GH: March 2024 Discussion Thread

[Jdee43]

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.

[Aragorn]

Pikeman killed Austin and shot Curtis.

[carolineg]

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?

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.

[Contessa Donatella]

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. 

[carolineg]

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.

[j swift]

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. 

[Contessa Donatella]

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. 

 

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. 

[Khan]

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 by Khan

[Contessa Donatella]

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

[Vee]

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).

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 by Vee

[carolineg]

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

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).

[j swift]

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 by j swift

[Khan]

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

 

[Vee]

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.

[Contessa Donatella]

Okay, I don't know if this happens often or not, but here Vee & I are in lockstep, agreeing to beat the band. 

Anyway, about your last sentence, been there & done that with Sonny before, maybe so. Could be that is inevitable with Sonny being the way he is & being in so much story over so many years. Y'all all have a longer history with GH than I do but this is the absolute worst I've seen him  in terms of isolation & not trusting people he should while trusting only one person who he should not be. 

I mean think about it. News that Dante is awake. Sonny would have been AT THE HOSPITAL in 10 minutes flat! But, no, little miss Ava deftly talked him out of going. WTF?!