After watching all of last week's GH shows, I'm just .. blah, which shouldn't be the case AT ALL. Pivoting from Spy/Mob/Pikeman to Against-Will Outting/Gay-Bashing just makes everything trivial. A very important topic was used to destroy one character and further the mental downfall of another. It should have been about the bigoty and online harassment. I just didn't like how all of this was rolled out. I'm skipping my traditional blog today and just giving some observations:
1. Eva LaRue wouldn't be my first, second or third choice for this role. Most actors could disappear into the character but I'm just not feeling it. She's also been very public with her feelings about the part and that just makes it all the more of a downer. Facial expressions, inflection and delivery of her dialog just made me want to not watch. Then the writers didn't seem to help matters much. Having her talk to Sonny about HER feelings in the aftermath? NO ONE CARES HOW YOU FEEL!!
2. Ava the patsy. I would have had the tape leaked (origin unknown) and in a flashback it's shown that Linc (Brook Lyn's old manager) recorded it on the sly in some restaurant and sent it to The Invader. Now I'm seeing it more about Ava than about the central story. Because GH has to beat up on some woman and she's next at bat. Yes, what she did was terrible but damn it, why did it have to be done THIS way with THIS character? Ava has grown in leaps and bounds over the years and has really gained depth. I feel like these past weeks have just trashed all of that.
3. Sonny the... ?? I don't even know what to say about this so I'll keep my mouth shut. If they don't focus on the medication switch soon, it won't matter. We all know it's going to be Ava that tips the balance with his mental health because Scotty planted the idea in her head with a 'public nervous breakdown'. Then everyone will find out she didn't tell him about the medication dosage and they can hate her instead of Valentin (the one that actually ORDERED said dosage). *sigh*
4. The use of social media and the way trolls act-- nice touch and very topical. I liked how they showed comments in 'real time' and the consequences of posting anything on the net. I DO wish it had been more of the focus however and not just a sideline.
5. Maximista is back--- that's it. Love it. Love her look, her dialog and her strength.
6. How freaking long does it take to move INTO AN APARTMENT? They are finally in by Friday!! You all know what a set person I am--I liked their dorm room and think this apt is bland and boring. Trina finding Spencer's present made me feel all the feels and made up for it a tad. Gio however, did not.
I do think most of the actors have done a remarkable job with the material (see NLG, Maura, Cynthia, Kirsten and others). Not sure where things go from here ... how you walk anything back that Ava has done (including not telling Sonny about the meds) but there it is. That's all!! Hope you had a great 4th. I think Port Charles will have it's celebration on Monday.
Thank YOU to my faithful readers for putting up with me all these years!! Even those that never comment, I do see you and your numbers. Here's hoping your summer is going well and you are all happy. Cheers!
"Blah" pretty much describes the show lately. I don't dislike some of the storylines as much as you, but there is nothing that makes me think, "Dang, I need to watch today!"
ReplyDeleteI am super-nervous with the Ava storyline. My fear now is they are going to have her killed at the gallery opening. If that happens, I will probably stop watching. Maura West is golden and she kept me coming back through the dismal years of Peter August and Nixon Falls.
They really do waste the talents of Dominic Zamprogna. He should be a leading man and they constantly sideline him. Maybe this will change when Lulu returns. (We all know it will happen eventually.)
I really dislike how everyone in Port Charles is giving Natalia is getting a pass for her behavior.
I agree. Dom should be a leading man, but they haven't given him that in a VERY long time
DeleteAGREE
DeleteI'm worried about Ava too!!
DeleteLike the return of Maximista with the blond hair and nice business clothes. Don't like much else at all.
ReplyDeleteThey have DESTROYED pretty much all the characters now. Hope they are happy. I was not an Ava/ Maura West fan for the longest time, but they started to really, really like her.
Thank you Karen for all your hard work. Haven't watched the show much in a LONG time, but do always read your blogs.
Happy hot summer everyone!!
As a gay man, I don’t mind the story as much as some of you. Maxie, Kristina and Blaze have been the anti intolerance and against Natalia. Ava is much better as baddie. I don’t care for how Trina seems to be abandoning the Ava ship. Trina could have given Ava some hard truth about her actions. I’m starting to like Trina/Gio and Joss/Dex. Dex is a better character happy than mad. Natalia is the villain, full stop. Sonny is the villain, I’m glad he is being written as a despicable person, med dosage or not. ,
ReplyDeleteSame here on all of this.
DeleteTHANK YOU for this. As a straight person, I've been trying to read the gay GH's community's responses on Twitter and they are all over the place. I think it's all up to opinion (like all of us) and how we perceive what we are seeing. I was stunned when Sonny just sat down with her and started asking how she felt.
DeleteAva is a character that is flawed but you can't stop watching her. Why are they shoving Natalia on us? I haven't read anything saying anyone likes this character.
ReplyDeleteThanks for today's SS. Love your comments and agree with everything you said.
ReplyDeleteSo many people think it's the end for Ava. I hopefully think it is not although I don't get why the writers would mess with perfection. We all know it's been don and done on GH. Usually with a not so great outcome.
Yes, Dante should be a lead character.
Blaze's story has not been handled well. In this day and age there would be many who would embrace her and support her. Her being in the closet was a weakness due to her mother, not a statement.
I do not like Ava. No matter how good an actress Maura West is, Ava is a terrible person. She is not redeemable.
ReplyDeleteI also do not understand the dislike for Eva LaRue in her role. I think that she is doing a very good job with the material she has. I think Natalia can turn it around if she realizes that her beliefs are wrong.
I love how Maxie has come back to being a strong character and how Lucy is no longer being nasty.
I like Cates and I hope that is fixed.
thx for the insight, I do like it when others see things so differently LOL Actually makes me think twice!
DeleteEvery GH writer and producer and director need to read THIS BLOG _ it is EVERYTHING and WHY are TPTB not AWARE of how the fans feel? Did they really think Natalia was gonna WORK????? She brings nothing to the table. Instead of a BLAZE storyline it's about Natalia and even KRISTINA.
ReplyDelete-----Liz ever find out about Finn?
----So this week Ava and Sonny have the big face-off according to Michael F - I am thinking it's during the gallary opening for that artist???? Somewhere in public?
----for so long Ava was whiny about Nik and scared - unlike a JEROME - and then she and Sonny were a power couple at the warehouse and she was nice-----and now Ava is doing stupid things like the recording.....please don't let Maura West leave. She coulda been a hero about the pills
---My mother used to say 'you are doing a half-ass job'--------------the writers and upper people don't seem to care about much anymore.....sad...
Liz and FINN! Totally forgot about that. She just faded from existence when Tracey stepped in. Not that I minded that but they never even mentioned her or had Finn call/text! We will probably get a "I'm so glad you got through to Finn" when we see Liz with Chase in some future scene
DeleteNot too long ago we were all wondering why they were writing Nina into a corner and waiting for her to be (seemingly inevitably) murdered. I'm really hoping for a parallel redemption for Ava.
DeleteMB State of Mind today is so moving - he talks about his recent depression.....even mentions that his character is off his meds...and his son and wife were in Europe....
ReplyDeleteOH thank you!! I will watch it. It was SO EVIDENT that something was off this week, wasn't it? He was very monotone and stiff--I thought maybe it was how he was playing Sonny but maybe it was partly this?
DeleteYes. That could definitely be possible. I hope all is well soon.
DeleteYes - he is much better - it's very intriguing
DeleteSorry but I am so sick of MB both on and off the screen. I think it is time for him to retire.
DeleteLindaV
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ReplyDeleteThe return of Maxie is the only good thing about this show in weeks (other than the magnificent Tracy Q). The Blaze fallout is not realistic. Natalia is a joke. Sonny blaming Ava and the current treatment of Ava signals to me that MW is on her way out. Too bad.
ReplyDeleteThis show will not get better until TPTB realize Dante and his generation should have more focus on the show than aging mobsters and their women. Sonny is not a sex symbol. Dante should be.
Legal question - HOW can the label company just drop Blaze? and wouldn't her horrible mother have an iron-clad contract with them? Wondering if Brook Lynn asks Uncle Sonny to be a recording label and make Blaze a client.
ReplyDeleteGLAD to see Ned in the previews next week!