TV Insider is bestowing Performer of the Week honors on Daytime Emmy winners Jane Elliot and Erika Slezak for their performances as, respectively, Tracy Angelica Quartermaine and Veronica “Ronnie” Bard as General Hospital‘s storyline involving who inherited Monica’s house came to a climax.
Tracy faced a dilemma. Her family insisted that she apologize to Ronnie over how she treated her before (and after) Ronnie decided not to sell the family home to Drew (Cameron Mathison). However, it was clear in the confident stance Elliot brought to Tracy that she had the truth on her side. Monica’s actual will left her (not Ronnie) the mansion.
Tracy invited Ronnie over to the mansion, but was she truly going to apologize? That’s not something Tracy does, as longtime fans of the character can attest. Still, she sought strength to do what she felt she had to by looking at a photo of her late brother, Alan (Stuart Damon), and his wife, Monica (Leslie Charleson).
Ronnie knew that Tracy’s family had laid down an ultimatum; she was willing to hear what Tracy had to say.
“You attempted to hoodwink my family out of our estate,” Tracy said, practically stammering as she poured coffee for herself and her guest. “Luckily, you were unsuccessful, and I think you probably came clean to avoid a lengthy legal battle. But I am very grateful that you admitted your fraud. And I am very sorry…if my reaction to your flagrant deceit upset you.”
Yep, that’s pretty much we expected — and for Tracy, it was actually pretty good. An “I’m sorry you’re upset” was the best Tracy was going to do.
Ronnie didn’t want to deprive Tracy’s family of their home, so she informed Tracy that she’d tell them that she apologized. “Great! No time like the present,” Tracy gleefully responded. “Chop, chop!” (Elliot brings a sharp wit to her character, which allows Tracy to infuse tense moments with relatable humor.)
Slezak’s Ronnie may have started out as a con artist (Tracy’s not wrong about that), but once she agreed to be honest, her portrayer was able to delve into different levels of Ronnie’s persona. Ronnie complimented Tracy on always protecting her family. “I was protecting them from you,” Tracy flatly pointed out.
And Ronnie thanked her doing so. She acknowledged that she had made a mistake that the rest of her family had forgiven her. Ronnie noted that the difference between her and Tracy was that she admitted she’d done something wrong. “Well, because I didn’t,” Tracy shrugged. A lesser actress might have resorted to screaming that line out, but Elliot let the simple fact speak for itself.
At this point in the episode, it didn’t look like Tracy’s family was ever coming back to the house because she simply wasn’t going to budge. What had she done wrong?
ABC
For decades ABC Daytime fans got to see Slezak’s Viki Lord Buchanan go up against her scene partners (most notably, Robin Strasser‘s Dorian), delivering powerhouse moments, and here, we got to see her do that again as Ronnie gave Tracy hell.
“You have been judging me from the second we met!” Ronnie screamed. “You took one look at me and said, ‘You’re not good enough for my family. You’re just here to pull a fast one.’”
“And I was right!” Tracy simply replied.
“No, you were wrong,” Ronnie insisted. “I came here to say goodbye to my sister and hopefully, meet some of her family. Thankfully, I did because they were wonderful to me and they made me feel part of a family. And I think that was my sister’s final gift to me. A family. So, if you can say a proper apology I will accept it.”
“Otherwise, just put a sock in it,” she yelled.
Hearing “put a sock in it” crystalized something within Tracy’s heart as that was an expression that Moncia had said to her over the years. Ronnie shrugged that she and her sister used to say that to each other all the time.
Any part of Tracy that still believed Ronnie was an imposter dissipated in that moment. And just like the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes too large when he realized that the “Whos” in Whoville didn’t let presents define Christmas for them, Tracy realized that Ronnie was a person, Monica’s sister, whom maybe, just maybe, she had treated unfairly.
“OK. I’m sorry that you did not get to reunite with your sister before she died,” Tracy said as Elliot had her character catch her breath. “I’m sorry that I judged you before I took the time to get to know you. And I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that I doubted your love for your sister, and hers for you. And I don’t know if you can…but if you can find it in your heart, please forgive me.”
And for the second time in its history, Port Charles froze over, though this time, it was figuratively.
ABC
Later, Ronnie dropped by Kelly’s Bobbie’s diner and bumped into Michael (Rory Gibson), Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton), Olivia (Lisa LoCicero), Ned (Wally Kurth), and Gio (Giovanni Massa) to let them know Tracy hadn’t apologized to her…at first.
It turns out apologies can work both ways. Tracy’s family returned to her at the mansion (a.k.a. her house — Monica gave it to her) where Brook Lynn apologized because Tracy was right. “And?” Tracy said. “We were wrong,” Brook Lynn added. Likewise, Michael, Olivia, and Ned expressed their regrets to Tracy, too.
Ned insisted on a group hug, which Tracy said she didn’t want, but the smile on her face as she was embraced by her family indicated that she was OK with it. (This time!)
Meanwhile, Ronnie left Gio with a parting gift back at Bobbie’s. She encouraged the young man to not let time go by (as it tends to do) and make peace with his parents, Brook Lynn and Dante (Dominic Zamprogna).
Viewers knew and loved Slezak for decades as OLTL‘s Viki (and her alters). In the span of several weeks, the actress brought to life a new persona, one we hope we haven’t seen the last of.
Elliot especially shined in this story as her character’s strength, conviction, and vulnerability shined through. She began playing Tracy back in 1978. There have been many writing and producing changes over the years at GH, but you’d never know that by watching Elliot. She brings consistency to the long-running role, created so brilliantly by late head writer, Douglas Marland.
Brava to both actresses for their powerhouse performances, which reminded viewers that, at the end of the day, soaps are all about family.
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC
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