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GENERAL HOSPITAL: Helena, Jennifer Smith & The Ice Princess: What Did You Think of Luke Spencer’s Memorial?

By Michael Fairman

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Friday’s episode of General Hospital brought the highly-anticipated story around the apparent death of Port Charles iconic, Luke Spencer (Tony Geary), although many fans, and even some of the cast of the show, are not sold that Luke is “dead” dead.

During the show, characters spoke of some of the history of Luke in Port Charles, most especially Luke’s sister, Bobbie played by Jackie Zeman.  Throughout the years, Zeman is at her best when she is given material through the writing of the show to connect to the history of Luke and Bobbie.  She did so when Bobbie was remembering how Luke came to Port Charles to help her break up Scotty and Laura, in a discussion with her daughter, Carly (Laura Wright).

Photo: ABC

As everyone is gathering at the Haunted Star to pay their respects to Luke, Curtis (Donnell Turner) arrives to support Laura (Genie Francis), Felicia (Kristina Wagner) and Anna (Finola Hughes) arrive together, Nikolas (Marcus Coloma) and Ava (Maura West), as well as Spencer (Nicholas Alexander Chavez  also show up. It is through Nikolas’ conversation with Laura that we learn why Luke’s sons, Ethan and Lucky, can’t make the funeral and, of course, we know why Luke’s daughter Lulu can’t make it because she is in a coma!

Victor (Charles Shaughnessy) shows up and snipes at everyone and then leaves.  Tracy (Jane Elliot), who has arranged the memorial, is with an urn supposedly filled with Luke’s ashes and Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) finds her on the deck of the Haunted Star and talks her into giving her planned eulogy.

Courtesy/ABC

Meanwhile, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) finds his dad, Sonny (Maurice Benard) drinking at Charlie’s, and later Scott (Kin Shriner) and Robert (Tristan Rogers) stop in and heated words are exchanged between Sonny and Scott. Victor shows up and instead of Scott and Sonny pummeling each other, they get into a fight against Victor.

Courtesy/ABC

As Scott and Robert are about to be on their way to the Haunted Star, Scott stays behind because of his past with Luke.  Then, Sonny tried to patch things up with Carly before they head to the memorial.

Back on the yacht, Anna and Felicia find a note and a flash drive, after hearing a commotion on the yacht.  When the note says “play me”, none other than Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers) addresses Luke’s friends and family from apparently the great beyond.  As Helena spews her venom against Luke, Laura has enough and pulls the plug on Helena’s video speech.  Tracy looks concerned, like she may want to hear whatever else Helena had to say.

Photo: ABC

Next, Tracy does her best in short order to eulogize Luke.  That is juxtaposed with Scott trashing Luke.  Later, by herself on the deck, Tracy spreads Luke’s ashes over the waters of Port Charles. Back on the pier, Scott relishes Luke being gone, and that he is still standing saying, “You lose you son of a bitch!” Just then Luke’s ashes blow in into his face.  When Bobbie arrives, and see Scott full of ashes, she asks what happened.  Scott says, “I caught the bouquet,” an obvious nod to the Luke and Laura wedding of the past, where Scott returned at their wedding and caught the wedding bouquet.

Courtesy/ABC

Back on the Haunted Star, Tracy then has a gift in hand for Laura, but she tells Tracy if that’s the Ice Princess she does not want anything to do with it, and tells Tracy to keep it.  Spencer sees this go down and his interest on the diamond is instantly piqued.

Back at Charlie’s bar, Victor has an ominous toast to Luke saying, “The good people of your fair city are in for a big surprise!”

At the Haunted Star, dressed in black with black veil, Jennifer Smith reveals herself to a shocked Laura.

So, what did you think of Luke’s memorial episode? Favorite parts of it? Least favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section. But first, check out Helena’s videotaped speech and Tracy’s eulogy to Luke below.

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It was nice seeing so many veterans all in one place.

Bonus points for the locale of the Haunted Star, the performances of Genie Francis and Jane Eliot, the handsome picture of Geary, the urn, and the windswept ashes into Scottie’s face (although, for the record, I was always Team Scottie!)

I could do without 60-something, grown men getting into a fistfight. (I can always do without Sonny, who was at his default setting of menacing and abusive. — Wow! What an awful character to base your show around!) But I digress…

It might have been more appropriate to have more than one character give a eulogy, even if they were presented as snippets of dialogue.

The absence of Luke’s children, despite the excuses, was mind-boggling. GH is getting into DOOL territory in the newfangled excuses that show comes up with to explain the continued absences of Hope.

The absence of Luke himself, as perhaps at the end of the show being held captive (a result many viewers suspected, which may still happen).

The appearance of Helena via video was same old, same old — zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The appearance of Jennifer Smith? We’ll see what Monday brings.

The piece de resistance was the return of the Ice Princess! After all these years…

As usual, James, you’re kinder than I. I don’t care about Jennifer Smith (now if Roseanne were back, that’d be different) or that silly rock and the sight of Helena just makes me recoil. I don’t find evil and sadism entertaining unless they can weave in some humanity or, at least, some humor. She no longer has either. Regarding Sonny: James, how many storylines does this egomaniac require at the same time? Right now, there’s:
1. Getting Carly back
2. Dealing with feelings for Nina
3. Missing Jason
4. Going off his medication. Why?
5. Reclaiming his empire
6. Making amends with Michael regarding Nina
7. Inciting trouble all over town (with Scott, with Nikolas)
8. Buying a new business for Phyllis
9. Figuring out what happened to that mess of moss that used to crawl on the kitchen counter
10. Finding some decent hair dye
11. Dealing with Luke’s “death”
12. Inserting himself into Brando & Sasha’s tragedy
13. Bonding with Dante (talk about sleep-inducing).

Enough already!

First, Soaphound, thank you for your reply, although I’m not sure how “kind” my own character is here today. 🙂

Second, I love how you replied to my unnumbered list with an entertaining numbered list! Seeing in black and white (or is it black and grey?) all the various storylines given to this loathsome, tiresome character, as you have methodically summarized, is appalling. “Enough already!” Indeed!

And third, my memory is a bit hazy about Jennifer Smith and the Ice Princess, but I remember four different actresses playing the role (including Roseanne — hey, isn’t she available?!?!). And the Ice Princess might have been mentioned in a storyline long after its inception, but I do like this nod to the past (itself, a favorite pastime of mine).

Cheers!

Perhaps the producers were not successful in persuading Jonathan Jackson to come back for a short time. Or maybe, the producers did not talk to Jonathan Jackson.

It would have been nice move to get Jackson there. The fans would have appreciated it. Thanks for your reply, Anne.

Elizabeth should have been there, if not for herself then for Aiden who is his grandson. What about Kevin? Other than the time Luke’s cousin pretended to be him and tried to kill Sonny, Spencer got along with Luke. Was this scene thrown in to prop Ava who had no business being there. Hell, Epiphany would have better reasons to be there. And how can you not have Bobbie speak!!!

John, I totally agree with you on all your points, particularly that Elizabeth should have been there. She could even had said that Lucky reached out to her and asked her to be there for him… Further, Bobbie should have spoken, given she knew Luke longer than anyone, if nothing else…

We can’t forget about Covid maybe it’s not as easy to get people to guest star on the soaps like it use to be. Also maybe they just weren’t available at the time

Good points, Pat!

It is Stupid—-
There is no sane reason to, out of the blue, to kill Luke off..
What would be a logical purpose to kill off Luke= none.
I do not believe Luke is dead–
To bring Luke into a story, after all these many years,
is asinine..
Luke’s death is a fake-out– A stupid one.

Ok, I have a lot to unload here but I won’t Because I just can’t put my thoughts together, but I do have a question, who in the hell is playing Jennifer Smith?

Damned if I know, but she’s probably too young for the part. Jennifer was roughly the same age as Luke. She was de-sorased in that ridiculous “exit story” ReRon wrote for Luke in 2015. As was her father Frank who should have been left dead, and would have been at least in his late 90s(as both actors who portrayed the historical Frank Smith had died of old age related causes by then)… but showed up in that dumb story looking about the same age as Luke himself.

The 90s stunt casting versions of Jennifer Smith – portrayed by Roseanne Barr and then Sally Struthers – were at least amusing. The 2015 version was as lame as the rest of that story. Hell only knows what the contrived purpose for bringing her back this time will be…. though I suspect it might have more to do with mob-related business than anything to do with her “mourning” Luke Spencer, given the way they made sure she crossed paths with Sonny as well as Laura.

Holly Gagnier, is playing Jennifer now (and her previous visit in 2015).

She played Cassie Callison on OLTL and more recently has been an acting teacher/coach. Her clients include Nicholas Chavez (Spencer).

I think some of these criticisms are a bit harsh. Budget cuts make it difficult to have scenes with upwards of 25 people at a time these days, and I can’t fault the writers or the show if the actors who played lucky or Ethan were perhaps not available to shoot. I think sometimes we need to be a lot more understanding about the genre we all love. It’s not perfect but year in and year out for decades it continues to entertain us. It’s not perfect and the writers are not in control over actors’ schedules when they are no longer on the show. Do I think Luke is dead? No. Do I think this storyline will turn out to be a great old time mystery that ties most of the cast into it? I do, and I’m happy to go along for the ride with an open mind to see where it goes❤️ It’s too easy to criticize and tear down these shows—I’m going to choose to appreciate them and to be grateful for the small handful of soaps we still have left—because the day they are all gone and all we have to watch are talk, game and cooking shows is the day I’ll start criticizing daytime.

I agree, and also there are restrictions due to the pandemic that is still prominent and they are trying to keep everyone safe while being able to still provide drama on a weekly/daily basis. I know that GH temporarily shut down production during Omicron, so obviously they are trying to keep people safe while driving story. I’m very much looking forward to some mystery and intrigue and hopefully it does not result in a mass number of deaths.

That’s an important point. Hairy certain the number of performers in any particular scene is limited to a maximum of 12.

Bravo! I agree, I rarely find anything so bad that it deserves condemnation with regards to GH. It’s a soap, doing the best it can within whatever restrictions it faces. I do hope Luke is not dead & yes, fake deaths are over used, but we’re often delighted when dead characters return, so it’s easy to overlook a fake funeral or two.

Spot on ! 100%

It was a piss poor job! Why not show clips of Luke and the characters that he acted with for so many years? I’m not talking about a rehash of the whole L&L saga. Clips with him and Genie in other stories. Clips with Sonny. What about his kids? Jackson wouldnt or couldnt come back but that doesnt mean they cannot show clips of him and Luke. Tracy was lost in this episode. Why not have someone there to support her? Monica? And no Skye Quartermaine. I know, they only have so much money and time but it was very unmemorable. Scotty was the ONLY good part of the whole Luke episode. He stood out as the only shinning star in the episode. When Luke’s “Ashes” blew over and hit him in the face was an instant classic! Helena, its over, give it a break! She was great in her day but lets move on. She is “Dead.” You have a great Cassadine villain on screen, right now, being played to perfection by Charles Shaughnessy! HE is the focus now, causing havoc with the citizens of Port Charles. He is excellent! This was probably all for naught but we move forward.

They would’ve had to pay Geary his last going day rate if they used any clips. If those scenes featured performers not on Friday’s episode, they would’ve had too been paid their day rate as well.

Since Geary is still living (and quite likely, so is Luke) it was not a tribute episode like they did for John Reilly (Sean Donely) last year.

Those day rates for Geary and others would have taken a serious amount away from GH’s daily budget. So I think it was a choice of either showing clips of Geary with Genie Francis etc or having Jacklyn Zeman and others physically on the set.

As usual, Timmm, you speak truth. I’ve always felt that tribute shows should be JUST THAT… appreciation of past episodes and performances. No need to dredge up false sentiment and imagine phony reactions. Jennifer Smith…REALLY?? I feel the same about those Kennedy Center Honors specials. Rather than see an artist’s work desecrated by a generation of performers that don’t understand and/or are incapable of interpreting the work adequately, JUST SHOW US the original work. Did you see that “tribute” to Bette Midler last month? Disgraceful!

Luke is alive.’Hate him, or enjoy him, like or love him, he is alive. The older sexxxi man himself, bad to the core at times VICTOR showed it, his smirks, to him saying, right in the camera, “The citizens of Port Charles, are in for a big surprise.”[Or said something to this affect.] No way, he is dead. I hope 1 day mid 70’s, yes old now, senior citizen he is, but i hope just 1 day, even 1/2 of epie or a few epie’s, a short 3 month contract, the great LUKE SPENCER (Anthony Geary) return soon. No way as GENIE FRANCIS say, he would just die or that she has a hard time beliving in an “accident”lol
adios

Agree no way is he dead! I can’t wait until this story progresses and the great luke Spenser comes back to save the day!

Loved it!! Seeing all the vets together was wonderful. Yes, it obviously would’ve been great to have all of Luke’s kids back but they pulled off surprises and humor and touching moments all in one episode. Well done!

I didn’t shed a tear which says it was a very poorly written memorial service. I’ve watched GH since it started and expected so much more. Where were the flashbacks of some iconic scenes.

Didn’t Tracy just get through telling Laura at Liv and Neds vow renewal that she had a piece of the Ice Princess that she was going to use to finance her future endeavors? I was not watching back when all that stuff was going on, so who does the jewel really belong to?

I agree that Luke’s death came out of nowhere and certainly will serve other story; otherwise, there’d be no reason to bring it up. If he really is dead, the memorial service itself was really disappointing for the arguably the most well known character on daytime. Also, I couldn’t believe that Scorpio was wasting all that time with Scotty and did not have once scene with Laura reminiscing about Luke. Curtis had more interaction with her. And also why haven’t they talked about Victor too!

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‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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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’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?

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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.

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GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair

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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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