Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Wally Kurth, Chandler Massey & Freddie Smith Deliver Gut-Wrenching ‘Power Performance of the Week”
This past week on Days of our Lives brought the tears and the drama tenfold, in one of the most riveting, don’t-miss-a-moment, weeks in recent history on any daytime drama series.
While unfortunately the show did not air on NBC during its regularly scheduled timeslots on all coasts (due to the President Donald Trump impeachment hearings) the episodes were available on NBC.com, the NBC app and on the Cozi TV network.
Photo: JPI
And this week we cannot sound-the-trumpets enough for three men; who gave us moments of heartache that will be remembered for some time to come, pulling out all the stops, and showing us why they remain three of the most popular and talented actors in our genre. So many people have been commenting on social media on the authenticity and realness of the performances (yes, it’s within soapy circumstances), but throughout made us feel their pain right along with them.
On DAYS, this was the week they went back in time to finally show the viewers how things ended up the way they currently are in the time jump that happened last November on-air. And in five “OMG” episodes, head writer Ron Carlivati and his team laid out for us how one fateful night, “Mother’s Day” changed the course of lives for so many in Salem.
Chief among them, Will (Chandler Massey) landing in prison for Adrienne’s (Judi Evans) death, when in fact, he was not the responsible party at all. But in these flashback episodes, Will’s relationship with his husband, Sonny (Freddie Smith), his father-in-law, Justin (Wally Kurth) is forever changed because he believed he was the one behind the wheel that caused the crash that ultimately took Adrienne’s life, and took Sonny’s mother from him … and Justin’s wife from him.
In the flashback to the horrible night: at the hospital, Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) has told Justin that Adrienne didn’t make it following the injury sustained to her head in the accident, and now Justin has to tell Sonny. He tearfully tells his son, “We lost her. Your mother’s dead!” As the men console each other and break down in each other’s arms, Will, who is there, and who was trying to tell Sonny his part in the accident, is horrified to learn Adrienne died. Kayla asks Justin and Sonny if they want to say goodbye to Adrienne. Sonny breaks down again at just the thought of it. And at this point, we are sure DAYS fans are reaching for the hankies.
Photo: JPI
While Will’s guilt is too much for him to bear, Justin and Sonny go say goodbye to Adrienne, It is here that it was almost too hard to watch, but we soap viewers can’t turn away. That’s because it was just an unbelievable raw performance from Freddie Smith; as a young man who has to say goodbye to the mother he loves and on Mother’s Day to boot. Then, Justin kisses Adrienne’s forehead, remembers the first time he saw her crying in a flashback, and in tears asks his beloved wife, how is he supposed to go on without her. In addition, Justin recalls proposing to Adrienne with Kayla there beside him trying to comfort him.
Courtesy.NBC
In the hospital waiting area, Will tries to talk to Sonny to tell him that he caused the accident. Will blurts out, “I killed your mother.” Sonny, who is so grief-stricken, cannot believe what Will is saying, but then Sonny learns Will was distracted when he was texting his mother Sami on Mother’s Day while in the car because he was so busy. (Yup, Will forgot to do it earlier in the day) Sonny lets Will have it with: “My mom is dead because you were texting?!” As Sonny’s grief and anger escalates, Justin walks in and learns Will caused Adrienne death and then lowers the boom on Will: “The love of my life is dead…because of you!”
Courtesy/NBC
And if all of this wasn’t enough to have you bawling your eyes out by now, it is punctuated by the ultra-sad moment where a defeated Will has to leave his husband and his father-in-law alone because they don’t want him there. Before he exits, Will turns to them and says, that he wishes it had been him who died in the crash, as tears stream down his face.
What powerful and effective performances by Wally Kurth, Chandler Massey, and Freddie Smith. And so, with all of that said, Michael Fairman TV names this trio the “Power Performance of the Week”.
What did you think of the key scenes in Adrienne’s death and the aftermath featuring Wally, Chandler and Freddie? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
And, for more with Chandler and some behind the scenes content of the car crash, and his thoughts on the storyline, check out his new interview feature posted on the DOOL app Friday night.
While it’s true that most people can watch on the app, it’s a shame that because of the advanced shooting schedule, DAYS cannot preempt episodes. These episodes won’t count towards ratings.
Haven’t read any updates on the contract renegotiations, which are a precursor to getting shooting up and running. As they have episodes through August already shot, the hiatus may go on for a bit.
My station is now showing Days at 12:00 p.m. instead of the usual 1:00 p.m., which is nice. Also on Cozi, but when you have the DVR set up to record DOOL, it doesn’t record DOOL when another show is listed. I had to manually set. I was watching via On Demand, which was nice, except I can’t fast forward through commercials.
Old Vic ain’t going to have a single friend or relative left on your side of Earth’s crust when the truth of all this unholy mess comes out.
Sure, you could understand the instinct to protect Maggie, but at Will’s expense, which by extension means at Sonny’s expense. And Justin’s. And then on top of that, to swap Brady’s living baby for Sarah’s dead one.
If they’re planning to kill Victor off (because John Aniston ain’t up to working anymore) they certainly aren’t leaving any shortage of murder suspects.
Will leaving days
No, Will is not leaving Days.
first and foremost hats off to days love the time jump and if you don’t you aren’t a real fan!everyone was aces this week!the flashbacks with wally and judy were amazing!let’s talk about someone who takes a lot of heat from fans i have never felt anything but positive about freddie smith but know haters have had things to say his performance in these episodes was stellar! gut wrenching and raw as he said goodbye to his mother once again days keep up the momentum you are on point
Last week was descent, but what about all the other weeks Ron has been in charge as head writer? Days is down a half million fans from last season and averaging below 1.9 right now. The fans of Ron love Ciara/Ben, Marlena/John, Jen/Jack, Eric/Nicole, Justin/Kayla and ratings are still dropping. Maybe he needs to shake it up and go against the fans that rave about him and listen to his people that are leaving in droves.
All were good performances, but let’s be honest the writing/editing/production during this time jump has been awful. Justin was OTT considering he just remarried Adrienne not long ago, after being divorced for cheating..we’ve already been set up that he started a relationship with one of Adrienne’s best friends/sister in law within 3 months and at 6 they were declaring love moving into together. So, didn’t fly. All the heavy dialogue repeatedly telling us how much Adrienne and Will loved each other, etc was ridiculous..
All of the performances were wonderful last week, but I really have to give a shout out to Freddie Smith. He put it all out there, and I was a sobbing mess right along with him. Kudos, Freddie. You knocked it out of the park!
Yes he sure did
I thought the three actors were phenomenal. Real tear jerking scenes. Bravo Wally Kurtz, Freddie Smith & Chandler Massey
At the end of the day (no pun intended), NBC/Sony needs to work with Ken Corday and fix these issues with Days of our Lives. The genre, on daytime network, is approaching its expiration. Network t.v. as a whole ratings are declining with all the streaming services, etc. You will not pull in enough younger demographic to off-set the loss of your overall numbers. For me (long time fan) it’s easy to take Days off DVR because the quality just isn’t good anymore. The time jump impacted so, much to include quality production, etc. A new writer not so, much into Sci-Fi and rinse/repeat triangles for angst maybe the way to go. All this week back showed, is that they should have stayed in the present and let the stories play out.
I agree..
The time just has messed this up..I still hope some one will waken up from a bad dream and have it back to normal where no one died
I believe Days made a huge mistake in killing off Adrienne. I used to be a huge Days fan, I was even an extra in the Bo and Hope wedding. I’ve just seen too many good characters get lost in the shuffle of the soap opera so I stopped watching it. The classic characters should remain on the show that is your life blood, but Days does not recognize that apparently, which is why I no longer watch the show. I’m sure Wally Kurth, Freddie Smith and Chandler Macy gave an outstanding performance, no doubt. But I feel that you need to keep your classic characters on the show as well. I think killing off Adrian, a.k.a. Judi Evans was totally wrong.
I shed lots of tears. Bravo!!! The guys knocked it out of the ballpark.
Their performance was outstandind better than some of these high paying actors great job
Such good episodes and acting. It’s a shame they have to be interrupted. Freddie really seemed to be distraught. I can’t believe that Maggie is to blame. And then the ripple effects with Victor and Xander switching the babies–Kristen killing Haley, JJ back on drugs, Brady and Kristen breaking up, etc.
I also feel so bad for Judi that Adrienne died especially with her son dying IRL.
I also enjoyed the flashbacks.
Best performance in the death scenes was Judy Evans.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Franco LoPresti Opens Up About ‘Days of our Lives’ Debut as Dante Vitali
Next week on Monday, September 14 will mark the first appearance in Salem of Franco LoPresti in his new Days of our Lives role of Dante Vitali.
Heated Rivalry fans now LoPresti very well from his part as hockey player Cliff Marleau in the series first season. (No word yet if Cliff appears in season 2).
Now in a conversation with TV Insider, DAYS fans will learn that LoPresti is on the soap for a limited run. No timetable was given.
Photo: Corday Productions, Inc
When LoPresti does burst onto the scene come Monday, Dante makes quite the impact as Franco LoPresti explains. It seems that viewers will first see him in scenes in Monte Carlo at a poker table with none other than Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier). However, Dante will come to Salem to talk to the Brady family about his supposed fiancée Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney).
Franco shared, “Dante was born and grew up in Italy and educated at this pretty top-tier English boarding school. He then went on to build his own dynasty in finance, all the while trying to distance himself from the Vitali name (as viewers know Tamara Braun played his cousin Ava Vitali).”
“But at the core of Dante, there’s definitely an old-school quality to him”, continued LoPresti. “He’s super passionate, he’s sincere and incredibly generous, but he’s also someone that you probably shouldn’t underestimate. Loyalty is something that means a lot to him. As Dante enters Salem, I think the audience will get to slowly peel back those layers and discover what’s really driving him. So, I’m excited for Days fans to go on that ride with Dante.”
Photo: Almay
As it turns out, LoPresti taped his episodes of DAYS starting back in November 2025 which happened to be weeks before Heated Rivalry became a smash hit.
Franco recalled, “It’s so funny because I thought my episodes would air in a month (on Days of our Lives). But I found out it was nine to 10 months and I was like, ‘I gotta wait that long?!’ So, I’ve been biting my nails, trying not to think about it, and I think it’s actually kind of helped because now it’s here and it’s all coming at me from all different angles. I’m nervous. I’m excited, and I just can’t wait to see it all come together. It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had for sure.”
In his personal life, Franco just had his first child with wife, actress Emily Alatalo, just a weeks ago on August 23rd when they welcomed their daughter, Stella into the world.
So, looking forward to seeing Franco LoPresti’s debut come Monday? What do you think about the fact that it’s being reported as a limited run? Do you think Dante and Sami have a chance on-screen or off-screen to be a happy couple? What do you really think brings Dante to Salem sans Sami? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
In a metaphor for the start of the school year and their upcoming anniversary in November, Days of our Lives revealed its “Class of Season 62,” with a very clever yearbook montage on their social media handles, welcoming new cast members, while paying respect to the veterans and “class”-iying the other characters in Salem.
The official Days of our Lives Instagram account shared on the posting, “The Class of Salem Season 62 has arrived. Familiar faces, new names and plenty of personality. Flip through our yearbook for a peek at this year’s class.”
Let’s take a look at how they broke it all down: The Salem Yearbook starts with saying “another unforgettable season,” with some group pics, and then we dovetail into Salem’s new class which features: Sydney Malakeh (Sydney DiMera), Brandon Butler (Mason Whitfield), Angelica Nero (Victoria Kiriakis), Cole Gersmeyer (Thomas DiMera) and Lorelei Olivia Mote (Rachel Black).
Photo: Days of our Lives
Next up, are the likes of: Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez), John-Paul Lavoisier (Philip Kiriakis), Tyler Joseph Andrews (Theo Carver) and LeeAnn Hopkins (Joy Wesley). Then, in the “Drama Club” section are: Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera) and AnnaLynne Cipriani (Cat Greene).
Following the ‘Recess” section with some group snaps, comes “Homeroom Highlights” with: Abigail Klein (Stephanie Johnson), Eric Martsolf (Brady Black), Rob Scott Wilson (Alex Kiriakis), Lamon Archey (Eli Grant) and Sal Stowers (Lani Price Grant).
The “Salem Spectator” section features: Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera), Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark), Stowers again, and Ashely Puzemis (Holly Jonas). In the “Afternoon Sweets” section look for: Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis) and Linsey Godfey (Sarah Horton), Emily O’ Brien (Gwen Rizchech), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera/Susan Banks), Brandon Beemer (Shawn Brady), plus Jackée Harry (Paulina Price).
Towards the end of the yearbook, veteran performers such as: Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Johnson), Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson), Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) and Josh Taylor (Roman Brady) are featured, plus Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), James Reynolds (Abe Carver) and Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) and Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Kiraikis) with her on-screen daughter, Linsey Godfrey.
The Salem Yearbook comes to a conclusion noting “Big things happening in Salem” and to tune-in on Peacock, where we also find Jacob Martinez (Javi Hernandez), Maggie Carney (Rita Lesley), and a host of other favorites previewing what’s to come this fall.
So, what do you think of the Days of our Lives Class of Season 62? Looking forward to seeing what happens in Salem? Did you like the yearbook concept for promotional tune-in? Let us know via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Head Writers Give Fall 2026 Preview: Marlena and Stefano’s Chess Mystery, The Arrivals of Dante and Sydney, Romance Drama for Sarah and Others
As summer comes to a close with Labor Day weekend, the former Days of our Lives co-head writing duo of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford have given their annual fall season preview in episodes taped some 10-11 months ago.
As previously reported this past July, Ryan Quan returned to Days of our Lives and is now co-head writing the show with Ford, while Cwikly is now a consultant. The new co-head writing teams stories will not be seen till late spring/early summer 2027.
So for now, the stories pick up from where we left off with Cwikly and Ford promising via TV Insider, “Fall in Salem is full of twists and turns and secrets and surprises. Dots connect in unexpected ways as seemingly unrelated threads converge.”
Photo: JPI
CHECKMATE?
In one of the top mystery’s, Marlena is still having troubling memories and she will have another one on the Monday, September 7 episode. Meanwhile, her daughter Belle (Martha Madison) has gotten very close to Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) and as pictured here, the two smooch while in Italy searching for answers to the chess set that Stefano DiMera gifted th the late John Black and Marlena (Deidre Hall) that has some significance.
The head scribes share, “The (chess board) mystery and its fallout are central to the fall stories. Chad and Belle follow the clues to a discovery that changes both of their families, and Salem, forever. Marlena worries that their investigation/the chess set may be a Pandora’s box that has been opened. And she is right…”
Newcomers are also the order of the day for Cwikly and Ford, this fall. We have already seen the debut as Brandon Butler as Mason Whitfield, and next week you can add as previously reported Sydney Malakeh on the Thursday September 1o episode as Sydney DiMera, followed by the the Monday, September 14 arrival of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali.
Photo: Corday Productions
Paula and Jeanne Marie expressed on the incoming Dante, “The arrival of a stranger who will set the whole town on its ear. The character has several strong ties to the current canvas and impacts many storylines.” What will Dante be up to? We know Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) had mentioned in 2025 she got engaged to the man, but that was off-screen.
LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH OR THE ONE YOU WANT?
In the romance department, the triangle between Brady/Sarah/Xander heats up with a very conflicted Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). The head writers reveal, “When Sarah faces attacks personally and professionally, Xander (Paul Telfer) and Brady (Eric Martsolf) work together to help and protect her. Sarah’s new love for Brady is challenged by her lingering love for Xander. Xander risks everything for Sarah.”
In addition look for, “Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip (John-Paul Lavoiser) to draw closer as he tries to save the family company and home.”
Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) will also be returning at some point this fall and she won’t be alone. Who might she bring with her? And from the looks of the Peacock promo for next week’s DAYS, someone is wearing Stefano’s ring around their finger, but who … and how does it all tie in this fall?
So, what do you think about some of the highlights coming up this fall on Days of our Lives per the series head writers? Does anything float your boat or pique your interest? If so, what? Let us know via the comment section. But first, check out the action next week on DAYS in the promo entitled “Bag of Tricks” below.
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