General Hospital
The Jason Thompson Interview – General Hospital
Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos
This week on General Hospital, Dr. Robin Scorpio Drake (Kimberly McCullough) walked back into Dr. Patrick Drake’s (Jason Thompson) life in the most dramatic fashion … right when the guy was saying, “I do” to the new love in his life, Sabrina Santiago (Teresa Castillo)! After two years struggling to get back to the good doctor and their daughter, after he and the whole town of Port Charles believed she perished, Robin was alive and well and standing right before Patrick!
And that set the stage for the dramatic conflict, and highly charged emotional scenes that gave Jason Thompson some heavyweight material as Patrick was reunited with his beloved Robin, while Sabrina’s heart is breaking into a million pieces! What is a guy to do? And that is the million dollar question as General Hospital sets up the next leg of the storyline. Can Patrick reconnect with Robin and go back to the family unit they had with their daughter Emma (Brooklyn Rae Silzer)? Or, is the new life he was creating with Sabrina, who got him through the most difficult times of his life, the ticket for his future happiness?
On-Air On-Soaps chatted with the Jason Thompson for this very exclusive interview where we took a look at all angles of this heart-stopping storyline where Patrick finally learns Robin is alive, and how he was able to deliver some of the most powerful moments in recent history as an overcome Patrick anguishes over his predicament … the joy of having Robin walk back in his life, and the sorrow over hurting the woman who was set to become his new wife! And then there was that pressure to deliver to the fans of the series who have been clamoring for the reunion of one of the most beloved couples in soap history. Jason reveals what it was like for him knowing he was about to play one of the most important moments in Dr. Drake’s soap life! Here now is our special chat with the talented Mr. T!
MICHAEL:
First off, what has it been like for you having Kimberly McCullough (Robin) back on GH? Did it feel to you like she never left? Was the first scene you taped with her since her return, when Robin came forward in the church during Patrick and Sabrina’s wedding?
JASON:
Courtesy/ABC
First of all, it’s fantastic to have her back, obviously. It’s an embarrassment of riches. It was really nice to have my friend back in the hallways, and to be able to go and grab breakfast, and all that sort of stuff, and the familiarity, for sure. Kimberly was doing her work stuff, and I was doing mine, and we weren’t really keeping tabs at what we were doing separately. The first scene we had together was when Robin walks into the church, after Patrick had said, “I do”. So she walks in, and obviously it’s shocking enough, and it was a whole other challenge for me. I was really nervous about it. I had a hard time for a couple of weeks leading up to that moment knowing what was going to happen. I knew Robin was going to walk in. I knew it was going to be one of those things where I was trying to find the right balance. I was trying to find the human element of this moment, of somebody that you lost walking back into your life in the most shocking, dramatic, kind of way. It’s just not something that you really kind of wrap your head around. I thought about past loved ones, my dog, and people who came back into my life. I was thinking how I had been so happy and so shocked, but then thinking… what is going on? Knowing that Patrick went through these hallucinations, let’s say, or the moment of seeing visions of Robin in the past … was it just another one of those? Or, wanting it to be true, but Robin is holding Emma, so what is going on? All of those moments in my own mind and my own process I was trying to figure out. It was daunting. I knew it was an important storyline, too! There was that extra added bit of nerves because of it, and trying not to let that influence my reality in that moment. I would do it a disservice to play the soap of it without trying to be as honest as I could with it, but at the same time, understanding what it is. It is Robin coming back from the dead in Patrick’s world! That is a very dramatic soap moment. I think it’s an amazing opportunity in the medium in which we work to be able to do something like this.
MICHAEL:
Everyone has been waiting to see the reunion of Patrick and Robin. And as the actor portraying that key moment, and knowing it was coming for weeks and weeks, did you feel an enormous amount of pressure? Did you ever think to yourself: “Can I pull this off? Will the audience be satisfied?”
JASON:
Yes, there was pressure there. It has been almost two years in the making of people asking me, “When is Kimberly coming back?” I would be rich if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me when she is coming back. And, that doesn’t mean they are not happy with the show. Some people really like Patrick and Sabrina together. So there is that whole other storyline, and this other couple that is there. Somebody is going to get hurt. There is a group of fans who don’t necessarily want to see the couple they have invested in for over two years. But that is what we are doing here. We are giving and taking away. It’s this story being told, and it’s what these shows are based on. As an actor, it’s hard not to get ahead of yourself and not let the story tell itself. It’s like reading the end of the book and then going to the beginning of it, knowing what is going to happen. It was hard to not influence the way the moment was going to happen, but at the same time do my homework, and make it as right as possible for Patrick in that moment.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/ABC
So in the end analysis, do you think it came off as you hoped? Do you think the fans are happy? I have to tell you, the fans have been screaming “Emmy” for your performances!
JASON:
Personally, you never know if you are really going to deliver what a viewer wants in that moment. These are a moment in people’s lives, and let’s say ten people watched and ten people could have a completely different idea or reaction of how this could happen. There is a lot to live up to on head writer Ron Carlivati’s level, executive producer’s Frank Valentini’s level, mine, Teresa, and Kimberly’s. If you are a fan of Patrick and Robin, this is a moment that you waited for! We just hope it lives up, or surpasses what your vision is. That would be an amazing gift to give people where they say, “Wow! That was a little more special than I expected.” I am sure there will be a lot of opinions back and forth, and I get it. People might think, “It’s breaking my heart knowing that Sabrina is going to be crushed.” These are characters on a television show. However, there is a lot of investment that people give to these characters. I think it’s a classic soap story. I hope we did good by it.
MICHAEL:
Did you ever imagine, when you signed on to play Dr. Patrick Drake years ago, that you would be this integral part to several amazing historic stories, and what came with it, the 50th anniversary of GH, and the fan fervor from passionate fan bases such as Scrubs and Patina? All that comes with being on a soap.
JASON:
No, none at all! And to be honest, I have had that moment a couple times this year with talking about what I went through, and Patrick went through with losing Robin, and the 50th anniversary, and here we are again doing this classic kind of soap story knowing the weight of everything. It kind of blows my mind a bit, but it is everything you want to do. I am falling more in love and grateful for my job the further along I go. This character with this story … and the people I get to work with … it’s just becoming richer to me. It’s everything you want to do. You want to have those challenges. You want to think, “Oh, my God. I don’t think I can do this, or pull this off.” I know it’s kind of big! Robin is such a huge part of General Hospital. To have Kimberly back and be part of a storyline like this, and to acknowledge what Patrick and Sabrina have built also, and to understand it’s a struggle for people, makes me, really, really proud. I am really glad that people like Patrick and Sabrina together. It just means Teresa did a great job over the last year and a half. I was part of a storyline that people felt something for, knowing this other thing was about to happen.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/ABC
I wanted to clear the air on something: Many fans believe from things you have said, or has been inferred in other interviews you have given, that you don’t like working with Teresa Castillo (Sabrina). Can you address that once and for all?
JASON:
I know, and that’s the most ridiculous thing. I honestly don’t know where that came from. Now, I have said stuff about me personally trying to do Patrick in a way that I can understand. I try to think what this would really be like for a human being to go through. So, the questioning of a new relationship… the questioning if he will ever love again … those are things that Patrick would be going through. Never really forgetting about Robin and always wondering, “Am I ever going to be in a relationship like the one I had before?” That was hard for me. I did not want to just fall back on Kimberly’s gone, and look at the page today without playing the history that I have gone through. Now, saying that, I don’t know anybody who could have come in and done what Teresa has done with as much grace as she has done it with. It’s a very hard thing she had to do, which was to come in between these two characters, although Kimberly wasn’t there anymore, or let’s say, when Robin was gone. I am so thankful that I have been able to do this with Teresa for the last year and half, because it’s a really difficult thing that she has to do and the show has asked a lot of her. The character of Sabrina went through a huge transition in a year! She went from the “Ugly Betty” thing, which is not Teresa at all, and gone through a massive transition, knowing the whole time that Robin is being held over her. That is not easy! That is a whole other pressure that she is feeling, personally … let alone having to play that within the character! I get it on my Twitter that people say I don’t like her, but it could not be further from the truth. To come in to do a job like this and knowing the pressures that come with it, and doing the amount of pages she had to learn per day, and knowing the story itself that she has done, is doing, and will continue to do, is pretty commendable. The character of Sabrina is not going anywhere from what I know. Teresa has made herself a main character on our show! That is not an easy thing to do.
MICHAEL:
Many fans would always say something to the effect of: “Patrick would never be with a dingdong like Sabrina!” Given that, there must have been a time where you too thought Patrick would never fall for a girl like Sabrina, after being with a woman like Robin, especially perhaps because of the original presentation of the character where she was more like “Ugly Betty”.
JASON:
Yes, absolutely. There were all of those moments you go through like you do in life. For Patrick, it was not love at first sight with Sabrina. He grew into this. Patrick realized he has someone in his life who loves him, and who will care for his daughter in a way that her real mother would have, and they fell in love that way. It was not a fairy tale in that way for Patrick, but maybe it was that way for Sabrina, but that was kind of the way it was written for her. It was a choice moving forward in his life with somebody who truly loves him and would do anything for him. And at the same time, Patrick is going to be the man she needs in her life. It’s not the most “soap” choices that I made along the way, but that is me trying to play it as real as possible within the context of a daytime drama.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy.ABC
After you and Kimberly completed taping the highly emotional scenes where Patrick sees Robin for the first time, did you and Kimberly have a moment afterwards (because of all the build up) where you said to each other, “Thank God, we got that over with!”
JASON:
It was a full day of shooting, and probably one of the hardest days I had. We did so much back and forth. We did it five times, I think. They had to get different shots, and then there are all of the reactions, but it just kept going! I felt I was hit by a truck by the end of the day. There was just a lot going on: Being there in the moment and being 100% truthful with Sabrina and knowing that is happening … and then there is a small percentage of Patrick being in the reality of, “Oh, my God! Here I am again.” This was almost the third time Patrick got married, because he got married almost twice to Robin, and then there was the funeral. There is this one moment where I, as Patrick, felt something directly before saying the “I do’s”, and then I came back to where I was. It was like letting go. It was the final time Patrick was questioning what he was doing and buying into it, and going with it. And then of course, Robin shows up. There were all the different kind of layers that were happening, and they were exhausting, but we continued through it. Then, ten hours later, we are done for the day.
MICHAEL:
I know actors are the toughest critics on themselves. Did you think you hit the mark when you left the studio after that tape day?
JASON:
I don’t know, because I always think there is more you can do, or make the slightest adjustment here and there. But there is also the acceptance of it, and you have to have it. That it is what that is and you’ve got to move on, because I went home and looked at my script for the next day, because it continues. Life goes on. What I did that day becomes part of Patrick’s history. I have to accept that and not alter it, or change it, because that happened. You never know if you nail it. Sometimes it feels great, and sometimes it doesn’t. We will see what happens!
MICHAEL:
Now, Patrick is so anguished! He is genuinely seemingly torn at what to do, since he loves two women! So, Patrick doesn’t know who to choose?
Courtesy/Veronica Puleo
JASON:
I think Ron Carlivati and the writing team did such a great job with this story. There was one thing I felt really torn with and that was the word, “choose”. Who is Patrick to choose? What if the girls bail on him? And that could happen! So now Patrick had to decide which one he is going to take? It’s not an apple or an orange. These are two human beings. Patrick has changed. Two years is a long time. At this point, Patrick doesn’t even know fully what Robin went through, and she was locked up and tortured! Patrick doesn’t know how different Robin could be. What if she has changed? And rightfully so! What if that love between them is just different now?
MICHAEL:
Are you saying that what if Robin and Patrick can’t connect in the same way?
JASON:
Right! But maybe it’s a great thing that people go through this; because they get a second chance at maybe something they thought was lost. I can sit there and I can make an argument for each one of them, and that is just me looking at it and thinking, “I just don’t know what to do yet, because I don’t know the reality of who she is!” Yes, this is something Patrick’s dreamed about, but it’s a very confusing situation.
MICHAEL:
Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos
But wouldn’t it just tear Patrick up to hear how Robin was in captivity all this time, trying to get back to her family, and all the twists and turns she suffered at the hands of a whole set of villains?
JASON:
Yes, of course. I am sure he eventually will find out, but Kimberly and I were talking about this at work. Patrick and Robin have not talked about that. It was quick, “What? Who had you?” But we don’t go into detail yet, and I don’t know if they are going to.
MICHAEL:
That would be terrible if they didn’t address that completely!
JASON:
I know it would be a little bit weird, right? At the same time, Patrick turns around and sees this devastated woman there, and that the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her, because of how pure and good Sabrina is. I mean that in the most loving way. Sabrina is such a good person, and Patrick knows that. But to see her turn around and collapse at the wedding was heartbreaking. I hope people can see why this is not an easy situation, and whether deep down you know he has to be with Robin, he doesn’t want to hurt either one of them. So at least, he is trying to make the right choice going forward, and trying to do this with the least amount of collateral damage as possible.
MICHAEL:
Do you think because of Patrick’s indecision over Sabrina and Robin the fans will be hating him … and you?
JASON:
Possibly, I don’t mind that. I don’t want people to hate me, or get mad at me, but I don’t want it to be easy. I don’t think it’s as interesting, and that’s just me. That is why some people may not like me as an actor, or don’t like my portrayal as Patrick, or they don’t like the character. I think Patrick could become vanilla if he always made the right choice, or didn’t play these kinds of moments in the way that he does.
MICHAEL:
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
What do you think about the character of Carlos, and working with his portrayer, Jeffrey Vincent Parise? Carlos has actually, in his own way, been the voice of reason for Sabrina, and could potentially cause some serious damage to any chance of happiness Patrick could eventually have with Sabrina!
JASON:
Unfortunately, most of the villains on this show are such great guys in real life, so it’s hard to hate them! (Laughs) We are having so much fun working together. I think the show did a great job at bringing Carlos in, and for him being the voice for what a lot of people were thinking. He was able to say to Sabrina, “Patrick doesn’t love you in the way that you think.” It could not have been said by anyone else on the canvas. I was really glad when they brought him on the show. Going forward with him, Carlos wants Sabrina. He has that love everybody dreams about. Carlos loves her to the death kind of way. Although Patrick doesn’t like the way he goes about it some of the time, I think Patrick deep down kind of gets it. There is a weird kind of acceptance of what Carlos is doing, because Patrick knows he is right, in a way.
MICHAEL:
How is Patrick going to handle Robin coming back with little Emma (Brooklyn Rae Silzer) and what this means for their family? And in addition, Emma truly loves Sabrina!
JASON:
That is a whole other component to this having Emma in there. Emma is at that age where she knows and loves Sabrina for what she has done for her. We are going to be getting into Christmas now, and it’s going to be a confusing time, because at this point, Sabrina knows Emma better than Robin does, realistically. So there is that reality also for a little girl who doesn’t really understand what is going on. She is just caught between everything!
MICHAEL:
Photo Credit: Sue Coflin/Max Photos
I recently spoke with Finola Hughes (Anna) in a joint interview with Kathleen Gati (Dr. Obrecht) where she talked about one of her favorite scenes with you was when Anna and Patrick were remembering Robin while chatting at Kelly’s Diner. Have you had a scene just between you and Finola since Patrick saw Robin alive? Has there been a “come to Jesus moment” where Anna comes to Patrick and asks him not to hurt her daughter, after all she has been through?
JASON:
Not really, not yet. I really hope there is. You know how much I love working with her. It’s always such a treat. She is fabulous in pretty much everything she does. Finola and I have such a comfortable thing between us personally. We went through so much together with Robin being “dead”. There is always this fun history we get to play, but even on a personal level, we are such good friends that you relax into the situation and let these two characters live. That happens all the time with her, and it’s so fun as an actor!
MICHAEL:
Another project you have been working on, Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story Of The Dytalov Pass Incident, was just released as a book! Tell me your involvement in this.
JASON:
I have been a friend for 16 years with Donnie Eicher who wrote the book. We have always worked on projects together. We were talking about this other script idea, and Donnie was away and he came across this story. He brought it to my attention. We started to research it, and it got to the point where Yuri Kuntsevich, the key holder of a lot of the Dyatlov Pass incident history, said, “You have to come to Russia. We can’t do this over the phone. If you are going to be serious about this… that is what has to happen.” So Donnie and I went to Russia for three weeks to try to uncover the story, which became bigger and more vast every day. We came back from that trip continuing to research it for another two years. Then, for the last year and a half Donnie has been writing the book. He also went back to Russia and did the actual expedition that follows the footsteps of the hikers that perished on the mountain.
Courtesy/Chronicle Books
MICHAEL:
So you were wearing the producer hat here, and you were hoping to make this story into a movie?
JASON:
Yes. The idea in the beginning was to go over to Russia and do a documentary on it. And as we were there, we kind of changed our thinking that this could be a great narrative story, and tell this true story as much as we can. The investigation and the hiker’s story became so interesting. While we were there our own story was so interesting, and what we were experiencing, while finding out the truth of these hikers. So after all that happened, the project changed a bit. When we got back, we put together a couple of scripts and pitched it a couple of times, and got really great responses. But then Donnie decided to further develop this book. Chronicle Books came on and they published it! So he had hunkered down for a year and a half! Donnie barely saw sunshine when he wrote this book, and so I am personally proud of him. He wrote a fantastic book that was very heartfelt and 100% true, and told the story that has never been told as of yet. There are some things out there on the Dyatlov Pass incident, that stretch the truth in ways, and that is not what we wanted to do. I think the book succeeded telling a true story in a haunting way.
MICHAEL:
So, do you want to continue to shop it to get a film deal on Dead Mountain? Would you play a role in it, if it became a motion picture?
JASON:
Yes, that is the goal. I probably would not play a role in it, but it would depend on the final script. I am really enjoying being on the outside of it, and the development of it. It’s a whole other pressure and emotional attachment to a project when you think of, who do we cast in a role that would be truthful in way that the real people and families involved in the story are? The day I co-hosted The View in October, the book was released!
MICHAEL:
Speaking of co-hosting The View… how was that? Your fans were noticing that it seemed that the ladies on the panel would barely let you get a word in edgewise! (Laughs)
JASON:
Courtesy/DisneyABC
There were three women sitting around at a table! There is a reason we guys leave the room at that point! (Laughs) But listen, I had such a great time. The whole experience of doing the “Hot Topics” in the make up room with all the producers and hearing people’s opinions, and going back and forth, and then trying to have an opinion, but at the same time trying not to have an opinion, just to have an opinion, was awesome! ABC has been really great to me having me co-host Katie and then The View, obviously a lot of it had to do with the 50th Anniversary of General Hospital and getting the word out there. I have really enjoyed being on these shows, and it’s something I would like to continue to do.
MICHAEL:
Right! So, could you see yourself being a morning talk-show host or correspondent? I think you would be terrific at it!
JASON:
Yes, something like that. I like the whole Good Morning America concept. I like having a personality, and not being too serious. However, there are things going on in the world that I have an opinion on, that I would like to talk about. It doesn’t interest me to talk about what underwear the celebrities are wearing right now. But there are causes that celebrities are involved with that I could wrap my head around and get behind. I think finding that balance between pop culture and a world view. That is why I like The View. I like what they do there, and the balance they strike. I like the morning shows, and what Matt Lauer does on Today! I think that would be fun and interesting to do.
MICHAEL:
Courtesy/Twitter
In closing, what can you preview for the fans of GH? Will this continue for awhile with Patrick’s indecision of what to do? Don’t tell me this will drag on for months! (Laughs)
JASON:
It probably lasts over a couple weeks in Port Charles time, trying to make the right decision going forward, and trying not to hurt either one of these two women that he truly loves. There is no real replacement for what he had with Robin. I think the love that Patrick and Sabrina has is different, obviously, than the one that Patrick and Robin had. There is still a love that they have. Not to give too much away, but I think deep down he knows what he has to do … but how does he do that?
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I think referring to Sabrina as “the new love of his life” is a bit much. We all know Robin is the love of Patrick’s life. Sabrina helped him heal after Robin’s “death” but I think a large part of their “love” is more along the lines of gratitude than passion. And like Jason Thompson said, Sabrina treated Emma in a motherly fashion. I am eagerly waiting to see Patrick and Robin rebuild their relationship.
I agree, Stephanie, moreover, it’s a bit of an oxymoron to call anyone the “new love of your life”. I think Jason has to be nice about Theresa–she’s Ron and Frank’s new “it girl” and because she was Ron’s creation, they get more revenue from her than they would from, say Robin. Also, Ron’s ego comes to play. they have been pushing Sparkle Pony on the fans since day one, expecting us to care about her without being given a proper introduction. Jason’s body language and mannerisms spoke volumes to those of us with a discerning eye. Frankly, it just didn’t seem like Patrick was just not that into Sparkles, that is, until Robin came back.
I could not agree more with both of you. Can the Robin and Patrick reunion story be about Robin and Patrick PLEASE????
Head writers get ZERO additional revenue from the creation of new characters. RC is paid by the air show (episode) like everyone else in a union contract. However many characters, new or old, appear in that episode has ZERO effect on how much he gets paid and since he does not own the characters (ABC does) he doesn’t even make money when they crossover into other shows. That is all myth that I am sorry even some actors promulagate…the union rules as to how a writer in daytime makes their money and how payment for royalties is structured are clearly defined. This myth has been disproven many, many times.
IMO AGREE WITH EVERY WORD. You can/t force fans to like someone, this so called new love of your life is absurd and very hard to swallow. Kim brings so much to the screen in one scene you can feel the chemistry with the character Patrick. I see no such chemistry with the Sabrina character. I also think that MR. THOMPSON may want to listen to the fans because his acting has become very unattractive with the new love of his life. I sincerely believe he is a great actor who deserves much better writing etc. etc. thanks
You seem to be laboring under the misbegotten idea that Ron gets ‘revenue’ fo creating new characters. He doesn’t. It doesn’t work that way at all, and you just sound idiotic saying that. Also, unless you know “Jason” personally, it’s a bit ridiculous for you to be so confidently interpreting his ‘body language and mannerisms’. I question and find your ‘discerning eye’ to be quite amujsing.
He says “new love IN his life” not “new love OF his life.” There is a huge difference and Sabrina was, indisputably, the new love “in” his life, so what is the issue?
There is more than one fan base here. Not all fans want a Patrick/Robin reunion! I loved the Scorpio family reunion! Robin and Emma reunion scenes were amazing as well as Robins with Anna/Robert were heart wrenching. Especally love the fact GH used the Robin/Anna flashback for her return to Emma brought me to tears! A lot of fans have been anxiously awaiting Robins return but that doesn’t mean EVERYONE wants to see Patrick and Robin back together. IMO they are no longer a good match. Patrick and Sabrina won me over from the very begining. Patrick has changed since Robins “death” the character is so much more likable now. JT has done his best work without KMC being there. I’m not dissing KMC when I say that either. We got to see Patrick grieve a lot longer than most soap characters considering the fans knew Robin was still alive. Most soap characters move on quite quickly. It was great to see a more truth based SL in a husband grieving for his “dead” wife. The last few months the SL have been adjusted to fit KMC return FV has stated that I wasnt happy the wedding of Patrina was rushed to accommodate Robins return but it has allowed for great stories to be told afterwards. Patrick can finally be free of grief and guilt. Now we can see what happens to both couples. I’m rooting for a Patrina eventually being reunited!!! Teresa is doing a wonderful job. I love seeing the character grow along with the actress in this part! Jason and Teresa have amazing chemistry together and excited to see where it leads.
That’s interesting, I’m reading that it says “the new love IN his life”…. Are we reading what we want to and not reading the actual words printed! Hilarious!!
Well said!
new love IN his life, not new love OF his life.
Im Hoping this does not drag out, and that Patrick goes with Robin.. As it was ,he kinda rushed his relationship because of Carlos anyway.. However ** IF ** Patrick chooses Sabrina, I think it will prove to be short lived.. AND a Mistake.. One he will ofcourse regret because choosing Sabrina will mean that after Robin is declared Alive, He will have to actually “Divorce” her I dont see this happening, I think He would soon find seeing, and being near Robin to painful to stand, and he would “KNOW” he should have gone back with his wife.. But Robin, being who she is would be beyond angry and Not be easy to get back .. And while I believe it would happen.. I worry that if he chooses another woman that it would have a Negative affect on his marriage..
So If he cant choose Robin outright, I’s prefer that he chose neither…. And then over time He and Robin would fall back in Love, and Sabrina and Carlos would also fall in Love. For me if he does not go with Robin right away, Thats the only answer…
Great interview Michael! thanks for sharing 🙂
Great interview Michael and Jason! As a #Patrina fan it was so amazing to hear Jason point of view on the Sabrina and Patrick love for her! I do believe the whole Robin returning thing was important because the audience knew she was alive somewhere. Now depending on how long KMC sticks around I guess will play apart what is unfolding next. Most fans know the scrubs reunion has to happen weather it sticks or not is another story. Whatever the outcome I hope FV/RC due the character and SL justice. As soap fans we all knew nothing last forever! I hope the SL is stays character driven less plot driven! All the actors are more then capable in keep delivering the emotions of this SL including Miss Brooklyn (Emma) she amazing me in every scene!!!!Want to thank Frank and Ron for saving #GH from cancellation they have done a fantastic job returning GH to its former GLORY!!! I hope Patrick and Sabrina have a chance to reunite! Thanks
Why don’t you just wear a “I love Sabrina, Robin sucks” t-shirt & be done with it Michael?
Sabrina is not the new love of Patrick’s life.
rme
Hi Emma:
I am going to stop this right now. Because if I don’t address this, all the comments here will be about how you are Interpreting what I am saying in an intro paragraph to the interview! I take a lot of time and effort to write this to deliver an interview of quality to the fans. If you knew me at all, you know I am a huge supporter of Jason and Kimberly’s work, that being said, I am covering the entire story being presented by GH to the audience. Please don’t assume you know what I am feeling, one way or the other.
Best,
Michael
Thank you for addressing this Michael. When I read the comment I was worried that the whole message board would be about the comment. I feel you are a very balanced interviewer and I love your work.
I for one, know you have never hated, or been partial in your writing anywhere, anytime! WE both talk to many wonderful stars daily, & they become friends. Some are friendlier than others, but we just move on to someone else that chats with us. You have never implied there was ANY star you didn’t care for, & always been professional, (& very handsome)! Lol Thanks, Michael for all your *scoops*!
But as happy as I am of Robin returning to raise and be with Emma , Michael I think this was just a wonderful interview and Patrick did fall in love with Sabrina and the way the writers are doing this is the right way and very classy in my book
I think Sabrina should back off.Robin fought for 2 years to get back to Patrick and emma.i also think emma would be crushed if her mommy and daddy wernt together
Having made that little joke, I love and respect Michael Fairman–he does a really good job of maintaining objectivity. I am sorry–I intended that to be a crack about Sparkle Pony, not Michael Fairman.
You failed miserably, as usual Harry, Emma, etc.
Please read carefully before you react…Michael describes Robin as the love OF Patrick’s life and Sabrina as the new love IN his life. All accurate. Where is there ANY Robin hate in there? Jeez!
Thank you. Finally someone who actually read the interview instead of making one up and then being outraged.
if Patrick really loves Sabrina please choose her what happens if Sabrina is pregnant with Patrick’s baby
No Sabrina for Patrick. They are a miss-match in my opinion..
I soooooooo agree and would LOVE for Sabrina to be pregnant…sorry I love Patrick and Sabrian together!
I see so much chemistry between them AND since Kim left they needed the character to move on and HE DID MOVE ON with a gorgeous, educated, and very sweet woman how could he not fall head over heels? He’s very torn and that says a lot because he knows Sabrina IS amazing and the right person for him NOW!
balance and continuity : reassured
yes she is!!!
I think it’s beneath your journalistic integrity to address stupid Twitter fanbase wars with the actors. What a waste of time to even address it. Just ask them about the show, their character and story, what projects they are passionate about. Do we really need to dignify things like “do you like your co-star” with a response? Who cares. This is about the show. This is about what we see on screen. What I see on screen is awkwardness and no chemistry between Patrick and Sabrina. They are so dull and boring and “perfect”. Gag. You can’t compete with the chemistry between Kimberly McCullough and Jason Thompson. I have never seen anything like it. Immediately, with that first scene where they didn’t even speak to each other; just locked eyes, I thought “Yep they’ve still got it.” That kind of chemistry/connection never goes anywhere. It takes my breath away, actually. They are flawless together. I’ve missed Scrubs so much!
As for the comments about what the Sabrina actress has done with the role, well blah, blah. blah. Kimberly and Jason said the exact same thing about Nazanin and Brianna, the other “interlopers” in the Robin/Patrick story. I wouldn’t expect them to say anything else, but it amused me that it is pretty much verbatim what they say every time they praise the other actress involved in their story. I barely even notice anyone else when Kimberly and Jason are in scenes together anyway. They are magical..
Emmy’s for Kimberly, Jason, and Brooklyn, who has been just stellar these last few days.
It is a tragic mistake in the writing that Patrick and Robin haven’t addressed what she went through while in captivity. Seriously? I bet we hear every minute of Sabrina’s misery. This sucks! Also no scenes of Patrick and Anna? Where is the follow through. ROBIN is the character with the history on this show. She is the one I care about. Her and Patrick and HER family. Time to let Sabrina stand alone and see how much people really like her character.
The character of Sabrina is not going anywhere from what I know. Teresa has made herself a main character on our show! That is not an easy thing to do.
^^ This made me laugh. It’s totally an easy thing to do when you are the writer’s pet. She didn’t make herself into a main character on the show. It was handed to her on a silver platter. And she doesn’t deserve it.
I could not have said it better:)
Even though you ‘think’ you know what Jason would say if he was really speaking from the heart, because you watch him on a TV show, you don’t know him personally. I don’t either and I choose to take him at his word when he says he likes working with Teresa. She hasn’t done ANYTHING wrong…. but come in and done her job. I’m so sick of reading that just because someone says something positive about her that she’s ‘propped’ or a pet of RC and FV. You don’t like her, but it doesn’t mean that others don’t or that we’re wrong for doing so. She’s done a fabulous job and as Jason said, the show asked a lot of her and she has delivered.
I just have to defend Jason–he has to speak well of his co-workers–especially co workers who are indeed the new pet of Ron and Frank’s. However, I do agree with you on other points. Also, why is that Patrick never seemed to really want to ride Sparkle Pony until Robin came back to life?
I’m sure he’d be thrilled to hear you’re defending him.
Well said Noelle! I would also like to see someone address the disguisting comments tweeted to Kimberly by a certain fanbase who think it is OK to do and dont even get their hands slapped or blocked. Kimberly is a class act and tries to ignore or laugh at it but it has to hurt.
ITA with all you have have stated. I never liked the character of Sabrina and it have nothing to do with Patrick or Robin.
Wow ….
Robin has been on Gh for years and Sabrina not that much invested in GH like Kimberly’s character Robin has..Don’t like Sabrina w/Patrick at all..
This is about the show.
“…Immediately, with that first scene where they didn’t even speak to each other; just locked eyes, I thought “Yep they’ve still got it.”
it’s going on to please the Scrubs fans… from the beginning… and adding in flava flave.. Sabrina.. and in the nick of time.. Carlos
I can bear this (soapbox it pledge)
1. I really am seeing good actors… JT and the nuCarlos, notwithstanding…
putting it out their….
amidst all the hoop and celebration of returning stimuli… LOL
I’m feasting
the only thing I’ll say about this… the inference that Sabrina.. Teresa Castillo is RC pet project…
every thing else is good… (lacking is still Sonny’s brood with Carly and Olivia)
doesn’t jive.. that he’d overlook all this… LOL.. well I’ll pom pom it…
it’s about time.. i’m so glad that KM is back with ratings
I completely agree with you. Jason/Patrick & Kimberly/Robin had chemistry their first scene together and it has been off the charts since then. Finally seeing them together again showed they did not lose any of the “magic” we scrubbies enjoyed watching for 6 years.
I also agree TC was handed her role on a silver platter and is RC’s pet. This s/l is not about Robin & Patrick finding their way back to each other like it should be, it is about the whiny, crybaby babysitter and her heartbreak. A heartbreak she set herself up for because she CHOSE to ignore all the signs that Robin Drake was alive and go through with her fairy tale wedding. JT/TC HAVE NO chemistry and are awkward to watch. It’s like Patrick is having a fling with his sister. Nasty.
Okay so you are not a TC fan but to say that she was handed the role on a silver platter is just insulting. She auditioned for the role like everyone elseand was given the role because of her talent. Whether or not you like her character is besides the point
Read this on another site (a comment) and it totally hit home. It’s almost as though RC resents the fact that Kimberly returned to GH the way he is writing this story so horribly.
Finally, in the last moments of the interview he stopped being PC and said what I, and probably the universe, already knows. He will choose Robin. Well, there is no choice involved really. Patrick already knows what he wants, his heart has never stopped telling him. He just doesn’t want to hurt the poor, delicate flower. Once he gets over that, or just comes to terms with what his head and heart are both saying, it’ll be sayonara senorita.
I have always admired Jason’s dedication to his craft and to his character. He doesn’t just act, he studies and digs deep into motivation and the history of his character and how it can all apply to the current situation Patrick finds himself in. Even in the smallest, insignificant scenes, I always get a sense that Jason have given thought to the hows and whys of Patrick’s reactions and responses. He never phones it in. And he should be proud of himself for the amazing work he did during that reveal. He walked a delicate line but the scenes could not have played out more beautifully. As a tough critic, and a staunch Scrubs fan, I could not have asked for a better job bringing to life the scenes I’ve been waiting on for almost 2 years.
“…his heart has never stopped telling him.”
this is it
I pray he chooses Robin. If not no more GH FOR ME OR I’LL JUST SKIP PATRICK AND SABRINA SCENES TO ROBIN. LET SABRINA GO TO CARLOS. HE TRUELY LOVES HER. LET ROBIN AND PATRICK BE A FAMILY. ROBIN DESERVES HAVE PATRICK AND EMMA BACK.
I agree Robin & Patrick & Emma together! Sabrina has Carlos or Milo…
I just have to say Great job to Jason! his scenes this week were really moving! I think when he was standing there crying you could feel patricks pain! I think he and Kimberly deserve an emmy for that! I have been loyal to gh since I was about 4 yrs old great gramma and my mom watched and so did I I am now 43 and still love it! loyal gh viewer forever!
Kim Buca Novi. MI
Nice interview, JT handled the difficult questions with ease.
I am a Patrina fan , I quickly fell in love with them.
JT’s performance with TC has been nothing but pure awesomeness.
The couple is adorbable and I hope they will end up together.
Robin’s time has come and gone.
Robin’s time has come and gone? Maybe YOUR time has come and gone. We have watched Robin for the last thirty years, growing up from a girl of seven into a self assured brilliant woman of thirty-seven. In short, we long time GH fans (which apparently you are not) have invested time in this character. How can you not react to Finola’s brilliant acting when she told Robin that the dream kept her alive for two years but now she has to say goodbye to that dream? When Emma ran up to hug her mother this immediately linked back to Anna’s own mother and child reunion of the past and the not so distant past. We have not invested anytime in Sparkle Pony–she is a fast food approach to characters and if she resonates with you then perhaps you are as shallow, silly and vapid as she is.
Just because you’re not a fan of the character of Robin, doesn’t mean that you’re not a long time viewer. I have watched GH for 30 plus years as well. Contrary to your belief, not all long-time viewers are Robin fans. I liked Robin as a girl but as a grown up,she is condescending and self-righteous. Scrubs was FF material for me when they were on and Patrick only became interesting after she ‘died’. You don’t speak for everyone stop acting like you do.
Each individual is entitled to his/her own opinion. I ave watched GH since 1976, therefore, I am a long-time viewer. I remember the day Robin made her first appearance. I did not like the character then, and I have never liked the character. One of the main reasons I did not like her was/is because she was used to prop Anna, an ex-traitor, double agent, ex-jewel/art fence, home wrecker, etc. As a child she was annoying, and as she got older, she became snooty, hypocritical, and holier than thou. I never saw any chemistry between Robin and anyone she was paired with. She just doesn’t have any type of appeal. JMHO
I think unwittingly the show actually showed us that Patrick and Robin time was gone and not by the Patrina relationship but more so by how strong,self reliant ,strong and a true Scorpio.they let Robin be while away from Patrick.I where Patrick is where he belonged all the time with a woman that was like Cinderella or a fairytale princess nice to one and all with no real complications,voice or inclination but to be with him.Robin has shown that she needs more then that and can do more if she with people that let Robin be Robin and not some Stepford wife happy to fade into the suburbs with Patrick.
wouldn’t Robin… as a woman… and a married woman at that…
her first natural instinct.. is to not have that ideal connection.. a husband and child..
any thing else in a perfect world would be secondary
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER WE WATCHED GH WITH MY MOTHER, STILL TILL THIS DAY WE WATCH IT TOGETHER. SOMETIME I MISS A EPISODE I WATCH IT ON MY COMPUTER I STOPPED FOR A WHILE WATCHING GH BECAUSE OF MY JOB I HAD TO GET BACK ON TRACK WHEN I START WATCHING GH I HAD TO CATCH UP ON LOTS OF EPISODES OF ( ROBIN AND PATRICK) THEY ARE WONDERFUL TOGETHER ITS GONE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION WHICH IS A WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL SHOW. WE LOVE GH AND ALL THE ACTORS ARE GREAT. I LOVE WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE AND YOU KEEP US ON OUR TOES TO KEEP ON WATCHING AND LOVING THE SHOW. I HOPE NONE OF THE ACTORS THAT WE LOVED WATCHING FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION LEAVE THE SHOW. GENERAL HOSPITAL WE LOVE U ALL! GOOD JOB AND PATRICK YOU ARE WONDERFUL WITH ROBIN U WILL MAKE IT ALL WORK OUT. YOUR THE BEST!
I LOVE THIS SHOW TOO, MARY. GOD KNOWS I DO! Ahem, I have to stop now, the neighbors are complaining about the noise level again.
If RC wanted us to believe that Patrick had this great love for Sabrina then he should have wrote it that way. And not make their entire relationship about Robin. Sabrina, a main character yeah right . Patrick didn’t even look devastated when Sabrina was crying, he didn’t look like he cared . I’m glad the wedding was ruined because Sabrina ruined the nurses ball. serves her right. At this point, I could care less about Patrick anymore. I’m at that point I hope robin leaves him and he can have a miserable life with the teenager
Ugh, she really did ruin the Nurses Ball, didn’t she? All. About. Sabrina. Just like everything else in this story.
I know–it was like Disney on Ice starring SPARKLE PONY! The most insipid, lack luster, idiotic soap character of all time. She’s about as interesting as my Kruep One Cup coffee maker. I fully expect her to go home and call out the cartoon rabbits and deer to come in and clean her house while she sings,”Someday my Prince will come.” And why is it her Spanish accent only comes out when she says,”Carlos”?
How did Sabrina ruined the Nurse’s ball, because of her and Felix there was a Ball to honour Robin. What GH you’re watching……not everyone will like a character on a soap, but give credit where it’s due. Sabrina did not ruining anything or anyone’s life……how quick we seems to for get , when the Britch was tormenting Emma, Sabrina was the one going all out to protect that child. I know you all are rooting for Robin, but let’s be fair people….just saying!!!!!!!
Sabrina (Alice In Wonderland)!!!!
Jessica, Noelle, Harry, etc., you guys are nuts!!! I love Sabrina since the first moment I met her, and I still do just as much as ever!!! Viva La Sabrina!
Jessica, how did Sabrina ruin the nurse’s ball? If it weren’t for her, there would have been no ball, Lucy Coe even said that to Robin. If anyone ruined it, it was Britta with her pregnancy announcement….
I don’t understand all the hate towards Sabrina. Its obvious some of you don’t like her but this is getting vile. Everyone’s entitled to their opionion of course but do we really need to be so awful about. It’s just a soap opera these characters aren’t real the actors are just trying to the best they can with what is written! But like I said this my opionion I’m sure I will get attacked for it! I’m a fan of GH for over 20 years I happen to thinks its going great! IMO
Yeah she should never brought the ball back. It came all about Sabrina, it wasn’t about honoring Robin. It was her trying to get into Patrick good graces.
Because IT IS a soap opera, Blanche, I mean, Keri, is why people feel it’s fun to dish on a fictional character. So yes, to answer your question, we really do need to be awful about it–it’s called good soapy fun.
If it wasn’t FOR ROBIN there would not have been a Nurse’s Ball. Jerry Jax told Robin HE anonymously donated the money for the ball in ROBIN’S honor. So therefore the geek and her fairy godmother are NOT the reason it happened. And really Emma is the one who wanted to have the ball for her mommy.
I totally agree. I love sabrina. It was Kimberly’s return that changed it all. I liked her as a
young girl, but her true loves were stone and jason.
Completely agree with you Jessica. I loathed how the Nurses Ball became less and less about Robin and more and more the coming out party for ‘Sob’rina’s bog makeover. I hated it and the completely ridiculous propping she got before, during and after it.
That should say ‘big’ makeover
Ditto!
It was sickening that the NB was turned into the babysitter’s coming out party and not about honoring Robin.
Jessica Sabrina didn’t ruine the Nurses ball it was fantastic. Patrick and Robin are a snooze fest when they are together. All they do is fight it’s annoying just like Robin.If I was the writers I would of had Sabrina go over there and slap Robin for detroying her wedding.
So wait, are you saying conflict and passion presents a snooze fest while constant one sided adulation without question of the male figure makes an interesting relationship? Wow, send me a Greetings from Stepford postcard, will ya?
why would sabrina slap robin for ruining her wedding as far as I can see Patrick and robin still married so not legal anyway sabrina should just walk away and let them get back to there life and do not know if anyone else saw it but he paused when it was time to say I do and that was before he saw robin
I think Robin would have torn her behind up like she did Lisa. I really do not think that Robin would fight over Patrick. She was going to let Patrick go until. Maxie told her to fight for her husband. Robin really care about her baby no one was going to her Emma. So if Sabrina
Wants to fight over Patrick believe me she can have him as long as Robin have Emma. Robin do not play when it comes to Emma
I really don’t see how Sabrina ruined the nurses ball. It was lots of fun to watch all the acts. I want to add that her act with Emma was well loved by MANY even by the GH actors. Anyway, I’ve watched on and off GH since mid 90s. I gave GH a break about 4 yrs ago because I was truly bored with it. I came back when they announced that GH would throw nurses ball for GH50 and I’ve been hooked since. I was intrigued with Patrina at Nurses Ball so I had to go back and watch all Patrick’s scenes since Robin died. FYI I was very indifferent to his character prior to the nurses ball. After Robin “died”, I fell in love with him watching him raise his daughter on his own. Now a huge fan of JT and Patrick.
The NB was horrible.A cheap vehicle to push a character that is both juvenile and unnecessary.I hope Gh never attempts another one.
As far as Patrick and Sabrina I think they are well suited.Two vanilla and “nice” individuals.I would be glad as a Robin fan for her to never have to suffer their presence again and continue to play with the grown ups where Robin actually gets to have a voice and be more then Patrick’s wife and the woman who has to take it everytime Patrick strays or finds a “new love in his life”.
May I suggest watching Patrick scenes from BEFORE Robin died? About 7 years worth of beautiful, heartbreaking, romantic, entertaining material to enjoy again and again. His work from 2005-Feb 2012 with Kimberly along side him were truly the only bright spots during a very dark era of the show. But they were well worth it.
Jules, Like I said I stopped watching 4 yrs ago so I did watch about 4 years of scrubs. They did nothing for me. My fav pairing for Robin was Stone. I will say that my fav Scrubs scene was when Patty broke the news to her that he cheated on her with Lisa. Well acted by both of them.
Jessica–you are right. How come Patrick’s love for Sabrina wasn’t self evident until Robin darkened the church doors? Is it because Toys R Us just announced a shortage of Sparkle Ponies for Christmas?
Jules I’ve watched Robin since she debuted in 1985.I have watched her with all of her relationships and enjoyed Robin and Patrick at one point but after 8yrs and the women that again Robin has had to put with to be with him I as a fan am over him and this relationship and think especially seeing her return story and the fight,gumption and intelligence they allowed Robin to have she can do so much more then what they are attempting now with this triangle and back in a sedentary relationship with Patrick.Robin just found a cure for a deadly virus and instead of her being lauded for that the focus is will Patrick deign to choose her to wash his laundry and birth his babies for the rest of their lives.As a fan of Robin I’ll pass
I kinda hate that the writers are making this all about Patrick’s choice. What about the fans that have waited two years to hear Robin’s story? To see her struggle with what she has gone through? That is all ignored for a lame triangle? And am I really supposed to buy that Scrubs and Purina are somehow equal? That this is even a hard choice for Patrick? The man has been thinking about Robin during the entire Purina relationship. Sometimes I really wish Robin’s story was in the hands of better writers even if I had to wait a little longer.
Anyways, thanks for posting the interview Michael.
I totally agree.I don’t care about who Patrick decides is worthy enough to be with him.Robin was tortured for 2yrs and that is not being addressed for a ridiculous triangle revolving someone who is not even worth it.
I truly believe this isn’t a matter of Patrick feeling the same for Sabrina as he does for Robin, or that you can compare one relationship to the other. I don’t believe Patrick’s “indecisiveness” is due to now knowing what to do, because he does. He will choose Robin, his heart already has even if he hasn’t said the words. They are just paying one final respect to whatever his relationship with Sabrina deserved, or at least to their fans, to ease the fact that their relationship is kaput. It’s so clear to me, that even as a vocal Scrubs fan who has waited for this reunion so badly, I’m not offended or annoyed. I KNOW no disrespect is meant to Robin or Scrubs. This is all just a formality….a soap formality, a beat they need to play. In the end, it means nothing on how we’re suppose to perceive Robin VS Sabrina or Scrubs VS Patrick/Sabrina.
Those of us who grew up watching Robin do not count; we get nothing as far as the return. It is as if all her pain and everything she fought for all her life is supposed to belong to Sabrina and how dare Robin want it back.
Robin is the one who tamed Patrick, fought to have a child even though HIV and hid she was pregnant cause Patrick was such a Cad.
Sabrina could have never handled that Patrick-for them to hand this to Sabrina and act like Robin does not belong ( the baby Mama sutff from Felix) so , so sad. THAT is my heartbreak- Sabrina has Carlos and Felix
Poor Robin’s worse fears are realized and the writers cannot even show Patrick care- that is awful
Agree with everything. That “Patrick’s baby Mama” comment was so offensive. I couldn’t believe my ears. That disparaging, derogatory phrase -someone’s “baby Mama” – harms both in real life as well as fiction.
Robin’s Return is the story we were supposed to get. I want that. Here’s hoping Pod Patrick is allowed to stop being weak, needing an easy convenient, crutch to walk strongly as a character I can appreciate again.
I’m very disappointed that Patrick went after Sabrina today, yet hasn’t seen Robin. It was apparent up until just a very short time ago that Patrick was still so in love with Robin. The ring, the tickets to Paris…and then all of the sudden he’s madly in love with Sabrina? This was over sensationalized. It shouldn’t have been a choice. Whoever wrote Patrick going after Sabrina today, hitting Carlos like he was jealous instead of Patrick being there for Robin made a big mistake…huge.
LOVE this interview! I love that not only is Patrick struggling with the revelation that Robin is alive but the actor behind the character is also struggling with bringing that to his fans the right way.Jason cares about what he does and how his fans see him on screen. I have loved Robin for years but I also love Teresa and the chemistry is fantastic! I for one hope this couple stays together but that Robin is in the mix too for the sake of Emma. Brooklyn is a fantastic little actress and I hope GH has this gal for a LONG time!! I am also hoping to find that book in Canada and read it. Sounds like interesting reading for sure! Christmas gift to myself maybe hehehe
Sabrina was and will never be “the love of Patrick’s life”
That being said this was a really good interview. I like how Jason addressed the current storyline without giving to much away but also without trying to manufacture fake drama as if we all don’t know who Patrick will pick in the end. Patrick only kissed one woman at his wedding…and it wasnt Sabrina.
Also I think JT would be a great tv host. He has all the charm and personality for it.
Mallory — I agree with everything you said here. Carlos has even said that Patrick will not love Sabrina the way that he does. Carlos does seem to really love Sabrina and is willing to fight for her. Patrick spent most of his time recently thinking about Robin and making a huge effort to move on only because he found the DVD from Robin asking him to try to move on.
The interview was great….thanks to Michael Fairman. I loved hearing JT’s thoughts on the show and Patrick’s situation. He can only deliver what is written for him. I am SHOCKED that he has had only two real scenes with Robin so far. I am SHOCKED that he went to work too.
You are right….JT would be a great tv host and I would be excited to watch him in this type of media. I think he deserves an emmy this year….he has been outstanding.
Nice interview. I wish the writers would let organic aspects of a story play out instead of just wanting to jump to the next plot point. I *want* to see Scrubs talking about what Robin went through. How is that not an important part of this story? Why does everything have to be on a shallow level? Jason and Kimberly would kill this material if given to them. I just wish the writers were half as talented as the GH cast.
The writers have to establish their new characters, so they will continue to push it, and I get that. This arc should have been about Robin coming home and Patrick and Emma dealing with it, and learning what she went through to get back to them. Then they could transition to Sabrina dealing with getting left at the altar and her moving on from that. Instead it will be all about Sabrina’s grief to make sure she stays front and center. That’s why there will not be any conversation about what Robin endured, It is not important to the writers.
I agree and it is very disappointing….makes me want to tune out.
As much as I love GH there is a part of me that hopes the ratngs absolutely plummet after April when the celebration of 50 years is over. I say that because RC and FV have invested less than nothing in maintaining the iconic identity of the show…. yes, they have brought back the vets, but in many cases they have written them so badly as to be unrecognizable. Patrick and Robin are only the most recent examples – first, Patrick, who could barely spit out his “I do’s,” now is devoting all of his time to ensuring that Sabrina is okay? Telling Epiphany that when he let go of Robin that “all the love poured in?” When exactly was that ? And Robin? Asking Sabrina to “help her get her man back?” GAG me with a spoon! Even KMc couldn’t stand to let that line go unchallenged.
RC is a shallow simplistic writer who should be directing elementary level school plays. He has ruined GH in many, many ways and is so enmeshed in his own hubris he refuses to see it.
Another Shay? Say what? Never saw your postings before, but just wanted to say that it’s NOT me! I have always firmly and quite vocally been in the anti-Sabrina camp, but was super busy and unable to join in this fray earlier in the month, sorry to say. However, those familiar with my views know that I would never have been so “technical” in my expressions…not to say I don’t agree with you “other Shay,” because I do….particularly with your praise of Michael’s interview. He does them oh so well…best in the biz!!!!
Sad to hear that Robin’s experiences haven’t been addressed between her and Patrick… that was the fear of many fans, and really doesn’t make any sense given the pacing of the story have been in recent weeks. To have it glossed over is really a shame.
Still have to give kudos to JT for always giving thoughtful and diplomatic interviews.
As I am fan of Patrina, I have to admin I enjoyed reading all the interview you posted about Patrina & Scrubs. Sure Patrick does love two woman that are Sabrina & Robin. I’m glad that Sabrina is the love of his life.. I will continues to watch how it turn it out. So Glad to hear few things that Jason Thompson said on the interview, Thank you for posting.
Love what you said!!
You are glad Sabrina is the love of his life? Wait, he didn’t say that–you’re projecting big time, Thumper.
I think it’s possible to have more than one great love in your life, personally. You are an odious and abusive soul, Harry. You’ve made your feelings clear, and yet you seem to feel the need to malign and belittle others for theirs. How small and petty you are, and how expertly you diminish and make youreself irrelevant with each successive volley.
Thank you Penn!!
Sabrina cannot be the love of his life. That would just be silly! What are Patrick’s memories of his time with Sabrina? They had sex on the first date! What is that? That is the problem that I have with how they wrote Sabrina. It was forced and rushed….she went from immature fairy tale to mature 27 year old with lots of sex. They did not think out her character properly!
Well,actually, it wasn’t their first date; that would have been the Nurse’s Ball. And even if it HAD been their first date, so what? It’s not like they just met. I find that a ludicrous riposte.
Also, again…if you ACTUALLY READ what Michael wrote, he said Sabrina was a new live IN Patrick’s life, not the new love OF his life. Try sounding the words out loud. Maybe you’ll understand them better. And get back to me when you write characters and plots for a TV show. Then I might take your critique more serioiusly, sweetheart.
I love Patrick and Sabrina together. I am just glad to hear JT gave Teresa props because she deserves it. I know Scrubs will reunite so I will fast foward when Patrick and Robin are on becasue I find scrubs very annoying. I will still have faith in Patrina hope one day they will make there way back together. TEAM PATRINA ALWAYS!!!!
i totally agree love patrina
Not a Patrina fan… I am for team Robin & Patrick!
Nice interview Michael all the way around. I do believe that both Patrick and Robin have changed and the love is not the same. With time, this will be found out then he can have his future with Sabrina. He is definately going to choose Robin but will come to realise things are just not the same. Can I also add that you scrub fans are bitter bottoms. All you all do all over the Internet is attack fans who are just not into scrubs. Get a grip.
Yeah well, if we Scrub Fans are bitter bottoms, then you Sparkle Pony fans have glitter exploding from your bottoms.
How sizzling and scintillating a riposte. It fairly screams of erudition and wit.
Thank you for this great interview.
Michael, thank you so much for the interview, it was great! Jason has always shown his respect in spades to all of his costars and it saddens me to read these replies trashing him for saying what he feels and what he sees. Frankly, the last three days I have seen more raw emotion from Teresa Castillo and Jason Thompson than I have from Kimberly. I have always felt that she brought her A Game but this visit to the show has been nothing but flat and boring. No emotion, no enthusiasm, NOTHING!
That being said, Jason is bringing it daily and so is Teresa. As a Patrick and Sabrina fan it was nice to see her show her class yesterday and walk away from Patrick so he can move forward with his family. That is the story that is playing out and you would think that Scrubs fans can be happy and move forward as well.
The man is doing his job! He and Teresa have SOLD me on the struggle that their characters are going through. The other party in this mess has not!
So, thanks again Michael for the interview! You always bring the fairness to the table. By the way, LOVED the pictures of you and Teresa out for lunch. She is a STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL person!
I agree.
I am a true Scrubs fan, but I can appreciate Pat and Sabrina as well. If Robin had never come back then Sabrina was a great match. There really is no need to attack either fan base. SOAP fans have passion thats for sure
Showed her class? She went out and got drunk and ended up in bed with her ex, not even knowing if she had slept with him. Yeah, SUPER classy *rme*
You didn’t get emotion from Kimberly when Robin’s voice broke when she realized Patrick hadn’t ended things with Sobby? When she hugged her daughter and said “Mommy’s here”? In all her reunions with everyone at the church, and that final scene with Patrick when they both had to step away from each other crying because she wouldn’t go home with him? Sabrina is acting like the main character in some awful telenova. I think she’s terrible. Kimberly & Jason are amazing together.
Her class was shown in spades the day before when she faced Patrick and even with her heart breaking told him she knew where he should be. She handed him her rings. She told him that he couldn’t have them both and she sent him back to his wife. She even told him how happy, for both him and Emma, she was that Robin was alive. As for her actions afterwards, I can’t fault her for getting drunk to numb the pain.
As for Robin, where was her “class” while she sat on her ass at Wyndemere for hours waiting for Nik to be “rescued” instead of running to her family? Where was her “class” when she got to the church and instead of saying something cowered in a corner watching and listening to her husband say his vows? Where was her “class” when she sent her husband to talk to his ‘bride’ fully expecting him to just dump her and come back to her? To me, that is not class, that is entitlement and that is exactly what the character of Robin has always been.
As for the portrayals, I have seen NO emotion from KMc through any of the reunions. Maybe some with Emma and some with Patrick but to say that Teresa did not have an amazing performance those two days is just sour grapes on the Scrubs fans. She proved her acting chops big time in both episodes and will continue to do so.
I am sick of hearing the same repeated lines about Sabrina. If people want to live in the past with a character that is their perogative but I will enjoy the growth of Sabrina as it plays out, even after KMc runs back to her TRUE PASSION, directing.
Great interview, it’s always good to hear from the actors and their take on what is being shown. I’ve always enjoyed Jason Thompson and his performance as Patrick Drake. I like the beats of the story and it rings true that it won’t be easy for the puzzle that is Scrubs to be put back together because Sabrina is now a huge piece of it, she’s apart of his heart and that can’t be easily shaken. I’m looking forward to the future of Sabrina, Patrick, Robin and Carlos. It’s going to be a rocky road ahead.
Well said. Kim and Jason have it the IT factor. I think Sabrina lights up with Carlos way more than with Patrick I feel they have more a sibling vibe
I agree about Sabrina & Carlos !
Thanks for another terrific interview, Michael! It’s so interesting to me to learn about how an actor goes about creating his character. Jason seems like such a good guy, and he obviously cares very much about doing his very best while portraying Patrick. His performance in the reunion scenes with Robin was heartbreaking! There obviously are two very vocal camps about who Patrick should choose to be with, and I think that’s a good thing. It means people care and are invested in what happens, and that’s what any good soap wants and needs, isn’t it?
Michael, I just wanted to say that I truly love this interview. It’s objective and not biased so thank you for that. I loved that Jason answered many questions that both Patrina and Scrubs camps had. Looking forward to the future and seeing what happens next on GH. I love PATRINA and hope that they will find their way back together one day.
LOL.
The Patrina Camp
The Scrubs Camp
at least.. no one, is dissing GH for these two… absolute unrequited determination of Fans alike… are not giving way to comustion, all over each other… LOL
Scrubs here first…. I have to give props to Teresa Castillo… she has been on par… good… the last week….
for the good of the show… GH… I hope she keeps it up
at first… my first thought… Carlos was brought in to give Patrick an easy way out… ie: don’t mess with the reunion… of Scrubs…. and it’ll be answered this easily… and they’d move on… RC has other avenues that we wait out
but… it would seem… there’s still a lot of unanswered questions of realism…
is it steering… too much… in to Patrina…. and not giving the Scrubs any insight as to why they are not intimate? what would you do… if after a 2 year absence… that it wouldn’t not falter… and make either or… comfortable… with each other… seems like that should have happened… but… it’s not taking that leap of faith… and Patrick and Robin… aren’t ready yet to fully trust their absolute undying… unwavering love for each other….
I don’t think they are questioning their resolve… because… it was Patrick and Robin who had the first… go around… with life… together… and that’s not forgotten… irregardless… if she “died”… their are still embers… memories… how they loved each other – committed – stand by your man…. absolutely
i’ts hurry up and wait… to see how RC… is going to handle this… tread slowly… tread anticipation… however he steers…
I’m not sure what show everyone is watching but on my feed I never saw Patrick fall in love with Sabrina. I saw a lot of propping and pushing for Patrick to move on with her and to that end none of these conclusions make any sense. Patrina don’t even know who each other are. As for Sabrina helping Patrick through his grief, that job came from everyone but her. The focus of this story should be on Robin and what she’s been through not the new character. Also, the choice shouldn’t be Patrick’s to decide who he wants to be with; it seems the show is masagonistic in that way but I’m hoping that he does rebuild the relationship he had with Robin and their family.
She seems to be RC’s FV fav person thats for sure. I like her but I don’t get the in love vibe more like brother and sister. Not alot of chemistry.
Sabrina got Patrick on the rebound! I see no chemistry there at all…
Loved the interview but I find it a bit hard to swallow that we are to believe Sabrina is such an integral part of his life. The storyline seemed so forced just to get Patrick and Sabrina to a certain place right before Robin’s return. Such is the writing of a soap opera, I understand, but I just never bought into the “love story” of those two. I am thrilled to see KMc back and think her scenes at the church with Patrick were absolutely out of this world. She did not have to say one thing, and you could see all of the emotions of what Robin has been through for the past two years right there in her eyes. Oh how I have missed her and the “Patrick” JT is when they are on screen together.
Why do people keep saying that Michael said that Sabrina was the new love of Patrick’s life? It clearly says “new love in his life”.
Like Jason said, “There is no real replacement for what he had with Robin.” It has been clearly shown on screen that Robin is the love of Patrick’s life. All during his relationship with Sabrina, he has struggled to get over Robin and that never happened. If it wasn’t for everyone else pushing Patrick to be with Sabrina, he would have never looked at her twice. I do believe that Patrick loves Sabrina but he has never been IN love with her. Those are two completely different things and that’s why he can ultimately be with Robin over Sabrina. He can live without Sabrina, but he can’t live without Robin. He tried to, but she was constantly on his mind.
General Hospital has done a huge rush job with Sabrina and Patrick. It’s like they knew Kimberly was coming back and moved them to the altar. I have watched GH since 1985 and I know a real love story when I watch one and Sabrina and Patrick isn’t even a bump on my radar so this whole Patrick is torn thing is utter BS. It’s Robin who opened Patrick’s eyes, she is his first and only true love, the mother of his child and he has been grieving her and wanting her back since the day the lab exploded so don’t tell me that Patrick needs to think about this decision. GH can’t create drama where there is none. Kimberly came back in less than two years and in that time, Patrick grieved, isolated himself, was on drugs, dated Britt, dated Sabrina and if RC was writing a true story of Patrick moving on then he wouldn’t be standing at the altar already. They wanted to create this wedding reveal so they moved something, a couple like Sabrina and Patrick to a point they weren’t realistically and now they want us to believe Patrick is torn. This show is jumping the shark and I sense it and so do a lot of other fans. I didn’t watch Patrick and Robin fall in love step by step and build a family step by step, brick by brick to all of a sudden be told that this 8 month fairytale of Sabrina’s can hold a candle to the real life struggle of Patrick and Robin’s love story. I mean, I laughed at Sabrina when she said, after all her and Patrick have been through to get to this point…I nearly screamed at my TV…I want a list, somebody give me a list of what this girl is talking about. She had Britt around big deal, Britt’s lies don’t compare to Lisa Niles, Faison, Jerry Jax who not only kidnapped Robin but shot her and held her hostage with the rest of the town. Let’s not even talk about HIV or all Robin has lived through or Patrick’s HIV scare or him not wanting to be a dad or his detour to Leyla land. Sabrina doesn’t even see Patrick for who he truly is….Robin broke that bad boy in, she made him into what Sabrina loves today but who are we kidding, Patrick is a flawed man, I don’t see him as the Prince in her fairytale. I love Patrick and just like Robin, I see him as he is not as Sabrina’s fantasy sees him. If they don’t address, the electroshock therapy, the fact that Robin was in Ferncliff, she was with Faison, Jerry Jax, and Dr. Obrecht. If they don’t address all the times, she tried to escape then they just threw away the most emotional reveal of Robin’s part in Robin’s return story. The show made it clear every time Kimberly was back in the last nearly 2 years that… Read more »
Amen
May I just say I completely agree with everything you said – especially the part about skipping all of the emotional beats in this return story – the writers had a blockbuster as this story wrote itself with the talents of Kimberly and Jason – so sad it won’t come to fruition.
Shawna I’m just going to say ditto! Wow couldn’t have said it better myself. I can’t believe how a writer could miss, overstep such an important part of storytelling. Its like reading a book and pages of the most important part of the story have been ripped out. shamefull
THIS….your post is well thought out and I completely agree with it.
@Shawna.
“Standing Ovation”
“good lord”… in your one post… you eclipsed all reason otherwise.
as a Scrubs fan here… I salute and commend your thought out and take this and glean… further delve in to how, RC is trying to wring out all the stops… to further GH… and if it’s lacking… realism… and that’s a sticking point… that is messing with Scrub fans… either/or knows what love is… either/or knows the love of their child… brought all that much more to their union.
all that they’ve lived with…. each brings complete for the other.
i’m tearing up at the prospect… that we’re bearing witness to what is bringing GH to the forefront for year 2014!
WOW!
your last paragraph… and it’s the sticking point… for Scrubs….
the reveal… of Patrick and Robin…. and, it’s a big thing… getting back that intimacy… that only these two unequivocally… no one else withstood… how great these two belonged.
right now… Robin is sharing her life… with her mother Anna… and with Maxie… and it’s taking too long… with Patrick…
if, RC, thinks that by driving a wrench in thee reunion… is going to change any one’s mind… I digress… it ain’t happening… with Sabrina?
if he intends to keep Sabrina around… be it with Carlos… and/or give her more to do… than so be it… but… it’s childish, immature, and lacks truth and our mindset… between reality and fiction… and it doesnt bode well.
it’s ruining… and we all know this… but.. an amazing history with GH… that, at the very least… what is keeping GH in the forefront… shouldn’t be messed with… build around them… yeah… the two year absence is enough… she’s back…
just get to talking you two…. Scrubs
it’s kinda like… they know they are two consenting adults with each other… and they both want their mindset to understand, relate, and be on even keel… that par that will let them… be… the Drakes…
i’m rambling
i’m in awe of your Scrubs anthem post! Ta-da!
the one thing that could help the story line… what if Robin shared with… that she herself… hesitated.. because…. she, like Patrick… is still finding their bearings
“…If they don’t address, the electroshock therapy, the fact that Robin was in Ferncliff, she was with Faison, Jerry Jax, and Dr. Obrecht. If they don’t address all the times, she tried to escape”
Your post is excellent and spot on! Just got around to reading this interview and comments…so many good ones, but yours says it all!!! Totally agree with what you wrote….it certainly expresses the great frustrations many of us have felt with this silly, useless and irrelevant Sabrina person from Day One!
Been waiting for this interview. Congratulations to JT on the success of “Dead Mountain”. Otherwise, I wish I wouldn’t have wasted my time. Another Ode To Sabrina propping. I quit watching this show in May when I watched the Nurses Ball turn into Sabrina’s combing and now, the long awaited reunion of Scrubs has once again turned into Sabrina’s Box of Pain. EXAMPLE: Robin and Patrick are reunited in front of room full of Sabrina Proppers and brush off what the heck happened to Robin for two years, meanwhile Patrick and Sabrina get an entire episode alone to discuss how awful her life is now that Robin has come home. I have watched this show for over thirty years and have NEVER seen a character so forced fed to viewers as Sabrina. Even the producer, when asked about the character being contentious responded YOU WILL LOVE HER. Now, after yesterday, it appears they may undue CLINK BOOM for this character. Go ahead. Make her a lead. I will turn it off again.
LOL a room full of “Sabrina Proppers”? Felix was the ONLY person in that room that cared about Sabrina. As for the whole episode of how horrible her life is, that entire episode was her LETTING PATRICK GO even as her heart broke! THAT episode should be BOTH JT and TC’s Emmy reel.
I realize people do not like the character of Sabrina but for those of us that do, that is the only episode in this whole mess worth watching.
Are you kidding me? Epiphany has done nothing the last year but tell Drake Jr. she is a descendant of the Holy Mother. Liz has been on board with the Sabrina propping. She of all people in that room should have encouraged him to look into Robin’s phone call, but instead the bad writing made her say no one could come back from the dead. Lucky should call and remind her he is still alive. Mac was propping the princess just hours before.
That entire episode was nothing but a poor poor pitiful me.
They are now writing Patrick running around trying to find out where Sabrina ran off to because she got her feelings hurt, but not once has the idiot considered the torture his wife has been through for two years.
I just want to add that I have seen more Robin propping the last few days than I have seen Sabrina propping the whole time she has been on! I don’t care if she is a LONG TIME character with “ties” to everyone! It was sad and pathetic how even Ellie, someone who has never met her, sang her praises to Mac yesterday! Almost vomit inducing considering she is Sabrina’s friend! Also the way Mac made it sound like Sabrina was upset that Robin was alive. Total UNTRUTH considering Sabrina said many times that she was happy for both Emma and Patrick that Robin is back. “A dream come true” for them, as she called it! Seriously, this whole return has been nothing but Robin propping, both before her “reveal” and after.
Sabrina may have been propped for a few months in the beginning. That has STOPPED and she has been like all characters on the show – a character in an ensemble cast.
RMFE at the blatant hate for someone who dared to venture close to the almighty “SCRUBS”. I have watched this show for 30 years, was never a fan of Robin, didn’t notice Patrick until she died, and will most likely tune out once he is back in her orbit. I am glad I got almost two years of enjoyment from Jason Thompson’s portrayal of a man rebuilding his life.
Oh, Sabrina propping has been an on-going project, not the first few months as you described it. I had enough after she was handed the Nurses’ Ball on a silver platter. Too bad you didn’t notice Patrick until Robin died because he had backbone and he was arrogant. Even after they were married. He even cheated on his wife. Now his idea of cheating would be stealing on her magical cupcakes she baked without permission. He didn’t get to rebuild his life. He went from a week long drug addiction to becoming Prince Charming to what started out as a shy virginal meant to be Cinderella and when that didn’t play right she became a sexually experienced mob moll.
Thanks Michael. …great interview. As a big Patrick/JT fan, I have to say I hated the Patrina relationship.Nothing was ever about Patrick in it. It was all about Sabrina and her disney makeover. Sabrina And Felix making decisions about what was thought to be Patrick’s child with Britt was the worst. Also, the whole setup for this couple was ridiculous…..Patrick only seemed interested because everyone pushed him towards her. If it wasn’t liz or anna or piph, it was Robin’s dvd. Nothing about this couple screamed adult love. I truly wish this story had been playing out with Britt instead….at least she acts like a woman instead of a teenager, like Sabrina.
There are a whole host of women who would have been better suited for Patrick and then I would have felt a lot of angst with Robin’s return. Britt was perfect for Patrick…she wanted a fling and he needed one. Liz would have been a great friend turned to lover. Sam could have bonded with Patrick over their single parent status and moved on together. Any of these women would have worked great with Patrick but Sabrina just doesn’t fit.
Jason and Kimberly have been amazing in this story. Such raw emotions coming from both.Teresa seems like a nice girl but she’s just not that great an actress. Instead of feeling for Sabrina I was just annoyed that Scrubs reunion got interrupted so Patrick could go coddle her. This ‘triangle’ would play so much better had it been Britt or Sam or Liz. Characters that actually have onscreen chemistry with JT/Patrick.
Thanks for the interview. I really hope Patrick chooses Robin!
Me Too!
GH can try to tell me Scrubs and Purina are equal but ain’t nobody buying that lol. Scrubs have over 7 yrs of history and have been through hell and back several times. Purina barely have seven months and the biggest angst they’ve had (until Robin came back) was probably the death of Emma’s doll on the fourth of July lol. Even Britt’s baby wasn’t angst for them. So, GH can’t sell me on some grand love between these two. Scrubs are infinitely better.
Um, “nobody” is a general term. That’s your opinion, and others share it, certainly,but you do not speak for me or the whole of the viewing audience. Sorry. There are plenty of other people who prefer Sabrina to Robin. I’m afraid even your scathing and intellectual use of allegorical name-calling won’t make that true, darling.
No where in the original post was anything said about the actress that portrays Sabrina. Sabrina is unlikeable all on her own.
Don’t worry Pen,
Your dreams will come true as well!
Patrick will be with Sabrina at some point…maybe sooner than later!!
Hang in there!!
Well I prefer Robin to Sabrina! Sabrina is sugar & spice and everything nice..
I think the hate for the Sabrina character is as ridiculous as always. I’ve read she can’t be trusted, she’s manipulative, she doesn’t care about anyone but herself, she tried to manipulate Patrick into loving her by getting close to Emma…on and on and on. The bottom line is…you’e all completely not perceptive when it comes to judging character! (double entendre intended). What more proof do you need of Sabrina’s sincerity than for Jason Thompson to describe Sabrina as a good person who genuinely loves him and his daughter. It’s so obvious…and it has been from the beginning.
Now, you Sabrina haters can continue your misguided wrath if that’s “soapy fun” for you.
Me? I’m torn. I really have grown to like Sabrina’s warmth and strong family/friend loyalty…and I think she, Patrick and Emma make one cozy lil family.
On the other hand I’ve been a GH viewer for decades as well and of course have an affinity for Robin…and realize the love/bond she and Patrick share. It’s great when an ol’ familair face (character) comes back.
I like Carlos too. Although I hate to see Sabrina devastated as she is…and who wouldn’t be….the love of HER life…her almost husband-to-be…the almost step-daughter who she loves so dearly…will probably be taken away through no fault of anyone’s but fate. Had Robin not come back I have no doubt they would have had a very happy/soapy family…unless Carlos lurked…which could have been interesting.
Back to Carlos. I like him and his desperate love for Sabrina. If that’s the way the storyline goes…I think the pure Sabrina and her dark knight can make quite the interesting couple.
Great interview. Love Jason Thompson and hope he doesn’t follow Kimberly off the show when she makes her next exit.
What about Robin though? It was HER husband HER daughter no fault of her own. Robin has HIV and had to fight hard to just get on with life and to allow herself to love enough – and she feared she would never have a child too and that was heartwrenching and now she is supposed to just walk away cause Sabrina’s dream wedding was busted. I am sorry Sabrina has Carlos and Felix.
What man is there to hold Robin at night? kiss her tears away cause the lif she fought so hard to have was handed over to someone else? Sorry I have no pity for Sabrina with this; let her be with Carlos and fight for something /someone else.
Robin fought for the family Sabrina wants to just waltz into- I hope Robin gets it back
The fact is, and Jason addressed this, 2 years have passed and people have moved on. “Patrick” does NOT belong to anyone, he is his own person! Emma is Robin’s daughter and that will not change even if Patrick and Sabrina end up together at any point. What is truly disturbing to me is that so many just assume that everything that happened in that two years should just go away because of what ROBIN went through. How about what Patrick went through? He is a changed person because of it! He is not the same cocky and arrogant doctor that he was with Robin. He battled a drug addiction, he became a single father, and YES he fell in love with another woman!
To me, this assumption that Robin should just “get” her family back because of what she has been through is total entitlement and Robin proved her selfishness when she was ticked at Patrick for not dumping Sabrina and running back to her.
Patrick’s life has just been turned upside down. Sabrina did the right thing, she sent him back to his wife. He is the one that needs the time and space to decide what he wants. He will go back to Robin because he thinks it is right for Emma. Not because Scrubs is so epic that his life can not be without it. He proved to himself the last two years that he CAN survive without it and I think that will be the deciding factor in all of this.
PAX897….I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all responses. Even when JT says what is right in front of all us some scrubs fan still contuine to try and berate Sabrina and Teresa! Just because Robin has been on the show so long( leaving and coming back several times) doesn’t mean Sabrina doesn’t have a place on GH. was Patrick supposed to contuine to mourn Robin forever waiting for KMC to come back to GH. how boring is that! Not have any love in his life for himself or Emma. Thats is not fair to Patrick or Jason for that matter his character has the right and the need to move forward which he did! Not saying he didn’t struggle with it because his performance of that was evident and brilliant each time he was on the screen. Patrick has become a more likable lovable since he has been paired with Sabrina. So she a little naive and wants good things to happen to the people she loves. What is wrong with that. I guess it easier to trash someone then accept the fact not everyone is a scrub fan! I don’t have to try tear down Robin/KMC to be Patrina fan! PAX your comments are much appreciated thank you!
Pax, I’ve been reading many of your responses and appreciate the thoughtfulness you put into them. I disagree with you on nearly every level, and am tempted here to list them one by one, I’m not going to lie. But I think it can all be boiled down to one point with me- Patrick never did got over Robin. His love for her was as strong on his wedding day with Sabrina (before Robin appeared to him) as it was in 2011. Patrick as a man may not belong to anyone, but his heart has Robin written all over it. I’ve only started watching again since Robin returned after a much needed hiatus, and nearly every scene of his with every character he shared the screen with came back to Robin- Anna, Mac, Liz (multiple times), Maxie, Sam, Epiphany, Carlos, Emma and of course Sabrina. Yes he survived Robin’s death- as a person, a living, breathing, thinking, contributing human being he carried on. But his heart never healed from it. And as Britt wisely pointed out (never thought I’d put those words together!) it is so obvious to everyone that there is one woman truly and deeply in his bones. Sabrina knew it too, but got caught up in the fantasy she wanted and the notion that this other woman was gone, so she pursued it (my interpretation based on what I’ve seen of her in 3 months). I think her logical side, her gut, was seeing the signs of a man still impossibly in love with his wife, but she listened to her romanticized heart
that it will all work out in her favour.
Anyway, I’m not changing your mind. You’re not changing mine. I’m probably not saying anything you haven’t already heard. But fundamentally from this post, there was just a gnawing at me I couldn’t not respond to because it just defies everything I believe we’ve been seeing on screen for at least 3 months. Not to mention everything I’ve been reading in interviews from Ron and how the story has been playing out, and how it will continue.
Plus there’s so much nastiness here already, I just wanted one conversation where weapons weren’t necessary. It can be done.
@Jules.
High 5!
this bears repeating… when all is said and done… at the end of the day… it’s drama that’s unfolding… for a huge part of what makes GH tick… Wow!
Anyway, I’m not changing your mind. You’re not changing mine. I’m probably not saying anything you haven’t already heard. But fundamentally from this post, there was just a gnawing at me I couldn’t not respond to because it just defies everything I believe we’ve been seeing on screen for at least 3 months. Not to mention everything I’ve been reading in interviews from Ron and how the story has been playing out, and how it will continue.
Plus there’s so much nastiness here already, I just wanted one conversation where weapons weren’t necessary. It can be done.
I have a feeling…but i could be wrong…that if Carlos is shot by Shawn or someone else…Sabrina may find…out of fear of nearly loosing him…that Carlos is the man she truly loves!
I’m enjoying every minute of this…
this is thee one segment of GH that cast abound! where the good actors reel… and when there’s one or two or 3 plus… it’s ON
I’m accepting Sabrina… cause… for the past 4 epis: It could be on for her… the bubble burst and she’s got choices… that rely
when you’re flocked by good actors and acting… it’s not hard to lose yourself
and… as a man… Patrick would do… LOL.. hmmm!
well there’s Carlos, husband material, and interplay at lose
“..,Now, you Sabrina haters can continue your misguided wrath if that’s “soapy fun” for you.”
this is on my welcome matt … front door nudge
Sabrina and Carlos have a lot more potential to be a super couple. Sabrina and Patrick just didn’t grab my attention. That being said, Patrick and Robin pulled me to GH in 2007 and then I went back and watched their whole story from 2005. I think Robin is going to leave to follow her dream of working on AIDS research and her poison cure is going to propel that. Patrick’s character needs challenge, and right now Sabrina doesn’t . She is docile with Patrick, but shows spunk with Carlos. If they write Sabrina and Carlos right, I will continue watching GH even if Scrubs are no more…
I don’t have a dog in this race, but I absolutely think Patrick fell in love with Sabrina, and that they have something real that is their own. As Jason said, it’s not a replacement for Robin — but I think some here seem to be interpreting that quite differently than he may have actually meant it.
Patrick loves both women, and I think loves them very deeply — otherwise he’d be a shallow jerk, to my view. And I for one think you can love more than one person just as deeply and passionately as you loved another — my mother did, after losing her husband.
Because they’re different people and different relationships, of course the love is different. But to me it’s not a question of loving someone more or less. That’s just ridiculous to me; human beings don’t work that way. It’s not a contest, and nor should it be.
Having said that — dismissing Thompson’s comments about his costar, Teresa Castillo as, ‘Well, he HAS to say nice things” — well, no, he doesn’t. And did it ever occur to you that he actually LIKES Castillo and enjoys working with her? I would venture to say he does. There’s an awful lot of projection going on with that, and I find the attacks on both the character and the actress to be juvenile, petty, and honestly quite embarrassing for the posters of record.
As for the story — it’s not a foregone conclusion what will happen or how it will happen. None of this will be quick, simple, or easy for any of the characters involved.
I agree with you on the projection of hate and telling everyone that Jason “has” to say he likes his costars. If fans think that little of him as a person then how can they say they support him as an actor. Jason has always come across to me as a very honest and professional person. He enjoys his work and loves who he works with.
Teresa gave a spellbinding performance on December 4th and by the on line reaction, there are new fans that saw the depth that she can bring to the screen.
I am not embarrassed one bit for calling bull when I see it. If pointing out that the character has been propped from day one to be the ultimate winner in everything she does is juvenile and petty then so be it. Scene one…Sabrina Good…Britt Bad. The next year was nothing but every character on this show…other than Sonny (who it appears his turn is coming) singing her praises as bluebirds fly around her and rainbows appear in her wake. I am sick of this supposed fairytale. Robin’s death and the resulting impact should have been about Patrick. This past year has been NOTHING about him.
That is your opinion,to which you have a right, but I disagree with you. Plain and simple.
Please read what I wrote. Nowhere did I say anyone should be embarrassed over their opinions. It is the manner in which you express them that shows your quality. If you hurl insults, name-calling, and invective, then you’re a laughable, juvenile,and pitiable creature with no redeeming thoughts to which I would give any credulity or weight.
And I don’t know what show you were watching–there was plenty about Patrick with regard to the impact and effect of Robin’s death. But then, I suspect you weren’t really watching the show — rather, you were watching the fanfic in your head.
Exactly. I disagree and I did it without flinging any personal insults your way. That is the difference between me and you. You a seem to respond by attacking the poster, not the show. Have fun.
Babs soaps are quite often about good vs evil characters. Sabrina vs Britt was nothing different than Robin vs Lisa. As a matter of fact, many people throughout the years have accused Robin of being a “goody two shoes,” from Carly to Lisa. I think the reason Patrick fell for Sabrina is because she has Robin’s goodness…
Both female characters are admirable and deserving of love. In real life this would be a tough situation…and the tougher Patrick’s decision is the more realistic it is. He loves both. I can see why…
In a Cinderella story, there is always a good and a bad. So it’s no big deal that Sabrina was propped. I think the bottomline to the Sabrina hate, is that TeCa/Sabrina were loved by many viewers. And this made for Sabrina being a real threat to Robin/Scrubs fans. Their fans were caught off guard, and that lead to so much negative reactions. I have not seen as many negative post from Sabrina/Patrina fans as I have seen with Robin/Scrubs’ fans. I have read about 95% of responses about these pairing, and most of Sabrina/Patrina fans accepted that Patrick would choose Robin. Just like Sabrina didn’t like the chose, but understood it; her fans felt as she did. I see Sabrina being Patrick’ future, and Robin being Patrick’s past due to the fact that KMc is not committed to fulltime acting, and TeCa is just starting her acting career. Posting in love and peace.
I just don’t care for Sabrina.. To me she acts like Snow White or Alice threw the looking glass….Wishing for her prince charming … She is childish and immature.. That’s my opinion…
Michael Fairman didn’t call Sabrina the new love of Patrick’s life. He said Sabrina was the new love IN his life. Huge difference.
Michael, great interview. Thank you!
Wow, fans are so derogatory towards Teresa, I’m glad I’ve managed to avoid the chat boards the last few years. Production is so exhausting and challenging at times, but to attack an actor for doing the job she was hired for, is so mean. They’ve done a great job with the storylines given and that’s all that fans should be concerned with. It’s amazing how everyone feels they have the right to know what Jason feels personally about his co-workers and everyone behaving like internet bullies to Teresa is just to awful.
Happily out of the Hollywood work life and enjoying the storylines again. Thanks #GH
I am a lifelong GH viewer and Teresa is okay. I resent that characters I love like Patrick have lost the characteristics I love just to be with her character;
I want to see more for Liz and Sam and on the real Robin is a character that is GH. I remember when Vanessa started I was in school and loved her and yeah she was new and she did not eat the screen and every other character were not forced to say how beautiful Brenda was or how nice or anything as a viewer I could make up my own mind. I resent the writers trying so hard
I understand your point. But like life, as things happen to you, you grow and change. I think Patrick’s character has gone through an amazing roller coaster and being a dad gives new ground for him to grow in different directions. Sometimes you have to let your favorite character change a little to get to a new journey. Any marriage goes through ups and downs, on soaps they are escalated for our entertainment.
I may not like the direction sometimes, but I follow for the journey they go through.
Well said Leola! 🙂
I used to love Patrick and wanted to see him get a good storyline when Robin left. I loved him and Britt; if he does not get back with Robin I think they need to give him someone and NOT Sabrina. I disagree with JT – Teresa did not earn anything she was the network and Frank and Ron’s choice. I resent them saying she earned anything cause she has been front and center since day one. I appreciate new people coming on the show but be real; she was given JT as a pairing, the iconic Nurses Ball, and nonstop characters favoring her all the way (even Robin’s return has turned into all about Sabrina.) Robin had a few minutes with Patrick and Emma on screen and well Sabrina had loads of airtime w/ Patrick, Felix and Carlos ( I adore Carlos and want him free of Sabrina) I want more balance and want to see others like Sam, Alexis, Liz get some airtime. I am not a Patrina or Sabrina fan – I stopped being a Patrick fan as much as I adore JT- the way they changed Patrick to fit Sabrina has made him fast forward material. I love GH and will never give up on my show and DVR it every single episode but in all the years I never saw anything like the push of Sabrina especially now w/Robin back. What should have been focused on Robin and Patrick (especially Robin )has turned in Sabrina and her pain. I grew up watching Robin and seeing Robin’s ordeal being minimized for Sabrina’s which from my viewing was nothing like having your life taken away for years- well excuse me but nothing I care to see. I fast forward onto Luke/Bobbie, Sonny, Anna/Robin and nope not Patrick -not Sabrina. They lost me – Again LOVE GH but one thing the way they are OTT w/ Teresa/Sabrina-
I have not seen Patrick in love with anyone but Robin. I really need the actor to watch the show. They only dated for 8 months and they went through nothing and to compare them to Scrubs of 7 years is laughable and a bad joke at that. The actress has been on the show a little over a year and was made a pet and forced, propped and pushed from day one and given Robin’s life to make her accepted along with making Britt so evil you HAD to hate her. They used Emma to prop RC pet . The real talent is the Britt actress who turned it around. I saw Patrick forced pushed into moving on because of how many times everyone had to say Robin would want this. It is disgusting how Patrick still hasn’t asked what Robin went through. God forbid the focus should be on the actress who is a legend, Robin, but instead is on a propped forced pet of RC who gets the focus and ALL the airtime ALL the time. If credit be give I think KIMBERLY should be given credit with JT because she was in the reveal scene and just like the tie scene and she just makes everyone look good in scenes they share with her. That is because she doesn’t take over the scene but enhance it. If a writer and actor has to tell me they are in love with a character, then that tells me it isn’t working. Scrubs never had that. I just wish RC pet nurse gets a story far from Robin and Patrick because this fan would like to see them together as a family again without stupid antics of Felix calling Patrick like this is a high school breakup to bail the child nurse out of things. It dumb. Emma loves her mom and now the pet of RC has to tell Robin about her own daughter is ridiculous. Robin knows her daughter and there is her family to help her with Emma. Yet people say this nurse isn’t propped and not a pet by RC. If you believe that I will sell you oceanfront property in Nevada. Guess it will be time to rename GH, the Disney Fairy Tales of Sabrina after all she tops a veteran actress Robin and Kimberly and other vets with no story. Guess TIIC didn’t see that they got back many fans when they heard Kimberly was coming back. Many left after the NB was about a makeover princess who used Robin memory to get Robin husband. ratings show that many came back to GH to see Robin and like the NB we are baited again. Many left after the NB who many though Robin would appear turned into the pet makeover show. If they don’t get smart soon they will lose them again. I am tired if being baited and never thought their would be any choice since it was always obvious even when… Read more »
My goodness. DO let me know when you start running the show, will you? What’s that? You’ve never run a show? Never produced one? Never written for one? Oops, sorry, my bad. You just sounded like you know EVERYTHING — just like a network exec.
My advice? If you do not care for the stories presented to you, turn the channel. Someone else will take your seat.
Michael and Jason, great interview and thank you for sharing your thoughts on the show, the story, your costars, and your new ventures.
I have to say Jason, I never watched your performances before Robin died, was not a Robin fan and not a Scrubs fan. You drew me in with your portrayal of a man who lost his compass and had to cope with being a single dad. I have become a fan of yours in the last 2 years. I hope you can come out of the Scrubs shadow and develop as PATRICK, not just part of SCRUBS or PATRINA.
Jason Thompson is the best male crier. Added to Kimberly McCullough who is the best female crier = me in tears! They make you feel. I’ve sort of liked the way Robin has made Patrick cry through the years. (Smile) Jason Thompson is great! Talented man!
I don’t know about Patrick. I feel the character has been in Pod Patrick mode since he came out of his drugged/coping phase. The few times I watched GH while Robin was away I’d just smh at things widower Patrick was doing. I was rather disappointed that he had to have a convenient, easy crutch instead of living courageously for himself and Emma, alone. Hope Robin won’t find him too pitifully weak especially after what her character went through. Looking forward to the “real” Patrick when he’s back with Robin.
Jason’t last answer says it all to me. Scrubs all the way!!
I’ve been following Jason on twitter and he made one,nasty comment to Kim McCullough regarding HER interview with Michael Fairman. Jason said Kimberly overstated her influence and that he, in fact, had done his best work in the past year (when Kim was gone). It was really petty and mean-spirited. I read the original Kimberly interview and she was very gracious and did not at all take credit for Jason’s accomplishments as an actor. Jason took down that twitter post, but for me the damage was done. I had less respect for him as a person. As an actor, I think he was very raw when he started the show and he’s grown in leaps and bounds. I do think Kimberly is a main reason for that. He shared more scenes with her than anyone else, by far. Jason is very good in emotional scenes, but I find that he doesn’t differentiate his “cry emotions” enough. He just turns on the waterworks and doesn’t add nuance to each of his cry scenes. For example, if you watch his cry scenes with Kimberly and Teresa (Robin & Sabrina) they look the same, but the histories of his character with each of theirs is vastly different. Very disappointing. Kimberly, on the other hand, is a very nuanced actress. Her tone and gesticulations change with Finola, Jason, Tristen and John York. I really feel her varied roles with her parents, uncle, husband and friends. I’ve always said Kimberly is a deeply underrated actress. That’s because she goes for natural and realistic, not soapy and dramatic. Just my 2 cents!!
I remember something of KM’s interview and I could see why Jason was a bit put off. I thought it came across as he was a newbie who she guided step-by-step, took under her wing…and helped develop his acting. Thought it was a tad condescending…but perhaps we’re both wrong. I get the impression they’re great friends off camera and seemingly happy to be working together again…Who really knows….
DOM SMYTHE THANKS FOR A VERY VERY INTELLIGENT POST.
you’re welcome! 🙂
Do not be too angry over what might have been said on twitter sometimes things are said that you wished you had not hit the button. I think he has the highest regard for both actresses and if he does not it will not be the first time actors do not get along on a soap and if so no big deal it is what comes across on your screen that you care about. Nice interview hope it ends the way everybody wants but this is a soap and it won’t! lol!
that’s true. to jason’s credit, he did delete it the next day.
Jason and Kimberly are best friend (which they both have said repeatedly) and they are constantly joking around with each other. The tweet could have been him joking around, which they do with each other all the time, and it was misconstrued, and that’s why he took it down. I don’t think he would ever intentionally say something malicious towards each other. If that tweet existed, I’m not saying it didn’t but I follow him and never saw it, then I believe it is null because all the other ones about how much they love and respect each other cancel it out.
the tweet did happen. myself and a few others replied to him. but i do know their history of loving and supporting each other. i have felt, however, that things have cooled. that’s just my subjecting feeling of jason’s tweets after this return. he’s doesn’t engage with kimberly as much as before. anyway, we can’t know for sure what goes on…
“…I’ve always said Kimberly is a deeply underrated actress. That’s because she goes for natural and realistic, not soapy and dramatic.”
“Thank You Dom”
for the life of me… I don’t think it’s necessary to explain… whether or not.. KM’ Robin: is? self-righteous…. ???
her lot in life… was predetermined… and she’s living the best way she can…
free with abandon… carefree… altruistic… she’s our Robin… going on 30 years plus! and she met Patrick, fell in love, married, had that white picket fence… had their child… loves her parents… and big Mac… loves Maxie…. and all the rest of the cast.. warm to her… naturally….
go figure why fans think she pedestal’s herself…
KM keen intellect of the trappings… ??? of Serial… she’s taken and elevated every time she graces our screens…
THIS IS JUST THE LAST WORD FOR ME PLEASE LET PATRICK STAY WITH THE SO CALLED GREAT SABRINA. PLEASE LET ROBIN GET OUT OF DODGE WITH HER EMMA BECAUSE, THAT IS THE ONLY JUSTICE IN THE STORY.PATRICK AND SABRINA CAN ADOPT THE FELIX CHARACTER AND LIVE HAPPY EVER AFTER.
I am on board with that! Cartooni`s Patrick is a shell of what he used to be.
We already know who Patrick will ultimately choose. The writing is on the wall. He will choose the love of his life. His wife, his soul mate, Robin. That is the only choice to make. He might care for Sabrina because she helped him get through the time after he thought he lost Robin but no way do I see love translated on screen. I think he feels gratitude to her but not love. That was evident when he hesitated before he said I do. That was the longest hesitation I have ever seen. Sabrina is not the perfect match for Patrick. If she was, she would be able to stand on her own but she needs someone to help rescue her. Robin does not. Robin can stand on her own and doesn’t need rescuing. She fights with all she has to get back to her family whereas if Sabrina was in the same situation, she would be wailing in the corner of a room waiting to be rescued. Robin is Patrick’s equal. She is the one he loves with every fiber of his being. Robin is the one he will choose time and time again. She is the one he will choose this time and every time after this over anyone else.
Always hilarious reading the comments on this page… HILARIOUS!!
Stay classy people!
CASE IN POINT…Did you all watch today? Did you see the previews? Ron has Robin approaching poor poor Sabrina to back off her hubby. This way she will win by default. Ron Carliavati has NO IDEA who these characters are. Robin Scorpio WOULD NEVER do this. Another set up to make poor Sabrina look like the noble one. It just gets more unbelievable with this chick every day. Sabrina has been built since day one on Robin Scorpio’s back. I only hope and pray that when this plays out, viewers will realize they have been had AGAIN and will tune out like they did after the bait and switch Nurses Ball.
FYI I would not suggest you twitter any critique of the writing to RC you will not see the light of day the man is totally thin skinned! Watch out!
Maybe if Pabrina wasn’t so rushed and contrived with RC constantly telling the audience how great she is (if she were that great she wouldn’t need that much pimping) and forcing her on us this triangle would be way more believable. A few weeks prior, Patrick couldn’t even admit that he was really in love with Sabrina to Felix. And he just took off his ring like a month ago only because Carlos was threatening to take his babysitter away. He was still pining over his wife. So, I’m sorry but how does one fall so deeply in love when you’re not even all there. Was it off screen? He even hesitated in his vows. This is why I have such a hard time believing he’d ever choose Sabrina. So, it’s just not really a triangle to me. He feels guilty about her being hurt. He does have love for her but to me the wedding was really really rushed and I think he did it to prove to himself that he can be over Robin. It really wasn’t because of some deep love. And I’m not even a Scrubs fan (cause I really can’t stand Robin). But, that is what I’ve been watching on my screen.
GREAT interview Michael! I really enjoyed it. Just LOVE Jason Thompson. He is a true talent in every way!
Honestly though Michael, your interviews would be so much better if they audio or video – WAY TOO MUCH reading!!! LOL
General Hospital
GH’s Roger Howarth Chats On Shifting From Franco To Drew & The Stunning Story Twist
In one of the most intriguing plots of 2019, General Hospital’s Franco Baldwin was morphed into Navy SEAL Andrew Cain following a harrowing mind-mapping procedure. In all went down thanks to Shiloh (Coby Ryan McLaughlin) and Dr, Cabot (Time Winters), taking the life and memories of Drew (Billy Miller) from his flash drive and transferring them into Franco’s brain, wiping out his past and his present. That followed the tearjerker moment, when Franco sacrificed himself to free his kidnapped stepson, Cameron (William Lipton) from the twisted procedure; that could have left the teenager with Drew’s memories or even in a vegetative state.
The recipient of this storyline – and who would be taking on another persona in his storied daytime drama career – is none other than Roger Howarth. The Daytime Emmy- winning actor is no stranger to changing fictional identities on GH. Howarth, played OLTL’s Todd Manning over in Port Charles, later switching to Franco (previously played by James Franco) following the legal dispute between ABC and Prospect Park.
Last week, viewers got their first glimpse of Howarth taking on the traits of Drew circa 2012, and in short order, it has caused emotional upheaval for Franco’s wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst), Drew himself, Jason (Steve Burton), and Kim (Tamara Braun)… and that’s just for starters.
Michael Fairman TV chatted with Roger as he started his journey transforming his work from playing Franco to Drew and the challenges it presents, plus the ripple effect the change will have on the canvas for many of the characters. In addition for One Life to Live fans, Roger chats about his appreciation for his time on that iconic series in a candid, self-effacing, and special conversation. Here’s what Howarth shared:
Courtesy/ABC
When you were told that they were going to put Drew’s memories into Franco, what was your initial reaction to learning that news? Did you think it was a great twist?
ROGER: Yeah, I think it’s a great idea. I really do. Good story needs a lot of things, and this checks a lot of the boxes. It brings people together; it provides obstacles. There are a lot of places this could lead to. I just think it’s really smart and interesting. I look forward to it a lot, and I can already tell by what I have shot thus far that it’s going to be fun.
If this story is written well, what has happened to Franco will be life-altering and crucial to so many people’s lives in Port Charles.
ROGER: What I like about it, and this isn’t lip service, is that it’s a great story because it affects a lot of people. Those are the good stories. Elizabeth has got to deal with this, the boys have to deal with this, Scotty’s (Kin Shriner) got to deal with it, Jason is confused by this information, and now this person in interacting with Drew, and Kim, and Shiloh. All of the sudden, the canvas is interacting completely differently. So, I think the writers are having fun with this as well.
Photo: ABC
Then, there is also the character of Kim played by Tamara Braun, who Drew shares a past with. It will be interesting to see how that relationship plays out, we already witnessed Franco’s Drew instantly smitten and attracted to her.
ROGER: Yes, the person in this body is running under a certain set of assumptions that no one else shares. So, yes, it’s confusing to everybody, I am sure, including Kim.
Do you see Franco eventually flipping back and forth, and having personality traits of both he and Drew?
ROGER: No. One hundred percent, no, and that provides a real obstacle with a couple like Franco and Elizabeth. They are always looking for obstacles to prove to the audience that these two people really do care about one another, and that’s the purpose of a story like this. I’m guessing and hoping that it will provide the character of Elizabeth with a particular objective because it would be nice to see Becky be able to play all of those beats.
Right, and to have to fight for something…
ROGER: Yes, it’s very tragic. This is a character that is accustomed to tragedy, and to see Becky play the role of Elizabeth dusting herself off, trying to get what she wants is going to be really cool.
Courtesy/ABC
The tragic twist had Franco saving Cameron from winding up with Drew’s memories and being the vessel for Shiloh to use. What did you think about how Franco sacrificed himself in order to protect Elizabeth’s son? It was quite heroic.
ROGER: I think the other beautiful part of this is that this was motivated by love. I don’t see it as heroic. I think as an actor, you’re always looking for the heart of the story, and the writers made it really simple. He does this because he loves this kid. Yeah, they’ve had their ups and downs, and they are struggling to figure out how they can get along, and they have a lot of things that they feel about one another, but push actually did come to shove, and I think that the character of Cameron is going to be deeply affected by that.
Courtesy/ABC
This now puts Franco deep within Shiloh’s storyline and past with Drew, because Shiloh desperately wants a key piece of information locked in Drew’s memories. So, in theory, this kind of ranks among one of the better stories you’ve probably ever gotten to tell in your daytime career. Everyone is hoping that it lives up to its expectations in the execution of it on-air.
ROGER: It is certainly a high concept story. It’s asking a lot of the audience. So far, we’re all in. It’s a good cast. I work with really good actors, so I’m not worried. It is asking the audience to suspend disbelief for sure. The good stories do. I think Erika Slezak (Viki) on One Life to Live, getting to play Dissociative Identity Disorder as Niki and Viki that was a large ask. She never blinked. She did everything that was asked. I’m trying to follow her example.
Exactly, and she played more characters. She had more alters after that.
ROGER: (Laughs) Yeah! She’s better at this than I am. I’m having trouble with the one. (Laughs)
Photo: ABC
What do you think about how Scott and Franco’s relationship will be affected, now that he is in essence “Drew”?
ROGER: There’s no part of that relationship that hasn’t changed because there is no Franco. Franco is not around … Franco has left the building.
He is a completely new person for all intent and purposes.
ROGER: For sure. This soldier doesn’t appreciate being called by somebody else’s name. He is not compassionate to the people who mistake him for this somewhat tortured art therapist that he no longer is.
Photo: ABC
What is also interesting is that this should put you right into conflict and scenes with Steve Burton, because now you are essentially playing Jason’s twin.
ROGER: Yes. For me, as an actor, to get a chance to work with Steve, and to play a like-minded person, is intimidating frankly, but it’s exciting.
Also, the audience knows how Franco and Jason are such enemies, and now, he is really in his mind his twin.
ROGER: Yeah, Franco sees in many shades of gray and other colors, and from what I can tell, Franco as Drew sees the world much simpler. He thinks more clearly, he finishes his sentences, he thinks before he speaks, he knows what he is going to say. His point of view does not waiver. He is determined.
Courtesy/ABC
That’s got to be so exciting for you to get to play after all of Franco’s psychological baggage and issues.
ROGER: I’ve got to say, it’s been a bit of a challenge for me to play someone with a different set of speech patterns and who stands differently. Because Drew thinks and feels differently about everything; his body is the same, but his body is behaving differently, and it speaks differently, and he thinks at a different tempo. They’ve been very patient on set giving me chances to do it badly, so far. (Laughs) It’s not uncommon for me to get halfway through a scene and to have to start over. I am essentially figuring it out as we go along. I am very appreciative of the fact that they have been giving me a few extra takes to try and figure out how this guy stands. He relates to people with a different set of space and time. It’s cool. It’s a cool set of puzzles. It’s been really fun. I’m a lucky guy.
When I first learned of the story twist, I was like, “Oh! Roger will be great in this.”
ROGER: I don’t know, man. I could be stinking it up pretty badly. (Laughs) I think there’s a trap as an actor who has been asked to play twins, and the trap is that this guy is only acting the way that he acts. The trap is frankly to act too much because the audience is being told that he is a different person. If I go too far to try to demonstrate that he is a different person, then it slips into parody or overacting. Over the years, I have definitely been guilty of overacting, so, I’m a little frightened of it. (Laughs) I don’t like the way it feels. I know how it feels to go too far. I have been getting notes like, “You could pull it back a little bit.” (Laughs) It’s pretty funny.
Courtesy/ABC
In the past, I have heard you say you’d rather go to work and feel unsettled about what you are asked to play. Does that still hold true?
ROGER: For sure! I’d rather go to work and leave my job knowing that it was terrible and that I get to come back the next day and make it a little better. The best thing about daytime is how much it will stretch you and pull you and ask as much of it as you are willing to put in.
Now speaking of Franco, what did you think about the wedding reception on the yacht with Elizabeth? Did you think that was a nice payoff for Friz fans?
ROGER: Yes, for sure. I thought it was a really sweet culmination to a sweet story about these two people finding one another. I’m glad they incorporated a large part of the cast. It was a really good idea.
Photo: ABC
What did you think of how all of Elizabeth’s boys (Cameron, Aiden and Jake) performed a song for Franco and their mom at the reception, and how Franco relates to all of them?
ROGER: I think it was a really important story point, and it was nice, and it was easy to play. They’re really good kids, and they’re also terrific people.
Franco really stepped up as a stepdad to Aiden, who had been bullied at school. I loved the cooking scene, where Franco was baking with Aiden. What do you think about their relationship? I love that Franco is being very understanding.
ROGER: I think he’s trying to be understanding. I don’t think he’s really great at it. I think he’s a human being just trying to figure out how to make the best use of his time here, just like the rest of us.
Photo” ABC
General Hospital needed a big jolt with an umbrella story like this that turns the canvas a bit upside down. How does it feel to be at the epicenter of it?
ROGER: I really don’t think I’m the center of the story. I’m not even kidding. The story is that this piece of information is worn on the shoulders of Franco, but the people who are most effected by that piece of information are Kim and Elizabeth.
It will be interesting to see what the reaction is like from the GH audience. You’re not on social media. Will you check out what they are saying … or the feedback?
ROGER: I’m not on social media. But, I believe there is a guy whose job it is to track that initial criticism/support. I think it is kind of cool that we will get real-time reviews, you know what I mean? I actually thought about that because with the character of Franco, it took us a while to figure out who the guy was. There was a lot of blonde hair and some missed cues, and we weren’t sure which relationship would be featured, whether it would be Franco and Ava (Maura West), or whether he would wind up in Carly’s (Laura Wright) arena again. It took a while to figure out the best way to put that guy in the canvas, and I imagine that it will happen again. I didn’t dye my hair for this, but I did cut it. (Laughs)
Photo: ABC
How was working with Billy Miller in this storyline twist? Were you there on his last day on set?
ROGER: Yes, I worked with Billy not on his last day, but on his last show. He was remarkable with dignity and with class, and I wish him all the best. He did a great job. He is a good actor. I’m sure he will find somewhere to go be an actor.
Throughout your soap career, has there been a story that you initially pooh-poohed, but when you did it, you thought, “Oh, this is great!”
ROGER: There was a story when Carly and Franco were together, and they wrote a story where Franco gave Carly a gift that wound up being a camera…
Photo: ABC
The evil-eye necklace!
ROGER: Yes, this small seeing rye. I just thought, every time Franco would come in and say something like, “Oh, you’re wearing the necklace. It’s so beautiful,” while we were doing it, I was like, “Wow. The audience is really going to hate this.” (Laughs) However, my real-time Twitter is the subway, and while it was airing, I got on the train and sat next to this really amazing fan, who just told me how much she loved that story, and I was honestly surprised and pleased. I am often wrong, and it doesn’t surprise me now when I am wrong … because I was really wrong then.
You mentioned Franco with Ava which was a potential pairing. I think you and Maura West have always had great chemistry together on screen.
ROGER: Yes, she’s a pretty great actor. She’s great with everybody.
She is. You knew Maura’s work first when she was at As the World Turns, while you were there, also?
ROGER: I didn’t know her well at As the World Turns, but I knew who she was. She’s a hard worker, and Jack (Michael Park) and Carly always had a lot to do. She was pretty focused when she was there, but I spoke to her. I didn’t feel like I got to know her until I got to work with her on GH.
Photo: JPI
Last month on July 15th would have been the 51st anniversary of One Life to Live. I saw a lot of people commenting and remembering the show on social media that day. I put together four photos on a post I made about that show featuring some of the remarkable actors who were a part of it. From there, I received hundreds of comments of how people were just missing the series, the characters, and actors they loved in it, including you. When you look at the list of people from yourself to Judith Light, to Robin Strasser, Bob Woods, and of course Erika Slezak – it’s such an unbelievably talented group who spent time in Llanview. Do you ever think about what an incredible experience that was, and how the fans still miss that show so much?
ROGER: All the time. I mean, I’m a lucky guy. I think it really was a special building to work in, and the people who we are talking about: Erika (Viki), Bob (Bo), Robin (Dorian), and Phil Carey (Asa), and Clint Richie (Clint), and John Loprieno (Cord), the people who made it possible for me to work there set an environment and a tone that made it a really special place. It was a really good cast, like you said, and there was a lot of opportunity for them to write a really cool story. I wasn’t a part of the AIDS quilt storyline, but to realize that they told a story like that and incorporated that into our show was wonderful.
Photo: JPI
Such an amazing story and One Life was telling socially relevant and important issues of our time, always.
ROGER: I can’t say for certain, but I do believe that the original concept of the Todd, Marty (Susan Haskell), and Powell (Sean Moynihan) storyline was kind of supposed to be initially an effort to bring awareness to a horrible, violent crime. That was a long time before the #MeToo movement. I think it was a show where the writers had a social conscious as well and really brought awareness to a lot of different things. That’s a great legacy and something that show should be very proud of.
Once the character of Todd Manning took off on One Life, and how they found ways to redeem him, and how it spoke to how much the network, the show, and the audience responded to your performances, did you ever feel you had a bit of a safety net as an actor, or were you like, “I’m going to be fired tomorrow?”
ROGER: This is truth: I am so grateful to have a job, and I don’t take anything for granted. I don’t think anybody is safe in this business. I just don’t. I just don’t think anybody gets to say that they’ve arrived. I just did a roundtable, and I shared this with people who have a lot more clout and opportunity than I do – that actors are by nature, the good ones, are aware that every day that you get to go to work is a privilege, and don’t waste it.
Photo: JPI
In soaps, for the most part, when someone is stepping into someone else’s role as a recast, or actor who played one role is changing to another, there seems to be this reactionary period of adjustment, and then, there is acceptance from the audience over time … unless you really stink it up … as you say. (Laughs)
ROGER: Here’s the thing, and this is why I think this is such a great idea, it’s not about me playing this part, it’s about how Elizabeth, who has been on this show for twenty-something years gets to react to it, and giving her the ball. It’s flashy that Franco is Drew, but it is really and Elizabeth/Kim story. I may be the one overacting and stinking it up, but it’s theirs. Do you know what I mean? It’s not my story.
Photo/ABC
What do you want to say to the fans about this new “role” you are taking on at General Hospital?
ROGER: I want to say that I really do appreciate the fans. Here is the thing, they’re down for everything. I hope they’re down for this. It’s a big ask, but I really hope that they like it.
So, what do you think of Roger as Andrew Cain thus far and how the storyline is beginning to take shape? Are you excited to see how Franco becoming Drew (through the mind-mapping procedure) shakes up the canvas? Do you hope Drew returns to be Franco sooner than later? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Franco Looks In The Mirror … And Believing He Is Drew Kisses Kim
This week on General Hospital, viewers have seen that when Franco (Roger Howarth) awoke from his mind-mapping implantation (thanks to Shiloh and Dr Cabot) he woke up saying that he is “Drew Cain”. Thus, as far we know, Franco now carries the life and memories of Drew from 2012 and back, and as of now, has no trace of Franco’s memories.
When Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) and Drew (Billy Miller) try to make Franco understand in his confusion what transpired, Liz brings a mirror to Franco to see his face, which makes this all the more terrifying for him. Liz insists to him that she is wife, but he tells her that he is sorry but he does not recognize her. Franco insists he is going to leave town and Drew asks him to please stay put, as Liz promises that they can reverse what happened to him. But can Liz really promise that?
Later, Scorpio (Tristan Rogers) fills Sam (Kelly Monaco) and Jason (Steve Burton) in on what happened and how Franco now was implanted with Drew’s memories, which leaves them stunned. That means Franco, who is one of the people Jason loathes most in the world – now believes he is Jason’t twin brother.
Meanwhile, as Kim (Tamara Braun) and Julian (William deVry) prepare to leave Port Charles for Manhattan and start live anew, (so Kim can not be haunted by her life in Port Charles from the recent death of her son, Oscar) things are about to make a shocking turn … for her.
Back at GH, Liz is upset when Franco decides he must get out of his hospital room. Liz is scared he will just skip town knowing he feels he has no ties there. Drew reassures her that because he is a version of him, the pull will be way too strong for him to exit Port Charles.
Courtesy/ABC
Kim is now at the hospital getting ready to turn in her resignation letter and runs into Franco. He recognizes her and calls her “Kim!” You can tell he is quite smitten with her. Kim is not sure why Franco is acting that way. She announces she is leaving Port Charles to which he says he is going to come with her. She sees he has a hospital ID bracelet on, so she thinks something has happened. Just then, Franco tells her about the first time Drew Cain and her met up! This shocks Kim … and the next thing you know … he moves in for a major kiss and lip-lock as Drew and Liz look on.
So, what do you think of the story turn thus far that has Franco now with Drew’s memories and with no trace of Franco? Share your thoughts on the twist via the comment section below!
Breaking News
Constance Towers Returns To GH As Helena Cassadine … But Just How Does She Appear?
Now, any General Hospital fan knows that if there is skullduggery and evil going down, Helena Cassadine (whether dead or alive) is usually somehow involved when it comes to the lives of certain people in Port Charles.
And … some major storyline news from TV Line reveals that on next Monday’s August 19th episode of the ABC soap opera, Constance Towers reprises her role as the evil one herself … Helena!
Apparently, look for Helena to appear in a flashback with none other than Shiloh (Coby Ryan McLaughlin) and about Drew Cain’s time in Afghanistan. That scene might hold a key to just what Shiloh wants now that he has implanted Drew’s memories into Franco (Roget Howath), thanks to Dr. Cabot’s work. But could what is revealed also relate to the story that will see Billy Miller (Drew) exit the canvas later this month? Stay tuned.
Viewers last saw Helena alive in story until November of 2016, but then she was part of Jake’s hallucinations that were a part of the chimera storyline that climaxed at the Nurses’ Ball back in May of 2017.
So what do you think Helena’s presence in a flashback will reveal? And, who is ultimately having that flashback? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
GH’s Roger Howarth Chats On Shifting From Franco To Drew & The Stunning Story Twist
Drew Barrymore Daytime Talk Show Pilot In The Works
DAYS Promo: What’s Going To Happen At Jarlena’s Wedding Anniversary Shindig?
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Franco Looks In The Mirror … And Believing He Is Drew Kisses Kim
The Bold and the Beautiful Ratings Winner With Phoebe is Beth Reveal
Constance Towers Returns To GH As Helena Cassadine … But Just How Does She Appear?
DAYS Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf Talk Kristen & Brady’s Twisted Relationship : The Mask, The Deception, The Sex
Kelly Monaco Addresses Billy Miller’s Departure From GH
WATCH THE TRAILER: Dominic Zamprogna Stars In New Short Film, ‘To The Moon and Back’
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Hope To Steffy, “I’m Taking My Daughter & Don’t You Dare Try To Stop Me”
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Will Franco Wake Up As Drew & Become The Next Victim Of Mind-Mapping?
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Hope To Steffy, “I’m Taking My Daughter & Don’t You Dare Try To Stop Me”
Kelly Monaco Addresses Billy Miller’s Departure From GH
DAYS Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf Talk Kristen & Brady’s Twisted Relationship : The Mask, The Deception, The Sex
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Franco To Cameron, “Tell Your Mom I Love Her … And Tell Her I’ll Be Back”
GH’s Roger Howarth Chats On Shifting From Franco To Drew & The Stunning Story Twist
Constance Towers Returns To GH As Helena Cassadine … But Just How Does She Appear?
WATCH THE TRAILER: Dominic Zamprogna Stars In New Short Film, ‘To The Moon and Back’
Daytime Emmys To Merge Younger Actor & Actress Category Into One As Gender-Inclusive Categories Are On The Rise
BH90210 ‘Reboot’ Premiere Scores In The Ratings; But Did You Love It … Or Hate It?
DAYS Promo: What’s Going To Happen At Jarlena’s Wedding Anniversary Shindig?
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Liam Realizes Beth Is Alive As Scott Clifton Delivers Heart-Tugging Performance
David Hedison, AW and Y&R Alum and Star of ‘Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea’ Dies At 92
THIS WEEK: Eileen Davidson Makes a Return to The Young and the Restless
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Jack Wants His Memory Back, But Do You Want Him To Reunite With Jennifer … Or Stay With Eve?
How to Get Away With Murder To End After Its Upcoming Sixth Season
GH’s Friz Wedding Reception Set To Bring Romance, Drama & Plot Twists (Promo)
As Chelsea Makes Her On-Screen Return On Y&R; Melissa Claire Egan Looks Back At Some Of Her Most Memorable Scenes
GH’s Trans Actress Cassandra James On Her Portrayal Of Terry: “It’s Not Lost On Me The Importance Of The Work I’m Doing”
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Thomas’ Turn To The Dark Side Is Getting Creepier! What Is His Next Move?
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General HospitalAugust 10, 2019GENERAL HOSPITAL: Will Franco Wake Up As Drew & Become The Next Victim Of Mind-Mapping?
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RecapsAugust 10, 2019THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Hope To Steffy, “I’m Taking My Daughter & Don’t You Dare Try To Stop Me”
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General HospitalAugust 13, 2019Kelly Monaco Addresses Billy Miller’s Departure From GH
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Days Of Our LivesAugust 13, 2019DAYS Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf Talk Kristen & Brady’s Twisted Relationship : The Mask, The Deception, The Sex
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General HospitalAugust 9, 2019GENERAL HOSPITAL: Franco To Cameron, “Tell Your Mom I Love Her … And Tell Her I’ll Be Back”
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General HospitalAugust 18, 2019GH’s Roger Howarth Chats On Shifting From Franco To Drew & The Stunning Story Twist
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Breaking NewsAugust 13, 2019Constance Towers Returns To GH As Helena Cassadine … But Just How Does She Appear?
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General HospitalAugust 11, 2019WATCH THE TRAILER: Dominic Zamprogna Stars In New Short Film, ‘To The Moon and Back’