Soapnet's "50 years in 50 hours" GH marathon

[Vee]

This whole period was dreadful - Sonny and Emily, etc. - and the monkey virus storyline with Robert's return was a great idea mangled by Guza. But this episode, with Tony's death, or at least that portion of the episode, was flawless. A fantastic exit for Brad Maule. His final scene - which if you haven't seen, I will not spoil - took my breath away.

[VirginiaHamilton]

Considering that Liz thought nothing of disrespecting Lucky by hooking up with his brother and the roided goiter (that is, when she wasn't busy emasculating him), I think that that is the kindest things that he'd said to her trifling ass that day.

[Cheap21]

Never saw Jax's introduction before. I knew he was originally brought on for Lois. Didn't know Mac was the link and that he was used to get him introduced. Also didnt know that Jerry was created at the same as Jax as I thought he was some retconned brother down the line

I remember her telling a bunch of women they'd most likely never get pregnant or give birth and next thing you know, the hos were knocked up!

[DRW50]

It mostly told me his view of women who are raped, but considering the way he was with Laura I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I get that Tony Geary hated Claire Labine's "family man" version of Luke, but I think that was the only time I genuinely cared for that character...

[DRW50]

I can never get past the hair.

[VirginiaHamilton]

The only thing I'd gotten from that well-deserved and long-overdue takedown was that my JJ Lucky was back with a brain and a spine (as opposed to the himbos who'd made him dumber and hapless with each recast), as he'd voiced everything that I'd been thinking so eloquently - all the way down to "rutting like farm animals".

[DRW50]

To me saying a woman is only worthwhile if she's beaten and raped isn't very smart, but I shouldn't have brought it up in this thread. I apologize.

[Cheap21]

I had no idea that Frisco came back to PC and lived there for a little bit after he knocked Felicia up again. I didn't think he had ever met Georgie. Weird seeing him make all these promises to Felicia about assuring her that he'd never leave and then he does it. How long after this did he actually leave? How long was he in town for and how was he originally written out?

[DRW50]

I think he made two or three short-term visits in 1994 and 1995. The last one, I think, was in spring or summer 1995, and Felicia basically told him she knew he didn't want to be around and he should do what he wanted. I think at that time they were still acting like he'd be in touch with the kids, but I can't remember. I remember one of the soap magazines panning these visits and basically saying it made them not want to see Frisco again (although maybe that was the point).

I was surprised at just how long their scene was in the post-shootout episode. In between the carnage at the Spencer house and Sonny's apartment, you had them sitting on the bed, Frisco reading want ads, etc. It was a 4-5 minute scene, or longer. Now that scene would be 30 seconds.

[Vee]

The scenes in the '93 episodes the other day were also very long. It made me remember how long they used to run with those rambling Labine conversations, vignettes, anecdotes, soliloquies, often just about everyday minutiae or interpersonal issues. And it worked, back then and again when I rewatched them yesterday.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

A stellar scriptwriting team really kept this show afloat in the 90's and even through Guza's latter day carnage.

It's a shame that the current script writing team is so lackluster and downright atrocious. Then again, the 80's dialogue and character voices weren't any better than what's on now from what I've seen...

[DRW50]

The show was fortunate to have a strong sense of community and family in the 80s. I think that carried the show for much of the decade. I'm sad that is all gone now.

[Vee]

I think the early '80s show was of a different time and style than the more layered and grounded '90s, but worked just fine balancing adventure and character in its own way. I don't think the current show comes close.

[VirginiaHamilton]

Watching the first BW episode and as much as I had zero use for him as AJ, it still pisses me the fvck off to see that guttersnipe whore be portrayed with a point of view, let alone a sympathetic one. Centering this show around her and elevating her is a huge reason why it was brought to its knees.

Something tells me that I am going to need to stay away from sharp object when I get to the Michael paternity reveal eppy.

On a lighter note, I'm finding that I like V a lot more here than I did when this eppy aired. Back then, I thought that anything connected to Jax beyond Brenda was boring because he bored me to tears in general, so I unfairly painted her with that brush. I'm not sure why they hadn't kept her on past J&B because she would've made a nice post-Brenda match with Jax. What's more, she seems quite personable and would've fit right in long-term. Lord knows she's a lot more interesting and better than the other post-Brenda chicks that they've saddled him with.