Days of Our Lives Looks to Be Setting Up Some Epic Sami/Belle and Gwen/Abigail Showdowns

Friday, June 3rd, 2022

gwen leo abigail belle ej kiss days jpi mashup

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (4)

Between Memorial Day and Tennis, we got a very short week of Days of Our Lives, but with some evolving schemes, a touching reunion and some couples in denial, there was still plenty to talk about!

Double Trouble

So, I’ve got a bit of a problem with Leo. There are times, like during the wedding, that he’s just a fun, campy villain. He can go a bit over the top, but when done right, he’s just a blast to watch. But the problem is, he’s not just a comedic villain — he’s a sexual predator, if not outright rapist.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Leo holds out an edible arrangement to Sonny.

As far as “I’m sorry I sexually assaulted you” gifts go, edible flowers are pretty lame.

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

That’s been treated a bit lightly in the past, but it was kind of nice (if that’s a word that can be applied to anything dealing with sexual assault) to see Will and Sonny go to the police and treat what Leo did seriously. And seeing Sonny struggling with what happened, with what’s happened over the years with Leo is a natural response to trauma. It’s not something we want to see anyone go through, but it shows that Leo’s antics are finally being taken seriously.

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Leo made it clear to Gwen that he didn’t touch Sonny after drugging him — but it’s still assault, and it’s still traumatizing.

And all I can say to Gwen is “No, no, no!” Don’t work with Leo! Remember how you want to be a better person! I know you still want revenge against Abigail, but that’ll just ruin the gains you’re, against all odds, making with Jack, and even harden a surprisingly sympathetic Jen against you.

Plus, while Xander’s likely going to be lost in the honeymoon phase with Sarah, there’s also a chance it could tick him off too. Messing with people doesn’t exactly bother him, but if tormenting Abigail hurts Jack — one of Xander’s few friends — that could get him ticked at Gwen all over again. And if Abigail ends up pregnant, this could go so, so sideways.

Gwen can just not get out of her own way.

“Xarah” Forever

Well, it looks like Xander and Sarah are finally back on track now that her memories came flooding back at baby Mickey’s grave. I’m a little disappointed. I was hoping for a slightly different path back together again rather than just taking the easy way out, but I suppose “Xarah” fans will point out that they’ve been separated long enough. Their scenes in the cemetery were touching, though, and it’s nice to be reminded why they’re such a popular couple. I guess wedding bells are going to be ringing for these too soon — maybe they’ll try another double wedding with Rafe and Nicole! Because that last one went over so well…

At the cemetery, Xander holds a devastated Sarah.

Nothing says romance like a… cemetery?

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

Couples’ Dance

As for Nicole, methinks she doth protest too much. Her reaction to EJ asking if she’d still have said yes to Rafe if she’d known Eric was free was way too defensive. So was Eric’s reaction to Brady asking if he was OK with Nicole and Rafe. His step brother’s, “I guess it’s not a sin if you’re lying to yourself” response was pure perfection. Sure, Nicole, rushing the wedding just to prove that you don’t have any feelings for Eric seems like a great idea. Good luck with that.

In Horton Square, Eric and Brady to greet Nicole at their table.

Even with them standing six feet apart, Brady could tell he was the third wheel.

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

On the other hand, Nicole’s reaction to EJ and Belle was a nice prelude to what’s sure to happen when Sami comes back and finds out who her sister’s been cozying up to. But her laughing that neither she nor EJ have to worry about what Sami thinks anymore was, again, a bit too defensive about her being over Eric.

As for Belle, really? There are no other lawyers in town you can turn to for your separation papers? You just had to have EJ see that you and Shawn were separating? Granted, I say that while admitting that I actually like EJ and Belle together. There’s a sweetness to them that’s surprised me. And though I started out annoyed with Belle over the baby mama drama, Shawn’s willful blindness ever since has been driving me crazy, so I’m kind of slipping away from his team.

Sure, Jan

The whole Jan storyline has been a bit ridiculous but seeing her and Ben interacting was interesting. It was kind of brilliant to showcase the contrast between Ben, who truly has worked to redeem himself (as much as a former serial killer can), and Jan, who’s clearly still scheming and has no intention of changing her ways.

At Shawn and Belle's place, Ben glares at a pregnant Jan.

This is one of those rare moments when we could have done with more cutthroat Ben and less understanding Ben.

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

Ben, though, was too understanding with her, but I can appreciate him seeing parallels in their situation and not knowing her well enough to just ignore her lies about wanting to change. It’s better than Shawn falling for her tricks when he does know her! Seeking professional help is commendable and all, but Jan specifically using Ben to get to Marlena for help is just another plot to twist a knife in Belle. “Look, Belle, I even won your mom over. You’re the paranoid, crazy one!”

C’mon, Marlena, you’re smarter than this. Let’s hope she’s just stalling and has no intention in helping Jan. But thank you, Ciara, for telling Shawn to stop being an idiot!

Take a look at our then-and-now photo gallery of Young & Restless alums and you’ll find a number of familiar faces from all over daytime, including a few Salemites!

Thad Luckinbill and Linsdsy Fonseca then now

soapbox mashup xander sarah abe paulina tripp allie days jpi

Previous in Soapbox

Days of Our Lives' Sarah and Xander Fans, Foiled Again — Plus, What Worked (and Didn't) During May Sweeps

Next in Soapbox

After a Week of Buildup on Days of Our Lives, Abigail's Big Death Finally Arrived — But We Still Weren't Ready for It!

Days of Our Lives Looks to Be Setting Up Some Epic Sami/Belle and Gwen/Abigail Showdowns

Double Trouble

“Xarah” Forever

Couples’ Dance

Sure, Jan

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<p>One of the show’s original sex symbols — hey, it was a <em>long</em> time ago! — Snapper Foster’s portrayer had the whole audience wanting to “play doctor” with him. Since then, he’s become such a legend that everyone knows who you mean if you just say “The Hoff.”</p>

<p>From 1973-80 and 1983-87, the onetime Miss California in the Miss World Pageant brought to life Genoa City’s camptastic queen of mean, Jill Abbott. Back then, the opportunistic mantrap was less “older and wiser” than she was “cattier” and “greedier” (and we <em>loved</em> it!).</p>

<p>The soap vet who played Richie Rich Lance Prentiss is an original cast member of <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>, where he still plays Eric Forrester. His on-screen love interest — scheming Lorie Brooks to his Lance — went on to play <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ ill-fated Laura Horton.</p>

<p>Since originating the role of Victoria Newman — and playing Victor and Nikki’s tempestuous daughter for so many years that she pretty much grew up on screen — the Daytime Emmy winner has moved to <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>, where she now makes waves Katie Logan.</p>

<p>Cole Howard’s portrayer followed up his six years in Genoa City with a three-year stay playing doctor on <em>All My Children </em>as Jake Martin (before Ricky Paull Goldin but after Michael Brainard). Still, Peck is perhaps best known for starring in 1990’s <em>Lambada</em>.</p>

<p>All these years after she played “colorful” Jana Hawkes, the British-born actress still knows how to stir the pot — she does it on the regular as Gwen Rizczech, Jack Deveraux’s surprise daughter on <em>Days of Our Lives.</em></p>

<p>Off and on from 1982-2001, the German-born actress played Diane Jenkins, the upwardly-mobile model that the camera loved even more than Jack Abbott did. Though her version of the vixen wasn’t the one that was killed off, it also wasn’t the version that the soap resurrected in 2022.</p>

<p>From 1985-87, the only mustache that could compete with Victor Newman’s was found on the handsome face of his brother, Matt Miller. Alas, when his portrayer revisited Genoa City in later years, it was nowhere to be found.</p>

<p>Though he made a lasting impression in the mid-1980s as Lauren’s obsessed fan Shawn Garrett — need we remind you he <em>buried her alive</em>?!? — the California native was asked back to the soap a decade later to play Adam Hunter, a short-lived love interest for Ashley Abbott.</p>

<p>J.T. Hellstrom’s former portrayer has gone on to become a highly successful Hollywood producer. (<em>La La Land</em>, anyone?) Meanwhile, the leading lady who played Colleen Carlton opposite him in the early 2000s is now a primetime mainstay.</p>

<p>In the late 2000s, the <em>America’s Next Top Model</em> winner struck a chord, not a pose, when she hit Genoa City as (tee-hee) Tyra Hamilton, the manipulative minx who turned both Neil Winters and Devon Hamilton’s heads years before Hilary Curtis would.</p>

<p>The Daytime Emmy winner transformed Raul Guittierez from a teenage dream into a man about town during his 1999-2004 stay in Genoa City. Somehow, even all these years later, the handsome fella has still managed to retain his boyish charm.</p>

<p>After being written off following a wildly successful 20-plus-year run as Brad Carlton — originally the gardener that everyone wanted to, ahem, prune their bushes — the daytime MVP was snatched up by sister soap <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> to make it rain as Dollar Bill Spencer.</p>

<p>It wasn’t just viewers were mad about the then-newcomer’s portrayal of loca Isabella Braña. Hollywood was, too. So as soon as she left Genoa City, she was made one of the leads on the primetime hit <em>Desperate Housewives</em>. The rest, as they say, is history.</p>

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