Vee

Not particularly, no. But it could be a useful plot point here in a new story. I do think a woman could have easily been wearing a man's boots or unisex boots. Further, Austin's shooting was written months ago by a departed writing team; the new team could always potentially not care what kind of footwear the shooter happened to be seen wearing. I don't necessarily think Ava pulled the trigger on Austin herself. But there is nothing in the murder episode that rules her out AFAIC.

Also, I just checked the episode where Austin is shot. There's no sign of Ava in it.

A poster on Primetimer reminds me that Ava got sent the notes/weapon/whatever after Austin's death. This endeared her to Sonny as a woman in obvious distress and had him move her in, close to him. This in turn leads to her being on the island with him in January, getting shot at by the assassin. Do we know where Ava was the night Austin died? She has killed for less.

Ava is not just some local art dealer or civilian. She came to town in 2013 as one of the heads of the Jerome crime family when it was still active; she was deeply enmeshed in it for years after. She did time over it. Her first major act in Port Charles was to murder Connie Falconeri in cold blood because Connie would've compromised her brother's cover identity as media magnate Derek Wells. Ava is as much a part of that life as anyone else at that meeting; she is a viper, which is why Wu was wise not to trust her presence even if Ava isn't suspect. I bring this old post up now because I am starting to think I’m right about Ava being involved is whatever is really going down here. There are two key shots in the last week or two that seem to tip the scales a bit for me; one had Ava inexplicably eavesdropping on Sonny and Wu at the penthouse after Wu ordered her out of the room. The other is the close-up on Ava's approving face at the meet this past Friday as Sonny assures Selina they can trust her. That's what they went to commercial on. These things are rarely done haphazardly in the edit, and the material with Sonny and Ava lately is pitched as intimate but not loving or sympathetic. I have begun to think Ava is playing Sonny again, just as she did in 2013-2014. Also, I will flash the @Khan signal: I'd be curious as to his take on the Maxie/Spinelli, Felicia, Tracy and Gregory, etc. material over the last week. Even the Wagger/Sonny and Wagger/Anna stuff felt smarter. The family cohesion stuff at Scout's party on Friday was especially different for me, weaving in all the family connections we don't often see, Drew and Alexis, Jason's two boys, Kristina and Blaze, etc. And I've said before that I think the Eva LaRue material with Kristina and Blaze was also tweaked.

I'd argue it's both. I am not going to condemn HP for life, nor am I going to advocate for her to be back on the show. I think she deserves what she gets from the legal system, but I also hope she gets help and turns her life around. Social media is not a place for nuance so I'm not interested in fighting that battle.

Thanks so much.

I would never call Gregory the peak of excitement lol. I need him to go soon, along with his whole family. But at least Gregory Harrison has some gravitas and grace with JE, etc. and the dialogue has gotten smarter there too. But yes, Maxie's dialogue was also sharper at the Qs during the bridal planning.

It's been said, but the dialogue in Maxie's segments for several days running (starting with the Spinelli stuff a few eps ago and up to the end of the week) and the Tracy/Gregory discussion of marriage is also sharper than the usual dull knives BTS at this show. Same with Wagger and Sonny - 'until you get jurisdiction over the FBI or simply die of shame...' Re: Tom Hardy Jr., he has always been my first choice for a new younger male lead. Cast him in the Patrick mold like when he first came on (brash, brilliant, cocky doctor) and go from there. I guess Tom/Thomas wouldn't be quite as young now as he would've been had they done it ten years ago but whatever, age is fluid on this show and it's doable. I'd have him attempt to romance the older, recently-separated Portia at work as a young man on the make but end up with spiky feminist writer Christina Collins (Lucy and Kevin/Scott's kid, adopted from Chris Ramsey and the locally infamous Dr. Julie Devlin). There, I just came up with two characters with more future prospects than most of the leads under 40 currently on the show.

Small world. Thanks!

I don't understand why anyone would assume we don't want HP to pay the price for her awful actions or are cheering for her to come back vs. our simply saying, pragmatically, that it's far from impossible that the show will have her back someday lol. Soap stars have done far worse than Pullos and been invited back because of popularity or because (like HP, who grew up on the show and has deep ties BTS there) they're 'family.' I want HP to take what's coming to her from the court; I think her actions are reprehensible, and I see zero reason for Molly to be on the show now or in the foreseeable future. But she's young, she can rehabilitate herself and she has a long history with the show, and it's not like soaps haven't given second, third and fourth chances before. It's very common. I think that's all either of us are saying. But I don't care either way, so long as I don't have to watch Morticia Molly forever and they write the character out.

It doesn't, but I'm betting rn that for the purposes of this story, Jason was the shooter in Puerto Rico and again this week. It's not like there isn't a background in brainwashing for both twins now and PM did inherit this ridiculous sci-fi setup. I really don't care what the story is tbh so long as they don't come up with a Q triplet. Just get Jason back and move on so I can see what the rest of the show has to offer.

In fairness any story featuring a 'brainwashed' Jason as Sonny's attacker (which appears to be the trajectory here) is over the top by definition. But after the Two Jasons mess it's not exactly off-brand. I just hope PM doesn't go deep into brains on USBs and microchips again.

I find her creepy. But I don't really need any Molly on canvas atm, the character and T.J. have both been wasted and spent for years and she needs a break. Sure, just like the last temp. You are entitled to your opinion, it is not a fact. Either way this show doesn't need Molly right now.

Mad About You (like Everybody Loves Raymond) was one of those shows that was treated like the pinnacle of situation comedy as a medium during its run (or at least the latter half in Mad's case) and is now largely forgotten in syndication/streaming since. I think in MAY's case that had to do with two well-known stars and particularly Helen Hunt becoming a movie star in its later seasons, and the goodwill they had. How Raymond got the same hype I'll never understand.

I've said it before (and so has Caroline) but I do think it's possible HP could return in the probably distant future after making amends and/or doing her time. Daytime is often very forgiving. I really don't care at present though.

In other news: Haley Pullos is looking to cop a plea.

That would be hilarious, but I thought they filmed the pilot and NBC saw it and immediately called it off. Here's TV Insider's version.

He was truly bad as late as early '94 lol. He came a long way very quick.

Lea DeLaria (OLTL) and Ming-Na (ATWT) wearing an eyepatch for some reason are in, uh, this, which appears to be some sort of well-intentioned Indigo Girls jukebox musical. I find it moderately cringe to be charitable, but hey, good for them.

I've been revisiting several classic eras including '96, and I'd forgotten about the fallout from the Kevin stalker story (which I thought was pretty good, what I've rewatched anyway) with Felicia turning very cold and hard after her ordeal, particularly re: Kevin. I thought Kristina played it very well, but I can't remember, did it go anywhere? I also recall them teasing a Kevin/Cassadines connection and I know we've discussed it here before but I can't remember what if anything we knew about it or where it was supposed to go. I have said it before, but I think it's a fundamental mistake on the show's part not to mine both Kevin and Laura's traumatic family histories/mental illness background more for better story if you have to keep them together (I still want Kevin and Lucy reunited). The decrepit mob brother and Ryan's repeat returns haven't really been the most intelligent treatment; Kevin's complex backstory in particular and Laura's commune days, etc. are all fertile ground, especially for Laura's husband being a psychologist with a dark past. They also go out of their way at the close of the Kevin/Felicia/Lucy hostage crisis to show Felicia in the shower flashing back to her many ordeals with both Ryan and Kevin. 1992-93 pre-Labine is not an era I have a ton of familiarity with, though I've seen episodes here and there over the years; if anyone can point to any particularly remarkable Ryan/Felicia episodes or just pass along a rough timeframe I'd love to see them. Thanks.

And stupid! I feel like it takes considerable ego to make your own child's middle name the nickname you invented yourself lol.

Oh my god it's back! @DRW50 get in here!

Was it? I didn't know.