“Days of Our Lives” fans are in for a wild ride. Longtime viewers will remember that one of the soap opera’s most famous storylines included the possession of Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) in 1994. Now, the NBC sudser is about to return to its roots with a fresh possesion storyline this fall.
Deadline reports that the original storyline began nearly 30 years ago when the show’s all-time great villian Stefano DiMera began to hypnotize the object of his obsession, Marlena. The hypnosis left Marlena open to a demonic possession that kicked off an unforgettable storyline that eventually led to an “Exorcist”-like version of Marlena levitating in her bed and causing so much drama for other Salem residents. The story continued on through the next year and finally ended in the summer of 1995 when John Black, who was a priest at the time, peformed an exorcism on Marlena.
John and Marlena went on to get married and become one of the most beloved “Days of Our Lives” couples of all time. They are still married in the soap’s current timeline.
Recently, “Days of Our Lives” released a short, new trailer that teased a brand new possession storyline. In addition, Hall recently teased a new storyline in which Marlena gets to be cruel and mean, hinting that her character becomes possessed for a second time nearly three decades after the soap made headlines with the first spooky plotline, per CDL.
What is the most unbelievable Days of our Lives storyline (that isn't demonic possession) that you can remember? #DAYS #DOOL #TwoScoops https://t.co/2LXhqwWsdk pic.twitter.com/6txfQ4Py1g
— Soap Central (@soapcentral) October 3, 2019
‘Days of Our Lives’ revisiting iconic possession storyline
NBC also opened up a bit about the upcoming storyline, revealing that viewers will be on the edge of their seats when the storyline officially begins this fall, just in time for the spooky Halloween season.
“Fans can look forward to twists and turns you’d never suspect as well as familiar faces returning to save the day (or not)…. this time around, the devil knows no bounds and no one in Salem is safe!” the network said in a statement.
“So exciting!!!! Nostalgic!! #jarlena,” one excited “DOOL” fan tweeted. “Yes please I’m excited. That’s what got me hooked in 1995,” another wrote. “Loved this storyline ! Days of the 80s and 90s were just Sooooo good,” a third person stated. “Bring it,” another Twitter user said.
Of course, there were other viewers who weren’t thrilled about the idea of “Days of Our Lives” revisiting the possession storyline, and would prefer to see fresh storylines instead of recycled plotlines.
Either way, with Halloween right around the corner and sweeps just head, it seems that “Days of Our Lives” will garner some big interest as the storyline plays out.
Kendra Quinn