Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI (2), Peacock screenshot (2)

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This has been one tough week on Days of Our Lives as the show’s sent Doug off in grand fashion, but even with as long as we had to wait for it, we’re just glad they took the time to do it right. Now if only they can keep up this feeling of family and history in a way that can celebrate the past and make us excited about the future!

A Legendary Farewell

Well, this has been an intense week. I just cannot imagine having to go through all of that twice, like Susan Seaforth Hayes did. I know, when actors die while still on a show, mourning onscreen and off is something their co-stars and friends have to do, but to mourn your husband’s death twice had to be so incredibly difficult. Still, I do love how much they wove Bill Hayes’ eulogy and life in with Doug’s. It was an incredible way to honor both of them.

I was gutted at Julie going up to their bedroom to say farewell to Doug, Eli holding her in Alice/Doug’s chair, Liz’s whisper of support as she went up to sing, and the look on Julie’s face as she closed her eyes and took in the song before everyone joined in. I say Julie, but I know that was just as much her portrayer’s grief in those moments.

I didn’t watch Another World and I wasn’t around when Stephen Schnetzer was on Days of Our Lives, but I loved his scenes, his presence and his connection to Julie and, surprisingly, Leo. And I pretty much immediately got on board with wanting him on full time!

A couple years back, the show mentioned Cass Winthrop as being on the Salem city council board. And let’s be real: That name isn’t exactly “Mike Smith.” There can’t be that many Cass Winthrops out there, so it’s got to be in reference to Schnetzer’s Another World character. Right there, even if they don’t want two Steves in town at once, there’s still a built-in entrance for Schnetzer’s return. They could bring Cass on and have him run for mayor.

I was kind of surprised at how fast they moved from death to memorial and funeral. I would have been happy with more leadup to it, more flashbacks and more characters reminiscing, especially since we got back so many great ones. But it moved so fast, Chad and JJ couldn’t even make it back in time. I’m guessing that boiled down to budget and only being allowed a certain number of people at the memorial — which would be why Sarah wasn’t there either.

And Kristian Alfonso had a scheduling conflict that kept her from the funeral. That was out of the show’s control, but oh, if only we’d had Hope there, too. Still, the cemetery scenes were lovely, especially once Jennifer showed up. And wow, everyone was so young in those flashbacks.

It’s not quite over. Hope’s still around next week and we’ll see if Doug Williams III is here to stay, but I would have been happy with more alums sticking around throughout the week. Also, they’re playing Doug III with a bit too much suspicion after Cat, so all I can say is, this better not be another fakeout. I don’t think it is. It’s too obvious. But I did see one theory on our Message Boards that Doug III is actually Spencer Olson, working with Steven to steal the necklace. That would be intriguing, but why trick us with one legacy character instead of another?

Also, why did he take the necklace — right after getting out of jail?! That’s almost as random as the necklace’s existence. Oh, I know! He owes a debt to Clyde. Clyde’s behind it all. Kidding! (I hope.)

A Familiar Affair

While I get why they pivoted on Friday as the farewell stuff doesn’t really lend itself to end of week cliffhangers, I was a bit let down with what we did get. Someone walking in during a tense moment while two other characters talk about a secret isn’t a cliffhanger in Salem, it’s just a day that ends in “Y.” It could be a big moment if it didn’t happen nonstop, but we all know Chanel isn’t going to learn anything from Johnny and Alex’s confrontation, period.

I am slightly intrigued at how ticked Alex is over EJ’s bribery (which won’t work out) and the idea of the two duking it out a bit. Realistically, Alex would never be able to hold his own against someone like EJ, but he does have at least some Kiriakis resources that could be handy…

As for the Clyde stuff… Nobody learned about Doug’s death until after the funeral because JJ was avoiding his mom and Chad — I already forgot the excuse. So no one left a message? Sent a text? “Emergency: Doug died!” Again, I’m guessing this was more budget dictated and the writers had to make it work, but… Sigh. That’s all, just sigh.

I know everyone’s mad at Cat, but I am glad she finally snapped at Chad something along the lines of, “OK, great, I’m horrible, you hate me, your dead wife’s remains are more important than my mother’s life.” She had a point. It’s a bad situation all around, but life is still important, right?

The good news, I think things are finally coming to a head with Clyde. Next week is a lot of JJ/Gabi/Cat/Chad — and that also includes the respective pairings bonding and heading closer to coupledom, I’m guessing. And if it heads closer to Clyde’s death, then that’s a bonus I’ll take! I could see that happening in that the plan goes sideways and Clyde is accidentally killed before he can divulge where Abigail’s remains are.

On the one hand, that won’t help Chad move on and I really want him to, but on the other, I can see Days of Our Lives doing that to keep the possibility of Abigail being alive out there in their back pocket in case they decide to undo it. Which, again, leaves us in limbo — but at least Clyde would be gone! Let’s get a new villain stirring things up for the new year. I hate to say he needs to die, but something’s gotta give so the show stops just going back to him whenever anything bad happens in Salem. Just let him rest… in peace. For at least a few years!

Stray Thoughts…

I don’t have a lot of stray thoughts this week. They tend towards the irreverent and there wasn’t a whole lot this week that I can or want to be irreverent about.

• The way they treated that time capsule just to have Ciara open it without explanation other than “That was easy” drove me crazy. I know, it wasn’t the point, but how did she open it?! Was it a puzzle? A trick catch? What?!
• We’re getting Spencer Olson, right? We’ve got to. A bit creepy for the poor guy’s dad to essentially tell a stranger to track him down and contact him out of nowhere, but that was too pointed not to meet him soon.
• For those unclear on who Hope’s mother was, you aren’t alone. She’s a Williams and a Horton, but not because of Julie. In fact, Hope and Julie have the same mother, Addie Horton! After Addie had Steve and Julie, first husband Ben died, she hooked up with Doug (despite him being in love with Julie), married him, got pregnant and got leukemia, went into a coma, had Hope and died. The first batch of Hortons were wild.