Every time a bird flaps its wings, there is another Dutton family saga on the way.
OK, that's just silly, but the excitement that comes from news on upcoming installments in the Taylor Sheridan's Dutton saga is real!
Today, Paramount+ uinveiled the official trailer for 1923, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
The next installment of the Dutton family origin story will introduce a new generation of Duttons, led by patriarch Jacob (Ford) and matriarch Cara (Mirren).
The series will explore the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition, and the Great Depression all plagued the mountain west and the Duttons who called it home.
James Dutton's brother, Jacob sets the stage for the Dutton family, and he speaks much like the Duttons of today with quotes like, "Tell the world what happens when they cross me," and, "You attack my family, it's gonna be the last thing you ever do."
But the trailer shows Cara paving the way for the female generations that follow, and that's where the excitement really starts.
Her razor-sharp wit is keenly matched with her threats to anyone thinking they pose one.
"Men kill quick with a bullet or a noose, but their fight is with me, and I kill much slower," Cara says to Banner Creighton (Jeromy Flynn).
We have no idea how he plays into the story, but he's also taking a verbal beating from Timothy Dalton, who just bought the Strafford ranch.
Other family members who will be present and are featured include James and Margaret's remaining children, Spencer (Brendan Sklenar) and John, Sr. (James Badge Dale) and his wife, Emma (Marley Shelton), and their son, Jack (Darren Mann).
We also catch Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph) of the aforementioned ranch, who appears to be romantically linked to one of the Dutton clan.
Cara later speaks saliently, offering, "Greed will be the thing that kills us all."
She's right that the family will be plagued by their efforts to retain ownership of their beloved ranch, but the Duttons we've come to know don't do it from a place of greed.
There's more serious weight running through the veins of the Duttons than doing it all for money.
Thomas Rainwater's history will also be explored, and the trailer introduces us to Teonna Rainwater.
1923 sweeps from the west to sophisticated venues, from war to more local pursuits, but bloodshed is infused throughout.
Our country was still finding its footing, and the new century held as much promise as it did challenges.
If you were already excited about the possibilities that 1923 held, the trailer promises action, passion, vengeance, and romance.
Now, we wait.
1923 debuts on Sunday, December 18th, in the U.S. and Canada.
The series will premiere on Monday, December 19th, on Paramount+ in the U.K. and Australia.
Premiere dates for other Paramount+ international markets will be announced at a later date.
1923 is the latest in a string of shows Taylor Sheridan is producing for Paramount+, including 1883, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and the upcoming series Lioness and Land Man.
How excited are you for 1923?
Let us know in the comments below, and check out the trailer now!
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Susan and Ava went off a cliff. Xander struggled with what to tell Sarah. Nicole gave Jada some unwanted advice while Salem attempted to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Horizon from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate whether Ava and Susan are really dead, if Eric and Jada can co-parent their baby, if Nicole was out of line, and if Salem celebrated a satisfying Thanksgiving.
If Susan is really dead (or as dead as anyone ever is in Salem), are you upset about it? Would you prefer Susan was saved?
Horizon: With this show, one can't proclaim deaths with confidence, but at the moment, it does seem Susan has expired.
I have never been able to tolerate Susan, the character, and I don't find her offbeat cute. Just annoying and grating.
That said, if she does crawl back into the fray in limited doses, I hope I can live with it.
Jack: I find it hard to believe that Susan or Ava is really dead. No one ever stays dead (unless the actor passes away), which makes the grief scenes tedious.
I enjoy Susan's eccentricity and would prefer she turn up alive. I also am not up for endless scenes of EJ's grief, especially since we have the real-life death of John Aniston that will have to be addressed on-screen at some point, and I don't want to be burned out on grief when that happens.
Christine: Susan's never been one of my favorite characters, but I do enjoy her in small doses, and I like how she brings out EJ's human side.
So, I will be upset if she's really, truly dead, and I'm actually hoping she crawls back up from that cliff.
It's your turn, Days fans! Do you think Ava and Susan are really dead or just Salem dead?
Will Xander tell Sarah the truth? If he does, will Sarah leave him?
Horizon: Since Sarah appears to be almost onto him, it would seem wise for Xander to let the truth fly and explain things in the way he did with Gwen.
A risk for sure, but the alternative of keeping the secret will probably eat him alive, and besides, Sarah might find out anyway down the road. I say bite the bullet. Xander is suffering from the "karma is a bitch" syndrome that Rafe has gone through.
Whereas Gwen kept a dirty secret from Xander to keep their relationship alive, he is hiding something bad from Sarah to keep things going.
One side bit. In a distinct minority, but I am a huge fan of both the Sarah character and Gwen character. But to me, Xander fits better with Sarah. They make a fun couple.
Jack: I doubt it. DAYS' usual pattern is to start to tell the truth and change one's mind after an interruption or a long preamble that goes nowhere.
When Sarah finds out, I'm sure she will leave him and say that if he had only told her the truth, things would be different.
Christine: It's doubtful, although I wish he would, if for no other reason than that would be something different for Days.
If he actually tells her the entire truth, Sarah will struggle, but she might just stick by him, even though guilt might consume them both.
What did you think of Kate and Nicole's advice to Jada and Jada's reaction to it?
Horizon: Kate was offering some support and mainly listened. Nicole, on the other hand, is behaving like a borderline stalker.
I loved it when Jada told her to "shut the hell up." I was sort of rooting for her to slug the obnoxious Nicole.
Jack: Deciding whether to keep the baby is a huge decision, and while I applaud DAYS for taking a pro-choice stand, I don't think it's being treated with the seriousness it deserves.
Kate's advice was for Jada to decide what she wanted irrespective of what decisions Eric might make if she keeps the baby, and that was good solid advice.
But Jada changed her mind almost immediately after talking to Nicole. So she either hadn't really thought things through, or she was manipulated by Nicole.
As for Nicole's advice, it was better than I expected from the commercial. I still don't buy that Nicole would be in favor of termination (after losing two babies, I'd think she'd be more in the "I hope Jada is able to carry to term though I wish the father wasn't Eric" camp).
Nicole wasn't really cold or nasty about it, and she did point out aspects of single motherhood that Jada hadn't considered.
Christine: Kate's advice was solid. She encouraged Jada to figure out what she wants, aside from Eric or Nicole. And she let Jada talk. Jada has no real friends in Salem, so finding someone who would listen to her was important.
Nicole was horrid. She said everything she could think of to manipulate Jada into ending her pregnancy, and considering how much Nicole went through to have a child, I find that particularly repugnant.
Jada was overwhelmed and exhausted. She's had virtually no time to process any of this and feels very alone. Hopefully, she gets some rest and takes the time to think this all through without any more "advice" from Nicole.
Do you think Eric and Jada can successfully co-parent this child even if they aren't a couple?
Horizon: I don't think Eric can continue to play this tangled weave of multi-partner "hero." The roof will ultimately leak. And Jada hasn't ruled out an abortion, so this could go several ways.
Jack: I don't see why not. Daniel and Chloe did it, and if Kristen wasn't a total lunatic, Brady and Kristen could have worked it out too.
Christine: Absolutely. Jada and Eric are basically good people and responsible adults. This child can have a wonderful life with two separate but loving parents.
Did you prefer Alex and Stephanie's Thanksgiving-themed second date or Wendy and Johnny's Jakarta adventure?
Horizon: Frankly, I didn't much care for either, but if pressed, I would side with the junior sleuths. Stephanie and Alex plain annoy me.
Jack: I don't like Alex and Stephanie as a couple, so I'll go with the adventure. I thought Wendy and Johnny had a lot of chemistry, and I was hoping their near-death experience with Rolf would help them realize life is too short to deny how they really feel.
Christine: I want to like Alex and Stephanie, but something about them isn't clicking.
So I'm going with Wendy and Johnny. These two are cute more than steamy, but I am enjoying their scenes together and look forward to more.
Rate the Thanksgiving-themed episodes this year? What were your favorite and least favorite scenes?
Horizon: I loved the Rafe, Gabi, and Li chill fest. It felt so homespun with everybody sucking down beers. Especially amusing watching Li in sit-back and knock-one-down mode, casually dressed for a change.
My least favorite was Alex and Stephanie and their muffin love fest. They're the most annoying couple since Brady and Chloe.
Jack: The biggest positive is we actually had Thanksgiving, and I liked Roman and family discussing what they were grateful for.
I also enjoyed Abe and Paulina's Thanksgiving in the cafe with Nicole. Nicole seemed more like herself around them, and it was nice to see them acting like her surrogate parents.
Finally, I enjoyed Li showing a more human side when he was at Rafe's for Thanksgiving.
I wished we didn't have EJ's grief on Thanksgiving itself -- I wanted a break from that for the holiday! Also, I'd rather Chanel get out of jail than get a Thanksgiving meal in the interrogation room.
Christine: Rafe, Gabi, and Li's get-together was my favorite. I loved how disappointed Li was that there was no pie. I completely get that!
And Roman, Kate, Jada, and Eric were a close second. I liked that they mentioned why other people couldn't be there and still enjoyed their day.
As for my least favorite, Stephanie and Alex were eye-roll worthy, but I was mostly disappointed that we didn't get a Kiriakis Thanksgiving dinner. Seeing Victor, Maggie, Justin, Bonnie, Alex, Sarah, and Xander all at one table could have been epic.
What, if anything, disappointed you the most this week in Salem?
Horizon: Xander even contemplating for one second killing Susan.
Jack: Way too much of this awful Ava/EJ story. Four out of five days were devoted to the accident and its aftermath, and one of those days was a single-story episode, so I couldn't escape from it at all! And as mentioned above, Chanel should be out of jail instead of stuck in the interrogation room.
I also think Rafe and Nicole had way more chemistry in their awkward Thanksgiving prep scene than Eric and Nicole have displayed in months. I wish Nicole would realize she made a huge mistake and fight for a second chance with Rafe, but sadly I don't think that will happen.
And Rafe should have donated the pie to a food bank if he didn't want it. Throwing it away was such a waste of food!
Christine: For all of the buildup to Jada's big secret, the aftermath has been kind of boring.
And I'm tired of hearing about the whole "broken home" trope and how that ruined Sami and would ruin Jada and Eric's child.
Sami always had issues, and walking in on her mother cheating on her father is what sent her over the edge.
This child could be raised by two loving parents who don't have to be married. Not only would that be okay, but it's a lot better than a lot of kids get in this world.
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline on this week's Days of Our Lives?
Horizon: The way Sarah pronounced "blue suit" to Maggie. Li proclaiming he loves pumpkin pie before finding out Rafe chucked it plus Jada telling Nicole to "shut the hell up." And EJ calling Ava a "psychotic bitch" to Rafe were the most memorable quotes.
As for the most interesting scenes, its a tie between Rafe questioning Bonnie in front of key characters and the Rafe, Li, and Gabi Thanksgiving get-together.
Also, the cliffhanger Friday as "Susan's doll" fell off Marlena's mantlepiece as EJ hears a rustling in the woods.
This was an especially strong week. Two storylines came up aces. First off, the wild escapades between Ava and EJ ending in a horrifying climax. The Xander secret with Sarah and Maggie but getting it off his chest with Gwen in the surprising role of offering kind support.
Jack: I loved Abe and Paulina's scenes with Nicole, as mentioned above, and I especially liked that Abe had the sense to stay out of her and Eric's business.
I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed Rafe and EJ's talk by the side of the road. These two are better off as frenemies than hating each other!
Christine: Everything EJ! I was dreading that Susan might be killed off, but the aftermath has been poignant and dramatic.
Dan Feuerriegel knocked it out of the park in every scene. From coming home and telling Stefan and Chloe, to chastizing himself with Marlena, to the strange bromance brewing between EJ and Rafe, I couldn't get enough.
And I love how even in grief, EJ still revels in sarcasm. "Well done, Hernandez, putting those crack detective skills to work." "Commission Dudley Do-Right, drinking on the job."
As much as I'd like Susan to be alive, I'm actually looking forward to seeing EJ tell Johnny she's gone because it could be a very moving scene that brings this father and son together.
It's your turn, Days fans. Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button to let us know your answers to our round table questions. Then check out Jack Ori's Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
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You would think premieres would be slowing down, but with the rise of streaming, there are more shows on the air than ever.
There is plenty to watch this week, TV Fanatics.
Take a look at what's on offer below.
Saturday, November 26
10/9c Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas (HMM)
Four days before Christmas, Elizabeth receives a voicemail from a number she doesn't recognize.
On the message, a man she doesn't know makes one final plea to the love of his life.
Starring Holland Roden, Tyler Hynes, and Tenille Townes. From Executive Producer Blake Shelton.
Sunday, November 27
8/7c Family Law (The CW)
Abby gets over in head when she represents a friend that’s an anti-vaxxer and only alienates Daniel further over Harry’s rejection of not making him partner.
Lucy ponders telling Maggie about her one-night stand.
Nico gets suspended for forgery at school, forcing Abby and Frank to discuss their parenting views.
9/8c East New York (CBS)
It feels like this show JUST debuted, but the winter finale airs this week.
When Regina digs into a retired cop’s supposed suicide, she’s sure to ruffle even more feathers than usual. But she’s right to be concerned since the cop in question was just about to blow the whistle on corruption in the NYPD!
Meanwhile, to no one’s surprise, Quinlan and Bentley get closer again despite their promise to back off one another.
This is sure to be one finale that will keep people talking through the winter hiatus!
9/8c Dangerous Liaisons (STARZ)
The heat cranks up as Camille and Pascal descend into Paris’s hellish underworld, giving them access to all sorts of secrets.
Jean de Merteuil makes a power play, forcing Majordome to choose a side.
Gabriel makes a gruesome discovery.
It’s another hour of lies, secrets, and steamy seduction. Don’t miss Dangerous Liaisons!
10/9c NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
NCIS investigates an arson attack at Global West Ventures Corp, a naval defense contractor.
Also, Rountree connects with an ex.
Finally, Kilbride gives Callen files on Pembrook.
Monday, November 28
Days of Our Lives (Peacock)
Now that Johnny and Wendy are out of Rolf’s clutches and on their way home, it’s lights out of Li and Kristen’s plan to brainwash Stefan, right?
Guess again! Li convinces Wendy not to ruin his career or his relationship with Gabi. She’ll keep her mouth shut for now out of loyalty to her brother, but will Johnny feel the same? He hates his father, and EJ’s grief over Susan’s alleged death at Ava’s hands might not make a difference.
Meanwhile, has Eric and Nicole’s relationship ended before it begins thanks to Nicole’s pressuring Jada into terminating her pregnancy after all? And what is Paulina’s plan to get Chanel out of trouble? Will it make things even worse than they already are?
8/7c All American (The CW)
Hustling to manage the fallout after some shocking news, Spencer reaches out to Billy for help while Jordan contemplates where his priorities are. Olivia feels conflicted about how to balance feelings about work and family.
Layla helps Patience with a professional crisis after hitting a major social media landmark.
Meanwhile, Coop’s first day of auditing law classes doesn’t go as she thought it would.
8/7c 9-1-1 (FOX)
The midseason finale brings a string of strange calls that coincide with the arrival of the Santa Ana winds.
As the 118 battles through some the emergencies, Bobby becomes worried about his sponsor and Chimney sets his sight on a new home for his family.
Catch this one live as we head into the long hiatus!
9/8c The Cleaning Lady (FOX)
Everything is on the line as truths and lies come out.
As Luca gets sicker, Thony will do anything, even if it means working for the enemy, but how much danger could she be in?
Arman strives to learn the truth about Nadia and Robert’s marriage.
10/9c The Good Doctor (ABC)
The hospital inherits one of its most newsworthy cases when a woman delivers sextuplets!
The doctors split up to try to save the lives of all six premature babies, but they might not be able to do so. This could be a heartbreaking episode or a holiday miracle, depending on how things go.
And how will these six fragile babies impact Shaun and Lea’s decision to try again to start a family?
Tuesday, November 29
Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock)
Considered one of the first “trials of the century” that polarized conversation in living rooms across America, the Casey Anthony case is one that still leaves more questions than answers.
There have been several movies and documentaries made to fill in the gaps, and yet, the woman at the center of it all remains the biggest mystery.
Throughout the exclusive three-part documentary series, Casey Anthony finally tells her side of the story and addresses the public that has made so many assumptions for the past 13 years.
It changed my mind. Will it change yours?
Queen Sugar (OWN)
From the gorgeous Louisiana landscape to the intimate portrayal of its amazing characters, Queen Sugar has been a remarkable ride for seven seasons.
And that ride comes to an end with this epic series finale.
Will the Bordelons regain their family farm and continue their father’s legacy? Will the Farmer’s Co-op prevail and help black farmers keep their land? Tune in to see where this journey ends.
Welcome To Chippendales (Hulu)
When the boss is away, Nick will play!
With Steve in India, Nick comes up with some new creative initiatives for the club.
But what will Steve have to say about it when he comes back?
9/8c Reindeer In Here (CBS)
The first of CBS’s holiday movies has arrived in this adorable adaptation of Adam Reed’s new children’s book.
Blizz wants to show Santa that his original inventions will make Christmas better, but when a mysterious villain steals the magical snow globe that grants wishes, Blizz needs Theo, a lonely boy, to help save Christmas.
Can two unlikely heroes and their magical friends fix the holiday in time?
Wednesday, November 30
Irreverant (Peacock)
A criminal mediator from Chicago is forced to flee his life and everything he knows and hide out in a small Australian reef community in Far North Queensland posing as the new church Reverend.
“Reverend Mackenzie Boyd” (not his real name) has made a mess so bad he can never go home, but he’s going to need all his considerable street smarts to pull off posing as clergy - something he doesn’t know the first thing about. If he slips up, he’s dead and, after a lifetime of crime, doing good works is not something that comes naturally.
But “Mack” finds himself in a small beach town, with no phone or internet, amongst a community that is filled with people desperate for connection and crying out for leader. What at first seems like a perfect hiding place from the Chicago mob quickly becomes Mack’s home.
But as he reluctantly settles into his new life, Chicago commences the hunt. The only way he will be able to stay off their radar will be to maintain the illusion that he is a Reverend. To do that though, Mack will have to appear to care. Trouble for Mack is, after all that pretending, it may just become a little bit real.
10/9c Big Sky: Deadly Trails (ABC)
With Walter in custody, Sunny is left to pick up the pieces.
Is it finally time for her to confide in Cormac? Elsewhere, Cassie will pick apart Walter’s story, while Beau and Jenny team up to investigate the death of smokejumper.
10/9c Reginald The Vampire (SYFY)
As the vampire assessment quickly approaches, Reginald needs to get his act together.
Maurice and Reggie repaired their friendship, but can Reginald fix his relationships with everyone else that he’s hurt?
The finale approaches, will Reginald survive?
Thursday, December 1
Star Trek: Prodigy (Paramount+)
Pull up a seat, Fanatics, it’s [back]story time! While the Protostar crew work on repairing the ship, they share about their lives before meeting on Tars Lamora.
Meanwhile, on the Dauntless, Ensign Asencia’s surprise transformation into a Vau N’Akat operative needs some serious ‘splainin’ and The Diviner’s memories finally return.
All this leads to an incredible reveal we’ve all been waiting for! Stay tuned for the greatest Protostar adventure yet!
Gossip Girl (HBO Max)
The hit reboot returns for its second season, and we're sure this will be another dramatic display of rich people doing stupid things.
TV Fanatic will have you covered with interviews leading up to the premiere, weekly reviews, and more.
Check out the trailer below.
Friday, December 2
The Peripheral (Amazon Prime)
It’s a race against time and space for survival.
As multiple different people’s plans all come to fruition, Flynne must do everything she can to survive.
What she (and everyone else involved) survive the final ordeal?
Christmas with the Campbells (AMC+)
Well, this is a little different for a TV Christmas movie.
It feels like Four Christmases in tone, and that’s one of my favorites.
Check out the trailer, and let us know if you’ll be tuning in to Christmas with the Campbells!
Firefly Lane (Netflix)
The second -- and final -- season of this Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke drama gets off the ground running.
The series will return in early 2023 for the second half of the season.
Check out the trailer below.
8/7c S.W.A.T. (CBS)
Former 20-Squad leader Sanchez is back when the team is forced to partner with him after an actress’ home is broken into.
Will they all be able to bury the hatchet in order to track down a dangerous criminal before it’s too late?
Meanwhile, Tan has to find the perfect anniversary gift for Bonnie. Time just flies by.
10/9c Blue Bloods (CBS)
When Anthony’s daughter is the sole eyewitness to a fatal shooting, Erin needs her testimony to make the case against the killer. But will Anthony allow his daughter to be involved?
Meanwhile, Frank makes waves as usual when he wants to punish an off-duty cop for his inaction during an armed robbery, while Danny and Baez investigate a mugging which may or may not be related.
...
Irene Cara, best known for performing the iconic title tracks to the 1980s movies Fame and Flashdance, has died.
She was 63.
Cara's publicist, Judith A. Moose, revealed news of her death on the singer's Twitter account on Saturday morning.
"It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara," Moose wrote in the statement.
"The Academy Award-winning actress, singer, songwriter and producer passed away in her Florida home."
"Irene's family has requested privacy as they process their grief."
"She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films."
"Funeral services are pending and a memorial for her fans will be planned at a future date," the statement continued.
“This is the absolute worst part of being a publicist,” Moose prefaced the statement.
“I can’t believe I’ve had to write this, let alone release the news. Please share your thoughts and memories of Irene."
"I’ll be reading each and every one of them and know she’ll be smiling from Heaven. She adored her fans.”
Irene won an Oscar and a Grammy for the smash hit song "Flashdance... What a Feeling."
Cara co-wrote the song from the hit 1983 movie Flashdance, and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The singer also appeared in a string of series and movies, starring opposite Clint Eastwood and Tatum O'Neal.
Cara was born in 1959 in the Bronx, New York City, as the youngest of five children.
She started her career on Spanish-language TV, and subsequently appeared on-and-off Broadway musicals.
Fame propelled Irene to stardom in 1980 after she landed the role of Coco Hernandez and provided the vocals for the movie's title track.
Her performance earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 1981 Golden Globe Awards.
May Irene Cara rest in peace.
...
Thanksgiving often inspires warm, family stories. Usually, the holiday allows characters to take a break from high drama and celebrate being with one another.
Not in Salem, though.
On Days of Our Lives during the week of 11-21-22, EJ spent Thanksgiving drinking away his pain over his mother's death, while Chanel's loved ones had to improvise because she was still in jail.
EJ's heartbreak led to high drama and plenty of opportunities for Dan Feuerriegel to show off his acting skills. Feuerriegel sold EJ's devastation as he wandered around disheveled, interested only in numbing his pain and guilt over Susan's alleged death.
Since characters rarely stay dead in Salem, it was harder to take these scenes seriously, but the acting was still spectacular.
We can add Dan Feuerriegel's portrayal of EJ to our list of things to be grateful for this holiday season!
The world doesn't stop when there's a holiday, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are hard days for people who have recently lost someone. EJ's grief gave a voice to those struggling and not in the mood to celebrate right now.
Still, the car crash and its aftermath aired on four of five days this week, which was a little much!
This was a welcome surprise for viewers who enjoyed this story, but for everyone else, it made the week drag.
The car crash was more irritating than the aftermath. EJ should have left the chase to Rafe, who showed up at the airfield and stood around making calls while EJ chased Ava down a curvy road, and Charlie told her to drive the car off a cliff.
I hated the Charlie stuff. He was supposed to be a hallucination that only Ava could see; he seemed like a stand-in for the Devil, telling Ava to do worse and worse things and ultimately getting her to commit suicide.
That is if Ava and Susan are truly dead.
Death has become so impermanent on Days of Our Lives that if the actors are still alive, viewers can safely assume their characters will return sooner or later.
While returns from the dead have always been a soap staple, Days of Our Lives takes it to a ridiculous extreme. Whether it's months from now or five years down the line, Susan and Ava will probably be back.
Knowing that dampens the intensity of grief scenes. It often feels like a waste of emotional energy; we're focused on how long it'll be before the dead character pops back up and how they will explain their miraculous survival.
Nobody pulled bodies out of the wreckage; an emergency worker told EJ that nobody could have survived that crash.
We've been here twice before in recent memory.
First, Nicole allegedly perished in an explosion at a warehouse -- something few viewers believed to be true from the get-go -- only to resurface less than a year later. Then, Xander faked Holly's death in a car explosion to torment Nicole.
Now, Xander is again up to his neck in a plot involving people supposedly dying in a fiery car crash. Color me skeptical.
Are Susan and Ava Really Dead?
Jack also was allegedly burnt to a crisp after falling down an elevator shaft during an explosion in the tunnels, but Rolf was able to bring him back to life. Whenever there's a deadly accident in Salem and rescue workers can't recover any bodies, chances are that one or more "dead" people walked away unscathed.
If only real life worked that way!
The best part of this story was the scenes between Rafe and EJ on Friday. These two are usually at each other's throats, but they were two heartbroken guys sharing a drink over their troubles this time.
Rafe: I have to get back to the station. You sure you don't want to come?
EJ: Maybe tomorrow.
Rafe: Promise me you're not gonna get behind the wheel after drinking that.
EJ: My driver is waiting for me down the road.
Rafe: Okay. Be careful. There's a blind turn.
EJ: Right. I wouldn't want to end up like my mother.
EJ was a complete mess, drinking out of a flask by the side of the road, disheveled and unshaven. Rafe was mainly compassionate toward him, offering him support and sympathy despite knowing he wasn't getting the whole story here.
I could have done without Rafe offering not to arrest EJ for his refusal to give a statement (something that is only illegal in television writers' minds). Still, overall, these scenes were a vast improvement over the usual rivalry between these two.
I disagree with EJ's assessment that Eric and Nicole were always meant to be together. Even in their Thanksgiving Day argument, Nicole and Rafe had so much more chemistry than Nicole and Eric have displayed recently.
Anyway, could this tragedy be the catalyst for EJ to try to turn himself around?
He's a tough character to redeem; he orders kidnappings and murders without batting an eye, is often abusive toward women, including ones he claims to love (yes, I mean you, Sami!), and is overcontrolling with his family.
But this is soapland, where anything can happen. Ben went from being a serial killer to a romantic leading man. Years ago, Jack redeemed himself after raping Kayla, and there have been countless other criminals-turned-good-guys. So why not EJ?
He's unlikely ever to become a fully good character, but losing Susan -- even if it turns out to be as temporary as many viewers expect -- could inspire him to move from solidly evil and annoying to more of a gray character.
The Rafe/Nicole/Eric/Jada story took several annoying turns over Thanksgiving.
Rafe throwing Nicole's pie in the trash was one of the low points. If he didn't want it, he should have given it to a food bank or the Brady Pub. Wasting food to be petty is not a good look! At least that was balanced out by the humor in Li's disappointment that there was no pie.
The scene between Rafe and Nicole before that, where she asked him if they could eventually be friends again, drove home all the reasons I loved this couple.
I wish Nicole would come to her senses and realize the only reason she wants to be with Eric is that all of Salem keeps telling her that she and Eric are meant to be together. That's never going to happen, though. Instead, Jada is bouncing back and forth between keeping her baby and deciding to have an abortion.
I'm all for a story about abortion if it's well done. It's an important topic, especially with what's going on surrounding reproductive rights in the United States.
But this story is far from a quality story about abortion. The real story is Nicole's jealousy of the baby and Jada's decision to terminate because Nicole pushed her to reconsider.
That doesn't seem a strong reason, and Jada will likely change her mind again after talking to Rafe or Eric. Let's hope she doesn't ping-pong back and forth too much over the holiday season!
It's hard to fathom Nicole giving Jada this type of advice, especially since it's all based on Nicole's fear that Eric would rather be with the mother of his child than with her.
Nicole lost two babies and is unable to carry to term, so it doesn't seem like she'd be eager to encourage a pregnant woman to have an abortion merely to assuage her own insecurities. This story seems designed to make Nicole the bad guy. Ugh!
It also highlights what's wrong with Nicole and Eric as a couple. These two don't communicate. Instead, they keep secrets from each other, jump to conclusions, and end up mad at one another.
Nicole should have stayed for Thanksgiving dinner and talked to Eric later about what this all meant. Instead, she ran away, complained to Abe and Paulina, and then pretended to be surprised when Eric gave her the news. She also didn't tell him that she'd spoken to Jada about it and is pretending not to be insecure now that he's told her.
Similarly, Eric should have made more of an effort to contact Nicole once he discovered that Jada wanted to keep the baby. Multiple people told him to talk to her before he got around to doing it.
This doesn't bode well for their future as a couple. Even if they successfully get past this Jada pregnancy issue, they're starting with secrets between them. Again.
Kate had the funniest -- and truest -- line of the week when she told Jada that Eric and Nicole break up and makeup all the time and that Jada can't take that seriously.
Nicole: i can't crash his [Eric's] family's Thanksgiving dinner!
Abe: I'd think they'd be happy to see you.
Nicole: What am I supposed to say? 'Oh I overheard you telling your dad you're done with me?' Besides, he should be reaching out to me. I'm the one who ended my marriage to be with him/
Paulina: Okay, now that part I agree with! This is on Eric.
Abe: Now is not the time to stand on pride.
Paulina: Maybe not, but if the boy is gonna break up with her, he's gonna have to make the first step.
Abe: We have no idea if that's what Eric is planning.
Paulina: You should go and talk to him, Abraham.
Abe: Me?
Paulina: Yeah, you. You know, you're basically his uncle.
Abe: What would I say?
Paulina: Well, you could start off by telling him he's being a big dummy!
Abe: I don't think that's my place.
Paulina: Why not? Nicole's like a daughter to you, right?
Abe: Yes. Yes, she is. And while I would do almost anything for you [Nicole], I just don't think I should interfere in this.
Abe and Paulina's scenes with Nicole on Thanksgiving were one of the week's highlights. Days of Our Lives needs more scenes of friends supporting one another.
Thankfully, Paulina listened to Abe and Nicole and didn't get involved. While it would have been fun for Paulina to put Eric in his place, Abe was right. It wasn't their business, and they needed to stay out of it.
Paulina cannot protect either of her daughters right now. Lani is doing time for a crime that was more or less self-defense, and Chanel is headed in the same direction.
That's likely why Paulina was so adamant about standing up for Nicole. Since she couldn't do anything for Chanel, she needed to be a surrogate mother to a woman in need.
Chanel had a nice Thanksgiving when Abe pulled strings so that he, Allie, and Paulina could bring her food at the police station. It would have been better if he had contacted a judge to expedite the bail hearing, though -- something Belle ought to be doing. Belle is asleep at the wheel, as usual for Salem attorneys.
Thankfully, Paulina realizes that Chanel's professor had all the power in the relationship and that Chanel acted in self-defense. But that doesn't explain why Paulina covered up the death on the rooftop instead of hiring a lawyer and letting the security tapes exonerate Chanel when this originally happened.
Sarah is finally onto Xander's involvement in Susan and Bonnie's kidnappings, while Xander has confided in Gwen about his guilt. Does anyone NOT see where this is going?
Xander bouncing back and forth between Sarah and Gwen doesn't sound entertaining. How about doing something new?
Finally, who else cheered when Johnny and Wendy got the better of Rolf? Rolf's magical memory drugs are an overused device, so it was about time someone stopped him from using them to protect his secret.
Gabi insists she's in love with Li and wants Stefan and Chloe at her wedding so that she can rub their noses in it. But who else thinks Stefan will regain his memories or Wendy/Johnny will stop the marriage to announce the truth?
This is Days of Our Lives' usual pattern, so why would they do anything else this time?
What did you think of Thanksgiving in Salem, Days of Our Lives fanatics? Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know!
Don't forget to check on Sunday for the latest Days of Our Lives Round Table discussion.
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