General Days

I mostly agree with the above. Or at least, that's what I hope is going on. What makes me doubt it (in re Michael's story) is that there don't seem to be enough characters on Team Michael. I'd like to see Olivia on his side, and Bobbi, and some others who aren't Quartermaines. I'd like to see other people feeling torn (like oh say, Carly, or Morgan, or Kiki). That would make me feel more comfortable that Ron is intentionally writing for both factions of the show's audience. I don't see Nathan as wooden. The actor is green, but I've seen steady improvement and this triangle is his first storyline that looks like it might have some legs. There's an earnestness in his performance I find appealing (even when he has his shirt on). I want to jump in the positivity pool. I like Carly. No, really. I hate a lot of things she does, and I hate that the writers have put her back together with Sonny, but I like Carly. I've liked her since SJB's original recipe Carly. I couldn't watch Tamara Brown in the role, but I like LW's version. I think I like the character in the same way that I liked the Sami Brady character on DOOL. I want her to stop screwing up and be better, and actively root for it, even though I know I'm playing a fool's game. I like Spencer and all the little kids, but the writers need to give them a more age appropriate storyline (and reduced screen time). I've wanted to say something about the actor who plays Spencer for a long time. When I see people comment on his speech impediment, it makes me uncomfortable. Spencer has a speech/language disorder, because the real little boy who plays him has one. I'm sure NB's parents have him in speech therapy. Speech problems are not resolved overnight. It can take years and sometimes they're never fully resolved, witness Barbara Walters. I understand why little ham can grate; he just doesn't happen to grate on my nerves. I think I like him, in part, because I see the real little kid having a hell of a good time "acting" (which is why I like Ciara Brady on Days of Our Lives, especially when she gets to be naughty and sneaky). I like Sabrina, now that she's in Michael's orbit, rather than Patrick's. Michael's storyline has made me happier with this show than I've been in decades (I hate the mob stuff). I still like Patrick and Sam, even together. I like Spinelli, too, the little weirdo (I think because I like Brad Anderson). I love Maxie, even when I want to dope slap her. I'll always love Liz and I don't even judge her for being fickle, because I consider so much of that to be writer error. Wow, this positivity is exhausting. I need coffee.

Yes, seriously, and it was way gross. There was an arm or shoulder rub in there, too. For a second, I was sitting there thinking, "Did I miss a day when they reunited as a couple?" Right? Again I say Ron has some good ideas, but he seriously lacks in the discipline to correctly execute. It makes me sad, because as much as I've bitched here, GH has been dealing out some cracktacular stories, but it so often falls short in the telling, and I'm thinking with 2 more hours at the writers' table, for each episode, they could be epic. Don't get me wrong. I'm tired of the Who's The Daddy Stories, and Latex Mask Stories, etc, but this Michael Effing Quartermaine Comes Home story skirts greatness. Greatness is in reach, but the writing refuses to reach. I see that with a lot of the storylines, but Michael's is foremost on my mind, so that's what ends up on this page.

The thing is with soap actors, you can sign them for a year (or X years) but the show generally has a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Card option, every 13 weeks. NuKiki might have a real contract, but that doesn't mean the show really plans to use her for a full year (or however long). It means they can, but they can also give her the boot in 13 weeks. Agreed. This (lack of characterization in the writing) is the real problem, to me. Silas and Franco also suffer from it, too. It seems like, when Prospect Park took back their intellectual property (i.e. the OLTL characters), Ron and Frank had a giant brain fart. I don't know how different they (legally) had to make Easton, Howarth, and Alderson's characters, but I can't believe they had to make them this different. Making Howarth the new Franco was the worst of them all, imo. Having Kiki screw and marry one brother while falling in love with the other (who, at the time, she thought was a cousin) was nearly as bad, though. It left her completely unsympathetic, and without any sort of point of view. I liked KA in the role. I don't abhor this new woman (sorry, don't know the actress's name) in the role, but the role is so icky. And I think the show REALLY missed the boat by not having her side with Michael in this custody battle. I mean, here's the story we've been told (recently): Kiki loves Michael, so she didn't tell him about Sonny killing AJ, because she didn't want to wreck his relationship with Sonny and Carly. Gag, but fine. I don't expect these 20 year olds (who are being manipulated by masters) to make perfect choices. Kiki chose badly when she didn't tell Michael about Sonny killing AJ, but she did so, because her love for Michael made her loath to hurt him. Michael learns the truth, gets pissed, breaks things off, boinks Rosalee, etc. Kiki and Michael are over. Kiki and Morgan kiss, but that amounts to nothing. Kiki steps up and takes in baby Avery, because Sonny and Ava are in prison. Sonny escapes, takes a long walk off a short pier (with a sadly ineffective bomb) and gets pardoned. Kiki doesn't want to surrender the baby to him, but does. To me, the story should have played out, thusly: Kiki doesn't want to surrender baby AJ to Sonny, but does, because Sonny is the monster who threatened to kill her own mother for 9 months, and she doesn't know how to play in his league, so she lets him and Carly take the baby, but goes to Michael to express her distress at baby AJ being raised by the man who threatened to kill Ava. Michael, thawing toward Kiki (maybe not enough that they'll get back together, but at least enough that they can have civil conversations) tells Kiki what it was like growing up with the Corinthos bullseye on his back. He decides to seek custody. Kiki is still afraid enough of Sonny that she doesn't take a public side, but is privately thrilled that someone is fighting to keep Ava's would-be murderer from raising Ava's baby. Meanwhile, Morgan should feel caught in the middle. He should want to repair his relationship with Michael, while not wanting to squander his new position as Sonny's favorite son. Carly should be horrified about the way Sonny threatens Michael. And what was up with Kiki calling Morgan, "Sweetie," today, as if they were again a couple? That was such an opportunity squandered, today. I was certain, once it was Sonny's turn, that he'd land on CHANCE and get a "Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200," card and a silence would fall over the room, but damn it, the one time Ron should have been campy, he failed. QUESTION: Is this new Rocco a full on recast, or was this a case of the usual babies not being available, so they grabbed a tot from Central Casting? I only ask, because this new kid looks like he's going on 3 years old, which I'd usually shrug off as SORAS, but GH *just* cast Harper Barash as Georgie, and Harper looks way younger than this new Rocco. Baby Georgie was born about 3 weeks before baby Rocco, and the timing of their births seems important to me (because of the whole surrogate/custody/stolen embryo blah blah), so it's weird that Rocco now looks so much older than Georgie (with whom he just had a playdate, last week, when he wasn't as big as Danny Morgan).

It makes no sense to me that Cruella is in this story either, because she's not from a magical story. At least with Whale/Dr. Frankenstein, they had a reason for his presence in a magical realm, even though he's not from a magical realm. That said, as far as her costume goes, it doesn't bother me, because different Enchanted Forest kingdoms wear different styles (and have different styles of architecture, for that matter). When Ariel and Snow went to Prince Eric's Ursula ball, weren't all the dresses short? Edited to add: what does bother me about Cruella's look is those freaking eyebrows. It's just greasepaint and it looks so fake.

I don't think Maleficent did know, right? She just knew the child would have great potential and that that potential could be either good or evil. Was sorcery mentioned? Maybe I missed something. Speaking of me missing things... When Ursula and Cruella went into Gold's shop, Belle said something to them, about them kidnapping her (maybe again). I can't remember what that references. Was there a flashback last week that involved them kidnapping Belle and I'm just blanking on it?

I love this post and the turn the discussion has taken on this page. The heroes and the villains are, I think, all falling prey to black-and-white thinking. To me, this episode was full of clues that we are the authors of our own stories. I think if/when an author is found he/she is going to be more of a chronicler. In other words, if there is an author, that author isn't determining the stories, just recording them. It fits in with the whole "Evil isn't born, it's made," and really the sensibility of the series, to date. It's the only way Regina's narrative makes sense to me. She's going to pretend to go dark-side (and certainly be tempted to actually go dark-side) and spend all this time and energy finding the author, only to realize she had the answer all the time -- to have happiness, she needs to live a better life. Her scene with Marco cemented this feeling, for me. I keep thinking about when August stole the book and added his story. At the time, there was a lot of speculation that he was the author (and maybe he would have been, had the actor not left the series), but even then, he only altered the book to include his own story, so I'm thinking that even if Eion Bailey had stayed, August would have only been recording stories, not creating them (except for his own, of course).

Tamara Braun's Carly was one of the reasons for one of my breaks from GH. To me, SJB was the one true Carly back then, although I also now like Laura Wright in the role.

I never watched Y&R. I think Billy Miller's is doing well enough with the nothing he's been given. I have seen shades of Jason in some of his scenes with Carly and Liz. I think the writing is at fault for most of this show's problems (except for Tony Geary's scenery chewing, some performers' cosmetic procedures, and MB flubbing his lines so often). It's like Ron has good ideas but lacks the discipline (and to be fair, sometimes he lacks the budget) to correctly execute them, so instead, he goes for the campy, over-the-top nonsense, because it's more fun to write than a well structured story. Case in point: the custody hearing. Yesterday, when the judge was calling Ric out for his hypocrisy over conflict of interest, I enjoyed it for about 5 seconds, but then I recognized the judge's lines for what they are -- an ass-covering for the writing (and small budget). He knew fans would yell, "Conflict of interest," so he hung a lantern on that. The thing is, there is a difference between an attorney and a judge. Michael knows Alexis's conflicts of interest and chose to hire her, anyhow (ditto Sonny and Ric). It's different with a judge. Sonny has no say in who is his judge. Ron wants Michael to be awarded custody. Fine, so do I. But so write a story in which that can logically happen. Bring in a day player to play a high powered Manhattan attorney ELQ keeps on retainer. Have that attorney subpoena Alexis, Carly and Olivia to testify about the great lengths to which they went at one time or another, to keep their kids safe from Sonny. Subpoena Kristina and Morgan, too. Let the attorney treat them as hostile witnesses. Let these kids (and the moms) feel torn about "betraying" Sonny, but write them as refusing to lie, because they can't do that to Michael. And let the moms and kids be evenly split, with some supporting Sonny getting custody, and some supporting Michael. Let the attorney work out a shady deal in which Dante can testify that Sonny shot him, without Dante facing perjury charges or losing his job. We already know the police commissioner is crooked. Or hell, make Dante have to suffer some consequences of perjury, because he's not going to lie for Sonny, if it means screwing over his brother. A story like that would be so much more fulfilling. In my opinion, speaking as a fan who wants Sonny to get a big dose of comeuppance, it would be so satisfying to watch Sonny pay in some way. I would think, too, that the fans who want Sonny to prevail in this custody battle would like that better, too. I'd love to see this custody battle split all of Port Charles into Team Sonny versus Team Michael. And it would be great if it happened NOT while Luke's nonsense is going on.

Did the Q's belittle AJ when he was a child, or are the events referenced above after his alcoholism was known (and he crashed the car, etc.)? I don't remember the Q's trashing AJ when he was a kid, but I don't remember a lot. This. A thousand times. It's the mob stuff that has ruined not only Sonny (and Jason, Shawn, Duke and other mobsters) but every character with whom they're involved. I don't know how many times I've been furious not just with their gun molls (Carly, Brenda, Sam, Emily, Liz, Alexis, etc), but with people like Robin, Maxie, and so on. The bomb/jail break/baby Avery storylines provided the perfect opportunity to get Sonny, Julian, and Ava out of the mob, for good. They all have legitimate businesses to fall back on (and they can be sketchy business people; they don't have to be white-washed). Luke is locked up. Helena's been exiled. Johnny has fled. There's no one to drag them back in, but at least Sonny and Julian aren't even considering the possibility. They're doubling down on their idiotic feud, as well. If the show is afraid of totally letting go of the mob, give it to Carlos and/or Shawn. (I still hate that Shawn was a Marine and science teacher and now he's slinging BLTs and serving as Sonny's enforcer.)

I don't really think the show queer-baits Emma/Regina shippers. I think the actors have chemistry with one another (which can read as sexual/romantic, but doesn't have to be, and probably isn't intended that way; it's just two beautiful, talented actors who have some "it" factor when they're together). I think the show recognized this early on, and made sure to capitalize on it, because it was good (interesting, fun, whatever) to watch. I think that spark or chemistry, coupled with the lack of sexual diversity on this show, is what birthed the Emma/Regina shippers. I think it's what births most non-canonical (non-het, particularly) shipping in most fandoms. The show hasn't backed off writing it (and Jennifer and Lana are not, thank goodness, dialing down their performances to the, "I'm dead inside," level, to avoid the appearance of queer-baiting), just because some of the fans of this spark happen to be Emma/Regina shippers. I think that's a good thing. The dynamic between Regina and Emma is good TV. It also (in my opinion) predated the SQ fandom. Why should the show back off from writing/portraying an interesting dynamic (which came first), just because after a while, some fans interpreted it as romantic/sexual? I'm not an E/R shipper, and not even a slash reader/fan, but I see the sizzle, when Jen and Lana share scenes. To me, it doesn't read sexy, but I completely understand why it reads that way to other fans. These two crackle on screen (to me, the crackle comes from places other than sex, that's all). Why would the show squander that, to appease a fraction of one shipper faction?

Oh, I don't know. I mean, I get your larger point, but if my boyfriend had had a one night stand with a friend/acquaintance, and she turned up pregnant, I wouldn't be disinterested. To me, that's human nature.

I don't disagree on the realism angle (although I'd have to go back and watch old Lucky and/or Robin clips to weigh in any more). My point was more that the stories written for them were probably more relatable to the children playing the roles. So yeah, Lucky made it from Canada to Port Charles, but a 10 year old boy could probably engage with that story on an emotional level (the idea of such an adventure is exciting), where I can't imagine how the boys playing Cam and Spencer can relate to this, "You're the love of my life," and "You don't even say you love me when we're alone," garbage. You're right about the likability aspect of it, too, though. Lucky (particularly, probably more so than Robin at times) was a likable kid. Spencer has been turned into a brat. Am I hallucinating, or didn't Spencer consider Liz's boys to be his friends/cousins, before all this "townie" crap started?

Was this after Emily died? I came back for the 50th and I binged watched a lot of YouTube, but I didn't see all of the years I missed. I do remember some Liz/Nik scenes where she basically called Nik out on not connecting with his kid, and then he tried to be an actual parent.

I agree. I think during the previous day's party scenes, both Emma and Joss were far more tolerable than either Spencer or Cameron (although that's not saying much), but they're all little kids. They're still learning to act. The real problem, to me, is that the writing (and direction) for them is all wrong. It would even be fine to have a little kid crush-triangle between them. The egregious error is their dialogue. It is not just that it is so stilted (although heaven knows it is) but that it isn't anything these (approximately) 10 year old actors should have to utter. How could they possibly connect with that shit? Kimberly Mc. and Jonathan Jackson weren't giving pitch perfect performances at this age, either, but the writing for them was much more age-appropiate, so the child actors weren't being tossed out to sea. And I'm not someone who thinks (sexy boxing-girl escorts for Spencer aside) that this kid story is creepy. I just think it is bad, so so bad, and completely unbelievable. Today's scenes with Nik and Emma were touching. I think it was stupid that the director had Emma wipe away a tear that wasn't there, but for the rest of it, Emma was fine. She was scared and worried about a hurt friend. A kid that age can understand and connect with that sort of emotion, way more than this, "This is the love of my life," or "You never tell me you love me, even when we're alone," nonsense. Kids aside, I loved Tyler Christopher's scenes with Nancy Lee Grahn, today. I thought he knocked it out of the park, but also, my word, he looks better than he has looked in what -- five or ten years. His face is no longer puffy (can't say that for NLG, please lay off the injectibles, Nancy, you looked better before whatever treatment you just had). And now, to completely date myself, that's a line from a Smith's song. I'm fairly certain Ron stole it, on purpose. It's at about 1:43 in the following video. In other news, I like Spinelli, liked how he was with Maxie today, and am glad he's back (even though he is a big moocher). He put a little "Spine" in Spinelli. To which story does this refer? I was on the barge for 5 or 10 years. This brings to mind a quote from the Bette Davis film, All About Eve:

I've just changed it from Faux-Luke (or Fake-Luke) to Effing Luke.

This Scott Baldwin Twitter needs to happen. ulkis, you should do it.

I think I want this more than anything else on this show. My hope, for Billy Miller's Jason is that when he gets his memory back, he gets ALL of his memories back, even though prior to the accident. I want him to be properly horrified that Sonny killed his brother -- Michael's father. I want him to be disgusted at his "Stone Cold" (sorry, I'm just readying myself for Spinelli's return) persona, who help steal his own brother's son. I want him to have a great relationship with Michael and Monica and actively work against Sonny. Maybe I even want Jason to end up being a cop -- one bent on taking down Sonny and his filthy empire.

Yeah, I love and hate Scotty. I started watching when Laura and Scotty were together in the late 70s. I hated when the brought on Luke and knew he'd ruin my OTP. I don't know how many of you watch Days of Our Lives, but for those who do, I'll add that I want Scott to be GH's version of Victor Kiriakis-in-training. Victor is now routinely inserted into scenes just to call people out for being idiots and it makes the show worth watching. I think it's a damned shame Scott and Luke haven't had scenes together during this storyline. In the show that lives in my head, Scott calls out Luke for his auntie-hair and his melodramatic speech, and gives the audience some much needed catharsis.

I agree. I also think this is the rationale for writing Lulu acting so ferocious and demanding. Lulu has one view of her father. She works so hard to deny or at least put aside the bad stuff. That scene between Scott and Lulu, yesterday, convinced me that this Fluke story won't end with the reveal that Helena brainwashed Luke. Lulu is going to go to the wall, believing they can de-program Luke, only to learn this is DID or something else innate in Luke and she won't have Helena to blame. Helena just seized the opportunity to exploit Luke's illness/issue/dark-side, once she realized she could. I don't have a problem with Scott mentioning the rape anyhow, because it's true to Scott's character. Scott has never been above a cheap shot, particularly if Luke is the target. This is a story involving characters with a complex history. It's not a training film on how to treat rape survivors. Scott has so much bitterness from the breakup of his first marriage to Laura that it would be out of character if he didn't comment on the rape.

My impression from something I read (I can't remember where) is that Robyn's oldest three children needed health insurance. All the rest of the children (including Solomon) are Kody's bio kids, so they can be covered on his insurance regardless of the legal status of their parents' unions. I think you can usually include legal step-children on your health insurance, provided neither of their bio parents have coverage, but coverage wouldn't extend to your girlfriend's kids (who aren't also yours). In the eyes of the law, Robyn was just a girlfriend. There could be tax implications, too. If Kody and Robyn are legally married, since the oldest 3 kids live with them, Kody can claim them as deductions. I'm not sure that would be true if they were just his live-in girlfriend's kids. This makes the most sense to me. Their religious marriages mean far more to them than legal marriage. I can't see them rocking the ever-shaky emotional boat with a legal divorce and a legal remarriage, for other reasons.

I like this, Lillybee. I like it a lot. Yes, HeatLifer. Exactly. I mean, Rachel Ames retired how many years ago? If she can be an active grandmother, off-screen, why can't Robin and Lucky be active parents, off-screen? Thanks, OnceSane. Does Patrick know Robin brought Helena back to life? I can't remember his learning that. I agree with you, Bishop. I think Ryan has come along nicely. He hasn't had too much of his own story. I mean he became a cop because of what happened to his sister (and changed his name so he could work her case), but he's only had a handful of episodes with Nina. They're not really writing for him yet (except for stage directions to work out, shirtless). I think Emme Rylan has come a ways, too. When she first came on, she had no Lulu-esque spunk, but they've been writing better for her, lately. Her scenes with Johnny have been great. Jane elevates everyone who shares the screen with her, so her scenes with Tracy are always good. I miss Julie in the role less now (though I'd take her back in a minute).

Okay, I would totally love and support that.

Oh, so Ubiquitous, Crazy Geary was closer than I thought. Thank you. And... Ah, that's it. Thank you both. Somehow, I managed to forget it wasn't really Sonny's fault (probably because Sonny makes everything suck).

What does "UCG" mean, above? When I was trying to figure it out from context, my brain hit upon Ubiquitous Crazy Geary and now I can't get it out of my head. I think Fluke is Luke and he has DID. I can accept that Julian has been working with him for years, because Geary has been getting those long vacations from GH for years. For now, in my head, every time Luke has gone on a walkabout, he's really been indulging his inner Fluke. There was an almost throwaway line during a scene I can't even remember. I think it was uttered at the Quartermaine mansion. Someone said something about how Sonny had screwed up everyone, even Luke. I wish I could remember more context. All I'm left with is the memory that it gave me an "Aha" moment, as to how and why if Fluke is Luke, that he has been so focused on ruining Sonny. I suppose raping Laura, or Lucky's response to learning Luke raped Laura, or Helena's abduction of Lucky/staging Lucky's death could serve as his DID trigger. I want this to happen and I want it to explain Luke cheating on Laura with Holly, to conceive Ethan. It can explain Luke's time in a brothel a few years ago (after he killed Jake). It can explain away every Luke storyline I've hated for the past decade or two. Geary has some storyline say-so, right? I think for years he has hated that Luke was treated as a hero and he wants the character darker. Unfortunately, he's chewing too much scenery in his Fluke scenes. He needs to lose the histrionics and a bring back Luke's sardonic air. Also, the hair department needs to stop fluffing up his hair like he's the next Lila Quartermaine. Seriously, they're giving Geary "auntie" hair. I hate looking at it. Q-tip, indeed. I don't want to see a recast of Robin (or of Lucky, which was also mentioned, earlier). I think because Kim and Jonathan originated these roles as children, and grew up before our eyes (and because both are good in their respective roles) that it's too hard for me to accept. The next tim Kim is available, I wish they'd bring her on and give her a respectable write-off (divorce, moving to a nearby city, sharing custody, off-screen, of Emma, etc). The character destruction of Robin Scorpio needs to stop. Likewise, get Jonathan back for one day. Give him a scene with Elizabeth, where he takes the kids to his reasonable-distance home, for the weekend and starts acting like a father. Then he can parent off-screen, too. Jonathan can continue with his primetime career and we don't have to think of these wonderful characters, who we've loved since childhood, as the worst parents in the world. The only way I can watch this show now, is if I decide it's a soap version of film noir. Everyone is corrupt, even the good guys. There are no heroes. There are protagonists. Still, I'd like Lucky and Robin not to be the worst parents in the world.