General Hospital
GH's Emme Rylan Begins Her Journey as Lulu! And Lulu Can't Remember Who She Is!
Courtesy/ABC
Wow! What a way to take over a role played by a former and beloved Daytime Emmy winner! In an intriguing move to usher in the new Lulu Spencer Falconeri, Emme Rylan takes on the role of the Iced Spencer gal, with a twist!
According to the latest General Hospital and ABC promo, Lulu can’t remember who she is! No recollection of her family, her husband Dante or the baby they believe they are having via Maxie!
What do you think of the storyline move? Do you think Dante and Lulu needed a big obstacle to keep them front and center on the canvas? Do you think this will open up a whole new opportunity for the character of Lulu to be mind altered?
Watch the promo after the jump and let us know your thoughts!
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.
‘Beyond the Gates’ Emmy Winner Ambyr Michelle Wants to Compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’: ‘Pick Me’ (Exclusive)
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
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
‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (Exclusive)
‘Beyond the Gates’ Emmy Winner Ambyr Michelle Wants to Compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’: ‘Pick Me’ (Exclusive)
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)
‘Days of our Lives’ Veteran James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis
Y&R’s Matt Cohen Talks Role as Compassionate Zookeeper in Rom-Com ‘Christmas at the Zoo’
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Terrific transitional premise. Opens the door for a brand new Lu.
I agree with you! I like how they are doing this so it makes the change easier…… although I miss Julie, but I’m going to give the NuLulu a chance and maybe I will like her just as much!
Maybe the baby Maxie is carrying is Lulu and Dante’s after all. ??? The birth may be the alarm that wakes Lulu from her haze of lost memory.
the plot device is a good way to introduce Emme Rylan as Lulu. A woman with no memory of herself and her relationships, of course, will act differently. this will diminish any haters’ or critics’ need to nit and pick at the cast change.
Seems this will further the Spencer-Cassadine feud, too, a la the good old days.
Hmmmm…
I think it’s a great way to let Emme make the role of Lulu her own, and give fans time to accept her as the new Lulu. Because we all read what a lot of fans thought about Jen Lilley taking over Maxie.
This also opens up more drama for Dante and the rest of the family, and gives more drama for Maxie to come to terms with whether she will confess that the baby isn’t theirs after all.
you are probably right. with Lulu not feeling any emotional connection to the baby to be, Maxie will change her mind and decide to keep it as her own instead.
I HOPE MAXIE KEEPS IT I SO WANT MAXIANILLI BACK TOGETHER SINCE THEY NEVER GOT MARRIED LET THEM HAVE THERE BABY GIVE NEW LULU SOMETHING ELSE TO DO
i am just hoping the fans will give emme rylan a chance to settle into the role of lulu and show her talent & not start the usual bashing & comparing her to julie berman……
Totally agree give her a chance she made Lizzie on GL her own and Abby on Y&R she could really give some zingers on Y&R I really like her when she came back she had grown up some so I am missing her at Y&R. So let’s give her a chance.
Loved Lizzie on GL.. Too bad we couldn’t get Bill from GL to come to GH
I loved it!!! It’s a great opportunity to have fun with some great actors and characters. I was surprised that they didn’t do the old type voiceover saying that the part of Lulu is now being played by Emme Rylan. For just a minute I thought maybe they were going to try and have her be an imposter Lulu… but then why would Dante, Laura and Luke be so certain it was Lulu. It does make you wonder if we are being played with though… just for a minute or so. I really like the casting of Emme for this role… she looks so much more like a child of Laura and Luke. She also looks so cute with Dante… she looks shorter than he is and it looks good while he is taking care of her.
I also will be happy to see Lulu not being so strict and rigid with her BFF Maxie about everything she is eating and doing… at least until she remembers.
Loving this twist. This way she can be Lulu, but not necessarily the same Lulu the previous actress played. It also allows for a new romance to begin again between her and Dante. It can be awkward seeing a new half of an old couple- so this gives this couple a plausible reason to recreate their courtship, so the new actress isn’t being over shadowed by the previous actress work. Good call GH- much potential— and bit off topic, just wanted to extend my prayers toward American soap fans who dealing with the tragic events from yesterday.
Of course she dont know Dante, her parents or the baby…its not the same Lulu! joking/lol…it wouldve been a funny inside joke had one of the three had said there is somthing different about Lulu b4 she woke up! With the amnesia there are many story possibilities: Maybe Lulu wont be attracted to Dante but someone else for awhile, and maybe she wont want the surrogate baby as well. This way Dante and Lulu could slowly get back together as a couple to help fans accept the new Lulu and to adjust seeing her with Dante. Perhaps Maxi will go into labor and she will be trapped in hospital elevator with only Lulu wholl be forced to delivery the baby which will cause her memory to finally return? Just a suggestion!
Great way to transition a talented actress into an established role. Good luck Emme!
She is a really good actress and I hope people are supportive and not mean.
She is very pretty !
Loved her first line!
I just hope we don’t have this “I don’t know you or who I am” story for too long. We did that with Jason. As long as the story line starts moving- she starts liking Dante soon at least, etc. it will be fine. I just don’t want to see weeks and months of negativity as when they changed Jason’s personality. I know it’s not the same thing.
Also, we do not know if the baby is Maxie and Spinelli’s for sure. Remember that lying Brit is the one who said that. Just as soon as Maxie tells Spinelli, I’ll know the child is really Lulu’s, that’s the way GH works.
She looks too old to play Lulu.
yes, that is the only downfall with this re-cast. She looks almost as old as Nikolas, and way older than JJ’s Lucky.
Totally! We’ll see how it goes once she’s back in PC and unfrozen looking 🙂 She looks older than Dom (Dante) too!
Emme and Julie are just 3 years apart
Shes just 3 years older
If she’s only 3 years older then she looks too old for her age and too old for this part. So far, I’m not terribly impressed.
Well, I agree it is a clever way to introduce Ms. Rylan’s version of the Lulu character- a “tabula rasa” of sorts. Let’s hope the amnesia is temporary- as someone said earlier, we do NOT want another “Jason” situation where the character is changed completely, upsetting the viewers. I still say Maxie is carrying a Falconeri baby, as she actually miscarried a twin and Dr. Britch (thank you, Felix!) knows it!!!!
Thought it was strange that we didn’t have a voiceover, “the role of Lulu Falconeri is now being played by …” in Emme’s first show. Was it because there was a two week absence of the character, or is this practice no longer being observed?
Had LuLu been active in a storyline, the voiceover would have taken place. But, it’s hard to do that for a popsicle.
I’m not familiar with her, but I trust Frank Valentini’s vision.
Well, change is good..
Emme will be an awesome as Lulu, better than no Lulu ..
This turnaround is being done very well; to present the different Lulu..
Brilliant! This eliminates the comparisons because NuLuLu doesn’t know who she is! How very The Vow of them. Just you know have a better happy ending. (that’s all)
As long as this isn’t a 6 month arc with both characters separating and going in different directions, I’m ok with it. Not necessarily thrilled considering this is the same type of thing that happened with Lucky when he was recast. I’d rather see something a bit more original, but it is what it is. Just hope they keep them together working through this angst. And Maxie & Britt can have their OWN babies because I want to see Lulu pregnant with her and Dante’s own baby. Maybe that would be what revives her memory…
I really liked that idea, until I realized they’d probably have us wondering for months if it’s Stavros’ kid.
I loved Emme’s version of Lizzie, on GL. I even watched some of Abby on Y&R until I couldn’t stand any more of Victor Sonny take your pick the character who never loses, and no matter how disgustingly dirty he played always came out the winner.
I am looking forward to Emme’s Lulu. Never was much of a fan of Julie. Didn’t dislike her just didn’t care. Wish her luck tho. Emme tho she can bring it if they give her a chance.
I just watched her replacement on Y&R gosh awful I will miss you on Y&R! Good luck to you on GH! Big mistake letting you go guys give her a chance she will make this role her own.
I actually don’t like the premise at all, though I like Emme Rylan and think she will do great.
It’s hard to root for Dante/Lulu when I haven’t seen the chemistry between them yet. I would have preferred that nuLulu celebrated the baby with Dante for a few days, jumped into the nurse’s ball story, got kidnapped right along with Ethan, then showed up frozen on Cassadine Island. It would make Dante’s emotions more heart-wrenching to watch.
I might add that Jen Lillely did a great job as Maxie with zero change in character or an amnesia story.
Lilley, not Lillely
Loved Emme as Abbey on Y&R! She will be awesome as Lulu! Love her!
Do to the terrorist attack in Boston at the Boston Marathon the GH episode that was suppose to be shown on Monday was shown here in Sacramento Ca on Tuesday afternoon.I hope the person who set the bombs is brought to justice after he is found.
I so can’t blame Emme for vacating Genoa City.
If show killing witch Jill Farren Phelps was your new boss, you would too!
I loved JMB as Lulu for years, so it was hard for me to accept her not being there any longer, but as another poster said, I’d rather have a different Lulu than no Lulu. I don’t know much about Emme, haven’t seen much of her work, but what I’ve seen on GH since she first appeared has been exciting to see. I think she and Dominic Zamprogna can make this new story line work.
I like the way they are introducing her. Actually, the story line I’m seeing unfold now is very similar to the one I started to dream up in my head as the way to reintroduce new Lulu. I see it as the best way to explain the differences we will see in this new Lulu and hopefully we will be able to see Lulu fall in love with her Dante all over again.
From what I’ve heard, Emme has the acting chops to pull this off and be able to keep up with Dominic. It’s going to take someone extra special to do that. I admire her courage in even accepting the role. It takes spunk and selfconfidence to step into a role that was vacated by such a loved actress. It’s like having 2 strikes against her before she even starts. I really admire her for that.
I hate that you have Lulu playing memory loss. I won’t be watching GH for a long while. The last time I stop it was two years. This time it may be longer.
I think Lulu needs 2 be back to remembering who she is her husband her family all that I hate the storyline I don’t think its a good idea Will she ever get it back an remember everything that happened 2 her before her kidnapping? its just a crappy storyline.
good luck to Emme
but I have 2 admit I miss Julie already its not the same without her..
I willing to emme rylan a chance, but i agree with most of the people here i miss jmb.