Days of Our Lives Shake-Up: New Writers, a New EJ, and Rafe’s Shocking Exit Tease a Wild New Era!

Credit: Peacock screenshot (4)

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The big writing switch finally happened and it’s clear that the folks at Days of Our Lives have been excited about it. How many shows post something on Instagram declaring it a new day when writers change? It may be too early to tell how it’ll go after just two days, but after nine months of waiting, it’s definitely worth talking about!

It’s Time for Change

Like all fans, my feelings the last few years about Days of Our Lives have been up and down. My first week writing a soapbox was the big Gwen/Xander wedding blow up and I had a fantastic time with that. And I will always remember how annoyed I was at the Konstantin/Maggie wedding happening with the strike material, only to have the real writing team return and turn the wedding into something that blew me away. (And Konstantin. Thank you, Xander!)

And just in the last few weeks, the EJ/Johnny confrontation was phenomenal and the Sami/Johnny talk was just plain heartbreaking. There were definitely things I did not like, but I will say, once Body and Soul was gone, I found myself enjoying Days of Our Lives a lot more again. It was a cute idea if it had been just a brief little detour, rather than taking over much of the show. The same with the devil’s return storyline.

I know I’m guilty sometimes of struggling to suspend my disbelief, but that has to happen in a medium that tells stories about the same people five days a week, 52 weeks a year for decades. But there’s a difference between suspending disbelief and having to abandon it for long stretches at a time.

In the end, folks just haven’t been as engaged with the show as they used to be. I’ve been seeing it for some time, and I know the fans have, too. There’s even a Message Board topic about how little folks post these days!

So love Ron Carlivati’s tenure or hate it (or, like I’m guessing most folks, feeling up and down about it), when fan engagement starts to plummet, a change could do some good. If you haven’t yet, see what Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford shared about their take on Salem.

What’s Different?

I already wrote a piece about day one feeling different to me, but not being clear on why — or if it was just in my own head. But I’ve noticed in just two days, we got scenes with people that haven’t been seen together much.

There was Gabi and Brady, Johnny and Belle (those two never talking has been particularly bad as she’s been hooking up with his dad and is Johnny’s aunt), Rachel with Sarah and Xander. I feel like it’s even been ages since we’ve seen Maggie and Chad. And it just makes sense that Paulina and Brady should have at least some scene together since they’re trading out grandparent duties with the adoption.

Or not, since it looks like Johnny’s putting a stop to it. And… may have shot EJ. But that’s got to be a red herring.

Farewell, Rafe??

OK, Friday took me completely by surprise. Is Rafe really on his way out? He told Jada he’s going to quit Black Patch and take a job out of town now that she’s ended them. We’ve finally got a Hernandez family presence and now we’re losing their anchor?

There hasn’t been official word yet about Galen Gering, but… I’ll admit it doesn’t look good for Rafe. If Belle and EJ get together for real and Jada and Shawn do, too, Rafe’s kind of out in the cold. Is there anyone else single and available? And if he doesn’t work for the police force anymore, Black Patch cases tend to be more scarce. If he is leaving, I get it, but feel like he was written into a corner.

A Brand New EJ

As for Belle and EJ — if the kinder, gentler EJ sticks around, I can finally see them working. But I can’t see this EJ sticking around. I do believe it’s genuine, but the writers gave a reason (and an out) for it in saying emotions can run high after physical trauma. Which is definitely true.

I like seeing this side of EJ and Dan Feuerriegel does an amazing job with him. But that doesn’t mean it’s permanent, so much as a temporary chemical change in his brain. He may even try being better after it wears off, but in the end, he’ll fail and he and Belle will crumble. Plus, we saw EJ casually lie to Shawn about having nothing to do with Ava’s Aremid adventure, so there’s still an undercurrent of shadiness to him no matter what.

And yeah, EJ’s line about reflecting while he was in a coma was a bit off, but the show made clear the entire time that he kept having flashbacks — while in said coma — to the night he was shot. Maybe he was dreaming and, as he suggested, viewing it all as a sort of “out of body experience” that caused him to reflect on things.

At first, I was thinking that he might be lying about changing because he set the whole shooting up for his own purposes, like winning over Belle and Johnny. Hence, the remorseful act. “Feel bad for me! I’ve changed! Love me!” But that theory hinged on him finding Rafe’s camera and using it to set up the shooting and frame someone for it. Since EJ removed the memory card, there’s no point to him faking the shooting if no one sees it. So now? I don’t know what the point of finding the camera was.

Stray Thoughts…

• Much like Rachel Boyd taking over for Sophia, Alice Halsey’s Rachel feels a bit less scheming – but no less precocious! I loved how she pointed out to Xander that throwing a drink isn’t an accident. Right, Kristen?

• Gabi and Cat? I could get behind that. A bit out of the blue, but more female friendships are always welcome and both ladies could use some!
• We got an even better look at Gabi’s new office and… wow. That’s bigger than the DiMera/Titan CEO offices! I love the look.
• The way things are going, I can see Xander forgiving Philip eventually as they learn to work together again, then turning on Sarah when that truth comes out. But hey, maybe Maggie can work a miracle and get everyone to forgive and forget!
• I’d like to say that Amy agreeing to go forward with the adoption despite not having any of her demands met (and Chanel admitting they aren’t that religious) besides banishing EJ is growth on her part, but I’m guessing it’s more to move plot along.
• The fundraiser was cute, but I wish they would have been able to do more with it. That bachelor auction was kind of a let down, though. Good thing Maggie salvaged it.
• With that final phone call on Friday, it looks like the Bo and Hope return is finally starting.