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General Hospital names Shelly Altman New Co-Head Writer!

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/ABC

There is more shifting and changing going on behind the scenes in soaps these days than in the cast lists!  News today out of Soap Opera Digest is that General Hospitalhas done another shake-up at the top of the writing regime!  Shelly Altman has been named the new co-head writer, and she will work alongside already previously named new co-head writer, Garin Wolf.

Altman has previously written for One Life to Live and Another World, among other television projects. Altman won a Daytime Emmy award with the the writing team of One Life to Live  in 2008,  and has also received Best Writing nominations from the Writers Guild Of America.

So what do you think of this news, soapers?  Many fans have been commenting recently and have been disgruntled with the show recently under Garin Wolf, and were previously disgruntled with the show under Bob Guza.  Perhaps, Altman is the ticket? Let us know!

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Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m actually really enjoying Wolf’s writing. Lesser known characters are getting fleshed out (Matt, Steve), dialogue is more intelligent, history and veterans are better utilized, etc. Even Elizabeth, a character that I thought was utterly ruined by Guza, is back to her flawed but charming self. My favorite part of the transition is that the mob/hospital arcs are balancing out – not every episode feels like the Sonny show. I still wish they’d eliminate the Franco nonsense, but as it’s unlikely, I’ll just hope it’s less painful to watch 🙂

Interesting. So the fact that they are bringing on someone to help (isn’t she a breakdown writer for GH?) seems to mean that they are still willing to invest in this show and give it a chance to succeed. At least that’s how I would like to look at it. Viva la GH!

So this news + the Michelle Val Jean news makes for some pretty fun dot-connecting!

Can we please get some new writers on Y and R..I barely watch anymore..its really really bad.

After today’s discraceful episode, not amoment too soon!

*disgraceful. Sorry.

Hopefully the addition of Altman will give us somebody who can actually follow through on a storyline instead of just throw us a couple of tease. I like wolf a whole lot more than guza but so far he’s not delivering either. If you wanna really give the show a boost, don’t tell us what you hope to deliver but actually deliver. So far under wolf everything stilll feels like guza s gh. Its like everyone is in limbo. everything is prolong much longer, it feels like jason and sam have been on their honymoon forever, the maxie and spinneli storyline plays out the same way everyday, its like reset, repeat same problem, same everything , their storyline is going nowhere . the people we thought we would start seeing more of are still appearing like day players, i’m not seeing mac, monica, more under wolf then when guza was writing, and the lead players are still in their same boring storyline that guza had them under. hopefully Altman will bring a female touch that gh lacks under their head writers like guza and wolf.

Something – or someone – needs to happen, and, hopefully, Ms Altman will be to one to work with Wolf to realize some of the potential, On paper, many of the current stories look good, but the delivery is failing. Once promising dialogue has turned repetitious. Yes, Wolf has showing more balance in a wide use of characters, but his weekly balance isn’t working because of the “block” story telling. Dropping characters mid-story while focusing on another block of characters for a two-week story isn’t working. That is NOT the way to maintain interest. Hopefully, a co-writer will help GH get off the sandbar that Spinelli’s little boat became stuck on last week. Right now, the show has parallels to the agonizing slow-moving boat cruise story which is drifting without a captain.

IMO, yesterday’s GHepisode was a “slap in the face” to Claire Labine and Robin and Stone’s HIV/AIDS storyline. To have someone, a doctor no less, threaten to inject a HIV-person with HIV+ blood went way OTT even for GH. This totally belittles one of the greatest storylines GH has ever done to continue with a storyline that should’ve ended along with Guza’s departure.

Jason Thompsom, Kimberly McCullough and Brianna Brown were excellent in yesterday’s scenes. What bothered me was GH even went that route all because of obsession and jealousy.

Looks like part of Altman’s job will be to reign Wolfe in on making sense with stupid storylines.

I love GH and am a lonnnng time fan, and am in favor of the new, fresh turn it is taking, away from “mob activity” and back to more character driven storylines. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Jason and Sonny immensely, but the personal side of their characters, and how they interact with those they love, as opposed to mob killing and dealings all the time. That being said, as long as Garin Wolf and Shelly Altman have been brought in to truly help GH withstand and overcome the soap world decline, then I am thrilled and will back them 100 percent, but if they were put in place by Brian Frons, to help bring the show down (which I can see Frons doing), then I find that revolting. I guess time will tell. Long live General Hospital and the wonderful characters many of us have loved for years, and much good luck to Garin Wolf and Shelly Altman!!!!

sonny and brenda needs to reunite in 2012

General Hospital

‘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

‘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

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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