How has EJ changed for you?

Personally for ME, regardless of whether he is with Nicole or not, I LIKE EJ now more than I did last year.

He's strong, sensitive, sexy, independent, and not willing to let Sami jerk his chain any longer.

But I have read now some say, "this is not the EJ that I fell in love with" and this is usually from EJAMIs. Truly curious am I to know what it was you liked about EJ a year ago.

I am sure it is resentment maybe - because he is interested in Nicole? I can understand why that would upset EJAMI but I just don't know what was so appealing about EJ before he stood up to Sami.

This is a discussion thread and I want to stray away from EJ-Bashing, EJAMI-bashing, Nicole-bashing and EJOLE-bashing.

the EJ before was exciting,driven and complicated.maybe its just me, but i enjoy the drama and the chase.even if Nicole was the one he was after first that,d still be exciting. i know he,s been becoming "less Dimeria like"and thats the boring part.

There has definetly been a change in his character. Even if Ejami ends up together, I'd watch just to see him with Tony,Stefano and JOhn. I can honestly say that I have never paid much attention to EJ until this year cause I found him pathetic before. I love how he's standing up for himself against everyone, fighting with Tony against Stefano and JOhn for the Dimera Empire, how he's this sexy, charming, witty, confident guy that doesn't have to lower himself to petty scheming and manipulation to get attention from a woman which I found absurd in the first place.

This EJ is not the EJ that we have known all along.
Regardless of whether he was doing good or bad, one thing never changed and that was his constant adoration of Sami, and we are supposed to now believe that he suddenly is into someone else?
Other than Kate, EJ was never shown to be with anyone else in Salem. All this time Sami has been denying him and he has stayed true to her but now that she has shown real feelings for him he develops feelings for Nicole? It is ridiculous and more of a 180 then it was when they were attempting to redeem him and he became Sami's lapdog/babysitter. At least then the constant was still the same. Dena Higley does not get EJ Dimera and she doesnt get why Ejami fans are EJami fans, she has made that perfectly clear. She is going back to the same old crap of Sami being the bad girl chasing the "good" boy and that doesn't work with Sami and EJ. If she wants to do the same old crap she should bring back Austin or Brandon or just stick her back in her abusive relationship with Lucas. All who put limitations on their "love" for Sami and abandoned her when she screwed up. I dont want to watch the self destruction of a character I have loved since he first appeared across the hall from Austin and Sami. If DH wants to stick to the same old then I dont want Ejami any longer.

This EJ is so much better in so many ways. Before we had never seen EJ romantically with anyone besides Sami (and that was forced) now we're getting a taste of what he can really be like when he's not manipulating and controlling the relationship and instead giving and taking like it's supposed to be. He's not "good" but he's not "bad" either. Before he was simply his father's puppet doing whatever his father wanted and that continued after Stefano fell into his coma until Nicole came to town and actually turned his head away from Sami. For the first time we actually got to see EJ pursue someone who WANTED him. Now he's romantic and sweet and I don't find him disgusting because he's not trying to seduce the woman he raped which I find disgusting.

this ej is so much better for the obvious reasons! ive definetely seen a change than the man he was idk say like 2 years ago?

I like many others are so very tired of the r word. EJ to me now is no longer the white
knight on the white horse. No, as an EJAMI I didn't not like the way they wrote Sami
and EJ - they could have done so much better and maybe we could have seen an
actual love rather that lust story. In the beginning EJ may have been following his
fathers orders about implanting a Brady, but we watched as things began to change
and he fell in love with Samantha...I would hardly call their love scene manipulative.
It was fun, romantic and everything we had hoped for but of course the ptb had to
throw in Lucas to screw everything up. Then we watched as Sami was torn between
Lucas (who she felt would please her family) and EJ who she was falling in love with.
Had she gone with her heart rather than her wanting to please, she would have told
EJ how she really felt. Then came the doubt and jealousy with Nicole where we watched
her begin to destruct (not knowing she was pregnant and having hormonal reactions).
It has been a rather sad journey - two people who fell in love but had to deny their
feelings - kind of like Romeo and Julliet.....I don't like being teased and titilated and
if EJ ends up with Nicole then I would probably discontinue watching - it was the looks
and touchs between EJ and Sami that made me rewind their scenes. I have really
lost a lot of respect for EJ to see him take up with Nicole. He definitely fell off the
pedestal I had him on. Just my opinion.

I totally agree with this statement. Now EJ is just a boring run of the mill guy. If I wanted to watch that I'd tune out and go talk to everyday guys I work with. You know, real people. I need DRAMA and ANGST and PASSION in my soap and in my EJ. He seems to be lacking all these things at the moment...IMO.

I don't think it could have been said better.

First off, I just want to say thank you for posting this. I am a huge EJ fan. I asked a similar question in one of the other threads because I was really interested to know how people perceive EJ now compared to before.

I think EJ has changed a lot, and for the worst. I have loved EJ since the first moment he appeared on screen. He is the reason I watch the show. I have always supported everything he has done, and I felt like I knew his character well enough that I understood why he did what he did. Now, however, I don't understand him AT ALL!

The EJ I knew before was driven, committed, accomplished, dedicated. When he came to town, he was Samantha's best friend. He helped her with her problems (figuring out those notes) and he was always there for her. He slowly started to show his Dimera side, and I LOVED it! He was a Dimera, through and through. He didn't take crap from anyone. He made sure he got what he wanted, no questions asked. His one weakness though, was Samantha. From the very beginning, EJ has always loved Sami, doing everything possible to be with her. He is a Dimera, so obviously somethings he did weren't the best. But that's who he was. He had balls and brains. The best combination.

Now I feel like he has lost that edge. He's not on his game as much as he was before. I can quote so many of EJ's lines that were classic and smart and witty and charming. He was always thinking, and the best comebacks. Now? Everything he says, for me, is forgettable. It's a shame, because he doesn't sound like the same person at all.

For example, I never thought I would see the day that EJ Dimera would PINKY SWEAR! What? That was one of the low points for me. Who is that?? That was definitely not the EJ I know and love.

For me, the worst thing is that he's lost his Dimera. He's slowly getting it back now, fighting for the Dimera empire, and it's no surprise that, right now, that's the ONLY story that is interesting me.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm ranting a bit, it's just that EJ is a character that I love, and whenever one of my favorites is thrown under the bus for the sake of storylines and plot points, it annoys me.

EJ is a DIMERA! And he needs to start acting like it again. I know that many people didn't like him before because of that, but that's who he is. We already have Lexie and Tony not acting like Dimeras. I didn't want EJ to lose that side of him either. Don't get me wrong, I don't want him to be his father. I like EJ with a conscience, haha, but I don't want him to be a "Brady" either. I think there's a great compromise. I want a bad EJ, a gray EJ, not a perfect little gentlemen. I think he's boring now.

And this has nothing to do with how I feel about EJami or EJole. I just think EJ is being written completely out of character right now, and I HATE it!! Give EJ his brains and his balls back!! Give me my Dimera back!!

Ok my rant's over. Sorry if that was long, I just needed to get that out. I would still love to get other people's impressions of EJ though, so I'm hoping I don't scare anyone away with my incessant babbling, hehe.

I have actually gained a little respect for ej since Sami is out of the picture!! I find him more caring, humorous, stronger, happier, and more of a man.. All because of NICOLE!! She brings the better side of him out, not the anus sniffer that he became with Sami..

So first EJ was a smart, conniving, ruthless pawn of Stefano's. Heck he even raped Sami to impregnate her with an heir to make daddy happy. As cold as the character was I enjoyed watching him. He was just about soulless but at least he was interesting. Point of fact, Before EJ was romantically paired with Sami EJ was listed repeatedly on TVCDN's Nelson's report as a male character to watch. That stopped once EJ decided he had feelings for Sami and the writers defanged him.

IMO EJami killed a lot of the positive EJ/James Scott buzz. It wasn't even the rape it that killed it for many IMO it was the way someone in charge seemed to think that EJ falling in love with Sami would ease the way the viewers saw the rape. IMO it only made things worse. Seeing EJ with Sami only reminds me that he raped her. Watching her be nice to him made me hate both characters. It made me hate the writers and I'll be honest, I hated a lot of the posters that supported the coupling.

That was all a turn off and I thought that things couldn't get much worse when they gave EJ another twist because of his obession with Sami EJ decided to fake a change and pretend to be someone he wasn't just to gain crumbs of affection from Sami. IMO that was the worst. Having to see EJ as nothing more than a babybag holder for Sami. EJ became a secondary character to the already overexposed Sami. BORING! How something could be BORING AND GAG WORTHY at the same time amazes me still.

Then the writers gave EJ his spine, his brains and his balls back! EJ decided to come clean with Sami because he was tired of jumping through hoops and pretending to be someone he wasn't just to earn her love, love that she told him belonged to Lucas.

OK So this is the only incarnation of EJ that I have loved so far: EJ has become his own man, smart, cunning, strong, ruthless and a little sweet, curious if he can begin again with a woman that wants to be with him. NICOLE. IMO it was Nicole that accepts EJ for who he is and wants him regardless. It is Nicole that is falling in love with EJ. Watching EJ and Nicole light up the screen while they flirt and call each other out with the truth marks my favorite change in EJ.

OMG Soaper as always you nail it!!

What an awesome post -- and one I have pages of opinion on. First off, let me say this. I was a lukewarm Days viewer for years until I heard my favorite one-eyed dude was coming back on the scene alongside Kayla. I was ECSTATIC, and began watching everyday again. However, the Steve and Kayla storyline started to grow boring after awhile, and I would have STOPPED watching, even with my beloved Patch back on, had it not been for EJ. Seriously. He's the reason I stayed, and that says a lot about James Scott as an actor AND EJ as a character.

Here is my first point, and it is one I'd like to pound home times a thousand. Days of Our Lives BIGGEST problem IMO is its inconsistency, and it has been plaguing the show since JER left the second time in the late 90's. That was when soaps in general started to decline and the internet began gaining ground. People didn't have to watch everyday to find out what happened, and so overall viewership dropped. For days, the declining ratings found Corday turning over headwriters at a rapid pace. Each new headwriter inherited the previous ones nightmare, and before they had a chance to fix anything they were canned as well...........case in point, EJ WELLS.

I am going to call him EJ WELLS, because honestly, I don't think JERk would have ever made him Elvis. I think he created EJ to be a Dimera, but not to be Susan's spawn. JER created EJ for Sami, so that she would finally have someone that understood her and had her same MO, only their 'angst' would have eventually turned out to be the fact that he was a Dimera. It was that fated Romeo and Juliet tale, only I doubt with Reilly at the helm that it would have been as 'romantic.' At any rate, JER also created EJ for James Scott, hoping he'd be able to get the actor to sign. Clearly he invisioned an EJAMI pairing.........Reilly also coincided EJ's arrival with the gloved hand story, but he wrote it as if EJ wasn't the gloved hand. I don't think he was. When Hogan arrived his first order of business was to wrap the gloved hand stuff up, and in doing so he hypothesized a ludicrous scenario of Patrick and EJ, when any of us watching daily could have told him that it was IMPOSSIBLE for one of these guys to be in Cincinatti as the gloved hand while BOTH were seen in Salem at the same time. Grrrr. Anyway, my point is that EJ's character arrived in Salem -- not as a pawn of Stefano's, but as a mysterious man hiding his Dimera past that was genuinely interested in Sami and the rest of Salem. He understood Sami like no other, and for the first time I was drawn in. Hogan, upon directing his interim writer, tried to capitalize on the EJAMI chemistry by turning it into EJ being a he-devil obsessed, creating a few tender scenes of them connecting and kissing that the audience perceived as 'fake' because we already knew he was the gloved hand. Why? Because Hogan told us in all the soap mags and spoilers. He wanted people to turn on the idea of an EJAMI pairing so he could get away from Reilly's vision and turn on his own.

That, dear posters, was the first mistake with EJ. A new writer came on and changed his character's intentions in order to reunite Lucas and Sami and turn EJ and Sami fans away from the couple. He decided the first way to do that, to make EJ's 'love' of Sami seem unlegitimate, was to pair the guy with Kate. When that didn't work, he went on to have that awful December 29 scene........

Don't get me wrong though. Hogan is the one that wrote for EJ for over a year, and he did a decent job. I think he understood some of Reilly's vision, but just didn't want EJ with Sami and thus turned him into an obsessed Dimera freak ala. Stefano. He capitalized on two fanbases animosity toward one another and tried giving either side false hope so they would stick around. In doing so, he used the EJAMI chemistry opposite of this vile man named EJ. Seriously, I wanted to HATE EJ for what happened with Sami. I really did. I wanted to cringe with their scenes in the police department in January of 07. I did! But I couldn't. I LOVED the wicked EJ. He was delicious -- and if nothing else he brought out the villianous Sami again, who I had grown to love over the years and missed terribly. Hogan's idea of redemption was to whiddle a character down to zero personality IMO. I'm not into that type of redemption. People talk about how EJ has become a sap, and I stress that this is what happened to Sami as well.

I realize that EJ was letting Sami yank him around like a puppy, but this had only been going on since the summer of 2007. Prior to that, obsessed EJ or not, he was FRIGHTENING. That beating he gave Patrick? That taunting he did to Sami at the police station and during her first few months after learning she was pregnant? Oh my -- James Scott ruled in that role. He thrived. EJ THUMPED. And then came this idea to redeem him, to turn him into a Sami -- spineless and indecisive. Both used to be strong, determined, and decisive beyond reason.




I don't resent Nicole. I just don't understand why people seem to forget the famous tango scene. Even those fans who have always been anti-EJAMI, I don't see how even they can deny the chemistry, or at the very least the execution of that scene. It was brilliant, classic soap that didn't need to use sex in an elevator or a drawn out pub conversation about a future date to drive home the electrical impulses between two people. Even though I don't dislike EJOLE, I have to admit that those two could never pull off the tango scene. That's probably one of the best EJ scenes out there, with the exception of the scene when he and Sami went over to Lexi's to confront her and EJ stuck his foot in the door to prevent her from shutting it. To me, those two scenes reflect what EJ is all about -- sensuality, romance without words, and the sort of frightening 'I mean business' force that can be shown by as simple an action as sticking one's foot in the door. What I want to know is what happened to that EJ ??????? I agree with those that say Dena doesn't know how to write for EJ -- but only because I think that EJ was already so lopsided when she came aboard. If she would watch the tango episode and the EJ/Sami confront Lexi confrontation than she'd be set. Ej shouldn't have to be Sami's lapdog, but he shouldn't demean himself into being Nicole's 'redemption' either.

As usual you nailed it Soaper!

He finally seems to be getting to do what he as an actor wants to do. That's not Sami anymore. It's Nicole and I am glad. That ejami crap has always been crap and it's about time they ended it.

Bravo! Beautiful! Well written.

I'm confused where you saw that this is what he, as an actor, wanted to do?

The main thing that has changed for me about EJ is that he's lost his edge...you are talking about a character that was always 2 steps ahead of everyone & would cut down anyone that gets in the way of what he wants. The writing has dumbed him down & that doesn't sit well with me

Well said!!! I was going to expand on my earlier post, but after reading this, I don't need to. Everything you said is true. I'm hoping that somebody realizes the mistakes they have made, and EJ will get back to his former, true self.

The problem with Days is that it tends to sacrifice characters for stories, and it should be the other way around. You can't have a bad ass one day and a pinky swearer the next, just to fit a story. It's not just EJ's character that has been destroyed for the sake of this stupid story, I think Sami's and Nicole's have to. They aren't who they should be. Not everyone on the show has to be redeemed. Not everyone on the show has to be good. Some people were made to be bad, and EJ is one of them. That's why I enjoy EJ and Sami, because of their similarities. But is a shame when character histories and personalities are sacrificed so that a story, that is even worth a crap, can be told.

I personally think that the EJ we see today is a little too goodie goodie. Really, I love the idea about him being a kind hearted individual deep down, but he has been turned into a "saint", and that's not what he is. While we do not want him to be evil, we want him to keep a little of his "edje", and I think the writers are beginning to write that in.

I like EJ less now than I liked him last year. EJ is too goody goody, self righteous and hypocritical. He's a DiMera for God's sake. Who is he to lecture Sami or anyone about being selfish and immature?! The Ej I knew of last year had balls, had guts and no matter what Sami threw at him could take it and not run away at first notice when Sami tells him to get lost and screw some tramp like Nicole in an elevator. He spent the last 2 years convincing himself and the audience of how much he loves Samantha and how he would do anything to be a family with her and the twins. The way I saw him turn his back on Allie and hand her over to Lucas with not even a blink was just sad. He, not John, should have been telling Lucas that he better take care of her and that he better not hurt that little girl or he will be answering to him. The EJ I know wouldn't be pinky swearing or saying the barf worthy, cheesy things he tells Nicole. He's become stupid. I honestly can't believe I am saying this but I prefer Hogan's version of EJ than Dena's. This guy on my screen right now is not EJ. The EJ I know would have honestly destroyed Nicole for hurting Sami and revealing his secret about the annulment. *Steps off soap box*

Ej was actually being a "real man" by handing Ali over to her daddy, (lucas)!! He never loved Sami, he is obsessed with her!! Personally, I think that he has improved since when he first came on.. When he first came on he manipulted, stalked, threatened, forced, stole, killed, and lied about who he was, I thought that he was an assturd!! I've seen a whole lot of improvement in the last 6 months actually.. If anyone has become stupid it was Sami.. For having anything to with ej to begin with!!!! I see sincerity in what he says to Nicole, it is so refreshing to see him open up to Nicole, laugh, smile, and be jolly!!!

EJ raised Allie as his own. My biggest annoyance with how he reacted to Sami not wanting to turn Allie over was that he acted like he didn't understand. The old EJ always understood Sami, and after having raised Allie since birth, he should have felt the same way Sami did. I think that the writers were too preoccupied with having EJ become some "saint" wooing Nicole, that they forgot that he used to care about his family.

When he first came on, you may not of liked him, but that's who he was. Everything that I bolded is what made him a DIMERA! That's what he is, and that's what he acted like. Now, I don't know what he is. The problem is that no body on the show is "bad" except for Stefano. I don't want to see the goody two-shoes show. I want to see a Days of our Lives worth watching. Right now, EJ is as boring as they come, spewing pure cheesiness. What happened to the sarcastic, quick witted, on his game EJ? We're not supposed to like every character on the show, but you can't just completely change a person's personality. And they did. They changed EJ. And I hate it, because I liked him and SUPPORTED him BEFORE! And now, I can barely stand to watch my favorite character go down the drain.

But we all have our opinions. Like I said, not every character is going to be liked by everyone.

I agree. I liked this character way better a year ago! He was witty, and one step ahead. I think those who see him as a "suck up" to Sami are misinterpreting this. He wanted to be what she wanted him to be. Remember how great they were in the cabin when in hiding with the twins. He loved being a normal family. This is not sucking up........I dare say that one female on this board would not love to have EJ "suck up" to them...without calling him pathetic!!

I love my husband to do things because its the way I want...even if he hates it! I like that he goes out of his way to make sure I am happy. He even tells our daughters...who tells everyone "Mom is in charge at our house", that it is that way because if I am happy he is happy! I LOVE THIS IN HIM! It tells me I mean more to him, than he does....which is alot of what love is....sacrificing oneself for the happiness of the other. To me EJ has done this with Sami. I do however think this time she is going to have to put as much effort into Ejami as he does.

Pathetic....NO, Cares for someone MORE than himself....YES. This is definately how the male is suppose to be.

He's become a Salem hypocrite. And his favorite sport, just like everyone is Salem, is bashing Sami. I went from being completely in love with his character to not being able to stand him at all. And to top it off, he's boring. He's lost all sense of wit. He was my one reason for watching this show, but to me, EJ is dead and buried. I didn't become a fan of his because he was an Austin clone. I liked the scheming, devious, smart charmer who had a fierce sense of loyalty. But that guy doesn't exist for me anymore. And that's why I've stopped watching the show.

Oh my gosh KSlater, you have hit the nail on the head. EJ has now become the new Austin, and it's disgusting, I never could stand Austin and now I can barely tolerate this "redemption" EJ.

Indeed,,there ya go,,thats how I feel

Agreed. I really like EJ a LOT less right now. He's just not edgy anymore. Even when he was chasing after Sammi he was still a bad boy. I miss his scheming too. Now he's boring and that sappy crap Nicole is unbelievable.

Can someone answer for me why this thread got moved to the "other Salem favorites" forum, when that forum is for couples and last I checked, this thread is about EJ as a character? Also, it's a debate, and I thought those could stay on the main page, since it has nothing to do with a specific couple or fanbase. I don't think it belongs in here, but I could be wrong. I'm new here though, so please PM me if there's something I'm missing. This area is for couples, is it not? So why is a thread about a single character in this forum?