GH: January 2024 Discussion Thread

[Liberty City]

Easy fix to the Ace & Esme problem: the 2019 return of Nikolas was never Nikolas but Connor Bishop. Renders Ace a non-Cassadine.

[Vee]

A fair amount of the social media push for Esme to magically get all the story comes from racists, tbh. She has some real audience interest but there's also a lot of racists. That's just the truth. If Ron was still here it'd probably happen though; he loves faux-redeeming villainous characters he falls for and then blaming the audience for not accepting it. Here the show wasted our time flirting with it for like a year (the strike probably factored in, I guess) but seems to have finally wrapped it up because they know Chavez is out. I'd love to see Esme recur for various hijinks, but I don't need her hanging around on contract getting more light sentences.

Don't ask me what to do with that kid. I kept thinking it would turn out not to be Nik's for awhile. It's a kid too many in some ways, even if he is totally adorable.

[Aragorn]

Soap Dirt is reporting that Spencer, Trina, Nikolas and Ace will all be out. NAC will be doing his other show and TA will be on vacation. Spencer and Trina will be offscreen for six weeks.

[dragonflies]

Soap Dirt isn't a reliable site lol but we know NAC is leaving that's common knowledge

[carolineg]

You know, I never even thought of it from a racist angle and that does make so much sense.  I don't think AP and Chavez have tons of chemistry like I keep hearing.  They work together just fine, but it's probably more of an anyone but Trina mentality.  At the end of the day we all know Chavez is out and I don't see a place for Esme in an everyday setting.

And of course, it's like 6 kids too many lol.  Ace is very cute though.

[Liberty City]

Soap Dirt? BWAHAHAHA.

[dragonflies]

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[Vee]

If it was me I might do the ballsy thing: Spencer is presumed dead, probably during a final clash with Esme. Get Chavez to pre-tape some scenes of Spencer alive but in captivity, just like JJ did when he left in '99. Then wait. You can see if Chavez's career pans out or if he needs cash in 12-18 months before recasting. But in the meantime I'd give the audience a curveball - just before Spencer dies he and Trina impulsively get married on the go a la Phil and Tara on AMC, where they had a teenage 'wedding' right before he went off to Vietnam. Maybe we see it live, maybe in flashback to surprise the audience. Either way, once he's gone that marriage leaves Trina lady of the manor as a fish out of water, heir to the Cassadine name and erstwhile fortune. (And maybe pregnant, but probably not since there's too many fuckin' babies for too many young women.) That at least is a new story angle.

Edited January 18, 2024 by Vee

[carolineg]

Works for me.  Minus the Trina/Spencer kid of course lol.  I still don't know what to do with Ace.  I guess Esme just takes him when she leaves and she could come back whenever.   Esme is not very well integrated into the cast.  She interacts with quite a few people, but no one her own age except Spencer.   If you take Spencer out of the equation where does she go?  She has no friends, no potential love interest and a menial job at the paper.  In theory she has tons of connections, but in actuality she really doesn't have much to do.

[Contessa Donatella]

At this juncture, I would just add that the show has indeed done pre-taping. Someone even said that we won't, from what we see on our screens, even be able to tell that he is even gone. Won't notice. 

Edited January 18, 2024 by Donna L. Bridges
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[carolineg]

Sorry, I should clarify my statement.  I know Chavez is taking a break to film another project, but I am under the assumption he will leave permanently once his contract is up.  Obviously, that isn't confirmed, but I can't imagine him re-upping for any length of time.

[Contessa Donatella]

You are correct. He has no plans to return. As a matter of fact, he went around & said his farewells recently, on his last day at the studio. I'm sorry if my information about pre-taping that was done, in any way caused confusion. 

[carolineg]

Got it.  I think I myself was confused about the timeline.  I thought he was taking a break and coming back, but he would eventually leave at the end of his contract.  I didn't know his break aligned with his contract being up. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Whether it is literally a match with the calendar or whether this is simply the agreement he & the show have reached, I do not know. I just know that it is news as of last week specifically that he will not return after making the Ryan Murphy "monsters" movie with none other than the heavy-hitter Chloe Sevigny playing his evil mother. So do not concern yourself with your previous confusion. It was shared. But now we have clarity. And we think that Frank has been clever in his use of pretaping. 

[janea4old]

where did you read this?