At the end of October, Tony shared his excitement over all the fantabulous things about to happen in and around Salem, USA. While there's surely a reason to celebrate the cast and crew every day of the year, November is a special month for fans. It's not only the shows birthday, but there are Sweeps-worthy storylines, the Day of DAYS event, and the buildup to the holiday traditions -- all with a special Halloween episode kickoff! It's truly an embarrassment of riches wrapped in spectacular storytelling and perfect performances.
We're here to give our thanks to all things Team DAYS! While we'll spread even more love around in a few weeks during the Seventeenth Annual Golden Donut Awards: The Best of DAYS 2023, this is another chance to gush about the show we all adore at a time when counting our blessings is at the forefront of our DAYS-obsessed minds. As always, we want to hear your reasons, too, so make sure to flood the comment section with why you love "the Salem Life!"
Team DAYS Gets the Party Started (and keeps it going!)
Be it social media teasers from cast and crew, the wonderful weekly promos, or those amazing annual "Day of DAYS" extended previews, Team DAYS gets fans excited. But the show doesn't stop there -- they're legends at making us freak out until Monday with fabulous Friday cliffhangers. From "Marlena's death" in the '80s to Nicole's car accident a few weeks ago, we dedicated fans wait with bated breath until the next episode drops.
Returns for Abe and Victor
Eli, Lani, Olivia, Theo, Shane, Theresa, Chelsea (!!), Philip, Vivian, Sonny...it truly felt like a gift for viewers to see all these faces back for a day, a week, or a storyline! And while DAYS returns are pleasant enough, the fact that they came back to support a storyline about or honoring these two titans of Salem made us feel downright blessed.
Cast and Crew Kindness
The cast and crew are so gracious toward fans with their time and energy. Be it social media exchanges, holiday wishes, in-person appearances, concerts (hello, The Day Players!), or a random bump-in at a grocery store in Eastern Pennsylvania, the cast and crew are nothing but kind and generous to fans. They make us feel we're all part of the same Salem community, and we couldn't love them more if we tried.
You can tell how much the cast and crew enjoy their jobs and being around each other, too. Just watch some of the interviews from the recent "Day of DAYS." Their ease with each other is infectiously fun. Oh, and on the subject of "fun," check out some of the super fun "Beat the Hourglass" contests!
Chanel, Stephanie, and Jada
These three are putting the damsel in distress to shame and getting. it. done. They're tops in their respective professional fields. And these women regularly speak up for what they want in their personal lives. It really is a refreshing change, and while each of them is coupled up right now, not a one of them is wringing her hands, worrying if a partner will show up for her. We 1000% believe this trio would be just as fabulous with or without a knight in shining armor. Hell, that armor probably clashes with their heels, anyway.
Past, Present, and Future
DAYS might be known for their Christmas traditions, but finding "Easter Eggs" all year round keeps the party hopping. From Tommy Horton Jr. mentions to "mailing a letter," Team DAYS dives deep into the history books. It not only honors the show's legacy, but long-term fans love these kinds of nods as well as storylines built on the epic 58 years (and counting) of content.
Still, we also appreciate that DAYS is forward thinking, especially when it comes to growing diversity, inclusivity, and embracing traditions not celebrated on the show in the past. When Paulina stated a few weeks back that E.J. and Nicole "jumped the broom," that was not only a wonderful nod to her wedding to Abe but also a great reminder that the show now celebrates Juneteenth (also their anniversary). Salem has a strong LGBTQIA+ showing, too. While there's always room for more growth, we're glad that Salem's a town that celebrates everyone. We've never felt more welcome, and we're excited to see what's next!
A Lucky Strike
By way of the specific contracts they work under, our soap opera actors didn't go on strike this year. In a time when fall TV schedules are reality shows, and movies are delayed, the soaps can keep on taping. We will have a time when the scripts will be authored by different writers due to that writers' strike. But, in a way, our soap product was "fuller" than other things we'll see...or won't see...in TV land this year.
Risk and Rewards
While DAYS continues to tell traditional soapy stories, the show isn't afraid to forge into contemporary storytelling or take risks, as well. From risqué threesomes to risky recasts, and to those characters who don't exactly fit the daytime norm, the show aims forward. Not all storylines score big, but we think Teams DAYS wins just for taking the shot!
Long Awaited Reunions/Wrongs Corrected
This is Roman and Kate, John's father not being a raging psycho, Chanel going back to Johnny, Marlena being reinstated, and Nicole 1) having a miracle baby and 2) having the baby be Eric's. All these things feel like they've been a long time coming. It's nice they're here for the holidays.
Generational Greatness
One thing that DAYS does so spectacularly well is showcase their entire cast. From 90-plus-year-olds to newly born babes, the show makes a point of giving every character a moment in the sun, which gives each brilliant cast member a moment to shine (and they surely shine brightly). It truly is the house that Tom and Alice built, and Thomas and Charlotte are bound to keep the drama sifting through the hourglass all the days of their lives.
Chosen Family
We know DAYS has legacy family members, but we're especially thankful for those characters who treat each other like family, despite sharing no common DNA. These pairs are ones like Nicole/Abe, Chad/Kate, Gabi/Sonny, and Maggie/Xander. It reminds us that sometimes you can pick your family, and that's a truly special thing.
PARTING THOUGHTS
That's it for this week! We hope you're enjoying time with your family, friends, and loved ones both in person and in Salem. We'll be back next week to wrap up sweeps month and start to narrow down who may be in line for a Christmas Miracle this year.
For now, we're thankful for all of you who spend just a few minutes of your week with us -- sharing some love over our favorite soap, and "That's a fact."
Cheers!
Laurisa and Tony
What are your thoughts on Days of our Lives? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- and there are many ways you can share your thoughts.
