General Hospital
General Hospital’s Avery Pohl Talks on The Two Sides of Esme, and the Character Being In Love with Spencer
If you caught Friday’s episode of General Hospital, it was a major turning point for the character of Esme Prince (Avery Pohl). Revisiting Wyndemere, she remembers her past, all of it, including: her misdeeds, machinations, and let’s not forget taping Joss (Eden McCoy) and Cameron (William Lipton) having sex, and setting up Trina (Tabyana Ali) as the perpetrator.
After recalling being held hostage by Nikolas, her escape, and nearly killing Liz (Rebecca Herbst), Esme falls to the ground in both remembrance, defiance and shock. What will happen next? Will Esme return to her old self scheming and lying? Will she be a combo of the malicious Esme, but have a heart of gold when it comes to baby Ace? And now that she recalls her past, how will Esme feel about Spencer (Nicholas Chavez)?
Michael Fairman TV caught up with Avery Pohl during last week’s Daytime Emmy celebrations, and while she couldn’t spoil the big reveal, she did clue us into a few key points.
Courtesy/ABC
Pohl shared her thoughts on how GH kept Esme on the canvas, when it seemed like the character was painted into a corner. Eventually, the writers chose to have Esme have amnesia, although many along the way thought Esme was just playing everybody to escape being locked up in the slammer or put away at Ferncliff.
“I think it was a really fine line that we had to sort of dance around of what are we gonna do with her,” Pohl expressed. “It’s been really fun. I feel very lucky to get to play sort of two characters in one be cause she started out so difficult, shall we say. And then she had become quite ‘nice’, along the way. I don’t know where it all goes from here, but at least, she developed a bit of a moral conscience.”
Courtesy/ABC
So, where is Esme’s head at in regards to her ex Spencer Cassadine? Is she wanting the guy back? “Of course! Poor girl is so in love with him,” Pohl answered. “It sort of sucks for her. She has to watch Spencer and Trina right under her nose and in her own home, really just hanging out all the time. That’s gotta be hard for anybody to watch.”
Courtesy/ABC
We can’t help but think a catfight or showdown is about to occur between Esme (with memory in tow) and Trina. Avery teased on working with Tabyana Ali as on-screen rivals: “Oh, we’re besties. It’s great. We just filmed some stuff that I cannot wait for everybody to see. It’s going be so fun. I can’t tell you anything more, unfortunately.”
Courtesy/ABC
From all accounts, Alley Mills is also on her way back on-air as Esme’s biological mother, the cray cray Heather Webber, Pohl shared on working with now Daytime Emmy winner: “I love Miss Alley, and everything I want to talk about I can’t. But I will say, anytime I get to work with her is amazing.”
So, what did you think of Esme remembering her past? Do you think there will be two genuine sides to Esme, the good and the bad that will be displayed … or do you think she will return 100% to her bad self? What about Trina/Spencer/Esme? Now that Esme remembers everything, will she set out to destroy ‘Sprina’? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Sorry to say … I don’t see the point of this character anymore. She is rarely on. She has become just a distraction and irritation rather than a valid story point. Great actress! Just a bit of sloppy writing making the character SO psychotic SO fast and now having to whitewash and back pedal.
Sloppy perhaps due to strike
She’s on all the time.
Who are you talking about ,Esme or Heather? Esme is on quite a lot, especially lately, a lot going on with her and new stuff coming up.
I agree. The writers wrote her into a corner and then threw motherhood and amnesia at her as some kind of lifesavers. Their first mistake was writing her as a one dimensional, sociopathic villain rather than a spoiled, poor little rich girl. She could have been a young Erica Kane or even a Kendall Hart as played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Avery has the acting chops to pull off a highly flawed, multilayered character. Instead, they have her going from villain to heroine without any shades of transition to guide viewers through the abject and extreme transformation. With the bitter aftertaste of Esme’s heinous deeds lingering in viewers’ mouths, their palettes were spoiled for saccharine-sweet Esme. At this point going forward, the only way this character will work is if she plays a straight up villain. Failing that, she should be written off the show.
It sort of sucks for her. She has to watch Spencer and Trina right under her nose and in her own home, really just hanging out all the time. That’s gotta be hard for anybody to watch.”
That’s an odd view she has of her character, being that Esme was never in love with Spencer. She only saw him as a means to do her insane father’s bidding.
Further proof was Esme having sex with Spencer’s father to further his sick agenda. The fact is Trina is everything that Esme wants to be. And instead of working towards being a better, human, she decided to target Trina and her best friends in order to destroy Trina and get her out of the way. all because Spencer was/is in love with her. We won’t go into the bigotry behind her actions.
As for the good side verses the bad side, that’s a laughable fallacy. Esme has no good sides. Just because she takes care of her child, has a job & isn’t framing people for crimes they didn’t commit does not make her a good person. Esme is evil through and through and I can’t wait for Trina and Spencer to take her down.
I know a matter of opinion but not so much Trina but her mother is just the worst hypocrite. She treats Trina like a 10 year old. Trina should have dumped Spencer long ago. Still think Ace will turn out being Spencer’s son. Esme setting boundaries I say good for her.
You said it all!
I agree with you and Cole.
Esme Prince almost puts me in the mind of Kay Bennett from Passions where she was crazy in love with Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald but he was too in love with Charity Standish to give HER the time of day. So, she did everything in her power to get rid of Charity by any means necessary (schemes, manipulations, murder, witchcraft etc.)
Esme is a woman in love with another woman man. Esme knowns how to manipulate Spencer feeling for Ace to separate Spencer and Trina. If she can’t have him, she will not allow them to be happy. The green eye monster will return.
Well I think she deserves a chance first if all she’s a wonderful actress and she’s no worse then what Liesel or Britt or Maxie for that matter let’s not forget she seduced Jason by giving him pain pills or Lucky can’t remember now lol and Ava let’s not forget is a stone cold murderer lol.but again I love her character too but Esme reminds me of Andrea Evans character Tina Lord Robert’s from One Life To Live so let’s give her and Avery Pohl a chance
Tina was sexy and sweet with her dirt…. this girl…just dark
I hope they leave her nice…Maybe hook her up with Jocelyn’s friend Matt….
Oh I like that idea
Don’t be ridiculous, Matt is a just a kid , looks and actions compared to Esme who is a woman.
Poor Matt is already struggling with his parents’ acceptance and it’s absolutely a bad idea to hook him up with Esme….He does not need a psycho drama pitch like Esme…..Hate her in good or bad roles.
Who the heck is Matt!? I think you folks mean Adam.
It be fun to see Esme play both sides of good and bad.
Didn’t want her ri remember its going to mess everthing up but i guess writers want to do that
Would like to see Esme and Spencer together and Spencer being Ace’s Dad.
You crazy. His dad is coming back
Yes, Spencer’s dad but he’s not Ace’s dad and if he murdered Austin like I think he did, he’ll be in Penton illegal.
Thank you!!! Also if everyone remembers even Spencer said from the beginning the baby wasn’t his, they hadn’t been together for quite some time. Nikolas definitely has a plan or 20 going on.
Spencer and Trina belong together. If Spencer wanted to be with Esme. He would have not. Gone to Trina’s dorm room. And spent the night outside her dorm room. That’s say how much. He is in love with Trina. Some people want him with Esme. Spencer wants to be with Trina. I believe Ace wants his brother with Trina also. And GH couldn’t even put Spencer and Esme back together. Because they already knew that it wouldn’t work out. Nooooooooooooooo do not let him be Ace’s dad. Let it be someone else. Spencer and Trina. (Yes yes yes. Spencer and Esme. No no no Lots of chemistry with Spencer and Trina. ❤️ these (2) so much. Beautiful couple.
So sick of you brainwashed WOKE grandmas, Spencer should be with Esme or a pretty girl not someone they threw on the show because she’s black. Put her with TJ .
Oh you said it. Trina does not look good with Spencer. He & Esme rock!!!!
Agree!! Put Spencer with Esme and Ace. A much better fit and let him be Ace’s Dad. Trina needs to move on, no chemistry with him.
yes
YES. I literally fast forward anything with Trina. Forced. She takes way too much airtime.
Talented actress for sure but she has little objectivity and lack of insight into her own character. Esme is incapable of love. When she was with Spencer, she was emotionally abusive and manipulative toward him. Then later she taped his two childhood friends having sex for the very first time and released it to the world. She drugged Trina and framed her for her crime. Yes, the poor writing did paint Esme into a corner and the convenient amnesia was a pathetic and lazy attempt to rectify it. Esme has never received her comeuppance and her victims never received justice. The amnesia storyline yielded zero viewer satisfaction.
Bobbie
5 hours ago
Id like to see her with Spencer. Spring was fun at first. I thought they were great, but now she’s gotten to act too much like her mom and I’m all set with that, meaning Trina. Of course it would become boring if there wasn’t the chaos of all of this. And then who would watch the show?
Why would you want to put that sicko with Spencer? She emotionally abused him when they were together, tortured his friends, drugged the love of his life, and then framed her for revenge porn.
I can’t wait to see how esme seems to be.. I love ❤️ the nice side of her, and I’m glad she remembered what she did, maybe she’ll apologize to everyone
This is a soap opera in its truest sense. But there’s enough drama going on to encourage Overkill. For her sake and all the viewers she should end her existence, so we can focus on baby Ace and the continuing drama play out without what would be insignificant, as well as dull and annoying.
The writer’s have exhausted this. Put her to rest and focus on the more favorable characters. The young children like Ace and the other’s is the “FUTURE”
So you want to watch babies until they’re all grown up on General Hospital? I’ll stick with what they have going on now
I want Esme to continue on the path to redemption bur she should avoid Heather since she already revealed in their last encounter that she’s not Esmes mother I believe Steven Lars Webber is Esmes father which makes 70 yr old Heather her grandmother.
So Heather isn’t her mother? I must of missed something dang it
I don’t ever miss an episode of General Hospital & I never saw Heather reveal any such thing! Heather’s her mom, Ryan’s her dad!
Let the games begin , she is an amazing actor !
I think Esme remembering her past give give light to her exhibiting both the good and the bad sides of the character. Since this is a soap opera I’m all for seeing how this will evolve. And yes she is an excellent actress.
But what about all the slasher murders! That was never resolved.
Esme might apologize to everyone she did wrong and changed for her baby sake she loved her baby I mean when she was the nice person or she might keep being nice as the nice person and still be bad behind close door s well am just assuming such things because we don’t
I just assumed those things because the writers will do what they do but we just giving our veiew
No she won’t because Spencer and Trina love is to strong
Unless something happens to Trina, like what happened to Scott’s one true love Allison from hit show Teen Wolf!
Not true, especially with Trina’s pain in the butt mother, sticking her nose into everything and everyone’s business. The other day at their home when she was pawing and petting Trina like some damn pet made me sick. She’ll really have a stroke when her “baby girl” turns up pregnant.u
Thank you Thank you yes it is.
This is Kevin and Ryan except with split personality
Id like to see her with Spencer. Spring was fun at first. I thought they were great, but now she’s gotten to act too much like her mom and I’m all set with that, meaning Trina. Of course it would become boring if there wasn’t the chaos of all of this. And then who would watch the show?
I 100% agree.
I hope she stays nice
I think Ryan programmed her to play Nicholas and do bad act to Ava
Well, I guess if Ezme really is a changed person, Tuesday’s episode will probably show her going to the police station to confess her disgusting crimes and taking her punishment like the reformed character says she is. I mean that’s what a contrite, remorseful person would do, right? After months of passive-aggressive behavior toward her victims, she decides to apologize to Trina and promptly gets her memory back. How convenient! Can’t wait for this character to get away from Spencer & Trina fro good!
It’s definitely going to interesting and frustrating to watch, lol. First, she’s not going to let anyone know because Duh reasons… just leave Spencer and Trina alone with the exception of giving them an exciting storyline together, please!
I’m just excited to see how this storyline is going to finally play out! It’s been a long time coming!
I think she has wanted to be better then she was and I think it will turn out that Spencer really is aces father. She will still do a few underhanded things maybe not illegal but still wrong things to get Spencer back
Even if Esme remembers, she could stay good for her son and Spencer. I think they have some feelings there, they could make a nice little family.
No it wouldn’t work. If Spencer wanted to be with Esme. He would have not gone to Trina’s dorm room. And asked her for his forgiveness. We all know. When they were in NYC. She put that LOVE SPELL on him. Now he is hooked. He has confess that he has never Loved anyone liked that before he met Trina. So that mean Trina is the world to him. And when she for gave him for acting like a blank. We all know what happened next in her dorm room. Esme had Spencer didn’t work out. Now he is with Trina. Yes I’m Happy for them.
Let her good sidecwin over evil, writers. I know Spencer has buried his feelings for Esme, but deep down, his love for her is still alive.
Please—nuTrina is too wishy-washy for sexy Spencer.
I hope Avery has a long career on GH. Her scenes with Genie Frances and Nancy Lee Grahn make give her character the redemption Esme needs
Esme should team up with wacked out, reborn Helena Cassidine, Charlotte. What a wonderfully wicked pair they could make.
I think this is about to be the Nell story all over again. Most of the time no one ever completely change for the best. But believe or not there are some people in the real world that do. I’m actually tired of the bad Esme. Let her make a real change.
I think she will try to destroy Soencer and Trina’s relationship.
The latest ratings are out for the week of October 26-30, 2026 and the big takeaways include: that CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates was separated by only 23,000 viewers behind third place (of the soaps) General Hospital! For the last several weeks, Beyond the Gates has been closing the gap on this year’s winner for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, and continuing to best GH in the key demos.
According to the latest Nielsen ratings breakdown from Soap Opera Network, the final week of October brought Beyond the Gates 1.790 million on average tuning-in and the show set a season high in total viewers. Meanwhile, General Hospital hit a new season low! The long-running ABC soap had 1.813 million for the week, and once again the series did not go over the 2 million mark.
Meanwhile, in the key Women 18-49 demo, Beyond the Gates was firmly ahead of GH with a rating share of 0.21, while General Hospital had 0.17 rating share.Then, in the key Women 25-54 demo, Beyond the Gates was once again ahead of the ABC soap with a ratings share for that demo at 0.30 while GH came in with 0.26.
Photo: CBS
MORE BY THE NUMBERS
In addition and comparatively, Beyond the Gates +22,000 viewers week-to-week, and had the largest gains in viewership year-to-year in daytime TV with +267,000 from this in 2025.. However, General Hospital seems to be going in reverse. The show was down -56,000 viewers week-over-week and down -22,000 year-over-year .
BEYOND THE GATES
Let’s take a look at some of the storylines that had people tuning-in to Beyond the Gates during the ratings week:
Hayley (Marquita Goings) attempted a massive shocker regarding her pregnancy and tried to use it to extract money from Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Although, Bill saw right through her game, he demanded a paternity test, and made it clear he has no intention of raising the child—planning instead to pay her off to take the baby and leave. Meanwhile, Hayley confided her plan to her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry).
Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) clashed over Jacob’s ongoing investigation into The Impaler, causing significant strain in their marriage. At the same time, Smitty (Mike Manning) considered taking matters into his own hands—including potentially heading to Mexico for evidence—while Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) worried about what comes next.
Photo: ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL
Over at General Hospital for the ratings period, the story served up included:
Carly (Laura Wright) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) teamed up to investigate what really happened to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). Later, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) leads them to Jack’s dead body.
Jude (Wil Traval) dropped a bombshell claim to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn); that he is Phoebe’s father, while Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed their divorce papers.
Then, Danny caught Rocco (Finn Carr) and Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) sharing a kiss, plus the shocking return of Heather Webber (Alley Mills) capped the week.
Now the questions become; without having much promotional synergy in the ABC day-part to draw more eyeballs it is not helping but hurting General Hospital. It seems Beyond the Gates is also a benefactor of a one-two-three punch of CBS soaps (Y&R, B&B and BTG) and promotion.
However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Beyond the Gates is close to besting GH in all ratings category as they go head-to-head in some markets across the country.
So, are you excited to see Beyond the Gates climb in the ratings? Are you concerned for General Hospital? Do you think they can stave off Beyond the Gates in total viewers or will the upstart soap overtake them in the next ratings report? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Antonio Sabáto Jr., the former Jagger Cates of General Hospital and GH: Night Shift, and the former Dante Damiano of The Bold and the Beautiful has issued his first public statement since the incident involving his son, Jack’s arrest in Alaska for a fatal hit-and-run.
Jack is the son of Sabáto Jr. and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, and according to court documents obtained by KTUU Jack, was allegedly driving a white Chevy Tahoe when he hit and killed Carl Simmonds, 42, near an intersection in Anchorage around 5:35 a.m. on Monday, November 9.
The reports indicated that Jack fled the scene — but later decided to called the cops to say he hit “something” that “suddenly appeared in the road” while he was “doing late-night DoorDashing.”
Photo: NBC
Now, Antonio has taken to his Instagram breaking his silence on the situation, sharing, “At this time, my family and I are navigating an extremely sensitive and deeply personal matter.”
He added, “As a father, my love for my children remains unconditional, and my priority is the well-being of my family. We ask that the public and members of the media honor our privacy during this difficult time and keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.”
The soap alum concluded, “I also wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the gentleman who tragically lost his life. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well. We sincerely appreciate your compassion, understanding, and respect for the privacy of everyone affected.”
Jack Sabáto was arraigned in court on Tuesday, November 10 with bail set at $5,000, and a no-driving order and the potential of $5,000 penalty fees if he fails to attend future court appearances.
Antonio is the father to Jack, 34, daughter, Mina Sabato, 24 and son, Antonio Sabáto III, 15.
This is a developing story. You can check out Antonio’s official statement below.
So, let us know your thoughts on this tragic hit-and-run, which claimed the life of another man, and Antonio’s statement, via the comment section below.
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Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Ava’s (Maura West) daughter Avery looks quite different, starting on today’s November 9 episode of General Hospital. That’s because GH has made Avery into a full-blown teenager and the role is now being played by actress Alya Bullington.
In her debut, the Tennessee native was thrown into the deep soap waters with Daytime Emmy winners, Maurice Benard and Eden McCoy (Josslyn). Bullington weighed-in to TV Insider about her first scene which featured Avery overhearing a fight between Sonny and Josslyn.
She explained “It was something I have never done before, I did not have a lot of experience with the screaming and the crying stuff, but I got my first script, and I was like, ‘OK, this is a huge opportunity to learn so much about how that stuff works and to become this character that I have never even tried playing before.’”
Photo: ABC
THE TEENAGED VERSION OF AVERY WILL HAVE A LOT TO CONTEND WITH
Speaking of working with McCoy, Bullington shared, “She’s incredible. I remember her just laughing and making jokes on set, and then the minute that they started taping, she just locked in and she cried immediately, and my first thought was, ‘I want to be able to do that.’
The soap opera newcomer added, “I think she just inspired me so much because she is so great and she can just lock into whatever character she wants to in the moment.”
The character of Avery was born back in 2014, but as recently as the October 8 episode of General Hospital, the character was suddenly referred to as a teenager. This is the second young female character in recent months to be aged up following the casting of Kayden Brenna Tokarski as Scout Cain.
As for her take on Avery and what’s ahead, Alya said,“She’s emotional, and she’s curious, and she’s a really fun person to play because so much stuff is happening in her life. I think she’s kind of confused about what’s happening and what to believe.”
So, what do you think about General Hospital making Avery a teenager? Are you excited to see the conflict between Sonny, Ava and Avery now that they have aged up the character? Share your thoughts and welcome Alya to GH via the comment section below.
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B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
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