GH: Classic Thread

[Vee]

I don't remember if it was Monti Sharp or not - it probably was - but I remember watching one day after not tuning in for awhile as a kid and Justus (who was coming off the Damian murder case not long before) was on drunk, volatile, cynical and disillusioned. This was likely after Guza took over, I don't remember when Sharp started. It was jarring to see Justus like that, so down and broken by what had happened with him, but I thought the actor did a wonderful job and I could buy Justus going through a dark night of the soul.

Mfundo Morrison was a mediocre actor and Justus in the 2000s was so lame, especially when they had this formerly suave businessman and attorney reduced to holding impromptu prayer services in the burning hotel during the PC Hotel fire. I mean, how racist can you get? His nothing subplot relationship with Kent Masters King's Lainey was also boorish and sexist.

I would still bring Justus back today from WitSec as another Q elder for the family. I think the Q family needs that perspective, as well as needing more rooted elders of color and a solid entry point to bring on more Wards. Joseph Phillips still works a lot so as long as he doesn't get too crazy on social media I can live with his views like so many other soap stars. He's my optimum choice because he was so good (I had a crush on him both there and on Cosby), but if they wanted to de-age him a bit to make him viable for someone like Portia it's obviously been done before and I wouldn't be too upset.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Vee

[depboy]

It's the beginning of 1969, let's check in on the lives of the staff and patients at GH!

Monday, January 6, 1969: Iris tells Lee she will not continue to work for him.

Tuesday, January 7: Lee tells Meg he will continue to help Iris even though she's not working for him.

Wednesday, January 8: Denise tells Howie her husband suspects they are having an affair.

Thursday, January 9: Audrey returns and insists to Lucille that she doesn't want to talk about or see Steve.

Friday, January 10: Polly discovers she is pregnant.

Monday, January 13: Polly writes in her diary that her pregnancy may give her the means for reaching Phil.

Tuesday, January 14: Howie spoils dinner with Jane by telling her he owes Denise a thousand dollars.

Wednesday, January 15: Denise tells Howie that her husband Freddy has left her.

Thursday, January 16: Tom tells Meg that Iris returned her engagement ring.

Friday, January 17: Polly tells Phil she is pregnant as asks for his help.  He tells her he cannot help her.

Monday, January 20: After Steve tells Audrey he believes she never loved him, Lucille finds her upset.

Tuesday, January 21: Jane gives Howie her passbook to their savings account so he can repay Denise.

Wednesday, January 22: Tom urges Lee to find a secretary, leading to a fight over Iris.

Thursday, January 23: Polly appeals to Tom to help her obtain an abortion; he declines.  Tracy reports to Steve that although Mr. Dillon has been doing well on dialysis, he still has his old prejudices.

Friday, January 24: Polly invites Jessie to lunch.

Monday, January 27: Polly appeals to Jessie to help her get an abortion.

Tuesday, January 28: Howie comes home with news that he's been fired.

Wednesday, January 29: Lee sets up a meeting with Steve and Audrey.

Thursday, January 30: Lee tells Meg he is going to Mexico for the Hardy divorce.

Friday, January 31: Douglas Burke, a blind patient with hypertension and an enlarged heart is brought in and Tracy is assigned to him and given special responsibilities.

[carolineg]

Sharp started in 98.  When I looked it up I was a bit surprised because I thought Phillips was gone by 1997 at the latest.  I agree about Phillips.  He is so naturally suave and charming (and handsome!).

There was always a racist undertone to Morrison's writing as Justus, but I have a difficult time articulating it.  There were several scenes during his run that felt very un-Justus like and leaned hard into some stereotypes that Justus just didn't possess.

[DRW50]

There was something off for me in Monti Sharp's portrayal, similar to when he was on ATWT a year earlier as a villainous doctor. I remember him being positioned as the heavy in the triangle with Dara and Taggert - a triangle I never cared about, and neither did the show. I liked Dara but no one at GH had any interest in her - my guess is Guza would have dumped her immediately if he'd had the option.

Philips for me played the different parts of Justus perfectly well, but he did not fit into Guza's toxic fantasies.

One of my main memories of Justus of this period is Ned smirking, smugging, and judging, as he spent 90% of his time doing. 

I truly despised Ned in these years. 

[carolineg]

There was a lot of Ned going to ridiculous lengths to get ELQ shares back and I don't really know why.  It doesn't appear Justus was doing a bad job with his work at ELQ.  I never got the reasons Ned did the things he did in regards to ELQ or even covering for AJ as it was detrimental to his marriage and family.  A lot of the battle for the ELQ didn't make sense for me in the 90's.  I found the scenes where the family had board meetings in their living room entertaining, but the motivation for Ned sometimes puzzled me.  That being said, I did love Ned in those years, but he did do a lot of smirking and judging lol.  

[Darn]

I think the only soap to do business stories well is Y&R (in the past). I've never gotten the sense that ELQ was that important outside of being something to bicker over.

[carolineg]

I found it entertaining especially when Jax, Tracy, Sonny, Jason, Lois, Brenda, etc were roped in.  I loved those scenes with so much of the cast especially Tracy's re-entrance.  I just couldn't tell you exactly what they were fighting about or why lol.   I don't need an exact explanation of the numbers, but I don't know why things like Ned being a CEO and a rockstar was a problem or why Ned couldn't just work for ELQ.  It's not like he was poor and needed all that stress.  Jax/Tracy were the only ones that seem to have ill intentions, even Sonny seem to actively care about the business and making money.  I honestly am sure they explained everything clearly, but it's just a boring subject to me at least.

 

[FrenchFan]

Thanks !!! Couldn’t wait for this

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[Darn]

It's all a McGuffin. Just like babies on soaps until they're pre-teens. It's different when they discuss actual products but I'm not even sure what ELQ does.

I have a question, where are the Quartermaines from? I know Alan was first to arrive and as the show likes to remind us he bought the mansion for Monica so it's not their ancestral home. Where was their home base before moving to Port Charles? Reading about Mary Mae a few weeks back it read like they had to jump through a few hoops to explain why Edward would have a history with someone in town long before he arrived.

[carolineg]

I don't know where the Quartermaines are from originally.  I think you would have to go back and find actual synopsis of Edward's first appearances to get clarity.   I thought Mary Mae and Edward had an affair during the war, she was a performing blues singer I believe?   I don't think the affair happened in PC, but they both ended up in PC for different reasons.  Randomly.  Because that happens all the time.   I will try to watch the Bradley Ward trial scenes again because I think that explains a lot of the timeline.

[AdelaideCate007]

I had totally forgotten there was a third Justus, whew. That was a bad recast. I'd welcome back the original actor still, even if he's a little weird in his beliefs.

Speaking of the Damian talk from before, didn't Damian kidnap Lucy? Someone like that. I swear I remember there being one of those stupid hijinks stories where Luke, Sonny, Mac, and Kevin had to go get Lucy cause Damian had snatched her from somewhere. Or maybe it was one of the mob bosses Sonny was involved with it during that era when Luke, Lucy, and Sonny owned that club together and were tight.

[carolineg]

I can't remember the exact circumstances, but I think it had something to do with Scully/Damian Smith sabotaging Deception cosmetic shipments.  Sonny, Luke et al knew this was happening and Lucy was some sort of decoy.  I think the whole operation got bungled and Lucy got taken hostage/kidnapped and it ended with Joe Scully's death.

[Vee]

I try not to think about the Scullys after Richard Schtenmeitzh and Sho Shunior, the easygoing rapist who we were supposed to accept with Tracy.

[carolineg]

Well, that was bungled and I was actually excited that he was cast.  It seemed to have potential, but he probably should have been cast earlier and not in the story he was. 

The Joe Scully SR. story was one of my favorites because that whole situation blew Sonny's mob stuff wide open and was such an umbrella story for the cast.  When Scully's men retaliated, he shot up Luke's, Luke/Laura's home, Sonny's apartment, etc and it lead to so many plot advancements.  Stone's reveal he had AIDS, Brenda being shot, Luke/Laura separated, and Mike/Sonny getting closer.  I also think Lucy/Kevin broke up because she was lying about putting herself in danger like that.  Not that you don't already know this, but I really enjoyed it.  

[Vee]

Richard Steinmetz?! Because I thought he came off unkempt and weird the whole time (in addition to the lisp). I know he was a stud back in the '80s on Loving but by GH he looked and sounded like they'd just cast the maintenance guy. To say nothing of Joe being, y'know, a rapist. And yet Tracy was super sprung for him. And then there was the whole terrible McBain backstory with his imaginary new dead sister.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Vee