Episode Discussion: TFGH

[JudgeyMcJudgyPants]

Georgie! I’m done.  Get me kleenexes.

[DeafAngelboy23]

Good old days long gone by... what a visit from the Ghost of General Hospital Past. 

[Oracle42]

1 hour ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Yeah, I saw his first two appearances and yummmmmmyyyyy, Evigan is still hawt, like I'd posted after his first appearance.

He does not look old enough to have dated the murderhobo's mom, even with soap SORAS. 

[TeeVee329]

Awww, Georgie The Elder.  I'm always happy to see her, killing her off was so stupid on the show's part.  And this overall was a pretty good soap funeral.

With that positivity out of the way, really, Show?  You take the time to mention why Frisco isn't there, but not LUCAS (WHO?), who is MAXIE'S COUSIN, who lives IN TOWN, whose MOTHER is there, who was THE FIRST RESPONDER who treated Nathan after he was shot?  I mean, the writers do this all the time with him, but it's even more glaring because we saw him on-screen right before all of this happened.

And while there's a perfect valid reason why she is not there - you know, being in the clink - I'm sad there was no Britt.  That the show took a minute last week to show Dr. O calling Britt about Nathan seemed to be setting that up, but oh well, I guess a dumb Franco joke will do instead. #EYEROLL

I was wondering why Maxie and Lulu hadn't had it out yet, but there it was as the cliffhanger.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just now, Oracle42 said:

He does not look old enough to have dated the murderhobo's mom, even with soap SORAS. 

Mebbe Mama was a Cougar?

Either way, I'd rather see Evigan on the screen again on prime time as a good guy, then be wasted on this fakakta show. He just couldn't be a good businessman, could he? He just HAD to be a skeevy one.

[dubbel zout]

Using the handheld camera for some of today was ill-advised, IMO. A funeral/solemn occasion doesn't need that distraction.

The "end of watch" ceremony always moves me to tears, even when it's used for Nathan.

I'm still a bit miffed Nathan is getting all of this pomp.

1 minute ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

He just couldn't be a good businessman, could he? He just HAD to be a skeevy one.

Sonny is the only good businessman in PC, haven't you learned this by now, @GHScorpiosRule?

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

And while there's a perfect valid reason why she is not there - you know, being in the clink - I'm sad there was no Britt.  That the show took a minute last week to show Dr. O calling Britt about Nathan seemed to be setting that up, but oh well, I guess a dumb Franco joke will do instead. #EYEROLL

And you know, cops on other shows do allow inmates to attend funerals of loved ones. And Nathan was an immediate family member. But then I have to remind myself who the "HEROES" of this show are.??????

1 minute ago, dubbel zout said:

Sonny is the only good businessman in PC, haven't you learned this by now, @GHScorpiosRule?

You would think so, wouldn't you?

[Mnemosyne]

I get that this was probably a bit much for a character like Nathan, but I thought this was the best episode they've done in a while. Dante with the policeman's poem was a nice touch, and I loved that they had LL pop in as Georgie. Even MSt was good today. I thought someone might wonder why Peter was there and seemed a bit emotional.

I'd like to thank TPTB for not shoving Sonny into today. I'm sure MB tried.

[dubbel zout]

I didn't like Maxie's slightly sharp "I'm really lucky" to Felicia when F was telling her a lot of people loved Maxie and would help her whenever she asked. You are really lucky, Maxie.

Ugh, I started the ugly cry when Georgie showed up. Every once in a while this show is so, so good. Too much of the time it's so, so bad.

Liz's face when Franco was hugging Liesl was very, very good.

[Happywatcher]

6 hours ago, mostlylurking said:

Off topic, but this annoys me in real life about that special council guy Robert Mueller.  Because the way it's spelled, it should be pronounced "Mew-ler", but everyone pronounces it "Mull-er".  I went to school with someone who's last name was Muller and it was pronounced as such, so this always bothers me when I hear it on the news.

If this convoluted mess was a GH storyline we would be FFing and coming on here to mock it

[Linny]

Today's episode was pretty much textbook perfect soap, IMO. We got an honest and heartfelt farewell to Nathan, a lovely acknowledgment of history (and Georgie's appearance was sweet without being treacly), and then the final punch of drama coming from Maxie lashing out at her best friend. All the emotions resonated as authentic and the drama was naturally derived, and that's really the standard the show should strive to meet every day.

Kirsten Storms has been rock solid throughout this storyline, but I want to give appreciation to Michelle Stafford today. Nina was so openly vulnerable, struggling to keep it together for her brother's sake, and it felt so real to me. It's surprising to see Stafford turn in such an understated performance, but she nailed it today.

[Happywatcher]

I liked the funeral even though the budget meant there weren't enough cast and extras there. The hallucination was a trifle much.

The floating rib scene was a nice looking set and all the actors were doing a good job. 

[dubbel zout]

Open casket?!?! Was that so we know Nathan is most sincerely dead?

I forgot that Mac had been commissioner—of course he would salute Nathan.

Everyone did a good job today, though Anna's tears felt like they were more about her stupid Faison kid, and not Nathan.

Why is the receiving line outdoors in the cold? It was also weird the blood-spattered sonogram photo was placed on the casket instead of inside it. The wind could blow it away.

11 minutes ago, Linny said:

It's surprising to see Stafford turn in such an understated performance, but she nailed it today.

I agree. I thought she played the stunned disbelief of the day really, really well.

ETA: Oh, geez. "Danny Boy"? The one false moment for me today. (Though BA and RD sang it beautifully.)

[sacrebleu]

Quote

Open casket?!?! Was that so we know Nathan is most sincerely dead?

or was it to take advantage of our last opportunity to see Nathan shirtless  (I'm @ work-- haven't watched yet. So... worth tuning in?)

[Aurora2]

9 hours ago, Mnemosyne said:

I get that this was probably a bit much for a character like Nathan, but I thought this was the best episode they've done in a while. Dante with the policeman's poem was a nice touch, and I loved that they had LL pop in as Georgie. Even MSt was good today. I thought someone might wonder why Peter was there and seemed a bit emotional.

I'd like to thank TPTB for not shoving Sonny into today. I'm sure MB tried.

I thought this was a good episode too, one with considerable attention to detail.  One which struck many emotional beats.  And one in which there was a quiet and appropriate interplay of characters who have connections:  Examples:  Franco with Obrecht, even Aunt Bobbie with Valerie in the background at the reception - and many others.  There were also subtle "story" moments - such as Peter's reactions and the look shared between him and Valentin.  But none of these dominated - unlike most GH gatherings.  

I also agree that Nathan is not the type of high profile, long term character we would associate with this kind of farewell.  However, I can see why he could be the focal point for this kind of episode - a truly good guy and one whose life had touched  on a good number of Port Charles residents - many of whom are played by actors who proved able to carry this story in both featured and background performances.  In other words, the writers didn't choose him to specifically honor Nathan.  They chose him because of the story which could be spun around him.  

Being a cop who died saving another person opened the door to paying a larger tribute to those who serve.  And I give CVE kudos for researching and incorporating police funeral details.  Now, if only, the PCPD would get ongoing respect. 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Aurora2

[YaddaYadda]

I liked the episode. It was emotional and I thought it hit the right notes during the funeral, the procession and the part inside the Floating Rib. I tend to cringe at characters singing, but I thought that was well done. I especially liked the touch with Georgie, and Georgie and Nathan at the end. 

I'm glad they kept Carly and Sonny away from this. 

Everyone at the funeral seemed emotional, except for Valentine. Peter looked torn up. I thought MSt did really well, Dante reading the poem was a nice touch, KSt had really delivered. I'm here for Maxie tearing into Lulu.

[LillyB]

Now that Nathan is really dead, does that mean that Spin will be back in PC full time.

[ulkis]

55 minutes ago, Mnemosyne said:

I get that this was probably a bit much for a character like Nathan, but I thought this was the best episode they've done in a while.

It's not that I thought this was technically too much, but there's just a disconnect for me between this serious service and a character that was shirtless and covered in Crisco for half his run.

30 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Open casket?!?! Was that so we know Nathan is most sincerely dead?

I think it was because they could, since usually they want to leave the door open for a return. I guess here they aren't planning on it, so they took advantage of it.

Quote

I forgot that Mac had been commissioner—of course he would salute Nathan.

You forgot Bubba was commissioner? For shame!

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

I didn't like Maxie's slightly sharp "I'm really lucky" to Felicia when F was telling her a lot of people loved Maxie and would help her whenever she asked. You are really lucky, Maxie.

I'm not a huge Maxie fan but I don't blame her for not really feeling it right now. Plus, maybe Maxie was supposed to be sincere but that was KSt's take on it.

I couldn't think but that Georgie and Nathan were going to have some ghostly revenge sex. I'm 12.

[TeeVee329]

31 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

I'm here for Maxie tearing into Lulu.

Ditto.  It's kinda lame that the show keeps going here for drama - partially, I think, because they're the only female characters in their age bracket the show ever invests in, leaving out weak sauce like Valerie and Amy 2.0 -  but Lulu has been annoying me on the reg for weeks now so I'm excited to see Maxie take her to task.

Edited February 9, 2018 by TeeVee329

[statsgirl]

Georgie!!!!!!! That was a great surprise. And well kept too (at least from me).  I really like how Maxie imagines these people that she loves, and the last shot of Nathan and Georgie going off together.

Today was like a master class in acting, and we got to see who could do it and who couldn't.  I knew KSt could do it but I was pleasantly surprised that MSt held back the histrionics and instead did quiet grieving.  JPS, on the other hand was awful. I don't ever need to see that ricktus smile again as he greeted Peter.  Wes Ramsey was surprisingly good, I got the sense that he really  did feel badly about never knowing Nathan.

I also liked KWagner in her background scene with FH.  And thought the Anna/Liesl exchange of looks was spot on.  Anna doesn't like her but she knows pain and is too good of a person to take advantage of it.

7 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Unless that's the way it is pronounced, despite the way it's spelled.

Henrik is Danish, which makes sense given that AH is Danish.   Also used in in other Scandinavian countries, Estonia Slovenia and Hungary.  Heinrich, on the other hand, is German. They're pronounced differently.

It's annoyingly sloppy.

[dubbel zout]

11 minutes ago, ulkis said:

You forgot Bubba was commissioner? For shame!

I know. *hangs head*

2 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

the last shot of Nathan and Georgie going off together

I couldn't help but be reminded of Edward and AJ walking up the Q mansion stairs together. I'm not a giant fan of one dead character ushering another into heaven, TBH, but it's always nice to see LL.

[LillyB]

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Maxie refer to Mac as dad.

[LexieLily]

I know Genie is off the show (*grumble, grumble*) but it is unrealistic and unreasonable that Laura wouldn't come back to Port Charles to be there for her daughter and even for Maxie in their time of grief and need.

[TVbitch]

Wait, was Nathan Irish?

Well, it was a really nice funeral, actually. ... ... But I can't help but be pissed off at the totally pathetic or even non-funerals that way more important/beloved characters got. 

[RedheadZombie]

Jordan's Last Call was reminiscent of the solemn mood when a member of the Night's Watch dies on Game of Thrones.  They all say, "And now his watch is ended".

[Gam2]

I thought the funeral was very touching and realistic. As the wife of a retired law enforcement officer, I can say that these rituals are very important to the families and colleagues left behind. They are also a solemn sign of respect and gratitude for the deceased. Well done, General Hospital. Well done.

[ulkis]

It's kinda crazy when you think about it how they wrote Nathan off in comparison to Dillon just disappearing, but then, I'd rather they didn't kill him off. 

[dubbel zout]

Dillon has been such a nonentity for so long that his death wouldn't affect anyone. Does Sonny know him at all?

[ulkis]

On 2/9/2018 at 4:36 PM, TeeVee329 said:

It's kinda lame that the show keeps going here for drama

 

Agreed.

Edited February 13, 2018 by ulkis

[Auntie Velvet]

10 hours ago, Oracle42 said:

Except Drew didn't behave that way with Monica, that's why they have the relationship that they have now. 

 

Literally I am just pissed that had been calling them the Quartermaines until about five minutes ago. I'm aware of the history. I was there when the first Quartermaine came to town ;)  

Edited February 10, 2018 by Auntie Velvet

[FilmTVGeek80]

1 hour ago, TVbitch said:

Well, it was a really nice funeral, actually. ... ... But I can't help but be pissed off at the totally pathetic or even non-funerals that way more important/beloved characters got. 

I agree. Like with Nathan's death, I wasn't moved by this episode. I can definitely appreciate that it was a well-done episode and that all of the actors did very well with all of the material. I was also happy - and happily surprised - to see Georgie appear. But it would have affected me so much more if all of this was for a character I cared about or focused on relationships that I cared about. It also feels very odd to see the show treating cops and their traditions so reverently considering how they treat their cop characters on a regular basis. And, yeah, I'm slightly resentful that Nathan got such an extravagant (at least extravagant for GH these days) send off. And, also, this:

 

2 hours ago, ulkis said:

It's not that I thought this was technically too much, but there's just a disconnect for me between this serious service and a character that was shirtless and covered in Crisco for half his run.

Bwah!

 

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Oh, geez. "Danny Boy"? The one false moment for me today. (Though BA and RD sang it beautifully.)

THIS! I love hearing BA sing, but as soon as Spin said he was going to sing, I kept praying 'Not "Danny Boy" Anything but "Danny Boy". Aren't there any other famous mournful songs people can bust out on these occasions? Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday" is also perfectly lovely (though I guess way too expensive for a cheapo like FV to obtain the rights to.)

2 hours ago, statsgirl said:

And thought the Anna/Liesl exchange of looks was spot on.  Anna doesn't like her but she knows pain and is too good of a person to take advantage of it.

I breathed such a huge sigh of relief at the end of that scene. For a second, I really thought they were going to have Anna hug her and that would have been a bridge too far.

[Auntie Velvet]

3 hours ago, Happywatcher said:

If this convoluted mess was a GH storyline we would be FFing and coming on here to mock it

I know! For one thing, we'd object to how this domestic violence storyline is being handled by the "show," just to name the most recent White House drama. 

I just wanted to touch on Anna's supposed baby. One thing is that it's a bummer, because I remember something that FH said in an interview when she came back as GH Anna, after being AMC Anna. She stressed that she was glad GH writers weren't bringing up the child stuff from her storyline at AMC (Ann had a baby with David, and the baby died.). FH said it only felt right for Anna to have only had Robin, and she was glad for the reset when her character was back on the original show. So this is really bad on many levels.

Again, I'm probably grasping at straws, but I thought Anna looked a little cagey when Valentin said something like, "Oh, I thought you were going to pretend it was your twin sister." Still hoping that Anna is covering for Alix. 

[tvgoddess]

20 minutes ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

But it would have affected me so much more if all of this was for a character I cared about or focused on relationships that I cared about.

I can understand and appreciate this point. However, I didn't care about Nathan or Nathan and Maxie as a couple pretty much at all, and I sobbed buckets again, just like the day he died. Now Georgie was definitely a big reason for that, which I find so strange since by the time I started watching they had already killed her off, so I literally have no history with her at all except as Ghost Georgie. I guess the tone of the episode and the acting helped as well.

I agree with a lot of what's been said already. Since I haven't seen this yet, I will say I'm glad that Sam got to be there for Maxie and that they respected that friendship. It's been so off and on the last several years.

I'm totally here for Maxie dragging Lulu. That ending was good soap.

[P3pp3rb1rd]

To my surprise, during the policeman's poem reading at the funeral I found a couple of tears rolling down my cheek. I was impressed with the performances of the actors playing Maxie, Nina, Dr. O. Some of the actors were doing the very minimum or even smirking a little (Anna, Robin) and others were completely zoned out (Sam). The actor playing Jordan looked uncomfortable and awkward, probably because she is more used to playing sexy than military stiff. (IMO, she should be a detective and would be too young and inexperienced in real life to be a police commissioner or even a senior detective.)

I was surprised to see that Nina had started smoking again, and thought it was a very realistic touch. Anna was a first-class bitch to go up to Nina at her brother's funeral and actually try to take that crutch away at that moment. Anna was being a Carly clone and a sadist. It wasn't any of Anna's business how Nina coped with her grief and tension. I've never smoked, and I'm not an advocate, but think Anna deserves censure for her entitled action.

Edited February 10, 2018 by P3pp3rb1rd

[nilyank]

As cliche as it was, I had tears when Spin and Amy were singing Danny Boy.

And always good to see Georgie.

As nice as Nathan was, I am never going to think he was Maxie’s great love.

I imagine if it was Lucky or Dante as the cop killed in action that I would be a sobbing mess. I still remember Robin at her parents’ double funeral.

[ciarra]

Did Maxi get the flag from Jesse's funeral, or did he have a family member who accepted it?  Just wondering where she's putting all the flags.

[nilyank]

4 minutes ago, ciarra said:

Did Maxi get the flag from Jesse's funeral, or did he have a family member who accepted it?  Just wondering where she's putting all the flags.

Just saw the clip of Jesse's funeral. Maxie was given the flag.

Maxie also found Cooper hung to death via Text Message Killer (Diego Alcazar) 

[Sake614]

You guys, I cried almost from the opening credits to the end! I didn’t expect it to affect me like it did, but damn! I finished watching about 20 minutes ago and I’m STILL crying!

[FilmTVGeek80]

2 hours ago, P3pp3rb1rd said:

I was surprised to see that Nina had started smoking again, and thought it was a very realistic touch. Anna was a first-class bitch to go up to Nina at her brother's funeral and actually try to take that crutch away at that moment. Anna was being a Carly clone and a sadist. It wasn't any of Anna's business how Nina coped with her grief and tension. I've never smoked, and I'm not an advocate, but think Anna deserves censure for her entitled action.

I guess I have a radically different interpretation of that scene. Anna was very nice to Nina and was surprised to hear that Nina smoked. It was Nina who then told Anna to take the cigarettes away and "trash them." Anna didn't wrestle the cigarettes away from her or demand Nina hand them over.

2 hours ago, nilyank said:

As nice as Nathan was, I am never going to think he was Maxie’s great love.

I imagine if it was Lucky or Dante as the cop killed in action that I would be a sobbing mess. I still remember Robin at her parents’ double funeral.

*Nods*

I kind of would have liked some acknowledgment that this is not Maxie's first performance as a cop "widow." She wasn't married to either Jesse or Coop when they died but they had been together. I think at Jesses's funeral Maxie was given the flag. I don't think Coop had an on-screen funeral. Probably because he was never a really a main character and because when he died they thought he was the text message killer. I guess they sort of alluded to it when Maxie said she was tired of saying goodbye and that she knew her and Nathan would end badly, but I wanted something more explicit.

[ulkis]

As annoying as Lulu can be, Maxie doesn't really have much of a leg to stand on. The difference between her and Lulu is luck. Maxie married Levi basically just to spite everyone who said he was bad news and could have gotten herself, Nathan, Dante and Anna killed, and Lulu kidnapped and forcibly impregnated.

They're both equally thoughtless and dumb at different times.

Kudos to MS for her "oh shit" look when Maxie responded to Lulu.

What was up with Spinelli's hair?

The sign that had Nathan's name on it took me out of the scenes.

Edited February 10, 2018 by ulkis

[ulkis]

4 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

THIS! I love hearing BA sing, but as soon as Spin said he was going to sing, I kept praying 'Not "Danny Boy" Anything but "Danny Boy". Aren't there any other famous mournful songs people can bust out on these occasions?

I thought of "Wayfaring Stranger" and "the parting glass", both in the public domain. I mean really, gh music dude, all you gotta do is google "mournful ballad public domain."

Plus, Danny boy was Rafe's song, damn it.

[statsgirl]

I wish they had done The Parting Glass.  Danny Boy doesn't apply to this situation.  It's the singer of the song who dies while Danny goes off to war.

[P3pp3rb1rd]

2 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

I guess I have a radically different interpretation of that scene. Anna was very nice to Nina and was surprised to hear that Nina smoked. It was Nina who then told Anna to take the cigarettes away and "trash them." Anna didn't wrestle the cigarettes away from her or demand Nina hand them over.

I will take another look at the scene. First time around I got the impression  Anna had an agenda to get Nina to stop once she found out that Nina smoked. I thought that Anna kind of subtly guilted Nina into rejecting the habit. Again Anna wasn't reading the room. They were in a church with a funeral about to start. Not a good venue to start picking at wounds or bad habits the chief mourners have.

[nilyank]

5 hours ago, ulkis said:

The sign that had Nathan's name on it took me out of the scenes.

I was hoping when they showed the was of dead police officers, that we would see Jesse's and Cooper's name. Both were killed on the job. Jesse by clowns and Cooper by TMK (who was initially blamed for it but was investigating on his own and was killed by Diego for getting close to the truth). Then they could have went into the next scene where Maxie tells Georgie that everyone she loves gets murdered.

[bybrandy]

Okay, I am still bitter, angry and hurt that Georgie is dead rather than off pursuing some geeky endeavor so I loved seeing ghost Georgie.   Love LL.  

But at the end when she was escorting Nathan off to heaven I couldn't help but thinking she was escorting him off to have lots and lots and lost of ghostly sex.   Which... really... good for them.   Georgie should have some fun in the afterlife.  

I didn't love Nathan but I thought the funeral was well done... and seriously.... Georgie!   

[Aurora2]

8 hours ago, ulkis said:

I thought of "Wayfaring Stranger" and "the parting glass", both in the public domain. I mean really, gh music dude, all you gotta do is google "mournful ballad public domain."

Plus, Danny boy was Rafe's song, damn it.

"Danny Boy" may be overused as a mournful ballad.  However, in this policeman's funeral, I do think it was the right choice because it's been sung so often at services to remember fallen officers.   So, I understand CVE's choice to go with this specific ballad for Detective West's funeral. 

[Cheyanne11]

I really think MSt was the standout yesterday.  Nina's natural go-to of hysteria being replaced by numbed grief feels real in all the heartbreaking ways.  Her eulogy and putting the coins in Nathan's pocket were one of the most tear-inducing moments. 

Kudos also to DZ's shocked expression throughout and JJY's stoic "I've been here too many times" demeanor.  They hit all the right notes.

[ciarra]

"Danny Boy", I believe, is royalty free.  Makes sense now? ;)

[ulkis]

1 minute ago, ciarra said:

"Danny Boy", I believe, is royalty free.  Makes sense now? ;)

So are the other songs I mentioned! :p

[HeatLifer]

I honestly thought it was great they brought LL back as Georgie. Otherwise, I couldn't muster to feel anything for a pretty much useless character who did absolutely nothing of substance for the past four years, played by a mediocre actor. I also don't give one single flying fuck to psychotic characters like Nina and sweet little Liesl.