Those expecting Jonathan Bennett’s new General Hospital character of Joe Fitzpatrick to be the latest doctor to arrive in Port Charles. Think again! When Joe arrives on the scene he will be an officer with the Port Charles Police Department (PCPD).

That might be good news for the police force, who has had a lot of trouble (pretty much always!) solving cases, and with Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) pretending to be cop, Nathan West, and Chase (Josh Swickard) working his back up the ranks, police commissioner, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) who could use a some helping hands, unless they are corrupt?

In the latest issue of TV Guide Magazine on newsstands now, Bennett shares a little more insight into what we can expect from Joe, when he first gets into the mix. You can circle next Monday, May 18 for the actor’s GH debut.

THE MYSTERY OF JOE

“Returning to daytime television was not on my bingo card for 2026.(However) I feel like I hit the jackpot when this opportunity came because the character is something that I really wanted to play.”

As soap fans know, Jonathan started his career on All My Children as JR Chandler from 2001-2002. Since that time Bennett went to fame with the motion picture Mean Girls, playing Aaron Samuels then continued on a path acting and producing and hosting where he had become a mainstay on the Hallmark Channel and Food Network. Bennett’s Hallmark reality-competition series, Finding Mr. Christmas was just nominated for three Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

Speaking on GH’s Joe and the PCPD, Bennett teased, “I’m feeling excited, and I’m also laughing because I can’t wait for the world to see what Joe Fitzpatrick is really all about.”

Could Joe Fitzpatrick be a closeted cop? An out cop? Neither? Will he be a good guy who might help crack the case of who shot Drew and help Willow get her comeuppance? Will he be investigating the shenanigans that might lead him into the path of Dr. Lucas Jones (Van Hansis)? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.

It looks like now may be the time that The Young and the Restless is building towards a change in the dynamic between Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) and Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow).

First, Nick is not himself these days since becoming addicted to painkillers and most importantly, fentanyl. Second, Sienna is seeing Audra (Zuleyka Silver) popping back into Lucas’ (Lucas Adams) life more than she wants to. Third, Sienna’s brother got into trouble with drugs so there is empathy there for what Nick is going through and potentially to help him pull through this.

Tamara Braun, who is celebrating her 25th anniversary on daytime soaps this month, spoke to Soaps.com about how the Y&R fans are noticing something between Sienna and Nick. Will they hit the sheets? Will they have an affair? A one-night stand? Or will it be platonic, and she could be the person to help Nick out in one of the darkest times in his life?

Photo: JPI

A NEW WOMAN IN NICK’S LIFE?

“I guess it would make for an interesting triangle,” said Braun about the possibility of being the woman between dad and son. “But people can have chemistry that isn’t romantic, and it can still become something really interesting. You know, like when you feel like you’ve met somebody before, or you meet somebody for the first time, and you’re instantly best friends, like, ‘How the heck are we grooving so well?’”

The two-time Daytime Emmy winning actress added that maybe that is what the audience is sensing with Nick and Sienna, but Braun does confirm,”There is some chemistry.”

TOUGH LOVE

With Nick’s addiction spiraling out of control and especially by week’s end on all-new episodes of the CBS soap opera, Tamara says Sienna’s experience with her brother and drugs, could lead to more key time with Nic:, “Whether it’s romantic, (it could be just a case of) ‘I want to try and get it right when I wasn’t able to before.”‘

So would be down for Sienna and Nick to have some sort of romantic encounter or relationship? Would you be more enthused if they remain friendly and she helps him try to deal with his addiction, or would you want them in each others orbits as friends and lovers? Let us know via the comment section.

Sad news to report for the One Life to Live family. Actress Jennifer Harmon who was the last actress to play the emotionally troubled Cathy Craig has passed away. Harmon, who also starred on the defunct NBC soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage, died in New York on May 9 at the age of 82. Harmon’s family made the announcement.

Jennifer was the fifth actress to play One Life to Live’s Cathy, following Catherine Burns, Amy Levitt, Jane Alice Brandon and Dorrie Kavanaugh. During her two year tenure with the soap, from 1976 through 1978, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the 5th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 1978. The award that year went to Another World’s Laurie Heineman (ex-Sharlene Frame).

In her soap career, not only did Harmon have major success as Cathy on One Life to Live, but she starred on NBC’s new soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage as Chris Kirby and stayed with the series through its entire run which lasted just over a year from 1974-1975.   

Photo: NBC

How to Survive a Marriage told the story of divorced couple as they battle for custody of their daughter, and as the mom enters the workforce. In the span of a year, Chris got divorced, remarried and battled alcoholism. Rosemary Prinz was the featured name in the cast.

On One Life to Live, Cathy was the nemesis of Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak). Cathy blamed the wealthy Viki for the accident that killed her child Megan Craig Riley (even though the baby has a congenital heart defect and her life expectancy was short).  So, she set out to make Viki’s life hell by kidnapping Viki and Joe’s child, Kevin.

Later,  Jennifer would return to One Life to Live in the 90s to play Viki’s attorney in a new role, went on to play Jean Weatherill on Guiding Light in 1991 and Lucretia Jones on Loving in 1995. Her primetime TV credits included: Barnaby Jones, Dallas, The White Shadow, St. Elsewhere, Homicide: Life on the Street, Oz, Rescue Me and The Good Wife.

Harmon was also known as one of the most accomplished stage actresses on Broadway having appeared over 21 times in different productions spanning nearly 50 years including in plays of the works of legendary playwrights: Noël Coward, Wendy Wasserstein, Lillian Hellman, Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and Jon Robin Baitz. Throughout her theatre career she was was known as a reliable actress, and at times was an understudy for the likes of: Stockard Channing, Judi Dench, Jessica Lange, Blythe Danner and Jessica Lange.

Share your remembrances of Jennifer Harmon on One Life to Live, How to Survive a Marriage, and more, in the comment section below.