On the December 2 episode of Days of our Lives, viewers were reminded of what makes a great soap opera. Characters we care about, high emotional stakes, and a story that affects more than one person. Kudos to the cast and crew!
Key Takeaways
- Rachel and Brady’s goodbye was heartbreaking — and relatable.
- Rachel’s reveal affects Belle, EJ, Marlena, and Kayla.
- More of this, please.
Parental Rights – and Wrongs
Rachel (Alice Halsey — here’s why she’s the perfect villian) begging Brady (Eric Martsolf) to forgive her for shooting EJ (Dan Feuerriegel)… and poisoning Sarah (Linsey Godfrey)… (and not even mentioning how she tried to kill Ava [Tamara Braun], too)… as he left her at the Bayview Mental Institution drove home that maybe, MAYBE, the dear moppet has FINALLY taken responsibility for her actions. And that Brady has accepted his role in driving her to this point.
But that didn’t make the scene any less tear-jerking. Any parent who has ever held their screaming child down while they endured a medical procedure that we knew was for their good, but they were still begging to be freed from, can relate. Brady is doing the best he can in an intolerable situation. (Which is mostly Kristen’s [Stacy Haiduk] fault.)
Ripple Effect
And this hospitalization doesn’t just affect Rachel, Brady, and the missing Kristen. Belle (Martha Madison) went to Paulina (Jackée Harry), begging for clemency.
Madame Mayor was shocked to hear that someone, other than herself, would ask for special consideration for a relative, and told Belle she would consider her request. This led Belle to confront EJ. And any scenes between Belle and EJ are always a win. We are thrilled the show keeps finding ways to throw them together.
Malpractice Marlena
Finally, after Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) told Marlena (Deidre Hall) that she was completely blameless for what happened with Rachel, even though Marlena kept the exact same secret Belle was chewing out EJ over, Brady wasn’t as generous. He rightfully blamed Marlena for her role in the disaster and made it clear that she wasn’t wanted moving forward, leaving her crushed.
Then, at the end of the episode, the final, perfect flourish: Sophia (Rachel Boyd) exchanging her catatonic act for one of the creepiest smiles ever, and a demented, “Hi, Rachel!” Sophia wants to get back at Tate (Leo Howard). Tate is Rachel’s big brother. This is how you write an umbrella story, DAYS. And we are HERE for it!
