You know what, I'm watching the show now and nobody, I think, commented on this, but Kate's hair is a BONA FIDE DISASTER! Are the budget cuts affecting hair and makeup department? Honestly, you guys, why am I the only one bringin' up Kate's undeniably FUG hair?!!!

WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! "Days" shocker!!! OMG, Willow and Nick are SO going to become a couple.

EAT IT, CHELS! You haaaaaaaad YO chance!

MARLENA DAY!!!!!! FINALLY! A month and no Marlena makes me a very very unhappy, bored viewer. The pretty is back! For three days at least. And she got in some good lines. Glad she didn't ooh and ahh over Patchy with Kayla. The man did in fact almost kill her husband, and she was able to stay civil with the woman who helped him. I love when Dee gets to give Marlena some tude, and she was sticking up for her man. I loved that they mentioned that while John went through hell and was brainwashed etc, Marlena was never once afraid of him.

Drake has NOT requested this time off. I truly belive his fanclub members would know, and they are all pissed off.

Sorry, Pest Spray, but I have to agree with the camp that suggests Drake asked for the time off -- or didn't. Let me explain.

We need to understand that what happened to his family is HUGE. It was a shock, it was devastating, and it awakened him to the occupational hazards of his job as a soap opera star, with God knows how many truly crazy fans out there.

I know it's bad luck to say things like this, since it sends it out in the universe, but I'm just going to:

I think Drake QUIT the show, and that's why they're scrambling to get it together backstage because the lack of John would be pretty jarring to fans. So they figure, well, if we don't show him AT ALL, it's better than a recast. They probably think the fans wouldn't realize it as easily.

As you said yourself, the fan club members don't know a thing. THey're all pissed off. But they probably couldn't fathom that things finally reached the breaking point.

So that's my vote. Yes, it's shocking, but I'll stick to it. Drake Hogestyn, unfortunately, no longer is a star of "Days of Our Lives." He wishes the cast luck and harbors no ill will to the show, but he must part ways from this profession in the interest of his family.

That's all my theory, nothing that can be proved, at this juncture, or to my knowledge. But I think that's the most likely explanation.

Edited March 20, 200718 yr by JointStrikeFighter

KBT I agree about Dee. Marls was about to KILL Kayla today, and I don't think the dialogue warranted it.

Somethin's up!

Oh, KAYLA. Do privacy rights mean NOTHING to you?! I can't believe she just picked that lock. YABROKETHELAW, GIRLFRIEND.

Make her pay, Billie. Call BO! Lock her up!!! !

Oh, Chelsea, you're so full of it!!! You're not all alone because of Nick! You're all alone because you're too IMMATURE to forgive and forgive!

BURY THE HATCHET, Chels. That's what ADULTS do.

We've been told that Drake would be on screen by the end of January, February and March LOL. Is he taping? If he is taping, we may have him back by the middle of April. Something has gone wrong with the original plan though. It's been mentioned time and again. There were rumors about rumbles in the cast. Hummm. Makes you wonder.

I though Chelsea looked smashing today. She seems to have two people she listens to, Sami and Nick. I'm a bit worried though. We know that Nick has a thing for weird off-the-wall girls and Willow is one and we know he has a sympathetic, need-to-help nature. Right now I could see Nick marrying Willow and wanting to shelter her, especially knowing the little baby is Shawn's, too. How tragic for Chelsea would that be. But, the music of doom played while Willow was looking over her baby treasures and I wondered if she will actually give birth to a live baby (in the show of course).

Who saw the coming of the accident at the end of the show? I wonder how this plays out.

You know what, I'm watching the show now and nobody, I think, commented on this, but Kate's hair is a BONA FIDE DISASTER! Are the budget cuts affecting hair and makeup department? Honestly, you guys, why am I the only one bringin' up Kate's undeniably FUG hair?!!!

I just forgot about mentioning JSF, its definitely a damn mess. Her hair just looked unwashed and gross!

What happened to Drake's family?!

What happened to Drake's family?!

A man carrying a bible believed that Drake was possessed by Satan from the "Possession" storyline, and when EJ shot John on the show, it appeared that John was dead at the end of the episode. The crazed fan stalked out Drake's house and saw him (GASP) still alive and realized there could be no way he's still alive since EJ shot him... so he must still be possessed by Satan. So, the man attacked Drake and his family in their backyard. He was trying to 'cast the demon' out of Drake, and it took both Drake and his son to overpower the man and tie him to the deck or something.

You know what, I'm watching the show now and nobody, I think, commented on this, but Kate's hair is a BONA FIDE DISASTER! Are the budget cuts affecting hair and makeup department? Honestly, you guys, why am I the only one bringin' up Kate's undeniably FUG hair?!!!

I think they're doing it this way on purpose. They're trying to 'follow a trend' and whatnot.

I liked the messy style today -- THAT was sexy hot! The color? Hell no. It looks like Kate went swimming and the chlorine soaked into the bottom half of her hair. I'm not diggin' it at all.

Sorry, Pest Spray, but I have to agree with the camp that suggests Drake asked for the time off -- or didn't. Let me explain.

We need to understand that what happened to his family is HUGE. It was a shock, it was devastating, and it awakened him to the occupational hazards of his job as a soap opera star, with God knows how many truly crazy fans out there.

I know it's bad luck to say things like this, since it sends it out in the universe, but I'm just going to:

I think Drake QUIT the show, and that's why they're scrambling to get it together backstage because the lack of John would be pretty jarring to fans. So they figure, well, if we don't show him AT ALL, it's better than a recast. They probably think the fans wouldn't realize it as easily.

As you said yourself, the fan club members don't know a thing. THey're all pissed off. But they probably couldn't fathom that things finally reached the breaking point.

So that's my vote. Yes, it's shocking, but I'll stick to it. Drake Hogestyn, unfortunately, no longer is a star of "Days of Our Lives." He wishes the cast luck and harbors no ill will to the show, but he must part ways from this profession in the interest of his family.

That's all my theory, nothing that can be proved, at this juncture, or to my knowledge. But I think that's the most likely explanation.

I could see Drake asking for a little time off to be with his family and take himself out of the public eye for a while, but he certainly didn't quit. If that were the case, we wouldn't have seen him in the "warm bath of love" dream sequences with Marlena, because Drake would've already been long gone by then.

Marlena did have a reaction to John's kidney. There was an underlying tension to all her scenes with Kayla and she did have that line after Kayla apologized where she said "You obviously not sorry enough." There was reaction. This is only the second time Steve escaped so I don't see it as played out. I think the fact that the story dragged through sweeps a bit is what makes people think it has been played many times.

As for Nick, he has been off for a week so he really isn't all over the place. Willow was on alot last week but before that point she was on here and there. I actually thought Kate/EJ was good only because we haven't seen it in awhile. Sami/EJ I totally agree with.

As for Drake, I beleive that was taped after New Year's but it doesn't make a difference. I still think Drake took time off. The fact he was in the episode where Steve kidnapped him and then wasn't on the two days following that where his kidney was taken makes no sense unless they didn't have him available. Sure, there could be budget reasons but it just seems weird they would use him for the kidnapping scenes and not for the surgery. He was on a little bit in January so maybe he took time off later or maybe Dee took time off. Someone posted she was having issues with her divorce or something. Who knows. All I know is I think part of it is on the show and part of it may be on the actor's. I think it's a combo issue but Marlena is back on and hopefully John isn't far behind so I am going to think positively as usual.

Nick wasn't off for a week. Just last week Sami was asking him for help with amnio results... In fact he was on Monday, Tuesday AND Wednesday last week. He is SOOO all over the place.

And whatever may have happened to Drake does not give them an excuse for Marlena. "Underlying tension" is a non-reaction to me. His kidney was stolen, what 2 weeks ago?! That's not a reaction. DAYS missed the beat there. Marlena should have been reacting when it happened. Whatever the deal is with Drake, it has been almost 3 months and I know a lot of fans (non-internet) who really think Drake left the show and John is gone. Maybe DAYS should have done a kidnapping or a faux murder instead of this cheesy coma (though they probably would have missed the beats with those too), it would have been more interesting. This coma is kind of a silent way of telling people he is still on the show when he physically isn't.

Edited March 20, 200718 yr by Ridge

As for Drake, I beleive that was taped after New Year's but it doesn't make a difference. I still think Drake took time off. The fact he was in the episode where Steve kidnapped him and then wasn't on the two days following that where his kidney was taken makes no sense unless they didn't have him available. Sure, there could be budget reasons but it just seems weird they would use him for the kidnapping scenes and not for the surgery. He was on a little bit in January so maybe he took time off later or maybe Dee took time off. Someone posted she was having issues with her divorce or something. Who knows. All I know is I think part of it is on the show and part of it may be on the actor's. I think it's a combo issue but Marlena is back on and hopefully John isn't far behind so I am going to think positively as usual.

Deidre did not take time off. Because whenever DEIDRE HALL asks for time off, you see it reported in the mags. But seriously, neither of them chose this. If she need time off to deal with the divorce, she would do what she offered to do in 1998, she would take some time off, say so and then return. Neither of them asked for this time off. If they don't work, they don't have an income. They BOTH have families to care for, and they both love their jobs.

Of course it was huge JSF, it was horrible. But if he either quit or took a long time off, SOMEONE would know. They're just been backburnered for the umpteenth time and no one knows why except Corday and/or possibly Sheffer.

Edited March 20, 200718 yr by Pest Spray

Neither of them asked for this time off. If they don't work, they don't have an income. They BOTH have families to care for, and they both love their jobs.

Word of the day: perspective. Both of them are millionaires. Drake has a house in Malibu. Ya' know how much real estate goes for in Malibu?! I think a trailer will set you back half a million. Deidre just divorced a corporate executive who was once president of Columbia Pictures and vice president of NBC! Her kids are set for life.

I don't think trying to muster up economic sympathy for millionaires is going to be very effective with people. I'm certainly not shedding any tears, and I'm sure very few (if any) on this board have ever seen that kind of money.

Stick with the artistic angle if you want anyone to listen to your rallying. "Dey is po'" won't cut it.