Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sunday Surgery: Still Stunned about General Hospital this week!

The end.



I'm still in awe of the whole "GH Experience" I had last week. If I didn't know better, the entire production/head writing team changed when we weren't looking. From the re-introduction of Lucky to the mouth-dropping show on Friday, I really sat in disbelief .

It takes A LOT to impress me. Those of you that have followed my blog know that I am usually very cynical, bored and angry when it comes to this soap. Block taping, recycled stories and a total lack of ensemble work would drive me to tears. Ever since the carnival this summer, things have begun to change. Slowly but surely, I'm falling in love with GH all over again.



The return of Jonathan Jackson was difficult because I genuinely liked Greg Vaughan's "Grown UpLucky" and had become used to his performances. I didn't like the writing for the character however, and I'm going to say it: I don't think Tony Geary did much to help matters. His performances with both Jacob Young and Greg were wonderful as usual but lacked a certain charm and lightness I'd come to love from him. The minute JJ was on screen, it was back. "Cowboy" became meaningful again. I'm still getting used to seeing he and Becky together again but it will come in time. Having Genie Francis come back would make my heart go BOOM! So hurry up, get her signed!!



On to the Corinthos Mobular Spectaular we've been subjected to for years now. I think if I took all the times Mr.Guza promised something "huge" or "life changing" for Sonny I could have a DVD 55 hours long. Ditto Jason. Whatever..it was always the same. One of them in a room with one other player, talking about angst and how hard it was being a gangster. Someone gets shot or there's a fire and we'd move on. Yawn. My favorite thing that Sarah Brown's character Claudia Zaccahra has done is to FINALLY give us the push I've needed to see in Sonny for years. I have to admit I was really sad hearing she was leaving. I was enjoying ClauSon and thought they'd make a fabu mobular couple. Now that the story is playing out, I think the road to the end of Claudia will be paved with wonderful memories. The performances ALL the cast gave on Thursday and Friday were phenominal. From Jane Elliot's Tracy adding a bit of humor to Lexi's Kristina watching her father rant like a lunatic were perfection. I remember watching Steve Burton watching Maurice talk and have a hint of tears in his eyes. Laura Wright's face when she realized Jerry Jacks was involved with the shooting. Don't even get me started on Sarah Brown. Holy MOLY. Knocked my socks off.



Maurice, most of all, has to be commended for his very VERY subtle performance leading up to his blow up Friday. Usually in those circumstances, an actor will give a face, or let you know things are up when the other character's back is turned. Maurice didn't flinch from his "calm happy guy" stance before his toast to Claudia. You knew it was coming, it was simmering under the surface and even KNOWING the scoops---you were on the edge of your seat waiting for him to erupt. Claudia's joy turning to nervous horror was also not over the top. Sarah started out happy, glowing and then shaking. Watching she and Laura Wright in the car (with a split head shot of the two of them) was unnerving.



The team popped for extras. We saw Mercedes, Marty and Mike...all of whom add to the canvas. Bobbie, Audrey and Leslie were all recently at the engagement party, even Luke said "this doesn't happen often". It wasn't a skeleton crew like we had for the toxic poison storyline (remember that horrible "cocktail party"?) The extras weren't window dressing like they were for the Black and White Ball. They were IN there. Even the rent a car guy was 'in there'. The whole thing took 2 days..they didnt' stretch the party out for a week. Kudos to all--- the dialog was priceless. Alexis was consoling Kristina but also took Sonny's hand because she knew he was devastated. Jax was so crazy he threw his ethics out the window and actually told Mac to let Jason go find Carly. Olivia? Her scene with Sonny at the end of the party was fantastic. (the girl has chemistry with a lamp post!) Brandon Barash just tore at my heart with his frantic search for his sister. Morgan and Molly rescuing him was such a great touch. Even Ethan grew on me this week. Who would have thought it? Julie Marie Berman as "drugged" was played perfectly and she and Dominic sure have that spark that's been missing in most of Lulu's relationships. (and HELOOOO, he's one hot shirtless guy, isn't he?)



I am the biggest critic out there when it comes to GH because I know most of the actors and think they are just about the best on TV daytime OR prime time. I've seen great writing and know what can be. This week was a delight. My only TINY regret is that Carolyn Hennesy wasn't around because she's off being famous on Cougar Town. With Max and Milo on hand, I would have loved to have seen her at the party. But hey, can't have everything!



I'm not sure what's changed behind the scenes and who hit who in the head with the frying pan finally, but it's working. THANK YOU for giving us more vets, more character movement and really GREAT cliffhanger scenes. THANK YOU for more than 2-3 characters in a room. Having Patrick and Jax have a little talk in the hospital meant the world to me...(easy to please?!) Mayor Floyd popping up at the party was a fun surprise too. Alexis' face was much like mine: DOH!



I have these two eppies on my DVR and already watched Friday's 2x over. I realize that that it can change on a dime but for the FIRST TIME in a LONG TIME I can't WAIT for Monday's show. And I know the scoops! Doesn't matter because I know there will be surprises and the actors will be amazing. Can't wait.

17 comments:

  1. I couldn't agree more. My hubby and older son were home on Friday and while they pretend not to watch the show, they always know what is going on whileakonv fun of it at the same time. FrIday was different. They actually sat in the living room in front of the TV with me and barely spoke. I think they were rather surprised.
    I think the mix was perfect. Vets. Comic banter. Tension. Vengence. Hurt and anger. I was finally satisfied and it's been a long time!!!!

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  2. totally agree-- still have Thursday and Friday's episodes saved on my DVR!

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  3. I agree. I told my best friend the show was fabu (fabulous!) and she is watching it today.

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  4. SJB was totally awesome as well as Laura Wright. Those two actresses rock the GH house. It is just like GH to let go great actors and actresses, such as Ric Hearst and SJB, and keep the few actors/actresses who can't deliver the goods on the show forever. But we have to see the same old dull characters over and over again. I say bring back the Q's, the Spencers (all of them, Laura especially) and more of Diane, Mac, and Alexis please.

    I totally agree with the poster that GH needs to be balanced in terms of characters and storylines. The vets should be a big part of the show along with the newbies, it is a good thing to have them on as much as possible.

    I am very hard to please on GH, Friday's was decent. Love the eppys of Spin and Maxie's Non-wedding, now that is what GH used to be, a healthy mixed of all the characters, loved Mac in his dance. Hopefully, Friday's eppy can be a bright promise that GH is on the mend, it was a terrific show in its heyday!!

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  5. Here is what I say
    GH as been improved ..
    I am Mob fan and a big Jason Morgan fan, but I was getting bored form the mob S/L they were boring and looked the same and were to much ..
    I said in older posts that we need balance !
    Jason and Sonny can't be all the times,their stories were the same ....
    and the others S/L were not that better maybe Scrubs .
    BUT this year the show as changed we have more stories beside the mob line Spixie non wedding , that was based on mob charters but was not mob I loved that scenes with Jason and Sam Jason was hilarious and everyone just had fun and enjoyed them self ..
    Like the carnival when we had sonny and Jason but it wasn't them the mobsters they were humans ..
    I love the fact that now we see them having personal life with JaSam and Sonny's children ..
    And now we have a story with the Spencers and I am happy I still didn't made my mind on JJ but we will see ...
    This month we have a big Mob but amazing one the main characters are going something we see them acting not themselves ,
    Laura, Steve , Maurice , Sara and even Ing are just fantastic , form Sonny smiling with dimples to Jason just exploding and loosing it to Carly knowing the truth all is just amazing .....
    And I loved the fact that there more people there like the nanny , Marty, the mayor , Mac a new cop ..

    I think that they are using their amazing talent and just write them amazing S/L to play with
    AMAZING JOB GH

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  6. RATINGS DON'T LIE...THE MOB NEEDS TO GO! I have read two articles saying "save our soaps", and"will james franco save GH?" it's ridiculous to keep the same crap that's killing the show. Yeah, you guys in here may like it but the show is tanking so that must mean that MOST viewers don't like the mob, jason, sonny, etc. Time for a change. Bring on the spencer/cassadine since Helena is the only villain they don't kill off. I wouldn't mind if they wrote Jason and Sonny to be the evil killer that they are instead of the heroes. Mob hit men and killers are not heroes.

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  7. ITA w/all the comments,GH is once again on the ascent, PLEASE bring back Brenda to be with Sonny!

    Did anyone else see "Max" on another show? I was watching some stupid show that my husband watches, The Mentalist I think, and didn't see "Max's" name as a guest star, but, there he was, featured in the eppie. Always a nice surprise to see one of "our" GH actors somewhere else.

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  8. Dear AntJoan, Yes, the actor that plays Max was on 'The Mentalist', and he was very good. But please do not call it a stupid show - Simon Baker as Patrick Jane is really very good, not to mention wonderful eye candy. He has a wonderful Australian accent, and yes, it's real.

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  9. Sorry, I got interrupted - 'The Mentalist' is on CBS Thursday's at 10pm EST and Derk Cheetwood was more than just a 'walkthrough', so good for him!

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  10. I watched the entire week's episodes all at once and it played out like a really good movie. Almost reminded me of the Claire Labine days.

    Only eye-rolling minute for me was the rescue of Johnny by Molly and Morgan. Loved that they're in scenes but that was a bit of a stretch, even for GH.

    CO77X

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  11. As I sit here watching game 4 of The World Series I realize there has been no mention of The Yankees. I thought all those exchanges between Morgan/Dominic/Mike and even Sonny were great. Guess Sonny couldn't get tickets and Claudia won't be going.

    But anyway....I too think that GH is finally on its way to being worth watching. I am looking forward to it everyday now.

    Lisa

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  12. Dear Shirleedee,

    I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend your show!

    My husband watches the show, not me, it just seems to me to be a clone of a formula that lots of shows are using now, but my husband likes it, and he is a man of good taste (he married me, after all . . .), so I stand corrected.

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  13. Wow, that last anonymous was me, AntJoan. I thought I'd figured out how to get my name listed!

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  14. Fantastic Friday! Everything a show should be!! Hope it isn't a flash in the pan. I think the ratings problem may be the fact that GH has no hero! Remember English 101? A "hero" is someone others look up to and want to be like, perhaps someone larger than life who is good, and does good without benefit of reward.(like John on OLTL or John Black on DAYS) A "protagonist" is the person who moves the story along...these we have plenty of! Sonny, Jason, Jerry, and even Jax and Spinelli (the only character with a grain of brains who is constantly made fun of) fit the bill. But a true hero??? not to be seen. Even the police are made to seem like buffoons...I'm holding out for a HERO!! :::dances like Donna Summer:::

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  15. I never had hopes for the mobular couple. I hated that bringing a familiaar face back to the forefront meant she would be with the same characcters she was the first time. Yes she was a Zachara, but she was still with Sonny and Jason (Jason more in the beginning such as staying "locked" in the penthouse with him and Spinelli). I wish they would have given Sarah a better character, period.
    I too want less and less mob. These past weeks without it have been heaven and most of us are pretty happy with the current storiesminus a coupling or two of course!

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  16. I agree with Frank. Good week, but having the two youngest kids involved in Mob scenes. I didn't like that at all. When are two kids really able to outsmart the mob? Never. Stupid to think it happens like this.
    Love everything else though!
    I say yes to Cassadine/Spencer and down with the MOB!!

    Andrea

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  17. I agree they should get rid of the mob as much as they show it and get back to GH more.I watched todays eppy and was surprised that Alexis stood up for Sonny and Jason.Getting where I dislike Jax and hope Carly sets his butt straight cause if she leaves him he will fight to take the baby away from her.Hope that doesn't happen.

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