General Hospital
General Hospital’s Genie Francis Delivers The ‘Power Performance of the Week’
Sometimes in daytime when it rains it pours and viewers can be treated to a plethora of performances all in one week. Such was the case this past week which saw brilliant work from: General Hospital’s Genie Francis (Laura) and Maura West (Ava), and The Bold and the Beautiful’s Matthew Atkinson (Thomas).
However, there is something to be said when television and soap opera icon, Genie Francis, is given the ball and material worthy of her talents. It’s not every week, or every month that the character of Laura is front and center – but from the looks of the story that GH is weaving they are doing a deep-dive into Laura’s childhood and teenage years which was fraught with drama – a foreshadow that there is more exciting story to tell with Francis.
Last week’s Monday November 30th, and Tuesday December 1st episodes brought with it the emotional fallout, and farewell for the character of Lulu and her portrayer Emme Rylan who was written-off the show. The vehicle to do so was the bomb that Julian (William deVry) planted at the Floating Rib on the orders of Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober). The injuries she sustained in the blast wind up putting her in a coma and having to enter a long-term care facility away from Port Charles.
When Tracy (Jane Elliot) arrives in Port Charles to be there for Laura during Thanksgiving, the hug alone at the hospital between these two characters was enough to bring out the hankies. Tracy considers Lulu a daughter to her. Lulu’s father, Luke, is MIA, so Laura has to carry the burden, make strong impactful decisions and act fast to save her daughter’s life, and do the right thing no matter how difficult this will be for her as a mother.
Throughout the two episodes we watch Laura’s grief and her resolve. When she learns that a bomb has caused the explosion at the Floating Rib and that Cyrus may have been behind it, she is livid, a mama-bear who will get her daughter justice. But lo and behold, who should have the guts to walk up to Laura and offer his apologies and concern for Lulu … Cyrus! In the hospital, Laura wallops the drug lord right in the face vowing that no one will stop her from taking him off the earth after she gets the evidence that he was the mastermind behind the bombing,
Courtesy/ABC
Laura also had the horrific task of telling Lulu’s best friend, Maxie (Kirsten Storms), that they are going to move Lulu to a long-term care facility and that she needs to say her goodbyes. One by one people go to Lulu’s bedside including: Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), Tracy, and Nikolas (Marcus Coloma).
When it is Laura’s turn (as the care facility has come to take Lulu away), she cries by her bedside begging Lulu to come back to everyone that loves her. In a heartbreaking moment, Laura tells a despondent Lulu that she has rejoiced every day since she was born and she knows that her daughter is a fighter and will never just give up and will come through this.
As Lulu’s loved ones gather in the hospital corridor to watch as Lulu is transported to the facility, Laura watches grief-stricken. As the elevator closes she breaks down in front of Kevin (Jon Linstrom) emotionally- spent and devastated.
In all of these scenes, Genie Francis was magnificent and broke viewers’ hearts right along with Laura’s. So with that said, Michael Fairman TV names Francis’ work, The Power Performance of the Week.
What did you think of Genie’s performances? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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As always Genie was awesome. Im still mad she was let go a few years back. Laura and family should be the center of the show, not Sonny and Company
It would be nice if Luke (Tony Geary) were to go on Zoom and talk to Lula. Luke could tell Lulu how much he loves her and how he wishes that he could be standing beside her.
I know that Tony Geary has decided that Luke and Laura are over and done with as a couple. But Luke would not even have to see or talk to Laura if that’s what Tony Geary wants.
I stopped watching when they ridiculously fired her. Started back when she came back. Will stay as long as she does.
Genie delivered a gut wrenching performance. She reached deep down in herself and externalized it for the camera. She is hand’s down the best crier on daytime. Genie hasn’t just mastered the skill of releasing the tear ducts, she’s mastered the art of expressing emotional anguish through facial expressions to accompany those tears. Finola Hughes is also an expert (and quite copious)crier but she doesn’t have the ability to trigger my tears the way Genie does. It was also wonderful to see Tracy,who is always a sight for sore eyes. On another note, Maxie’s reaction upon hearing the grave and… Read more »
great
Yes, oh, yes, Harry! Give Genie that Emmy.
They are all great actors it brought tears too my eyes also the scenes
Genie Francis proves again there is no better actress in daytime to take a story and then bring it home, proper. Hats off to Ms. Francis … DAYTIME DIVA !!
Seems like Laura is going to be involved in major storylines for a while, since it’s starting to look like her ancient backstory (Gordon Gray & David Hamilton) is somehow tied to Cyrus the Virus and that sleazy Colonel Sanders wannabe lawyer both of whom might end up being Laura’s half brothers. So they get rid of Laura’s REAL family, and attach her to those two scumbags? Yeah, that makes sense…. though I’m still thinking that the only logical reason to send Lulu to veggieland for a while is that she can eventually wake up feeling like her old (JMB)… Read more »
It appears that GH is setting things up to reveal that Cyrus is her father! What a brilliant and creative twist albeit with some revisionist history.
Cyrus is nowhere near old enough to be Laura’s father. I don’t remember Gordon Gray (if indeed he was ever actually seen on GH) but if he was Leslie Webber’s “mentor” when she was a young doctor, and Leslie herself would probably be in her 80s by now, then Gordon Gray would probably be 100 or so if he were still alive. Cyrus may be a few years older than Laura, but it’s probably within a decade. Definitely not old enough to be her father. But he might have some bizzare mental fixation on her, somehow blaming Laura (who wasn’t… Read more »
True—-but, such reality makes no difference to the PTB—-eg: Sam and Julian.
Nonetheless, I do agree with your reasoning.
Well they have pretty much spilled the beans now officially on all this. Martin admitted that he and Cyrus are brothers and that Florence Gray is their mother, meaning that Gordon Gray is their father (as well as Laura’s bio-dad) So now the only question is does Martin have the same ill will toward his half-sister that Cyrus does…. or could it be that he’s not even aware of the connection? Though I would find it hard to believe that an attorney who seems to have his ways of finding information, wouldn’t want to know why his brother is so… Read more »
Again, I could not have “examined” and explained this plot better—-Cyrus may have a score to settle with Laura? Did she inadvertently do something in her past to hurt Elizabeth in any way? Is this the mystery ? What has Laura done to the dragon that is Cyrus, to elicit so much “fire”? Also, I missed a couple of eps and I have yet to catch up—-thus, does Cyrus have something on Martin? Is he blackmailing his own brother? —not that Cyrus would have any such reverence for a sibling, unless he is a partner in crime—yet, I get the… Read more »
She left it all out there and in doing so torn my heart out. Ms. Francis is a Master Class.
What is the relationship between Laura and Tracey?
Tracy was stepmother to Lulu when Tracy married Luke (Laura’s previous husband). While the two did not always get along, Laura’s been extremely grateful to Tracy for being there for Lulu when Laura was in Shadybrook all those years.
Thank you Steve
She was great as always and you know what she is one of the few actresses’s on daytime that has the guts to not have perfect makeup on ! Thank you Genie because it has always driven me nuts when you are in a crisis sorry you don’t have on lip gloss ! Kudos Genie !
Wow, the writers gave her some great material and she delivered one of the most emotional scenes on daytime this fan has seen in a long time! Well deserved, her and Maura West killed their scenes this week. It was actually a great week for daytime drama on GH and BB.
All I can say is phenomenal acting. I am not surprised she showed up and showed out!
She does what she does best, cry!
She was brilliant. Deserves an award for that performance
I love Genie so much. She really is the center/heart of the show. I’m very excited that they are making her part of a big story. She deserves it!
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see Genie collect her second Emmy next year for these scenes. The writers haven’t always given her the most compelling material in recent years, but when they do, she always knocks it out of the park like few others ever have in daytime. She’s one of the all-time soap icons for a reason. Dominic Zamprogna was also heartbreaking in his scenes saying goodbye to Lulu, Kirsten Storms, James Patrick Stuart, Jane Elliot, everyone brought it. The bombing of The Floating Rib and the aftermath was some of the finest storytelling and emotional… Read more »
Always the best, Genie—-one of a kind magnificent!!!!!! You killed it!! A million times kudos.
I am hoping for Cyrus to conclude his run lickety-split– I saw Jeff Kober on an old episode (2004) of “Law And Order: SVU”,…..always the bad guy. He’ s a phenomenal actor, despite his obnoxious characterizations ….He has that annoying attitude which makes me want to punch his smug face—So, if any actor can draw such antipathy from me? Well, hats off.
At first glance I thought he was Steve Tyler.
Laura has been a long time character favorite of mine since the beginning of her being on GH. Genie Francis puts so much emotion into her character Laura you can’t help but feel her emotions. I’ve always said if Laura cries I cry!!!. Such a fantastic actress. Love Laura!! Love Genie Francis❤️❤️❤️
Yeah it was alright.
Genie Francis is one of the best actresses that really can portray her emotions as if the scene she is playing is frightfully and terribly real-life! She makes everyone cry even the camera men! God Bless your acting abilities! I have been watching since Luke and Laura,and have always cried when you have a loss.
You know Tony Geary is a great performer,but I think Someone was mad a Genie because Tony won 8 Emmy’s and Genie only has one Emmy. This woman is a great actress, why did she not win a lot of Emmy’s as well? She was cheated, why? Someone did not like her,she is too talented!
Oh Laura, what have you gotten yourself into this time? I think you should resign as Mayor and get together with Curtis as partners.
What has she gotten herself into? A “family reunion” that she never saw coming!!
General Hospital
General Hospital Alum Briana Lane Mourns the Loss of Her Husband
Heartbreaking news to report. Briana Lane, who took over the role of General Hospital’s Brook Lynn Quartermaine while Amanda Setton was away from the series, shared that her beloved husband, John Lange, passed away on March 14th.
Lane posted a photo of herself with John on her Instagram expressing: “I will love you forever my sweet John. Til we meet again.”
Photo: ABC
In August of 2020, Lane started subbing for Setton as Brook Lynn, and her performances won the hearts of GH fans. She stayed with the show till November of that year and returned one other time in 2022. In addition, Amanda received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her work in the Outstanding Guest Performer category in 2021.
As for the love story of Briana and John, they wed in December of 2016. As many know, Briana is not only a great actress, but also has a successful music career and John was very supportive of her professional life. Lange was remembered as a walking encyclopedia of television knowledge, a dog lover, and a lover of comedy.
Friends of Lane’s have set up a Go Fund Me page, to assist in giving John the memorial he deserves and to help Briana as she navigates this next chapter of her life.
Many of Briana’s former GH co-stars shared their grief and support in her IG post including: Kirsten Storms (Maxie) and Katey MacMullen (Willow).
Share your condolences for Briana on the loss of her husband in the comment section below.
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