Lights On, Clothes Off

Ta-da! I said I'd see you on Thursday, and I actually managed it! Go me!  I'm going to have to keep this relatively brief, though, as I've got a hot Skype date tonight and a couple of writing projects to research for. I hope you still find it's still worth the read, though.

Obviously there are several things I absolutely loved about this episode, and some things I could take or leave. Or mostly just leave. 

Things like --

DANIEL and MAGGIE

Daniel kind of reminds me of low-quality tofu. He has a tendency to absorb some of the flavour of the things around him, but, more often than not, he can ruin a perfectly good dish in the blink of an eye (and leave a funky aftertaste). When he and Nicole were getting closer last summer, the character came to life. He was funny and charming as he tried to woo Nicole into his bed. He owned up to being a manwhore with a tendency to fuck his patients. It was the best five minutes of Dan's life in Salem, as far as I was concerned.

Maggie. Soap gods almighty, what the hell has happened to her? When she told Daniel not to bother looking into what happened to Eric because she "didn't want Daniel pushing himself too hard", I hit the fast-forward button square and fast. Big Red could easily fit into so many different puzzles on the show these days, particularly as a fairly recent addition to the Kiriakis family in a similar boat Adrienne has found herself in time and time again. She also could be following up with Nick after those heartbreaking scenes in which he admitted to being raped in prison. But, no. Instead, we have her galloping around town telling everyone what an exceptional human being her hatchling is, trying to patch things up between him and her wet blanket of a niece. Today's scenes were painful to watch. Dan kept telling her to shut up and mind her own business, then apologizing for it. I can't even find humour in it anymore. Every time he shows up on screen now his mouth is gaping open a la Kristen Stewart/Bella Swan), his brow is furrowed, he's in facial hair limbo, and he looks as though he's given up on life, which I'm really starting to hope is the case.

Maggie, you own two businesses. Stick your nose in one of those, lady. And Dan, close your mouth before the flies lay eggs.

Now on to some good stuff.

JUSTIN and ADRIENNE

Maybe it's the extra Seroquel, but I've been a lot more mellow these Days. I was hoping someone would eventually point out Adrienne's connection to the Kiriakis money, and, lo-and-behold, my wish was granted today. While I understood Adrienne's concerns (and Sami's similar concerns), everything Justin said was true. The Kiriakis family wasn't always all that upstanding, and Adrienne should know that better than anyone. The scenes between she and Justin were wonderful to watch. Kudos to Wally Kurth and Judi Evans for bringing back wily Justin and spitfire Adrienne. This is the kind of couple angst I've been wanting for the longest time. There's a wedge being pushed between these two right now, and it ain't Dan or Rafe. Business, family, love, hate, Hatfields, McCoys...Bring it.

ERIC

Blessing the union of Dan and Jennifer. Shoot me.

THERESA and JENNIFER

I know Theresa is being a little soap hellion, but Jen is 46 years old. Engaging with Anne is one thing, but Theresa is only 23 and still has at least another twenty years worth of sass to dish out. I understand that 23 isn't 12, but Jennifer had already decided that Theresa was a lost cause about thirty seconds into finding out Kayla had hired her. How does it feel when someone goes behind your back and hires a woman who is not even a little qualified for the job and shows up at the office when she feels like it, based solely on the fact that she's the niece of someone in a position of power, Jen? Let's ask Anne, hm?

Mrs. Formerly-Deveraux-Future-Jonas (I'm holding my breath) has a bright side to look at, though. She is now fraternizing with people who are the same age she is emotionally, so that could be fun.

KRISTEN

I love Kristen, and I love Eric (most of the time), but I just can't get behind this storyline, and only because the vials of horny priest juice make no sense to me. I like the idea of Kristen having this huge thing (and Eric's huge thing) that could destroy Eric and Marlena just as Brady is beginning to realize that Kristen really did fall in love with him. But how the whole thing was set into motion is too hard (teehee) for me to wrap my head around. The invisible cameras in the hotel room that we never saw her set up or take down, the drugs that gave Eric the symptoms Elvis exhibited in "All Shook Up", Kristen meeting Dr. Chyka and the video editor out in the open. It breaks my heart because everything else is fantastic. I feel the same way about that video of Sami fighting with Bernardi showing up midway through that video of Will and Arianna on Adrienne's phone. In the first place, why is Adrienne showing this video to everyone if she wants Sonny out of Will's drama? Reminding everyone how adorable Will and his daughter furthers your cause how, lady?  And does anyone at Days know how cellphones and tablets work, or is it a case of them thinking we don't know how they work?  It just hurts so much!  In both cases, the dialogue, the acting, the extent of the damage that could be done, the devastating consequences for everyone involved, and the ripple effect sure to come our way -- I'm sure it'll all be amazing. Bah. I guess I'll just have to eat around the hairs.

EJ and SAMI

Like you didn't know I was going to save this for last.

I will be one hundred percent honest with you - I thought this fight was going to be just like all their fights. They shout at each other, hurl a few truths back and forth, then fuck their brains out. Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed that immensely (I always do), but variety is the spice of life. Today there was a helluva lot of spice there. We've always known Sami liked the side of EJ that only she gets to see/acknowledges is there, but today he bent her over that chess table and got her to admit that she loves the side of him that everyone else sees. It doesn't sound like much if you aren't carrying a torch for them the way I am, but this is a pretty big something. Especially if you remember EJ's wish from way, way back that one day Sami would tell him that no part of her regrets loving every part of him. She does, and that's one hell of an engagement present.

IN CONCLUSION

Because why not.