Tugging at Heartstrings: A Critic’s Analysis of General Hospital’s Impactful Backstory and Moments of Pure Joy
When it comes to General Hospital, every fan has their own opinion – and Soap Hub is no different. For five days, we sat and watched the good, the bad, and everything in between, and now we offer you a handy review, and a cheeky critique, of the GH week that was.
General Hospital: The Critic’s POV
Seeing as how Austin (Roger Howarth) is the very embodiment of Chris and Dan’s/Dan and Chris’s lamentable “throw something at the wall and see what sticks” writing style, it was downright jarring to hear that semi-addressed in Thursday’s airshow.
At the onset he was a “long lost, forgotten Quartermaine” bound and determined to get a piece of the pie — and, barring restitution, REVENGE! — but that just sorta…petered out. Then he was briefly Maxie’s (Kirsten Storms) White Knight, but that was royally botched. Next up, he’s the white sheep of a backwoods mafia dynasty put under the thumb of his big, bad cousin Mason (Nathanyael Grey) and then just as suddenly he’s availing himself to Ava (Maura West).
I could have probably gotten behind an Ava/Austin pairing had Austin actually been a fully realized character with a set backstory and a throughline from day one rather than a cipher whose being was determined on a whim and a few keystrokes. But at this point in time, I just don’t care.
Further GH Musings
* A Jeff Kober [Cyrus Renault] sighting! *Squeal* But what about Drew’s (Cameron Mathison) imminent arrival has gotten him so giddy? Is he hoping to make a new convert?
* Am I supposed to hate Curtis (Donnell Turner)? Because, if so, great job! Mission accomplished. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that the character is still supposed to have some rooting value. If that’s the case, then it would behoove TPTB to write him as less a hypocritical ass and more a man truly torn between two great loves, beset by inner turmoil that he’s failing to fathom.
Portia (Brook Kerr) too is a character approaching untenable territory. Here she is, a medical professional, abusing her position in order to manipulate Esme (Avery Kristen Pohl) all in an effort to drive a wedge between Trina (Tabyana Ali) and Spencer (Nicholas Alexander Chavez).
Ugh, Spencer. His attacks [literally and otherwise] on Dex (Evan Hoffer) are really starting to grate. Of course, this latest act of violence was dictated solely so we could get those scenes of Spencer and Esme getting chummy.
