There's so much drama happening on Days of our Lives right now, the writers have barely been able to keep the excitement down to one hour per day. In fact, the NBC soap opera's head writer, Ron Carlivati, reveals that with so much going on, they had to cut some crucial scenes from the April 13 episode. Luckily, fans won't have to fully miss out on the extremely important scenes, as he shared the transcripts on Twitter.
"Monday's air show was several minutes long," the writer reveals. "Sadly, we had to cut all the Tony [Thaao Penghlis] and Chad [Billy Flynn] scenes in the DiMera study."
However, because the scenes involved the final fate of DAYS staple Stefano DiMera, Carlivati felt it was important to give the audience the material that they didn't get to see on their television screens.
As Carlivati describes, in the first scene, "Chad ends a phone call with his lawyers, tells Tony that the police agreed that since Rolf [William Utay] developed the microchip with DiMera money, technically it belongs to them. Tony holds up the chip in a plastic bag, cannot believe this was actually inside Steve Johnson's [Stephen Nichols] brain. Tony continues: Could this chip really be all that is left of Father... and if so, what should we do with it?"
Next, "Chad holds up the chip, thinks they have no other choice but to destroy it. He moves to smash it, but Tony stops him, argues: This is a big decision, one that requires a little soul-searching. Chad disagrees: It's just metal and wire, a bunch of circuits... Tony: Is it?"
Tony continues, "We all felt when we were talking to Steve Johnson... that in some ways... he really was Stefano DiMera. So, if we destroy this chip, we may actually be destroying a life. Stefano's life. I have to ask you, brother, do you really want to kill our father?"
Scene three begins, "Chad considers Tony's question, has no problem talking about this... though his mind is made up. No one can really argue that Stefano had any respect for the sanctity of life, so any consideration they are giving him on that front is generous. No man can live forever. Father's body is obviously gone... and whatever may or may not be left of him on that chip had already made his peace with death. Stefano DiMera... or whatever or whomever it was being channeled through Steve... already said his goodbyes."
After a beat, "Tony admits Chad's reasoning is sound... but thinks there is someone else's feelings that they also need to consider before they make this decision. Chad: Whose? Tony: Our sister's."
Scene four begins, "Chad hangs up from John [Drake Hogestyn]. Kristen's [Stacy Haiduk] unavailable. Tony thinks they should put the chip into the safe until they get a chance to speak to her, but Chad thinks that's just courting trouble. Someone could steal it, or something could happen to make them change their mind... Chad continues: Their father has a hold on them... one they broke free of just in time to stop him from killing Tony and Kristen... and hurting so many others. Whether Stefano is on this chip or not, they shouldn't underestimate the power even the idea of him has over his family."
Chad concludes, "Yes, we are DiMeras, but we have other people to consider, the people we love... and who love us: Anna [Leann Hunley]... Abigail [Kate Mansi]... and Brady [Eric Martsolf]. For their sake... and ours... we need to let go of Father once and for all... and move on with our lives."
Scene five begins, "Chad has set the chip into a paper-lined ashtray. Tony: Do you want to say something? Chad shakes his head, then Tony offers: This man did some terrible things...but I do believe he felt that he did them for love. Chad brings a flame to the paper and it starts to burn..."
Scene six concludes Carlivati's reveal of the cut scenes, reading, "Chad & Tony are looking down at the ashtray as Chad declares: It's done. The only thing that's left are ashes. Tony considers this a moment: Yes, but you know what they say about the Phoenix. As we pan from the smouldering ashes up to Stefano's portrait..."
Viewers were grateful that Carlivati shared the cut DiMera scenes, but now that famous DAYS question rings louder than ever: Is this really the end of Stefano DiMera?
Yesterday's air show (Monday) was several minutes long. Sadly, we had to cut all the Tony & Chad scenes in the DiMera study. If anyone's interested, I am going to transcribe them in this thread... #days
- Ron Carlivati (@carlivatiron) April 14, 2020
What do you think about Stefano's final fate? Do you wish the Chad and Tony scenes could have been left in the episode instead of being cut? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
