Soap operas are at their best when they deliver a shocking whodunit, and General Hospital has viewers buzzing with its latest mystery: Who shot Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison)? While Port Charles reels from the attack, longtime soap fans can’t help but draw comparisons to one of the most legendary television cliffhangers of all time — Dallas’s unforgettable Who Shot JR? storyline.
Dallas: The Original Soap Cliffhanger
In March 1980, viewers were stunned when J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), the ruthless oil baron everyone loved to hate, was gunned down in his office. Practically everyone in his life had a motive, which made the summer-long wait to discover the shooter a cultural phenomenon. Betting pools even opened in Las Vegas and London, with oddsmakers giving each suspect their own odds.
Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray), J.R.’s long-suffering wife, was considered a strong possibility after years of his infidelity and abuse. Her sister Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby), who also happened to be J.R.’s mistress, had motive as well — he had ended their affair and left her desperate and pregnant. Banker Vaughn Leland, swindled in a shady oil deal, had reason to retaliate, while Dusty Farlow (Jared Martin), Sue Ellen’s lover, had every reason to despise the man who mistreated her. Family rival Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) was another suspect given their long-standing feud, and even Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), J.R.’s mother, was briefly floated as a dark horse.
When the highly anticipated episode “Who Done It?” finally aired on November 21, 1980, the truth was revealed: Kristin Shepard pulled the trigger. The episode was watched by more than 80 million people, making it one of the most-watched broadcasts in TV history and cementing Dallas as a pop culture phenomenon.
GH: Who Shot Drew Cain?
Fast forward to today, and GH is borrowing from that same playbook with Drew Cain in the crosshairs. Once a decorated hero and loyal friend, Drew has turned Port Charles upside down with schemes, betrayals, and broken relationships — leaving him with a long list of enemies who might have decided enough was enough.
From Friends to Bitter Enemies
Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) once counted Drew as his best friend, but their bond has collapsed into bitter hostility. Blackmailing Portia (Brook Kerr) was already a betrayal, but having Stella (Vernee Watson) arrested was the final straw. Curtis even stormed into Drew’s office to threaten him directly. Could his anger have exploded into violence? Portia and Stella clearly had motives to shoot Drew, but at least Portia has an alibi – she was cheating on Curtis with Isaiah (Sawandi Wilson).
Michael and Carly Corinthos: A Family Divided
Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) has ample motive. Drew destroyed his marriage and tried to take his children away — and is still meddling in his family life. Few would blame Michael if he finally snapped.
Meanwhile, Carly (Laura Wright) is every bit as dangerous when her son is threatened. She openly warned Drew, and while she once loved him, she might be more than ready to see him gone for good.
Sonny Corinthos: Protecting His Own
And what about Sonny (Maurice Benard)? Drew has become a thorn in the Corinthos family’s side, and Sonny has never been shy about removing problems permanently, especially since Drew recently collaborated with Sidwell to drive Sonny out of town. Could this be one more crime to add to his long history of violent solutions?
Alexis and Her Family’s Fury
Drew also made an enemy of Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn). His refusal to let her see Scout (Cosette Abinante) led him to take out restraining orders against Alexis, Kristina (Kate Mansi), Molly (Kristen Vaganos), Danny (Asher Antonyzyn), and Rocco (Finn Carr). Each of them has reason to lash out in order to protect Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) daughter from a man they believe is unfit to be a father.
Nina’s Breaking Point
Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) blames Drew for destroying her relationship with Willow (Katelyn MacMullen). She could have accepted it if her daughter had cut ties with him, but now that Willow appears ready to give him another chance, Nina’s desperation could drive her to do something drastic.
Sidwell’s Shady Business
There’s also Sidwell (Carlos Rota). The timing is suspicious: the very night Drew was shot, the judge he bribed turned up murdered. Is it really a coincidence, or was Sidwell tying up loose ends?
Willow’s Fractured World
Even Willow herself cannot be ruled out. Drew upended her life and now claims he’ll fight to get her children back. If he fails, could she finally snap? The shooter’s short-haired silhouette makes Willow a seemingly obvious suspect — which, in soap logic, may just mean it’s a red herring.
A Classic Soap Tradition
While no mystery may ever replicate the cultural juggernaut of Who Shot JR?, General Hospital is clearly paying homage to that legacy. Even Mathison himself noted the similarities in an interview with Soap Opera Digest, telling the outlet, “You know, I watched Dallas back in the day, and in many ways, it’s very in line with the ‘Who Shot JR?’ story.” Just as fans once debated endlessly about J.R.’s shooter on Dallas, Port Charles viewers are now speculating about Drew’s. With nearly every major character having a motive, the suspense is thick, and the eventual reveal promises to shake the town to its core.
One thing is certain: in the grand tradition of soaps, when the truth finally comes out, lives will never be the same.
Who do you think shot Drew? Drop a comment below!
