General Hospital Watching General Hospital

[Daniel Avery]

I had no idea that whole "Nell killed her fiancé by tampering with his kayak" story was actually inspired by real events:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-fiances-kayaking-death-leaving-prison.html

Of all the stupid things to use for a "ripped from the headlines" twist!

Speaking of which, if that heffa really is pregnant, who doesn't think there's going to be a Maxie/Nelle baby switch story in about six months? ::shudders::

 

[Ray&Donna]

Speaking of which, if that heffa really is pregnant, who doesn't think there's going to be a Maxie/Nelle baby switch story in about six months? ::shudders::

Maybe it's the physical resemblance between the actresses, but I can't help but thinking Carly # 2--er, Kim Nero--is involved in Nelle's pregnancy plot. I just hope they don't go the route of "one baby has to live one baby has to die" after the switch, which the show did with Danny after switching him with Victor Lord Jr's baby (I think). And DAYS and Y&R did the same thing with Sami and Sheila/Lauren. Of course Quartermaines-by-blood tend to be prone to early deaths... Sigh.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Yes, the Tea Delgado/Sam Morgan baby switch, though derivative, was plotted and executed well. It provided a really good crossover story for a whole group of OLTL actors. The best part (I thought) was how certain established plot points on both OLTL and GH helped propel the story along, even though they had not been plotted together on purpose. That genetic condition that the Cassadines carry (recently mentioned as part of the "Who's Nathan's daddy?" plot) helped them determine that Tea had ended up with Sam's baby, and of course on OLTL it had been believed Tea was supposed to have a girl (and I guess she did, though she died).

The writers ought to be wary of having yet another OB/GYN involved in baby switches and huge betrayals. Britt has not been gone THAT long, and what she did with Dante and Lulu's embryo (her baby "Ben" actually being D&L's baby Rocco) made a lot of female fans upset at the time (and made them accuse Ron C of being a reprobate). Soaps are still very much a woman's medium, and writing plotlines where OB/GYNs are untrustworthy (on top of "dead babies" plots) can turn women off. I'll never forget the absolute s---storm Santa Barbara stirred up when Eden Capwell's rapist turned out to be her OB/GYN.

The re-fortification of the Quartermaine family must be the work of the new co-Head Writer, Chris Van Etten. While I am all for anything that keeps Monica from having to rattle around that old mansion alone, I too wonder what the ulterior motives are with this Kim lady. Monica and Kim had a scene where Monica pointed out the incredible (as in "not credible") idea that Kim would just up and decide to leave an established career in San Diego, and Kim and Oscar would suddenly arrive in PC of all places just as Drew's identity was being revealed. Of course they never really ironed it out--they simply brought it up to put the plot point out on the table. Maybe she "acquired" Oscar in the same way Britt "acquired" Ben/Rocco (and the way Claudette "acquired" Charlotte). Hell, maybe Dr. Obrecht "acquired" Nathan in a similar fashion, which is why she's so scared of him finding out his paternity. Dr. O was the one who implanted the Falconeri baby embryo in her daughter, after all.

Jeez, why can't these people just get pregnant in the back seat like everyone else?

 

[Ray&Donna]

Yes, the Tea Delgado/Sam Morgan baby switch, though derivative, was plotted and executed well. It provided a really good crossover story for a whole group of OLTL actors. The best part (I thought) was how certain established plot points on both OLTL and GH helped propel the story along, even though they had not been plotted together on purpose. That genetic condition that the Cassadines carry (recently mentioned as part of the "Who's Nathan's daddy?" plot) helped them determine that Tea had ended up with Sam's baby, and of course on OLTL it had been believed Tea was supposed to have a girl (and I guess she did, though she died).

This makes me further miss OLTL, now gone for nearly five years!

The writers ought to be wary of having yet another OB/GYN involved in baby switches and huge betrayals. Britt has not been gone THAT long, and what she did with Dante and Lulu's embryo (her baby "Ben" actually being D&L's baby Rocco) made a lot of female fans upset at the time (and made them accuse Ron C of being a reprobate). Soaps are still very much a woman's medium, and writing plotlines where OB/GYNs are untrustworthy (on top of "dead babies" plots) can turn women off. I'll never forget the absolute s---storm Santa Barbara stirred up when Eden Capwell's rapist turned out to be her OB/GYN.

Agreed. It's right up there with sudden sterility/barren-ness being reversed just for the sake of a paternity storyline (or conversely, sterility bringing about the end of a marriage so a character can depart until the condition is later reversed) as a plot point. I guess a plot about undergoing costly and unsuccessful fertility treatments would inject too much realism into the surroundings.

The re-fortification of the Quartermaine family must be the work of the new co-Head Writer, Chris Van Etten. While I am all for anything that keeps Monica from having to rattle around that old mansion alone, I too wonder what the ulterior motives are with this Kim lady. Monica and Kim had a scene where Monica pointed out the incredible (as in "not credible") idea that Kim would just up and decide to leave an established career in San Diego, and Kim and Oscar would suddenly arrive in PC of all places just as Drew's identity was being revealed. Of course they never really ironed it out--they simply brought it up to put the plot point out on the table. Maybe she "acquired" Oscar in the same way Britt "acquired" Ben/Rocco (and the way Claudette "acquired" Charlotte). Hell, maybe Dr. Obrecht "acquired" Nathan in a similar fashion, which is why she's so scared of him finding out his paternity. Dr. O was the one who implanted the Falconeri baby embryo in her daughter, after all.

Jeez, why can't these people just get pregnant in the back seat like everyone else?

Ha ha! The acquisition of Charlotte via Daphne has to be the most bizarre story this side of SUNSET BEACH. But clearly (presumably) they wouldn't have gone through the process of creating a new character for Tamara Braun unless they had some devious plan for her to play out.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Agreed. It's right up there with sudden sterility/barren-ness being reversed just for the sake of a paternity storyline (or conversely, sterility bringing about the end of a marriage so a character can depart until the condition is later reversed) as a plot point. I guess a plot about undergoing costly and unsuccessful fertility treatments would inject too much realism into the surroundings.

They did a sterility story for several years for Mac Cory, but it was used well (it even ended up with the miracle reversal twist). He kept his condition a secret from Rachel because of his male pride, so the story wasn't Mac's failings as a "man," but his macho pride causing him to keep secrets from Rachel.

And they DID do an extended infertility story (with copious amount of crying and misery) for Anne Heche's Marley. Yeah, it was a real downer, but it provided a strong story for the "forgotten" twin. Even in 2002, when Marley was popping up on ATWT, she was still unable to carry a baby (she just carried off Jake and Vicky's babies), so they didn't give in to the miracle cure.

But clearly (presumably) they wouldn't have gone through the process of creating a new character for Tamara Braun unless they had some devious plan for her to play out.

The same sentiment for Wes Ramsey (the Peter August character). I would not be surprised if their characters will be revealed to be in cahoots. When he suggested Lulu Falconeri go after international uber-villain/murderer Faison, it would have been considered an appallingly bad idea if he was indeed just a publisher. The WSB can't even handle the guy, and some bored housewife who "really wants to write" ought to be able to find him? My guess is that Peter wants Lulu to repeat this assumption (and that's all it is) that Faison is behind Jason's kidnapping and make people believe it (in other words, draw attention away from the real culprits). If Faison kills her, then it will make him look even more guilty ("she got too close to the truth"). If Faison had wanted to kidnap Jason back in 2012 he would have done that rather than shooting Jason and casually kicking his body into the harbor. That just made it harder (and more expensive) to kidnap him, since there was whole pesky "he's dead and we have to revive him" detail.

Speaking of Peter, the stylists really are not doing him any favors. Wes Ramsey is an attractive man, but that weird comb-over only makes him look goofy.

 

[Daniel Avery]

In case you haven't been watching...

Carly engineered a situation where Jason and Sam were trapped on the Haunted Star as it drifted out into the harbor. She also tampered with Drew's car to make sure Sam and Drew (who had plans to be together for NYE) were separated. Carly continues to insist that Jason deserves to have Sam back, and she had no regrets whatsoever when Sonny confronted her over her manipulations of her so-called friends. Drew figured out fairly easily that they'd been manipulated/tricked and was justifiably furious. Jason seemed "bothered" (as much as he can muster), and Sam seems to be playing it rather close to the vest.

I absolutely believe that Sam ought to go over to the MetroCourt, find Carly and punch her in the mouth. Hard. I mean, have her hit the dirt like a sack of potatoes. I'm not usually one to advocate violence, but Carly is just so, so far over the line in her efforts to play with the lives of not only Sam and Drew, but Jason and the two kids. Carly has ZERO right to interfere so severely in their lives. She needs something drastic to happen to get her attention and re-set her brain once and for all, and a really good decking from Sam might just do the trick. Well, that along with Sam warning Carly not to come anywhere near her, Drew, or anyone in her family, and not to even say hello to Sam on the street. The idea that Carly regards Sam as nothing more than a "trophy" that Jason "deserves" to be awarded de-humanizes Sam and of course manages to tune out Drew, as well. Have Sam declare her friendship (such as it was) with Carly to be DEAD and buried. The icing on the cake of course would be for Sonny and Jason to agree with Sam's anger (if not the punch) and tell Carly once again that her interference was ridiculously inappropriate and that she needs to cut it out for good.

 

[E-JULIAN]

I completely agree with you Daniel! As I told I'm a new GH follower (I started watching the soap October 31st 2017) so I don't know the long friendship shared by Carly and Jason in the past, but from the moment I saw how Carly believed Patient 6 was the real Jason and betrayed the other Jason (now Drew) I disliked her. That last act on NYE was sick! She deserves all what you say... Carly can go to hell!

 

[Ray&Donna]

They did a sterility story for several years for Mac Cory, but it was used well (it even ended up with the miracle reversal twist). He kept his condition a secret from Rachel because of his male pride, so the story wasn't Mac's failings as a "man," but his macho pride causing him to keep secrets from Rachel.

That type of subtle writing is lost on today's soap scribes. Mac Cory would be given the A.J. Quartermaine treatment and summarily killed off as violently as possible.

And they DID do an extended infertility story (with copious amount of crying and misery) for Anne Heche's Marley. Yeah, it was a real downer, but it provided a strong story for the "forgotten" twin. Even in 2002, when Marley was popping up on ATWT, she was still unable to carry a baby (she just carried off Jake and Vicky's babies), so they didn't give in to the miracle cure.

I guess it was Marley's cross to bear since she was the one who got to be raised with the wealth Vicky was denied.

The same sentiment for Wes Ramsey (the Peter August character). I would not be surprised if their characters will be revealed to be in cahoots. When he suggested Lulu Falconeri go after international uber-villain/murderer Faison, it would have been considered an appallingly bad idea if he was indeed just a publisher. The WSB can't even handle the guy, and some bored housewife who "really wants to write" ought to be able to find him? My guess is that Peter wants Lulu to repeat this assumption (and that's all it is) that Faison is behind Jason's kidnapping and make people believe it (in other words, draw attention away from the real culprits). If Faison kills her, then it will make him look even more guilty ("she got too close to the truth"). If Faison had wanted to kidnap Jason back in 2012 he would have done that rather than shooting Jason and casually kicking his body into the harbor. That just made it harder (and more expensive) to kidnap him, since there was whole pesky "he's dead and we have to revive him" detail.

Speaking of Peter, the stylists really are not doing him any favors. Wes Ramsey is an attractive man, but that weird comb-over only makes him look goofy.

This actually makes much better sense than Faison thinking Jason was dead for five years. Using Faison seems more like a MacGuffin or red herring than a logically-constructed story. Perhaps they are just trying to draw it out until May sweeps...

In case you haven't been watching...

Carly engineered a situation where Jason and Sam were trapped on the Haunted Star as it drifted out into the harbor. She also tampered with Drew's car to make sure Sam and Drew (who had plans to be together for NYE) were separated. Carly continues to insist that Jason deserves to have Sam back, and she had no regrets whatsoever when Sonny confronted her over her manipulations of her so-called friends. Drew figured out fairly easily that they'd been manipulated/tricked and was justifiably furious. Jason seemed "bothered" (as much as he can muster), and Sam seems to be playing it rather close to the vest.

When I saw this mess in the previews, I skipped Friday's episode...but enough of it played out on Tuesday for me to get the gist of things.

I absolutely believe that Sam ought to go over to the MetroCourt, find Carly and punch her in the mouth. Hard. I mean, have her hit the dirt like a sack of potatoes. I'm not usually one to advocate violence, but Carly is just so, so far over the line in her efforts to play with the lives of not only Sam and Drew, but Jason and the two kids. Carly has ZERO right to interfere so severely in their lives. She needs something drastic to happen to get her attention and re-set her brain once and for all, and a really good decking from Sam might just do the trick. Well, that along with Sam warning Carly not to come anywhere near her, Drew, or anyone in her family, and not to even say hello to Sam on the street. The idea that Carly regards Sam as nothing more than a "trophy" that Jason "deserves" to be awarded de-humanizes Sam and of course manages to tune out Drew, as well. Have Sam declare her friendship (such as it was) with Carly to be DEAD and buried. The icing on the cake of course would be for Sonny and Jason to agree with Sam's anger (if not the punch) and tell Carly once again that her interference was ridiculously inappropriate and that she needs to cut it out for good.

Absolutely. And Carly with her jaw wired shut would make for the perfect payback. But Sonny and Jason telling now-toothless Carly that she was wrong is about as likely to happen as Sonny apologizing for killing A.J.

I completely agree with you Daniel! As I told I'm a new GH follower (I started watching the soap October 31st 2017) so I don't know the long friendship shared by Carly and Jason in the past, but from the moment I saw how Carly believed Patient 6 was the real Jason and betrayed the other Jason (now Drew) I disliked her. That last act on NYE was sick! She deserves all what you say... Carly can go to hell!

Sonny, Jason, and Carly are the trio of suck, and unfortunately the show has given them way too much screen time over the past two decades.

 

[Maryann]

I getting so bored with GH, even though when I am home and turn it on watch it for a couple of minutes then get up go on the internet or go to do something in the kitchen. Watched it halfway today and now learned Faison is what's his name father.

 

[Ray&Donna]

I getting so bored with GH, even though when I am home and turn it on watch it for a couple of minutes then get up go on the internet or go to do something in the kitchen. Watched it halfway today and now learned Faison is what's his name father.

This was me a while back. I usually mute scenes involving Spinelli, too. He's on more than some of the main players, so they might just as well put him back on contract (not that I am advocating for him--he's easily the most annoying character I can think of).

 

[Daniel Avery]

He's like a Chihuahua, yip-yip-yipping at the heels of Jason and Sonny (when he's not trying to hump Jason's leg). I wish he'd wander out into traffic!

If he's just going to casually drop in to Port Charles this often, the least he could do is bring baby Georgie to see her mommy. I'm willing to bet the writers don't even remember she exists. I'd much rather see Ellie, Spinelli's girlfriend who was written out supposedly because of his departure. Would she even recognize THIS Spinelli, though? He was a more mature, dare I say adult man when they became a couple. Can you picture this version as a responsible parent of a young girl? He's reverted to his 2007 stoner version.

I'm hoping that Dr. O is (once again) lying about Nathan's paternity, because this whole Faison thing makes ZERO sense. For decades Dr. O bemoaned the fact that she'd given birth to Faison's daughter (Britt) rather than a son. She believed that if she could give Faison a son, she could have gotten him to stop obsessing over Anna Devane and fall in love with her. This whole "Oh, I was so scared of him that I had to hide our son's existence from him" is either a ridiculous ret-con, or is another lie from Dr. O to hide the real paternity. She rarely acted scared of him when they were interacting during 2013-14--in fact, they acted like equals.

I would have preferred Valentin be Nathan's father, but not with the way Valentin is currently being written...and certainly not when Valentin is married to Nathan's (adopted)sister. I'm guessing that was the original plan, but they had to change some of the plot points surrounding Valentin when they introduced him (including making him younger than originally conceived). Now, they're probably sorry they didn't keep that option open.

 

[Ray&Donna]

He's like a Chihuahua, yip-yip-yipping at the heels of Jason and Sonny (when he's not trying to hump Jason's leg). I wish he'd wander out into traffic!

Me too! And if Carly is so concerned with poor-wittle-Jason's happiness, why doesn't she just dump the Teflon Don and get back with him?

If he's just going to casually drop in to Port Charles this often, the least he could do is bring baby Georgie to see her mommy. I'm willing to bet the writers don't even remember she exists. I'd much rather see Ellie, Spinelli's girlfriend who was written out supposedly because of his departure. Would she even recognize THIS Spinelli, though? He was a more mature, dare I say adult man when they became a couple. Can you picture this version as a responsible parent of a young girl? He's reverted to his 2007 stoner version.

Perhaps they are setting up to let us know that Ellie dumped his idiot rear end and is now raising Georgie as her own.

I'm hoping that Dr. O is (once again) lying about Nathan's paternity, because this whole Faison thing makes ZERO sense. For decades Dr. O bemoaned the fact that she'd given birth to Faison's daughter (Britt) rather than a son. She believed that if she could give Faison a son, she could have gotten him to stop obsessing over Anna Devane and fall in love with her. This whole "Oh, I was so scared of him that I had to hide our son's existence from him" is either a ridiculous ret-con, or is another lie from Dr. O to hide the real paternity. She rarely acted scared of him when they were interacting during 2013-14--in fact, they acted like equals.

I still think they are using Faison as some kind of red herring because, to be honest, I don't remember him being any scarier than Sonny--or Luke at his most bizarre, for that matter. At this point it would make more sense for Nathan to be a long-lost previously-unknown coma-conceived child of Robert and Holly.

I would have preferred Valentin be Nathan's father, but not with the way Valentin is currently being written...and certainly not when Valentin is married to Nathan's (adopted)sister. I'm guessing that was the original plan, but they had to change some of the plot points surrounding Valentin when they introduced him (including making him younger than originally conceived). Now, they're probably sorry they didn't keep that option open.

The writing has been all over the place for Valentin from the day he arrived in Port Charles. He went from killing Nikolas to child kidnapper to...romantic hero?

 

[Daniel Avery]

...and don't forget, when Valentin was first being talked about many years ago, he was supposedly such a horrible, scary, awful villain that Helena spoke of him in hushed tones as if he frightened her.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I'm not fond of the politicization of this horrible decision, since it's not the first time they've screwed her over, but still--the s#it's hit the proverbial fan. #Times up or not, she's the heart and soul of GH, and one of the most well-regarded actress in all of soaps.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2018/01/2...ops-its-most-fabled-female-star-genie-francis

 

[Ray&Donna]

I'm not fond of the politicization of this horrible decision, since it's not the first time they've screwed her over, but still--the s#it's hit the proverbial fan. #Times up or not, she's the heart and soul of GH, and one of the most well-regarded actress in all of soaps.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2018/01/2...ops-its-most-fabled-female-star-genie-francis

I speculated that they needed to re-allocate her salary for some unnecessary, useless-to-the-canvas characters. Either that or Tony Geary and JFP somewhere in Amsterdam stabbing a voodoo doll...

Of course, I'd prefer someone stabbed Spinelli before tossing him off the footbridge.

 

[Ray&Donna]

So are they gutting the cast--Genie Francis, Ryan Paevey, etc--in order to pay for Steve Burton and his gawdawful storyline, or simply so Chris Van Etten can get residuals for creating a bunch of new characters long-time fans won't care about? I'm looking at you, Kim Nero.

 

[Daniel Avery]

There had always been an undercurrent/speculative rumor that Ryan Paevey wanted to leave when his contract came up. I chose not to believe it, repeatedly sticking my fingers in my ears and going "la-la-la" every time someone brought it up. You know, mature reactions like that. So I've studiously avoided watching the show this week, reading synopses hoping that not seeing them kill him off might make it easier. But I have to watch today because...well, the next step is acceptance, right?

I'll get right on that.

BTW, so happy to see you back!

 

[Daniel Avery]

I'm curious about @Ray&Donna's reaction to "Cesar in a Jar".....

 

[Ray&Donna]

There had always been an undercurrent/speculative rumor that Ryan Paevey wanted to leave when his contract came up. I chose not to believe it, repeatedly sticking my fingers in my ears and going "la-la-la" every time someone brought it up. You know, mature reactions like that. So I've studiously avoided watching the show this week, reading synopses hoping that not seeing them kill him off might make it easier. But I have to watch today because...well, the next step is acceptance, right?

View attachment 9706

View attachment 9707

I'll get right on that.

BTW, so happy to see you back!

After the ridiculous "Ask Man Landers" fiasco, I suppose I couldn't blame him if it was his choice to leave. However, the fact that no one ever really dies is helping me to cope--I mean, they always wind up in the catacombs of Spoon Island, or frozen in Helena's basement laboratory.

I'm curious about @Ray&Donna's reaction to "Cesar in a Jar".....

I have no clue why that needed to be shown onscreen. I kept thinking about that old Steve Martin movie any time it appeared in the frame.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085894/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_24

 

[Daniel Avery]

My pet theory--you know I always have one:

The writers were said to have been totally caught off-guard when they dumped Genie Francis. I think they had to hurriedly come up with a story for Jon Lindstrom, since they had planned to have him involved in the mayoral story with Laura. I think this whole idea that Kevin will study Faison's brain as part of this "mind of a murderer" study was dreamed up last-minute. Kevin was acting really strangely, leading some online to speculate he's actually Kevin's thought-dead evil twin, Ryan Chamberlain (a serial killer himself, I guess). Kevin never struck me as the type to blithely eat lunch while Cesar-in-a-jar was sitting there on the desk (even wackjob Franco was grossed out). Also, Kevin had a slightly different hairstyle/cut.

I don't think the haircut thing was indicative of anything other than a last-minute rewrite. They likely had already finished this episode when GF walked, and in order to set up this new story direction, they asked Jon Lindstrom (and Roger Howarth) to come in to film those two scenes--then edited them into the completed episode. Lindstrom likely had gotten a haircut sometime between the last episode he filmed and the time they called up and asked him to come in to film those scenes. It would also explain why Faison's head seemed totally intact when Anna visited him in the morgue, despite the...um, extraction earlier in the episode. They may have written Kevin's strange behavior to get the online folks speculating that it's really Ryan, and that he and Kevin are another pair of twins that got roped into this whole brain mapping nonsense--which would distract them from collecting torches and pitchforks for the "rehire Genie" march on the studio.