Waiting for Days to say "goose" and end the anticipation? Yep, me, too. If two weeks ago was like a sideshow barker getting us all excited for Sweeps, last week was like waiting in the crowd for the show to begin. We're in the tent and that's a good start, but I couldn't help but keep looking at my watch. I mean, it has to start soon, right. Right?
However, I can't say the entire week was one big stall tactic. There were some happenings around Salem that haven't happened before, some occurrences that should occur more often, and a few events that were less than eventful. Let's discuss...
CARLY, BO, HOPE, JUSTIN, VICTOR & THE VIVIAN ALAMAIN!
Wow. Hope. Carly. The same scene. As a person who remembers Hope's swan dive into the acid vat and Carly's first spin around Salem when she helped Bo "love again," it was a bit odd to see them together. It was like watching the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present chatting in the wings while waiting for the Ghost of Christmas Future to wrap things up so they can all go grab a beer. Or whatever it is ghosts drink.
However, I'm still scratching my head a bit. I can't say their meeting was as thrilling as I thought it would be, nor can I say I was entirely disappointed. The un-thrilling part was easy to pinpoint. We've seen this scenario before. Bo and Hope are at odds, and there's another woman in his bed. It reminded me a lot of Bo and Billie in the motel room. Bo and Billie in the pit filled with gas. Bo and Billie...well, you get the picture. Recycling is good for the environment, but bad for storylines.
On the flipside , watching Kristian and Crystal play off each other was very entertaining. They both have great chemistry with Peter, and it was fun to look for the common denominator. Not to mention they're both simply stellar actresses. Bravo!
But, sadly, Hope's still being a pissy pants and that killed a bit of the enjoyment. I even think she would've had more of a case against Bo if she would've stopped with the entire "another woman in our bed so soon" argument. But she kept yapping and brought out the "you're bringing danger to our house" shtick. Bad move, Fancy Face. You lost all credibility--or what little you had left. Bo was right, the gander and goose should be on the same page -- equality is the way to go, I tell you.
I also think Ciara was right for excluding Hope from her photo collage of things she's grateful for. I know Justin was trying to help, but she wouldn't be on my project these days, either. And if I had to put her on, I'd use the funhouse-mirror image, as Hope's personality has been greatly distorted lately.
Yet even with all of that said, I don't think Hope turned Carly in. That's way too obvious. Sure, she was ticked, acting insecure, and shaken by Victor's spook story, but I don't think she'd step that far over the bitch line. I hope not, anyway. Just in case, I'll put the crew at When Good Characters Go Wrong on standby with their tranquilizer guns.
I also don't think it was Justin. He's a pretty laid-back, fair guy. And he really doesn't have a reason to turn Carly in. I suspect Justin simply looks at her as "Bo's problem." Although, like Hope and Justin, I'm very anxious to find out all of Carly's reasons for killing Crazy Larry, as well as the extent of his evilness. But back to who turned her in -- was it Victor, Vivian, or coincidence?
First, and a bit off-subject, I still enjoy watching Victor and Hope bond. It's kind of surreal, but interesting nonetheless. With that said, Victor's no dummy. He knows Carly's on the run. He knows Carly trusts Bo. And his Spidey Senses were probably tingling when Hope brought up Carly out of the blue. Either that or he heard Hope and Justin talking about Carly being in Salem. After all, Victor is known to lurk in the shadows of the Kiriakis Mansion. So, was it Victor? He's vindictive enough, and has an irrational hatred of most women a Kiriakis man comes in contact with, especially ex-wives, but I'm not sold. I think there's more to the story...
That leads me to Vivian! Were the "police" who showed up actually the notorious Alamain storm troopers from Lawrence Land? Or did Vivian merely phone the actual "police?" Auntie Viv did find out where Carly was right before Carly was nabbed. But I think Viv wants to deal with Carly herself. Therefore I don't think she called, either. Coincidence? That's what it's looking like, although...
Perhaps Viv did, in fact, call the police. That could make sense, too. I could see her pulling some legal strings to help Carly get off the official hook, thus establishing a sense of trust, only to torment the hell out Carly for a long time to come. Pure vindictive evilness? That's my vote!
MEREDITH
Speaking of evil, Crazy Pants Meredith had a mental breakdown after getting off a plane in Orlando. Maybe she was just excited to see Disney World, folks. In any event, I just gave this storyline wrap-up more time than the writers did, so I'll move on...
THE BABY-SWAP CREW
Last week was like a last-minute sale on guilt trips, stating the obvious, and driving home points that have already been driven from Salem to Santa Barbara and back again. Points taken, Higs. We got it. So, now that everything's clear, let's take a look at what the mix and match Baby-Swap Crew was up to...
RAFE & ARIANNA: I was impressed by Arianna's compassion at the beginning of the week. She pointed out how the baby reveal will profoundly impact Mia. I think it's been an aspect of the storyline easy to forget amongst the more visible craziness. So, sure, I'm glad Ari remembered Mia's feelings. Props to her for that!
However, her compassion seemed to end there. Sure, she was looking out for Rafe's "best interests" with the whole E.J. argument, but even suggesting not telling Sami about Sydney so Rafe doesn't lose her is cold. Frigid, actually. I give Rafe props for promptly nixing her idea...and I officially take away the props I gave Ari above. Hmm, maybe I see why Brady fell for her, after all -- Ari's thought process was a little Nicole-ish of her.
NICOLE & BRADY: Interesting, Nicole actually showed a little compassion last week. No, it wasn't towards Sami for stealing her baby and mooching off of her. No, not towards the husband she duped. And, no, it wasn't towards Mia or Chad, whose baby died. It was towards Brady, who had a fight with his girlfriend. Right. Well, at least she didn't blame him for something this time around. That's a start.
STEFANO & NICOLE: These two have tenacity. I'll give them that. And I've thoroughly enjoyed them scheming together. But I'm glad that it looks like their song-and-dance number is winding down. It's been enjoyable and I hope they perform together again someday, but, for the time being, I'm ready for the next act to begin.
STEFANO, KATE, & VICTOR: Technically, Kate and Victor aren't really involved directly with the Baby-Swap Crew, but I needed a place to put them. Okay, I can spin this -- Kate seemed concerned about Stefano's involvement with Nicole, and Nicole warned Kate not to upset Stefano (which was great). There. Done.
My original point -- I like the fact that Kate seems to be falling for Stefano. There's something twisted and poetic about it. However, I always thought Caroline was the only woman in Victor's heart, but I think I caught a little green-eyed monster surfacing when he saw Stefano and Kate locking lips. This could be one heck of a storyline--keep digging, writers!
STEFANO & E.J. : Everything Stefano said was one big sales pitch to get E.J. to take Nicole back (READ: get Sydney back into the mansion). However, I found their scenes to be interesting nonetheless. There was a tenderness to some of them that reminded me that Stefano does perhaps feel a little guilty for what he's doing. But that's just successful set-up on the writer's part -- they're raising the stakes. Well played, Higs.
E.J. & SAMI: And speaking of well played...E.J. and Sami playing nice doesn't happen often, which made their scene in the cemetery an even nicer surprise. They really do blur the line between love and hate, don't they? In fact, these two fascinate me. They've done such vile, hateful, seemingly unforgivable things to each other, yet there is this simultaneously calm and frantic understanding and awareness of each other that just bubbles to the surface when they're around one another. I think a lot of that has to do with James and Ali's chemistry. All in all, good stuff.
Now, I didn't expect E.J. to totally forgive Sami just yet, and I don't think she did, either, but it was a step in the right direction. My only concern is for "Ejami" fans -- it's fine to celebrate this latest milestone, but just remember that Higley usually only likes to throw one Ejami bone per year. Which only proves a little teasing is fine, but even the most patient person snaps at some point and screams, "Hand it over already!" Stay strong, Ejami fans.
SAMI & CHAD: I was a little confused when he showed up on Sami's doorstep. It threw me off to see Sami as the "sitcom mom" that all the kids go to with problems. However, by the end of their conversation, I found myself having a little sympathy for Chad.
I knew he claimed to love Mia and flashbacks seemed to support that evidence, yet Chad's been such an unlikable twit lately that I had a hard time remembering that. After their talk, I got the message loud and clear. I still don't think he was ready, or perhaps even really wanted, to be a dad, but he made it clear his heart was broken, and that deserves a shred of sympathy. Although I think Sami should have another talk with him about talking to himself in the middle of the Java Café. That was a little creepy.
WILL & MIA: All things considered, I think Will actually handled Mia's party-whore lie well. Heck, it even impressed me that he knew she was lying (at first, anyway). Sure, he uttered the obligatory "I never, ever want to see you again" line, but that's normal Anger Lingo 101. Besides, we all know he'll see her again in study hall the next day at school.
Point being, Will has major trust issues. Of interest, he once said he would never forgive someone if they lied to him. Mia has lied to him before, and, surprisingly, he's accepted her apologizes and moved on. So, for him to forgive her all of the other times - I don't think it's that ridiculous that he can't handle any more. There does reach a limit when enough's enough, and I say props to Will for acknowledging that.
But, of course, we know Mia's covering up a lie with another fib wrapped up in a big old blanket of untruths. Still, I constantly have to remind myself that she's not that innocent. She sold her baby and has done a lot of lying since, yet I can't help but root for her for some reason. I don't think all her bad decisions should be excused, but they can at least be met with the understanding that she's young and scared senseless. Hmm, what's Nicole's excuse again?
SAMI, NICOLE, & MIA: It was interesting to watch Sami withdraw her mama bear claws! I didn't think she had that much restraint. Of course, that was all thanks to Nicole and one of the most spot-on lines of the week, "Sami, didn't you make mistakes when you were a teenager? Yeah, I think you did." Yeah, Nicole's right. And it's amazing how she's actually good at dishing out advice even though her life is such a mess.
All in all, I liked Sami and Mia's scenes. If nothing else, they displayed how much Sami's matured and that she's no longer ruled solely by selfishness and vengeance. Well, the vengeance aspect might not last after she finds out what Nicole did, but I digress. The scenes were good.
Sami and Nicole's scenes later in the week -- not as good. They basically had one last hurrah to really prove they're pals. Sami sang Nicole's praises. Nicole called Sami something else. They were basically one hair braid and retainer away from a sleepover. We get the point. Sami trusts her.
ARIANNA & SAMI: Wow, Ari's a horrible liar. The girl can't make up an excuse to save her life. Roman must have been high when he hired her to go undercover. That's all. Moving on...
RAFE & SAMI: He's doing an incredibly noble thing for Sami. I assume, and appreciate, he doesn't want to get her hopes up or prematurely destroy her relationship with Nicole if he's wrong about Sydney. Nope, I don't doubt that he's doing things in her "best interest." He even impressed me with his super-sneaky secret-agent hat trick. And if he would be as open and honest with Sami as he was with Arianna on Friday, I could actually grow to tolerate the guy.
However, Rafe wasn't open and honest with Sami. And I still can't stomach how much of a hypocrite the guy is. It irks me to no-end that he can be arrogant enough to ask Sami to trust him with her future, yet he doesn't trust her with his past. Not even his recent past, knowing how worried she was while he was away. It makes me even more nauseous that Sami's going along with it now, "no questions asked." If I may break out the retro slang -- gag me with a spoon. That also applies to their Danloe-ish booty call.
Yes, I called it a "booty call." When an ex shows up after a long absence, a slew of unanswered phone messages, and basically says, "Nope, I can't tell you where I was, what I was doing at your place when you caught me sneaking out of it, or where I'm going, but, sure, I have time for a quickie," that's a booty call. And, as they say on 30 Rock, "That's a deal breaker, ladies."
Finally, as for Rafe demanding to know, "What the hell is he doing there?" when he heard E.J. with Sami -- that made me want to see Meredith come back with her brick. Seriously, Rafe!? I think that pretty much backs up the hypocrite argument.
RAFE & E.J.: They stared at each other while dramatic music played. Yep, I think that covers it. And that concludes our "BABY-SWAP CREW" section.
E.J. & ARIANNA
I don't want to read too much into their "chance meeting" just yet, but it was interesting. E.J. thinks he knows who Ari is. Ari thinks she has E.J.'s evil number. However, they're both pretty wrong. This could be an interesting pair to watch.
BRADY & ARIANNA
Even though many of us saw Brady and Arianna ending badly, again, I was impressed by one thing -- Eric Martsolf. His performance was great! And I don't blame Brady for flipping out. I'd probably feel the same way. Well, I probably wouldn't go through someone's drawers, but I'd yell at them--or at least raise my voice a bit! I'm a bit of a pacifist, nevertheless, Brady's approach worked for him, and that works for me. Kudos!
PHILIP, MELANIE, NATHAN, & STEPHANIE
Isn't it funny that even in Mel's daydream at the Java Café, one from her perspective, Philip came off as a little sleazy? And that was before she remembered her night at the no-tell-motel with him...while she was in the sack with Nathan, of course. Well, at least she didn't call out Dimples' name like I worried about last week. However, that doesn't get her off the inappropriate memory hook.
Unless your name is John Black, we all have memories. Some are good and some are not so good. I would've guessed Mel's memories of her and Philip's motel romp would fall on the "not so good" side, given the outcome -- heartbreak, rejection, inadvertent Internet sex tap e, disgrace, public humiliation, and so on.
But my guess seemed to be wrong. She seems to remember that night fondly. I get the similarities that might trigger her memory, but it's still kind of peculiar to remember the night you were emotionally destroyed while in bed with a new beau . I think Mel needs a little couch time with Sami, Salem's newest go-to amateur shrink or, at the very least, she should listen to Brady's advice. But something tells me that's not going to happen. Yet I was glad to see that Philip was a little less sleazy in person than he was in her daydream. That's...ah...good?
As for Nathan, I second what I wrote last week, "Poor guy." I suggest he gathers all of Salem's single men to have a guy's night out to lift his spirits. On second thought, that would basically consist of Lucas, Brady, and Philip. Two recovering addicts and the man who stole his girl. That might be just a tad awkward. But at least he got to save the day at the Brady Pub. That has to count for something.
EXTRA SCOOPS
HOT & NOT
Hot: I thought it was great that some of Salem's finest sons were remembered last week. First, I was thrilled that Stefano brought up Tony! Sure, it made me miss Thaao, but it did give validity to Stefano's argument that E.J. should love Sydney regardless of DNA. Plus, I enjoyed Stefano's "life is precious" speech later in the week -- that was a good father/son moment even though it was more of a sales pitch. The second son remembered -- Carly and Bo talked about Shawn-Douglas! It was a quick moment, no doubt, but Carly was close to Shawn-D, and I'm glad that didn't go overlooked. And, generally speaking, it was nice the writers brought up Shawn-D. It feels like it's been ages since we've heard his name, Belle's, or Claire's. More, please!
Not: Whereas Rafe is doing the above-mentioned noble deeds for Sami, I still can't get over all the shadiness. I find it strange that he had enough time for some sofa sex-capades, but didn't have time to explain what happened. I'm still not sure why he can't tell her about Meredith, as it has nothing to do with his super-special secret Sydney investigation. And I think it's kind of sad that he was sneaking around in her penthouse without even trying to let her know he was safe. My better Scooping half made an excellent point. Laurisa said, "Even dumb ol' Chloe asked for Daniel the second she came out of a coma!" Exactly! Rafe claims he loves Sami, but he wouldn't have even spoken to her if she hadn't caught him sneaking out of her place. So how much can he really love her if it's solely on his terms? I've seen many Lifetime movies with similar plots, and by the end, the woman's always singing the blues and nursing a black eye.
Line of the Week:
Vivian (to Gus): "I'm just going to stretch out and relax and invite the muse of vengeance to put the pieces in place of my plan--and then anticipate the hell out of the end of Carly Manning. " Diabolic greatness at it's best!
An honorable mention goes to Victor's comment to an angry Brady - "Can we discuss this at a lower decibel level?" HA!
Randomness...
Yet another week without "Danloe" but with Vivian!? Again, thank you, soap gods!
Carly said to Hope that kids grow up. Hope responded, "If you're lucky." Hello, uncomfortable.
I think "bitter enemies" E.J. and Sami have a better custody arrangement than Bo and Hope at this point.
I also think Carly should bunk with Ciara so they can swap nightmare stories. Spooky!
It was short and not nearly sweet enough, but we got to see the elusive Caroline Brady! However, it seems she's on Santa's once-a-year visiting schedule -- boo.
The mystery is solved -- Ari lives above the pub.
Hmm...Sami needs a job...Ari just quit hers...
Rafe got his "one-stop shopping for DNA" done, but won't Sami miss her toothbrush?
Finally, make sure to check out NBC.com if you missed a day of Days! It really saved my Scooping behind last week since the local NBC affiliate decided coverage of the Yankees' World Series Victory Parade was more important than Days. Think again, WNBC 4 New York.
Parting Thoughts
So, friends and Days fans, that's Two Scoops for the week of November 9th. Laurisa will be back next week to cover November Sweeps: Week Two! In the meantime, don't forget to check out our 44 Reasons To Watch Days Anniversary blog post and leave your reasons to watch Days! And "That's a fact!"
What are your thoughts on Days of our Lives? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
