A Heartfelt Admission, a Devastating Turn, and the Countdown to a Life-Altering Revelation

Credit: ABC screenshot

This week marked the start of a new era for General Hospital, with temporary writers taking the reins. While some storylines made progress, many conversations seemed to rehash previous events. As we continue through the writers’ strike, we eagerly anticipate the soap’s future. Friday’s episode, however, delivered a rollercoaster of surprises.

The Manipulative Actions of Gladys

Gladys has proven time and again that she can stoop to new lows. Not content with getting Sasha confined to Ferncliff, she and Dr. Montague are now gaslighting her, convincing her that she’s not improving. Although Sasha has grown suspicious of the doctor, she remains unaware of Gladys’s involvement. Unfortunately, before she can raise the alarm, the doctor drugs her.

Thankfully, Cody finally confided in Dante about his connection to Gladys and Selina. He suspects that Gladys has been using their guardianship to fund her gambling habit. With Cody, Dante, Sam, and Maxie all questioning the situation, we hope that Sasha’s confinement will not be prolonged. Sasha has endured so much already, and it’s heart-wrenching and infuriating to see her suffer further. It’s as if she’s become a punching bag in Sonny’s gym. Witnessing Sasha’s desperate cries for help, with Gladys leading Maxie away to prevent her from hearing, is enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure.

The show has the opportunity to set Sasha free and send her on a much-needed mental retreat to explain the actress’s maternity leave. While it may not be as dramatic as her current predicament, Sasha deserves some well-deserved happiness. When the truth about Gladys is exposed, I only hope she ends up in Ferncliff!

It’s About Time!

Since Ava’s Nikolas and Mason drama began, viewers have questioned why Ava didn’t immediately seek Sonny’s help. Sonny has no love for Nikolas, so there was no reason to believe he would turn against Ava. They have made progress co-parenting Avery, so it was no surprise when Ava finally confessed to Sonny and sought his assistance in dealing with Mason. After all, Mason poses a threat to their daughter. It’s high time for the revelations to unfold. Not only must we uncover the identity of Mason and the Gatlin Gang, but we also need to find out what fate awaits Nikolas. One concern arises: now that it’s Ava and Sonny against Mason and his family, it seems as if Austin has been written into a “what do we do with this character” corner.

Laura and Lulu’s Return… Partially…

After a few weeks of absence, Laura and Valentin reappeared on our screens, safe (or as safe as they can be) in Chechnya. Exploring the old Cassadine villa, which suspiciously resembles the set of Jax and Carly’s former home, they discovered that the property had been sold. The new occupants were clueless about Nikolas’s whereabouts. Of course, we all know this is a wild goose chase, as Nikolas is in Pautauk. With Laura back and Anna appearing in the next episode’s preview, we can only hope that Laura and her family will soon be reunited in Port Charles. Laura is the heart of the show, and her presence, along with her children and grandchildren, should receive more focus.

Speaking of Laura’s children, Lulu made a surprising return, albeit briefly. It’s been ages since anyone mentioned her or visited her. So imagine our surprise when Dante took Charlotte to see her on Friday’s episode. However, one can’t help but wonder why Rocco wasn’t included in the visit. But let’s not nitpick too much; at least we had a glimpse of Lulu, even if it was just a bed and some blankets. The real shock came when Dante mentioned that Lulu had been moved from the specialty burn hospital to General Hospital. Lulu’s return to Port Charles seems imminent. After such a long absence, it feels like we’re getting closer to witnessing Lulu’s awakening, as her daughter Charlotte fervently pleaded. And no, your eyes didn’t deceive you—that was the original actress playing Charlotte, not the most recent one.

Other Storyline Observations

Just as we were getting acquainted with the new actress portraying Molly, news of an “accident” involving Molly sent fans into panic mode. Many feared that NuMolly would be sidelined due to real-life issues, mirroring actress Haley Pullos’s problems. Fortunately, it turned out to be a simple trip, though Molly now sports a foot boot. This begs the question of whether the actress may have genuinely injured herself. It wouldn’t be the first time real-life mishaps influenced the show. As I mentioned last week, now is an opportune time to pause the surrogacy storyline and allow viewers to adjust to the new actresses. It appears that the focus is shifting towards Kristina’s efforts to establish a youth center.

While Michael and Willow make for an adorable family, their storyline lacks intrigue. Although Nina made an effort to be pleasant during her visit, Michael couldn’t help but be snarky and eager to send her away, even though Willow had invited her. So imagine our shock when Nina took matters into her own hands and politely told Michael that his attitude sucked, which is clearly written all over his face. Kristina was more straightforward, bluntly asking Michael why he always had to be so cruel to Nina. It’s understandable that Michael dislikes Nina, but he should respect Willow’s wishes. Perhaps Willow should have a conversation with Carly and request the same—let go of the vendetta.

Curtis’s reaction to his paralysis was predictably angry, resulting in him pushing Portia away. As Dr. Portia noted, such initial reactions are not uncommon among patients. Fortunately, it seems we won’t have to endure an angry Curtis for long, as Finn managed to reach him with his alternative healing methods, or as Curtis jokingly referred to them, “woo-woo new age spiel.” That moment genuinely got a chuckle out of me!

Chase and Brook Lynn’s skinny dipping dare provided some filler content, but unlike Finn and Liz’s date, it was fun and entertaining. I appreciate that they are loosening Chase up, showing us a different side of his strict personality.

If we hadn’t suspected Esme’s infatuation with Spencer already, her whining about Trina being more important to him than she and Ace made it abundantly clear. “Sprina” better watch their backs because Esme is coming for them.

Lastly, a delightful surprise awaited us—the return of Yuri! It was a joy to see him and acknowledge that he and Terry have been together for a year now. If only we could have more of them on our screens.

Those are my thoughts for this week. As always, feel free to share yours in the comments! And before you go, don’t forget to check out the photo gallery below featuring the many dysfunctional soap families.