GH History Lessons: Because History is Always Repeating Itself

[SlovakPrincess]

If GH is cancelled soon, my question is, when in hindsight was the beginning of the end for you?

 

My answer is still, when JJ left the first time. If I want to give it a bit more leeway, then whenever it was that Guza left the second time in 1999 or 2000. Carly and Sonny, as much as I didn't really care then, were a good story.

 

 

For me, personally, the beginning of the end was probably early 2000s, when Sonny and Jason and Carly ate the show.    

 

But there were always ways to fix the show.  Even in 2006, Guza took an uptick for the better, with the beginning of the Robin / Patrick romance and a re-focus on the hospital.    The way Laura was written out in the early 2000s was shameful.  Alan's, Emily's and Georgie's deaths (especially so close together) were terrible.  But none of these things were the ultimate nail in the coffin ... although perhaps they did create a situation that saddled us with Ron and Frank.

 

It's the last 2-3 years that have completely killed the show.  Any soul it had left is gone.  All the characters have been ruined and bent out of shape.   It can't recover without a major retcon or jump-back-in-time to get rid of the sour taste of the mess Ron made.    

[ulkis]

ugh. Jacob Young as Lucky still hurts.

[HeatLifer]

ugh. Jacob Young as Lucky still hurts.

Omg.

[TeeVee329]

I've never heard of the story about Fin either, but I do know for a fact that Lynn Herring in particular was not asked back to GH (although she returned with JL a year later for Lila's funeral). 

 

I think Kin was asked back, though. Because you know, penis! (Just kidding. I love you, Kin.)

 

It's bullshit they didn't invite Lynn back, but I'm guess they didn't want to explain why Lucy was no longer a vampire slayer/dying of some weird disease/with the odious Ian.

 

Scotty was pretty removed from all the vampire stuff, IIRC.

Edited September 15, 2015 by TeeVee329

[ulkis]

Omg.

 

When he pops up it's like, "is that really a thing that happened?"

[SlovakPrincess]

Yeah, 2001 might have been the year that Carly went from a love-to-hate (but interesting) character to .... just awful and arrogant and exhausting.

 

But I do love Laura in this clip.  I always love Laura when she refuses to be a pushover.   Ugh, she could've done so much better than Luke, especially when he started to suck in the 2000s.  

[Francie]

I've never heard of the story about Fin either, but I do know for a fact that Lynn Herring in particular was not asked back to GH (although she returned with JL a year later for Lila's funeral). 

 

Lynn suffered from the same affliction as Finola.  Kelly was younger and had bigger breasts.  This was in spite of the fact that Lynn's popularity ratings were off the chart high and she too had a history with GH.  I'm sure that Lynn was promised when she agreed to leave GH and help serve as a grounding character for Port Charles that she was promised that if it bombed, she could come right back home.  Well, Port Charles did at least last a few years.  But, relatively speaking, it was short-lived for a soap, and they did not welcome her back home.

 

My understanding was that Finola was verbally promised that she could return to GH after committing to making Anna a successful character on AMC.  She gave them three years, and then made arrangements to move back to California. She bought land to build her dream home and everything was set. Then Frons came in and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but there's no room for you on GH, after all. We'd love to have you stay at AMC."  Finola, who again, had already committed to moving back to California, said no thanks and resigned from AMC with several months notice.

 

But, yet, when Port Charles was cancelled due to low ratings, Frons installed Monaco at GH and Easton at OLTL.  Suddenly, there was room for another female brunette lead on GH (albeit one 15 years younger ... oh, and with bigger boobs).

 

Despite the fact that daytime's viability hinged on the female demo as far as advertisers were concerned, Frons's target audience seemed to be heterosexual males age 13 or older who were home weekday afternoons but had no access to video games or internet porn.  It was quite a niche audience.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Francie

[nilyank]

 

Did Sonny ever sleep with Faith?

 

Nope. She did sleep with Ric and then become obsessed with him. So much so, that she pushed Liz down the stairs causing her to lose Liz and Ric's baby. Ric mistakenly believed it was Sonny and in revenge set up the whole Panic Room to steal Sonny and Carly's baby.

[HeatLifer]

When he pops up it's like, "is that really a thing that happened?"

I was always like, "Stop yelling at me!"

He's also the person I point to when people start whining for recasts.

[ulkis]

I was always like, "Stop yelling at me!"

He's also the person I point to when people start whining for recasts.

 

That's not a fair example to use! :p They obviously put no thought in recasting Lucky whatsoever.

[dubbel zout]

Omg.

When he pops up it's like, "is that really a thing that happened?"

 

Shouty McYellerson was...bad. It's always jarring to see him pop up.

 

Sonny and SWSNBN's mom never did it, right? He just threw money at her and made her crawl on the floor to pick it up. I'm not sure it that's better.

Edited September 15, 2015 by dubbel zout

[ulkis]

It's weird, I remember watching these scenes with Sonny trying to push Laura out of Deception and thinking how insufferable he was. Little did I know that that Sonny was positively delightful compared to what he would become. It's amazing how the writers find new lows for Sonny when you think there can possibly be nor more, and think he can just bounce back from it.

[HeatLifer]

That's not a fair example to use! :p They obviously put no thought in recasting Lucky whatsoever.

I thought they failed with GV, too, to be honest. Some actors are irreplaceable. JJ was one of those people for me.

[ulkis]

I thought they failed with GV, too, to be honest. Some actors are irreplaceable. JJ was one of those people for me.

 

Oh, so did I. And I love JJ, but Lucky is/was too important to leave not around, imo. Maybe if they had never brought him back but now he looks like an asshole.

[TeeVee329]

That's not a fair example to use! :p They obviously put no thought in recasting Lucky whatsoever.

 

Wasn't he a CBS steal, hadn't he gotten buzz from "The Bold and the Beautiful" before that?

[ulkis]

Yep. That's what I mean by no thought. "let's get that kid! He's hot and the right age!"

[HeatLifer]

Oh, so did I. And I love JJ, but Lucky is/was too important to leave not around, imo. Maybe if they had never brought him back but now he looks like an asshole.

I don't think Lucky looks like an asshole. It's not like they said he has no contact with Liz or the kids. And he already acted as a father for TWO kids that weren't even his.

[Harmony233]

It's bullshit they didn't invite Lynn back, but I'm guess they didn't want to explain why Lucy was no longer a vampire slayer/dying of some weird disease/with the odious Ian.

 

Scotty was pretty removed from all the vampire stuff, IIRC.

I think scotty went back to GH before all the vampire stuff although he did vist from time to time.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Harmony233

[Francie]

By request, this is the episode where Anna explains sexual love to Casey (he did already know the mechanics from a book from the library).  Finola won her emmy for this episode, in part (I think along with a more dramatic episode involving Paget):

 

https://youtu.be/WNUYJBjVjqs?t=3m6s

 

Edited because the more dramatic episode may have involved Paget's death.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Francie

[peachmangosteen]

Thanks! I truly look forward to watching this lol.

[UYI]

THAT'S what got her the Emmy? I always thought it was for scenes involving Duke's (well, Jonathan Paget's) death.

[Francie]

THAT'S what got her the Emmy? I always thought it was for scenes involving Duke's (well, Jonathan Paget's) death.

Yep, I can't find the interview where she says that, but she has said in the past that she won an emmy for explaining sex to an alien. I think that's the episode they used in the clip for the daytime emmy awards show, but I couldn't find it quickly.  She wasn't there to accept, but they did show excepts of the episode they were nominated for when announcing the nominees.

 

This was back when nominees submitted two episodes that were judged.  Finola picked wisely that year, selecting one that was very serious (I thought it was Faison related, but it easily could have been Paget related) and then one with a more comical underlying tones.

[UYI]

I mean, I guess almost anyone has earned an Emmy if they're required to explain sex to an alien, especially if it's Fin.

Edited September 15, 2015 by UYI

[Francie]

Went down the rabbit hole of vintage Anna scenes. I positively love this scene where Frisco has already sent out invitations for Maxie's christening that identifies Anna as her godmother.  One small point. Frisco and Felicia forgot to ask Anna beforehand:

 

https://youtu.be/euZ3InGZnwg?t=7m37s

 

This is when GH did filler well. It built up the bonds of friendship and family without a shooting and handwringing. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Do the scenes with Frisco and Anna, where Anna asks Frisco to please untie Robert count as filler? Because if so, that was some hilarious filler!

 

Y'all know what I mean!

 

THIS:

 

[Francie]

I could do a top 10 list of favorite moments from that clip!  From Anna, mumbling, I'mtheonewhotiedhimup to Robert limping off. 

 

But can someone explain to me why Frisco took Anna's stockings?

[GHScorpiosRule]

I could do a top 10 list of favorite moments from that clip!  From Anna, mumbling, I'mtheonewhotiedhimup to Robert limping off. 

 

But can someone explain to me why Frisco took Anna's stockings?

 

I know, right?

 

Umm...blackmail?

[BestestAuntEver]

Do the scenes with Frisco and Anna, where Anna asks Frisco to please untie Robert count as filler? Because if so, that was some hilarious filler!

Y'all know what I mean!

THIS:

I love everything about this and it's surrounding scenes. TR should be on GH, not Y&R

[ulkis]

I'm fascinated in just the casual, unthinking ways in which Sonny treated Carly so contemptuously:

 

https://youtu.be/0blcauCuVNk?list=PL81E7B7B2F04711CC&t=433

 

Carly: This is a marriage, not a dictatorship. Just because you don't want another baby doesn't mean it won't happen.

Sonny: Go upstairs! Don't even say stuff like that!

[dubbel zout]

And Sonny is shocked—shocked!—when Carly tells him he's verbally/emotionally abusive.

[UYI]

Do the scenes with Frisco and Anna, where Anna asks Frisco to please untie Robert count as filler? Because if so, that was some hilarious filler!

 

Y'all know what I mean!

 

THIS:

 

 

Am I the only one who thinks that Robert, with that haircut, resembles Patrick Swayze from that SNL Chippendales sketch with Chris Farley?

I'm fascinated in just the casual, unthinking ways in which Sonny treated Carly so contemptuously:

 

https://youtu.be/0blcauCuVNk?list=PL81E7B7B2F04711CC&t=433

 

Carly: This is a marriage, not a dictatorship. Just because you don't want another baby doesn't mean it won't happen.

Sonny: Go upstairs! Don't even say stuff like that!

 

And then came Morgan! :P

 

[SlovakPrincess]

No, that was a terrible haircut on Robert.  He's had a lot of terrible haircuts over the years.   A handsome, handsome man ... with puzzling hair ...

[ulkis]

STFU Nik. Him repeatedly trying to take all of the blame and defend Liez makes me sick. She's not some poor innocent helpless little girl. She willingly cheated on her fiance with his brother. She shares half of the blame for what happened and Lucky is allowed to call her out on it.

 

He didn't mean one word of it. He said with as much passion as a melon. He was happy it was out, he thought he and Liz could be together. Oh and then I forgot afterwards came the most half-hearted attempt at a "who's the father" story. Did anyone actually think for one minute the baby was Nikolas'?

[TeeVee329]

Oh and then I forgot afterwards came the most half-hearted attempt at a "who's the father" story. Did anyone actually think for one minute the baby was Nikolas'?

 

And, if memory serves, Nikolas was such a huge douche about it.  They had just brought Liz back into the hospital after her suicide attempt and Nik was all, "So, yeah, paternity test now-ish please?"  Dick.

[HeatLifer]

I had to go back and watch Patrick's proposal to Sabrina (in the exact same spot as his to Sam) and I can't stop laughing. Did he use this as a guideline to write Sam's? When do we start treating these as a joke? His third proposal?

P: I know what I want. And it's you. Sabrina, last year I was caught in a fog of grief. And quietly you came into my life with your big hair and your big glasses. You made me and Emma smile when I didn't know if we were ever going to be able to smile again. Before you I was simply putting one foot in front of the other, just trying to get through my day. Before I knew it, everything was better. I was better. And I realized I could have a life again without Robin. I know this is all sudden and this proposal surprised me as much as it surprised you. But I love you. And I know I don't have a ring, but I have this. I want you to be my wife. I want to have a family with you and Emma. I want you to be beside me for the rest of my life. Sabrina Santiago, will you marry me?

S: Are you sure about this?

P: As sure as I've ever been.

Edited September 20, 2015 by HeatLifer

[majormama]

Reading through other threads, it occurred to me to ask. What was Michael's original name? He was Michael from the start, but Carly wasn't with Sonny at the time and actually hated him. Was it Jones, since she originally tried to pass him off as Tony's son? Morgan? Benson? And then she marries Sonny who adopts Michael and just so happens to have the same first name, so Michael becomes Corinthos III. Did we know Sonny's name was Michael before that, or was that created just so Micheal could become The Third without having to change his first name?

[Ambrosefolly]

Reading through other threads, it occurred to me to ask. What was Michael's original name? He was Michael from the start, but Carly wasn't with Sonny at the time and actually hated him. Was it Jones, since she originally tried to pass him off as Tony's son? Morgan? Benson? And then she marries Sonny who adopts Michael and just so happens to have the same first name, so Michael becomes Corinthos III. Did we know Sonny's name was Michael before that, or was that created just so Micheal could become The Third without having to change his first name?

Michael's name has always been Michael. Jason was the one that named him. 

[ulkis]

Reading through other threads, it occurred to me to ask. What was Michael's original name? He was Michael from the start, but Carly wasn't with Sonny at the time and actually hated him. Was it Jones, since she originally tried to pass him off as Tony's son? Morgan? Benson? And then she marries Sonny who adopts Michael and just so happens to have the same first name, so Michael becomes Corinthos III. Did we know Sonny's name was Michael before that, or was that created just so Micheal could become The Third without having to change his first name?

 

It was Michael Morgan. I don't think AJ ever managed to get it officially changed to Quartermaine before Sonny forced AJ to give up his rights.

[nilyank]

It might have been Michael Quatermaine when AJ found out the truth and Carly had the brilliant idea of marrying AJ for whatever hairbrained idea she had for marrying him. Sonny didn't adopt Michael and meathook AJ until after Sonny was married to Carly for over a year and they were going to get divorced for the first time. AJ was threatening to the tell the police that Carly killed Sorel and that was part of the reason why he wanted to cut ties between Michael and AJ.

[Tiger]

Carly killed Sorel?

I thought he strapped a bomb to himself and held Carly hostage in the penthouse and then blew himself up?

[nilyank]

Carly killed Sorel?

I thought he strapped a bomb to himself and held Carly hostage in the penthouse and then blew himself up?

 

 

 

She didn't. AJ was going to lie about that in order go after custody of Michael. Sorel's daughter Angel was the one who actually killed him. He was in the hospital after that incident and Angel killed him in his hospital room. It was stupid mystery from McTavish.

[HeatLifer]

Aw, remember when Patrick went to Sam and Jason's wedding and just loved and respected them so much?

Edited September 23, 2015 by HeatLifer

[Oracle42]

It's Patrick! Real!Patrick in actual love!

 

I miss you Patrick

[HeatLifer]

I miss him being a snarky asshole, I really do. The part of Patrick with Robin I miss is the attitude they had with each other. They acted like a real couple who would be pissy and argue and talked about everyday crap.

This scene always cracked me up.

P: Why is this happening to me? I am a busy man. I am a brain surgeon. I don't have time to get on the phone, punch in 15 different numbers, just to finally get someone on the other end that's going to ask me to confirm my purchases, cancel that card, and reissue me another one.

R: You poor baby. I realize this is a huge inconvenience, right? You should be reconstructing someone's brain, not holding on the line like some ordinary person.

P: Now you're just making fun of me.

R: A little. I can take it up a notch if you want...

P: So...um...what's the rest of your day like?

R: I am working. And my time is as valuable as yours is.

P: Eh...that's...well...c'mon, babe!

R: What?

P: Do me a favor! Just call the credit card company for me...

R: No! No!

P: Why?!

R: Even if I wanted to, which I do not, the credit card company has to speak to you.

P: But you look so cute today.

R: Thank you. Get your cellphone out and make that call.

[WendyCR72]

I loved a scene of theirs back in their beginning. Can't find it, but they were arguing and sniping, as they did, at the hospital. Then once the fight was over with, Patrick asked, "Hungry?" Robin said she was starving. Patrick then said, "Chinese food?" and she agreed. It was just so random and quick after the sniping, but it was a little scene that just fit them to a T.

 

Now all this remembering when I loved this couple is depressing the shit out of me.

[dubbel zout]

The posted scene is fun, but it also makes me a bit uncomfortable that Patrick was never all that great about Robin's work being as important as his. Just because she's not a surgeon, she has tons of time to do stuff for him. It's good that Robin didn't let him get away with that, but it's depressing to me that he belittled her work in the first place.

[HeatLifer]

Eh, I think that was just a funny little scene that reminds me of a lot of men who want their wives or girlfriends to call the cable, phone, credit card company for them, lol. And vice versa. Everyone hates that crap.

I truly don't believe it was some larger issue of Patrick not respecting her. Because he did. He loved working with her and picking her brain, but they disagreed a lot on what could be the best option for a patient. Patrick liked to cut, Robin liked the meds route first. It was just their thing.

And, to be honest, I've always thought it was weird that the show never wrote how much Patrick misses Robin as a colleague or someone he can talk to that's on the same intelligence-level in the medical field.

[Oracle42]

Yeah, that's bothered me a lot with Patrick /Sam. What would they even talk about if they weren't always talking about Jakeson

[tallyrand]

They just talk about how awesome Sam is, what a great mom she is, how pretty she is, how Patrick is so lucky to have her....

 

I always liked the fun that KMc and JT would infuse their characters with.  They made Robin and Patrick feel like a very natural couple.  

[HeatLifer]

Haha, actually, that is what they talk about. How great they are.