Three, two, one...

This past week, Salem's finest showed up at Chez Rouge to ring in the new year, and, in keeping with tradition, there was a lot of drama at Maggie's bash.

Happy 2009 fellow Days' fans! I hope that everyone had a great holiday season and partied hard! I sure did! Everything was pretty merry and bright until New Year's Day, which ended up being a little rough if you know what I mean. But, that's a different story for a different day because, right now, we need to get busy as a lot's happened since last we Scooped!

To help thoroughly cover everything, Laurisa created a Mini-Scoop blog post to dish on what occurred over the two weeks the awards were posted. That left me with last week and, oh boy, what a week it was! I can't say there was an overwhelming amount of progress made with every storyline, but those tricky writers certainly stacked the deck for '09 with a lot of drama. A proposal. A corporate power struggle. A woman torn between love and lust. Yep, things are sure to either heat up or burn totally out of control this year. Let's take a look ...

Aunt Maggie's New Year's Eve Shindig (Maggie and Company)

As par tradition, a lot of Salem's finest showed up at Chez Rogue to ring in the New Year! I'm always glad when rituals like that are upheld. Also keeping with tradition, there was a lot of drama at Big Red's Bash! I'll go more in depth later as to how everyone's celebrations panned out (at Chez Rouge and elsewhere), but, for the most part, Doug and Julie seemed to be the only happy couple there!

Poor Kate and Lucas were stood up while Dr. Dan and Chloe condoled on the pier. Stephanie and Philip's big night was ruined by Mel's schemes. Marlena and Charlotte's plans for a girl's night out fell short when John showed up! Max and Chelsea, well, they puckered up then she bolted! Heck, even Maggie seemed to be dateless as Mickey was MIA. Yep, Doug and Julie were certainly the only happy ones there.

Yet, drama wasn't the only thing to watch for at that chic soire, there was also a lot of fashion to critique. For that, please welcome Two Scoops' very own Joan Rivers, the lovely Laurisa ...

Many of you may think that ladies enjoy New Year's Eve because it usually involves expensive, guilt free dinners- you know, since our diets start tomorrow. But, over looked in the toast and celebration is the very important element of fashion. I LOVED what the ladies of Salem did with fashion at the Chez Rouge party.

Maggie did an elegant, but practical pant suit. She needed to be a comfortable, yet fabulous looking hostess who could greet people, but also quickly shuffle through the kitchen to grab more wine glasses.

Marlena always does color right. That blue dress instantly made me resolve to take risks with my on wardrobe and not always reach for the same little black dress.

If I do reach for said black dress, I'll take a note from Charlotte and be sure to pair it with a show stopper jeweled necklace. Black dresses make a great back drop for that piece of jewelry that is too flashy for everyday wear; but on New Year's Eve it's not only acceptable, but recommended!

The younger gals didn't disappoint either.

Take note from Chelsea: You only have that perfectly svelte body for a short period in your life. When you do, feel free to wrap it in a form fitting, beautiful colored fabric. Just make sure that the neckline is conservative - that keeps a dress from going into inappropriate land.

Stephanie's chic big-collar, belted mini-dress was cute. But, her best accessory was that Greek god she had on her arm. Philip and Stephanie make a very good looking couple!

Finally, I even liked Melanie's dress. It was age appropriate. The floor length gown showed just a little skin with the asymmetrical neckline. But, she couldn't be too boring and she, a pale-skin redhead, pulled off bright blue and pink color pallet. Nice work, Mel!

Unfortunately, I have no idea what the heck was up with the men. Every man not named Philip or Doug majorly let me down in the dressing department. Have these men never heard of a tie?! Not only is it Chez Rouge, but it's New Year's Eve! These ladies put all that work into looking nice and the men (yes, I'm talking to YOU: Max, Lucas and John) looked like my nephews as soon as their mothers announce that the Christmas pictures are over and they can take off their ties and run around.

Thanks Laurisa! Now, let's take that previously mentioned in depth look of New Year's, Salem Style!

An Affair To Forget (Lucas, Chloe, Dr. Dan & Kate)

An unlikely thing happened last week - I actually gave Chloe a little, and I do mean little, credit for trying to stay away from Dr. Dan. She did try to find another doctor. That was big of her. Yet, trying isn't exactly cutting it as these two seem destined for "Affairville." What sealed that deal was the fact Kate pushed Chloe and Lucas into pushing up the wedding date - yikes! That's a bad sign!

All in all, I'm still not sure why the writers are so full speed ahead with Dr. Dan and Chloe. I'm a firm believer in, "You've made your bed, now sleep it in." Therefore I think the writers should try to prove to us why Dr. Dan and Kate were such a great idea in the first place before they try introducing an affair into the equation. Maybe if I cared for them as a couple I could care more about what happens to them. Personally, I think Dr. Dan's best love match would be a long walk off a short pier. Whoops, did I say that out loud?

The only thing that changed last week is that I found myself actually feeling a little bad for Kate. Sure, the entire storyline has been a mess since the beginning, but she seemed so vulnerable. Heck, when Cougar Kate doesn't feel like sleeping with Dr. Dan you know something's wrong! She seemed sad. What's worse is that he's inching towards cheating on her while she's recovering. Not cool. Not cool at all.

I also felt bad for Lucas. Things have been brewing, but when Chloe thought about Dr. Dan while having sex with Lucas my heart broke for the guy. He seems to have no idea that the sheets are about to be pulled out from under his love nest. Laurisa beautifully summed it up by saying he's a good guy and his interest in Chloe is genuine. He wants to make an honest go at things with her and I'm anxious to see how he will react to his bride-to-be's wondering eye. Will he hit the bottle? Hit Dr. Dan? Hit the road?

Risky Business (Philip, Brady & Mel)

I'm a sucker for a good, old fashion "big business" power struggle storyline! And, Philip vs. Brady is totally peaking my interest. Well, I should point out the one dark spot before I gush. That spot? Mel's involvement!

Now, I'm not bashing "Mel the Consultant," I can handle that and even like it. She's trying to make her mark in the business world, kudos to her! The part I don't get is "Mel the Flirt." I should say, I totally understand why she'd flirt with either of those two beefcakes, but I don't understand why Philip and Brady seem to put up with it. As her bosses, as her elders, they should take her aside and teach her a few things about professional behavior. Whereas her conduct is explainable by her being young, power hungry and all out man hungry, it just looks sort of goofy that mid-to-upper twentysomethings Philip and Brady would even entertain someone's obvious advances who's so young and immature. I'd rather see them mentor her and someone like a teenaged Andrew Donovan come to town and steal her young, scheming heart.

With that out of the way, let the gushing begin! This storyline has the makings of a great one. There's many levels to pick from! Two powerful men with a competitive streak, an empire to inherit, the king on his thrown judging them, and lots of history between them (including an ex-lover) as they try to run a huge corporation and possibly deal with outside forces could end up being a great thing for Days. Actually, I think that's what the show needs right now - a change of pace from bedroom hopping to boardroom brawling.

Kiss and Tell (Stephanie, Philip & Mel with a side of Chloe)

Post-Stax Stephanie is beginning to steal my heart. She's so much more fun to watch than she used to be. She's smarter, she's wittier and she managed to get that Brady ballsy attitude back. Hoorah! All that and a smoking hot relationship with Philip! Double Hoorah!

Also impressive was the way Stephanie stood up to Chloe. Sure, she was a little defensive, but I don't blame her - it seems women are taking numbers and lining up to interfere with her relationship with Dimples. Therefore, I thought their little chat was pretty amusing. Mostly because Stephanie nailed it by saying something like, "When someone I barely know has my best interest at heart it comes off a little phony." Way to call it Sweetness Jr.! Sure, she could learn a thing or two from Philip's double-ex, but Chloe is quickly becoming a busybody who's throwing stones while living in a glass house. Yep, Chloemeister, even Steph's onto you not being as into Lucas as you should be. Again, way to call it Sweetness Jr.!

Like Laurisa, I like Philip and Steph together, I really like them! Not only do they have chemistry, but they're being honest with each other. That's a refreshing change of pace for a couple in Salem these days. I actually applauded Steph when called him to the carpet about their midnight kiss! And, lo and behold, he even told her the truth and then they decided to try that kiss again. Awe, so cute! This makes me hopeful that in '09 they'll be at least one couple to root for!

Shrink it Over (John, Marlena & Charlotte)

Mar and Char have me on edge! Sure, they have the colleague thing going for them, yet, Laurisa perfectly pointed it out - they're frienemies! They way they are so polite to each other creeps me out ... sort of like they're killing each other with faux kindness. Really, it seems they're sizing each other up for a potential cat fight and I kind of like it!

It makes sense. Mar is a total control freak when it comes to John and Char wants to prove herself as a psychiatrist (not to mention the glory of cracking his bizarre case). I also can't help wonder if she wants to break down that doctor/patient barrier and pull a "Dr. Dan" with John. She seems a little smitten, perhaps. And, perhaps, maybe Marlena picks up on that too. I'm curious to see how this all plays out!

I'm also curious to see if John will take Charlotte's advice and be hypnotized. My bet - he will! John's amnesia has gone on for a year. It's been entertaining for the most part, but it's about time to get the ball of recovery rolling. The fun part - watching it roll! What will John remember? Who will he remember? And, most interesting, how will "Old John" react to his new family!? I can't take the suspense!

Brady Family Love (Max & His Niece)

Chelsea convinced Max to hang out on New Year's Eve, but, when they puckered up at midnight, she bolted! My hope is that she ran because she realized she kissed her uncle! Unfortunately, that's probably not the case and these two will play cat and mouse over the next few months. I agree with what Laurisa wrote in her Mini-Scoop, Rachel and Darin do have a charming chemistry, but let's keep them separated in the biblical sense. Chax, Part Two? No thanks! Max and Chelsea BFF's? I can live with that!

New Year, New Bride, New Baby? (E.J, Nicole, Stefano & Dr. Baker)

I'm so excited! E.J. wised up last week, asked Nicole if she's really pregnant, she told him the truth, and they broke up! Oh ... wait ... my apologies, none of that happened, those were simply my daydreams while watching those two assassinate each other's coolness a little more. Regrettably, not much has changed in Fake Pregnancy Land. Nicole's still lying and E.J.'s still being lame.

Actually, Little Elvis hit an all time low lame level and took home the Lame Trophy last week! E.J., you know, the lawyer, refused to listen to Stefano's advice about setting up a prenuptial agreement. Did anyone else really want to slap some sense into him or was it just me? Not that I don't love Nicole, but the woman doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to marriage. Maybe Stefano should've arranged for a little sit down between Junior, Lucas and Victor. That might have made E.J. think twice. Well, then again, probably not. The end result - he asked Nicole to marry him without asking her to sign the prenup. Ugh.

But, I shouldn't be rude, I should wish the happy, yet delusional couple well! Besides, admit it ladies, nothing is more romantic than being proposed to with a "Blood Diamond" after being blown off while your boyfriend goes to a meeting which brother offered to cover on New Year's Eve, right? I can't even say E.J.'s proposal affected me as these two are such a train wreck and I'm just biding time until the mess is cleaned up.

Speaking of wrecks, Nicole plowed through Dr. Baker and demanded his help! I've said it before and I'll say it again, Ari Zuker's performances are saving this storyline. The woman's acting is off the hook! When Nikki screamed at Baker I was afraid for my own well being! Unfortunately, after he agreed to help her, she got stuck in a snowstorm and wasn't able to meet with baby mama number two. Dr. B told her that it's over and that seemed to sink in until E.J. proposed! I repeat, ugh! Unlike the bottle of champagne I helped polish off on New Year's Eve, this storyline seems to have a long way to go before it's finished, yet like that bottle, I fear things will have the same outcome - a loud, messy hangover.

Unsafe House? (Sami, Rafe & Mr. Killer)

Question - is it bad that I'm rooting for the killer to find Sami and Rafe? I don't want to see them harmed, but if the killer finds them it's a safe bet that they'll soon be out of the safe house! Last week, Mr. Killer got a step closer to making that dream come true when he traced Rafe's discarded cell phone. Umm, I'm not saying that I always make smart decisions, but isn't it a little, I don't know, stupid to haphazardly dispose of something that could potentially lead an assassin to your general whereabouts? I think Rafe should have thrown it into the river or sent it to Rex to hold onto as no one would ever find it there.

But, Mr. Killer did find it and it lead him all the way to a homeless guy. Sami and Rafe are safe, for now, yet he did make another call to his mysterious boss. I'm not sure if who he's calling, but I'm beginning to think it's not Stefano for some reason. I don't have proof or even a good reason to explain why I suspect that so let's just call it a hunch. That leaves the question - who is Mr. Killer talking to? It's probably fair to assume Mayor Marino had more than just one enemy so which one ordered the hit? A political rival? A jealous wife? Someone who didn't like his ties? I'm just not sure.

One thing I am sure of, however, is that Rafe did a good thing last week in my humble opinion. He gave the viewers a voice by saying something to the effect of, "Sami, you can't handle being away from your twins so how could you even think about giving up your baby?" I totally paraphrased that, but that's the gist. The guy's only known her for a short time and he even called that one. Ironically, Sami couldn't come up with a valid reason ... sort of like the writers and that part of the storyline.

On a happier note, Sami worried about the twins AND E.J.! Could this be the beginning of a breakthrough for Ms. Brady? Will she actually admit she cares for the guy? Will she tell him the truth? I tried to consult my trusty Magic Eight Ball, but the only response I kept getting was, "Reply hazy, try again." Go figure.

Hot & Not

Hot: Tony and Marlena sitting down over a glass of wine filled my vet starved appetite with warm, vet comfort food! I don't even mind that the scene didn't have any major importance. It was simply great to watch these old pals and acting powerhouses share the screen. Not to mention Marlena grabbing Tony's wine and drinking it was hilarious!

Not: Dr. Dan and Chloe are proving to be a huge pain in the ankle. As ranted above, I just don't get this pairing ... at all. I can handle one messed up storyline *cough Ecole*, but two is too many for me!

Line of the Week:

"Do the words 'flesh eating bacteria' ring a bell?" Chloe, while warning Brady to be careful about his involvement with Nicole as she can be dangerous when scorned. Well played Ghoul Girl.

Randomness ...

Since a new year is now upon us, Laurisa and I looked into our mystical hourglass and made some 2009 Predictions!

Idea - I think Mike Horton should return to Salem and get involved with Charlotte. Ok, I'm biased, I just want to see Sandra Robinson stick around as long as possible!

Do you want to know the first thing that came to my mind was when I saw Jill? Max! Think about it ... the guy loves a charity case. He likes helping a person in need. Who's more needy then a down and out pregnant gal who's about to sell her baby!? And, let's not forget, Max is great with kids! I say, give it a shot, writers, they're not related so you'll already have on thing going in your favor!

Normally when a character sticks their nose into other people's business I bulk, but Julie's warnings to Mel amuse me. Maybe it's because Julie was like Mel once upon a time. I think it's smart to pair these two up and I hope Mel realizes she can learn a lot from a veteran.

Was anyone else a little disappointed not to see the lack of vets at Chez Rouge? No Bo and Hope? No Kayla and Steve? No Abe and Lexie? No Roman and, well, just Roman? That stunk worse than a bottle of cheap champagne.

Parting Thoughts ...

So friends and Days' fans, that's "Two Scoops" for the week of January 5th! If you haven't already, make sure to check out Laurisa's Mini-Scoop as well as our 2009 Predictions! Finally, Laurisa and I would like to thank everyone for their kind feedback on the awards! We're happy that you enjoyed reading them as much as we enjoyed presenting them! With that, I hope everyone has a bright new year and, "That's a fact!"

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