6 hours ago, carolineg said:

If Jason's charges are dropped or he's acquitted he gets the money back.  I am pretty sure Michael gets the money back after court fees and what not even if Jason is guilty as long as he doesn't run out on trial.

Michael absolutely gets the money back.  As long as Jason doesn't run, the bail will be refunded.  It doesn't matter if Jason is tried and found guilty.  Either way, the bail money is returned to whoever paid it, including Jason himself if he had been the one to post his own bail.

5 hours ago, carolineg said:

I haven't seen every back from the dead story, but the few Brenda scenes where she explained she had no id and was considered dead, willed her estate to Jax, and Jax/Skye got married and their divorce was contentious and making the asset transfer difficult was the only time I have ever heard a character say coming back from the dead was hard in the most basic ways lol.  Days doesn't even touch it, although Jason did allude to it today a bit with the money situation.

I do remember that back in 2004 or 2005, when many of the dead came back from Melaswen, Jennifer said something like "Can you imagine being an insurance adjuster in this town?"

I had to laugh; whenever Sonny does something stupid or is acting weird, it's always his meds; he's not taking them or someone is screwing with them. We've seen this many times through the years. How about for once going with the reason Sonny acts like this is just because he's a bastard? The on-going attempt to explain away or gloss over his ugly, evil aspects and make Sonny ultimately lovable and a good guy is ridiculous. A cuddly mobster and his hit man has never and will never work on a daily soap opera.

10 hours ago, Bright Eyes said:

I know no one cares, including the characters, but just for finality's sake, where did the show leave off with Austin's murder? 

Also, how annoyed would you be to be Michael right now, having spent $5 million for no reason? Can one get a refund on paying someone's bail? Tax write off?

Pikeman killed Austin and shot Curtis.

9 hours ago, Vee said:

Not that anyone in the audience will care much (any more than they would if it turns out Ava was faking her possibly private reaction to the threat/evidence after Austin's demise which I suspect she was), but they can always retcon it easily enough to say that Valentin figured the footage of Charlotte would get found soon and wanted to get out in front of it his own way.

This makes a lot of sense to me.  There were a lot of red herrings in this Pikeman saga and I get the sense PM/EK finally decided where they wanted to go with it, so I can buy that explanation fairly easily.

8 hours ago, Vee said:

If Valentin has Anna Devane in his bed and his home he theoretically has a major threat to Pikeman's plans under control, so that makes sense. Charlotte ruined that.

I suspect it was Valentin or one of his cronies (Brennan?), but I hope they reveal Ava pulled the trigger on Austin herself. He was so despicable to her and it's been too long since some segments of the audience have been reminded who Ava has always been.

They are going to have to hire someone for her. Frank would put her with Marshall if he could get away with it.

Valentin having a relationship with Anna makes sense and I agree Charlotte unexpectedly ruined that, but it seems his feeling for Anna were real?  Even Brennen mentioned as much.   If controlling Anna was so critical to his plan I find it strange that Valentin made so little effort to prevent the break up.   Oh well, most of this can be easily explained away.

So, do you think Ava is working with Valentin?  Or has her own agenda to take Sonny down?

And, yes, hire someone for Lois!  It's ridiculous to have Lois in one scene yesterday which amounted to her hearing about Dante and hugging Olivia.  If you have Rena around you would think you would use her.

18 minutes ago, carolineg said:

This makes a lot of sense to me.  There were a lot of red herrings in this Pikeman saga and I get the sense PM/EK finally decided where they wanted to go with it, so I can buy that explanation fairly easily.

Valentin having a relationship with Anna makes sense and I agree Charlotte unexpectedly ruined that, but it seems his feeling for Anna were real?  Even Brennen mentioned as much.   If controlling Anna was so critical to his plan I find it strange that Valentin made so little effort to prevent the break up.   Oh well, most of this can be easily explained away.

So, do you think Ava is working with Valentin?  Or has her own agenda to take Sonny down?

 

I have a lot of thoughts about Valentin & at least one about Ava & Chrome . 

First Ava, yes, she is playing him, for sure & has been for weeks & weeks. I confess I'm not sure if she's on her own or at Valentin's behest, certainly could be he is her handler, but what I think is news is that she's falling for her mark & she wasn't planning on it happening. And however it goes, I am all in for it. 

Now Valentin, first he may be a good guy, in this convolution he may also be working for the Feds to infiltrate Pikeman. Who better? And, I also do not think JPS is going anywhere. And, if he is a white hat then I think what he & Finola hinted at in a fan event, that Vanna WILL come back together, is also a thing. 

3 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

I have a lot of thoughts about Valentin & at least one about Ava & Chrome . 

First Ava, yes, she is playing him, for sure & has been for weeks & weeks. I confess I'm not sure if she's on her own or at Valentin's behest, certainly could be he is her handler, but what I think is news is that she's falling for her mark & she wasn't planning on it happening. And however it goes, I am all in for it. 

Now Valentin, first he may be a good guy, in this convolution he may also be working for the Feds to infiltrate Pikeman. Who better? And, I also do not think JPS is going anywhere. And, if he is a white hat then I think what he & Finola hinted at in a fan event, that Vanna WILL come back together, is also a thing. 

I know Ava is playing Sonny or at least I strongly suspect that.  I just wasn't sure if it's likely that she is also working with Valentin.

If Valentin is the good guy and working with Jagger and the Feds I can't imagine they would be okay with him tampering with Sonny's medicine.  I hope Anna/Val don't reunite.  I was assuming Nina/Valentin would reunite because that would really mess with Sonny's mind.  And think of all the fun schemes unhinged Nina/Evil Valentin could come up with to screw with Sonny, Carly, Ava, etc.

I just feel that the production can't have it both ways.

They can't try to gain social credibility by telling stories about Bipolar Disorder as portrayed by an actor with the diagnosis.

Then, turn around and have two preposterous cliffhangers in a row about how people with emotional disorders are dangerous if untreated by medical procedures like surgery and prescriptions.

I have no problem with plots about traumatized little girls who've gone mad due to hypnotic tarot cards.  Because that is a fantastical idea that is not meant to be rooted in reality. 

But, to be so insensitive as to suggest that a man who has struggled with Bipolar disorder wouldn't have any insight into his symptoms, so he could be easily manipulated, is just tacky and ignorant. 

1 minute ago, carolineg said:

I know Ava is playing Sonny or at least I strongly suspect that.  I just wasn't sure if it's likely that she is also working with Valentin.

If Valentin is the good guy and working with Jagger and the Feds I can't imagine they would be okay with him tampering with Sonny's medicine.  I hope Anna/Val don't reunite.  I was assuming Nina/Valentin would reunite because that would really mess with Sonny's mind.  And think of all the fun schemes unhinged Nina/Evil Valentin could come up with to screw with Sonny, Carly, Ava, etc.

Could be you have a higher opinion of the Feds than I do. ??? Maybe? I don't know. That is one part of the plan that I detest. I've also been thinking that maybe Ava would notice & suspect something's up.  That way she could save Sonny when he has slid down this slippery slope. May sound odd but it sure would be soapy & messy as all get out. 

And I've been calling for Crazy Nina to emerge & give us what Frank paid for but it appears that is not a thing. And, I am not pleased about that at all. 

But I admit thinking about a redux of Vanna comes to me only because of what JPS & Finola said. And, they might not be talking about now, but sometime down the road. 

 

1 minute ago, j swift said:

But, to be so insensitive as to suggest that a man who has struggled with Bipolar disorder wouldn't have any insight into his symptoms, so he could be easily manipulated, is just tacky and ignorant. 

I have no problem with this & that's because Sonny is much more than a diagnosis, as indeed we all are. And Sonny is egotistical, narcissistic, paranoid & in his business he needs to be paranoid but when he suspects almost everyone around him it only serves his martyr & betrayal worst part of his personality. But, I'm not sure even someone self-aware which Sonny definitely is not, would be impervious to manipulation. 

49 minutes ago, carolineg said:

So, do you think Ava is working with Valentin?  Or has her own agenda to take Sonny down?

It's possible that Ava and Billy Joel Valentin have separate agendas, but have teamed up to accomplish a mutual goal.

But the question is, what happens to their alliance if/when they succeed in neutralizing Sonny?

Edited March 30, 20241 yr by Khan

8 minutes ago, Khan said:

It's possible that Ava and Billy Joel Valentin have separate agendas, but have teamed up to accomplish a mutual goal.

But the question is, what happens to their alliance if/when they succeed in neutralizing Sonny?

Before we get there, I gotta ask, just what does a neutralized Sonny even look like? 

1 hour ago, carolineg said:

Valentin having a relationship with Anna makes sense and I agree Charlotte unexpectedly ruined that, but it seems his feeling for Anna were real?  Even Brennen mentioned as much. 

I think they were/are, even if I hate that romance. But I also think having Anna close was beneficial to his plans whatever they may be.

I do think Ava is working with Valentin and I'll be a bit disappointed if she isn't and is on her own trip. I also suspect she may have caught feelings for real in the process, which is equally typical Ava tbh.

The idea that Valentin somehow needs to drug and gaslight Sonny to infiltrate Pikeman (which Jason has already done) sounds like heavy Valentin fan cope lol. We don't need to repeat or rehash every random fan theory or discussion online here and act like it holds equal weight or has some basis in legitimate gossip (and I'm not saying caroline is doing that, because she isn't).

23 minutes ago, j swift said:

But, to be so insensitive as to suggest that a man who has struggled with Bipolar disorder wouldn't have any insight into his symptoms, so he could be easily manipulated, is just tacky and ignorant. 

I think if Maurice had a problem with that he would've put a stop to it either now or in 2014 the last time Sonny was toyed with like this.

Sonny Corinthos has never been a depiction of a model citizen with bipolar disorder. He is a troubled, dangerous criminal with poor impulse control who consistently makes bad life decisions and ignored his mental health issues for decades until Emily forced him to deal with it. His behavior (and how he gets manipulated by others) is regularly a cautionary tale even without this angle. The show showing professionals and patients handling their medical issues responsibly and then showing others not doing the same is apples and oranges AFAIC, and simply good drama.

Edited March 30, 20241 yr by Vee

15 minutes ago, Khan said:

It's possible that Ava and Billy Joel Valentin have separate agendas, but have teamed up to accomplish a mutual goal.

But the question is, what happens to their alliance if/when they succeed in neutralizing Sonny?

I would suspect Valentin would immediately throw Ava under the bus because he's a wuss like that lol.

4 minutes ago, Vee said:

I think they were/are, even if I hate that romance. But I also think having Anna close was beneficial to his plans whatever they may be.

I do think Ava is working with Valentin and I'll be a bit disappointed if she isn't and is on her own trip. I also suspect she may have caught feelings for real in the process, which is equally typical Ava tbh.

The way MW is playing it makes me think she's up to something, but does have feelings for Sonny.  Unfortunately, that's my least favorite part of this (potential) story.  I could see Ava being pretty high on the fact she's getting all of Sonny's attention and trust, but I have also seen this story played out before with Sonny and (insert random FBI agent here).

While you make a solid point about the depiction of patients and the consequences of their responsibility for appropriate treatment.

I don't care about whether the actor consented to the story.  I am simply stating that I do not like it as a viewer in 2024 when they portray mental illness in such an ignorant fashion.  I also understand that it not a priority for everyone, and thus some will disagree.

Edited March 30, 20241 yr by j swift

9 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I would suspect Valentin would immediately throw Ava under the bus because he's a wuss like that lol.

Better to be thrown under the bus than to be thrown out of the back of an ambulance!

 

25 minutes ago, carolineg said:

The way MW is playing it makes me think she's up to something, but does have feelings for Sonny.  Unfortunately, that's my least favorite part of this (potential) story. 

I don't love the thought, but she has fallen for worse and/or dumber people while also up to her classic nasty business. As long as she's in it I'm happy.