Report Card:General Hospital

A critical look at life in Port Charles.

In May 2016, when we last assessed the overall state of GH, we noted that the show felt like one in transition, as Co-Head Writers Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante were “still contending with stories not of their own creation” (i.e., ones inherited from previous chief scribe Ron Carlivati). Now, it feels like another big transition is a-comin’, not only because Passanante has just retired (material she worked on with Altman will continue to air for several months), but because of a swarm of major casting changes — chief among them, the imminent return of Steve Burton, last seen in Port Charles as Jason in 2012 — that is destined to make a major impact on the on-screen product as the show moves into fall.

The summer of storytelling that is winding to a close has been a mixed bag. There has been a stop/start quality to a good chunk of the show’s ongoing tales, some of which was unavoidable. For example, Franco reportedly only disappeared (leaving leading lady Rebecca Herbst, Elizabeth, with lamentably little to do) because Roger Howarth’s contract renewal went down to the wire, and Maxie only moved to Portland because Kirsten Storms needed a break for personal reasons. It’s the stuff that we can't quite so easily pin to off camera reality that we take issue with. A few cases in point: Outside of the occasional phlebotomy appointment, the blood cancer diagnosis Anna received in February has had basically no discernible impact on the character or her storyline. And while the much-anticipated return of Ashley Jones as Parker is giving Lexi Ainsworth (Kristina) an on-screen purpose again, the character has, rather bafflingly, been all but sidelined this year. So, too, has Lucas (does he even know his sister nearly died in the very hospital where he works?).