The One With All The Heartfelt Talks

Last week, my computer abruptly died (right when I was in the middle of a long overdue post about General Hospital that, in the interest of full disclosure, was not a very interesting one and was mostly a list of things that had bored me about that day's episode, which I think was basically everything about it except for my mild curiosity about what Luke's deal is) and after I had a mini-meltdown ("I have so many FILES on there! I have so many PICTURES on there! I have so many PERFECT GIFS TO USE IN RESPONSE TO PEOPLE SAYING SASSY THINGS TO ME on there!" (Have hilarious television .gifs ruined the art of in-person discussion for anyone else? I answered someone's "What did you do this weekend?" question with a long discussion of a book I just finished and a rambling recap of my quest to find the perfect turquoise ottoman at Homegoods, and I wish I could have punctuated it with Stuart Smalley's "I am fun to be with" but alas), I asked my father if he could take a look at it, because he is a fixer of many things. And he did take a look at it and did fix it and sent me a text to let me know: "I got it running and will test it more tonight. I did some bloggering for you. Some general GH musing. I hate that Sonny!"

I laughed, mostly at the use of "bloggering" but also at how my relentless dislike of Sonny has even made an impression on my father, who tunes out most of my pop culture blathering. Either that or the general awfulness of Sonny Corinthos has even made its way to sports radio shows, which is entirely possible...I mean, he IS pretty bad.

That is a long explanation for why I have been MIA. I DID try to figure out a way to do it on my phone, but I say so many things and my phone's screen is too small for that and there came a point on Monday night (like fifteen minutes after the computer died) that I was reasonably sure I was going blind.

But I am not blind, which means that I got to watch today's show and listen to all of the heart-to-heart conversations people in Port Charles are having and I...have questions.

• Like the entire planet guessed the very minute he showed up in Port Charles trying to solve a crime from two decades ago, Nathan does have a connection to Nina: he's her baby brother. And Donna Mills is his mother. And his real name is James Reeves. And he's trying super hard to find out who tried to kill his sister, who loved him so much. I...okay. I feel like his vendetta would have had a little more oomph to it if he were Nina's son (could he still be Nina's son, except that he doesn't know it and the woman he thinks is his mother is actually his grandmother? The way they kept saying that Nina lit up around him makes me raise an eyebrow. I mean, I have much younger brothers and when they were the age Nathan was before Nina went into her coma, I sort of avoided them and cringed at the sight of them. There was no lighting up), although it IS kind of darkly amusing to think of this child at Nina's bedside vowing revenge while he takes a break from reading Sideways Stories from Wayside School.
• What is the backstory with TJ's mother? Do we know and I've merely forgotten it, which is entirely possible? Otherwise, we are left to speculate on how many awful life choices she made in the past that had a hitman-henchman lecturing her on "the life [she] lived" and the hole she crawled out of. Something worse than murder and supporting Sonny? Chilling.
• Poor Michael. Not only does he bear the great burden of choosing medical care for his father, but he OBVIOUSLY chose wrong in giving Patrick the go-ahead to perform a risky surgery. Did he not notice the depression beard, the dead eyes and the way that seemingly every syllable he enunciated was harsh and edgy?
  
  
  
  

This is only going to end one way, Michael, and that's with AJ in a persistent vegetative state, at best (especially since Sean Kanan is exiting). Good luck with grappling with your feelings of guilt and horror!

Although horror isn't exactly a new emotion for him. He IS Sonny's son, and Sonny is the kind of man who will rant angrily at the unconscious man he tried to kill.

Sonny: Damn you, AJ, for what you did to my son. Damn us both straight to hell! I hate that I broke my word to my son, you sorry bastard! Pulling the trigger felt right. I did what you did to Connie, but she died, you didn't. Where is the justice? Now you make Michael take responsibility for your miserable life? You're at the crossroads between life and death. I hope for Michael's sake you live, even if it means taking me down, but let me tell you something, you scum: I want you to die. Michael deserves a better father. You took Connie away! What more do you want? Die so I can keep my son.

I mean, yes, it is completely in character for Sonny to do this and I hardly expect him to keep AJ company and say, like, nice and calming things or even just sit in awkward silence. But it was still SO awful and it went on for SO long (and also, I'm sorry: I am still not buying that Sonny loved Connie that much. I'm just not. He was thinking about breaking up with her before she died, he hopped into bed with her cousins minutes later and sometimes when they say her name, even Ihave to seriously try to remember who the hell Connie was and I am quite a lot smarter than Sonny is!) and he is just the worst (non Franco division, of course).

Comments

[Nancy]

I have only one comment about this crapfest show....Sean Kanan is leaving as AJ and I am so, so , so angry I dont know what to do. I read the article where he says he was not happy with the way they wrote AJ's return and I can only say I totally agree. It started out exciting and promising, which should have been my first clue not to trust it. He got sober, was grateful for the chance at a new life and a chance to build a relationship with his son which was stolen from him by the wretched Carly and Sonny. He had a chance with Elizabeth, where there was real chemistry and promise also...but then, as SK said, all they could think of was panic attacks and pickle relish...stupid and lame! Then they had him cheat on Liz with Carly, stupid and lame! Then losing his place with ELQ, blowing it with Liz and drinking again, and there it was...AJ the loser and drunk once again. It was lazy, lazy writing and such a waste of a legacy character that had so much potential. Just so angry!!!!

[TekBunE]

AJ has to have just one brief moment of consciousness before he goes off into the sunset and that is to finger Sonny. Please, please, please. Sonny needs some real angst, not the angst he THINKS he is having. Sonny needs to suffer like I do when I see he is trying to speak or act OR THINK. I always was on AJ's side even hoping for redemption after killing golden Jason who became Stone-Dead.

[MissyLady]

Sonny IS the worst!

The only Quartermaine's that mattered to Ron were Franco and Kiki at the time, and now that those two losers have moved on story wise, why not dump AJ? AJ is a legacy character and unlike Franco Baldwin (RME) should have lots of story with the rest of the Quartermaine's.

[Poker face]

I'm so disappointed in how GH completely ruined AJ's return. I had such high hopes this regime would undo all the wrongs Guza did. AJ has always been one of my favorite. I wanted him to have a relationship with his son Michael. I wanted a great romance for AJ. I wanted him to be successful at ELQ. He should have been the Q patriarch now that Alan and Edward are gone.

I'm not interested in another recast. I hope they don't kill off AJ. Before he leaves, I hope AJ tells Michael that Sonny shot him and Ava killed Connie.

Best of luck to Sean Kanan at B&B.

Oh and RC's tweet was harsh and not classy.

[Cindy]

RC stopped being classy with both SK and LC (Monica) when he wrote in fat jokes and insults about Monica's appearance. For the record, I think SK is hot just how he is, thank you very much and I've never thought Monica's "work" was so bad...I've seen bad, that's not it.

I care about so little going on right now on the show that I keep falling in to deep naps so I'm thinking that when SK leaves, I will as well.

As for Carlivati, when you have at least 6 actors leave within a year and they're all at the very least dropping hints of negatity about how their characters are written and the message boards are full of complaints, the actors aren't the problem, Carlivati. You are.

[Liz]

I am very disappointed that SK is leaving, but not surprised and I agree with his reasoning. Hopefully B&B will value him. GH had a chance to give him a redemption arc, a reconnection with Michael, and a steamy romance with Liz and they blew all three. Just more proof why I should never get my hopes up when it comes to this show. At this point I am only watching for Rick Hearst, and when they do the same thing to Ric's character (which is inevitable) I'm tuning out again.

[CrimeanWah]

I don't know why no one ever figured out how brilliant it is to introduce a large group of poorly written, badly plotted, undeveloped characters and then give each of them a half dozen family members to compound the who cares factor. I don't hate Donna Mills but since I already know I don't care about anyone in her storyline, and it's inevitably going to descend into ridiculous camp anyway, I can't be bothered to watch any of her scenes. I'll keep DVRing to catch Finola Hughes' twice-yearly appearances, but that's about it.

[Mary]

Like everyone has been saying, not surprising but still painful to hear. I can't believe R.C. To accuse Sean Kanan of having no class (and expressing it in the most lame ass way possible is even a new low for him.) Everything SK said in his farewell interview was spot on and honest. Sadly, I don't watch B&B but I do wish SK the best.

[sjgsjg]

I don't tweet, what did RC say? I'm very upset about SK's leaving and ready to quit this show except that Ava Jerome is my spirit animal. Things will continue to suck as long as Sonny is the center of the show. Period. I won't get into the ridiculous half-assery that was Robin's return. It angered the scrubs fans and took away airtime from everyone else.

[CrimeanWah]

RC tweeted "[Sean's]comments are like school in the summertime. No class" "I'm disappointed that Sean wouldn't just say thanks for the opportunity and leave it at that." Apparently in his egomania he doesn't understand that he's the one who should be on his knees in gratitude for the opportunity to have this job despite being a talentless, unprofessional hack.

[CrimeanWah]

Oh and I believe the "school in the summertime" bit was cribbed from Fat Albert (it was definitely cribbed from somewhere) so I guess RC couldn't resist making an oblique parting weight reference. Maybe with his juvenile mentality he'd be better suited to children's cartoons, except I don't think he's clever enough.

[Kim]

While RC's comment was really tacky (especially because if his point is that you should just be classy and quiet and move on along, he might try setting that standard himself and instead did exactly what he was criticizing), the "school in summer/no class" joke he quoted is an extremely common one and I've got no doubt it meant nothing about weight.

[Special Mom]

I agree with all of you about SK leaving. These latest SL are terrible. I keep waiting for it to get better. Good thing I still have Days.

As far as Patrick, this was the SL for him after Robin leaves?? Why couldn't any of our scenarios worked?? Was this also the best option? To have him angry, upset at Robin and lose it with Emma and Anna??

Not that those scenes weren't awesome b.c they were, b.c of JT not the writing. Even the scenes with Elizabeth were raw and on point but this whole thing is beyond ridiculous. Robin could be saving Jason and seeing her family w/o anyone else knowing.

I really hope this is not some lame way to get him back into Sabrina's orbit....even Carrrlos thinks this baby is his, given how he swore over it to her!

[Davrule]

I highly doubt RC didn't mean anything by it, it's extremely well known that that saying was popularized by the Fat Albert Show. Since RC is a TV writer and in the age group where he's probably pretty familiar with that show I'd frankly be amazed if it was just an innocent coincidence instead of a cute little shot from Mr. Genius. It might be the most remembered quote from that show. And when you add in the constant weight jokes (including Dr. O's perpetual "skinny scarecrow" stuff which nobody is supposed to get mad about but is really the other half of the uncool coin) it seems even less likely.

[Michael]

Seriously--Sean Kanan is leaving? His choice or TPTB's? That's bad news all around. I guess they just don't get how DESPERATELY some viewers (OK, that would be me, but there have to be at least one or two others--or one or two million) need characters around who upset Sonny's little world--and AJ's success in connecting with Michael was one of the real joys of the Carlivati-Valentini GH. It drove Sonny nuts, it drove Carly nuts--it was perfect. Such a nice antidote to a decade or more of Sonny worship.

Ron C. needs to stay off of social media, clearly. Apparently his mother did not teach him that there are times it's better to say nothing at all. (You know: I shouldn't slander his mother that way. I'm sure she TRIED to teach him that.) I haven't seen SK's interview, but even if I were to read it and decide I agreed with RC's assessment, I would still think RC's response was poor form, if nothing else. (As Kim said above: tacky, and by making it, he became guilty of exactly the thing he was accusing SK of.)

[QuA]

"I hope this is not some lame way to get him back in Sabrina's orbit"

I'd say there's approximately a 100% chance that that's going to happen. ;)

"frankly be amazed if it was just an innocent coincidence instead of a cute little shot from Mr. Genius"

That's exactly how I read it, dude is so passive-aggressive--when he's not being aggressive-aggressive--so in love with himself, and thinks he's so hilarious and so brilliant, I pictured him barely able to type from laughing so hard at his own stupid inside joke.

"His choice or TPTB's?"

It seems like it was his, he wasn't happy and arrived at a mutual decision with Valentini--and Bold and Beautiful. Not much was really said in the interview, but enough to upset someone as thin-skinned as Ron. Just a couple of lines, he was excited to be back on GH but a bit disappointed, didn't expect to be involved in stories about relish, would have preferred a love story. Nothing to really upset a grown-up professional.

[sjgsjg]

Considering this is an actor who created a legacy character and has been very popular on other shows (I.e. will probably always have a job if he wants one), I thought his comments were EXTREMELY gracious considering the circumstances and certainly not warranting RC's response. It's a wonder RC didn't blame it all on the Niz fanbase (who do need to shut their pie holes but still).

[Jenna]

People use the Fat Albert comment all the time in reference to things having nothing to do with anyone's weight. It wasn't a weight dig. It was just an obnoxious dig, far more classless than SK's comments. RC is always a thin-skinned passive-aggressive bully on Twitter but it's an enormous stretch to take a quote people use thousands of times every day because it's just part of the vernacular now and make it about something involving SK's weight.

[QuA]

"People use the Fat Albert comment all the time in reference to things having nothing to do with anyone's weight."

Yeah, of course. The point is, RC is passive-aggressive and obsessed with making idiotic digs because he thinks he's so funny. He was obviously slamming SK for having "no class," but imo, he was also laughing his ass off to himself wondering how many people were going to catch the Fat Albert thing. You're entitled to think it's an enormous stretch to connect a show called Fat Albert to a guy who's obsessed with a) other television shows and b) making passive aggressive comments and c) making actual digs at the weight of the person being discussed, I disagree, but ultimately it ain't that serious.

[CrimeanWah]

Omg, LOL. I was joking about Fat Albert, hence my use of the word "oblique." (Though I have to agree, if he knows where it came from, and he probably does, I certainly wouldn't put it past him to be such an 8 year old). I hope that someday I can be rehabilitated. I apologize to RC, his friends, family, colleagues, co-workers, his bosses, the network, his podiatrist, his travel agent, his pet parakeet, the college kid he threatened with jail and expulsion, and anyone else in or out of his life who was offended, mea culpa, mea culpa.

[Fleur]

After being a viewer way back in the 90s, then coming back years later to witness what shreds had become of this once fun soap opera, I still stuck with it for four or five years. I now caaan't with this show. Sorry guys, I hopped back on board with Jonathan Jackson's return (poorly written), suffered through K McCullough's departure (poorly written), and the First Franco debacle (excruciating television), then Franco's return (worst. idea. ever. and waste of a good actor), only to watch the magic between Kelly Monaco and Michael Easton somehow get morphed into a snoozefest (it's not the actors, KM and ME were SO hot when he was first on as John McBain--how is Silas suddenly the new Steve? Even this crazy storyline can't make me interested). I just feel like the show has become completely manic, switching furiously from one bland storyline to the next, giving us dull newbie after dull newbie, leaving nothing of interest in its wake. Kanan's comments were on point: they gave him a storyline about RELISH. and then completely kicked it aside for this mob crap, which is why people disliked Guza so much to begin with. UGH. Yes, Robin's return was a shining moment of soap wonderfulness, but her exit was dreadfully written and completely illogical. I certainly don't blame the massive talents of the GH actors. The writing is just--I can't anymore. There's no fun, life, or romance in this show right now. I loathe most of the characters and all of the storylines. I haven't managed to watch a whole episode in probably two months. After four years, or unless won over by some major plot changes, I am officially done as a GH viewer!

[Rene']

It seems most soap journalists are adamant in their ass kissing of Ron Carlivati. *I*, however, am NOT. So I wrote an article about Sean's exit, my feelings on the storylines, not just for him but for other legacy characters they are assassinating, and about RC's disgusting Tweet. The comment section is filling up with people sharing their opinion, and I had no idea I was one of the only people willing to call out RC on his bullshit.

What I want to know is - someone mentioned that RC actually called some kid's PRINCIPAL because of something he said against GH??? Does anybody know what that story is?? I've tried to stalk RC's Twitter to see if I could find it, but if anyone knows, PLEASE go to my article and share it in the comments. I'm hoping this thing article will take on a life of its own for fans to share their DISGUST not only with the writing for AJ SUCKING royally but with RC's inability to keep his yap-trap shut.

http://www.examiner.com/article/sean-kanan-leaving-general-hospital-over-writing-ron-carlivati-tweets-insult

[Elizabeth Kerri Mahon]

IMHO, Ron Carlivati's tweet was uncalled for. Sean expressed his honest opinion and he prefaced it by saying how excited he was to be asked back, and lamenting that he was not given a love story, which is the meat and potatoes of soaps. Frankly AJ has never had a love story on this show, even when Billy Warlock was on, apart from his brief marriages to Carly and Courtney and they were both in love with Jason. RC never once explored what went on in AJ's life while he was away. What was he doing? Just hanging out in a clinic in Switzerland playing pinochle with Faison? Why did the battle for ELQ have to revolve around relish? And in the end why couldn't Tracy and AJ both have been co-CEO's, so we could have had fun scenes at ELQ? What they should have done was have Ava try to get her hooks into AJ, instead of pimping out Kiki as a Quartermaine. Sean and Maura had chemistry. Ava could have married AJ, and then slowly fed him alcohol in his morning breakfast smoothies. Or just kept him so sated with sex, that he agreed to do whatever she wanted with ELQ. Instead we have Ava and Sonny trying to cover up AJ's shooting. We all know where this going to end up, with Ava and Sonny having a relationship. Snooze!

[QuA]

Hey Rene, if you go to the Carlivati twitter parody accounts, the kid is on one of them telling his story. I don't think he actually went through with calling the principal, which makes sense because I'd like to think there isn't much anyone could say to someone's principal about this that wouldn't get them fired or dragged away by people in white coats.

[Poker face]

I can't believe they brought AJ back from the dead only to kill him off.

Last time they killed AJ, I quit GH for about a year. This time, I quit permanently. I'm glad Rick Hearst is back but I have zero interest in the other characters or stories.

I hope B&B won't screw Sean Kanan like GH did. SK isn't welcomed back to GH as long as RC is HW! Yikes.

[janet]

The last time AJ was in the hospital, waiting to be suffocated, and Sonny had his shoot out with the pcpd, to be told the cops were at fault they pushed scummy the mobster to do it so he was let go. I shut the show off. I never found out or cared who did kill AJ. I saw Michael under the bed with a pillow ,so I just shut it off for ten years. I also returned to see JJ. loved him with Siobhan,, then waited to see Robin. I was delighted to see SK and Chad on screen together.>Not only did Frank turn into Frons and Ron into Guza and we get what I shut the show off to NOT see the mobster hero saint who LOVES his kids????? They also wrote AJ out .We saw so little of him. This show is now back to the way it was before the unholy three left. I don't care what they do. SK I wish the best. TR left, GF is gone, now to add insult to injury I hear they have Luke hitting on a child. The man is a case. Talk about no class. Wanted to be the drunk driver who killed Jake now an idiot.TIIC make themselves look so bad between Twitter, and barring anyone who disagrees with him.Which right now is most of the free world.I am done.Even Anna has been turned into a joke.I cannot bring myself to watch.The dvr ,can't make myself;f watch that either.

[LJMartiz]

I am very disappointed in what this show has become. I agree with everyone about how horrible it is. I was very confused about the RC's tweet as there was not one classless thing about SK's interview. Ousted actors have interviews all of the time. While soon as quite fake in faking the people that fired them for giving them an opportunity, you also get people like SK who tell the truth. It was not as pretty as the show's PR want it to be. As many of you have said, this isn't the first time this has happened in this year. From GF to JW we are hearing the same thing over and over about how RC is nothing but a hack that likes to create stunts in order to inorganically drive up ratings. It has failed. Y&R has beat GH and even had the best ratings since 2008. This is Y&R that we are talking about, a sad shadow of its former self.

RC is pretty much the same as Guza in my book. I now see almost no difference between them. The mob is great. Sonny worship is at an all time high. Hitmen are the moral centers of this show. The Quartermaine's are an endangered species. Jason Morgan is considered great and the best. I can go on but I don't want my blood pressure to rise too high.

The false promises are comparable to a deadbeat dad at this moment.

[TIsh]

I always enjoy your take on GH-- I gave up on GH last year for good after 38 years .. damn I am getting old... I wasn't thrill with the Robin exit storyline 1st go around...then got excited with the return on AJ--and SK-- thought AJ and Liz had great potential but wasted on what --relish-- SK was spot on with his interview-- hated Franco when James Franco played him -- really hated the recast or whatever that was... so done-- didn't even watch the return on Robin (who was my fav).....

[Janet B.]

I'm late to the party here but totally agree w/everyone. RC has turned into Bob Guza, Jr., Jr. He did an old bait & switch with us. Said he wanted to honor the history of the show. Made promises and brought characters back for poorly written stunts. Front burners his pets to the point where I'm totally sick of seeing Ava on my screen every day (I know she has a lot of fans, just personally cannot stand the character). Newbies who can't act so they must be shirtless to distract us from that fact. Only featuring the Q's so he could make faux Q's out of Kiki and Franco. When that didn't work, good-bye Q's. The focus is back on the mob, Jason is allegedly on ice somewhere, A.J. will always be the scum of the earth who killed Connie and Sonny and his ilk will always win. Fine if you want to make your bad guys both good AND bad, but then don't make the good guys never win. RC dumbs down the good people to sacrifice them at the altar of the mob, just like Guza. I've been watching GH since probably the late 1960's-early 1970's when I was in grade school. Yeah I go back that far and I've never stopped watching the show once they invented VCR's! But I am seriously asking myself if I want to watch the Ava and Sonny Show anymore. I'm only hanging in there for a small number of stories. I know a show has to create new characters. At one time my absolute favorites Anna, Robert, Frisco, Felicia, etc. were all new. The difference I guess was I liked those characters. Now the show is filled with new-ish characters I just don't care about and they are all front and center day after day.

[Nancy]

Janet B. you said it!! I could not agree more . RC did pull a bait and switch. I remember what he said about honoring history, and all we got were sweeps stunt return of favorites then they got dumped once the ratings were good. I hate what he did to Laura...GF deserves so much better story and writing than they gave her, and where is she when Lulu needs her. AJ, another huge disappointment, and got dumped on as well. Ava is on every freakin day, and Sabrina, so boring, one dimensional and not a match for Patrick. Yet they both have eaten up so much air time, away from the core families. And there are no good couples except Dante and Lulu. dont like Silas either and am not interested in his current storyline. And where is Lucky? I know JJ left, but a recast has happened before and it would make more sense than him becoming another deadbeat dad who abandons his sons. A good soap has newbies,but weaves them into the existing core families and characters, not kicks the vets aside to favor them. I have been watching GH since 1963, when I was in grade school, so yes I go back really far! Great post!