carolineg

3 hours ago, AlexElizabeth said:

I actually fell asleep during today's episode. LOL

As tired as I am of the devil, I will say that LA is already playing it better than CB ever did. JoDevil was just awful. 

I'm all for EJ and Belle banging but I'm not a fan of how they're setting this up. Belle looked horrible today. She really said that Shawn's assault was embarrassing for HER. Seriously? And the way she's crying about Shawn having nonconsensual sex with another woman and not telling her as if she hasn't willingly cheated on him in the past. 

Clyde the doting grandpa = yawn. Again, why is he back? That was one ugly outfit they had Ciara in. I could go to Walmart and find a cuter maternity outfit for VK to put on. 

LA is playing it better than CB, but she's always been the better actor of the two.  

I can't stand Clyde.  I have no idea why they brought him back and why he is living with Ciara/Ben.  It's a really uncomfortable position to put Ciara in.  At least VK's hair looked pretty.  I like it straight.

I like EJ/Belle together honestly, but it's a crappy way to put them together.  Belle herself thinks she was possessed by the devil and did these bad things, but can't accept this?   Way to make me dislike her more than I already do show.

I liked what I saw of Victor/Julie as well.  They seemed equal, not just in terms of age, but personality and wits.  Carly/Victor was icky and I don't believe Victor would fall for someone like her.   I think Julie/Victor would have been good, especially since you didn't have to make it any lifelong thing because of Doug.  But, you know, good for Julie for getting the hot, younger guy instead.

1 hour ago, FrenchBug82 said:

In all fairness, this is how I feel about 95% of soap supercouples who cheat on each other with abandon, don't believe each other in certain situations and treat each other like garbage when they are together.
Soaps are telling us that on and off and on and off again is fate and destiny and romantic. It is not. It is a toxic mutually abusive relationship and people would be better off accepting it and moving on to partners they are a better fit for, passion or not.

Totally fair.  I just feel like Belle is always the one with the wandering eye and indecisiveness while Shawn D has always been (mostly) loyal to her.  They get half the writing an actual supercouple would, we as the audience have been told they were destiny since they were kids, but most of the reason they fight is because Belle cheats.  At some point, she should just say Shawn doesn't do it for her or he should leave.  I don't consider them a supercouple at all and don't get fate, destiny, romance, or passion from them.   I think it would be interesting for them both to explore other pairings.  This show broke Roman/Marlena up-who were way more supercoupley-and it worked out. Shawn is hot.  He can find someone else to be paired with.   Belle is Belle, but I am sure she can find someone on the canvas as well lol.  It's a shame they let JKJ get away because MM actually has chemistry with him.

16 minutes ago, FrenchBug82 said:

I'd accept the fact they didn't talk about it and his "lie" if the show had portrayed it as what it is: rape.
Shawn was raped by deception, which is raped. Portray him as feeling deeply ashamed and violated behind the tough exterior and it can be explained why they just decided to play ostrich about it.
That makes sense and that is compelling.

But that would involve a serious story and topic and not high comedy with ridiculous Devil hijinks and camp plots about crazy Jan which, you know, too much to ask.

I feel like Shawn was trying to say he was ashamed and violated, but he also kept apologizing to Belle which then validates her point.  They are both victims here, but I do wish Belle would be a little more supportive to her husband's trauma.  If the roles were reversed this wouldn't be a question.  Shawn has forgiven Belle for tons of crap including being "possessed" like last week without question.  And again, this will be the catalyst for Belle to step out again on her husband and at this point why even root for Shawn/Belle?  If Belle finds it so easy to cheat on Shawn over and over should they even be together?

2 minutes ago, Noel said:

Yeah, and I've tried the best of both arguments with my initial post. Mentally, what Belle witnessed was devastating. In all forms of abuse, Shawn was sexually assaulted. It's so weird because this is a soap, and yet, in the name of humanity, I'm speaking in terms that people don't dismiss or shoo away this kind stuff in real life. No way and no how. I don't care if you're Pentecostal holiness, Amish, or a member of the Westboro Baptist Church. In this stance, Belle has a  every right to be mad at Satan or even have a lot of disdain and hurt towards Marlena at the moment. Not Shawn. And what? Because Shawn's a dude then he should just "man it up"? No. That's not how it works. That's not how any of this works. And I see these promos and then Martha Madison tweeting stupid stuff like: "Uh-oh! We're going to need some 🍿 and some ________ (we have no tissue emoticon or I can't find it)." 

Sure, DAYS is getting really sloppy. That's a no-brainer. The potential to develop a really good story and to tell it from different angles (e.g., Belle, Shawn, Marlena) has been wasted in my opinion. But no. Instead, I predict this plot-driven mess ties in with Ben and Ciara's baby. I swear I feel like I'm watching As The World Turns when storylines came by and went by so fast that I can't remember. Why? Because they're not memorable anymore. After all, how many times have you had to give me a recap of soap history and that stupid stuffed bear? 😄

Agree 100% with everything you said.  It should be played by all sides (Marlena, Belle, Shawn, Jan, etc).   The first problem is Marlena probably won't find out until the baby is born lol-she has yet to apologize to Belle-even if she was the devil.  Ben got a freakin apology.   The second problem is BB has a very limited ability and MM runs circles around him as an actor, so Shawn just looks like a kicked puppy in the scenes instead of articulating his valid point.  He's apologizing when he really doesn't have to. Third, Belle tends to be a bit of a thirsty whore, so this is clearly driving her straight to EJ and that's the plot point truly.

Shawn is wrong for "lying" if he did that.  It seems like they both buried their heads in the sand on this and since we didn't hear them talk about it, I am going to assume Shawn wasn't outright lying.  It's not like Shawn wants this child anymore than Belle does.  He is a victim.  Idk, if this was John/Marlena or Bo/Hope I feel like their would be a lot more understanding on the female spouses part, but the show hates Shawn/Belle as much as I do and the couple has the depth of a mud puddle.

@NoelI have to agree with the Shawn/Belle stuff.  lol.  My hatred for MM's Lame Belle knows no bounds, but those two never talked about what happened?  Ever?  Outside of all the devil nonsense, my first question would probably be how far did it go? At least have a scene in the last 4 months where Shawn is avoiding the question or uncomfortable.  Belle has a right to be mad, but Shawn is the victim here too.

17 minutes ago, Vee said:

Oh, Ron.

How many exorcisms is this now in the span of 6 months? I can't believe they botched a reprise of this so badly, even for DAYS.

Like someone said a few weeks ago, if this was almost like a mystery for the audience as to who is doing bad deeds because of the devil and who is just bad it might work.  But John bringing out his box of exorcism kit out every few months is so stupid.  The devil must really hate Chanel because she's the one who keeps getting screwed over on this lol

5 minutes ago, Vee said:

I didn't know about that at all, but my viewing around then was up and down. I thought Jax was the only leading male they'd ever claimed was seeing hookers on the show, because by the early 2000s TPTB hated Jax lol.

 

 

Boy, do I know what I'd do with all that. But this doesn't need to be my dumb fanfic thread so people can PM me if they want to know, lol.

Well, Sonny dated those strippers when he first started out.  Anyway, it was either when Jason told Sonny Brenda died or right before MB came back to the show a little later in the year.  I am sure the scenes exist on you tube.  I can't remember much, but I think Maria was his island girlfriend but her actual occupation was hooker and he yelled at her because he was drunk and she wasn't Brenda or something.  This is a classic GH thread drift......

Unfortunately it's more exciting than the show.

1 minute ago, Vee said:

Exactly, he has always had those casinos! I'll never forget the one on The Island. And probably cathouses. But come on, nobody's gonna tell me those establishments don't run drugs and women out of them.

I would make all this a key plot point when Scorpio rededicated the PCPD to taking him down - unearthing it all and then laying it out for them like The Wire - which would make the audience and probably the network howl in protest. But hey.

I always thought because of the Island and the Casinos gambling was a huge part of his organization.  But there has to be sex trade and drugs in those casinos.  After Brenda died, Sonny was sleeping with a hooker from the Island casino named Maria, so they are there.  Someone at said casino has to get a cut for them working there.

And, for example, when he took over Rivera's huge territory did he clean that all up?  It was very large from what I recall.

It would never happen, but I'd be way more interested in Scorpio breaking the whole organization down for me then probably 99% of Sonny scenes these days.  I don't need mundane details about the mob, but I'd be interested to know how these families specifically make their money.

5 minutes ago, Vee said:

Agreed. She could be better utilized.

I've been saying for years, Sonny's organization has got to still be running drugs and women. It doesn't make any logical, real world sense for them not to be. The entire underworld in PC (which has been dominated by Corinthos-Morgan for decades) cannot be contraband/black market products.

I could've sworn that as late as the late '90s/early 2000s, he and Jason were explicitly providing 'protection' to the local sex trade per stuff with Tammy, Mike, etc. My headcanon remains that Sonny's organization still runs those things still runs the things he claims to have wiped his hands of, just through intermediaries and associates while he piously turns his head.

Listen, I will always say Sonny has a huge counterfeit purse/designer clothes business.  And definitely some illegal gambling.  Maybe exotic animals lol

I would agree though, I doubt every associate and underling does the same thing.  There has to be drugs and women.  Sonny's version of life is very skewed.  He's not abusive because he never hit a women.  He can drag them around, throw glass at them, and call them whores, but NOT abusive in his head.  I could easily agree HE doesn't specifically deal in that but others in the organization do and in his mind he believes that means he doesn't.

4 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

I haven't watched today's episode but nooooooooooo.

Gwen needs to be killed off the show.

Honestly, I wouldn't lose sleep over Gwen dying.  I just think EOB was wasted and she showed potential when she was Claire's mental institute buddy.  

13 minutes ago, AlexElizabeth said:

Ron apparently learned nothing from the Teen Jessica fiasco on OLTL.

How long are we going to have to listen to LG doing the baby talk and calling Maggie "mommy"?

Maybe tomorrow Sarah will ask Maggie to breastfeed her!

You know it's a bad episode when Gwen/Gabi were the highlight. I mean damn lol. 

I mean I think Ron thinks teen Jessica is his career highlight or something.  Lol!  It was actually your low Ron.  For some reason people continue to let to write despite this not because of it.

You know, I probably am in the minority, but I think both Gwen/Gabi have potential.  They just get the worst stories and screen partners.  I just think both actresses have a little more to offer than what they get.  They don't lack story-they just get really ill-fitting ones.

5 minutes ago, AlexElizabeth said:

That ending with Sarah. Are you KIDDING me?

This is so, so bad. I really do not have words for this show right now. 

I almost refrained from posting because I was like nothing could be worse than Sarah as a character that's been dead since before I was alive.  Nope.  I stand corrected.  Sarah as a child? teen?  Way to go, Ron!  You exceeded my rock bottom.

1 hour ago, Khan said:

"I couldn't love you anymore or any less than I do at this moment, Will.  I'm so proud to be your grandma.  Now, let's go shopping for some blazers and pastel-colored jumpsuits!"

If Will was shopping with Marlena I assume the blazers and pantsuits would be a lot less ugly.  I would hope Will would have the taste to steer her away from pleather jackets as well.😂

2 hours ago, Bright Eyes said:

Dream decade even.

Dream Quarter Century? lol

As far as the show, I was happy things actually happened.  Again not good things, but stories moved and some dramatic things happened.  That's literally enough for me to at least be entertained. 

1 hour ago, Dr Neil Curtis said:

😂😂 Gwen Davies! Just like Xander doesn’t look like Alex Marshall, Gwen R. doesn’t look like Gwen Davies. 
 

and Who is this lawyer that drew up these papers for SaRenee? He or She need to be disbarred!

Maybe it's Justin?  And he's just giving Sarah fake papers because Maggie asked him to?  Has she ever said a name for the lawyer?

1 hour ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Yeah. I just checked.

Marlena was looking for a roommate and Gwen was homeless and living in her office and Don suggested they live together

Thanks!  I am not even going to ask why a lawyer like Gwen was homeless lol

20 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Yeah, I knew they overlapped but from what I've seen of Gwen (which has been quite a bit, thanks to that 1984 playlist), her storylines were mostly with male characters, that's why I wasn't sure about her and Renee.

Yeah, I can't really recall her at all lol.  Wasn't she Marlena's roommate during the Salem Strangler stuff or am I thinking of someone else?

21 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Well... I'll never not watch lol
 

Did Gwen Davies and Renee even have any kind of interaction back then?

They definitely were on the show at the same time, but Gwen Davies is obscure enough I had to look her up to remember.  Again, not super funny or cute for the audience.  No one cares about Gwen Davies lol.

On another note, today's show felt a lot more like a Friday show than a Monday one.  A lot of stuff actually happened.  Nothing good, but stuff happened lol.

1 hour ago, Khan said:

What I liked about JJ as Lucky - and what I STILL like about him - was that he wasn't your typical soap hunk.  JJ has the looks and build of a "normal" person, which soaps used to be okay with, until they decided they weren't.

You didn't need him to have great abs to make him an audience favorite.  You just needed someone like Liz to fall in love with him and let the audience see why she fell in love with him so that they would fall in love with him, too.  That's how it works, people.

On the other hand, I've yet to find any reason why Lulu should have existed at all.  They could have killed her off years ago and I wouldn't have shed a tear.

That's pretty on point to say GV was almost too attractive, but JJ brought something completely different acting wise so I think it was a trade.  GV is never going to give you gut wrenching performances, but he's likable and hot enough to pull it off.  I mean, JJ would never had been paired with Sam lol.  I think JJ, Kmc, AT all have that same 'real' person vibe.  Not everyone is Jagger Cates lol.  It's a nice mix to have relatable, attractive people against people you would never see in high school because they are so gorgeous and look 25.

I LIKE the idea of Luke having a daughter.  The show just never got it exactly right with casting.  JMB had a lot to offer, but she wasn't a great romantic lead.  I liked her and Dante but mostly because I loved early Dante.  ER was just sort of there.  I almost think Lulu was a plot point because 1. GF was pregnant 2. To bring on Nik.  

Tbh, Luke and Laura were not given an excessive amount of children.  The way Sonny/Carly were.  I don't mind 3 each (the Ethan stuff is offensive, but the amount of kids/tenure for the actors is not).

1 hour ago, Khan said:

That must've been during the period when GF and TG weren't speaking and GH's writers had to write around that, even though Luke and Laura were supposedly still together.

Thank you!  He could have quit at any time if he didn't want to keep playing "Luke & Laura Vs. Evil," but he never should have been allowed to dictate storylines to the degree that he did.  Like you said, @carolineg, it's a disservice to the fans who have loved GH for years NOT to put them back together eventually.

I agree that having Nikolas and Spencer as Laura's only real, main family in PC is wrong, but if the alternative is suffering through another, miserable Lucky or Lulu recast, then I'm good with the current status quo, lol.

I suspect the adoration toward Luke and Laura was due to the fact that you had a young couple involved in these far-flung, very high-stakes adventures - the likes of which hadn't really been seen before, at least on daytime.  Otherwise, yes, you take out the Left Handed Boy and the Ice Princess, and you have just another, run-of-the-mill soap opera romance (albeit, one with a very questionable beginning, lol).

With TG-it's employment.  He could have left anytime.  I can't tell my job I don't want to do this or that lol.  But I think all regimes regarded TG too highly and GF too little.

To be fair to L/L I don't think it's ever the same to watch clips as opposed to real time.  Especially in context to what was going on in real time elsewhere in daytime.  They just never lived up to their own hype when I was watching in the 90's.  They were good, just not my favorite.  But, even I can recognize how important they were, how they changed daytime, and how loved they were.

I never thought GV was bad as Lucky.  Not amazing, but serviceable.  JY was just a poor choice.  I didn't really have an opinion on ER as Lulu-I just thought JMB had better chemistry with Dante and the family.

19 minutes ago, Vee said:

I completely agree, but we've been over it a lot lol. I think it's unconscionable what they've done re: Luke and Laura and I've made it pretty clear how I feel about Laura and Kevin. I would give her a new man and story, but you have to do better honoring the Spencers IMO. I would try to lure Tony back for a year or so with the promise of killing him at the end - but he'd have to play what is written. If he won't come back, there's always another way.

I know there was a lot of ego involved with Tony and I understand being frustrated at always having to play Luke/Laura, but it's a job.  TG shouldn't get to dictate what he wants to his bosses.  There is keeping talent happy and just obliterating Luke/Laura entirely.   Regardless of everything awful about Luke/Laura-it seems like a disservice to the audience that loved GH for years to never put them back together.  It just seems unthinkable to not have them end up together-even if it is Laura going to find a now not dead Luke off screen.  

I have never been enthralled by Luke/Laura and most days didn't even like them.  I have always thought they had nice chemistry, but I didn't see the worldwide adoration over them.   But for Laura to have her main family as Nik and Spencer feels completely wrong.  

Again, I like Laura/Kevin and Laura's stories right now, I just don't think it's the endgame for her.  I don't think it's even Kevin's endgame-that's Lucy lol.  I do think Kevin/Laura is a nice, true to life progression of partners you would want after such chaotic experiences.  But on a soap thats boring.

3 minutes ago, Dion said:

It occurred to me yesterday that Sam has now been on the show longer than Lucky

That's the most depressing thing I have ever heard lol.  

1 hour ago, Vee said:

I think that is down to Frank being cowed by TG over LNL in the 2010s despite his and Ron's initial plans to reunite them, and hoping they lure him back for more someday. I also think it's down to his not knowing how or caring about writing for Lulu or any Spencers without Tony. Genie bullied her way into a contract (as she should) but they still don't know how to fully deal with Laura's link to Luke anymore in her new place on the show. RC never cared about Dante and Lulu (a couple I wasn't exactly big on but they had a real fanbase under Guza), and neither does FV. Dante is also not a priority now, sadly.

If you got back JJ as Lucky, which is not something FV wants IMO, it would destabilize the rest of the mostly ill-served male leads or his preferred male stars. Even a recast would also command more attention to elements Frank can't fully control. Same goes for Lulu. With Lulu back in the mix there's less for the anonymous chicks he has hired or other preferred female leads. Not that I'd have much of a clue what to do with Lulu myself atm, but yes, I agree the current loss of the Spencers is prominent and strange. I'm glad Laura has a central place in the canvas for herself sans Luke, but it still feels very grudging on Frank's part if not wholly GH's overall. And without dealing with the Luke and their family of it all - without having her family/children structure - it makes it easier to lift her out as she visits other people's frontburner stories. Laura is not someone you should be able to lift out.

I definitely understand TG being an issue and GF being in and out through the years.  I don't think any of us on here are losing sleep over L/L being broken up and realize it was toxic.  At the same point, you are alienating the most casual GH viewer by having no Luke, none of their children (outside Nik), and having Laura in a whatever pairing.  Dante/Lulu were very popular!  ER might have not been the exact right fit for Lulu, but the couple was immediately decimated once she started. Lucky is maligned by being off screen and making Liz parent alone. GH has no real anchors for lapsed viewers to come back to unless you are really big Sonny fan.  FV is intentionally handicapping the entire show and it's obviously not just a Luke/Laura issue alone.

In my perspective, I recently had a friend stay at my house.  He watched soaps on and off and said I'll watch Days and GH with you.  Days is awful, but he knew John, Marlena, their family etc and could follow along.  Watching GH, he was like don't know these people.  Don't care.

57 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

I think he is absolutely adorable.  I liked him on Knots Landing as well.  He brings a lot of personality to his characters, and a sense of being a decent guy.

I mean the show still has a Cassadine contingent but only Laura who isn’t even a Spencer anymore (but always will be I guess).  It’s wild to me.  And I am perfectly fine with Luke being gone.  But I think Lulu and Lucky should be there.  A job is just waiting for her with Alexis at The Intruder!

I do want JMB though, or a new recast.

But if Lucky comes back, how will Frank use Liz to prop one of his friends?

Listen, I would be fine with a recast Lucky/Lulu.  I don't know where to go with either exactly, but half the stories on the show would be more impactful if they were involved because we know them.  And maybe it would take a load of Maxie and Liz having to carry all these ridiculous stories and fave actors.

10 hours ago, janea4old said:

No. The creation of them was crazy and never should have happened.

I am not arguing their creation or validity as a couple.   The fact is Luke/Laura did happen and were the most famous couple in all of soaps.  The Spencer family is currently almost non-existent on the show.   It crazy (to me at least) to see the trajectory Luke/Laura/Lucky etc took from their heralded 1993 return to today.  I know that's a long period of time and things changed but I don't think any other soap on the air today would have snuffed out such a famous coupling so completely. 

14 minutes ago, Khan said:

Y&R needs to eliminate its' dead weight with a serial killer, and GH...?

Would you prefer he played Elton John?   

I think I would prefer Elton John.  JPS singing "Tiny Dancer" would make my day.  Maybe some Rocket Man?

2 hours ago, Khan said:

Good!

Yeah, I know a lot of people are happy about that.  I am certainly not a L/L stan and never was, but it seems like so odd for the show to do.  I guess I am used to Days where that would never happen.  But GH does actively hate all it's supercouples so there's that.  I know Luke/Laura have been dead for years.  The dismantling of them is just crazy if you think about it.

14 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

Add me to the list of TC fans as young Nikolas.  I also liked him later, but he very clearly does phone it in if he doesn’t like the material.  Great casting, as we got to know him we got to see many similar emotional traits as Laura.  It was kind of cool that Lucky was very much Luke’s son, and Nikolas was very much his mother’s son.

I also like MC, but he really only comes to life lately in scenes with his son.

I would love for Laura to have a Christmas episode just one more time with TC, JJ, and JMB there as Nikolas, Lucky, and Lulu.  They really fit well as a family.

I was literally just thinking yesterday, it is so strange neither Lucky or Lulu are on the canvas.  With Luke being 'dead' that whole side of Laura's family is gone.  Obviously the grandkids are there, but it does feel like a gaping hole.  I think I would open to both roles being recast.  I wonder if the show has really actively tried to get JJ or JMB (does she still act?) back.

TC/JJ/JMB did have a great dynamic with each other and with GF/TG.  I thought JMB/Lulu was one of the coldest actresses ever to play a heroine, but she did really well within the family stuff.  I even thought they had good chemistry with NP's Ethan.