It’s the end of the line for General Hospital star Kelly Monaco as her character Sam McCall was killed off on Wednesday’s (October 30) episode, leaving many fans upset.
In August, it was announced that Monaco would be written out of the long-running ABC soap opera, a decision which was said to have “blindsided” the actress. Monaco has played Sam McCall on the daytime drama since 2003, having filmed more than 2,200 episodes.
On Wednesday’s episode, Monaco’s Sam left surgery successfully and got engaged to Dante (Dominic Zamprogna). However, shortly after, she started to feel faint and eventually passed out. Despite efforts to revive her, Sam flatlined and died. Her surgeon and half-brother, Dr. Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), reluctantly called her time of death as “5:48 p.m.”
Even though Sam is officially dead, Soap Opera Digest reported that Monaco’s last episode will air later this week. Now, the question is what happened? What caused Sam’s sudden illness? Why did she die? Did someone kill her?
While fans have many storyline-related questions, they have even more questions regarding the producers’ decision to kill Monaco’s character off in the first place. Following Wednesday’s episode, viewers took to social media to blast the show and executive producer Frank Valentini.
Just as her life with Dante was to move forward and she was happy, we lose her. I can’t!GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sam Dies! Kelly Monaco’s 21-Year Run Comes to an Almost Conclusion – https://t.co/GweoU0CF98 @kellymonaco1 #SamMcCall @GeneralHospital pic.twitter.com/j3IcKJgEXD— MIchael Fairman (@MichaelFairman) October 31, 2024
“At 5:48 We lost my favorite Character/actress Sam McCall/Kelly Monaco. The only reason I continued watching GH was for her. I have never been so connected and drawn to a soap actor before.#FireFrank #IStandWithKelly #WeLoveYouKelly @kellymonaco1,” wrote one X user.
“Do you guys notice not one day has Frank said anything about Sam? Not once & today she dies! His hate for her is real! This guy is so unprofessional. It’s not even funny..He’s a complete a**hole right to the end. #FireFrank,” saida nother.
“I think the GH writers and producers did Kelly Monaco wrong. The fact that they had already taken the substance out of such a strong and street smart character and turned Sam into a bland character was bad enough but now, to kill her off. Just can’t comprehend the thought process,” wrote another fan on the MichaelFairmanTV comment section.
Another X user added, “Kelly Monaco and Sam fans deserved so much better. Disgusting behavior by Frank and anyone else who made this decision. This is not how you bring back viewers to a show that has been declining in ratings all year. Killing off a beloved character like this is just so damn cruel.”
“I cannot sleep, Sam’s death was so disgusting and I feel so bad for Kelly Monaco that she lost her job that she loved and dedicated 21 years of her life too due to an entitled man in power with an ego trip who retaliated against her #IStandWithKelly,” wrote another.
RelatedKelly Monaco’s 6 Best Romances as Sam McCall on ‘General Hospital,’ Ranked
“Today, we say goodbye to Kelly. Our hearts are breaking . I wish her all the success in the world. We love you, and you will be missed,” said one commenter.
Another added, “I salute the beautiful and talented @kellymonaco1 for being the consummate professional til the end, despite the lack of respect shown her by @valentinifrank @GeneralHospital and @ABCNetwork after 21 years of service. I look forward to seeing you soar.”
Earlier this month, Monaco addressed her exit in a since-deleted Instagram comment on Soap Hub’s page. “What do you got concrete in your head she wasn’t fired she didn’t take the pay cut so she had to leave,” Monaco wrote, per People.
“‘No primary role’.. do your homework. When Billy Miller was fired, Sam’s storyline stopped. Stripping Sam of every characteristic she had,” she continued. “Something I worked for decades to build… Slowly dismantling her into a character that I did not recognize, let alone the audience. Call it what you will… retaliation at it [sic] finest. I will give a proper statement. The truth will set you free.”
In another post on her own Instagram page, Monaco shared a photo on set, writing “Last scene with the Davis girls. Still doesn’t make any sense to me.”
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC
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