Happy DAYSiversary! Fifty-four years. Wow. That's staggering in and of itself, but especially when you think about all the changes that have happened since 1965...
Without getting into historical events that have certainly influenced and shaped the show, the show itself has changed. Cast and crew members have come and gone (and come back in several cases). Writers have circulated. Sets have gone from a humble living room, a porch, and a department store display case to dangerous docks, executive suites, swanky penthouses, and mansions, to as far away as New Orleans, London, raging rapids, deserted islands, Mayan temples, and even the Parisian underground, to name a few. Sure, and blue painted offices. They're a part of the fabric, too. It's all a part of DAYS. Heck, simply watching the show has gone from camping in front of a TV to recording it on VCRs then DVRs, and now we can stream it on a handheld device anytime, anyplace.
Yes, the changes are staggering, but one thing has remained steady throughout -- that's DAYS itself. There's something magical about it. Maybe the secret is in the hourglass or Macdonald Carey's voice. Maybe it's doughnuts. Maybe it's the mystery of not knowing, but being drawn to the fictional town of Salem, USA, nonetheless. It's all, well, magical.
One thing is certain, though -- I'm in constant amazement of the cast and crew. Just look at last week's episodes. They were like master's classes in acting. The entire cast shined. Ron and his writers were also on top of their game. Among other things, the hourglass playing a central part in the future of DAYS was a great nod to the show's history. So, be it last week, next year, or 54 years from now, DAYS is still the one I'll tune in to, and I'm grateful to the hardworking team that keeps it that way. Speaking of the DAYS team, check out Soap Central's photos, videos, and more from the Day of DAYS event on our Instagram page!
Wait. Did I say 54 years? Maybe it's 55! We did time jump thanks to Jennifer's coma. Or was it thanks to Princess Gina pushing her off the balcony that led to the coma. To-may-to. To-mah-to, you know. Either way, we're a year ahead and still look as young as we did in 2019. That's a win.
Also winning, were last week's episodes, especially Friday! It had it all. Perfect performances, nice nods to the show's history, bombshells booming left and right leading to cliffhangers -- many, many cliffhangers -- and that all led to the one aforementioned time jump that left us all cliffhung with our mouths open. Well played, DAYS. Well played.
Still, before we were left dangling from cliffs and jumped ahead a year from now, we were all dressed up for a wedding. That non-wedding led to two weddings for the price of one. Literally. So, let's grab a few Sharpies and discuss brides and grooms and boo-hoos while we cross out Lani and Eli's names on gift cards and replace them with Jack and Jennifer or Justin and Adrienne.
I'm truly impressed by last week's wedding success rate. No. Really. I am. Two out of three couples tied the knot. For Salem, that's good odds. The reception to successful wedding ratio nevertheless stinks, as nobody got to do a "Loco-motion" on the dancefloor or toss some rice. On a positive note, at least we can still rewear our formal garb to the next event, as there's no photographic evidence.
Eli and Lani's nuptials were doomed. That was written on the wall. It was the biggest spectacle, complete with guest stars, singing, and wedding traditions. That certainly meant it was going to crash the hardest. That and, well, we had Gabi's itchy app finger ready to blow the wedding, err, at least Julie's heart, apart if the "I do's" were did. So, Lani didn't.
That left Eli devastated and Gabi latching onto him to further rub it in Lani's face. It was a lot. Ouch. But as predictable as things were, I was still blown away by Sal Stowers and Lamon Archey. Let's loop back around to "wow" and "staggering." They were. They brought the confusion and heartbreak effortlessly. So, while "Elani's" photos might not make it to a wedding album, Sal and Lamon's performances are certainly going in the books.
I will say -- as Susan may say -- the fake out at the wedding was just "mean, mean, mean." For a split second, I thought Lani decided to go through with the ceremony and tackle Gabi. Nope. Not so much. I'm still scratching my head as to why Lani didn't just out Gabi in front of the entire town square of onlookers for real, or at least later to Abe. I mean, I get why she is concerned for Julie. Gabi isn't playing with a full deck of cards right now, but I doubt she'd sacrifice her queen at this point. As Lani suggested, Gabs is starting to love the power (and I continue to love Camila Banus' wicked take on Gabi. Camila is flawless at being ruthless).
Though I guess Lani eventually got to sucker-punch Gabi. There's that. I'm sure that was a bit therapeutic for her, but that still leaves Lani Eli-less and many unresolved questions from her loved ones. I guess we'll pick this up in 2020 then, eh?
With Eli and Lani's wedding a no-go, that left the square all dressed up with no nuptial to go on. As such, Jack, Jennifer, Justin, and Adrienne utilized it for a double wedding as per a joygasming Maggie's suggestion. I give them props for upcycling, but I couldn't help but think it was a wee bit tacky and maybe not the best of ideas. I'm not overly superstitious, yet there was some undesirable juju there. But I guess if Maggie squealed yes, and Abe agreed, too, that's all the blessing ones need. It's not like Eli and Lani's bad luck would rub off on -- oh, wait a second.
So, the double wedding itself was fun, funny, and sweet! Both are supercouples and have played a large part in DAYS history. It was a fitting Sweeps week event and welcomed that we got some happiness, too. Sure, it was short-lived, but happiness, nonetheless.
Justin and Adrienne fared better than Jack and Jen, of course. I simply adore Wally Kurth and Judi Evans. I swear they're even more playful and delightful together now than before. There's a natural ease between them that makes me believe Justin and Adrienne will make it this time. They must!
Plus, Justin and Adrienne had some pre-wedding fun at the expense of Maggie's figurines, got married, and then went home to get fancied up for the reception, which put them out of the way of falling Jennifers. Yep. They fared well. Though I hope Adrienne puts on that gold dress in 2020. That needs to be seen again. Maybe they can have a one-year anniversary party, and she can wear it then. Wait. That would have been last week! Eek. This time jump is making me do soap math. I need an abacus and a scotch, pronto.
As for Jack and Jennifer. Well. They got married, too. Let's focus on that for a second. It was a long road to a Jack and Jennifer reunion but well worth it. Matthew Ashford and Melissa Reeves continue to light up the screen. The wonderment and liveliness Melissa conveys working opposite Matthew is joyous. There's never a moment that I don't believe Jennifer loves Jack with anything but her full heart. Jennifer drips with adoration for Jack and all his Jackness but also keeps him grounded, or as grounded as she can. And Jack loves her right back and does so in depths and layers that I firmly believe only Matthew is eloquent enough to express. His talent is just mind blowing. He somehow captures every moment Jack has gone through and expresses that with every performance.
But then, things fell apart. More so, Jennifer fell from the balcony. Was pushed from the balcony. And Princess Gina did it. I'd throw a royal fit, but the time jump has already proven a splendid thing. Not only did Matthew Ashford crush the material, but we didn't have to watch another Salemite linger in a coma while a mad person plotted to pull their plug permanently. Just a few days, and poof -- Jenny Bear woke up. She woke up a year later! Though now, like Jennifer, we just have to fill in the pieces of what happened the past twelve months. Mmm.
LOOSE ENDS: CLIFFHANGER EDITION!
A blotto and boisterous Eve showed up at the double wedding. Roman accurately described her state as "Very mean. Very drunk." Ha! He wasn't wrong. Eventually Maggie made her lay down and left her to pass out. Mags could have at least gotten her a Gatorade and a few aspirins. Anyway. Alone and inebriated doesn't bode well for Wile Eve Coyote. I strongly suspect that she's been royally set up, if you know what I mean, and she may find herself in the running for Ms. Statesville 2020. Silver lining? Eve does like a crooked campaign, so maybe running a campaign around crooks wouldn't be such a bad thing for her.
Rafe's intelligence really fluctuates, doesn't it? I mean, it took him being poisoned to realize Jordan wasn't baking with a full batch of sanity, but he's smart enough to know not all is right in Hope Land. The ending with him and Princess Gina: No Hope Essence were well played. Does the video go on to show Princess G tossing Jennifer not rice? Does Rafe even suspect Hope isn't Hope? Will he just Rafe things up and believe Gina believing she's Hope? I'm surprisingly hung up on this cliffhanger, considering another Princess Gina storyline wasn't on my wish list.
Kaboom! Kristen told Eric about Sarah's pregnancy. Nicole confirmed it, even after saying it wasn't her secret to share. Well, okay then. This storyline is muddled, to say the least. I'm hoping that the time jump will make me more eager to jump into the action, as right now, I can't get past Nicole's insecurities, Sarah's silly reasonings for not just telling Eric in the first place, or all this squawking about Eric's suddenly strong desire to have a biological child...
I mean, the ex-padre isn't far removed from a vow of celibacy. I'm guessing bio kids weren't ever that high on his priority list. Plus, he's always considered Nicole his soul mate, and he believed up until a few years ago that she couldn't have biological children. Sure, he doesn't have the same sainted sperm as St. Daniel of Jonas, but they could try the same surrogate tactic if it's THAT important to him? Right. Are we sure Eric's all about the bio kiddies? He seems to love Holly just fine. He's also grown up with several siblings he loves all the same...the same-ish...and only one of said siblings is his full relation, as the rest are steps and halves. He's a family guy. He just loves. He'll be fine. Can we take this aspect off the table in 2020?
If you bet Brady would fall for Kristen again during the first week of Sweeps, collect your prizes at the DAYS Two Scoops Offices during regular business hours. Note: We keep Salem business hours, so good luck finding us at work. I kid, I kid. Honestly, I'm surprised it took Brady so long to play kissy face with Special K again. I don't think any of us didn't see this coming. Which still doesn't sit well, considering she's "made amends" for nearly everything except sexually assaulting him. Ugh. She should look into that. I guess we'll be seeing a kindlier, gentler, less predatory Kristen in the future? Maybe.
Oh, how I love funny Doc! Marlena made me chuckle when she said to Xanimal, "My goodness. My goodness. If it isn't the jerk that tried to shoot me at my own wedding." Truth, Doc. Though after she warned Sarah to steer clear of Xander, he called her a busybody and vowed they're now enemies. This could be fun!
Marlena can warn Sarah all she wants, but I'll still encourage her to be with Xander. Linsey Godfrey and Paul Telfer are charming. There's something oddly innocent about their chemistry. Sure, he's deceptive, but he's trying. Even Maggie believes that. While it's easy to believe he'll get in his own way again, maybe the year has taught him a thing or two. Again, "maybe."
And we were finally cliffhung with Ben finding a body! It's obviously Ciara. Which means it's not at all. I'm betting it's Jordan, and I'm firmly betting Ben will be pegged as her killer. All the signs have been pointing to that the last few weeks. Then again, maybe the body was David's nanny, Janice, leaving Jordan and Ciara's whereabout unknown. Hint: Look in the burned-out cabin. It's always the burned-out cabin.
HOT
There's nothing hotter than a cake with 54 candles on it to celebrate your favorite show! When I think about watching DAYS, it's been such a joyous journey. From sitting on some early eighties-era patterned sofa with my mom who introduced me to the show, to summer vacations with friends during the '90s and scheduling college classes to watch with my crowd later that decade, to catching the show after work in the early '2000s with my friend Christine, and, afterwards, getting to rant and rave about it via Two Scoops with all of you, my fellow DAYS aficionados, and eagerly handing off every other week to the best partner ever, Laurisa, whose columns I'm just as eager to read as everyone else. Wow. Just wow. I'm fortunate and forever grateful. So, thank you all for reading my ramblings and, thank you to the cast and crew of DAYS for giving us a daily escape to a crazy town called Salem, USA, we've all grown to love and that has brought us all together. Cheers to 54 and 54 more!
NOT
Nicole's insecurities are well documented. Hell. She even answered, "Yes," when Sarah asked, "Are you that insecure?" I get it. We all get it. But can we leave this behind in 2019? Please.
LINE OF THE WEEK
Marlena (to John): "I'm thinking about something Tom Horton said to me a long time ago. 'Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.'"
TRUE 'DAT LINE OF THE WEEK
Jennifer (to Jack): "Oh, my gosh! I like that you are human again."
EXCHANGE(S) OF THE WEEK
Roman: "A Salem wedding."
Marlena: "A Salem wedding."
Dr. Rolf: "What caused her to fall?"
Princess Gina (coyly): "I pushed her."
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Ron loves his traditions. One is a big New Year's Eve return. We got Eve and Vivian back at the stroke of midnight before. Since we missed the dawn of 2020, does that mean we get two big returns when the clock strikes 2021 in Salem!?
I kind of love Dr. Rolf vs. Jennifer. It's fun to watch her feud with someone who isn't Eve getting all up in her business about long-ago issues. Plus, it highlights Jennifer's plucky reporter side, and Jack has her back. Win-win. Win all around. And let's move Eve into another fight with a new foe for a bonus win, as Kassie DePaiva's awesomeness is always needed. Kassie's like sunshine and oxygen. More, please.
Ben and Ciara's "Please Clarify" scenes were epic. Those were everything a young soap couple should be about and more. "CIN," you're still on fire.
Am I the only one who felt jilted that we didn't see Xander making Sarah's goodbye banner with Arianna Grace? Something about that seems so cute and hysterical. I just don't want to know if there were lemon bars present. Not seeing that potential fun and missing out on delicious lemony goodness would be too much to bear.
Roman and Marlena crack me up! I love that anything uneasy between them has dissipated, and they've become the Statler and Waldorf of Salem. I want to sit by them at big events. Them and Xander. He's also hilarious.
Though if Marlena's first love lesson is to listen, I bet her second lesson is to lock conference room doors. Snap! I did say I love that Mar and Ro are friends, but I still have a little Sami Gene streak that never forgets.
I wonder if 2020 will see lovable but dopey Joey Johnson sprung from his stint in the joint!?
I have to remember never to ask logical questions and just go with things. Like, Jack said he took a piece of the Loretta, and that shipwreck was eventually made into their current wedding bands. Okay. Sure. Jack has kept track of debris through several "deaths," an abandonment or two, a few new faces, a cave, a cake fall, a DAYSaster, and Eve? I'll repeat, "Okay. Sure." That's commitment. Go Jack!
Also being filed under, "Okay. Sure" was John's story about the hourglass. I loved the touch so much, I won't even complain that I don't remember him ever doing that, even while we watched him sit at Doc's side. Maybe the hourglass has an invisibility setting. It does appear magical, and anything is possible in Salem.
Sonny's positivity is infectious. He was hopeful for Eli and Lani and never stopped grinning at the double wedding. Yep. He's a Care Bear.
Maybe the pier will return in 2020!
Speaking of that time jump, I wonder if anyone will turn out like Thor from Avengers: Endgame.
Was I the only one screaming, "Let her talk!" to Jack as Jennifer tried to communicate when she came to before her surgery?
I'm a tinge disappointed that the Bearded Man and Redheaded Woman who overreacted to Sarah slapping Rex at the Brady Pub and later turned up together in the town square weren't at the wedding. I kind of live for spotting them in the background. They will be dramatically sad that they missed three weddings and a fall.
When he's not blinding his besties, John really is a gem. He notices what kind of lipstick Hope wears, and he remembers his friend's middle names. He said, "Jennifer Rose." Hat tip, John.
Well played, DAYS. Rafe does know a thing or two about safehouses.
Justin was on fire with the zingers last week! Uncle Vic would be so proud.
Did anyone else pause upon seeing Marlena and Adrienne in a scene together? Usually when Deirdre and Judi come together, it's for a Hattie and Bonnie bonanza. It's like seeing Eve make good decisions. It's jolting, as it doesn't happen often.
The working title of this column was "It's raining Jen."
In addition to Valerie, Sheila should have been at the wedding! She would certainly crack Eli up and put a smile back on his face. She also could have been his best person. I would love to have heard her commentary on things.
John and Marlena should start a card company for random celebrations. They always seem to have something to commemorate. They're total "half birthday" kind of people. Which reminds me, this is the fifth anniversary of the first time John and Marlena had sushi for the third time. Woot! Bring on the balloons and strawberries.
PARTING THOUGHTS
So, friends and fellow DAYS fans, that's it for November 11! On a somber note, this week's Two Scoops is dedicated to Maggie's tchotchkes Lady Red Shoes von Shepherdess, Cupid, Cherubim Queen, and L'il Rouge. Those are four of her beloved figurines that flung themselves from the sofa table after watching yet another couple knock knickknacks in the Kiriakis living room. "Under watchful eyes," indeed, Adrienne. With that, a year older and wiser Laurisa will be back next week, well, a year from now, to see what Salem 2020 has in store for us all. And, "That's a fact!"
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