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GH's Maurice Benard On Sonny's Worst Crime: Shooting A.J. Quartermaine!

Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

The life and times of Sonny Corinthos are explored in a new interview with the man himself, Maurice Benard (Sonny) of General Hospital!

TV Insider’s Michael Logan chatted with the man who is the main resident mobster in Port Charles, who is celebrating his 23rd year on the long-running ABC daytime drama series.  While mob stories are always a hot button issue for fans of the show, many want it less mob-centric, while some love Sonny doing his thing, Benard weighed in on the question of what he thinks over the years has been Sonny’s worst crime.

Benard revealed:  “Shooting Michael’s (Chad Duell) father, A.J. Quartermaine. (Sean Kanan) It was the absolute worst thing Sonny ever did. But even that he managed to justify in his head. And then, after the funeral, Sonny and Ava (Maura) had sex in the Quartermaine crypt. Now that was pushing the envelope. But it was good.”

As for Sonny’s latest foe, Julian Jerome (William deVry), the Daytime Emmy winner revealed there are some scenes coming up where he and Will deVry throw down: “Sonny is scared—really, truly scared—for the first time in his life because of Julian Jerome. But it’s not like Sonny admits it. We just finished shooting scenes that had me thinking, ‘Wow. This is serious s–t. This Julian guy is a psychopath!’ I think he’d slit Sonny’s throat—and probably his eyeballs—if he ever got the chance.”‘

So what do you feel was Sonny’s worst crime? Are you enjoying the Sonny and Julian vendetta on GH? Comment below!

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Killing off A.J. for the second time was one of the worst decision Ron made during his tenure, and that says a lot because his time on the show also included killing off Duke and Connie, the crapfest that was Denise DeMuccio, and the never ending Fluke tale, followed by Anthony Geary’s lackluster sendoff. They completely tarnished Sonny by having him kill A.J. in cold blood, just like they did when Ava killed Connie.

I really want Jean and Shelly to find a way to resurrect A.J. again and either rehire Sean Kanan in the role (if he can be released from B&B where he literally has nothing to do) or hire Trevor St. John in the role. I think he’d kill it, and it would be interesting to watch scenes between his A.J. and Howarth’s Franco.

It sounds to me like they’re going full throttle crazy with Julian, which is both a good and a bad thing. William DeVry plays bad so incredibly well that we know the scenes will be amazing, and might even win him an Emmy. But what about the future of his character? They’ve written Julian into the tightest corner imaginable, and even if he manages to evade prison and be cleared of all charges, how will they ever be able to redeem the character?

I agree–Julian should NOT be redeemed. And Sonny? He is a character that TPTB have ATTEMPTED to redeem after they–wait for it!–wrote the character in a corner by taking him too far. But I always know–no matter how the dimples dazzle–that he is a killer and it just doesn’t set well with me that he is now portrayed as a “family” (NOT mob family, which, in fact he is) man–who gets to “advise” other characters on what is right or wrong. Sonny came on as a “shady” character–not a killer–and should have remained in that gray area so that the viewer could legitimately pull for him.

Great post! I agree with you except that Trevor doesn’t want to do soaps. He had said in several interviews he never intended to play Todd as long as he did on OLTL. I think like several soap actors soaps were just a stepping stone. For myself, I’d be thrilled if he joined GH.

I think William DeVry is turning in some fantastic work! I actually abhor what he did to Alexis and yet I felt empathy for him when Lucas and Sam withdrew their love ( though it goes without saying they were right to feel the way they did) and then Olivia came by to further his being cast out from his inner circle. I’m conflicted because I like Julian and as I’ve maintained he did and does love Alexis, but his demons took hold and spiraled. Not sure what the writers will do but Zi don’t want to lose the character.

Sonny? Everything sonny did to AJ all thru the years was hideous culminating in his murder. Though many viewers would complain about someone coming back from the dead again…not me. I’d love to have AJ back, preferably via Sean Kanan. Nick Stabile looks similar so he’d be a contender…I also like Mark Lawson who played Brody Lovett. He’d be a good Lucky as well.

My sentiments, exactly, Rebecca.
But ( don’ t get me wrong, LOL), as much as Mark Lawson is a superlative actor ( like him a lot), he doesn’t fit into the Quartermaine clan, per se. Yeah, I guess….he’s got the facial looks. But, he is really tiny….short, that is.
The Quartermaines have height, stature and presence. Mark may be buff and toned, which is in fact , a remedy for most short men. LOL. They compensate by working their small bodies.
Lucky, I would agree. Mark would make a better Spencer (sp).
As far as Julian? The only thing left would be for his attorney to cop a temporary insanity plea. Go to a mental rehab center and take it from there. Nonetheless, he cannot come back as a criminal….as far as I am concerned mob-life has lost its punch on soaps. T’would be a repetition of more of the same; without originality or vision.
However, I doubt Alexis would ever regain her trust in him. She is probably going to abandon any thoughts of men, for a long while; as she questions her sense of self. Alexis is lost in limbo somewhere.
But, if truth be told, I really love this brand new Alexis. Nancy is really believable, as she mopes around the house in drab clothing. I found it so humorous, but heartfelt, how Diane walks in as fresh as an April shower and tells Alexis she looks like, more or less, a fishwife. LOL.
Be that as it may; I like the clean-faced Alexis. She looks great!! And, I am anxious to see what TPTB will have her ‘do’ within her year of not practicing law.

Hey CeeCee…
Did you watch GH when Billy Warlock played AJ? He played AJ after Sean Kanan and for more years, but when they revived the character they asked Sean back instead of Billy. Anyway, Billy looked nothing like Steve Burton, Chad Duell or Sean Kanan. Yes, they’re all tall and blond. Billy is 5’7″ with dark hair. It took a while for me to adjust but he quickly became the role. He, as AJ, was so sad, so misunderstood, disrespected…it really was heartbreaking and frustrating to watch. Always the victim…(not without faults) as he died. But my point is he is shorter than Mark Lawson but somehow he made it work. And of course he had a resemblance to Alan Quartermaine who, though tall too, was dark.

If all else fails after Jason gets tired of wearing Sam’s heels (which I mentioned on another post since that’s bound to happen in their never-ending twin t-shirt and jeans outfits) Mark could borrow the heels to make up for the height disparity! 😉

LOL. I have no clue who Billy Warlock is, Rebecca; but, I did google him. I see what you mean….so I guess, another short AJ will work?.
You know how weird it is to get used to an actor playing a role for years and then suddenly plays another role.
It’s so hard for me to make the Billy-Jason; or, the Michelle-Nina transition/adjustment.
Furthermore; I am still suffering through ‘shell-shock’ with Thompson as Billy A and Tognoni as Phyllis.
I can’t seem to come to grips with the ‘laissez-faire’ notion. Not a good thing. LOL.

Agreed. Although, sleeping with Ava while Morgan cared for her was a disgusting betrayal, as well (although, not a crime). I have always liked Sean Kanan (AJ) and was disappointed with what the writers continued to do to decimate AJ Quartermaine-a privileged offspring to a legacy family. I remember watching the Q’s in the 90’s when they had ample air-time. I so enjoyed the banter and comedy the Quartermaine’s brought to Port Charles. It’s such a shame, what TPTB have continued to do by putting them on the back burner.

Hello, dmr,
You’re right. Having sex in a mausoleum is not a crime according to modern- day -man’s law. But, it is a moral and religious crime. A crime against all that is good and decent in humankind.
For those who uphold their religious faith, what Sonny and Ava did was a profane desecration on holy grounds. Just awful.
Trust me, I am no prude. But, that scene was too much to take….sick and twisted!!
Obviously the actors need their paychecks….I wonder if any of them balked when he/she was given the script. Obviously not!!
Honestly, I still am aghast that TPTB went there. Unfortunately censorship does not exist on Daytime any longer. Everything goes. How long before porn is introduced on a soap?
To think that Sonny is still allowed to portray the upstanding father, husband, grandfather, uncle and friend is soooo hypocritical; while AJ is still considered the bad guy, and as you say, decimate him.

I think that was Sonny’s worst thing because even though AJ had his troubles, I still liked him. Sean Kana and Billy Warlock both did very well in the role and it makes me sad that we won’t see either actor playing him again. Killing off AJ ranks right up there with killing off Alan and Emily.

Sonny’s worst crime is stealing the focus of the show away from the hospital so that he and his overexposed family can bore viewers to tears, closely followed by murdering AJ Quartermaine.

The Sonny/Julian vendetta has absolutely no suspense because as with any storyline involving Sonny or the Corinthos clan you know nothing will ever happen to them.

LOL I love this simple but truthful post. For about a year now (well longer but…), GH has been heavily promoting the Corinthos as the center of the show but isn’t really what GH needs right now and many are puzzled by the backwards decision. The Sonny/Julian rivalry has never really clicked with viewers so why continue with that story too? Fans may like the characters separately but not together.

Except that is the writers doing….not Sonny. 😉

Golly Gee, if even Maurice surmised the futility in killing AJ……why couldn’t the writers? Why not choose another way of ‘ridding’ themselves of said character? Why kill him?
….Love Maurice….despise Sonny and his not-so-refined mafioso persona.

Julian versus Sonny-such a bore-i like cheesy King Kong versus Godzilla so much more-but if GH done Mobsters versus Monsters than with me GH will finally score-im done so i wont say any more-lol

Killing ofAJ was such a mistake…if only they could had got Nick Stabille to replace SK when he left the show!!!

Agree..Killing AJ and also Connie/Kate, was done with careless thinking and both of them were vital characters..They were murder for a few cheap thrills but nothing ground breaking..Michael still loves and is loyal to Sonny and Ava is walking free after murdering such a fan favorite/vital character for years now. And for what?!!

Bring back those characters ..Stabille as AJ and bring back Ms Sullivan as Connie…It is bound to be some great story telling and acting by all parties involve. Shelly/Jean, do right by us, fans and correct the horrendous mistakes Ron C made during his writing regime. I am sure your popularity will surge..Currently, the majority of GH fans are very unhappy with your writing regime.

I would rather have AJ & Connie/Kate back than half the current cast.

Sonny’s worst crime is;
Allowing Jean and Shelly to castrate him–they carry his balls in their purses and smile for turning the great Sonny Chorinthoes into a whimpy joke..
He is no longer the feared, heavy dude he is just a bully doing nothing but lookung foolish as a monk wearing a tie … ahaaa haaa!

I want my Sonny back !! (( a curse darker than any of Helena on the Queens of Snooze for their love-in junk….,.
((they are forever on my hit list heh!

I want the mob back.. the real mob….. not 2 retired mobsters arguing and bulling each other…
What is between Julian and Sonny is not mob anything- it is ”personal” .

I hope Julian goes commando on Sonny so he can get his mobster manhood back..

I miss !!!!!!
Frank Smith
The Alcazar mob family. Lorenzo Alcazar.

0ooh the Ruiz family; yeh!
Hector Ruiz
Javier Ruiz
Manny Ruiz
Mateo Ruiz
Theo Hoffman/The Balkan’s family.. all them
And Joe Scully.. Joe Scully, Jr .. both
Roy DiLucca
The Wu family;
Mr. Wu – Head of the organization
Kim Wu – Grandson of Mr. Wu
Jade Soong – Granddaughter
Yank Se Chung –
Brad Cooper – a Wu to go dark.
The McKay mob family
The Zacchara family; all of them
Johnny
Anthony
The Alcazar family; all of them
Luis
Lorenzo
Diego
recently;
Carlos Rivera
Not really mob, but missed;
The Cassadines..
Cesar Faison
Jax

there is NO mob in GH .. just 2 men personally bullying each other ..

If you want mobs so much, just watch “The Sopranos” or all the Martin Scorsese mob movies or “The Godfather” movies..I highly recommend “Ray Donavan” @ Showtime

I for one, got tired of the mob formula over @ GH the last few years!! It just ran its course!!

Focus more on the actual hospital and the core families of the show!!

Sonny was never feared by the people we know in Port Charles. No matter how involved in the mob, he was husband, lover, friend, father, neighbor to them all. The only one he threatened was AJ over Michael (and we know how that ended) but the rest? They either loved him, liked him or disapproved. He wasn’t big, bad Sonny that generated fear.

Gotcha ya drift there, podner!

Sonny is John Walton now-lol

“Balls in purses” and “mobster manhood”–wow!
And “foolish as a monk,” eh? Double wow! That purple prose will stain and saturate this whole blog, if you’re not careful, su0000! 🙂

Lastly, and Julian “going commando”? What a vision! I’ll hide my eyes!
Showing the chest constantly has seared my eyes–even burned off my eyelashes and eyebrows! What a sight! What a fright! LOL!

William DeVry shirtless is a “fright?” Someone needs her eyes checked.

Rebecca, Nancy may be alluding to the fact that Julian’s chest is overly tended to with all the waxing and polishing. To many women, that type of vanity is a turn off and they prefer a smattering of hair but not so much that they look like King Kong.
The one good thing about Alexis’s and Julian’s break up is that she doesn’t have to fight for mirror time anymore. I fully expect Julian to start dancing while singing that song by Fat Boy Slim, “I’m too sexy for my cat, too sexy for my cat, what ya think bout that?”

Lol Harry…groovy song ya got goin’ on there but this is one chick who is not a fan of chest hair. Matter of fact I’d pluck those suckers off with my delicate lil hands if they presented themselves! Okay, mebbe not but I’d offer a gift card to wax em off! I’m for smooth and polished any day!

Sure, Sonny committed many evil crimes over the years without any repercussions whatsoever, with the murder of A.J. being the worst.

But let’s adjust the premise of this story for the moment: What is GH’s worst crime?

In its storied history, the worst crime of the GH producers and writers has been to inflict the character of Sonny on its viewers in the first place and then keeping this despicable character at the forefront of its program for 20+ years, expecting the viewer to actually root for this horrible person as some kind of hero or anti-hero.

Sure, often the viewer enjoys, and sometimes roots for, the villain. Sometimes villains are reformed. Sometimes villains reveal their own motivations and suffering. Sometimes villains are written in shades of gray.

However, when there is no comeuppance for countless crimes (including murder), when a character has no remorse and feels justified by all his actions, when a character is verbally and physically abusive to others, when a character is a bully, when a character has no redeeming value — and we can’t simply lay the blame on manic depression — the viewer is turned off and must question why a producer/writer/network would thrust the tunnelvision focus of its show on such a horrific, contemptible character. Even if said character has adorable dimples, that doesn’t change the facts.

I am not inventing the wheel here. It’s common knowledge that GH viewers are at best polarized by Sonny and the Mob storylines. At worst, the viewers know that the characters of Sonny, Jason, and the Mob have kept GH a sad, dark show for far too long. Some viewers, like myself, have long ago given up on the show precisely because of this one character. But for anyone arguing that it’s just one character I dislike, this one character, his main love interest (who is also arguably self-righteous and narcissistic), and his incessant frontburner storylines permeate this show. A once glorious show that you would think might, just might, focus on a place called “General Hospital.”

Well said…i like the actor but not the character…and i get tired easily of Sonnyville!!!

Thank you, Jimh!

AHhhhhh, everybody stop your whining, Sonny & All, GH wayyyy above all the other soaps and most night time shows as great entertainment ! Giant PERIOD !

Impressive writing, Jamesj75.
You have put Sonny and his ilk in their natural element (a life of crime), which is a disgrace for GH’s legacy.
Despite the fact that I am relatively a newbie, I doubt this is what the original writers, producers, directors, collectively, had in mind.
Sonny and his band of brigands are glorified, thus promoting their criminal acts as heroic.
You, my friend, have aptly chosen the perfect word: ‘inflicted’; as a wound on the majority of us.
Later, James.

Thank you, Celia!

Celia, thank you for your further kind words and feedback. As I mentioned, I feel I have friends here, and, of course, that means you! As I wrote in reply to our friend Rebecca1, I hesitate to write anything negative here, in part for fear of offending those who may be fans of my intended target. But I do feel strongly about this situation. And I am disappointed by the direction taken by the show more than 20 years ago, a direction that, frankly, hasn’t changed. As you surmise: “I doubt this is what the original writers, producers, directors, collectively, had in mind.” Please take care, Friend!

@Harry.
HaHa, Harry. Triple LOL.
Or, in Julian’s case, “I’m too sexy for my mirror”.
I do looove a sprinkling of hair on a man’s firm chest. So sexy and inviting. Yum!!!!
I must say that I am also loving a Julian-less Alexis. Finally!!!!!
I think this is the best move TPTB could have made. Alexis will shine….just you wait and see!!! Yup!!

Eloquently stated, Jamesj75!

Thank you, Nancy!

I again want to thank all those who responded to me. Just to provide some brief context, I watched GH solidly (and daily) from 1968 to 2004. Since then, I would watch only occasionally, particularly when I found out about an actor’s return or an interesting storyline. In 2013, I watched all the hoopla surrounding the show’s 50th anniversary. But the excitement soon faded…and I quit watching once again (cold turkey), and that decision was made, even with the return of Genie Francis.

I still like to visit this site and read the enjoyable comments of people I consider friends here. When I noticed this particular thread on the character of Sonny, I felt compelled to explain my feelings. I apologize for the longwindedness, but for someone like me (a formerly long-time viewer) to feel disenfranchised, I believe it’s quite telling…

Thanks again for indulging me…

Hi jamesj75…you’re a nice person to read and respond to. I’m still of the mindset that soaps are just hanging on…and all TV sets need to man the deck! 😉 Maybe you can at least dvr GH even if you don’t watch it for now…I think that counts in the ratings as well. If too many people turn off…literally…GH will be shut down for good… 🙁

Jamesj75, I also enjoyed your thoughtful post. I’ve been watching GH on & off since the 70s. This current stint of 10 years has probably been my longest, mostly because of Laura Wright joining the cast; I loved her talent and fire on GL also. Then they brought back the fabulous Sarah Brown as Claudia, and I also became obsessed with Brandon Barash’s Johnny. So I stayed. Now I fear I’m only staying for my favorite actor Billy Miller and the great Jane Elliott when they throw Tracy a bone. But I see what you mean about the tone of the show. While I enjoy Y&R, I find myself feeling anxious and unhappy watching GH lately, wondering (dreading) when the next violent outburst will come, when Ava will get off scott free yet again, or someone (usually Jason or Franco) will be unjustly accused and vilified by stupid police. There must be more than this with all the talent aboard. But I was curious, James, what are some of your favorite stories or eras from GH? Again, great post!

Awwwww. We must thank you for the beautiful synopsis, James….but, you are so welcome, and more. Later, my friend.

You should like the GH Snark page. We talk about history a lot and I started watching back in 1973 so I pre-date a lot of the current fans. LOL

Hi James…you weren’t late in responding. Thanks for reading and appreciating my comments! On a completely different note I’m currently watching “Better Late Than Never” a reality journey with Henry Winkler, Bill Bradshaw, William Shatner and George Foremam as they make their way around Japan. Just stumbled upon it and was about to change the channel but it’s unexpectedly hilarious! Silly fun is just what I needed! “See you” soon! 🙂

Wow! That is a perfect summation of all that is wrong with this show? May I quote you and repost this on my FB page, “General Hospital Snark”?

Thanks, David. And, yes, that would be fine with me. Take care.

I don’t know how to take your comment, David. I hope you are not being ‘snarky’ to Jamesj??????

I apologize tenfold, David. Please forgive my impertinence.
I am ignorant of all things FACEBOOK.
And, you are right, it is none of my business. You got me!!

Hi David!

Thanks for explaining your FaceBook page further. Although I’m not on FaceBook, I was able to locate and view your home page, and it looks great! If you started watching in 1973, then you are familiar with a terrific time in GH history: IMHO, the early and mid-70s were the best time. Am I being nostalgic? You betcha!

As for Celia, maybe you were just being humorous or flip with her — it’s so hard to tell online… I just can’t believe you were being critical (or snarky). She’s a sweetheart who was just being protective of me. She’s been great to me since day 1!

Via friends, I will explore your site further. Take care, Friend!

Hello David! Thanks again for your gracious and generous words, and thank you for offering (and posting) my remarks at your FaceBook page. I was able to see it as well as the comments afterward. It looks like, in the FaceBook world, most of the people disagree with me, as is their right. As long as they keep their pitchforks, tar and feathers away, I’ll be okay.

You’re doing a great job with that site, David. Take care, Friend!

Hi, James,
I understand. You don’t want to antagonize or offend anyone; actor, character, writer, or poster.
You are much more wise than I, who blurts out opinions without thinking first. But, I am learning, LOL.
However, as you judiciously indicate….there are times when one must expound on one’s feelings.
And, you did that with finesse and impartiality. So….again, kudos!!!! You’re the best, my friend.

Hey there, Celia! Thanks for the supportive, kind words. They do make my day! I know you realize this, but I’m not trying to put myself on some kind of pedestal. I have offered more than my own fair share of negative critiques over the years. I just sometimes feel bad when I am critical because I know that there will always be ardent fans of someone I might not like. But that is to be expected, and where would we be if we all agreed all the time?!?!?!

This particular issue (Sonny storyline) is what annoys and disappoints me more than I could ever express (even with my trademark longwindedness!).

I actually think it’s fine (and expected) for posters here and elsewhere to offer praise as well as criticisms of the soaps. And blurting out opinions without thinking is a good measure of a viewer’s feelings — a gut reaction can be quite informative.

I would like to believe that the criticisms can be helpful, in case any of the powers that be is reading… We can only hope so, can’t we?!

Oh, and with regard to David, I believe he is being sincere (although the other scenario occurred to me). I did a search and found his page, so I am honored by his request. (I am not on FaceBook, though.) So thank you for having my back, Celia! YOU’RE the best!!

Rest assured, Celia, though it’s none of your business (as my interaction is with Jamesj75 not you), the Snark page of Facebook points out both the good and bad of the show and Jamesj75’s comments are spot-on.

Just a quick note, Celia! There is absolutely no need for you to apologize to anyone. If you see my reply to David (about the same time as this one), I believe there was some form of miscommunication or misinterpretation. I always welcome your comments! 🙂 As I’ve stated, you are the BEST! Take care, Friend!

Thank you, James. I truly appreciate your comment and YOU!!

I too, love Maurice (loved him as Nico on AMC), but do not love Sonny. Don’t mind a mob story or stories….just not the entire show almost all the time.

Thanks, Robynee! I appreciate your perspective, and “just not the entire show almost all the time” sums it up quite well! And it’s been this way for 22+ years…

Hi James…I read your reply to Celia and you mentioned that you replied to my comment. I didn’t see it here or in my email…I guess it didn’t make the cut. Frustrating…we all have had that experience. Just wanted to let you know so you didn’t think I was ignoring your response.

Hi Rebecca! Thank you so much for going the extra mile and bringing this to my attention! Believe it or not, I saved my original reply to you and just reread it. The only thing that might be problematic was that I mentioned not hearing back from the GH brass back in 2004 when I first stopped watching the show and wrote them a lengthy letter (imagine that!) for my reasoning… (So I’ll otherwise leave that part out of it this time.) But I certainly didn’t curse or write anything offensive…

Here’s the rest: I usually refrain from writing something negative (in part because I don’t wish to offend those who may be fans of my target), but I make the exception for how I feel about GH’s Sonny storyline, given that that was the impetus that led this once long-time viewer away from the show I once loved so dearly.

But I admire your loyalty to the show, and your suggestion of trying to keep soaps on the air in general is well taken. Best to you, Friend!

Oh jamesj75…you are absolutely adorable! I can sense your goodness. Don’t ever apologize for expressing your views on the show, characters, story lines, rtc. The crazy nastiness that goes on in the fan wars are just insane!

But as in life, topics like religion, politics and isms…racism, anti-semitism, ageism, etc…those leave the boundaries of our fictional stories and then yes, here, like anywhere, things get a bit heated. One of the things we regulars here…or a lot of us have accomplished, is to, lol, like kids who squabbled…oh, who am I kidding!??? Had verbal brawls…we’ve somehow come out on the other side. Just takes people with different views or tension willing to make peace. Now if the rest of the world could do that… 😉

We’ll fall again. Human nature. Important thing is to get up. Keep posting! You’re a good guy with a lot of great viewpoints to offer. Looking forward… 🙂

Hey Rebecca! I’m a little late in noticing your gracious and generous reply to me. Sorry about that. When the reply is not in my e-mail, it can be harder to find, especially in this monstrous (but fun and interesting) thread! Thanks so much for making my day with your kind words… I can sense your goodness as well!

You make great points about social issues and their debate. Although I don’t feel I have much to add on a routine basis (given my current, sporadic soap viewing), I am always entertained by reading the views of the regulars, like yourself, as well as others! I’ve mentioned this before: I wish there were a “like” button for comments at this website. There is so much I read here that I enjoy, even if a person takes a view different from mine, that I wish I could add that little bit of appreciation because it’s just not feasible to respond to everything…

Anyway, Rebecca, I will look for you here. Please take care, Friend! 🙂

James, this comment is a thing of beauty. Really, this so perfectly crystallizes the problem of Sonny. As the nuns might sing, “What do you do about a boy named Sonny?”
In addition to what you so eloquently state, the problem with Sonny the mobster-murderer being the heroic protagonist of GH for over twenty years is that it negates the whole story board process. The basic storyboard concept is setting/introduction, conflict, rising action, climax and finally resolution. With Sonny getting away with crime after crime there is no sense of vindication, hence, no climax and no resolution. This leads to dissatisfaction on viewers’ parts and why do I suddenly sound like Dr Ruth?

Hello there, Harry! Thank you for your kind words!

I think that the entire discussion in this topic demonstrates not only the huge problem of the Sonny storyline (which has hijacked the show and run it into the ground) but also the passion of fans who hate to see their favorite show mired in this mess. And your analysis of the “basic storyboard concept” is astute and explains from a more technical perspective why this “franchise” character and storyline are so off the mark…

BTW, there is no dishonor in sounding like Dr. Ruth! 🙂 Take care, Friend!

And you sound eloquent–and very, very, knowledgeable! And I love you reply to Rebecca re “Julian’s chest”! You nailed that one also! Thanks! 🙂

Thanks Harry. I wanted to add that Sonny is just like Victor on Y&R in that they both keep getting away with crime after crime.

Sorry Hairy…I mean Harry…;) while your point seemed to be on target for Nancy (she’s entitled to her preference) I’d be quite happy to see my reflection in Nathan Parson’s (Ethan), Ryan Paevy’s (Nathan) and yes William Devry’s smooth chest. And don’t even get me started on hairy backs!!! Lol…

this is nothing more than another plug by GH to prop, their own blunder… by heavily featuring THEIR dream team

Sonny and Carly
Jason and Sam

like… Sonny and or Maurice admitting to his characters biggest blunder and or crime
will lessen the bad acting… and snooze fest

pretty much reads the same way… KM’ Sam re: August 6, 2016

EXCLUSIVE: GH’s Kelly Monaco Opens Up About JaSam, Liz/Sam Fan Wars, Public Perception & What’s Up With Those Fainting Spells?

moving right along

Amen, Patrick!

OK–
Sean Kana went behind RC and FV’s back dealing with BB to return as Deacon ..
BB took him back, then after, he informed RC and FV he was leaving and he left leaving RC & FV with their finger up their nose having to rewrite a month of script and future stories and they had to write him/AJ out..
So, the killed him ..

Sean Kana excuse– he wanted a romantic role or some such thing.. He did not like playing AJ ..

Sonny saved Ava’s life..
AJ was strangling/killing her .. Sonny stopped him , and, I think he killed AJ during a bipolar moment..
It was good…

First of all none of us were there but the story goes Sean didn’t like where his character was going and most wouldn’t blame him. The character AJ is one of the most popular on GH and Sean Kanan’s return was anticipated by many. You work with the actor…not “my way or you’re out.” Sean saw the writing on the wall…glad he had something else lined up. In the worst case scenario, in a conflict, Ron could have fired the actor and recast. You don’t kill off a legacy character that just came back after being believed dead…get the viewers happy about his return and then kill him again.

Rightly so, Rebecca. None of us was there…..for instance, Y&R’s Michael Muhney: There is both scandal and mystery surrounding his exit. Right or wrong, people will come to their own conclusions, regardless.
Yet, as I’ve already mentioned, AJ did not need to have been killed off. Such a needless thing to do!!

No character ever HAS to be killed. I won’t blame an actor for doing what is best for themselves. Actors come & go all the time, writers choose how to deal with it. Bad call imho.

Suoo–that is simply not true and why must you persist in repeating rumors as fact?
As Rebecca asserts, we were not there.
All we do know is Ron and Sean were engaged in a Twitter tiff. Ron made a few cheap shots about Sean’s weight on Twitter which must have been rather humiliating for Sean. Sean had the nerve to assert himself while expressing righteous dissatisfaction with how his character was being written.
Then AJ was killed off. I will leave it up to you to connect the dots.

Right! I forgot about that part…making fun of Sean’s weight. He wrote it into the script…had Tracy make some comment about it. So insulting…obnoxious. I’d have insisted they take it out…if Ron refused and fired him over it maybe Sean could have got him on harassment or discrimination. A stretch perhaps but really???? Ugh.

Harry,, it is fact ,,
use google 🙂

May be true Su….but they still didn’t have to kill him.

Su..yes, if you use google properly you can do research. And when you do research you need to find credible sources. Unfortunately even credible sources get it wrong, which is why research, even scientific research, is ever- changing. What we DO know is that Sean Kanan has said he was very happy to be asked back to GH. He had also said he was excited to be playing AJ again.

In an interview here, with Michael Fairman, Sean explained that he had been in touch with his old boss at B&B periodically. His old boss had told him to give him a ring if he was ever available…which is what Sean did AFTER he found out they were going to kill AJ.

In a taped interview with Soap Central, he said he contacted his old boss from B&B when it looked like he would be available again. He also said there was more to the story behind the scenes…he didn’t get into it…but left out Ron’s name when thanking several people, including Frank, for bringing him back to begin with.

You always present it like Sean got the role as AJ and then out-of-the-blue just turned around and jumped ship with no cause and behind everyone’s back. It’s called self- preservation. Most people try not to leave jobs unless they have something else lined up and most people don’t look to leave unless they’re really unhappy.

Oh, su, dear friend, ….’not for nothing’, but not everything you read on Google is factual.

I’ve always hated the Sonny character–even more so after he murdered AJ. A disgusting human being. Many a day I FF through all the Sonny scenes on GH. I’m still waiting for the confrontation scene between AJ’s mother, Monica Quartermaine, and Sonny. They had a (group) scene together earlier this week, but again no confrontation. Which makes me wonder if AJ is still alive!!

James…as always, you are THE VOICE OF REASON, Brother!!!!! Also, at this point, and because of two TOTALLY DESPICABLE characters (Sonny and Carly), GH (as far as I’m concerned) has become STOMACH CHURNING TV!!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!

Peace, Brother.

Thank you, Jay!

I thought MB hated RC for what he made Sonny do to “ Michael’s (Chad Duell) father, A.J. Quartermaine. Then after the funeral, RC had Sonny and Ava (Maura) have sex in the Quartermaine crypt. It’s so unbelievable, I don’t know what to believe.

Beautifully said! Not another word is needed.

The murder of AJQ story needs to be rectified ASAP! Bring back AJ!

I love Sonny and Luke. I know, I am in the MINORITY! Seems ironic in the full interview how much Maurice thinks about Tony and how much he misses him. He even thinks its odd how much he thinks of him. But anyway, you fans who want to dump the mob, think of ALL the good stories the mob generated over the years. Think of all the offspring from the mob characters. But mostly, think of this, you get rid of the mob and you want MORE hospital stories right? Well, look at what is going on in the hospital right now.

A: The “Angel of Mercy” murder story sucks!

B: Griff and Finn have already lost their momentum!

C: Franco, who if you dismiss that ridiculous tumor excuse, is no better than a mobster!

D: Dr. Maddox is a complete bore!

E: The people who truly ARE about the hospital are rarely seen like Monica!

I am all about the Hardys, Quartermaines and Drakes. Yes, I like hospital stories BUT dont knock Sonny and Julian until you figure out how you are going to turn GH into Greys Anatomy!

yoooo Timmm ..
Well said !
The hospital is a total uneventful total bore..
Doctors and nurses standing at the nurses station for their 30 second scenes of nothing, they just stand there and talk and that’s it..
The hospital is a building..
A building that holds no stories of intruge or interest..

I want the excitement, thrills, intruge, suspense, adventures, shockers, and intense drama . that was GH’s cornerstone and what totally set it apart from all others cobain copy soaps. GH was unique..

J&S have completely gutted GH of all that made it great and turned it into a giant hole of bore..

If you go to a real hospital and “People Watch” you will see hundreds of things you could write about daily! Your right, they have these “Nurses” standing around for thirty seconds to fulfill the audiences imagination that you are seeing a “Real” hospital with “Real” stories! BS!

Actually, many of us have said we just want less mob. It shouldn’t be all mob, all Sonny. And they have gotten better with that IMHO. The hospital is just building, but they need to use it better. It always comes back to story…

Your splitting hairs. Less mob no mob, I’ve seen both but a MAJORITY who dont like Sonny DO NOT want the mob in PC at all!

I agree with you Robynne but I wouldn’t say the hospital is ” just a building.” The whole premise of GH was centered on the goings on at the hospital and many of its main characters were doctors, nurses, administrators, relatives…so it’s imperative to continuity to have scenes there. I personally like seeing the hustle bustle of nurses, etc in the background to give it an of authenticity.

I guess I’ m in the minority but I think there’s a good balance now. While I want to smash something when I am constantly subjected to the Sonny and Carly smugathon…I do like his mob-like persona which is consistent with who he’s always been. I think they’re spending time on relationships…Sam & Jason, Nathan & Maxie, Laura & Kevin, Lulu & Dante…Finn & Hayden? Franco & Liz? The Cassadines…Nicolas. Anyway, I find the balance pretty impressive at this point.

Rebecca, what you said about the hospital is exactly what I meant. 🙂

I’m glad Robynne. Sometimes it’s difficult to get our points across and that can be frustrating. No worries; I’ve got your back!

You make a great argument, Timmmy….one that is hard not to accept; as what you say is true. But, what Robynne says, also, has as much pull. It’s fine to have mobster stories….’they’ do live amongst us! Part of reality.
But, the conception and birth of GH gets lost within the mobster ‘massacres’…..whether we see it or not.
Personally, the euphoria of Cosa Nostra, while not defunct, no longer appeals to the senses so much.
I can tolerate a little ‘war’ amongst crime families, but, let’s keep it on an even keel….actually less and less.
Ordinary people do not live this tumultuously dangerous lifestyle on a daily basis. No matter which way we turn….there’s Sonny; involved in every aspect of GH…..look at the Finn storyline. Who would have ‘thunk’ that Sonny’s tainted hand would creep into it?
Nonetheless, without fail, the end result smells of Sonny! Once again, he saved the day.
Sonny is simply incomparable! He is Superman, Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Al Capone and a god, all rolled into one.
I understand, my Timmmy, that the mob and its vital characters generated many stories, offspring with their own developing stories….however, what I object to, at the risk of repating myself for the umpteenth time, is the glorification of all things Sonny. Later, my love.

Love Sonny. Love Maurice. Love GH.
The cause of the AJ murder story/fiasco has exited, stage left.
I’m over it.
If Sean Kanan left GH where he actually had a role to go to B&B to be Lois/Quinn’s whiny conscience – he should be feeling pretty foolish right about now. Still the choices to kill AJ and Connie were extremely poor ones but, consistent with most other character and storyline decisions at the time.

Oh, my gosh!!!! It matters not that Sean K had B&B in his pocket. This in not the point many of us are trying to impart.
It is about Sonny killing an innocent man, just because he could, that sticks to the craw.
With all due respect, Soapluv, you may be over the injustice, some of us are not.
Telling a story is always about good versus evil. It’s a basic rule.
Mostly, soap writers follow this: except when it comes to Sonny and Victor Newman. They are never penalized, nor do they ever show any sign of contrition. There should be a moral to every storyline. I can’t find one here.
Case in point. This is why those fans who breathed GH and the remaining soaps have become disillusioned. There is no rhyme or reason to most of these stories. What was the point of Fluke, for instance?
Stories, as I see it, are not methodically, well-thought-out.
But, wild horses couldn’t keep me from watching. LOL.
I do not follow your reasoning….sorry about that. I suppose I’m on a different wavelength. But, it’s great to exchange ideas and feelings.
AJ and Connie could have just left, as an alternative to killing them.

Here is what I posted on General Hospital Snark page on Facebook today. Again, thanks Jamesj75 for such insightful comments.

Here is the perfect explanation as to what is wrong with General Hospital these days (and for many years). I couldn’t have said this better myself so I will let Jamesj75 do the talking:

“Sure, Sonny committed many evil crimes over the years without any repercussions whatsoever, with the murder of A.J. being the worst.

But let’s adjust the premise of this story for the moment: What is GH’s worst crime?

In its storied history, the worst crime of the GH producers and writers has been to inflict the character of Sonny on its viewers in the first place and then keeping this despicable character at the forefront of its program for 20+ years, expecting the viewer to actually root for this horrible person as some kind of hero or anti-hero.

Sure, often the viewer enjoys, and sometimes roots for, the villain. Sometimes villains are reformed. Sometimes villains reveal their own motivations and suffering. Sometimes villains are written in shades of gray.

However, when there is no comeuppance for countless crimes (including murder), when a character has no remorse and feels justified by all his actions, when a character is verbally and physically abusive to others, when a character is a bully, when a character has no redeeming value — and we can’t simply lay the blame on manic depression — the viewer is turned off and must question why a producer/writer/network would thrust the tunnelvision focus of its show on such a horrific, contemptible character. Even if said character has adorable dimples, that doesn’t change the facts.

I am not inventing the wheel here. It’s common knowledge that GH viewers are at best polarized by Sonny and the Mob storylines. At worst, the viewers know that the characters of Sonny, Jason, and the Mob have kept GH a sad, dark show for far too long. Some viewers, like myself, have long ago given up on the show precisely because of this one character. But for anyone arguing that it’s just one character I dislike, this one character, his main love interest (who is also arguably self-righteous and narcissistic), and his incessant frontburner storylines permeate this show. A once glorious show that you would think might, just might, focus on a place called ‘General Hospital.'”

Well said, Jamesj75. I look forward to more of your critiques.

I’m not interested in any of the GH interview subjects lately including MB, Roger Howarth or Kelly Monaco. And FV didn’t say anything worthwhile in his either. I know that may say more about me and my interaction with the show than anything else but it’s my two cents. It’s possible that I’ve almost given up on it.

General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Learns Britt Died and Tells Anna He Has Been Working For Cates Since November 2021

On the Tuesday, March 26th of General Hospital, Anna (Finola Hughes) and the viewers learn about where Jason (Steve Burton) has been for over two and half years. However, Jason gets some news of his own.

Anna is visiting Jason at the PCPD interrogation room. She asks him if he shot Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), which he flatly denies. Anna believes him, but she tells Jason it doesn’t matter, because video footage shows him on the roof at the time of the shooting

When talk turns to Jason not willing to speak without his lawyer present, Anna can’t grasp why Jason would instead spend an hour alone talking with John Cates (Adam J. Harrington).

Photo: ABC

It is then that Anna brings up that John went by “Jagger” and that the two of them knew each other in high school. Jason doesn’t recall much of his time in high school following his brain injury, but then he gets furious realizing John knew about “Jason’s” past. That is when Jason slams the table and tells Anna, “I’ve been working for John Cates since November 2021.”

Next, Jason explains further that he has been working as an informant for the FBI. Anna wants to know how this came about and he tells her that after the tunnel collapsed, and he couldn’t make it to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud)… all of a sudden he sees Anna’s face drop.  Anna is the first person to tell him that Britt died and was murdered. She tells Jason the killer is in custody, but he continues to be shocked, overwhelmed with tears welling up in his eyes. Realizing he has to pivot to save his life, Jason continues telling Anna how he wound up working with John.

Jason explains that after the tunnel collapse in Greece, FBI agents grabbed him and placed him under arrest and took him to Quantico where he met John. At Quantico, John played a recording of RICO violations and offered Jason a deal if he agreed to be an informant against Pikeman, the illegal arms dealer.

Anna hears from Jason that he thinks Pikeman is selling illegal arms to anyone flagged by the NSA but has ties to the WSB which they needed a civilian to infiltrate their organization as a military soldier, a mercenary.

Jason tells Anna he was a part of the team brought into eliminate Sonny (Maurice Benard). Every time an attempt was made on Sonny’s life over the last two years, a different team was sent to do the job. Anna gets furious when she learns that John told Jason his job was to kill Sonny and she was with John at the warehouse that night. Jason ensured the sniper missed Sonny and left the rifle behind. However, they were supposed to meet an extraction team. Before he was shot, Dante saw it was Jason on the roof and when he turned around with his hands over his head, Dante was shot by the other guy. Jason says if Dante dies, he’ll be charged with capital murder and then will be useless to the FBI.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, John visits Bobbie’s and runs into Carly (Laura Wright). She learns Jason is in custody and is going to head to the PCPD. Before she does, Carly has some words with Cates when she learns not only does John have a vendetta against Sonny, but Jason too.  Carly tells John he should recuse himself from the case.

So, what did you think about the moment when Jason learned Britt died? What do you think of Jason’s return storyline thus far and what we learned about Jagger/Jason and more? Comment below. But first, check out a moment from today’s GH with Jason and Anna.

 

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