Thanksgiving is over, and so is JJ’s go to to Salem.
On Days of Our Lives in the course of the week of 11-23-20, Salemites celebrated one of many quickest, most disappointing Thanksgivings within the collection’ 55-year historical past.
Sadly, probably the most compelling story was principally off-screen, whereas the writers wasted viewers’ time with issues few individuals cared about.
Thanksgiving wasn’t ALL unhealthy.
Doug and Julie invited household over to have fun the vacation, there have been the standard toasts and tributes to these the Hortons saved of their hearts, and there was loads of candy potato pie to go round.
But it surely wasn’t sufficient to fulfill my urge for food for a vacation celebration!
For one factor, too many individuals have been lacking… and never simply those that are useless or dwelling overseas.
The place have been Steve and Kayla, for instance? Why wasn’t Jack celebrating with them as a substitute of sulking alone within the Pub as a result of Jennifer did not need him on the Horton home?
Much more egregious: Kate’s Thanksgiving was off-screen, whereas we bought to listen to about it second-hand when she advised Jake how tough it was to see Allie in a lot ache.
THAT would have been compelling drama, particularly mixed with Lucas and Philip attempting to maintain the peace whereas calling Kate out on any nonsense she began with Nicole.
Lucas’ sarcasm typically supplies comedian aid at simply the best second, too, and he is had so few interactions with Philip since his half-brother returned that it will have been fascinating to look at them attempt to be cordial with each other.
And naturally, everybody would have tried to make it as “regular” as attainable for Allie by completely ignoring the elephant within the room, inadvertently making it worse.
However sadly, the writers did not assume any of that was vital sufficient to place on-screen. As a substitute, Kate complained endlessly to Jake earlier than leaving for Thanksgiving… then the following scene was her return after the meal was over!
Clearly, the present runners’ opinion was that the vital factor right here was Jake and Kate’s growing relationship. Sorry, however I disagree.
By dealing with it this fashion, Days of Our Lives cheated viewers out of a riveting story. Since Kate saved speaking about dreading having to go, it set us as much as anticipate to observe her to Nicole’s home.
It was as if the writers quick forwarded by means of the good things and left us solely with the dryest items of turkey to chew on throughout its Thanksgiving episode.
What vacation scenes we did get weren’t particularly Thanksgiving-oriented, both.
Moreover Kate bringing Jake a Thanksgiving plate, the opposite fundamental vacation storyline was the goings-on on the Horton Home… however that was extra about Gwen manipulating Abby and Chad than the rest.
This Gwen storyline could possibly be resolved so simply if Abigail would simply talk clearly with Chad.
I am not even speaking in regards to the two of them having it out about Chad’s insecurities. However Gwen’s plan solely labored as a result of she advised Chad one factor and Abigail one other.
Abby requested Gwen to inform Chad that she had gone to go to Jennifer. Gwen then advised Chad she had no concept the place Abigail was and tried to place the concept in his head that Abby was sneaking round with Jake.
Then, Abigail returned and advised Chad that she had forgotten to depart a word… however by no means talked about that she had left a message for him with Gwen!
If she had, that might have been the top of this, so she conveniently left it out. That was so contrived and foolish. The primary phrases out of her mouth ought to have been, “Did not Gwen inform you? I requested her to.”
The precise Thanksgiving social gathering wasn’t a lot better, both.
Gwen not solely manipulated Abigail into inviting her, however into making an attempt to ask Jake… all in order that Chad’s hackles could be raised.
After which Gwen’s plan labored once more due to lack of communication. She advised Chad that Abby begged her to ask Jake. If Chad had bothered to ask Abigail about it, she may have set him straight about whose concept that was.
However as a substitute, Chad sat round considering Abigail sleeping on the sofa subsequent to Jake for 30 seconds after her drunken announcement that Jack cheated on Jennifer, whereas Abby had no concept that he was fearful about that.
And now we’ve got Gabi within the combine, too, which is complete overkill on the “hate Abby” facet.
To this point, Gabi has finished nothing however make snarky feedback about Abigail’s psychological sickness and stroll in on Jake and Kate. I see no function to her return. I might a lot quite JJ and Theo stayed some time!
Anyway, on account of Gwen’s manipulations, little or no of the Horton Thanksgiving was about Thanksgiving. It was principally about Gwen doing her finest to ensure Abigail was depressing whereas pretending to be her finest pal.
I used to be disillusioned that JJ did not catch on, both. He is much better an investigative reporter than Abigail may dream of being, regardless of the characters’ fixed claims that Abigail is sensible.
JJ has good instincts and often sees by means of BS rapidly. However this time, he was too busy being infatuated with an uninterested Gwen.
He was standing RIGHT THERE when Gwen requested Abigail to not inform anybody that inviting Jake had been Gwen’s concept. However he did not assume that was in any respect unusual.
JJ’s solely function on this story seemed to be to get starry-eyed about Gwen and to encourage his household to repair their mess.
And earlier than something may actually get going, hastily he was gone once more.
I do not know whether or not that was as a result of the writers solely wished JJ there for Thanksgiving or as a result of Casey Moss may solely make a restricted dedication, however both approach, JJ’s abrupt exit was heartbreakingly disappointing.
As with Theo earlier than him, his story appeared to only be getting began when he all of a sudden left city.
The rationale he needed to go was ridiculous, too.
JJ and Theo supposedly work collectively aiding the humanitarian aid effort in South Africa (although Eric helps that effort elsewhere in Africa, as if there aren’t any distinct international locations on the continent.).
However Theo had a “enterprise emergency” and JJ needed to “discuss to the individuals concerned in individual.” This isn’t Dimera Enterprises — why is it being handled the identical approach as a multimillion greenback company?
Both approach, I hope each of those guys are again quickly. Salem is a much less attention-grabbing place with out them.
And the one factor to be glad about right here is that JJ at the least bought an evidence this time! Final time he left, after the actual fact another person talked about that he had moved to South Africa.
Previous to JJ’s departure, a number of time had been dedicated to Jennifer’s anger at Jack and Jack’s anger at Abigail.
Jennifer: Can I aid you with something?
Julie: Oh no. All the things is tidied up, and Doug is cleansing the kitchen, which is one motive I am grateful for him yearly.
This complete irritating storyline feels as if it have been made up after the actual fact. Jack by no means confirmed both guilt nor any emotional response to Kate in anyway till this huge reveal that they slept collectively.
And now, everyone seems to be overreacting to everybody else.
It is attainable for Jack to be proper that Abigail did not assist something with the way in which she dealt with discovering that letter and be the one chargeable for having cheated on Kate.
Jennifer was performing as if Jack advised Abigail in regards to the affair and requested her to maintain quiet, then was offended that she did not cooperate.
That was not what occurred, in any respect, and Jennifer ought to have at the least been involved that her mentally sick daughter was ingesting whereas on medicine and had behaved the way in which she did partially as a result of she was severely intoxicated.
And no, Abigail should not beat herself up, and it should not be the top of her relationship with Jack, however some introspection into why she selected to drink when she knew it may work together along with her medicine wouldn’t be unwarranted.
And Jennifer’s insistence that she will be able to forgive Jack for the dishonest however not the mendacity is a distinction with none distinction, as a result of it wasn’t as if Jack was carrying on with Kate beneath her nostril and making up tales about the place he’d been.
He had a one-night stand whlie Jen was in a coma and uncared for to say it when she got here out. Cease treating it like an ongoing affair that makes him “untrustworthy.”
Regardless of these hiccups, Jack and Abigail’s reconciliation was simply among the best scenes of the week, although. I used to be glad they’d an sincere dialog and forgave one another, although I want they’d each resign from the self-hate Olympics.
In the meantime, the Shawn/Jan story took an unnecessarily darkish flip.
There was zero motive for everybody to offer into Jan’s threats within the first place. Shawn is a cop! The entire thing may have been resolved by him arresting her on the spot after which beginning the seek for Belle.
As a substitute, this redux of the silly Lani/Eli/Gabi storyline made the identical deadly mistake of giving the evil manipulator energy that she merely did not have.
In each circumstances, the threats may have been stopped peacefully with little or no effort, however as a substitute the victims insisted on doing regardless of the villain stated to “defend their cherished one.”
And it was completely unbelievable that Jan sneaked Belle into Philip’s bed room with out anybody seeing her. And what did she want a gun for if she was simply going to drug Belle, anyway?
I am glad that story is over, although I want John hadn’t been dragged into it.
John has a ready-made protection: his aneurysm causes uncontrollable offended impulses. However I might a lot quite Days of Our Lives had continued down a practical path of Marlena having to deal with caring for her all of a sudden disabled husband than this nonsense.
And was I the one one who discovered it bizarre that Charlie desires to guard Claire from all hurt after just one date? (Two when you depend that marriage ceremony debacle as a date.)
It is approach too quickly for that and threw up all types of purple flags. I hope I am flawed, however I can not shake the sensation that Charlie goes to become one more good man who flips to being a violent abuser when he would not get his approach.
Lastly, Rafe got here again to city, however the jury’s nonetheless out on whether or not this can be worthwhile.
To this point, he was handled to a abstract of every little thing that went on with Hope and Ciara and got here clear with Roman in regards to the motive he left.
Hopefully, Rafe could have a greater story than that… possibly even one involving getting his out-of-control sister to chop out her nonsense.
Your flip, Days of Our Lives fanatics!
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Jack Ori is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. His debut younger grownup novel, Reinventing Hannah, is out there on Amazon. Observe him on Twitter.