GH: March 2025 Discussion Thread

[Vee]

Surprised they even discussed the brief AW stint - I thought she was pretty good.

[Soapsuds]

It was painful to watch. The scene seemed to drag on endlessly because of how poorly the actor performed.

Yes, it did!

[titan1978]

I don’t disagree. What I want is actual soapy drama and them to be used better. Not a town full of genial people vs whatever weak villain FV keeps around too long. The stuff with Drew has been welcome because he isn’t being genial with everyone. It’s almost character based antagonism because of his place in the family and jealousy of Jason. Truthfully, it’s what AJ should have been like if the show was playing fair in 1996-2000ish with Jason, Carly, AJ and Sonny.

I know people were nervous about Ava under Mulcahey. But her medical and mental manipulation of Sonny, coupled with those confrontation scenes between her and Nina and the one with Alexis were the most fun I have had watching Ava in years. And Watros is very capable of playing a character that can be pushed too far. Let them shine!

[carolineg]

I thought CW was good as Vicky too!  Granted I am not the biggest Jensen or AW fan, but I actually tuned in to watch her and was impressed.  I recall it was longer than a week though, maybe that's just how long CW taped for.

I feel like the momentum the characters had under PM is lost though.   Both actresses are capable of more, but Ava and Nina really don't have that much going on.  I truly believe Nina as a character has run its course.  I'd probably keep Ava for now and rest Nina at least temporarily.   Although I wouldn't be shocked if Nina ends up back with Sonny after this whole Eva La Rue experiment ends.

[Vee]

I agree with all of that.

The fact is too many fans at GH (and all soaps, but certainly there) have been trained to believe that being a fan of a character and 'good writing' for them means they are not at risk or doing bad things. Too many fans of Ava just love Ava being fierce, love Maura West and think that she's some heroine or slightly skewed antiheroine. I enjoy Ava and I like having her around. But Ava is a killer who came on this show murdering in cold blood, yet when Mulcahey reset her to who she's always been last year a lot of that audience cried foul claiming Ava's 'changed' and that it was 'bad writing' or degrading for her to be the same dangerous schemer and criminal she's always been. But she really never has changed, and the times the show has tried to shift her into Carly Snyder mode (Griffin, some of the Nikolas years) went over like a lead balloon. Even now this Ric thing is a B or C-plot. It's a coasting storyline. People need to get over their stan goggles and let Ava be Ava, with Ric or whoever else. If that means Maura isn't on the show for another ten years, oh well. Ava has had a long run and can still run longer if properly insulated in story despite her dirty deeds. I say it again: The Alex Olanov OLTL model is the model here, and it can always work for Ava.

I think Nina (and Drew!) actually could've run a few more years at least under Mulcahey - what he was doing with them was that fun and exciting for me a la Scott and Lucy/Dominique or something, or Julia Barrett and some of her men, whereas before they were normally characters I would quickly cut. But since PM's exit Drew is becoming a total black hat and Nina is superfluous. I would give her a big exit because I like Watros but ultimately I think it's done. Drew, I haven't tuned in tbh much in the last few weeks but I think they've been setting him up for a murder arc for a long while. You could do that or just shoot him and let him live to keep scheming, because his plots and schemes and affair with Willow are the only interesting things on the show for me at present. Both options would work. But the more nuanced take on cocky, arrogant but human Drew last summer is gone, at least for now.

The issue is some audience are trained to keep falling for it too. Like, I'm sorry but I do not give a fúck about Natalia and Sidwell, or Sidwell's kids. He is not intimidating or interesting. It's also the same rinse/repeat plotline as creaky old Cyrus and his secret family, Shiloh and his secret connections/cult, Peter and his family, etc.

Edited March 13 by Vee

[carolineg]

I agree about Ava completely.   I have always enjoyed her much more when she was a villain.  I could still sympathize with her sometimes, but she's lost most of her bite at this point.   Ric/Ava is a good idea in theory.  Like you said it just really is B or C level.  It hasn't progressed much and it has the same pacing problems GH always does.

I think it was a huge mistake to cut Nina out of the Willow/Drew pairing.  The whole story would be even better if Drew and Nina just couldn't control themselves and were still sleeping together despite trying to stay away from one another.   Then Nina shoots or kills Drew after going a bit crazy from jealousy or guilt and Nina can be shipped off to jail for a while.  

I really don't see the harm in cutting Nina or Ava for a bit.  It's not like the show can't bring the characters back.  It helps keep the characters fresh instead of aimlessly running around town year after year just because MW and CW are talented and popular.

[Vee]

I think that was almost certainly the plan with Mulcahey - but with a lighter tone and doing Blake/Ross/Holly from GL, and Drew gets his comeuppance and I strongly suspect the endgame was Drew/Nina as a cemented pairing, which I was all for. But now, yes, I'd have her go ape and then get carted off, or if I'm feeling charitable, still go nuts but then calm down and say screw this, I'm out and jet out of town. Either way I think she should go.

Which is the case with most of the cast on Frank's show tbh, even the unpopular or bland longtimers.

[carolineg]

Oh, there is definitely a case to rest many characters including Sonny and Carly, who are both not doing much to advance story these days.   Although it will never happen.  It would be wise if GH took notes from BTG and took some risks.  We've been saying this for years though.  GH isn't a bad show day to day and doesn't hit the lows Days does.  It just coasts on the same old same old year after year.

[Vee]

I think some days are passable and others are pacey or interesting, and contain good stories or at least scenes. But many stories day to day either drag or are just bad, and other days are just pure dogs lol. That can be an issue at any soap, granted. The problem is the hit ratio for that at GH is way off. It's an ordeal to get through most days for me because so much of it is tedium, bad stories or running in place with tired or bland characters.

[carolineg]

I mostly find myself forgetting about some stories or losing interest just because they drag so long.   There is no sense of urgency with GH's writing.  It just plods along.  I would say at least two days a week episodes feel like filler or padding.  That is a problem a lot of soaps face.  I just feel like GH has an ability to suck any potential drama out of stories for whatever reason.

[Vee]

Watching BTG vs. this is a very different experience. The show clicks along, somewhat geared I think towards a new binge-watching demographic unfamiliar to the daily grind of soaps (but watching, as social feedback and numbers have proven), yet so far it doesn't feel rushed or un-daytime to me. They just manage to keep plot and character moving at a strong pace. I can catch up on 2-3 episodes quickly and not feel like I've run or walked a marathon.

[Aragorn]

When is Monica going to die? Do you think that it will happen at the beginning of May sweeps?

[Contessa Donatella]

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Edited March 13 by Contessa Donatella

[carolineg]

BTG moves so much quicker.  I still struggle with figuring out who is related to who because the kids look way old lol.  I actually have to pay attention to BTG or I might miss something.  I can have GH in the background for an hour and glance up a few times and be 100% caught up.  

I cut Days a lot more slack because they have a $5 budget, I can watch it any time I feel like it, and they got rid of Ron.   Gh has a talented cast and still looks decent.  They should be producing better material daily but with Frank still at the helm I have little hope for change.

[detroitpiston]

I got behind on episodes but played a little catch up this morning

Amanda Setton and Alexa Havins did great work with the baby reveal, Amanda Setton definitely deserves an Emmy nom this year. I feel bad for Brook Lynn not only having her secret exposed but having Lulu berating her and carelessly sharing information about the child Brook Lynn wasn’t even aware of. Lois and Grandma-ma Cerullo ain’t sh!t

The Tracy vs Drew feud has been 

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I love how the Q’s, Gio, Emma and Laura stood up for Tracy when it came to the potential crypt moving and Drew vs Tracy at the police station was excellent. Him arrogantly reminding Tracy she’s been banished from the family before and he plans on being back on the inside and pushing her out was good stuff.
 

Liz and Lucky trying to get it in and being interrupted by Carly, Aidan and Laura was hilarious btw. The rest of the show is kind of ho hum for me.

I didn’t truly understand the hardcore Charlotte hate until she went off on Anna, what an annoying brat Jason and Anna should have left her with Valentine.

I’m still bothered Sasha made such a fuss over not wanting Michael known as her baby daddy but is happily lying about it being Jason. I feel like Carly should be more indignant about Jason not being the father as well hopefully we get some good Jarly scenes soon.