Days of Our Lives Round Table: Kate Mansi is Back as Abby!

A new Abigail emerged in Bayview, Ben applied for a job that could really use his skills, while Leo spent days torturing Will, Sonny, and viewers on this week’s Days of Our Lives.

Our TV Fanatics Jack Ori and Christine Orlando are joined by Kierstin and Ronnie from MyHourglass a Days of Our Lives fan forum to debate Ben working for Stefan, Kate Mansi back as Abigail, and the most disappointing moments this week in Salem.

Ben got a job working for Stefan. It is a horrible idea or the perfect match?

Kierstin: I think it's a horrible idea because Ben wants to prove that he's a better person now.

Ronnie: If Ben is really looking for redemption it's a horrible idea, but I'm still not sure we should fully trust Ben yet. The real issue here for me is Stefan. I still can't stand this character.

Jack: I’m not sure what's going on here. Ben seems to be gravitating back towards violence which is not good. But if he is playing Stefan somehow or trying to redeem himself by getting Abby out of this mess, I'm all for it.

Christine: I’m not thrilled with Ben working for Stefan, but the guy needs a job and no one else in Salem will hire him. I guess you have to play to your strengths and right now Ben’s are being scary and being able to break in and out of places.

I wish Ben was working for someone other than Stefan, but I’m willing to wait and see where this is going.

Kate Mansi is back as Abigail. Rate her return from a 1(I want Marci back) to a 10 (The real Abby has returned!)

Kierstin: I rate Kate Mansi's return a 10. She's doing an awesome job. I like Marci Miller also.

Ronnie: 8. In one episode she showed more emotions than Marci did all year. I saw heartbreak, anger, hope, desperation. She brought the character back to life and I'm delighted to have her back in the role. I just wish it wasn't to play this terrible story. It should have ended with Marci leaving

Jack: I’ll give her a 3. I far prefer Marci Miller and I didn't find Kate Mansi's attempt at pretending to be "Gabby" to be at all convincing. But to be fair, she walked into the middle of a messy story and it takes time to get used to any new actor, even one who had the role before.

Christine: An 8! I always found Marci Miller’s Abigail to be pretty milquetoast and boring. This version of Abigail showed more fire and spirit than we’ve seen in a long time, but like everyone else, I wish we were done with this horrible gaslighting story.

Leo is back and blackmailing Sonny and Will once again. How do you hope this story concludes? Leo ends up dead, leaves Salem, marries Sonny, or something else?

Kierstin: I hope Leo just leaves Salem because, in the beginning, Leo didn't really want to blackmail Sonny. Kate and Vivian created a monster out of Leo.

Ronnie: I hope Leo succeeds and ends up marrying Sonny. He's much more entertaining than Will and I think he has better chemistry with Sonny. Will was bland this week.

Jack: I hope Victor mops the floor with Leo and he leaves never to be seen again. So far this story is nothing but annoying and the sooner it's over with, the better.

Christine: At this point, I wouldn’t care if Victor had all three of their bodies wrapped up in Kiriakis mansion rugs and took them away.

It’s sad that Leo is more entertaining than Sonny or Will. No matter how the story ends, I’ll simply be grateful when it’s over.

Will Hope’s plan to get Ben to confess to setting the fire, work? Why or why not?

Kierstin: Hope's plan might not work if Ben did not set the fire.

Ronnie: I think it's going to backfire because Ted can't be trusted. And quite frankly, I hope it doesn't work and she gets thrown off the force. I totally understand why she's fearful of Ben, but her methods are all wrong.

Jack: First of all, I don't think there's anything for Ben to confess to because I don't think he set the fire. Secondly, this is more police corruption so I hope it blows up in her face.

Also, Ted is dangerous and I have a feeling that Ciara will end up having to rescue Hope instead of the other way around.

Christine: I don’t see how Hope’s plan can work since even if Ben does confess over the phone, he’s still talking to his attorney and has the right to attorney/client privilege even if the police are listening in.

That said, I don’t think Ben set the fire and I hate Hope’s so-called investigative methods, no matter how scared she is for her daughter.

Kate is involved in schemes with Leo, Stefan, and Gabi. Will she be able to get out of it all unscathed or will she have to face the consequence?

Kierstin: Kate will probably have to face the consequences this time.

Ronnie: I really want Kate to go to jail, but I'm pretty sure I won't get my wish. I haven't forgotten her role in Theo's shooting and how she got away with that too.

Jack: When does Kate ever face consequences for anything? I'm sure she will be fine and that if it helps get her out of trouble she will throw any of them under the bus.

Christine: I keep waiting for Kate to derail Gabi’s plans but it hasn’t happened yet. Kate is generally smart enough to get out of these things, but this time she may lose Will’s trust which would certainly hurt her.

What, if anything, disappointed you the most this week in Salem?

Kierstin: I'm disappointed that Gabi's storyline is taking so long to play out.

Ronnie: The fact we're still not done with the DID story is very disappointing.

Jack: Way too many scenes of Leo rehashing what Sonny did to him and threatening to expose him. That conversation was irritating after five seconds and there were three days worth of it. And why is nobody going to Victor when this is all taking place in HIS house to HIS nephew???

Also, why is this mental hospital treating Abby like she's in solitary confinement in jail and providing no treatment whatsoever?

And can the writers get it straight whether she is allowed visitors or not? Supposedly she isn't but JJ said he and Jen visited after she was placed in the padded room and Abby told Chad that JJ already told her about visiting Charlotte. So which is it?

Finally, this Gabi story is dragging on and on and on and it needs to be over already. Kate should have exposed Gabi in front of Rafe, not covered for her again. I'm sick of her being pushed around by an amateur like Gabi, especially after saying she's not scared of her anymore.

Christine: Far too many dull or annoying storylines. Leo wouldn’t stop talking while Sonny wouldn’t stop whining…for three days!

Gabi continuing to let her “friend” Chad believe that baby is Stefan’s is beyond cruel. She claims to hate Abigail and Stefan but still like Chad and yet nothing she’s done shows that.

Finally, any scene with Hope and Rafe almost puts me to sleep.

What was your favorite quote, scene or storyline on this week’s Days of Our Lives?

Kierstin: My favorite scene on this week's Days of our Lives was Ciara and Ben connecting and kissing.

Ronnie: Leo calling Will a "cute twink" had me laughing for two minutes.

Jack: I loved Kayla standing up to Stefan! Go, Kayla! Where have you been?

Christine: The new Abigail! I really felt her anger and desperation in just a few scenes and I can’t wait until the truth comes out to see her go after everyone who has wronged her. Finally, she reminds me of the young woman who went head to head with Sami Brady. I haven’t seen this version of Abigail in a long time.

Want to chat more about the happenings in Salem? Then check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.