1 hour ago, DRW50 said:

Thanks.

I just hope this choice isn't why Billy is leaving, as they should have done all they could story-wise to make him want to stay. 

Maybe he had already told them he was going. I hope so.

I’m pretty sure Billy is leaving because at Y&R he will get more episodes per week, more money per episode, a slower production schedule, a new role to tackle and a bigger audience.

13 minutes ago, Efulton said:

I’m pretty sure Billy is leaving because at Y&R he will get more episodes per week, more money per episode, a slower production schedule, a new role to tackle and a bigger audience.

You're probably right. So maybe they already knew he was going and that's why he is getting this plot. 

I apologize in advance for my delayed reaction to all of this soon enough!

Today was the weakest episode of the week.

Seeing Leo on screen ruined the episode.

Jennifer and Jack are just blah.

The Jack pep talk to Leo was horrible.

Edited June 6Jun 6 by Soapsuds

I was relieved to get a respite from the heavy John/Bo material today. Like previously mentioned, it really let us come up for air and breathe a bit, and good beats regarding John were still in play to keep that thoroughline going. 

Peter Reckell was fantastic on yesterday's episode. I was worried Bo would be told about Victor and Doug off-screen, so though my heart was fully breaking for him, I'm really happy we got to see him react to their passings. How strange that both his fathers died in a plane crash, I'm surprised they didn't have a line about it, but maybe it would have been to clunky to include.

Cat/Tate were a fresh interaction. Why would she "feel" like she knows Sami. It reminded me of when Carrie "felt" like she knew EJ when he first came to town as EJ Wells, where he should have turned out to be a long lost Tony/Anna kid, but then all the mess we got happened instead. With that and her mysterious call, colour me intrigued.

I am going to confess something I am almost ashamed to admit ... I like the Jack/Leo scene! However, in my defense, it got very genuine between them and those historical references used about Diana, Duke, and Leo's past with John were all very strong beats to play for me, and most importantly it Leo's responses were kept to a minimum. But by God, those pants he was wearing made him look deranged.

Also, shout out to Melissa Reeves, who came back effortlessly yet again. I can't wait to see her confront Chad about letting Cat into his life. And SSH shouting "SKYDIVING" was hilarious.

50 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

Today was the weakest episode of the week.

Seeing Leo on screen ruined the episode.

Jennifer and Jack are just blah.

The Jack pep talk to Leo was horrible.

BY FAR the weakest episode of the past week+.

-- Even a change in writers cannot make Leo work as a character. Dialing back on his personality isn't enough -- he's still insufferable. Every scene he was in reminded me of why I grew to hate Carlivati.

-- Chad couldn't make a longer obituary on John a go with a single phone call? So stupid.

-- Jack and Jennifer should have called in their regrets the way Hallmark Sami did. I got nothing from them today and felt nothing.

-- Jack slobbering the praise on Leo for his work at the paper was pathetic.

1 hour ago, Bright Eyes said:

.

I am going to confess something I am almost ashamed to admit ... I like the Jack/Leo scene! However, in my defense, it got very genuine between them and those historical references used about Diana, Duke, and Leo's past with John were all very strong beats to play for me, and most importantly it Leo's responses were kept to a minimum. But by God, those pants he was wearing made him look deranged.

Yeah I’m one of the few, and trust me I hate Leo, but I didn’t mind his scenes at all today especially his ones with Jack. Another beat, while I know most of us hate it, that needed to be played regarding John’s death. 
 

 

24 minutes ago, MichaelGL said:

Yeah I’m one of the few, and trust me I hate Leo, but I didn’t mind his scenes at all today especially his ones with Jack. Another beat, while I know most of us hate it, that needed to be played regarding John’s death. 
 

 

Leo felt like a real person in the scene, for once. I also don't have the same animosity regarding Gwen and am excited to see how she'll fit in and be written with the new writers, even if her return was a part of RC's plans.

On 6/4/2025 at 7:18 PM, Antoyne said:

Can’t believe we’re not getting Sami at all for John’s passing. That’s wild to me. We couldn’t even get a Sami video call? I know Sami was needed for the rape story, but I’d prefer her here for John’s death over the rape stuff. She still never even explained why or how she fell in love with her rapist when she was in Salem.

So Bo doesn’t know his daughter married a serial killer. 
 

You could really feel Paul’s grief today.

Bo finding out about Victor and that wave of grief hitting him was so real. And then to find out about Doug right after. PR was great. This is already a better Bo/Hope story than whatever the hell RC wrote.

I say it every day it seems but Deidre again is pitch perfect.

Hope being so excited to hear about John only to hear he didn’t make it 😭 Bo is going to be destroyed.

Like it's terrible that she will miss the whole thing. I swear folks were saying earlier this year & when she came back for the rape exposure with Johnny that she would be here for his memorial. So who lied? 9 months since Drake left us & days couldn't figure out a way to make sure they got her back? AS couldn't set something up with her hallmark to make sure she was available at Days when John died, his memorial? I feel like someone dropped the ball here. I don't know if it was Days or Ali or both.

The one person you make sure you get back for the end of John Black is Ali/Sami and Christie Clark who they did get. They're 2 of the most important relationships of RoJohn, Roman and John. They're the bridge to the past pre/after Roman's death especially Carrie and the present RoJohn, 2 Roman's, The Affair, Jarlena. The legendary complexities of their dynamic father/daughter relationship that drove Days for 30+ years deserves a better ending, one last peanut😭

15 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

Leo felt like a real person in the scene, for once. I also don't have the same animosity regarding Gwen and am excited to see how she'll fit in and be written with the new writers, even if her return was a part of RC's plans.

I hadn’t considered Leo’s connection to Diana and The Spectator, so I appreciated that they circled back to close that loop. I have something of a blind spot regarding the period around Leo’s introduction. As a result, I’ve never quite reconciled that his mother is supposed to be Genie Francis’s Diana.

I may quibble with recent episodes, but more often than not my reaction has been, “They think of everything.”

Separating the art from the artist, as it were, Jennifer’s hair and outfit were remarkably chic. It’s hard to believe the same people were responsible for dressing both Hope and Jennifer this week. Some may disagree (though they would be mistaken), but Jennifer’s blunt haircut and her dress, modest yet genuinely flattering, looked far more modern than Hope in that gaudy Chanel knockoff.

28 minutes ago, NiqueAlexis2020 said:

Like it's terrible that she will miss the whole thing. I swear folks were saying earlier this year & when she came back for the rape exposure with Johnny that she would be here for his memorial. So who lied? 9 months since Drake left us & days couldn't figure out a way to make sure they got her back? AS couldn't set something up with her hallmark to make sure she was available at Days when John died, his memorial? I feel like someone dropped the ball here. I don't know if it was Days or Ali or both.

The one person you make sure you get back for the end of John Black is Ali/Sami and Christie Clark who they did get. They're 2 of the most important relationships of RoJohn, Roman and John. They're the bridge to the past pre/after Roman's death especially Carrie and the present RoJohn, 2 Roman's, The Affair, Jarlena. The legendary complexities of their dynamic father/daughter relationship that drove Days for 30+ years deserves a better ending, one last peanut😭

Couldn’t have summed it up better myself. Truly unbelievable Sami of all people will have no parts of John’s death or memorial. 
 

Also strange it appears neither Claire is being brought back? But somehow we got Chelsea of all people for Victor’s funeral.

Did Carrie say her son was graduating from high school, or college, and that's why he and Austin couldn't make the trip to Salem?

Does that mean Carrie's son is currently the same age as Sami's granddaughter?  That's one nutty family….

Edited June 6Jun 6 by j swift

While keeping up with the current show I’ve also been watching May and I finally got to Phillip’s beating. Was surprised they went so far but I loved it. A nice reminder that no matter how much you doll him up, Xander at his core is a thug. 
 

Great scenes between Xander and Sarah. I do enjoy them happy but they are an extremely toxic and untrusting couple. This was some of LG’s best work as Sarah. 

Edited June 6Jun 6 by Antoyne

It’s chilling watching these episodes where they’ve given up hope on Bo and John is still alive and headed home. Especially seeing how happy the family is waiting for John to arrive.

May 23rd

John really didn’t go see his family before doing a job for Steve? I know he’s a hero but he’s been gone from Marlena so long I can’t imagine him at least coming to see her. And I get it Bo and John were brothers at one point and stayed close.

I never tire of 80’s flashbacks as I was either not born when they aired or I was 1. Surprised to hear Hope actually say 40 years. So I guess they’ve just made the Shawn character age without SORASing despite the SORASing 😂

It was nice to see an old Kayla and Bo flashback. I defintely don’t think I’ve ever seen one. MBE has aged so well and naturally. All of this hope in the Marlena and Kayla conversation 😭😭

Also a Bo and Julie flashback?! Love it!

Has VK been doing acting outside of Days? She slipped right back into Ciare effortlessly. Her scenes at Bo’s bedside were particularly good. Until she called Ben a wonderful man. I will never forgive RC for ruining Ciara. I couldn’t believe they showed the previous Ciara who I absolutely adored. I was actually hoping they’d let her age without Sorasing the character, but alas.

I think I hate this John in a hoodie stuff but I guess I get why they did it. I guess John being in his 60’s close to 70’s would make sense for him not being able to take a meth head despite his training.

You guys made me finally notice Shawn and Steve wearing the same jacket in the same scene together 😂

And so we begin where I started in May with John in bandages and Marlena by his side 😭

Edited June 6Jun 6 by Antoyne

14 hours ago, DRW50 said:

I was incredibly moved by these scenes, especially Peter's performance. It felt so tender and real, especially when you remember Bo just got out of a years-long coma and wasn't going to be able to put up a front. You're reminded of how long these legends have populated the show when you have a 70 year old man grieving men who were almost 90 or 100, but Bo's response to Victor's death was a poignant reminder of how fresh these wounds are no matter your age. Normally these types of moments don't even make it in soap episodes in recent decades as they are seen as too boring.

The more somber moments being balanced by Bo meeting his grandchildren was also lovely. 

And the scene where Bo forgave Shawn may be the only time I've been in lock with Brandon Beemer's take on the part. 

There's a certain element of suffocation with soaps, as shown here, when you remember so many of the kids are named after long dead relatives, or when they grew up, were paired with the kids of other longtime characters. That aspect always makes me yearn for new blood (new blood that doesn't suck, anyway), but there are other moments, like those with Bo, which make me appreciate all the history the show has.

I had no idea Peter Reckell was 70. He doesn’t look or feel it and I guess I thought Bo and Hope were closer in age than 9 years.

Wow even the new writers had to have Jack praise Leo.

Melissa Reeves continues to slip back in effortlessly as Jennifer.

I like Ari and Holly being old friends. Holly learning about John’s death reminded me of how John used to call her Nikki if my memory is serving me right.

Doug who happily sleeps in high school Holly’s room shirtless and in his underwear is now asking about birth years. How old is he anyway? 
 

The Cat and Chad romance is insulting. 

Edited June 6Jun 6 by Antoyne