Days:Spoilers for wk of 3/26

[DaysFanJean]

OMG, we are supposed to believe that Kayla got close enough to Stefano to pull aside the curtains around him, pull down the sheets and inspect his body and take photographs and stand there and take his fingerprints. What did she do, machine gun everyone in the house or hospital wherever he is. How insane. I hate that.

The rest is very predictable.

[R!ck]

My guess guest list for Sami's shower is Kate, Willow, Chelsea, Billie

Maggie, Marlena, Caroline, Hope, Julie (She and Sami became close under JER) should all be there.

[DaysFanJean]

Since Chelsea is helping Kate give the shower, she will be there and if she is there, Abby will be, too. Maybe even Lucas and Nick might pop his head in LOL. What is a bridal shower without a couple of guys popping in to stir the pot LOL.

[SteveFrame]

As I said I am trying to be positive, but since none of those photos are of Sami & Marlena I am very apprehensive. I can just see them being on and Marlena talking about going to the shower and never be seen there. It is typical lately. I don't want Marlena on every day but there are certain scenes she should be there for and I would a whole rather trade that scene with Kayla in the spoilers for a scene with Sami anyday right now.

[Ponz]

I agree about Julie but I think the Hayes's are the most expensive of all the recurring actors so I'd be surprised if we see them anytime soon. In fact, the Horton Ornament hanging will probably be their only appearance of 2007.

[PhoenixRising05]

I would like Julie there but it's not as necessary as Marlena IMO.

There is obvous budget issues because they have Marlena on three days next week and they can't even have her appear at her daughter's shower. That is lame and that is something that is hard for me to swallow. They better at least have Caroline there.

[R!ck]

If Marlena/Dee is on three days next week and she's not at Sami's shower, thats the writing, not the budget.

[DrewH]

It's the writing because of the budget.

[R!ck]

Don't buy that either Drew lol

Hogan could very well have Marlena excuse herself to run over to Sami's shower for at least 2 scenes.

[SteveFrame]

I agree to a certain extent Drew but any talented writer can find ways to work around a budget issue. If Hogan can write a scene that Marlena should be in without her then he can surely write a scene that she doesn't have to be in without her. I could certainly see where another character could have helped Billie or taken one part of the Steve story. It would be more explainable.

But not having Marlena involved in her own daughter's story is worse. Soaps should always be about family and it is a big glaring problem and more of a problem taking the family elements out of it. That is what is hurting Days big time.

It makes it have a choppy disjointed feel to it. There is no closeness or anything.

People keep saying all the upset is about who people are not seeing. I know there are those out there, but there are also many out there like me who are more upset about who should be there at certain times than them just being on. Right now I long for a scene between Sami and her mother or even Sami and her grandmother. How long has it been since we have seen them have one of their talks? Even JER as bad as he was gave those to us last year.

Surely one of those repetitive talks between her and EJ could have been sacrificed for one talk between her and Marlena or her and Caroline. Several of those EJ chats were just repeats of what they had been before.

Sorry to me budget is no excuse for sloppy writing. Sheffer has 4 Emmys to his name and his staff or writers are all good. I know they could have worked this out if they wanted to.

[DrewH]

That wasn't in his plans. He has a story and I respect him as a writer not to change what he planned.

[sungrey]

And now I'll chime in my two cents... considering what we had before, even Hogie at mid-strength is much better than watching what was on prior to this. (Not talking about Beth Milstein, by the way, who did a great job writing the show interim.

[DaysFanJean]

The ratings don't reflect that and neither the way some of the die-hard fans dropping away. I'm developing a fondness for JER myself in reflection. His storylines were interesting even if some were bizarre. The thing that drove me nuts during his tenure was the characters talking to themselves over and over saying the same thing over and over (was that something the HW writes?) and that he was weak in writing endings to his stories. Some really famous authors have that problem, too. He did have talent to admire for sure.

[Ridge]

How can you say those were his plans when he IN HIS OWN WORDS said he was going to invovle Marlena a lot more AND bring family together? You're using the budget as an excuse but that is NOT Hogan's excuse and shouldn't be used that way unless he says so himself.

As good as DAYS may be it won't feel that way unless he brings back this MAJOR characterstic to the show, it is what makes DAYS itself, family interactions, connections and he has taken that out of the equation.

[R!ck]

^ Eaxactly Ridge

Even the crazy outlandish plots of JER and SSM had loads of family interaction, and characters were not isolated in only their own storyline.