GH: February 2025 Discussion Thread

[Khan]

"Tonight's Episode: 'With Six You Get Murder'."

[titan1978]

Agreed. Sometimes, especially with soap fans, it seems like the prevailing feelings of the performer should be gratitude and a willingness to just stay there, even if the writing is bad, even if their character is maligned, sidelined, etc. It’s not ungrateful on their part, these actors do not owe anything beyond doing good work. 

She wanted to stay during her first return, and JFP and the network did not want to give her a schedule she wanted as a new mom. BTW, JFP also hated Genie’s first in, first out schedule Riche agreed to when she had her children. 

The only two divas I have seen actually cause harm to the show are JFP, and lately, Frank. He was willing to practically destroy the show to not have a head writer he didn’t completely have control over. And the show is right back to quick, bland, and regurgitating material that is easy to produce on the schedule he wants it to.

[Liberty City]

Exactly. I'm one of those okay with how she speaks as Selina Wu because it does set the tone of the character, but I can understand why some would feel a certain way.

[Contessa Donatella]

Of course, that could be so. (Frank) About the last, there is a thing, maybe. The money today is not even close to BITD. If she knows that, cool. If not, maybe a problem. But, if that were it, no big deal, no foul. Things would just stay the same.

You now have me in stitches, I'm laughing so hard. I have to laugh to keep from crying. The image this brings up of two divas who were bad for this show, JFP & Frank! Where's Guza? He seems to have gone missing. And I guess that makes Frons, oh, well, Daytime Destroyer trumps diva by a long shot.

[carolineg]

I honestly thought you were going to say the two divas on the show were Steve and Mo, but agreed.  JFP sounds like a nightmare and Frank's ego has been harming the show for years.

@Contessa Donatella I don't think Vanessa demanding more money or a schedule she wants is problematic.  I don't think Frank has ever extended her an offer, but she has every right to decline it if it's not ideal for her.  I do find it ridiculous that JPS/Valentin gets the sweet schedule he wants while he has brought pretty much nothing to the table as far as the show goes.

[Contessa Donatella]

And, more laughter! About VM & right to decline. Of course! Frank having extended an offer. Right, never happened. JPS & others, Frank is a mystery, bends over backwards for some but not for others??? This conversation is delightful!

[titan1978]

You got me on Frons. Yes he actively destroyed ABC daytime and his ego was a big part of that, which is a form of diva.

I may not have liked what Guza wrote, and the focus of too much Sonny/Carly/Jason, but I always give credit that at least it was well written darkness. The day to day writing since that team was dismantled has been cartoonish under Ron, and bland and generic under everybody else.

But I stand by my assertion that JFP and FV are the divas who have done the most damage. We all spent forever blaming Guza for everything bad at GH, only to find out he wasn’t behind Stuart Damon’s firing. What else did he get the blame for? So many of the issues I had with JFP at GH were the same things she did at OLTL, GL, and AW. A detective is not needed to stitch together those clues. And yes, Guza was given a consulting producer credit. But Frons and JFP still had their hands in everything.

As far as Frank’s ego- the whole show is being manufactured for his story instincts and scheduling. Someone with a healthy ego in this business would step back and look at the big picture and realize it’s not working anymore. And make changes. But he thinks his way is so much the only way that he was fine destabilizing the show for close to a year to get back to what he wanted to do.

Also! Why do the women always get the negative connotation when words like diva are thrown around? JFP couldn’t work with Sarah Brown (twice), Genie Francis, Vanessa, Strasser, McKinsey, etc. but had no problem letting Maurice, Steve and Anthony Geary (amongst others) run roughshod over story, pairings, and in general just constant bitching and moaning. Maurice and Steve have actually admitted to this behavior during her tenure. Actual throwing fits at times. Nobody credible has ever said this stuff about Vanessa. She just doesn’t play the game on ABC’s terms only. Fan thinking has a real problem with talent not just taking whatever the show wants to give them.

Edited February 8 by titan1978

[I Am A Swede]

Unfortunately that seems to be the case all the time, regardless if it's in soaps, music, movies, sports, well anywhere really.

[Contessa Donatella]

This has been coming on for a long time. These things have been building up. This rant is worthy of any rant anywhere, on any subject, about anyone, on any message board, blog or essay, Wheeee! When you blow it out, you blow it all the way out. I am proud to associate myself with these words! And your coda, about women specifically, is so true & in this misogyny are the seeds of the discomfort we all live with.

[carolineg]

Frank's obviously an idiot for never even extending an offer and not seriously looking at the big picture on this.  And after the 50th it's now suddenly being leaked Vanessa is "difficult".  Sarah Brown has had a similar issue (while it has nothing to do with Frank).  Say what you want about Brenda or Vanessa, but she's had a long history of working without problem on numerous shows and projects.  She left GH on her own accord every time and continues to be positive about a potential return.  She has never disparaged anyone at GH in interviews and gone as far to spin some stuff she clearly hated (JFP overworking her, the Dante story, horrible scheduling, scenes being cut etc) into an issue she had and didn't place blame.  

It's clear Frank has some sort of axe to grind with her or the character of Brenda.  That's fine, but why would anyone put themselves in a position where they aren't wanted?  We see how it worked out for PM when he dared to try to do something different.

I sincerely do appreciate the "team players" that take pay cuts and roll with the punches.  The actors/actresses that come in every day and show up and give their all with horrible conditions and crap writing.  I also know that's someone's choice to make and not an obligation.

[BrendaB]

Did anyone else notice Stella's blue teeth in that scene where Brad is kissing his bicep when Lucas shows up?  How do you get blue teeth?  That's the coolest thing about the character. 

I really like how the show is centered around Drew Quartermaine as the show's male lead now.  That's the classic philandering soap male character that's been missing from this show for too long.  It's hilarious that he's been with Carly, Nina and Nina's daughter now.

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  I wonder what the Carly & Nina team up is going to lead to at Drew's new house.  Are we going to have a "gaslighting of Mitch Laurence" type story?

[Contessa Donatella]

As bad as you think it is, in actuality, it is much worse. It's a question of one of *those* contracts.

When DAYS was locked into one of those with Jim Reilly, they had to pay his estate after he was dead.

[Vee]

JFP did many terrible things enumerated above when she had actual power, but I don't think she had much of it again at GH after 2001. I think she facilitated for Frons and Guza most of the time from then on. I blame the bulk of personnel decisions, etc. on those two in those years (2002-2011), particularly Frons.

And yes, caroline about summed it up re: Vanessa and FV.

[Taoboi]

OMG! So true! Remember Reginald and...Letita?

 

I hate to say it, but yes, Nina was a RC creation. 

Taste.

[carolineg]

I loved Reggie, but I don't remember him and Michael's nanny at all.  It does slightly ring a bell when you mention it, but she was killed, right?  Reginald just left one day and was replaced by Alexis/Dobson and i don't want to get into that lol.

Again, I don't like Skye or RC, but I didn't think Genzel was bad?  But I also don't think Skye is that legendary or a very difficult character to play.