Comments through January 24, 2003
(Major news and a rumor)
Anyone who thinks Jason and Brenda are going to jail for more than 10 minutes raise your hand. Anyone who believes a guilty verdict for murder one really means they’re guilty, say “aye”. Anyone who thinks that kangaroo court we saw this week is a joke with some of the lamest scenes ever and of course some technicality will arise to get Brenda and Jason released raise your hand, say “aye”, and stomp your feet so loudly I can hear from where I’m sitting at my computer.
Guilty! But, not for long.
As you might have guessed, it was difficult for me to suspend reality during the trial. I thought the best part came at the last scene on Friday when Jason and Brenda were pronounced guilty. One face after another showed shock, horror or satisfaction. The material might not have drawn me in but GH boasts great actors able to tap my emotions. And why didn’t Sonny bribe a few jurors? Because Jason wasn’t available to do it for him? It only takes one juror to hold out with a doubt to blow the verdict. For crime lord of P.C., blamed for every evil act including parking tickets, Sonny sure walks the straight and narrow.
A.J. demonstrated typical true-to-form weasel behavior at the courthouse when Coleman, worry evident, informed A.J. and Skye that Sonny had threatened his life because he knew they’d paid off Ida. A.J.’s typically A.J. replies made me laugh.
(Quotes paraphrased)
Coleman (worried): We’ve got trouble.
A.J.: What do you mean “we”? Who are you?
Coleman: Sonny found out we paid off Ida.
A.J. (smugly to Skye): I didn’t pay off anyone.
Coleman: Sonny said if Jason and Brenda go down, it’s adios for me. The plan is starting to unravel a bit.
A.J.: It’s your problem. (Grabbing Skye’s arm and dragging her away) Let’s go.
At the beginning of the week I hoped that someone/anyone would put a potted plant over Jax’s head as he decided that Brenda would testify against Jason and promptly informed Scotty of this update. Brenda refused so Jax told Brenda, “I’m done with you! I’ll be in Australia by tomorrow morning and you won’t even be a memory.” Bye, bye big boy. I cheered and then groaned when he snuck back into Brenda’s room to inform her of his “plan”. Have you noticed that “The Plan” remains the same - Run, Brenda, Run – only the proponents differ? First Sonny, then Jason, then Jax, back and forth – Run, Brenda, Run. But then he did me the favor of leaving to set up his and Brenda’s happily-ever-after escape. If Jax’s plan means he’ll be absent from my TV screen for a few days – I’m totally for it. Go, Jax, go. Run like the wind, be free and be happy. Leave the rest of us to our lives, enriched by your absence. Please don’t hurry back.
Apparently, Vanessa Marcil took heed of The Plan since according to Sage and TV Guide she’s running off in February. As in, bye bye GH. I have mixed feelings about her departure because I’ve enjoyed the Brenda and Jason mix; however, perhaps her departure will enable us to enjoy a new storyline called, The Redemption of Jax, in which he begs forgiveness of Skye and the viewers and he redevelops into a character I can stomach.
I have to tell you that the only positive Jax remark I received last week said he has good hair.
Now THIS is an outfit to remember.
This was the beginning of the fight that lasted until Friday. Jason is talking a lot more but I laugh because his lines with Brenda run along one theme. Shut up, Brenda. Would you just shut up? Brenda, shut up. I don’t like you. You’re a pain. I replayed my tape for last week and counted. Jason only told her to shut up twice, it just seemed like more because of their bickering. Brenda, however inserted some good replies such as,
“Have you even thought about what’s going to happen to you in prison? You’re prettier than I am.”
“Do you realize that I was out of the country having a great time? I found these really cute board shorts. I gave all of that up to come back here and stand trial with you. You could try to be nice to me.” (What are board shorts?)
“I came here to help you because I am very sweet,” she reminded Jason after he pulled his gun on her in the penthouse when he thought she’d departed on the plane.
“So do you love her?” Brenda demanded of Jason. I found Brenda’s put out face when Jason was leaving early to see “Blondie” and told her he’d be back in time to pick her up for the trial extremely funny. I’m sure it hasn’t occurred to her that she recently held a sleepover with Jax in the penthouse and didn’t think twice about it when Jason returned in the morning while she pranced about in her underwear outfit and boots.
How odd that Alexis decided to schedule elective surgery for baby Kristina at the height of Jason and Brenda’s murder trial. I assumed that NLG must be taking some vacation time and it threw off the writers - until the hooded lady appeared before Ric on the docks. I’ve been certain that Ned killed Alcazar but now I am experiencing doubt. What if Alexis murdered or knows Ned murdered Alcazar and she took the case to ensure that neither Brenda nor Jason had to pay for the deadly shove? Seeing that the trial wasn’t going well, she bailed to set up a way to prove Brenda and Jason’s innocence. If Alexis is the shrouded lady, where’s Kristina and why did she contact Ric pass on info? “Curiouser and curiouser,” said this one intrigued viewer to anyone out there with other scenario suggestions.
Secretive Ric, meets with the mysterious shrouded lady.
There’s a lot of kissing and sex going on at the moment. Jason and Courtney, Liz and Ric, Lucky and Summer (I can’t write Laura because that’s his mother) and Faith and Ned. How great was studly, kick-in-the-door Nedly with a knife? I enjoyed the whole power sex scene until Ned left and Edward strolled out from the closet or bathroom. I’ve called Edward a lot of names but never pervert until now. Perverted he might be, but I’m trying to figure out what he’s plotting with Faith.
Anger
Sex Perversion
Lots of Dangerous Elements in the mix, plus a knife.
Two scenes really caught my attention this week and both were with Sonny and Brenda. Sonny arrived at the airport with a briefcase of cash for Jason and we saw and heard him walking out of the dark towards Brenda who was hiding behind a fence. It was so…so Humphrey Bogartish. I waited, suspense building for him to say the famous words. He didn’t say, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” Instead he made a few comments, set the money beside her and said in a tone that seemed meant to reassure both of them, “You’re gonna be alright,” and walked away. The second scene came when farce court concluded and Sonny comforted Brenda by putting his hands on her shoulders. I like that he cares, but he only goes so far, definite boundaries. However, I’m sure Carly doesn’t see it that way.
How many times has Jason said good-bye, I don’t know when I’ll return, to Courtney? It has to be at least three or four now. At this point I thought she might offer him a little peck and casually say, “Yeah, right, see ya, soon.” This time they kissed in the love loft and he went away then she left the loft because she couldn’t stand to be there without him. The real reason that Courtney bailed is because she’s completed her decorating makeover and it’s time to move on. The nosy landlady told Jason when he returned, “If you really love that girl, you’ll leave her be,” but she still took his money. I guess caring doesn’t preclude greed.
Nosy, caring, but greedy
I know, I know, Courtney fainted. I’m not even going to address that issue. It makes my head hurt to think of a Courtney baby storyline because that would mean another Jason/A.J. DNA battle. I just can’t deal. I much prefer the rumor that Brenda, off drugs, remembers that she had a child during her lost four years. As an exit for Brenda, it’s open ended and it creates a future connection to the show. At present, the only young people in the mix are Michael and baby Kristina. For show continuity down the road, at least a few offspring need to be implied.
The parallels between Zander the Alienated vs. Peter the Perfect and Jason the Favored vs. A.J. the Screw up have struck my storyline memory card.
Zander experienced a dreadful few days that went like this:
Take drugs
(Apparently he forgot that he told Emily he never took’em, only sold’em)
Call Emily and beat up telephone
Get arrested
Come face to face with his arrogant, unforgiving father
Suck down more drugs
Lay on a cold sidewalk in winter
Crash the Quartermaine’s
OD on the floor of the Q’s
Wake in the hospital in restraints
It would be tempting to gnaw off an arm to get out of these.
Upon recovering consciousness, whom did he soon behold? Yep, Daddy Dearest, come to shove his face in the fact that tragically, he shot his favored, perfect, older brother. A trauma in which Dr. Cam, apparently plans to wallow in indefinitely. I appreciated Gia’s defense of Zander and her horror and disgust at the behavior of an adult who should know better. Gia described Zander by saying, “I see a guy in terrible pain and no where to put it.” Tragedies occur every day and this statement is on point. Ever see the bumper sticker that says, “Life sucks and then you die?” So true, and at times it takes superhuman effort to deal with what’s on our plate. (Eww, and how did this turn serious? I’m better now.) Of course, life also provides 8 million shades of happy in between the sucky parts. Sherry, of Mecurical Mercurio, believes that Cameron’s behavior is “within character and realistic” which a tiny, kind, understanding corner of myself agrees with. It’s just that the protective, don’t-mess-with-Zander part of me is calling the shots right now.
Dr. Lewis, unable to show an ounce of consideration or parental love towards his son, can’t tolerate others bad mouthing Zander. He left Zander’s hospital room in time to hear Nicholas inform Gia of Zander’s terribleness to which he responded with a hearty, but misplaced, “How dare you.” So Nicholas proceeded to inform him why he dared. My mouth dropped when Dr. Cam lectured Nicholas on feeling compassion for another’s pain. If it weren’t so off base and painful I would have been jumping up and down yelling, “Hypocrite!” But Nicholas had a much better line. He told the Doc, “He is not Hamlet, he’s a small town punk.” So there.
Someone needs to inform Nicholas that his bed head look has changed into the I-just-woke-up- and-couldn’t-be-bothered-with-personal-hygiene look. He could spout the best line of the week and I’d miss it because my attention wanders and I’m wondering if he brushed his teeth or put on deodorant since he couldn’t be bothered to comb his hair. Like Brenda’s underwear, when the look steals my attention, it takes away from the show instead of adding interest.
Does this “do” make you want to run your fingers through it?
I was thinking when Scotty accepted the kickback from Senator Jordan that the two had a lot in common. And it definitely wasn’t a compliment. For months, while Scotty’s corruption has proceeded unchecked, I couldn’t understand why others kept enjoying him. Yeah, he’s good with dialogue and kinda quirky, but I couldn’t find any underlying redeemable qualities. I am here to state that I’ve now found one and my opinion of him rose. He’s corrupt, but he’s not as corrupt as the Senator. Beating Summer/Laura was too low even for Scotty and he moved way up the moral code ladder by handing back the bribe envelope and threatening the Senator right back. Since they made reference to cleaning up crime in Port Charles I am assuming that Senator Jordan used his influence to help with the trial. Since the Judge (Do I have to call him that? He’s more of a crooked referee with a robe and gavel.) must be on someone’s payroll and it’s not Sonny’s, it must be the Senator. I enjoyed that scene. I especially enjoyed Lucky’s expression of disbelief at the end when Laura let Scotty take her home.
Why have Sonny’s guards disappeared along with some major characters? I have a theory. I think that all the special effects we’ve been treated to lately, i.e. explosions, plane wreck, New Year’s episode cost an arm and a leg. So to save bucks, all extraneous personnel including regular but intermittent characters have not been invited to taping. Which would also explain why so many new faces keep parading by - Alcazar, Ida, Senator Jordan, Wynona (to name a few) – because it’s cheaper to invite a new actor to play for a day than to use established characters. It’s either that or Brenda costs so much they can’t afford anyone else. Just pondering the whys and wherefores.
And now - a bit of nothing about everything:
I remember this flirty, confident girl. So nice to see her again.
And we may not know a lot about Ric, but now we know he can kiss.
If we all promise to watch the new show, Miracles, do you think they’ll stop promoting it every eight minutes? Enough already!
Bobbi, a woman who talks to numbers. I can relate.
I’m glad that Ned’s hair has grown out a bit, but now they’ve buzzed Sonny again.
Are purple dress shirts the current “in” color for men? Because Sonny wore one for a week to get shot in, A.J. wore his to the trial and Taggert testified in a lovely lavender dress shirt.
Dara Jensen (so nice to see her again) engaging in pleasant conversation with Sonny and Jason - I never thought I’d see the day.
If you saw a picture on the evening news of MOB boss Sonny in court with two beautiful blondes seated on either side of him, what conclusions would you draw?
And demonstrating a stunningly fast recovery, in one day Laura went from picture number one to picture number two. Now that’s a miracle.
Picture No. 1 Picture No. 2
I’m debating the merits of participating in the Superbowl hype. Football, as sports go, is OK, but really what grabs me during the Superbowl are the commercials. Do I want to spend four or more hours watching 10 minutes of sports and then 10 minutes of ads, hype and promos? At least I’m not obligated in the food department. For those of you invested in the big game, may your team of choice win. And for those not caught up in the football event of the year, here’s hoping you like what’s on SoapNet today. My thanks to the many of you who send me e-mails after reading. I love the responses and feedback. Have a wonderful, exciting, happy week everyone. Thanks for reading.
Thanks and GH photo credit for this week: http://groups.msn.com/GHWorld2
And http://groups.msn.com/GHScreenCaps/shoebox.msnw
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