General Hospital is facing a tidal wave of criticism from furious fans as the character of Monica Quartermaine continues to appear in storylines, even though the legendary actress who played her, Leslie Charleson, passed away more than six months ago! This has ignited a fierce debate: Is this a blatant disrespect to a departed icon, or merely an unfortunate side effect of soap opera production?
Monica Quartermaine’s Lingering Presence: An Icon Gone, a Character Remains – And GH Fans Are Raging!
Monica Quartermaine (played by Leslie Charleson) has long been one of General Hospital’s most beloved and central characters. She’s an icon, ingrained in the hearts of generations of viewers over decades. However, when veteran actress Leslie Charleson passed away in January 2025, fans naturally expected her character to receive a dignified and fitting farewell.
But six months after her death, Monica continues to be a “prominent figure” on screen, with her storylines still unfolding. This has ignited a heated debate across social media, particularly on General Hospital fan pages.
“Why is Monica still alive?!” – The Online Outcry
A Facebook user on a General Hospital fan page recently posted: “Why do they still have Monica’s character still alive? She died 6 mos. ago. It’s time to let her go…,” quickly attracting numerous reactions that reveal the strong disapproval from a significant portion of the fanbase.
Many comments expressed frustration and confusion:
- “That’s terrible. All they had to do is have one of the butlers or may go up to serve for breakfast, and they couldn’t wake her up. Two days later, after she passed away, that’s terrible,” one angry fan commented, suggesting a simple, quick scriptwriting solution.
- “Guess the writers still do not know how to write her out!” another user quipped, implying a lack of skill from the writing team.
However, some fans have also defended the show’s decision, arguing for a “proper” and unhurried farewell:
- “Because they’re going to give Monica a proper send off. I much rather them take their time and do it right then rush it.”
The Truth Behind Monica’s “Strange Appearances”
The article also provides a potential explanation for Monica’s lingering presence: Episodes of General Hospital are filmed months in advance. This means that recent episodes featuring Monica were likely shot when Leslie Charleson was still alive. This is a common reality in soap opera production, where filming schedules require a significant backlog of episodes.
Even so, this explanation hasn’t entirely soothed the frustration of some fans. The debate over how and when Monica should be written off the show continues to simmer.
The question remains: Will the showrunners heed the voice of the fans and deliver a truly deserving farewell to Monica Quartermaine, or will they prolong the storyline, risking further outrage? Only time will tell, but for now, frustration is certainly brewing across Port Charles!