We know that General Hospital’s James Patrick Stuart can play angst-ridden given his early days on the show, especially. Once again, the show has armed his character Valentin Cassadine with a powerful reason (his daughter Charlotte being kidnapped by his father Victor Cassadine) to play tortured. We can’t rescue Valentin’s petite chérie for him but Soap Hub can bestow Performer of the Week for GH honors on Stuart for his performance.
James Patrick Stuart – Performer of the Week
Valentin calling out Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) on her using Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring) to get secrets on him was reason enough for the two to have a dramatic showdown. But there was much more to the powerful scenes involving the couple known to soap opera fans as “Vanna.” Anna figured out that it was Charlotte who is in danger. “Yes, Victor has Charlotte,” Valentin confided to Anna and then, he went to the window to get some air, acting as if the weight of the world was finally off his shoulders. He could finally share the secret that was causing him so much pressure.
Once he decided to come clean, Valentin quietly and quickly shared additional details about Charlotte’s abduction. “I have to do everything he says,” Valentin said of Victor. “If I don’t, he’s made it very clear. He’s going to hurt her.”
Anna, having been there given the number of times that her daughter Robin (Kimberly McCullough) had been kidnapped, embraced Valentin but she was unable to fully console him given the magnitude of Valentin’s plight. “I’m going insane,” Valentin cried out, fearful that even his talking to Anna could endanger his daughter’s life.
James Patrick Stuart passionately conveyed his character’s continued sense of helplessness. However, he’s going to do everything within his power to keep Charlotte safe — even if that means letting an innocent Jennifer Smith (Holly Gagnier) reside in prison for a crime (swiping the infamous Ice Princess) that she didn’t commit. While Valentin is feeling lost right now, we’ve seen him at his most powerful in the past. If and when Charlotte is out of harm’s way, we expect to see Valentin exact revenge on his father. Frankly, we can’t wait. James Patrick Stuart’s Valentin is not in the power position right now. However, we expect fireworks to take off when the characters gains the upper hand.
Honorable Mention: Kudos to Jacklyn Zeman for her character Bobbie Spencer lending a supporting ear to daughter Carly Corinthos (Laura Wright) as she tried to figure out her complicated feelings for Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison). The Daytime Emmy-nominated Zeman has been a mainstay in Port Charles since her 1978 debut. In her early days, “have-not” Bobbie drove much of the action on GH. It’s always a treat to see her on our screens.
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.
Share this: