Days Of Our Lives
Susan Banks Returns To DAYS! What Were Your First Impressions?
Courtesy/NBC
Let’s not be, “MEAN, MEAN, MEAN!” On yesterday’s episode of NBC’s Days of our Lives, finally Daytime Emmy winner Eileen Davidson reprised her role of Susan Banks, the mother of EJ DiMera (James Scott), and the woman who Stefano (Joe Mascolo) and Kristen used to be a Kristen-lookalike to trap John into marriage!
Now in September2014, Susan shows up on EJ’s doorstep, and he just doesn’t know what to make of her return to Salem or what to do with her around! Especially, when she kind of lets him know she is not to keen on Sami (Alison Sweeney)! Susan says she feels that something bad is going to happen to her son and came to warn him and bring him back to England with her and Edmund! After EJ tells her that he is not leaving Sami behind, Susan says she can come with them.
But what is the ominous feeling that Susan has? Could this help facilitate the final exit of EJ as played by James Scott? And let’s not forget: on today’s episode Susan will come face to face with her arch nemesis Kristen! Raise your hands, if you can’t wait to see Eileen Davidson play against herself on-screen!
So, what did you think of the 2014 rendition of Susan Banks? Share your thoughts below and watch a video review of yesterday’s DAYS after the jump featuring Susan’s entrance!
A tad bit too GH style campiness but still somewhat fun to watch and does add much needed humor to the show…yes, i believe Susans Banks return is related to the departure of E.J. and Sami…it should be fun to watch Eileen confront herself as Susan and Kristen…maybe theyll switch places and Kristen leaves town as Susan and Susan as Kristen is given a drug not to remember who she really is and eventually gets in trouble for something the real Kristen has done…just a thought!…P.S.,…I smell emmy nomination next year!!!
You can never have too much camp on a soap. That’s what I tune in for!
I agree with you about your comment re: General Hospital. I am growing very tired of General Hospital these days-which is sad, because I have watched since the early ’80’s. I do love Susan Banks. I think she will be enjoyable in this short story arc. I absolutely love Eileen Davidson-so talented! I was thrilled that she won an Emmy this past year-most deserved! I wish that she would stay longer on DOOL!
Emmy Nod for sure next year and I DO believe Kristen and Susan will have a major face off soon, that is a given!! Like you said Jimh, campy but fun to watch!!
It was a better memory than to see Susan again. Actually, it was sophomoric and really bad for all involved. Awful. Send her back to London immediately.
Hi Ruby…we must have seen a different Days because Eileen as Susan was incredibly entertaining. IMO. It is called comedic relief which was so desperately needed after all the dramatic goings-on ad nauseam.
Davidson plays three different women on two different shows…that’s a lot of masks to interchange. She assumes three different personalities without missing a beat, and she keeps it all aligned…what a chameleon…WOW !!!!
CeeCee: You are right about Eileen! The three characters that she portrays are very different. Ashley is a heroine. Kristen is multi-dimensional-emotional, vulnerable, broken, with evil all rolled up into one. Susan has a child-like innocence who loves her son with her whole heart and admires her friend “Dr. Marlena Evans.” I watched the episode three times. I could not stop laughing! I just love Eileen!
Totally agree with you Ruby…..it was so painful to watch I just had to fast forward past all the scenes with Susan
Love Susan banks. Kiddos to Eileen Davidson
I had to keep rewinding Susan’s scenes because I thought she was hilarious! I love Susan’s awkward demeanor and mannerisms. Honestly, I just love Eileen Davidson!
I’m a fairly new watcher, but even I recognized her as the same actress who plays Kristen – the Billy Bob teeth and the 8 Dollar dark wig and dime store glasses didn’t get past me – cute, sort of funny – I guess. The show does need some humor that’s for sure. Plus, it’s almost in time for Halloween.
I thought they should have made her age a little. It was too lame to bring her back exactly like she was before. Give her a little gray hair or something.
They could have found a better wig for her, one that wasn’t so obviously fake– but aside from that it was nice to finally see EJ with his mother—not sure what all this danger stuff is that she is speaking about but we will have to assume this is the way EJ will be taken off canvas. Looking forward to dual roles scenes today.
Hey, Mary. I suppose one can call it a mother’s intuition. Susan senses, or more aptly, smells danger for her son. You are correct, IMO , that her appearance is to escort EJ out of Salem.
I also believe that the danger will come directly from Clyde, the Hyde.
Eileen Davidson can do no wrong imo. This woman is on 3 different network shows, playing 18,000 different characters!!! She is wonderful!!
Hilarious
Why in the world do they use Eileen Davidson in this role?? “Susan” looks so much like Kristen that it’s distracting and embarrassing. Is it supposed to be funny?
Hi Betsy, Several years ago, Susan was hired by Stefano because she looks like Kristen. Susan’s job was to give birth to EJ so Kristen could fake her pregnancy by John and pass Susan’s child off as the son of Kristen and John. Susan studied Kristen’s walk and talk and had special Kristen teeth and had her hair dyed.
Susan fell for John and posed as Kristen whom she locked in a secret room where Marlena was held prisoner by Kristen. Susan was found out at the Kristen (really Susan) wedding where her teeth flew through the air!
It is supposed to be funny and sometimes serious and almost always seriously funny!!!
If you wanted to, you can google Susan Banks or any other character and learn so much more than I can tell you.
I hope you become a fan of DAYS if you aren’t already!!!
Thank you, 4ever. I did as you suggested to Betsy on Monday. I have been watching for 6 years, so I am not too familiar with Susan either; except for what my Mom and Gran re-tell me. Davidson is such a great actress and her portrayal of herself as Susan is hilariously to die for. That voice….those squinty eyes and facial expressions….Those teeth…haha !!
All in all I give them credit for taking something that had become totally boring EJ and Sami and bring wonderful humor back into the situation….Days has totally forgot about humor for way to long! Susan was a perfect way to give some of it back, and still keep the important stories happening with her premonition of Evil in the house.
It’s funny-I find EJ and Sami boring, too-I’ve never been a fan of the pairing. I always liked EJ and Nicole (I find Eric and Nicole very boring). I think that Daniel and Kristen have some spark, too…
I was pleasantly surprised that the current Days writers, who write the show in such a boring and un-dramatic way, were able to capture the essence of Susan Banks and the Reilly era. I was impressed! Hats off the dialogue writer for these episodes, not to mention Eileen Davidson for delivering a terrific performance. She deserves another Emmy because these episodes showed how she can play someone so completely different from Kristen.
I loved seeing the Marlena/Susan friendship again. Deidre Hall was radiant in those scenes, and I love how she and Eileen have such different chemistry when playing friends! Alison Sweeney played Sami in a natural way that usually only comes across in scenes with Lucas. And James Scott was also good at EJ. He’s a little embarrassed by his mother (aren’t we all at some point?), but deep down he loves her dearly. The Kristen/Susan faceoff was exciting and I was surprised Days had the budget to do a split-screen and show them in the same shot! And they had Susan and Kristen change positions in a scene! Wow! The writers also remembered all the great character things about Susan, like “mean, mean, mean”, “Kris-TAN”, “vampires, pork rinds, and her crush on John! I love that Susan carries a photo of her wedding to John in her purse at all times! I am on such a “Susan high” right now. Days did a great job with this, and I am very surprised to be giving Tomsell kudos considering they’ve made such a mess of this show.
I was laughing so hard watching this episode-“evil, evil, evil,” “mean, mean, mean,” “Kris-tan,” and then whenever she pulled out the garlic, I think I howled! Loved when Kristen called Stefano and he called her a “piece of lint.” I just love Susan’s mannerisms. She cracks me up! Way to go, Eileen!
So glad to see Susan again. Although it felt like something was missing in the portrayal. I don’t know what. Guess I’d have to see some old Susan scenes to know. Maybe it’s because it’s just been a while.
I was thinking that her return might be to help ease EJami out of Salem.
Eileen Davidson can sure play that role!
HA-LARIOUS!
I have been waiting for the day that Eileen would play Susan opposite her grown up baby boy EJ. James looked like he was biting anything in his mouth just to keep himself from laughing.
I love that DAYS sticks to good old fashion, down to earth drama, but intersperses these moments that bring the levity. The weed donuts were one, a while back their 4th of July Oscar movie episode was another. It’s not farcical, just some special, bright moments.
These scenes were great. I was thoroughly entertained. I’m glad DAYS took advantage of having Susan while Eileen (and James!) were still on and available!
That “good old fashion, down to earth drama” drove this viewer away. I grew up on high drama and melodrama like Carly Buried Alive, Marlena’s Possession, Gina/Hope, etc. Days in its current incarnation is broken and boring. It no longer appeals to me.
It stings seeing Days as an imitation of a CBS soap instead of embracing its identity as a Gothic, supercouple soap.
I can see why you might say that. I can’t disagree that it’s a vastly different show than it was under James Reilly. But I would argue DAYS is no where near as, pardon me, stuffy as YR or repetitive with one storyline as B&B. It still maintains the DAYS quality, without being as theatrical and exaggerated as it used to be. It’s a matter of taste, but I’m very happy with the balance of mostly smart drama and romance, peppered with some light moments when we don’t expect it.
I’m not sure how the cast and Eileen herself were able to keep a straight face! I was laughing so hard when Susan went to University Hospital (and her interaction with the Maxine).
Jules, it’s great that you’re happy with the current Days, but I have been driven away from my formerly-favorite soap and it hurts. It makes me very unhappy to see the mess it’s become.
alistaircrane: I feel that way with General Hospital. It’s unfortunate, but I think that it has lost its core and balance. Days, I think-is back on track. What characters, parts, or storylines are you unhappy with? I like most of the characters and storylines. I don’t care much for Theresa, and I think that the storyline involving Eve is a waste of Kassie DePaiva’s talents. But, I do love Kristen; I think Nicole is hilarious, love Kate’s fashion, like Hope and Jennifer’s friendship, and I love Victor’s one-liners.
Can never get enough Susan – great to see her back. Too bad Vivian and Ivan are gone – those 3 were always hilarious together!
I don’t watch Days regularly anymore but I do greatly appreciate moments like these!
Eileen is just great! yeah its a crazy character but Eileen nailed it regardless….
Brilliant work by Davidson, per usual. She always gives 100% as her kooky alter egos. Humor (which is not the same as camp, look it up) and daytime soaps go way, way back, long before Kristen DiMera appeared. Characters and scenes played for laughs give the show balance.
DISGUSTING~! Why portray her as such a dolt with a BIG problem – did not fit the show
I dissagree Eileen Davidson played such a great character, the Susan thing is just Hilarious why wouldnt everyone not like Susan!!!
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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