OEDIPUS WRECKS!

If only Sigmund Freud were still alive! He'd be hooked on GH worse than any of us have ever been. When Helena asked for a moment of privacy and stretched out beside her incapacitated son, I'm sure the celebrated king of modern psychology stirred in his grave and gave a happy sigh. WHAT a scene. I thought the famous hand around the throat scene when Helena was arrested on her plane was a creepy and oh-so-daring scene with its strange overtones, but Stefan's "death" had to be the most darkly disturbing stuff daytime has ever seen…and she actually did kiss him on the mouth, albeit a tiny peck. "I don't love you. I never did." Now THERE'S some Mama nightmare material. What a twisted, freaky woman she is. In a mirror image contrast to the actual story of Oedipus Rex, it makes you wonder if Stefan would be happier if he slept with Mikkos and killed Helena! The Cassadines make the Addams family look like the Waltons.

I love how bossy and assertive Laura is being, first with Mac, then with Roy. I thought she was going to snatch Roy by the ear and haul him to the safe house herself. It's good to see her getting her strength of spirit back. Mac has saved her before (at Jake's) and there's word he's going to be interceding on her behalf again, so perhaps Santa looked at my Christmas list after all and Laura is going to get a relationship that is basically baggage free. What a concept! If it couldn't be Roy, Mac is a good second choice. I'm wondering how Genie Francis' summer vacation absence is going to be explained away this year? Could she, perhaps, go in search of Stefan herself to clear Luke's name?

Although Lucky might still "hear and obey" every time he hears the "protect your queen" cue, Stefan's prediction seems to be taking hold as we seem him wiggling out of Helena's grip from time to time. This week, he realizes that he still has feelings for Elizabeth and that can't be a part of her plan. More and more it is appearing that Helena is not only trying to hurt Luke and Laura, but also to make Nikolas happy by bringing back his beloved brother, getting the credit for rescuing him from Faison and delivering Elizabeth into his hungry arms in one fell swoop. Whatta Gram!

As promised, in light of Father's Day, let's take a cursory look at the King Dad's that rule Port Charles and determine who would get the Father of the Year Award (remember that Lesley got Mom of the Year at Mother's Day). As Nikolas so lovingly pointed out to Elizabeth in his grief-seated rant on Friday, Luke isn't in the running for father of the year and neither is her AWOL dad, Jeff. Let's just globally strike out anyone with the last name of Quartermaine. They wouldn't be allowed to even attend the ceremony, much less garner a nomination. Tony still has that psycho look to him and I think that in order to qualify, you have to be at least a year or two outside of any felonies. Stefan can be grandfathered in under the step/adoptive father clause, but for the grief his "death" is causing Nikolas, he's immediately disqualified. Roy would be a major contender to the throne if it weren't for that whole issue of lying to his daughter for her entire life, the aforementioned felony rule not withstanding. Mike is really trying and should get honorable mention just for the sheer effort he's invested, but he loses out for the "I told you so" speech he gave to Carly after the baby's death. Sonny, oh boy is Sonny a close call, but the felony kick gets him again. (This seems to disqualify a lot of people) Ned? Fuhgetaboutit. Absentee dad? He's not even enrolled in the school. That leaves, not only by default, but also deserving the award: Mac. He has stood by his adopted daughters faultlessly and defended Felicia to them at every turn, never failing to maintain to them that she loves them. His recent decision to drop the custody suit rather than put them through the trauma is only further evidence of what a good dad he is. I'm impressed. Sure, his own pain and anger got the best of him when he was talking to other adults, but whose wouldn't in the same situation? Regardless of your individual take on the Mac-Felicia conflict, everyone must admit that being in Mac's shoes probably isn't a comfortable walk these days and the grace and love that he has maintained with the girls consistently throughout the whole mess has been beyond admirable and practically into Sainthood.

We should all have someone like Mac looking out for us.

See you next week.

LINES OF THE WEEK

HELENA: "Paralyzing mommy was not the wisest choice you've ever made, my darling. You know how cross I can get."

MAC: "Would you like me to tell you what I found in Luke's safe?" LAURA: "Let me guess. Was it a stickup reminder, "Kill Stefan"?