Four years after General Hospital blew up the Floating Rib and put Lulu Spencer in a coma, ABC’s daytime drama finally awakened her… to mixed results. What’s working with the character’s comeback… and what isn’t? Let’s take a look, shall we?

Hands Down, the Recast of the Year

From the moment her eyes fluttered open in Lulu’s hospital bed, we 100-percent bought Alexa Havins Bruening as Luke and Laura’s daughter. The All My Children vet brings to the role warmth and intelligence as well as a vulnerability that pairs well with Lulu’s strength. Havins Bruening is, not to put too fine a point on it, everything we could have hoped for and more.

Slow and Unsteady

General Hospital has also scored with the way that it has gradually revealed to Lulu everything that she missed while she was sleeping. And it’s been a lot, what with both her father and Aunt Bobbie dying and Nina marrying (and being dumped by) Sonny.

A New Beginning for Friends Till the End

Lulu and Maxie picking up where they left off as besties without missing a beat totally tracks. Don’t we all have that one friend that we can go years without seeing, then when we finally do, it’s as if not a day has passed? It makes sense for these ride-or-dies.

Action and Reaction

The scene in which Lulu and son Rocco reunited was nothing short of perfect. Danny’s conflicted reaction to the miracle, what with having just lost his mom Sam, added to the proceedings a poignance that flat-out broke our hearts. In other words, it was great soap!

On the Flipside

Not everything about Lulu’s comeback has worked so beautifully. For instance, since in her mind, only days have passed, shouldn’t she be grieving Hot Dustin at least a little? We know she was dumping him for Dante, but still…

Ex-cuse Us

Speaking of Dante, we get why he’d be thrown off balance by Lulu’s return just as he’s lost Sam. It just isn’t playing tremendously well. A person that he loves is back, Rocco can hug his mom again… A little joy to Dante’s reaction would be welcome.

The Picture of Health

It’s pretty silly to think that Lulu could be running all over Port Charles right as rain after four years in a coma. But we’ll give the show a pass on this one, as we prefer her quick reentry into the goings-on to the lame story that reintroduced mopey Lucky.

Since When Is *This* a Thing?

We’re used to Carly making everything about her, but it seems weird where Lulu is concerned. The two of them are related, sure, but they’ve never been the kind of cousins who play a huge role in one another’s lives. Well, until now.

‘Sure, We Have Nothing Better to Do’

We’re keenly aware of how guilty Anna feels for shooting Charlotte. But it’s ludicrous to think that she’d drop everything to try and track down Lulu’s daughter. And why is Jason involved in this mission aside from the fact that he has to save the day every day?