General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Willow Takes the Stand and Drew’s Shooter is Revealed (Recap)
The Thursday, January 8 episode of General Hospital has had social media abuzz since it aired throughout the day in different parts of the country, since viewers learned who actually shot Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison)! However, before that happened, Drew’s testimony, which showed his outrage and venom towards Michael (Rory Gibson), the Quartermaines and everyone else, left Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) no choice but to put Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) on the stand at her own trial to try to mitigate the damage done by her husband.
At the same time, Trina (Tabyana Ali) and Kai (Jens Austin Astrup) have got Gio (Giovanni Mazza) spending time with Wiley (Viron Weaver) over the Quartermaines to try to unravel the mystery of the ringtone they heard the night Drew was shot. They want to see if it proves that Michael shot Drew, but boy, where they in for a shocker!
At his insistence, Alexis puts Drew on the stand, where he says that his wife had been falsely accused of shooting him. During his testimony, Drew shared that he’d been attacked by his brother, Jason, at Michael’s request. When ADA Turner (Nazneen Contractor) objected to Alexis trying to enter a file of Jason’s crimes in to the record, the judge ordered Drew’s comments towards Jason stricken from the record.
Courtesy/ABC
DREW’S VENOM
Later, Drew testified that Michael assaulted him at the Metro Court Hotel. That prompted, Turner to flash back to when she hid at Sonny’s house when Drew showed up trying to blackmail him. When it was time for Justine’s cross-examination, she first brought to light Michael’s corporate takeover of Aurora Media after Willow and Drew’s affair was revealed which angered Drew. She then asked if it was true that Judge Heran had cited his and Willow’s relationship as the reason she lost custody of her children. Drew was completely becoming unhinged on the stand.
Willow was in for another shock, when ADA Turner presented the judge with a wire transfer receipt for $1 million made out to Judge Heran, dated the same day of the custody ruling, that was found in Drew’s safe the night of his shooting. Drew railed that it was planted by Michael and claimed the receipt was a fake. Suddenly, Drew lashed out that nothing he ever did was ever good enough, while Michael was the Quartermaine family golden boy who got everything, who has now turned into a homicidal maniac because Drew took his wife. He looks at Michael who is seated in the courtroom, “You are gonna rot in prison. And my wife and I are going to take our kids back home where they belong!”
RINGTONES
After Drew’s outburst, the judge called a brief recess. As Michael was exiting into the lobby outside the courtroom with Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Kristina (Kate Mansi), they were chatting about Drew. Then, Michael got a call from Wiley, overheard by Trina and Kai who were also seated outside the courtroom on a bench. The ringtone was not “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” but it was Wiley’s voice saying, “Daddy, it’s Wiley. Pick up.” After Michael finished his call with his son, Kristina commented on the ringtone. Michael explained he got it while he was recovering from his burns in Germany. It’s at that moment that Trina and Kai realize that Michael must not be the shooter.
Courtesy/ABC
Back in the courtroom, Alexis says Willow has to testify in her own defense, after Drew’s uncorked testimony. When Willow takes the stand, she makes sure she is referred to as Mrs Cain. She explains how he saved her life by finding her Aunt Liesl in time to be a bone marrow match because she could have died of leukemia. She also testified that, following Drew’s affair with Nina (Cynthia Watros), coming to light, she went back to Drew because she never doubted he loved her. Alexis has one final question for Willow, “Does she believe she was on trial as a direct result of Michael’s premeditated actions?” Willow answers,“Yes. This is what Michael wanted.”
Now it was DA Turner’s time to cross-exam Willow. First, she went over Judge Heran’s custody ruling that Willow had prioritized her relationship with Drew to the detriment of her children. Willow says that she does not blame Drew for losing custody.Justine then presented a photograph of the gun used in the shooting, and asked Willow if she had ever touched this firearm.
WILLOW’S FLASHBACKS
Next, Willow has a flashback of taking the gun out of the locked safe at the Quartermaines while wearing gloves! As she held the gun, she was in tears. Back on the stand, Willow denies having ever touched that gun. Turner went over Willow’s whereabouts the night of Drew’s shooting where she says she drove around upset and aimless, but she never went to Drew’s.
In actuality, after learning Judge Heran was killed, we see a flashback of Willow upset in the GH elevator and crying. She is next seen unraveling, and taking the gun out of the glove compartment of her car. Turner questions Willow if her life has improved with Drew in it. Willow says it’s been complicated, but Drew was the only person she trusted with her children and would do anything to keep her family together. At that moment, Turner asks Willow what she would do for her children. Willow has a flash back to shooting Drew twice in the back with anger and disdain all over her face. She replies in the present, she would so “anything” for Wiley and Amelia.
Courtesy/ABC
After Willow’s testimony, Alexis told Drew that his wife may have just saved the case to get her exonerated by the jury. Now as everyone is leaving the courtroom, Kai and Trina are still outside in the hallway of the courthouse. Suddenly, Willow’s phone rings and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” plays as its ringtone. An overjoyed Willow is thrilled to hear her son Wiley’s voice. Kai and Trina are stunned and realize what this means … Willow shot Drew!
So, what did you think of the episode and how it was crafted so we the audience knew it was Willow that shot Drew? Do you think Willow will get away with it? Will Michael end up behind bars? Can Trina and Kai save the day? Share your thoughts and theories after today’s major reveal on General Hospital via the comment section. But first, watch Drew completely lose his cool on the witness stand below.
What a powerful episode! It was Willow all along. Since she had flashbacks in court, that might rule out the DID theory, unless that personality is the one currently in command.
Many forget that Willow Tait Chase Corinthos Cain was originally Callie Miller who grew up in the Dawn of Day cult. Not much of a surprise that she had it in her to kill.
Cameron, Rory, and Nazneen were top notch.
Now that it’s been revealed, we can put to rest crazy concepts that Scout shot her dad, or a deathbed Monica made it across town to do the deed, or that Sam was back from the dead just to shoot Drew.
And what do you know, the much maligned PCPD actually got it right this time!
OG Steve, as always, you are correct on all your thoughts and views.. I’ve not posted for a while, but still read yours, Satan’s, and Harry’s with great interest.
Thanks GH fan. Just yesterday, I was actually wondering where you’ve been. Good to hear from you!
A “Michael” slammed me hard with a negative comment, attached me on a personal level.. was happy to read Mr. Fairman’s recent comment for everyone to be more kind and keep comment to the shows. So hoping for the best going forward.
There you are! I was wanting to ask about your whereabouts but the news has been so grim and dark as of late, I was too trepidatious to do so. Glad you’re here and that you’re okay, GH fan.
Aw thanks Harry. I am up in Winnipeg, and will never lose my love of GH, and my buddies I’ve come to know thru our posts and shared love of GH.
Glad that you’re back and you’re okay!
Yes, at last and it better be the ending of this drawn out soap opera storyline.
It’s not the end they’re going to drag it out a little more I don’t think it was Willow actually maybe but doubtful that was closed everything up to it soon got to drag it out a while if you look at the picture they showed looks a lot like Willow but it also looks a lot like Christine
I’m thinking Dex is going to show up and save the day for Joss’s brother. He’s going to show up as a blossom in the middle of Carly’s kitchen moss plant and tell Joss,” I love you. You need to know that Willow shot Drew, not Michael. Twinkle, twinkle, little star.”
Ok…………..
Oh dear Lord.
Love your comment. I posted a comment on another Michael Fairman blog that I thought this episode was a wonderful mediation between writing, directing and acting. Am I the only one who was laughing my butt off watching Drew testify? ( excuse the vulgar visual). Drew’s hysteria caused his voice to reach a pitched crescendo, and his eyes popped out with a cartoon-like effect. Contrast that with Michael’s cool and somewhat bemused demeanor and you have a well directed soapy court room scene. I really enjoyed it.
Laughing your butt off is considered vulgar?
Drew was melting down so hard on the stand you would have thought he was already inside of a dragon’s digestive system. And the poor fool still has no clue that he’s defending the one who actually shot him (and somehow aimed so badly, despite her medical training)
And I was roaring with ribald laughter! SO good!
I knew it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It had to be crazy as a loon, weeping Willow all along. What we don’t know yet is was it an alternate personality that did the deed or was it her simmering rage and disgust with Drew that lead to her pumping two bullet into him? Which ever it was, she’s a lousy shot. At that close range, Drew should be pushing up daisies.
I hope Trina and Kai head straight to the DA. No more keeping the secret of their being in the house when Drew was shot. They are witnesses and must come forward immediately.
Alexis is going to argue that that ringtone thousands of people have that ringtone so that’s not going to set it in stone for willow to be found guilty over that besides I’m pretty sure Michael had Wiley’s phone blocked at the time of the murder she blocked from Willow anyway Carly could have that ringtone for a while Christine can have that ringtone for Riley Sunny can have that ringtone for Wiley I can go on with more people that could have that ringtone just for Riley not to mention all the people out there in the world that are using it
Yeah but they can determine the exact time that Willow received a call from
Wiley. And Willow is the only one who has “ Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as her ring tone for Wiley
“Who Shot J.R.?” circa 2025. I’m glad that it was Willow. Let’s see how Trina and Kai prove it before final statements.
I was jumping up and down with JOY, Willow being the shooter was the only logical choice imo. It makes total sense. It isn’t clear that those were Willow’s memories, perhaps she doesn’t remember due to DID, and those were just showing us what really happened. Looking forward to Drew and Nina’s reactions – Nina, of course, thought Willow might be guilty hence gave her a false alibi. btw Katelyn MacMullen was FANTASTIC yesterday! Can’t wait to see what happens next! Alexis will have quite a dilemma on her conscience!
So sick of this storyline. If Willow gets away with this and Michael is convicted, the writing team becomes a joke. Shame on them !!!
I agree and shame on them if Willow gets away with that too. That’s enough! Clearly she’s unstable and needs professional help and her kids should stay with Michael.
I know, right? Enough with this story. Enough with Weeping Willow already.
I think Dex is the real shooter. He appeared like a blossom on Carly’s kitchen pod plant. Dex shot Drew in an effort to help Joss’s brother. Now Dex is running around like a confused unattended and grotesque moss plant while Carly carefully tends to Valentin. Not fair to Dex! He doesn’t know what to do! He’s like Frankenstein’s monster.
Okay now you’re on the brink of being just plain silly.
I think Drew should half to pay for all his wrong doing he is so mean.
He is not! Drew is nice! He’s just misunderstood.
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.
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ in Total Viewers
B&B’s Sydney Bullock Weighs In on Future of Dylan and Will: ‘I Think She Can Hold on to Him for Awhile’ (Exclusive)
Antonio Sabáto Jr. Breaks Silence on His Son’s Arrest for Fatal Hit-and-Run
DANCING WITH THE STARS: A Shocking Elimination on Grammy Night Leaves Ballroom Silenced
Y&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
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THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now
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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