Last week, "Days of Our Lives" was brilliant — the best I have seen of any soap. I started watching soaps at 4 and reporting at 21. That means I have been on the soap scene for over ... Never mind. No need to give away my age.

The episode centered on John and Marlena's not-so-surprise anniversary party. It offered the big reveal that Nicole was really Kristen in disguise — which the audience knew from the beginning. Although the Salemites kept noticing that Nicole was not acting like herself, no one could figure out why.

At the party, John started thinking about "Nicole's" actions, and not everyone understands Nicole's abrupt personality shift. In a spectacular montage, John recalled the comments and realized it was not Nicole. He pulled off the mask and there was Kristen.

About that mask ... Even that was explained. Before the reveal, Sarah recalled that evil genius Dr. Rolf came up with a procedure in which one could put on a mask to make them look like whomever they wanted to be. These were no trick-or-treat masks.

But there certainly were a lot of tricks and treats. The acting was stellar. Even in the small moments when "Nicole" was mocking Susan, Arianne Zucker was spot on.

And Susan, everybody's favorite and touching goofball, was by turns endearing, funny and heroic. Stacy Haiduk, who plays both Susan and Kristen, soared. The part where Susan explained how she used her buckteeth to get out of the binds Kirsten put her in was classic. Just give her the Emmy. Nothing ageist against Eileen Davidson, who played the part for years, but Haiduk brought a different essence. Every actor makes their choices. Both performers shined but in different ways.

As Kristen held Marlena at gunpoint, Susan bashed Kristen over the head. Susan was credited with saving Marlena's life. She was so stunned at being called a hero that she drank a lot. What is better than a sober Susan? A drunk Susan.

Usually, when soaps do parties, the only ones in attendance are other characters we know that they know. But the show had extras to serve as extra friends and colleagues of John and Marlena.

Great things did not stop that day. Kristen, who had been arrested for murder, was able to prove she did not kill anyone. It was Tony who accidently shot Ted. As for her killing baby Holly, Xander, not wanting Sarah and Maggie to hate him, revealed the baby was alive.

The costumes were great. Dr. "No-Nonsense" Marlena Evans wore a great pantsuit, Tony wore a wonderful, decked-out three-piece tux, and Susan looked gaudy and gorgeous.

Theo Penghlis, who plays Tony, said it was a very long day. Special group episodes usually are. He also said the hard work was worth it.

While "Days" cannot do that every day, subsequent episodes have been dramatic and fun. Kudos, "Days of Our Lives" writers, actors, producer, editors et al.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: LeandroDeCarvalho at Pixabay