CBS’ New Series, ‘GH’s’ Kristina Loses Baby & 19 More Shocking Moments on Soaps in 2024
Sometimes the drama behind the scenes on soaps is just as dramatic as what viewers see on-screen.
Between a new soap being announced (Beyond the Gates) and shocking exits of fan favorites (there were especially quite a few changes on General Hospital), a lot of stuff happened in the world of daytime drama in 2024. And to think that Kelly Monaco‘s exit isn’t even the most shocking!
Read on to get our take on the top shocking moments that occurred on and off the airwaves in soaps over the last 12 months!
21. CBS Announces Beyond the Gates on CBS
Fifteen years ago, it was a very challenging time to be a soap opera fan. Viewers watched beloved favorites Guiding Light, As the World Turns, All My Children, and One Life to Live start to go off the air. That cut the number of daytime dramas in half, leaving only General Hospital, Days of our Lives, Young and the Restless, and Bold and the Beautiful. Loyal soap fans were told that viewers wanted other types of programming. That turned out not to be 100 percent true.
In February, CBS announced The Gates, later re-titled Beyond the Gates was being developed by veteran scribe Michele Val Jean, whose credits include B&B, Santa Barbara, General Hospital, and Generations.
Beyond the Gates has a slew of recognizable faces working on it behind the scenes. The show scored a coup by casting veteran ATWT actress Tamara Tunie (ex-Jessica) as matriarch Anita Dupree. Watch for Beyond the Gates to premiere on Monday, February 24 at 2/1c on CBS.
20. Rebecca Budig Is Cast as Dr. Taylor Hayes, B&B
Lightning struck once when B&B successfully recast the role of Taylor Hayes. The show felt why not try to do it again? After being off the canvas for several months, the character returned in the form of soap veteran Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, All My Children; ex-Michelle, Guiding Light). Everyone on the web weighed in with an opinion about the casting with most commenting that she was simply too young for the role. However, Budig’s getting the last laugh, having gelled with both the character and the show’s cast effortlessly. The actress has breathed new life into the world-renowned psychiatrist and has energized several storylines. This doctor is IN!
19. Kristina, Molly and T.J.’s Baby Dies, GH
From the beginning, General Hospital viewers and Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) predicted that surrogate mother Kristina (Kate Mansi) would change her mind and want to keep T.J. (Tajh Bellow) and Molly’s (Kristen Vaganos) baby for herself. What nobody saw coming was Kristina accidentally falling out of a glass window and losing the baby shortly before coming to term. The tragic loss lit the fuse for some dynamite scenes. Vaganos shined as an incredulous mother-to-be who couldn’t believe her older sister was acting like the baby was hers (Kristina’s) all along.
Ava (Maura West) went on trial for the baby’s death, but she wasn’t responsible for the tragedy. If anyone’s at fault, it’s the contractors who put in poorly constructed glass in Ava’s hotel suite.
18. Melissa Ordway Announces Being Taken Off Contract, Y&R
It’s been said that “marriage is death” on soap operas, meaning that couples run out of story after they tie the knot because there’s no longer any conflict. Newlyweds can, of course, always fight about and over in-laws, careers, and medical maladies, and we expect recently married couple Devon (Bryton James) and Abby (Melissa Ordway) to do just that.
However, Ordway did reveal to her followers on Instagram on the night of the show’s 13,000th episode that the show had taken her off contract. She’s got a new hairdo, which she feels could open her up to new roles. The actress made it clear, however, that she is still going to be seen as Abby Newman-Abbott-Winters.
17. Cody and Sasha Are Cousins, GH
TV Insider speculated that GH could create a familial tie between Sasha (Sofia Mattsson) and one of the show’s main families as Mattsson and GH alum Sherilyn Wolter (ex-Celia) bear a bit of a resemblance to each other. She’s already working at the Quartermaine mansion as a chef…why not make it official? Instead, GH opted to write that Sofia is the living embodiment of the love between supercouple, Robert (Tristan Rogers) and Holly (Emma Samms). Sofia’s still without parents as Robert and Holly left Port Charles, but she has extended family in Cody’s (Josh Kelly) father Mac (John J. York) and his wife Felicia (Kristina Wagner).
16. Former DAYS Co-Executive Producer Fires Back After Lawsuit Claims By Arianne Zucker
Days of our Lives has had many on-screen legal battles over the years, but the show made some real-life legal headlines in February when actress Arianne Zucker (ex-Nicole) filed a suit against Alarr and the show, claiming alleged discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
“As Albert said when Ms. Zucker first leveled these outrageous claims through the press last year, her baseless allegations were examined in a detailed and entirely independent investigation that lasted for two months,” an attorney for Alarr said in a statement. “Dozens of individuals cooperated, and every claim was thoroughly looked into. At the end of that process, the decision was made that Albert should continue in his role as Co-Executive Producer of Days of Our Lives.”
“As Ms. Zucker’s own lawsuit all but admits, at a time of industry-wide cutbacks, she was aggressively seeking a significant personal pay increase and additional influence on the show,” the statement continued. “Having failed in those attempts, she is now – again – trying to exploit vile stereotypes to denigrate and demean a Black man who was in a position of power.”
15. The Sex-Capades of Michael, Drew, Nina, Willow, and Sasha, GH
Drew (Cameron Mathison) bedded both Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), which is probably not good for the often-strained union between mother and daughter, not to mention the newly elected official’s political career. Willow and Drew’s tryst led her husband Michael (Chad Duell) to fall into bed with ex-flame Sasha (Mattsson), who is now pregnant. A Michael/Sasha baby has some powerful lineage; this baby will have Quartermaine, Spencer, and Scorpio blood coursing through his or her veins.
14. Hope and Carter Attempt a Coup at Forrester Creations, B&B
Steffy Forrester Finnegan (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) used her muscle as head honcho at Forrester Creations to rid herself of rival Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) after the Hope For The Future founder had one too many encounters with her husband, Finn (Tanner Novlan). Unintentional or not, Hope’s flirtations with Finn had gotten out of hand but dumping her from the company seemed extreme. At least that was the position held by Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor), COO of Forrester Creations. So, he and Hope attempt a coup. Getting the Forresters to unwittingly relinquish control may not have been a good first move as Carter has also been fired at Forrester. But we’re rooting for Hope and Carter to win as a couple both in and out of the boardroom.
13. Sharon Kills Heather/Jordan and Ian Are in Cahoots, Y&R
Sharon (Sharon Case) gave a tour-de-force when she attacked poor Heather (Vail Bloom) and killed her. Fans immediately took to social media hoping that it was all some kind of figment of Sharon’s imagination or she had a break from reality. While it doesn’t look like Heather’s alive, Sharon isn’t guilty either. Jordan (Colleen Zenk) and Ian (Ray Wise) are behind Sharon’s gaslighting. The show kept the return of these two super-baddies under wraps, making their surprise alliance even more delicious.
12. “Abby” Returns, DAYS
Viewers were overjoyed when poor dead Abby came back to life on Days. Unfortunately, “Abby” turned out not to be Abby. Instead, she’s Cat Green, played by AnnaLynne McCord (90210). Cat may have good reasons for going along with the charade, however, that hasn’t eased the pain felt by Abby’s loved ones. We never considered Jennifer Rose Horton (Melissa Reeves) to be a violent person but even the sainted sweetie couldn’t resist slapping her daughter’s imitator for her duplicity.
11. Jack and Diane Were Faking Their Feud, Y&R
Jack (Peter Bergman) and Diane (Susan Walters) didn’t get to where they are without learning how to be strategic against their enemies. To keep Victor (Eric Braeden) off-guard, the couple convinced the mustached mogul and everyone else that they were really on the outs with one another. Viewers, however, who believed in the couple’s staying power, suspected that the animosity was all a ruse. Boy, were they happy to be proved right!
10. Paulina Feared She Caused Chanel’s Miscarriage, DAYS
We’ve seen a lot of miscarriages (and near miscarriages) on soaps. Often, they occur as a result of a pregnant mom accidentally falling down some stairs. Grandmother-to-be Paulina (Jackée Harry) feared that she was responsible for her daughter Chanel (Raven Bowens) losing her and Johnny’s (Carson Boatman) baby because Paulina had been exposed to radiation and came into contact with Chanel. That turned out not to be the cause of the tragedy, fortunately. While some may have forgiven Paulina for her actions had she been responsible for Chanel and Johnny losing their child, we doubt Paulina ever would have been able to forgive herself.
9. Cameron Kirsten Returns to Haunt Sharon, Y&R
Whoever said that “death ends a life but not a relationship” must have been thinking about Sharon’s dynamic with Cameron Kirsten (Linden Ashby). She killed the bad guy after he threatened Sharon’s daughter Faith (Reylynn Caster) last year, but that didn’t stop Sharon from conjuring Cameron up as some kind of taunting vision who tapped into Sharon’s deepest insecurities. Eventually, Sharon gathered the strength to banish Cameron (where he hopefully found a dry cleaner to clean the blood-stained shirt he constantly wore).
8. DAYS’ Star Deidre Hall Guests on Hacks
Soap fans used to see their favorite daytime stars pop up in primetime shows both as guest stars and series regulars all the time. Over the years, that seemed to diminish a bit. However, the creative team at Hacks knew just who they wanted to play Paul’s TV mother on an episode of the Emmy award-winning Jean Smart comedy series on Max.
Hall played a heightened version of herself on Hacks in May as Jimmy’s mother. Jimmy, of course, is played by Paul W. Downs, one of Hack’s creators and also a big devotee of DAYS. “I was told by Paul and [creator] Lucia Aniello that Paul’s mom was a longtime fan of DAYS and of Marlena, and then she introduced him to the show when he was a toddler,” Hall told TV Insider. “So, when they were looking for a person to play Paul’s mother, they said, ‘Wait a minute, are we crazy? Why don’t we see if we can get Deidre.’”
7. GH’s Ins and Outs
Viewers needed a scorecard to keep track of the comings and goings in Port Charles in 2024. Executive producer Frank Valentini added a deeply sentimental touch to the memorial for Bobbie Spencer (the late Jacklyn Zeman) by inviting back Brighton Hertford, who played B.J., Bobbie’s adopted daughter and namesake. B.J. was killed off the show 30 years ago in one of the show’s more memorable storylines. Also, Ryan Carnes reprised his role as Bobbie’s son Lucas for the solemn occasion.
Also, viewers said goodbye to Michael Easton (Finn), Gregory Harrison (Gregory), Jophielle Love (Violet), Kelly Monaco (Sam), Robert Gossett (Marshall), and Adam J. Harrington (Jagger). Additionally, they greeted back Jonathan Jackson (Lucky), Emma Samms (Holly), Steve Burton (Jason), and Rick Hearst (Rick). Daytime Emmy nominee Van Hansis (ex-Luke, As the World Turns) was cast as the show’s new Lucas. The show hired familiar face Alexa Havins (Babe, All My Children) as Lulu, Laura’s (Genie Francis) daughter.
6. Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott and Other Daytime Emmy Snubs
In 2023, Melody Thomas Scott, who’d been on the backburner a bit, gave a powerhouse performance as Nikki fought for not just her sobriety but also her very life against Aunt Jordan (Zenk) and her evil (now reformed?) granddaughter Claire (AKA Eve). Thomas Scott wasn’t afraid to get all messy as Nikki was forced to fall off the wagon – that’s something not all actresses can say. She’s Y&R’s premiere heroine and viewers wanted to see the actress get her rightful due. Thomas Scott did walk away with Daytime Emmy gold in 2024 as she and her husband, Edward J. Scott, Y&R’s senior producer, were given the Lifetime Achievement Award.
5. Fire at the Horton House, DAYS
When word got out the beloved Horton house, the longest-running set in daytime drama (given the makeovers that the hospital on General Hospital has gotten over the years), we feared that we’d be seeing fewer Hortons. Our fears were for naught. The homey abode was quickly rebuilt. Oh, sure it’s a bit smaller as soaps are more budget-conscious than ever. But the heartfelt touches are all still there. We’re looking forward to the Hortons gathering in the living room later this month as they gather to hang the family ornaments.
4. Y&R Rebuilds the Newman Ranch
We didn’t think this would ever happen. Yes, we know economics have hit the soaps, but the show just didn’t see the same with Victor and Nikki’s lavish ranch. In honor of the show’s 13,000th episode, Victor had the ranch rebuilt for his beloved wife.
The show treated viewers to a special flashback-filled episode as Victor and Nikki recalled happy days at the ranch. It only makes sense for soaps to have a few sets that are larger so they can represent the different lifestyles and incomes of the show’s varied characters. In short, Victor’s loaded! He should have done this long ago!
3. Ron Carlivati Out as DAYS’ Head Writer
Carlivati, known for his work on One Life to Live and General Hospital, came to Days of our Lives in 2017. The Daytime Emmy-winning and WGA Award-winning writer made Salem exciting again by bringing Will (Chandler Massey) back to life and finding a way to turn serial killer Ben Weston (fan favorite Robert Scott Wilson) into a good guy. The Ben and Ciara (Victoria Konefal) romance harkened back to DAYS supercouples of yesteryear. Carlivati tackled serious issues like JJ (Casey Moss) accidentally shooting Theo (Kyler Pettis), and Belle (Martha Madison) fighting to uphold Marlena’s (Deidre Hall) living will. Under Carlivati’s tenure, DAYS swept the 2018 Daytime Emmys, winning Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Writing Team, and Outstanding Directing Team. James Reynolds (Abe) and Greg Vaughan (Eric) also took home Daytime Emmy gold speaking Carlivati’s words.
“We look forward to approaching our 60th Anniversary next year with Paula [Cwikly] and Jeanne Marie [Ford] at the helm and fresh, exciting stories that we know the fans will embrace,” said Ken Corday, executive producer, about the show’s new head writing team. “We wish Ron nothing but the best and thank him for his dedication and the respect he has shown to me, the cast, and the show’s legacy.”
Carlivati’s material will air through April given DAYS’ advance shooting production schedule.
2. Kelly Monaco Leaves GH as Sam Is Killed Off
Shockwaves were sent through the soap world when Soap Opera Network broke the news that fan favorite Kelly Monaco was not only leaving General Hospital but that her character, Samantha “Sam” McCall, was being killed off. The show didn’t make any official comment about her departure but some of the show’s cast wished her well on social media. Sam went to that great soap in the sky after suffering a heart attack following her decision to donate part of her liver to Lulu.
At press time, Monaco has yet to give a full interview about what led to her departure. She has made a few comments about the matter on her social media platforms. “Thank you, y’all are the best, most loyal people ever!!!! It doesn’t go unnoticed… at least by me… BRAVO,” she posted to her fans around the time of her exit.
1. Patrick Mulcahey In – and Then, Out – as GH Head Writer
Patrick Mulcahey is daytime’s most revered dialogue writer. He’s crafted some of the genre’s most memorable scenes, including a dramatic dinner with the Capwell family on Santa Barbara that aired dirty laundry on an epic scale, Ed and Maureen’s showdown over his adultery, which led to her untimely death on Guiding Light, and Stephanie explaining in painful detail to her family why she loathes Brooke Logan on Bold and the Beautiful so deeply before she confessed to faking her heart.
Mulcahey has won eight Daytime Emmys and three WGA Awards for his serial writing. His scripts have been studied in soap opera writing classes at UCLA. As head writer for GH, however, Mulcahey’s results were mixed. One of his stories introduced the idea of Port Charles mainstays Laura Webber Collins and Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) not being okay with accepting donations from Sonny (Maurice Benard) as some of his wealth (allegedly!) comes from his mob activities. Mulcahey’s successes included Gregory’s tearjerker passing after his son Chase’s (Josh Swickard) wedding to Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton). He also reunited, briefly, former Santa Barbara supercouple Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis; ex-Julia, SB) and Lane Davies (Fergus; ex-Mason, SB).
Unfortunately, ratings dipped according to Soap Opera Network. Mulcahey’s material began airing in March and wrapped up by August. Chris Van Etten, who preceded Mulcahey as head writer, was back at the show. Together, he and head writer Elizabeth Korte (who was Mulcahey’s co-head writer) are charged with getting GH back on track.
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C
I am mad, mad, mad at General Hospital for killing off Dex!!! Poor Joss, first Oscar then Dex, how could you and why did you? UGH!!
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O
There was a lot of background story for Dex. It was a real waste to kill him off.
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C
I'm mad too! Dex was good for many further stories. After Kellie monopoly, I'm dropping GH after 40 yrsl
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O
GH writers had it hard in social media this year and much of it was well deserved. Returning Chris Van Etten on the heels of his dismissal was a mistake in my opinion. He was involved in many radical twists that made GH viewer's cringe in pain and yet he appeared again. The only saving grace was he didn't drag Dan in with him.
Remember the chant "Chris and Dan, Dan and Chris" across social media? Patrick Mulcahey didn't have much of a chance to test his stories. After ditching GH history to drive a wedge between Sonny and former friends Anna & Laura, he did a great job with Gregory's death. However, fans didn't want Gregory to die. Many wanted to explore the relationship between Gregory and Tracy. Between anonymous scribes of the writers strike and the extreme fluctuations of writing teams coming and going, GH fans have taken a wild ride. One thing I can say is when a popular actor leaves by their own decision, recast. Don't ship them out of town in a coffin to blame on the Cassadines years later with a return from the dead story. When you bring someone back to town, consider the original actors first even if you want to take the character in a new direction. The actors are usually popular because they can act so maybe they can go in that direction. Tell the public that you tried with each actor and why they couldn't return. People can understand a no. If a popular actor doesn't want to leave but you can't find a place for them, that's a whole new story in itself.
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