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[Daniel Avery]

Ideally, Felicia would have volunteered to have Ronnie's tea cup tested for drugs, and in the process (as a secret favor to the Qs) have the DNA on the cup tested against Michael's, since he'd be her closest relative if she was his great aunt. Felicia was the one who had the bright idea to have strands of Cody's hair secretly tested to see if he was Mac's son, so it would be in her wheelhouse. It would also have justified Felicia attending the tea party at all. We would have at least gotten confirmation that she is who she says she is, though in my mind I think she really is Monica's sister. I think FV wants to create a way for Erika Slezak to make periodic visits (if ES wants to) at holidays, etc. and that would only be possible if Ronnie and the Qs are on good terms when she leaves.

 

[Emelee]

Just call the attorney that wrote the will for Monica. He's retired, not dead. Unless he has dementia, he should remember who Monica gave the house to.

It's more likely that someone altered the will after it was signed and witnessed than Ronnie not being Monica's sister.

The Martin factor is there. He learned Monica had a sister in the letter he found, he is a lawyer, he has reasons to want revenge on Tracy and he made a flimsy excuse to access the Q house during the tea party.

Both altering the will and sending in a fake Ronnie seem very excessive. Unneccessary even. One of the ploys would suffice. The easiest being altering the will.

 

[Emelee]

Yes, a wealthy family like the Qs would not have been so accepting. Tracy was simply saying what anyone
would say in a real life situation similar to this.

Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I could never imagine normal kind real life people treating a guest like Tracy treated Ronnie from the get-go. I found her obnoxious, nasty, and even vile.

Even if you are rich and suspect someone is trying to con you (without yet having any evidence), you still have some manners! Tell the guest that you will have to check this out, and would like some proof. But you keep the tone respectful until there are evidence of a scam. You don't go on the attack the first thing you do when a visitor comes around.

 

[Daniel Avery]

In the wake of the death of a major character, the writers have to come up with some kind of distraction, something story-wise that keeps everyone from just sitting around mourning their loss. Having Ronnie pop up and Tracy being so rotten to her is a textbook example of distracting the viewers and/or changing the subject away from Monica's death temporarily--long enough for the viewer to get past the loss of Monica and move on to other stories for her family. I'm sure the animosity will all be resolved with Tracy acknowledging the misdirection of her grief over Monica into single-minded anger toward Ronnie---but not until they're ready to close out the Ronnie arc and send her back to Durham. By then Tracy will be able to move onto the next chapter of her life---hopefully with her back in the Q mansion where she belongs. I'm sure Rocco and Charlotte will be counting the minutes...

I think they enjoy "winding Tracy up" and aiming her at people periodically because they don't want Tracy's recent "matriarch" behavior to be perceived as her "softening in her old age". As soon as she shows everyone her soft side, the writers feel obligated to let "Mean Tracy" out to play. And of course JE can turn it all on and off at will, occasionally within the same scene.

 

[Emelee]

GH should also have sends-off to other legendary characters like Robert Scorpio, Lesley Webber and Rick Webber. Many GH faves have died in recent year.

It took GH about 6 months after Leslie Charleson's passing until they taped Monica's death story. It was a very long gap between Jackie Zeman's death and Bobbie's death as well. So Robert will likely die around summer 2026.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Bobbie's send-off was postponed due to the Writers' Strike. Monica's send-off was postponed due to Chad Duell's departure. The producers wanted to be sure that the recast of Michael was in place and "working out" before they wrote Monica's death story, given the issues they'd had with re-re-recasting Molly in the midst of the surrogate story.

I tend to over-think these things, but I think I've figured out what Michael is up to with respect to his recent behavior toward Chase, Dante, Brook Lynn, and Lulu. Michael is insisting to everyone that Willow is much more unstable than they realize and adopts this colder attitude that they have not seen before. When he insisted to BL that he was going to make sure Willow was never around the kids again, he knew that would get back to Chase (her husband). When he said the same to Lulu (and she overheard him saying it again), he knew it would get back to Dante. Michael knows that if he can manipulate Chase into going totally overboard with his defense of Willow, Chase will look like a biased/unfair player in the investigation. Anything Chase finds that implicates Michael will be questioned, maybe even thrown out of a case formed against Michael due to Chase's perceived bias. If Chase gets much more "pro-Willow," it might undermine his marriage, as well. In the situation with Dante, Michael knows Dante isn't as easily manipulated, but he will most certainly call out his partner Chase if he sees Chase going so far off the deep end. Dante's constant effort to make himself seem "above reproach" with respect to his family (futile as it may be) would compel him to join in the chorus accusing Chase of having lost his objectivity. Chase's decision to investigate "on his own time" will end up getting him suspended, maybe even fired, and Michael manages to keep his hands clean in the whole thing.

This effort pf Michael's to drive Chase to ruin his own career and possibly his marriage in the name of saving "poor victim Willow" totally mirrors the situation with Nelle years prior, where she killed her boyfriend and convinced the investigating officer (Chase) that she was innocent. In his crusade to save Nelle from prison, he lost his job and helped a murderer go free. Here is Nelle's twin sister accused of trying to kill her own boyfriend and Chase is falling into the same behavior. Even if Willow is really innocent, he ought to be able to spot his repetitive behavior---did he learn nothing from the Nelle situation? Also, this effort Michael is making to discredit Chase and to make him appear "compromised" is the exact same thing Sonny has been doing to the ADA Justine Turner. His effort to "charm" her and have her over for dinner, etc. will make her less able to prosecute him since there will be an appearance of impropriety.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Lulu hasn't been a good character since Julie Berman departed.

Her comments about Michael learning from Sonny? Who was Lulu's Father? How soon they forget

Dante was better with Sam, would be better with Brook Lyn, (which may happen now that Chase is Willow's champion),

or almost anyone, for that matter


Laura to the rescue?

Where is Kevin?


I don't think Faison is is the boss. I was never a Faison fan anyway. I think it is Peter August

Tracy has been...unkind to Ronnie, granted, but in real life

a family like the Q's would be hiring a litigation team to contest the will

I still think Tracy is right, that this is not on the level.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

GH should also have sends-off to other legendary characters like Robert Scorpio, Lesley Webber and Rick Webber. Many GH faves have died in recent year.

It took GH about 6 months after Leslie Charleson's passing until they taped Monica's death story. It was a very long gap between Jackie Zeman's death and Bobbie's death as well. So Robert will likely die around summer 2026.

I agree. Additionally, Stuart Damon's character only gets a quick 30 seconds at the end of an episode, nothing for Denise Alexander?

Disgraceful

 

[Daniel Avery]

a family like the Q's would be hiring a litigation team to contest the will

I think that has been where Jason has been, perhaps Ned as well (I'd enjoy seeing them work together). While they likely came to the same conclusion that Tracy did, neither would...um, use Tracy's approach to expressing that opinion. In the will scenes Jason looked very thoughtful--as if he was taking it all in but not commenting until he had more information. Ned is the type who will give lip service, then sneak off to come up with a plan of action. Unfortunately they barely use Ned, so it might be up to Jason to "save the day". But I have faith one or both of them are currently solving the problem while Tracy is just blowing her stack every other day (enjoyable though it may be).

Ned should seek out Monica's attorney (who was an ELQ attorney prior to his retirement) and get him to verify the contents of the will. There should be more than one copy on file. Then Jason could find out who altered it and when.

 

[Monzo]

Monica's send-off was postponed due to Chad Duell's departure.

There are moments when I actually miss Chad Duell. He perfectly conveyed the spoiled brat that Carly, Sonny, and Jason had created (with a little help from the Quartermaines). NuMichael is actually flawless. I can easily imagine him as Sonny's successor or the owner of the mansion, but Chad Duell was somehow more exciting for me.

I'm amazed at how much screen time is wasted trying to figure out who shot Drew. I would have liked to have seen such an investigation after Jagger's death or Cyrus's disappearance.

As for Nathan, maybe it's actually Nathan, but he has amnesia and was tricked into impersonating Nathan, and when everything comes out, he disappears to be deprogrammed, much like Dante's short-term return back then (before he later returned full-time).

Nathan and Britt seemed pretty dead at the time of their deaths, so I'm wondering if Sam will be revived at some point. Kelly Monaco didn't tell it all, as she promised, and so perhaps there's a chance she'll return in her signature role in a few years—or is her return as unlikely as Ingo Rademacher's?

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

There are moments when I actually miss Chad Duell. He perfectly conveyed the spoiled brat that Carly, Sonny, and Jason had created (with a little help from the Quartermaines). NuMichael is actually flawless. I can easily imagine him as Sonny's successor or the owner of the mansion, but Chad Duell was somehow more exciting for me.

I'm amazed at how much screen time is wasted trying to figure out who shot Drew. I would have liked to have seen such an investigation after Jagger's death or Cyrus's disappearance.

As for Nathan, maybe it's actually Nathan, but he has amnesia and was tricked into impersonating Nathan, and when everything comes out, he disappears to be deprogrammed, much like Dante's short-term return back then (before he later returned full-time).

Since the DNA matches Nathan, I am guessing it is him. The mystery deepens.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Not her most famous role, but June Lockhart was Maria (Mariah) Ramirez), Felicia's grandmother.

RIP Ms Lockhart. You are one of the greatest TV Moms of all time!

 

[Emelee]

It is beyond me how no one has called up Monica's retired attorney and asked him if the will that was read is how he heard it from Monica. It would cost nothing. It's one phone call.

 

[Emelee]

There are moments when I actually miss Chad Duell.

I am actually happy they recast. I did not like or enjoy his Michael at all. His Michael was like an overgrown child.

New Michael, to me, is more difficult to read. He is both darker and feels more like a man. He makes his own decisions without telling anyone or giving them hints. I love that I don't know where I have him, but I choose to believe that he is honest and innocent.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I read a very interesting article discussing the Carly/Josslyn/WSB plot where the author pointed out a (potentially) important parallel.

Years ago, Monica was devastated to learn that Jason had taken a job as Sonny's enforcer/hitman. Up until his accident, Jason had been the "golden boy" of the family, destined for great things. Seeing he was now throwing all that away for a job killing people and possibly getting killed in the process kept Monica on edge for literally decades. Sonny and Carly did everything they could to make sure his decision "stuck," too, keeping him estranged from his family and making sure they looked like the bad guys for "wanting to control him". They benefitted greatly from his NOT interacting with his mother.

Now we have Carly devastated to learn her "golden child" Josslyn has taken a job killing and/or getting killed in the WSB, throwing away her future (in Carly's eyes). Jack Brennan lured Josslyn into the WSB just as Sonny and Carly lured Jason into the mob. Is Carly doomed to decades of worry and despair like Monica had to endure, fearing Josslyn will end up killed in some random shoot-out? I couldn't believe I had never made that connection before, since soaps are all about having characters getting a taste of their own medicine occasionally. It made me wonder if perhaps this was the point of the whole, drawn-out story of Josslyn's recruitment into the WSB--to force Carly (and maybe even Sonny) to reflect on how "what goes around, comes around"----and how they took a wrecking ball to Monica's life.

If Carly had an OUNCE of self-awareness she'd realize that karma has come back around to bite her in the a$$. But she doesn't, so I'll just have to settle for the echo of Monica's laughter floating down from heaven.

 

[Emelee]

Special episodes honoring Tristan Rogers & Denise Alexander (Robert Scorpio & Lesley Webber) are coming:

https://people.com/general-hospital...tristan-rogers-with-tribute-episodes-11837263

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Special episodes honoring Tristan Rogers & Denise Alexander (Robert Scorpio & Lesley Webber) are coming:

https://people.com/general-hospital...tristan-rogers-with-tribute-episodes-11837263

That would be good news indeed.

 

[Daniel Avery]

So Martin is seemingly working two angles. He got Tracy kicked out of the house and led her (and everyone else) to believe that they've lost their family home. So his revenge on Tracy is the seemingly obvious point of all this. He has not told Drew that he altered Monica's will (much less HOW he did it). Drew is buying the house/grounds, not knowing that the sale is fraudulent because Ronnie has no right to sell it. Martin hates Drew but has been "playing nice" with him lately---but is it just an act in order to set him up for a great big fall as well? Yes, the "Tracy Hate" is strong with this one (Martin), but the "Drew Hate" is also there. I think Martin sees his life in ruins, so he's taking both Tracy and Drew down on his way out*. Ronnie did agree to go along with Martin's plan, but only because Tracy made her angry; she had no idea how simply keeping her mouth shut would impact the whole family and enable Drew to go all Snidely Whiplash on everybody. Ronnie knows Martin's actions WRT the will, but he intimidated her to sign the sale papers by claiming she would be prosecuted for fraud. She didn't commit fraud until she signed the paper, though, because she knows she has no right to sell the estate. I think if she asks the Qs for forgiveness they will give it once the truth has come out. IRL you can't sell property that is in probate (and probate could last YEARS) but in the interest of hurrying this plotline along, we'll overlook a lot of that.

Seeing Drew thinking he's "won" and having the house pulled away will be sweet, and yes, if Martin is responsible for Drew's latest takedown/humiliation he might be viewed more favorably ("enemy of my enemy is my friend") but he won't get past all this illegal stuff, especially tampering with Monica's last wishes that way.

* "On his way out" in the sense that they've written Martin into a corner and I believe he might end up either in jail over this scheme or being forced to flee town.

 

[Emelee]

I don't get the extreme reaction viewers have about what Martin did. It's not even on the Top 100 list of bad things done on GH. Many of the current characters have done worse. In my mind, Martin has not been ruined or written into a corner. Nor should he be in prison. Again, based on actions by other PC residents. Heck, even Tracy has forged a will in her days.

I assume this means Erika Slezak's run as Ronnie is over this week. Too bad. I have really enjoyed her stay. And I think she can make room for another Emmy on her award shelf. This time for Outstanding Guest.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I've noticed that villainy exists on something of a sliding scale on GH. The crimes committed tend to be viewed through a lens of whether the would-be-villain is a favorite of the fans or (most likely) the producers. Though Martin's crimes are mid-level (no blood spilled, no ruined lives, etc.), many people are calling for his head on a platter because he went after fan-favorite Tracy and seemingly was back in cahoots with the despised Drew. On the opposite end, fan-favorite Ava regularly clubs people over the head, if not killing them outright among many other crimes but the viewers tend to cheer her on because most of her victims are viewed less favorably (like Kristina, Nikolas, Sonny, Connie Falconeri, and most recently, Ric). I could write pages about the way Carly runs roughshod over people while written as the heroine of the piece because the producers love Laura Wright and are seemingly unable to see the character she plays as the bully she is. Carly breaks laws left and right and the tone seems to be "Oh, isn't she precious?" while also writing anyone dishing it back at Carly as "the problem". Remember the way the scandal about the insider trading wasn't about Carly having broken federal law, but the fact that Nina reported it?

So Martin will likely have to exit stage left, but I agree the will shenanigans is small potatoes---enough for him to lose his law license and maybe be subject to civil prosecution, but the demands of some viewers to have his head mounted on the wall in Tracy's living room might be a bit overstated. But online fans tend to treat overstatement as a sporting event. If they had really leaned into the idea that Martin was really trying to scam/humiliate DREW rather than Tracy, they'd be organizing a parade in his honor.

Michael E. Knight takes these sorts of scheduled, extended breaks from GH for personal reasons, or so I've read. Something to do with providing care to elderly parents or relatives of some kind (I can't recall exactly, but it was mentioned the last time Martin took off mid-story during the attempted crypt demolition). So Martin will likely pop up again at some point.