Dear readers, with less than two weeks until Christmas, it appears the good citizens of Port Charles are blissfully unaware. There are no stockings or lights or trees. There are no parties, no caroling, no signs of the holiday to come.
I wondered why, but then I realized that everything looks strange in the age of COVID. Everything looks unfamiliar. Those brilliant set designers that make Port Charles look like Christmas are probably furloughed right now. I fear it may be a Santa-less Christmas in Port Charles. No kids gathered around at GH, listening to stories. Time will tell.
I'm just thankful we have a show at all.
I took so many notes this week, I got hand cramps. Where do I begin?
I'm going to start on the romantic side because that's what makes me happy. Nikolas and Ava finally admitted their love for one another and ripped up the post-nuptial agreement to cement the deal. I have been rooting for them, and it seems I finally got my wish -- but slightly edgier. I thought true love would turn Nikolas back into the gallant prince of yore and bring out the better angels of Ava. But instead, I think we are going to see the opposite.
These two characters, which swirl through the battle between light and dark light, a ballerina pirouetting in and out of the shadows, may very well stop spinning on the dark side. What makes me think so? Nikolas had a pillow in hand and seemed very confident about his thought to ensure Ryan was out of the way by smothering him before Felix busted in and stopped them. When Ava asked, "Were you really going to kill him?" Nikolas got an evil smirk and said, "No, we were." He seemed delighted to be with a partner who wouldn't try to stop his dark impulses but was a willing participant. So, I'm still rooting for them, but I hope they don't go full dark side.
I knew as soon as they left the room that Ryan would open his eyes. I mean, c'mon, it's a soap. I paused and predicted this to my husband, who pretends he doesn't watch GH, even though I went in the bedroom to watch GH so I didn't annoy my family, and he willingly came into the bedroom to watch with me with no coercion. Why won't the man just admit he likes GH? Maybe I'll put that on my Christmas list.
Readers, I'm so glad Dominic Zamprogna is back on the canvas. He's an incredible, soulful actor, and Dante's scenes always move me. Pair him with his mama, Olivia, played the brilliant Lisa LoCicero, and it's a guaranteed powerhouse scene. I thought they brought Dante back to reunite him with Lulu, but I was wrong. I believe that watching him wrestle with single fatherhood, mourning Lulu's condition, nursing regrets of life choices, and co-parenting with Valentin will still be incredible viewing.
There are rumors afloat that the writers put Lulu in a coma and sent Emme Rylan packing to a long-term care clinic meant to facilitate a swap. When Lulu comes back, she will be played by the original actress, Julie Marie Berman. Readers, I'm sorry, but if those rumors play out, I can't be mad about that.
I'll give you an example of my feelings that don't involve current casting. When Lucky was introduced as Luke and Laura's ten-year-old son, he was played by an adorable young actor named Jonathan Jackson, and he played the role from 1993 to 1999. Then he was replaced by Jacob Young from 2000 to 2003 and Greg Vaughn from 2003 to 2009, and Jonathan Jackson came back from 2009 to 2015.
I watched Lucky grow up from a kid to a teenager and became invested in his teen romance with Elizabeth. He wrote her a song and sang to her with his guitar! It was precious and perfect. I was sad when he left, but I know the nature of soaps, and I gave his recast, Jacob Young, a chance. He was...fine. I didn't hate him. He was cute and talented, but he wasn't the kid I watched grow up on GH. When Greg Vaughan came along, I liked him fine, too. He was a good actor and did some great work on GH, but when GH brought back Jonathan Jackson, my heart leaped. It gave the writers the chance to use the character's history, to show flashbacks, to remind new viewers of the character's history. I love that.
I loved Emme Rylan on YR as Abby, so I knew I'd like her on GH, too. I did. She was a successful recast for a beloved character. That having been said, if there is any meat to the rumors and Julie Marie Berman comes back, I will absolutely love watching those old flashback clips of Dante and Lulu falling in love that bring her out of her coma.
Olivia is preoccupied with Dante and his Rocco issues but still has a little uneasiness about the hint Alexis dropped that her marriage isn't as stable as she believes.
No worries, though, because Tracy is handling it. And now, a pause for a brief love letter to Jane Elliot. I love you. You're perfect. Please stay.
Okay, back to business. Having Tracy Quartermaine back on canvas makes GH feel like home again. But I have to tell you, I had forgotten how devious Tracy could be. It's been a lot of decades since I watched her withhold her father's heart medication and nearly let him die on the floor. I forgot that she is intermittently infected with icy vein syndrome. Putting drunk Alexis behind the wheel is pretty dark, even for Tracy. Does she want her to die or just get arrested? You know that Sam and Molly will absolutely believe Alexis was driving drunk. Probably Kristina, too, if we ever see her again. Did she join another cult or something? Where did she go?
In other surprising scenes, we found out that "Charlie" is a daddy, that Kim had his child, and that baby Andrew belongs to Julian. Wow, what a magnificent storyline that would have been if GH hadn't gotten rid of Tamara Braun and Willam deVry! I would love to see that play out, to see the two of them reconnect, to let Kim be the person who brings Julian back from the edge. But I don't think she's going to get the chance because I believe Sonny will whack Julian in the parking garage. Or maybe not -- it is Christmas, and Sonny is a good Catholic boy deep, deep down inside, so perhaps he will show mercy for Ava and Avery's sake.
In comic relief this week, Dr. Obrecht tried to pretend she was not Liesl, we had to watch her wriggle away from Dr. Kirk like the cat from Pepe le Pew, and Scott accidentally murdered someone for her. So, there's that. Now what? I think Dante will notice if Dr. Kirk suddenly sounds like Liesl. I want Kathleen Gati back in Port Charles, pronto. So whatever shenanigans she needs to pull off to return to work at GH with Britt, bring it. I will suspend my disbelief all day. Let her be the one who saves Franco or extracts Drew's memories from his brain.
In news of the not-so-shocking variety, Sam decided to kick her hit man baby daddy to the curb after her son was almost blown up in the explosion at the Floating Rib. Readers, I have told you this before, but when Jason cries, I cry. Because they write Jason as "Stone Cold," and he so rarely gets to show his emotional range, I sometimes forget how brilliant Steve Burton is at emoting, and it just always brings me to tears. His scenes with Sonny in the car as he expressed his heartache and regret left me a little weepy.
To be honest, I am not sure if I want GH to reunite them. Give Sam a new love interest and let Jason see the actual cost of his life of crime. Let him watch Danny start calling another man "Daddy" like he had to do with Jake. Let Sam be happy for a change.
Kelly Monaco has done some fantastic work in the past couple of weeks. In her scenes when she confronted Alexis about her drinking, in her scenes when she thought Jason and Danny might have died in the explosion, and this week, when Sam had to tell Jason she wanted to end their life together. Girl, get your Emmy reel together; you have a lot of material to submit.
Who would have imagined that she would get support from Carly? I thought Carly would rip her to shreds in defense of Jason, but it almost seemed like Carly was a supportive, mature friend. Unthinkable! And that's not said in hate. I love Carly and would absolutely want someone as fierce and loyal as Carly as my friend. But since Lulu and Dev were both victims of the same explosion, and because her own child was there, Carly probably understands Sam's fears.
Who will click the pen to trigger Killer Dante now that Dr. Kirk is bleeding on his office floor? Will Maxie's double wedding be busted up by Dante tackling Peter, or by Jackie Templeton telling Anna that she slept with her stepson? Will anyone explain why Martin Grey has a Southern accent, and his brother Cyrus doesn't? Will Sasha snort more of Cyrus' killer cocaine, or will she be the one to bring him down? Will the quadrangle all switch back to their original partners, or did Michael and Willow's one night of unprotected sex leave Willow pregnant? (That's my guess.)
Will all the mentions of Morgan bring him home for Christmas to get penguin PJs on Christmas eve? Will Laura's scenes at the gun range remind everyone that she is a significant badass? (I have not forgotten!) Will Tracy have "Drunk Lips sink ships and marriages" emblazoned on a T-shirt in rhinestones? Will lonely Sam have a one-night fling with Brando so he can get two Davis girls under his belt? Will Curtis and Jordan ever get to Mexico for real, or will they have an anniversary tradition of Taco Bell?
Only tomorrow knows, dear readers, and I will tune in tomorrow as long as there are tomorrows.
Tamilu
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