♥ Never Ending Story 2008 ♥ Note on soap magazine publication dates and content of articles/interviews regarding multiple soap stars: Many of the monthly or every other month (and sometimes quarterly) magazines back in the 1980's would be on the newsstands a long time before the date on the actual magazine. We've noticed, for instance, that DAYTIME TV magazine did an interview with Drake in late 1986 about his upcoming wedding, which was scheduled for December 1986, yet the interview didn't appear until the July 1987 issue several months later. Therefore, it might be a bit confusing to read about his "upcoming" wedding in an interview dated July 1987 when you happen to know he was married in December 1986. We've tried to date the articles to match the date on the magazine, regardless of when the events talked about took place. Hopefully it will make sense as you go along! We've also edited some of the articles/interviews to just include John's storyline, since this is a Drake/John website. We've left out comments and sections about other actors or storylines unless they're involved with John's storyline. This too should be very apparent and clear when we've done that so it makes sense and you don't have to skim through a long article to find the "John parts." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Late-Breaking News DAYS: Marlena And John Reunited! EJ's reveal that John is alive and at the DiMera mansion leads to a reunion between Marlena and her presumed-dead hubby this week, but it doesn't go as expected. Bo and Roman secure a search warrant and storm the manse, where Marlena and Hope sneak into the lab and come face-to-face with John. "Marlena walks into the lab and John is in the chair and shackled, being fed all the input, having everything stripped from him," previews Drake Hogestyn (John). "Hope goes to get Bo. Marlena walks over and when she touches him, obviously, there's a reaction. She pulls off the goggles he has on and he just looks forward and blinks. She puts her hands on his shoulders, which forces him to look at her. She says, 'It is you,' and he says, 'I assume it is. Who are you?'" Yes, John has amnesia, but Marlena tells him she's there to help. "She starts to undo his wrists and he says, 'Your perfume. I've smelled it before,'" says the actor. "After she undoes his wrists, he gets up to leave and she says, 'Wait, I'm Marlena. You're John.' And he says, 'John, sounds good. I'll take that name.' He holds her hand and says, 'Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you,' and she says, 'I know that,' and he says, 'Then why are you trembling?' she says, 'For so long, I thought you were dead.'" Marlena gets John out of the mansion and to the hospital, but not before Stefano taunts her that the John she loved no longer exists. Roman and Bo arrest Stefano and Dr. Rolf for illegal imprisonment. At the hospital, John is handcuffed to the bed against his will. Marlena declares her love for him, but he's not interested. "He just wants out," explains Hogestyn. "His mantra is, 'Can I go?'" Marlena tries to trigger John's memory by showing him photos of Belle, Brady and Claire, to no avail. "In every moment, he's processing all this information for the first time," explains Hogestyn. "Anything that's conflicting is confusing and he gets conflicting information from this person Marlena all the time. Is she lying to him? Is she with Stefano? They are creating all of these layers and already it's so rich and so full, and it's so fun to play." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 1/22/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Hot Plots Preview! What Will Happen DAYS OF OUR LIVES Claire Is Kidnapped! Rob and Crystal kidnap Belle and Claire this week while Belle is on her cell phone, talking to Philip. The abductors force Belle and Claire into a van and head for the docks. The cops track the foursome to the waterfront. Bo pulls a weapon on Rob and Belle throws hot coffee in Crystal's face and escapes with her daughter. In the mêlée, Rob gets away, taking Claire with him. "She can't believe this is happening again," sighs Martha Madison (Belle). While fleeing, Rob accidentally knocks Belle into the freezing water. Shawn takes off after Rob; Philip jumps in to save Belle, who goes into cardiac arrest and is resuscitated by the paramedics. At the hospital, Shawn visits an unconscious Belle and vows to find their daughter. When Belle comes to, Marlena asks John to visit their daughter in her time of need. John agrees and pretends to remember Belle, who is overjoyed that he's alive, but senses something isn't right with her father. "When I saw him, there were hugs and kisses everywhere," Madison reports of seeing her on-screen dad, Drake Hogestyn, again. "Everyone was all over him. It was such a great moment to see him walk back into the makeup room." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 1/22/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News Colleen Brady Is Alive! Hot on the trail of Claire, as well as John's secret mission, Bo and Hope and John and Marlena uncover a major secret this week: Colleen Brady is alive! "Bo doesn't believe it at first," says Peter Reckell (Bo). "He thinks it's all poppycock." The shocking discovery happens at Saint Abban Bed and Breakfast in Ireland, where John and Marlena are the first to arrive. Knowing Abban is a clue to his mission, John is sure his target is nearby, so he and Marlena search the Inn. Meanwhile, Bo and Hope arrive and come face to face with Crystal. "The ISA has been watching Crystal and following her, hoping she'll lead them to whoever hired her," explains Reckell, noting that Bo and Hope have been on her tail in search of Claire. "Crystal leads them to this Inn, where a couple of Irish guys ask what Bo and Hope are doing there. Crystal appears, says everything is going to be okay, and takes off." Bo and Hope "start looking through the rooms," continues Reckell. "As they're opening doors, they find John, Marlena and this older lady." Marlena and Hope point out that the mystery woman (played by Shirley Jones) "looks an awful lot like Colleen, right from the beginning," notes Reckell. "Bo doesn't believe it. She's dead! He is the skeptic in the group." Shawn, Belle, Philip and Chloe soon join the company and the woman reveals her identity: Colleen Brady! Colleen explains how she faked her death, ran away from Santo, and relocated to South America. Upon inquiring about her family in Salem, she learned of Stefano's vendetta against the Bradys and vowed to stop him from hurting her loved ones. "Colleen explains that she's done something," says Reckell, "and it's the reason they're all there." Finally, she summons Crystal and instructs her to bring Claire into the room, where the little girl is reunited with her parents. "Everybody is happy and teary and ecstatic to have Claire back," cheers Reckell. "Bo's relieved, too, but he reams Colleen for kidnapping her and causing everyone so much pain." Colleen owns up to her actions, insisting she had a very good reason for taking such drastic measures, "and that it will come out and pay off down the line," recounts Reckell. "They may not know what it is now, but later on, they will thank her for it." Unless it's all blarney... SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 2/5/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News Shirley, You Guest Colleen Brady lives! And she's played by Broadway, television and film star Shirley Jones, starting January 31 for six episodes. Jones won an Oscar for playing a vengeful prostitute in ELMER GANTRY (1960). She was "Marian the Librarian" in the 1962 film version of THE MUSIC MAN, and is beloved by television audiences for her gig as Shirley Partridge in the 1970's series, THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY. Her new co-stars are impressed. "She is astounding," raves Peter Reckell (Bo). "You've got this character that everybody has talked about for months and has all this history, but she's done her homework. The first time I worked with her, I thought, 'I don't have to pretend with this woman.' All I have to do is look at her, because she is Colleen." "I'm so excited to work with her," chimes in Drake Hogestyn (John). "She's been working with a dialect coach (for the Irish accent) and she's been staying in character. She's a hall-of-famer - an Academy Award-winner!" Although it's Jones' first foray into daytime, she's no stranger to soaps: she guest-starred on HOTEL and MELROSE PLACE. "She's been given a really difficult job and she's standing up to it tremendously," smiles Reckell. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 2/5/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News A Closer Look: John Viewers learn this week that Colleen Brady (played by famed actress Shirley Jones) is John Black's mother. Will the third backstory for this character be the charm? SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: What's your take on this latest twist? Drake Hogestyn: I'm really excited. I've always wanted to know where John Black came from. We did the Alamain thing, we did that he was Tony's brother, but we were never really definitive. This is going to sort it all out. John is the son of Santo DiMera and Colleen Brady. He's half-DiMera and half-Brady. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: And that's what brings all the Bradys to Ireland? Drake Hogestyn: Yes. That's a part of the message saying, 'We need these people in Ireland,' for whatever reason. It turns out that the last thing Colleen wants is to have her brother and her son in the room when she dies. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: She knows she's dying? Drake Hogestyn: Yes. I'm supposed to complete (John's) mission by taking her out. I was going to cut her (with a knife), but at the last second I couldn't do it. Her dying wish is to hold me before she dies. And she dies holding me. I'm supposed to be a cyborg, just an emotionless void of a human being, but I was crying reading these scripts. I really had to go to a place I hadn't been before. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: How is it working with Shirley Jones? Drake Hogestyn: Great. I said to her, 'If there's anything I can do to make these six shows more enjoyable...' because she has endless amounts of dialogue. I mean, endless. I said, 'I will run lines with you whenever you want. Don't worry about some of these thirteen-page scenes. We can break them up into pieces.' It's a daunting task. She's been working with a dialect coach and staying in character (between scenes). I'm so excited to work with her! She's a hall-of-famer – an Academy Award winner! SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: What's the explanation if John is supposed to be a cyborg but then he gets emotional? Drake Hogestyn: Well, they give him a beat where everyone starts to walk out. Marlena crosses out and he shuts the door behind her. He turns around and goes back to the body and pulls the sheet off her and studies her, and then his line is, 'Goodbye, Mom.' At that point, what they're looking for is a thread of humanity that's left in this person. That will be a very, very powerful scene from the standpoint that the audience needs to know there is a flicker of light in this person. He's in there somewhere. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: After that, since John couldn't kill Colleen, he holds the knife to his own throat? Drake Hogestyn: I'm assuming that is part of the programming with Stefano; that failure is not an option. If he fails in taking her out, he didn't complete the mission. There's nothing left to live for. He has no emotional attachment to Marlena or Belle or anybody that he's supposed to know. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Are you worried the fans are going to be upset when you hold a knife to the throat of Mrs. Partridge? Drake Hogestyn: The fans – God love 'em! SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Can't John brainwash Stefano already? Drake Hogestyn: You know what happens with Marlena and Stefano, right? We probably can't talk about it – but I didn't see it coming at all! Carolyn Hinsey, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 2/12/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Family Circle A shocking revelation - and life-and-death situations - rock the Brady clan on DAYS OF OUR LIVES... Colleen Is John's Mother! John makes his move on Colleen this week, intending to complete his mission and kill her. "Marlena sees him walk closer to Colleen with this look of love on his face and she interferes," previews Drake Hogestyn (John). "He indicates that he needs to talk to Colleen alone and with that, he rams Marlena's head into the wall and knocks her out. As she slumps to the ground, he takes his knife and puts it to Colleen's neck, ready to slit her throat. But she pulls out the mother card." Yup: It turns out that John is the love child of Colleen and Santo, making him half-Brady and half-DiMera. "At first I said, 'That's too good to be true,'" enthuses Hogestyn. "I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and figured somewhere along the line they'd change that idea." John stops to let his mother tell how she put him in an orphanage when she couldn't afford to keep him with her and he was then adopted by the Alamains. "She tells him the whole story," explains Hogestyn. "The moment of truth comes to kill her and he can't pull it through." A conflicted John runs off into the night. "Failure is not an option," notes Hogestyn. "If you fail, you eliminate yourself, you take yourself out. It's like a kamikaze pilot." Bo finds John as he is about to kill himself. Bo tries to stop him and then, "He tries to kill Bo," says Peter Reckell (Bo). "And Bo is like, 'Easy there, buddy. I'm your friend.' There are some cracks in John's armor and you see them." Bo and John head back to the bed and breakfast, where Marlena has told everyone of Colleen and John's connection. Colleen reveals that she's dying of cancer. Then the family gathers around her on her deathbed. "John looks at Marlena and says, 'You're a doctor. How much time does she have?'" says Hogestyn. "There are some powerful scenes with John's sarcasm. He calls it as he sees it. But Colleen's dying wish is to have her brother and son in the room with her and she wants to hold her son before she dies. John's like, 'Okay, go for it,' and she dies." For Oscar-winner Shirley Jones (Colleen), this marks only the second death scene in her career. "I have a lot to do in those scenes," she says. "But I can cry more easily now than I did when I was younger. I can get it up there now. I remember when I first started in movies, I thought, 'How am I going to do this?' because I had no memories to go back to. I have quite a few now. That's the difference. When you live a little longer, you have more to cry about in many ways." Hogestyn says Colleen's death marks a turning point for his alter ego. "What is paramount about that little arc is he's very callous to everyone and you're thinking, 'There's no hope for this guy,' but as they file out of the room, he turns around, goes back and pulls the sheet back and looks at her. It's really hard to not have him have some display of emotion. It will show the audience that there is a thread of humanity in there somewhere. He might not even understand it. And then he says goodbye to her." Hogestyn feels this will pave the way for an eventual John and Marlena reunion. "It's a love story," he notes. "Right now, Marlena is carrying a lot of the love. This is the place where that will start to turn around. The thread will be when his mother dies. It will let the audience know there's a faint light in there, a flicker. If we can sell that moment, that beat, it will be great. But they still have obstacles to overcome." Stephanie Sloane, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 2/12/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News Marlena And John Make Love! Marlena reconnects with John in every way this week, when the estranged duo has passionate sex. "The plane goes down and they make love - finally!" asserts Deidre Hall (Marlena). The romantic reunion takes place after the survivors of the crash hit ground and take shelter. "Everyone is in little temperature-controlled tents from the plane," explains Hall. (OOPS! This is wrong. "Everyone" wasn't in little temperature-controlled tents from the plane like Deidre states. The people in tents were only John, Marlena, ShawnD, Belle, Philip and Chloe. The people without tents were Bo, Hope, Claire, Steve and Kayla.) "They're told to cling together for body warmth, and John and Marlena do." One thing leads to another and the couple ends up succumbing to their long-denied passion. "Oh, it's great, so great. They've written the cutest scenes," promises Hall. "It's funny and sexy, (even though) they're strangers. Marlena gets into the tent, and John's feigning sleep. She's not sure whether to spoon him or what to do. Of course, she remembers his body. She remembers making love to him. She remembers those feelings." And it doesn't take John long to catch up. "John appears to have no memory of being a sexual being, but he says later, 'Gee, I liked that. Let's do it again!'" recounts Hall. "It is such a darling, yummy scene, and it's slow." Unfortunately, John is slow on the uptake, and when all is said and done, "Marlena realizes John still doesn't remember her," sighs Hall. A resolute Marlena puts the kibosh on any further sexual exploration until John's memory returns, yet Hall assures that Marlena feels positive about their new alliance. "She is reaching John with no backstory," points out the actress. "He has learned to trust her. He's learned she's on his side. He's learned she's not going to hurt him." It's already more than Marlena had hoped for - well, besides a rescue. Luckily, a helicopter arrives, sees the crash victims' flare and swoops down to take them back to civilization. Marlena boards the craft with new hope for a future with John. "Oh, a lot has been renewed," giggles Hall. "Marlena's in it for the long haul now." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY. 2/26/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES Drama! The Moment Fans Have Been Waiting For... Make A Little Love - DAYS OF OUR LIVES' John And Marlena Find A New Level of Intimacy: Everyone survives the plane crash, but not without a few bumps and scrapes: Marlena has dislocated her shoulder. "John observes Marlena for the first time and it's a big deal," notes Drake Hogestyn (John). "She's standing off by herself, her shoulder is dislocated and she has a big gash on her head. John's first line is, 'Your hair is all messed up.' John is becoming aware of her, which is what that's about." The two seek shelter in – conveniently – a temperature-controlled tent. "He's working from a very basic level. Survival first, that's all he knows," says the actor. "He no longer has a focus and a mission. He didn't kill his mother, didn't kill himself, didn't really save the jet. Now he's going to save himself. Marlena suggests that they shouldn't sleep independently and John says, 'Well, I can keep you warm,' thinking about another primal instinct. She says, 'Well, I'm thinking more along the lines of not wanting to get hypothermia.' So, in the tent he goes to get a good night's sleep." "Marlena is checking on all the passengers to make sure they're okay and staying on top of the doctor part and she comes back and he's dead asleep," continues Deidre Hall (Marlena). "At one point, he rolls over and throws his leg and arm over her and she bristles at it. He says, 'Didn't you say body warmth is key to survival?' She relaxes and then he completely rolls over and is heavily flirtatious and she jumps back, indignant and says, 'What do you think you're doing?'" John notices Marlena wincing and asks to take a look at her shoulder. "With that, he starts to work her, and as he's unbuttoning her blouse, he's just staring at his new mission," laughs Hogestyn. "And she is just wanting any way that could possibly get John Black back again. So she kisses him. She holds his face and kisses his lips and his thought process is, 'Why are you doing this?' And he's looking at her with his eyes open while she's kissing him." Adds Hall: "He becomes this kid in a candy store and begins to stroke her and he becomes very seductive. It's that touch that she knows and it's been a long time and they're alone..." The two go to sleep and continue where they left off in the morning. "She starts to stir and he pokes her and says, 'Rise and shine,' and she says, 'I thought last night was a dream,' and he says, 'The rough landing or that kiss?' And she says, 'Both' and he says, 'Oh, that kiss was no dream,'" Hogestyn previews. "So, she says she wants John Black back and he says, 'Well, yeah, let's bring him back.' And she tells him she doesn't know how to do that, so he asks her if intimacy will. With that, he takes her in a way John Black has never taken her before." "It's this explosive lovemaking, but it's not what you've seen before," explains Hall. "Drake and I discussed it and said, 'Whatever we've done as far as kissing, touching, stroking, holding, petting, we can't do that anymore because this is somebody different now.' So, its physically very different lovemaking and it's also funny. It's challenging and delicious and such a good romp. It is sexier than anything we've ever done. It's a woman who loves a man with all of her soul and her heart, and a man who is just horny." Unfortunately, the fireworks don't spark his memory of her. "In the next scene, he's sitting up staring straight ahead like a dog on the freeway and Marlena says, 'Well?' And he says, 'I don't ever remember doing anything that felt that good. Let's do it again,'" says Hogestyn. Not so fast, responds Doc Evans. "They make love and his reaction is like an adolescent kid," Hall chuckles. "It's endearing and adorable and frustrating. She says to him, 'Well, was any of that familiar? Do you remember anything about me?' And he says no. She's heartsick. She is so profoundly invested in him remembering and he's not giving an inch. He doesn't care about remembering. She doesn't know if John's ever coming back. There are a few moments where you think, 'Oh, my gosh, there's someone in there that we know,' but it's a real tightrope. So, when he wants to go again, she says, 'You know what? Until you know who I am, you're on your own.'" The group is then rescued and returns to Salem, where John decides to move into his new home: the DiMera mansion. "She was not expecting that at all, " sighs Hall. "She is beside herself about it." Stephanie Sloane, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 2/26/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News John Goes After Victor - And Doc! John bribes a customs official in an effort to destroy the Kiriakis empire this week, which infuriates Marlena. "This is all a game to John," explains Drake Hogestyn (John). "He was bored and needed a distraction. He picked up a dossier, read it, and realized Stefano was spending more money than he made. Stefano didn't care what Kiriakis was doing, but John does. John knows that (taking over the docks) is the fastest way to build the DiMera empire back up." Meanwhile, Marlena, determined to prevent a Kiriakis/DiMera war, warns Philip of John's plan. "John comes upon Philip and Marlena on the docks talking and is pretty surprised," notes Hogestyn. "He says, 'You're supposed to be my wife. Don't tell me you're tipping off trade secrets to the competitor?'" Philip proposes the two families abide by their old agreement, but John refuses. "That agreement was with Stefano," points out Hogestyn. "John doesn't want both families to profit. The way John operates, there's a winner and a loser." Marlena is summoned to the hospital for Bo's impending surgery. When John shows up later, she asks if he's changed his mind about bribing the customs guy (played by MELROSE PLACE'S Linden Ashby). "John has already figured Marlena out," scoffs Hogestyn. "She went to Philip to tell him what was going on. John processed that and filed it away. He'll never be honest and tell her exactly what he's doing. He's going to lie and tell her whatever she wants to hear." Marlena and John leave for a walk on the docks. When John gets a call from the customs official, he tells Marlena that "It's Stefano's lawyers. There are more papers to go over regarding his brother's estate. (Please Note: Due to the fact that Colleen Brady was John's mother and Santo DiMera was John's father, this would make John and Stefano half-brothers, not brothers.) John doesn't feel he needs to include Marlena in this." Later, John finalizes the deal to hold up the Kiriakis shipments while Victor embarks on his first therapy session with Marlena. As fate would have it, Victor gets a call from Philip reporting the trouble while they're together, so Marlena realizes John did bribe the guy, after all. "Philip shows up at the mansion all blown apart, because his ships have been detained," warns Hogestyn. "Then, Marlena charges in, yammering like a henpecking wife. :oP 'Did you do this? Did you do that?' John feigns shock. Marlena knows he's lying. She tells John she's disappointed in him and storms out." Afterward, John picks up the gloves Marlena left behind "and something comes over him for a second," hints Hogestyn. "It's dé jà vu. Then, it's gone." But not forgotten, because John will try to make amends next week. Editor's Opinion: With Shawn and Belle about to sail off into the sunset, John is losing his best scene partner since being brainwashed into robot mode: their daughter, Claire. The pair's exchanges have been priceless, both comedic and sweet, since he got stuck caring for her after the plane crash. Young Claire's been the only one to reach into her Pop-Pop's heart and bring out his tender side. Their relationship, which has been pure gold, will be sorely missed. Please click HERE if you have any questions or comments for SOAP OPERA WEEKLY's Editor Janet Di Lauro. Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 3/25/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News A Closer Look: John John learns diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend this week, when he tries to make up with Marlena by arranging a private dinner and giving her some major bling. For Drake Hogestyn it's just another learning experience for nuJohn, a character he's hoping not to relinquish any time soon. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: John and Marlena's spat is due to his underhanded maneuvers on the docks. Does John feel he owes her an explanation? Drake Hogestyn: No. As far as he's concerned, it's none of her business. John doesn't have any problem with that. It's nothing personal against her. It's, "I don't care." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Yet, John wants to make up with her. Is Marlena starting to get to him? Drake Hogestyn: There is something there, because he keeps telling Marlena, "I don't know why, but your opinion of me does matter." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: How does the evening come about? Drake Hogestyn: To make amends John invites Marlena, under a ruse, to go to Chéz Rouge. Marlena doesn't know why. She gets there, and John is sitting with a big spread on the table and a gift to buy her off. He's thinking that like in the book he read, WHAT WOMEN LOVE, you buy them a nice, big diamond, and they're okay. In fact, he says that. "Everything good now?" Marlena tells him, "Obviously you don't remember what I'm all about, because I never cared for this sh##." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Marlena storms off, and then... Drake Hogestyn: Maggie comes over and says, "Well, that didn't go too well, did it?" John admits it didn't and that he doesn't do this man/woman thing very well. Maggie suggests John take Marlena's advice: Sell (the necklace), and give (the money) to charity. John says, "Nah, I think I'm going to forget about her. She's too high-maintenance." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Does John have any second thoughts? Drake Hogestyn: Later, but he doesn't know why. Obviously, there are pieces of his programming that were never solidified. This is all part of the John/Marlena love story. Do we want to jump into the love story full-on right now? I don't think so. We're going to need to find the right beats to address that. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: A lot of viewers are quite entertained by the new John and don't want to see him revert back to his old self. :o) What do you think? Drake Hogestyn: I hope that's the way it goes. It's been refreshing. I'm going to try to keep this person alive, keep him true to the character we're developing. (Co-Executive Producer) Ed Scott told me he wants to keep this guy. When we went through the Ireland storyline, he said, "I like John dangerous. I like him at arm's length." So do I. I'm having a very good time. Editor's Opinion: So John thinks the way to Marlena's heart is with wining, dining and diamonds. Come on! Even in the short time he's gotten to know her (post-brainwashing), surely he has figured out that Blondie is a woman of integrity whose feelings can't be bought. If that's the kind of woman John wants, maybe he should turn his attention to Anna. Please click HERE if you have any questions or comments for SOAP OPERA WEEKLY's Editor Janet Di Lauro. (Please Note: This "Mail Call" was also found in this 4/1/08 issue of SOAP OPERA WEEKLY on page forty-one of "Public Opinion: Tell Us What You Really Think!" We thought it would be awesome if we conjoined it to this article. It is case-in-point regarding how much fans LOVE Drake's portrayal of his NEW character, Jawn Black [J + Pawn - P = JAWN] since he first graced our screens with his presence, and now can't get enough of him. Drake has taken John Black, a character that he has played for twenty-two years, and thanks to different mannerisms and speech patterns, has turned this character into somebody who is hilarious, opinionated and who truly says what he is thinking at the time...not to mention the fact that thanks to Drake's extraordinary acting, we're now seeing Stefano's soldier that Stefano said was so cold that he has ice water running through his veins. Kudoes to Drake for bringing such a fascinating character, performed flawlessly by him, to life!) Mail Call - Here's What Fans Are Talking About This Week: DAYS: Fans hope John doesn't return to his old self any time soon. Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 4/1/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Late-Breaking News DAYS' John - Help Me Remember John asks Marlena to help him get his memory back this week, though his motives aren't completely clear. "He's pretty certain that he's never going to recover who that John was," says Drake Hogestyn (John). "All he's heard so far is that John was a good guy, very vanilla, and that particular personality doesn't really appeal to him all that much. But all the research he has done indicates that the only way to bring the old John back is through hypnosis, so he goes to her and says, 'If he's in here, bring him out. Let's go for it. But, I just want you to know that if it doesn't work, you're prepared for that and you'll live with that.' And she says, 'Absolutely.'" Marlena conducts the session, but the result is not what she hoped for. "As he comes out, he looks at her and says, 'Well, Blondie, how did it go?' She realizes from the way he talks to her that it didn't work. She says, 'There's nothing there.'" John has a surprising reaction. "He's upset, but he hides it. He didn't realize he'd be that way." John leaves, but returns the next day with another idea. "He says, 'I'll make you a deal. I'm going to give you every woman's fantasy: Why don't you try turning me into the man you want me to be?'" laughs the actor. "Make me your project. Forget about therapy; we're going to try a whole new avenue." To that end, he takes her on a date to Chéz Rouge, where they share a dance and nearly kiss. "She starts falling into the idea of John and she stops herself and says, 'No, you're not. You sound like him and sometimes you move like him, but you're not him.' She's running away from him and she doesn't know why. He says, 'Being with me and caring for me makes you feel like you are cheating on your husband.' And she says, 'This is unfair. You're reading my mind and I don't know anything about you.' And with that, she gets up and she leaves." So, what's next? "Does he find her attractive? Extremely. Smart? Absolutely. Would he like to explore the relationship further? Without a doubt," notes Hogestyn. "So that's where we are in the story up to this point, where she has left to make a decision to straighten herself out. I think we have a long way to go. Marlena is going to have to receive a new John. He's going to evolve, but it probably won't be the same guy you saw before." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 4/15/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS' John And Marlena At Last...Love! "It Feels Right" DAYS OF OUR LIVES News - Starting Over! When a hypnosis session reveals that the old John is lost forever, John challenges Marlena to start over this week. "Marlena doesn't think they can start from scratch, but John does," says Drake Hogestyn (John). "It feels right to him." John decides to pursue Marlena after showing up at her office and asking her to 'shrink him.' "The real John is gone, and he's not getting anything out of Rolf," explains Hogestyn. "John's been doing a lot of research and realizes the only way to reach the other person inside him, if he still exists, is through hypnosis." So he offers Marlena the chance to hypnotize him. But when the session is over, he's still RoboJohn. "Marlena tells him there's nothing there," recounts Hogestyn. "John asks if she's going to stop pestering him about the old John and remembering their past together, and Marlena says yes. That's it." John leaves, stunned that Marlena is giving up on him. "He stands outside the door, going, 'There's nothing wrong with the way I am now. You'll like me. I know you will!'" chuckles Hogestyn. Later, the pair run into each other at the Pub where John's conspiring with Paul. Marlena tells John she doesn't approve of his corrupt lifestyle, but knows she can't change him. "John offers to give Marlena what every woman wants," explains Hogestyn. "He says, 'Why don't you turn me into the man you want me to be? Why don't you make me your little project?'" Marlena is hesitant, but ultimately accepts John's invitation to Chéz Rouge, where they dine, sip champagne, and eventually head to the dance floor. "They dance for a while," notes Hogestyn. "Marlena's head falls onto John's shoulder. Then, she leans into him..." And the couple nearly kisses. "Then, boom! Marlena jerks away," continues Hogestyn. "John asks, 'Why did you stop? It felt right.' Marlena says, 'That's just it. It doesn't feel right.'" The couple returns to their table, where Marlena admits she can't continue with this charade. John might look, sound, and even kiss like her husband, but he's not her John. "John realizes being with him and caring for him makes Marlena feel like she's cheating on her husband," reveals Hogestyn, adding that John then deduces Marlena is about to walk away and he is unwilling to accept it. "John is going through a little metamorphosis. Whether Marlena realizes it or not, he realizes it," notes Hogestyn. "John feels something for Marlena he hasn't felt for anyone. She can't walk away. She can't bail on him. They're getting close to a breakthrough." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 4/15/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Late-Breaking News DAYS: Marlena Returns Marlena comes back from the trip she took to think about John and has a whole new perspective. "She returns completely open to whatever's going on and decides not to prejudge it," explains Deidre Hall (Marlena). "She decides that she's going to accept John as he is and see if there's anything there for her and not to resist who he might end up being." To that end, she tells John that she's going to find a way to get him back. "She means a John she can live with because we're all fairly clear that we're not going to go back to the old John," says Hall. "I think we're going to deal with this John for quite some time. It's more interesting to all of us, the audience, Drake (Hogestyn, John) and myself, if what we're doing is ferreting out something to love." Her first test comes when Philip arrives at the mansion and has it out with John. After Philip leaves, Marlena expresses her disappointment in John's behavior. "He says, 'This is who I am and what I'm doing now. I need to have a reason to wake up in the morning and this business thing is what grabs my attention,'" previews the actress. "And she says, 'I'll give you something to wake up to in the morning,' and she kisses him." John's reaction? "He likes it. He thinks she's trying to bribe him to drop the Kiriakis craziness." John, then surprises her by revealing that he has a date with Nicole. "Marlena is stupefied," notes Hall. "It's all that stuff you hate in a man! I just relaxed myself enough to plant one on your mouth and out of that mouth comes, 'I have a hot date.' Most women would turn on their heel and that would be the end of it. But what this does is it brings them closer together because he is setting up Nicole. But the device lets you see Marlena in a place she hasn't been before. She hasn't had to fight some other woman for her man and it's frustrating to her that he doesn't know how wonderful she is yet." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 4/29/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES Explodes! John's Stunning Confession... DAYS OF OUR LIVES News - John's Stunning Confession: Marlena returns from her soul-searching trip this week anxious to reach the old John and reunite with him. One problem: he's got a date with Nicole! "John is enjoying watching Marlena squirm," outlines Drake Hogestyn (John). "He's enjoying having that kind of power over her. She's obviously vulnerable." Not that John isn't intrigued by Marlena's efforts to reclaim his old personality. He just doesn't believe it's possible. "That guy is gone," maintains Hogestyn. "They already went down that road with hypnosis. It failed. John's satisfied with that. So Marlena realizes she's going to have to become more aggressive if she's going to reach the other John." The couple's chat is interrupted by Philip. "He makes an emotional plea for John to stay out of his family's business," explains Hogestyn. "John says if he's going to succeed the way he wants to, Philip and his old man are going to have to go down." After Philip leaves, John acknowledges that Marlena might be disappointed in him, but business gives him a reason to get up in the morning. "Marlena says, 'I'll give you another reason,' and kisses him," previews Hogestyn. "John is affected, but he has learned to manipulate in an interesting way, so he decides to play with Marlena. He says, 'Well, this is very nice, but excuse me. I have to get ready for my hot date.' You can see a crooked smile on his face as he walks off without looking back." Marlena is stunned by John's confession, and further put out when she later finds him lighting candles for Nicole. She reminds him he's married and needs to start acting that way. "John says, 'You first. Wives sleep with their husbands,'" chuckles Hogestyn. "He's right in Marlena's face. He knows he's working her. Then the doorbell rings and John admits he has been playing her. His date with Nicole is strictly business. But Marlena is dubious." Kiriakis plant Nicole walks in dressed to the nines and flirts with John. When he suggests flying to Napa for the weekend, Nicole is intrigued, but wonders if it might interfere with work, since he's involved with Victor and Philip and the docks. "John looks at Nicole and says, 'Took you long enough!'" notes Hogestyn. "Nicole realizes she's been busted. She's humiliated and runs out." Good riddance. "Philip threw the gauntlet down by having Nicole try to infiltrate his organization," declares Hogestyn. But what about Marlena? "John knows he made her jealous," says Hogestyn. "He just wants her to admit it." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 4/29/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS: John Gone! DAYS OF OUR LIVES News - John Goes Away: After a shipment of his cargo is impounded for containing cocaine, John goes to jail for drug-trafficking and assault this week. "A picture develops instantaneously for John that he's been set up by the Kiriakis family," says Drake Hogestyn (John). "He's inclined to believe it's Philip." When Roman delivers the news about the drug bust, John insists on heading to the docks to check his cargo. Roman forbids it. Investigators are on the scene and he can't allow John to interfere. "John crosses around Roman to leave, and Roman grabs his arm," recounts Hogestyn. "The new John responds as soon as he's physically touched. He spins around and gives Roman a quick martial-arts move to his jaw. Roman recovers, announces he's going to arrest John for assaulting a police officer, and pulls out the cuffs." John's response? "John goes off. He screams at Roman to get out of his house. As John starts to approach Roman, Marlena hammers John in the back of his arm with a syringe." When John comes to, he's in a chair with his hands cuffed behind his back. EJ happens upon the scene and volunteers to be John's attorney. John accepts. "Absolutely. Any port in a storm," notes Hogestyn. Abe takes John to be booked, then interrogates him. "John has a mantra: 'I was framed by Philip Kiriakis. He planted the drugs on my ship,'" explains Hogestyn. "That's all John says. Abe and Roman think he's stonewalling. John's not. That's all he knows. Not that he'd run off at the mouth, anyway." After John's carted off to a cell, Marlena visits and asks if he's guilty. He says no, and doesn't understand why no one believes him. "Marlena throws it back to him, saying since John came back, he hasn't been the same person. This is right down his alley. That's why Abe and Roman believe he's guilty." John wonders if Marlena believes it, too. "He asks her, 'What does your gut tell you? Would I do something like this?'" recounts Hogestyn. "She admits her gut tells her no." And that means a lot to him. "There's a glimmer of hope there," maintains Hogestyn. "Maybe John and Marlena have still got this connection between them." Marlena takes things further, professing her love and vowing to prove his innocence. "For her to say she believes in him, when no one else does, is a very good thing. Is he conflicted because she jammed him with drugs and enabled Roman to handcuff him and put him away? Yes. But love conquers all. She believes in him. That's a start." Taking Care Of Business: Since his brainwashing, John has become obsessed with ruling the DiMera empire and the shipping business in Salem, goals that have him flirting with the wrong side of the law. Over the years, however, the ex-ISA agent has been a leader in legit ventures. Board Member, Salem University (OOPS! This is wrong. This should say "Salem University Hospital" not "Salem University" like this article states.) Co-Chairperson, The Horton Center Part-Owner, Alamain Industries Manager, The Toscano Foundation Board Member, Titan Publishing Chief Executive Officer, Basic Black SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 6/3/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Late-Breaking News DAYS: Marlena Catches John With Ava Ava changes her mind about dating John and heads to the DiMera mansion for a cozy evening for two this week. "Out of the blue, he gets a phone call asking if the dinner's still on," previews Drake Hogestyn (John). "He's excited, like a little kid who's going to have a hot date." Once Ava arrives, John makes his move. "He puts out all these overtures to her," says the actor. "He asks if she'd like a little bubbly and she's like, 'I don't think I need any champagne,' and he's like, 'I was talking about the Jacuzzi.' And she says, 'But I need my swim-suit,' and he says, 'It's optional.' You know, he throws these things out there. He shows her the mansion and there's a lot of verbal sparring and posturing. But the bottom line with the beginning of the relationship is that she doesn't judge him, and she doesn't have any expectations, other than what he is right now, so the guard can come down on that character. He acts differently around her. Not totally at ease, but a little freer." Things go so well that the two share a kiss. But their romantic night is interrupted by Sami and Lucas fighting and the arrival of Hope. And just when it looks like the manse is full, Marlena comes home. "She left in that moment that he needed her, and that's when Ava came along," notes Hogestyn. "He's going to flaunt Ava in front of her, to basically hurt her the way that she hurt him. Childish? Yes. Without a doubt. But once again, he's feeling his way through this so-called life, and he doesn't make the right choices a lot of times." Marlena is taken aback to see that he has a female guest. "She says, 'Well, you're my husband,' and he says, 'Well, we haven't been acting like a husband and wife in any way.' It's a very hard moment for Marlena and John puts that out there to see how she'll respond. He's testing her." Marlena tells John she feels as though he's pushing her out of his life, but he replies that she made that decision a long time ago. A frustrated Marlena decides to leave. "I think she thinks she's being territorial when she is really being hurt," observes Deidre Hall (Marlena). "It doesn't sit too well with her. The lines have crossed between seeing who he is and if it is workable, and realizing that this is not a thing she wants to choose for her life. Those lines crossed with his hurtfulness over Ava and now she plans to move out." SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 6/17/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ News! DAYS Cheater! DAYS OF OUR LIVES News - Marlena To John: I'm Leaving You: Marlena interrupts John's date with Ava and threatens to leave her wayward husband this week. "John is pushing Marlena's buttons, making it pretty clear he's moving on," explains Drake Hogestyn (John). "Marlena ran out on John in his time of need after the drug bust. If she is not going to be there for him, he'll find someone who will be. That's why John has made this move." The evening begins with John preparing for his date at the mansion. When Ava arrives, Sami makes a point of noting John is a married man, which prompts Ava to confront John. "Ava asks John if he's in love with his wife. John says it's a complicated situation. He's married to Marlena and they have a daughter, but those relationships mean nothing to him," recounts Hogestyn, who adds that John is "disconnected to his past." The date proceeds smoothly, as Ava and John share wine, dinner and a kiss. "John's attracted to Ava on different levels," points out Hogestyn. "First, she didn't know John before, so there are no expectations. Second, they share the parallel of a mad doctor controlling them. Third, Ava's father was a lot like Stefano and she inherited his business, as John inherited Stefano's. Playing the game three or four moves down the line, if they're going to overtake the Kiriakis empire, they could join forces. So Ava's someone good to have in his corner." Especially when Hope arrives and announces that John's warehouse of impounded shipments has gone up in flames. "John's upset," asserts Hogestyn. "He goes on about Paul and Philip having a connection and how the cops did nothing about it. As a result, he's lost millions. John dismisses Hope and says he'll handle Philip on his own." Ava overhears, and insists John do something before Kiriakis ruins his life. That's when Marlena returns to find her husband entertaining another woman. "John spells things out," explains Hogestyn. "He says, 'You were gone. You left. The bottom line is we have not been acting like husband and wife in any respect.'" Such as sleeping together. Marlena is appalled John would reveal such intimate details in front of a stranger. "John says, 'There are no intimate details,'" recounts Hogestyn. "That's why he's moving on with his life and exploring things with Ava." A stunned Marlena threatens to pack her bags. "John doesn't stop her," contends Hogestyn. "John's doing this on purpose, because Marlena hurt him. She left him twice and hasn't been accountable either time. He's thinking, 'How do you like this? How are you going to react now?'" John is hoping to stir Marlena's feelings and "glean some knowledge as to how much this relationship means to her," says Hogestyn. "Will she stay and fight for it or is she going to keep leaving every time it gets too hot in the kitchen? John wants to know if Marlena is truly on his side, if she really believes in the man he is now." Editor's Opinion: (Please Note: The words "psych" and "U" were changed to psychology and University in this paragraph to keep consistency throughout our website. We always refrain from using short-cuts or abbreviations, even though the magazine chose to do this for space constraints.) For a psychiatrist and all-around savvy woman, Marlena hasn't been acting very smart. While she keeps telling John she believes in him and he can count on her, she skips town every time the going gets tough. Not very reassuring to a guy who has no memory and is desperately searching for someone to hold onto. Perhaps Blondie needs a refresher psychology course at Salem University? Otherwise, she may lose her old nickname of "Doc." Please click HERE if you have any questions or comments for SOAP OPERA WEEKLY's Editor Janet Di Lauro. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 6/17/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Editor's Note Dear Readers, I am loving DAYS OF OUR LIVES right now for so many reasons: the dynamic young stars; the vets who are getting air time and material that's fresh, not recycled (love the "new" John Black), and the way characters are finding love - or at least sex - in unexpected places. DAYS is keeping us on our toes, not with outrageous storytelling, but with quirky, character-based twists - it's like we're looking at the same people we always have, but through a better quality lens. I especially appreciate the balance: plots like John's memory disc and Sami's twins by two fathers are balanced by Abe and Lexie grappling with their son's autism diagnosis. There is so much drama to be mined from true-to-life family situations and the autism story is shaping up to be both heart-wrenching and a boon to parents on the same journey the Carvers face. Keep it coming, DAYS! Please click HERE if you have any questions or comments for SOAP OPERA WEEKLY's Editorial Director Lynn Leahey. Lynn Leahey, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 7/29/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES John And Ava Have Sex Why Marlena Fans Should Be Happy! Swing Town: DAYS OF OUR LIVES' John sleeps with Ava, but is there still hope for Marlena? You bet. John and Ava get a whole lot closer this week when they take their relationship to the next level and make love. "Ava coming into John's life is validation for John," explains Headwriter Dena Higley. "Nobody else likes him the way he is. And after a while, even a guy that's as autonomous as John is, in his little robot-like way, wants some validation. I mean, he'd like somebody in his corner. All of a sudden, Ava comes along and she's beautiful and she's smart and she's telling him, 'You know what? I like you just the way you are.' And that's all he needs to hear. He's just so happy that somebody is not trying to tweak him or change him or force him to remember something that he doesn't want to be. That's what really drives him to Ava." And John has already expressed his interest in her. "John had made overtures to Ava in his own way with, 'You sure I can't interest you in a tour of my bedroom?'" laughs Drake Hogestyn (John). "And she has coyly declined. And she's made some overtures to him, and it hasn't happened. The reason this couple has a connection and has come together is because they share several different things - doctors' manipulations of their lives, the fact that they're both misfits - but she accepts him for who he is and there's no comparison or expectations. And that's very fresh for John. He knows he can't give people what they want, so it's easier to just fall into someone who has only known him in his new life of nine months. She has helped him through a couple of things, lately the disc, and supported him on any decision he's made. And now he's trying to help her find some housing." That housing involves Ava going to check out Sami's apartment in the hopes of subletting it and discovering that her ex, Steve, lives with Kayla down the hall. Details Hogestyn: "Ava calls John at the house, and she says, 'Guess where I am?' And he says, 'In your new apartment?' And she says, 'Close. I'm in the building.' She then says, 'I've raided the kitchen, and I used to be a fabulous cook.' And John says, 'Well, you'll have to make me your specialty some night.'" Ava invites him right over. John arrives and finds her on the roof. "She looks like she's going to jump," previews the actor. "And she tells John that she found out that Patch and Kayla are living right next door and that she had a little thing with them. And she's like, 'It seems like all I've ever had since I came into this town is bad luck.' And then John's like, 'Wait. You're feeling sorry for yourself?' Basically, his attitude is, this is not the person that he knows. This person has never felt sorry for herself, this person is strong, independent and opinionated and has helped him. He hasn't seen a weakness in her. So if he can help her, he will. But she needs to be strong." Ava suggests moving in with John, but he says no because he has too many people living with him already and he likes the idea of being alone with her at her place. Feeling rebuffed, she turns to leave, but John stops her. "He says, 'I don't want you to go.' And she says, 'Well, I'm not really convinced.' And John says, 'Maybe this will convince you.' And he just plants one on her." It leads to some passionate lovemaking on the roof. "John is very, very basic and she is basic," offers Hogestyn. "She doesn't have anybody, he doesn't have anybody, and that's what brought those two together. Is it more physical than emotional? Absolutely. But that's the start of anything. John has no idea where it could go, or if it goes anywhere. But it stopped her from leaving and did buy him some time to see if there's something further down the line." So, where does this leave Marlena? "Well, there has been absolutely no interaction," admits Hogestyn. "But I hear there's something big coming up. The spin of the ball will definitely change and it looks like in a fast motion." Adds Higley, "Marlena wants John back. When I look at Marlena in this part of the story, it's like beginning acting class: What's your main objective? It's pure and simple. She wants her husband back, that's it. No ifs, ands or buts. Yes, she's intrigued by the new John, but that does not in any way color her decision that she's going full-steam-ahead toward getting John back. She's given up on the new John, but she never gives up on the old John." So, is there still hope for John and Marlena fans? "Oh, absolutely," declares the scribe. "There's a whole wrinkle that's coming up that's completely unexpected that has nothing to do with the disc." Stephanie Sloane, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 7/29/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Philip Is Shot! Philip is still reeling from Bo and Kate destroying the taped evidence of him threatening Paul when he's hit with another problem this week. "Philip gets a note that he reads with his mother and it says, 'I know your secret,'" previews his portrayer, Jay Kenneth Johnson. "They were just having a conversation about how everything's okay and the tape is destroyed. He immediately assumes John sent it." Philip charges over to John's house, only to find that Morgan is already there, confronting him about Paul. "As he enters John's, he can hear Morgan going off," says Johnson. Eddie, Ava's bodyguard, has also arrived Chéz DiMera and sees Morgan putting her hand in her purse. (OOPS! This is wrong. Typo alert! This sentence makes no sense. In our opinion it should be "Eddie, Ava's bodyguard, has also arrived at Chéz DiMera and sees Morgan putting her hand in her purse," not "Eddie, Ava's bodyguard, has also arrived Chéz DiMera and sees Morgan putting her hand in her purse.") He assumes she's going to pull out a gun, so he draws his weapon and fires. Philip spies what's going on and jumps in front of Morgan to protect her. "There's a lot of commotion and it happens so quickly, as gunshots usually do," says Johnson. Philip is struck by the bullet and falls to the floor. Looks like the Black/Kiriakis war will still be fought. "I'm guessing that with him being a Kiriakis, it's going to make him stronger in a lot of ways, but I'm thinking he's going to want to get revenge," teases the actor. SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 7/29/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES News John Sets-Up Philip...And Paul's Alive! John's scheme against Philip is revealed this week, when Paul turns up alive and well – as John's hostage. "John had his men follow the Vitali goons and fish Paul out of the river, believing Paul was much more useful to him alive than dead," explains Drake Hogestyn (John). John's plan is to set Philip up for Paul's "murder." "It all goes back to Philip and the games he was playing, angling for position on the docks," notes Hogestyn. "It got out of control when Paul became a traitor, took Philip's money and started playing John and Philip against each other. Paul planted cocaine on John's ships, impounded his cargo and set fire to it." John blames Philip for all of it. Meanwhile, the cops are closing in on John, believing he may have eliminated Paul, which worries Ava. "John tells Ava not to worry," says Hogestyn. "He's got an ace up his sleeve." He exposes that ace by leading Ava to a room downstairs in the mansion, opening the door and revealing Paul lying on a cot." "Ava's taken aback," admits the actor. "Paul starts whining. He tells John he did everything he wanted him to do: He wrote those letters to Morgan, he made the tape of Philip threatening to kill him..." John points out that the incriminating tape has yet to surface, but Paul swears he put it in the envelope he sent to Morgan and says he wants to be let go. "John has his first explosion," recounts Hogestyn. "He tells Paul he's damned lucky he's not dead and should be grateful John's men pulled him out of the river. John says Paul isn't going anywhere, because Philip can't be framed for his murder if he's still alive." John whispers something to Ava, and she heads to the Java Café. (Please Note: The word "Java" was changed to "Java Café" in several places in this article to keep consistency throughout our website. We always refrain from using short-cuts or abbreviations, even though the magazine chose to do this for space constraints.) "John wants her to send an e-mail to the Salem Police Department, noting there's another piece of evidence out there about Paul's disappearance and Philip's involvement in it," explains Hogestyn. Hope and Roman receive the e-mail and trace it to a computer at the Java Café. Hope heads there, watches surveillance video, sees Ava at a computer, and realizes she's a direct link to John. Then, she confronts Bo about the missing evidence, and he admits tampering with it to protect Philip. Meanwhile, John learns via an informant at the cop shop that Ava's e-mail has been received. "John wants to expose the tape," sums up Hogestyn. "He wants Philip to pay for everything he's put him through. He wants to make his life miserable and bring him to his knees." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 8/5/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS OF OUR LIVES Stefano's Payback! John: "Come Back To Me!" DAYS OF OUR LIVES News - John Saves Marlena: John rushes Marlena to the hospital this week after finding her lifeless body. "John is at Saint Luke's when Anna bursts in and says, 'Oh, my God! He's awake!'" recounts Drake Hogestyn (John), noting John knows "he" is Stefano and "Marlena will be his first target. If Stefano is mobile and functional, there is something already in the works. So they need to find Blondie." Anna and John discover Marlena lying on her apartment floor. (OOPS! This is wrong. Marlena lives in a townhouse, not an apartment like this article states.) "She's incapacitated," says Hogestyn. "John checks her vitals, sees the syringe and notices the puncture in Marlena's neck. He knows whatever has befallen Marlena is exactly what she did to Stefano." While Anna phones 911, John begins CPR. "The scenes were written with your standard CPR lines, 'I can't lose you. Come back to me,'" explains Hogestyn. "But that's not where John is emotionally. Everything is by the book, and it works. John is just as surprised as anybody." A revived Marlena is rushed to the hospital by ambulance. John follows and angrily confronts Stefano about what he had Marlena injected with. Of course, Stefano keeps mum. "John tells Stefano, because he's targeted Blondie, he now cares about her and anybody in town she cares about," relates Hogestyn. "He says, 'Anyone you're after has become my friend.' This is now John's mission. Wherever Stefano goes, John will be in his face. That will be a platform John can build on, which will be the crossover into Marlena as her protector." However, protecting Marlena proves difficult when the toxin in her system renders her partially paralyzed. Just as Kayla finds an antidote, the hospital's seventh floor goes into lockdown and begins filling with a purple vapor. Kayla heads out to investigate...and Stefano shows up to taunt Marlena. Meanwhile, everyone in the hospital is affected by the noxious vapor. That is, everyone except John, who realizes Stefano orchestrated its release and heads to the electrical room with Tony. "They try to get the ventilation going in the hospital," explains Hogestyn, noting that in the process, John takes the opportunity "to line up Tony's loyalty. He brings up Tony's banishment to the island. John tells him to make a choice between the monster who banished him there for twenty years or the future John can offer him." When Stefano's voice comes over the intercom, telling John it's time to re-boot, Tony makes his choice to align with John and not let Stefano win. "John's Number One fear is that Stefano will complete his mission, which is to have full dominance and control over him," says Hogestyn. "Stefano poses a threat in several different areas, and John would like to eliminate him." SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 8/19/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Late-Breaking News DAYS' John To Marlena: I Want You Back John sees the light where Marlena is concerned, thanks to some blasts from his past. "At first, it seemed he wasn't affected by the gas at the hospital," explains Drake Hogestyn (John). "Maybe it was being Stefano's lab rat and he was subjected to various doses of toxins until he built up an immunity. But now, he has his own hallucination." First up? Young Stefano. "In John's mind, it's a trick by Stefano, until the kid draws him in and says that Colleen ruined his father's life. John tries to explain that it was Santo's fault, not Colleen's." Next comes Santo. "The kid runs out of the room and John runs after him, only to come face to face with Santo," says Hogestyn. "He and his dad have a go-round, but John wants nothing to do with that or him or his version of the story. He basically tells him to take a hike. Santo says, 'You need Marlena,' and John says, 'No, I don't need her.' And then you hear a voice saying, 'No, you're wrong, pal. And that's a fact.'" Yup, visitor Number Three is the Old John. "They bring in the heavy artillery," previews the actor. "Old John is there to inform New John that he's not down with the way he's running their lives and that it's not too late to make changes." Namely, ones that involve Marlena. "Some of the things that Old John says take root and when New John goes to see Marlena in the aftermath, he realizes that this epiphany he had is going to cause him to re-evaluate the relationship that everybody has been telling him about, but he's never experienced himself," notes Hogestyn. "He has accepted a new mission, where failure is not an option, and that is to operate under a platform that Stefano has made Marlena a target and now that makes John care about her, and by extension everyone who is important to her. So he barges into Marlena's room and says, 'You're going to pull through this and I'm going to help you.' He's been made aware of what he needs to do. He says, 'I think I should try to work on our relationship and maybe even our marriage. What do you think?' He has dedicated himself to find what the two had before. What was so great? What is everybody talking about? Let's give it a try." This marks a major step in the John/Marlena saga. "It's a big turning point," nods Hogestyn. "I'm sure there will be a large section of the audience that will be cheering in front of the television set." But Marlena's response will be very surprising... SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 8/26/08 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS: Hot Sex... DAYS OF OUR LIVES News - A Closer Look - John: John takes Marlena home after they "reconnect" on her desk this week. Drake Hogestyn discusses the couple's romp and new relationship, and John's determination to retain control of the DiMera empire. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: John visits Marlena while she's recovering in the hospital, but she's a different woman. Drake Hogestyn: She's had an epiphany coming off the hallucinogenic purple haze. She saw her dead sister, and they had a meeting of the minds. Marlena realized she invested a lot of time working on her relationship with John, in hopes the man she was married to would resurface. She's come to the conclusion that's not going to happen and her time might be better spent working on herself. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: What's John's reaction? Drake Hogestyn: It hits him hard. Marlena even says she wasted too much time on him. He's like, 'Now you're saying I'm a waste of time?' SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Meanwhile, John's decided to work on their relationship. Drake Hogestyn: Yes. John's committed himself to trying. So it's a total (switch). He's immersed in trying to understand the person that he was and the person Marlena loved. What were the traits outside of being a protector? That's all he knows that the old John did that he is capable of doing now. John figures that will be the starting point. But is it too little, too late? SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Later, John goes to visit Marlena again, but she's gone. Where does he find her? Drake Hogestyn: In her office, shrinking people. John barges in on the session and tells her, doctor's orders, she's got to get back to her room. It's too soon to be working. She hasn't recovered yet. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: But she's recovered enough to have sex, right? Drake Hogestyn: Yes. John comes clean and explains what he was feeling when Marlena was lying there dying. He goes on about remembering everything that happened since she found him in Stefano's lab, her tenderness and support. He talks about them making love in the tent after the plane crash and how he thinks about it all the time. John's trying to express that there's some stirring going on, and Marlena becomes vulnerable. They embrace and one thing leads to another. They end up on the desktop, then, on the couch. Afterward, John says, "I knew I could win you back." Marlena asks if this was all a conquest, and scrambles to get her clothes on. She wants to leave, but John says no. He's going to protect her like the man she loved protected her, and insists on taking her home to the mansion. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Do they head home in agreement about giving their marriage another shot? Drake Hogestyn: No, not at all. That encounter was what it was. Marlena's made a firm decision to move on with her life. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: When John and Marlena arrive at the mansion, EJ tells him Tony and Anna are moving in and Stefano is returning to claim his empire. How does John respond? Drake Hogestyn: "Over my dead body!" John wants everybody out, except Blondie. Of course, they're not going anywhere. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: So John's focus is back on retaining his fortune? Drake Hogestyn: Well, he has so little in his life that he actually remembers. John is staking his identity on what he has claimed, the DiMera empire. He wants it because it's something he can put his hands around. It's real. It's identifying. SOAP OPERA WEEKLY: Will that side of him cause tension with Marlena? Drake Hogestyn: She keeps saying things like, "You just want to possess, control and win." And that's not the man she loves. Editor's Opinion: Leave it to Stefano to have the gall to complain to Tony about never getting back the seven months he lost courtesy of Marlena's toxic injection. The statement was downright ludicrous, considering all the precious years he's stolen from half of Salem. Stefano banished Tony, his own son, to an island for twenty years, while evil Andre impersonated him. And what about Roman, Marlena, John, Hope and Steve? Each was snatched away from their loved ones for decades, while their families mourned their "deaths." Stefano should count his blessings. At least he regained consciousness in time to decide between McCain and Obama. Please click HERE if you have any questions or comments for SOAP OPERA WEEKLY's Editor Janet Di Lauro. Janet Di Lauro, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, 9/2/08