Silas Kain

I was holding off writing about this because I had more concerns about One Life to Live.

But after watching last week’s episodes of General Hospital I can’t hold back any longer. So, here goes. It’s not one of my more wordy pieces but it gets to the heart of my greatest frustration with GH these days.

So, what do we do about Sonny Corinthos? Mobster, serial husband, dad to a litter of flawed puppies?

Maurice Benard (Sonny) Photo:ABC

What do we do about Sonny now that the love of his life is returning to Port Charles?

Well, I say we do nothing.

In the early days, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) was a romantic pirate – a modern day Jean Lafitte. Sure, he’s a mob warlord. Yeah, he’s killed a few people along the way. And he’s been a romantic hero to so many for so long.

Maurice Benard as Sonny (ABC/Michael Yarish)

But just how did Sonny come to be? Just WHO is Sonny Corinthos?

Sonny was born into a pretty rough situation. Yes, he’s Mike’s son. But Mike abandoned him early on. And that was the first nick in his armor.

His Mom remarries and this time to an abusive cop who treated Sonny like dirt from the get-go.

So, I get Sonny’s issues. They’re all so damn Freudian.

Son loves Mom. Son hates stepfather. Son grows up to be rebellious. Sonny looked at every cop as being his stepfather. I get it. I understand how the character of Sonny came to be.

There’s one slight problem…we all have to grow up at some point and the writers have locked Sonny in a time warp from which there is no escape.

Let’s look at the canvas of Sonny’s life today.

There’s Carly.

Laura Wright as Carly. (ABC/Michael Yarish)

They still love each other – no question.

But Carly (Laura Wright) is beginning to open her eyes because if there’s one thing to be said for her – she is a lioness when it comes to her cubs. And that’s what I respect most about her.

Carly is a selfish, self- absorbed shrew in every way except one – her children. That’s her redemption.

There’s Olivia, mother of Sonny’s first-born son, Dante. She kept him away from his father for all the right reasons. I respect Olivia and her choices. I admire her tenacity and see her as Sonny’s first brush with Carly.

Laura Wright (Carly) and Lisa LoCicero (Olivia). (ABC/Rick Rowell)

Olivia and Carly are alike in more ways than not – the difference?

Olivia brings her Italo-Catholic Bensonhurst upbringing to the table in a splendid way.

And while she struggled through her adolescence and her 20’s raising her son to be everything his father was not, Olivia (Lisa LoCicero) now realizes she may have failed. Sonny’s genes dominate Dante. And now Dante has to confront his own demons about his “unknown” father. Dante has to face his own genetics and question who he is as a man. In doing her best to protect her son, Olivia failed Dante by shielding him from the truth for too long.

You know, we’ve had many a romantic journey with Sonny. Be it Brenda, Kate, Alexis, Carly, so on and so forth.

This current arc with federal prosecutor Claire Walsh is a complete joke and an insult to legal professionals everywhere.

Dahlia Salem (Claire) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) kiss. (ABC/Ron Tom)

And even with the prospect of Brenda coming back into Sonny’s life, it doesn’t let him off the hook – not by a long shot.

As an avid GH fan, I’m insulted by the direction Mr. Guza has taken. Whether you realize it or not, you can learn a lot about a head writer’s personal values by the direction in which they take their characters. And as bad as General Hospital is these days, there is room for redemption and learning a lesson.

It begins with acknowledging that Sonny Corinthos is no longer eligible for the redemptive process. He’s toast. He’s finished and he must go, period. And before your head explodes by what I just wrote, let me explain why I am so adamant on this course…

It all began on that fateful day when the shot fired by Sonny was heard around the soap world. With complete malice and forethought, Sonny Corinthos pointed a gun at Dante Falconeri’s heart and pulled the trigger.

Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) and Maurice Benard (Sonny). (ABC/Rick Rowell)

Yeah, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) was a cop hell bent on talking Sonny down. And Sonny hates cops. I get it.

I also get the fact that Sonny was robbed of Dante’s childhood. And knowing Sonny’s fierce love for his spawn, I even understand his attempt to win his eldest son’s soul.

Notice I didn’t say heart. Why? Sonny no longer deserves to be recognized as even having a heart.

In that split second with the cold, heartless stare of a monster, Sonny fired the bullet than must change General Hospital forever.

In the aftermath of Dante’s shooting, we’ve painfully watched Kristina be brutally beaten within an inch of her life. Though the scenes between Sonny and his daughter were gut wrenching due to his own history, it just isn’t enough.

Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth) recognizes her father’s flaws. Kristina has had to grow up in her father’s shadow, keeping him at arm’s length because she knows him all too well.

Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Lexi Ainsworth (Kristina). (ABC/Rick Rowell)

Kristina is more like Sonny than anyone realizes. She has his stubborn streak. She sees most of the world in terms of black and white.

Without the love and guidance of Alexis, Kristina could have very easily become the reincarnation of Claudia without even a blink of an eye. For Kristina there is hope and the prospect of a good life – after her father is taken out of her life permanently.

I saved the best for last.

Michael.

First of all I had low expectations for Chad Duell and I admit I was completely wrong. This kid has presence.

He’s taken Michael into manhood brilliantly and is handling a very sensitive story line with the professionalism of a seasoned thespian.

Michael is a casualty of mob war.

And as much as Sonny genuinely loves Michael, Sonny loves himself more.

When Michael went to jail it was Jason who stepped up to the plate. Jason, the ever present subservient Sonny bitch, has come into his own. Sorry for being so graphic but I’m calling this spade what it is, a spade.

For too many years Jason (Steve Burton) has also been in Sonny’s shadow being ever loyal and a wee bit blind to Sonny’s flaws.

When Michael went to jail we got to see some emotion.

Chad Duell (Michael) and Steve Burton (Jason) behind bars. (ABC/Patrick Wymore)

Let’s face it; through all of Jason’s trials and tribulations, he is the father Michael should have had. Jason has been the nurturer, the father figure the source of unconditional paternal love.

While Michael was in jail, he was brutally raped.

That’s right – Michael was raped.

And while the writers are slowly exposing what happened I am furious at how nonchalant Guza and his team have been and continue to be. Anyone who has suffered through such an ordeal knows what I’m saying is Gospel truth.

And, in the end, it all goes back to Sonny Corinthos.

The writers have opened Pandora’s Box this time.

This isn’t Luke rapes Laura. This isn’t glamour. This is cold, hard reality.

An adolescent boy on the verge of manhood has been violated in a horrific way in a place where he never would have been were it not for his “father”.

Jason knows it. Dante knows it. Carly is beginning to realize it.

Sonny, as usual, is oblivious because it wasn’t Sonny who got raped.

There is an opportunity to take Michael’s journey of healing in the right direction. The writers gave us the story; it’s time for them to deliver the consequences.

We need to recognize, understand and identify with Michael’s pain. We need to share the agonies of Jason and Carly as they come to terms with what’s happened. We need to experience the horror when Alexis has to comfort her daughter not only for the violation of Kristina but for the aftermath Kristina will experience when she discovers her brother – her hero – was violated just as brutally and worse.

The manner in which the writers have handled Michael’s trauma is nonchalant, too cavalier. And that speaks more to the values of Guza nd Frons than it does to the cast, crew and fans.

This is a painful story. At the basest level it has to be explored. Like I said, they opened Pandora’s Box.

In the end, it all comes back to Sonny Corinthos. It started the day he shot Dante. That did it for me. There was no room for redemption.

When Michael went to jail, Sonny remained the typical coward while Jason took responsibility. Sonny uses mob power, sexual prowess and his own sense of justice to his advantage and no one else. As touching as his scenes were with Kristina, they don’t begin to redeem him.

Enter Brenda. Oh boy.

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo (Brenda) and Maurice Benard (Sonny). (ABC/Patrick Wymore)

ABC management seems to think they can undo all the damage by bringing back a beloved character with a rich history. It just doesn’t wipe away the consequences which must be delivered.

There is only one logical conclusion to the decades of Sonny – he’s got to go, period. Inasmuch as I would love to see Sonny Corinthos cut down in a hail of gunfire as a result of his own actions I propose a better alternative.

Let him be charged with shooting Johnny. Let him be tried, convicted and sent to Pentonville.

And as the jail cell door locks behind him, let the last words he hears be from Carly with Jason and Michael standing there, “Sonny, while you were protecting your own ass, Michael gave up his for you.”

Slam the door. See Sonny go mad.

And let him fade way from the Port Charles landscape while the rest of us pick up Sonny’s miserable pieces.

There were so many people speaking the truth about Sonny Tuesday, my head was spinning….in a good way!

Maurice Benard as Sonny ABC/Adam Larkey

Lulu is two-for-two on telling it like it is and giving some serious whoop-ass in the past two weeks.

She really let loose on Elizabeth and Nikolas two weeks ago, after finding out they were sleeping around together behind Lucky’s back. She gave a particularly stinging tongue-lashing to Liz (with the whole world cheering).

On Tuesday’s eppy, Julie Marie Berman, once again, gave an incredibly strong performance – first unleashing on Jason and then turning her full vengeance on Sonny.

It was so great to hear Lulu threatening Jason!

Lulu told Jason that if Dominic Pirelli aka Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) was dead, then she was going to the police and tell them everything she knew about the Corinthos organization.

“If Dominic is dead, I hope you and Sonny burn in hell!” Lulu told Jason.

Then, when Lulu got to the hosptal, she went after Sonny, calling him a “bastard,” “a rotten pig” and telling him that she hopes he rots in hell!

And in the out-of-the-mouths-of-babes department….how about Christina and Morgan??

Did they speak the truth or what?

Christina (Lexi Ainsworth) said that Sonny (Maurice Benard) ruins everything and they can’t even enjoy a christening without something bad happening.

She then proceeds to inform them that Sonny shot a cop – murder with special circumstances.

“I hope dad goes to prison for life,” she said.

Morgan (Aaron Refvem) agreed with his sister and felt only concern for Dominic.

“If dad did it, he’s like a murderer,” Morgan said. “Dad’s a criminal. Dominic was probably trying to arrest him. That’s what cops do. They’re the good guys.”

The good guys!

Which is quite different than a mobster.

I’m just glad that Morgan wasn’t poisoned by Michael and that he was able to stand by what he believes is right.

And then there was Johnny (Brandon Barash). I loved his conversation with Maxie….more truths.

“Poor Sonny,” Johnny said. “The man shoots a cop and finds out it’s his son. It must wreck his whole night, right?…Let me tell you about awful. Sonny standing in the hallway outside Dante’s room wringing his wrists, hands to the forehead. Poor Sonny. It’s all about Sonny’s pain. What about Olivia? And what about Lulu? She loves Dante. So why should they be forced to deal with the man who shot him?’

Bravo, Johnny! Key words: it’s all about Sonny.

Would somebody tell me why – after Sonny shoots Dante – he still has the right to yell at Olivia (Lisa LoCicero) and blame her for this?

Um….Sonny. WHO pulled the trigger?

That’s so typical of Sonny, never taking responsibility for his actions.

And talk about cayonnes…

How about Sonny threatening Steven Webber before he goes into critical surgery to operate on Dante?

“If my son dies, I got nothing to lose by making you pay,” Sonny said.

Now THAT takes some big ones!

If Dante dies, it’s no one’s fault but Sonny’s.

But the icing on the cake was at the end, when Detective Ronnie Dimestico (Ronnie Marmo) comes into the hospital to arrest Sonny. Sonny tells Ronnie he’s not going anywhere!

Really??? Because you just shot a cop in cold blood.

Ronnie tells Sonny: “Now you want sympathy from me? Special treatment? Is that what you’re looking for? After you shot Dante and put him in the O.R.? I am FRESH out of mercy for you Sonny!”

Yeah, Ronnie! My thoughts exactly.

Once again, General Hospital Deee-Livered in a big way with the eppy’s last week leading up to the Sonny/Dante confrontation.

Not to mention the oh-so-great Cliffhanger Friday: the actual showdown with Sonny shooting Dante and Olivia running in at the end and telling Sonny that he just shot his own son!

The Sonny/Dante Showdown!

Truely the very definition of cliffhanger.

When I come home from work each day and immediately tune to GH first instead of OLTL first…..let’s just say GH has to be pretty darn good for that to happen.

And it’s happened every day for the past two weeks and still counting!

I’m having my issues with OLTL right now. But let’s save that for another day, shall we?

On GH, first we had the Lucky/Liz/Nik reveal followed immediately by the Dante reveal!

And all of it was – and is – so worth it!

Let me say up front that Dominic Zamprogna as Dominic Pirelli aka Dante Falconeri captured my attention from Hello!

And he has just gotten stronger and stronger with his range of emotions, his genuiness and his onscreen chemistry with every character he interacts with.

I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy his portrayal of Dominic/Dante – two characters on opposite sides of the law and making you believe in both.

His confrontation with Sonny was the pièce de résistance!

Even his relationship with the tangential characters in the storyline are amazing!

I just love the close friendship he’s developed with Morgan (Aaron Refvem), who Dante will find out today is really his brother!

I’ve also liked the Brooklyn undercover cop thing between Dante and Ronnie (Ronnie Marmo) and the interactions those two have together…as well as the scenes (earlier on) with Olivia trying to get Ronnie to take Dante off the case.

Which brings me to Lisa LoCicero as Olivia Falconeri.

I have absolutely loved LoCicero’s portrayal of Olivia from day one!

Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Falconeri/GH)

She is another one who is very genuine in exuding her emotions….I am always able to feel exactly what she’s feeling as Olivia. She’s a very natural actress.

Agree or disagree with the decisions that Olivia’s made, LoCicero makes you believe and understand those decisions.

Watch these scenes between Olivia and Johnny followed by Olivia and Lulu in church – pre-reveal.

And LoCicero’s scenes on Friday and Monday were knock-it-out-of-the-ballpark Emmy material. That’s all I can say.

Maurice Benard as Sonny….well Emmy winner says it all!

Benard was spectacular in confronting Dominic, the person he thought a traitor.

I do love the layers that Benard shows us as Sonny and the juxtipostion of his life as the take-no-prisoners mob kingpin and the loving father/family man.

Having said that, I do have big issues with Sonny as a character.

I can’t excuse the fact that he orders hits on people at the drop of a hat….and the way he just threw away Claudia like yesterday’s trash among other terrible things that he’s done over the years.

Claudia (Sarah Brown) did a lot of horrendous things, but, in all fairness, Sonny was really the one who got Michael shot because of his lifestyle. And Claudia had no idea that Michael would be there that night.

I also find it reprehensible that Sonny – the minute he finds out Dominic is an undercover cop – shoots him in cold blood.

Hello! Dominic saved Sonny as well as Morgan and Lulu! Doesn’t that count for something?

Another thing about Sonny that I could never reconcile – how is it that all these good and decent women fall for him?

I mean this is the Godfather….the head of the mob for goodness sake! Not to mention Attorney/District Attorney Alexis Davis has a child with him.

See, I’m the kind of soap watcher that roots for the truely-through-and-through good characters – like Dante. He’s my kind of guy.

Now here’s what I’m wondering…..

How is all this going to affect Morgan and Michael, not to mention Carly and Jax, since Jax was the one behind keeping Dante on the case.

The funny thing about Carly and Jax is that I really dislike them as characters separately.

But together as a couple, I love watching them. Weird, eh? I can’t explain it.

I guess in some odd way, those two keep each other grounded.

But, on their own, they tend to spin out of control – especially Carly.

And Lulu….what will the fallout be on her?

Lulu and Dante

The only thing I know is that I want to see more and more of her and Dante together. Lulu (Julie Marie Berman) FINALLY has someone worthy of her, someone who makes her good qualities come out and shine.

And, as I’ve said before, I love the fact that they didn’t just jump into bed. That they were friends first and their relationship grew into love without having sex yet.

So what’s next? Will Sonny FINALLY answer for this crime?

One thing’s for sure: I’m watching GH before OLTL again today.

That says it all!

The more than I see Dante Falconeri, the more I like him.

Ever since he stepped into Port Charles, I have liked the evolution of the character, who was first introduced as Dominic Pirelli – a member of the Zacchara mob.

We saw his soft side pretty much from the beginning, when he encountered Morgan and Carly in the woods – and let them go. If he was really a hard core mobster, it wouldn’t have ended that way.

I liked the way he fast-talked his way into Sonny’s organization – despite the fact that Sonny knew from the jump that Dominic was the one who confronted Morgan and Carly in the woods.

He’s a charmer, for sure.

But an honest and earnest one – and those are the qualities that I love most about the character.

Portrayer Dominic Zamprogna has endeared himself to fans with his sincere concern for people and those soulful eyes.

Dominic Zamprogna as Dante Falconeri ABC/William Foster

And then to find out that he’s Dante Falconeri, a cop, a good guy…..

Jackpot!

And the kicker?

He’s the son of Olivia Falconeri (Lisa LoCicero) and mob kingpin Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) – the man he’s trying to take down.

Sonny, Dante and Olivia ABC/Michael Yarish

Of course neither Dante nor Sonny know the truth.

Which has me wondering —– how and when will they each find out AND what will happen???

I must say, it’s intriguing.

But I’m soooo eager for the whole thing to play out and get the answers.

In the meantime, I’m lovin’ Dante and Lulu together.

Julie Berman as Lulu is playful and fun around Dante.

Lulu and Dante ABC/Adam Larkey

Lulu deserves someone who can make her smile – and he does.

And I love the fact they didn’t just jump into bed and, instead, the writers are taking the time to ease into their relationship.

And with Lulu, the daughter of famed supercouple Luke and Laura, and Dante, the son of the iconic Sonny……well, there’s no telling the potential of the longterm matchup of these two.