GH: September 2024 Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

My only knowledge of this is from things Wendy Riche has said & to hear her talk Claire was brilliant, accommodating, helpful, easy to talk to, etc. She talked about HIV/AIDS/not Robin also not Stone & she described what she wanted to do, which was have it happen to ordinary people, not anyone from any risk group. The next day Claire presented her with the outline of the story that we saw play out. Nurses Ball, same thing, only there were a great many people involved in that. So, if you look at then & look at now, the difference is the EP. Claire was doing what Wendy wanted done. Patrick a different story. At least it seems to me. 

[Vee]

Exactly. I'm bored.

[Maxim]

From what I've seen from the show... I can agree that this Sonny character is indeed sucking out the air in the room. Sad. 

[carolineg]

Yup.  There's not even anything for me to complain about.  I have said it million times.

It's a Guza era level of re-hashing the same story.

WR/CL had a collaborative, productive relationship.  They were working together with a similar vision.  It's pretty clear FV/PM were working against one another.  

[Contessa Donatella]

Yep. This is what I'm saying, also. 

[carolineg]

I think what PM was trying to do was much harder than what Claire did.  Frank aside, I believe the tone, character shifts, and stories were going to be vastly different than the previous regimes.

Claire was amazing and I am not trying to disregard her work.  I just think Riche had at least started the process of overhauling the show before Claire came.   

Obviously, we will never know, but I got the impression PM was going for massive changes on the canvas-which we need.  Although I do think the show has improved slightly since PM left.  It's just more of the same.

[Liberty City]

And that's the problem with General Hospital: this is what "the fans" want to see, and it's tired. So tired. And anytime something new that goes against this is deemed wrong.

[Vee]

Yeah. The day to day energy is up, cliffhangers, etc. are back (and I blame a lot of the lack of that in the spring frankly on constant BTS infighting and turnover). But the show has reset to cliche old norms and tired old setups. It's flashy and makes money though, so unless Frank really fúcks the chicken again I think he and his pals are safe.

[Maxim]

I agree. He really had a mess in front of him... and given how short his stint was... it's laughable when people blame him for some of the major problems in the show and act like he was this major issue that has now been removed to SUNNY days again. It's like inviting someone to fix your crumbling house, and after he says - I'm done, this can't be saved, you don't allow me to do it... You turn around and say - Look, my house was crumbling and falling down while he was here! He did it. 

Yes, girl, he was there to help you. 

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[carolineg]

Listen, I consider myself one of the bigger Sonny "fans" here.  Which means I mostly tolerate and have a smidge of affection for him due past awesomeness during the 90's.  I find this whole arc extremely boring and repetitive.   GH needs to figure out something that works because this is more of the same and has immediately made me lose interest.   Even the Lucky/JJ return has been more of the same crap. 

I'll tune back in when 

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[Liberty City]

It has become an absolute chore to watch... just like the other American daytime soaps, and that's disappointing. But it's where we're at at this point in time, unfortunately.

[carolineg]

It's unfortunate because I think the show is more watchable now.  I was just being patient and waiting to see what PM was trying to set up.  I am mad we just didn't get to see much of it unfold. 

[Contessa Donatella]

The thing is, and probably no one here is going to agree with me, but I believe there is this small chance that Mo is considering retiring. I know he's talked about it many times & he clearly was not nearly ready any of those times. But, now, he has a new wrinkle to deal with. When it comes to his bipolar he knows that thing, going & coming, but this new business, of his nearly crippling anxiety, now, that's not something he's got a handle on. I believe it's a real problem for him & this story really brought it on like gangbusters. For that reason, and only that reason, I am one who thinks there is this slight, small chance of a real change in the trajectory for current Sonny. We'll see. This may go nowhere new. Frankly, I hope it does happen. Only removing or drastically changing the Sonny chess piece will cause any real change. Everyone knows this. My saying it is redundant, sorry. 

One more thing. I too think Frank is safe. But, I've come to believe that the reason that is so, is that there's no one at Disney who knows enough about soaps to see what should & shouldn't be done. In their ignorance Frank hgas this pocket of safety. 

Edited September 4, 2024 by Contessa Donatella
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[Vee]

It's more exciting. I just don't think it's half as smart or full of potential as what was there a few months ago. That was always the problem with this team. And I don't think the existing creative apparatus was ever behind Mulcahey, so he was handicapped from the jump.

It should've been a clean creative sweep in March.

Edited September 4, 2024 by Vee

[Liberty City]

I agree: the "in the moment of excitement" may be there, but the quality of the material is gone. Absolutely GONE.

Had Mulcahey had people who were not Korte, Valentini and/or Varni (plus Disney as a whole) in his way, he would've been a bit more effective.