GH: September Discussion

[Ann_SS]

GH will be the last ABC soap canceled because the stunts keep giving it a ratings bump. I must admit that I am surprised that all the promos for Jason and Sam's reunion didn't bring in the viewers. Burton may be finally losing his sex appeal. We'll see how the carnival stunt does.

GH has become the All Sonny's Children and it has made the show even worse. Who knew that was possible? The writing is bad and the show revolves around the mob more than ever.

[Ann_SS]

I know we are being set up, but I confess that the carnival was fun. Patrick and Robin were sweet.

Molly was cute dunking everyone. Lucky as the hottest man in town should have been dunked, but no such luck.

Of course, it would not be GH without the mob and guns.

Black in the daylight is not slimming on Nikolas. LOL! He is a pudgy boy.

Andrea scheming to get Edward to drink the poison was actually suspenseful. Shocker there.

[UKBoi]

Today's episode was pretty nice. I didnt mind the subtle hint of the mob making an appearance at the carnival...I had hoped GH would have went for something other than a cliched mob shootout, but I'm such a sucker for these big events that I can let it slide. The feeling I'm getting is that one of Sonny's kids will either die or come close to dying, igniting another mob war and causing the truth about Claudia to come out. If it's well done, it will be amazing.

The story with Andrea and Edward was pretty suspenseful. I've enjoyed Martha Byrne's run on GH and I hope another soap snatches her up if her gig at GH ends soon. I didn't really get why they ended it with Claudia and Kristina getting on the ferris wheel rather than with the mob men loading their guns, but whatever.

Jason and Sam was quite enjoyable as well. What's wrong with me? I'm actually finding GH GOOD!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't think GH has been as bad lately as it was a few months ago and as some think it is currently. The mob is still heavy, but at least we get some stuff outside of it, not a lot, but it's there and is quite enjoyable.

Not to mention, I think GH has really stepped up aesthetically since the switch to HD.

[Ann_SS]

The worse thing about enjoying today's episode is realizing for the millionth time that GH has the potential to be a good soap opera, but Guza insists on writing BS. Excluding the mob violence, the episode had fun, humor and drama. Guza still has the ability to write good soap, but he cannot get past obsessing writing bad stories and giving his pets all the airtime.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I agree.

Also, as much as the show is filled with Sonny's children, I think the actors that play Michael, Kristina, and Morgan are very strong, and the little girl that plays Molly is really exceptional too.

[Ann_SS]

The actor who plays Dante is good too, but really so what? No soap be good can revolve three or four characters that get 80% of the airtime in almost every episode. Sonny is the middle or involved in too many stories. It sucks the drama out of every story because we all know that Sonny, Jason and their friends and relatives cannot lose or are always featured. Look at the scene were Michael steals the guy's watch and Jason turns up and sticks a gun in his chest. This is not good storytelling.

I simply do not see GH as not being as bad lately. It feels the same. Not that matters. For all the b!tching about Y&R, it is a far stronger soap if only because it draws on its history and gives less important characters some airtime.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't like all the focus on Sonny and the mob, but I think they've been at least trying to incorporate some outside and more fun elements on the show lately. It isn't enough, but the show has seen worse times in recent years and has certainly been more Sonny centric that is really is now.

Y&R has horrible cast balance too, just look at dmarex's counts, it's usually always the same people at the top. Not that it matters, because the stories, like on GH for the most part, still suck. Only I think GH has been sucking less lately when compared to more recent eras.

[JaneAusten]

I think you need to look at the yearly episode counts for Y&R versus GH. Y&R appears at least on paper much morebalanced and the only real standout on Y&R in terms of airtime is EB. At GH the same 4 or 5 characters always lead the pack and are always way ahead of all others. LW, MB, SBu, and SBr.

Today IMO was an exception. PAtrick, Robin, Martha Byrne, Matt, the whole hospital gang has been marginalized tha past couple of months with most of the focus on Sonny's entourage.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't disagree with that, but as someone that watches Y&R everyday, I can tell you that about half of the canvas on that show is severely neglected. It may not be to the extent that people are on GH, but it is there.

[JaneAusten]

Same for GH. Patrick and Robin have really gottne nothing in terms of story since the awful PPD story they headlined in the spring. Spinelli and Maxie go off and on with airtime. Sam(KeMo) was doing an outside project for about 3 months that impacted her airtime. Alexis has gotten better airtime but when she's on it's still 3minutes an episode normally. The only thing I am please with is the Q's are getting a bit more focus(not great) Sonny and his family always get focus. HEre is the top 4 at GH and Y&R. There is no comparison. Sonny, Carly, Jason, Claudia are all on with significant airtime 4 days a week.

1. Laura Wright (Carly Jacks) – 135 (+4)

2. Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) – 134 (-2)

3. Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) – 132 (-16)

4. Sarah Brown (Claudia Zacchara) – 131 (+1)

Top 4 at Y&R

. Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) 109

2. Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott) 99

3. Billy Miller (Billy Abbott) 96

4. Joshua Morrow (Nick Newman) 95

[JaneAusten]

Oh IA. Y&R the past few months has been disappointing needless to say. I think all HW have their faves and Y&R is no exception.Billy Miller is overexposed, Jess Walton not on nearly enough, Phillip's return IMO a disaster. Sad when the best story on Y&R is Lily's cancer story.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Oh I don't disagree that balance is problematic on GH, it has been the same characters on the frontburner for years now.

With Y&R, the characters aren't used as much as the leading characters on GH are, but there's a whole part of the cast that hasn't had a thought out storyline in about 2 or 3 years. This year especially semed domianted by the same people month after month on Y&R, like GH is by the regular 4 people.

[JaneAusten]

I don't see GH better either. To me it's the same as it has been. And while I don't mind some of the new additions, most revolve again around Sonny.

[JaneAusten]

Oh I hear you and I can't tell you how tiresome the Quad on Y&R is. I think MAB has milked them too long. I want to see more of Michael and Lauren and I just can't get into a lot of the younger cast on Y&R. Much of that I am sure has to do with lack of focus and decent storyline development. And I know EB is the big gun, but a trip on the backburner for a while for him would be welcome.