Tracy Quartermaine, played by Daytime Emmy winner Jane Elliot, recently became the unlikely champion of little Wiley and Amelia (Michael and Willow’s children) on General Hospital. That put her in the position of having to go up against several citizens of Port Charles including members of law enforcement, a crafty attorney, and her own family.
Those confrontations led to Elliot turning in a series of tour de forces last week as she had Tracy hold her ground, emerging more often than not as the winner in each of her showdowns.
First, Port Charles’ truth teller played the police like fiddles, feigning that the tight handcuffs she was put in prevented her from recalling exactly where the absent children were. She met lawful arguments at each and every turn. Despite not having a legal leg on which she could stand, Tracy threatened to sue the police if she were to set one toenail in a holding cell!
Drew (Cameron Mathison) attempted to throw a bit of Tracy’s past family drama up in her face in an attempt to point out that she hasn’t always put the Quartermaine clan first. With Drew and many of her other opponents, Elliot had Tracy scoff with laughter, sending the message she doesn’t fold to petty mind games.
Unable to leave the interrogation room, Tracy stuck her fingers in her ears, closed her eyes, and called out “La-la-la-la-la-la….” in an effort to drown out Drew’s continued attempts to wear her down. She sparred with Martin (Michael E. Knight), who failed to convince Tracy to come clean for Willow’s (Katelyn MacMullen) sake.
Disney/Christine Bartolucci
Tracy not only had to deal with Anna (Finola Hughes), Martin, and Drew, but also Jason (Steve Burton), who was brought in to try to reason with his aunt. “Jason, I’m not going to go to jail! I have too much money!” Tracy confidently assured her nephew when he asked her if she was willing to risk imprisonment over Willow’s children.
Jason and Tracy have far from gotten along over the years, but the enforcer was able to reach her more than others had. It’s fascinating to watch someone as strong-willed as Tracy is start to slowly change her mind. He presented to Tracy a plan to have the kids remain on the Quartermaine estate with their mother in the guest house. Monica would have access to them, but Drew would stay away.
Initially, Tracy balked at Jason’s proposal. However, we saw Elliot play Tracy realize that Lulu’s (Alexa Havins) advice to “play the long game” was the way to go. “I’ll do it,” a very serious Tracy conceded. “I’ll take the deal.”
Fortunately for GH viewers, Tracy wouldn’t be Tracy if she didn’t get a last word in before being released from the police station. She chastised an officer over not getting the glass of water she’d requested.
Elliot continued to entertain following Tracy’s brush with the law. She confronted Willow back on the Quartermaine grounds. Even though Willow had her mother Nina (Cynthia Watros) by her side, the young mother’s guard went up with Tracy in the room. Willow threatened to refile kidnapping charges. Elliot had Tracy put on a wry smile as if to show she’s two steps ahead of Willow. (Tracy’s usually a few steps ahead of most everyone!)
Drew had tried to use Tracy’s past against her, but Tracy knows how to play — and win — at that game. She lambasted Willow for not being trustworthy. “I think there’s a little more Nelle [Chloe Lanier] in you than you realized,” Tracy pointed out, bringing up the name of the late hellion who almost ruined Michael’s (Chad Duell) life.
After Nina stepped up to defend her daughter, Willow threatened to take her kids away from the family. Tracy called her bluff, informing her that there was one non-negotiable — Drew was banned from the Quartermaine property permanently!
After interacting with a good portion of Port Charles throughout the week, Tracy made one last stop at Deception — to see Maxie (Kirsten Storms), Lulu, and daughter-in-law Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) so that she could hire Lulu as the newest assistant. If Tracy were aware of any tension between Lulu and Brook Lynn, she paid it no mind. What Tracy wants, she tends to get!
The late Edward and Lila’s daughter had accused the Port Charles police of treating her like a common criminal when she was being held over Willow’s missing children, but there’s nothing “common” about Elliot’s performances. In fact, she’s a national treasure in the soap opera world. The actress electrifies each and every scene in which she appears.
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC