General Hospital: Night Shift is a prime timespin-off of the American ABC Daytimesoap operaGeneral Hospital.[1] The series first aired on SOAPnet for a 13-episode run from July 12, 2007, to October 4, 2007, and began a second season of 14 episodes on July 22, 2008. As of March 2008, the first season of the series was "SOAPnet's most-watched series ever," with ABC Daytime and SOAPnet President Brian Frons noting that Night Shift drew more than 1 million new viewers to the channel during its first season.[2]
Andy Archer is an anesthesiologist at General Hospital, portrayed by Ron Melendez in the 2007 first season of General Hospital: Night Shift.[3] In the storyline, Archer self-medicates with gas to help himself sleep but soon becomes addicted; he is nearly killed when "psychotic" nurse Jolene Crowell tries to kill him by upping his dosage as he sleeps.[4] He also becomes involved with fellow doctor Kelly Lee, who is herself battling a sex addiction and rebuffs his desire to pursue a relationship.[4] They soon agree to be friends and help each other with their addictions.[4]
Archer subsequently appears on General Hospital sporadically until January 29, 2009, when he dies as the first victim of a biotoxin accidentally released in the hospital.[3]
Dr. Saira Batra is a new doctor specializing in Holistic health at Port Charles General Hospital.[5] Introduced in the July 22, 2008 second-season premiere episode "Crash," Saira is a friend of Dr. Robin Scorpio's from medical school, and had been invited to Port Charles by Robin herself.[5]
Stone Cates is the son of John "Jagger" Cates, named after his deceased uncle Michael "Stone" Cates.[6] Jagger and Stone visit Robin Scorpio, who notices that Stone acts differently than most children his age. Stone is later diagnosed with autism.[7]
Jolene Crowell is a student nurse introduced in season one, and is ultimately revealed to be secretly working for the HMO Medcam, which seeks to acquire Port Charles General Hospital. Jolene is responsible for the string of accidents and deaths which plague the hospital, including an explosion in an ambulance, a sabotaged elevator with a pregnant woman inside, and the attempted murders of a doctor and a janitor.
Jolene sleeps with virgin Damian Spinelli, who is in love with her; weeks later, she jumps in front of a bullet during a gang fight at the hospital to save him. Seriously injured, Jolene lapses into a coma.
Toussaint Dubois is introduced in the July 12, 2007, episode "Frayed Anatomies" as a janitor at Port Charles General Hospital. It is ultimately revealed that he had previously been a member of a famous band, The Saints.[9]
Williams returned for the second season in 2008.[10] In his storyline, Epiphany Johnson, R.N. hires Toussaint as an orderly, and they begin a romantic relationship.[9]
Dr. Kyle Julian is an intern at Port Charles General Hospital[12] introduced in the July 22, 2008 second-season premiere episode "Crash." He was portrayed by actor Adam Grimes.[13]
In that episode it is revealed that Kyle is the younger brother of Dr. Leo Julian, and that the two do not get along. Kyle also tells fellow intern Dr. Claire Simpson that he is gay.[14] The July 29, 2008 episode "Other People's Children" establishes that Leo had been adopted around the age of 4 or 5. In "Brothers & Sisters" (9/23/08), their mother Patricia notes that she and her husband adopted Leo because they believed she was unable to have children, and she had subsequently become pregnant with Kyle. Kyle becomes romantically involved with a liver transplant patient named Eric Whitlow, played by Chad Allen.[15]
Kyle and Claire are the main characters of the online series of webisodesNight Shift: Claire & Kyle.[16]
Dr. Leo Julian is a surgeon at Port Charles General Hospital.[17]
First introduced on General Hospital on July 2, 2007, Leo was portrayed by Iranian actor Dominic Rains for the series' first season from July 12, 2007 to October 4, 2007. When Rains was unavailable for the series' second season in July 2008, his brother Ethan Rains was cast in the role starting July 22, 2008.
In the July 22, 2008 episode "Crash," it is revealed that new hospital intern Dr. Kyle Julian is Leo's younger brother, and that the two do not get along. The July 29, 2008 episode "Other People's Children" establishes that Leo had been adopted around the age of 4 or 5. In "Brothers & Sisters" (9/23/08), their mother Patricia notes that though she had been unable to have children and so she and her husband had adopted Leo, she had subsequently become pregnant with Kyle.
Dr. Claire Simpson is an intern at Port Charles General Hospital[18] introduced in the July 22, 2008 second-season premiere episode "Crash." She was portrayed by actress Carrie Southworth.[19]
Claire soon befriends fellow intern Dr. Kyle Julian. Claire and Kyle are the main characters of the online series of webisodesNight Shift: Claire & Kyle.[16]
