General Hospital October 2021 Discussion Thread

[titan1978]

The only reason I felt they wrote about the hospital was the popularity of Grey’s Anatomy and they needed an orbit of characters for Robin, because she didn’t want to be in the Sonny/Jason orbit when she returned.  The hospital had been neglected for quite some time before that.  It was like later original Monty era all over again- people were there to be treated, but the stories had little to do with GH.  I can’t remember if Guza even told another medical focused storyline after Lulu needed bone marrow before JFP arrived.  Certainly nothing that close to what Labine had been doing before.

[Liberty City]

Mhmm. Without Lenny still in Nixon Falls, I don't see Phyllis sticking around. But now? She has no Lenny, no Tan-O. Nothing is keeping her there.

I think the reason I liked Garin Wolf so much is that, almost upon his arrival as head writer, he began forefront the Quartermaines more than the previous regime, and it was a nice change of pace. I'm also a realist in stating this: eliminating the mob would tank General Hospital given how forefronted it has been since the late 1990s (likely due to the success of HBO's The Sopranos). But weakening the mob and its force would be something that could benefit the canvas, while pushing the Quartermaine family a bit more. We have a substantial amount of Quartermaine family members (whether by blood or marriage), and it is high time they be utilized properly.

[titan1978]

I agree that there was no way ABC was going to eliminate the mob.  But it could have been way more balanced.  I think part of what disrupted the whole thing so much was losing Brenda and Laura, leaving Carly as the only truly successful female lead with high stakes storylines.  When Guza/Pratt arrived, Genie had a (terrible) frontburner storyline, and the six months of Brenda drove a lot of story even though it was still mob centric, it worked.  Once they were both gone, we had Emily and later Lulu as the other constant focus (Liz truly became supporting then IMO, because she often was just in stories that were happening to her).  When Dante arrived, he was tied to Sonny but it was a branch away from the Sonny is wonderful parade the show had been on for a long time.

When you watch the classic stuff at the beginning of Luke & Laura- sure they had lots of ties to the canvas.  But Lesley still had her own story and orbit away from Laura.  Just like Alan and Monica had the hospital as well as the Q’s.  They just got so narrow in their focus and storytelling.

[KMan101]

 

I definitely wasn't comparing Guza's 'hospital stories' (lack there-of) to Labine's beautifully written use of it. Under Guza, it was often a backdrop to the latest mob violence or explosion or disaster but it still 'felt prominent' (for a while). I completely agree it was because Grey's was so hot at the time. I mean ... Night Shift ... they certainly "used" the hospital, if you know what I mean. Now, not so much. That's all.

Edited October 22, 2021 by KMan101

[titan1978]

I agree.  It was at least there, we had doctors driving story.  Now they have some promising snippets with the Hospital staff, but it gets dropped quickly and goes back to being a backdrop.

[KMan101]

 

Yep. The hospital feels so hollow to me. No energy at all. They get some and then it's gone like you said. Heaven forbid we see Monica again there. Or Bobbie. But we can trot them out for the "wedding of the year" ...

Edited October 22, 2021 by KMan101

[AlexElizabeth]

Agreed that we need more hospital stuff. I was happy to see TJ and Terry the other day. They could be doing more with Britt and Terry being co-chiefs. And maybe one of these days we'll find out where Lucas went?

Michael is so damn lame and boring. Identify theft? Huh? Good luck with that. No crime was committed here. They're making me root for Willow, ugh! LOL

I love that Sonny and Nina both want to buy Charlie's for Phyllis.

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Phyllis deserves the world!

There were really stans on Twitter talking about the Jasam chemistry and magic today. I must've been watching the wrong episode. KeMo and Steve looked bored. I did laugh how Jason showed up in Greece and basically kicked Sam out of her own storyline about Drew. Apparently her kids come first, so she needs to go home. Okay then.

LMAO at Kevin saying that Spencer can move in and Esme being like, "That works for me!" and Kevin not even acknowledging her besides essentially telling her to go away so he can talk to Spencer alone. I'll crack up if Kevin tells her she can find her own place to live.

[titan1978]

Troubled Spencer living with his grandmother is such an interesting story turn.  You know, once Genie is back.  She had her reasons, but she was also a nightmare in her youth.  Let’s hope Spencer doesn’t kill someone and she takes the fall for it.  Or maybe we should hope for that.

[John]

I sure Hope Laura is back in the most a few weeks. Her Presence is missed

[Ponds]

Amen to that!

[Liberty City]

A new courtroom set? Loving it! Damn. General Hospital continues to provide in the set design department.

[victoria foxton]

I think that's the same set. But they might have changed it a bit. Regardless it's a great set. Makes me sad Days doesn't have sets like that.

[Liberty City]

The back behind the judge's chair is different, and the entrance is to the side now, and gallery seems bigger. I'm loving it. Days of Our Lives can't even afford to have more than one main living space set. Poor soap.

[FrenchBug82]

I am hopelessly naive and it would obviously never happen since they are, after all, competitors but imagine what could be done if soaps each had custody of a handful a few shared basic sets like a courtroom or a police station they all need from time to time and lent/leased them to each other (you can come film these scenes in our studio, etc.)
It is in the individual interest of the soaps that all the four remaining ones survive in my opinion so the genre should have solidarity.
Again: of course it won't happen. It is a business not charity. But I think it'd make more long-term sense that someone with a nose on the short-term financials would realize.

[Planet Soap]

I don't mind the mob stuff but it's better when balanced. The mob plots had more human impact in the 90s such as when those men came to shoot up Luke & Laura's house. The JFP era didn't give the mob plots as much humanity but it had better action than now. Faith Roscoe, Alcazar, Manny Ruiz, Claudia, and Jerry Jax were more powerful adversaries than Julian Jerome, Carlos, and Cyrus.

The mob stuff also gives GH a bit of a "masculine" appeal, as a balance to the romance plots. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by ironlion