Vee

You're not wrong. The SORAS is even more crazy than Tucker, where TSJ had very visibly aged since OLTL.

Billy Flynn does indeed look hot. And looks good with MM. If they'd had Cane swan in with Hilary herself, I could forgive a lot of sins.

It wasn't jokes, it was a legitimate (but clunky and stereotypical, IMO) subplot where the characters (Liz, Serial Killer Franco, etc.) wondered and fretted over little Aiden possibly being gay and teased/bullied for it because of his non-masculine interests and how to talk to him about it, protect him, etc. It fell by the wayside, likely because it was so awkwardly done and the kid in the role was very young (not a tween). IIRC Charlotte bullied him for awhile. Then it resurfaced when they made one of the last teen/tween Aidens gay. They did the coming out scenes with JJ because they'd recast with an actor over 18. The two Aidens in the role previously were teenagers. IIRC the Lucky scenes aired shortly before November.

The rumor was always that the network insisted on an older actor in the role due to anticipating right wing backlash. Hence why they cut the scenes Mulcahey's regime allegedly either wrote or shot with Aiden coming out to Laura. They had been toying with Aiden being gay in the clumsiest way possible for close to ten years now - the whole borderline offensive storyline with him liking baking or 'feminine' things as a small child 5-6 years ago or whatever and getting bullied, which got dropped. I found it really tacky that they were approaching it that way; the angle was 'Aiden likes baking and girl stuff... is he, you know?' Then it went dormant for a year or two. But the interest in baking carried over to the teen versions, and then they finally admitted okay, he's gay in late '23. Yet I don't think they've ever had any real interest in him. And he's honestly a nonentity to me, which is a shame to say about Lucky's son. I find far more potential in Cameron and Jake atm, but that may be because they both have had defined personalities and strong actors in the role long-term. Aiden can wait. Tobias is never going to be a major character on this show - I don't know why people cling to that. It was just an offhand mention and they showed him once to get people to shut up about him. Charlie Besso is also a semi-prominent influencer who I was shocked to see show up on this show, and AFAIK he's made zero mention of GH on his social media vs. happily doing Hallmark movies lol.

Tony did do that at GH, and he probably wasn't the only one. Another classic example of It Was a Different Time.

Tracy, do not expect me to buy that BLQ can eviscerate Erica Kane.

Watching Mia Korf today (assuming the uploads ever resume, I hope to watch her from the beginning) is a very different experience from little clips over the years, because of how the culture has changed around visibility. It is shocking to see how prominent they made an AAPI character 30+ years ago, and it frankly hasn't happened on American daytime since to that scale. Which is so shameful. I loved Kassie's Blair as much as she aggravated me and you can't go back, but it's a drag what happened when Korf chose to leave. I've always thought there was a very specific, clever way you also could reincorporate Mia Korf into OLTL were it still around and honor that past. She's still beautiful, too. (She and Kassie posed for pix together IIRC at an OLTL reunion several years ago.)

It's funny you mention that. I always liked what I've seen of Alexandria in 1981, she's a hoot. Seeing as she was (IIRC) a replacement character for Jane who dipped out on Monty's GH, I always thought it would be a good idea to introduce an illegitimate child or even grandchild of hers from Europe - Alex was a globetrotting debutante - maybe an awkward fish out of water type who could do a comic romance with someone like spoiled (recast) Joss, etc. I remember the Howarth fans trying to boost the idea of him playing the son of Alex and Tony Cassadine in 2013, and that tangled bloodline is an option for some other actor as well although I think it's a bit much. I don't know how much Drew needs to be toned down, but I do think he could be again if you wanted to eventually turn some portion of the audience to him. And introduce that he does still genuinely care about some things and people. Most won't accept him because of the whole obnoxious Carly interregnum even before Willow but some could. I just wouldn't get rid of him any time soon. I think Cameron plays this stuff to the hilt, and he's not another lame attempt at a supervillain (yet). I also think someone needs to mention to Tracy that Drew in many ways mirrors a lot of her past - which is probably why she hates him so much, in addition to his previously-close relationship with Monica. (That's another interesting thing re: Tracy that put the Gio drama over with me for Lois - pitting them against each other again after all these years. In the end Lois has the same hypocritical monomania about the Qs that she did in '96-'97, and that is why she hid Gio away.)

If they wanted to it wouldn't be difficult. Go into his brainwashing, etc. trauma and have him explain his shift, have him reconnect with people he was close to like Jake. Save a few lives, etc. I wouldn't soften him up too much because Cameron plays a very good scheming cad. But I also don't think it would be that difficult to get him closer to the place Mulcahey had him in last spring. But realistically I don't think the show cares, and I think a lot of the audience will always hate him. You never know though! For now he gives very good organic villain, and I think he should stay an antagonist even if he got more dimension back.

I think Newman and LW could've actually made Josh/Cassie work as a forbidden romance sort of thing. I do think it was a mistake to seriously commit to it like they were a supercouple, beyond just an affair or ONS or something (especially with a recast), and it's always been said to be one of the reasons Laura got out while the getting was good in addition to the larger systemic issues at the show - she's generally very canny and I think she knew it wouldn't go over well with the audience.

I should add that given the Britt angle being introduced, Britt and her deranged mother literally stole that baby in vitro or whatever, then whined and connived about it! Fúck Britt.

Also true lol. I have a hard time focusing on the performance when she rolls up in another outfit from the Biggie Smalls Memorial Collection.

I think Setton's acting in this story has been on point. It's the overall longtime handling of the character vis a vis her BTS preferences I have an issue with, and the obvious focus on her as FV's old friend and therefore Handmaid Tale's-esque heroine of the show vs. Alexa Havins' Lulu. You can have both without dragging the other into the mud, but Frank evidently wants everyone to know sensibly-dressed Amanda Setton is the star of General Hospital.

I agree that in her current form she definitely is. I just think it didn't (and doesn't) have to be this way. She could do great work on the show without being Granny Moses before her time. If she can't get past that she should go. And yes, I absolutely agree Havins is exceptional. But it seems clear the show is using her as more the heavy opposite what Frank sees as the new key heroine, namely his OLTL star Amanda Setton as BLQ. It's an bizarre fit given the total reversal from how both characters were treated for most of the last 20 years lol. And yes, Alexa should be leading the show. But I said that about Becky and JJ too, and here we are. In a better world we should be able to have both Lulu and BLQ well-treated and performed. But Frank spins the show around Frank's faves. And it's very obvious and weird given this particular favorite is sexless.

LMAOOOO @carolineg this one's for you.

I think Rylan's best work was the early stuff in the court battle with Maxie. She killed it. After that she was a wash. As for whether Guza team-level daily writing could've benefitted her, maybe? But tbh I think the Guza team would've done what they did with other marginal recasts they sometimes had to elevate (CSM, etc.) - fired her and recast.

He was always a wimp. Frank clearly lost all interest in Rylan earlier, when his and RC's rehash of the disastrous OLTL Teen Jessica story from OLTL was canned - the one where she debuted on Cassadine Island during the anniversary, came out of cryogenic freeze amnesiac and shacked up with Milo, etc. That was Ron Carlivati's go-to story to make 'boring' heroines interesting; have them lose their memories and become wild children. He did it multiple times at OLTL and GH and I believe he did it in several ways at DAYS (I think Sarah Horton might be the worst victim). It was also a vehicle to highlight Milo and probably try to make him a major player, as they were clearly obsessed with his body. The story was even more unpopular at GH than it was at OLTL because GH was the flagship of the network and Lulu was a more historically popular character than Bree Williamson's Jessica, so they canned it in like 4-6 weeks without anything really happening. And after that I don't think any of them had any real interest in Rylan.

She is. It's the show that I think is overdoing the obvious, innate elements of Lulu (which are in character, but slanted atm) because there's clearly a favored focus on Setton/BLQ, while Lulu is the heavy and taking the brunt. Setton's a friend of Frank from OLTL and so the show is acting like Brook Lynn and her relationships (Dante, Gio, Chase) are more central to the show than Lulu. Imagine that happening 10-15 years ago, even when they had Rylan in place. BLQ was a nonentity. I'm not saying I don't want BLQ to be a lead on the show, because I do. It was long overdue, even though there are issues with Setton. But it doesn't need to be a situation where one child of Laura's is backburnered and fired, and the other is just dragged around the pavement and given less positive focus than BLQ. Because the fact is one of them had a very popular couple in the last century with two very strong actors currently in that pairing, and the other is Brook Lynn.

Thanks a lot.

Brenda or a light, mature folks affair with Alexis are the only palatable options IMO.

Birds could pelt Natalia's car next and I'd be here for it.

No, but that never stopped Frank (or Ron). No! Drag her to the end!

If it was that, I agree. I do think he was probably 'putting her in her place' a bit. He and Ron used to do that a lot and then rehire people eventually when they came hat in hand. I would not be shocked if Mo has put out the Vanessa suggestion before. I don't think FV is trying to hear that. But at this point after he flexed on JJ I would not be astonished if he did it here too, just to make it clear this is his hospital lol.

Unlike the Guza years I don't think it's about Brenda per se, I think it's about any name Frank takes a shine to and gets excited to say he has on the show. Like ELR. I think FV and GH avoid the B-word like the plague. But, after the JJ debacle it would not shock me if (as I've said recently) they finally ask Vanessa back and then Frank straight-up fires her too in six months, just to show folks he can do it with both legendary characters he doesn't care for lol. It's clear he's riding high these days. And no, I would not be at all surprised if he brought Haley back someday. I've been lowkey expecting it. Not because I want her back per se - even if I find the recast mid I think Molly was tired long before that and needs to be off-canvas for a number of years - but because it's a common reaction he and the show have to an exiled fan favorite who isn't named Vanessa Marcil or Sean Kanan.

There were indeed Datalounge rumors about Marcia Cross going back 20+ years. I know because I was there (and I haven't been at DL in over a decade now, I can barely figure out how to read the board these days). I always assumed she at least went both ways, just saying. @DRW50 there was indeed a rumor for a long time that Bartlett had to awkwardly turn Ehlers down for obvious reasons. I think Kim alluded to it in the book.