In January, there was a shakeup in the General Hospital writer’s room. The daytime soap opera replaced co-head writers Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor with new co-head writers Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahey. It looks like the change only lasted for four months and Mulcahey is out.
Replacing Mulcahey is Van Etten, who returns to the soap opera. Here is what you need to know.
Chris Van Etten Returns To General Hospital As Writer
It looks like Chris Van Etten is back at General Hospital again as part of the writing staff. The daytime soap made some changes in January and turned over the soap to a new writing team. However, that has changed and part of the old staff is back, as Van Etten’s name appeared in the credits for the first time since March. Chris is now listed as a “breakdown writer.”
This is also something that many fans already figured out. In an interview with journalist Michael Fairman in late April, actress Alley Mills (Heather Webber) said, “… the head writer at the time, Chris Van Etten, who’s still with us, thank god because I just adore him….” She also mentioned that Van Etten was still on the team along with the new head writer, referring to Patrick Mulcahey. She called them a “double whammy.”
Mills was talking about her second straight Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series. She won her first-ever Emmy in December 2023 for her work. Those were under Van Etten as a head writer.
Van Etten was a co-head writer on General Hospital since October 2017, replacing Jean Passanante, who retired after 25 years in the industry. However, that “double whammy” might have already ended.
Patrick Mulcahey Out At General Hospital
At the same time that Chris Van Etten’s name was back in the credits on General Hospital, the news hit that Patrick Mulcahey is no longer with General Hospital. The news is that General Hospital has let the writer go after just three months as a co-head writer for the soap (via The Buzz).
Before working for General Hospital, Mulcahey worked for The Bold and the Beautiful, which is where he first worked with Alley Mills (who played Pamela Douglas in that series). He was a scriptwriter there starting in 2005 and took a break from soap writing until returning to General Hospital this year.
Van Etten staying on staff as a “breakdown writer” he was the first in line for a chance to replace Mulcahey. He will step back into co-head writing duties with Liz Jorte. She remains on after she was hired with Mulcahey in January.
Are you surprised that Patrick Mulcahey only lasted three months on General Hospital? Are you happy to see Chris Van Etten back on as a writer for the soap? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
