You wouldn’t think that a heartbreaking event like the death of a legacy character would be the most exciting news to hit the soap in a while, but I get it.

Days of Our Lives‘ Doug sendoff included several legacy characters whose stays were all too short, and the way so many Salemites bonded together was a throwback to the show’s glory days.

Doug’s Sendoff And Its Aftermath Were All About Family

Days of Our Lives has suffered the same problem as the rest of the television landscape: there is less focus on families and their issues in favor of crime and medical drama.

But during Doug’s funeral week, everything changed, and even now, there are some remnants of the show that once was.

Characters like Steven, Marie, and Liz fit right back in even though they hadn’t visited Salem in many years, and with few exceptions, their presence gave Juile comfort in the hours and days after Doug’s sudden death.

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These scenes were a treat for long-time viewers, but their significance went far beyond resurrecting characters who once had a central spot on the show.

There was a whole different vibe during Doug’s funeral week.

Even though the circumstances were sad, there were plenty of opportunities for humor, drama between people who had held grudges for many years, and families coming together to celebrate the life of one who had been a beacon of light for them for many years.

My favorite was a 60-something Steven continuing to go in and out through windows like he’s one of the teenagers on Girl Meets World.

Julie’s exasperation with him doing that provided some much-needed laughter during these otherwise sad scenes.

The family moments were so strong that I hated that the Days of Our Lives sendoff for Doug was over so quickly and that most of the family went home after only a few episodes.

Still, some of the family is still here, and Doug’s legacy continues. Julie’s loved ones are concerned about how she will get through her first Christmas without her husband by her side.

Fan Reaction to Days of Our Lives Doug Sendoff Shows The Importance of Building On Legacy

Doug’s sendoff during the first week of December wasn’t just about him.

It was timed with a celebration of Days of Our Lives’ 15,000th episode, and if Bill Hayes was still with us, those legacy characters who returned for his funeral probably would have been invited back for another reason.

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The time capsule story — and the subsequent theft of Alice’s diamond necklace — would have gone on regardless, and we might have had the same family vibes that we felt around Doug’s funeral.

There’s a reason the reaction to Days of Our Lives Doug sendoff is far more positive than anything else on the show, and it has to do with legacy.

When this soap began, it was about the Horton family. Alice and Tom were adjusting to an empty nest while worrying about their wayward granddaughter.

(This whole thing where everyone assumed Steven took the necklace because people can’t change is silly, considering that Julie was a shoplifter in the pilot episode and Doug was a con artist hired later to trick her!)

The Horton family has not been central enough to Days of Our Lives recently.

While it’s important to establish new characters and families as time passes, the show doesn’t work as well without the Horton family and its descendants being the main characters.

The town of Salem itself is supposed to be the legacy of Tom and Alice Horton. Yet, the Hortons themselves have virtually been erased, with many of them off-screen and newer families becoming more prominent.

I don’t want the Hortons to be the ONLY family in town. I’m thrilled there are diverse families now, such as the Carvers and Hernandezes.

But eliminating most of the Hortons was never a good idea. We have a scant few in town now, which is why I hope JJ, Jack, and Jennifer stay and that Sarah and Maggie embrace their connection to the Hortons at some point.

Can Days of Our Lives Chart A New Path Forward?

After only a few days, Marie and Steven left town and life slowly got back to normal… normal for Salem, anyway.

Days of Our Lives must ensure its veteran characters get strong stories.

Julie’s story with “Doug III” is a good start, though I’m burned out on relatives moving in who turn out to be evil.

Plus, we just had this stupid Fake Abigail story, so we don’t need Doug’s grandson to follow in Doug’s original con artist footsteps.

But we need to continue having people support Julie now that Days of Our Lives Doug sendoff is over.

Additionally, Days of Our Lives must return to the other foundational elements that made it so popular for many years, especially romances.

Get rid of the race to the bedroom and the endless love triangles. Johnny has never had a story that doesn’t involve one, and this latest one is stupid.

We need to fix the Johnson family while we’re at it.

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Steve and Jack are brothers but virtually never spend any time together. Steve and Kayla are one of the last remaining classic couples but seem to get siloed into individual storylines more often than not.

Finally, younger characters should turn to older ones for advice and support.

It’s beautiful that the last scene Drake Hogestyn filmed was John supporting Tate; we should have more scenes like that so that new characters don’t feel so disconnected from everything that came before.

Days of Our Lives has had a writing regime change, with new material beginning to air in April. Hopefully, the new head writers will consider some of these ideas.

Days of Our Lives has lasted for 60 years because the family connections and romantic storylines resonated with viewers. It shouldn’t take a heartbreaking event like a real-life death for the soap to go back to basics.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics. Do you agree that Days of Our Lives’ Doug sendoff was so successful because it had everything that once made this show must-see TV?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

Watch Days of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives’ Doug Sendoff Reminds Viewers How Good This Soap Used To Be…And Can Be Again appeared first on TV Fanatic.

I have to keep reminding myself that laws in Salem aren’t the same as in the real world to accept the idea that a letter (forged or not) saying that Victor was sorry he didn’t leave Philip his company is a viable reason to contest him not doing so.

Still, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 suggest that there MIGHT be a twist in this storyline, though whether that’s true remains to be seen.

As The Court Battle Looms, Will Justin Get Anyone To Support Xander?

For some reason, the court case seems to depend on witnesses discussing who they would prefer as CEO, which is not how these things should work.

Take those recommendations to the Titan board! The judge should only consider whether that letter proves Victor intended to leave the company to Philip rather than Xander.

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Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 have Justin asking Maggie to testify.

Maggie may not want to get involved between Victor’s two sons, but she certainly has insight into what Victor most wanted, so she might be willing to testify to that.

As an aside, It’s a good thing Victor didn’t also debate leaving the company to Bo despite his coma because Bo will be back on-screen in May, and his story needs to be about him and Hope, not any side nonsense about these company wars.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-16-24 Say That Philip and Xander Learn Who Titan’s True Heir Is

Here it is: an ambiguous spoiler that could point to a twist.

I’m probably reading the spoiler too literally. Since the court battle is coming up, chances are that the judge will make their ruling and someone will be feeling like throwing a tantrum over it.

Still, it would be an awesome plot twist if it turned out that neither Xander nor Philip is the rightful heir and that Maggie is given the 50% of the company that’s supposed to go to one of them so that she has 100% control over Titan.

I don’t know how that could be when the will says that 50% goes to Victor’s secret son, but I’d love it anyway.

It would be the equivalent of a parent deciding no one gets the toy that the kids are fighting over, and I’d be here for that.

Belle Presses Sarah To Tell The Truth… About What?

This is one of the more intriguing Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 because it’s unclear what it’s about.

Belle is set to be Philip’s new lawyer, but it’s unlikely that Sarah will testify against her husband’s interests to help Philip be victorious in court. That would be a ridiculous expectation.

However, Sarah is aware of what Xander did to Brady when he thought Brady was responsible for Sarah’s accident, and Sarah isn’t likely to want to admit to those criminal activities in court. (I’d think she could invoke her right not to testify against her spouse here, but again, this is Salem.)

Thus, this is the most likely candidate for what Belle is pressuring Sarah about.

Love Triangle Alert: Days of Our Lives Spoilers for The Week of 12-16-24 Say That Stephanie Hides Her True Feelings

Stephanie’s been hiding her true feelings about Alex for a while, so if that’s what this spoiler is about, it’s not much of one at all.

However, it seems like she could be falling for Philip again. If not, what was with the overused trope of Philip coming to the door in nothing but a towel?

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Stephanie will probably try to keep things professional with Philip while also being jealous if she finds out about the rumors that Alex slept with Joy.

Philip will be working with Belle, so we might also have a love triangle between two of Philip’s exes. At least Stephanie hasn’t blown up her marriage several times over by sleeping with Philip!

Belle and Shawn will eventually find their way back to each other now that both are staying in Salem, so we don’t need it complicated with another Belle/Philip romp in the hay.

According To Days Of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-16-24, Felicity Will Finally Learn About Her Big Sister

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 promise that Felicity will learn the truth about Cat.

While I don’t have much use for most of this story, I’m interested in Felicity’s reaction. Felicity is the first character with Downs Syndrome to appear on Days of Our Lives, so I always enjoy it when she’s on.

I’m curious how Felicity will respond to this news and whether anyone will try to act as if she’s too fragile to receive or understand it because of her condition.

How Soon Will JJ And Gabi Become A Couple Again?

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 suggest that all the pieces are being put into place for JJ and Gabi to move back toward romance.

I was never a fan of this couple before.

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JJ was moved quickly into a romance with Gabi after Paige died, which irked me, and Gabi called Lani having sex with him when he was too drunk to be able to legally consent “cheating” and “blackout sex.”

Gross.

Sadly, there don’t seem to be any plans to resurrect Paige, and the writing was already on the wall that these two would be pushed back together when Clyde assumed that JJ was Gabi’s “new hubby.”

Gabi can be comforting when she wants to be, and she saved JJ’s life when he was suicidal.

Additionally, Cherie Jimenez’s Gabi seems to be somewhat softer and less unbalanced than Camila Banus’ was, and we have new writers coming soon who might change the character’s direction.

So maybe this will work out better this time.

Meanwhile, this week, Gabi will realize she’s been insensitive to JJ’s true feelings, setting the stage for a reconciliation.

Of course, there’s one person who won’t like it: Julie.

JJ Gets An Earful From Julie About Gabi

Julie just buried her husband and is busy believing that her alleged grandson is exactly who he says he is, but Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24 say she’ll have time to lecture JJ about Gabi.

One of many reasons Doug’s death is so heartbreaking is that he knew how to get Julie to calm down when she went too far — without him, she’s liable to go too far, and it’ll be hard for anyone to reason with her.

JJ has never put up with anyone telling him how to live his life.

He and Jennifer still butt heads to this day when he’s in his early 30s, the same as they did when he was a teenager because she tries too hard to keep him safe, so he won’t be likely to listen to Julie even if he is more patient because she’s grieving Doug’s death.

Ava and Brady’s Date Does Not Go As Planned

To nobody’s surprise, Ava and Brady’s first date will be a disaster.

First dates in Salem usually are, especially when Kristen is eager to throw a monkey wrench into things.

Ava is not afraid of Kristen, unlike Brady’s previous girlfriends, and that aggravates Kristen to no end, so she’ll be determined to make her afraid.

She also wants Brady for herself and will stop at nothing to get him, so the only question here is what Kristen will do to mess things up.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

What do you think of these Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-16-24?

Vote for your favorite spoiler in our poll and then hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

Watch Days of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-16-24: Could There Be ANOTHER Twist In The Philip/Xander War? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Now that Doug’s memorial is behind us and most of the classic characters have left again, it’s back to dealing with Clyde Weston, not to mention the nonsense surrounding Johnny’s one-night stand with Joy and EJ’s manipulations.

There is a bright spot, though. Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise a trip down memory lane for Steve and Kayla, some more of Hope before she leaves, and a possible reason for Shawn to stay permanently.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-09-24 Promise Predictable Danger For The Couples Taking Down Clyde

It isn’t hard to figure out where the Clyde double-crossing stuff is going.

I’d probably be less annoyed with this storyline if it didn’t involve JJ. My favorite character is finally back, but I can’t enjoy it because he’s in such a ridiculous storyline.

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It’s not as bad as that time that JJ and Eve slept together. There’s no dubious consent here.

Instead, JJ missed Doug’s funeral and almost didn’t learn about his death because he didn’t answer Jennifer’s six calls, and for what?

He and Gabi are sharing a bed “as friends,” so it’s not hard to guess where that’ll go.

They’re pretending to be Chad and Abigail so they can act as decoys for Clyde’s goons, and to the surprise of literally nobody, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 say that JJ will have to save Gabi from danger.

Casey Moss and Cherie Jimenez are bringing their A-game, but the story is far beneath them.

My favorite part of it so far has been JJ’s reaction to learning about Doug’s death and his grief that they won’t get to play music together on Christmas now.

I’m glad JJ finally has his musical spirit back — certain other writers wrote out his passion for guitar for no reason whatsoever the last time they saw fit to give him a character-ruining story — but I’d rather have more grief and less Clyde nonsense.

I have trouble believing Clyde is this supervillain when he seems like a parody of the self-involved idiots that Yellowstone‘s Beth Dutton eats for lunch on a regular basis.

Also, JJ is the only one who ever managed to bring Clyde down, and did it fairly easily as a teenager — have the writers forgotten that?

Meanwhile, in the crappier motel across the street (yes, really!), Cat will turn to Chad for comfort, and the two of them will also be in danger.

Color me non-surprised for a second time.

The two of them hate each other (or, at least, Chad does not want to hang out with Cat ever again!), but there’s only one bed in the room, and Chad insists on sleeping on the floor so she can be comfortable.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 don’t say how soon the two end up sharing a bed, but come on.

There’s no way it doesn’t happen sooner or later, especially if they either get held hostage together or realize how close they both came to dying at the hands of Clyde’s goons.

Meanwhile, Cat will be upset about the possibility that her mother is dead.

Did she ever even have evidence that Clyde was actually holding her mom in the first place?

Also, the whole scheme he forced her into involved Cat supporting his lie that Abigail was alive, so why wouldn’t she think he’s lying about her mother being dead?

It’s hard to have any empathy for Cat when she could have cut this off at the pass by turning to someone for help.

I can understand her not wanting to rely on Salem’s Keystone Cops, but she could have told Chad the truth from the beginning so that they could team up to get rid of Clyde, just like they’re doing now, but with less unnecessary drama.

Days of Our Lives to EJ: You Will NOT Get Your Way!

As much as the Joy/Johnny/Chanel mess is irritating, I am excited that EJ’s plans will probably blow up in his face.

I got a good laugh out of Alex telling Joy, “EJ is the DA. He can’t go around blackmailing and bullying people.”

Oh, how I wish being a district attorney meant someone’s morals were impeccable.

However, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise EJ will get some of what’s coming to him, and I can’t wait!

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 say that Kate will give EJ a hard time about releasing Joy from her contract (and really, did EJ think Kate wouldn’t find any of this suspicious?)

EJ versus Kate should be fun, but I’m really looking forward to EJ eventually being confronted with the fact that he brought this on himself.

If you watched Friday’s show, you know that Chanel walked in on Alex and Johnny screaming at each other, and she’s going to be determined to find out what that’s all about.

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The guys were arguing because Alex doesn’t appreciate Johnny and his father running Joy out of town and wants to replace Johnny as director.

Of course, Chanel walked in as Alex was yelling about how he’ll never tell her what Johnny did but only because he cares about Chanel too much.

Please, please, please let this be how she learns that Johnny slept with Joy.

It’s the perfect time since she just told Lani how grateful she was that their previous issue was a big misunderstanding and how she wouldn’t be able to handle it if Johnny cheated on her during the confusion.

Predictable? Yes. But oh, the karma would be so delicious!

Plus, this annoying storyline would be over. It would be a sweet bonus if Chanel held Johnny more responsible than Joy and maintained her friendship with her, but I don’t dare dream of that.

And Now For The Good Stuff: Hope’s Sticking Around For A Bit

Kristan Alfonso was unable to participate in the funeral scenes because of a scheduling conflict, but at least she’ll be around for a little bit longer.

So far, Hope’s return has been pitch-perfect (except for Bo is still in a coma, but future Days of Our Lives spoilers promise he’ll return in May, so we just have to be patient a little while longer!)

She’s met Julie and “Doug III” (or whoever that jewel thief and con artist really is), said a tearful goodbye to Doug at his gravesite, asked Jennifer to keep an eye out for troublemaking from the mysterious stranger, and shared tears with Ciara and Shawn.

And now, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise that Hope will spend some time with Steve, Kayla, and Roman.

Other than that silly story where Steve and Hope had microchips in their heads that made them think they were Stefano and Princess Gina, I’ve always enjoyed it when these two share scenes.

Remember that Steve is also a private detective, so Hope might also be bringing her concerns about Julie’s supposed new grandson to him for further help unmasking the truth.

Steve and Kayla Will Finally Spend Time Together

Days of Our Lives seems to have forgotten that Steve and Kayla are also a classic couple.

Lately, Kayla’s at the hospital while Steve is off doing his own thing instead of the two spending any time together.

Fortunately, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-09-24 promise that Steve and Kayla will take a trip down memory lane.

They’re also visiting with Hope, so these flashbacks might involve grieving Doug or remembering Bo at his best in order to give Hope hope.

Either way, it’s great to finally have some Steve and Kayla time! It won’t make up for the Clyde nonsense, but it comes close.

Also, while Hope is not staying long-term, Shawn may be.

Jada is ready to offer him his old job back.

That’ll not only give him a reason to stay in Salem but will also force him to interact with Belle regularly if she stays, too, and returns to being one of Salem’s most prominent defense attorneys.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

What do you think of these spoilers for Days of Our Lives during the week of 12-09-24?

Vote for your favorite in our poll, then head over to the comments to share your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

Watch Days of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-09-24 Promise A Return To Normal (For Salem) And It’s Such A Letdown appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Just as we’re reeling from the on-screen death of Doug Williams a year after Bill Hayes’ passing and the more recent off-screen death of Drake Hogestyn, Deadline reports that Wayne Northrop has passed away.

Northrop played an additional role on Days of Our Lives and appeared on Dynasty, but he will forever be known to DAYS fans as the actor who originated the role of Roman Brady.

Wayne Northrop Was Roman Twice On Days Of Our Lives

Wayne Northrop’s Roman Brady famously fell off a cliff in a fight with Stefano Dimera in 1984. Soon, Roman was recast with Drake Hogestyn, leading to one of the most famous stories and the one that makes me saddest about both Northrop and Hogestyn passing away within months of each other.

Several years after Hogestyn was hired, it was revealed that he wasn’t Roman — the real Roman had survived the fall from the cliff and taken several years to find his way back home.

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This story would not have worked if Northrop had not been willing to come back. Sure, John could have learned he wasn’t really Roman, but it would have been less powerful without Roman in Salem.

I suppose Josh Taylor could have been hired earlier, but having ANOTHER new actor take over the role from the one who thought he was Roman for years would have been silly, especially since Taylor was wrapping up his role as Chris Kositchek on Days of Our Lives at the time.

As it is, there are some fans who consider Wayne Northrop to be the “real” Roman Brady, even though Josh Taylor has played the role since 1997.

In any case, Roman and Marlena fans were devastated by this plot twist because it permanently ended the original super couple, but considering that Hogestyn’s version of Roman/John had played Marlena’s love interest for years and the two had significant chemistry, it was for the best.

Wayne Northrop Also Played Another Role On Days Of Our Lives

The actor switcheroo was not over, as 20 years later, Wayne Northrop returned to Days of Our Lives once more to play the villainous Alex North.

I don’t really remember Alex North very well, but from what I’ve heard, he’s considered one of the worst villains.

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He appeared in Salem as an amnesia expert who claimed to be trying to help Marlena recover her memory, but in actuality he was an old flame who was supposedly still married to her and wanted to steal her from John.

That sounds like an evil version of Roman, especially because Northrop again ended his run by his character falling to his death off a cliff, this time after a fight with John.

Was this meta-commentary or what?

Wayne Northrop Also Had A Larger Body Of Work

Although Northrop was best known for Days of Our Lives, he also appeared in several other shows.

He was mostly known as a soap star, having appeared on Dynasty and Port Charles, but he also appeared in three episodes of the legal drama LA Law.

Sadly, Alex North was Northrop’s last role, and he disappeared from the TV landscape after that, which might be one reason that he is best known today as the first Roman Brady.

I wish I knew why he had stopped acting. He seemed like he had it made in the 1980s, as he was everywhere then, only to disappear permanently after his last stint on Days of Our Lives.

Wayne Northrop’s Death From Early Onset Alzheimers Is Painful For Days Fans

Northrop died of complications from early-onset Alzheimers at the age of 77, after a six-year battle with the disease, and 18 years after his last performance on Days of Our Lives.

Still, despite how long it has been, his death is heartbreaking for Days of Our Lives fans.

The soap has lost several of its veteran actors in the last few years, which is an occupational hazard of being on for 60 years.

Because fans watch these actors day in and day out, it often feels like losing a parent, grandparent, or best friend when one dies.

Even though Wayne Northrop hadn’t been on Days of Our Lives for a long time, it’s still a lot to take so soon after Drake Hogestyn’s passing.

Do you remember Wayne Northrop on Days of Our Lives? What’s your favorite memory of him?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

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The post Days Of Our Lives Loses Another Alum As Wayne Northrop Passes Away; Actor was 77 appeared first on TV Fanatic.

There’s more to come, but there’s also new hope as someone comes to Salem claiming to be related to Doug.

Life will also slowly get back to normal, with other stories coming back into the fold, but first, Doug will get the epic send-off he deserves.

Doug’s Death Will Bring Back Several Old Characters

Doug’s death coincides with Days of Our Lives‘ 15,000th episode (no, that’s not a typo!), so it’s fitting that several characters from the distant past are coming for his funeral.

Of course, they’re coming because they loved Doug and wanted to support Julie. However, it’s a silver lining to the heartbreaking loss that we’re getting visits from people who haven’t been seen in over four decades.

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Liz Chandler, Marie Horton, and Julie’s brother, Steven, will all attend the funeral in Salem.

Marie was a main character during Days of Our Lives’ first few seasons. She’s Alice’s daughter who became a nun after learning that the neighbor she had fallen in love with was really her brother, Tommy.

(Yes, even in those days, there were weird plot twists involving amnesiac people!)

Unfortunately, Marie and Liz don’t get along. Years ago, they feuded over Neil Curtis, who they both were in love with, and Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-02-24 say that they will rekindle their old animosity.

That is not the kind of drama that Julie needs during Doug’s funeral.

It’s bad enough that she lost the love of her life without family members fighting over ancient history!

Doug’s Final Goodbye Will Be Among Days of Our Lives’ Saddest Stories

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-02-24 say that Doug’s funeral will take place during the first two days of the week.

These scenes will be intense.

Funerals on Days of Our Lives always get to me because the casket displays a big photo of the person.

When I went to a close friend’s funeral in real life, that’s what got the tears flowing, and I’m sure it’ll be the same here.

Julie will deliver a eulogy that I am sure will be twice as heartfelt and heartbreaking as usual because Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes were married in real life for almost as long as their characters were on-screen.

I already feel like I lost another grandparent from the scenes we’ve had so far. I couldn’t stop crying during Friday’s episode, and writing about those scenes got me upset all over again.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-02-24 Promise It Won’t All Be Depressing

Shawn, Lucas, and Ciara are returning for Doug’s funeral, and Ciara has some good news amidst the sadness.

Remember that time capsule Julie couldn’t get open? Ciara has finally figured it out.

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Or maybe Ben did. There’s no word on why he’s not coming to the funeral, but he’ll probably be mentioned.

Anyway, everyone will be excited to find out what is in that time capsule, including the people watching! It was annoying that Days of Our Lives started that storyline and didn’t finish it.

Having something to laugh about in the middle of grieving is important. It’s also realistic.

When my grandmother died, we were all sitting in her house grieving when my cousin found out she’d been accepted to her top-choice school, and all of a sudden, everyone was laughing.

We needed that release, and Julie and her family will need it too, so these scenes will be a welcome relief from the pain.

Could Doug Live On… In A Long-Lost Grandson?

A stranger shows up soon after Doug’s death, looking for Julie.

According to Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-02-24, the newcomer is Doug’s grandson, Doug Williams III, who came out of nowhere when he heard his namesake had died.

I’m not sure what to think of this spoiler.

The idea of a pop-up relative keeping Doug’s memory alive is a nice one.

Although it is not a soap opera, Blue Bloods has done this effectively with Joe Reagan’s son, Joe Hill, whom the family didn’t know existed until he was an adult.

Still, Days of Our Lives has a poor track record with these types of stories.

The chances are 50-50 that this guy is a con artist who has his own reasons for claiming to be Doug’s grandson.

In a way, that would be a tribute to Doug, since his relationship with Julie began with him pretending to be in love with her as part of a con, but it still would be seriously uncool.

Spoilers for Days of Our Lives during the week of 12-02-24 say that Leo will meet the new guy, too.

If anyone can see through a con, it’s Leo, who used to be a top con artist himself.

Still, I fully expect Leo to use this guy to make Javi jealous.

If he does, the chances of the new guy being a con artist increase, as Javi will likely have to rescue Leo from him, leading to true love.

Life Slowly Returns to Normal After The Funeral

Although Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-02-24 promise that the funeral will take up the beginning of the week, the soap will slowly reintroduce other storylines afterward.

Xander’s feud with Philip will continue.

That’s a relief, as everyone who had been at the Pub seemed to be pretending that Philip didn’t completely disrupt Thanksgiving with his announcement that he’s taking over Titan.

We’ll return to that storyline this week, with Xander trying to convince Stephanie to drop Philip as a client. This should be interesting.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 12-02-24 Unfortunately Include More Body & Soul Nonsense

We won’t be seeing any more of that stupid soap opera within a soap opera, at least. Thank God for small favors!

But Joy is going to take EJ’s advice to leave town, or at least it seems that way.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-02-24 say that Joy decides to say goodbye to Alex first, while Johnny is furious with EJ for his interference, so it’s a logical conclusion.

Chanel is supposed to have some family time with Paulina and Lani, but will she learn the truth anytime soon? She needs to before Joy goes anywhere.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Which Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 12-02-24 are you most looking forward to?

Vote in our poll and then hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives airs exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

Watch Days of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers for The Week of 12-02-24 Suggest Doug May Live On In A New Character appeared first on TV Fanatic.

But co-creators Michael Eisner and Tom Miller definitely knew they were taking a risk when they pitched the show to Paramount.

Not surprisingly, the concept didn’t fare well with execs, and the studio passed. 

The market research department said a coming-of-age sitcom about the idealism and innocence of 1950s youth would never work in the trippy 1970s.

But over time, with a little push from George Lucas, Happy Days made history as one of the most significant nostalgia-based shows of all time.

And ever since Fonz and Richie Cunningham showed us how to laugh at our childhood, TV audiences have had a love affair with nostalgic TV shows. 

Many new TV shows also followed the Happy Days formula, whether it was The Wonder Years, set in the late 1960s while airing in the late 1980s, or That 70s Show, which showed us the glee of the 1970s while airing in the 1990s. 

Even in the 2020s, we’ve never really stopped loving nostalgia and using “period pieces” as a storytelling technique. 

Today, with Gen X and Millennials at the wheel of modern culture, we’re tapping back into the 1980s and 1990s and remembering how boomers and slackers saw the world.

We were disconnected and barely scratching the surface of modern technology. But the memories were powerful enough to stick with us and symbolize the lives of whole generations. 

Here are eight TV shows that recreate or recapture yesterday’s nostalgia without being too cringe in that Revenge of the Nerds kind of way. 

Matlock 

Kathy Bates is back on television, and although Matlock takes place in the modern era, it’s easy to see how this rebooted and gender-swapped version of Matlock is a tribute to the 1980s.

Kathy Bates plays, and seemingly channels, the Andy Griffith character of 1986, Ben Matlock. But she’s not just a country bumpkin. She’s also a bit sneaky, a bit disarming, and above all, genteel and charming, as expected. 

Bates played a similar role in The Office as Jo Bennett.

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However, it’s easy to see how this modern retelling of Matlock has more secrets than it’s letting on, especially regarding why Matlock is going undercover at a law firm and solving a much bigger mystery.

While taking down giants with a smile, her “I’m just a harmless old lady” shtick just gets better with age. 

Watch Matlock Online

Bel-Air

Ironically, most people remember the 1990s hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for its dramatic moments involving family conflict, rather than its many lighthearted moments. 

Years after the show came to an end, fan Morgan Cooper made a short film and reimagined The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a dramatic TV series he called Bel-Air. 

It was such a natural evolution that it caught the attention of Will Smith, who wanted to revisit nostalgic characters like Vivian, Uncle Phil, House Manager Geoffrey, Carlton, and Hilary. 

Bel-Air is a bit dark, but who can deny the 1990s took on dark themes with a jaded grin? 

Watch Bel-Air Online

Cobra Kai

Cobra Kai was less of a reboot and more of a “repair” of the hatchet job that was The Karate Kid reboot of 2010. Will Smith’s kid learning Kung-Fu? Come on!

Cobra Kai actually revisited the original characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence (played by original cast members Ralph Macchio and William Zabka) and picked up where the movies left off. 

And before it’s all over, we also get more cameos from original cast members from the first three Karate Kid films. 

No, Hilary Swank never returned to revisit “Julie”, but hey — we still get feels hearing Daniel talk about his mentor. 

Watch Cobra Kai Online

Walker

True, Walker was unceremoniously canceled despite its good ratings. (Another TV first!) But it’s hard to deny that producer and actor Jared Padalecki made a genuine and valiant attempt to recreate 1990s nostalgia with a 2020-era lens. 

Family conflict was low, while gang-police conflict was high. 

And while Cordell Walker did not exactly tribute Chuck Norris (he didn’t even kick anyone’s butt with savage kicks), he did give fans a taste of 1990s nostalgia. 

Walker’s troubled but good-natured family steals the show, while Jared balances between cowboy stoicism and a moralistic community leader. 

Walker, Texas Ranger wasn’t just about beating up bad guys. Ultimately, it was about remembering the forgotten Western genre in the spirit of films like Lone Wolf McQuade. 

Watch Walker Online

That ’90s Show

That ’90s Show reminds us how great the 1990s actually were while we slacked and remembered how cool the 1970s sounded. 

Set in 1996, the show revisits iconic 1970s parents Red and Kitty, but through the lens of Leia Forman, the teenage daughter of Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti.  

The show is double nostalgic in the sense that it remembers the 1990s while also remembering distinctive 1970s characters. 

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Most of those characters come back, too, such as Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), and even Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark). 

Even legends like Eric Forman (Topher Grace), Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), and Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) show up, reminding us that you usually CAN go home again — as long as you’re not in jail. Sorry about that, Hyde. 

Watch That '90s Show Online

Night Court

The original Night Court captured the madness and uninhibited comedy that defined the 1980s.

It was one part burlesque show, one part dad jokes, and one part sad commentary on fatherless boys — a recurring motif throughout its nine seasons. 

It seems impossible to revisit such a “you had to be there” moment in time. Not only because of the madcap and politically incorrect comedy, but just the simple fact that most of the original cast was resting in peace. 

Except John Larroquette.  

The same John Larroquette who always comes back to TV in some capacity, usually playing sidekicks or irritable B-sitcom protagonists. But this time, he gets it right. 

On Night Court, the reboot, he revisits his greatest role as Dan Fielding, who bonds with Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of his late friend, Harry Stone. 

While Harry Anderson’s presence is sorely missed, it’s impossible not to follow Dan Fielding, all grown up and bitter — until he meets a gang of old friends, including former bailiff Roz, played again by Marsha Warfield. 

Night Court might well set a record for a sitcom actor inhabiting the same character for decades if it wasn’t for one other guy.

Watch Night Court Online

Frasier

Kelsey Grammar has always teased his desire to revisit Frasier Crane after retiring the character in 2004. 

And if Grammar has learned anything in his four-decade sitcom career, it’s that you can’t take your ensemble cast with you. 

In the 1990s, he didn’t get the luxury of inviting back Ted Danson or Bebe Neuwirth until Frasier was a hit. 

Likewise, in the 2020s, he couldn’t get David Hyde Pierce to return as Niles Crane. Some ”ships” have sailed. 

But to his credit, Grammar is eager to return to a world that has surpassed him in technology, culture, and, of course, new family members. 

This time, Frasier moved back to the Boston, Massachusetts, area, taking a job as a Harvard University professor, hoping to reconnect with his son Frederick Crane. 

The original Frasier always felt nostalgic, especially in scenes involving Kelsey Grammar and the late John Mahoney, who played Frasier’s irritable but earnest father, Martin Crane. 

They talked about the past. They shared introspective monologues. They thought about the 1980s and how a drink at the end of the day was everything.

Grammar spent so much of the 1990s finding neuroses and avoiding happiness that it is refreshing to see him as a fully realized character.

This new Frasier loves more, gives more, and supports his friends and family in a way Frasier of old could never comprehend. 

Watch Frasier Online

Stranger Things

Stranger Things is the most successful nostalgic show and is the one exception on this list, in that it feels dynamic and “in the moment” and is never just a trip down memory lane. 

Stranger Things gives us Gen X’s aesthetics while creating its own universe of terror, intrigue, and happy endings. (Or shall we say, Happy For Now endings, at least until the final season)

While the show references many 1980s culture riffs and movie tributes, its premise and execution are also distinctly 1980s. 

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The series plays with classic tropes and themes from 1980s movies, such as children going on adventures, dungeons and dragons, government conspiracies, and paranormal discoveries. 

The cinematography is influenced by 1980s directors like Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter. Even the 1980s synth-heavy soundtrack evokes the feeling of 1980s mischief. 

The Duffer Brothers recreated the 1980s very well, right down to including the nostalgic and iconic objects we all still talk about, like arcade games, walkie-talkies, basement hangouts, and terrible sofas. 

Watch Stranger Things Online

Why We Love Nostalgia TV

While trendy and quite effective in getting attention, nostalgia is also very therapeutic. 

It helps members of Gen Z and A visualize a forgotten pre-internet existence while also softly triggering Gen Xers and Boomers to remember the highs and lows of their glory days. 

I personally hope this nostalgia obsession never ends.

Because in the back of our minds, we always want to know what happened to our favorite characters — and we want that portal to an alternative universe to stay open and not just feel like a lost memory.

Those happy days never have to end if we keep remembering the past so fondly.

Over to you, TV Fanatics! What TV shows do you think are doing nostalgia right? Hit the comments and let us know!

The post TV Shows Doing Nostalgia Right (Without Making It Cringe) appeared first on TV Fanatic.

This is the week that Hayes’ alter ego, Doug Williams, is going to pass away in his sleep.

Worse, Days of Our Lives spoilers during the week of 11-25-24 say that he will leave this world during the Thanksgiving Day episode, making it hard to be excited about the holiday show.

Doug’s Death Hits Hard… And It’s Not The Only One

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-25-24 are doubly heartbreaking because on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), Doug passes away, and on Friday, Marlena shares news about John.

As we know, that’s the beginning of the end for him, too, because Drake Hogestyn passed away in September.

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Normally, it would take another year or so before John was written out, but because Hogestyn’s cancer was so aggressive that he’d been too ill to work for 9 months, executive producer Ken Corday made the heartbreaking decision to write John’s death before the actor passed.

That meant Hogestyn was able to have input into how his TV self would pass away.

It’s heartbreakingly beautiful that Days of Our Lives was able to give him that and respected him so much that the showrunners were willing to do so.

Still, it’s depressing and cruel for the audience to be hit with these two huge losses back-to-back. At least it’ll be a few months before John is officially declared dead, but still.

Doug’s sendoff will undoubtedly be beautiful, but I hate that it’s happening on Thanksgiving almost as much as I hate that it’s happening at all.

John Aniston passed away on Veteran’s Day in 2022, so November is already a sad month for longtime Days of Our Lives fans.

Doug’s death will be even harder to bear.

Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes made soap history in the 1970s by being one of the first soap couples to fall in love in real life. They were a fixture on Days of Our Lives for over half a century and married in real life for longer than I’ve been alive.

The only soap death that rocked my world this much was MacDonald Carey’s death, which became Tom Horton’s in 1994. This is unsurprising because Doug and Julie seemed like the next generation’s Tom and Alice.

They also reminded me of my real grandparents, who are long gone, so losing Doug is like losing another one of them.

The good news is that the entire week won’t be depressing. The Kiriakis Thanksgiving will take place starting on Tuesday, so at least we get SOME celebrating before the saddest Thanksgiving ever.

I don’t understand why they couldn’t have let Doug’s death air the day after Thanksgiving so that we could at least have a happy holiday, but at least the family will all be together.

Doug’s Death Will Usher In Lots Of Big Returns

I’m not sure when all of Julie’s huge family is returning to Salem, but Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-25-24 promise that Jack and Jennifer will make an appearance.

I love Cady McClain, but I’m thrilled that Melissa Reeves is back this time.

She originated the role, so she’s the one who should be there for Julie in the aftermath of Doug’s death and cling to her husband and her remaining child.

Melissa Reeves probably has lots of memories of Bill Hayes, too, making her the right person to play Jennifer’s response to his passing.

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She told a few stories about him when he first passed, so most of Jennifer’s grief here will likely be the actress’ real grief combined with the script’s demands.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers During The Week Of 11-25-24 Promise It Won’t All Be Depressing

While the world’s saddest Thanksgiving will overshadow the holiday itself, there’s plenty of other stuff going on in Salem.

There’s more fallout from the Body and Soul nonsense to come, especially Johnny’s one-night stand with Joy.

I know cheating stories are a soap staple, but why did we need to do this with Johnny and Chanel?

It took this couple a year to get back together after the Devil made Johnny break up with Chanel. (I’m SO glad stupid stories like that one are on their way out!)

They survived Chanel’s inability to choose between Johnny and Allie and Wendy’s inability to choose between Johnny and Tripp.

They slowly made their way back to each other while Chanel debated whether she wanted to risk Johnny breaking her heart again.

So couldn’t they have some other story besides their marriage imploding for no good reason?

It doesn’t help that Joy is so likable.

She’s a legacy character who deserves a better story than this trope-filled one where she becomes best friends with the woman whose husband she secretly slept with.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers During The Week of 11-25-24 Have Sarah Finally Coming Home

Sarah going from completely paralyzed to being able to walk with the aid of a cane and supports to hold onto is silly, but we’ll go with it.

In real life, she’d need physical therapy after feeling began to return to her legs before she could even dream of walking again, but in real life, there also isn’t a magic serum that repairs spinal damage and reverses paralysis.

The important thing is that Sarah is home from the hospital. That’ll give her and Xander a chance to have some alone time.

I’m not sure what their story will be beyond that. Days of Our Lives spoilers during the week of 11-25-24 don’t give many clues.

I’m glad Sarah will be there when the news of Doug’s death spreads. Julie will need all the support she can get.

There is also some movement on the Rafe front, with Jada caught between Rafe’s plans and Paulina’s demands.

I hope that Jada is allowed to hire JJ back as a cop, as she’s short-staffed, and he has great detective skills.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Which of these Days of Our Lives spoilers during the week of 11-25-24 look best to you?

Hit the comments and let us know!

Days of Our Lives airs exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c

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The post You’ll Need to Brace Yourself For These Heartbreaking Days of Our Lives Spoilers During The Week of 11-25-24 appeared first on TV Fanatic.

TV’s red flags are things we would (hopefully!) never accept in a real-life relationship but can’t get enough of in fiction.

There’s more than enough dysfunction to go around on TV; after all, what fun are happy relationships in your favorite dramas?

Enemies To Lovers Is King Among TV’s Red Flags

Almost every TV show has a variation of enemies-to-lovers, and fans can’t get enough of it.

I bet most of us could list at least a dozen recent examples of this trope, which involves two people who can’t stand the sight of each other, eventually realizing that it’s not hate that drives their emotions. It’s love.

In other words, they were repelled by the other person because they were afraid to admit that they were attracted to them.

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In real life, people tend to be repelled by those who have values who are abhorrent to them or whose behavior makes them feel icky.

But look at the popularity of Brilliant Minds‘ Wolf and Nichols, for example.

When the series first began, Nichols was an arrogant neurosurgeon who couldn’t stand the sight of the unorthodox but brilliant Wolf.

Many fans picked up on their chemistry immediately and began debating how soon they would or should get together, and now that they’ve kissed, their shippers are thrilled.

Watch Brilliant Minds Online

The Closed-Off Guy Who’s Afraid To Let Anyone Get Too Close

Look, there are a million people out there, so why do we need to waste our energy on someone who is afraid to share too much of themselves?

Yet this trope is a super-popular example of TV’s red flags, second only to the enemies-to-lovers thing.

Take Chicago Med‘s Crockett Marcel, for example.

Marcel’s heart was broken when his infant daughter died of leukemia, so he decided that from that day forward, he was married to his work.

One-night stands and borderline gross flirting with co-workers were fine. Relationships were out.

Then Natalie Manning fell hard for him.

Marcel was resistant until he wasn’t. Eventually, he admitted to her that he was afraid of intimacy and why.

That bonded them as a couple and made them popular with fans. (It also transformed Marcel from a sleazy surgeon to a fan favorite whose exit broke everyone’s heart.)

In reality, trying to pull an emotional connection out of Mr. Closed Off is way too much work, but would Marcel/Manning shippers have wanted it any other way?

Watch Chicago Med Online

The Partner That All Your Friends Hate

If everyone who cares about you hates your new partner, that should be a giant red flag.

Sometimes, people get jealous or misjudge someone they don’t know, but presumably, your friends are looking out for you.

So if four or five people are telling you that someone’s bad news, that’s a sign to run the other way.

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Yet when it happens on TV, it makes us want that couple to get or stay together even more than if people had kept their mouths shut.

Most of the time, friends in TV scenarios are completely wrong. Either it’s purposeful (they don’t want the protagonist to partner up or they want the Bad Boy/Bad Girl for themselves), they’re prejudiced, or they’re clueless.

I’ve fallen for this one of TV’s red flags a lot too.

JJ and Paige were one of my favorite Days of Our Lives couples (who are also a real life couple, but that’s beside the point).

It aggravated the hell out of me when Paige’s friends insisted that JJ’s past criminal record made him the wrong boy for her.

That’s because I was there for JJ’s mental health struggles and understood that he was not a bad person and had worked hard to turn his life around after all the acting out he’d done.

That’s the difference between TV and real life.

Most of the time, we know the proposed partner’s life intimately because we’ve followed them on their own journey, so we know that those well-meaning friends have got it all wrong.

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The Person You Already Tried And Failed With

I’m not much for second chances with the same person, except on TV.

Usually, there’s a reason why people break up, and their relationship isn’t likely to work out if they decide to get back together.

Besides, that’s part of the cycle of abuse.

While not everyone who considers rekindling the flame with an ex-lover is dealing with someone abusive or manipulative, repeated breakups and makeups are flashing red warning signs that something unhealthy is going on.

Yet on TV, we often love it when people whose relationships were such disasters that they ended up in an ugly divorce… suddenly decide to try again. (Yes, I’m looking at you, Olympia and Julian on Matlock!)

That used to be a trope on soap operas.

Every one of Days of Our Lives’ supercouples has had four or five divorces and remarriages, leading to Kayla swearing this was “the last time I’m doing this!” when she and Steve got remarried AGAIN.

It’s also sneaked into regular primetime dramas. Matlock Season 1 Episode 6 explored through flashback the case that led to Olympia and Julian’s divorce two years ago, and now they’re on their way back to each other romantically.

This one of TV’s red flags is popular because it appeals to our sense of romance.

The hopeless romantic in us wants to believe that “love springs eternal” and that people who are meant to be together will eventually find out way back to one another, even if in real life it didn’t work out that way and we’re still heartbroken about an old breakup.

Watch Matlock Online

The Person Determined To Steal The Heart Of Someone Who Is Into Someone Else

Why would anyone with any self-respect be determined to get together with someone who isn’t into them?

Yet TV does it all the time. Every love triangle is based on the idea that X is in love with Y, but Z will show them that X and Z are meant to be.

(Sorry if that sentence triggered anyone’s fear of algebra problems!)

Seriously, as much as I hate Sophia on Days of Our Lives, I respected her decision to break up with Tate because he was using her as a consolation prize when he couldn’t be with Holly. It would have been nice if she’d done that before they had sex, but still, that’s a first on TV.

The Veronica/Archie/Betty love triangle was as popular in the Archie comics as it was on Riverdale, and it fits this trope perfectly.

Betty pined for Archie when he was with Veronica, which isn’t any better than actively trying to steal him.

Either way, this was a compelling triangle — and again, it predates the series and has been part of the Archie comics for years.

We love these types of triangles on TV even though being determined to be with someone else’s partner is super unhealthy because it speaks to our belief about who is meant to be with whom.

We’ve all had experiences when we wonder what is WRONG with our crush that they think someone else is better for them than us.

On TV, there’s a chance the person will wake up and see that their best friend is a way better romantic choice than their current lover, fulfilling our fantasies about the person who didn’t choose us.

Watch Riverdale Online

The Love Interest Who Disappeared Years Ago

I have to admit, I’m a sucker for this one.

These are the true second-chance romances, the ones that didn’t work out, and then years later, the people meet up again and fall hard for each other.

Unlike most of TV’s red flags, this is one that could happen in real life, if the circumstances are right.

I can believe that people who were once high school crushes could fall for each other again 50 years and one spousal death later.

However, this trope raises red flags when it’s something like what happened with Law & Order: Organized Crime‘s Benson and Stabler.

This couple has a huge, super-passionate fanbase that hates it if anyone says anything against their preferred couple.

Still, Stabler GHOSTED Benson for a decade, and she was supposed to be his best friend.

And before that, he made it very clear that he was married and wanted to stay that way.

It’s unrealistic for someone to give a person a second chance after being treated that way, yet here we are, with millions of people who are angry that it hasn’t happened yet.

Again, this trope appeals to the hopeless romantic in us who wants to believe that nothing is impossible to transcend if the people involved are right for each other.

Watch Law & Order: Organized Crime Online

The Abusive Person With A Heart of Gold (And Its Cousin, The Person Who Chooses Someone In Order To Fix Them)

Some relationships go beyond red flags to being the type of problematic no one should have in their life.

Days of Our Lives was the first to popularize “rapemance,” after EJ forced Sami to have sex with her and then she fell hard for him.

These kinds of stories tend to excuse the person who was being abusive with explanations about their traumatic childhood, the reasons they were in a bad mood when it happened, and so on.

Nighttime dramas can be equally guilty of this. Additionally, there are stories about people who decide to date someone with an eye to fixing them.

I’d put The Good Doctor‘s Shaun and Lea into this category.

By The Good Doctor Season 7, they had both grown into a mature, strong relationship, but in earlier seasons, many stories revolved around Lea wanting to “fix” Shaun instead of accepting his autism.

This is an unhealthy relationship dynamic, but it also speaks to our fantasy that love can fix someone else’s problematic behaviors.

In real life, we all want to be accepted for who we are, but on TV, the idea of someone becoming a better person because they fell in love is popular, and that dynamic makes a couple rootable.

This trope, more than any other, emphasizes the importance of realizing that TV is not real life.

In reality, hooking up with someone who has been abusive or who otherwise is in need of “fixing” can be dangerous rather than the beginning of an exciting love story, but on TV it can lead to a compelling romance.

Watch The Good Doctor Online

Over to you, TV Fanatics.

What are your favorite TV romance tropes?

Are any of them things you would not put up with in real life?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

The post TV’s Red Flags: Relationship Dynamics That Scream ‘Run!’ appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Adolescence and early adulthood are challenging no matter what’s going on in a young person’s life, and doubly so when they’re growing up in a high-stress, polarized environment.

TV gets a lot of things right about young people, though it still misses the mark sometimes.

American Shows Need To Take Some Lessons from Degrassi High (and Degrassi: Next Class)

Degrassi HIgh feels like it’s been around forever. I remember it being on PBS when I was a kid, not that I ever watched it then.

But if you want to know what writing young adults properly looks like, you’ve got to check out Degrassi: Next Class.

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This show featured a ton of LGBTQ+ relationships, but the thing is, saying that only scratches the surface of why it is brilliant.

LGBTQ+ shows shouldn’t ONLY be about being a queer kid. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but there’s so much more to being young, and our LGBTQ+ identities aren’t our only identities.

This is especially true if you’re Black or Indigenous or Jewish or any other marginalized identity.

Your queerness is only one part of who you are, and LGBTQ+ representation should show the diversity in the community.

Degrassi: Next Class did that by including people from different cultures and showing how their culture influenced their queerness and vice versa.

This show, which sadly only lasted two seasons, is most properly classified as a teen soap. This means that it features romances, problems with parents, addiction issues, and other things that are of interest to young adults.

It was also designed to appeal to Generation Z, which means there’s a lot of smartboards, cell phones, social media, and other tech that today’s kids are familiar with.

But despite these gimmicks, the characters are well-rounded and realistic, which is something that we sometimes miss on shows about young adults.

Watch Degrassi Next Class Online

One of the few shows I can think of that’s anything like it is the recently ended Good Trouble.

Like Degrassi, Good Trouble featured well-rounded characters who had stuff going on in their lives. It wasn’t JUST about being LGBTQ+, but about being a young adult whose LGBTQ+ identity was part of who they were.

That’s the kind of LGBTQ+ representation we need more of!

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Also, There’s More To Being A Young Adult Than Romance

Shows like Good Trouble and Degrassi High have a LOT of romantic subplots. In a way, that makes sense.

After all, young adults are new to the game of love.

Every crush, every meaningful look, every fight… all of these are super intense when it’s your first or second love.

Plus, love triangles, insecurity, jealousy, and other relationship roadblocks lead to strong drama.

That said, sometimes shows aimed at young adults focus TOO much on romance, especially those shows that straddle the line between teen drama and soap opera.

Young adult shows tend to fall into one of two camps: the teenager who has found the person they are meant to be with for their entire lives at 16, or the teenager that quickly jumps into a relationship with someone else when their heart is broken.

(These two are not mutually exclusive, of course.)

In reality, teenage love life is full of drama, but it gets tiring when shows focus too hard on the romance angle, especially when it involves too much partner-switching.

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I was thinking about this when I read an interview recently with Leo Howard, who plays Tate on Days of Our Lives.

Howard was glad that, unlike many soap opera characters, Tate was level-headed enough that he would be honest with his ex-girlfriend about having moved on. However, he attributed Tate’s quick change of partners to that being the way teenagers are.

To an extent, Howard is right — some teenagers do jump from one partner to another.

Yet, it bothers me that this trope is so prevalent on shows involving teenagers.

The easiest, most common way to create drama is for somebody to get their heart broken and then jump into bed with someone else, usually their ex-partner’s worst enemy.

Even though that might be quasi-realistic, shouldn’t TV strive to do better?

Shouldn’t there be SOME shows that show teens who are real role models, whose lives don’t revolve around relationships, who do something other than jump from one relationship to another?

Young adults are into SO many things. And yes, crushes and relationship drama are part of teenage life, but what about idealism? What about after-school clubs? What about conflicts with teachers and parents?

When there is too much focus on romance, it starts to feel like the message is that that’s the only thing that matters, which is a terrible message to send, especially for shows that focus on girls.

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Additionally, this exclusive focus on romance often leaves out asexual teenagers.

Both Heartstopper and Sex Education introduced asexual characters, making them the exception to this rule, though Heartstopper did a better job of getting it right.

Heartstopper Season 3’s Isaac storyline was brilliant because it demonstrated how left-out asexual teens can feel when their friends begin dating.

Isaac was happy for his friends when they got into relationships, but he felt like a third wheel, which often happens when you don’t have crushes or an interest in dating.

Watch Heartstopper Online

Conversely, Sex Education’s asexual storyline was mostly forgettable, which I have mixed feelings about.

On the one hand, not focusing on it allowed O to be a human being who was asexual, but on the other, it got lost in the bigger storyline of O trying to take over the sex therapy business.

That just points to the fact that we need more stories about asexual characters, period.

That way, the ones that are not explicitly about asexuality don’t bring up questions about whether they’re strong enough representation.

Watch Sex Education Online

Where Do Fantasy Shows Fit In?

Shows like Riverdale that have supernatural elements, superhero shows, and vampire shows have always been popular with young adults and still are.

There are a lot of reasons that these shows speak to young adults. They’re about people who are capable of doing extraordinary things, and often the heroes are the ones who are outcasts.

The message behind these shows is that young people can do anything, including unimaginable things, and that they can make the world a better place.

Obviously, these shows aren’t realistic, yet they include some of the best depictions of young adults on TV.

They offer young people dealing with difficult situations (remember how problematic Jughead’s father was on Riverdale Season 1?) and not only surviving, but thriving and being able to help others in even worse situations.

Watch Riverdale Online

Over to you, TV Fanatics.

If you watch a lot of young adult shows, especially if you’re the target audience, I want to hear from you.

Where do you think TV gets young people right? Where does it need to improve?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

The post Shows That Actually ‘Get’ Young Adults: Where TV Gets It Right (and Wrong) appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Lead actresses Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) and Deidre Hall (Marlena) recently confirmed in an interview that the ridiculous Body & Soul storyline will end by the time the new writers take over, if not before.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-18-24 suggest that we’re at the beginning of the end of this stupid story, but sadly, we’re not done yet.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-18-24 Say That Almost Everyone Gets Sick At The Body & Soul Premiere

This silly meta storyline has been sickening the audience for weeks, and now it’s the actors’ and crew members’ turn.

In all seriousness, this sounds like a replay of the poisoned biscuit nonsense.

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Why do these things always have to happen to Chanel? She’s such a positive, big-hearted person, so can everyone please stop trying to poison her and ruin her career?

These types of storylines also tend to result in people losing their inhibitions and hooking up with the person they really want to be with (see Eric and Nicole during the poisoned biscuit story) or telling secrets they’ve been trying to keep to themselves.

Does anyone else think that whatever’s causing the illness will also cause Johnny’s hookup with Joy to come out?

That secret has to come to the surface somehow, and if the illness is caused by everyone being high, that would be the perfect (yet very predictable) way to do it.

But Wait… Johnny’s Supposed To Reach His Breaking Point With This Secret

Further Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-18-24 suggest that this one-night stand story isn’t over yet, as Johnny’s guilt is supposed to grow until he gets close to his breaking point.

Thus, it’s not likely that the secret comes out yet unless Johnny and Joy are overheard arguing about it on the Body & Soul set.

The story is at that point where Johnny keeps telling Joy he wants to tell Chanel, while Joy wants him to keep quiet so that Chanel won’t hate her forever.

Talking about it where other people can hear (like the Body & Soul set) is stupid. I will never understand why Salem residents always insist on doing this.

Is Joy Doing Drugs?

One possibility is that the poisoning is an accident because someone’s personal drugs got into the actors’ food.

Many soap opera stars over the years have had drug problems behind the scenes, so former head writer Ron Carlivarti might have decided to incorporate that into the Body & Soul storyline

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There is a strangely worded spoiler that says, “Joy is doing lines with Alex.” That could mean that she is running lines with Alex.

However, “doing lines” sounds like the two of them snorting cocaine or speed.

I hope not. Days of Our Lives does not do addiction stories well, and any drug storyline right now would likely be connected to this stupid poisoning story.

But with Joy supposedly being a troublemaker and Body & Soul having poisoning drama, I wouldn’t be surprised if the spoiler means exactly what it says.

Javi Won’t Listen To Gabi About Leo, Not That This Relationship Will Last

Love in the air… sort of.

Gabi had already warned Javi about Leo, and he refused to listen.

Now, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-18-24 suggest that the two will get closer, aggravating Gabi more.

Unfortunately, this is Salem, so the new couple will be happy for about five seconds.

Further Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-18-24 say that Javi accused Leo of betraying him.

I’d love to know what that means.

Javi must tell Leo a secret that somehow gets out. Leo is known as a gossip columnist, though he supposedly gave that up to become the head writer for Body & Soul.

It’s interesting how Javi “loves a bad boy” when Gabi warns him against Leo, but the second said bad boy MIGHT have told his secret, he’s ready to be done with the relationship.

In Salem, it doesn’t seem to manage what age you are. Everyone reverts to acting like a teenager as soon as something goes wrong in their relationship.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-18-24 Suggest JJ and Gabi Will Again Get Close

I’m not sure how I feel about a JJ/Gabi hookup.

I didn’t like them together the last time, especially after JJ “cheated” with Lani in an encounter that would have been labeled non-consensual had the person who was so drunk they couldn’t remember anything been female.

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Gabi kept accusing him of having “blackout sex” with her rival, which made no sense since, again, people who are that drunk cannot consent.

Plus, as JJ pointed out the other day, Gabi used an app to control Julie’s pacemaker and threaten her health in order to get revenge on her back in the day.

Still, that was literally a different Gabi — a different actress, a different time of life. Gabi was supposed to be in revenge-seeking mode then.

So far, she seems to be avoiding behavior that would get her labeled as the next generation’s Sami Brady. She didn’t go off on Jada for “stealing” Rafe’s job, so maybe she is serious enough about changing to be worthy of JJ.

Cat Has An Idea About How To Trap Clyde

Um… yay?

I’m sorry, but the only thing that has interested me about this Cat storyline is JJ trying to talk some sense into Chad.

I can see from a mile away where this is going. Chad and Cat will fall for each other for real while working together to defeat Clyde.

I don’t ship these two.

They have no chemistry, and Cat pretended to be Chad’s dead wife to scam him instead of telling anyone that a guy in maximum security prison was threatening to hurt her mother if she didn’t participate in the con.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-18-24 Promise An Awkward Encounter Between Philip And Stephanie

This should be interesting!

Philip and Stephanie were a couple years ago. They weren’t very memorable, at least not to me; the only thing that sticks in my mind is that Stephanie was kidnapped while dating Philip.

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Years later, new actors have taken over both roles, and I’m curious about their chemistry.

Philip had reconciled with Chloe before the last time he left town but now seems to have broken up with her for no good reason (supposedly, Vivian warned him, and he listened—what?).

However, no matter what chemistry these two have now, Stephanie is drifting toward Alex again, so the best they can do is have a love triangle.

Sarah Tries To Walk After Finishing Her Treatment

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-18-24 say that Sarah will try to take her first steps.

Realistically, even if this magical serum works, she should need physical therapy to be able to walk again after being in a wheelchair for months.

Then again, there’s no such thing as an experimental serum you inject into your spine to reverse paralysis, so we can’t demand too much reality.

I’m looking forward to Sarah learning to walk again, even though I don’t like the ableist message that people in wheelchairs can’t be good parents.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Which Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-18-24 look best to you?

Vote in our poll then hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

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The post Please Tell Us These Days Of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-18-24 Mean Body & Soul Is Almost Finished appeared first on TV Fanatic.