Friday’s highly-touted episode of ABC;s General Hospital featured the return of Brad Maule in the role of Dr. Tony Jones, the adoptive father of Lucas(Ryan Carnes) and former husband to Bobbie (Jackie Zeman).

It has been years since fan favorite Maule graced the GH screens, but the writers found a way to conjure him up in Lucas’ mind as Lucas is in a pivotal moment in his life; his bio-dad Julian Jerome (William deVry) is blackmailing his husband, Brad (Parry Shen), and Brad is keeping secrets from Lucas.  All spell bad news to Lucas for raising his son, Wiley.  But as GH fans know, Wiley is not the baby that Lucas thinks he is raising with Brad- he is actually raising Nelle (Chloe Lanier) and Michael’s (Chad Duell) child, which Brad knows!

So, needing some clarity and visiting his adoptive dad’s gravesite, Lucas sees the vision of Tony, and the former father and son have a heart to heart.  Tony tells Lucas how raising him as  little boy gave him the strength and courage to go on through the hard times, and how to be their for his little boy.  Lucas is just emotionally overwrought and so burdened by the lies those who say that they supposedly love him have been telling.

At the same time, Julian is searching for Lucas, and happens upon Bobbie at the hospital. She really does not like Julian and the two land at the GH hospital wall where plaques of the beloved doctors and nurses who have passed away are seen.  Bobbie knows Julian could never be the kind of father, Tony was to Lucas.  Julian says he can never replace Tony, but he is Lucas’ father and wants to somehow do right by him.

Photo: JPI

Later alone, Bobbie talks to Tony’s photo and we see a heartfelt moment where Tony touches Bobbie’s hand and touches her on the cheek. Something Bobbie feels as she remembers this once great love of hers. At the end of the episode Julian finds Lucas at Tony’s gravesite. What will their confrontation bring?

Kudos to Ryan Carnes, who was the emotional heart of this episode and who made us feel every moment of Lucas’s anguish. And … how wonderful to see Brad Maule again!

So, what did you think of Tony’s visit to Lucas and Bobbie on Friday’s GH? Comment below. But first watch some key scenes between them.

WATCH: Tony Jones returns to give Lucas a fresh perspective on the issues he and Brad are having. @bradmaule @RyanCarnes1 #GH pic.twitter.com/dAimgtePGh

— General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) November 9, 2019

Monday’s episode of Days of our Lives showcased the nuptials of now long-suffering duo, Eli (Lamon Archey) and Lani (Sal Stowers).  In true soap opera fashion things didn’t look good for the couple to get hitched in the first place, especially with Gabi’s (Camila Banus) threats that she would literally blow Julie’s (Susan Seasforth Hayes) heart out of her chest, if Lani did not bust up with Eli at the altar.

As Marlena (Deidre Hall) is officiating the ceremony, things took a dark turn when she asked if anyone in attendance could show just cause why the couple should not be wed in holy matrimony.  Everyone is silent as Gabi, who is an attending the nuptials, is quite happy with herself broadcasting the wedding from her phone to Julie who is in the hospital.  Next, an emotional Lani tells Gabi how sorry she is for shooting Stefan.  Lani says she hopes Gabi can set aside their differences for the sake of Julie and Eli.  Gabi tells her she thought she made herself clear.  It appears that Lani decides she is moving forward with the vows, after standing up for herself and ignoring Gabi’s threat after tackling Gabi WWE Smackdown style.  Next, Gabi informs to everyone she just pressed the button on the app on her phone and Eli’s grandmother’s heart exploded. But hold the phone! In that moment, there is a twist.  We go back to Lani at the altar who snaps out of this blackmail nightmare she just played out in her head.  That didn’t really happen, but the audience sees her thinking process through it, which leads Lani in the present to break off the wedding to her beloved Eli.

At the altar, Lani tells Eli through her tears she cannot do this.  Eli is stunned and confused.  The bride tells him he doesn’t deserve this.  Next, Lani turns towards Gabi, and then tells Eli she is sorry and then runs out of the ceremony.   Gabi mutters that her “work is done here” which seems to be overheard by Will (Chandler Massey).

Lani says her decision is made. With tears streaming down his face, Eli cries, “So you’re leaving me? That’s it?” Lani confirms it is, and that she is sorry and then runs off.  Cue none other than Gabi to find a gut-punched Eli on the park bench, who she hugs! Looks like there’s a part two to Gabi’s heinous plan ahead.

The performances by Lamon Archey and Sal Stowers in this episode were top-notch – their work was and even though it was under the most outrageous of circumstances, you felt the love, the heartbreak and heartache of a couple torn apart, when they love each other so much.

So, what did you think of Lamon and Sal’s performances? What did you think of the final moments of the episode when Lani has to dump Eli for good? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

For months now, viewers have seen the downward spiral of Ava Jerome (Maura West).  It began following the death of her daughter Kiki, and realizing the man she fell in love with was not her therapist, Dr Kevin Collins, but none other than his serial killer twin brother, Ryan Chamberlain (Jon Lindstrom) – the man that murdered her daughter.

Trying to get back on her feet has been difficult for Ava.  She finally found some purpose in going back to work at the art gallery she loved so much.  Along the way, she has been sipping one too many martinis.  So, if you add all that up, and if you are other denizens in Port Charles, you might think that when Ava professes she saw the real Nikolas Mikhail Stavrosovich Cassadine (Marcus Coloma) in the flesh, when the man supposedly died a few years ago, then she has really lost it!

Thing is – Ava did see Nikolas, and he is back in Port Charles, alive and well, only know else knows except for Hayden  (Rebecca Budig) and Jax (Ingo Rademacher), which we learned at the end of Friday’s episode.

Earlier, after Ava passed out seeing Nikolas, she comes too, and he is not at the gallery anymore.  She panics and looks everywhere for him. Ava is convinced there has to be security camera footage of him in the gallery.  Nikolas’ mother, Laura (Genie Francis) happens to head over to see Ava to discuss Helena’s portrait, which has been the key to the codicil mystery, which is now at Ava’s gallery,

When Laura arrives, she finds Ava with drink in hand, and professing to her that Laura’s first-born son Nikolas is alive and he was just here at the gallery! As she tries to produce the physical evidence to show Laura, it’s not there.   Ava questions her sanity after Laura suggests she really needs professional help; something Laura knows a thing or two about

What happens next is shocking:  Julian (William deVry) is called and he meets Ava and Laura at Shadybrook sanitarium.  Viewers watch as Ava takes off all of her jewelry and her high heels. She hugs Julian and Laura before leaving them behind to get the help she “needs”.

Kudos to Genie Francis and Maura West, who’s unlikely on-screen friendship as Laura and Ava has been a delight to watch; especially when these two powerhouse actresses share two-person scenes together.

Watching Francis’ facial expression when Laura entertains for a moment that her son could be alive and then feels sorrow was masterful, as was West when as Ava she leans on Laura realizing she is in a worse way than she even imagined.  Will Ava get out of Shadybrook soon?  Will Laura get to feel joy that her son is truly alive and in Port Charles? Stay tuned.

What did you think of the performances of Genie and Maura? What do you think will happen next for Ava and Laura in this story? Comment below.