The magic between Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso) is still alive, well sorta, kinda.  Monday and Tuesday’s episodes of Days of our Lives brought the long-awaited reunion of Bope with several twists that lead us to believe there has to be more to this story, right? Wrong?

Here’s what went down: In Greece, Bo (who is not in his right mind) takes Hope to the edge of a cliff with the ocean below, and pulls a gun on her. Bo tells her he can’t be the man he’s meant to be with her in the world (as he believes he is meant to just be the son of Victor Kiriakis).

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Becoming more agitated and emotional at the same time, Bo says he is done with constantly being reminded about his old life.  As his head begins to hurt, Bo begins to experience quick flashes of memories with his love story and life with Hope. While he is having these flashbacks, Hope in the present, is telling Bo that he is ‘Bo Brady’ and the love between them will never die. For good measure, she reminds Bo of all the obstacles that have been thrown in their way.

Hope then lays the smackdown on the love of her life, when she says, “I’m your ‘fancy face’, Bo!” All of a sudden, a lengthy video montage of vintage Bo and Hope clips play as Bo is remembering it all!

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When the montage ends, a teary-eyed Bo looks at Hope, and says, “Fancy Face?” And just when you think the two will hug it out, a gunshot rings out!  Shawn, (Brandon Beemer) thinking his mom is in danger from a rogue Bo, shoots his father not knowing that he just recalled his love for Hope.

In the pick up on Tuesday and in other key other story points: Bo is rushed to the hospital, Shawn feels guilt-ridden for shooting his father, Steve and Kayla are reunited, and Thomas Banks (Eileen Davidson) is taken out by Harris (Steve Burton).

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While in Bo’s hospital room, Hope watches him flatline. The doctor tells Hope there is nothing they can do for Bo.  She faints.  Next, we get the scenes we were hoping for at the cliff of what would have played out between the star-crossed lovers who have transcended time and space.

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However, in a twist, Hope wakes up from fainting and is greeted by Angela from the trauma unit played by the returning Beyond Salem 2 favorite, Loretta Devine.  Angela tells Hope that Bo was taken to surgery, because his heart start beating again, they were able to operate.

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Later, when Steve (Stephen Nichols), Kayla (Mary Beth Evans), Hope, and Shawn are all at the hospital, the doctor comes by to share the good news and the bad news.  The good news – Bo made it out of surgery.  The bad news – he is lapsed into a coma.

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Throughout, whenever you see Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso on-screen together, it still tugs at your heart.  So much history, such great performances.

Now the question is, where does this go from here? What did you think on the current state of Bope? Share your thoughts and reactions in the comment section. But first, ICYMI: check out our recent livestream interview with Peter Reckell on his current return to DAYS below.

Friday’s episode of Days of our Lives sets up for a major turning point next week on the Peacock streaming soap opera. In the cliffhanger, Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso) finally coming face to face.

In story, Harris (Steve Burton) finally realized he cared so much about Hope that he owed her the truth, that Bo is alive.  And even though this Rogue version of Bo told Harris not to tell his beloved ‘Fancy Face’, Harris finally did, well sorta.

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He tells Hope she needs to go Victor Kirkiakis’ childhood home. He doesn’t want to elaborate, but tells her she must go there alone.  Harris seals his fate with Hope with what he knows will be a final kiss once she realizes Bo is alive. Later, Megan Hathaway (Miranda Wilson) calls from prison. She lets Harris know that if he wants a chance to be with Hope he needs to get her out of the country now, but he tells her it’s too late. These were well-played scenes by Steve Burton.

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In other great scenes, we have always said the brother/sister connection played by Peter Reckell and Mary Beth Evans works so well on-screen. Now, in scenes where Rogue Bo has Kayla in a lab trying to recreate Dr. Rolf’s serum (so that he can sell it to the highest bidder and make millions) is shaking her to her core.  Kayla grabs Bo and tells him the story of when he was brought home from the hospital and how Caroline handed little Bo to her.  She cries she wants her brother back! Her pleas almost breakthrough to the real Bo, but somehow he was able to shake off the emotions he began to feel.

Back in Salem, Andrew (Colton Little) arrives at John (Drake Hogestyn) and Marlena’s (Deidre Hall) and informs the duo, along with Roman (Josh Taylor), that Megan Hathaway admitted that the person who kidnapped Kayla was Bo.

Back at the cottage in Greece,  Hope is looking around when Bo comes through the front door. Hope, now with her gun drawn, is shocked by who is standing in front of her, and she utters under her breath, “Oh, my God!”  We fade to black.

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DAYS head writer, Ron Carlivati shared on the big reunion scenes in the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest on newsstands now: “They’ve finally come face to face, which is the moment we’ve been waiting for. And of course, underneath that is the thought. Is Hope going to be the one to b able to break through to him when Kayla and Steve couldn’t do it?When he sees his Fancy Face, is it going to bring him out of it? So there’s that big moment that the two actors play just brilliantly because they know each other so well and give you that connection.”

Check out the promo for next week’s DAYS below followed by our recent livestream conversation with Peter Reckell from You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.

Then let us know, how you think this story arc will conclude? Will Bo and Hope get their happy ending and reunite? Will something go wrong that will keep them apart for all eternity? Share your theories in the comment section.

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.

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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?”

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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.