As much as I hate that Genie's leaving again, I gotta say I think they are going for a three-hankie exit this time. The wedding was poignant and sad and sweet and funny and loving, which is exactly what Luke and Laura have been all along. It's so great to see how happy her kids are, and that alone makes me empathize with Luke's choice to bring her back, even temporarily.

I also got a kick out of the awkward/horrified looks on everyone's faces when Maxie forced her way in, and the way they depicted the moment in a series of photographs was clever. Laura's expression especially cracked me up. And Luke tugged Nikolas into a picture! Awww, maybe hell has frozen over...

One thing that I did NOT like was that Helena got about two minutes of screen time when yesterday they made such a big deal about her coming to the wedding . *sigh* Will my favorite character EVER get the screen time that she deserves?

Well, that would be on par with her appearance at their first wedding; they made a big hooha about Elizabeth Taylor appearing as Helena, but she was only for two minutes and not even in any scenes with anyone else. So it's a tradition!

Loved that scene with Helena and Laura before the wedding. It was very chilling and a good throwback.

Will.Watch.Later.

I know it was Luke and Laura's big wedding and I'm supposed to say how fabulous it was, but I don't care what couple it is, that was terrible. It felt like a poorly thrown together mess with all of the mob stuff thrown in. The mob stuff would've worked better if it were tied into the wedding and there was a reason for it being there. It just dragged the episode down, quality wise.

I've never seen such a major, overhyped wedding that didn't utilize the guests and character interaction. A major problem with this is that because GH doesn't care about their vets, they don't have a story so there isn't much they could interact about. I'd much prefer no mob, Helena being the devious mysterious part of the wedding and with the added time from no mob I'd throw in more character interaction.

Another thing that bugged me was the directing. I felt it was very point and shoot, I hated the shaky cam as well. I thought they didn't utilize the location as well as I've seen other soaps in recent years. I thought Liz and Lucky's wedding was much better. As for wedding this year, I must say that Brad and Victoria topped this. It was classic, romantic, full of heartache (Neil learning Lily isn't his daughter) and joy (Phyllis learning she's pregnant). PLUS it had the added bonus of some great character moments like Victor deciding to walk his daughter down the aisle. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if GH submits this for an Emmy and wins based on the hype of Luke and Laura.

The one positive I'll say is that they used Joni Mitchell's beautiful version of At Last. BTW, if anyone wants it I can upload it.

Monica tripping Tracy and then Alica carrying her over her shoulder

The music and sets were awesome

A bittersweet wedding thou knowing this was all just a stunt and that Laura will be back to her previous state

-MAXIE. I thought she looked HORRIBLE in that ugly skanky dress...and why would the writers think it'd be ok for her to catch Laura's bouquet? And then the nerve of her to get into the family picture? She shouldn't have been on today.

...

Most important rant:

I hate how I had to watch Laura go in and out of reality and forget things that have happened. I hate that the only reason they brought Laura back is bc it is L&L's 25th Anniversary and this is a perfect stunt for GH to get viewers. Sure, they have promoted this to hell and it might have brought back old-time viewers...but WHAT viewers are going to be happy to know that when they tuned in today - they find out Luke is married to someone else - he's lying to Laura about her condition - and that she's going back to her insane catatonic state anyday now? That's not a happy ending and it's ALL A FARCE! I'd be pissed if I took time out to come back to a show I haven't seen in years just to be played by this joke of a STUNT.

It occurred to me this morning that Maxie catching the bouquet was also a throwback to the first wedding, when Scotty Baldwin made his most unwelcome appearance and caught it. It wasn't as dramatic this time, but the point remained the same: the person they least wanted to catch it did.

Having watched the last week of shows in one lump last night (and FF through anything non-Spencer-related), I'm beginning to see what the writers are doing. She's going to be written off again, and it will leave everyone in mourning and devastated, but they're going for the three-hankie exit this time. They're going to give her the chance to say her goodbyes to her family, to shine that glorious Laura-light on them for as long as she can, and break our hearts and theirs when she fades back. They cleaned up the terrible Rick-related exit from last time, and this time she's going to leave with as much dignity as they can give her. It will be a grand exit, I think, not unlike Jennifer's recent death on ATWT -- heartbreaking but emotionally it hit every note.

I'd much rather have her stay -- GH is sorely missing the maternal loving character role she provides, and she is still incandescence personified -- but if they have to do it, I'm glad they're at least *trying* to utilize her strengths this time and to give her a more dignified exit.

Now L&L couldn't get one day for themselves? I think the "mob drama" was on more than the wedding. Guza must have lost his mind. I know I won't be looking for a ratings spike.

P.S. Everytime I think Y&R is getting bad, another show gets worse and makes me thank my lucky stars that Y&R is around.

This is Frons' vision. Luke and Laura was just a tease so that returning viewers could get involved with the bright new stars of GH. (And he wasn't talking Greg Vaughn, Becky Herbst,Chris Tyler and Julie Berman). This is where Frons waxed 'eloquent' about vets supporting the new young stars and how the audience must be trained, since ' no one wants to see a fat, middle aged woman in a love story'. Not all viewers are as dumb as Frons would like -- that is why the ratings for Laura's return are not what they expected.

I just like that "Lila's Garden" is in some climate controlled biodome where the roses are in bloom year round. In the rest of upstate New York there's not a leaf left on a tree.

And the thing that really got my goat is that the wedding was a FAKE because Luke is still legally married to Tracy. I would have rathered L&L not get "remarried" if I knew this was the crap GH was gonna shovel @ us. This episode went to hell in a hand basket. L&L's vows were sweet, but everything else was rushed and crappy.