Soap Opera Digest March 20, 2023

Peter Reckell (Bo) and Kristian Alfonso (Hope) will reprise their signature roles this week. Here, Head Writer Ron Carlivati shares how it all happened and previews what’s ahead for this beloved duo. Soap Opera Digest: When you finished BEYOND SALEM: CHAPTER 2, did you always have in mind that this story would continue? Ron Carlivati: Yes, which I hope was pretty obvious to everyone that by ending with Bo no longer in heaven, but alive and in a cryogenic tube, that we were at least hoping to pick it up, if not planning to pick it up. I knew it was a gamble to end on a cliffhanger because we had no guarantee that BEYOND SALEM would get picked up for another season. We hoped maybe that might help if there was…

Since Kyle wasn’t receptive to his parents becoming a couple, Jack and Diane are understandably concerned about how their son will feel about their engagement. “Kyle’s mom and dad are still at the cabin where they’re keeping a low profile because of Jeremy,” sets up Michael Mealor (Kyle). “So, Kyle has no idea that Jack proposed and Diane said, ‘Yes.’ In the meantime, Kyle finds out that Phyllis sent Jeremy on this wild goose chase to Europe, so Kyle calls his dad and tells him the coast is clear. That’s when they decide to come home.” En route, Diane slips off her engagement ring and stashes it into her purse, so the bling doesn’t catch Kyle’s eye as soon as they arrive home. “When his parents show up, Kyle’s mind is…

Hope has news about Thomas that leaves Liam in the lurch. “Steffy, as her boss, tells her that Hope For the Future is not bringing in the numbers it once did, and she is going to have to get rid of that line unless Hope makes some drastic changes,” explains Scott Clifton (Liam). As Hope ponders her options, “Steffy basically says the only drastic change that will actually work is rehiring Thomas as lead designer; otherwise, they will have to shelve Hope For the Future. So, Hope comes home and she tells Liam this. At first, she hesitates and doesn’t tell him. She kind of chickens out.” Hope changes the subject and shares that Douglas wants to come home to them. “Liam is ecstatic to hear that,” states Clifton. “Liam’s sadness…

After Stefan manages to successfully drug EJ again, the siblings have a showdown. “It has been fun to pit these brothers against each other,” begins Head Writer Ron Carlivati. “They’re two alpha guys that have a bit of a dark side to them, they’re both willing to play dirty when they have to, and now they’re going to war with each other in a Stefano-like way. I love seeing EJ in this position where he thinks he’s completely in charge and in control, but has underestimated Stefan a bit. And now, it goes from cat and mouse to the gloves coming off, where it’s more open warfare.” Battle lines will be drawn, with Gabi backing Stefan, and Nicole on Team EJ. “Even though Gabi is stuck with Li Shin for six…

Having made the decision to conceal the true results of the paternity test he and Mac took, Cody “feels like an idiot,” sums up his portrayer, Josh Kelly. “He feels like he made the completely wrong decision.” Not seeing an easy way out of his lie, Cody panics when Mac drops in on him at the stables and sees the lab report. Explains Kelly, “He’s considering telling Mac the truth but he is afraid that it’ll ruin any chance of a relationship that he can have with Mac, kind of like how Portia kept the Trina thing a secret because she wanted to tell the truth, but didn’t want to ruin what she has with Curtis. If he’s going to develop more of a relationship with Mac, he doesn’t want to…

with Sharon Case (Sharon, Y&R) Some would say that Sharon is currently without a story, but I see it as more that she’s in a quiet transition because she was recently ently widowed and is finding her bearings. Your take? “I totally agree. Sharon has sort of taken a different path since losing Rey. She’s still running the coffeehouse — that’s a top priority for her — but she’s also taking care of her daughter and daughter-in-law during their adoption journey and she’s listening to Noah about his past with Audra and his current relationship with Allie. I guess you could say that for now, Sharon is everybody’s touchstone.” Do you like that? “Yes, I do. I’ve always loved that Sharon is a natural caretaker, so I feel she’s in her element.…