gh liz worried
Credit: ABC screenshot

We can’t say that we’ve waited patiently for this. But we sure have waited.

Let’s not mince words, General Hospital fans. Elizabeth has been through the wringer lately. Well, technically, not lately — we’re talking for years. But lately, Franco’s widow has been dealing with enough mental-health issues to leave her prone on a shrink’s couch for months. Things may soon start to look up for her, though. Why’s that? Unless we miss our mark — and when has that ever happened? — her mother is about to hit Port Charles to mend fences and offer support.

By George, We’ve Got It!

At first, when General Hospital announced that it had booked Bold & Beautiful fave Alley Mills (Pam) to play a top-secret role, it didn’t hit us. We thought that maybe she’d be Austin and Mason’s boss, who we know is a woman. And that would be a lotta fun, right? A character as unlike loopy Pam as you could get.

Ally Mills"The Bold and the Beautiful" Set CBS Television City Los Angeles 2/14/08 ©Aaron Montgomery/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661 Episode # 5271 Air Date 3/17/08

“Call me loopy one more time… ”

Credit: Aaron Montgomery/JPI

But then we realized that right under our noses was the role that was begging to be cast — and had been begging to be cast for ages: Elizabeth’s mother. The show wouldn’t want to give a part that important to just anybody. It could only go to someone with real chops — and man oh man, has the Wonder Years mom proven a hundred times over that she has those.

More: General Hospital star couldn’t wait for storyline to end

Bold & Beautiful ultimately made Pam a comic-relief character. Previously, though, Mills had gotten to play some seriously heavy drama in the role, from her unhinged attacks on Donna Logan to her ill-fated relationship with Donna’s father (Dallas vet Patrick Duffy). She could definitely handle the heavy lifting that would be involved in a fraught mother/daughter reunion. And make no mistake, it will be fraught.

Ally Mills"The Bold and the Beautiful" Set CBS Television City Los Angeles 7/18/08 ©Aaron Montgomery/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661 Episode # 5388 U.S. Airdate 8/29/08

“OK, now call me loopy. I dare ya.”

Credit: Aaron Montgomery/JPI

Doctors Without Daughters

Longtime viewers will recall that we first heard about the character of Carolyn back in the ’80s when Jeff Webber asked then-wife Heather (can you imagine!) for a divorce so that he could wed his new love. After the Webbers had two girls, Elizabeth and Sarah, the doctors hightailed it overseas to do humanitarian work and eventually left the kids in the care of grandma Audrey.

This, as you can imagine, did not endear them to Liz. Though she loves her grandmother fiercely, she felt understandably abandoned by her folks. So she was none too thrilled when she learned that son Jake was communicating with them without her knowledge.

More: Tragedy stalks General Hospital

Now, though, it may be Carolyn who can help Liz solve the mystery that’s tormenting her mind. Perhaps along the way, they can forge a new relationship — one that would bring home to Port Charles the long-MIA character of Jeff (last played by Richard Dean Anderson).

Check out our picks to play Jeff now here. And look over our list of other candidates to bring Elizabeth’s mom to life in the gallery below.