Monday’s Christmas episode of Days of our Lives brought it with it plenty of laughter and plenty of tears as this would be the final appearance of John Aniston in his iconic role of Victor Kiriakis.

The Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 2022, passed away in November at the age of 89.  Aniston’s Victor had been a key character on the Salem canvas since he first appeared in the role back in 1985.

Courtesy/CordayProductions

So just how did Aniston’s final appearance stack up with how we love to see Victor?  IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE EPISODE YET, PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW.

As fate would have it, Victor’s final on-screen foil would be none other than Leo Stark (played to the hilt by Greg Rikaart).  In the Christmas set up, Leo stayed overnight at the Kiriakis mansion unbeknownst to Victor.  When Leo greets Victor on Christmas morning in his holiday jammies, he is not one bit amused.  Leo asks, “So when do we open the presents?” To which Victor replies, “About an hour after we throw you out on your sugar-plum ass.”  When Victor tells his longtime butler, Henderson to throw Leo out the front door, including demanding that Leo “scamper back to Whoville”, in walks Sonny (Zach Tinker).

Victor is horrified to learn that his nephew invited Leo to stay.  Then, Victor reads off a laundry list of Leo’s crimes to Sonny as only he can: “Have you completely lost your senses? The man blackmailed you into marriage … almost destroyed our company with a fraudulent lawsuit … it was just last year that he drugged you and took comprising pictures of you and then sold them to the tabloids … why in God’s name would you forgive this creep!?””

Eventually, Victor gives Sonny an ultimatum: either get rid of Leo or he would fire him from his job at Titan.  Sonny stands up to Victor!  Telling his Uncle that he forgave Leo for his past transgressions just like many people have forgiven Victor for his over the years.  Sonny goes on to say that he and Leo are starting over and that, in fact, he would call them “friends” to which Victor, in the best dead-pan delivery, says, “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”

Soon after, Victor reneges and not only allows Leo to stay, but allows Sonny to keep his job, stating, “I changed my mind because I have a heart of gold.”  And, ain’t that the truth, that is why we have always loved Victor and John’s portrayal of the Greek tycoon.  Leo promises Victor he will not hurt Sonny ever again, to which Victor replies, “I don’t know how you expect me to take you seriously when you are sitting there in baby jam jams.”  In an ominous warning to Sonny and in Aniston’s last scene, Victor says, “Tell me Sonny, what does your husband think of your little sleep over party?”

Courtesy/CordayProductions

As the episode came to its conclusion, Days of our Lives included a heartfelt montage as a tribute to John and the complex character of Victor Kiriakis. From clips with Vic’s many wives including: Carly, Vivian, Kate, Nicole, Maggie, to his classic one-liners, to some of his most villainous turns, to illustrating that Victor at his core was an enduring family man, the series captured the essence of this one-of-a-kind actor.

In very moving fashion, the end of the montage featured a younger Victor sailing away on his yacht named, “Victor”.   No word yet on how and when DAYS will deal with the death of Aniston on-screen.

Aniston’s final scenes truly showcased all of his strengths, that classic delivery, his humor, his strength, and most of all his humanness.

To pay tribute to John throughout Monday on the Days of our Lives YouTube page and their social platforms, looks for special messages from the cast honoring the late actor’s memory and legacy.   You can check out one below from John’s on-screen son, Peter Reckell (Bo Brady).

So, what did you think of John Aniston’s final episode of Days of our Lives? The montage? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

On Monday’s Days of our Lives, the long-running soap opera included in story, its first ever threesome. DAYS, which has been streaming on Peacock since the middle of September, teased the ménage à trois a bit ago when Rob Scott Wilson’s new character of Alex Kiriakis hit Salem and was a bit of a ‘player’.  At one point during a conversation, Alex hit on Chanel (Raven Bowens) and Allie (Lindsay Arnold) and put into their minds the notion of having a threesome with him.

Meanwhile, Allie and Chanel have had their own past complicated relationships with men, and now with each other.  Feeling that their relationship has hit a bump in the road, the young women decide a three-way might be just the spark needed to ignite their love and passion for one another.

Courtesy/Peacock

Eventually, the two invite Alex over for a drink, making small-talk and trying to get to the reason they invited him over in the first place. After fumbling around to get to the true reason, Allie reveals they want to take him up on his offer. Alex is confused, until Chanel uses the word “threesome” to which Alex spits out his drink.

Allie then admits the three-way was her idea, and Chanel agreed to it, as it’s an adventure they could share together. They go on to say they chose Alex because they wanted someone who would have no emotional ties to them afterward.  Alex, also has a bit of truth of his own to share. He says, in reality, he has only experienced a three-way, twice before.

After trying to figure out how to start the sexual encounter, Alex kisses Chanel, then Allie and the three adjourn to the bedroom,  DAYS then delivers a montage of shots representing the sex between the three.

In the end, Alex is winded and dehydrated and goes to get some water, while Chanel and Allie check in with each other and say that the experience was more than alright and recommit to each other.

Fans of the series have been commenting on social media since yesterday. Also, to note, DAYS tapes month ahead, so this story point was already completed before the move to Peacock.  It should also be noted that Rob Scott Wilson also appeared in another soap first, when on Prospect Park’s All My Children, his character of Pete Cortlandt (Wilson) received oral sex from Colby (Brooke Newton).

So, what did you think about how the Salem threesome between Alex, Chanel and Allie was portrayed? Comment below.

Let’s just start this by saying if you missed last Thursday’s episode of Days of our Lives on Peacock, you missed beautifully touching and effective performances by both Billy Flynn (Chad DiMera) and Marci Miller (ex-Abigail).

Leading up to it, Chad had a gut-wrenching week.  He figured out that Clyde (James Read) was the culprit that murdered his wife and later confronted him.  That led to key scenes where Chad confronts Clyde at Abigail’s gravesite and wants to hear all the gory details of how Clyde stabbed his wife, and then learned how the criminal covered his tracks, went after Sonny (Zach Tinker) and stabbed him, and framed Leo (Greg Rikaart) for the crimes.

Photo: JPI

Throughout the reveal, Billy Flynn played all of Chad’s pain and horror, while holding a gun at Clyde baiting him on – problem was Clyde is so despicable he had no problem telling Chad the grisly truth.  During a struggle for the gun with Chad, it is EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) who saves the day and shoots Clyde.  The two brothers bond over their shared disdain for Clyde.

Later at the Salem PD, EJ apologizes to Chad for bringing Clyde into their lives and for what happened to Abigail.  Chad takes it in but does not explode, rather appreciates his brother for saving his life.

Photo: JPI

However, the emotional rollercoaster that Chad went through, and the audience, in the expert hands of Flynn, was nothing compared to the heartbreaking scenes where Abigail visits Chad at her gravesite, now that he solved the murder mystery.

Abigail is proud that Chad found her killer and tells him that she wants him to love again and that it’s OK to move on.  She knows he will always love her, and she will always love him.  Then, when Abigail asks Chad to tell her what traits their children, Thomas and Charlotte, possess that remind him of Abigail, it was very tender and not overplayed.  When it was time for their final goodbyes, both Flynn and Miller reminded us all why #Chabby was one of the best duos in DAYS history.

Photo: JPI

In the end, it was Billy Flynn who carried the ball all the way to the end zone and scored a touchdown in the conclusion of Chad and Abigail’s love story.  It is always a nice to see when DAYS decides to write for and feature material which plays to Flynn’s strengths, and this did.

Photo: JPI

So, for all the reasons stated above, Michael Fairman TV names Billy Flynn’s work as the Power Performance of the Week.

What did you think of the Chad and Abigail goodbye scenes at her gravesite? What did you think of Billy’s performance and the reveal that Clyde Weston was Abigail’s murderer? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.  But first, check out our latest conversation with Billy, and his DAYS co-stars Greg Rikaart and Mary Beth Evans now on the Michael Fairman Channel below, where Billy discusses taping the pivotal scenes and more.