Stephen Nichols
Soap Opera Digest Performer of the Week
Sept. 11, 2001
GH viewers had a lot of complaints relating to Stephen Nichols this summer–100 percent of which stemmed from the fact that though the soap’s big summer story is the Spencer-CASSADINE feud, long time fave Nichols was getting about as much air time as Orderly No. 4. That situation has been remedied as of late, and with it has come the opportunity for Nichols to reconnect with the canvas in a different, more measured way. No longer has it been just stony Stefan stalking around Wyndemere barking at anyone who comes along. He’s taken on a softer edge, more conflicted than cold-blooded, becoming the–dare we saw?–“normal” Cassadine (relatively speaking of course) as Helena and Stavros corner the market on madness.
Forwarding this transition has been his sympathy-inspiring relationships with Chloe and Nikolas. Torn and tortured by Nikolas’s apparent hard-heartedness, Stefan has sought to redefine himself using Chloe as his guide to redemption. What could have been more poignant than Stefan weeping to Chloe recently, his heartache finally overwhelming him? More surprised than Chloe were fans when Stefan actually put himself further out on a limb and asked her to marry him. At last, salvation, it seemed was within reach. But, as we learn this week, that dream will grow tragically ever distant.
“You have changed, Stefan,” Chloe praised during those scenes. “You are a good man.” So true. And since, as they say, a good man is hard to find, the decision to keep Stefan and the gifted Nichols front-and-center should be one of GH’s easiest.
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