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Episode Discussion II: The TFGH


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Culture Check: How can we discuss a character's or actor's appearance without objectifying them? How can we express likes or dislikes and still respect an individual's humanity or be mindful that a character represents a person someone else might relate to or identify with?

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12 hours ago, ffwbe said:

You have Sonny out here acting like leaking that audio is worse than what Natalia actually said

That's understandable to me.  For Sonny, lies, deceit and betrayal are far more terrible than anything else.  Both in his personal life and within his chosen profession.  So I can see why a secret recording leaked to the press bothers him, especially given his relationship with Natalia so far.

  • Like 1

It's possible that Ava didn't know Blaze isn't out, but they would need to make that much clearer, and they haven't.  They are absolutely writing Natalia as more sympathetic than Ava, and I just think it's disgusting. 

I thought yesterday was a good show because it was soapy and things happened.  that doesn't mean I liked everything that did happen though.  For me possibly the worst part was watching Diane lecture about hate.  I am having a very difficult time with that, and I was so freaking mad about it.  It felt like laughing and spitting in my face at the same time.   If you know, you know.  

  • Like 7
  • Applause 7
2 hours ago, CeChase said:

I thought yesterday was a good show because it was soapy and things happened.  that doesn't mean I liked everything that did happen though. 

Agreed! Yesterday's show was good. I didn't mute once, which says a lot for me b/c I'm constantly muting and/or FFing parts of this show. I watched all the segments and found it all very entertaining. I wasn't bored, which says a lot too. 

I know folks hated him but I was also entertained by Finn's alcoholism story. It was one of the more interesting stories. As you said, it was soapy and entertaining. I liked him yelling at folks and drinking. Too bad it was fast tracked for JJ's return. 

For the most part, GH bores me so when soapy stuff happens, I'm entertained. 

  • Like 5
3 hours ago, CeChase said:

I thought yesterday was a good show because it was soapy and things happened. 

IA. I have a such a low bar for this show that I settle for things happening even when I snark at 90% of it. Better than wasted episodes like the one where Willow’s boring birthday party aired for most of the episode and absolutely nothing happened during it. They spend an inordinate amount of time with filler chitchat scenes designed to use up actor minimums that I tend to appreciate whenever they try to do a story even though they often miss the mark on execution. 

  • Like 5

Ava isn't stupid.  Only now, she is.

She knows not to go against Sonny's baby mamas, yet she blabbed on Alexis.  She knows not to go against Sonny's kids, yet Kristina is going to be caught in the fallout. 

She knows that an angry Sonny will try to punish her by taking Avery away.  It was clumsy, not well thought out.  Not like Ava at all.

  • Like 5
  • Applause 1
  • Love 5
(edited)

The smart way to do it would be to not leave her hand so obvious on it. She should've found another way to record Natalia in the first place, or another venue. If they'd met in public it could be blamed on an enterprising muckraker like DeWitt targeting Natalia because of Blaze.

And again: What does this do to affect Sonny's bottom line in a dangerous way? Nothing. It inconveniences a woman he's barely even dating. If Ava wants to cut Sonny where it hurts she needs bigger guns and better ammo, and she doesn't have it. Because Korte took her out of the catbird seat in Sonny's home once she clearly began assuming more control over the writing again. I am pleased to finally see Sonny and Nina both openly adversarial again with a woman they should genuinely despise given their separate histories with her, but I love Ava as a villain and unfortunately she just seems like a petty nuisance atm.

Edited by jsbt
  • Like 8
  • Applause 1
5 minutes ago, jsbt said:

I love Ava as a villain and unfortunately she just seems like a petty nuisance atm.

The show has a history of not knowing how to keep villains around for the long run.  I mean, we got that dreadful Denise Demucci story to sort of redeem how terrible Ava had been, but the fact remains she ripped a kid out of Nina's uterus. She messed with Morgan's meds. She's messing with Sonny's meds. Yet right now she's in a tizzy because of some dumb recording that has little bearing on Sonny and, in the larger view, actually did Blaze a favor of sorts. (People are going to hate Blaze no matter who she sleeps with.) 

I don't want to watch yet another custody battle, especially one involving Sonny, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of plan for Ava. There doesn't seem to be any sort of plan for the majority of the characters. They shuffle along so the actors meet their minimums and nothing of any consequence ever happens. Zzzz.

  • Like 5
4 minutes ago, jsbt said:

She should've found another way to record Natalia in the first place, or another venue.

Thing is, she didn't plan on recording it. Ava was on a phone call or something, and Natalia, as is her wont, came into the home and then just started spewing. After Natalia left, Ava picked up her phone and realized their conversation had been recorded.

  • Like 6
5 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I don't want to watch yet another custody battle, especially one involving Sonny, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of plan for Ava. 

I wouldn't be surprised if Maura was soon fired. Let's be real - she has no friends, no family, no love interest, no home, no allies. She is truly an island to herself. She's been completely isolated. That's a dangerous place for a soap character. If she died or left, would anyone on the show care? Nope. Donna doesn't count. 

  • Sad 7
51 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

 I mean, we got that dreadful Denise Demucci story to sort of redeem how terrible Ava had been, but the fact remains she ripped a kid out of Nina's uterus.

Nina ripped the kid from Ava's uterus.  (unless she was involved w/the Willow/Nelle plot way back when)

45 minutes ago, lala2 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Maura was soon fired. Let's be real - she has no friends, no family, no love interest, no home, no allies. She is truly an island to herself. She's been completely isolated. That's a dangerous place for a soap character. If she died or left, would anyone on the show care? Nope. Donna doesn't count. 

that would be a loss imo.
but yeah once you are made into an island - you are in big big trouble.

  • Like 7

Ava is clearly on her way out. Everyone is more angry at the person who leaked the recording, pushing Alexis so far as to call Ava a homophobe, while Natalia is sitting there having a civil conversation with Sonny and is more about her daughter's career being destroyed than her daughter's feelings. And we have the Connie murder being brought up again, which doesn't exactly bode well after all these years. It was brought up at least twice in the past 3-something weeks.

I do absolutely loathe Natalia. Blaze should dump her as her manager. The woman is like those mothers in Toddlers and Tiaras and other similar shows.

Anyway . . . the writing is as subtle as a sledgehammer when it comes to exiting characters. Make sure they go through some kind of writing hell, then kick them to the curb.

3 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Nina ripped the kid from Ava's uterus.  (unless she was involved w/the Willow/Nelle plot way back when)

She wasn't. But she was paid by Nina's mother to have an affair with Silas.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
  • Applause 1
(edited)
19 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

the Nina Reeves Reporting a Crime is Worse than the Crime statute.  

This was certainly in full play today with Sonny not caring about Natalia's hate speech, and Kristina saying the bigger crime was whoever gave the recording to the Invader.

Shut up, Lois. 

6 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Nina ripped the kid from Ava's uterus.  (unless she was involved w/the Willow/Nelle plot way back when)

Oh, right. I knew that didn't look right, but I couldn't figure out what I did wrong. Heh. (I really need to stop thinking I have any sort of grasp on GH history.)

Edited by dubbel zout
  • LOL 4
57 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

 mean, we got that dreadful Denise Demucci story to sort of redeem how terrible Ava had been, but the fact remains she ripped a kid out of Nina's uterus.

That... was Nina ripping one out of Ava? But I agree overall - it started with murdering Connie - and also on the shuffling around and zero plans for most characters, minus what I think Mulcahey set in motion with Drew/Nina/Willow which will probably fizzle out now.

  • Like 1

These writers are genius as ripping defeat from the jaws of victory. I was all set with my popcorn to see Natalia rightfully raked over the coals (she is fast approaching my Carly levels of hate) but instead, the episode was all about Poor Natalia and Terrible Ava. They even doubled down on the "it's not what you did, it's who caught you doing it" with Carly doing her 'poor me' that the FBI are holding her words over Jason.

The gaslighting also continues with Sonny being sympathetic to Natalia who blabbed her horrible homophobia to a hostile near stranger (if she was willing to talk like that to Ava, she would tell anyone) and vowing that Ava will never see Avery again. Way to do what's best for your child, Sonny,

Some of the worst tropes of GH.

  • Like 19
19 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

Everyone is more angry at the person who leaked the recording, pushing Alexis so far as to call Ava a homophobe, while Natalia is sitting there having a civil conversation with Sonny and is more about her daughter's career being destroyed than her daughter's feelings.

 

5 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

The gaslighting also continues with Sonny being sympathetic to Natalia who blabbed her horrible homophobia to a hostile near stranger (if she was willing to talk like that to Ava, she would tell anyone) and vowing that Ava will never see Avery again. Way to do what's best for your child, Sonny,

Some of the worst tropes of GH.

Does the show even CARE what kind of message it is sending by coddling the bigoted homophobe? I don't care that Natalia is a fictional character. It's ugly and disgusting.

  • Like 6
  • Applause 15

The doorman in Kristina's building is not "doing an amazing job" if he's not calling Kristina to tell her who's on the way up to her apartment. Also, get a frickin' peephole!

I wonder if we're gearing up for a Who Killed Ava? story.

Alexis had a too-brief moment of calling out Natalia, and then of course it had to turn to "we need to talk about Ava."

  • Like 4

I'm bored by almost every storyline except Maxie/Deception and Tracy Quartermaine. I love Trina (and Gio is a nice, if bland, young man). I really wish they would invest in Trina's life, how she's doing (really doing) without Spencer. She is such a bright light on the show, but, instead, we keep getting Joss / Dex / Gio - blah.

 

 

  • Like 9
2 hours ago, ciarra said:

Ava isn't stupid.  Only now, she is.

She knows not to go against Sonny's baby mamas, yet she blabbed on Alexis.  She knows not to go against Sonny's kids, yet Kristina is going to be caught in the fallout. 

She knows that an angry Sonny will try to punish her by taking Avery away.  It was clumsy, not well thought out.  Not like Ava at all.

She should’ve also known that keeping from him the fact that Sonny’s meds were tampered with would cause her more trouble than lying to him is worth, but no.

  • Like 4
  • Love 1
1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

The doorman in Kristina's building is not "doing an amazing job" if he's not calling Kristina to tell her who's on the way up to her apartment. Also, get a frickin' peephole!

I wonder if we're gearing up for a Who Killed Ava? story.

Alexis had a too-brief moment of calling out Natalia, and then of course it had to turn to "we need to talk about Ava."

Each time someone said her name, the hammers kept falling about Ava being murdered. I'm only wondering how poorly the "Who Killed Ava Jerome?" mystery will be written. Of course, That's more than Roger Howarth's got.

I think the crushing emotional blow for Ava will be when Trina walks away over this.

  • Like 7

Glad that at least ONE person in town called Natalia out on her comments and didn’t immediately dismiss it because Ava shouldn’t have released the recording. I liked that when Natalia said ‘ I can’t help how I feel’ Alexis responded with ‘can’t you?’ And when Sonny defended Natalia, Alexis asked since when is that an excuse for bigotry? of course Sonny is still supporting Natalia. She’s a beautiful woman and he hasn’t had sex since before Christmas. He has NEEDS doesn’t he? 🤣 I really want Natalia to find out who Sonny really is and what he’s done/wants to do to Ava. 

I thought Sasha was going to offer to step in for Blaze until this dies down, so it was a nice surprise when she merely offered her support and advice. 

While it pains me to say this, I agreed with Lucy wrt Lois. WTF was she doing there? She’s a spokeswoman, not a stakeholder. While it’s okay for her to offer an opinion, she had no business being at a meeting to discuss Blaze’s contract. And please for the love of all that’s holy, get a real hair stylist for Rena. That hair is beyond awful and no self-respecting woman (even one from Bensonhurst who’s apparently stuck in the 80s) would ever wear!

spare me all the ‘you can’t go to prison! What about Donna? talk about Carly. Just let her go to the feds and take her chances at trial. Then when she gets her 20 years, we never have to see or hear from her again.

  • Like 11
  • Applause 1
15 minutes ago, Sake614 said:

spare me all the ‘you can’t go to prison! What about Donna? talk

The way the justice system works in Port Charles, Carly will be able to claim that she pretended to be the head of the Corinthos organization to keep Donna safe, and that will be what keeps her out of prison. She's such a good mother!

  • LOL 12
3 hours ago, lala2 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Maura was soon fired.

2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I wonder if we're gearing up for a Who Killed Ava? story.

Unfortunately, I think this is exactly where they're going.  It would also be the end of the Jeromes. (except Sam who despite her parents is neither a Jerome nor a Cassadine) You can tell me that Ava's the villain and Sonny/Carly are the heroes, Show, but you can't make me believe it. Just keep rearranging those deck chairs.

2 hours ago, statsgirl said:

The gaslighting also continues with Sonny being sympathetic to Natalia who blabbed her horrible homophobia to a hostile near stranger (if she was willing to talk like that to Ava, she would tell anyone) and vowing that Ava will never see Avery again. Way to do what's best for your child, Sonny,

The person who reported the crime is worse than the one who committed it.  The one time the show decides to bring in some realism! And it's not like they were handling the storyline so wonderfully up until now either.

  • Like 4
  • Love 1

It sure feels like another rush to the exit with MW.  I really like the actress, but I don't know where the character could possibly go from here.  With Nicholas off screen in prison (as opposed to still starring from Pentonville), her only unburned bridge is with Avery.  Even a villain needs a sympathetic foil. 

I get Sonny not lashing out at Natalia.  She's been honest with him right along about her struggle to accept her daughter, and she has framed it as that, and not as a rejection.  I see how he relates their situations as being parallel, with each of their daughters becoming disillusioned with their parents, and the fallout for the parents.

Go, Maxie!  Just don't become too scheming.  Blackmailing the editor of the local paper is not actually a good thing.  

I'm not sure whose writing we're seeing right now, but I appreciate that they are making some connections between the past and the present, as in the aforementioned parallels between the situations of Sonny and Natalia, and Sasha's past history in the scandal spotlight.  I hadn't made either of those leaps myself, so I was pleasantly surprised.  

  • Like 6
2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I wonder if we're gearing up for a Who Killed Ava? story.

I think they are. But to what end? Ava is hated/barely tolerated by everyone. If Ava is murdered, people will line up to spit on her grave. The only person who will miss her is Avery, but she has Mama Carly. Trina seemed to be checking out of that relationship with the whole I see the Ava you told me about.

So yeah, it will be the late unlamented Ava and people will wonder why the police is even investigating the murder. Because that's how this show rolls.

  • Like 4
  • Sad 1
  • Love 1
2 hours ago, tessabq said:

I think the crushing emotional blow for Ava will be when Trina walks away over this.

I really don't understand Trina flipping on Ava so quickly -- she saw in person how awful Sonny was to her and she knows that Ava is desperate because she think that Sonny will take away Avery (and she's right in that). As even Portia said, Ava has been a very good friend to Trina so it just looks like terrible writing that Trina is turning on her now. No surprise with these writers though.

1 hour ago, JMO said:

I get Sonny not lashing out at Natalia.  She's been honest with him right along about her struggle to accept her daughter, and she has framed it as that, and not as a rejection.

She has framed it as that when talking to Sonny but what was on the tape was straight out bigotry and judgment (e.g. Kristina is a flake because she wants the easy part of having a baby but not the hard part; as I remember, being pregnant was no piece of cake). But then, Sonny tends not to think with with his head when around a woman he wants.

  • Like 7
  • Applause 5

If the writers aren't working towards writing/killing Ava, I'll be surprised.  It's a shame to see the show to get rid of 3 veteran soap actors in less than a year.  I really believe it all comes down to $$$.   Those salaries for Jason and Lucky must be pretty steep.

Just thinking, I would be cool if Ava fakes her own death (don't ask me how), and Sonny becomes the prime suspect based on his current erratic behavior.  Even better if he goes on trial and is found guilty. 

  • Like 10
  • Useful 2
  • Love 3
(edited)
6 hours ago, jsbt said:

 She should've found another way to record Natalia in the first place, or another venue. If they'd met in public it could be blamed on an enterprising muckraker like DeWitt targeting Natalia because of Blaze.

Ava didn't even realize it was recorded until after the fact, so her deciding that this was somehow a magic bullet is even stupider. 

Who has the tape of Ava admitting to killing Connie that Alexis alluded to? I remember it being a balance of terror kind of agreement, but I can't really remember.

 

Edited by Auntie Velvet
  • Like 1
3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

The way the justice system works in Port Charles, Carly will be able to claim that she pretended to be the head of the Corinthos organization to keep Donna safe, and that will be what keeps her out of prison. She's such a good mother!

And somehow get charges brought up on Nina because if she hadn't kept Sonny being alive a secret none of that would've happened.

I also have a rage headache how Natalia's bigotry has suddenly become about how releasing the tape was so much worse.  

  • Like 14
2 hours ago, YaddaYadda said:

Ava is hated/barely tolerated by everyone. If Ava is murdered, people will line up to spit on her grave. The only person who will miss her is Avery, but she has Mama Carly. Trina seemed to be checking out of that relationship with the whole I see the Ava you told me about.

Don't forget about Laura, Patron Saint of Shunned and Washed Up Villains. 

So Ana, Ava and Laura are all losing brain cells rapidly, but Nina and Maxie are firing on all cylinders again. It's like they don't want to let too many women be smart and capable at once! Glad to have sharp sassy Maxie back, in any case. 

  • Like 5
  • Applause 1
  • Love 1
46 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

They'll pin it on Ava.

This has to be an exit storyline, right? I'm assuming next up will be Trina turning against Ava. 

16 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

I also have a rage headache how Natalia's bigotry has suddenly become about how releasing the tape was so much worse.  

We could have seen Aiden enjoying his first gay summer romance to mark Pride, or Terry getting married to her boyfriend. Instead we got this, and it doesn't even look like she's going to actually suffer for it! What the hell is this? 

  • Like 7
  • Applause 3

Ava and tried  framing Nina  to Alexis.  Wow Ava gets lower by second. Plus the entire town knows now it's Ava. So what did she get from this?  What did she intend to happen? 

Glad Lucy is pointing out what is this "we" with Lois. 

When did Scott and Lucy get back together? But that banter as they left the office was funny. 

Good for Nina jumping into help Maxie and Maxie turning into help her and Nina going to Kristina to apologize. 

Donna will live without Carly just fine, let her go to jail. So tired of hearing how Donna needs her, yet it's ok for Jason's kids to be without a parent. 

 

  • Like 6
26 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

What the hell is this? 

It's crap is what it is. I knew GH had a problem writing anything decent with regard to LGBTQ2S+, but this just takes the cake. Alexis calling Ava a homophobe was completely out there. Didn't Ava encourage Julian to accept Lucas's sexuality? Or did I make this up in my head?

The writing sucks. Ava gets decked while Natalia who likes her daughter's career and money more than she likes her daughter gets to skate while making eyes at Sonny, who is always just a very disappointing character. Never fails to make me hate him.

 

 

  • Like 9
  • Fire 4
  • Applause 1
5 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

It's crap is what it is. I knew GH had a problem writing anything decent with regard to LGBTQ2S+, but this just takes the cake. Alexis calling Ava a homophobe was completely out there. Didn't Ava encourage Julian to accept Lucas's sexuality? Or did I make this up in my head?

And I think Ava was really bothered by the comment she read that said something like, “I will never let my daughter listen to this lesbian’s music.”

(GH probably got inspiration for that from some of the comments on their FB page, especially when elevating LGBTQ+ characters.)

  • Like 2
23 minutes ago, ljr said:

This Ava story is garbage. Why did she record Natalia? Why would any judge give mobster Sonny or murderer Ava custody?

She didn’t. As stated above, Ava didn’t know her phone was recording mode when she set it down to see who was at the door. And Natalia just went on another homophobic rant. After she left, Ava noticed the conversation had been recorded.

I hope that this GARBAGE makes tracks in real life social media and the show AND FRANK, get dragged for FILTH. And see how he spins it.

  • Like 9
2 hours ago, Auntie Velvet said:

Who has the tape of Ava admitting to killing Connie that Alexis alluded to? I remember it being a balance of terror kind of agreement, but I can't really remember

Paul Hornsby had it last. He was using it to blackmail Ava to work for him. When he was going to be sent to prison, Ava asked if she could have it but he refused. So who knows where it might be now. 

 

So Ava is a homophobe for exposing a homophobe?! Make it make sense! I know she did it out of revenge, but doesn't everyone do that on this show?! 🤦🏼‍♀️

  • Like 8
7 hours ago, statsgirl said:

These writers are genius as ripping defeat from the jaws of victory. I was all set with my popcorn to see Natalia rightfully raked over the coals (she is fast approaching my Carly levels of hate) but instead, the episode was all about Poor Natalia and Terrible Ava. They even doubled down on the "it's not what you did, it's who caught you doing it" with Carly doing her 'poor me' that the FBI are holding her words over Jason.

We were fortunate to get a brief moment of Alexis calling out Natalia today, but I’m bracing for the writers to have Blaze and Kristina to be all “bygones, it’s Ava’s fault” with no aftermath for Natalia.  That’ll be permanent barge time for me.

I haven’t actually fast forwarded in two days, but was the scene with Sonny actually the first time Natalia apologized (first to him, then the passive-aggressive “sorry that Ally heard that”)? Those two deserve each other.

5 hours ago, Sake614 said:

And please for the love of all that’s holy, get a real hair stylist for Rena.

and Kin.

  • Like 4

What the fuck, show? Ava is the homophobe and not the woman who spewed all that vile hatred for the LGBTQ+ community and her own daughter? What the fuck? And the only person who had any smoke (and just a little bit at that) was Alexis, and Sonny immediately shut her down? And Sonny acting like the vile shit she said on that recording is the same as a parent who loves their kind just struggling to overcome their conservative upbringing? That recording wasn't a  mother just struggling to accept. It was a mother almost gleefully tearing her daughter to shreds for being gay, mocking her relationship, and mocking the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. This is all so, so bad and offensive. If Natalia ends up landing Sonny (not that I think he's a prize, but she clearly does), and Blaze and Kristina easily forgive her and blame it all on Ava, with Natalia becoming a beloved citizen of Port Charles while everyone shames Ava every time she sets foot in public, this will move beyond offensive. 

  • Like 6
  • Applause 11
11 hours ago, ciarra said:

Ava isn't stupid.  Only now, she is.

She knows not to go against Sonny's baby mamas, yet she blabbed on Alexis.  She knows not to go against Sonny's kids, yet Kristina is going to be caught in the fallout. 

She knows that an angry Sonny will try to punish her by taking Avery away.  It was clumsy, not well thought out.  Not like Ava at all.

Actually, I can't think of a single Ava plan that's worked in her favor. And Morgan ended up a casualty in one of her half-assed schemes. Not sure who's worse, Ava or Carly with her "PLAAANS."

  • Like 2
  • LOL 4
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Culture Check: How can we discuss a character's or actor's appearance without objectifying them? How can we express likes or dislikes and still respect an individual's humanity or be mindful that a character represents a person someone else might relate to or identify with?

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