
Courtesy/ABC
On yesterday’s Thanksgiving episode of General Hospital, the creative team of head writer Ron Carlivati and executive producer Frank Valentini had the task of how to properly give longtime viewers a proper send-off to the patriarch of the bickering and dysfunctional Quartermaine clan, Edward, while at the same time paying their respects to the beloved John Ingle who passed away in September.
In an episode, that we dare say, you had to have reached for the hankies by the end of it, was chock full of emotional moments – big and small, trips down memory lane, and powerful performances, that paid homage to this legacy character and for many on-screen their treasured colleague.
Where do we begin? How about with the heartbreaking and touching performance of one of the best of the best, Jane Elliot (Tracy)! The scenes were Tracy is alone in the family crypt realizing she is the only remaining member of the Quartermaine clan as she stares at the names of Alan, Lila, and now Edward were a startling realization not only to Tracy, but to viewers that the original Q’s are all but gone. And in yet another heart-tugging moment, Ned (Wally Kurth) shows up and hugs his mother who is struggling to come to terms with her “daddy’s” passing. Tracy tells Ned she believes Edward was the glue that held the family together, and wonders what will become of the rest of them. Ned reveals to her, that it is she that is the toughest one of them all.
How wonderful was to see both Wally Kurth and Robin Christopher (Skye) again! And each had some very tender scenes remembering their times with Edward. And how about little Lila Rae? And when Skye takes the little one to see Lila’s namesake in the family crypt? Or, Ned leading the remaining family in a toast, “To Edward! There will never be another one like him!” That toast was preceded by a stunning montage of clips of John Ingle as Edward, which at that point, we reached for the hankies.
Of course, a Quartermaine Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without the ruined turkey dinner, and this time thanks to Heather Webber (Robin Mattson) taking Skye hostage at knife point, the feast was decimitated. But not before Heather got her hands on Edward’s will. And after she was carted back to the loony bin, after Alice saved the day, she left us with a cliffhanger shouting, “I know something the Quartermaines don’t know!” This means … that this story is far from over, and only the beginning!
After the traditional bickering and infighting between all the Q’s, and the pizza place they normally order from being closed, mysteriously a stack of pizza boxes shows up at the Q’s front door! And it is at this point that the GH writing team out did themselves! We see the back of Edward watching over his family. And when little Lila Rae said she wanted to eat, the Quartermaine clan recited in unison’s Edward’s famous turkey day line, “First we sing, Then we eat!” And as the spirit of Edward began to sing “We Gather Together”, the rest of the family followed suit. But if that was not enough, there was one more touching moment to reveal! We next saw the backs of Edward and his beloved Lila in her wheelchair beside him. They were finally reunited. And as the family begins to indulge in Thanksgiving pizza, we see Edward and Lila, who has now gotten got out of her wheelchair, hand and hand as made they make their way up the Quartermaine staircase to heaven together. That was followed up by the in memoriam title card which read: “In Loving Memory … John Ingle 1928-2012.”
So soapers, what did you think of GH’s Thanksgiving tribute episode to John Ingle? What were you favorite moments? Did you reach for the hankies? Share your thoughts here! And if you want to see the last segment of yesterday’s episode one more time, here it is below!