Days: November 2020 Discussion Thread

[carolineg]

 

MM is just a colder actress.  But I don't think Belle is a 'sexy' character.  I don't think Marlena is necessarily a 'sexy' character either but the DH's managed to make the Jarlena affair hot in way MM/JKJ couldn't.  Even though I think it was the best chemistry Martha had with a romantic lead.  Anyway, I think it has more to do with a lack of definition of the Belle character than it does with any particular actress.  I never bought she would go back and forth between Shawn and Phillip.  It wasn't a crazy situation.  Just pick one and stick with it lol.

[te.]

 

EJ was born in 1997 I think?

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But at least he never felt as tied to a pivotal event like Belle's conception actually was.

 

But again, DAYS has been a mess with ages since they decided to age up Mike Horton in the early 70s.

[soapfan770]

The show was sooo trying to push them as the next big John/Marlena/Roman triangle. I mean they made it a point that Phillip & Belle had sex on the conference table in the Titan boardroom with someone(Hope lol) spying on them. I remember the scenes were widely panned by fans for being gross or whatever but I had to give credit to Madison for giving a naughty smile of satisfaction during those scenes that stuck out to me. 

[carolineg]

 

Totally trying to push that triangle so hard.  The sex scene at Titan didn't bother me as a Jarlena fan.  It was more the lack of chemistry between everyone and the lack of true obstacles.  Belle could have easily postponed the wedding if she was confused with the excuse her dad just died and reevaluated her choices.  But she made everything 1000x worse by marrying Shawn.  I am not saying John/Marlena didn't make some epically dumb choices but they had some pretty serious obstacles, while Belle could have just put her big girl pants on and figured it out.  Marlena looked fairly sympathetic in the affair while Belle looked like a fickle, selfish woman.  I didn't feel bad for her I wanted to smack her like Hope did.  And I am clearly a Brenda Barrett fan, I love a good triangle.  This was not.

[soapfan770]

LOL I definitely remember the big Shelle wedding in 2007...didn’t Belle visualize Shawn as Phillip the entire time?

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[Antoyne]

I actually really enjoyed the Phillip and Belle affair and saw a fair bit of chemistry with MM and JKJ. But everything is subjective.

[Bright Eyes]

 

Same here, I thought they really sparked together. Martha Madison may look to old to play Belle specifically, but she has great chemistry with her family, too. Personally, Shawn and Belle in any incarnation has been a dud for me. I'm conflicted though because I definitely want JKJ's Philip with Chloe so Belle can look elsewhere. It's a shame we'll probably never get to see Shawn and Belle given a real shot with anyone else.

[Antoyne]

Her looks have honestly never bothered me honestly. Maybe cause I watched Kirsten as Maxie longer than I did her as Belle because of when I got into soaps, I had no attachment to her Belle. Martha has essentially been my Belle and I’ve always enjoyed her. As you mentioned she also has fantastic chemistry with her family.

 

Truly the canvas feels complete with Shawn and Belle and even Phillip in town. I’m ready for a Chloe return.

[carolineg]

 

Yeah I think so lol.  What a huge letdown for Shelle fans.  I felt bad for them.

 

 

Listen, MM/Belle is fine.  I think Shelle should be on the canvas.  They definitely belong in Salem.  I am just saying that I think there have been major missteps with characterizations, aging, and casting with both Shawn and Belle.   And Days being so locked into the Shelle pairing hurt both characters in the long run.  I think Belle and Shawn could have been much more than they are, but it is what it is.  Days has bigger problems.  I do agree with others that MM is very good with family scenes, especially with the DH's.

 

I think Days made a pretty big mess of Brady too if it seems like I am being to harsh on Belle/MM.

[Antoyne]

Brady sometimes appears to be older than Sami/Eric now, it’s ridiculous.

[Chris B]

I’ll admit I’ve never cared too much for Martha Madison’s Belle. In terms of looks, it’s not that she’s unattractive, but Kirsten Storms even now has such a young look to her that anybody was going to seem older in that role. Between that and bad writing it’s been hard to connect, but I love having Belle on the canvas now and I truly enjoy both Belle and Brandon Beemer’s Shawn. To me their returns (along with Phillip) are a main reason I returned to the show. I love the cast refresh they did. We needed this age group boosted plus it helps Claire and gives Jan a purpose. Why it took so long to feature them is beyond me because you know none of the actors are expensive. 

[KMan101]

 

lol it annoys me too. So many things I'd love to 'fix' with this show. I totally get it, lol.

 

Yeah, the pregnancy was ludicrous. As was Alex North. Sooooooooo bad. I mean, that would be like having Kate get knocked up now (no Ron, don't go getting any ideas). Yes women in their 40s and 50s and even 60s have kids but that's rare and none of us want to see Marlena Evans or even Reva Shayne approaching the 2010s with a baby in their belly.

 

Yep. lol

 

Right? lmao. The age differences are so bad. I've kinda given up even caring anymore but it still annoys me. Brady should literally be Abby's age (or whatever her age is now)

[KMan101]

Just for fun ...

 

1968 - David Banning & Michael Horton

1971 - Melissa Anderson/Horton

1972 - Anne "Annie" Peters (why wasn't this Anne Milbauer? Such a mistake)

1974 - Hope Williams

1976 - Jennifer Horton & Dougie LeClair

1977 - Scotty Banning

1980 - DJ Craig (RIP)

1981 - Sarah Horton

1983 - Noel Curtis

1984 - Sami & Eric Brady

1985 - Charles Jannings

1986 - Andrew Donovan

1987 - Shawn-Douglas Brady 

1989 - Alexander Kiriakis

1990 - Stephanie Johnson (also Justin and Adrienne's adoted twins) & Jeannie Theresa Donovan

1991 - Sonny Kiriakis

1992 - Abby Deveraux & Brady Black

1993 - Belle Black & Benjamin Reardon

1995 - Philip Kiriakis & Will Horton 

1997 - Elvis Junior DiMera

1998 - Swamp Baby Chelsea Brady

2000 - Zack Brady & JT Reiber

2003 - Joy Wesley (does she still exist? lol)

2003 - Theo Carver

2004 - JJ Deveraux

2005 - Claire Brady

2006 - Ciara Brady

2007 - Allie & Johnny

2008 - Joey Johnson

2009 - Sydney DiMera

2010 - Parker Kiriakis (he'll never be a Jonas to me)

2013 - Arianna Horton

2015 - Thomas Deveraux/DiMera

2016 - Holly Walker (she'll never be a Jonas to me)

2018 - Charlotte DiMera

2020 - Henry Horton

Edited November 14, 2020 by KMan101

[carolineg]

 

Yes, he does.  My biggest problem with Brady is he and Eric fill a very similar purpose and there isn't enough difference between them in personalities.  Brady's personality is ill-defined.  He's good sometimes, but bad other times according to different writers whims.  And it's not like he's a gray character-he just seems bipolar with his personality traits.  And opposite of Belle, Brady is given ALL the love interests despite none of them really sticking except this Kristen thing which will always be idiotic.  I mean, the woman once told him she was his new mommy lol.

I would say most of what Brady has done since he's been aged has been a mis-step, starting with his OTT Marlena hate.  OG Broe is probably the only thing I really liked.  

I thought Days did a pretty excellent job in aging Carrie, Eric, Sami and did a pretty poor job with Brady and Belle.  But again, I would want them all on canvas because they are important.

[Toups]

I watched the last 10 episodes of DAYS today.....the show was that good!  LOL  I love it when a secret we all know comes out at a big party after a long build up, but this time we didn't know what the secret was and that was pretty exciting to watch.....and nobody guessed the Jack/Kate affair too which was nice because the surprise wasn't ruined.   Often at times when a twist nobody expects happens, it's not very good because there was no build up or foreshadowing, but I thought the revelation and aftermath episodes were really well done.   I thought Jack finding comfort with Kate for one night was believable.   I've always been a Marci Miller fan and didn't think she had "low energy" during her first tenure, but that's just me.   She was so good in the revelation scenes and the Jack/Abby scenes.  I loved seeing Abby giving it to Jack and Jack being angry at her.  I thought Cady was good as well but I do agree that the emotion depth in the Jack/Jen scenes wasn't there because there's no connection between Matt/Cady.   Can't say enough about Emily O'Brien. I'm so glad she's on contract.  Gwennie is the best new character in a long time.  I like watching her scheme and not knowing what her true motive is yet. 

 

Ava being Philip's partner surprised me too.  I knew Ava was coming back but I just thought she'd just be involved with Steve and Tripp. 

 

The show just feels so much more alive right now because of the schemers: Jan, Gwen, Philip/Ava.   And they're not the same old characters, doing the same old things (like another  kidnapping, or another crazy Rolf mind control).