Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI (6)

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The week started with some stunningly powerful and incredibly acted scenes, then continued by growing the suspect list in EJ’s shooting. But it’s starting to feel like the show’s treading water a bit, even as Days of Our Lives delivered a series of exits — some surprising, some expected. Is it all tied together as the show prepares for its biggest change in years? Let’s find out… 

Here and Gone Again

I don’t like speculating too much on behind-the-scenes happenings, but Joy’s complete heel turn smacked of the writers being told “we’re going in a new direction.” She gets pregnant, gets the results, gets a brand new job… and then a week later, quits and leaves town for New York. That just felt so out of nowhere.

And it happened the same day that Theresa left, too. I’m not sure why she was brought back to be sent away that quickly, unless it was to set up Kimberly’s cancer relapse. If it was that, then the diagnosis should play more down the line, hopefully as a big Brady story. But if Theresa was brought back only to be told, “new direction, send her away again,” that’s different.

And then there’s Rachel Blake. Ros Gentle is done at Days of Our Lives, and her character’s disappearance sets up another suspect for when EJ is shot: Kristen. It makes sense, but that makes three exits in the same week.

The writer change is a month away, but it’s not impossible that the show is already making moves to realign characters and stories. Days of Our Lives has felt different lately (though as some folks have pointed out, that could just be because Body and Soul isn’t dragging it down), and honestly, I’ve been enjoying myself more.

And that could mean we get more exits — which could make EJ’s shooting mystery more impactful if there’s a chance we could actually lose a main character (as opposed to Arnold or Rachel Blake) over it.

Standout Performances

Dan Feuerriegel’s performance on Monday as EJ tried first making excuses, then owning up to what he did and begging his son for forgiveness were all so gut-wrenching. I do not have sympathy for rapists. Period. But I’d like to think people can grow and repent and be torn apart by guilt over what they did, and Feuerriegel imbued EJ with such regret and anguish, that I couldn’t help but feel for EJ.

In fact, Feuerriegel and Carson Boatman both did a simply amazing job during the confrontation. The pain from both EJ and Johnny tore at my heart. And Raven Bowens can’t be overlooked either, because Chanel’s subtle, but anguished reactions as she heard the nightmarish story of Johnny’s conception just drove it all home. She was the viewer.

At the same time, I appreciated Kate’s confrontation with EJ where, as she said, the people of Salem have brushed aside and forgotten what he’s done and who he is for too long. Maybe it’s time to remind them all. She’s not wrong.

But also, neither was he with the whole pot and kettle thing… Kate has flat out tried to murder Sami, which makes the whole “Roman will never forgive you,” spiel she gave EJ feel just a tad hypocritical. Roman’s married to the woman who tried killing his daughter in cold blood.

But either way, I enjoyed seeing those two clashing and now there’s another shooting suspect. Kate threatened EJ’s life. And then EJ slipped further from sympathy when he made Rachel Blake disappear at the end of the week. Not that she’s super sympathetic, but now Kristen’s officially on the suspect list, too. And unlike some of the suspects, both these women are fully capable of killing.

More: Is this how EJ’s shooter will get away with it?

At this point, though, I’m going to just stop predicting the shooting has to happen soon, because who knows? There might be another half dozen people the show has to specifically show holding a gun and directly talking about killing him before it’s time. We’ve even got spoilers for next week and no EJ on Friday, when you’d think he’d be shot.

So when is it happening? Insert giant shrug here.

Stray Thoughts…

• I know it’s better to seek forgiveness than permission, but Javi is definitely in the wrong here. Hell no. If I was Gabi, I’d have told him he can use the money from that job she gave him that he never bothers going to to get his own place with Leo.

• Jada mentioned that Arnold probably still has the Hernandez family ring. Is this going to lead to us finally tracking him down and finding out what happened? He’s the only one left who can prove EJ did anything wrong.
• Of course Xander overheard just enough of Philip and Stephanie to jump to the wrong conclusion. I was amused, though, at how obviously he was hiding in the bushes that Stephanie just turned her head and spotted him.
• I’ve got to hand it to sending Joy off with one of the most pointed, meta lines I’ve heard. “Thanks for making me a soap star… I guess.” Ouch.
• I love Melinda, especially now that she has no [bleeps] to give working in the private sector and brazenly wearing stolen property. We need more of her. Make it happen, Days of Our Lives.