Sam McCall Morgan: Fierce P.I. or Tsunami of Tears?

[KerleyQ]

I think KeMo thought she was coming on to be some badass (I even remember her talking to the media about how excited she was to be coming on to GH to play this strong female character).  That went to the wayside pretty damn quickly.  "Tsunami of tears" sums it up pretty well.  Every now and then the writing staff seems to think "oh, wait, wasn't she supposed to be badass?" so she'll get a day or two of not being Jason's tear-soaked accessory who gets victimized by his enemies, but then she's right back to the status quo once they get bored with it.  Obviously she hasn't been Jason's accessory for a while now, what with him being "dead" and all, but I fully predict that we'll be right back to the scratchy-voiced tearfest almost immediately after his identity is revealed.  

[EngradyPind]

Of course it is too late now, but why in the world didn't they go with a Sam/AJ pairing then bring Jason back?  Lots of potential for conflict there. 

 

 

Jason's absolute best pairing, and it wasn't even a real pairing was with Brenda.  Using Jason as her 'keeper' was one of the best ideas the writers had/have come up with in years. 

 

The only similarity between Sam and Brenda is the dark brown hair.  Sam doesn't even come close to being a Brenda character,  light or otherwise.

[LeftPhalange]

 

Sam doesn't even come close to being a Brenda character,  light or otherwise.

 

That's a good thing.

[jsbt]

The only similarity between Sam and Brenda is the dark brown hair.  Sam doesn't even come close to being a Brenda character,  light or otherwise.

 

That is more than enough for Brian Frons and Bob Guza.

 

Jason and Brenda = bickering roomies connected by Sonny. Sam and Jason = bickering roomies connected by Sonny. It's the same! Let's roll with it!

[mybabyaidan]

I love/loved Brenda, and I love Sam.  I don't see any real similarities between the 2 except their looks.

[GHScorpiosRule]

And I don't see any resemblance between Kelly/Vanessa at all.

 

Frankly, Kelly looks more like Punky Brewster all grown up than the real Punky Brewster (Soleil Moon Fry) if you ask me.

[Jazzy24]

I love/loved Brenda, and I love Sam. I don't see any real similarities between the 2 except their looks.

Yep!! I love both ladies but they are nothing alike.

[ulkis]

I do agree that Sam is the main female star of the show, but I can't imagine Ron really cares for her at all. I mean low talking Kelly Monaco is pretty much the opposite of wacky Ron favorites like Franco, Nina, Spencer. I imagine it's a combination of Frank favoring her since she is known a little bit outside GH and because she was attached to Easton and now Billy Miller. Of course I guess you could argue it's more that Easton and Miller were give to her because she is the star. I don't know. Like I said, I can't imagine Ron watching Kelly and going yes! I love that whispering!* Give me more!

 

*And before anyone asks, I don't think Kelly whispers all the time. I've seen her bring it [as in, a good, "loud" performance] more than once. 

Edited March 16, 2015 by ulkis

[dubbel zout]

I think the lead-female designation is shared by Sam and Carly, though right now Sam definitely has a higher profile. It's a shame that none of the female roles, lead or supporting, are very interesting. I have no anticipation for Sam's reaction when it's finally revealed that Jake is Jason. She'll cry, of course. She always cries. But after that? Eh and meh.

[HeatLifer]

I'm not sure if it's Ron or Frank, but I think KeMo has way more power than I ever thought. Not that she'd ever publicly admit in interviews, but her comments on JT and Billy Miller said a lot to me, especially.

Edited March 16, 2015 by HeatLifer

[OnceSane]

I'm not sure if it's Ron or Frank, but I think KeMo has way more power than I ever thought. Not that she'd ever publicly admit in interviews, but her comments on JT and Billy Miller said a lot to me, especially.

How so? Honestly asking here because now I'm wondering of something went over my head (entirely possible)!

[ulkis]

imo I don't think she has that much power, if any. It took a year or so of hints and suggestions for JT and KeMo to be paired together, and as for her suggesting Billy Miller, is there anyone at all who didn't think of Billy Miller for Jason as soon as he left Y&R? I suppose Kelly feeling free to go and suggest things to Frank indicates a comfort level and that some of the other actors may not have with him. I'm sure Frank listens to her but I doubt, if he disagrees with her, that she can do anything to convince him.

 

I think them letting Steve Burton walk showed the other actors that they weren't dealing with Guza/JFP 2, at least not backstage.

[dubbel zout]

Yeah, casting Billy Miller isn't thinking outside the box. I wouldn't be surprised if Frank and Ron had a wish list of actors they want to hire and keep an eye on their status.

[HeatLifer]

How so? Honestly asking here because now I'm wondering of something went over my head (entirely possible)!

Oh, nothing went over your head! It's just my perception that's not based on anything factual. I just think it's very telling that KeMo, since SBu left, has been paired with everyone she's wanted to be paired with. I don't think that happens very often.

ulkis, I totally see what you're saying. And I'm totes not saying that everything KeMo says goes. But I do think there's some amount of power.. or whatever you want to call it... that she yields. As for it taking a year for Samtrick...Ron had another pet at that time: Sabrina.

[dubbel zout]

I just think it's very telling that KeMo, since SBu left, has been paired with everyone she's wanted to be paired with.

 

Who besides Patrick could Sam be paired with? He's the only unattached man in her age bracket. And of course Sam will eventually be paired with Jake/Jason. There's no point having him on if that doesn't happen.

 

I don't think it's KeMo's "power" as much as inevitability.

Edited March 16, 2015 by dubbel zout

[HeatLifer]

I'm not under the belief that Patrick HAD to be paired with Sam. I think that was completely from JT and KeMo's mouths to Frank and Ron's ears and then it just happened to coincide with what Ron considered awesome drama.

[LeftPhalange]

Oh, nothing went over your head! It's just my perception that's not based on anything factual. I just think it's very telling that KeMo, since SBu left, has been paired with everyone she's wanted to be paired with. I don't think that happens very often.

 

I think Ron was always going to recast BM as Jason as soon as he became available and he was always going to pair KeMo and ME together because he was desperate to recapture the magic they had on Port Charles. KeMo just happened to be in favor of what what Ron was planning. As for Patrick and Sam, I could see Ron throwing JT and KeMo a bone and giving them something they wanted since he knew he was never going to let them be a real couple anyway.

Edited March 16, 2015 by LeftPhalange

[ulkis]

I'm not under the belief that Patrick HAD to be paired with Sam. I think that was completely from JT and KeMo's mouths to Frank and Ron's ears and then it just happened to coincide with what Ron considered awesome drama.

 

No, I don't think so either, that they had to be paired - I don't think it was availability that was a factor in it per se either, especially since Nathan was also kind of available last summer as well - but it makes the most sense for drama, kinda, considering that Robin was off saving Jason. Of course, they have completely missed the boat on some of the stuff they could use, like Patrick hating Jason with the fire of a thousand suns. I would love a scene where Sam started reminiscing about how awesome Jason was and then Patrick looks like he's just barely restraining himself from ranting about the man.

[HeatLifer]

Of course, they have completely missed the boat on some of the stuff they could use, like Patrick hating Jason with the fire of a thousand suns. I would love a scene where Sam started reminiscing about how awesome Jason was and then Patrick looks like he's just barely restraining himself from ranting about the man.

Oh, totally. I guess they could be waiting for the reveal for Patrick to show his true self? But that's wishful thinking bc there's no doubt in my mind that they're making Patty this "safe" "happy" "sparkly" alternative to Bad!Boy!Jason! They can't have Patty show attitude and argue with Sam. That rude 'tude is reserved for his ex.

KeMo just happened to be in favor of what what Ron was planning.

That's def. possible. Edited March 16, 2015 by HeatLifer

[OnceSane]

Oh, nothing went over your head! It's just my perception that's not based on anything factual. I just think it's very telling that KeMo, since SBu left, has been paired with everyone she's wanted to be paired with. I don't think that happens very often.ulkis, I totally see what you're saying. And I'm totes not saying that everything KeMo says goes. But I do think there's some amount of power.. or whatever you want to call it... that she yields. As for it taking a year for Samtrick...Ron had another pet at that time: Sabrina.

Gotcha!

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

I do agree that Sam is the main female star of the show, but I can't imagine Ron really cares for her at all. I mean low talking Kelly Monaco is pretty much the opposite of wacky Ron favorites like Franco, Nina, Spencer. I imagine it's a combination of Frank favoring her since she is known a little bit outside GH and because she was attached to Easton and now Billy Miller. Of course I guess you could argue it's more that Easton and Miller were give to her because she is the star. I don't know. Like I said, I can't imagine Ron watching Kelly and going yes! I love that whispering!* Give me more!

 

 

That explains why Sam is sharing so many scenes with her husband. Since he was given to her, most of his scenes must be with her. 

 

If Ron thinks she whispers and doesn't like it, he'd direct her to put a stop to it. 

Edited March 17, 2015 by Deputy Deputy CoS

[Cobalt Stargazer]

That explains why Sam is sharing so many scenes with her husband. Since he was given to her, most of his scenes must be with her. 

 

If Ron thinks she whispers and doesn't like it, he'd direct her to put a stop to it. 

 

I'm pretty sure this has been mentioned before, but Kelly is both a low-talker and partly deaf from a scuba-diving incident that damaged her hearing. Depending on how bad the injury was, she might think she's speaking at a normal volume. I don't know if that's the case, and why she doesn't do something to assist with the problem if it is, but there you go.

[ulkis]

That explains why Sam is sharing so many scenes with her husband. Since he was given to her, most of his scenes must be with her. 

 

If Ron thinks she whispers and doesn't like it, he'd direct her to put a stop to it. 

 

I don't think Ron has much to do with direction. In any case, I don't think he hates it or anything, I just think she and her performance are not the kind of character/acting he is super enthusiastic about. Same with Patrick Thompson, Kim McCollough, Dominic Zamprogna, Becky Herbst. Actors who, for the most part act like actual people (whatever acting tics they may have) and not over the top shenanigans.

Edited March 17, 2015 by ulkis

[UYI]

From 2007: GV's Lucky dreams of Sam in a hot tub and wakes up to see Liz and the kids staring at him, LOL.

[ulkis]

Wait wait, so they were never actually in a hot tub together? I never saw the original scene so this whole time I thought it actually happened!

 

Poor GV Lucky. He didn't even have that!

[peachmangosteen]

No I am pretty sure they actually were in a hot tub at some point because I've never seen the above scene but I remember seeing them in the hot tub together. It was so hot. Another wasted opportunity.

[dubbel zout]

I think you mean the hot but. ;-)

[peachmangosteen]

I totally kept typing 'hot but' lol. Memories!

[LeftPhalange]

From 2007: GV's Lucky dreams of Sam in a hot tub and wakes up to see Liz and the kids staring at him, LOL.

 

Notice the smile Lucky had on his face. Then Liz ruined the moment with her presence. She ruins everything. 

[OnceSane]

Wait wait, so they were never actually in a hot tub together? I never saw the original scene so this whole time I thought it actually happened!

Poor GV Lucky. He didn't even have that!

Sam and Luckybspent time in the hot but. It's where they first had sex…or at least started hooking up, then moved out of the hot but for the actual sexing.

[ulkis]

Thanks. So did he have this dream before or after the actual thing?

[OnceSane]

Thanks. So did he have this dream before or after the actual thing?

Before.

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Sam invited Jason over to show him the tub, where she helpfully pointed out, was where she was going to screw Lucky shortly. 

 

It was right around the time he said he'd kill her.

 

Those were fun times. 

Edited March 23, 2015 by Deputy Deputy CoS

[HeatLifer]

When Sam and Jakeson high-fived and their hands lingered and then when she put her hands around his waist and her head on his shoulder...my feels were on fire.

Oh, man. That happened.

[UYI]

For once, Jason's the one throwing barware! A love story for the ages, everybody.

 

And Sam's babymaker eventually healed, so...yay?

 

[Thinbalina]

For once, Jason's the one throwing barware! A love story for the ages, everybody.

 

And Sam's babymaker eventually healed, so...yay?

 

 

Actually, as a JaSam fan this is one of my favorite scenes because it was intense how much they hated each other at the time. In my eyes, they loved hard and they hated hard. Another one I liked was this scene..

 

[UYI]

Is this from 2005, when Michael was presumed dead?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9k8mlODDSY

[OnceSane]

Yes.

[SlovakPrincess]

Eh. A scene with Sam and Skye is like watching two of the same people to me. Yeah, they're both pretty and constantly in turmoil, but I just can't get into either character, never could.

Sam I find marginally more interesting, but I think that's just because I have a pet theory that KeMo could be great if this role wasn't such a drag.

 

(Although, of course, Skye was totally in the right to slap the shit out of Sam in that scene.)

Edited April 22, 2015 by SlovakPrincess

[HeatLifer]

I miss that Sam, TBH.

[SlovakPrincess]

I miss all the characters acting in semi interesting ways that make sense - even the characters I loathe.

[HeatLifer]

I miss all the characters acting in semi interesting ways that make sense - even the characters I loathe.

Exactly. Everyone is out of character. Sam is like Suzy Homemaker eating muffins and giving Patrick 1950-esque pecks on the cheek.

[Oracle42]

Alexis and Molly are better off without Ric, especially with how he treated Alexis during her cancer ordeal and taking Baby Molly from her. But it is still possible to believe that and still think Sam got a massive whitewash, which I also think she did. She planned to get back at Alexis for the whole Jason break-up crap.

She did and yet came off like the poor taken-advantage-of innocent when she was anything but.

The story drove me insane because I thought the set up was there for some really good soap and then it ended up being all. about. Jason.

Sam woke up from a coma and her mother and done everything she could to dismantle the life she'd built for herself. And Alexis was right to do it! That was damned good parenting! Alexis's daughter almost died because her daughter's criminal boyfriend got her shot.

But Sam lost the person who loved her and gained a mother who wanted to love her but didn't really like her, didn't understand her, and had no patience with Sam's desperate need to be with Jason (which also made sense)

Given that, I understood Sam's desire to dismantle Alexis's life. It made much more sense than Carlys motives with Tony. It was cruel and selfish but it was soapy and it made sense for the character.

The fact that all of that inherent drama was wasted on a Jasus/Ric rivalry made me want to throw things. I think Ric took the brunt of the bus on that one and Sam got a whitewash because Guza was going to reunite Jason/Sam. Then he gave veeeeery short shrift to the Alexis/Sam story which was the story I was actually interested in seeing

Edited August 20, 2015 by Oracle42

[CPP83]

I didn't want to overtake the general thread with my current feelings about Sam and Patrick, heh, so i decided it best to post this lengthy rant here.

 

I never, ever thought Sam and Patrick had any business hooking up for a ONS, let alone pushing things forward in an actual relationship which turned into the biggest failure of an engagement.

 

However, what usually goes through my head when Patrick is complaining/whining/pouting over Sam's indecision and flip flopping is that she's dealing with a spouse resurrected from the dead and that just isn't something you often get a handle on all that quickly.

 

Patrick: She said she loved me and wanted to be a family!

 

Me: Sure, when she thought her husband was dead and she was free and clear to move on with her life, for better or worse.

 

Patrick: He doesn't even remember her!

 

Me: Yeah, and that probably hurts a hell of a lot more than say, if one's spouse returns from the dead and the second you see them you both fall into the other's arms and share a passionately desperate kiss that's been over two years delayed.

 

Patrick: Does it really matter if Jason isn't dead??

 

Me: YES IT FUCKING MATTERS, YOU JACKWAD!

 

Sam was trying to get over dead!Jason haunting her and holding her heart captive; she made a real, if not shortsighted, effort to put the past in the past and press ahead towards a future with Patrick.

 

She didn't sacrifice a virgin's soul to bring Jason back from the dead in some secret ritual, she had nothing to do with that. She is trying to handle a husband who doesn't remember her/doesn't want her, a son that now has "two Daddies", a little girl she was supposed to Mommy, and her own mixed up feelings about all of it.

 

Personally I feel as if she's been rushed, not just by Patrick but Jason as well, as if she should be capable of making these super snappy decisions within hours or days at the longest and it just isn't reasonable, imho. And she might be more willing to just "move out" if two kids weren't at the center of this clusterfuck as well.

 

Sam is in the ultimate lose/lose situation, whatever decision/s she makes will impact innocent lives in some way which isn't ideal, which will be hurtful, perhaps even harmful.

 

When Patrick goes on that he just doesn't "get" why Sam is so hung up on the idea that Liz might have known Jason's true identity for months and kept it a secret, I just want him clobbered over his stupid mullet hair covered head with a two by four.

 

It's right in front of his face and yet he chooses to be woefully ignorant and childish about it.

 

If Sam had known back then there's no way she would have taken things as far with Patrick, and Emma, as she did. She could have backed off and reevaluated everything, and so could have Patrick honestly.

 

There would have been no marriage proposal, she could have held Danny back from further bonding with Patrick as his daddy substitute and the same with her and Emma. She could have prevented a lot of unnecessary pain and confusion if only she knew the truth back then.

 

But Patrick supposedly doesn't get it? No, imo, it's he who wants his cake and to eat it too out of this. He shouts at Sam about not getting over the very thing that could have avoided their current terrible situation, but if that were the case then he never would have had the chance to make Sam his wife in the first place.

 

Sam has every right to be furious that Liz played god with everyone's lives in doing what she did, in stopping a potential reunion between Sam and Jason before either of them was joined at the hip (engaged) to their current partners, which would have also ended her relationship with Patrick.

 

But yet he isn't upset over that himself? He'd rather bury his head in the sand and actually suggest to Sam it isn't that "big of a deal"? That she should have left Liz and Jason to their business so they can just get on with things as usual, before the reveal?

 

But of course he does all of that, because Patrick is a lot of things but an idiot isn't one of them and he is well aware that he had his chance with Sam solely because Jason was dead, not off on some adventure time, not pursuing some mobster business a million miles away, not due to divorce or a separation, Jason was out of Sam's life "for good" and that's why he even got a shot with her.

 

That he wants to carry on so because his little fairy-tale bubble has been popped and reality has cold clocked him isn't something he needs to, or has a right to, hold against her.

 

And I say all of this doubly so because Patrick went through this himself.

 

The two situations aren't identical exactly, but they're certainly similar where it matters most: when the love of a person's life is suddenly standing in front of them again alive and well and the world that was built up around their untimely death implodes into bits and pieces all around them without any way to put it back together again.

[HeatLifer]

KeMo has been a rock star since the reveal. Just killing it on the daily. Good for her!

[Oracle42]

I'm pretty sure that I mainly like Sam because KeMo makes her more likable than she has any right to be

[HeatLifer]

Ha. I mostly love KeMo, too. Sam is my boo when she's a bitch.

[dubbel zout]

How is Jason pressuring Sam? He couldn't care less about their past relationship. I can't believe the show has kept them apart like this. Well, I can, it's TFGH to put the emphasis on the wrong syllable, as it were.

[HeatLifer]

I would agree that Sam is 100% being written as a good guy right now, but I guess the problem I'm having is why that's wrong or bad.

For me, it's not about it being wrong or bad. It's just boring. And it's not compelling television. I like flaws. And grey areas. But these writers only know extremes. Good or bad. Right or wrong.

I don't believe she will never be written as doing something bad again.

I mean, who knows. But I'll be shocked if she's ever written like Liz was this past year. Keeping children and loved ones from a character because it's "her time." Agreeing to essentially murder a woman to keep a man, etc.

And like I said, at the end of the day I think it really does all just come down to who you like and/or don't like.

Oh, for sure. But that's not what it's about for me in this particular discussion. I was just pointing out how Liz and Sam have been written/how the writers portray them minus how I feel about their characters. Or I tried to.

[Oracle42]

What consequences did Sam face when she screwed up? She got a brand new love interest in Lucky, no one but Liz, Jason and Lucky ever found out about what she did, and Lucky barely cared. 

 

 

She lost her job, she wrecked her relationship with her mother (though she was able to work to get it back), she and Jason didn't have a non-hostile conversation for 2 years and Lucky broke up with her. Though Lucky/Sam did get back together he eventually dumped her. And the only people who know about Liz's DNA shenanigans are Jason, Spinelli and Sam.

 

 

 

Liz never got to confront her, and Jason yelled at her, but then rushed to her rescue the next day. She then got a huge whitewash by saving Jake from the Russians, and she then got Jason and her happy little family back. Even now, no one is allowed to mention what she did to Jake, but all of Liz's evil deeds are mentioned, and thrown in her face.. 

 

She and Liz had multiple confrontations and Liz was still giving her attitude about Jake when Sam got upset about her child being kept from her, kidnapped and dangled off the hospital roof. Sam and Jason were on bad terms for years. And I think saving Jake was less a whitewash than part of a redemption - which is what writers are supposed to do. Though for me, the point when she stopped blaming other people for her actions, showed actual remorse, stopped acting like a crazy person and stopped making the same mistakes was just as important. She and Jason reconciled 3 years later - it wasn't immediate or automatic.

Liz just stopped lying about Jason this month - not last year or a decade ago. 

 

 

Even now, Sabrina actually got to do something bad and wrong, while Sam hasn't been wrong or done anything bad in years. She is always the poor victim of everyone else.

 

Aside from Sonny, most characters go for fairly significant periods of time without doing anything especially heinous

Edited January 13, 2016 by Oracle42