Episode Discussion: TFGH

[seasons]

That last scene with Robert! Fucking! Scorpio! punching Valentin was possibly the best tv show moment I have ever seen. It happened so fast it took my breath away! The look on Robert's face was fucking awesome. Someone's gotta make a gif out of that for sure so we can relive it over and over again. TR is by far in a class by himself. If TG had to do the same scene,  it would have probably come across hammy and cheesey.

Edited May 18, 2018 by seasons

[Melgaypet]

There's nothing wrong with Kim McCullough. A woman's body isn't the same after pregnancy, this is not a surprise to anyone with half a brain. Unless it was a plot point that Robin should look terrible, the wardrobe department failed at their literal job by putting her in something so ill-fitting and unflattering.

[ulkis]

51 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

I have a friend who is 36 weeks (due June 12, her fourth) but is ready to deliver RIGHT NOW.  According to the midwife,  36 weeks is considered full term. She's also not as big as Maxie is.

Isn't 36 weeks 9 months? 

I really don't think making Maxie think her dead husband's baby is dead is a great summer story, but hey, what do I know?

[mostlylurking]

Someone has hated Kim McC for a very long time.  Her last few visits she always lookeds like a frump, and not because of any weight changes.  On the subject of weight though, I thought Epiphany looked like she lost some?  And why wasn't Liz in the nurses opening act??

[Winston Wolfe]

19 minutes ago, Melgaypet said:

There's nothing wrong with Kim McCullough.

Amen- I loved Kimmy when she was a size 3 and I still do. ;-)

30 minutes ago, seasons said:

That last scene with Robert! Fucking! Scorpio! punching Valentin was possibly the best tv show moment I have ever seen.

The only thing missing was the Axel F theme music from the 80s.

[mostlylurking]

Someone in wardrobe has hated Kim McC for a very long time.  Her last few visits she always looks like a frump, and not because of any weight changes.  On the subject of weight though, I thought Epiphany looked like she lost some?  And why wasn't Liz in the nurses opening act??

I am in the minority but I like the red carpet opening.  It's cheesy, but I can't help it!  I liked Liz and Franco and the kiss-n-dip, and I even liked Joss and Oscar and their kiss was cute.  Alexis looked great with the straight hair.  Nina, Kiki, Stella, Lucy, and Liz all looked fantastic.  Everyone else...meh.  Especially the ones who didn't even bother to brush their hair (looking at you Devane).  I loved Nina's excitement at Curtis and Jordan, and Bachelor Nick looking at her like The Hell?? Since he didn't know what was up.

Curtis and Nina's friendship feels very authentic.  I dig it.  But why is Curtis the only person who is allowed to have actual friendships on this show?  Not that I'm complaining, I think the more he gets to interact with various cast mates the better.

[Asp Burger]

Becky Herbst has said she doesn't like performing for the Nurses' Ball. She was in some of them in her first few years. The Liz/Emily/Juan "Footloose" number, with Juan as a diner cook and Liz and Emily as nerdy waitresses who become sexy, was probably Juan's best scene in however long he was on, and the girls did well with it too. There was also one with her, original Lucky, Taggart, and Dara, to "Jailhouse Rock." But she's asked not to be included in more recent years. This year they wrote Liz's begging off (and Lucy's uncharacteristic backing down) into the script.   

[Katy M]

16 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

Becky Herbst has said she doesn't like performing for the Nurses' Ball. She was in some of them in her first few years. The Liz/Emily/Juan "Footloose" number, with Juan as a diner cook and Liz and Emily as nerdy waitresses who become sexy, was probably Juan's best scene in however long he was on, and the girls did well with it too. There was also one with her, original Lucky, Taggart, and Dara, to "Jailhouse Rock." But she's asked not to be included in more recent years. This year they wrote Liz's begging off (and Lucy's uncharacteristic backing down) into the script.   

Seems fair.  She's an actress and this isn't a musical.  So, performing that way isn't exactly what she signed up for.  She did the two numbers you mentioned in the originals and then she was in the Raise Your Glass number with Kiki the first year it came back, so she's probably done her part for not liking it.  

[Hater]

I think it's just a case of not wanting actors on throughout the whole thing, so they don't waste episodes.

Edited May 18, 2018 by Hater

[ulkis]

Probably Becky Herbst didn't want to perform.

It is fucking ridiculous Joss is more mad at Carly for being meeen!!!11 to Nelle than she is at Sonny for getting her dad deported. 

[TeeVee329]

Previews...ew, Spinelli again?  Why is Ellie putting up with this shit?

[Hater]

Spoiler

Also got to save Liz for the big epic Friz wedding event of the summer.

[Perkie]

I was SO pissed when wimpy Valentin got the upper hand on Robert Effin' Scorpio, drugged him and tossed in some hole.  So since I'm mostly spoiler free, colour me shocked and even more in love when Robert Effin' Scorpio shows up AND punches Valentin in the face.  LOVE IT!!

Maxie's water breaks and she tells him to stop instead of flooring it to the hospital?  Oy, so stupid.  And he listens to her?  Get her ass to the hospital you idiot.  Having said that, i love how tv pregnancies, their water breaks and the baby shows up immediately after.  TMI, but my water broke at 10 pm on a Monday night, I hot footed it to the hospital only to have everything slow down and my ds wasn't born until Wednesday at 1;30am, 27 hours later.  

[dubbel zout]

6 minutes ago, Asp Burger said:

But [Becky Herbst has] asked not to be included in more recent years. This year they wrote Liz's begging off (and Lucy's uncharacteristic backing down) into the script.   

When she wasn't in a featured act, she was in the opening act. I think BH has paid her dues.

Did Sonny really need to be written into the Alexis/Finn stuff? I know that was to show us that Mike is addled, but COME ON.

Why were Olivia and Ned dressed like '60s singers? That Elvis Costello song is new wave. And LOL at Finn's smile during their number when he was just seen running after Alexis, then we see him running after her again. Oh, Show.

Color me slightly surprised Sam and Jason's annoying theme music wasn't playing during their scenes.

The Olay ad wasn't bad, though I'm not sure anything can be worse than the Prego ad poor NLG and CH had to do.

At first I thought Stella was trying to set up Deanna and Felix. Then it sounded like she was setting up Felix and Mike.

Just now, Perkie said:

Maxie's water breaks and she tells him to stop instead of flooring it to the hospital?  Oy, so stupid.  And he listens to her?  Get her ass to the hospital you idiot. 

It cracked me up when Peter asked if Maxie were sure her water broke. I'm surprised he wasn't splashed by it.

1 hour ago, seasons said:

That last scene with Robert! Fucking! Scorpio! punching Valentin was possibly the best tv show moment I have ever seen.

Best scene of the show in a very long time.

[Hater]

1 minute ago, dubbel zout said:

Color me slightly surprised Sam and Jason's annoying theme music wasn't playing during their scenes.

It's only done when they try as much as they can to squeeze some sort of romantic chemistry between the actors.  This was all investigation crap, so it wasn't needed.

[Gam2]

Well, it didn’t take that long for my first child to appear after my water broke but the minute I walked into the ER, I broke and the nurses came running. 12 hours later, we had a baby. That whole scene was just stupid. Maxie had already had one baby-she wasn’t a novice at this. The writers act like all of the women viewers are newbies in the babies arena. We’ve almost ALL had babies and know how it happens, idiots. How many babies have these men writers had?!

[Perkie]

4 hours ago, Linny said:

Kim goes doe-eyed at Drew,

To me, it's not even doe-eyed as in "I wuv you", but more in that "you're "special-touched in the head" kind of way.  It's a weird look!

[TeeVee329]

I wonder if something at the Ball will prevent Kim from being involved in any possible baby shenanigans at the hospital.

Edited May 18, 2018 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

3 hours ago, Cheyanne11 said:

My guess:  One dead baby--Nelle's.  She's going to swap out a baby for her dead one, but because of her friendship with Brad doesn't want to give him her tock.  So she takes their baby, gives Maxie's baby to them and Maxie gets Tock.  

Yup, that's the scenario I've wanted.  Nelle takes Baby (who?), Lucas/Brad get Maxie's baby, and Maxie thinks her baby died and hopefully blames LWB/FS slash runs him over with her car.  Unfortunately, they haven't done any work setting up the Maxie/Lucas side of things - you know, little things like them BEING COUSINS - so the drama isn't really there.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Why does this show hate Kimberly McCullough? She doesn't HAVE to keep making these visits. They're fucking LUCKY she does. And did I miss it, or did Robin not mention why PATRICK wasn't there? The Nurses Ball isn't something he'd miss. You fakakta fucking craptastic clusterfuck of a show!

4 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I loved Robert punching Valentin in the face. Can he please stay in Port Charles and just go around town punching Valentin every day? 

 

YAASSSSSSSSSSS! THIS IS MY ROBERT!FUCKING!SCORPIO!!!!!!!!!!???????

4 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

Robert, swoon!

 

4 hours ago, Linny said:

Robert motherfucking Scorpio just brought down the house with that punch. God, when this show wants to it can really get the job done and DELIVER. What an outstanding moment.

 

Ohhhh, when Robin suddenly stood up with that look on her face, my heart started pounding and then I saw that Gorgeous, scruffy ROBERTFUCKINGSCORPIO punch that weaselly Valentin, I jumped up and screamed!!!!

3 hours ago, Allthesnark said:

It’s been said already but I joined the forum after months of lurking on multiple shows just to say this:

Robert motherf-ing Scorpio.

that is all. 

Don't be afraid to spell it out: ROBERT!MOTHERFUCKING!!!!SCORPIO FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!

3 hours ago, ulkis said:

He looks good with scruff.

HE ALWAAAAAYS LOOKS GOOD!!!!!

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

RF!S always looks good.

JINX!

3 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

Why Anna would want Dr. Michael Easton when Cassadine-decking Robert is right there is beyond me.

I'm blaming it on her blood disease.

1 hour ago, seasons said:

That last scene with Robert! Fucking! Scorpio! punching Valentin was possibly the best tv show moment I have ever seen. It happened so fast it took my breath away! The look on Robert's face was fucking awesome. Someone's gotta make a gif out of that for sure so we can relive it over and over again. TR is by far in a class by himself. If TG had to do the same scene,  it would have probably come across hammy and cheesey.

xgazillionmilliontrillion,

1 hour ago, Melgaypet said:

There's nothing wrong with Kim McCullough. A woman's body isn't the same after pregnancy, this is not a surprise to anyone with half a brain. Unless it was a plot point that Robin should look terrible, the wardrobe department failed at their literal job by putting her in something so ill-fitting and unflattering.

I'm so sick and tired of people accusing her of being a frump, "letting herself go," or being fat. My wee Robin is all grown up and has CURVES. I swear, though that dress was horrid and an atrocity, I could see Kimberly is more endowed. Oh the HORROR! That she's not a stick or a size 0 anymore. ???????

And just what the Fuck was Ned wearing around his neck? And Olivia as a '60s Go-Go Girl?

My Original Nurses Ball loving heart just keeps breaking to pieces every year, when I see how classless, cheesy and cheap Frank makes it. I remember when it everyone who attended wore glamorous clothes, and looked GOOD. 1994-2000, may you R.I.P. And like @statsgirl mentioned pages back, this fundraiser was always a local affair, and not a red carpet event, as if it was The Emmys, Oscars or SAG. I miss when the show told REAL people's stories, and showed REAL people. What year did they show that AIDS quilt? When Ricky Martin's Miguel sang? Or when Robin, who is Port Charles' face of HIV, would talk about living with it? Where the FUCK were MAC and FELICIA?

I hate Frank Valentini so so much. Like with the heat of a gazillion billion burning suns.

[Katy M]

3 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

d did I miss it, or did Robin not mention why PATRICK wasn't there?

Emergency surgery? He is the best brain surgeon in the world or something, right?

[statsgirl]

2 hours ago, ulkis said:

Isn't 36 weeks 9 months?

It's just over 8 months since each months has 4.4 weeks.  Generally 40 weeks from the last period is what they predict for the date of  birth.

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

At first I thought Stella was trying to set up Deanna and Felix. Then it sounded like she was setting up Felix and Mike.

I couldn't figure out how she didn't know that Felix is gay! And then I remembered Sonny had said that Mike had fired two nurses.

But Mike doesn't really need an RN to take care of him, he just needs a personal care worker. While I'm glad that the actor playing Felix is going to get work, it's overkill in terms of caregiving.

[Benji]

Ok, I'll be the first to say it. I know they're just kids, but Joss and Oscar's number was...not good.

[Sake614]

5 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

 

Why Anna would want Dr. Michael Easton when Cassadine-decking Robert is right there is beyond me.

 

 

Seriously! But if she doesn’t want him, I’ll be more than happy to take him!  ?❤️

[BlancheDevoreaux]

I actually enjoyed Valentine's number a lot. Thought it was lovely. The punch at the end after showing Robin's face just knocked it all out of the park. I was worried that these fakakta writers actually might have Val take our the badass that is Robert Scorpio. Glad that wasn't the case. 

[Allthesnark]

Re Felicia and Mac : Lucy said something about Mac missing his act with his ventriloquist dummy (I needed to word that carefully lest anyone think I was besmirching Felicia) because he was out of town.  Bobbie was shown saying thank god. Curtis was a last minute replacement.

[Auntie Velvet]

I thought Oscar and Joss' number was quite good. A little pitchy here and there, dawg, but overall the song was pretty and the vocals were good. And I hate to say it, but Oscar was so cute and shy peeking over at Joss. I'm coming around on him. 

When everyone stood up in shock after Valentine finished (and I almost missed it because I FF'd that horrid song), I thought his face was melting off or something. Which would have been fine. (Anything but Dr. O hijacking the stage behind him.)

Like everyone here, I squeeeeeeed to see beloved RFS. I was really expecting him to find him in his cell on Monday, about to fake his way out.

[paisley]

Robert F! Scorpio!!!

[ciarra]

So...is this the number Oscar was rehearsing when he twisted his knee?  Did he fall off the stool?  Maybe they are in the finale?

The llama could come out and poop and still upstage all the acts. 

[bannana]

11 hours ago, P3pp3rb1rd said:

McCullough gave birth to her son, Otis, on June 7, 2017 almost a year ago, but at this Nurses' Ball she looked either far along in a pregnancy or like she had just delivered but her figure had not returned yet. Did she have another baby after Otis? She is 40 I believe but women today can still have babies into their forties.

 

Your comments about KMc are harsh and hurtful. 

Edited May 19, 2018 by bannana

[rur]

Speaking from my table of one in the back: I thought Oscar and Joss did a nice job. They did as well as high school kids would be expected to do. I did notice that almost all the songs this year had a general theme of acceptance. I don't know if that was because it was supposed to be an AIDS benefit or if the musical choices were prompted by the current climate. I also liked Valentine's song. I wasn't familiar with the song itself, but I thought it was beautiful, and JPS did a nice job with it. But Robert F! Scorpio! wins the night. 

[Winston Wolfe]

6 hours ago, seasons said:

TR is by far in a class by himself. If TG had to do the same scene,  it would have probably come across hammy and cheesey.

In all fairness though, memories of Robert and Luke working together back in GH's glory days makes my heart sing.

[Ladyrain]

11 hours ago, statsgirl said:

How stupid is Maxie telling Peter to pull over instead of going to the hospital just because her water broke?  It could be hours if she's not having any contractions yet. And if it really is too soon, she definitely should be in the hospital.

I know!!  I thought the very same thing.  Putting myself if her position, I'd have wanted him to put the pedal to the metal to the nearest hospital - preferably not GH, where we all know Nelle is waiting to make the baby switch when everything goes south for her.

[Ladyrain]

11 hours ago, mostlylurking said:

Someone has hated Kim McC for a very long time.  Her last few visits she always lookeds like a frump, and not because of any weight changes.  On the subject of weight though, I thought Epiphany looked like she lost some?  And why wasn't Liz in the nurses opening act??

I do believe that Epiphany has lost some weight.  Good for her, it's not easy. 

As for Robin's dress, that thing wouldn't have looked good on even stick thin Anna.  It was just a horrid - like some losing Project Runway fail.

[Perkie]

Robert better do more than just punch Valentin in the face.  There had better be an arrest for assaulting a federal agent in Valentin's near future.

I wonder if the actresses have any say in the dress they are given to wear.  With the exception of Lynn Herring who gets to change multiple times, everyone is else is stuck in their outfits for multiple shooting days.  You would want it to be comfortable and not super ugly (Robin, Kim, even Maxie's was not really flattering, though nothing can beat what they made Lulu wear last year to cover ER's pregnancy)  

[dubbel zout]

2 minutes ago, Perkie said:

nothing can beat what they made Lulu wear last year to cover ER's pregnancy

I'd have been impressed if they'd ripped that thing up and made four dresses out of it for women this year, hee. That thing was enormous. ER had an excellent sense of humor about it.

[Gam2]

Can anyone find a photo of ER in the dress being referenced? I wasn’t watching back then but am now really curious!

[Sake614]

https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital-nurses-ball-2017-behind-the-scenes-133272/photos/emme-rylan-kelly-monaco-253892

 

halfway down the page.

[Perkie]

https://imasoapfan.blogspot.ca/2017/06/lulu-spencer-falconeris-pink-rhinestone-clutch-nurses-ball-general-hospital.html

 

the side view doesn't do it full justice, but that's the gist of it!!

[Happywatcher]

Other than the insightful issues everyone already pointed out--

They hired a number of extras to fill seats, be waiters and staff...

Why didn't they have Maxie give birth in the hospital, then have Nelle switch babies there, under the confusion of [a school team supporter bus accident], and use the extras in new outfits running around, being orderlies, being relatives demanding answers and updates? It would have been good, suspenseful drama. 

They already paid for the people, and I am sure fed them, why not work them the whole day and have a much better story?

Edited May 19, 2018 by Happywatcher
wording

[P3pp3rb1rd]

10 hours ago, bannana said:

Your comments about KMc are harsh and hurtful. 

 

10 hours ago, bannana said:

22 hours ago, P3pp3rb1rd said:

McCullough gave birth to her son, Otis, on June 7, 2017 almost a year ago, but at this Nurses' Ball she looked either far along in a pregnancy or like she had just delivered but her figure had not returned yet. Did she have another baby after Otis? She is 40 I believe but women today can still have babies into their forties.

 

Your comments about KMc are harsh and hurtful. 

Edited 10 hours ago by bannana.

I thought Kim had had another baby since Otis or was pregnant again because when she rose from the table she looked like she was carrying as much baby as Maxie.  In real life she was going to have one baby before Otis but lost it, and then she was pregnant with Otis and successfully had him. So I was wondering if she had decided to have a third baby or had just delivered one after Otis. I thought she might be having them so close together before she aged out of her best maternity years. No harsh or hurtful meant.

Edited May 19, 2018 by P3pp3rb1rd

[seasons]

11 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

In all fairness though, memories of Robert and Luke working together back in GH's glory days makes my heart sing.

Good point!! I think maybe TR balanced out TG's cockiness?

[Sake614]

8 minutes ago, seasons said:

Good point!! I think maybe TR balanced out TG's cockiness?

Or maybe TPTB at the time didn't tolerate his antics. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 hour ago, seasons said:

Good point!! I think maybe TR balanced out TG's cockiness?

I don’t think Geary was the arrogant douche he became back then.

1 hour ago, Sake614 said:

Or maybe TPTB at the time didn't tolerate his antics. 

His antics started around the time he and Genie returned in 1993; or maybe a few years after that.

[Oracle42]

It was a couple years after JFP fired Genie

[MarciNJ]

coming out of lurker mode to comment on Kim McC's hideous dress, but I see that has been well covered.  Note: not a comment on her weight - I think she looks fine, even though she isn't a size 00, but clearly, someone in wardrobe (and hair/makeup) hates her.  A lot.

With the exception of Sam, Kim (the character) and Anna, I thought all the women looked great (LOL at the Miss Kitty comments - spot on).  And, WTF was up with Sam's shoes?  Never mind the totally wrong color, not even fancy heels?  Not like she doesn't own tons of them and wear them with jeans or anything...

I thought Haley P looked great - her hair may have been....  unbrushed looking.... but her highlights and the cut are great.

This Carly/Nelle thing is so stupid and we all know how it will end, so where is the suspense?  Sonny is irrelevant, as usual.  I hate when Jason is the voice of reason.  I see he did plant the seeds of doubt in Michael's mind, though.  

DIdn't mind that person from The Chew (since I don't watch it) because it was nice to put a face to Cook 2.  Don't watch The Bachelor, so I have no idea who that other guy was.

Olay "commercial" wasn't too bad - far better than the Hershey and Campbells ones that poor Becky H has done in prior years.

Oh, and because it can't be said enough, RF!S for the win!

(but wait, wherever he was, it was an airplane ride away.  At the beginning of the Nurse's ball, he was locked up wherever it was.  But before it ended, he managed to escape, travel back to PC and get to the ball?)

And finally, this "huge event of the year" or whatever they call this thing had about 30 people attending?  Tables for 2, 3 or 4 people?  Wouldn't a large event have tables set for 8 or 10 or 12 people?  Geez, hire a few extras.  There were enough of them in that opening act....

... back to lurker status....

[dubbel zout]

5 minutes ago, MarciNJ said:

I see he did plant the seeds of doubt in Michael's mind, though. 

Which will promptly die, because Michael is an idiot. 

This story should be soapy as hell, but of course it isn't.

[bannana]

13 hours ago, P3pp3rb1rd said:

 

I thought Kim had had another baby since Otis or was pregnant again because when she rose from the table she looked like she was carrying as much baby as Maxie.  In real life she was going to have one baby before Otis but lost it, and then she was pregnant with Otis and successfully had him. So I was wondering if she had decided to have a third baby or had just delivered one after Otis. I thought she might be having them so close together before she aged out of her best maternity years. No harsh or hurtful meant.

Then I completely misunderstood your intent. 

[Asp Burger]

10 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Which will promptly die, because Michael is an idiot. 

But the other axiom, which may even trump Michael's idiocy, is that Jason Is Always Right. Usually the character in Jason's orbit who has to play dumb for propping purposes is Sonny, not Michael. That too is happening right on schedule.   

I was disappointed in the CVE/Shelly (Chelly?) team here, because they had an opportunity to buck a trend in an interesting way. But it all lined up just as Guza would have written it.  Carly protests her innocence, Jason has complete faith in her and sees right through Nelle, Sonny thinks she's cracking up. 

If virtually anyone else were the one on Carly's side, I could see Michael blowing it off, but not Jason, whose devotion to him has stretched from reading Africa books to him to being his prison protector.  

[dubbel zout]

9 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

If virtually anyone else were the one on Carly's side, I could see Michael blowing it off, but not Jason, whose devotion to him has stretched from reading Africa books to him to being his prison protector.  

Michael will realize Jason is right, of course, because Jason Is Always Right, as you note. But I think in this case it will take longer than it might otherwise, given how especially wishy-washy toward Nelle Michael has been. I wish he'd play hardball with her. She can threaten to leave Port Charles and Michael will never see the baby again, but Michael should call her bluff. He knows she wants a relationship with him. Plus, there's all that Q cash. Being in PC makes it a lot easier to get her share. 

As always, the story completely ignores the obvious soapy elements and focus on the dumbest ones.