Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[statsgirl]

Well that was a pretty boring episode. Not even KT could give it some energy although she tried her hardest.

Michael thinks that it was a mistake to include Ned in the merger. Really? How are you going to keep him out? He's a Quartermaine and the only one who actually works at ELQ.

"Pride is all I have left." Carly is so stupid, she shouldn't be allowed to run a hotel. So far Drew, Sonny, Olivia and now Michael all have offered to bail her out and she just keeps turning everyone down.

Willow, Michael, Carly and Joss are so annoying, I really hope that there is something wrong with the pregnancy.

Sam thanks Olivia for having her kids stay at the Quartermaine house. What about Monica? Does she get no say anymore?

Sam and Dante and his camp memories are a cure for insomnia. So are Trina and Rory.

Marginally interesting is why Cody made Spinelli set him up with Britt. Unless it's the Faison story they've been hinting at because enough Faison already, I'm still not recovered from Peter.

To be fair, Valentin and Nina were nice as friends who care about each other. Much nicer than when the show was pushing them as a ship. "It's refreshing to be the perpetually guilty one." And Carly destroyed Wylie's family, not you Nina.

13 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Also. how the ever living hell does Michael have the money to buy half a hotel?? 

He has enough money to get a business loan at a good rate. Because he wasn't stupid loyal enough to buy Aurora stock.

How is it that all these companies do business in the evening on the 4th of July?

[Blackie]

12 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Sam looks great

All her assets have not been on display for a long time.

[YaddaYadda]

KMo looked really good today. I hope she stops messing with her face.

The joys of pausing the show while I'm in a meeting is that I can just FF through a lot of stuff. I think I watched a whole 10 minutes of the episode, if that and I don't feel like I missed anything at all.

Willow's dress was nice, I skipped all the baby joy announcement and all of the hotel talk. Doesn't matter who plays Michael, he is a hateful putz all the time. But something with this Michael is that he and Willow, standing next to each other, look like siblings.

I didn't really get what was going on with Valentin and Nina because I FFed too far and didn't feel like rewinding.

I FFed through the talk about the smartest horse in the world, Cody, Society, Spinelli, Maxie/Austin. I saw the kiss with Trina and Rory and Spencer stomping his feet on his way out of the park. I also saw Esme's overreaction to Sonny.

This is how one makes the most of this show.

[Blackie]

2 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

Well that was a pretty boring episode.

yes I fell asleep..So did they show Nina making arrangements to buy the hotel, how did Olivia know someone else beat her to it?

3 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

Marginally interesting is why Cody made Spinelli set him up with Britt. Unless it's the Faison story they've been hinting at because enough Faison already, I'm still not recovered from Peter.

I can't figure out where they are going with this. If Britt falls for Cody and then finds out that he is only interested in her because of Faison ???  Will Spinelli let her know what is happening? Is Spinelli and Britt the end game here?????  Speaking of Spinelli why was he showing up to the picnic late, why wasn't he there with Georgie

[Daisy]

4 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

How is it that all these companies do business in the evening on the 4th of July?

i know people who have to work on Canada Day. some people just don't care. 
 

6 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

"Pride is all I have left." Carly is so stupid, she shouldn't be allowed to run a hotel. So far Drew, Sonny, Olivia and now Michael all have offered to bail her out and she just keeps turning everyone down.

Pride goeth before the fall. Someone needs to slap her silly with that statement. 

1 minute ago, YaddaYadda said:

I didn't really get what was going on with Valentin and Nina because I FFed too far and didn't feel like rewinding.

Nina and he celebrated winning over team dipstick. Then Nina was all. "oh Charlotte is doing great at horseback riding!" then pointed out why s she at boarding school? Val dodged. Nina is sad about WIley. and said she owns her crap but she's tired of being the whipping stick for everything bad. Val said why don't you do something about it?

(So I think Nina bought the hotel)

7 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

He has enough money to get a business loan at a good rate. Because he wasn't stupid loyal enough to buy Aurora stock.

that makes sense, but it sounded like he said I'll buy the hotel and then sell it to you. 

[dubbel zout]

26 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Nina gleefully going "Someone told Michael he can't get his own way." was amazing. and so true. 

I loved that! He desperately needs more of that. 

26 minutes ago, Daisy said:

I do get tired of people bursting into people''s business meetings

Same, but at least it's very in character for Olivia, who never met a situation she didn't want to stick her nose into. "I got a big mouth. Sorry." Heh.

It cracked me up that now Carly's financial advisor is explaining how risky loans are. The barn door is already open, dude.

6 minutes ago, Blackie said:

why wasn't [Spinelli] there with Georgie

The kids were worn out, so Mac and Felicia took them home.

Dante looked good today. That retro beach look is a good one for him.

[Blackie]

2 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

The kids were worn out, so Mac and Felicia took them home.

But even earlier, why is Spinelli's kid left with Mac and Felicia for the 4th. And Georgie is a snarky preteen now who I'm sure would want to see the fireworks. I guess they dropped the story where she is not happy with her mom dating.

[Daisy]

And i still have to laugh at Michael. The dipstick legit said "We should have known better not to include Ned," instead of saying. "We should have done more to include Ned." (or you know listen to Ned because he said the merger was a bad idea anyway). Dipstick. 

[dubbel zout]

Dante's camp memories are beyond boring. They are so forced.

Too bad Nina won't use owning half the hotel to get access to Wiley. I mean, she is, but not in a ruthless manner.

Is the big Society Setups sekrit that Spinelli manually matches people instead of using an algorithm? Who cares? Of all the pointless stories on right now, this has to be top of the list.

[ouinason]

that would be interesting.  instead of the "computer finds the perfect match" that it's meant to be, Spin is cyber stalking the members and matching them up based on what he finds and how he thinks they would get along.  That would, indeed, piss people the fuck off.

[statsgirl]

It seemed like Nina bought the hotel stake to make amends, which shows that she hasn't learned anything about Carly or her mini-mes. They will never forgive you, grudges are their lifeblood..

1 hour ago, Blackie said:

 Is Spinelli and Britt the end game here?????  Speaking of Spinelli why was he showing up to the picnic late, why wasn't he there with Georgie

I don't care what awful things Britt has done, she doesn't deserve that. Or deserve Cody.

Given how close Spinelli was to Georgie, it's weird that he wasn't there for the picnic with her. But then, none of the kids was on the show unlike previous July 4ths.

52 minutes ago, Daisy said:

And i still have to laugh at Michael. The dipstick legit said "We should have known better not to include Ned," instead of saying. "We should have done more to include Ned." (or you know listen to Ned because he said the merger was a bad idea anyway). Dipstick. 

 Validation that intelligence is on the X chromosome.

Did he think that Ned would not have voted with Valentin if he suddenly found out at the meeting that he was going to be booted out?  Anything as large as a merger would have to be on the agenda of the meeting, not to mention Valentin is smart, he would have noticed something fishy with the change in Aurora stock.

[Auntie Velvet]

I can't believe Dante had sex with someone other than Valerie on July 4 when he KNOWS how important that day is to her.

[dubbel zout]

Who?

(I know who she is; does the show?)

[Cheyanne11]

30 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

It seemed like Nina bought the hotel stake to make amends, which shows that she hasn't learned anything about Carly or her mini-mes. They will never forgive you, grudges are their lifeblood..

I'm sure when Willow convenientitis rears its ugly head and Nina has to donate bone marrow/blood/a piece of her liver, instead of being grateful they'll blame her for birthing a child with a defective part.  

[ciarra]

How can Nina buy the hotel if Carly had 30 days to default on paying back the money she owes?

[pianogirl73]

2 hours ago, Daisy said:

2 hours ago, Daisy said:

i know people who have to work on Canada Day. some people just don't care. 
 

Pride goeth before the fall. Someone needs to slap her silly with that statement. 

Nina and he celebrated winning over team dipstick. Then Nina was all. "oh Charlotte is doing great at horseback riding!" then pointed out why s she at boarding school? Val dodged. Nina is sad about WIley. and said she owns her crap but she's tired of being the whipping stick for everything bad. Val said why don't you do something about it?

(So I think Nina bought the hotel)

that makes sense, but it sounded like he said I'll buy the hotel and then sell it to you. 

I think he said that he would buy the hotel and sign it over to her.

[Katy M]

8 minutes ago, ciarra said:

How can Nina buy the hotel if Carly had 30 days to default on paying back the money she owes?

She could buy it with the same deal in place that Carly can buy it back at the set price.  Kind of like buying a property with a lien or easement on it.  You buy it, but the rights of others still stay in place.

[Daisy]

45 minutes ago, ciarra said:

How can Nina buy the hotel if Carly had 30 days to default on paying back the money she owes?

the company had the right to put the hotel to market if they felt they could make a better profit, as well as they found out Carly has basically no money. the financial dude told Carly that today. 

[Kiki777]

Ok Olivia actually made me laugh today but it was probably unintentional: “I didn’t barge in, I entered with urgency!”

[Cheyanne11]

Totally confused at the 'here one day, out the next' absence of CD and not in the least impressed with Faux-Michael.  I just hate the character.  Also, the whole line about leaving NED out of the merger talk was such a fucking slap in the face to the one true Q of the situation (Ned was groomed to run ELQ since birth even if he rebelled for a while).  I hate him.

Also, a part of me almost thinks Carly is subconsciously loving being the martyr in this "I'm a Poor now!" situation. 

Rory is a total snooze--as is the actor.  I'm not overly invested in Spencer/Trina, but NC is just so far superior to him. that I can't help but compare.  Speaking of, really liked the Spencer/Sonny scenes. 

Sam/Dante: snore.  Though Sam bringing the jokes with acting like her kids being at the Qs wasn't the norm. 

Cody/Britt: don't care.

Maxie/Austin: not on regularly enough for me to even decide if I care.

Valentin/Nina: liked their scenes and their friend dynamic.  I agree with Val: Nina shouldn't give a fuck what that lot of Corinthii think of her.  Did love her line about Michael not getting everything he wanted.  A-friggin-men.

Edited July 12, 2022 by Cheyanne11

[Artsda]

It's 4th of July now?  At this rate it's going to be the Christmas episodes in mid January. 

I prefer the cop over Spencer.  Trina deserves better than him even if he helps her. 

[TVbitch]

Oh dear lord, now Austin is up to something equally as boring as whatever Spinelli and Cody are up to! 

[ciarra]

Carly's other option.

Joss, this wasn't a good look back in '82.  (Dexy's Midnight Runners)

[Kiki777]

Those brownies looked dry as hell.

[perkie1968]

6 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

Those brownies looked dry as hell.

And gigantic.  Do people really eat 3/4 of a brownie in one sitting?  

9 hours ago, TVbitch said:

Oh dear lord, now Austin is up to something equally as boring as whatever Spinelli and Cody are up to! 

How stupid is that?  Austin ends up on a camping/camp counsellor trip, because doctors have all the time in world for that nonsense, only to be seen talking to some unknown person who as stalking him in the woods, as one does.  Nothing for two weeks and then he's back to having phone conversations, warning whoever to leave him alone.  Exellent and riveting storytelling.

9 hours ago, Artsda said:

It's 4th of July now?  At this rate it's going to be the Christmas episodes in mid January. 

In the show's defence, there have been 4 pre-emptions because of the Texas shooting and the Jan 6 hearings.  Otherwise this would have aired last week.  

10 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

Totally confused at the 'here one day, out the next' absence of CD and not in the least impressed with Faux-Michael. 

CD was out with Covid, so its possible they taped a bunch of stuff with temp Michael all at the same time, but aired it out of sequence, which makes it look like temp Michael was in and out, when in fact he wasn't.  

10 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

Also, a part of me almost thinks Carly is subconsciously loving being the martyr in this "I'm a Poor now!" situation. 

Totally, 100% for sure.  

16 hours ago, statsgirl said:

It seemed like Nina bought the hotel stake to make amends

To make amends or a quid pro quo?  "I'll give you back your share of the hotel in exchange for visits with Wylie".  

[mostlylurking]

On 7/8/2022 at 4:52 PM, ciarra said:

I prefer Finn with Liz compared to Anna or Hayden.   As for Liz, I liked her best with Ric.  She would have been okay with Drew 1.0, if she hadn't been lying to his face.

I really liked him with Anna.  I still see a lot of chemistry with them.  Liz was really good with Ric.  I also liked her with AJ, even though they never developed that enough.  

As for her hair, I’m not quite sure what’s going on there.  Becky Herbst has always has amazing hair on par with Laura Wright, but lately it’s just fried.  She’s still beautiful though.  I’ve always been a Liz/Becky fan.

[DanaK]

It looks like the Jan 6 hearings set for Thursday will be next week instead. I feel pretty certain the hearings today will preempt the show.

And to note, I’ve set my DVR to record all episodes of GH, so hopefully it will catch episodes that have been preempted and shown the next day instead of refusing to record because it sees them as repeats

[rur]

18 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Sam and Dante and his camp memories are a cure for insomnia. 

Seriously. I don't know any 30-almost-40-year-old people who would spend as much time as Dante talking about summer camp. 

I went to summer camp for quite a few years, and I might be able to come up with 20 minutes worth of conversation about it. I don't remember much other than camp songs and stuff we learned to cook over a campfire. 

Sam's lying if she's saying she enjoys it. But since her go-to (and pretty much only) move is getting up close and releasing her pheromones, little Dante is doing all the thinking. 

Edited July 12, 2022 by rur

[Asp Burger]

Dante and Cody's conversations about camp (and oh how I wish I meant Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and Pink Flamingos) remind me a lot of the early Olivia Falconeri days. Remember the incessant conversations she and Sonny would have about some nun from their childhood, some fruit vendor on their street, or some other Bensonhurst local color the script writers were pulling out of their asses? 

It's forced, as @dubbel zout says, and it's also overcompensation. They want badly to emphasize the importance of a new character in the history of a character we've been following for years, even though we'd never heard about this person. It's also unnecessary, because most of the people who watch a show like this one have been introduced to a lot of new characters who have old history with the existing ones. We're well drilled. If the script says "This is So-and-so's never-before-mentioned childhood friend," like they did with Liz and Terry, we'll go with it. 

[statsgirl]

I am suddenly struck by a great desire to bore people with my old camp memories . And they were more interesting than sticking a spoon on my nose.

2 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

To make amends or a quid pro quo?  "I'll give you back your share of the hotel in exchange for visits with Wylie".  

I wish! But except for brief moments, Nina always brings a knife to a gunfight with Carly's family.

[ffwbe]

DZ and KM must have fairly high minimums but the writers have no desire to write for them. Sam and Dante are in a lot of episodes but have done nothing this year aside from listen to others talk or stand in the background at parties. It’s probably an easy paycheck though since Kelly seldom has more than 5 lines in an episode. 

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

To make amends or a quid pro quo?  "I'll give you back your share of the hotel in exchange for visits with Wylie".  

That could be really fun if she made that offer and Carly told Michael and Michael said "hard pass." Then Carly would be mad at Michael because he lost her hotel (which is utter nonsense, she did it to herself), Michael would be mad at Carly for putting a hotel above Wylie, and Nina's stuck with a half of a hotel she doesn't want.

[dubbel zout]

2 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

8 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

Those brownies looked dry as hell.

And gigantic.  Do people really eat 3/4 of a brownie in one sitting?  

They weren't that thick, though. I suppose they're gigantic so they read on camera better than a little pudgy square. But really, brownies are Elizabeth's thing, Show.

2 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

18 hours ago, statsgirl said:

It seemed like Nina bought the hotel stake to make amends

To make amends or a quid pro quo?  "I'll give you back your share of the hotel in exchange for visits with Wylie".  

To make amends, if yesterday's previews are to be believed. I'm so disappointed. I sort of get why Nina wants to do this, but Val is right: She shouldn't care what the Corinthii think. They're going to blame her for everything forever no matter what Nina does to try to make things right. They love  a grudge. 

[nilyank]

2 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

To make amends or a quid pro quo?  "I'll give you back your share of the hotel in exchange for visits with Wylie".  

Carly is not the one who is dictating who gets to see Wylie. That's Michael and Willow. More importantly, she doesn't want to get the hotel so badly that she will negoiate using Wylie. She would have agreed to all those people offering to buy it back for her if that was the case. And whereas Michael would have bought the hotel to help Carly, he won't budge on visitation of Wylie for Nina.

Now Nina could try it, but she would stupid to attempt it. Nothing about her interactions with them has indicated that this type of manuever would get her access to Wylie.

[Cheyanne11]

23 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I sort of get why Nina wants to do this, but Val is right: She shouldn't care what the Corinthii think. They're going to blame her for everything forever no matter what Nina does to try to make things right.

Which Nina even acknowledged yesterday.  Val is for sure right: fuck 'em.  

23 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

They love  a grudge. 

More than the Kardashians love a camera.

[Melgaypet]

9 minutes ago, nilyank said:

Carly is not the one who is dictating who gets to see Wylie. That's Michael and Willow. More importantly, she doesn't want to get the hotel so badly that she will negoiate using Wylie. She would have agreed to all those people offering to buy it back for her if that was the case. And whereas Michael would have bought the hotel to help Carly, he won't budge on visitation of Wylie for Nina.

Now Nina could try it, but she would stupid to attempt it. Nothing about her interactions with them has indicated that this type of manuever would get her access to Wylie.

Carly is a stronger personality than either Michael or Willow. I can see Nina believing - and Carly believing as well - that Carly could convince them if she chose to try. Whether she actually could is a different question.

I do agree that Carly doesn't seem to care enough about losing her hotel to agree to any such deal. A pity. Everything on this show seems so low-stakes.

[dubbel zout]

7 minutes ago, Melgaypet said:

I do agree that Carly doesn't seem to care enough about losing her hotel to agree to any such deal. A pity. Everything on this show seems so low-stakes.

I know. Carly had her brief, shining moment of "Why me, God?" and now it's all "Pfft, I guess I no longer own half of the MetroCourt; time for a cocktail!" 

This should be a huge deal for Carly, and instead she's pretty quickly at peace with losing not only her livelihood but a big part of her identity? As always, the show punts on the followthrough and anything that might be watchable about the story.

[YaddaYadda]

3 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

How stupid is that?  Austin ends up on a camping/camp counsellor trip, because doctors have all the time in world for that nonsense.

For someone who was all about how BL almost destroyed his medical career, Austin sure isn't spending all that much time at the hospital. 

His Leo plot point is done. Now he can have a stalker.

2 hours ago, rur said:

Seriously. I don't know any 30-almost-40-year-old people who would spend as much time as Dante talking about summer camp. 

That's what happens when the writers try to ram an unlikable new character down the viewers throats.

Dante's interaction with Cody is so painful, especially since the only memories they have together is about camp. 

I think making Cody into this character was a misfire on the writers' part. But they sort of suck at their job.

[CeChase]

I think the actor who plays Cody, Dante's bestest friend forever, is actually very charming and has a good presence.  The writing is hilarious.  The best was his calling Olivia "mama falconari".  Meanwhile the first thing I'm thinking when she walks into that barn is, hey up for a roll in the hay?  

[Auntie Velvet]

6 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I know. Carly had her brief, shining moment of "Why me, God?" and now it's all "Pfft, I guess I no longer own half of the MetroCourt; time for a cocktail!" 

This should be a huge deal for Carly, and instead she's pretty quickly at peace with losing not only her livelihood but a big part of her identity? As always, the show punts on the followthrough and anything that might be watchable about the story.

I didn't get the impression she was at peace with it. It seemed like she's trying to cover her pain so people don't worry about her. (Carly and noble don't really go together, but that's what they're trying to sell us.)

ETA I can't figure out if Rory is genuinely sinister or the writers are just too old-fashioned not to perpetuate somewhat dangerous cliches about the ideal boyfriend, but he's really "love bombing" her and it's making me nervous.

But it was also uncharacteristically rude for Trina to be rolling her eyes at the brownies before tasting them and finding out the secret ingredient transformed them or whatever. "THIS is the special dessert you promised me? Brownies?!!"  Brownies are perfectly special on there own, gourmet or not, Trina!

Edited July 12, 2022 by Auntie Velvet

[Gam2]

This used to be one of my favorite soaps back when there were more to choose from. It’s so boring now that I can’t root for one single couple, one story line or even stay awake when I’m kind of, sort of watching it. This makes me sad because these soaps were such a part of my young adult hood and the days when I was a stay at home mom.

[Cheyanne11]

2 hours ago, Auntie Velvet said:

But it was also uncharacteristically rude for Trina to be rolling her eyes at the brownies before tasting them and finding out the secret ingredient transformed them or whatever. "THIS is the special dessert you promised me? Brownies?!!"  Brownies are perfectly special on there own, gourmet or not, Trina!

Yeah, the whole "brownies?  so basic" comment was pretty snotty and more in line with something Joss would say. 

[Sake614]

Personally I’d be over the moon if someone brought brownies to a picnic. Even more so if they were homemade! And to answer the question above about who eats 3/4 of a brownie? Let me answer that with another question: who eats ONLY 3/4 of a brownie???? I mean, why would you waste a whole 1/4 of a brownie? It’s meant to be eaten, not admired 🤣

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sake614

[Daisy]

3 hours ago, Auntie Velvet said:

But it was also uncharacteristically rude for Trina to be rolling her eyes at the brownies before tasting them and finding out the secret ingredient transformed them or whatever. "THIS is the special dessert you promised me? Brownies?!!"  Brownies are perfectly special on there own, gourmet or not, Trina!

it would have been different if she were allergic to chocolate or hated brownies or something but she was such a snot. she's been hanging out w/Joss too long. 

(i'd have to side eye her for hating brownies but that's a horse of a different colour)

[Mirabelle]

2 hours ago, Gam2 said:

This used to be one of my favorite soaps back when there were more to choose from. It’s so boring now that I can’t root for one single couple, one story line or even stay awake when I’m kind of, sort of watching it. This makes me sad because these soaps were such a part of my young adult hood and the days when I was a stay at home mom.

It's a sad day indeed when college athletic conferences bring more drama into my life than actual daytime drama. 

[Blackie]

It's a sad day when the most interesting thing to discuss is  the brownie

Edited July 13, 2022 by Blackie
changed because other discussions are interesting , it is this show that is boring

[perkie1968]

10 hours ago, Sake614 said:

And to answer the question above about who eats 3/4 of a brownie?

I wrote that wrong, I didn't mean 3/4 of the brownie but 3/4 of the pan since those were gigantic pieces!!!   I meant, who cuts their pieces so big (cut them smaller than it doesn't feel so bad when you eat 5 of them, because "they're small")

[jacourt]

Haha I had just the opposite thought, I only ate one! not considering the size of the piece.  

[Sake614]

1 hour ago, perkie1968 said:

I wrote that wrong, I didn't mean 3/4 of the brownie but 3/4 of the pan since those were gigantic pieces!!!   I meant, who cuts their pieces so big (cut them smaller than it doesn't feel so bad when you eat 5 of them, because "they're small")

Well that makes much more sense! Because when I make a pan of brownies, I cut them real small. I put one on my plate and one in my mouth. Then I go back for another couple, just to make sure they came out okay. And then I have an internal fight with myself over whether I really should (the answer is always a firm NO) have another. Then I do it anyway 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Daisy]

16 hours ago, Auntie Velvet said:

he's really "love bombing" her and it's making me nervous.

i don't understand this reference. 

 

3 hours ago, Blackie said:

It's a sad day when the most interesting thing to discuss is  the brownie

to be fair. brownies are everything after all. 
 

in seriousness - i really have to wonder if soaps are just put on some mandate what they can/can't do on daytime soaps anymore. that and the people they hire - simply don't know what good soap is. and I'm not just laying this down on Frank's feet i just mean across the board. like most shows just lean into the stereotype and forget the story - and in the case of GH - they don't even bother with the stereotype they just... don't write good stories. (how many times in the last 2 years did they set something up only to just be all. "meh okay. well i understand." which is like. WHAT?!

I remember reading that it might behoove the remaining soaps to basically go "tela-novella" and be on for 8 weeeks+, take a break, come back for another 8 weeks, and just tell really tight well written stories, vs. how it is now. i dunn if it would help - because again i don't really think these writers know how to write soap.