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Drake Hogestyn’s Final Days of our Lives Episode Date Confirmed Following His Passing

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: NBC

As the Days of our Lives family and extended family, and its fans continue to grapple with the death and mourn the loss of Drake Hogestyn who died over the weekend at age 70, from his battle with pancreatic cancer, we have some additional heartbreaking news for viewers of the Peacock streaming soap opera.

Michael Fairman TV can confirm from a rep from Days of our Lives that Drake’s final appearance as John Black has already streamed. While DAYS tapes so far ahead, basically nine months from when episodes are posted on Peacock, fans had hoped that there might be some more episodes of Drake still to come into October, but sadly Drake’s final DAYS episode was back on September 9th.

Looking back, the scenes were all the more poignant. In that episode, John gives some advice to his grandson Tate (Leo Howard) about his girlfriend, Holly (Ashley Puzemis).  Then, Brady (Eric Martsolf) finally came back home following his arrest for being accused of being by the wheel of his car and hitting Sarah (Linsey Godfrey).  In that moment, John hugged Brady very tight. The scenes showed the three generations of the Black family men together for the last time.

Photo: JPI

“Jarlena” fans will also be saddened to know that you have seen the final scenes together from the iconic soap couple played by Drake and Deidre Hall. Those happened back on the September 5th episode when John was choked up after his conversation with his daughter, Belle who told her father that she and his son Paul wish they could be in Salem during this difficult time. Later, Marlena told John that they will get through this together and hugged her beloved husband.

Photo: JPI

With the latest co-head writing team in place of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford, it will fall to them to craft a fitting story for John Black’s ultimate exit from the show and to honor Drake for his decades of contributions to the soap opera and what he meant to the cast and the viewers.

Courtesy/Peacock

What do you think about the fact that we have seen Drake’s final appearance on Days of our Lives as you mourn the loss of one of the greatest fan favorites in soap history? Comment below.

 

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He was sick for a bit then.
My sister has pancreatic cancer. It’s a tough cancer. My thoughts and prayers with his family.

So Drake had not been on set for any scenes since March/April? Nobody realized he wasn’t taping? I feel stupid thinking it was a total shock to cast & crew.

Last tape date was mid February.

Your comment seems harsh. Most likely, many knew and were just protecting his privacy. When you know that someone is fighting cancer, even if you know the prognosis, it can still be a shock when the end comes. I found the comments from his co-workers to be heartfelt and loving.

He was “In Greece” to try to find closure IF he had really killed the daughter of ________Konstantin.

Obviously there’s a major plothole in a recent storyline which needs to be explained somehow…

John runs off to Greece… trying to deal with his guilt over killing Konstipated’s daughter, even though it happened sometime in the early 80s before he ever set foot in Salem, and he had absolutely no memories of the incident.

And somehow, John ends up in an abandoned building in Redneck Clyde’s hometown “Poplar Bluff”. The same building where the Fake Abigail was living. What in Hell’s name was the connection there? How did John get from one place to the other?

This story will have to be told, but apparently it will be without John himself being present in the episodes.

If Drake had indeed stopped working 9 months before his passing (due to Days’ insane taping schedule) then the next question is what did they do with the character to explain his absence? One would hope that a character who had been a huge part of the show for 38 years could get a well written exit storyline, even if he’s not able to be there to tape it.

I hope they write John out over the next months by having him off screen taking care of his father (played by Dick van Dyke). In proper time they can have John pass away off screen and let the characters mourn John the way we are all mourning Drake now.

Over 50 Yr Fan

I’m so sorry to hear of this! God bless his family. Praying for them during this difficult time. You all have extended family all over the United States due to the people who love this soap opera! I am one of them. I’m still in shock. I don’t read the magazines that probably gave the information about his pancreatic cancer.

Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Kristen Double Crosses Sophia and Sends Her Up the River; Rachel Boyd Delivers Emotional Performance

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The twisted topsy-turvy story of Sophia Choi has seemingly comes to an end on Days of our Lives or has it? Whatever the case, the Friday, May 1 episode of the Peacock streaming soap opera, and the episode proceeding it, gave actress Rachel Boyd a great exit story complete with Sophia writing a suicide note, that also gave DAYS a moment to end their Friday cliffhanger with a suicide prevention message. However, Sophia didn’t take her own life, it appears that Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) murdered her!

The unstable Sophia has been causing problems for everyone in Salem most notably, Rachel, Johnny, Chanel, Holly, Tate and more. So, the resolution of this story appears to be what the character deserves, but this is DAYS, and people have habit of coming back from the dead.

On Friday, after tying up Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) in his apartment and turning on the gas, Sophia left him there to die. In the pick-up, we learn Johnny imagined the place blowing up with Chanel (Raven Bowens) inside it. When he came to in the reality of the situation, he is tied up and the gas fumes are on. Outside the apartment, Javi (Al Calderon) and another paramedic show up and he burst down the door to save Johnny.  Meanwhile, we see that Chanel is still at University hospital where she learns from Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) that she has a breast cancer malignancy.

Courtesy/Peacock

Sophia, who has just written the suicide note, which is part of the plot that Kristen set for her, is confronted by her mother. Eventually, after hearing Jada (Elia Cantu) and Brady (Eric Martsolf), she sneaks out her bedroom window. Next, she runs into Tate (Leo Howard) and Holly (Ashley Puzemis) at Horton Town Square. Holly goes in on Sophia: “We all know you shouldn’t have been let out of Bayview, you crazy bitch! Part of me wishes you really were dead!” Sophia calls her former friend horrible, blows her and Tate a kiss, and the makes her exit.

At this point, Sophia had been off her medication which would have helped balance her out, but she continues to be a deeply troubled teenager. Kristen had a concocted a plot to bring Sophia down once and for all for having her young daughter, Rachel, while in Bayview together, running drugs fo her to Holly. Viewers will recall the pills were actually Sophia’s own antipsychotic medication, which she had previously been swapped for Holly’s skin supplements. Rachel was unaware she was acting as a drug courier. That sets the stage for Kristen’s ultimate act of revenge.

In the final moments of the episode, Sophia had met up with Kristen on the bridge in the evening. She takes the gun out of her purse that Kristen gave her to kill Johnny, and throws it in the river, making Kristen believe she shot him, when instead she chose to gas him. Perhaps, believing someone would find him, since he is raising her child?

Courtesy/Peacock

Next, Sophia demands Kristen’s promised payment, for faking her suicide and so she can head to Paris to start a new life. Kristen directs Sophia to throw her shoes in the water, and get her fingerprints on the railing. With her back to Kristen, she is double crossed when Kristen picks up a rock, bashed Sophia in the head and had her male cronies toss the young teen into the river below. “I told you revenge was sweet,” announced Kristen!

Following the streaming of the pivotal episodes the official Days of our Lives Instagram account posted some behind the scenes photos of Stacy Haiduk and Rachel Boyd (you can see it below) which says, “Things took a dark turn at the pier for Sophia and Kristen, but behind the scenes, Rachel and Stacy kept the mood a little lighter. Continue watching the drama unfold, only on Peacock.”

If as it appears to be that Rachel Boyd has exited DAYS, she definitely went out delivering some haunting performances.  However, the just released Days of our Lives promo for the week of May 4, 2026, shows Kristen being visited by a bloodied Sophia. Is she hallucinating or did the girl survive?

Share your thoughts on Kristen’s plot to kill Sophia, and what you thought of the plot twist and the performances of Rachel Boyd leading up to it via the comment section below. But first, check out the promo for next week on DAYS.

 

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast

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After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.

Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.

The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.

Photo: NBC

There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.

The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.

In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.

Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.

Photo: NBC

Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”

As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”

Calderon took to his Instagram story and simply shared, “Thank You, Brilliant Minds.”

The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.

So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Sophia Seemingly Plans to End Her Life, But Not Before Setting Fire to Johnny’s Apartment With Him Trapped Inside

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The final few moments of the Thursday, April 30 episode of Days of our Lives, will pave the way, to what just may be the end of Sophia Choi’s (Rachel Boyd) life, but not as you may think!

After an unhinged Sophia paid a visit to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman), maced him in the eyes, knocked him out and then tied up to a chair, now conscious, she lets him know that she holds him responsible for all the trouble and trauma she has gone through from adopting her child, and her being sent to a mental institution.

So instead of the unregistered gun Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) gave her to finish off Johnny, Sophia sets up a plan to light candle, use nail polish remover and turn on the gas on the stove to ultimately create a mass explosion, which although Johnny pleaded to her not to that to all the innocent people inside his apartment building, she doesn’t seem to care.

Photo: JPI

FIERY FACE OFF

The plan was supposed to be, after she takes care of Johnny she will toss the gun in the Salem River, then focus on payback to Holly Jonas before leaving town to start a new life.

Now, Sophia makes her exit, leaving Johnny to be a few moments away from an explosion or gas inhalation, when Chanel (Raven Bowens) comes home after awaiting the results of her mammogram. She sees Johnny tied up, as he panics and tells her to put out the flame on the candle, things go awry, and a fire has begun and everything may go up in flames with Johnny and Chanel inside.

Photo: JPI

A BROKEN SOPHIA

Back in her room, Sophia breaks down after reading the social media comments about her, she planted, and then starts writing a suicide or farewell note which says. “I’m tired of begging for forgiveness for my mistakes. All I wanted was to move forward, to be loved and understood. But it’s clear that I was never going to get that. Holly Jonas said that I was dead to her. So, as her former BFF, I’m going to make her dream a reality.”

Photo: JPI

A DEADLY TRAP

Now, the fate of Johnny, Chanel and Sophia will be revealed on tomorrow’s May 1st cliffhanger, which may be the end of Sophia when she crosses paths with Kirsten at the bridge near the river. We do know Rachel Boyd is no longer appearing in the show credits section and is now off contract with the soap.

So, what did you think of the climatic final moments of DAYS? What did you think of the performance of Rachel Boyd as Sophia Choi? Let us know via the comment section.

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