Making The Rounds at General Hospital – Caught In the Act

With so many of the show’s characters messing around where they shouldn't, it was only a matter of time before their significant others would catch them. Elizabeth walked in on Lucky and Maxie in a passionate embrace, and Alexis and Jason both witnessed Ric and Sam in the act. The result? Obviously Elizabeth and Jason ended up in each other's arms and bed.

I've said it before, the way they've been switching up the couples on this show is frustrating and the fallback to stereotypical soap behavior of everyone sleeping around is not only disheartening, but also not entertaining. The writers have said it was necessary to tie up loose ends on current storylines, but I think it's a lazy way to stir up the pot and cause turmoil.

There has been an odd twist to this "old standby" plotline. It would seem, in spite of these trysts, two couples are actually going to end up staying together. On Friday's episode, Elizabeth agreed to stand by her man as long as he sought treatment for his drug addiction and stayed away from Maxie. However, About's Scoops and Spoilers is reporting he will do neither. General Hospital Happening Two is also leaking that Jason will be there for Sam as she deals with Alexis' diagnosis.

Alexis only confided the seriousness of her cough (lung cancer) to Sam at the end of Friday's episode. I can't help but wonder if the show will handle yet another medical story line with the same care for details as they have recently. As happy as I am to see the show make this directional turn toward medicine and away from the mob, they don't have the best history for staying true to them. (We don't have to look any further back than the epidemic for proof of that.)

A non-smoker with lung cancer is certainly topical and could shed a lot of light on a sometimes misunderstood occurrence. My fear is this storyline will only be used to bring mom and daughter closer together despite everything that has happened between the two of them.

Topping the not-so-surprising list this week was Lulu discovering she was pregnant. As Georgie and Dillon celebrated their divorce, and recommitted themselves to being patient and letting their love mature on its own, Lulu learned she was a casualty of the condoms' five percent failure rate. Georgie learned the news first, having overhead the teen's phone conversation with a clinic, accompanied Lulu to her appointment, and encouraged her to tell Dillon the truth.

As is always the case with Dillon, he took it to extremes as his perception turned seeing him and Lulu not only as parents but also as a married couple. (Major props to Scott Clifton for these well-acted scenes on Friday's show.) His reaction only upset Lulu more and she later confided in Georgie she is strongly considering an abortion. What I'm anxious to see is reactions from the teen’s families, especially Luke, Tracy, and Laura (assuming she will still be pregnant when Genie Francis makes her return in October.)

What has been a delight to watch this week has been the evolution of Dr. Patrick Drake. Whether he was defending April's right to stay at General to the number crunching Ms. Sneed (whose only purpose for existing seems to be for one Dr. Drake or the other to yell at) or telling Robin he thinks he could quite possibly, maybe someday love her, Patrick was in top form as he dealt with his exposure to HIV.

The young doctor also dined with Anna, who expressed concern for what Robin was going through, again being forced to face her own mortality as well as the mortality of one she loves. Look for her emotional boat to be further rocked later this week when, according to Soapzone, her and Patrick's AIDS patient, April, dies on what would be Stone's birthday.

Casting News: According to Soap Central, Ben Hogestyn (Lucas) has signed a contract with Bold and the Beautiful. General Hospital plans to recast the role.