Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[statsgirl]

Ethan should have been Robert's, and Robin's younger brother.  Never going forgive the show for making him Luke's.

29 minutes ago, perkie1968 said:

Weird/abrupt cut, Carly calls Ava to tell her about Mike and that Sonny wants all his kids back.  Ava agrees and hangs up, but they cut to the next scene.  I wanted Ava to tell Nik, seeing as Spencer is also Mike's grandchild.  Would have been appropriate since Ava and Nik were actually having a nice moment. 

That would have made sense but I think the show's forgotten. As well, Carly said that Sonny wanted all his kids there with him and Spencer isn't one of his kids.

I wonder if they'll finally remember about Kristina. Does she even know that Mike was dying?

[ffwbe]

47 minutes ago, perkie1968 said:

I hate that they're saddling Alexis with a health issue, right after killing off her boyfriend, right after taking away her licence but if anyone is up to the challenge it's NLG.  Also, I'm liking the Ned/Alexis vibe going on.

I liked the Ned/Alexis scenes but it was a little jarring since Ned’s pretty much been a jerk to everyone else. I’m wondering if it’s just to give another reason for Ned and Olivia to fight when she comes back. That he can be a supportive friend to Alexis but he wasn’t there for Olivia when she was having issues dealing with Dante. 

[Sake614]

I had absolutely no idea that was Ethan until Olivia called him by name! Damn he looks good. And someone refresh my memory...how do they even know each other?

Thank you Courtney fro finally taking Mike into the light. Of course now they’re all going to spend the next three weeks at the bedside of a dead man before finally moving him to the funeral home. And then we’ll have another three weeks of the service, followed by ANOTHER three weeks of Sonny’s misery. I foresee a lot of FF in my future.

[ffwbe]

10 minutes ago, Sake614 said:

I had absolutely no idea that was Ethan until Olivia called him by name! Damn he looks good. And someone refresh my memory...how do they even know each other?

I can’t remember if they interacted onscreen but they lived in town at the same time and were close to some of the same people. He’s Lulu’s brother and was friends with Johnny Z who Olivia dated for bit

[dubbel zout]

I had to stop and think if Ethan and Olivia interacted onscreen; if they did, it was brief and probably in passing, like seeing each other at Kelly's or the Nurses Ball or something like that.

[bannana]

I love you, Wojo, but I am so glad it is finally

[dubbel zout]

I wonder if he enjoyed being paid to sleep for a week. I would! Ha.

[TeeVee329]

Oh gawd, they had SWSNBN come take Mike into the light?

And maybe stop cribbing from your own scripts, Show?  You just played that exact same beat with Oscar.  Shake it up!

[ouinason]

Oh, Ethan, I have missed you.

I always disliked the accent, but I really liked the character, and yes he should have been Robert's kid, not Luke's.  It's too bad NDP has a primetime job.  Well, I mean, obviously it's great that he's the lead in a primetime show, but it means I won't get Ethan back for more than a fly by.  😞

[Sake614]

54 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I wonder if he enjoyed being paid to sleep for a week. I would! Ha.

How could he possibly sleep when Mo was practically on top of him every damn day?

[lala2]

2 hours ago, statsgirl said:

I wonder if they'll finally remember about Kristina. Does she even know that Mike was dying?

I doubt she does. I will honestly be surprised if she makes an appearance at the funeral. 

I only watched the clip of Courtney w/Mike on YT. I thought that was nice. The actress doesn't appear to have aged a day, and I liked Mike's parting words to Sonny. I thought that was a nice end scene for Mike. That said, I am beyond happy Mike has passed. I understand they were portraying it realistically, but like many others have said, I don't know why GH thought that would be entertaining TV. It has not been. 

I liked the brief Nava scenes and am happy the writers are finally progressing that story. 

[Pingaponga]

I watched two episodes when GH first returned, and then stopped because I found watching some of the actors standing too close together too stressful. But I have now watched two episodes this week.

Given everything going on right now, how do TPTB think we want to watch depressing stuff? I don't want to watch depressing stuff. I've been watching comfort TV for the past 6 months, and I'm going to keep doing that for a long while yet. The world is depressing enough as it is, thank you very much. I'm assuming Alexis is going to be diagnosed with bone cancer, and sorry, nope, not watching.

Also, the closeness of the actors is still bugging me. Actually, it's bugging me even more as they are even touchier and closer than they were when they started. So I may just continue to follow along through this forum. I understand not wanting to address Covid in the show, but I just can't sit and watch actors in such close contact.

[seasons]

Poor Ava cant have one minute of happiness. (just like Alexis.) After Nicholas showed up and they had great sex, he bonds with little sorased Avery (who is finally not napping), Ava has a decent phone conversation with Carly, promising Avery back tomorrow safe and sound for the coven of siblings, but now previews show Avery is missing from the cabin?!? Sheesh.

 

Also, i was pretty surprised at the Last Rites scene. I'm Catholic and actually it hit close to home for me, but I've never seen that before on any show. Thought it was a bold move.

[threebluestars]

Well thankfully that is over. I am so sick and tired of sad-sap storylines. I want some FUN on GH. I want some fun in life right now, not relapsing alcoholics and dying Alzheimer patients.

Where is Faison dressed as Beetlejuice when you need him!?

[Cheyanne11]

Is Diane's hair a wig?  It looks very wig-like the last few times she's been on.

Wow, Nik really had that Freshly-Effed Glow, didn't he?  I'm surprised a deer didn't wander onto the patio so he could muse about the beauty of nature.

Maybe the show could splurge for a cardboard cutout of Kristina for Mike's memorial.  They're very on trend for 2020.

It was good to see Ethan, especially because he got to be Robert's partner instead of Olivia (though I'm sure she'll somehow save the day).  Also, yes, Ethan should've totally been Robert's, but I did like Robert noting his Spencer-like qualities, because if they insist on making him a Spencer, he should at least act like one.

Alexis is going to have the HAND CANCER, isn't she? 

[Hater]

I don't give a shit about Sonny or his family, so no I was not touched by this story.

[ffwbe]

I think when you’re doing a dark story with heavy focus like Mike dying, you should balance it out by making the rest of the show lighter and more fun. This is where the show has lost me because the only fun story right now is Robert/Olivia in Monte Carlo. Other that that, what do we currently have going on? Alexis grieving a bf and people worrying about her relapsing, Dante’s PTSD, BL’s recovery and her possibly losing her singing career, the hospital employees losing their jobs, hours, stressing about finances, Ned fighting with his wife and daughter. It’s all too much and especially worse given what’s going on in real life. Now more than ever, people are looking for comfort TV and this show isn’t providing that. 

[teenj12]

Loved, loved, loved seeing Ethan again! Really hoping for some scenes with him and Kristina considering I shipped that hard back in the day, but I know this is a brief stint and that he likely won't be coming back to PC during it.

[ciarra]

My dad had surgery and has been in the hospital all week.  He wanted to know if the old guy died yet, or if he's still lying there with his mouth open, catching flies.   And, "Does he get paid to sleep through his scenes?".

[DanaK]

My elderly mom passed last month so Mike’s dying was harder to take than it usually would be plus I couldn’t be with her or be at the service because of Covid so all the people gathered kind of bothered me. I normally would say it was emotional and touching and it was, but my own grief was a little new to really enjoy it. It also bugged me that it went on for so long. But what really bugged me was Sonny constantly haranguing Mike to let go or tell him what he needed in order to die

I briefly thought maybe Courtney would be the one to usher Mike into the light and she was

[Winston Wolfe]

4 hours ago, threebluestars said:

Where is Faison dressed as Beetlejuice when you need him!?

One of funniest lines I've ever heard on GH is when Faison said "Beetlejuice wasn't evil, he was just mis-understood." Not sure why but it cracked me up. 😁

2 hours ago, ffwbe said:

Now more than ever, people are looking for comfort TV and this show isn’t providing that. 

ITA. I am personally spending less and less time watching CNN because the news has become unbearable. We need some relief, which I think TIIC are trying to provide with the Robert/Olivia/Nathan espionage S/L.

Edited September 18, 2020 by Winston Wolfe

[Winston Wolfe]

On 9/16/2020 at 3:46 PM, Ambrosefolly said:

Man, are they sending Mike to Lily with babies in the sky?

Is that anything like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?

[Asp Burger]

All the Sonny angst and Sonny wistfulness by Mike's bedside are definitely making me forget that Sonny neither saw nor mentioned the character between 2011 and 2018, and it took a distress call to jump-start the relationship then. If Mike were off in New York quietly following the Yankees and not ill, Sonny would probably be ignoring him until he died of old age.   

Yeah, I know. The character was off-canvas, there was no actor to play him, and if I were a Sonny fan, I could fanwank that they were staying in touch and we just weren't hearing about it. But the way the onset of the dementia was played when Gail took over, it really seemed they had become near-strangers. This kind of thing does happen in families, but the writers have Sonny regretting the wrong things, in my opinion. He keeps talking about how obstinate he was over Mike's failings when Mike was trying to repair the relationship, like, 20 years ago when the Ron Hale version was working at Kelly's and going out with Tammy, instead of their absence from each other's lives for most of this decade. He didn't even know the Rita woman that Mike was living with.  

Now, I fear we're in for "a town mourns," not only Sonny but numerous other characters talking about the hole that Mike leaves in their lives, as if he were a beloved Port Charles patriarch.  

All that said, hats off to Max Gail for his often-touching performance over the last two and a half years. It's likely he has friends around the same age (he's 77) who have gone through this and died now, or are in various earlier stages of it. I feel he honored them, and all Alzheimer's sufferers, with the truthfulness and bravery of his portrayal. I'd say I'll miss him, but I'm sure there will be flashbacks and ghost visions until the New Year at least.

11 hours ago, lala2 said:

I only watched the clip of Courtney w/Mike on YT. I thought that was nice. The actress doesn't appear to have aged a day

ALW always did have nice skin and hair, and she did look good. As for the character, "dead" is my favorite version of her.

[sppa125]

I don't think Max Gail is a good actor. He can play the "dope" in a sitcom, but anytime he tries to play drama, it comes across farcical to me. The scene where he set Charlie's on fire was particularly bad. 

Like others have pointed out, Mike hasn't had a relationship with Sonny or any of these people. Sonny only reached out because he was contacted when Mike got sick. Sonny hated those ponies because it reminded him of Mike's gambling addiction that caused him to leave him. Thus, all the scenes with everyone over Mike's bedside and the flashforwards come across as very fake and cloying.

[dubbel zout]

13 hours ago, threebluestars said:

I want some FUN on GH.

You mean watching Robert and Olivia in Monte Carlo isn't fun for you? 

15 hours ago, ouinason said:

he should have been Robert's kid, not Luke's

I can't disagree with this more strongly. I hate Ethan is Luke's (no matter how the show tries to retcon it as happening), but it would be worse if he were Robert's. Another useless offspring, AFAIC.

9 hours ago, DanaK said:

what really bugged me was Sonny constantly haranguing Mike to let go or tell him what he needed in order to die

Typical Sonny, wanting things to happen on his timetable. Heh.

[DanaK]

I should also add to my sad tale that my dad has dementia, so Mike's story, at least in the last few weeks, has been hard to take on several fronts

[texastornado]

I think Alexis’s wrist ailment is going to be 

Spoiler

Osteoporosis 

 

[Cheyanne11]

2 hours ago, sppa125 said:

I don't think Max Gail is a good actor. He can play the "dope" in a sitcom, but anytime he tries to play drama, it comes across farcical to me. The scene where he set Charlie's on fire was particularly bad. 

Yeah, co-sign.  I thought he mugged it up for the last couple years and when he had to be "serious" it came off very hammy.

[Ambrosefolly]

Part of the problem, besides there being way more screentime to devoted Mike Corbin's demise than there was to Alan Quartermaine dying and death, is the show refuses to be honest about the real relationship between Sonny and Mike, or anyone else. Now I said before, Sonny would take care of Mike while he was dying, his own pride wouldn't let he do otherwise, but the show won't address the elephant in the room that while Sonny has taken care of Mike at his vulnerable, Mike didn't do the same for Sonny when he was a child. 

[Bringonthedrama]

On 9/17/2020 at 5:06 PM, statsgirl said:

Ethan should have been Robert's, and Robin's younger brother.  Never going forgive the show for making him Luke's.

NO Thank you!  Robin doesn't need two retcon siblings (I'm still hoping "Peter" turns out to be Alex's kid.) Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but I thought Ethan was invented because TG wanted Luke to have a son not played by GV (who was in the role of Lucky Spencer at the time NP started in the role of Ethan). 

On 9/17/2020 at 5:28 PM, ffwbe said:

I liked the Ned/Alexis scenes but it was a little jarring

Same. Did WK and IR have some sort of major falling out? The Show's narrative over the years is that Ned is Jax's best guy friend and Alexis is Jax's best lady friend. It's jarring to me that Jax hears from Willow that BL got her throat slashed and BL confirmed Nelle did it but Jax didn't go running to Ned's side to offer him support. As far as I'm aware, Ned has never even acknowledged in the last few months that Jax is back in Port Charles. To me that is as glaring as Kristina not being mentioned or seen at all during the "Mike is dying of Alzheimer's" storyline. There really needs to be at least one scene of Ned, Jax and Alexis instead of Carly and Nina monopolizing the majority of Jax's time.

23 hours ago, Sake614 said:

I had absolutely no idea that was Ethan until Olivia called him by name! Damn he looks good. And someone refresh my memory...how do

Ethan looks much better than he did when he was a GH cast member.  Olivia was in a relationship with Johnny Z. when Ethan and Johnny were friends. Also, Ethan is Lulu's brother and Lulu was dating "Dominic" (later revealed to be Dante, Olivia and Sonny's son, when Sonny shot him) at the time Ethan was on the show. Kristina also had a big crush on Ethan when she was a teenager and (I guess in part because she was Dante's sister) Olivia tended to get all up in Kristina's business like a self-appointed stepmother.

6 hours ago, Ambrosefolly said:

Part of the problem, besides there being way more screentime to devoted Mike Corbin's demise than there was to Alan Quartermaine dying and death, is the show refuses to be honest about the real relationship between Sonny and Mike, or anyone else. Now I said before, Sonny would take care of Mike while he was dying, his own pride wouldn't let he do otherwise, but the show won't address the elephant in the room that while Sonny has taken care of Mike at his vulnerable, Mike didn't do the same for Sonny when he was a child. 

THIS. The only honesty I could see regarding Mike's previous relationships in Port Charles was the warmth between him and Elizabeth. I think my favorite Max Gail scene was the "Friz" non-wedding day when Mike saw Elizabeth and brought up his memories of her and Lucky. Elizabeth was fond of Mike back in the days she worked at Kelly's and hung out with Lucky, Emily and Nikolas.  Mike was also running Kelly's when popular waitress Georgie Jones was murdered. I hope Mac, Felicia and Maxie get to have a moment of remembering Mike's connection to Georgie. Maybe the Show could have one honest moment, - Sonny vowing to his children that he will never go years without seeing/speaking to them like it was with him and Mike?

Edited September 18, 2020 by Bringonthedrama

[TVbitch]

I'm so glad this is a snarky forum where we can joke about Mike taking for-fucking-ever to go into the light. They are giving this passing (and the weeks of mourning ahead) WAY more attention cuz he is Corinthii. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't even think of the last time anyone else's exit got this much attention.  

Hello Ethan!!! WOW, looking good. Do we get to keep him? Do we?!! What prime time show is he on? 

[Cheyanne11]

32 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't even think of the last time anyone else's exit got this much attention.  

Oscar--another Corinthii-adjacent character.  

[Blackie]

Is that sorased Avery the little Avery's big sister.  She looks just like her, I thought it was the same girl. 

ooooh osteoporosis, now there's an interesting storyline

 

 

 

 

 

[TVbitch]

Just saw NLG on The View and she said...

Spoiler

It is an osteoporosis story and the storyline will be sponsored by a drug company. Even The View segment was sponsored by the drug company. She said it is important because a lot of women don't want to talk about it cuz it is related to aging. 

She also mentioned that her partner just went through a big health scare, anybody know what that is about? 

[dubbel zout]

Osteoporosis isn't just for postmenopausal women. FFS, Show. And it's nothing to be ashamed of, given most women will at least have osteopenia. And another drug-sponsored story? Because Anna's [whatever it's called] was so successful and riveting.

Ugh, this fakakta show.

[YaddaYadda]

36 minutes ago, Blackie said:

Is that sorased Avery the little Avery's big sister.  She looks just like her, I thought it was the same girl. 

It's the same girl. She must be 6 years old by now, I think. 

I like how Mike always forgot everything except when the show really wanted him to remember, like this stupid bike storyline. Is Sonny going to ride his bike or walk it around like Phoebe Buffet?

Chase and Willow share the same breathing space, don't say a word to each other. BL is a lot more tolerable when she is not being in bitchy mode. I think both actresses who play her are more than capable of handling something more than what we've seen of the character.

How old is Brando supposed to be? It's weird to see him hang out with Molly and TJ who just seem so much younger than him.

Nina's excitement seemed 100% out of place in the episode. Also, excited Nina, CW is not good at it. And now Avery has the other half of that stupid necklace. 

Nikolas not being a dick is a nice change of pace. I wonder how long that will last.

[dubbel zout]

"If I had known..." Maybe if you hadn't been such a self-absorbed asshole, Sonny, you might not have held your grudges against Mike for so long and missed out on some of the things you're now regretting. This is why I can't feel sorry for Sonny losing his father, not to mention not think Sonny has completely forgiven Mike.

Shut up, Molly. I'm tired of your skittishness around Brando because you had a ONS. Either tell TJ or calm TF down. Let Brando live his life, you jerk.

Nice to see almost–Idris Elba again!

[ciarra]

2 hours ago, TVbitch said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't even think of the last time anyone else's exit got this much attention.  

Oscar?

[ouinason]

2 hours ago, TVbitch said:

Hello Ethan!!! WOW, looking good. Do we get to keep him? Do we?!! What prime time show is he on? 

He's the lead guy on Roswell New Mexico.  He looks damn fine in a police uniform and a cowboy hat.

[dubbel zout]

I don't need Willow slobbering over the closeness of the Corinthii. She's been in the family two seconds and thinks she's found her dream family. Ugh. 

I guess Emma Sands has recovered from her Covid-19.

[Blackie]

53 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

1 hour ago, Blackie said:

Is that sorased Avery the little Avery's big sister.  She looks just like her, I thought it was the same girl. 

It's the same girl. She must be 6 years old by now, I think. 

 

Thats what I thought, but I read upthread that she was sorased and I was amazed at the job they did.

 

54 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

How old is Brando supposed to be? It's weird to see him hang out with Molly and TJ who just seem so much younger than him.

 

yes I thought the same thing. 

[Cheyanne11]

28 minutes ago, Blackie said:

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

Is that sorased Avery the little Avery's big sister.  She looks just like her, I thought it was the same girl. 

It's the same girl. She must be 6 years old by now, I think. 

It's actually twins.

[statsgirl]

I appreciate the show wanting to highlight medical issues but why does it have to be the women who get sick?  Alexis had cancer, Bobbie has diabetes, Anna has blood cancer to get a drug company to put money into the show. Carly has a spina bifida pregnancy.  Now Portia thinks Alexis has osteoporosis. Beware, housewives, this could happen to you.

I know Mike had a long, long AD storyline but he wasn't a show regular. When was the last time one of the show's men did a PSA for prostate cancer? Or Jax needing a knee replacement after all that running?

It feels so manipulative.  And it's unnecessary to do this to Alexis right now when she's already dealing with being disbarred and Neil's sudden death.

42 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I guess Emma Sands has recovered from her Covid-19.

She said that she had what's called "long Covid" which is basically a form of chronic fatigue that lingers after the acute infection is gone.  She would be able to work but not at the level she was able to before.

I wondered about the mechanics of having her appear on the show. Is she going to stay in her room, shooting from Australia? Or has Samms flown to the US, knowing that she has to shut down in her home for 2 weeks when she returns?

[dubbel zout]

35 minutes ago, Blackie said:

1 hour ago, YaddaYadda said:

How old is Brando supposed to be? It's weird to see him hang out with Molly and TJ who just seem so much younger than him.

yes I thought the same thing. 

I would guess he's early 30s? That age group is slim pickings as far as friends go—Lulu, Maxie, Peter? Michael, Willow, Sasha, Chase? Brando is better off with Molly and TJ, IMO, despite the nonsense.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

I guess Emma Sands has recovered from her Covid-19.

Ahem! It's Emma Samms, darlin'😉

[Gam2]

I have osteoporosis as does my sister. We both take medication and do weight bearing exercises. It’s not fatal, not dramatic and really causes no worry if you take care of yourself. GH, give some really serious disease to some man on this show and leave Alexis the hell alone.

[TVbitch]

I fully expect Monday Sonny will visit Mike's body at the funeral home and continue jawing at him. And right, Mike bought Sonny a bike in the last two weeks. ..And they forgot to give it to him. ..Right.

Is Ethan coming to PC? He and Britt might make a fun couple.  

Jason giving Joss his wisdom on how to live a full life was a bit rich. 

[dubbel zout]

17 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Ahem! It's Emma Samms, darlin'😉

Auto spell check fail.

[Bringonthedrama]

2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Shut up, Molly. I'm tired of your skittishness around Brando because you had a ONS. Either tell TJ or calm TF down.

Seriously. The wide-eyed horror when she sees TJ and Brando being friendly, and extreme nervousness when she's in proximity to Brando is really over the top.🙄

So, Robert hears about a burned body that matches Holly's size and he is given Holly's "for show" wedding ring, and absolutely believes she's dead to the point he's apologizing to Ethan? It's not like this exact same set-up was used earlier this decade to convince Patrick, Mac, Robert and Anna that Robin was dead, or anything. Patrick was even given Robin's wedding ring.  And it's not like the exact same set-up was used previously on Robert's best friend Luke, to convince them all that teenage Lucky was dead and "even the WSB" said so.  Holly being locked in a room and screaming at a camera to let her out is an exact rip-off of the last scenes for JJ's Lucky before JJ left the show. 

Brando agreed with Sonny that he will continue to pose as "father of Dev," and Dev is supposed to be a high school senior (according to Cam recently, re: the teen quad). That makes Dev 17 to 18 years old.  So unless Brando became a dad when he was approx. 8 years old, how in the world are Molly and TJ his peer group? I thought the audience was supposed to understand he's a 40 something/close in age to Sam, Jason, and Carly?

Edited September 18, 2020 by Bringonthedrama

[dubbel zout]

28 minutes ago, Gam2 said:

GH, give some really serious disease to some man on this show and leave Alexis the hell alone.

And take attention away from Sonny? 

14 minutes ago, Bringonthedrama said:

So, Robert hears about a burned body that matches Holly's size and he is given Holly's "for show" wedding ring, and absolutely believes she's dead to the point he's apologizing to Ethan? It's not like this exact same set-up was used earlier this decade to convince Patrick, Mac, Robert and Anna that Robin was dead, or anything. Patrick was even given Robin's wedding ring.  And it's not like the exact same set-up was used previously on Robert's best friend Luke, to convince them all that teenage Lucky was dead and "even the WSB" said so.  Holly being locked in a room and screaming at a camera to let her out is an exact rip-off of the last scenes for JJ's Lucky before JJ left the show.

Also, Robert is now ex-WSB. It's not unreasonable to think they'll lie to Robert for their own reasons. Not–Idris Elba has been helpful because it's useful to the WSB right now.

14 minutes ago, Bringonthedrama said:

I thought the audience was supposed to understand he's a 40 something/close in age to Sam, Jason, and Carly?

If this isn't a reason to hang out with Molly and TJ, I don't know what is.