Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[dubbel zout]

2 minutes ago, ouinason said:

Michael's sole survivor so far is Sasha.

And she's an addict. That happened after they broke up, but supposedly the stress of that affected Sasha. I'd be dancing in the streets if I escaped Michael Corinthos III.

[KittyQ]

A few thoughts about yesterday's show:

So Nik can not only get Esme's "internship" reinstated, he can get her access to Ryan? I get that he's got influence (on the Board?), but unless he actually owns the facility, why would anyone let him dictate things like this. At the minimum IRL there'd have to be some meeting about it. Also, if I were working there, I'd want some kind of paperwork to CYA in case things go sideways. (Of course, in Port Charles, everything goes according to plan - right?)

Do they give "internships" to people who just want one? I think internships, especially for something as sensitive as criminal offenders (and psychopaths!) would require specific qualifications, not just an "interest". I could see Esme being a volunteer of some kind, but giving her access to dangerous patients / inmates would be restricted. 

The ADA should be more precise with her language. "Cavorting" doesn't describe standing in a corridor having a conversation. "Cavorting" sounds like liquor, dancing, and skimpy clothing are involved.

Joss is so hypocritical. She didn't care at all about the guy who was getting beaten. She only cared about getting a "gotcha" on Sonny. If she really tried, I'm sure she could find something even more illegal than that, even just snooping around the house.

[CeChase]

It was funny when Joss said to Carly "maybe Jason WAS an idiot" though. 

[MarciNJ]

22 hours ago, CharethCutestory said:

I think it's reasonable that it'll take Joss a minute to undo the brainwashing of her youth.

Shouldn't take that long; Willow got over her lifetime of brainwashing pretty quickly, and that was without the help of any therapist.

[Daisy]

Trina: Spencer is here to testify for the prosecution
Joss: because he is a selfish entitled tool.
Me: or you know because he was subpoenaed to do so, and he has to? and just because she called him to testify doesn't automatically mean he's going to be all "yeah trina is bad." shut up, Joss

Nik is clued in that Esme is psycho. LMAO Sheffield shows up and is like "what's up why are you rushing and then is like what could Esme say...." and then is equally disgusted as we all were. it was great. 

heh "I am not judging, i'm accessing." 
Nik: i don't want to lose my son again
Sheffield: that ship has left South Hampton and heading towards the iceberg. HAHAHAHA

Britt has no time for bearded wonder. me either
I also love how Britt is the only one who cares about HIPPA.
Also Jordan "I stand for justice." Also also Jordan "break the law and we never have to "have" this conversation."
 

Esme/Ryan is creepy. and he broke Esme. and i think that goes back to as much as she is psycho, she's also broken and she (imo) did alot to protect her "family" as she knew it. 

this ADA is so dumb. again her whole thing is basically "Well Trina was there."  argument is stupid. 

at least Ava has a brain. 

[statsgirl]

"Oh no, tell me that you didn't Nikolas."  "This gratuitous guilt is tedious." For once, I actually cheered Victor. Too bad Nik wouldn't let him off Esme.

Good scenes between Ryan and Esme. Avery P, is a find.

Why is Maxie helping Cody when Britt hates him? Does her loyalty to Spinelli beat her loyalty to her sister-in-law?

Finally Jordan is being a good cop and properly investigating.

What part of "I was subpoenaed" does Trina, daughter of a cop, not understand?

Nice moment at the end with Spencer and Ava, But "that begs the question" does not mean "that leads to the question". This show. Always gets it wrong.

1 hour ago, KittyQ said:

Do they give "internships" to people who just want one? I think internships, especially for something as sensitive as criminal offenders (and psychopaths!) would require specific qualifications, not just an "interest". I could see Esme being a volunteer of some kind, but giving her access to dangerous patients / inmates would be restricted. 

Even volunteers have to be thoroughly vetted.  This 'internship" in a prison just to keep Esme around Ryan is so stupid.

But to be fair, everyone thinks that Ryan is still locked in.

1 hour ago, KittyQ said:

The ADA should be more precise with her language. "Cavorting" doesn't describe standing in a corridor having a conversation. "Cavorting" sounds like liquor, dancing, and skimpy clothing are involved.

She's practicing to influence the jury with language.

[YaddaYadda]

Dare I hope there's finally a détente between Ava and Spencer? I think it's a long time coming and they should be on good terms when Nikolas's secret explodes in his dumb face. I can't believe that the writers have dumbed down the character so much that he is just now starting to follow the breadcrumbs. 

So they actually attempted to give Esme some layers. Girl wants her mother and I think that Ryan is holding that back from her because he knows she'll drop him once she finds her. I'm convinced he murdered her adoptive parents.

Does Cody have to be on three times a week. How can I miss him (I won't) if he's constantly on my screen? Give him a break. Also him trying to force Britt into being around him is not cute. It's creepy and gross. Especially when his motives aren't of the noble variety. She said no. That should be enough for him to take a hint and take a hike. 

[Blackie]

My pvr skipped out in the last scene when Ryan was hugging Esme, what did he say to her at the end?

AP id a good actress. How will the redeem her? Or will they just kill her off and bring her back as a new character love interest for Cam as tbey set up Joss and Dex hmmmm. These are things I think about during the Cody scenes

[dubbel zout]

LOL at Jordan trying to be an investigator.

"I'd like to like her." That's what every woman wants to hear, Cody. Ugh. I wish he'd  stop pushing things with Britt.

[DanaK]

Man, those scenes between Esme and Ryan were intense and the best part of today’s episode. Ryan has her wrapped around his little finger and is pulling her strings. She’s still a mini psycho but I actually felt a little sorry for her

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, DanaK said:

Man, those scenes between Esme and Ryan were intense and the best part of today’s episode. Ryan has her wrapped around his little finger and is pulling her strings.

And yet she still mostly stands her ground with him. I appreciate that. I don't know if it's the writing or AP, but it works for me.

I wish they hadn't made Esmé thisclose to unredeemable, because as others have noted, AP is a find, and she's had good chem with a lot of actors.

[statsgirl]

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

AP is a good actress. How will the redeem her? Or will they just kill her off and bring her back as a new character love interest for Cam as tbey set up Joss and Dex hmmmm. These are things I think about during the Cody scenes

My vote will be for what @Daisy said above,

3 hours ago, Daisy said:

Esme/Ryan is creepy. and he broke Esme. and i think that goes back to as much as she is psycho, she's also broken and she (imo) did alot to protect her "family" as she knew it. 

In the same way that they excused much of what Franco did was blamed on the brain tumor, much of what Esme has done can be blamed on the fact that Ryan broke her. Her adoptive parents are MIA (maybe Ryan did murder them) and he's been playing emotional games with her for years.  She briefly had a real connection with Spencer but that ended when he came back to Port Charles and she was left desperate again.

[TVbitch]

OMG, next Cody will stand outside Britt's window with a boombox playing "In Your Eyes!" How old is he supposed to be?! Make it stop! 

[Gemini2989]

Nikolas was absolutely wrong for cheating on Ava and should of listened to everyone who warned him about her. And Ava should be angry with Nikolas but I for one don’t want to see Ava go scorched earth. She’s already done that with griffin and that’s actually the version of Ava I can’t stand to watch because her running around town trying to get revenge gets old fast. Given Ava’s history of having affairs with Silas(nina’s husband)morgan(her own daughters boyfriend) Sonny( her boyfriend Morgan’s father) and Ryan when she thought he was Kevin and Laura’s husband( she wasn’t even sorry for what she was doing to Laura at the time) and then recently pushing Nina towards a married Sonny. Ava has no real moral high ground to stand on and judge Nikolas for what he did. She needs to take the time to be angry and maybe make nikolas suffer temporarily but then move on. Im still a nava fan and feel they can eventually get past this because of how much they love each other. Ava herself was once in Nikolas position begging Morgan to forgive her and take her back after having an affair with his father. Why does Nikolas deserve to loose everything? What makes him so much worse than other people who’ve done the same as him, if not worse and are still waking around town just fine because they were given a second,third,or fourth chance?

[SiouxB]

Spoiler

Edited July 28, 2022 by SiouxB
X

[Tenshinhan]

For half a second I thought Ryan was going in for the kiss with Esme.  Kinda glad he didn't.

[perkie1968]

Great, big giant fat kudos to Avery Pohl. Esme went from thrilled to see Ryan, to making excuses to threatening Ryan to terrified of him to broken by him all within one scene. She is truly amazing in this role and I just don't know how they're going to redeem her in order to keep her. Kudos to Jon Lindstrom as well. When Ryan got out of the chair and went towards Esme, my first thought was that he was going to do something gross like kiss her, but then he hugs her and gives her a warning all rolled into one. These two are fantastic together.

Nikolas is so stupid you have to wonder how he manages to walk without falling down more often. Did MC piss off someone in the writing department or does he like playng a complete moron.

Everything Cody is terrible. He bribed Spinelli to get her info and now he's bribed the waiter guy to let him know whenver Britt goes to the pool. That's not cute. That's stalking. MAKE IT STOP.

[dubbel zout]

32 minutes ago, Gemini2989 said:

What makes him so much worse than other people who’ve done the same as him, if not worse and are still waking around town just fine because they were given a second,third,or fourth chance?

Ava and Nik have a history of treating each other very badly, so I'm not sure how many more chances either of them deserves. On the other hand, so as long as we don't get screeching Ava when the sex eventually comes out, let them continue to be awful to each other and stay together.

4 minutes ago, perkie1968 said:

Nikolas is so stupid you have to wonder how he manages to walk without falling down more often. Did MC piss off someone in the writing department or does he like playng a complete moron.

Nikolas has always been one of the dimmer characters, even when Tyler Christopher was in the role. MC has a duh face that doesn't help things, though.

[DanaK]

26 minutes ago, Tenshinhan said:

For half a second I thought Ryan was going in for the kiss with Esme.  Kinda glad he didn't.

You and me both, and probably every other viewer. I think they clearly wanted viewers to think that

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, dubbel zout said:

Nikolas has always been one of the dimmer characters, even when Tyler Christopher was in the role.

But not when he first appeared and for the first few years. Making him a moron began with the recast of Emily.

3 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

MC has a duh face that doesn't help things, though.

Tru Dat.😆😆😆😆😆

[GHScorpiosRule]

And I must be missing something because whenever I see Esme, I’m not impressed with the actress and she has just one expression.🤷‍♀️

Edited July 28, 2022 by GHScorpiosRule

[Cheyanne11]

Just echoing what everyone said about the Esme/Ryan scenes.  AP and JL were outstanding.  The absolutely broken/hopeless look AP gave when Ryan said he would find her if she tried to leave town was pitch perfect. 

Also loved the last scene with Ava and Spencer,  The "what can I say, I'm an idiot" followed with the smirk and Ava knowingly understanding what he was doing?  Chef's kiss.  Really great to see two newbies like Avery and Nicholas go toe to toe with Jon and Maura and match them.

Also, part two, LOL at Victor immediately jumping to "well, I'll take care of this--time to kill Esme."  A Cassadine thru and thru. 

[YaddaYadda]

31 minutes ago, perkie1968 said:

Everything Cody is terrible. He bribed Spinelli to get her info and now he's bribed the waiter guy to let him know whenver Britt goes to the pool. That's not cute. That's stalking. MAKE IT STOP.

Cody is the new Peter. One thing fandom, no matter who they supported came like 95% together in their Petah hatred. And now it's Cody. I haven't read a single positive comment about him.

Clearly, the beating Selina's man gave him didn't knock any sort of sense into him. 

Edited July 28, 2022 by YaddaYadda

[sunnyface]

1 hour ago, Gemini2989 said:

And Ava should be angry with Nikolas but I for one don’t want to see Ava go scorched earth.

I'd be all in for an Ava episode consisting of her talking to Moss.  Maura West is on another level compared to the Morgan/nuNik/Trin that she had to break in.  I want to see Ava go scorched earth.  Good Grief - poor Maura West deserves better!

Edited July 28, 2022 by sunnyface

[Gemini2989]

11 minutes ago, sunnyface said:

I'd be all in for an Ava episode consisting of her talking to Moss.  Maura West is on another level compared to the Morgan/nuNik/Trin that she had to break in.  I want to see Ava go scorched earth.  Good Grief - poor Maura West deserves better!

Maura is lucky the character of Ava is even still on the show because the character of Ava is no longer relevant.Her character can easily be written off and it wouldn’t affect major story what so ever. So lucky for her they added Ava to the cassadine family where she actually gets connections to the canvas and isn’t walking around the town drunk crying.

[Cheyanne11]

BTW, can Diane be held in contempt of court for that god-awful eye shadow?  Yikes!

[Auntie Velvet]

Because Aaron the black-haired bartender has a shock of white hair at temple, and because he randomly had dad issues, I've decided he's secretly Victor's son. 😉

Have we discussed that Esme could plausibly be Kevin's daughter, and Ryan's been lying to her? In fact, even if she isn't, the backstory on why she didn't consider both of twins as potentially her father would be interesting.

[Ambrosefolly]

Sorry, I don't watch the show regularly. Is there some backstory where Carly give him a $10,000 advance or paid for his mom's cancer treatments? Because other than that, there is no service worker that would give two shits about transfer of ownership or back talk like that. Even people who worked closely with previous owners for years would (at least in the beginning) be polite to get a feel for the new owners. Even if some shitty private equity firm or chain bought it(which usually makes everything worse), you talk behind their backs. 

[Mirabelle]

I been wanting Esme to be Kevin's daughter ever since her connection to Ryan was revealed. How sick and twisted would it be for Ryan to kidnap his niece so he could mold her into his image as revenge on his twin brother?

I'm also against killing off the character because that is the show's go to move when it comes to a woman they no longer want on canvas. Instead of just having the character relocate to another town, they have her brutally murdered. I find it lazy. I assume Robin was allowed to move to the other side of the country and be happy mainly due to the fact the actress who played her has been playing her for close to 40 years and the audience literally watched the actress and character grow up in real time.

Edited July 28, 2022 by Mirabelle

[Daisy]

2 minutes ago, Mirabelle said:

I been wanting Esme to be Kevin's daughter ever since her connection to Ryan was revealed. How sick and twisted would it be for Ryan to kidnap his niece so he could mold her into his image as revenge on his twin brother?

i think that's where it will go. (I actually hope it does), that will be one twisted swap story thta would be great, and I think would go a long way for esme to be redeemed.

[Artsda]

Nik needed all those flashbacks to know he's an idiot and everyone else especially Ava was right? Nik is an idiot.

Ava figuring out Spencer was good.

Victor amused me with his reaction to Nils news and all his comments after.

[Corvino]

**I** thought they wanted every viewer to think Ryan was going to strangle Esme when he got up and walked toward her. That still made it a great moment when he hugged her instead, doing her more harm than the strangling would have.

And as one who has been watching Ryan with interest since he first appeared, I really want to know who this extraordinary woman was who was the only one who ever understood him and for whom he's been looking in vain. So those life-and-death obsessions with Felicia and Ava were just fripperies, even though the whole plan now is about getting Ava? Since we saw his evil mother come to drag his soul to Hell when he died in a fiery explosion that time, Esme's mother could be any one of the damned women of history whom he met down there. It had better not BE his evil mother. No, chronologically impossible, I suppose.

[YaddaYadda]

So how smart is Esme? Or does her smartness stops when she's interacting with Ryan?

Esme's mother was this extraordinary woman who understood Ryan (and would have allegedly loved him if that's the case), yet he never knew her name. The woman was pregnant for 9 months, Ryan has a child with her, but has no idea what his baby mama's name is? 

I'm not sure that he's even Esme's biological father at this point. I think it's more likely that one of Kevin or Mac is.

[Blackie]

It seemed like they were going down some kind of road with Felicia and Mac but the KW had that RL tragic life circumstance so I wonder if there has been a rewrite. (no that these writers need a tragedy to randomly change course of a story line)

[YaddaYadda]

I think there could be rewrites to accommodate her through her grief, but the show hasn't been shy about temp recasts either.

Edited July 28, 2022 by YaddaYadda
I write incomplete sentences

[Asp Burger]

12 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Nikolas has always been one of the dimmer characters, even when Tyler Christopher was in the role. MC has a duh face that doesn't help things, though.

Yeah, the character has been getting demeaning writing for years. He hasn't seemed to be someone any writing/production regime cared about making look good since...maybe a couple years into Nem? Pre-Connor? (I'm not saying they succeeded in making him look good in the triangle with Emily and Zander, or the falling out with Stefan, but that was clearly the objective.) 

Since the mid-aughts, he's spent most of his time doing sleazy things, being an ineffectual quasi-villain who's easily exposed, being duped/manipulated, or getting beaten up. 

I thought when they went to the trouble of recasting and bringing him back, it might be a new chapter, but no. Coloma had most of his best moments in his first six months. It was all downhill after the Nikolas/Valentin war ended. I do think it's the writing more than the actor. He's the least interesting character in the present Wyndemere set. 

[dubbel zout]

10 hours ago, Mirabelle said:

I been wanting Esme to be Kevin's daughter ever since her connection to Ryan was revealed.

Given the show's fondness for changing up parentage every two weeks, this would disappoint me but not surprise me. The show goes to this well way too often.

10 hours ago, Artsda said:

Victor amused me with his reaction to Nils news and all his comments after.

I enjoyed that, too, but I thought he was being pretty unrealistic about Nik's ONS with Esmé not coming out. Yeah, if he kills her a third of fhe people who know are gone, but Nik is feeling tortured by the secret. I don't think that would change with Esmé gone. The possibility for her blackmailing him would be gone, that's it.

42 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

I do think it's the writing more than the actor.

It's almost always the writing. We've seen how the actors shine when the writing is good.

[texastornado]

Question-how did Ryan find (acquire) Esme if he doesn’t know where the mother is?  

[jacourt]

The writers are probably working on that point now. 

[PatsyandEddie]

Kudos to Mistah  Sheffield  yesterday in his scenes! Victor’s ewwwww reaction was perfect. Too bad his nephew is sooo dumb and he has to clean up after him again. 

[statsgirl]

4 hours ago, Corvino said:

And as one who has been watching Ryan with interest since he first appeared, I really want to know who this extraordinary woman was who was the only one who ever understood him and for whom he's been looking in vain. So those life-and-death obsessions with Felicia and Ava were just fripperies, even though the whole plan now is about getting Ava?

I didn't believe that story for a minute. That's Ryan telling Esme what she wants to hear.

The idea of Ryan so in love with mystery woman whose real name he doesn't want to know (so romantic!) and doesn't even try to find out doesn't fit with who the Ryan onscreen is.

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

The possibility for her blackmailing him would be gone, that's it.

But that's the only part that would bother Victor. If Nik moaned about his infidelity (and I don't think he necessarily would), Victor would just tell him to put his big boy pants on and move on.

But more likely if Esme were gone, Nik wouldn't feel the need to disclose anything to Ava. Unless he felt guilty for Esme's death.

[YaddaYadda]

53 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

The idea of Ryan so in love with mystery woman whose real name he doesn't want to know (so romantic!) and doesn't even try to find out doesn't fit with who the Ryan onscreen is.

It doesn't, but I think that's because we know who and what Ryan is, whereas Esme either doesn't quite understand or is delusional about him. I think it's a little bit of both, which makes her easy prey for him. 

He knows the mother's name, who she is, and where she is. He keeps her on a leash that way because that's her biggest weakness.

[statsgirl]

1 hour ago, YaddaYadda said:

He keeps her on a leash that way because that's her biggest weakness.

And because he enjoys manipulating people. The more hurtful the better.

[CharethCutestory]

That was the lamest reveal in soap history. The only thing going for the nasty Nesme romp was that it had all the makings of a big, dramatic, soapy reveal in front of the whole town. Instead they have Nik tell Ava in a random room, just the two of them. Wow.

Nik is sliiiiiime. Acting like he was a duped, innocent victim of Esme's is next level yuck. But that's Nik, he's nothing but consistent. 

Did I miss where Diane "cracked Esme's mask?" Seemed like a pretty pointless cross examination to me. 

They should try Willow and TJ. Millow sucks and Molly is almost never on. 

Edited July 28, 2022 by CharethCutestory

[statsgirl]

Fantastic scene between Ava and Nik, especially by Maura. She was practically at 'tear out his heart in the marketplace'.  I appreciate the cobra ring that Ava is wearing too. (Are they going to bring up the Griffin parallel?)

I guess someone finally called 911 for Felty in the stairwell.

I don't understand what I'm supposed to feel about what what Michael is doing with Dex other than complete disgust at Michael. Everything that Michael accuses Sonny of, he does the same thing twenty times worse.

"Be what he wants you to be, something that he lost...his son." Wow, Michael is such a narcissist.

Willow getting all self-righteous with skeevy reporter after she and Michael used him to attack Nina is pure Carly kin. And what makes Willow think that she can threaten him with Diane who is Sonny's lawyer, not Michael's personal one?

Dante:  "It took me a while to acclimatize to the pressure and chaos of policework."  Me: what police work? Certainly not looking into the burner phone.

Joss; "Diane's not going to let her get away with anything on the stand."  Trina is much smarter, she doesn't count Esme out.  Joss is still in the delusional world where everyone associated with Sonny is great except for Sonny himself.

I love how Spencer has zero time for Josslyn.

It amuses me that now that Sam is no longer tied to Jason, she's wearing white and bright colours.

[Daisy]

23 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

"Be what he wants to be, something that he lost...his son." Wow, Michael is such a narcissist.

especially when you see that Sonny really doesn't care. it's not like he's bemoaning the fact that he lost Michael. 

again, (i'm trying hard not to speak this into exstance) but they keep mentioning how they wuv Jason, but Jason covered for Sonny all the time, he was just a solider. Like. no. he wasn't. and imo if Jason were alive would y'all be "screw Sonny's ass?"  

again now its officially longer that Michael is mad at Sonny for not killing Nina than he was at Sonny for actually killing AJ.  pathetic

[ffwbe]

59 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

I don't understand what I'm supposed to feel about what what Michael is doing with Dex other than complete disgust at Michael. Everything that Michael accuses Sonny of, he does the same thing twenty times worse.

"Be what he wants you to be, something that he lost...his son." Wow, Michael is such a narcissist.

I don’t get where they’re going with that. Sonny isn’t looking for a Michael replacement, he’s looking for a new Jason, which he pretty much already has with Brando making it extra pointless. Michael wasn’t his second in command and he has a bunch of other kids that aren’t mad at him but of course Michael thinks he’s all that matters when Sonny is probably barely giving him a second thought.

ETA Episodes like today are why Dante shouldn’t be a cop and comes off as corrupt (to me). This is the second time this year he questioned an assault victim who couldn’t say what happened to him because it was his damn dad behind it. No matter how many years pass, I’ll never see this as an acceptable position for him. 

Edited July 28, 2022 by ffwbe

[dubbel zout]

16 minutes ago, CharethCutestory said:

Nik is sliiiiiime. Acting like he was a duped, innocent victim of Esme's is next level yuck.

Yes, that pesky penis with a mind of its own. Good for Ava for calling Nik what he is: stupid. 

I don't believe for a second that Sam hasn't thought about living with Dante.

Brando, maybe you're smothering Sasha, or she feels like you are. Back off, dude. It's so gross that this show thinks being controlling is how you show love.

[Peppermint Patty]

I’m all for Ava going scorched earth on Nik the slimeball. I really want to see Ava and Spencer team up and take both Nik and Esme down.

Am I correct that in all of Nik’s flashbacks, he didn’t think it was fishy that Esme wanted access to Spring Ridge? He should know by now that she doesn’t give a shit about some internship and that something more nefarious was going on. Of course, he’s dimmer than an old lightbulb, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. 

[dubbel zout]

Why Victor hasn't had surveillance on Esmé is beyond me. Right now he's the only Cassadine with any sort of brain.