A Critic’s Review Of Days of our Lives: Jarring Love Stories & Consent Issues

When it comes to Days of our Lives, every fan has their own opinion – and Soap Hub is no different. For five days we sat and watched the good, the bad, and everything in between, and now we offer you a handy review, and a cheeky critique, of the Days of our Lives week that was.

Days of our Lives: A Critic Ponders

So, according to the song, true love comes only once in a lifetime, and according to Days of our Lives John (Drake Hogestyn) was Marlena’s (Deidre Hall) only true love and vice versa, and the likes of Izzy B, Don Craig, and Roman Brady was…chopped liver? Placeholders? Practice partners? Sheesh.

Also, why were the editors so damn stingy with the classic ‘Jarlena’ flashbacks? Apparently, nothing significant transpired between the two prior to 1991. Couldn’t they have, at the very least, shown their first proper meeting — the one where he saved her from that gun-toting robber?

I mean, sure, Josh Taylor (Roman Brady) was playing Chris Kositchek at the time, but DAYS fans are used to seeing actors playing unrelated doubles so they’ll go along with it. And after all, Taylor reprised the role only last year for an episode of Beyond Salem 2.

Further DAYS Musings

* Apparently mourning does not become either Belle (Martha Madison) or Stephanie (Abigail Klein). A cry here, a sob there, and it’s right back to work for these gals.

* Despite knowing that they shouldn’t, Chanel (Raven Bowens) and Johnny (Carson Boatman) embrace one another. Enter Allie (Lindsay Arnold) in 3…2…1…Speaking of Allie, I find watching her a chore. Anybody else?

* So, despite changing his last name to Johnson, telling Kayla that she’s been like a second mom to him, and hearing her say that she loved him like he was her own, Tripp (Lucas Adams) still felt uneasy about accompanying his extended family to plan her memorial? Really?

I get that an excuse was needed to have Tripp and Wendy (Victoria Grace) cross, but did it have to come at the expense of Tripp’s relationship with his chosen family?

Speaking of Tripp…he REALLY needs to learn that he can’t express his pent-up frustrations/rage through physical violence. His default response to any sort of challenger is to put his fist into their face — or at least attempt to.

* So, I’m guessing that EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) doesn’t have peripheral vision…

* Sorry, but I’m kind of digging Eric (Greg Vaughan) and Sloan (Jessica Serfaty).

* The writing team at Days of our Lives really has a problem where the matter of consent is concerned. Sure, they did do right by Nicole (Arianne Zucker) who was in no fit state to enter sexual congress with EJ, but then there’s poor Stefan (Brandon Barash) who’s trussed up in the secret room awaiting the arrival of a mad scientist who will tinker with his brain contrary to his expressed wishes…and not for the first time. That is just all kinds of wrong.

* The Devil’s back, yay…said no one.

* Will Marlena, Kate (Lauren Koslow), and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) have to share a funeral like the first three unfortunates taken out by — but not really — the Salem Stalker?

Clearing Up Some Confusion

In my last column, I voiced the opinion that I’d like to see the Days of our Lives opening credit sequence updated but failed to give total clarity.

Just to clear up any confusion, I was not suggesting in the slightest that either the hourglass or epigraph spoken by Macdonald Carey be removed. But is it too much to ask, too blasphemous to proffer that the current hourglass and background — which have gone unchanged for 30 years — get a facelift?

Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on Peacock+ in the U.S. and The W Network or Global TV App in Canada. For more about what’s coming up in Salem, check out all the latest that’s been posted on DAYS spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.

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