Funeral For a Friend

I am having an ethical dilemma.

If I write my honest thoughts about All My Children, and the aftermath of Stuart's murder in particular, and how I am actually sort of looking forward to the show these days (which is in stark contrast to previous weeks in which I needed to outfit myself a contraption a la A Clockwork Orange to make it through an episode) because it is engaging and most of the cast is doing some of their best work in ages, does that mean that I am saying that it was a good move to kill off Stuart? Because I do not feel that it was a good move to kill off Stuart! I am, in fact, still aghast about the entire thing and I don't want to implicitly cheer the writers on for their decision, but I have been thoroughly enjoying the Chandler-centric scenes of late. I AM SO CONFLICTED!

I am not, however, conflicted about the awesome of one Mr. David Canary.

[Talking to Stuart's coffin] Nothing is going to be the same, Stuart. I remember when Lottie died, and my whole world came crashing down around me, but you were there for me, and I knew I could count on you any time...but this, this hurts so much. I have never felt this alone in my life. I...I remember, you used to say, 'Adam, Adam, when you're good, you're very good, but when you're bad..."...when I was bad, you always let me know it. I always wanted to be there for you Stuart and I was until I failed, and I failed you over and over, many times. No matter, I've always loved you, Stuart, and God knows (cries) I'm going to miss you.

I feel like there needs to be a new word invented in his honor, some amalgamation of awesome, amazing, fantastic and glorious, because while all of those words describe his performance as of late, they don't quite do it justice. Like, if I were to say, "Wow, David Canary was amazing during Stuart's funeral", you wouldn't be that impressed because he is always awesome. But if I said, "Wow, David Canary was [some new word, accompanied by jazz hands] during Stuart's funeral", you'd know that he was even more brilliant than usual.

He and Marian had me sobbing. Okay, full disclosure, I actually started to tear up at the very start of the episode just anticipating what was going to come, but this is when the waterworks really started. When she saw Adam from behind and called Stuart's name? Oh, the sadness.

Adam: I know you must blame me for this. I wish I could...I know I'm sorry is meaningless.

Marian: Adam, Stuart loved you, no matter what, and he forgave you no matter what, so I know he would want me to do the same. I don't blame you. I know how much you loved your brother and I know you're going to miss him as much as I do.

Adam: I haven't just lost my brother. I've lost the better part of me.

They hugged, they cried, I cried.

David Canary and Jennifer Bassey did such a great job of looking absolutely wrecked throughout the entire episode, even when they weren't the focal point of the shot.

The funeral itself was sweet, if lacking in flashbacks (and if lacking in Hayley and Skye, or at least a reason for their absence. And where was Krystal? She always liked Stuart). We had like ten seconds of flashbacks, and a faux flashback with Scott. I had been looking forward to a lot of them, especially some with Stuart and Cindy, but I suppose the powers-that-be didn't want to include old clips to remind us of exactly how much better the show once was. We'd all be comatose with grief for how far AMC has fallen.

Scott's pretend flashback to Stuart helping him process 9/11 (if only Stuart had been able to do the same for Ryan Howard!) was adorable. Adam Mayfield works really well with David Canary, and I look forward to Scott and Adam bonding in the future, if Scott ever lets go of the ridiculous notion that Adam is to blame for Stuart's death.

Stuart: Your love doesn't die when you do. It doesn't jump in your coffin with you. No, love is in your soul and your soul doesn't die. I still feel your mother's love. All I have to do is think of Cindy and I feel her love (He looks up at the sky) Thanks, Cindy. Love is it. We don't live to die, we live to love.

He rubs Scott's head, and they hug and I cry when they both look up at the sky.

I even fully enjoyed Tad leading the mourners in a rousing rendition of "High Hopes", because I do think it is a very fitting tribute to Stuart and because the reactions of some of them were hilarious. Marian was put off by the entire thing, but gamely sang anyway through her despair and irritation, and Little A was COMPLETELY not having it. I have to find a screencap to show just how angry that little boy was about sitting through that song.

Jamie Luner is still not at all reading as Liza, and her talk with Marian did nothing to change that. Like, when Marian said she couldn't believe that Liza was pregnant? I can't believe it either, Marian! Because Liza is supposed to be, like, 50 years old!

And also, if Liza is planning to take Amanda's baby, why is her pregnancy belly four times the size of Amanda's? So many questions!

Liza: If it's a little boy, I'm going to name him Stuart.
Adam: (Looks like he's going to vomit all over the church)

Hee.

Erica's steely determination to get Liza charged for Stuart's murder is absolutely brilliant. Actually, all of Erica these days is brilliant, but that is probably my favorite thing, from a list of many brilliant things:

• Her blatant irritation with Ryan for telling Jesse something without bothering to get his story straight with Kendall's
• The way she said, "Oh god, no" when she saw Kendall being ushered into PVPD in handcuffs
• The way she responded to Jesse's threat to arrest her with, "Yes! Arrest me!" complete with holding her wrists out to be handcuffed
• Her dress was equipped with swimmies!

But oh, man, her Liza hatred, and the way she sneers Liza's name, is just delicious. At the end of the episode, when Liza was rifling through her purse for something and Erica just purred behind her, "Going for your gun? Planning on finishing the job?" I love that big-haired little woman.

I present the following with no comment, except that I want it to be my ringtone:

Jesse: It pisses me off, Ryan. Sit down, shut up and wait your turn.

If Darnell Williams puts that on his Emmy reel next year, he will appeal to all of the voters who despise Ryan and will have a great shot at winning!

The Ryan and Kendall scenes, and Kendall telling Ryan she loved him, made me groan. Especially when Kendall asked Ryan to take care of Ian. Hello, the man is a neglectful father! He puts Emma away for "naps", which, hello, she's like seven, she doesn't take naps anymore, and runs around town putting his nose in other people's business and generally ruining lives without a second thought about her and you are asking him to watch your child? ???!!!???

And! Shouldn't she have asked someone to make sure Zach got released? Maybe that should be a priority? I don't know, I'd kind of want to make sure that my son's father was released from prison and could take care of him, rather than entrusting him to my angry boyfriend.

Proving that his love of the moment takes precedence, Ryan did immediately go to the hospital to see Ian (and Emma at home is probably all, "Daddy, I've been awake for three days now. Where are you?") and got testy with Angie about Jesse arresting Kendall. I mean, Jesse shouldn't be doing any police work since he shot someone in the head last week (!!!) but Ryan can just shut it. Angie was way too diplomatic to him, being all polite and supportive, when she should have reminded him that Ian is still weak and doesn't need to be exposed to Ryan's crazy eyes and temper at this time. Angie! There is a time and a place for politeness, and dealing with Ryan is never that time!

Comments

[TV's Tim]

I'll be honest: I haven't been able to watch the show since Stuart's murder.

I admit that they did sucker me in with the all the fine acting that was going on during the build-up to the stunt (but not with the story, because it truly sucked with all the gaping plotholes and OOC behavior) and because I was led to believe that this was David Canary's last hurrah. Then the whole ugly truth came out and I realized that they were killing off another beloved character for yet another crass ratings stunt and I'd finally had enough. I stopped watching GH for good when they killed off Alan for no damn good reason, and fine performances or no, I now feel the same about AMC.

God bless the actors (even nuLiza, the poor schmoe) and the technical crew for their hard work, but to Hell with everyone else involved with that trainwreck. Well, except Agnes.

[Kels]

I understand your dilemma completely. I hate them killing off Stuart and I will never ever agree that it was a good idea. However, there have been some excellent performances in the aftermath. Perhaps this can be chalked up to us & to said actors trying to make the best of a crappy situation.

How about this word to describe the phenomenal David Canary's performances as of late?

"Awemazfantorious"

DC should submit yesterday's scenes with the scenes when Adam first sees Stuart in the morgue (sobs) to the Emmys next year. If he doesn't win, there is no justice in the world.

Oh man, I want that line of Jesse's to be my ringtone as well. The problem would be that I wouldn't want to answer my phone & interrupt the awemazfantoriousness of Ryan getting scolded like the obnoxious child he is.

Yeah that woman on my screen is still not anything like Liza. Watching her in scenes with say Jesse is just absurd. Suuuuuuuuuuure they went to school together. Whatever.

Little A in his bowtie is always cute. He got me yesterday with his little "I love you grandpa." *sniffle*

[Marcia]

David Canary... there does need to be a new word for him!!!

The whole thing has been gloriously acted by all involved, but my major problem (besides, you know, the fact that they killed STUART) has been with Jennifer Bassey's face. Whoa. Is it just me, or is it approaching Jackie Zeman level of horrible distracting-ness? My beloved soap opera actresses need to lay off the plastic surgery, man. I don't know how much more I can take!

[kazou]

Ethical dilemma here as well because much as the 911 scene made me bawl, I felt angry and manipulated that Pratt would even touch that topic. The guy is a hack and his name is synonymous with crap so I don't want him using 911 to justify his new characters. Just me though.

Also, for the first time I really disagree with you guys because I loathed the Tad sing-along. (But still love you ... and heck, you're probably right and I'm probably letting my completely biased hatred of all things Tad blind me. It's just ... jeesh ... this chuckles the clown schtick is so forced and pathetic. It just needs to stop ... yesterday).

[Mallory]

Oh, kazou, this "new" Tad is insanely irksome overall, and I think the sing-along would have been even better if that were the only QuirkyTad part of the episode. I can see why you didn't like it.

[jennyp]

I had given up on AMC, and as a consequence I hate that the funeral touched me (esp. because lil'A will probably end up the murderer, the way ABC Daytime works.) I hate that I really enjoy the new Scott, and how even tho he's adopted he looks like a young Stuart Chandler. Jake, Tad, Amanda,Scott, Adam, & Erica are keeping me from dropping this show.

[Heather]

Jamie Luner's "Liza voice" totally annoys me. Maybe her voice has changed a lot since her Cindy Lubbock days, but it sounds like she trying to put a masculine growl to every word she says. Is she trying to make us forget that she's, like, at least 15 years too young to be Liza? Because every time she mentions going to high school with Jesse or appears on-screen with her 20-something daughter, the illusion is shattered.

[Caitlin]

Jesse: It pisses me off, Ryan. Sit down, shut up and wait your turn.

HaHaHa LMAO!!! I'm going on youtube right now to find this.

[Kade]

I'm with TV's Tim on this - AMC killing Stuart is akin to GH killing Alan, and no amount of fine acting can make me stomach either show anymore. Pine Valley without Stuart is not a place I want to visit. :-(

David Canary = Gloriffic? Awetastic? Awemazing?

[Janice]

I thought Kendall's priorities were fine in jail. Kendall has a sick son, somebody being with that son should be her priority, not getting her contolling, non-communicating ex-husband out of jail. The noblest hero ever song and dance lost a bunch of points with me when Zach chose not to listen to the words she said but to instead listen to the voice that tells him Slater knows it all and doesn't answer to anybody. For future reference, one of their main marital issues, lol.

Sure Ryan has anger issues, but at least he ain't homicidal like Ian's bio parents. I love them but they are.

I share your dilemna about the story. I like the cast interaction this has evoked and some of the work it's given the actors (Canary) but Pratt has such weak follow through. I feel he's already showing signs of that, not as terrible as usual but still. It'll be a few more weeks before I can say if the gain was really worth the loss.

Your Erica section was my favorite, I adored her this past week.

[Joe]

I have been loving AMC- the scenes with adam and Erica are so incredible. they are defintely a supercouple.

I have an idea for a great David C/ Adam C saying- "Chandlericious"

Cheesy but the only thing I could come up with LOL

[Sarah]

The lack of numerous and authentic flashbacks really upset me as a long time AMC/Stuart fan. No matter the few great performances I can't get past the lack of memorial for Stuart, who shouldn't have been killed off in the first place. So there is my two cents.

And I know there are devoted Kendall fans here. I like her fine, but she needs a sandwich and a way to erase the memories of bratty OG Kendall, SMG, from my mind! But wasn't she getting enough front burner story already? Did Stuart really have to die for her to be pivital in this plot device? She is already dating Old Bug Eyes while still longing for her brand new Ex Zach and she has a dying child and another one at home and Erica as a Mom and a business in trouble and a recently dead BFF/Frenemy and her lesbian sister just left with a baby that should have been hers and she just had a heart transplant after a lengthy coma where her hubby went wacky for her sister's wife and the heart was from her oddly murdered brother who was killed by then not ex hubby Zach and so on..... Does Kendall really need a trial too?

I miss crazy Annie. And NoWayInHellLiza needs to get her ass to the new Melrose Place and out of PV. I think Eggleston is there along with Michael Mancicni the OG MD. She makes zero sense as Liza. It's like when Guzidiot recast Edward with an actor younger than SD. SORAS is one thing, but come the hell on!

[Nicole]

I recorded AMC for the first time in years just to see David Canary's performance. Him and Susan Lucci have been wonderful together.

Even though it does not change the fact that I'm PISSED they killed off Stuart in such a violent way. It's almost like I'm watching GH, having a legacy character killed off like that. Even though I guess you can't expect much from Guza Jr.