Days of Our Lives Week in Review

You guys, I'm hanging in, but the recent awesomeness of Days is rapidly disappearing.  What's going on?  I thought the backstage changes were going to start kicking things into high gear and the show would realize its potential in time to spike good ratings and avoid cancellation.  But . . . nothing much of anything is going on.  Even the summer's biggest reveal is kind of happening with a whimper.  I'm worried the show really is on its last legs.  It's all very depressing.  Not on par with, say, Darfur, or how badly the Baldwin brothers are aging, but depressing nonetheless.

Talk about depressing:  Oh my god, they killed Benji!

I know he'd only been around for a little while this time, but I remember the character of Benji from when Steve and Kayla found him on their honeymoon (which I had a relative secretly tape while I was at horse camp).  His murder makes sense for the story, and gave Stephen Nichols yet another opportunity to shine

but man, I need an uplifting story on this show, soon.

(I also need Stephen Nichols to cut his hair.)

Is the hair and makeup department just totally over the Colleen/Santo storyline?  Because they aren't even trying anymore. 

You can see the wig line and glue on her forehead!  And those eyebrows.  Those are scarier than that Irish cliff.

And I love that they finally realized the guy they cast as Colleen's dad is about 20 years too young, so they just went to the local Halloween store and got some spray-on gray.

It's as authentic as the accents!

Once Santo was revealed to be a narcissistic, adulterous, child-bribing, lying ass, I officially crossed over to the dislike line as far as the Santo/Colleen story is concerned.  I had exercised self-restraint and hadn't read the Soap Opera Digest cover story revealing the genesis of the DiMera/Brady feud, and I assiduously avoided other spoilers because I really wanted to be surprised at the reveal.  (I have this admittedly ironic theory that the internet, especially spoilers, is part of what is ruining soaps.)  Now the reveal is here and . . . boo.  That's it?  And hey, more depression, this time courtesy of suicide.  Woo!

I enjoyed the chemistry of Allison Sweeney and James Scott enough to put aside any reservations about this storyline, but since I'm now pissy about its apparent resolution, could someone please explain something to me about dear old Mr. Brady? 

He never saw fit to mention that his granddaughter looks exactly like his tragically dead sister, or that said granddaughter's one-time suitor and son of his family's worst enemy is a dead ringer for the father of that worst enemy?  He never in 20 years had a "gee, maybe I ought to get over myself and tell my family why Stefano is kidnapping, brainwashing, demon-possessing, and otherwise stalking them" moment?  And while I'm on the unbelievable plot points note, Sami marrying EJ will end the vendetta?  What?  Why?  That makes no sense.  I am kind of looking forward to the Marriage of Convenience That Becomes a Real Marriage, though.  I assume that's the direction they're going in, and the soapy possibilities are dreamy.  As is James Scott.  Especially smirking James Scott.  Or shirtless James Scott.  Sorry, what was I saying?

Max was making progress, both follicularly and personality-wise, but now he's backsliding on both counts, lusting after his niece and sporting this look:

I could do a multi-slided PowerPoint presentation about everything that is wrong with that look from mid-chest up.   

A cookie and a shout-out to the person who tells me where I know this girl from.  [Thank you so much reader Dallas -- it's Jamie from Real World: San Diego.  Your cookie is in the mail.  Oh, and Free Brad!!!]

P.S.  It's been on one day and already I hate this stupid sorority storyline. 

I'm not going to lie, Roman buried alive in that coffin is FREAKING ME THE FUCK OUT.

Like, Open Water-level disturbing.  Since that's what they're going for, I guess I'll say "kudos, show."  And then do a few more shots to calm down.

This week, in a shocking turn, Sami was distraught and in danger. 

They are going to have to add anti-anxiety meds to the babies' milk because otherwise they are constantly going to be peeling those twins off the ceiling with everything they're going through as fetuses. 

It's wrong that I busted out laughing when Sami "accidentally" shot Lucas in the leg, right?

What's next?  Locked freezer trucks, rampaging forklifts, vengeful saunas, poisoned briefcases, exploding flowers . . . this trio is a tiny bit accident prone.  If I were a more cynical person, I would say that they have to keep putting Lucas and Sami in increasingly dangerous/ridiculous situations to drum up drama because they've proved to have little chemistry as a long-term couple. 

Sami to EJ:  I'm saying I'll do it.  I'll marry you.

Seriously, I am wildly optimistic about this marriage storyline.  No, I don't know how that optimism got here.  It's probably a residual effect of James Scott's charm, or Ali Sweeney's hair.

Jeremy:  Man, if you were my father…
Nick: You’d have turned out better.

Funny, but it's also a reminder that THIS IS NOT MIKE HORTON'S SON.

And is Jeremy just going to be Kato Kaelin now?  I'm grateful to be rid of the Touch the Sky ridiculousness, but at some point will they be giving this character a reason to exist?  Hanging out with Nick won't help, since he's currently wrapped up in this stupid and pointless kids storyline.  When will this team learn to write for the younger set?  There's not a single interesting storyline on this show featuring characters under 30 right now.

I have high hopes for the behind-the-scenes changes, but my optimism is going to be short-lived if the new regime continues to bring back one of my most hated aspects of the old era:  Flashbacks to crap that happened a day or two ago.  It's insulting.  I remember what just happened.  I can follow multiple stories at once.  I know what characters are talking about and can intuit the significance of what they're not talking about, since I have a basic understanding of human interaction.  I, after all, am not a writer on General Hospital.

Get it together, Days!  I don't have room for so much soap-based mediocrity in my life.

Screencaps courtesy of Days of Our Lives 2.

Comments

[Chad]

I did like that Sami shooting Lucas made Alpha Male Lucas go away and brought back Whiny Bitchy Rich Boy Lucas. It's good to have him back!

I'm a little annoyed with Benji's death. Steve's grief and anger have been well-done, but I wonder if the character was killed off at least partially because he's deaf and therefore a "difficult" character to use. It would have been nice to have a deaf man around, even if just on a recurring basis. But maybe I'm just cynical.

And Jeremy...ick. I'm assuming that they're eventually going to do a storyline about how Jeremy became the Horton black sheep (worse than being a black sheep, though, he's a boring black sheep!). I can't imagine any answer being a good one, though, or at least good enough to justify having the only character often on screen with the last name "Horton" being a total jackass.

[Ellie]

LOVE your entry this week. Completely agree. The hair/makeup is awful, the Vendetta storyline is boring, the 'big reveal' is a big letdown, Sheffer does not know how to write for anyone under 30, the Lucas/Sami anxiety situations are ridiculous, and Roman reeeeally freaked me out. Oh, AND, excellent point (that others have made as well) about 'OMB' and the stupidity of the whole Vendetta storyline. Did Sheffer fail to realize when he started writing that some Days viewers had been watching for more then 2 weeks?? OF COURSE pop Shawn would have remarked that his granddaughter was identical to his sister. Now excuse me while I go research that sorority girl for you.

[Kimberly]

The only "watching" I do of Days is via your blog...sadly, I only have time for one craptacular soap and that's GH. Although lately GH has even lost the "tacular" part of that description, but I digress. Who's Benji and why is Stefan, I mean Patch, so broken up over his death? And I don't think it's the same actress,but sorority girl looks an awful lot like the exchange student from Gilmore Girls...you know, the one that had never had fries before.

While I agree with you on everything GH, I can't agree with you that Lucas and Sami don't have chemistry for long term. Their support wouldn't be going on around 15 years if that were true.

[smirks]

Locking Roman in a coffin was the best thing they have given the character in YEEEEARS. It's freaky, but freaky in a good way, as opposed to a random scary clowns sort of way.

Days has a history of doing "buried alive" well, and I'm sort of glad they're revisiting it, because it's gripping. I believe that makes me an evil sicko. Oh well.

PS - add me to the list of people who still totally thinks that Lucas and Sami have chemistry as a couple. Santo and Colleen do as well though.

[Dallas]

Sorority girl "Cordy" is Jamie Chung from Real World San Diego - she was also on an episode of Veronica Mars last year. Cookie?

I'm still holding out hope that there's gotta be more to the story than Colleen jumping off the cliff - how does that start a feud anyway? (And how did Stefano think that marrying Marlena of all people was going to end it exactly????) (And wasn't the new writer supposed to have won some award or something? I demand a recount!) Plus, if the gripping drama ends now isn't Brady Pub going out of business? The only people ever in that place anymore are the vets "doing something."

If they can't afford extras how about at least trotting the rest of the cast out in dual roles as customers every once in a while? Are the hair and makeup people THAT busy with Da? Just put them in those Groucho glasses/nose/moustache/combos or something. We've all become pretty adept at suspending our disbelief by this point. Or maybe mannequins? Or maybe Wayne Northrup! He hasn't played The Town Drunk yet has he?

[Tripp]

Well, I don't think the show is boring...but there are problems, that's for sure. The biggest being the Colleen/Santo story got stalled for some reason and now it's been hurriedly wrapped up in a very unsatisfying way.

And word on "Da's" makeup. I've seen donuts with less powder on them.

[PoisonIvy]

I'm already over the sorority tale, and seriously can we just chuck the entire TTS crew...like yesterday? The flashbacks are insulting and unnecessary...though perhaps the budget cuts have now affected the show to the extent that they must get at least several airings of the same scenes, so that they don't have to use as much film....it's so sad....

As far as Lucas and Sami are concerned, you are spot on - count me as one of those who fall asleep when they're onscreen. Bring on that marriage of convenience that turns into love for Ej and Sami! I'm also hoping it increases the chances of seeing nekkid EJ/James, something that Days is in desperate need of.

[June]

I need one of my two soaps (days and gh) to stay good and Days is the only one that has come close to good lately. Where's the consistency?!? It's so frustrating.

[June]

P.S. Sami and EJ are way hotter than Lucas and Sami. I have never liked Lucas. He's insufferable and a brat.

[Jules]

No hair cuts! I love Steve's longish hair.

The reason for the vendetta? Unbelievably lame. Seriously, they couldn't come up with something better than that? What exactly does Stefano have to be avenging here? The fact that his adulturous lying father didn't get the second wife? The fact that the horrible little boy told the truth to protect his Sister? Pleeeease.

[Stephanie]

The vendetta makes no sense! Kill Stefano! Kill Andre! Voila vendetta over!

[Jes]

Sami and Lucas do have chemistry...like brother and sister.

I'm so mad at Old Shawn right now. They finally give him a storyline and they turn him into a jerk who's too wrapped up in his own guilt to care what's happening to his family while he's keeping quiet. Bleh.

[Paige]

Love your site..and I agree the Santo/Colleen storyline SUCKED BIG ONES..what the hell..We went through all that to find out the dude is married...still pisses me off..and the sorority sister...is it just me but aren't they a little to old to be pledging..( didn't they just rewrite them to the age of 21... another what the hell ) that storyline was dead the day it started !! Lucas and Sami...NO CHEMISTRY....if they did there sure as hell would not be so many EJ and Sami supporters...come on folks...Lucas and Sami ARE not Days of our lives future..unless that future includes Days not making it past 2009 !!! Thanks again for y'alls GREAT SITE..YOU ROCK !!!!

[Dallas]

Thanks for the shout out! Your site is so hilarious that I read all the posts even though I only watch Days. Long live your scathing speaking ways!

[L2_S&K]

I'm not really that broken up over Benjy's death...he really lost all purpose to being around when he all but disappeared when Steve's tarot card episodes began. While I think SN did a great job grieving Benjy, I do think it was hard for newer viewers to the S&K history to understand the level of grief given the lack to on air interactions between all the characters. Would love to have seen Kayla's reaction to Benjy's death.

[KLe]

"Sorority girl "Cordy" is Jamie Chung from Real World San Diego"

THANK YOU! That has been driving me crazy for weeks!