Days of Our Lives Round Table: Is the Acting Mayor Racist?

This was the week for marriage proposals in Salem!

Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Kathy from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate which couples might actually make it down the aisle, if Maggie should tell Xander the truth about Sarah, who has the best father/son relationship, and more!

And is the acting mayor racist or just a jerk? See what our round table team thinks...

There are lots of proposals flying around Salem. Which couples have the best chance of walking down the aisle, and which have the worst? (EJ/Nicole, Eric/Sloan, Chloe/Xander, Sarah/Rex).

Kathy: I don't think any of the proposals have a chance of making it to the altar, but if I have to choose — Best Chance EJ and Nicole — Least Chance Xander and Chloe.

Jack: I don't think there's much hope for Chloe and Xander or Sarah and Rex. I'm fully expecting Xander to realize he's the father of Sarah's baby and interrupt Rex and Sarah's wedding to announce it and try to reconcile with Sarah.

EJ and Nicole have the best chance because there is a possibility (though slim) that even if it comes out that Eric is the father of the baby, Nicole could stay with EJ and co-parent with Eric. Though I know the writers love Eric/Nicole, so it's not likely. But still.

Christine: Best chance, and I have my fingers crossed for this one, is EJ and Nicole. They really are the most stable, loving relationship out of the four. And while I'm hoping the baby could still be EJ's, it would be long-term drama for Nicole to choose to stay with EJ while co-parenting with Eric.

The worst chance is Xander and Chloe, which is kind of a shame because I enjoy them far more than I expected. But I can see Sarah actually marrying Rex and then Xander having to fight for his child.

Do you think the acting mayor is racist or just a jerk?

Kathy: Probably a little of both. The acting mayor is making the most of his newfound power. I'm not sure how well he understands the situations/people he is making decisions about.

Jack: He characterizes every Black person in Salem as a criminal or dishonest, including our beloved Abe, who has a reputation for being the most honest person in town. And he doesn't think Shawn's, who is white, recent suspension for drinking merits a second thought before appointing him as commissioner.

So it's pretty clear to me he's a racist. What I don't get is why Abe had this man as his Deputy Mayor, to begin with.

Christine: It can be both. He's definitely a jerk, and although we don't have much history to go on, he appears racist. He's come down hard on Chanel, Rafe, Jada, and Abe but is willing to look past Shawn's drinking on the job, something that could have gotten someone killed.

So unless there is some other reason he's giving Shawn preferential treatment, the only difference we can see right now is the color of his skin.

Marlena advised Talia to tell Chanel she has romantic feelings for her. Was that the right thing to do?

Kathy: No. I think Marlena should have told Talia to slow things down and let her relationship with Chanel develop naturally. Why the rush?

Jack: Marlena is right that Talia needs to put herself out there and that repressing her feelings is a bad idea. But she also should have explored with Talia whether she's really ready for a romantic relationship, especially with the woman she screwed over before!

There's a middle ground in which Talia acknowledges rather than represses her feelings but decides not to act on them, and that's what Marlena should have guided her to consider.

Christine: I couldn't believe Marlena encouraged Talia to pursue a relationship with Jada. First off, Talia didn't even sound convinced about whether her feelings were friendship or romantic. And Talia just came out of an emotionally abusive relationship.

She should be working on herself before diving into another romantic relationship with anyone.

Is Brady right? Will Kristen poison Rachel against him now that she has full custody? Should he have followed through on his plan to run?

Kathy: I'm glad Brady listened to John. Rachel would grow to hate him if he tore her away from the life she knows. Living with Kristen may be a blessing in disguise. Rachel may learn to see her mother as she really is on a day-to-day level and not as some glorified mother figure.

Jack: Brady is right that Kristen will poison Rachel against him -- why wouldn't she when she's been trying to manipulate Rachel from afar all these months? But going on the run with her wasn't a solution.

Brady needs to keep his nose clean and let Belle file an appeal. Surely the judge ignoring Kristen's record when she made her decision was a judicial error that can be reversed, but not if Brady proves the judge right by continuing to break the law.

Christine: Actually, the only person Kristen was poisoning Rachel against was Chloe. I don't remember her trying to turn Rachel against her father, so Brady could be wrong here.

And Rachel might stop idolizing her mother if she saw more of her. So it's possible this could work in Brady's favor in the long run.

Who has the best adult father/son relationship of characters currently in Salem? (John/Brady, Roman/Eric, Justin/Alex, EJ/Johnny, Steve/Tripp, Abe/Theo)

Kathy: The best father/son relationship for me is Abe and Theo. Abe has helped Theo through all his challenges to be a productive, loving adult. I wish we would see more of Theo.

Jack: I wish Theo was staying and Abe had his memory back. I've always loved his relationship with Theo.

Abe struggled some when Theo became a teenager because of his concerns about Theo's Autism, but their relationship has evolved into a mutually respectful adult relationship, and we don't get lots of those. (See, for example, Ej's constant attempts to control Johnny.)

I also like Steve and Tripp's relationship, minus the horrible advice Steve gave Tripp the other week about not respecting Wendy's boundaries.

Justin and Alex have a nice dynamic, but every time Justin talks to Alex, it makes me miss Sonny.

Christine: I enjoy Justin and Alex's relationship. I think Alex reminds Justin of his younger self because they have a different bond than Justin has with Sonny.

And I love almost every scene between Steve and Tripp. Somehow, Steve and Tripp feel more like a real father/son than Steve and Joey ever did.

Maggie knows the truth about Sarah's pregnancy. Should she tell Xander he's the father?

Kathy: Maggie learning that Xander proposed to Chloe, threw a monkey wrench into her promise to keep Sarah's secret. I think she should urge Sarah to be honest with Xander for the sake of everyone.

Jack: NO!!! Why does no one in Salem get it is nobody's business but the mother's to tell or not tell who her baby's father is or if she's even pregnant? And in Maggie's case, she promised Sarah she wouldn't, so she would only ruin her relationship with Sarah if she did.

Christine: The simple answer is no, but I can understand why Maggie is struggling. This secret will come out, and the longer Sarah waits, the more people will get hurt. With Xander's proposal, Chloe is now being dragged into this mess.

Once the baby is born, Xander has the right to know he has a child in this world. This is just a disaster in the making, and Maggie is trying to avoid that.

Brady was upset, showed up at Chloe's door, and kissed her. React!

Kathy: Ugh. How's that for a reaction? LOL

Jack: Totally uncalled for. Chloe is a grown woman who will make her own decisions. Brady should learn to use his words.

Seriously, I felt like Brady was only kissing Chloe to interfere with her and Xander. Also, he can't be MIA for months because "Rachel doesn't like it" and then show up the second Rachel no longer lives with him and expect to pick up where he left off.

Christine: Brady is an arrogant jerk who only thinks of himself. He's lied to Chloe. He's put her in the unwinnable position of trying to win over his daughter.

Xander was right. Brady made Chloe miserable. And Brady generally wants what he thinks someone else has. When Chloe was with Philip, he pursued her, and he was doing it again. Now that she's with Xander. I hope she slaps him and sends him packing.

What annoyed the heck out of you this week in Salem?

Kathy: Brady's kiss annoyed me. Chad and Alex were a close second. Men assuming they know what is best for the little woman.

Jack: Besides the Brady kiss, which was so cringy, I don't like the development of Leo joining Dimitri and Gwen on their honeymoon. How does Dimitri expect to pull this off? Gwen is going to wonder why he keeps disappearing when they are supposed to be celebrating their marriage and focusing on each other. This is just silly.

Even worse is this new Talia/Chanel/Johnny triangle that appears to be brewing. How many times is Johnny going to be in a triangle? If the point of the Wendy nonsense was to get him back with Chanel, then put him back with Chanel already and move on rather than putting yet another interloper in the way.

There is no reason for Chanel to now be torn between Johnny and the woman who ruined her business, and if she chooses Talia over Johnny when Johnny literally had no free will when he hurt her because he was possessed by the Devil, something is very wrong.

Christine: Brady! He demonizes Kristen and with reason, but he's more than willing to commit similar crimes, but that's okay because he feels justified.

I'm just grateful that John got through to him, but it all made me wonder how Brady is John's son. The two couldn't be more different.

What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline in Salem this week?

Kathy: My favorite storyline was the beginning of Victor's farewell. It will be hard, but I am looking forward to seeing people's reactions to losing such a force of nature.

Jack: I liked Kayla showing Abe flashcards and helping his memory. I also loved Johnny and Chanel's scenes until Talia showed up to ruin everything.

Christine: Oddly enough, I liked Stephanie and Chad's confrontation, minus her throwing a drink in his face, which was uncalled for. But this was the first time I felt something for them as a couple as Chad shared his fears, and Stephanie assured him of her commitment to this family they are making.

And Chloe was absolutely right to tell Belle off! Belle could have voiced her concerns and then backed off, but she wouldn't, and Chloe was right to show her how hypocritcal she was being.