Black is back
John Black returns to Salem but quickly outstays his welcome.
Normally we’d be thrilled to see John Black (Drake Hogestyn) and his infamous cocked eyebrow back on the streets of Salem. But shortly after his arrival on Tuesday 2 May, John warns his son Brady (Eric Martsolf) that he’s been following him and he knows that Brady’s drinking too much. Then he has bad news for Hope (Kristian Alfonso) on Wednesday 3 May before strolling off to pick a fight with his former true lover Marlena (Deidre Hall) on Friday 5 May. Wow, nobody likes a party pooper, John!
BAD NEWS BLACK
John tells Hope that her husband Bo (Peter Reckell) is now working undercover in Europe. “It all started out being directed at the DiMeras, but then it kind of spun into a whole different case. And now it involves an even larger international crime syndicate,” John reveals, adding that the new case will keep Bo out of Salem for a year or longer, during which Hope won’t know if he’s dead or alive. He then hands Hope a letter from Bo in which Bo lovingly apologises but claims to have had no choice. Hope doesn’t agree at all – to her mind, Bo has chosen his career over his family. Well, that’s not John’s fault so we’re not shooting the messenger.
JOHN vs DOC
But when John meets Marlena, the conversation turns ugly. Not only is his “Doc” only number three on his list of people to talk to, instead of trying to mend fences he immediately gets stuck into how Marlena ruined both Brady and Eric’s (Greg Vaughan) lives by playing that scandalous recording and Brady and Kristen’s (Eileen Davidson) wedding on Monday 9 January. John cruelly tells Marlena, “Must be rather rough living with the fact that you destroyed your son.” Drake adds, “He isn’t real pleased with Marlena’s particular position on what happened with Brady. And right now, from Marlena’s point, she probably wants to slap John – and he would like her to do that. Then they can start from there.”