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General Hospital feels and looks a lot different than it did at this time last year. Production seems refreshed with new sets and outdoor shots. It’s always the head writer who sets the tone of series and I think we are starting to see more of Jean Passanante and Shelly Altman’s take on GH. The hospital set is being used more to archer stories and we’re seeing a lot more of characters moving around Port Charles. I’m really liking this look for GH.
Friday’s episode in particular had a sort of The Bold and the Beautiful vibe to it. There were outdoor scenes for both Julexis and Naxie. Though not the same as a location shoot in Paris, it was nice to see a real outdoor scene as oppose to the faux set up we usually get. There was a focus on some of the more fashionable story lines such as Crimson (with special guest star Joe Zee). We also saw a woman beg a guy not to divorce her a la Liam and Steffy but more on that later in the article. Overall though it feels like GH is stepping out of the shadows a bit and looking a bit more stylish.
I asked fans on Twitter a week ago what non-couple they would like to see paired up or chemistry tested. The response was overwhelming. Apparently I’m not the only one craving some new romances. I think GH is at a good spot to start mixing things up and it looks like that’s what the writers are doing. I would like to see some creativity applied to new pairings rather than simply going for the obvious. While I need a couple to make sense, dropping characters into a romance because of history or environment without showing the journey just creates a default pairing and doesn’t equate to good chemistry or story. I think there are some characters that haven’t interacted much who could easily have their story lines intertwine now. The next big super couple could already be on the show; they just haven’t been introduced yet.
A lot happened last week and I wasn’t able to write about all of it. If you want to share your thoughts on anything I did or did not mention, please leave a comment below or tweet me and we’ll chat.
General Hospital Week in Review for the episodes that aired March 28th-April 1st.
#TeamQuartermaine
This last week of GH proved a very important point, one that fans have been screaming at their television screens for awhile now. It is possible for the series to play their Quartermaines in frontburner stories. The neglected core family is not just Tracy and Monica sitting in their living room barking orders at Alice. It’s Tracy, Monica, Ned, Dillon, Jason, Sam and Danny intersecting into each other’s story and sharing a journey. (Editor Note: Michael should be included in that group too but isn’t for reasons.) The Quartermaines are so needed to make General Hospital feel like home again. It’s been everything watching this disfunction family put their differences aside and band together.
Jason, Sam and Danny visited Monica at the hospital.
I love Jason with his family. This really is the best fit for Jason 2.0. GH can keep him edgy and leather clad but still give him a loving family life. I don’t want Stone Cold back and Billy Miller has much better chemistry with the Quartermaines than the mobster crowd. Jason Quartermaine also fits better with Sam and Danny. Sam has grown a lot as character. Though she still likes the occasional thrill, she has become a bit more sophisticated and her priorities have changed. Her son’s well-being is important to her and she is an active part in the Davis girls’ lives. With family being so dear to Sam, it would make sense for part of her renewed attraction to Jason to be his own caring interaction with family. I really liked Sam and Jason visiting Tracy at the hospital. There was heart in those scenes and Miller was excellent opposite Jane Elliott. Even though Tracy slung insults at Jason, he was able to show her compassion. I particularly enjoyed the moment when she thought he was Edward and he responded to her delusion with kindness rather than annoyance. I really hope that GH continues to send Jason down this path.
Ned has returned and he was sorely missed! Seeing him with his mother and brother was very touching. At some point, we’ve all gathered with our relatives in a hospital room with nothing more to offer than our presence and our prayers. Ned returning to Port Charles during Tracy’s health scare felt very real. I’m interested to see who else he’ll interact with now that he’s back. I feel like having this character back is a great way to help revive the Quartermaines.
GH also needs Ned to make the ELQ story line work. The impact of the reveal that Hayden is Rachel seems to be building up more after the fact. I’m looking forward to seeing Ned, Dillon and Jason fight to get ELQ back for Tracy. Sam and Jason are using their investigation skills to find out more about Hayden and Nik’s relationship. They can perhaps get the leverage they need to twist Nik’s arm if they learn the truth about what he did to Hayden. Ned has a good leadership quality that would make him a good choice to be in charge of ELQ and Dillon still has his shares in the company. It feels like the Quartermaines have the ammunition needed to win the battle. This story was messy and has been in limbo for awhile but I’m looking forward to seeing the games finally begin.
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