GH In The News: The PC Press Club

[ulkis]

Maybe this will be hugely unpopular (and should go in that thread), but I'd be for a story with, say, Kin Shriner with Tristan Rogers and Finola Hughes. And sure, throw Lucy in. But - and I know Felicia is popular, Kristina Wagner's acting for me is not good (fits in with many! But still...) these days and frankly - and I know jokes galore have been made of it - Jackie Zeman ruined her face, and it hurts to watch her/Bobbie at this point.

 

I'm okay with both of them in small doses. We can do with Felicia for more, than, what, I think she had 3 episodes total last year. But she was terrible again today and she didn't even have anything to do.

[Lobsel Vith]

Yeah, my biggest problem with McBain on GH was actually the dangling ties to OLTL - the ridiculous Retconia McBain nonsense and especially how Natalie and Clint both took off-screen hits to prop up his romance with Sam.

I also didn't like how, once he realized Sonny hadn't killed Retconia, he was totally cool with him. Boooooo.

They never should have stopped him being anti-mob. They could have built ties and stories with him and Anna, Dante, Mac - dropped the Keystone Cops depiction and have a strong police force. Put a divide between the good guys and the bad guys. It's tiresome that 'good' cops have to be buddies with Sonny.

With Sonny comforting Anna before, lecturing Nathan during the Spinelli disaster, getting TJ to sing his praises while vilifying his mother for being a cop, this show seems to continually refuse to allow the mobsters to be seen as bad guys. This kind of supportive treatment should be given to good guys like Robert, Anna, and Mac, not a villain like Sonny.

[aw86]

OK ngl that supermarket video is the funniest thing I've seen in awhile.

With the decision making process and organization of this show, I wouldn't be shocked if it really went down this way.  Frank sees Michael in the grocery store, and spur of the moment thinks "Well, why not?  Why don't you come back?"  Michael looks at his grocery bill for his family of four and agrees.  Frank goes back to the writers and tell them to create a FOURTH character for Michael. 

[SlovakPrincess]

Maybe this will be hugely unpopular (and should go in that thread), but I'd be for a story with, say, Kin Shriner with Tristan Rogers and Finola Hughes. And sure, throw Lucy in. But - and I know Felicia is popular, Kristina Wagner's acting for me is not good (fits in with many! But still...) these days and frankly - and I know jokes galore have been made of it - Jackie Zeman ruined her face, and it hurts to watch her/Bobbie at this point.

 

I very much agree with this.  I loved Felicia in the 80s, but she's annoyed me since the 90s.  Bobbie became meh for me once she started propping Carly.  Lucy, I cannot stand.  But Kin and Finola and Tristan together would be fun.  

 

In the show that plays in my head, Anna should still be the commissioner, Scotty should be the DA, and they should have a combative, frenemy type working relationship.  I would enjoy a story where somebody tries to kill Scotty, and then while he's recuperating and Anna tries to figure out who tried to kill her annoying "co-worker", Robert helps her and also acts as Scotty's bodyguard.  Have the same shooter murder the mayor, too,  just to raise the stakes on this thing.  Just think how much they would all annoy each other while R and A try to protect a grouchy Scott ... while still all being on the same side ... but saying mean, witty, sarcastic things to each other all day long.   And then bring in Scotty's daughter Serena to worry over him, to show us Scott's softer side.   And Franco would not exist at all.     

 

Um .... topic -- that news about Michael Easton playing a third character on the show ... HA HA HA HA HA!   That is so dumb.  Why didn't they just keep Silas alive but make him suck less?

[Chairperson Meow]

In order for Silas to suck less, it'd mean ditching intriguing new heroine Nina.

Though if Micheal Fucking Easton plays a child psychiatrist and looks at Zombie Jake, saying "Your kid is a psycho. Laters." I might die of laughter. Bonus points if he diagnoses Morgan as an asshole.

[UYI]

Maybe this will be hugely unpopular (and should go in that thread), but I'd be for a story with, say, Kin Shriner with Tristan Rogers and Finola Hughes. And sure, throw Lucy in. But - and I know Felicia is popular, Kristina Wagner's acting for me is not good (fits in with many! But still...) these days and frankly - and I know jokes galore have been made of it - Jackie Zeman ruined her face, and it hurts to watch her/Bobbie at this point.

 

YMMV--it's been awhile so maybe she looks worse now--but overall I've actually thought JZ has looked a LOT better since she first came back in 2013 than she did when she was let go in 2010, if only because she doesn't have that super dark long hair anymore. The red hair at least softens her face a little, plus it's basically her signature look (ironic given JZ's actually a natural brunette! She first dyed her hair red in 1977, when she started playing Bobbie.).

 

Actually, didn't JZ have blonde hair for awhile in the late 90's? Or at least reddish-blonde hair?

Edited February 3, 2016 by UYI

[DeafAngelboy23]

I got to do this to reward y'all for insane GH news.

 

Always remember to look somewhere far beyond all those distant stars and you shall receive...

 

[tvgoddess]

I've been away out of town and am way behind on all things GH but I got back home today to this bizarre and hideous news. I don't care if he isn't Silas. I don't want him playing yet another iteration on this show. And keep him the fuck away from Sam and Ava. Or I might go ballistic.

 

Okay, got to go read the reactions.

[Artsda]

Michael Easton in another character? WTH. I do like him though, but let him just be McBain. McBain worked.

[tvgoddess]

 

jsbt is probably stroking out right now.

 

As am I. But probably not as much as jsbt.

 

 

MICHAEL FUCKING EASTON!?!?!?!?!

 

TeeVee, as usual, has the best reactions.

 

Yeah, McBain/Sam sucked hard.  He had amazing chemistry with Anna, though.  

 

I actually really liked McBain/Sam or McBam as they were known. Yeah, some of the don't I know you stuff was really stupid, but that version of he and Sam worked. And Jason was being a complete dick at the time, so it made sense to me.

 

I totally agree about Anna though.

[OnceSane]

Michael Easton in another character? WTH. I do like him though, but let him just be McBain. McBain worked.

They can't. Prospect Park lawsuit.

[Pete Martell]

Finola Hughes is certainly a better actress than Kristina Wagner, always was, always will be, but I've been bored to tears by most of what I've seen of Anna since her return. And the last time I didn't cringe at a Scotty story was his 2001 relationship with Laura, and that's mostly because I was too busy yawning. They're both fine characters, but something got lost along the way. Anna in particular feels very off to me, likely because this is a regime that hates women. She has no inner life, no intelligence, and no purpose.

 

I do think Finola and Tristan still have chemistry, but I don't know if FV gives a crap.

 

Felicia's never going to carry a story, and that's for the best, but if the material is halfway tolerable I'd still rather watch her than anything of Anna or Scotty in recent years. 

 

I have no interest in Bobbie carrying a story either, but I think she works fine how she is now, and Jackie's looked a lot worse. 

Edited February 3, 2016 by Pete Martell

[Asp Burger]

I'm not sure when it started with Kristina Wagner and the stupid expressions and the stupider line readings, as if she's trying to make everything Felicia says "pop," but I remember by the end of the '90s she was one of the show's acting jokes, and long-time viewers wondered what had happened. I think of her as a glamour puss who didn't gracefully transition to playing a more mature character, and maybe was insecure about her acting and tried to do "more." Then she got stuck that way.  

[Fylaki]

Okay here is my take on the Easton matter. He does not need to play a new character. Rather he should be a re-cast Steven Lars or Tom Hardy Sr., especially with the later no one has seen him in years so the fact that he looks like Silas could almost be played as a joke.  If he is Tom comes on as a good guy with a hard edge. He wants the COS of staff position because it is a family legacy. He hates Franco for being related to him and disgracing the Hardy-Baldwin name. He bounds with Scotty, his cousin. He becomes the moral center of the show and puts the hospital back in play. Yes he and Sam fall in love because the chemistry between ME and KeMo is awesome

 

If however he is some new character then I am afraid I am on the barge for good. Frank has no intention of ever letting us have General Hospital, he is still trying to remake OLTL. Here is a news flash Frank it was canceled. Get over it.  I am at the point where I would rather Guza back. I may have hated the  unholy three but at least two of them were grounded in GH history and the third was an organic GH character that grew to what he was and is over time.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Fylaki

[Harmony233]

FV casting annoncments are always so lame.

[Chairperson Meow]

I'd take ME as Tom Hardy, then Morgan kills Franco in a mob war or Franco dies somehow and Roger comes back in a few months as recast Stephen Lars. MSt doesn't need Roger nor Michael to have her Crimson story, which is the only legit thing she's worked in. Do an Alexis/Julian/Nina triangle for anything if not to shut NLG up.

[amaranta]

Just watched the video with ME.  If I wasn't aware that The Soup was off the air, I would have said they had posted it.

 

As for ME himself, you never know what you're going to get.  I thought he was fine as GH McBain (did not like OLTL McBain), sucked as Live Silas, and then was good again as Dead Snarky Silas.  The Caleb thing was just weird.

 

I wonder who the hell he's going to play.  And if they are going to pair him up with Lulu ...

[TeeVee329]

I'd take ME as Tom Hardy, then Morgan kills Franco in a mob war or Franco dies somehow and Roger comes back in a few months

 

That's where you lost me.  Roger Howarth doesn't deserve to have yet another character created for him - especially given the multiple versions of Franco they've tried to sell - anymore than Michael Easton does.

 

And I see all the ME fans on Twitter going "Oh, he's so nice to his fans, he was so classy about being let go, so he deserves to be brought back."  WTF.  Like Snoop says, deserve's got nothing to do with it.

Edited February 3, 2016 by TeeVee329

[Chairperson Meow]

At this point I want characters who aren't related to Sonny and characters who hate Sonny.

Sonny ruins everything. He's worse than Victor Newman because he never loses. Ever.

[Kitty Redstone]

I do think Finola and Tristan still have chemistry, but I don't know if FV gives a crap.

 

He doesn't.  All he cares about are his OLTL peeps, his overrated "gets," and tired, boring, played out barnacles Sonny and Carly.  He needs to go.

[TeeVee329]

I'll say this - if they really want to try and sell Michael Easton as yet ANOTHER character, he needs to cut his goddamn hair.

[TheMediaHo]

Bring back ME as Father Michael Morley (non-evil twin of Caleb) to perform the Julexis wedding ceremony. He locks eyes with their hot but bruised daughter, Sam, and then we get the "forbidden love" story (copyright: The Thorn Birds). I don't think that's been done recently!

[tvgoddess]

 

  this is a regime that hates women

 

These seven words make me cry and rage at the same time. Why exactly are we stuck with them again?

[IWantCandy71]

Bring back ME as Father Michael Morley (non-evil twin of Caleb) to perform the Julexis wedding ceremony. He locks eyes with their hot but bruised daughter, Sam, and then we get the "forbidden love" story (copyright: The Thorn Birds). I don't think that's been done recently!

 

 

He'd have to be a triplet, since Silas was Steven/Caleb's twin, wasn't he?

IDK. I like ME, but even I think that bringing on an actor who has already played three different people has now sent GH, not just jumping, but catapulting over the shark.

As far as this regime hating women, I actually think some of the best writers for women in daytime have been men. We need a new generation Douglas Marland. DM knew how to write layers, too...something sadly missing in so many of the Port Chuckians right now.

[Ambrosefolly]

We just need good writers, be it a man or woman. While some of the best writers have been men, the best executive producers have been women (Gloria Monty, Wendy Riche, even though they could be jerks sometimes.) The problem with FV is that he wouldn't stop a huge majority of RC more stupid ideas and seems the same is going on for the new head writers. FV maybe great a budget, but he lacks the vision of late 70s/early 80s Monty. Monty actually might be a case study on what can make producer great and what can later make them terrible. 

 

There is a discussion in the History thread about the time MB stated that he tanked a pairing because the actress was too green. I was on the Barge at the time, and while I don't doubt the storyline was probably stupid, I thought it was poor management of the show that MB wasn't reprimand somehow, instead given more and more storylines. Billy Warlock, who only spoke up on the occasions when they were really going to trash he character (pushing Carly down the stairs comes to mind), would often get backburned and had a potentially successful pairing taken away from him (AJ/Courtney) for no visible reason. I remember there being a theory that the "Lucky Card" storyline was original intended for him (the premise of valuable cards giving the owner lucky, who but AJ would seek that out the most) but the storyline was focused more on Jax by saying his father had once owned them. 

Edited February 4, 2016 by Ambrosefolly

[linsav]

IWantCandy71

He'd have to be a triplet, since Silas was Steven/Caleb's twin, wasn't he?

IDK. I like ME, but even I think that bringing on an actor who has already played three different people has now sent GH, not just jumping, but catapulting over the shark.

As far as this regime hating women, I actually think some of the best writers for women in daytime have been men. We need a new generation Douglas Marland. DM knew how to write layers, too...something sadly missing in so many of the Port Chuckians right now.

Eileen Davidson played up to 5 characters on Days Of Our Lives at one point:

1. Kristen Blake

2. Susan Banks

3. Mary Moria Banks

4. Thomas Banks

5. Penelope Banks

 

I am sure some Actor from Dark Shadows has the records for the most Roles for an actor on a Soap:

Thayer David- Matthew Morgan, Ben Stokes, Professor T. Elliot Stokes, Sandor Rakoski, Count Petofi, Timothy Stokes (PT), Mordecai Grimes, and Ben Stokes (PT)

Nancy Barrett- Carolyn Stoddard, Millicent Collins-Forbes, Charity Trask, Pansy Faye, Carolyn Stoddard Loomis, Leticia Faye, Melanie Collins Young, Amanda Collins (TV)

Louis Edmonds- Joshua Collins (the father of Barnabas Collins), Edward Collins (the older brother of Quentin Collins), Roger Collins PT (Roger Collins' opposite self in 1970 Parallel Time), the adult Daniel Collins (a cousin of Barnabas Collins and Millicent Collins' younger brother), Amadeus Collins (a lawyer who was the main prosecutor in the trial of Judah Zachary in 1692, whose spirit later possesses Gerard Stiles in 1840), and Brutus Collins (a ghost who haunted the secret locked room in 1841 Parallel Time).

[Pete Martell]

Okay here is my take on the Easton matter. He does not need to play a new character. Rather he should be a re-cast Steven Lars or Tom Hardy Sr., especially with the later no one has seen him in years so the fact that he looks like Silas could almost be played as a joke.  If he is Tom comes on as a good guy with a hard edge. He wants the COS of staff position because it is a family legacy. He hates Franco for being related to him and disgracing the Hardy-Baldwin name. He bounds with Scotty, his cousin. He becomes the moral center of the show and puts the hospital back in play. Yes he and Sam fall in love because the chemistry between ME and KeMo is awesome

 

Based on his McBain work, good guy with an edge would mean heavy-breathing and hands-on-hips sanctimony. 

 

I'd rather see them bring Matt Ashford back if they need a Tom. He wasn't fantastic as Tom but he was decent enough.

These seven words make me cry and rage at the same time. Why exactly are we stuck with them again?

 

They're cheap and serviceable. FV has made the writing staff infantile, made the cast give all time worst performances, and makes the show look one or two levels above web porn, but it saves a few pennies, so that's enough for ABC.

[OnceSane]

These seven words make me cry and rage at the same time. Why exactly are we stuck with them again?

No on else wanted them.

[Francie]

Eileen Davidson played up to 5 characters on Days Of Our Lives at one point:

1. Kristen Blake

2. Susan Banks

3. Mary Moria Banks

4. Thomas Banks

5. Penelope Banks

 

I am sure some Actor from Dark Shadows has the records for the most Roles for an actor on a Soap:

Thayer David- Matthew Morgan, Ben Stokes, Professor T. Elliot Stokes, Sandor Rakoski, Count Petofi, Timothy Stokes (PT), Mordecai Grimes, and Ben Stokes (PT)

Nancy Barrett- Carolyn Stoddard, Millicent Collins-Forbes, Charity Trask, Pansy Faye, Carolyn Stoddard Loomis, Leticia Faye, Melanie Collins Young, Amanda Collins (TV)

Louis Edmonds- Joshua Collins (the father of Barnabas Collins), Edward Collins (the older brother of Quentin Collins), Roger Collins PT (Roger Collins' opposite self in 1970 Parallel Time), the adult Daniel Collins (a cousin of Barnabas Collins and Millicent Collins' younger brother), Amadeus Collins (a lawyer who was the main prosecutor in the trial of Judah Zachary in 1692, whose spirit later possesses Gerard Stiles in 1840), and Brutus Collins (a ghost who haunted the secret locked room in 1841 Parallel Time).

The Eileen Davidson situation, once it got up to 3, 4, 5 characters, was intended as a joke. The audience is in on it joke.  That was Reilly's style -- irreverent to the nth degree. 

 

The ME situation is totally different, where he's playing a lead character for now the third time. These aren't  wacky multiples.

 

I can't speak to Dark Shadows. Except to say that there's something to be said for what audiences can accept pre-recording and re-watching and post.  Hardly anyone on GH remembers when John Lindstrom had a day part playing a car rental agent, or when John Ingle had a very infrequent recurring role as the New York Commissioner, or when the actor who played Victor Jerome worked in a store that Frisco and Felicia frequented. But I wonder if these actors who played multiple characters on DS played a lead for a year, got booted, played a lead for a year, got booted, and then came back as yet another lead.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Francie

[Francie]

Regarding Michael Easton returning, I keep going back and forth and forth again from indifferent to annoyed (not ANOTHER Sam "connection" and pairing, please!) to mildly optimistic (he did have good chemistry as McBain with Anna), but the one thing I keep coming back to:

 

PLEASE, I beg of you, writers and other PTB, do not bestow and impose upon this new "exciting" character a name as lame as "Silas Clay."

 

TIA.

[ulkis]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBVZwZGNHBf/

 

Please tell me that's not what his hair is gonna look like on-screen

[rur]

Bring back ME as Father Michael Morley (non-evil twin of Caleb) to perform the Julexis wedding ceremony. He locks eyes with their hot but bruised daughter, Sam, and then we get the "forbidden love" story (copyright: The Thorn Birds). I don't think that's been done recently!

 

Now . . .

is that hot-but* bruised daughter Sam?

or hot, but bruised,  daughter Sam? 

or hot, but-bruised daughter Sam?

 

Any of these loves would be forbidden but probably for different reasons .  . .

 

* Sorry: I just couldn't resist.

But I'm not proud of myself. I'll see myself out. 

Edited February 4, 2016 by rur

[HeatLifer]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBVZwZGNHBf/

Please tell me that's not what his hair is gonna look like on-screen

*goes back to watching 2008 GH*

[TeeVee329]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBVZwZGNHBf/

 

Please tell me that's not what his hair is gonna look like on-screen

 

That is a terrible picture of him for a variety of reasons.

 

Ugh, and digging into the feed, he's rehearsing for a scene with Kiki.  WhyTF would Dillon ever talk to her?

[cmahorror]

I'd rather see them bring Matt Ashford back if they need a Tom. He wasn't fantastic as Tom but he was decent enough.

 

 

You mean bring on an actor to play a doctor on General Hospital? Shocking!

 

Seriously, bringing MA on the show may bring me back full-time to the show depending on how he is used.

[Oracle42]

That is a terrible picture of him for a variety of reasons.

 

Ugh, and digging into the feed, he's rehearsing for a scene with Kiki.  WhyTF would Dillon ever talk to her?

 

Because FV is apparently still determined to make Kiki happen 

[Ambrosefolly]

Isn't Matt Ashford rehired at Days?

[TeeVee329]

The show should absolutely NOT make Michael Easton's latest character a doctor.  Are we forgetting how unbelievable he was in that role as Silas?

[cmahorror]

Isn't Matt Ashford rehired at Days?

 

 

Only for five shows.

[yowsah1]

According to Varni's facebook page:

 

Easton returns soon to ‪#‎gh‬ in an exciting new role, more details to come later this month!

 

I suppose it is too much to hope that he will play:

 

1.  A doctor

2.  A policeman

3.  A Quartermaine

4.  A Hardy-Webber-Baldwn

5.  Someone who doesn't kiss Sonny's ass 24/7.

 

Aw, who am I kidding, we all know he is going to come on as Sonny's newest mob flunky/enforcer, or the Big Bad Mobster that we are supposed to root for the Good Heroic Mobsters to defeat!  Because that's what this show needs more of!

 

Largely, I agree. But McBain's romance with Sam was so forced.

 

RC write a forced romance?!?!  TELL ME NO!!!  [/sarcasm]

 

Michael Easton in another character? WTH. I do like him though, but let him just be McBain. McBain worked.

 

I thought he worked well as McBain, also.  It's a damn shame he wasn't allowed to stay on in that role (I can hear his snarky comments about the DanteLulu/Valerie clusterfuck now...).

[Kitty Redstone]

There is a discussion in the History thread about the time MB stated that he tanked a pairing because the actress was too green. I was on the Barge at the time, and while I don't doubt the storyline was probably stupid, I thought it was poor management of the show that MB wasn't reprimand somehow, instead given more and more storylines.

 

That doesn't surprise me at all.  When this show finally gets canceled, I'm going to place a large part of the blame on MB, the producers who coddle(d) him, and the so-called soap press who have blown smoke up his ass for over twenty years.

[Bwill3133]

That is a terrible picture of him for a variety of reasons.

 

Ugh, and digging into the feed, he's rehearsing for a scene with Kiki.  WhyTF would Dillon ever talk to her?

I don't even like Dillon all that much but being saddled with the Keeks is sad. Even in one scene.

[OnceSane]

That hair deserves Kiki.

[TheGourmez]

That hair deserves Kiki.

 

I like the hair. But those pants...smh

[Tiger]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBVZwZGNHBf/

Please tell me that's not what his hair is gonna look like on-screen

Riker Pierce Wozniak has the fiercest eyebrows I've ever seen.

[tvgoddess]

I like the hair. But those pants...smh

 

They're both hideous. So yeah, he totally deserves Kiki.

[TheMediaHo]

Regarding Father Michael Morley, he was the first character played by ME on PC. Then, IIRC, they introduced his (evil) twin, Caleb, the sexy vamp, which brought on all sorts of good vs. evil stories. Somehow, rocker Stephen Clay appeared, an obvious relative (with Duke The Cat as his evil vampire band manager). Was he another form of Caleb? Memory fails -- memory likes to protect me sometimes -- but I do think KeMo's Livvie was involved with all three at one time or another.

 

PC the show gets killed off in 2003, Silas Clay comes to The Chuckles (2012 or 13?), and sexy vamps are back in PC. 

 

Add McBain to the mix and that's five characters for ME. I'm still pulling for Father Michael. Gangstas get religion after whatever danger "hits too close to home" for Snarly, and Father Michael hears confession after confession, then is revealed as the baddest gangsta/possible vampire ever. Or at least that's the show playing in my head...

Edited February 4, 2016 by TheMediaHo

[Ambrosefolly]

Michael Morley was Caleb's split personality.

[Oracle42]

I think the (mercifully!) short-lived vampire 'story' was one of the silliest things RC did during his tenure.

[TeeVee329]

I thought the idea of doing something with the "Port Charles" history was a fun idea, but per usual, the execution wasn't the best and it actually kinda ended up spitting on "Port Charles"' characters and history.  "Oh look, it's Alison Barrington, that's fu--oh, she's been murdered.  Oh look, callbacks to Lucy's history as a vam--oh, she's actually been mentally ill for years and it broke up her family with Kevin.  Great?".

 

Worst of all was it AGAIN being a story about John McBain being wrongly accused of a crime and having to break out of jail to clear his name, a trope they beat into the ground on OLTL.

Edited February 4, 2016 by TeeVee329