Sunday, April 22, 2018

Sunday Surgery: Crackers and Cheese

Yes, we are here from the 1980s to perform a historical con on you. Buckle up. 


I feel like I'm all crabby on the show again and I'm sorry but I just can't help it. When the stories are great, I say so--if I'm bored, well....you know me. I'll let you know. Boy am I bored at the moment. If you're looking for a rah-rah JaSam or Yeah Robert blog, this isn't it--sorry. You could move along to another site. If you stay, I promise I'll try to be fair, balanced and bring the sarcasm. It's the least I can do! 





How NOT to write a 'Spy-Con-Caper" 



Have 2 characters in a hotel room trying to pretend they are someone else with an accented  extra and unremarkable dialog. Certainly don't have a fan fave vet like Robert be reduced to raising his eyebrow and begging Anna to tell him what's up with "Henrich".  Sure the Emma scenes were cute, but that didn't last long. 



Have the other 3 characters that are in on this 'adventure" in an office trying to intimidate an accented extra and unremarkable dialog. I usually love Kelly's work but boy was she off doing the 'rich woman' for me. I know JaSammers were all giddy with these scenes but eesh.  To further make me go HUH? Is her complete turn around from Mom/Drew--What Do I DO? To "Here mom, take the kids back and let me play spy".  I found little humor or imaginative writing with this entire story.  

When the entire 'adventure' could be taking place on sets 'in Port Charles" it's also a sign of drab and boring. Robert and Anna could have been in her house talking about Heiney -- JaSam and Spin could have been at the PC bank. Alexis and Sam sit on the couch in the same exact place in the penthouse and crab about men.  No effort. Just because you say we are 'in Switzerland' doesn't mean we feel it.  



Most important thing not to do? Write the caper around a character that is bland, boring and just plain NOT interesting at all.  Not sure if it's the direction given but I feel no connection with Peter, I don't sympathize with him and I'm still not sure if he's good or evil or somewhere in between. He has NO edge. He has NO flair or charm. There I said it.  Peter basically has the same dialog with Valentin that he's had for months. Lulu's part in this is -- just confusing. Maxie's part in this is --just forced. The only character I can get behind is Nina and that's because she is working with Curtis (and I like them together) to nail him to the wall.  Eesh. Not happy this is Anna's son. Not happy he doesn't have Huntington's... just NOT HAPPY. 



This montage was on twitter created by @LanteQuotz. Thank god for fans-- they do the best work! Ok, so--the Mike story is good and the acting first-rate. I like that he wandered away with Avery and he thought she was Courtney. I just expected more. Not sure what but Dante suddenly finding them in a barn was...unsatisfying. The conversation following was great and it sure was good to see Dom get some decent scenes. What are they doing with his character? Dante should be front and center.  Anyway, the story is good but I'm afraid they are going to just move Mike into a facility and that will be that. I hope it goes on a bit longer-- so much to explore. 



Maura West was stellar as usual as the Mom in anguish over her daughter being missing. My favorite part of this whole thing was Griffin seeing Ava "full on Ava". She was breathless, whiny, bitchy and out of control. I miss the old Ava so much. Julian was around for a hot minute and his face was priceless when Griffin mentioned praying. LOL. 



And then there's this. On top of the Mike story, we are treated to the Smell-O-Vision of Carly being driven to the brink by predictable Nelle. I wish they would have dedicated more time to Mike and his needs/therapy etc and less to Carly's hysterics over Dead Morgan. The appeal is there-- the timing is all wrong, imo. 




Friz had their loves scenes and she's saying all the right things. Glad she talked to Drew a bit about Franco --although it was pretty funny they had her sit on a bench/table to talk with both Franco then Drew-- must be an easy set up. Would have been way more powerful with the 3 of them together but you can't have everything. 



Bensch is a Letch. Good concept...so far blah execution. Too choppy-- not enough extras going on with Kiki during her stint as "shadow" student. There are literally no other students around. We found out she took TJ's spot (maybe brokered by Bensch?) But it's not like TJ is ever around. He should be around. She also needs a girlfriend or guy friend to confide to.  The other person could be the doubting Thomas--or the sympathetic ear as someone that also went through something similar but did nothing. How about that NuNurse that went out with Michael? She could have been someone he fooled around with then left.  There's just no rich beats here for me. Both actors are good-- but if they continue to just be 1:1 and their scenes are a circle, it's not going to go anywhere. 



When it was discovered that Drew was Drew and not Jason, I was so hopeful. There was momentum there for the memories to start-- or at least to have him question his entire existence. Then?? If this is going to be about that mix CD and them having dinner like a family every week then count me out. Seriously. This is all you got?  

QUESTIONS:   So.. now that Harvey is dead, what happens to the Charles St. Story? That started out great, imo. Meetings with everyone in attendance, mayors race-- tenants and then? The earthquake and.... ? 
The Media company. Um.... does Drew even care about it? Does it just run itself? It's basically a place for Lulu to get her excitement and Peter to write his thoughts down. Just have Valentin buy it because Killy sure aren't involved. 




SCENE OF THE WEEK THAT WASN'T A SCENE:   This was totally baffling. Franco gives an impassioned speech to his mother, confronting her about not stopping the abuse and choosing Harvey over her own kids. BUT IT WAS IN HIS HEAD. Um...why? To show us he still can't say those words to his mother? Again..why? It just cheapened this for me. GH seems to use a lot of these 'fake outs' and although it's cure for a hot minute, they get tedious. 



PROP OF THE WEEK: Goes to Mr. Table who subbed for a chair/couch/lobby scene for Elizabeth and her 1:1 discussions with Franco then Drew.  OH! And he also participated in the Bensch/ Kiki confrontation!! Busy boy.  Purple Scrubs are also "In" lately. 


When Jason came back the entire canvas seemed involved --or at least things were moving along and the show gelled together.  Everything is all scattered again and I'm just frustrated. I read Frank's latest interview about the Nurses Ball and yes, that will be a good time but then it's back to isolation.

SUGGESTION:  Get a house for Stella, TJ, Jordan and Curtis. Have them buy Carly's old house. Multigenerational-- more people together the better. Oh, Molly can live there too. 


There's this week's take! Hey, when I start writing the stories in my head during the show and think "this could have been done like...." I know I'm not a happy camper.  Please don't think I'm naive enough not to know that stories need approval, budgets have to be met and schedules worked around. I get that.  I just don't like it very much.  Give me more Mike...less Cologne on the Gravestone and 'adventures' not stuck in the 80's. Thanks. 

22 comments:

  1. Karen, thanks for a very full, thoughtful SS. I had commented that I thought that Dom was a standout in his scenes with Mike, and it seems that so many others feel the same way. ITA that they underuse this fine, handsome actor, and he should be more front and center.

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  2. GH will always be about carson and jasam. boring. my opinion is maurice is the only one with talent if given the right story. I remember him on all my children he was great.

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  3. I agree with you 100%. Looking for Mr. Heinrik Boring man. True, we still don't know what he intends but what he is doing to Lulu, as obnoxious as she is, is just slimy. How long will we have to wait for the conclusion of this wild goose chase? Will Anna find out who he is before she lays eyes on her son for the first time? Mike's story is the best right now. All involved are doing a great job, especially Max Gail.

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  4. They need. Writers or the ppl up top like Frank to understand they need to write more consistent story telling and to learn for shadowing as well as how to encorperate the canvas as a whole. No matter whos ur couple it’s all just bad at the moment. I miss Guza. #Liason #JasonReturnBoring #freeLiz&Jason

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  5. YEPPERS! Perfect Blog recap.
    That's the week, hell that's the last 4 months of #GH in a nutshell. Bland, Boring, Basic and Bleh!

    We have a JaSaDrew "Love Triangle" where NO ONE is fighting to be with the other. Where NO ONE is saying what they REALLY want to say or mean. Where instead of angst, sexy, romance or pull. They all look like they are stuck in a Carnival Cruise Ship and can't get off.

    Nelle Flies The Cuckoo's Nest would be more dramatic if Carly shouldn't see through this scheme. Hell Carly has pulled worse. If Nelle was working with an invested in CarSon takedown partner like MONICA or AVA then that would be fun to watch.

    Kiki & Creepy: IF we had seen other student interns like TJ, Deanna, hell even Amy and maybe Nu Amy became roommates with Kiki and was a sounding board for the drama. Or have her talking to Valerie (off record) about what she should do. Have Kiki clue Griffin in become more attached to him and Ava keeps getting further suspicious of their relationship. REALLY want AVA to go all MAMA BEAR On Doc Creepy before this is over.

    The stories are set up as easy to tell. THE lack of effort or result is the most frustrating part of being a current GH viewer.

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  6. I think it's time to take it off my stuff to DVR list.....

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  7. Great SS, I agree with all of it. The best stories of the week for me were Dante and Mike, and Ava with anyone. Ava deserves to get custody of Avery. Carson moan and groan constantly about Morgan and never seeing him again but happily keep Avery away from Ava. Is Chris VE still writing?? He started out so well

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  8. Awesome SS.I really liked your comments about Nina and Drew the most. "Prop of the Week" and "Smell-O-Vision" comments were hilarious. I'm so sick of Morgan on this show and we never see him. The writers dropped the ball so far with no scenes of Drew and Franco to give fans an idea where their relationship is going. Show is inconsistent with plot focus outside of Sonny and Carly.

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  9. Not playing Franco/Drew/Betsy scenes was a HUGE missed opportunity. And Billy & Roger were on set the same day, so it made no sense not to.

    Dante is totally wasted --Dom should be doing so much more.

    Most days this is what we get:
    Carly shrieking
    Sonny glowering & stumbling over his words
    Jason staring
    Spinelli babbling
    Anna crying

    And too many actors who cannot act
    The scene in the bank was awful. The acting and the directing. KeMo kept making obvious aren't we good at fooling people faces and couldn't pull off whatever character she was trying to be. I will say SB looked hot in that suit.

    Peter August needs to die BEFORE Anna finds him and we must never mention that Anna slept with Faison again


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    Replies
    1. Totally agree with all points. Really good read

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    2. It has always annoyed me how Sonny stammers over his words, it's almost as if Mautice can't remember. As trying to get in one sentence all at once and running out of breath. Ugh....ff time always.

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  10. They have wasted and ruined Dom and Dante so bad. My problem with Dante is they have made him a Sonny ass kisser. And Dante is so boring these days too. I want Carly in shadybrook so bad. I find GH so bad that I don't binge-watch it on the weekends anymore. I agree with everyone about the show these days.

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  11. Excellent SS and I agree although I still am thrilled that Robert is back. It seems the writing (not the dialogue) has taken a turn for the worse. I am really hoping they don't win the daytime Emmy for best show so they can regroup and fix this. And for goodness sake end the Henrik storyline please.
    LindaV

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  12. I was thinking. If they were going to make Peter August Anna and Faison son at least pick someone that looks like one of them. AND, if he is their son brought up somewhere oversees he would not have an American accent. The whole thing is just silly and boring. I guess Robert will conveniently forget too that Anna was supposed to be a virgin when they got married

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    Replies
    1. Peter is younger than Robin so she would of had to sleep with Faison after they got married.

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  13. The highlight of the week for me was the Franco Betsy scene that wasn't even real, really wish he had unloaded on her for it all, I know I would've. Maybe Elizabeth will. Everything else was boring, wish Mike had taken Avery somewhere a little more exciting than the horse stable, and how does Ava not know who Courtney was?

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    Replies
    1. She probably had no idea cause she and Sonny only had 2 minutes in the Q crypt...

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    2. You would have thought that Nikolas would have told her who Spencers mother was at one point. Hope Griffin gets a wake up call and realizes Ava is way too much woman for him.

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  14. Well, I knew something was up with Jordan's coughing, but I guessed that she wasn't sick, but I was wrong . . . As I said, if someone coughs or sneezes on a soap, they ALWAYS are gravely ill . . .

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  15. spinelli, jason and sam are like the 3 stooges

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  16. The Anna storyline stinks but I am a fan of the heart to heart conversations she has with Scorpio. Yes, these 2 still have great chemistry! The 80's flashback to them from Monday's show just deepened their current rapport even more. Please #1 - keep Tristian around for a couple of years and #2 - give them a storyline together that gives them plenty of scenes showcasing their chemistry. it wouldn't even have to be a romantic storyline but just something that honors their history and connection would be great.
    OldSchoolGHfan

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  17. Thanks for all the great comments. This Sunday's Surgery might be even more bleak! EESH, what a week

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