General Hospital Performer of the Week: Nancy Lee Grahn as Alexis Davis

General Hospital's Nancy Lee Grahn has been turning in flawless soap opera performances for the last 40 years. As attorney Julia Wainwright on Santa Barbara, she moved us to tears and made us laugh.

She then moved on to GH as attorney Alexis Davis, doing the same exact thing since 1996. Grahn embodies Alexis and knows her better than anyone else. When Alexis feels, we feel, and that is exactly what we experienced this past week.

All is right with Alexis' world…until it isn't

Alexis' day started out well and then she got a shock on General Hospital | Image: ABC

When Kelly Monaco's Sam died last fall, we couldn't move a muscle or take our eyes off the screen as Alexis said goodbye to her beloved daughter. We sobbed right along with her as she cradled Sam's body in her arms and told her about the day she was born.

Alexis' world hasn't been the same since, but her world always, always revolves around her girls. Seeing her two remaining daughters, Molly (Kristen Vaganos) and Kristina (Kate Mansi), at odds broke her heart, but her relief at seeing them happily together again broke ours because we knew what was coming, even if Alexis did not.

Alexis was to learn soon enough. Grahn conveyed Alexis' carefree joy as she reveled in the fact that she had her girls back as well as she conveyed the shock and horror upon learning that Kristina was the one who caused Ric's (Rick Hearst) accident. We knew Alexis was dying inside, but Grahn made sure her character kept her cool. She wasn't going to let Ava (Maura West) see her sweat.

It was only after Ava left that Grahn allowed the true horror of what she had learned show on her face, but she wasn't done yet.

General Hospital's Alexis faces the truth

General Hospital's Alexis had to face facts about Kristina | Image: ABC

Alexis still had to accept one harsh fact about her daughter: Kristina was not well. Alexis' first instinct was to find some kind of legal loophole that could save Kristina from attempted murder charges and a conviction, but it was Diane (Carolyn Hennesy) who brought her back to reality. Kristina needed mental health help more than she needed legal help.

Grahn showed us Alexis' complete shock when Diane suggested having Kristina involuntarily committed. She was hurt and angry that Diane would even mention such a thing, but then we saw the wheels turning in her head as Alexis absorbed the reality of the situation. She was crying inside, but on the outside, we only saw one lone tear fall from her eye as she told Diane to do it, to draw up the papers and get Kristina the help she so desperately needed.