GH History Lessons: Because History is Always Repeating Itself

[UYI]

20 years ago today on April 5th, 1996--for better or worse--SHE arrived. And Port Charles would never be the same again.

 

[Jazzy24]

20 years ago today on April 5th, 1996--for better or worse--SHE arrived. And Port Charles would never be the same again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRxmc7vwNb0

My most hated soap character EVER and I will always hate this beast.

[dubbel zout]

I get the "you abandoned me" mindset of an adopted child, but I'll never understand Carly's resentment of being given up by her teenage hooker mom to a loving, if not especially well-off, family. I guess "not especially well-off" is the key reason. And Carly's entrance was the beginning of the end for poor Tony Jones. 

[SlovakPrincess]

I forget - did Carly come to town with the intention of meeting Bobbie but then somehow get the idea that Bobbie would reject her? Or was revenge via seducing Tony her plan from the get go?

I loathe Carly, but man ... remember when she was psychologically interesting and the show acknowledged that her actions were bad? That made her watchable to me then (at least for a few years).

[dubbel zout]

She came on hellbent for revenge, and when she saw Bobbie's ginormous diamond rings, she set her sights on Tony. I think if Bobbie hadn't seemed wealthy and part of PC, Carly wouldn't have been so set on using Tony. The fact that he was a successful doctor just added to her contempt for what Bobbie did. And this was all before she knew anything about Bobbie's past. 

[TeeVee329]

Did Carly know about Bobbie having been a teenage prostitute from the jump?  I thought that was revealed to her later, not that it stopped her revenge plans.

 

The monster that Carly became aside, giving Bobbie a long-lost, Kendell Hart-esque child from back in the day - especially because Bobbie couldn't have any more children - was a pretty soapy idea.

Edited April 5, 2016 by TeeVee329

[dubbel zout]

Carly had no idea of the circumstances of her adoption when she first came to town, and that's why she was so determined to get back at Bobbie, especially after seeing how happy and settled Bobbie was. 

Edited April 5, 2016 by dubbel zout

[HeatLifer]

SJB's Carly. Still my favorite. Forever. Will never change. Crap. Now I have to watch some '90s GH. This needs to stop.

[Ambrosefolly]

Carly had no idea of the circumstances of her adoption when she first came to town, and that's why she was so determined to get back at Bobbie, especially after seeing how happy and settled Bobbie was. 

And to prove how fucking vindictive and childish she was (and still is) instead of telling her who she was and maybe finding out what happened in the 20 odd years since she gave her away she went head first into ruining Bobbie's life, Tony's life and Lucas's childhood, and only apologized to Bobbie for that shit. 

[HeatLifer]

Why did you do it, show? Why? My Nik. <3

[ulkis]

I wanted them. Damn you, Burton!

 

Maybe GV is a better actor than I gave him credit for, to keep a straight face . . . 

[HeatLifer]

I loved JnR too much (like run home to watch them like a weirdo) back then to have wanted her with Nik, but looking back now, they would have been precious.

Every time I see GV's Lucky, I'm like, "That ain't Lucky" in my head.

[ulkis]

I loved JnR too much (like run home to watch them like a weirdo) back then to have wanted her with Nik, but looking back now, they would have been precious.

 

It's still kind of amazing to me that Nikolas never got a proper love interest his first run, when he was so darn hot. I guess they tried, but it didn't really work out.

[SlovakPrincess]

They tried to give him Sarah, and I think Liz had a thing for him when they were all teens (which is why she tried to cause trouble for him and Sarah at first).

 

But ... Sarah was a dud of a character.  They maybe should have pushed the Jason / Robin / Nik triangle a little more?   

 

A lot of Nik's early years are muddled for me ... wasn't Nik involved in some way with stupid Katherine Bell for a while?   Did I just hallucinate that? 

[ulkis]

No, Liz never had a thing for Nikolas. She just messed with them because she was jealous of Sarah.

 

He did sleep with Katherine for a while. He had a crush on her and kissed her after he thought Laura died. That was in late '96. Then two years later when Katherine came back from the dead, Nikolas initiated an affair with her because . . . no reason, really. (Late '98 was when all of Guza's stories started to lose focus, although a lot of the audience, me included, name JJ's departure as the official downhill turning point for the show.) It continued with the recast (who popped up a few months later), Katherine claimed to be pregnant with his baby (complete with a gross scene of her collecting his sperm from a condom or something), which cause Helena to kill her, for real that time.

Edited April 7, 2016 by ulkis

[HeatLifer]

Late '98 was when all of Guza's stories started to lose focus, although a lot of the audience, me included, name JJ's departure as the official downhill turning point for the show

It was JJ and KMc leaving that did it for me. I never knew if I was just being biased or the show really started to suck, but it has to be a combo of both.

[TeeVee329]

So Nikolas' first arguably real, popular pairing was with Gia when the part was recast?

 

Weird.

[ulkis]

So Nikolas' first arguably real, popular pairing was with Gia when the part was recast?

Weird.

Yup. They should recast her and bring her back. Have Nik remember he was actually going to marry someone before Emily.

[HeatLifer]

I loved Nik and Gia.

[Oracle42]

I'd love to see Gia's reaction to Hayden. I feel like the 'Bitch, please' would be epic

[WendyCR72]

I...never liked Nik. Original Recipe, anyway. Recast Nik wasn't much better, but he and Gia had some okay-ish moments.

[ulkis]

I...never liked Nik. Original Recipe, anyway. Recast Nik wasn't much better, but he and Gia had some okay-ish moments.

Teenage me is giving you some hardcore side eye right now ;)

[WendyCR72]

Teenage me is giving you some hardcore side eye right now ;)

 

Ha! It's okay. The cheese stands alone and all that...

[Tiger]

It was JJ and KMc leaving that did it for me. I never knew if I was just being biased or the show really started to suck, but it has to be a combo of both.

Was something going on behind-the-scenes to cause Vanessa, JJ, Tyler, Kimberly, and Steve, to all leave within about a year of other, with really everyone but Steve leaving within about six months?

[cmahorror]

A couple of clips from the Bacchanalia when Nik's crush on Robin was on full display.

 

 

 

 

I always loved this one and the way Nik goes out of his way to make Patrick jealous.

 

[UYI]

It was JJ and KMc leaving that did it for me. I never knew if I was just being biased or the show really started to suck, but it has to be a combo of both.

 

VM's departure was around the same time, too.

Was something going on behind-the-scenes to cause Vanessa, JJ, Tyler, Kimberly, and Steve, to all leave within about a year of other, with really everyone but Steve leaving within about six months?

 

Well, in Vanessa's case, it was due to sheer burnout. She had been working nonstop throughout her first stint, including when she pulled double duty at both GH and the show In Concert (and then the movie The Rock). Going to 90210 afterwards must have been leisurely compared to the schedule of daytime.

[HeatLifer]

Was something going on behind-the-scenes to cause Vanessa, JJ, Tyler, Kimberly, and Steve, to all leave within about a year of other, with really everyone but Steve leaving within about six months?

Hmm. I don't think so. JJ and Kim just wanted to do other things. It was probs the same for the others.

Haaaaaa. Nik grabbing Robin's ass and PATRICK'S FACE. GOLD. "Why can't I give up on him?" "Why can't I give up on her?" 'CAUSE UR PERFECT.

[LeftPhalange]

Why did Duke blame Julian for Anna's miscarriage when Olivia Jerome was really to blame?

[TeeVee329]

Relatedly, can someone refresh my memory - Julian Jerome was the one who locked Duke up in that Turkish prison and cost him twenty years of his life, right?  If so, if the show needed something to fuel Duke's vendetta, why not just that?

 

Also, I wish, with all the blah blah about Sonny being Duke's bestie, someone would remember Shawn manhandled Duke into Sonny's office to dish the dirt on Julian.

Edited April 7, 2016 by TeeVee329

[TeeVee329]

I mentioned this in the news thread, but despite Jane Elliott's comment that "General Hospital" never played with Tracy's mob ties from "The City", I vaguely remembered something about Skye trying to blackmail her with that history.  Here's what I found:

 

[Francie]

Relatedly, can someone refresh my memory - Julian Jerome was the one who locked Duke up in that Turkish prison and cost him twenty years of his life, right? If so, if the show needed something to fuel Duke's vendetta, why not just that?

Also, I wish, with all the blah blah about Sonny being Duke's bestie, someone would remember Shawn manhandled Duke into Sonny's office to dish the dirt on Julian.

Ron was being coy with the writing, trying to have his cake and eat it too. It was only said that the Cassadines were responsible for Duke being locked away in that prison for 20 years. And only one alive at the time would've been Julian. And Julian knew where Duke was, because he was messing with him when Duke try to apply for a job with him. But they never expressly said the Julian Jerome was the one who had him locked up. Edited April 12, 2016 by Francie

[ulkis]

Thanks LeftPhalange, for linking to that Franco clip. I clicked to see what other videos they had and it's some hotbed of Franco/Carly and friggin Felicia and Tom clips. :weeps:

 

[Oracle42]

Why do you post these things!?! This is NOT ok! :flings Barware:

[ulkis]

Why do you post these things!?! This is NOT ok! :flings Barware:

 

this is LeftPhalange's fault! At least Felicia had nice hair here. You don't even want to know about her hair in the other clips. 

[LeftPhalange]

Thanks LeftPhalange, for linking to that Franco clip. I clicked to see what other videos they had and it's some hotbed of Franco/Carly and friggin Felicia and Tom clips. :weeps:

 

 

LMAO he wants that. He wants it bad. 

[jsbt]

I'm stitching my mouth shut about Matt Ashford right now, because I like him a lot.

[ulkis]

I'll say it! Did they vacuum all the charisma out of him on GH? What was up with that?

[UYI]

Weren't there people out there who actually thought Tom & Felicia were hot when they were together? I may have to check out some of that stuff.

 

I distinctly remember a fan video dedicated to them set to "Sexual Healing." I shit you not.

 

And apparently there was one infamous scene that implied he went down on her. (Sorry, guys. I have barf bags!)

[ulkis]

Oh, the thought doesn't me barf. How can anything that bland make me barf. In fact I should probably bookmark it for when I have an upset stomach that needs soothing.

[TeeVee329]

I don't think I was watching during most of Tom and Felicia, but I'm reminded of this classic Serial Drama vintage recap:

 

http://serialdrama.typepad.com/serial_drama/2008/12/vintage-suds-gh.html

 

I feel compelled to disclose at this point in the post that this Tom-and-Felicia-sexin'-it-up plot throughout this episode is not something I can detail for you on the sacred pages of our blog.  There is dirty talk, there are many double-entendres, there are ice cubes used in a sexual fashion, there are illusions to orgasms.  I cannot possibly be expected to recap that.  I only barely tolerated Tom and Felicia independently but together I was repulsed by them and I don't want to spoil my otherwise happy walk down Port Charlesian memory lane with these unfortunate goings-on.  Therefore, when throughout the episode Tom and Felicia have, allude to, talk about, or prepare for The Sex, I will I will instead substitute my Matthew Ashford/Jack Devereaux happy place:  Jack and Jen flirtatiously banter at The Spectator!

[KerleyQ]

From what I remember of Felicia/Tom, the show was trying way too hard to make them "hot and sexy."  It was more desperate and awkward.  

[Melgaypet]

I was a kid, but they grossed me out.

[OnceSane]

Edward didn't leave any shares to Tracy? Didn't Tracy trade shares for Luke's life? Whose shares were those?

Edward left shares to the family (even Alice!), but not Tracy. He left Tracy a jar of Pickle Lila.

I can't remember whose shares Tracy used.

[Ambrosefolly]

I think she had control over Danny's shares. While I usually hated the way Edward treated Tracy (even with heart medication because he was trying to trick her), she deserved it after that stunt she and Luke pulled with Alan's will. 

[TeeVee329]

That has always been a point of confusion for me.  I thought Sam basically divided the votes of her and Danny's shares between AJ and Tracy equally, not that she actually handed over the shares to them.

[Oracle42]

AJ/Tracy came to ask for the right to vote Danny's shares and Sam split the proxies between them. Asking for the shares outright would have been INSANE and the idea that Sam would have or legally could have given away Danny's shares (which would've been held in trust) for NOTHING made zero sense. I don't know how/why RC's writing team made that change later in that already terrible story

Edited April 15, 2016 by Oracle42

[OnceSane]

That has always been a point of confusion for me.  I thought Sam basically divided the votes of her and Danny's shares between AJ and Tracy equally, not that she actually handed over the shares to them.

That's exactly what Sam did. But RC apparently changed it to fit his new plot point so Nik could steal the company & for that whole Luke debacle. Sam NEVER gave any actual shares to Tracy or AJ.

[ulkis]

But the next story should be the shareholders forcing Michael out as CEO because he's a Corinthos and there should be a real concern about Michael's shitty criminal "father" using ELQ to launder his gummy bear porn money

 

 

Didn't Sonny once own ELQ stock? What happened to that.

[Oracle42]

Maybe? I feel like I remember him strutting into an ELQ meeting. I know Jax had control at one point

[jsbt]

IIRC, Edward gave Tracy Pickle Lila as a blessing to make her own foundation from unlikely beginnings, as Lila had with the relish. She eventually came to understand that by using Pickle Lila to save ELQ - and then made her own company for about five minutes before the whole plotline collapsed into utter disaster. I really liked the idea at first, because it was an act of love. It wasn't just Edward fucking her over from beyond the grave.

Edited April 16, 2016 by jsbt