Fourteen years can go by surprisingly fast in Port Charles. “General Hospital” fans are looking back at the 2012 debut of a character who arrived with some seriously questionable allegiances but has since become a complicated and often hilarious fan favorite.
While some “GH” fans remember her earliest storyline like it was yesterday, others can hardly believe she has been part of the soap for well over a decade.
Read on to see why “General Hospital” fans are celebrating the milestone and calling for more of the character on their screens.
Liesl Obrecht Has Come a Long Way Since Her 2012 Debut
“GH” stars Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson recently took to their Stone Cold and the Jackal social media pages to share another blast from the past with an “On This Day in General Hospital History” post.
The duo looked back at Kathleen Gati’s arrival in Port Charles, writing, “2012: Kathleen Gati made her first appearance as Dr. Liesl Obrecht.”
Liesl certainly didn’t arrive in Port Charles as one of the good guys.
As longtime “General Hospital” fans may remember, her early storyline was closely connected to Cesar Faison and the presumed-dead Robin Scorpio. Robin was secretly being held captive, while Faison was masquerading as Duke Lavery as part of his efforts to get closer to Anna Devane.
Liesl was running the clinic where Robin was being held, putting the mysterious doctor firmly in the middle of Faison’s schemes when viewers were first introduced to her.
For some longtime “General Hospital” fans, it’s difficult to believe so much time has passed since that storyline.
“I remember this like it was yesterday and I was 11 at the time,” one viewer shared while recalling Faison’s Duke disguise, Robin’s captivity and Liesl’s involvement in the clinic. The fan added that the fact Liesl has now been around for 14 years is “pretty amazing.”
Of course, the Liesl Obrecht viewers know today is considerably more complicated than the woman introduced in 2012.
‘GH’ Fans Say Liesl Went From Villain to Fan Favorite
Over the past 14 years, “General Hospital” has gradually revealed different sides of Liesl, and that character development appears to be a major reason she has won over viewers.
“My favorite baddie-lite,” one fan called her, explaining that while Liesl isn’t exactly a traditional good guy, she also isn’t a straightforward villain.
Instead, the viewer praised the character for having “depth and dimension,” calling Liesl well-rounded and arguing that she deserves considerably more screen time.
Another longtime fan admitted their opinion of Liesl has changed dramatically over the years.
“She’s a character that has grown on me,” the viewer wrote. “At first I had no use for her but now they’ve made her more human — and funny!”
The fan finished with a request that appeared repeatedly throughout the reactions: “We need more Liesl.”
Another viewer remembered having a similar first impression.
“When Liesl first hit GH I thought she was crazy and a bad guy,” the fan admitted. However, as the character evolved, Liesl eventually became one of their favorites.
Her transformation hasn’t simply involved softening the character. Liesl’s unusual personality has also given “General Hospital” some memorable comedic moments over the years.
One fan specifically remembered Liesl’s “Christmas Story” for the pediatric ward, calling it “the funniest episode ever on GH!”
Much of the praise also went directly to Gati for turning what began as a villainous role into a character viewers still want to see 14 years later.
“Kathleen has been a brilliant addition to PC,” one fan wrote, praising the actress’ portrayal of Liesl and calling for more of her on-screen.
Another viewer celebrated the anniversary by declaring, “And a legendary character was born!” before similarly praising Gati as an “incredible talent” they wished appeared more frequently.
Fortunately for fans, Liesl still has plenty of connections keeping her tied to Port Charles.
Liesl Is Still Keeping Her Family in Line 14 Years Later
As longtime “General Hospital” viewers know, Liesl’s family tree has become an important part of her history on the soap.
Liesl shares three children with legendary Port Charles villain Cesar Faison: Dr. Britt Westbourne, Cassius Faison, and the late Nathan West. She is also the sister of the late Madeline Reeves, giving her another major connection to one of Port Charles’ most prominent families.
As Madeline’s sister, Liesl is Nina Reeves’ aunt and, in turn, the great-aunt of Nina’s daughter, Willow Cain.
That family connection has become particularly entertaining for some viewers as Willow continues down an increasingly complicated path of deception in Port Charles.
Liesl hasn’t exactly been afraid to tell her great-niece what she thinks, and fans have enjoyed watching the outspoken doctor keep Willow in check.
“I love how she puts Willow in her place,” one viewer wrote before adding another plea that has become familiar among Liesl fans: “More Liesl!”
It’s a considerably different role for the character who arrived in 2012 running the clinic where Robin was being held captive.
Fourteen years later, Liesl has been a villain, mother, aunt, great-aunt, troublemaker and unexpected source of comedy. More importantly, Gati has helped turn a character who initially had plenty of viewers suspicious into one many fans now actively miss whenever she isn’t on their screens.
Judging by the reaction to her 14-year anniversary, “General Hospital” viewers aren’t simply surprised Liesl has been in Port Charles this long. They’re hoping she sticks around for plenty more.
