Days of Our Lives - Tues. Sept. 7, 2010

@Rioks cheering for Nicole/Kate/Sami in one episode.

I love that you've pointed out Johnny's reaction and the ties to verbal abuse. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. And, I completely see your point about the way she diffused EJ's power (I didn't get that from the convo, so you made me go hmm).

I guess I think she should have put Johnny's feelings of the craziness and the chaos (and trauma of mommy emotionally taking them away from daddy). There's a relationship between Johnny and EJ that she allowed to develop (which was my point) and she can't dissolve that so immediately or uncaring just because she wants to. I don't think Sami has learned her lessons from the way she did handle Will with Austin/Lucas/Franco/EJ/Rafe...
 
@Trey, I agree that Johnny's feelings were not adequately recognized or addressed in that scene. I think it was poorly written in many ways. Mostly, I think it is yet another example of the way Days rushes through the things that truly matter and should receive ample time and exploration (as opposed to the trivial things they drag out forever). As usual, charcter development was ignored for the sake of plot. It doesn't matter what Johnny thinks or feels, it only matter that the plot points are checked off.

I don't agree that Sami didn't learn from the mistake she made with Lucas & Will. I believe that she misapplied that lesson to a very different situation. The very reason that EJ is supposedly Johnny's father is because he raped her on the same night that he tried to kill her stepfather before rushing off to Mexico to torture her uncle. That is not the situation in which to apply the usual standard that a child should know their father. Sami should have (and would have had she been written in character) never allowed EJ to be a part of Johnny's life. She acknowledged that fact when pregnant with her 4th child and decided to protect that baby but still did nothing to resolve the problem for Johnny. That was yet another huge error on the part of TPTB. Their fence straddling, non-committed way of writing that storyline made Sami look like a fool because on one hand they had her correctly acknowledging the need to protect the new baby but on the other made her still proclaim EJ as a great father. That was stupid (and not just on Sami's part either). I think what we are starting to see onscreen is less about acknowledging Sami's mistakes or her learning from them and more about TPTB trying to resolve the mess they've made of her character (and with the EJ/Sami saga in general) quickly. I think that motivation is making them rush through some important matters (like Johnny's feelings) even faster than usual.
 
I agree, Rioks. I hope that once the balance is restored, we can get back to some character growth for Salem.

Aside: I love your posts (so thought out and well written!) and love that you give extra insight. :)
 
As Johnny grows, it would be really nice to see big brother Will acting as a mentor. Will has been through it all and could probably understand and support Johnny better than anybody else. Syd and Allie will also need plenty of understanding and nurturing. They will grow up and someday face difficult information about the circumstances of their birth, the kidnapping (maybe) and their mother's erratic lifestyle and behavior.

Ciara will need a real friend too. Hopefully, Theo will be her bff!!
 
Rioks said:
@Trey, I agree that Johnny's feelings were not adequately recognized or addressed in that scene. I think it was poorly written in many ways. Mostly, I think it is yet another example of the way Days rushes through the things that truly matter and should receive ample time and exploration (as opposed to the trivial things they drag out forever). As usual, charcter development was ignored for the sake of plot. It doesn't matter what Johnny thinks or feels, it only matter that the plot points are checked off.

I don't agree that Sami didn't learn from the mistake she made with Lucas & Will. I believe that she misapplied that lesson to a very different situation. The very reason that EJ is supposedly Johnny's father is because he raped her on the same night that he tried to kill her stepfather before rushing off to Mexico to torture her uncle. That is not the situation in which to apply the usual standard that a child should know their father. Sami should have (and would have had she been written in character) never allowed EJ to be a part of Johnny's life. She acknowledged that fact when pregnant with her 4th child and decided to protect that baby but still did nothing to resolve the problem for Johnny. That was yet another huge error on the part of TPTB. Their fence straddling, non-committed way of writing that storyline made Sami look like a fool because on one hand they had her correctly acknowledging the need to protect the new baby but on the other made her still proclaim EJ as a great father. That was stupid (and not just on Sami's part either). I think what we are starting to see onscreen is less about acknowledging Sami's mistakes or her learning from them and more about TPTB trying to resolve the mess they've made of her character (and with the EJ/Sami saga in general) quickly. I think that motivation is making them rush through some important matters (like Johnny's feelings) even faster than usual.
Click to expand...

They do seem to be writing Sami inconsistently as if there are two writers writing her story and they are acting at cross purposes.
 
I agree with those of you who didn't like the way Sami told Johnny she was now marrying Rafe. Flip flop. Poor kid. He looked happy enough but his head has got to be spinning like the final wash cycle. Sami was totally selfish, telling Johnny she's never been happier. So what? If she were a good mother, she would have waited a respectable period before telling Johnny that she was marrying EJ one minute, and Rafe the next. Sami should know better, considering her own youthful obsession with wanting her parents back together. Johnny is going to grow up thinking as poorly of her as Will does. I expect he will raise hell when he gets older and Sami will reap what she has sown.
 
It is obvious that Days was trying to speed up story, knowing that they were losing viewers due to indifference......dragging out far too long.
Johnny was happy, satisfied, that is what mattered. He likes Rafe, was glad they were going to be together.
I would not, at this point, read too much into it.
 
I didn't much like the way it played out but we have to remember that when Sami told Johnny about marrying Rafe, she thought EJ was dead....maybe she was making sure he felt safe and protected and loved and a part of a family before he had to learn of his father's demise to help him deal with it.....
 
Darling, this is Sami we're talking about, not Donna Reed. If it were anyone else, I'd say good point, but since it's Sami, I don't buy it.
 
Rioks said:
What struck me most about about that scene was Johnny's reaction. [snip] He’s four; any reaction Johnny had to something this huge should have been all about him and his feelings, but instead Johnny's first thought was how “daddy” would react. Johnny's response is an indication that he has already internalized that EJ’s feelings are the only ones that matter and EJ’s reactions are to be anticipated and feared. It is the response of a kid who lives in an abusive home where one parent dominates the mood of the entire household, where everyone anticipates the abuser’s moods and is constantly focused on placating them.
Click to expand...

Very insightful response. Just what the heck do you do for a living??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top