GH: November 2024 Discussion Thread

[carolineg]

Yeah.  Hear me out though-I think Steve is actually quite good at playing the humorless straight guy in a pairing so he'd do okay with someone that had more humor and pizazz.  Like Maxie, but obviously not actually Maxie.  I've always found Steve pretty funny being exasperated by the likes of Brenda, Spinelli, and Carly (at certain points).

KeMo is a bit different to me.  It's clear she lost all passion for acting after awhile.  I am def not calling Steve a master thespian or anything, but KeMo appeared visibly bored on screen for years.

[Vee]

All true. Still, at this point my only remaining interest in Jason (since Steve claims he is ready to retire in a couple years) is scandalizing the Facebook moms by having him in a (short) dalliance with a returned Keesha Ward. Though I imagine today's GH would issue a public apology to the Klan for something like that.

[carolineg]

Lol!  

I would entirely write off Steve as a lost cause and he probably is, but he did show some spark and depth on Days so I am convinced he doesn't mind acting if he has to.

Keesha being recast is something that should have been done a long, long time ago.  It appears Senait Ashenafi has had some personal issues, but there are plenty of talented actresses who could take on that role.  It's again a character who's story practically writes itself so why would Frank even try?

[Vee]

I would absolutely write Jason off, don't get me wrong (if I had the power to do that lol). But while I'm stuck with him I'd try to make people uncomfortable, and bring Keesha back (recast) with kids. Maybe one of them is secretly A.J.'s, who knows?

[carolineg]

I would love another secret AJ kid.  I just don't know if the moment is lost now.  When did Keesha last appear?  1998?  1999?  

I always thought the Keesha/Jason romance was so easily discarded post-accident.  There was a lot there to play.  I get it was always going to Robin/Jason and I absolutely ship that relationship forever lol.  I ate that nonsense up even if Robin is entirely more awesome far away from him.

I don't think Steve would even be that uncomfortable with a biracial romance.  He has his awful politics, but he seems a bit more open to things now that he's divorced and doesn't have to pretend to be a happy family guy.

[Vee]

I don't think Steve would care. He had no hesitation putting the moves on Senait back in the day. But I'm sure part of the audience would be scandalized, and at this point when it comes to Jason that's all I care about lol. I also think Keesha returning as a still-upstanding and strong-willed character, probably involved in activist work, would be a unique contrast to Jason for his final years. (And would stick around without him)

I had no particular love for Keesha's romance with either brother in the '90s. I just think it would be an interesting and unusual angle to play for a tired character who I otherwise have zero remaining interest in lol. And it would help bring on more Wards and characters of color.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Vee

[DRW50]

Given the current climate I am unsure if there will ever be a major interracial relationship on GH again (there were very few in the first place). 

For many years I've resented Steve Burton's presence on GH because I feel like he has often done the bare minimum and any time he manages more it's seen as a miracle, but I do think there's a more open path for him these days with many of Jason's key relationships gone (Robin, Sam) or just not as important anymore (Sonny). The scene where he whooped Drew's ass was effective even if the story isn't anything special because you were reminded that isn't Jason Morgan very often now.

I wasn't exactly a steady viewer during Sam's heyday, but I think there was something unique about Kelly - a mix of intensity and vulnerability.  As time passed, this seemed to just fade away to sleepytime. I still would have kept Sam over a number of other spent characters, but in theory, there is so much more story for her dead than alive. If only I thought they would make the effort.

[carolineg]

LOL! Steve dated a pre-fame Tara Reid for a few years so you know he's probably truly up for anything.

I don't have a particular affection for Keesha because she was such a basic character.   I was shocked when she was in one of Brenda's weddings because I was like do they even know each other.? It would be an interesting angle at this point though.  

I thought SA and SK's AJ had good chemistry.  I just never felt I got a full story on the relationship.  They would randomly be back together but no scenes to actually explain how we got from broken up to a relationship.

Edited November 22, 2024 by carolineg

[Vee]

Same here. I just think you can do plenty with a blank slate like that, from a strong family of color with such a beloved legacy. And yeah, the status of that relationship made no sense lol.

[BetterForgotten]

Unless there is a complete regime change and people come in who actually care and aren’t afraid to embrace black characters, the status quo on this show will never change.

[Vee]

Absolutely. It's just fun to imagine terrifying the racist faction of the audience.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Vee

[DRW50]

The show has such a terrible history on this front. They had the social issue pairing of Simone and Tom, which they never seemed to take seriously as an actual couple, and then we start getting the couples where you get the sense that they are just default pairings, and the show would rather find a more "suitable" white partner. I guess Nik and Gia might be the most prominent exception, but not much of anyone cared about Nik during that period of time due to the recast. 

[Vee]

I don't know about that. Nikolas and Gia were popular and heavily promoted for a time. I'd still bring her back given her family is around. But I do think she and the Wards under Labine were the closest the show ever got to really substantial representation, until Sprina. And we see how uncomfortable the show has been with that.

I guess a case can be made for the Ashfords, etc. being as prominent as the Wards, Dara, Taggert and so forth ended up being in the late '90s post-Labine if not moreso. But it's more about quality than quantity for me. Curtis and Jordan are dead ends, T.J. is played out, Stella is a talk-to character and the other talents (Portia, Trina) have very little story.

[carolineg]

I personally loved Nik/Gia.   That was the only time I liked Coltin Scott/Steven Martines/Grifter McGee/whatever he goes by now in the role of Nik.  The show lost interest in the entire pairing MR left though.  In fact I am not even sure why the show recast Gia as the recast just wandered around and appeared once a month to do nothing.

I think the show tries with the Ashford family.  Unfortunately it's built around Curtis and he's awful.  It's also difficult when every black character on the show currently is related to one another except Kai and Isaiah.  I am not sure if either is on contract though.

[Vee]

And I think they keep them just so they can say 'we try and have a Black core family.' They're almost all related and have C-plots or supporting material, nothing else. It's not a real investment in major story, it's plausible deniability.

I believe Kai and Isaiah are on contract (for now). From what I can see though, Kai is just here to fob off the Trina fans and say 'look, she has a new romance' and then play them every few weeks after this initial super-cliched intro. And I have no faith in them not shackling Isaiah to Cyborg Jordan. I think Portia and Trina could be doing so much more, but that would mess up the quiet, inoffensive place FV feels he has successfully islanded all the Black characters on the show.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Vee