Thanks, “General Hospital,” for Three Days of Riveting Soap Opera

In all the years I’ve been writing about and criticizing soap opera, I can’t recall a sequence of episodes that was so solidly entertaining as last week’s Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday “General Hospital.”  Instead of one major “A” story and a few backgrounders, here was a show chock of colliding major storylines and cliffhangers that make us gasp. That’s how this “wowsa” dramatic blend struck me, and I’d bet, many of you, too. These shows felt more like movies than soaps!

The impetus for all this was the impending temporary absence of Steve Burton’s Jason. The veteran star is taking a hiatus from the show, handing headwriters Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte the challenge of devising a rip-roaring way to get the character off the canvas. This, they did. Jason and his lady love Britt (Kelly Theibaud, an idiosyncratic actress who is always interesting to watch) have wanted to leave Port Charles anyway. But they got detained. Hitman Jason was set to assassinate WSB head Ross Cullum (played by Andrew Hawkes, who is great at being creepy, perhaps the most unattractive actor ever to appear on a soap opera.)  The two met down by the docks and Cullum pulled out a dangerous-looking silver bludgeon of some sort, intending to wallop Jason across the head. But before he could get a good swing, a shot rang out and Cullum crumbled to the ground. The shooter was … Rocco Falconari (Finn Carr)! A shaken Rocco went home to his mother Lulu (Alex Havins Bruening) who in a beautifully played scene of mother love comforted her distraught son.

Meanwhile, over at Alexis’ office another deadly scenes unfolded. Alexis (Nancy Grahn) found a badly wounded Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) who had been shot by Cullum. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gorier soap murder scene. “GH” spared on expense on fake blood. Cullum was rushed off to the hospital where he was attended to Dr. Isiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) and nurse Elizabeth Baldwin (Rebecca Herbst). Unfortunately, Marco didn’t make it and was bid heartbreaking farewell by his devoted longtime lover Dr. Lucas Jones (Van Hansis.)

Of course, these killings reverberated. Marco’s father, Sidwell (Carlo Rota) was devastated by the death of his son, and as he broke down, was comforted by one of his lady loves, Ava (Maura West). What bravura melodrama! This is the kind of performance Daytime Emmy reels are made of.

The action went on. Jason, who was blamed for attacking Sidwell, was caught by the WUSB’s Jack Brennan (Chris Mckenna) and another host of WUSB ugly agents and sent by car far away from Port Charles. His exit on the Port Charles docks was harrowingly witnessed by Jason’s’ near hysterical son Danny (Asher Anytonyn) and an overwhelmed Britt. What a memorable farewell the writers gave to Jason.

The next day, Cullum lay unconscious in the hospital. Dr. Britt hovered nearby with a perhaps lethal injection when WUSB agent Jocelyn (Eden McCoy) entered and insisted that either she or Britt should finish this dangerous man him off. Suddenly Cullum’s eyes opened…

And so, the remarkable everyday drama of “General Hospital” goes on as proven by these latest episodes, the only can’t miss soap opera I can remember in a long, long time. Of course, writers Chris von Etten and Korte delivered here, as they do practically every day. The show is expertly overseen by veteran executive producer Frank Valentini. But what really struck me watching this ensemble cast these three days was how great this show’s casting is. The very sensitive performances of the young actors who play young Rocco and Danny in this episode were crucial to their impact. Young players Carter and Antonynyn put me in the mind of a young Sal Mineo or James Dean. Since kudos as always to casting director Mark Teschner who found these two winning young men, and in addition, his latest find young Bluesy Burke, who plays Charlotte Cassidine. As I’ve written so often over the years, “GH” casting director Mark Teschner never misses.

Will we ever see this kind of pull-out-all-the-stops soap opera again on daytime? Who knows? Marlena is happy it happened this time, and on our old favorite soap “General Hospital.”

A note to my readers:

Marlena De Lacroix has been a soap journalist since 1979. Since this column originated in Soap Opera Weekly in 1987 as “Critical Condition,” I’ve been lucky to be able to count so many of you as both faithful readers and correspondents as well as beloved friends. As of this week my column will continue to appear here and on Substack. Besides the current weekly column members will eventually have access to many past columns–there are over seven hundred of them! That’s a lot of soap commentary! Thinking fans come and join me in rereading what has always been Marlena De Lacroix’s own labor of love.

Marlena/Connie has been on the publicity trail recently. Look for her chat with author Tom Lisanti (“Texas” and “Ryan’s Hope”) on “The Diana Montford Show.”  It’s produced for public access television by the Manhattan Neighborhood Network. She and Tom talk about their careers interviewing  soap opera, primetime, and movie stars. It’s available on YouTube.

Also on YouTube is an appearance on “The General Hospital Snark Podcast” on Monday nights. Connie .is now billed as a special correspondent on the long life and fascinating times of “GH.” The Snarks are two soap fans who are as insightful as they are devoted. On the podcast, Connie tells stories of interviewing many “General Hospital” greats over the years like Genie Francis and Gloria Monty. The  Snarks also can be found on  Facebook and Spotify.