Photo Credit: JPI Studios

While there is no doubt that the umbrella performance of last week’s episodes of General Hospital was the Emmy-worthy and stunningly riveting performances of Chad Duell (Michael) in which Michael finally remembers and then reveals he was raped in prison, (make sure to hear what Chad had to say about the playing those big emotional moments in his interview on the new On-Air On-Soaps Podcast) there were also many other performances that stood out, made us grab for the hankies, and reminded us why the cast of GH is highly acclaimed.  Let’s take look at the rest below.

From Steve Burton (Jason) playing the pure devastation and helplessness at learning the boy he first raised was sexually violated, the actor showed us with little words and through his tears how Jason Morgan tries to come to grips with his part in this disaster, and his feeling of failure of not being able to protect Michael.

Then, once again, Laura Wright (Carly) showed viewers why this actress is at the top of the game.  From playing mama bear upon learning Michael was raped, to pulling a gun on Dante and reaming and laying guilt onto the cop for putting Michael in prison in the first place, to the scenes of her dissolution of her marriage to Jax (once finding out about his lie to help protect her arch-nemesis, Brenda), Wright was pure perfection.

Photo Credit: JPI Studios

Three other men turned in moments worth noting.  First, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) broke our hearts as he tries to just get a moment with Lulu after the harrowing night of Abby’s near rape, his run-in with Brenda, and the revelation that Michael was raped.  But, she isn’t having it, sort of.   Julie Marie Berman playing Lulu’s conflicting emotions of can she trust her man, is also an example of why Berman has won Daytime Emmys.  In addition,  Zamprogna’s guilt-ridden Dante, in the Carly/Dante showdown scenes, almost begged Carly to shoot him!  Dante could barely look at Michael, and then later decides to turn in his police badge.  All powerful moments from Dom Z.  Next, Ingo Rademacher (Jax).  Truly this stalwart leading man does not often get the credit he deserves, but his scenes with both Laura Wright and Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo (Brenda) were subtlety well-played.  Jax does the best he can as the “white knight” to the women he cares about and can never get a break, or do the right thing.  Later, when he tells a young Morgan that he and his mother have broken up, both Ingo and talented young actor, Aaron Sanders (Morgan) with tears streaming down his face, delivered a very real and emotional moment.

And in the middle of this, you can’t forget about the outstanding performances of Jonathan Jackson (Lucky) who starts the week feeling betrayed by the woman he is coming to love, Siobhan, only to realize she is being blackmailed by The Balkan over her kidnapped sister.  Then later in the week, Lucky is setting out to arrest her!  Betrayal is like a raw nerve to Lucky after Elizabeth’s affair with Nikolas was revealed, and to see his viewpoint of  betrayal, yet again, from someone he has come to care about showed us  the depth and layers of Jackson’s performances.  This week, JJ was ably well-supported in performances by newcomer Erin Chambers (Siobhan) who in twist and turns conveyed high emotional stakes for Jackson to play off of.

And finally, while we learn that Michael agreed to work through his sexual abuse through counseling, he has found a soul-mate and possible romantic interest in Abby, portrayed by the very talented Andrea Bogart.  Bogart also knocked-it out-of-the-park this week from her character’s near rape, to supporting Michael through his not-so-shocking revelation.  So with all of that and many other numerous moments and performances throughout the week, On-Air On-Soaps names the cast of General Hospital, this week’s Power Performance of the Week!