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OPINION
Mala's Masala
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Mala Bhattacharjee, news editor
— Weekly
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July 29, 2009
Joe and I had fun with yesterday's GENERAL HOSPITAL — if you call fun e-mailing each other back and forth going, "Wait, is this the same night as Claudia's car accident?" Between the brain surgery sequence a few days ago, the trip to the police station and the scenes at the Quartermaine mansion, we were totally mystified by everyone referring to the collision as having happened mere hours ago. "Is this like PASSIONS, where the days last for months?" Joe asked me. The answer? Yes. Yes, it is. And this interminable storyline has only just begun!
We can now look forward to guilt-ridden Michael and Kristina hitting the road (hopefully not in cars), poor Alexis being made to look like an even bigger fool, and Claudia secretly plotting revenge against a couple of kids. Joy. That's must-see TV right there. I mean, I was just so riveted by the glorified automobile commercial that was the crash — with the questionable CGI and Carly deciding that exact moment was the right time to do her best impression of a highway trash pickup volunteer — that of course I'm invested in the fallout. Not. In fact, my reason to tune in is still Johnny. And, no, I still don't get it. Last year I was bitter about Coop and Logan's deaths and really not into their replacement. Now? I feel like Brandon Barash has the potential to be the show's next leading man. He's been getting great scripts lately, which certainly helps, but he manages to imbue all those fabulous bits of dialogue with nuance, too. He's really found his footing as an actor.
I remember when he first came on, I wondered if Johnny would turn out to be Kate and Sonny's secret son. I had this whole plot in my head of how Kate hooked up with Trevor Lansing, who arranged for her child to be raised by the Zacharras. Because Johnny works as a "younger Sonny," as someone to pick up the mantle and take it into the next generation...with a few noticeable differences. He's the brooding mobster archetype but not a chauvinist. He's dangerous, but has a conscience...not just the convenient kind that propels him into a chapel every few months to make promises to God. He hasn't given any underage girls pills or shot anyone in the head. Of course, knowing GH, give him a few years and I'm sure he'll get there.
But no matter where Johnny's headed, I'm really enjoying him in the here and now...even if the nights do last all week.
July 24, 2009
You know, I accept that Sonny Corinthos is the center of GH now. There's no
use in wailing about the mob-driven storytelling. That ship done sailed. The
ship that hasn't sailed? Sonny's love life. That can, and should, be dry-docked and overhauled.
Almost every single time he gets involved with a woman, it's the same tired
and misogynistic cycle. There are variations on the theme —Emily, for
instance, skipped the "I hate you" phase — but for the most part, it goes
like this:
1. Woman moves to town or into Sonny's sphere.
2. Sparks fly, or contempt flies, and there's a lot of snappy banter.
3. Sonny flashes his dimples even as he says things that would require a restraining order if he were a real-life man, and all of a sudden the woman is "susceptible to his charms."
4. There is an island trip or a pasta dinner or some other grand gesture to make the stalking er, wooing complete.
5. "I hate you" becomes "I love you"(or, in Claudia's case, "I still hate
you but let's have sex") and then the woman is basically turned into a
codependent pile of mush who can't put her shoes on without Sonny telling
her which foot they go on.
6. The woman briefly wakes up or tries to re-grow her spine, to no avail.
7. Sonny cheats or breaks up with her "for her own good" only to get
involved with another woman five minutes later, claiming he's never felt
this way before.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
After 15 years of watching Sonny cycle through everyone from Karen Wexler to
Reese to Kate, I really want to see something else. Female characters get
crushed by Sonny, and that's not TV I enjoy. The only women who've really
survived are Carly — though she's never been extricated from his world, and her marriage to Jax suffers because of it — Brenda (by virtue of LEAVING), and Alexis, who gets played for a tightly-wound buffoon for her troubles. Everybody else gets shuffled out of town or dies.
Here's a thought, GH: Maybe the womenfolk are not the problem. Maybe it's
Sonny, whose caveman courtship tactics and inability to remain faithful box
the character into a place where we see veteran actor Maurice Benard saying
the same dialogue every year with the names changed. Let's give him
something else to do!
v
Especially since Olivia is becoming the latest martyr to the cause. The
Falconeri family was a headache-inducing rewrite of Sonny's history to begin
with, but I liked Olivia because she genuinely seemed to be uninterested in
Sonny despite their past. Sure, they hung out after she hit town, but she
had her own life and finally got her own love interest. And Johnny/Olivia
isn't a pairing that appeals solely to me; they're getting rave reviews from
many viewers. Yes, he's a mobster, too, but he's nice to her. He treats her
with respect. So why would GH sacrifice that just to make her Sonny's Flavor
of the Month? Because of the botch job on Sonny/Claudia, perhaps? Gee, I
wonder why viewers don't like Sonny married to a conniver who arranged for
his son's shooting and got pregnant just to save her own skin? Newsflash:
Claudia isn't Sarah Brown's Carly, and no amount of bonding over babies is going to echo that version of Sonny and Carly. The Claudia/Sonny relationship is too ugly (And let's face it, S&C v.1.0 weren't exactly
sunshine and roses).
So why just pluck out Claudia and paste in Olivia? We're going to see the
same story we always see, and I don't want to see Lisa LoCicero on the
backburner or fired by next year because SoLivia tanked! I want to see Sonny
decide he doesn't need a love interest and focus on his kids or his business
— lord knows both are a hot mess these days! OR I want to see him go back to Kate and just settle down, because they were working just fine before he
married Claudia for the Zacchara empire and Kate got the shaft. Come on,
let's switch it up a little. For once, let's have a woman in Sonny's life avoid the bullet to the head.
July 20, 2009
I'm going to try and hit a few different shows in this entry, including Y&R,
NBC's MERLIN, and B&B — with no mentions of Rafe/Adam, babies or hats!
Holy HIPAA violation, Batman! Y&R's Olivia told Neil and Devon about Lily's
cancer diagnosis before telling the patient herself? Last I checked, Lily is
a twice married, grown woman. First Neil brings her a teddy bear to make her
feel better, and then he tells her about her biopsy coming back positive?
All the while insisting that Cane should be kept away from her? I know
daughters are their daddy's little girls forever (Hi, Dad! I love you!) but
that is ridiculous. She's not a child. Neil's righteous indignation about
Cane rings extra hollow considering he's dating Tyra, who lied about
her identity for years! However, I'm glad we got a Dru mention out of
today's scenes. Neil and Olivia's bittersweet scenes about Lily and her
mother were incredibly poignant.
And in a note not relating to the Winters family, why are we watching
talented actors like Greg Rikaart (Kevin), Emily O'Brien (Jana), and Christian LeBlanc (Michael) talk about marketing chipmunk merchandise? How about seeing Kevin in therapy instead? That's where the real payoff for the character should be!
Joe's usually our primetime guy, but since I'm the one who told him to watch
MERLIN, it's only fair that I get to talk about it, too! It's a total guilty pleasure series that I've really grown to enjoy. Sure, there's a pat "enchantment of the week" element, and the special effects are B-grade, but the cast is so darn charming that the show puts a smile on my face. Colin Morgan, who plays the title role of the young, budding sorcerer, is a cutie pie. His contagious grin lends the character a mischievous, child-like quality. You just want to take him home and feed him soup, even when he manages to pull off a fantastic feat of magic. Bradley James, as the spoiled but well-meaning "once and future king," Arthur, is the perfect counterpoint to Merlin. This Sunday's episode put a little more focus on Morgana, played by the stunning Katie McGrath, who is starting to become aware of the powers that will eventually turn her into a sorceress of legend. And following in the path of other multiracial British shows like TORCHWOOD and ROBIN HOOD, MERLIN features black actress Angel Coulby as the headstrong and passionate Gwen (aka Guinevere!). I can't wait to see who ends up with who, because right now the romantic possibilities are endless!
The possibilities are also endless with Whip back on B&B. There's a reason
B&B is #1 in the world, and that's because it has a hilarious, universal,
over-the-top quality that transcends language. It's just plain fun. And the
return of Rick Hearst as Whip illustrates that beautifully. His scenes at Jackie M on Friday, with Nick shutting the door in his face and then Pam's infamous lemon bars, were incredibly entertaining. You can just tell that Hearst is having a good time — and he's said as much to me in our interviews. Today's cute little tease of Whip/Brooke was great! Consummate soap heroine Katherine Kelly Lang has been giving the waterproof mascara a workout lately, thanks to Brooke's drama with Ridge, and it's about time we saw Brooke's radiant smile again!
July 15, 2009
Hey, Y&R, what's the dealio? Why wait till now to flesh out Rafe? Just
because Colleen is back to be his talk-to? Couldn't we have seen the flashes
of depth we saw yesterday before he got busy with Adam? Viewers tend
to like a little dimension to characters, especially when they're suddenly
part of a front-burner story. Yesterday was the first time I felt like Rafe
was a character and not just a plot point, a simple device in Adam's Grand
Scheme. And — I'm about to freak even myself out here — I actually
saw a flicker of heat between him and Adam. Their Very Meaningful But Chaste
Hug was nice. Mind you, I'm still not rooting for them or suggesting pairing
names and fan campaigns. I'm just acknowledging that Adam's crazy plot is
actually developing a mildly believable component now that Rafe has more to
do than just react like a deer in headlights. BTW...? If Rafe were to hook
up with John Driscoll's soon-to-debut Chance, we could call them "Chafe."
LOL! In fact, I don't care if they hook up or not, I'm going to call them
that anyway!
On another relationship front, there's B&B's Bill and Katie, who are mighty
hot. I can't help it, I have a thing for tales of heartless bastards and the
ingenues who love them. (I read a lot of romance novels.) Watching Katie
get to jaded Bill is kinda swoonworthy, and Heather Tom and Don
Diamont look like they're having so much fun. I've actually talked to
them both about the pairing, and they're definitely psyched! So am I!
Last but not least, I have to give props to ATWT for tying off Carly's
alcoholism storyline with genuinely well-written scenes and powerhouse
performances. My heart broke watching Rosanna, Parker, Craig and Jack all
reach out to a desperate, desolate Carly. Mick Hazen (Parker) has grown into
quite the actor; I loved when Parker blocked the door and confronted his
mom. Jon Lindstrom (Craig), Cady McClain (Rosanna), and Julie Pinson (Janet)
all brought their A games, conveying Craig's helpless anguish, Ro's
levelheaded compassion, and Janet's conflict over helping her husband's
ex-wife. But I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that yesterday belonged
to Maura West and Michael Park. Call it a bias, call it what you want, but I
feel like Carly and Jack have something truly special: that magical,
dysfunctional, achy thing that makes a soap couple truly stand out. The
entire intervention was emotionally wrenching, but it was Jack getting
through to Carly that choked me up. It's that kind of connection that keeps
me coming back to Carjack over and over in this blog!
July 14, 2009
I've said it before, but I'm a sucker for a slow-burning love story, and that's part of why I'm such a fan of gay-themed storylines on soaps. By virtue of daytime treading carefully with the issue, stories like OLTL's Kyle and Fish are being told at a snail's pace compared to the whirlwind courtships and weddings of straight characters. I mean, I miss the days of waiting years for a couple to get together.
Case in point? I'm a huge fan of Marvel Comics' Rogue and Gambit.
Their on-and-off courtship has lasted almost 20 years! They just finally got back together — sort of — in X-Men: Legacy issue #224. And that's after a kazillion break-ups, relationships with other people, her stranding him in Antarctica, him working for a supervillain, etc. And let's not discount the X-Men movies. As a hardcore G/R fan, I had to put up with a bunch of people thinking Rogue should hook up with Wolverine! The horror! But you know what? I still hung in there. And I always will. I love that the Marvel Universe has kept this love alive all these years.
In fact, love stories are what I'm into comics for! (Somewhere, a legion of fanboys just expired from apoplexy.) Just like soaps, comic books have a major emotional throughline. Just look at Superman and Lois Lane or Peter Parker and Mary Jane. People who don't even read comic books know those pairs. And in the hands of a good writer and a talented artist, a relationship can really come to life. And here's where I have to give a shout-out to Peter David and his run of X-Factor (an X-Men spinoff).
David is a writer who inspires, shall we say, "passionate" emotions in comic book readers. You know how soap fans react to GH's Robert Guza or Y&R's Hogan Sheffer and Maria Arena Bell? Those kinds of debates? Yeah, comic books have them, too. For me, David's arc has been incredibly compelling. Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man, is a character from previous X-titles that he dusted off and breathed new life into — and then he gave Jamie the perfect partner in Layla Miller. Introduced as a weird, vaguely annoying nymphet who "knows stuff," Layla got my attention when she flat out told Jamie that they were going to be married some day. Mind you, she was, like, 12 at the time. And I was like, "Wait, how is David going to pull this off?" This summer, he did it. The cover of X-Factor #43 pretty much says it all — it's Jamie and Layla in a passionate liplock. Let's just say that she got SORAS-ed. LOL. But it's awesome. I was rooting for Jamie and Layla almost from the get-go, knowing that even if it took 20 years, I'd wait for them. Thankfully, it didn't! David also pulled off a major coup in this month's issue, XF #45: he had longtime "are they/aren't they" duo Rictor and Shatterstar kiss! Again, this is a pair fans have been invested in for decades. The catch? They're both guys. Imagine waiting over 15 years for a couple's first kiss?
That's what I want out of soaps. That pull, that devotion, that "oh my God, when?!" That's why watching OLTL's Kyle gaze wistfully at his battered photo of him and Fish made my heart go pitter-pat. That's why I enjoyed GL's Olivia and Natalia taking a year to realize their friendship had turned to love. That's why I love ATWT's Carly and Jack even when they're not together and am constantly on the search for a pair to root for on GH. The anticipation. The build. The inevitability.
Come on daytime, do I have to draw you a picture...?
July 9, 2009
Cutting away from Y&R's Adam and Rafe kissing isn't going to make it any less gay and, therefore, more palatable for conservative viewers. Odds are they've already tuned out because the mere existence of gay characters disturbs them...or because Adam's story in general is so crazy. A little smooch action isn't going to make it any worse. Not-so-gay gay content is kinda like being a "little bit pregnant." The barn door's open, the horse has fled, and there ain't no getting it back in the stall.
On a show where Mary Jane's routinely talking to her DEAD, STUFFED CAT (No, I will never get over Kitty), Sharon played mattress tag with three guys in a handful of days, and Devon is lusting after his auntie Tyra, two guys kissing is a cause for alarm? Please. I think out of all the crazy stunts Adam has pulled, tonsil hockey with Babyface Torres is probably the most benign.
Especially since they've already slept together. Again, newsflash: Whoever was going to tune out because of the icky gayness probably did so at that point, when viewers saw even less than they did this week.
Here's the thing about daytime right now: After ATWT trail-blazed with Noah and Luke and did it successfully, other soaps are jumping on the bandwagon and wanting a piece of the action. But you can't have your gay cake and then try to eat it as heterosexually as possible. You can't be all trendy and incorporate two gay characters and one sexually ambiguous one (please page me when you figure yourself out, Adam) only to get all shy about letting them act like regular people. ATWT and ATWT fans fought the kissing battle already; to start Y&R off back at square one is silly. Are viewers really going to have to go through this every single time a same sex duo is featured? Come on.
That's not to say that I think Adam and Rafe kissing is some wonderful example of equal representation. Unlike with Noah and Luke, I don't think a slew of fans are going to be writing in for this duo to kiss and be shown making love. This story is not a positive portrayal of gay characters and should not be lauded as such. It's messed up. It implies that Adam is so desperate that he's debasing himself, doing something shameful and uncharacteristic, by seducing Rafe, and it makes Rafe look hopelessly clueless. And not showing them at least shirtless after a sexcapade or engaged in a kiss adds an extra layer of offense. It's like, "OMG, Adam is doing something SO EVIL that we CAN'T EVEN SHOW YOU HIS BEHAVIOR." So, my rationale for seeing Adam and Rafe be physical is simply this: Straight characters manipulate each other with intimacy and sex all the time and we see it. Why shouldn't the same rule apply to gay or bisexual manipulators?
July 8, 2009
Cue another day of completely inappropriate laughter on my part when it
comes to Y&R’s Adam and Rafe. Honestly, I'm trying to figure out what I find
so gosh-darned funny. Maybe it's just Adam, who is so, so ridiculous,
especially in the context of a show like Y&R, which is usually "serious
business."
Michael Muhney's take on the character has internal conflict like Chris
Engen's version did, but there's also a very broad, big, soapy quality to
him. This Adam fully embraces the insanity of this storyline and that's kind
of fun. I mean, what else are you going to do with a character that
is gaslighting his father's girlfriend, burns towels and fetuses in
fireplaces, and claims he was jabbed in the eye with hypodermic
needles? It's so silly that I need an actor to give 110% even when he's
saying the dumbest things, and Muhney does that. I was laughing when Adam
practiced break-up speeches but was then forced to chuck them all and go
into seduction mode again just to shut up Rafe ... who displayed a surprising
(albeit brief!) bit of intellect and suspicion. Speechifying about how he'd
never done before what he'd done with Rafe...? Bwah! It's really too bad
Rafe's snarky, "How stupid do you think I am?" moment came before
that oh-so-touching confession. Given how all Adam had to do was turn on the
puppy eyes and the charm to sway the baby-faced lawyer, it's clear he thinks
Rafe is pretty darn stupid ... and he's right!
But I will give Rafe some props for turning aggressor at the end of the
episode. The way he went in for the kissing kill with Adam was mighty
assertive. Too bad we viewers didn't get to SEE it. If we don't get a pickup
scene in tomorrow's episode that shows us the scandalous liplock that
shocked Nikki, I'm going to be very annoyed...
July 6, 2009
Watching ATWT at home on Friday instead of at the office, I was reminded of
the tagline for Alien: "In space, no one can hear you scream."
Without my co-workers around, I was free to shriek like a horror movie
ingenue at Hunter and Alison. Of course, the worst of it happened on
Thursday, but still...I felt like I was watching Flowers in the
Attic, as Hunter talked about his FEELINGS FOR HIS SISTER. What in the
fresh hell is going on in Oakdale that this is an acceptable storyline
twist? Was the Zac/Zoe arc a litmus test for how people would take
Hunter/Ali tonsil hockey? Because I gotta tell you: I do NOT need to see
siblings make out.
And it sure didn't help that in recent weeks, Marnie Schulenburg's hair
color and style (which is ever-shifting) began to subtly mirror Evan Alex
Cole's. Look at them now. They even look like they could be twins. Ick!
The Hunter reveal would have kicked ass without the incest component. I am
ALL for Emily having another son (even though we never see Daniel)...but not
if it's just yet another verse of the "Everybody Loves Alison" song that's
been playing for the last couple of years. I like Ali. I do. But just like
with Meg, it's hard to convince me that she's Miss Independent and a woman I
should root for if she's always being pursued by a man. Especially
one related to her. And, yes, I am still bitter that they dropped the
Chris/Ali/Aaron triangle, because that's one object-of-affection story for
Ali that actually made sense.
Friday's episode of GL, fortunately, evoked decidedly less violent emotions.
I began sniffling when Michelle and Rick watched the next generation of
Bauers eat pie in the kitchen and didn't stop wiping my eyes until the end.
I was such a wreck as Rick, Phillip, Mindy, and Beth — the original Four
Musketeers — speechified to everyone gathered at the very last Bauer
barbecue.
And Phillip Chancellor III walking in at the last minute of Y&R? Now THAT is
what good soap is supposed to be! I absolutely loved Cane's life falling
apart, and how anguished Daniel Goddard looked by the whole reveal. The real
Phillip III's appearance was just icing on the cake! Awesome Friday
cliffhanger!
July 1, 2009
Oh, GH. What AM I going to do with you? You give me the awesomeness of
Coleman and then the ick of Ethan manhandling Rebecca. What's next, he rapes
her on a dance floor just like his hero, daddy Luke? Though, really, the
stalker-rapist vibe that's emanating from him now may be positive news for
many GH fans: maybe the powers-that-be got your message and are sending him
out on the villainous crazy train?
Let's go back to the yay factor now and dish Coleman! Take notes, Ethan:
this is how you do skeeviness correctly! Coleman is, as the song goes, "the
right kind of wrong." He flirts with everything that moves and gets away
with it, thanks to Blake Gibbons' gravelly voice and natural charm. Gibbons
is portraying one of GH's most beloved recurring characters, and I'm really
mystified as to why he hasn't had an actual story of his own in years. And,
no, trying to drum up customers for Jake's in any way possible doesn't
count. I mean, if Max and Diane can have a romance, why not Coleman?
However, if the "Soul Man" isn't slated for love, I'd get a kick out of
seeing him actually install cages in the bar and hiring Go-Go Girls, like
Maxie suggested. Heck, maybe his recurring piano player Johnny can take a
turn in the cage, too?
I also have to give a shoutout to OLTL's "Kish" today. How funny was Kyle
suggesting Fish introduce him to Layla? And the way he couldn't keep his
eyes off the duo made me ridiculously happy. Perhaps he and Cristian should
team up to break up the pair and each go after the person they want?
June 30, 2009
I've found the perfect way to deal with Meg's forever-revolving door of
swains on ATWT: focusing on how pretty Marie Wilson's hair looks. Love the
deep red highlights! However, I can't hand-wave Margo's acceptance of Adam
quite as easily. In fact, it makes me see red in a different way. ATWT has
done a beautiful job of calling back to Emily, Susan and Larry's history,
but how could they forget a quintessential part of Margo's: she was
raped. I cannot believe that she would let Adam have a free pass for
attacking Gwen, no matter how much her bullet wound hurts and how glad she
is to see him alive. I remember how tender she was with Maddie during
Maddie's rape reveal storyline. I get that she's fragile and she loves her
son, but to have jealous whiner Casey being the only one pointing out
Emperor Adam isn't wearing clothes is ridiculous. Casey stole some bonds.
Adam attacked multiple women. I love this redemption arc, but not at
the expense of Margo or acknowledging how violence against women is
completely unacceptable.
But enough about that which annoys me and spikes my blood pressure. Let me
talk about something that makes me happy: B&B! Nick teaching Bridget how to
golf today was so cute! I really enjoyed that wink to Jack Wagner's
real-life passion. I also can't get enough of Jackie and Owen. The outdoor
remote really showcases even more effectively how gorgeous Lesley-Anne Down
is. The pink sun hat framed her face perfectly. And, yes, okay, Brandon
Beemer's a good lookin' fella in those beach-friendly duds. The arm candy
definitely complemented Jackie's candy-colored hat! (Not that Beemer's just
arm candy.) Back home in LA, Katherine Kelly Lang gave it her all as Brooke
reeled from the news of Ridge's betrayal. She is such a good crier
that she should give a workshop to aspiring soap heroines!
June 29, 2009
Was I supposed to be laughing hysterically at Y&R's Adam today? 'Cause,
dude, that was sheer comedy gold. I already discussed how young Rafe looks
on Friday, but today, he pretty much made Adam look like Chester the
Molester. Could their post-romp scene have been ANY more awkward? From the
stiff posture to the straightening of shirt collars, I could not stop
cracking up. I don't mean to be crass, but that had to have been the lamest,
least passionate "afterglow" I've seen in my life. It's probably a good
thing the sex that preceded it was off screen. Can you imagine how awkward
that must have been? And then the hilarity continued with Adam
dialing up Heather to immediately reassert his heterosexuality with an
emergency booty call. Where it did take place? On the very same couch where
he and Rafe played partially dressed Twister! Since Adam had enough sense to
shower in between encounters, let's hope he cleaned that leather, too!
I know it's not politically correct to be laughing at this story — and I do
acknowledge that it has deeply offensive elements — but I just can't take
it seriously right now!
The only thing funnier than Adam's desperation was Victor finding Mary
Jane's kitty and waving his hand in front of its glass eyes. I think
at that point, I may have actually fallen out of my chair. Episodes of Y&R
need to start coming with warnings, like "May cause hysteria" or "Please do
not eat anything as choking may occur."
I feel like there's a strong thread of crack running through all the CBS
shows lately. Mostly the good kind.
I've loved "Kamikaze GL" just going all out. B&B always pushes the envelope
(today Jackie and Owen had a surfing and sex conversation that made me
blush). ATWT has a whole lotta cracktastic insanity going on: Henry in drag,
Winston Mayer's return, Riley-is-Adam, Emily's eggstravaganza.
Some of the storylines work, some fail miserably. But the network is taking
chances, and that's to be commended. In this day and age, where we need to
sell soaps any we can to keep the genre alive, I can appreciate the intent
even if the execution isn't always up to snuff.
June 26, 2009
I gotta tell ya, I've known the "big secret" about ATWT's Riley for months and I still got chills at the end of today's episode. I cannot say enough good things about Ellen Dolan, who has played the notes of Margo's grief and gradual acceptance of Riley perfectly as this story unfolded. Why she's frequently wasted as the hapless cop who always shows up at the end of a big story instead of being a part of it, I'll never know. At any rate, I think a part of Margo knew who Riley was from the moment he arrived in town. That became hauntingly clear with each passing day but crystallized today, when her naked emotions turned into a flat directive for Casey to quit digging into Riley's identity. Steel crept into her eyes and her voice. And if I haven't said it before, I'll say it now: I freakin' love when Margo goes all badass and pulls her gun on people. It's just too bad that Colonel Homophobe managed to surprise her, get her off balance, and squeeze off a shot. However, what happened afterwards was arguably the soapiest thing I've seen on ATWT in weeks. At least until next week's set of Emily-related reveals, that is! Riley and Mayer grappling for the gun and then Riley running to Margo...stricken, holding her close, gasping out, "Mom!" Oh, man. It was awesome. As I said, I knew he was Adam, but I'm really hoping that there are viewers out there who were surprised by that moment.
I have to give props to Tom Degnan, by the way. I think he's done a good job so far as a man desperate to make amends and forge family bonds. It's going to be interesting to see how his performance changes now that he's Adam and not Adam-pretending-to-be-Riley.
Speaking of Adams, I'm also incredibly impressed by Michael Muhney, who stepped into the role of Y&R's troubled Newman scion yesterday. He hit the ground running. There may have been a little unevenness on his first day, but who can blame him? He's never done soap before! Today, any trace of unfamiliarity seemed to be gone, and I felt he really embraced Adam. That was encapsulated in the scene where Adam spoke aloud to Hope, raging about how his twisted side had come from Victor. Is Adam a whiner who needs to get over his daddy issues? Yes. Does that make him any less compelling as a villain? No. And then, when Rafe came in and started searching Adam's room, I actually started laughing. Adam's desperation was palpable, and I loved that you could see the instant his kooky plan to dive t Rafe's attention occurred to him. He awkwardly fumbled with Rafe's shirt, patting at the buttons, and then lowered the boom about his "feelings" for the young lawyer. And, boy, do I mean young. Who gave Yani Gellman that 12-year-old Catholic schoolboy haircut? Sure, Adam's a skeeve for manipulating a gay man, but he's a bigger skeeve for putting the moves on somebody who doesn't look old enough to shave! Hee! In any case, Rafe's deer-in-headlights expression at Adam's confession made me laugh and laugh. Oh, Adam, what a tangled web you weave...
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It's not just you, Mala. I also have been disappointed in ATWT's misuse of Ameera as a generic complication for Nuke. She is a unique character who presents an opportunity to show daytime audiences something truly different. ATWT should use her background as a jumping-off point to tell uncommon stories and showcase Tala's appeal.
Since school hasn't been a concern for...um, a couple of years, and I also work here, how about a few things I would change the channel from some other soap to watch? Let's start with: 1. AMC's Jesse/Angie 2. ATWT's Henry/Vienna 3. Marcy, Marcy, Marcy -- as in Rylan's Lizzie. Don't worry, soap fans, this is far from an exhaustive list.
My favorite soap moment this year was when Luke and Noah finally shared another kiss at Old Town.
Mala I can't agree more with your comments on Jerry, Sebastian Roche and Jerry and Alexis and whoever your unnamed colleague is that thought the kiss in the Haunted Star was one of the hottest they've ever seen I completely agree! What can we do to get a joint interview with Nancy Lee Grahn and Sebastian Roche in your magazine! I'd totally buy that and I'll bet they'd be hilarious together. I've heard good things are coming up for "J-Lex" and I am all too happy about it. They are a sexy, mysterious treat and one of the best things GH has going for them right now!
Mich, J-Lex has definitely turned into one of my only reasons for tuning into GH these days. They are really fun to watch and Grahn and Roche just look like they're having a blast.
I completely agree with you on Grahn & Roche.They are actually the only reason I'm still hanging onto GH right now. They have electric chemistry and I think the possibilities are endless for Jerry & Alexis. I too, would love to see her "Cassadine" side come out to play here. I'd also love a joint interview with them in the magazine. I would definitely buy that one!
I share your love for Sebastian Roche and am a full-fledged, card carrying member of the Jerry and Alexis fan club (or cult). They make such tremendous music together. They both radiate passion and angst... perfect soap couple! I'd love to see a joint interview with both. Can you inagine the fun with THAT interview!
I have been waiting for the Jerry/Alexis story for well over a year now. The first day he grabbed her arm at Wyndemere to keep her from leaving the room I knew that they had IT. It's about time that GH started using them. I'd love a joint interview.
Mala, girl you are a GENIUS! I love it! Jason Morgan returns to Jason Quartermaine! OMG!!!! It's brilliant....so, can u move to LA and get a writers job on GH to make it happen? lol
DAYS so they break lucas out of jail to pair him with chloe and they break sami and ej up to get our hopes up of reuniting sami and lucas just to disappoint
Mala, J-Lex is one of the best things about GH these days. Nadine and Nikolas are getting hotter, but the mob stories are getting old fast. The mob needs to be run out of Port Charles and the hospital needs to be front and center. Night Shift is well-written and entertaining. I can't help but wish that the Night Shift writer would take over for the day shift.
Why hasn't anyone blogged today? I am missing the current blogs by the editors of Digest. Pleasea write something! I want to hear someone's opinion today!
If it helps at all, I'll have a new entry up tomorrow! :)
Loved reading your JUST ASKING! blog entry and learning more about you. I always wondered how actors had such witty answers to these questions and now I know it takes time.
I agree with your post on 12-11-08, except, I'd rather have Chloe/Clark than Clark/Lois. My GH Christmas List: 1. Richard Dean Anderson returns as Jeff Webber, giving Liz some family other than Audrey. 2. The Baldwin family is brought back to the canvas. Bring back Gail & Lee! Lord knows Monica and Scotty could use someone in their corner. 3. AJ Quartermaine returns with his fiancée Keesha Ward, and with no knowledge of what's been going on since he left with the Quartermaine fortune in 2003. The AJ that came back was an imposter! Just imagine the drama that would unfold. Plus, Jason could apologize to AJ's face instead of his grave! 4. Sam joins the police force and marries Lucky. The police force stops being an embarrassment. 5. Everyone stops dumping on Kate and starts dumping on Carly. My GL Christmas List: 1. Instead of rehashing Marina/Shayne or going with Dinah/Shayne (ew!). Pair up Shayne Lewis & Ashlee Wolfe! I imagine plenty of snark and heat. 2. Lizzie & Bill raise Sarah.
You're SO right about B&B's Bridget! I fell for Bridget and C.J's relationship back when Jennifer Finnigan was Bridget. Bringing back C.J. for Bridget has been a wish of mine for years. And I liked the one scene that Bridget and Owen shared. Why did the show have to tease us with that and not further that relationship?
Why hasn't anyone blogged today? I am missing the current blogs by the editors of Digest. Pleasea write something! I want to hear someone's opinion today! thanks
Oh Mala, sorry to disagree with you, but I didn't see what you saw AT ALL! First, Reese was plastered to Zach. Didn't you notice her constant need to keep touching Zach as he listened to Kendall's heart? What? She couldn't give him som privacy? But that's nothing new with Reese who prefers Zach's company to Bianca's. And I'm sorry, Zach's dialogue did NOT indicate he was petrified about Kendall's condition. What he said was he's afraid the heart he arranged to be placed into her is no longer the heart he fell in love with. In other words this isn't the same Kendall for Zach. Zach wasn't concerned about Kendall's condition, he was concerned about HIMSELF. This was so much at odds with the frantic Zach we saw on Monday who would do anything to save Kendall. As for Bianca, once again, she was wandering around randomly and not being around her fiancee who feels the need to be attached to Zach's hip. Nice to see Bianca is so broken up over Josh'
Mala, I couldn't agree more with what you had to say about Johnny and Maxie in your 2/4/09 entry. I never saw that kiss coming, but it was definitely a fantastic surprise. I've always enjoyed watching Brandon and Kirsten together, and these latest scenes were just proof of how great Johnny and Maxie could be together. I just cannot stomach the thought of Maxie and Spinelli in a romantic relationship. She loses her wonderful sass and snark around him and becomes annoyingly dependent. They sacrfice her for the sake of "Spixie" and making Spinelli look like her white knight. Maxie needs a guy who doesn't put her up on a pedestal, but rather one who will stand right next to her and be her equal. She's a tough cookie and for the longest time I have thought that she and Johnny would be incredibly well-matched. Now, if only I wasn't so set on Matt and Maxie...
Mala - I couldn't agree more with your March 18 blog about Johnny and Maxie. I have loved the potential between these two characters since...well, he blazed his way into Port Charles. I was giddy when they gave each other the eye at the apartment but since the garage scenes during the crisis, I have to admit, Johnny and Maxie have helped me fall in love with General Hospital again and I wasn't sure that was even possible. That dialogue you quoted made me melt into a puddle and I can't help but root for these two complicated, reckless but vulnerable souls to find love in each other! I'm so glad you are seeing the same thing!
Hey Mala! I could not agree more with your 3/18 blog on Johnny and Maxie. They have so much spark and chemistry I can't help myself for falling for them. They both light up with each other and they are exactly what I want for a soap couple. They challenge each other and give as good as they get. I just pray they give them a fighting chance and get them out of their "existing ties" so when they are together it is about them and only them. I have been loving the lines that they are getting from the scene you quoted which gave me goosebumps to Johnny telling her he thinks she spends way too much time with Spinelli (I agree), then him questioning just what is an essential person...did I sense a little jealousy from Johnny? I am actually excited to watch again and it is because of them.
Thank you so much for writing this Mala! I too am very excited about the possibilities with JoMax and really hope they are given a chance. I believe their chemistry is off the charts but what makes them even more exciting is the moments of depth we get flashes of. With the few gems such as-the because your you(thanks for highlighting that exchange) and the time she was crying over Georgie's acceptance letter all that time ago- I really believe GH has something special here if the writers take advantage of it. Thanks again!
i completely agree. these two are unbelieveable, their chemistry, there everything! i am praying that these two get together, the writers better not screw it up, these two are amazing!
I am disappointed you are advocating a self-destructive pairing such as JoMax based on nothing but sleaze, lying, & cheating. Spixie is a beautiful story that could bring young love & romance back to GH at a time when fans are leaving the show in droves. Last week's JoMax limo kiss garnered a whopping 1.9 rating, & according to one Spixie fansite literally hundreds of Spixie fans called the comment line vowing to turn off their TVs on Wed. 3/18 which they did. Wed. 3/18 ratings were 1.8, the lowest rated day on any ABC soap last week...costing GH to trail behind AMC & OLTL in week's total viewers. When the soaps are gone, magazines covering them will be gone too. I am cancelling my 15-year subscription to SOD for their supportive JoMax letters & editorials, & I can stop buying SOW as well. Spixie's magic is their deep, honest, mutually respectful, unconditional love. Once you've tasted a flute of the finest crystal of the Dom Perignon that is Spixie, anything less is a Dixie cup of rot gut.
Spinelli & Maxie's love story is the only story I want to see. Spinelli and Maxie are perfect for one another. There is so much passion, chemistry there that TPTB would be silly to not actually go there after a full year of investment for it. Bradford & Kirsten work beautifully together. The story between low self esteem bestfriends becoming lovers is extremly believable. They are my root for couple...always!
I love Spinelli and Maxie together. I've loved their story for the past year and I want to see them grow as a couple. I think Maxie freaked out after she said ILY and she's acting out now. They have a sparkle and caring that I want to see more of. They are in love with each other and now there are all these obstacles in their way - JoLuWin. I want them to have a serious adult conversation about how where they're going. Together. Long live Spixie!
Personally I have no interest in seeing Maxie paired with Johnny and getting mixed up with his "dark" yet amazingly bland self. I will always want Maxie with Spinelli. Theirs is a beautiful story of two lost souls who find acceptance, happiness and love with each other. It is a true romance. Bradford Anderson and Kirsten Storms are a match made in heaven, and I would love to see what they can do with a full-fledged romantic relationship for Spixie.
Seeing Johnny and Maxie together makes me physically ill. It has made me dislike both characters. Sure they are being self-destructive, but I don't like that it's going to hurt two good people (Lu Lu and Spinelli) in the process. I wouldn't mind the Spixie angst so much if we had gotten some actual romance beforehand. It's been torture having all these Spixie kisses lead nowhere! Then Maxie says she loves Spinelli, but the next day jumps Johnny??? WTF??? I had really hoped that these four characters could have been close friends. I had always enjoyed their scenes together. Now I just feel uncomfortable watching them.
Bold and Beautiful storyline with Rick and Steffy is makibg me sick to my stomach. Enough with the kissing already. Rick is just using Steffy, and he is being an arogant, selfish brat. Maybe he should go back to Paris and let Steffy and Marcus find theit way back to each other. Someone needs to knock him down a peg or two, or tell Steffy that he threatened her father,if she knew the whole truth she would give him up. Rhonda in Ohiovbfdg3
You are spot on. GL is great and I hope they find a home after they leave CBS. I love Otalia, Bizzie, and the Spaulding family dynamic is about to really take off again. I want to see GL continue these great stories.
"Guiding Light" **has** to find a new home -- it's too good to be taken off the air! I came to GL a couple months ago for Otalia but have been sucked into the other stories, too, especially Bill & Lizzie, who are just as adorable as you described (though I haven't seen today's episode yet; yesterday they were wonderful!) and I'm a big fan of Remy and Christina. Add my love of Doris, Phillip/Beth, Josh, Dinah and Shayne and this show really has me hooked; is there any "light" on the horizon about it finding a new home? Two million viewers is nothing to sneeze at!
I agree that GL is the hottest it has been in a LONG time! Sexy new couples like Otalia, Bizzie and Dinah and Shayne, along with old favorites like Reva and Josh, Beth and Phillip, Vanessa and Billy! And I can't wait to see what happens at Frank and Natalia's wedding next week!!!
This was a HUGE day for Otalia fans and we loved every minute of today's show. CC and JL rocked those scenes today and I can't wait for tomorrow. It's great to see Otalia getting so much positive press. I hope that GL will find a new home so we can continue to watch Otalia and GL.
Guiding Light is on fire and Crystal Chappell is the best there is. I hope and pray GL can stay on the air somewhere, because I would go through serious withdrawals if I couldn't see her on my screen again.
So far this week, Guiding Light has delivered in some many ways. The angsty Otalia build up continues, but today we finally had some outpouring of truthful emotion. GL's other stories are keeping the audience entertained, but we're on the edge of our seats to see what happens between Olivia and Natalia.
OMG!!! Crystal was unbelievable today. The whole show is SO good these days. It is the highlight of my day. When did that happen? If Crystal doesn't get an Emmy for the current storyline, I will be devastated. Thank you for your comments.
Mala, If Crystal does not get performer of the week or something then something is seriously wrong. She was on fire today! Guiding Light is seriously must see soap. This is so old school soap opera and I'm glad their are still editors like yourself who appreciates good old fashioned storytelling. Thanks for always caring and writing and blogging about Guiding Light
Guiding Light..OMG..off the charts awesome!! Crystal Chappell..the best..the very best there is!! Find this show a home P&G..you have a gold mine on your hands and whoever picks up GL will not be sorry for an instant.
When do we start the Emmy campaign for Crystal Chappell? And how can I help? Because she has consistently given the best performance in soaps today - what amazing range she has! - and it's about time she gets recognized for that. C'mon, Soap Opera Digest, I've only just started buying your mag for Otalia but I'll do whatever you want if you can make this happen...:)
I am still scraping my heart off the floor after Otalia today. What an amazing story - CBS must be full of complete morons to decide to cancel this show. It is the only show on television that can render me a complete emotional mess by 10am. Simply amazing, I can't wait for tomorrow. Thanks for all your great GL/Otalia posts!
Crystal Chappell was absolutely amazing today!!! Guiding Light and the Otalia story line are rocking the house everyday...THIS is must see TV people! Crystal and Jessica are wonderful together!!!
Thanks, everyone! I'm really, truly engaged by GL and Otalia right now and you're all absolutely right: Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia have been phenomenal. Can't wait to see tomorrow's scenes!
man, if crystal chappell doesn't kill me with all the crying and angst and emmy-worthy acting, the thought of september 18th getting closer and closer surely will. for the love of all that is good and right with the world, this show needs a new- and better- home. it's quite obvious the show is hitting on all cylinders right now (otalia especially), so what's the problem? could it be the lack of promotion by CBS, the weird airing schedule by local markets, the antiquated ratings system? uh, yeah, i think so. regardless, whatever network is smart enough to pick this show up will be getting a steal. a gold mine. a cash cow. all they have to do is tell us what they want us to do to keep GL & otalia on the air and we'll do it. but P&G products? done. order SOAPNet? done. watch on-line, live, on demand, order through iTunes? done, done, done and done.
Cristal is too good to be true. Otalia is soap at its best. Guiding Light must keep shining
Thanks for highlighting what outstanding work Crystal Chappell has been doing. She's always delivered no matter what the story line or how strong or weak the writing. But, right now, with Ellen Wheeler and Jill Lorie Hurst at the helm creatively and with a scene partner like Jessica Leccia, Crystal is doing the finest work of her career. I won't allow it into my consciousness that September marks the end of the road for Guiding Light and the Otalia story line. The show on all levels is too good and there has to be some wise network executives at other outlets out there who are seeing this phenomenon and are smart enough to pick up the show.
OMG! Crystal just shattered my heart into a thousand pieces. That was seriously the best last five minutes of a soap that I've seen since Tony put his head to BJ's chest on GH in 94. Crystal is truly in a class by her self. Nice blog btw. I so agree about how GL has you on a high and GH leaves you wondering why do you even bother watching it.
Thanks for the great comments on Guiding Light and Otalia! Wasn't Crystal awesome!! No one can touch her in the game today!!! I just got my heart beating again and its been 30 minutes since I saw that scene!! CBS has made the mistake of the lifetime letting this show, this story line and these terrific actresses go!! Everyone on GL rocks!! Someone find the cast and crew a new home, soon!
Today was the day we've been waiting to happen for over a year. And even knowing it was coming, no words could ever do justice to the last five minutes of today's show. I think every Otalia fan needs a reboot! Kudos to JLH, EW, CC, and JL. And thank you for continuing to support the Light!
Commenting in Haiku: Chappell perfection The eyes bring it home, no doubt Master method class
Just back up the brinks truck and hand CC all the emmys that will be handed out during this years show. I have never been such a shaky, blubbering mess over a show. GL just has to find a new home. I want to see Otalia live on forever.
The last 5 minutes of Guiding Light today was W.O.W!! Crystal Chappell knocked it out of the park and she delivered an Emmy performance!! I have never been so invested in a television storyline ever. Otalia is the best romantic love story on TV period. Thanks for covering them, Mala.
Todays Guiding Light was amazing. Crystal Chappell is brilliant. Those last five minutes brought physical tears from me. Guiding Light has to find a new home- its to great of a show not to!!
GL is now the only show I refuse to miss. I'm a big Otalia fan but I'm enjoying the other storylines too. I hope GL finds another home soon as they are delivering some great entertainment.
"Oh, my heart" exactly! It literally hurt after that episode. That ending!
Otalia is the best storyline on daytime; the writing is supreme, the acting is unbelievably good, and the chemistry between CC and JL is heart-stopping. Keep it up GL and I truly hope you find a place to land. Thank you for the support of my favorite duo on daytime of all time. buggy
I had that exact same theatrical moment at the end of GL 4/14!! Otalia continues to be one of the best love storylines written today. Crystal Chappell was absolutely wonderful today and I look forward to Jessica Leccia's continued brilliance with Natalia. I hope our show finds a new place to rest its head at night. Keep the Light Shining!
CC was truly amazing yesterday. I just do not tire of singing her praises! Give the woman an Emmy, for crying out loud! Oh, and save GL, since it's... i don't know... the best show on TV right now!
Mala, thank you for the article about the shameful way that today's current soaps have put most of their minority characters into their own "soap bubble world" within the fictionalized world on most soaps. I'm not sure what exactly happened, but over a decade ago, there was twice as many minority characters on screen, then there is now. It's just shameful, but I don't think or feel that a campaign will change anything, because it's up to the writers of these shows to create storylines that will somehow intertwine all of these characters into the fabric of the show. I'm not against Bonnie being involved with Dusty at all, but will Derek somehow leave town in order for Bonnie to be single and available for her new upcoming romance with Dusty "The Savior of All Oakdale Female Folk" Donovan?! Also, I just love how a certain group feels like they're being "blamed" for the lack of storylines for fictional characters of color. Those folks need
With the majority of the soap auidence being African American women. Why is Y&R still so lily white? Shouldn't this show represent the it's viewership? i mean we have an African Amercian president. African Americans sell covers of mainstream magazines. Vogue had two covers back to back with Michelle Obama and then Beyonce. What's the deal with Y&R and soaps in general. Daytime is racist and they know it and they refuse to change even though the facts and numbers point to AA's as the main audience. I'm trying to wrap my head around this. So love to hear your thoughts. Y&R has been on a decline ever since Victoria Rowell left the show. The Winters have been ghettoized over the last 1 and a half. The show has bumped Bryton to Recurring. We have a barely seen Roxy and Olivia comes in for a brief moment to give advice. Then they fire The Actress and keep the model who can't act. Now that doesn't bold well for future storylines. We have started an ongoing series on my soap we
We are also doing on an ongoing series on diversity in daytime. @ the site here: http://timeaftertimeonlinedrama.webs.com
GH: Sonny, front burner. Dr. Lee, Nurse Epiphany, Robin's therapist; all recurring and seldom seen There is also the beautiful Dr. Elaine Winters who does not get any story, was put on recurring status...Detective Cruz who just disappeared, the clerk of Asian heritage at Metro Court who they cut. The African American orderly who disappeared... IMO, Soaps have lost the African American audience which contributes to their decline...we don't trust them and aren't coming back for the "most part" they have permanently lost this audience... They will not put African Americans in lead story for the most part...just wallpaper to give the look of diversity to support the other actors. They are basically bit day players on GH.
Again, I agree with your new blog about what GH's doing with the history of Luke (and his epic former storyline with the love of his life, Laura). It's very clear to me that TPTB really don't give a crap at all, about the history of characters and storylines that made viewers interested in their shows in the first place. The viewing audience isn't at fault for why this genre is slowly dying out. It's the people in charge of it, that are guilty.
The Luke/Ethan mess has revolted this 25 year viewer more than I am capable of verbalizing. This is just another, more shocking example of GH's thumbing it's nose at the longtime audience they obviously no longer court. Once you finish destroying the stories that have kept fans connected to a show, it ceases to exist for them. What the hell happened to the character of Luke? When did we see him lose his soul,because it's most certainly gone. Was it when he drunkenly rutted with Holly while his wife Laura was waiting at home with their son Lucky? The son who most assuredly inherited her heart. Whoever's brainchild this story was should be ashamed.
I love Guiding Light and most especially Otalia. Crystal and Jessica are bringing their very best to this storyline and their best is genius. Jill Hurst and Ellen Wheeler are brilliant for all they do. Guiding Light must be saved.
After this last week-end, then coming and reading this I realize, I could'nt really care less about your opinion anymore. It is just like oh, ok, whatever!
While the whole Ethan is Luke's son storyline is stupid it would of been even dumber to try and tell us that Lulu was still born in 1994.
I agree Drew is commanding and really can't wait to see more of him. Olivia and Johnny are different; not sure yet about them. But I think if anyone deserves some loving it's Matt. He's been on the show almost a year! I think it's time to give Matt a real romance!
Drew Garret is great as Michael!! already love him, did you see the way he had those tears flowing with Robin!!! NuKristina um yea, shes going to take some time to get used to. Maybe it was nerves, but she needs to put more effort, so that I can really feel her emotions. Right now she just seems like a brat with no heart.
Does it make me a bad person to say that I would love a Michael/Kristina hook-up. First of all, the Carly and Alexis drama is all there. Secondly, it would bother Sonny to no end. I mean, all along I was rooting for cousins, Morgan and Molly, to drive the drama - but hey! I'll take the chemistry where I can find it.
mala, you are a better person than I! i just cant get into any of the s/ls on atwt-the adam/riley is way too rushed for me granted i dont know who adam was, but nor do i want to its funny i can tune into y&r or days on soapnet and not know anything about the show, but i am intrigued and actually watch cant say the same about atwt unless its a paul day
THANK YOU MALA! I totally agree with you. It's like they are afraid of offending viewers. They are offending me by not showing the kiss! If people don't like what they show, they can tune out, it shouldn't be up to the writers to censor the content of the storyline based on what they think viewers won't like. Heterosexual couples are half naked all of the time. Show some gay action! Thanks again Mala for writing what I was thinking!
Mala, I think I will be forever confused why you would root for Carjack (after they've been destroyed by stunts like Carly pretending to die and luring Jack to Montana) and not root for Spixie. Spinelli & Msxie is the ULTIMATE drawn out love story that has kept me tuned into GH. I would say root for Liason also, but I wouldn't want you to go through that pain that GH has put us through.
MALA,you Roooccck!! I love reading your blog, it's the first thing I check when I check out the website.
I agree with you about the chaste lesbian and gay characters on daytime. Those against gay and lesbian characters won't even acknowledge that true love can exist in same sex relationships. They will tune out. Why try to pander to them by not showing kissing and love making? There are a lot of other straight fans like you and me who simply respond to good writing and storylines for both straight and same sex couples. Are Olivia and Natalia ever going to kiss?
Mala, you certainly hit the nail on the head about GH's Sonny and his women. I agree with everything you said, except the part about getting back together with Kate--that re-write didn't work for me. Why does every woman that comes to town HAVE to be with Sonny? They become sniveling idiots. They protest his advances and then become his biggest cheerleader. If I have to hear one more woman say what a good man and father Sonny is I'm going to scream. It's time to change the story and the dialoge.
Mala, you are my favorite blogger on this site. As much as I adore Maurice Benard as an actor, you are RIGHT ON about Sonny. He needs to be written differently so Maurice doesn't have to keep playing the same ol' song over and over. When Sonny went through the bipolar storyline, I thought it was a chance for change for the character. The whole Emily story was icky but as Mala said, it was different. Claudia-Sonny could have worked if they hadn't made her completely psycho from the start. They could have bonded over their similar horrific childhoods, etc. Sarah Brown makes me watch Claudia and it's a shame she and Mo won't get to make that marriage a romance, which it could have been. GH is a mess, still. LOVE the new Michael but he's headed down a bad path due to the writers. ARGH! Love in the afternoon? Hell no. Not anymore. Which is why the audience continues to disappear....
Thanks for the recent comments, everyone! I'm glad you're enjoying my posts. Margaret - I'm suggesting Kate as an option because I figure it saves future women from being trapped in the cycle. LOL. Might as well go back to one that he's already been through it with!
I love Jolivia. I do not want to see another woman that is feisty, strong and independent sacrificed at the alter of Sonny Corinthos. Johnny and Olivia are fun to watch and the best new couple on GH in a long time.
On GH, I don't even want Sonny with Kate. Kate always treated Carly like trash and let's face it she did take Michael without Carly's permission to the warehouse. In the end though, I am sick of the whole drama surrounding Sonny and his women. I am tired of watching new woman X come to town and assume Sonny's marriage broke up because Carly failed yada yada yada. For an intelligent person Kate was dumb not to realize who shot Carly in the head so now she is forgotten, Karma. Sonny has no empathy for carly and the kids it is all about him, I don't care anymore.
I agree with some of your post. Sonny's love life has become a bit repetitive but I don't think there's anything wrong with Sonny and Olivia. I like them. I think they have chemistry. And of course Johnny's being nice he's sleeping with her. I bet Sonny will be nice too when they start having sex. Johnny and Olivia have no future. There's way more story potential with Solivia.
I agree with you 100% about Sonny. Claudia is such a looney character,I feel the writers are making Sonny so totally abusive and ugly (Sonny understood Michael when he shot kate, today he screamed at Michael who may not have even run Claudia off the road). One reason ratings are tanking is that Claudia and Sonny do not work as a couple and no one wants to watch them. To have Olivia and Sonny together the writers are already rewriting Skate which is als turning away viewers. Skate's ratings were anywhere from 40 to 60% better than current ratings. I say that Kate is the only character that can make Sonny watchable again and they should keep Johnny with Olivia.
I understand about Sonny and his women but I think Olivia is different. Solivia have chemistry and Liv can hold her own with Sonny. Jolivia is just sex and that is all it should be. What future would they have none? They should do Solivia but keep Olivia strong. I want Johnny with Maxie I love those two together. I wouldn't mind seeing Claudia with Dante either.
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Yes Johnny and Olivia are so swoon worthy, I love how she has given him a free pass for Michael's shooting, I love how she's reliving her life with Sonny through Johnny, and Sonny is the great big bad mobster but Johnny is just misunderstood. To bad she wasn't around for Johnny's part in Michael's shooting And as for Sonny feigning sympathy. You mean sympathy for the wife that poked holes in condoms to get pregnant in the first place that put Sonny in the position to lose another child, the woman that has Jerry out now trying to kill Michael, you mean that woman and wife Mala, what show do you watch or are you so skewed in your opinion over the perfeciton of Johnny & Olivia that the story itself loses you. Try at least some honesty
Was it ever actually established that Ashley delivered the baby and Adam burned it in the fireplace? I just remember that he burned the bloody bathrobe and towels. I don't think even Adam is capable of burning a fetus ... that would be too sick, even for him. I just assumed that Ashley has been carrying around a dead fetus all this time ... which is still dark, but not quite as twisted. Wouldn't it be nice if Dr. Taylor was lying to Adam about her miscarriage ... and that she is actually still pregnant? He could have done so to keep Adam from trying to hurt the baby again ... guess I'm an optimist!
That's a good point, Elise, I guess we don't *really* know what specifically Adam burned in the fireplace, but I pretty much assumed that he'd gotten rid of whatever it was that she bled out. If she'd still been carrying a fetus inside of her, I think she probably would have had more medical issues, given the blood loss, etc. And before Dr. Taylor fiddled with the sonogram, there was absolutely no motion and no indication of a mass on the screen. It'd be a great twist if he was lying altogether just to stick it to Adam and she really is still pregnant, but the horrorshow of the fall down the stairs and Adam's clean-up...man, I will never get that out of my head!
Yes, either way, it is TOTALLY a horror show, as you so perfectly described it. I am personally hoping that Adam can be redeemed. I, like you, saw a spark with him and Ashley. If he burned the baby, I just don't know how he can be brought back from that! Anyway, here's hoping that there's an end in sight to this particular storyline!
I totally agree with you, why is Adam gaslighting Ashley? She has been nothing but good to him, and this is the way he's treating her? Adam's story, and Mary Jane's story, have to be the strangest stories I have ever seen on Y&R.
Mala, don't story lines have to be edited? How did the pairing of Marty and Todd in a therapy session go unnoticed, didn't anyone consider this to be bizarre? That, to me was for sure a "what were they thinking" moment. Do the actors not get to voice their opinion about the characters they have played for years and say this is a stupid story line, or are they happy to have a job and don't care about insulting the intelligence of dedicated viewers?
Mala, I have to FF this Todd (if he really is Todd). Tea and Blair should join forces to kick his butt. He either acts like he's 14 or he's a snoozefest. Why would either of these great women want him?
Thank you for the Adam link. I was not watching the show then, and I cannot think why they would want to save this character?! The cast is bloated with him, Allie, Casey, Hunter, Meg etc. They need to do a housecleaning and write for the interesting characters they have like Pem, Ro, Craig, Babs, Henry, etc.
Thank you, Thank you, thank you Mala! Seriously Thank God for your comments about this Sick redemption story for that disgusting Rapist Pig Adam! In my 20+ years of watching soaps, no story has offended me as much as this one has! I was screaming as loud as you were at the horrible absolution of Adam for physically and sexually abusing women! How dare ATWT do this! How dare they insult the fans intelligence about what we all saw happen on the screen just two friggin years! This complete re-write and whitewashing of what Adam did is so appalling and wrong! What exactly is the message ATWT wants to send to women who are attacked? It's your own fault what he did to you because you somehow caused your own attack. So you should go apologize to him b/c you asked for it? ATWT is officially more misogynistic than GH is now! The writers are insulting are intelligence if they think we didn't see with our own eyes what Adam did. Adam was a psycho before Maddie hit him over the head! He framed Will & attacked Gwe
Please include Luke Spencer in the "men who have hurt women" history. The powers that be turned Luke's rape of Laura into a great love story which still goes on to this day.
Please include Luke Spencer in the "men who have hurt women" history. The powers that be turned Luke's rape of Laura into a great love story which still goes on to this day.
Regarding the Adam situation: I was more pissed off when they brought Adam back the first time, and turned him into a creep. I hate that they screwed with his character simply to create drama for the teen set, Maddie/Casey & Will/Gwen, who I wasn't interested watching in the first place.
Mala, the Bank Of Mom & Dad seemed like it was going to be worth watching, NOT! Until you pointed it out I did not pay attention that all the previews I have seen were with daughters. I did think that the show was going to be for college daughters, one daughter was 33. This show won't last and I don't like Holidate. I wish they would bring back Soap Talk, One Day With Wally and I Want To Be A Soap Star.
And now, a Christian/TRUTH point of view on all of this. a) Homosexuality is an abomination, NOT a love story. Guiding Light was cancelled when its lesbian "love story" was its most popular, and most low-rated storyline ever. b) People CAN be redeemed through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. Although no entertainment media today would ever bring forth the glory of God as a healer, it can be done. If written correctly, Adam on ATWT finding God and redemption could be an AWESOME story. c) General Hospital should split off into two shows. The first would be the mother show, called GENERAL HOSPITAL...the one we knew and loved until 1996. The second show, could be called Night Shift 14, or General Mafia, or The Sopranos 2, or The Jason and Sonny Killing Show, or anything else that glorifies murder and crime. It makes me physically ill that this show has chosen to feature two blood-thirsty murderers as the show's main heroes since 1996. Oh, I forgot, they're hot and misunde
I just knew that the PR idiots from ABC Daytime would go down the same route of touting "The Real" crap for Jonathan Jackson's return. It's a blatant slap in the talented face of Greg Vaughn, who kept the character of Lucky Spencer alive on GH for 7 years. Yes, you can be glad that JJ agreed to return to GH, but there's something called TACT that can and should be used, when promoting his return. It's just tactless and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but it's business and that's certainly what Frons and ABC Daytime are all about at this point.
Thank you Mala for raking ABC over the coals for this lowball tactic. I know JJ was very popular, but so is GV. Changing the role of Lucky is NOT going to fix the problem of ratings. If ABC were so concerned about ratings, why not bring back Laura since Luke has a new son and maybe throw Scotty in there as well? Also, the Q's would be a welcome change from the Sonny and Jason hour. I don't see the appeal of the mob although I do LIKE Sonny, he doesn't deserve the whole show. The viewers would come back in droves if ABC would show more of what the fans really want to see.
There are no words how GH has alienated many viewers I post with. Its like GH is purposely driving viewers away. They didn't take notes re: their real Greenlee? Wasn't that a monumental flop? So now what? its the original Lucky? The horrid scribing of Elizabeth dragging out vets I haven't seen in the longest time (even taking pics for Laura) to herald a man who slept w/another woman in their bed, she's not being deserving...on the very same parapet saying the very same thing to a different man from one year ago. 'THE SAME STORYLINE.' I've never liked how Elizabeth Webber is written with any of the Lucky's. She reverts to a Spen-Stepford wife...no matter which actor plays him. The misogynistic writing morphs into various forms, when will she be written w/a positive focus & get some of that sunshine w/rainbows Jason's romance is getting w/their "special scribing to make" them look so good. The Q/A w/L.Wright bragged they do romances well..I'm not seeing
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