Episode Discussion: TFGH

[Oracle42]

7 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Faison wanted Jason for his criminal skills.  Unable to control the real Jason, he kidnapped his brother thinking that the skills would transfer along with the memories.

No. Muscle memory wouldn't transfer, reflexes and hand/eye coordination wouldn't either. Fortunately, it wouldn't need to, Drew already knew how to kill people, he had actual training. That being the case, isn't it just as likely that that was the reason Jason/Drew were chosen?  If Drew had been a school teacher, Faison might've chosen another set of twins.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Oracle42

[TeeVee329]

Didn't see today - how hateable was Carly in her scenes with Drew, on a scale of hate to HAAAAATE?

[HeatLifer]

3 hours ago, Oracle42 said:

I don't think so. Guza had Jason declaring his love for Sam pretty often, it's just that she did the same thing. Under Guza, Sam might've, possibly, been torn because occasionally Guza opted for angst with Jason,  but even then there would've been a bit more nuance and Sam would've been obviously and inarguably still in love with Jason from the moment he showed up instead of randomly weeks later  after an explosion - both because that's a better, soapier story and because it's actually in character.

Guza would've had a much bigger problem with BM's version of Jason - with the karaoke, clown noses and the dancing to Taylor Swift

No, you misunderstood. I said in THIS story. In a story where Sam was anti-Sonny, anti-mob, and believed Jason placed her 10th on his list. Guza wouldn't have it. Jason would move on from her. Of course, Guza wouldn't write this anyway.

[dubbel zout]

13 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

Didn't see today - how hateable was Carly in her scenes with Drew, on a scale of hate to HAAAAATE?

I'd give it a 4/10. She told Drew she didn't want to see him hurt or unhappy; she wanted to see Jason happy. She handed him a tissue (and a mint?) so he looked (and tasted?) slightly more respectable when he saw Oscar. She didn't harangue him about the situation and did seem genuinely sorry about how it affected him.

HOWEVER, the entire situation is none of Carly's damn business in the first place, so actively pushing Jason to do something will always make her super hateable.

[Hater]

5 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I'd give it a 4/10. She told Drew she didn't want to see him hurt or unhappy; she wanted to see Jason happy. She handed him a tissue (and a mint?) so he looked (and tasted?) slightly more respectable when he saw Oscar. She didn't harangue him about the situation and did seem genuinely sorry about how it affected him.

HOWEVER, the entire situation is none of Carly's damn business in the first place, so actively pushing Jason to do something will always make her super hateable.

How was the vibe between the actors?  

[dubbel zout]

I never thought LW and BM especially like/dislike each other, so I've never felt anything other than actors doing their job. MMV, as always.

[ulkis]

So is Maxie sensing Faison's essence in Peter or something? Because there's no other reason Peter should remind her of Nathan, given they don't look alike sound alike talk alike dress alike or have any interests in common at all. Besides being drawn to Maxie, I guess.

And acknowledging their friendship came out of nowhere doesn't make it less contrived.

That said, it wouldn't be annoying me if she were having scenes with people other than him and Nina. The actors are okay together.

When did Harvey first get into town? I'm just trying to remember how long this has been going on.

I get that Kiki might not want to sic Franco and her mom on Bensch but doesn't Bensch know her mom and father figure are killers? Uncle was a mobster? Half-sister's dad is another mobster? You'd think he'd be a little wary.

Edited March 29, 2018 by ulkis

[movingtargetgal]

1 hour ago, ulkis said:

2 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Maybe Sam was secretly happy that Jason was finally putting her first and didn't want to question why too closely.

Yeah.  Faison wanted Jason for his criminal skills.  Unable to control the real Jason, he kidnapped his brother thinking that the skills would transfer along with the memories.

Drew doesn't need to feel what Jason was feeling, knowing what he was thinking is enough.  Jason: Sam wants me to stay home with her and Danny now that he's back. Sonny wants me to go to the docks.  I will go to the docks because Sonny asking me to do that is >>>>> than what Sam wants me to do.  

Didn't Benny call him that night? It was more, hey, Benny's calling me and saying someone is gunning for him, better check into it. Now he could have asked someone else to do it but it wasn't a "I will automatically do what Sonny wants over what Sam wants" situation.

Jason left Sam and Danny to take care of Sonny's business on the first night the baby came home.  Danny was about six months old and was a victim of a baby switch the day he was born.  Sam was told her baby had died and went through hell and Jason's priority that night was to take care of the business.  Let's say Jason did not "die" that night, do you think Sam would have stayed with Jason given the fact that he would ALWAYS put Sonny, business, Carly and Michael before her and Danny?  Becoming a mother would have changed Sam either way.  She would/will refuse to allow her and Danny to come in last in Jason's world.

[ulkis]

4 minutes ago, movingtargetgal said:

Let's say Jason did not "die" that night, do you think Sam would have stayed with Jason given the fact that he would ALWAYS put Sonny, business, Carly and Michael before her and Danny? 

 

Sure. She wanted a baby with him when the circumstances were like that.

Plus soap parents are kind of crappy.

Edited March 29, 2018 by ulkis

[HeatLifer]

7 minutes ago, movingtargetgal said:

do you think Sam would have stayed with Jason given the fact that he would ALWAYS put Sonny, business, Carly and Michael before her and Danny? 

Yes. Because she accepted it. That was a MAJOR part of her character for over a decade.

[Oracle42]

But Sam did raise Danny with Jason while he was working for Sonny. I think it seems like Jakeson wasn't working for Sonny because they had fewer scenes together, but I think that had more to do with the nuclear anti-chem between  MB & BM than an intent to imply that Jakeson had somehow changed Jason's priorities. He had fewer scenes with everyone who is important Jason except Sam (and Robin when she came to visit) because BM did not have good scene chemistry with most of the people who are important to Jason. It was one of the reasons it made so much more sense for him to be Drew.

Plus, FV & co. can't do mob stories, or even action stories. So there haven't really been any. CvE is the best of the bunch and they're still really lacking in that department.  I think a lot of that is on FV because it's been consistent during his entire tenure but GH is the action soap so they need to fix it.

[Hater]

14 minutes ago, Oracle42 said:

But Sam did raise Danny with Jason while he was working for Sonny. I think it seems like Jakeson wasn't working for Sonny because they had fewer scenes together, but I think that had more to do with the nuclear anti-chem between  MB & BM than an intent to imply that Jakeson had somehow changed Jason's priorities. He had fewer scenes with everyone who is important Jason except Sam (and Robin when she came to visit) because BM did not have good scene chemistry with most of the people who are important to Jason. It was one of the reasons it made so much more sense for him to be Drew.

Plus, FV & co. can't do mob stories, or even action stories. So there haven't really been any. CvE is the best of the bunch and they're still really lacking in that department.  I think a lot of that is on FV because it's been consistent during his entire tenure but GH is the action soap so they need to fix it.

It was in his dialogue that he wasn't working for him.  Drew had two major stories with Scummy and mob.  Which more or less was him "being pulled backed into it but not really working for him." It was when Morgun died and he investigated his death (with Curtis primarily)- leading to Olivia and then this past summer (all done b/c Burton was coming back & them wanting to make Sam anti mob).  Drew was never really shown doing things like waiting for "sonny's shipment at the docks."  It wasn't there, whether he was in scenes with Maurice or not.

Frank was quoted as saying very recently that GH needs to be careful showing certain types of violence due to the current climate.  I don't think they have a budget to do action all the time.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Hater

[Oracle42]

In the 70s GH had a hostage situation in the hospital cafeteria, it was a better action story than anything FV has produced during his entire tenure. It's not just about budget.

1 hour ago, Hater said:

Drew was never really shown doing things like waiting for "sonny's shipment at the docks." 

Neither was Sonny, they haven't done those stories. That's not a bad thing, that well had dried up years before Guza left, but I don't think that we're supposed to believe that Jakeson wasn't working for Sonny during that time, otherwise he wouldn't have needed to quit after he got shot.  He just didn't do much of anything until they gave up and decided to turn him into Billy from Y&R with a media company.

[Hater]

10 minutes ago, Oracle42 said:

In the 70s GH had a hostage situation in the hospital cafeteria, it was a better action story than anything FV has produced during his entire tenure. It's not just about budget.

Neither was Sonny, they haven't done those stories. That's not a bad thing, that well had dried up years before Guza left, but I don't think that we're supposed to believe that Jakeson wasn't working for Sonny during that time, otherwise he wouldn't have needed to quit after he got shot.  He just didn't do much of anything until they gave up and decided to turn him into Billy from Y&R with a media company.

  I believed he wasn't working for him because it was said in his dialogue. He was being pushed into at times but it wasn't his "job."  And he admitted he needed to stop walking that fine line, that's why he "quit." after he was shot.   

That's exactly it, he really had no job, whether it was working for Sonny or delivering newspapers.  He was a mindless character.  GH never really committed to Billy as Jason from moment he came to the show.  

Edited March 29, 2018 by Hater

[Cheyanne11]

7 hours ago, Perkie said:

No.  Franco went with Drew last summer to find out what happened on the island, but he wasn't there the first time around.  

Did the kiss between Bensch and Kiki actually happen?   I ask because it feels like something was cut off.  He grabbed her face and kissed her, then they immediately went to commercial.  When they came back, Kiki had already pushed him off of her and was yelling at him.  He seemed surprised by her reaction and I wondered if that split second coming back from commercial had been cut (as sometimes happens with my channel coming out of commercial)  and that she only "thought" he had kissed her.  Anyone?  

He kissed her. 

I actually think this story is hitting some really realistic points.  Kiki telling Bensch that she "just doesn't like massages" because god forbid a woman hurt a man's feelings with "I don't want YOU touching me, it's inappropriate."  I'm interested to see what road they take with this.  Does he go to her and tell her that "no one will believe you" if she tells, does she say nothing because she's intimidated and fears for her place in med school, etc.  It's all very, very relevant. 

[ulkis]

Weren't they gonna do some arc where JakeDrewJason worked for Julian and he would be unwittingly sabatoging Sonny? Reportedly someone above FV nixed it for some reason.

[P3pp3rb1rd]

47 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

When they came back, Kiki had already pushed him off of her and was yelling at him.  He seemed surprised by her reaction...

I wonder if Kiki will confide in Ava, and if she does, will Ava be a she-bear defending her young, as Carly would be if Bensch went after Josselyn?

[ulkis]

4 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I never thought LW and BM especially like/dislike each other, so I've never felt anything other than actors doing their job. MMV, as always.

You know, I was about to agree but there was one scene that was odd - it was at the metro court and Carly kissed BMJason on the cheek, and Jason looked like he was stiff with loathing, and then after Carly kissed him he wiped the kiss off. Anyone remember that scene?

[HeatLifer]

4 minutes ago, ulkis said:

You know, I was about to agree but there was one scene that was odd - it was at the metro court and Carly kissed BMJason on the cheek, and Jason looked like he was stiff with loathing, and then after Carly kissed him he wiped the kiss off. Anyone remember that scene?

He was finally playing Jason in character. Good job, Billy!

But, for real, the only actors who I've seen really gush about BM, besides KeMo, are Matt Cohen and Kimberly McCullough. KMc was like clockwork with her "I love Billy Miller" tweets whenever they shared scenes.

[Auntie Velvet]

It doesn't have to be that deep about whether Jason has done anything to "deserve" the hate that Drew is throwing toward him. Don't we all hate our romantic rivals, even if intellectually we can acknowledge they're fine human beings? In fact, the better they are they more we hate them!

I know as group we all roll our eyes over recreating OLTL stuff on GH. But it would be interesting to see Franco confront Bensch over Kiki (who's basically Starr), given the years of Todd/Max animosity.  

[Perkie]

7 hours ago, P3pp3rb1rd said:

I wonder if Kiki will confide in Ava,

I think Kiki will confide in Griffin, causing them to get closer and pissing off Ava even more.  

[Asp Burger]

13 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

She handed him a tissue (and a mint?) so he looked (and tasted?) slightly more respectable when he saw Oscar.

"Mint" makes much more sense. Thank you. I thought she had given him a pain pill. LOL.  

12 hours ago, ulkis said:

When did Harvey first get into town? I'm just trying to remember how long this has been going on.

Greg Evigan's first air date as Harvey was January 3.  

Co-signing Cheyanne11 above: #KiToo is being written pretty well.  

Show, don't tease me with Sam saying aloud that she needs to get out of Port Charles.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Asp Burger

[statsgirl]

Carly handing Drew a pain pill would make sense too since both physical and emotional pain hit the same part of the brain. But I would be shocked if Carly knew that.

1 hour ago, Perkie said:

I think Kiki will confide in Griffin, causing them to get closer and pissing off Ava even more.  

I wouldn't be surprised at all. But it's such old, tired storytelling compared to Bensch grooming Kiki.

[Asp Burger]

Way back when, Tamara Braun found out she was going to read for a GH character described as "Sarah." She knew nothing about the show, and some friends of hers told her she was reading for Liz's sister. This was in early 2001, a few years after the Jennifer Sky Sarah had left town. So Braun watched a few current episodes (in those innocent pre-YouTube days) and saw Liz and said, "Oh, yeah, I could totally be her sister."

Of course, it turned out that "Sarah" was the secret code for "Carly." They were looking for someone to take over from Sarah Brown as everyone's favorite mob moll.  She was freaked out at first, as she was so different from Brown, and she had been expecting to contend for the role of some nice girl with a little sister.    

This Kim/Liz work-friendship is giving me an idea of what that would have been like. I'm surprised at how much I don't mind TB in this role. I'm not saying she's indispensable to me, but she's good. I had never liked her Carly. In fact, her Carly bothered me more than any of the others, but some of that was the writing. McTavish and then Pruza wrote an especially insufferable version, and once Braun got her nerves under control, she settled into playing her like she knew she was the queen bee of the show. She was a little better toward the end, when the Lorenzo affair was going on.   

Edited March 29, 2018 by Asp Burger

[NutmegsDad]

11 hours ago, P3pp3rb1rd said:

12 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

When they came back, Kiki had already pushed him off of her and was yelling at him.  He seemed surprised by her reaction...

I wonder if Kiki will confide in Ava, and if she does, will Ava be a she-bear defending her young, as Carly would be if Bensch went after Josselyn?

1) Carly wouldn't go after Bensch. Sonny would do it just to one-up absent Jax as the better father, and Joss would be oh-so-grateful

2) Somehow, because AVAKILLEDMORGAN!!!! Kiki's situation will be all Ava's fault.

Carly's "Gee, Drew, I'm sorry that Jason beat the crap out of you, but JaSam is TRUW WUV!!!" is infuriating.

[P3pp3rb1rd]

I'm shaking my head and wondering if Sam was more negatively affected by that cat poo disease than anyone admitted. Her inability to stick with either lover and her constant crying and lack of self-confidence seem more serious than she or her family and friends will admit. After all, she tried to shoot someone back then during hallucinations. Did she really recover completely? Or is Sam headed for a breakdown and serious depression?

Knowing that she and the actor who plays Drew are a couple, and that (reportedly) she prefers to play against him as her partner, the direction the story has taken makes sense. Unmatched to either partner, the actress can have her cake and eat it too. All three can continue to be relevant to the story, and she won't have to force chemistry with one of them (Jason). The audience and the fanbases of both pairings remain in suspense about the ultimate outcome. Outsider characters like Kim, Carly, Julian and Alexis can spin in, around, and out of the Jason-Drew-Sam triangle, keeping their futures in doubt too.

Sam is excused too much now as a busy mother of two kids. The immaculate apartment needs to be strewn with toys, and toddler havoc should be evident. In real life any mom who has two kids that young would be a lot more harried and preoccupied with them--and we are supposed to believe that Sam also has a job in the Aurora media company. Did she and Drew sell it? Why don't we see them working there anymore?

Edited March 29, 2018 by P3pp3rb1rd

[tveyeonyou]

19 hours ago, Hater said:

Jason and Sam have to be the most overrated pairing in soap history.  It's probably mostly from the Sam fanbase in all honestly who pushed it and pushed, but meh I never understood the fascination with two people just dimly staring at each other.  

All this "soulmate" nonsense was also tossed out the window when they effectively had Sam sleeping with his brother for 2 years and not knowing. Or did she really know deep inside and just didn't care?

I find it hard to believe I'm the only person who wonders (trying to say this delicately) if Drew and Jason have the same exact size- umm, I mean she slept with both of them, are they identical twins everywhere, so much so that they're both the same in bed and Sam wouldn't notice she was having sex two different men? I have wondered this before, but the bolded words kinda made me think of it again. 

13 hours ago, ulkis said:

Weren't they gonna do some arc where JakeDrewJason worked for Julian and he would be unwittingly sabatoging Sonny? Reportedly someone above FV nixed it for some reason.

I would love this storyline, not so much because I like Julian but more because I hate Sonny. If this was going to happen, now would be a good time since Drew won't have Sam in his ear saying how much she hates her own Father. What about their big media company? I doubt Drew wants to spend every day working with the woman he still loves when she's "finding" herself and she still loves Jason. I don't know if "finding" herself means she's leaving town but either way, they own Aurora together. Drew can work for Julian and sabotage Sonny and Jason, although I don't know how it would work if Kim is still sleeping with Julian, he knows she's in love with Drew.  Which reminds me, stupid Alexis interrupting Ana and Finn really annoyed me. I don't care if she's in recovery, she knows how Finn feels about Ana, way to screw with his happiness. I'm tired of Alexis and the way she uses her male friends as cover for whatever is going on in her life. Maybe my memory is off but didn't she do something like this with Ned and with Jax? She's all I Am Woman Hear Me Roar yet she needs to throw a man in the mix to save herself? 

It wouldn't surprise me if the "someone" above FV was actually MB whining about how it would affect Sonny.

[Hater]

26 minutes ago, tveyeonyou said:

I find it hard to believe I'm the only person who wonders (trying to say this delicately) if Drew and Jason have the same exact size- umm, I mean she slept with both of them, are they identical twins everywhere, so much so that they're both the same in bed and Sam wouldn't notice she was having sex two different men? 

Lol. Drew actually looks like he enjoys sex so I don’t know about that. Sam said it was different.

[BlancheDevoreaux]

GH is one giant snooze fest. Nine has always been one of my least favorite characters and today didn't change that.  Lulu pissed me off, too.  Since when is she a sniveling little weenie who goes crying to Nina trying to find out something about Maxie.  Oh, and this awful conversation:
Lulu - Maxie has always been the strongest person I know.  I wish I could tell her that.
Nina: I'm not giving Maxie a message for you.
Lulu: I'm not asking you to give her a message for me.
Valentine: Really? Because that's exactly what it sounds like.

Shut up Valentine.  Shut up Nina. And Lulu? Knock it off.

Heaven help me, I do enjoy Griffin and Ava.  They are quite dull but I find that refreshing on this show. There is no cheating, no secrets, they respect each other, and seem to take the other into consideration.  That can't be on this show. Relationships like that have two outcomes: No screen time (ala Molly and TJ) or a ridiculous high drama storyline that doesn't really fit and will break them up.  I'm certain it will be the latter and Kiki will be part of it.

Not at all shocked that Jason had no problem with Sam taking Danny as she goes on her path of self discovery.  I figure he had probably forgotten all about the kid.  I'm hoping Drew tells her that she isn't taking Scout away from him, though. She's already screwed up his life by lying to him and marrying him when she had such doubts.  She isn't going to take his daughter away while she goes off to decide what to do now.  Bonus points if he tells her he doesn't really have a place in his life for her anymore anyway. He can get back together with Liz, restart his relationship with Kim, enjoy being single (what? Is that even possible on this show?) and learn the family business, or heck, he an even decide he is gay and hook up with Andre for all I care.  Just let him get away from Sobbing Sam.

I want more Dante. Can't figure out how to get more of him without also getting Sonny and/or Lulu, though.  Can he become buds with Drew and Curtis and shoot some scenes with them?

[truthaboutluv]

1 hour ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

Not at all shocked that Jason had no problem with Sam taking Danny as she goes on her path of self discovery.  I figure he had probably forgotten all about the kid. 

lol.

Meanwhile, I know people tend to have their shipper bias goggles on but I'm really baffled by the comments I keep reading online about Drew proving how selfish and not right for Sam he is by walking away from her instead of helping her through her confusion. Like, the hell?

This makes no sense to me. Not unlike Sam's blubbering to him to not leave when she told him about being in love with Jason. So Drew was supposed to say, "oh okay, cool. I'll just stay here and hold your hands and stroke your hair while I wait for you to inevitably decide to go back to Jason?" Again, the hell? I mean really, help her through her confusion? By doing what? 

Edited March 29, 2018 by truthaboutluv

[statsgirl]

Griffin needs to go back to school and re-take the course in medical ethics. He is legally obligated to say nothing, especially since he already stepped out of the ethical rules by running the genetic matching test.  Who knew that Ava was going to be the voice of reason?

Shut up, Jason. Shut up, shut up, shut up.  I'm so tired of Jason being prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner. You're not dead because Henrik disobeyed Faison's orders to kill you..  Come to think of it, Henrik does need to be punished for that.

Also STFU Spinelli.  Maxie needs who Maxie says she needs; why are you a better friend to Lulu than you are to Maxie?

Why would Henrik stick around just because Lulu has a conspiracy theory? Why wouldn't the head of Aurora media have an advance copy of a book?  Just how little do you know about publishing, Nina?

This was a boring episode.  I don't care if they find out Peter is Faison's son, I like him a whole lot more than I like Jason, Sonny or Spinelli.  And I like him more than Nina, who looks like she's going to steal Maxie's baby as soon as it's born.  Lulu is still more about her feelings than about what Maxie wants or needs, and I muted the "Corinthos boys" as soon as Mike included Michael. He should be a Quartermaine dammit.

Maxie talking to Georgie was very sweet though.

49 minutes ago, tveyeonyou said:

I'm tired of Alexis and the way she uses her male friends as cover for whatever is going on in her life. Maybe my memory is off but didn't she do something like this with Ned and with Jax?

Alexis used Ned as cover from Sonny when she said that Ned was Kristina's father, not Sonny.  And then Ned and Skye took Kristina away from her leading to the truly horrible Benson shenanigans.

With Jax, are you referring to the "mixed marrieds" storyline with Chloe? Another truly terrible time, but I thought that was about helping out Jax, not Alexis.  Alexis was so much better with Jax than Chloe, Carly, SWMNBN or any other Jax pairing.

8 minutes ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

Not at all shocked that Jason had no problem with Sam taking Danny as she goes on her path of self discovery.  I figure he had probably forgotten all about the kid.  I'm hoping Drew tells her that she isn't taking Scout away from him, though. She's already screwed up his life by lying to him and marrying him when she had such doubts.  She isn't going to take his daughter away while she goes off to decide what to do now. 

I'd like Drew to protest but I doubt he will, the only man who was truly that loving of a child was Jason and that was for Michael, never one of his own kids.

Isn't Danny in school right now or don't his parents care about that? Why not move him into Monica's house and let Leo's nanny take care of him too?

[LexieLily]

2 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

This was a boring episode.  I don't care if they find out Peter is Faison's son, I like him a whole lot more than I like Jason, Sonny or Spinelli.  And I like him more than Nina, who looks like she's going to steal Maxie's baby as soon as it's born.  Lulu is still more about her feelings than about what Maxie wants or needs, and I muted the "Corinthos boys" as soon as Mike included Michael. He should be a Quartermaine dammit.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees this. I'm sure the writing is supposed to show Nina as protective and loving and concerned about Maxie and the baby but she is coming off as creepy and possessive much like she was with Ava re: Avery. (And Lulu re: Charlotte, but that is another story). Who is Nina to decide that Peter shouldn't be around Maxie? Yes, we know Peter/Heinrich is a creep and involved in Nathan's death but for whatever reason Maxie trusts this man and Maxie needs to be the one to decide who is and isn't in her life right now and in what capacity. Nina isn't entitled to be Maxie's sole supporter and she definitely isn't entitled to know about every single doctor's appointment Maxie has.

[BlancheDevoreaux]

Nina does come across as creepy, possessive, and obsessive. I wonder if the writers are intending this and are going to have her kidnap yet another baby (and if so, that needs to be the end of Nina as she finds herself a permanent resident of the hoohoo hotel and NOT a wig on a stick.  No more appearances, please) or if they are trying to show her as keenly observant with almost a sixth sense. If that's the case, Michelle Stafford is doing a craptastic job of playing her. The Maxie storyline is the one storyline I am actually interested in right now and I know they are going to end up screwing it up. Well, that and the Ava/Griffin relationship but there isn't a lot there and I know that is about to get screwed up, as well.  No spoilers or anything. I just know the writers won't let us have anything nice.

As much as I hate how Sonny gets away with everything and he and Jason can look down their noses at anyone who ever did anyone else wrong ever, I am also completely annoyed at the whole Valentine situation.  Homedawg killed Nikolas in cold blood, took Spencer's birthright away from him, knowingly withheld Charlotte from Lulu for years, and now everything with him is all hunky dory except for Lulu possibly making some little snide comment here or there - and even those are few and far between. How has the entire city of Port Charles not decided he is scum of the earth? 

[LexieLily]

7 minutes ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

Nina does come across as creepy, possessive, and obsessive. I wonder if the writers are intending this and are going to have her kidnap yet another baby (and if so, that needs to be the end of Nina as she finds herself a permanent resident of the hoohoo hotel and NOT a wig on a stick.  No more appearances, please) or if they are trying to show her as keenly observant with almost a sixth sense. If that's the case, Michelle Stafford is doing a craptastic job of playing her. The Maxie storyline is the one storyline I am actually interested in right now and I know they are going to end up screwing it up. Well, that and the Ava/Griffin relationship but there isn't a lot there and I know that is about to get screwed up, as well.  No spoilers or anything. I just know the writers won't let us have anything nice.

As much as I hate how Sonny gets away with everything and he and Jason can look down their noses at anyone who ever did anyone else wrong ever, I am also completely annoyed at the whole Valentine situation.  Homedawg killed Nikolas in cold blood, took Spencer's birthright away from him, knowingly withheld Charlotte from Lulu for years, and now everything with him is all hunky dory except for Lulu possibly making some little snide comment here or there - and even those are few and far between. How has the entire city of Port Charles not decided he is scum of the earth? 

Oh, but there was never any proof of Valentin's crimes! So he is free and clear and completely appropriate to raise a child despite having kept that child from her mother for seven years, found a surrogate to carry the child without Lulu's knowledge or consent, and spent the last year and a half taunting Lulu with her daughter and purposefully doing everything in his power to keep Lulu and Charlotte apart.

I would complain about how Valentin and Nina always act so damn smug and entitled with Lulu and only Lulu but why wouldn't they? Valentin has gotten away with all of his crimes and he and Nina have bullied and manipulated their way into "shared" custody of Lulu's daughter. (I'm still not 100% certain that Charlotte is Valentin's biological daughter.) 

Edited March 29, 2018 by LexieLily

[ulkis]

57 minutes ago, BlancheDevoreaux said:

Can he become buds with Drew and Curtis and shoot some scenes with them?

I'd be cool with that, but if Drew starts calling him "my little buddy" I'll want Dante to stand on his teeny tiny tippy toes and sock him.

As for Nina, she's not Maxie's family, show. Ugh.

[Perkie]

I'm glad they gave Maxie a point of view today, regarding her friendship with Peter.  She can't really lean on Liesl and Nina because they're just as devastated and her parents spend all their time hand wringing.  Peter isn't grieving since he didn't know Nathan and he can just be the sounding board for whatever she's feeling, whether it's anger or rage or sadness or whatever.  I get it.  I'm also a sucker for certain soapy soap stories and the classic, fall for the guy only to find out that he's a bad guy, after he's fallen for her too, has me intrigued.  

[ulkis]

Valentin and Lulu have chemistry. Oh, the joy I would take in Nina seeing them in bed together. Hmm, how about Lulu misconstrues something between Dante and another woman (perhaps she sees Dante left a t shirt on the floor, gasp) and she runs to Spoon Island and a one night stand commences from there.

3 minutes ago, Perkie said:

I'm glad they gave Maxie a point of view today, regarding her friendship with Peter.  She can't really lean on Liesl and Nina because they're just as devastated and her parents spend all their time hand wringing.  

It was nice of her not to mention that Obrecht and Nina are psychotic into the bargain.

[Aurora2]

Did you all enjoy what was basically the Heinrik Faison/Peter August show today?   LWB/FS sure has a big supporting cast!!

Except for scenes dealing with Mike's Alzheimer's, every other scene led to Faison's living son.  Everything else revolved around his presence and his identity - with plot points being dropped everywhere. All the players were on stage - Peter, Maxie, Jason, Anna, Spinelli, Valentin, Nina, Lulu, Griffin. The book and test results were left out in the open to further plot development. Jason and Anna revisited their search for Heinrik and showing their different opinions on this search and its outcome (and both are acting on conflicting emotions - Jason on revenge and Anna on maternal guilt and love). The Lulu and Maxie rift was revisited - likely just in time for Lulu to be part of the unveiling of Peter's identity as Faison's son and, by doing so, become again that old, true friend of whom Spinelli spoke.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Aurora2

[YaddaYadda]

Mike is heartbreaking. 

In other news, Dante is looking really really fine.

[Aurora2]

2 minutes ago, ulkis said:

Valentin and Lulu have chemistry. Oh, the joy I would take in Nina seeing them in bed together. Hmm, how about Lulu misconstrues something between Dante and another woman (perhaps she sees Dante left a t shirt on the floor, gasp) and she runs to Spoon Island and a one night stand commences from there.

It was nice of her not to mention that Obrecht and Nina are psychotic into the bargain.

YES!   Anything for some excitement in the moribund Lante relationship!! 

[ulkis]

9 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

In other news, Dante is looking really really fine.

When he's not in that damn flannel shirt. BURN THE FLANNEL.

I can't tell if the writers actually think Lulu never apologizes or that's just Maxie saying it, but if it's the former, why did they make me sit through a whole story of Lulu groveling for her husband's forgiveness for causing him to cheat.

10 minutes ago, Aurora2 said:

The Lulu and Maxie rift was revisited - likely just in time for Lulu to be part of the unveiling of Peter's identity as Faison's son and, by doing so, become again that old, true friend of whom Spinelli spoke.

 

I don't know if Maxie would thank Lulu for running to tell her that her new confidante is Faison's son.

Edited March 29, 2018 by ulkis

[Linny]

I liked the acting in Mike and Sonny's scenes today and how Sonny was subtly upset that Mike forgot Adela, and I liked Michael and Dante sharing scenes (that's a relationship that deserves more importance than it's been given in recent years), but overall I'm still resentful that this storyline is a conduit for Sonny's pain. But I do think the compassionate and wistful vibe Sonny expressed today is a much more effective way to play this than the insensitive anger we've gotten from him previously.

Maxie is apparently the new Sam, in that everyone thinks they have the right to decide what's best for her. Nina and Spinelli both seriously need to learn some boundaries and respect that Maxie can decide who she wants in her life and in what capacity. She's not obligated to forgive Lulu just because of the history they share or because Lulu so desperately needs Maxie's absolution.

So many people are jockeying to find out the truth about Henrik, and then there's Griffin who's holding the winning lottery ticket but can't cash it in without going morally bankrupt. I liked the advice Ava gave him but loved even more that she was tempted to peek in the envelope. It was an amusing little reminder that she's changed for the better but isn't a totally different person.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Linny

[ulkis]

5 minutes ago, Linny said:

Maxie is apparently the new Sam, in that everyone thinks they have the right to decide what's best for her.

Kinda. But unlike Sam Maxie often makes idiotic decisions. Nina can shut up but Spinelli actually knows her. From him it's coming from a thoughtful place.

[LexieLily]

17 minutes ago, ulkis said:

Kinda. But unlike Sam Maxie often makes idiotic decisions. Nina can shut up but Spinelli actually knows her. From him it's coming from a thoughtful place.

Nina is not Maxie's family so she can shut the hell up. They weren't especially close before Nathan's death so them being buddy-buddy now only ups the creep factor for me especially when the only people Maxie sees now are Nina and Peter.

Why did Lulu choose to ask Nina and Valentin of all people to check on Maxie? Maxie has parents that are good people and Lulu knows don't despise her. Why wouldn't Lulu go to Mac and/or Felicia?

Edited March 29, 2018 by LexieLily

[Aurora2]

26 minutes ago, ulkis said:

When he's not in that damn flannel shirt. BURN THE FLANNEL.

I can't tell if the writers actually think Lulu never apologizes or that's just Maxie saying it, but if it's the former, why did they make me sit through a whole story of Lulu groveling for her husband's forgiveness for causing him to cheat.

I don't know if Maxie would thank Lulu for running to tell her that her new confidante is Faison's son.

 

I also thought that the writing was off the mark by suggesting that Lulu never apologizes.  She almost always regrets her choices and apologizes.  Until the next time - and then she goes off on an impulsive, impatient tangent again, each time failing to listen to good advice.  I know that this impatience - this need for quick gratification - and this headstrong refusal to heed advice have been emphasized Lulu trademarks in the past few years; however, these are personality qualities that are long past their best-by date for me.   All making the apologies less meaningful each time. 

Re telling Maxie the truth, I agree that Maxie may shoot the messenger on this one.  However, being as I'm reasonably convinced that this is the path to fixing their friendship,  I expect this will play out in a way that doesn't throw too much shade on Lulu. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by Aurora2

[ulkis]

6 minutes ago, Aurora2 said:

I also thought that the writing was off the mark by suggesting that Lulu never apologizes.  She almost always regrets her choices and apologizes.  Until the next time - and then she goes off on an impulsive, impatient tangent again, each time failing to listen to good advice.  I know that this impatience - this need for quick gratification - and this headstrong refusal to heed advice have been emphasized Lulu trademarks in the past few years; however, these are personality qualities that are long past their best-by date for me.   All making the apologies less meaningful each time.

 

I think that's part of the no third act problem inherit to soap operas that TG talked about. Characters can't really grow cause then there'd be no plot.

Edited March 29, 2018 by ulkis

[statsgirl]

Lulu is completely not thinking of Maxie right now, only of herself and how she wants to be besties with Maxie again.  If she gave it a moment's thought, she would realize that writing the last chapter of the Faison story is just going to make Maxie feel worse.

25 minutes ago, ulkis said:

Spinelli actually knows her.

Not if he thinks that pleading Lulu's case is going to make it any better for Maxie. It will just lose her Spinelli as someone to talk to.

Maxie wants someone to blame for Nathan's death and she's chosen Lulu because she begged Lulu not to publish the piece and Lulu did anyway. She can't blame Nathan because he's dead. So Lulu and Spinelli, if they care at all for Maxie, should just let her process Nathan's death the best way she can, with someone she sees as a stranger, and not push her into a possible breakdown by forcing Lulu on her.

[Aurora2]

3 hours ago, ulkis said:

I think that's part of the no third act problem inherit to soap operas that TG talked about. Characters can't really grow cause then there'd be no plot.

 

I think you're right on this one.  Carly keeps interferring ... Lulu keeps running off on impulsive tangents .. and so on ... to kickstart stories.  From my vantage point, this has been especially obvious with Lulu the past few years.  I feel this tendency has been more pronounced for Lulu since 2015 than it used to be.  Yes, she did things in the past like run off to the bordello; however, perhaps having then more quality air time in general and a wider variety of substantial interactions with family and love interests lessened the impact of earlier forays into what the writers pass off as her "Spencerness." 

However, whatever the reason, this kind of writing has made Lulu considerably less likeable and less appealing to watch.  

Edited March 30, 2018 by Aurora2

[ulkis]

@statsgirl I can't talk about Lulu cause I didn't see her scenes yet but Spin wasn't forcing Lulu on her. He just suggested it and then he backed off.

[Aurora2]

2 minutes ago, ulkis said:

@statsgirl I can't talk about Lulu cause I didn't see her scenes yet but Spin wasn't forcing Lulu on her. He just suggested it and then he backed off.

That's basically what I saw, too.  Spin was trying to do something for both of his good friends - perhaps unwisely right now, but he didn't push.