Soap Hub Performer Of The Week For DAYS: Deidre Hall

Deidre Hall and her alter-ego are at their best when they’re in matriarch mode, comforting and calming, reassuring and refereeing.

Deidre Hall — Performer of the Week

When Hall’s Marlena entered the penthouse she shares with her beloved John (Drake Hogestyn), her stepson Brady (Eric Martsolf) and step-granddaughter Rachel (Finley Rose Slater) it was obvious that she was equal parts elated to be home and dead tired. And special kudos to Hall for playing the scenes with a minimum of makeup. No vanity on display here.

After settling on the nearby sofa and taking in her surroundings and poo-pooing John’s regret that she wasn’t being greeted by revelers galore, Marlena mewed to her hubby that the only thing truly missing was the sugar he’d yet to provide. Swoon!

Once the loving couple (finally!) parted, John enthused about Marlena actually being before him, prompting her to ponder, “What you must have gone through, thinking you’d lost me.”

John granted that it had been devastating for all — especially the kids. In response, Marlena wondered if it might be time to “share the good news.”

Cut to Eric (Greg Vaughan) and Belle (Martha Madison) arriving on the scene and engaging in their favorite pastime as of late: arguing with one another.

John put the kibosh on the siblings’ squabbling and updated them on Megan Hathaway’s (Miranda Wilson) arrest. When the two delighted in the fact that the villainess would finally be answering for killing Marlena, John corrected that that wouldn’t be the case. And why not, the two wondered.

“Because I’m alive,” offered Marlena, appearing from the hallway; the beaming smile shot by Hall perfectly encapsulates her character’s utter delight in being in the presence of her “babies.”

Cursory explanations for her resurrection were given, but the only thing that Marlena really cared about was getting an embrace from the awed twosome — and they were more than happy to oblige. The bear hug that Hall, Vaughan, and Madison pulled themselves into exuded a particularly palpable warmth and love. The little headshake that Hall indulged him practically screamed “This is it! This is perfect!” How real it all seemed.

Upon parting, it was time for some serious parenting on Marlena’s part. “Before I came in…I heard some raised voices from the two of you. [Now] it doesn’t matter what it was, I want to tell you what is. I want you to know how painful it is when you love someone as much as I love you both, and as much as you love each other, to hear you at each other’s throats like that. So…I’d like you to find a way to make up. To be at peace. Do you think you can do that for me?”

The battling brood supposed. At least for the time being. Make that for the day. And only for Marlena’s sake. With a downcast look and disappointment dripping, Deidre Hall ruefully decided, “Well, not the reconciliation I was hoping for, but I guess I’ll have to accept that.” Then, she formed a wry smile that seemed to say, “Next time, next time.”

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