A Reason To Be Thankful: Awesome Writer, Being Awesome

Through charm or ingenuity or trickery or "Hey, Steve Burton, nice new leather jacket. Oh! Bob Guza. Wow, sorry for my mistake. Looking very Stone-Colidsh!", Awesome Writer was given the task of writing General Hospital's Thanksgiving episode this year and will no doubt face harsh repercussions for the quality of the episode that aired at 3 PM today. Not only were there Quartermaines, Davises, Scorpios and Drakes doing things like "bantering" and "expressing love for their family and friends", but not one of them--not one!--had an overwrought soliloquy detailing the great greatness of Jason Morgan! Awesome Writer, you may soon find yourself on the unemployment line, but you can at least feel proud that you went out on a high, soapy note.

 
Today's GH--I have tried to type the following sentence three times and my brain keeps registering it as a typo--made me so happy. How could it not, really, when it included large doses of the following:

Edward Quartermaine

 

I almost titled this entry "Things Edward Quartermaine Said That I Loved", because John Ingle spent his surprisingly ample screentime delivering some great lines adorably (he also got to miss Lila, as pictured above, which was utterly sweet).

On the Spencer Men, who he referred to as "scallywags" and "the worst kind of freeloaders": I think it's a damn shame for two smart, beautiful women to be wasting themselves on a couple of good for nothing Spencer men.

On Dante: Dante is the son of that reprobate Sonny Corinthos. Violence and misery follow him around like cheap cologne.

To Dante: As long as Michael says so, I guess you're welcome. As long as you don't revert to type, get someone shot or throw Lulu off for another woman. Because if you do, Alice is going to put you into a double chicken wing and throw you out.  

He was enchanted by Siobhan and overjoyed to see Michael. Beyond overjoyed.

 
And I was kind of with him! Michael spending Thanksgiving with the Quartermaines was something that I forgotten that I wanted, since I had written it off so long ago as a complete impossibility (and how cute, if sad, was it that he couldn't go to the Macy's parade and didn't want his family to stay with him because it wouldn't be fair to Morgan and Fat-Headed Joss?! The boy needs the biggest of hugs. Also sad was this episode's lack of Joss). But he was adorably great-grandfatherly, asking how school is ("better than prison") and telling Michael he never needs an excuse to visit. I hope Michael takes him up on that!

Tracy and Luke's engagement

 

Most of Tracy and Luke's stories of the past few years have been a series of shenanigans poorly written and hammily acted, which does a disservice to Tony Geary and Jane Elliot who are, you know, legends in this field and everything. But today, when Luke presented Tracy with the ring he bought (!) in Amsterdam? So good.

 
 
Luke: It fits.
Tracy: Lucky guess.
Luke: Luck had nothing to do with it.
Tracy: If this is real, I'd say you're doing pretty good.
Luke: It is real! What do you say? Will you take that leap into the unknown with me? Be my bride. Let me love you forever.
Tracy, getting choked up: Give me that (Examines the ring, starts to cry). It's real.

I have absolutely no faith in the rest of the writing staff and assume that these brief moments will be the highlight of their reunion, but it's only fair for me to give them well-deserved, if fleeting, kudos.

Emma's jeans and her artistic talents.

How damn cute is she?

 
Since the moments involving the GH babies are the only scenes that reliably entertain me, I LOVED the moment at the start of the episode, where Sam came to ask Robin for help in the great quest to make Mac and Alexis happen and Robin, wearing another hideous and ruffly robe, proudly showed Sam the picture Emma drew.

Robin: My daughter's a genius!
Sam: ...
....
Yeah, it's a good looking...hand.

Emma's parents were also pretty adorable.

Patrick: Is it okay if I stay for a second?
Robin: Yeah. I mean, I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or next week, but right now this feels good. Our family, together.

I should mention that Patrick was there at great peril, since Mac threatened to break his kneecaps for going anywhere near Robin. Foreshadowing of what's to come for Awesome Writer? I hope not!

Kristina's enviable collection of sweaters

 

I...have a serious cardigan problem.

Match-Making

 

It's not that I'm even interested in Mac and Alexis as a couple, which is probably the first and only opinion I share with the GH writers. There's no possible way that these two will ever get a real storyline together...or, um, separately, now that I think of it. But it's cute to see their daughters (minus Molly which, I am ashamed to say, was sort of a relief, because she annoys me SO MUCH. And it was nice to hear that she's visiting her father in LA! I like being reminded that Ric is still out there, probably mentioning his utter loathing of Jason in his Thanksgiving prayer) try so hard to set them up, and it's also cute to see Mac change into a blue sweater after hearing that "Alexis likes [him] in blue".

Lulu's complete lack of self-awareness

Lulu, to Dante: It's not like we're joined at the hip.

IT IS EXACTLY LIKE THAT, YOU CO-DEPENDENT WEIRDO.

Okay, maybe that didn't technically make me happy. It did make me laugh, though. The unhinged laughter of a person in complete disbelief, but laughter nonetheless.

I laughed that same laughter when I saw her outfit. Presumably, the Quartermaine mansion has a nightclub wing where lingerie is an appropriate clothing choice.

 
No Sonny, Jason, Carly or Brenda

It's a Thanksgiving miracle!

(Although, I have to say, I actually wouldn't have minded Brenda being part of the Quartermaine Thanksgiving celebration, because they love each other like family, but a break is a break, and I think we were all in need of a Brenda break)

Comments

[LadyBug]

Thanks, Mallory for the recap. I don't see any pictures of Liz/Cake/Aidan/Steven?

[kitkat]

How utterly cheap of them not to have Monica with the Q's.

[maribeth]

No Liz/Cake/Aiden/Steven for the holidays this year. TPTB chose not to include Nik & Aiden spending their first Thanksgiving together. Not important enough.

Funny how Lucky can provide Liz little to no information about him and his new girlfriend. Yet he has no issue with telling his new girlfriend about how Liz is spending her holiday and who she is sharing it with. Honestly Lucky, all you needed to say was that your boys were spending the holiday with their mother. That's it.

Not a fan of the Spencer's taking over the Quartermaine house for the holidays. It didn't feel right.

[Tabby]

You know, I didn't like this Thanksgiving show at all. Yes, I was glad to see Sonny and Carly no where in sight. But the show in general was just depressing.

Maya and Ethan, married for a million. Blah.

Does Tracy *really* want to marry Luke? UGH so tired of that SL.

Dante and Lulu. I don't know why but they just don't carry off any chemistry. They are so boring.

I think the only shining moments came when Michael hugged Edward. When Edward was sitting at the desk looking at Lila's picture. When baby Emma came to see Robin. Anytime Matt Hunter was on my screen, and.. Mac coming to dinner at Alexis'.

I agree that the Spencers at the Quartermaines didn't produce any warm feelings for me. Edward constantly making comments about how low brow they are. It sucked.

I guess I've been watching GH too long to know how good the holiday shows used to be.

[Janet B.]

I enjoyed the Thanksgiving episode, one big reason was not even a mention of Brenda's name, and no Jason, Sonny, or Carly the shrieking harpy. A semi-good thing about having the Spencers mix with the Q's is at least that keeps what tiny number of Q's left on the show visible. Although Monica not being there was criminal, and I can only hope the actress wasn't available and it's not because they didn't want to pay her to be in the scenes. It was odd when Lulu said "I have two brothers, and they're both going to be at the Quartermaines." Uh, Lulu, or rather Awesome Writer, she has three brothers. Otherwise I actually enjoyed the episode and never even FF'ed, which is also a Thanksgiving miracle.

Although he wasn't on the show yesterday, how cute was Cam last week throwing the football in the park??!

[Maya]

I enjoyed the episode well enough. I agree with everyone who said not having Monica there was a shameful travesty. I loved Edward and Tracy and Luke and Michael and the Davis gals and Scrubs.

However, I could've done without Spinelli and his bumbling awkwardness and would've rather just had Maxie and Matt. (Please, writers, let Maxie move on from her stunted relationship with Spinelli and grow up and have something real with Matt.) I like them separately but can't stand Maya and Ethan together and I'm probably in the vast minority on this, but I'm not digging Siobhan and Lucky and can only hope that the paternity reveal comes sooner rather than later and there's more LL2 in the future.

I'm thinking there will be scenes of the other characters celebrating their respective Thanksgivings on Monday?

[LaTanya]

First of all I'd like to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone! Secondly Mallory just to let you know that I heard that the female writer (forgot her name) who wrote this episode is indeed leaving the writting staff of GH (sigh). The episode didn't have everything I would have liked but I did still enjoyed it. I'm with everyone else who would've liked to see the Webber/Cassadine Thanksgiving at grams house. I know gram is no longer on the show but, they could of had it were she was in the kitchen cooking or something. It's a damn shame that we have to wait for the holidays to actually have more than two or three characters interact together on camera.....but that's GH for you!

[LaTanya]

The writer name is Karen Harris (sorry I just remembered...lol)!

[Louise]

Right there with you, Mallory -- I totally loved the episode. I was just giddy and weepy. And I'm with you about Lulu's outfit too -- when Michael first walked in I thought it was going to be another bit about Michael walking in on lovey-times with Dante and Lulu since she was clearly in her slip.

[Robert]

Loved Lucky and Siobhan they shine liek the top of the Chrysler building.

[Rene']

Louise, I was going to say the same thing! When Michael knocked on the door, I was waiting for Lulu to say "just a minute!" and grab a robe. I was sure that was her nightgown!! Then she puts a damn sparkly grandma cardigan over it, and THAT'S her Thanksgiving outfit??? She is apparently not absorbing much from working for a fashion mag.

I liked this episode, and especially, as has already been seconded, thirded and fourthed (I know, those are not words) but everyone, NO SONNY, JASON OR CARLY! HELL YEAH! But I'm sure that just means all of their respective Thanksgivings will be the entirety of Monday's episode.

Suckage.............

[m00se35]

Sadly this will probably be Karen Harris's last Thanksgiving Episode since she has confirmed she is leaving the show when her contract expires in December :-( I am going to miss Awesome Writer!

[Leanne]

Awesome Writer is really leaving? NOOOO!!!!! We need to start a write-in campaign or something. GH without Awesome Writer is like... I can't even come up with a decent enough metaphor. It's just going to suck.

I LOVE THE QUARTERMAINES. And it makes me really sad that THEY'RE ALL DEAD.

I actually missed Molly! I love the dymanic of all the Davis girls together. And Haley Pullos is just adorable.

[Eleonora]

"The unhinged laughter of a person"

Forget about the rest of that sentence, just reading that part, I had a flash of Brenda in my head. She does unhinged laughter on a regular basis.

Yes, I was also sure that Lulu would run for a robe when Michael walked in. Then I thought, maybe she's ok with wearing her nightgown near Michael (he IS her cousin). Nope, she threw on a teeny sweater and headed out. I worry for the readers of Crimson if that is how the employees dress LOL

[Fleur]

I know I'm late replying to this one, but I'd like to say that if the actor who plays Edward can remember his lines (and he's how old? 70 something?), I don't understand why Maurice Bernard can't. I'm not even trying to be mean or snarky. It just makes me sad to see that a man who was so engaging in his role in the 90s--and I am not even a huge Sonny fan here, but he was very watcheable back in the day---now struggles to get through two lines of dialogue cleanly. Is it boredom? disinterest??

[Judy]

Someone told me over the weekend that Maurice Benard is actually manic-depressive (hence Sonny's bipolar storyline). It's just possible that his meds are making it hard for him to act.

As for Lulu saying she had two brothers, has she disowned Nicholas for cheating on Lucky?

I didn't realize it was Molly that was missing, but now I understand why the whole Tgiving set-up was so much better than last year's :)

[junie]

If Awesome Writer (Karen Harris) is hitting the road, then GH is not long for this world- at least as far as I'm concerned. So sad what she has had to see this show become since she was hired by Wendy Riche and Claire Labine. :(