Credit: ABC screenshots

General Hospital was a bit all over the place this week, and some of the stories are a hot mess. An international criminal free to roam around Port Charles, legal squabbles over children that make no sense, and the ruination of Cody and the propping up of Natalia are just some of the stories the soap served up this week.

So Long, Michael!

Before heading off to Germany for treatment for his burns, Michael muttered Sasha’s name a few times to his mother. We don’t know if he said anything else to her, but she is with him in Germany for now, so there could be ample time for him to tell her about Sasha. That would be bad news for poor Sasha, as Carly will be up in her business 24/7!

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The Heart of Sonny’s Problems

Not only does Sonny have someone trying to kill him, but he can’t ignore his heart issues any longer. They could have crafted a good whodunit story out of the bombing of his penthouse, but knowing Jenz Sidwell is in the shipping business, it just seems like he’s the one who did it so as to have no issue shipping whatever he wants out of Port Charles or into it. Even Anna made the connection that Sidwell arrived in Port Charles just as Sonny’s penthouse was bombed.

Natalia’s coming to Sonny’s rescue was just a blatant attempt to make the audience like her, and it further endears her to Sonny. It all feels like the show is working overtime to justify keeping Natalia around while giving Blaze the axe. Sonny looks to be headed to L.A. soon for treatment, and no doubt Natalia will be going with him to keep pushing her character on the viewers. Just like “fetch,” it’s time to stop trying to make Natalia happen!

Michael’s Children

As I noted last week, I’m glad several characters pointed out that Tracy had kidnapped Amelia and Wiley, was holding them hostage and has no legal right to them. That said, Tracy and Martin’s interactions at the PCPD were wonderfully hilarious. It would be a big missed opportunity if the writers don’t exploit their chemistry and romantically pair them.

Tracy’s motives to hold onto the kids “because Monica wants them in the house” just feels flimsy. Especially when we won’t see or hear from Monica about this matter, and it’s all coming from Tracy. Is Monica hanging onto them as a last link to A.J.? Or is this part of a possible storyline building on Tracy’s comments about her concern for Monica’s health and perhaps that her mental faculties are declining, too?

The agreement Willow and Tracy came to, for Willow and the kids to stay in the gatehouse, was another example of a deal with no legal backbone to it. Nothing is stopping Willow from taking those kids and leaving, which, fortunately, she made clear to Tray by the end of this week. The one positive about this pointless agreement is that Willow stood up to Drew and made this decision despite his urging her not to, and she stood up to Tracy, threatening to reinstate the kidnapping charges against her. Maybe there is hope for Willow yet!

Jenz Moves In

A lot of viewers have commented on the idiocy of this storyline involving Jenz Sidwell, who was initially painted as some international diamond-smuggling terrorist and has now just moved into Port Charles without any legal issues. Despite Anna and Jack Brennan both knowing his name and reputation when he was first introduced, there are no warrants out for his arrest, and Interpol considers him a person of interest. Yeah, this doesn’t compute!

But the show needed a reason to bring him to Port Charles, and it’s not like the city doesn’t have a ton of powerful criminals walking around free! And yes, I know this is a soap, and we often have to suspend reality for the sake of storytelling. The past two weeks, though, have had the audience really having to suspend its beliefs over what is and isn’t illegal, from Tracy’s kidnapping the kids to Jenz moving into Wyndemere!

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Final Storyline Ponderings

Jack Brennan showing up in Germany to check on Carly was a pleasant surprise. More importantly, being away from Port Charles and all the naysayers whispering in Carly’s ear about the WSB agent gives her and Jack a chance to explore the sexual chemistry between them.

Speaking of chemistry, Ric and Ava’s kiss this week was unexpected, but at the same time, we’ve been anticipating it happening. But in a rundown, dingy old brownstone apartment? I didn’t expect that to spark a passionate moment between them.

Tracy pulling rank and hiring Lulu at Deception is likely going to make a mess of the finally smooth-sailing business. Brook Lynn and Lulu will try to get along, but the secret about her past pregnancy will blow that all out of the water.

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Can we just cut it with the Drew and Curtis meetings at Aurora? The audience hates Drew as is, so we don’t need to have these pointless scenes, which seem to only reiterate that Drew has become an awful person.

Joss, Lucky and Elizabeth all descending on Turning Woods to find evidence against Cyrus gives me hope this storyline will soon end and the motives behind what Cyrus is doing will be revealed.

When Brick set up Sonny’s doctor’s appointment in L.A., he mentioned they couldn’t let the five families get wind of Sonny’s condition. But… aren’t Sonny and Selina Wu all that’s left of the original five families? Oh, and as for Brick, dude, you are no competition for Isaiah, so cut your losses and stop creeping on Jordan!

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Finally, Cody, Cody, Cody… What a mess they’ve made of his character and story! However, this latest blunder may have been to put him in Molly’s orbit and test the waters for them as a potential couple.

That’s it for this week’s opinions on General Hospital. Please join in the conversation and leave your thoughts in the comments below!