Days of our Lives Performer of the Week: Alison Sweeney as Sami Brady

Days of our Lives 60th anniversary would not have been complete without an appearance by Sami Brady, played by Alison Sweeney. Since 1993, Sweeney has entertained DAYS fans with her portrayal as the willful, unpredictable, irrepressible Sami. For her surprise performances in these anniversary episodes, Soap Central bestows Performer of the Week honors for DAYS on Sweeney.

Days of our Lives, Alison Sweeney, Performer of the Week

Sami's return to Salem was a surprise in that the character is engaged to Dante Vitali, but the real surprise was seeing her grounded and settled in life. She's never outwardly rude to folks unless it's warranted. However, on this last visit, Sami appeared to be kind and more forgiving than we'd ever seen. It appears the love of a good man has changed her.

"No man has ever made me this happy," Sami confided in Lucas (Bryan Dattilo). She went on to tell Lucas that the two of them were never going to be friends, especially given that he had kidnapped her and blamed EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) for it. However, Sami let Lucas know that she knew he was sorry for kidnapping her and blaming EJ.

"I forgive you," Sami told Lucas. Then, she gave him an embrace. We can't say that we ever saw Sami travel the high road, but she clearly had come back to Salem to show people that she's made peace with her past.

Sweeney embraced this direction for her Days of our Lives character with a pure heart, and she committed to having not only civil but cordial encounters with folks. Next, she visited EJ (Dan Feurriegel), a man with whom she shares a tumultuous past, to say the least!

EJ tried to taunt his ex by telling her that she only accepted Dante's proposal to prove she was over him, but Sami didn't nibble. She came from a place of strength and didn't fall back into old patterns. This engagement has Sami practically glowing! Whoever Dante is, he must be pretty special if he's been able to help Sami grow in this way, and they're not even married yet!

While Sami has no use for EJ, she encouraged their son, Johnny (Carson Boatman), to forge a relationship with his father. This was another example of Sami being the bigger person. There's a time she might have used her kids like chess pieces, but Sweeney's Sami continued her goodwill tour as the week continued.

DAYS maximized the limited time it had Sweeney by having Sami bump into another ex, Rafe (Galen Gering). They shared a playful moment, and she referenced the time he protected her in a safe house.

For whom the Belle tolls

In this encounter and others, Sweeney maintained this new confidence and sense of security. Possibly her best scenario came when she was reunited with her sister, Belle (Martha Madison), at the gala for the Tom Horton Free Clinic on Thursday's episode of Days of our Lives.

Sami extended an olive branch to Belle so that the focus could be kept on Sami's late stepdad, and Belle's father, John Black (Drake Hogestyn). Belle wrongly guessed that Sami would revel in her prediction coming true that EJ wasn't the right man for Belle.

Again, Sami surprised us. She couldn't enjoy it because she felt terrible that her sister was hurting. Belle questioned Sami's sincerity. "I am so happy that I have actually found love," Sami said as she wished her sister would find happiness, too.

Belle didn't believe her sister's well-wishes, but we do. What the heck is going on with Sami? We hope that Sweeney makes another return to Salem and that she brings her groom-to-be with her. If he's made this kind of change in Sami, we're looking forward to learning more about him!

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Brava to Sweeney for showing us a new and improved Samatha Gene "Sami" Brady!

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