Days: August 2018 Discussion Thread

[Khan]

That kind of [!@#$%^&*] is ridiculous and hurts the shows.  Watching supposed good friends like Marlena and Maggie sit and talk is what viewers look forward to in their soaps.

[carolineg]

 

Agreed.  Even if SR and DH hare each other in real life there could have been some sort of mention to her absence ala Kate and Hope.  It seems obvious to me that both Victor and Maggie would have at least been invited.   I considered Maggie to be one of Marlena's best friends.  If they are going to completely ignore it at least write a half assed story about them having a falling out onscreen.

[edgeofnik]

 

I didn't realize SR/DH had a feud going. I'd like to see Maggie get all in Marlena's face about her incredibly inept work as a psychologist - tie it to Abby/Ben, etc. Somebody needs to petition to have Marlena's license revoked. For such a beloved character, why is so incompetent? 

[KMan101]

 

I know. I'm aware. No wonder I stopped watching for two months

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The pacing is terrible. That's my biggest fear. 

 

Episode guarantees are also a problem. John/Drake literally appeared in like two episodes in June. Deidre wasn't on much more. They save them up to use them. It's just a reality.

 

Why do you think we see Hope, Rafe, Chad, Abby, Gabi, Stefan and Kate so much? They have higher guarantees.

 

And when Ron used Eli and Lani heavily in Jan-March, they ended up severely backburnered. Same for Casey Moss/JJ. Like two episodes in May, then on a ton in June.

 

That's another massive problem with the momentum. When you had higher guarantees you could better use characters. It's not just a Ron problem. This problem has existed for years now and it's a big problem, for me at least. But yeah, Ron doesn't pace storylines the best either. I know his faults, lol.

[SteelCity]

The episodes guarantee system can work if used correctly, like having proper A/B/C stories. It could be used to cycle characters and storylines in and out without overexposure. That would require proper pacing and playing beats.

[vetsoapfan]

 

 I'd take any fan reports as suspect at best. Various fan bases have come up with some absurd whoopers over the years.

 

I'm not saying the rumor is or is not true, but I'd rather wait until a credible source confirms it. There was a rumor once that Susan Seaforth Hayes and Deidre Hall hated each other too, but both women strenuously denied it.

 

 

I've always felt that low-brow camp seriously crippled the soap opera genre. There are some folks who love it, who tell me that enjoy when the shows make them laugh in derision because everything on-screen is jaw-droppingly stupid, but I don't think stupidity is a drawing card for the majority of viewers. 

 

When soaps are created and intended to be dumb, like Passions, it doesn't bother me because I expect nothing better. It's hard to watch DAYS, however, which was so intelligent, sophisticated and adult in the 1960s and '70s under Bill Bell and Pat Falken Smith, reduced to this puerile level.

 

To each his own, however.

[John]

Maybe do away with episode gurantees for contract roles. Just give weekly salary

[carolineg]

 

As others have said the SR/DH feud is just a rumor.  I don't think there is any actual proof except they seemed to be close (SR was in the classic masterpiece DH biopic about having kids as herself) and now they don't share scenes.  I mean is anyone on Days competent at their job?  Roman seems to be a pretty good bartender at the pub I guess-for a cop.  At least Days has kept Marlena's job as a psychiatrist for all these years.  Half the people in Salem change their career on a whim.  See Hope, Carrie, Roman, Abe, Sami, John, etc.

[j swift]

At this point Ron seems to have a weird relationship with the audience - he expects that the audience shares his appreciation for camp as well as cannon - but he never lets the audience see how the sauce is made -

 

Slesar was excellent at keeping the audience informed at various times in a mystery so that we were ahead of the characters - Ron introduces a mystery to great appeal, and there is usually an excellent opportunity for someone to give a speech using all of the exposition at the end of the story, but the fans are never privy to solving of the mystery.  The appeal of the super couples was romance amid mystery.  On Days, incidents just happen to people and then someone else explains it months later.  The build up and full cast finishes to each story creates a repetitive pattern over the years and it looses its excitement.   I think he needs to learn that shocking the audience is not as satisfying as being in on the action.  I would rather watch a show with anticipation than just be randomly shocked by events.

[jam6242]

@vetsoapfan I find it hard to believe myself.  I always thought they stopped interacting  because Deidre or tptb don’t want to remind people that Marlena is a peer (age-wise) with Maggie and Julie, not Hope, Kayla, and Jennifer.  Marlena and Julie rarely interact either and I know Susan and Deidre are still friends.

[Taoboi]

Diving into this week's DAYS...

[Taoboi]

 

MONDAY

 

These Sonny/Will scenes are so uneven. I find it sad though given that the last time I regularly watched was at the start of the year with Will/Paul. So much potential for drama. So...I do feel this is setting up for his memory to come back...the build is off.

 

Not something I will say for the John/Marlena wedding. Slow burn is nice and great seeing them as they get ready for the wedding.

 

Love seeing Kate in take charge mode.

 

Ugh. Bonnie. 

 

Hope vs Ciara over Ben...hmmm...intrigued. But I am bias. Hush @Soapsuds.  It does make me wonder about that spoiler of a return and if it is a way to rewrite over his story.

[Taoboi]

TUESDAY

 

Hmmm...Eric and Brady are looking really good since I watched last. lol. And I am liking this Eric/Jennifer/Brady/Eve combo...especially since from what I read...it has a sword hanging over its head...

 

Still loving the build to the wedding.

 

SH as Susan...hmmm...so far, so good. Loved Eve and Valerie's reaction to her. lol.

 

Steve/Kayla was total B story.

 

The stuff with Ben a nice C story today.

 

So looks like Ron has gotten inspired again.

[Taoboi]

What? You don't got them.

 

Didn't think so .

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[Gray Bunny]

 

I'm a week behind on DAYS, but I would've thought if Eileen weren't available to play Kristen (and Susan), Ron would've just delved into some DAYS history and pulled out someone random like Stella Lombard. Some back-from-the-dead bat-sh!t crazy loon to wreak havoc in Marlena's life and stash her in a pit that oddly resembles a blue room.