By 
The Blame Game
Sonny blames Jason.
As mentioned before, I’m disappointed so far in the fallout of Morgan’s death. My disappointed has nothing to do with the actors who are all rocking the material but in the feeling of repetitiveness. Carly is angry with Sonny but she’s angry with everyone right now. Michael is conflicted but we all know how that will work out in the end. Jason is investigating the accident in an attempt to exonerated Sonny from any wrong doing. And there has been no body found. It appears that Sonny will probably not be the one responsible after all and everything will return to the status quo. This is all too familiar and I wanted something new.
I appreciate that GH is using its history for this story but it is being done in a way that makes it just a repeat of Guza’s work. It is Michael being shot and Kristina almost dying in a car explosion only with a different victim. I would have liked it if GH had gone a little farther back in the Corinthos family history book with this one. Remember the Sonny from the ‘90s? The one who really wanted to be a father? It’s hard for me to equate that Sonny with today’s Sonny. I was convinced that Sonny’s desire to be a father coupled with his own traumatic childhood would have made him a good father. Instead he’s controlling, his children come second to his business and he has slept around instead of attempting to maintain a stable marriage. He even felt entitled to have sex with Ava, Morgan’s girlfriend at the time. It feels like Sonny only strived to be better than Deke rather than strived to be a good father. I would like to see more of Sonny and his loved ones regret that he was never the father he should have been, the one that audiences were promised during the character’s heyday.
What we have gotten instead of personal reflection and promise to do better is the blame game. It’s Julian’s fault for not being in prison and making Sonny order a hit on him. It’s Kiki’s fault for not being a better caretaker. It’s Ava’s fault for her manipulation. It’s Jason’s fault for not being a good BFF. It’s Andre’s fault for not keeping Morgan confined to a mental institution. It’s the bartender’s fault for taking a drunk man’s keys away. Thursday’s episode did give a glimpse at more of the personal responsibly the Corinthos clan should be feeling but GH took too long to give us too little in my opinion. All that being said, the next few weeks show promise.
A Little Bit Of Loving
I was glad that GH did give us some love in the afternoon this week even if it was just a small sampling. Fans of Naxie, HayFinn and Friz all got some nice moments. Nathan and Maxie’s romance is a lot more recognizable these days. It has been nice seeing them played as committed and in love instead of with the hint of break-up they had been getting ever since a doped-up Nathan uttered “I love you Claudette”. I really like how Maxie has gotten her feistiness back. Nathan rescued her from the basement she was trapped in but she met him half way. She got herself untied, found the cell phone and called Nathan so that he could find her. I also enjoyed them investigating Claudette’s disappearance while in bed together. It reminded me of their Crichton-Clark Clinic adventure days.
Hayden and Finn almost got a little busy too until Tracy interrupted them. Hayden is mad that Finn asked Tracy to give her a job at ELQ. I’m not really sure why she was so upset but I imagine it won’t last long. Hayden and Finn are officially out of the friend zone now. Finn admitted that he has feelings for Hayden right before she pushed him away. I’d like to see the stuff with Finn’s illness resolved quick (maybe Robin can come up with a cure) and more of the push and pull of his relationship with Hayden. Love is a lot more fun to watch than death.
Franco and Liz solve the case.
Perhaps Finn’s medical woes will be fixed now that General Hospital can be re-openned. The Baldwin and the Webber were able to do what the PCPD couldn’t and solved the case. Franco and Liz went to Jordan and showed her the evidence they gathered proving that Heather was responsible for the attacks on Lucas and Bobbie. These scenes were really fun watch and added some much needed humor to an otherwise somber week. Afterwords, Liz and Franco celebrated at the Metro Court where they admitted they have fallen for each other and shared a kiss. I’m glad we’re getting sweet moments like this so that when the angst comes, we’ll know what this pairing is working towards.
The Lion in Windemere
Last week was bookended with appearances of Valentin Cassadine. On Monday, we saw Valentin seated on a plane next to Claudette as she attempted to make a run for it. Nathan and Maxie later received security footage of Claudette in a brunette wig leaving the Canadian airport with an unknown man. Only their backs were visible but the audience could tell that Claudette was with Valentin. So what has Valentin done with Claudette? Valentin didn’t stay with her in Canada long because his next appearance was in Port Charles.
During a rather tame goodbye/Halloween party at Windemere, Valentin is mistaken for Kevin who is wearing the same lion costume. When the real Kevin returns Valentin pulls off his mask to reveal himself as the owner of Windemere. I’m looking forward to the follow up on Monday. All the right guests are at the party – Laura, Kevin, Lulu, Dante, Sam and Natasha Cassadine! I would love it if GH did a major Cassadine story line. Even with no Nik, there are plenty of characters connected to the Cassadines and fans would love it. Let Valentin be a real villain and torment the Spencers, have a forbidden affair with a vulnerable Nina, duke it out with with his fellow bastard sibling Alexis for control of the empire and finally follow up on Helena’s will.
Couples of the week: Nathan and Maxie, Franco and Liz, Hayden and Finn
Lines of the week: “Canadian Passport Authority finally fixed their glitch.”-Nathan “Stop it with the sexy talk. I just took a shower.”-Maxie
“This sucks.”-Alexis
“Stupid jerk. He duct-taped me into that chair. Why did he have to lock the door too?”-Maxie
“It’s been a while since I paid my respects.”-Sonny “I think Stone would forgive you for that. He would not forgive you for bringing a gun. So why don’t you hand it over for me and for Stone?”-Robin
“I had no idea that police work would be this grueling and it turns out it’s dangerous.”-Franco
“Were you just being a drama queen?”-Scotty “No, I was not being a drama queen.”-Ava
“Let’s face it usually I’m the guy here in cuffs.”-Franco “Well the night is still young.”-Jordan
“What on Earth were you doing that you left me standing in the hall!”-Tracy
“My mother is like the perfect combination of Houdini and Lizzie Borden all kind of rolled into one very unsettling package.”-Franco
“I’m the daughter of Frisco and Felicia Jones. I laugh in the face of danger.”-Maxie
“I’m not beholden to you.”-Curtis “Oh really? Are you beholden to TJ?”-Jordan
“Have the dreams started yet? The nightly visits that Morgan’s going to pay you because Karen still comes to me!”-Scotty
“I’m not drunk… but I’m working on it.”-Alexis
“I’m so sorry.”-Alexis “Can I tell you how much I hate that expression? Why are you sorry? You didn’t hurt my son.”-Carly
“I’ve got nothing left.”-Sonny “I’m still here Sonny.”-Jason “Who you kidding? I lost you a long time ago.”-Sonny
Video of the week: Halloween Promo
For a look at what’s ahead, check out our General Hospital Spoilers.
I actually really liked the one scenes we got between Valerie and Griffin. Would have liked to have had more.
Thank you for your comment Caitie! There are a lot of missed opportunities with Valerie. It’s disappointing that GH hasn’t built better relationships for her & played her familiar connections. And I agree that GH does need to do a better job of using what they already have.
Thank you Jenn for a weekly review which has spoken well for much of what I felt about GH last week – and about GH in general.
I think many of us are struggling with the repetitiveness of the blame game which has overtaken the fallout from Morgan’s story. I know that I am VERY grateful today (November 1) to have a break from this ongoing sameness that, in the past, has lead us nowhere – no long term changes or consequences. Therefore, other than some fine performances, the framework of what should and could be a good story remains undeveloped. We’ll see what happens over the next weeks.
As you have said, there were good things this past week. Watching Franco and Liz deliver the news of solving the two unexplained hospital attacks was entertaining – and I welcome seeing that GH set in action again. Finn and Hayden continue to be appealing and, from someone who did NOT like Hayden for the longest time, that is saying something. Being with Finn has shown that, when they want to, the writers certainly can change fan opinion of characters.
I’m also looking forward to seeing what Valentin will bring to the canvas – pursuing a relationship with Nina, battling wits with his sister Alexis, dealing with Laura’s wrath after Nikolas’s death – and whatever else he can stir up.
Now, for the general topic you raised – the topic of good girls – a discussion related to the welcome visit of the heroine Robin. Sabrina could have filled that role; however, as you mentioned, her ties to the GH canvas were tenuous. Not so with Valerie – a Spencer – related to one of GH’s long time core families. However, for some inexplicable reason(s), the writers have missed the obvious possibilities thus far in failing to integrate into her Spencer family. In the aftermath of Morgan’s death, I have lamented that she did not have a chance to get to know her cousin Morgan. And I have especially lamented that Valerie has not been present to be part of the family grieving process – especially since she has recent experience with deep grief and because the actress playing her can evoke soulful sensitivity and gravitas when the situation warrants. A sad waste, in my opinion.
Re being “a good girl,” Valerie has been caught in a no man’s land between being seen as good (or mostly good) and being bad since her arrival. Perhaps this is why some fans saw her as the scheming interloper trying to break up Dante and Lulu’s marriage – while other fans saw her as lonely, grieving young women who relied too much on the wrong person and made huge mistakes as a result. Seriously mistaken, but still essentially the good person who loved and cared for her mother selflessly and who joined the police out of a genuine wish to help other people. A wish we saw play out in her dedication to solving the hospital murders and in her desire to find the killer to make things right for that other essentially good girl – Sabrina.
But we need to see more of her as a compassionate cop … as a support for her grieving family … as a good friend to Dillon considering all he is going through. As well, I like the idea of her spending time with Griffin. Potential romance or not, these two share that soulful sensitivity I mentioned above; and, as we have seen from their brief but effective GH encounter, an ability to communicate and share ideas.
But we shall see. The writers have had so many shining new toys to play with that they have sometimes missed the opportunities so easily
available to them.
I wish Valerie was having more scenes with her family. I want to see a Valerie and Griffin pairing. I still think Valerie can be a Sabrina like character. I see that Valerie still held to a higher standard.