Days of our Lives is taking a trip down memory lane next week with another character-centric episode, this time all about Kristian Alfonso's Hope.
Michael Fairman and Soap Digest report that the NBC drama will focus on the many men of Hope's past during the special episode that airs on Wednesday, June 8. Chief among them: Peter Reckell as Hope's longtime love, Bo Brady; Joe Mascolo as her arch nemesis and murder victim, Stefano DiMera; and Andrew Masset as her first husband, Larry Welch.
In addition, Hope will reconnect with the grown-up version of her son, Zack, who was killed in a car accident back in 2006. Watch for actor Scott Shilstone (Pitch Perfect, I Didn't Do It) to make his debut as Hope and Bo's deceased child that same day.
As DAYS fans know, Reckell chose to step away from the spotlight last year in order to focus on raising his eight-year-old daughter, Loden. "As important and as wonderful and inspirational as being Bo Brady is, this job of being Loden's dad is more important to me at this time," he said last November of why he hasn't returned to Salem full-time, despite many fans wishing he would.
Meanwhile, Mascolo was forced to bid adieu to the NBC series last year due to health issues, which is how the storyline of Hope shooting Stefano was born. "Last spring, I had a small stroke. During my rehab, I thought this would be a good time for Stefano to leave," the actor said at the time of why Stefano had to die. "The producers visited me and we worked out a tentative plan, and the writers beefed up the storyline to what you [saw] on TV."
At this time, it's unclear how Hope's jaunt down memory lane will affect her and her romantic connections to both Rafe (Galen Gering) and Aiden (Daniel Cosgrove). Will she find clarity in what's sure to be a heartbreaking episode? Here's "hoping"...
What do you think about DAYS having a Hope-centric episode with returns by Reckell, Mascolo, and Masset? How do you think the special occasion will affect the character? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
