carolineg

I totally get Marlena is very forgiving and I do think she tends to overcompensate when it comes to Brady whether the show explicitly says that or not. The woman tried to redeem Stefano for a minute in the 90's, but Marlena's extreme paranoia/distrust over Kristen is what drove her and John apart in the first place in 2013. Kristen asking Marlena to raise Rachel was one of the strangest things I have ever seen and it's Days so that says a lot. That would never even happen. Kristen just needs a clear trajectory. If they are going to redeem her-do it. She can still get in her own way ala Sami, but she can't kidnap people anymore. If her and Brady are endgame make that happen I guess. To me, being John/Marlena's foil was Kristen's main gig. Either drop it or continue it. Don't play both sides. The weeping and sobbing Stacy does is not really Kristen. Kristen is cool and calculated and smart. A rightful Dimera heir (over those losers Jake and Chad). Throw her into that world. If Wayne was playing Roman I would agree to throw them together to give maximum annoyance to John/Marlena. And we need one actress playing her and stick with it. I would honestly completely drop Susan because I absolutely detest her, but she does have a purpose and good chemistry with DF as EJ. Idk, lately I feel like there has been so much messiness with Kristen/Eileen/Stacy that the character needs a break for a minute.

Not to go off on a tangent, but John/Marlena were probably the worst of all offenders in JER's cycle of love triangles. Most everyone else knew where they stood so to speak (Sami, Vivian, Tony/Andre, Peter, Billie, etc). John/Marlena (mostly John) repeatedly lied to one another and most everyone else especially Kristen. I am not even a Kristen defender, but that would make anyone a little crazy. Kristen's batsh*t actions might be the most understandable. Eileen will always be my Kristen and the best Kristen, but Stacy is talented. The oddness of John/Marlena accepting a nicer, gentler Kristen was freaking bizarre. Leave them out of it or play up the endless rivalry. I agree you either make Kristen reformed and have SH play it or don't. Going back and forth with different actresses, different motivations, different screen partners, etc is a disservice to both actresses. Again, Kristen is a smart character, regardless of her flaws, but Ron makes her epically dumb. Her plans consist of face masks and ridiculously bad choices. Kristen in the 90's was nothing if not one step ahead and this Kristen is just not that bright.

I have never considered Kristen to be a straight villian. She was driven to do the things she did out of insecurity, fear, doubts, etc. Let's be real. Kristen was a fairly clever psycho, but she wasn't wrong about John. He REPEATEDLY told her he loved her and only her. He willingly made a baby with her and proposed to her. All the time he was lying to her and Marlena. John's kind of the villian lol. To this day (outside of JER being JER) I don't understand why John and Marlena couldn't just be honest with one another. Blah, blah, blah the pain of the affair, the baby, each other's happiness. Stop being lame. Them being together, IMO, would have legitimized their affair and stopped a lot of their problems. For storyline purposes it was great, but it really made 0 sense. Marlena telling John the truth about Kristen from the beginning of the pregnancy was arguably less stressful than Kristen keeping secrets the entire pregnancy, but whatever. I digress... Plus the woman had to live as a sex slave on an island for years.

Interesting. I don't feel like I can speak about OLTL intelligently (or non-intelligently as I do sometimes) because I was more of a casual viewer. Clint/Viki reuniting made sense to me in a way Roman/Marlena wouldn't. To me, I would consider this Viki's main pairing even if she had sucess with other pairings. With Marlena, you have 30 plus years of John/Marlena build up and her choosing John over Roman again and again. It would be odd for her to pivot away from that at this stage in the game. Do I think there is unresolved issues with her and Roman? Yeah, I do. I think the show dropped the ball a lot with them. I feel like there could have been numerous issues with Roman feeling a closeness with Belle because she was his daughter first or a lingering bitterness over John/Marlena and there really isn't. If Wayne had returned in 1997 I think this would be a whole different ballgame, but Roman has been sidelined over the years for John and because of a crap recast. Again, Roman brings nothing to the table that John doesn't. He may be Carrie/Sami/Eric's bio dad, but John easily can fill that void as well because Drake has a longer history with those actors (outside GV as Eric-and I think that's the least complicated relationship out of all the kids for John). In this case, it's just one supercouple begat another more popular supercouple, but if Wayne came back I probably would be willing to give it a try. Anyway, Happy New Year as well! Yeah, I guess that's what I don't understand with the 2 Kristens. Kristen has moved far past John, but everytime ED comes back we are made to think it's unresolved and there is an attraction, but there really isn't. John closed the door on Kristen years ago and the stuff from 2012 was very strange because John just wouldn't do that to Marlena, but whatever. I was happy they brought Kristen back. I did think Kristen/Brady worked in a dirty, tawdry way. ED/EM have chemistry for days, but it's not a love story or long term pairing. But I might not ever be able to get over ED's Kristen telling Brady she was his new momma back in the day. I just wish the show would chose a lane with Kristen or even just a single actress. Kristen is a villian, but she does have tragic anti-heroine qualities. She was a good person. John/Marlena being a**holes kind of turned her crazy. They were the ones drooling all over each other while lying about their feelings. Kristen was a hot mess, but those two did sort of bring it on themselves.

In the flurry of activity last night I didn't read this properly. Did John actually sleep with Kristen? I thought they were just making out in bed so Brady would catch them. Admittedly, I didn't tune in to all that story back in the day. John/Kristen are always an odd coupling to me. I can buy they are still attracted to one another on one hand, but on the other John hasn't really shown much interest in her since 1995 and most of his fantasies were about Marlena anyway. I wish the show was a little more clear on the intentions. ED's Kristen seems still into John, but SH's Kristen seems into Brady. They play that aspect of the character very differently.

Gotcha. It could have been a little different especially with their odd sex locations lol. They were just going for it. But I do think it would have pushed Marlena into a weird corner with that. She was the main heroine and you couldn't push it too far in 1993. You literally couldn't just say John got her off better at that time. It had to be solely about love and romance

I think Wayne has aged better than JT. Like the way you think a rugged Roman to age I guess. I think Marlena being physically attracted to a bad boy would work like 25 years ago. It's too late now, but I think there is something to Marlena/John's sexual attraction that could have been explored back in the day. Their affair could have been a little dirtier and grittier. Less like Marlena was choosing between the taller and hotter of the 2 Romans. Kinda like EJ/Sami, but like less rapey

I can agree they might be fascinated with each other but I don't think he's more like Kristen than Marlena. John has never been innately evil and I think Kristen is now. John, even at his worst, walked a fine line of villainy. I mean, I guess it's what you see it as. John is a better Roman than Roman is if you see it that way. But do you doubt John's love for Marlena or his family? No. But I have said for years Roman and John are literally the same character, but Marlena likes to have sex with one more than the other. Instead of wildly differentiating the two characters the writers over the years have made them exactly the same. It might have been interesting to see Marlena to fall for a more villainous John and be attracted to that.

it was Tide lol. Jarlena would just be a super hard thing to unsurp even with Wayne. I don't deny great chemistry between all the actors, but Jarlena's fanbase, likability, and history just outweigh Roman/Marlena. It's something from like 40 years ago, and while I enjoyed it, John/Marlena are more comfortable to Days viewers. I think it would be one thing if it was Marlena's only viable option like Viki in theory, but Marlena has 2 and it's just not worth re-doing it all for something I don't think most viewers would like.

I am just on the fence. I loved Wayne's Roman and that triangle, but I think the time has passed for it to continue. Days needs a solid Tom/Alice couple and I think Jarlena are it. It's a lot of what ifs. Wayne is older than Deidre I think so I don't think he's going to up and join Days again. If he did I don't think I would be opposed to it, but it's basically not going to happen. It would have been great 25, 20, 15, even 10 years ago, but I don't think we should even mess with Jarlena at this point. Again, the thought is really good, I just don't think it's a relevant story today.

I also think Marlena has put up with a lot of [!@#$%^&*] for John. Not the devil, but like a lot of other things. I honestly don't think it's a bad idea at all in theory, but I consider John/Marlena a tentpole on Days and I guess I don't need other options explored? But if they actually got Wayne back I would consider it.

I guess it truly depends on the guy you ship with Marlena. I believe they did get an opportunity post 1991. The writing was not the best for him I agree. But Wayne left/was fired and that was that. I think it's like a Sonny/Brenda/Jax situation where it was super popular in the moment, but one part of the triangle (Jax) fell out over time. Same with Roman. I just don't think you can go back on that especially with 70 year olds. John/Marlena have been built up too much, especially John's hardcore dedication to Marlena.

I can't believe in any situation John/Marlena wouldn't be endgame and the way John has done everything for Marlena lately makes it a hard take for me to have a love triangle with the 3 of them. I love Ro/Mar and Wayne/Deidre, but I do sorta think that particular ship has sailed even though I would have been all about it circa 1998. I think the show went back and forth too many times with JT to make it viable. Perhaps, if guilt over the Possession led her back to Roman I could possibly understand that. But the show has bent over backwards to make Jarlena endgame and I think that's right.

Ugh..............I can't Northrup is such a likeable presence. I think he can make a lot work including a Kate romance easily. And i actually think LK's Kate would be with a guy like Wayne's Roman. I would love to see him and Deidre just banter off each other as well. Even if the romance is long dead just to discuss Sami and her life lol

It's possible? I guess, but he started out wanting to tell the Sami Brady story, so I don't think so. And I don't think it would have jumped through Doug if Johnny was possessed initially because he would have had easier access to Marlena period. But this story makes no sense so why not? So this might be an odd thing to say, but Zach Tinker gives me such Michael Sutton/Stone vibes. Obviously not in story, but in looks and mannerisms.

I would literally give anything for Wayne back as Roman. I love Jarlena for all it's worth, but I loved Wayne as Roman. Without him (and I don't think it's all JT but writing), Roman is so lame!! Johnny smirked his way through the exorcism (much like his brother Will at all times lol) so I am not surprised he got Possessed. He started this, so it is fitting

Forgot about Johnny's fake eye. Maybe it will make a comeback like Phillip's fake leg.

Well, Ciara was watching real estate shows so maybe they will move? I like how Ciara didn't even get out of bed when Jake was there. Who does that lol? And I hate myself for it, but I still think John/Marlena are adorable after all these years. Drake plays it more cheesy these days, but damn if they still don't make me feel nostalgic when they are all cuddly and sweet.

Listen, John/Marlena's love can conquer everything. It can save the world!! Even if you have the wrong soap🤣

Agree about everything, but I don't think the Jan stuff weakened the Devil. It was her family's love and Marlena trying to break though? Idek why I am trying to justify this, but I do think that was the actual point John was making.

I give that a slight pass because there are only so many days you can use a 96 year old man and it has to be really important. I don't think it's budget on that.

I honestly think Doug and Julie should sorta apologize to Marlena as well. She took the devil on to save Doug!! So, I guess I am hoping for more meaningful scenes in the future. Marlena has a ton of people to apologize to. And Cin are high on that list. I just wish she apologized to her own daughter and family first.

If you aren't laughing with it you just are thinking about everything that is wrong lol I am not even sure what a hospital could do for Marlena at all. She wasn't physically ill and there is no other psychiatrist in town except her so it's not helping her mentally. Glad Marlena's apology tour started with Tripp and Cin. Not her own daughter but whatever. I think the Devil could be any orientation they feel like.

I was thinking more of a RC wacky fave like Tuc Watkins and he'd be in a Speedo openly trying to seduce Marlena lol.

Why not? But I don't think anyone's mentioned Marlena's rape since like 1984. And I don't even think John knows but I'd buy more than Colin murphy. Maybe we will get a long awaited Josh Fallon comeback.