Forty years ago this week in People ...

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire

Week 15 (April 7-11, 1986) -- Part I

Frisco: "(Lucy Coe's) practically a nonperson. She doesn't have a boyfriend, she doesn't have a girlfriend, practically doesn't exist, and (her coworkers) sure the hell don't know where she went when she left town."

Laurelton: I must say, it's rather bold of GH to once again play a weeklong game of hide and seek. We'll meet Lucy next week, but in the meantime, just about everyone can't stop talking about her. I wonder what the 1986 audience thought. Were there viewers who figured Lucy would be killed off before she could testify at Kevin's trial? Were there others who expected Lucy to be played by a surprise guest star, someone to justify all the anticipation for a character with a seemingly specific purpose and time with the show? I'm really going to enjoy watching early Lucy, catching the moments that made GH want to keep Lynn Herring.

On the other hand, I'm beyond ready for this story's grand finale. A while back, I dreaded having to watch Terry at her breaking point for days at an end. Now I feel the same about Sarah. The housekeeper gathers enough courage to testify that "KO" was engraved on the chain that was used to kill Earl Moody. Anna allows Sarah to be left alone outside the courtroom, where Sheriff Broder, Ted, and the O'Connor parents intimidate her. The director decided to get artsy, filming their guiltripping, menacing, and gaslighting with a POV shot. Anyway, Sarah returns to the stand and walks back what she said, changing it from something she saw for herself and knows to be true to something she was told about and/or interpreted.

You know what, I'm going to headcanon it. Sarah eventually either directly killed or facilitated the murders of Tim and Kathleen O'Connor. And really, they had it coming. Just like Ted and (especially) Sheriff Broder. Justice for Sarah!

Brett, to Anna: "'Gut feeling'? What is this, the '80s version of women's intuition?"

For the record, this week's most interesting stuff happened near the second half of Friday's show. Highlights before then included:

Will Patrick commit perjury? (Sarah, Lucy and Kevin eventually will.)

Felicia and Frisco separately flirting with various university folks while gathering information. These include Red Flynn, Lucy's fellow student librarians, a trio of basketball players, Norman, a player whom Red intended to bribe, and Susie, Norman's ex-girlfriend. Felicia's joined by Lorena when she talks to Red at the pub and Kim when she talks to the basketball trio at Kelly's. Make no mistake, though: these scenes are all about giving Kristina and Jack something to do. I think I'll be glad once we get past the F&F wedding and the couple are players in the Duke storyline rather than players in Laurelton.

Patrick and Bobbie making amends, and his moving back to the Brownstone.

Anna and Jake taking yet another field trip to Laurelton. I was going to save this for my stray observations, but just who the heck are those three randos (two ladies and a guy) who are always seen whenver there's a scene with the Purity Water board? I guess one of them would be the recorder. We're familiar with Ted, Sheriff Broder, the O'Connor parents, and Mrs. Russell, but not those other three. Anyway, all of them and Sarah hear the tape from Terry's hypnosis session.

Patrick getting harassed by yet another sleazy reporter-photographer, which triggers his patient's bum heart. (She'll survive, for now.)

Patrick admitting on the stand that when he burned his copy of Sarah's letter to Neil Johnson, he believed Terry was the murderer.

Red's testimony including the oddity that Kevin wore a green top hat at the airport on St. Patrick's Day. I mean, I guess Kevin intended to blend in with the folks who were also dressed for the holiday, but now I'm picturing Kevin wearing his novelty apparel while arguing with Jennifer.

Red also reveals that Kevin was at the airport with a sexy young woman, "a real looker" with "legs that went on forever." Gee, I wonder who this could be? Red didn't see Kevin's mystery lady's face, but he did see her talk to Jennifer.

Two final items for this storyline: Sarah's referred to as "Mrs.," so it's a safe bet that her being in love with Earl was a retcon. Also, Bobbie continues to be affronted by the trial. Friday's episode includes Bobbie and Ginny acknowledging that they're once again at the courthouse.

I'll conclude my thoughts tomorrow. We've got more of Sean Swindles the Quartermaines, Mike's Paternity, Bryan and Claudia, and a turning point for Anna and Buzz.

Week 15, Part II

Sean, unconcerned about Alan's jealous violence: "Well, you know me. I love living on the edge."

Monica: "Well then, you just better keep your eye on the ceiling, Sean, because it has a tendency to fall in when Alan gets mad."

Sean Swindles the Quartermaines: Oh, sure, now Jimmy Lee and Edward start to realize they might have been suckered into acquiring Donely-Cassadine. Riches to rags storylines often require suspending one's disbelief, but Edward was darn lucky that Alan didn't set up a conservatorship once the men were back on their feet. I imagine that it was also hard for Alan, Monica, and/or Edward to regain their credibility among the broker community. But I'm getting ahead of myself. We've still got until Friday, April 18 for the rollercoaster to finally go down.

Jimmy Lee, who currently has nothing better to do at night, learns about robber barons. He also learns about Sean and Monica's affair, but assumes Lorena's just lying in an attempt to regain his interest. Nevertheless, Jimmy Lee lets Alan know, and gets attacked for this. Oddly enough, this is the moment where Edward starts to feel doubt about the too good to be true deal.

As the week begins, Monica still hasn't washed her hands of the Qs. She's back to being especially discreet, even if it means looking silly at The Pub* and leaving after only a minute there. Somehow I doubt that Buzz and Anna would care about Sean and Monica.

*That's what it's named, according to Red's testimony.

Alan, Edward, and Chuck Morrison, Alan's private eye, are all outsmarted on Wednesday. Edward and Chuck find Monica lunching at the Port Charles Hotel ... with little A.J. Alan, meanwhile, arrives at Sean's suite, where it sounds like he's sharing a shower. Alan's surprised to find out that Sean's partner isn't Monica. I'm going to assume that Sean wasn't actually going to cheat with Wendy, which raises the question of just who Wendy really is. Bribed maid? Visiting WSB agent? Sex worker? Gal he genuinely picked up at the bar?

Anyway, while Frisco questions Susie at Kelly's, Sean's at the next table chewing out Alan for this supposed humiliating situation. Sean and Monica play the faux-aggrievement perfectly. I can't imagine that she and Rick got to have such fun.

Part III, the finale, will come tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.

Week 15, Part III -- Conclusion

Mike: "You know, Ruby, I want to thank you for all the stuff you've done for us, and me. I bet there were a lot of times you wanted to give me a good kick in the butt."

Ruby: "And I did do it a couple of times, cause you deserved it."

Mike's Paternity and Bryan and Claudia: Every time I think GH is done with young Jeff, they keep bringing him back. I guess he'll be done for good once Mike leaves the show. Considering Jeff starts this week with some (mostly offscreen) vehicle and mental trouble -- he "borrowed" his foster brother's motorcycle, getting into a finger-breaking accident, then ran away out of shame -- the show maybe should have kept him around instead of creating Corey for Tania's death in 1987.

Anyway, Jeff needs a new temporary guardian, and Bryan recruits Debbie. The trio leave Kelly's just before Claudia shows up, learns what's up, and gives a campy-snide reaction. "I didn't know Debbie was running a rooming house."

Chris Robinson's back, and even though Rick and Ginny have been enjoying their dates, it's time to for the Webbers to once again be under one roof. Jeff wants to live with Rick and Ginny, but that means they've got to be living together. And Rick and Ginny need to finish their mission of getting Mike to come home on his own accord. Derek gives his son the necessary push when he refuses to take in Mike. (For now, anyway.)

Ginny and Mike have their crucial heart-to-heart on Wednesday. It requires posturing on both parts -- Ginny tells Mike that she and Rick will "let him" come home for Jeff's sake, and Mike tells Ginny that he's decided it's "in my best interest, as well" to move back in -- but hey, at least they get what they've wanted. Again, if only I didn't know what's up ahead ...

I guess the show wasn't 100% sure yet if David Mendenhall wouldn't be around for 1986-87, since Thursday jeopardizes the idea of this latest version of the Webbers. And it comes the day after Rick said Jeff's a part of the family, no matter what. The welfare agency is pulling a Rick and Ginny, being determined to see their mission to its end. Rick and Ginny's last scene on Thursday has them, Mike, Jeff, and Bryan preparing for a round of advocating for Jeff to stick around.

As for the Phillips, they're hanging on by fraying threads. Bryan's last scene on Wednesday has him preparing to walk Debbie home and not wanting to talk about it with Claudia, who had called Kelly's. Friday's episode has Bryan nonphysically cheating, and on his anniversary, no less! Bryan and Debbie (at Kelly's, naturally) were discussing her neighbor, a troubled child of divorce. Claudia is ticked off to find them together, and not just because Bryan didn't show for their lunch at the Versailles Room. Annoyed when she thinks Debbie's interrupting her, Claudia throws a glass of water in the LPN's face. For now, at least, this doesn't result in a catfight.

If I had to guess, I think Bryan's attracted to Debbie because with her and the increasing number of kids they're getting involved with, he can have the experience of being a husband and father figure without having something that's permanent and messy from day to day. The last time GH dealt with Bryan and Claudia's twins, they were going through the terrible twos. Maybe they still are.

I'm certain that I'm giving more thought to this storyline than the 1986 writers did.

Anna and Buzz: All this time, I've thought they failed as a couple because he didn't go out on a limb. The real issue is that she's just not that into him. It becomes increasingly clear near the end of Monday's episode, before they even have a chance to open the bottle of fine imported champagne that Sean originally intended to share with Monica.

Anna: "Uh ... you're very special to me, and Robin. You know that. But at the moment, professionally and personally, I'm just juggling my life. I mean, I'm just trying to find my way. I've got my first major case coming to trial. And I'm trying to be a good mother to Robin. And it seems like everything is happening in my life all at once."

Buzz: "Anna ... I'm already part of Robin's life. And I can be part of your life."

Kudos to Don Galloway, by the way, who's managing to play Buzz's heart on his sleeve moment with a good amount of dignity.

Anna: "... It wouldn't work. Not now. Not until I get my life straightened out." (Or until a Scotsman closer to my age shows up. Okay, that's not fair to Finola, who's also threading the needle pretty well with this scene.)

Buzz, not outright angry, but not laughing it off: "Damn it, woman. That's not what I wanted to hear."

Anna: "It's an honest answer. And, um, it's the only answer I can give right now."

Other thoughts:

-- Dan and Ruby's courtship continues. On Monday, he accepts her invite to a Pops concert. We've still yet to see Jessie this year. Maybe she's busy playing Elsa Lanchester's role in the Port Charles Players' production of Witness for the Prosecution (IYKYK).

-- Jake has a waterbed?

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Franko

2 hours ago, Franko said:

-- Jake has a waterbed?

DIdn't everyone back then, lol?

Thanks @Franko

You certainly took a great deal of care with the week, making it seem packed (maybe more packed than it would have been watching live).

I knew nothing about the Anna/Buzz relationship, so I appreciate all these details. I wonder what a world would have been like where they'd been a popular pairing and Duke hadn't existed. Would she still just end up back with Robert in 1991 and nothing about the character changed?

Ruby line aside, the Mike story continues to sound exhausting and we aren't even at a custody battle yet. I am surprised at this Jeff character and how long he lasted. If Frank cared about the Webbers he probably would have been played by Howarth.

I too am looking forward to Lucy. With the entrance she had, I wonder if they already knew what Lynn Herring was going to bring and how viewers would react.

How appropriate this is being written around Lynn's 40th anniversary.

I'll be curious to how much of an exit Bryan and Claudia even get when we get there. I wasn't expecting them to have even this level of storyline in 1986.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by DRW50

Buzz was a handsome older gentleman who had a lot of gravitas and charisma, but it was a fundamentally different sort of thing. I can't see Anna being stuck in a paternalistic relationship like that for long. It reminds me of more old fashioned soap pairings of an older, erudite man with a younger woman. Many of which worked for their time, but it's just not Anna.

9 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Thanks @Franko

You certainly took a great deal of care with the week, making it seem packed (maybe more packed than it would have been watching live).

You're welcome! Never let it be said I can't describe ... and describe ... and describe ...

9 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I too am looking forward to Lucy. With the entrance she had, I wonder if they already knew what Lynn Herring was going to bring and how viewers would react.

How appropriate this is being written around Lynn's 40th anniversary.

This brings up a good point. Lynn had previously auditioned for Felicia, so it's possible that some of the writers tailored Lucy for her.

I was going to touch upon this with next weekend's post, but it's funny to think about 1986 vs. 2026. These days it's much more easier to pull of an actor or actress' reels and see what they're capable of. The retro GH audience wouldn't necessarily recognize Lucy as the same woman from this ...

Lynn auditioning for Felicia is crazy.

Just now, Vee said:

Lynn auditioning for Felicia is crazy.

Things could have been even stranger -- suppose Lynn also read for Terry.

34 minutes ago, Vee said:

Buzz was a handsome older gentleman who had a lot of gravitas and charisma, but it was a fundamentally different sort of thing. I can't see Anna being stuck in a paternalistic relationship like that for long. It reminds me of more old fashioned soap pairings of an older, erudite man with a younger woman. Many of which worked for their time, but it's just not Anna.

I can't either but it's one of those what if moments. Duke was such a huge part of Anna's character in the late '80s and never really again (unless you count that half-hearted return).

@Franko I'd never seen Lynn on that show (admittedly I haven't watched a great deal of Mike Hammer). She seems to be styled a bit older.

I enjoyed your writeup about the Quartermaine unraveling too. I wish they'd done more with Sean and Monica in later years.

@Franko What do you think of the overall show in 1986? Is it good or does it stink?

3 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

@Franko I'd never seen Lynn on that show (admittedly I haven't watched a great deal of Mike Hammer). She seems to be styled a bit older.

I might be misremembering, but I think she also appeared on either Mike Hammer or a different crime series as a barfly. Viva la character actresses!

3 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I enjoyed your writeup about the Quartermaine unraveling too. I wish they'd done more with Sean and Monica in later years.

It's already clear that Sean and Monica aren't going to last -- he's in it for kicks while she's dealing with upending her whole life here -- but it's also funny that once Tiffany and Sean are firmly a thing, nobody gives even a glance backwards.

2 minutes ago, Jdee43 said:

@Franko What do you think of the overall show in 1986? Is it good or does it stink?

It's ... watchable. I think it's going to improve as the year goes on and we finally get past Laurelton.

36 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I can't either but it's one of those what if moments. Duke was such a huge part of Anna's character in the late '80s and never really again (unless you count that half-hearted return).

I'm still annoyed about that given Ian Buchanan's talent. He was written as such a pathetic old sadsack, even if that may have been fairly true to life given what Duke had been through.

If they somehow never find a new non-loser romance for Anna again (which I fully support them doing!) I'd admittedly be tempted to do what I once suspected RC might've done eventually - bring Duke back one more time, except I'd probably write him much more eccentric and fun after the hell's he already endured, and he would probably be way too close to IB's roles on Twin Peaks or On the Air vs. the actual GH character lol.