Disturbing and, Um, Disturbing...er
Oh, Serial Drama readers, I have a feeling that you know EXACTLY what two scenes I am referring to when I hysterically exclaim, "I just watched Friday's episode of General Hospital and am SO SERIOUSLY DISTURBED by two bits of dialogue!"
The first was Spinelli--who, quick recap,is a good guy. So good, in fact, that Maxie is having all sorts of relationship turmoil over his lack of bad boy appeal--finally discussing how he sat by and did nothing when he knew that Jason and Sonny were planning Dante's murder.
Spinelli: Yeah. It is the quagmire that keeps on giving. You know, I remember the day of Josslyn's christening. And I was aware that Stone Cold and Mr. Sir were planning Dante's demise, and there was Lulu, so worried about Dante. And yet I said nothing.
Maxie: Do you regret that?
Spinelli: No1. I'm of the belief that what's set in motion has to take its due course without outside interference2. And when the stakes are higher for others than they could ever be for you, sometimes the most prudent choice is just to do nothing3.
1 !!!
2 !!!!
3 !!!!!!!
Only in Port Charles is a babbling man child who calmly recounts his participation in the attempted murder of an unarmed cop considered TOO NICE.
The fact that Spinelli's involvement in Dante's shooting was ignored for so long was a source of irritation, sure, but if this is the rationalization we are going to get, I'd rather it continue to be ignored! Because "No, I don't regret being involved in the attempted murder of an innocent cop. I mean, it was just cop killing. It's not like I did something really heinous, like willingly associate with the Quartermaines" is just profoundly gross.
Now, to be fair to the show, it's entirely possible that Spinelli followed that up with, "Wow, saying those words out loud is kind of upsetting. What has happened to my life?", or a sentence with a similar sentiment but also more nicknames and strange word choices, but that I didn't hear it because it was drowned out by the sound of Bradford Anderson pounding on his keyboard with such force that it made some of Maurice Benard's stemware flinging tantrums seem downright lackadaisical.
The second exchange was just...disgusting.
Skye: At first it was like a bottomless well. I didn't even realize more was coming out than going in, I mean, why would I? Lorenzo's portfolio was like the gift that kept on giving. Honestly, Luke, I didn't watch the news. I didn't even know there was an economic downturn. Till it came to bite me on the butt.
Luke: Lucky economic downturn.
Guh-ross.
Although, I do have to say that these two moments of...well, horror, did make me pay attention to the episode. For all the wrong reasons, yes, but even though I was transfixed in disgust, it still counts as being transfixed, which I can't say for the rest of the show which I am pretty sure was just actors reciting lines from one of the three same scripts that they have been using since February. I know we always say that Tony Geary and his endless vacations have the best gig in daytime, but seriously, Ingo Rademacher has only had to learn one line of dialogue since October--say it with me: "I'm trying to protect my family!"--which is equally sweet, if not sweeter.
Amen to this post. So hypothetically, if someone knew that events were set in motion for Diego to kill Georgie, would it have been prudent for that someone to do nothing, and let the murder plot take its due course without outside interference?
I hate this show, and I hate my inability to completely abandon it. At least you have a valid excuse for watching.
Posted by: Joanne | April 25, 2010 at 09:53 AM
Spinelli has to be about the most useless airhog ever on a soap. As far as I'm concerned his only purpose is for me to hate Maxie.
GH is a show about the mob so the writers have to justify their criminal activities. They throw us stupid characters saying inane things, like Spixie to do just that.
I'll be so glad when Jax gets paired up with someone else. I hear Brenda's coming back. If only. But even the beautiful Miss Barrett won't be able to fix Jax.
Posted by: Angie | April 25, 2010 at 01:12 PM
If you want to get a perspective on how far this show has fallen, imagine back in the day a storyline where an unarmed Frisco Jones was shot in the chest by the head of the Port Charles mob. That character would have been daytime's first storyline about the death penalty.
Now that character is the shows romantic lead.
Posted by: Kat | April 25, 2010 at 02:43 PM
I've been completely anti-Spinelli ever since he went to Jason and Sonny about Dante's true indentity, putting forward in motion the hit on Dante's life. But his explanation, besides being appalling, didn't even make any sense! Since when has Jason stood by whenever there was a murderer on the loose, and when hasn't he gone to Spinelli to track this person down? What Spinelli REALLY meant was that, it's only right to stand by when it is Jason and Sonny who are doing the killing, as opposed to someone else.
What a useless, ridiculous character. He just needs to go.
Posted by: Jenn | April 25, 2010 at 03:48 PM
Sometimes I watch Spinelli and think they killed off Stan and Justus, and wrote off Dillon Quartermaine for this guy? Seriously he's gone beyond annoying with risking Maxie's life and his comments about Dante. It's no wonder Maxie didn't spill the beans about where Michael is. Can the writers rekindle her relationship with Lucky now that he's sober?
Posted by: Elizabeth Kerri Mahon | April 25, 2010 at 04:08 PM
just awful... the "heros" of the show-plot and plan for the killing of an unarmed cop and we are suppose to cheer for them--support them... let Spinelli suffer the same fate as Emily, Georgie, Justus, -
Skye-- really came back for this??? ugh....
thanks for keeping me updated on the show.. your take is so much better than watching it....
Posted by: tish | April 25, 2010 at 06:00 PM
I liked Spinelli when he first came on all the way through back when him and Maxie were a hypothetical, but a soon as they became a couple, he became some pathetic character who can now barely function if Maxie's not around or on his mind or about to be either of the formers.
I would so not object to a Lucky/Maxie story (they did have that whole lamp scene earlier) or even a Johnny/Maxie thing.
I mean, we all know Sonny will eventually succeed in getting Olivia to abandon Johnny for him. God knows, it would be a tragedy if Sonny didn't 'get the girl/woman' occasionally.
Posted by: Tess | April 25, 2010 at 07:51 PM
Friday's show was filled with so much WTF by the time Spinelli let loose that knowledge, I passed out from rage exhaustion.
I just want to know what we did to the soap gods to make them hate us all this much that we can't get rid of Bob Guza and his assorted mouthpieces like Spinelli no matter what we do! Complaining doesn't work, negative press doesn't work, not watching doesn't work......I'd suggest we all pool together and hire the best PI in the world but with our luck it would be Spinelli/Sam and we'd still be screwed!
Posted by: Beth R. | April 25, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Now, ladies, be nice to Ingo. He's got some kind of bean....or legume....or something at home he's trying to raise. Wait, was it a peanut?
He can't be asked to deal with pesky things like learning his lines for a job he's being paid to do.
Sheesh. The nerve of some people.
Posted by: Rene' | April 25, 2010 at 11:02 PM
The whole Spinelli comment was just a setup for Maxie to have an excuse to not tell that she knew where Michael was. Yes, it's lame.
Posted by: Jules | April 26, 2010 at 10:44 AM
But if Spinelli dies, imagine how annoying his ghost will be.
Posted by: Tabby | April 26, 2010 at 10:47 AM
thank you for making footnotes fun again!
Posted by: jennie | April 26, 2010 at 02:13 PM
OMG, I assume Robin Christopher had to go home and take a long shower after that monstrosity.
Posted by: Beth | April 26, 2010 at 05:25 PM