Heartbreak hotel

Do you have sympathy for Nancy? What should Craig do next? If they do stay in Salem, will there be other villains for them to contend with? Let's talk about it all in this edition of Two Scoops!

Chloe finally did the thing that we always want soap characters to do. When she uncovered a secret between two people, she insisted the one keeping the secret come clean. I'm so glad she didn't hide behind the "it's not my secret to tell" excuse. She heard Craig on the phone and insisted he tell Nancy the truth. Immediately.

I mean, sure, it took three locations for Craig to finally get the truth out there. But mercifully, this wasn't drawn out for weeks. And when it did come out, Patrika Darbo was a display of utter brilliance.

Nancy physically shook with heartbreak, anger and confusion when Craig confessed to lying to her their entire marriage. She refused to let him have any more control over her and demanded she be the one to say the words that their marriage was over. She looked at the person before her -- the one she'd done everything for -- and seethed with precise rage. It was the first time I'd recognized Nancy since she'd been back. Patrika, my goddess, so very well done.

For her part, Nadia Bjorlin shattered her performance as Chloe. Those tears when Chloe wished her beloved father good luck broke my heart. She knew she was doing the right thing, but she recognized that her family as she knew it was gone forever. Like Patrika's performance of Nancy, Nadia made Chloe's pain palpable. Chloe needs to keep up this strength and insist Craig call Joy next.

I hope future scenes give Kevin Spirtas a chance to shine, as well. He's a remarkable talent, and the nuances of this storyline are going to depend on the performers to deliver them. This guy has the chops.

What's interesting here is that in DAYS history, we got Chloe first, then Nancy and Craig. But let's be honest, Craig was always the supporting act to Nancy. This may be the very first time Craig is the catalyst for the story. So, here's hoping that gives Kevin a chance to work his magic.

Speaking of magic, Abigail has found herself a pool of it. I'd watch the Abigail investigation hour all week long. I adore how she's not scared of Kristen, as well as how determined she is to uncover the truth.

While we're at it, someone else has to be at that jungle mansion. I don't mean another captive. I mean there has to be someone helping Kristen drag those bodies all over and making the poisoned peach pie. If Peter Blake is going to return, here's his chance. Kristen's brother is probably the only ally she'd have left at this point.

Sorry, I digress. Abigail is there looking for Sarah. Sarah's there, too -- at least her body is. I'm not so sure about her mind.

When I first saw Sarah claim she needed to get out of that room then hug Kristen and speak as though she needed to get home to a child, I thought Sarah was faking. Could Sarah be one step ahead of Kristen? She figured Kristen's scheme out the first time. A direct confrontation earned her a trip to the island. Maybe she's trying a different approach.

The other option is that Sarah doesn't know who she is. Could Kristen have brainwashed Sarah into thinking she's someone else? In this case, the Lani/Kristen friendship makes so much more sense. Maybe Lani was brainwashed, too!

Loose Ends

Glad to see Ben and Ciara moved into a new place. Yes, Ciara, you should move before the baby gets there. No, this place doesn't look anything at all like Charlie Dale's apartment. Nope. And the only correct move when discovering the cross outside your apartment has turned upside down three times is to pack your things and get right on out of there.

It's going to end in disaster for him, but Tripp really solidified himself as a leading man. He's a nice guy who is trying to do things the right way, but he's not a blind fool. He's a much improved Austin Reed. I liked him talking with Roman and admitting that Sami scares him. (Ha!) And his chat with Ava, even getting her grandmother's ring, was sweet. Both of these characters have menacing sides, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out more soon. But for now, it was lovely.

I love it when the show remembers Ben and Jake are friends. And right now, these two are positioned best to figure out Johnny is the devil. First, Ben was suspicious of Johnny immediately upon meeting him, and that was before this creep thought it was fine to feel up Ciara's belly. Second, Jake outlined the whole plan to take over Titan to Ben, giving Jake a witness. So, when/if Gabi questions whether Jake is still adhering to the plan, he may be able to have backup.

Side note -- why does anyone believe when they see people acting out of character? Between the devil possession and the masks, you'd think Salem would be on high alert to these things!

According to Nicole, it's Ava's fault that Nicole and Rafe are keeping their affair a secret because Ava might be trying to get revenge on them for having the affair in the first place. That's some "if you wouldn't have made me mad, I wouldn't have hit you" kind of logic. But that's pretty much on point for the woman who claims she and Rafe were just a one-time-thing. I love my Nicole, I really do. But she and Rafe have kissed multiple times and have been having an emotional affair for many, many months now. She's either oblivious to how numbers work or completely self-righteous. Can we please get Abe over for another talk with Nicole?

Gwen turned down Xander's proposal at first because she claimed he was still in love with Sarah. Even if Gwen didn't know the truth about Sarah, turning down his proposal was the right move. Sorry, Xanimal. No woman should accept a proposal from a man who just spent a month looking for his ex.

For as many lawsuits and bodily threats as T.R. is throwing around regarding Johnny's movie, how has he not realized that his Marlena is missing? Does he have goons to assist Chad in rescuing Abigail?

HOT Thanks to Chanel telling strangers all of their family business, T.R. figured out he's Lani's dad. He hightailed it right over to her apartment because...I guess Chanel is giving out address information, too? Anyway, I loved that Lani's immediate response was to throw T.R. out. Then, when he didn't leave, I may have fist-pumped when Paulina, in all her fur coat fabulosity, told T.R. to get the hell away from Lani.

T.R. is an absolute garbage person. I don't buy all of his claims about therapy, as the rest of the time, T.R.'s going around town, threatening to sue people. But, you all, William Christian is a force. This man brings a presence to the world that's been missing since Stefano and Victor aren't on-screen as much. One squint of his eye, and I'm terrified. They've tried in recent years with Clyde and Orpheus. But there's something about T.R. as helmed by William Christian that is utterly chilling as a villain. Go on, sir. I mean, stay away from me. But go on.

NOT: Of course Johnny Devil overheard the Allie/Chanel secret. Because why shouldn't the character with the power to change into any other character on the show also stumble upon one of the more powerful secrets in Salem? He surely won't use it to make Chanel back off her divorce settlement, which could have put her in the corporate mix for DiMera.

LINE OF THE WEEK: Abigail (as Kristen offered her a bowl of fruit): "She probably poisoned the apple. That's what witches do."

Like I said, I'd watch the Abigail Sleuth Show every day of the week.

Honorable mention: Lani (about dressing the twins): "I just need to get them into their snowsuits, scarves, hats. That should take about an hour and a half."

I felt this line in my soul.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Chloe's white wrap/coat was Olivia Pope levels of fabulous.

I'm sorry to inform you all, but we've been sold a pack of lies. You know how everyone always says they're going by Sweet Bits to grab something for breakfast? Tell me how that's possible when the hours listed on their bakery door are: 10 AM - 7 PM (Monday - Friday) 10 AM - 8 PM (Saturday) 12 PM - 7 PM (Sunday)

As soon as Abigail is back from that island, we need to get her on this case. Just what are Chanel or Allie doing when they claim they need to be at work at 5:00 AM? Where has Salem been getting these breakfast pastries from?

Rafe has a lawyer for the corruption charges. Chanel and Johnny both have divorce lawyers. Yet we didn't see Belle or Justin all week. Let's fix that!

It's kind of funny how not intrusive Ava is in Tripp's life.

I LOVED Gabi's two-toned jacket. I want one!

I could have gone without the stereotype that gay men must like Broadway shows, but I got a little chuckle out of that line being said to a character played by Eric Martsolf. Eric is a straight man who has starred in dozens of plays and musicals, including leading roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. So, yes, sometimes straight men like theater. Don't tell anyone, but sometimes gay men like sports, too. Gasp!

That's super confident of Johnny Devil to just hang out at the Kiriakis mansion after he'd impersonated Jake there.

Is ten years the going rate for sentencing in Salem? I thought that's what Lucas got for shooting E.J., Nick got for killing Trent, and Gabi got for killing Nick.

I like that Lani and Eli have their wedding photos up on the fridge in their apartment.

What are the chances Ava and Gwen grabbed Abigail's DID meds before they shipped her off?

T.R.'s first scene was to intimidate the Johnny Devil, which immediately made me wonder if he's long for Salem. A character with as many enemies as T.R. crossing with a plot line point like a devil possession sets T.R. up easily for a whodunit murder story.

Way to go, Craig. You probably ruined Pub chowder for Nancy now.

It's very trippy to have Brandan Barash playing a storyline with another character named Johnny. I repeatedly typed "Johnny" in my notes instead of Jake because I'm so used to Brandan playing a character named Johnny on GH.

It would have been a total boss move for Abigail to remind Kristen how Andre died.

Even though there will be no new DAYS episodes until after the Olympics, Tony and I have some fun columns planned for the next two weeks. We hope you enjoy them. As for us, we're off to Miami. Paulina went to all that trouble to whip up a jet and get the beach house ready. We're not going to let that go to waste!

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