Over at Daytime Royalty they have started a thread about all the cut scenes based on either written spoilers or spoiler pics that never show up onscreen. It really is mind-boggling but the running theory is that much of what we have seen onscreen the past month or so was heavy on the Dena Higley influence and we are soon to come to the point of her supposed "leave of absence" so it's possible that some story redirection is going on here. It's purported that Higley was a huge fan of this possible Hope/Rafe pairing. So, perhaps things may come to a screeching halt and they will move in another direction. I can't really think of an explanation for the cut Shawn/Belle scenes from last November or the recent Philip/Chloe/Belle cut scene. Both cuts irked me. They also cut scenes with Shawn/Hope at the hospital after she was attacked by Aiden, Shawn/Bo reunion, apparently there were some scenes with Bo/John/Marlena that were cut, Nicole verbally attacking Jennifer after Daniel died, Belle visiting with Brady in the hospital.
All this makes you wonder how much material they tape for each episode. They know exactly how many minutes then need to fill. I'm sure that editing has been going on since the start of the show but it hasn't been this obvious before. I know some spoilers can be misleading but when you have written spoilers and pictures saying and depicting things that don't go to air you really have to wonder what is going on here. I mean, are we to assume these edits are not happening until a week before airing or something? Give me a break! This show tapes 6 MONTHS ahead of time. Seems like plenty of time to make the edits and get the correct spoilers out there. Sheesh.