Other Articles August 19, 1997 September 12, 1997 October 7, 1997 October 14, 1997 November 25, 1997 December 23, 1997 January 13, 1998 March 31, 1998 April 7, 1998 January 12, 1999 February 2, 1999 February 23, 1999

For five years, James E. Reilly was Salem's premier puppet master, pushing characters in unexpected, sometimes unheard-of directions. Now, Reilly is creating a new soap, and Sally Sussman-Morina (formerly of GENERATIONS and YOUNG AND RESTLESS) will be pulling the strings. What does it all mean for your favorite couples? Carrie and Mike: Don't Give Up After four long (make that very long) years of Sami's manipulations, Carrie and Austin are finally married. But what about Mike, the handsome, sensitive doc who is madly in love with Carrie and a sudden viewer fave? At first, it seemed as though he was just another roadblock in Carrie and Austin's rock romance, but his pairing with Carrie - one-sided as it was - scored a hit with the audience. Now, many fans are actually rooting for him to win Carrie's heart. "I think that as you watch Carrie and Austin on their honeymoon, you'll be reminded of the chemistry between these two people and the love they share," hedges Langan. "We'll get caught up in the happiness. It will be a nice respite from all the Sami goings-on and we'll see them again as a happy couple. I think people are very much in favor of these two being together." Not that DAYS isn't going to capitalize on Mike's appeal. "As the story unfolds and Mike enters the picture and Austin and Carrie start to move on with their lives, there will be events and things that will happen," previews Langan. "Maybe we'll see Carrie being torn. Not that she's going to be unfaithful, even mentally, to Austin, but Mike has given her an exposure to life that Austin didn't. Mike will continue to do that, which gives her a different perspective and maturity that Austin doesn't have, nor should he at his age." Still, Langan stresses that Carrie and Austin are meant to be at this point. "Austin is the love of her life," he says. "This is the only man she's ever been to bed with, which makes it more important. Here's a woman who really hasn't had much experience or self-discovery - emotionally or sexually. That's not a bad thing, but we can play the fact that she still has a lot to learn about life, love and relationships." In the meantime, Mike won't be returning to his solitary bachelor rut. Look for Debra, the doc he reconnected with in Rome, to play a part. "I think there's a chance that Debra will show up in Salem (eventually)," teases Langan. "Debra sees all the wonderful qualities that Carrie sees in Mike, except she's interested in having a future with him. What's great is that we show that this guy isn't a loser. Just because Carrie didn't fall in love with him doesn't mean he isn't a good catch." At this juncture, it looks like Carrie discovering that Mike loves her is a long way off. "We're going to tease that for quite a while," admits the exec. "It's the last thing she will think of, but Mike's feelings for Carrie are going to cause him great agony because he loves her." PICKY, PICKY! While we applauded the dramatic possibilities of Austin asking Mike to be the best man at his wedding to Carrie on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, shouldn't Austin have asked Eric? Not only is he Carrie's brother, but he was instrumental in getting Carrie and Austin to the altar. Days of Our Lives Recap - Quotable Quotes What's ahead for Carrie (Christie Clark) and Austin? Austin Peck playfully replies: "Who knows? Maybe she'll be a hussy like the rest of the Reeds, Billie and Kate. It runs in the family." Days of Our Lives Recap - A Look Back In Rome, Mike runs into an old doctor friend of his named Debra Harris. They attend a festival, unaware that Carrie and Austin are also there. Coincidentally, Mike and Austin are wearing the same costume. Carrie comes up to Mike and kisses him, thinking he's Austin. They have an awkward moment, but then laugh it off. Mike introduces the newlyweds to Debra, a colleague from Israel. Carrie and Austin privately confer: Mike and Debra might be a good match! Later, Carrie asks Debra if she would consider dating Mike. Debra says she would have, but Mike had explained to her that he loves a married woman back in Salem. A surprised Carrie asks Debra to find out who it is.