DAYS: Behind the Scenes, Articles/Photos

[carolineg]

I was thinking perhaps they could do a small retcon and Nick wasn't her only child or something and they could bring a new male or female on in a younger age range and Jessica could at least be a part of that.  Or maybe they could give Nick a long lost twin, so BB could come back. 

I am pretty sure Maggie and Marlena were close to Jessica.  At least Marlena was, but she's not allowed to have friends not named Kayla so that's pointless. 

 I could see a story about her DID too, but Days has so many actresses in that age range that have much more established and popular characters.  I can't see people being that interested in Jessica now when she was only passably popular to begin with and hasn't been relevant in at least 40 years.

[AbcNbc247]

Yeah, you’re right. There’s not much she could do on the main show without somehow tying her to Nick 

But I wouldn’t mind seeing her in a Horton-centric season of Beyond Salem

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Edited November 1, 2022 by AbcNbc247

[beebs]

The time to bring her back was in 2013 when Nick was unravelling. I really wish they'd spun Nick's shooting into a longer term whodunnit, and NOT killed him off in the process (ultimately have Gabi still be the shooter, but set Will, Sonny, Sami, and others as viable suspects). Having Jessica back around this time to help with Nick's recovery and have her and Hope mix it up during the investigation would have helped re-establish her. Have her at odds with Will and Sonny, with Jessica particularly hostile toward Will as he's not only the b*stard of a b*stard, but also gay? It would help explain Nick's homophobia a little better than prison rape, imo.

 

Plus, I'd have a recast Josh Fallon come on, still married to Jessica, but with them on the outs thanks to her prissy, uptight, neurotic nature that's manifested itself in smothering Nick, partly why Nick left for Salem - to get away from his mother. I'd have someone like Robert Parucha come on as Josh, and have him eventually start an affair with Hope after Jessica's antics push Joshua far enough away (let's face it, it was never really gonna work with Aiden).

 

Buuuut that time is long past.

[slick jones]

OMG--- @beebs is that really you. Long time no see here.  I wonder why. No matter.

Jess bringing Nick's twin bro Rick to throw Gabi's life into a tailspin could be a great story. Berris has been missed. Acting all sweet, Jess could be plotting, but Rick falls in love with Sonny.  Just  a thought. 

 

[beebs]

Yeah, well, we'll see how long THAT lasts.

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Rick being out for revenge against Gabi would be a good story, him gaslighting her as Nick's "ghost" or something. I just really would have liked to see the "Roger v. Ed" dynamic play out with Nick and Will, cos it was too good, and they wasted it.

[victoria foxton]

@beebsGood to see you back Alexander. Totally get your reluctance. Great post love your idea's.

Edited November 2, 2022 by victoria foxton

[carolineg]

Echoing that it's good to see you back!  Your posts are some of my faves.  You and @victoria foxtonhave some great ideas!  I think Jessica was dull as dirt, but you both made me want to see her back.  RecastJosh could even start an affair with his long time crush Marlena since John/Marlena weren't together over Kristen/Brady back then.  I sorta liked Hope with Aiden until things got really dark.  They were cute together.  DC is such a charming actor even though he kills most soaps he's on.

[Joseph]

Oh Hi @beebs Glad You're Back! 

[MichaelGL]

Loveeeee this. That entire time period from 2012-2013 was good, but could've been better. Your ideas really tap into one of those missed opportunities. 

[beebs]

@MichaelGL @slick jones @victoria foxton @Joseph @carolineg thanks for the warm welcomes back! Really hoping things stay chill around here, cos I'd love to stick around!

I was thinking about the Josh/Marlena connection, and that would be really cool as well, maybe have Jessica collude with Kristen to get Josh and Marlena apart, only for Jessica to not realize how far Kristen is willing to go, and end up in over her head.

Either way, there was definitely a place for Jessica on the canvas up until a few years ago. Much as Tomlin's run had issues, it kept me entertained, and formed so much of the basis for what came after. I just don't want any more big returns under Ron's watch, because he inevitably ruins every character, and their history. He's so destructive in a way even Dena never was.

 

[carolineg]

I love your idea, but at the same time we are probably hoping Jessica/Josh are going to be much more exciting than they actually were lol.

I do see the possibilities of Jessica/Kristen working together-maybe Jessica's DID emerges and she doesn't realize she's even dealing with Kristen.  I think recast Josh/Marlena would be a decent idea if only because Hope had a love interest and story while Marlena was just there kinda of waiting for Drake/John to come back to the show.  I can't even remember why Drake/John was gone, but it was for a long time and I feel like John/Marlena got divorced via email or some crazy crap like that lol.

I agree about Tomlin overall though.  I didn't mind his run. I always felt Dena was much more personally vindictive with characters she didn't like though.  Ron has favorites, but I don't think he obviously actively hates characters.  I think Dena might be in theory a better writer even though I think Ron has better ideas.  He just can't complete them properly.  It's sort of ranking everyone on various degrees of sucking tbh lol.

I like @AbcNbc247 idea about Jessica/Josh reappearing on an all Horton Beyond Salem too.

[beebs]

I confess, I only came up with the Josh/Hope idea because I saw Robert Parucha present an award with Kristian Alfonso on YouTube and went "these two would be HOT together".

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So, maybe your idea would be better. But yes, judging by what I read in those SOD recaps, Jessica was unendingly frustrating, so who knows what good she'd be back on the canvas. Though, that era of DAYS also had brilliant scriptwriters, so they really could've fleshed the character out in a way that could have made her really pop. Who knows?

[carolineg]

Everything I have seen and read about Jessica made her seem very mousy for lack of a better word even with pretty interesting material.  And it didn't seem like JBS had the skills or charisma to carry that much story, but I obviously don't know what it seemed like day to day.

With someone like Jessica, who has been off the canvas for so long, you could almost re-invent her like the show did with JLB's Laura (which was largely unpopular, but you get the idea).   If the show was serious about Josh/Jessica I would probably recast both with some bigger daytime names.  I do think the canvas was still pretty cluttered with characters in that age range at the time, but it's still an interesting idea especially if they gave Josh/Jessica more kids that could mix it up with the younger set.

[AbcNbc247]

It was pretty clear that the show was hoping that JBS would be the new young ingenue but it just wasn’t going to work out due to the acting and the writing. I often wonder what would have happened if they had stuck with the original plan and made Cathy the hospital intern Marie and Alex’s daughter 

But I do agree with everyone that 2012-2013 would have been the best time for Jessica to come back permanently. Plus, Tomlin was the one who gave her DID in the 80s, so it would have been interesting to see what he would have done with her. 

As for now, Beyond Salem seems to be the only way to go. It could be a Horton family reunion: Marie comes back to Salem and recruits Julie and Maggie to to get all the lost Hortons to finally come back to Salem after all these years

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[carolineg]

Yes, I don't think it helped Jessica was basically Cathy all over again.  Not much difference in personality or backstory.  I wonder if JBS seemed better day to day like I said or if the other performers she was working with were just that much better.  Obviously different eras (ish), but KA and MR weren't fabulous actresses when they started, but that had a certain charm that JBS just never had.   I don't think recasting Josh helped either (I liked the first one) and he looked so much older than her as well.  It was kind of creepy and I don't recall them having much chemistry.  I do believe they were fairly popular though.   Up against the more iconic couples of that era when I watch clips or episodes I don't really get it lol.  It really could be that Josh/Jessica just aged poorly and was a moment in 1981.

2012-2013 is ideal.  Just to give Nick someone on his side besides Julie and give him more depth.  Blake Berris was always done dirty by Days.

I am all for a Horton Beyond Salem, but do you think it would be exciting enough to entice lapsed/non viewers on peacock?  The idea sounds great to me, but I am into history and Days's past.  Without Eileen or Lisa Rinna are they capturing those casual viewers with that?