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.
**Special thanks to pmgallagher@yahoo.com for typing this out.
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