EJ and Belle kissed! Rafe proposed to Nicole before she found out Eric was no longer a priest. Gabi and Jake moved on with other people. And Leo got his revenge against Sonny.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by DoolFan4Life from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate whether Nicole will change her mind, who is most to blame in the Jan/Shawn/Belle/EJ mess, Tripp’s decision to dump Allie, their thoughts on the new Holly and more!
EJ kissed Belle! Who do you blame most for this situation: EJ, Belle, Jan, or Shawn?
DoolFan4Life: I’d say a bit of everyone. Jan is a classic instigator, and it’s clear what her goal has been.
Shawn is out of his mind with how he’s housing his abuser when there are clearer options here. I am sick with how he’s catering to Jan’s every desire and demand and not even considering his wife’s reaction to Jan being pregnant.
Belle moved out before Jan even moved in, which was too much as she victim-shamed Shawn as these writers love to do. Belle has made it clear she has no self-control as she’s cheated twice on Shawn, making this the third time.
EJ seems to be taking advantage of a vulnerable situation. The whole thing is an ugly mess that easily could have been prevented.
Jack: Jan and Shawn both played their part in this, but Belle was the one who chose to deal with the situation by turning to EJ. I’m not sure who initiated the kiss, but these two are the ones who chose to engage in it.
That said, it’s obvious Jan is trying to put a wedge between Shawn and Belle. It’s beyond me how Shawn has missed all the smirking she does whenever Belle storms out upset.
Christine: Everyone, at different levels. Shawn is being an idiot. He’s letting Jan control the situation.
When Belle brought up declaring Jan an unfit mother, Shawn took Jan’s side! Jan is the woman who tried to kill Belle at least twice and has kidnapped and abused Shawn. I really don’t understand what Shawn is thinking.
Belle and EJ have been growing closer for months. They honestly seem a better fit to me than Belle and Shawn. EJ brings out the fun side of Belle.
Do I want Belle to cheat again? No, but I wouldn’t mind her moving on from Shawn, especially since he’s being such a twit.
Your turn, Days fans! Who is most to blame for the disastrous state of Shawn and Belle’s marriage?
Tripp decided that even though he loves Allie, he can’t be with her because she still has such strong feelings for Chanel. Did he make the right decision, and would you like to see this pairing eventually get back together?
DoolFan4Life: I think he made the best choice. He was absolutely right. It’s not fair to expect him to commit to someone who cheated on him with the very person she still has feelings for. Tripp deserves someone loyal to him.
At the end of the day, all the devil did was dump Chanel. Chanel and Allie cheated on their own and started a relationship as soon as Tripp found out about it and ended things with Allie.
I don’t want to see them back together, I find Allie too immature for Tripp, but I am glad to see he will still be in Henry’s life as his uncle.
Jack: I was so proud of Tripp. It was refreshing for ANYONE in Salem to have enough self-respect to end a relationship with someone who isn’t totally into him instead of scheming, manipulating, or otherwise trying to force his partner to only love them.
I like Allie and Tripp as a couple, but only if Allie can truly be committed to him. If she’s going to jump in bed with Chanel or any other woman, she’s not ready for a relationship with Tripp.
Christine: I liked Allie and Tripp, but Tripp made the right call. Allie doesn’t know what or who she wants. Tripp deserves better than to constantly worry that he’s more committed to their relationship than she is.
Allie needs time to figure out who she is and what she wants, and that’s okay. If it’s Tripp, then I hope they find their way back together, but if not, I hope Tripp finds someone who deserves him.
What do you think of the new Holly?
DoolFan4Life: It’s a bit early to say, but I feel bad for Holly already. Her mom is all over the place with the men in her life, and it seems like she’s seeking a bit of stability.
Jack: I’m irritated that the writers seem to have no clue what a child that age acts and talks like. I get that they were trying to make her a mini-Nicole, but it wasn’t working.
She came across as an annoyingly precocious teenager in a child’s body, and I was distracted during her scenes by how unrealistic the dialogue was. She’s supposed to be six, and she was more mature than my almost-12-year-old nieces and nephew.
Christine: I’m enjoying the new Holly. She’s much more entertaining than most of the boring children who just end up in the background.
She was a little over the top, but she reminded me of a young Ciara, and I love that Nicole has such a bright, outspoken, opinionated child.
Did Rafe propose to Nicole because he was jealous of Eric? Will Eric no longer being a priest have Nicole changing her mind about marrying Rafe?
DoolFan4Life: I believe that it’s 100% the reason he proposed so quickly. Rafe is like a dog marking his territory. And yes, I think it’s clear that this is where the story is heading, a triangle.
It’s lather-rinse-repeat, especially where Eric and Nicole are involved.
Jack: I feel like this proposal was rushed. Yes, Rafe and Nicole lusted after each other for a year while the other wasn’t available, but they’ve been dating for what, two months?
I thought Rafe’s line about having the ring for a while made no sense because he hasn’t BEEN with Nicole for long enough to have been holding onto a ring for her.
Or did he get the ring for Ava and then give it to Nicole? The fact that he did it seconds after seeing Nicole and Eric hug speaks volumes, too.
I don’t understand why Nicole is suddenly having conflicted feelings about Eric. She ended the relationship because Eric couldn’t make her more of a priority than his missionary work. He may not be a priest anymore, but that doesn’t change his priorities.
Plus, other than a quick visit to exorcise Marlena, he hasn’t been around in months. There is NO reason for Nicole to even consider trying again with him.
Christine: Eric is the love of Nicole’s life, and Rafe knows it. That’s why he rushed this proposal.
Considering how Rafe cheated on Ava, I’m hoping we get some hot conference table sex between Eric and Nicole in the near future.
It appears that Leo drugged Sonny just to humiliate him. Has Leo gone too far? Who do you think is next on Leo’s revenge list?
DoolFan4Life: Yes, he did go too far. Drugging someone is no joke. Who knows what he actually did, as it’s been shown that there isn’t much Leo wouldn’t do.
Sonny behaved like such an idiot during the Leo takedown, but I don’t believe he deserved to be drugged. Anything could have gone wrong.
I think Abby is next, and that’s why he went to visit Gwen to get her involved, as she’s probably wanting revenge as well.
Jack: I’d say that sexual assault is a step too far. There’s no difference between what Leo did and what Kristen did to Eric, except that the writers aren’t calling this one what it is.
I’m disappointed. I was enjoying Leo and Gwen’s scenes and was rooting for Leo to get his revenge on Sonny, who was being obnoxious. But I can’t support what he did here.
Since Gwen is involved, Leo will surely go after Abigail next.
Christine: I don’t believe that Leo actually raped Sonny. But drugging him, disrobing him down to his underwear, and taking suggestive pictures is still way too far, and I say that as someone who loves Leo.
And since Leo sought out Gwen, Abigial seems the next logical victim on his proverbial hit list.
Gabi slept with Shin, while Jake slept with Ava. Do you think either of these pairings has a future, or would you prefer to see Gabi and Jake get back together?
DoolFan4Life: I’m not sure if either pairing has a future. It seems Shin might be a more regular character, though, so who knows.
Gabi and Jake aren’t really a strong couple either. Look how easy it was to break them up. Ava surprised me with how she can have chemistry with anyone, but I’m not totally sure that Jake is the best paring for her.
Jack: Ugh. I think Gabi is using Shin to keep her job, which is all sorts of gross. In 2022, could we not have stories about women sleeping with the boss to get ahead at work?
I called Jake and Ava months ago. He stopped by the house while she was cooking for Rafe, and I thought he and Ava had 10x the chemistry. It’s not going to work since he’s still in love with Gabi, though.
This looks like a repeat of what we just had with Ava/Rafe/Nicole, except Ava’s chosen a different guy who isn’t really into her. From those dreams, it seems like Gabi and Jake are endgame. Will Ava go into crazy revenge-seeking mode again when it happens?
Christine: I think Gabi slept with Shin just to get Jake off her mind, but it clearly didn’t work, and sleeping with your boss is never a great idea.
I’m really enjoying Jake and Ava. They have great chemistry and similar backgrounds. They understand one another. I was proud of Ava for planning to move out so she doesn’t repeat the same pattern she had with Rafe. I just wish she’d actually followed through.
All of that being said, my fear is that Jake and Gabi are still endgame, and I find that disappointing.
What, if anything, disappointed you this week in Salem?
DoolFan4Life: Shawn continuing to support Jan in this circus.
Also, I thought it strange that Xander sought out Chanel for advice. It seemed out of place.
I’m also disappointed that Sarah is still not entirely up to speed with her memory, as I’m ready for her and Xander to reunite already.
I’m also disappointed that Gabi basically slept with Shin just to get her way. It sends a message that it’s the only way for women to succeed in the corporate world, and it’s no different than prostitution. What a horrible lesson in behavior for her daughter
Jack: This was a disappointing week overall, especially from the perspective of writing sensitive topics appropriately. In one week, sexual assault was treated as a prank, and Gabi sleeping with Shin to get ahead at work was championed as a great idea.
I also am disappointed that the writers seem to be working on reuniting Eric and Nicole. I’d much rather not sit through the latest installment of this dysfunctional relationship. I have shipped Nicole/Rafe forever, and they’re not even getting a real chance.
Also, their reasons for Eric losing his vocation and not going back to Africa were silly. And finally, why is Shawn so clueless when it comes to Jan??? Teenage Shawn was so much smarter about her than this version of him!
Christine: When Shawn balked at taking custody away from Jan, he said there needed to be a good reason. How about the mother is a psychopath and belongs back in prison!
And Sonny being so naive has gotten tiresome. There was no real reason for him to seek revenge against Leo after all this time, and as Victor said, now he’s poked the bear. A bear with no scruples who will stop at nothing to get back at him.
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline from this week’s Days of Our Lives?
DoolFan4Life: Victor telling Sonny to go get tested right away was great. I was literally saying, “Finally, someone with a brain.” I also loved seeing Victor, and how he told Sonny he fell for the bait and switch.
The other line I found good was when Xander explained about Kristin in a Sarah mask, and Chanel said, “what is it with this town?” It was a nice nod to the audience acknowledging just how ridiculous it is.
Jack: I liked Nancy standing up to Leo (except for him grabbing her wig. That was awful!). And even though I’m not a fan of Nancy/Clyde, I liked that Ben was genuinely happy for them.
I also enjoyed Eric’s scenes with Sarah.
Christine: I loved all of the scenes with EJ and Belle drowning their sorrows. These two are kind of adorable together.
Ava and Jake are oddly sweet in ways I never expected. Especially when Jake said he didn’t mean for Ava to do all the cooking and said, “Let me woo you with my culinary skills and my manly charm.”
And thank goodness that Victor has the Salem brain. At 80-something, that man is sharper than most of Salem!
Want to chat more about the happenings in Salem? Hit that big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button down below. Then check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic!
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.