As Days of Our Lives Says Goodbye (and One Bonkers Hello) to Some Familiar Faces, It’s Preparing Us For Some Big Fall Shakeups

As Days of Our Lives Says Goodbye (and One Bonkers Hello) to Some Familiar Faces, It’s Preparing Us For Some Big Fall Shakeups

This was a week of goodbyes on Days of Our Lives, but it’s just the beginning. Plots were unveiled, former friends confronted and we almost lost one very special “Matthew Perry!” On top of that, Vivians exit and Susan’s return could have both altered the landscape more than we realized and with one blonde wig, daytime history may have just been made! 

*The* Switch

I feel like I can’t move on before I address the elephant in the room. I’ve had what is (as far as I know) my first bout with Covid this week and it hasn’t been fun, so my mind’s a bit fuzzy. But even if I was clear-headed, I’m pretty sure that Gwen/Theresa switch would’ve made me question how lucid I was. We knew it was coming, but the show just leaned into it so blatantly tongue-in-cheek even by Days of Our Lives’ standards, I kind of… enjoyed it?

Has a switch that brazen and immediate been made on daytime before? General Hospital is good at swapping characters around on actors, but I have to admit, that was some clever editing. But also, I know a lot of folks hate Gwen, but please, give Emily O’Brien a chance to step into Theresa’s shoes. She’s a great actress and this wasn’t her idea or her choice. It was all the higher-ups’ doing and Jen Lilley herself is understanding of how difficult a position she’s been put into.

As for Gwen, she’ll be back, I can pretty much guarantee it. Hopefully it’ll be to rub it in Leo and Dimitri’s face that she has all the money. She made that clear herself as she left, and we know Theresa’s only here for a limited engagement. So if O’Brien’s still on contract, they’ll switch her right back over once this is done.

I’m not entirely sure of the logic behind it, other than a cost-saving measure. And while it’s a curiosity right now, I’m hoping the folks running the show don’t decide this is a nifty cost-cutting measure they can keep using to change around other characters rather than bring in more actors.

Fall Exodus

With that said, Gwen’s gone, as is Vivian. Chloe, Philip, Belle (now that she knows about Shawn), Talia (now that everyone knows about Shawn), Gabi and Rex are all headed out soon as well. That’s eight characters, and with Lilley having been booted, eight actors as well. We’re getting two new teens in Holly and Tate, but between the longtime cast-members leaving and the short term ones exiting, it seems like Days of Our Lives is giving us a preview of what may be a leaner show and cast.

And while I never want to see anyone lose work or their jobs, this may not be a bad thing if it gives Days a chance to focus more on characters and pace things a bit better so we’re not getting stories dropped for a week at a time. I don’t know that that’s where things are going, but it does feel like we’re getting a ton of exits all in a short time frame this fall.

But also, we’re still in the Albert Alarr period. We won’t feel and see what effect his ouster has on the show until sometime in 2024. Heck, we haven’t even hit the writer’s strike material yet!

A Hint of What’s to Come

Our first week of October is under our belt and I have a feeling that we’re getting one big fall preview as the show gets all the pieces in place for November sweeps.

First, there’s the Susan mystery. She knows something, I’m sure of it. She’s way too cagey about who delivered her to Edmund. (Also, is that it for him? A return 25 years later to be a villain of the week?) But who would rescue Susan without wanting any of her loved ones to know, while at the same time be someone Susan wants to keep quiet about?

But now that Susan’s back and EJ’s called off his Xander and Ava hits, he can get back to focusing on him and Nicole. And I’ve got a feeling that means the revelation that her baby isn’t his is going to be coming our way. And when it does, with Nicole, EJ, and Sloan (and Eric, but… eh) all involved, things should get pretty darn explosive!

Speaking of Sloan, I can’t wait to see her and Xander team up to fight for custody of his baby. I’m genuinely curious about their chemistry together and can see them being a fun, twisted pairing. Though since Xander didn’t kill Susan, I’ve got a feeling his battle with Sarah will be relatively short-lived and they’ll just end up reconciling after all. But for now, I’m glad it just egged him on to push harder for his baby.

To Viv and Fight Another Day

I really wish we’d gotten more of Vivian while she was around. We had about five minutes of her at Titan trying to find a right-hand person and another five of her lording over the Kiriakis mansion. And then she shot Dimitri and what I had at first thought would be a fun cat and mouse game while she made a mess in the DiMera household was over likethat when Gabi turned her in.

But I’m pretty sure that’s setting us up for a breakdown between Gabi and Stefan that’ll culminate in her exit.

As for the Kiriakis fallout, Alex seems determined to do what he thinks Victor would want, which we already know is going to rub his family the wrong way. It seems pretty clear they’re setting him down a dark path and yanking him further from the womanizing buffoon he was, so we should probably brace ourselves for Dark Alex this fall. That may not be a bad thing if he can pull back eventually, but while still having shed his more obnoxious tendencies.

Stray thoughts…

I love how nonchalant Shawn and Jada are about the DiMeras. “I have to go, there’s a shooting at the DiMera mansion.” Must be a day ending in “y.”

“Without a job and no relationship, there’s nothing really keeping me here.” Oh, Chloe… I get the job thing, but you don’t need a man to keep you somewhere. But she and Philip are leaving together, so whatever.

At least Leo was honest about his favorite part of Dimitri and how much losing it would ruin their relationship. (With that said, sex is an important part of healthy relationships for non asexual folks, so I can’t mock him too much, I guess.)

What’s next for Leo and Dimitri? None of us think Dimitri’s going to jail, but these two love birds are about to be awfully lonely together.