Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[AncientNewbie]

On 7/20/2020 at 1:19 PM, dubbel zout said:

Spectrum has thrown up its hands and has stopped putting in episode recaps this week. So we get the boilerplate: "A soap opera set in a hospital and the surrounding city of Port Charles."

Wait, there's a hospital?

[dubbel zout]

My DVR indicates this week's shows will be recorded, but it seems to take a day-by-day approach to the actual doing of it.

[statsgirl]

12 hours ago, AncientNewbie said:

Wait, there's a hospital?

Yes. Michael took Sasha to it today after Brooklyn broke her nose. What would the Corintii do without it?

As I reached over to turn the TV office, I caught Michael seeing Willow there and Chad Duell did some interesting facial expression of looking abashed and kind of ashamed to be with Sasha after what she did to him and Willow. Maybe he's potentially a better actor than I thought and his role of Sonny and Carly toddler is limiting him. 

[dubbel zout]

11 hours ago, statsgirl said:

On 7/22/2020 at 9:37 AM, AncientNewbie said:

Wait, there's a hospital?

Yes. Michael took Sasha to it today after Brooklyn broke her nose. What would the Corintii do without it?

Take a doctor hostage at gunpoint and force them to work, of course.

My DVR indicated this week is set to record (both in the Guide and Record sections), yet nothing happens. No biggie, of course, given how terrible these episodes are, but I don't get it from a technical standpoint. Spectrum, you don't have to protect me! I'm an adult! (Supposedly™ Silas Clay forever)

[Melgaypet]

2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Take a doctor hostage at gunpoint and force them to work, of course.

It is kind of weird that Sonny doesn't have a mob doctor or two on the payroll. Not that I'm looking for excuses to cut out the hospital even more.

[Ambrosefolly]

On 7/23/2020 at 12:26 PM, Melgaypet said:

It is kind of weird that Sonny doesn't have a mob doctor or two on the payroll. Not that I'm looking for excuses to cut out the hospital even more.

I hate to suggest this, but when GH decides to start filming again, they could have a storyline where Sonny hires a new resident doctor to be his mob doctor, especially if the new doctor wants to do something altruistic like run a free clinic. The student loans for doctors nowadays are insane. My cousin recently completed his schooling and is $250,000 in debt and his currently making less than minimum wage if you divide his salary by the number of hours he works. His tuition was a relatively bargain compared to his other fellow residents.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Ambrosefolly

[Melgaypet]

3 minutes ago, Ambrosefolly said:

hate to suggest this, but when GH decides to start filming again, they could have a storyline where Sonny hires a new resident doctor to be his mob doctor, especially if the new doctor wants to do something altruistic live run a free clinic.

This sounds like a good way to bring Tom Hardy, Jr in, which I've wanted for years. (Or possibly a new TJ?) Of course, such a story would make Sonny the villain, which is Not Allowed. Or they'd twist it around to make him seem heroic, somehow.

[dubbel zout]

The entire staff of GH is already working for Sonny, let's face it. He doesn't need to force anyone to give him or anyone around him medical care. And if someone does need care so as not to have to alert the authorities, there's always a doctor or nurse willing to do it. Sonny is just that great of a guy.

I need to retract my previous post, I think. LOL.

[Katy M]

39 minutes ago, Melgaypet said:

This sounds like a good way to bring Tom Hardy, Jr in, which I've wanted for years. (Or possibly a new TJ?) Of course, such a story would make Sonny the villain, which is Not Allowed. Or they'd twist it around to make him seem heroic, somehow.

Of course it would make him heroic. He'd get a clinic started.  I think bring Tom Hardy Jr on would be great.  But, I wouldn't want the only Black doctor on staff to be the mob doctor.  How about Rick Webber Jr?  Or to be completely random Patrick O'Connor and Terry Brock got together off-screen and had a kid.  

[Melgaypet]

5 minutes ago, Katy M said:

.  But, I wouldn't want the only Black doctor on staff to be the mob doctor.

Yeah, I can see those optics aren't great. Of course, there shouldn't be only one Black doctor, period.

[sacrebleu]

okay, caught the Michael-Willow wedding on rewatch... they kept Wiley up past midnight for this thing? Really not thinking about the kid's welfare. 

(the rush marriage license had a one day waiting period, so they waited until midnight-- technically the next day-- to have the ceremony)

 

[Gam2]

I’m watching the episode of Gilmore Girls when Luke sponsors a girls’ soccer team. One of the little girls he talks to on the team is Kristina or Molly. I never can remember which one is which on GH. At any rate, this little girl was adorable!

[BlancheDevoreaux]

It's Kristina. I remember that episode!

[dubbel zout]

That's a great GG episode. Those girls are so fierce!

The Michael/Willow wedding is so gross. At least Nelle did her marriage the soapy way, by blackmailing Julian into it. It's going to send me into a rage blackout when the judge inevitably finds the first wedding legit and the second one way too convenient. UGH.

[hcs]

I remember this episode as when I started tolerating Sascha and disliking Willow, Michael has that effect on me, except as I still cant fathom how  the little Mykill Demon turned into this passive bland eyore.. But thanks to GH's awful choice of reruns I am now more invested in Days something I never thought I would write in over 30 years of soap watching.

[squeezel]

Tvinsider.com reported that new episodes are scheduled to air on August 3.

[rur]

Watching Laura's interaction with Robert in today's rerun made it very clear to me that SHE should be the matriarch of Port Charles instead of Carly. Laura has history with most of the people on the canvas, she gives good advice, she's capable of having a mind of her own (when the writers let her), and most important of all, she's a good person. IMO, a scheming Carly who wanted the respect of the town that Laura had would create much better storylines than the ones we keep getting that feature entitled Carly who gets what she wants by yelling, invoking Sonny's name or sending Jason after her perceived enemies. 

Also, from today's episode, STFU Olivia, and in what world does a high school teacher get as much free time on workdays as Dustin apparently does? 

[dubbel zout]

Laura also doesn't butt into situations she shouldn't and lets her kids live their lives with minimal interference.

Lulu has been really understanding of Olivia's constant pettiness and often outright rudeness toward Lulu's relationship with Dustin. But I think she really needs to tell Olivia to back off. Lulu and Dante are divorced, by Dante's insistence. It's not as if Lulu is slagging Dante to Rocco, which frankly is the only time Olivia should feel entitled to comment on anything.

As I was the first time I watched this ep, I was shocked Sonny was able to have a conversation with Ava that didn't involve threats, name-calling, or yelling. Sonny was actually a human being.

[perkie1968]

I really, really wish that the writers took these four months and rewrote some stuff.  because some of the storylines were getting pretty bad at the end.  

 

I also want a bushel of kittens and to be able to eat all the chocolate I want without gaining weight.  

[dubbel zout]

Saw a promo for the new shows starting next week, and it showed IR/CW and KeMo/SBu together (no masks or distancing), and single shots of LW and MB. There were no teasers for the episodes.

[dubbel zout]

I forgot all about Sasha being the new Deception model and her burgeoning coke habit (rme). 

Olivia talking to her psychic about Dante is so dumb. I get she's upset that there's no contact, but why can't she understand he needs time to get better? It's so annoying that she's being so obstinent about it—almost willfully so. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, OLIVIA. I would be happy to have this story dropped and Dante comes back with a few problems but is basically fine. 

Watching Sam sneer at Julian through the custody trial worked on my last nerve. I hate the way she and Lucas (who?) treat him worse than trash until they need something from him, and even with that they act like they're doing him the favor. They suck.

Why is there an upholstered chair directly next to the door at the Qs? That redo drives me nuts. It's really ugly, as is the redone Casa Corinthos.

A preview for Monday? I think everyone who suspected they held back a few new episodes until a restart was correct. There was a sort-of cliffhanger, with Maxie being dizzy (ugh), Sasha not taking a cocaine packet (ditto), and Nina swearing to tell the truth on the stand at the dumb custody hearing.

[statsgirl]

I did not miss Sasha and her bobble head one bit. I wish that they would recast the role, Sofia Mattson is a model with limited acting abilities. As long as it was Old Nina, there was a physical resemblance but there isn't even that now.

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

I get she's upset that there's no contact, but why can't she understand he needs time to get better? It's so annoying that she's being so obstinent about it—almost willfully so.

It's been, what, a year now?  If he is still sending her letters back unopened, then he's not getting better. Frankly it's ridiculous at this point that he's still so bad after all this time. They either need to come up with a better story, like he's in a coma, or bring Dante back.

I think the only stories I'm interested in are Robert finding Holly (which hopefully leads to the end of Peter), and what happens with Alexis and Neal now that both of them have lost their professions. Maybe Nina finding out that Nelle is her daughter but that brings with it Michael getting custody of Wylie and Jax telling Nina how awful Nelle is since he's a Carly propper so no, not so much.

That's pretty sad considering how many storylines they've got on the go right now.

[TeeVee329]

Just to put it back on the record before we resume, I'm not a fan of Sasha being all up in Lucy/Deception's orbit as this model that is somehow so vital to the success of the company that she was worth giving a stake.  Why can't that be Serena or Christina!

Someone send up a flare when Lindsey Hartley shows up.

[Ambrosefolly]

So I am in a youtube disagreement about Carly. Someone wrote that they love Carly because she owns her BS...Good or Bad. I disagreed because she just justifies her behavior. Then someone else counter that "I know that I'm late but you're wrong because she apologized for everything she did but she's not sorry about what she did to protect Michael from AJ. By the way, Monica did this to Rick Webber when she led Rick to believe that he was AJ's father." I then pointed out that Carly:

• Never apologized to Tony for taking advantage of him while he was grieving for BJ.
• She never apologized to AJ when he was conscious for the time drugged to get him out of town, knowing how hard AJ was working to stay sober.
• She never apologized to Lulu for using Brook Lynn to break up Lante
• That AJ was never a danger to Michael. The closest to being a danger was when Carly fell down the stairs and AJ got blamed for it, even though he tried to catch her. 
• I also counter that Monica never drugged Rick, nor did AJ cheat on spouse.

The YouTuber says I can't comprehend the statement. Am I missing something? It's a serious question.

[ouinason]

I think that person is confusing being unapologetic about who you are with owning your actions.  Carly owns who she is and has given up trying to change or feel guilty about that, which is a good and strong character trait.  However, she hand waves her BS and pretends that she has already made amends, or she was right so it doesn't matter.  That is  shitty selfish character trait.

 

Now, Carly has admitted that she was wrong about certain things, but not to the people that she hurt.  She admitted she was wrong about AJ, but said it to Jason after AJ was already dead by her asshole husband.  She admitted she messed up with Tony, to Bobbie, long after he had died.  But she would die in a fire before she ever admitted wrongdoing to the victims of her actions.

[Ambrosefolly]

And it means she hasn't actually apologized for everything and when I look at videos of when SK's AJ returned, she  either makes a bunch of excuses for her behavior or deflects, like when Monica brought up the time she drugged AJ and Carly counter that AJ pushed her down the stairs when she was 5 months pregnant, so she doesn't completely own her behavior either. 

As problematic Helena Cassadine became, for good or ill, she was someone that owned behavior. She didn't going around blaming her youth or even her marriage. To her credit, I don't think she ever betrayed people that professed to care about, unless she thought in her mind she was helping them. And if you want some without the mustache twisting villainy, Tracy also unapologetically a bitch, but aside from her father, she never blamed others for how she acted, nor did she betray those she loved and tried to not have antagonistically with, unless she was doing it for their own good. For example she had openly hostile relationships with Alan and his family, but she would never betray Lulu, nor do I think she ever tried to con Alan or AJ into trusting her and turn around and stab either one of them in the back. And with both Helena and Tracy, their children see them for what they are and it causes huge problems in the relationship. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by Ambrosefolly

[TeeVee329]

I'll say this - you know someone's defense isn't the best when they jump to a "Well...so and so did it too!" place.

Edited August 1, 2020 by TeeVee329

[ByaNose]

I wonder if Carly & Peter will start magically start dating with the pandemic and all. They wouldn’t need to social distance & could do love scenes. Just a thought. 

[SiouxB]

NM

Edited August 1, 2020 by SiouxB

[dubbel zout]

17 hours ago, statsgirl said:

19 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I get she's upset that there's no contact, but why can't she understand he needs time to get better? It's so annoying that she's being so obstinent about it—almost willfully so.

It's been, what, a year now?  If he is still sending her letters back unopened, then he's not getting better. Frankly it's ridiculous at this point that he's still so bad after all this time. They either need to come up with a better story, like he's in a coma, or bring Dante back.

I'm sure Olivia would start complaining he wasn't writing often enough if he wrote one letter back. I just wish they had her be not so smothering. I get that's Olivia, but she honestly hasn't shown much understanding about what he's going through and what he needs.

16 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

Someone send up a flare when Lindsey Hartley shows up.

It should be almost immediately, as I believe KeMo had her mask claustrophobia on her first day back of taping.

The only time Tracy stabbed anyone in the back was over ELQ, and that was family vs. family. She'd never (knowingly) betray the Qs to an outsider.

[TeeVee329]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

It should be almost immediately, as I believe KeMo had her mask claustrophobia on her first day back of taping.

But we're thinking there's a handful of episodes they filmed pre-shutdown that they held, right?

[Melgaypet]

14 hours ago, ouinason said:

I think that person is confusing being unapologetic about who you are with owning your actions.

This. And it reminds me that I have no patience anymore for the "at least <character> owns his/her shit" defense. Because, a) that doesn't make said shit stink any less, and b) 99% percent of the time they don't own a goddamn thing and are instead full of excuses, rationalizations, and blame for anyone who isn't them.

[dubbel zout]

58 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

there's a handful of episodes they filmed pre-shutdown that they held, right?

That's what we're thinking, but I don't know how many "old" eps they have on reserve. I doubt it's more than a week's worth, if that. 

[Katy M]

15 hours ago, Ambrosefolly said:

By the way, Monica did this to Rick Webber when she led Rick to believe that he was AJ's father." I then pointed out that Carly:

My question is what on earth does that have to do with Carly.  That kind of arguing drives me crazy.  And, I actually thought that she honestly thought Rick was the father, but that was so long ago I will completely concede I'm probably wrong.

[Ambrosefolly]

12 minutes ago, Katy M said:

My question is what on earth does that have to do with Carly.  That kind of arguing drives me crazy.  And, I actually thought that she honestly thought Rick was the father, but that was so long ago I will completely concede I'm probably wrong.

Deflection. Coincidentally, Carly does this when people point out what a shit person she is. I was pointing out times when Carly didn't own her actions or motivations (using Brook Lynn to break up Lante) and the people she should apologize to, she didn't apologize too. I also pointed out that Carly justifies all of her behavior instead of just saying I am an asshole, this is what I do. The most that can be said is that she acknowledges she is a hypocrite. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by Ambrosefolly

[tvfanatic13]

I have never been so excited to watch GH. Tomorrow can’t come fast enough. 

[Laur]

On 8/1/2020 at 9:11 AM, ByaNose said:

I wonder if Carly & Peter will start magically start dating with the pandemic and all. They wouldn’t need to social distance & could do love scenes. Just a thought. 

I'm down. Splits up CarSon, frees Maxie from Peter, and I can FF through any Carly/Peter scenes!

[ByaNose]

59 minutes ago, Laur said:

I'm down. Splits up CarSon, frees Maxie from Peter, and I can FF through any Carly/Peter scenes!

Could never happen. LW is too smart, she knows he Sonny & Jason show is where it’s at. She might like Wes Ramsey but she might like the big paycheck better. LOL!!! I like LW. Her version of Carly (and, the writing) is just too much most f the time. She shined on Loving and blossomed on Guiding Light. She’s been on GH for 15 years and has done a good job but I hate her in the Sonny vortex. I don’t get his appeal. Everyone one that show loves him to death. Which means he’s a nice guy but he is a horrible actor. He stumbles and stammers every line. I’m amazed he still has a job. That said. I’ll be there Monday to see some new content. We’ll probably be preempted on Tuesday because of the storms coming to the Philly area which will annoy me to no end. I’m already dreading it. 

[ouinason]

I always hate Carly tons less when she's not around Jason and Sonny.  Well, she's never really not all about Jason, but her years away from Sonny helped a lot.

[lala2]

I hope some sort of twist is planned w/this - oh my goodness I forgot the baby's name - Nelle/Michael story! If not, I will want to know why they dragged this mess out. If Michael was always going to end up w/the baby, then they could have done that sooner. Admittedly, I hit mute when Nina called Nelle a "liar." I really hate Michael and Carly. I have no interest in watching yet another story where they win everything. It's boring and predictable. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm hoping the judge still grants joint custody. That would be nice, and seeing Michael "losing" would mean everything to me. LOL! Team Nelle always! 

I also cannot wait until Nina realizes that Nelle is her daughter. They need to quit playing games w/that storyline and just get it started already. I want to see Nelle reject Nina and Nina be devastated. LOL!! 

I guess DZ decided to return. I wonder what that means for Dustin. I'm sure the writers will put Lante back together again. I was enjoying Lustin. 

I pretty much had the show on mute (lol) while I worked so I don't have much else to say. 

[Katy M]

25 minutes ago, lala2 said:

I also cannot wait until Nina realizes that Nelle is her daughter. They need to quit playing games w/that storyline and just get it started already. I want to see Nelle reject Nina and Nina be devastated. LOL!! 

Not really Nelle's style.  Not to start with anyway.  First, she would try to manipulate her into getting something.

[YaddaYadda]

This was clearly filmed pre-pandemic.

It was nice to have something normal to hate, like how smug Carly was watching the Nelle meltdown in court, or Willow going into full on Michael ass kissing while on the stand. And jeebus, BL, learn to read the goddamn room when you walk in and decide to interrupt conversations. They keep doing that with her, which is annoying AF.

Is it normal to keep a man with PTSD in a small room like that, with only a desk lamp for company? I think it would exacerbate things. 

[tvgoddess]

13 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

This was clearly filmed pre-pandemic.

Carolyn Hinsey said on Twitter that some scenes were filmed pre-pandemic but others weren't (I would think obviously Dante - all alone with long hair and a scruffy quarantine beard.)

[Linny]

DANTE! Too bad he's stuck in a dingy cell with the tiniest stub of a pencil imaginable, but still: DANTE!

I liked Ned and Olivia's fight; it felt genuine from both sides how they've hit this roadblock in communication. It's also really nice to see a marital squabble that does NOT center around Sonny and Carly.

Again, Jax is in a room simply to remind Nina how awesome she is. *sigh*

Nelle losing her shit in the middle of court to prove how "passionate" she is about Wiley was fucking delightful. Man, how I've missed this daily hour-long reprieve from reality.

[dubbel zout]

How does Olivia know that Rocco is forgetting his father? (Side question: How old is Rocco these days?) I really doubt Lulu doesn't mention Dante to Rocco on a regular basis. And given that Lulu and Dante are divorced—at his request!!—why shouldn't Lulu move on? What else is she supposed to do? Shut up, Olivia.

(WK looks great with that short haircut.)

So Cyrus is going to continue smugging it up around town making oblique threats to people? Zzzz. If they aren't made to Sonny and/or Jason, I don't want to hear them.

Brook Lynn, don't be mad at Valentin for playing you. You were the dope who sold her ELQ shares to someone you knew was sleazy in the first place.

I had to laugh when Willow went on about what a decent man Michael is and that's why she married him. It really makes a farce of their marriage, as well as pointing out that people don't need to be married to raise a child together. UGH.

[perkie1968]

15 minutes ago, tvgoddess said:

Carolyn Hinsey said on Twitter that some scenes were filmed pre-pandemic but others weren't (I would think obviously Dante - all alone with long hair and a scruffy quarantine beard.)

NOlivia sharing a kiss and everyone in the courtroom sitting shoulder to shoulder must have been pre-pandemic.  

[Liddy52]

I agree that the Dante scenes were probably shot post- pandemic. Those scenes with just one actor would have been the safest to film. The scenes could then be spliced in between the Ned/Olivia ones to help stretch out the material. I wasn't sure about the scenes at the hospital with Cyrus, Laura, etc. 

[statsgirl]

24 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

How does Olivia know that Rocco is forgetting his father?

There was a father/son thing at school and Rocco invited Dustin to go with him. Olivia thought it should have been Sonny (blech) or Ned.

[dubbel zout]

12 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

40 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

How does Olivia know that Rocco is forgetting his father?

There was a father/son thing at school and Rocco invited Dustin to go with him. Olivia thought it should have been Sonny (blech) or Ned.

Of course Olivia thought it should be Sonny (echoing your blech a billion times) or Ned, but that doesn't mean Rocco is forgetting his father. If Rocco is 6 or 7, he's probably going to ask the man he sees most often. 

Ugh, I have to disengage from this story, as I feel the start of a rage blackout. Heh.

[TeeVee329]

I didn't watch - is Dante a prisoner or is he just at the WSB facility where he's supposed to be?