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General Hospital’s 55th Anniversary Episode: Cherish The Memories!

Courtesy/ABC

On Friday, General Hospital which turns 55-years-old today on Sunday April 1st, aired its anniversary episode filled with flashbacks.

The importance of memories, how they help define us, and how important it is to remember our past were central themes of the anniversary show. This was off-set by Mike’s (Max Gail) battle with Alzheimer’s disease, and how that most horrific of diseases rob the people we love of all of their memories, and relationships.

In story, Sonny (Maurice Benard) set up the Metro Court main dining room to look like Luke’s old club in hopes of helping Mike remember moments and people from his past.  Kevin (Jon Lindstrom) thinks a night of nostalgia could be helpful to Mike.  Throughout, Mike tends bar as many people he has crossed paths with ask him to make them a drink, while they chit-chat.

Courtesy/ABC

The party-goers all have some remembrances they share with one another:  Liz, Bobbie, Kevin and Monica talks about their first day at the hospital harkening back to a flashback of Steve Hardy when he first met Audrey there. Scott and Bobbie reminisce which then flashes back to a clip of Scotty and his father, Lee Baldwin. Bobbie even tells Scott he must miss his old frenemy, Luke.

Ned remembers his grandparents, Edward and Lila which featured the original Edward played by David Lewis. Later. Monica has a flashback to one of her knockdown drag out fights with Alan.

Anna remembers how she almost lost Robin when she was just 7-years-old, and we are taken to that heart-tugging flashback, where Robin and Anna are reunited after the young girl’s kidnapping.

Courtesy/ABC

Just then, in another classic clip, Sonny recalls Stone’s death from AIDS and how he was there for the end.  Jason and Carly have a moment where Jason recalls holding a young infant Michael for the first time.  In another nod to the past, Felicia and Bobbie recall the horrific night when BJ was rendered brain dead, and Maxie needed an urgent heart transplant, where eventually Maxie would get BJs heart.  Maxie herself, shows up later to the party thanks to Bobbie.

In between the remembrances, Ned sings a song introduced by Liv as “Eddie Maine.”   Later, Alexis recalls waiting in Ned’s hotel room for a sex romp only to realize a camera crew was with him when he opened the door to his room.

Courtesy/ABC

The Nurses Ball is brought up with Lucy Coe’s numerous outfit changes, and Kevin and Mac stroll down memory lane when they dressed in drag.  Meanwhile, Sonny reveals his one regret to Dante, which is when he shot his son. That clip is shown.

As the episode winds down, Monica and Jason share a tender moment where he calls her “mom”,  and Sonny and Carly remember their love stands the test of time no matter what has happened in their lives.  At the end of the evening, once alone, Sonny and Mike share a toast where Mike tells Sonny how proud of him he is.

Needing a moment to himself, Sonny with tears in his eyes toasts to a hell of a night and to tomorrow being even better.

So, what did you think of GH’s 55th anniversary episode? What were your favorite clips from the past shown? Did you enjoy the theme of “memories” ? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.  And, make sure to wish General Hospital Happy 55th anniversary today!

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Kim Shriner is hugely overrated since he always gives a one note performance.

he’s a 40 year veteran… let’s say… his first 35 years were stellar and thru the roof.

he’s charismatic aboard and sexual. invited each and every cast member to MIX

Frank Valentini is the current executive producer for the ABC soap opera General Hospital. His first episode as EP aired February 1, 2012

it sure seemed like a nice laurite to place blame on Ron Carlivati… for the dire consequences that prevailed @GH… in Frank tenure.

he hasn’t know what the effin to do since Ron Carlivati was fired.

so… ? Carly and Sonny are that huge that they chose not to write for one of the best acts… along with Laura… for GH ?

digress

Yeah, like I said. The “ghost” of Laura (and Genie Francis!) loomed large–and begged the question . . . .

He is (was) not Luke’s “frenemy”?

Gee, at least we get to see “Laura” (GF) during their commercial breaks, selling us on a weight-loss product!! What a rip-off, but at least she is working and (hopefully) making big money.

Michael, I most humbly disagree. Kin Shriner is one of those guys who is so good, he makes it look easy.
It’s harder than one thinks to act like one’s self. Think about it–if someone tells you to be yourself, you suddenly don’t know how to do it.
Anthony Hopkins once said that playing Hannibal the Cannibal was much easier than playing the aloof, emotionally repressed butler from The Remains of the Day. People also say Burton is one note, but I think he’s another one who is woefully underrated due to his subtle approach. I mean, they could emulate MB, rub their temples and smash the crystal in order to emote, but I always thought that was rather high school drama class.
That said, I am really saddened by the news that Shriner was fired. What a way to treat a forty year veteran. On top of this, Laura, seems to have been photo shopped out of the 55 anniversary special episode. Bobbie and Scotty speak of the latter’s life long rivalry with Luke with nary a mention of the source of that rivalry–that would be Laura. Kevin stands next to Lucy while shooting the breeze with Mac and Felicia and again, no mention of Laura, Kevin’s wife.

Kin is also a great comedic actor, IMO.

Yup, another firing. Gotta make room in the budget to pay Laura Wright’s boyfriend, “Parking Lot Pete,” Wes Ramsey-obviously not talented enough to get a job on his own.

@Harry….Even before the news of Kin’s dismissal was circulated, I found the only flashback that really resonated and made me misty this time around was the one featuring Lee Baldwin and Scotty. Just as when Peter Hansen passed and was saluted onscreen, I was so taken by the elegant, classy actor who made the respectable, dignified Lee come alive for generations of GH viewers. What a shame that his “son” never followed in his footsteps as a legal pillar in the Port Charles community…Whenever I watch old episodes of the pre-Luke Scotty, I am so struck by the dreamy, decent quality that this character once had, hence for me, the greatest tragedy is not that after 40 years Kin “has left the building,” but that far too much of his GH tenure was spent as a bitter buffoon of a shyster who never found another ladylove like his young bride Laura to make him a good and honest man…Instead he wallowed in trashy women and one get rich scheme after another, always failing at emulating his upstanding father’s fine examples of success in both the law and a meaningful long-term marriage. As far as I’m concerned, the “real” Scotty ceased to exist long ago…his departure from the canvas is now just a mere formality of that fact, since there will clearly never be a redemption of this completely wasted character.

I love parking lot Pete, dmr. Don’t want to lose him. Now, Aunt Stella! Why!!!!??? As for Kin Shriner; love Scotty. Always have and I’m incredibly disappointed. I was hoping they’d expand his role, not give him the boot.

Seems it was over his annoyance at not being included in the promo. Not sure if that was THE reason, or the opposite. Maybe he wasn’t in the promo because they knew they were going to back stab him. Meantime, Frank was singing his praises just about a week before he gave him the boot.

Harry, as always, great points! Kin Shriner is an invaluable asset to GH, always has been. Leaving Laura out of the 55th anniversary show is so mean-spirited and unbelievable. (I wrote more about this below — if it’s approved.)

Oh, and, yes, that dress Carly wore was not only “hideous,” it didn’t even rise to the level of drag queen!

Egads, Harry! I just saw a pic of TG holding up a mag with a photo of him and Genie Francis on the cover! Has he no shame??????????? He made a point to say he didn’t want anything to do with “Luke and Laura,” that he had “been dragging that carcass around for 30 years” and that he was “tired” of it. What gives? Maybe an apology????

Hey, Harry,
As someone who really has no long-standing ties to GH and its ‘family’, such as myself, I do miss Genie Francis….beatiful woman, inside and out. I have always loved her from Days, Y&R and most recently, GH…..and, albeit she has been ( off and on) a GH regular for decades, she is new, in the role of Laura, to me.
Furthermore, Scotty has become one of my favorite characters…..especially his endearing rapport with Franco, as his son.
Ergo, it does seem bizarre that he has been summarily ‘dismissed’.
As far as Carly, the wardrobe staff should know better than to dress Miss Laura, whom I find very pretty, yet not intended to wear such style or color of a dress. It was a pitiful number—- neither complimentary or flattering for her matronly shape.
I find that Carly looks best in black….darker colors. Petty? Unfair? Maybe. But, actors, in general, are under a microscope…..continuous scrutiny. Thus, easy prey for comment, good or bad….’tis the nature of the beast.

This is the first I’ve heard of Kin being fired. If so, that sucks dragon ass, but I can’t say I’m surprised. It’s not like they have written anything much for Scotty to do in recent years, other than prop the useless Ava (as her lawyer and occasional bed partner) and the even more useless Frodd (as his father – which still makes no sense at all)

If the writers were thinking logically, they would have had Scott run for mayor, rather than Ned. He could have milked the fact that he was Lee’s son (Lee being a beloved former mayor himself) and it would be much more believable that Scott – who has always lived in a “gray” moral universe himself – would be likely to do business with a piece of crap like Jim Harvey.

A really good episode–love that GH remembers its history and great characters.

They didn’t even “think of” Laura

But we did, didn’t we? 🙂

Good one, Steve! 🙂
Yet the underlying notion (exclusion of Laura in this episode) was an asinine, despicable decision…

Hey Laura, Where are you now? Are you far away from here? Taken away so stupidly!!!! Laura (Genie Francis) is and always will be the heart of General Hospital!!! Laura should have been acknowledged on the show. Remember Genie Francis and Anthony Geary had the ability to pull in 30 Million Viewers. What does Bernard pull in the ratings department maybe 2.5 million????? Who are the stars????????

I love watching the old clips while “Think of Laura” plays in the background. What a great time-classic!

That sounds better then Y&R anniversary week with 2 seconds of flashback!!!

I watched Friday’s episode of Y/R, how boring. I kept waiting for it to be over before I finally just shut it off. Awful.

I wasn’t watching when some of the clips originally aired so it was nice to see them.

Loved it, Mike’s story is the best since Jason came back.

I thought this was very good. it was nice seeing David Lewis in a clip with Anna Lee when he was the original Edward Quartermaine. Seeing Alan and Monica in a clip was awesome. (Still pissed they killed off Alan). Seeing Luke in his first days on the show was good before they went with the trademark curly hair. I also loved seeing Audrey and Steve in the very, very early days of GH when Audrey’s sister Lucille was on the show. April 1 is a day I always remember every year because of it being GH’s birthday.

I loved David Lewis. Loved everything about Edward Quartermaine (both Edwards). And Anna Lee, what a sweet lady, a true beauty. I would have liked to have seen a different scene with Luke and Bobbie-that scene has been shown a few times during anniversary episodes/flashbacks. Still, I always welcome flashbacks.

@dmr….They should have shown a clip of the vile Bobbie parked at her nurses’ station gloating with Luke over Laura’s legal problems which she had exacerbated through a hatched scheme with her thug of brother! In her early days, this trashy tart had it so out for the lovely Laura Webber because she wanted Scotty for herself and was positively evil in that quest in manners that today’s Nelle could never even imagine! The viewers need to be reminded that Bobbie is the last person in Port Charles who should be having a cow over any young girl’s machinations in order to land the man of her choice when this big, bad grandma could teach them all a few lessons in dirty, low down behavior! (Of course, that would have required mention of the verboten Laura….couldn’t have that!)

Sadly…

It starts with Sonny.
It features Sonny in the middle.
It ends with Sonny.

What a TRAVESTY!

SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS! SOS!

Sick of Sonny!

Right, James. And it didn’t help that Carly was wearing a hideous dress.

May as well change the title…’Sonnyville’…or ‘Its Always Sonny In Port Charles!’

That Sonny Of A …(bleep)…another title!

I know…I would have liked to have seen more footage from the old Luke’s night club with well, Sonny, Lucy, Bobbie, Tony, Felicia, Mac, Eddie Maine, etc. That was a great era of General Hospital, the early to mid ’90’s.

Where was GH?

You said it! Why is he the lead of this show. I will never understand it.

Why is he the lead of the show? Because Steve Hardy is dead and Luke Spencer is retired.

And as much as they try to shove Frodd “Baldwin” down our throats, he is not and never will be the lead on this show. Or belong there at all, for that matter.

Sonny has been around since 1993. Who among the current cast is better qualified to be the lead than him?

Maybe someone, oh I don’t know, that actually has something to do with the hospital, or isn’t a career criminal.

Kin Shrinesr who’s been around since 77 except they never wrote for him and now are dumping him. Such a waste of a lovable, snarky yet with a heart of gold character. Know why Kin was pissed? Because they couldn’t even show him the respect to put him in the promo. I’m hearing they may kill him off saving Franco. Hope not. (Yes to saving Franco, no to killing Scotty.) And I’m being sarcastic about making him the lead because, unfortunately, they never mined this gold akaa Scotty.

The Luke set was so cheap. Sorry to hear Kin is leaving but they never write anything for him. He and Franco were great together and they never took advantage of that. Anna dancing with Sonny and Monica attending the event was ridiculous! The clips were fast and didnt even touch the 55 year history. Oh well, lets face it, ABC is all about American Idol and Roseanne. They could care less about daytime. I really dont either. ABC, you win!

I thought so too. They must have old props of Luke’s night club. I used my imagination and memory, and kept hoping for flashbacks from the old club. I loved Friday’s at the old club-performances by Eddie Maine, Mary Mae Ward, and others. I agree, the clips were too quick, and I don’t even know who Monica was attempting to shoot/kill. It’s too bad, the show is being ruined, and now Kin-I love Kin. TPTB show such total disregard/disrespect towards the veteran actors.

Monica was about to kill Pierce Dorman. He was a doctor who moonlighted as a drug dealer and Monica took it a little personally when Emily became a junkie for a while.

You can watch the scene in context on a certain website that shall remain nameless (the one owned by Google). Just search for…

“General Hospital – May 97 Jason finds Monica and Dorman”

Y&R got the return of The Brooke Sisters ect….why not a few returns with GH…i blinked and missed some of those too quick clips!!!

The final in the anniversary series…

Top 5 (not considered dead) characters in need of a return/visit:

1. BrookLynn Ashton — Ned’s daughter wasn’t even mentioned at his wedding. That she’s now stepsister to Dante is another interesting angle.

2. Grant Putnam — The show needs a sinister character right now. Valentin, Jim Harvey and the guy from the parking lot don’t fit the bill. With Faison gone, go someone just as evil. Of course, you could start out saying he’s reformed and gets released from the sanitarium, but then something goes wrong.

3. Jeff Webber — A recast with a daytime vet would be totally acceptable. As Rachel Ames is unable to appear, Elizabeth needs a voice of reason figure in her life. Monica needs a little loving, so her ex-husband would be a good option.

4. Lila Rae Alcazar — Staying longer after her mother Skye’s brief visit, the teenaged Lila Rae could live with “Grandma Monica” and cause some angst between Oscar and Joss.

5. Serena Baldwin — with Kin Shriner’s departure, she’s falling down (and almost off) the list. Her arrival, however, would still give Lucy a reason to appear. She might be too good for Michael, but might be interesting to see her go up against Nelle.

Obviously Laura would top this list, but her departure was recent. Robert returns this week, so he’s off the list. As Ingo is on contract to B&B, I didn’t mention him either.

Steve, great list and rationale for these proposed returns. And that’s what makes anniversary episodes so highly anticipated–fans await precious clips from the past, so that we can celebrate and fondly remember characters, story lines, and actors. But alas, this regime shares no such fondness, beyond lip service or the occasional bone. The first instinct seems to be to create something new and not draw from the rich history of the show. And yet, drawing from your past doesn’t require the same building, propping, justifying and selling that a new character does, and the percentages for success are so much higher. I’ll take “Old Home Week” anytime over the hard sell job that some of the newbies require (and still require years later). I just don’t get the dismissive mindset of TPTB that refuse to even consider the tried-and-true established character and fan favorite in lieu of a “build it and they will come” construct by the EP and writers. Are we servicing egos or the fans?

Still waiting for the best version of GH because I don’t think we’re currently getting it. Such a great legacy to preserve and perpetuate, being done so under dubious stewardship. Can’t wait to see how they spin the Kin firing—a 40-year vet dismissed the same day the 55th anniversary runs, just hours after he hosted the #AskGH Live Tweet! You can’t make this stuff up….

I suspect the reason Jeff Webber never came back is because they didn’t want to answer the question “Who the Hell is Elizabeth’s mother anyway??”

I haven’t seen Richard Dean Anderson doing anything else lately. Maybe he can come back for a short visit… and pull some MacGuyver tricks to get rid of Frodd. They would still probably have to case Liz’s mom though.

Steve, are you still on a self-imposed hiatus with your viewing? I ask because after reading your lists and Jamesj75’s “open letter to Frank,” I’m nominating you for the “state of the (GH) union address.” Not to assign you homework, but you can always be counted on for your incisive, pragmatic, and thoughtful commentary. If not you, then who?

Patrick? I’m not sure his poetry lends itself to this treatment. I think words go missing along the way during his apoplexy and we end up with something out of Mad Libs… “you have upped the ante on your dullard.”

Timmm? Ever since his “#GeniesTimesUp” comment, he may lack the finesse required.

su0000? If you hear Jovin tell it, “Su is a bitter jaded man who only enjoys watching misery and crime and violence” (among the funnier and more unnecessary comments I’ve read). And while I enjoy Su, you have to fact check her like Trump.

Shay? No problem with a treatise from Shay, with the provision that she cannot mention the character of Alexis or her portrayer, Nancy Lee Grahn.

Celia? No, she’s the Maura West/Roger Howarth/Michael Easton/Michelle Stafford of this site—while an excellent contributor, she’s an admitted newbie.

rebecca1? Eminently qualified and up to the task, but can she do so without incurring the wrath? Just to be safe, the same proviso as Shay, no Alexis/Nancy Lee Grahn references.

I’m sure there are others who can do justice, so don’t be offended Soaphound, JMER, Satan, Harry and Mateo.

Thanks for the insightful feedback Reed and astute observations on the site regulars. As for my exile, I removed it from the DVR. However, if I get home early (like Thursday) I’ll tune in. I’ll also recaps on other sites before bedtime. I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything else.

Let me think about what I’d put into a state of the show. I know not everyone will agree, but hopefully it will open dialogue for regular and new readers.

@Reed…….What a thought-provoking and oft-amusing assessment of some of MFSoaps’ most enduring and highly-distinct contributors!!!…..(By the way, thank you for the nice olive branch sent in my direction….it was greatly appreciated!) Given the dire condition of GH, I suggest that it shall take all of the aforementioned…and then some!…to address what ails this once-venerable soap….well, maybe save for one, who apparently still finds much to “love” in Port Charles these days! Other than that, there definitely seems to be a nearly unanimous discontent stirring amongst the fair people of “Fairmanville,” especially following that atrocious “anniversary farce” which was a real slap in the face to longtime fans who expected and deserved so much more than what was offered up in response to their many years of loyalty and devotion! It’s definitely gotten to the point that it’s become necessary to join forces and make our concerns and complaints heard loud and clear, however, the question is how to accomplish that feat?….As you have observed, there have already been some excellent efforts on the past few
GH threads, yet no matter how eloquently or cheekily these comments have been expressed, the real challenge is for them to actually get through to Frank ( et al…) He seemingly remains blissfully clueless as to how truly disgruntled we have become from the dismantling of the more traditional aspects of this formerly great daytime institution…..regardless of the repetition or forcefulness of our own individual sentiments. Additionally, beyond a pretty universal loathing of Sonny and Carly, we all have our own specific tastes when it comes to thumbs up or down regarding other GH characters…you know, like the ever-controversial Alexis you mentioned…..twice! LOL! So, what to do, what to do????? Personally, I’m holding out to see what happens with Robert Scorpio’s much-anticipated return before completely abandoning the SS Port Charles, but my suggestion would be that a succinctly-put statement in a petition-like form be posted here by a single source for us to each undersign instead of simply providing the usual separate remarks of this, that and the other thing (followed by the normal array of yays and nays to the original comment) could conceivably be an effective tool in creating the most impactful message. Perhaps Mr. Fairman would devote a thread to what each of us would generally like to see restored to or changed/modified from the current GH model in order to craft a cohesive wish list that most could prospectively endorse. I’m sure it wouldn’t be an easy undertaking to please a majority of readers/contributors, but I do believe it is worth a try! At least such a project would provide a means for us to collectively share our frustrations about the ongoing destruction of this beloved soap, which regularly garners far more negative responses than the other three remaining ones combined! What say you to that idea, Reed? Anyone????

@Shay: I hope you see this! (Alas, no Reply button to be found; to quote Genesis, No Reply at All.) I love your remarks in reply to our friend Reed. You have some terrific ideas and insights, as always!

@Reed: I must give you another shout-out for your efforts here! By singling out various individual posters, you are wading in dangerous territory, but you are trying to be inclusive and succeeding at being respectful. I am starting to feel empowered. Believe me, if GH were to recapture some of its former glory, I might even return as a full-time viewer (not just on blue-moon occasions, e.g., the 55th anniversary show).

Shay, aka, Olive. Since you once again decided to attack me with your thinly veiled maybe save for one, who apparently still finds much to “love” in Port Charles these days! let’s discuss you and Port Charles. While I may “love” a lot of the show, in all the years you’ve been posting there has been nothing and I mean literally nothing positive about the show, its characters or actors that have come out of your “mouth.”

You hate Alexis (she’s your prime target as even those not among the living would probably know through some repetitious vibrations) you hate Nina, you hate Scott, you hate Lucy, you hate Bobby, you hate Emma, you hate Valerie.

Alexis is a senior slut, Nina a close second, Emma was a “brat” and couldn’t even come close to the young Robin (or the actress), Lucy also slut, Bobby old slut, Valerie not “blonde” enough.

The ONLY characters your like are the ones that meet your fashion criteria. (which actually makes one wonder why you don’t like Nina; she’s fabulous, but I digress.) You judge a soap by the “elegance of “elegance and grace of Constance Towers (I’m sorry; do you know her? but then again you’re dismayed that Harry is marrying someone “below” him who will be sullying the “great British line of dare I say it…white people?” That “great line that is also anti-semitic, or the great line of kings that beheaded their wives? The great line that screwed every woman that walked through their kingdom, or the great line that contributed to the nazis? Just wanna know how Meghan Markle is actually “bringing down the regal royals”. Yeah; it’s kinda obvious why you think that. Same reason you couldn’t believe Valerie was inducted into the blonde Spencer family.

Seems to me you’d have nothing to say at all if you weren’t criticizing something, someone, anything! Your latest was your opinion of “medical marijuana. Even when a poster said it’s help his cancer-stricken uncle, you, in all your all-knowing wisdom, went on and on about how you don’t approve of drugs and the harm it causes and those munchies back in the day.

LOL. I “love” a lot of things? You should try it. Love will set you free…

@Reed….Thanks for clearing up that mystery as to what had aroused your initial ire for me….Quite frankly, I never could figure out what had transpired between us since as far as I’d known, we’d always shared a very cordial correspondence in the past. Although I was aware that you’d had a bit of a ding-dong with my dear friend otherwise referred to as “she of the third letter of the alphabet,” it was not a dust-up in which I had participated, so how I was lumped into your comparison of us as that famous old ice-skating duo left me rather perplexed, but hey, I’ll give you points for being creative just the same….much worse has certainly been said/implied before, and without an ounce of humor infused into the mix. For the record, I consider it water under the bridge and not something I care upon which to dwell at this late date. However, having said that, I simply don’t know how one can “play nice” with another when they feel so entitled to regularly assail various posters’ characters, family members, mental states, personal motivations, etc. or repeatedly misquote or mischaracterize what one has previously stated in order to satisfy their own agenda….this has occurred ad nauseam to me—-as well as a variety of other parties—-many of whom no longer choose to comment here, and who can blame them??? Given the latest example of hyperbolic vitriol that was just launched my way, I can hardly term such behavior as that of an “underdog.” In fact, it’s being an outright obnoxious bully and I must add that whoever allowed that most recent contemptible tirade to appear online should truly be ashamed of themselves! (And all for the sin of correctly observing that many of us are demonstrably more disgusted with the current state of GH than someone who frequently heaps praise upon it? Oh, the absolute gall of me!) Anyway, I’m glad that we are back on the “right track” again, Reed….that’s all that really matters and it’s down to your gracious efforts. Later!

Oh Olive Branch! If nothing else, you do make me laugh! Although, I must admit; you’re a tad predictable.

Here’s your technique:
First you insult, jab or give a dig. Latest example verbatim from you:

“Given the dire condition of GH, I suggest that it shall take all of the aforementioned…and then some!…to address what ails this once-venerable soap….well, maybe save for one, who apparently still finds much to “love” in Port Charles these days!” (Anyone who can read between the lines and knows the “history” can figure out who you were referring to, as Reed did.)

Then you are AGHAST when something is said back to you: Here again, your words, verbatim:

“I simply don’t know how one can “play nice” with another when they feel so entitled to regularly assail various posters’ characters, family members, mental states, personal motivations, etc. or repeatedly misquote or mischaracterize what one has previously stated in order to satisfy their own agenda….this has occurred ad nauseam to me—-as well as a variety of other parties—-many of whom no longer choose to comment here, and who can blame them??? Given the latest example of hyperbolic vitriol that was just launched my way, I can hardly term such behavior as that of an “underdog.”

Such “behavior?” Well, teach, you should check your own behavior. Your constant negative, critical energy, your resounding bias toward the white and the blonde, your incessant comments about characters looks, age, ageist, raciast, you name it, you’ve written it. Some veiled; others blatant. Like when you were attacked at school by “unruly minorities.” That one was classic!

Let’s recap: You throw the first punch and, then, as seen above, play the victim. Reminds me of someone… But I digress…

In summarizing: You hit, run, get hit back then claim that you’ve been assaulted. You proclaim your righteousness for anyone who cares to buy it, but those “remarks” and innuendoes have been flying…how many years? And, oh, those constant little “digs.” I told you from the beginning. I see right through you. The epitome of the word transparency. And by that I mean easy to see right through to how you operate.

Know this, Olive Branch. None of your digs get past me. If I choose not to address them it’s because I’m going to TRY, can’t promise, but TRY not to waste my time. With that said, I find it so ironic that you continually fault certain characters in the soaps for acting juvenile, and yet your petty mud-slinging reminds me of a kid in a classroom “picking” on someone and getting off on how many others follow her; how many she can get to her side. There is no maturity with age. Only advanced years. But emotional maturity? You either have it or you don’t.

Steve, while on sabbatical, you’re under no obligation to bring it all together for us, just continue to regale us with your trademark humor, facts, analysis, and hypotheticals. Jamesj75 was onto something with his “open letter to Frank” and maybe Shay will incite (above) a stand-alone thread for a “GH fans speak out” catharsis in support of our show. I mean really, they’ve had two opportunities to wow us of late, first with episode 14k and now the 55th anniversary, and not only were neither particularly special or befitting their respective achievements, they actually served to underwhelm. I’m sure therein lies the answer of where the show stands in their regard at ABC—only slightly above that of their regard for the loyal viewers. Second class citizens until the end!

@Shay, yes, kumbaya, and thanks for acknowledging the branch, but there was never really anything to it, I just love the underdog, or at the very least, a fair fight. But what I’d like even more is a better GH–something you, your “save for one” BFF rebecca1, and she of the third letter of the alphabet can all get behind! I’m not quite at DEFCON with the show as some of you are, but I take exception to Jamesj75’s characterization that I’m “accepting and hopeful” (of all the gall!). I will however cop to being the town apologizer (different from Pollyanna) in assessing the current state and direction of the show, as well as the possible motivations and behind the scenes pressures. I’m thinking they’re rudderless, which is only slightly more charitable than clueless. There’s likely no mandate beyond maintaining profitability, so they’re literally singing for their supper to keep this thing on air, which does nothing for continuity because a “win now” approach is not for the long-term by definition. So, helter-skelter it is, the hallmark of Frank’s tenure!

Thanks for taking the time with your reply and perhaps MF will give us that forum yet! I wish I even had an ounce of the Jamesj activism, but alas, I couldn’t even be bothered with the Genie change.org petition. I’m more of a “shut up and watch” guy, although you wouldn’t know it from this thread. Take care and play nice!

Reed; you don’t have to “take up for me” as the “underdog.” The object of your olive branch and the third letter of the alphabet and I have been going at it for years. Their group of fictitious posters that pop up once a year is hilarious. I know Ms. Olive is bored out of her mind and extremely disappointed when no one gets on her “bully” wagon. I can “feel” the disappointment through the screen. She revels in the days-on-end attack and “camraderie” she feels when in the midst of her attack. The fact that you would find that in any way amusing, enjoyable or anything acceptable is a “tad” disappointing. Thought you saw it for what it was.

I’m about as offended as one can get on an anonymous site; which means, not much. But annoyed? Yes. With all the ridiculous horrific, judgmental things that have come out of Olive’s “mouth” (and not just about fictional characters) it’s amazing that a branch was extended at all. I try to surround myself online and off with quality. But that’s just me.

There. Now I’ve incurred wrath. (But the “save for one’ yet another attempt at nastiness and not-very-well concealed “dig”…and, gasp! you KNEW who Olive was referring to!!!! “Who incurs wrath? The one that instigats. She loves it. Gives her a sense of belonging when she feels people “side” with her. You’ve just won yourself a devotee. Olive’s gonna be your new best MF friend.

An open letter to Mr. Frank Valentini:

I made a return visit as a viewer to GH this past Friday to see how the 55th anniversary would be celebrated. If you see my earlier post above, you will notice my initial reaction, also shared by legions of fans.

You’ve chosen to keep the character of Sonny at the forefront of the show. This despicable, abusive, murderous character is disliked by at least half your audience. This character has no redeeming value and has no rooting value. He’s not simply a character fans “love to hate”; many viewers just flat-out hate the character. Many of us gave up on GH years ago because of this unfortunate tunnelvision focus, in place long before you arrived at GH, but which you have also advanced.

So, again, for this milestone, you chose to highlight this character as your focus. Why?!?!

Then, to make matters worse, you couldn’t bring yourself to show Genie Francis in any flashback or even have any character mention her character’s name. Surely, if Liz can “remember” Steve Hardy meeting Audrey Marsh, then some character could mention Laura. This would have been simple to do, especially since you did populate this particular episode with veterans (Monica, Bobbie, Scotty, Ned, Kevin, Mac, Felicia, Lucy, Liz). It’s common knowledge that the Luke and Laura wedding was the highest rated episode of all time of any soap. It’s also common knowledge how important the characters of Luke and Laura are to the longevity, profitability, and history of GH. To exclude Laura is, frankly, insulting, cruel, and unconscionable. Yet the character of Luke was highlighted in various ways. So you have now followed your predecessors in giving preferential treatment to Anthony Geary versus continual unforgivable, shabby treatment of Genie Francis. You are sadly keeping up that particular dismissive tradition.

And you continue full-steam ahead in featuring not only Sonny but also Carly (another annoying character with little redeeming value) and Jason. You moved heaven and earth to throw continuity out the window and rewrite history so that you could return Steve Burton to the role of Jason. So many, many fans are sick to death of GH being forced down viewers’ throats as the Sonny/Carly/Jason hour.

With all due respect, do you have any clue regarding the thoughts of fans? At this site and others like it, viewer opinions are there for anyone to review and assimilate. The ratings continue their slide (for a variety of reasons), but you refuse to listen to or hear what fans are saying.

If you actually want GH to succeed and prosper and regain lost fans, respecting the show’s rich history, respecting the insights of fans, and refocusing the moral center of the show with characters that are truly “moral centers” would be a great start!

Well said James.

Thank you, Rose. 🙂

James…also, every word of your post is BEYOND on point!!!!!

Again…Thank You.

Later, dude.

Thank you, jaybird369. 🙂

James…as always, VERY, VERY WELL SAID!!!!!

Have a good one, Brother.

jaybird369, thank you. 🙂

James, well executed, you echo the sentiments of so many of us, really summing it up with your last paragraph. Terrific job!

James, you’re in good company with Nancy Dillingham and Steve (our resident historian and industry insider), as a number of us here have chosen to “taken a break” from daily viewing in silent protest, but I would urge everyone to continue to hang in. All is not lost, there is still some really good stuff going on—the writing, pace of the show, the performances, are all strong, in spite of the chaos and lackluster tutelage engendered by TPTB. Definitely keep up with your activism, especially when it’s as thoughtful as your open letter to Frank. It’s never been easier to get our voices out there but being heard and listened to is such a different story. Hence, tuning out is the way we attempt to get their attention and register our displeasure, but other than depriving ourselves of something we enjoy, it likely doesn’t have an impact. If I’m reading the tea leaves correctly at ABC, GH is but a program filling a timeslot—I don’t sense any real commitment to the genre or show beyond “does it still turn a profit?”

As to the question of refocusing the moral center of the show—or who should be front and center, moral or otherwise—I struggle with that one. Until happening upon this site a couple of years ago, I never sought or desired to participate in exchanging opinions on the show, so I was completely unaware of the vitriol for the characters of Sonny and Carly. As Satan posted above, Sonny is the focal point because the characters of Dr. Hardy and Luke are no longer, so tenure-wise, it kind of falls to MB. Maybe they can ease him into emeritus status like they did Anthony Geary, but there still have to be characters that can fill the void and I don’t see that dominant presence. By terming it the Sonny and Carly era below and telling people to “get over it,” I was just stating fact. The show e (not d) volved over the years to feature mob story lines and the writers chose to de-emphasize the Quartermaine’s and the hospital, so that’s where we find ourselves in year 55…with a nice veteran cast, but no real heavyweights or icons à la Susan Lucci, Erika Slezak, Peter Bergman, or the like. Tony was part-time at best, and by all accounts a reluctant and surly star, and while Jane Elliott and Genie Francis are stellar talents, the show did not focus on them, so we failed to cultivate pillars of the show. The GH cast is a who’s who of super talents, folks that were top of the heap in their former roles, but for one reason or another (e.g. “Frank’s pets,” and the forcing of the new at the expense of the established) they have not been unconditionally accepted into the fold. So, as terrific as they are, and we’re very fortunate to have them, they still need to win some of us over and put in their time—they don’t just get to ascend to the throne. Hence, by default, it’s the Sonny-Carly era, and as long as the stories are good, I won’t object to it.

Reed, I really appreciate your thoughtful reply to me, your generous characterization of my commentary, as well as your terrific commentary here and in your original post, just below. (Please see my reply to you there as well.)

It pleases me that we are both seeing things in much the same way, although we may slightly differ in our approach to the Sonny factor. You are more accepting and hopeful, and you are looking for the good, within the big picture, in your desire for the show to prosper. You should be admired for that outlook.

I should explain that I have felt resentment toward the character of Sonny since the early days of the character. I knew that he was a criminal, having a teenage Karen working for him in a club as a stripper.
–I can’t begin to count the crimes he has committed (but murdering AJ was the abyss), and each time he largely gets away with it.
–I can’t begin to count the number of times he has been violent or threatened violence, or even just yelled at another person.
–I can’t begin to count the number of times Sonny has been shot, or almost killed, but survived.
Some characters have indeed tried to take Sonny down, put him in jail, bring him to justice, give him a taste of his own medicine, but it never really happens, or lasts for long. Sonny always comes out on top. And that is a terrible message to send to the viewers.

Over time, the character has achieved leading man, franchise status. From the inception of the character, each team of producers and writers has maintained the status quo and even ratcheted things up a notch or two, culminating in the 55th anniversary show in which Sonny was the opener, closer, and the raison d’etre!

I just feel that the runaway locomotive Sonny train should have never left the station and must now be stopped. Perhaps another conductor can place other characters at the forefront, characters with true character, and let them become the focus and the franchise.

Reed, thank you again for reaching out. I appreciate your suggestion that I keep up with the “activism.” I will look forward to reading your posts. 🙂

James, you are the Dean of Posters and always a worthwhile read. The “open letter to Frank” was genius and is propelling much discussion here. Shamelessly, I’ve nominated Steve to take the discourse to the next level in a “state of the (GH) union address,” but you will forever be the inspiration behind this movement and wake-up call to TPTB. Accountability and no free passes, I know this show can be better, and it has to start from the top!

Thanks a million, Reed! I’m not worthy… I am pleased that we have some great people at this site; and if we share and take part in this movement, all the better!

@Jamesj75……Thank you for your kind reply…it’s been too long since we’ve been in touch, and I’ve missed you! You’ve certainly been on a roll as of late….especially with your breathtakingly accurate observations regarding the ongoing state of all things Port Charles! Bravo! (Encore, encore….) Your impassioned posts are overwhelmingly indicative of the sentiments many of us harbor about GH and its current cast of characters. (I especially loved your vivid description of the “Sonny train that never should have left the station!” Amen to that notion! The ‘90’s were when this soap slowly but surely started to lose me as a daily viewer and it was nearly all down to the emergent so-called supremacy of Sonny! His dragging of this show into the mob-laced muck-and-mire for which it is almost singularly focused today should never have reached such complete fruition…not with all the up-and-coming generations of Quartermaine, Spencer, Jones, Webber and Scorpio offspring that were primed to fill the canvas as the rightful heirs to lead GH into the 21s century!) As for what methods we can collectively muster to effectively convey our grave frustrations and disapproval with the current direction of this once-top-notch soap? Well, there’s the rub, my friend…any ideas?????

Bless you, Shay, for your kind and generous words and sweet reply!

You are absolutely right with your commentary, including the point that the 90’s were the time that the decline began. Yes, your suggestion for “rightful heirs to lead GH into the 21s century” is much more palatable to me — and legions of fans…

It’s rewarding to me that I am not alone in my thinking with regard to this Sonny thing. Just when I think I have no more to add to these discussions, something comes up that allows me to opine negatively about Sonny et al. As for what we can do, I’d like to believe TPTB are getting feedback from us here. Maybe Mr. Fairman doesn’t appreciate this point of view. And obviously, the GH producer doesn’t, but it’s well worth making our voices heard in any way we can. Best to you, Shay! 🙂

Hey, hey, hey, Shay,
LOL.
Yes, I am looking forward to English class—the kids teach me sometimes. I like hearing the different ‘takes’ and opinions they offer—smart kids, they are.
I start tomorrow.
Fridays will be dedicated to my Willy….there’s not a play I don’t know intimately, LOL….inside-out, upside-down.
What is not known ( by many) about Willy is how he played with words. He, sort of, revolutionized the English language by turning verbs into nouns/adjectives ….or inventing suffixes etc., ergo the ‘ish’ at the end of certain words.
Had I lived during the reign of Good Queen Bess, I would have chased him down and married him. HaHa. How does that grab you??
Physics class will not be too well-received. ….not a popular subject with the kids. LOL.
About Alexis: don’t get me wrong, Shay…..I like her as she is now. But, if she should pursue her typical ‘trip and fall’ into the arms of Jaunty-Julian ( or should I say, jaundiced—-from his Don Giovanni’s exploits?). Also, I think Finn ( who is not so sacrosanct himself) will be good for her.
I have always liked Anna, yet, I am getting bored with her. I think that if she has feelings for Finn, she should be the aggressor, especially if he’s giving her the right vibes. I think he is…. she’s just too stubborn to admit it to herself. She’s been around the block….so, she stop acting the virginal damsel.
I was fourteen when I started giving my husband signals….innocent signals, LOL. He just told me to “Come Back When You Grow Up, Girl”.
Guess what? I did!! Double LOL.
So, the writers should do something about that. Why aren’t they? Is it because Anna will be romantically involved with Andre?
Kim? I don’t know what it is, Shay. I cannot connect with her. I’m more connected with Carly( whom I am not into) than I am with her. It could be residual negative feelings from DOOL and AMC. Did not like her in either roles. I will wait and see how ‘honest’ she is. One thing I do like about her? She truly loves her son, and she has shown he comes above all others.
Soon, mia bella.

Thank you for the reply, James….You found me on the other site……LOL. I’ve been away….that’s the reason you couldn’t find the ‘right button’, I guess. I will be contributing sparingly, as I will, also, be substituting the Physics and English teachers at the High School. They are honeymooning!! LOL.
Always the kind gentleman, without subterfuge, James….No Shylock, thee. Means much.
We have never met, but you would make a true friend, for life….again, love you!!

Hey Celia:

So glad that we are on the same page with so many things… 🙂
I guess I take you for granted, in the sense that I can rely on reading your great posts regularly. Despite how busy you are, I hope you are able to continue posting as often as you can: you are a brilliant writer with great insights, and your kindness extends to others — clearly. You are always a kind treasure to me… You are a true day brightener! I thank you for that! I also know that you would make a great friend in person — indeed! Best to you, with love! 🙂

Just a quick reply this morning, CeeCeeGirl! Will get back to you later, but wanted to say what a treat for your students….a double helping of “Double C!” How I would love to be a fly on the wall of your English class….you are an absolute natural for the subject, especially if your beloved Will is on the menu! At least your time shall be spent more constructively than languishing over the banal antics of Sonny, Carly. and yes, Alexis, upon whom we shall simply have to continue to agree to disagree in regard to her latest sexcapade of futility….the only aspect of it I care to see is the “Finn-ish!” (Please, let’s just toss her a skein of yarn and houseful of cats to occupy her spare moments….this freakish farce has gone on long enough!) As for Dr. Kim, me thinks she’s a closet loonytoon waiting to emerge at any given moment….calm before the storm, so to speak, hence the sugar shock…perhaps an hormonal surge from carrying Julian’s latest out-of-wedlock bambino will push her over the edge! (Along with Alexis when she hears the news of her ex’s impending fatherhood for the fourth time! Can you say “Charlie, Jr.? I like the sound of that….) Must go…have a great day, mia amica!

Celia, just a quick, sincere “Thank you!” for your recent “father” comparison…. I am honored…

@CeeCee…”Shakespeare Friday!” I like it…….as I’m sure will your lucky students! Are you choosing a particular play of Willie’s to highlight, or just doing a broad overview of the man and his eternal words? There are so many interesting aspects to cover regarding this most fascinating of subjects…I still recall the discussions of the many anachronisms found throughtout his works…such fun! (Just as an aside, there was recently a fluffy little British mystery series called “Shakespeare and Hathaway” about a male/female duo of private investigators which took place in good old Stratford-upon-Avon! It was a real kick to see them plying their trade amongst the thatched roof, half-timbered dwellings of this famous town!) At any rate, I continue to just read recaps of GH because there is currenly nothing of any substance to sink my teeth into…I will look in on Robert Scorpio’s upcoming return, but other than that, there is precious little to hold me in thrall at this point, and yes, that includes Alexis and her silly, juvenile posturings (meant for Julian’s benefit…) with the brilliant doctor Finn who remains a manchild in all other things considered…..maybe that’s why he seems to me far too young for Alexis and you, for Anna??? As for what “good” could come of those two canoodling-for-show, the only possibility I could imagine is that Finn would probably learn some eye-popping new moves from the obviously overly-experienced Alexis! LOL! But other than that???? May he continue giving Anna the right vibes…she is perhaps a bit too proud of a woman to give into them just yet, but maybe a visit from the wise Scorpio shall give her a nudge in the right direction…..I certainly hope so! (But please,,, no Andre…..I remain firmly convinced he should be treating the neuroses ala Alexis…) In terms of Kim, I’ve never really taken to her either, except when she was in Julian’s orbit as a spoiler to block Alexis and her long, lustful looks to her ex…..that was awfully satisfying! I especially don’t care for her backstory with Drew…why, I ask, is this even necessary? Dilutes the emotional impact from his Jim Harvey trauma, which is what matters most at present…Oh well, must be going now. Later, mia amica!

Hey Jamesj!

Great letter; well thought out and extremely well-written. Unfortunately, it’ll probably fall on deaf ears. (what a great accomplishment it would be, though, if Frank had the inclination to actually respond to it and you, here, and have a dialogue!) Doubt it but maybe he should take on the challenge! Frank??? What say you?

I have no doubt Frank and others look at viewers comments here, on FB, twitter (on which he’s active) and elsewhere; doesn’t make a dent unless it translates into ratings. Which I get. It IS a business. He hears the applause and he hears the boos. He gets compliments and he gets insults; accolades and attacks. As with all shows, daytime and prime time, as you and everyone else knows it comes down to numbers and advertisers.

Seems to me he’s heard the anti-Sonny crowd, the outpouring of disapproval over what happened with Genie Francis and many other “suggestions” and “critiques” over the years. Goes in one ear and out the other unless there are legions of names on a petition and a real “walkout.” But we have no idea if they’re literally trying to lose viewers to justify cancellation and then say, “the ratings/advertisers just weren’t there to offset the expense of keeping the show on the air.” Or, they may be trying to SAVE the show in the hope that the older viewers they lose will be negated by the younger viewers they gain if they go with new/younger characters interwoven into the few established ones left to write stories for.

I agree it was a complete slap in the face to leave Genie out of the 55th, (it was BEYOND insulting to her as an actress, as a person). Truly the epitome of disregard and lack of appreciation to someone who is such a part of GH history. Of all times to do that! Same with Kin Shriner. While they threw him a bone and included him, they left him out of the promo; a promo that celebrated 55 years of which he’s been on and off for about 40 of them! (I do admit, though, I thought the episode was very well done, enjoyed it, and appreciated the flashbacks they DID include. Very heartwarming.)

As for “Sonny?” I remember reading when Frank and Ron came on Maurice wasn’t happy that he wasn’t forefront anymore. I don’t even remember what stories took over when they took over, but he was pushed back for a while and he said in some interview I read he wasn’t thrilled. Something obviously changed. Maybe he threatened to leave and (unbeknownst to us) he has such a huge fan base that they couldn’t assume the risk? Who knows… To be honest, at this point I can abide Sonny ten times over Carly. If there’s one character on the show I can say I truly wouldn’t miss it would be her. As you said about Sonny, I would and have said about Carly; I don’t love to hate Carly, I just hate her! But I digress…

I think it’s so difficult to gauge what the MAJORITY of viewers really want. If you read sites that have over thousands of viewers, the opinions, likes and dislikes are vast. I guess that’s where crunching the numbers comes in. Even the soap with the most viewers has, what? four million viewers as compared to the over 20 million they had decades ago. The budget cuts don’t help. I think they’re getting rid of many of the vets because they cost more.

My suggestion is if you really want to ignite change, take this letter and get signatures. You need to have it circulated. Go to change.org (if you’re so inclined) or similar sites and post your letter. Up to you, if you decide not to it’s still a great letter which may inspire someone else. If nothing else I’m sure it was a great cathartic experience! Writing out our angst (oh, if only angst over soaps were our biggest problem in life! 🙂 ) is a great healer.

xo

In gauging the prevailing sentiment of fellow posters, I revisited the 55th Anniversary promo and thread from 3/19, a very capable two-minute adrenaline rush with a few nods to a glorious past, and then looked to the postmortems via the 3/30 and this thread, and then watched the anniversary episode a second time to try to empathize with some of your comments. Here’s my take:

Fifty-five years of anything in life is no small achievement, so a nice retrospective would have been in order. This was a fete deserving of a celebration and ABC could have gotten some mileage out of it, but I guess we’ll have to settle for a sheet cake and a cast photo. Such a shame and so disrespectful. Treated like second class citizens again—it’s only daytime TV.

With the conscious decision already made to go “low dollar” and not pay homage to 55 years in any meaningful way, the writers did admirably using Mike’s Alzheimer’s as the pretext for the stroll down memory lane. It was poignant, sweet, and struck the right chords, allowing for the seamless weaving of clips and recollections into the story. It was a terribly well written, acted, and in Wally’s case, performed episode. Yes, the omission and nary a mention of Laura was glaring and inexplicable and doesn’t serve the continuity of the show, but on balance, I choose to praise the episode and I refuse to give into the Sonny and Carly bashing. They’re the face of the show and they have been for quite some time–it’s their era now, so get over it!

While it made sense not to feature any of the newbies, it only further underscored how obligatory, fleeting, and insulting it is to trot out the veterans for “window dressing duty.” And to think, this would have been one of Genie’s 12 episodes…good for her for walking away! It’s just so disappointing that the creative team can’t do a better job of giving us a multi-generational drama that includes our beloved veteran characters in more than a peripheral way.

Reserving comment on the Kin Shriner situation until more details are available, but suffice to say, getting loaded for bear! Has all the makings of a bigger fiasco than the Genie Francis situation.

Happy anniversary to GH and thank you for all of the years of wonderful entertainment!

Fantastic commentary throughout, Reed! With regard to your original post. I am most impressed with these lines:

–“While it made sense not to feature any of the newbies, it only further underscored how obligatory, fleeting, and insulting it is to trot out the veterans for ‘window dressing duty.’” I totally agree with you and I feel that this stunt is just “throwing a bone” to the long-term fan, but there’s not much meat on the bone.

–“It’s just so disappointing that the creative team can’t do a better job of giving us a multi-generational drama that includes our beloved veteran characters in more than a peripheral way.” Y&R has excelled at this endeavour virtually all along. I remember, as a once long-term fan of GH (1969-2004), being so resentful that Y&R (the #1 soap in ratings) was constantly giving storyline to the great Jeanne Cooper throughout her run until her death, whereas at GH Rachel Ames was given next to nothing since the 1980s until she retired. Why couldn’t MY show respect its veterans the way that Y&R did (does)? (I later watched Y&R for several years….)

You’re also correct about the Genie Francis and Kin Shriner situations being fiascos.

Take care, Friend!

James, thanks for the kind words. Your point about the commitment to relevant multi-generational characters and storytelling is spot on for Y&R, whereas GH has seemed unwilling, if not altogether incapable over the years. While the Quartermaine mansion is filling up nicely these days, now the writers just need to give us something sustainable to make this once great set a beehive of activity again. Maybe Jane Elliott can be enticed to come back and stir the pot? Given the recent treatment of Genie and Kin, was hers really a retirement so much as a “I can’t stand working for these idiots anymore?” Like some of us, maybe she is content to wait out regime change?

I love you, James…..and everything that flows from your brain through your fingers unto your ‘plume’, and print…
I just, sort of, caught up to my soapies…..except for GH. I watched only today’s ep……sick of Carly, Sonny and Jason.
And, to a certain degree Franco. Tired of the story….I think we all figured it out by now? Harvey is a pedophile? Bobby was probably very protective of Andy…..was Harvey moving from Bobby to the younger Andy? The story deserves attention, but get to it. Obviously, Drew is now aware.
Glad Sam took a temporary hike.
Does any of us really care about this developing story about Mike?…. ( not against Max)…..this is not about Alzheimer’s any longer; but becoming all about Sonny again—-not that it ever stopped being about him.
Did Sonny say Croton? Croton-on-the Hudson, perhaps? I do not care. Am I the only one? Not one bit interesting. What a BIG mystery!!!!!! So mystifying…..
If Mike were as concerned about Sonny and with whom he “hung”, it stands to reason Mike probably followed him….duh!!! That’s how he knows about Croton ( not sure about the town’s name)…..too tired to re-check….
I must say that, inasmuch as I find Nelle’s actions criminally insane, Chloe is the ‘mostest’ of the most…..
It is disheartening how I am losing the thrill of tuning in , my friend….no anticipation…..

Thank you, James. Anything written by you is treasured. You are an honorable man—-remind me of my dad…..smiles.

Hello again, CeeCeeGirl! Due to your brief holiday hiatus from MFSoaps, I tried—-alas, to no avail—- to reach you on a previous thread—-so I’m ever so.glad to see you back here, mia amica! Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend! I am also behind on GH, just reading the recaps, but my first thought to Sonny’s Croton mention was are we about to finally discover what happened to Jimmy Hoffa??? Lol….Just kidding, but really, how does this long-ago mob mischief link to Port Charles’ history? Do we even care? (Rhetorical question….) This soap just continues to sink to unprecedented levels of the unpalatable…in addition to Sonny’s former gravedigging duties, we have a prospective pedo past for Jim Harvey and present-day pervert on the prowl in Dr. Bensch….really uplifting storylines there, eh? Makes the notion that Dr. Kim may have Julian’s latest illegitimate bun in the oven seem positively quaint in comparison, don’t you think??? (‘Twould be a delicious development…can you just imagine how “you-know-who” would react to that latest wrench in her ongoing scheme for a marital reunification? Oh, the humanity! But poor Finn…will he have to continue the “ToyBoyPloy?” Basta, basta…..)

Hi, Shay,
God forbid…another Julian issue? ( unfortunately he shares my husband’s name….Giuliano, LOL…ergo, Jude)….yet, I love William. I know you don’t agree, but I like Alexis as she is now…yeah, she had a bout with alcohol, made one mistake after another…she still is in limbo. The fact that she gravitates to Charlie’s attests to that. But, Finn may be the key to steer her away from Julian and open a brand new door.
I haven’t decided if I like her with Finn, though. But, I must be truthful, LOL….I do not like Finn and Anna together; not that I am taken by Finn’s and Alexis’ relationship, but better with each other, than she with Julian and Finn with Anna. Do you follow me?
Kim is starting to get on my nerves, Shay. Too sugary, too goody-two-shoes. Creeps me out as Borscht did from the onset. And, I said so….something about older men ( with hungry, lusty looks in their lupine eyes) who pay too much attention to younger females turn the viscera upside-down. Bern there!! Yuck!! Lascivious pigs.
I, also, knew, and said, since Harvey made his appearance that he was a child molester…Bobby had merely suppressed it ( as has Reed suppressed his father’s abuse of Mac and possibly himself on Y&R; I think).
I pointed out that Bobby was protecting Andy. I just did not know from what until a couple of weeks ago.
Carly and Sonny are now the victims…
oh, yeah….I had warned you about sly posters, Shay…those who praise and insult in the same breath. I don’t bother…..yet, it seems to me that I must be on someone’s mind obsessively if IT finds the time to speak from both sides of ITS mouth. Comes out of the blue months ago, and attacks my style of writing. Don’t read it !! It’s that simple. I had a good laugh.
They are one and the same, mia cara. It speaks to itself.
You know the Dove chocolate commercial sung in French? “Nothing for nothing… regret nothing”. Words to live by. I have yet to regret anything. I married the love of my life…..
Anyway, if only GH could bring Genie back, I am certain, the positive move would appease many a disgruntled viewer.
Soon….

Dr. Bensch- what next-will he try and mate with Roxy? I didn’t really see the Dr. Pervo thing coming-most likely because so little of late on the show has held my attention. But ok, bring it on with his perverted self but make it good. Happy to see the child molester/criminal/weirdo killed off-would not mind seeing Betsy-Wetsy choked to death on a hambone. I think about 50 percent of those molested go on to molest themselves- is this the next chapter for Franco? If so hope it is his last. I know many hate the OLTL people/characters but I would trade Franco for Todd Manning- and bring back Starr as well and make her mean and fight with Nelle. I kind of like Dr. Kim but wonder if she is a secret liar and freak herself. I hope so. I didn’t realize the Fairman feuds were reignited. I know that you and I disagree on many issues and favorites and so forth-but I have always enjoyed our conversations immensely and hope to continue them and laugh and complain and enjoy ourselves.

@Phyllis…CeeCee and I both sussed out Dr. Strangebensch’s lurid intentions from the get-go whilst he was sniffing around the unsuspecting Kiki, and it was confirmed on Thanksgiving as he turned down the advances of amorous Alexis under the guise of being a gallant gentleman. We knew right then and there as he passed up a sure thing that he preferred his birds young and tender, and I don’t mean the turkey! Lol….Perhaps Franco needs a good bang on the noggin to render him wedded to another indentity, since the current one isn’t wearing well at all….who knows? He may even think himself Todd Manning from Llanview….would that be allowed? As for “Off-Kilter Kim,” there has been some speculation she may be Peter Parking Lot’s twin sis, meaning Faison and Anna’s daughter…not sure that would work for me, but she definitely has some hidden issues that are being kept for another time and day….hope it is sooner rather than later that they are revealed because I don’t like her with Drew at all…she needs to be with “Charlie” and his magical expresso machine! As for the “Fairman Feud?” It is a never-ending storyline, my dear Ms. DeMarco…if only you had prosecuted that case for which you originally presented your stellar services, you might have saved us all from yet another torrent of verbal strops or two or three….As it now stands, I do believe a civil suit for defamation of character and libel with malicious intent may be the only available course of action. Are you available to represent the injured parties???? I have a feeling we could be talking a class action complaint here!

I agree with the comments about no mention of Laura, not even by Kevin! ABC should be ashamed of itself.

Something else that should have been mentioned on the episode was that Felicia gave birth to Maxie inside Luke’s Club. I remember it clearly.

And I also agree with the remarks about why must every story revolve around Sonny and Carly. The writers STILL don’t get what and who the long-time fans want to see, although they’re likely guided by Frank’s vision of his show. It ceased being “General Hospital” a very long time ago, and I miss it so much! The flashbacks are proof that we love that version of the show more than the current one, and why.

I didn’t know that Kin had been taken off contract; they haven’t used him to their best advantage for a long time anyway. Hell, they should never have made him Franco’s father, for Pete’s sake! It’s ludicrous, age-wise.

I’m hoping that TPTB were being truthful when they informed us Genie Francis would be returning. She should never have been written out in the first place. Another absolutely lame decision. Keeping my fingers crossed we’ll see her soon.

Felicia gave birth to Georgie in Luke’s. Maxie was born in GH

You mean to tell me that GH is gonna get rid of a wonderful longtime veteran like Kin Shriner…yet they’re gonna keep that ANNOYING Aunt Stella and that EVEN MORE UNWATCHABLE Parking Lot Pete aka Laura Wright’s real life boyfriend around?!?!?!?!?! TRULY DUMB, GH!!!!!!!!!!

Later.

You’re absolutely right, jaybird369!

I’m with ya, jaybird on Aunt Stella. Worst character ever in my opinion. We part ways on Peter/Henrik. Really like the character and the story. Worth trading Scott/Kin Shriner for? I love Scott. They should have given his character MORE story instead of the occasional lines they “allowed” him to exchange with Franco or Ava. And the firing? Typical corporate America move. Piss off the wrong people and you’re out.

Dear Mr. Fairman,
Firstly, I’d like to thank you for the many hours of entertainment you offer and devote to your work for us; the soap viewers, and our comments….more appreciated than you know.
Secondly, I was under the impression that you do not like dissension on said comments. You went out of your way to make the point to dispel all degrading commentary from a handful of vicious posters to other posters.
However, as you can read, the instigation and insinuations have started again. I must ask: why do you allow such disturbing drivel against some of us to make it to print? Was it an oversight?
I do ignore certain posters….I do not read anything they have to say. And, I would not have known until I read Shay’s comment resulting in my hackles being risen.
Reed is most disrespectful. I answered him/her once to defend myself…with respect. Never had seen or interacted with him/her before. I have a name, sir. I am a human being, with flesh and blood and a brain…..this person, male or female takes too many liberties. The jealousy abounds. I must have something which draws him, LOL.
Accompanied with someone else whom, I suspect is the same person, who calls the kettle back, the pot is costantly stirred. Does not smell too aromatic.
I do not bother with certain people, therefore, I would appreciate a certain amount of respect, regardless. Yet, it seems to me that this person(s) has/have internal issues, thus picking on me or Shay or su000, and, at times, Patrick and Timmm, makes him/her feel better about himself/herself.
These sites are not meant to be therapeutic for those with a thorny heart—-but to be friendly and show deference to each others’ opinions ….be treated as adults, not children, who, may I add, deserve the same respect. Be polite…otherwise say nothing at all.
Enough is enough. I guess all your words of peace and honor fell on deaf ears.
Facebook is in trouble—as I had intimated…the reason I never joined. Everyone’s life is there for all to see.
Well, people hide behind their unit…..Sooner than later, as technology progresses, none of us will be able to hide any longer—imagine the possibilities. I hope it will happen, sir…..a technological device revolutionizing the internet, where we can see each other.
Thank you,
Keep on trekking…..love what you do…and your music!!

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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Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

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