Worst Doctor Ever (or Fairly Decent Brother?)

Wow. Matthew's doctor has the worst bedside manner of just about any doctor I've ever seen. Last week I complained that she was telling Bo and Nora their son was likely brain-dead as if she was telling them it was time to let go of that one dead tooth.

This week? She seems annoyed with them. More tooth.

Nora: Matthew's not a quitter.

Dr. Insensitive: I'm sure he's not. And Matthew deserves a quality of life that... These machines can keep him alive, but they can't give him the kind of life you want for him. Do you really want him to linger like this? Maybe for years?

Jeez, Doc! How 'bout let him "linger like this" for two days before treating his parents as if they're being incredibly irritating and stubborn? Then later when she was trying to persuade them to take him off of life support, she kept using phrases like "very little hope" and "not technically brain-dead," and already talking about organ donation. What the hell? I would punch that woman in the face. She's saying there is some hope but that this would be a bad state to be in for years on end, so they should just go ahead and pull the plug now?  

Outside of this asshole doctor, absolutely everything in the Matthew storyline absolutely broke my heart today. That's all I can say about it because it's NOT REALLY HAPPENING, but it was very well-done drama and tugged at my icy heartstrings.

In other news, I'm sorry about the fact that I know this is going to disappoint some of you, but I have to speak well of a Ford. James was kind of awesome today. When Ford told James about how he'd been to see Tess to tell her he has feelings for her...

James (in an excellent mocking tone): Oh, now you guys are goin' steady?

Ford: No, they kicked me out before I could do anything.

James: Well good. 'Cause she just would've used it against you. "Oh come on, Bobby, bust me out," and then you would've broken the law and she would've gotten free and dumped you faster than you can say (sounds it out for him like the dunce he is) "ALTER EGO."

Why thank you! Of course he delivered all this truth looking like this:

But what are you gonna do? That look is kind of his thing.

And later:

James: She's an alter ego, she's not real!

Ford, of course, disagreed with this. Bottom line, it's frustrating that this feels like the crux of James' argument is really that Tess doesn't reciprocate Ford's feelings and that he'll be proven wrong since we know Tess is, in fact, having feelings for him when they go play out their beautiful, romantic love story and... look. I'm going to enjoy this while I can. A lot of us (especially me!) have spent a lot of time recently getting all infuriated about storylines we assume will play out, rather than just reacting to what's on the screen (which, personally, I think is a major reason the genre's dying out... I could practically read the scripts for the next month online the way things are going with spoilers and rumors) and I am really not having any fun doing that. And I watch this stuff for fun. (Oh yeah, and to pull him big-time bucks and huge amounts of fame... y'all know soap blogging made me a household name, right?!) So I will try. I will try. Here and now here and now here and now.

Wouldn't it be more interesting, though, if Ford's feelings for Tess made him realize that since she's a fragment of Jessica, it must mean he's developing feelings for Jessica? That's not a romance I'd like to watch play out, but Ford realizing that the reasons he sympathizes with Tess actually mean he sympathizes with Jess (without having anyone spell it out for him) would actually be baby step forward for his character. You know, realizing he was wrong to keep Jess from getting help. Which is why I assume we won't see it. In the future. The future? There I go again! Here and now here and now.

Speaking of Jessica, Viki actually reminded Tess today that Jessica is a mother to two children! Who knew? 



You may have heard this by now (I'm not exactly the queen of scoop here), but today we learned that Ron Carlivati (OLTL's head writer) will be joining the writing staff of General Hospital when he's finished out One Life to Live. What will this mean? Multiple personalities in Port Charles? Big Gay Weddings on the heretofore mob docks? Cops who solve crimes? People over 50 with storylines? A new mafia consisting only of over-waxed abs models taking over the town? Alexis losing her mind and becoming deluded into thinking she and Sonny are going to get back together and throwing Brenda off the Metrocourt roof?

Destiny out!

Comments

[soapbaby]

Oh, Louise, you missed the best line of the day delivered by Destiny weeping at Matthew's bedside: "I can't lose you. Not everything that happened in your bed."

WHHHAAAATTTTTT?! That has to be one of the worst lines ever written in any scripted drama. And I loved it! Hilarious. I have not laughed so hard in ages. Every thing with Destiny and Shenell Edmonds' OTT acting was great.

On the opposite end of the acting spectrum, Hilary B. Smith has an Emmy reel. She was awesome playing the anger and the grief. Robert Woods is great too playing the stunned disbelief. The hour should have been built around them and not included the other shit with Tess/Ford and the teens.

Well, if I had to pick a Ford brother it might be Nate because he is the best actor of that group. Lenny Pratt was horribly miscast as a teenager but he's a decent actor in a terrible role. Still, The Fords should die in an explosion. Robert should be castrated first though. Just ugh.

[Louise]

soapbaby, yeah, I think Platt's the best actor of the bunch but in a horrid role.

And you're right, the "everything that happened in your bed" was sooooo bizarre!

[Cindy]

I could enjoy watching Alexis toss Brenda off of the Metro Court Roof...and she did kind of do that with Lorenzo's brother, so it wouldn't be the first time...

I hope that doesn't mean that Garin Wolfe is only HW untl RC is free, because I read Garin's interview with TV Guide and if allowed, I'm going to love his stuff. He had me with the mention of Doug Marland AND Edge of Night (and yes, I know I'm dating myself with that), and love triangles. Romance! Mysteries! And that ever important word...BALANCE! And it starts airing my birthday week! Yay!

[Bourgeois Nerd]

Even though I have faith (perhaps just delusion) that it actually ISN'T going to happen, it's still exruciating watching Matthew's story. But it hurts so good! HBS and RW are killing it, and I actually think SE's doing really well, too.

I'm about as over Ford, the Perils of Jessica, and Ford/Tess, as it is possible without leaving the atmosphere, and I'm not a general fan, but sometimes Bree Williamson can really bring it, and she did today. That confrontation with Viki was ferocious. I just kind of wish I got where they're going with the arguments that Tess is a real person, because on the one hand they seem to want us to believe that, but on the other hand they don't.

As of right now, it looks like RC will be a script writer, and maybe co-HW. It probably has to do with money; he still has a contract with ABC for two or three more years. Let's hope Frank Valentini, who also has a contract, will follow him and take over from JPL. He's just about the only EP in the game who seems to know how to manage a budget. Whatever happens, though, at least he might inject some much-needed humor and levity to the proceedings! And everyone jokes about shirtless guys, but, you know, this is a genre that's supposed to appeal to women (and gay men), so I don't know what everyone complains about.

[LadyBug]

Matthew's story is killing me because this is what GH failed to do with Jake/Josselyn. I care about Matthew and Jake, but Josselyn was rarely on the show and she lived and Jake died?! OLTL spent months having Clint act out his anger and hurt that Bo ended up with Nora. We watched Matthew spiral out of control when Dani dumped him for Nate. Clint used Matthew to get back at his parents which was wrong in so many ways. Clint had a heart attack, confessed all of his sins on TV, and now needs a new heart. Matthew was dealing for months with killing Eddie Ford (or so we think!) with no one but good old Uncle Clint keeping his secret. Nate is now hiding the fact that he knocked out Matthew who is fighting for his life in the hospital. Matthew is "brain dead" and Clint needs a new heart. I hope this does not end up with Matthew dying to save Clint which would be such an easy "cop out". I would rather someone else on the show (Ford's, Rexx, Gigi, Aubrey, Cutter, Rama, Vimal) etc accidently die instead of Matthew.

[soapbaby]

Well Ladybug, you may get your wish about someone else accidentally dying instead of Matthew. No spoiler but I predict something bad to happen to Gigi given that Rex is already standing in the hospital with a tux on, planning to marry Gigi. Plus, the ABC promos aired all week...

Can all of the characters you mentioned above die in a bus accident? But can we sub Deanna for Vimal? I like him.

First of course, Robert Ford would have to be castrated before the accident that kills those characters.

[Ron]

==First of course, Robert Ford would have to be castrated before the accident that kills those characters.==

Finally, a Fudd family storyline I would actually watch - and root for! And, if it happened, it should be without anesthesia and I'd be more than happy to see Dorian do the deed. She may not have been hurt by Fudd, but that's one woman who I KNOW could do the job.

Middle Fudd wasn't terrible today in the scenes with Bobby Fudd, that's for sure. But all the Fudds really should be nothing but compost.

[sanen85]

@Soapbaby Did you miss Rex's newly classic line "Yeah, but it blew up on My..Face."

The way he said it just killed me.

[soapbaby]

sanen85, I did miss that but have to go YT it because it sounds hilarious! "...it blew up on MyFace." At least the writers have lots of fun! I watched live and muted every thing besides the Matthew hospital drama. Thankfully I got the Destiny line!

I do remember being struck by how much older Nate looked than James in their scenes together. I looked it up and found Lenny Pratt (Nate) is a few months older than Nic Robuck (James). They are 24 year-olds. Hate the characters but gosh those guys are gorgeous. ;-)

[LadyBug]

Soapbaby, I am a card caring member of the "I hate Ford" club. What a vile and nasty character who should have died with some STD.

[wholesale jerseys]

On the opposite end of the acting spectrum, Hilary B. Smith has an Emmy reel. She was awesome playing the anger and the grief. Robert Woods is great too playing the stunned disbelief. The hour should have been built around them and not included the other shit with Tess/Ford and the teens.

[C]

I cannot believe Ford lecturing Viki (who, you know, is Jessica's mother and also suffers from the same disease) about DID and Tess. Gawd I hate him.

[Judy]

I am in the minority here, but I've always preferred James over the other Fords. He's cute but no one could ever see him as hunk material, which is the thing about Robert that drives me nuts, and he's got a bit of humor to him. Nate is too earnest for me.

LOVED BW crying at Viki "I AM your daughter!" That's the best Tess I've ever seen! But I want Jessica back, please, Show, just give her a little Tess essence like you did in the Nash days. BUT NO FORD! He's not Nash, not even close.

[Judy]

Oh, and ITA, Louise, this doctor is pissing me off! Organ donation after only two days??? This is an example of the breakneck speed they use on OLTL when they run out of things to drag out.

And I'd like to know where they find these "actors." On the streets of New York City? Hey, I live in NYC, can I get a job playing a bit part on OLTL? Cuz I could do it better than Dr. Deadpan.

[soapbaby]

Too bad Dr. Buhari couldn't have lived and been both a psychiatrist and a surgeon! Now that was one heckuva dayplayer. Man, she should have been added to the cast on a recurring basis. OLTL needs a doctor character. Especially since OLTL has more medical drama then, I don't know, GH!

Oh, if only Dr. Larry Wolek was around.

[LoriK]

Nora should have smacked the crap out of Matthew's doctor. She is horrible and the idea that a doctor would be pushing Bo & Nora to take their son off life support after less than 2 days is ridiculous.

I agree that Destiny's line was so weird and awkward that it was really jarring, especially in the middle of an emotional scene.

I hate all things Ford, but I hate James the least. I think LP is a better actor, but Nate is more annoying as a character than James.

I'm all for a bus accident that takes out most of the dead weight characters, but Bobby Ford needs to die a special death. Something both painful and humiliating. Maybe advanced syphilis from his days as gigolo. As he's dying the doctors would realize that that the syphilis made him sterile and he couldn't possibly be Ryder's father.

[DeeDee]

I've been reading Serial Drama for two years, but this is my first post 'cause I just had to chime in on soapbaby's comment. Imagine that... a soap about families in a small Pa suburb having more medical drama than one that's actually supposed to be about people who work in a hospital. I grew up watching ABC soaps, since the late 70's, and I hate what the writers have done to them. Still, OLTL is and has always been my favorite and I'm really going to miss it, especially Dorian and Vicki.

[realbrenda4evr]

Hilary B. Smith is simply the best. I LOVED her line "As long as my heart beats, yours will, too." Now that's a mama!

I love her not trying to hear that incompetent doctor. Matthew is not brain-dead. Even if there is minimal activity, he is still here. I'm disgusted that she's trying to convince Bo and Nora to take Matthew off life support and donate his organs. As of now, he's not gone and I'm holding on to that snippet of hope.

Also, I love Nora's look of disdain whenever that quack opens her mouth. "Yeah, we know what you want." I can watch Nora fighting for her child all day everyday. The whole hour should be dedicated to this story.

Destiny cracked up with the "everything that happened in your bed" line. I was...not expecting that. Ha!

Judy, I loved BW's delivery when Tess told Viki she's her daughter. When BW cries, she just gets to me. I think she plays devastation and heartbreak so well. That IS the best Tess moment I've seen since she's been back. That said, I love Jessica and want her back already. Intergrate her once and for all and please, please, please let Ford be shot on site if he shows back up at St. Ann's. Can't Viki get some kind of restraining order?

[realbrenda4evr]

Also, Deanna is the worst. I can't take much more of her and those Fords.

[Andrea]

So, spoilers have made me decide to stop watching the show aside from the Two Todds storyline. I cannot deal with Jessica falling in love with her rapist while Brody goes crazy and probably is killed by Heroes Ford and John after Brody kidnapped both Liam and Ryder.

[SueB]

If I didn't know better, I would think that evil Clint had the bad doctor on his payroll. "Just tell them that he won't come back - it is hopeless - then I'll get his heart" evil laugh, evil laugh, evil laugh...

And good point on the hospital focus of the ABC soap that isn't called General Hospital. I'm just glad that mobsters haven't infiltrated One Life to Live - it's bad enough we've got Australian ones on Y&R now...

[Cindy]

Hmm...the event that isn't happening sounds very michael Corinthos-ish...guess that makes Nora Carly. *cough* Anyway, PA is not that far from PA, they should pack up Matthew and take him to Patrick.

I'd rather enjoy watching Brenda be tossed from a roof and usually I like most of RC's writing, he and Mr. Wolfe should be a good team. I just wish I didn't feel like they were joining forces to usher GH off.

[LadyBug]

Clint, Kelly, Natalie and Matthew have all been patients at the hospital during the month of May/June. This is why FV always ran OLTL under budget. RC writes interwoven stories which had several Llanview citizens running into each other at the hospital.

[Bourgeois Nerd]

Exactly, LadyBug. They amortize the SHIT out of those sets. They aren't standing, so it takes money to dis/assemble and transport them, and the only way to make that work with a budget it to use them a lot. It's why everyone and their brother/lover was at the Minuteman last month. It also encourages interwoven stories; if you want to use a set, you have to have more than two characters using it, or it's just not cost-effective. Thus, RC's old-school soap style and the budget wizardry of FV work in perfect synce with one another. They're a good team.

[SueB]

@LadyBug - what a great observation. I never really thought of it, but it was like last year's airplane set - they had people flying to london, to seattle, to wherever jarad died....

[LadyBug]

My only complaint about the hospital scenes is not having a familar doctor around like Larry Wolek, Michael McBain, Kyle or even BSC Marty!

I just realized that OLTL does not have any nurses on the show like (Liz, Epiphany, Bobbie, etc).

[Sharon]

I know that the writers on this show are doing their best not to hit the obvious story beats in the Jess/Tess story, but I cannot let this one go any longer. Viki and Tess' conversation was the perfect time Viki to remind Tess that Bree is NASH'S CHILD! Remember Nash? That guy that Tess supposedly loved? The guy that Jessica left Antonio for? The guy whose death lead Tess to try to kill her Natalie? Look, I have no talent for writing, so if this is beyond obvious to me, it confounds me that the people who are paid to write this show ignore it.

[Judy]

I'm with you, Sharon. Tess cared about having Nash's kids. It's stupid that they've changed her back into a party girl who doesn't give a crap about NASH'S DAUGHTER!!!!

I also totally hate that they are trying to do Nash redux with Ford, who is nothing like Nash! YUCK YUCK YUCK! Bring Jessica back already, this story sucks!

[cheap jerseys]

I never really thought of it, but it was like last year's airplane set - they had people flying to london, to seattle, to wherever jarad died....

[UGG Ireland]

they had people flying to london, to seattle, to wherever jarad died....