General Hospital Watching General Hospital

[Ray&Donna]

I read that Bobbie is diabetic?

 

[Daniel Avery]

I read that Bobbie is diabetic?

Thanks to product placement.

GH has struck some kind of deal with a company that produces drugs blocking heart problems in diabetes patients (I think that's the link--I wasn't paying close attention during the sales pitch). They wrote a plotline where Bobbie was diagnosed with Type-2, and when she told Epiphany about it, Piph countered that she too had been diagnosed with it two years ago. She even added that Piph and Milo had been on vacation when Piph had a mild heart attack, but they managed to keep it a secret--thus Piph's speech to Bobbie about making sure she watched her heart health, because many female diabetics end up like her, etc. etc. Honestly, the conversation seemed to lapse into the dialogue one hears in pharmaceutical ads--which in essence, it was. Neither actress mentioned a drug by name, but in a commercial break they had Zeman and Eddy do a PSA-type commercial talking about Type 2 and the logo of the product placement partner was in the corner of the screen...and the name appeared in the closing credits ("Promotional Consideration Provided by..."). You may recall the tie-in they did with the Shriners' Hospitals years ago, but this isn't publicizing a charity--pretty sure money is changing hands in this one.

I'm glad they gave Jackie Zeman something to do, but I'm uneasy about it because it will likely end up with her pitching some drug while in character. Will they play Price Is Right music in the background as she caresses the pill bottle in a close-up? Stay tuned.

 

[Ray&Donna]

I'm glad they gave Jackie Zeman something to do, but I'm uneasy about it because it will likely end up with her pitching some drug while in character. Will they play Price Is Right music in the background as she caresses the pill bottle in a close-up? Stay tuned.

Ha Ha! With Carly's paranoia over her midlife pregnancy, you'd think that would be enough medical drama for the time being.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Because I can't stand CarSon eating up screen time that could be better devoted to any number of other characters, I hope they have a nice, boring delivery of a healthy baby and have no reason to be on my screen more than one day.

Nahhhhh…..

 

[Ray&Donna]

You mean Sonny and Carly are getting screen time at the expense of other characters?!? Surely you must be joking. I am curious (not really) to see if they name this new baby "Morgan II"

 

[Ray&Donna]

Although somehow I am sure this is Ava's fault, since everything in CarSon land is.

 

[Ray&Donna]

What an utterly stupid plot twist to give Shiloh shares in ELQ. Clearly the actor has become a producer's pet, the character having reached the natural end of his storyline.

 

[Daniel Avery]

They only threw that in for a shock twist on Wednesday. I saw Thursday's episode, where the characters (esp. Michael) argued successfully that Oscar later came up with a different plan for the shares that supersedes his wishes in the will...and that if Shiloh wanted to press the issue, the whole family (and their millions) will drag it through court for an eternity. Never mind that when Edward died, he set up this "voting shares" thing for ELQ stock for family members only, and that the shares could not be sold or transferred out of Quartermaine hands. Back when Luke went nuts and was trying to take over ELQ (the whole "FakeLuke" saga), he and Tracy tried to take shares from the various family members but all he could do was get their voting proxies (not the actual shares) because he was not a Q...and Tracy had been specifically excluded from the division of the shares.

Shiloh was not having a winning week. First, he got all smug about the belief he had been willed a small percentage of ELQ--then got shot down by the combined power of the Q's and Alexis. So then he finds out the DNA tests were coming back on that baby bib...so he got all smug with Lucas, telling him to have all Wylie's stuff gathered up so he could pick up 'his son'. So I'm assuming he got shot down again today, since we all know the DNA will NOT come back a match. All the while, Harmony was at the PCPD, out to avenge her husband's murder and singing like a bird.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Awwwww, they had an episode of paternitus interruptus at GH--Shiloh got hauled off to jail before he could get a look at the results, and dumb-asses Lucas and Michael threw away the test results rather than look at them. I guess it was the best choice to keep the story going (Shiloh still thinks Wylie is his and Willow's kid), but I would have preferred a scenario where someone accidentally ended up with the results and finds them later on.

They're dropping Nikolas's name a lot--I hope it means what it usually means. Maybe Jax and Hayden's plot to 'get the goods' on Valentin is part of an overall plot to usher "un-dead" Nikolas back onto the canvas.

 

[Ray&Donna]

Yes, I kept screaming "Open the envelope!" at my TV, to no avail. And Harmony and the other woman (Carole?) will probably wind up dead before they can testify in court.

I know Tyler Christopher is available, but how is his relationship with ABC and Valentini?!?

 

[Daniel Avery]

I know Tyler Christopher is available, but how is his relationship with ABC and Valentini?!?

I don't monitor the gossip as much as most, but from my own observations, I think TC probably has a drinking problem (if not some kind of other addiction(s)). I'm not sure FV is willing to take on that sort of challenge. Though it's always good for the flashbacks and continuity when you can get the original actor back, I would not object to a (strong) recast if bringing the character back is the best thing for the storylines.

Long ago I theorized that Nikolas was alive and pulling the strings in the Cassandra storyline. She was out to destroy Valentin and Nina turned the tables on her. They even showed her being driven away by someone wearing a Cassadine ring, and Spencer is now rather half-hearted in his threats to "take back his birthright," as if something changed that caused him to pull back on the belligerence. That "something" might be learning Nikolas is still alive. Back in the day I thought that Laura might also know he's alive and is just keeping it to herself while his plan to unseat Valentin plays out, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Ray&Donna]

I wouldn't mind if they brought back Nick Stabile, since he had good chemistry with Ava in those few scenes they shared before his "demise".

 

[Ray&Donna]

I am struggling to remember if Hayden was involved with Nikolas. Otherwise, why would she and Jax be down to play hide and seek on Spoon Island?

 

[Daniel Avery]

Hayden was indeed involved with Nikolas. After the debacle with her pretending to be Jake Doe's long-lost wife, Nikolas discovered her real identity (the daughter of a disgraced financier/ponzi schemer) and blackmailed her. Things went south, however, when she tried to double-cross him or something (fuzzy memory), so he casually hired a hitman to kill her. She was shot in the head and went into a coma. We thought that would be the last we'd see of Rebecca Budig, but they decided to wake Hayden back up and have her pretend to have amnesia. Nik pulled her close to keep an eye on her, then they sort of fell in love...but Nik ended up (presumed) dead, and she of course moved on to Finn and was revealed to be Liz's sister.

I'm guessing she is back in town as part of Nikolas's return, like maybe he looked her up while she was in Europe and enlisted her help in bringing down Valentin. Not sure why Jax would be along for the ride, but maybe they just haven't revealed that part yet. If Nikolas is supposed to be returning as a sort of anti-hero, maybe she's back in love with him again. If they're going full-blown Cassadine with him and turning him into a villain, then he might have her baby as a hostage while she does his bidding. The "unidentified man" seen with Cassandra Pierce might be a plastic-surgeried Nikolas, and she might have a history with Jax that motivates him to join in on a plot to catch her. Since Finn is the father of Hayden's baby (and Cassandra hates Finn with a passion), that might factor into the plotline, as well. I'm hoping Anna will be involved when Finola Hughes returns from summer vacation, as well.

One thing I keep hearing, however, is that RB is only back for a four-month arc, so whatever the plotline, she won't be sticking around after it gets finished.

 

[Ray&Donna]

I've become convinced that Coby Ryan McLaughlin is sleeping with someone at ABC, as Shiloh is eating the show alive. He is involved in every storyline except the one with Cassandra Pierce.

I finally remember Hayden, Nikolas, and the diamonds. I had to shake the cobwebs since I was still in Another World reminisce mode after Spencer Harrison died.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I thought the "I was looking for the missing diamond" story was a flimsy excuse...then realized she was on the truth serum and that was what the writers really did intend her to be looking for. Still lame though. As if no one has given the place a dusting/vacuuming in two or three years. And why would Jax want to help (or why would she get him to help)?

It occurred to me that the "Curse of Michael's Girlfriends" is rearing its ugly head. Just as he genuinely falls in love with them...they die. Just as Carly lays off the obsessive sMothering and admits she likes Michael's girlfriend...they die. And with Cassandra suddenly striking up a friendship with them...Sasha is likely toast. The way Cassandra deals with exotic, lethal drugs made me think she put a fentanyl-like substance on that poker chip Sasha was handling, but drugs like that usually work right away. Who knows? Maybe I'm just still PO'd about how they killed off Sabrina via the CoMG.

 

[Ray&Donna]

I remember saying that to the TV screen when he and Nelle were hot and heavy. I was like, "Don't get too comfortable, you'll end up like Sabrina!" It was hilarious how Cassandra so easily attached herself to the vacationing couple. But if Sasha dies, who is going to reveal the truth about her not being Nina's daughter? Obrecht?

 

[Daniel Avery]

Now that they are operating on the idea that Sasha has a rare form of the flu (likely what Cassandra put in that grapefruit), I feel the need to point out that when we first met Cassandra, her established "Achilles' Heel" was her being a germ-phobic hypochondriac. Now she's casually walking around with vials full of exotic viruses? Whaaaaatever. Since practically every exotic disease is always described as having "flu-like symptoms", maybe she has brought Ebola to Port Charles.

 

[Ray&Donna]

I don't want to see Sonny Corinthos, IV born with spots.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Kim sure did get the soap equivalent of a bucket of water thrown on her today. FrankenDrew telling her about how "they" met, sticking his tongue down her throat, etc. while she has no idea what had happened to him....funny on paper, but played straight. The writers lose a few points, however, by creating a plot twist too difficult for the onscreen characters to explain in a few sentences; they've resorted to having characters explain Franco's situation to one another during the commercial breaks to save time. Also today, I'm not sure which writer(s) have started writing episodes featuring more characters, but it's an improvement over the tendency of the past year or so to write episodes with ten or less actors appearing in them. It was heavy in recurring characters, of course, but at least there was a feeling that there was something for most every viewer. Me? I even got my Dr. O fix, though I'd rather see her in her lab coat than a softball jersey.