General Hospital August 2018 Discussion

[ChitHappens]

 

Dragging Carly back to Sonny over Jax [when physically it never made sense with LW in the role] was all Benard.  Anytime Carly was moved elsewhere and they toyed with Carly/Nik, Carly was pulled back to Sonny.  LW and Tyler were thrilled and then the story was canned quickly.  For the last 10 years, whenever there was nothing for Sonny to do or Benard was not shining (which he can't do without a strong female lead), they'd pull Carly right back into that black hole and not clue the viewers in on what was so damn irresistible about that little greasy man.  

[carolineg]

 

I don't love them or anything.  GH has just worn me down and I don't care who Sonny or Carly is paired with. 

 

 

I agree the default setting for both characters has always been one another.  It hasn't been a good physical or chemistry match since the TB Carly days.  It doesn't seem like either actor is crazy about the pairing either, so it's strange they keep putting them back together.  LW and IR were really good together.  Still not sure why they got rid of Ingo.  And for a man who was so charismatic in the 90's, MB and Sonny sure have had a lot of failed pairings.   I can never remember when it all went bad, but Sonny used to be one of my favorite characters.  Like him or not, at least Steve Burton has had some popular pairings.    MB has literally only had Sonny/Brenda and the early Carson years.  No other pairing he had has been remotely popular.

[ChitHappens]

Benard's influence over this character and scripts has been Sonny's undoing.  He wants to play this bad ass character, yet all the characters must love Sonny.  He's afraid to play a true villain.  But that may be for the best because we are well aware of his range.  

[Juliajms]

I think part of the problem is they kept trying to recreate Sonny and Brenda.  That was never going to happen, but they tried over and over and failed every time.

[carolineg]

 

I feel like there was a period of time where if you looked like Vanessa Marcil you were hired on GH and paired with Sonny.  Lisa Vultaggio looked so much like VM when they paired her with Sonny it was crazy, but at least the show acknowledged it.   I mean Sonny and Brenda could barely recreate Sonny and Brenda in 2010, so that's just a bad idea to keep trying.

 

 

Part of what made Sonny appealing in the 90's is that characters were allowed to hate Sonny.  He wasn't a good guy.   He had redeeming qualities in his love for Brenda, Stone, Robin etc., but he was a jerk.   I can honestly say when GH is finally cancelled we can look to the point where Sonny and his bff Jason were made the leading men as the beginning of the end.

[KMan101]

 

Bingo!

 

This too!

 

And this!

 

Sonny was SO much more watchable in the 90s.

 

Guza and Phelps (and Frons) can be thanked for the focus on them. It was such a mistake. I know they had their ferverent stans but it really killed the show. Now the same kind of thing is back except it's Varni and Frank's pets plus Sonny, Carly and Jason when they feel like it (Burton seems wasted to me; is Miller REALLY necessary?)

 

Imagine instead of Franco and Liz the last few years we were granted a compelling and interesting romance between Liz and AJ. But, no. We have to have Roger Howarth hamming it up.

 

deVry would have worked better as say, Tom Hardy, instead of Julian Jerome. Or Frank's bestest buddy Michael Easton.

 

We don't need Stafford. We don't need Laura Wright's boyfriend. We don't need Michael Easton (but his McBain could have better fit into GH than on OLTL, jmo). We don't need Elizabeth Hendrickson. We don't need Billy Miller and his stans. We don't need Roger Howarth and his stans.

 

I don't mind West as Ava but even that's getting a little tired, as much as I hate to say it (it's really just the revolting and redudant writing Ava gets).

 

I'll never understand the fascination the show has with Hayley Erin and Kiki. She's passable, but she's supporting, at best, and not a lead. She's not quite as bad as I maybe make her out to be but wouldn't this be much more interesting seeing Serena going through a #MeToo experience?

 

And I think it's clear they had a Nelle/Maxie baby thing planned (I imagine before Nathan died they had different ideas; they couldn't saddle Maxie with a dead husband and a dead baby at the same time) but switched it to Lucas and Brad. I tuned in and was shocked to actually see them on-screen. I haven't really watched at all. Anytime I try I can't and turn the channel.

 

This is from someone who was actually starting to get back into the show around Jason's return, despite my hatred of the idea of the Borg coming back, I was won over. Then you had Laura vs. Ned. But then it all went to hell. Not saying they still didn't focus on the wrong people (Julian and Kim have NO chemistry; stop it! I feel so bad for Tamara Braun, personally, she's being wasted) but the show was in a better place.

 

There are things I kind of want to tune in for (Carly/Ryan/Lucas-Nelle-Michael-Brad) at the moment but the rest of the focus is so awful I can't.

 

What's the deal with the Kevin/Ryan stuff? Was Ryan the one so fascinated with Faison's brain? (I found it odd Kevin was so interested even if it made sense for him to be but I never thought of Ryan!) Has Ryan been Franco's therapist this whole time? Will they remember Ryan terrorized Audrey and Steve (considering I imagine this is ultimately a Franco story). I apologize for being confused but I'm truly not watching. I don't even read recaps or spoilers anymore like I used to when I wouldn't watch so I could keep up.

[carolineg]

Sonny was 100 times more watchable in the 90's.  MB used to actually try back then not a stutter or line fumble in old clips at all.  I know Claire Labine said Sonny was not meant to be the leading man, a lead in his own stories, but not the leading man of GH.   I get S/B/J were super popular-I was obsessed.  But how many Sonny stans are really left?  I haven't cared about Sonny in about 15 years.  I maintain that Sonny's story should have ended in 1997 when he left Brenda at the altar.  It may be unpopular, but I think it was a fitting ending to the character.  Finally getting all the power he wanted only to realize it cost him his one true love and a life and a family. Post 1999 Sonny has done nothing of use besides re-populate the town with his spawn.

 

Jason should have gotten his memories back, dropped the mob thing and he should have probably become the leading man.  Not that I find Burton particularly charismatic or charming, but as a Quartermaine it at least would have made more sense.    And to answer your final question, no Miller is never really necessary on our tv screens period.

 

The only newish character I would keep is Ava.  I don't mind Hayley Erin as Kiki either.   Everyone else I would literally get rid of Nina, Julian, Kim, Valentin,  Franco, Drew, Elizabeth Hendrickson, whoever Michael Easton plays, Oscar, LW's boyfriend -everyone.  The only semi-promising new character that had potential was Nelle and that was thoroughly ruined.

 

Free up some payroll and get Jonathan Jackson, Tyler Christopher (I can't imagine his days character lasting much longer), Ingo (ditto for him on B&B), KMc, Tristian, and even Vanessa back.  It's a shame GH lost out on Jack Wagner and Rena Sofer because they were both clearly willing to do soaps again.

[John]

Do myou think Rena would come back to GH with Wally there?

[KMan101]

 

I'm really shocked Ingo wasn't back on GH permanently. Clearly they don't want him because he was willing to sign with B&B in a poorly conceived idea to recast Thorne. And who's now I imagine still getting 1 or 2 appearances a month at best?

 

What happened with Wagner and Sofer? Wagner seemed opened and even Marcil was open and the show doesn't invite either of them to stay. I just assumed it was the actors (including with Ingo) but now I realize it's the show. I shouldn't be watching Nina. I should be watching Lucy Coe and Brenda Barrett.

 

Agreed on Jason and his memory. It's why I initially gave Miller and his Jason a pass because he was willing to embrace the Quartermaine side. I've felt more warmth between Miller and Leslie Charleson than I ever have with Burton and Leslie. But it works on-screen because of what should always be love, but maybe some awkward tension. Maybe they choose to play it that way, or maybe they just aren't that close. I really was tired of Burton's Jason but now they've somehow made me a fan again, likely because they favor Miller over him so I always root for the 'underdog'.

 

I've long thought Sonny should have stayed gone in 1997. Return in 1998 and either get a happy ending with Brenda or not come back at all. He really hasn't been "needed" the last two decades at all, personally. Labine had the right idea and I still love that Ron backburnered him and Frank didn't seem to care (like how quickly they disposed of Jason and how quickly Steve ran out the door to follow Jill; and I think we know Tony likely fought how Ron really wanted to write Luke), but then all of a sudden Sonny was back front and center and everyone was apologizing for him.

 

It's like a big joke we're supposed to be a part of but we're over it and can't stand it anymore. Actors shouldn't make decisions. They can and should absolutely have input, but these diva demands of working with certain people, not doing this or that, needs to end. You're hired to do a job. If you don't like it, try and work together, if not, there's the door. JMO. This kissing the actors asses stuff has to stop. Frank seemed to quickly fall in line with giving people what they wanted and he and Varni seem to be hiring their friends to dominate the canvas. It's no different than the years of Jill's friends dominating different soaps. It just sucks as fans because we know what the agenda is, but the casuals eat it all up (though Twitter is NOT happy with GH right now, from what I can see, lol, but they don't seem to care).

 

Why do we keep getting Haydens, Margaux's, Britt's, when we really should have had Sarah Webber this whole time? Budig or Hendrickson easily could have worked in that role. And I still can't believe they kept Easton and dumped Budig. She actually made him tolerable! Now Finola's stuck with him. It's clearly agenda driven to have Easton with Finola, Howarth with Herbst and deVry with Braun and Grahn. It's really sad how hard they have to work to make them work. The writers should be allowed to focus on other things instead of making their bosses pets work, but that's not how it works I suppose.

 

Reminds me of how desperately they tried to make Shawn Christian and Daniel Jonas work on DAYS, when we should have been watching Mike Horton or Craig Wesley instead.

 

Back to GH, I like Ava (and West). I can tolerate Kiki now but I wish the focus were on a character I truly cared about, I'd be so much more invested (like having Liz as secondary in the story of her rapists release). The rest can all go. Jordan and Curtis fit in perfectly but they do little with them.

 

Vernee Watson's Stella and Max Gail's Mike have been welcome additions, IMO. And we've needed a better "veteran" cast, considering they only use Felicia, Mac, Lucy a few times a year, total. Sure they pop up once a month or so but it's sad how little they're used. It doesn't even have to be leading a story, they work as supporting too!

 

I tried to give Oscar the benefit of the doubt but the actor is still green. So, no thanks. Recast please.

 

I doubt it. But who knows? Time changes people.

 

And a paycheck is a paycheck.

 

Considering Olivia is a watered down Lois anyway (and I like Olivia and Lo Cicero, but really ...) ... I doubt they even care about bringing her on. But they would because it would mean "snagging Sofer" again. But who knows?

 

I'd love to see her back on GH but the cast is bloated and I dread what they'd do with her. I just can't see Lois on the canvas anymore but I'd like to be proven wrong.

 

It's a shame Ned's adult daughter is nowhere to be found. Maybe she could have been having the #MeToo story instead of Kiki? Or Scotty's equally blond and much more likeable daughter Serena? Or Lucy's daughter Christina? I mean ... instead we're getting round 6,000 of Lexi Ainsworth. Zzzzzzz. At least Hayley Erin has made Kiki a lot more likeable through this, but I still don't care about her like I would with the others.

 

I think my problem with Kiki at the center is that it felt forced. All of a sudden she has this potential to be some great doctor? Lawd it felt incredibly forced. And still does. It's like they took someone else's planned story and gave it to her. Would have been more interesting if she had a story continuing to help those with mental disorders, and she stumbled across a recast Morgan. But no. And then it's like they gave that potential story to Carly by locking her up and having Kevin be taken over by Ryan. Lawd again.

 

I have no proof, and I DON'T want it, but I feel like twice they've killed the potential of a Morgan return. Again, I'm not complaining but it's often fairly obvious when shifts happen and stories feel rushed and forced. Not that Carly getting locked up didn't feel like where it was heading. I think it's probably the best story Carly's had since LW took the role. I had little interest in her Carly until the last few years. (Ron had no interest in writing for her it seemed)

[Antoyne]

I really liked LW and IR together, I'm still not sure why they weren't endgame. Laura as Carly has never looked right with Sonny.

[carolineg]

 

Rena Sofer said she was not contacted nor asked back when Lois was recast and was upset by that.  It could have been a more behind the scenes thing if her and Wally Kurth weren't amicable exes.  I have no idea. Olivia really shouldn't exist  because Dante is gone and she has always been a poor man's Lois.  Jack Wagner I don't believe was interested in a full time return.  Vanessa looked like she checked out of her return about 2 months in except for in scenes with her and MB and her and IR.  She seemed to still try in those scenes.  I guess VM said she was asked to take a paycut and said no.  I think the 2 or 3 crappy Hallmark/Lifetime movies she does a year probably pays almost as much as the daily grind at GH.  Also, Frank doesn't seem to have the Guza obsession for Brenda as a character.  I am not sure that VM still has the fanbase to make any difference although I find most S&B or J&B fans are Brenda fans first.  I think she probably has more fans than half the current cast combined for what it's worth.

 

I mean where is liz's mom?  Sarah Webber?  Tom Hardy Jr?  Christina and Serena Baldwin? Brooklyn?  Sean and Tiffany's daughter?  Jagger's son Stone?  Where are Maya Ward and her sister?  So many to list...Why saddle Brenda with an unknown characters son?  Why on earth wasn't it Jax's?  The story writes itself.  Why create a character named Cooper Barrett and not have him related to an actual Barrett and not a single person in the entire cast even mentions the coincidence of the name.  Why kill Emily, Georgie, Alan, Tony even Courtney who I hated?  The show has given so many characters children only to bring on Oscar, like what? 

 

Sonny should have stayed gone or given S&B a HEA.  If MB needed to return they should have rested the character for a bit and then brought him back.  Although I do love his scenes with Jason when he finds out Brenda is dead.....Ingo should have never been fired.  He seemed like a solid team player who had to have almost as many fans as MB did in his 90's peak.

 

In regards to Morgan, I heard Brian Craig was difficult or something?  No idea if that's true and he is easily re-castable.

[carolineg]

 

Not sure?  I think Guza like to play up the triangle with Sonny?  Or was just praying everyday VM would come back so they could play that triangle again?  I think Ingo had more successful pairings outside of Brenda than Sonny:  Skye/Jax, CarJax, Jaxis even though they never were romantic.  To me, Ingo comes off as a better lead than MB.  He is (to me at least) much more handsome and an overall good guy.    He may not be the actor that MB was in the 90's but I don't really think acting makes a lead.  Deidre Hall, Susan Lucci, Genie Francis even Ali Sweeney or Vanessa aren't really the best actors-they just resonate with people.  I liked CarJax a lot but IR seems to play, imo, that the minute Brenda walks into a room he doesn't care about anyone else.  But I felt like they found a nice compromise with Carly and Jax and should have stuck with it.  They just had no one to put with Sonny-that's the larger issue.  Sonny needs a lady.  Hannah, Angel, Sam, Reese, Claudia, Ava, Kate (KS version), Emily, Olivia, Claire, Ava,  Carly's lawyer (did I miss anyone?) all failed miserably.  They are unable to cast a love interest for Sonny that anyone cares about and IR became the casualty because right or wrong at least Carson has some fans......

 

[KMan101]

 

Agreed. Jax has been very underrated and I've often liked a lot of his romances. I still smile when he shares scenes with Alexis. And I liked him with Skye and LW's Carly.

 

Carly and Jax worked better as a long-term couple than Sonny and Carly. Carly's been damaged by staying with Sonny and constantly taking him back. Their push and pull should have ended a long time ago. Most of what they've given Carly and Sonny the last few years would have worked much better divided between Carly and Jax and Brenda and Sonny. Brenda's inability to leave Sonny would make a lot more sense. I've never believed the love Sonny and Carly have. It was always so toxic. Now they're painted as a super couple. It doesn't work. At least LW tries to sell it. Mo long has needed to retire. (Sonny as a character died to me the minute AJ went on that meat hook, not that I was hating on him before that but how they justify it and have Michael just adoring Sonny honestly makes me sick sometimes, lol, it's all so awful)

[carolineg]

 

IMO, I think most of what was given to S/J/C was sorta of just a re hash of what Guza wanted to do with S/B/J.  I never felt RC or FV had a strong connection to the characters of Jax or Brenda.  Carly works fine!  Except she doesn't.

 

Carly has always been a scrappy character interested in what's best for her.  She would have taken Sonny's money and ran the first time they fell apart.  Then she meets her match in Jax and settles down with him.  Carly doesn't (as originally penned) seem the type to take years and years of abuse from Sonny.  Carly seemed like the woman perfectly  content to marry the richest guy in town and flaunt her wealth and hotel with Jax.  And Jax, being burned by Brenda/Sonny, so many times would seem happy getting one of Sonny's woman and keeping her.  They had good chem and I believed they loved one another.  I don't get it...

 

Brenda, OTOH, wasn't interested in money or power and wore her heart on her sleeve.  Her inability to get over someone she has loved since she was 18 makes some sort of sense.  Although anytime Brenda has personal growth, I feel like she take 1 step forward, 10 steps back.  I think Sonny and Brenda come off toxic too, but in a more believable way I guess?  I buy that they would sabotage themselves over and over because Sonny doesn't think he is good enough for Brenda and Brenda doesn't think she is worthy of love.

 

It's sad that I can tell you how I feel about character motivations for Jax, Carly, Brenda, and Sonny because they were fully fleshed out characters at one point.  I couldn't tell you anything about 75% percent of the cast now because they just exist to exist.

[SteelCity]

I was so hoping for Carly and Nik! Apparently LW was very excited too, but they were put to pasture. I was not pleased. I had no idea that Napoleon Corthinos was the real reason for the kibosh. That makes me so annoyed! No actor should dictate story, barring any specific certain circumstances!