Stephen Nichols

(STEVE, DAYS)

■ Stephen Nichols was captivating in his portrayal of Steve’s confusion, anger and dread when he awoke after surgery to remove the brain chip that turned him into Stefano.

When Steve’s memories of soul mate Kayla came rushing back to him in his hospital bed (“Oh, Sweetness!”), Nichols let Steve’s emotions pour out freely, and stirringly so — but his joy turned to something else altogether when Kayla briefed him on the grim matters he had missed, from their divorce and her new relationship with Justin to the death of his beloved sister, Adrienne. Grief-stricken, struggling to process this multitude of horrors, Steve stared at her in stunned disbelief, then began sobbing, utterly broken, and clung to her embrace, desperate for comfort. Later, when Jack visited, Nichols hung his head low, his Steve disheartened and dejected and full of self-recrimination, arguing that Kayla was better off with her new lover, Justin (“He’s solid. Reliable. Everything I’m not”). That Jack’s pep talk had worked was obvious when Kayla returned; the twinkle was back in Steve’s eye, matched by a flirty, rambunctious energy and a thousand-watt grin.

But a subsequent conversation with Justin ground his progress to a halt. As Justin revealed the gory details of how Steve, as “Stefano”, had nearly killed Kayla, Nichols imbued Steve with a shame and devastation so palpable, he more than sold Steve’s sad conclusion that Kayla would never be able to look at him “and not see the man who was ready to kill her”.

One by one, DAYS delivered the scenes Steve fans had been craving since Nichols returned to the canvas, but sporting a different persona. That this, his true return as Steve, was as electrifying and satisfying as it was is a testament to Nichols, whose massive popularity is equal to his artistry.