Chase Harrison literally got back up on his feet last week but the character also figuratively had his legs cut out from under him on General Hospital. The newlywed was thrilled to show his bride Willow that he was making progress with his physical therapy only to be sidelined to learn from his new pal (maybe), Dr. Austin Gatlin-Holt, that Willow was hitting the sheets with Michael Corinthos. For his portrayal of a betrayed new husband, Soap Hub bestows Performer of the Week honors for GH on Chase’s portrayer, Josh Swickard.
Josh Swickard — Performer of the Week
The actor had big shoes to fill in 2018 when he was added to the cast of GH and Det. Harrison Chase joined the Port Charles Police Department filling the ranks left by the late James (Nathan) West played by the much-missed Ryan Paevey.
Swickard’s earnest portrayal of a man desperately wanting to connect with his brother, (Hamilton Finn, played by Michael Easton), Willow Tait’s (Katelyn MacMullen) supporter, and scene-stealer at the Nurses Ball (two years in a row!) all endeared both the actor and his character to GH fans.
Heck, the only “unlikable” thing about the guy is that he roots for the Boston Red Sox while James was a diehard New York Yankees fan. Chase may be a tad naive but he has the ability to see the best in people. Who didn’t want to be in this guy’s corner?
Chase’s initial instinct upon learning that Willow and Michael (Chad Duell) were being intimate was to confront the two of them. He’s known for his honesty so that was completely in character. However, the GH writers presented Swickard with an opportunity to show a different side to his character as Austin (Roger Howarth) suggested a different approach and the actor ran with it.
Chase And The Language of Revenge
Rather than confront Willow and Michael with her infidelity and their betrayal, Chase kept his cool and decided to throw out a double entendre or three as he waited to see if the two cheaters would confess. “People show up at the most inopportune times don’t they?” rhetorically asked Chase, referring to Willow’s mom Harmony Miller (Inga Cadranel) dropping by unannounced hoping to participate in grandson Wiley’s (Erik and Theo Olson) birthday celebration.
“Are you saying you don’t believe in redemption?” Chase continued, quizzing his wife presumably about Harmony but the stare he gave Willow hinted that his question had a deeper meaning. Chase was still processing the devastating revelation that his wife and his former pal were not only sleeping together but also lying to him so, he decided to stick the “buddy knife” into Michael’s back and twist it a little. “I want to thank you for going to Willow and consoling her,” Chase said to Michael. “It’s nice to have a true buddy to step in when I can’t.”
After a few years of playing the good guy, the understanding son and brother in a complicated family, and a loyal boyfriend, Swickard is now getting to sink his teeth into a new meaty role – the betrayed husband, who may decide to keep a secret or two of his own.
We suspect that someday Chase will realize that Willow had no ill will towards Chase when she married him – she just wanted to give her dying pal some happiness. The question is – how much unhappiness will Chase cause Michael and Willow before the truth come to light? In the meantime, kudos to Josh Swickard for showing us a compelling and less idealistic side to his character.
General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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