Justin and Kayla's wedding hit a snag, Allie struggled with her decision about the baby, while Ciara's new engagement ring disappeared this week in Salem.
Our TV Fanatics Jack Ori and Christine Orlando are joined by Silvananoir from MyHourglass a Days of our Lives fan forum to debate whether Justin did the right thing, if Steve and Kayla's reunion lived up to expectations, and what was the weakest storyline in Salem?
Justin told Kayla the truth and called off the wedding. Did he do the right thing, and what would you like to see next for Justin?
Silvananoir: I think he did the right thing. Justin would have felt guilty, and he knows that a part of Kayla really does love Steve. If he married her, he would have always wondered if Kayla would have married him if she knew the truth.
Also, Justin would have always worried about if Steve decided to tell Kayla himself. Jack and Jennifer were also wild cards.
Best to rip the bandage off now and hope for the best. That Kayla confronts Steve and still decides on Justin. Even if that isn't what happens. Justin is a good man.
Jack: I did think Justin did the right thing even though, in a way, he decided for Kayla as much as Steve did. Justin was right that he would have been starting off his marriage with a big secret/lie if he didn't say anything.
Remember when Jennifer didn't tell Eric that Nicole still loved him? This was more or less the same thing, and even though Eric's reaction to Jennifer waiting two months to tell him was ridiculous, I could understand why Justin didn't want to do that.
I would LOVE it if Justin had an ON-SCREEN visit to Arizona or wherever his other sons are supposed to live. That way, he could clear his head, leave town for a bit, and we could finally meet them.
Christine: Yes, Justin did the right thing. No one wants to be someone's second choice and having lost Adrienne, Justin realized what Steve has always meant to Kayla.
I never used to be a big fan of Justin, but I've enjoyed his character growth since Adrienne's death. Kayla was really good for him, and I hope he doesn't backslide now that they've broken up.
How would you rate Steve and Kayla reuniting? Was it a disappointment or everything you had hoped it would be?
Silvananoir: It felt lackluster. All this build-up about telling Kayla the truth, and whether Steve would interrupt the wedding. I just wanted more.
I wanted Steve and Kayla to confront each other. I wanted a bit more time before a reunion. It just didn't give me the emotional build that I wanted. It felt more like the writers just wanted to wrap it up.
Jack: I'm going to give it a 7. I was thrilled that they were finally back together, and that kiss... But at the same time, it felt rushed.
Kayla went from angry enough to slap Steve to agreeing to go away with him in the space of half an hour, and while I didn't want it dragged out unnecessarily, that didn't feel realistic either.
Christine: It did feel rushed. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but after all of the build-up, it felt like something was missing.
I'm hoping that Steve and Kayla talk more about the problems in their relationship and how to do better moving forward, but I suspect it will be more like someone waving a magic wand, and all of their issues will be gone so they can have their happily ever after.
Jack and Jennifer told Chad to stay and fight for his Dimera family legacy instead of being with Abigail in Florida. Did that ring true to character, especially for Jennifer?
Silvananoir: It feels weird. Why would they care so much about the Dimera legacy? Since when do they care about what happens to Dimera?
It can't just be about Gabi getting the company. Chad is their daughter's husband, it makes no sense that both Jack and Jennifer would not encourage him to move down there to be with her.
Jack: We all know Jennifer would jump at any chance to go be with Abigail herself. That said, I don't see why she would particularly care about the Dimera legacy. She never liked Abigail being with a Dimera in the first place.
In any case, what definitely was out of character was that neither Jack nor Jenn even thought about who would run the Spectator until Chad asked. They're not flighty, irresponsible teenagers. They're adults who have worked in the journalism industry for years.
Christine: This did feel out of character. Jennifer always hated that Abigail was involved with a Dimera, so even if she now accepts Chad, why would she care about his "Dimera family legacy"?
It's not like Jack or Jennifer cares about the money, so having to move out of the mansion really isn't a concern either, so why not encourage Chad and the kids to rent a place in Florida to be closer to Abigail?
Do you think that woman was a prostitute that Xander let into his room? Do you care that Sarah saw them?
Silvananoir: I don't think it's a hooker. But also screw Sarah. She has shut him down so many times that if Xander wants to sleep with another woman, Sarah's feelings aren't his problem.
Again, it isn't a hooker, and even though I enjoy them as a couple, and Xander was 100% wrong. Sarah can't be mad that he wants to seek solace in another woman's arms.
Jack: This was so uninteresting to me that I totally forgot it happened until you mentioned it. I don't know and don't care who that woman was, nor do I care if Sarah saw her.
No offense to Linsey Godfrey, who is a good actress, but Sarah needs to disappear. I hate to say that about a legacy character, but she is so immature and whiny that I cannot stand her.
Christine: I'm hoping the woman isn't a prostitute, and there's another explanation, but as for Sarah… She has every right to be angry with Xander and even not forgive him, but her constant whining and tantrums are too much to take.
And if she genuinely doesn't want Xander, then it shouldn't matter who he's with.
Oddly enough, I only find Sarah enjoyable when she's paired with Xander, so I hope they get them back together soon because Sarah, on her own, is intolerable.
Was Marlena cold towards Allie, supportive, or somewhere in between? Do you think Marlena will give her good advice on handling her pregnancy and Sami?
Silvananoir: I think Marlena see's Sami 2.0 in Allie and is defaulting to the same way she treated her daughter. She's trying to be supportive, but it feels like when I used to watch old clips of teen Sami.
Marlena didn't know how to control Sami then, and she doesn't seem to know how to handle Allie now. I hope I'm wrong and that she's learned from the experience. But this is Salem, so I doubt it.
Jack: I thought Marlena was supportive overall. She snapped into therapist mode, which she tends to do sometimes.
I was surprised that Marlena had no clue why Allie wouldn't want Sami involved, though. Wasn't Marlena going on a few weeks ago about how tiring it is to deal with Sami's constant tirades and phone calls when she doesn't like something?
I think Marlena will give good advice, but the question is whether Allie will listen. Allie seems to possess both Sami's headstrong nature and the determination to prove she's nothing like her, which is a bad combination that leads her to make self-destructive decisions and refuse to listen to anyone who tries to help her.
Christine: Marlena was really cold at first. Instead of giving her granddaughter a hug when she saw her, she was angry that Allie hadn't gotten in touch sooner, which felt a little petty.
Let's face it, Marlena's bad choices helped create Sami.
I wish someone would help Allie realize that she doesn't have to hide this from her mother, she just has to be strong enough to stand up for her own choices.
Allie is immature, but she's going to have to make some difficult decisions about what's best for this child, and I hope Marlena, as a therapist and her grandmother, can help her with that, because Allie needs all the help she can get.
Which current storyline do you consider the weakest in Salem?
Silvananoir: I hate the Claire/Ciara/Ben story. I just hate it. It's my fast forward scenes of the week.
I just don't understand why the writers are doing this to Belle and Shawn's daughter. Claire, like Ciara, is a legacy character. I guess Cin is just no longer strong enough on their own.
Jack: The Gabi/Jake/Gwen story is boring me to tears. I could barely watch Friday's show because of them.
I don't care which of these obsessed women Jake ends up with. Just do it off-screen!
Even worse is this Claire potential sabotage story. It's so silly and unrealistic. I don't get how Ben could buy a ring, watch them put it in a box, bring it home, and then discover there's no ring in the box.
Christine: The Jake/Stefan story is killing me. Jake is a jerk, and both Gabi and Gwen are obsessed with him. It makes me ill, and I can't wait for this storyline to be over, and I never have to see any of them again.
Chad's constant focus on Dimera Enterprises is beyond boring. If they can't come up with a better storyline for him, then send him to Florida or Paris or anywhere but Salem.
And I also agree that the Claire sabotaging Ben and Ciara plot is silly and childish. I genuinely like Claire and wish they gave her a grown-up story instead of this nonsense and got her out of Ciara's orbit for a while.
What were your favorite or least favorite moments of the week?
Silvananoir: Favorite moment was the Kiriakis men all together. I love the clan, and the show doesn't do enough with them as a powerful family ever since they decimated the Dimeras.
Least favorite was Gabi and Chad moment. I just don't care. Gabi and Stefan are surprisingly good together, but I hate this story. I'm just so bored by the story.
Jack: I found Justin's heartbreak to be surprisingly emotional and riveting, despite the fact that I was never a fan of Justin and Kayla as a couple. His scenes with Sonny and at Adrienne's graveside were some of Wally Kurth's best work.
However, then Bonnie had to show up and ruin it. I don't see what we need her for. Go away!
And she can take Gabi and Gwen with her. All I get from their scenes is a headache and an itch to hit the fast forward button.
Christine: I loved that Victor stood up for Xander with Sarah, that's been a long time coming.
I also loved Victor pre-ceremony and some of his Days of Our Lives quotes…
Will: Well, I should go look up the wedding vows.
Victor: Oh, don't sweat it. Between the two of them, the bride and groom have had at least six marriages. I'm sure they've got the whole thing down cold by now. The important thing is to do it fast so we can all start drinking.
I agree with Jack that Wally Kurth did some of his best work as Justin this week, but Bonnie was completely unnecessary.
Gabi/Stefan/Gwen were my least favorite of the week. Whether he's Jake or Stefan, the man's been kind of an ass to both women, and I'll happily see them all go away.
Want to chat more about Justin's decision, Steve and Kayla's reunion and the rest of the happenings in Salem? The check out Jack Ori's Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
And don't forget to hit that BIG, BLUE, SHOW COMMENTS BUTTON down below to tell us what your think about our round table's opinions on this week's Days of Our Lives.
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