Friday’s General Hospital left viewers in a free fall, literally, following the conclusion of the long-awaited final confrontation between arch enemies; Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Julian Jerome (William deVry).

Sonny tracks down Julian to the footbridge with gun in tow. He tells Julian the only way for him to get out of this alive, and for all his crimes, is to help him take down Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) and implicate him as the person behind the bombing a the Floating Rib. Julian says if he talks Cyrus will kill him, anyway.  Sonny says Julian will finally have some redemption if he does the ultimate sacrifice in order to bring down the drug lord.

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Next, Julian seems to agree and then collapses, and we are to believe, at that point, that he has died, but when Sonny reaches down to check his pulse, Julian lunges at Sonny! Then a fight ensues and the gun goes off.  We don’t know whether it was Julian or Sonny who was shot.

However, it is Sonny who is alive and Julian has been shot dead in the stomach.   Next, Jason (Steve Burton) comes across the two on the footbridge.  As Sonny and Jason see each other, the bridge collapses underneath Sonny and Julian … and they go overboard!  Jason yells “Sonny!”

Back in Port Charles, Curtis (Donnell Turner) is hurt and betrayed by Jordan (Briana Nicole Henry), because she hid the truth from him that Taggert was alive.  She says she is sorry, but she did not want anything to happen to her husband, so she kept him out of the plans and to not let him in on what she was doing to protect Taggert.  Curtis says she never gave him an option and it is not OK about her consistent lies when comes to Taggert and her feud with Cyrus Renault.  There looks to be real trouble in paradise here.

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At the long-term care facility in Vermont, Laura (Genie Francis) is an for an earful once Cyrus enters Florence’s room and he and his brother Martin (Michael E. Knight) go at it, reliving old wounds about their father.  Cyrus admits to Laura he figured out she was his half-sister and knew if he fed her bread crumbs she would make it to Vermont and figure it out.

Next, things get heated as we learn Cyrus was the odd man out in his relationship with his father, Gordon Gray.  Martin tells Laura that Cyrus intentionally ran down their father with a car.  Cyrus says it was accident.  in these scenes,  Jeff Kober delivered a top-notch performance revealing not only Cyrus’ inner pain and past, but leaving the audience and Laura still not trusting him and still fearful of him.

This episode seemingly marked the end of William deVry’s run of Julian Jerome who throughout his time in the role gave viewers memorable performances. William showed us the complexities of man caught up in the mob, but who loved his children in his own way, even through countless mistakes, bad decisions, and criminal moves.  And let’s not forget, Julian was one-half of the former fan favorite duo, Julexis with Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis).  Kudos to Will for a job well-done.

So, what did you think of the ending of Friday’s GH?  Will you miss Julian? What do you think will happen next to Sonny? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

On Thursday’s episode of General Hospital, two characters were floored at some major revelations; while another continues to run for his life.

First, Laura (Genie Francis), who is snooping around the long-term care facility, is in Florence’s room, when she hears someone beginning to come in.  She hightails it to the bathroom, only to find out and overhear Martin (Michael E. Knight) speaking to his mother, Florence!  When he goes to get her some water, Laura has no choice but to pop out of the bathroom, just as Curtis (Donnell Turner) bursts through the door to tell Martin to keep quiet about everything from this point out.

After Curtis leaves to head back to Port Charles to help Jordan (Briana Nicole Henry), it leaves Laura and Martin to have a heart-to-heart. Martin says how much Florence misses his father, which prompts Laura to tell him that she is his half-sister,  Gordon Gray is her father.   He goes on about how Gordon had a wandering eye, which Laura sadly says she is a by-product of.  She asks Martin why Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) is paying for Florence’s care.  Enter Cyrus, who reveals that Florence is his mother, too! This shocker leaves Laura stunned that the man who is out to destroy Port Charles is her other half-brother.

Meanwhile, Julian (William deVry) who previously was visited by the ghosts of Duke Lavery (Ian Buchanan), Connie Falconeri from Bensonhurst (Megan Ward), and the love of his life, Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) … while in a delusional state … is somehow still alive at the bus station.  He is bleeding out from his gunshot wound.  When a stranger comes to the bus station, Julian asks what time it is, and finds out he missed his bus to Montreal.  Now, he offers the stranger 100 bucks for his ticket, so he can get on the next bus.  Meanwhile, Cyrus’ henchman is on the scene ready to silence Julian, but Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Jason (Steve Burton) arrive leaving Jason to take out the gunman and Sonny to go after Julian who got away,   Eventually, Julian and Sonny come face to face, but Julian looks to be on his last leg.

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Mac (John J. York) has dragged a very much alive Taggert to the PCPD and demands to know who helped him fake his own death.  Taggert is now played for several episodes by Asante Jones subbing for Réal Andrews.  Portia (Brook Kerr) and Trina (Sydney Mikayla) show up at the PCPD to warn Jordan about Cyrus’ latest ploy.  However, when they arrive they are shocked to see a very much alive Taggert.

An emotional Trina demands an explanation from her father … why he stood by and watched his family grieve for him, without telling her the truth and why he had to remain hidden.  Taggert pleads with her to understand it was for her own safety.  She does not want to hear it and leaves the station with Portia.  In these scenes we must give praise to Sydney Mikayla who delivered a daughter’s hurt and betrayal when she had to play it against Jones, not Andrews, whom she had previously developed an on-screen chemistry with as father/daughter.

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So, do you like that GH tied Cyrus, Martin and Laura together? How much more suffering can they put Julian through?  What did you think of Sydney Mikayla’s performance? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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,

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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.