Martin dies after plane crash – Michael E. Knight says goodbye General Hospital Spoilers

In the wake of Martin’s split from Lucy during February sweeps, Laura’s brother and his beloved portrayer were going to be gone from Port Charles for a spell, Soap Opera Digest reported.

It doesn’t get more “out” than not even being brought back to be killed off. But that’s what happened to the soap vet, whose bonkers character Olivia Jerome was re-killed off screen. (Read the actress’ response to the twist here.)

Whaaat? Given Esme’s history of bouncing back after making a splash, we fully expected her to bob to the surface in the wake of her and Spencer’s tussle going overboard. But, it turned it, it wasn’t necessarily so.

Adam, we hardly knew ye. After a short return engagement, the son of Maurice Benard (Sonny) wrapped his gig as a troubled third wheel in Josslyn and Dex’s relationship.

New year, new Sam. On January 2, 2024, Lindsay Hartley once again filled in for the character’s usual portrayer, meaning that however briefly, all three of Alexis’ daughters were recasts.

Surprise! As 2023 headed for the exit, the Port Charles mainstay was temporarily recast with Hope & Faith alum Nicole Paggi.

In December of 2023, viewers learned when Courtney Fulk turned up as Josslyn on air that the character’s portrayer, a newly minted Emmy winner, was taking some time off.

Almost as quickly as the primetime vet made his debut as nefarious WSB chief Brennan, he was shown the door. Very clear panes, at least.

The veteran actress reprised her role of Lois’ mom Gloria just long enough to give us something extra to be grateful for on Thanksgiving.

The 17-year-old, who’s been playing Emma since she was 5, swung through Port Charles so that her character could give grandma Anna a pick-me-up when she was feeling especially down.

After 11 years and three roles, the Emmy-winning soap vet exited Port Charles with an attitude of gratitude just before Thanksgiving. Upon being told that he was being let go, “it took me a minute to kind of adjust, to kind of hear the news,” Austin’s portrayer told Soap Opera Digest. After that, he was just appreciative for his long, wild run.

“It’s bye-bye to Mason,” tweeted executive producer Frank Valentini on November 14.

After two years in the role of Sam and Jason’s son, the youngster was recast, with Asher Antonyzyn taking over as Danny.

One for the road? Have two, we say, as we raise a glass to the scene stealer whose four-year run as Gladys ended with Sasha’s treacherous mother-in-law being banished from Port Charles by Sonny.

The doctor is out! Montague’s reign of terror wrapped up when at last his many misdeeds came to light.

Months after his last appearance in the summer of ’23, Taggert’s portrayer shared via Instagram that, as sad as his character’s swan song may have been, “it was a great way to go out” from an acting perspective.

Less than two months after being tapped to replace Haley Pullos’ replacement, Holiday Mia Kriegel, Molly No. 3 was replaced with newcomer Kristin Vaganos.

In September, the veteran reported that he — and, by extension, Mac — would soon be taking a brief hiatus from the soap. What was up? He promised to let us know.

Betty, we hardly knew ye. On the plus side, the nanny from hell didn’t exit via a plunge from the parapet as so many other Wyndemere residents have.

Having landed one of the lead roles in Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the Emmy winner was going to be taking some time off from his role as Spencer, our sister site TVLine reported in late June. He was, however, expected to return.

“I just found out Scotty was written out,” tweeted the General Hospital icon on May 16. Not sure who was more shocked about that, either: him or us.

TJ’s significant other was going to look a bit different over the summer of 2023. A car accident left Molly’s regular portrayer in need of a temporary recast while she was on the mend.

The May 10, 2023 passing of the daytime legend meant that, sadly, Bobbie had attended her last Nurses Ball. Read what Zeman’s Port Charles family had to say about her here.

This family photo was destined to look a bit different in the summer of 2023, after Kristina’s portrayer was replaced by Days of Our Lives’ Kate Mansi (ex-Abigail).

That was fast. No sooner had General Hospital introduced Nathan Parsons’ replacement as Holly and Luke’s son Ethan than we were waving goodbye to the newcomer. Heck, we scarcely had time to add him to our Look Who’s Joining the Show photo gallery.

Just a couple of weeks before May sweeps, the soap vet, who had so thoroughly made the role of Victor his own, teased that he’d be getting “one of the greatest villain send-offs” ever. What could we say? We were going to hate to see him go but were dying to see how he’d leave!

Ya mess with a Cassadine, ya get… Well, in Eileen’s case, thrown off a bridge. The shady deputy mayor paid with her life for her betrayal of Victor.

When Cameron headed West to attend Stanford — what better way to forget Josslyn and how badly she broke his heart? — it appeared that we’d have to say goodbye to the rising star who’d played him for five years. At least for the moment.

Ah, Heather, ya brought a knife to a gunfight. So as February sweeps came to a close, the Hook killer was at last taken into custody. She didn’t seem likely to remain in custody, however. (Just sayin’.)

Don’t worry — he remains in the thick of things as Kevin. But February sweeps marked the conclusion of his run as murderous Ryan, which he began back in 1992. “The end has come,” he Instagrammed.

He put the “hit” in “pinch hitter.” In fact, the show’s substitute Nikolas so knocked it out of the park in the character’s last episodes in February that he got himself added to our photo gallery of soaps’ all-time best and worst temporary recasts.

It was going to be a blue Christmas for fans of Nikolas’ third portrayer when the news broke in mid-December that his portrayer was on his way out as the Cassadine prince.

What’s the opposite of a Christmas miracle? ’Cause that’s what poor Trina got when boyfriend Rory, ahem, got The Hook. On the plus side, now there was nothing and no one stopping her from acting on her feelings for Spencer.

As November sweeps ended, so, apparently, did the veteran actress’ return engagement as Holly, who took her leave of Port Charles with yet another piece of lost love Robert’s heart in her hand.

It appeared to be the end of an era in late October 2022, when the soap-hopper who’d played BLT-loving nutjob Heather since 1980 was replaced by Bold & Beautiful vet Alley Mills (Pam).

Don’t panic. Brook Lynn’s portrayer isn’t out-out. She was just being replaced for a day in the fall of 2022 by Briana Lane, who also filled in when Setton was on maternity leave.

Brando could hold his own in the boxing ring, for sure. But in September of 2022, he learned the hard way that you don’t bring your fists to a hook fight.

Only two months after Britt’s portrayer won her first Daytime Emmy, her imminent exit was announced by our sister site Deadline in an article revealing that she was returning to primetime’s Station 19 as Eva.