beebs

12 minutes ago, Darn said:

 

I bet his does. Don't wish that convolution on this show lol

 

She says her character has a daughter, have they cast someone? It can't be Lani, she has a mother unless we're in for a rewrite.

I'm betting she's Sheila's mom. 

1 hour ago, asafi said:

 

So how can we receive access to episodes from late 60's and 70's? 

So far you can't. Corday apparently says he doesn't understand why anyone would want to see the old episodes. 

 

Though I swore I read on that lawsuit that it was actually Sony that was keeping a lid on the vintage episodes? I dunno. Either way, the answer is apply pressure to NBC, Corday and Sony, and don't expect much. 

On 11/14/2020 at 10:29 PM, carolineg said:

Days Shane/Kayla/Kim-yuck

Honestly, all it served to do was make Kayla super defensive at all times, Shane look gross, and make Kim look pathetic. I normally am okay with these kinds of triangles, but they rushed putting them together, and they made everyone extremely unsympathetic. Then when it was all over, the only lesson the show learned was that fans "wouldn't accept the supercouples being broken up", which I don't really think was the case so much as the fans didn't want to dislike characters they've spent years rooting for.

7 minutes ago, Titus Andronicus said:

 

Yeah, this seems to be a very weird coincidence. Unless Laemmle had some secrets.

Well, you never know. I don't know how public the situation was leading up to Sunny's vegetative state, but the last coma she slipped into was the the third such incident, so maybe she heard about the earlier incident in April 1980 and ran with it. I doubt it, but it's possible.

13 minutes ago, Khan said:

 

True.  But, you know, even if Nina Laemmle had set out to graft an entire new soap onto DAYS, she still needed to make the new characters and their predicaments interesting to the audience.  So far, from what I am reading, she's failing.  Miserably.

Folks with that level of arrogance to try to usurp the work of others the way Laemmle has tend to possess far less talent than they do mouth. 

2 minutes ago, SoapDope said:

He was on and off since 1970, so his other appearances must have been short.

I suspect he was simply a talk-to between 1970-77, because he was mentioned extremely rarely in any Daytime Serial Newsletter recap before Ann Marcus arrived. 

3 minutes ago, Khan said:

Was Nina Laemmle attempting to foreshadow Marlena's rape?  If so, I think she's doing an awkward and clumsy job, especially when she's muddying the waters by having Kellam become...infatuated with Julie.  Perhaps, Julie was intended to be Kellam's victim, but they changed course (perhaps, because Julie was already a victim of sexual assault).

Laemmle seems to be leaving everything open at this point. It feels like there's a lot of chem testing happening, and not a lot of clear vision. 

 

I'll agree that it seems like they were heading towards Kellam having an obsession with Julie/potentially raping Julie. I suspect once again, Laemmle didn't do her homework and that angle was vetoed because Julie had literally been raped 2 years earlier, so she just pivoted to Marlena...and yeah, it doesn't make sense. 

 

Honestly, I just get the sense that Laemmle didn't care about DAYS or its history. She came in wanting to write the show she wanted to write, and it was gonna happen no matter where she ended up, existing characters be damned. 

4 minutes ago, SoapDope said:

Since we are discussing the 70's. What did Tommy Horton do after the late 60's ? I saw John Lupton in cast photos through out the decade, but what did his character do onscreen ? He last appeared in 1980.

So, according to the recaps (which I think I may compile into a blog at some point), Tommy basically starts to reappear in 1977, starts dating Linda, who is only using him to make Bob (her real target, because she wants his $$$) jealous. Once she gets what she wants, Tommy is dumped, and is a talk-to for the next year, before vanishing again, only to show up for Tom and Alice 50th wedding anniversary party in March 1980, and then he vanishes, never to be heard from again. 

 

That's literally it. 

@victoria foxton I am being a bit glib in saying that Josh was 40. The character was definitely meant to be a 20-something like Tod/Todd/Taud (anyone with confirmation on how we're technically supposed to spell his name? I'm running out of amusing misspellings). Just that the actor was so much older than the part he was playing.

 

I really don't get the logic of what Laemmle is trying to do here. The worst part is, after reading that article @jam6242 just posted, I'm reminded that Desmond, Byron's lawyer has also just vanished, even though he was clearly meant to be a big part in Lee's unmasking. It just feels like Laemmle couldn't be bothered to do her homework on what had just happened not six months prior to her arrival. 

 

Also nice to get confirmation that Kate Woodville's storyline for Marie was indeed dropped, and why. I wonder what Ann Marcus' intended direction was for that story. 

 

15 minutes ago, sheilaforever said:

Interesting fact for the TRIVIA NERDS out there:

 

We know have the exact dates for James E. Reilly's stint as consultant on B&B. No idea if he ever really consulted or Bill Bell used any idea of his or if it was just a Network deal with CBS that paid him some money!

 

Reilly's tenure as "consultant" was rather brief and lasted from # 773 (April 24, 1990) - # 859 (August 22, 1990).

 

As always: Thanks to the mysterious uploader for providing the classic episodes with closing titles.

Was he also not consulting for Y&R at the time? I have heard rumblings that their Marge story was, to some degree, something Reilly cooked up. And indeed, when you think about it, it definitely reads as something he'd do.

I'd also be curious to know, considering I'm decidedly less versed in B&B history, if any Reillyisms snuck into B&B during the brief consulting stint, or if it wasn't particularly noticeable.

On 12/2/2020 at 1:03 PM, Franko said:

I'm looking at Don Craig with new eyes. Little to nothing he's done from 1977 onward has won me over.

 

I'm just guessing here, but I think they were going for a topical story, like the solar energy mess was also supposed to be. At the time, there was a movement to have Gerald Ford run again for president, as well as Ted Kennedy still facing Carter. I guess DAYS' writers figured Salem voters would also be receptive to familiar faces on the ballot.

Honestly, Don worked a bit as Julie's suitor, but between consistently stringing along then rejecting Mary whenever Julie would come near him in the mid-70s, to pursuing Marlena entirely as a rebound after "losing" Julie to Doug (which Marlena caught straight away and made him wait til she was sure she meant more to him, smart on her part), to his endless string of uptight, domineering, and often chauvinistic viewpoints in the intervening years, it's almost a relief the character of Don was retired eventually.

Having said this, if the big mid-80s romance was between Bo and Donna instead of Bo and Hope, I could ABSOLUTELY have seen Don take on the disapproving heavy role that Doug and Julie ended up taking on. Quite frankly, it would've made a whole lot more sense for all the characters involved, tbh. And I gotta say, I could see there being potential chemistry between Peter Reckell and Tracy Bregman.

Also, thanks for the historical context there, @Franko. Hadn't really considered that. But, of course, shoehorning topical elements that don't quite fit the characters, especially when Don ran for governor (or was it the senate?) not three years earlier is really silly. Don could've fit that same bill, regardless, much like @Khan said.

 

On 12/3/2020 at 12:55 AM, Paul Raven said:

As I mentioned earlier they just introduced another two 50 year olds to an aging cast. No reason Max couldn't have been a twenty/thirty something hot shot.

 

And Tony Kingman came and went in an instant.

I 'm starting to get a little wary of Maggie.

Julie visits her and gets badly burned in a fire in her kitchen.

She visits Marlena and DJ dies.

Coincidence? - or is Mrs Horton out for vengeance against those she feels need to be punished??

It really does seem bonkers that DAYS kept trying to woo young viewers by systematically shipping off every young character they had on the canvas or purposely underwriting them (David and Trish have been virtually non-existent since their custody battle storyline was dumped, though I suspect a lot of that was down to Kaye Stevens' firing, I think her part in the storyline was meant to be much bigger and Harrower couldn't make it work without making Jeri and Julie interact, so they just dumped the story altogether). Jessica The Girl Who Would Disappear Through a Crack In The Floor If She Could is not engaging enough to pull those eyeballs in (bless Jean Bruce Scott's heart), and even she will be paired with a man nearly twice her age. Why?

 

 

Also, can we talk about how many people know Lee from Paris at this point? Why bother introducing Tony Kingman at all and insert him into Lee's backstory if he's going to go on three dates with Julie and then vanish? Bizarre.



ANYWAY, onto June:



Chris has a birthday! Leslie surprises him with three presents: flying lessons, a cake, and sex. Chris wants to make the relationship more than just business, but Leslie, modern dame that she is, would rather not. Dylan O'Grady accepts a better paying job (orchestrated by Max), and disappears almost immediately upon arriving. Max has had his mole, Allen Hamlin, interview for the job. Leslie and Chris take the bait and hire him.

 

Chris has a secret project, and wants Leslie to work with him on it. She's excited to. Max and Alex plot to make sure the current project, the solar generators, fail miserably. Max wants to stop the first shipment of generators from reaching Washington. Alex refuses, saying a mishap now with the deliveries will arouse too much suspicion. Max has the transport truck run off the road anyway, and only 1/3 of the generators are salvageable. Alex is fuming, knowing what's coming. Sure enough, Mary and Chris think the "accident" was sabotage, and Alex has to try to convince his wife that it was just a stroke of bad luck.

 

Alex confronts Max, who pretends he had nothing to do with it, but is glad it did happen, then threatens Alex some more with the Magnus files. Alex, undaunted, then confronts Kellam directly, reminding him that they agreed to no violence during the Anderson takeover. Kellam defends Max's (alleged) innocence. Alex threatens Kellam back this time, saying that if Alex goes down, Max and Kellam will go down with him. Same goes if there is any more violent "mishaps". Satisfied that he's put the fire out, Alex smiles on his way out of the room, turning back to say to Kellam: "You know, there's always been some speculation; who has the power, you or Jarvis?"

 

Apparently Alex can't pay his bills. The jeweller calls Mary, and lets her know that Alex still owes $5000 for jewellery he bought her. Mary, who had started to trust Alex again, is back to suspicion once again. She confronts him about it, but apologizes once Alex tells her he actually donated most of his liquid funds to the hospital.

 

But not enough to stop doubting Chris as well. Mary is not taking an interest in the plant, and when confronted Mary accuses Chris of taking advantage of Bob during his final weeks. Chris knows instantly that this was another seed planted in Mary's head by Alex, and calls her out on it, telling her to ask Mickey if she doubts him that much. She does, and Mickey makes it clear that, indeed, Chandler is gunning for Anderson, this lights a fire under Mary to protect her daddy's company at all costs.

 

Allen is behind the mishaps (duh), and Max wants more of them, and quickly. Apparently knowing no subtlety or patience, Max threatens to reveal some shady information from Allen's past if he doesn't act now. How did Max get this far in life while being completely incapable of playing the long game? Leslie, shockingly, doesn't trust Allen. Leslie then straight up tells Alex she agrees with Chris that the transport crash was no accident, and accuses Alex of being part of it. Alex brushes it off, saying Chris blames him for everything, before claiming they're very similar, and smiles skeezily, telling Leslie that they need to trust each other, and that he thinks Chris doesn't trust Alex with her. Gag. Gag. Gag.

 

Alex apparently learned hypnosis from Marlena, because suddenly now Leslie believes Alex had nothing to do with the truck crash. Chris is fuming, wondering what weird hold this slimy, middle-aged man has over every woman in Salem. Once Chris calms down, however, he has second thoughts, realizing that the Chandlers may be a more likely culprit. 

 

Chris goes out of town on business (OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD), and Alex visits Leslie at her apartment. Flirts with her over a drink, then leaves. Chris calls to check in, Leslie "neglects" to mention that Alex paid her a visit.

 

Finally convinced Alex is on the level, Mary asks Mickey to end his investigation on Alex. Mickey is reticent, still mistrustful of the man, but Mary insists. At home, Mary is finally willing to be an active participant in the bedroom...which, of course, means Alex is now too tired.

 

Allen wants Leslie out of the way, but Alex refuses to have her harmed, as Alex claims she could prove useful to them once they've taken over the company. Leslie is sick of Hamlin not taking direction, but when Alex, trying to cool Leslie down using his smarmy charm, suggests firing Allen, Leslie backs down, and agrees to give Allen another chance. God knows why.

 

Alex continues to flirt with Leslie, who stupidly falls for it. He tells her she reminds him of someone she was once close to (which one? There's so many to choose from!) Their friendly chat is interrupted by a jealous Mary, who scolds Alex for his endless flirtation with every woman in the immediate time zone, particularly Leslie. Alex is getting tired of Mary's mouth. Notice how he always starts to tire of women the second they start calling him on his sh!t?

 

As Leslie discusses her interaction with Alex and Allen to Chris, he's shocked that Alex offered to fire Allen. Leslie insists that Alex was supportive. Then, as she talks to Chris, she begins to see Alex's face instead. The more they talk, the more she sees Alex's face. I guess she's losing it, or Alex has some kind of hypnotic power I'll never understand.

 

Mary learns that Phyllis is once again suicidally depressed, and plans to visit her. Alex pretends to be concerned and encourages her to go, before suggesting Leslie can help him with the promotional work while she's gone, which immediately sets Mary off. Alex snaps, tired of Mary's (justifiable) jealousy. Mary storms off, leaving Alex alone. He smiles and says to himself "thank you, Phyllis".

 

Allen goes to Max about the "trouble" Leslie is causing at Anderson. Max demands she be "gotten rid of" if she poses any more trouble.

 

 

 

 

Apparently Mickey was distant with Mike recently? I don't know when this happened, but Mickey suddenly decides he needs to reconnect with Mike, and goes up to the farm to talk to him. They have a warm heart-to-heart.

 

 

 

Marie finally overworks herself and faints at work. Tom happens to be nearby and rushes her to a hospital room so she can rest. Once she's out, Alex sends her flowers. Tom accidentally spills the beans that Alex is Jessica's benefactor. Alex apparently still loves to use Marie as his sounding board whether she wants to be or not. He visits her, and tells her how his marriage to Mary is a joke, that Mary doesn't trust him, and that he feels he has to keep secrets from her. Marie encourages Alex to be honest with Mary, noting sadly that she chose her career because of a secret. Alex brushes her cheek, and asks "the thing between us? Was that your secret? I never knew!" Heh, yeah you still don't, buddy.

 

Tom later asks Alex to represent him at the hospital board meeting, as Tom is going to have surgery performed (I assume ON him, but it isn't clear [ETA: Tom is, indeed, the one being operated on. Only took six more pages to confirm this]). Tom laments that the hospital will soon, once again, run out of money (JEEZ, Tom, get it together!), and Alex has an idea involving Chandler. Because that's always a great idea.

 

Alex bursts into the Chandler house, and before he can be escorted out, tells Kellam of his idea to improve his image: donate a huge chunk of money to University Hospital, and then announce grant matching. For every dollar the public donates, Chandler will match it. Liz actually likes the idea, and Kellam, desperate for any good publicity he can get, agrees to it.

 

Tom is thrilled by Kellam's donation drive. Marie is...kinda. She's less than thrilled once she realizes it's Alex's idea. When she sees Alex, she thanks him for his help. Alex is surprised, since Marie refused his help before. Marie admits she's forgiven Alex, but Alex counters that he wonders if Marie has forgotten. I SURE AS HELL HOPE NOT.

 

The eyeroll-worthy whitewashing continues, as Alex talks of the guilt he feels at what he did to her, and laments hurting her, and wails that Marie is the only woman he's ever loved and that if he hadn't mistreated her, she wouldn't have joined the convent etc. Marie tries to tell him that the church made her happy, and that they're living their own lives now. Alex admits he only married Mary because he "couldn't have the woman he really loved". UM NO YOU MARRIED HER SO YOU COULD GET AT HER DADDY'S COMPANY BUT NICE TRY.

 

Tom comes out of surgery just fine.

 

 

 

 

 

Doug can't make his mind up. He initially urges Julie to go dine with Kellam (I guess to try to smooth things over for the casino). She does, then they're photographed together in the paper...so Doug gets mad at her for it?! Make it make sense, please. Julie's so annoyed by Doug's outburst she refuses to help with the casino and further (and who could blame her?). She heads straight over to the Chandler house and tells Kellam she's back to work decorating the house, pleasing him greatly. He ALSO tells Julie how much he reminds her of the dead second wife, who finally has a name: Sunny. He also declares his attraction to Sunny's Doppelganger Julie, and asks her to be his hostess while Liz is out of town.

 

Doug apologizes for freaking out over Julie doing exactly what he said she should do in the first place. Julie accepts and decides to continue work on the casino after all.

 

Liz finally runs into Lee, and reminds Lee about their days in the jet set. Doug wonders why Lee never brought up her connection to Liz before (finally, ONE of these Parisian connection stories is MOVING). When Liz later turns up at the casino site looking for Julie, she instead finds Doug. Doug asks about how she and Lee know each other. Liz tells him that Lee and Byron were quite chummy with Liz and her ex-husband, Rick. Doug is surprised by this, and tells Lee about it. Lee snaps, claiming Liz is a liar, and can't understand why Liz is acting like they were long-lost friends when she ignored her when they were in Europe.

 

Lee later calls a mystery friend, whom she asks for a favour, as someone is causing her trouble. Liz, at the same time, asks Max for more info on Lee, particularly where Lee came from. The claws are coming out!

 

Julie rebuffs Kellam's offer to play hostess during Liz's absence, and makes it clear she is not romantically interested in him either. Liz is relieved, and asks if Julie's lingering feelings for Doug is the reason why. Julie gives her stock answer that Doug is married, to which Liz snaps back "oh yes, I know Lee, only too well." Oops!

 

Liz meets Neil and is taken with him. They go out on a date, and Liz finds him rather disarming. They're quite taken with each other, and quickly share their weaknesses with each other. They both agree to see each other regularly, though Liz insists she not be put on a pedestal. Neil agrees, so long as he can still spoil her with flowers and candy.

 

Julie is, however, actually attracted to Kellam, as she tells Maggie. Kellam is smitten with her, and gifts her a brooch. Julie accepts it on the condition that it come with no strings attached. Max advises Kellam to back off Julie, noting what happened to Sunny. Kellam hints that he's ready to marry again. Because giving a woman you've known about 6 weeks a brooch is an entire courtship now, you see. All you gotta do. Simple as that.

 

Doug offers to join Julie on an antique hunt for the casino. When Lee shows up at the casino looking for Doug and Julie, Josh tells her that they're off together antique hunting. Lee fumes at the news, vowing to protect her marriage at all costs. The next day, Lee tries again. This time she finds Maggie there, who tells her the same thing. Lee hides her seething rage from Maggie, and feigns regret for her strained relationship with Julie. Maggie is impressed by Lee's sudden show of maturity and offers to design Lee's dress for the grand opening of the casino.

 

On their antique hunt, Doug again apologizes for standing in Julie's way with Kellam. Julie admits Kellam is a charmer. Doug spots a tub in the shop that catches his eye. They share a nice, goofy moment when Doug decides to buy the tub for his office, before getting in the tub and yukking it up as he sings in the tub in the middle of the shop.

 

Doug is out again, and Lee is fuming. She assumes Doug is once again out with Julie (this time, it's not the case, he's out with Josh, and Julie's at the Chandler house), but Lee takes it upon herself to go call her mystery friend. The mystery friend agrees to fly up to Salem from Atlanta. Lee tells mystery friend, revealed to be Brent Kavanagh, that she loves her husband's money very much, and that Julie and Doug are probably having an affair (I'd advise a good stretch before you leap like that, Lee). So Brent agrees to follow Doug and Julie around, for old time's sake. Lee pays Brent big money for his trouble, and when Brent asks what Lee will do if her suspicions are right, Lee nervously answers, "Well, something will have to be done about it!" OH OK.

 

Max gets back to Liz on his little PI job on Lee. Her real name is Emily, and Liz connects the dots. Liz figures Doug might want to know a bit more about Lee's past, since no one else has been able to get very far with that in the past year or so.

 

Apparently Brent finds Doug and Julie boring, but agrees to follow them one more time to catch them in the act and impress Lee. But again, just more antique hunting. While they shop, Brent spots an antique pistol in one of the stores, and holds it up, while looking at Julie. THIS IS FORESHADOWING, YOU SEE. SEE IT?? EVERYONE??? SEEE???! Nina Laemmle: Queen of Subtlety.

 

 

 

Jessica tends to kids in the hospital for extra money, and gets especially close to a young kid named Johnny (I assume this is the same Johnny that eventually becomes Marlena's ward later on). Jessica is finally convinced to go on one of Cassie's blind (double) dates with her and Tod/Todd?/Toddd. Who's the blind date? Mr. Malaria himself! Joshua! They're at a disco, and Jessica feels, surprise surprise, awkward. She regrets agreeing to the date, but Tod apparently likes her. She tells Cassie that she won't go on another blind date, but if Josh asks her out himself, she'll go....maybe. 

 

Josh won't, because he's nearly 40 and Jessica is old enough to go to a club, but still too young for him (this is a nice change from the predatory sh!t we've had to deal with with Cathy, innit?), so Ttod decides he'll pursue Jessica himself...you know...despite being Cassie's boyfriend and all. Josh warns Tood to stay away from Jessica. Todd might just be trying to please Kellam, however, since Kellam is livid with Toddd is still seeing Cassie.

 

Josh puts flowers on his mother's grave, commemorating the tenth anniversary of her death. Josh asks Flora if she believes the story that his mother committed suicide. Flora says that his mother stopped coming to see her when she got ill (not sure if she's referring to herself or to Josh's mother). Then starts freaking out about "the men" again. She notes that that's when the men came! Flora tried to help Josh's mom but couldn't. Oh noooooo....

 

Ttodd refuses to attend Kellam's latest schmoozefest cocktail party. When Kellam wonders why, Td tells him that it's the anniversary of his mother's death (LET US BEAT THE AUDIENCE OVER THE HEAD WITH THIS, EH?). Kellam apparently forgot, and demands Liz postpone the party til' the next night. Liz coldly reminds Kellam that Sunny's suicide was suicide, not an accident (so presumably we shouldn't care then? No wonder Tod ended up a drunk with such warm, caring relatives). Kellam denies this for some reason.

 

Josh is visiting with the kids at the hospital, when Kellam shows up for a photo op. Josh is irritated by Kellam's using sick kids for political gain, and won't shake Kellam's hand. Insulted, Kellam asks Max to have Josh checked out.

 

Josh introduces Jessica to Flora, who she hits it off with, of course. Flora regales her with stories of her past, and tells her that she agrees with Josh that Jessica is special.

 

Tttoodd suggests to Liz that her interest in Josh is something other than casual. He suggests Liz visit Josh. When she does, they have a rather arbitrary heart-to-heart, where Josh reveals to her that he served in Vietnam and worked in Las Vegas for a time. They share a need to roam, with Josh perceptively seeing in both of them a need to run from something. How many bloody people are they gonna try to pair Liz with??!

 

As they talk, Liz leans in and kisses him. Things get a little hot and heavy, JUST in time for Jessica to show up, catch them, and whisp away just as quietly as she arrived.

 

Kellam finds out that someone's been tending to Sunny's grave. Tawd can't explain it. I assume it's Josh, but I don't know why Kellam is A - shocked, B - not tending to it himself , and C - at all concerned by it if he doesn't care enough to do B.

 

At the casino mansion thingy, Jessica visits with Flora in her bedroom. As they talk, there's a knock at Flora's door. Flora is immediately spooked. Jessica asks who's there. The person on the other side says there's an "urgent message for Mrs. Chisholm". Jessica calls to Josh to help, as whoever's on the other side of the door starts trying to bust the door down.

 

 

 

 

Don, as stated earlier, blames Marlena for DJ dying because she dared to do anything other than lie on her back for nine months. I'm sure Sam would've appreciated that. Don throws himself into his work and refuses to consider having another baby. Don tries to get the injunction against Doug's casino, but, even with Kellam's money being thrown at it, the injunction fails. Don's anger is short-lived, and he manages to cool down once he's thoroughly shattered Marlena's self-confidence. As she sobs, claiming she's beginning to doubt herself, Don offers for her to be his partner (you know, like she's already supposed to be), and help him climb the political ladder. Kellam strongly urges Marlena to join Don on the political trail.

 

Don and Marlena attend Chandler's fundraiser for the hospital's David Martin clinic, and Marlena is still shaky being around children after DJ's death. Marie suggests she counsel some of the kids. Marlena is drawn to Johnny, but Johnny pulls away from her. Marlena bursts into tears at the rejection, but Marie and Josh encourage her to keep trying, noting his abandonment issues. Josh is especially excited to have Marlena do counselling work with the kids after learning she's a psychiatrist.

 

Marlena decides to take on a new job as Kellam's campaign staff psychologist. She enjoys working alongside Don on the campaign trail, and husband and wife get close once again. Kellam is so thrilled by Marlena's presence on the trail, that he makes her the spokeswoman for his campaign over Liz. He finds Liz too polished (read: phony), and the public would see right through her.

 

 

 

 

Trish is debuting as a singer at a local fancy venue, where she'll be performing regularly while they await the opening of the casino. This doesn't appear to annoy David, for a change.

OH NEVERMIND, HE'S ANNOYED AGAIN! David comes home from a long day of pretending Alex isn't a crook and finds his wife is doing something other than burning herself making him a steak. He demands she curtail her shite career, despite it not having been a problem for him the entire last year they've been together. Trish leaves to rehearse at the casino.

 

There Josh suggests a turn-of-the-century themed opening night, and Flora, thrilled by Trish's singing (poor thing needs hearing aids), gifts Trish a dress from her youth to perform in for the gala. She encourages Trish to defy David and continue singing.

 

 

I hate this s#!t so much. My God. And since when did David go from young modern guy to a completely regressive chauvinist pig? Like...as though he learned nothing from Trish running off to LA/Italy/Paris? And back then, he wasn't even annoyed by her singing. WTF??

Oh BRILLIANT! That's good to know. I'll work on making the changes so that this won't be a problem for me long-term, but this will at least let me burn through the posts I've already done a little easier.

Thanks SO much @Errol for that. Big help!

2 hours ago, Errol said:

 

Hey @beebs

 

Our forum software provider has discontinued the use of BBCode. To style your posts you can use the WYSIWYG editor or use HTML codes <b></b> after clicking on the "Source" button, also found in the WYSIWYG editor.

Thanks @Errol for the extra info.

Unfortunately, this is more of an issue for me re: my blog posts, which I write offsite and copy/paste into the post editor here. BBCode helped me format my posts and add the relevant avatars before moving them here, so it's a matter of figuring out a new way of writing the posts in a way that doesn't involve me going line-by-line, bolding and italicizing names over and over on text I've already written, since evidently, Invision has decided BBCode is "old" and therefore not worth keeping. Oh well.

It's unfortunate, but I understand, it's not your doing. Thanks for clarifying!

 

4 hours ago, jam6242 said:

@beebsJoshua didn't get malaria in Salem (that would have been funny though).  He got it in Vietnam.  Malaria can be recurring.  Enjoying your commentary!

 

I loved Stephen Brooks, so I had no problem with Joshua being "older."  He was one of the bright spots from that era for me. 

That's even funnier, considering malaria symptoms typically show up within a week, and apparently can lie dormant for up to a year. What, he's just been carrying this deadly virus with him asymptomatically for 5+ years and only NOW it hits him? Bonkers! I guess it being recurring could work, just really funny that they went this particular way with it. 

 

Thanks for that additional info @jam6242! 

You're all providing so much great info. Thanks again, everyone!

 

I know the last summary ended at an awkward spot, with the glut of new characters just seeping in. I forgot to note Sam's departure as Massacre Victim #14 (how on Earth the show survived THIS many characters leaving in such short order is astounding to me). We still have one more to go at least, with Margo finally kicking the bucket this month, so...let's go!

 

 

May 1980:

 

 

So, Margo's feeling a little better (for now), and decides to keep herself busy by writing up invitations to Julie's new design shop in the mall. Mike thanks Julie for giving her something to focus on other than dying, and laments how little time they have left. Julie reminds him how fortunate he and Margo are to have each other at all, as she's still moping about Doug.

 

Mother Superior contacts Marie and informs her she's sending her Cathy 2.0 a young orphan girl who also, coincidentally, wants to become a nurse. Why they couldn't just recast Cathy is beyond me, but okay. Alex just happens to walk in as Marie is reading the letter about Jessica, and Marie laments the lack of money available to help her. Alex offers to financially assist Jessica, but Marie turns him down flat, saying she'll ask Tom instead. Alex ignores her, and donates a bunch of money to Tom so that when Marie asks Tom for the money to fund Jessica's education, it's essentially coming from Alex anyway (presumably plus a lot more, otherwise why is Tom going along with this???). And All Tom's gotta do is keep his mouth shut to Marie.

 

Jessica passes her test and begins training as a lab tech at UH. Alex lurks around her, making the mousy twit uncomfortable. But, as Marie finds out, everything makes Jessica uncomfortable, she struggles to make friends. Probably because they can never hear her when she talks. Marie suggests Jessica befriend Margo (great, two mealy-mouthed Mary Sues running about whispering at each other, how perfect), after Jessica is upset to learn of Margo's imminent death. Yes, why don't you go make a new friend, Jessica, with the dying girl. This is a great time investment for you, dear! Thankfully, Jessica and Margo hit it off, as do Jessica and Mike. Mike thanks her for showing Margo no pity, and for being so understanding. Tom allows Margo to go pass out at attend the grand opening of the mall, and Mike and Jessica go shopping for a dress for Margo to wear to the event.

 

Jessica meets a new friend at the lab: Cassie Burns. Cassie is Todd Chandler's girlfriend, and wants to invite Jessica to some of Todd's parties, even offering to set Jessica up with some guys on blind dates. Jessica whispers that she doesn't like parties and doesn't want to date. Jessica is a party pooper.

 

Tom (stupidly) asks Alex again to join the hospital board, noting that he needs someone with Alex's financial expertise (very self-aware of Tom considering how he he nearly bankrupted the place several times in the past year). Alex, suddenly realizing that joining the hospital board will keep him in close proximity to Marie, eventually agrees. Alex, in a sudden attack of uncharacteristic empathy, helps Marie complete some of her bookkeeping, fearing for Marie's health, as she's apparently overloading herself.

 

Tom calls Mike to his office, telling him that Margo's deteriorating fast. Mike snaps at his grandfather, screaming that all "you doctors" have done to help has been for nothing, and that he's checking Margo out of the hospital to go die at home so she can be happy. He then immediately has second thoughts when relaying the story of his tantrum to Jessica, who reassures him that Margo will be happier dying outside the hospital with Mike, suggesting he take Margo to a special place. Mike thinks of Maggie's farm, and decides to take Margo out there for her final days.

 

Chris agrees to give Mike a leave of absence, telling Mike to take all the time he needs, and to make every minute count, giving Mike a warm hug. Margo tells Jessica not to feel sad for her, sharing Mike's plan to take her to the farm. Backtracking on Margo's earlier wish that Trish be Mike's shoulder to lean on once she's gone, she asks the same of Jessica instead. Jessica agrees, before stepping out of Margo's room. Jessica tears up outside the room, as Joshua Fallon, who's in the hospital (more on that later), wheels up next to Jessica, who breaks down crying on his shoulder, before relaying Margo's story to him. Josh is sympathetic to the Whispering Waif.

 

Chris and Leslie visit Margo the day she's to go to the farm with Mike. They shower her with gifts, before Marie comes to wheel her to Mike's car. Margo breaks down crying, and Chris cries along with her, as they tearfully say their goodbyes.

 

 

 

 

 

Mickey tells Don about Kellam's new bid for governor. Don's livid, pointing out how Kellam had his hand in the till before, and finds his audacity to run again tremendous. Don decides five minutes later to back Kellam's bid for governor, because Kellam and Don are both against the bill to legalize gambling in the state. Kellam, recognizing how useful Don could be to their campaign, offers to hire Don to work with him. Marlena doesn't want the upheaval of another big political campaign (come on, Marlena! It's not like you have Donna around to screw it all up this time!), and would rather he stay working with Mickey. So, after careful consideration, Don completely ignores Marlena's concerns and agrees to work for the sleazeball.

 

Kellam, trying to make himself a nice warm, fuzzy public image, calls his daughter, Liz in Paris. He asks her, a recent divorcée of some Hollywood actor, to come home to Salem so that he can look good to the public. Liz only agrees if Kellam draws up a new will that favours her. Kellam agrees. Liz's return annoys her brother, Todd, who can't understand why self-centred Liz is helping their father. Todd's apparently a "mischievous free spirit", and part of Liz's duty in coming to Salem is to reign her brother in. Todd can't stand either Kellam or Liz, for the record.

 

Liz makes a beeline for Julie's design shop, and commissions Julie to design the new Chandler house, and do it ASAP. Julie pleases her first clients, enough that Kellam invites her to a party at the new house. At the party, Kellam openly flirts with Marlena, while Liz eyes Don.

 

Hoping to keep Todd in line, Kellam threatens to send Todd to military school if he doesn't join him on a campaign tour, and dump his girlfriend, Cassie, who Kellam thinks is "cheap".

 

 

Maggie visits Marlena one day, and Marlena goes to check on DJ, who's set down for a nap. Of course, we all know what happens next. When DJ won't wake up, Marlena panics. Maggie calls Neil, who declares DJ dead. Don, out of town campaigning for Kellam, is contacted and returns home, and blames MARLENA for working herself too hard during her pregnancy. Charmer.

 

 

 

 

Doug decides to sell Doug's Place, and will help everyone that remains find new jobs. Trish, shocked by the news, takes a little time alone after work, which annoys David. She tells him about the club's closure, and David is momentarily understanding, until Trish doesn't perk up at the news of David's secret promotion. Thinking she only cares about her career and not his (not that David's given Trish many options to continue her career since he gets annoyed at every new gig Trish gets), Trish sobs that Doug's Place is more than a club to her, and that she fears she'll never have another singing gig again. David condescendingly tells her she can always sing for him (whooooo cares?)

 

Lee, on the other hand, is tickled pink by Doug's Place's closure, and assumes Doug is doing it for her. Doug admits he's actually closing it because Robert's absence has left a hole too big to fill. He also is strongly considering buying the overpriced penthouse Lee wanted, and things only begin to sour when Lee reaffirms her desire to send Hope away to boarding school. Doug refuses, wanting Hope to join them in their penthouse. He is determined to make it a "real home" for her (good luck with the ice queen present). He ends up buying the penthouse, and Lee is ecstatic.

 

Doug, upon hearing about Julie's shop in the mall, offers to help fund the project, but Julie refuses, saying she doesn't want to rely on him. They have a heart-to-heart after Doug explains that he's closing the club, and why.

 

So what does Doug want to do now that he's closed the club? He wants to buy an old mansion and turn it into a casino! You know, just like Doug was 120% against not two years ago when Larry Atwood wanted to do the same thing! And he's gonna hire back all the old Doug's Place staff! So what was the point of all this song-and-dance about closing Doug's Place if you're just moving and adding some craps tables??! *slams head against keyboard repeatedly*

 

Doug buys the house from a despondent old woman, Mrs. Chisholm, who is being forced to sell because she can't pay the taxes on it. Mrs. Chisholm's comforted by the house's caretaker, Joshua Fallon. Julie visits to try to smooth things over with Mrs. Chisholm, and Mrs. Chisholm immediately notes how much Julie reminds her of her daughter: Kellam's deceased second wife (oh brother, here we go). Julie charms the pants off Joshua as well (not literally), and they become fast enough friends that Josh helps Julie buy a new station wagon for her mall storefront. Doug feels guilty about the situation he's put the old woman in, and agrees to let her stay living in the house alongside Joshua, who will continue to be a caretaker to both the house and Mrs. (Flora) Chisholm. BONUS: Joshua used to work in casinos. 

 

Lee is less pleased that Doug bought the mansion to house the casino without consulting her.

 

Julie decides to tell Hope she can no longer see her, as it's too confusing for her between Julie and Lee (apparently not realizing she can simply shift the relationship to be Hope's sister, considering THAT IS WHAT JULIE IS). Hope is baffled, and thinks Julie doesn't love her. Julie explains she's doing this because she loves Hope. Hope still doesn't get it, but agrees to stay away if Julie wants her to. I expect smoke poured out of Hope's ears shortly afterwards from trying to figure out wtf Julie's logic is.

 

Josh drives Julie home, and tells her he served in Vietnam, but won't go into detail. He also confirms Flora's assertion that Julie looks a lot like Kellam's dead wife. Later, Flora deliriously shouts to Josh and Doug that someone is out to get her! But begs Josh not to make her tell him about who it is...but she also can't remember who this person is, and don't trouble her about it. Crazy old bat.

 

Josh helps Doug move some furniture, but has to stop when he feels an intense pain in his head. Josh lies down, and Doug calls an ambulance. At UH, Josh is checked out, and starts shaking uncontrollably and begins to run a high fever. It's MALARIA! In Salem. If Josh recovers, he better buy a lottery ticket, cos that's some WILD odds! I guess, in a way, he wins the lottery, because Josh does recover, and Doug pays his medical bills. 

 

Julie hears about Josh, and rushes to his side. She shouts to Neil that she "just can't STAND to see him suffer like this". Girl, you met this man two weeks ago. Chill! Josh, in his delirium, calls out to Julie "mom! mom! You've come back!" I guess Josh was supposed to turn out to be Kellam's wife's secret son or something?

 

Josh fades in and out of consciousness. When he finally stabilizes, he meets and becomes quickly fascinated by Jessica. Jessica learns Cassie knows Josh through Todd. Josh warns Jessica to be careful around Cassie, and that "Cassie runs with a fast crowd". Thanks for the already apparent unsolicited advice, Josh. It's not like Jessica leaves the hospital at any point as it is.

 

Gambling becomes legal! Too bad, Don! Doug is thrilled, he can open his new club which is totally different from the old one which is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like the club Larry Atwood wanted to open. AT ALL. Doug calls on Julie to decorate the place. Julie, still not wanting to rely on Doug, reluctantly agrees. Julie's work at Doug's NEW Place means postponing finishing up the Chandler mansion, which pisses Liz off. She accuses Julie of breaching their contract, which Julie quickly points out that there WAS no contract. Kellam overhears the argument, and breaks it up, giving Julie permission to finish up Doug's NEW Place, then return to finish up the Chandler mansion. This infuriates Liz, who has now taken an instant dislike to Julie, presumably because Julie had the audacity to tell Liz "no". 

 

After Julie leaves, Liz senses Kellam is interested in Julie, and warns him not to pursue an affair with Julie, as she's "not a wholesome woman, she's been married as many times as I have". Oh okay, Liz. As long as you're also shading yourself...

 

Julie visits Flora, and tells her about Josh's ridiculous illness. Flora is beside herself, and regales Julie with the story of how she knows Josh. Flora claims she met Josh as a young boy, and was friends with his mother. They apparently had good times, but that Josh was then sent to boarding school and had a lonely time. So it's nice that Josh has made such good friends in Doug and Julie. She presumably had to then wake Julie up after having dozed off from that dull-ass story.

 

Kellam wins his party nomination, and decide to use Doug's casino as a wedge issue for voters, hoping to rile up NIMBYs in the community against Doug's plans to win him the campaign, allowing them to neatly glaze over the fact Kellam is as crooked as a fish hook. So he files an injunction against Doug to try to keep the casino from opening. Their plan? Use Don as their "white knight" to make their position look honourable, so they can win the election. Once elected, THEY can run the casinos and set up a gambling commission.

 

Liz is surprised to hear about Josh's ridiculous illness, and follows it up by shading him for being a "drifter". Todd mocks Liz for being a snob, and notes that Liz only acts like she doesn't like him because he turned down her job offer to be her driver. Surprisingly, Liz actually listens to her brother, and goes to visit Josh in the hospital, apologizing for being a snooty beeotch to him. Josh reluctantly agrees to put the past behind them.

 

Someone who Liz will NOT leave the past behind for is Lee. Recognizing her instantly, Liz has Max dig into Lee's past on her behalf. Max apparently spends all of five minutes looking, as he only discovers that Lee was married to Byron and lived abroad with him for many years. Apparently, this is enough for Liz, who decides to pay Lee a visit. First Tony Kingman, now Liz. Lee certainly got her name around Paris, didn't she?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mickey tells Chris about Max and Kellam's intention to buy Anderson. Mickey and Chris are both suspicious of their intentions, but believe their interest is tied to Chris' solar generator. Either they intend to buy it to profit from it, or to keep it from market. Either way, Chris refuses to sell. Alex is apparently now teaming up with Chris to help run the plant (I guess Chris doesn't want the entire responsibility on his shoulder...either that or Chris gave Alex an inch so that he wouldn't contest Bob's will). Alex runs more of the business affairs, while Chris does more of the day-to-day operations of the plant. Alex is excited about promoting the generator, and ropes Mary into doing promo for it. This pisses Chris right off, as the generator isn't ready yet, and won't be anytime soon, despite Alex's optimistic assertions. Mary and Chris have another blowout fight over it, with Mary defending her d!ckhead of a husband.

 

Alex is sleazy again. He and Mary discuss children, with Mary saying she's uninterested in having them right now, Alex says he's not getting any younger, and scoops her up in his arms, throws her on the bed, and gets on top of her, saying "you're not daddy's little girl anymore". According to SOD, she magically becomes consenting at this point, and they finally consummate their farce of a marriage. Eugh. They really aren't selling me on this man.

 

Leslie James arrives at Anderson, and, despite the fact Chris wanted to hire her, and didn't want to overwhelm himself with responsibility, she now has suddenly become foisted upon him by the government (apparently thanks to machinations by Alex), and Chris immediately sees Leslie as a threat (???). This doesn't last, and Chris soon learns to trust and respect her (because, I mean, otherwise, why did you hire this woman in the first place??). Alex, however, sees Leslie as a threat still (WHICH IS WHY CHRIS WANTED TO HIRE HER IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!)

 

Alex instructs David to keep close tabs on Leslie, especially since Leslie isn't fooled by Alex's charm offensive. Mary seems threatened by her as well (likely due to lingering feelings for Chris, but I digress), and is icy as a Siberian winter towards her. Soon, the entire plant is split down the middle between loyalties for Chris and for Alex. God knows how an interloper has so quickly garnered such intense loyalty after literally weeks on the job, but whatever. Leslie suggests Chris fire the workers on Team Alex, as they're gossipy and not taking direction. Chris reluctantly agrees. Leslie recommends a friend of hers from California, Dylan O'Grady, who wants to start a new life with his daughter Katie, after a divorce.

 

Chris and Leslie work so well together, that when Leslie gets her new apartment in Salem, Chris is the first guest. As they cook dinner together, there's David in the bushes, spying on them for Alex. Trish begins to worry about David's attitude, worrying he's putting too much faith in Alex, and asks Julie to talk him down.

 

Max and Kellam make their intentions clear: they want the Anderson solar generator project put on ice ASAP. Why? ...*shrug*. Max presents Kellam with a dossier full of dirt on Alex, which they plan to use to get Alex on side with their plans for Anderson. Kellam has Liz call Alex and Mary over for dinner. Mary is polite on the phone, promising to run it by Alex before getting back to them, but once off the phone, she calls the Chandler crew "vultures" to Alex, and refuses to attend dinner with them. Alex (stupidly) thinks it's a GREAT idea, and orders Mary to accept the invitation, as the Chandlers could prove useful to them.

 

Liz is dreading the dinner, whinging about having to entertain a bore like Mary who has "never been outside of Salem". OOF! She manages to keep her fangs inside her mouth long enough to make small talk with Mary, while Alex and Kellam talk business after dinner. Max and Kellam demand Alex sell them Anderson, threatening him with their dossier on Alex's shady dealings, having sunk $4 Million of Magnus(?)/Magnis(?) funds into the Anderson plant. Kellam demands that Alex arrange "mishaps" at Anderson, which Alex will blame on Chris. Once Anderson's reputation (and value) have sunk, Chandler will buy up the plant for dirt cheap. In exchange, Alex will be put in charge of the plant. Alex, backed into a corner, but also enticed by the offer, agrees to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm just gonna say it: Nina Laemmle's stories are dumb as hell, and when they DO make sense, they're lousy. It's like she took an entire new show she had been wanting to write and grafted it onto DAYS in some weird Frankenstein move and hoped no one would notice. Absolutely god-awful in every way. No story has any appeal, and as much as I understand why they went the way they did with DJ dying, and how it plays on a lot of history with Don losing another child previously, and using Marlena's difficult pregnancy to fuel Don's anger, and using it as a good way to insert Liz into their story, it's just...way too much, way too soon. Blech. 

 

The Chandlers have WAY too much influence on the stories for how long they've been on the show, and the fact that every single storyline is now tied to them in some way (minus Margo & The Interminable Death) is just annoying. I can absolutely see why viewers were tuning out in droves at this point. 

Just tried to do some text formatting the old way of [b]text[/b] (to, in this example, make my print bold without having to manually click the bold tool in the header), and it seems to no longer work with the new forum update? Is there a way to make it work or to fix this on your end? I THINK this is called BBCode but I'm just guessing.

Just from having gone through the DAYS recaps as we have recently been doing: Stephanie Woodroffe/Brooke Hamilton. 

 

Spending so long having her identity and connection to her father Bob hanging in the air as a huge, life-changing secret, just to have the ball dropped unceremoniously by Harrower, who wrote the character into a corner before literally driving her off a cliff out of nowhere. An absolute waste, and it, along with Linda Patterson being driven out of town under dubious circumstances about two weeks later, made certain the writing was on the wall for the Anderson family. Her death meant the blow of Bob's death weeks later was much less powerful, and though there was still story to come from Bob's passing, it didn't have the far-reaching effects it could have had had Stephanie lived. 

 

Elsewhere, David Banning, Bill Horton, both deaths being off screen after thoughts that brought nothing impactful to the stories, and were completely unnecessary. 

5 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Yes I posted the text on Page 131.

Gah! Thank you @Paul Raven. I'm gonna do a quick scan and maybe find out some more info for you on start and end dates as well. CBC's archives have not been well-publicized, unfortunately, and I'm unsure if Broadcast Centre will be open for tours or anything once lockdown ends, but I will investigate further.

 

Thanks for pointing me toward your post!

Apologies if this was mentioned before, but I only just just found this out while looking up Corrine Conley. Apparently CBC in Canada mounted a short-lived radio version of SFT where she starred, many years before her run on DAYS as Phyllis.

 

More info here:

 

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27937652/the-ottawa-citizen/

2 hours ago, Khan said:

So, I'm confused.  Jordan and Bill say Laura has made a full recovery; yet, many years later, when Jaime Lyn Bauer's Laura appears for the first time, she's catatonic.  Did Laura relapse?  Did they say as much on-air?  Or did DAYS just ignore history again?

 

 

Agree.  Again, just like with Alex and Lee, Kellam and Max are evil for evil's sake.  No nuances, no layers, no motivations beyond just being bad because that's what the plot requires.  Maybe I'm alone, but I just don't like blatantly evil characters.  

To the current scriptwriters' credit, they did recently clarify that Kate's affair with Bill did cause a major relapse in Laura, so I think they're trying to make it clear that Kate and Bill hooked up once Bill had left for Lakewood, which, I'm honestly okay with. It makes the timeline clearer, and doesn't deny what we saw on screen during 1979-80, largely. 

 

I agree, @Khan, I never understood why these characters are evil for the sake of it. I already care exactly 0% for Kellam & Co. just based on their cartoon villainy straight out the gate. It's interesting that they appear to have given Liz a lot more nuance than the others. I wonder if that was the writing or if Gloria Loring was able to find something more than what was on the page. She always impressed me as being a good enough actress to do just that. 

Also thank you @victoria foxtonfor that repost. It looks like the article was supposed to be this big PR move welcoming everyone to the new era of the show... And yet, the entire executive team seems immediately defensive and desperate in trying to make it seem like this is exactly what they wanted to happen and everything was fine before and is fine now and it's fine FINE FINE nothing is wrong WHATSOEVER. 

Alright, this week's been a hot mess for me, so I apologize for my absence. Time to get down to business and carry on with this massacre!

 

 

Julie and Phyllis have a chat while Bob's asleep (the flashback in the scene @jam6242 posted upthread), and Julie notes that she still very much loves Bob. Phyllis agrees, and remarks similarly of Julie toward Doug. Julie is certain, despite Phyllis' insistence to the contrary, that it's too late for her and Doug.

 

Alex wants Chris to tell Bob that everything is running smoothly at Anderson, hoping to keep Bob at bay for as long as possible, so that Alex himself can get his hooks into the business without interference. Alex reasons that, if Mary and Bob believe he and Chris are friendly, there'll be less for them to worry about and they can focus on Bob's recovery. Chris sees through Alex, and won't play ball. Alex visits Bob shortly thereafter, and is instructed to keep Chris at the plant at all costs. Alex insists it'll be a pleasure and that they'll surely become friends at this rate. Bob isn't buying Alex's shtick either.

 

Talking later to Chris, Bob laments that Chris and Mary didn't marry, but tells Chris that he deserves a family around him, as he'd make a good husband and father, and feels about Chris as the "son he never had". A lot of that going around lately.

 

Melissa calls Mickey, and tells him that Melissa is now in a boarding school in New York, but Melissa wouldn't tell Mickey where in case Bob retaliates and takes legal action against Linda. Melissa tells Mickey that Linda met a new man and Melissa "got in her way". Someone's big mad that Melissa spilled the beans on her, methinks. After relaying the news to Maggie, she calls Linda a monster. Mickey is torn on whether to tell Bob about the call, fearing it may cause another heart attack. The Hortons agree that Mickey should tell Bob, however. So Mickey passes the information along, and Bob is justifiably heartbroken. He cries that they'll now never find Melissa.

 

Bob feels well enough to visit the plant, so Phyllis takes him there, and finds Alex behind his desk. Phyllis decides it's a great idea to leave Bob with Alex while she goes off with Mary to her wedding dress fitting. Thankfully, he survives this experience. At the dress fitting, Phyllis asks if Mary's truly happy, and Mary tells her that she "never thought [she]'d meet someone so much like dad". HMMMM...

 

Phyllis pries into why Mary won't see Chris, suspecting Mary isn't really over him. Mary snaps at her mother, reminding Phyllis that she was the one who broke their engagement. Chris, recognizing he's being avoided, goes to see Mary. He asks if she really knows what she's getting into, and if this is truly what she wants. Mary is firm with Chris that she is content with Alex.

 

Bob, swept up in the joy of the moment, and his reconnection with Phyllis, tells her it's high time they got married again themselves. When they tell Mary, she seems more excited about their remarriage than her own. Sounds about right.

 

As Chris leaves Mary's studio, he bumps into Alex, and insinuates Mary's sick, and that the wedding is off. Alex slips, insisting she can't be sick, because "there's so much..." OOPS! Alex catches himself, but Chris finishes the sentence for him: "So much at stake? Is that what you were going to say?". Seems Chris knows Alex is only marrying Mary for the $$$, and tells him as much. Chris agrees to keep quiet though, because Mary truly does love Alex (for some god-forsaken reason), but makes it clear he will be watching Alex carefully.

 

The day of the wedding, and Alex and Mary are to be married out at the Anderson lakehouse. They apparently rush through the ceremony, and Bob gives a nice speech to the (for now) happy couple. Bob finishes his speech, sits down to have a glass of champagne and immediately keels over.

 

MASSACRE VICTIM #9!

 

Phyllis finds him, and when he doesn't respond, Phyllis screams. After Tom examines Bob, he confirms he's dead. Mary can't cry, she just stares off into space like a zombie. Phyllis sobs on Alice's shoulder that she can't go on without Bob, and plans to leave Salem again. Neil consoles Phyllis as well.

 

Alex is being a good boy and isn't pushing Mary to have sex with him (how gracious). Phyllis tries to console Mary, but Mary barely acknowledges her. Chris tries to console her, encouraging Mary to let her emotions out, but Mary only says that now that Bob's gone, her whole world is gone with him. Chris offers to lend an ear whenever Mary needs.

 

David finds out about Bob's death and tells Julie, who feels guilt over breaking up Phyllis and Bob's marriage in the first place. 

 

At Bob's funeral, Mary still can't cry, and is still icy toward Phyllis. Chris breaks down after the ceremony, promising he will watch over Anderson, and Mary, for the man he considered a second father. Alex, meanwhile, convinces Mickey to rush Bob's will-reading, because he has to take Mary away somewhere. Mary, you in danger, girl!

 

WILL READING TIME!

 

Mary, Alex, Phyllis, and Chris descend upon Mickey's office, with Alex licking his chops.

 

OOPS! Chris gets control of Anderson, not Mary! Chris is also made sole executor of the estate. BAHAHAHAH! Even Chris is shocked by the news. Phyllis is pleased, but Alex tells Mickey before he leaves with Mary that he'll be back to discuss the will. Melissa, if they ever find her, gets a chunk of money (no word about this block of stock that apparently will come up later, but anyway...), and Mickey informs Chris that Bob changed the will while Chris and Alex were at odds. Bob didn't trust Alex, and put Chris in charge to protect the plant, and Mary.

 

Melissa calls again, this time to Mary. She's desperate to be brought home to Salem and to Bob, but Mary tells her of Bob's death. Alex, taking the phone, asks where she is. Melissa tells Alex of her New York boarding school, and Alex promises that Mickey will contact her.

 

Off the phone, Mary is in a fog, which Alex takes advantage of, convincing her that the will wasn't reflective of what Bob really wanted, and that Bob wanted Alex to run Anderson. Mary is easily influenced, whispering that she wants what her father wanted.

 

Maggie decides that she will bring Melissa back to Salem. Maggie also decides to enrol Melissa in a private school she attended as a girl, which cheers the depressed young girl right up.

 

Alex storms into Mickey's office, bloviating about how Bob promised Anderson to Mary, that Alex was training her for the job, and that Bob wasn't of sound mind when he made Chris the CEO of Anderson. Alex demands Mickey challenge the will immediately. Mickey will do no such thing, so Alex contacts another lawyer.

 

At home, Phyllis begins to clear out Bob's things from the lakehouse. Mary screams at Phyllis that Phyllis is trying to erase Bob's memory, and screams that Phyllis never really loved Bob. Enraged, she tells her mother to leave her alone, and that she doesn't need her, as she has Alex now.

 

So Phyllis leaves, and that's the last we hear of her for the next couple years!

 

MASSACRE VICTIM #10!

 

Alex, however, is already fed up with waiting to shtoop Mary, and tells her as much. Mary sobs that she can't go to bed with him until she feels like her world will go on without Daddy. Mary then asks to have Melissa live with them instead of going to boarding school out of town. Alex flat-out refuses, citing that Mary is in no shape to be parenting anyone right now.

 

Maggie visits, and reassures Mary that her farm is close to the school, and that she can visit with, and care for Melissa. Mary worries Melissa will feel abandoned by her.

 

Alex's blue balls are getting intolerable for him, so he orders a candlelit dinner to be brought to the apartment. Mary looks at the array dismally, and says only "Alex, you shouldn't have". She won't eat, and Alex has to ask the dinner to be cleared away.

 

Ray, Alex's partner at Magnis, wonders why Alex hasn't assumed control of Anderson yet. Ray makes it clear that the clock is ticking, and that he wants a cut of Anderson profits, or else Alex's shady dealings will come to light.

 

The last straw comes when Alex finds Mary at Bob's grave. He scolds her viciously for her grief, saying she's acting like a child. Forbidding her to return, he tells her she's a spoiled brat, and that's why Bob didn't put Alex Mary in charge of Anderson. Mary finally fights back, realizing that Alex was after only one thing: her inheritance. Realizing he's crossed the line, Alex backtracks, saying he's just edgy because they haven't been to bed yet. 

 

Back at the office, Mary clashes with Chris over the direction of the plant, with Mary demanding Chris make the tough decisions because that's what Bob wanted, but Chris isn't confident in making the decision. Realizing Mary's sudden change of opinion where Alex is concerned, Chris tells Mary he doesn't want to be caught in the middle of her squabbles with Alex, as he refuses to play Alex's games.

 

HERE COME LAEMMLE'S PETS

 

Chris hires a new assistant, someone from outside the company that Alex has no power over. He finds the perfect candidate in a woman named Leslie James.

 

Mickey is visited by the right hand man of the former Governor, now Ambassador. Max Jarvis tells Mickey that his boss, Ambassador Chandler, wants to buy Anderson. The new mall is owned by Chandler, and the plant plays a big role in his overall plans in Salem. Chandler announces he will be running for governor again, and Chandler and Jarvis, behind close doors, moustache-twirl about how they'll once again hoodwink the public into voting for Chandler again, despite their shady pasts. Oh brother.

 

 

 

 

 

Robert sends Doug a letter, updating him on him and Dougie, which gets Doug misty-eyed. Lee catches him, and tells Doug she wishes he'd forget about the past, wondering why he's so hung up on Dougie. Doug tells her that Dougie is "like the son he never had". I mean, you might as well just tell her at this point, Doug. Lee convinces Doug to go see a house during a rainstorm. Once inside, it's still raining! Lee, for some reason, still wants them to take the house, but Doug tells her "one amenity we don't need is an indoor swimming pool", and leaves. ZING!

 

Lee wishes to take a greater role in the club, hoping to be closer to Doug. Doug agrees, suggesting she be the hostess for the venue.

 

Julie is meant to go on a date with Tony Kingman, but apparently it didn't go so well, as she's still hung up on Doug. Apparently Tony and Julie used to be a thing? This is the first I'm hearing about this, but Tune In Tomorrow says so, so....sure! Neil is still hung up on Julie, despite their lousy date, and makes a pact with Lee to pursue Julie to keep Doug and Julie apart. Oh brother.

 

Lee begins work at Doug's Place, and is recognized by Tony Kingman! OF COURSE SHE IS! He remembers meeting her when she and Byron were vacationing. This story is getting stupider by the minute! Tony's opportunity to pry is cut short when Neil arrives, and they get to discussing their goofy plan.

 

When David tells Doug, Trish, and Lee about Bob's death, Doug immediately rushes off to console Julie, angering Lee. Doug tells Julie he will always be there for her as a friend. Julie isn't happy with this, and when Doug gets home, Lee is equally angry, tired of Doug constantly running off at every possible second to check on his ex-. Doug insists he's worried about Julie as a friend, and a friend only.

 

Julie shuts down Chez Julie, and hands Doug a cheque for his half of the business. She also puts things on ice between her and Tony Kingman, who I still don't know why they INSIST on referring to him every time by his full name, as there's only one Tony in Salem at this point, it's kinda weird. Julie is unsure whether she wants to take him up on the job offer to move to New York as an antiques buyer or not. She does, however, take him and Hope out to dinner, and Hope seems to like him.

 

As they clear out Chez Julie, Tony Kingman (finally being referred to as just Tony, but being the smartass that I am, I will continue to only refer to him by his full name, because I can), kisses Julie passionately just as Doug walks in. Aaaaand Doug walks back out, and the cycle of crossed wires continues.

 

Doug suggests Alice invite Lee to tea, to make Lee feel more welcome in the family. It goes as poorly as one would expect a visit to your new husband's ex-wife's grandmother would go.

 

Julie gets a call from a realtor about a location at a new mall for Julie's new design shop. Julie loves it and gives it the go-ahead. Doug is also about to make some real estate purchases. Lee takes him to see a nice penthouse with a beautiful view. Doug's eager to take the property, but Mickey advises against it, due to the steep price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Margo be passing out here, there, and everywhere. She once again collapses at work, but Chris the Perpetual Hero, sits her down and calls Mike to take her home. She later insists to Mike that Chris was just making a big fuss out of nothing, but when Mike leaves the room, he finds Margo asleep on the couch. He tries to wake her up gently, but doesn't get a response. He begins to panic, screaming at her to wake up. When she finally does, Mike has Bill check her out. Bill recommends Margo take a couple days off to rest in bed.

 

With regard to their counselling, Jordan talks Laura out of counselling Mike and Margo (presumably Laura's last appearance on the show, as she leaves March 25). Jordan asks Marlena to take over, and Marlena agrees, provided Don is okay with it. Don agrees, but stipulates that she should work only from home, and only to help Mike and Margo, since it's only been a few short weeks since she gave birth.

 

MASSACRE VICTIM #11! And what an exit, folks! She just...stops appearing.

 

Tom sets up a blood bank for Margo, and finally stops the charade that both Margo and Mike were living in. Tom tells Mike that Margo's cancer is back, and she's dying. Once Tom confirms that Margo knows, Mike cannot believe he wasn't told, and insists there must be something they can do to save her. Tom tells Mike that it's impossible, and that Jordan and Tom have set up counselling sessions with Marlena on their behalf. Mike admits he'd been in denial.

 

He relays the bad news onto Chris, whose head must be spinning at this point. Chris is floored by the bad news, and donates blood to Margo's blood bank. Mike then takes Margo to the park and finally musters his strength to admit that he knows she's dying. They share a tender moment, and agree to therapy with Marlena.

 

At therapy, Margo feels a weight has lifted off of her since Mike told her he knows about her impending doom. Marlena probes further, wondering if there's any lingering guilt or resentment, but the couple claim to be perfectly content. Mmmmhmmm.

 

Margo goes in for blood transfusions, claiming at first to be feeling wonderful, but fading fast, and becoming weaker and bitter as the days go on. The stress finally causes Mike to snap at Mickey when he visits, calling Mickey out for bringing up Bob's death and upsetting Margo. After apologizing, he goes to see Marlena for more help.

 

 

 

 

Jordan and Bill visit Doug's Place for dinner, and tell Doug that Laura's made a full recovery. Apparently she wasn't at Bayview but at Lakewood (these places all have the same damned names, no?). Bill has decided to accept the position as medical director at Lakewood, to be closer to Laura, but will still occasionally practice in Salem, joking that he "won't be a stranger". Sure you won't, Bill. The two reminisce about their musical duo from the days when Doug's Place was still called Sergio's. They do a number onstage, with Bill on piano while Doug sings. The performer's high wears off quickly, with Doug telling Bill afterwards that he's depressed, and that coming to Doug's Place is no fun anymore.

 

MASSACRE VICTIM #12 & 13!! - since I think that's the last we hear of Jordan, as well. Another one that just...stops appearing.

 

 

 

 

Don's political career is going well, with him schmoozing rather successfully with the local PTA ladies. This schmoozing leads Don to find out one of the ladies is selling her home, and it just so happens to be the home where Don proposed? I...I'm a bit confused by that, but okay. Really hoping Don didn't break into other people's houses to propose to his now-wife.

 

Sam, now apparently all better and like she never had kidney failure, wins a major part in a movie and is moving back to LA. But before she goes, she'll throw Marlena a baby shower. Looks like Donna didn't actually leave yet, even though it said she did last month, but okay. The family has a nice goodbye dinner for her, and Donna holds DJ and sadly hopes they'll be together soon. And NOW off she does.

 

 

 

 

Trish has decided not to say a word about the diamond nonsense to David because she's off the hook with the mob, so I guess that whole story will just...DISAPPEAR now. Probably for the best.

 

Alex, trying desperately to win some goodwill at Anderson, promises David the moon, the stars, a fern, and a raise, all as long as David doesn't tell anyone that Alex is planning to do so. David does confide to Julie that he's surprised by Alex's sudden change in attitude towards him, but stops short of telling her the news of his "imminent promotion" to executive assistant.

 

 

 

 

 

Marie hears from Cathy that she's engaged to an intern in Chicago. How nice.







This...so far doesn't sound SO bad, but...the Chandlers introduction sounds absolutely horrible, and I increasingly don't understand what they want Lee to do or be. I don't get any sense that Tony Kingman has a personality, or indeed, a point of view. I don't really care how he's connected to Lee. Everything is just...silly. I guess this is how things will be for the next few months. So...Yay???

15 hours ago, prefab1 said:

Agreed that killing off Nick was a short-sighted move, and the show could have benefited from having a "bad" Horton, because it would cause a lot of organic, character-driven conflict, with some Hortons choosing family loyalty over morality. But to the show's credit--and unlike, say, GH, with its litany of dead characters who no one ever talks about anymore--they haven't forgotten about Nick, and his death has fueled years of storyline with the ongoing war between Gabi and Julie. 

It has, though somewhat inorganically. I will never forgive Ron for making Julie, once a worldly, sharp-witted woman, into a racist, especially when she was the most supportive person of David and Valerie's relationship. If you're going to use history, use it right.

 

Agreed as well @soapfave06, that year, to me, was the last excellent year of DAYS, tbh. I thought TomSell's first year was, by and large, excellent, minus the Daniel nonsense, Bo abandoning Hope for dubious reasons, and the weird way they drove a wedge between John and Marlena. They didn't explore the complexities of the situations nearly enough, but they set them up so well, it's a shame they didn't dig in deeper.

5 hours ago, adrnyc said:

At least it makes a change from hearing you and everyone else on this board rant about how much they despise a show that's been off the air for 10 years. You people are an absolute trip. Normally, I'm with Victoria Foxton - just scrolling through reading member's incessant complaining about how horrible As The World Turns was - except in the 60s and 70s where are there are no episodes to tear apart bit by bit. Sometimes, I just need to bitch slap the board. You all really are a bunch of pathetic wannabe soap opera writers/producers with no concept of what goes into creating it and would fail miserably at the job. But, you know, you're bored and have no lives so some of the most negative people on the planet have a spot to come to complain about how horrible soap operas are. And you wonder why TPTB don't give a [&#33;@#&#036;%^&amp;*] about what y'all think and ignore you as much as possible????

 

If it weren't for the wonderful work Brolden does to track the episodes of ATWT and me feeling responsible to help him out since I'm watching the show in order from YouTube as much as I can, I wouldn't come here. But he's doing some admirable work and I want to help him with added episodes I've found or to clear up some questions he has. I usually read without commenting but sometimes you people are so nasty, vindictive, and hateful that I decide to join in - only it's aimed at the board members instead of a 10 year old television show.

Then why are you posting here? I mean, if this place is so full of this negative energy you're so put off by that you're posting diatribe after diatribe of same said energy back at us (to what end, I have no idea), then like...I'm not telling you what to do, but I wouldn't hang around, regardless of what folks are posting that you DO like. Get their contact info and e-mail them.

 

So...I dunno. Up to you. *shrug*

1 hour ago, vetsoapfan said:

Writing Nick into a corner and then killing him off was yet another bone-headed move by TPTB regarding the future of blood Hortons on the show.

Even Nick as a villain could easily have worked longterm with an imaginative headwriter. I saw potential in him as a Roger Thorpe type, always being compared unfavourably to "perfect Will" and getting mileage out of that, but they went too far and copped out. Shame, really. 

Just now, Paul Raven said:

Final Dates

Linda/ Melissa  March 6th

Robert/Dougie March 14th

Donna March 6th one day return March 20th

 

Debuts/Returns

Tony Kingman March 12

Tommy Horton one day return March 7

Laura Horton March 7, 10 and 19.

So Tommy literally returned JUST for the party and nothing else. What a joke of an ending to a bloody core character. WOW.