Somehow I don’t think this plot against Stefano is going to work. Lessee… first six of our Salemites are stashed in a safe house, said safe house is discovered to be armed to the gills with explosives, everything goes boom but the six manage to escape via a trap door that somehow got missed when the place was being wired the first time around. So… okay, we watch for two whole entire days of everyone else in town grieving over the loss of their loved ones. Two days. That’s how long it took for Roman (and the show) to decide that it would be a good idea to let family and friends (and the audience) in on the big secret: The safe house six were actually still alive. But aforementioned fam and pals must keep up with this mourning charade to give the ISA a chance to rustle up some hard evidence against Stefano. I have a better chance of winning the lottery.

Someone on the show mentioned that Stefano has spies everywhere. Well, since everyone and their cousin seems to know the truth about the safe house six, count on one of those spies to overhear something because I hardly think that was just random dialogue. Then we learn Billie is now secretly back with the ISA, which oddly just made her a hell of a lot more interesting, believe it or not. Anyway, plan B (C? D?) is to break EJ away from Stefano by revealing what Daddy Morebucks has really been up to. I didn’t fall asleep during the scenes in which it was made clear that EJ knows all of this tawdry nonsense already. He knows Steffy stole the money that EJ originally swiped from John’s company to finance his election as head of the local lemonade stand mayor. – at least I’m pretty sure I didn’t dream this up. Damn, when is someone going to get this right? In between betting the kitchen sink on one of Stefano’s cronies finding out that no one really died in that explosion, to the Brady’s’ nasty habit of showing their hand too soon, I see this big scheme to take down Stefano going south in a big damn hurry. Meanwhile, Agent Turncoat is ordered to Stefano’s presence after Stefano hears that he actually accomplished what he set out to do - and then has the nerve to be upset about it? Who are you Phoenix? You’re angry because you didn’t want them all dead? Of course you did, I mean, that’s the impression I got what with all your not-so-well-disguised threats and all. Silly me. You’ve been coveting that egg/coin/who cares like it’s the eighth wonder and have been clear as crystal that you would stop at nothing to get it. Oh please. You threw Lexie into the tunnels, had Benjy killed and God knows what else that I can’t recall right now, and swore that the Brady’s and John Black were your mortal enemies. And NOW you’re sorry? NOW you’re upset and saying, “It wasn’t supposed to happen this way?” Exactly what was supposed to happen, dare I ask?

Like I said, Billie suddenly got a lot more interesting after she revealed that she is back with the ISA. So let’s discuss that intel you were supposed to be getting. You were in the house. Snooping through files is old school – the way to do it is to really go under and get your target to sing like a canary, over dinner, in the sack, doesn’t matter. Where is Jack Bauer when you need him? Of course I speak of Billie zoning in on EJ, not Stefano. I also suddenly have the feeling that Stefano is going to royally regret turning on EJ the way he has. EJ loves nothing more than getting even with someone that has wronged him. It would’ve been a perfect time for Billie to make her move – EJ not only would’ve told her everything, hell he would’ve announced it on the evening news. We need someone (like Shane) to think big and think ahead. I’m not objecting to Billie working her way into the Dimera lair, I’m objecting to her not using the opportunity more wisely. The other option is the time-honored tradition of blackmail. Get something on EJ (or Stefano) that is going to stick like glue, then play hardball. Gee I wonder why the show hasn’t thought of any one this. I guess they really do think we enjoy Dimera/Brady battles that drag on for decades and never get anywhere. Oh wait, it’s because we have Roman! Roman, who couldn’t plan a two-year-old’s tea party, let alone a complicated sting operation.

Speaking of blackmail, I’m starting to get just a little annoyed with Will. Sure, he speaks his mind and yes, he tells Sami precisely what her problem is. I take umbrage to Will getting on that high horse of his at inopportune times. The memorial service was not the place to berate Sami to within an inch of her life. Austin suddenly hauled him up by the scruff of the neck and let him have it. “This is not about you!” Austin snapped, ready to shove the little ingrate over the bar. Well thank God because the last time Austin had to step in to hush this brat up, he was no more threatening than a basket of kittens! Other times though, I applaud the way Will runs right over EJ like he’s not there. And who wasn’t sitting there with their mouth agape when Will blithely announced to Sami that EJ knew Will had shot him, yet Lucas went to prison for it. “You were going to commit murder?” Sami gasps. Sami, what show are you watching? Then to EJ, “You blackmailed him?” Sami, tell me again who you see in the mirror every day? Finally EJ points out that all is well now and that Will enjoys working for him. Leave it to Sami to baffle us into oblivion: “How can you work for someone that you were going to kill?” This is where we all start banging our heads against the nearest wall.

Randomness...

-I was definitely digging the way Shane sidled up to Agent Turncoat and had him believing that without Bo and Hope and the other undead, the ISA’s case against Stefano is as irrelevant as an air conditioner in an igloo. Played you like a slide trombone, Shane has. Atta boy. That’s right, my suave English spy: think big and think ahead. I’m counting on Shane to be the brains in this outfit.

-Sami swore that she would be a different person in the wake of her mother’s “death.” Notice how quickly that changed when Marlena was revealed to be alive. I think that turnaround revelation clocked in at a minute flat. Oh and then there was that moment when she was hugging Roman and crying about losing Marlena and Carrie - and blaming Roman for the whole ordeal. Is there someone on staff at Days whose sole purpose is to dream up dialogue for Sami that is specifically intended to piss me off?

-EJ wasn’t buying Will’s dismissal of that remark he made about all the things he’s done for Stefano. Yes, EJ has that little jealousy thing too. EJ demanded answers – to which I demanded, “EJ. Do shut up.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Days Of Our Lives
What do you think of the plot against Stefano so far?	I'm thinking they should not have revealed so soon that the six in the safehouse were alive. It was way too risky - and it would've kept the audience guessing. I think Shane is going to get 'er done - FINALLY. These schemes against Stefano never work. He's like Teflon! ZZZZZ. Wake me when this is over.
	Current Results

Previous Column
Comments/feedback
 salemplace@soaptownusa.com

Photos by author