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| Alison Sweeney announced she was leaving DAYS on Tuesday. On Friday, NBC announced Kassie DePaiva was joining the soap. |
Can DAYS OF OUR LIVES survive without Sami Brady? This is the question that has been asked around the internet all week. Sami is a character that has driven story for most of the 21 years she has been on air. Seemingly every character on the show is connected to her. If you have been watching recently, she even has a brand new feud with her little cousin Ciara!
Many people view Charlotte Ross as Eve Donovan. Does the show need the character so badly that if they couldn't get Ross to reprise the role, they had to recast? Played by Ross from 1987-1991, Eve was a character who only briefly led story, and her popularity was based mostly on the actress herself. In fact, at the time she left, DAYS let her out of her contract early. If Eve was such an important part of DAYS OF OUR LIVES, would they have let her walk? Kassie DePaiva is a wonderful actress, as many fans of ONE LIFE TO LIVE can attest to. But it remains to be seen if the 52 year old actress will be believable to DAYS fans as the daughter of Shane Donovan, played by the legendary 58 year old, Charles Shaughnessy. Shane isn't on the show now, but I hope that DAYS doesn't avoid bringing him back because of this casting choice. I wish the talented Kassie DePaiva the best, and we will find out this summer, if she can make it as Eve. If Eve can make life hell for Jennifer Rose, I could accept Robin Strasser in the role.
The most exciting news is that the much loved DAYS, has been renewed for two more years. Thankfully, the show has been on a creative upswing for the last year, and it is poised to get even better in the months to come. EJ and Abby are having a passionate affair! Nick is alive! Eric and Nicole have admitted their love! The love story of Daniel and Jennifer… well, everything else is going great!
This brings me back to the departure of Alison Sweeney. The show will go on without her. The show survived the loss of major stars in the past, but one must remember that for an entire new generation of DAYS fans, they don't know DAYS without her. DAYS has enough time to craft a truly exciting exit story for Sami, while they build up other characters to take her place on the front burner. But Sami needs an exit story that will impact everyone else for months to come. It has to mean something. She can't go out and mail a letter and never return like poor Don Craig. How would you write Sami off? What would be a truly satisfying exit for fans of the iconic Sami Brady? Sound off below, and let us know!
Michael Goldberg is a freelance contributor to We Love Soaps covering daytime drama and web series.
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