Explainers

General Hospital: John Reilly tribute episode details revealed

John Reilly at a red carpet event for Passions.
John Reilly was Sean Donely on General Hospital. Pic credit: ©ImageCollect.com/carrie-nelson

General Hospital is gearing up for May sweeps, and with that will come a special tribute episode featuring John Reilly’s legacy as Sean Donely.

The actor passed away earlier this year, and the ABC soap promised to write a tribute episode for him. Reilly played WSB agent Sean Donely for over a decade. He was a huge part of the show, and his marriage to Tiffany (Sharon Wyatt) was recently discussed.

That perked viewers up, and from there it was assumed that the tribute episode would be coming soon. A storyline similar to the one that played out with Sean and Tiffany is happening in the present-day on General Hospital.

Faison (Anders Hove) poisoned Tiffany, and Sean was sent on a wild goose chase to save his wife and ensure he got the antidote. Currently, Peter (Wes Ramsey) is playing the same game with Anna (Finola Hughes) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart), but the poisoned one is Chase (Josh Swickard).

When will the Sean Donely General Hospital episode air?

Currently, the tribute episode is slated to air on May 21, 2021. That is subject to change if General Hospital is preempted, and with the way things are happening, that is a likely possibility.

Having the episode be a part of May sweeps brings a lot of potential for viewers to see things and people they have missed.

What do we know about the Sean Donely General Hospital tribute?

Over the last several days, news about the episode has been trickling out. Caitlin Reilly, the real-life daughter of John Reilly, will play Sean Donely’s daughter, Annie, in the tribute episode. She is the daughter of Sean and Tiffany and was named after their good friend, Anna Devane.

The storyline is going to focus on Annie and the loss of her dad, Sean. According to Deadline, several General Hospital staples will be a part of the episode. Laura (Genie Francis), Kevin (Jon Lindstrom), Felicia (Kristina Wagner), Mac (John J.York), and Anna will all gather to mourn the loss.

Speculation is that some surprising appearances will also happen. One specific notion is Kimberly McCullough bringing back Robin Scorpio-Drake to mourn Sean’s loss. They were all a big part of the storyline in the 80s and early 90s when the WSB was front and center alongside the hospital portion of the show.

Long gone are the days of the WSB agents in Port Charles. They have been replaced by the mobsters as the show has evolved.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.

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Udhoop
Udhoop
2 years ago

Can’t wait!