2 hours ago, j swift said:

Meanwhile, setting aside the online component, I thought only men were being auctioned off. Now Cat was on the block too? And Chad somehow didn’t keep up with bidding on his phone? We understand the intent, but it would have been far cleaner for Cat to simply run into EJ while picking up a blouse she left behind at the mansion.

On the other hand, I hope they don't pursue a drug dependency storyline for EJ. He’s only misused medication once, and even after previous shootings, he was never depicted as reliant on painkillers. His past crimes were never fueled by addiction, and tying sobriety into his character now feels misplaced.

I see what you mean about EJ, but at the same time, 

Spoiler

if they're going to push EJ and Cat together, I feel like a drug storyline would be a better way to do it, then the two of them randomly being involved in the auction.

 

@AbcNbc247 maybe it is just that they've gone to that well too often, and I don't like when DAYS goes dark, but I'm OK with EJ abusing drugs, and just skipping the whole sobriety part.

Side note: experiencing hallucinations of my son killing me would be enough for me to never want to take a pill again. 🤪

Edited May 2May 2 by j swift

1 minute ago, j swift said:

@AbcNbc247 maybe it is just that they've gone to that well too often, and I don't like when DAYS goes dark, but I'm OK with EJ abusing drugs, and just skipping the whole sobriety part.

And if they go there, it could also be tied to Johnny completely cutting him off, possibly going to work for Titan, etc.

What kind of work would Johnny do? He looks very inexperienced at everything.😂

He's never worked a day in his life.😂

I have some questions: what happened to Countess Wilhelmina and Mad World? Last I remember they switched owners (CW went to Titan and MW went to DiMera or it was the other way around)

Once again, Marlena and Kayla were used very effectively and I couldn’t be happier. 

Marlena counseling Johnny and then Chanel was the best part of today. They’re really delving into the human emotion of this storyline and I think that’s a good thing. It feels so much mature than it was before. EJ’s fear about what could happen to Johnny if he doesn’t let go of his anger could lead to some really good storylines in the future. 

I also really appreciate the way that Paula/Jeanne are mixing it up and having different characters interact with each other. It was nice to see Shawn and Johnny remember that they’re cousins and share a scene together. I liked the parallel that was drawn between the two of them, and what’s going on with their fathers.

I did have mixed feelings about everything with Cat though. I enjoyed Chanel warning her about EJ, mostly because it played into the way that she was written today. But I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Chad/EJ scenes. The two of them discussing Chad’s potential feelings for Cat didn’t really keep my interest. 

But above all, I feel that everyone is being used more effectively and that we’re getting a better understanding of everyone as well. And that was exactly what Days needed.  

Big fan of today's writing.

In particular, I like EJ complexity, crying over Johnny and conspiring at the same is tough to pull off in the same episode, but it goes very far in explaining EJ's motives.

I don't hate the idea of Cat and EJ, and I especially appreciate everyone trying to warn her, but she is sticking to the plan.

Boy oh boy, when Brandon Beemer wears a shirt that matches his eyes, I get lost in the screen!

Of course, sexy silver fox Dr. Jeffrey Russell has to be in cahoots with EJ so that Kayla's morals don't look selfish and skewed when she is completely in the wrong in letting Steve accidentally on purpose look at the important hospital files.

Anyone find it funny that a handful of characters slurred their words today? 

I can't quite explain it, but sometimes, like today, I feel like Deidre Hall plays scenes too light or passive, for lack of a better word. She's definitely more known as a charismatic personality than powerhouse actress compared to her soap diva counterparts from other soaps, but I just wish she could give me more. I did, however, like that her scenes with EJ got a 'to be continued...' about Belle. Maybe then I'll see more of what I want from her.

Have Shawn and Johnny literally ever had a scene together before today? If they start having Sarah in a scene where she connects with literally any other Horton, then I'll be really impressed. 

I'm glad they went through the trouble of explaining why EJ bid on Cat. It made enough sense, and I laughed when Chad spit out his asking about it as soon as humanly possible.

Edited May 5May 5 by Bright Eyes

The soapy convention that amused me today was the amount of stuff that soap characters get done on their way to work.

I drink a glass of iced coffee, take a handful of pills, read @AbcNbc247 morning summary, and I am out the door.  Marlena got on a full beat of makeup, and her Monday blazer.  Then she visited with Johnny at the Salem Inn, EJ at the mansion, and checked in with Cat, all before reading her emails.  It is just remarkable how much people can do when they never have to go to the bathroom!

Marlena's vibe with Cat was weird, considering she hired Cat as an assistant.  She seemed a little suss today.

Meanwhile, with all of these new interactions, I want a scene between Chad and Marlena when they discuss blazers.  I think Chad's more unconstructed, knit jackets would suit Marlena (no pun intended). 🕴️

Edited May 5May 5 by j swift

Interesting show. I liked very much the Shawn and Johnny talk, one tortured about shooting his dad, the other not so much (if he did it, which I doubt). Marlena was strangely empathetic to EJ which was a switch, and I liked him offering his Cat date to Chad. I want to see Cat given a personality by the new writers. Ron could not be bothered with her since she was dumped on him by the strike team and was too big a name for him to fire like he did poor BobbyEverett. So we got the awful Fabby story and then 2x a month airings with her acting like a spaz. I actually like the entire Greene family (apart from the mother) and would like to see more of them.

 

Highlight of the show was seeing Steve and Kayla act like the duo I remember from their heyday. I got a lump in my throat when she thanked him for loving her brother.

42 minutes ago, brisbydog said:

Ron could not be bothered with her since she was dumped on him by the strike team and was too big a name for him to fire like he did poor BobbyEverett. So we got the awful Fabby story and then 2x a month airings with her acting like a spaz. I actually like the entire Greene family (apart from the mother) and would like to see more of them.

Didn't he get all angry because the strike writers set her up to be Abigail? And he just went with the first thing that came to mind in order to prevent that?

2 hours ago, j swift said:

I drink a glass of iced coffee, take a handful of pills, read @AbcNbc247 morning summary, and I am out the door.

👍😂😂

So Cat wasn't a creation of Ron C.. but something that the strike writers generated?

Perhaps the new writers will give her some layers and purpose on the show that doesn't revolve around Chad since isn't he on his way out next year?

I wonder, given her brother Aaron, if Cat was less attractive prior to the surgery?  Remember the 1973 movie The Girl Most Likely to?  My fanfic for the moment is Cat commenting on how people treat her differently now that she is gorgeous.  One assumes that pre-surgery-Cat never had two men fighting over her for a date.  So, it might be fun to see that side of the story.

Edited May 5May 5 by j swift

1 hour ago, Soaplovers said:

So Cat wasn't a creation of Ron C.. but something that the strike writers generated?

Perhaps the new writers will give her some layers and purpose on the show that doesn't revolve around Chad since isn't he on his way out next year?

Here's the timeline, as I recall it being published.

• The WGA strike was 5/2–9/27/2023
• Annalynne McCord was announced as being hired in December 2023, for a one-year contract
  • https://deadline.com/2024/06/days-of-our-lives-when-to-expect-annalynne-mccord-peacock-1235975806/
• RonC's first scripts back from the strike began airing May 31, 2024 (around Konstantine & Maggie's wedding)
  • https://www.tvinsider.com/1137709/days-of-our-lives-writers-return-15000th-episode-storylines/
• Her first air date was June 19th 2024.
• The actress has said she was not told who she would be playing until she started taping.
• RonC 's replacements were announced July 2024, with his scripts airing through April 2025

Side note: DAYS social media team seems to be playing fast and loose with BTS videos, in terms of how far in advance they film content (e.g. their April Fools' Joke videos were clearly not filmed on 4/1/25), so we shouldn't assume anyone's current status, versus those who were there nine months ago.

Edited May 6May 6 by j swift

Put me in the minority in being happy about Cat not being Abby. After the two adult recasts played tag with the role, it's time for a few years of rest. I have a huge list of things I hate about RC's writing, but that choice was not one of them.