‘General Hospital’ Recap: Nina’s Plan Evolves; Jason’s New Face Revealed

Last week on General Hospital was an exciting one, and not for the high paced adventure we’ve been getting for weeks now but because storylines were actually pushed along. Some storylines even seemed to come to a climax but when it comes to soap operas, one is never sure if it truly signifies a coming end or something much, much more. Either way, it was not a slow week in Port Charles.

General Hospital Recap | Episodes Airing October 13-17, 2014

Nina’s plan evolves

I know, some people find her annoying, unnecessary and just an odd fit to General Hospital but Michelle Stafford’s Nina Clay has been stellar to me! Unhinged goes so well with her! I can say that the story confused me and did not interest me whatsoever when Nina was still presumed dead, but ever since coming back with her fake injury and mouthy nurse at hand, she’s been like a needed jolt for the other actors on screen. A week ago, Silas had finally discovered that his wife could hop, skip and jump just like most of us, something that got the good doctor curious. Silas’ digging brought him to Nina’s physical therapist that she’d seen once since coming to Port Charles and not for therapy, but to pay for his silence on the fact that she can walk. Not even an ominous threat to her partner in crime Rosalie could keep her in line with Nina’s plan and Silas unfortunately came to know all of the truth; he tore into her about everything, finally putting all the mysterious pieces together and finally blames her for ending his relationship with Sam. Nina is having none of it and fires right back, practically scaring Silas into submission.

This all happened just as her dubiously-released-from-prison mother, Madeline, tried to warn Nathan and Liesl about Nina’s unstable ways. No one believed Madeline at first but Nathan soon left to hunt down his “sister” which left Madeline at home, alone and unprotected. Nina showed up at Nathan’s apartment later to find her criminal mother instead of her brother and immediately goes in for the attack, hell bent on killing her mother until realizing she could use her to steal Ava Jerome’s baby. Unfortunately, she left the doctor Kiki was in search of for her mother’s premature labor, Silas Clay, unconscious on his apartment floor after clocking him over the head.

Jason is unveiled

After a week or two (or what felt like months) of Robin talking at him, Jason has finally been doing some talking of his own. Though he still can’t remember his own name, connection to his nurse Elizabeth or their deceased son that he likened himself after, Billy Miller’s Jason recalls Brad Pitt and Freddy Krueger, which I found to be the most interesting part about their interactions all week. There’s no denying the two characters and actors have chemistry, fans have been swooning over them since Jason came back to Port Charles with Ava Jerome’s tire tracks imprinted on him. However, I’m not exactly on for the “Liason” ride just yet.

In the middle of their bonding fest, Jason got a visit from a flirty Dr. Brad Cooper who managed to throw spiked words Elizabeth’s way all while giving Jason his checkup. Granted Brad was being a jerk rubbing Elizabeth’s face in the mess she found herself in with Nikolas and Britt, Jason sticking up for Elizabeth even when she answered Brad’s cattiness with some of her own rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like the writers were trying to paint him as the same heroic Jason but in the same beat, he let Elizabeth get away with doing the same thing. But I digress! It’s a minor complaint, a little whine from someone who is not an Elizabeth Webber fan…  What I did enjoy though was the dark comedy undertones of Jordan Ashford coming to check in on the man she claimed to have run over.  She was clearly both thankful he was alright and that his memory was foggy, though Jason did question whether or not the driver really was Jordan because the voice he did remember was not the same at all.

Ava’s crisis

Ava Jerome this week is still being held up at Morgan Corinthos’ place. The one place his often despicable mobster father hasn’t checked to find the woman he desperately wants to kill in retaliation. This is the very same woman who might be carrying his child or grandchild, mind you. With all of that aside, Ava who has survived a kidnapping attempt, has been unknowingly wasting away snacking on pills that formerly mousy nurse Sabrina Santiago promised would help with her violent cramps. Little does she know, each pill she pops brings her closer and closer to a dangerous premature labor, the endgame in Sabrina’s misguided revenge plan.

While the mob daughter is wailing away in her safe house, fearing the worst has really begun, Sabrina has a sudden change of heart at General Hospital. Her ex-fiancé Carlos Rivera had planted a few seeds of doubt in her mind during their last visit that ultimately made Sabrina understand the horrible nature of her actions, forcing her to confess to Jordan about “accidentally” giving Ava pills that may cause early labor. Honestly, it felt like such a rush job to me to have Sabrina suddenly backtrack on this revenge she had set in motion. When she came back from Puerto Rico, she was a woman with a mission – though that didn’t make her interesting nor did it seem in character – she finally had something going there! I’m not really sure what else Sabrina did because I rolled my eyes when she began to flail around the hospital, threatening to turn herself in for her crime. I do remember her judgmental best friend Felix DuBois actually thought it best to cover up his friend’s crime (though he condemned every fault in Brad for months and months) instead of confessing to the cops. They’re really made for each other… What I was much more interested in was what Kiki found after leaving her mother’s side at the safe house to seek her father, Silas Clay’s help…

Britt moves back home

It wasn’t a huge plot point but I loved it anyway. Finally, after far too long apart, Britt and Nikolas are on again! We find Britt beyond excited to be moving back into Wyndemere, just a little cautious due to the part she played in Spencer’s ridiculous fake runaway plot. Spencer doesn’t seem too worried about his father finding out that truth because he’ll finally get to experience having a mother – and a fun mother too! Not a judgmental nurse who gave birth to his love rival… but, I’m off track again! Spencer is thankful to Nikolas for finally forgiving Britt and ultimately, we learn that Nikolas is very happy that he did as well. Now if only Britt can keep her elaborate dreams of Nikolas discovering the truth and having her arrested from coming true then she’ll be in the clear! But this is Britt Westbourne, daughter of not one but two psychopaths, karma has something for her if not for that reason alone. Either way it’ll be fun to see what lengths she’ll go to keep Nikolas in the dark.

All the Fluke stuff

Yes, I call this storyline stuff because that’s what it feels like now. I’m always down for a classic imposter storyline on a soap, but this one has trickled on so slowly. Everyone is still unsure about Luke Spencer’s involvement in any of the Jerome family’s criminal activities even as evidence stacks up against him and multiple people have come to realize he’s been acting – differently. Jason, Sam and Tracy are still in the redecorated Kelly’s – er, coffee shop in Amsterdam to hopefully pull a fast one on Fluke but instead shows up Jerry Jacks who should have pancaked against the sidewalk months ago after his fall. But here he is, desperate to take over ELQ with Helena Cassadine backing him up. We learn that not only does the dastardly duo want ELQ, but they’re actively trying to keep Jason from discovering who he is as well, going so far as to tamper with the PCPD’s fingerprint database to keep Dante off the trail. While Tracy is quick to believe that Jerry Jacks must be the Jerome family boss and not Luke, after months of jerking around, no viewer wants this solved so neatly even if it is a draining tale.  Hopefully this too begins to head for its climax.

#Sonnyistheworst

That hashtag has been making its rounds on Twitter for a while now and I’ve quickly come to understand why. Sonny is supposed to be this mobster with a heart because he has a family that he wants to protect, but watching him plot framing someone for the murder of Franco feels dirty, almost as dirty as him plotting to kidnap a pregnant woman to kill her after she gives birth. Sonny and Shawn go down a list of people with enough motive to kill Franco and have it be plausible, they decide on Heather Webber in the end. Little do they know, Franco is visiting with his mother at Ferncliff to let her in on Carly’s latest schemes! It takes just a BLT from Kelly’s and a bit of whining for Franco to get Heather on his side because he’ll need her for his big Halloween wedding plan. It seems everything is going to culminate on that big day; storylines that have been dragging are picking up steam again! All I know is that I’m very excited to see who will meet their big downfall in the coming weeks.

Thank you to everyone and anyone who reads my first TVSource Magazine recap! It was very stressful to write, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it but I’m excited to have the opportunity to share with you all each week! If there’s something you don’t like, feel free to let me know! Please don’t hold back on me. Constructive criticism is what every writer needs to grow, so let’s grow together!