Episode Discussion: TFGH

[dubbel zout]

Dante is pulling focus from Sonny. Of course Sonny is upset.

[ulkis]

Have either of Dante's parents mentioned and/or asked him how he's doing since his tree partner got killed?

(I'm being mostly sarcastic because I'm pretty sure they haven't, but it's a genuine question since I could have missed a scene.)

Edited March 20, 2018 by ulkis

[TeeVee329]

1 hour ago, FireSpark said:

I've been SO done with his lame, same old OTT cringe inducing shtick that's been his "acting style" for the past 18 years. 

For me, it's the eating thing.  I mean, scripting that Drew was carrying around a bunch of candy bars or whatever because Roger Howarth needs to be eating something on-screen at all times?  C'mon. 

[Melgaypet]

3 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

I was thinking that too about Kiki really having no one to talk to about this.  And I also thought it kinda sucks for her there's no female doctor around Griffin or Lucas' (who?) age who could be a role model for her and someone she could go to before she got higher-ups like Monica involved.

The last person I want involved in this, I'll say right now, is Franco.

 

2 hours ago, ulkis said:

What about Liz?

You forgot to mention that if Britt were around she would be a good choice. You're slipping!

If only Emily hadn’t been killed off. Or Georgie. Or if Serena was around. Or if Christina Baldwin’s existence wasn’t like Scroedinger’s cat.

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, ulkis said:

Have either of Dante's parents mentioned and/or asked him how he's doing since his tree partner got killed?

(I'm being mostly sarcastic because I'm pretty sure they haven't, but it's a genuine question since I could have missed a scene.)

Nathan dying wasn't about Sonny and Carly, so they probably don't even know he's dead.

[rur]

1 hour ago, FireSpark said:

I miss the good 'ol days when Roger Howarth … Most of all he knew what the word SUBTLY meant and how to portray it on screen.

This is one of my bigger problems with him. Three out of every five days that he's on, he spits out his lines as if a)he doesn't believe them, b)he's delivering them sardonically, or c) he thinks he sounds far more clever and witty than he really does. Then, the other two days, if he attempts some layered work (and this story has some opportunities for it) what could be powerful falls flat because of the crap he's been putting out on the other days because there hasn't been a slow, subtle buildup to an emotional revelation.  It irritates me that he can't bother to keep  his own dang character consistent.

[Cheyanne11]

What are the odds that Sam and Liz will not have to be rescued by Jason in their attempt to rescue Drew and Franco?  Seriously, all I want out of that conclusion is for it NOT to include Saint Jason.

[Hater]

9 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

What are the odds that Sam and Liz will not have to be rescued by Jason in their attempt to rescue Drew and Franco?  Seriously, all I want out of that conclusion is for it NOT to include Saint Jason.

I don't think Lassie is coming to the rescue this time.  Drew's "instincts" kick in tomorrow.

[Ladyrain]

3 hours ago, Auntie Velvet said:

For that reason, I really appreciated the comic relief from what I'm pretty sure was the unintentional pun with Jordan and Curtis, when one of them said something regarding evidence like "We still need something concrete!"  

I know!  Lol.  When he/she said the word "concrete", I repeated the word and started snickering like Beavis and Butthead.

 

3 hours ago, Hater said:

Much rather see Franco and Drew together than any Carson and Lassie.

I'd much rather see Franco and Drew together than Franco and Elizabeth.  That is the creepiest couple since Faison was hitting on Anna.  When RH and Becky get all lovey-dovey I actually have to look away.  It doesn't help that he looks old enough to be her father (although they're probably closer in age IRL).

[Box305]

Wait, so Greg Evigan might be a child molester and James DePaiva is a sexual harasser? 

Goddamn it, show. Ruining my 70s and 80s crushes. Now I don't want to watch. 

Edited March 24, 2018 by Box305
Spelling

[Oracle42]

What's the point of making the evil land developer an evil child molester? 

[Bringonthedrama]

2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Nathan dying wasn't about Sonny and Carly, so they probably don't even know he's dead.

I don't think S&C have had a one-on-one conversation where Dante was mentioned since Nathan's death. Their only interest in Dante is how he can serve their own interests; not sure Sonny even remembers that Nathan was Dante's partner at the PCPD, not to mention his best friend. Sonny had a lame line acknowledging Maxie's pain when Anna said the baby is Maxie's reason to keep going. 

I would think Olivia (prior to the earthquake) would be showing up a big plate of lasagna for Dante as he's mourning Nathan.  It's so strange to me that Carly had a brief scene with Nina and then Nina and Maxie about Nathan's death, but co-owner Olivia who is close to son Dante and DIL Lulu, who also knows Maxie (well after that awful surrogate storyline), doesn't seem to  acknowledge Nathan's death or show concern for Dante.

[ciarra]

20 minutes ago, Oracle42 said:

What's the point of making the evil land developer an evil child molester? 

Rehabbing Franco's unredeemable character.

[haje]

I'm catching up on all my soaps recently and this show is clearly trying to push Peter/Maxie and I'm baffled as to why the show hasn't decided to do a slow burn Dante pairing with her instead. That could be a real interesting, soapy romance but instead they're pushing her with some dude she barely knows but then again this show has always missed the mark when it comes to Maxie pairings. And even if they don't want to go there romantically, she and Dante should at least be bonding over their grief for Nathan and yet.. nothing. 

Edited March 21, 2018 by haje

[P3pp3rb1rd]

9 hours ago, Blackie said:

I thought how they were showing Dr Bensch  grooming Kiki was pretty realistic

Agreed. He is really trying hard to groom her with the special attention, the book, and now the Shadow Prize. But he is almost going over the top, so she's suspicious. I don't like Kiki  because I feel that she does presume a bit too much about her entitlement at times, even as she knows she can't instantly ace the material like a brainiac. She isn't breaking into a sweat and panic attacks like she should be on this super fast-track. If the sugarcoating continues, she will get more entitled or overconfident. Bensch, Obrecht, Monica Q, Robin (on visits) and the other docs need to put some criticism in and more pressure just to make the situation more real for Keeks. Shadowing is a marvelous learning opportunity, but if she is granted that perk Kiki should have to walk the walk and talk the talk.  

[Oracle42]

2 hours ago, ciarra said:

2 hours ago, Oracle42 said:

What's the point of making the evil land developer an evil child molester? 

Rehabbing Franco's unredeemable character.

Well sure, that's Liz's entire reason for being at  this point. But how is this story supposed to accomplish that?

[seasons]

Kiki should go to Epiphany for help.

Dr. Bensch would be walking funny for days.

[Asp Burger]

It wouldn't be the first time this show has head-faked on what seemed to be a child-molestation storyline. Remember when we got what seemed like months of Laura remembering shadowy attics and thunder and lightning, and Rick saying "Shh! Shh! Don't cry!" or whatever the line was, and the entire fan community was rolling its eyes that Guza and Pratt were going to go there with an established character like Rick, and even recycle the Alison story from Melrose Place that one of them had written? Then they made a left turn, and the big family secret was that Lil" Laura had offed Rick's mistress. (I think. Whatever revelation led to Rick's death and made Laura the Wig on a Stick for several years. It was a bad story and I'm pleased not to remember the details.) 

Tuesday's show, the things I did not like: Jordan is constantly bad at the listening side of law enforcement. No matter who's writing, or which character is pleading for her help, she's sullen, dismissive, and unhelpful until someone practically draws her a diagram. It's long past old. And Sam and Elizabeth's conversation after Harvey went back in his hotel room was badly staged and made them look dumber than they had to look. At least move six feet away from the door, ladies. I was expecting him to throw the door open and pounce on them.  

I loved almost everything else. I try not to get too excited about it when there's a good show, because occasionally there is one, and they're happening a little more often lately, and then there are going to be duds. However, I loved all of the following: Dominic Zamprogna's wonderful listening and reacting in Dante's scenes with Mike and Sonny.  MB even had a couple of good beats in there, with his pride in Dante, especially the one when Dante just quietly said "Olivia" instead of "Mike! Don't you remember Olivia is my mother?" Dante gets it. I thought both James DePaiva and Hayley Erin did really well with delicate material in the scene in Bentsch's office, and I really liked the touch of Kiki seeing all the degrees and honors around the office. It was an example of direction complementing a good performance. I really like the current rapport and the unspoken things between Franco and Drew, and both actors are doing some of their best work on GH in their scenes together. I loved Elizabeth's ability to lie convincingly being used for good. She sold her story well to Jim Harvey, and Rebecca Herbst sold Elizabeth selling it well.  

I even loved some of Sonny's dialogue, and there was a line that was so true. It was something like "You're telling me he's going to be moody and difficult and [et cetera], and there's going to be a day when I look back and I was glad I had that." That's exactly how it is. Every stage makes you wistful for the last one. It's almost too perceptive for Sonny.  I wish that line had been turned around and delivered by Stella yesterday, when she was explaining what they were in for.  I do think MB is the weakest link acting-wise in this story, but I feel that the toxicity of the Sonny character (which for me is more about his history than how he's acting in this particular story) is the only thing that might keep this from being remembered as a great General Hospital storyline. Because it's exactly what a lot of us want: it's a story that uses doctors and the hospital, and it's emotional, and it's being done frankly and with a certain amount of care. And even though it's the usual soap stretching of specialties, in that Griffin should be the guy who signs off of this case when there's no brain tumor on the scan, I really like Matt Cohen's supporting work too, and how his own short history with Sonny is playing in the background of it.  

So, yeah, by 2018 GH standards, it was almost a miraculous hour, in terms of how much of it was strong and how many actors and characters were extremely well used...and how little was bad. If this were anything close to the norm, or there were two of these episodes per week, they would really have something.  

Edited March 21, 2018 by Asp Burger

[Oracle42]

I'm really shocked that CvE is the HW delivering this GH. I realize that that is borderline insulting, but after FV/RC and FV/Jelly I was ready to just quit.  I think this is his first HW job, he's working with the constraints created by FV's bullshit and he's still managing to provide some good soap.

Edited March 22, 2018 by Oracle42

[ulkis]

12 hours ago, haje said:

I'm catching up on all my soaps recently and this show is clearly trying to push Peter/Maxie and I'm baffled as to why the show hasn't decided to do a slow burn Dante pairing with her instead. That could be a real interesting, soapy romance but instead they're pushing her with some dude she barely knows but then again this show has always missed the mark when it comes to Maxie pairings. And even if they don't want to go there romantically, she and Dante should at least be bonding over their grief for Nathan and yet.. nothing. 

There hasn't even been one scene between them, which is ridiculous. But then his own mom hasn't even mentioned him.

[dubbel zout]

4 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

Sam and Elizabeth's conversation after Harvey went back in his hotel room was badly staged and made them look dumber than they had to look. At least move six feet away from the door, ladies. I was expecting him to throw the door open and pounce on them.  

I laughed at that. Sam goes to all that trouble to get out of Harvey's room unseen only to stand in front of his door telling Elizabeth what she found. Oh, Show.

4 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

I do think MB is the weakest link acting-wise in this story, but I feel that the toxicity of the Sonny character (which for me is more about his history than how he's acting in this particular story) is the only thing that might keep this from being remembered as a great General Hospital storyline. Because it's exactly what a lot of us want: it's a story that uses doctors and the hospital, and it's emotional, and it's being done frankly and with a certain amount of care.

For me, all MB has to do is tone down his performance a bit. Stop yelling and stop putting so much resentment into the lines. If he made Sonny even a tiny bit more sympathetic, that side of the story would work so much better. Anger is fine, but it shouldn't be the only emotion Sonny has.

I'm fairly certain the child-molestation thing is so that Franco is entirely blameless for being a SERIAL KILLER. Not only did he have a tumor, he  was abused when he was younger! How else was he supposed to process all of that horror?

[Bringonthedrama]

43 minutes ago, ulkis said:

There hasn't even been one scene between them, which is ridiculous. But then his own mom hasn't even mentioned him.

Agreed. Although I would not want to see a "slow burn" between Maxie and Dante. Maxie's cop boyfriend Jesse was killed, and then there was the affair with Jesse's colleague, cop Lucky who is Lulu's brother. Maxie has slept with, or made out with/almost slept with Lulu's brother, boyfriends and guys who have been into her except for Milo and Dillon, Maxie's former BIL.  I don't need to see her get involved with Lulu's husband, too. I could possibly see Dante and Maxie remaining friends esp. because Maxie would want Dante to talk to the baby about Nathan a lot, but aside from both being close to Lulu, the only thing Dante and Maxie have in common is they've both had an affair with a Spencer family member.

[BlancheDevoreaux]

It's so refreshing having Greg Evigan on the show because he can actually act and doesn't seem completely bored on screen. I'm going to be sorry to see him go when the sacrifice him to try and get people to like Franco. I don't think there is anything they can do to make the people who hate him suddenly like him. 

[Bringonthedrama]

Watching live today - best part after Francesca's expressed desire for "simple, uncomplicated, no drama" and Michael saying not one word about Nelle in response was Nelle then crashing that so-called "first date."  Since when does Kelly's require a suit and a cocktail dress? Good for Francesca for walking away.  Michael, you can't do "uncomplicated" as long as your "Dad" and mother are in your life, even if Nelle and baby weren't an issue.

Griffin, dear, you are ridiculously naive where Ava is concerned. 

I'm wondering if now that Sam is so overjoyed that Drew is safe, kissing him like that will reinforce to her how much she loves him, and she's not really so torn about what she feels toward Jason v. Drew. 

Those brief moments of Drew by himself gave me a teensy bit of hope that maybe Franco wouldn't make it, and that Elizabeth would be free. 

[dubbel zout]

I can only roll my eyes at Nelle. Leaving the scarf out at the gallery where anyone could see? Talking aloud to her dumb fetus where anyone could overhear. This is the schemer who's supposed to bring down Carly? Puh-leeze. As usual, the show doesn't give her a decent chance.

The format of Michael's date was dumb rather than charming.

Ugh, Betsy Frank is back.

[Linny]

Francesca's lucky Nelle gave her the perfect excuse to ditch Michael, because he's bland on bland on bland dressed in a suit and tie. I was trying to keep an open mind during his date, but I just can't, he's absolutely devoid of charisma or wit.

Ava comes across as desperately pushy with Griffin and I'm starting to feel awkward for them. She really needs to ease up a little. On the plus side, I'm glad they switched out the art in her gallery, those animal paintings were actually pretty cool.

It's hard for me to buy into Betsy's frailty since she looks like the type who would have a poisoned apple hiding in her pocket, but whatever, Jim Harvey has yet another crime under his belt and we've tied up another loose end. 

It's exasperating that we got endless scenes of people talking in circles about Drew and Franco, and then they just popped up out of the blue to tell us how they escaped instead of us actually seeing it ourselves. These important actions consistently happen off-screen, and I'm sure budget constraints limit what the show can produce, but it's so boring having stuff play out like this. 

[ouinason]

Drew and Franco play so well off of each other.  I'm sure they will start being shitty again in like a day.  

 

I did love Chase's reaction to their smelly selves, and Drew's "oh, no, no, don't" moment when Sam went to him the first time and then objecting again later.  That is a man who loves his wife and want's to protect her.  :)

[dubbel zout]

12 minutes ago, Linny said:

It's exasperating that we got endless scenes of people talking in circles about Drew and Franco, and then they just popped up out of the blue to tell us how they escaped instead of us actually seeing it ourselves.

I don't need to see how they escaped, but once again, it's a giant so what? There was little to no suspense, and it's not as if we didn't already know Jim Harvey was a bad guy. I'm also annoyed all Sam and Elizabeth did was plead with various people to do something.

I wish we'd seen Drew and Franco emerge from the water while Michael and Francesca were talking. Otherwise, why are those two there? The docks are supposed to be dangerous.

[ouinason]

7 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I wish we'd seen Drew and Franco emerge from the water while Michael and Francesca were talking. Otherwise, why are those two there? The docks are supposed to be dangerous.

I was thinking that too, or at least a "WTF is that smell?" since it's gotta be lingering in the wood where they were laying.  

 

Another big difference between now Sam and before Sam as well as a difference between Jason and Drew.  Both of their reactions to the situation were "I need the cops" not "Call Sonny and/or Jason).  If nothing beyond that was achieved with these scenes, that's enough for me.  

[ciarra]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

I can only roll my eyes at Nelle. Leaving the scarf out at the gallery where anyone could see?

re: the scarf.  What, was Morgan some kind of hipster, now?  Do guys wear scarves in, what was it, early October?

[ulkis]

1 hour ago, Linny said:

Francesca's lucky Nelle gave her the perfect excuse to ditch Michael, because he's bland on bland on bland dressed in a suit and tie. I was trying to keep an open mind during his date, but I just can't, he's absolutely devoid of charisma or wit.

Ava comes across as desperately pushy with Griffin and I'm starting to feel awkward for them. She really needs to ease up a little. On the plus side, I'm glad they switched out the art in her gallery, those animal paintings were actually pretty cool.

It's exasperating that we got endless scenes of people talking in circles about Drew and Franco, and then they just popped up out of the blue to tell us how they escaped instead of us actually seeing it ourselves. These important actions consistently happen off-screen, and I'm sure budget constraints limit what the show can produce, but it's so boring having stuff play out like this. 

The scenes in Kelly's were terrible, and he should have worn a different outfit, since we see him in suits all the time, but once they got to the docks and he started awkwardly explaining the situation it was kind of cute.

Nelle is probably gonna kill Francesca. That's a new record for Michael, getting them killed before they've even dated.

Agreed, re the paintings. I liked the polar bear one.

Yeah them explaining how they got out reminded me of Cassadine Island and how they recapped how they flew in a plane. They could have at least shown them swimming underwater for a moment.

Edited March 21, 2018 by ulkis

[dubbel zout]

6 minutes ago, ulkis said:

Nelle is probably gonna kill Francesca. That's a new record for Michael, getting them killed before they've even dated.

Now that you've mentioned it, Francesca is obviously being Stanviled. 

[Asp Burger]

Francesca in the dead pool? I guess it's possible, but I thought they were positioning her as the Robin in a 20-years-later reboot of Carly/Jason/Robin. She's even a short brunette. 

Edited March 21, 2018 by Asp Burger

[ouinason]

The new girl would honestly be good for Michael.  He's been living like a 45 year old man ever since he got out of jail.  He needs to relax and live a little.

[YaddaYadda]

I thought there was some chemistry between the actors, though why would anyone wear a dress like that to Kelly's? 

Nelle is a black hole of stupid.

[Cheyanne11]

42 minutes ago, ulkis said:

Nelle is probably gonna kill Francesca. That's a new record for Michael, getting them killed before they've even dated.

 

Too bad she's not a redhead, as that would be his Triple Crown.

Though I guess "killed by a plague" would actually complete the trifecta.  He's already had one gf murdered (though nothing will ever beat "killed by a falling crane while on the phone" for a cause of death).  

[ouinason]

That reminds me, I really hope somebody in Abby's family sued the fuck out of whoever owned and operated that crane.

[nilyank]

9 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

I thought there was some chemistry between the actors, though why would anyone wear a dress like that to Kelly's? 

 

Why did Michael suggest Kelly's as a first date. They are not teenagers and he afford something more than casual dining. But then again neither he or Francesca were dressed for a date at Kelly's.

Since she walked away from Michael but told him to save her number, if she will held in the background waiting until Nelle's latest plan fizzles out and she will finally be gone from GH forever.

[Perkie]

Michael honey, you're the CEO of a giant company.  Do you think maybe you can take your date somewhere nicer than the local BLT joint, even if the place is owned by Grandma.  

[dubbel zout]

8 minutes ago, ouinason said:

That reminds me, I really hope somebody in Abby's family sued the fuck out of whoever owned and operated that crane.

I wish Sonny had been involved in that construction site, but I guess Chicago and the Midwest are small potatoes as far as mob territory goes.

6 minutes ago, Perkie said:

Michael honey, you're the CEO of a giant company.  Do you think maybe you can take your date somewhere nicer than the local BLT joint, even if the place is owned by Grandma.  

The nicer option is the restaurant at the MetroCourt, owned by Mommy.

[ouinason]

Poor Michael has very little experience dating though.  I don't think he's ever had the traditional first date.  Abby was a hooker Sam got him, Sabrina was his nanny for Avery and Nelle wasn't really a traditional start of relationship either. He hasn't really done this in years, if at all.  

 

ETA:  Kiki!  I forgot one (blocked the whole thing)  That one was him sleeping with his brother's wife who he'd thought was his cousin.  

Edited March 21, 2018 by ouinason
blackout

[ulkis]

1 hour ago, ciarra said:

re: the scarf.  What, was Morgan some kind of hipster, now?  Do guys wear scarves in, what was it, early October?

He wore it while making gingerbread houses and writing in his journal.

[Asp Burger]

10 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

The nicer option is the restaurant at the MetroCourt, owned by Mommy.

Right. Once that's ruled out, what is there? Julian's Gastropub, the Floating Rib, and (if they were up for a road trip) Gene's Branford Roadhouse (est. 1975).  

[ouinason]

They could have gone to the Haunted Star.  If it's even open.

[nilyank]

1 minute ago, Asp Burger said:

Right. Once that's ruled out, what is there? Julian's Gastropub, the Floating Rib, and (if they were up for a road trip) Gene's Branford Roadhouse (est. 1975).  

They couldn't even go to the Floating Rib as it got wrecked in the earthquake. Going to Kelly's would make sense, if they decided to grab a coffee together. Or if they were at least both dressed casually. They could have even mentioned that they just came from the movies and were now a catching a bite to eat. For cross promotion, they could have said they loved watching Black Panther on the big screen.

[ouinason]

I just assumed that Michael was coming from work.  That looked like office clothes.  

[ciarra]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

Do you think maybe you can take your date somewhere nicer than the local BLT joint

He could go to Charlie's.   "Come for the raw sewage leaks, stay for the avocado toast!"

[Sake614]

2 hours ago, ouinason said:

I just assumed that Michael was coming from work.  That looked like office clothes.  

Okay so that explains Michael. But why was Francesca wearing a cocktail dress to Kelly’s? She works as a nurse, not a hostess at an upscale restaurant!

[ouinason]

Yeah, I have no idea why Francesca was dressed that way.  Even Michael seemed surprised by it.

[nilyank]

7 minutes ago, ouinason said:

Yeah, I have no idea why Francesca was dressed that way.  Even Michael seemed surprised by it.

I wonder when she heard Michael Corinthos III and CEO asked her out on a date, she thought that he was going to take her to a nicer place. Maybe, she had never heard about Kelly's and thought it was some classy place.