General Hospital
ABC Vice-President Daytime & Syndication Lisa Hackner OUT!
Courtesy/Brodcasting&Cable
After her most recent foray into daytime FABLife failed, ABC Daytime & Syndication head Lisa Hackner has been fired by ABC. Hackner had joined the network in 2013 after developing and launching show’s for Telepictures including daytime’s: Tyra Banks Show, TMZ, and the early exited Bethenny and Anderson Cooper talk series.
According to Variety, Hackner being let-go is also part of a major west coast restructuring of the department that includes 5 to 10 staffers following the dissolution of FABLife. Some staffers were offered other opportunities within the company, but Hackner. She’s “unlikely” to stay though the transition, says a source, and elected to leave the company. During her time of roughly three years at ABC, Hackner did not develop or bring about any successful new programs, which sources say led to her departure.
Hackner’s departure comes after the exit earlier this year of ABC entertainment president Paul Lee, to whom she reported. Lee was let go out in February, replaced by the network’s drama chief, Channing Dungey.
For General Hospital fans, a lack of a strong lead-in or lead-out support for the series has affected the enduring soap opera’s ability to expand their numbers in a more efficient way. With CBS Daytime having a solid programming block, it would behoove the network to find a suitable series that would help drive additional tune-in, since shows from The Revolution, to Katie, to FABLife have been busts.
Share your thoughts on Hackner’s ouster in the comment section below!
Bring back one life to live nothing has worked. Admit you made mistake. All will be
Forgiven
My feelings exactly!
With all the problems ABC is having with Prospect Park;expand GH 1/2 hour using character owned by ABC from Ryan’s Hope.
How about making GH a 1/2 show and remake Edge of Night.
Yeah, that’s karma.
Bummer…….maybe ABC…..SHOULD STOP WITH THE REALITY & TALK SHOWS…
Reality shows give me indigestion. I used to watch AMERICAN IDOL…… Now, I watch THE VOICE , and HG-TV.
It would be a gift from the soap gods if OLTL or AMC were brought back. Only in my dreams??
I only watch GH on ABC. The network can’t even have any decent primetime dramas.
As if Daytime fans needed another sign that proves that ABC should never have cancelled All My Children and One Life to Live. Since 2012, every program they’ve tried to fill the void by these two shows has failed, save for The Chew, which isn’t totally awful. But if it was ever clearer that ABC doesn’t know how to manage it’s Daytime line-up, and made a huge error by axing AMC and OLTL, it’s now.
However, most of the blame for GH’s ratings has to go to the show not being very good right now. Aside from a few stories, GH is boring, and that’s something that was never an issue under Ron C or even Guza. Yes, the mob was focused on way too much, and the ratings sunk to abysmal lows by the end of Guza’s tenure. And Ron’s final year at the writing helm was rough, to say the least. But at least the show had some intrigue and excitement, and didn’t feel like a chore to watch.
Now, under Jean and Shelly, stories are dragged out far too long and don’t have enough twists and surprises in store to keep fans interested. And the focus of these stories is around newbie characters that most fans either don’t like or don’t care about. That’s not the way to bring in more viewers, it’s the way to alienate long time viewers and get them to turn off the show.
GH didn’t feel like a chore to watch in RC’s last year?! Says you! Watching GH in RC’s last year was an exercise in not feeling completely insulted the writing was so bad. Maybe that crap worked on OLTL, but GH was a deeply dramatic show, not a comic book. Guza was a good writer until Jill Farren Phelps got the helm as EP and didn’t rein him in. Now the writing has no structure and is worsened by an EP who has to hire every last friend he ever had once they are on the street.
GH needs to do three things. 1. Cull the cast, by anywhere from 8 to 12 characters. Then, use the proceeds to 2. hire a continuity supervisor and 3. hire a strategic story consultant. Frank doesn’t have the talent or the vision to bring this show back from the brink.
You said this better than I could have.
I stopped watching June 2015 because I could no longer take Ron’s “writing”. Brilliant ideas scuttled by his own ego and no one there to rein him in just like no one could rein in Guza.
There needs to be a strong Producer who really understands story structure and how to pace things… how to have some fun, have some drama, take a few chances, but not veer off into crazy town too many times (I mean, crazy Heather and crazy Dr. O are fun once in awhile, but too much and they not only lose their edge/effectiveness, but they just become “too much”. Dr. O becoming head of the hospital was… really not good for this show.
I have lurked here for the past year hoping to find something to lure me back but haven’t heard anything here that I feel like I’ve missed.
I say – restructure GH (again! ugh) with a pared down cast and attention (but not slavish attention) to past continuity…. and then bring back OLTL on a trial basis – six months beginning to end and see how it does. I realize that the sets are probably gone but there are plenty of ways around that (lots of fires – a ‘who is the arsonist’ storyline would be a great jumping off point). Introduce some cross over characters in Llanview from AMC, Ryans Hope and Edge of Night and see if you can generate some interest in their stories and then spin them out if they are popular. I mean, this isn’t brain surgery, people. It’s basic storytelling/marketing and common sense. (And I think OLTL would be the perfect start mainly because with AMC, you have the Erica problem… and I think that if you can resurrect interest in Pine Valley and get some buzz, then you can prove to Susan Lucci that her time and talent is needed and she’ll come running…but she’s a savvy business person and at this point in her life, doesn’t really need AMC, but we – and a resurrected show – sure do need her!)
Yes, I agree, Ron C’s final year was a trainwreck. Between prolonging the reveal that Jake Doe was Jason, Denise DeMuccio (I cringe every time I say that name), the Silas Clay murder mystery, Valerie and Dante’s affair and Anthony Geary’s lackluster farewell story, 2015 was a hard year to watch GH and not have complaints.
My point, however, is that under Ron, there was always something that kept me tuning in. Under Jean and Shelly, there isn’t very much intrigue in any of the stories currently being played. The show feels like it’s dragging on and moving at a very slow pace, as evidenced by the fact that a full week will go by and it will still be the same day/night on the show.
I agree that several characters need to be axed. The list of 8-12 for me would include Jordan, Andre, Griffin, Claudette, Nathan, Darby, Amy, Valerie, Curtis, Kiki, Aaron and Naomi. Each and every one of these characters could fall victim to Paul’s homicidal rampage (which came out of nowhere) and I would be totally fine with it.
I haven’t been watching for long, as you know, Jimmy. But, regardless of the writers, most stories ARE dragged out to the extreme. I am still trying to navigate around the Fluke story. And, more importantly, there was no plot and the storyline was a bust….it led to nothing. Now, the Nelle story seems strangely familiar. Who knows how long this one will linger.
Furthermore, I beg the writers to drop ALL baby stories for a spell. Poor babies. It has become obsessive. Obviously not for Nina; but for whomever is writing her script.
The writing on OLTL was inspiring; eliciting the best from the BEST cast ever, Jimmy……we both, among many others, still mourn its death, my friend.
Oh, I was wondering if you think Franco is growing another brain tumor? LOL. He’s as OFF as his mother. This is another instance where my poor Roger is being pulled this way and that. What a waste!!!!!
Bring back One Life to Live!
Amen to that!!!
One Life To Live will come back, 3rd is the charm. I believe in miracles.
Double Amen to that.
Oh, YES!!!
Sooooooooooooooo Not gonna happen.
Never say never, OLTL might come back.
Hello ABC! A strong lead in for GH would be the return of ONE LIFE TO LIVE!!! It’s that simple! How many flops do you have to go through to get the message?!?! I would be willing to bet that getting all those awful shows up and running and then pulling the plug processes cost far more than keeping OLTL (and AMC?) and not messing with it in the first place. Wasn’t that the point, to save money by dumping our beloved soaps?!?!
Bravo, Jeanine! Bravo every one else here who is echoing the same sentiment.
YOU are spot on right, here.
Soaps aren’t coming back, unless they do a bare bones version a few times a week. I WISH they could combine the cost of OLTL (could care less about AMC; didn’t watch it for years but in fairness to AMC fans) and AMC, run them every other day ie GH, next day, AMC, etc…and reduce the already reduced high end wardrobes, location shots, etc
if you look at the nostalgia clips from decades ago soaps had so many location shots, women with jewelry, gowns…the incredibly exciting escapades of Luke, Scorpio, Anna, Sean Donelly on GH. Took a lot of money to create such lavish productions but those were pre cable days, more ” housewife” days, more college students watching from dorm days. Can’t compare the audience watching then to now.
I believe it costs around 50 million to run soaps now, even with budget cuts…30% more than its replacements. They’re going to keep trying for a non soap hit. What they should do isTRY HARDER to make soaps less costly. On the other hand, the ones still currently on are always at risk so it doesn’t seem likely.
I actually think that could work. There were cross over episodes where peeps from Pine Valley and Llangview would make visits on the other soaps. Now that Devious Maids is gone I would love to see Erica Kane back…… She has the fan base to do it!
Hi Brad, I’d be open to crossovers. The problem is getting the audience onboard. As we know many people were unhappy when OLTL people came over; I was/am thrilled. But if they ran OLTL one day, AMC the next…GH should be able to keep its daily schedule for now…but if they got two soaps for the price of one by alternating days…get me the head of programming. Pronto ! 🙂
I cannot help but agree with you, Rebecca. But, it’s nice to dream. The death of OLTL had left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Yeah, what you said!
Sorry to say this, karma is a bitch. ABC cancelled OLTL and AMC, that was a huge mistake. ABC will not admit there mistake. I hope you choke on it ABC. GH is in trouble, It will not be around in 2 years, I hope that I am wrong. ABC will stab you in the back.
Ricardo…I get what you’re saying, dude. B-u-t, as far as I’m concerned, that TOTALLY HEARTLESS Brian Frons was the one who started it all by canceling BOTH AMC and OLTL.
Just saying……….
I agree with you, Brian Frons needs to be punished. I will send Sheila Carter to finish him off lol. Brian Frons was responsible for cancelling OLTL and AMC, but ABC is not innocent at all. ABC want out of the soap business, GH is hanging in, by a thread. Brian’s Frons is a pathetic losers.
Yes, you are right.
Frons was hired for the sole purpose of wrecking the soaps – and he did a magnificent job. But ultimately it was the network that hired him to make the kill. I suspect that someone will eventually write about it but while Frons was the assassin, the orders came from ABC/Disney.
We need to be realistic. They were operating at a loss..or not much of a profit. As disappointing as it is that’s the reality. Same as when prime time shows get cancelled. Great shows! I can’t say how many times I’ve been shocked or upset when a show I loved was cancelled. But they crux punch the numbers, not us… Doesn’t mean I’m happy about any of it.
Crunch the numbers…not crux punch! LOL
It’s not the lack of a strong lead-in or lead-out that’s affecting GH’s ability to expand its numbers — it’s the awful writing.
That too!
The return of One Life To Live and premiering with an opulent wedding : Viki and Clint’s!!!…oh well, it aint going to happen but one can dream!!!!
WORD !
To the powers that be at the alphabet network/mouse company:
The audience wants ENTERTAINMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What about that don’t you understand? You offered quality entertainment when you aired One Life to Live and All My Children. You didn’t support them. Now look at where you are. I guess you can’t learn.
It cost over 50 million annually to run a soap. Not profitable anymore. They’re only here to entertain us if it’s at a profit. And that’s reality. It’s a business.
I would like to see a source for that…. as I remember reading that number as pertaining to a soap’s budget at least 20 years ago. Now I wonder if they actually spend even half of that.
Hi Elizabeth…that was the latest budget from numerous sources in 2011..just before “the fall.” I can’t find the latest numbers…but that was an incredible amount of money just five years ago. It would seem they’re less now…cutting wardrobe, sets, travel to outdoor locations and a slew of vets salaries…which is why we only see them on a recurring basis.
So unless that $50 million has come down so drastically to equal the cost of running a reality show, which seems doubtful, it’s still not cost effective to bring any soaps back…well at least not with full cast and hour long format. I personally hated the OLTL online attempt. LOL, I need to block it from my mind so as not to taint my fond memories of the REAL OLTL!
What I said!
The answer is: bring back OLTL to lead into GH
“For General Hospital fans, a lack of a strong lead-in or lead-out support for the series has affected the enduring soap opera’s ability to expand their numbers in a more efficient way. With CBS Daytime having a solid programming block, it would behoove the network to find a suitable series that would help drive additional tune-in, since shows from The Revolution, to Katie, to FABLife have been busts.”
With all due respect, I have to disagree with this assertion…especially citing GH’s lack of growth (and loss, even) on their failing lead-in shows. I know lead-ins are important for most shows – and especially in prime time. But I truly believe that the soap genre is a different beast and many of those typical industry truths don’t always translate as well to daytime soaps. I’m not entirely sure that daytime viewers are interchangeable between shows. Soaps are unique, and not a type of show you often just randomly start watching one day. So, the effort to gain “new” viewers is very difficult I would think.
What likely would be easier is to attempt to gain back those millions of viewers who have stopped watching over the years. I think soap execs really undervalue the importance of quality writing. I only watch GH these days, but it’s interesting how across all soaps – fans seem to complain about and identify the same core issues. Writing always seems to be at the top of that list. I also think execs tend to dumb down their soap audiences, when in reality – audiences have become more savvy in recent years. I think soap execs haven’t realized that soap audiences (and the world) have changed over the last decade – and they haven’t really updated enough or changed with us. They try, but it’s often a miss. I’m not sure they completely understand the soap audience anymore – and are often just throwing ideas/stories/plot points at a wall and hoping something sticks. Overall, I don’t believe the network (or lead-in shows) are going to save soaps. At this point, I believe that only soaps can save soaps. I’m sure the shrinking budgets are very challenging for our shows – but even with that – there is much room for improvement.
Good post Elle and I agree with a lot of what you say. But I think the truth is that “back in the day” soaps were more popular with the then-younger audience who have continued to watch all these decades. That’s why these loyal fans are upset when more of the vets aren’t on. But the reality is some of those “then-younger viewers” have passed, some may not feel the “escapist” need they did maybe as a stay-at-home mom (or dad), etc. So many of those viewers are gone.
Ironically soaps were pretty hot and full of romance, sexual topics etc and were pretty steamy. They’re not what they used to be because they ARE changing with the world, but many don’t like the changes. Younger fans don’t relate to a lot of the vets, older fans don’t want the “newbies”. Younger fans don’t feel comfortable with older actors being sexual, older fans don’t find stories interesting about young love.
When soaps first started airing the audience was new too. So viewers knew and related to all the characters. Now we have people who want “their” stories to go on forever and younger viewers who don’t want to watch a show about their parents and grandparents.
Soaps are unique because of their decades-long history and suddenly you have a clash of the old and the new. Networks aren’t going to gain profits by keeping on a slew of vets that won’t draw in the new viewers they need. Fewer vets turn away the older fans. No easy fix.
Yes, it’s the WRITING!
Changing TMZ to 3 PM on channel 5 opposite GH now. TMZ glorifies a lot and I mean a lot of garbage , I will be watching GH.
Harry will be in TMZ’s spot at 4 PM, there for I’ll be doing something else, they should have kept the soaps you fools.
Bring back the soaps !!! Bring back Edge of Night! Bring back Dark Shadows
Hardly anybody is home in the afternoon to sit in front of TV for a few hours during daytime programing..
A great many are going to online to watch their soaps during the night..
I watch a high percent of network shows online, when I choose to watch them..
And only 2 shows are from daytime — GH & Y&R ..
I haven’t watched a soap during the daytime since they first became available online a long time ago…
But, it is Important for a soap to have a great lead-in and a great time slot ..
Soaps can survive BUT they need to change with the technology and drag the older folks into the 21st century! I wander how much a soap vet makes on an online soap versus a network soap?
True, that, su. This is a different audience….as simple as that.
they never should of gotten rid of the soaps. i don’t see how they could have saved money with all the replacement failings. one major problem for GH is they don’t have any solid surrounding shows. GH has also been bad creatively. usually when viewers leave especially younger ones,they don’t come back
I would have kept the soaps and limited the number of vets and paid younger kids less money. Do they want to work or sit home? EVERYBODY has had to adjust to they way the world operates in a slimline economy and a new way to do business cheaper and more effective. Y&R is #1, they can afford higher salaries. Okay. GH and DAYS struggle, they can stay on the air, hire great writing teams BUT the talent will mostly younger and cheaper. I look at it like MLB. You have the Yankees. EVERYONE wants to be the Yankees and have that payroll. No, its not possible. Some teams have to be the Pirates. They compete. They are entertaining. They are young and build from within. Soaps can do the same thing!
Lead out support? Huh?
Lack of lead in is the least of GH’s problems. GH is a brand, soap operas are appointment TV. A better lead in might help a bit, but in no way is a major reason for GH’s horrible numbers.
GH is where it is because it is terrible.The writing is still not good and the characters are not appealing to GH fans. The Liz story, which really isn’t about Liz, is a perfect example. As Liz lay unconscious in the stairwell, who was there? Franco, Finn, Hayden, Griffin, Andre & Paul. That’s why GH has such low viewership, these are not characters or actors that large numbers of GH fans would tune in for and they aren’t. But Frank will never give it up.
You are right that a number of characters are not appealing. For example, Rebecca Budig is a good actress but to me, Hayden is not likeable. I do not care about her and Finn or her and Liz being sisters.
Based on her resume, I don’t know why she was hired in the first place.
Us guys love our soaps but the audience is still probably 2/3’s women. Why in the hell didnt ABC snag Harry Connick Jr.’s new talk show? He is hot off A.I and women love him! He has southern charm and mega talent! It would have been perfect! To me, he is the male answer to Ellen. What a lead in! I look at all the ABC failures and just wonder if they really care? How many damn ways can you cook a roast or apply eye liner! I hope her replacement will clean up GH and renew its energy and put someone at the helm who gives a damn about the show and its history and stops adding his or her friends to the cast just because they can!
When is ABC going to smarten up? The soaps brought in more viewers than these boring talk shows. Look at CBS… They have a full afternoon line up. Bring back the soaps!!!!
ABC’s post-soap offerings have been cheap knock-offs, derivatives of what everyone else is doing. Now, I know one can say that about soap operas but daytime serials do have their own unique personalities, and that is what people want. Variety in the genre. ABC was once a leader in daytime programming. Maybe taking a chance on a new serial, even a half-hour effort might be worth the risk. Paired with a game show revival?
While I wouldn’t blame GH’s lack of increased viewership on a strong lead-in, but it certainly doesn’t help.
As a disgruntled OLTL fan, KARMA is a bitch! ABC, you’re failed attempts at replacements are well-deserved.
Well it seems to be obvious… ABC needs a few more shows with solid reliable viewing habits…
They could do something totally different.
Admit they made a huge mistake and tried to follow trends in the industry several years ago.. but none of it worked.. so they are going to go back to their heyday and bring back SOAPs.
They might even be able to rerun All My Children , One Life To Live and even The Edge of Night (dreaming I know). These reruns would be a great way to give our soaps the chance to re-assemble their familes and bring back our stories !. Lets shoot for a January reboot of these national treasures…..
Do it
– THIS – IS… the answer
your last para: RERUN AMC, OLTL, etc… i’m certain they will get advertisement… and the blocking of serial… will stand on it’s own
I’ve said this before but they ought to combine the remnants of ONE LIFE TO LIVE with the cast of ALL MY CHILDREN even as a 1/2 hour show – they never, ever
should have cancelled these shows to begin with. They never experiemented with doing abridged versions of the shows – all they did was scream Cancel –
Prospect Park really screwed around with our shows – interesting effort but all these lawsuits, well – it would be nice if when the dust settles, if it ever does, that ABC
Daytime will just re-instate the shows. Oh well this is probably wishful thinking on our parts –
Yes, it’s wishful thinking to dream that the shows would return in some form some day on broadcast television, but it’s unlikely that ABC has the vision for this. The problem with all the main broadcast networks is that they lack vision/direction/imagination. For crying out loud, the network is sitting on a gold mine with these shows and they simply (excuse my french) pissed it away. Merch the eff out of them!! Promote, don’t shy away from it! Erica Kane dress line! Luke and Laura travel getaways linked to a storyline! An actual Banner online that has ads and original content written by a small team (one or two) creative people on stories from the show and takes on the goings on on other shows! It feels like it all just writes and creates itself. How they are missing this is beyond me. And all for the investment of a five hour a week show. Starr and her friends are watching the latest hit show on ABC (none of this Campbell soup crap!!) and other characters on ABC shows say “did you hear, they revived All My Children” “oh really, what is crazy Erica Kane doing now?” and so forth. This isn’t rocket science! 🙂
ABC bring back what the fans want.
When the network once again learns that garbage in equals garbage out, they will change the way they do things. Going for the lowest common denominator in viewership is not going to hack it. General Hospital has made it as long as it has by refusing to be the bedtime hour which is cheaper than talk show even. Find some really fresh but mainstream writers whose writing is not shock value oriented, write some good story and they will come. My TV stays off unless GH is on or we are under a weather threat. I would turn it on if I heard of a great new soap on the air. ABC start looking at what does not work and stop it.
ABC will not bring back a soap. This is a business if they can’t get the 18 to 49 it isn’t worth it to them. GH is at 400,000 in that demo and 100,000 in 18 to 34. Advertisers frown on those numbers.
Plus ABC gave OLTL’s time period back to the affiliates. The individual stations would have to agree to run it.
so why cant abc produce some soaps, place them on the stations that they own and the buzz will take care of the rest…
ABC should buy DAYS and build a new soap block to challenge Y/R and Bold and Beautiful –
I hope that general hospital does not get cancelled the show has been on for 50 year’s and is going good please don’t cancel the show .the show has good actress and actors that like there jobs a lot gh is a good show and still had much more to give.
Turmoil at the top will not work well for GH (look what happened to GL) but I think that it can survive. It won more emmy’s this year and was the top soap by the academy. Agree that they have too many characters. I can’t keep up. Tighten the cast and the budget and get better storylines. There are many current topics that could be explored. OLTL’s return would be ABC’s best chance to make amends and provide a lead-in for GH. Sorry but The Chew makes me sick.
GH ruled when Ron was writing it. I’ve given up on it for 2 reasons. Passanate & Altman stories are terribly dull and I’m boycotting ABC until they fire that racist Jesse Williams.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
On the Thursday, October 1 episode of General Hospital, both Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) had some things to say and what they had to say didn’t go over well with whom they were talking to!
Sonny had a confrontation with his son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), while Michael leveled with Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) over Chase (Josh Swickard).
GH is setting up a scenario where everyone is going to make it look like Sonny was responsible for having Sidwell (Carlo Rota) beat up in Pentonville; while viewers already know Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) were behind it.
Courtesy/ABC
A VISIT WITH DAD
Now, Dante comes to Sonny’s house. He wants to know straight up from his dad if he ordered the attack at Pentonville. Sonny flatly denies any culpability or responsibility, but Dante refuses to believe him.
Dante informs Sonny he has video footage of Sully and Vito at the prison. Sonny explains to Dante he doesn’t know why Sully beat up both Curtis and Dante. Things escalated when Sonny was deeply hurt that Dante refused to believe him. Dante says he was disappointed that his father didn’t respect him enough to be truthful with him!
Sonny asks Dante to consider that he was being set up. He says all he did was to tell Vito to instruct Sully to keep a watchful eye on Sidwell, not to harm him. No matter what Sonny said, Dante continued hammering him with how he knew deep down, even though he said he left the mob, he had to finish off Sidwell for himself.
Next, Sonny explains everything he has ever done was to provide for and to protect his family. Dante fired back that he doesn’t want to deal anymore with Sonny’s half-baked truths. As the two men argue, Gio (Giovanni Mazza) shows up at Sonny’s front door and overhears Sonny losing his temper and shouting at Dante, “Get out of my house! I don’t want a son like you!” The scenes featured an excellent performance by Maurice Benard.
Courtesy/ABC
MICHAEL THE MANIPULATOR
While this is going down, outside the Quartermaine boathouse, Brook Lynn opens up to Michael about living at the Q’s with Chase being there, since he only came back due to legal advice from his lawyer, Monet Mitchell (Blythe Howard).
Brook Lynn questioned whether they should get legally separate. Michael insisted that would be a big mistake. When she asks why, Michael tells Brook Lynn to bide her time until Chase and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) have an affair; then she’d have full custody of Phoebe.
An angered Brook Lynn pushed Michael into the water and accuses him of moving Willow back into the gatehouse with intent on putting Chase and Willow in closer proximity and sacrificing Brook Lynn’s family in the process. As the two cousins bicker, Chase shows up asking Brook Lynn if she is OK. Michael punctuates their talk with “You know, I’m right.”
CURTIS FIGURES OUT A WAY TO GET OUT OF THE SLAMMER
At GH, Willow visits Curtis (Donnell Turner) in his hospital room. Curtis wants Willow to get him pardoned and keep him out of jail, and in return, he will help her nail Sonny.
Next, Willow tells Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) she wants Curtis held for observation for three more days. He agrees to do so under one condition, that she understands that he may need to call in a favor from a congresswoman.
So, what did you think of how Dante accused his father and refused to believe Sonny’s answers? Is this the end of their father and son relationship for good? Is Michael the most manipulative person of all, except for Willow? Do the two deserve each other? Do you want Chase and Willow to have an affair? And what of Curtis? Does he have many redeeming qualities left? Share your thoughts via the comment section, but first check out the talk Michael had with Brook Lynn.
General Hospital
GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof
Two soap opera alums very familiar to fans of General Hospital and The Young and the Restless are paired together in a new short-form digital series from none other than Issa Rae’s production entity HOORAE Digital.
Look for Tajh Bellow (ex-TJ Ashford, GH)) and Loren Lott (ex-Ana Hamilton, Y&R) as part of the cast of The Compatibility Experiment, premiering on October 14, 2026, exclusively on TikTok and its companion microdrama platform, PineDrama.
In the video teaser, it appears that Bellow and Lott play a couple, Kelvin and Camila, set in a Love Island reality show-esque environment trying to win the one million dollar cash prize, only what could go wrong?
Photo: HOORAE
The Compatibility Experiment loglines share that it brings a fast-paced, relationship-focused reality check—much like Love Island with a twist. The show takes a participant’s current relationship, introduces them to a potentially more compatible partner, and forces them to navigate the differences with life-changing money on the line.
The new series is part of a groundbreaking content deal between HOORAE Digital and TikTok to develop premium short-form storytelling. The ensemble cast also features; Ayona, Reggie Luck, JaNa Craig, Tosin Morohunfola, Jessica Jacoby, Georgia Warner, and Nick Cassidy.
General Hospital fans know Tajh Bellow for his performances as TJ Ashford, and who earned two Daytime Emmy nominations along the way during his run. Bellow took over the role in 2018 and last appeared on the ABC daytime drama series in December of 2024.
Loren Lott first appeared as Devon’s (Bryton James) sister Ana Hamilton on The Young and the Restless from 2018 to 2019; making a brief return in 2024. She has continued to perform on the stage and screen with recent credits including: Bel-Air, Cherish the Day, and All American: Homecoming.
Check out the trailer for The Compatibility Experiment below and let us know what you think of its concept and if you are glad to see Tajh and Loren again? Hoping they might return to daytime in their GH and Y&R roles at some point in the future? Weigh-in via the comment section.
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General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown
If you thought that the person responsible for the Pentonville brawl that saw Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and Curtis (Donnell Turner) taken to General Hospital was Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) or even Sidwell himself, you were dead wrong! On the Wednesday, September 30 episode of GH, it turned out that the culprits were actually Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison).
In story, Drew apparently bankrolled the attack on Sidwell and framing Sonny. He told Ava their planned worked (she came up with it!) but was horrified when Drew informed her that Curtis got caught in the crosshairs. Ava is visibly upset because of her longtime friendship with Curtis’ daughter, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali). Drew tried to make Ava see the bright side. Curtis was witness to it and his presence will cast doubt on Sonny’s claims to that he had gotten out of the mob and gone legit.
Later, Vito shows up at Drew’s. They informed him that his guy on the inside of the slammer made a big mistake by hurting their friend and ordered him to leave town.
Courtesy/ABC
BOATHOUSE BRAWL
In other major developments, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) and Rocco (Finn Carr) have a blow out fight as Danny blames his “brother” for the reason Charlotte was sent off to boarding school.
Rocco told off Danny for Charlotte’s (Bluesy Burke) reckless behavior and he explains he had to protect his sister. He went in on Danny saying that his mother Lulu (Alexa Havins) has been right to send Charlotte to boarding school and far away from Danny.
However, Rocco went a bit too far when he shouted, “And if your mom was alive, she would send you away too!” Next, Danny punched out Rocco, leading to a terrible brawl. An angered Danny yells at Rocco to, “Stay away from me and everyone in my family. And don’t you ever mention my mom again!” Danny storms off.
Courtesy/ABC
Now alone outside the boathouse, Rocco flashes back to his first kiss with Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarksi), hoping that his fight with Danny will not escalate and ruin their budding romance. Meanwhile, a bloodied-mouth Danny heads over to Sonny’s and Jason (Steve Burton) is there at the same time. He then admits that he has a bad fight with Rocco and they are both beaten up.
WILL SCOUT WISE UP?
At the end of the episode, Scout, who had a fight with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) over Drew, and who keeps telling everyone how good a man her dad truly is, comes upon a suspicious scene.
Scout hides behind the wall outside Drew’s. She sees her dad, Ava and Vito talking. Next, Scout seems to overhear Vito assuring Drew and Ava that their business dealings are done, and he’ll be leaving Port Charles for good.
So, what did you think of the reveal that Ava and Drew were behind framing Sonny for the prison beatdown of Sidwell (and Curtis)? Do you think Danny and Rocco’s relationship can be repaired, or do you think the teenagers will continue to be at each other’s throats? Finally, do you hope Scout gets a clue and stops thinking her dad walks on air? Weigh-in via the comment section, but first check out how Ava and Drew conspired below.
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