Daytime TV Performer of the Week: ‘GH’s Cameron Mathison Shows That Not-So Nice Guys Like Drew Can Finish First
After years of playing heroic Ryan Lavery on All My Children, Cameron Mathison was thrown into the deep end on General Hospital when his character, Drew Cain, evolved into a cheating manipulator.
When TV Insider chatted with Mathison in February, the actor shared that he found some of the things he was being asked to do as Drew were troubling.
However, based on Mathison’s scenes this week as Drew laid down the law over his daughter Scout (Cosette Abinante) and her interfering extended family, it’s clear that Mathison has embraced Drew’s darker side with confidence and style. He gets that bad guys don’t see themselves as the villain. TV Insider is bestowing Daytime Performer of the Week honors on Mathison for his portrayal of the controlling politician.
Drew was understandably deeply concerned after being informed that Scout had gone missing from Lila’s Kids, the day camp named after her late great-grandmother (Anna Lee, ex-Lila) unaware that Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) had taken his sister without permission back to the Quartermaine mansion.
Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn), Scout’s grandmother, and Jason (Steve Burton), Danny’s father, tried to calm Drew down, but he didn’t budge. He wanted Danny arrested. Mathison brought a strong gravitas to these scenes, tapping into Drew’s parental concern. Everyone else in Port Charles gets to raise holy hell when their kids are in jeopardy. Why can’t Drew?
ABC
“Your grandson broke the law,” Drew informed Alexis in a demeanor that was both controlled and furious. “And he’s got to know there’s consequences for that. We all know that his criminal father isn’t going to teach that to him.” (A low blow, but kind of true.)
Alexis formidably combined her courtroom arguing skills with her love for her granddaughter, but Drew didn’t let her walk all over him. He dismissed Alexis’s point that no judge would punish Danny, an underage teenager, for taking his sister home without permission.
“I don’t care about that,” Drew overruled. “I want the arrest on record.”
One of Port Charles’ finest, Chase (Joshua Swickard) threw in his two cents, concurring with Alexis that there wasn’t much of a case here. Again, Drew didn’t budge. He pointed out to Chase that he needed to do his job. Realizing he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Chase, Drew composed himself and let out a long sigh. Maybe he wasn’t going to change Chase’s mind, but he wasn’t throwing in the towel.
“I’m just trying to protect my daughter,” Drew informed Alexis. She countered that Scout didn’t need saving from Danny. “From Jason, who has taught Danny that the rules don’t apply to him, which makes him a danger to Scout,” Drew countered, as if he were arguing a legal case against the savvy attorney.
We watched Drew make the decision to further his case by bringing up Danny’s role in Rocco’s (Finn Carr) recent drinking episode that landed the latter in the hospital. Again, Alexis deflected, but Drew persisted. He noted to Alexis that Sam (Kelly Monaco), Scout’s late mother, would want him to protect their daughter from Jason’s influence, which includes Danny. Alexis made a misstep at this point, believing that her role as Sam’s mother and Scout’s grandmother would somehow get Drew to see he was overreacting.
ABC
This wasn’t a tennis match between Drew and Alexis, but he hit her with an overhead slam all the same. And there’s no returning the ball when you’ve been hit with an overhead slam.
“You’re right,” Drew calmly replied after Alexis informed him what Sam would and would not want, hastening to add, “I should never have invoked Sam’s name — because what she’d want or not want doesn’t matter because she’s not here and I am.” (Ouch.)
“I am Scout’s only living parent and this is what I want,” Drew continued. “I want my daughter to feel safe, protected, and loved. I want her to know that I will always do what’s best for her. And I want her to stay away from people who constantly try to undermine me every chance they get.”
It was clear in his voice inflection that Drew had moved Alexis to the top of that list before he pointedly told her “people like you.”
Alexis tried to get control of the situation by physically stepping back, but it was clear in Mathison’s choices that Drew was finished trying to reason with her. “It’s too late, Alexis,” Drew firmly stated. “I tried my best. I tried to keep Scout in your life, but you made that impossible.”
Alexis saying she never intended to not keep him in the loop didn’t matter much. “You proved I can’t trust you anymore,” Drew said. “Frow now on, Scout will have no more contact with you, with Danny, or with anyone else from your family.”
A less seasoned pro might have resorted to screaming these lines to make this point, but Mathison knew that the power was in the words themselves. Delivering them in a controlled fashion allowed Drew to come out on top.
It’s not often that anyone gets the last words in on the daughter of Mikkos Cassadine, but Drew did when he simply said, “Goodbye, Alexis.”
Then, he left the Quartermaine mansion. The house may belong to Monica (Leslie Charleson), but Drew — and Mathison — owned these scenes!
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC
The Doctor Is In
Get absolutely everything about General Hospital in your inbox!
Conversation20 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
B
Can't stand Drew. I despise the character. It is hard to separate the character from the actor. I am really so tired of him and of Willow as a story line. I am looking forward to moving on and to the development of the new story lines. I am also enjoying watching the kids grow up.
56
-
P
Over the years I've seen love to hate villains on GH,but they have never been as sickening as this Drew character.Cameron maybe doing a good job of playing his role,that's no good if viewers are sick looking at him.
31
-
P
I can’t wait until Drew gets what’s coming. I feel sorry for his daughter Scott.
26
-
R
Performer of the week? Overperformer more like it.
21
-
P
I wish Drew would just leave can’t stand his character and he is so wrong he is hurting his daughter
21
-
C
Defending anything about Drew Cain is just blasphemy!! Read the room!!
19
-
O
Drew will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Sounds like our current President
18
-
G
I’ve been wondering for awhile now how many of those writing in about how they can’t stand Drew are MAGA supporters, and their not being able to see the irony in that situation.
4
-
C
This is not a site to show your misplacedanger, anger, hatred, and delusional political BS. Apparently you have difficulty in distinguishing reality from fiction.
1
-
-
-
C
Bcc nailed my feelings. CM did win that episode but his movements and gestures are so freaking annoying - can’t bear to watch. Burn this character please!
18
-
B
Michael Maloney!!! Excellent review! I think it’s important that critics continue to maintain that although audience loves to hate characters- the actors ARE NOT THE CHARACTERS nor do they write the show- none of them. I think Mathison is showing viewers and the industry that he is versatile with his acting choices which is what the industry likes—-I do not recognize this as the Drew who returned to Port Charles! —it is a complete 180 flip from what he used to be. And although Mathison is great playing a villain, I prefer him as a lead hero —I really do and hope there’s an explanation why the character and twin brother of Jason is more like Shiloh from Drew’s past than Drew himself. Great review, let’s hope there’s show has a surprise for viewers.
11
-
G
I get that he's playing a character and clearly he's excellent in doing so. I'm just one of the people having a hard time separating Matheson from the character. It's an awful awful character and it's gone on way too long. The character has sunk to new lows, especially striking out at children. If he's up for an award, give it to him then give him his walking papers. Drew has just got to be stopped. Whatever it takes. Please just go.
26
-
-
G
CM is a good actor.He can play the bad guy as well as a good one. Like most actors an actress can. He seemed to play the more clam an relaxed parts . It good to see what he can really do when actor and actress can play as lot of different parts an good or bad than that's when u know they have talent. Hope he health has improved. He has gotten though his rough time . I liked him on amc like him on GH. He doing what he suspose to.
5
-
O
Exactly!! If people are incapable of separating an actor from his or her character, then that's a THEM problem. CM is knocking it out of the park, and waiting to catch that ball in the parking lot at the same time! GO Cam!!🥰
1
-
-
B
So so so sick of Drew. I hate.
him so much that I won't even watch any show or interview he is on.
I know this is just a soap, but if that is true then why does Cameron Matheson wear the same color blue jacket on all.of them that he wears on GH?
Me thinks that he is taking Drew home with him.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have someone get rid of him Enough of this actor already.
2
-
R
Time for him to move back to the GAC He's never been one of my favorite actors along with his antiquated views about Ethnicity.
1
-
O
I couldnt stand Ryan Lavery on All My Children after he returned in 2005. Can't stand Cameron Mathison as an actor let alone Drew Lavery...i mean Drew Caine.
1
-
O
His concerned parent act only lasted a few minutes before his manipulation and arrogance peeped through. Drew WILL NOT finish first.
1
-
C
Good riddance 👏🏽! to this character not my favorite at all!
1
-
G
The writers should be fired. They have destroyed Drew, Kristina, and Portia. Lulu should have died four years ago. I like Alexa better than Emme, still don't like the character. Looking forward to some new storylines.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services