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Days of Our Lives had a short week episode wise, but drama wise it was fully packed! Each day was full of quick moving story that made it difficult to turn away from the screen. As always, there were things to like and things not to like but overall, the show is so enjoyable. To be able to gush about DAYS again is such a good feelings! Everyone can see how every well-oiled part of the machine seems to be running ahead full force; characters, stories, dialogue – everything just gelling like a soap opera should! Please, let’s keep this going, especially as ratings took a dramatic upturn at the beginning of the week!
Let’s check out some of my picks and pans from this last week on Days of Our Lives!
Picks of the Week
You Dropped A Bomb On Me
Andre Dimera no longer feels like the tiger that ate up Tony Dimera decade ago, but instead a soft cuddly cat – well, maybe a weird hairless Sphynx cat. Still, he feels as though he’s ahead of the curve when it comes to evilness only to have his uncharacteristically mild plans thwarted each time. Hattie Adams as Marlena Evans was the latest thorn in his side, ruining the press conference he’d planned to discredit Kate Dimera as CEO of Dimera Enterprises and getting him sent off to Bayview Sanatorium.
This entire last week, Hattie was not playing games with anyone! You can see how much fun Deidre Hall is having with the role, truly letting loose in ways she’d never be able to do as Marlena. I sometimes see fans panning her performance as bumbling and stuttering, but if you pay close attention, you truly only see that side of Hattie when she’s approached by a Salemite without notice. She clearly needs prep time when it comes to becoming Marlena, as shown when she delivered her press conference speech with poise like our beloved shrink. I think that’s one of my favorite parts about Hattie is that she’s a total fool but she’s got a heart of (60%) gold and you can’t help but to find her endearing.
Aside from getting a charming psychopath locked away, Marlena let Brady Black know about himself in the best way possible. Seriously, how can you not root for a character that’s knocking Brady down a peg or two? Per usual, he rushed in demanding answers to questions that are only barely his business. His life is so consumed with controlling Nicole that he only just now realized that his father might be missing after having his heart broken! I’m glad Hattie figured Brady to be ridiculous and flipped the tables on him. Hattie telling Brady that the relationship was done, she’d moved on and that she no longer wanted to be hurt anymore should have been enough for him. Yes, it was obviously a lie when Marlena and John’s history is taken into consideration but it’s also her prerogative.
In standard Brady fashion, it felt like he was going to try and force his ideas on Hattie so she’d love his dad again. Not everything can be pushed and especially not Hattie, who pushed right back. I loved when she alluded (I use the word loosely) to Brady’s situation with Nicole and Eric, by talking of pathetically clinging to a relationship with someone who loves another.
Hattie was the total underdog when Anjelica Deveraux’s operation kicked off but since then she’s taken the lead. She’s pretty much the only one who has followed through with each step of the plan, fulfilling every process in the middle of countless doubters. I truly have to applaud Hattie for hard carrying this whole plan! She’s not as dumb as everyone thinks.
Closing Time
Speaking of Hattie, while she may be running successful schemes, she has no idea that she’s near the end of her rope. The end of this last week showed the walls closing in on the doppelgangers and I loved it all. No, that’s not because I want the story to end, I’ve actually enjoyed the silliness that made its comeback in Salem thanks to Hattie and Bonnie Lockhart. However, this story has touched so many different characters, altered the canvas in new exciting ways and I know for sure that the fallout from it all being revealed will be impactful. Think about it, when was the last time anything happened in Salem that truly affected the canvas? Like it or not, the doppelganger story has set the scene for some interesting drama going forward.
Why are Hope and Rare still a thing?
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Hope Brady apart from Rafe Hernandez is the best Hope Brady. Paul keyed her in on his suspicions this last week, and it was like a bell went off in her head to come back to her normal self. After weeks, no one else had seemed to notice how different Marlena was but Hope’s eyebrow quirked, things clicked and she was on the case! I loved to see her piece the story together in seconds after a whole week of everyone scratching their heads at Marlena’s outlandish behavior. It’s hard to know what Hope will do once she confronts Hattie for real. Hattie helped her break out of jail, so will Hope return the favor or try to book the double for her misdeeds? The way this friendship will play out when not behind bars has me guessing.
My other favorite piece to the home stretch of the doppelganger tale is seeing the juxtaposition of Adrienne Johnson and Bonnie Lockhart. Adrienne was locked away in solitary confinement for a while, so all we saw was Bonnie in the meantime. After bouncing between those lookalikes’ scenes, I realized how much more entertaining it is to watch Bonnie. That’s not just because Bonnie is wild, outspoken and fun – but because I can say those things about her. I’m not sure what to say about Adrienne other than weepy. Judi Evans really seems to thrive in the role of Adrienne’s funky double while Adrienne literally pales in comparison. How unintentionally hilarious was her trying to vibe with T-Boz’s Sheila in jail? She’s lucky Sheila had her dollar signs in her eyes or else her little plan of sending Justin Kiriakis a message would have never flown. It’s clear that this mission won’t be as easy as planned though as we’ve begun to see Carlivati has no qualms about slowing down a story’s pace to let it stew. Sheila may have shown up at the Kiriakis mansion with message in hand but Bonnie is only a room away – with her hand halfway up frail Victor Kiriakis’ leg but she could always get up and intercept!
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