Riveting and Powerful: DAYS Does Aiden’s Return Just Right

Told in a classic theater or storybook format, “Days of Our Lives” thought outside the box today with a new twist on the old and tired back-from-the-dead storyline.

With leaks everywhere in the daytime world these days, Daniel Cosgrove’s return was no secret, nor was the story of where Aiden spent the last six months. However, the format DAYS chose to use for this very special episode surprised us all. What we expected was an hour of confrontation between Aiden and Hope, but what we got was a powerful story told in flashbacks from Aiden’s point of view.

From the use of titles before each act to the incredible performance by Daniel Cosgrove, we couldn’t keep our eyes off the screen. While we know Hope (Kristian Alfonso) has doubts that this man is Aiden, we know from the flashbacks that’s indeed who he is. That element of knowing more than the characters adds to the story, and seeing what happened to Aiden rather than just hearing about it makes the character more sympathetic.

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In November, DAYS made us despise the character who tried to kill our most beloved heroine. Bringing Aiden back was a risk, especially with how unpopular he’d become. If this was going to work, we had to feel sorry for Aiden and feel for him all over again.

As we watched Aiden slowly lose his mind in Andre’s caged prison, that sympathy came. Aiden was privy to horrible information from the outside world–including the fact that his son raped a young woman. Of course, he never learned who Chase raped, as the media typically doesn’t release a victim’s name. This will make what happened all the more shocking when Aiden soon learns the truth.

By the end of the hour, a sullen and resigned Aiden allowed himself to be hauled off in cuffs as Hope sobbed on the floor. We’re willing to bet she was asking why if any husband had to return from the dead that night, it had to be Aiden.