Sunday Surgery: Hormone Injection

Well, let's see. I've bitched all week about the show...put up the failing ratings... expressed the few things that brought me joy (the Q's).  What's left? Well, today's surgery is going to be about Guza's Women  and how their stories (or lack there of) totally contribute to the downfall of those key WOMEN'S demo numbers.

Carly, Sam, Alexis, Claudia, Claire, Olivia, Kate, Brenda, (Reese, Emily, Hannah...Angel, Lily) all fell  into the Sonny-Well. You know, that deep dark place where women seem to lose all sense of self. Within the last few years we've seen character after character fall over the edge. Ker-Plunk. I'm going to start with Kate. 

Kate came on canvas as a strong character, editor of "Crimson" mag, moving through the fashion world with ease. She also knew Sonny from her girlhood past. Who remembers the two of them sitting days on end during the "Black and  White Ball" talking about their "relationship"? I sure do. Kate was always on. The wedding, the shootings, the undying love declared. That is, until Olivia showed up. THEN it was 24-7 Olivia,  who actually met Sonny when he was even younger back in Bensonhurst. What happened to Kate? Well, let's just say Kate's now seen maybe 3x in 6 months, making out with Coleman. She didn't even get much to do when Michael came out of his coma, a story she was entrenched in from the start.

Olivia. Olivia was Sonny's "first love" we found out. They bantered, she had a secret--they flirted. The secret was Dante--who quickly took over the canvas and ate up every scene. Olivia was the one that was front/center  in the Michael wakes up from the Coma story. Where's Olivia now that Brenda's back? Hmmmm, reduced to making out with Johnny once a month if we're lucky.  She talks about lasagna and maybe gets a scene with Jax now and again. 


Claudia also came in as gangbusters. She was a man-eater that was also in a mob family. At least Claudia got a brother and a father. Problem is, she was written  into a corner after trying to have Sonny killed (at the same time as wanting his baby). Claudia was brutally killed and "Changed things forever". I personally loved the character and saw a lot of potential if she was written as more than a one-dimensional shrew.  


Claire. Oh, poor Claire. She started off strong, and then got into the Sonny web and totally lost everything that made her character interesting. Thank god they dropped the desperate "I want a baby" story once Brenda got back. That was another Guza trick: all women either want or get Sonny's babies. Claire reminds me of Alexis. Where's Alexis now? Hmmmm. Reduced to either having a line or two with Diane or running to Sonny about Kristina. 
Thank God for Diane who seems to  be the only teflon-donna when it comes  to Dimples Charms. If she ever sleeps with him, I'll fly to LA myself and do some ass-kicking. 

My point is this: our dear head writer seems to bring in new females with new stories and instead of finishing up the old ones or weaving them together, totally drops things. Women don't really have a use outside of Sonny--unless they are Carly or going out with Jason. Robin is connected to Sonny via Stone and thank goodness she's allowed to be a doctor in her own right. The women in question rarely have friends, btw-- rarely indulge in girl talk, and forget about showing them doing anything but talking about Sonny or Sonny's kids. Kristina was beaten by her boyfriend--and it ended up being more about Sonny's revenge than Kristina's healing.  

Now that Brenda's back it's  going to be ALL BRENDA ALL THE TIME...and not only that her "past" involves Sonny's own son! We get a Double-shot of Sonny!!

Michael had better keep ol' Abby away from Daddy, because if she's around for any length of time, you know Guza wouldn't be able to resist sticking those two together.

I understand the need to revolve the show around a central theme. The thing is, in daytime it's usually around a central family or families. Given the fact that Sonny's "Family" is far flung and in the case of his father, hardly shown, it's difficult to care for more than a moment. Look at Ric--Sonny's brother. (Hey, someone had to take AJ's place as Sonny's punching bag). He disappeared on an elevator, never to be seen/talked about again. His sister is dead. We're lucky if his kids are in the same room once a year. He's had SO many pairings, it's hard to root for any of them because you know they'll get blown to bits in one way or the other. (BOOM!)

Don't Faint: I honestly CAN like Guza's writing.  I do think he has talent -- I have enjoyed many of his story arcs. I just really REALLY wish he'd start to weave things together, not get so frenzied over a "guest" star or a couple or a tiny story. While I've never been a fan of his female story-arcs (most end up in Shadybrook) I do think he could write a bang up female-empowered story if he tried.
GH's cast is bloated...the players we'd love to see more of aren't used enough. I'm so tired of seeing the women on this show being reduced to baby-makers (not knowing who the father is), the seducer, the crazy-shrew bent on having an affair with another man. I need some Cramer women on GH. I want Leslie and Monica back, with Audrey thrown in now and again. Mike needs to be on and the Q's certainly need more to do than they have now. If the stories were more balanced, we could have more cast integration going. If it were more balanced and less frenetic, I could look forward to the story-telling of it all without worry that it's going to be dropped for the latest flavor of the month.  Speaking of dropping...Helena was invisible after Franco appeared. Valentin? A guy with real connections to the canvas? Heck, he was mentioned for an entire beginning story, then never heard about again.

Like I said, hormone injection. With writer Karen Harris leaving (a great dialog person, imo) we are in even deeper sheeze in the months to come. Hang on.

NOTE: It was announced that Brianna Brown (Lisa) has had her contract extended to 12/2011. There's another girlie headed to Shadybrook or death.