Article on Shirley Jones’s soap debut this weeks as Colleen Brady.
Article on Renee Jones’ return and Judi Evans’ departure.
VCR alert
1/31 Lexie calls a DiMera family meeting to discuss Stefano. ‘A decision is made that the audience will not believe,’ teases RJ
2/1 Lucas Contacts Sami and asks her to come see him one last time.
HOTN: DH, DH and J&M
Editors’ Choice: Atonement, Days of Our Lives
In the midst of exciting hostage dramas and mob wars, it’s easy to forget that what makes soaps such and enduring medium are the true-to-life moments that resonate with viewers. Case in point: Belle’s painful New Year’s bombshell to Shawn that she had slept with her ex, Philip and the ripple effects that touched Salem’s first families.
It should have been a happy time for Shawn: He had married his high school sweetheart after years of conflict and was about to enter the police academy. While decorating the Pub for the midnight revelers, the newlywed unwittingly tempted fate when he bold declared, “No more ‘should haves.’ No more looking back. It’s a whole new beginning. And I got one resolution that I plan on keeping. To trust my beautiful wife completely because she deserves it.” Gulp. After dealing with an unplanned visit from Philip the guilt over her indiscretion became too much for Belle to har. And Martha Madison, who was recently lauded as Performer of the Week, turned in another skillful portrayal as Belle impulsively confessed her unfaithfulness.
“I cheat on you. I slept with Philip,” she blurted out through tears that just kept flowing. As she sobbed, Brandon Beemer’s Shawn was stoic, calmly taking in the news as if somewhere, deep down, he always knew that she had unresolved feelings for her ex. She gave the usual, “I was upset, it didn’t mean anything, I’m sorry, I love you,: but Shawn couldn’t respond. He never lost his cool, never raised his voice, just quietly expressed his supreme disappointment at being cuckolded.
That balance suited the scenes perfectly. While she begged for his forgiveness, he just looked at her, wondering if he ever knew her at all. “I did trust you, Belle. I loved you. I forgave you for trying to keep me out of the Academy. I forgave you for plotting with Philip to try and make me look like a phony hero. I don’t owe you a damned thing,” he told her, then asked for a divorce and told her to move out. Nothing Belle did could change his mind, so she packed up and headed for Marlena’s place.
The next morning was a different story, Shawn saved his torment and candor for Hope, who unhappily revealed that she’d known about the affair. She worried her son would do something reckless, but Shawn insisted he wouldn’t. It was if he was too beaten down to unleash his true fury. “I just wish I didn’t always feel this way,” he explained. “Always feeling angry, upset or betrayed. For years, I have felt second best to Philip. And you know what? I am done with it…. This is the last time I’ve let her screw up my life.”
Across town, at Marlena’s townhouse, Doc Evans gave Belle some tough talk, “What you did to your marriage and to Shawn--- you know that was wrong,” she told her daughter. But Marlena, who had already suffered the agony of being in love with two men at once, put her mom hat on and gave Belle the pep talk she needed. “He loves you. He just can’t talk about it. It’ll hurt him. It’ll upset him. He’ll fall apart. Soul mates are so special. Some people believe that they’re bound together forever,” Marlena assured her.
Most likely she’s right, but there are no quick fixes here. And while infidelity stories aren’t new, to rip apart what should have been the couple of Days future is a fresh twist on this age old tale.
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down, Days of Our Lives: In An E-Jam
They love James Scott and think he should be one of the future leading men of the show BUT because he raped Sami its almost impossible to see him in that role. They suggest that he get a new love interest.
What Will Happen:
-Steve has a run in with Ford’s father
-Chloe tells Philip she’s done with their scheme
-Anna looks for a job to gain Tony’s respect
-Adrienne tells Steve that she and Justin worked things out.
