Shouldn't Lucas be in his 40s?
I imagine it will be short term, not because they have a short-term story planned, but because they likely have no plans for him, and this feels like tokenism to try to stave off backlash over over purging the show of most content that isn't completely straight. Even Hansis' statement claiming that he's glad to be joining a show where he isn't the only gay character reads as such, given that the show's queer presence amounts to a single Kristina and a rarely seen Brad.
Based on the half-assed Lucky return and the choices to continue to write around Laura as often as possible, this Spencer buildup seems to be lip service. I have no real idea what purpose Lucas would have in a Spencer family today. Bobbie is gone. He had few ties with the rest of the family. Is he going to tell us how wonderful Carly is?
Given how most of Lucas' close relatives are gone or going I have no idea why he is returning, beyond the show getting to tweet about how inclusive they are before he disappears in six months.
Van was never very good on ATWT (he tended to be very overwrought, which worked for a while given what a ham Martha Byrne was and that the character was meant to be going through a crisis), although he was OK at the end when challenged more. I haven't kept up with him since. He's not going to have an actual part on here so I guess I will say congratulations to him for getting paid for a while. After ATWT was gutted in part due to dumping so many ABC actors on it I am at least smiling as an ATWT actor makes his way to GH for a brief time.
(hopefully he will have better luck than Byrne did)