Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[jsbt]

Yeah, the dude went off that goofy boat less than a week ago. Let's let the young girl grieve. I don't remember people telling Elizabeth to buy a bridge and get over it back in '99.

Edited February 8 by jsbt

[MarciNJ]

15 hours ago, ComeWhatMay said:

I do still hope Ace as a Cassadine is erased by PM’s pen or at the very least his name changed. 

since Ben was changed to Rocco, I don't hold out much hope that they will improve on Ace (an admittedly ridiculous name)

[jsbt]

Just change his name and write him out with Nikolas for a few years, and preferably retire the Nikolas character later with Tyler gone. You can then bring Esme back for revenge stints anytime you want, once Spencer is reestablished at some future point recast or otherwise.

[mbluecpa]

Maybe this will be UO, but I thought the Spencer obit/memories/funeral stuff consumed too much airtime. It might’ve worked 25 years ago, but with ~95% of viewers knowing the backstory with NAC (and thus his likely return) and just coming off a very well-done tribute to Bobbie/JZ it just didn’t work for me. 

On the other hand, I’ve been so pleasantly surprised by the writing for Gregory. I was the first to pre-roll my eyes when it was introduced, fearing these writers would botch it but they’ve impressed. Keeping him in Alexis’ orbit and bringing in Tracy (well, probably more having GH work with NLG and JE) has made for some well-crafted scenes all around. 

There were a couple of rage-filled Carlys-fest episodes while the site was down.  It feels like the auto-script-generator is stuck on SEC and “let’s destroy Nina,” yielding scenes that I don’t find the least bit entertaining. 

Shallowly, kudos to wardrobe for the Spencer-related scenes. All black is an easy attire choices , sure, but they managed to also make some very stylish picks. 

[PatsyandEddie]

I enjoyed the cemetery scenes between G H and ME . It seemed quite honest and realistic. Finn is frustrated as a scientist and doctor that he cannot cure his father while Gregory is struggling to keep himself together and be present for his family. 
I also love the dynamics between GH, JE and NLG. The mature conversations along with their interactions are fine examples of how older people can be with each other. 
I will park my butt at the Sprina table even though I could be their grandmother. It’s fun to watch a young couple in love. 

[jsbt]

I mean, the fact is that Spencer has been a breakout young lead and Spencer and Trina have been a breakout young couple with the general audience. I'd argue they're the only major breakout couple with real buzz that the show has had in quite some time (Sonny and Nina don't cut it, and neither did Jason and Britt which was over before it really got going; they're also not the youth set). So he's gonna get a funeral when he topples off the poorly-disguised Haunted Star, even if he comes back/pre-tapes to fill out the remainder of his contract in 3-5 months. Odds are that Chavez is done done either way, and that means Spencer is gonna be gone for at least a considerable length of time. There isn't anything outrageous or unusual about that handling of a popular young lead's exit to me. You wanna get me mad, let's talk about Serial Killer Franco leaving this earthly plane with everything but a montage set to Sarah McLachlan's "Angel".

3 minutes ago, PatsyandEddie said:

I also love the dynamics between GH, JE and NLG. The mature conversations along with their interactions are fine examples of how older people can be with each other. 

I do think that Gregory Harrison and Jane have some chemistry. Just not enough for me to care. Jane always had surprising and fearsome chemistry with ME's Finn early on, back when the character was actually a departure for Easton and not just a sad dud who should left years ago. They should've gone for a May-December romance with them, with him as the kooky younger doctor on her arm devoted to her; that might've secured ME's future with the show. But Frank would never let that happen.

Edited February 8 by jsbt

[ffwbe]

I get the interest in a medical issue SL like Gregory’s. It’s just not something that appeals to me truthfully. I’ve watched loved ones battling similar long term illnesses and don’t want to be reminded of it. Also, ME isn’t playing anything other than anger and frustration (most of the time barely even that) and JS barely gets any scenes about it other than first finding out because they treat him like a 30 year old toddler. The poignant moments of a story like this would be with the family and the actors playing his sons don’t have the range 

[jsbt]

12 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

Also, ME isn’t playing anything other than anger and frustration (most of the time barely even that) and JS barely gets any scenes about it other than first finding out because they treat him like a 30 year old toddler. 

The key issue with all characters under 45 on this show (and many over!), especially the young males. Hence weepin' Dex. He and Joss may look at each other like they want to fuck on camera at any moment but he still comes across like a sad little boy. Chase looks and behaves like he is doing Career Day in junior high.

[dubbel zout]

2 hours ago, jsbt said:

Yeah, the dude went off that goofy boat less than a week ago. Let's let the young girl grieve.

I have no problem with Trina grieving; my issue is that her life is over because her dunderheaded boyfriend is dead. In story time, Trina and Spencer weren't together all that long, and he wasn't a very good boyfriend for a lot of that time, IMO. This bitter old crank hates how dependent the women of the show are on men.

[jsbt]

7 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I have no problem with Trina grieving; my issue is that her life is over because her dunderheaded boyfriend is dead.

Yeah, but I think I'll give her the moment to go all woe is me and then move on. He literally just dropped in the drink.

[ffwbe]

They might as well have just killed Taggart off rather than bringing him back from the dead since they don’t act like he exists anyway and Trina never mentions him. From what I’ve heard, their original plan was to have him be dead for real when they did that SL in 2020 since they were making Curtis Trina’s bio dad so not sure why they changed their mind. It would have also saved us from them turning Taggart into another Sonny sympathizer since that made absolutely no sense. 

[jsbt]

I am not gonna complain about having Taggert alive. I do wish we saw more of him. I could not care less about Curtis.

[ciarra]

3 hours ago, lala2 said:

An unexpected young death can make ppl question life and if school is pointless. 

Rory's death was hardly a blip on her radar.  I know, she just wasn't into him.

As for the empty grave, they should do like the busses, and have programmable signs, where the name can easily be changed.

 

 

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, jsbt said:

I think I'll give her the moment to go all woe is me and then move on. He literally just dropped in the drink.

It's the lack of nuance that bothers me. Immediately Trina goes into "my life is over; I'll never love again" mode. Girl, you're 22. Your life isn't over; you will love again. But nuance is something this show doesn't do, so of course Trina sees no future without stupid Spencer.

29 minutes ago, jsbt said:

I am not gonna complain about having Taggert alive. I do wish we saw more of him. I could not care less about Curtis

I don't understand why they brought him back only to ignore him. I know Réal Andrews is having RL health issues, but the show doesn't even mention Taggert anymore. I think Donnell Turner is super appealing, but Curtis is deeply unpleasant.

Edited February 8 by dubbel zout

[Sake614]

3 hours ago, lala2 said:

I would probably feel the same if Dex violently died in front of Josslyn. I wouldn’t expect her to brush it off and say, “That sucks but I have that organic chem test tomorrow so I gotta study.” lol

I would! Seriously though, because Joss is a Carly, I would expect her to expect the entire town bow down before her and cater to her every whim while she railed against whoever/whatever she perceived to be at fault, and threaten them with retaliation from Sonny. Because that’s how she rolls 🤣

[ffwbe]

20 minutes ago, Sake614 said:

I would! Seriously though, because Joss is a Carly, I would expect her to expect the entire town bow down before her and cater to her every whim while she railed against whoever/whatever she perceived to be at fault, and threaten them with retaliation from Sonny. Because that’s how she rolls 🤣

That happened with Oscar, who she moped about ad nauseam for like a year and we constantly heard how “brave” Joss was being 

[jsbt]

Maybe it's me but there is a lot of cringingly obvious setup for a Sonny and Lois pairing over the last few weeks IMO, particularly since New Year's but especially last week with Lois/Olivia/Nina and while Rena and Mo still have chemistry I am going to take a hard pass on that. Lois was never this ride or die for Sonny. I really hope PM/Korte drop it like a hot potato.

Edited February 8 by jsbt

[MarciNJ]

42 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

That happened with Oscar, who she moped about ad nauseam for like a year and we constantly heard how “brave” Joss was being 

but unfortunately for her, there was no one to blame and threaten with retaliation from big bad Sonny.   Cancer doesn't GAS.

[bayviewbubba]

Shallow-  The men's hair dye department is buggin'. Sonny looks good today, but a few episodes back he had the dreaded premature orange going on on the sides.  Looked like a done at home emergency. He looks fine with some gray. Finn's going back and forth like he can't decide whether he wants to show the gray or not.  Let your flags fly guys.

[CeChase]

I don't know, one of the bloggers who also does the soap chat podcast, made multiple cryptic comments about Real on Twitter a week or two ago.   Basically saying there's always a BTS reason you are not seeing an actor.  But I don't know if that's BS you can't tell with those guys.  And that would not explain why they didn't do a recast anyway.  

I do agree since they have dropped Taggert they should have dropped him before he became another Sonny is okay character.  The only one who never did that I can think of is Patrick Drake.  Who I miss very much.  

[Sake614]

Anything is possible re BTS stuff but Real has been nothing but gracious in every public statement he’s made and I’ve never seen anything to indicate he’s a problem child in any way. Obviously that doesn’t mean he didn’t piss off someone somewhere, just that I haven’t seen anything to indicate that’s the case. 

[jsbt]

I know RA may have personal struggles, and there's other serious health problems he's been open about in the past. I can't fault the show if anything like that comes into play, but I also don't think they've ever made Taggert a priority vs. Curtis. And the fact is I would rather watch other people of color vs. Curtis and Mr. Hat anyday. I welcome new additions.

[ffwbe]

Did Chris/Dan get advance notice that they were being canned and we’re seeing scripts from after they knew they were fired cuz the shows been horrible the past few weeks

[ciarra]

2 hours ago, jsbt said:

And the fact is I would rather watch other people* of color vs. Curtis and Mr. Hat anyday. I welcome new additions.

* except for Stephen A. Smith aka Mr. Mumbles, who can take a long walk off of pier 52.

Edited February 8 by ciarra

[YaddaYadda]

The show is unwatchable. I guess we are determined that Crimson will not tank with Carly as its editor.

Drew can take several seats at the bottom of the ocean. 

BLQ has every right to be pissed at Nina, but where's her outrage at Carly and Drew? Did they even apologize to Ned or are we just going to sweep their asshole attitude toward him under the rug? Or did we balance the scales when Ned agreed to not say anything?

I'm looking forward to moving on from this fucked up writing.

[Daisy]

5 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I have no problem with Trina grieving; my issue is that her life is over because her dunderheaded boyfriend is dead. In story time, Trina and Spencer weren't together all that long, and he wasn't a very good boyfriend for a lot of that time, IMO. This bitter old crank hates how dependent the women of the show are on men.

well isn't that really part of grieving?  just taking a minute and being Dramah about it. I would basically say that anything she says right now is to be taken with 99 pinches of salt. 

I mean admittedly. again, I'm not the kind of person who cares about that sort of thing but that's neither here or there, so i am sorry that it does bother you and I can sort of see why it does  but i mean. again I think when someone that you care about dies. the Dramah does take over for a bit. and I don't really think it will last that long until she'll want to do something. 

[TVbitch]

Missed the first half today due to news. Is it worth bothering to watch? Alls I saw was Dante and Anna making pathetic asses of themslves and needing to take many seats while they tried to bully and emotionally manipulate John into getting his priorities straight, i.e., going to find the local mob boss and filling him in on his investigation.  🙄 🤮

[db1702]

I was really hopeful for a very brief and I mean brief moment when Willow picked up the phone she was going to call Nina but no instead she caved and made up with Michael.

Very disappointed in Willow who it seems can forgive everyone on the show for just about anything they do just not her own mother. That forgiveness even extends to those who commit criminal enterprise but she cannot forgive her own mother. 

Nina and Martin were the best part of that episode I am glad Nina is it seems going to give running her own publication a shot. I have however my doubts the writers will allow Nina to be successful. 

Drew just needs to leave please send him anywhere that means we do not have to see him on our screens. 

BLQ really I get your mad at Nina but please don’t be helping Carly I actually use to like you so please stop with the Carly love. 

Anna and Dante I literally have no words for their behaviour. Dante is the definition of a crooked cop. Anna is already a joke police chief after one day in the job. We actually had a sensible FBI agent who saw the local mob boss for what he is a local mob boss. Anna and Dante conspired to make him think it’s a good idea to put your trust in the local mob boss. Charlotte was right about Anna she is dangerous and now she even has a badge!!!

Edited February 8 by db1702

[jqdeco]

So are the writers attempting to turn Nina and Carly into Vicky and Dorian from OLTL? Eternally in competition with each other? The key is they both have to lose at times. 
I thought the FBI trumped local authorities in a federal investigation. Anna just comes off as pompous and an egomaniac.

[DanaMB]

Carly never has to suffer more than a few scenes, let alone a whole episode or longer. God, I hope the new writers balance this show out. 

[PatsyandEddie]

Having to watch smug Carly smirk at Nina from the elevator was pretty rage inducing. Enough show ! Stopping beating us about the head with how fabulous she is. 🤮

[DanaK]

1 hour ago, TVbitch said:

Missed the first half today due to news. Is it worth bothering to watch? Alls I saw was Dante and Anna making pathetic asses of themslves and needing to take many seats while they tried to bully and emotionally manipulate John into getting his priorities straight, i.e., going to find the local mob boss and filling him in on his investigation.  🙄 🤮

I missed the last few minutes due to a news interruption. Can you tell me what happened?

[Suicidy]

19 hours ago, Grinaldi said:

I get the whole grave marker for an empty grave thing but why did they have to dig a hole?

Upwelling by the funeral home?

[Suicidy]

6 hours ago, MarciNJ said:

but unfortunately for her, there was no one to blame and threaten with retaliation from big bad Sonny.   Cancer doesn't GAS.

Don’t be so sure……..

 

54 minutes ago, PatsyandEddie said:

Having to watch smug Carly smirk at Nina from the elevator was pretty rage inducing. Enough show ! Stopping beating us about the head with how fabulous she is. 🤮

Do viewers really want this?  I sure as hell don’t.

Edited February 9 by Suicidy

[TVbitch]

2 hours ago, TVbitch said:

Missed the first half today due to news. Is it worth bothering to watch? Alls I saw was Dante and Anna making pathetic asses of themslves and needing to take many seats while they tried to bully and emotionally manipulate John into getting his priorities straight, i.e., going to find the local mob boss and filling him in on his investigation.  🙄 🤮

 

57 minutes ago, DanaK said:

I missed the last few minutes due to a news interruption. Can you tell me what happened?

They were tag teaming him with Dante saying that because he wants to withhold information from Sonny he "doesn't care about saving lives" while Anna talked about how Sonny is "so important to so many people in Port Charles" and "what would Stone want you to do." So last scene John shows up at Sonny's office. Ugh. 

At this point Dante should just go ahead and work as security for Sonny.

[JMO]

Can't remember how many times the PC police commissionership has rotated among Anna, Robert and Mac. I don't think either of the Scorpio brothers have any love for Sonny, regardless of his relationship with Robin, and I can't figure out why Anna does.  Couldn't believe she actually defended him by noting that he is important to so many people.  Sure he is.  Just like all of the people he's had killed were important to many people.  Sheesh.

I remember a pre-Sonny Port Charles, and I miss it.  I also remember when, during her first stint as police commissioner, Anna broke off her engagement after finding out her fiance was in the mob.  I miss that Anna.  

[Daisy]

1 hour ago, jqdeco said:

So are the writers attempting to turn Nina and Carly into Vicky and Dorian from OLTL? Eternally in competition with each other? The key is they both have to lose at times. 
I thought the FBI trumped local authorities in a federal investigation. Anna just comes off as pompous and an egomaniac.

honestly, Carly needs that in her life. (and ultimately, Vicki and Dorian actually did like each other but Dorian never got out of her own way which was fine). this is why i am not "tired of the Granny wars" as most people phrase it  - but Nina needs actual literal wins in her tally. 

[Cheyanne11]

3 hours ago, PatsyandEddie said:

Having to watch smug Carly smirk at Nina from the elevator was pretty rage inducing. Enough show ! Stopping beating us about the head with how fabulous she is. 🤮

Today came very close to be the final straw in my long-threatened hiatus from this shit show.  As if Carly doesn't have enough cheerleaders willing to lie and do whatever she needs to get whatever she wants, now Brook Lynn is right there, too.  Fuck off, show.  I'll never believe Carly is any sort of business mogul. 

[CeChase]

I actually am on my long-threatened hiatus.  I haven't watched one episode this week and don't plan to.  I decided I'm taking a break until the new writing starts.  And it's Carly.  I'm not doing this.  And the other stories are boring right now.  Isn't this sweeps month?  Hilarious.  I will keep up here until March.  I have enough aggravation in my life, this is supposed to be a fun escape.  They better do something about that big, orange, smug mug.  But I don't know that they can, so we'll see what March brings. 

[KayVeeTeeVee]

On 2/5/2024 at 4:37 PM, Bringonthedrama said:

ITA! She rocks the scenes showing Laura's range of emotions. I get the (IRL) reasoning for Laura to accept that Spencer is dead, but the writing should show Laura refusing to accept - for now - word from authorities that Spencer couldn't have survived given that her own sons Nikolas and Lucky have both been presumed dead in the past and they came back. Not to mention Robin Scorpio (whom Laura has known since she was a kid), Robin's dad/Luke's best friend, Anna Devane, Luke's second best friend Sonny, etc.

All of this "Spencer and Esme are presumed dead" drama could have been avoided if Spencer and Trina used a little brain power and tied unconscious Esme up and/or locked her in the state room. It's as dumb as Robert and Anna being locked up/outsmarted by Faison for, what a week? to draw out the Patrick/Sabrina engagement drama while Robin was in hiding and trying to "save the parents."

Don't even get me started on Portia and Curtis declaring they're going with Laura to "'save our daughter."  Did anyone even inform Trina's actual father for life, the police officer, about what's going on? Taggert, not Curtis, should be the one going with Laura!!

NLG did a great job with Alexis trying to be a professional and then breaking down at the end of writing the obit. On the other hand, I have no words for Sam talking like Spencer was some neighborhood kid her mother had cared about instead of a family member she really loved. 

There was no reason that this new police officer in scenes with Anna and Jordan has to be a recast Jagger Cates. The actor looks nothing like the actors who played Jagger, or Stone, or their sister Gina (?). 

He should have been a Jax recast!

[ljr]

Is deception the only advertising in crimson? Carly made it sound like the magazine will shut down without the ads.

I think nina starting her own magazine is a good idea

 

[ffwbe]

I’m feeling pretty justified as a day 1 hater of this version of BL. I think I only came around briefly during the temp recast. She’s insufferable and the actress doesn’t do much but that weird smirk in every scene. The 30s scene on this show is the worst. All of them are dull, hypocritical, and most are both if I’m being honest 

[mbluecpa]

I’m certainly glad it’s not just me with increasing frustration as of late. At this point, I’m hanging on in hopes that the new head writing team dramatically shifts the direction the show has taken.

I find myself subconsciously ignoring a large chunk of the dialog and storylines lately and instead focusing on the sets (Sonny’s office/restaurant is falling apart btw), makeup/wardrobe, and the performers’ various acting tics. All in all, kind of a waste of ~38 minutes. 

A true rivalry between Nina and Carly might actually be a decent plot line but a one-sided snot-fest is far, far from that. In my moments of viewer lucidity yesterday, I did sense a few potential mini-anvils of a softening attitude toward Nina.

And no, Carly, Drew is not “the owner” of Aurora. It’s public, which is what led to this debacle of an insider trading storyline in the first place. 

I did think GH and RS showed some great friend/parents of the engaged couple chemistry yesterday. It’s a shame they’ve written his character into a corner as I enjoy his scenes when anyone he’s paired with.

ETA: Lois’ outfit and pointy blue nails were awesomely over-the-top yesterday. I get the feeling that RS has a lot of fun playing this character, which shows in her performance. 

Edited February 9 by mbluecpa

[Mirabelle]

5 hours ago, CeChase said:

I actually am on my long-threatened hiatus.  I haven't watched one episode this week and don't plan to.  I decided I'm taking a break until the new writing starts.  And it's Carly.  I'm not doing this.  And the other stories are boring right now.  Isn't this sweeps month?  Hilarious.  I will keep up here until March.  I have enough aggravation in my life, this is supposed to be a fun escape.  They better do something about that big, orange, smug mug.  But I don't know that they can, so we'll see what March brings. 

I haven't watched in months. I dipped in on the 7th to see Cam Webber and nothing else interests me. 

[isalicat]

Apparently an unpopular opinion but I still can't stand the Trina recast actor's work - her grief over Spencer's "death" is not even vaguely convincing and it seems completely out of character for her to want to forgo college etc. - the OG Trina would have thrown herself into the Sorbonne experience as a tribute to all that Spencer wanted for her and that she worked so hard to achieve. So its a combination of terrible writing and bad acting, in my estimation. Of course I also never bought that Spencer would be besotted with Trina in the first place - his pairing with Esme (without all the backplot) made the most sense as a couple of louche Eurobrats living the high life off money they never earned.

[dubbel zout]

Jordan is useless, but she doesn't deserve a relationship with smarm meister Brick. YUCK.

Drew is in pain through his own stupidity, Willow.

I would love it if Dex gets killed because of Michael's stupid plan for him.

[YaddaYadda]

Dare we hope that the other truth that Michael is withholding from Sonny will be exposed with this Brick investigation into Dex? 

Drew is repugnant. I saw the preview for Monday. He should just beat Nina to a bloody pulp like he wants to and be done with it. At this point, it feels like something violent is going to happen to her because of him. What a sad sack of a character he has become. Drew, your own actions landed you in jail, so just STFU already. 

Willow sure is forgiving to everyone whose name is not Nina, which is par the course.

Why are they foisting Spinelli onto Maxie? Doesn't she have enough problems? I think they also brought him back because of Jason's return.

I hate Jason.

[ffwbe]

Not that I liked Drew before this but they are so obviously trying to throw him under the bus now so a couple months from now, Carly can walk away from him because of how he’s acting and not because she was using him as a stand in for Jason this entire time. She’s the last person who wants him to forget about his vendetta towards Nina. She lights up when anything bad happens to her. 

 

15 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

Dare we hope that the other truth that Michael is withholding from Sonny will be exposed with this Brick investigation into Dex? 

That would make sense but I could easily see them only exposing that Michael was paying Dex to work for Sonny because he still cared about Sonny even though he was mad at him or some bs. They’ll probably have Dex get attacked only for that to come out so Sonny can feel guilty of suspecting him for being a rat when we know he was a rat. I feel like the full plot would only get exposed if the Dex actor is leaving the show. Michael would survive that because he always walks away unscathed but his minion wouldn’t 

Edited February 9 by ffwbe

[JMO]

I don't have any trouble relating to Trina's attitude in grief.  She's in her twenties, looking forward to the rest of her life, seeing Spencer in it---and suddenly it's all gone. When you lose someone young, you don't just lose the past, you lose all of the imagined future.  I'll cut her a very big break. 

Is there a reason Sonny's office is in a restaurant that is never open?  I'm thinking I must have missed the reasoning on that one.  I was glad to see John/Jagger give it to him today, especially after Michael's obsequious behavior with him.  

[30 Helens]

I’m late to the Jagger recast (aka WTF?) talk, but I have a theory. TPTB also took delight at the idea of pissing off ASJ, so they intentionally cast someone who looks as little like him as possible.

Unless they are planning to create a genetic link with some blond character who’s already on canvas, I am otherwise baffled. Anyone who has been watching long enough to remember Jagger Cates, and possibly welcome his return, also knows what he looks like. Or what he definitely does NOT look like.

On 2/6/2024 at 1:42 AM, Grinaldi said:

 

Seriously. I'd rather they stick it to Ingo and recast Jax who has a lot more ties to the canvas. Ticking off ASJ is more the bright spot in a weird choice than a defense of it.

Here’s hoping that Jax is recast as an African-American man with a Boston accent.