22 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

It is a little wild that Alice Grant is going to the party in a pretty dress and is so excited considering she killed Diana Taylor not that long before! Such a weird decision to blame her when they decided to keep Robin!

I like poor old Alice but this baffles me in every episode in this period lol. How is she still around?? I don't know the exact circumstances of what happened. Every domestic scene she has should be appended with her saying 'I murdered Diana Taylor!'

Very funny that Luke's psychic flash sequence is accompanied by the famous Exorcist music, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.

Edited Sunday at 03:35 PM5 days by Vee

3 hours ago, Vee said:

I like poor old Alice but this baffles me in every episode in this period lol. How is she still around?? I don't know the exact circumstances of what happened. Every domestic scene she has should be appended with her saying 'I murdered Diana Taylor!'

Very funny that Luke's psychic flash sequence is accompanied by the famous Exorcist music, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.

In the somewhat convoluted explanation that had no flashbacks, Alice says she accidentally shot Diana when trying to stop her from shooting Heather (who was there to kill her). I prefer to think she shot Diana on purpose in a split second decision to stop her daughter from becoming a murderer.

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire

Week 10 (March 3-7, 1986)

Anna, starting to cry: "I wish, more than anything, to prove that Terry is innocent. The fact that I can't do that is breaking me up." toughening up as she talks "Now, I have been doing my damndest to get this case finished ..." important reaction shot of Bobbie and Jake, reminded that they are talking to their friend, a decent human being who is in a very tough situation "... But, the accumulation of evidence against Terry is overwhelming. Now, if you can give me one piece of evidence that proves she is innocent, I will get another suspect like that!"

I don't quite have it in me for long-form commentary this weekend (or what's left of it), so I'll just give my scattered thoughts. Thank you for understanding. Some of this is rehashing from an earlier post.

-- Finola Hughes and Jackie Zeman are this week's acting MVPs. I really loved how Anna and Bobbie go from their mutual breaking point over the Brownstone-Laurelton investigation and what it's doing to Terry to a sense of mutual respect and understanding. It helps that Bobbie and Jake end the week having apparently found Terry's Purity Water medallion, the one she discarded in that fountain on Valentine's Day 1983.

-- I'm going to be so glad when I no longer have to type "Valentine's Day 1983" every week.

-- Was there anyone in 1986 who didn't think Frisco & Sam weren't going to become full-fledged cops? I appreciate the show addressing the horse before the cart aspect of the young duo being on the job before they've even completed their training, but let's not pretend that the ending's in doubt. I'm still waiting for Sam to utilize her hard-won climbing abilities.

-- Now we get the possibility that Jennifer's the killer. At least that's what Bobbie and Jake are thinking is possible. Repeating myself ... Jennifer could have been a solid red herring if we didn't already have that moment where she, Terry and Ted left the Brownstone basement and immediately after, they cut to the killer filing letters off the medallion used to kill Earl Moody.

-- Robyn Bernard has a less challenging week. Terry's unconscious until halfway through Friday's episode. During that time, it's proven that Terry inhaling gas was caused by a genuine accident rather than part of an intentional suicide attempt. It also appears that Ted wasn't intending for Terry to overdose on sleeping pills. Ted's kind of hot and cold with Jennifer, insisting they're friends but also making it clear that he won't go to jail for her or Terry.

-- Turning over to the Webbers storyline for a moment ... Jeff tells Mike about Ginny having slept with Derek and Rick just before being pregnant with Rick Jr., who is indeed Rick's son. Mike flips out, and once again runs away. Rick throws out what could have been an interesting idea for Jeff if the show had actually wanted to do a bad seed storyline: Jeff's hurt over his parents' deaths and is taking it out on the Webbers because he sees them as a happy, intact family. The problem is that Rick, Ginny, and Mike were already disfunctional before Jeff was on the scene. Anyway, the two brats hide out in a gardener's shack in the park.

-- Wednesday's episode also includes the strongest work I've seen to date from Shelley Taylor Morgan as Lorena argues with Edward. The thing is, neither of them are wrong. Jimmy Lee is an adult and Edward can't be expected to make sure he takes care of himself. On the other hand, Edward is washing his hands of his own son, who is in trouble. It's also interesting that Edward seems to have such a distaste for binge drinking and its effects, the "coward's way out." I keep hoping we'll get a scene where Edward has some genuine introspection, but it's probably never going to happen. Right now, though, this is probably the closest to the Edward ethos.

Lorena: "You are, without a doubt, the most insensitive man I know."

Edward, mirthlessly chuckling: "Secret of my success."

Lorena: "You know, why don't you climb down off your high horse and see what the view looks like from here? It may not be so exalted, but it's real!"

Edward: "Reality stinks!"

Lorena: "So does your attitude!"

Lila: "She's right, you know. There's a distinctly unpleasant odor coming from your direction."

Edward: "At least it's honest, Lila." looking up from his mail into her eyes as he speaks "I don't pretend to be anything that I'm not." a little later "Undue sentiment for one's children can only cripple a parent. Once they're raised and kicked out of the nest, it's up to them to fly on their own. Life does not come equipped with a safety net."

-- Big words from a dude living in his daughter-in-law's "nest." No, but I like David Lewis' acting during this moment. Edward may believe in what he's saying, but he is a father, and does seem to be thinking about how he hasn't taught Jimmy Lee how to survive.

-- So, now that Frisco's a cop (or cadet), does Teen Time still air on WLPC? It was a favorite show of the one gang member who was involved in last week's ambush on those hit men, and who also bribes the longtime cop that Frisco and Sam were assigned to shadow. Not gonna lie, I was getting the gang member confused with the sleazy gardener who's teaming up with Mike and Jeff to film the cop getting paid off and then get their own reward, I guess. Anyway, at this point, Burt's still a good guy. I was certain they were going to tease the idea of Capt. Lewis being a bad guy -- after all, he keeps ribbing Frisco -- but that doesn't seem to be likely.

-- I'm curious if or when Monica will reach a moment where she's okay with or at least resigned to the Quartermaines in dire straits thanks to Sean's scheme. On Thursday, she and Sean discuss his motives. Sean insists he's "not entirely" trying to bankrupt the Qs.

-- Ginny literally cries out for Mike while searching for him in the park. Man alive, I hope that little sh*t eventually realized what he's putting his poor mother through. I kinda wish those drill sergeants who appeared on Sally Jessy Raphael, Montel, etc. were already a thing in daytime, so Mike could get some serious discipline.

-- Friday's episode includes another of those scenes that's likely to be a problem later on in the Laurelton storyline. Before Terry wakes up, we get Kevin at her side, holding her hand, promising that nothing will ever hurt her again, and urging her to try coming back to life. Kevin's alone in the room. I don't know if he genuinely believes what he's saying, and will only decide near the end of this storyline to kill Terry because she knows too much, or if he's acting so as to lull her into a false sense of security.

-- And, like I said, Friday has that brief moment where Bryan seems to be flirting with Debbie (Penny Johnson), Willie's mom (and a nurse at GH according to the wiki). He wants to take her to lunch. She'll think about it.

-- The great Jessie Brewer famine continues. I'm thinking the next time she'll show up will be for Frisco and Felicia's wedding.

Tristan Rogers made the cover of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine Oct 1990. Not sure why...

3 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Tristan Rogers made the cover of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine Oct 1990. Not sure why...

Larkin Malloy, IIRC, was on one of their covers too.

1 minute ago, DRW50 said:

Larkin Malloy, IIRC, was on one of their covers too.

Yes when he was on GL. If it had been EON there might be a connection. Otherwise seems quite random.

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire

Week 11 (March 10-14, 1986) -- Part I

Jennifer: "Trust you? Well, let me put it this way. I think you're an honorable person who got off on the wrong track."

Anna: "Exactly my estimations of you."

Laurelton, the mystery stuff: The week starts with Terry being cleared as a murder suspect and climaxes with her offscreen reveal to Jennifer of who the killer is. Friday's episode ends with Jennifer calling an offscreen Ted to let him know she knows the name of the killer, that she can't tell him over the phone ("It's too dangerous!"), and that she'll be coming back home so they can figure out how to protect Terry.

Two-and-a-half more months of this crap. Two-and-a-half more months. Okay, to be fair, there are some good moments, which I'll get to in the Laurelton, the Anna stuff section. Before that, though, let's look at the suspects pool.

Terry -- Cleared, thanks to her Purity Water medallion being proven to not be what was used in Earl Moody's murder.

Jennifer -- Since she intends to protect Terry from the killer, we can assume it's not Jennifer. I suppose the old lady's controlled panic could be explained as "Oh, crap, Terry subconsciously knows I did it!" But between this and her interactions with Anna and Terry earlier in the week, it seems pretty clear that Jennifer's not evil.

Ted -- He doesn't get a reaction shot after Jennifer partially reveals what she knows. Again, there's some ambiguity here, but the fact that Jennifer's calling Ted to discuss the murderer indicates that he's innocent, too.

Dr. Tim and/or Kathleen O'Connor -- Two belated red herrings. It's revealed on Monday that Kathleen has several of her immediate family's Purity Water medallions. The couple visit Port Charles on Tuesday. For the Laurelton storyline to work, it's kind of important for most characters to either love Terry or at least not want to see her harmed. That's why it's funny when Terry and Kathleen interact. Terry's in her hospital bed and Kathleen seems to be forcing herself to keep it together as she suggests to insists on that her daughter-in-law and Kevin move back to Laurelton. Meanwhile, Mr. O'Connor's still a dick.

Anyone else from Laurelton -- Sarah doesn't appear this week, and Sheriff Broder's only in Monday's episode to antagonize Bobbie and Jake before Jennifer tells him to let them go. We can assume that those two, or anybody else living in that town, are not going to be surprise murderers. (Sarah will have to wait a year for that privilege.)

Kevin and/or Patrick O'Connor -- Who else can it be? It's weird to think back to a few weeks ago, when Patrick was being presented onscreen as a total creeper. He and Kevin are currently seen mending their fences, something that I assume will continue through the next few weeks. As for Kevin, he's being presented as Terry's protector. I wonder if the 1986 audience noticed that Terry and Kevin never get to have the kind of lovey-dovey banter that Frisco and Felicia or even Jake and Bobbie routinely have. Surely that would be an indication of how the show feels about the young O'Connors as a couple.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Franko

Week 11, Part II

Anna: "Buzz, Terry has been cleared. ... Do you think she'll ever trust me again? ... What about you, Buzz? Will you ever trust me again?"

Laurelton, the Anna stuff: Aside from that exchange, Anna and Buzz's not quite courtship is ignored this week. It's all about whether Anna can make it as a single working mother whose job is being a city's co-police chief.

Chief Devane's wins include:

-- The continued successful investigation of corruption within the Port Charles Police Department. It turns out that Ed Brown* is not actually on the take, but part of Anna's undercover team. Okay, but if GH turns around during the Burt story and reveals that Ed really is a dirty cop, I'm going to be pissed.

*Fun fact: "Ed Brown" was also the name of Don Galloway's character on Ironside. That has to be an inside joke.

-- Getting Mike and Jeff to come out of hiding. The video filmed by the boys and Vinnie the parks and rec guy ends up in Anna's possession. She allows it to be shown as Ginny's show as a demonstration of heroics that the youths should be publicly thanked for. Okay, the logic's not airtight, but it does work to get Mike and Jeff home (well, sorta; see the Mike's Paternity section).

-- Burt still being her ride or die. It really can't be overstated just what a dumb move it was to have him turn out to be corrupt. On Thursday, Burt tells Anna that he's next on the list of officials to be micromanaged**, and uses her I'm-a-mother defense against her. "Maybe that's a good argument why women with children should be police chiefs." They're almost immediately back to friendly terms -- he won't let her quit -- but it's another fascinating slipped mask moment for Burt.

**Which I guess would be why Burt can't enjoy the idea of Anna being out of his hair, since he'd be taken down with her.

-- Reaching an understanding with Jennifer. It greatly helps that Anna reveals that she, like me, doesn't care at all about Purity Water's business practices. Anna's rewarded when Jennifer reveals an effective way to get information out of Terry. While the rest of the Brownstoners are away, lured to a party in Terry's honor, the old lady will give the girl some warm milk laced with brandy***. After this week, Martha Scott only has less than five episodes left. I'm assuming Jennifer won't talk to Anna before she's killed off.

***Friday's episode has an amusing insert shot of the drink being prepared. You know, just in case we thought Jennifer was actually going to poison Terry instead.

Chief Devane's losses include:

-- Being publicly humiliated by Mayor Morgan and interim District Attorney Madison. Brett says on Ginny's show that his first priority will be to straighen out PCPD policies and address the "appalling number of unsolved cases on the books" by keeping "the department and its officials on a tight rein." Okay, I can buy a DA being concerned with unsolved cases, but would Brett really have the authority to meddle in Anna and Burt's business?

-- Having to once again put her job before Robin. This time it's a parents luncheon at the girl's school. In Anna's defense, I doubt that Monica was able to attend, either. The luncheon's a potluck, too, meaning Robin brings Filomena's lasagna. I'm onto you, Port Charles Public Schools! They obviously had to dip into the food budget to repair that furnace, but still need to somehow feed the kids.

-- Chaing Wu having jumped bail and apparently fled the country. (See the Jade and Yank section for more.)

-- Being ordered by Morgan and Madison to either drop the Brownstone case or resign. UGH, I'm going to be so glad if and when these guys eat a big ol' helping of crow. Anna publicly does what her bosses demand -- she's got a kid to raise, after all -- which earns her ...

-- An embarrassing front page story, plus indignant attitude from Bobbie and to a lesser extent, Frisco. I understand where Bobbie's coming from, since it was her home where an unsolved murder took place, but I also know that Ms. Spencer's not going to like it when Anna makes her next move in the not-really closed case. So, yeah, Bobbie can also line up for the crow buffet. Frisco might not agree with Anna's supposed decision, and the case is still on his mind, but he's also going to insist that questioning from the police does not automatically mean harassment.

The grand finale includes my thoughts on Sean Swindles the Quartermaines, Mike's Paternity, Jade and Yank, and Frisco and Felicia.

Edited 51 minutes ago51 min by Franko