Days of Our Lives: October 2023 Discussion Thread

[j swift]

Not to go too far afield on this (although it is the weekend), but I wonder how it worked when Kristen was pretending to be Nicole?  Practically, the actress didn't need to be in more scenes, and I don't think she ever had to play two characters in one scene (like with a green screen).  Given Ron's proclivity for masks, I'm going to assume that it doesn't cost any more money for a character to pretend to be someone else (because she was still playing Nicole, it was just Kristen as Nicole).  So, bonus pay is only required if an actor needs to assume two different roles at the same time.

Edited October 6, 2023 by j swift

[Contessa Donatella]

Sure when they employed the Mission Impossible TV show's latex mask device Stacy was only playing Kristen while Ari was playing both Nicole & Kristen/Nicole. Not a dual role like twins, evil twins or doppelgangers. Then Ben/Alex and Gwen/Teresa is something completely different. Maybe we could call them repertory roles as that's the only place else they occur. 

[Soapsuds]

I haven't seen today's episode but I found this..

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[j swift]

What do you think?  Is there a non-stop flight between Salem and Alamania, or do you need to change planes on that island that Orpheus held Marlena?

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[carolineg]

Why does Maggie care about being Titan's CEO so much?  I am not saying she's wrong about Alex, but I don't get why it's so important to her.

Marlena/Kate keep popping in and out of episodes randomly.  I am so used to a character being on the show for its entirety and it is throwing me off.

This whole EOB thing is ridiculous and I actually am finding Gwen interesting for like the first time ever.  It would have been nice if she went to make up with Jack/Jen or something.  And I hope that Theresa wig is a joke.

[j swift]

It seems like a missed opportunity that once they returned to Salem, Kate never spoke to Dimitri again.

We also never learned the circumstances of his birth. 

There are a lot of loose threads there that could've been covered if he didn't spend weeks going on a honeymoon to Iceland.

Edited October 6, 2023 by j swift

[carolineg]

I think Megan did explain Dmitri's birth briefly in one episode.   It wasn't anything too exciting IIRC.  

But AGREED.  The show absolutely dropped the ball with Dmitri.  So much to explore with him and PP was wasted on frickin Leo!

Anyhow, I wonder why the show finds Chloe so difficult to write for.  Nadia gets fired every few years and she's just a solid, run of the mill heroine.  NB is beautiful, can act decently, has been in popular pairings and is clearly loyal. She's the type of actress/character soaps are built on and the show constantly just runs out of story for her.  I don't think Chloe or NB brings anything amazing to the table, but she should be an easy character to write for.   

[Contessa Donatella]

THIS 

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  except that I typically say that she is the most beautiful woman on the show & then everything you said. But, it's frustrating. Whatever they write, she plays it ably. So, what is their problem that they cannot write something really interesting for her?!! 

The wig was a one time thing. Apparently she colored her hair as soon as she was done with Gwen (for now anyway). 

And, this 

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges
typos are always with us

[carolineg]

I'll never understand why the show just discards Nadia every time they feel like it.  I am pretty neutral on Chloe overall, but I could think of at least 5 stories to write for her right now including just adding her son into the new teen scene that's coming.

 

[j swift]

I feel like the character of Chloe has been ill-defined as an adult.  A goth girl who finds self-confidence through the expression of singing talents and her first romance with Brady & Philip is interesting and unique.  But then upon each subsequent return, the character maintains none of that original conflict.  This Chloe who couldn't find a job and lived in a 2-bedroom flat while flirting with a kidnapper was a miserable facsimile of the spunky teen we once knew (and that's a lot, considering her foray into prostitution and drug abuse). 

Where was the mental fragility?  Why did she barely talk to Belle and Shawn?  And most importantly, what motivated her decisions?  Certainly not making a better life for her son.

And it makes the breakup of Gwen and Xander make even less sense, because those two had chemistry and story potential.

The whole show feels like it is going through immediate reset - following the reset from last fall - preceding the reset we'll get from a new producer, and culminating in the reset inevitably brought on by the scab writers shows that we'll see this winter.  As I've said, I really enjoyed this week for the amount of exciting reveals.  But, I could sue for whiplash from the twists and turns that came suddenly after weeks of treading water.

Edited October 6, 2023 by j swift

[AbcNbc247]

YES YES a million times YES 

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So much they could've done with PP/Dimitri. As an actor, he's definitely talented enough. And he was ruined from the very beginning

Bizarre, but at least it was supposed to be the same character 

Edited October 6, 2023 by AbcNbc247

[j swift]

I agree that kooky character switches are part of DAYS DNA, but it is jarring every time.

Edited October 6, 2023 by j swift

[AbcNbc247]

Exactly.

The sudden, renewed feelings for Philip, after not thinking about him for over a year, immediately springs to mind about Chloe's motivation

[carolineg]

Oh, I think Chloe is very ill-defined and gets some awful writing.  I just don't understand why lol.  She should be quite easy to write for.  NB basically checks all the boxes for standard soap heroine.  But then again, the show can't write for Belle.  The only child of the show's main supercouple. 

So much.  All for Leo.

[Contessa Donatella]

And they're in love with what they think is their cleverness. Every time they say or refer to "Magic Penis" I groan because I am sure they think it's special. And as words go, it's just not. And I'm sure they thought the whole airport scene was remarkable. Just a pinch of Vivian. Add a dash of bittersweet Gwen. BAM NuTeresa. 

At least Chloe said "Parker" but I have no idea why she invited Philip to NY or why in hell he said yes. And she's moving, from one city to another because her romance fell apart & where she lived & worked was wrapped up in said romance. Brother! I feel like Chloe is in a world of trouble, running away instead of facing her problems & having no insight into herself, so why didn't they write a story about Chloe being in such a fix?

And, not being able to write for John & Marlena's grown daughter, having almost no Hortons, not having Bo & Hope, underwriting Steve & Kayla, no Sami, no Carrie. But, boy oh boy, we've got Leo. 

And I still say PP was the best looking man they've hired who could actually act in years! Totally wasted. 

True! They pulled a stunt to change from PR to RKK. They pulled a stunt to go from Mark Valley to Steve Wilder. Then they pulled a stunt today. Today is weirdest because it's not the same character being recast. Obviously.