I would've liked a little more two-sidedness in that conversation as well. I don't think Marlena has to be a doormat to take the high road or whatever, a little "Don't you see that this is how I might've felt?" would have been a nice touch in that scene.

I totally agree that their reconciliation has been underwhelming, as was Sami's with John's. It's just suddenly "Oh I realize the error of my ways and I'm going to be good now." And before anyone reads an agenda to it, I said so as far back as last summer. These were big tensions in the show and they really needed to be mined for a bigger payoff.

Hahah, me expecting Sheffer to give us a proper payoff. That's funny.

Bingo! That is the point. Marlena doesn't have anything to do. She's put on a chair in the pub and listens to letters about Sami's look alike dead aunt. The one time a month she's not doing that is when she's talking to Sami about EJ and Belle about Philly.

I love Marlena/Sami interraction. I don't like Marlena in scenes with Sami when everything she's saying is to support Sami's story or feelings, or to approve of what the writers are trying to present as the other option or whatever. Maybe you should read posts from when their scenes together weren't about that. What kind of fan wants to see their favourite doing nothing but propping up another character? Esp someone with as rich a history as Marlena and who is already so underused as it is.

Your one of the exceptions to what I am talking about, as is most posters here. I see so many fans that hate the Sami/Marlena scenes regardless of whether it's balanced both ways or not and that is what bothers me. You never do that nor does anyone else here.

I see the points and think they are all valid but I also think the lack of vets for most of this year and, more specifically, the lack of J&M all year has forced many of us to pick things apart a little too much. I know I do the same which is often times why I don't comment right away because I feel I have to collect my thoughts and even sometimes go back and re-watch a scene or two. I really didn't see any propping going on yesterday but to each their own.

I disagree that it's picking apart too much. This is the stuff that matters. The long-standing arcs and build-up and follow-through, an issue of which the Sami/Marlena conversation is but one example. That is the number one reason for the ratings plummet since last year.

In the grand scheme of things any on example is small. But they all add up, and all exemplify an important big picture principle.

Yeah everyone props sometimes. But this was a big opportunity to allow both characters' personal arcs to be further developed, and they let it go. This is a pattern with this show.

Edited September 18, 200718 yr by billyjill

That's the point though Phoenix. Marlena's barely had a story in this decade, and whenever she's on with Sami, it's always to make Sami look justified or good, and it's annoying. I mean, come on! October 23, 2006 (Marlena telling Sami off) kicked ass! I want to see that Marlena again. Marlena never accepted Sami's actions, but she was the one, sole person to always stand by her, willing to give her a chance, and they had Sami be truly vicious to Marlena. I want to see progress made, I don't want to see one sentence and that erases kidnapping, blackmail, lies, manipulation, name calling and god, what she did with Alex. As late as 2006, Sami was willing to let Alex (whom she said herself was evil and out to get her mother) do what he wanted to do to her mother just to get her away from John and to keep Sami's lies intact. I wanted to see Sami and Marlena deal with that. Instead we see Sami being the heroine to all the people in Salem and Marlena not even on the sidelines because she's not actually on to be. I mean, there's a problem with that.

I disagree that it's picking apart too much. This is the stuff that matters. The long-standing arcs and build-up and follow-through, an issue of which the Sami/Marlena conversation is but one example. That is the number one reason for the ratings plummet since last year.

In the grand scheme of things any on example is small. But they all add up, and all exemplify an important big picture principle.

Yeah everyone props sometimes. But this was a big opportunity to allow both characters' personal arcs to be further developed, and they let it go. This is a pattern with this show.

That's what strikes me about DAYS now. Watching it years ago (85 and 86 basically), what struck me is how involved they were with each other's lives. They cared, they took time out of their day or drama for each other, they actually talked about random things, made jokes about nothings. Even the characters I don't like, I watch. I don't feel that now. It's so hollow, there's something missing. It's all plot.

I won't disagree with either of you. I am not saying the scenes were perfect. I just didn't see the hoopla over them. That's all. We will just have to agree to disagree. I love Marlena and I love Sami and I would love to see the relationship explored more and I would also like to see Marlena do more (which I am sure is going to happen). I just didn't see all these issues some had with yesterday. Maybe it's just me or maybe the rest of the episode was so good I could care less. Who knows.