The Many Faces of Patrick
Watching Patrick and Robin reconnect yesterday on General Hospital was so cute, it actually reminded me why these characters - this couple - are so vital to this show, but I think I’ll save that angle for another post. Honestly, yesterday’s reunion was sweet and I know it’s a moment that Scrub fans have been anticipating ever since Robin went off to treatment, three weeks ago, for post-partum depression. After that episode aired on 4/28, all I kept thinking was, “Three weeks is a long time, what are they going to do with Patrick while Robin is away?” Sure, we all knew Michael was going to have his official “aging ceremony” with Patrick as his miracle doc, but what else were they going to do with Patrick? It’s not as if these surgeries can last 3 weeks, can they? Oh wait - I forgot this is GH and based on the death of Alan Quartermaine, anything can happen. So you’ll understand that this is where I start to get legitimately agitated. You see, the character of Patrick is half the reason I watch this often intolerable show and I know if left up to those really important people at the helm, Patrick could be a glimmer of his former self by the time Robin comes home. See somewhere back in March/April there appeared to be a hint of him and some other female character who shall remain nameless. Cough. Liz. Cough. So yes, I fully admit it, I actually thought the PIZ hour was coming! Sounds like the apocalypse or something of that fashion, doesn’t it? Nevertheless, it is true but what happened next actually surprised me in such a subtle and un-Guza (yeah, it’s a word) like way that I’m compelled to write about it.
Fifteen times. That’s the number of episodes Patrick was on while Robin was away in therapy. Fifteen out of eighteen episodes (according to my calculations) and what makes me giddy about this is aside from the surgery material, none of it was really what I expected or thought... including the screen-time!
After being such a supportive husband and arranging for his wife to go away for treatment, Patrick played five other key roles in Port Charles. Five! Can you believe it? Every time I turned on GH there he was and it was such a refreshing face to see compared to the alternatives.
Taking a look back, here are the many faces of Patrick …
#1 Father: Even though he was nervous, Patrick took on his most important role with such strength and conviction. It was so adorable watching him talk to Emma and remind her how much her mommy loved and missed them. Seeing him in the position of temporary single father was important because it just cements to the viewers how much he has changed since first gracing our screens three plus years ago. Jason Thompson has done a remarkable job at transitioning this character and I think his best stuff with Patrick as a father is yet to come.
#2 Brother: Agreeing to let Matt move in and help him was a big deal for Patrick. Sure, he probably could have done it on his own, but letting Matt help had more to do with them continuing to find their way as brothers than anything else. Yes, Matt is Emma’s uncle and he had some funny moments in that regard (Ha, chick magnet!) but keeping this relationship going in a positive direction now is important to how the story unfolds in the coming weeks. (LOL, if you’re unsure what I’m referring to here you’ll need to jump to the speculation portion of the site)
#3 Dr. Drake: Yes, Patrick is a successful neurosurgeon. Everyone knows it since he rarely lets anyone forget it. While it was touch and go for an episode or two we all knew Michael was going to wake up and prove to everyone that he really is 10 years older and that Patrick’s still got it even though he most likely came into this surgery right after he changed a diaper and cleaned the spit-up off his shirt.
#4 Just a Friend: Oh Liz. This was the one role I feared more than any other. Mainly because I’ve watched soaps a long time and I’ve seen just how this stuff works. They start out as friends and then slowly, day by day, it becomes more -- even when the chemistry is lacking something fierce! So, despite my issues on the subject, I watched their scenes and after all was said and done I actually believed the scenes for what they were: friendly advice. It began with Liz’s initial question to Patrick, “How does love work?” and it ended with me a happy camper as Patrick realized his own progression on the subject. He reflected on the happiness he’s found with Robin and Emma and it made Elizabeth see just how rare true love is and how just maybe all hope isn’t lost for her and Lucky after all.
#5 Inn-keeper: The oddest of the roles finds Patrick taking in a house guest to a desperate Holly, who is running from Luke and his incessant Ethan parentage inquiries. The one thing these scenes managed to do was remind of the Markham Islands arc 3 years ago when Patrick first started dating Robin. The whole thing just made me smile because I found how interesting it is when a scene sparks a memory and that one thing leads to something else entirely.
And where does that one thing lead to exactly? Well, I think that should be obvious at this point because all "roles" lead back to Robin. I think Patrick put it best when he said, “Somehow this tiny woman with a big mouth got under my skin and stayed.”
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