Episode Discussion: TFGH

[KerleyQ]

So I saw the first 20 minutes or so before I had to leave to pick my son up from school.  Nothing I saw in that 20 minutes left me with any desire to watch the rest later.  That was a suckfest.  

 

Ron. Ron is Spencer. I really do take it that everything about Spencer is Ron. He is Ron's little mini-me. It's why I feel sorry for the kid who plays him

 

This disturbs me almost as much as when Dena Higley, in the midst of having Todd kidnapped, assaulted, raped, etc, did an interview about how she married her "Todd."  She was clearly working out some issues with her husband through her writing, and Ron seems to be trying to live vicariously through Spencer.  Maybe he should look into therapy. 

[DayPlayerAtKellys]

I'm in the middle of watching it and it feels like one of those episodes of LOST where they did all those flashbacks to wrap up a bunch of characters' side stories - characters that no one cared about at the time and really didn't when it was all over. It was kind of fun to maybe see a few bits in a different context on LOST but on GH, it's not working.

 

It IS weird that this is an episode about Felicia and she's barely in it.

 

Go away Agent Super Icky.

[Kitty Redstone]

I really need to start paying attention. Good grief.

 

I thought about doing this myself, but Ron will retcon everything one or two more times anyway, so why bother?

[WendyCR72]

Sure we may not always like the payoff, but the set-up is part of the storytelling.

 

Which is fine if there was ever any payoff. As it stands, stories are less actual stories than moments loosely strung together by Ron pulling crap from his ass and tossing in some pop culture references while hoping the audience doesn't look at the details and find the holes that a mack truck could drive through.

 

There is no cohesiveness, just moments of shock, moments of camp, which are then diverted with other moments not connected, only to swing back around later to some false GOTCHA schtick. But actual payoff? With the bad guys truly losing? Not here. Not ever.

[sometimesfan]

RC has finally defeated me. I cannot watch this crap anymore. I can't. Nothing I am seeing on-screen makes a lick of sense! We saw a couple of scenes about Felicia running for mayor. We hear one throw away line about a recount and now this?!? Really???? I don't care about Luke/Fluke at all. I don't care about Jake. I don't care about the Nina or Franco.

 

I'm out.

 

Welcome to life on the barge. I spend a lot of time there myself these days.

[DayPlayerAtKellys]

Just finished watching today's episode. Oh that was awful. It seemed like a lot of scenes that were cut for time jammed in to one episode to create an hour of television (I hesitate to say "story").

 

I guess we're meant to miss Sonny and how he kept a lid on all the other crime in Port Charles. Exhausting.

[TeeVee329]

I don't mind that things don't make sense right now because this is .... a CONTINUING DRAMA.  We don't have all the answers.  We're supposed to be tuning in day after day, week after week to find out what's coming up.  We're supposed to be left wondering why things are happening.   Sure we may not always like the payoff, but the set-up is part of the storytelling.

 

I'm glad you liked it, but for me, it just seemed like this episode was both trying to fill in story gaps the show didn't bother with the last few weeks months (a few off-hand mentions to Felicia running to mayor is not set-up.  Hell, this is the first time we've seen Lomax in over a year) AND rapidly rushing into new status quos (Anna getting fired/Sloane taking her place).

[ByaNose]

Watching the first half hour I thought it was a dream episode or a out of sequence aired (holiday bumped) episode. It was so weird and weirdly written. Granted, it was backward flashback but I was actually confused. All of the sudden Mac (with died hair...I guess JJY is out auditioning) and, Felicia come out of the woodwork for an election episode. In the end, every bad & psychotic person is taking over Port Charles. By the end, I was like, "WTF is this show about anymore?!"

Edited January 14, 2015 by ByaNose

[TeeVee329]

You know what I also realized irritated me about today?  That Felicia and Mac were basically stuck in off-screen stasis for this.  When instead, they could have been, I dunno, supporting Maxie during her attempts to get visitation rights to Georgie.  Hearing about their daughter's first Christmas with their granddaughter.

 

And when they do finally show up today, they're not even the focus, the focus is Spencer's wacky antics and Lomax cackling evilly and pointless flashbacks to remind us about Levi.

Oh, there's playoff plenty of times!

 

...we're not talking about plenty of times, we're talking about the story that happened TODAY, the payoff in the mayoral election story.

 

And we all understand what a CONTINUING DRAMA is, thanks.

[sometimesfan]

I'm glad you liked it, but for me, it just seemed like this episode was both trying to fill in story gaps the show didn't bother with the last few weeks months (a few off-hand mentions to Felicia running to mayor is not set-up.  Hell, this is the first time we've seen Lomax in over a year) AND rapidly rushing into new status quos (Anna getting fired/Sloane taking her place).

 

It just seems this is Ron's answer for everything when he forgets to write for a storyline or he ignores something: the quick, one-episode dénouement..

[hypnotoad]

 

We don't have all the answers.  We're supposed to be tuning in day after day, week after week to find out what's coming up.  We're supposed to be left wondering why things are happening.

 

I've watched soap my entire life, so I understand what a continuing drama should be. In my opinion,, the current GH is not continuing drama. It is a show that teeters from one plot point to the other with no build up at all. The stories are not confusing because we don't have all the answers. The stories are confusing because RC and his writers have no idea what the answers are in the storylines.

 

 

but the set-up is part of the storytelling

 

I don't see any set-up here. We never saw Felicia thinking about running for mayor or campaigning for office. Suddenly, voting was going on and then nothing for months. That's not set-up to me. That's a plot point that's just left hanging out there.

 

This Fluke/Luke stuff has been going on for over a year. Now I will grant that TG illness caused things to be delayed, but why did we have to restart the whole thing from the beginning once he returned? And what have we learned? Why is Fluke doing this? Who is Fluke? Why did he act completely notLuke like the first time around (and amazingly no one noticed) but now suddenly is acting like Luke?!?

 

Why would Helena with all her resources chose to brainwash Jason a low life mob enforcer? Why not just one line that makes some damn sense on the subject? The 'you have a unique set of skills soldier boy' doesn't cut it at all since the audience knows good and well that Jason had no unique skills and he was not a soldier.

 

It goes on and on.

[Tiger]

Did anyone else catch when Nik, in reference to Spencer,  said something like "can you imagine if there was two of them".  Sent a shiver down my spine.  Because I can totally see Ron retconning it that SWSNBN had twins and Helena snatched one.  

[Cattitude]

You know what I also realized irritated me about today?  That Felicia and Mac were basically stuck in off-screen stasis for this.  When instead, they could have been, I dunno, supporting Maxie during her attempts to get visitation rights to Georgie.  Hearing about their daughter's first Christmas with their granddaughter.

 

And when they do finally show up today, they're not even the focus, the focus is Spencer's wacky antics and Lomax cackling evilly and pointless flashbacks to remind us about Levi.

 

WORD!. And far be it for me to say something negative about my det. Special Kitty b/c well I kind of LOVE him. But even I had a WTF? moment when of all people in the room when Felicia "lost" HE gets the monologue? (ya'll can't tell me Ron doesn't love him more than me. <crosses arms shakes head>)

That was just a SMIDGE heavyhanded.

Did anyone else catch when Nik, in reference to Spencer,  said something like "can you imagine if there was two of them".  Sent a shiver down my spine.  Because I can totally see Ron retconning it that SWSNBN had twins and Helena snatched one.  

 

Okay thanks, now I see a little mini-me Fluke in a fon-Spencer mask. <shutter>

[Cattitude]

Well seriously I think at least 2/3 of the time I disagree with most people and I don't have any problem voicing my opinion here. I know lots of times I see things differently b/c I don't have the history, but I never feel fearful of saying what I want. I really don't think anyone here has a problem handling people with different opinions.

 

I think everyone can enjoy the show or not, but seriously I think we all have watched soaps long enough to know how they work. Just b/c different people have different ideas about what is good serial drama and what isn't doesn't make one more right than the other.

 

 I like Sonny, Nina and Franco.....I miss them. Yes I said it!

[TeeVee329]

Well seriously I think at least 2/3 of the time I disagree with most people and I don't have any problem voicing my opinion here. I know lots of times I see things differently b/c I don't have the history, but I never feel fearful of saying what I want. I really don't think anyone here has a problem handling people with different opinions.

 

I think everyone can enjoy the show or not, but seriously I think we all have watched soaps long enough to know how they work. Just b/c different people have different ideas about what is good serial drama and what isn't doesn't make one more right than the other.

 

I completely agree that everyone has their favorites (I mean, hello, I like Dr. O and liked Britt and that's not universally popular lol) and everyone has their own opinions.  And I do snark on the stuff I don't like because, honestly, that leads to funnier writing.

 

But I also don't want to be my opinion dismissed as being a "hater" just because it's negative.

 

So, in closing, I didn't like today's episode.

[ByaNose]

I hope I don't get struck by lightening but where has Michelle Stafford aka Nina been? Are they giving the character a break because she went off the deep end? Is Stafford filming a movie? I haven't been struck by lig...............

[Ambrosefolly]

Well, I thought it was a very clever episode.  I liked the use of the vets.  I liked how they used flashbacks to tell the Mayoral story since we haven't seen it play out.  I liked the mystery of why Nikolas burned the ballots and is part of this now.   I was intrigued.  I thought everything was interesting and played out really well.  I don't mind that things don't make sense right now because this is .... a CONTINUING DRAMA.  We don't have all the answers.  We're supposed to be tuning in day after day, week after week to find out what's coming up.  We're supposed to be left wondering why things are happening.   Sure we may not always like the payoff, but the set-up is part of the storytelling.    And, again, I thought this was a really clever episode that used relationships, past and present, as well as ongoing plots in various arcs to weave together an interesting episode.  I quite enjoyed it.

If those flashback scenes weren't flashback scenes at all, but instead dropped every few weeks during the last few months, and if Mayor Lomax was featured bit more along with it, then I would say it was a continuing drama, but we have barely heard two sentences for months and now he crams it all in so the audience. Instead of having GH Vet's day today, he could have featured Felecia sporadically over the last few months, campaigning. But hey, at least we didn't see Franco or Nina today.

 

Oh, there's playoff plenty of times!  The whole denouement of the poison water story was glorious payoff and it was fantastic.  The hallowedding and the Michael hating Sonny/Carly was fantasmagloriomasjestic payoff and we're still three months later reaping some rewards from that.    The baby kidnapping story had payoff and sure it wasn't as good as the others, but it was OK-ish, but it was payoff.  There's payoff in little stories here and there.  Sure they may not be all in stories that all viewers like, but there's payoff.   And then we move onto other stories... because, again, CONTINUING DRAMA!

I have to believe RC had a little more fear (and money) to do a good job with the water virus storyline, but he didn't drop it for months and ramp it up later in one episode. As for AJ murder reveal, that wasn't something RC completely created. It was decades, 3 head writers, 4 Carlys, and 2 AJs for the us to  finally see Michael telling Carly and Sonny to go fuck themselves. I just wish he put the same effort  to the conclusion of Maxie finally seeing Frisco after TWO DECADES, and no he really didn't.

 

And I'm sorry, but I'm thinking that some people don't get that this is CONTINUING DRAMA. And unlike you, I'm not being sarcastic.  There is such fervent anger towards RC and everything that he puts on the screen that sometimes I watch the show and read this board or read this board and then watch the show and wonder what alternate universe I'm in because the two don't match up some of the time.   We just can't judge everything on a scene by scene or day by day basis but that is done constantly here.  Things need to play out and be judged that way.  I've lost count of the number of times that there's been a complaint about something that will never happen as follow-through to a situation because of what a hack Ron is but then it happens on the show.  Yet there is no recognition here that the writers did follow-through because it doesn't fit the narrative that Ron is a hack.   So, I'm sorry, but I don't see how some here seem to see that GH is still a continuing drama t. 

 

Yes, things about the show suck royal monkey balls, but everything about it is not the worst thing ever and I'm sure that not even everyone here who reads the witty commentary from posters thinks so.  They don't feel comfortable posting because it's so darn negative so much.

 

While there might "payoffs" to his storylines, I find that if I wait two weeks (or someone's maternity leave) what ever happened will be hand waved so RC can railroad into the next storyline. As far as I am concerned, Lulu and Maxie should still be working their way to being friends after Baby Georgie, not gossiping like high schoolers like nothing happened, so we are no longer reaping anything. For months on end, Nathan and Maxie just couldn't be together because the damn judge but after only a few days with her daughter she just had to obsessively try to get back to Nathan so they could kiss at midnight, instead seeing her plane be delayed as a chance to spend more time with her little girl. She might as well of fucked Nathan in front of the judge for all she seemed to care about leaving Georgie. If RC is going to do this shit, he needs to get some balls and commit to it. 

 

Thinking about it, he could have easily had Lomax use Judge Douchebag to mess with Maxie's visitation in order to discredit Felecia in the polls and connected the storylines that way.

 

The few soapy pairings he had going on, Morgan/Ava & Britt/Nikolas, he tanked both of them in a matter of months for, some pretty shortsighted payoffs, even though both pairing had the potential to generate a few years worth of storylines. 

 

I will be somewhat generous, he is doing as bad of a job as Guza, but with a whole let less money, so theres that. 

Edited January 14, 2015 by Ambrosefolly

[boes]

I hope I don't get struck by lightening but where has Michelle Stafford aka Nina been? Are they giving the character a break because she went off the deep end? Is Stafford filming a movie? I haven't been struck by lig...............

 

I believe she's being treated for a hairball, caused by the bats that live inside her head.  I could of course be wrong.

[sometimesfan]

I have to believe RC had a little more fear (and money) to do a good job with the water virus storyline, but he didn't drop it for months and ramp it up later in one episode.

 

 

Ron had oodles of motivation during the water virus crisis. He was still trying to force three square pegs into three round holes.

[Francie]

Oh, there's playoff plenty of times!  The whole denouement of the poison water story was glorious payoff and it was fantastic.

 

Your first example of three goes all the way back to the fall of 2012.  It's now 2015. 

 

Plus the bad guy got away. An out-of-towner was put in charge, while the actual police commissioner was nowhere to be found in this storyline. And the entire premise was beyond stupid. And we were bombarded with references to the "dead man's hand," which was only introduced to give McBain a reason to attach himself to Sam.  Or was it vice versa?  I found no pay off in the silly, poorly constructed mini arc of a storyline. YMMV.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Francie

[BestestAuntEver]

Just b/c different people have different ideas about what is good serial drama and what isn't doesn't make one more right than the other.

This. To me GH is currently awful and horrible as a serial drama because of the pacing and nonsensical campy writing. To many things are retconned, missed beats. To much camp and plot points, plot points plot points. IMO, A continous drama needs to build (not jump), hit the beats (not just plot points)and have a payoff that hits all beats (not just splash and be off screen for weeks).

I only caught about 29 minutes today.

So what does Anna's firing mean to Jordan's undercover role? Why were Jordan and Shawn at a motel when she had an apartment and he lives above Kelly's? If Dante/Lulu are ending, I'm down for Dante/Jordan.

Someone stated ER looked like she had pageant hair. Her hair made me think of "Toddlers and Tiaras" because she looked like a little kid with big inappropriate hair.

If Nik is evil, make him evil not bored or coerced. Hee, I give you permission to plagiarize cmahorror's, story. That's continous serial drama.

I applaud anyone that can watch Spencer and those who actually like the character. Kudos

Today was evident that the amount of talented vets wasted on this show is a crime.

Edited January 14, 2015 by BestestAuntEver

[Stinger97]

Y'all, again, we're getting off-topic. Keep the discussion about the episodes and not about whether other posters are correct in their appreciation (or lack thereof) of the show. Also, please do your best not to snipe at other posters. We're all here to have fun discussing a TV show. It's not a big deal. 

[Francie]

I believe she's being treated for a hairball, caused by the bats that live inside her head.  I could of course be wrong.

Are you talking about Nina or Stafford? Both sound about ...

 

On second thought, probably best you don't answer that.

[ulkis]

Someone stated ER looked like she had pageant hair. Her hair made me think of "Toddlers and Tiaras" because she looked like a little kid with big inappropriate hair.

 

 

Pretty sure she wears extensions and I think JMB wore them a lot towards the end of her run as well. I don't know why there is this unwritten rule that Lulu MUST have long hair.  I remember I always wanted Julie/Lulu to get it cut somewhere just under her shoulders and I'm sure Emme would look nice with that hair length too.

[tvgoddess]

Finally all caught up with you guys. I swear, I need to quit work so I don't have to be so far behind all the time!

 

So, I was at the store recently flipping through either SOD or SID, and Ron basically told this little story of his writers coming to him and asking him back in November about the mayoral election, what the results were, etc. And Ron was all, NO TIME FOR YOU! We must show Franco and Nina, and Sonny and Carly. None of this other crap! And then the writers went back to him later and were like, um it's Inauguration Day, dude. So Ron wrote today's show to shut up everyone who had been asking about the election. He of course thought it was brilliant.

 

The only thing that I got out of it besides my continued boredom and STFU Spencer was the travesty that is Jordan and Shawn. Way to ruin one of your best females, Ron. I'll continue to spout my narrative since she's been off the show for too damn long for me, so Free Ava! but Free Jordan! also. God, why she has to be stuck with this gross hypocrite thug is revolting.

 

My tolerance level for most characters is at an all time low.

[ulkis]

Well at least the other writers care. I feel like I should tweet them support or something.

Edited January 14, 2015 by ulkis

[Francie]

Well at least the other writers care. I feel like I should tweet them support or something.

They were also the ones who, when Ron wanted Jason to re-enact Jack Dawson's "I'm the King of the World!" shout, asked him, "But would Jason ever have watched Titanic?"  I think Ron's response was "Lalalalalala, I can't hear you. I wanna do this! And maybe Brenda was watching it in the background while Jason was planning a hit, and without even paying attention to the movie, Jason totally picked up on that particular scene, knew exactly what happened with the whole boat thing, and heard the dialogue, and he just happened to commit it to memory. Even if he lost his memory. And why are you guys always playing 'gotcha' with your logic and your annoying habit of wanting to, air quote, make sense.  And yes, I just said air quote for emphasis. Now here's a list of my 20 favorite shows.  Give me 100 different ways that Spencer can incorporate them into an episode."

 

Of course, I'm just paraphrasing.

[TessHarding2]

I never understood how that Luke could have beat Lee Baldwin myself a lawyer who everyone seemed to respect and love but thats a differnt story lol.I guess tenchically you don't need a lot of experience.

 

Mayor and First Lady Spencer - Food Fight!  I remember this live.  Oh the wholesome goodness.

 

http://youtu.be/jNtoTxZsD50?list=PL83B5DAA9029BE0B5

 

 

I'm jealous of anyone enjoying the show right now. I'm super serious. I have absolutely no enjoyment and I really think it's the curse of watching the show for decades. Nothing makes sense. Who are these people!?

 

Eggggzactly!

 

[Box305]

 

So, I was at the store recently flipping through either SOD or SID, and Ron basically told this little story of his writers coming to him and asking him back in November about the mayoral election, what the results were, etc. And Ron was all, NO TIME FOR YOU! We must show Franco and Nina, and Sonny and Carly. None of this other crap! And then the writers went back to him later and were like, um it's Inauguration Day, dude. So Ron wrote today's show to shut up everyone who had been asking about the election. He of course thought it was brilliant.

 

This doesn't surprise me at all because it's how the rest of the show seems to be written.

 

I get that they're dealing with block taping, budget constraints and a bloated cast but there needs to be a better way to get the stories out and to do it so we don't have three straight weeks of one story and certain characters being shoved down our throats and then radio silence for a month.

 

I also get that they ran into some trouble when Tony Geary hurt his back and even Tristan Rogers leaving screwed some stuff up early last year but good head writers and producers can come up with solutions to these problems and don't do half-assed storylines and/or wrap a story up in a day that hadn't even been seen onscreen to begin with because he's a lazy ass and because the other writers on staff are bugging him/them for a conclusion. 

Edited January 14, 2015 by Box305

[Kitty Redstone]

Mayor and First Lady Spencer - Food Fight!  I remember this live.  Oh the wholesome goodness.

 

http://youtu.be/jNtoTxZsD50?list=PL83B5DAA9029BE0B5

 

I forgot how large and detailed that set was.  Now almost everything is small, dreary, and cheap looking.  I really miss what GH used to be.

[Box305]

Ah, yes, when the show had a budget. I miss those days too. 

 

Now it's 50 Shades of Gray without the BDSM. 

[jsbt]

I've given Ron and Frank more than the benefit of the doubt, waited for things to play out many times, and made allowances for their block taping and tiny budget a hundred times over the course of two different shows - constantly. After a certain point I can't wait to judge everything til the next sweeps period, I have to take the show as it happens before their next big moment. And as it happens, the show is a fucking mess. There is some good stuff, many good ideas, some great performances, etc. It's just the problem of the execution, the pacing, the payoff, the day-to-day storytelling - to me, all of that is fucked and kills so much of what is good is in its crib. I can't regularly tell myself to wait til next month to see how it shakes out again. Believe me, I have done it.

 

I take the long view on much of this show and its storytelling, but their work has, for me, degraded to the point where it doesn't matter what view I take, short or long. The storytelling is just shoddy and sloppy and ADD, pure and simple. It's a mess, often made by talented people with either not enough time, not enough perspective or just not enough attention span.

[Artsda]

Anna is suing because she's fired? People have a lot of reasons to sue in town, like Maxie could sue that judge for his bias yet apparently had no leg to stand on. However, Anna wants to sue? The one person who actually deserved to be fired with the amount of cases she's botched and things she's done. 

[Lillybee]

OK, this is my theory and I am sticking to it for at least 48 hours.  I think that Pat Spenser died in childhood,  given Bobbie's reaction to Luke's baseball bat; it was something to do with playing baseball or Daddy Spenser bopped he with it. I that that maybe all along Luke had dissocative personality disorder. His other personality was his sister,Pat. The personality Pat may have showed up in the past to make a deal with Julian.  But when real Luke  ran over Jake the Pat personality took control because in my opinion, Real Luke really hasn't been the same since then especially those brothel scenes.

 

To clarify, I think that Pat Spenser could be Vicki Lords' Nikki Smith.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Lillybee

[P3pp3rb1rd]

So Maxie (and Ron C) would have us believe that the Princess has spent hours and hours helping her Mom campaign? Don't make me sick with that retcon!

 

Au contraire, we all know (as unwilling voyeurs) that Maxie has spent more time in the sack with sexy boytoy Nathan than she has helping Mom get elected to be mayor!

[Fylaki]

 

OK, this is my theory and I am sticking to it for at least 48 hours.  I think that Pat Spenser died in childhood,  given Bobbie's reaction to Luke's baseball bat; it was something to do with playing baseball or Daddy Spenser bopped he with it. I that that maybe all along Luke had dissocative personality disorder. His other personality was his sister,Pat. The personality Pat may have showed up in the past to make a deal with Julian.  But when real Luke  ran over Jake the Pat personality took control because in my opinion, Real Luke really hasn't been the same since then especially those brothel scenes.

I can live with this. And the Sonny hate goes back to the shoot out in the Old Spencer House, which was really the beginning of the end for Luke and Laura and a happy life for Luke.

 

Yeah Ron will never do it

[CPP83]

If notLuke is going to be tied biologically to Luke, and at this point I'd much rather they be tied together to twenty cinder blocks and dropped over the side of a cliff, but if they are "family" then I think notLuke is going to be Bill's identical twin, or slightly younger/older brother who just so happens to look exactly like him of course.

 

Ron's already pulled that crap hat trick with Silas and Caleb/Stephen being brothers but not "twins" so going back to that diseased well would be right up his alley.

 

My belief is that since they continue to mention again and again, and again at ad nauseam, that Bill died in Luke's arms from a bullet meant for Luke that will end up being the supposed "motive" for all of this.

 

The other ghastly scenario might be that it wasn't Bill who died all those years ago but said mentioned identical sibling who assumed his identity and now Bill is seeking revenge for their death because Ron just loves fucking up GH history like it's going out style.

[ByaNose]

What about all that time Maxie spent with her baby? It seemed like all she did was try to hook up with Nathan for NYE. She doesn't deserve her kid.

[Fylaki]

 

Spencer can go to boarding school any day now - he isn't cute, just annoying.

He was never cute and Ron's obsession with him is awful

 

 

because, again, CONTINUING DRAMA!

Strangely enough both Friends and the old sit-com SOAP fit the technical definition of a continuing drama, so does Dr Who, NCIS, Revenge and a slew of other shows. GH is also a Soap Opera or a DAYTIME Drama. The tradition on Daytime soaps has been on family, characterization, and history. Not in plot points that move the show along. To me a night time soap is more about the Over the top camp (See Dynasty and Revenge) though some hit the mark of daytime (Parenthood, Family and Dallas, especially in the recently canceled version)

 

The Continuing is not what is lost on recent episodes of the show, what is lost is the tradition. What is lost is the core families (and yes Ron could be bold and redefine family in a more modern sense, I could see the brownstone coming back and Naxie, Lante and Lucas and Brad forming a family unit, he chooses not to) , what is lost is the history and  very much so the respect for history. The loss of families is shared with Frank and Block Taping the rest is on Ron

 

Its a continuing drama but it is is not a Soap Opera and/or Daytime Drama. GH is now a spoof and perhaps it is time if we cant get rid of Ron to start treating it like Modern Family or Parks and Recreation.

 

To me Ron just needs to do simple things to show he actually cares about the show. A payoff in some not to distant future on the Anna/Solane thing (Feb at the latest) and to me personally most importantly Dr O out as COS, he can keep the character if he really wants her, she is a doctor and God knows this show needs Doctors, but every time she is on screen as COS Ron is shitting on the memory of Steve Hardy. It sickens us older fans and many newer ones (who at least remember Alan) as well.

 

I heard that they are casting an young male in his 20'. Here's hoping its Doctor Tom Hardy Jr. (Called Tom now to avoid confusion with TJ)  and he throws O out of his grandfather's office, even if it is with some stupid Ron idea that the GH charter says a Hardy always has the right to the COS chair.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Fylaki

[P3pp3rb1rd]

I will never understand how someone that looks like Jordan has self-esteem so low that she sleeps with that knuckle dragging mouth breather of a bully.

 

 

Maybe Shawn is just eye-candy who fills the screen out nicely. Personally, I don't like Jordan's constant sneer.

[Tiger]

 

Yes,speaking about the show suck royal monkey balls, but everything about it is not the worst thing ever and I'm sure that not even everyone here who reads the witty commentary from posters thinks so.  They just don't feel comfortable posting because it's so darn negative so much.

 

I wish these posters would speak up!  One of the reasons I lurked for years and then eventually posted at TWoP was that it wasn't a Borg collective like a lot of other sites.   I think they conversation is more interesting when there are lots of different opinions being offered and we can engage in civil debate.

 

For me, I find myself struggling to say something positive about the show on a daily basis.  I've lost count of the number of times I've talked about hair and clothes the last few months.  

 

And increasingly I find that I have to just handwave a characters stupidity and instead enjoy the actors' performance.  And thank Jasus this show has some friggin phenomenal actors.  The two that always stand-out for me are Finola Hughes and Maura West.  Their respective characters have gotten some heinous writing the last year, but those two ladies continue to bring it.  So at the end of the day its them and a few other actors that keep me watching this show.

 

ETA: speaking of MW, where the hell is Ava?!?  She's been on what once, maybe twice, in the last month.  Why does that douche Spencer have more airtime and story than her?!?  Does Maura have to start slurring her words and wiggling around to get more airtime?!?

Edited January 14, 2015 by Tiger

[tvgoddess]

 

And increasingly I find that I have to just handwave a characters stupidity and instead enjoy the actors' performance.  And thank Jasus this show has some friggin phenomenal actors.  The two that always stand-out for me are Finola Hughes and Maura West.  Their respective characters have gotten some heinous writing the last year, but those two ladies continue to bring it.  So at the end of the day its them and a few other actors that keep me watching this show.

 

You took the words right out of my mouth. I definitely do not watch for the so-called story telling, because Ron does not know how to tell a story from beginning to middle to end. These two ladies are my salvation. There are a few characters I also enjoy, but for the most part it's a bright spot here and there in an endless sea of suck.

 

I used to say my one good thing about each episode, maybe I should try to go back to that, although I'm not sure what I'd be saying lately. For example, yesterday. Okay, the Bye Felicia line. That's all I got.

[Mrs OldManBalls]

If Dante/Lulu are ending, I'm down for Dante/Jordan.

 

Maybe he won't look so damn over everything all the time if this came to be. 

[Fylaki]

I actually do not find much of what is written here to be negative. It seems most every one comes from a position that we love the show. We may hate Ron's writing, or this or that character but there is a love of the show. One of the things that we (me included) need to be aware of is that this is  GH forum. It is all about keeping the show on the air. The only negative comments i tune out are the ones that say cancel it. That is not helpful. Trying to get Ron and Frank's attention as to what we (or I or you or anyone) believes needs to be fixed (and this applied under any writer) is not negative it is constructive. We may joke about the barge but few of us stay there long. 

 

Many current and former writers of this show (to cover all the bases and not to compare) dismiss fans opinions to easily and/or only want to hear the good. Ron is particularly adept at this, tweeting to his hearts content until some one critics his work and then he blocks them. His childishness does not help.

 

He does do good at times: He began great with IMHO  the Water Crisis and the Michael Smack down of Carly (not so much Sonny, I would have preferred it to be without the gun and the quivering lip...again IMHO) was long over due. But his inability to move on from failure: Fluke, Dr O COS, Franco, Nina.et al and the plot point writing is hurting the show.

 

Look we all know that GH is on borrowed time, all any of us, Frank and Ron I assume included want is to extent that time. Wouldn't it be helpful if they put egos aside and we all worked together? Think how well the fans of Firefly work with Weldon or the Veronica Mars people. With that kind of synergy on a show still on the air, great things could be accomplished

 

Another thought to keep in mind: Ron (and Frank and Wolfe and Guza and Labine and Monty and Frons and all the way back) are paid to love this show. They did not create it the way Weldon did Firefly or Thomas did Mars. They are hired hands on the ranch. And some day they will move on. We love this show organically, when Ron rides off into the sunset (if the show is still here) then like when every other writer rode off, we will still be here. As I said to my son-in-law the other day "She may be your wife, but break her heart and you are gone, with my last breathe, she's my daughter" (We try to have a day at my house where we talk like soap people LOL)  Ron should respect us for our love of the show, not take us for granted

Edited January 14, 2015 by Fylaki

[P3pp3rb1rd]

What about all that time Maxie spent with her baby? It seemed like all she did was try to hook up with Nathan for NYE. She doesn't deserve her kid.

 

Agreed. Naxie is totally out of control, and Nathan is irresponsibly not asking questions about topics that directly could concern him. I mean that the way he and Maxie are carrying on, she might be preggers any moment, unwed again. And Nathan should/will be affected if that happens.

 

For example: the show made it clear that the night and day Naxie first hooked up, in between attempts to eat several breakfasts that landed on the floor, the couple bounced over the house making love with no time spent refreshing or checking their birth control method (and Nathan had no time to don a condom). Unless Maxie was on the pill or an IUD, this behavior could be risky. And on a later show, the two were grabbing a short lunch hour to have sex--bursting thru the door and going directly to the bedroom, apparently avoiding a condom or other types of birth control (except perhaps the pill or IUD). Nathan apparently never asks. Using a condom, the pill or an IUD would take forethought and planning, but since Maxie is already an airhead who depends on others to pay her rent and raise her first child, odds aren't great that she is being responsible either.

 

Edited to add: if the GH story lines were better, I could spend my time thinking about them and not about Naxie's birth control methods.

Edited January 14, 2015 by P3pp3rb1rd

[sunnyface]

I enjoyed the pacing of the episode very much.  It was like watching three months worth of soap in one episode.  There was no Sonny, Carly or Jason - but no hospital either.  Lucy, Duke, Felicia and Maxie have always been annoying characters but they are much more enjoyable to watch than any violent story that this regime enjoys producing.

[sometimesfan]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I definitely do not watch for the so-called story telling, because Ron does not know how to tell a story from beginning to middle to end. These two ladies are my salvation. There are a few characters I also enjoy, but for the most part it's a bright spot here and there in an endless sea of suck.

 

I used to say my one good thing about each episode, maybe I should try to go back to that, although I'm not sure what I'd be saying lately. For example, yesterday. Okay, the Bye Felicia line. That's all I got.

 

Most days the show doesn't deserve one good thing to be said about it. I put the blame on both Ron and Frank, Ron for his sophomoric plot point camp and Frank for pretending to care while keeping the cast so bloated that good stories are nearly impossible to write.

[tveyeonyou]

I've given Ron and Frank more than the benefit of the doubt, waited for things to play out many times, and made allowances for their block taping and tiny budget a hundred times over the course of two different shows - constantly. After a certain point I can't wait to judge everything til the next sweeps period, I have to take the show as it happens before their next big moment. And as it happens, the show is a fucking mess. There is some good stuff, many good ideas, some great performances, etc. It's just the problem of the execution, the pacing, the payoff, the day-to-day storytelling - to me, all of that is fucked and kills so much of what is good is in its crib. I can't regularly tell myself to wait til next month to see how it shakes out again. Believe me, I have done it.

 

I take the long view on much of this show and its storytelling, but their work has, for me, degraded to the point where it doesn't matter what view I take, short or long. The storytelling is just shoddy and sloppy and ADD, pure and simple. It's a mess, often made by talented people with either not enough time, not enough perspective or just not enough attention span.

This times a million.

I've gotten to the point where 3pm means nothing other than time to get dinner started when before I would schedule everything around GH. Now the most I do, if I watch it at all, is wait until it's On Demand then play it in the background.

There is nothing good enough to keep me interested. Nothing.

 

I hate this show.

[Francie]

It's just really hard when some days (most days) there are literally pages and pages of non-stop negativity.  I know that I have to force myself to post my positive thoughts sometimes because I know that I'm going to get drowned out, or I'm going to get some snarky comments in return (unfortunately).   And sometimes, I just sit down and read so much negativity that I just figure 'why bother?' and so I don't bother.   I do enjoy reading most of the posters here, but a few do tend to get snarky and I don't want to get into it because I can be guilty of it myself, I know that.

 

This site, along with TWOP (maybe TWOP even more with the boards on boards policy) is the best one that I have seen in terms of posters hating the game and not the poster.  Opinions are challenged, but I've never seen the insults or thoughtless belittling I've seen elsewhere. This isn't about numbers of posters with one opinion or other.  It is about expressing an opinion. and this site, just as TWOP was, is a place where people articulate and explain why they think what they do.

 

I remember in 2012, there was a lot of admiration expressed for Ron. And the tide has changed on that.  It can change back, but I sure hope that if it does it is because of the content of the show and not some sort of policing of "balance" of opinions.

 

We're all passionate in our like, dislike or outright blind rage over this show we've loved for however long, so I get it. 

 

We all care about the show, and that's the reason why we're here. If we didn't care, we'd just turn the channel and move on.  Further, I see plenty of posters, myself included, who post what they see that is positive. I complimented Jackie Zeman, and the writing that she got, for her scenes with Michael at the Spencer family home.

 

... we will get varied voice that a positive discussion [thread] won't be needed.

 

It's not needed now.  This thread is for the discussion of current GH, good or bad.  Wade in.  If people have positive things to say, say them.  I've seen no one being criticized solely for the sake of making a positive point.  The point of a discussion board is to have discussion and not just a bunch of random opinions stated without any comment or exchange. We've all been in the minority on one point or another.  I sure hope this forum doesn't go this route.

 

The show doesn't deserve a "varied voice" for the sake of a "varied voice."  If 99% of the show is bad (I'm not saying it is, I'm using that number as an example), then it would be ridiculous for the posters or moderators to try to self-police to a number closer to 50-50.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Francie

[NutmegsDad]

I liked yesterday's episode. So revoke my barge pass.

 

There wasn't a wasted FF scene. No Sonny (aside from Jurior Prince saving the box for Unca Moobster). No retreading of Fluke storyline or Jakeson. Shoutbacks to other storylines. Lomax and Sloane confirming their membership in the Legend of Doom Auxiliary. And Prince Hypocritical Pampered PompousAss shown coming to the Dark Side, whether by genetics or because Granny has him by the Castle Parapets and he can't conceive of a life living upstairs from Kellys.  It will be nice to see him get his comeuppance after his endless "be honest" lectures and kicking Britt to the curb for being the Lyingest Liar Who Ever Lied. So now, we have the Legend of Doom fully in control of Port Charles' PD and Government.

 

All in all, it was shockingly pleasant to see a storyline move quickly.

 

I'd like to see if Dr. O's "kick out John Doe because insurance" was all part of the plan. She should be out because the Board is no longer beholding to Victor Cassadine.  Otherwise, why keep her there, specifically? ReRon can have her stick around PC without being part of GH, let alone CoS.