Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Head Writer Ron Carlivati Talks On: Ben Weston, Soap Amnesia, Doppelgängers, and the Time Jump
Days of our Lives viewers have been going through some changes over the past month since the launch of the innovative time jump from the creative mind of the series and Daytime Emmy-winning head writer, Ron Carlivati. As episode after episode unfolds, the audience has been finding out just where their favorite Salem residents have landed and with whom, in the one year flash-forward. There have been shocking deaths revealed, longtime couples facing different kinds of obstacles that could change their relationships forever, and some characters brought back on the canvas, in one form or the other, to shake things up.
On the series finale of the Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast, Ron Carlivati was the very special guest and addressed many of the decisions that went into making the flash- forward happen starting with when Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) wakes up from her coma after her fall, thanks to Princess Gina (Kristian Alfonso), and how it impacts the canvas. You can listen to the can’t-miss interview here via iTunes or at NBC.com/Inside Salem.
Due to the length of our conversation with the talented head scribe, some of the questions and answers did not make it into the podcast finale due to time constraints. So, we have brought you the rest the interview here as Ron discusses: the popularity of #Cin, back-from-the-dead storylines, writing for the original series on the DOOL app and further creative decisions that went into crafting the one-year time jump. Check out what Ron had to say below.
Photo: JPI
You have been able to make #Cin, the hottest duo on daytime by taking a now reformed serial killer, Ben Weston (Rob Scott Wilson) and pairing him with the daughter of one of DAYS all-time supercouples, Bo and Hope in Ciara Brady (Victoria Konefal). Were you ever concerned as to how this story/romance would play to the audience at home, because in reality no parent would ever just stand by and let their child get involved with a man who strangled and killed women, previously?
Ron: To sort of try to glorify a guy who strangled women and make him into a romantic lead, we don’t do that lightly. Not unlike, Todd Manning (Roger Howarth) on One Life to Live who was a rapist, and who became sort of an anti-hero, but also a romantic lea. And in this day and age, it’s even a bigger decision to do something like that, I think. So, that said, it is a soap opera and there are certain things where we know we are pushing the envelope. We know in the real world that no mother would ever get past her daughter being with a guy who murdered, killed, and strangled three women or strangled and shot one, but the pairing worked so well.
Photo: JPI
In the time jump, you gave Ben an intriguing prison cell mate in Will Horton, given that Ben had “killed” him previously. Add to that you brought back Ben’s criminal father, Clyde back into the mix. There’s lots of prison orange these days on the screen.
Ron: When we knew we were sending Ben to prison, then obviously father and son have to cross path. It just added another element, so it wasn’t just going to be Ben and Will (Chandler Massey) talking to each other, and making a shawl together like Martha Stewart. (Laughs). Ben’s relationship with Clyde was interesting to me. As horrible as Clyde was and is – there does seem to be some sort of love that he has for Ben.
Photo: JPI
On the soaps, and as has been part of DAYS enduring legacy, characters are killed off, only to be brought back to life somewhere down the road. Many return with classic soap amnesia as a vehicle to drive story. Is there ever a time when as a writer, or as a soap fan, you think “enough is enough”, and characters should just stay dead? Many fans who watch daytime dramas get very invested in tragic death stories, where characters have these shocking or sudden, or long goodbyes, and the viewers goes through the grieving process; along with the other characters, for what then seems like a waste of an emotional investment when said character turns back up alive.
Ron: We were talking about bringing Jack (Matthew Ashford) back right around that same time we had the Will story. We couldn’t bring two people back from the dead at the same time, and that’s why Jack’s return kind of got put on the back-burner, so we could do the ‘Will is alive’ story arc. Look, the audience will go with you, especially if they want somebody back desperately. They will overlook how did it happen, and how could they be alive. They will accept almost any explanation, but I think you’re right, if you do it too much, you tend to water down the permanence of death … especially deaths that you saw on-camera.
Photo: JPI
Viewers know you love doppelgänger storylines. And, in the time jump you brought back none other than Hattie Adams (Deidre Hall). Why the decision to bring Hattie back at this time? I know Deidre loves playing her.
Ron: I think Deidre likes playing something different than Marlena, because she played Marlena for many, many years, and she knows her like the back of her hand. Hattie is an escape and something fun, and the chance to do and say outrageous things that Marlena would never do. So, we bring her back whenever we can to have fun with, and again, it seemed to work because she was in prison, and we set Eve in prison when we started the time jump off, and we’re like, “Who’s Eve (Kassie DePaiva) going to be talking to?” and we’re like, “Oh, well of course. It has to be Hattie.” (Laughs)
When do you first see the fruits of your labor? Do you see a feed from the set as the show is taping? Do you receive episodes where you see how what was written has come to life?
Ron: In prior shows, One Life to Live and on GH, I saw it when it aired. At One Life, I was in the studio, so I often saw production shooting scenes. Here, they send me the completed shows once it has been completely edited, the music has been put into it, and it’s all ready to roll, and they email me the link to 5 or 6 shows. So, I could in theory watch a couple of weeks ahead of the audience, but I tend to (unless I’m so, so curious about how a certain thing turned out) watch it when it’s on TV.
Photo: JPI
The “Lani (Sal Stowers) and Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) joining a convent” storyline is at a critical point in story. How did you come up with the decision to put Lani, and of all people, Kristen together and about to take their vows as nuns, and kind of becoming bff’s?
Ron: I mean, you can’t imagine sort of two more unlikely friends as Kristen and Lani. We grew to really love the relationship that developed between the two of them. I think we sat down and said about the time jump, “There have to be enough big changes that you do the double-take.” Like, Will is Ben’s cell mate, Adrienne is dead, and Justin and Kayla are together now. You had to have enough of those WTF moments to justify passing a year of time.
You have also been writing series for the DOOL app. What did you think of Chad and Abby in Paris with that being the initial one and how it all came to pass?
Ron: It was fun. I had no time. I was writing six episodes a week of DAYS, and I was asked “By the way, can you write two seasons of a web/app show for us?” (Laughs) Greg Meng (Co-executive producer, Days of our Lives) has really been the mastermind behind this app and developing this app into something. I love all of the stuff you guys came up with for all the behind the scenes content, but I know that Greg really wanted original series content on it, too. Chad (Billy Flynn) and Abigail (Kate Mansi) just seemed like the logical couple to do that with. You wanted somebody tied to Salem that wasn’t currently on the campus, but you know the audience cares about what their up to, and Chad and Abby just seemed perfect. The process was totally different because I’m used to writing six outlines a week that are 15 pages long, and all of the sudden, I’m like, “She comes in, this happens, and this happens.” . That’s like a whole episode of an app series right there. Corday Productions produced it while they were producing the regular show, and they made a special set into Chad and Abigail’s apartment, which I thought looked incredible.
Photo: JPI
Chad & Abby in Paris had a bit of a different look and feel then the regular airshows, which I think made it enticing.
Ron: I loved the look of it. I felt it was just a little bit different than Salem. We had the establishing shots of the Eiffel Tower and all of that stuff, and look, we had to keep it simple, but we added in Austin (Austin Peck). We had Tony (Thaao Penghlis) come in season 2. We had the new characters of Juliette (Rachele Schank) and Sylvie (Shawna Della-Ricca). So, it was fun, and it weirdly just timed out so perfectly because we did 8, took like a week off, did another 8, and that last episode was posted right when Jennifer fell.
Right, so it timed perfect to get Chad & Abby back on the airshows.
Ron: It timed out perfectly so that we could have Abigail get a call: “Something has happened to my mother. We have to go back to Salem.” So, you last saw Chad and Abby in Paris, and then the following week they were back in Salem.
Photo: JPI
Now, with the kind of massive move for DAYS with the time jump, you have to figure out: “Who are the casualties? Who am I going to lose?” Viewers learned in short order that: Adrienne (Judi Evans) isn’t alive, Haley (Thia Megia) isn’t alive, and Jordan (Chrishell Stause) isn’t alive. What went into the decision-making process to kill those characters? I’m assuming it was to further the story of others on the canvas.
Ron: Yes. Anytime we kill somebody, it breaks my heart every time, because these are like my babies. You fall in love with these characters, and you care about them a lot, and you care about the people who play them. So, it’s a big decision to say, “Let’s kill them.” It may be a great story, like, “I’m going to get this amazing story if I kill X,” but that’s a person and a job, and it’s not something we ever do lightly. That said, in a year of passage of time, you know that life and death is going to happen, and to us, it felt like to really signify the passage of time, there had to be at least one or two people who are no longer alive, and then show how that affects our story.
Photo: JPI
Did you ever think that instead of 1 year that you’d do a bigger jump? Like, “What if I did 5 years?” Because it’s interesting, I was reading some comments on social media from fans who are like, “What year is it? Is it just 1 year? Why didn’t they do 5?” (Laughs)
Ron: 5 seemed like a lot. I think people change physically a lot in 5 years. I wasn’t prepared to cast little children as teenagers… that would be a lot. (Laughs) I think you run the risk of it being almost too disorienting for the audience. Also, then it would be me having to figure out what happened over 5 years instead of just 1. (Laughs) So, 1 year just kind of seemed perfect, and it had to be an even year so that even though it’s a crazy coincidence that Jennifer woke up 1 year to the day she fell into the coma, you needed Thanksgiving to still be Thanksgiving, and Christmas to still fall on Christmas, and that kind of thing. So, it had to be an even year. I think it worked out great and I hope the audience continues to go on the journey with us, because there is a lot more to come!
So, have you been enjoying the DAYS time jump thus far? Which storyline has piqued your interest most? Let us know via the comment section below.
No don’t like the change
Me either….
7 no I hate the time jump. Nothing makes any sense. Steve as Stephanie is ridiculous. I hated princess Gina the first time around. I’m about to give up on this show,and I’ve watched nearly since the beginning
There is nothing surprising about the time jump storylines at all, except that it’s got eight months to go and all of the actors are off contract, and the webisodes are for morons. The fans and new children are having none of it. The fans are the only ones who sorta kinda understand it, but for the few who like it there a multitudes who see the writing on the wall, and even Sami Brady can’t fix it.
Out of all the writers at this point in time
Ron Carlivati is king.
He is a Brave writer and he will push a limit.
He brings mystery and suspense.
I wish to hades he was the head writer for GH.
GH is drama Free –
it has become pathetically Bland it’s so stale it’s moldy.
RC will deliver the action..
LOL,
is it you Sue? you are usually so spot on that this post feels like its from Sue with a Re-Ron personality disorder.
Drama is stupid unless the audience connects emotionally to the story, most long time Days fans are mourning right now,
and you suggest Ron C ‘brings the action’?
????
by action, do you mean killing another legacy, I could agree with there….
viewer88
hi viewer ..
Do you watch GH, all so?
GH is stiflingly boring to say it’s pathetic would be a soft word..
At the least RC doesn’t `comma you lol
You might think his writing is UCK but you’re awake to notice. LOL ..
All I can really say, because I agree, GH is has lots of stupid too…
But there GH has it’s dramatic, emotional moments that keep me connected.
Oscars death, Sonnys Dad, Monica dealing with. Drews 1 & 2. there are more.
Days has become a farce, easy to laugh at sometimes, but it makes me feel nothing lately.
I did feel sad for Robin Stasser though, finally getting a job, so they could turn the character she was to play into a cartoon.
hi viewer..
every soap has something for someone.
They are all makebelieve, so its what’s fits your fantasy.
Some like lovey-dovey junk.
Others like hard-hitting drama (me..
A good gripping mystery is always #1.
Some like vets and family
Some like ‘campy ..
We need to find the best fit..
0oooh a great many would love to turn
the calendar back to the 80s-90s.
whichever we expect to have great writers’
but- good writers are an endangered species.
Seems we have to ‘take what we can get LOL
Now that Corday has another year with NBC, he should cancel ReRons contact,Bring back the stars, and get his show back, before the awsome soap killer does in DOOL. Gawd, how low do the ratings have to go these days??? (I know the ratings are in No way accurate!!!). It’s just like taking money making people stupid by making soaps…the re ron factor.
I love this storyline! The time jump has really intrigued me, but don’t like that Adrienne is dead!
I’m enjoying it. I don’t like all the changes, Adrienne and Brady’s baby dead, but it’s okay. Looking forward to what happens next.
RE-RON. The fake mask king. Ridiculous.
Not so much…kind of confusing when you suddenly jump into a story that happened off screen ect…This Is Days Of Dr.Who…Not Days Of Our Lives-miss when soaps were soaps and not scifi/fantasy ect!!
Love the time jump! Makes for more drama and the unexpected!
It has given me reason to finally stop watching the show. Too much violence, every character seems to carry and pull a gun, the stupidity of the storylines of chip implants into brains, Bringing Stepho back as Steve (the day I removed the record from my dvr), Two non-Catholics becoming nuns, It’s time to place this show to rest like OLTL and AMC – writers ruined those, now you have destroyed Days. And don’t a year from now pull a “dream” sequence that never happened!
In the picture of Billy Flynn and Kate Mansi, it appears as though Flynn is wearing a plant-like helmet. Oh, never mind…
I thought his hair was tinted green. Once I finally looked up from him sitting down. LOL.
Hi davlestev1! Thanks for your reply — and for the laugh!
Gentleman James!!! I noticed your name in the “recent comments” column, and since you have been so scarce as of late, thought I would check out this thread to see about what you were referring! That purely unintended “optical illusion” looks like a green-dyed “Mohawk” to me…LOL! At any rate, it’s so nice to see you here again…you’ve been missed! And right in the nick of time for me to wish a most Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours! Welcome back, my friend!
Shay, I cannot thank you enough for the warm greeting! It’s so nice to be welcomed and remembered… And you nailed it on the “green-dyed ‘Mohawk!'” I just had another thought: a live Chia pet! I also wish you a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! Please take care, Friend.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!!!! Ding Ding Ding…We have a winner and it’s James! You called it to a “t”…that is EXACTLY what Flynn’s “festive hairdo” resembles! Now I will never be able to pass a ChiaPet store display without thinking of you! (If they still even make this perennial Christmas present that everybody wants…said no one ever!!! I’ll bet they do!) Regardless, it’s always a pleasure to touch base with you, my friend, and even nicer during this wonderful holiday season! As for being “welcomed and remembered,” that is a given where I’m concerned! You’re unforgettable, Gentleman James!” Take care, enjoy this beautiful time of the year and don’t be a stranger! Your unique perspective on the state of today’s remaining soaps vs. those of daytimes yore is always a treat to behold, and I shall be looking forward to reading your “reviews” in the long winter days to come…especially in reference to “It’s A Wonderful Sonny Life” on GH!!! (Yep, you can bet your Santa boots we’re due for yet another “Corinthos Christmas Extravaganza!” LOL…) Later!
Ha! Thanks a million, Shay! Thanks so much for your kind words. You are indeed a day-brightener, a role you’ve played plenty of times before! I think quite highly of you! Your insightful, articulate commentary is a reliable source of enjoyment at this site.
BTW, my soap viewing has actually spiked in recent weeks — I’m loving the time jump on DOOL! And your humorous allusion to GH Sonny, knowing my distaste for the character, is appreciated. I can’t see returning as a GH viewer, not as long as that character is front and center.
I will check in here more regularly, peruse the postings, and add to the discussion when I find such inspiration. In the meantime, best to you and your loved ones! I hope your holiday season is filled with joy. And as my fave Karen Carpenter sings in “Merry Christmas Darling,” Happy New Year too!
@James…I’m so glad you are enjoying DOOL again, although the “time jump” seems to be a controversial choice of plot device amongst regular viewers. (For example, CeeCee, aka, “Celia,” and her gran are not fans of it from what she had relayed to me…LOL!) However, any machination which brings back Stephen Nichols works for me, no matter how outre’!!! (Loved him both as “Patch” and “Stefan Cassadine!”) On the other hand, I do believe GH needs a similar jolt to escape its dreadful sense of ennui…personally, I would be in favor of a “Dallas move,” i.e., the notion that the past (oh, say five years…) has been a terrible nightmare and none of it happened except in the furtive dreams of a sleeping character would be absolutely ideal. (That could have worked awhile back if Sam would have awakened and found your not-so-dead favorite, Jason, in her shower…of course, that ship has now sailed. But there’s always the sadly-departed Duke with his beloved Anna, or best of all, a still-missed AJ with his mourning-mum, Monica! Both of these women deserve the happiness that such a miraculous move would bring.. ) Then again, I also loved the “snowglobe scenario” that St. Elsewhere used in its final episode…whereby one of the central doctor’s son had imagined the entire concept of the eponymous hospital in his mind whilst gazing upon said object…with all the children about in Port Charles these days, that slightly-abridged idea would work for a reset back in time, too! But I digress…unfortunately, GH is what it is…and that inevitably means Sonny being featured front and center with every possible means to humanize him being implemented from here to eternity! At any rate, it has been a pleasure to be in touch with you again, too, James! I hope your renewed interest in Days continues into 2020 and that you will remain a presence here at MFTV with your always concise and well-put thoughts…In terms of Karen Carpenter? What a voice! So utterly flawless and dreamy…she was definitely a one-of-a-kind vocalist who left us far too soon…but what a gift of those beautiful songs she left behind…including her indelible Christmas selections! “Merry Christmas, Darling,” indeed! Lastly, thank you, “Gentleman James” for your ever sweet, generous sentiments which are deeply appreciated!…It’s the privilege of “meeting” such lovely people like you that makes visiting MF’s website a uniquely satisfying experience…being able to dissect the good, bad and even ugly of our soaps with the like-minded (and sometimes, not so like-minded!) is simply the cherry on top! Later, my dear friend, and best wishes during this blessed season and beyond!
Hello Shay! So elated to read your praise of Karen Carpenter! My fandom has been a lifelong passion. I have been known to go on and on about her… Suffice it to say, her voice was amazing. I agree further with you about so much of what you wrote: Stephen Nichols’ roles, the dreary status of GH, Jason in shower, Duke, Anna, Monica, St. Elsewhere’s brilliant finale…
I also agree with your take on the “privilege of ‘meeting’ such lovely people” here. We are certainly blessed with that. I do thank you for your kind words for me. I wish you and your loved ones a Happy Holiday Season and the best in the new decade! Cheers!
Oh, James!…..These threads are quite frankly far too tempting for going off-topic on a wide range of wonderful tangents with equally wonderful people—- like you!…It is clearly one of my worst indulgences, so “curbing my enthusiasm” for engaging in this practice will definitely be at the top of my list of new year’s resolutions…something I believe Mr. Fairman will greatly appreciate…LOL!
However….until then: I will simply say that I can easily understand your devotion for the late Karen Carpenter and her treasure trove of now classic songs…she was a one-of-a-kind performer and her untimely departure still registers decades later…no female vocalist has since even come close to replicating her stunning sound. I have watched a few programs featuring “her story,” and what was so painfully obvious was that her death wasn’t just a great tragedy for her fans, but her brother, as well. Whilst Karen was the indelible “voice” of the Carpenters, Richard was the musical genius behind the unique, trademark harmonies of this synergistic duo…without his beloved sister by his side, he has seemed a rather lost soul, even though he has dedicated his immense talent to numerous other praiseworthy projects during these subsequent years. Fortunately for us, he has also channeled his energies (and obviously still deeply-felt grief for Karen) toward lovingly protecting and preserving her/their impressive entertainment legacy which he has graciously shared with the public for our continued enjoyment…what an amazing gift!
Now then…back to the soaps!!!! Let’s hope that at this same time next year we are still here at this website discussing and debating the merits—or lack thereof—of all four of the remaining shows! I truly do believe that both Days and GH are hanging by the proverbial thread, so to speak…hence any rejuvenation/restoration of these soaps to some semblance of their former glory days would be a most welcome development that’s virtually a necessity for their very survival…it looks like that is currently in the process of occurring in Salem…now if only that same sort of miracle could be witnessed in Port Charles!!!! Having said that, I won’t hold my breath for the latter, because I’ve always sensed that there’s an ingrained mindset at GH that really refuses to both honor its rich history and build the future around the show’s once-successful formula/characters…it now seems more about creating/maintaining a hybrid version of GH/OLTL with a dash of AMC thrown in for good measure and that is where it has horribly gone awry from my perspective…Although I watched all three soaps in their heydays, I am—first and foremost—a GH fan, and often feel slighted by too much attention being paid to new players whose sole purpose appears to be as a far-too-convenient vehicle for recycling actors from those other two now-defunct ABC soaps. Their constantly-added presence promote feelings of divergence and dissonance from the show’s more traditional themes and flavor, which leaves me wanting much more than is being delivered at present. Since this scenario has been repeated time and time again—no matter the ongoing objections of diehard GHers who prefer the familiarity of fondly-loved faces from the show’s past—it does seem like attaining a decent balance of utilizing the old guard vs. pushing a new direction is an absolute impossibility. There is a constant tug of war between the two competing “visions,” with only a passing nod given to our old favorites—save for “Sonny and Co,” of course!—in order to temporarily placate longtime viewers, with the inevitable return to front-burner status of the newbies always on the horizon. As long as this predictable routine remains, I cannot see GH escaping your aptly-put “dreary status,” and that is too sad indeed! Still, the eternal optimist in me says never say never….perhaps the person who will achieve the seemingly undoable feat of successfully combining the comfort of the old with the freshness of the new is right around the corner holding the magic formula…I certainly hope so! Until then…well, I’m honestly too busy in “real life” to be distracted by daily Port Charles happenings at this particular moment…but I’m open to entertaining the thought that such a desired change could take place when we least expect it. Must go now, my friend…much to do! Happy Holidays!!!…”See” you in 2020!!!!!
Great to read your commentary, Shay! And, of course, I appreciate the kind words about the Carpenters, a life-long passion/enjoyment of mine. I totally agree with you on the status and your characterization of GH, once also a “passion/enjoyment of mine.” Thanks again for writing! Best to you, Friend!
Thank you for your gracious reply, “Gentleman James!” Hope you are having a wonderful holiday! “See” you in 2020!
I’m sorry, but no. There is no explanation that will justify Ben as a romantic lead, and it’s especially insulting that so many plans were tied to him being in prison. It’s not amazing in any way that Will is in the same cell as his attempted killer. Will would never be his cellmate, and for that matter Will likely wouldn’t have gone to prison for something that everyone has described as a genuine accident.
You can say Ben & Ciara work well together, but I completely disagree because they’re the reason I can no longer watch. Beyond that, too many popular couples were shaken up following the time jump. I no longer have an incentive to watch WilSon when they’re split up by some bs story. The time jump itself isn’t the problem, but the terrible stories and execution of those stories is. Please find someone to save this show from itself.
Thats exactly why soaps die. The producers think this is a soap, the audience will accept anything. Ben and Ciara have great chemistry. You want to focus on them but Ben is a serial killer. Then kill Ben and bring the actor back as a new character, or an unknown twin, or a doppelgange or a ghostr. But dont try to make me like a serial killer or a rapist or a murderer. It alienates the audience.
Hate it! Ruining the show!
I like the change with the exception of Princess Gina. That’s just ridiculous, and there is no way Cierra wouldn’t know. Otherwise, I’m intrigued with the rest.
I like it so far minus then killing Adrienne and Jordan. I’m fine with killing Hailey, she didn’t work for me.
I know it’s a soap opera and you feel you can take liberties for storyline shock value…… however I don’t think there is much knowledge of the Catholic faith.. I found the nun story insulting. When they were cursing in the chapel took off part of their habit and threw it at the alter I was done. I won’t watch that storyline. I was disappointed in that writing the story could have been fulition better.
I have enjoyed your show but will pick and choose what I watch from now on only certain storylines.
The June 22 episode of Days of Our Lives reminded us all of why Deidre Hall is iconic in the role of Dr. Marlena Evans. Here we are 50 years later, and Marlena is still the heroine of the long-running soap opera, and Deidre remains one of the most most recognizable names in the history of soaps.
To pay tribute, and to look back at the life and times of Marlena, the story starts with Marlena flipping through a photo album of her with John (the late Drake Hogestyn) over the years. As she misses him dearly, she gets a knock on the door and its none other than John’s son, Paul Narita (Christopher Sean).
With Andrew (Colton Little) in Salem working on a case, he sits down with Marlena, who says she can’t believe its been fifty years since she first arrived in Salem! Cue: Deidre’s first scenes on DAYS when she finds Mickey Horton (the late John Clarke) playing chess against himself inside the mental institution she worked.
Courtesy/Peacock
THE FLASHBACKS OF MARLENA’S LIFE
From there, viewers definitely got the cliff notes version of the history of Marlena and entrenched within them, some of the biggest moments in Deidre’s enduring run.
Paul thinks he is looking at 70s, and early 80s Marlena while going through her scrapbook, but he is actually looking at her twin, Samantha (Andrea Hall). Cue: when Marlena confronted Samantha about impersonating her, and then later getting a call on her radio show from the Salem Strangler (Jack Coleman as Jake Kostichek) who killed Samantha thinking it was Marlena.
In the present, Belle (Martha Madison) has arrived at this time to meet up with Paul, unaware of this trip down memory lane. She wants to go over the findings in the chess board mystery Stefano willed to Marlena and John, in private with him, since Marlena previously said she wanted nothing to do with it.
Back to the history lesson, Marlena speaks highly of Don Craig and even though their marriage didn’t work out, she could find a path forward with the new love her life, Roman Brady. (Wayne Northrop however is never shown, possibly to keep the story focused on John as Roman for confusion sakes?)
Paul sees a photo of a young Carrie (Christie Clark) in the album and Marlena says she was such a godsend after losing her baby. In fact, Marlena says caring for Carrie prepared her for her having and raising her own twins, Eric and Sami. Cue: The twin visiting Marlena in the hospital.
JOHN AND MARLENA’S LOVE CONQUERED ALL
Then, in a way to get through and incorporate the wild storylines only Marlena could have been in, she tells Belle and Paul, she has been through so much in her life, how lucky she was to find John, and some of the most unbelievable experiences no one could imagine. Cue: Marlena possessed by the devil and levitating from the bed. Next, John confronting Marlena being the Salem Stalker, where she admits she killed Alice Horton, pretends she needs help, then pulls a gun on her beloved John!
The comment is made by Paul and Marlena, that she literally has been to hell and back and she could not have survived were it not for her beloved John. Cue the big emotional highpoint clips; The Pier Scene! Marlena steps out of the fog when John sees her from a distance. After believing she was dead for four years, here she was before him in one of the greatest reunions in a soap opera love story in history. What followed were other times of the life of times of Jarlena.
Courtesy/Peacock
MARLENA’S ‘GIFT’ FROM STEFANO HAS A NEW CLUE
When Marlena makes a brief exit to the other room, Belle fills in Paul on the chess set Stefano left her mother and the photo of the Lire. Paul said he will investigate. Marlena comes back into the room and overhears, and says to promise her if things get dangerous he will back off, she does not want anyone hurt by Stefano’s games.
As the episode comes to a conclusion, it’s just Belle and Marlena going through the photo album giggling about 70s hairstyles and all the memories. Belle speaks on the impact Marlena has had in everyone’s lives, and that she is both the heart of their family and the heart of Salem.
An end card comes up acknowledging Deidre Hall’s 50th anniversary as Marlena, and we fade to black.
So, what did you think of Marlena’s walk down memory lane? Were you happy to see the flashback clips utilized throughout? Were you touched by the scenes and the performance of Deidre Hall? Let us know what you thought of Deidre’s 50th anniversary episode via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
Days Of Our Lives
Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
It’s been a bittersweet time for Al Calderon. The talented actor/singer/songwriter has watched from his vantage point to roles he loved so much come to their conclusion for different reasons.
In a heartfelt message posted to his Instagram story on Saturday, Calderon took a moment to share how grateful he was for the opportunity to play Javi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, and nurse Nico Silva this year on NBC’s second season of Brilliant Minds. Currently, Brilliant Minds has two more episodes that will air on June 24 and the series finale on July 1.
Calderon expressed, “As I sit here reflecting on this lovely Saturday afternoon over the last two years of my life, I have two major chapters closing that have been part of my life every day for the last two years. We have Brilliant Minds. Our last episodes are wrapping up, and then my last scenes aired yesterday as me as Javi on Days of Our Lives.
Photo: JPI
“I’m just unbelievably grateful for the chance and the opportunity to be a part of something so much larger than me,” continued Al. “I (will) love Days of Our Lives forever, my family. Thank you for supporting me and supporting my decision to take the leap of faith and believe in myself and, and tell other stories. You know, it’s never goodbye. It’s always ‘see you later’ to me and just leaving with love and leading with love.”
Al concluded with a special mention to some very important people, the fans: “Thank you to the fans and the support from everyone, the lovely messages. So this next chapter, hopefully it’s not a dragon, hopefully it’s a gold coin.”
Photo: NBC
Calderon’s journey on-screen on Days of Our Lives began in October of 2024 and concluded this month. In one of his last appearances Javi was asking a favor from Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) before bumping into his ex, Leo (Greg Rikaart). In story, Javi has a new romance with Gus (Michael Ocampo), while fighting his feelings for Leo. The role of Javi will be played starting on June 30 by Jacob Martinez who takes over the role.
NBC decided to cancel the Brilliant Minds, after it split up the airing of its second season which began in the fall of September of 2025 and the back-half started airing after a long break this past May. Calderon joined the medical drama staring Zachary Quinto for the new season, which sadly was its last.
So, will you miss Al on Days of Our Lives and Brilliant Minds as his time on-screen has come to an end? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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