General Hospital February 26 1988 ABC Daytime w/original commercials

Another vintage episode, with commercials.

Tom and Simone's wedding, and the end of the story where Grant Putnam kidnapped Anna.

I didn't realize that Lilybelle (Dru and Olivia's mother on Y&R) played Simone's mother. Looking it up now - Norma Donaldson. Such a fascinating actress, incredible presence.

Laura Carrington has such a unique presence too. I think Stephanie Williams was great on Y&R but never thought she was right for the ABC Daytime recast roles she had.

That lengthy shot of Anna waking up and getting her bearings is something the show would never do now (like having an interracial couple in a frontburner wedding...) but it does so much to set the atmosphere and danger and take advantage of the location shooting.

This wasn't long before the strike. If I ever watch this period more consistently, I'd be fascinated to see how much the strike changed things around - I don't hear that it caused as much upheaval as it did with some of the soaps.

I did not realize Patrick O'Connor hung around for this long.

Like her sister Crystal, Robyn Bernard always had a lot of screen presence, even if I don't think she was suited for a lead role. (which I guess she wasn't really getting by this point anyway)

I gritted my teeth at Simone and Lucy being friendly and Simone asking her where Tom was knowing that within a few years Lucy would sleep with him. Wherever Simone is now she probably STILL hates Lucy...

Nice to see Jessie.

David Wallace isn't bad, but he's bland and more than a little stiff. I know the character likely wouldn't have stayed around even with a stronger actor (Matt Ashford is calling), but I do wonder.

Grant doing that bad British accent to mock Anna makes me laugh more than it should. He's a lot of fun in general here, yet also dangerous in that very American survivalist way (very prescient). Maybe one of the only times those camp takes on villains GH loves to do amuses me (Helena being another).

Anyway, now that I've watched the whole episode I enjoyed it all the way through. No real weak scenes (even the few filler scenes with Amy, Terry and Patrick were OK), which is not easy for an hour-long soap.

Edited 18 hours ago18 hr by DRW50

2 hours ago, Khan said:

The first face (and maybe voice?) in this commercial should be familiar to all you GH/Y&R fans out there:

I know who it is, but with this look he reminds me of someone else (maybe Juan, or someone who drifted in and out of PC in the Rafe years - maybe that dreary werewolf Jack).

I finally got it. He looks JUST like Josh Swickard (Chase)! Eerie. I know this was 25 years ago, but I'm also reminded of how completely dead inside he looks in comparison now.

Edited 15 hours ago15 hr by DRW50

6 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

I don't think Norman Lloyd would have any interest in joining a daytime soap. Trying to think who was around at that time that might have been suitable and available for Edward.

I don't know about appropriate, but the first actor who came to me was Henderson Forsythe: a year younger than David Lewis, no longer on As the World Turns, and would live up until 2006.

BTW, I'm fascinated by this debate over the better Edward Quartermaine.

5 hours ago, DRW50 said:

This wasn't long before the strike. If I ever watch this period more consistently, I'd be fascinated to see how much the strike changed things around - I don't hear that it caused as much upheaval as it did with some of the soaps.

Off the top of my head, the most significant strike shakeup was that they abandoned plans to have Robert & Cheryl marry.

5 hours ago, DRW50 said:

I did not realize Patrick O'Connor hung around for this long.

Like her sister Crystal, Robyn Bernard always had a lot of screen presence, even if I don't think she was suited for a lead role. (which I guess she wasn't really getting by this point anyway)

I'm glad to know I've got this to look forward to. Shameless self-promotion: I'm definitely going to keep watching through 1986-87, and am considering going all the way up to the end of the writer's strike, or approximately (i.e. Monica discovering "Ward" is Ned).

1 minute ago, Franko said:

I don't know about appropriate, but the first actor who came to me was Henderson Forsythe: a year younger than David Lewis, no longer on As the World Turns, and would live up until 2006.

BTW, I'm fascinated by this debate over the better Edward Quartermaine.

Off the top of my head, the most significant strike shakeup was that they abandoned plans to have Robert & Cheryl marry.

I'm glad to know I've got this to look forward to. Shameless self-promotion: I'm definitely going to keep watching through 1986-87, and am considering going all the way up to the end of the writer's strike, or approximately (i.e. Monica discovering "Ward" is Ned).

Forsythe would have been a very interesting choice. I can see it. He certainly had more range than David Stewart allowed.

Sorry if I spoiled anything for you. I look forward to what you have to say as the years go on.

I think it was probably for the best that Robert and Cheryl never married as that added more layers and tragedy to her character...and I can't see him marrying her.

30 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Forsythe would have been a very interesting choice. I can see it. He certainly had more range than David Stewart allowed.

Sorry if I spoiled anything for you. I look forward to what you have to say as the years go on.

I think it was probably for the best that Robert and Cheryl never married as that added more layers and tragedy to her character...and I can't see him marrying her.

Oh, not a problem at all. I know the broad outcomes of what to expect, it's the day to day and week to week stuff that's surprising and fascinating.

Yeah, I can't see Robert and Cheryl getting the happily ever after treatment.

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire

Week Nine (Feb. 24-28, 1986) -- Part I

Buzz: "I'm a doctor. I'm dealing with a patient's trust, and her health, and quite possibly with her sanity."

Anna: "I am dealing with a cold-blooded murderer who wouldn't hesitate to kill Terry if she revealed the truth about the past. You're talking about her health and sanity. Well, I'm talking about whether she lives or dies!"

Laurelton, the mystery stuff: This week's MacGuffin is the tape from Terry's hypnosis session with Buzz. While she's under, Terry reveals more about Valentine's Day 1983. If I'm understanding things, Terry (still naked at the time?) opened the doors to Laurelton's town hall. When she did, Earl Moody's corpse fell on her. "I remember my hands on the neck of a dead person." According to Terry, Jennifer saved her. The way I'm seeing this in my mind is similar to the tableau of Abby, Olivia, and Peter's corpse on Knots Landing. A key difference is that at this point in GH's story, Terry doesn't appear to think Jennifer could have killed Earl.

Getting her composure in Buzz's bathroom, Terry overhears Buzz and Anna argue about his turning over the tape, then an incriminating part of the tape that Anna manages to play. From Tuesday through Thursday, it's all about Terry, then Anna, obtaining and listening to the tape. On the one hand, the tape gets Mayor Morgan finally on Anna's side. On the other hand, Anna ends the week on the outs with Kevin, Patrick, Bobbie, and Buzz (more on that one later).

A while back, I complained about how GH didn't properly set up the idea that the O'Connor brothers are trying to protect Terry. This means that when it appears that's exactly what they're doing*, it doesn't come across as dramatically sound as it could or should. It feels like the show realized it backed itself into a corner (the Laurelton-Brownstone killer should be Kevin or Patrick) and is trying to undo that.

*Kevin and Patrick each received a copy of Sarah's letter to Neil Johnson, the one that Neil's killer removed from him and hid at the Brownstone. The O'Connor brothers each destroyed his copy. Anna had thought that one of them, presumably the innocent one, would have given the letter to the police.

Yet again, there's another trip to Laurelton. It happens on Wednesday. This time, it's Frisco and Felicia (Sam's got the flu), who are able to prove that Ralph Russell's motive for Earl Moody's murder is false. Most roads seem to be leading to Terry as the genuine killer.

Our ongoing discussion about James E. Reilly having apparently come up with the Laurelton story caused me to pay closer attention when Ted and Jennifer talked about the folks back home. They're offscreen and volatile ... not unlike Tabitha's "friends in the basement" on Passions.

Speaking of JER's writing, I initially assumed Ted was the prototype for Ivan and Timmy. I figured Ted was ride or die for Jennifer. That's not the case. The final scenes in Thursday's episode include Ted overhearing Terry's tape at the same time as Anna and Frisco. It turns out that Ted didn't know about Terry having her hands around Earl Moody's neck. Ted is furious that Jennifer kept that information from him.

Ted: "I mean it, Jennifer, I mean it! You don't call the shots anymore! You don't give the orders anymore! To me, or to any of the people in Laurelton!"

On the one hand, I'm glad David Doyle got to do something interesting. I also feel like the implication that she's apparently genuinely trying to protect Terry does elevate Jennifer as a character. Unlike with the O'Connor brothers, I think this is a reveal that comes as the right time. I just don't know if I can buy Jennifer having kept Ted in the dark. Or if it had to have happened, it should have been set up better. Still, though, props to Jennifer for declaring on Friday that Terry is more important to her than Purity Water, its board of directors, or anyone else.

Like I said before, this week is a sustained demonstration of the very limits of Robyn Bernard's acting abilities. Terry/Robyn never really comes down after the hypnosis session, and that's on Monday's episode. I wish I could say the dual experience of watching a character and her actress being in over her head is anything other than harrowing.

Tough-talkin' Ted plays a crucial role in Friday's action. Exhausted, panicked over the tape no longer being in her or Buzz's possession, and fearing that she and Kevin no longer have a future, Terry returns to the Brownstone. Ted says he knows Terry needs rest. He takes a determined walk upstairs ...

... where Terry has just taken what appears to be a sleeping pill. She's settling into bed when Ted shows up with his prescription pills. (Terry left the door unlocked?) Here in 2026, we know that sharing meds is a no-no. In 1986, it might have been considered acceptable behavior or at least necessary in an emergency.

Ted's game plan is for Terry's comments while under hypnosis to be discredited as the words of someone suffering from hallucinations. Having given Jennifer a sleeping pill of her own, he goes for a walk, but not before giving one last meaningful glance upstairs.

Meanwhile, Terry's taken some of Ted's meds. After having a nightmare, she has a half-assed attempt at making tea. The kettle's between two burners, one of which is still on. Terry goes back to sleep ...