General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Tracy Speaks at Monica’s Memorial, Jason Says a Final Goodbye, and Erika Slezak Makes Her Debut
In a beautiful, heart-breaking and emotional episode of General Hospital, the cast, the writers and producers did right to their legacy star, the late Leslie Charleson and the beloved character she played for 47 years, Dr. Monica Quartermaine.
We are sure fans of the soap opera were in puddles of tears several times throughout the memorable and poignant, Friday, September 26 episode of the ABC daytime drama series. As the story picked-up, a wheelchair bound Drew (Cameron Mathison) showed up at the memorial service for his mother, only to be quickly wheeled out of the church and into the foyer by Tracy (Jane Elliot). She told him he’s not wanted here.
Now, up on her feet, and previously dreading to speak at Monica’s funeral, she finally was able to bring herself to do it. Tracy began with, “Okay, I’m going to try. Because I know if I don’t, I’m going to regret it.” Choking back tears and preparing herself, Tracy shared, “Monica means that much to me.” She then spoke on their complicated history and how she thought her brother, Alan married beneath him with Monica.
Courtesy/ABC
Tracy recalled that, “Monica gave as good as she got. And somewhere between, during, or because of our epic battles, I grew to respect her. In fact, that respect grew to love. My brother made her my sister-in-law, but she became my sister.” Then, in one of the more heart-tugging moments of the memorial, Tracy in tears says, “So, my sister, looks like I’m the last one standing. But don’t you worry: That house is yours. Alan gave it to you, an as long as I’m alive, I promise you, it will stay that way.”
Photo: ABC
Now back at the hospital, Martin (Michael E. Knight) is surprised to see Drew back so soon from the funeral, as he spews how he’d been publicly shunned and it made it clear that he wasn’t considered a true member of the family and never would be. Drew confessed he is pinning his shooting on Michael, but admitted to Martin, “I don’t remember a damn thing. But the police don’t have to know that.” Drew vowed to make Michael (Rory Gibson) pay for everything he’d taken from him. Martin asked him to reconsider because Tracy is the one is anger should be directed at, but Drew intimated that Tracy will get what’s coming to her as well!
With the service over, everyone is arriving at the Quartermaines’ for the reception, and as mourning after a funeral goes, this felt real-to-life, with Olivia (Lisa LoCicero) baking in the kitchen to keep her mind off her pain of losing Monica, her son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) helping her serve the food, Dante and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) estranged son, Gio (Giovanni Mazza) showing up to pay his respects, Ned (Wally Kurth) being emotional and bringing levity to the situation throughout and more.
Photo: ABC
Out on the patio, Jason (Steve Burton ) is by himself taking the death of his mother very hard, and the regret he feels for all the years he distanced himself from the family. Lulu (Alexa Havins) comes to comfort him and tells him Monica knew how much you loved her. Laura (Genie Francis) shows up and is in tears over Monica’s death as Lulu consoles her mother as she cries she will miss her dear friend.
Inside the house, Gio speaks to Tracy, He says being at the memorial gave him a renewed perspective on his situation seeing how the Q family banded together. He feels very proud to be part of the family and as Monica’s great-grandson. This brings tears to Tracy’s eyes. As the family is gathered in the Quartermaine living room toasting to Monica, Jason is feeling isolated. Outside in the foyer, a grief-stricken Tracy takes a moment to sit and look at Monica’s photos and all the Quartermaines that have left her. Suddenly, she walks out of the house.
Courtesy/ABC
Next, Jason walks out of the living room and starts to walk up the staircase to Monica’s room. He stops in his tracks to toast to his mother, and to tell her how much he loves her. We cut to the montage of Leslie Charleson as Monica through the years that reminded of all of: Alan and Monica’s stormy marriage, her enduring relationship with Jason, her daughter, Emily (Amber Tamblyn), the iconic breast cancer storyline, in which Charleson received a Daytime Emmy nominations for, and more.
Courtesy/ABC
As the montage came to an end, the scene took us to General Hospital and the memorial wall, where Laura, Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst), Portia (Brook Kerr), Felicia (Kristina Wagner) are together as Monica has now joined the other deceased doctors and nurses with her photo now placed alongside the others, as Elizabeth hugs Laura who is overcome with sadness.
Photo: ABC
In the cliffhanger, Tracy arrives at the Quartermaine crypt and sees the door is cracked open, She sees someone standing there and asks, “Who are you? And what are you doing here?” The woman turns around revealing the one and only Erika Slezak who responds, “Someone who has been waiting to meet you for a long time.” We fade to black.
Courtesy/ABC
However, in the closing credits, Slezak was in the cast list with the character name “Veronica Bard.” Longtime GH fans know that Monica’s name was Monica Bard Quartermaine. Just if Erika will prove to be playing Monica’s sister as expected, won’t be confirmed on-screen till next week!
So, do you think GH delivered a proper goodbye and tribute to Leslie Charleson and Monica Quartermaine ? We reached for the hankies several times over. Did you? Share your reactions via the comment section below and check out the beginning of the episode below, one more time.
Everything was lovely and moving! But I have a question for regular viewers: I don’t understand why Jason has been front and center throughout the storyline of Monica’s death, notwithstanding the good acting performance from Steve Burton. It’s my recollection that, for most of the time, Jason completely rejected the Quartermaines, including Monica. Am I wrong?
Hi James
For the first 15 years after the accident, Jason did indeed clash with the Qs. But as he matured, and eventually had children, that relationship softened slowly. He seemed to truly regret not seeing Alan while he was dying. Monica initially blamed him for Emily’s death until it came out that it was not mob related.
It was Sam who encouraged Jason to have more contact with the Qs. Danny’s middle name is Edward, which Jason was okay with. Initially, Jason was thought not to be Danny’s biological father. It was Monica telling him how she loved him despite not being her biological son that he stepped up for Sam.
Jason was presumed dead the first time when Edward passed. AJ had returned from the dead and died for the final time all while Jason was “dead”.
When everyone (including Drew) assumed Drew was Jason, the relationship with the remaining Qs mended with “Jason” donating money to save the hospital. When the real Jason returned, Monica knew fairly quickly that he was the son that she raised. He and Billy Miller’s Drew really didn’t interact that much after Sam left Drew to return to Jason.
LC had a few scenes with Cameron Matheson’s Drew when he came on board but was no longer able to appear after Jason’s latest return from the dead.
When Sam died last year, it was her wish to keep her kids together. At that point, Dante and Jason both moved into the mansion (Drew was already living there) to keep the kids together despite CM’s Drew and Jason dislike for each other. Jason and Tracy have shared some thoughtful scenes this year since he moved back into the house Alan gave Monica.
Hello Steve:
Thank you for your reply and detailed explanation of the storylines and giving context to my concerns. Not being a regular viewer, I was unfamiliar with most of these details. Again, I am amazed at your recall and knowledge of these storylines. Take care, Friend!
He’s Monica’s only living child and he made mistakes in the past, but haven’t we all.
Thank you for your reply, Michael. Good point!
The last week of GH has been awesome! Great tributes to Dr. Monica Quartermaine, a beloved character!
Sonny and Carly not at Monica’s funeral? Thank you, Soap Gods!
Amen to that!
WHERE IS CARLY? SHE SHOULD BE FRONT AND CENTER!!! WITHOUT CARLY, THERE IS NO GH. SUNNY TOO!! The other characters are planets who orbit around Carly and Sunny( as in SUN- get it?). The show has been so weak without Sunny and Carly dominating the stories. And both of em should have been front and center at Monica’s funeral. SO DISAPPOINTED!!
In a surprise casting move, General Hospital has recast the role of Serena Baldwin, the biological daughter of Scott Baldwin and the late Dominque Stanton with former The Young and the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful actress, Kelly Kruger.
As longtime GH viewers know, Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring) was actually the surrogate for Scott (Kin Shriner) and Dominique (Shell Danielson), since the latte was dying from an inoperable brain tumor. Sadly, she passed away before Serena was born. If you recall, Scott and Lucy named Serena after Dominique’s family estate, Serenity. TV Insider shared the casting news of Kruger taking over the role previously played by Carly Schroeder.
Kruger expressed on joining GH, “I am so excited to be joining the show “It’s a literal dream come true to finally get to work with Frank Valentini (EP, GH) and Mark Teschner (casting director, GH) after all these years! Daytime has a very special place in my heart, and I have always wanted to work with the actors and writers on this show. I truly believe the level of talent and work they put out is the absolute best.”
Photo: ABC
The actress starts filming today on June 8 at the set of the ABC soap opera. In a statement, Frank Valentini shared, “I am excited to have Kelly Kruger join the cast of General Hospital. She’s a terrific actor and we look forward to working with her.”
Daytime fans remember Kelly from The Young and the Restless where she played the role of Katherine Chancellor’s (the late Jeanne Cooper) granddaughter, Mackenzie Browning from 2002 to 2003 and reprised the role in 2018 and 2019. Later, she appeared in the recurring role of the publicist named Eva on The Bold and the Beautiful (named after longtime VP communications vet, Eva Basler who was recently let go by the show in their behind the scenes layoffs).
SERENA HEADS BACK TO PORT CHARLES
The character of Serena was last seen on-screen in 2017, when she returned to town to mourn her grandfather, Lee Baldwin (the late Peter Hansen). The last time we heard of an update on Serena’s life was back in 2022, when Scott shared he made a trip to the Faroe Islands to see his daughter because she has been arrested for getting in trouble with dolphin hunters.
When Serena returns to Port Charles, she will also have a half-brother on the canvas in Cody Bell (Josh Kelly) as well as Lucy. Will we have more of Scott on the screen too? We shall see.
Since being away from the soaps, Kruger has become a major TikTok influencer and content creator in the beauty world. In fact, Kelly was named TikTok Shop’s Beauty Creator of the Year in 2025.
Previously, Kruger was married to Darin Brooks (Wyatt Spencer, The Bold and the Beautiful) who also just recently returned to daytime. She opened up about their split back in March. The two share daughters Everleigh Jolie, 6, and Gemma Wynter, 4.
As a preview of what’s to come, Kruger commented on Threads, “This is the absolute perfect fit and I can’t wait for you all to meet Serena!!!!! There is truly no world like the soap world. The fans, the community and the family. I’m so so grateful.” Since GH generally tapes six weeks in advance of air, fans can expect to see Kelly as Serena later in July, although no official first airdate is available at this time.
What do you think of General Hospital bringing back the character of Serena Baldwin and casting Kelly Kruger in the part? Who do you think Serena will be a new love interest for on the canvas? Could it be Ethan Lovett or someone else? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL Weekly Promo: Lucas Puts His Life on the Line, Cassius is Enraged at Cullum Over His Mutter
It’s a pressure cooker week on all-new episodes of General Hospital beginning today on Monday, June 8. In the newly released video teaser promo for the ABC daytime drama series, it appears anger management may be needed, before its too late!
First, Portia’s (Brook Kerr) baby shower will be a tension-filled affair with Isaiah (Sawandi Wilson), and Curtis (Donnell Turner) and Jordan (Tanisha Harper) arm and arm. Isaiah informs Portia, “I’ve decided to take Curtis to court myself.” Then, we see asking none other than Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) Davis if she would defend him in the case, where he is being accused of assaulting Dr. Gannon and thus ending his surgical career because of the injuries sustained in his hand. Can this baby shower even be a happy moment for Portia?
Meanwhile, Cassius (Ryan Paevey) is enraged to learn that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) has kidnapped his mother, Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) to finish Faison’s final project in the absence of his sister, Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) who is MIA along with Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr). Then, Josslyn (Eden McCoy) is seen with an unconscious Obrecht next to her, realizing she has a kidnap mate! Will Cassius continue to lock-up his own mutter?
Courtesy/ABC
CORNERED FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT
Then, it looks like Dr. Lucas Jones’ (Van Hansis) plans to get Sidwell (Carlo Rota) caught in the process of an attempted murder (his own!) has gone awry. Lucas has been making his presence known to Sidwell. As Sidwell is still unsure who actually killed his son, Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo), having no knowledge that its his partner in crime Cullum who stabbed the man to death, he now believes Lucas did the deed.
While outside of the construction site for the Marco Rios Tennis Center, Sidwell armed with a gun corner Lucas and shouts, “You got Marco killed!” Will Sonny (Maurice Benard) be able to save Lucas, before it’s too late? If so, will this be the high-profile arrest previously teased in our GH spoilers for the week of June 8-12, where by the end of the week, Chase (Josh Swickard) handcuffs someone and takes them to the PCPD. Could it be Lucas instead? Stay tuned.
Take a look at the latest General Hospital promo entitled, “All Roads,” below.
Now weigh-in: Do you think, Cassius will work with Liesl and Josslyn with a plan to double-cross Sidwell and Cullum? Will Sidwell be arrested for trying to kill Lucas or someone else? Do you care about the Isaiah and Curtis drama over the punch that injured D. Gann, and if so, do you hope this goes to court? Let us know via the comment section.
General Hospital
Kirsten Storms Addresses ‘General Hospital’ Status, Restraining Order Filed by Brandon Barash, and Clarification on Alleged Break-In
Late Sunday night on June 7, longtime General Hospital, Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones), shared a personal and professional update addressing elements of her ex-husband Brandon Barash’s (ex-Johnny, GH and Stefan/Jake, DAYS) restraining order against her, the continued issues she has faced with her alleged apartment break-in when she was away from her home in Tennessee, and what her GH fans want to know, if she might be coming back anytime soon to the ABC daytime drama series.
“I’m sure some of you guys have read the stories online regarding a situation involving something my ex-husband is currently trying to claim,” began Kirsten in her new Instagram post. “Because I did see one story online stating I reported the apartment break-in AFTER he filed something against me in court, I really need to address this entire issue.”
Back in April, a report from TMZ surfaced that Barash filed a restraining order last year citing concerns of Storms ‘behavior” and “great concern of (Kirsten’s) ability to adequately care for their minor child,” citing from September 2024 until June of 2025, Kirsten never maintained a permanent residence, and either stayed with friends or at hotels.” Brandon and Kirsten share a daughter, Harper Rose, who is now 12.
Photo: JPI
COMMUNICATION TIMELINE
In her Instagram post, Kirsten continued, “Not only because the records/evidence will show those stories are completely false (the break-in happened and was reported to the building and Franklin PD before he filed anything in court), but also because ‘it puts my safety in a dangerous position for anyone to try and shift focus away from the fact that there was a person regularly entering my residence while I was out of town for medical appts in St Louis.'”
“You can see from my previous posts that the damage to the lock on my apartment door was extensive and obvious. I took that photo in August of last year – months before Brandon filed anything in court, I was also speaking with the people who worked in the leasing office of the building (in person and via email), attempting to get answers on the damage to my door and wanting to know about locating building camera footage,” explained Storms.
“This communication also started the first week of August. I waited to post about the break-in on my Instagram for a few months. I had already moved out of the building and honestly, it’s been something that is difficult to accept happened pretty much as soon as I moved out here. Choosing to take time off from work (for my own personal reasons) was a ‘leap of faith’ kind of moment for myself. Seeking a ‘quality a life” kinda thing?’,”concluded the actress.
THE DIFFICULT TRANSITION IN MOVING TO TENNESSEE
“Moving to Tennessee, as a single mom who lives alone 50% of the time, with a newly discovered brain aneurysm….well, I don’t think I need to explain how upsetting this entire situation has been for me. Realizing that not only was my apartment/space/privacy being violated, but this person also gained access to my WiFi and cellphone *while in my apartment* (the Franklin PD has received evidence on all of this – resulting in an investigation). I haven’t been online much because of how the circumstances have been twisted into something that it shouldn’t be. This has been a very serious thing for me to go through.”
As per usual, Storms has had to weather the good, the bad and the naysayers in her social media posts. She took a moment to also acknowledge those who are sending her good thoughts along the way during her struggles, “Thank you for the encouraging DM’s and good vibes being sent my way. I have no doubt this will be handled in the correct way and I will feel comfortable remaining in Tennessee.”
A FUTURE IN PORT CHARLES?
As to the potential of her returning to General Hospital, it doesn’t sound like Kirsten will be back anytime soon. “Given what’s been going on, I can’t say I will feel comfortable heading back to Los Angeles and returning to work, explained Storms. “This has been an eye opening experience about the downside of my profession. My daughter is my entire life, she is (and always will be) my first priority.”
You can check out Kirsten’s full post below.
Given what Kirsten has shared, do you think GH should continue to do as they have been, resting the character of Maxie off-screen? Do you think they should address her absence in the story somehow? What do you think about the continued battle the actress is having with the alleged break-in? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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