titan1978

Got it, thank you!

Hi all, I wasn’t posting for a few months, and now that I am back I noticed that if I quote more than one person in a thread to reply for discussion, or post within the same thread a minute or so later, the system no longer just automatically merges those comments into the same post if they were done before replies happened. Each one is its own post. Did that feature change/go away, or is it something I have to enable in a setting somewhere? Thanks, I just don’t want to needlessly clog up a discussion thread.

Damn. And truth!

Agreed. If anything, it’s about a month too late as far as keeping the story thread alive but I am glad they included them.

I am a little gunshy (ha!) with their abilities to tell these kinds of stories because they also often punk out and eliminate suspects too soon, and or basically drop it and it didn’t matter in the end. This is a real chance for them to ride a mystery into some momentum that will finally move them up from 1.2 in the households if they percolate it and keep the twists coming, and have the characters we do care about in the mix all the way to the reveal (so even if it is Sidwell or his son, or they make it that way, people we actually like should be suspects to the end). They didn’t do a very good job of making Carly seem viable. I know she is supposed to be matured but in the Guza days Carly absolutely would be the main suspect, and would remember the shooting on another rainy night (during seeps), and either go on the run to drag it out to another sweeps or have a mental collapse and that’s why it doesn’t come out yet. Bonus points for her memory coming back or the breakdown happening after she skids on the rainy road and runs another character down, like Elizabeth.

That was amazing. It showed just how badly they wanted him dead. With the big story coming this fall about the Quartermaines, it would be stupid to not have Drew in that mix as well. I hope this is not going to be the end of this version of the character, because the show has needed these natural, deep, and vicious conflicts for a long time. I have to add to my list of character types every soap should have to include a scumbag with power. I forgot how much fun this kind of character can be. All these breakneck story turns and cliffhangers, mixed with the overall highly plot motivated storytelling is reminiscent of the style that Charles Pratt employs on a soap. The good news is that this team doesn’t have a thick layer of misogyny over everything. I am not saying the women are all written well, far from it. But it’s not the outright misogynistic nastiness that permeated his work on GH and other runs.

They even hired Stuart Damon IIRC.

I didn’t forget, I had some kind of soap opera amnesia about this. As a matter of fact, seeing it now might trigger my own Nikki Smith situation. It’s so wild to see so much of the cast suffering through this musical performance. When people talk about how much money there used to be in soaps, show this clip. All those top of the pay scale veteran actors, extras, a “song” being performed. And you know that was a long day, back when Monty routinely kept going late to get what she wanted. Everything in that clip was expensive, in all the wrong ways. I am a huge admirer of what Gloria Monty accomplished. This is another example of why her instincts were so off for the show at that time.

I did too, that’s why it was so annoying to watch him on autopilot and clearly not into being paired with Portia. He had real chemistry with Genie Francis and they had kind of a small adventure story with the climax of the original Cyrus storyline. You could absolutely tell he would rather be making sparks with Laura at that time. He’s attractive and when they use him correctly it works for me. At the time I wondered if he was mad they broke Curtis and Jordan up, although the last Jordan was not an exciting performer.

And there are those of us who don’t think Peter Bergman was all that successful at what Terry Lester did as Jack. He essentially became more of spoiled little rich boy to me under Bergman, and very little like the sly and nimble Jack that Terry Lester created.

At least Donnell Turner stopped completely sleepwalking his way through the show. He even seemed into scenes with Portia lately, and once upon a time he seemed like he would rather be anywhere else, especially if it meant scenes with Laura.

He is at his best with a character that is quirky. Even at his hammiest, he didn’t evoke Tony Geary doing the same kind of over the top style. Geary really could eat the stage when not reigned in. Judging Howarth’s GH work, I am not sure if he is capable of having the darker edge he started with on daytime anymore. He is a good actor with range. The problem I had was poor bts choices at GH in regards to his characters and keeping him there for three different roles in the same run. But, he doesn’t fit the Y&R mold to me, although the show is a far cry from the glamorous old Hollywood style it used to embody. He always felt like an ABC, New York actor to me. I am not sure I can define it better- they tended to be more gritty and grounded, less the stare off into space and very staged performances like we found on the Bell soaps.

Agreed, inquiring minds want to know.

I loved his Paul! I think in hindsight I never forgave Goutman for Bryant dying, Will killing Rose, Paul and Jennifer. Those four characters had potential and great ties to the show, and they never did anything worthwhile between Lily and Will to justify what they did.

I did notice that they didn’t show any hint of who she was shooting in her trauma flashbacks. No need to pay the man then! Anyone new viewer or returning one would presumably be confused.

I just don’t believe this is true anymore. I don’t think Frank lets anyone have that kind of power at GH over his own whims and wishes. When Guza, Frons, and JFP were there, and we still had a robust soap industry with 9 soaps airing (although in decline), he clearly did have that influence. But it’s not really there anymore. Burton doesn’t have it either. For his faults, Valentini seems to like talent that comes to work and tries to make it work, and that’s the priority. It’s why people like Finola have been front and center the whole time she has been back on contract. She shows up to work and also promotes the show. Jane has famously said it’s not her job to write the show, it’s her job to make the writing work. I think that’s been a big part of the respect between them too. Is there writing that still props him? Yes. Do they keep trying to give him something to do, to varying degrees of success and airtime? Yes. But do think I he has any power to do something that Frank doesn’t already wants to do? Nope.

He does seem to know it doesn’t look good on him. And I also thought Drake became sexy again with his natural hair. I like Deidre Hall’s hair has so much white/silver tones in it, it looks more natural than the predominantly honey blonde she used to go with. I love Jane’s long, natural hair. It suits her so much, and hasn’t made Tracy seem any less vibrant. We are well past Sonny having shellacked black hair, and it’s silly. I just got to the Maxie scenes. They really put Kristina Wagner through it. I hope she can start to have fun as Felicia again. I know lots of performers had to act out something they are going through in life. I just have empathy because we know about her loss. Seeing Anna and Felicia being so close and there for each other really makes me happy. I would feel the same things if we ever get a scene with Lois and Brenda, or ever see Robin and Brenda together on a couch again. GH at its core wasn’t a traditional soap based around a couple of families. It was the deep connections that these professionals felt with each other and their patients at the hospital. And when I grew up watching, those types of relationships really resonated with me and were still being shown, even if the hospital was not the center. As a gay person, the adage about chosen family was already ingrained in me because of I saw the bonds between Robert, Anna, Frisco, Felicia, Sean, etc. They were a family to me just as sure as the Quartermaines were.

So it’s Casino Royale for rip offs with Joss and Vaughn, and 9 to 5 for this story. At least I actually like what they are ripping off!

As much as I would love Georgie to be alive, on this show, at this moment, I am going to pass on anyone else back from the dead. For two whole years, I need GH to not tell any paternity or lost relative stories, and no more back from the dead. What’s working for me- Cliffhangers! They are happening often and it’s about damn time. Using NLG in any way that allows her to be funny, while also exasperated. She is always more fun when she isn’t miserable. NuMichael- damn they did a good job with this recast. He’s hot, can easily play between the haughtiness of the Q family and the more genial person he was before (Chad was boring, but it also worked at one time as a chosen response against the histrionics of his parents). He also has an edge now, and is great with all his scene partners. WSB shenanigans. I grew up with Robert and his secret computer room, so the resurgence of the WSB does work for me. This is the only time I have remotely tolerated Joss. Yes it’s stupid and would never happen. But it’s also GH logic, which let Anna, Frisco, Sean, etc vacillate between PCPD and WSB, and let Felicia and Holly work on cases. And I do think Vaughn is hot, and serviceable as a soap hunk type performer. Yes sleeping with Joss is gross, he’s too old for her. And I like the umbrella nature of the story tying in Britt, Emma, and Gio. Drew- this show has needed an outright scumbag for decades. He is the only person currently onscreen that embodies the old old school Quartermaines. This is the spiritual embodiment of David Lewis as Edward, Alan plotting to kill Monica, Monica stealing the Q fortune, and Tracy withholding Edward’s heart medication and running Jenny down. He lacks their charm, but I will take what I can get. Willow unraveling has also been good. Cynthia Watros- Mulcahey gave her a brain and a point of view, and while Nina is still useless, at least I enjoy her in scenes now. Ric’s return has also been fun, highlighting a lot of what he does well. Britt and Jason- if they are going to be there, this is the direction to go in. Biggest gripes- the filming model still causes beats to be missed, and episodes often feel disjointed from one to the next when binging. So many talented and attractive Black performers and they are all just there. Without Drew what would they be doing with Curtis, Portia, and Trina? Give them something real to do! Laura is an afterthought and she should have a story. They would never do this crap to Tony Geary. Same with Liz. Scotty- every time I see Martin I just think why isn’t this Scotty? He has actual history with Laura, the hospital, Lucy, Tracy, and the various players in town. Everything they have done with him in the last few months could have been Scotty easily. Saint Obrect. She’s a supervillain adjacent character and watching her mope around town about her darling Britta is ridiculous. She can be sad, that’s fine. But people should not be so genial with her. It’s a blatant case of bts favoritism over story. Sorry for the long post, I’ve been away and this is the only place to share these thoughts about the show.

The whole story should have been bigger. But it was tied to Lucky and Alexis and Laura, and they got rid of Lucky. Laura and Alexis are not being utilized well either. I find the show very watchable right now, fun most of the time. But the biggest lingering issue I still have with Valentini is that these stories would feel more important if they played even half of the beats. But what they are subsisting on at the moment is a handful of scenes to establish a secret of some kind, and then some handwringing and finally a big explosion. And while it has been entertaining, think about the viewer growth they would be seeing if they played the beats better. Like even some movement with Gio and Emma! Things have changed, but the adage of if you build it, they will come has always been true in serialized storytelling.

There are times when I know it’s still not great, but it is at least fun to watch. I will take that over the doldrums and misfires and mess the show had been. It’s fun to watch again.

I felt this way about his Alan-Michael too. Hearst has no problem playing underhanded and even plays it with glee most of the time, not regret. He is fun to watch. Maura is too, they just need to either let Ava go fully villain again like they were toying with under Mulcahey, or give her something real to sink her teeth into.

I took a several month hiatus as well, all I did on SON was bitch and complain about the state of GH and soaps in general. So I stepped away here too. GH is really on fire when you look at the last three years, they finally have a head writing team that allows normal conflict between the characters, and I see cliffhangers many times during the week. It’s not perfect, but it’s probably the best this team is capable of producing and it is watchable, even entertaining!

He is an attractive man with the acting depth of a block of wood. Of course Frank contacted him. Which is too bad, because they have been doing a great job with casting compared to Frank’s middle period on the show. Another problem I have with this return is that when I think of him from the last time, it was when almost every set was blue and they were using lighting that made it seem like everyone’s white teeth were glowing blue, just like the sets. And he was one of the people that ended up with the bluest teeth of them all.