#Days of Our Lives Round Table: Is Horton Town Square a Goner?

Ciara swooped back into town with big news for Ben, Xander and Gwen grew closer while trying to avoid being charged with murder, Rafe began talking to a stuffed animal while Pauline worked hard to demolish the Horton legacy in Salem.

Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Soaps4Ever and Kathy from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum to debate Ciara’s news, the future of Xander and Gwen, if Philip was pushy or honest, and if Paulina will really demolish Horton Square!

Ciara and Theo are engaged! Will they actually get married? Are you rooting for Ciara and Theo, Ciara and Ben, or should Ciara be on her own?

Soaps4Ever: I have mixed feelings about Ciara and Theo. I think after all that happened with Ben, Ciara shouldn’t have been so quick to run off with Theo. I do think Theo is a good person, but that is not the issue. I

t just didn’t seem right for Ciara to be in a relationship with Theo knowing her memories of Ben could come back at any time. I think, for now, it would have been good for Ciara to be on her own to sort things out more.

Jack: I hope they actually get married, but knowing DAYS, if the wedding is on-screen, Ciara will suddenly get her memories back while at the altar and call it off so she can return to Ben.

I’m sorry, but I don’t see what’s so great about Ciara and Ben. They are so clingy and have no life outside of each other, and their entire love story has been people kidnapping one or both of them to break them up.

I wish Ciara would move on for real, either with Theo or just by spending time on her own. And can the writers please remember Theo is Autistic? That’s a sticking point for me, much more so than whether or not he marries Ciara.

Kathy: They will probably get to the altar, and Ciara will have a flashback to her wedding with Ben. She will go through a period of thinking things over before deciding on Ben.

Ben and Ciara are end game – nothing we can do about it. I am sorry that her childhood friend, Theo, will be hurt.

Christine: I hope not. Theo deserves better. He’s only going to get crushed when Ciara inevitably goes back to Ben. Ciara should be on her own for a while. She needs to figure out who she is and what she wants her life to be without it being all about Ben or Theo.

And why have they decided to forget all about Theo being autistic? This storyline would make more sense and be far more compelling if Theo were still autistic and was missing some emotional cues from Ciara.

The stakes could feel far more weighty with Theo’s autism as part of the equation, instead of fans just wondering when they’ll finally get Ben and Ciara back together once again.

Are Xander and Gwen headed for romance? Are you up for that? And who will get blamed for Dr. Snyder’s death?

Soaps4Ever: I think Xander and Gwen will get together, but I don’t think they will be a long-term couple. I’m hoping Sarah will return one day.

I think it will probably be a while before Dr. Snyder’s death is sorted out. I guess you could say he was scared to death by Xander, but still, he died of a heart attack, not murder.

So it was ridiculous that they would go to this much trouble to distance themselves from Dr. Snyder’s death. It will just come back to haunt them (no pun intended).

Jack: I find Gwen super annoying, and Xander’s involvement in this plot hasn’t been much better.

Whenever he’s on-screen, I just wish that they’d gone the direction of Xander turning out to be EJ brainwashed into thinking he was someone else. Paul Tefler would have made a great EJ 2.0.

But I’m not enjoying this current story very much and wish they would find something better for him to do than make half-joking threats against Julie.

Eli seems to already be onto Xander and Gwen, and Julie is bound to remember seeing Snyder “passed out” on the couch sooner or later. However, I wonder if Xander will somehow plant evidence to make it appear Julie killed the evil doctor to get her out of his way.

I just hope that Tripp doesn’t get accused of murder for the second time this year! Hopefully, the autopsy will show Snyder died of a heart attack so that the cops look for who disposed of the body rather than who killed him.

Kathy: Xander and Gwen are going there. I’m fine with it, so let the games begin.

Since Snyder died of a heart attack, no one will be blamed for his murder. Dumping the body in the lake is another story. If Julie remembers seeing Snyder on the couch, Xander and Gwen are in trouble.

Christine: I find Xander and Gwen getting into mischief together entertaining. They have a lot in common, so it really seems to work between them.

Although I love Sarah and Xander together, it would be a crime to back-burner Xander if Sarah’s not coming back any time soon.

As for Dr. Snyder, he wasn’t murdered, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Kate in the hot seat for a while as she blackmailed him into lying about her blindness. 

But this storyline is just some twisted, summertime fun, and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Can Horton Square be saved? How severe will the backlash be for Paulina?

Soaps4Ever: I don’t think Horton Square will be destroyed. That would be too much. It will probably be saved at the last minute. For sure, the backlash on Paulina will be severe. Horton Square is hallowed ground in Salem, and you just don’t mess with it.

Jack: I am positive the Horton Town Square will be saved. I think Abe will probably invoke some mayoral power that only exists in Salem to put an immediate stop to any construction project not deemed appropriate by him.

I’m also sure that he will break up with Paulina and that Chanel will be done with her because Paulina almost destroyed her dream. I’m not sure what Lani will do, though Eli will probably put his foot down about Paulina ever spending time in their house or with their kids again.

And Julie is not who you want as an enemy, and that’s what she considers Paulina right now. Most likely, Paulina will be trying to get back in everyone’s good graces and/or scheming her way out of being the town pariah for the next several months.

Kathy: Abe will halt the demolition of the Square, at least, for a while. Abe, Chanel, and Lani will be disappointed in Paulina. Abe will also feel betrayed because he pulled strings to push her project forward.

I think the backlash will be severe. She hurt and lied to all the people who love her.

Christine: You don’t mess with Horton Town Square in Salem! I actually cried out, “No!” when they took a crowbar to the plaque. Tom and Alice were like my pseudo-grandparents.

So, yes, the backlash should be fierce. Abe and Chanel will feel completely betrayed. But as much as I don’t want to see Pryce Town, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Square get an update, so maybe a little demolition is in order to get there.

What did you think of Rafe and the talking bear? And do you prefer Rafe with Ava or Nicole?

Soaps4Ever: Rafe and the talking bear were beyond silly. But it was amusing to see Rafe grappling to explain why he was acting so strangely with the bear.

I prefer Rafe with Ava because I like how they just eased into the relationship, and they seem to get along well. Also, I like the idea of a mafia princess and a cop being a couple, lol.

Although I can see Rafe and Nicole have more chemistry, there is too much going on with Nicole right now for them to be together. She is still married to Eric, and the fate of their marriage needs to play out before she decides if or when to act on her feelings for Rafe.

That being said, I do think Nicole and Rafe will end up having a relationship.

Jack: You know, when the spoiler came out about Rafe getting advice from an unusual source, I said that I just hoped the source wasn’t the bear… but I was joking.

https://www.tvfanatic.com/2021/06/days-of-our-lives-spoilers-for-the-week-of-6-28-21-an-explosive/

This was silly. It would have been okay if Rafe was aware he imagined the bear talking, but having him hallucinate and yell at and try to strangle a toy was a bit over the top for me.

I have shipped Rafe/Nicole forever and have them together in my fanfiction, though Ava/Rafe is at least an acceptable alternative that doesn’t aggravate me or put me to sleep!

Whichever way this turns out, I hope Nicole and Ava’s friendship survives it. I enjoy these two as friends, and I don’t want them to start scheming against each other. We have more than enough of that with Nicole and Sami.

Kathy: The talking bear is a little silly but also creepy. It’s like those dolls that come to life in horror movies. I prefer Rafe with Nicole.

Christine: I hated that stupid bear before it started talking. A dirty-talking stuffed animal is a step too far for me. I wanted to change the channel.

I like Rafe and Ava, and I agree that a cop and former mafia princess can make some great storylines. Nicole needs to figure out the mess that is her marriage. And worst of all, I’d hate it if she lost her friendship with Ava. I think I like that relationship most of all.

Did you think Philip was pushy or honest with Chloe? Were Shawn and Brady wrong to be trashing Philip?

Soaps4Ever: I think Phillip was a bit pushy, but he seems to really love Chloe, and for some reason, even though Kristen is gone, Brady continues to carry a torch for her. Although Brady still has feelings for Chloe, he continues to be stuck on Kristen.

I think they were wrong to be trashing Phillip because if Brady really wanted to be with Chloe, he would be. Brady needs to take a break from relationships, though, and concentrate on just being a good father for now.

Jack: Philip came across as pushy, whiny, and entitled… not the look I want for half of a couple I have shipped forever. Honestly, neither Philip nor Brady looks great now.

Instead, they’re both locked into proving that not only are they Chloe’s best option, but that the other one is trash and someone she should have nothing to do with, and it’s obnoxious.

I was hoping for a more mature storyline now that these characters are adults, not a rehash of things that happened when they were teenagers.

Kathy: I think Philip was honest with Chloe. They have known each other for so long, I’m sure she can read him and weigh his comments. Shawn and Brady were probably being childish, but they each have their own reasons to trash Philip. It’s time to grow up and move on.

Christine: I thought Philip was being honest and direct with Chloe. He wants to pursue a relationship, but not if she’s really not interested. He needed to know where he stands with her, and the only way to get that answer was to ask.

Shawn and Brady were being brats. They don’t need to love Philip, but I”m tired of hearing them bad mouth him. This isn’t high school anymore, and they need to all grow up.

What was the most disappointing, frustrating, or ridiculous plot this week on Days?

Soaps4Ever: The talking bear was pretty silly. The Dr. Snyder body story was absurd as well. Also, Paulina signing off on the plans to destroy the square-how does she think that’s a good idea? Nothing good can come from that esp. since she was being so deceptive.

Jack: I was very disappointed with the Philip/Chloe/Brady triangle for the reasons I stated above. I also thought Ben and Ciara were a waste of airtime. This story is going around in circles, and all they do is have the same fight over whether Ciara “really” loves Ben even though she claims not to.

And I thought Ciara was terrified of him. So why was she alone with him for the better part of an hour before remembering that he’s a murderer she wants nothing to do with?

It made no sense that Ava insisted Nicole attend a dinner that was clearly meant to be romantic between Ava and Rafe. I liked these three together (minus the bear), but that was so contrived.

The Xander/Gwen story is so stupid. It would have been a much more compelling story for an alive Snyder to try and stay a step ahead of the Johnsons as Steve, Kayla, and Tripp all join forces to get to the bottom of what he was up to.

I’m also over the Kate/Jake/Gabi triangle. I don’t like how Jake jumps back and forth between these two women and has at different times sworn to them both that they are the only woman he’s ever loved and that the other is nothing to him. I’d much rather Kate and Gabi team up to get revenge on Jake for playing with both of their hearts.

And finally, the sooner Sami dumps EJ, the better. Her continued insistence that he loves her is as annoying as last time around when she kept saying he’d changed when he hadn’t. As a psychiatrist, Marlena knows how domestic violence affects survivors. Why hasn’t she noticed at all what EJ is doing to her daughter?

Kathy: The most disappointing plot for me was Xander just dumping Snyder in the river. He is much smarter than that. Didn’t he learn a few tricks from Uncle Vic?

Christine: Eli walking around the apartment in that damn towel while Chanel gawks at him is just sad and repetitive. Enough already.

Rafe and that stupid bear. I’m with Eli. Can we ditch the bear already?

And Xander only putting rocks in Snyder’s pockets was pretty lame. He’s been Victor’s main henchman for years. He should be able to dispose of a body better than this!

And I wish Lucas would stop hounding Sami. She spent years searching for EJ and then many months helping him through his recovery. I know it hurts, but if Sami wants to work through this rough patch of her marriage, he should respect that. Constantly badgering her certainly isn’t going to get her to change her mind.

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

Soaps4Ever: I thought the Gabi/Kate/Jake saga was interesting. I liked seeing Julie and Doug together at the anniversary party, and even though Horton Square is being threatened, it was an exciting cliffhanger to end the week.

Jack: Lucas dumped so many truths on Sami, and it was great! Too bad she wasn’t in a place to hear any of it.

I also thought the Paulina reveal scenes were very well done, and I had to laugh at Julie turning on a dime and telling Doug that she knew Paulina was not trustworthy from the get-go right after encouraging Paulina’s relationship with Abe!

And it was so great to see Doug, period. I especially loved Julie being grateful for his optimism and commitment to romance in this Days of Our Lives quote…

Julie: You know, Doug, what I love about you being such a romantic?

Doug: Me giving you flowers?

Julie: No, that’s just a perk.

Doug: Me serenading you as we stroll through the park?

Julie: I do like that, even though sometimes people do give us a look.

Doug: I say let them stare.

Julie: So what I was going to say is, I love being married to a romantic who always sees the bright side.

Kathy: My favorite storyline was Paulina’s plan finally starting to come to light. I’m glad Lani was able to warn Abe that Paulina may not be truthful.

Christine: I liked that Gwen shared her sins with Xander. If anyone can understand her desperate need for acceptance, it’s him.

I’m not a big fan of Ben and Ciara going round and round the same argument, but I had to laugh when Ben said he wasn’t going to end their marriage simply because she hit her head too hard! That made me laugh.

Hit that big, blue, SHOW COMMENTS button down below to give us your answers to our round table questions!

Want further insights into the happenings in Salem? Then check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.

C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.