves.  He says "she sure is."  And they're off---except not

Spring 1989: Because the story Jennifer is writing about actually brings her closer to Emilio.  She spends spring with him while Jack is investigating Nick, Eve and Diana.  I don't remember the details.

Late Spring 1989: Emilo leaves in late spring and Jennifer starts working more at the Spectator.  Jack is involved with his family at this time.  Jennifer wants to write about a pregnant woman who robbed Steve and she wants to foster the baby.  This is the period when they start to get to know one another more.  Jack starts to fall for Jennifer but takes a step back when a woman from the foster agency brings up Jack's assault of Kayla.

Summer 1989:  Emilio comes back.  He and Jennifer start getting closer again.  Jack is jealous and starts having fantasies.  Jack hires Emilio as a bodyguard which is hilarious.

Fall 1989:  Jennifer is still involved with Emilio but starting to realize she's in love with Jack.  Jack starts investigating Steve's ex, Marina Toscano, who came into town.  He also meets her sister, Isabella, and they form one of my favorite platonic friendships.

Late Fall 1989/Early 1990: Marina Toscano ends up dead.  Kayla is accused.  Jack and Jennifer investigate and end up having their first kiss in Jan/Feb of 1990--a year after their first 'major' scene.

Spring 1990:  Jack pulls away because of his past.  Emilio and Jennifer decide to get married but Jack kidnaps her before that happens.

Summer 1990:  Cruise of Deception.  Jack and Jennifer have sex for the first time--about 18 months after they first meet.

Late Summer 1990:  Jack kills his adoptive father at Steve and Kayla's wedding.  He's then haunted by his no-good fathers (bio and adoptive) causing issues in his relationship with Jennifer.

Fall 1990:  During a break in their relationship, Jennifer goes to Alemania as Carly/Katerina.  Jack goes after her. She is raped by Lawrence.  Jennifer hides the rape as Jack is getting read to propose to her.

Early 1991:  Jennifer has a rape flashback while with Jack.  She slaps him and calls him a rapist which brings up his issues with his past.  She still didn't tell him what happened to her.  They eventually split.

Spring 1991:  Eve needs to get married to get her inheritance.  Jack agrees to play the part of groom to get money to save his paper.  Jennifer goes to tell Jack about Lawrence but Eve flaunts their marriage in front of Jennifer before Jennifer can say anything. Eve is accused of murder and Jack, Jennifer, Frankie and Eve end up on a train across the country.  Jack and Jennifer are working together again investigating and she eventually tells him what happened to her.

June 1991:  Jack and Jennifer get married about 2 1/2 years after first meeting.

 

 

tl;dr.  First kiss after 11 months.  Sex after about 18 months. [First] Marriage at 2 1/2 years.

Edited November 11, 2018 by Irlandesa

[peachmangosteen]

So, a big part of it is a slow burn?

Edited November 11, 2018 by peachmangosteen

[Apprentice79]

2 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

So, a big part of it is a slow burn?

Yes, with lots of attention in giving the characters dimensions, flaws, positive traits, family dynamics, friends, a past that will be tied into the story. For example: Jack was a part of Steve and Kayla, even before he appeared in the flesh.   Once he was revealed, Steve was torn between the brother he longed for and the woman he loved more than life itself.  That was a unique triangle.. Plus, the actions of Jack towards Steve/Kayla as a villain affected his dynamic with Jennifer when they were falling in love and his attempts at redeeming himself..

[nilyank]

2 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

So, a big part of it is a slow burn?

A slow burn and having them involved in other stories that in which they support other characters/stories as their relationship begins to evolve in the process. Nowadays, the only stories couples have are about their relationship and whatever roadblock is placed in front of them from being together.

For Ciara and Ben, they have been going nowhere since the cabin and the only story they have is Hope trying to keep them Ben away from her. A better story would have been if Ciara was involved in the Chabby mess if only because they had different impression of who Ben. Meanwhile, Ben would have been lured into unknowingly working for Kristen and Xander because he needed the money but not thinking he was doing anything to illegal.

Their paths would have crossed as everything that happened after the fallout from John and Marlena's wedding, Abby's seeming descent back into wigtown. So when Ben is once again jobless, it makes sense that Chad would hire him as muscle to get Abby.

Ciara could have believed what Abby was saying about Gabi and enlist Ben to help investigate. It also would be easy for Ciara to visit her grandfather's mansion and try to find some dirt in Gabi's room when she wasn't around. Ciara's history with wanting Chad could also come into paly

Ben could have tasked with watching over EJ when Xander/Kristen couldn't be there. Or doing menial stuff for Rolf. Since Ben knew who EJ was (thanks to Abby) but wanting to keep secret his illegal activities from Ciara, he doesn't say a word until he runs into Sami who is heartbroken not knowing if the man that she rescued is her husband.

It would make both characters much more interesting as they were involved in things besides only what is happening to themselves.

Eventually, their next story would be an us against the world. I would have a copy-cat serial killer on the loose and Ben the prime suspect as Ciara and he work together to find the real killer. I would make that killer be Stefan as his character is dud and it would be a good way to eventually have the character off the show.

[Apprentice79]

8 minutes ago, nilyank said:

A slow burn and having them involved in other stories that in which they support other characters/stories as their relationship begins to evolve in the process. Nowadays, the only stories couples have are about their relationship and whatever roadblock is placed in front of them from being together.

For Ciara and Ben, they have been going nowhere since the cabin and the only story they have is Hope trying to keep them Ben away from her. A better story would have been if Ciara was involved in the Chabby mess if only because they had different impression of who Ben. Meanwhile, Ben would have been lured into unknowingly working for Kristen and Xander because he needed the money but not thinking he was doing anything to illegal.

Their paths would have crossed as everything that happened after the fallout from John and Marlena's wedding, Abby's seeming descent back into wigtown. So when Ben is once again jobless, it makes sense that Chad would hire him as muscle to get Abby.

Ciara could have believed what Abby was saying about Gabi and enlist Ben to help investigate. It also would be easy for Ciara to visit her grandfather's mansion and try to find some dirt in Gabi's room when she wasn't around. Ciara's history with wanting Chad could also come into paly

Ben could have tasked with watching over EJ when Xander/Kristen couldn't be there. Or doing menial stuff for Rolf. Since Ben knew who EJ was (thanks to Abby) but wanting to keep secret his illegal activities from Ciara, he doesn't say a word until he runs into Sami who is heartbroken not knowing if the man that she rescued is her husband.

It would make both characters much more interesting as they were involved in things besides only what is happening to themselves.

Eventually, their next story would be an us against the world. I would have a copy-cat serial killer on the loose and Ben the prime suspect as Ciara and he work together to find the real killer. I would make that killer be Stefan as his character is dud and it would be a good way to eventually have the character off the show.

I love your post. It is perfect. That story would make me like Cin.  

I also wanted to add, the writers need to show us why a couple should be together and not just tell us..

Edited November 11, 2018 by Apprentice79

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

So, a big part of it is a slow burn?

Usually.  There have been a few couples that started out with sex or were already married when the audience was introduced to them but there's usually something that presents a significant obstacle to them and they may not realize they're all in until later on. 

And like others have said, there's usually another story, or more, going on while they're falling in love.  Jack and Jennifer were always investigating.  Sometimes it was personal.  Sometimes it was random (like Baby Hannah but that story still had emotional resonance which developed both characters).

[Apprentice79]

52 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Usually.  There have been a few couples that started out with sex or were already married when the audience was introduced to them but there's usually something that presents a significant obstacle to them and they may not realize they're all in until later on. 

And like others have said, there's usually another story, or more, going on while they're falling in love.  Jack and Jennifer were always investigating.  Sometimes it was personal.  Sometimes it was random (like Baby Hannah but that story still had emotional resonance which developed both characters).

The baby Hannah story pushed Jack to look at Jo differently and Jennifer saw a different side to Jack... It is stories like that, that deepened a character when they had a story that was not about their love or an interloper causing problems. The same thing happened with Steve and Kayla when it came to Max and Frankie and their eventual adoption by Kayla's parents. Steve was determined to keep Max and Frankie together, something that he was powerless to do as a kid when he and Jack were left at the orphanage by their mother Jo.  Jack was adopted by the Devereaux separating Steve from him.  The same thing happened again when they met Benjy during the iconic deaf storyline and Steve/Kayla were determined to protect him from Stefano.  That story led to Stefano kidnapping Carrie, not as a bargaining chip to get Benjy back, but, he wanted to keep Carrie because she was Roman's daughter. We saw Stefano vacillating from being a menacing kidnapper to being a protective paternal figure with Carrie.  Stories would flow seamlessly. It was not just a plot point, because everything had a significance and would tie different characters together.  You always got a payoff and that would kick in the next phase of a couple's story.

Edited November 11, 2018 by Apprentice79

[methodwriter85]

On 11/4/2018 at 8:03 PM, WendyCR72 said:

Supercouples on Days died in the mid '90s or so.

I'm going to admit I was utterly fascinated by EJami because damn that shit was cray-cray. Sami being the target of obsession instead of obsessing over Austin? EJ being Sami's age despite the fact that he was born-onscreen AFTER her son was? EJ having a British accent despite being raised in New Orleans? And the scene where she gets EJ to finally apologize for raping her when he had been really deep in denial that it wasn't rape? And then it turning out that they were meant to be together all along because they were the spitting image of John's parents? (Although I think that also got retconned.)

I still remember this EJami video that took shade at Lumi fans by using the Lumi wedding video montage song.

I do think ultimately Lumi should have ended up together, as much as I loved EJami. It would have been a lovely way to write off both Sami and Lucas.

[JBC344]

16 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I'm going to admit I was utterly fascinated by EJami because damn that shit was cray-cray. Sami being the target of obsession instead of obsessing over Austin? EJ being Sami's age despite the fact that he was born-onscreen AFTER her son was? EJ having a British accent despite being raised in New Orleans? And the scene where she gets EJ to finally apologize for raping her when he had been really deep in denial that it wasn't rape? And then it turning out that they were meant to be together all along because they were the spitting image of John's parents? (Although I think that also got retconned.)

I still remember this EJami video that took shade at Lumi fans by using the Lumi wedding video montage song.

I do think ultimately Lumi should have ended up together, as much as I loved EJami. It would have been a lovely way to write off both Sami and Lucas.

Actually EJ was raised in England, hence the British accent.

[DisneyBoy]

Wish we'd gotten some EJ/Edmund scenes after "lil Ew-viss" grew up.

[JBC344]

13 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Wish we'd gotten some EJ/Edmund scenes after "lil Ew-viss" grew up.

As much as I like that they brought Susan back these last couple of years, I really do wish they would of kept her with Edmund.

[DisneyBoy]

Yeah, but he'd have never let her descend into madness. I really like River, but it's a mark against him that he enabled Susan's crazy to the extent he did.

Wait.... if Susan is in Italy with EJ and Sami, does that mean she's just broken up with Roger? No goodbye?

[nilyank]

31 minutes ago, DisneyBoy said:

Yeah, but he'd have never let her descend into madness. I really like River, but it's a mark against him that he enabled Susan's crazy to the extent he did.

Wait.... if Susan is in Italy with EJ and Sami, does that mean she's just broken up with Roger? No goodbye?

Sami said that they would arrange so Susan can visit but they did not leave together to Italy.

[howmanywords]

Bumping this thread because I'm super nostalgic today. Singer James Ingram passed away today. One of my favorite singers over the years and it was Days that introduced me to his music back in the 80's. If you watched back then James' songs were such an integral part of Bo and Hopes love story (especially "Whatever We Imagine"). Back then the show wasn't cheap and we had iconic songs for iconic couples. So I'm posting this (damn I guess I needed a good cry).

[Apprentice79]

Thank you for that clip above, Bope was truly magical in their original run and Kristian was breathtakingly beautiful.

[404notfound]

[tribeca]

Here I thought John was only Marlenas 

[WendyCR72]

9 hours ago, tribeca said:

Here I thought John was only Marlenas 

Oh, God no. He had a thing with Diana, Isabella (whom he started with as Roman and married as John Black; she died of cancer mere months after Brady was born), not to mention had flirtations with Yvette DuPres [who was also involved with Victor - messy], a blonde shrink whose first name was Whitney, forgot her last name...RoJohn got around while Doc was "dead"!

Here is a video with RoJohn/Isabella, a.k.a. Brady's mother:

[Apprentice79]

5 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

Oh, God no. He had a thing with Diana, Isabella (whom he started with as Roman and married as John Black; she died of cancer mere months after Brady was born), not to mention had flirtations with Yvette DuPres [who was also involved with Victor - messy], a blonde shrink whose first name was Whitney, forgot her last name...RoJohn got around while Doc was "dead"!

Here is a video with RoJohn/Isabella, a.k.a. Brady's mother:

 

Don't forget Rebecca. John liked her too... 

[WendyCR72]

7 hours ago, Apprentice79 said:

Don't forget Rebecca. John liked her too... 

Right, Rebecca! I do remember her.

[Black Knight]

John wasn't serious about Rebecca, though. He got involved with her as a casual rebound after the twin upsets of Isabella's death and Marlena not leaving Roman. He met and fell for Kristen while still involved with Rebecca, and Rebecca realized that Kristen was the one he had real feelings for, so she ended the fling.