HOLLYWOOD—Don’t you just hate when a character appears on the screen briefly and then suddenly kicks the bucket? Well that just happened on the NBC soap, “Days of Our Lives.” Laura Horton, Jennifer’s mother returned to drop the bomb that she was the reason Jack never knew about Gwen being his long lost daughter. A devious deed? Without a doubt and it angered Jack, and shocked Jennifer to say the least, as she struggled to understand why her mother would keep such life-changing information.

Well it was to ensure her daughter and Jack’s relationship did not go off the tracks. However, it caused a big issue for Gwen and her mother, and explains Gwen’s quest to destroy Jack, Abigail and their family. Gwen came face-to-face with Laura and an argument ensued that resulted in Laura’s death. Gwen panicked, asking Jack to help her as things would not look good in the public sphere, even though she was telling the truth. Just like that icon Laura Horton is dead and the Horton family is grieving a major loss. However, it was Laura’s funeral that set the stage for a new partnership.

Abigail was livid to see her sister show her face and went for the jugular literally. The ladies had a scuffle and Abigail turned to the woman, who was her former friend turned frenemy in Gabi Hernandez. Yes, that Gabi people. Abigail wanted Gabi’s help to take down Gwen and just like that enemies become allies. I love this new partnership and Gabi should want revenge considering that Gwen framed her for Abigail’s initial drugging. Gwen may have bitten off more than she chewed.

In other Salem news, Ciara Brady is very much alive. However, she is not being held captive by Vincent, but some guy named Rhoades. Yeah, I do not understand this narrative one single bit because I totally understood why Vincent wanted revenge, but if he’s out of the picture, whose bidding is Rhoades doing. Surprise, it is the great Orpheus people. Yes, the wicked one is back in Salem yet again pulling strings from behind the scenes. Last time, it was the whole charade involving Maggie, Sarah, and the baby swap, not to mention kidnapping Kayla; this guy might be the new coming of Stefano DiMera, the titan not his son people.

Orpheus is pulling the strings behind Ciara’s captivity, just as Ben heard a message from his wife letting him know she was danger. Ben has been thinking for weeks that his wife is alive, but now he has confirmation, which turned to him aligning with Claire to get Intel hopefully from Susan. Yes, that Susan people who is swapping places with Kristen to help her keep tabs on Brady out of fear that he is getting closer with his ex, Chloe. Yes, it’s complicated people, and I’m struggling to figure out just WHY Orpheus would want to hold Ciara Brady hostage of all people.  We don’t yet have the answer to that question, but I’m sure it is coming in a few weeks.

With all this transpiring, Lani and Eli finally got their twins back and Vivian is behind bars after her attempt to claim she was mentally unfit leading to the crimes that were committed. Kate saw thru it and pushed her foes buttons to get the truth to be exposed. So Vivian is headed to the slammer, Eli and Lani can take their twins and disappear to the sunset for all I care. I mean the storyline was silly and so obvious to begin with America.

This brings us to what seems to be a staple on “Days of Our Lives,” a possible murder mystery and all fingers are pointing to Charlie Dale. The guy has weaseled his way out of facing consequences for raping Allie and he’s making enemies left in right. I mean we have Nicole, Rafe, Ava, Tripp, Claire, Ben, Lucas, John, Marlena, the list goes on and on people. Claire finally got to see Charlie’s dark side erupt when she confronted him about Allie recalling what he did to her cousin. Oh, Charlie, you’re looking guilty buddy and the fact that you threatened your mother, who threatened him back screams bad vibes all over.

This is all transpiring as Nicole is pushing Rafe to house Ava, who he thinks has NOT turned a new leaf. Yeah, housing a criminal just doesn’t sound like anything that Rafe would be interested in handling, but that doesn’t matter he has a murder mystery to solve and plenty of suspects to look at and a big name who made a splash by returning to Salem: Sami Brady. Oh, when this woman swoops into town it’s like a hurricane and this time around she has every reason to be out for blood, and Sami never fails to cause plenty of mayhem when she comes into town.