I'm loving the vet storyline! Now that we've all made our way off the island, we've divided into pairs, and each one is as delightful as the next.
First up is Hope and Harris. I'm glad that Harris appears to be unbrainwashed because I'm generally against things like that. However, I found it completely hilarious that Hope and Ciara proceeded to have a whisper fight a few feet from him.
And what a fight it was! Thank goodness Hope finally pointed out that Ciara has no stones to throw when it comes to criticizing people dating men who may or may not still be dangerous. That was not a good look for Ciara. I'm glad she came around.
This pair got an assist from Andrew, who announced that Harris was undergoing tests to see if he's well enough to be discharged and deemed safe to return to proper society. I don't think Salem needs another former brainwashed pawn to take up permanent residence. But knowing that Harris could be called in to consult on cases would be interesting.
Our next pair is Megan and Steve. Miranda Wilson is so very good in this role. Megan is both a lethal villain and a sad teenager, depending on the mood. Sure, it's nuts that a woman in her 60s is obsessed with her high school boyfriend, but here we are. And it's a fun place. Steve questioning her was right on. Hope questioning her was even better!
Of course, she's carrying the trump card because she's the only one who knows Bo is alive. And when Bo and Kayla ended up in Greece, I almost stood up and cheered. I love Bo exploring his Kiriakis roots. We've seen the Brady side. It's a treat to watch this, and even more poignant because I suspect it's leading up to the big Victor tribute that must be coming.
Kayla has no time for Bo's nonsense, nor the last decade or so of Victor's redemption. I'm fine with her stance on both. Her complete exasperation that he's going to become some sort of cosmetic tycoon now once she invents Oil of Orchid nightly cleansing serum was hilarious. Their sibling chemistry hasn't skipped a beat.
Finally, back on the mainland, John brought Marlena home to the welcoming arms of no one. Well, at least not initially. I'm not sure what's up with these ISA guys not sharing the news that people are alive. But eventually, he called Belle and Eric over, where hugs were had by all. I'm glad John mentioned calling Sami. This was a sweet reunion for the Evans clan. That giant group hug with all four of them? Gah! So sweet!
Another family reunion of sorts was over at the DiMansion. Nicole and E.J. knowing about the fidelity clause in Li's marriage contract helps a ton. Now, these two have an actual goal, rather than just the general evilness and the DiMera Bros. Battle Royal. Nicole takes to schemes like an olive to a martini. Stefan commenting that Nicole used to be a schemer "back in the day" is a troubling commentary on the state of this character. Thank goodness she picked right up and plotted. E.J. is lucky to have her on his team. (Also, here's proof that the St. Daniel of Jonas brainwashing takes years to unravel.)
I also love that Gabi and Stefan are onto Nicole and E.J.! Gabi and Stefan make a good team and kind of would be the younger version of Nicole and E.J. With Vivian on her way to town, I can't wait to see what she adds to the mix. That will tip the scales heavily in favor of Stefan unless...
Yes. Yes, please let Megan come to Salem! I'll even swing by the ISA and pick her up. My bag's still packed from spring break, so I have a full supply of snacks in my purse. I'm up for a road trip!
Not only would Megan coming to Salem add another vote to the DiMera board poll, but she would be a formidable opponent for Vivian. As I've said before, Megan is the first real successor we have to Stefano. I want to keep this lady around!
Wendy continues to find herself juggling two fellas. I wonder if she's giving Johnny a chance because he's up-front about his feelings. If that's the case, I have a bit of a bone to pick with her. Tripp shot his shot with Wendy in Beyond Salem. She shut it down. So, it's kind of on her to pick up anything.
Talia had quite possibly the strangest first day at a new job. It started with being threatened; in the middle, she and her boss told each other some pretty deep secrets; and it ended with her having to coach her boss's mom out of a panic attack. But, according to her, she's living her dream! Good on you, Talia!
I feel like Sloan wouldn't use the word "slut," but I guess she thinks of Chanel as a homewrecker. The problem with all of this is that Chanel's been established as a trustworthy character. So, I can't help being annoyed by Sloan's obsession. Her parents lied to her, which stinks. But someone needs to suggest that Sloan consider that her alcoholic father who had an affair with a student might not be the most trustworthy source. Thank goodness Marlena is back!
It's totally fine that Sloan is Eric's midlife crisis. He's human. He's allowed. But it should be a warning sign to him that she admits he's the only reason she's not obsessing over Chanel and Paulina every second of the day. Much like Justin's extremely good advice that Alex make sure crazy Gwen understands the value of their relationship, Eric needs to get that straight with Sloan. He's got a front row seat to what she does when she thinks she's wronged. Pay attention, ex Padre.
Chloe seems awfully worried that Brady will break up with her when he hears that she lost her temper with Kristen and called Rachel a monster. If he does, he's not worth it. And I don't know how Brady can't see that Chloe would be right! Rachel is terrible -- stealing phones, calling Ubers, knowing that crying can manipulate adults! Last week, Brady mentioned that sweet Rachel is so kind to everyone but Chloe. I call bologna. Her DiMera and Kiriakis genes probably gave her a head start to bratsville, but she's well on her way. Brady's got his hands full.
Maggie was on fire last week! I chuckled when her rant about Gwen ended with, "Does he know what Gwen did to all the children?!" Then she called complete BS on Gwen being a changed person. That was right before she rightfully pointed out that Xander was jealous. She finished out the week informing Justin that Alex might never be able to accept her as CEO because Alex is a little bit of an entitled jerk. Good for you, Mags! Preach on!
HOT:
Peter Reckell is back, looks great, and hasn't missed a beat. I'm digging his performance as brainwashed Bo. This Bo has the same devil-may-care attitude. But his soft, gooey center is just a little harder to reach. It's a fun element of the character to explore, and Peter is doing so masterfully.
NOT:
Yo, Stev-e-rino. Did I hear correctly that Stephanie finally got through to you on her 21st call? Jesus, man. I know you're transporting a serious criminal, but maybe find time to call your kid and tell her that her mom's alive. We need to work on your time management skills, sir.
LINE OF THE WEEK:
Roman: "Kate told me she liked being a Brady."
Eric: "What's not to like??"
I found this exchange incredibly charming.
Honorable Mention:
Leo: "I'm going to give that snake a piece of my mind!"
Gwen: "Careful, there's not much left."
RANDOM THOUGHTS
I like how Paulina refers to Shawn by full name, "Detective Shawn Brady."
Nicole snorting when Sloan got arrested was amazing.
I need more closeups of Talia's nails.
Is there a Salem Mall?
The villain needs a comma in that "This isn't over bitch" letter. Otherwise, it looks like the author is announcing that something is, instead, located under a female dog.
I like how Megan let Kayla keep her jewelry on while being held as a medical prisoner. This woman may be a bad guy, but she has standards!
Stephanie calling him "Papa" and Steve calling her "Little Sweetness" is the cutest thing ever.
Why was Ciara dressed like a Shadow High doll?
Let's say you're trapped on a Greek island and find a burner phone. How many phone numbers do you actually know off the top of your head?
Do E.J. and Nicole not realize that the pub sells wine and a full bar of things like martinis, too?
The reaction on Chloe's face when Xander suggested that he might have real, human feelings was hilarious. It's the same look I get when someone says something like, "Head north on 10th Street."
I've never been more sure I don't like Sloan than when Rafe came into the scene to arrest her, and I thought, "Oh, thank goodness. Rafe is here."
Elia Cantu looked stunning all week. Almost glowing, no?
Dude. Marlena's got a massive "mom guilt" card to play for at least the next year. "Hey, kids, remember the time I was dead? It would mean so much to me that you get along for my second chance on earth."
That's all for this week. Tony will be back next week to see how good that soup Bo made really is.
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