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.

Soap operas are supposed to be an escape, and right now, people need that.

Sadly, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-11-24 promise the beginning of a heartbreaking storyline, with more on the way.

Bill Hayes passed away last January, and DAYS films so far in advance that we’re first getting to the beginning of the end of Doug’s life now. Fortunately, there’s some good news coming to balance out this heavy story.

Doug’s Beautiful Send-off Will Be Made Even Harder Because Of Drake Hogestyn’s Death

Time can play cruel tricks, and one of the cruelest is that Drake Hogestyn passed away only a month before the scheduled send-off and tribute to Bill Hayes.

Days of Our Lives fans have been in a state of mourning since September 28, and John’s exit story started this past week, on the same day that Doug’s did.

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Maggie also was mourning Victor again, as it would have been their anniversary, which also makes this incredibly hard.

How cruel death and the passage of time have been to take all these legendary actors and characters from us so close together!

It’s not ALL happening yet, but Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-11-24 move us toward Doug’s death, so be sure to have your tissues ready.

Julie Tells JJ The Truth About Doug’s Condition

I’m glad JJ is still in the picture. It comforts me to have my favorite character back, even if it’s under these circumstances.

According to Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-11-24, Julie will tell him the truth about Doug’s health.

She told Maggie that Doug had a cold and was “feeling down” about Fake Abigail, but obviously, that wasn’t the whole story.

Doug likely has some sort of illness that Julie has been keeping private. Future spoilers say that he will die in his sleep, hopefully peacefully.

I’m glad that Julie is confiding in JJ. For some reason, two different sets of writers have insisted on pushing JJ to the sidelines even with issues related to his family, as if he’s not really part of them.

That was never the case for Doug and Julie. They always treated JJ like a valuable member of the family, which is as it should be.

The fact that Julie confides in him reminds me that Doug once told JJ that when he and Julie were gone someday, he wanted JJ and Abigail to carry on the Christmas traditions and JJ promised he would.

I hope that comes up this Christmas, which will be the first one without Doug and John. I want to see JJ keep that promise!

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-11-24 Promise More Body and Soul Nonsense, But It’s Almost Over

Hang in there, everyone.

We just have to endure a little bit more of this stupid Body and Soul storyline. The new writing team’s shows begin airing in April, and they are winding down this silly story.

In the meantime, this week, we have more of this unnecessary Johnny jealousy storyline. He’s the only one who cheated and he knows now that Chanel was not unfaithful to him, yet he’s still going to be uncomfortable with the love scene Chanel and Alex have to film.

Come on! Can we not repeat this ridiculous beat so soon after Johnny was SO cruel to Chanel over what he thought was happening?

She deserves better.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-11-24 also promise more of Johnny feeling guilty about his one-night stand with Joy.

Joy will be nervous about the secret coming out, while Johnny will debate whether to tell it.

First of all, I don’t understand why every Salem citizen with a secret forgets that secrets always come out in some horrible way.

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Just once, I’d like someone to get ahead of the coming storm by telling the truth and letting the chips fall where they may.

That may be too much to ask of this show, but I’m asking anyway.

I’m over this business of people “thinking” about confessing and “agonizing” over keeping secrets, then doing nothing about it until it all blows up in their faces.

The worst part of this is that it’ll totally ruin any goodwill anyone in Salem has for Joy. Their wrath SHOULD be reserved for Johnny, but it won’t be.

Hopefully, they BOTH decided to sleep together — we don’t need any dubious consent issues on top of this.

That makes them both guilty of sleeping together when Johnny was married to someone else and not in an open relationship.

However, Johnny decided it was okay to cheat on Chanel because he believed she was cheating on him.

Joy, while not blameless, was new in town and didn’t know anything more than what Johnny told her, which was that he was alone because his wife was a cheating bitch.

I hope I’m wrong and that, for once, we don’t employ a double standard where the woman is treated like a pariah, and the man’s life just goes on after a cheating incident.

I also hope that Joy isn’t so embarrassed or ostracized that she goes back to New York, never to be seen again.

I like Joy. She’s a legacy character who never got a real story, and she deserves a better one than sleeping with a married man and then being run out of town.

With new writers coming, there is some hope we’ll get that, but it’s hard to trust after all the horrible, ugly ways characters like Joy have been treated on Days of Our Lives over the years.

Two Love Triangles In The Black Family

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-11-24 promise more Holly/Tate/Sophia action… and what looks like the start of a new love triangle with Kristen/Brady/Ava.

The Ava/Kristen stuff just makes me yawn. Sorry if you’re a fan of either of these ships. I just can’t get into them.

This triangle means Brady gets to choose between two supposedly reformed (we know in Kristen’s case it’s BS) bad girls, both of whom have done unforgivable things to his family in the past (and dated John, too!)

Kristen has tried to kill Brady’s stepmother on numerous occasions and used to be married to John.

John dated Ava once in the hopes of getting back a memory disk she was holding hostage so that he could remember who he was.

Why should we root for Brady to be with either of these women?

The Holly/Tate/Sophia story is interesting because it’s a typical teenage drama, both on TV and in real life.

Teenagers’ emotions are set on max volume all the time, and something like the guy you like being more interested in your best friend seems like the end of the world to kids this age.

It’s hard to know who to root for in this situation. Holly did stupid things that got Tate in trouble and then did more stupid things that got herself in trouble, while Sophia is a schemer and liar.

These choices are almost as good as the ones Brady has.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-11-24 say that Sophia will confront Tate and insist he be honest about how he feels.

As annoying and schem-y as she is, Sophia has enough self-respect not to be someone’s consolation prize.

I give her a lot of credit for that, especially considering how many adults in Salem haven’t figured out that life lesson.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-11-24 Say There Is Trouble Ahead For Rafe and Jada

I’m intrigued.

Not by the idea of Rafe and Jada experiencing trouble in paradise. .That’s a given for a new soap couple.

However, the spoiler says Paulina throws them for a loop, and I’m not sure what that’s about.

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The only thing I can think of is that Paulina decides she’d rather Jada remain Commissioner of Police than give Rafe his job back.

That would make a lot of sense, actually. Jada is far better at her job than Rafe is.

Still, I can’t help thinking it’s something bigger than that, perhaps something having to do with Vivian’s arrest and whatever manipulations she’s employing to get herself out of trouble.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

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

Vote for your favorite in our poll and hit the comments to elaborate.

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

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The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-11-24: The Heartbreaking End of an Era, But Good News Is On The Horizon appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 have some of John Black’s relatives coming into Salem to celebrate his and Marlena’s anniversary.

Sadly, Drake Hogestyn was too ill to work when these scenes were filmed, so these returns will be a painful reminder that we’ll never have another moment with John on our screens again.

John And Marlena’s Anniversary Is Also Days of Our Lives’ Anniversary

Days of Our Lives will turn 59 on November 8, which the writers also made John and Marlena’s anniversary the last time they got married.

(Like most people in Salem, the pair had several weddings. I think the final count was five.)

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Obviously, this was intended to be a happy occasion. Drake Hogestyn passing away wasn’t on anyone’s radar, but pancreatic cancer had other plans.

In honor of the big day, Belle and Paul are coming back to Salem.

Paul was there not that long ago, but Belle’s been gone a while, so it’ll be great to catch up with her. Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 don’t say anything about Shawn, who presumably is still in rehab, but I guess we’ll find out.

These scenes will be strange because of John’s absence. How do you celebrate a wedding anniversary without both halves of the happy couple?

Drake’s illness forced him to stop working, and John’s absence will be keenly felt, making this story bittersweet.

At least we get to celebrate his and Marlena’s love one more time.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-04-24 Promise Another Sad Story Is On Its Way.

It doesn’t help that it’s the beginning of the end for Doug.

Bill Hayes died in January 2024 at the age of 98, but because Days of Our Lives tapes so far ahead, the soap was unable to begin writing out his iconic character until now.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 say that Julie will take care of her beloved Doug.

I’m not sure what that means. Hayes’ last appearance aired in July, so Doug’s death will be off-screen, similar to what happened when Frances Reid passed away, and Alice was “upstairs” on her deathbed.

I wouldn’t be able to stop crying about this even if we didn’t have John’s death to deal with on top of it.

Doug and Julie reminded me of my grandparents and were my favorite couple, full stop.

My heart also breaks for Susan Seaforth Hayes, who had to lose her beloved husband twice because Doug’s death was filmed so long after Bill Hayes’ occurred in real life.

At least this iconic character will get the sendoff he deserves, but man, it’s tough when characters have to be written out because the actors die.

That’s one of the things people don’t realize about soap operas sometimes.

When you watch an actor play a role for years, in some way, they feel like family, and when they pass away, it is heartbreaking for the fans as well as for the people who loved them in real life.

Fortunately, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 promise that all of this sadness is offset by more standard storylines, including love triangles and possible romances.

Holly’s Desire To Start Again Throws Tate For A Loop

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 put Tate and Johnny in similar situations. They slept with someone else and then suddenly, things changed with the person who they thought they were done with.

In Tate’s case, though, he’s not married and is a teenager, so it’s more forgivable, even if his romp in the hay with Sophia seemed contrived.

He kept putting off sex with Holly because he wanted their first time to be special and for them not to move too fast, so why would he suddenly turn into someone who can’t resist sex when a woman wants to have it with him?

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I hate when Days of Our Lives does these contrived sexual escapades. I’m also not a fan of the trope in which men suddenly cannot resist sex, even if they’ve been doing so for months.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 say that Tate will be surprised by Holly’s request, which I guess is understandable.

Still, it was only a few days ago that Sophia stormed off in a huff because she didn’t want to be a placeholder until Tate reconciled with Holly, so he should have realized it was a possibility.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers for the Week of 11-04-24 Say Johnny Hopes Joy Will Keep Their Secret

The youngest Dimera, on the other hand, has no excuse for his behavior.

He went full Dimera, raging because he believed Chanel was having an affair based on the stupidest of misunderstandings.

He not only threw a glass at the wall but also pretended to be working while really going to a bar to drown his sorrows… and ended up sleeping with a stranger.

This is especially annoying because I’ve waited for YEARS for Days of Our Lives to cast Joy Wesley.

Joy disappeared from Salem as a baby, making her mostly a blank slate, but she also had a fantastic backstory for a soap character: she was conceived as a bone marrow donor for her sixteen-year-old sister, and her name comes from her parents’ joy that it worked.

Thus, Joy SHOULD be a troubled young woman whose mental health issues stem from her belief that her parents didn’t truly want her and only saw her as a means to save Chloe’s life.

Joy got into that slightly with Nancy (who is probably already gone).

However, now, Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 have her stuck in this stupid story where she’s the other woman who will probably become best friends with Chanel until right before the truth comes out.

Couldn’t the writers think of any other reason to bring this long-awaited character back to Salem than THAT?

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 11-04-24 Say Brady Will Get Plenty of Family Time

Brady will spend time with both of his kids this week.

He’s not my favorite character, but I’m all in on this redemption story, where he bonds with Rachel and helps Tate decide what to do about this teenage love triangle.

We need more parents guiding their children in Salem. Half the problem is that these kids are left to their own devices.

Where was Brady when Tate and Sophia were in his bedroom together?

It’s even better that Brady is staying sober, though I don’t trust him to stay away from Ava.

He has been stuck in an endless loop for at least a decade of dating the wrong women and then declaring he never wants to see them again when they completely ruin his life.

I’d love for Brady to break that pattern, but Dyas of Our LIves spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 don’t give me much hope.

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Confronting Kristen about her latest dirty trick (probably the Titan stuff) is a good start, but if he doesn’t stay away from Ava, he’s just trading his drunken behavior in for an addiction to women who have hurt his family in the past.

Ava is acting as a surrogate mother to Sophia, who apparently hates her real mother and avoids her as much as possible.

So what are the chances Brady WON’T cross paths with Ava again and again until they end up kissing?

Vivian Vs. Kate Is The Best Part Of This Latest Titan War Story

I don’t enjoy the fights over control of Titan/Dimera, and I’m not happy that Xander is going back to the idea of murdering people to get his way.

The premise is silly, too. A letter from Victor saying that he’s sorry he didn’t put Philip in his will and would have if things were different in no way makes Philip the rightful heir of anything.

Still, Louise Sorel’s Vivian makes these kinds of ridiculous stories worthwhile. She’s long been my favorite Days of Our Lives villain because she delivers evil with humor, class, and charm.

She and Kate hate each other, so their latest confrontation will be pure fun.

I don’t quite get why Philip is suddenly loyal to Vivian when he usually can’t stand her or why he dumped Chloe because she said so (if he did. That was a bit ambiguous.)

But Vivian has her own version of Dr. Rolf.

Maybe Dr. Wu can make the serum for Sarah and only give it to her if Xander cancels his deal with Kristen.

Beating Kristen at her own game would be so much fun, and Vivian being part of it would make it even better, so I hope that’s what happens, even though there are no Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 that promise it.

Chad, Please Don’t Be Stupid (Again)

Clyde somehow escaped maximum security prison while being transported to court, which is bad enough.

But only in Salem would the guy who Clyde just scammed into thinking his dead wife is alive think it’s a good idea to listen to the next thing Clyde has to say!

According to Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24, Clyde will call Chad from wherever he’s hiding out to ask for a favor.

Chad will probably do it, too. Ugh.

This story should have ended with fake Abigail in jail, and Clyde defeated again instead of going on and on.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Which Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 11-04-24 look best to you?

Vote 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 11-04-24: Life Goes On In Salem Despite Heartbreaking Losses appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The golden age, when every network had at least three soaps, is long gone. When NBC moved Days of Our Lives to Peacock in 2022, that left only three on broadcast TV.

But as bad as it looks, it’s nowhere near over for our favorite genre, and it never will be.

Soap Operas Are The Building Blocks of Drama

People like to make fun of soaps, but the truth is that they aren’t the low-quality dramas they are accused of being.

Most of the time, anyway.

Some storylines are real clunkers (yes, I’m talking about every ridiculous supernatural storyline on DAYS!), and soap operas sometimes engage in the same tired tropes over and over, like bringing dead people back to life or ridiculous, contrived love triangles.

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Still, without soap operas, there would be no nighttime dramas.

When I was a teenager and a high school teacher said that primetime dramas were “really soaps, but we pretend that they’re not,” I was enough of a TV snob to think she was completely off-base, but now I get what she was saying.

Soap operas are built on raw human emotion: jealousy, anger, love, hate.

Primetime dramas might have characters deal with these emotions in a more realistic, less visceral way (sometimes), but they’re also about people feeling deep emotion and doing extraordinary things because of it.

Also, half the time I can predict what’s going to happen next on a primetime drama because I’ve seen it on a soap opera.

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Medical dramas use the same tropes about last-minute recoveries and heartbreaking diagnoses, and anything romantic is easy to predict if you’ve watched a soap opera or two regularly.

That’s why I don’t think there would be the other shows we love without soap operas. They give us the basics of storytelling that all shows use.

Soap Operas Fulfill Our Deepest Fantasies

I’ve given a lot of thought over the years as to why we love soap operas so much.

I’ve watched Days of Our Lives on and off since I was eight years old and came back to it for good in 2013.

There are several reasons soap operas are attractive — I was sucked back into DAYS when JJ Deveraux came to town and was the closest thing to a character who felt the way I did as a teenager — but I think the most powerful one is that we can live vicariously through these characters.

This is especially true of American soaps, where most of the characters look like supermodels, and some work in that industry without being exploited.

Many soaps also feature rich, powerful people who are portrayed as being just like us, except they can pour themselves a drink from their home bar at 3 pm in the afternoon and can basically do whatever they want.

Seriously, though, even if the lifestyle of the rich and idle doesn’t appeal to you, who among us hasn’t wished we could go off on our worst enemy without repercussions?

Even more importantly, who among us hasn’t wanted an impossible-seeming love relationship to work out?

Through soap operas, we can engage in a little harmless wish fulfillment.

We can cheer on Sami Brady or other soap divas when they slap their worst rival in the face in the middle of the town square… and then pray for whomever we think is their true love to forgive them for it.

Soap Operas Have Become More Important Because Family Dramas Are Dying

Most soap operas are about family in one way or another. People meet, fall in love with improbable partners, overcome family disapproval, and have children of their own.

The most popular and common soap trope involves teenagers fighting with their parents.

Soapland is full of overprotective moms and dads, teens who resent a parent’s interference in their lives and fights with kids who won’t accept their parent’s new partner now that their biological mother or father is dead.

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That’s not an accident, nor is it a coincidence that many soap stories are about family members being there for each other no matter what or standing up together to attack someone who is messing with a beloved relative.

Television audiences are starved for this type of content. We love stories about families like ours, even if those families are doing things we would never do or are in completely crazy and unrealistic situations.

Sadly, family dramas are nearly dead elsewhere in the TV landscape.

The closest thing we had to one is Blue Bloods, which is being canceled for absolutely no good reason, and people are heartbroken because that means no more scenes of a family having dinner together.

Soap operas fill that gap.

Days of Our Lives long ago started a Christmas tradition that many fans have continued in their own lives: the hanging of ornaments on the tree that have each family member’s name on them.

That’s an example of the kind of family stuff that soap operas have been known for since the genre first began.

Scenes like those Christmas scenes not only remind us of our own families but make us feel like the people we are watching are part of our extended family.

That need for family connection with fictional characters is underrated. It’s one of the big reasons soap operas will never die out.

There are so many lonely people out there who are able to feel loved for an hour a day when they turn on their favorite soap and “visit” with their fictional best friends.

Soap Operas Are Especially Important Right Now Because They Give People Hope

The most important soap trope is the one where good always wins out in the end.

Some soap opera plots are like thriller miniseries, with people being kidnapped by someone who is obsessed with them or by super-powerful bad guys who don’t want to do anything but cause pain.

I still remember the original Orpheus story on DAYS, which I saw when I was about eight. In it, Orpheus tried to get revenge for his wife’s death by kidnapping Marlena and forcing her to play mother to his twins.

It was brilliant, and I’m sad that no Orpheus story since has been close to its quality.

But in that story — and in all others on soaps — evil NEVER wins in the end.

The villains rarely go to jail, instead escaping town until the next time they’re ready to wreak havoc. But they are soundly defeated each and every time, with family members working together to stand up to them and get their loved ones back.

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That might seem like an overly optimistic message if you’re someone who the world has beaten down or who is dealing with the aftereffects of trauma, but it’s also an important one nowadays.

There is so much chaos, hatred, and division in the United States right now, and people are scared.

They need stories that reassure them that evil is impotent and that the good guys always win in the end. They need hope, and soap operas give it to them in a way no other type of TV show does.

Over to you, soap opera fanatics.

Why do YOU love soaps?

Hit the comments and let us know.

The post Why Soap Operas Are The Genre That Will NEVER Die appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-28-24 say he’s allied with someone he generally hates, which shows how big a deal Kristen’s attempted corporate takeover is.

Meanwhile, a surprising exit is on the horizon, and the fallout from multiple plots unraveling will be a lot of fun.

No, That’s Not Jay Kenneth Johnston Playing Philip

Let’s get this out of the way right away: the guy who returned at the end of Friday’s episode was played by John Paul Lasovier, not Jay Kenneth Johnston, and that’s not going to change any time soon.

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I know that disappoints some fans so much that they don’t care about this story, but I hope that most people will overlook which actor is playing Philip. This is going to be awesome!

Last time Philip and Xander tangled over the CEO position at Titan, it devolved into childish tantrums instead of the two working together.

Philip has so much more reason to hate Xander now.

All of a sudden, not only is Xander his brother, who got the whole company, but he wants to sell it to the late Victor Kiriakis’ biggest enemies for an experimental serum that may or may not cure Sarah’s paralysis.

Philip’s vindictive streak can be just as intense as Victor’s ever was, so Xander better watch out!

Philip Teams Up With Vivian!

Louise Sorel is back, and she and Philip will wreak havoc together.

Surprised? Me too, because Philip usually hates Vivian.

The last time he was in Salem, she called him her son while he pushed her away and told her never to talk to him again, so what gives?

Obviously, he wants to make sure Titan stays in Kiriakis hands badly enough that he’ll do anything to make that happen.

It seems like the whole family is united against Xander. Justin already tried to talk some sense into him, and Philip might actually team up with Brady, too!

I usually hate these CEO stories, but if Philip is going to be forging alliances with the enemies of his enemies, this will be a fresh new spin that’ll be worth watching.

Kristen also will be going through some things when her deal falls through but first, we have some surprising casting news: Brandon Barash is out as Stefan.

This decision was storyline-driven, not the actor’s choice, which means that whoever that masked person was that attacked him either killed him or dragged him away to parts unknown.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-28-24 say nothing about Stefan except that he’s prevented from seeing Gabi, but his last day is Monday.

Fiona Shouldn’t Be Nearly So Smug About Her “Victory”

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-28-24 say that Sarah will unload her wrath on Fiona.

Fiona can’t push her down the stairs this time, and she’s been caught red-handed with a drink in her hand minutes after her lawyer got her out of trouble for the moment.

I don’t understand why EJ listened to Trask. Yes, the case was weak because of his former insistence on prosecuting Brady for the same crime, but that’s never stopped a Salem jury from getting a conviction before.

Trask prosecuted Belle for the murder of Charlie Dale even though she was the fifth person to be arrested, and the only evidence was a button from Belle’s jacket that was found at the scene, so how could Fiona’s case be unprosecutable?

That was plot-driven nonsense, but at least now she’ll get a healthy dose of karma from Sarah.

Fiona tried to kill Sarah to keep her quiet so the whole city will know what she did and what she thinks she got away with.

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If Fiona’s smart, she’ll go right back to that police station and confess. Sarah is scary when she’s angry, wheelchair or no wheelchair, and whatever she does is child’s play compared to what Xander will do.

He already disowned his mother, so there’s no reason he won’t get just as violent with her now as he was with Brady when he thought he was the one who left Sarah to die by the side of the road.

Alternatively, coward Fiona can run back to Scotland with her tail between her legs and never come back, and that’s likely what she will do.

Almost no one in Salem pays for their crimes, after all.

The News About “Abigail” Spreads

Across the world, Fake Abigail (aka Cat Green) has serious problems now that her scheme has been discovered.

Cat and Mark have two powerful men ready to give them hell. I don’t know when Clyde became a supervillain, but they’re scared of him… but the one they SHOULD fear is Chad.

Chad goes full Dimera when anyone hurts his family, and pretending to be his dead wife hurts him and everyone he loves. If JJ’s still around, he’ll have some choice words for the schemers too.

What SHOULD happen is that these two are turned over to the police, but when was the last time anyone in Salem did anything the easy way?

A New Hernandez Is In Town

Gabi and Rafe’s conversation about a random dead aunt will pay off when cousin Javi shows up at Gabi’s doorstep.

I’d rather they found a way to undo the nonsense about Dario being on the run, but I have a feeling this new guy is going to be Dario 2.0.

Rafe said he felt bad that this cousin didn’t get the ring the aunt left him, but he might not feel that way by the time this story is over!

Holly’s Ready To Forgive, But Has Tate Moved On?

In true soap opera fashion, Holly is finally ready to forgive Tate (and Eric, incidentally), but Tate has just admitted his feelings for Sophia.

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I don’t particularly like Tate with either of these two. Sophia is a schemer, and Holly doesn’t hesitate to throw Tate or his family under the bus when it suits her.

Still, Holly’s a better choice than Sophia, and it’s clear they’re endgame, so at most, this nonsense is a bump in the road.

A better story would have been JJ sticking around and giving Holly some support with the life-changing secret she learned about her stepfather.

JJ had serious mental health issues that came to a climax when he learned that his family had kept it secret that Jack raped Kayla years ago, and Daniel was the one who helped him get his life back together afterward.

There’d be no one better to help Holly work through this issue, but it doesn’t sound like we’re getting that scene, at least not right now.

Johnny Wants Chanel’s Forgiveness, But Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 10-28-24 Say He And Joy Have A Secret

I wish I could love this spoiler.

I like Joy. I used to like Johnny. Why do these two have to be involved in this ridiculous cheating storyline?

All bad things stem from the Body And Soul storyline. Every horrible story of the past few months has been related to it.

And now it’s ruining a new character I was excited about and one of the few rootable couples on Days of Our Lives.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Which of these spoilers are you most looking forward to?

Vote for your favorite 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 10-28-24 Promise a Surprising Twist As A Fan Favorite Returns appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The jig is up for Fake Abigail.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-21-24 promise to continue where they left off, with Steve telling Chad who she really is now that he’s saved Chad from Mark Greene.

For once, it doesn’t stop there. Instead of dragging things out for months, Days of Our Lives will reveal who the phony woman is by the end of Monday’s episode.

Many Fans Guessed It Was Something Like This, But The News Is Still Shocking

Fake Abigail has been wandering around Salem without a name for a while, which is ridiculous, but many fans figured out she has something to do with Konstantin.

It’s the only thing that makes sense. During John Black’s final storyline before Drake Hogestyn passed away, John was kidnapped from Katerina’s grave and tied up in Fake Abigail’s apartment.

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There’s no way the Fake Abigail storyline wasn’t related to Konstantin’s eternal anger that John killed his daughter, not with John being dragged into this mess.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-21-24 confirm this theory.

In a plot twist that is likely not much of a surprise to many people, Fake Abigail will be revealed to be Cat Green — the “late” Katerina’s daughter, and her mother is still alive.

Drake Hogestyn’s Death Makes This Reveal Underwhelming

Hogestyn was too ill to film the end of this story, so John Black will never learn that he didn’t kill Katerina, at least not on screen.

His confusion, relief, and anger that Konstantin let him take the blame for a crime that didn’t happen will have to be told secondhand, if at all.

That sucks, and it doesn’t help that this story has a made-up-as-it-went-along feeling to it.

There were few clues that “Abigail” was related to Katerina other than John’s random involvement in the story, so the plot twist falls flat.

It’s hard to see what the point is now that John won’t get to experience the revelation that he never killed Konstantin’s daughter.

The Deverauxes Need To Hurry Home To Make This Reveal Worth It

According to Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-21-24, Chad will be reeling from this revelation, but that’s not enough.

Everyone who loved him presented ten million red flags, but Chad didn’t want to see them because he wanted his wife back so badly.

I get that, yet his gullibility makes it hard to be sympathetic. His wife was needlessly killed, but that doesn’t mean he should have given in to the fantasy that she could return when he knows Clyde is a liar.

JJ is in Paris for the big reveal, though, and his parents really should come too.

There are no specific Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-21-24 suggesting that Jack and Jennifer will be back, though we know Melissa Reeves is headed to Salem in about a month for Doug’s funeral and Thanksgiving.

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Still, they should come NOW. Kayla was right that this was an incredibly cruel scam, especially for Abigail’s parents.

Also, Jennifer should have some choice words for everyone who pretty much kicked her out because she wouldn’t believe that this woman was her daughter.

Yes, coming back from the dead is an overused plot device in Salem, but still. Jennifer was right and no one listened to her, and people should be held accountable for that.

Plus, we need Jack’s meltdown over learning his daughter is still dead to be on-screen.

Kayla said he would be crushed, and Matthew Ashford is a powerhouse who can bring that raw emotion, so let’s have it.

Unfortunately, Days of Our Lives Spoilers for The Week of 10-21-24 Promise More Body & Soul Silliness

I hate the Body & Soul stuff as much as I love the aftermath of big reveals like Fake Abigail and Fiona being the one who ran Sarah over.

Sadly, the writers seem to love this ridiculous meta storyline, and it’s going into even more ridiculous territory now.

Leo thinks Hattie’s curse is ruining the show and putting it in danger of cancellation.

That’s not only a stupid story, but it’s a repeat of an equally ridiculous one in which Will developed a brain tumor after Leo claimed to have given him the evil eye.

There’s also more of this contrived love triangle with Johnny, Chanel, and Alex.

In a way, I can’t blame Johnny for being jealous. Chanel took forever deciding if she wanted him or Allie, and after she chose Allie, Wendy took forever deciding if she wanted Johnny or Tripp.

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The dude has never had a woman who was unconflicted about being with him.

Still, the way this is being handled is ridiculous.

Chanel is married to Johnny and has made it clear that she is not interested in anyone else, so there was no reason for any of this in the first place.

Johnny is wrong about who slept with Alex, and Chanel can easily prove she was already in the real hospital when that went down, except Johnny isn’t telling her what he’s upset about.

Chanel isn’t helping anything by sneaking around with Alex to throw Johnny a surprise birthday party. Why in the world is she going to Alex instead of Paulina with these plans, other than this stupid plot?

At least Johnny’s whining gets Marlena’s attention. If that doesn’t stop Johnny in his tracks, perhaps Leo complaining to Paulina that someone had sex on the set will bring the truth to the surface, though I doubt it.

Now Stephanie is likely to keep her tryst with Alex secret so that she doesn’t get in trouble with Paulina, which gives Johnny more time to convince himself that Chanel is cheating on him.

The sooner this stupid story ends, the better.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 10-21-24 Offer A Few Things On The Brady/Kristen Front

Brady doesn’t want anything to do with Kristen and her stupid schemes, but we know that’s not going to last.

It never does. One of Brady’s mental health issues is that he’s as addicted to troublemakers as he is to drugs.

Fiona is the third woman he’s told in as many months that he thought she was a better person than she was and that he never wants to see her again.

Kristen’s up to her old tricks, too.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-21-24 say she isn’t satisfied with Brady finally being released from prison and has another demand before she releases the experimental medication that will cure Sarah’s paralysis.

No wonder Marlena is worried.

These things almost always end with Brady and Kristen back together — and with someone near death because Kristen didn’t give them what they needed until it was almost too late.

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Involving Xander in her scheme to get Brady off the hook didn’t work, and now that Brady is free, Kristen wants Xander’s company.

Xander should know better than to listen to her. If he does, she’ll move the goalposts again, and there’s no telling when he’ll actually get that serum, if ever.

Besides, I’d prefer a story about Sarah learning to live happily despite her disability than one involving a magic cure.

Not only is this a tired TV trope at this point, but it sends a negative message about disability that contradicts everything Maggie keeps saying about how Sarah can live a full, happy life as a wheelchair-bound person.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

What do you think of these spoilers?

Vote for your favorite 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.

Watch Days Of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week Of 10-21-24 Say Fake Abigail Is WHO??? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Squee! Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-14-24 promise that JJ Deveraux will be back to help unravel Fake Abigail’s scheme.

If you’ve followed my Days of Our Lives coverage over the years, you know that JJ is my favorite character. His teenage antics got me back into the show after a decade or more away from it, so it would be an understatement to say I’m beyond excited.

Even better, he’s going to work with Holly (and possibly Steve!) to expose the truth about Fake Abigail.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 10-14-24 Say JJ Will Officiate Chad and “Abigail’s” Wedding

Could There Be More To This Than Meets The Eye?

On the face of it, the first JJ spoiler sounds silly.

One of the more ridiculous things that happens in Salem is that whoever needs to officiate a wedding for plot purposes gets ordained online at the last possible second.

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It’s JJ’s turn now, as he’ll arrive in Paris to marry his “sister” and brother-in-law.

While this sounds like a ridiculous use for JJ (not that I’ll ever complain about him getting screen time…), there could be far more to it than that.

JJ worked undercover as a young adult to infiltrate Clyde’s drug operation and get him arrested the first time, and he was close with his sister.

There’s nobody better to secretly help expose fake Abigail at her wedding to Chad, and it would be even more delicious if JJ were working with his Uncle Steve.

JJ And Holly Compare Notes At The Reception

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-14-24 promise that JJ and Holly will compare notes about “Abigail’s” strange behavior.

I’ve thought for a while that JJ needed to be in Salem because of Holly. They share a troubled past that revolved around drug use, and they both were sent reeling when they learned a parent lied to them throughout their childhood.

I’d rather JJ and Holly bond over that last issue.

JJ’s mental health issues led him to throw a chair through a window display of Jack’s book after learning that his father had raped his aunt and his parents had kept it secret from him for his entire life so he’d be the perfect person to talk to Holly about her issues with Eric and Nicole.

He also was close with Daniel, who became a surrogate father to him once JJ got over his anger that Jennifer had moved on with Daniel so soon after Jack supposedly died.

He could not only tell Holly some stories about the father she never knew but could also emphasize how Nicole played a role in helping him turn his life around when she helped Daniel keep his secret after Theresa’s overdose.

These two working together to expose Fake Abigail is a good start.

It’s too bad that judging from Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-14-24, nobody derails this wedding, so Chad and Fake Abigail will be married by the time the truth begins to come out.

However, is this marriage legal if the person signing the marriage certificate isn’t who she claims to be?

Steve Also Has A Plan To Expose The Truth

Will He Be Able To Prove Fake Abigail Isn’t His Niece?

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-14-24 promise that Steve puts a plan in motion.

It’s not clear whether this plan involves JJ, but I hope so.

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JJ Deveraux has never gotten enough screen time with his Uncle Steve, which is a damn shame. Not only is Steve his father’s brother, but Steve and JJ have similar personalities.

I’d be up for a story in which Steve mentors JJ on how to succeed as a private investigator, although my dream job is for JJ to take over the investigative reporting Abigail used to do.

He’s much better suited for it than she ever was.

A Desperate Fiona Can’t Stop The Truth From Coming Out… or Can She?

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 10-14-24 Say She Makes A Move Against Sarah

Sarah remembered the truth on Friday, partially because of Eric’s questioning her.

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Days of Our Lives will use another one of its favorite TV tropes next, as Fiona is set to make a desperate move to keep Sarah quiet before Xander can find out what his mother did.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-14-24 also have Xander furious with Fiona, so whatever Fiona has planned isn’t likely to work.

Hopefully, it’s something more original than trying to smother Sarah with a pillow again.

Eric Won’t Give Up On Figuring This Out

He’ll Talk To Brady About What Might Have Happened That Night

Eric is the hero of this story but for a sad reason.

The writers intended for John to figure out the truth, but although these scenes were filmed several months before Drake Hogestyn passed away, he was too ill to work.

Thus, Eric was brought back to Salem as a replacement for John in this story and is doing the investigating that John would have done had Hogestyn been in better health.

Eric, convinced there’s more to the story than it seems, will talk to Brady about the night of the accident, and the two will brainstorm — hopefully without Brady insisting that Eric should let it go and let him plead guilty.

What Is Sophia Up To Now?

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 10-14-24 say that Sophia will rescue Tate somehow.

I’d love to know what that means. My guess is that she’s engineered something to get his attention so that he’ll fall for her.

This twisted love triangle over Tate was bad enough when Holly was in Salem. She’s in Paris right now, so this is no time for Sophia to swoop in and steal Tate’s heart.

Tate should be smarter than this, too. Doesn’t he remember that Sophia flirted with him in front of Holly when he and Holly were together?

Sorry, Folks, But This Stupid Johnny Storyline Isn’t Over

Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 10-14-24 Promise A Major Misunderstanding

Ugh. The Body & Soul storyline is awful, no matter what’s happening in it.

At least Hattie isn’t attempting an obnoxious meta performance suggesting the writers think the real actors are gigantic pains in the butt, as she did last week.

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Still, this Johnny story isn’t much better. He walked in on Stephanie and Alex having sex and assumed Chanel was cheating on him.

I guess he only saw Alex, as Chanel is Black and Stephanie is so fair-skinned, she probably sunburns easily.

Either way, I am not looking forward to his accusing Chanel of infidelity. This is a story that does NOT need to happen.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Which spoilers are you most excited about?

Vote 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.

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 10-14-24: A Big Return Means The Beginning of The End For Fake Abigail! appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Known for her iconic role as Sami Brady on Days of Our Lives and her beloved work with Hallmark, she has become a pseudo-member of our families.

In her latest Hallmark Mystery project, A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, Sweeney dives deeper into her portrayal of the fan-favorite character, Hannah Swensen, solving mysteries while baking delectable treats.

However, amid the excitement of her new film, Sweeney recently faced a personal loss with the passing of her Days of Our Lives costar, Drake Hogestyn, and she was open about the effects of the momentous loss.

On Drake Hogestyn’s Passing

Drake Hogestyn, best known for his long-running role as John Black on Days of Our Lives, was not just Sweeney’s costar but also a mentor and close friend.

His death shocked soap opera fans and left a deep void in the Days family. When asked about how she’s processing this loss, Sweeney didn’t hold back her emotions.

“It’s unimaginable,” she said, her voice filled with sadness. “I think about his beautiful family — his wife, Victoria, his kids, and grandkids. But it wasn’t just them; everyone felt the same way.

Everybody loved Drake. He touched our lives so deeply. He was so sincere and wonderful, and he just meant a lot to me. He was like a father to me, and this has been really hard. He’ll be greatly missed.”

Her heartfelt words about Hogestyn weren’t just for herself but echoed the sentiments of the countless fans who’ve taken to social media to express their grief.

She’s been amazed but unsurprised as fans have been mourning his loss online, as anyone who had ever interacted with him shares the profound loss.

 “It was such a wonderful, beautiful way to mourn, to read everyone’s comments about their experience meeting Drake and that they all had the same feeling knowing him.

“It just makes you feel like everyone understands what you’re going through because they’re experiencing the same loss. He had that impact on everyone he ever met,” she recalled. “It’s just a beautiful, amazing thing.”

As someone who worked alongside Hogestyn for years, Sweeney had the privilege of witnessing the profound bond he had with Days fans. “We had so many experiences,” she reflected.

“I was at fan events with him where his line would wrap around the corner, and you’re  like, ‘Drake, we’ve got to move a little faster.’ And he’d say, ‘Nope, absolutely not.’

“He spent time with every single person — everyone who wanted a hug got a hug. He was tireless. It’s no wonder so many people feel his loss so personally.”

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Finding a Second Home at Hallmark

Sweeney’s connection with fans of Days of Our Lives has carried over seamlessly into her Hallmark projects, particularly the Hannah Swensen mysteries. It feels like family.

Sweeney feels the same way about Hallmark’s dedicated fanbase as she does her Days of Our Lives fans.

“When we were filming at Days, I would be thinking about the fans and their reaction and how they’re going to like the scene or how they’re going to hate me in the scene or whatever.

“And at Hallmark, I feel the same connection … see them online, and they’re so passionate, and they’re so enthusiastic, and they love these characters so much.”

That close relationship with viewers seems to be a driving force for Sweeney. “When I’m on set filming, I think about how to honor what the fans want from these movies and how to get them excited,” she continued.

“I met one of the [fans at the] grocery stores just the other day who was quoting lines from the last Hannah Swensen to me and about what she loves about Dolores. It was so great.”

Having that kind of impact on viewers isn’t something Sweeney takes lightly.

“It is such an honor and also a responsibility. You think to yourself, ‘Okay, well, then I better make it so good and so deeply intricate in places so that when they watch it again, they’re going to see something new and different.’

“They’re going to be surprised by another element of the scene that they didn’t see the first time or the second time. So I spend a lot of time trying to create those kinds of nuances because I know that they do.”

What to Expect from A Sprinkle of Deceit

In A Sprinkle of Deceit, the latest installment in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series, fans can expect to see more of Hannah navigating her life in Lake Eden while getting entangled in another murder mystery.

Sweeney discussed the importance of balancing humor and seriousness in the franchise. It’s no surprise that Barbara Niven’s Dolores provides much of the comedic relief.

“It’s a tricky balance,” Sweeney acknowledged. “You want to honor the murder mystery and how high the stakes are, but Dolores opens us up to comedy.

“Hannah is always the straight man, thinking, ‘Oh, my mother,’ and it creates these comedic moments. Barbara delivers every time, and it’s fun to play off that while still maintaining the tension of the mystery.”

Speaking about her character’s growth, Sweeney shared that Hannah’s relationship with Chad, played by Victor Webster, is a breath of fresh air for Hannah.

“He doesn’t just go along with Hannah’s antics. He puts up some roadblocks there and brings some seriousness to the situation, which I think is a perfect balance for these movies.”

Hannah and Chad’s Slow Burn

Their relationship may also be taking a new turn. “I love a slow burn,” she said with a smile.

“I think it’s really fun to stretch it out and really play out every element of their getting-to-know-each-other dynamic.

“And then, of course, you have Dolores, who’s busily planning, pushing them together, desperate for a date for them, and basically has a wedding date set for them. So you kind of have push-pull dynamics there.

“And in this next movie, you’re going to see a little bit more of Hannah interacting with Chad outside of work. Obviously, it’s always to do with the crime or the mystery or the investigation, but then she connects with him on a personal level.”

One of Sweeney’s favorite scenes from A Sprinkle of Deceipt comes unexpectedly when Hannah visits Chad’s office with a theory on the case.

It kind of allows for this romantic moment to happen between them. He is teasing her a little bit, and she blushes and is embarrassed but totally attracted to him. She has to scramble to get her dignity back,” she said.

“I think they have a really cute relationship that develops.”

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Dolores Makes Meddling Seem Like Fun

In true form, Dolores will be working behind the scenes to push Hannah and Chad into each other’s arms.

Dolores puts “Hannah in a very awkward situation where she’s overdressed for an occasion. She’s always dressed incorrectly for everything, which is a trait that is featured in the Joanne Fluke books that the character is based on.

“Hannah is always sort of a jeans and a boots girl. That’s her comfort, and her mother’s always a beauty queen dressed to the nines. It’s really fun to play on that.”

The Challenges of Baking on Set

One of the more iconic elements of the Hannah Swensen movies is, of course, the baking.

Fans know Hannah is just as likely to solve a murder as she is to whip up a batch of cookies. But in A Sprinkle of Deceit, the dessert of choice is far more challenging than the average sweet treat.

“Croquembouche,” Sweeney laughed when recalling the complex dessert featured in the movie.

“It’s a very difficult dessert to put together. I’m telling you that it really did fall ten times when we were doing that baking montage because that’s a hard thing to do. And then to dress it with the sugar that’s melted on it, it was really complicated!”

A Final Word for Fans

As for what fans should keep in mind as they head into this latest mystery, Sweeney offered a hint. The title, A Sprinkle of Deceit, really says it all.

“There are a lot of lies, there’s a lot of deceit going on, and Hannah’s got to wade her way through a lot of complicated characters.

“So, keep your eyes open!”

A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery premieres Friday, October 4 at 9/8c on Hallmark Mystery.

The post Alison Sweeney Talks A Sprinkle of Deceit and the Loss of Drake Hogestyn appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The news about Drake Hogestyn is heartbreaking.

The Days of Our Lives superstar was relatively young when pancreatic cancer took his life, and most fans didn’t realize he was sick.

Our TV Fanatic writers, Jack Ori and Laura Nowak, took some time to share their reactions to the news, recall their favorite storylines, and discuss how the soap can move forward now that an actor so vital to the series is no longer with us.

Our Reaction To Drake Hogestyn’s Passing Away

We Weren’t Expecting This Terrible News

Jack: I was heartbroken when I heard that Drake Hogestyn had passed away.

I had no idea that he was sick, although I’d noticed he had been getting thinner in his last few appearances. Were you expecting this at all?

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Laura: No. I noticed he looked thinner and tired as well.

I was also curious and concerned when he was off the show for six weeks, but with Days that could have been storyline-dictated. So, I was also shocked and heartbroken.

Jack: Yeah, I assumed he was either on vacation or it was part of the story.

Thoughts About John Black’s Last Scenes And A Possible Funeral

Is It Possible Days Of Our Lives Prepared In Advance For Losing Drake Hogestyn?

Jack: The news broke today that Drake Hogestyn had not taped any more scenes after the ones we saw a few weeks ago, where he and Marlena discussed the plot twist that Brady had been accused of running Sarah over.

In a way, it seemed like a fitting final scene for him and Marlena to talk about how much they loved each other, but I wish he’d been able to do one or two more.

How do you feel about what turned out to be his last scene?

Laura: I’m relieved that Marlena and him told each other how much they loved each other and that his final scene was hugging Brady.

I’m also relieved he got so many final scenes with his family but I am disappointed we don’t get more, especially with his daughters not home.

Jack: Yes, same. I’m also hoping that Dick Van Dyke is willing and able to do another guest appearance if and when they have a funeral on-screen.

Laura: Do you think they’ve already planned or filmed it with some of the returns planned for next year?

Alison Sweeney is returning, Christie Clark spoke of being in LA, and Bo and Hope are back.

Jack: I’m wondering that too. I’ve seen some speculation about it among fan groups.

They tape eight months ahead and Drake Hogestyn just passed away now.

But if he was too sick to work in the past few months, they might have realized that he wasn’t going to survive much longer and prepared in advance.

Laura: Twitter was hopping today with speculation about that. I suspect they planned ahead with some of these big returns. 

Jack: I hope so. I don’t think they planned ahead at all with Bill Hayes, and now his funeral will be almost a year after his real-life death, which is not great.

Some Tributes Made Us Cry

Drake Hogestyn’s Castmates Clearly Loved Him

Jack: Have you seen the tributes to Drake Hogestyn on Twitter and Instagram? He was truly loved by his co-stars and fans alike.

Laura: Oh yes. The ones that made me cry the most were the ones from his TV kids and Stephen Nichols.

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Jack: Yes! Stephen Nichols really got me. Also Christopher Sean’s.

There have also been a few messages from fans who talk about how watching John Black got them through tough times in their own lives.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stephen Nichols (@stephen_e_nichols)

Laura: Those were encouraging. He’s touched so many lives.

I felt for so much of the cast, but especially Christie [Clark] and Ali [Sweeney], who have known him since they were young.

Remembering John Black’s Relationship With Marlena

He Had Other Loves, Too, But She Was His Soulmate

Jack: I’ve been watching since around the time Drake Hogestyn started.

I remember when he was “Roman,” and one of my clearest memories is when Marlena supposedly died in a plane crash.

When she was discovered alive, as so often happens in Salem, he said, “But I saw the plane… I saw the plane go down.” and couldn’t quite fathom that she was actually not dead.

Laura: I didn’t start until the 1990s and my first storyline was when Kristen brought Roman back alive, and John and Marlena had to fight their feelings in 1997.

Jack: I remember that love triangle! I always gave Marlena a pass on “cheating” because, for so many years, she believed John WAS Roman.

John was with a couple of other people while Marlena was allegedly dead: Isabella and Diana (who wasn’t evil then).

Isabella died, ironically, of pancreatic cancer, before Marlena returned.

Do you think Marlena was still the love of John’s life at that point?

Laura: I always thought John carried on with his life the best he could.

I know he loved both women deeply, especially Izzy B.

That stings by the way that Drake Hogestyn died in real life of the same thing Isabella did in the show.

I do think Marlena was his true love, but I also know you can love people differently.

Jack: I agree. I think he had more than one great love.

Love was in the air with Izzy B, but Marlena was always his first love, and he was beyond grateful to get her back.

Remembering John Black’s Best Stories Over The Years

There Are So Many That It’s Hard To Choose The Best

Drake Hogestyn was on for so long that we got to see John grow from a younger leading man to a grandfather. What were some of your favorite stories over the years?

Laura: I spent the day looking at some clips. The Pawn was a classic, and even though I didn’t like it initially, I’m glad they revisited it.

Jack: I liked the original Pawn story better than the revisit.

However, in retrospect, I’m glad that one of Drake’s final stories was an homage to his first story.

Laura: John and Marlena’s affair set off years of storylines.

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That night of passion created Belle, their own blood-related child together.

Because of that night, Sami had issues with both for years, yet she eventually formed a loving relationship with him because she recognized how much he loved her.

Jack: Yes! In later years, I enjoyed when John suffered an aneurysm after yelling at Sami, and it made him more emotional.

It was a shame that the story seemed to have been dropped after a few months.

Sami’s guilt and her feeling that everyone blamed her for his condition were strong, too.

Laura: I also appreciated how much John loved Sami and Eric even after he returned them to Roman and how he reminded Eric of that and he understood Eric’s pain with Jude.

Jack: Yes, I liked that, too. Also, John was the only one who knew how to handle Rachel when she was acting out because Brady and Kristen were apart.

Brady was being too nice because he felt bad for her, and John had the perfect blend of empathy and sternness.

Laura: Yes, John was a wonderful grandfather.

Jack: Speaking of Roman, it was great that after time had passed and they were no longer romantic rivals who needed to hate each other for the sake of drama, he and John became friends.

Another earlier storyline I loved was the original Orpheus story.

Orpheus is the kind of villain I love, even though I wouldn’t want to hang out with him, when used properly.

His first story made more sense because, at the time, he thought John was Roman.

It was a brilliant plot, too, with Orpheus faking Marlena’s death and making her take care of his twins instead of her own because he blamed Roman for his wife’s death.

Laura: Yes, the recent one didn’t work as well.

Jack: The recent one was weird because, at this point, he knows John is not the guy he has a problem with, but I think they wanted to recreate their rivalry because it had originated with Drake Hogestyn.

Laura: I also enjoyed the RoboJohn storyline. It seems like every character gets amnesia, but it was fun to see Drake stretch his humorous vibes.

Jack: Yes, that was a lot of fun! 

The aftermath of the Shoot the Bride story, when John decided to switch Marlena with Hattie so that Marlena could secretly continue to receive treatment, was somewhat silly, but I did like John’s dedication to Marlena.

Laura: Absolutely. I liked it when they added some humor, but too much camp is over the top.

Jack: When Hattie shows up, it tends to go too far.

Drake Hogestyn Should Have Won An Emmy

Could He Still Receive A Posthumous Award?

Laura: I hated that Drake Hogestyn never got an Emmy after the Shoot the Bride storyline.

John was so emotional with Marlena in her bloodied gown and having to deal with feuding daughters and Sami’s guilt.

Jack: Yeah, he deserved an Emmy for that.

His recent work with his guilt over having shot Katerina was also so strong that he should get a posthumous nomination.

Laura: I hope he gets a Lifetime Achievement award.

Jack: Me too! If anyone deserves one, it’s him, and I think it would be gratifying for his family to be able to accept it in his honor.

How Will Days of Our Lives Move Forward?

Drake Hogestyn’s John Black Was a Huge Part Of The Series

Laura: What do you think will happen to the show with John and Marlena gone? They’ve been a vital part of it for so long.

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Jack: That’s going to be rough. I’m hoping Marlena will stay around a while longer after John’s death.

I’m also wondering what will happen with Brady’s storyline.

John was one of the people giving him support and trying to convince him not to plead guilty. He seemed to be heading toward a story where John investigates because this doesn’t add up in his mind.

While Days of Our Lives doesn’t do police procedural stories well, this was an interesting angle. But Drake Hogestyn’s passing obviously means that this will not continue.

Laura: I wonder if someone else will.

It seems like Black Patch has become non-existent. They need a younger generation of investigators.

The Next Generation Needs To Take Over

Who Should Pick Up The Torch Now That Drake Hogestyn Is Gone?

Jack: If Bo and Hope would come back full-time, Steve and Bo could take over for now.

But we need Paul and some other younger people to come back.

Holly seemed interested in snooping, and when Thomas grows up a bit, he’d be a perfect addition since, even as a kid, he is always investigating something.

Laura: I also wonder how long Eric will be around to support Brady, but we absolutely need Paul and Andrew back to investigate and to stay on screen.

Jack:  I don’t see how Eric can stay long-term with Nicole and Jude, supposedly in Paris.

Paul and Andrew would be the best option. They’re so cute together, too.

I do think that losing three veteran actors in the last year or two shows how important it is to ensure that a younger generation gets lots of stories.

When Tom and Alice died, it was sad, but there were also plenty of next-generation characters to help ensure the series continued.

Laura: No one can fill Drake Hogestyn’s shoes, but they need multi-generational stories. Getting Paul and Andrew and/or Shawn and Belle would help a lot.

Jack: I’d love for all of John’s kids to be in Salem. Belle, Brady, and Paul should be there to carry the torch now that Drake is gone.

Sami and Eric will likely both be recurring, Eric because they are writing out Nicole, and Sami because Alison Sweeney is too busy to return to Days full-time.

Laura: Absolutely. I don’t remember the last time all of the adult kids were around.

Most of them were there when John and Eric saved Marlena from the last possession at Christmas in

They were only missing Paul and Carrie.

Final Thoughts About Drake Hogestyn

Our Hearts Go Out To His Loved Ones

Jack: It’s been about an hour, so we should wrap this up. Any last thoughts before we do?

Laura: I feel for Drake’s family, co-workers and the fans

Jack: Me too. His loss hit me hard, and I know it was even harder for those who were close to him.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

What thoughts would you like to share about Drake Hogestyn and what his presence on Days of Our Lives meant to you?

Hit the comments and let us know.

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

The post TV Fanatic Remembers Drake Hogestyn appeared first on TV Fanatic.

September 28 was a sad day for soap fans. Days of Our Lives‘ Drake Hogestyn passed away just one day shy of his 71st birthday.

I’m reeling from the news. Hogestyn has been John Black to Deidre Hall’s Marlena Evans for as long as I can remember.

He joined Days of Our Lives in 1986, the year I began my lifelong love affair with the soap, and stayed with it for the rest of his life, not counting a few times he was written out temporarily, which makes his death an even more heartbreaking loss.

Days of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn Died of Pancreatic Cancer

He Kept His Illness Private And Worked For As Long As Possible

During his last few appearances, Hogestyn looked thin and somewhat frail, but I had no idea he was ill.

John Black had just been rescued from a bizarre abduction where he had been tied up in an apartment in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, after being knocked out in Greece. (That’s the kind of story that only happens in Salem!)

I figured his character was supposed to be weak after his ordeal, and that’s why he looked like that.

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That made the news that he had died of pancreatic cancer doubly shocking.

Although he didn’t look great, Hogestyn’s performance was as strong as ever, making it difficult to guess that he was battling a terminal illness.

Of course, actors have the right to medical privacy just like anyone else, so Days of Our Live’s Drake Hogestyn had no reason to share his diagnosis with his audience.

Still, while it seemed like Hogestyn was ill, it didn’t occur to me that we might be losing him permanently soon.

It’s as impressive as it is shocking that he chose to keep working for as long as possible despite his diagnosis. He was a fighter to the end, just like the character he played.

John Black Was Central To Many Current Stories

He Was A Loving Father And Grandfather Who Will Be Sorely Missed

In recent weeks, John has been worrying about Brady and trying to convince him not to plead guilty to a hit-and-run accident he doesn’t remember causing. (Plot twist: Brady didn’t cause it.)

He also had some touching scenes encouraging his grandson, Tate, after Tate felt he screwed everything up with Holly, and in recent years has been the only one who has been able to get through to Brady’s bratty daughter.

Days of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn also recently gave a stellar performance as John grappled with his guilt over having killed Konstantin’s daughter while brainwashed into being The Pawn, and the John who is on-screen now hasn’t fully gotten over it.

It’s fitting that one of his final storylines was a throwback to his introduction to Salem, even though the new Pawn story was silly.

Hindsight is 20/20, but mine right now realizes I would have appreciated that story more if I’d known he wouldn’t be with us much longer.

But I’m glad that before that, TV legend Dick Van Dyke guest-starred on Days of Our Lives as John’s long-lost father — the final one, that is because John kept learning that he wasn’t who he thought he was and having to search for his birth father all over again.

Van Dyke and Hogestyn were lifelong friends, and Van Dyke pitched the idea of working together while they were both working out at the gym.

That charming story saddens me, knowing that Hogestyn was healthy then and now has passed away from a particularly debilitating disease.

From The Beginning, Most of John Black’s Stories Revolved Around Marlena

For 38 Years, Days Of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn And Marlena Evans Have Been A Super-Couple

Hogestyn’s John Black will be remembered for his epic romance with Marlena. As long as Hogestyn’s been on the show, Marlena has been the love of his life.

There have been rumors for years that the two didn’t hit it off in real life when they first met but grew to be close both on and off set. If that’s true, the current Chanel/Alex storyline is even more of a meta performance than I thought!

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Anyway, I’ll never be able to think about John without Marlena. He saved her life for the first time back when he was the Pawn, and he kept doing it over and over.

Sometimes, that tired TV trope got annoying. Marlena has been the damsel in distress more times than I can count. But John’s love for her was never in doubt.

Together, the couple not only survived countless kidnapping and murder attempts but many other soap plots full of people determined to tear them apart, such as:

• For many years, John believed he was Roman Brady, but the real Roman turned up and wanted Marlena back.
• Sami had mental health issues after walking in on John and Marlena having sex on a conference table.
• Super-villain Orpheus turned his wrath against John even after learning John was not his archenemy, Roman, and tried to steal Marlena for himself
• Countless attempts by Stefano Dimera to get rid of John and get Marlena to fall in love with him
• Brady came home from boarding school with a bad attitude and refused to accept Marlena as his stepmother
• Theresa Donovan hit John with a poker in a fit of rage, putting him in a coma.

John had a few other partners when Marlena was presumed dead after a plane crash, but Marlena was always the love of his life, and that is what will be most remembered about him.

Days of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn Will Likely Be On-Screen A While Longer

The Soap Currently Tapes Eight Months Ahead of Broadcast

Days of Our Lives taping so far in advance of broadcast means that there’s probably more John to come before Hogestyn’s death is addressed on-screen.

In November, the series will finally write out Doug, 10 months after Bill Hayes’ death in January 2024, but put a memorial plaque up before the credits on one of Hayes’ final episodes months ago.

Hogestyn’s death will probably be handled similarly.

His final scenes will be heartbreaking, knowing that they’re limited in number, even if there’s no indication that the character will soon suffer the latest TV death.

When the day comes when John has to die on air too, he will leave a large hole in the canvas that can never quite be filled.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics.

Hit the comments to share your grief and your memories of Days of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn.

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

The post Remembering Days of Our Lives’ Drake Hogestyn, Dead at Age 70 appeared first on TV Fanatic.