What’s In! What’s Out! GENERAL HOSPITAL

In! Space Exploration GH has become a set-refreshing juggernaut, adding polish and sophistication to formerly tired domestic locales (the Corinthos home, Nina’s penthouse, the Quartermaine mansion and gatehouse), and giving local commerce a boost via the introduction (or, in the case of the Port Charles Grill, reintroduction) of new hotspots like Curtis’s club, The Savoy. We’ve also recently gotten our first glimpses into the living quarters of characters like Scott (who’d been confined to permanent residency at the Metro Court), Portia and Trina (whose living situation had been a mystery), and this summer, we’ve been treated to the splashy (pun intended) new rooftop pool and deck atop the hotel. These improvements can’t have come cheap, but the payoff is tremendous: a lighter, brighter, more beautiful backdrop for all the P.C. action.

Out! Marrying For Love It says a lot about the state of romance on GH that the last nuptials between a bride and groom who were genuinely in love took place in February 2019 — and the vows between the duo in question, Franco and Liz, were exchanged between prison bars. Since then, we’ve seen Ava blackmail her way into becoming Mrs. Nikolas Cassadine (they fell in love post-marriage, but are currently divorcing), and Willow enter into not one but two unions to a husband she wasn’t in love with (first Michael, in order to help him secure custody of Wiley, then Chase, in “I do’s” that took place on what they both — wrongly, it turns out — believed was his deathbed). Next up in the wedding queue? Jason and Carly, who got engaged to safe- guard the status of the Corinthos organization against a challenge from the Novaks.

In! Quick Rebounds What becomes of the brokenhearted? In Port Charles these days, a fast track into a new relationship, apparently. Examples abound, starting with perhaps the most controversial among fans: In December 2020, Sam split from Jason in the wake of the explosion at The Floating Rib (the same one that rendered the love of Dante’s life, Lulu, comatose); by July 2021, he’d bedded Britt, and Sam and Dante were smooching on the pier. It’s only been four months since Anna and Finn went their separate ways, but their wounds don’t seem so fresh, given that she’s locking lips with Valentin and he’s making goo-goo eyes at colleague/accomplice Liz (herself a widow of all of five months). Across town, Sasha and Michael threw in the towel in April — a few months later, she’s having a baby with Brando — while Curtis, whose divorce from Jordan isn’t official yet, has moved on with Portia. And in Nixon Falls, Nina bounced back from Jax in record time, falling for “Mike”. So, take heart, Spinelli, whose long-term love Ellie recently left him: You’ll probably be juuuust fine, and soon.

In! Shared Quartermaine Quarters It’s a good thing this mansion has wings aplenty, given how many figures are walking in and out of its doors on the daily. Michael settled in with his son, Wiley, and soon, wife Willow; when they got an annulment, he resettled her into the gatehouse, where she is now residing with hubby Chase (making for an enviable commute time for cheaters Michael and Willow as they sneak around behind Chase’s back). Ned tossed Brook Lynn out of the house last year, but when they made amends and she returned to town with an expanded belly, she not only unpacked her suitcases but came with bonus guests: cuckolded “baby daddy” Valentin; his daughter, Charlotte; and Yuri, her stoic bodyguard — and they’ve since been joined by Bailey (a.k.a. Maxie’s daughter, Louise, who Brook Lynn is passing off as her own). Even though Ned took his leave after Olivia discovered that he’d strayed with Alexis, and temporary resident Dante headed back to his place with Rocco, Monica’s house hasn’t been this packed in years!

Out! Staying Local While we’re not saying Port Charles isn’t currently a hotbed of all manner of soapy drama, a ton of key action is taking place elsewhere on the map. Sonny’s amnesiac stay as “Mike” in Nixon Falls, PA, which is well into its eighth month, has given us his twisted romance with Nina, introduced us to Lenny and Phyllis, and featured cameo appearances by Jax, Trina and Josslyn. Closer to home, Maxie gave birth in the woods in Pautuck and handed off her baby to Brook Lynn there after giving psycho nurse Marie (a.k.a. Fake Chloe) the ultimate slip (Marie fell into a mineshaft and died); the ensuing investigation into Louise’s fate brought visits from Dante, Sam, Anna and Valentin; while the hiking doc who assisted in the delivery, Austin, decided to trade in the simple life in Pautuck in favor of a position at G.H. — and a big move to stake his claim on the Quartermaine/ELQ legacy denied his late father, Edward’s illegitimate son Jimmy Lee Holt.