Issues

Mostly, I'm enjoying the show as always, but I have a few issues with how things are going.

Where is Shawn?  Has his character been written out?

Finally Ewan finds out that Cassandra is dead and he feels terrible.  I don't buy it.  He drops her or lets her drop him and he never gave her a backwards glance until he gets a call from Alexis weeks after her murder.  Now he is sorry.  Ewan is just a convenient character for the Kate/Connie storyline.  I'm not worried about Elizabeth getting too attached though, she has so many other men in waiting.

Why would anyone put a man and woman opposite each other in jail - aren't the sexes kept separate?  And putting Maxie and the man she fingered together.  If she is lying, he's going to lean on her.  If she isn't, they are going to conspire to cover up their crimes.  It is just plain dumb and lazy writing.

The return of Ronnie.  Let's just make him the stalker and kill two birds with one stone - an unnecessary storyline and Ronnie who has grated on my nerves since day one.  I hear the Padilla is getting an on screen husband which means they are going to drag this out.  I'm not happy.  Not only do we not need another new character, but we don't need this story at all.  Wrap it up and move on.

Wednesdays are always a hoot and this week was no exception.  The fight at the police station between Spinelli and Matt was hysterical.  However, if I were Mac, I'd fire that statue of an officer who just stood there and let them brawl all over Dante's desk.

Loved Tracy's jealousy over Anna moving in with Luke.

Since I'm onto things I love, let me get those out, too.  Jason telling Carly she can't see Johnny any more and her defying him.  Kate's - ah, I mean, Connie's session with Ewan.  Lulu is working an not moping about her life anymore.  Alexis has two clients with one heading to court very soon.  I've not really seen Alexis much in the courtroom and I'm looking forward to it.  Michael is attending college and he is getting a new love interest with lots of potential drama for the young couple.

Now Sam is off to see another returning character who I don't know:  Heather Webber.  I'm guessing Steve and Elizabeth's Mother isn't a very nice person since she is never mentioned.  I've seen this woman in previews and she doesn't look old enough to be Steve's mother.  Apparently she has a link to the past.

I noticed a preview this evening that shows Katie Couric getting her feet wet at ABC by hosting the morning show.  Well that puts her back where she belongs.  If only she would stay there and they would drop this whole idea of yet another talk show.  Then again if it takes her talking ABC into keeping GH, I'll deal with the time change.  Anything to keep GH and get rid of the Revulsion.

Loving John McBain

I'm loving the new character (for GH) of John McBain.  I want to know more about him.   What is his history with Sonny?  Is he really in love with his wife or is there a chance he will come to Port Charles looking for love?

I love the fact that Jason will have a new rival.  It also looks like Dante will as well.  We haven't seen the annoying Ronnie in forever so anything to keep him off the canvas as well.

Luke just gets better and better. This week he explained to Anna - and to those of us who had been wondering - why Robin never called for her Mother's expert help in dealing with Lisa.  I don't get the Jake's name change.  Oh, I can see why, I just don't understand the new name. I like references to the show's history as this is a nod to longtime viewers.  But explain them to the rest of us, please!

This morning I read where OWN - Oprah's network - is struggling.  I didn't watch Oprah but I've certainly seen one of her regular shows or two and I certainly admire her.  I don't wish her ill will.  However, I do think this is a sign the ABC daytime folks need to pay attention to.  If Oprah Winfrey can only get 800,000 people to watch her interview Lady Gaga, they need to realize that talk is way, way overdone.  It isn't what viewers want.

Robin's Funeral

Just a few quick thoughts on the last week or so...

Carly is ridiculously obsessed and Sam should turn in her PI license.  If Sam wants to protect her husband, she should stay in his room!  Leaving him alone for long periods of time is just inviting Carly or any of the hospital staff who knew Robin in to tell him.  Her conversation with Epiphany and her confession to the naked Ewen was sloppy writing.  Carly doesn't care one way or the other about Jason she just wants to get back at Sam. Period.

Jason Thompson has been magnificent in portraying the grieving spouse.

I continue to love seeing this new side of Luke continuing to help out one friend after another without even the tiniest sip of alcohol.  He does it in Luke style.

Many people have tired of DID storylines but I only remember one and that was about 30 years ago on ATWT.  It was magnificently done.  This one with Kate/Connie is also well done by all parties and I'm hanging on her every word.  I particularly love how Johnny and Anthony have been drawn in.

Finally, on Robin's funeral, my only gripe is Emma being present for the entire thing.  I know she doesn't really understand but still wouldn't a child be upset.  This just seems unrealistic.

Maxie storming in in her fashion faux pas red dress is classic.  Will this make Maxie change her obscenely selfish ways and get back to a person I can love to watch?  I hope so.

So sad to see Robin go.  I know the actress wanted out, just hate to see this made permanent. But then in daytime drama, nothing is permanent.

They're listening!

I love it when people listen to our suggestions!  Oh, I don't know if my rants and e-mails made any difference but I hope they or someone's did.  Maybe the producers at ABC just figured this all out for themselves.  Nevertheless, it is all good.

First, Miss Snowflake is gone.  I fear it was all a staged ruse and she isn't really dead but whatever, just as long as she is off my screen. The rest of this trite little tale (to use Helena language) can go by the wayside, too.  It is too predictable and there are so many more interesting stories already in the works.

Second, Michael is back on the side of good and front and center in a new storyline.  Just put him back to work at ELQ interacting regularly with Edward and Tracy and we can all be happy.

Third, Monica is in Jason's life again.

Fourth, Sam is pregnant with Jason's baby - as far as we know. We can be happy for awhile about that.

Fifth, the fallout from Robin's death is bringing about wonderful performances, no surprise there but today we even got a flashback!

Sixth, more familiar faces are apparently headed back to town such as Dr. Noah Drake.  It always amazed me that a character could be killed off and their closest family not even be mentioned at a funeral.  Having Patrick's father return just makes sense.

Seventh, OLTL stars are going to pop up.  Now this certainly wasn't a suggestion of mine as I never watched the show but I thought it was a good idea from the start.  So to whoever asked for this, bravo.  Of course, this all starts of tragically - the death of another child.  Yet, tragedy gives us the best drama.

Eighth, Matt is remembering things that might make him Lisa Niles murderer.  Everyone has probably long lost interest in this one but if it gets the egotistical Dr. Hunter off my screen, I'll all for it.  I wanted him to be the killer all along.

Ninth and perhaps most importantly, I saw the new GH promo today and I'm delighted.  Delighted that there is a promo at all.  I hope this will be popping up all over the place.  My e-mail to ABC was to run the promo at night during shows like Revenge that could have the same audience as General Hospital.  I understand the ratings for the Revolution are terrible so this may be an indication that ABC wants to save GH for another season.  Hopefully they are getting the message that people don't want their so called lifestyle shows and do want our daytime dramas.

So with every day full of drama, 3:00 on ABC is definitely the place to be.

Riveting

Friday's episode had so much action that it was impossible to turn away.  I was riveted on every word out of Kate's mouth waiting for her to confess to being Sonny's shooter.  I'm guessing here but I agree with Anthony, she was suspicious.  If she shot him after the benefit was she also the amateur who shot him in his office.?  She would have had to be in some sort of altered state as she was very upset then, too, when she found out he had been shot.  It is hard not to hang onto every word of a woman wearing a sleeveless, blood soaked wedding gown on a pier in February.

At the hospital the drama over whether or really when Patrick would agree to help Jason continued.  Anna got through to him thankfully.  He would have regretted it if he'd let Jason die.  Of course, we know Jason isn't going anywhere. In this age of casting spoilers, there are no secrets.

Which is why if someone has to die at Wyndemere it will be Ethan.  I hope that isn't the case. I hope they just write him out with a way to return.  I could not care less what happens to Cassandra.  Her story is so cliche.  It isn't even good enough to make me want to see more of Helena. Normally I love to watch Helena but there is so much else going on right now, I'd as soon they wrap this up quickly and send the lot of them packing - well, except for Luke.

I've missed Luke and surely he will have something to do now that his 'dear niece' is falling into bed with another member of the mob, Tracy's is still buried in her marriage to the marked Anthony and Lulu is well, happy, but that can't last.

No, let's give Cassandra, Ewen and Helena a ticket back to wherever and focus on the newcomers.  I'm already intrigued by the couple and child in the car who are about to be part of Anthony's accident.  Since they come form OLTL, they have a good backstory yet I know nothing about it.  So there is a lot here to share with GH viewers.  I already like both of them.  I wonder if Sonny will take them under his wing seeing them as young lovers the way Robin and Stone once were.

Dante had quite a change of heart in a few hours.  Will it stick or will he go back to hating his father in a few days?

Of course the scene to really hang onto happened at the Quartermaines.  You could see the wheels turning in Tracy's head as Sonny was offering her a way out of her marriage. Yet, she couldn't do it.  And she wasn't seriously worried about stains on the carpet, either.  She is coming to care a bit for Anthony. I know he is fun and charming, Tracy.  Don't forget, he is a killer.

So much is set up to happen next week.  I don't think we will get to the bottom of Kate's problems soon. Yet there is the accident, Jason's upcoming surgery, and the grief over Robin's death.  Maxie and Robert don't even know yet along with most of the town.

Sadness and Beautiful performances

The terrible truth is that a soap opera death of a much loved character brings about the best performances.  Losing Robin - Kimberly McCulough is a great blow for General Hospital.  Not only is she a wonderful actor, her character has tremendous story potential yet to show and a connection to almost everyone in town.  I've always liked Robin.  She gets a lot of criticism for putting her nose where it doesn't belong and for always having to be right but I don't mind that.  I like her and I identify with her to some degree.

With the loss of her character we do get some fantastic scenes that pull the best out of her family and friends.  It is hard to know where to start.  Patrick is struggling with his loss and wanting to take it out on Jason who he doesn't believe should get to live if Robin can't live also.  I can see his twisted logic.  I know he will do the right thing eventually.  We get to see Sam beg for her husband's life.  She desperately wants to save Jason for herself and her child.  I imagine Monica will be in on this soon, too.  Perhaps even Elizabeth will talk Patrick into doing what Robin wanted.  She has yet to learn of her friend's death.

Mac and Anna have lost a child.  It's heartbreaking to watch.  And it is certainly understandable to see Mac lash out at Sonny.  The passion in Mac is something I haven't gotten to witness as he has mostly been in the background in the years I've watched.  Sonny is angry and devastated.  Cheers to makeup for making Sonny look so pale following his shooting and the shock of losing Robin.

There is so much left here to tell.  Maxie will be pivotal as she takes another loss.  Maxie, who has never gotten over Georgie's death, has to lose Robin who was also like a sister to her.  Will Maxie realize she is the one who turned on the gas in the lab?  I hope they do this right and someone does.

Will Carly feel guilty for barging into the lab and distracting Robin earlier. It had no bearing really, but she and Robin didn't get along, still there is another connection.

There has been much done wrong in terms of logic in the last few days.  Why didn't Dante call an abulance and backup when Sonny was shot.  Why on earth would he go several stories back up into the hotel to get Steve to come down there with a first aide kit when help could have already been there.  And wouldn't someone have come running to the lab area when the alarms went off.  Dante couldn't get an ambulance to a hotel and Patrick could get the fire department to arrive before any one in the hospital showed up from a floor up or down.  It makes no sense.

Still, minor things in otherwise fabulous storytelling.  In tragedy we get some of our best scenes, we just have to look through the tears to find them.

Seriously underestimated

Sonny has seriously underestimated Johnny.  It isn't Johnny's business powers that are the problem for Sonny.  It is how much every woman in town adores Johnny.  It certainly isn't Johnny's fault how he came into the world.  Johnny has befriended very one of those women and they are not going to easily forgive Sonny for humiliating Johnny.  Many of them thought Sonny went to far with Claudia who certainly had it coming.  No, Sonny has made a bad miscalculation.

This party was just such a waste.  They have turned generous donations and opportunities to get the entire cast together into predictable scenes that carry little value.

Can Maxie be saved?   I do blame Robin for not throwing her out, but she shouldn't have to.  For some reason, Maxie thought her love life or lack thereof was more important than saving Jason's life.  Of the two, I think I'll forgive Sonny before I forgive Maxie for her pettiness that has now caused a fire in the lab and possibly the loss of this magic medicine to save Jason.

I did have one good laugh today amid the tragedies unfolding and that was seeing Matt with his mouth hanging open in disbelief after Elizabeth said she hadn't been going after him.  What a blow to his ego.  A very much needed blow.  Though it would take a cannon to pierce his ego and bring it down to a reasonable size.  Maybe he and Maxie do need to get back together and move somewhere else.  Poor Spinelli for being tied to this story.

Where is Michael?  Shouldn't he have been at his father's party?  Maybe he is on TJ's guest list.  I have a feeling the party at the lake house is going to come to an abrupt halt.  Alexis surely won't be staying out late since the Metrocourt bash is collapsing.  Oh, and I guess there was one other good moment of humor when Alexis' blue dress nearly clashed with her green skin.  She is so jealous of Diane and Mac who I think are putting on an act for her benefit.

Emma is adorable and I like her scenes with her grandmother.  I do think that Grandma needs to be interacting with the adults soon though.  I understand Anna has a lot of history with many people in town and I'd like to see that.

Maybe next week.