DAYS: December Discussion

[Toups]

OTT? Campy? That is Vivian Alamain! The show needs some humour so why not use Vivian in that capacity. If we could have some light comedy and dark humour from her, that would be perfect.

[Sylph]

I love Vivian! Can't wait for them to put her into more feathers, furs and gigantic hats.

[DRW50]

If this is over the top, I can't imagine what Elvis/french fry/mind control chip in tooth Vivian would do to people.

[Toups]

Well, let's not go THAT far. LOL

[soapfan770]

I love Vivian as of now and she's always has been this way. When I think of Vivian going overboard, I too think of Vivian under the Morina tenure...

[dc11786]

I like that Fay returned at Nicole's darkest moment. Initially, I was a bit jarred at the references to E.J. bring like Nicole's father since I remember what a cartoon villain Paul Mendez was. Once I thought about it though, E.J. is a violent criminal like Paul is, but I was shocked that they would reference this since they still seem interested in pursuing E.J. as a romantic lead. Yet, I felt this really justified why Nicole would chose a man like E.J. given her sordid past with her father.

I think they've realized Will and Mia weren't going to work.

I didn't know what to make of the bird watching scene. I thought Vivian was going to spy Kate arriving at the Dimera mansion and return to cause havoc. A have a question: Isn't Vivian staying at the Kiriakis mansion? You would have thought Phillip would have learned of that from someone other than Kate, who doesn't live there anymore.

I will say I loved Phillip going at it with Kate and his restrained reaction to Vivian's embrace. I like where this all could be going especially when Phillip suggested Victor was lonely and could find comfort in Vivian.

I also have to agree about Vivian being a bit too over the top. I do know Vivian is that type of character, but it is such a clash with the overall canvas it is jarring. I remember when it was suggested Vivian might be returning earlier in the year, I felt Vivian wouldn't fit the canvas. I'm beginning to feel those feelings resurface. The potential of the Vivian/Victor/Kate/Stefano quad is to great not to utilize and the idea of Vivian torturing Carly for her role in Lawrence's death is delicious. I want this to work, but Vivian needs to be kept in line. Given that her return involves avenging Lawrence's death, Vivian should come off more menacing in at least some scenes. Does anyone who doesn't know Carly and Vivian's history really find Vivian all that intimidating? She comes off as meddlesome busybody rather than some force to be dealt with.

Other things of note:

- The Stephanie/Nathan/Melanie/Phillip quad needs something. Stephanie and Phillip teaming up isn't going to work. I do love Nathan and Melanie and thought Melanie's confession was wonderful. Hapka and Burnett are so strong. I sort of wish Melanie and Phillip were together so we could have Nathan/Melanie angst. I'm not sure how Stephanie fits in anymore given the development. Stephanie alterates between coming off as strong and independent and needy and dependent. Really, the story needs to be driven by something other than raging hormones. Maybe something hospital related? I know career stories don't play out well on "Days of our Lives." Hopefully, there will be some jump start with the Carly storyline.

- Did Abe assign Hope a new job or was she simply doing work for the Horton foundation for her work in the scene wiht Carly? I'm beginning to suspect when Hope learns of Carly's child she will suspect it is Bo's because he has kept her in the dark.

[JackPeyton]

I am all for some camp, its the OTT camp i cant stand. This woman makes Judith Chapmen look like Maryl Streep.

[Sindacco]

I know this is Vivian but I wasn't a big fan of hers, it was Ivan I liked.

[Shawn]

Oh joy. Lucas is back. To yell and be nasty with every line.

Tell me again why he's back? It was oh so enjoyable without him.

[IMissAremid]

I will be excessively annoyed if they try to rewrite EJ and Nicole's relationship that Nicole was some victim that EJ bullied and controlled. EJ was vulnerable and on the rebound when Nicole swooped in to at first romance him seemingly just for his money and to spite Sami even though at all times she knew EJ had never really gotten over Sami, then maybe developed genuine feelings for him after he got her off on the Trent Robbins murder charges and then manipulated him a thousand different ways to try and hold on to him after her miscarriage even pushing him deeper into the DiMera darkness that he had somewhat started to escape before he met her. What I took out of that scene with Nicole and Faye was pathological liar Nicole going to work on manipulating her mom the best way she knew how, then later on the phone with EJ it seemed she'd successfully deluded herself into thinking all those horrible things about EJ to justify to herself and try to mitigate her own guilt at stealing Sydney from him.

But EJ was only rough with Nicole in Nicole's nightmares of how EJ would react after he found out the truth, and his real reaction was certainly not as bad as she feared, and EJ didn't control her so much as attempt to ask questions when she was acting shady or would lie to him about where she was or where he was going. But for the most part he was way to in the dark and stupid about her fake foam rubber belly and all her secret meetings with Mia and Brady and Dr. Baker to come across as abusive and controlling to me.

[dc11786]

But aren't the best lies based a little bit on the truth? Initally, I felt the Paul and E.J. comparison was a bit much, but I think there is a darkness to E.J. that cannot be whitewashed.

Nicole's desperation during this has been increasingly disturbing as she is spiraling out of control. I thought some of her comments to E.J. were spot on especially about casting his daughter out of his life, but, at other times, increasingly insane (ala the battered wife scenario). I don't think she has to justify anything. While kidnapping Sydney is wrong, her warped logic makes sense considering how much Nicole cares for Sydney. Sami and E.J. were fighting and Nicole wanted to protect her child from the situation. Nicole, by dubious means, has been the child's mother even if their isn't blood ties.

I didn't see E.J. and Nicole's early relationship as I only reaquainted myself with Days again last September shortly before Tomlin began working. Nicole definitely had feelings for E.J. by that point in time. E.J.'s descent back into the Dimera darkness was certainly linked to his relationship with Nicole, but I don't think it necessarily was the cause. I think the child Nicole was carrying put E.J. in Stefano's good graces and there definitely seem to be a shift to E.J. gaining all the Dimera power with Tony completely being shortchanged (which, at the time, I thought was going to produce some exciting conflict) only to boil over with Stefano giving E.J. more and more power after Tony's death and during Stefano's kidnapping.

I don't feel they were going complete out to say Nicole was a victim and E.J. her bully/controller rather explain why Nicole would be attracted to a man like E.J. when a guy like Brady was hanging around pining like a lost puppy dog. I don't think E.J. is as bad as Paul per se, but it does bring up the question of how E.J. will continue to raise his children. He had no problem using Johnny as a pawn with Sami after the Grace revelation. E.J.'s own motives for entering into a marriage with Nicole are circumspect. I really doubt E.J. would have stood by Nicole post-miscarriage had he known the truth. His devotion to Nicole was all wrapped up in the child she was providing him a chance at an heir which his father was so interested in.

E.J. did get a little bit physical with Nicole during their confrontation, not to the extent Nicole imagined in her dreams, but E.J. wasn't against getting physical with Nicole. E.J. had no problem setting ultimatums regarding Brady laying down the line about whether Nicole could spend time with him or not, which was hilarious because E.J. was pretty negliegent at the time because of his responsibilities regarding Dimera Enterprises. While, at times, I felt a genuine bond between E.J. and Nicole, two lost souls trying to rebuild the lives, more often than not it seemed a marriage in name only.

[aMLCproduction]

Amen, hooting and hollering at everyone. He's a big bag of angriness.

If Nicole is going to leave then just leave. Stop playing games with urself

[Toups]

Nice cliffhanger today. I wonder what happened to Nicole.

I'm not usually a Chloe defender but when Lucas was yelling at Chloe, I even had to say, "Come on." And he just came out of rehab! But I'm glad he realized what he did in the scene with Maggie. So hopefully he'll stop being so nasty to people, if not, go back to rehab.

I've always liked Lucas because he's always the underdog, always the one who gets kicked around by other characters. He's like AJ Quartermaine.

[YRBB]

Brady/Nicole lurve

There was some really nice piano music during two Nathan/Stephanie and then Melanie/Philip scenes on Wednesdays episode. The music is usually meh, but that was a nice touch to the scenes.

[Mr. Vixen]

I am new to Days. Actually I just started watching a couple weeks ago, but I have to say...I think the show is really really good right now.

But i missed the end of today's episode! Did Nicole return the baby to Sami?!

I think the character of Vivian is awesome! Carly, too. I watched some youtube videos of oldschool days...very nice. The "buried alive" storyline looked great!