Sure, Sonny's a supporting character in terms of how much he actually drives story these days. But when you look at episode counts, only Laura Wright and Cameron Mathison have been onscreen more frequently this year. Sonny has been averaging over 3 episodes a week! Divide that by three, and he'd be a lot more tolerable. 

2 hours ago, prefab1 said:

Sure, Sonny's a supporting character in terms of how much he actually drives story these days. But when you look at episode counts, only Laura Wright and Cameron Mathison have been onscreen more frequently this year. Sonny has been averaging over 3 episodes a week! Divide that by three, and he'd be a lot more tolerable. 

You have a valid point and I don't think you are wrong.  I think GH is stuck with Mo, his contract, his guarantees for the time being.  This board is mostly sensible, but I could see Facebook GH fans having a huge issue with Sonny not appearing more than once a week.  I think you could make a creative decision and write out Mo, but you are still risking a lot of audience, IMO.

9 hours ago, cassadine1991 said:

The show ACTUALLY remembered Dawn

Amen.

 

2 hours ago, titan1978 said:

I get what you are saying, but to me, they have demoted him. Sonny is a shell of a character. They clearly don’t know what to do with him. Going out by dying in a blaze of glory or reunited with Brenda for a happier ending, both require Maurice being ready to go. Even in the fight over his piers, he is marginalized because they are barely telling that story. Nothing else revolves around him anymore, including Carly, Jason, and Michael.

Very much what I said yesterday. And I agree. He either dies and gets the HEA with Brenda (after muuuuch begging). The reason the pier story isn't working for the most part...even though the idea of hitting Sonny where it hurts is sound...is that we have been there, done that. With better writing. 

 

2 hours ago, titan1978 said:

My idea for a long time is he finally gets caught at something, and goes to jail. He meets basically a younger version of him there and when they get out (it’s still a soap, something will get them out early), this kid who he has grown loyal to does to him what Sonny did to his mentors, Frank Smith and Scully, by taking a power grab for his territory. It would need to be paced out, possibly two years to get to the climax. And even if Sonny survived, he would have to confront that he cannot maintain his control over PC anymore. But would the show or Maurice be willing to play that Sonny is older and resembles the men he killed now.

OOooooo me likey. So see a twist on the trope of Sonny mentoring someone. 

 

2 hours ago, carolineg said:

What has Sonny done in years that's been his story?  Nixon Falls? 

Like I mentioned yesterday, that was Sonny's last chance to pivot. And it was well-done in taking him in a new direction at first. We even got to see what it would be like if when Brenda comes back to dominate story as a way for Sonny to still be on the canvas as a background purse holder to his wife's antics. Just with Nina in place of Brenda.  

 

Otherwise, the Meds story would be the last Sonny story. And we saw that was uprooted. 

 

Sonny has finally hit a story dead end and what to do, what to do when Maurice is not leaving while the other big two (Carly, Jason) are pivoting nicely into other directions?

Credits for Friday, September 26, 2025:

Created by: Frank & Doris Hursley
Executive producer: Frank Valentini
Head writers: Elizabeth Korte, Chris Van Etten
Writers: Micah Steinberg, Kate Hall, Cathy Lepard
Director: Tina Keller

The optimal solution for managing Sonny and relegating him to a supporting role where he can still be active (and I agree the show can't risk the hit of dropping him) will always remain Brenda. It doesn't have to be writing them off the show together. Humble him, reunite them, marry them off and she is on contract and takes the bulk of active story. Sonny keeps his hand in story and on the canvas but they'd no longer be desperate to find something for him to do and a good position for him to play on canvas or to stay relevant. It would be Mac and Rachel status from AW (although Mac Cory was not backburnered). Meanwhile the show likely gets a ratings bump from Vanessa.

But Frank doesn't want to do that, so we have Mo romancing Sidwell's animatronic wife in a bad C-story Sonny has already played maybe 3-5 times.

Edited September 26Sep 26 by Vee

Let me add this to the discussion- with Rory Gibson’s Michael, they actually have a chance to go in a new direction. They finally have someone in that role that is capable and willing to play Michael as strong, and it doesn’t seem silly or out of place. He is the one that is facing down the major threat right now, which is Drew. He is also very good looking, and clearly not fighting a shirtless scene, and as an audience member I thank him for his sacrifice.

When I watched him on yesterday’s episode, he just fit in with the Q’s, and his comments about Monica felt genuine, especially considering he never worked with LC. What the hell happened at Y&R?

Yay real Emily clips!

Tracy escorting Drew out was the best.

 

 

1 hour ago, titan1978 said:

They finally have someone in that role that is capable and willing to play Michael as strong, and it doesn’t seem silly or out of place.

Well, when they did it with Chad Duell, he played it, and he played it well. Can't fault him for the material they neglected to give him.

Jane Elliott is masterful today. 

Portia really came to this funeral dressed like En Vogue.

Wow today's episode was good.  I know a lot on here seem to be very unhappy with GH currently but this is the most I have enjoyed it since since Guza's first stint in 1996.  Is it perfect?  No.  But it feels more like the GH I began watching in 1983 than it has in many years.  

1 hour ago, Liberty City said:

Well, when they did it with Chad Duell, he played it, and he played it well. Can't fault him for the material they neglected to give him.

It’s hard to remember because he coasted for nearly a decade. The truth is I never bought Chad as a mature adult. I often felt when he had to carry the load it didn’t work. Yes the writing did him no favors. But this is the soap we have now. Performers either make the material work and show up, or they don’t. These men are arrogant and lazy.

Laura Wright has had to sell a lot of crap in her tenure. Same with Becky Herbst. And Genie Francis, Finola, Jane. Hell it’s been happening for a couple of years with Brooke Kerr and Donnell Turner, who finally decided he would try to sell a relationship again as their marriage is falling apart. I shouldn’t be able to tell they are bored or don’t like a story, certainly not all the time for years.

And as one of the other people who mentioned Brenda as the only thing that would keep Sonny somewhat relevant (after some begging on his part), I have always agree with the idea of using her that way. Because we all know she can show up tomorrow and be immediately connected to EVERYONE. Thanks to Nina and post-Nixon Falls, we know it's something that would work for Sonny, too. So...bonus!!!! 

 

It's just a shame that someone *cough*Frank*cough* is blocking the way.

 

If not Brenda, they might as well get Sonny back together with Nina honestly.

3 hours ago, titan1978 said:

Let me add this to the discussion- with Rory Gibson’s Michael, they actually have a chance to go in a new direction. They finally have someone in that role that is capable and willing to play Michael as strong, and it doesn’t seem silly or out of place. He is the one that is facing down the major threat right now, which is Drew. He is also very good looking, and clearly not fighting a shirtless scene, and as an audience member I thank him for his sacrifice.

When I watched him on yesterday’s episode, he just fit in with the Q’s, and his comments about Monica felt genuine, especially considering he never worked with LC. What the hell happened at Y&R?

And what a great and noble sacrifice he is making for us with those shirtless scenes.  A great example of going in a new direction. And that he's next generation once the old guard move to supporting is also a bonus. 

 

Him being there for Jason with that single tear got me the other day. And he never worked with LC.

 

Y&R has a writer who can't write when the potential for the character RG played was RIGHT...THERE.

5 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

It’s hard to remember because he coasted for nearly a decade. The truth is I never bought Chad as a mature adult. I often felt when he had to carry the load it didn’t work. Yes the writing did him no favors. But this is the soap we have now. Performers either make the material work and show up, or they don’t. These men are arrogant and lazy.

I agree. Except on very rare occasions, Chad never exhibited that steely spine that Rory Gibson has in spades. We'd get a really good performance out of him on a Monday, and then on Tuesday we were back to milquetoast Michael.

Gibson was accepted so quickly and so dramatically as Michael that it was eye-opening. Yes, he's been terrific, but part of the reason is also that Chad Duell wasn't making an impact.