The Devil took over Allie, Belle left Shawn over Jan, Gwen double-dosed Sarah, while Ava riled up Gabi, who begged to get Jake back this week in Salem.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by DoolFan4Life from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate who has been the best Devil, the ups and downs of possession, if Belle’s fury is warranted, the love scenes that make them cringe, and much more!
What have been the best and worst moments of the possession saga so far?
DoolFan4Life: The worst is that it’s still dragging on in the first place. I’m not enjoying it at all, and it’s taken over the entire show. The best is yet to come. It will be when it’s over.
Jack: This saga has gone on for so long that it’s all becoming a blur. I haven’t enjoyed much of it. I guess the faux relief when the Devil came out of Marlena prior to discovering it was still around was a high point.
I enjoy Andre and think he’s far more evil and calculating than this Devil can ever dream of being, so I liked his scenes with Johnny.
Low points: Everything else, but especially the fact that the Devil has messed with both Johnny and Allie so that Chanel doesn’t get the chance to decide what she really wants. It keeps being decided for her.
I loved Doug’s dementia storyline and was looking forward to it, and was so angry that they ruined it by making it turn out Doug was possessed by the Devil.
The fact that this Devil is nothing but a supernatural doppelganger when we’ve already had about 15 other doppelganger stories in the last two years is awful too.
Christine: The best was the shock of finding out Doug wasn’t suffering from dementia but was actually possessed! I laughed out loud when it happened, and the actor really seemed to be enjoying himself playing something so out of character.
The worst is when the Devil sticks in one body too long. Marlena’s Devil grew tiresome, and it felt like the Devil should have moved on from Johnny a few weeks ago.
Now that Allie is possessed, how does she rate as the Devil?
DoolFan4Life: Everyone is better than Marlena, but seriously enough with the people hopping. Just hop offscreen already.
Jack: She’s not any different than any of the others. The yellow eyes look better on her, and the voice isn’t as drag-queen-like as Marlena’s, so I’ll give her points for that.
Christine: Allie may be at the top of my list so far. The actress has this wicked smirk when she’s going something evil, and I like this new twist. Plus, the eyes look amazing on her!
Also, I’m looking forward to the truth coming out and Johnny, Chanel, Allie, and Tripp all having to figure out what was real, what wasn’t, and which partner really holds their heart.
Jan is pregnant with Shawn’s baby? Does Belle have the right to be furious? Should Shawn have brought up her previously cheating on him?
DoolFan4Life: She has a right to be hurt that he didn’t feel like he could tell her, but she also needs to understand it from his point of view that he hadn’t processed the fact that he’d been sexually assaulted. Her being hurt didn’t warrant her reaction.
Belle victim-shamed him and said she couldn’t live with the child. Imagine if anyone said that to Allie, who got pregnant as a result of sexual assault. Why is it ok now? What a disgusting message to viewers about such a serious topic.
And I’m giving Shawn a pass for bringing up the cheating because, quite frankly, he had a point. I also want to point out that I don’t trust that this is Shawn’s kid or that Jan is even pregnant. Salem is the land of switched paternity results.
Jack: Everyone has the right to feel what they feel, but Belle is being ridiculous in how she is handling this. The person she should be furious at is Jan, not Shawn.
When Allie was raped, should anyone have been furious at her for becoming pregnant? That’s the equivalent of how Belle is treating Shawn. After all, Shawn had sex he didn’t consent to since he thought Jan was Belle and NEVER would have agreed to sleep with Jan.
Shawn was humiliated and embarrassed, as many survivors of sexual assault are, so he didn’t tell Belle the full truth. And now Belle is giving Jan exactly what she wants by lashing out at Shawn for lying, or maybe getting Jan pregnant, as if he were having an affair when he was tricked and had sex he didn’t consent to. Sheesh.
Christine: Belle has the right to be upset. Her husband has fathered a child with their worst enemy. This will have consequences for the rest of their lives. But she’s treating Shawn as if he’s to blame when he’s actually the victim.
Not telling Belle the truth was wrong but also understandable given the circumstances, and Belle should be smart enough to see that.
And I don’t blame Shawn for bringing up Belle cheating on him. She’s acting as though he cheated on her, which he hasn’t, and he forgave her for cheating more than once if I remember correctly.
Belle may be considering leaving Shawn, but given her reaction, maybe Shawn should be rethinking if he wants to stay married to her.
Soaps historically have plenty of loves scenes. Which couple can’t you wait to see in love scenes, and which couple makes you cringe?
DoolFan4Life: Xander and Gwen are cringy, mostly because of Gwen. Ben and Ciara are cringy as well as they tend to never leave the bedroom. I can’t wait to see Sarah and Xander’s reunion in a love scene if it ever happens.
Jack: I’m not a big fan of sex scenes. But my favorite couple right now is Eli and Lani, and of course, I also love Doug and Julie, Steve and Kayla, and Jack and Jennifer.
I can’t stand Xander and Gwen, and Ben and Ciara have way too much sex, and it puts me to sleep.
Christine: Currently, Nicole and Rafe make me cringe. I thought I’d enjoy these two as a couple, but I don’t at all. And although I don’t dislike all of Ben and Ciara’s love scenes, they are seen pawing at one another far too often.
Xander and Sarah had some of my favorite love scenes because they always had such fun. I can’t wait to see these two get back together.
Gwen double-dosed Sarah with the original drug. Is she now past being redeemed?
DoolFan4Life: Gwen was never redeemable. I found her a useless addition to the show from day one, and the actress always grossed me out by chewing on her nails all the time.
I hated that she became Jack’s daughter. I’d love if this was rewritten as Gwen being a con artist who switched the results and then gets sent packing. She’s malicious and vile, and I don’t know what Xander sees in her.
Jack: She was past being redeemed about three such schemes ago. Gwen is the most one-note character ever. All she does is scheme, lie, get blackmailed, get caught, and cry about the consequences. Over and over. Go away already.
Christine: I think Salem had proven that anyone can be redeemed when they turned a serial killer into the show’s main love interest and hero. But this may have been the last straw for Gwen where Xander is concerned. I can’t imagine he’d ever forgive her for doing this to Sarah.
What disappointed you the most this week in Salem?
DoolFan4Life:. Belle shaming Shawn was horrible as I find rape stories handled poorly on this show, all so she can run to EJ. I guess I’m in the minority because I don’t see the chemistry.
I am also disappointed that Ciara allowed Clyde to move in and that Clyde is back in general. Clyde has a past where he sexually abused his stepdaughter from a young age.
Last I checked, pedophilia is not something that gets rehabilitated, and Ciara’s having a baby, and she’s a victim of rape herself. I expected better from Bo and Hope’s daughter.
While I was happy to see Ciara doesn’t trust him, she should have put her foot down and said no or packed up and left until Clyde made other arrangements.
Jack: Gwen switching the vials was pretty awful, as was the Devil taking over Allie and breaking up with Chanel for a second time.
Christine: Gwen switching the vials was a low point. I’m unsure how much of “baby” Sarah I can take.
Nicole continuing to be paranoid about Ava is disappointing. As well as Rafe and Nicole acting as though Ava was just a bad seed all along when Rafe is the one who cheated on Ava with her best friend, Nicole!
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline this week on Days of Our Lives?
DoolFan4Life: I loved Roman dancing with Kate. I also loved Kate speaking her mind about not trusting Clyde.
I’m very intrigued about what EJ is planning against Clyde for revenge. I hope it’s big, and I hope he gets away with it to put that mutt in his place.
I also had the best laugh with Ava taunting Gabi. The line, “She just makes it so easy,” was hilarious. Ava really grew on me as a character this time around, and I like her this way. She’s no angel, but she’s not as sinister as in the past, and the fact that she can push Gabi’s buttons so well is a lot of fun to watch.
Jack: I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Ava needling Gabi. I also liked Gabi and Gwen talking, even though I don’t like either one of these women.
Christine: Ava getting under Gabi’s skin was a highlight. I’ve grown to love Ava, and I enjoy her and Jake as friends. As much as I’m unhappy with Belle right now, I love her chemistry with EJ, and I’m curious to see how far this will go.
So, TV Fanatics, is Belle right or wrong to be so furious with Shawn? Is Allie the best Devil yet? And whose love scenes make you cringe?
Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button down below to share your thoughts with our round table team? Then check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.