As Port Charles’s Chief of Police Jordan Ashford, Tanisha Harper has been keeping the peace on General Hospital. Recently, the actress got to infuse her character with more emotion as Jordan and Dr. Portia Robinson took off the gloves regarding the man who they’ve both loved (love?) – Curtis Ashford. For her performance as a woman who cuts to the chase, Soap Hub bestows Performer of the Week for GH honors upon Harper.
Tanisha Harper – Performer of the Week
Given the number of crimes and legal issues dealt with on soap operas – even medical-themed series like General Hospital – law enforcement officials appear frequently. Often, their role is to move the logistics of the story along, which Tanisha Harper does well. Fortunately, GH has given her material that’s allowing us to see that Jordan is a fully dimensional character, a woman who very well may still have feelings for her ex – or, actually, a man who is not her ex thanks to Aunt Stella (Vernee Watson) not mailing Curtis and Jordan’s divorce papers.
Jordan came to General Hospital, Portia’s place of work, to check on the investigation of the attack on Diane Miller (Carolyn Hennesy). She was all business, requesting that this time talk of a case not end up in Alexis Davis’s (Nancy Lee Grahn) publication The Intruder as had happened previously. Jordan made a point of talking about information being kept under wraps. Curtis (Donnell Turner) quipped that always was her area of expertise, referencing how secrets Jordan kept played a role in their marital woes.
Jordan was also employing subtext in all likelihood, referring to Portia keeping Curtis in the dark that he very well could be the father of her daughter Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali). After Curtis left, Portia tried to smooth things over by telling Jordan that the man is on edge over the divorce papers situation. “You don’t need to explain Curtis to me,” Jordan (Tanisha Harper) curtly responded. The clear implication being that he’s still Jordan’s husband!
The drama continued as Jordan and Portia relocated to Portia’s office. After discussing the specifics of Diane’s attack, Jordan returned to her office – but not before having a chat with Curtis about their relationship.
Portia made her way over to Jordan’s office – stat! She blasted Jordan for trying to get Curtis to doubt her. A frustrated Portia said she was sick of Jordan’s pointed comments, prompting the law official to put her concern on the line. “Is Curtis Trina’s father?” Jordan asked. Her inquiry sent Portia into a tailspin. Jordan maintained she wasn’t Portia’s enemy – she just feels that both Curtis and Trina deserve to know the truth.
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Portia countered what this is really about is Jordan wanting Curtis back! Jordan brought up what Portia said in the basement when Jordan was overcome with fumes; she also revealed she knew that Portia has been looking into genetic counseling in case Trina has potentially inherited Marshall Ashford’s (Robert Gossett) schizophrenia.
“You keep trying to make this about me,” Tanisha Harper’s Jordan shot back at Portia as the good doctor’s eyes began to well up with tears. (Can we just say that Brook Kerr was terrific in these scenes, too? Watching these two actresses go back and forth with each other was like watching a great tennis match between two superb players!) “But you need to take a good look at your actions.” Jordan added that Portia can’t marry Curtis with this hanging over her.
Tanisha Harper next tapped into Jordan’s law enforcement training as she tried to de-escalate the situation. She advised Portia that they both cool down. Jordan advised Portia that she couldn’t predict what would happen if she (Portia) comes clean with Curtis, but she can say how it will go down if he finds out on his own that Portia hasn’t been 100% truthful with him.
This conflict is just beginning to brew! We are hoping that GH continues to give Tanisha Harper more opportunities to show Jordan’s strength and the concern she clearly has for Curtis.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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