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.
Helena’s death was so anti-climatic, I figure it was either that look alike she hired years back, or it meant she really didn’t die. Who else will torture Sam with the “curse”! ha!
LOL
it was such a hoot… when Helena… told Sam off… that she was nothing but a guttersnipe!
ROFL
yeah, Helena… come back and exact revenge on the dull Sam…
I’m still reeling… with Sam new years eve “Aladdin pants” what color was it… a light shade of purple? woah! I think I can tolerate her painted on skin tight jeans! which ! doesn’t do much for her … at all
Can i come…i want to go back to the 1960s when soaps were thriving and i lived on a tree-lined dirt street in a once nice middle class neighborhood with nice neighbors and many relatives living within blocks of each other and three small mom and pop grocery markets within walking distances. Those were the days.
Jimh – Gosh how right you are! I grew up in a similar neighborhood, in a similar time. What I wouldn’t give for those days – and that soap schedule of the early 70s. One summer, from 9am til 4pm…I watched soap after soap after soap – I started out with Love of Life in the morning and ended with the Edge of Night in late afternoon. Crazy, yes, but looking back, it was fun too. I believe the 69-70 season was the banner year for soaps as 19 of them were on the air. Oh, and BTW, I think… Read more »
I watched that way too starting with Love Of Life and ending with Edge or Dark Shadows…my mom had her favorites but i was always sampling all the soaps…didnt watch all faithfully but tuned in to watch certain stories…i really could of used a remote back then and how i wish they had invented the vcr a decade earlier.
My friend, I thought they’d never end!
the soaps or the 60s?
Awwww, my Timmm. Have you ever thought of writing a song with those words? LOL. ‘Nite…sleep tight….
You are slippin Jimmy! “Those were the Days ” by Mary Hopkin 1968.
I got that song stuck in my head …also “All In The Family” had a completely different opening theme song with that title. Not totally slippin after all…lol
Yeah that was a great time! Just ask any African-American, woman, or homosexual who was treated worse than a second class citizen. I’m sure they long for those “simpler times” too. As far as your neighborhood stores goes, how often do you shop at Wal-Mart? Or online? That’s why you have no more mom and pop stores anymore.
Its great to hear how excited Constance is about possibly returning to GH because of all the storyline possibilities. Four different angles she rattled off just in the interview. I hope she brings Stephan with her! As for the other half, not a fan of FRANCO in any way shape or form, GH or THE man!
Yes I Think they would be great Together Love James Franco and Helena
The original Franco, James Franco was awesome! He created a great and very unusual character, the kind all spaps need .. J&S should be tar & feathered and run out on a rail ! Killing-off and not reviving the Queen of mean. And presenting Helena lying weak and fading with tubs up her nose is a slapable offense, and then she drinks poisoned tea..GMAFB! SHAME on J&S! that was soap sacrilegious! Helena is a very needed character, she holds all the answers to the secrets that need to be known to move onward. J&S need to get their lame act… Read more »
Oh, WOW! I knew she wasn’t dead!…..LOL.
You and me both, CeeCeeGirl!!!! (And Thank God!) GH is simply not the same without the icy, elegant presence of Miss Constance Towers…..Long live Helena!!!! Having said that, I do so hope that 2016 is treating you and yours well….thus far. I’ve been meaning to send you a little reply here and there, but whenever you’ve made comment on the threads of interest, there have been no no direct links for you. This was the perfect opportunity. Later, mia amica!
Having read the book 11/22/63, I am pretty sure I can guess the character that Constance is playing….. all I can say is, the book was a truly great read – great vacation book! And CT is a great pick for the casting I am envisioning!
She needs to be writing for GH. She hit on some details that need to be addressed.
cool
The delightful Constance Towers is just that delightful. Congrats to her on her new project with James, however, as much I’m not a fan of characters continuously returning from the dead, I’ll gladly welcome a Helena return, Constance is right, there are so my unanswered questions, and it would be great fun to see what this “curse” does to Sam and watch that play out. I think GH and Constance need to decide if/when Helena really dies, and just do that. But, definitely into seeing a “return” of Helena, she’s got things to do with Spencer, too. And, with Laura… Read more »
Constance, – clearly – NEEDS to come back! and yes, selfishly… it’s all to help out Nicholas…. retain control of ELQ I don’t know… about the writing… as of late… what with Jason… suing… Nicholas… to regain his shares.. and BAM! that’s the end of the big mystery of ELQ Jason is that quick of a hero! he’s already it a.. going all gung ho… wanting legalese for shared custody of lil’ Jake is this a signal that there may not be a reunion with Liz? back to Nicholas… his attempt at blackmailing Jason… with regard to his accident. just… Read more »
James Franco is a brilliant, talented actor, albeit a tad eccentric… out of the box. Love his filmwork…including his portrayal of James Dean, his role in Spiderman, Harvey Milk’s lover in MILK…and countless other characters in his diversified body of work. His lunacy on GH was mesmerizing madness…a tad like Batman’s Joker with a gorgeous face! Constance Towers is Helena to me. I’m not familiar with any of her other work…but she’s crazy, diabolical fun on GH. Loved her early stuff with Alexis, Luke, Stefan, Nicolas, Laura. The Cassadines, including Helena, worked better as an evil empire. Sad how theey… Read more »
I’m glad that Towers’ comment pointed out that this is based on a book by Stephen King of the same name. The article glaringly fails to mention that point. I’m no journalist but having a show based on recent best seller by King seems like a fact that would be mentioned initially in the article. I’ve read the book and immediately thought this show must be based on it. Just as quickly, I noticed that this was not mentioned until we get Towers’ quote. Even then, it isn’t explained. A reader of the article who was completely unaware of the… Read more »
One of my after Christmas reads was going to be this Stephen King book…finally. Love the whole premise of it.
For me, King’s books have been hit or miss for two decades. Some are good; some are a waste of time. This one was good. You’ll enjoy it.
Also, if the series follows the book’s plot, it is pretty clear who Towers will be playing.
I cant wait it going to be very interesting to see them work together I Love them both yea. Till then