Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[JMO]

Maybe this show is better at rehabilitating characters than I thought.  Having recently rewatched much of the late '80s, which included the introduction and early years of Lucy Coe, I was reminded of how much I despised her character at the time, and I completely understand why Bobbie did, too.  In retrospect, I'm surprised they've had any relationship at all over the years, and I'm not surprised that Bobbie's venom persists to the present.  I would offer some details, but I don't know what is considered spoiler material, if it happened 35 years ago.  

Anyway, that was then, and this is now. For me, Lucy began her rehabilitation with her relationship with Kevin, who seemed uniquely able to bring forth some real empathy and goodness from her.  That resulted in their joint friendship with Felicia and Mac, and eventually brought her some legitimacy as a relatively upstanding citizen of Port Charles. If you only met her when she returned to the canvas a few years ago, it's understandable that she would be a sympathetic character.  But back then?  Not so much. 

[YaddaYadda]

14 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Victor needs to step up his game and kill Ethan. It's time to show Port Charles that Victor means business.

Ethan? Way to lower the stakes! He should go on a rampage, take out the Carlys first.

[dubbel zout]

37 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

52 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Victor needs to step up his game and kill Ethan. It's time to show Port Charles that Victor means business.

Ethan? Way to lower the stakes! He should go on a rampage, take out the Carlys first.

True. Ethan can be the shot across the bow, as it were.

[Kim0820]

20 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

They took "my daughter!" for a spin there too, when Nina first found out. 

Spencer said "my younger brother" there once, so they have some consciousness that they have characters repeat the same phrase too much - a variation from "my baby brother."

8 hours ago, Daisy said:

yeah. like i know the focus was supposed to be a hijinx ha ha scene. but all i got was here is Lucy, who has been a great friend and support to Bobbie during the years, and she's listening to said good friend legit talk crap about her and her accomplishments to a cause that means a crap tonne to Lucy.  and quite frankly Maxie sitting there just smiling uncomfortably is not enough. say something.
 

Yes, you can see they intended this to be funny, but then forgot all about history in order to do it.  Lucy seems to a comedic character for them, so maybe the Victor story isn't that serious either.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

Oh so now the block of wood dumb as a box of rocks is the one who saved MiniSheBeast? That Britt was “failing” and this shit for brains who couldn’t even succeed at a kills shot, is the HERO?

DO TAKE SEVERAL SEATS AND STFU.

And I say this as someone who didn’t care for Britt: if not for her actions, your boy toy posing as an action figure hero wouldn’t have had the chance to aim and shoot. You’d be DEAD.

And please Anna. You were “dead” for most of the years of the Nurses Ball. Stop acting as if it means sooooo much to you.

[dubbel zout]

16 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

And please Anna. You were “dead” for most of the years of the Nurses Ball. Stop acting as if it means sooooo much to you.

Being "dead" and appreciating the NB aren't mutually exclusive, IMO. If Anna were taking credit for organizing it or something, then yes, she can take a seat. But she's participated in it over the years, so it obviously does mean something to her.

[jsbt]

It was and is also incredibly important to her daughter.

9 hours ago, Daisy said:

yeah. like i know the focus was supposed to be a hijinx ha ha scene. but all i got was here is Lucy, who has been a great friend and support to Bobbie during the years, and she's listening to said good friend legit talk crap about her and her accomplishments to a cause that means a crap tonne to Lucy.  and quite frankly Maxie sitting there just smiling uncomfortably is not enough. say something.

In fairness, Bobbie and Lucy have had beef both in recent years and in the distant past. Stupid beef in the 2010s, but beef nonetheless! They fought over Love Boat Scott like fools during the Ron Carlivati years. And of course the Damian Smith affair was a big deal for both of them in the '90s, and right around the time of B.J.'s death. So I can buy that they're back to getting under each other's skin.

Still, Lucy can do virtually no wrong for me. So I don't care what she does, Imma stand by her!

[Daisy]

3 minutes ago, jsbt said:

Stupid beef in the 2010s, but beef nonetheless! They fought over Love Boat Scott like fools during the Ron Carlivati years.

this one i did not know. 

4 minutes ago, jsbt said:

So I can buy that they're back to getting under each other's skin.

okay true. fine. I can take Bobbie being a boobie. LOL but it still bugs me that Maxie just sits there and lets it happen because they are friends (and co-workers)

[blondiek237]

5 hours ago, ffwbe said:

All of the angst for the Carlys is such low stakes and forced. All of the secrecy with Michael being the secret boss and Joss/Dex being together in secret but when it comes out, there’s nothing. Joss is on the same side as them and agrees that Sonny needs to be taken down so why did they bother keeping these secrets? Same with Drew/Carly “secret” relationship when no one cares about them hooking up

After Carlys talk with Sonny, she should be pissed at Michael.  Nina took Sonny away for “9” months, but Michael wants to take him away for life.  

[Cheyanne11]

With every telling of the story, Joss downplays Britt's actions in saving her pathetic life more and more.   Pretty soon she won't even rate a mention and it will be totally "the time Dex saved my life."  You suck, Josslyn.

Carly chiming in with "of course" (or something like that) and a smug face when Valentin said Lucy went rogue was rich considering her entire personality over the years has been based on her doing something she shouldn't and someone, usually Jason, saving her ass.  You also suck, Carly.

LOL at Michael trying to act like some sort of Criminal Justice Martyr because he'll "take the heat" when Dante and Kristina (and I guess Avery and Donna) are mad at him for 'taking Sonny down.'  But I thought the entire point of him outsourcing this was so his hands were clean.  Make up your mind, you dullard.

Chase being so magnanimous to Michael and Willow even though they did shitty things to him just further illustrates how everyone has to forgive the Carlys, but if someone so much as side-eyes them it's the shit list for life. 

[Steph J]

The one time I've ever agreed with Michael: The annoyed sigh when Dex and Joss were like "We won't be parted!"

[ffwbe]

I don’t get what they’re doing with Chase/BL. They’ve already been broken up longer than they’ve been together and are still acting like awkward teens who’ve never dated before whenever they run into each other. I don’t know what everyone thought about them but for me, they were never this pairing that had insane chemistry. They were at best, middle of the road, kind of cute but unobjectionable, so they don’t have what it takes to survive this kind of writing. I don’t see a reason that they’re even into each other other than there’s no other options for them on the canvas

[Daisy]

26 minutes ago, Steph J said:

The one time I've ever agreed with Michael: The annoyed sigh when Dex and Joss were like "We won't be parted!"

that was really great. like. he was trying to find Jesus in that moment. 

[nilyank]

33 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

I don’t get what they’re doing with Chase/BL. They’ve already been broken up longer than they’ve been together and are still acting like awkward teens who’ve never dated before whenever they run into each other. I don’t know what everyone thought about them but for me, they were never this pairing that had insane chemistry. They were at best, middle of the road, kind of cute but unobjectionable, so they don’t have what it takes to survive this kind of writing. I don’t see a reason that they’re even into each other other than there’s no other options for them on the canvas

Until they showed the flashbacks today, I had no idea that they had even slept together.

Drew never got his memories back so he doesn't remember his Naval Seal training. Well I guess he still has Jason's hitman training.

I think Anna's and Val's plan is dumb. They have spent months and months and months doing nothing. So now they are going to get fake a necklace and put a fake code on it. Since none of them actually knows what Victor is going to do, how do they know that their fake code won't end up blowing up the world.

[jsbt]

Drew never got his memories back?? Didn't half the cast go around uploading Drew's memories into their brains on an fucking iPod?

49 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

I don’t get what they’re doing with Chase/BL. They’ve already been broken up longer than they’ve been together and are still acting like awkward teens who’ve never dated before whenever they run into each other. I don’t know what everyone thought about them but for me, they were never this pairing that had insane chemistry. They were at best, middle of the road, kind of cute but unobjectionable, so they don’t have what it takes to survive this kind of writing. I don’t see a reason that they’re even into each other other than there’s no other options for them on the canvas

As I've said before, the writing for younger adults on this show vacillates between writing them like they're 14 and writing them like they're 55. I sometimes think Chase does not know what sex is.

[nilyank]

4 minutes ago, jsbt said:

Drew never got his memories back?? Didn't half the cast go around uploading Drew's memories into their brains on an fucking iPod?

52 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

Franco got them and then gave them up, but Drew didn't want to risk losing his memories of Oscar and Scout, so he never did the procedure.

[sunnyface]

5 hours ago, JMO said:

Maybe this show is better at rehabilitating characters than I thought

As someone who could not stand Sonny this past decade, I would say that he has been rehabilitated in this viewers eyes.  LW was a factor as was the rage that the towns folk accepted.  Sometimes it is the little things like Dante pointing out that Sonny stopped drinking (or drinking as much).  That is something I have noticed for the past month and I am guessing/hoping that this was something that MB suggested.  IRL he has discussed his bipolar issues and mixing alcohol with meds is not a good message as a role model (neither is being a mobster but I seem to be in the minority these days in believing that violent criminals belong locked up behind bars and not rewarded, presented in a positive light, or  provided compensation for their destructive actions).

Good lord knows it went on for way too long, but the Nixon Falls break was a solid way to redeem/reform his character (but the 'abused as a kid' and being there for his father dying fell flat).  Lengthy dialogue is not his forte yet today's hug with Dante felt real and warm.   

I am all in for a Drew reclamation. He seemed to perform his prisoner and action scenes ok when he started.  I am looking forward to watching him far far away from Carly and Michael.  Then again, perhaps Willow would fare much better with Chase as I had not seen her so happy as she was today.  Why did they ever split up that couple?  And of course, she also would benefit being far far away from Carly and Michael.  Sensing a pattern here. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by sunnyface

[Mirabelle]

6 hours ago, perkie1968 said:

So, the show is telling us that Robert, Anna and Valentin's combined 50 plus years of WSB experience are not enough to take down Victor, that they need businessman "I've never heard of insider trading" Drew to help them????  Maybe if Billy was still playing Drew, because he always looked like he was ready to chew his leg out of a bear trap, but Cam's Drew?  Nope.  

Drewfus wants to sell me a time share. That's the vibe I get from him.

[Cheyanne11]

9 minutes ago, Mirabelle said:

Drewfus wants to sell me a time share. That's the vibe I get from him.

Total "what can I do to have you drive off the lot in this 1978 Pinto today?  Let's make this work" vibes.

 

[DanaK]

12 minutes ago, sunnyface said:

As someone who could not stand Sonny this past decade, I would say that he has been rehabilitated in this viewers eyes.  LW was a factor as was the rage that the towns folk accepted.  Sometimes it is the little things like Dante pointing out that Sonny stopped drinking (or drinking as much).  That is something I have noticed for the past month and I am guessing/hoping that this was something that MB suggested.  IRL he has discussed his bipolar issues and mixing alcohol with meds is not a good message as a role model (neither is being a mobster but I seem to be in the minority these days in believing that violent criminals belong locked up behind bars and not rewarded, presented in a positive light, or  provided compensation for their destructive actions).

Good lord knows it went on for way too long, but the Nixon Falls break was a solid way to redeem/reform his character (but the 'abused as a kid' and being there for his father dying fell flat).  Lengthy dialogue is not his forte yet today's hug with Dante felt real and warm.   

I am all in for a Drew reclamation. He seemed to perform his prisoner and action scenes ok when he started.  I am looking forward to watching him far far away from Carly and Michael.  Then again, perhaps Willow would fare much better with Chase as I had not seen her so happy as she was today.  Why did they ever split up that couple?  And of course, she also would benefit being far far away from Carly and Michael.  Sensing a pattern here. 

I ended up avoiding much of the Nixon Falls storyline as I found it dull and annoying early on and a disaster of a storyline. But I guess two good things that came out of it are Sonny and Nina as a couple and a change to Sonny’s personality to somewhat more likable and positive

[Blackie]

8 hours ago, sunnyface said:

Then again, perhaps Willow would fare much better with Chase as I had not seen her so happy as she was today.  Why did they ever split up that couple? 

 

They were a nice pretty couple, (they could have had a beautiful giant baby too!!!) I guess they didn't have any drama so they had to manufacture some drama between them. I hope hey get back together.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Blackie
spelling

[Kim0820]

11 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

 

LOL at Michael trying to act like some sort of Criminal Justice Martyr because he'll "take the heat" when Dante and Kristina (and I guess Avery and Donna) are mad at him for 'taking Sonny down.'  But I thought the entire point of him outsourcing this was so his hands were clean.  Make up your mind, you dullard.

 

One would think that Donna and Avery would be told their father is in jail because he broke the law.  They can even visit him, to see that he is OK and get some time with him.  Instead, it seems the Carlys would encourage them to blame those who put him there.   Breaking the law is not the real problem for these Carlys. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

14 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

If Anna were taking credit for organizing it or something, then yes, she can take a seat. But she's participated in it over the years, so it obviously does mean something to her.

Don't mean to be argumentative, but as we know, they stopped airing the Nurses Ball for years and only resurrected it after Robin "died" and then a couple more times since. I don't doubt it means something to her, but I recall the last time she said how much it meant to Robin, it was just...off for me. I guess my feelings are colored by the years of "Petah! Petah! Petah!" as if Robin didn't exist, until later when they decided, hey, Heinrich is Alex's, not Anna's. But for me, the damage was done.

14 hours ago, jsbt said:

It was and is also incredibly important to her daughter.

I never said it wasn't important to Robin.

And now I'll move along.

[mostlylurking]

11 hours ago, nilyank said:

Until they showed the flashbacks today, I had no idea that they had even slept together.

Me neither.  I missed a few episodes and I guess that was one of them.  I’m so over them.

[dubbel zout]

11 hours ago, jsbt said:

As I've said before, the writing for younger adults on this show vacillates between writing them like they're 14 and writing them like they're 55. I sometimes think Chase does not know what sex is.

The writing for the older adults isn't much different; see Lucy and Bobbie. And sometimes I think Alexis does not know what sex is, given her tendency to play the breathless virgin.

[mbluecpa]

I don’t know who playing “tough guy” is going to be most comical: Dex, Drew, or Michael.  Dex locks his jaw, while Michael scrunches up his face - wonder what Drew’s tell will be when he goes into badass mode?

Edited March 22, 2023 by mbluecpa

[CeChase]

59 minutes ago, mbluecpa said:

I don’t know who playing “tough guy” is going to be most comical: Dex, Drew, or Michael.  Dex locks his jaw, while Michael scrunches up his face - wonder what Drew’s tell will be when he goes into badass mode?

LOL I miss Billy Miller's Drew.  Billy always played him like he was one wrong look from going OFF.  

[ffwbe]

I know it won’t happen but I wish when the truth came out about Michael/Joss re Sonny, someone points out how they would have gone scorched earth on someone who tried to get Carly thrown in prison when she was running the mob. They, along with Carly herself, would be the first ones to cry how this would hurt Donna.
 

I do remember Carly whining about her family being in danger after Nikolas returned Cyrus’ mother to him, like it was his fault that she thought it was a brilliant idea to kidnap an senile, old woman. Never mind that Nikolas only helped because Cyrus threatened to have Alexis attacked in Pentonville if he didn’t. 

[jsbt]

2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

The writing for the older adults isn't much different; see Lucy and Bobbie.

If anyone knows what sex is on this and other planets, it's those two. I say it with love!

Edited March 22, 2023 by jsbt

[statsgirl]

15 hours ago, ffwbe said:

 I don’t see a reason that they’re even into each other other than there’s no other options for them on the canvas

Put Brook Lynn with Cody and spare Sasha who has suffered enough. They deserve each other, and even live on the same property.

[Skarzero]

15 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

Chase being so magnanimous to Michael and Willow even though they did shitty things to him

 

15 hours ago, ffwbe said:

I don’t get what they’re doing with Chase/BL. They’ve already been broken up longer than they’ve been together and are still acting like awkward teens who’ve never dated before whenever they run into each other. I don’t know what everyone thought about them but for me, they were never this pairing that had insane chemistry. They were at best, middle of the road, kind of cute but unobjectionable, so they don’t have what it takes to survive this kind of writing. I don’t see a reason that they’re even into each other other than there’s no other options for them on the canvas

Their prolonged separation is even stupider when you factor in that he's more than cordial with his cheating ex-wife AND the dude she cheated with. But he can't get past BLQ lying because it hurt THAT much? Give me a break...🙄

[ffwbe]

3 minutes ago, Skarzero said:

 

Their prolonged separation is even stupider when you factor in that he's more than cordial with his cheating ex-wife AND the dude she cheated with. But he can't get past BLQ lying because it hurt THAT much? Give me a break...🙄

Personally I don’t think he should have to forgive either of them but to each their own. It wasn’t a little white lie- BL put what she wanted ahead of a job she knew he loved and wanted back. That’s not a basis for any sort of healthy relationship and considering BL has shown she’s selfish and immature, I would expect things like that to continue happening whenever they do reunite.  

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, jsbt said:

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

The writing for the older adults isn't much different; see Lucy and Bobbie.

If anyone knows what sex is on this and other planets, it's those two. I say it with love!

This was an example of how they're written as squabbling teens, not adults. Those two definitely know what sex is across the universe.

[Desperado]

“You’re the poster child for getting carried away!” 😂😂

Echoing what others have said, I can stand to watch Sonny’s scenes now and liked him with Kristina and then Dante.

Well, Valentin you took forever to say YOU were the one who was seen by untrustworthy folks and Anna Does. Not. Bat. An. Eye. WTH?!?

[Daisy]

3 minutes ago, Desperado said:

Well, Valentin you took forever to say YOU were the one who was seen by untrustworthy folks and Anna Does. Not. Bat. An. Eye. WTH?!?

that seems like something she's going to keep in her back pocket and the next temper tantrum he has Anna can go. "Welll....""

[ffwbe]

The hospital review board received letters of support for Liz from Robin, Patrick, and Griffin. Liz asked about Epiphany’s letter but they never heard back from her. Did she pass away and no one’s realized it yet? That’s dark if true 

[ciarra]

I think we should pray that CM doesn't get another job or hit by a bus, because during the bridge scene, I could easily see LWB playing Drew. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

6 minutes ago, ciarra said:

I could easily see LWB playing Drew. 

Who?

[dubbel zout]

Laura Wright's boyfriend, i.e., Wes Ramsey.

[CeChase]

Just now, dubbel zout said:

Laura Wright's boyfriend, i.e., Wes Ramsey.

OMG  lol

[Blackie]

God Alexis *smacks my forehead*  I hope Diane doesn't go spread rumours that you have dementia because you forgot your dinner date.

Why doesn't Spencer go live at Kelly's? Why would the mom live at one place and the baby somewhere else???  Laura needs to shut him down again. Although I am staring to believe Esme knows what she is doing.

Is this the set up to find out something happens to Epiphany?

Curtis, Portia, Chase , BL..... boring!!!  Jordan working 24/7😄 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just now, dubbel zout said:

Laura Wright's boyfriend, i.e., Wes Ramsey.

D'OH! 🤪 

Thanks @dubbel zout

[Desperado]

Epiphany was Liz’ mentor? That feels like a re-con to introduce more angst into the closure story.

I had to step away from today’s ep because the storylines annoyed me so much.

As long as Spencer is all about the baby in a very manic way, I can’t watch him. 

Brooklyn and Chase - rinse and repeat ad nauseam.

And Gregory, you’re the second character hiding a severe illness from your family in a few months and seemingly delaying getting help over it, and I’M 100% OVER IT!!

[ffwbe]

Spencer and Esme both annoyed me today. We know Spencer has money so he doesn’t have to move into Laura’s but will act put upon by Esme. However, she’s way too entitled for someone who zero means of support . She lucked out by having Laura’s grandkid because Laura will help for the baby’s sake. She’s been relying on Spencer and his family one way or another since the moment she showed up in PC and has never shown a sliver of gratitude 

Edited March 22, 2023 by ffwbe

[jsbt]

I thought Sonny's scenes with Kristina were some of his best and most authentic in a long time and the senior patriarch role is the one he has been best in for over a decade now, but which either Benard or the network or both resisted when first Guza and then FV/RC tried to put him into it.

The solution, as I have enumerated many times, is to bring back Vanessa Marcil, and carefully and properly re-pair Sonny and Brenda. Their entire romantic lives have been telescoped down to the moment their brief marriage ended over Sonny's obsession with power in 2011 and those incredibly strong scenes, and as I have said many times over the years there is no point in pairing either of them with anyone else after that unless it is resolved because it will always come back to the same thing. Take it slowly, write it intelligently (with uh, a considerably refreshed writing staff) and put them back together and then lock them in concrete like AW did to Mac and Rachel. No more flings twice his age, no more break-ups, no more barware and betrayal. They're there, Sonny is the shady patriarch who is mostly out of the mob, Brenda gets the lion's share of major story since Mo cannot handle heavy workload and done - Bob's your uncle, easy peasy. But Frank will not be doing that.

I don't fault people who like Sonny and Nina because MB and Cynthia Watros do have chemistry, and he does wake up a bit for her. But there's no real there there for me. I don't understand why he is in love with her when very little about how he operates as a man or in the underworld has changed since, not for Brenda, not for Olivia or Kate and certainly not for Nina Reeves. I don't understand why she wants him beyond their Nixon Falls interlude, because "Mike" is not the man she is with now. And I have never gotten past how deeply unstable I think Nina is as a person vis a vis the Stafford years (in addition to being an extraneous character overall). She will always be a nut to me. That doesn't make Sonny better than her in any way, and I always enjoy watching Watros, but I just don't see what drives or powers this or where it's supposed to go. You'll never make me buy Sonny leaving the mob for Nina when he has never left it for any woman or child in his life.

[Blackie]

43 minutes ago, ffwbe said:

Did she pass away and no one’s realized it yet? That’s dark if true 

I was thinking the same thing, tha might be a bit much...

[ffwbe]

5 minutes ago, Blackie said:

I was thinking the same thing, tha might be a bit much...

I don’t know where else they would go with that. No one is that busy at a campus visits all day and night. I doubt Pip’s partying here with the 20-somethings after whatever the school had planned for them. 

[ffwbe]

I’m anticipating Esme getting her memory back, keeping it a secret, and subjecting us to a discount Cottage Hell. I’m not much of a Spencer/Trina fan but as someone who was a huge Jason/Robin fan and had to endure that trash, I feel sorry for their fans if that happens. At least Spencer seems slightly more aware than Jason was back then because that was extremely frustrating 

[dubbel zout]

1 minute ago, Desperado said:

And Gregory, you’re the second character hiding a severe illness from your family in a few months and seemingly delaying getting help over it, and I’M 100% OVER IT!!

Also, when you seek treatment at the same hospital where your doctor son works, maybe don't act so surprised to see him?

10 minutes ago, Desperado said:

As long as Spencer is all about the baby in a very manic way, I can’t watch him. 

Same, and he's being super rude and hostile to Esmé. That's not the way to persuade her to let him into her life.

[jsbt]

Spencer is a hothead and a spoiled Cassadine scion, but that's what he's born into and who he is. I wanted to throttle Esme when she tried to whine to Trina last week about still being held accountable for her Netflix queue-load of crimes. I don't think Spencer can raise a Tamagotchi let alone a baby, but I don't care what Esme wants and she shouldn't have custody of a goldfish or be in a position to make anyone keep wheedling and pleading with her.