General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Brando Gets the Hook
Wednesday’s episode of General Hospital featured the continuation of the frightening scene in the alley at Charlie’s where in the middle of a thunderstorm (makes things creepier, right?), a figure steps out of the dark and attacks Brando (Johnny Wactor) with the large fish hook – the same one that was used on Ava Jerome (Maura West).
Immediately, Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth) comes on to the scene screaming and wailing at the top of her lungs for help as Brando lies on the ground bleeding out from being ‘hooked’. Sonny (Maurice Benard) hears the screams and runs outside and finds his daughter and Brando. Sasha (Sofia Mattsson) and Gladys (Bonnie Burroughs) are not far behind and are horrified by what they see.
After the paramedics arrive, Kristina gives details on how she was walking through the alley when she saw someone with a hook, literally, attack Brando.
Jordan (Tanisha Harper) and Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) arrive and Jordan is confused why Brando was the subject in the attack and the two realize they have to figure out who is ‘hooking’ people before the person strikes again.
Back at GH and inside Ava’s hospital room, Nikolas (Marcus Coloma) admits to his wife that he knows he is a cad for sleeping with Esme and his from his previous life transgressions, which almost makes Ava relent and forgive her husband. Just then, Sonny shows up and tells the two of them that he knows Nikolas did not try to kill Ava.
As Brando is brought to the hospital, TJ (Tajh Bellow) and Portia (Brook Kerr) work on him, but he needs to be taken to surgery. An hysterical Sasha and Gladys watch on as they know Brando may not make it; which would be devastating for his wife and his mother.
In the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest on newsstands everywhere tomorrow, GH co-head writer Chris Van Etten previews that someone will die next week on GH via the person using the hook.
Van Etten expressed: “The Hook’s first kill will be someone close to Sonny. The loss will rock him to the core, compel him to circle the wagons, and narrow a list of potential suspects.”
So, do you think Brando will die, or someone else? Who do you think is the person using the hook to seek revenge? With Halloween next month, it would also seem like a perfect time for something terrifying to go down at a masquerade party, wouldn’t it? Hook and all? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
Too bad this didn’t happen on the pier/dock set. We’d then say Brando got attacked On the Waterfront.
While nice, Brando never seemed an essential character. His romance with Sasha was good C level storyline material. The mother-son dynamic with Gladys was kind of special as other than Carly & Michael, we don’t get lots of that on GH.
Does this mean Gladys will be Sasha’s guardian? Do those characters even stick around? Gladys suddenly having power at Deception could be interesting. How much more tragedy can they throw at Sasha?
How much grief can be put on a character! She is an excellent actress!
Brando—Waterfront!! HaHa—-perfect !!
Agree 100%!!!
So, who’s the PC “hooker”? Oops, you know what I mean–LOL.
Is it Esme? Or Rory? But why Brando? Were Esme and Rory a team?
Bobbie Spencer was the “hooker”
Hi, brian—yeah, LOL…I know–Bobbie got around. What a legacy for poor Joss!
I see what you did there. Actually I kinda wish Bobbie had gone with Carly on the ill-fated “Aruba” trip, because I would have loved to see her response to that stick-up-her-ass self appointed leader of the “Jacksonville Moral Majority” (or whatever it was) pontificating about Aunt Ruby & her famous “house”.
Honestly, Celia, I’m more intrigued by your guesses than the actual story. Though I’ll admit the Brando attack was well filmed and Christina’s acting was excellent. Wasn’t that old Jennifer Love Hewitt movie I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER also based around a hook killer? Maybe my memory is failing but that’s what I remember.
Hey, Soaphound—-yeeesss!! It was a fish hook which Ben Willis ( came back from the dead, just like Esme) used in his killing spree.
Aside—I so enjoyed the Jacksonville airport scene with Carly and Ms Purl (love her). She’s on many “Matlock” reruns.
I love anyone dragging holier-than-thou Carly down. I hadn’t even kissed a boy yet, at 16!! Like mother like daughter??
Her so boring kissy-poo, infantile interludes with fake Drew are enough to make my stomach revolt!!
Another storyline for the infamous Carly. Always front and center. The same can be said about Sonny. Since when does he care about Ava so much? Because she’s Avery’s mother?—-wasn’t too long ago when he wanted to pulverize Ava!!
Oh CELIA, even the nicknames for these two sound stupid: Carew? Darly? Yecch! They banned saccharine and let this coupling happen? My FF button is really getting a workout. And of course Christina had to witness the Brando attack so Sonny can be front and center in this story, too. My mom says it best: “He just doesn’t look well. Why is he on so much?”
Your mom knows best, my friend. And, since we both have Scottish nannas, I cannot repeat what comes out of my Gran’d mouth.LOL—
Sonny looks worn out and Carly’s dress was not so favorable to her body-type.
Love Nina’s and Anna’s wardrobe style—classy!!
And, yes—I’m with you with the FF.
Never liked CM—since AMC—-his voice is like a knife going through my brain.
Oh, wait– Was the hook-man after Joss where Brando was caught in the middle? Well, then–it’s Esme!!
Esme seems the likely suspect. Who else would target both Ava and Joss?? And be mentally unstable enough to panic and attack Brando, because she thought he might have seen her stalking Joss.
Of course this means that Kristina will now be her next target, because she started screaming right away, so obviously the killer would know she witnessed everything.
Agreed, Satan—makes the most sense. Brando was in the way, therefore he had to be eliminated. I realized that soon after I had sent my first reply–
And, I hadn’t thought of it, but you are right about Kristina, as well. ‘All roads lead to Rome'( Esme).
I really like Johnny Wactor and am sorry if he goes.
There were a couple of things about the episode that confused me though.
One was when Brando was attacked it was gushing rain. He was soaked as as was Kristina and the water was just gushing over the set floor. In the pickup scene which would have been seconds later both Brando and Kristina were completely dry as well as the set floor.
The other being the hook. When Ava was hooked we clearly saw the killer enter the stable tack room and select a bale hook which he used to do the deed. Yesterday when Jordan and Dante were speaking about the hook used in Ava’s attack they claimed that it was a fish hook taken from the boat house?? Really confusing. I know she was attacked by the boat house but as I said we saw the killer select the hook in the stables. Did I misunderstand something?
The hook was definitely taken from the boathouse, though it looked more like a baling hook to me.
Don’t quote me on that though, because I’m in Hell, and we don’t have such hooks down here, as neither hay nor fish are present, so it’s been a while since I’ve seen either a baling hook or a gaffing hook in person.
Greg
No, you didn’t misunderstood anything, it was the actors lines that were screwed up. First of all it wasn’t a fish hook unless the Q’s anticipated catching a giant fish in the small lake they would most likely have and secondly , it was a hay bailing hook from their stables.
I really liked Johnny Wactor too, but it is what it is and the story above just about spells it out, he’ll be gone next week.
Thanks for backing me up Violet. I didn’t think I was wrong here. This begs the question of how could the writers have screwed up on such a crucial plot point? Do they no longer have a continuity person on staff?
Greg
You’re welcome, some of the stuff is so confusing and the thing that bugs me the most is why did Brando go outside in the first place? He couldn’t have thought Dex was following Joss because he left first and she followed after with the sunglasses.
The hook definitely came from the boathouse, because the camera panned up to the hook during the whole scene where Drew & Carly were starting to “get busy” in the boathouse…. until they almost burned it down by leaving an unattended gas grill outside.
Now, being somewhat of a fire expert myself, I’ve never seen a gas grill suddenly turn into a 666 alarm fire spontaneously, unless you put some really fatty meat on the grill and it drips down into the elements, catching fire. Or if you do something really dumb like squirt charcoal lighter fluid on it… which of course you would never need with a gas grill.
So what if the killer messed with the grill (while Drew & Carly were otherwise occupied) and then used the distraction of the fire to slip into the boathouse and steal the hook, and get out without being seen… which would have otherwise been difficult, given pretty much every mortal in Port Charles was walking around the Q estate that night.
It did look more like a baling hook to me though, which means it either should have been in the stables, or whomever runs the prop department at GH doesn’t have a clue as to what sort of hooks SHOULD be in a boat house.
Satin
I too remember seeing the attacker take the hook that was hanging outside the boathouse but when you called it a hay baling hook I immediately thought of where that hook would be used, the stables, right? Who works in the stables, Cody Bell, but what reason or motive for him to be a Serial killer?
I think Dante & Britch are both misunderstanding the PCPD’s supposed interest in Cody. They don’t know why Mac is actually interested in Cody… and that it has nothing to do with the hookings or any other recent crimes. And Mac isn’t likely to let it slip that his questions about Cody are of a more “personal” nature… though Maxie will probably slip up and say something about it to one of them eventually.
Yes, Greg—It was confusing . It is still a complete blur to me. I guess my attention was on my noisy kids.
What happened so suddenly? Why did Brando die? Too bad—I really liked both the actor and the character. I bet the “hooker” managed to slip by the staff in order to finish what he/she started—-or there is an accomplice among the employees.
Is Johnny Wactor leaving GH? This is a rather interesting storyline kind of spooky. I wonder who it is? Everyone saying it’s Rory or Dex? It’s going to be someone who is least expected is my prediction but what do I know LOL
Obviously it wasn’t Dex because Joss was following him outside of Charlie’s to give him his sunglasses, when the “hooker” went after her… and then switched to Brando when they realized they had been seen.
Rory also seems unlikely, since he showed up at the Metro Court pool with Trina, dressed in appropriate “poolside” clothing – shorts/sandals/t-shirt – which is not what the killer was wearing, and though time is often distorted in Port Charles, it doesn’t seem plausible that he would have had time to run home and change his clothes before showing up at the pool. I do believe Rory has some dark secrets, but carrying a hook around probably isn’t one of them.
Well—could be Dex is part of a conspiracy—-if not Esme, then it’s Michael . Maybe he had Dex as the organizer, and someone else as the executioner.
Helloooo!!! I have a guess about the hook. Could it be Finn’s dad? I know it’s way out there,but for me he gave off a vibe when talking about the case with Alexis. Which would be bad for her, since she’s attracted to him and once again she chose a bad guy. Or, it could be the demented Esme.
omg why is GH starting this dumb serial killer storyline? I ‘m really disappointed the show is doing this. Hate the killing of characters, and I liked Brando, this really sucks. Stop this storyline fast please.
The killer is left handed. I can think of two related characters who are lefties…one by necessity!
NoraE
Spell it out please, I can only think of Esme off hand.
Violet – The hook- wielder uses a raised left hand. Esme wrote the letter to her nanny with her left hand and has motive for revenge. Ryan lost his right hand. Although he has a hook on that hand, he would use a different and larger hook to a attack his victims using his real left hand. He has motive to harm Ava who him spurned him. Esme has motive to harm Joss who helped find Oz, who testified that she tried to kill him. Maybe they’re a tag team!
This show is getting worse.. love to see Steve back with Sam.
Have Steve Burton back on the show please!
I just can’t get over the fact that they tried to portray the guy as some hardened combat veteran tough guy….LMAO
The question remains why Brando didn’t run away or yell. Joss seemed to be out of range when the “hooker” turned towards Brando. Did he know the hooker?
Good question. It doesn’t make a lot of sense that a trained combat veteran would just stand there and allow himself to be stabbed. Unless he knew his attacker and obviously wasn’t expecting the hook… and once he was stabbed immediately went into shock or something, and was able to respond….. though I would think combat training woudl prevent him from having that sort of reaction, since the whole point of combat training, is that you keep fighting as long as you’re physically capable. Kristina’s screams would have cut short the amount of time he would have had to respond, but he should have got at least one or two decent punches in at his assailant.
I’m glad the writers brought Kristina in to support her dad. Once again Lexi showed what a powerhouse actress she is. There are so many storylines they can weave her into in important ways. I’m hoping Kristina got to her cousin in time to save his life. If not I would love her to be there to support Sasha. Kristina has had her troubles so I think she might be able to reach Sasha in a way that no one else has been able to.
It’s Nina! She thought ava was Carly, second victim was meant to be joss. She is having psychotic break as shown in cemetery scene with Nelle. That’s my theory. We shall see. Anything is possible in soaps!
As long as this means we finally get rid of Nina, I’d be OK with that. Given the writing on this show lately, they would probably try the “brain tumor” excuse again and let her get away with it.
NOOOOOOO!! Nina stays!! Carly goes!! Sacrebleu!!LOL!!
Shelly
Yes, anything is possible but too many people want her gone and this would be too easy. Also, is she that strong?
I wonder if Lexi Ainsworth will be given more SL now. She looks good with Dex but he seems really interested in Joss, and I expect they will get together soon. I did wonder how long it would take her to outgrow Cam who is cute but immature.
I think the killer is Buster Bluth who got his hand bit off by a Loose Seal (Lucille is his mother) and had his severed hand replaced by a hook. Buster has Mommy issues.
Nah… these writers don’t have the intellectual capacity to pull off an Arrested Development story.
It’s Dex. Is it? The “jingling” sound is around his neck. We know he’s working both aisles—Michael/Sonny. Are TPTB teasing us?
But I sooo want it to be Esme.
Wasn’t sure where to put this comment, but decided to add it onto the Brando story.
Tomorrow morning I will be up at 4:30am to watch Queen Elizabeth taken to Windsor in the final hours of her funeral. I have been watching almost non-stop since the morning of the day she passed away. And have been very touched by her story. A very impressive person. A hard act to follow.
To me, for better and worse, over the years the British monarchy probably encompasses all of the elements soaps are built on, but in real life…family, their kids offspring, unforgettable personalities, traditions, history, power, legacy, longevity, etc.
May Queen Elizabeth Rest In Peace.
Chris Van Etten practically spells it out that Brando will die this week. Why are they still acting like there is any question to that? As Greg commented earlier, they are so confusing , we used to call that back in the day” talking out of both sides of your mouth” The SL is bad enough without having to decipher what the heck they are talking about.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair
After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!
In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.
Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.
MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP
Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!
At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC
BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY
Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”
LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER
In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?
So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.
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