General Hospital Performer of the Week: Rick Hearst as Ric Lansing

In 2024, General Hospital made its wisest casting decision in years when it decided to bring back Emmy winner Rick Hearst as the quintessential sleezy soap opera lawyer, Ric Lansing. Since the moment he waltzed back into Port Charles last summer, he has been nothing but a sheer delight, and this past week, he outdid himself as Ric found himself in a rather delicate situation.

Ric Lansing lets loose

General Hospital's Ric went off on Kristina | Image: ABC

Before Ric ended up chained to a gurney in Alexis' (Nancy Lee Grahn) basement, he finally had it out with Kristina (Kate Mansi) and said everything that's been pent up inside for months. And he wasn't wrong. Hearst delivered Ric's fury and frustration in a blistering monologue that Kristina deserved. Who didn't want to cheer Ric on as he lay into Kristina for accidentally almost killing him when she was really trying to kill Ava? That's a testament to Hearst's talents that we can actually feel bad for Ric, despite the pond scum things he does.

Ric also had some amazing points as Hearst brought his softer side out (with a hard edge) as he defended his daughter and pointed out that it was Molly's (Kristen Vaganos) baby that died, too, and not just Kristina's. In fact, the baby was always meant to be Molly's.

When Ava arrived, Hearst's chemistry with Maura West was on fire as always. That's when Ric returned to sleazy mode as he gleefully told Ava what he did with all her money. Bad move, Ric, cause Ava was ready with a paperweight.

General Hospital's Ric gets a taste of his own medicine

It wasn't a good week for General Hospital's Ric | Image: ABC

As Ava, Alexis, and Kristina debated what to do with an unconscious, Hearst had the hard job of lying sprawled out in Alexis' living room without bursting out in laughter cause the ensuing scenes were side-splitting. However, when Ric magically appeared in Alexis' basement moments later, chained to a gurney with a ball gag in his mouth, Hearst was on fire.

The terror in Ric's eyes when he woke was palpable, as was the fear in his voice. When Alexis paid a visit the next morning, Hearst showed us Ric's slow realization that Alexis helped do this to him — and she took glee in it, reminding Ric that he did something similar to Carly years ago.

So far this year, GH fans have freaked out twice, thinking Ric might die. If that is not a testament to Hearst's talents and what he brings to the show, we don't know what is.

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