I don’t know about you, but I did a whole lot of fast forwarding during last week’s One Life To Live and General Hospital.

Quite frankly, I’m not even going to get into GH too much, because, really, what’s there to say?

It’s the Sonny and Brenda show!

Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Brenda (Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo) Photo: ABC

The eppys go like this….Brenda with Sonny, Brenda with Jason, Brenda with Sonny, Brenda with Dante, Brenda with Sonny, Brenda with Carly, Brenda with Sam, Brenda with Spinelli, Sonny with Claire, Sonny with Alexis, Sonny with Jason, Sonny with Michael…yada, yada, yada….

And the previous Brenda/Dante connection with a possible baby involved just feeds into this whole Brenda-centric show….Ugh!

Bringing back Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo for these storylines is SUCH a waste!

The only other thing going on is Crazy Dr. Niles (Brianna Brown) and her insane revenge against Robin, which really has gone on too long. It was interesting in the beginning, but the writers should have ended it when they shipped Lisa off to Shadybrook….That situation is getting boring too.

Dr. Lisa Niles (Brianna Brown) Photo: ABC

Oh, and I almost forgot the repetitive theme of Liz getting jealous when Lucky tries to move on…..Seen this before. She doesn’t want him, but doesn’t want anyone else to have him (yawwwn).

Ooooo-KAY. So much for GH!

Now on to OLTL…

What’s wrong is basically this: there’s a revolving door as far as characters in/characters out and just when you’re getting invested in a character or characters….Poof! They’re gone!

Case in point….Matt Walton as Eli was a HUGE missed opportunity.

Turning Eli from a well-respected attorney and good person into a crazy, psycho-killer was a serious error in judgement.

Matt Walton (Eli Clark). Photo: ABC/Steve Fenn

Walton and Kassie DePaiva as Blair had some really great chemistry going on.

And do you realize how long it’s been since Blair has had a serious love interest? There was so much potential for Eli and Blair.

But noooooo.

They had to kill Eli…not only KILL Eli….But they had Cole (Brandon Buddy) kill him. Thereby, writing off both Walton and Buddy in one fell swoop, which I’m not at all happy about.

Although I have to say, Buddy absolutely nailed it in his goodbye scenes with Kristin Alderson (Starr). (See my previous post on that).

Cole (Brandon Buddy) and Starr (Kristen Alderson)

Also, we had the triple whammy of having Eli blackmail Dr. Greg Evans (Terrell Tilford) into becoming part of his diabolical plot to kill Tea (Florencia Lozano).

Thus, Tilford was written off the show as Greg goes to jail for his part in the plot.

And I am REALLY NOT HAPPY about that!!

Terrell Tilford (Dr. Greg Evans) Photo: ABC

Dr. Greg is a character who has grown near and dear to my heart and Tilford really brought everything he had to each scene.

How stupid is that to write off Dr. Greg, just when Destiny (Shenell Edmonds) finds out that Greg is really her father and not her brother….That would have been a great opportunity to watch the growing pains of the new dynamics in the entire Evans family.

Let me say that I’m grateful that Tea is alive and that they didn’t kill her off.

And another character who I have become invested in….whom I really enjoyed watching because he was one of the truly good guys – was Jason Tam as Markko Rivera.

Jason Tam as Markko Rivera. Photo: ABC

And, yes, they’ve written him off the show….Not happy, not happy, not happy about that either!

As far as the remaining characters and the directions the writers are taking them….

Let’s see.

We have mean, cruel, evil Clint (Jerry Ver Dorn) and evil-in-training Matthew (Eddie Alderson).

The character of Clint, as far as I can remember, has never shown any of these dark traits that are coming out now.

You mean to tell me that Clint threw his nephew, David Vickers, into a Moroccan prison and now is going to any lengths to deny his new found son, Rex??

I don’t buy it. And I think a lot of longtime OLTL fans don’t either.

It’s not consistent with the Clint that has been on our screen for years.

As far as turning Matthew to the dark side….appalling!!! Hate it!

Marty Saybrook (Susan Haskell) exacting revenge by stealing medical records and threatening Natalie and Brody….Really???

Talk about uncharacteristic…..They pretty much ruined Marty’s character with this storyline.

And the “Who’s the Baby Daddy?” storylines with Natalie and Jessica’s babies and Rex’s paternity is so ho-hum…. having been done and overdone so much.

Quite frankly, Rex has been looking for his father for so long….that storyline jumped the shark a long time ago.

Having said all that, is there really ANY compelling storylines on OLTL at this point?

Not so much!

So I’m trying to catchup on five back episodes of General Hospital, which I haven’t watched because…..oh yeah, I could care less!!!

Let’s see….we have the Brenda returns storyline……snooo-ZER!

Brenda Barrett (Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo). (ABC/Rick Rowell)

Really! How absolutely sloooowwwwwly can Brenda’s return drag out.

There are so many non-storylines going on around Brenda (Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo) – and none are remotely interesting…

The whole Sonny/Brenda and Sonny/Jason reunion is a total bore…a big WHO CARES???

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo (Brenda) and Maurice Benard (Sonny). (ABC/Rick Rowell)

I am SOoooo sick of all those flashback clips.

The first couple of clips were nostalgic…now they’re fast-forward material every time one comes on.

The only s/l that could have been a home run is Brenda’s involvement with the Alliance to Save Exploited Children, a group that helps children involved in sex trafficking.

That was a great opportunity for the writers to shed light on an important social issue….

Instead, the exploited children issue has taken a backseat to the hunt for yet another criminal – the big, bad Balkan….

And if TPTB think that I’m at all interested in Lucky going to Ireland to try and track down The Balkan – along with dragging Dante and Lulu into the mix – I don’t care about that either….It’s also boring!

I do think that Jonathan Jackson as Lucky has a remarkable Irish accent, though.

And vying for perhaps the worst storyline of all time…..

Drumroll please…..

The Claire and Sonny tryst!!

Yes, folks, they want us, the stupid viewers, to believe that Claire Walsh (Dahlia Salem), a career-driven, tough-as-nails federal prosecutor with one goal in mind – to take down Sonny Corinthos – ends up throwing her career away for the chance to sleep with the mobster….

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

That, my friends, is an all-time low on many fronts.

But especially because they took a strong, smart woman and reduced her to Jello (once again) after falling under the spell of the charming mob boss.

It’s a shame, really. Because I like Salem and her portrayal of Claire.

I just don’t like the way the character has been ruined.

The only strong woman who hasn’t fallen prey to Sonny is Diane Miller (Carolyn Hennesy).

Believe me, I was cheering when Diane lit into Claire for trashing her career for a roll in the hay with Sonny.

Smart woman, that Diane.

And Carolyn Hennesy really brings it every time she’s on that screen.

Carolyn Hennesy (Diane Miller)

Yessireee…she’s one of the best things that show has going for it!

The only storyline that of interest right now is the Crazy Lisa kidnapping Robin storyline….

Kimberly McCullough (Robin) Brianna Brown (Lisa) Jason Thompson (Patrick) Photo: ABC

But, quite frankly, that was spoiled for me by the spoilers and the previews, which gave everything away! UGH!

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.

I know it’s been out for awhile….

But I just had a chance to watch all six webisodes of the online ABC fantasy soap series “What If,” where they pair a character from one ABC soap in a chance meeting with a character from another soap…..

HY-sterical!

The thing about the episodes is that they are short, four-to-five minute clips, each, so that you can get a taste of the two characters interacting – and it leaves you wanting more!

They are well-written and well-acted.

It’s all just pure fun….

And let’s face it….who doesn’t like our soap characters having a little fun together???

Watch the intros to the series by the actors, who talk a little bit about what it was like working with each other.

I’d have to say my favorite is Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) meeting Tess Buchanan (Bree Williamson)…those two characters together made me smile and laugh the entire time!

In my opinion, Zamprogna and Williamson are so great in portraying their respective characters, so no surprise to me that they would be good together.

Damian Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) meets Todd Manning (Trevor St. John)….this is also one of my favorites… I mean, what can you say when these two polar opposites collide….ya gotta love it!!

The ending is PRICELESS!!

I also loved the Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) meeting Erica Kane (Susan Lucci).

Those two vets worked off each other seemlessly – and Sonny and Erica together was the epitomy of soapiness!

Then there’s Carly Corinthos Jacks (Laura Wright) meets Ryan Lavery (Cameron Mathison)….Again, those two make it seem like they’ve been onscreen together forever.

And the chemistry between the two is electric!

But let’s face it…who wouldn’t have chem with either of them?

When Angie (Debbi Morgan) and Jesse Hubbard (Darnell Williams) meet Starr Manning (Kristin Alderson)….let’s just say the teenager hears TMI! So funny!

And when Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) meets Greenlee Smythe (Rebecca Budig), there’s a bit too much alcohol involved, if you catch my drift.

The “What If” series can be found at abc.com and soapnet.com.

I have to say that I’m really looking forward to the next four webisodes coming out….

We have Luke Spencer (Tony Geary) meeting Viki Buchanan Banks (Erika Slezak); Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) meeting Rex Balsom (John-Paul Lavoisier); Blair Cramer (Kassie DePaiva) meeting Tad Martin (Michael E. Knight) and John McBain (Michael Easton) meeting Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco).

Talk about some fireworks with those couples!

I love Claire Walsh as the tough-as-nails prosecutor on General Hospital for many reasons.

Steve Burton (Jason) and Dahlia Salem (Claire) on GH. (ABC/Patrick Wymore)

For one, Dahlia Salem as Walsh brings a great deal of realism to the role.

She has the mannerisms and presence of a prosecutor down better than many real-life prosecutors.

I know this because is my real job as a news reporter, I cover courts and spend lots of time sitting in courtrooms and watching prosecutors on a daily basis.

Salem, as Walsh, is the real deal.

She’s tough. She’ll do just about anything to win a case – except lie which is taboo – and she has a conscience.

She also has a soft side – as evidenced by her talk with Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) about her biological clock ticking.

I love her paired with Lucky, btw, and I hope that’s where the writers go with her.

Of course, these days, Walsh is making a deal with the devil – namely Sonny -in order to arrest Johnny.

Now, that part, I don’t really like, because – up to now – everything about her character was pretty much real.

But, seriously, this would never happen in reality!

At least not with any ethical prosecutor – and that’s exactly what Claire is.

Remember how incensed she was when she discovered that Jax lied to her and knew it was Michael who killed Claudia all along?

That was real!

But I really liked Monday’s eppy when Claire told Sonny (Maurice Benard) what he was really about.

And she nailed it!

“You’re really good at justifying yourself,” Claire said. “And what’s fascinating to me is that everything that people say, is true. You are ruthless and you’re manipulative. I wouldn’t call you brilliant, but you’re certainly cunning.

“You’re your own biggest fan and you think the world owes you a favor because your stepdad slapped you around. And you use your bad experiences to justify the violence you cause. You’re an emotional bully!”

But then Sonny comes back with telling her that HE knows what she’s all about – her career! And that’s why she doensn’t have a husband or children.

He goes on to tell her that if she arrests him instead of Johnny, it would be much better for her career, because he’s a much bigger fish to fry and Johnny’s a nobody.

“You’re ego never fails to astound me,” Claire says. “Where I’m headed, people like you are somebody else’s problem and, where I’m headed, you’re not a thought on anybody’s mind. You’re just something they scrape off the bottom of their shoes. You’re a stepping stone…just another way to get where I’m going.”

Well said, Claire!

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

However, I’m really afraid of the path they’re going down….

You see, for some reason which I fail to understand, Sonny attracts some strong, smart women.

Case in point: Alexis.

Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) was Sonny’s attorney when she slept with him. Can you say Conflict of Interest?

One Time and BINGO -she’s pregnant!

I DON’T – and I Mean DON’T want to see Claire go down that road.

I cannot stomach Sonny seducing one more intelligent woman and make her into a driveling, Sonny defender.

Not this one!

Run Claire, Run!!!

I am sick, sick, SICK of listening to Sonny, Jason and Carly blame other people for their misdeeds!!

Sonny is just ridiculous in terms of his thinking and his rationalization of what he does and who he is.

The guy is a mob kingpin and he is constantly blaming others for hurting his family….Really???

Dante hurt Michael more than Sonny??? Really???

Because last I checked, Dante wasn’t the one who got Michael shot…It wasn’t even Claudia who was responsible for that….The blame for that rests with Sonny and Jason and Carly for exposing Michael to the dangers of the mob and the enemies that come with that life.

And, by the way, Dante did the right thing by telling the judge the truth.

It was Sonny and Jason who – by executing a cover-up – got Michael locked up.

Michael (Chad Duell) in prison. (ABC/Patrick Wymore)

[As an aside in my mob rant, I think Chad Duell is doing a great job, having just stepped into the role of Michael in the middle of a very powerful storyline. Duell replaced Drew Garrett, who also did a wonderful job with the character.]

The idea that a judge would sentence an 18-year-old to five years of hard prison time for protecting his mother and newborn sister is so ludicrous – it’s not even in the realm of possibility that it would happen.

And would someone please tell me why the judge didn’t sanction all those who perjured themselves in connection with the cover-up – most of all Carly?

The most truthful words to come out of Carly’s mouth were the lies that she told to Dante Tuesday.

Let me explain.

Carly told Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) it wasn’t his fault that Michael was in prison, it was her fault for exposing him to the mob life.

BINGO!!!

But not in Carly’s mind.

You see, SHE doesn’t really believe it.

Carly (Laura Wright) is lying to Dante in order to give him a false sense of security – and have Jason take him down.

Even more upsetting to me is that she is going after Lulu (Julie Berman) too….Lulu who has done nothing wrong.

Another thing I can’t stand about Sonny (Maurice Benard) is that he does all these really horrific things and then he goes to church, as if that cancels out all the people that he’s killed or ordered killed.

And I really, really HATE the way Sonny and Carly ALWAYS end up back in bed together….and judging by the upcoming preview pics released by ABC, they’re going there AG-ain.

Laura Wright (Carly) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) in a scene that airs this week. (ABC/Patrick Wymore)

UGH!!!

In my opinion, there is WAY too much emphasis on the mob….and I have to admit, it’s losing me.

All I can say is – Thank Goodness Luke is back!

Luke BEE-lieves Ethan and is fighting for him!

Ethan (Nathan Parsons) and Luke (Tony Geary). (ABC/Greg Zabilski)

Loved, Loved, LOVED the Luke/Sonny scenes!!!!!

Tony Geary as Luke and Maurice Benard as Sonny ignited the TV screens. The intensity between them was explosive and I couldn’t take my eyes off the TV – or even blink – while the two friends verbally fought for their respective children.

Now, in general, I’m not a huge Luke OR Sonny fan (dodging rotten tomatoes as I say this)….But, to be honest, they’re not my personal favorite GH characters.

Let me say that I think both actors are incredible!

But I’m talking about the characters here, not the actors.

I like Luke. I do. He’s just not on all that much anymore. And I do love his scenes with Tracy. They’re always entertaining, for sure.

But Sonny….well, he’s another story.

I hate his temper. I hate what he does and I hate what he stands for…Helloooo, The MOB! He kills people and orders hits on people and there’s so much more that I detest about his character.

Maurice Benard as Sonny (ABC/Greg Zabilski)

Shooting an unarmed cop in the chest point-blank kind of says it all.

I know, I know…. He wouldn’t have shot Dante if he knew he was his son….Exactly HOW many times did he say that line? Like that justifies it!

I guess I really never got the appeal….how he reels ALL those women in with just a flash of his smile and those dimples – despite all the really bad things that he does. I just don’t get it!

But I have to admit, ya gotta love the drama that surrounds Sonny.

How about all that glassware flying on Friday?

One thing about GH these days, I can’t WAIT to watch it!

How about seeing Lindze Letherman return Friday as Georgie? I Love Georgie!
I’m still mad that they killed her off…one of the only truely good characters on that show! She had so much potential, but TPTB felt the need to kill her! Grrrrr.

Be that as it may, I hope we see more of Georgie on Monday. I’ve always liked the dynamic between Letherman and Kirsten Storms as Maxie.

I’m also really looking forward to the Luke/Kristina scenes.

When last we left GH on Friday, Luke had just told Kristina that she needed to tell the truth and that they BOTH knew Ethan didn’t beat her up.

Lexi Ainsworth has been A-mazing as Kristina throughout this teen dating abuse storyline.

But it sure is time for the right person to be ID’d as her abuser – and that’s Kiefer!

Does it strike anyone as odd that Carly and Michael are the only two people who realize that it’s Kiefer and not Ethan who beat Kristina?

Michael (Drew Garrett) and Carly (Laura Wright) (ABC/Craig Sjodin)

I just wondered why no one else even brought up Kiefer’s name as a possibility, considering she dumped him that night to be with Ethan.

And can anyone tell me WHY they’re replacing Drew Garrett as Michael?

Chad Duell is slated to take over the role with his first appearance on April 20.

Chad Duell as Michael (ABC/Chris Chavira)

Garrett has been so good in the role since taking it over as the SORASED Michael emerged from a one year coma. He has given some really strong performances in showing Michael’s struggle to fit in and be normal, despite his inner turmoil.

And he seemed to have a really good rapport with all the other actors.

So I really don’t get the change.

One thing’s for sure….

Today promises to be some good GH watching.

I have been riveted – JUST RIVETED – the past few days on General Hospital.

And NOT because of the (yawwwwn) – Liz/Nik/Lucky who’s-the-daddy storyline.

I have been fast forwarding through those scenes.

The polar opposite to that is the teen dating abuse storyline.

Back in July, Soapbox1 reported the teen dating abuse storyline was coming up. But, I must admit, I had no idea how loooooong it would take to play out.

Be that as it may, the payout, so far, has been worth the wait.

The performances have been extraordinary on all fronts.

First of all, HUGE KUDOS to Lexi Ainsworth as Kristina. She’s been so good all around since she was brought on after SORASing the character.

But this storyline has really showcased her acting talent.

Btw, whoever did the makeup after Kristina’s brutal beating…..so realistic that it was really hard to look at.

Lexi Ainsworth as Kristina and Nancy Lee Grahn as Alexis Photo: Adam Larkey/ABC

Christian Alexander as Kiefer has been soooo good in making us hate the character…..at least I do. I cannot STAND Kiefer and what he represents.

And, of course, really strong performances (as always) from Nancy Lee Grahn as Kristina’s mother, Alexis Davis. I so empathized with her every moment.

Then there was Maurice Benard, who makes me, alternately, love Sonny one moment and hate him the next. In this case, I hated him when he pointed the gun at Ethan, threatening to kill him in his very Sonny way.

Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Jane Elliot (Tracy), Jonathan Jackson (Lucky), Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Nathan Parsons (Ethan). Photo: ABC/Adam Larkey

But, the next minute, I sympathized with Sonny when he was in Kristina’s hospital room, talking about watching his mother getting beaten back when he was a boy…..which, we know, helped propel the whole mob thing.

I also loved the tender moments between Kristina and her newly-discovered brother Detective Dante Falconeri (Domenic Zamprogna). Zamprogna is so earnest and so caring as Dante…..Ya gotta love him!

And it was quite interesting watching Dante eavesdrop on Sonny’s above-mentioned soliloquy to Kristina.

Is Dante softening toward Sonny? It seems so.

I also like the close sisterly relationship developing between Kristina and Sam (Kelly Monaco). Sam, who had been abused, had a heart-to-heart with Kristina in the hospital and put on a brave front for her. Sam broke down in tears afterward with Jason.

For me, it’s really hard to watch everyone believing that Ethan did this to Kristina when we all know that he didn’t.

Nathan Parsons as Ethan Lovett. Photo: Rick Rowell/ABC

I guess, from what I’m gathering, the abused person protects her attacker.

But, in this case, it could mean that an innocent person could die. And that’s the part of the storyline that I don’t like

Kristina told Kiefer that she didn’t want him to die and that she knew if she named him that Sonny would kill him.

But what about Ethan? She doesn’t care that Sonny would kill him?

That part, I don’t get. And that part makes me want to scream at the TV that Ethan didn’t do this!

I’m interested to see what happens between good friends Luke (Tony Geary) and Sonny when Luke gets back into town.

I know the truth will come out. It always does.

I had a feeling today, when Kristina started to tell Alexis that she lied, it wouldn’t lead to her telling the truth about who really attacked her.

It was too early for that.

I just hope it doesn’t take too long for the truth to come out.

I want to see Kiefer get his due – and his smug, pompous parents too!

So, on two of the ABC soaps, there are two characters – teenage girls as a matter of fact – who have been calling their father “evil” or “a monster”.

Yes, folks. I am talking about OLTL’s Dani (Kelley Missal) and GH’s Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth).

They both have daddy issues and I think it’s time that the title of “Most Evil Dad” was finally settled on between OLTL’s Todd Manning (Trevor St. John) and GH’s Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard).

Let’s start with Todd.

Trevor St. John (ABC/Yolanda Perez)

He raped two people – Carol Swift and Marty Saybrooke (Susan Haskell). Then he tried to rape Marty again.

I think that’s pretty gruesome by itself.

But there’s more.

He killed two people, and kidnapped a few, too. He also set a bomb in the police station.

Then came his dastardly 2008-09 plot.

Todd had been keeping a presumed dead, amnesiac, Marty Saybrooke, at his house. He planned to steal his granddaughter, Hope, and skip town with Marty and Hope and start a new life with a new family.

Luckily, he was too late to steal the baby – Bess beat him to it….But that’s a whole other story!

Now, let’s travel over to Port Charles, where we visit the misdeeds of mobster Sonny Corinthos, shall we?

Maurice Benard as Sonny ABC/Adam Larkey

Sonny has killed three people by his own hand (that we know of). He put out hits on at least 18 people (yes, that’s really how many through the years). He has shot (not fatally) almost as many people. He even shot his own son recently! Let’s not mention the countless other mob related crimes.

Sonny’s mob activity is the reason that his son, Michael Corinthos III, spent a year in a coma!

So who is the worst person?

Well, Todd is a two time rapist, a kidnapper and a murderer

Sonny, on the other hand, is a mobster and a murderer.

So I’m extending this to you.

Comment on this and tell me who you think is the worst.

In my honest opinion, I find both of them to be awful people, but I have to say Sonny is worse, because at least Todd has served real jail time.

Sonny has a nack of getting away with it.

]]> http://www.soapbox1.com/one-life-to-live/whos-got-the-worst-daddy-issues/feed/ 5 http://www.soapbox1.com/general-hospital/telling-it-like-it-is-about-sonny-not-pretty-on-gh/ http://www.soapbox1.com/general-hospital/telling-it-like-it-is-about-sonny-not-pretty-on-gh/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:30:53 +0000 soapbox1 http://www.soapbox1.com/?p=1802 By Michele

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.