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.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Thursday, the lineup of presenters for 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards taking place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
The ceremony will stream live on the NATAS YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@theemmys and watch.TheEmmys.tv.
Scheduled to present from the current soaps are: Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, General Hospital), Delon de Metz (Zende, The Bold and the Beautiful), James Preston (Nick, The Bay), Paul Telfer (Xander, Days of our Lives), Tamara Tunie (Anita, Beyond the Gates) and Susan Walters (Diane, The Young and the Restless).
Photo: NATAS
In addition soap alums, Crystal Chappell, Lesli Kay, Joe Lando, Eva LaRue, who is also a nominee this year, A Martinez, Juliet Mills, and Alicia Leigh Willis, will also be on hand to present.
The ceremony which celebrates nominated lifestyle programs and dramas will also include presenters: Eva zu Beck (Superskilled with Eva zu Beck), Danielle Chang (Lucky Chow), Sunny Hostin (The View), Derek Hough (Extra), Pati Jinich (Pati’s Mexican Table), Star Jones (Divorce Court), Michael Jr. (Stand Up and Do Something), Judge Greg Mathis (Mathis Court with Judge Mathis), Keke Palmer (Glam Through the Ages), Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight), and Andrew Zimmern (Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen).
The 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards will bring together an exciting mix of presenters representing the full spectrum of daytime television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS. “From familiar faces in daytime drama to the personalities and creative voices behind talk shows and lifestyle programming, this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of talent that makes daytime so special. We look forward to celebrating the people who continue to shape the genre.”
Matthew Hoffman (Love Island USA, Cheap A$$ Beach Houses) will serve as the ceremony’s Voice of God, bringing his signature comedic narration to the evening’s celebrations. As previously announced, Lifetime Achievement honoree Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by her husband, Jonathan Frakes.
So, what do you think about the list of presenters for the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards? Let us know who you are looking forward to seeing via the comment section below.
General Hospital fans took to social media following the airing of the Wednesday, October 21 episode of the ABC daytime drama series. In story, Molly (Kristen Vaganos) reveals to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) that she has received an offer to join the top law firm in Chicago that practices civil law. She says it’s her dream job.
The problem Molly says is relocating from Port Charles and uprooting her life and being away from her mother, Scout and boyfriend Cody Bell (Josh Kelly). Wistful that she may lose another daughter to a long-distance situation (Kristina left a few months back to go to medical school in California), Alexis urged Molly to get Cody to go with her.
Molly still seemed concerned and has trouble committing to the idea. Alexis tells her to talk it over with Cody. Meanwhile, Cody asked Tracy (Jane Elliot) is he can have Thanksgiving off because he and Molly planned to spend Thanksgiving together with their families. After initially balking, Tracy agrees.
Courtesy/ABC
WILL MOLLY AND CODY HEAD TO CHI-TOWN?
Later, Cody shows up at Miller & Davis and the conversation turned to Thanksgiving dinner that Alexis is hosting. Molly and Cody asked her not to cook anything. Cody hugged Molly reassuring Alexis that he and Molly would take care of whatever was needed on Turkey Day.
So, this raises the question, why out of nowhere are we learning that Molly received an amazing law offer in Chicago, if the character was not being written out? If Molly leaves the canvas, would the character of Cody make his exit too?
Kristen Vaganos joined GH as a recast Molly Lansing-Davis back in September of 2023 and went on contract in August of 2024. Josh Kelly began playing Cody Bell back in June of 2022. Initial reports were that Kelly joined the show on contract and then as of June 2025 went on recurring status with the show per his choice.
Do you see a world where GH is writing out Molly and Cody? Would you be sad to see Kristen and Josh exit the soap opera? If this is not what is going on, is this just a plot point for some other story that is upcoming? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
It’s been over two-years since his last appearance on General Hospital, now fan favorite Kin Shriner (Scott Baldwin) has taken to social media to share his thoughts on the casting of his grown-up TV daughter, Serena Baldwin now played by Kelly Kruger.
Kelly took over the role of Serena on-screen starting with the July 30, 2026 episode and has been ensconced in the storyline with her mother, Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring), in trying to win back full creative control of Deception for her.
In fact on the Monday, October 19 episode of the ABC soap opera, Serena tried to dupe Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) into signing over Michael’s (Rory Gibson) shares of the company. Jason caught on and wondered why she was doing this. She claimed she just wanted to help her mom gain creative control from Tracy (Jane Elliot) rather than full ownership, and begged Jason to keep quiet about it, which he agreed to for now.
Courtesy/ABC
WHERE IS SCOTT?
On Monday, Shriner also took to X and said, “I think Kelly Kruger is doing a great job on General Hospital, and she and Lynn Herring work well together.” That was followed by comments in his thread about the show needing to bring back Scott too.
In fact, back on August 25, Shriner also took to X with a reminder that Scott is still around and ready to come back to Port Charles, sharing, “Scotty Baldwin always fits in he just needs the right sport coat !!!!”
The last time Serena mentioned her father Scott was when Kruger made her debut and informed Lucy that her father was, “living his best life in Key West.” Meanwhile, Shriner posts on his X account continually and shared back on August 2, that it has been 49 years since he made his on-screen debut as then teenaged, Scotty Baldwin and thanked the fans for al the love and support.
So, now let us know, are you enjoying Kelly Kruger as Serena Baldwin? Do you want to see GH bring back Scott Baldwin into the story, so Serena has both her parents in Port Charles? Do you like the potential of Jason and Serena pairing? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
‘Beyond the Gates’ Mike Manning Talks Smitty’s Emotional Visit with His Mother (Exclusive)
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