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Episode Discussion: TFGH


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1 minute ago, TeeVee329 said:

I get that it's different stories and different writers and different motivations, but is anyone else annoyed Alexis' alcoholism gets tearful, Emmy bait scenes while AJ's alcoholism gets dismissed at weakness from a fatty?  

I would be annoyed if Alexis and AJ's stories would be the only two such stories on the show. So it was annoying AJ's alcoholism was treated with contempt, but not annoyed that they're not treating Alexis' that way (although the story does annoy me for different reasons.) AJ's alcoholism was pretty much the only one on this show that was treated that way. 

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I think there was a sense of contempt for Lucky's drug/alcohol addiction, especially when Greg Vaughan was in the role, though it wasn't treated the same way as AJ's story.

I love how Sonny always sneers at AJ's addiction. Yet more hypocrisy on his part. I don't think he's an alcoholic, but he certainly has self-medicated with booze quite a bit. And then with Luke...I know a lot of that was Geary, but the show has given the impression over the years that our cool, manly antiheroes get to have a drink in their hands at all times, but actual alcoholics are losers and moral failures.

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Also, fuck Julian for being the one to help Alexis when he's the reason her drunk ass is an instant alcoholic. And fuck him again for not having Freako murdered.

I don't understand why all of the camera face time is being allotted to Franco.  I just don't get the fascination with the character or the actor.  Roho is a better actor than MB, but that isn't exactly a tough hurdle to clear.

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8 minutes ago, sunnyface said:

I don't understand why all of the camera face time is being allotted to Franco.  I just don't get the fascination with the character or the actor.  Roho is a better actor than MB, but that isn't exactly a tough hurdle to clear.

MB used to be better. If the writers insist on keeping RoHo front and center on the show, he-- with all his weird acting choices -- will become MB.

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45 minutes ago, sunnyface said:

I don't understand why all of the camera face time is being allotted to Franco.  I just don't get the fascination with the character or the actor.  Roho is a better actor than MB, but that isn't exactly a tough hurdle to clear.

 

34 minutes ago, rur said:

MB used to be better. If the writers insist on keeping RoHo front and center on the show, he-- with all his weird acting choices -- will become MB.

At least MB doesn't look like a dirty, homeless, heroin addicted, rapist serial killer onscreen. And him eating in scenes isn't a "thing". And he isn't involved in any "wacky high jinks" like wrapping himself up in bubble wrap, which the writers and probably the actor think are funny but are actually extremely lame, pathetic, and highly annoying. 

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19 hours ago, Melgaypet said:

I think there was a sense of contempt for Lucky's drug/alcohol addiction, especially when Greg Vaughan was in the role, though it wasn't treated the same way as AJ's story.

I love how Sonny always sneers at AJ's addiction. Yet more hypocrisy on his part. I don't think he's an alcoholic, but he certainly has self-medicated with booze quite a bit. And then with Luke...I know a lot of that was Geary, but the show has given the impression over the years that our cool, manly antiheroes get to have a drink in their hands at all times, but actual alcoholics are losers and moral failures.

 

The difference is that AJ and addict!Lucky were up against Jason. The funny thing is AJ and Lucky had stronger psychological/physical reasons to drink than Alexis. As explained by BW, AJ had obsessive compulsive disorder (which is why him going into panic attacks when he returned made sense as he was no longer drinking) and Lucky got hooked after being on pain pills prescribed by a doctor. 

10 hours ago, LeftPhalange said:

 

At least MB doesn't look like a dirty, homeless, heroin addicted, rapist serial killer onscreen. And him eating in scenes isn't a "thing". And he isn't involved in any "wacky high jinks" like wrapping himself up in bubble wrap, which the writers and probably the actor think are funny but are actually extremely lame, pathetic, and highly annoying. 

 

For all MB's crappy acting now, he more or less earned his place. Say what you will about Sleeves and the Gummie Bear Mobster, but they did play a pretty big role in raising GH ratings and were a bonafide Supercouple, unlike the aughts to the present where that word is tossed around a lot. He earned his place on the show (just not the continued leading man role more appropriate for someone half his age). Franco, on the other hand is someone that the show is trying to force down everyone throat. So while Sonny and Brenda played out their relationship for years as the OTP even when they were with other people, Franco has switched his devotion 3 times since he came on the show only a few years ago. 

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Maurice Benard may have earned his place; the problem is, in the Guza years, he had his place and about six other people's. It isn't as egregious now as it was then, but still...not 1998 anymore, General Hospital. Howarth-as-Franco is something that isn't really working, in my opinion, and wasn't a good idea in the first place, but this isn't as soul-crushing as that was at its worst.   

I don't know how widely held this opinion is, but I find MB/Sonny and Laura Wright/Carly a little easier to deal with as the parents of adult children than I did when they (and, oh God, especially the Tamara Braun Carly) were in the previous phase, i.e., pretty much all of the aughts. 

Edited by Asp Burger
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2 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

Maurice Benard may have earned his place; the problem is, in the Guza years, he had his place and about six other people's. It isn't as egregious now as it was then, but still...not 1998 anymore, General Hospital. Howarth-as-Franco is something that isn't really working, in my opinion, and wasn't a good idea in the first place, but this isn't as soul-crushing as that was at its worst.   

I don't know how widely held this opinion is, but I find MB/Sonny and Laura Wright/Carly a little easier to deal with as the parents of adult children than I did when they (and, oh God, especially the Tamara Braun Carly) were in the previous phase, i.e., pretty much all of the aughts. 

They still have more story than their kids though. We're still that phase, although less intense. Take a TG deal Mr Benaaaaard.

Sonny was off the show in 1998, except for a quick drive by. ;) obviously I get what you mean though. 

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Sonny could be and probably should be in jail, where his story could be severely curtailed. He wouldn't be able to meet openly with his cronies there, or have sexy times with Carly, or be suspected of having indulged in a sexy time affair with Nelle. He wouldn't be able to babysit or visit intimately with his kids, especially the baby Avery. No family holiday parties and noshes. By letting Sonny live at home with an ankle bracelet, the show gets to have lots of exposure for MB's character.  Since they've been in jail elsewhere, neither Paul Hornsby nor Sean have storytime on GH, except as references in conversations.

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6 hours ago, ulkis said:

They [Sonny and Carly] still have more story than their kids though.

It's a huge problem, though it's one across most of the soaps, that story isn't being ceded to the younger generations.  Not that characters need to be put out to pasture when they hit a certain age, but it's insane that Michael or Kristina* aren't driving story in any real way.  

* And how pathetic that there is no non-Corinthos to point to as a young lead, siiigh.

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I think Kiki as a young co-lead would be OK, but she is effectively the only young lead and that is just insane. I like Kiki at this point just fine, but she shouldn't be the only 20-something with a story of their own.

Actually, who even are the 20-somethings on the show? Kiki, Kristina, and Michael. And I guess Dillon, even though I think he should probably be in the 30 group with Lulu and co. Oh and Valerie, but she's a non-entity. Are Brad and Lucas 20-something? They're invisible anyway so it doesn't matter.

This made me realize that I have no idea how old any of the characters are supposed to be lol.

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22 minutes ago, Michel said:

Which, for some people like myself, is just fine.

My Kiki hate aside, @peachmangosteen is right. There is zero reason why she should be the only female younger lead getting attention. And really, I'd say she's the only younger character female or male getting attention. Dillon only exists to be her love interest, Morgan is *dead*, Kristina/Molly/TJ are MIA, and Michael is only here to prop Nelly and tell Carly to get back with Sonny.

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1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

Actually, who even are the 20-somethings on the show? Kiki, Kristina, and Michael. And I guess Dillon, even though I think he should probably be in the 30 group with Lulu and co. Oh and Valerie, but she's a non-entity. Are Brad and Lucas 20-something? They're invisible anyway so it doesn't matter

I wouldn't say so. They've both been doctors for a while.

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Yeah, in my eyes, Lucas is in the same age bracket as his cousins, although you'd probably have to explain to Jelly very slowly how Maxie and Lulu are his cousins.

It's ridiculous how bad the 20-something group is.  I mean, that's why you have things like Kiki's best friend being Franco, she has no relationship with anyone her own age that she's not fucking/going to fuck.  Same with Michael, he has zero friends, let alone one his own age.  Because too much of their lives/stories have to focus on their elders - Sonny, Carly, Franco, etc.

Edited by TeeVee329
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2 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

Because too much of their lives/stories have to focus on their elders - Sonny, Carly, Franco, etc.

Michael desperately needs a story that isn't about his family somehow. Too bad the clinic idea was dropped. Does he still own the brownstone? I wouldn't mind seeing him get more involved in PC real estate. He could help save GH from the clutches of the evil developer Julian is involved with. (Is that Angry!Hands or someone else?) He'd interact with his family, but he wouldn't the family wouldn't be his main purpose.

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36 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Michael desperately needs a story that isn't about his family somehow. Too bad the clinic idea was dropped. Does he still own the brownstone? I wouldn't mind seeing him get more involved in PC real estate. He could help save GH from the clutches of the evil developer Julian is involved with. (Is that Angry!Hands or someone else?) He'd interact with his family, but he wouldn't the family wouldn't be his main purpose.

Don't think so . . . they turned the brownstone into Liz's house. They still have Crappy Old Spencer House Where Only the Basement Exploded, so maybe he can still turn that into a clinic.

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4 hours ago, Michel said:

Which, for some people like myself, is just fine.

Why? I don't mean that in a snarky way, and you don't have to answer, people like who they like and no one has to justify their opinions, but I am genuinely curious. From my perspective, there's no there there, nothing to like.

Even if I liked Kiki, I would still agree with those who think it's ridic that she's the only female lead in her age range. I hate to sound like a broken record, but where are the Baldwin girls?

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14 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

Maurice Benard may have earned his place; the problem is, in the Guza years, he had his place and about six other people's. It isn't as egregious now as it was then, but still...not 1998 anymore, General Hospital. Howarth-as-Franco is something that isn't really working, in my opinion, and wasn't a good idea in the first place, but this isn't as soul-crushing as that was at its worst.   

I don't know how widely held this opinion is, but I find MB/Sonny and Laura Wright/Carly a little easier to deal with as the parents of adult children than I did when they (and, oh God, especially the Tamara Braun Carly) were in the previous phase, i.e., pretty much all of the aughts. 

 

Maybe "earned" the wrong word or no longer correct, but there was a time Sonny was an asset to the show. He was actually one of my favorite characters in the 90s, the huge problem was that JFP had no idea how to deal with trends or make the show progressive like Wendy Riche, so Guza was given carte blanche to promote Jason and Sonny. However for many years, Sonny wasn't forced on the audience. He was given screen time because his stories were resonating with the audience, not TPTB's sick need to make a suck character popular. Yes, I realize there were the Katherine Bells & Lily Riverias, but they were used largely as spoilers, and neither one of them were murderers.  I think Franco is not having the same impact as Sonny did in the 90s, but they aren't willing to cut him lose and now the show has lost a well connected character played by one of the better recasts in GH recent history (Paul Hornsby) in order to keep Franco. We can appreciate Sonny and even Jason for what they once meant to General Hospital, but Franco really has meant nothing and in fact gutted a part of GH so he can be there. 

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I do not understand this narrative the show's trying to sell that Michael is going to teach Nelle how to have fun, how to loosen up and enjoy life, etc.  That's not really Michael at all, nor do I think that utilizes what Chad Duell is good at.

What was the point of the "shenanigans" with Maxie and Nathan?  They were even more pointless this time than last time.

Sam, stop being such a dishrag.

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Poor downtrodden Nelle needs to STFU. How dare she act like she's had it worse Michael just because she was poor and he isn't? I'm not sure why Michael even bothers getting through to her, because she's exactly the type of sad sack who will always moan about the world being against her. And she's got a good thing going with Carly, an opportunity to make money and connections and to better herself, but it's all going to amount to nothing because her ultimate goal is revenge. Ugh, I hate her.

I'm not feeling Imposter Spinnelli. The oatmeal I ate this morning had more warmth and charisma than this dude.

How lovely, now innocent baby Leo is going to be in danger thanks to Julian. General Hospital, always giving the people what they want.

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Wow, an Olivia sighting.

I enjoyed the camouflaging of KMcC's and ER's pregnancies. See, Show? It's not that hard!

Nina's dress is a great color, but is the bandage style still a thing? 

Lulu, maybe put aside your animus of Nina and think about Maxie for once, huh? Today isn't about you or your stupid baby rabies.

NuSpinelli tried, but another actor in the role really shows (at least IMO) what a singular job BA does.

3 minutes ago, backhometome said:

I much prefer Jasam with Curtis to Sonny. He sucks. BM clicks more with Curtis. 

I agree. Sonny and Jason feel very done.

Edited by dubbel zout
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3 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I agree. Sonny and Jason feel very done.

I don't think they are. I think all this "I choose my family" stuff from Jason will be BS. They've had this same convo multiple times. If it was actually done, they would have ended it in one scene and not discussed it again.

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5 minutes ago, HeatLifer said:

I don't think they are.

I don't think Sonny and Jason are done, either, but they feel done to me. That's what I was saying. The chemistry with MB and BM isn't there the way it was with MB and SBu. This would be the perfect time to shake up the Sonny/Jason relationship for good, and by that I mean keep them apart professionally. But it won't happen because these writers have no desire to do anything remotely interesting.

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5 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I don't think Sonny and Jason are done, either, but they feel done to me. That's what I was saying. The chemistry with MB and BM isn't there the way it was with MB and SBu. This would be the perfect time to shake up the Sonny/Jason relationship for good, and by that I mean keep them apart professionally. But it won't happen because these writers have no desire to do anything remotely interesting.

Oh, I got you. The actors don't have chemistry, I totally agree on that.

I wouldn't mind Jason/Sonny being done business-wise, but I also can't ever accept (and I think it's laughable) that Jason has become the Good Guy Town Cop. And I certainly think it's hilarious that JaSam walk around like this perfect couple. Something needs to be shaken up. 

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3 minutes ago, HeatLifer said:

Something needs to be shaken up. 

So, so badly do things need to be shaken up.

Jordan's dress was great. Her antagonism toward Curtis, though, was not. It's so tired and boring. Hook them up, give them a working relationship, do something with them besides Jordan constantly sniping at him. Ugh.

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Here's some advice, Sonny: TELL CARLY YOU SLEPT WITH NELLE. The longer you wait, the more it's going to hurt everyone. This non-story is so aggravating. 

I hate that ruffled cape Maxie is wearing. Her dress is a little princessy for what I'd think Maxie would wear, too.

Ugh, Nelle and her "woe is me, I grew up poor" whining. She's not exactly on government assistance right now. Everything she has since she moved to Port Charles has been given to her, practically on a silver platter. Shut up, Nelle.

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11 minutes ago, LeftPhalange said:

There needs to be a Mob War That Changes Everything and all of the characters I have no use for are murdered. 

No! We'd have three characters left. :p

55 minutes ago, HeatLifer said:

This show really couldn't allow Sam to be at Maxie's wedding? 

Jelly hate friendships and scenes that don't further a plot point. Can't wait till they win an Emmy for Best Drama!

Were you too busy writing your Robin/Dante/Sam fic to notice that Nathan was pouring his heart out to Dante?!

I agree that BA is unique in the role of Spinelli, but I think the poor guy who they used to recast him probably had zero time to research the role. The way he said "Maximista!" sounded the way you would say "ay caramba!" I thought he looked nice in that coat, so at least there was that. It did make me wonder though, they couldn't even re-write the first lines? The familiar face exchange would have been good if it was actually BA. I can't believe the one time they have a recast they have that exchange lol.

The Julian Rudge scenes were so bad. "That's how you've been controlling me all along, isn't it? You've been threatening my family!" Yes, sure, "all along". It was so obviously ret-conned, they might as well have had Julian reading from a piece of paper.

I like Robin and Lulu bopping bouquets. 

1 hour ago, HeatLifer said:

Sam: I'm OK with everything and anything you do, Jason.

Me: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Sorry, I know I'm quoting the same post twice, but I meant to expand - I know there are some people who say well Sam has changed, she has kids now, she thought she lost Jason, etc etc, except I haven't really felt that on screen. So if she said anything besides "I'm okay with anything you do" in regards to anything except a) Jason cheating on her b) Jason hurting someone she cares about, I'd kinda call bullshit on it. If they want to show that she's changed, they should start now. Have Jason say well he might think about it and Sam says "okay" but then she slowly starts realizing she's not, has flashbacks of the dock and roll, etc.

Olivia: Leo!

Audience: :struggling to remember baby we saw about twice on screen over a year ago.

Michael should have punched Nelle in the face when she was like, "well it's easier for you to get over it, you grew up in the lap of luxury." What the hell? His brother just exploded a couple of months ago! Nelle knows this!

Nelle reminds me of Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both blah characters. At any moment I expect Nelle's super stereotypical hick family to show up and be like, "we's a-gonna take you from these rich folk Nellie-girl" and Carly, Sonny, Joss, and Michael step around her and reply, "no, Nelle's mean family! We're her real family now!" And then Nelle and Michael dance and float on the air instead of actually kissing, because that's how sexual they are.

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1 hour ago, TeeVee329 said:

I do not understand this narrative the show's trying to sell that Michael is going to teach Nelle how to have fun, how to loosen up and enjoy life, etc.  That's not really Michael at all, nor do I think that utilizes what Chad Duell is good at.

What was the point of the "shenanigans" with Maxie and Nathan?  They were even more pointless this time than last time.

Sam, stop being such a dishrag.

Yeah, Michael just lost Morgan and Sabrina, he should be punching everyone in the face and his love interest right now should be helping him, not the other way around. 

I don't mind the shenanigans. I think the show needs more moments for moments' sake, instead of everything just being for a plot point.

What the hell was with that thing Maxie wore over her dress though.

ETA: Sorry about the two posts, I was having technical difficulties. The site randomly wouldn't let me use my enter key.

Edited by ulkis
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1 minute ago, ulkis said:

At any moment I expect Nelle's super stereotypical hick family to show up and be like, "we's a-gonna take you from these rich folk Nellie-girl" and Carly, Sonny, Joss, and Michael step around her and reply, "no, Nelle's mean family! We're her real family now!"

Carly: You're dealing with all of us.

Bobbie: Except me. 

Carly: Except my mom.

Bobbie: I don't care what happens.

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@ulkis My problem is an overall issue with the fact that Jason and Sam have NO PROBLEMS, NO ISSUES, NO FIGHTS, NO SERIOUS DILEMMAS OR ISSUES TO SOLVE BETWEEN THEM. Sorry, I'm yelling. This isn't about Sam changing or not changing with regards to the mob. It's the fact that they should both be written off this show if they're unable to do anything but say "Yes, honey. You're right, honey." And it's irrelevant to me if they were "always like this." 

7 minutes ago, ulkis said:

Were you too busy writing your Robin/Dante/Sam fic to notice that Nathan was pouring his heart out to Dante?!

Robin was so precious and giddy today. 

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Kiki being a lead anything is a major issue with this show.  GH has plenty of females in the young category like Molly, Kristina, Serena and Christina Baldwin, and Anna Donnelly that should be driving story, but FV and Varni are more concerned with their own creations, pets and gets.  The role of Kiki should have left town with KA.  Why does Ava rate having two on screen children and the show refuses to rebuild the Hardy/Webber, Quartermaine, Cassadine, Jones/Spencer legacy families?

How many times is this show going to retcon their own writing, instead of standing by their story?  We SAW Julian going after Alexis and know he tried to kill her during the Carlos not dead story.  We SAW Anna kill Carlos in cold blood and the show tried to change it that the man was alive the entire time.  Bull shit.  We SAW Franco terrorize Jason, Sam, Carly, Josslyn, Lulu, Maxie, Aiden, et al and the show tried to rewrite the crap when RoHo took over the role.  It does.not.work.  

Why anyone would want Alexis back with Julian after he tried to slice her throat, Sam back with Jason after he threatened to kill her, and Elizabeth anywhere near Franco after he kidnapped Aiden with his psychotic ass makes me wonder about soap operas and their fans in 2017!

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2 hours ago, HeatLifer said:

@ulkis My problem is an overall issue with the fact that Jason and Sam have NO PROBLEMS, NO ISSUES, NO FIGHTS, NO SERIOUS DILEMMAS OR ISSUES TO SOLVE BETWEEN THEM. Sorry, I'm yelling. This isn't about Sam changing or not changing with regards to the mob. It's the fact that they should both be written off this show if they're unable to do anything but say "Yes, honey. You're right, honey." And it's irrelevant to me if they were "always like this." 

Robin was so precious and giddy today. 

I love it!  I love that JaSam are lint in a clothes dryer, because this fucking show trashed Elizabeth and Nik for no reason at all!  Love or hate Liason and JaSam; there was plenty of story to be mimed from Jake Doe reeling from the news that he WAS indeed the mobster Jason Morgan and had to deal with all of his memories and the choices that he made for over two decades.  Elizabeth, Sam, Robin, Patrick, Nik, Q's and the kids should have all been trying to cope with the news that Jason was under their very nose for over a year and how that impacted their lives.  But, no, this show thought it was best to make Elizabeth lie and obsesses over a man that she HAS walked away from more than once, instead of writing a compelling soap opera dealing with family drama.  Ass.hats.

Edited by Darklazr
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21 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

Carly: You're dealing with all of us.

Bobbie: Except me. 

Carly: Except my mom.

Bobbie: I don't care what happens.

Hee. I forgot about that part.

19 minutes ago, HeatLifer said:

@ulkis My problem is an overall issue with the fact that Jason and Sam have NO PROBLEMS, NO ISSUES, NO FIGHTS, NO SERIOUS DILEMMAS OR ISSUES TO SOLVE BETWEEN THEM. Sorry, I'm yelling. This isn't about Sam changing or not changing with regards to the mob. It's the fact that they should both be written off this show if they're unable to do anything but say "Yes, honey. You're right, honey." And it's irrelevant to me if they were "always like this." 

Robin was so precious and giddy today. 

I got you. I should have clarified it I meant the whole "well if Sam has a problem with the mob now" thing as a general response to comments I've seen, not to you specifically.

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20 minutes ago, ulkis said:

I got you. I should have clarified it I meant the whole "well if Sam has a problem with the mob now" thing as a general response to comments I've seen, not to you specifically.

Heeeee.

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53 minutes ago, Darklazr said:

Serena and Christina Baldwin, and Anna Donnelly that should be driving story, but FV and Varni are more concerned with their own creations, pets and gets.

We haven't seen those young women in so long that there is a ton of room for creating the roles. And let's face it, it's not as if existing history matters with these writers. I don't understand why we're getting duds like Nelle (sorry, Chloe Lanier! You deserve better!) instead of women with genuine ties to the canvas who would also work as love interests for Michael.

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Sonny acting like HIS "lifestyle" had nothing to do with Morgan's death (or, should I say, "death") while Julian's is the root of all evil will never not piss me off.  The continued absolution of Sonny and Jason's criminal activities will never not be pathetic.  And forever rolling my eyes at Sam's change of heart, re Jason going back to work for Sonny.  God forbid a woman doesn't support that!

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