Stephen Nichols

Days Of Our Lives: Marina vs Ava


Steve, Kayla and many other Salem residents might be caught up with Ava running riot in Salem right now, but one of the most memorable storylines where this has happened in the past was that between Steve, Kayla and Marina Toscano, played by none other than Hunter Tylo.

Days: Ava Kidnaps Hope/Shocking Rumor Ties Vixen To The Alamains

 Ava kidnaps Hope!

It looks like Bo won’t have his Fancy Face to keep vigil by his bedside next week as loopy Ava kidnaps Hope outside of University Hospital. Steve’s unstable ex has been mistaking Hope for Hope’s sister-in-law Kayla for weeks and finally seized the opportunity to knock “Kayla” out via chloroform before spiriting her off to parts unknown.
 
Once Hope comes to she plays along, thinking that as a cop she’s trained to deal with maniacal mob princesses, unlike her preggers pal Kayla. Hope even calls Steve and pretends to be his wife. A panicked Steve races to save the wife of his Merchant Marine bud from madwoman Ava. It looks like Days is finally about to get its money worth out of the fiery Tamara Braun (Ava).
 
Ava’s pop connected to the Alamain crime family?
 
An interesting internet rumor making the rounds has Ava’s father being a one-time business associate of the dastardly 90’s Days villain Lawrence Alamain. Bo and Steve were investigating Lawrence’s corrupt Jencon Oil company when Steve was critically injured in an explosion meant for Bo.
 
According to the rumor, Lawrence faked Steve’s death and ordered Ava’s father to kill him (yeah…that makes sense), but Ava’s pop decided to turn the one-eyed amnesiac into a hired gun for his criminal exploits. Much to his chagrin, his then teenage daughter Ava took a shining to Steve (must have been that eye patch, get’s ‘em every time!), which led to Bad Daddy pawning poor Steve off on yet another Days uber villain, you guessed it, Stefano.
 
If this rumor proves true, I will gladly bow down and kiss Dena Higley’s ring. I got so tired of James Reilly re-writing all of the histories of Days other great villains to make Stefano the ultimate puppeteer. Long time fans know that it was Orpheus, not Stefano who caused Marlena’s plane to crash; it was Lawrence, not Stefano who caused Steve’s “death” and it was Ernesto Toscano, again not Stefano who held Hope over a pit of acid following the Cruise of Deception! Making all roads lead to Stefano made the once interesting villain cartoonish and eyeroll-inducing. I mean what were they gonna blame on the guy next,  Maury Povich?
 
Shelle sets sail
 
In other Days news, have your hankies ready as Shawn and Belle (Brandon Beemer and Martha Madison) leave town on the Fancy Face (the boat, not the mother) with cutie pie Claire in tow. It looks like history is repeating itself as Bo and Hope also set sail with their little Sailor Man Shawn D. circa 20-years ago to see the world. As much as I have griped about these two particular recasts over the last few years, Brandon and Martha have really grown on me in recent months and dagnamit, I actually hate to see them go!. Who knew all it would take was a plane crash, a cute kid and an Irish wake for me to get over Kirsten and Jason?  

Have All The Big Name Superstar Returns Been Worth The Hype?

TV Guide's Michael Logan's weekly soap column, on stands today, rated several recent high profile returns to daytime with mixed results. The returns of Debbie Morgan and Darnell Williams (Angie and Jess) over at AMC received five stars from the veteran soap columnist."It's been worth a gazillion plot contrivances to see Angie back with her "dead" Jesse after 20 long years," said Logan.

He also applauded Days on the return of it's leading man Drake Hogestyn as a snarkier, less-than-heroic version of his Jason Bourne-esque signature character John Black. According to Logan, John is now "robo-tastic".

Logan also praises the return to daytime of beloved former General Hospital mob princess Tamara Braun as...Days of Our Lives mob princess Ava! On Braun, Logan said, "She was the best and most electrifying of the four gals who have played Carly on General Hospital (truer words have never been spoken, er written!)." He went on to add that Braun had "opened up a big old can o' whoop-ass in Salem as Ava, a bodacious banana with a mad jones for Patch (Stephen Nichols)."

Logan wasn't so impressed by three other recent buzz worthy returns. Citing ABC's "Real Greenlee" campaign, coupled with cutie Rebecca Budig being stuck in stinker stories about tainted roots and amnesiac exes had all but ruined Budig's recent return engagement. "But Budig will triumph!" he predicts. It's taking weeks, but the loopy, ballsy, hot-to-trot Greens we love is slowly coming around."

The return of Brando School graduate Tom Pelphrey also didn't leave Logan with much room to praise the actor's return instead of burying it. "I'm the guy's biggest fan, but his recent comeback left me wishing he'd stayed away."

Logan, like many  of us Jonathan fans, was apparently longing for the Son o' Shayne of yesteryear, the brooding, misunderstood sociopath who carried the show during his initial run. "Instead we got Mr. Mom".

Lastly, the much anticipated return of General Hospital's original Carly (Sara Brown) as big sister mob doll Claudia on GH has also left Logan unimpressed. It's a totally brill idea," said Logan. "So how come we're so bored?"

What do you think about the latest superstar returns on your favorite soaps, have they been a hit or miss?

You bet they have! It is wonderful to see old faves like Jesse and Angie back, it takes me back to when soaps were great!
28% (52 votes)
I've enjoyed some of the returns, but most have been big, fat flops!
20% (36 votes)
If the soaps would simply write better, more engaging stories for the characters they have I'd be happy!
52% (95 votes)
Total votes: 183

Days of Our Lives: 80s Bloopers... Language Uncensored!

Thanks to forums poster Dr.EvansBlack for sharing this Days of our Lives blooper reel featuring many of our beloved Days favourites from the 80s. 

A word of warning... some of them use rather surprising (ie. colourful) language to express their frustration... with that said, enjoy!

 

So Many Questions. Does Anyone Have The Answers?

I hope ya’ll got some answers because let me tell you! Have I got some questions!!!

When did Epcot Ireland become 1982 Slums of Dublin Ireland?
 EpcotIreland.jpg picture by MollyPop771982Ireland.jpg picture by MollyPop77
 
When did Grandpa Shawn become a simpleton? He reminds me of Lennie from Of Mice And Men….

 
Why is John tasting his own tear?

 
Why are Phillip and Chloe in Ireland?

 
Why is this Chloe’s only expression? Isn’t she a little young for the botox?

 
Why are Sami and EJ still in vacation in the nearby and oh-so-safe mountains of Salem?

 
Why isn’t EJ a real person so he can do this and be the father of my children?

 
Why does Belle look like Chloe accused her of farting?

bellefart.jpg picture by MollyPop77

 
Why did I crack up laughing at Colleen and Santo meeting again in the afterlife?

 
Why is everyone so upset about Colleen dying? They only knew her for 12 hours and she stole Claire.

 
Why are they touching the ashes with their bare hands? That doesn’t look safe.

 
How does one get cremated overnight and have their ashes delivered the next day? Does Epcot Ireland have special services we don’t have anywhere else in the world?

 
Who decided a surprise party in a park in subzero weather would be a good idea? 

Why is this the funniest screencap ever?

Why does Kayla have the best hair ever in the history of Salem??

And finally, why can’t I stop watching this video I found on you tube???

(Thanks to ChitChatHaven and Days of our Lives 2 for the screencaps!)