Days Of Our Lives
RATINGS: General Hospital Up In Total Viewers And Key Demos!
Courtesy/ABC
The ratings are out for the week of November 14th-18th and it was General Hospital that showed the most gains in viewers among total viewers and addtions in all the key womens demos.
It was Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) confession at Morgan’s funeral that gave the 11/14 episode of the ABC soap opera over 2.9 million viewers, which was the most-watched episode of the week of GH.  For the week, in total viewers, GH added +94,000 up to 2,716,000 in its average tally. GH was the only soap to be in the plus column and add viewers in the key demos of 18-49, 18-24, and in the 25-54 category GH and Y&R were up.
The Young and the Restless also added total viewers for the week with +59,000 bring their tally to 4,559,000. However, Y&R tied an all-time low in the 18-49 ratings share for the seventh straight week.
The Bold and the Beautiful took the biggest hit for the ratings period losing -117,000 total viewers, and tying an all-time low in 18-49 viewers. The CBS soap also tied all-time lows in the ratings share for the 18-34 and 18-49 female demos.
Days of our Lives was down slightly from the previous week losing 33,000 total viewers, but continued to tie an all-time low in the 18-34 ratings share.  View the entire ratings via SON here.
Numbers are based on Live+Same Day ratings
(Compared to Last Week/Compared to Last Year)
Total Viewers
1. Y&R 4,559,000 (+59,000/-335,000)
2. B&B 3,696,000 (-117,000/+178,000)
3. GH 2,716,000 (+94,000/+48,000)
4. DAYS 2,239,000 (-33,000/-448,000)
So, which soap opera do you think is delivering the best drama right now? Which soap do you think needs the most fixing? What do you think of the latest ratings? Share your thoughts and theories in the comment section below!
I hope Days will improve so ratings will go up. I fear if the ratings stay this low Days will be in trouble. With the holiday season upon us, I hope they will have more positive and upbeat storylines with romance and some happy stories. Let’s put the dark, mean, ugly stories behind us, and bring in the light which is so needed!
I believe GH is the best soap on daytime Television. The Death of Morgan storyline is providing some of the best drama in a while. The actors are fantastic . I would like to say the storyline where Nell sleeps with Sonny is not my favorite. I hope it is not true and Nell is caught very soon. I would also like closure for the pill swap with Ava; where Ava is finally punished. Too much evil goes unpunished and it is distressing.
Nell druged Sonny and nothing happened. I don’t know what she’s up to yeah yet.
Bobby’s off feeling about her is right on. I don’t like Nell she’s a little snake in the grass .
I suspect Nell is acting on higher orders. Possibly, she is acting on the orders of Jerry Jax. Maybe, Nell is Jerry’s daughter.
Just a wild guess–I do not know.
Yeah, Sue. I, also, think nothing happened. But, Sonny fell right into Nell’s plans, whatever they may be.
Is she the child of some woman Sonny spurned?…..and, has she come to exact revenge?
Also, I also think she may be his illegitimate child…..That’s another reason I think nothing happened.
Lordy, Lord…..that would really be EWWWWY GROSS!…..GH would not go there!!
@Addison.
Hi, Addison. Could Nell be Jerry’s daughter, as you say? Perhaps, this is the reason Nell was a match for Joss. How perceptive of you.
Does Jerry have a bone to pick with Sonny? So, Nell is acting so sweet as a means to an end.
What a sycophant!!
Days is headed for NBC announcing its cancellation in late January. It would run thru September 2017 and be done. Its barely staying above the 2 million mark, not enough for NBC to renew it again, in my opinion.
it’s sad it’s come to this and they only have themselves to blame. Ken Corday is out of touch.
It baffles me how GH’s ratings are up when the show is a total snoozefest with every storyline going on currently. The pacing is terrible. I just don’t understand all the love for a thug who has people killed for a living. I don’t like Sonny and Carly at all and it really bothers me that Morgan got killed. Will women really support every bit of garbage this once proud show churns out nowadays?
I can’t take the show anymore and quit watching weeks ago. It’s nonstop doom and gloom day after day, week after week, ad nausem. The show is way too dark and depressing all the time. Whatever happened to the love, romance, and adventure that this show was once known for in another life? Daytime soaps should be a fun escape from the horrors of the real world, and God knows there’s been a ton of that in recent weeks and months.
I’ve also quit watching.
GH’s continued insistence on making a career criminal the focal point of the show and allowing him to get away with everything is disgusting. The world is depressing enough without subjecting myself to this show on a daily basis.
Hey Alan, you said Sonny being the focal point of the show is one of the things that turned you off, which is certainly your right to feel that way. But I’m curious, in a hypothetical situation, if you were in charge of making such decisions, which character or characters would you make the focal point of the show?
If I were in charge I would put Laura, Liz, Anna, and Ava front and center along with Valentin.
I would make Laura the emotional heart of the show, grooming her to be the eventual matriarch figure. When GH was facing cancellation in the 70’s it was the show’s decision to focus on Laura that in large part saved it from cancellation and she has the most ties (both familial and emotional) to the various characters.
I would shift the focus to more hospital based stories (both medical and romantic) and utilize Liz to greater effect, building on her being the sole remaining member of the Hardy family on the canvas (and of course her father Jeff is also Laura’s uncle). By shifting the focus back to the hospital the show would also open up more story for Monica (Laura’s confidante during her teen years), Kevin (Laura’s current beau), and Lucas (Laura’s nephew by marriage). Bobbi (Laura’s former sister-in-law and rival for Scotty’s affections) could also be brought back as the next generation Jessie Brewer to lead the nursing program.
I would put Anna back in charge of the PCPD and portray the department as effective as a result of Anna’s leadership and WSB background. With her professional life back on track, Anna could then dip her toe back into the dating pool.
Valentin and Ava would be positioned to drive story as resident villains (and possibly spouses at some point down the road which would take the Ava/Nina feud to the next level if Ava became Charlotte’s mother, a position Nina is clearly hungry for). Instead of the played out mob business the show needs to introduce some corporate intrigue with Valentin attempting a hostile takeover of ELQ by using whatever Heather saw in Edward’s will a few years ago as his ace up his sleeve (which would give Tracy something to deal with on a professional front as well as a personal one when she learns the secret that her beloved father kept). I would also bring Delia back to interact with Ava and soften the character a bit, but still maintain her impulsive self-structure qualities that make Ava so compelling to watch.
Finally, I would rebuild Alexis into a smart, strong, funny woman dedicated to her daughters and the law instead of a woman defined by her attraction to mobsters; bring back Britt to stir up trouble at GH; send Maxie and Nathan off to Seattle to be closer to Georgie; give more airtime to Lucas and Brad’s marriage; introduce more humor into the show via a Delia/Obrecht friendship, which would evolve from them bonding over their love for their children to their getting into Lucy and Ethel situations trying to keep Ava and Britt out of trouble; showcase actual friendships between the female characters; and most importantly, put a focus on epic romantic stories that play all the beats and don’t rely on lame obstacles like secret Canadian wives needing green cards who show up with kids who have a different father every week.
Alan…I love your ideas for GH. What I would add is a couple of stronger male characters. Too bad they’ve neutered most of them…Paul had potential until, they made him a serial killer in a pretty dumb, depressing story. Jax and Robert just drop into Port Charles once in a while. And Duke…they had to kill him off. And while The hospital is the center of GH, not too many life and worse stories. Also really like being Delia/Dr. O back the way you suggested. Actually Delia could be the “face” of Kelly’s.
Amanda…While I still watch GH it isn’t with the same anticipation I used to have. And it is mainly because of what you said in your second paragraph. It does have it’s moments, but that’s just it …just moments. I hope things will pick up.
That’s it right there. Anticipation. I could not specify it or put my finger on what is missing. You just did it for me, Rose.
The ratings show that the audience enjoys Sonny, whether you like him or not the show is only going to base things on the numbers. It just shows that despite all the internet feedback, the majority of the audience feels differently
Exactly, Sean. Every piece of storytelling; whether it be a novel, a book, a movie, a soap, needs good and evil…..good guys; bad guys, equipped with foils and and counterparts. This is what makes a drama ‘tick’, in my opinion.
I cannot stand Sonny or Julian, but they are both necessary evils. I think what best represents these two ( and Ava) is that their quasi human ‘good’ qualities are inserted within their core.
They are bad guys with feelings. We have seen them love, hate, and suffer passionately…..all the basic emotions which makes a human being.
I write so many deprecating remarks about characters, one and all, LOL. But, at the end of the day, it is these same characters that stir our feelings/ emotions within us….we respond one way or the other. That’s what any writing should elicit.
I tolerate the bad guys because I know they are needed…..life is not a bed of roses.
Exactly Sean, what it proves is that the negativity and criticism directed at Maurice here and on other sites and forums is a vocal but ultimately small minority of the overall GH viewership. They are going to write their show for what the masses want, not for what a group of people on the internet want.
I don’t think this week’s ratings are proof that the “masses” want Sonny. The ratings for October 1st through November 4th which was a week of the non-stop Sonny/Carly pity party over Morgan’s death had GH down 239,000 in total viewers from last year as well as down 109,000 viewers in the women 18-49 demographic. Those aren’t good numbers. When the continued focus on all things Corinthos results in weekly gains and an increase in the coveted demographics over an extended period of time then a connection can be made between the two.
I also have quit watching. Plus I deleated all of it on my dvr.Now I will just take it off. Whenn I have given in, and tried to watch Jax all I saw was Sonny. he is the main reason I can’t be bothered.
Hey, Janet. Perception and habit rule my soap-watching.
I could never stop watching. I am soooo true blu, whether I like what I see or not. Soaps, whatever is left of them, are part of me; of my life….just my take.
I am so glad to see someone else sick of Sonny and Carly. I could take Carly staying on if only Sonny wold leave the show permanenty. Carly could date new chaeacters for a while until they settle on someone interesting. The whole mob thing is out of date and silly. Especially when they go on and on about Sonny veing a great dad though all his kids have been almost killed. The Cassadines, Sonny, Luke and Jerry Jax need to be written out for new fresh actors and stories
Believe it or not, Carly’s smugness gets to me…like today when she spoke to Ava. Nice Carly I have no problem with. Smug Carly..which we see way too often? I’d rather see her and that smirk locked up before they threw the book at Sonny
Y&R is just biding time until Sally Sussman’s take on Genoa City begins. I am looking forward to what she and her team can do to revive my interest in what was a stately elegant and captivating serial. As a newbie to DAYS (since the mass cancellations), I have been disappointed but ever hopeful. GH has been clicking but because it is focusing on legacy characters and developing stories more deeply. B&B is just on endless repeat > same stories, different family members. Give these people something to do that really challenges them as people.
I am not surprised…..GH has been holding my attention. Most storylines are delivering all that a soap encompasses, albeit sometimes consisting of inane storylines .
Examples: Sam and Jason…ugh; Valerie’s instant superior, displaced moral attitude…ugh; Jordan and weird shrink…ugh; Carly/ Jax/Nell/Sonny debacle is freakishly ridiculous…ugh; weaselly Nell ( who has no appeal in looks or otherwise) is exploiting her nefarious agenda, which I saw from the onset and said so….yet, her REAL plan is not forthcoming.
So, the stage is set…..Will Carly find Nell and Sonny together? Is this her plan? To break up Carly and Sonny? Ahhhhh….and so the recycling goes!!
Now, for the good storylines:
Alexis trials and tribulations are so true to life….Nancy’s rendition is splendidly executed…….That dramatic background music sounded so similar to Puccini’s Madama Butterfly…..so befitting!!!!! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!
Finn and Hayden intrigue me….the story can be sped up a bit; but, loving these two.
Valentin’s countenance leaves me breathless….wanting more. His entire aura bespeaks of mystery, deceit and a bit of the macabre. What is behind the real man?
One last thing. Joss is blossoming into a beautiful young girl. She is such a good little actress. I hope she is given many more scenes….love this kid. I’d rather look at her than the nanny/assistant Nell from hell.
Y&R is Ok. I am too loyal to this soap to speak too negatively, albeit some of the characters are annoyingly not up to par….drive me up the wall.
Days just confuses the living ‘day’lights out of me….The Hope storyline is hopeless!! Gabi is starting to get on my nerves.
Allow Abby to make an appearance already before it’s too late….Gabi is subtly making a move on Chad and using JJ as her patsy.
Jade ( whatever her name is) and Joey are a bust. Holy moly!!
I thought the same thing as I watched Joss beg Jax to stick around, what a sweet little budding actress! She, to me, is close to being in the Molly/Kristina category.
How should Valerie act then. Sonny walks around like he does nothing wrong.
How should Valerie act? Hmmmm……let’s see; not with so much hauteur; considering her moral compass and code of ethics went out the window, the minute she decided to ” lay, lady, lay” with her cousin’s husband.
As far as Sonny?….. I think everyone is fed up with my opinion of him…..he’s in another chapter.
For the life of me, I cannot fathom why GH’s ratings went up.
To watch Sonny morosely naval gaze?
I thought that confession during the funeral was over-the-top silly and then that moron Jordan stands up and says,”Um, are you confessing to the murder of Mourning, er, I mean, Morgan”? It was the confession of a narcissist and call me heartless and evil, I wasn’t even close to crying.
And hey, this comes from someone who cries watching that yellow lab trying to get his owner to take him on walk but the owner cannot because he has a back ache.
Lol
I get it, Banquo’s Ghost. I cry when the leaves fall.
You are so right. I said this before. Sonny’s pain twisted my heart minimally and marginally….lasted for a second. I did feel his pain in that instant.
Then, the aloofness and his selfish concentration on himself killed any pity I felt for him.
The anguish of losing his son pales in comparison to saving his own skin, with whatever evidence lays before him. Back to his old self…. what a guy!!
The Nielsen ratings audience need to get soap opera watchers ..
The ratings are in the Nielsen ratings audience hands, not ours.
I know su0000 who are these people? I’ll tell you who they are. People getting left over price is and let’s make a deal prizes from CBS. Incentive to stick an extra TV hooked up to a Nielsen box on cbs. That’s who the Nielsen audience is. For those who want to debate this I’m not changing my mind. THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED…Just ask TRUMP!!
hi davlestev ..
AND! we do not get a vote, we are not counted!
ratings are rigged!
It’s the Nielsen households that are counted, not us..
I want a vote, I want to be counted and not one of the 0.1% estimate of what they watch.
Glad to hear the positive ratings news for GH. The show has been excellent over the past month, in my view. And I’m glad the viewership numbers reflect that.
I’m especially glad to see that a show featuring Maurice Benard, who is, in my humble opinion, the most unfairly maligned and criticized actor among commenters on this site, seemingly blamed for everything under the sun, I expect people to start blaming him for climate change and the national debt next, and an episode featuring him was the highest rated individual show on GH in months. He was brilliant on that episode, and has been during the Morgan death storyline, along with Laura Wright and many others on the show. Hopefully they will both be seeing some well deserved Emmy gold in their future.
The writing, also heavily criticized among posters here, has been very good lately, in my estimation. No cheesy Scooby Doo cartoon stories, people pulling off masks, or having sex in a mausoleum, instead stories that have real human drama and emotion, stories that get you emotionally invested and keep you coming back to see what happens next. That is the heart of what every good soap opera should be, and a staple of what GH has been over the years when it’s been at its best.
Maurice is great. Sonny, not so much. But the actor is doing his job. I’m with you Dan!
Absolutely, Timmmy. Agreed and agreed. We must separate the actor from the character.
Whatever angst we may hold, let’s turned towards the writers…LOL.
Thanks Timmm, always respect your opinions. Same for you Cee Cee. Here’s the way I see it. Personally, I think Sonny is a great, complex character. He’s not all good, he’s not all bad, he’s both, shades of grey, if you will. Not black or white, cut and dry, good or evil. Both and sometimes at the same time. That’s what makes a great, memorable soap character, in my opinion. The ability to walk that line between good and evil.
A character that we like and want to root for and feel empathy towards at times, but also one that we get angry with and want to see pay for the bad things they’ve done at other times. Not unlike Luke Spencer, Victor Newman, Erica Kane, or any number of other classic soap opera characters over the years.
I think Maurice does a brilliant job of portraying that shades of grey type of character. The writing of the Sonny character has been hit or miss over his 23 years on the show. For me, right now it’s a hit, and I think the criticism Maurice gets from a lot of people is unwarranted. But at the same time, I can understand why Sonny is such a polarizing character.
Thank you, Dan…likewise, my friend. Your posts are always so rich with feelings and positivity. Love it!!
I love how B&B still beats GH even when it has a “bad” week
the cbs soaps are declining. Y&R’s numbers are tragic. thank god the new writing is coming soon,the soap is in terrible shape. i’m sick of seeing the same lackluster stories. Sharon being the town pariah again is terrible
I absolutely hate that the baby switcheroo story line has turned into a child custody case. Wait, scratch then–it’s turned into a visitation rights case.
Even on a good day, child custody battles in soaps are dull, but a child visitation battle? I anxiously await the arrival of the new writing regime who will be on clean up duty for the first few months.
Not hard to believe that B&B lost the most viewers from the previous week. If you miss an episode, you don’t miss much at all. Same stories, different year.
it’s the same stories over and over. so lazy. Brad Bell needs to step it up and write more compelling stories
Aside from the first 2 days of the funeral, I don’t think there’s been much action this month on GH at all. Compare this November to 3 years ago when Luke and Robert and Anna were battling Faison and Robin was on her way to break up Patrick’s wedding. This year’s November sweeps for GH are an epic bore as far as I’m concerned.
I really think on Y&R we are tire of Sharon being the problem child. The story line went on too long. The truth should have come out before the doctor was killed. The B&B we are tire of the love triangle between Brook/Kate and Bill. Than they created love triangle between Bill/Ridge over Brook. We are tire of Brook sleeing with some ones man that she is related to. You neex to bring someone new in the picture. Oh not mention how you are turning the Quinn/Eric/Kate story the same way. For once let Eric & Quinn be happy for awhile and give Kate a new love witb a new person to the show. Take a look at GH writers.
Here is GH’s #1 problem besides Frank and Jelly, which is big enough! GH doesnt commit to the stories, actors or fans. Jax is a perfect example. Here is a character that can act his butt off, is so relevant and much needed. Case in point, he left Alexis right after she ran down Julian, literally blood on her hands and a drunk! Jax is needed! Carly and Jax are gold. She has a ton of mix feelings right now. Jax is needed! Sonny is outraged at Jax and Carly, he and Jax didnt get to play that out. Jax is needed! Now, to be fair, maybe Ingo didnt want to stay long term. Okay, but I would have never brought him back unless he could play out the stories he is right smack in the middle of! The stories are empty now. Its bullshit, really. And dont forget, somehow Jax and Nelle have a connection. We will never know. Get rid of the extra weight, sign some characters long term and right a freakin story!
Agreed, Timmmy….especially the part of a connection between Nell from hell and Jax. Will he leave with the secret? Will we ever find out what compels this girl to act so intractably?
Yet, before she crawled into bed with a ‘dead to the world’, Sonny, Nell said, “Sorry”.
What does this sort of remorseful uttering mean? Not knowing is killing me. LOL.
Well, she probably tapped Sonny’s specialty, a “Latte Naughty” and Avery will have a little coffee bean to play with in nine months!
Amen. Jax is a must. If not for Carly than for Alexis. I will forever dream of a Jax and Nina pairing ! They would be like Jax and Courtney in the begining, when they dined and drank wine all classy all the time or even early Skye and Jax 🙂
Jax and Nina, great idea!
Ingo Rademacher who plays Jax isnt willing to commit to a full time return. I know he has a recurring role on the prime time show Hawaii Five-O and lives in Hawaii so he is only agreeing to short term appearances at this point.
Thats fine but GH shouldnt write for him if he isnt willing to wrap up loose ends.
“…..little coffee bean to play with….”.,,, hilarious!!!!! Thank you for the lsugh, Timmmbo!!
Two things I avoid on all soaps are funerals and court scenes– I haven’t seen a soap due either properly for years— so I gave up, so I missed Sonny’s grand confession– just like I am missing the whole brother vs brother mess on Y&R over baby Christian. It is so unnecessary, Christian is Dylan’s nephew, why would Nick have any problem with them seeing the baby? Pointless drama is worse than bad drama.
What bothers me about these numbers is that November is a sweeps month and if the soaps are doing this badly when they are supposed to be at their best, I hate to see them during the winter doldrums.
I cannot recall a sweeps month as disappointing and as bad as this one– not one soap had anything worthwhile going on for what is supposed to be Grade A prime stories. Days is slowly becoming watchable again, but barely. GH is all over the map, it is hard to invest in stories when one day they focus on one thing, but it could weeks before they get back to that story- Y&R is obviously just doing filler until the new stuff can start– B&B– is the same old, same old, and if you like the same old same old stuff, it’s okay, if not, it like being stuck in soap version of deju-vu hell
100% agree except for DROOL. It’s plodding, lifeless pace is killing me. Abby in the attic is beyond dumb
I know, Tomas. I wish I could make some sense out of that.
You know? “Abby In The Attic” would make a good title of some book, or movie, somehow. LOL.
Also, out of context……Gabi would do well not to wear her gorgeous hair in a bun. It must be the most unflattering up-do on anyone who does not have the Audrey Hepburn type of head/profile.
Why on earth GH’s ratings are up is beyond me, with No direction Frank and the hack writers Jean and Shelley this show has been almost unwatchable since summer 2015, I continue to watch out of spite for ABC, they want the show to be terrible so that we don’t watch and then don’t care when they cancel it, I can’t think of any other reason why those 3 still have jobs.
I think GH is the best it has been in a while! Nancy Lee Grahn is portrayal of Alexis and her battle with her shattered life, career and alcoholism is moving, she deserves a daytime Emmy!
William Devry the same! I love the storyline that the Quartemaines finally have, the only storyline that is dull is the Cassidine one with Valentine just bring back Nicolas and give Laura and Kevin a better romantic story!
I agree, the writing has improved. First there is actual dialogue, all they did a year ago is recite the storylines going on .I think the show is in the right direction and though I am a fan I’m always a critic . I love Sonny and I love Carly, but I can not stand them together any longer, let if be what it truly is , done, dead, and move on, they can parent together now and then but please, Carly was great with Jax. Also they could create some real gritty , real life drama with lo g term classmates starting to really care for each other, and I mean something interesting, Monica and Tracy could really start sharing some special moments, and show that love has no gender and shake it up. It is 2016, these soaps all exploded when dealing with real crap and then just making g it glamorous.
Hi CeeCee…I don’t think Valerie is angry with Curtis for working for Julian…well, that’s not the main reason. She’s pissed because he took pictures of confidential police documents that SHE left unattended. In essence, it was her responsibility to not leave sensitive material lying around in front of a civilian and it could have cost her her job..or a suspension… if Jordan hadn’t let it go. So, she feels like Curtis took a risk at her expense…
Agree with you about Joss; I liked her from the beginning and am happy to see they’re featuring her more. She was always a good actress…came with an impressive acting background.
As you know I never liked Nell but objectively I think she’s very pretty.
Thanks, Rebecca, but, I know exactly what Valerie’s beef with Curtis is. It still comes down to ethics, nonetheless…..she has none. That is my point.
And, Jordan fell into the same pit by ‘ignoring’ Valerie’s faux pas. Jordan should be fired for putting her own ethics on the line.
It was not Jordan’s call to dismiss Valerie’s complete disregard for rules….confidential documents which could jeopardize a case. Again, that is my point.
I suppose, soap or no soap; my ethical conduct is important to me; yet, I cannot expect the public to feel the same way.
Ceecee…take a breath! I don’t know about anyone else but I’m sick of hearing about your code of ethics. A kiss between Carly and Jax? Scare bleu! Valerie forgot to close confidential documents in front of a trusted boyfriend…morally bankrupt!!!! And yet…you voted for Trump. ‘Nuff said.
And, THAT is the crux of your angst!!
not at all…it’s just the height of hypocrisy.
You have the last word. You are that arrogant!!
No…it’s just a reply to your misguided accusation. And BELIEVE me you get your fair say; your repeated “victimization” that your replies don’t go through is as repetitive as your holier than thou morals. You’re NOT always polite in your comments here as some may say…you’re defensive and on-the-attack many times. And, for your info, all of us are subject to the moderators here…you and Shay, who you keep bringing up….are not the only ones. You’ve gotten in quite a few “hits” going way back…
Sweetheart, when will you every learn? Stay on the high road, you get less mud on your tires! Luv ya!
@Timmm.
I know, my Timmmy. I am learning as I age…getting wiser. Afterall, I’ll be thirty in a couple of days. LOL. I can’t believe it!! LOL.
I wear my heart on my sleeve…..like Kiki. She reminds me of myself.
And, speaking of Kiki, why did the writers not show yesterday’s ‘threatening’ scene with Liz’s rapist today? It would have been THE end of the week cliffhanger, yes?
Thanks for your wisdom, and shoulder. Love you, too.
“Timmy?” Butt out. Lol…you amaze me. That’s what you did all along and I ignored you for the longest time…and then when I finally responded to your attitude with hostility you were aghast! Too much…
GH has easily been the best soap of 2016.
Y&R, its number one because of their legacy and CBS believes in them. It is NOT number one for its stories. They are ALL horrible! Good actors, horrible scripts! I mean, Nick is fighting Dylan to stay away from a son he thought was his. Dylan is a cop, Sharon is Faith’s mother, are these two people that bad that they cannot become “Uncle Dylan and Aunt Sharon?” Oh and that HELLSea, I cannot wait until Sharon finds out Christian is Adam’s and she runs to Nick and sends that bitch back to the gutter where she belongs!
You know what this whole Chelsea/Nick thing boils down to, Timmmy? TPTB do not know what to do with Chelsea. She must be kept on the front burner ‘cooking’ nothing.
Where is this story headed? Adam is dead….Chelsea needs to keep herself as a vital presence in Nick’s life because she thinks Christian is Adam’s son. I think because of this fact, she feels ( subconsciously) she has a right to the baby, somehow.
I still feel very strongly that the baby is Nick’s I can see Victor’s busy hands doing their best handiwork, yet!!
I do not even recognize Chelsea anymore. IT’S A MIRACLE!!!!! Guttersnipe no more. Rags to Fashionista….LOL.
I did infer what you just said about Aunt Sharon and Uncle Dylan, earlier. They would still get to spend time with the baby if they could have just had the common sense to allow things to calm down.
I can see both sides. They all love the baby. It must be so hard for Sharon and Dylan in that empty house without the baby whom they thought was theirs…..and, after having him for a year.
Yet, the pain Nick suffered unnecessarily gives him the right to be as mad as heck. Not to mention the loss of time which he should have spent with his son. Neither he nor the child will ever recoup that.
I never like Chelsea. But she was hinged to Adam so I dealt with her. BUT, as we know with this current writing staff, soon to be gone, they shouldnt have killed off Adam, he and Chelsea and their son should have left the country and returned when they have a new Adam in place. I wouldnt even mind if off camera they say Chelsea chose to stay in Paris to work. Well one would say, how could a mother leaver her child behind? Hey Celia, like you said in the past, she gave Johnny to Victoria and not ONCE does she mention him! She doesnt care! Oh, I cannot stand her! And Nick, he will warm back up to Sharon. They are the younger version of Nikki and Victor, they always end up back together!
Yeah, Timmmy, I feel the same way. As far as I’m concerned, the only positive about Chelsea is her wardrobe. I didn’t like her as Annie ( Richie’s sister –Billy Miller—-) on AMC, and The same stands for Chelsea.
I think that if she is to stay on, TPTB need to devise a way to make Chelsea a real person….not a fill-in…..give her some maternal instincts instead of hanging around Nick and baby. You know? Give her another dimension to her mannequin-type persona, or send her to another dimension. LOL.
I am not saying she should not have told Nick what happened with Sharon ( inadvertently seeing Christian), but, I do wonder if she did that out of obligation, or just to pit Nick against Sharon. The latter is more in accordance to Chelsea’s ‘type of old’.
I do agree about Sharon and Nick. I have always thought these two belonged together.
Ciao, babes.
I’m very on GH, and maybe this has been talked about but could Nell be the child of the Carly’s friend who died on high school? Or something? She has a similar background and it seems like they’re setting her up to be the next Carly…
The June 22 episode of Days of Our Lives reminded us all of why Deidre Hall is iconic in the role of Dr. Marlena Evans. Here we are 50 years later, and Marlena is still the heroine of the long-running soap opera, and Deidre remains one of the most most recognizable names in the history of soaps.
To pay tribute, and to look back at the life and times of Marlena, the story starts with Marlena flipping through a photo album of her with John (the late Drake Hogestyn) over the years. As she misses him dearly, she gets a knock on the door and its none other than John’s son, Paul Narita (Christopher Sean).
With Andrew (Colton Little) in Salem working on a case, he sits down with Marlena, who says she can’t believe its been fifty years since she first arrived in Salem! Cue: Deidre’s first scenes on DAYS when she finds Mickey Horton (the late John Clarke) playing chess against himself inside the mental institution she worked.
Courtesy/Peacock
THE FLASHBACKS OF MARLENA’S LIFE
From there, viewers definitely got the cliff notes version of the history of Marlena and entrenched within them, some of the biggest moments in Deidre’s enduring run.
Paul thinks he is looking at 70s, and early 80s Marlena while going through her scrapbook, but he is actually looking at her twin, Samantha (Andrea Hall). Cue: when Marlena confronted Samantha about impersonating her, and then later getting a call on her radio show from the Salem Strangler (Jack Coleman as Jake Kostichek) who killed Samantha thinking it was Marlena.
In the present, Belle (Martha Madison) has arrived at this time to meet up with Paul, unaware of this trip down memory lane. She wants to go over the findings in the chess board mystery Stefano willed to Marlena and John, in private with him, since Marlena previously said she wanted nothing to do with it.
Back to the history lesson, Marlena speaks highly of Don Craig and even though their marriage didn’t work out, she could find a path forward with the new love her life, Roman Brady. (Wayne Northrop however is never shown, possibly to keep the story focused on John as Roman for confusion sakes?)
Paul sees a photo of a young Carrie (Christie Clark) in the album and Marlena says she was such a godsend after losing her baby. In fact, Marlena says caring for Carrie prepared her for her having and raising her own twins, Eric and Sami. Cue: The twin visiting Marlena in the hospital.
JOHN AND MARLENA’S LOVE CONQUERED ALL
Then, in a way to get through and incorporate the wild storylines only Marlena could have been in, she tells Belle and Paul, she has been through so much in her life, how lucky she was to find John, and some of the most unbelievable experiences no one could imagine. Cue: Marlena possessed by the devil and levitating from the bed. Next, John confronting Marlena being the Salem Stalker, where she admits she killed Alice Horton, pretends she needs help, then pulls a gun on her beloved John!
The comment is made by Paul and Marlena, that she literally has been to hell and back and she could not have survived were it not for her beloved John. Cue the big emotional highpoint clips; The Pier Scene! Marlena steps out of the fog when John sees her from a distance. After believing she was dead for four years, here she was before him in one of the greatest reunions in a soap opera love story in history. What followed were other times of the life of times of Jarlena.
Courtesy/Peacock
MARLENA’S ‘GIFT’ FROM STEFANO HAS A NEW CLUE
When Marlena makes a brief exit to the other room, Belle fills in Paul on the chess set Stefano left her mother and the photo of the Lire. Paul said he will investigate. Marlena comes back into the room and overhears, and says to promise her if things get dangerous he will back off, she does not want anyone hurt by Stefano’s games.
As the episode comes to a conclusion, it’s just Belle and Marlena going through the photo album giggling about 70s hairstyles and all the memories. Belle speaks on the impact Marlena has had in everyone’s lives, and that she is both the heart of their family and the heart of Salem.
An end card comes up acknowledging Deidre Hall’s 50th anniversary as Marlena, and we fade to black.
So, what did you think of Marlena’s walk down memory lane? Were you happy to see the flashback clips utilized throughout? Were you touched by the scenes and the performance of Deidre Hall? Let us know what you thought of Deidre’s 50th anniversary episode via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
Days Of Our Lives
Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
It’s been a bittersweet time for Al Calderon. The talented actor/singer/songwriter has watched from his vantage point to roles he loved so much come to their conclusion for different reasons.
In a heartfelt message posted to his Instagram story on Saturday, Calderon took a moment to share how grateful he was for the opportunity to play Javi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, and nurse Nico Silva this year on NBC’s second season of Brilliant Minds. Currently, Brilliant Minds has two more episodes that will air on June 24 and the series finale on July 1.
Calderon expressed, “As I sit here reflecting on this lovely Saturday afternoon over the last two years of my life, I have two major chapters closing that have been part of my life every day for the last two years. We have Brilliant Minds. Our last episodes are wrapping up, and then my last scenes aired yesterday as me as Javi on Days of Our Lives.
Photo: JPI
“I’m just unbelievably grateful for the chance and the opportunity to be a part of something so much larger than me,” continued Al. “I (will) love Days of Our Lives forever, my family. Thank you for supporting me and supporting my decision to take the leap of faith and believe in myself and, and tell other stories. You know, it’s never goodbye. It’s always ‘see you later’ to me and just leaving with love and leading with love.”
Al concluded with a special mention to some very important people, the fans: “Thank you to the fans and the support from everyone, the lovely messages. So this next chapter, hopefully it’s not a dragon, hopefully it’s a gold coin.”
Photo: NBC
Calderon’s journey on-screen on Days of Our Lives began in October of 2024 and concluded this month. In one of his last appearances Javi was asking a favor from Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) before bumping into his ex, Leo (Greg Rikaart). In story, Javi has a new romance with Gus (Michael Ocampo), while fighting his feelings for Leo. The role of Javi will be played starting on June 30 by Jacob Martinez who takes over the role.
NBC decided to cancel the Brilliant Minds, after it split up the airing of its second season which began in the fall of September of 2025 and the back-half started airing after a long break this past May. Calderon joined the medical drama staring Zachary Quinto for the new season, which sadly was its last.
So, will you miss Al on Days of Our Lives and Brilliant Minds as his time on-screen has come to an end? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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