Lucas Jones (played by Ryan Carnes) is going through a challenging time since he feels that his husband, Brad Cooper (Parry Shen) is cheating on him.
In his most vulnerable time and uncertain what to do due to a lack of trust in Brad, Lucas pays a visit to his adoptive father’s (Dr. Tony Jones) grave, who appears to visit him as a ghost and they have heart-to-heart moments together. Both actors (Maule and Carnes) deliver powerhouse performances in a subtle fashion.
They recall the times when Tony would return home from work (working 36-hour shifts in the hospital) but he always had time for his son “I never wanted you to think that being your parent was a chore,” he said. “I wanted you to be safe and loved and never have any doubt that you were the most important thing in my life,” he told Lucas. Maule’s execution and creativity were pitch-perfect and compelling in those scenes.
Lucas informs Tony that he has a son (which is Tony’s grandson) named Wiley and they bond even more about him, while Tony serves as the voice of reason. Tony acknowledged that he was not a “perfect parent” himself yet he reminded him of the importance of his son Wiley; moreover, Tony reminded Lucas that he has a “brave heart” and encouraged him to “trust it.”
Equally superb was Maule’s scene with Jacklyn “Jackie” Zeman’s character, Bobbie Spencer, where they shared a silent moment together (as she is talking to his photograph at the hospital), which spoke volumes of how proud both of them are of their son, Lucas.
Throughout his career in the daytime world, Maule earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for his work on General Hospital. Judging from his powerful scenes in today’s episode, Maule deserves a Daytime Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series” in next year’s Emmy ceremony, since he nailed every scene he was in, and his convincing acting performance really ran the gamut.
The Verdict
Overall, Brad Maule deserves to be commended for a job well done as Dr. Tony Jones on General Hospital. The powers that be on the show should have him in future episodes since many characters on the show could use Dr. Tony’s guidance, wisdom, and support.
Ryan Carnes was exceptional in his own right as well and triumphed in his scenes with his late on-screen father. Hopefully, Carnes will get more well-written scenes of this caliber since they showcase Carnes’ strong acting skills, and ability to flex his acting muscles.
