This Is The Best Good to Bad Ratio This Show Has Had In Quite Some Time

Helped, perhaps, by the fact that the show didn't feature Sonny and Claudia having sex, or Robin and Patrick (do you know how heartbreaking it is to automatically like an episode because Scrubs aren't in it? CURSE YOU, GUZA! WHAT HATH YOU WROUGHT?), today's show was somewhat entertaining. It feels weird to be complimentary of General Hospital, but there were a few good moments today, right? Unless I have Soap Opera Stockholm Syndrome and am so desperate for something to like that I am attaching the "good" label to things that don't really deserve it...

GOOD: Julie Marie Berman

JMB was better in today's episode than she has seriously been in months. This is either because she does her best work in dramatic scenes and/or scenes with Kirsten Storms and Jane Elliot, and got both of those today, or I just get a chuckle out of seeing Lulu miserable.

Because I am in a good mood, I am leaning towards the former (but I secretly think it's the latter).

She managed to get me invested in her breakup with Johnny, which I thought was impossible because A)I did not care one whit about her relationship with Johnny and I could not honestly care less if she and Johnny ever shared a scene again (an opinion I feel Brandon Barash shares because he has been mentally checked out of scenes with Lulu since last summer) and B) the writing for Johnny, Maxie, Lulu and Spinelli has been written and rewritten and changed and screwed up so many times that character motivation winds up changing mid-scene.

Good: Brandon Barash's Facial Expression Just Before Johnny Kissed Maxie

That is the most charisma he's shown in scenes opposite anybody but Sarah Brown. I finally understood what the fuss was about!

...which I promptly forgot when he and Maxie had the most uncomfortable looking kiss ever. It called to mind middle school socials and not knowing where to put your hands during slow dances.

...which made Spinelli a sad panda.

Mopey Spinelli is my least favorite Spinelli, so I am already worried about Monday's show.

Good: Tracy Doing What Tracy Does Best

Tracy: This is the best you can come up with?

Spinelli: I did exactly what the abrasive one asked of me.

Tracy: I expect a little more than the address where Ethan is staying -- you're the Jackass.

Spinelli:  (Meekly)The Jackal...

Hee!

Tracy: Oh, please, snap out of it. Get up off the couch and prove you're a Spencer.

Awesome.

How do we go about nominating Tracy Q as a National Treasure? The fact that she is fictional may cause controversy at first, but with quips like that, we can win over nay-sayers pretty quickly.

Good: Olivia's WTF? Face

Carly: I fainted a couple of times during both of my pregnancies, but lying about your baby's father could that to you. And being chained to a wall doesn't help things either.

Olivia:

Hee! Bet she's re-thinking her (bizarre, unexplained and plot-driven) choice to relocate to Port Charles...

Good: Ric Gleefully Telling Jason He Was Wrong

Actually, let me revise that statement, because it wasn't good; it was AMAZING. Remind me again why the powers-that-be think it's okay to cut Rick Hearst down to recurring instead of utilizing him and his handsome amazingness and amazing handsomeness? An answer besides "Because they suck at life", I mean.

Ric: Oh, this is great. Finally, the great Jason Morgan gets one really, really big one completely wrong.

It was made even more glorious by Jason and Sonny's response.

 "I did?"

 "What does completely mean?"

Ric spilling the beans about Claudia's involvement in Michael's shooting could also lead to some good moments, but I know better than to get my hopes up.

To prove that I am not going soft, there were also things that I disliked about today's show.

Bad: Ethan

I hate him.

And his attitude when Lulu found him at his top secret fortress of solitude?

Ethan: How the hell did you find me?

Listen, douche, the real question is "How the hell did you book a contract role on a television show?"

Bad: The Adventures of Rebecca and Nikolas

 Yawn City, Population 2

I feel like I am supposed to care about the results of Rebecca's biopsy, and I am supposed to care about Nikolas, and whatever, but all I can think during their scenes together are "Enough with the eye makeup! Eyeshadow does not equal character development" and "zzzz...."

Bad: Claudia's Jacket Which Looks Like It Was Made During a Particularly Heinous Project Runway Challenge From Bubble Wrap and Printer Toner

Bad: Claudia Continuing To Be a LUNATIC With Her Obsession Over Getting Pregnant To The Point Where She Argues With Rational People and Scientific Fact

Glurg!

Comments

[LB]

I want to like Johnny and Maxie because it pulls them away from Spinelli and Lulu. And it makes them into not so perfect people making mistakes, etc. which I find better than the layers Bradford Anderson seems to think Spinelli added to Maxie or the boring storyline of Johnny leaving the mob and working in a Christmas tree lot.

Also, Kirsten and Brandon have pretty good chemistry up until the moment they kiss. Then its hit or miss with the actual kisses. Gah - what am I do? Just ignore that they don't kiss well?

[Simone]

Johnny kisses like a wet fish. Ick. Big turn off.

Teethan is revolting and I can't believe you haven't talked about his inappropriate sexual chemistry with Geary.

It is obvious that Guza has no clue what to do with Rebecca and Nikolas.

[Becca]

Oh but Simone, we have!

[Colleen]

Priceless: "Jackass"

[Amy]

OK, hate me, but I actually like Ethan. He's cute. In a slimy doofus sort of way. And it would be cooler than cool if they went with the UST he's got going with Luke instead of the father/son thing they're limping toward.

[Simone]

Becca, sorry I totally forgot about that blog comment even though I responded to it.

The most interesting thing that Guza can do is have Luke come out. Luke can admit that the reason that he claims to have never really loved Laura or wanted the kids that he used to love is that he hates himself for being on the down low all these years. After he comes out, Ethan and Luke have a passionate affair and leave PC to pull cons around the world. Never to be mentioned again except from the occasional postcard they send Lulu.

[Sarah]

Oh Mallory, don't make me give you the nickname of Patty Hearst :-) The good to bad ratio on GH still sucks toxic balls big time.

However, I do love Tracy. And when she called Spinelli the Jackass I admit, I smiled! But her comments to Lulu did nothing for me due to my still outraged heart at her comment to Lucky that he should have been a better Son to Luke a few weeks ago. Fuck that shit! Guza can ruin Robin and Lucky all he likes, but I remember who they really are, and they are AWESOME!

And why is everyone so worried about Eye Shadow Emily? Lulu and Lucky both keep tearing into Nikolas like he is taking advantage of her. How about supporting your brother and opening your "Spencer" eyes to this bitch and her obvious nefarious presence in town. I mean really, insert the Sonny Duh Face here two times.

Ric Hearst is genius and hot yummy yummy. His demotion proves Guza is a walking drooling tumor. Ric's happy face today when he stumped his idiot brother and the Borg was highly entertaining. But one great scene does not make up for four dreadful months. Ratio still tragic!

[Hillary]

Can we add to the bad the continuing destruction of Lucky Spencer? I seriously just wanted him to STFU today when he was in scenes with Nikolas and Rebecca. Paranoia and accusations do not become him. Hot sexiness with Elizabeth and their adorable children do. Let's do more of that, please.

[Nikki]

I'm inclined to agree! lol. GH did not totally suck today! I am hoping against hope that Rick finally tells Rick what's the deal with Claudia on Monday but....they're going to get interrupted aren't they?

Also, I agree I liked LuLu today! Never thought it would happen!I do think the reason is that Maxie was nerve- grating today with her "it's your fault that I kissed your boyfriend!" really?!

Lol @ "Yawn City- population 2", u couldn't have said that better! lol

[Nikki]

um.. that was supposed to be "Rick tells Sonny" lol

[amiejayne]

I have to agree that today did not totally suck. I still had to ff through Carly scenes, as well as most of Brokeback Mobster, but there was some genuinely good chemistry going on elsewhere, as well as some good lines, the best of which you mentioned.

I still have to disagree about Ethan. Though I wish we didn't continually lose great actors to recurring status to make room for newbies, I find Ethan to be hot, though why we needed another "charming" and "misunderstood" criminal on this show is beyond me. However, his scenes with Tracy are wicked good, and I enjoy the banter with Lulu (unless they are sibs, in which case, didn't we just have a year of that with Johnny and Clod?).

And YES! That was also the first time for me that I saw BB as appealing! Until the kiss, which was awkward, as are pretty much all the kisses he's had on GH. Maybe the poor boy needs some lessons...

And should I be surprised that they're ruining Spixie before they even get off the ground, after what they did to Scrubs? I suppose not, but damnit, I am! WTF does anyone invest in any couple on this show(besides Carly and Jax who I think have now reunited more times than Carly and Sonny)? It's quite obvious that these writers watch WWF and read VC Andrews books to find out what "real" romance is.

[Chia]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought that, despite the fact that KS and BB have good chemistry - that kiss was NOT hot at all. It was very jr highish, and it seems like BB never knows where to put his hands when he kisses a girl, i.e. like when he first kissed Lulu. It just looks really awkward. =/

[Kels]

I may actually have to find clips of the Johnny & Maxie stuff. I like them together and I enjoy anything that makes either Lulu or Spinelli miserable. (The beauty of not watching means I don't have to listen to Spin being mopey.)

I still cannot forgive Tracy for telling Lucky that maybe if he had been a better son Luke would have been a better father. So her good zinger on Spin is wasted on me. Damn you Guza!!!

Ethan's faux-son status to Luke is a continuous insult to Lucky. It makes me hate Ethan with a white hot passion.

It makes me incredibly sad/pissed off that I too look forward to days without my Scrubs. That has almost never been the case (minus the days of that now-dead nurse.) Again...damn you Guza!!!

Claudia should have to spend the rest of her life in Fashion Prison. I dread the idea of how she would dress any child she'd have. I'm sure he/she would be wearing a horrid leather onesie & cap home from the hospital.

The treatment of the one amazingly handsome Rick Hearst is another reason that a) I'm not watching and b) I repeat my mantra... Damn you Guza!!!

[Cindy]

I love Maxie and Johnny, but that kiss KILLED me. Their previous kisses were hot and he never seemed to have a problem knowing where to place his hands. This one almost made me want to cringe. :(

[Sylvia]

That Joxie kiss was *beyond* awkward.

Plus, I love Spixie and I'm still rooting for them!

[Chad]

I'm thinking you and Becca already know this, but there actually has been a lot of speculation over the years that Anthony Geary is gay, so it might be more than just odd acting choices going on.

[Jasmine]

Today was all about Julie Marie Berman, i agree, she was fantastic. She made me feel Lulu's pain every step of the way. Kudos JMB

[Simone]

The comments about Robin and Patrick make me sad. Trust Guza to write one of GH's best couples into a mindnumbing painful story. This PPD story needs to be over and over soon. Of course, Robin and Patrick's next story will be so bad that we will be calling the PPD story, the good old days.

[Lori]

I actually think the show has improved a bit. But then the bloggers here hate AMC and I think that show has improved 1000 percent and I give AMC credit by ending incredibly dull Zendall. Fanbases should not control a show. And I also happen to find the PPD story pretty good and I'm not a Scrubs fan but has actually made them interesting to me.

But I digress. I say improved? Lulu has been awesome lately back where she needs to be with her family. Johnny back to the mob.2 major improvements. And I actually don't hate the Ethan and Rebecca stuff. I think there is a bigger umbrella story here involving Helena Cassadine. And Claudia works with Sonny, I may not like the character but she and Sonny sort of deserve each other.

And as awesome as Megan Ward and Ric Hearst are, there time has past. Ric is a terrific actor but the character has been used up for a while.And Kate. She was just another newbie I never cared about but pairing her with Sonny was the kiss of death. I don't care what anyone says, Skate to me was a flop.

[Amanda]

1. Word. JMB was simply fantastic yesterday. She killed it yesterday, and turned in one hell of an amazing performance.

2. I hate Johnny and yes that kiss was akward as hell

3. Ric was simply amazing with Jason/Sonny. Loved it

[Lisbeth]

I thought GH was incredibly boring on Friday. Only scene that was mildly interesting was Ric/Sonny/Jason and that was only because Hearst was there. This show sucks.

[Jenn]

Julie Berman proved that she is still definitely the best young actor this show has. Brandon Barash was really great too, he's awesome when he's all fired up. Kirsten Storms was...well two out of three ain't bad.

The JoMax kiss was so very awkward but Spinelli was caused pain so that's never bad.

Tracey is hilarious when she's not around Luke.

[Rene]

Bar none the best scene of the day, "you're the JACKASS!" And I love Spinelli, but nobody delivers a line like Jane Elliott. She is most assuredly a National Treasure. Love her.

Where the HELL are they trying to go with Maxie? HELLO? ANYBODY HOME? Spixie? Well, she slept with him - twice - and she raves about Spinelli like he's the be-all-end-all to her universe but then....

There's Johnny! She BLATANTLY flirted with him in the limo and most assuredly in her "I'm daring you to screw me" mode. So......

Then there's MATT! What the hell? He was brought on for a Maxie pairing, but they went NO WHERE with that one. He was off the canvas, shaved the atrocious beard and was brought back all clean-shaven and less "brooding" so he could play his "Patrick's brother" role. Now suddenly he's into Maxie again - and she doesn't seem to be that against it, even though she's complaining (but what else is new?)

So we're going back to "Maxie is a coniving slut" mode now? Or not?

WHAT THE HELL!!??

[Shirley]

I. too, have to disagree about Ethan. I find him totally charming and his outrageous flirting with Tracy is beyond fun. Luke is also a big flirt, and his scenes with Ethan are not unlike some of the Luke and Robert schtick in the 80's - good fun. I am pleasantly surprised that this 20 yr old actor can hold his own with these seasoned professionals. We do need the occasional newbie to keep us awake.

[Ashley]

Glad to see I'm not the only spixie fan on here.
Ladies you are completely right about Ethan, total douche, I HATE that guy. All of Lukes worst qualities with none of his good qualities and the actor has no charisma, at. all.
I'm thinking tptb should throw Matt and Lulu together and see what happens, they were cute the other day when they were teaming up against Maxie, it could work.

[kat]

I love Spixie. Thought JMB was fantastic. I think the show was more watchable Friday than it has been. It was soapy.

Meg Bennett? I'm afraid to give anyone credit.

[katina]

I'm sorry Johnny and Maxie are gross, Johnny is boring and bland as hell, just because him having scenes with Maxie still dont change that. This whole thing with them reeks of plot points from the begining. Nothing has change since then with them. Everything is contrived and force its not even funny.

Just like Matt contrived and forced we rarely see him, and all of a sudden he wants to go out on date with Maxie..WTH?

Now Spixie is a different story, they have chemistry all over the place. Bradford/Kirsten chemistry is off the chart. They have that rare it factor going on with them. Spixie is not out by long shot and if people really think they are, then I don't know what to tell them.

The only couple that have a story is Spixie they have all the build up, so they need to finish that and allow them to be a offically a couple. I thought they were going there uptil the ILY from Maxie. Then after that it all went to hell. Maxie charc did a 180 in one day..not cool Gh

Team Spixie

[Shannon]

I really, really want them to go somewhere with Johnny and Maxie. Absolutely the most potential out of any couple in the twentysomethings. They are complicated and messy but oh so right together. I think they do have seriously great chemistry and I actually did like the kiss. They came together with deliberate intention and the way he went in for it was awesome. Now the hands? I'm thinking Johnny was probably thinking exactly what I was at that moment. "WTF is up with this fug purple top with the purple rags hanging off the front?" Of Johnny probably added "I'm wanting to go up the shirt with my hands but this outfit sucks."

[Simone]

Unfortunately, I don't see anything happening between Johnny and Maxie or Matt and Maxie. Maxie is wedged to fugly Spinelli and that is that.

[Chantal]

Johnny and Maxie was just gross, always has been always will be. That kiss was cringe worthy, even if I wasn't a Spixie fan I'd say that. They looked really uncomfortable squirming around with each other, like they were both thinking 'oh god pls call out cut NOW'

Sorry but I only see Matt and Johnny as angst for Spixie. So while there mite b a Johnny/Maxie self destruction, Im positive they're heading in Spixie direction. THANK GOD!

Cos Spixie actually have chemistry that's off the charts! Their kisses and intimacy moments r actually good and make you want more. Johnny and Maxie its like they're each others poison ivy!