Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Recap – July 8 – July 12th
Courtesy/NBC
As Kate, Gabi and Abe keep vigil; Daniel and Kayla bring Rafe out of his coma. The doctors explain that he may have trouble distinguishing reality from how his mind interpreted what happened while he was unconscious. As Rife stirs, he dreams that the shot Sami fired to protect him was instead meant to kill him – and when he opens his eyes and sees a smiling Sami at his bedside, he gets extremely agitated. Daniel orders a confused Sami to stay away from Rafe until further notice. Daniel runs into Jennifer, who wants to know how things are going. He declines to engage, reminding her that she pushed him away because she thought it was best for JJ. He asks her to reconsider this strategy – he wants to be there for the woman he loves. But Jennifer holds her ground. When she gets a call and finds out JJ has skipped out of study hall, Jennifer is furious. She later finds JJ with Theresa in her office – and introduces herself as her new assistant – much to Jennifer and JJ’s surprise. EJ and Justin work to save their plan to topple Stefano. As the clock is running out, they fear Stefano has outmaneuvered them. But EJ and Justin finally close the deal, awarding EJ full control of DiMera Enterprises (including the mansion). Stefano arrives back in Salem, and a triumphant EJ promptly declares he is kicking his father out.
Stefano is shocked at EJ’s betrayal as his son lays out his motives for taking the company. Kristen enters to witness this confrontation. She declares her love for both men and will support the victor. Later, Stefano coolly warns EJ that one day his son will beg him to take back everything he has stolen. Kayla interrupts the confrontation between Jennifer and Theresa. She informs Jennifer that Theresa is her niece – Kimberly and Shane’s daughter, Jeannie, who now goes by her middle name. She reminds Jennifer she promised to hire her. Jennifer agrees to keep her promise, though worries the girl will be trouble. Kayla sternly reminds Theresa this job is her last chance to make a fresh start. Later, Theresa skips her human resources appointment to score some pot from JJ. While talking with Sami, Eric has another attack, but it lasts only a few minutes. Daniel arrives with news that Eric’s blood work may offer some insight into the cause of his illness. Sami demands more immediate answers. Eric gets his sister to back off, but Sami goes to Jennifer, who immediately shuts her down. Later, Sami finds herself outside Rafe’s room and decides to sneak in. Meanwhile, Eric prays Daniel will discover the truth about his illness – as a worried Kristen confronts Dr. Chyka, hoping for just the opposite.
Kristen races over to Daniel’s so she can get a copy of Eric’s test results and hopefully get Dr. Chyka to confirm that Daniel won’t be able to detect the drug they used on Eric. Daniel tries to get rid of Kristen, but she insists she wants to help him reunite with Jennifer. She eventually gets him out of the room long enough to take pictures of the test results. But just as she finishes, Daniel returns and sees her by his desk. He demands to know what she’s doing. Meanwhile, Eric and Maggie talk about his past with Nicole. Later, Nicole expresses concern for his health, but he downplays that he’s fine. When Eric is alone, he prays for answers about his illness – and is suddenly struck by a memory of the mysterious woman he was trying to help at the hotel the night he got sick. Earlier, Brady receives a reminder about his plans to adopt children with Kristen. Nicole comforts him but it’s clear he’s having a hard time getting over his ex. He later tells Maggie he fears he’s addicted to the drama of love and loss, and after she gives him some words of advice, he finally tears up the adoption papers. Despite doctor’s orders, Sami sneaks into Rafe’s room. A disoriented Rafe awakens and all is fine until she mentions having had a gun – which causes him to recall his dream of Sami shooting him. He becomes highly distressed, and Cameron has to sedate him. Meanwhile, Kate and Gabi chew Sami out, who insists she didn’t mean to upset Rafe. Cameron warns Sami if she goes near Rafe again, he’ll call the police. Later, a groggy Rafe stuns Kate by asking her why Sami tried to shoot him. EJ informs a shocked Chad that he has taken control of DiMera Enterprises from Stefano. He invites his brother to move back into the mansion, but Chad needs to think about it. Chad goes to the hospital and gives Kate the big news. Meanwhile, Sami returns home, and EJ reveals what he’s done. He’s startled when she reacts in anger!
Sami’s upset about EJ destroying Stefano and not telling her ahead of time. EJ admits he was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep her mouth shut. Sami explodes: what she’s really angry about is that EJ has made Stefano an enemy of their family for life. EJ, equally angry, refuses to apologize and gets Sami to admit the reason she loves him is he’s ruthless and powerful. The fight ends in their making passionate love right on the couch, and EJ assures Sami he will always protect their family from Stefano. Kristen covers in front of Daniel and later emails Eric’s test results to Dr. Chyka, who assures her the masking agents have done their job – even the most brilliant toxicologist will not be able to tell what drugs she gave Eric. After Kristen receives the edited video from Sarah, she realizes she’s now ready to move ahead with her mysterious plan to destroy Marlena. Later, she surprises Eric with a visit at the rectory. Earlier, Eric tells a concerned Jennifer that Daniel is helping him get to the bottom of his illness. He thanks her for helping out his troubled cousin Theresa and makes a final pitch not to let things go unresolved with Daniel for too long. At the same time, Maggie advises Daniel to reach out to Jennifer. Jennifer and Daniel consider calling each other, but both ultimately back down. Later, Daniel gets a call from the toxicologist, who found no chemicals in Eric’s blood. Daniel knows something is still not right and is determined to find out what. Theresa reconnects with Caroline and expresses concern for her grandmother. She admits she and her new boss have not gotten off to a very good start. Later, Jennifer is upset with Theresa for not following work rules, though Theresa suspects it’s more about JJ. Jennifer makes it clear she wants Theresa to stay away from her son. Adrienne and Justin argue over his role in bringing down Stefano and also about Sonny and Will. Later, Maggie and Adrienne almost see the video of Sami and Bernardi on Adrienne’s phone when she gives the device to Parker.
Kristen tells Eric she wants a ticket to attend the school opening event. While she’s at the rectory, she gets a front row seat to what a caring and compassionate priest Eric truly is; left alone in his office, she struggles: can she do this terrible thing to this man? Will learns from Brent that he and Sonny went partying last night. Will seems fine with it, but Lucas is a bit concerned. Will’s totally aware that Sonny had a more carefree, adventurous life before finding himself in the ultimate domestic situation with Will and Arianna. Lucas is impressed with Will’s maturity. However, once he’s alone, Will isn’t quite as sure of himself as he’d like everyone else to believe. Earlier, Sonny’s with Adrienne and when she meets Brent, she lights up a bit, taken with Brent and his accomplishments. Sonny lets her know he can see through her – her low opinion of Will (and his family) comes through when she goes out of her way to engage with Brent like that. She denies but Sonny tells her to get used to how committed he is to Will. Later, Adrienne crosses with Lucas, wanting to show him a video of Arianna on her phone, but she’s foiled when the battery dies. Kate reluctantly tells Abe and Kayla how Rafe asked why Sami tried to kill him. Kayla’s annoyed to hear Kate is just now passing that along, warning that as Rafe emerges from his coma they can’t risk disorienting him. Later, Rafe begins to stir and once more has vivid memories of the nightmare he had of Sami and gets agitated, asking again: why would she try to kill him? Rafe is in such extreme distress; his monitors start to go off. Abigail walks in as Chad leaves a message for Cameron, saying they need to talk. She misinterprets at first, thinking it’s about her. She’s embarrassed when Chad informs her that he wanted to talk to Cameron about EJ’s offer to move into the mansion. Later, Abigail and Cameron both give Chad advice; and Cameron reminds Chad to get his injury checked, but Chad insists he’s fine.
What did you think of this week’s action in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Thursday, the lineup of presenters for 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards taking place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
The ceremony will stream live on the NATAS YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@theemmys and watch.TheEmmys.tv.
Scheduled to present from the current soaps are: Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, General Hospital), Delon de Metz (Zende, The Bold and the Beautiful), James Preston (Nick, The Bay), Paul Telfer (Xander, Days of our Lives), Tamara Tunie (Anita, Beyond the Gates) and Susan Walters (Diane, The Young and the Restless).
Photo: NATAS
In addition soap alums, Crystal Chappell, Lesli Kay, Joe Lando, Eva LaRue, who is also a nominee this year, A Martinez, Juliet Mills, and Alicia Leigh Willis, will also be on hand to present.
The ceremony which celebrates nominated lifestyle programs and dramas will also include presenters: Eva zu Beck (Superskilled with Eva zu Beck), Danielle Chang (Lucky Chow), Sunny Hostin (The View), Derek Hough (Extra), Pati Jinich (Pati’s Mexican Table), Star Jones (Divorce Court), Michael Jr. (Stand Up and Do Something), Judge Greg Mathis (Mathis Court with Judge Mathis), Keke Palmer (Glam Through the Ages), Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight), and Andrew Zimmern (Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen).
The 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards will bring together an exciting mix of presenters representing the full spectrum of daytime television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS. “From familiar faces in daytime drama to the personalities and creative voices behind talk shows and lifestyle programming, this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of talent that makes daytime so special. We look forward to celebrating the people who continue to shape the genre.”
Matthew Hoffman (Love Island USA, Cheap A$$ Beach Houses) will serve as the ceremony’s Voice of God, bringing his signature comedic narration to the evening’s celebrations. As previously announced, Lifetime Achievement honoree Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by her husband, Jonathan Frakes.
So, what do you think about the list of presenters for the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards? Let us know who you are looking forward to seeing via the comment section below.
For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!
Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.
He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.
Photo: Peacock
Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2. In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.
Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.
So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.
Days Of Our Lives
Days of our Lives’ Conner Floyd Talks Dominic Marino Mystery, Chad and Belle, and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Exclusive)
Fasten your seat belts Days of our Lives fans, as the mystery of Dominic Marino continues to unravel on all-new episodes of the Peacock streaming soap opera. Last week, Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) learned that he may have a half-brother, who may be the biological child of his father, the late Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), giving him great pause, because he knows Stefano had kidnapped Marlena for four years back in the late 80s and early 90s.
Chad has already been hunting down clues with his current girlfriend Belle Black (Martha Madison) in Italy and Salem, which revealed a photo of a young boy with Stefano with the date 1992 on the back of it, hidden inside Stefano’s chess set. So, what’s next?
Conner Floyd chatted on the Michael Fairman Channel in a new virtual interview released on Sunday, October 18, where he spoke on what the new addition to the DiMera family could do to the already dangerous sibling rivalries, the state of Chad’s relationship with Belle and much more.
Photo: JPI
DIMERA RIVALRY
After finding out from EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) that Dominic Marino could be the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano and Marlena, Conner Floyd explained, “I think it blows Chad’s mind a little bit. I think there’s a lot of things working there with old Chad. Obviously, bringing in another DiMera could cause some noise and the whole situation with Marlena’s a little awkward as well because he’s dating Belle, so this could cause a little tiff there. I think his head’s spinning and he does not know what to expect, but I also think he kind of expects that from Stefano, for sure.”
As to how this will change and color Chad’s relationship with EJ, Floyd responded, “Chad knows EJ’s not happy about it and I think he’s going to be real upset if this gets in his way of doing what he wants to do with the DiMera legacy and all that. However, for Chad, I think he’s just going to keep a sharp eye, see what this guy’s about, see if he’s here to cause some trouble or here to be a friend and kinda play it by ear.”
Photo: JPI
BELLE OF MY HEART
With Chad and Belle already being sleuths, Floyd says, you can look for the duo to continue getting to the truth. “I think Chad and Belle are committed to this. They’re going full National Treasure, Nicolas Cage,” says Conner. “They’re going to follow the clues. They’re going to get some answers.”
Since beginning in the role of Chad in June of 2025 and debuting on-screen back in April of 2026, the former Y&R star (where he played Chance Chancellor), says it was Madison who helped him get comfortable in his new surroundings.
“Martha is phenomenal. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to get tagged up with when I started here, just because she knows everybody,” shares Floyd. “She knows where to go, who to talk to. She’ll get the tea if you want, and so it was kind of cool. Martha took me under her wing, showed me the ropes. She’s a sweetheart. I love working with her too. She’s a great actress.”
But, is Chad in love with Belle after such a tortured past with his beloved Abigail Deveraux DiMera? Floyd thinks so! “I think he’s into it. They’re such good friends and they have such a rich history. I think he’s in for the ride. You know, it’s one of those things you probably overlook at first and then they reconnected, and it feels easy and they’re going on these fun adventures.”
MAKING CHAD HIS OWN
Conner had the arduous task of being the successor to Billy Flynn in the role of Chad.. Flynn had played the part for 12 years before deciding to exit and head to Y&R. So, how did Conner approach learning the ins and out of Chad? Floyd shared, “I really dove into Chad when I first got this job. I liked that he kind of walks this tightrope of DiMera and not DiMera, you know. He want to so honor his family roots and really do something for the DiMera family, but he doesn’t want to fall into that trap that all the other DiMera have found themselves in. Chad is a DiMera at heart. He’s got those demons, but he’s just trying to keep them contained.”
Photo: JPI
ICONIC
When Floyd got to DAYS, it was none other than Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) who most surprised him in the most delightful way, given that he knew Hayes was a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and the current longest-running cast member on the canvas.
“I love working with Susan Hayes! I love her. She’s a sweetheart. Susan is one of the nicest people there. I just thought she was cool and it’s Susan Hayes, you know? We’ve had a lot of scenes together, which is nice,” explained Conner.
“We’ll go to her dressing room, we’ll run our scenes, and then we’ll spend about an hour just talking about life and she’ll tell me about a book she’s reading. She’s such a history buff, which blows my mind. She’ll start dropping all these historical facts on me. I learn something new by the time I walk out of her dressing room every time!”
Now below, check out the full conversation with Conner Floyd via the Michael Fairman Channel.
Weigh-in: Do you like Chad and Belle as couple? Do you think Chad will get to the bottom of the Dominic Marino mystery? If so, do you think Dominic is truly Stefano and Marlena’s son … and what about Rita (Maggie Carney) in all this? Let us know your theories in the comment section.
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