Days: August 2018 Discussion Thread

[Chris B]

I know I’m in the minority but I’d prefer the opposite! I think especially with her last run that Eileen really shines as Susan lol. Kristen is easy to jump into but the nuance  she brought to Susan took her beyond just a comedy character. I feel like she deserved that Emmy more for her work as Susan last year than what she did on Y&R. Stacey was good as Susan but still felt very much like the comedic relief until Kristen arrived. 

[Vee]

Just watched Stacy Haiduk's Emmy reel from last year. Okay, yeah, she'll do well.

[Skylover]

This Susan is much better but that's not saying much when the previous version was possibly the worst thing that I've ever seen in a soap before.

[Gray Bunny]

 

I guess you would've had to have watched circa '96-'98 to appreciate the essence of kooky Susan Banks. 

 

Funny, I remember Eileen Davidson saying back in 2012 (when she first returned as Kristen after 14 years) that times have changed and she just couldn't see Susan walking about Horton Town Square and fitting in with the canvas nowadays. 

 

Similarly, I couldn't imagine how they'd try and pull off a possessed Marlena levitating above her bed with today's dime store budget. 

[victoria foxton]

Marlena's nightmare was awful. It was very Carlivati. Even though i did like the old school references. Which is also very Carlivati.  I'm definitely  enjoying seeing people interacting.  I didn't expect Susan to go off the rails so quick. Susan's return has given a dull Days some much needed excitement.  

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[KMan101]

 

I found it hilarious. It's just a stupid nightmare (some on Twitter were making a big stink; personally you'd have to be invested in the show and Jarlena to "get it" - not saying you aren't, but just saying). This is what I wanted from Carlivati. DAYS should embrace it's craziness and camp. Not that it still can't be serious.

 

I know what happens at the wedding and you haven't even seen crazy yet. I know it feels slow right now ...

 

and I think there's more to Susan than meets the eye  

 

I think what some think of Carlivati's worst traits I think fit DAYS perfectly. It's all subjective.

 

The real problem, I think, is that there's still no real energy to the show. Does that make sense? I think that's why I'm still "meh" even if I'm enjoying the show. I mean, we've had real [!@#$%^&*] over the years. I'll take this stuff ANY DAY. LOL

 

Sadly, I think some still expect a little too much. I've definitely had to lower some expectations. Do I love everything? Not even close! But I want the nods. I want the cheese. I want them to embrace their craziness. I want Ron to play on history; I want Ron to use history. It's just having fun. 

 

I loved Shawn and Claire FINALLY interacting. And I like they hit on how he and Belle are never there for her.

 

I agree. It's just such low energy. I don't understand it. There's just no urgency. I think so many of the shows problems would be easily solvable if they had a larger budget, but maybe they can do better with what they have, too? IDK. They probably way overspend on, like say, clothes. Shop retail. No one cares anymore that a dress cost $4,000. I don't even think most of the clothes look good anyway.

 

SH has still really surprised me even though I had hoped/thought she'd do well as Susan. She's done a great job taking on Susan!

 

And can we talk about how much more tolerable Brady is around his actual family? Not adopted parents Victor and Maggie.

 

Susan is one of those "you had to be there" kind of things. I imagine newer fans either love her or hate her, lol. DAYS can be quite bizarre! But that's why I love it.

[Skylover]

 

I think characters like Susan are a big reason Days lost popularity. It's one of those things where you can no longer suspend disbelief.

[Chris B]

This wedding has been a blast! I felt like the show had gotten boring the past few months but this new stuff is the best Ron has done since last year. Second day on I think Stacy is terrible as Susan, but I also don’t think that’s Susan so I guess it’s fine. 

 

Belle and Shawn interacting with Claire is good and the only time I enjoy Claire. Idk if they need to return full time but longer returns would benefit Claire. Another bright spot of the wedding is Valerie! By far their most wasted character but she’s been so enjoyable interacting with Kayla, Marlena and John. 

 

I just hope this time the show maintains the momentum. 

[KMan101]

 

DAYS jumped that shark a long long time ago (and many soaps have us suspend belief, I mean, none of us have relatives and friends constantly coming back from the dead!). Susan was actually very popular, mostly because of Eileen. I'm sure many hated her too. Ratings were pretty great around the time of Susan and Kristen.

[Skylover]

 

Ah yes, coming back from the dead is another thing that never should have happened!

[KMan101]

 

Agreed. Though I'm a total hypocrite with that because I'll accept it when I feel it was unjustified and stupid and never should have happened in the first place. But yeah, the back from the dead just kills any "reality" within these soaps. Personally they need to just embrace their camp and their wild storylines and have fun with it at this point.

 

The problem the show has is lack of production values, and lack of energy. And yes they suck at maintaining the momentum. It feels much more like Ron's DAYS that I had been expecting. The last few months have been almost terrible, honestly. I had no desire to watch or tune in for two months. 

 

The character interaction has been great. I miss this. It's all budget related.

 

I love the nods to history. I wanted Ron to embrace the wackiness that DAYS is. Own the camp. He's finally settled in now, IMO. It also helps he wasn't a fanboy of the show beforehand. It hurt a bit his first year as he was getting his feet wet, but I think he's finally doing what I expected him too. He still has his flaws, believe me, LOL, but he's always been suited for DAYS, IMHO. But it isn't for everyone.

 

I really liked seeing Claire and Shawn interact. It was MUCH needed. But it's so hard to be invested because we've been robbed for so long of Belle and Shawn being with Claire. Claire's often been fairly isolated from her family. She rarely had any scenes with John or Marlena. Very few, if any at all. Another problem with episode guarantees and budget.

 

Personally, I think Stacy is doing fantastic as Susan. Eileen couldn't do it and if we had to get a recast, Stacy is taking on Susan very well. I don't even picture how Eileen would play it. I'm more worried about SH as Kristen.

[Skylover]

 

Me too, as I liked Will's back from the dead

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I didn't know Kristen had died, so she's coming back from the dead too?

[KMan101]

 

She fell out of a castle window and Marlena "saw her" fall to her supposed death. But when Will came back, they briefly showed Kristen cackling in Will's room in Susan's house next to the EJ letters. But that's the thing. Unless the actor has passed, we know, as DAYS fans, that the character is probably not really dead. It's so hard to even care when someone dies because you know it won't usually stick. But, again, I'm a total hypocrite regarding this.

 

Kristen's "death" was more of a "she's leaving the show but everyone knows she's really probably still alive" kind of thing. Not a blatant crushed by an elevator/organs donated kind of thing in an effort to permanently kill a character (such as Jack, who's numerous deaths never should have happened)

[Vee]

 

DAYS has had approximately 300 people come back from the dead.

[Khan]

 

I think that's a very...conservative number.

 

Given who's writing DAYS, though, I wouldn't put it past this show to reveal Susan has acquired multiple personalities, with "Kristen" being one of 'em.