GH: Classic Thread

[soapfave06]

Yeah, that’s a phenomenal idea Vee that would also advance a lot of story.

Ah, I forgot GH was on the verge of cancellation so I agree the timing was bad. In fact had they focused on GH and took the hybrid idea in 2013 once they were on the upswing and could properly balance the canvas, it would have worked better and they would have been past the PP contract debacle. 
 

In 2012 they lost many stars, every writer and had a slew of newbies so in hindsight doing the hybrid worked but I would have taken Serena over Starr any day for example. For the hospital, losing Robin and never utilizing Kelly and Lainey, I think Angie would have worked regardless but Todd, Tea, etc to a lesser extent worked. 

Hahaha, I second this! 

On a lighter note, GH has absolutely the best looking vets, I don’t watch anymore but seeing clips on Twitter: Felicia, Tracy, Holly, Robert, Mac, Anna, the ageless Liz, they are truly top tier. 

[Vee]

I am not looking to put Angie Hubbard on recurring lol. She'd just pop in for a relevant story! But thank you.

[carolineg]

Lol!  You watched PC right?  Did you like her character on that show?

I think if the show just introduced them more slowly and after they were sure they had the rights it would have been fine.  By the time the 50th rolled around the show was in a pretty good upswing.  McBain/Sam worked and I think Tea/Sonny sounds very interesting, but I would have probably not included Starr or Todd.  I don't think Starr/Michael were awful, but it's pretty dark to kill off her partner and child. 

When I objectively think about the show the OLTL actors fit quite well.  It was just my own personal animosity toward the move.  It just left a bad taste in my mouth because it felt like Ron wanted it to be OLTL 2.0 and he cared more about that than actual GH.  Watching Todd was certainly better than hearing how AWESOME Sabrina was every single day.  I think I also was irritated they canned Ingo** (which I think was Guza not even Ron/Frank) and basically just hired Carly and new more expensive love interest.

**In 2012, I thought IR was unproblematic and I really liked Jax.  I actually hate that I can't enjoy vintage Brenda/Jax now, so thanks a lot Ingo for being a horrible human.

[AMCHistory]

I nice 12 week ark with Debbi Morgan as Angie as a testing ground for future storylines? Sign me up! There is nothing I HATE more than when a soap opera signs a veteran performer to recurring with no real plan (I'm looking at you Eva laRue on Y&R, James DePaiva on GH). Give her some lead materials for a "chapter" of the year, with a discrete start, middle, end.

Angie in an abortion storyline would be so relevant to our times. Her character also faced those tough decisions as a single mum, ultimately putting Frankie up for adoption. She and Anna can commiserate over shared Pine Valley friends, including David.

Dr. Ellen on Port Charles would have benefitted from being Angie. I know they did not want to break-up Jacob/Angie on the City, but she would have worked as a single Angie with a baby Cassandra. She would be a little fish out of water, being asked to lead the intern program while having to create meaningful relationships with the other experienced doctors: Alan, Monica, Tony, Gail, Kevin.

I wonder if Debbi was over Angie at the start of Port Charles. I mean, she wore a wig and color contacts. She did everything she could to make Ellen not an Angie fascimile.

[carolineg]

Angie is the type of character that would fit well on pretty much any soap.  I don't know enough about DM or her feelings on Angie at the time, but I always thought it was weird she was playing a different Dr. and PC really didn't utilize her well at all.  But PC had a lot of bumps and I still don't know what the hell they were going for with WN's Rex character either.  I am just going to assume DM wanted a bit of a challenge and I think Ellen sounded interesting on paper.  

[Vee]

Yeah, that's why I said they could make an Ellen Burgess joke.

[carolineg]

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 Lol!  Missed that.  I guess the unusual amount of activity on this thread today effected my reading comprehension.

[titan1978]

My last memories of Damian are related to Lucky’s gambling.  He ended up in debt to Damian.  And Luke going undercover to find him.

That Damian murder mystery was such a great story.  The reading of the will was such awesome soapy fun.  Then Laura’s trial.  I also though Justus being the killer and Edward trying to keep it covered up was great.  They just didn’t really do anything with Justus after that.

I am also here for Angie Hubbard.  Any day.

[carolineg]

I completely forgot about Lucky's gambling addiction lol.  My clearest memory is of Damian hanging out at the PC hotel at the bar a lot.   To the point where I remember most of his scenes being in that damn bar.  I liked his murder story a lot though. 

Obviously, you can't ignore race issues when you think of Keesha/Justus's use on the show, but I do think Mary Mae dying suddenly scrapped some plans for the characters.  I do remember Justus being around quite a bit and I think Joseph Phillips got decent airtime, but he wasn't doing much except dating Dara or talking to the Q's and then working for Jason/Sonny. 

[AMCHistory]

Was it ever revealed why Joseph Phillips left GH? That had to be the worst recast of the year. 

[carolineg]

No idea.  Lack of story?  He seems to have other goals and some "interesting" views so maybe it was time to move on for him.  Again, Justus is around all the time, but scenes are never about him.  He is usually in the background.  And Monti Sharp had a different take on the character.  He seems more slick but less refined and at that point Justus was just a really good mob lawyer and not much else.   I think the last recast was the craziest.  The Justus that took a vow of silence in a monastery and was eventually killed off.  With every actor they kept moving away from the decent, smart guy that ran ELQ for awhile.

[AMCHistory]

Talking about dwindling storyline, what happened with Dara? Vanita is so talented, and though ever a front burning character, was a consistent supporting character. Does anyone even remember her last scene?

[BrendaB]

^  I think Dara had a random DA/police station scene and some fizzling out with Taggert before she disappeared without any acknowledgement.  When Taggert disappeared, too, I had thought they would have reunited somehow off-screen, but apparently he hooked up in Harmony with the girl from Passions.  Total downgrade (both ladies are beautiful, but Vanita's clearly the superior actress and Dara's characterization was much more interesting).

This scene from this episode reminds me how beautifully unrequited love and infatuation used to be depicted in soaps:

"I want you to stay, please," at the end

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makes my heart flutter and feel so much empathy for the perpetually star-crossed Brenda.  It's no wonder Vanessa Marcil would be able to repeat the same type of chemistry with each of her 3 great '90s pairings.

Anyways, another great episode filled with laughter (Lucy, Brenda, AJ & Robin), tears (Brenda), mystery (Sean, Mac, Felicia, Ryan) and climaxes (Katherine being exposed, Sonny getting knocked out by Jagger).  They sure do not make episodes as good as this anymore.

[carolineg]

I hope Jagger sits alone at home now feeling bad about how he strung Brenda along for so long.  It's a good episode.  Ruby is so heavily invested in her teenage boarders romantic lives, but it's sweet she's looking out for them I guess.  Also, there is something very endearing about Brenda/Jason/Robin meeting at the movies and them going to find Brenda when she doesn't show (and Brenda's working as a waitress at Kelly's).  Sonny getting his ass kicked by Jagger and having to be escorted to the hospital by Stone and Karen over a punch is pretty funny.

[Darn]

Of all the ABC soaps GH always had the least use/interest in telling stories for black characters. Once Rosalind Cash died, with Mary Mae being their biggest effort at making a black tentpole character, they gave up.

Taggert was just a heavy for the mob, Gia was black in name only because Marisa Ramirez sure isn't, the times they've tried to bring on more Wards have been lukewarm efforts at best.

And apparently Simone, across 3 recasts, was the longest standing black character until Epiphany (who I came to respect only for the actress's support of the show but there are a TON of issues with her characterization, let's start with the name...).