Last week, as General Hospital aired the final episodes they had in the can, prior to the coronavirus TV production shutdown, viewers of the series were left with a one-two punch of gut-wrenching performances from Daytime Emmy winners, Steve Burton (Jason) and Maurice Benard (Sonny)

Burton, also received great news last week, when he found out he was again Emmy-nominated in the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category, while Benard, told fans he did not submit himself in the competition this year, when they were wondering where his name was in the list of the finalists in the category.  However, Maurice won last year for the second time in his career, for Outstanding Lead Actor.

Courtesy/ABC

Now on last Tuesday and Wednesday’s episode of the ABC daytime drama series, Jason was trying his best to break it to Sonny that Sonny’s dad, Mike (Max Gail) is not going to get any better as he continues to decline from Alzheimer’s disease, and that Mike is waiting for Sonny to let him go.  Sonny is devastated sitting with Mike watching him being completely unresponsive.  He tell Mike he will be back to see him tomorrow, as he leaves Mike reaches out his hand slowly.

Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) has just told Jason that she believes the signs are all there that Mike is on his final decline and battle with Alzheimers. Mike is unresponsive, not eating. and slipping away quickly. She believes he wants to let go, but is holding on for Sonny’s sake, something that tears through Jason.  Knowing Jason was told something by Elizabeth, Sonny asks what it is.  That is when Jason tells Sonny he thinks Mike is waiting for Sonny to let him go.

An overcome Sonny tells Jason that he worries that Mike might still want to fight, but for what? He is a shell of himself and has no memories.  It is then that Burton as Jason, in a touching performance, tells Sonny what he’d want if he were in Mike’s place. Jason reflect that he wouldn’t want machines keeping him alive or his kids having to go through what Sonny is having to deal with right now   Jason goes on to say that even when Sonny put walls up between himself and Mike through the years, that Mike never stopped trying to break them down.

Photo:ABC

Once Jason leaves, with tears running down his cheeks, Sonny sits with Mike trying to come to terms with what he must do now.  Will Sonny let Mike die and spare his father any further misery … or will he try to prolong whatever time Mike has left?

These scenes for anyone who has endured or lived through losing a loved one battling through Alzheimer’s and having to make a life and death decision, and the emotional turmoil and sadness it causes a family, could feel the pain and heartbreak played  by Burton and Benard. That is why Michael Fairman TV gives Steve and Maurice the honors of The Power Performance of the Week.

Watch a few scenes from part of Steve and Maurice’s ‘Power Performance’ below

Then let us know, what did you think of Steve and Maurice’s performances in the Alzheimer’s storyline? Comment below.

I was like so sad and emotional 🙁
Good thing @MauriceBenard got his friend @1SteveBurton to help him through this! #StayAmazing https://t.co/aWCnlWdlB6

— 😜Michaela😜 (@animallover4evs) May 24, 2020

On Wednesday’s all-new episode of General Hospital, emotions were running high some marred in booze and others marred in uncertainty.

First, reeling from the news of the death of his former wife, Holly Sutton, Robert (Tristan Rogers) is having one too many beers while in the company of his brother, Mac (John J. York), along with Felicia (Kristina Wagner).  As Robert continues to drink, Felicia reaches out to Anna (Finola Hughes) to come to Robert’s rescue, even though she had quite the complicated history with Holly.

While at the Floating Rib, Robert is trying to come to terms with the news of Holly’s death and is clearly gut-punched and not handling it well.  Enter Maxie (Kirsten Storms) and Peter (Wes Ramsey), as Robert tries to process how a scoundrel like Peter is alive, while someone like Holly is dead.

Ah, but Peter may have something to do with Holly’s death, when he meets up with one of his thugs.  Peter tells the dude he wanted Robert to be distracted, but wasn’t wanting Holly dead in the process.  The guy swears he had nothing to do with what appeared to have happened to Holly. When he leaves, Peter gloats that this unfortunate turn of events can actually work to his advantage.

Later, Felicia tells Anna they should plan a memorial for Holly.  However, a clever Anna read the WSB report on Holly and thinks there is more to the story that meets the eye.  Is Holly actually alive, or will Anna find out Peter was involved?

Meanwhile, Sonny (Maurice Benard) is visiting with a despondent Mike (Max Gail) as he realizes his father is slipping further away from him.  Sonny shows Mike a picture of Dante, and relates to his dad, how Dante and Mike spent time together, but Mike is not engaging with him.

Then in a heart-tugging moment, Sonny asks Mike, “How do you want to live the remaining time you have left?” He wants to know if he would prefer to just have his life come to an end, or continue. Just then, Mike whispers in Sonny’s ear “Yankees”, to which Sonny figures Mike would want to watch the Yankees game on TV.  Earlier, Sonny was concerned when he spoke to nurse Felix (Marc Anthony Samuel), that his dad was only eating apple sauce that his baby daughter eats – an all too familiar sign of someone on the decline from Alzheimer’s disease.

When Carly (Laura Wright) shows up, Sonny tells her Mike wanted to watch a Yankees game, but Carly thinks Sonny is hearing what he wants to hear.  Sonny tells his wife that Mike is not ready to give up and he’s not ready to make a decision on Mike.

The episode featured solid performances throughout from Tristan Rogers, Maurice Benard and Max Gail.

Now the questions remain:  What will Anna dig up on the death of Holly?  What should Sonny’s next move be for Mike’s care? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

Wednesday’s episode of General Hospital featured top-notch performances by Maurice Benard (Sonny), Max Gail (Mike) and Rebecca Herbst (Liz) portraying significant and important beats in the ABC daytime drama series, Alzheimer’s storyline.

We have to give kudos to GH for not skipping over key observations and changes the person suffering from the disease, and their loved ones, endure,

Courtesy/ABC

In story, Elizabeth had come to Turning Woods to spend some time with Mike and to help Sonny.  While there, and as viewers saw previously, Mike would not swallow the water that Sonny tried to give him   It didn’t work so well when Liz tried either, but being a nurse, she knew to wet a towel and to try to get some water in Mike’s mouth that way.

Sonny reveals to Liz that Mike had a small stroke, and agrees with Liz’s assessment that he seems mostly unresponsive.  It is then that Liz takes Sonny outside of Mike’s room and knows she has to have a serious talk with him; to make him fully aware of what is happening to Mike.

Liz tells Sonny that Mike needs to stay in one place at this point, and that Sonny should look into palliative care.  She also shares her concern that Mike does not have a DNR in place and he needs one.  Sonny is, of course, overcome.

Courtesy/ABC

One of the most horrific signs in the progression of Alzheimer’s is when the person afflicted can’t remember or get the signal from the brain to want to eat or swallow, and things don’t get better from there.  Liz tells Sonny that Mike is now having trouble understanding how his body is supposed to work.

After Liz leaves, Sonny attempts to get Mike to eat some of Olivia’s special meatballs. After initially not getting anywhere with Mike, he comes to realize and admit they smell like home and finally take a small bite.

The scenes were poignant and effective, especially for all of us who have dealt with loved ones who are suffering with or have died from Alzheimer’s.

What did you think of the scenes featuring Maurice, Max and Rebecca? Comment below.