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| YOU KNOW IT, SAM!! |
SUCH an up and down week for me. One minute I'm loving the show, the next I'm ready to tear my hair out! Let's take a walk outside, shall we? After all, Port Charles looked BALMY. (here it's 27).
I'm having blue cupcakes for breakfast. I kid you not! It's 22 degrees out, don't judge me.
THE LADDERS (going up!)
1. Kristina/Alexis: YES, more please. This is exactly what I need and love in a soap. I am also so happy Lexi is back to GH. What a terrible idea it was to replace her, no? The dynamic between she and Nancy and Hailey is just perfect. The discussion felt genuine and Alexis going to Parker was perfectly in character. She would go and confront a male professor too. Even Julian's little talk with her was meaningful. I really wish Sonny was around. Wouldn't it have dovetailed nicely to have this continue next week? But nope, he's off with Anna. (oh you wait, I will get to that!!)
SO, giant KUDOS to writers and actors/actresses in this story. :clapping:
2. Tracy's Brain Saga: Oh thank goodness for those worms!! We've gotten a Quartermaine AND a hospital story rolled into one!! WOO HOO!! WHAT!????!!! My one negative comment is that it was on every day. That's a story that needs to be on daily. Even if it's just a 'check in' with Dillon in the hall going: no, she's still in surgery. Just something.
You know I think Jane deserves all the money for her performance this week too.
3. Hammy Finn. God help me..but...he's intriguing. The dynamic between he and Tracy? Gold. And (help me again)...he and Griffin have this Good/Evil vibe going on. I hope you caught it in the bathroom before Finn shot up with his giant needle. Totally God vs Satan thing. Griffin is also very interesting. Two pretty guys battling for the soul of Port Charles. Supernatural? hmmm. :wink:
4. Anna: My kick ass Anna. (without SONNY)..she was amazing with Paul. Just tie his ass up..and when he comes to? Chloroform him!! OH YAHHHHH!!! Plus she looked so casual-glam going to the airport, no??!
5. NICO. I know that some of you see this as a 'fringe' story but I just think they sparkle. The whole "Baby" thing I could do without but watching RH and MS together is just worth it to me. Nina's heartache was so real. Just liked it. Oh, and OYSTERS!
THE CHUTES (going down)
1. Sonny and Anna Pairing: STOP THIS ABOMINATION NOW!! Anna is the last anti-Sonny vestige left on this show!! So, when he's on that plane with her instead of Mac or Robert I wanted to just kick him. Hard.
Sonny has to be in every damn story, doesn't he? Isn't it enough he has bipolar Morgan, the "coffee biz" and the gun-running terrorizing Ava going? Nope. Let's shove him into this one too! He should have stayed in PC so that Alexis and Kristina could have talked to him together in a timely manner. Right? Nope, let's put that on the burner while he goes on an 'adventure' with my Anna. Come on.
2. Whiny Carly. Ugh, what's worse? Bitchy Carly or Whiny Carly? She runs to Jason to stop Sonny-- because.you know, he's a gangster. And he might get hurt..sniffle..and..and..
-___-
3. Carlos: Be done with this.
4. Laura in the attic. She went to see Scotty..showed him the book and.....and?? Went BACK up to the attic to study it. NINE days ago! Come on now, why languish this? Since Scotty is in the mix wouldn't it have been good to have Ava be in it too? Maybe it hooked up with an art sculpture in the gallery? I don't know. I can't think of everything!!
5. If Lante is getting back together, are you going to show them or ??? Or..wait, SONNY's in there, so..that's why. LOL Who needs Lulu when SONNY can come on in and be in a scene?
6. Please stop with the newbies. Three are coming.. we already have a mess of 'em. The cast does not need to be this giant. I've said this a million times. With such a big cast, the rotation creates holes and fissures in stories that are just maddening.
7. Claudette story. I'm pretty sure 90% of us are ok if you drop it. Kinda like you did with the whole Rosie back story. That seemed pretty easy. Outdoor scenes? A for effort, D for reality.
8. The Ava mess. See that mess? It's Ava--Ava wanting Avery. Sonny doing this to her. Julian saying it's the "Family" doing it. The Mob OH THE MOB. I don't know why they need to continue this nonsense. Kiki got shot because of the mob... Ava had an out with the whole Paul Federal Plan but. Nope. Just keep it up. Now, the Scotty angle is fun, but I'm not holding out hope for that.
9, Can I remind everyone that Jason and Nikolas have done this time after time??!! Was it only to have Jason say "hands off my wife"?? Because if it was, um... I think we are as sick of it as Tyler Christopher. Sam running in there, threatening to call the cops on Nikolas was just dumb. Never mind the launch being used to get back and forth. It's not like Nikolas is going to jail. We KNOW he isn't. So... come on.
10. Whew, the chutes are getting longer and longer! Oh, look up there... we have Hayden who knows Nikolas shot her, just helping him after the beat-down. Caressing his battered face. Getting into bed with him when he gets out a knife from his nightstand.
Ohhh ,,,Zexy. (not)
This whole Rachel backstory is so not thought out, it's sad. And just a little tip: AGAIN, if you want us to give a sheeze about ELQ then you have to show it once in awhile.
ON THE FENCE:
I was happy for JaSam fans this week. JUST like I was happy for Liason fans when they were together. Like I said, no stake in this game so... at least Billy Miller seemed 'with it'. And before you get all Shipper on me, I don't think it's because he "likes Kelly more" either. Maybe he's just happy Jason could move into his cinder block storage unit. BTW, Jason doesn't seem to be too bothered about Jake (or Cam or Aiden) lately either LOL. To be fair, Danny's now Alice's problem so....
WEIRDNESS OF THE WEEK: Was it me or was this out of sequence? Monica asks Griffin if "Tracy's personality shifts will last". THEN we have a scene of Tracy saying she loved Monica. I just felt they were flipped.
PROP OF THE WEEK: Yep. Dead Bird. Which is probably some craft with fake blood on it (at least I hope so!!) And, come on..nothing says "Love in the Afternoon" like Dead Bird.
FACE OF THE WEEK: Ohhhh BAD- MAD JASON IS HERE!! Watch out PC!!! Watch OUT!
NOTE: These might be some of the last Liz scenes we see in awhile...this was when the contract dispute was going on.
ONE MORE because I love it LOL. Paul's leg :) heh.
Notice I didn't mention the cameos...because...zzzzzzzz. I don't know those people and frankly? weird.
I feel like we have to cut the Rachel story somehow, be done with Carlos shot who? Paul shot Sonny..yada yada. One more area to leave behind? Ava and the mob. I get the Jeromes are all mobby in the past but how about we move forward? Please? Can we? Oh, and PLEASE: NO more Anna and Sonny! Yes, Fin and Mo are good together-- BUT THESE CHARACTERS do NOT belong going on some 'journey' together. And if you have them sleep together. HO HEY. Watch it. Massive Fan Attack.
I feel like because the Griffin actor was on Supernatural they are going to go all Good with him and Evil with Finn and have some kind of dynamic set up between the two. We've already heard Griffin's God talk. Hmmmmm.
Karen, guess I am first again, thanks for the great SS!
ReplyDeleteI found Alexis sitting and having a friendly chat with a married professor of any sex who had kissed her student irritating & out of character. But I agree:TOO MANY NEWBIES!
ReplyDeleteWhile I mostly liked the show this week I do agree with your take. Plus the outside scenes were not well thought out. In one scene you could almost make out a palm tree!!!I didn't know New York State had any palm trees!!! I loved Anna taking down Paul. And being a JaSam fan I loved their scenes. I miss Steve as Jason but I think Billy finally fits the part now. His scenes with Kelly/Sam seemed to fit. but yes, no mention of Jake except when he was trying to assemble furniture for the room for Jake and Danny.
ReplyDeleteThat is a huge ass hypodermic needle!!! I am a nurse and even I haven't seen one that big!!
Thanks for a great Sunday Surgery
Good AM and great SS! If MB is making another movie that no one will ever see, why can't he be gone for awhile, please? Ava still has legal custody of Avery so why do Sonny & Carly think they can keep her? Leslie C. Is looking really puffy-hope she is ok. Jane E. is just fabulous, especially with Michael E. I like having him back in an interesting & different role. I love kickass Anna but I agree she shouldn't be allied with Sonny. How long has it been since we couldn't wait until Monday to watch GH? Seems like decades.
ReplyDeleteLindaV
Will someone please wash dr god's hair !??!!! The grease is about to start dripping off of it.
ReplyDeleteThe Krissy thing is horrible- unrealistic, PC. Alexis's reaction was great, then they PC shamed her, with her clearly over the line prof- what adult visits a kid who has the hots for them?
ReplyDeleteWe never saw this attraction, Lexi is a terrible actress, and worse as she's aged. She looks 12, still, which makes this all the more creepy, and she's a spoiled brat who needs to be bitchslapped across Lake Ontario.
Who cares about this, since this was all offscreen, and just another endless PC fest, like the hideous breast tale. SLs like this are killing the show as much as Sonnymania.
There is no realism, no character development, and the PC whitewash of a possible sexual predator in Parker, because she's a lesbian, is really bad.
Loved your SS! Didn't give a flip about Rosalie, so I'm glad they dropped the sl. I am absolutely loving Finn!!! He makes me excited to watch GH again! I swear if they insert Sonny into any of his storylines I will scream! Sick of this Carlos crap, sorry Sonya but I hope he is caught and killed or caught and goes to Penton Villegas for....ever. Sick of Haychel. Please for the love of God, maybe she'll end up getting hit by a stray bullet again and die this time. As for Claudette, I care for her about as much as Rosalie or the gum on the bottom of my shoe.
ReplyDelete*Pentonville (damn auto correct)
Delete*Pentonville (damn auto correct)
DeleteOne of the spoilers - "**The bird continues to haunt Ava". I think we have found a new nickname for Sonny.
ReplyDeletePART I: GH seems bi polar. Almost like it's two shows. In primetime, it would be the perfect set up for a spin off. Way to many new additions to cast. I get they want to reorient the show to the hospital but it's too hard and too fast a turn. The show is unrecognizable. At the same time, the mob focus has morphed into even more violence leading to character destruction, particularly Anna's this go round. Nailed it about Sonny being on everyday, missed mentioning that it feels like the unholy trinity Sonny Carly Jason is back hogging all the storylines and airtime.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, these writers are doing a much better job creating and introducing their new characters. Finn & Griffin have definite delineated personalities and POVs, and clearly they have been given back story to help them flesh out their characters and tease the audience into wanting to know more. Quirky, but talented and outspoken Finn is probably Michael Easton's best role since Caleb. Having him play off Jane Elliot was brilliant and novel for both these powerhouse actors. Make him a Q, or have him connected some how so they have reason to keep interacting. Tony Geary/Luke who? And Love Laura. But P L E A S E can Carly stay out of one storyline????? Why does every new character have to be plopped into a romantic pairing off the bat?
PART 2; On the downside, the pacing is so bad GH has morphed from a serial drama format to a series of loosely connected vignette stand alone arcs. Characters and couples are so isolated and limited to their own small world and appear, disappear for weeks and now months.
ReplyDeleteIF Lante is on in the coming week (and that's a big IF-pretty limited and weak spoiler out there) it will be five, yes FIVE-5+-weeks since Dante and Lulu were on together. While I always love Dante and Sonny scenes (and the boxing ones were HOT) it seemed rather random from a storyline perspective. Did it do anything to move any story along?
Where is Olivia? What about Ned and Olivia? Why haven't their paths crossed? That was a beautiful, organic love story with so much potential until Wally K signed with Days. Are they not going to try to resurrect now that he's back on GH?
Where is Laura? And Lulu? Did the attic swallow them up? Can Dante and Lulu team up with Laura and go on an adventure together?
Nik and Hayden. Epic fail from a concept point of view. I know its a soap-don't tell me again. But I will N E V E R support this a romantic pairing because it is just a twisted step back from how far women's movement came to tell women not to stay with abusive and dangerous men. For God's sake, Nik tried to kill Hayden, and left her in a coma for months. Now she LOVES him and wants to stay married to him? Back to the 60s folks, when women wouldn't turn their abusive husbands in and prosecute them because they *sigh* loved him. So much. Still hard to get them to do that and this is what we want to draw young women into the show with? Clearly feminism losing its fight and GH stepping away from being at the forefront of social issue relevant to women. Luke and Laura rape love story-great and timeless as it was -revisited would NEVER fly today because times and women have changed and understand relationships a lot differently.
Dead bird scene. There. Are. No. Words. Actually there are. That was GROSS. All this modular violence UGH. Scotty and Ava have potential to set up as ODD COUPLE though.
PART 3: And if this writing team can re invent Michael Easton I say why not Roger Howarth. Make one last ditch effort to make his character NOT serial killer Franco. THEN maybe I would accept this talented actor as a potential lead in a romantic pairing. As Franco, I. Will. Never. Sorry, shoot me, but I would never want my daughter to see a man like that as a romantic hero to fall in love with. Or watch GH for.
ReplyDeleteOverall I find myself all over the map with GH. Analytically, there is some fantastic acting going on. Some scenes are outstanding and Emmy worthy for sure. Some things catch my interest and make me want more. But overall, I feel increasing sense of malaise and disconnect with the show. I miss rushing home to can't miss love stories and shows and longer scenes I would watch over and over. I could count on faves being on at least three times a week so that I didn't resent other characters airtime and could enjoy them too. I miss having lots to talk about with friends in texts, online, and on social media. I just find everyone deflated. And missing. There is not much to talk about or invest in. With the pacing as is, if I don't like something, I CAN tune out for days, weeks and months. I can even remove from DVR.
And before people say, 'You're not a loyal fan" I will say I HAVE been a loyal fan. For 40 years. Ups and downs I have ridden through. Yes. But I have never seen anything quite like this. I am maxed out on so many new characters-and I go back a few years starting with the OLTL & other show steals influx- at once that I don't care about. Or that I resent. They get featured stories and propping while established characters are used to prop them and are stunted, stalled and back burnered or bumped to recurring (whether contractually or how often they appear on screen). I find myself resentful and frustrated. And it's easier to turn my back on the show now more than ever. I don't think that's what TPTB want.
I think its time for a serious talk about possible root causes of what's making it hover and fail. I'd relish a conversation about whether the genre should do away with 'LEAD ACTORS'. By this I mean that rather than have certain actors getting all the air time and storylines' focuses that the show see ALL so called lead and supporting actors as necessary to carrying the show forward and using them accordingly. And established actors telling their bosses what they will play, instead of what they are given-that has to go. Maybe the time is past for people who've been on the show for years and years and years whose characters have been around and around the block in love pairings to be given major love stories as if they are young ingenues, or adults falling in love. It's just NOT the same dynamic or vibe to watch. Or as believable. Sorry CarSon 5.0 (or 6.0?) and JaSam/Niz are not refreshing or new. There's an ennui, a been there done that feel. If it wasn't front and centre every day it might fly, but a daily dose is overkill. Their characters need to find a place on canvas somewhere between propping and being leads driving romantic storylines. Perhaps how to deal with longevity on the show has to be addressed.
If I DIDN"T love GH so much I wouldn't spend so much time trying to figure out why it's losing me. Maybe others are feeling similar thoughts. I don't WANT to stop watching. I just want a reason to fall in love with it daily and go on being a life long fan.
I want to be hooked on love in the afternoon and adventure so much that I can't help shouting good things about my show and the actors to the world. I want the next generation to catch the fever and carry the genre as I caught it years ago. Primetime is full of serial dramas with great characters, great premises, great writers, great producers, great advertisers and great ratings. I refuse to give up on this genre. And I don't want to give up on GH.
Thank you. I totally agree with everything you had to say. I wish tptb would read your posts and Karen's. Can't help but feel it's all budget related. Thanks again.
DeletePS: thanks for finding the Dante Sonny boxing scene pic. Probably the highlight of the week for me.
ReplyDelete"NO more Anna and Sonny! THESE CHARACTERS do NOT belong going on some 'journey' together. And if you have them sleep together. HO HEY. Watch it. Massive Fan Attack."
ReplyDeleteROFL! In the soap opera digest commercial, they said which one will die, Sonny or Anna.. I think they mean which one will "die" Cus I bet there will be something wrong with the plane and it will go down. People will think they died. Sonny and Anna are stuck somewhere. The pilot died. Then Sanna sex!!!! And if that happens, I will laugh my ass off so hard!!!! Because that will be some strange stuff to watch! We will be on some acid trip!!!! I agree that should be Robert with Anna. And after the sex, will Anna fall for Sonny and become stupid? Like other women that Sonny slept with? ROFL!
"Michelle Latta said...Sick of this Carlos crap, sorry Sonya but I hope he is caught and killed or caught and goes to Penton Villegas for....ever."
ReplyDeleteI understand. :( The characters talk about him way too much! I just want him redeemed! There is always a way to redeem a character.
Sonya if that last scenario with Sonny and Anna happens I will personally consider mailing in dead birds before I quit the show.
ReplyDeleteOMG the thought of Anna and Sonny having sex never even crossed my mind. That just can not happen!!!!
ReplyDeleteLol frisco on Sonny the Bird :)
I for one don't miss seeing Dante and Lulu at all. I hope Valerie will be on more soon. I would love to see Michael being mad at Sonny again. I would love to see Carly and Valerie sharing scenes.
ReplyDelete"Di said.. Sonya if that last scenario with Sonny and Anna happens I will personally consider mailing in dead birds before I quit the show."
ReplyDeleteROFL! The last scenario? You mean with Anna falling for Sonny and she becomes dumb? Yeah I will join in with you mailing dead birds. :)
"Nance24 says OMG the thought of Anna and Sonny having sex never even crossed my mind. That just can not happen!!!!"
ROFL! Can you imagine the fall out?! Carly's head will explode when she finds out that they slept together, and so will Maddox's. He will probably already think she is dead and freak out! Jordan will dump him because she will realize that Maddox is in love with Anna!
Haha! I just spit my sandwich out laughing at the thought of Carlys head exploding!
ReplyDeleteOK, I WAS THE FIRST ONE to mention the possibility of Sanna sex!! You just KNOW it will happen . . . then he will take her to the island and buy her a dress . . . C'mon, you all know he has to sleep with EVERY woman on the show within 20 years of his age range, at least he and Anna are (I think) the same age . . .
ReplyDeleteI seriously hope they don't go there, her sleeping with him is just icky...haha!
DeleteAnd then she can have his child, because, you all know, EVERY women on the show has to have Sonny's child . .
ReplyDeleteYeh cause he's got super sperm.
Delete"Michelle Latta said...Haha! I just spit my sandwich out laughing at the thought of Carlys head exploding!"
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha! Good stuff. :)
TF ..THANKS for such a thoughtful post!
ReplyDeleteLike I said, YOU could have written Surgery this week!!
"Michelle Latta said... I seriously hope they don't go there, her sleeping with him is just icky...haha!"
ReplyDeleteI think little Sonny and little Anna, always wanted to meet! ROFL!
Haha! Little Sonny say, "who you calling little Sonya??"
Delete"Michelle Latta said...Haha! Little Sonny say, "who you calling little Sonya??"
ReplyDeleteROFL!
Great Surgery - I agree the show has had some very good highs lately, and some maddening lows. I read some spoilers/rumors on DC that mentioned Sonny and Anna seeing each other in a new light. I commented, GH, just back away from Sonny and Anna seeing each other in any kind of new light except maybe a grudging respect. Do not sully the great Anna Devane by making her the latest notch on his bedpost. I always felt that it drove Sonny nuts that he knew Anna was pretty much the one woman in PC he could never have and his charm was powerless on her. Please do not go there. It was bad enough she was with Duke who could never stay out of the mob (for the record I was always a Robert/Anna fan). Sonny would just be gross on many levels.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis, TF. Thanks for the extensive write up.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with "established actors telling their bosses what they will play, instead of what they are given-that has to go". If you are hired as an actor, you play what is written for you. You may voice your opinions about your character, but in the end, you are the actor, not the writer or director.
Anyone who can't abide by that should be cut loose. There are plenty of great actors looking for jobs.