Being the heavy in a storyline (like Kristen) can be a bit taxing, especially on a show like Days of our Lives where all kinds of evil deeds occur in and around Salem. So when there is comic relief — it is like a breath of fresh air, and Susan Banks sure brought it. For handling both handily, Soap Hub awards Performer of the Week honors on Stacy Haiduk.
Stacy Haiduk — Performer of the Week
As character actor Edmund Gwenn is credited with having said on his deathbed, ‘dying is easy — comedy is hard!’ This week Haiduk made it look oh-so-easy as Susan channeled, or rather tuned into a channel, to let Ben (Robert Scott Wilson) know that his beloved wife Ciara (Victoria Konefal) is not only still alive — but might not stay that way. Honorable mention has to go to Wilson and Isabel Durant (Claire) for managing to keep a straight face during the whole thing.
“No, no, Ciara — you’re in danger, girl,” she squealed as a helpless Ben looked on, evoking thoughts of Whoopi Goldberg’s clairvoyant Oda Mae saying the same thing to Demi Moore’s clueless character in Ghost. But in this version, Ciara couldn’t hear nor heed the other-worldly warning and Susan’s play-by-play of the action was near torture for Ben.
Of course, Ben’s heartache, Claire’s confusion, and Susan’s antics made for must-see-TV on Friday and Haiduk certainly delivered. Like when Claire wasn’t sure Susan was seeing a current situation and their wacky pal said, “You know I can hear you,” poking fun at how often times viewers wonder how can characters not hear others nearby talking about them.
Another movie line was borrowed, this time from Elaine Hendrix’s character Meredith (from the remake of The Parent Trap), when Susan followed that up with, “And for your 411” to point out that Ciara was in a glass box, not a car, to prove the validity of her vision. Cause that makes so much more sense, right? Even though she in fact was correct. It was a welcomed distraction from all the Salem drama.
Susan is not an easy character to capture, but Stacy Haiduk didn’t miss a beat after inheriting the quirky Banks sibling from Eileen Davidson (Ashley, The Young and the Restless). She doesn’t get to play her often but when she does, she strikes comedy gold — and we viewers are all the better for it. Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes.
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