Fylaki

And BTW the next time I watch the throwback Thursday clips some one shoot me!!! I so miss that show. What the hell has happened

But it would take next to nothing to have a scene where Luke peals off his make-up (not a mask but actual Hollywood type: well done make-up) reveals himself to be Damian Smith or David Gary or Joe Scully Sr or Mouse or any number of interesting possibilities and head off to Port Charles. Except Geary (who I will always love) is enamored with playing the "dark side" and Ron thinks that the reveal that this is Bill (who it simply cannot be since he would never act like this) is oh so clever. This story is going to suck what little life is left out of this show if they are not careful and if some one does not step in and body check the two out of control egos of Tony and Ron Thank you what kind of parents lets a child that age keep her door closed that much. And boys should not be anywhere near that house. Age inappropriate.

That's for sure: with the tumor Franco was interesting, if not the terrifying that James Franco and Guza wanted him to be, without the tumor he's a dud. Truthfully Carly may be better off dating the tumor, at least that Franco had a spine and balls

For me the big difference is that Ryan is a newbie actor and is clearly trying to get better (he is better than when he began, however small that is) Michelle has been around for decades and I can't figure out why. She does not improve and instead gets worse and worse. Seeing her play Nina is like seeing a mediocre ball player in the last year of his career: wasn't good to start and now just bad

This goes back to the idea of Anti-hero and the writing on this show under both Guza and Ron (and returns us to topic, thank me later mods :) ) Sonny (and Borg-Jason) never pay for the damage they have done. There is never a redemption arch. The Ice Princess may have been high camp, what with freezing the planet and all, but during the year it took, along with the "summer on the run" from the six month's previously we saw an attempt at a redemption arch for Luke. He went from Thug and Rapist to world saver. Later he would have to look the rapist in the mirror though the eyes of his son. Whatever else TG has done to tank Luke since there was an arch. Sonny and Jason never got that arch. Strangely Carly has had a better chance at redemption then the men. While she is still a self center-bed hopping-merciless-bitch, we have seen glimpses of a Carly that reaches beyond her awfulness: especially when she was with Jax. Carly has had some small growth that is visible, from gold-digger to hotel owner (and all jokes aside about the Metro Court, she does seem to know what she is doing) With Sonny and Jason we get told they are "good men" but they never take steps to become good. Ron, strangely has a better grip on this with Sonny then Guza did, Morgan has stayed mad at Sonny longer than any of his other kids did and some people are now calling Sonny on his crap, he has regressed Carly, but he did kick Jason into the bay, even if only for a brief time. I always wondered what TPTB were thinking with making Sonny central? Did they think he was Tony Soprano (though Sonny pre-dates Tony) but even then Tony was always suppose to be reprehensible, we were not suppose to like him, sympathize sometimes but never like. Why do they keep wanting us to like Sonny. I always felt that if Sonny were written as a competent mobster, one who always narrowly misses arrest and who truly terrifies the town he may have worked. But as is he is just a joke and a bad one

I was watching but I missed that part or have gotten so old I forgot: Good for Robin.

I may get this as a tattoo Arrghh I hated that explanation: There could have been a thousand other things Anna could have said. Even "Luke really does not have a very distinctive voice, what tic's did you notice that set you off? Did he use a really odd nickname for Mickey?" Arrghh Ron is so going to ruin this story more than it is by having Luke be Bill....what a waste of a year.

I may be in the minority but I always kind of saw Sonny and Carly as an "endgame" (not that I believe in an endgame) couple. So them getting back together particularly as both actors are now far to old to play the roving bed partners stories with any reality is not a bad thing. At a certain point soaps need to settle couples down a bit: Jumping partners when you are young and unmarried is okay, jumping partners when you are a young parent is okay but seriously no one wants to think of grandparents bed hoping (Heck my pregnant daughter ------first grandkid coming in October----- does not even want to think that her Mom and I even share a room...LOL) And as every one else said it is easier to FF them. Also maybe this is a hint as to where Jason will be when he comes back: That period of time when Jason Morgan was interesting: Right after the accident, when he was unable to hold any real emotion when his "Frontal lobes" were blown and Robin and even Carly (as much as I hate to admit it) helped he learn to "feel again". That Jason was interesting, Taggert's "Anger-Boy" as opposed to the Borg of later years. If he comes back at that "point" then maybe Robin and others will see the error of their ways in his association with Sonny/Carly and try to move him away. Further while Sam may be able to deal with Jason Q, and surely Jason M, I do not think she would know what to do with Anger Boy

Brooklyn is a state of mind: Take it from a Queens boy who feels much more at home in the Bronx, even though he lives in Maryland

Okay: The show was more then watchable yesterday, I only FF the Nina parts and that mostly because the GF walking in on her BF and His wife has been done to death on soaps so no matter who is writing it or playing it it is hard to do well anymore. Really the last time a bit similar to this was done well was when Lois jumped out of the cake at Ned and Katherine's party. I am liking Ned and Olivia and if we never see them again they can get roles in the Soap in my Head: Where Olivia some how ends up Flea's campaign manager in her run for mayor and Ned/Eddie sings at her fund raisers, whilel Mac and Mister Mumbles watch from the side.

The only thing that really irked me today as since Jordon knows that Julian shot Mickey why has she not broken cover and arrested him. No matter who she is trying to take down, as a federal agent, she needs to bring him in on this. Maybe I can justify her waiting till later, but I have a sinking feeling that Julian will see prison bars for killing Mickey long before Sonny does for killing AJ

Which is why he needs a co-head writer to help move him from point to point. Only his ego will never allow it

And the three of them run away to Monte Carlo never to be seen or heard from again. Please.

Soaps thrived for years on the Morally Ambiguous Anti-Hero: Luke was the first break out character of that ilk but really Tracy, Anna and Sean all fit that mode. So do Todd and even Erica Kane. The problem Guza had was that he refused to move his anti-hero from a villainous field. So Luke quits the mob, falls in love with his rape victim and later has a emotional conflict with his beloved son, he opens a night club and plays on the dark side but always keeps a foot in the light (and Luke I would argue loves Lucky over all, I would say even over Laura,.they can tell me what they want about Ethan being the favorite because he is most like Luke, but Lucky is his moral high ground: Ask me about Davon and Daniel at some point LOL) Anna stops being a double agent and becomes Police Commissioner Sean stops stealing Aztec Treasure and becomes Police Commissioner Tracy goes from letting Edward die to doing anything to save him Todd goes from rapist to publisher without ever being allowed to forget his past Erica goes from home wrecker to cosmetic queen. All of these characters keep thier rough edge the thing that makes them an Anti-hero But Jason stays a hit man Sonny stays a mobster Carly stays a bitch (sorry ladies) In Ron's world as opposed to Guza, he does not even give us the Anti-Hero as central he gives us cartoon villains out of the Super Friends (He's taken the Legion of Doom thing to heart) who never ever pay for their crimes, unless you are Brit and she is I think written that way to show how inept she is compared to Dr. O

This actually makes sense. Color me surprised

I tend to think that it is more than execution. I almost feel as if Ron and Frank think we the viewers are so dumb that they have to keep everything simple As to Guza saying he wanted to write prime time and thought soaps were beneath him, I've never seen it in print as a direct quote but even so: There is a story in the Bible where two sons are asked by their father to work in the field: The Oldest says no way not me but then ends up going anyway. The youngest says of course Father anything you say and then ends up not going. And the questions is who then did what his father asked. Guza may have said he hated soaps but he wrote them anyway. Ron says he loves soap but he is writing spoofs not soaps.

Sir Rao. Oh that we could have a little to SIR with Love. Night Shift II was the best GH in years. Though as much as I am loath to admit it now, the first year of Ron's run was damn good (except for the intro of Sabrina and Felix) but here lately WHY?????? I've been reviewing my feelings about the show, in an effort to stay off the barge and I have to say that after going over in my mind (cause I's bi-polar and my brain works funky) every character and every plot, I have to admit it is not the characters or plots that are driving me nuts. There have been plenty of times on GH where they have had characters I could not stand: Sonny for years now: Carly from the first time she flirted with Tony, Jake Meyer who for some reason I always thought was a dork. There have been plenty of times on GH where they have had plots I could not stand: Like when James replaced Mac, or Connor replaced Nic, or anything to do with Decker and Dawn. But this, this is different. I think what annoys me is that I get the feeling that neither Ron nor Frank care. Guza may have loved the Unholy Trio and St Jasus above Snarly and I may have hated them all, but at least I got the feeling he love them. He may have hated Lucky (esp GV's .)and all but destroyed my all time favorite character but at least i felt he loved the show. The same even applied to Wolfe (who when he first became a picket line crosser, a species I hate with a passion, was awesome) and all the other writers over the years, Ron and Frank talk more often about how much they love the show, but I just do not feel that heart. They had it once, despite not having an actual funeral Edward's trip up the stairs with Lila was heart felt, so was JI last appearance with Emma. Audrey looking at Steve's picture and Patrick speaking about the hospital brought tears to my eyes. The rain falling on Sam as the cure poured out of the sky was moving. Todd's obvious guilt over the death of Tia's real baby was awesome. Even Emma bursting apart Patrick and Sabrina to run to her mother But from that moment. Right there. That Scrubs kiss to today it has been one long downward plunge IMHO, and what is missing is the heart, instead it is plot point and stunt plot point and stunt over and over again. Okay I'm going to attempt something, who knows maybe this will work: I am going to get off the Ron bashing wagon for a minute and say this: Ron most people here want this show to stay on the air as much or more than you do. Open not only your ears and mind but your heart. Look for that heart of GH that once you knew how to find. Go to the set (take the trip out of NY) and stand near those pictures we saw on the anniversary, the ones of Lila and Edward and Amy and Lucille and especially Jesse and Steve. Look and find the heart. Please

Maybe then what is needed is both a Show runner and a head writer as co-equals: The Show runner who decides: This is where we are going, this is what characters are going to play into this and this is where we want to end up. And the writer who plots day to day where everyone is and weather that character would actually speak and act that way. It just seems to be that more and more you are Right, Ron is moving from plot point to plot point and from stunt event to stunt casting without letting things grow slowly.

More and more I am opposed to the very idea of a head writer. It seems they all begin brilliant and end badly, some more rapidly then others. Maybe it should be a "show runner" some one who has a general idea where things are going, but who must collaborate with Actors, Writers, and Directors. Overall though I fear that Soaps are a doomed genre if some head writer/show runner/producer (and yes I am looking at you Ron and Frank) do not tie them into the greater TV Community. Gone are the days when soaps could exist in thier own little world. Cross Pollination over multi-media is needed> ABC is never going to give GH the kind of marketing budget that it needs but Ron and Frank could do more, Instead of blocking people on twitter how about getting on one of these boards and engaging? You dont need to take every suggestion that is made, but for the genre to last you need to take your fan base seriously.

GHScropiosRule not to go off topic but I will concede the Facts of Life Girls as real. Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Joey were real for me. Point taken. back to topic

I just watched Fridays show and something Tracy said started me thinking. Tracy told Ned that there "were too few of us left" referring to the Q's. But if I am right there are actually more Q's alive right now then when the family first came on the show: Then it was Edward. Lila, Alan, Tracy and eventually Monica, we then added Ned and AJ and Jason. And over the years we have lost Edward, Lila, Emily, AJ, and Justus (and to Tracy's mind Jason) but alive and kicking are Ned, Michael, Monica, Tracy, Skye, LilaRae, Brook Lynn, Dillion, Danny, and Maya The problem is not that the Q's have been killed off (though many who have been killed have been too soon) but that the show refuses to allow the others to come home to play: A Q Estate filled with Tracy, Monica, Ned, BrookLynn, Maya and Dillion with Skye and LilaRae near by would be as filled as it ever was. Instead of pointless characters like The Nina and Kiki why not the Q's who are still alive!

I wonder if that is because the PTB at the network really don't think there are other people capable of doing the job or if because they have reached the point with soaps (especially now that on ABC GH is the Last Man Standing ..wait that's a different show) that they just don't care, I'd love to see a reality show called "I could write a soap" it would scare the hell out of Ron and Guza and others when they discovered many of the fans could write this better than they can

Me too as long as it is Jasus Q who comes back. The epic fail of any one playing Jason Morgan the same way Steve played him would be ...well EPIC. Not that I am a fan of Steve's acting (or whatever that was) but his mark on Jason is that unblinking borg and really no one else can do that without drawing unwanted comparisons and failing. A Jason who is all Q but haunted by what he did as Morgan could be wonderful or even if he does not remember being Morgan and finds out slowly: Think Virrgo Morrgonson in History of Violence, expect Jason does not KNOW. He's in Jake's talking with Monica and in comes some kids to rob the place, before Mac can re-act Jason has disarmed and neutralize three or four armed intruders. He stands in the midst of the wreckage and destruction and looks down at his hands and then at his mother in utter horror. Yeah right this is GH and I cant have nice things

Hmm should actors have input......This is hard to answer on a soap. On the one hand the Blair, Jo and Facts of Life reference falls short because as I have said before IMHO soaps have got to have the conceit that these are real people. We never thought Tootie was a real person. And they are perhaps closer to live plays (weren't some early soaps done live? ) then scripted TV. On the other hand if an actor is given too much freedom with a character than things can run wild based on their egos (I am looking at you TG as much as I love Luke) A balance is needed. And the balance on GH has been out of whack for a long time. It titled out way before Ron got here. Guza's unholy Trinity. Tony's long (far to long) vacations and assorted other things sent the show out of balance. Truth is when Ron and Frank first got here they restored some balance. The problem seems that the longer they stay the more unbalanced the show becomes. I fall back on what I suggested before that Soaps need a Chief Historian more than a chief writer. The Historian could over rule the writer in favor of the actor or the actor in favor of the writer. Further new charterers would need to integrate on the canvas with respect to the history of who they are dealing with (For example IMHO McBain made sense for Sam, she likes 'dangerous men" Jax, Sonny and Jason. Boring doctor Silas did not fit her type...which by the way historically is not all that different then her mothers: Julian, Ric, Sonny, Jerry.The writer forced the pairing based on the actors not the history of the character of Sam or Kiki would have worked with Michael if she had kept her original bad girl attitude which would have played off how stiff and formal Mikey holds himself unless his temper pops ) . A show historian could give actors input: For example giving TG one last tour de force playing a dual role is fine, allowing him to destroy the historic character of Bill, if that is who he turns out to be, or to make Tracy look like a fool n the process, is not. And YES all the writers should have to live near thier job communicating via email is not the wya to write a soap and Disney should not allow it. If you dont want to move to LA to work on GH, well let's face it there are want to be TV writers on every corner of Hollywood

If RH had come on as Steven Lars this could have been a nice romantic triangle of the kind Ron seems to like so much and fails so badly at writing but alas