General Hospital: January 2023 Discussion Thread

[Soapsuds]

Today

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[ranger1rg]

The biggest problem is that GH never finishes a story -- they just add layers and layers of more plot, even retconning what we've seen before.

At some point (like with Cody), it all becomes convoluted and confusing. Some of you try to make sense of it all, but I just say "Screw it," telling myself that the history doesn't matter much and that they're making it up as they go along.

[j swift]

Soap justice never makes sense.

If Nikolas can "pull some strings" to get a judge to assign Martin as Esme's lawyer (then offer to double his fee for a pro-bono case - isn't 2x0 still 0?) - why would he worry about Dante and the police investigating him for kidnapping Esme?  I mean if he has the judge in his pocket, why do the police matter?  And if Victor can spring Spencer from jail on a whim, aren't all Cassadines above the law and free from any consequence?  Where are the stakes in this story?

Edited January 5, 2023 by j swift

[dragonflies]

lol!

 

 

[Vee]

Credit where it's due: Eden McCoy was very good with William Lipton today. Lipton is always excellent. It's GH's fault for not securing him on a contract, but that doesn't have to mean he can't get major story. AFAIK Kathleen Gati, useless JPS and half the cast are off contract. If they want to commit to Cameron they can do so. It is a choice, but Frank (and GH before him) has always has a aversion to the homegrown 'good' characters, always is chasing the next pointless hardbody. Dex, Brando, etc. are interchangeable to me.

Speaking of Gati, she did not shed a single tear during Britt's death scene. I watched closely. Embarrassing. I know she's a better actor than that, even if I have never bought and never will buy Obrecht's face turn. I can buy her evolving a bit re: her children, but I think she will always be a psycho and will default to abuse and insanity if she's ever pushed.

Chavez and Tabyana Ali are still excellent together. It is embarrassing how many obstacles they have thrown at a young, super-popular interracial pairing to keep them from physically touching lips for the better part of two years. This would not have happened 20 years or even 30 years ago, when GH often did Black/white romances that were physically demonstrative onscreen, so I have to conclude at this point it's not coincidence. The young white couples don't wait this long to share a kiss. IIRC Chavez has a year left on his contract. Sight unseen I am willing to bet they are hoping to run out the length of his contract and minimize Spencer and Trina's onscreen intimacy as much as possible. That's how [!@#$%^&*] regressive and bigoted ABCD/GH and elements of this country have become over the last 20 years, that GH now feels it has to highly scrub and sanitize even interracial romance in the [!@#$%^&*] 2020s like they're enforcing COVID protocols.

Believe me, I'd love to be wrong. I imagine Spencer and Trina might (might!!) finallly kiss in February, and if the show suddenly flips the switch then and has them hardcore intimate full-time from then on nothing would make me happier. But this feels calculated. YMMV.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Vee

[Vee]

And furthermore:

GH (12/30/2022): Who needs frontburner LGBT stories when you have Heterosexual Dr. Britt's super gay birthday party? She's so fierce and snarky, right? Sure, she has about two speeds acting-wise but that's all you need! Remember when we forced everyone to call her the Brittch all the time? Gay guys loved that, right? Look at these strippers! George Michael! Brad! It's so gay and fierce without the inconvenient need for actual gay storylines and contract players!!I Slay, queen hahahahaha

GH (1/5/2023): Britt's dead!

[DRW50]

@Vee I would agree about Spencer and Trina. It's especially glaring with the "hot" Joss and Dex scene they pushed on viewers.

[BrendaB]

LOL.  The ending to today's episode was cute with villainous Obrecht back, facing off with Esme.  I hope vengeance gives her character some purpose.  The actress they cast for Esme is the best addition to the show's younger cast in many, many years.  She can play anything so well!  I hope she has a long, extended contract.

Felicia & Cody's scenes were sweet.  Kristina Wagner is always so naturally adorable and still looks the same over 5 spectacular decades on the show.  Crazy!

[titan1978]

Britt dying the way she did almost reminds me of the recaps I have read of soaps from way before my time.  Like Addie surviving cancer on DAYS only to be run over by a car.  It’s a pretty classic twist.  Except those scenes probably elicited emotion and now everything is so hollow.

The issues with Spencer and Trina have been there the whole time.  They actually had buzz and actors playing into it online and the show still sidelined them.  Then the recast is working out and still nothing.  There should have been at least a kiss before they even went down the Rory obstacle route. This is not what Agnes meant when she said make the wait.

Wasn’t there another dead person when Rory was hooked?  Nobody seems to mention them at all!

[Darn]

Happy Black History Month!

That's how I feel about Ava (who I don't necessarily like but Maura West, like LW, she brings her A game every scene). There are a lot of characters who've stuck around for the last decade that had no business on the canvas after their initial arc. They've all done such insane shít.

[j swift]

@Vee You've really made me think differently about the Trina and Spencer relationship based on your impassioned writing.

I will admit to not always being sensitive to issues regarding race in daytime, so I had been thinking of the obstacles in Trina and Spencer's relationship as just being like any other young couple on soaps that are kept apart in order to create a longing for them to be together.  Like the old Agnes Nixon quote, "make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait." 

But, reading your observations made me think about how Trina's sexuality is portrayed differently than Joss or Esme's.  Her virginity is neither an indication of her innocence or a tool used to seduce men. Joss is using her sexuality to express her maturity, and Esme is using hers to control the men in her life. But, Trina's romantic desires are ill defined, and I can't help but think that is because the character is a woman of color.

So, thanks for opening my mind to new possibilities, which is really the best gift that we can give each other as we share our opinions about this genre.

Edited January 6, 2023 by j swift

[David_Vickers]

The temp Taggert needs to be brought back, if Real Andrews is ill again then temporarily.  If Andrews just doesn't want to be on the show,  the recast Taggert should be brought back permanently.  Taggert's  airtime around his daughter's storyline makes no sense.   Also on that same page,  Haley Pullos(Molly) needs to be featured much more, her tv hubby Tajh Bellow(TJ) is on contract, she should be as well.  IF she doesn't want the airtime, recast Molly as well. 

That's good!

[Planet Soap]

Why kill Britt off and not leave things open incase the actress wanted to return? Britt's death and failed Jason pairing ironically reminds me of Patrick and Sabrina. Couple with so much potential interrupted, with the woman killed off a few years later. Sucks!

Can the hook take Austin and and the other extra fast off canvas please.

Edited January 6, 2023 by ironlion

[Vee]

Not just any woman of color, but a dark-skinned one, which is rarely seen on daytime today. I think that is a big factor too. If Trina was mixed they'd be making out right now.

But really, you don't need to take it from me. Our Black posters can talk about it.

I have always said Ava is a stone cold killer. That's how she came on the show, leaving Connie/Kate to bleed out on the floor. Any time they try to make her nice or a heroine I don't buy it. She is bad news. She can have pathos and layers but she is a snake. I am fine with MW being on the show in that capacity, I enjoy the dark side of the Nikolas/Ava relationship when it is played or scripted well (rare), but not when they defang her and make her a 'good' character. Right now she's in a bit more of the grey area than she has been in the past, so it's workable even if I don't buy her cozy relationships with Laura, etc. Someday she'll have to go out in a blaze of glory. Obrecht, OTOH, I have always felt has no business permanently on the canvas. She is a recurring villain.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Vee

[Darn]

No, no I'm glad that for once the impassioned white man got through to someone.

Anyway, 25+ years ago Jason and Keesha lost their virginities to each other.

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That makeout session was pretty hot for daytime.