The Britch is back on General Hospital – or at least that’s how most everyone is treating Dr. Britt Westbourne

General Hospital had better staff up with some attorneys because Britt Westbourne is going to sue the hospital...for rudeness! Since her return, she's been treated like the town pariah, and we're not sure why. Is everyone living in 2012 when Britt first made the scene, quickly earning the handle "the Britch?"

General Hospital, the good doctor

General Hospital scored the casting coup of the year by bringing Kelly Thiebaud back to the show as Dr. Britt Westbourne. The Daytime Emmy winner's return has been a shot in the arm to the storytelling canvas and has given Jason (Steve Burton) another chance at love! Britt’s return, in a way, has turned the clock back. But has it been rewound too far?

GH is to be commended for rehiring Thiebaud, but also for having her play Britt again and not a new character, a twin, a clone, someone with plastic surgery, etc. The show wisely asked viewers to believe that someone who thought she was dying had faked her death. That's believable.

When Britt came upon Heather (Alley Mills, AKA the Hook) about to kill Josslyn (Eden McCoy), she stepped in and played hero at the cost of her own life – or so we thought.

Doppelgangers and doubles can work on soaps, but they often simply do not. So viewers are thrilled to not only have Thiebaud back on their screens but Britt, too!

We’re still learning about everything that went down that led Britt to fake her passing. And it's only logical that her "mutter," Leisl (Kathleen Gati), would be hurt. Soaps are nowhere without conflict, so we understand Britt’s return hasn’t been without challenges. However, some of her challenges aren’t ringing true.

Having an Epiphany

Before faking her death, Britt said something self-effacing, referring to how she was known as “the Britch,” a less-than-flattering nickname she had picked up after making the scene in Port Charles. Epiphany (the late Sonya Eddy), however, quickly informed Britt that nobody thought of her that way anymore. Epiphany was correct. Quite correct, in fact. Britt had softened (without losing her edge), and her subsequent “death” left many people sad. Britt was mourned.

It was surprising not to see Britt specifically ask to speak to Epiphany when she came to General Hospital last week, when she wanted a word with the hospital's top nurse. Liz (Rebecca Herbst) gleefully informed Britt that that was her now. Liz took some joy in letting Britt know that she had a lengthy wait, too, to see a physician. Why is Liz being so mean to someone who has Huntington’s disease? Lucas (Van Hansis) was professional to Britt -- for the most part.

Had Britt learned of Epiphany's death, viewers and characters would have seen Britt lament her friend's loss. An opportunity for vulnerability was lost.

Many folks on Port Charles have faked their death, taken their sweet time about revealing they're alive, and committed other crimes. Why is Britt being treated so rudely?

Outside of Carly (Laura Wright) feeling territorial towards Jason, we're not sure why Carly has been so flippant to Britt. When Britt reminded Carly that she saved her daughter’s life, Carly said that she was grateful Britt sacrificed her life for Joss's, but that has changed in light of Britt being alive. Huh?

Isn't Joss being alive the most important thing? What does one have to do with the other? Britt. Saved. Joss's. Life. That should get her Carly's thanks for the rest of her life -- or at the very least a discount at Kelly's and a room with a private bath and hot water.

The only person we've seen showing Britt some grace has been Dr. Portia Robinson (Brook Kerr). which was on display when Britt wanted her job at General Hospital. Portia’s subtext indicated that she was aware of her own recent, deceptive actions. Others might consider taking a page from Portia's notebook.

Mother’s daze

Britt, in turn, might want to focus on making amends with her mother, who was hurt deeply by her daughter's deceit. However, we’re not quite understanding why Britt is so interested in Ben’s, er, make that Rocco’s (Finn Carr), life on GH. Yes, Britt carried him and spent many months (close to a year, she says) with the newborn….but we don't recall Britt wanting to keep tabs on Rocco after he was reunited with his parents, Lulu (Alexa Havins) and Dante (Dominic Zamprogna).

Britt had moved on to other stories, other goals. She saw her pregnancy as a means to lure Patrick into a relationship. Now, she has been showing a strong interest in developing a rapport with the teen boy she once called her own.

This part of the story has pointed out Lulu’s hypocrisy as she blasted Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) for keeping a secret that she had a child with Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) from him. Now, fingers are pointed at Lulu for not telling Rocco about how he came into the world. We get that part of it, but Britt's interest in Ben/Rocco appears to be a bit forced.

While Lulu acknowledged that Britt was a good co-chief of staff (she was) and that she saved Joss from the Hook (she did), she referred to those instances as “one-offs.” Even if Britt’s heroic action was a “one-off” that’s a pretty big one-off!

Lulu accused Britt of being “toxic” and “self-involved.” However, Lulu was in a coma when Britt changed for good. Perhaps, it’s not Britt but everyone else in Port Charles who needs to take a step back and remember that the Britt who “died” in 2023 was not the same Britch who made the General Hospital scene in 2012.

She shouldn't be treated like she's actively throwing Emma's (Braedyn Bruner) dolls on a lit barbecue!

Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital weekdays on ABC and Hulu.