Ava was killed by the person she least expected, Hope realized she may have murdered the wrong man, and the parenting in Salem left something to be desired this week on Days of Our Lives. 

Our TV Fanatics Jack Ori and Christine Orlando are joined by Tony and Kathy from MyHourglass a Days of Our Lives fan forum to discuss Steve’s decision to cover for Joey, who made that phone call to Hope, and who is the best parent right now in all of Salem. 

Was Steve right to take the blame for Ava’s death and cover for Joey?

Jack: No. No matter how evil Ava was, the fact is Joey has made a ton of poor choices leading to the murder, and all Steve is doing is teaching him that actions have no consequences. This is not an attempt to prevent a miscarriage of justice like when Daniel covered for JJ after Theresa OD'd. This is just allowing Joey to avoid consequences for his actions.

Tony: No. Joey knew full well what he was doing. I can understand why Steve did it, but that doesn't make it right. 

Kathy: I don't think Steve was right but I can understand his need to protect his son. Steve must feel responsible for letting Ava back into their lives.

Christine: As a parent, I understand Steve’s gut reaction to protect his son but no, this was not the right thing to do. Didn’t Lucas take the blame for Will shooting EJ way back when? That messed Will up for a long time and no good will come of this either. 

Do you want Sonny Kiriakis to return to Salem?

Jack: Only if there's a reasonable storyline for him and not more of Paul stalking him, which just ruins both characters.

Tony: YES! I have missed Sonny quite a bit! Can't wait until he returns!

Kathy: I would love to have Sonny return to Salem and work with Victor.

Christine: Yes! I’ve missed Sonny. I really hope that he comes back to Salem and is given a real storyline.

Who do you think made that phone call to Hope?

Jack: Not sure. Sounded like Deimos but why would he care?

Tony: I hope that it's André, because he seems to be the only one (aside from Roman and Rafe) who knows what Hope did. Plus, it was a very André-like thing that the caller said, in my opinion.

Kathy: My first thought was that Deimos made the call to Hope. It would be another way to chip away at Victor's family. 

Christine: Deimos or Andre make sense…but they don’t. Andre is in jail and how would Deimos know that Hope actually killed Stefano? I’m at a loss as to who would have known, wanted to torture Hope, and had access to a phone!

Are you looking forward to Chad and Abby’s wedding?

Jack: Not really. All the reasons Abby is moving too fast haven't changed.

Tony: Tentatively. I think they're rushing into it a bit. It was only a couple months ago that Ben was the one for her, and they were about to get married. Nonetheless, I would like to see them together, just not so rushed.

Kathy: A happy occasion would be nice. 

Christine: Yes! I wish they’d take a little more time to get there but this show needs some romance and a truly happy occasion. There is nothing on Days that is making me smile right now. I’m hoping this wedding will change that.

Who has the best parent/child relationship on the show right now?

Jack: Theo and Abe. Abe looks out for his son but tries to give him as much independence as possible.

Tony: Um...wow, that's hard. Shawn and Claire, I guess. I know we don't see them together much, but at least Shawn is supportive of Claire when they are together.

Kathy: Though we don't see them together much, I think Abe and Theo have the best relationship. Abe provides guidance and worries about Theo but he doesn't seem to interfere with Theo making his own way in the world.

Christine: Parenting in Salem is at an all time low right now. Parents are either clueless, distracted, or covering up their kid’s crimes. Abe and Theo don’t have many scenes together and maybe that’s why they’re winning this category. Abe at least seems interested but willing to give Theo the space to find his own way. 

Was there anything that disappointed you this week in Salem?

Jack: Where to begin? The ruining of Chase's character, Joey turning out to be a murderer, the misuse and waste of JJ's character and this silly Summer story were all low points for me,.

Tony: Belle. I keep being disappointed by her. She's just a horrible mother, and completely selfish.

Kathy: I was disappointed that Belle tried to buy her daughter's affection rather than spending time with her.

Christine: This was one of the most disappointing weeks on Days I’ve seen in a long time. The teen rape and teen murder stories turned my stomach and that silly Summer story bored me to tears. Let's just hope it gets better soon.

What was your favorite quote, scene or storyline from the week?

Jack: Roman and Hope's interactions. Great, emotional stuff. Chad's confrontation with André was also excellent.

Tony: I loved Friday's episode! That, and I enjoy any time that André is onscreen. As for a favorite quote, I'd have to go with this one from André: “Because Salem is a police state and I'm a DiMera.” 

Kathy: My favorite storyline is the Kiriakis drama involving Philip, Deimos and Victor. 

Christine: I enjoyed Chad coming to terms with his father’s death and sharing that with Abigail. It’s nice to see these two growing as a couple. 

Did you miss anything this week in Salem? Check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives recap and review right here at TV Fanatic. 

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.