Salem continued to mourn the loss of Victor Kiriakis.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by DoolFan4Life from My Hourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate EJ’s need for revenge, if Sloan and Eric should try again, and if Sarah is being protective or selfish.
Also, what does our round table team hope for with Philip’s return to Salem? Read on to find out.
Sloan miscarried. Do you hope that she and Eric eventually have a child together?
DoolFan4Life: It would be nice if they could. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will happen, though, because Eric will inevitably find out what she did, and he is known for his dirty tantrums where we can expect him to berate and belittle her for weeks on end.
The writers have unfortunately made it clear that Eric and Nicole are endgame.
Jack: Only if Sloan gets her head on right and wants a child with Eric for legitimate reasons. They don’t need to bring a child into the world for the purpose of one-upping Nicole.
I doubt Eric and Sloan will last anyway; when he finds out the truth about the DNA tests, I’d be very surprised if he didn’t treat her the awful way he treated Nicole after the shredded paper incident. So I doubt they’ll have a chance for baby #2.
Christine: I’d love it if Eric would learn the truth, forgive her, and they have a child together. They make an interesting and entertaining couple.
But Eric isn’t known for being forgiving, so unless he’s learned from past mistakes, the odds aren’t good.
My guess is that Eric will learn what Sloan did and blow up at her just as they learn she’s pregnant again.
Is Sarah protecting her child by lying to Xander, or is her decision to keep this child from him and marry Rex selfish?
DoolFan4Life: No, she’s not protecting her child no matter how much she insists she is, and yes, it’s selfish of her to marry someone she doesn’t love and likely never will, to keep up an unnecessary lie.
Sarah did the same thing to Eric, and Xander pretended to be the father. What was her excuse then? Eric is awful but not a criminal; this just seems like a go-to response when things don’t go her way. She’s throwing a tantrum.
Jack: She’s being selfish. Yes, Xander did horrible things, but not to her or the baby, and she has no real reason to think he’d turn on them.
Maggie was right that this means lying to the child about who their father is, which will result in a lot of drama and pain someday when the truth comes out.
Christine: Sarah is being horribly selfish. Xander is far from perfect, but he loved her, and he’d love this child. The truth about the baby’s paternity will eventually come out. It always does.
But Sarah is hiding this baby from Xander because she doesn’t want to deal with him or the feelings she still has for him. It has nothing to do with her believing he’s an actual danger to either one of them.
If Philip is at Chloe’s door, what do you hope happens to him now that he’s back in Salem?
DoolFan4Life: Well, I hope he transforms into Jay Kenneth Johnston and then uses those dimples of his to sweep her off her feet. I know, I know, it’s wishful thinking.
Honestly, if it’s a different actor playing him, I hope it’s short term, and nothing comes of it; the actor reprising the role just feels like someone entirely different, and I just don’t have the same investment to care what happens to him.
Jack: I hope that whatever happens, he stays sane. He doesn’t need a relapse into that obsessive behavior that ruined his character before.
I’m divided about whether Chloe should take him back. On the one hand, just like with Talia, he did horrible things that shouldn’t just be excused with zero consequences.
On the other, Chloe spent time in a mental hospital after her obsession with Daniel took a dark turn, so if anyone can understand and forgive Philip, it’s her.
Plus, I want Brady out of the picture permanently. Yes, he has reason to be angry at Philip, but can anyone say with a straight face that Brady has never acted obsessively and hurt people he claimed to love?
Christine: Only in Salem do dead people regularly end up at your door! But I’m glad Philip is back for Victor’s funeral, and he’ll need to face Chloe and Brady. I think Chloe can probably come to terms with what he did. Even if these two don’t end up back together, they’ve always had a close bond.
Brady will likely want Philip to pay for what he’s done, even though Brady has gotten away with plenty of horrible things. Hopefully, someone can talk Brady into showing some mercy.
EJ wants revenge against Ava and Xander. Are you up for this revenge saga?
DoolFan4Life: I wish that Days wouldn’t go there, although I’m wondering if this is a setup to reveal Susan isn’t really dead, and she saves EJ from himself.
No one found her body, and if you die in Salem, you don’t really die; I’m just saying.
Jack: No, because I feel like it’s going to lead to the end of EJ and Nicole. I want him to take her advice. I also want him and Nicole to raise the baby together regardless of who the father is.
Also, we’re burned out on revenge stories, and as Nicole pointed out, the last revenge war led to Susan’s death.
Plus, Ava isn’t really a danger to EJ and his family now. The only people she’s a danger to are fellow patients that she mistakes for Charlie or Susan. So there’s no real reason for this.
Christine: I wish they wouldn’t, but it is a very Dimera thing to do. And Ava suffering from mental illness isn’t something that would get through to EJ. My one hope is that this leads to Susan actually being alive.
But my fear is that this will put Nicole’s baby in danger somehow. I really hope I’m wrong about that.
Given all she’s done, do you feel any sympathy for Ava? If the voice of Susan in her head is correct, what secret is Ava still keeping?
DoolFan4Life: I shouldn’t feel bad, but I kind of do. Ava grew on me as a character, and I don’t mind her when they write her a little more human. I think the voice is her conscience, and it’s Susan because of the guilt she now feels for letting everyone believe she died.
She’s been guilt-ridden over her own son. Now she’s made someone else’s son believe he lost his mom. Ava likely sees EJ in the same way she sees Charley, so that was her messed up way of punishing him.
And as I mentioned before, I don’t think Susan is dead, and Ava knows this, but she is struggling with telling.
Jack: I think Ava’s hallucinations are supposed to be manifestations of guilt. They certainly aren’t a realistic depiction of schizophrenia!
Anyway, I’m surprised that I feel some sympathy for her. I wonder what secret she’s keeping now. Could Susan still be alive, and Ava hid her to get revenge on EJ?
Christine: I can’t believe I feel sympathy for Ava, but I do. Tamara Braun has done a remarkable job adding layers to Ava.
But I do think that Susan’s voice in Ava’s head is there because she stashed Susan away somewhere. I wonder if Ava even remembers it clearly because of her mental breakdown, so the truth might be a revelation even to her.
Will Melinda keep Sloan’s secret as promised, or will she turn on her again?
DoolFan4Life: I think Melinda knows Sloan is willing to tell to get out of being blackmailed, so she has no reason to tell as she will gain nothing.
However, think it will come out because they will have a private discussion somewhere very public, as most people with secrets do in Salem, and it will get overheard and blow up.
It would be a nice change if Sloan just admitted to what she did.
Jack: If Melinda discovers some advantage to turning on Sloan, she will turn on Sloan. Melinda is only out for herself, or at least that’ll be the case until she falls for Li for real.
I’m waiting for someone to point out that this is Sloan’s karma for her attempt to blackmail Paulina.
Christine: I don’t trust Trask. She’ll turn on Sloan again as soon as it works to her advantage. It actually makes me feel sorry for Sloan that Trask is her only friend.
More of Salem remembered Victor Kiriakis this week. Which memories were your favorite?
DoolFan4Life: There was a lot that I loved, but I think my favorite was him pushing Nicole out of the window she was trying to sneak out of. It was just so funny and so much the feisty and witty Victor we all know and love.
Jack: I loved Nicole’s memory of Victor pushing her out the window. I know it was abusive, but it was so cartoonish.
The way he came hurrying in for the sole purpose of pushing her made me think of a Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon for some reason, and I couldn’t stop laughing.
I was hoping that Marlena’s memories would include that debacle at Brady’s wedding. I don’t recall any other time she interacted with Victor. So I was pleased with the memory they chose, though I wish we’d seen more of that sequence. I will never forget when she struggled to switch those DVDs!
Christine: Victor shoving Nicole out the window was just so comical. But I also loved Victor with Leo. They were bitingly funny.
There really aren’t many flashbacks with Victor that I don’t enjoy. I hope this show never forgets Victor Kiriakis.
What annoyed the heck out of you this week in Salem?
DoolFan4Life: Brady was acting like a caveman, as usual. It annoys me that he literally can’t handle being told no. I wished Chloe would have clocked him for kissing her.
I was also really annoyed with the character assassination situation with Shawn. He’s a legacy and one of my favorite characters, and they’re turning him into the town drunk is just ridiculous, especially because they’re trying to prop Jada as a better cop.
Shawn getting that promotion should have been way different from how this happened, and I’m so disappointed that they’re destroying him for pure garbage in exchange.
Jack: This Leo/Dimitri/Gwen story has gotten sillier every time it’s on. Dimitri really thought he could get away with sex with Leo while Gwen was running a quick errand IN THE HOTEL LOBBY?
And that she would accept cutting the trip short when he barely spent any time with her, and she never got to go to the lava fields she was so interested in?
And why on Earth did that guy from Alamainia show up at the mansion without contacting Dimitri first to find out if he was in town? Are phones and email against Alamainian law? Stupid, all of it.
Shawn’s spiral down was also annoying, but worse than that was that Eric wanted wine when he went home. Have we all forgotten that Eric is also an alcoholic who killed someone in a drunk-driving crash?
Christine: Eric coming home after running into Shawn and needing a drink! Seriously, this is the man who killed Daniel because he was driving while drunk.
And Sarah pushing Maggie to lie for her and accept that Rex is going to pretend to be this baby’s father annoyed the heck out of me. Maggie loves Xander and can’t stand Rex (with reason). I hate that Sarah is putting her in this position, especially while she’s dealing with Victor’s death.
And I know that Roman loves his mother, but the entire world does not need to love Caroline Brady’s clam chowder!
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline in Salem this week?
DoolFan4Life: I loved all the Victor flashbacks, with everyone remembering him. And I actually enjoyed the scene with Chloe and Kate. It was a nice change of pace and kind of refreshing.
And the scenes with Eric weren’t as bad with the temp in Greg’s place. I want to keep this guy. He makes Eric more likable and very easy on the eyes.
And I will admit, I cheered a little when Xander hit Brady. Someone needed to do it.
Jack: I liked Harris helping Ava. He seems like he’s in the wrong career. Since Harris Michaels is sticking around Salem, he should be a therapist and give Marlena some competition.
I also liked Nicole trying to talk some sense into EJ:
Nicole: If your mother was here, she’d be quoting some Bible verse at you.
EJ: Vengeance is mine, saith the L-rd?
Nicole: Not that one. Something about turning the other cheek.
EJ: Well, she’s not here, and I’m not in the mood for doing so.
Nicole: Okay, well if that doesn’t convince you, may I remind you that we’re getting married, and that vengeance is unattractive and a distraction from planning our wedding?
EJ: I can multitask. I don’t see any reason why I can’t plan a wedding while also getting revenge on a murderous psychopath.
Christine: I loved that people remembered Victor as he was and not as some beloved saint of Salem. It was fun seeing the different flashbacks.
And is it wrong to say I like this temporary recast of Eric more than I do our regular Eric? He comes across as more human and less broody. It’s refreshing.
Now it’s your turn, TV Fanatics. Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button below to share your thoughts on this week’s Days of Our Lives. Then check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
:quality(85):upscale()/2023/05/11/976/n/1922564/782262e2645d6b967847b4.74342194_.png)
