Faith? The Days of our Lives Trust Fall game

A rocky week in Salem has this Scooper wondering, "When the writers keep throwing viewers head-scratching moments, do we abandon hope or have a little faith?" Test your endurance level in this week's Two Scoops!

So, you know that Trust Fall game? The one in which you fall backwards with the belief that the people gathered behind you will save you from going splat on the floor. I kind of feel like I'm playing that with the writers right now, and I'm a little hesitant to plunge backwards as I fear their hands might be busy on the keyboard, making questionable decisions.

There's no doubt that DAYS has been on fire lately. It's the soap to watch. An Emmy win last year confirmed that as well as the ratings upswing. And whereas I could usually gush about my favorite afternoon delight indefinitely, I'm a little nervous. Well, a lot nervous, perhaps, because last week did little to calm my DAYSxiety.

For starters, I'm terribly disappointed in my gal, Nicole. We spent most of 2013 watching her on a journey of growth. It's not that I expect to see her as the new town saint, but her shredding the evidence is a huge step backwards that is rather unnecessary, dear writers. A guy leaving the priesthood because he was raped by a DiMera and who is in love with a not-any-longer-reformed hellcat who is hated by most of his family kind of has built-in drama. Oh, not to mention that hellcat once slept with said priest's dad. So did Nicole really have to resort to her old ways, or are the writers just taking the easy road?

Granted, what Nicole did was classic Nicole "I'm My Worst Own Enemy" Walker. She let her insecurities get in the way of her happiness. She lost faith in herself, which always stings to see in the otherwise fierce firecracker that she is.

Sure. Sure. What Nicole did isn't as bad as attempting to murder a Greek tycoon, stealing a baby, or even accusing Little Miss Jennifer Rose of baby murder, but, gosh darn it, I'm disappointed nonetheless. I was really rooting for Eric and Nicole. And now I suspect come the next Sweeps or so I'll be getting sloshed with Nicole and telling her things will work out next time.

Still, in addition to being disappointed in Nicole, I'm angry with her, too. She put me in a bad spot. That spot is accepting that smug Marlena is right. Nicole is hiding something. You owe me big time, Nicole, for not being able go on a Kristen-like rampage and rip into Marlena and her dominatrix Star Trek outfit for being a total asshat to you. No, seriously, what was she wearing last week? Okay, I digress.

I made some peace with Marlena last year, but I'm not sure I can handle months of a storyline in which she acts all holier-than-thou. Wait. That's most of Mar Mar's storylines. Nevermind. It's just that Marlena brings out my inner Kristen, and I want to scream when she acts like that. Doc's like that know-it-all little bratty kid who corrects someone who says they have five fingers with a haughty, "Noooo, you have four fingers and a thumb." Whereas that's technically true, that doesn't make one any less douchey. But I guess if Marlena gets too smug, I could send her some YouTube links about the time she was lusting after a priest. Oh, sorry, Mar, was I to forget about how Father John made you hot under the jumpsuits you wore all through the '90s?

In further frustrating news, the road is now cleared for Jennifer and Dr. Dan to reunite. Oh, let's break out the bubbly because we've all been counting down the moments to their reconciliation, amIright!? I mean, yes! I'm thrilled that Dr. Dan and Jennifer might be Dannifer again. And by "thrilled," I mean, seriously, writers!? Ugh. Just ugh.

Truth be told, I like Dr. Dan and J.J. together much more than him with Jennifer. At least he and J.J. were two dudes on a sting mission to bring down the town brat (who was deliciously evil throughout the storyline, by the way). At this point, I find Dr. Dan a little too good for Jennifer. He's better as an adventurous doctor who's willing to risk his life to help a friend. It really beats the high school drama between him and Jennifer. Well, the Dannifer break was fun while it lasted. Now, someone hand me some scotch.

LOOSE ENDS: Instead of giving Nick another chance, Gabi needs to give good decision making another go. I understand she has insecurity issues, but this girl is a steaming pile of idiot with a side of just plain dumb. When is she leaving again?

Speaking of dumb, Abigail took advice from Cousin Nick about going after what she wants. You know, because anyone who's met Nick knows his advice is always golden, and he's never downright creepy and never makes horrendous judgment calls. Right. So, yep, the one thing missing in this entire E.J./Abigail mess was definitely a side of Nick. I repeat, "Right."

Oh, snap. Hope and Aiden are still on this sparring kick. I'd be more on board with this if Hope wasn't still married to what's his name, or we simply knew what happened to, um, uh...Bo! Bo. That's it. Still, there may be a loophole to keep Hope from Adulterous Land -- did Bo and Hope ever get remarried after they found out they weren't legally wed because of that entire Alamainia nonsense? Hmm!

I really enjoyed the little party at the Horton House to celebrate J.J.'s big news. Abe, Kayla, Rory, Bev, and angel food cake? Yes, please! Plus, it's just nice to see J.J. win over Jeannie-T. I know it was his quest for revenge, but I also feel that I'm now even with her, too, for not going by Jeannie. So, thanks, J.J. -- you won one for both of us, kiddo.

Finally, Eric and Brady fighting again is kind of becoming overkill. We know what Kristen did. Everyone does. Well, everyone but Brady's booze-soaked brain cells. So Eric giving the town drunk a piece of his mind is sort of like yelling at your toast for not spreading butter on itself. It's pointless, pal. Give it up.

HOT Okay. I've been hard on the writers, but one major thing they're doing right is giving Lucas screen time! Yes, please. Bryan Dattilo cracks me up, and I adore that Lucas was so happy for Will and Sonny. That was adorable when he called them "sons." Plus, his budding relationship with Sheryl isn't so bad, either. It's nice to see him happy. Well, as happy as one can be on a soap and with a meddlesome mother like Kate.

NOT Admittedly, most of this column has been a rant. However, I am disappointed that J.J. didn't tell Jennifer the entire story of how he got even with Jeannie-T. If he had, Jennifer might have realized how far Rory and Bev went to help him. Yep, they are good friends. He needs to fill in his mother so she can turn down that judgment dial from "Super Sanctimonious Smug" to "Humble Pie." LINE OF THE WEEK Lucas (to Kate, regarding Sami finding out that Kate rehired Nick): "When she finds out, she's going to grab you by that blue streak and yank you to the floor."

RANDOM THOUGHTS Another Lucas gem: Kate: "I had to promise that investigator my firstborn." Lucas: "Glad that's not me."

I'd like to see the scene where Will tells Uncle Austin, Aunt Carrie, and Cousin It Should Have Been Mentioned I Was Born Almost Two Years Ago he's engaged.

Speaking of said never-spoken-about baby, you'd think Kate would go gaga for St. Austin's only child. Then again, she doesn't even talk about some of her own children. Sorry, Rex and Cassie.

Nick's "Do you remember..." comments to Gabi are Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka creepy!

What about Kayla and Aiden? Or Kayla and Liam? Either way, Kayla needs a man, or just a storyline of her own. I'd settle for either.

I'm fairly convinced Mary Beth Evans found the Fountain of Youth.

Sami's leather jacket was kind of awesome.

Cookie time, indeed, Rory!

I'm kind of exciting to see Jeannie-T and Eve together, especially if they rip apart Dannifer.

If Julie fell from the roof of the Titan building and landed on Nick and Gabi, would that be killing three birdbrains with one stone?

I totally laughed out loud when Sami told Gabi, "You're being super bitchy to me."

On the topic of snappy comebacks, E.J. to Nick, "I can't imagine a single word from you I'd want to hear." Loved it!

Not to sound like a hypocrite, but Ciara hanging around Rory and Bev might not be the best idea. Please see Drew Barrymore circa the '80s. Just saying.

PARTING THOUGHTS So, friends and fellow DAYS fans, that's Two Scoops for the week of February 24. With that, Laurisa will be back Monday to usher out February Sweeps. And "That's a fact!"

As always, thanks for reading! Tony

Need more Two Scoops? Head over to read blogs by Laurisa or Tony for more ranting, raving, and all-out randomness

What are your thoughts on Days of our Lives? Share your thoughts on the show or this week's column with us. Leave your comments in the Comments area further down the page. If you prefer, you can click here to send our columnist a note by Feedback. You can also call our 24/7 caller feedback hotline at 267.341.7627 and voice your thoughts.

What are your thoughts on ? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.