This show is so insanely conflict-averse that they couldn't even stick to Michael returning to his vengeful Q roots for longer than 3 minutes. Now his whole persona is being regretful and moping over his wife. He should've gone full Alan/A.J. on Willow and started working on dropping the roof on Drew and Willow; that's the kind of material Chad is actually still good at. But no, as soon as he completed the Aurora bid he's back to Sad Wife Guy. Ridiculous.

7 minutes ago, Vee said:

This show is so insanely conflict-averse that they couldn't even stick to Michael returning to his vengeful Q roots for longer than 3 minutes. Now his whole persona is being regretful and moping over his wife. He should've gone full Alan/A.J. on Willow and started working on dropping the roof on Drew and Willow; that's the kind of material Chad is actually still good at. But no, as soon as he completed the Aurora bid he's back to Sad Wife Guy. Ridiculous.

I wonder if that partially lead to CD leaving. When he was being a vengeful Q, he seemed really engaged with the material. 

1 hour ago, Antoyne said:

I wonder if that partially lead to CD leaving. When he was being a vengeful Q, he seemed really engaged with the material. 

I don't think so. Chad's break is apparently about personal stuff he feels he needs extra time to take care of.

1 hour ago, Antoyne said:

I wonder if that partially lead to CD leaving. When he was being a vengeful Q, he seemed really engaged with the material. 

Well when allowed, CD can play vengeful well for sure. 

1 minute ago, Taoboi said:

Well when allowed, CD can play vengeful well for sure. 

I'd like to see more of Dark Michael. 

4 hours ago, Vee said:

This show is so insanely conflict-averse that they couldn't even stick to Michael returning to his vengeful Q roots for longer than 3 minutes. Now his whole persona is being regretful and moping over his wife. He should've gone full Alan/A.J. on Willow and started working on dropping the roof on Drew and Willow; that's the kind of material Chad is actually still good at. But no, as soon as he completed the Aurora bid he's back to Sad Wife Guy. Ridiculous.

I can see what they're going for with Michael's moping and inaction; it's just the wrong decision. In many ways, it's in character, as Michael has often defined himself as the peacemaker of the family, in opposition to his vengeful parents, Carly and Sonny. And it makes sense that he doesn't want to put the kids through any conflict. So if GH were a character-driven drama, the kind we often say that we want, this would probably be the right creative choice.

But the key thing is--GH is NOT a character-driven drama. It's trying to juggle about 50 characters on the canvas, and the scenes are like 30 seconds long. The production choices don't allow for that kind of deep realistic sustained exploration of character psychology. So I totally agree that the show should embrace its plot-driven nature and have Michael go full vengeful psycho on Willow and Drew. It would be fun to watch, which Chad Duell's scenes rarely are. 

4 hours ago, Antoyne said:

I wonder if that partially lead to CD leaving. When he was being a vengeful Q, he seemed really engaged with the material. 

I wonder this but in another way - if they might have played up the vengeful side more if he was staying. 

I don't believe Chad's departure has anything to do with personal issues or story/material and came down to money.  I don't get the vibe he's on a short "break" or whatever, but gone at least for now.

I get that GH is conflict averse, but this is becoming a non-story.  There have been successful affair stories where no is the villain, everyone is a villain, or there is a clear right/wrong side.  This affair story is pretty much everyone boringly sucks here and there is no rootable couple to back up one side or the other.

Once Michael slept with Sasha the only way to go was to make him a vengeful Q.  Most of the audience would root for Michael at this point.  I do wonder if the show was thinking about going that route like @DRW50 mentioned and just pulled back when CD decided to leave.  Now he'll probably just leave town with his tail between his legs and never know Sasha is pregnant and let Drew/Willow raise the kids or some nonsense.

2 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I don't believe Chad's departure has anything to do with personal issues

Well, when he's back maybe you'll see it differently. Of course, maybe not. But that is the reason for no recast. It's the only thing that makes any kind of sense. Of course, this is only an opinion. Just like my prediction that Dex is alive. Also only opinion. And as we know opinions are like a*holes, everyone has one.

 

10 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I don't believe Chad's departure has anything to do with personal issues or story/material and came down to money.  I don't get the vibe he's on a short "break" or whatever, but gone at least for now.

Same. That's my thought-process, and it's a shame because there is [some] meat in his story now... likely, brought on by his impending exit.

10 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I don't believe Chad's departure has anything to do with personal issues or story/material and came down to money.  I don't get the vibe he's on a short "break" or whatever, but gone at least for now.

I get that GH is conflict averse, but this is becoming a non-story.  There have been successful affair stories where no is the villain, everyone is a villain, or there is a clear right/wrong side.  This affair story is pretty much everyone boringly sucks here and there is no rootable couple to back up one side or the other.

Once Michael slept with Sasha the only way to go was to make him a vengeful Q.  Most of the audience would root for Michael at this point.  I do wonder if the show was thinking about going that route like @DRW50 mentioned and just pulled back when CD decided to leave.  Now he'll probably just leave town with his tail between his legs and never know Sasha is pregnant and let Drew/Willow raise the kids or some nonsense.

I imagine the show would have been torn because someone there clearly likes Drew (which is why we are now having this big couple push for Drew/Willow), but I think there's a lot of clear story in place which has been changed. I wonder if his exit was abrupt. 

You also have characters who don't even really need to be involved, like Lucas, saying to Drew and Willow what Michael should be saying.

5 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

Well, when he's back maybe you'll see it differently. Of course, maybe not. But that is the reason for no recast. It's the only thing that makes any kind of sense. Of course, this is only an opinion. Just like my prediction that Dex is alive. Also only opinion. And as we know opinions are like a*holes, everyone has one.

 

Stating he's leaving for personal reason multiple times as if it is fact isn't an opinion.  CD has said nothing publicly of the sort.  Jumping to the conclusion that he's leaving for "personal" reasons he needs to address, which has a wide variety of connotations, because there isn't an immediate recast isn't any sort of proof that is true.

Thinking Dex is alive is an opinion.

3 minutes ago, Liberty City said:

Same. That's my thought-process, and it's a shame because there is [some] meat in his story now... likely, brought on by his impending exit.

Yeah.  I don't rule Michael or Duell out returning in the future but there is no indication this is a temporary exit ala Kirsten Storms or anything.

2 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I imagine the show would have been torn because someone there clearly likes Drew (which is why we are now having this big couple push for Drew/Willow), but I think there's a lot of clear story in place which has been changed. I wonder if his exit was abrupt. 

You also have characters who don't even really need to be involved, like Lucas, saying to Drew and Willow what Michael should be saying.

I don't know if his exit was abrupt.  I think FV lives under the assumption that someone like Chad with years as a character will just stay regardless of pay cuts or airtime because mostly everyone else does lol.

10 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

You also have characters who don't even really need to be involved, like Lucas, saying to Drew and Willow what Michael should be saying.

I keep looking at the fact that Lucas shares most of his scenes with Ava & I know they're putting them together because of the ATWT connection. And, I think that is lame.

6 minutes ago, carolineg said:

Stating he's leaving for personal reason multiple times as if it is fact isn't an opinion. 

I'm not at all sure what you're getting at. i have not repeated this multiple times. Maybe someone else has. I don't know. But it could be so. I honestly haven't been watching closely. But, I assure you it is my opinion. It may be a wrong one. It's not like I'm in a position to know. I guess we'll see.

 

25 minutes ago, carolineg said:

Yeah.  I don't rule Michael or Duell out returning in the future but there is no indication this is a temporary exit ala Kirsten Storms or anything.

Do I rule out Michael returning? No. Do I rule out Chad Duell returning? Somewhat. Would I welcome him back? Yes. But, like you: this does not feel like a temporary exit, a-la Storms' exits of the past.

And, honestly, I think resting Michael is a good thing right now. Let the character rest for the majority of 2025, and possibly return by Christmastime.

27 minutes ago, carolineg said:

I don't know if his exit was abrupt.  I think FV lives under the assumption that someone like Chad with years as a character will just stay regardless of pay cuts or airtime because mostly everyone else does lol.

I don't really know anything about Chad or his relationship with Frank, I just thought the shifts onscreen felt abrupt.

26 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

I keep looking at the fact that Lucas shares most of his scenes with Ava & I know they're putting them together because of the ATWT connection. And, I think that is lame.

If Frank cares that much about ATWT (more than most at ATWT did by the end), that would be something...I just figured it was because they have nothing else to do with the characters.