HIT...Eric the Great on Days

When we heard that Days of Our Lives had cast a pretty body as the third Brady sibling, the cries of "Oh brother!" were almost deafening. However, Jensen Ackles’ portrayal of the long-absent Eric has won us over, and in the process, invigorated the Brady family.

Neither sappy nor scheming (like his sisters!), Eric is a true-blue Brady. Although he is definitely hiding something about his years in Colorado, Eric’s purpose at this point is to support his parent’s storyline. How refreshing--for Days, especially---that the hunk has to wait his turn while the veterans’ storyline unfolds. Much of the credit for the character’s success goes to Ackles. With his expressive face, earnest acting and surprisingly accurate instincts, Ackles has taken to Salem like a DiMera to deception. Standing up to Deidre Hall and Joseph Mascolo (Marlena and Stefano) is a daunting task, but Ackles has proven that he is no slouch, and is worthy of sharing scenes with these two heavy hitters. In addition, he and his on-screen sisters, Alison Sweeney and Christie Clark (Sami and Carrie), look so much alike that you almost take for granted their startling realistic chemistry.

by Jonathan Reiner Soap Opera Weekly