It Was All A Dream...

Sammy and EJ turned in some of their best performances last week in a very special episode of Days.

Too bad it was ALL A DREAM!  

I should have known better, but Days really did fool me this time.  The first tip off should have been that Sami and EJ weren't yet at the altar.  You know this affair shit ain't gonna hit the fan until the VERY LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT.  Sami isn't going to find out about this affair until she's in her wedding dress.  In fact, I'll bet they wait to reveal it until she makes her final exit from the show.  This SUPER ORIGINAL storyline will probably be what finally sends Samantha Brady packing.

So I really was suspicious from the get-go that this episode might be a fantasy. But as I was watching it, I was pulled into the illusion that what was happening was in fact real.  The main reason being that twenty minutes into the show, EJ hadn't snapped out of any daydream!  I thought, "they wouldn't wait THIS long to reveal that this had all been fake, would they?"  I should have recalled Abigail's visit to the doctor when EJ had her child aborted--OH WAIT--just kidding, that was all a dream.

Days has already pulled the episode-length dream sequence on us before, but the reason I was fooled by this Sami and EJ sequence was because this episode seemed like a "special" episode of Days of our Lives.  It was unusual in the fact that for the first twenty minutes, EJ and Sami were the only characters to appear on canvas.  I figured that this was done intentionally by the writers because they wanted this episode to be a monumental turning point for EJ and Sami.  It was so big that they felt the need to dedicate an entire hour to these two characters and this one scene.  Kind of like that episode of Family Guy with just Stewie and Brian.

A Very Special "Days of our Lives":

"Sami & EJ"

So the uniqueness of the episode kept me fooled.  But as the story progressed, I start to worry more and more that none of it was real.  I kept waiting for Sami to pull out a gun and shoot EJ, causing him to snap out of his dream.  But no, the story just kept moving right along and I went with it.  It wasn't until we left the DiMera mansion that I started to worry.  Crazy twists were being thrown at us that didn't seem plausible.  The first being that Abigail really WAS pregnant.  The 2nd being that Jennifer walks in and gets involved (which I'm glad they did, but it was definitely a tip off--too much happening all at once). And then the final element that truly pushed things out of reality was Sami causing Abigail to fall from the stairs.  When that happened, I kept waiting for that flash back to reality to happen, but at the same time I was thinking, "would they REALLY put me through an entire episode of make-believe?"  And the answer was "Yes."  Yes, they would.

This was so disappointing for me.  I was so enthralled by this episode and had it all been real, I would have loved to have seen how it all would have played out.  I felt the same way about the forced abortion sequence.  These fantasies are often more interesting than the actual storyline!  It's a sorry state of affairs when the only episodes I like on the show are the ones that aren't even REAL.

So I've just got to say a big FUCK YOU to the writers for tricking us like this!  It's just a waste of time to watch these scenes you think are real and then a HUGE let down when it turns out it was all a dream.

The only saving grace?

Dat Ass.  

The Horton-Kiriakis Wedding

It's been a couple of weeks since the episode aired, but I wanted to make sure I made an entry about it. I'm very proud of Days for this milestone, but I've been a little underwhelmed with the entire Will and Sonny romance. Adding a new Will into the mix only months before the wedding didn't help.  A friend warned me that I would be crying during the wedding, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't just because I've never been a huge fan of Freddie Smith, and now this new Will is so jarringly different from the old Will that I fail to care about their romance for any reason other than it's gay.  So when I finally did sit down and watch the wedding episode--I CRIED!

I ate my words and surprised myself when I cried during the wedding. That said, however, the crying had NOTHING to do with Sonny and Will. I still hate em. What made me cry was everybody else at that wedding.

I have watched this soap for years as gay people and relationships have for the most part been ignored. The most visibility I can remember the gays ever getting was when Harold was around at the Spectator and Jack was pretending to be gay. Traditionally, the show had always shied away from the subject, so to see these characters I've watched for years--especially Lucas--embrace a gay couple and so completely support their love and this commitment they're making...it's huge. And it absolutely struck a chord with me--thus the tears. Lucas gave a beautiful speech, as did Caroline and Justin.  As cheesy as it sounds, it was as if I was finally acknowledged by my television family.

So it was my own relationship with the show that got me emotional--certainly not Will and Sonny. In fact, whenever Will would open his mouth I would roll my eyes, groan, and stop paying attention. I just can't get into him! I feel terrible for the poor actor who had to fill the old Will's shoes, but I want him to go away.

Good Show, Dr. Olbrecht!

I'm usually about a week behind in my watching (I ain't paying for no Hulu Plus), so today I watched last Tuesday's episode of General Hospital--and it was WUNDERBAR!

Cue me crying.

Dr. Olbrecht--of all characters--made me well up, and I did not see that coming. Her relationship with Britt is one of the most fascinating relationships on the show and I've got a huge soft spot for those hardened characters that don't like to show emotion but often care more deeply than anyone realizes. So when Dr. Olbrecht finally let that motherly side come through, I was all choked up. For a character I'd always found kind of cheesy (in a good way), and more comedic, Olbrecht showed us what a huge range she has. And Britt did an amazing job herself, adding tremendously to the emotional impact of these scenes. I practically wanted them to get away with Ben. Good villains are so much more attractive to watch than holier than though heroes.  Days take note!!!

I'm not completely full of praise in this episode though!  There's been a lot of "smacking" urges to hold back when it comes to Lulu.  Her character is driving me bananas.  She's dumb as a box of rocks sometimes, but maybe I haven't been watching the show long enough to know that this is just the way her character is.  Did she REALLY want to head over to be with Dante on their rescue mission so she can fuck things up yet AGAIN by getting in the way?  She already blew it with the telephone call when she couldn't keep her dumb trap shut.  Thank God Anna was there to talk some sense into her.

Despite Lulu's bird brain, this was overall a terrific episode. I applaud GH for finally getting me to cry while watching my soaps again. I also got emotional when Sabrina was rejected on her wedding day (I'm Team-Sabrina all the way), but Days has not been able to tug at my heart strings since Lexie died, and before that, Alice. I'm hopeful that Will and Sonny's wedding might get me...but I'm not holding my breath.

Justin, We Hardly Knew Ye...

Justin Gaston is ALREADY out as Ben on Days of our Lives! So no more of this...

Damn it.

We barely got to know him, but he seemed pretty capable as an actor and BOY was he delicious. I'm curious as to why they already got rid of Justin, seeing as how he must have left the show before his episodes started even airing! It couldn't have been poor reception from the fans!  If that were the case, I think Jordan would have been out a long time ago.

Good news is, Justin is being replaced by someone equally dreamy. Mr. Robert Scott Wilson:

I approve.

I did not get a chance to catch him as Pete on the AMC reboot (never watched the show), so we'll see if his acting chops are as fantastic as his looks. I'm guessing he's to become a love interest for Abby, who deserves a hot steamy romance of her own. I was never crazy about any of her storylines, but Kate Mansi is a phenomenal actress and deserves a great storyline. The EJ stuff has been fun, but I want her to find a romance that isn't tainted with affairs or lies. I pray that Ben will bring her excitement and adventure--something the Days canvas has been sorely lacking in the past few years.