Daytime TV Performer of the Week: Kathleen Gati Is Making ‘General Hospital’ Wicked Fun Once More

Kathleen Gati — 'General Hospital'
ABC

It’d be easy to play an antagonist like Dr. Leisl Obrecht as an eyebrow-raising, one dimensional super-villain, but the talented Kathleen Gati has always injected her General Hospital character with a love of family, wit, humanity, intelligence, and a strong sense of pragmatism.

Gati’s return to GH has injected Port Charles with some much-needed energy and has earned the actress TV Insider’s Daytime Performer of the Week honors.

Many grandmothers err on the side of caution when it comes to their grandchildren holding sharp objects. Not Gati’s Dr. O. She instructed grandson James (Gary James Fuller) on the proper way to throw an axe. “The key is to hone in on your target just as one does during the hunt,” Leisl shared with James. “Never lose sight of anything you want to achieve.”

With James’s Oma offering him advice like this, we can imagine what Maxie’s (Kirsten Storms) next parent/teacher night at school is going to be like. Move over, Josslyn (Eden McCoy). Maybe the World Security Bureau (WSB) will recruit James to be its newest and youngest agent?

Part of the fun of Leisl sharing dabs of wisdom like this to youngsters is watching the reactions of the grownups around them. Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) cringed as James listened intently to Leisl’s suggestions on how to hit the bullseye. Gati’s return to GH is a reminder that a rising tide lifts all boats.

Gati plays Dr. O with such delightful wickedness that her entrances whet our appetites for what’s to come. “Herr Morgan, we meet again,” Leisl quietly and almost threateningly proclaimed after spotting Jason (Steve Burton), her “late” daughter Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) beau from a distance at the Metro Court pool. How does one not stay tuned after a setup like that?

On numerous occasions, Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) has thanked Drew (Cameron Mathison) for saving her life when she needed a bone marrow transplant, and while he certainly played a role in all that (in his more heroic days), it was Leisl, Willow’s aunt, who provided the life-saving marrow.

It only made sense for Dr. O to be at Willow’s wedding. But the scenes we truly can’t wait to see are the ones between Britt and her “Mutter,” as Leisl is affectionately referred to.

“It is a gift to me to see you in such good health and so happy,” Leisl warmly told her great niece. And she meant it. Sure, Dr. O can easily “cut a bitch,” but she’s also capable of showing great warmth and affection to her family. She doesn’t mince words or suffer fools gladly, but if she’s on your side, you’re likely going to win.

Another example of Leisl’s softer side was when she gently approached Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) and consoled her on the loss of her child, Samantha (Kelly Monaco). “My condolences of the loss of your daughter,” Leisl gently told Alexis. “We are members of a terrible club.”

Does Leisl know that Britt is actually alive? We’re going to have to guess yes on that one based on the way Gati’s been playing her character when certain references about daughters are made, but that didn’t stop Leisl from sympathizing with another mother. We’re keeping an even closer eye on Gati’s performances to look for little things that might tell us what she knows and what she doesn’t.

Kathleen Gati — 'General Hospital'

ABC

Gati knows that Leisl doesn’t have to do anything underhanded or scream and shout to win a confrontation. When Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Lulu (Alexa Havins) interrupted their son Rocco (Finn Carr) taking a selfie with his kind-of-but-not-really-grandmother Dr. O. and demanded that she stay away from him, Gati didn’t have her character rise to their level of concern. Instead, she simply used the truth, pointing out that if Britt had not acted as surrogate mother to Rocco, then he might not even exist.

“It’s a shame that we can’t peacefully co-exist,” Leisl said with a knowing smile.

It’s clear the writers are having fun scripting such zingers for Gati’s Leisl to fire off in any type of situation, which the actress does with style.

“I’m a doctor – not a florist,” Leisl proclaimed to Nina (Cynthia Watros) when she was asked to check on Willow’s bridal bouquet. “And I will not be a party to ‘baby’s breath.’”

“I’ve been absent for too long,” Leisl shared in one of her recent appearances on the show. That was well put as we couldn’t agree more.

Gati’s return to General Hospital as Dr. Leisl Obrecht has made Port Charles even more unpredictable, exciting, and fun all at once. Welcome home, Dr. O!

General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC