I think that my main objective, once I saw the direction the episode was taking, was to disseminate the clues that seemed to abound through the show.
One of the most blatant comments in the script that I understand people are going to accuse me of overthinking is the one that probably stuck in the minds of most GH fans, "Angels are weeping because you're such an idiot." I definitely have the impression that the fans as seen in exactly that way by the powers that be. My last soap journal outlines why I feel that way, so I won't go into repeats here.
I loved the constant reference to "They" without identifying who "They" actually are. Or course, we are to believe "we" are "they" and the reference is to what the fans want, but was this really what the fans wanted? I understand that the Luke fans were happy and I was glad to see him, but as Sherry commented, it didn't save the show for me at all. Same goes for the Sonny fans... some of whom I hear loved it and and others who are lest than pleased. There is not one single cast member, past or present, who could make a bad script forgivable to me just because they're in almost all of the scenes. No one. In fact, there is not one single cast member, past or present (and believe me, I've been seriously attached to some of the characters), who I would like to see GH based around on an ongoing basis. I love the composite show and I miss seeing the full cast of characters on a regular basis. This episode served to remind me that we simply do not and will not have that until the current regime leaves.
Other telling references to "They" are, "The only way into Heaven is to do what They want" and "They want you to do what you're told." To me, that is a slap right at us, the fans, telling us to sit down, shut up and watch the shit they're shoveling and like it. And we do...at least the first part, lauding every moment that is above tolerable as though it's the holy grail of daytime and somehow justifies our continued devotion to a show that stopped giving a damn about us years ago.
One of Sage's wonderful message board posters broke down what specific fan requests she felt the episode was addressing. I'll elaborate on them one by one:
Alexis Tells Sonny About the Baby
I suspect that the fan(s) requesting this hoped for some kind of happy resolution. While I was watching this segment, I found my most stirring moment to be right after she told him when he walked toward the liquor was, "Shit, hit the deck, he's going for the crystal!"
Other than that, the whole scene was just a painful validation that Alexis is right to keep Sonny's baby from him.
Jason is Sonny's Boss
It was definitely cute and served to show Sonny's pride and ego at its fullest. Steve nailed his impression of Sonny dead on and I thought it was fun enough. It was great to see Benny again.
Skye and Sonny Together
... or how to fully insult Skye a little more. As always, Robin Christopher rose to the challenge of whatever she's given and was great. I had a big laugh when Sonny was bellowing at Luke about how unstable Skye is (and Carly and Brenda, wow, they're paragons of mental health) and wondered why Sonny had to screw Skye to get into heaven. Talk about ManHeaven on a ManSoap. I was slightly confused when Skye entered the penthouse talking in that breathy Marilynspeak and couldn't tell for sure if she was using cutesy, sexy talk or a drunken slur.
Taggert and Sonny are Brothers
...well, at least stepbrothers. Although Real Andrews was incredible, I can't imagine what purpose this segment showed other than to showcase Sonny as a complete bully, oaf and all around asshole. I got confused somewhere along the way about whether Sonny was under the impression that Taggert was a dirty cop or was going to set him up to look like a dirty cop just to be a jerk as one of his many threats. The whole premise seemed to be something like Taggert saying, "You're a career criminal, I'm a cop, that makes us enemies" and Sonny saying, "I'm going to take you down and ruin your life for doing your job and trying to keep me from committing crimes." The issue of them being stepbrothers was just incidental. I mean, what difference does it make? By their back story for the episode, Mike had Sonny, then left Adela and married Florence, who already had Taggert, then they had Gia together. Since Mike was totally missing for the most part from Sonny's life, why would he care what Mike did or with whom? I could understand if it turned out that Deke was really Sonny's father or that Mike was really Taggert's father and there was some blood mixing around somewhere. As it was presented, I have trouble seeing why it was such a big deal.
AJ Gets Michael
It was great to see AJ smile again. Loved seeing Big Alice. I even appreciated the 20 seconds or so we got of seeing the Quartermaines, but both of those things only served to remind me that I really do hate this show now for making it a cast of 5-6 to the exclusion of everyone else.
Sonny is Reunited With Baby Who Died
I know a lot of the Sonny and Carly fans really enjoyed seeing this segment, but for me, it was just insulting that we didn't get more of Sonny breathing in the scent of the baby, cuddling him close, seeing changes that might have occurred in Carly had she not lost the baby and maybe talking about the close call they'd had when she fell down the stairs. Maybe, "I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you or the baby, Carly. It would have killed me," followed by a very quick flashback to this:
and THEN Sonny needing to leave to think for a bit.
I was also intrigued by one of the sets of commercials that aired while I was watching:
Zoloft egg: You know when you feel sad... when you don't enjoy the things you used to love... when things just don't feel like they used to.
Polygrip: Boasts "less ooze."
Kit Kat Candy: Give me a break.
Dove Shampoo: Reference to what we're "plagued with" and being "thirsty for something."
Lastly, I couldn't help finishing the sentence when Luke asked Sonny, "Who did you make this deal with? God? The Devil? ... Guza?"
In my journal column, I equated GH out to a beloved sister who has hooked up with a guy who beats her. You love her so much, you want her to be in a better situation, you just can't turn your back on her and you want to kill the sonofabitch who did it to her. Right now, my beloved sister is on total life support and there's just nothing of "her" left. If I didn't need to watch the show to know what's going on with GH to run EOS, I would have stopped watching months ago. I seriously considered, after watching this particular episode, dropping GH from this site, but there are just two many wonderful, devoted GH and EOS readers that I would miss if we weren't doing GH. I'm here to be with them and not to honor this show that is a fragile shell of what it once was.
