11 hours ago, titan1978 said:

I also think the whole mess with Laura and Jackie Templeton and David Gray would have best been avoided entirely.

I agree. I also think AMC's production team saw how miserably GH had handled GF's departure and resolved not to make the same mistake when Kim Delaney (ex-Jenny) decided not to renew her contract, as Jenny's death in that jet ski explosion left ZERO room for doubt.

Thanks, @Paul Raven , for another, great article!

11 hours ago, titan1978 said:

It was noticeable almost immediately that Claire Labine slowed things way down when she got to GH. But it facilitated rich dialogue and exploration of the characters. I feel like we really got to know the characters during that period of time. It wasn’t boring to me because it was a deeper look at all of them.

ICAM! Characters I had written off as one-note - such as Sonny and Brenda - gained new dimensions under her pen; and how she was able to recapture the spirit of Luke and Laura while still acknowledging the passing of time remains a masterclass in how you handle those kinds of situations, too.

35 minutes ago, Khan said:

ICAM! Characters I had written off as one-note - such as Sonny and Brenda - gained new dimensions under her pen; and how she was able to recapture the spirit of Luke and Laura while still acknowledging the passing of time remains a masterclass in how you handle those kinds of situations, too.

Everybody was just fully realized! Labine made me actually care about Tony Jones, which was pretty incredible because I never liked his judgmental ass!

That Luke and Laura return was so smart. We meet them again and Lucky for the first time and they are living full (although faked) lives before the danger starts again. They used Frank Smith as the villain, and we get a little mini adventure reintroducing them. They smartly had them on their own so the audience got to see them closer to how they were versus as parents now, while Lucky also gets to show off who he is. Then they hit town and hide in what will eventually be their home, Laura sees visions of a black family living there before it was abandoned setting up the Ward’s, and Sonny gets a purpose by being connected to Luke from Frank. It’s one of the most brilliant reintroductions in daytime history. They were still larger than life compared to the rest of Port Charles, but also more grounded and facing down to earth dangers.

I know Geary pitched the story and some of the details. But it’s also so clearly what Labine and that team did the rest of their run that they also took the idea and fleshed it out. I have said this before but I think because Luke and Laura were originally designed as more grounded characters they fit in better with what Riche was doing than let’s say Robert Scorpio would have. Had Wendy convinced Tristan and Finola to not leave, which she reportedly tried to do, I think things would have been very different.

I received this in my Youtube notifications.

Classic General Hospital7 hours ago (edited)

Susan Moore Saturdays will be short this weekend because there are only two episodes available (I'm told that when the lady who recorded most of what we have on youtube was home instead of work she watched live and didn't record so there are gaps). So to carry you all through the weekend I edited January of 1978! Monica and Rick are in a helicopter accident which leads to them being snow bound and stranded while poor Lesley worries at home...will Rick give into temptation?! Stay tuned to Classic General Hospital! And next Saturday Susan Moore Saturdays return and this time she finally dies!

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire

Week 22 (May 26-30, 1986) -- Part I

Jake: "Terry, don't you think you'd remember killing your own grandmother?"

Laurelton: It's time for another round of What I Like, What I Dislike, and What I'm Okay With.

I Liked That Seaview Sanitarium wasn't an intentionally sinister place, even if I'm questioning the logic of having a mental health facility on an isolated island. It's fun to see James Callahan as Dr. Montgomery, a year-and-a-half before Charles in Charge. It's obviously not Laurie Metcalf playing Nurse Lily, but for a moment on Monday, the actress kind of looked like Laurie.

I Dislike Dr. Farrell's lack of professionalism. Okay, I know HIPAA wasn't around in 1986. At least not officially, but on Thursday, Bobbie references "the 11th Commandment: thou shalt not give out any information about a patient." Anyway, would a doctor who's apparently been practicing for some time really say sensitive information about a suicide attempt, including the victim's name, in front of two people who might not have any connection to the incident? Speaking of that, shouldn't Farrell have put two and two (or rather, three and four) together with the more than half-dozen people from Port Charles, New York, who have all needed his services or been at his hospital in the last few days?

I've Made My Piece With Kevin cutting the phone line, because how else is the show going to slow down the action for a good three episodes? See also, Friday's episode devoting a good amount of time to Terry exploring the old stagecoach station from the inside, while Kevin does the same from the outside. The message is loud and clear to viewers: nothing crucial's going to happen before 3:50 p.m. Friday, so just enjoy the ride, alright?

I Dislike that Patrick is back in Port Charles during the grand finale. GH whiffed a good opportunity on Monday, by having there be ample time for Kevin to cut the sanitarium's phone line before Patrick can try calling Bobbie. Think about how much more effective it would have been if the line was severed when Patrick was on the phone, and he remembers that Kevin was "taking a walk." His suspicions raised, Patrick would secretly hang around the island. Then again, I guess it's less problematic to have the good guy in the finale be Terry's father figure rather than the guy who apparently was thisclose to outright raping her.

I Liked Jake finally getting through to Terry.

I LOVED Terry getting revenge on Kevin, even if it was only for three quarters of Thursday's episode. Oh, if only Terry hadn't wasted half her ammo so quickly.

Kevin: "You're out of your mind."

Terry: "Oh, we've known that for a long time, haven't we, Kevin? Now GO TO THE WATER!" fires second shot

I Liked the fakeout in Thursday's episode, when it looks like Terry's fifth bullet was fired into Kevin's side.

I'm Okay With Patrick's rude awakening on Thursday and Friday (and likely Monday, which I still need to see). He just can't believe that Port Charles would turn against its fair-haired boy. You can take an O'Connor away from the gullability and prejudices of Laurelton, but ...

Bobbie: "Patrick, you are riding for such a fall."

Patrick, leaving for Lucy's: "I'm finding out the truth, Bobbie!"

I Dislike how ugly things got at Lucy's apartment. It's bad enough that Patrick held a mirror to Lucy's face and said she was full of hatred and jealousy. It's worse that he grabs her neck and seems ready to throw her into the phone. GH seems to present this as a deceived man lashing out at a deceived woman. I wonder if at least a part of Lucy is now looking forward to regaining Patrick's trust and gaining his love just so she can have the revenge of deceiving him herself.

I Had a Good Laugh Over Kevin fireman carrying Terry out of the station. Those '80s jeans made Robyn Bernard's butt look enormous.

I Liked how there was no ambiguity. Kevin died when Terry bludgeoned him and he fell from that cliff onto some more jagged rocks. After next week, for the most part, Laurelton's over. It's really over. Forgive the intrusion from another soap, with a problematic character/actor, but it sums up my feelings ...

https://youtu.be/xenz_CWGR7k?t=365

Stray thoughts:

-- I hope Pete's Chili Dogs didn't have to pay the full price for product placement. Look at what Jake and Anna left behind and out in the sun on Monday: burgers (at least one of which is half-eaten), fries, and soft drinks without lids on them.

-- Way to go, Sgt. Lewis, getting promoted to captain. Lewis' scene with Burt and Derek includes an exchange that warmed my ex-newsman's heart.

Derek: "... Just asking an innocent question."

Burt: "Captain. Rule number one of the game: Newspeople never ask innocent questions. after Derek's tried to suss out Anna's whereabouts Rule number two of the game: How to handle newsmen. ... No comment. But, uh, you can quote me."

-- All that hay in the stagecoach station and no pitchfork?

-- Fun with foreshadowing: Patrick tells Lucy that what she knows could fill a book.

Tomorrow, my thoughts on Alan & Monica (John Reilly had the week off), Mike's Parentage, and the bare minimums we got with Jade & Yank (Tia Carrere also had the week off) and Bryan & Debbie (Bianca Ferguson also had the week off).