Recap of 2002 and 2003
Mad World begins June 2003. Since it’s now been nearly two decades, I’m going to briefly recap the state of the main characters at this point and what hasn’t changed from what originally aired on the show.
Jason and Elizabeth broke up in October 2002, and they’ve had very little interaction since. Elizabeth was very hurt over his relationship with Courtney, and Jason was disappointed in her relationship with Ric, despite the revelations and suspicions about Ric’s character. Elizabeth became pregnant in May 2003 and married Ric later that month. Just after her marriage, Faith pushed Elizabeth down the steps and she miscarried. Faith was working with Ric and had slept with him, so she was trying to get Elizabeth out of the way.
Ric came to town in late 2002, trying to get into the Corinthos & Morgan organization. He made some inroads with Carly and Sonny, defending Jason and Brenda at the Alcazar murder trial then working with Carly at her club. Then, he pretended to sleep with a drugged Carly (drugged by Faith) to get more leverage with Sonny. In late April/early May, he revealed that he was Sonny’s half brother through Sonny’s mother, Adela, after kidnapping Courtney. Sonny decided to let Ric live.
Jason and Courtney started dating in December of 2002 and went public by accident in February of 2003. Sonny and Jason argued bitterly over his relationship with her, and the feud continued for several weeks until Sonny finally backed down and they turned their attention to Ric. Tension still remains as Carly convinces Jason to propose to Courtney in May of 2003. They plan the wedding for June. Sonny and Carly have put the tension of Brenda’s return behind them. Carly is pregnant with their second child, and their marriage seems stronger than it’s ever been.
Changes & Adjustments
The primary change I’ve made with the Ric and Elizabeth relationship is that they only start getting closer after Audrey dies in January of 2003. (Audrey did not, obviously die on the show). Ric was someone Elizabeth could rely on and they began dating more seriously after that. Audrey’s memorial was also the first night they slept together, which is earlier than they did on the show. Elizabeth pulled back a bit, thinking they were going too fast. Ric does not get shot in March of 2003. Outside of that, their relationship continues mostly as it did on the show. Ric is, to Elizabeth’s face, very kind of supportive. Behind her back, he’s pretending to sleep with Carly, actually sleeping with Faith (in May of 2003 before he learns about the pregnancy) and even attempting to marry Courtney to shove himself in front of Sonny.
Emily does not return to Port Charles in March 2003, so she does not have breast cancer. Zander leaves town at some point in 2003. Emily is finishing medical school in California and will be interning at General Hospital in the fall.
In August of 2002, Laura had a nervous breakdown and went catatonic when suspected of murdering her stepfather, Rick Webber. She was moved to an insitution for treatement while Luke unraveled and went crazy back in Port Charles, and Lucky and Nikolas drifted in storylines that didn’t really matter. On the show, it was also revealed that Scott actually killed Rick and attempted to frame Luke for it. In Mad World, Laura did actually kill Rick and have her breakdown because of it. Nikolas and Lesley went to London to help with the treatment while Luke unraveled. Lulu went to live with Bobbie and Lucas while Lucky managed Luke’s Club, blaming Scott for his mother’s breakdown. Scott all but dares Lucky to do a better job at the PCPD, so he enrolls at the academy.
Originally, Alexis faked DID to get away with killing Luis Alcazar and temporarily lost custody of Kristina and her law license. Ned and Skye cared for Kristina while Alexis recovered. On the show, Alexis pretended to be a butler at the Quartermaine mansion to keep seeing Kristina. That does not happen here. She gets treatement and gets Kristina and her license back in June 2003. Skye leaves the show in the spring.
Finally, the teens have been aged slightly. Dillon, Maxie, and Lucas are all 19, while Georgie and Lulu are 18. Maxie and Lucas were at PCU the year before, and Georgie and Lulu just graduated from high school. Dillon has come to Port Charles to get to know the Quartermaines and to go to PCU in the fall. He and Georgie start dating in April 2003. Maxie has her Maximum Maxie webcam incident but forgives Kyle Radcliffe is now a sophmore at Princeton. She’s dating him. Brooke Lynn Ashton has also been aged to 19 and has recently moved to Port Charles in June 2003.