Which soap psycho/criminal had the most ridiculous path to “redemption”?

[Vee]

What I can't understand is why recent regimes basically tried to soften up Andre and turn him into Tony. He is a serial killing supervillain! Just resurrect Tony! He's died fewer times!

[Khan]

I suspect Thaao doesn't want to play Tony again, for whatever reason.

[teplin]

 

I think TPTB have demonstrated time and again that they really don't care what Thaao wants, so not bringing back Tony -- which is a smarter choice, storywise -- mystifies me.

[cassadine1991]

I still don't get the point of making André Stefano's son

[j swift]

well, you have to give them credit for squeezing 36 years of story out of one fact.  Here's what was posted this week on the vintage soap recap tumblr:

 

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Week of February 21 - February 25, 1983

 vintagedaysrecaps

(1:00pm - 60 minutes - NBC)
Tony’s true parentage was revealed.

 

[TheWorldSuxNow]

Todd's original redemption arc (93 until the end of 94) was the BEST redemption arc. They never gave him an excuse or undid anything he did; he received a conditional pardon after undergoing prison therapy, and it was handled more like an early parole. He had to wear an ankle monitor, was in a work release program at the hospital, and had to attend group therapy with other convicted rapists. As far as soap operas go, that was about as realistic as it gets.

 

He also didn't suddenly turn into some angel; he constantly struggled with his anger and retreated into self-deprecation and dry sarcasm.

 

And his motive for changing was when he finally came crashing down to earth after accidentally killing Suede Pruitt while on the run. He finally felt guilt over something, which led to him rethinking everything else he had done. That, combined with he and Rebecca falling in love, was what motivated him to change. And the latter being such a big catalyst for his change was also consistent with what had been written earlier; in a scene with Zach after the mistrial where he confided in him that what he really wanted was for just one woman to actually be interested in him. That was really what his raping Marty was all about - the fact that she rejected him, just like every other woman he had ever met. It was something he was fixated on in a life where he constantly felt like a "loser." There were scenes both on the phone and in person where it's shown that Todd's original father (Peter) regularly called him a "loser," and Todd viewed life similarly to how he viewed football.

 

Life to Todd was a game where you either win or lose. When he was being cross-examined by Hank, that was a football game. When he was trying to escape from prison, that was a football game (he even used the metaphor in a scene with Zach..."when I play football, I can't lose"). When he was seeking "revenge" on those he was convinced wronged him, that was a football game. 

 

The writing back then was exceptional, and Howarth was incredibly compelling and talented as an actor, even if he needed certain things in order to be successful. 

 

The latter stuff, however - after he became "Todd Lord" - was an insult to the original story. And I think Howarth had become spoiled with actual quality writing and his ego couldn't handle the more typical soap opera writing, so he became the scenery chewing theater guy he originally thought he wanted to be. 

[Quent]

Barnabas Collins on Dark Shadows murdered how many women, but became the show's lead hero?