GH: August 2024 Discussion Thread

[Liberty City]

They did not work well; the chemistry between Lopez & Mansi was not there, and the characters just did not naturally blend beyond friendship for me. And I think it has to do with the audience wanting a female-female pairing. It reminds me of the unhealthy obsession people had with Kristina & Parker. Like, they want something to they'll take anything that is given, and that isn't cute.

The only female-female pairing I felt for Kristina was Valerie.

[carolineg]

Kristina/Parker were so creepy.

I liked Kristina and Valerie but that character was a mess after the Dante situation.

I just think it's very fair to not settle for any female/female coupling and want more.  And not to just be happy we got one mediocre one.  And ride or die for that middling couple lol.

[Liberty City]

Truthfully, she was a character created by "the writer" that held zero value until the end of Brytni Sarpy's run, and then they recast to never use her.

Same. I could see if they worked as a couple but they did not. And it's not worth rooting for, nor acting in such a way just because the actress was let go.

[carolineg]

BS was robbed of what actually could have been a very interesting character.  A biracial Spencer?  That has so many possibilities and she was a good actress to boot.

I just don't think any LBGITQA+ fanbase should settle for the mediocre?  I don't think any fanbase should settle for that.

[John]

I am just mad that FV pulled the same [!@#$%^&*] he did at OLTL in 2010. It is way past time FV is replaced. 

FV recasts Valerie just to spite BS joining  Y&R. Then never uses the recast. 

[Contessa Donatella]

You're not. Otalia fans did so & their reasons were because they saw things in the two couples that looked & felt & seemed alike & they were worthy. 

[titan1978]

The truth is the pairing had a small and vocal fanbase, but really wasn’t working overall. And it would have gotten much less attention all around if the show hadn’t botched the bigoted Natalia part of the story. That was what made people angry enough to care.

If Natalia was also gone, this would be a minor bump. Instead I think it could become the issue that causes Frank some heartburn for some time. The optics are the problem, not Blaze per se.

[Vee]

I think they had some chemistry, but again I just didn't think Blaze was much of a character and I don't think JGL was that impressive. She had improved, but I still didn't buy their insta-love relationship that has been cemented at this point. What is the conflict? She was there to be an accessory to Kristina.

But failure goes for any attempt to pair Kristina with a woman so far. I found Kristina and Valerie so forgettable and painful to think about tbh lol. Maybe Brytni Sarpy could've made it more.

Edited August 17, 2024 by Vee

[carolineg]

Please elaborate on what Otalia and Kraze had in common besides a same sex relationship?  It's entirely two different situations. 

 

Thank you.  You said it better than me.

[Antoyne]

I’ve only seen Kristina and Blaze together since April or May maybe? I thought the two actors had fine chemistry but it wasn’t something to set the world on fire. I thought their break up was extremely rushed though. I’d be annoyed if I were a fan.

[Contessa Donatella]

It really seems futile. You've got someone who has made up their mind that the people involved are at best mediocre ... contrasted with someone who saw attraction, chem, flirting, very different people who when they come together, create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Magic. Electricity. Hot, very hot. Interest. Conversation.  Repartee. Amazing sex appeal. Seem like it's all they can do to keep their hands to themselves - and the looks, my god their eyes feasting on one another. 

But I doubt there is any point to this. 

Edited August 17, 2024 by Contessa Donatella

[carolineg]

It is futile when you don't fully explain yourself.

Again, explain how two middle aged woman being in a same sex relationship with majorly different life experience and past relationships is the same as Kristina and Blaze? 

I know you are a huge advocate for LBGITA relationships, but the chemistry you may see is not the same as the relationships being parallel outside the fact two girls liked one another. 

It just does a disservice to everyone because it's like any Gay/Queer couple is better than nothing when in actuality it could have been just done better.  

[Vee]

Since I usually only see Donna's posts when they're quoted by people I don't have blocked (as in this thread), I would say again Mansi has been carrying a good portion of the show for months. I don't think she is mediocre at all. Lopez is another story. She was always a dayplayer who got a bit of a come-up because FV had no interest in hiring someone new for LGBT story.

Edited August 17, 2024 by Vee

[Aragorn]

In the credits today after Giovanni Mazzi the next two listings were Charles Mesure and Kristen Vaganos. It appears that the rumors were true and those two are now on contract.

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, it was confirmed in an article last week. But good catch noticing in Friday credits!

You're assuming something exists that doesn't nor does it need to. As far as the possibility that something could be done better, I would suggest that is generally at least theoretically possible. With Kraze specifically there were times we didn't see them at all & seeing them every week would have improved thw storytelling. Also the surrogacy sl took up time when we could have seen them dating, etc. I don't consider "It could have been done better" to be a valid criticism & I apply that to gay or straight relationships. But, the main point is that Natalia & Olivia do not compare in terms of life experiences with Kristina & Alison & I certainly did not look for them to be. I think I've done a fine job of explaining my position  as a believer to you as a doubter.