General Hospital is a generational show. It began in 1963 and has continued till now. Over the decades, there have been multiple Spencers and Quartermaines. But it’s undeniable that Monica Quartermaine has been a fixture there for as long as one can remember.
Played majorly by Leslie Charleson, the character is beloved. So when she began missing episodes continuously, and the storyline changed drastically, fans began to wonder what was happening with her.
The character of Monica Quartermaine has been absent from multiple episodes of General Hospital for a long time. At most, the actress Leslie Charleson only lends her voice for some episodes. This reduced presence of the character is because Leslie is 78 years old and, after suffering a leg injury in 2018, is nearly retiring from the profession.
What Happened to Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital?
General Hospital has over 15k episodes already. The medical drama series is the longest-running scripted show on TV that’s still in production. One of the most prominent characters over the years has been Monica Quartermaine.
Leslie Charleson plays Monica Quartermaine, and the character is known for being rich and from a family with significant sway in Port Charles. But that’s not all. She’s a highly skilled and respected cardiologist who is central to many of the show’s plotlines.
However, nowadays, the actress or the character isn’t seen as much on the show. This is because Leslie Charleson suffers from physical and medical issues due to advanced age. In 2018, she had to take a break after she suffered a leg injury due to stumbling while walking her dog Riley Rose.
Patty McCormack was brought in during that time to fill the role, but fans weren’t happy. They wanted Charleson back. Luckily, she did return later on. However, that break seemed like the beginning of the end as now the 78-year-old only does voice roles in the show, and that too sparingly. Viewers have also noticed that she looks sick whenever she does appear on-screen.
Monica’s life has been a rollercoaster. Her wedding and later affairs have wreaked havoc on her life. A drawn-out battle with arch-enemies, health scares, and getting embroiled in a love triangle with her spouse Alan Quartermaine and Rick kept her character interesting.
But after her past life details were exposed, including her steamy affair with Ned, Monica was fired from General Hospital, and Dorman’s lawyers won the case.
The Future of Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital
Over the years, Leslie Charleson has revealed that initially, she was signed on for two years in 1977. But she never had to leave since. She also said that she loved Monica for her independence and spunk because there weren’t many interesting female roles back when she joined.
Even though some fans are upset that the almost octogenarian Leslie Charleson doesn’t appear in many episodes, many have come to her defense. On the General Hospital subreddit, one fan defended her absence by saying:
“The last few times she’s been on it was obvious to me she has some serious physical limitations. She can barely stand or walk. If LC is unable to come back, it would be best that Monica passes away. They better not recast her with that actress that sometimes fills in. She looks mean and I call her Evil Monica.”
Another commentator speculated that Leslie was planning on retiring before her fall. They wrote:
“I read that before she had her fall, she was talking of possibly retiring, but there is no real news as to the actress’s circumstances. It is odd that she wasn’t around for holidays, nurses ball, or Never at the hospital. Obviously she isn’t well enough to film, or the network hasn’t announced her retirement.”
It remains to be seen what the show finally does with Monica Quartermaine. If Leslie’s health declines further, they might kill off the character so the star gets her well-deserved retirement.
Another option is that the character gets recast, and someone else plays her. However, many fans might find this disrespectful towards Leslie. After all, she has been a veteran of the show for more than four decades now.
A sweet medium would be if the show keeps giving fans updates about the adventures of Monica Quartermaine off-screen. Leslie Charleson can also keep doing voice work so that fans know she’s doing well.
What do you think about the Monica Quartermaine situation?
What should the writers of General Hospital do with the character? Should they kill her off?
Let us know in the comments below.
