Friday’s cliffhanger episode of Days of our Lives brought with it the highly-anticipated re-entrance of mob moll, Ava Vitali as Tamara Braun returned to the NBC daytime drama series in her Daytime Emmy-winning role.

Braun was last seen on General Hospital as Dr. Kim Nero, but now back on DAYS, Tamara gets to play a trouble-making bad girl, in one of the most soap-famous roles of her career.  She originated the part back in 2008.

Photo: JPI

In story, it is revealed during the episode that Phillip Kiriakis (Jay Kenneth Johnson) is in cahoots with Ava, and the expectation that he is supposed to launder mob money through the company and get Xander (Paul Telfer) out of the way.  She gives Phillip a steely threat – that he owes her from saving him from all of his debt, and in return it’s time for him to pay up!  Ava then recalls how she vouched for him with her cousin Angelo and how she is in Salem to make sure he delivers on what he promised.

The talk turns to everyone thinking Ava is dead.  She says it needs to stay that way.  Phillip asks if she planning on trying to rekindle things with Steve (Stephen Nichols) … and what about Joey, who is falsely imprisoned thinking he murdered her.  Is she going to let him rot in jail?  She says she has to remain on the down low, but he needs to take care of Xander and fast.

After Phillip exits, Ava texts someone an update and then thinks twice about letting Steve know she is alive, although we see, from her flashback of their night of passion, that she is heavily on her mind.

Much trouble ahead for Kayla (Mary Beth Evans), Tripp (Lucas Adams), Steve, Phillip, Xander and who knows who else with Ava snooping around Salem.

So, glad to see Tamara finally back on DAYS? What did you think of how they are tying a back-from-the-dead Ava to the story?  How do you think Ava ended up alive and well? Was Dr. Rolf (William Utay) somehow involved? Share your thoughts and your theories via the comment section below.

We all remember her fondly when she rocked the role of Evangeline Williamson on One Life to Live, and now years later this Tony and Grammy Award-winning star has been cast in the lead role in a Tina Fey comedy series!  We are speaking of the one and only, Renée Elise Goldsberry.

The Hamilton alum will star opposite Sara Bareilles in Girls5eva, about a 1990s girl group that gets another shot at stardom.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Goldsberry will play Wickie, the glamorous, big-voiced star of the group back in the day. Her solo career has hit a ditch, but she’s determined to use a new opportunity to retake her rightful place as pop royalty.”

In a statement, Goldsberry expressed:”This wickedly talented team is creating something brave and new  I’m grateful I get to be in the room with them. I honestly can’t think of a better way to transition out of this year and into the new one than laughing with strong and beautiful women.”

In the log lines for the series: Girls5eva centers on the members of a one-hit wonder group from the 1990s. When a young rapper samples their hit, they reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot. They may be grown women balancing spouses, kids, jobs, debt, aging parents, and shoulder pain, but can‘t they also be Girls5eva?

The show from Tina Fey, Robert Carlock and Meredith Scardino will bow on NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock.  No date yet has been given for when production will begin or when it might premiere but we will keep you updated.

So, what do you think of the news of Renée landing yet another feather in her talented cap on a comedy series that sounds right up her alley? Comment below.

If you have not downloaded the free DOOL app yet, now is as good a time as any to check out all the fun Days of our Lives-centrics features, games, interviews, segments, and series.

This week, the app is featuring a hilarious romp throwback to the popular 1970’s game show, The Newlywed Game. ‘

Only in this Salem-version of the game show; current lovebirds Sarah Horton and Xander Kiriakis test their love match knowledge against Kristen DiMera and Brady Black.

Watch as Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), Paul Telfer (Xander), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen) and Eric Martsolf (Brady) answer as their characters in two rounds of competition.  First, the ladies answer questions on how they think their man will answer them, and then the gents have their turn.  Whichever couple has the most matched-answers right, it declared the winner.

For more information on the DOOL app visit www.thedoolapp.com on how you can download via iPhone or Android mobile devices.

If you caught the Newlywed Game on the DOOL app, let us know what you thought of it via the comment section below.