Short Takes: Why Did General Hospital Spend Three Weeks on an Emancipation Story?

On General Hospital, when Oscar found out he had a terminal brain tumor – and his mother kept the truth from him – he was pretty bummed. Understandably.

When Kim (Tamra Braun) told him he could take part in a clinical trial which might save his life, she expected him to be thrilled.

But, kids, amirite? Oscar (Garren Stitt) continued to mope and pout and feel sorry for himself, and he refused to get treatment. Oscar didn’t have much of a say in the matter since he was a minor. So, he sued to be emancipated from his mother. Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) helped.

An then, just about three weeks later, the suit was over, Oscar is getting treatment. Game over. Uhm…what just happened? Almost 19,000 viewers are wondering the same thing:

We know soaps are moving quicker these days, 69% of you admit, but this was lightening fast. As in, pointlessly fast. You were just starting to get invested in the story, starting to care about Oscar’s frustration, Kim’s desperation, even Alexis being made a pariah over one of the few cases she took that were actually justified.

And then – a poof and a hand wave – and it was all over. Will there be a pay-off? Will there be consequences? Will there be a point?

Short But Sweet
If this is all the time GH thought the story needed, then 30% of the audience doesn’t mind going with the flow.

Like with so many other issues – Liz’s (Rebecca Herbst) transgender friend, that time Carly (Laura Wright) realized that guns can actually be used to hurt people instead of merely serve as a way to make Sonny (Maurice Benard) seem more sexy – GH can now pat itself on the back for doing a socially relevant story.

General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes.