Days of Our Lives Round Table: Did Paulina Betray Chanel?

Allie pushed Lucas to plead guilty, Paulina considered teaming up with Johnny, Ava accepted EJ’s offer, while Sarah and Xander tried to catch Gwen with the mask this week in Salem.

Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by UhSir, from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate Days of Our Lives moving to Peacock, if Paulina’s concerns were valid, if Gwen murdered Abigail, and more!

Days of Our Lives will be moving solely to Peacock in September. How do you feel about that, and will you be watching when it makes the switch?

Jack: I’m excited! The production values and storytelling ability on Beyond Salem were superior to the broadcast show, and I’m hoping that will be the case once Days makes the switch. I also feel that this is the wave of the future and that it won’t be too long before most scripted entertainment is on streaming services.

I’m proud that our soap is a trailblazer in this area! Plus, at least 1/3 of the time, my broadcast is interrupted by breaking news, so I end up watching on Peacock later anyway. I’ll be thrilled to be rid of that problem.

I will definitely be watching. I already have Peacock Premium and find the service very worthwhile.

UhSir: I’m okay with it being moved off NBC and onto Peacock. At least the show will still be running. But I think the paid tier only is a big mistake.

Did TPTB consider that a good deal of lifetime viewers will not be able to watch now because they have limited income, live in a nursing home, or have various other reasons? It makes me sad that this loyal group is being snubbed, no matter how small or big. 57 years and POOF! Their friends and neighbors are gone.

I will not pay to watch the show in its current state. I only watch now for a (very) few characters. But the stories continue to disappoint. The show has been circling the drain for several years already.

I wonder if this is a test to see how much of the audience will actually follow the show online. They’ve got six months filmed and “in the can” with one year left. That gives them six months to figure out if the show should be renewed and to prepare for it not to be by writing stories with some sort of closure.

Christine: I’m surprised but not shocked if that makes sense. I thought it would head this way; I just didn’t expect it would be this soon.

I already have an annual subscription to Peacock Premium, and I got it specifically to watch A Very Salem Christmas. I haven’t been disappointed. The service has some great old and new programming. (My family is currently watching all of Downton Abbey on Peacock and loving it!)

So yes, I’ll definitely be following Days of Our Lives on Peacock. The sad thing is, it’s one more reason for me not to turn on regular NBC.

Paulina considered helping Johnny break up Allie and Chanel. What did you think of Paulina’s concerns about Chanel choosing Allie?

Jack: While I also prefer Chanel and Johnny (not because of their gender identities; because they have more chemistry and Allie is a spoiled brat lately), I felt like this conversation about Paulina not being comfortable with the idea of her daughter dating another woman was rewriting history.

I recall Paulina being supportive after Chanel came out and encouraging her relationship with Allie in the past. Did I dream that, or did Days of Our Lives suddenly give her these concerns for the sake of the plot?

UhSir: I understand how Paulina was worried about Chanel’s decision and only saw it from her own perspective. It’s tough for a parent to understand that their grown children sort of live in a different world.

Christine: I liked that they spoke openly about Paulina’s concerns. Chanel being black and a lesbian puts a target on her twice for ignorant, hateful people. As horrible as that is, it still doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be who she is and love who she loves.

I thought it was great when Chanel said Allie was her Princess Charming. Chanel was right. She and Allie can get married and have children if they choose.

My biggest worry about this pairing is that while Chanel has matured, Allie has not, and that could be a problem moving forward.

Should Lucas plead guilty to kidnapping Sami? Are you surprised that Allie seems to want him to plead guilty?

Jack: Lucas should talk to a lawyer before making a final decision, not Allie or Kate. It’s often standard procedure for defendants to plead not guilty to something they are guilty of so that they can strike a bargain with the DA, and that’s what Lucas should be trying to do.

Allie’s claim that the only way to redeem himself is to plead guilty absent a deal with the DA is ludicrous. Allie is angrier at him for this than she ever was at EJ for the millions of worse things EJ did to Sami. Lucas shouldn’t have allowed her to manipulate him into doing something that isn’t in his best interest.

I also didn’t like Allie claiming that Lucas “always” does this. Lucas was the first to support her when she turned up pregnant, and he also supported her throughout dealing with her rape. He is not a generally selfish person who only cares about who he hurts after the fact, and the writers putting those words in Allie’s mouth don’t make them true.

UhSir: Yes, Lucas should plead guilty because he actually did kidnap her! I’m okay with Allie being the grownup here.

Let this go to court, and maybe everyone will find out that the devil made him do it. But who knows, with these writers, they probably dropped that angle because fleshing out got too complicated.

Christine: Does Allie want her father to go to prison for the next 20 years for kidnapping? Allie has every right to be angry, but she needs to stay out of Lucas’s decisions about handling the legal consequences of his actions.

And I didn’t understand her accusing him of “always” doing this. Lucas has been nothing but supportive of Allie, and it seemed childish of her to turn her back on him so completely.

It appears that Gwen kept the Sarah face mask. Do you think she killed Abigail and used the mask to escape? If Gwen didn’t kill Abigail, then who do you think did?

Jack: I think Gwen arrived in her Sarah mask too late and found someone had already stabbed Abigail. My money is still on Kristen.

While Kristen didn’t have a motive per se, she is known for getting violent when someone pushes her buttons, and we don’t know where she was when Abigail was attacked.

All it would have taken was a snide remark from Abigail about Kristen never getting to see her daughter again, and Kristen might have grabbed the nearest weapon and impulsively stabbed her like she did Victor in the past.

UhSir: I’m leaning toward Gwen not being the killer. I think the killer might be somebody we aren’t seeing in any of this. Or it will be someone they want to “rest” for a while. I stopped trying to figure out these writers for my sanity same.

Christine: I’d love for it to be Gwen so we can finally be rid of her, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s another twist awaiting us.

I don’t know who it is, but I hope it’s not Leo! I love Leo and would be horribly disappointed if they turned him into a killer. I just don’t think he has that in him.

Will Gabi and Ava’s plan to make it appear that Ava and Jake were married at the time of his death work? Was it a good idea for Ava to move into the Dimera mansion?

Jack: Long term, I don’t see this working. These two don’t get along, and Gabi is an amateur compared to either Ava or EJ. It might work for now (if Stefan doesn’t reappear and throw a monkey wrench into things), but eventually, EJ will get to the truth.

I’m enjoying how EJ and Ava are playing each other, so from that perspective, it is a good idea for Ava to move into the mansion. Plus, it effectively ends Gabi’s hold over her so Ava can double-cross her if she wants.

However, with EJ already onto her, it may not be a great idea for her to be someplace where he can easily keep an eye on her.

UhSir: I think it could have worked, but it’s definitely doomed now that Ava is moving into the lion’s den. They will break her, and she will make a deal with them by sacrificing Gabi.

Christine: It will work for a while, but most of Gabi’s plans blow up in her face at some point.

That said, I want to see more of this cat and mouse game between EJ and Ava. They’re both smart and trust no one, which could make this a lot of fun.

Jan is alive and has left Salem with the baby. Do you think Evan is dead? How long before Orpheus or Shawn realize what has happened and who do you think will get to the baby first?

Jack: Ugh. I hated this twist. However, Orpheus will eventually find out, and when he does, Jan will be lucky if she only ends up in a coma again!

How quickly this happens is anyone’s guess. I wouldn’t put it past Orpheus to be tracking Evan’s phone so that he can ensure that Evan doesn’t cut him out of the baby’s life, and lately, Orpheus is Stefano 2.0 as far as magically knowing everything that’s happening in Salem.

Days may want to drag this out or may want it to end quickly. But either way, I would bet that Orpheus finds out before Shawn, who lately is too dimwitted to be one of Salem’s top detectives.

UhSir: Evan will be alive. Maybe Orpheus will come to the pier to say goodbye to Evan. He finds Evan, and then they go after Jan.

Christine: That poor baby. I think Evan may have been a better parent than Jan, although neither of them is a prize. I can’t believe I feel sorry for Evan and hope he’s not dead.

Days could play this out for months, complicating things as the child gets more attached to Jan. But I’d guess Evan will show up dead or alive sometime soon, and then the chase is on to find that child.

What, if anything, disappointed you this week in Salem?

Jack: I could have done without Jan’s re-emergence. Also, if we must have Rolf and his sci-fi silliness, I’d rather he bring back Jake. The explanation for why he couldn’t didn’t even follow the story’s internal logic. The resurrection drug doesn’t work after two hours, but Rolf can resurrect Stefan after four years? What?

Next: why is the entire town on a mission to put Eric and Nicole back together? Leave Nicole alone!

And Paulina needs a better story. She’s wandering around town, putting her nose in everyone’s love life. She needs something better to do than be the town matchmaker.

Her Abe as governor story could have potential, but Abe only seems to be around once in a while, and the rest of the time, Paulina minds other people’s business instead of moving forward with her plans for Abe’s career.

Finally, while it was great to see Jack, I’d rather he not fall for Gwen’s lies again (if he has; the jury is out on that one.)

And where was JJ? If he’s gone home, could Jack at least mention that instead of telling Gwen where everyone else was, as if JJ no longer exists?

UhSir: Jan is alive.

Christine: Jan’s back. Gwen’s still here. That’s disappointing enough.

What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline on this week’s Days of Our Lives?

Jack: We got some good lines out of this Rolf silliness. I think my favorite was when Kristen asked Rolf, “Since when do mad scientists wait for FDA approval?”

I also continue to think Chad’s grief scenes are extraordinarily well-done.

UhSir: Xander and Sarah dumpster diving! Sarah popping up with a banana peel draped over her shoulder. Xander (holding his nose): “This must be where putrid came to die.”

Christine: There was lots of good stuff this week. I loved how Maggie interacted with Alex and found his exploits amusing rather than being offended. Even better was Alex not being able to pull anything over on Victor!

Drunk, grieving Chad made me laugh and almost cry. And I love that Sonny was there to rescue him and bring him home. 

Sarah and Xander were everything I wanted to see in a Days’ couple. They’re working as a team to take down Gwen and are adorable, sexy, and having fun doing it.

And I absolutely loved Leo’s argyle pink sweater with the striped button-down. Only Leo could pull that off!

Now it’s your turn, Days fans! Click that big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button below to share your thoughts on this week’s Days of Our Lives.

And if you want to read more about the happenings in Salem, check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.

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C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.

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