Deconstructing DOOL Weekly Blog

Adultery. (NBC Universal Inc.)

Salem Shenanigans from January 5 – 9:

The themes this week were adultery, and new beginnings. Let’s get right to it because I’ve a lot to say!

Silent Bob.
It’s nice seeing Kayla in scenes again but what was the point of her date with Silent Bob and Eric coming to her rescue at the party? It was filler when it should have been a bigger story.

This is the stuff romance is made out of.
Nicole had some of the best scenes this week with her admission of insecurity around the “good” women of Salem such as Jennifer and Serena, though the verdict’s still out on whether Serena’s really good or not. Nic even explained why she becomes obsessive. It once again endeared her to us even though we won’t expect perfection from her. The icing on the cake would have been if she finally took one last look at Eric and saw him for the judgmental, uptight ass he really is and told him so.

I truly cannot remember the last time we were treated to such a romantic evening between any couple from the candid discussion to the love-making. This is what all of the other couples are missing.

Speculation on Serena’s secret.
Considering Serena’s hiding that document in her safe and she’s a journalist who just ‘happened’ to meet Melanie Jonas in Europe, who just ‘happens’ to be Brady Black’s bestie, who just ‘happens’ to be Eric’s brother, what are the chances that she is working on Eric for a story? Or is that picture she won from a bet from years ago part of what she’s after?

The mystery deepens.
Aiden had all the right answers for Hope when she confronted him about threatening Bree. I still want to believe in him and it is obvious Hope does too. Many fans think she’s ‘stupid’ to believe in him but I don’t understand why it’s stupid to trust your boyfriend especially since he hasn’t let her down yet. Yet? Even though there have been red flags, again, he has been able to explain himself and cleared everything up. Twice. That doesn’t dissipate the niggling doubt, especially because of how frightened Bree seemed of him. But her fear of him doesn’t necessarily make him the bad guy. This is turning out to be one of the better mysteries we’ve been told in some time!

What’s up with John?
John’s return meant he and Brady are back on track but his visit with Theresa made no sense and his lack of reaction to Hope’s news that she moved on from Bo was puzzling. Has he decided to stay out of everyone’s (not just Brady’s) personal life? He appears quieter. Vote! Days Poll: What’s going on with John?

Rattled by the rattle.
We saw some foreshadowing to Theresa learning the truth about her abduction and embryo snatching with her walk in the woods and the sobbing over the baby rattle. Then Mandrake popped up a few times. The excitement’s building. Her issues with Melanie, though annoying, could be setting up future scenes when Brady and Theresa learn the truth and likely bond over having a child. It feels a little like the Kristen/Marlena/John triangle of yesteryear. It could prove to be interesting. Who else momentarily thought Melanie had Chad’s baby when she reacted to the rattle?!

Friends and lovers.
Melanie and Brady have always had this great chemistry. Sometimes there was the thought that they might be more. Now that she has returned, the writers have rushed their sudden feelings for one another and it’s not making it as believable as it could be if they had taken a few more weeks of scenes with their growing attraction. What’s the bloody rush? It’s gone from cute to super awkward and uncomfortable all in a week but that could change next week. What they have going for each other is chemistry, friendship, trust, and Melanie’s not psycho! They won’t be without obstacles. Brady’s older, he’s besties with her daddy, he’s barely sober, and just got out from being under Kristen’s thumb and Theresa’s influence. Melanie’s rather immature and inexperienced. That she can’t even discuss her feelings for him without stammering and acting like a little kid is cringe-worthy. Hopefully the writing for this duo will go slowly and we’ll see the last of the awkwardness.

Can WilSon survive cheating?
Will and Sonny’s relationship has been on the rocks since Will took off to Los Angeles. They never had a chance to reconnect after his return and with a handsome pro-ball player in the mix, we knew something was about to go awry. I can’t decide if the sex was planned or a surprise though I want to believe Will didn’t plan it. In scenario one I see Will prodded by Kate into thinking he needed to get Paul to reveal a secret in order to make his expose more gripping. He dashed over to Paul’s hotel room to see if Paul was gay. In the second scenario I see Will driven to get the best story possible no matter the cost, and recognizing Paul’s been eye-screwing him for days, he recorded the admission and the sex that followed in order to prove Paul’s gay so he could write about it. Will’s Sami and Lucas’ son and he has written a tell-all about his own mother so it’s not surprising that he could do something like this. Aside from all that, this cheating is going to be very a difficult road for WilSon especially since they’re still practically newlyweds and Paul’s Sonny’s ex. Friday’s scene was a bit of a dud. I thought the impact would have been greater if Sonny would have walked in on his hubby having sex with Paul. What a shocker that’d have been but instead, Derrick, the gossip of Salem Inn, had to see Will doing the walk of shame. Uh oh!

Great symbolism of Will in the shower...washing away his sins. You could almost see the guilt coming off him in waves.

Methinks the real story isn’t that Paul’s gay, it’s that Paul has some sort of witchy powers to heal himself at warp speed. Days after surgery he had full range of his shoulder and this week he no longer had a surgery scar! Maybe he’s Tabitha Lennox from “Passions” in disguise.

More cheating?
Adrienne finally confided in Lucas that she thinks Justin is cheating. Why isn't she in Dubai then, confronting him? I'm still not sure how to feel about Lucas and Adrienne but isn't it enough we have Will cheating, now Justin may be cheating and soon, Sonny's mamma's going to cheat on his dad with his husband's father? I'll give the writers this: You can't get much soapier!

Picking up the pieces.
Victor learned Sonny lost his new business and went right out and bought him another. He learned Rafe lost his job and offered him another. It was surprising that Victor didn’t offer to buy Rafe his own police department but he’ll need the extra security with Clyde and Jeremiah gunning for his trucking business.

Babigail.
Matt filled in for me last week with Deconstructing DOOL and said, “Abby and Ben continued their ritual of working out and making out (in no particular order). This is appropriate since the dialog between them is the equivalent of empty calories.” That sums it up. This week they professed their love for each other. I laughed. So forced. And Ben’s insubordination reared its ugly head this week with Chad. He’s more like Clyde than he knows.

That’s all I’ve got – take it with a grain of salt and please, feel free as always to leave a comment or two of your own about this week’s Salem happenings! Don’t be shy!

Best lines of the week:

Hope to Aiden about Bree’s letter: "My favorite type. A vindictive female who can't spell!"

Theresa calling Melanie, “The beanpole with red hair.”

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- Christine Fix