This was another big week on Days of Our Lives, but I feel kind of bad for the rest of the stories because how do you follow something as powerful as John’s final days or as game-changing as Xander’s descent into brutality? Even EJ’s shooting finally seems to be moving towards resolution, which makes storylines like Sophia’s pregnancy and Ari’s rebelliousness feel sadly less important in comparison.
The Long Goodbye
As callous as I think I can be, it’s been tough getting through this week without letting Days of Our Lives tug at my heartstrings. There was the way Marlena and Carrie clung to each other as Marlena sobbed. Kayla and Steve’s tears by John’s bedside. Eric, Will, Paul, Belle, Brady — all of them sitting vigil by John and thinking back to important moments in their lives. Those scenes are all the more powerful because of how real they feel. While Drake Hogestyn couldn’t be with them to film those final scenes, I can’t imagine how difficult it was to get through John’s death, knowing his portrayer was fighting for his own life.
And while it stings a bit to have to say goodbye to John bandaged up and unrecognizable, honestly, it comes full circle. That’s exactly how he first appeared, nearly 40 years ago, as we saw in Steve’s flashback.
My stomach dropped a bit on Friday, though, after Marlena delivered the happy news about John’s recovery and sent the kids home. I know what’s coming. We all do. And saying he’s on the road to recovery just before his death feels almost cruel. It’s like watching a movie or reading a story you know well, and that you know will end in tragedy, but still hope irrationally that somehow, this time it will be different.
A Return to Form?
EJ’s shooting (did you know he first appeared in Salem on this day, 19 years ago?) was shunted to the backburner while John, Bo and Xander’s attack on Philip all came to the fore. That’s been a bit annoying as it just stalled. But then they wove them all together with EJ and Xander vying for the hospital, and finally have started getting back to the shooting.
My money’s still on Rachel. There’s a reason she felt even more sick after telling her mommy about Johnny and EJ. I’m guessing that’s because she’s still holding the most crucial part in: That she shot Uncle EJ.And now that Kristen’s blackmailed EJ into giving her mom back, I imagine he will be none too happy if it comes out Rachel did do it. It could even be enough to finally push him to drop the whole “morals” thing once again. Let’s face it, he’s already teetering there as it is.
No Going Back
Xander and Maggie’s confrontation was incredible, though all the more heartbreaking because even when Sarah wavered over the years, Maggie always had Xander’s back. Until now. And while we can certainly debate whether she was too forgiving and enabling of Xander, their break is huge.
They look at each other differently. They talk to each other differently. They threaten each other differently. Then there was the way Xander destroyed Victor’s picture. (Which, good. Now get a Victor painting that has nothing to do with Konstantin.) It’s a violent act to begin with, but he drove the knife in like he was stabbing someone. It was chilling.
And while Sarah’s months of lying may have driven me crazy and she has a hand in things going so very sideways, I’m not in the “Sarah’s just as bad as Xander” camp. Xander’s actions are his own. Hypocrisy isn’t equivalent to violent rages. He tried to murder Brady and Philip before Sarah kept anything from him. And he didn’t stop himself either of those times — other things stopped him.
As Maggie said, we all feel anger and even rage, but we don’t act on it and try to kill/maim/destroy people’s lives because of it. Hate what’s happened, sure, but it feels like this was inevitable with how Xander’s been written over the years. And it may finally be what’s needed to get these backward slides to stop. Judging by his talk with Melinda about Victoria, I expect him to get even darker in the immediate future — but make no mistake that this is a genuine turning point. And it’s one that Paul Telfer and Linsey Godfrey insist is meant to stick.
Regardless of how everyone feels about the storyline, if we can agree on nothing else, I think it’s that they’re turning in some incredibly powerful performances. And it’s kind of nice to care enough to feel this strongly about Days of Our Lives, one way or the other.
Stray Thoughts…
Gabi has been in such an attack mode recently, going after everyone around her, that I’m kind of OK with Arianna coming back and making her life a little more difficult.
Note to Ari: Either cover your tracks better when you’re sneaking around or just fess up. Don’t be sloppy in lying. Every time Melinda pops up, I want more. And to be the person who may have finally gotten through to Amy? That takes depth.
