9 minutes ago, j swift said:

I keep thinking the trial storyline would have been stronger if EJ had manipulated the court into having Belle play the video, claiming the state was withholding exculpatory evidence. That would have forced Belle to admit that Chanel was a viable suspect the prosecution had ignored. Johnny would have been acquitted, and Chanel would have avoided charges once Belle later proved the video was edited.

Because of double jeopardy, Belle wouldn’t have been able to re-try Johnny. EJ would come out looking like a hero in Johnny’s eyes, which could then be used by EJ and Tony to pull Johnny into their orbit and position him as a mole inside Titan/Dimera.

That could've worked. And also could've been used to lead into the follow-up storylines for all of these characters.

Me, I feel like Marlena needed to be included a little bit more. We didn't really get that much of her POV, IMO, when it came to the fact that her daughter was trying to prosecute her grandson. It also could have been tied to the dreams that she's having and the way that she's been feeling post-John's death

Edited August 16Aug 16 by AbcNbc247

-- I understand giving us a convoluted and utterly ridiculous trial. I appreciate the attempt to make it work. I just don't think it did. A courtroom trial doesn't work for me if every day I'm reminded how unbelievable the whole thing is.

-- DAYS had a good first few weeks after Ron was fired, and I praised the new writers here. Since then? I haven't been a fan. It all feels slow and plodding to me, as if the writers are stalling before they move onto their own story ideas. I'm bored.

One obvious weakness in the current version is that it makes EJ look careless. He introduced the tape, and Belle and Chanel immediately recognized it as fake. That puts all the blame squarely on him.

However, the show seems to be ignoring a key detail: EJ had Rita send the tape to Belle anonymously. Belle then showed it to EJ, assuming he hadn’t seen it before. That gave him plausible deniability and could have been used to shift suspicion away from him.

So while EJ introducing the video during Chanel’s cross-examination added drama, there were other options that might have made for a cleaner resolution to the trial. For example, the tape could have been used to force Belle into acknowledging Chanel as a viable suspect, leading to Johnny’s acquittal. Chanel could still avoid charges once the tape was proven to be edited, and EJ would come out looking like the one who exposed the truth.

From there, EJ could go on to figure out who shot him, or the identity of the shooter might not even matter, or the shooter should be allowed to avoid jail for some moral reason. The trial could have ended with stronger character dynamics and a clearer payoff.

1 minute ago, ranger1rg said:

-- I understand giving us a convoluted and utterly ridiculous trial. I appreciate the attempt to make it work. I just don't think it did. A courtroom trial doesn't work for me if every day I'm reminded how unbelievable the whole thing is.

-- DAYS had a good first few weeks after Ron was fired, and I praised the new writers here. Since then? I haven't been a fan. It all feels slow and plodding to me, as if the writers are stalling before they move onto their own story ideas. I'm bored.

I see what you mean. 

Some things have seemed a little boring lately, or just do absolutely nothing for me. But at the same time, I do think it feels more like Days of our Lives again. A lot more than it was last year, or the year before.

I’m just now getting into August. I’ve really enjoyed the new writers because everything isn’t a comedy anymore. Stephanie’s book getting so much attention though is a problem.

Were we given an explanation why Rafe wasn’t allowed to say that EJ kidnapped him and replaced him with a doppelgänger in court? Aside from the fact that the plot came from Ron C., it’s a pretty significant omission.😉

Because, if Rafe testified that the camera in the Dimera living room is his, then Belle would logically ask why he was spying on EJ as a private citizen. Rafe would have had to admit that he was trying to gather evidence because EJ had kidnapped him and kept him locked in the Dimera wine cellar. Also, EJ's been trying to keep that a secret so he can buy the hospital.

Which should have been EJ's motive not to introduce the tape himself in court.

The current choices make it feel more a fanfic homage to classic soap cases where the big reveal happens in the courtroom with maximum melodrama, rather than using the clever ideas that were already embedded in the story.

Edited August 16Aug 16 by j swift

Trying to make Sophia a viable spoiler for Tate/Holly is like trying to get oil and water to mix.. it's an impossible task.   The show did have a viable spoiler for Tate/Holly in Doug III, but our newest headwriters decided to 86 his character instead of just cutting their losses with the Sophie character.

The show is missing out by not having  Shawn and Jada at the courthouse, I feel as if the reveal of EJ and Belles involvement to the court needed to have Shawn’s presence (maybe have him comfort Belle too and chastise EJ). 

 

 

28 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

The show did have a viable spoiler for Tate/Holly in Doug III, but our newest headwriters decided to 86 his character instead of just cutting their losses with the Sophie character.

That's the kind of decision that worries me about Paula and Jean.

2 hours ago, MichaelGL said:

The show is missing out by not having  Shawn and Jada at the courthouse, I feel as if the reveal of EJ and Belles involvement to the court needed to have Shawn’s presence (maybe have him comfort Belle too and chastise EJ). 

 

 

No, thanks. Just put Shawn/Jada back on screen, and let that play out. Shawn always seems like Belle's fallback, and IMO, Shawn deserves better than that.

But I admit to bias because I don't like Belle much.

9 hours ago, MichaelGL said:

The show is missing out by not having  Shawn and Jada at the courthouse, I feel as if the reveal of EJ and Belles involvement to the court needed to have Shawn’s presence (maybe have him comfort Belle too and chastise EJ). 

Agreed.

Shawn and Jada’s growing relationship is another Ron storyline that the new team should have followed up on. Plus Shawn vs. EJ would be fun to see 

9 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

Trying to make Sophia a viable spoiler for Tate/Holly is like trying to get oil and water to mix.. it's an impossible task.   The show did have a viable spoiler for Tate/Holly in Doug III, but our newest headwriters decided to 86 his character instead of just cutting their losses with the Sophie character.

They have shown a greater interest in Sophia. I remember one episode had such a strong emphasis and on her and Melinda, and why they took the actions that they took. 

I actually can see, a little bit, why they kept her around, but I still don’t understand why they got rid of Doug III, especially since they made him a lot more complex than they obviously intended too. I agree, he, and his relationship with Ari were the better spoiler for Tate/Holly. And he also could’ve mixed it up with other characters too. 

Edited August 16Aug 16 by AbcNbc247

I got good information yesterday that the new writers were essentially contracted to see out Ron's story outlines until the end of the season. So August 29. After that we will finally see their own ideas

I just knew the Stephanie novel story smelled like Ron. Fortunately with him gone we were spared RSW acting out all the sex passages in the book which I bet was his intention.

Leo on the jury is definitely him too.

I did hear that while they had to follow his basic outlines they could tweak. Xander for instance was meant to go crazy dark and seek revenge on everyone in Sarah's group of liars from Maggie to Kate. Janet stepped in and completely stopped that. The actors said the scripts stabilized after Thanksgiving break which should be the September stuff.

10 hours ago, brisbydog said:

I just knew the Stephanie novel story smelled like Ron. Fortunately with him gone we were spared RSW acting out all the sex passages in the book which I bet was his intention.

As glad as I am that they tweaked this one as much as they have, I think they needed to do a little more. 

Stephanie should have been upset and angry that Alex went behind her back and sent the book to Kate after she told him not to. Her coming around to his POV and being glad that he did that was classic Ron.

On 8/15/2025 at 9:07 PM, ranger1rg said:

That's the kind of decision that worries me about Paula and Jean.

Just a reminder that decisions to write off a character aren't always made by the HW(s).  Sometimes the EP, or other executives make that decision.  

With that said, I don't mind that Diddler-Doug was shipped off.  The actor wasn't that good and his character literally chased after two high schoolers.  Bring on someone new for Ari/Holly, and hopefully the actor will be as good as Leo Howard/Ashley Puzemis/Marissa Reyes.

On 8/16/2025 at 7:34 AM, brisbydog said:

I got good information yesterday that the new writers were essentially contracted to see out Ron's story outlines until the end of the season. So August 29. After that we will finally see their own ideas

I just knew the Stephanie novel story smelled like Ron. Fortunately with him gone we were spared RSW acting out all the sex passages in the book which I bet was his intention.

Leo on the jury is definitely him too.

I did hear that while they had to follow his basic outlines they could tweak. Xander for instance was meant to go crazy dark and seek revenge on everyone in Sarah's group of liars from Maggie to Kate. Janet stepped in and completely stopped that. The actors said the scripts stabilized after Thanksgiving break which should be the September stuff.

Not a good idea to post stuff like this on this board, especially since there's no way to verify it.  We're not a rumours board.