Days: Coming Out In Salem

[DRW50]

I just don't see how DAYS, which has always been one of the most conservative of soaps (they did not even have a gay character - unless you count a suicidal bisexual woman - until about 2000), will do what other shows either did not want to do, or did and got trashed for. The last time there was a gay storyline on a soap, with Kyle and Fish, they took real chances, and it ended in one of the most unprofessional and ugliest manners I have ever seen. Is DAYS going to go anywhere near that, especially since the ABC fiasco was seemingly designed to tell everyone that gays kill your ratings?

The problem I have with Will's drama is it just seems to be manufactured, not true to his background, and is mostly about other characters. The person most affected by Will's dramas will be Sami, not Will. Most of Will's relationships on the show have been minimized or rewritten in order to push the Sami/EJ sex. Will is just in the role of the angry and self-loathing burden to Sami, or even worse, her punishment (ha ha, Sami, you hated Marlena and now your son hates you AND he's gay!) who could be shipped out at any time.

[Khan]

Let's put it this way: given their track record and history, it does seem unusual for DAYS to be progressive all of a sudden. On the other hand, wouldn't we all agree that this kind of story is a long time coming (and especially for this show)?

As for whether this is all just a smokescreen for yet another EJ/Sami drama: frankly, the more pessimistic side of my nature agrees with you 100 percent. For once, though, I'll be like Vee and try and remain (gulp) optimistic. Perhaps, we're getting so much about Sami's investment in this story, because she has a longer history with the audience and DAYS' writers are following the axiom that no story about contemporary issues or younger characters will work unless it is tied somehow to characters we are more familiar with. Perhaps.

[EricMontreal22]

I think part of the problem is that the info of this story was leaked and talked about SO early on--an example of the way the modern soap press works somewhat backfiring. The slowness wouldn't bother me at all if the story was some sort of mystery to audiences (although I do think that it is a bit too slow--as much as I appreciate slow burn storytelling).

[Khan]

Agree.

[EricMontreal22]

And it doesn't help that sites like AfterElton started pimping this as THE gay story to watch back in... July? June?

[DRW50]

To me the story isn't all that progressive yet. It's certainly not offensive either, but so far it just seems like the generic gay tale - a self-loathing time bomb who causes problems for those in his life, with a somewhat half-hearted stab at "Being gay is just fine, really" character like Sonny sitting in the background, seemingly existing solely for that purpose.

I like the idea of family drama. I would rather see that than anything else on soaps. Luke having big dramatic relationships with Lucinda, Lily, non-psycho Damian, or even Holden, would have interested me far more than his love life (especially the Doris Day style "romance" with Reid which promptly made Reid a bore). I just think if you have to rewrite a character's personality and all kinds of questionable implications (Will as new Sami, Will being gay some kind of retribution to Sami, Sami as new Marlena), then you're off on the wrong foot. I also think focusing so much on Sami and EJ when they have dominated story for years is a way to cause serious burnout.

[Vee]

It also seems unusual for DAYS to focus on character drama and slow, thought-out, layered storytelling featuring a variety of professional women and timely issues, but it's doing that. "The New DAYS," etc etc. It works for me. So I'm not going to assume they're auto-conservative anymore. I'm going to take the story for what it is.

And another plain fact is, like it or not, Alison Sweeney is a star of this show. Sami has a massive fanbase and is, rightly IMO despite my dislike of Rafe and many of her storylines in the last several years, a very popular female lead. You can make a very similar case for James Scott and EJ. Despite the many horrible storylines for him under Higley and the rape before that, James Scott is IMO incredible in the role. Of course they are going to have major roles in story, and this story. But I think it's an umbrella story. It's about her partly, but it's also definitely about Will, EJ, and any number of people. It's for multiple people. And right now I think it works.

As for Will's previously sunny personality, I think this has been coming for a long, long time. When little Darian(?) Weiss was in the role he was a schemer. Then, with Christopher Gerse he was meek and seemed frightened of loud noises, sort of mousy versus his brassy, crazy, domineering mother who had used him as a pawn for so much of his childhood. That other kid was pretty ineffectual, and now we have Chandler Massey who, I think, also presented him as extremely sensitive, chaste, and in the shadow of bigger personalities like Sami or Chad or whoever else. And frankly I think DAYS has been toying with him being gay for years, even before the recast. I think it's why they did very little with him til now. And I think Massey may have perhaps always been kept aside in the past in the thought that they might eventually maneuver him into this role. He certainly played up the character's soulful longing opposite Chad DiMera.

For a long time, it's seemed just under the surface to me that he would eventually a) explode onto his mother for her choices and her treatment of him over the years as the dutiful son and turn out to be gay. I think it was inevitable

[Soapsuds]

Great interview!

[juppiter]

Agreeing with this. There is such a thing as a well-crafted, slow-moving storyline. That's not what the "Will is gay" storyline has been. It has been start and stop, when it should be their "A storyline" right now since it sounds like it's the storyline the majority of us are looking forward to most.

[juppiter]

OK, I love this interview. Listening to a 21 year old male discussing soap opera storylines in 21 year old male terms is just hilarious. Chandler Massey <3

[Vanguardian]

I'm not sure how this story is going to turn out with Will but this definitely would've worked with Chad as you suggest. If Chad had not "washed his hands" of the DiMeras then I could see him and EJ still at each other's throats and competing for Stefano's affection and approval. Chad learns of some dirty-dealing secret about big bro EJ while EJ later catches Chad rolling around in bed with Sonny at the mansion. EJ threatens to tell all to Stefano and the rest of the family while also threatening to tell Abigail that her boyfriend AND cousin are getting it on behind her back. The Chad as antihero scenario definitely would've worked. I recall Casey Dedrick saying in an interview that he would like to see Chad get hooked on drugs and attempt suicide. I thought that was a very dark thing for him to suggest, but that could've also played into the aspect of him being gay, being blackmailed by EJ as a result, and him desperately trying to keep it from being revealed to Stefano, Abby, and everyone else.

[juppiter]

It wouldn't work with Chad, though. We have seen Will grow up living through everything Sami put him him through. We didn't watch Chad grow up. It wouldn't have nearly the same resonance if it were Chad. Chandler Massey is a good actor and very attractive, and the character has a long history and has barely been SORASed compared to the usual. This is a storyline that can draw new viewers and interest us veteran viewers, so it has a resonance that it wouldn't with a newer character like Chad.

[JackPeyton]

You keep pointing this out, but i just do not get it.

You dont think it is true to his background because he has been this seemingly happy, go lucky, nice guy previously? Again, i just never bought it. Will should - and now apperantly does - have 18 years of rage, anger, and resentment of Sami inside of him. He has pushed it aside, tried to ignore it - and now it is coming out. What i love about this is it isnt coming out because he is gay, or because she slept with ej, or because her life & his siblings lives are about implode because of her stupid choices again, or because Marlena is pushing him to talk, or because gabi is breaking up with him and blowing his cover of sorts, or because he is in insta love with sonny, its because of ALL of those issues and more. Life at 18 can be hard, and dealing with who you are, your views on your parents & family, etc can def make people change and act out of sorts. Shawn even posted that he went through a lot of what Will is going to be going through. He isnt being turned into this evil psycho because he is gay, he is finally letting stuff out he has kept hidden because he is about to burst, but he is still desperate to keep being gay a secret. I ttoally buy it, and it seems like this is more than less the way it will be played on screen.

You say Sami will be the most affected, not Will - well, im not sure if i agree or disagree there, that remains to be seen. But Sami SHOULD be at least the second most affected by this. This is her child. She shouldnt have a flippant, i dont care, ok reaction. She should care. She is Sami and everything is always about sami - so Will being gay is her fault, in her dead, and him looking for someone to blame instead of own it and accept i is ok works perfectly because he can blame her and she will be willing to take that blame. Even if he says "I am gay because of you!" doesnt make it true. I think its a great, soapy angle to play.

As for Will's relationships on the show being minimized or rewritten in order to push the Sami/EJ sex, again i dont get it. What relationships were minimized or rewritten? Pre catching them he was very close to Rafe, Marlena and was disgusted and hated EJ. Post sex... its the same. It changed one relationship - sami. And that wasnt changed to push the sex, it was changed because of it. Because she is proving to him that she hasnt changed, she is selfish, reckless, and her own worst enemy. His siblings be damnned. His only other relationships were with the younger set and none of them changed.

As for him being her punishment, yes and no. I mean, i guess you could look at it that way and in a way it is. But this is a soap opera, and i have no shame in saying that Sami Brady living a similar moment to the moment that defined her entire adult life except this time being in her mothers role and her child being in her role is the kind of reason i watch a damn soap opera. It is fantastic. It is honoring the history of the show, an iconic scene, and the root of Sami Brady as we knew her for most of her life but it isnt a carbon copy or a retelling. This is a fresh new view on the story that lets them really, hopefully, dive into the psyche of Sami, the shows star, and her relationships with her Mother and Son as well as their relationship with eachother. If anything i would say Ej/Sami having sex was more plot driven to get to this character storyline than anything else.

Finally, in regardes to Will being shipped out at any time - that goes for any single character on the show. Hell, they wrote John & marlena out in the blink of an eye. Characters like Kayla dont even get an exit. So i really dont see what the point is here. However, i think of everyone on Days Will is actually one of the safest people, next to Sami, EJ, Maggie, Bo and Hope. I dont see any of those characters leaving the show (unless the actor quits and they choose not to recast). The fact that he isnt just coming out, getting a boyfriend, and everything is OK tells me they are far more invested in Will and this story than anyone ever thought they would be.

I guess we just have complete opposite views on this. And thats fine, thats why i like message boards, but I am curious as to what story could maybe please you with will being gay.

[DRW50]

That's part of my problem with this story. We saw Will grow up and become a generally decent person. Only being gay, and Sami/EJ having sex, made him become some sort of toxic mess. You can give this backstory to anyone.

[JackPeyton]

Again, i think you are being (surprisingly) simplistic.

We didnt see him grow up and become a decent person. We seen him grow up and be the child of sami and lucas, plotting, and conniving, and selfish. Then they shipped him off after they botched out on making him EJ's shooter at the wedding and brought him back as a mary due, happy go lucky, loving life kid who had zero issues or personality being pointless. He never dealt with anything his parents put him through, at all. It was just as if it never happened. Thats the thing here, none of his previosu issues were deal with or adressed and they needed to be, and finally are.