Suave and scary. You have to be both in order to make it into the pantheon that is DAYS’ best-remembered villains. William Christian – the most recent recipient of Soap Hub’s Performer of the Week honors – has got those attributes in spades…and his damn fine actor to boot!
Willaim Christian — Performer of the Week
Christian’s considerable chops were first on display when Chanel Dupree DiMera (Raven Bowens) forced his TR Coates to swing from hard-nosed executive to charm personified in about 2.5 seconds. Of course, he’d be willing to let Chanel and Allie Horton (Lindsay Arnold) out of their acting contracts…but only if Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) gives the okay.
Without doubt, Christian’s finest moments were those opposite Lamon Archey’s Eli Grant – whom TR wind up shooting during a struggle over Eli’s service weapon – and the ones where he was on set by his lonesome, a panicked, blood-stained man unsure of what exactly he’d done and what his next move should be.
“You’re supposed to have your act together! You’re TR Coates!” he blubbered, fists pounding his chest. Then, ever so suddenly, Christian stiffened his body, drained the emotion from his face, and stared vacantly into the distance. “Enough of that,” this new, eerily calm TR declared. “I gotta clean this mess up.”
And clean up TR did…and chill us viewers to the bone William Christian did do. Bravo!
Honorable Mention: James Reynolds
James Reynolds more than held his own when Abe Carver faced off against William Christian’s alter ego. TR might be Lani’s biological father, but Abe is the one who Lani Price Grant (Sal Stowers) calls Dad and whom her children call Grandpa, and Abe isn’t about to let anyone threaten his family. It’s doubtless that Abe wouldn’t have personally (and happily) escorted TR out of the building had Lani not intervened.
Honorable Mention: Susan Seaforth Hayes
Sometimes less really is more. In one simple scene, with one simple act, Susan Seaforth Hayes conveyed everything. When Abe alluded to TR’s past abuse of Paulina Price (Jackée Harry), Julie Williams leaned closer to Paulina and placed a comforting, sympathetic hand on her arm, and in doing so silently conveyed Julie’s firsthand knowledge of being a survivor. Not a victim, but a survivor.
Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Salem, check out all the latest that’s been posted on DAYS spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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