Nicole pushed Allie to press charges, Eli was between a rock and a hard place, Kristen had a shocking request for Marlena, and Xander helped get Philip arrested this week in Salem.
Our TV Fanatics Jack Ori and Christine Orlando are joined by Kayla from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate Allie’s possible sexual assault, Eli being caught between Lani and Trask, if Xander went too far, and what was the most annoying and best storylines this week on Days of Our Lives.
Nicole is pushing Allie to press charges against Tripp for sexual assault. Is this an important and timely story to tell, or is this story trivializing rape?
Kayla: When I first read about this storyline awhile ago, I was like, Tripp isn’t that type of person, and I don’t think he is, but who knows?
Time changes a person, and as for is it an important story to tell, for sure. The more awareness out there for women, the better, I say.
Jack: I thought they might actually handle this responsibly…until all of a sudden, Allie was “held down” and then Nicole pushed her to report…which is the absolute worst thing you can do when talking to a survivor.
I feel like DAYS is relying on stereotypes about rape and that the focus is probably going to shift to whether or not Tripp did it instead of how it affected Allie.
Christine: This show has a horrendous track record when it comes to dealing with sexual assault storylines responsibly, so I don’t have much hope for this one either.
I agree with Jack in that Nicole should have never pushed Allie the way she did. Reporting it was something Allie needed to be comfortable with, and she obviously was not.
This could have been a timely story about rape and the issues of consent when one or both parties are inebriated, but instead, I think they’re turning this into a whodunnit type of plot, and I find that disappointing.
Who is worse? Lani for using her position as a cop to help Kristen escape, or Melinda Trask for using that fact to blackmail Eli into putting Kristen behind bars?
Kayla: I think Lani is worse, for sure. I mean, Kirsten is her friend, and she wants to be loyal, but seriously Kristen DiMera has done some awful things.
Jack: Trask. Lani was wrong, but she at least was well-intentioned. Trask sounds just like Eve with her talk about getting revenge on her daughter’s killer and is entirely corrupt.
It’s a good thing Eli has integrity since she opened the door for him to fabricate evidence against Kristen to protect Lani.
Christine: They’re both about equal. Lani has broken the law for Kristen out of loyalty to their friendship. Melinda is blackmailing Eli to get “justice” for her daughter’s death.
They both believe they’re justified, and they’re both, in one way or another, using Eli to cover up their crimes. I’d almost say that makes Lani worse because she’s supposed to love Eli, yet she’s put him in an unwindable position.
Is there a plot point or story moment you’ve been waiting to see that hasn’t happened yet for the current stories in Salem?
Kayla: Yes, there is! I want Allie to open up to her Dad (Lucas) about what happened, as I love their bond.
Jack: I’d love for Xander and Jake to compare notes on how their family treats them when they try to engage in the family business!
Christine: I want to see Sarah and Xander run into baby Rachel. That should be a heartbreaking moment and one that needs to happen at some point.
Did Xander go too far in pushing Jan to press charges against Philip? Do you believe Philip should have been arrested?
Kayla: Oh my god, yes. He certainly went too far. I always have hated Xander.
Jack: IF this was done for the purpose of writing a story about a woman standing up to a powerful man, I’d be all for it.
Philip did grab Jan’s arm while threatening to kill her, and all too often, law enforcement fails to take those kinds of threats seriously until it’s too late. But I don’t like using cops to settle grudges, even if Philip did deserve it.
Christine: I think Xander walked the line here, but I don’t think he went too far. Philip did grab Jan and threaten her life. It’s certainly threatening behavior, bordering on assault.
Jan had every right to press charges; whether they will stick is another matter. Did Xander cross a line by encouraging her to do so? Yes, but only slightly as he began this before he even knew Jan’s history.
If Kristen is sent to prison, she asked Marlena to help raise Rachel. Is Marlena the person you would ask to help raise your child, and if not, who in Salem would you choose?
Kayla: I will admit I did love this considering the past between the two, and yes, I would ask Marlena to help raise my child, but I also would ask Lucas for backup.
This might be a surprise to some, but he seems like a great father and grandfather, and that’s somebody I want to raise my children.
Jack: Marlena isn’t a bad choice, though I was surprised she didn’t choose Lani.
Now that Jack is back and Jennifer has been restored to sanity, she wouldn’t be a bad choice either.
Christine: Given how Sami and Eric turned out, I’m not so sure Marlena is the best choice. Plus, the older she’s gotten, the colder she seems.
Sarah comes to mind. She was a good mom to MacKenzie/Rachel, but that could be a very emotionally charged choice given the circumstances.
I’d also love to see Steve and Kayla with a little one. They were separated for both Stephanie and Joey’s early years, and I think they’d be a good team if they were actually parenting together.
Which storyline annoyed you the most this week in Salem?
Kayla: I had two storylines that annoyed me this week. The Lani/Kristen/Eli/Melinda storyline and the Shawn/Claire/Jan/Xander/Belle/Phillip storyline.
Jack: Gwen. I don’t care what her secret is. All I want to know is when she’s leaving Salem. And who hires a nanny before checking their background?
Christine: Since Jack already chose Gwen’s story, I’ll take Nicole and Allie. I couldn’t believe how Nicole immediately pushed for Allie to press charges on a possible crime that took place in another country, that Allie only just remembered pieces of after 10 months, and that she’s clearly uncomfortable talking about.
How about we get the girl some therapy to help sort this out and deal with the trauma first, then deal with any criminal implications? It felt like Nicole was more interested in punishing Tripp than helping Allie.
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline from this week’s Days of Our Lives and why?
Kayla: My fave storyline is anything Lumily (Sami, Lucas, Will, and Allie) based. So it would have to be Allie’s storyline.
Jack: I am enjoying the John storyline. Unlike most medical storylines, it’s realistic, and I’m enjoying him and Marlena struggling to deal with his condition.
Christine: I liked Sarah and Xander having an honest conversation about her expectations concerning his behavior. Xander wants to do better, but it’s so easy to backslide! He loves Sarah, but he’s going to need reminders from time to time.
Hit that Big, Blue, SHOW COMMENTS Button down below to tell us how you’d answer our round table questions. Then head over to Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.