General Hospital Commentary: I will buy you a new life

As a war kicks off between Sonny and Sidwell, Kristina and Marco nearly became the first causalities. Meanwhile, Natalia succumbed to her demons — or did she? Is Kai on borrowed time with Trina now that he’s given Drew a head’s up about Curtis’ plans? It’s time to discuss all that and more in a new General Hospital commentary for the week ending July 04, 2025.

My dearest readers, it was an explosive week of drama on General Hospital. From the fire at Charlie’s to Natalia’s OD, to the start of an all-out mob war, to Kai’s betrayal of Trina’s trust, to a much-needed Drew-free week, my notes for this week are extensive.

Where do we even begin to dive in?

I will buy you a new life — away from General Hospital

I’m going to start with Natalia’s death. Let me start by saying I really like Eva LaRue. I was excited to hear she was coming to Port Charles, and I looked forward to her bringing her talents to General Hospital. But the writers stuck her with a dud of a character in Natalia. It wasn’t her acting that made us despise Natalia, it was Natalia’s cruel rejection of her gay children, her keeping her relationship with Sidwell a secret from her friends at Deception, her clinginess to Sonny, and at the end, her inability to be smart and take the sweet deal Sonny was offering her.

This will sound terrible, but if a millionaire gangster offered to bankroll my life and set me up in a sweet condo on some island, I would be packed in 20 minutes. As the song lyric I used as my title says, “I will buy you a new life.” That’s what Sonny offered her for her silence.

Delusions of grandeur

Natalia got it in her head that Sonny was coming with her. Why? They had not so much as kissed – they were not lovers, and Natalia thought Sonny would leave his kids, grandkids, and criminal empire for her? I mean, talk about your delusions of grandeur.

We didn’t know about Natalia’s pill popping and drinking problem until her final days, but maybe all the booze and pills scrambled her brain, and she thought Sonny was her honey. I am not sad to be rid of Natalia, but I hope Eva LaRue can return as a juicier character. I would love to see her come back as one of Sonny’s former dancers, a girl he got hooked on drugs like Karen, who returns years later for revenge on the man who ruined her life and stole her youth. But hey, I have been watching General Hospital since 1977, and many potential storylines are rolling through my head.

Sonny versus Sidwell

Natalia’s death and the fire at Charlie’s have pitted Sonny against Sidwell. Sidwell is a superb villain, a guy I love to hate. It is nice to know he thought he was setting the bar on fire while it was empty and did not intend to endanger Kristina. The look on his face when he realized that Marco could have died in the fire was the first authentic glimpse of humanity we have seen from him.

Marco is now fair game for Sonny in Sonny’s mind. Since Kristina could have died in the fire that Sidwell set, Sonny told Jason that if Marco got caught in the crossfire, it was okay with him. Jason reminded Sonny that Marco just saved Kristen’s life. Still, Sonny replied that if Marco was collateral damage, he doesn’t care, because keeping his family safe is more important to him than a debt of gratitude.

Selina lands in Sonny’s crosshairs

Sidwell setting up Selina Wu for this fire is bound to backfire on him because Selina, Sonny and Jason have an understanding. Jason doesn’t believe that Selina would set up Sonny’s daughter, nor did Dante when the two discussed the fire. I hope that Selina calls Jason or Sonny and tells them that Sidwell framed her. I honestly think they would believe her because she has come through for them in the past.

The one issue I have with this storyline is that Sonny was talking to Jason about Sidwell’s offer to buy his piers, and Sonny was considering it. Jason was supportive, but then Sonny immediately jumped to ‘NO ONE IS TAKING MY PIERS FROM ME!’ without us seeing the state of mind (see what I did there?) that caused Sonny to jump from one extreme to another. Did I miss something? It’s possible. We have had so many storms, power outages, and news interruptions lately that I could have missed some key scenes.

A family affair — and a mystery

So, Natalia overdosed, a mob war is breaking out, but hey, wasn’t that a lovely christening with baby Daisy? Robert and Holly were missing, and other people I assumed would be there, but aside from that, it was a charming occasion. My absolute favorite part of the christening was when Jason, the hit man, renounced Satan. The hesitation was chef’s kiss perfect.

The smile on Michael’s face when Sasha entered the church with Daisy was downright dreamy. But I am worried because I have heard rumors that Sofia Mattson, Sasha’s portrayer, is leaving General Hospital. If that’s the case, it could be that the nursery lurker who puts the baby in a pink onesie and flips her around is Holly, coming to whisk her daughter and granddaughter away.

Plenty of love to go around

I love the new Michael so much, but let’s discuss this. My adoration of Rory Gibson does not mean I am disrespecting Chad Duell.

For instance, I liked all of the Carly’s and the different things they each brought to the character. Sarah Joy Brown, the original, was incredible. Tamara Braun brought amazing things to Carly when she took over the character. Laura Wright is a powerhouse, and I love her as Carly, too. Liking one person doesn’t mean you hate another.

In a non-soap example, I have loved every incarnation of James Bond and everything each new actor brought to the character of 007. My liking Rory is not a diss toward Chad. Chad chose to leave General Hospital of his own accord. I get if he’s peeved now that people like the recast. I have also been slapped with the harsh reality that I am expendable and someone else can take my place at many jobs. But I appreciated everything he brought to the role, and now I also greatly appreciate his replacement.

A future for Michael and Sasha?

I hope it’s not true about the end of Sofia’s run on General Hospital because I like Michael and Sasha together, and I want Willow to suffer watching them build a happy family. Is that mean? Yes, but they aren’t real people, so I don’t need to feel guilty. Since no one pays for their sins in real life anymore, I want to see fictional characters reap the consequences of the chaos they sow.

I also want Drew to pay, but by all accounts, Cameron Mathison isn’t going anywhere. I am fine with that if we find out the current Drew is Shiloh in disguise, he gets hauled off to Pentonville, and the real Drew emerges and is the kind, gentle, and loving man who carved Scout’s name into the wall a million times.

If Sofia Mattson is leaving and the plan is for Willow and Michael to reunite, I want her to have to work for it. I want her to get her family back, but slowly. No more overnight brush-offs of sins and crimes, like Sonny killing Jagger in cold blood, and no one ever mentioning Jagger’s name again, as if he had never existed.

The Capulets and Montagues of General Hospital

As to other couples, let’s talk about Lucas and Marco. I have enjoyed watching them get to know one another, and I was initially rooting for them as a couple. But now? They don’t have legs. Lucas and Marco are the Capulet and Montague of Port Charles. They will be on two opposing sides of a mob war, which doesn’t bode well for them.

Besides — as much as I like Marco — heaven help me, I am still rooting for Parry Shen to come back to town when Brad discovers that Britt is still alive. I know Brad is an untrustworthy and opportunistic fellow, but I can’t help but love him.

What do the General Hospital writers have in store for us?

That is, if Britt is actually Britt.

I have heard some real whackadoo theories on this. Some have speculated that Britt will be a clone that Dr. O created in her lab. Others have speculated that Kelly Thiebaud is coming back as a totally new character. A few think it’s just Britt who never died and was somehow saved from the Hook’s lethal poison. While others suggest that Britt had amnesia and just now remembered who she was.

These theories are all just wild guesses until Thiebaud shows up and we see for ourselves who she is playing. I am looking forward to her return.

A few disgruntled voices

I have seen posts from people who are mad about Thiebaud’s return — just as they were angry about Jonathan Jackson’s return — because each actor had left to do other things and then came back. Are you kidding me? If someone offered you a job making more money and having new experiences, are you telling me that you’d say no? I surely wouldn’t. If I were making 100k a year, and someone said, “Hey, come do 10 episodes of our show and we will pay you 300K,” would you turn down triple your annual salary out of loyalty to your company? I seriously doubt it.

My favorite example is Wally Kurth, who has found a way to star in two soaps on two different networks. That makes him a genius.

A new nemesis, an old playbook

Readers, ADA Turner wants to take down Sonny, but I think she already has a crush on him. She wouldn’t let Diane in to see him, thinking she could sweet-talk him into telling her something. Instead, Sonny got her to admit that she was partially responsible for Natalia’s overdose.

Next up, a romantic stop at his island casino in Puerto Rico and a lovely new dress.

Josslyn’s mission

Joss confessed to Vaughn that one of her motivations for joining the WSB was to get high enough in the organization to bring down Sonny. Girl, get over yourself.

First, Josslyn and Michael had evidence to bring Sonny down, but they ultimately decided to toss it and not use it. Second, many have tried and failed. Third, if Joss brought down Sonny, Carly would never forgive her. Joss is such a little brat. Sonny has helped her out so many times.

It also bothers me that everyone automatically blames Sonny for the fire at Charlie’s. In truth, Kristina has committed crimes of her own. Maybe Ric or Ava was setting fire to Charlie’s in retaliation for her cutting the brake lines. Maybe T.J. snapped and set fire to Charlie’s for Kristina picking a fight with Ava and losing his baby. Perhaps it was a deranged Dawn of Day devotee stalking Kristina for her part in taking down Shiloh. Maybe it was one of Blaze’s crazed fans lighting Charlie’s on fire because she thinks Krissy broke Alison’s heart?

Sure, it isn’t one of those things, but it very well could be. Kristina is no saint in her own right.

The blame game

As to Alexis, Sonny’s main accuser, maybe it’s one of the Cassadines retaliating for Alexis who is stealing from baby Ace’s trust fund. Yes, Sonny is a mobster, but there are very few people in Port Charles who are not guilty of something. When everyone looks down their nose smugly at Sonny, their lists of crimes populate in my soap computer brain.

Where will the people in Port Charles go for beers now? Maybe more people who aren’t even staying at the Metro Court will start hanging around the pool for cocktails. You know, I worked in the travel industry for decades, and if you want to visit a resort pool where you are not staying, you have to pay a hefty day pass fee. Not to mention that they only sell them on slow days. And you can’t take your 5-year-old there for swim lessons. But hey, it’s a soap.

Brook Lynn’s revenge

Readers, I am peeved at BLQ. Lulu should have minded her own business, but that didn’t give Brook Lynn license to hurt Rocco. He already lost his stepmom, already had his little sister move away, had his mother come out of a coma, and is trying to get to know her all over again, and now Brooke Lynn is throwing this at him? She told Maxie she decided not to go through with it, but she carelessly left her folder lying around where the boys could find it. She has blown up Rocco’s life for no reason but petty revenge.

Mind you, I get the inclination. Lulu said she never lies to her kids, and BLQ knew Lulu had, but as Maxie pointed out, Lulu has been in a coma for four years, and it’s not like she would have brought that up immediately after coming out of a coma.

At least we are setting up the traumas that will drive the next generation of General Hospital characters to make horrible decisions and keep us in soapy plots for decades.

Portia’s rocky marriage

Meanwhile, across town, Portia text messaged Jordan from Curtis’ phone and set up a little seduction with Curtis for Jordan to walk in on. I can’t decide right now if I am sicker of Drew or Portia. Okay, it’s Drew, but only by a hair.

It was Portia who decided to fake the results of Heather Webber’s medical tests, Portia who lied about it, got busted by Brad, who pushed him until he told Drew, got blackmailed by Drew, and then manipulated Curtis into doing Drew’s bidding. All of that is on Portia. But she’s blaming Jordan for being Curtis’ friend when he desperately needs one. I hope Curtis drops Portia and bolts back to Jordan lickety-split. I want Portia to be in the “You lose!” category with Willow.

Kai’s betrayal

But even more so, I am angry at Kai for breaking Trina’s confidence and telling Drew what he knows about Curtis and Portia.

Kai was sitting at the pool with Trina, with a giant smile, ever so charming, all the while knowing he outed her parents to his creepy benefactor. It’s time for Spencer to come back from the dead because Kai is not worthy of Trina. No way, no how. If Alexander Chavez isn’t interested in reprising the role, let the casting director who picked a new Michael pick a new Spencer for us, too.

A final word about Cody

Last but not least, I want to say I have loved Josh Kelly as Cody.

I have heard that Kelly is off contract, and maybe that means he is still there but only occasionally, or he’s gone for good. As of this writing, I don’t know. But I was enjoying Cody’s budding relationship with Molly and his flirtations with Ava, and I hope both of those continue. Kelly’s character is a joy and a comic relief sometimes when things get too heavy. I also love Cody’s friendships with Tracy, Dante, Mama Q, Lulu, and BLQ. And he’s Mac’s son, Maxie’s cousin/brother, and James’ uncle.

He’s a well-rounded character who interacts with a lot of the cast. Don’t be so quick to send him away.

What will happen tomorrow, dear readers?

Will Mac and Felicia adopt Daisy when Sasha disappears? Now that Jason has renounced Satan, will he become the new priest at All Saints? Will Marco give up his legal practice to avoid doing Sidwell’s dirty work and become the new chef at Bobbie’s?

Is Wiley going to want to attend five swimming lessons daily in the hope of running into his mommy? Will Selina’s thugs, who poured gas on every inch of Charlie’s, get busted for smelling like diesel? Can someone please talk to Kristina about not trying to put out a three-alarm fire by yourself with a kitchen fire extinguisher and instead run out the same back door you came in?

Can anyone explain why there were so many guitars burning in Charlie’s, even though we have never seen any musicians in there? Will anyone call Blaze and let her know that her mom died? Are Gio and Emma going to take down Professor Dalton, or will his rumored partner, Dr O, return and get in their way? Will Joss and Vaughn keep randomly, awkwardly kissing for no reason, or will they become an actual super spy couple?

Finally, will you come and follow me on Twitter? I’m back with my same old handle, @tamilu40

Only tomorrow knows, dear readers, and I will tune in tomorrow as long as there are tomorrows.