JMO

Tristan's voice has been in and out for a few months now, and a couple of times it's been as thin as it was today. But then he looked and sounded strong just an appearance or two ago, when Robert was dining with Diane, so who knows? He's definitely slowed down a bit, but then, he hasn't been given all that much to work with. As to his character----I was wondering why we hadn't seen the DA when his office was prosecuting such a high profile case, and why the DA and the PC hadn't spoken together about it. Now I'm going to wonder when or if Anna will tell Robert about what Jason told her. The last thing she should foist upon her ex-husband is a wrongful murder prosecution.

The graveyard scene felt odd to me at first, but I realized that it was only because it was taking place weeks later than it should have, and thus felt a little disconnected. But if it gave us a sample of what we have to look forward to with the new team, I'm all for it. The quality of the writing was excellent, and I agree that TA showed real depth with it. Looking forward to more, with a greater number of characters, and more seamlessly woven into the overall arc.

Can't help but wonder if the strife between Lucy and her partners will end up with her moving to The Invader. Might be a good fit for her, and she did write that tell-all book back in the day.

Somebody please get Jane Elliot some better material than she's had the past few days, before she dies of boredom. Where's Gregory when you need him? Interesting dynamic unfolding between Laura and Heather. I wonder where they are taking us. Also, I really like the way GF and JL portray a strong, mature marriage. Theirs feels like a true partnership.

They definitely need new blood. Right now, everybody is related to everybody, hence my constant need for clarification on which kids are siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, first, second and third cousins. Who can genetically be in a relationship, and who can not? The tendency to bring a new character onto the canvas and then retcon them into a biological relationship with existing characters doesn't solve anything. It only compounds the situation.

I was underwhelmed with the Marshall misdiagnosis story seemingly being resolved with what amounted to a few minutes of exposition by Kevin and Stella. Blink and you missed it. In retrospect, pretty much the whole of that story was exposition, all of it told as history. If the new writers want to address issues of justice, I hope they will show the stories, and not just tell them. I'm not quite sure what Dex thought was going to happen by going to Anna. Was he easing a part of his newly-scolded conscience? Did he expect Joss to stand by him as he went to trial, or to wait for him if he was sentenced? Does he not expect Sonny to order him to kill once again? Does he think Joss will love him if he sends her ex-step-father to jail? I thought it was bizarre that Jason had to ask Danny so many questions about himself. He's only been gone two years, right? Sure, kids change over time, but to not even know if Danny likes sports? Can't help but wonder what kinds of conversations John Gotti's kids had with him about what a great father he was. Poor Elizabeth is going to get a crick in her neck looking up at her sons.

Guess the writers are too young to know, even after all the research they did for Kevin's monologue. But Medicare already covers a free annual exam for seniors. No need to be a GH board member.

Looks like co-chief-of-staff Portia is going to have to assign herself some remedial HIPAA modules. Re: the Marshall story pointing at racial bias in medicine---good topic to cover, but just a clunky way to get there. A doctor who treated a patient thirty years ago is going to need to look at the chart to remember anything. So why not just ask for the records? A good investigator (like Sam, who crossed privacy lines to help Finn) could find out if it was a pattern. I haven't had an interest in any iteration of Heather, so I'm disappointed that she will be sticking around, and especially so if it is a set up to fight Laura and Kevin for Ace. Why did Danny go to the boathouse in the first place? Is it a hangout for him? I've nothing else to say about the Jason story. I wondered why Gregory didn't use voice-to-text as well, but I think they were just making it easier for Alexis to leave her position with the Invader. Don't mind her as a lawyer, but would prefer she was not so much in Diane's orbit, and especially would prefer she not be beholden to Diane.

Liked the scenes between Elizabeth and Finn, two mature adults talking through the raising of their children and the melding of their families. It would be nice if the show would remember that she is the biological tie to the founding family, and allow her a stable relationship. Liked the scenes with Alexis and Danny as well. Carly/Drew and Carly/Jason require the same amount of fast-forwarding, so I don't much care where it goes. Overall, I can feel the change in the air, as the characters acquire depth to their relationships, and the interactions are more varied and interesting. Not sure we've seen any particular personal growth for any of the characters yet, but I hope it is coming. It feels a lot like the difference between the writers seeing them as people and seeing them as caricatures.

The Jax version of Carly was the only one I liked, and I think he drew out aspects of her character that we don't really see any more. I do think it would be nice for Joss to have her father back in town, and I suspect he'd have some thoughts about Dex---but given that we currently have Sonny, Drew, newly-returned Jason and possible even Jagger and/or Brennan there to interact with Carly, I think it's unlikely we'll see the Aussie.

The memory implantations and mind control situations were why I stopped watching GH for a good while, and remain among the reasons why I have so little interest in Jason and Drew. But I agree that this looks like something different and might be intriguing. My excitement is dampened by my not liking the characters. But I do like Jagger/John, and enjoyed his scenes with Maxie and Spinelli. It's about time somebody on the law enforcement end of things showed some smarts. I appreciate the longer scenes, and I imagine the actors find them more fun and rewarding to play. I liked the individual scenes with Rocco/Laura and Danny/Carly, and I thought that the little demonstration of closeness between the half brothers at the end was lovely. I wonder if it is setting up strife between them, if Jason is presumed to be the person who shot Dante. If so, I hope the young men are up to playing it, because it could be quite poignant. And their relationship would be a good one to carry into GH's future.

It was nice that they tried, I guess, but there wasn't much of anything they got right in the hospital room. And those vitals were.....interesting.

Hearing Jagger/John ream into Sonny was a wee bit cathartic, and for a moment or two, MB actually gave Sonny a visage of guilt. But I had to roll my eyes at Ava and Anna, who looked more aghast at the idea that Karen was underage (but anywhere from 1-12 months from being 'of age') than they were at his preying on her vulnerability to get her to strip and lure her into his grasp. And, of course, more aghast than they have been, right along, at his penchant for smuggling, money laundering and murder. Well, I guess the latter only applies to Anna. Ava's got her own history. Still not quite sure about Cyrus and whether he is genuine. But I like his scenes with Laura and have hope that, even if he's faking it now, his relationship with her might eventually prove fruitful for him, and not dangerous for her. If Cyrus is indeed genuine, it's fascinating to me to compare his redemption story with Sonny's. Cyrus has found faith and religion and is applying its tenets to the aspects of his life, but continues to be looked upon with suspicion. Sonny, the mobster, attends church on Christmas Eve (where he later beats up Cyrus), and is revered for not being quite as bad as he used to be. Make it make sense.

Interesting discussion re: portrayals of intimacy on soaps. The mention of Steve and Kayla from DOOL reminded me of the very long build up of that relationship, the months and months of growing sexual tension that led up to their first time together. When it finally happened, I suspect much of the 'heat' was coming from the viewers. We don't get those kinds of stories anymore. We don't get prolonged scenes, deep character development, or slowly-building relationships. Those are the kindling that's missing, and without them, it's hard to build a fire.

Catching up on the past few days. Hoping Sonny spirals himself right off the canvas, but I've no such luck. Alternatively, I will root for John to take him down. Or maybe Ava. MW can sell anything. I realize it's traditional to have a scene partner in a soap, but I really would watch a one-woman show with Jane Elliot. Tracy is different these days, as she would be in the autumn of her life. She is more easily touched, less volatile and definitely less combative, and I think it has all been a set of purposeful choices on the part of the actress. I love her softening with Gregory, and making herself vulnerable. Love that she's found a family with his. There's a lot of potential to that storyline, especially in the hands of JE and GH. If not for that, I'd be all for Tracy finding her way into a May/December romance with someone, because JE could pull it off. Anna, you disappoint me. Or are you playing some kind of long game? It doesn't sound like Chase is expecting his mother to be at the wedding. Has it been said why? Loved seeing Lila for a few seconds. The dress, not so much.

A day behind, but just wanted to say that there was something about how Kirsten Storms played her scenes with Spinelli yesterday that was different. For the first time in a very long time, Maxie made sustained, prolonged eye contact, and in the process, she looked vulnerable (before she kicked Spinelli out, of course). And that helped me remember why I like her and root for her. To my eye, she has developed a shell that keeps others at a distance, and Spinelli penetrated it.

Whether or not a new/old voice, those scenes stood out for me, too. Definitely a step above what we usually get. I thought the Nina/Diane scene might have been there partly to serve as exposition to people like me, who weren't watching at the time referenced. I know almost nothing about Nina's past life, nor her arrival to Port Charles. Speaking of exposition, does it strike anyone else that it has become Felicia's primary role?

I think that Anna interacting with Cyrus and Robert getting under Valentin's skin are two potentially interesting developments. And I very much liked Anna's jacket. I think it's the first time in a long time she hasn't been in solid black. Maybe her depression is lifting. I did think 1000 hours of community service for a 14 year old was a bit much, especially if she's not the arsonist, but liked that Robert was making some attempt at leniency. Maybe her three years of probation is a way for him to keep a vicarious eye on her father. Since Robert is actually trying to be a good guy here, I don't understand why they are punishing him with Diane.

I enjoyed Joss today, because whenever anyone wants to call out Sonny's abhorrent behavior and the people who want to rationalize it away ("he has a code"), I'm there for it. Whether or not she goes in search of Dex, I hope Joss and Carly will have it out a time or two more. Good work, Jax, to raise your daughter to have clearer vision than anyone else in Port Charles. Not looking forward to watching Nina exact revenge for Drew's revenge for Nina's reporting a crime Carly actually committed. But I do think it could be interesting to have Nina and Alexis in the same environment, and I look forward to these two excellent actresses having scenes together. Jane Elliot is beautiful.

Saw a photo of Antonio Sabato, Jr. He and Steve Burton have both become so hard-bodied over the years that I think it would be hard to tell them apart on screen. Also, the acting. Best they not come back at the same time.

Doesn't have to be Ingo, but this might be a nice time for Jax to come for a visit. Olivia Jerome had such a tangled history with the residents of Port Charles, they might need a recap episode to remind us of all of it. Given that we seem to be worried about mobsters, has anyone seen Selena Wu lately?

Yes, that was the secret. I can't even remember what role the secret played in the whole thing, but I guess it was supposed to be big because it was a small town. Can't remember why it led to killings. But the denouement was more about them figuring out who the killer was, and if they would get there in time. It was a shame, because I really did enjoy the Brownstone era, but this was a low point for it.

I rewatched the whole thing a year or so ago. Yes, it was interminable. I was a fan of Jake and Bobbie, so that made some of it more tolerable. And I enjoyed the teamwork with Jake and Frisco to figure out Lucy's role, and their partnering with Anna in the denouement. But poor Robyn Bernard was given almost nothing to do, for the entirety of her run on the show, apart from singing and crying. I felt bad for the actress, and really had trouble tolerating her character.

From today's episode, I couldn't help but wonder if GH is having trouble paying the light bill.

Exactly. They may know about Jason, but they weren't raised by him. If they are supposed to be genetically alike in personality, then they are preppy, studious young men who want to be doctors.