Daytime Soap Opera
Actor Of The Week

Kate Mansi (Kristina, General Hospital)

One of the many great things about the soap opera genre is that a show is almost always telling multiple stories at the same time, so if you’re bored with one plot, frustrated with another, or cringing over hate-sex dialogue, you can count on there still being something else or someone else that makes you happy that you haven’t given up on your soap, and for me, this week’s saving grace on General Hospital is Kate Mansi’s Kristina. First, there’s her aesthetic, I love the way Mansi wears Kristina’s oversized coat ensemble, it reminds me of Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping, and reminders of 90’s romantic comedies are always a good thing. Then there’s the energy and the emotion this actress brings, like in Kristina’s visit with Sonny this week, the way Mansi relaid her run in with Joss’s verbal grenades, how plain it was to see that this is a daughter who wants to stand up for her dad just as he has always done for her. I love the affection Mansi pours into her scenes with Kristina’s dad, it’s like every moment you’re feeling her reflect back all the unwavering support Kristina’s received from her dad, support unlike anyone else (especially her mom) has ever given her, I love that even though Mansi wasn’t there to play most of those moments, you can see she gets it, she knows her character inside and out. And I appreciate that at the moment at least, GH isn’t playing Kristina for a fool. I loved the side-eye Mansi gave that alcohol Ava offered to Sonny, that throughout Kristina’s visit with her dad, Mansi looked at Sonny with adoration while she looked at Ava with the sort of wily distrust that Nina should have shown towards Ava months ago. It’s pretty much the same point I made last week about favoring Portia over Laura/Kevin, smart is more interesting and infinitely more likeable than deliberately dumbed down will ever be, and some of our soaps are sorely in need of likeable right now.