On 12/29/2024 at 8:45 PM, dc11786 said:

I think Tony Jones is one of the main reasons I am not sure I'll ever be able to watch much of the Guza 1990s even though some of the clips of the era are very appealing. I just think the destruction of Bobbie and Tony's marriage without reuniting them in the end is such a glaring error especially since so little was done with either character. 

Very shocking scene in June, 1993, that might have been a scrap (or mere coincidence) of Wendy Riche's proposed (and shot down) A.J. contracts HIV storyline. In one episode, there is an extended sequence of Bobbie speaking with Marcy, a young woman of 25 about her chronic health issues. Marcy is praying she will live until her 30 birthday and Bobbie promises two make a cake to celebrate that occasion. It's a very sweet scene, but no real overall value to the canvas. After Marcy departs (with her caring and supportive boyfriend), Bobbie talks to Monica and Tony about Marcy and her HIV status and suggesting to Steve to dedicate some of Dominque's bequest to AIDS research. During the discussion, there is mention of the devastating effects of the disease and Monica makes a rather pointed comment: "It is a shame that my sons can't have fun the way we did." At this point, A.J. hasn't really been paired with anyone post Nikki. There is some hints with Brenda and Julia, but nothing definitive. 

Monica's angst over Alan / Rhonda still intrigues me. Nice conversation with Bobbie where Bobbie brings up how she thought Tony was having an affair with Rita Lloyd Jones, which I don't think actually happened because Bobbie was so absorbed with the Lucas secret, but that's definitely where that story was going.  

The fall out of Steve and Audrey's attack is very well done. Both Steve and Audrey are feeling the effects which have been heightened now that Ryan has been admitted to GH as a patient. Hardy standing by Ryan's bed while contemplating killing Ryan, with Ryan taunting him to do it, was a shock. Ames is breaking my heart as Audrey becomes more and more frightened of the situation, especially given the bravado Ames displayed during the attack scenes where she was coolly playing along with Ryan's delusion that she was his mother. 

The prom night fall out is pretty wild. Brenda and Jason end up at the dunes and Jason calls out Brenda after Brenda rebuffs Jason's sexual advances after running hot and heavy with him earlier in the evening when Jagger was around. It was nicely contrasted with Karen and Jagger about to have sex for the first time and Karen freaking out as memories of her abuse at the hands of Ray surface. Ray has also just made his first appearance. 

Felicia and Mac are just the perfect long angsty couple (this slow burn has been going on since June, 1992, and I believe there was a bit of Mac/Felicia in late 1991 before Wagner left). The shaving scene is pretty intense and I got to a point where I just was yelling at the TV to kiss already. Wagner and York really deserve their roses for the work they are doing here. Phenomenal. 

The fallout of Tracy's departure has been nice. Paul is livid that Tracy has run off with Dillon and Jenny is living with the guilt that her actions have led to Tracy's great escape. Paul also name drops Susan so she is still out there somewhere. 

I also appreciate the rotation of the stories. Something is always happening and I don't feel like stories are gone too long before they pick up again. Katherine has just popped up in town and it's too soon for me to get a feel of whether or not I will enjoy this.  

I miss this GH, before Sonny's nonsense kicked in.

39 minutes ago, Vee said:

 

I don't think Brad Maule had trouble playing vulnerability. I do think the show retrod the same notes with the character over and over during the slow end of his marriage to Bobbie. They were wonderful together, but I agree too much had happened to go back.

 

I don’t think he lacked vulnerability. I just think he played it as it was written, either by choice or because it’s what he was told to do, and it lacked some of the nuance that might have helped for a redemption story. I got the downward spiral, but I also found very little to root for with Tony.

I will say that it all felt very real though. His slow descent felt lived in. And I know he was actually excited to play the stories until it just became him being bitter and appearing a few times a month with no actual story anymore.

Tony became the first character that was against Carly that the show worked overtime to make it seem like she didn’t deserve it. They did it here and there with Robin back then too, especially when she told AJ the truth, but it was Robin so they were more equals. First Tony, then AJ and the Quartermaines, then anybody not on team Carly.

Edited December 31, 2024Dec 31 by titan1978

General Homicide Killer should popup to get rid of some of the bloated cast. Have Lucy do an anniversary tour of the book's original release. 

4 minutes ago, Marco Dane said:

I miss this GH, before Sonny's nonsense kicked in.

He should never have been allowed to dominate the entire show. And obviously the Nielsen audience felt the same way because during the total domination of Sonny/Carly/Jason and overall darkness of the show they lost millions of viewers. But Frons didn’t care because he was plotting the end of soaps.

I was not watching GH when Elizabeth got raped, but my friends who did at the time all thought that Tony was the rapist.  Tony was drinking heavily and was apparently in a nasty stage.  It is hearsay because I wasn't watching.  I just remember what my friends told me.

17 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I wonder.  I have to go back and rewatch.  Did you suspect suicide or Carly actually killing him when she shot him in court?  I am glad it didn't happen at the time because Carly was definitely framed as being 'right' for shooting Tony.

I honestly don't know. For some reason I got the sense he was supposed to off himself or be killed by police, but who knows.

2 minutes ago, victorlord75 said:

I was not watching GH when Elizabeth got raped, but my friends who did at the time all thought that Tony was the rapist.  Tony was drinking heavily and was apparently in a nasty stage.

I do think that may have been intended by Guza, but vetoed. Maybe that's what I'm thinking of. Or maybe it was always just a red herring.

Edited December 31, 2024Dec 31 by Vee

41 minutes ago, carolineg said:

Since we never saw them reconnect on air before 2013 it was odd.  It felt like a situation where they were both settling.  While I will always believe Brenda is the love of Jax's life he knows he is second best.  Brenda just looks like a wishy-washy fool getting back with Jax and engaged for the 100th time and immediately begging Sonny to take her back.  WTF even was that?  Lol.

Why screw an entire fanbase for, what, a week's worth of story? 

It was a Ron special. Just cheap, quick drama for the anniversary. He did the same thing with Laura and Scott's nonsensical offscreen reunion, engagement and 30-second remarriage the at the same time. Doesn't matter if it makes sense. He did this many times at both shows.

1 hour ago, Vee said:

I honestly don't know. For some reason I got the sense he was supposed to off himself or be killed by police, but who knows.

I do think that may have been intended by Guza, but vetoed. Maybe that's what I'm thinking of. Or maybe it was always just a red herring.

That sounds plausible to me.  Killed by the police or killing himself could have been a turn taken although I am glad the show didn't do that.  Kidnapping Robin without her meds was a pretty deep hole to dig Tony out of but I never felt it was entirely malicious.  He just got into a situation he didn't think through at all and wasn't in his right mind.

I have never heard the Liz rape theory.  Very interesting.  I can wrap my mind around it because I think there were multiple clues it was possible.  I glad that got vetoed too.  That really doesn't seem like Tony even while drunk and a bit crazy.  The Robin/Michael stuff at least made some sense.

44 minutes ago, Vee said:

It was a Ron special. Just cheap, quick drama for the anniversary. He did the same thing with Laura and Scott's nonsensical offscreen reunion, engagement and 30-second remarriage the at the same time. Doesn't matter if it makes sense. He did this many times at both shows.

So stupid.  I am sure there are Sonny/Brenda stans that ate that up but not me.  It made Jax and Brenda look stupid and Sonny turned her down anyways for Konnie.  No point.  Except for a few funny Carly/Brenda moments and the vague Michael tease the whole return was worthless.  I would hate for that to be my last memory of Brenda on screen.  Even Brenda coming back with Michael's kid at some point (which I do not endorse) is pointless because Michael has already built a Corinthos level stable of kids in 2025.

1 hour ago, carolineg said:

So stupid.  I am sure there are Sonny/Brenda stans that ate that up but not me.  It made Jax and Brenda look stupid and Sonny turned her down anyways for Konnie.  No point.  Except for a few funny Carly/Brenda moments and the vague Michael tease the whole return was worthless.  I would hate for that to be my last memory of Brenda on screen.  Even Brenda coming back with Michael's kid at some point (which I do not endorse) is pointless because Michael has already built a Corinthos level stable of kids in 2025.

Maybe they'll bring her back with another Dante child and she, Brooklyn and Lulu will form a club. Or Kristina will rage at them as she lost her child and then falls out another window.

11 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Maybe they'll bring her back with another Dante child and she, Brooklyn and Lulu will form a club. Or Kristina will rage at them as she lost her child and then falls out another window.

Horrible thought.  Brenda already has 1 too many kids.  I wouldn't be opposed to her throwing Kristina out of a window, but Sonny would probably be sad about that if he doesn't die of his heart attack yesterday.  😂  I kid, it's more likely Brenda throws Kristina out a window than Sonny dying.

Just now, carolineg said:

Horrible thought.  Brenda already has 1 too many kids.  I wouldn't be opposed to her throwing Kristina out of a window, but Sonny would probably be sad about that if he doesn't die of his heart attack yesterday.  😂  I kid, it's more likely Brenda throws Kristina out a window than Sonny dying.

Joking aside or taking another long-lost kid out of the story, Brenda returning and being on trial for somehow injuring Kristina would have been some juicy drama, maybe the only Sonny drama that could interest me right now. 

28 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Joking aside or taking another long-lost kid out of the story, Brenda returning and being on trial for somehow injuring Kristina would have been some juicy drama, maybe the only Sonny drama that could interest me right now. 

It could be drama.  It's hard for me to picture anything FV and co would do with Brenda since they don't care at all about the character.  I just don't think it would be too outside the box-work at Deception, push and pull with Sonny, hanging out with Lois, etc.  I doubt GH in 2025 would take any risk on such a popular character and put her in any perceived negative light.

3 hours ago, victorlord75 said:

I was not watching GH when Elizabeth got raped, but my friends who did at the time all thought that Tony was the rapist.  Tony was drinking heavily and was apparently in a nasty stage.  It is hearsay because I wasn't watching.  I just remember what my friends told me.

 

3 hours ago, Vee said:

I do think that may have been intended by Guza, but vetoed. Maybe that's what I'm thinking of. Or maybe it was always just a red herring.

I've heard two, very conflicting stories about Liz's rape and the writers' intentions.  One was that Tony was intended to be the rapist; the other was that they never intended her rapist to be found.  I don't know how true either of those stories are, but it does suggest that TPTB interfered somewhat as the story rolled out.

Edited January 1Jan 1 by Khan

1 hour ago, Khan said:

I've heard two, very conflicting stories about Liz's rape and the writers' intentions.  One was that Tony was intended to be the rapist; the other was that they never intended her rapist to be found.

I think the latter theory is true. I've heard it before. I think it may be MVJ's own personal story, though I may be wrong.

This talk about Tony made me reread the summaries for when he arrived in April 1984. I was under the impression that Tony & Tania was something thrown together once Frisco & Felicia took off, but it was a slow burning possibility from the get-go. Kudos to the writers for opting not to go with a brother vs. brother situation. Also, I still say that Tony and Ginny had some chem testing.