GH: February 2025 Discussion Thread

[Vee]

I don't care! That has nothing to do with him being on this show.

[carolineg]

So is my husband.  Can he get a job as Sonny's enemy on GH?

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[Khan]

I'm just wondering how many more characters will Sidwell now bring along with him:

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[carolineg]

Lol.  Same thoughts at the same time

[Khan]

Frankly, @carolineg, I'd rather watch your husband than watch any more of Sidwell - and I don't even know your husband, lol!

[Vee]

Say what we will about even lower lights like the Balkan or Anthony Zacchara, there was a specificity to those villains and who they were and they made actual moves, and most had a relatively short shelf life even when some of them were pure cartoons (like Anthony). Even Faith Rosco, who is deeply problematic today, was a force to be reckoned with and could be scary as hell.

Frank's villains today are all just these mid character actors* he likes who can't quite project any menace, yet hang around forever trying to garner sympathy to extend their stay while continuing to commit mostly weak crimes. What did Cyrus even do for years after blowing up the bar? Just stands around whining about his dead parents and then becoming born again. It's weak. And it's gonna be the same thing all over again.

(* - and it's sad for me to say that, because Jeff Kober was the king of playing weird creeps in the '80s and '90s lol. But he comes off like a feeble old man as Cyrus.)

He will absolutely be the excuse to bring on Natalia's musician son who Mulcahey mentioned, and who knows, maybe the return of Blaaaaazzzzeee. Cue the next two years of scenes where Sidwell weeps for his lost relationships with his children while also I don't know, sending thugs after Jason and Sasha.

Edited February 8 by Vee

[Khan]

He'll always be Dodger from "China Beach" to me, lol.

[DRW50]

Me too. That was the role most suited to him as he could generally brood and provide the right atmosphere for the show, when he wasn't man #394 in love with McMurphy.

I do feel a little bad for the actress who played Blaze that they are bringing in her whole family and shitcanned her. I'd rather they just write them all out for the sake of fairness.

[carolineg]

I'd actually give him a rundown of facts on Port Charles, which is more than most actors can say 

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But, you know, he works in a restaurant where most chefs do lol.

Yes, Anthony and the Balkan made bold moves but I would argue they were old, crazy, and slightly feeble.  Nothing menacing enough to truly be a threat that Sonny and Jason couldn't work their way out of.

Faith was a much better base character as a villain.  Even if she was used as basically a weird revenge sex toy.  I think the show was trying to get there with Selina Wu, but she's so monotone I don't really listen to what she is saying.

But did Kober always speak in such an odd way?  The cadence of his speech bothers me so much and I don't know if that's a Cyrus thing or I just need to listen to Kober talk very slowly and pronounce words strangely.

[Contessa Donatella]

Weren't we all?!!!

[Vee]

I was going to say I don't expect her back, but I wouldn't be shocked if Frank has her appear at Pride Month or something just to make sure everyone knows she and Kristina will never reunite again. I don't care about her at all, but I would nuke the entire family.

[Contessa Donatella]

Well, I guess that's nice for him, his friends, his patrons, etc.  but I do not see any value in terms of GH right now, or even GH down the line.

[Vee]

I have said it before and I will say it again: Selina Wu is a case study in not elevating too many dayplayers. That woman has one tone of voice and the range of a water pistol. I love using the Asian Quarter and all but you need better actors. All she does is slink around showing up at people's homes or restaurants asking for their petty cash. Don't get @Darn started on this, believe me.

I mean the Balkan had a pretty massive global apparatus, lol. And that story got real silly. But at the end of the day he was in and out in maybe a year after getting up to a lot of crazy shít. Anthony was a pure cartoon they did keep around because they loved Bruce Weitz, but at least they kept him locked up a lot of the time til the end. Unlike Cyrus or Sidwell, who just stroll around town while Anna and Laura say things like 'our hands are tied' and they show up at Kelly's weeping for their lost families.

Claudia would probably not be remembered nearly as well if not for her big exit, which I think only came about because Sarah Brown may have fallen out with JFP, Guza, etc. It was a great conclusion to a rambling, meandering storyline which also vacillated between her being sympathetic (I remember some wacky, stupid virus hijinks with Claudia, Jason, Spinelli and Monavie) vs. pure evil. Nonetheless Sarah played the character to the hilt and Claudia made real moves, and in the end she was out in under two years. Nobody Frank introduces today has the kind of impact of even the weakest Guza villain.

Edited February 8 by Vee

[Khan]

I still can't believe Daniel Benzali and the dude who played my favorite "Hill Street Blues" character, Sgt. Belker, were once on this show (and wasted in thankless, short-term roles as Sonny's Villains of the Month).  JFP tried SO hard to be Steven Bochco in a skirt, lol.

[Contessa Donatella]

Pretty much. There might have been some vocal variation in different roles along the way, but honestly, I don't think so. I know! I'll watch an episode of China Beach & get back to you.