General Hospitalcouple Jason Morgan and Britt Westbourne are about to be reunited after they both died on the show, which exposes how ridiculous the soap opera trope of bringing characters back from the dead really is. Just as Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) were falling for each other, he was forced to marry Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) in order to protect Sonny Corinthos' (Maurice Benard) organization when he was presumed dead.
Jason later supposedly died in a tunnel collapse, while rescuing Britt’s mother, Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), but he returned to the show years later very much alive. Britt died in her mother’s arms after being attacked by the serial killer Heather Webber (Alley Mills), who was known as “The Hook.” Britt was pierced by a poisoned hook while saving Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) from the murderer. She was also diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease.
Now both Jason andBritt have come back from the dead, and, as fans eagerly await their reunion, it’s ridiculous that they’ll each have to come to the realization that the other was alive. Back-from-the-dead storylines are one of the most overused soap opera tropes, and Britt and Jason’s relationship is exposing just how outrageous they really are.
General Hospital Deaths Aren’t As Powerful Because They Rarely Last
Too Many Characters Have Come Back From The Dead
Over the years, many belovedGeneral Hospitalcharacters have died, only to later return to the show very much alive. Characters from the current cast who’ve died on the show and come back include Anna Devane (Finola Hughes),Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison), and Laura Spencer (Genie Francis).
There have been multiple characters who’ve returned from their graves over the years as well, including Robin Scorpio (Kimberly McCullough), Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers), Jake Webber (Hudson West), Ryan Chamberlain (Jon Lindstrom), and Lucky Spencer (Jonathan Jackson), among so many others.
One of the most recent shocking and tragic deaths on the show was that of Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco), who was murdered by serial killer Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober). Although her death was one of the saddest inGeneral Hospitalhistory, it’s hard to fully believe that it’s real because so many characters have come back from the dead.
The feeling that Sam will be backand eventually revealed to have faked her death or to be held captive by some villain doesn’t go away because it’s happened so many times before. It’s hard to fully invest in a character’s death when there’s a good chance that they’ll be back in the future, just like Jason and Britt.
Jason & Britt Will Have To Explain Their Demises
AsGeneral Hospitalfans await Jason and Britt’s reunion, the fact that they’re both back from the dead brings an unintentionally humorous vibe to the storyline. It’s easy to imagine a comedy sketch in which the two characters shout,“I thought you were dead!,“before falling into each other’s arms.
Jason and Britt’s loved ones mourned them, and it was hard to watch those devastating scenes. However, they now feel like a waste of time because they’re both back. Their reunion is less impactful because of the ridiculous circumstances that separated them in the first place. The fact that not one, but both of them, have returned from the dead makes the whole storyline seem like a joke. It’s such an overused plot device.
General Hospitalhas to stop killing characters offwhen actors leave the show. Burton was fired when he refused to comply with the show’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, while Thiebaud left to pursue other acting opportunities. In both of these cases, the door should’ve been left open for the characters to return. Jason and Britt could’ve been written out in so many different ways, but the writers chose to kill them off because they know that in the world of soap operas, death is reversible.
Jason and Britt’s reunion could’ve been a beautifulGeneral Hospitalscene, and it will still be satisfying to see, but the fact that they’ll both have to explain how they’re living and breathing after supposedly meeting their demises is going to ruin the moment. It’s both funny and frustrating to see two more characters coming back from the dead.General Hospitalmust abandon this tired trope if it wants fans to take characters' deaths seriously in the future.
General Hospital
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General Hospital, a series released in 1963, weaves narratives of families, friends, adversaries, and lovers in the bustling city of Port Charles, New York. Set against the backdrop of a busy hospital, upscale hotel, and crime-ridden waterfront, it explores life-altering events in this intricate social tapestry.
