Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[dubbel zout]

I don't think Joss should go to the gatehouse all teary and upset, so if that means cuddling with Dex outside at night in upstate New York for a while, cuddle away.

[TVbitch]

If Drew continues to call Carly out, I will forgive his recent lobotomy and take him to my bossom. But he will probaby turn back into a toad by Monday. And is he going to be cool with Carly probably lying to Michael and Willow about how long she's known?

It only took a nano-second for Joss to make Willow's cancer (and Britt's death) all about Joss. I'm surprised Dex didn't suggest they have life-affirming sex in the back seat, just like Willow would want. 

[Blackie]

9 minutes ago, Auntie Velvet said:

I just don't buy Nina, however worried about her grandson, confronting a worried husband and father..... In contrast, anything Carly does that's needling or unkind is right up her alley. 

 

This X 10000000%

 

1 hour ago, ciarra said:

I thought CM's acting was cringeworthy. 

 

I think she was trying to act like someone who has a reasonable position to argue but CM knows that no reasonable person would barge over and harass a cancer family.

[YaddaYadda]

Color me shocked, nothing happened to Willow after she yelled and ranted at Nina, then told her son that his grandmother was a bad person. As unhinged as it gets, reminded me of Nelle. Then heard the thud and Wylie screaming mommy and I was like, struck by lightning.

Speaking of people who should be struck by lightning. Carly x infinity. What a remorseless cow. And that whole justification about Willow not wanting to know. Yes, at first, then your no-good ass went and sabotaged Drew's efforts. Speaking of Drew, half a spine is better no spine. He should grow a full one and leave that succubus before she swallows him whole like she did his brother.

Go take care of your daughter, Drewfus. Use your hand if you're so hard up.

[statsgirl]

18 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I don't think Joss should go to the gatehouse all teary and upset,

I thought that it was really too much, more even than Willow learning about her own cancer. And it was mostly about how Michael shouldn't have to go through what she went through, not how it will be for Wylie to lose a mother (for the second time but Nelle who?). Making it about her, Carly Jr.

If knowing that someone else has cancer brings up this much grief, she really needs to see a therapy.

[ffwbe]

Just now, statsgirl said:

I thought that it was really too much, more even than Willow learning about her own cancer. And it was mostly about how Michael shouldn't have to go through what she went through, not how it will be for Wylie to lose a mother (for the second time but Nelle who?). Making it about her, Carly Jr.

If knowing that someone else has cancer brings up this much grief, she really needs to see a therapy.

I think it’s just being Joss self involved and she tends to make everything about herself. I’ve noticed she has the biggest reactions to things quite a bit when she is far from the person most affected

[MsMalin]

1 hour ago, CeChase said:

I was at another board (you would all know it I think) and the Nina hate is so unhinged

it amazes me how different they feel there about GH and Y&R. 

[DanaK]

I do think Nina was way over the line in this episode saying Michael and Willow needed to prioritize Willow over the baby. That was not her call or something she should demand

[AuxArx]

Did Gladys sell the diamond earrings Sasha gave her for Christmas? Wondering about why she wasn’t wearing them must mean something.

[Katy M]

14 minutes ago, AuxArx said:

Did Gladys sell the diamond earrings Sasha gave her for Christmas? Wondering about why she wasn’t wearing them must mean something.

She gave them to Mrs Wu as a partial payment on her debt and to get into a new game.

[YaddaYadda]

34 minutes ago, DanaK said:

I do think Nina was way over the line in this episode saying Michael and Willow needed to prioritize Willow over the baby. That was not her call or something she should demand

Nina, without fail, is always out of line and jumping to conclusions all over the place when it comes to those two. But it always feels completely inorganic and very manufactured because of how long it took them to get to the stupid point. 

They kept turning the switch on and off. Willow has gotten to the point where she hates Nina more than Michael hates Nina as far as I can tell. They went too far with this, imo. On both sides.

[ffwbe]

1 hour ago, YaddaYadda said:

Nina, without fail, is always out of line and jumping to conclusions all over the place when it comes to those two. But it always feels completely inorganic and very manufactured because of how long it took them to get to the stupid point. 

They kept turning the switch on and off. Willow has gotten to the point where she hates Nina more than Michael hates Nina as far as I can tell. They went too far with this, imo. On both sides.

I think they dragged out the reveal for way too long. This current iteration of the Willow vs Nina feud has been going on for over a year and they had Michael vs Nina a year before that and then the previous Nina vs Willow fighting for the first 1.5 years Willow was on the show. All of that even before they find out they’re mother and daughter?

I don’t see anyone online who’s a big fan of either character rooting for them to mend fences because they hate everything about each other. It’s somehow more extreme than Bobbie/Carly and Sam/Alexis who both had daughters sleep with the mother’s husband ffs. 

[TeeVee329]

Is it worth it to watch Carly get scolded about the billlionth secret she's kept or is the show already prodding us to feel bad for her?

[Cheyanne11]

1 hour ago, YaddaYadda said:

Willow has gotten to the point where she hates Nina more than Michael hates Nina as far as I can tell.

Nina hasn't been around her in a while and yet she had a nightmare Nina stole her kids.  That's not rational.  A nightmare where she dies and has to watch Michael struggle and cry and yadda yadda (heh)?  Sure, but that Nina takes her kids?  Jesus, show, we get it!

And, then, after all the "We must protect Wiley at all costs" she comes storming downstairs and scares the crap out of him, telling him Nina is evil and screaming for her to get away from him.  Honestly, I hope Nina's NOT a match now.  Serves that asshole right.

[ffwbe]

7 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

Is it worth it to watch Carly get scolded about the billlionth secret she's kept or is the show already prodding us to feel bad for her?

I thought the scenes themselves were good. Drew made it clear that he knew she kept it a secret for her own selfish reasons and kept it from him because she knew what she was doing was wrong. However, there’s no other guy they can put with Carly so he’ll probably forgive her next week, which kinda takes the punch out of it for me. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by ffwbe

[Winston Wolfe]

4 hours ago, RedElf said:

Joss wants to cuddle with Dex outside at night in upstate New York instead of going to visit her brother after she found out his wife has cancer and is pregnant.

Disgusting. If there was ever a good time for a truly effective double hooking that was it.

[lala2]

6 hours ago, statsgirl said:

I was really annoyed that Joss' over the top reaction but I guess that Oscar makes it somewhat understandable. Somewhat. But for heaven's sake, get therapy. 

Same here! I thought the acting choice was odd and OTT too!! I’m glad they mentioned Oscar because I forgot all about him! LOL! After that, I decided her reaction made a bit more sense but she better buck up if she plans on being in the medical field! Can’t have a breakdown every time you hear a cancer diagnosis!  

That said, I’m sure the Vitamin D will help her get over that too! 🙄

[RedElf]

1 hour ago, Cheyanne11 said:

And, then, after all the "We must protect Wiley at all costs" she comes storming downstairs and scares the crap out of him, telling him Nina is evil and screaming for her to get away from him.

I was worried about that poor little boy actor, I hope they prepared him for that.

[ciarra]

5 hours ago, Blackie said:

 

 

6 hours ago, ciarra said:

I thought CM's acting was cringeworthy. 

 

I think she was trying to act like someone who has a reasonable position to argue but CM knows that no reasonable person would barge over and harass a cancer family.

CW=Nina, CM=Drew.  I was roasting Drew.

[Auntie Velvet]

I forgot to say that, as annoyed as I was that they had to have this one last hurrah with Nina/Michael/Willow, it is such a relief that all signs point to the end of these pointless confrontations....or at least this iteration of them. What I'd love to see is Willow's heart softening to Nina out of gratitude, and that causing conflict between Willow and Michael. 

[CeChase]

Willow was unhinged today.  Just unhinged.  They went way too far with this situation.  I've reached the point where I'm highly annoyed that Nina is saddled with this nutcase.  And yes, I am fully aware Nina ain't playing with a full deck herself.  That's how bad Willow is though.  

[Suicidy]

5 hours ago, YaddaYadda said:

Nina, without fail, is always out of line and jumping to conclusions all over the place when it comes to those two. But it always feels completely inorganic and very manufactured because of how long it took them to get to the stupid point. 

They kept turning the switch on and off. Willow has gotten to the point where she hates Nina more than Michael hates Nina as far as I can tell. They went too far with this, imo. On both sides.

It’s just horrible writing.  So obviously contrived.  

[jsbt]

She's a pretty girl but it is hard to quantify how little I give a fuck about Willow, her cancer or her mom. She is a nonentity and Michael is played out. When she asked why he still loved her, the correct answer was 'because you're the only woman in my life left alive.'

[Mirabelle]

For now, anyway.  Being Michael's significant other is as hazardous as being Spinal Tap's drummer. 

[Asp Burger]

Carly learned from Harmony that Nina was Willow's mother in the week of May 2-6 of last year. If they can just stretch it out a little longer before everyone knows the truth, we can have it endlessly thrown in Carly's face that she kept this secret for NINE. MONTHS.  

Not really, because we can't have nice things.  

I liked CW's performance as bitchy Nina in Willow's nightmare, taunting Willow about fading fast and being useless to the baby. Very "Annie Dutton."  

Edited January 12, 2023 by Asp Burger

[Winston Wolfe]

6 hours ago, CeChase said:

Willow was unhinged today.  Just unhinged.  They went way too far with this situation.  I've reached the point where I'm highly annoyed that Nina is saddled with this nutcase.  And yes, I am fully aware Nina ain't playing with a full deck herself.  That's how bad Willow is though.  

I really don't think this show puts enough focus on the fact that Nina and Willow both have diagnosable mental illnesses. In the real world neither one of them would or should be allowed around vulnerable children. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Winston Wolfe

[jqdeco]

35 minutes ago, Winston Wolfe said:

I really don't think this show puts enough focus on the fact that Nina and Willow both have diagnosis-able mental illnesses. In the real world neither one of them would or should be allowed around vulnerable children. 

I totally agree. I could get behind Willow’s irrational hate of Nina and her extreme over protectiveness of Wiley if they also showed her overall mental decline.  With that said, I can almost understand her rant and collapse yesterday just due to the extreme stress she put herself under by refusing to let anyone but Michael know about the cancer. But she did it to herself.

[Blackie]

7 hours ago, ciarra said:

CW=Nina, CM=Drew.  I was roasting Drew.

 

😆 I actually didn't find CM's acing too bad considering so far his character has been a major cringe. The writing of most of these stories is what I find cringe worthy.

[Asp Burger]

CamMat is giving exactly the performance as Drew I expected when he was first announced as coming to GH...and then was pleasantly surprised not to get for the first few weeks. I remember the day the switch flipped to his default mode: he was newly back in Port Charles, going from house to house all happy and goofy, "Great to see ya!" I guess that's his comfort zone. 

As far as the writing goes, I appreciated that they at least had him showing a negative reaction to Carly's deceit and manipulation, and that it has thrown a wrench in their idyllic relationship. With Drew's characterization of late, I was fearing he would get to "I don't like what you did, but I understand it, and you're amazing" over the span of a commercial break. 

(Their dynamic is awfully like that of Brook Lynn and Chase, isn't it? That just occurred to me. They're the midlife version.) 

When Carly described herself as someone who has trouble asking for help and tries to do everything on her own, it was good for a laugh. She's always had some man propping her up. She only doesn't "ask for help" when she's doing something she knows she shouldn't...and even then she sometimes asks for help when it starts to get out of her control.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Asp Burger

[ffwbe]

1 hour ago, Asp Burger said:

When Carly described herself as someone who has trouble asking for help and tries to do everything on her own, it was good for a laugh. She's always had some man propping her up. She only doesn't "ask for help" when she's doing something she knows she shouldn't...and even then she sometimes asks for help when it starts to get out of her control.

I cringed at that as well. It’s not the first time Carly has basically said she’s this super independent woman who shoulders all of her issues herself and from my POV, I don’t think there’s anyone whose historically been more dependent on a man to constantly fix her problems or bail her out of her dumb plans. Aside from perhaps her first couple months on the show and the end of the third Carly’s run on the show, she’s always had someone gassing her up. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

2 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

CamMat is giving exactly the performance as Drew I expected when he was first announced as coming to GH...and then was pleasantly surprised not to get for the first few weeks. I remember the day the switch flipped to his default mode: he was newly back in Port Charles, going from house to house all happy and goofy, "Great to see ya!" I guess that's his comfort zone. 

I knew CM primarily from AMC. I’ve watched and enjoyed his work in the tv movies he has done, but when I watch GH, all I see is Ryan Lavery. It almost seems like it’s the same character but a different name. 

[dubbel zout]

5 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

I liked CW's performance as bitchy Nina in Willow's nightmare, taunting Willow about fading fast and being useless to the baby. Very "Annie Dutton."  

I loved that. Even if it was a "nightmare," it was nice to see Nina get in some digs toward Willow. 

I can't believe how far Willow has fallen. That's what happens when you get entangled with the Carlys.

 

[Cheyanne11]

3 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

When Carly described herself as someone who has trouble asking for help and tries to do everything on her own, it was good for a laugh.

Also her shocked "so I make one mistake and that's it?" inquiry.  Girlie thought Drew was her Jason-substitute who would sigh, look into the middle distance for a second, then say he loved her and all was forgiven.  Not quite so easy (though I have little doubt that's where it will end up).  

[ffwbe]

Carly’s problem is that she always expects grace and second chances when she never does it for others. Unfortunately, the slanted writing on the show usually means she got it because most of the people she wrongs are capable of being a mature adult and not holding lifelong vendettas. I can’t think of a single instance where she’s forgiven someone for doing something to her and maintained a good relationship with them. I don’t count the go around with Sonny because she was just as toxic in that relationship as he was. She even considers getting exposed for her lies to be the other person being evil towards her (i.e. Robin)

[dubbel zout]

27 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

I can’t think of a single instance where she’s forgiven someone for doing something to her and maintained a good relationship with them.

Bobbie is the only person I can think of, but since she's Carly's mother, that's a bit different.

[ffwbe]

5 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Bobbie is the only person I can think of, but since she's Carly's mother, that's a bit different.

I’m racking my brain to think of something Bobbie did to her. The only thing I can come up with is giving her up for adoption but she was a teenage hooker. It was completely ridiculous that Carly thought this warranted her seeking revenge

[dubbel zout]

What has anyone ever actually done to Carly? Her litany of perceived slights is mainly what drives her. People very reasonably call her on her behavior and instantly that person is OMG TEH EVUL!!11!! Look at how hurt she was that Drew didn't immediately forgive her for the continued lie about Willow's mother.

The show is written so Carly can always have some justification for her actions that everyone is supposed to find acceptable.

(I don't mean this to sound as strident as it might read.)

[Cheyanne11]

Just now, dubbel zout said:

Her litany of perceived slights is mainly what drives her. People very reasonably call her on her behavior and instantly that person is OMG TEH EVUL!!11!! Look at how hurt she was that Drew didn't instantly forgive her for the continued lie about Willow's mother.

And her accusatory "you didn't tell me!" to Drew about Willow's cancer.  Like she thought that because she didn't know that that what she did was all fine, in service of "my family," blah de blah blah blah.

[30 Helens]

Moss disapproves.

[dubbel zout]

7 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

And her accusatory "you didn't tell me!" to Drew about Willow's cancer.

As if that was the same as hiding Willow's parentage from her. That's another problem with the writing: The show is always making false equivalents of stuff like this.

[ffwbe]

16 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

As if that was the same as hiding Willow's parentage from her. That's another problem with the writing: The show is always making false equivalents of stuff like this.

See Joss considering Cameron not telling her that Spencer was on Trina’s side to be on par with her lying about being with another dude

Edited January 12, 2023 by ffwbe

[statsgirl]

24 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

And her accusatory "you didn't tell me!" to Drew about Willow's cancer.  Like she thought that because she didn't know that that what she did was all fine, in service of "my family," blah de blah blah blah.

That is exactly what I read people posting on the GH twitter account -- that it was Drew's fault for not telling her.

6 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

I really don't think this show puts enough focus on the fact that Nina and Willow both have diagnosable mental illnesses.

I think that Willow could be, a diagnosis like major depression, but not so sure about Nina. She's impulsive and makes mistakes but I don't think that she falls into a diagnosis.  But look at all the personality disorders on the show starting with Carly's narcissistic personality disorder (closely followed by Joss and Michael) and Victor's psychopath personality disorder.

[ciarra]

6 hours ago, Blackie said:

 

😆 I actually didn't find CM's acing too bad considering so far his character has been a major cringe. The writing of most of these stories is what I find cringe worthy.

Actually, he was better Wednesday.  The beginning of the conversation with Carly on Tues. -- when he began quizzing her on what she knew -- was really bad acting.

Edited January 12, 2023 by ciarra

[GHScorpiosRule]

55 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

What has anyone ever actually done to Carly?

I'm not defending the SheBeast, as y'all know how much I HATE/LOATHE/DESPISE her with the heat of a gazilion nuns! But there was Ric, holding her in that room; and Nelle gaslighting her (the latter which I LOVED and Cackled over, even though it didn't last very long) until Jaysus came to save her ass.

So typical SheBeast deflection and her overbright, "Now that you know, we can continue, right?" and then when Drew looks at her like she's deluded, she's all like "Whaddya mean?"

It's almost like Mooby whining about how he would never have SHOT.DANTE.IN.THE.CHEST! if He had known/Olivia had TOLD him, that Dante was HISSON!

Can Willow just DIE now already? Tearing into Nina, scaring Wiley (who has suddenly developed a lisp almost like Violet now), and telling him Nina isn't a good person? Because she had a nightmare? I say it was her guilt about not telling SLS about her Leukemia and now her worrying about leaving him and Wiley that gave her that dream-turned nightmare.

Edited January 12, 2023 by GHScorpiosRule

[dubbel zout]

Carly still (very justifiably) hates Ric, who is no longer on the show, and Nelle is dead (and Carly hates her).

She never forgave either of them and has no active relationship with them, which was what @ffwbe was asking.

[30 Helens]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

As if that was the same as hiding Willow's parentage from her. That's another problem with the writing: The show is always making false equivalents of stuff like this.

Actually, I think the writing was spot on: It wasn’t the show making that statement, it was Carly, and it was completely in character. When someone points out her misdeeds, of course she’s going to get all defensive and throw something back, whatever she thinks makes the other person look as bad/ worse than her. That’s just Carly.

I thought that scene was well written and well acted, especially by LW. 

[mostlylurking]

Cody NGAF about Willow and wondering where the wine was so he could dip his biscotti was the most I’ve liked him since he’s been on this show.

6 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

CamMat is giving exactly the performance as Drew I expected when he was first announced as coming to GH...and then was pleasantly surprised not to get for the first few weeks. I remember the day the switch flipped to his default mode: he was newly back in Port Charles, going from house to house all happy and goofy, "Great to see ya!" I guess that's his comfort zone. 

I agree with this.  The nice guy charmer is definitely his comfort zone.  I don’t even know that I would call that acting as it seems to be CM’s actual personality. However, he’s capable of more as he showed on AMC and also when he first came to GH.  I’ve enjoyed the past couple of days and I hope it continues, but I’m not holding out much hope.  All the schmoopy lovesick puppy stuff is hard to watch so I’m hoping to get a small reprieve from that.

Brooklyn showed more restraint than I thought she was capable of when she said both Willow and Nina have made mistakes, but they want what’s best for Wiley.  But why is he still up in what’s presumably the middle of the night??  I get that kids don’t always sleep through (neither do adults) but no one was even making a move to try and get him back to bed.

Edited January 12, 2023 by mostlylurking

[lala2]

Why is this witch wasting time? She needs to tell Nina immediately so she can get tested. This is ridiculous. Carly is such a coward! She made a decision and needs to own it. What sense does it make telling an unconscious Willow?!?!?

I'm happy Drew told her he wasn't going to sit on this secret and that the madness needed to end soon. Carly is ridiculously selfish. I always knew that but this episode just highlighted - once again - how much so. Nina deserves the chance to say good-bye to her dying daughter. I don't care how crappily she treated Willow in life. Nina should know NOW that another one of her stolen babies is dying. I know she left at the end to tell Nina, but that trip to Willow's room was silly and pointless. 

On another board, ppl kept saying Joss didn't need to tell Cameron about Dex, but I said she did and today is a good example why. He thinks they broke up b/c of the sex tape, but the reality is Josslyn has been feeling another dude for months now. If Dex hadn't come along, she might have tried to work things out w/him but w/Dex in the picture, she definitely doesn't care about her relationship w/Cameron. Cameron is gonna feel even worse when he learns the truth. She should have just told him everything. 

I guess they're going w/Sasha and Cody. I was hoping for Sasha and Chase. 

Did anyone else notice that Maurice's hair was full on grey at his car and then black at the hospital?!?! LOL! I wonder why they keep forcing him to dye it!  

[statsgirl]

"Where do you think that Ned keeps the good wine?"  First, dipping biscotti in good wine is a waste of good wine, and second, Cody, how would you know what good wine vs plonk is?

I like Cody putting together the clues about Gladys when talking to Sasha. I am not looking forward to that story

Clinical trials get thrown around a lot but I doubt that Willow in critical condition with stage 4 is a candidate for any. At best they could ask for the drug and keep her excluded from the trial itself.

Cameron "Everything was perfect before that."  Poor Cameron, you don't know what a big bullet you dodged.

"Britt died saving someone's life." Brando died saving someone's life too, Josslyn Jacks'."  Hey do you that saved the same person.  Neither Brando nor Britt were a fair trade for Joss but both together...

Sonny doesn't even look at Carly any more as he leaves. Good job.

[ffwbe]

Carly is such a coward. She can’t even tell Michael the truth and pawned it off on Drew. God she was insufferable today. Could she have dragged out telling the truth any longer? If her speech to an unconscious Willow was supposed to be heartwarming, the show flopped because all I was thinking was how she was wasting time and if Willow did happen to wake up, the shock of that news at that particular moment could do more harm than good.