The Tracy Quartermaine Lovefest

[MinervaFan]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you.

LOL! I thought she was going to kiss him, too. And what the heck did she mean that he should have a moment, too? (I keep thinking of the term "moments" as used by the Baker's Wife in Act II of Into the Woods--her "moment" had her rolling down a hillside in a passionate embrace with the philandering Prince Charming......hussy.)

I'm willing to bet she ad-libbed the napkin part.

You know what I love about Jane Elliot? Besides her face, body, voice, talent, and apparent general all-round good person-ness? I love that she underplays "drunk." Okay, she was way OTT during the Vegas scene, but in this one--she was drunk without playing drunk, if you know what I mean. She seemed totally rational, like a person who was used to heavy alcohol-consumption would be. She wasn't obvious, or silly, or cartoonish. As someone who spent the bulk of my childhood surrounded by career drunks, I'm telling you the woman is incredible. She has it down, and is totally believable in those scenes.

Sad that this qualifies as one of my areas of expertise, isn't it?

Oh, Keith? I've decided Quinn Redeker must come on GH to be a love interest for Tracy, but only if he resumes the role of Alex Marshall. Alex, unlike certain silver-haired Spiky Boys we won't mention, understands the attraction of a Real Woman, one with a certain amount of life behind her. Alex, unlike a certain silver-haired FREEDOM JUNKIE, wouldn't be running in the other direction--no, he'd be maneuvering Tracy straight toward the nearest available flat surface--preferably a bed, but anything will do....

Alex Marshall would not stop at a kiss every four months....that's for sure.....

*kicks stoopid Luke for mistreating our girl*

*kicks stoopid Robert for annoying our girl*

*kicks stoopid Alex Marshall for being on an NBC soap, with no real cross-over potential!*

I'm assuming no TQ today?

[ILoveTracyQ]

You know there are days when I think JE really has it crappy at GH,and days when I don't think that way.

For instance people grip all the time about how the vets are treated,but back in the day when I was a kid and a teen,watching the soaps,I can't remember most vets EVER getting the respect they deserved.

I suppose Y&R is the one exception of daytime. I get bits and pieces of that show since I have SoapNet,but my mom always watched and still does sometimes,and the majority of that cast for as long as I can remember,has mostly been over thirties.

A LOT are over forties/fifties. And yet they are No.1 in the ratings.

I'm about to go off on a tangent here...but I don't think the Nielsen ratings sysytem is fair.

I think most Neilsen homes are upper crust affluent ones,whether they are young or old.

Seriously...how many homes in Harlem do you think have a Nielsen box?

OTOH, probably a good majority of Y&R viewers are at least middle class.

And obviously quite a few of them have those handy little boxes.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that every TV should come equipped with one,and I think the ratings would be quite different if they did.

Off topic sorta,I know.

Just something I had to get off my flat chest.

And it's not that I think GH deserves to be #1...but anyway. Moving on.......

Y&R shows us that people over forty aren't dead. That's good. However it's almost always bored me. That's bad. LOL

As bad as GH can be at times, I almost always find something I can point to and say,"this was good" or "this entertained me."

Usually Q/Tracy related,but still,it's there.

So, GH needs to utilize the vets more,they CAN do interesting stories...they just need to take a cue from Y&R and use the vets.

What I was going to say at the beginning of the post and got all OT,is that when I was a kid,Audrey Hardy,Steve Hardy,Jesse Brewer...we saw them,but all I can ever remember Jesse B doing is standing behind the desk at GH.

And at the time,she wasn't any older(probably younger,even) than JE is now.

And I can't remember ever seeing where she lived,or a story for her while I was watching.

So....in a way,JE has it great,compared to vets twenty years ago.

She's actually shown in a scene by herself.

THAT's the biggest clue IMO about what TIIC think of you.

Are you important enough that you get a monologue or a scene all on your own,are you important enough that people see your bedroom,your home,your workplace,your family?

Jane gets most of that.

And the fact that she makes us feel Tracy no matter how little airtime she gets,is a testament to Jane's talent.

Oh sure I wish she was on three(or even two) days a week consistently,with ten minutes airtime each show.

I'd be okay with that,although I'll probably always want more.

But I could live with twenty minutes a week.

BUT....even if she only gets five minutes,as horrible as it is, I can't help but remember poor Jesse and think that Jane actually could have it much worse.

I have no idea why I am thinking about that.

LOL

Just am.

Carry on,people.

ETA I watched Anjelica but never saw Alex Marshall...and only from soap mags do I know about the character.

It makes me sad to think the Lacy thing might not ever be fully explored,and that people are so willing to immediately pair JE with someone else all for the sake of LnL.

Myself included,but only because I don't want JE/Tracy tossed to the side.

BUt enough about the possibly never fully explored potential of Lacy,I'll make myself (and ya'll) sad.

Kudos to TIIC though.

I think they may actually TRYING to use JE while TG is gone.

Too bad they can't do that when he's HERE.

LOL

[tracyluver]

OK, now im REALLY pissed! i missed the freakin 4th of july eppy everybody is frackin ravin about and NOW i cant even figure out how to download the clips! It says "please enter _ _ _ (the letters are different every time) and click download". I don't know what the heck that is and i don't know what to do next. It's never done that before. HELP! I cant do crap at my house on my computer and so i havve to download every thing at my aunt's and i can only be here for so long, ya know. I really need to see those clips. somebody please help.

[Ms. Quartermaine]

tracyluver, type the letters you see into the box. There's 3 of them. (You don't have to use capital letters though). And then click download.

Edit #1: I guess it's kind of obvious there's 3 of them. Oops. LOL.

Edit #2: *waves to kenna*

Also...MinervaFan, you're welcome! And ILoveTracyQ, what a tangent you went off on, LOL, but that's all right. I guess JE could have it a lot worse. And yeah, I won't get started on the wasted Luke/Tracy potential. *sigh* I hope TIIC are going to utlize her. 2 days into TG's vacation, and she's already gotten more than last year. Heh. Actually, I shouldn't joke around. Last year, we had one scene total. It's not hard to beat. Here's hoping for more JE/TQ goodness while TG is gone!

[tracyluver]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIC! Ms.Q you are a goddess! Thank you sooo much. I just got done watching the clips. Tracy/JE is my girl. I have just reaffirmed a fact that i already knew and that has never once faltered (even in the dry spells). She is just so completely wonderful in that she completely understands and embodies Tracy, but not only Tracy, her emotions as well. I see what you mean, MF, about underplaying drunk. I loved see Tracy in a FULL DAY that was not played for laughs. AND *gasp* with TWO other men!!!??? Whoa. Hold your horses TIIC, you might just treturn Tracy to being a "real" character after all. Don't blow it. We saw real emotion from our girl today concerning lukey-boy. She got "this-close" to needing him (the kiss?) but now, no more. Well you go girl! She looked hurt but not fragile, which i think is the key element missing in most of the other, younger actresses on GH. They alwats look so broken-down and hopeless (see Sam McCall) when their men do something that hurts or disappoints them (like Omigosh, he totally just got me the *red* dress and not the *blue*. I feel soooo alone!!!) Not tru with our girl. She is strong and vivacious and vuluptuous and resilient and, even tho she may drink, refuses to let a man break her. I love it.

Oh, MF, i totally understand about the Tray/Eddie fic. I know from my own personal creative writings that i do for my AP Lit class that to write is to take on that stroy or poem or song for the duration of that writing process. Child molestation is a very tough thing to live thu (isn't it sad that that is my area of expertise, but hey, it happens) and i respect you for even attempting that. i actually didn't expect much to come of what i asked you to do, so it's cool that you even tried.:)Okay, now i'm all misty-eyed, lol

Anyway, Tracyluver needs the slightest of slight pick-me-ups now (imagine, being sad over something OTHER that TQ's lackage of airtime, lol ) anyway, i got to go. I'll see y'all tomorrow. have a nice nite and thanks again, Ms.Q, for your help!

[ILoveTracyQ]

*applause for tracyluver's post*

Well done,and I agree with most if not all of it.

*hugs to you*,although I'm not sure what kind of pick me up you need....I hope it helps.

About the molestation....I used to think maybe a friend of Edward's might have done something like that,but I prefer to think she's that complex for other reasons that are not quite so easily defined.

It would be easier(I almost said "easy" and I don't think Tracy is easily helped) to reach Tracy if you could define her problems with just one moment or one incident,such as being raped or beaten or molested or something equally violent or tragic.

But she's just not that simple,and that's why I love her.

You can't just sit her on a couch(now there's a good FIC bunny....TRacy(maybe even teenage Tracy..hint hint MinervaFan, Tracy goes to see a shrink) and "fix" what's wrong.

Aaah...the possibilities for such a story,though.

ABout the way Jane played the drunk scenes in Vegas.

Well first can I say, even though there are times I think Jane makes the wrong choice in a scene,she STILL can make the scene good,and make it work?

So because of that I guess I don't notice the OTT moments as much as you MF.

I just see Tracy.

Who I've said before,is just an OTT character,in many ways.

She's not a "normal" woman,that's for sure.

Anyway,I think Jane played those scenes that way on purpose,because Tracy would HAVE to be drunk off her gourd to not only marry Luke but not remember it,because as you said she is used to imbibing a LOT of alcohol,back in the late 80's early nineties especially,Tracy drank a lot but only ONCE did I ever see her falling down drunk that I remember,and that's when she thought the family was bankrupt after the SS Tracy sank in the harbor(right as Paul came into town.)

So yeah....I think Tracy was BOMBED and Jane played it the way Tracy would have been in order to go along with Luke.

But anyway that's just my take on it.

[Keith]

As to the molestation, I don't think one moment would define it, because that wouldn't work for her, which is why I like Edward's inappropriate feelings and constantly punishing her, as suggested by MinervaFan. And, man, teen!Tracy on the couch--I would pay good money--if I had it--to see that.

[Ms. Quartermaine]

Bella, these are the clips I promised...

February 1, 2006. Credit to Shazzer.

Part 1: Tracy is concerned about Luke. Dillon, Georgie, and Lulu have no luck finding the chimp. Robert lurks outside the Q mansion.

Part 2: Tracy wants answers from Luke. Later, he feigns delirum to win Skye back.

Part 3: Tracy wonders if Luke faked his illness. Lulu returns with the chimp. Dillon suspects a government conspiracy.

Part 4: Tracy remains convinced that it's all a fake. Lulu doesn't feel well and faints.

February 2, 2006. Credit to Shazzer.

Part 1: Tracy apologizes for not believing Luke. She's sorry that Lulu is sick. Tracy worries about Dillon since he had contact with the chimp.

Part 2: Luke passes out at Lulu's bedside. Tracy sits with him. He apologizes for bringing the virus to town.

Coming Up: After Dillon collapses (We unfortunately don't get to see Tracy's reaction to this), Georgie takes her anger out on Tracy. Later, Tracy kicks Lorenzo out of her husband's room and tells him about Dillon's condition. (We once again were not allowed to see the scene where Tracy visited Dillon).

tracyluver, you are very welcome. And I love your post! Our girl so doesn't need a man. Maybe Luke being off canvas will be good for her (and for us). Hope everything turns out all right for you. *hugs*

Regarding Drunk!Tracy...For those who watched the hotel fire, remember how she had that wine/champagne bottle in hand almost the entire time? It was oddly amusing. JE wouldn't even have a speaking part, but there was Tracy in the background with the bottle...and her glass...in hand. I was kind of waiting for the drunken Tracy falls down scene. Guess it's better that didn't happen. (As for the Vegas scenes, I'm with ya, ILoveTracyQ, I didn't find her to be OTT. I think she was just really hammered.)

Fanfiction Updates (short chapters): Chapter 44 and Chapter 45.

SPOILER

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Next week, Robert and Tracy are concerned about Dillon and Lulu's intentions. Robert also gets a thrill out of seeing Anna jealous. (My comments: Woo hoo! Adults being concerned? How can this be? And it's either Skye/Tracy that Anna is jealous of, since Robert shares scenes with both women.) Any thoughts?

[MinervaFan]

All this talk about Tracy's drinking--you know, I guess having a mom that drank almost constantly during my adolescence makes me pretty sensitive. (The more I learn about Tracy, the more she reminds me of my mom....and the more I remind myself of Dillon, scarily enough.) The worse thing that ever happened to my mother, imho, was when she started "needing" a man. That's why I applauded so loudly at Tracy's speech to Lorenzo on Tuesday. It's like, dayum right, Sistuh Friend. You are ten times stronger than any man you know, ten times more resilient, ten times more adaptable, ten times more endurant. They need you!

One thing that has really bothered me lately about Tracy was how far she was willing to humiliate herself for love. (Yeah, I know it's "LuNacy" love, but it's still love.) She took soooo much, and only paid lip service to thinking it was wrong. Her rail against Lorenzo, and all the men in her life, even though said through a fog of martini-induced inebriation, was a clarion call for Tracy's long-dormant feminism. She has always been a "Real Woman," strong enough to play with the big boys, beat them at their own game, and take them to her bed when and how she chose.

Tracy only really faltered when she married the dogs. Then, all her strength seems to get twisted, she seems to lose something, forget her power, forget her strength. Instead of being confident and self-assured, she is pushy and nagging. Instead of being sensual and assertive in her sexuality, she is needy and demanding. With Mitch, with Paul, and to a certain extent, with Luke, married!Tracy just seems reduced. From what I've read (although I have yet to see clips of her in that capacity), Tracy with a lover (as opposed to a husband) seemed much stronger and independent.

My hope? Luke and Tracy will get divorced. Tracy will give Luke the money, mainly to get him out of her life once and for all, and maybe take a few weeks off to clear her head in Europe. When she returns, after Luke has drunk himself blind with grief over "winning the dough, but losing the girl," he makes the effort to win her over again, and they begin a happy little affair...without the bother of marrying. That way, he has his money, she has her money, they both have each other and their freedom, and nobody feels trapped, neglected, nagged or abused. They would be together because they wanted to be together, and it would be a more adult situation than this childish prank of a marriage they have now.

But that's my dream. I'm bracing myself that the nightmare TIIC could give them....

ETA: I've been looking through The City archives MsQ posted. Tracy's lead-up begins on 10/7/1996. It's just a phone call, and there are a couple more. Her first appearance is 10/11/1996, if anybody wants to read the synopses.

ETA: You know, I read through the entire month of October's transcripts of The City, and man, I wish I'd seen it. (Of course, I never would have watched because I couldn't stand Morgan Fairchild. Now, of course, I'd go back and watch the Tracy episodes in a heartbeat.) The archives are sporadic at best--some dialogue, but not real transcripts. Some days, it's not even a full transcript of the episode. But wow...oh, wow...some of the scenes with Tracy (even though she isn't even on a full month yet) are just heart-breaking. Like when she's reading to little Dillon, when she's trying to stall the hotel manager who keeps tracking her down in the middle of the night, insisting she pay her $10,000 bill, like when she's pawning her jewels, only to discover her father had replaced them with fakes before she left home, like when it becomes very, very obvious she's broke and alone with no recourse and no chance of help from home, when she tries to call Edward to beg for mercy and he refuses her call, when still she tries to keep a brave face for Dillon....

Wow. Serious stuff. And this is just the first two weeks she's on! I'm so looking forward to reading the rest of the synopses...

[ILoveTracyQ]

I'll come back in and reply later,sorry again this has to be so short,but that's how it is when you deal with people on a daily basis that couldn't find their butts in the dark.

Or in the daylight,for that matter.

Me.Bad Mood.

[tracyluver]

aaaaaaaaaaawwwww! I hope you feel better, ILTQ. Here's my motto in life :"Don't let dumb-asses ruin your day". That's it, that's all I got. Just bask in the July 4th Tracy goodness and it'll be ok!

*trots of to read "The City" transcripts*

ETA: I went to update my avatar to one of the ones that MF limked to and no matter which one i choose it says that the url i enter (which is just the one i copy/pasted from the page she linked us to) ismt a valid link or something. I even made sure i only had one http:// in the little box. does anyone know whats wrong?

[MinervaFan]

I had trouble with that, too. It seems my urls are too long for the box. What I usually do is just save it to my desktop, then upload it using the "Browse" button.

I agree with you about the dumb-asses--yesterday was the worst day I had since I started my job. Everything went wrong, two more of our puppies died, I got stuck on the phone for a half-hour after quitting time (on regular pay, rather than OT, because of KY laws and the stupid holiday)--it was horrible. But the high point of my day was at lunch, when I went home and got to watch the 7/4 clip while checking my emails. Sad, huh?

Re: The City. Man, I wish I could get some episodes or decent clips of that show. I hate Real Media format, and almost everything I've seen from that show is in RealMedia. It's jumpy, problematic, and a pain to deal with.

Dare I even ask if TQ is on today? Nah, of course she's not. But that's okay. I have my fanfic--which I still write, believe it or not (if only in my head)--and I have this forum to keep me going through the dry spells. HooRAH.

[Ms. Quartermaine]

*sneaks in*

According to SZ, no TQ. Too bad she can't be part of the Robert/Anna/Lorenzo/Skye thing. I'd be more specific except I didn't watch. Just going based on recaps...

*sneaks out*

[tracyluver]

*waves to Kenna!!*

Thanx so much, MF, it worked.

Behold the power of the new avatar...... lol

[MinervaFan]

Squee! tracyluvr, I love that you chose that one! My other favorite Tracy-Helena icon is "On the Next General Hospital: How to Make Friends and Influence People," with a picture of Helena trying to strangle Tracy. I use it on my LJ....

No TQ today at all. *!@#$%^&*]es quietly to no one in particular*

Oh, and HEY to Kenna!