Alley Mills

(PAM, B&B)

■ What was supposed to be the happiest time of Pam’s life

— her engagement to Charlie

— quickly became a source of agony for Ms. Douglas, courtesy of Quinn’s sour grapes.

Learning that Quinn had advised Charlie not to marry her, and called her crazy to boot, Pam sputtered in outrage, her body shaking. Then, suddenly worried, she searched his eyes for reassurance that he didn’t believe the description, heaving a sigh of relief when she received it. Pam stormed to the Forrester mansion to confront Quinn, her anger mounting as it became clear that her rival was going to double down on her accusations, not recant them. So Pam tried a new tack: appealing to Quinn woman-to-woman. Speaking quickly so as not to lose her nerve, she confessed that beneath her show of marital merriment, “I’m terrified.” Without self-pity, Pam recapped the psychological toll growing up in an abusive household had taken on her, her tone imploring Quinn for understanding. “I can’t let you put doubt back into my mind,” she roared, anguish punctuating every syllable. For a moment or two, it seemed to work — but when Quinn made another dig at Pam, it relit her fuse. Indignant and hurt, a snarling Pam went on a rampage, castigating Quinn as unfit to shine Stephanie’s shoes and dragging her sister’s portrait out of the closet. In the melee, Quinn’s foot went through the portrait, unleashing a primal wail of grief from Pam. Mills played the moment like Pam was, if only symbolically, losing her sister all over again. Before exiting at Eric’s behest, an emotionally spent Pam had a touching eureka moment, declaring to Quinn — and herself — that even if she was a little crazy,“when you get a marriage certificate, you don’t have to be perfect.you just have to be willing.”

Mills channeled Pam’s lifetime of pain and her hard-won battle for self-worth to fuel her character’s reaction. The results were as illuminating as they were explosive.