Love 'em or, maybe not

Poirot

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Xander........Admittedly, I did not like the character in the beginning..but I do, honestly, I do. Paul Telfer has managed to play both sides of this character, dastardly, and then, the soft heart.

Steve & Kayla......Oh, my Patch .....the character who started my watching, and has not failed, tho given some terrible story at times (like currently) plus put on backburner (so insulting). Their love story was fabulous, still is, the actors never fail to mesmerize. Kayla was a nurse, has become a doctor, but Patch is, as always, helping out those in need.

Rafe....I like Rafe. I love that he was the heroic cop, that he hooked up with Nicole, that he had family. I hate that his role as a cop has been diminished, that his bio family more or less disappeared, leaving only the disappointing Gabi.

Nicole....Have loved her since Day 1. Trials & tribulations galore. Love story with Eric was epic, but he chose to leave the show. (Greg Vaughan). Give me a break about being a priest, then leaving, returning, etc.) Shame on Days for vacillating as they have done with the Eric character. Did not like her hookup with Daniel (tho the actors are a couple in real life) but it does seem Nicole has a good connection with Rafe.

Just one word about wardrobe........Days desperately needs to pay more attention, to shop elsewhere, hire a person with good taste to head up that dept., and PAY ATTENTION, to seasons in the midwest where Salem is located.

Am sure you all can add to this..........don't be shy. What say you? Actors, characters, storylines, backgrounds, etc.
 
I will chime in... I agree with most of your discussion above.....
Will add, that I used to like Gabi..... I do not like this cut throat Latina that they are trying to make Gabi.... but then again perhaps the actress wanted to add an edge to the character.... it's possible since it's doubtful the writing staff has a bunch of Hispanic's on staff......

I hate ALL the stupid, dull, dumb, foolish, laughable, ludicrous, senseless, CEO stories.

The movie plot is really dumb.... I've worked live theatre in my youth.... this is nothing like anything dealt with..... of course the family has invested... I can't believe TR has that much money to tie up in something that is still casting.... no permits for locations have been filed. I just try to ignore.
:hug: Xander..... nothing more need to be said.....:hug:
 
I always was a Rafe fan, but pairing him with Hope was a disaster, and dragged on too long, and then he boinked Sami again, and Carrie, and it was just too much seeing him with Ava and talking to Duke. I lost interest.

That said - I think he could be saved, ignore romance or keep him with Nicole, and have characters remember their friendships/step-parents.
his bio family more or less disappeared
So has his step-family, and baby David (not even mentioned anymore). I'd love it if Johnny still thought Rafe hung the moon...imagine the seething EJ could do. They've forgotten about Allie's fondness for Rafe, too, because it doesn't suit their idiotic plot.

I agree about Xander. He did some dark things, at Victor's orders, and really has put in the work to be a rootable character.

I liked Gwen, I still think she can be salvaged, though I'd have written her backstory a lot differently and kept her unconnected to Jack biologically (making her Peter's biological child would have served all purposes). I'd also have her grow as a character, but the show isn't invested so until they are, I'll check out. I would have liked her and Xander as besties/downtrodden/outsiders who never slept together, but that thought never occurred to the Brain Trust at Days.

Lucas - so much hate I have for what they've done to his character. Backburner him, ship him off to take care of Allie, then forget about that, then re-write him as the kidnapper, to unite him with Sami in a false flag operation. Absolute hogwash.

Sarah - she was so annoying and so pointlessly positioned in the silly polygon of Eric/Rex/Sarah/Nicole/Kristen/Brady/Noelle. Nobody to root for. Worst Mary Sue writing since her (so called) big brother, Dr McSleaze. But she started to grow on me, after the Xander fling, and during the Mackenzie storyline, until I rooted for her. Then one day, they chuck her without a thought on DiMera island, and leave her there. I was thrilled she would be returning. And what do they do? Stick her with false & idiotic memories from a long-forgotten character (when the DiMeras were one-note and meant to be temporary) and sandwich her between Anna & Tony to create cheap & unbelievable grist.

So in sum - I'm having trouble liking even the characters I like, and I already hated the others. I have no use for a returned EJ, a reformed Clyde, or even a pensive pouting Ben, or Tripp.

Chanel and Allie had promise, but the show is not investing in them correctly. Ditto Paulina and her sex offender niece-turned-daughter (still hoping for a twist that undoes that wretched story).

I generally liked Eli, even if he was bad at his job and a bit stupid, and look what that got us.
 
I generally like most of the characters on the show (the exception being EJ, though he's tolerable when paired with Nicole). I may not like how some of them are written, or some things they do, but I like most of them as a whole.

I was actually a fan of Sami initially on the show when I first started watching in 2010. I loved her pairing with Rafe, as well as the times she was with Lucas. However, I mostly don't recognize the character now.

I've always loved Nicole. She's probably my favorite on the soap. I have hated watching her make the same dumb mistakes over and over again, and not been a fan of some of her pairings. That being said, I like the character as a whole.
 
Used to really like Sami....that ended the past few years. Sami can stay wherever she is, just wish Lucas was around all the time. Not that he has been given anything decent in way of story, but the character was a favorite. It truly is hard to believe that Days ruined his character for the public, having him be the one who kidnapped Sami. Lucas would NEVER have done that. Shame on ReRon.

And then we have Gabi, who I more or less tolerated, but Gabi has ignored her daughter, family, friends in her inane quest for corporate control. (I agree about these constant, stupid CEO plots, & wonder why the "boards" don't pass a rule saying NO family members can be CEO, lol)

AS to stories......I realize the long time characters have aged over the past 30-40 years, and probably cannot handle the kinds of stories they did in the past. That is what the next generation is for. They had Sami, Eric, Chloe, Brady, Carrie, Abby, JJ, Stephanie, Nicole, Rafe, Chad, Will, Sonny, rarely used, and when they are, it is unbelievable plot lines.
 
I could love Sami but she hasn't been allowed to show any growth after all the years on the show. She and Lucas should have been back together long before now and she should have recognized the complete disfunction of her relationship with EJ.

I'd like to love Gabi again. She needs to get back to that woman who took care of JJ when he needed it. We need more of that from everyone really.

Rafe and Nicole together makes me very happy. I hope we actually get to see a romance progress with them. And it occured to me today that I might like Tripp to have a real romance. Not sure who's even available for that though. I think it's just Gabi and I might not hate that if they made her more likeable. Gabi and Nicole have chemistry with almost anyone they put them with.

Oh I love Tony and Anna too so I'm hoping their tension won't be around for long. They're one of those couples who just alwaysneed to be pretty solid to me.
 
Hope was a big favorite of mine for years. However, once Bo left, the way they wrote her turned me off and I did not care for any of her recent love interests, Aiden, Rafe, and was it Ted?

I liked Ben when they first brought him back, and his romance with Ciara was good in the beginning with everyone against them. However, like anything else on this show, they turned them into some do no wrong couple and Ciara always going on about how he changed with no movement or growth in their story. I actually think when she had amnesia last year and was afraid of him that the story might actually change and make things better for them, but the minute she got her memory back they were back to always in bed scenes. Now it is all about that baby she's carrying.

Gabi was a favorite for a long time. I was rooting for her when she bopped Nick on the head with a rockand along with Kate and Sami, dumped him in the river. However, I have not liked her since she did her revenge on Julie and now her corporate schemes. Which I don't know why she's always trying to be CEO of Titan or DiMera. She has her own business, GabiChic, and from what has been mentioned on the show, the line is very popular and profitable. She can run it and let those other companies go to their own ruin.

I have never liked Sami since Alison Sweeney took over the role in 1993. She was always a spoiled brat but she became worse when they paired her with EJ. I also don't like the character of EJ regardless of which actor is playing him. This current EJ seems like a slimeball.

I used to not like Xander, but he is a favorite of mine now. I also still think Gwen has potential, but only if the writers give her a decent storyline. After seeing Sarah come back thinking she is Renee, I think Xander is better off with Gwen.

Characters I like are Chanel, Allie, Johnny (when he's not possessed by the devil), Tripp, Chad, Chloe, Shawn, Belle, Eli, and of course John, Marlena, Steve, Kayla.

Characters I like that are not on screen at the moment or just guest appearances are Will, Sonny, Lucas, Valerie.
 
Oh I love Xander too and his relationship with Maggie.

I like Abe, John, Roman and Steve and would love more interactions with their friendship. Especially Roman and Abe. Not every scene has to be drama filled. Those guys sitting around the pub having a few too many would be entertaining. Are Roman and Kate still even together since we barely see that relationship.

Belle and Shawn I'm neutral on I guess but I want them to have something good to do. I like when Belle rips Sami.

I'm probably alone on not liking Chloe or Brady. Chloe I just don't get and I think they bring her in thinking it's going to be a big deal but it always falls flat for me. Brady just can't be alone AT ALL. I did like him with Theresa when they actually had their own house like normal people. And these two recycling through past exes is boring. Maybe people could find the love of their life instead of just working through their contacts. I think that could have been Theresa for Brady but maybe the actress was a factor in that, otherwise I'd recast and have her move back.
 
Perhaps if Days was able to afford the kinds of royalties demanded for using songs, Chloe's wonderful voice could be featured when bringing her on. Originally, she & Kyle Lowder (who played Brady back then) would sing all kinds of songs together. Actually, many of the Days actors are very talented in the musical field, tho we are not privy to it. I know there are songs for which the time period to pay has expired, but Days seems to only want to use original background music, composed by Corday (that is his field that he loves) and another Days staff member, forget who.

What I dislike the most is how Days makes big deals of female characters being pregnant, giving birth, and then the babies are never heard from again. Always sleeping, staying with various relatives, friends, etc. and at times, not even mentioned. All those items that are visible in home with children just do not exist in Salem homes with children. You know, the high chair, playpen, toys, small cups, bottles, moms with spattered shirts, blouses, jeans, etc. etc. After all, our Salemite females have to always look as tho they are going to a cocktail party, spike heels & all, even in mid-winter with ice and snow. LOL
 
Love Victor (although I understand why he is not on much, love his jabs). Keep Brady and Chloe together, like Tripp, Kayla, Steve, Abe, Valerie, Marlena, John, Lani, Eli, Belle, Shawn, Ben (but not Ciara), Rafe, Nicole, Jack, Jennifer, Chad, Abby, Xander, Nancy, Craig, Roman, Kate, Lucas, Tony, Anna, Maggie,

Dump Paulina, Chanel, TR, Beth, Leo, Kristen, Gwen, Gabi, Johnny, Ava, Sami

I'm okay with Susan (in small doses), EJ, Sarah (as Sarah not Renee), Will, Sonny, Julie, Doug, Allie

Bring back JJ and Eric, Shane and maybe even Kim and their children (who are adults by now)

Add some additional doctors and police officers;
 
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I'll add something else I like. I like Jake & Ben's friendship. I'm annoyed by Jake's existence - expanding on my annoyance over Stefan - but I understand the show's reasons for it. I'm annoyed by Ben, too; but I actually like it when the two have scenes together. (Even when they're talking about the silly devil plot.)

I also like the relationship because unlike most friendships on the show, it's not just a setup to a triangle.
 
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