Rough Start
We’re not sure exactly who thought this year’s Nurses Ball should be subtitled “The Return of the Llama,” but it wasn’t a great way to kick things off. Lucy on the red carpet in… a t-shirt? Never. And why did the idea of saving the llamas get more airtime than the actual AIDS-related charities for which funds were being raised?
Photo : ABC screenshot
Zing!
By far, our favorite part of the red carpet was watching one local after another find ways to trash-talk Drew… including his co-host, Nina!
Photo : ABC screenshot
Plot, Meet Point
Chase getting the call to arrest Tracy was a miss on several levels. Surely someone other than Tracy’s grandson-in-law could have been sent. But the real reason we were ticked is that this silliness kept us from seeing Tracy perform!
Photo : ABC screenshot
On With the Show!
Kicking off the musical performances with the nurses take on Madonna’s “Holiday” was fun. Yes, most of the numbers felt as if someone had shouted, “Hey, kids! Let’s put on a show!” But isn’t that basically what the Nurses Ball is, at heart?
Photo : ABC screenshot
Who’s That Girl?
“Special musical guest” YDE sang a peppy, upbeat number… but who, exactly, was the target audience here? Young people who don’t watch soaps? Pretty sure most General Hospital fans hit the fast-forward button for this one.
Photo : ABC screenshot
Top of the Pops
A major highlight of the ball, performance-wise, was Chase’s take on the ABC classic “The Look of Love.” As in years past, Josh Swickard gave it his all and looked to be having a blast.
Photo : ABC screenshot
Drama-Free Zone
What was the point of having Sidwell sponsor the event? Sure, it made sense that the newbie might try and buy his way into respectability. But shouldn’t his doing so have had a bigger some impact?
Photo : ABC screenshot
Timing Is Everything
We get that the writers wanted to play big, dramatic moments at the ball. But surely there was a better way to get to the Gio reveal than having Lulu — already on thin ice with viewers — attack proud grandma Lois at the social event of the season!
Photo : ABC screenshot
Simply the Best
In recent weeks, we’ve watched with delight as Giovanni Mazza has proven to be a stand-out talent. Whether Gio was wowing the crowd with his performance or shocking them with his unexpected announcement, Mazza proved he’s a star on the rise.
Photo : ABC screenshot
Most Inexplicable Reaction
As Gio was confessing his paternity on stage, Dante sat inexplicably grinning at the young man he’d been scowling about for two weeks. Odder still, after Gio named Brook Lynn and Dante as his parents, he dashed out… and neither made any attempt to follow him!
Photo : ABC screenshot
Drama Queen
No matter what was happening — good or bad — the cameramen knew one thing to be true: Lisa LoCicero’s Olivia would have the kind of reaction that demands a close-up. We’re not sure if in this picture Liv is reacting to Gio’s shocking revelation or news that the buffet ran out of shrimp.
Photo : ABC screenshot
Best Sneak Preview
The episode-ending shot in which a “mystery man” watched Drew and Willow declare their love on the red carpet all but demanded viewers tune in the next day. Better still, the next day or two didn’t remind us that someone — obviously Michael — was Port Charles-bound, making it all the more fun when finally he arrived.
Photo : ABC screenshot
Hello, I Must Be Going
Yes, we knew it was coming. Yet the moment when Wiley saw his dad standing at the back of the ballroom and rushed into his arms gave us chills. As everyone looked on, Michael scooped up his boy and declared, “We’re going home.”
Photo : ABC screenshot
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Why wouldn’t ABC use the Nurses Ball as an actual fundraiser? Imagine how much good publicity the show could get while also doing something positive in an era when so many charitable organizations are seeing their funds cut. For years, we’ve issued this same complaint… and we’re going to keep doing so until someone listens.
Photo : Howard Wise/JPI, ABC
What Will Happen Next?
Obviously, Michael’s return to the canvas is going to create huge problems for Willow, who is all set to move on with Drew. How did “Millow,” once one of the sweetest couples on the canvas, turn so incredibly sour? Well, check out this gallery in which we take a closer look at their fairy tale gone wrong!
