SOD 3/23/10

Kiefer Beats Kristina - And She Blames Ethan!  This week, Kiefer's abuse of Kristina escalates into a brutal attack.  The beating comes about when Kiefer invites Kristina for a night out with his friends from Harvard, who he is trying to impress, but Kristina doesn't want to go because she is into Ethan.  Kristina blows Kiefer off and he explodes.  After a devastating conflict at the lake house, Kiefer panics and leaves, barely missing Ethan, who arrives and finds the girl in dire straits.  Ethan rushes Kristina to GH, where her parents are called.  Then, Kristina claims that Ethan was the one who hurt her.  Sonny confronts Ethan with a gun, but Dante prevents his father from pulling the trigger.  Sonny then tells Jason to get rid of Ethan, but Jason reminds Sonny that he needs to think about Luke.  After Ethan is arrested, Kiefer visits Kristina in the hospital.  Meanwhile, Lucky interrogates Kiefer's parents.  Unfortunately for Ethan, most of Port Charles doesn't believe what is going on.  Once out on bail, Ethan considers fleeing town, while Jason begins to find contradictions in Kristina's story.

Ratings for 2/22: 1.7

Bradley Cole debuts on 3/17 as Warren Bauer.

Lisa Waltz debuts on 3/17 as Melinda Bauer, Warren's wife.

Cristian Alexander will be leaving the role of Kiefer Bauer in the spring, when the story wraps up.

Lucky makes a clean break with Elizabeth on 3/22.  Dante takes the stand at Sonny's trial on 3/23.

What Will Happen: Jason shares his doubts about Kristina with Carly.  Sonny's murder trial gets underway.  Maxie promises Spinelli that she will fight for her life.

SOW 3/23/10

Dani Thorne (Britney) and Salina Marie Carter (Ashton) appear on 3/25 when Kristina runs into her school friends at Kelly's.

Jess Rowland appears for a few episodes starting on 3/26 as Conan, someone who works at Kelly's.

Kristina Claims Ethan Beat Her!  A brutalized and bewildered Kristina blindly lashes out this week and accuses Ethan of the atrocity perpetrated by her boyfriend, Kiefer.  Ethan first finds the battered Kristina where Kiefer left her, at the lake house.  Kristina is so out of it that she doesn't recognize Ethan and tries to protect herself by scratching his face.  When she finally regains full consciousness in the hospital, Kristina tells Alexis and Sonny that Ethan attacked her.  As Lucky questions her, Kristina begins to understand what she has set in motion.  The only person who suspects that anything is amiss is Jason.  Kristina comes to the hard realization that Sonny does not make idle threats about taking revenge on Ethan. 

Helena Doctors Elizabeth's Paternity Test!  While her paternity test reveals that Elizabeth is carrying Lucky's child, wicked grandmother Helena hatches a scheme this week to convince everyone that the offspring is Nikolas' heir.  Viewers saw the Cassadine matriarch bribe a lab tech, and her investment pays off when he gives her an early peek at the DNA results naming Lucky as the father.  Helena is thrilled and gets the results fixed so that she and Nikolas will get the baby.  Helena's immediate reward is watching Elizabeth squirm when she gets the "official" word.  The only potential kink in her plan is that she has no idea how Lucky and Nikolas will react to the news.

This Week: Monica tells Maxie that she's suffering from pneumonia.  Dante is moved by Sonny's paternal feelings for Kristina.  Spinelli begins to grow more serious about his relationship with Maxie.  Michael hides when Dante arrives on the island.  Maxie fears that time is running out for her.

Can't Miss: Sonny's trial begins on 3/19.

Next Week: Dante takes the stand at Sonny's trial.  Jason shares his suspicions with Carly.  Luke appeals to Sonny on Ethan's behalf.  Claire overhears something ugly.

SOD 3/16/10

Michael Learned Joins!  Michael Learned, Olivia of "The Waltons" fame, has been cast in the role of cancer patient Shirley Smith for a short-term gig beginning in April.

Ratings for 2/15: 1.7

Jennifer Lyons appears as Jennifer, a prospective date for Ethan.

Kristina points an accusatory finger at Ethan on 3/15, while Lucky admits to Elizabeth that they are over for good and Maxie faces a health crisis.  Helena sets a new scheme in motion on 3/16, while Lucky is forced to arrest Ethan.

What Will Happen: Ethan tries to let Kristina down gently.  Diane and Alexis clash with Claire.  Spinelli blames himself for Maxie's troubles.  Jason questions Sonny's judgment.

SOW 3/16/10

Michael Learned (Olivia, The Waltons) will appear as Shirley Smith, a cancer patient.  Learned's story will be short-term and begin in early April.

Kent King returns on 3/8 as Lainey, when Lucky and Nikolas sit in on Elizabeth's therapy session.

Spinelli's Plot Endangers Maxie's Life!  Spinelli once again tries to make himself look heroic in front of Maxie, but when this week's ploy goes awry, it could cost Maxie her life.  Spinelli decides he has to do something macho after seeing Maxie once again moon over bad boys.  Spinelli decides to take the infidelity case the office is working on and embellish it to make it sound like a murder case.  Spinelli brings Maxie on board to help with the case and they follow a "trail" into the same storm-drain system they got trapped in before.  Spinelli assures Maxie that they won't get trapped again.  Spinelli hurts his foot and Maxie sees a rat, jolting Spinelli.  Spinelli drops his computer in the water and the gate slams shut.  After passing a cold winter's night, who should be Maxie's hero but Johnny - who was scouting the sewers for business purposes.  By this time, Maxie is suffering from hypothermia and Spinelli has a busted Achilles tendon, so Johnny takes them both to the hospital.  Everyone rushes to Maxie's bedside and then Robin arrives with Maxie's test results... and a dire diagnosis.

This Week: Sonny presses Olivia for details about Dante's childhood.  Spinelli's latest ploy to appear heroic backfires worse than ever.  Nikolas and Lucky join Elizabeth's therapy sessions.  Lisa conspires to get Patrick to see her undressed.  Sam and Jason smuggle Michael out of the country.

Can't Miss: Robin has some very bad news for Maxie on 3/10.

Next Week: Lucky spells it out for Elizabeth.  Carly and Jax remain at odds.  Sam and Jason argue.  Helena sets her plan in motion.  Dante sees Sonny in a new light.