Waffling Over Gabi and Jake — & Highlights of the Week

Welcome back! This week started out dull on Days of our Lives, and I don’t want to talk about it because it was bad enough trying to sit through it. It’s Friday and I want to keep things light as I air my opinion. Besides, near the end of the week, quickly picked up the pace. Susan, Ivan, and Vivian made appearances. There were so many highlights this week which included the appearances, Julie and Gwen’s argument, Jack and Gwen’s hurtful scenes…

Special appearances

The last Vivian recast wasn’t a fit for the role and ruined every scene for me. I adore Louise Sorel and my Vivian and was nervous about yet another recast, but Linda Dano has been brilliant. She didn’t treat her like a cartoon character on steroids. Instead, she got into Vivian’s head and played her with the elegance, humor, and touch of vulnerability she’s meant to be played. The script helped, the dialogue was perfect, as was Ivan G’Vera’s brilliance at his Madam’s side, which at times made me swoon. Vivian doesn’t know what she’s got with Ivan. She doesn’t seem to see how he looks at her with adoration. I love his devotion, even though he takes things just a tiny bit too far.

Chloe, Brady, and PhillyK triangle

I see the chemistry between Brady and Chloe and Philip and Chloe, but if I were Chloe, I’d steer clear of Brady. Kristen’s explosive under normal circumstances. She’s cooped up in prison missing her daughter and her man, feeling alone and insecure. And she’s a woman obsessed. I found it romantic of Brady to remind her how much he loved her and wanted to be with her, not Chloe. But is he lying to himself? PhillyK and I think so. And I’m sure Chloe sees something there, too. I want Chloe with Philip, and I’m patiently waiting for him to relax. He is still sneering in every scene, even the ones where he should be reminding us of his charm and romantic side. I hope this gets better.

A breath of fresh air

Susan’s always good for a few laughs as long as she doesn’t overstay her welcome. I loved her premonitions, which as we know, always come true. She had some fun lines, and next week (spoiler) she’ll become a pawn in Kristen’s next scheme. And. I. Am. Into. It. Yeah, I can’t help myself. Kristen playing Susan is always a kick. Stacy Haiduk does a kickass job portraying both.

CINful romance

As attempted escapes, this was a good soapy one. Many fans were annoyed with Ciara for not hitting him harder or tying him up. But should have, could have, and would haves aside, I think she did the best that she could. She was filled with adrenaline, she was acting, not thinking. I love how Rhodes was just a country dude, chill and sweet, easy on the eyes, and now he’s taken a turn, showing his more ferocious side. Jason Downs is doing a great job portraying him. As for Benjamin…I can’t stand that Nu-Claire is in scenes with him. I’m not a fan, don’t think that’ll change, and I definitely don’t want him to wind up with her.

Jack vs. Gwen vs. Laura — who is worse?

Gwen’s mother Tiffany had unprotected sex with some rando when she was a cocktail waitress in Chicago. She had a kid and had trouble making ends meet. It didn’t help that all her money went to hookers and blow. Tiffany tried to wrangle money from Jack and wound up getting some from Laura. That all went up her nose, she died, and poor Gwennie was shuffled to an orphanage.

Related: How Jack & Gwen’s story should have gone

Gwen was told by her mother that her father abandoned her and paid her off to stay away. Gwen took revenge on Jack and not his entire family for it but just the women. JJ’s exempt because he’s a man or because he wasn’t the princess that Gwen thought Abs was. Gwen could have utilized her scrapbooking skills to open a business or something but instead, horrifically sliced through that family like it was her business. What she hasn’t realized is that Jack’s no prize as a father. He’s abandoned all his kids. She hasn’t missed out on much.

Laura’s guilt over screwing her daughter’s husband (they didn’t know who each other were at the time) thrust her into “helping” push Jack and Jenn back into each other’s arms. So she paid off Tiffany when she came looking for a handout child support and lied that Jack was too busy and didn’t want to see his own kid. Laura is responsible for keeping a man from his child, which is a pretty huge mistake. But she didn’t force Tiffany into addiction and neglect and nobody forced Gwen to ruin the Deveraux family’s lives.

Related: Jack & Gwen turn tables on [SPOILER]

Jack had unprotected sex with a cocktail waitress, not even bothering to ask her name (grinning like a fool, here), and had a kid with her. He didn’t know Gwennie existed so he’s off the hook for everything up to the point where it was confirmed that Gwen was his. Instead of telling her he will accept the test results, he told her he wouldn’t challenge them. Then he wrote Gwen a cheque for fifty large to get lost. Wow. Jack saw clearly how hurt Gwen was and threw money at her to get rid of her, knowing that this was the second time it happened to her.  Jack’s pretty high on my shitlist this week. He’s got some scrambling to make it up to Gwen. Even though I’m not sure she deserves it after what she did to them.

What I think is coming? I think Laura’s days are numbered. Either she dies of natural causes but it looks suspicious or someone offs her. I know there’s a (spoiler) whodunit coming. While I thought Charlie or Gwen were going to be ganked, maybe neither will be and it’s Laura’s time to go.

Related: Fan Fiction twist in Gwen & Jack’s story

Who is a flip-flopper?

I know that last week I said I had hoped Gabi would move on with someone else, perhaps a single man. It gets tiring to me watching women pitted against other women and disrespecting relationships. I want more for our Gabi. I thought it might be sexy to pair her with Li Shin, but seeing Jake come undone seeing Gabi in a towel made me waffle. Jake’s committed to Kate and did the right thing by turning Gabi’s business proposal down and reminding her she’d only ever see him as Stefan. But watching their scenes reminded me of why I liked them together in the first place and now I’m flip-flopping, wondering if there is a future between them.

Gwen vs. Julie

A highlight of the week! Julie’s so badass as is Gwen. The two of them griping at each other tickled me so much I had to watch it twice. Here it is if you’ve missed out.

Best lines:

Jake to Gabi, “I came to talk about your naked. Your towel. Your proposal!”

Gwen to Jack, “Read ’em and weep, Daddy.”

Kristen to Brady about Chloe, “Right after she batted her baby blues and flashed her cleavage at you?”

Brady to Kristen, “I’m not leaving you for Chloe. Not now, not today, not ever.”

Susan to Claire, “Right now I’m just gonna go check on that scrumptious Brady Black. Word of advice, make sure you hide John’s neckties.”

Susan to Marlena about Brady’s shooting, “I bet it was that mean, mean, mean Kristen DiMera. I just don’t know what he sees in that She-Devil.”

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