Why General Hospital's new Michael is already a success in my book
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I know some General Hospital fans will say I'm jumping the gun here, but despite Rory Gibson only officially stepping into the role of Michael Corinthos as of May 23, he's already won me over. In fact, I won't even be shocked if Gibson becomes my favorite, and I don't say that lightly, considering how much I respect Chad Duell's tenure.
So if you're wondering how I could make such bold proclamations this early, let's start with the subtleties of the way Gibson carries himself in the role. As some General Hospital viewers have noted, Gibson's walk as Michael remarkably resembles the walk of the Dimpled Kingpin himself, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard). The storyteller in me can't help but wonder if this was a purposefully orchestrated move on the part of Gibson and the General Hospital team, possibly signaling that this version of Michael will take on more attributes of his father this go-around.
I've always said that the Michael character as a whole can be as methodical and vengeful as his father, but he didn't share his dad's willingness to resort to deadly means to get a job done. However, given that Michael has suffered relentless blows to his family thanks to Drew (Cameron Mathison) and almost lost his life thanks most likely to Sidwell (Carlo Rota), perhaps Michael's more dangerous nature has been activated.
With Sonny inching closer to retirement and a more 'above-board' lifestyle these days, I think it could be rather entertaining to see Michael pick up the Corinthos mantle to a degree (I would just hope Michael does a better job of protecting his kids from enemies if this proves to be the case).
Gibson is also winning me over on General Hospital because of the way he presents Michael as a doting father. Not that Duell was unbelievable as a dad, but Gibson off the bat, has arguably had more impactful scenes with his children, mainly Wiley (Viron Weaver). Heck, Wiley running off the stage into Michael's arms at the end of the 2025 Nurses Ball was one of the highlights of the very dramatic affair. Then, in the General Hospital episode airing on May 27, Michael tucked Wiley into bed, explaining how much he loved his son, and my heartstrings were tugged on a bit. I may not have cried, but I won't pretend as if I weren't moved.
Lastly, it's worth noting that despite the "new Michael' not having many interactions with Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and Drew yet, I'm already getting the sense that he's ready to give #Drillow all they have coming to them. Considering Drew has seemed to outwit his opponents at every turn lately, even Tracy (Jane Elliot), I'm excited to see Gibson's Michael take down the tawdry couple, especially his uncle. Based on the following preview clip for the episodes airing during the week of May 26, Michael doesn't appear to be in the business of extending grace. Again, also a sign that Michael may become more like his father.
All in all, I'm going to have to applaud the powers that be at General Hospital for the decision to cast Gibson. He's a great actor, and if you didn't know that from watching him as Noah on The Young and the Restless, it looks like you'll get to find out watching Gibson's Michael continue making a splash in Port Charles.
New episodes of General Hospital air on weekdays on ABC. If you miss an episode, you can catch up on Hulu.
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