Days: December 2022 Discussion Thread

[AbcNbc247]

Well, boys and girls, it hasn't been the best year for Days, but we made it through to the end.

DISCUSS!

[Bright Eyes]

It seems unlikely, but I hope Ron Carlivati is fired in 2023.

Edited November 30, 2022 by Bright Eyes

[AbcNbc247]

Well, Craig/Leo, Sarah as Renee and Abigail's murder definitely were fireable offenses, IMO. Besides, he's been at the helm for 5 1/2 years. It's time for a change anyway.

[AbcNbc247]

Whoever wrote today's script has a great handle on Eric and Nicole. I'm assuming it was a Culliton. Their scenes were classic soap, and I was here for all of it.

That being said, if Jada really did get an abortion, WTF?????

You have literally a year of storyline right before your eyes and you just throw it away??? Why are so many storylines, that have such great potential, being tossed aside? Did the A.D.D in the GH's writers room find its way to the Days' writers room?

Speaking of great storylines that got tossed aside, are Shawn and Belle really going to end up only being secondary characters in Chanel's story? Or other stories? Have they really been sent to the backburner, until like Jan shows up to break balls again?

Sigh.... so many missed opportunities. Let's hope this all changes once the Peacock money shows up.

[carolineg]

 

Yeah, like I said in last month's thread-today's Eric/Nicole scenes were fantastic.  I don't think they get the best writing, but I do think they get some of the best written scenes.  I thought their marriage break up was well done too.  It's clear someone BTS (or script writer) is a fan.

I have a hard time believing Jada got an abortion too, but her emotions seem real.  Obviously, I don't think she'd tell Kate the truth, but I didn't get the feeling she was lying.  It would be so GH for Days to blow such a big potential storyline though lol.

I have to say Shawn/Belle's time really passed about 15 years ago.  I don't see them ever being more than secondary characters.  Obviously the writers aren't interested and MM and BB are pretty dull.  Shawn didn't even get to be on Beyond Salem 2 with his own damn parents lol.

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[Joseph]

Were They teasing EJ/Ava or it was just my impression? I think it would've been an interesting Dynamic, Even If EJ and TB's Taylor Didn't Work, EJ has been Recast and she's playing a different character

[DynamiteKiddo]

ITA about Eric & Nicole.  So I’ll admit that I’ve honestly never been a real fan (I prefer Nicole with Brady), but objectively, they have some of the best “big” moments of any couples since GV assumed the role 10 years ago.  But their stories seem to really drag, but when they climax, they REALLY climax lol.  I also think Ari Zuker is easily one of the best actresses on this show ever and GV is one of my favorite soaphunks.  I do accept that Eric & Nicole are obviously endgame, so I hope they figure out how to keep them fresh.  (Eric & Nicole taking Ali in was really promising before GV left.)

Re.: Jada… While I acknowledge that the baby would’ve provided a lot of long-term story (assuming AZ and GV stick around, which has been Eric & Nicole’s real problem since RC’s premiere in 2017) . . . I hope this isn’t a fake out.  This is an important story beat that should be told and I appreciate that it’s not being made into an event.  I thought Lulu’s abortion on GH was very poignant, but that was 16 years ago.  This is a very different moment and I hope we don’t spend too much time ruminating on this… I know this is a polarizing issue, but I think it would be really commendable if this were not treated as teachable or regrettable.  Remember when JER punished Mimi for getting an abortion with infertility?!?  (Which RC undid.)

Anyway, piggybacking off my comment about AZ & GV’s revolving contract status… it really sucked that GV left in 2020, even after they begged him to stay because this Rafe situation is horrible.  I understand the show is like really committed to Ari Zuker and they gave Galen another shot… I get all the reasons they paired them, but the triangle with Ava was horrible and the quad with Eric & Jada was equally painful.  I’m thrilled Nicole is free of boring, goofy a$$ Rafe, but Rafe was really good to her since he pretended to be her baby’s father and this all just doesn’t feel good.  And not in like a good, complicated, soapy way… like in a Nicole sucks kinda way; Eric, too.  And it’s all because of casting issues.  Their reunion scenes a couple weeks ago were awesome and the confrontation over Jada was as good, but they need to transition to a new story that isn’t SOOO muddled.

On Shawn & Belle… yeah tptb obviously don’t care, which is crazy because they were the A couple until they got fired the first time.  I actually think they’re used well in this limited capacity, but I’d love to see their roles expanded.  Unfortunately their brief front burner stint with Jan and EJ (HOW did that end so soon?!?), while so soapy good, just reinforced that Belle is a forever fickle cheater who just can’t/won’t commit all the way to Shawn.  Which is the most interesting part of her character, but it doesn’t do anything for S&B’s supposed true love (which I do think they have).  Shawn is the one who really suffers from a lack of investment and characterization since the 2015 return.  As you mentioned, his absence in BS2 SCREAMED of utter neglect by tptb.

[AbcNbc247]

 

I think that was one of the reasons that I liked Shawn/Belle/EJ so much. Not only was it something different, it finally gave a dull couple something to do. It felt like the show had finally invested in them after so long. 

But the abrupt ending just ruined it for me. Shawn and Belle talk about how EJ is still a problem, they have sex and that’s it?? Everything’s fine? No underlying issues? No feelings of insecurity or fear that it may happen again? Both Belle and EJ just turned off their feelings like they meant nothing? They could’ve at least written it in that Shawn and Belle are attending marriage counseling or something. 

I would much rather have seen that continue as opposed to Jan just popping up every so often just to be a pain in the ass. 

Hell, if Belle and EJ were still having an affair, Ava could have exposed that to get revenge on EJ instead of this kidnapping Susan crap 

Edited December 2, 2022 by AbcNbc247

[carolineg]

You touch on a lot of great points on your post.  I agree about Rafe.  I don't think anyone here likes Rafe, but you're right-it makes Nicole look bad.  Objectively, Rafe was a good husband, married her in good faith, repeatedly ask her if she had feelings for Eric, and she lied only to drop him the first moment Eric looked her way again.  We all give it a pass because no one was invested in Rafe/Nicole, but it's not a good look for Nicole as a character.  

I think EJ/Belle got cut off more because of Ali Sweeney leaving than anything else.  Shawn/Belle are clearly not a major focus for the writers, but I think Sami vs. Belle over EJ was too good to pass up.  Once all those contract issues occurred with Ali (which I still don't get-I thought she was supposed to be on way more than she was) the show just let the triangle/quad die because the show had no investment without Sami.

[DynamiteKiddo]

It sucks.  The story obviously has a lot more meat with Sami around, but even when she’s off-screen, her specter always looms large enough that she’d still be a factor.  They could have got Belle real dirty and put her in the thick of everything at DiMansion (they seemed to forget this in 2022, but she and Chad are really close friends and even though she finds time to represent everyone, she’s supposed to be one of DE’s top lawyers) . . . it would have caused sooo much conflict with J&M, Sami’s kids, etc.  And all the while she’d be making angsty flirty eyes with Shawn, who should still be believing he’s the father of Jan’s baby (the only king-term consequences from The Possession 2.0).  And Shawn could have moved on with Jada or something—someone who he has more in common with who would put him first.  The only problem is that this kind of repeat behavior would make Shawn literally crazy and stupid to take Belle back AGAIN.

But who am I kidding, if this story actually progressed RC would have tortured us all by making Shawn & JAN a legit couple!  Ahhhhh lolol.

[AbcNbc247]

I think that bigger deal that AS signed with Hallmark was the reason that she’s not going to be on as much anymore. Having Sami there would make the story better, but since she’s not, they should have made due with what they had instead of just completely dropping it.

I know there’s all that stuff about contacts and episode guarantees and whatever, but if they can give so much to RSW and other people, they could do the same for Martha and Brandon 

Edited December 2, 2022 by AbcNbc247

[Gray Bunny]

All valid questions; all valid points. But they don't do character development on this show anymore. Just plot, plot, plot and uneven focus on characters and storylines due to scheduling and guarantees. 

[carolineg]

 

I agree with both of you.  There was still story there and it was one of the best stories coming out of that time period.  I do agree Ron might have tried to make Jan/Shawn a legit couple too though!

It looks like they are heading back to EJ/Nicole which I am not mad about either.  That was dropped too quickly as well.  I liked the twist today of Eric drinking.

And Marlena/John finally working together to figure this Brady/Kristen crap out.  Lol at Kristen telling Rachel to call Marlena Grandma Mar Mar!

[AbcNbc247]

I'll always be Team Ericole, but I don't mind if they revive EJ and Nicole for a little while. Bringing Jada into that would be a good idea as well. I wonder if she would have any chemistry with DF.

Why did Chad have a heart on his forearm? Did Billy get a new tat?

Also, it was about time somebody told Alex to shut the hell up. I didn't think that it was going to be Eric but I'm glad that it was. With that manic rant that he was going on, it was almost like I was watching Roger Howarth.

And as for Rachel, the only thing that little demon deserves for Christmas is a lump of coal 

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Yeah. And that's pretty much what's hurting the show the most. I'm still hoping that changes once the Peacock money starts showing up onscreen. 

[carolineg]

Billy's had that heart tat for at least a few months now.  I noticed it when he was grieving Abby's death.  It's distracting and not my favorite. 

Rachel is a demon.  The actress is a cute little girl though that looks nothing like Brady/Kristen.  

And can we just take a minute to think about how convoluted Kristen's plan was?  Spend lots of time dressing and making herself up to be Susan, pray Brady finds her before the other people living in the house do, make up an entire story about her and EJ, tell another entire story about feeling sad about Susan, and hope Brady sees her in a new light because she shed a few tears?  That is so much effort for the most minimal of payoffs lol.  I have trouble buying the Kristen evil mastermind narrative when she comes up with idiotic plots like this.