Sam And Dante's Dull General Hospital Relationship Is Dragging Them Both Down
Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco) and Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) had all of the potential in the world to be "General Hospital's" top couple. The pairing of the detective son of mob boss Sonny Corinthos and the woman who used to be married to his right-hand man, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), was top-tier on paper. However, it didn't translate as well on camera, if at all. The writers have failed this romance at every turn, and it's time to head in a different direction.
The two initially got closer after Dante's ex-wife, Lulu Falconeri (Emme Rylan) fell into a coma after being injured in an explosion. Around the same time, Sam and Jason finally broke things off because of his inability to change his lifestyle and leave the mob. During this time, Sam helped Dante through a psychological situation where he was brainwashed into being a killing machine. Thankfully, Sam talked Dante off the ledge, deepening their connection. But things got lazy.
The writing was boring, and their scenes served almost no purpose within the show's greater framework. These once-great characters have thus been relegated to being props in everyone else's story, tarnishing the legacy they've worked so hard to create. Theirs are two essential roles on "GH" and nobody cares about them anymore. When was the last time Sam did something that wasn't making a surprise visit to Dante at the police station? Where is her edge? Evolving is all well and good, and Sam is a mother now, but don't force her into becoming Betty Crocker.
Sam and Dante can't continue on their current path
The current trajectory for Sam McCall and Dante Falconeri is abysmal and needs to be abandoned as soon as possible. It's difficult to even remember a time when the characters were relevant to any of the central plots on "General Hospital." Nothing they've been involved in stands out. Nothing feels like it matters in the grander scheme of things. As previously mentioned, Sam becoming a mother was a game changer for the character, and naturally, alterations to how her behavior needed to be made.
Obviously, she couldn't constantly put herself in danger anymore, but this has devolved into a daily snoozefest. Actually, daily would imply that Sam is featured in any major way, and she's not. Dante has always been a little on the boring side, but he works best when he's pitted against someone he loves. When Dante is forced to weigh his responsibilities as a member of law enforcement against his love and adoration for his family and friends, it's typically his best role.
The version of Sam that existed throughout most of her tenure on "GH" is one that would cause Dante a great deal of stress because she went against everything he stood for. The people closest to her, the people she worked with in sketchy and legally ambiguous situations, are the same people he's sworn to take down. Sure, Dante and Sam can continue on their current path of sunshine and roses, but it's not compelling television. They must be freed, for their sake and ours.
The couple has to split up to pull them out of this slump
There's nothing inherently wrong with Dante Falconeri and Sam McCall being a couple. It's cute, even adorable. But it doesn't fit them. It feels as if they, and Sam in particular, are being put into a box that's doing the characters more harm than good. Sam has always been a free spirit who does whatever she wants. This is what led her to sacrifice herself, putting her life on the line to save her sister from the Dawn of Day cult. She was willing to take risks and do whatever it took.
Since being paired with Dante, she's willing to deliver coffee. That's not Sam. These are both talented individuals that have proven they can deliver when given the right material to shine. The best opportunity to redirect these characters and save them from their uninspired pairing is by returning Sam to her roots. Have Sam skirt outside of the law a bit more than usual, putting Dante in a position where his integrity as a cop is potentially compromised.
This way, the writers could gradually build the tension between them. Let's have Dante wrestle with the ethical dilemma of either protecting the woman he loves or upholding the law. Sam in general does better when she's flirting with danger, so this is a win-win for her. The best thing for Dante, meanwhile, would be a Lulu Falconeri return. Lulu waking up from her coma and causing trouble for them would be another stellar deviation from this drab romance.