GH50: January 2014 Discussion - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[Vee]

I actually liked that Lucy fucked Scott again. People don't just have affairs on soaps anymore - it's always oh, they were drugged, they were brainwashed, they thought it was someone else, they had DID. Just do it! Have the affair! It works for me. And Lucy's little monologue was actually about her, her character and her history and Lynn Herring did a great job with it, made me believe it.

I thought they handled the Brad/Asian Quarter thing well, though I thought it was unfortunate that that backstory fell on a day with another Asian dayplayer, the first in ages, making it look as though it was suddenly "Asian Day" for Frank and Ron. Remember Agnes Chu? I liked her. I've always wanted more Asian-American characters on soaps, but you have to commit to them. His scene at the Floating Rib with Lucas was the first time I bought into Brad potentially being some kind of layered human being - as opposed to the forced backstory they hurled at us in torrents of dialogue a few months ago, when they suddenly decided they had to make Brad "rootable" overnight, make him and Felix legit, and have them almost kiss all in the space of one 36 minute episode. By comparison he scene with Lucas was easier, slower - it wasn't the second coming of Doug Marland by any means but it was at least more of a natural conversation.

If they were willing to explore the issues of him being adopted - probably by a white family - and delve into him without a lot of crass caricature stuff - "Brad the prick! Brad the sex pest!" - I could really get into him as at least an ancillary character on the show - I think other Asian contract players would need a bigger profile and a better entrance than his - and maybe I could get into him and Lucas. But I feel fairly positive that Brad is just the stopover to Felix, America's princess. Ron's usual house style is to ultimately have any character revert back to what he feels is their core, inescapable traits; in Brad's case, it's that he's "a prick". Character evolution is almost always just a feint before returning back to the well-worn tropes he believes any preexisting character or character type was built on, back in 1986 when everyone wore shoulderpads.

[SeanM]

Okay, thanks. That works better.

[cuzIsaySo]

Can someone explain why would BRAD even think twice before picking lucas over felix? Obviously in five minutes lucas has shown he has more respect for brad than felix ever did.

[cassadine1991]

I'm a bit disappointed that there is no buildup to the

[cuzIsaySo]

I think dr O's phone calls are the only build up rc is willing to create.

[cassadine1991]

IF it's connected

[Soapsuds]

Same here...I prefer Days over GH....The way Ron writes gay characters is so offensive.

[Soapsuds]

Wow I agree with both of you....lol

If Guza were around all of them would be gone..maybe not a bad thing considering how badly written the characters are on the show.

[cuzIsaySo]

Just out of curiosity are you gay yourself? Not that it takes anything away from your personal opinion but i am and i dont find either felix or brad offensive. Felix is annooying on a good day and i could take or leave him. But brad to me is a refreshing change from the predictable two dull gay guys get together and boredom ensues.

I was hoping for something good from Wilson but the 1.0 version bored me to sleep. Is there a rule on soaps that annointed every gay characters as the moral compass of daytime?

[ChitHappens]

I dig what you are saying. I feel this way about the writing for black characters. They are not edgy, don't get into trouble (unless it's gang related), don't have secrets or pasts, don't have sex, etc. So when you really look at this, gay characters have overcome and black characters are still counseling the white characters.

[DRW50]

This "edgy gay story" debate happens every time a soap has a gay character acting like a shithead. I remember this when Y&R had Adam seducing that dumb twink while having unprotected (as far as we knew) sex with his girlfriend. This was supposed to be shocking and wild and isn't it so rare to see a gay character who isn't a saint.

And just like Brad sexually harassing men, including a rape victim, this went nowhere, because the writing had little idea beyond trying to shock and thrill an audience who have been trained to believe that homosexuals are dirty or sick.

[cuzIsaySo]

I think its sad that the runner up would rather play it safe and stick with putting their token black character in a non threatening way. I am truly color blind when it comes to soaps and in general.

On gh, i think TJ is awesome but wish we could see more character development. Not sure it can happen while stuck with molly though.

How about bringing his mom? But shawn is dead to me for putting his life in danger in the first place.

And when is Pif gonna get a date? I love sonya eddy i wish we could see more of her.

I am not sure gay characters are going to fare any better becuz unless theyre straight acting and only written as pillar of virtue theyre deemed offensive and stereotypical.

[ChitHappens]

Is the writing for any character great? Why would Brad be an exception? He started out as scummy, but he's trying to be better. What's wrong with that?

I'm not saying any of the 3 are edgy, but must they be vanilla?

[cuzIsaySo]

brad was slated to be short term. The fact that parry shen did an excellent job with his nothing part led the writers to downplay that part the same way previous writers dismissed things that happent on screen when any actor catches on.

And we could argue til we re both blue in the face whether brad is truly as awful as you make him to be so i wont.

But i dont think people are getting a thrill out of brads miisbehaving so that it can comfort them in their belief that gays are pervert. Im willing to give most of the audience some credit.

[cuzIsaySo]

Apparently if we go by Wilsons "success", yes. I think all three need to be judged on their own merit and not how they make the entire gay community look like.

I dont see any straight character being held to such scrutinity when their behavior is less than stellar.

Equality will start when a gay character is allowed to be a total slime and it wont reflect on his sexuality. If brad was straight he would probably act the same way he is and thats what i think should be taken from the way rc is "telling his story".