GH: Classic Thread

[Darn]

The amount of care put into that montage of Bobbie's dream is so impressive, especially at a time when an episode of daytime was treated as ephemeral. Was that about Carly?

In regards to directing and lighting for a soap opera nothing will impress me as much as Y&R in its heyday but this is pretty damn good. Plus the characters are well-defined and individualistic, you'd never hear someone other than Lucy speak the way she does, whereas on Y&R at a certain point everyone started to sound the same.

Who needs legacy male doctors when we have Easton and Howarth playing the walking corpses of John Caleb Silas Finn McBain and Todd Franco Austin Manning?

[titan1978]

Tom with Felicia just did not work.  I did enjoy the stalker storyline with Kevin though.  The outcome with dark Felicia was a misstep.

[Vee]

I don't remember her changing her hair? personality? at all. I must've blocked it out.

There was a Kevin angle with the Cassadine return under Guza I think, and I know we've discussed it before here not long ago. I can't remember what was discussed but I was under the impression whatever he'd toyed with did not come to fruition.

The irony is that if they absolutely had to have Howarth he could've easily played either Tom or Steve. By their own admission in 2013, they chose Franco because Ron and Frank wanted an 'edgy' character close in type to Todd. But for all Todd's sins he was not a serial killer.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Vee

[carolineg]

Felicia/Tom was an obvious mistake, but MA as Tom was a mess too.  The show seemed to want to bring in some Jack humor to him, but Tom never had any direction.  I am not sure if we are supposed to think he's jerk and a slightly bad guy or not to this day lol.  And I agree with @Vee, Steven Lars/Tom are very similar characters that fill a similar role and Howarth would have been a great choice for Tom IMO.

I did like MA/Tom with Sonny and Luke when they all faked Laura's death.  He seemed to do well with those characters and doing a little adventure stuff.

 

[titan1978]

She cut her hair very short, and adopted a more aggressive personality for about 5 minutes.  I had no issue with her being upset at Kevin and wanting him to pay for terrorizing her.  Which put her in conflict with Lucy.  It was just an overall tone that did not suit the character or KW.

[Vee]

I'd always wanted to bring back Tom's son as a doctor (which leaves T.J. Ashford in an interesting spot since when last seen Tom Hardy's son was literally another young Black kid named T.J., but we'll just call him 'Thomas' not that I think T.J. is exactly indispensable from the canvas), so I guess in that scenario it would make sense to bring on Tom too. Or maybe you could just have Tom and Simone pop in and out for appearances, and recast Steve Webber as a full-time character (anyone but Scott Reeves). I think the Steve Sr. namesake and the connection to Liz and possibly her relatives coming back as well) would have more weight and more opportunities than Tom Hardy. Despite the fact that it was clearly just a device to give Steve Burton's evangelical pal a job, they sort of fell ass-backwards into bringing back Steven Lars after many years late in the Guza era and it was the right thing to do - the namesake, his singing for the kids like his grandpa used to do stuff for them, having him leading the hospital, etc.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Vee

[Planet Soap]

 GH had fantastic warm lighting and soft focus effects like nightime scenes by the docks back in the 90s! Just like AMC and OLTL the show really looked washed out and grainy by the mid 2000s. At least AMC improved aesthetically after switiching to HD and moving to LA. Today's GH has the best sets in daytime but suffers from harshly bright lighting which further cheapens it's visuals. 

Agreed. Almost every 90s Y&R charachter spoke in proper diction with no variation in speech. Whenever the (most likely white) writers tried to pen slang for the Winters crew, it sounded awkward.

Edited March 6, 2023 by ironlion

[DRW50]

I remember thinking GH looked generic and washed out even by the mid-late '90s. It often looked to me like someone had just put out a fire moments before filming began.

I think Disney buying ABC ruined most of the look of the shows. I know OLTL has a much more distinctive look up to about 1994 or 1995 than it ever had afterward.

Edited March 7, 2023 by DRW50

[Vee]

Both GH and OLTL were shrouded in atmospheric fog at night for a lot of years, and a lot of autumnal, warm tones as already mentioned. Unlike OLTL where it tapered off, that aesthetic persisted at GH until maybe the mid-late 2000s. That moody look, especially in night scenes really worked for me but I can see why others found it too much.

I didn't like what I saw of AMC Los Angeles' look at all. It looked plastic to me, and the increasing location shoots (a sure sign in the late 2000s of budget struggles, though most other shows like ATWT kept confining them to poorly-disguised studio grounds or in the case of OLTL, one boring park) for AMC always looked like they took place in an overly glossy theme park which had no relation to Pine Valley. There was a vibe to the East Coast soap look that used to be unmistakable. 

[carolineg]

I would love for Tommy Jr to come back.  I believe he is a Dr. because I think Liz has referred to him as such in passing or on the 50th anniversary episode.  Great idea.  Honestly, I can take or leave Tom Sr. because he was never very memorable with either actor.  And if MA couldn't make him work I think it would require a whole new take on the character.

I think Steven should be on the canvas.  I just felt Scott reeves intro was so fumbled as Steven and it wasn't all SR's fault.  He was pushed weirdly into the Scrubs mess and was completely incompetent as COS while sleeping with Lisa.  Then he got lost in the Brenda show and got a dead end pairing with Olivia that could have been more.  By the time he went to jail lol he was a total dud.  Another character that needs to be revamped, but it would be nice for Liz to have some supportive family.

[Planet Soap]

Who do you all think fit better into the show dominating trio of Sonny, Carly & Jason? Courtney or Sam?

It's pretty telling that Sam, once the second female lead on the show is now nearly irrelevant given that her relationship with Jason is over. The writers stalled too much after Burton returned in 2017. By that time the pairing followed by Monaco's acting felt  dull and tired. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by ironlion

[Vee]

Courtney was unbearable. Sam at least had a volatile and tense relationship with Carly for years.

We've discussed it in GH threads a lot, but is truly weird what went down with Monaco and Burton. She was clearly very into being paired with Billy Miller as "Jason" and had real chemistry with him. She was vocally unhappy online when they were split up onscreen for her and Steve. But regardless of any BTS issues they'd been paired come hell or high water for most of the last 20 years and seemed accepting of it. Then suddenly two years ago they're split up in record time after being the ride or die couple GH would never let go, Jason is thrown at multiple women in record time despite not being promiscuous and Sam is instantly paired with Dante. Bizarre.

[carolineg]

Sam fit better than Courtney.  I hate Sam, but I hated Courtney more.  Sam was forced on us, but KeMo did have chemistry with Burton and Sam has some likeable qualities.  Everything about Courtney was awful from her chemistry less pairing with Jason to her being Sonny's sister and Carly's bff.  It's telling Courtney was killed off the minute Guza was allowed to be rid of her.  I do think both were replacements in the scenario for Guza's ultimate pipedream- the Brenda/Jason pairing and Brenda being the 4th member of the quad.  I wonder if Vanessa hadn't left if they would have paired Courtney back with AJ because I can't imagine Jason/Courtney was ever the original endgame.  

[AMCOLTLLover]

I’ve finally managed to get through March 1981 (complete)!

I get that LnL was THE super couple and fan  favorites.. I even get that this show was on fire.. But WAS IT?

In November 80 we got Alexandria Quartermaine and the beginning of the Ice Princess and the search for it. We are in March and we are still not closer to it. I know it’s a soap and soap like to drag things out but THAT long? I wish I could slap every single one that mentions the ice Princess and I’m only in the beginning. UGH. I even thought about a drinking game and taking a shot whenever they mention it.

Only movement was Emma Lutz! It was hilarious and I really felt sorry for her and the way Luke played her for a fool. That actress knocked it off so perfectly. Wish she would be a regular on the show.

the 2nd movement was that we learned that Tony Castle is Tony Cassadine! Robert agreed to a alliance with him to find the ice Princess. Wow. But I did enjoy Tony/Lesley dates. They have chemistry. But Rick being jealous makes him so unlikeable.

I know Rick Webber was a fan favorite but I think he was a jerk. He destroyed his marriage and had an affair with Monica. He didn’t care for anyone but himself and his needs. The minute it came out that Alan JR was not his he dumped Monica. How can anyone like that tool? I mean Rick has his moments but he is a jerk! 
 

March 81 and we finally wrapped up Jeff Webbers run! I was upset to see him leave coz Robin/Heather and Richard/Jeff had potential for juicy soap drama. But u could tell that Richard was phoning it in with his last few months and that he was so over GH! What a shame. But good for his acting career though.

Joe Kelly kinda annoyed me even though I love his character! He tried to find evidence against Heather and her involvement in Diana’s death. He popped up everywhere and questioned Sarah and mostly Amy. Plus point for me was that it gave Amy some Involvements in that big story as Heather’s best friend even though she couldn’t keep her mouth shut about the secrets.
The way Joe questioned Amy and followed her around was quiet the harassment in my opinion. That was a bit too much.

Only the Jeff story was great and some of Emma Lutz/Luke was entertaining but overall it was such a mediocre  month.

Howard is off to London to reconcile with Dorie. I wonder if this was his final exit.

Susan Moore and Alan’s affair was juicy ! I love Monica/Alan but Susan is the only other women I can accept on his side. They have chemistry and work well together! I mean who is Monica to judge if Alan is happy and keeping it a secret from her. That chick had an entire relationship with Rick behind his back and thought Alan Junior was Rick’s for months lol

Susan got pregnant! This means she is pregnant with Jason “Stone Cold” Morgan/Q here

I wonder if the contract dispute with J.E. (Tracy Q) didn’t happened if the ice Princess story still would happened and if the story still would’ve happened if it was Tracy in Alexandria’s place instead.? 

Edited March 7, 2023 by AMCOLTLLover

[Vee]

Jason/Courtney was clearly only the brainchild of Frons and Chuck Pratt, and nothing Guza cared for. As soon as a bigger fish (Kelly Monaco) was onboard and Pratt was out, Guza terminated Courtney's airtime and then her life.