The storyline I’m least excited about is here.
Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 7-14-25 promise that Ari and Holly will be kidnapped on their way to the lake.
I want to give this story a chance, but it’s hard, especially since the spoiler video suggests it’s going to be as awful as I expect.
It’s Not That I Hate Kidnapping Stories, But Days of Our Lives Hasn’t Done Them Right In Years
Look, I write mystery/thrillers that often include abductions, so I’d be a hypocrite if I complained about kidnapping stories on general principles.
The problem is that Days of Our Lives overrelies on these types of stories and doesn’t do them well.
I can’t remember the last such story that was worthwhile.
Kidnappings in Salem tend to be some stereotypical, one-dimensional goon who has orders from a bad guy (Orpheus, EJ, etc.) and wants to make a lot of money by tormenting others.
Innocent people are always held at gunpoint and thrown into a locked room. The only thing that changes from story to story is whether the gunman chooses to tie up his victims.
They’re often not set up well or illogical, and the post-kidnapping story tends to revolve around everyone suddenly forgetting the last five times someone was held in the DiMera wine cellar or the Horton Cabin.
Ari and Holly’s Kidnapping Had a Fantastic Premise… But It Was Handled Wrong From The Get-Go
On paper, Ari and Holly being kidnapped by someone who wants Doug III to pay what he owes is brilliant.
This is perfect thriller territory, with a young guy in over his head with some violent people and two innocent girls who are going to get hurt merely because they are caught in a love triangle with him.
However, as written, it falls flat. So far, Doug III’s story lacks depth.
He mentioned once why he owes money to these guys in the first place, and it was so unimpressive that I’ve already forgotten what it is.
While Doug III feels guilty about stealing Julie’s necklace and frustrated that he can’t make amends with her, there haven’t been any scenes with him struggling with gambling addiction or impulse spending that forces him to take loans from bad guys.
Plus, the goon in question is so stereotypical and illogical.
He wants his money — okay, that’s a fine motivation. But Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 7-14-25 suggest that no one will know the girls have been kidnapped until Tate can’t get a hold of Holly.
If you’re kidnapping someone because someone else owes money, particularly if one of the people you kidnapped is the granddaughter of the widow of Salem’s richest man… wouldn’t you issue a ransom demand instead of just tormenting the victims?
Compare this to the beautifully handled gambling addiction story on Beyond the Gates, where a character who, ironically, is also named Doug is trying and failing not to gamble while he’s mixed up with a mob boss-like casino owner who wants him to owe him money so he can control him.
That story has heart, inner conflict, real stakes, and real consequences for everyone involved. This kidnapping story on Days of Our Lives doesn’t.
The girls will be stuck together and have to admit they both have feelings for Doug III, and will likely agree that neither of them wants him after all this.
What a waste of what might have been an interesting love triangle!
Plus, with persistent rumors that Doug III is leaving Salem for good, it’s likely the whole point of this is for him to become such a pariah that he decides it’s pointless to stay in Salem.
Ugh. What kind of way is this to treat Doug Williams’ grandson? He should have had his redemption story, not this nonsense.
There is One Good Thing About This Silly Kidnapping Story
Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 7-14-25 suggest that Tate and Doug III will work together to try to recover the girls.
I dislike the damsel in distress aspect of this idea, but if it ends the rivalry between the guys, that’s a silver lining.
Of course, I may be setting my hopes too high. It’s likely that Tate and Doug III will team up for the purpose of finding the women, but still be enemies — or that Tate’s help is conditional on Doug leaving town or something equally stupid.
Meanwhile, Can Anyone Explain The Point of Gwen’s Return?
The other huge story on Days of Our Lives during the week of 7-14-25 is Gwen’s bid to worm her way into the Dimera mansion because she’s married to Dmitri.
I’m sorry, but what exactly was the point of Gwen returning to Salem?
So far, she’s refused to give Julie back her necklace, then wandered all over Salem finding people to fight with (or make out with, in Xander’s case).
Her next order of business is to go bother Kristen, and Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 7-14-25 say that she wants to move into the DiMera mansion since the husband, who refuses to divorce her though he wants nothing to do with her, is related to them.
Gwen moving in could be the beginning of a more interesting story for her, but so far all she’s doing is flaunting her newfound wealth and picking fights with her enemies.
I’m ready for her to go home already, but if she faces off with little Rachel, it might be worth this tedious setup.
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There Is Some Good Stuff Going On, Too, But It’s Not As Prominent
I’m especially ready for the Xander/Sarah custody story to move forward. Right now, it’s going in circles, with the two continually arguing over who is the better parent.
It seems like every scene between these two boils down to some variant of Xander telling Sarah she’ll be sorry and her snapping at him that he’d better not be threatening her.
He’s also done the same with his beloved Maggie, which irks me no end because she was always the queen of giving him second chances in the past.
Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 7-14-25 suggest we might finally get something different.
Xander has gotten his way, for now, but he may regret it because he can’t comfort a crying Victoria. (Maybe he shouldn’t have been so quick to make an enemy out of Leo, who went through this last week with baby Tosoro.)
Hopefully, the actual custody case will get underway soon, though that might require Justin being on-screen, which the new writers seem to be allergic to.
Johnny’s case will go to court, though. This week, EJ and Belle begin jury selection in the most unethical attempted murder trial in television history.
Not only is EJ defending his own son and manipulating a judge to let Belle prosecute her nephew, but now he and Belle are going to share ideas to get Johnny out of trouble.
I know things work differently in Salem, but come on!
This is too ridiculous to take seriously and is almost as silly as deciding Chanel is a viable suspect because of a recorded threat that ends with her leaving rather than shooting EJ.
Finally, Sophia will spin a tale to her mother — hopefully, this is the beginning of revealing that she has already given birth.
Your turn, TV Fanatics. Let’s get a robust conversation going in the comments.
What are you looking forward to? What are you annoyed about?
Vote for your favorite Days of Our Lives spoiler for the week of 7-14-25 in the poll below.
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