DynamiteKiddo

LOL about Stefano!

I would really like to see Kyler as Theo.  Despite a lot of criticism, I thought he did well with Theo’s autism and there’s an emotional connection for me between the actor/character.

I do NOT understand Rex being brought back in any form, esp. played by Kyle Lowder.  I know Kate was on the phone with Cassie during TomSell, but I was hella down to think the Gemini Twins were deleted from the Canon.  And between the two, Cassie was definitely the more interesting character... esp. right before the piñata, Alexis Thorpe was really coming into her own.

I started casually watching AMC in 2001, but didn't start watching daily till summer 2003.  So I was not very familiar with Dixie, but knew all about her.  So maybe because I didn't have the history, I loved Dixie's return.  The darker turn for the character really, really worked for me and while I usually HATED Zach, I really liked his connection with her and really enjoyed her rivalry with Kendall.  I never loved anything to do with Kathy, but Dixie basically worked for me on every level then.  It was beyond disappointing losing her to the pancakes, but that was when Brian Frons was in full swing gutting ABC Daytime.  We unceremoniously lost Brooke right around the same time.  The end of McTavish was super rough.  Apart from some very brief periods, the last six-ish years of AMC were such a mess, imo.  Except for Broderick's interim stint and, of course, her close for the ABC run.  And I totally credit Broderick for how good the daily quality of Tomlin & Whitesell's "Days" was.  I'd kill for her to head write "Days."

Anyway about Jennifer . . . even though I really struggle with Missy on a personal level, I'm very unapologetic about loving her as Jenn.  But more than anything, I desperately want Jenn on canvas and think she's one of the show's most important characters, especially now.  And I did like Cady very much . . . it's just, for me, there was a missing connection, esp. with Abby and JJ . . . and when I see Missy's Jenn in the Horton home, it always feels SO right . . . but despite all that, Cady did a great job under tough circumstances.  If Missy isn't going to commit to returning or if she continues being so unavailable like for the last few years, I'd LOVE to have Cady on a long-term contract (whatever that means for "Days" now).

Fun promo!  Except for Ben/Ciara ugh lol.

Thank God Jack (and Jennifer) is out of DiMansion.  That was insane.

I'm really looking forward to Abby and Gabi teaming up!

16 minutes ago, prefab1 said:

I can't really agree with you there. I'm a relative latecomer to DAYS; I didn't start watching regularly until Crystal Chappell rejoined in 2009. And one of the reason I couldn't get into the show before was because it focused too much on insipid white-bread couples like Shawn and Belle. Brandon Beemer is nice to look at, but I've never found Shawn very interesting. And I only like Belle in the stories where she's feuding with her family (like the story about Marlena's living will).

 

The only purely "good" character on the show I find interesting to watch is Chloe, because she is exceptionally kind and well-intentioned, but she also has huge blind spots. Like right now, she is basically seducing Brady away from Kristen, but doesn't even realize she's doing it. 

I totally get this.  Up until 2008, except for Lucas & Sami, "Days" was dominated by these vanilla couples and it was overkill and sooo simplistic.  But after years and years of being force-fed leads like EJ, Theresa, and Ben, I am nostalgic for couples like Shawn & Belle and Austin & Carrie.  Perhaps I only like them in theory and, in practice, I'd be over them after a couple months on contract, but I just feel like the hero has been out of fashion in most fiction for the past 10-15 years and I tend to always favor the underdog . . . somewhere along the line, to me anyway, the hero really became the underdog.

And Chloe is a wild card . . . after she returned in 2007, they've really taken a lot of left turns with her and I don't consider her a heroine anymore.  I really like how unpredictable she can be and have come to appreciate Nadia Bjorlin, even if her acting is very questionable.  I hate that she's always on the chopping block, but she keeps coming back so . . .

4 hours ago, FrenchBug82 said:

I think soaps underestimate how much shows need some genuinely good characters to balance the crazy, evil and messed up out there. Carrie was annoying but even when being on the verge of doing a "bad" thing (cheating with Mike) she was thoroughly goody-2-shoes about it. And like it or not, it provided a good balance with Sami's energy.
I hate that the show has defanged Sami a lot as she became a center of the show. If only for that, I wish Carrie was there as balance although maybe Belle can be the proxy ying to Sami's yang.
Austin/Carrie is the end game but honestly I don't miss Austin as much. Lucas is much more interesting and neither of the two Austin actors really fit the role anymore.

I feel you about Austin, but I think he's been really misused . . . Lucas (and his other brother, Philip) IS more interesting, but Austin has a compelling backstory and they could really build on how screwed over he's been by almost everyone in his life.  Patrick Muldoon did not work out at all in 2011 and Austin Peck only excels at "goofy," but AP would be my pick . . . or recast.  But Carrie definitely has more value as a character at any given time than Austin.

I guess I’m glad Austin & Carrie got back together but I wish we’d get to see all this play out on the show!  I know every return of theirs gets seriously f’d up, but I think they have a lot of potential after such a long break from the canvas.  I’m just glad Shawn & Belle have a place on the show with RC.  After a decade+ of “gray” (or just villain) leads, I really miss the role heroes used to fill.  And while I super appreciate J&M and S&K, they’re way past their adventure “Days,” as Stevano proved.  Abby is probably the only long-term traditional heroine under 55 the show has had in the last 10ish years.  I am so glad Abby is still on the show.  I always loved Marci Miller but she’s really delivering every beat consistently this time.

Anyway, all I’m long-windedly saying is the hero still deserves a place... After so many years of Sami, EJ, Nicole, Xander, Kristen, Stefan, Eve, Theresa, etc. getting so much focus, it’s made me miss annoying airhogs like Austin/Carrie, Shawn/Belle, etc. lol.

I’m not here for the Evan twist.  BK is really good and I thought they could rehab the character given enough time... never mind!  Lol.

This is one of my favorite GH scenes, but in hindsight, I can totally call this ott af--when Tracy found out Lila died, after lashing out at everyone, I believe she fell into either Ned or Edward's arms and SCREAMED, "I want my mommy!!!"  It was raw and so painful to watch, but also a lot.

Ya I'm hella down for Abby/Gabi.  Good or bad, there is SO much history there at this point . . . when Kate Mansi returned for the Time Jump, I was honestly most interested in her scenes with Camila Banus.

But the show is getting totally schizophrenic with which storylines they're featuring again--like Antoyne mentioned, the rape story is FINALLY getting play again . . . while I personally preferred the Deveraux and Elani/Vivian drama, that was too important a story to essentially drop for weeks after Charlie/Ava got all that focus after Christmas.  And ugh Cin seems like it'll be the A story moving forward, hopefully not for long.

6 hours ago, Wendy said:

And how much do I love that he took Guza's throwing Zander under a bus for his Nik/Emily ickfest - and got an Emmy (when they still meant something!) out of it?

That was the BEST.  And TC & NL were the presenters--she seemed genuinely thrilled for him.

I love CB/Zander.

Why?!?  Despite her “beliefs,” I will always prefer Missy Reeves as Jennifer but Cady was doing an absolutely fine job.  Jennifer is SO needed right now!  Is this because the show can’t afford her or something???

Wow just wow if RC really kills Laura.  I do NOT care for JLB's version of Laura, but she is as legacy character as it gets and to do this to generate story for Gwen would be insane.  She has been a shot in the arm for the show, but she is a new character, whose background has been changed and is now convoluted at best.  And Laura didn't even get scenes with Julie, Maggie, Marlena, or Doug . . . if she does die, RC wouldn't even have capitalized on the dramatic impact.  Whether it's death or a coma, Laura's run-in with Kate will obviously play into this.  Btw, those 2 scenes were great--the best part of JLB's Laura for me is her rivalry with Kate.  I'm really crossing my fingers that this isn't actually happening.

They don’t need to do this wedding if that is what it’s gonna be, lol.  Unless they’re out of frame, looks like Jack and Roman won’t even be there?!?

BARF to Shakespearean Cin!  Will they put us out of our misery and really off themselves for real?!?  Lol

Linda Dano seemed very unsure, which is unlike her.  It felt like she was imitating Louise, and she was doing a fine job . . . but LS's deadpan Vivian is equally funny, aloof, and crazy.  LD's portrayal just felt confused, sedated, and too elegant.  But hopefully she'll find her footing.  And anything is better than whatever Robin Strasser (who I love!) thought she was doing.  Like others have said, LS brings something so unique to the role to the point that no recast stands a fighting chance.

After the last week, I'm officially done with Kristen.  Just put a cork in it.  And I think SH can be a revelation, but she misses the mark too often here--she's either psychotic OR saccharine and has mostly lacked the nuance that this role requires, which ED perfected.  Susan was a mess and I agree with everyone that this newfound Marlena/Kristen "relationship" is not only unbelievable, it's actually very damaging to both characters and their very rich history.  And F anything to do with Cin.  I always hate psychic connections that JER was so fond of and this is especially triggering lol.  I don't even know what Ron is going for with the Necktie Killer references anymore--Susan SHOULD be freaking over being in the same room as the Necktie Killer . . . it being played for laughs doesn't help Ben, but like others have guessed, maybe Ron is just trolling now.

But other than Cin, this has been a solid af week.  The Jack/Gwen stuff is reaching, but no more than any other long lost kid story.  I personally loved the flashbacks, despite the aesthetics being very wrong lol.  I know some have complained that Laura is being thrown under the bus here, but this is the JLBLaura I've always known--totally erratic and hysterical.  I hate this interpretation of the character, but it totally tracks with her '90s era.  However, this doesn't track with the serious and capable psychiatrist Laura that Ron was going for a couple years ago.  And even though I am so not fond of JLB in this role, she did very well this week, and it was the first time she's been given meaty dramatic material in any of her returns.

Given how Maggie is now Xander’s #1 fan, I’m not taking her as a judge of character seriously.  Lol.  This Bonnie story is displaying how stupid it was to kill off Adrienne.  I am glad that Wally Kurth and, especially, Judi Evans are still being used... they have been such team players in daytime, rolling with whatever punches have come their ways.  After being front burner to forgotten, it’s so nice to see them still get play on their shows at this stage in their careers.

On 1/14/2021 at 11:37 PM, prefab1 said:

Yes. I've never seen the 1970s episodes where Flannery played Laura, but just the notion of Susan Flannery playing the mom of Melissa Reeves' character has always made me laugh. I can't exactly see the family resemblance! 

 

Speaking of the Horton women, I can't imagine Marci Miller's Abby having an affair with EJ or lying about sleeping with Austin. 

I've only seen a handful of clips of SF as Laura, but it's hard to imagine her playing an older Laura after watching her as Stephanie . . . when the scene called for it, she could exude a lot of warmth, but she was always SO direct and steely.  However, JLB's Laura was, imo, a total disaster in the 90's and her drive-by's in the last 20 years have been so bland (except when she plays opposite Lauren Koslow).

Ya, I can't see Marci Miller's Abby doing any of that . . . I can't even imagine her opposite Austin Peck in the Chad & Abby in Paris web series.  I actually love MM, but there is something so unpredictable about Kate Mansi's Abby that's really interesting and makes her super versatile.

On GH, and even though I LOVE him, I can't imagine Billy Warlock's AJ with Liz and that ons with Laura Wright's Carly (which was great, so of course GH had to ruin it).

Love that Laura is popping back in, but I really wish JLB wasn’t the defacto Laura.

Ohhh ok lol

I just read on soaps.com John Lindstrom is temporarily replacing Matt Ashford as Jack?!?  Sounds like it could be for love scenes...

https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/586815/general-hospital-jon-lindstrom-temporarily-cast-jack-days-of-our-lives/

This is getting a lot with the recasts!

2 hours ago, prefab1 said:

Shoddy even by DAYS' standards? I think that by DAYS' standards, it's not even the most irresponsible rape-related storyline they've got currently running. I mean, this is the show where we're supposed to root for Brady's undenying love for the woman who raped his stepbrother. 

Totally agree about Kristen—everything involving her is NUTS and her history is being really contradicted to not only make her pairing with Brady work, but her friendship with Lani, too.

But the Allie/Tripp story would be irresponsible anytime, but right now there is a cultural reckoning to hold men accountable for their sexual transgressions against women and to dispel this attitude that women have anything coming to them for being drunk or “promiscuous.”  This story is literally about a girl who was too drunk to remember who raped her and who’s now falsely accusing the wrong guy who needs to be vindicated.  It feels like a controversial response to the #metoo movement.  Much like that Blue Lives Matter story with JJ/Theo, I have NO idea why THIS is what Ron is going for.

I was disappointed by the Horton Christmas Eve eppy.  I loved that Eli & Lani got so much focus, but the rest of the episode was devoted to Ben's pain!  And I noticed that they didn't include ANY interaction between him and Jenn, not even a look.  Wonder WHY?!?  And the writers were acting like Ben had no idea what happened with the ornaments . . . Ben was there celebrating with Abby before he went necktie psycho!  God, the lengths this show goes to for Ben?!?  I also thought the Rafe/Nicole stuff did not belong in this episode, but I guess they snuck in his connection to Hope to make it work?  And I get that Shawn & Belle would skip the party after their wedding, but I was disappointed that Abby, Chad, Lucas, Will, Maggie, and Sarah weren't there.  I hope it was because of Covid and not because of misguided priorities.

The Brady episode was nice, but still no Shawn.  I hadn't realized just how depleted this family has become.  The Allie/Sami scenes were intense.  Even though this story is providing great emotional moments, it's still so tone deaf and irresponsible.  On today's episode, Marlena, a psychiatrist, rape survivor herself, and Allie's grandmother, coaxing John to cut Steve slack was really mind blowing.  It made it look even more insane that later in the episode, she was consoling Allie.  Ron is SO all over the place with this story.  Anyway, I'm not sorry to see Joey go, but I'm very glad they tied up this loose end.  It would've been nice to see him and Claire interact to give a nod to the 2015 teen scene--she could've mourned Ciara with Joey, not freaking Ben.

Always great to see Val.  Why isn't she on full-time?!?

The Gwen storyline really requires us to suspend all logic.  All Abby, Chad, Jenn, or Jack would have to do is talk to each other and they’d figure out she’s playing them.  But this is a soap trope and I’m willing to go with it because, for now, the actress and character are really working and bringing a great new energy to the show.

If today is the Horton Christmas show I wonder who’s at Nicole’s door?  Unless they’re gonna break from their one family a day theme, I have to assume it’s Lucas and not Rafe?  I believe they’re picking right back up on that thread today.  I am bummed that Shawn and Lucas seem to not be at Jennifer’s house for the tree trimming!

So far I've really enjoyed the Christmas episodes.  As insane as all the DiMera stuff was, I fell for it and really liked seeing Chad, Kristen, and Tony together.  The K episode was a ton of fun, esp. Victor shouting, "absolutely not!" when he saw Chloe.  lolol.  The scene where Vic was talking about Justin and let Bonnie stay was super touching, and I even loved Justin & Bonnie's kiss at the end.  But f those Kristen fantasy scenes, ugh lol.  The Black episode was nice . . . the wedding was nice but underwhelming and didn't really capture Shawn & Belle and their relationship.  The scenes with Nicole/Allie and Will/Allie were really strong.  And I'm loving Charlie and Ava for what this is for now, but they got an awful lot of focus in what was supposed to be a special episode for J&M's family.  And I obviously agree with everyone about that insane Will editing.  Was the Will/Allie/Brady scene shot separately or something and the background was green screened???  It's the only explanation I can think of for HOW he could have been missing from the rest of the episode and no Will/Marlena scene?!?

I look so forward to the Horton Christmas Eve every year!