JMO

Were we just recently bemoaning the child actors on GH? Maxie learning she has BJ's heart.

My Facebook feed tells me that today is Human Trafficking Awareness Day, so good timing, GH! I've seen a lot of social media gushing on the storyline today. I'll agree it was worth a 'Bravo!', and for all that I criticize the current writers, I honor them for this. But I also recognize that this storyline was actually written ten years ago, and twenty, and thirty, and forty years ago. If not for all of that good storytelling, development of character and formation of deep relationships, we wouldn't have had today. I hope the current writers reflect on the wealth that was left to them, and that revisiting some of those stories in the process of selecting flashbacks ends up having some long term impact. They've shown us today that they are more than capable. PS Kristina Wagner reposted a delightful video on her 'X' feed---Frisco feeding baby BJ, and then there's this sneeze.....

Nothing will ever please everyone, and there were certainly some things that I missed seeing (like more reaction from Robert and maybe a flashback of Robert, Anna, young Robin and Bobbie)---but I thought this was a standout episode, and I especially appreciated that the memories spanned both the good and the bad. I applauded Felicia for being honest with Carly about why she had never warmed up to her, and would love for Carly to revisit that conversation a few times down the road, to be reminded of how her actions have repercussions. Loved all of the reminiscing and accompanying flashbacks, especially loved Felicia's memory at the end, and the scene between her and Maxie, and then between Lucas and Angela. (Did everyone notice that Maxie alternated between calling her Angela and Brighton?) Was just waiting for a bell to ring. The sign. I guess it's okay, Paddy Kelly has been gone for a long time now. But I don't associate Bobbie with the place except via Ruby. So it was kind of blah to me. Couldn't get too excited about the speed of travel in an episode inhabited by an angel. This is the show that brought us Casey the alien, once upon a time, after all. Re: the trafficking connection---it goes way back. Bobbie was trafficked as a teen, and then sometime during the 80s there was a whole storyline about a teen she was caring for running away and getting involved with traffickers. Bobbie went undercover to rescue her. So it sort of made sense to me. Overall, kudos and thanks to the show and show writers for giving Bobbie a fitting sendoff. I hope her memory will actually be preserved beyond the sign.

I laughed out loud when I realized that this extremely rare, specialized surgery, from this brand new clinical trial that Portia happened to read about----was being performed in Port Charles (!), about five minutes after the surgeon essentially said, "Yep, you'll do". Really, show?

There's a big payoff to the Mr. Big story, and Robert is there for it. Edited to add that, during the Asian Quarter story, there is a powerful scene between Tony and Frisco, one that I remembered to this day (and finally found again!).

Not sure why we didn't get a flashback of that scene with Tony laying his head on Maxie's chest to hear BJ's heart while they were talking about it. There were no words to that scene, the visual was everything. New viewers would still be touched by it. Not sure why we didn't get some other flashbacks, either, but maybe they're coming tomorrow. Please don't be cheap and lazy about this, show. Robert should definitely have been there. He and Anna were close enough to Bobbie to have asked her to raise young Robin if they should be killed on the job. It was nice to see Felix, totally weird not to see any other GH staff besides Liz. For that matter, and considering the small crowd, it would have been very appropriate to have the funeral where they've had so many others, at the GH chapel. I was kind of glad Eden McCoy didn't have to play these scenes so soon after her real life loss. All of the eulogies were good, but I think my favorite was Scott's. They really were best friends, on screen and in life. Good luck to the ladies in Amsterdam. Too bad they don't know a zillion people who work or worked in an international law enforcement agency like, say, the WSB. Nice touch bringing Brighton Hertford in.

Kevin had mixed feelings about Ryan, even after all Ryan had put him through. He recognized the mental illness and the abuse Ryan had been through, and found a place of empathy. Unless JL is simply not available, I do think we should see Kevin stepping up to help his niece. It would have been nice to see that already underway. Maybe we were supposed to imagine it happening while Esme was living with Kevin and Laura.

This was so well done that it would have had nearly the same emotional effect even if it had been a stand-alone. But it wasn't. By the time it aired, we'd already known about the deep bond between the brothers and experienced the friendships among all of the adults. We'd even watched the same BJ grow up in front of us. The pain was palpable, not just for the immediate situation, but for all that had come before.

Would have been nice to have had people kind of naturally gravitate to Kelly's on hearing about Bobbie. Could have had a good Irish wake, plenty of stories to tell (with flashbacks) and maybe even a few Luke and Ruby tales thrown in. I'd prefer that to a somberfest. Having said that, the quiet conversation between Carly and Liz was poignant in that it mirrors what happens with many of us who learn new things about our loved ones after they've gone. Like Tracy, I remember the Lucy and Scott of yesteryear, and especially how awful Lucy was to Bobbie. So telling that the character bemoans her own evil ways even while she is still plotting against Tracy.

Thank you so much for sharing this. So many amazing, iconic scenes. But also so many ordinary, impactful scenes. Thinking of the one between Alan and Monica, remarkable for how well they express the tension of stress within a longstanding marriage of two people, where neither of them is a mob boss.

I noticed that, too. I suspect every chief nursing officer---or even every CEO, for that matter---would have been jealous.

I thought it was my devices! I think there were posts that disappeared, and I hope they'll come back. I appreciated the Felicia/Anna scenes today. They acknowledged the relationships, and the emotions, and felt like the kind of slowly-evolving, fitting tribute that Bobbie deserves. I also liked Maxie's informing Cody about what is, essentially, their shared family's history. Would like to see him reflecting on that, but not holding my breath. I do like the temp Maxie. I think she is masterful at mimicking KS in her line delivery, and even in her physical acting. I appreciate that the actress (whose name I'm too lazy to look up) is making the effort to smooth the transition for viewers.

Long time lurker, first time poster to this board. I think it's the Alexis news that put me over the edge. When she's not drinking---yes, I know it's hard to find those moments in recent seasons---I find Shannon to be the most likeable of the group. She's new-age-looney, but in a benign and sometimes amusing way. And she's as self-centered as anyone else who thinks their life would be interesting to the masses. Yet, despite that, she has displayed a capacity for empathy that I have yet to see in most of the others. So I like her. I wish she wasn't her own worst enemy. But now I see Bravo functioning as an abusive partner, going out of its way to put her into a position of pain by bringing on Alexis as the new love interest of John, so they can blame her for whatever happens as a result. They know how bad that will be for Shannon. They're salivating over it. And when she inevitably reacts, they will make it all her fault. If any of you are familiar with domestic violence patterns, you will recognize this. I hope Alexis is above this, but the social media shared in this thread doesn't look promising. I wish Shannon would remove herself from the situation, for her own sake and the sake of her kids. And as I feel about any abuser, I wish Bravo would implode.

Instead of so much dizzying walk-and-talk from the actors, I would have appreciated revisiting some of the iconic scenes from the past 60 years. Apart from the Luke and Laura wedding, we didn’t get that. Why have a prime time special where you don’t try to show viewers why they should watch you? Was glad for the fleeting glimpses of Alan and even Tiffany. Not at all grateful for the lionization of Jason.

My stab at giving Bobbie a happy ending: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14099193/1/Old-Friends

I can't get past the knowledge that all of this is taking place in the middle of the night. This wasn't the time to advance the Adam story, nor the Nicholas fiasco, and we didn't need to spend time with the Robinsons. I was glad that Nina chose not to be subservient to Carly and Drew, and applauded her giving it right back to them, even though she was ostensibly there to apologize. Couldn't help but contrast the mob-and-mob-adjacent approach to guilt (only if you get caught) with Laura's advice to Esme that paying for the window wasn't enough, and she would have to turn herself in. The relationship between Laura and Esme is currently one of my favorites on the show. It might be interesting if Willow chooses to develop her familial relationship with Nina out of spite to Michael. John Lindstrom uses silence masterfully. Everything about the scene in the church was distasteful, save for that very beautiful tree. Can we please send Sonny away for good?

Count me among the disappointed if SB comes back as Jason. The character was interesting when he was still figuring out who he was, and we'd get occasional flashes of emotional memory when he was with Monica, Robin or Liz. Once those flashes ended, he was basically an automaton, and he'd pretty much transformed his physical appearance in that direction as well. The only possible saving grace would be if he came back to recover some of his former persona. But he'd better do it quickly, while LC, TE and WK are around to embody the Quartermaine aspect of the story.

I was very glad to see the flashbacks we've been given so far. To all of the other veterans who will mourn Bobbie, I would add Anna and Robert. I'm old enough to remember that they were close enough to have asked Bobbie (and then husband Jake) to raise Robin in the event of their demise. Via Luke, Bobbie was also very close with Holly once upon a time. Reminiscing about the Brownstone days (above), reminded me of Bobbie's step-daughter Terri, with whom she was very close. Wonder what ever happened with that? Glad Tracy is on to Scott. At least that might be some fun for JE to play. If they don't make it fun or interesting for her, I'm afraid the best actress on the show might leave. Nina/SEC story has been a snooze right along, and remains one. Choosing to pair its denouement with Bobbie's death makes me think the writers see it that way too. So was the reappearance of Nicholas. Even MW seemed less invested than usual. Am amazed that all of those old people are still awake. The last few times I celebrated NYE with friends, we rang it in at 9 PM, when it was midnight somewhere in the mid-Atlantic.

Guess we know how NAC is exiting. At least they're keeping the door open for him to return. Despite the Nina/Cyrus/everybody else insider trading drama (Lois actually thought that through much more than Nina did), I am most intrigued by the storyline surrounding Esme. I will give the different sets of writers credit for having the patience to hold off on her recovering her memories until she was decorating her tree--it was appropriate and very soapy. Her consciousness of having dual personalities is interesting, and reminiscent of the Ryan/Kevin origin story---except both aspects reside in the same person. If they are going to bring Kevin into the equation, it could provide some really rich material for both AP and JL. I can see Kevin struggling to help her, maybe realizing there are some aspects of Ryan in him, and vice versa. And now I realize I'm half-way to a fan fiction. Not sure what to make of Alexis/Gregory, but I'm glad whatever happens is in the hands of two very capable actors. I trust NLG to make sure the story doesn't go off the rails.

Will Liz and Finn will be making the requisite couples excursion to Beecher's Falls? If they find the other doctor, will that person be willing to become an additional target of Finn's malpractice lawsuit? I will hate these writers if they demean Tracy into a relationship with Scott. Let the poor woman mourn in peace. I don't mind either of them individually, or in different relationships, but the scheming Lucy and Scott pairing has always been on my "GH worst" list. I like that Felicia is investigating whether Cody lied about his test results, but not a fan of the way Sasha (and the music director) make it look creepy. There's no reason, except for bad writing and John York's temporary absence, that Cody couldn't tell Mac without making it official enough to negate his legal statement. I've become a fan of Kate Mansi as Kristina, and she is now my favorite of the Davis sisters. I hope she is able to rise above whatever the writers are about to give her.

Christmas in Port Charles and only the mobsters go to church. Really liked Nina's coat. Not everyone could pull it off, but CW looks good in pretty much everything they give her to wear. Two minutes of exposition from Esme. I liked that she found Ryan's grave, but wished she'd more gradually gained insights, maybe by working through things with Kevin. Whose very visage might now trigger her. So soapy. Poor Dante, now relegated to responding to residential burglar alarms. I wish they'd at least give some back story, like maybe he's been assigned to all things Spoon Island because of all of the mysterious, and unsolved, crimes associated with it. This is from last week, but I'm still wondering. She's not a member of PCPD, and she supposedly retired from the WSB. So by what authority does Anna hold a gun on anyone, standing next to an active member of the PCPD? Not to mention she is still the subject of an investigation into the shooting of a juvenile. And I love Anna. But, really, show.

I thought Eden McCoy looked especially beautiful on the Emmy broadcast. I felt for her, having so recently lost her mother and thereby unable to share the win with her.

I was actually very happy to see LC, and felt like Monica hadn't missed a beat. I don't know if she has the energy or the desire for it, but if they would write her mobility issue into the script, I think she could still play a key role for both the hospital and the Quartermaines. If we can only see her now and then, I'll take that, too. Ugh to Robert with Diane. Every meaningful relationship I can remember him having was one he was actively resisting until he could resist no longer, and that approach seemed to suit his personality. Nothing about Diane, nor their relationship, does. Diane is entirely too pushy, especially in demanding precedence over people he still considers to be family. Just ugh. On the other hand, I am seeing a stroke of brilliance in giving Gregory a terminal illness. With long-term romance apparently (who knows?) off the table, the illness has allowed him to grow into a deep platonic relationship with Alexis, and a developing one with Tracy, and I think the show has been sorely missing these kinds of relationships. We just don't see too many organic friendships on GH any more, and I miss them. But now they'll have to find a way to save Gregory, lest his friendships disappear too.

Just catching up on a bunch of episodes from the past week or so. A few observations: Adam is apparently unaware that his father will be getting a co-pay bill from that GH ED visit. As overdone as this whole "Ace-is-my-little-brother" storyline is, I couldn't help but be jealous of NAC. There is no feeling in the world better than being snuggled by an infant. Everything else feels simultaneously disjointed and unnecessarily mysterious and heavy. Marshall's ghostly visit might have been heartwarming if we'd ever seen him pining for his wife. Jake is awkward with everyone, including his mother. He always looks like he's up to something, but then there's nothing there. ( I do see some flashes of talent in the actor, but they are most definitely not tapping into it.) I didn't understand any of the angst around James being sick, nor about Cody/Sasha taking over the phone meeting. I miss the real Anna, and wish the imposter would be unmasked. That whole story seems like it's being written in real time, by a team who each take a turn at moving it in a different direction on the daily. Loved seeing lighthearted Robert, but the wrong woman was on his arm. The Finn malpractice story would be delivering angst more effectively if the character had a different personality. Imagine Tony Jones or Steve Hardy being charged (aging myself, I know) and everyone rallying around. Now to really age myself, Cyrus reminds me of a character named Carl Hutchins from the once-great Another World. Carl was a classic bad guy who fell in love with the widowed Rachel, who had once been a bad girl herself, but had gained respect through marriage. If they could find someone for Cyrus, it would be a way to keep Jeff Kober on screen. He's kept the ambiguity of his conversion well enough to give them options. If Cyrus is going to stick around, he needs another relationship besides his siblings.

I guess they're making sure that Austin is good and dead. Wouldn't want to accidentally find him in time to save his life. The thing is, he was a fairly marginalized character. He had brief interactions with others at the hospital, but for months we've mainly only seen him with Mason and Ava, and minimally with Cyrus--- hardly fodder for a good murder mystery. Glad Anna broke up with Valentin, and hope it stays that way. I've never quite understood the allure of his character. Sounds like there's still someone else after her, which could be a good story if they remember to involve Robert and Felicia. They could always bring Sean Donnelly's daughter in as a younger agent helping with the case. Circumstances seem to be keeping several stories in limbo: Nicholas, who may not surface again until NAC returns; Mac-as-Cody's-father, while we all prayerfully await John York's successful transplant; the inevitable loss of Bobby (although I don't know what they're waiting for here). I can see where these constraints would be challenging for the writers, who have to compensate by bolstering other storylines for the interim. So far, for me, it's not been very effective.