Episode Discussion II: The TFGH

[JMO]

I'll admit that I find the whole Pikeman thing confusing.  Are we to think that the entire WSB has gone rogue since Frisco was outed?  Or are Brennan/Val simply heading a rogue faction?  Or is Val still a good guy, assigned to play the role of the rogue?  I suspect the writers still have a lot of leeway there.

Who set fire to Anna's house, and why?

If the WSB needs to be cleaned out, might we see Frisco again?  I would be okay with a recast, if KW and JW would find it hard to work together.  But bringing Frisco back would provide an interesting storyline for Felicia, Maxie and Mac.  

If Sonny wasn't going to do business with Pikeman, who did they have next in line?  Is that where Ava comes in?  If so, I could see a plot line where arms are being transported as art, and Trina inadvertently finds out....

And I have inadvertently devolved into fanfiction, so I'll stop.  But it's been a long time since GH has stimulated my imagination in any way, and I will thank the new writing team for having it do so now. 

(There's still nothing about Sonny, Carly or Jason that stimulates me in any way, however.) 

[Cheyanne11]

God, Carly is gross, only caring about Dante waking up to exonerate her precious Jason.  She has zero pride and I don't know that there's anything she wouldn't do for Jason, even if it hurt her kids (it would only never happen because Jason wouldn't allow it).  So not here for any resurrection of the canon rewrite of 2021 when it comes to those two.

Ava and Valentin working together would be a great twist that I'm here for--far more than Ava actually falling for Sonny.

[YaddaYadda]

1 hour ago, DanaK said:

I’m not too keen about the amount of exposition between Brennan and Val, but if it gets this Pikeman story moving, all the better; it’s been feeling like endless setup before now. I too didn’t see Val as the head of Pikeman, though I figured he was connected to it with him facilitating a meeting with Sonny for them

Pikeman had zero direction and I'm convinced that the old writers had no idea where they were headed with that. All their story arcs were ideas with no middle or end/ They were always threading water before the story ended with the most pathetic whimper.

[DanaK]

4 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

Pikeman had zero direction and I'm convinced that the old writers had no idea where they were headed with that. All their story arcs were ideas with no middle or end/ They were always threading water before the story ended with the most pathetic whimper.

I’m in agreement with that. Some stories went well, but too many ended poorly and several seemed to take forever to get going, though I’m sure the pandemic and maybe the writers strike somewhat affected the latter

[ciarra]

5 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

Pikeman Every plot on the show had zero direction

Fixed that for you.

Zero direction:

Austin and Mason's boss -- a woman.

The arson of Anna's home.

Valentine - allowing the gaslighting of Anna, leading to Charlotte to be shot, which was blamed on Victor mind-controlling Charlotte.

 

 

 

 

[Grinaldi]

First time seeing Brennan. Didn't realize he was The Beast from The Magicians. Gonna spend his scenes waiting for him to turn into a big swarm of moths.

While I agree the big three are still being treated as the big three, the tone has changed. Lots of folks questioning Sonny and Jason. And Carly has been in her own world more, not up in everyone else's business.

[jsbt]

8 minutes ago, ciarra said:

Valentine - allowing the gaslighting of Anna, leading to Charlotte to be shot, which was blamed on Victor mind-controlling Charlotte.

Can someone recap some of this? I know these points but not the details. How did Valentin gaslight Anna? And when did Victor mind control Charlotte or how? Why was Anna's house burned down?

The rumors going around (which may or may not be true, but I suspect there's a kernel of truth) were that D&C's original plan for Jason's return involved brainwashing, undead Morgan and Jason being forced to help the baddies because a mind controlled Morgan was also in play as another hitman - for Jennifer Smith (trying to clear the Five Families and Sonny out of PC again) and an equally undead Susan Moore. This is all of course ludicrous, but it does make me wonder if the woman Austin's redneck clan was supposedly working for was supposed to be one of them.

 

Edited March 30 by jsbt

[ciarra]

32 minutes ago, jsbt said:

How did Valentin gaslight Anna?

He knew that Charlotte was tormenting Anna and chose to say nothing.  Valentin and Nina saw the Metro Court security footage where Charlotte entered Anna's hotel room.  Red ink was found on Anna's things, and a warning in lipstick was written on the mirror.  Nina deleted the footage at Valentin's request. 

The paint in Charlotte's backpack matched the "murderer" graffiti paint on Anna's front door.  The paint was in the backpack that Charlotte had with her when she broke into Anna's place (formerly Maxie's pad), where Anna shot Charlotte in the dark as she rifled through the steamer trunk that had the WSB evidence file. 

Anna was out of her mind paranoid about a past WSB mission, and was linking everything to that, when everything but the arson was Charlotte's doing, and Valentine said nothing.

Victor sent a letter and tarot cards to Charlotte at her boarding school, saying Anna was the enemy and she must help her poor papa.  After Charlotte was shot,Valentin ransacked her room and found the letter. 

 

Edited March 30 by ciarra

[Artsda]

Sonny saying Michael is "your son" was great. Disown him.  Carly's way too over the top shrieking banshee.  The man's son is in a coma and he's been shot but yes what about Jason. 

Not sure I believe Jason was protecting himself. Sonny isn't wrong he's not telling him why. 

Alan Jacobs?  Jason's fake name was Alan?  The father he treated like nothing? Initials of AJ The brother he hated.

Valentine is Pikemen, or co Pikemen? Valentine's set up the Stone and playing with his meds. Good twist. So did he set Anna's house fire or that was Brennan on his own?  

Is Ava in on it with Valentine? She obviously lied to Sonny about Dante, hid his phone.  She's got a plan.

So Jason going to live above Kelly's? Would be funny if it is Jagger's old room. 

Edited March 30 by Artsda

[DanaK]

Maybe I just missed it, but why is Brennan cooling his heels in prison when strings could be pulled to get him out and hide him somewhere? Is he just there as cover to throw people off about Pikeman or was he getting intel for Pikeman? I wouldn’t put it past Val to have him shanked in prison to get rid of him (ETA: Never mind on the last as I hadn’t watched to the end, it seems the guard let him go)

Edited March 30 by DanaK

[YaddaYadda]

1 hour ago, Artsda said:

Is Ava in on it with Valentine? She obviously lied to Sonny about Dante, hid his phone.  She's got a plan.

She's also offering him alcohol which he had stopped taking at Nina's behest after his last manic episode.

[DanaK]

What did the guard sign at the end to Brennan? My very rusty signing ability suggests he indicated Brennan needed to go thataway to meet Val or Val had set up a place for him to stay? I assume Brennan’s surprised reaction was because it turns out the guard couldn’t hear all his jabbering or his and Val’s discussion

Edited March 30 by DanaK

[Artsda]

The driver being deaf was brilliant on Valentine's part.  

[ciarra]

24 minutes ago, DanaK said:

it turns out the guard couldn’t hear all his jabbering or his and Val’s discussion

Well, there is lip reading, but it's a bit hard to watch the rear view mirror when driving.

[Grinaldi]

I'm glad we got the mention that the FBI was tracking Peter which is why they were there to grab Jason in Cassadine Island. It's fanwanky but I liked that they closed the loop.

I noticed Patrick had solo writimg credit today which I think means he was the actual scriptwriter. I thought today's ep was smart, surprising and intriguing.  So far my faith is paying off.

Edited March 30 by Grinaldi

[sacrebleu]

14 hours ago, jqdeco said:

I like Valentin as a bad guy, and him and Ava working together is soapy fun. My guess is Julian is alive and Ava is helping to take out Sonny so Julian can come back to PC. Just my speculation.

Ooooh, maybe the husband-and-wife team of Julian and Nell were reunited somewhere in the wilds of Pennsylvania and concocted this plan to destroy Sonny and Carly for good! 

[Desperado]

9 hours ago, DanaK said:

Maybe I just missed it, but why is Brennan cooling his heels in prison when strings could be pulled to get him out and hide him somewhere? Is he just there as cover to throw people off about Pikeman or was he getting intel for Pikeman? I wouldn’t put it past Val to have him shanked in prison to get rid of him (ETA: Never mind on the last as I hadn’t watched to the end, it seems the guard let him go)

I don’t understand this either and worried Brennan was only brought back to  be killed. I think the guard brought him back to the prison.

 

9 hours ago, DanaK said:

What did the guard sign at the end to Brennan? My very rusty signing ability suggests he indicated Brennan needed to go thataway to meet Val or Val had set up a place for him to stay? I assume Brennan’s surprised reaction was because it turns out the guard couldn’t hear all his jabbering or his and Val’s discussion

Yes, assume he was trying to make better contact with him and realized he was wasting his time as he hadn’t heard anything.

[Winston Wolfe]

13 hours ago, Artsda said:

Not sure I believe Jason was protecting himself. Sonny isn't wrong he's not telling him why. 

Alan Jacobs?  Jason's fake name was Alan?  The father he treated like nothing? Initials of AJ The brother he hated.

Is Ava in on it with Valentine? She obviously lied to Sonny about Dante, hid his phone.  She's got a plan.

Great catch on the alias! I have a feeling that's the new writer having some laughs at the expense of the former writing crew.

Yeah, the whole "I was protecting myself" thing rings so false. if nothing else, Original Recipe Jasus was nothing if not "selfless," LOL.

Ava and Valentine? Chef's Kiss. And just like that, Valentine went from the most boring Cassadine ever to one that has my full attention.

Other than the wrap-up to Marshall's mental illness (which, other than Kevin's scholarly analysis was so cringe-worthy I couldn't bring myself to even comment on it), the whole show has been so much better.

[nilyank]

30 minutes ago, Winston Wolfe said:

Other than the wrap-up to Marshall's mental illness (which, other than Kevin's scholarly analysis was so cringe-worthy I couldn't bring myself to even comment on it), the whole show has been so much better.

Which is still better than having Marshall and Curtis hunting down some elderly doctor in a retirement home to confront him about a racist that forced Marshall to abandon his family and not seek them out until Curtis was in his 40s.

[Cheyanne11]

4 minutes ago, nilyank said:

Which is still better than having Marshall and Curtis hunting down some elderly doctor in a retirement home to confront him about a racist that forced Marshall to abandon his family and not seek them out until Curtis was in his 40s.

It was a storyline that wasn't written in a cohesive way from the beginning so the quick wrap-up was fine with me. 

[jsbt]

Yeah, I thought those Kevin scenes were very well-written and a lovely and educational way to tie off a pointlessly dragging old subplot in accordance with a classic GH tradition re: issues like that. It was making the best of that dangling thread and now it's done.

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, Winston Wolfe said:

Yeah, the whole "I was protecting myself" thing rings so false. if nothing else, Original Recipe Jasus was nothing if not "selfless," LOL.

That was deliberate on Jason's part, though. He doesn't want to tell Sonny or Carly what the FBI is holding over him, so it's easier to say he's protecting himself. Given that it likely involves stupid Michael, Carly, at least, will fall all over Jason to thank him for keeping them safe. Depending on where things are with Sonny, he might give Jason a grudging thanks. 

[FilmTVGeek80]

I believe Ava is definitely up to something shady, but I don't necessarily think that if she is helping to gaslight Sonny, she's doing it voluntarily. So far, even under the new writers, I haven't seen anything in MW's performance that suggests that she's enjoying what she's doing. I believed a few weeks ago when she told Nina she didn't want to get in the middle of her and Sonny's issues because she was finally in a good place with him regarding Avery and didn't want to rock the boat. After all the times she's gone up against him, I don't believe she wouldn't anticipate how messing with him now could massively blow up in her face. Someone mentioned how Ava may have sent herself the gun to play the victim and get closer to Sonny. That makes sense somewhat, but didn't Ava get the picture of dead Austin and the gun when she was alone? Maybe I'm misremembering things, but I could have sworn there was more than one scene of her alone and panicking after getting them. She could have been panicking because someone knew she killed Austin, but someone had to have sent them to her - it wasn't just a ploy to get to Sonny.

She may be in cahoots with Valentin, but I think it's just as possible that Valentin knows she killed Austin and is blackmailing her with it. Sure, it's a retread of Mason blackmailing her over "killing" Nikolas, but it's not like this show is above repetitive storylines.

Despite everything she's done, I still like Ava and rather her not be the new Helena or go back to being the town punching bag. And as someone who LOVES her relationship with Trina, I'd rather not see that ruined. Also, I have NO interest in either seeing Sonny win and completely cut her out of Avery's life or another endless round of custody fighting between the two of them. And 1000% don't want to see "Mama Carly" just become mama. The show found a sweet spot with Ava when Nava first began. Many characters still hated her, but she had a few nice relationships, and everyone wasn't constantly dumping on her. She was still devious and bitchy, but not a true villain. I'd rather go back to that writing than have her be an out-and-out villain or a self-destructive mess making up ridiculous, embarrassing alter egos or messing with a mentally ill person's meds.

Edited March 30 by FilmTVGeek80

[Desperado]

21 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

Yeah, the whole "I was protecting myself" thing rings so false. if nothing else, Original Recipe Jasus was nothing if not "selfless," LOL.

 

20 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

That was deliberate on Jason's part, though. He doesn't want to tell Sonny or Carly what the FBI is holding over him, so it's easier to say he's protecting himself. Given that it likely involves stupid Michael, Carly, at least, will fall all over Jason to thank him for keeping them safe. Depending on where things are with Sonny, he might give Jason a grudging thanks. 

Someone on another board said he didn’t want to say names in front of Ava. I thought it made sense at the time but why mention the FBI to Sonny at all then.

I’m just happy I don’t know what will happen, watching is much more fun this way.

Edited March 31 by Desperado

[Winston Wolfe]

5 hours ago, nilyank said:

Which is still better than having Marshall and Curtis hunting down some elderly doctor in a retirement home to confront him about a racist that forced Marshall to abandon his family and not seek them out until Curtis was in his 40s.

5 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

It was a storyline that wasn't written in a cohesive way from the beginning so the quick wrap-up was fine with me. 

As a Black man around Marshall's age, it was triggering and actually made me think about giving up this show for the first time in 42 years. Back in the day, there was a lot for men of color in our age group to be angry about. And a lot of people not understanding or mis-interpeting that anger.

But it is over now, and enough said about that. The good thing is, I'm more team Kevin Collins now than ever before.

In other news, after seemingly trying to turn over a new leaf, it looks like Caroline is back to being Snarly Carly now. It was fun while it lasted.

Edited March 30 by Winston Wolfe

[GHScorpiosRule]

11 minutes ago, Winston Wolfe said:

In other news, after seemingly trying to turn over a new leaf, it looks like Caroline is back to being Snarly Carly now. It was fun while it lasted

Eh? When did she do that? Her saying she would was in alternative universe because it lasted until Bobbie’s funeral ended.

She never turned a new leaf and she never will. Because that’s how and what Cujo is.

[ciarra]

I don't blame Marshall for being suspicious of doctors and for avoiding healthcare due to racial bias.  I don't think he made an informed choice when he decided to leave his family. 

Marshall's story, another story without a "road map".  When he first came on the show, was he in Witness Protection?, his interaction with Sonny, was Marshall mobbed up?   Finally, they settled on this explanation for abandoning his family. 

Edited March 30 by ciarra
edited for misinterpretation of comment.

[Mirabelle]

I think Winston was referring to the story on GH being over. Like a lot of the stories on the show under the old writing regime, the basic idea - racial bias in healthcare - was good but the execution was really poor. 

[dubbel zout]

6 minutes ago, Mirabelle said:

Like a lot of the stories on the show under the old writing regime, the basic idea - racial bias in healthcare - was good but the execution was really poor. 

They really undercut things by having Marshall stay away for so long and then be so obstinate about saying why. I think part of that might have been the writers figuring out what they wanted to story to be, which of course also undercut the basic idea.

JL did an excellent job with the exposition, and I think it drew a decent line under the story. It still was a story told badly, but at least the new writers were able to wrap it up with thoughtfulness and economy.

[YaddaYadda]

42 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

They really undercut things by having Marshall stay away for so long and then be so obstinate about saying why. I think part of that might have been the writers figuring out what they wanted to story to be, which of course also undercut the basic idea.

This is one of the dumbest things. Why not figure out the story before bringing a new actor on? I don't understand the writers' logic. Marshall lurked around for I don't know how many episodes, beat up a guy so badly he ended up in the hospital only for them to change directions.

I'm glad D&C are gone.

[ciarra]

50 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

JL did an excellent job with the exposition, and I think it drew a decent line under the story. It still was a story told badly, but at least the new writers were able to wrap it up with thoughtfulness and economy.

It was rather ham-handed having Stella rail at Tracy for putting off a check up. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

While I agree that Burton is stepping up this time around-so far- I REALLY could do without the yearning (🤢🤢🤢) expression in his eyes when looking at Cujo.

[pinkandsparkly13]

3 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

I believe Ava is definitely up to something shady, but I don't necessarily think that if she is helping to gaslight Sonny, she's doing it voluntarily. So far, even under the new writers, I haven't seen anything in MW's performance that suggests that she's enjoying what she's doing. I believed a few weeks ago when she told Nina she didn't want to get in the middle of her and Sonny's issues because she was finally in a good place with him regarding Avery and didn't want to rock the boat. After all the times she's gone up against him, I don't believe she wouldn't anticipate how messing with him now could massively blow up in her face. Someone mentioned how Ava may have sent herself the gun to play the victim and get closer to Sonny. That makes sense somewhat, but didn't Ava get the picture of dead Austin and the gun when she was alone? Maybe I'm misremembering things, but I could have sworn there was more than one scene of her alone and panicking after getting them. She could have been panicking because someone knew she killed Austin, but someone had to have sent them to her - it wasn't just a ploy to get to Sonny.

She may be in cahoots with Valentin, but I think it's just as possible that Valentin knows she killed Austin and is blackmailing her with it. Sure, it's a retread of Mason blackmailing her over "killing" Nikolas, but it's not like this show is above repetitive storylines.

Despite everything she's done, I still like Ava and rather her not be the new Helena or go back to being the town punching bag. And as someone who LOVES her relationship with Trina, I'd rather not see that ruined. Also, I have NO interest in either seeing Sonny win and completely cut her out of Avery's life or another endless round of custody fighting between the two of them. And 1000% don't want to see "Mama Carly" just become mama. The show found a sweet spot with Ava when Nava first began. Many characters still hated her, but she had a few nice relationships, and everyone wasn't constantly dumping on her. She was still devious and bitchy, but not a true villain. I'd rather go back to that writing than have her be an out-and-out villain or a self-destructive mess making up ridiculous, embarrassing alter egos or messing with a mentally ill person's meds.

This is some of the stuff I have been thinking. Why would she want to risk possibly being taken out of Avery's life again? Unless she is confident that Sonny will end up losing and go to prison or wherever. Then she could have Avery to herself, assuming she gets away with everything of course. I've been back and forth on my feelings about Ava, but I've hated the way Sonny and Carly have treated her with regards to Avery. 

[norahs99]

4 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

Despite everything she's done, I still like Ava and rather her not be the new Helena or go back to being the town punching bag. And as someone who LOVES her relationship with Trina, I'd rather not see that ruined. Also, I have NO interest in either seeing Sonny win and completely cut her out of Avery's life or another endless round of custody fighting between the two of them. And 1000% don't want to see "Mama Carly" just become mama. The show found a sweet spot with Ava when Nava first began. Many characters still hated her, but she had a few nice relationships, and everyone wasn't constantly dumping on her. She was still devious and bitchy, but not a true villain. I'd rather go back to that writing than have her be an out-and-out villain or a self-destructive mess making up ridiculous, embarrassing alter egos or messing with a mentally ill person's meds.

Couldn't agree more with all of this.

Meanwhile, I almost jumped on a high-speed launch back to the barge during the Carly/Jason nonsense at the end of the episode.  Ugh.  Especially since next week will likely feature the 'apologize to Carly' tour featuring Olivia, Sam and anyone else who DARED suppose that Jason was indeed the one who shot Dante.  Keeping the launch on standby with the motor running just in case.

[jsbt]

To me Ava is a villain at core, so I don't care much how far she goes. MW can play anything. Ava had Avery as an insurance policy to save her own life. I have no doubt she loves her daughter, but there may well come a day in future years where she puts her second or throws her under the bus just as she did Kiki more than once. She has dimension and even pathos, but she is who she is. I enjoy the strange friendship with Trina in part because of the illusions Trina holds about Ava: They bond over art and aesthetic interests, she sees another side of Ava that Ava lets her see, but never the whole individual. It's a mirror in a way of Robin's view of Sonny.

Edited March 30 by jsbt

[driver18]

I don't think ppl have to worry about Jason and Carly. 

Spoiler

After watching the sneak peek where Jason goes to see Jake, I have very sad (for me) vibes that the show is definitely heading towards Jason and Elizabeth. Oh, so coincidentally, Elizabeth just happens to be wearing her nightclothes. And they discuss it's good that he didn't show up before Dante exonerated him with Elizabeth specifically saying something about "perfect timing."

I remember enough about the two in the past that it never worked out with them because of timing, and that word was used specifically. With PM/EK at the helm now, I could totally see them revving up Elizabeth/Jason again with Carly on the outside steaming. My only hope is that instead of a triangle, it's a quad, and Finn isn't left out in the cold.

I could be wrong, but that is the vibe I'm getting, especially with how unpopular Carly/Jason were the last run.

[lilabennet]

5 minutes ago, driver18 said:

I don't think ppl have to worry about Jason and Carly. 

  Reveal spoiler

After watching the sneak peek where Jason goes to see Jake, I have very sad (for me) vibes that the show is definitely heading towards Jason and Elizabeth. Oh, so coincidentally, Elizabeth just happens to be wearing her nightclothes. And they discuss it's good that he didn't show up before Dante exonerated him with Elizabeth specifically saying something about "perfect timing."

I remember enough about the two in the past that it never worked out with them because of timing, and that word was used specifically. With PM/EK at the helm now, I could totally see them revving up Elizabeth/Jason again with Carly on the outside steaming. My only hope is that instead of a triangle, it's a quad, and Finn isn't left out in the cold.

I could be wrong, but that is the vibe I'm getting, especially with how unpopular Carly/Jason were the last run.

Spoiler

I don't think you should give up hope on Liz/Finn just yet.  TIIC love to troll Liason fans and Monday is April 1st.

 

[jsbt]

I think the various Jason (and Elizabeth) fanbases gas each other up a lot online. I remember a couple weeks ago there was an embarrassing online rager claiming Liz Korte had ruined things for Liason again because of some unsourced rumor that Jason was originally supposed to show up on Elizabeth's door instead of this current storyline lol. You have Jasam fans convinced Sam will course correct and go back to him, you have some Liz fans convinced it's them and then there's LW's interviews suggesting Carly isn't happening.

I honestly don't care who Jason is with and don't think he should be with anyone (and I think both Liz and Sam are unlikely). I think it's far more intriguing if the Jason/Carly connection remains as intense and psychosexual as it always has been for her (and for him again as well in recent times starting with fall 2021, admittedly) but they are spun off in other directions, and maybe not with anyone for awhile. Both characters need a lot of work lol.

Edited March 31 by jsbt

[driver18]

1 hour ago, lilabennet said:

  Hide contents

I don't think you should give up hope on Liz/Finn just yet.  TIIC love to troll Liason fans and Monday is April 1st.

 

Spoiler

The complete and utter lack of Elizabeth and Finn thus far worries me also. I'll have a better sense of things after Monday, of course, and Wednesday when spoilers say, gasp!, Elizabeth and Finn actually share scenes!!

 

[jsbt]

I had to half-watch a lot of episodes this week while working so I am diving deeper into 'em now. I'll be that guy: I thought the Jasons (get it) fight scenes were fine til non-acting Aiden wandered in as the hype man and it turned into camp hysteria. HW was just fine and the Danny kid is green but had energy and was no Andrew Trischitta. Could it have been better, sure, but anyone who watched any of the child content on GH in the last 10+ years (paging the Spencer/Emma/Cameron/Joss fourth grade love quad) has seen far worse.

I was also pleased with the Molly/Kristina stuff continuing to again explore them unpacking their past childhood romanticization of Jasam, which was so much a part of the girls back in the day. It was well written but would've hit better with at least one of the original actors. This Molly still feels like a random contest winning civilian to me. The baby plot now seems like a total afterthought; Kristina should miscarry tomorrow. Also very pleased with the Trina/Joss scenes which for once do not center Joss. Eden and Tabyana do have real rapport and warmth together.

Kelly and Steve Burton both seem to have come back to work. I've been surprised and pleased with Steve especially, who rarely makes this much of an effort. Even Diane didn't piss me off in those scenes with Jason, because CH played them earnestly and with some heart and it wasn't all Diane complaining about the mobsters she loves to work for.

Tristan really does not look well and I'm very concerned.

Edited March 31 by jsbt

[jsbt]

And now, the conclusion you did not ask for: Upon rewatch I thought there was more good material at the end of the week with strong, unlikely character work - Sam and Stella and Sam reminiscing about the past (and her oft-forgotten engagement to Patrick) and Stella bringing up Mike as well. Molly and Alexis talking the law and its dimensions again, which feels like Mulcahey. Even the energy between Carly and Nina in their brief scene at the arraignment was refreshingly different; Nina pretty much blew it off without a big emotional outburst for once and they didn't spend the entire hour yowling at each other with Carly unloading both barrels on sniveling Neens as they've been wont to do for a couple years. Again, very annoying that Drew is finally hot again and intriguing with Nina of all people. The cutting and framing on Drew and Nina watching Jason and Carly seems deliberate. They really did speedrun the Drew/Carly break-up overnight over little to nothing lol, but I'm not complaining.

The kid playing Rocco is indeed good as I suspected he might be from that brief set of scenes with Laura a couple weeks ago. I like the Danny/Rocco relationship and how the brash Danny seems to be kind to the more sensitive boy. It's these kind of distinguishing elements that help soap kids stand out on a show that has way too many already. Dante and Sam are still a very boring couple but I absolutely buy that Sam loves him now - the writing for her the last few days was very strong, and Kelly really came through too. The monologuing from Brennan after Valentin took off was interesting, and seems like it was all PM.

They really are taking Jason back to the '90s basics, living above Kelly's/Bobbie's (he said his money was frozen for now) as he and Carly reminisce about the people they were back then - simpler, humbler. This is very deliberate from Mulcahey/Korte and makes me wonder what is actually next.

Fucked up that Avery drew a picture of comatose Dante frowning with some 'ZZZZ' lines by his head btw! I guffawed.

[Desperado]

9 hours ago, jsbt said:

Tristan really does not look well and I'm very concerned.

Same. Despite keeping the twinkle in his eyes (love him to pieces), he’s been looking and sounding much more frail in his scenes.

[DanaK]

One thing I don’t understand is that Jason declined to stay with Carly because someone could come looking for him but then he takes the room at the restaurant that Carly runs. Also, why was Carly pretending to Anna that Jason wasn’t with her? He was out on bail and had no restrictions on who he could see?

[YaddaYadda]

14 minutes ago, DanaK said:

Also, why was Carly pretending to Anna that Jason wasn’t with her? He was out on bail and had no restrictions on who he could see?

Because she's Carly and Carly will Carly on like the asshole that she is. How dare Anna ask after Jason when she tried to arrest him??!!

[nilyank]

1 hour ago, DanaK said:

One thing I don’t understand is that Jason declined to stay with Carly because someone could come looking for him but then he takes the room at the restaurant that Carly runs. Also, why was Carly pretending to Anna that Jason wasn’t with her? He was out on bail and had no restrictions on who he could see?

I understood perfectly; Carly was screening Anna's call. Carly did not know what Anna wanted but she did not want Anna bothering Jason after he was finally released from police custody. Jason understood what Carly was doing and Carly had put Anna on speakerphone so Jason could hear what Anna had to say.

Anna also realized immediately what Carly was doing as she asked Carly to give her thanks to Jason for trying to save Dante's life.

Edited March 31 by nilyank

[hypnotoad]

Quote

Meanwhile, I almost jumped on a high-speed launch back to the barge during the Carly/Jason nonsense at the end of the episode.  Ugh.

I'm going to be the lone outlier on this, but I rather like Carly and Jason together. At least when it seems like SBu is actually working a bit rather than borging. Admittedly, I haven't watched GH regularly since way way way back so I have missed most of Jason's pairings. 

Do Jason and Carly have a ton of heat? Well no. But then again what pairing on this show really does? It feels like the romance and sex part of daytime is gone on this show. How have soaps become more conservative all these years later?!?

Though I'm not thoroughly attached to Sam/Dante and Elizabeth/Finn, I basically like them. I'd much rather Jason isn't put with Sam or Elizabeth (which seem to be the only other choices currently on canvas) and so the default is Carly. Plus I do not want her with Sonny (yet again) or back with Drew.

Oddly enough, I find Drew and Nina kind of compelling. Keep exploring that show!

Ava is for sure in on this evul plan against Sonny and I am here for it. Of course Sonny will win in the end (when does he ever not win) but I will take some villain plotting against him until then.

I agree with everyone saying the show has improved. It really really has. I love the longer scenes. I love the characters mixing together more.

[Blackie]

7 hours ago, jsbt said:

Sam reminiscing about the past (and her oft-forgotten engagement to Patrick

 

That one took me a second, I was thinking Finn but then I remembered that was ME's other character(s). I remember the pretty of Patrick and Sam but forgot they were engaged.

10 hours ago, jsbt said:

Also very pleased with the Trina/Joss scenes which for once do not center Joss. Eden and Tabyana do have real rapport and warmth together.

 

Trina/TA seems like a totally different character/actor to me since Spencer is gone.

[Desperado]

25 minutes ago, hypnotoad said:

I'm going to be the lone outlier on this, but I rather like Carly and Jason together. At least when it seems like SBu is actually working a bit rather than borging. Admittedly, I haven't watched GH regularly since way way way back so I have missed most of Jason's pairings. 

I agree. I think Carly sparked a bit with Brennan, but the Carson pairing was painful and her and Drew made my teeth hurt. 

Although LW/SB will never go to the hotness level of Sarah Brown’s Carly and SB, when together they cancel each other’s worst traits (him flat boring, her screetchingly entitled) and that’s fine.

To me, seeing Sam or Liz go back to Jason would be a regression (although I think RH deserved a better romance partner than ME can provide).

[CeChase]

I thought the idea of Nina and Drew would repulse me, I really did.  I was mad at people for claiming they were going to have "hate sex".  And I do Not want hate sex.  But I have to admit I got interested after their office scene.  Maybe it was Carly making Drew repulsive?  I'm such a clown for Cynthia.  Maybe I would ship her with anyone, I don't know. 

6 minutes ago, Desperado said:

I agree. I think Carly sparked a bit with Brennan, but the Carson pairing was painful and her and Drew made my teeth hurt. 

Although LW/SB will never go to the hotness level of Sarah Brown’s Carly and SB, when together they cancel each other’s worst traits (him flat boring, her screetchingly entitled) and that’s fine.

 

I wonder if we aren't all being unrealistic in even hoping for that with anyone paired with SBU now?  These people are in their 50's.  I am too and I think I'm still attractive, but damn, I'm not "HOT".  If I was doing sex scenes in my 20's and 30's I would have killed it.  Now?  I couldn't possibly compare to my own self from back then and isn't that true of everybody?

[YaddaYadda]

7 minutes ago, CeChase said:

Maybe it was Carly making Drew repulsive?

💯

They trashed everything appealing about Drew to pair him Carly. He had no identity outside of her.