General Hospital: May 2023 Discussion Thread

[Vee]

Valentin was originally conceived by Guza's team in the late 2000s, set up in scripts by Helena and they cast Matt Borlenghi from AMC to play the role. He had been to wardrobe and makeup. Then they got wind of James Franco wanting to do the show and cut it all in favor of the Franco arc. That was the last we heard of Valentin until 2016, when JPS was cast and has been embarrassing himself ever since.

The Cassadine fortunes have always fluctuated wildly. Nikolas being forced to marry Lydia was over 20 years ago. As for Tony, we'll see.

Edited May 7, 2023 by Vee

[AdelaideCate007]

I don't really watch GH anymore, just follow along some on twitter, but would anyone be sad to see Valentin or Victor go? I mean outside of the loud Anna and Valentin fans. It seems like no one really cares about either of them or these new invented backstories. 

[Vee]

I just assume Victor is already out at the end of this arc, but who knows. 

[Khan]

If that's true, then how sad for us all.

I'm a fan of James Patrick Stuart's.  I love seeing him on soaps again.  But I'd be kidding myself if I thought GH was serving him well with his ridiculous character.

Valentin has got to get his groove back.  Maybe he could walk in on a compromising position between Robert and Anna and swear revenge.  Anything!  Just stop this Cassadine version of AC Top 40 radio before more innocent lives are destroyed.

[Vee]

I have seen 'bad' Valentin in JPS' early appearances on the show when he "killed" Nikolas, and all I can say is that won't cut it for me. He needs to be slaughtered.

[titan1978]

What a wonderful typo on my part.  If the squishy shoe fits…

[Khan]

Sigh.  I'd have to agree.  I feel like the writers (and Frank) are having fun with this concept of a user-friendly Cassadine, but they're doing it at the audience's expense.

Hey!  Maybe, when he goes, they could spring for a montage set to Billy Joel's "I've Loved These Days"?

[carolineg]

Does anyone think Matt Borlenghi could have done better?  Honest question because he feels miscast to me as well.

[Khan]

Matt Borlenghi has always come across to me as a "mook."  If the Cassadines were not the Cassadines but the Cassellis, and they were from Jersey rather than from...wherever they're from, then I think he could have been convincing.  Otherwise, no, I don't believe he could've done any better.

[carolineg]

I have a very limited knowledge of his work, but from what I have seen he doesn't fit the biggest, baddest Cassadine bill either.  I wonder if James Franco wasn't the only reason the whole thing was scrapped and Guza or whoever just realized it was a miscast role.  At least JPS had a background where you could conceive he could play this part.  He doesn't at all, but you could see the idea.

[Khan]

Meanwhile...

Gregory Harrison is no Stuart Damon, but he's perfectly serviceable as a new, older male lead on this show.  Yet, for whatever reason, they're gonna saddle his character with ALS, while Weeping Willow is just one bright light and a touch of Jesus' garment hem away from being cured.  What gives, GH!?

You know, @carolineg, you make a good point.  It's possible that the show realized the mistake they were about to make, but used James Franco's arrival as a sort of cover.

Not to take anything away from MEK, but maybe JPS should be playing Martin instead?  Just a thought!

[Kevin Roberson]

If Brenda were to make a full-time return with Vanessa signing a two year contract, I am curious if you would want the reunion with Sonny or try something fresh like Finn or Austin. 

[Soaplovers]

When you looked at how Laura was created, it was a given that she would be a very important viable character for many years to come.. partly due to her being the long lost daughter of Lesley.. a mainstay of GH in the 70s.

I think Genie being away so long on maternity leave in the late 90s was the beginning of the lack of respect she was given by those behind the scenes..imho.  It's nice that the show is finally correcting the error of making Laura as secondary to Luke... when it reality, Luke was always secondary to Laura.

[Khan]

I can't see how anyone could bring back Brenda and NOT have her reunite with Sonny.  Even if they chose to delay the reunion for the sake of drama and suspense, with Nina and [enter temporary love interest for Brenda here] as interlopers, you just know that, somewhere down the road, a Sonny/Brenda reunion has to happen.  If it doesn't, then Frank Valentini would officially become the dumbest person alive -- that is, if he isn't already.

Edited May 7, 2023 by Khan

[carolineg]

Fresh is not Finn or Austin to me at least.  A slow burn to Sonny works for me. It has to be the endgame. I don't even need her in a romantic pairing, but I might try her with Drew in the meantime.  He vaguely fits into her type as the bland Jax kinda guy.  Like Liz/RH, it's not Vanessa/Brenda's job to prop Frank's faves.   

Edited May 7, 2023 by carolineg