GH: January 2024 Discussion Thread

[ranger1rg]

You're right, of course. But the thing is, they can't fix it once it's done and over.

If we get those clips in the next couple episodes, I'll revise my criticism. Even if they do, though, I think 2 days of just talking about Bobbie is excessive.

[AMCHistory]

Especially because in a rare twist of fate, the portrayers Jackie played her biggest scenes with are still on canvas/ in their roles! There have been very few recasts of the players in her orbit. 
 

Bobbie helping Liz cope with her rape was Becky.

Bobbie‘s tumultuous romance with Scotty was Kin. 

Bobbie’s feud with Lucy over Tony was Lynne. 

Bobbie making Felicia realise that it was BJ’s heart was Kristina. 
 

For Carly, Jackie and Laura had beautiful scenes revisiting Carly’s introduction at Tony’s grave. 
 

I wish the show would use this gift to its potential. 
 

 

[Vee]

It’s kind of ridiculous they’re not playing more flashbacks. Hearing Lynn and Kin struggle to churn out endless clumsy exposition about Bobbie’s past and then Becky like a clickbait soap site with zero clips is arduous to watch. Kin looked like he was passing a kidney stone having to remind the audience that Bobbie brought Luke Spencer to town and ruined his life for the 300th time. I'm hoping they're saving the clips for today and tomorrow.

Sonny and Dante have had slowly decomposing variations on the same conversation for over 10 years. "You okay?" "You're a cop!" "But I'm your son too!" Their relationship has barely moved an inch and is so weak. Say what we will about the Guza years, but both Dante and his relationship to his hated father was dark, complex and layered for awhile before just settling into the apologist comfort zone. It's criminal how Frank and Ron discarded him, like most of the male leads that predated them, as a male-presenting spare part to plug into couplehood or clueless vacuity. Dante used to be a soulful character. Even Michael had an edge and layers.

Cody/Sasha scenes are unbelievably boring. Sasha is like a genial test pattern onscreen. Josh Kelly is talented but this vacant expository material is not his forte, and despite the awkward explanations I have zero idea what they're talking about. Just let him be the jolly stable stud boffing lonely ladies like Liz! 

Laura is doing great but I’m sorry, these scenes with Becky would just hit different with Sarah. Carly's paranoia and hatred towards Elizabeth was boundless in those days.

[BetterForgotten]

The exposition and lack of flashbacks just feels cheap and jarring when so many of those same actors worked with Jackie for years.
 

Do flashbacks cost that much? Part of Frank’s penny pinching to rehire Burton? 

[Vee]

I don't see how it could when it's mostly actors still on the show.

[Contessa Donatella]

Some people are suggesting that they're saving all the flashbacks for today & tomorrow. 

If that is a strategy they are employing, I think they shot themselves in the foot. 

The only cost that is incurred from using original flashbacks is having to pay residuals to any actor in them who is not currently on the show. When DAYS was on NBC they would NOT pay that. On Peacock DAYS has used 1 flashback that had Jensen Ackles as Eric. Networks do not like to pay residuals to past actors. But, I think it is something they are wrong-headed about. Plus, most of the people in this case ARE ON THE SHOW NOW. I guess that only Tony Geary would be getting residuals. 

[Liberty City]

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 They would only have to pay those not presently on the show, etc. and if anything, it would be Brad Maule, etc.

[BetterForgotten]

LW’s Carly just doesn’t have the same depth of flashbacks or history with Bobbie to showcase. Nothing against her, but I keep thinking how much more impactful Carly’s grief would be with SJB in this role. 

Here we go with the f.ucking exposition again with no flashbacks.

F.uck Frank…..

[Contessa Donatella]

And it would be the other Tony, Geary. So, two people. Big Whoop! They should be able to budget for that. They've had months to get ready for this. 

I've started thinking about Paris. I believe we will have scenes there. But, I don't think Spencer will come back home, from Paris. Wonder how they will write that for Trina. 

[Vee]

Nice to see

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as I expected, but I still want more.

[Khan]

TBH, I'm surprised GH is acknowledging JZ's passing at all.  I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I wouldn't have put it past them to have ignored real-life events and kept Bobbie alive but off-screen and out of town with the attitude of "Jackie/her fans wouldn't have wanted it any other way."  (Besides, how long was it before this show acknowledged Shell Kepler's passing even obliquely?)

Edited January 10, 2024 by Khan

[Soapsuds]

The episode sucked! Where was Luke, Tony, the other Carlys??

[BetterForgotten]

The only flashback so far is a random ass one with Alexis? WTF

Not even one with Laura and Bobbie yet? This is a miss. 

[Khan]

When was the last time any soap marked the real-life passing of one of their veteran actors appropriately?  I know Y&R's memorial episodes for Jeanne Cooper, Kristoff St. John, etc, get some love, but if you ask me, I found those episodes to be rather hollow.

[Vee]

It's been a long time since JFP and Guza just dismissed any offscreen deaths. This team did decent memorials for Sonya Eddy/Epiphany and others in recent years. I wasn't surprised they went for it with Jackie. I'm not thrilled with the current level of flashbacks or returns, but I will give them Day 2 to impress me more as this is supposedly a 2-episode event.

I think GH did well with Epiphany/SE. I also thought the memorials for Gail Brown, Peter Hansen and John Reilly were decent, even if the plotlines surrounding them (a mini-WSB caper, Gail's treasure hunt, etc) were goofy. With Sean it was a labor of love built around Reilly's IRL daughter as Sean's daughter, and it was sweet.