Hold onto your IV drips, "General Hospital" fans, because the drama in Port Charles is reaching fever pitch! A beloved character makes a ghostly return, a fan-favorite actor departs (again!), and new faces are popping up faster than patients in the ER. Is this a desperate attempt to boost ratings or a recipe for disaster?
Remember Morgan Corinthos, the troubled but lovable son of mob boss Sonny Corinthos? After a fiery car explosion in 2016, fans mourned his tragic demise. But like any good soap opera, death is rarely the end.
Bryan Craig, who earned a Daytime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Morgan, recently reprised his role for a special one-episode appearance. However, instead of a miraculous resurrection, Morgan returned as a ghost, appearing to his father in a heart-wrenching scene.
While Craig expressed gratitude for the opportunity to revisit the character and work with his on-screen dad, Maurice Benard (Sonny), he also admitted, "I’m surprised that they haven’t recast the role in such a long time.”
His words ignited a firestorm of speculation amongst fans. Could Morgan’s return be a sign of things to come?
"They wouldn't bring Bryan back unless they had something bigger planned," one fan theorized on Twitter. "Morgan's alive, I tell you, alive!"
Another commented, "My heart can’t handle this! First, they kill off Morgan, and now they're teasing us with ghostly visits? Bring him back full-time already!"
While fans hold out hope for a more permanent Morgan comeback, "General Hospital" has been busy welcoming a slew of new (and returning) cast members. Veteran soap star Rick Hearst is back as Ric Lansing, much to the chagrin of some viewers who haven't forgotten his character's less-than-saintly past.
“Ugh I hated Ric Lansing,” one fan grumbled on X (formerly Twitter).
“He was a criminal who was busy kidnapping women…yet was a lawyer who acted like a saint.”
Adding to the casting carousel is the arrival of Emma Samms, reprising her role as Holly Sutton, and newcomers Jordan Murphy and Gita Reddy in yet-to-be-revealed roles.
The question on everyone's mind: is "General Hospital" throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks? The recent cast shakeups, particularly the decision to bring back Bryan Craig only to say goodbye again, have left some viewers feeling frustrated and confused.
"Doing unnecessary casting instead of delivering consistently good stories," one fan lamented on social media.
Another echoed the sentiment: "This show is on its last legs, and this is the best you can come up with? I thought you wanted to save the show and not crash it even further.
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Only time will tell if these drastic measures will breathe new life into the long-running soap or alienate its loyal fanbase. One thing's for sure, the drama in Port Charles is far from over.
