Best TV Couple #10: EJ Dimera & Samantha Brady

Like sand through the hourglass, Days of Our Lives had something priceless with supercouple EJ (James Scott) and Samantha (Alison Sweeney). 

Problematic, misunderstood Samantha Gene Brady, who once kidnapped her little sister to sell her on the black market, had major disasters in the relationship department. Every man preferred her perfect older sister, Carrie or wanted Samantha to change into something like her-- a flawless goodie two shoes. Yet Samantha, fiery, passionate, and temperamental, needed a man on her level, a man who put her above the world. That man finally entered the picture, moving across the hall from her in May 2006.

That man was EJ Dimera.

At the time, the tall, British EJ posed as EJ Wells, a wealthy race car driver extraordinaire, with those melty hazel eyes pining sweetly on Samantha-- oblivious to her own beauty. He gave an attentive ear, offered quirky half smiles, and ushered compliments aplenty.

Samantha and EJ's dance in the abandoned house was such a highlight in their early history.

This earlier buzzing with EJ poised as the bee surrounded by the Samantha's rosebud nectar was a delicious, charming wooing-- slow and bittersweet as a tender friendship bubbled with underlying desire and need. Most memorable scenes: a certain rooftop flirtation, the sultry dance on the pier that granted them a first place prize; they're caught in the rain, find an abandoned house, change into dry clothes, and dance to old time music.

Things changed once revealed that EJ was a Dimera-- a family of ruthless, sadistic origin-- Samantha no longer wanted to befriend him. The Wells kindness turned into key Dimera traits: sneaky, narcissistic, and manipulative, demonstating an air of power and arrogance. EJ vowed to have her and nothing would stand in his way. Unfortunately, that was Lucas. After another failed shot with Austin (who returned to Carrie), Samantha moved on with Lucas (who had just broken up with Carrie) in a very ridiculous attempt to move forward. It was a pathetic, unbelievable ruse considering that Lucas had always wanted Carrie and Samantha was a pity choice for him.

For a while, EJ and Samantha play a teasing cat and mouse game. Things, however, worsen on a horrific night when EJ coerces Samantha into car sex. The scene is awful, horrifying. After all, Samantha was a rape survivor, having her first time experience being assaulted (by a man who wanted Carrie). EJ's "deal" with Samantha was a red stain on the fanbase-- the first man beguiled by Samantha would destroy her in this one heinous act.

In a scandalous past lives tale, Santo (who looks surprisingly like his grandson EJ) and Colleen (who looks just like great niece Samantha) fall in love. They spoke through letters and shared Gaelic tongue, their rendezvouses the stuff of romantic depth.   

For months, EJ taunted Samantha after discovering her pregnancy. He hounded her furthermore, threatening to destroy her misguided happiness with Lucas. However, over the coarse of late 2007, he started easing little by little out of the influence of his evil father, Stefano Dimera. EJ's heart still pined only for Samantha. In the meantime, EJ and Samantha find out about Santo Dimera (EJ's grandfather) and Colleen Brady (Samantha's great aunt), reading bittersweet letters between an Irish novice and an Italian married businessman. To end the Dimera/Brady feud, reluctant pawns EJ and Samantha were later hitched-- the first of three times-- this first being entitled "The Black Wedding." At the alter, EJ is shot, then hospitalized, and temporarily paralyzed. Samantha wills his spirit to fight and stay strong. Although she softens towards him, she stays committed to Lucas despite the attraction growing hot and troublesome.

Soon EJ renounces his father, Lucas is arrested for shooting EJ (which years later turned out not to be true), and EJ, Samantha, Johnny, and Ali are forced into witness protection. At the safehouse, the two are drawn together, forming a tender makeshift family-- one of EJ's greatest wishes and perhaps Samantha's deep down inside. Despite everything that had happened between the two, EJ and Samantha were the same-- imperfect, selfish, conniving, and passionate.

Yet Samantha would deny this for years.

Seemingly recreating the Colleen and Santo romance, EJ and Samantha pen beautiful letters to each other while Samantha is in prison. Poignant and authentic-- EJ and Samantha are at a sad, vulnerable place. And it makes all the more special that they're in despair together, finding comfort in language and longing. Once Samantha is free and clear, she and EJ make up for lost time in one of my favorite love scenes of theirs. 

When reflecting on the dynamic pairing of EJ and Samantha-- discounting the horrible car scene, dreadful interlopers Lucas, Nicole, and Rafe, Samantha hiding her pregnancy, EJ kidnapping his own daughter, Samantha shooting a sleeping EJ in the head and leaving him to die, never ending custody battles, EJ cheating on Samantha with the babysitter-- the best parts are defined at them being their true selves with each other. One has to put the lopsided writing aside, not look on dastardly soap opera agendas being pushed front and center. EJ and Samantha were on the road to supercouple longevity, but the most extreme shifts continued coming onto their paths-- an avalanche here, a giant boulder there. In the moments where they were truly happy, no secrets on route to humiliating revelation, is a true gem.

A Dimera in love with a Brady? Oh yes. It happened.

EJ comes from a rich, spoiled background whereas Samantha grew up lacking a sense of worth. He felt entitled to anything he wanted. Perhaps Samantha's rejection was his greatest challenge. This man could have had any woman, any woman on earth. He wanted Samantha. Viewers who grew alongside her remembered a sad, disfigured past. For starters, bullied constantly for her weight, she had a troubled adolescence. While the men she coveted most yearned for slender girls with confidence and goodness, Samantha schemed to be noticed, to be loved. Before EJ came into town, she had desperately wished for someone to accept her. By the end of a rather tumultuous journey, EJ had found her. Years later, he earned her heart and trust.

Other fascinating highlights include EJ taking Will under his wing (EJ loves every part of Samantha and that means her first born despite him shooting him at "The Black Wedding"), Samantha running off with EJ after the big disaster, EJ and Samantha taking over Dimera Enterprises, fronting the company together, and replacing the living room Dimera portrait with the two of them, and EJ kissing his father's ring in order to free Samantha from prison. Plus, they're many love scenes (some very kinky, naughty, and risqué) were off the charts-- spicing up the afternoon with the most lecherous display of foreplay. 

The last EJ and Samantha reboot, leading up to the tragic end, was indeed pleasantly mixed. With EJ devoted to his lady love, Samantha and their children, he proposes again (and EJ always had the most sentimental proposals). Samantha accepts.

EJ and Samantha agree to renew their vows.

EJ suffered a mediocre death by a day player, leaving his dearest wife and three children (two were biologically his and he loved Ali as she were his own). Samantha had found EJ on the ground injured, dating back to countless times of finding him that way. As she tries attending to the gunshot wound, she begs him to open his eyes, to live. He does as she commands, opening those adoring eyes, thanking her for granting him love and family. Their final kiss tore many apart. After song and dance, they end ala Shakespearean-- the reformed devilish man and his vixen bride having only a half filled cup of happiness.

As for Samantha, she comes and goes back to Salem. It's just not the same. Perhaps never will be.

James Scott and Alison Sweeney left an unfulfilled mark on the fictional town of Salem, Illinois. Their electrifying sparks ignited each time they were allowed to share the small screen together. Whether EJ and Samantha were kindred friends, volatile enemies, or passionate lovers, Scott and Sweeney played the beats to their appropriate rhythms (those intense eye stares, the subtle hand caresses, the infamous almost kisses, the snark), setting daytime ablaze with a raw, intense heat that other couples couldn't match.