She has been a polarizing character since her arrival in Salem, with some fans screaming Gwen is sucking up too much airtime. HOWEVER, the performances by Emily O’Brien (Gwen) show an actress on top of her craft who can play, as Gwen called herself, “A miserable, vindictive bitch”, or a young woman so deeply-emotionally wounded that you might just come around and eventually feel some empathy for her.
Last week, while the soaps were pre-empted for most of the week due to the senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, DAYS posted all of its weekly episodes online on NBC.com, the NBC app, or on the Peacock streaming platform, and O’Brien’s work was a standout.

Photo: JPI
It all came to a boiling point when Laura (Jaime Lyn Bauer) and Gwen have the long-awaited confrontation in Gwen’s room at the Salem Inn, where O’Brien goes from Gwen baiting Laura to tell her dirty secret of her long-ago affair with Jack (Matthew Ashford), to her utter anger at how because of it, Laura trashed Gwen’s entire life.
Laura reveals the guilt she felt for sleeping with Jack, so much so, that she would do anything to save Jennifer (Cady McClain) and Jack’s marriage. In delight at getting to the root of the truth, Gwen responds: “You slept with Jack? That is just perfect! My father slept with his mother-in-law!”
Then, Laura shares how it happened. They were both at the “Meadows” finding their ‘truest selves’ and they were both using other names – she, Monica and he, Clark, and Laura had never seen a photo of Jack before to know it was him! Gwen wants to burst out in hysterical laughter, but then she becomes filled with rage knowing that if Laura hadn’t bought off her birth mother, Tiffany, her own life would have been very different. She goes on to say that she and Abigail (Marci Miller) might even be close as sisters, but instead of “borrowing her clothes, she borrowed her husband” alluding to sleeping with Chad (Billy Flynn). Next, Gwen wants to make Laura pay and lets Laura know that, “All the damage that you did, can’t be undone.” When Laura tries to leave, Gwen stops her and says in no uncertain terms, “I want revenge, because you ruined my life and you’re not going to get away with it!”

Photo: JPI
Next, we see that there had been a struggle with Laura dead on the floor bleeding out of her head. A freaked-out Gwen does not know what to do. She realizes she will be accused of murder. With no one in town to call, she decides to call her father, Jack. When he shows up at the Salem Inn, Jack is shocked, and grief-stricken to see his mother-in-law, dead. Gwen swears to Jack this was an accident and that she did not kill Laura, and that he has to believe her. Jack decides he will stand by his daughter. Gwen wants to get rid of the body, Jack says he can’t be involved in a cover-up, so he calls Rafe (Galen Gering). When Rafe arrives at the crime scene he is very suspicious of Gwen, and takes her down to the station.
Scene after scene, O’Brien layered her performances with venomous and ominous undertones, illustrating a woman with so much emotional baggage who becomes desperate to save herself. For all these reasons, Michael Fairman TV names Emily’s work, The Power Performance of the Week.
What did you think of Emily O’Brien’s key scenes? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
Loved having Susan return.
A little confused about Kristen just appearing. It seemed so random.
Eileen has been phenomenal and I’ll miss her on Days.
i’m just hoping.. that that last shot of “Kristen” SHARING that EJ is in fact ALIVE
is a TREAT coming up sometime somewhere… somehow
that RC and the production TEAM @ DAYS is going to go
they can’t share that EJ is alive and not tell us
well done
I think the show having Kristen revealing onscreen that EJ is alive is a tease of sorts to the audience to get them wondering when EJ will return.Plus i’m wondering if EJ has amnesia and thinks he’s someone else just like Will.So if the show recasts EJ maybe at first we won’t know it’s EJ since he has amnesia and is going under a different name.
Her talent knows no bounds ~ brava!
She’s amazing! Days needs her full time. She’s not used to her abilities on YR.
She most definitely is not.
Ron certainly has a lot of experience writing overused back from dead storylines. Guess this proves that Tyler Christopher will be EJ.
Tyler will be a new character.
i missed Mondays eppie and thought i would see it On Demand but they dont have it on there or Tuesdays and now its Wednesday???????….Happy Thanksgiving Micheal Fairman and to all posters….
You too, Jimmy….love you….
Damn. It’s always good watching Eileen as Ashley on Y&R but DAYS really is her moment to chew scenery. This was another wild ride she took us on and I am glad I went along for it.
Eileen Davidson is unbelievable. I couldn’t believe how she could switch from a comic flair to a touchingly tragic performance so quickly. Very few performers have that talent…..maybe Carol Burnett.
That was a great little, demonic scene….you go Kristen!!!!!! As beautiful as ever…..
I did not record the last episode, but her words ( cannot recall exactly) hinted that EJ is, indeed, alive….
She said something about like; “if they only knew??…..Right there before EJ’s “tomb”.
Oopsies….”send” too soon… Susan, oh, Susan. ….how can anyone hold anything against her? I know I can’t. I actually sympathized with her….to want her son back so desperately…..I can, certainly, identify; soap or not. It is a cold reality for many mothers to ‘lose’ it after losing a child….especially without the comfort of family and friends. Susan was not strong emotionally….. but, she woke up and faced her monsters. She knew what she did was wrong and regretted it, with heart. She listened to the “Spirit in the Sky” . Castigating her would be a fallacy. This was not a… Read more »
1. “Thank You” for the oh so nice sentiment sincerely how is it that ED continues to craft her character(s) with so much energies.. that make us laugh, cry, edge, and want her so much? because she’s talent I too had to cry when she fell apart… which should be repeated : “…She knew what she did was wrong and regretted it, with heart.” I – hastily – thought it would not be the same… I stand corrected… because the combination of RC and ED. stimuli period it’s so nice to be in a place of comfort for your heart… Read more »
Well, unless you’ve watched the show for years and years, it is a little confusing – I am only a three year or so watcher ~ just how many twins does this character have? Soaps are far-fetched, but this business about Will being brought back to life especially after we SAW him strangled to death (then played by another actor) is beyond ridiculous, but whatever. For what it’s worth, I DO feel sorry for Paul, and Sammi, who is sooo annoying, shouldn’t lash out at him constantly – he knew a day or so that Will was alive, for all… Read more »
There’s Susan, Sister Moira, Penelope (RIP), and a brother. Kristen is the adoptive daughter of Stefano and not biologically related to the quadruplets.
Days has a long history of bringing people back from the dead. That is one of its hallmarks. Rolf himself is back from the dead! LOL
I love Sami. She is fabulous!
I could understand how if you weren’t watching when Eileen did her tour de force years ago that it would be confusing, but just go with it! Enjoy. Will is alive and Chandler is playing him!
I absolutely love hearing this from a “newbie” point of view! lol. Just for the record, this Susan et al situation must be a dream come true for the new writer of DAYS, as his arsenal is extremely limited. Doppelgänger, twins, and look alikes are his main story. If you watched any of his GH from 2012-2015, you’ll know this to be true. As well, in 2015 when Will died, Ken Corday emphatically stated that they were not doing silly back from the dead stories anymore, and that death has to matter, and that stories need intense viewer emotional involvement.… Read more »
the twin story line(s) for Steve Burton @GH. histrionics and guffaws of laughter all around.
this heady , exploits of Steve Burton… don’t change a thing.. we need not know who’s who.. or want for any acting… let’s just use his bug-eyed for the 3 year duration
THE – only – thing thus far.. that is giving any credence to @GH.
Leslie Charleson… my dear dear Monica
I am so glad.. that Chandler Massey – is effective at portraying… his amnesia he’s not over the topping… or that deadpan BECAUSE his character is so beloved.. by all of Salem. this truly does make for a believable plot. the one thing I did question… does amnesia… rule out you are or are not GAY? as he spouted out to Sonny as he was caught off guard by that KISS. LOL Will… : something like : “you are way out of line” oh touche argh! Sonny had better ease up on that hottie Paul soon Chandler Massey has been… Read more »
Ali Sweeney : has returned… to bring her son back to Salem. period she knows… what Will means to her… what Will means… to Salem. I truly think she understands that her son… will live his life with our without her she wants her child. of course ! to say : “…She was a delusional violent nutcase! ” dag! I could and will say .. not unlike Carly @GH. who is far more an irritant Sami is doing this for her heart mind and soul… and knowing her son is HOME. she will leave.. with head up and backbone applause… Read more »
Patrick…you are a frickin’ genius!!! I’m a a writer….and I don’t think I ever would or could have come up with that plot twist!!!!! What if Will has amnesia and became straight?!? Lmao!! It would definitely be something that has “never been done in daytime”!!! Will obviously had straight leanings at one time…he loved Gabi and has the spawn to prove it! Oh I am loving this!!! Ron wrote Jessica believes she is in high school on OLTL…..For the duration of Will’s amnesia, he could be a big straight stud! He could knock up a few more girls, breed some… Read more »
LOL isn’t that so true with Bonnie and the other one and now Susan and then in AND Kristin! If I wasn’t a long time watcher and knew the history I would be a little confused as well… chandler IS the real Will though not the one that was strangled I forget his real name now. Eileen is a wonderful actress though and Susan did have her comdic moments l. I wanted to se more after Sami slapped her they cut the scene!!!
“…I wanted to see more after Sami slapped her they cut the scene!!! ” THAT (slap) TRULY was a rush I so wanted to see… how ED could have acted that out . had it been “Kristen” then perhaps.. it’d be an all out take no prisoners. WHICH by the way.. is what would have made a much bigger impact.. because ultimately… even Kristen never seemed to have a chance with Marlena JUST ONCE I want a DiMera to rise take hold and not let up which makes the DiMeras so tantalizing… with so much prospect the dynamic and thrill… Read more »
Guy Wilson…ironic his last name…Wil-Son-lol
Then you don’t know Jack. .or rather James..E. Reilly that is. Once you got hooked on Mar Mar levitating and pulling her exorcist possessed by the devil routine storyline then you’d never question this storyline. One storyline killed off most of Salem. .especially horrific poisoning poor Alice with her own famous powdered doughnuts. To see that and the comical herky jerky special effects as they descended into Melasawen (new Salem) spelled backwards..and then they all returned from the dead. .LOL. THIS is nothing. In the words of SOAP…”Confused? You won’t be”. Duh duh duhduhduh duh da…LOL! Just go with it.
She was awesome and the best of what she does
So there is Kristen who Susan happens to look like and she has sister mary moira, a brother Thomas I think. And a sister penelope who looked exactly like kristen and was murdered because the killer thought they were killing Kristen. Kristen is NOT related to any of them, but Susan’s Son EJ is also the son of Stephano Dimera who happens to be the father of Kristen as well. That would make Kristen EJ’s sister. I know its confusing Johnny but I hope it helps.
BTW, NEED EILEEN back on days full time. Ashley is boring these days!
unless you’re talking about will, then will is will. no twin
Emmy for her for this portrayal
Amen!
i have been watching soaps for over 50 years and i can count the times on one hand when a performance made me shed tears – and yes i cried when susan told her story…eileen davidson is a phenominal actress……………
Eileen Davidson just slayed this week on DAYS. Susan Banks is a treat to watch in action. Getting to see Mary Moira and Kristen were like getting an extra slice of pie after dinner. I am surprised all the huge DAYS fans don’t remember when Kristen was in the room with EJ’s corpse that as she cried and said goodbye, she pulled out a needle and injected it into EJ like they say happened with Will. So I am fairly certain that he is on his way back. I can’t say how much I am loving DAYS again. Again, thankful… Read more »
I remember that!
Another Emmy for Miss Davidson! Still, the characters and plots are so bizarro, too much for my liking… but I am no way going to deny that hard work and dedication of the DAYS team to make compelling television.
I agree Iakovos re: the plots being so bizarro, also to much for my liking but watching Eileen’s acting on DOOL is a treat…
I LOVE Eileen Davidson! I wish she was at DAYS full time instead of YR. I actually felt bad for Susan! And Kristen at the end, I KNEW EJ was alive! God recast EJ with Paul Leyden(ex Simon, ATWT)! And bring back PETER BLAKE! Jason Brooks would return I am sure! But I guess they dont need to recast EJ until Sami is ready to comeback full time. Bravo, DAYS!
I THINK EILEEN IS DOING A TERRIFIC ACTING JOB – I HOPE THEY ANSWER THE QUESTION ON WHAT KRISTEN HAD. IN THE NEEDLE WHEN STEFANO WANTED HER TO PUT IT INTO EJ’S ARM. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SAMI AND THE ORIGINAL EJ BACK ON DAYS AGAIN.
Get another Emmy Award ready for Eileen. She was heartbreaking in the scene where she realized her grief over EJ made her do terrible things to feel better about her loss. Really excellent performance!!
She was fab in all three roles.
I love Eileen Davidson she should be a regular on Days.