GH: Classic Thread

[Soapsuds]

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[dc11786]

Made my way through January, 1991, quickly. It was easy because the show was pretty compelling thanks to two major storylines: (a) the Lucas saga and (b) the end of Lucy's pregnancy. In the main plot, Cheryl ended up in the hospital on New Years' Eve because of an injury she got in a fight with Tiffany leading Tiffany to learn that Tiffany has been hoarding Christmas presents for her husband Robert and son Robbie. I definitely think Robert was at this stage suppose to be the baby's father. Why else would the Jeromes have kept the baby secret? It only makes sense if Lucas was Cheryl and Robert's child. 

Jackie Zeman is amazing playing all the facets of Bobbie as she desperately attempts to keep the truth from Cheryl about Lucas' identity. Scorpio is onto Bobbie as she has been in cahoots with Broxton, the Jerome attorney (her knows the baby is Cheryl's). As a result, he blackmails Rita Lloyd Jones out of Port Charles, but not before Rita implies to Tony in a letter that Bobbie is having an affair. The back and forth continues until Frisco lies for Bobbie, after also catching her in Broxton's room during an arrest. Bobbie now has Frisco and Ruby in her scheme. Eventually, Robert learns and even keeps quiet for an episode or two until taking the baby and giving it to Cheryl. 

Once given the baby, Cheyl continues her crazy claiming the baby is Robert, but a paternity test shows its a lie. Then, we get a cat fight between Bobbie and Cheryl over Lucas. Any real energy this part of the story could have is avoided because this is the uncredited Monty era before the big revamp. 

The story with Lucy's baby is smaller, but equally powerful. They quickly have Scotty quit ELQ, dump Tracy, the Qs set up a trust for the baby, and then Scotty reveals to Alan in Lucy's presence that the baby is his. Lucy loses the baby as a result. There is a suggestion that Alan may be lead to physical violence (there is a montage of the Monica/Rick/Alan story randomly) leading to Lucy and Scott filing a suit against Alan to bring criminal charges against him blaming him for the baby's death. In the end, it's a money scheme, but it loses steam because Lucy is shipped out of town on a cruise so Herring can go on maternity leave. 

In what I'm watching now, there is some Scotty / Bobbie scenes that makes me thinkthey maybe they should have gone this route. 

The Monty mandate that we talk about the real world has lead to a ongoing subplot about the crisis facing Romanian orphans who have been liberated by the fall of communism but still face health issues such as disabilities and HIV/AIDS. Simone is immediately overwrought leading to her exit story. 

Other exit stories also involve the real world. Colton and Carla are planning their return to Santa Mauro, where El Presidente has given Colton a cattle ranch. First, Colotn has to sell Body Heat, but because of the recession is a hard sell, figuratively and literally. If there was a drinking game where they mentioned the recession, you'd be drunk pretty quick. There is lots of talk about the economy. It has also led to Monica, newly returned to the Q mansion, making sure that the whole family is put on notice. The Tracy branch is regulated to the gatehouse and the rest of the family is also placed on a budget. It's fun set of scenes, but it isn't sustainable. It at least reestablishes the family as a unit. 

The other transition story is the piracy act between the newly reimagined businessman Colton and the newly stripped down Edge. Edge's romantic interest in both Dawn and Anna is abandoned and he is now strictly a sleazy businessman. It works given the nature of where they are going. 

In what I'm watching now, Jenny Eckert has made her first appearance. So I am into the true Monty II era. 

[carolineg]

Was there any real reason given by Monty or whoever on why the choice was made to make Julian Lucas's father?  Was it to free up Robert?  Because from everything I have read and seen it doesn't make a lot of sense and wasn't terribly popular.

[AMCOLTLLover]

Great picture. Gosh I love her so much as Carly! 

[dc11786]

I am at Valentine's Day, 1991. Cheryl gets the baby back the last week of January/early February just as Norma Monty starts to be credited (it looks like she might be credited late January as there looks to be a name underneath Palumbo's but the credits are cut off in my episodes). On V Day, Cheryl tries to get some hairstylist to do her hair, but the man chooses Anna instead. Cheryl and her frizz try to win over Robert, but he's out with Anna and Cheryl, instead, accepts a job offer in Phoenix and departs town after sharing a quick goodbye with Tiffany and Sean. Monty clearly wanted to wipe the slate clean. 

I think the long plan under Palumbo/Hardy was a repairing of Anna and Robert. The emotional climax of the Faison/Casey the Alien/Crystal Caper is Sean revealing on his hospital bed that he arranged the destruction of Anna and Robert's marriage years ago through some scheme involving the Swede and possibly an affair between Anna/Faison. Actually, I suspect the original plan was to reveal that original plan was to play the beat that Robin may be Faison's daughter as the timing of the affair and Robin's age suggested he was a contender. This was never explored although a great deal of time was spent on a relationship between Robin and Faison as they were collaborting on a book together in the summer of 1990. 

Given what plays out onscreen, the only thing that makes sense was that Palumbo/Hardy planned on revealing that Robert was Lucas' father. There is a scene in September 1990 between Scorpio and Frisco that alludes to both Scorpio having more children and Frisco's past relationship with his own father. Then, Broxton reveals that the number on Victor Jerome's diamond pouch is the number of Cheryl's file with Dr. Perry, who sold the baby to Bobbie. The diamonds were Victor's insurance policy when he got out of jail. The only reason that makes sense about this is if Victor planned to blackmail Robert to leave him alone with evidence of the baby's location. If it was a Jerome grandchild, why allow him to float around?

I think the plan for Evan Jerome, Jr. was for Edge to be Evan. I think Hardy's departure may have lead to some changes as there were clearly sweeping changes happening even before Hardy is out the door. Evan may have even been in the works when Palumbo/Kenney were EP because of Duke's role in Evan's father's death. Edge should have been an intriguing obstacle for Anna, but instead, he is quickly abandoned. I thought the potential of a Cheryl / Robert / Anna / Edge scenario was very intriguing given the fact that Lucas was either Robert or Julian's. 

Cheryl also weaponizes Lucas' paternity in her final days trying to get a reunion with Robert because he is their son. It makes Bobbie more sympathetic because even though she lied I don't think she was using Lucas to keep her marriage together. She lied to keep Lucas, not Tony. I'm glad that Riche revives the custody battle over Lucas with Bobbie/Tiffany. After watching this all play out, I think it is a brilliant move. 

[Vee]

Thanks so much for these as always. We could use some of that brute force and speed in turning out old story right now.

Edited April 28 by Vee

[carolineg]

Thank you so much for your detailed explanations as always.  I find out so much from you.  In your opinion would you have kept Cheryl and/or Edge?  I have never heard much positive about either, but it seems both have potential.  

[titan1978]

I liked Cheryl and I was certain Lucas was going to end up Robert’s. And that was when I was only catching the show occasionally depending on how fast I got home from school. As a kid I really liked a lot of Wes Kinney’s GH, and not as much of Hardy’s. Edge I had very little interest in. 

[DRW50]

Thanks @dc11786 . GH has been a show that allowed for more upheaval than a number of other soaps (although those days are gone), but Monty's return seems to be a cautionary tale on that front. I imagine reading your recaps of the period is more coherent and compelling than trying to watch. 

I remember when Soap Opera Weekly had short blurbs from a slew of GH actors around the 30th anniversary. The woman who played Cheryl talked about how unhappy she was with the later treatment of her character. Reading these recaps, I can see why.

[Vee]

Richard Simmons is talking at length about his GH memories on Twitter. There's several long threads so I recommend just going through the page using either Twitter or a nitter instance like me.

[titan1978]

Thanks for the heads up. Everyone was terrified of those Monty heels clicking as she came from the booth to the set!

That was a sweet story about Genie Francis and the earrings.