When you combine superb direction, writing, production, and acting in a special episode of a daytime drama, viewers can see and understand the thought and care that went into it.
This was more than on display during Thursday’s highly-anticipated ‘Alexis-Centric’ episode honoring the 25th anniversary of Alexis’ portrayer, two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Nancy Lee Grahn, on General Hospital.

Courtesy/ABC
In the story, symbolism was apparent and used for dramatic impact and it worked beautifully throughout, and best of all, Nancy received a script worthy of her immeasurable talents, and showed us once again why she remains one of the gold standards of our genre. If you have not seen the episode DO NOT read any further as it contains spoilers.
It begins with an emotional Alexis looking at her mother’s watch which was still frozen from the time of her death. While playing one of her mother’s records very loudly, she recalls Mikkos Cassadine kissing and dancing with her mom as a young Alexis (Natasha) looked on from the staircase. When Sam asks her about it, Alexis shares that she sees the watch as sort of a representation for her own life being frozen over the last three years; which has included Alexis’ battle with booze taking over her life and her being disbarred, when being a lawyer was the way she identified herself and what gave her purpose.
Overwhelmed and anxiety-ridden, Alexis hightails it to Kevin’s office for a therapy session knowing she is going to Pentonville in the morning to serve her sentence. She says she does not know who she is anymore. Then, Kevin asks her how she spent her day thus far. She flashes back to lunch with the good men in her life, Finn, Valentin, Jax and Ned. Valentin tells Alexis she is proud of her for honing up to her mistakes.
Back at the therapy session, Alexis she was an attorney who stood for something and her life has derailed, and that she was a fighter, an idealist, and an advocate. She knows she has to find a purpose in prison to make it through the three-year term and asks Kevin to help her find one.
Kevin wants to go back to when she was a little girl and her memories that are flooding back to her of Mikkos and her mother. Just then, the younger version of Alexis is huddled in the corner of Kevin’s office, an image of her from the past. Alexis tries to come to terms with her father and the choice of dangerous men and relationships that have marred her own happiness … recalling Julian holding a knife to her throat like Mikkos did to her mother. She says he was one of the toxic men in her life, but Kevin reminds her all of the men in her life were not toxic.
Alexis starts with Ned as one who was good for her saying he was always stable, but she ruined that by recently sleeping with him and putting a wedge in his marriage to her long-time friend, Olivia.
We then flashback to earlier in the day, where Alexis ends up in an almost confrontation with Olivia. However, Olivia tells her she misses the Alexis Davis she used to be and to get her back.
Now back with Kevin, a guilt-ridden Alexis relays she feels responsible for Neil’s death. Kevin interjects she is not, nor what happened with Julian. When Kevin attempts to bring up Mikkos again, Alexis rejects it and is angry that he is making her problem about daddy issues; like so many other women. She vehemently shouts that the men in her life do not define who she is.
Then, Alexis flashes back to hurtful memories she has buried of a young Natasha witnessing Mikkos calling her mother a “greedy little bitch”. She recalls it was on Christmas Eve and that Mikkos stopped by to give them gifts. That is when he presented her mother with the watch. However, things took an ugly turn when he tried to leave, and she threatened to tell Helena all about her and Natasha. Next, Mikkos slapped her and that is when the watch shattered. As all this was going down, a young Natasha watched from the stairs and was horrified that she couldn’t stop her father from beating her mother and remembers how helpless she felt.
However, Alexis reveals to Kevin she thought this would be the last of Mikkos coming by, but he returned on New Year’s Eve and her mother took him back into their lives. Alexis is beside herself that she could not protect her mother, but Kevin reassures her to remember she was just a child.

Courtesy/ABC
It is then we come to the crux of the story. Alexis looks over in the corner and sees her younger self crying. She goes to her younger self and tells her nothing that happened was her fault, and that their father was damaged and cruel. She tells the young Natasha this shouldn’t have been her burden to carry alone, and that she deserves to be happy. Then in the moment of strength and coming full circle, Alexis introduces herself to the young Natasha, “I’m Alexis Davis, a fighter, an advocate, and an idealist … and I will take care of everything from her on out.” In that moment, Alexis embraced herself, and forgave herself, so she could move on with her life.
Alexis then flashes back to earlier that night, as the Davis girls gather for a faux graduation ceremony so Alexis could see Molly in her cap and gown and they hug. Back in her session, Kevin remarks that Alexis has repeatedly defined herself as a fighter, an idealist, and an advocate, and reminds her she has three daughters who have those qualities, and that all she needs to be is Alexis Davis.
Then, we get a heart-warming montage of Alexis though the years in honor of Nancy’s 25th anniversary with GH.

Courtesy/ABC
As the episode concludes, it is the next morning, and Alexis enters Pentonville and enters her jail cell. There she meets her fellow inmate, who is studying law books to prep for her upcoming parole hearing. Alexis introduces herself as “Alexis Davis” and as someone who can help her. We then go back to her mother’s watch which now begins ticking at Alexis’ home. The show fades to black.
Kudos to Daytime Emmy winner, Phideaux Xavier for his outstanding direction, head writers: Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor and script writer, Scott Sickles for the thoughtful episode, EP Frank Valentini and his production crew for putting it all together, and the one and only Nancy Lee Grahn for a performance that will be remembered as a classic.
Share your thoughts on today’s on Nancy’s ‘Alexis-Centric’ episode via the comment section below.
Love it
I m loving SEEING these “TWO” EMMY WINNER’s as STEVE BURTON won his very 1st EMMY award for soap GH with 1 sl and the storyline was with ROBIN his onscreen SOULMATE JMHO IMO. I’m so happy BOTH are such great friends after how it ended and the way JASON “stare/with realistic/genuine happiness “relief” to see her/at the old infamous GH bridge was priceless. GOING TO REWIND IT AGAIN. another 1033 times. #ghrobinandjason #J&RForever
We were all routing for these guys back in the day and everyone wanted this scene to work out. There was just some awkwardness and I don’t know if it was the writing, the delivery or just something off between the actors and their chemistry. Something was just ‘off’ and I cannot explain it.
I suppose it was touching and well-acted, but it’s just another slap in the face to those of us who are team Billy. Lord, am I sick of people writing him off because the saint of Port Charles returns. At least Robin had the class to mention that newJason saved her life and has the same type of heart. More than he ever got from selfish Sonny, short-memoried Carly, or that harridan Diane (“I’ve already closed off YOUR file…I know who the real Jason is”). Ingrates! Heck, Patient 6 is handling it better than the rest of the town. Shame… Read more »
I so agree!!!The way they are all acting is so gross it makes no sense how they all forget the last few years I hate it!!!!
I hope for Billy Miller’s sake they let him be Drew.
He could shine as a new character all of his own. He really never was Stonecold to a lot of us.
Yes, yes, and yes……I do appreciate Steve Burton. He has been great so far….surprised me. But, Billy is Billy….he will always be my fave, Soaphound. TPTB should have never gone there—taking away the main substance of what makes Billy/Jason who/what he is, and just bounce it around…..in limbo. Perhaps that is the reason Sonny and Carly never took to him……because he would not be dominated? Tamed by them? Nevertheless, I cannot deny the impact Steve made on me. However, therein lies the crux of the matter…..this unfailing loyalty to Sonny and Carly seems to take over his better judgment, if… Read more »
Six needs to be Jason. I absolutely love the chemistry still after all these years.
@Kym.
Hey, Kym,
Absolutely agree. This is why I have always believed Billy Miller should have been cast as his own individual being; that is; someone else.
There is no slap in the face. No one including Sonny and Carly are dismissing the good things that Billy’s Jason has done. They have all praised him. But one is Jason and the other isn’t. If they believe Steve is Jason what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to pretend he’s Jason out of some kind of loyalty? So he can continue to live someone else’s life? This is all just nonsense from Billy stans who are desperate for him to be Jason and I can’t understand why that’s important. He’s nothing like Jason and can just… Read more »
i’m not interested at all.. what happens with Billy Miller character involvement WITH Sonny and Carly… and Sam. this has been… a snoozefest AFTER – seeing Billy Miller and Leslie Charelson.. scene @the Quartermaine cemetary plot. the scene ends with so much heart the scene ends with so much sensitivity the scene belongs to : BM Drew ? and HIS mother… Monica yeah.. I watched the scene soonafter.. as she went to the hotel where Steve Burton Jason was staying.. and it was just as moving… as Monica is telling SB’ Jason… “It’s so good to see you” GAWD –… Read more »
Very well put, MB. Your description of Sam is painfully true. I am a fan of both Kelly and Sam, but her sitting there behind that desk as a publishing executive does distort the character, as we know her. The same could be said about Lulu, the journalist? Oh, my. I hope she will make her pronouns agree with the subject. Only in soaps could people become experts with a pen without formal training, or enter Medical School without a College degree and pre-Med experiences. I think you have summed it all up very effectively. Everyone will fit into his… Read more »
You make some really good assertions, MB. I don’t quite understand this team business. Can’t you love Burton without that love negating your love of Miller? I think there is room for both of these fabulously talented men. I have appreciated Miller since his AMC days and loved how he just brought that Billy Abbott character come alive with an abundance of natural effervescence. Miller is that guy who enters a room and party begins just with his entering the room. That is why I never felt he was the right fit as Jason Stonecold Morgan who could enter the… Read more »
I don’t think Soaphound means it’s a slap in the face to Billy Miller; rather Billy Miller’s character. It’s painfully obvious that Sonny, Carly, Diane and today, Robin are pulling away from him. They’ve understandably been beyond ecstatic to have “their” Jason back, but haven’t been exactly reassuring or compassionate to the man (Billy’s Jason) that they all called friend and claimed to love just weeks ago. So, yes, the character has experienced a slap in the face, over and over again. If he’s not who he thinks he is, then it’s all the more important that he still feels… Read more »
MB, Rebecca said it best in her response. I don’t want Billy to be Jason at all. In fact, I can’t wait for him to get away from the toxicity of Sonny’s “world”. But if my “friends” referred to me variously as Sam’s husband (Carly), the stranger (Spinelli), that guy (Sonny), or the lovely sentiments of dear Robin (whose life he saved), “You’re just NOT Jason”, I’d be as angry as Drew/Billy was. Call me overly sensitive.
I couldn’t believe the gall and disrespect by Diane yeah.. she’s always out for the buku buck and high browing her legalese granted… I LOVE HER I just thought.. what the heck … what’s this obvious dump I’ve seen Monica render her heart and home as his I’ve seen Curtis befriend and support even Sam isn’t believable… ? what’s she going to do… fantasize about her days of ole ? when she was tramping all over the globe.. with Steve Burton it’s so dull and lame… as Carly is telling Sam… you are going to have to make a choice… Read more »
I think Sam’s been great, Patrick. I think she’s so confused that she’s almost repressed her feelings for Steve Burton’s “face.” Cassandra, Sonny, Carly, Michael, Monica, Robin…etc…all reacted way more than she did when she saw him. One would have thought she’d completely freak out and literally have to be sedated. I just think her love for Jason was so strong…she mourned for him so long…and now she couldn’t bear the possibility that her current husband is not THE Jason. That would mean her entire relationship was based on a past that didn’t exist with him. At the same time,… Read more »
oops! Not Cassandra…I meant Oscar’s mom, Kim.
i’m done with GH after this story. I think it really sucks to do this to Billy Miller and his character…he’s been carrying the character of Jason Morgan all these years, and now Steve Burton decides he wants to come back and they just do this switch-a-roo?? I don’t like this, and won’t be watching anymore. The better twist would have been for Steve Burton to be Andrew, that way he could take on playing a new role. Oh well, I will strictly go back to just watching Y&R and Days!
I agree, Torrey. Did you hear Spinelli on Friday? Calling Billy/Jason “the stranger” and even implying he illegally obtained Aurora Enterprises and that Scout will now be part of SB/Jason’s family?! I’m surprised Diane didn’t have formal adoption papers ready for SB to sign and having Jordan arrest Andrew for corporate fraud! Oh wait, the year’s not over yet.
All I know is Liz fell in love with Jake Doe treated him with respect the rest of the bunch including your precious Sam only decided to love him because they thought he was Jason and god forbid he stay with Liz. Just one day I would like to see someone anyone slap the holy you know what out of that screaming Carly and that husband who never looks anyone in the eyes
As for the question I felt nothing!
Those two do got on my nerves…i have to take an anxiety pill just to watch them!!!
wow, i never thought about it that way, your right, liz did fall for him before she knew he was “jason”, and the “others” only gave him the time of day once they believed he was “jason”, although carly did like Jake doe too, in that obnoxious controlling way she tends to with anyone she “welcomes ” into her self righteous circle. Carly is the ultimate hypocrite.
Hi aria…I don’t remember it that way. As I recall, Sam was with Patrick (I actually loved them together) but she and Billy’s Jason started forming a connection BEFORE she knew he was Jason. If I recall she started knowing him when he worked for her father, he gave her a ride on his bike and it seemed to me there was a growing attraction/connection which both felt even though they didn’t act on it and each was in love with their respective partners. So I do think by the time Sam found out it was Jason it all fell… Read more »
Agree, Kay…I said as much on a previous post.
Liz and Jake had everything going for them. The writers veered in the wrong direction.
The situation coulf have been remedied once she was caught in her own duplicity.
But, Sam “won”…. Why?…. Because she is Sam.
If the writers really are up for this because everybody thinks he is Jason just because he has the old face me thinks Billy might be the true Jason especially the way Franco talks today and doesn’t he know the truth? Oh well hope everybody doesn’t kill each other over it before it is solved!!
@ K/Kay , @Celia – PLUS
exactly… posts are always spouting clamoring.. for that story line original
when two hearts meet and wallah a love story for the ages
it was never forced… it was a natural progressive story that let your imagination LIVE through this newbie coupling
it was hot it steamed me out.. woah MORE please
🙂 Awesome Episode 🙂
I’m getting tired of everything becoming stupid.. And– people being trolled into buying it.. Quote ” However, that all changes when Jason/Six says to her if he would just believe him that would be “icing on the cake”. Robin then flashes back to the night of their first kiss as young loves, when she first explained to Jason what the expression “icing on the cake” meant … it means, “better, than the best”. Ok– They BOTH have the same memory, that is fact. So.. If SB/Jason has the memory of “icing on the cake” so does BM/Jason.. Both Jason’s have… Read more »
Seriously, who is signing your paychecks to continuously spread the disinformation. Get over it.
hi Satan ..
what I said is Fact, they both have the exact memories, their minds are one.
They BOTH have the same memory, that is fact.
So.. If SB/Jason has the memory of “icing on the cake” so does BM/Jason..
Both Jason’s have the memory of their first kiss with Robin and her explaining the expression of “icing on the cake” ..
Again.. their minds are on and both have the same memories.
And as of now, nobody, which is which..
Also.. when we are told who is whom don’t take it to heart, many twists and turns on the way before this story ends..
As far as I can see, they do have the same memories, su. I said this from the onset….obviously, whoever toyed with them, namely Helena, transmitted the real Jason’s memories into the other’s brain. So, who’s the real Jason? They are both so convincing, It’s kind of nuts…..very talented. Bravi. Again, a person has his/her individual nuances….the tilt of the head, the walk, the VOICE etc….. Seriously, I am intrigued by the story, but, really? ….I will follow along; it’s a soap. All these people who have been close to original Jason, should know him inside-out…..it’s not that difficult. I… Read more »
You are completely right Su. And now Robin is joining the Sonny and Carly team, sad. Separately, no one writing on this sight should be personally insulting like Satan was to you. We’re all entitled to our opinion about the soaps and the characters, that’s what this sight is for.
Thank you, Yvonne…..but, there are the select few who will attack if one’s opinion does not live up to theirs.
I always respect su’s opinion….she’s usually right….more oft than not…
I think its about time things got really shook up & Jason & Robyn became a couple again!! Imagine all those possible story lines!?!
Everyone knows that SB Jason, no matter how many twists and turns, is Stone Cold. Which leads me to my original statement. BM should want to be Drew. This characters history so far is untold and could detonate the entire city of Port Charles. There’s so much the writers can do here by giving BM something beefy to chew on. Wouldn’t it be great is they someone work the Loving murders into this chaos leaving Gwyneth Alden as Alexis’ biological mother with BM working in the background. Talk about a vendetta- Sam, Jason, Drew, Alexis, Robin, Luke, Lucky, LuLu, Laura… Read more »
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Darnell.
Billy Miller and his fans (and I happen to be one of them) should want Miller to have his own character.
It wasn’t fair to make this naturally bubbly and bouncy actor try and fill Burton’s shoes.
Let him be Drew and everyone will like him better than Stonecold. Otherwise, he’s just a poor man’s Jason. Miller deserves better.
Rhonda, you speak truth! How i miss the goofy, devil-may-care quality that Billy brings so naturally. There was one moment, way back when Jake Doe was first recovering…he and Elizabeth were standing on the stairs above the nurses station, waving and carrying on with silly abandon and with Billy’s megawatt smile lighting up the room. That was vintage Billy! My only immediate concern is that now he’ll be grumpy and vengeful toward Jason, which is unfair and pointless. Let’s skip that phase and jump to an original, funny Andrew. Oh, and PLEASE let him grow that gorgeous hair back!
I remain unconvinced P6 is the real Jason.
However IF he is the real deal – I still want Sam with Billy’s version.
I’m just more a Miller fan than a Burton fan.
Right, Lisa. I honestly don’t care whom Sam ends up with–the only thing I care about is that the actor we saw flesh out Jason Quartermaine and later, Jason Morgan, turns out to be the real Jason. He doesn’t have to end up with Sam.
Sam is kind of boring to me.
My hope: BM/Jason is original jason Q kidnapped in the 90s and have been somewhere for 20 years, partially studying as a doctor (maybe in iraq as a medic where he saw combat at one point thus Helenas grating “Soldier Boy” name). Is a businessman, aligns with the Qs, has clashes with… Patient 6/Jason is Drew but became stone cold when replaced original Jason Q by Helena (or whomever, who cares) and is the person that we’ve been watching since the 90s. All his relationships stay in tact. Where has he been for five years? who knows/who cares but he’ll… Read more »
sorry, meant to write that as a doctor, original recipe jason q is able to move from business into medicine (this is a soap, it happens all the time) and Monica is able to finally have Alan’s son be a doctor at GH.
Jason/6 & Robin have known each other since their teens, been through so
much together …Love, Life, Death…betrayal, forgiveness, hope.. A deep
abiding friendship that has lasted decades deserves to be true.
Patient 6 has to be Jason Morgan, otherwise this has all been another
“FLUKE-ISH” joke.
I could not agree more, Fanny.
But is he Jason Quartermaine??? THAT is the question…
If Jason/Six isn’t the real Stone Cold I’m done
If Jason isn’t the real Jason, this entire SHOW is done. One look at the recent ratings tells that story. All those people didn’t come back to watch a bait & switch. Especially not one engineered to prop that piece of shit character laughingly named Frodd “Baldwin”.
It was a really great scene and emotional flashbacks are always great. However as Robin said BM/Jason has the same memories. GH should be fair and do flashbacks for BMs Jason having those same memories. It’s very unfair that they only do it for SB because he has the same face…making it easy for Robin, Sonny, etc., to say SB is the real Jason. Even if BM turns out to be Drew he shouldn’t be thrown under the bus as they’re doing. SB could very well be Drew because he would have been brainwashed BEFORE BMs version was hit by… Read more »
Good post, Yvonne. Not sure if you’ve read some other theories; mine included. That Steve Burton IS Jason Morgan…but was originally Drew. When Jason Quartermaine ( Billy) was in the car accident with AJ all those years ago…”Drew” was put in his place…and his new identity was formed aka Jason Morgan. Meanwhile, Jason Q was whisked away…probably lived his life as Drew…until he was taken by Helena and re-programmed once again. When he was hit by the car by Ava, he lost ALL identity, had no memories…but suddenly Jason Morgan and Jason Q’s memories started flooding back. Convoluted; I know.… Read more »
Again, I agree, Rebecca. Spinelli’s betrayal was the most upsetting. I loved when Billy smiled sadly at him and said, “What’s wrong, Spinelli, don’t have time to say hello to an old friend?” Heartbreaking. And your theory is actually quite compelling. Certainly better than a lot of the dreck we get asked to swallow!
To bad Jason and Robin didnt reunite last year, they might have spotted Sam at the bottom of the bridge!
HaHa…..and there goes that subtle humor, again.
I regret to say the scene means nothing to me, as I am ignorant of their past relationship.
But, I can, certainly, identify with the fans who have an emotional tie to their history.
Happy Thanksgiving, my T. Blowing you a kiss…..hurry up, catch it!!!!
Caught it, back at you dear! Hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving!
@T and CC!!! Hope you both had a Blessed Thanksgiving! Sorry for the belated greetings….busy, busy!!!!
My hat go off to GH writing staff. Believe style of this storyline be far more twist as turns to come ! Looking forward see were going lead next weeks head . something tells me few old faces about show up in town. myself been thinking of shocking ways that tell who real Jason Morgan . believe my way would tear Jason Morgan life apart . lead into quiet new storyline . looking forward next weeks head !
I absolutely HATE this storyline,,,all this because SB wanted to come back?? I wasn’t a fan before,,,now,,definitely NOT
I – love – the mushy Felicia and Mac are at Annas.. unaware that Robin is “home for the holidays” just all out group hug… I even laughed when Robin told Mac and Felicia “do not wake the baby” LOL… hearty laugh for Ms Anna. her heart just leaps off the screen. AND ; per her SOD interviews.. she has lamented and /or commented she really doesn’t care if her character ever gets a love interest I believe that now… dr. Finn and Anna knowing looks.. is NOT cutting it…. Anna failed at any resonate with Valentin…. FINN ??? is… Read more »