Earlier today news broke that Steve Burton has signed with the Young and the Restless and will play Victor's "partner," according to a tweet by Nancy Lee Grahn.
It has been a little over 2 months since we last saw Steve grace our screens and, when it was announced in late August the popular actor planned to leave, fans were reeling. Initially the actor stated he wanted to move from Los Angeles to Nashville to raise his young family in a rural setting vs. big city.
Upon learning Steve is making the jump to the long-running CBS daytime drama, fans took to twitter in a frenzy, with some feeling it to be a betrayal. Others blame the new regime at General Hospital, Executive Producer Frank Valentini and Head Writer Ron Carlivati for Steve's decision to leave after 21 years on GH. I completely disagree with that statement.
As some fans know from Steve's events, he was very vocal about his disdain for the direction of his character over the past several years. In the last couple of years the previous regime continued to desecrate not only Steve's character, but also Maurice Benard's, and fans were screaming to bring back the real Jason Morgan/Sonny Corinthos. While the Franco storyline was intriguing at the beginning, by September 2011 it had taken a dark turn when Sam was sexually assaulted as a helpless Jason watched...on their honeymoon! Next up- who's child is Sam carrying? Franco's or Jason's? DNA switches, Jason's refusal to accept the baby...seriously? Of course who could forget the tragic storyline of Jake's death? It was taxing on the entire cast and fans were in an uproar over that storyline.
Then, if some recall, this time last year they planned to make Jason the hooker stalker/killer, happening during "blackouts" due to his brain injury. I've learned that behind the scenes Steve was very upset by this. During a fan event he stated he didn't even recognize his character any more. One of the things Cartini did immediately was drop that storyline, as well as clean up several others in preparation of resetting the show.
On the social media circuit this evening, fan wars again flared up between Jasam (Jason and Sam) and Liason groups (Liz and Jason), which I was dismayed to see. Most are touting the integration of 3 contract One Life To Live characters added to the GH roster as the reason for Steve's decision. I disagree with this as well. Cartini has successfully brought back GH veterans with main storylines focusing on the show's 50 year history. Our favorite villains have returned, effectively bringing past storylines fan's loved to the forefront. I could understand fans feeling like the integrated characters were taking over if the storylines were all about OLTL, but they're not! Nor have they been! Frank and Ron have turned a show around that was truly on the brink of cancellation, in less than a year, and instead of enjoying what we are seeing fans continue to find fault.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Janet
I will miss him so very much...like loosing a family member!! Hope he is happy wherever he is. (:
2 - debbie
Happy for Steve he had a right ti do what makes him happy.
3 - Chrissy
Thak you for your positive comments! Appreciate it! :)
4 - MaryLou Ramirez
I love Steve going to Y&R make him Sharons new love do not put her with Adam Steve will be better for her.
5 - Laural
I sure hoped to see Steve come back to GH. I have been a huge fan for years. He is truly missed and I feel the void in this show from his departure. I hope that the door is open to return if he ever reconsiders.
6 - Kristy
I just think he should have been truthful and not used an excuse on why he was leaving and just came clean.
7 - myra guidroz
dont watch like i use to it is not the same,hope Jason will come back for a visit.
8 - Alesiawhite
I say fallow your dreams steve, and fan's will fallow to, it gonna be hard to see steve do a different character but can't blame him for wanting the move, Steve tweets alot and enjoy seeing his presents on Twitter, Best of luck to steve I know Y&R/GH Are now two show I will be watching now :)
9 - sanderella1
I am sorry to see him leave GH...hope in a couple of years he shows up again!!
10 - GALE
I THINK IT IS THE FAULT OF THE WRITERS ON GH.I STARTING WATCHING GH AFTER MANY YEARS AND I WAS UNHAPPY WITH SOME OF THE STORYLINES ,SO I AGAIN QUIT WATCHING. GOOD FOR YOU STEVE,I WILL MAKE SURE TO WATCH YOU ON Y&R.
11 - Linda Cookingham
GH has has a huge void to fill when Steve left. They can bring back all the oldies but goodies as much as they want(and AJ?Really?)but my interest is gone. Sonny didn't even try to find out what happened to his best friend. The show is lost. Call when Jason comes back. I will watch Steve where ever he goes.
12 - Dawn
I wish gh would get back to Jason/sonny the way they were. I can understand the show bringing back people from the past but not at the expense of the other characters that we as fans have been watching for years. As far as the people in charge you can tell they are from oltl because the story lines are dragging and they are watering down powerful characters and not staying true to there history. Pls bring back general hospital and their actors ie; Jason, Luke, Laura, lucky, ethan, Nicholas, Morgan, even jax. And bring back sonny, Carly, Tracy, olive. They have all been watered down. No more ghost and get rid of aj,johnny,lady doctor. I could go on but then we might end up with general hospital.
13 - tevans
If I recall Steve Burton said he was leaving the show , LA & moving to TN to raise his family .
He has a right to go to a new show and yes it does feel like betrayal and a lie when he goes to another LA based show .
Can we say burning bridges ?
14 - lilchrissy
Well Tevans, please remember, the man has a family to support. He's an actor & for years actors go from soap to soap. Genie Francis, Stephen Nichols, Mary Beth Evans to name a few. I think it was time he did something different and fans should understand that. Thanks for your comment though... we'll agree to disagree on it! LOL :P
15 - Dolores Fisher
Steve Burton is Jason Morgan dont go to YR. He is so missed.
16 - Lisa
Will follow steve to the next show he is on. Gh deff not the same with bringing the characters from one life to live.
17 - Lisa
After all the episodes Steve played as Jason very week way to let him leave the show, like REALLY could not comeup with something better and fitted his character better.What a disappointment
18 - Jen holiday
Steven is a liar this has been planned for months if your going to leave be honest about why don't preach about your family and spending time with them
And say god bless all the time then lie at the same .I think the new writer are doing a great job and love the characters oltl and old character coming back been watch gh for over 30 and Y&R . Y&R is so boring and slow moving you can miss year and still catch up. Stop blaming gh writer for his decision .
19 - kacee
I dont watch the Y&R its much to slow and actually I was quite surprised to hear this, just isnt right,doesnt say much for his fans now does it?
20 - Nana smiles
I have watched GH and Y&R for years Y&R since
It's beginnings. GH has list something. When
they kill off key characters like they never
mattered it definitely went down. I used
to love watching and talking about the next
storyline. Not so much anymore and yes
they are dragging storylines out way
tooooo long. I prefer Y&R any day if the week
21 - lorie
I will b glad to see Steve come to y& r, just don't put him with Sharon she is a quack that deserves to be alone
22 - MARYJANE VAN FOSSEN
I loved Steve aka Jason Morgan and the show plain SUCKS without him! Carly is lost, Sonny is lost, and so is Michael. They have noone to go to NOW!! But people no body was every recovered to actually say Jason is dead, so I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THEY LEFT THE DOOR OPEN FOR JASON TO COME BACK IF HE WANTS TO WOULDN'T YOU???? Hurry back Jason we MISS YOU!!!
23 - debbie
plpease give him what he wants and put him back on general hospitial i am at the piont of not watching general anymore because of this decision to kill off steve [jason] and watch only y&r
24 - Rhonda
Vampire story-line on GH is turning me away.
25 - j pink
Wow really vampire so stupid.