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General Hospital names Shelly Altman New Co-Head Writer!

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

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Learns Britt Died and Tells Anna He Has Been Working For Cates Since November 2021

On the Tuesday, March 26th of General Hospital, Anna (Finola Hughes) and the viewers learn about where Jason (Steve Burton) has been for over two and half years. However, Jason gets some news of his own.

Anna is visiting Jason at the PCPD interrogation room. She asks him if he shot Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), which he flatly denies. Anna believes him, but she tells Jason it doesn’t matter, because video footage shows him on the roof at the time of the shooting

When talk turns to Jason not willing to speak without his lawyer present, Anna can’t grasp why Jason would instead spend an hour alone talking with John Cates (Adam J. Harrington).

Photo: ABC

It is then that Anna brings up that John went by “Jagger” and that the two of them knew each other in high school. Jason doesn’t recall much of his time in high school following his brain injury, but then he gets furious realizing John knew about “Jason’s” past. That is when Jason slams the table and tells Anna, “I’ve been working for John Cates since November 2021.”

Next, Jason explains further that he has been working as an informant for the FBI. Anna wants to know how this came about and he tells her that after the tunnel collapsed, and he couldn’t make it to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud)… all of a sudden he sees Anna’s face drop.  Anna is the first person to tell him that Britt died and was murdered. She tells Jason the killer is in custody, but he continues to be shocked, overwhelmed with tears welling up in his eyes. Realizing he has to pivot to save his life, Jason continues telling Anna how he wound up working with John.

Jason explains that after the tunnel collapse in Greece, FBI agents grabbed him and placed him under arrest and took him to Quantico where he met John. At Quantico, John played a recording of RICO violations and offered Jason a deal if he agreed to be an informant against Pikeman, the illegal arms dealer.

Anna hears from Jason that he thinks Pikeman is selling illegal arms to anyone flagged by the NSA but has ties to the WSB which they needed a civilian to infiltrate their organization as a military soldier, a mercenary.

Jason tells Anna he was a part of the team brought into eliminate Sonny (Maurice Benard). Every time an attempt was made on Sonny’s life over the last two years, a different team was sent to do the job. Anna gets furious when she learns that John told Jason his job was to kill Sonny and she was with John at the warehouse that night. Jason ensured the sniper missed Sonny and left the rifle behind. However, they were supposed to meet an extraction team. Before he was shot, Dante saw it was Jason on the roof and when he turned around with his hands over his head, Dante was shot by the other guy. Jason says if Dante dies, he’ll be charged with capital murder and then will be useless to the FBI.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, John visits Bobbie’s and runs into Carly (Laura Wright). She learns Jason is in custody and is going to head to the PCPD. Before she does, Carly has some words with Cates when she learns not only does John have a vendetta against Sonny, but Jason too.  Carly tells John he should recuse himself from the case.

So, what did you think about the moment when Jason learned Britt died? What do you think of Jason’s return storyline thus far and what we learned about Jagger/Jason and more? Comment below. But first, check out a moment from today’s GH with Jason and Anna.

 

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