DAYS Recap: Remembering The Best…But Mostly Worst…Of Victor

In the Days of our Lives recap for August 17, 2023, Victor’s proponents and detractors recall highs and lows and low-down dirty deeds.

Days of our Lives Recap Highlights

In addition, Rawlings ordered Shawn to make an arrest, and Abe decided to fight fire with fire. Now, let’s dig a little deeper into what exactly happened.

Days of our Lives Recap: Through The Fire

At the Brady Pub, Roman (Josh Taylor) bid an exasperated Kate (Lauren Koslow) — who’d worked herself into a frenzy over Rawlings’s (Grayson Berry) treatment of Abe (James Reynolds) — listen to him. He had news, bad news. And, he needed her to listen to him. Victor died.

Despite herself, Kate could do nothing but sink into a nearby chair and contemplate what exactly Roman’s words conveyed. Victor? Gone? And to Roman’s declaration that a lot of water had passed under the bridge that was Kate and Victor’s former life as lovers, Kate added that it was a bridge that they both repeatedly burned down…kind of like that time she beat him over the head with a fire poker and then set the mansion ablaze. But, there were also good times too. Times when the two weren’t at each other’s throats. Those were nice and worth remembering.

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Kate was also struck by how she and Victor were always able to put aside their animosity in an instant and put their heads together to strategize a plan whenever someone they loved was in trouble. She and Victor were equally stubborn, and both were masters at holding a grudge. In all those ways, they were kindred spirits. There will never, ever be another Victor. (But in case anyone’s wondering, Kate stated, rather categorically, that Roman was the love of her life.)

Roman floated the idea of phoning Philip and alerting him to his father’s passing, but Kate wouldn’t hear of it. And it had nothing to do with Philip being too fragile to handle the news and everything to do with him most assuredly wanting to return home to mourn with his loved ones. In that scenario, Philip would be arrested for faking his death and attempting to frame Brady (Eric Martsolf), and Kate won’t abide that…until she finally agreed that Roman was right and that calling Philip was the way to go.

DAYS Recap: Context Is Key

Meanwhile, over at University Hospital, Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) digested the news of Victor’s death and termed it “horrible.” Steve (Stephen Nichols), for his part, wasn’t so sure.

And it’s not that he’s saying that they should dance on Victor’s grave, but he also doesn’t think that people should forget what kind of man Victor really was — the kind of man who hired him to spy on Kayla and Bo (Peter Reckell), the kind of man who trafficked in people like John (Drake Hogestyn), the kind of man who, at various points, kidnapped and held Kayla hostage and allowed her to languish in jail while heavy with child.

Kayla agreed that was all true (and more), but she also knew how her mother once felt about him. And how Victor’s family feels about him still. Isn’t that proof that he had a heart and some measure of redemption? Maybe. And besides, if it hadn’t been for Victor, she and Steve might never have properly met.

Opposite this, Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin) and Xander’s (Paul Telfer) jovial chat about his proposal — which was made 28 hours, 36 minutes, and 23 seconds ago, not that he’s counting — was interrupted by a phone call from Justin (Wally Kurth) that shattered Xander. His uncle is gone. The man that he would have given up his own life to impress (once upon a time) was no more.

DOOL Recap: Beck And Call

At Shawn’s (Brandon Beemer) new office, Clint came barreling in and made a demand of his appointee: arrest Paulina Price (Jackée Harry) for assault. She poked him. HARD! He’s got the bruise and a doctor’s note to prove it. Plus video evidence.

When Shawn voiced strenuous objection — and actually impressed with his insistence that he wouldn’t act as a lackey — Clint gave him (yet another) an ultimatum: either Paulina would be in handcuffs by the end of the day or Shawn would be out of a job.

No sooner had Shawn begun to ponder his options than Belle (Martha Madison) entered, fresh off a strategy meeting with Abe and Paulina…and no sooner had the couple begun chatting than Shawn received the news of his grandfather’s passing.

Days of our Lives Recap: In The Footsteps Of Greatness

In answering a summons from Abe and Paulina, Clint was flummoxed to hear that Abe was reclaiming the mayorship…but only long enough to appoint a successor. “Meet Mayor Paulina Price!”

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