The Dimera's: Everyone is raving about evil Stefano and EJ's sudden turnaround and how they can hardly wait until the vendetta story is wrapped up with a bang, served with a side of an avenging angel named Marlena. Stefano has plucked John from the afterlife, wiped out his mind and is programming him to be his pawn once again. There's the key words right there: Once again. We've done this before. In fact, we've done several aspects of this story before, including killing off a character that turned out not to be dead. But the show's viewers seem to be lapping it all up like a cat with a saucer of milk. What am I seeing? Not the same thing you are. I'm seeing a raving lunatic going on and on about Dimera soldiers and serving him like he's recruiting an army, not inspiring any kind of family ties or loyalty and to me, Stefano merely comes across as that drama queen I've always accused him of being. This isn't storytelling, it's a joke. Let's look at....

John is alive: I know the Drake Hogestyn fans are in a swoon because all their hard work and campaigning finally paid off and Hogestyn is back on the show. Nothing wrong with that, yes? Except I am, once again, seeing the negative and that's the show's credibility going right out the window. Many moons ago, I warned Days about making a mockery of death because when you want to address it for real, the audience will not buy it. But they have not only done it again but they are repeating a past story: John as the Pawn. Does anyone stop and ask themselves how Stefano can pull off even half the things he does? How can he resurrect dead people and make their minds a blank slate? Never mind that, the bigger question is WHY? What is the point of taking John and turning him into an obedient robot? When you look at it all from a different angle, it hardly sounds appealing. Now we're seeing John, who tells Stefano that he belongs to him, has no family and is there for a mission. Personally, I think Stefano (and the writers) need to get out more.

The Brady's: Bo and Roman try to circumvent the law by pleading Lucas' case to the DA. He's a good guy, they insist. He's this, he's that, he's in danger because of the Dimera's. But EJ is a Dimera, Bo sputters. Is that the answer for everything? Not everyone in town realizes that the Dimera's are a bunch of whack jobs so in that context, it sounds pathetic. But when you go back and look at what Stefano has done to John, you can kind of see Bo's point. Still, I think it's time for both clans to come up with something else entirely.

Phillip and Belle: Phillip needs a new hobby and fast. He's done very little lately except skulk around and trying every trick in the book to get Belle back into his life, including forcing Chloe to make a play for Shawn. If Phillip even came across as a good guy, I could go for this. But as it is, he reminds me of EJ and his habit of manipulation and emotional blackmail to get what he wants. And Belle is not helping because, despite all her protests, she can't help but seethe with jealousy whenever Phillip is around Chloe. Belle cannot have her cake and eat it too. She either needs to stand by Shawn or run to Phillip; she can't keep stringing them both along because she's enjoying all the attention. A good triangle is only good if there is rooting value and the show seems to want you to root for Shawn and Belle. My problem is Shawn is a doofus, Phillip is a jackass, and Belle is an indecisive shrew - and Chloe is just... there. I'm rooting for four separate corners of the globe.

Colleen Brady: Why anyone in Salem is assuming she is alive after so many years is beyond me, but as Prevues put it, "This is Days. The real shocker would be if so-and-so is actually dead." Okay, this is somewhat intriguing, made even more interesting by the fact that Colleen will be played by Oscar-winning actress Shirley Jones. Just the acting dynamic alone is enough to make you sit up and take notice. Never mind that Colleen being alive basically invalidates that entire Santeen story we were forced to sit through, and also makes the origin of the vendetta an even more confusing mess than it was already. I'm still curious. I'm curious to see just how the "V" story is wrapped up and I really hope I see Colleen make complete mincemeat out of the Dimera's once and for all.