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Love Actually: DAYS’s new head writers will address the fates of supercouples John and Marlena (Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall, l.) and Bo and Hope (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso).
The new co-head writing regime at Days of Our Lives, Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford, took over in July of 2024, but due to the show’s long lead time, the material they scripted won’t begin airing until Wednesday, April 23. In advance of their head-writing debut, the duo spoke to TV Insider about their vision for DAYS, which they described as “first and foremost, a show about family and love/romance.”
Life In Salem
While Cwikly and Ford are putting the spotlight on the emotional connections between kinfolk and lovers, that doesn’t mean that fans who have loved the more outlandish stories that DAYS have been a signature of the show in the past are out of luck. “We won’t totally abandon the fantastical types of plots DAYS has become known for, but human relationships will be at the foundation of all of the stories we tell,” they told the outlet.
When the two writers took over for outgoing scribe Ron Carlivati, they were handed the daunting task of dealing with the absence of John Black, who had last aired on the show at the end of September due to actor Drake Hogestyn having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They needed to pen an exit for the beloved character while also leaving wiggle room in case everyone’s prayers would be answered and Hogestyn was able to return to the show.
Cwikly and Ford said in their interview that “there were only so many missions the man could be on. His family and friends in Salem, especially Marlena [Evans, Deidre Hall], were sort of stuck waiting for him. Realizing he might never come back, while praying he would, we needed to craft an exit that honored John, Drake, and the fans.” The story they came up with was signed off on by Hogestyn himself, prior to his passing in September 2024.
Another big challenge for the scribes was coming up with a celebration of DAYS history befitting the huge milestone the show is marking later this year — 60 years on the air. In the lead-up to the anniversary, which takes place in November, they said, “We’ll see the fallout from EJ’s [DiMera, Dan Feuerriegel] shooting; ripple effects from the shifting dynamics within the Kiriakis and DiMera clans; an emotional tribute to John Black; and the return of Bo [Brady, Peter Reckell]/Hope [Williams Brady, Kristian Alfonso].”
Indeed, the writers made it sound like Bo and Hope devotees will be very happy about what Cwikly and Ford have planned. They explained that the supercouple’s “previous exit story could not be executed as originally planned, and we felt we needed to give them — and their fans — the resolution they deserved.”
As for the anniversary itself, the writers teased, “There will be a gala celebration with the return of many familiar faces, leading to a new umbrella story that takes us into the New Year.”
When asked if they have a message for the fans, they answered, “We are fans, too. We are writing for you, and we want to hear from you.”
So, what message would you like to deliver to Cwikly and Ford as they map out Salem’s future? Let us (and them!) know in the comments below.
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