General Hospital January 2022 Discussion Thread

[titan1978]

I think watching the horrible tin foil killer story and finding the Aztec dolls from 1997 would be better than what we see today, and I was so upset back then how the quality had gone downhill.

Who was Jennifer Smith talking to?  It didn’t appear to be Victor.

[victoria foxton]

It wasn't revealed. Unless i spaced out. Which i do when i watch GH.

Edited January 26, 2022 by victoria foxton

[carolineg]

The tin man story is one I make fun of to no end and it made little sense with how it dovetailed off the Pierce Dorman murders (a man S/B hardly knew..), but it was a fun little on the run adventure for Sonny/Brenda and moved their story forward and Jax's as well.. There were other good things like Carly/AJ/Tony and some okay Robin/Jason stuff.  It was bad comparable to previous years but not bad compared to today, but I can name things I liked off the top of my head which is more than I can say now.   But in all fairness, it helps so much to watch clips or stories in isolation because they move so much faster and I think that makes a huge difference even if the story was a dud.

[Vee]

Guza and Frons were only simpatico on certain things. Frons reportedly considered Guza the only true north for GH creatively but they did not always have the same priorities or favorites at all (Alicia Leigh Willis, etc). Frons' plans for remaking the soaps in his own vision were bigger than just GH, and Guza's vision of GH was only partly aligned with Frons's.

Of course they're not as popular. They might've been 20 years ago (or 22 IMO, I don't think the couple was ever quite the same minus Sarah even with Tamara), but not today. They are a comfort couple for a segment of fans at best, but you could easily break them up as has been done many times before. The thing is, GH and ABC are not interested in taking risks with their waning share of the audience. Easier to just coddle the dying viewer base they have so Frank's own preferences and performers go down easier.

[AlexElizabeth]

Finally a decent episode! I could've done without Austin/Britt but whatever, they weren't on much.

Sonny calling Drew a poor man's Jason was funny and I'm glad they wrote that in because I'm pretty sure that's how Sonny actually feels. It made no sense to me that they acted like CarSon were just sooo close to Drew when he first returned. Nah, they liked him as Jason until the real one came back. The Sonny/Nina scenes were good too.

Marshall finally made me laugh today when his reaction to Sonny was just, "What the hell was that?"

I'm glad that they finally acknowledged that Sam and Dante share Kristina as a sister. I'm fine with Kristina being cool with it. But how lame is it that Kristina is totally fine with Harmony and Alexis being friends? No-drama hospital strikes again. There is no reason why Kristina should be okay with that. Harmony groomed young girls and drugged Kristina and almost had her raped. But I guess Sam is the bad guy for not approving of this friendship? Huh?

Carly/Joss were okay, at least the conversation was slightly different today. I wish they wouldn't write Joss as her mom's therapist, it's so lame.

I love Esme so desperately trying to stir up drama with Cameron and Trina. LOL! It looks like she got in his head a little bit there at the end. I wonder what she's planning to do with the tramadol pills and the burner phone. I noticed that the bottle said Kevin prescribed it - I bet Esme stole his prescription pad.

Spencer and Trina were awesome. I do think it's an intentional acting choice that Spencer is basically a different person in his scenes with Trina. NC is really good. Look at how he acts around Trina compared with Esme. He was so smiley and sparkly today. They're just too cute. I'm hoping for some good stuff on this cabin trip.

They really have Maxie talking like she's some fashionista when she's wearing THAT top. Okay.

Looks like Victor is going to put an end to this baby story. Woohoo!

[carolineg]

You are right about this.  And I would agree they have a comfortability about them even if it's just so much that the performers are stable, veterans, and are willing to get vaxxed to not infect others...I do think S&C had some buzz with Sarah and were actually something different and refreshing for both characters.  It was never something to go with for 20 years.  I never really thought they were 'endgame' but here they are.

[Nixor]

I love that Cam, who knows Trina liked Spencer, is suddenly like “hey maybe Trina is in love with me after all!” Silly boy. I’m very curious what Esme plans to do with that burner phone. Send texts that appear to be from Trina telling Cam to meet her for some sexy times? I hope this crazy cabin produces some good fun. 

[Vee]

I thought Maurice and Sarah were a supercouple, period. Granted I was a teenager at the time lol. I think they were the last GH supercouple, in that iteration, and could've run a long time. The skill of Guza and his daily team managed to make Maurice and Tamara crackle for a bit of time too, but the show was already in the process of becoming utter trash in part due not just to Pratt and Frons but Guza's own dark obsessions and ego as well, and neither Guza's writing for them nor Maurice ever recovered from Tamara having incendiary chemistry with Ted King. They had to turn Alcazar into Stevie Wonder to try to emasculate him after that. That was the end of the couple for me. But no, nothing compared to the original.

[Khan]

TBH, I've never seen Carly as someone who could become part of a supercouple, regardless of which actress was still portraying her at any point in time.  To me, she was just too complicated.

On the other hand, I definitely see Sonny and Brenda as the kind of couple who could withstand just about any obstacle you could throw at them, precisely because their chemistry just works.

[titan1978]

I agree with this.  The only thing I ever felt was close to an actual couple to enjoy and root for was with SK as AJ.  I liked them back then and when he came back.

I had already soured quite a bit on Sonny by the time they put him and Carly together.  I have only really enjoyed him with Brenda and the original Kate.  Carly and Sonny together kind of diminished both of them.  Even with Sarah there it often looked more like let me show you how good I can act instead of feeling like a couple that should be together.

It’s kind of why I don’t enjoy Tracy with Luke- it’s too much all the time.  

[carolineg]

Sonny/Brenda were always the supercouple to me, but especially when Carly/Sonny first started.  It wasn't far removed from Brenda 'dying', so I guess I didn't take it that seriously because I assumed she would be back soon lol.  Carson were definitely fresh and different, but I also think it helped we had Hannah in between because that was a bomb.  

I never thought Carly should be part of a supercouple because of the actresses/history, but I do think TB comes closest to being the ideal female supercouple lead.  I also think if it wasn't the Carly, Sonny, Jason show for so long Carson would hold up better.

[Khan]

Oh, I absolutely agree w/ you, @titan1978, about Luke and Tracy.  I never thought they worked as a couple...and I never will.

Same.  I figured Brenda/VM would return someday -- and she did, lol.

To me, Sonny and Brenda were like ATWT's Tom and Margo.  Once they got together, seeing them NOT together in some fashion was almost inconceivable.  Even now, after all that has happened while Brenda has been away, she could return tomorrow, be in one scene w/ Sonny, and the magic would still be there.  I truly believe that.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Khan

[Vee]

I was never a big Brenda or Sonny/Brenda fan in her heyday, but I liked her with Jax near the end of the '90s and then came to appreciate her in hindsight much later.

Caroline and I have had a lot of discussions centering around the S/B pairing in latter years and their doomed marriage in the early 2010s, and how their final (very good, brutally honest) scenes in 2011 indicated why it is futile to pair Sonny with anyone else - because if the character cannot change for her, he won't for anyone. I'm assuming Khan hasn't seen them so it's time to post them again! It was the first time in years Maurice had impressed me, and the last. Also some of the last, best work of the very longtime writing team, most of which went out with Guza and JFP.

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And I do agree - they could bring her back tomorrow and it would still work with them, and would be necessary to evolve the character and move him into an elder statesman role (with VM taking the share of story) and transition more and more away from the mob. We've discussed that one around here before too, though. It's also why Frank doesn't bring her back; he knows she is too big for the show he chooses to make and what he chooses to focus on.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Vee

[Taoboi]

Yes so big in fact that if GH was cancelled, I would shocked if Sonny did not ride off into the sunset with Brenda...with needed changes of course.

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  She is still too heavily connected to the canvas...or can be...to not even NOT be relevant. As Brenda should be.

 

But I really came by LOL...granted I'm farther back than the rest of you, but I haven't gotten to the repetitive nature of the conversations between 'Sonny' and Carly yet. And like I've mentioned, I like this feels very much (as much as a soap can be) organic conflict. 

 

But one thing I have liked about it (so far) has been Carly HAS NOT reacted to it the way she usually does. Let's face it...once Carly knew Sonny was alive and Nina knew, 9 times out of 10, she would have EXPLODED and @Cheap21 would have done one awesome 'Oh Lord Carly's on the Loose' gif/pic. Then she would have raised h#ll from the moment she found out to now, complete with a revenge plot.

 

I liked that they have truly just showed...yes, showed...Carly wrestle with her feelings over Nixon Falls. Olivia. Gladys. Willow(?). She has made a LOOOOOOOT of effect to not just explode at the drop of a hat. And even when she has started to, Carly has caught herself. And I found LW was playing that to the hilt. It's been over weeks, too. If that is not maturity, I don't know what is.

 

That said...I still keep that Carly will be her own worst enemy in the end. But at least it has a build to it. 

 

 

THIS.

 

And they definitely prove that last part when VM came back for GH's 50th. First scene and it was there. At least for me. lol. 

[carolineg]

They are really good in this scene.  In that moment their quick break up did make sense.  He couldn't give her what she needed with his lifestyle and she couldn't live that way.  It leaves the door open because they clearly still love one another.  I swear I thought they'd work it out years ago with VM and I honestly think she may not be back til the end.   So many years have gone by that I do think they will just throw Brenda back at Sonny in the end.  It will still work and be believable, but it will feel like I missed a lot of story they could have had, you know?  

Anyway, part of the reason it's so easy for me to talk about Sonny, Carly, Brenda, Jason or most veterans on the show is because you know their motivations and reasons they do what they do.  Like Sonny or not, he's been fully developed as a character.  No characters are created like that anymore.   Chase, for example, is great, but I feel like I don't know that much about him or what makes him tick.   I don't even think Nina and Ava are that fully developed.  I actually think the last character GH that was is Dante.  It may not be the writers only because I probably have more attachment to characters I grew up with, but even the newer characters I like and enjoy I don't have the investment in.