‘Days of Our Lives’ Week In Review: A Town Called Panic

Crybaby

Photo Credit: © XJ Johnson/JPI Studios

For such a cool dude like Eduardo Hernandez to give birth to big whiny man-children like Rafe and Dario Hernandez, really makes you question the magic of DNA. Where did this crybaby gene come from? Certainly not from the gone to soon spitfire named Adriana Hernandez or from Eduardo and yet both sons are afflicted. I wholeheartedly believe that the only cure for this disease is the backburner but that might be a far off dream for me.

Dario is a character that could have really been something and even more so with such a handsome, talented man behind the role. Instead viewers are treated every other day to a grown man with severe daddy issues working as a bartender and spying on a pregnant woman. Where is the fun in any of this? Deimos Kiriakis hired Dario to leak him information on Chloe Lane’s whereabouts, his suspicion of the paternity of her unborn child motivated this move and Dario was eager to follow along as long as the money was right. Understandable, sure since who doesn’t love money? But Dario now owns Club TBD thanks to Eduardo, why does he have to poke around Chloe’s hotel room to find her doctor appointment schedule for cash when he should be doing just fine for himself now? A big part of me hopes that the writers will delve into his character instead of making him continue to angst like a teen boy. Maybe he’s helping Deimos because he feels strongly about fathers playing a role in their children’s lives after not having his around instead of just seeking a check. That’d be a logical explanation as to why a man with no bills and a business would need to become a hired stalker.

But nope, instead we got more of Dario flipping out when Eduardo returned to Salem to check in on the situation he inadvertently caused when the prison vehicle he was tailing crashed and freed The Three Stooges. Thankfully Gabi and even Rafe gave their father a warm welcome, but Dario who was the true culprit behind the threats that sent his father away instead of the prisoner he was hunting, was just so full of hate. It’s honestly unsettling to have to watch each time. Later in the week Eduardo extended a job offer to Dario, wanting him to put these snooping skills to good use instead of petty. Maybe finally the two can reach a breakthrough point in their relationship with this.

Rafe may no longer be crying about daddy dearest but he will whine about Hope Brady all day long. I am absolutely loving the fact that we don’t have to see Rafe day in and day out anymore as the new writing team seems keen on tying up the messy loose ends of the last team. That seems to include Rafe’s self-righteousness being reduced. When the blackout hit Salem, the first thing on Rafe’s mind was if Hope was okay. Hope, the woman who fought off a doppelganger attacker on her wedding night not to mention a decorated police officer – y’know, not a damsel in distress? So he paraded through the town to find her, surprised to see she’s stuck with Aiden Jennings at the Brady Pub.

The former couple was thrown together thanks to the blackout. Aiden had hurt himself and with Hope being Hope, she did everything she good to take care of his wounded hand while they sat waiting for updates from the world outside. Aiden had sent Chase Jennings off to Portland and wanted Hope to know about it. A little moment was shared, a kind of flash to that sweet romance they once had and then Aiden was again thinking of Hope as a suspect for Stefano Dimera’s murder. When Rafe barged in hooting and hollering, I don’t think it’s because he had any inkling that Aiden might be onto their homicide cover up. See, that would be a valid reason to force his way into their conversation and cut people off while they were speaking but it’s obvious that Rafe was doing it all for his ego. He had to prove that he was the most macho, that he was the man and that Hope chose him. The mentality behind it is so backwards that it’s irritating to still see on TV in 2016. But in that same vein it’s hilarious that Rafe sees himself as this big macho guy when with all of his complaining, whining, moaning and fretting he has much more in common with weeping matriarch Jennifer Horton than anything else.

Little Room

Out of all the reactions to the blackout, the scenes that stood out the most were with Theo Carver. Props have to be given when they’re deserved and I believe Kyler Pettis deserved them for his work this last week. From the start, he was my favorite young addition to the DAYS cast as he played the nuances of having autism so well. All of Theo’s little ticks were brought to life after only ever being talked about on screen, never really shown.

This last week, Theo went to go stay with his favorite uncle Chad Dimera at the Dimera mansion. Honestly, I don’t blame Abe Carver for sending his son away as the mansion is probably one of the safest spots in Salem considering it’s a fortress and all. Adrienne Johnson and Lucas Horton had moved in to help Chad care for Thomas Dimera in his grieving period. Lucas even brought along Arianna Grace Horton, his granddaughter, to spend some time with the whole family. When Adrienne leaves Arianna with Theo to go get Thomas a bottle, that’s when the blackout hits the Dimera compound. Initially Theo dealt with the sudden outage just fine, even locking the door just in case the escaped criminals decided to make their rounds. He found a flashlight and helped to reassure little Ari that they’ll make it through. Theo had no real experience with caring for children but he did so well under pressure – until Lucas and Adrienne decided to begin pounding on the locked door. He began to panic, probably feeling as if the small room was closing in on him and the pressure from outside was not helping at all.

In a sense, Adrienne and Lucas’ reaction was understandable because they don’t have to live with condition. They don’t know Theo’s quirks or what sets him off, especially since people with his condition can be affected by many different things; it’s a wide spectrum that encompasses so much. But at the same time, Theo wasn’t planning on eating Ariana for a midnight snack or throw Thomas into a secret room, he was doing his best to keep them safe and happy. It was Ariana’s grandparents wailing on the other side of the door that set off all the crying, not Theo. Watching sweet Theo retreat into himself made me want to reach in and hug him through it all. He really just wanted to do his best but all of the unexpected turns of events proved too much for him until he blocked it all out. There was something powerful in the way that it took him flashing back to Adrienne trusting him with the kids for him to break through the panic and unlock the door. The moment was almost as if it dawned on him that he was worthy of being trusted, and that he could handle things on his own. I really hope that this is the beginning of Theo’s journey toward finding his confidence. Everyone’s always worrying over him without letting him live his life. I’d love to see him find some independence.

But how awful of Lucas and Adrienne to not even try and comfort Theo in the aftermath? Arianna Grace was literally chillin’ on the couch, Thomas could have cried for another second or two but Theo was standing there dumbfounded and looking for comfort. Thankfully Claire showed up with JJ Devereaux and provided that shoulder to lean on. I think she will be an integral part of Theo finding his confidence as she reassured him that he did well in the face of a really scary situation. This is how you build up a romance.

As usual, if I missed something you really wanted to talk about or something you felt was important, let’s start a discussion. Comment below, tweet me and let’s chat!