​Late last month, ABC’s General Hospital released a “blink and you’ll miss it” promo for a new collectible travel guide. Seeing as how humans can’t stop batting their eyes, additional information was definitely needed. GH's January 3rd episode opened with Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring) recruiting support for a book to boost Port Charles’ city reputation (and her real-estate commission, of course). The nearly five-minute bit was random, awkward and perceivably forced, haha. To boot, we didn’t learn much more about the product. Despite this, I bought Travel Guide to Port Charles: When to Go, Where to Live, Who to Love and Who to Never, Ever Cross in America's Most Dramatic City. What can I say? I can’t resist fan gear, haha. I made a blind purchase, but now you don’t have to. Here’s the 411 on the item:
 
The book is a text-rich 208 pages. There’s a moderate amount of photos, primarily of sets/locations. A few, like that of the PCPD and the Haunted Star, are strangely a little blurry. Pictures of cast members are sparing, and there are no posters.
 
The details are in an engaging storytelling format, linking establishments and neighborhoods to plots. Lucy’s point of view takes the lead, but there are sizable, interview-esque accounts from other figures. I greatly appreciated how inclusive the material was. Whether it was past or present (ex. Lesley Webber or Ava Jerome), peripheral or pivotal (ex. Susan Hornsby’s poisoning or the Ice Princess), it was discussed. No character or tale was too small or dated to be featured (even Milo Giambetti was mentioned!). Viewers from every era have something to enjoy and relate to. Events as recent as early 2018 were covered. Connections to the network’s previous soap operas (ex. All My Children, One Life to Live and Loving) are also explored.
 
GH’s current co-head writer Chris Van Etten was listed as the sole author. He did a great job of capturing Lucy’s essence, with her shady quips and quirky way of explaining things. Although the voicing for other characters was occasionally off, the content was entertaining and humorous. The vivacious approach is what makes the fluff in the back worth reading. Towards the end are passages about PC historical luminaries we’ve never heard of. Naturally, they conveniently have surnames we’d recognize (ex. Hardy, Morgan and Webber). It’s obvious the data was newly made up, but it’s fun. After, are cutesy quizzes that match you with a local family, love interest, and an enemy. I got the Quartermaines and Cesar Faison; I can't remember who my love interest was, haha.
 
Of all the sections, my favorite is the extensive breakdown of the Quartermaine mansion. Other areas sure to pique fan curiosity include Alan Quartermaine’s “diary” and a couples segment. City blocks that carry the sagas of Luke and Laura, Felicia and Frisco, Sonny and Carly, and Lulu and Dante are highlighted. I wish I could provide you all with a helpful “Table of Contents,” but there isn’t one (also strange). Below is a brief gallery to give you an idea of the book’s aesthetic and components.
 
I normally don’t do Birdbox buys, so I’m happy this one didn’t come back to bite me. Informative, amusing and incredibly unique, Travel Guide to Port Charles is a must-have piece of television memorabilia.
 
Both items pictured above are available on Amazon. For the guide, click here. For the Corinthos Coffee mug, click here. 

...Because everyone spills their guts, literally & figuratively, at Pier 52.
​
On August 18th, Soaps in Depth confirmed that Robert Palmer Watkins (A.K.A. Dillon Quartermaine) was deposed from ABC's General Hospital. This comes on the heels of Rebecca Budig's (Hayden Barnes) shocking firing, William Devry's (Julian Jerome) shaky contract talks, and the announced return of Steve Burton (ex-Jason Morgan). Devry is one-half of a hugely popular pairing with Nancy Lee Grahn's Alexis Davis. Budig is an adored, Emmy-nominated soap goddess. Watkins' character is a part of the meager younger set and a fundamental family that's been reprehensibly shrinking since the 2000's (despite fan outcry). These things considered, it makes one ask "What the heck is going on at GH?!"
 
On social media, many viewers have postulated that cuts were made to financially accommodate bringing on Burton. As a result, for every message of support he's received, there's one full of venom. While the budget theory is logical, it can't be said for sure if it's accurate. In any event, Burton has no control over the management and/or production of the series. The actor has also been the target of preemptive anger from fans of Jason-recast Billy Miller, who fear Miller will somehow be ousted from the role. Others are concerned that the character's life away from the mob will be reversed. This goes without saying, but apparently it must be reiterated: Burton isn't responsible for casting or storyline choices, either (whether the fears become a reality or not). Moreover, actor switches usually don't mean characterization alterations...unless of course, a "fake/real Jason" plot is the plan.
 
It can be assumed that Burton's homecoming is an attempt by ABC/GH to boost ratings, but the reality is that if the writing isn't on point, it's a wasted effort. History has shown that it doesn't matter who's on camera if there isn't a valuable script to bring to life. For example, both Budig's appearance and the resurgence of "Carly"-originator Sarah Brown were heavily touted and promoted, but the audience became disengaged and disappointed with the stale narratives. When news came of Budig's axing, there was more discussion about squandered opportunities than what actually existed, which was very telling. One person argued online: "To be fair, both Hayden and Dillon haven't been very significant, but we want them around because we love Rebecca and Robert, and Dillon is a Quartermaine." Feeling there was some truth in the statement, I replied "If Hayden, Dillon or any other figure fails to be impactful, it's because of the writing, 7/10. The actors shouldn't end up without a job because the writers didn't do theirs." In her exit interview with TV Insider,  Jane Elliot (A.K.A. Tracy Quartermaine) expressed sympathy for daytime scribes because of the various constraints they have to work around, such as budgets and demands from advertisers. After reading it, I felt guilty about sharp critiques I made in the past, but I eventually let it go. Though I'm sure some contingencies have changed over time, budgets, advertisers and actor guarantees have always been a part of the equation. Those elements aren't new, and GH has seen better story days. A large roster isn't new either, but fans and soap journalists alike have insisted that cast size is the reason balance, flow and muscle can't be maintained on paper.
 
As for who Burton will portray, I haven't bothered to speculate or get excited because I don't have faith the angle will be well-executed, whatever it is. I prefer he play Jason, but not if that means a "fake/real " scenario. That would be a mistake. It would be too broad of a revision to be sensible, among other things. Recent dialogue has teased that his role may involve Franco's childhood, with a link to Jason Morgan. I can't say I'm thrilled about the Franco portion. There's too much of a jarring, negative record for that to be the connection. GH's executive producer, Frank Valentini, swears "No one has guessed right" about what's in store. With how bleak everyone's theories are, let's hope he's right and some great TV is ahead.

​For more of my thoughts on GH's writing, landscape and future, check out: "Pier 52: GH's Latest Exits & Not Planning the Future"

​One of the things I love about the soap opera genre is that each series, both past and present, has its own personality. The range can be from glitzy and histrionic, to cozy and sentimental. For those of you who watch all 4 of the remaining daytime dramas (or at least 2/4), I have 2 questions:
 
1) What do you love about each?
 
2) What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
 
Comment on this article to answer! Discussion is encouraged; please be respectful when responding to another user's comments. Thanks! :)

JuLexis & The Davis Girls
What Happened: Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) is accused of killing Carlos Rivera because her prints are on Julian's murder weapon, A.K.A. the dagger Helena used to murder Alexis' mother (6/17). Julian (William Devry) wants her to stand trial, promising to get her off (6/20). Alexis teams up with the PCPD and wears a wire, hoping to coax a confession out of him in the homicides of Duke Lavery, Rivera and a court witness (7/6). Julian finds the wire, takes her to the docks and nearly slits her throat before Sonny rescues her and she's able to stab him (7/8). As a result of working in Julian's favor while she was Carlos' lawyer, Alexis is temporarily disbarred (8/17). Leading up to being a star witness for the prosecution in Julian's trial, she has hallucinations of him and ends up freaking out on the stand (9/15). This, coupled with Paul Hornsby doctoring documents so that the wire recording is inadmissible (Ava blackmailed him; she knew he was the hospital killer), sets Julian free (9/20). After all the distress and failing to rebound with her career, Alexis develops a dependency on alcohol (9/27). She blacks out while cookies are burning and Danny is in her care (11/8). While drunk, Alexis accidently hits Julian with her car and flees the scene (11/23). Desperate to reunite with her, sober her up and hide from the latest mysterious crime-lord stepping on his neck, Julian hangs the hit-and-run over Alexis' head to move into her house and force her to nurse him back to health (12/6). He is being controlled by the sister he thought he executed in 1990, Olivia Jerome (Tonja Walker; 1/17). Olivia made Julian carry out his 2016 misdeeds to avenge herself and Duke, whom she loved. She also wants the hospital building to be turned into condominiums. She threatens Julian's family to keep him in line. Tom Baker tried to sexually assault an intoxicated Alexis at knife point over Christmas, but she got away. She thinks she stabbed and killed him (1/9) until her full memory returns while talking to the police (1/30). Alexis joins Alcoholics Anonymous (1/11) and tells Sam what's been going on (1/24). Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth) cheats on Aaron and has sex with Parker (Ashley Jones) when she reveals she may be getting a divorce (7/20). Sonny sees Kristina kissing Parker (7/22) and they have a heart-to-heart about her sexual orientation (7/26).When Alexis confronts and reminds Parker that she has no long-term intentions with Kristina (7/26), she sends a "Dear John" letter (7/28). Kristina blames Alexis for Parker's change of mind and throws Julian in her face (8/12). Parker tells Kristina she's going back to her wife, proving Alexis right (8/25). Molly (Haley Pullos) and TJ (Tequan Richmond) get a place together (6/16).
 
My Commentary:  The downward spiral of 'JuLexis' was exciting, entertaining and fascinating, and anytime Grahn is given sordid material it's a good day because she slays it, but it was also another example of detrimental short-term writing. Julian was written into a such a hole, that it would be virtually impossible to get him out or restore the coupling in the way that wouldn't be utterly absurd. Take his trial verdict, for instance. Within the story, it's detestable and ludicrous that he got away with his crimes. Externally, however, he's a front-burner figure that's 1/2 of a popular pairing. There aren't a lot of viable options to keep him on-screen while serving an acceptable sentence. I knew whatever  "fix" to reconcile Julian with Alexis wouldn't be justifiable, but geez, recycling Fluke was the best they could do? If Alexis doesn't turn him away for any other reason, it should be he's so easy to puppeteer. Many 'JuLexis' fans are criticized on social media for still wanting them together, but I understand their reasoning; they view the events of the past year as they are--the product of stunt scripting. I don't know if I agree with their assertions that Julian was pulled out of character, though. It was so aggravating to see so many in PC question and harshly chastise Alexis before and after her botched testimony, as if she didn't just have the most harrowing experience of her life and had the most to lose if Julian was found innocent. I knew what the jury outcome would be, but I was still shaking my head in disbelief. Grahn had me devastated and shocked with her. By the way, where the hell were the Davis girls and Diane then? I hate when necessary people are missing from important scenes. I very much enjoyed Carlos being some sort of morbid Jiminy Cricket (6/24); Jeffrey Vincent Parise is so fun and I miss him. It also made me smile watching Lucas (7/18) and Sam (8/5; 9/20) take turns disowning their father. I got my entire life when Julian used Danny yet again to manipulate to Sam, and not only did she let him know that Danny doesn't need his bone marrow anymore, but that she'd sic Jason on him or kill him herself. As I feared, Kristina's saga with Parker was summarized and cut short, but there was great beginning discussion about sexuality and heartfelt father/daughter action. Also, many points where Kristina was finally given the business by her mother and sister (i.e. Molly 8/17) for being so destructive, bratty and disrespectful. I jumped up and cheered when Alexis told her "You're not the only person with a problem here, so stop being so damn self-involved and grow up!" Of course, Alexis didn't do this without being reprimanded (8/24). *Rolls eyes* Is she ever allowed to parent?? I passed out when Parker cockily told Alexis she slept with her daughter (7/26). I thought "This is the wrong time to test this woman. Alexis' ability to take B.S. has diminished," haha. I love pissed-off Alexis. Why are Molly and TJ moving in together?! Why did no one object to this?! She's a college freshman! If it isn't having her off-screen most of the time, it's hurling her light-years ahead. 

Paul, Sabrina & How It's Painfully Obvious the Writers Are Winging It
Soap-fans are used to a fair amount historical revisions and logic-defying tales, but rapid plot and characterization changes are happening so frequently now, consistency is non-existent and you're left wondering if the writers are fully mapping out concepts before they air. This was no more apparent than with the return of Paul Hornsby (Richard Burgi). First, he came to town wanting to take over Sonny's territory and use Ava Jerome as a lackey. Then, when the writers seemingly considered pairing him with Anna Devane, he was an undercover good guy that was trying to stop arms dealers. Though Paul took TJ hostage to bait and shoot Sonny (he was paralyzed and wheelchair bound for months after), this was never addressed. Finally, Paul was made the hospital serial killer, whose motive was to avenge his daughter's rape, with expectations she'll come out of her post-traumatic state. It was evident that he wasn't the intended culprit initially, as the attempted murders of Lucas Jones and Bobbie Spencer didn't fit into the payback score and were put on Heather Webber. Somehow, she quietly escaped a super-max prison with the goal of keeping suspicion off her son, Franco, and returned. It was more than a possibility that the murder mystery was just as whipped up as Paul's arc. I felt sorry for Burgi; it was such a hot mess and he ended up without a job. He went out swinging: his performances were so emotionally grabbing (especially on 9/27 and 9/28), that you had sympathy for Paul, even when he strangled sweet nurse Sabrina (Teresa Castillo) to death (9/14). He convincingly conveyed grief and ruefulness in Paul's final attack, as Sabrina was an inadvertent witness that had to be eliminated. The scenes were particularly hard to watch because she begged for her life for several minutes and was on the brink of rescue the whole time. At one point, she even pulled the blinds up on the medical room window and banged on it. As if that weren't agonizing enough, her best friend and boyfriend (i.e. Felix and Michael) giddily talked about an impending marriage proposal right outside the room where she lay dead. Then, in what felt like multiple episodes, we saw her pale corpse be photographed and grieved over before going to the morgue. Michael even put the (gorgeous and unique) engagement ring on her finger! The icing on the tear-jerking cake for me was when Felix (Marc Anthony Samuel) stopped the gurney for a last goodbye (9/16). His monologue closes with "I am going to miss you for the rest of my life," and a beautiful BFF montage played. I was done. Also, kudos to Sonya Eddy with Epiphany lamenting her treatment of Sabrina on 9/21. It was ridiculous that Felix, Epiphany and Lucy were all sitting on rows further back at her funeral, while Michael and both sides of his family were perched up front (9/23). Even her killer was front row! Her cousin Juan (who was on GH long before she was), Joe Rivera (Carlos' twin brother and Sabrina's ex), and other mentioned connections were absent. Sometimes they don't get this kind of thing right. Many of those that were aggrieved by Castillo's exit felt she and her character were never given proper wings to fly during her 4 year stint. Like Burgi, Castillo went out shining and showed what could have been. I discussed the lack of support I feel actors/characters are given on the series and how it affects the future here. On 10/3, Paul is taken down by Anna in front of Dillon before he can inject Tracy, who found out about the homicides, with a fatal syringe. It was a pretty tense and sad episode. I go on to pinpoint other chaotic and slapdash plots throughout this article.

...Because everyone spills their guts, literally & figuratively, at Pier 52.
 
In a period of 24 hours starting on September 14th (I'm sure a record was broken), it was announced that ABC's General Hospital lost 3 actors: Tyler Christopher ("Nikolas Cassadine"), Bryan Craig ("Morgan Corinthos") and Teresa Castillo ("Sabrina Santiago"). The former 2 won Daytime Emmys just 6 months ago for Outstanding Lead and Younger Actor in a Drama Series, respectively. Christopher originated his role as an heir of a wealthy, unbalanced royal family in 1996. He's left the series twice; the second time he was unexpectedly let go in 2011 and fans rallied for a reversal, not seeing him again until 2013. Christopher was temporarily replaced during a sabbatical this summer, while Nikolas faked his death, only to be shot by Valentin Cassadine (portrayed by James Patrick Stuart) and presumed dead again. There wasn't a formal send-off with a wrapped-up storyline, flashy funeral and sentimental montages, as Christopher said in late July he thought he'd return to set in September. Somewhere in that short month and a half, contract negotiations reportedly fell through. Bryan Craig came on the scene in 2013 as the first actor to play an aged Morgan Corinthos. His performance was applauded out of the gate, with him nabbing a Daytime Emmy nomination in his first year and consecutively since. He chose to leave the series, stating he felt it was "the right time." Castillo arrived a year before Craig, as a nerdy duckling-turned-swan nurse with a heart of gold. Apparently, it was a writing choice that led to the actress' contract not being renewed; her character was strangled by the hospital serial killer (9/14). Sabrina joins the long list of newer figures to not stick around for the long haul or full-time. With the extremes of a veteran actor and freshman talent, these departures bring attention to GH's secret elephant of a problem: they aren't building for the future.
 
As I wrote in my "We Need Tyler Christopher Back on General Hospital!" petition mission statement (click here if you'd like to sign it), legacy characters/actors are the backbone of a soap opera. They are the threads in the tapestry and help maintain a sense of familiarity. That said, they should be regarded with great care and respect. However, 30+ year personas (ex. Monica Quartermaine, Lucy Coe, Laura Spencer & Kevin Collins) are given little or nothing to do, while the 10-20-year class is allowed to walk--sometimes in the middle of a front-burner storyline-- as if they're dispensable. In 2016 alone, contract impasses saw Jason Thompson ("Dr. Patrick Drake") heading over to CBS' The Young & The Restless, Rebecca Herbst ("Elizabeth Webber") almost out, and now Christopher. It might be unfair or inaccurate to say there isn't reverence, but it feels like the attitude is that we viewers should just be glad to see the older-set, even though they're treated like relics instead of legends with these barely-there plots. Further, when actors don't seem to be fought for, it makes you wonder if they're valued by the honchos. How can you lay the groundwork for the next generation if you let the foundation, from which they'd launch, fall out? That is...if they ever launch.
 
There's been an effort to broaden and add to GH's canvas (ex. there's been more minority-race casting in recent years than in the last decade), but that's where it stops. New characters are cut off at the knees, never to blossom into proper supporting players because they're habitually used as romantic placeholders, props, plot-devices, side-kicks and air-time fillers. Promising storylines are abandoned and/or characterizations are altered in an unfavorable way. The mixed reaction to Sabrina's death online, for instance, was all about what they didn't do with the part. Numerous comments on Twitter were in the frame of "She was useless anyway" or "It's a shame because she had potential." Sabrina was never given her own tale. She spent the first-half of her tenure helping Patrick lick his wounds until his wife (and true love) came back from the dead, and the second-half championing Michael Corinthos through a breakup with Kiki Jerome and a custody battle over his half-sister. Consequently, most followers she had weren't exclusively hers--they were interested in her as long as she was with their guy; otherwise, they weren't paying attention. It was only legitimately about her twice: 1) when she tried to cause Ava Jerome's miscarriage to avenge her own, and 2) when she went on the run with the only link to her past in the cast, Carlos Rivera (Jeffrey Vincent Parise). The miscarriage angle was a flash-in-the-pan unfortunately, and the other was wildly whipped up for Castillo's maternity leave. That was another issue--rather than creating clever and convenient exits, both of Castillo's pregnancies were written in, causing Sabrina's life to be deconstructed repeatedly. Determined to work again as a nurse, Sabrina pronounced to Michael that she needed to have her "own life." I thought that meant she would finally get a meaningful day in the sun, but in actuality, the sun was setting. One of many missed opportunities, in my opinion. As TV Guide magazine's Michael Logan tweeted, Castillo is a "lovely, luminous actress." Parise was wasted too; Carlos was a plot-device hot potato, passed around to fill in several stories and recklessly killed twice.

Thoughts and observations of Port Charles happenings.
 
Julexis, The Davis Girls, Corinthos Clan & Jeromes
What Happened: Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth) tells Sam (Kelly Monaco) she was suspended from college for offering sex to a professor named Parker in exchange for a grade (1/18). Kristina questions her sexuality (3/16), as Parker is revealed to be a lesbian (1/19). Her parents find out about the suspension and confront her (3/17). When Kristina admits to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) that she may not be heterosexual, she assumes Kristina was influenced by Parker and that her past with men is the root of her confusion (3/30). Molly (Haley Pullos) has sex with TJ (Tequan Richmond) off-camera on 2/12 after being taunted by Kristina for remaining a virgin and accused of being gay, and gets outed by Kristina before Alexis and Julian's wedding (2/19). Morgan (Bryan Craig) intentionally interrupts an enemy gun deal on Sonny's territory (2/22), where Kiki (Hayley Erin) is shot trying to shield him. When police show up, one of the ringleaders, Dixon, runs into the church and holds the wedding guests hostage (2/23). Dixon shoots Nathan and tries to kidnap Kristina before Sonny (Maurice Benard) jumps him; everyone sees he's no longer paralyzed (2/24). Morgan blames himself for Kiki's injury and nearly jumps off a building (2/26); Sonny and Carly decide to have him committed for thorough treatment of his bipolar disorder (3/4). Ava convinces Morgan to break up with Kiki for her own good (5/19), and Kiki's budding relationship with Dillon leads to a kiss (5/26). To save his and Ava's necks, Paul says Ava was a cohort for the gun bust. Julian (William Devry) rejoins the mob to protect Ava (Maura West) from the organized crime groups, who think she's a rat (1/7). Sonny teams up with Anna to bring Carlos to justice for killing Duke on Julian's orders (4/13). Julian enlists Alexis to defend Carlos (4/25). Julian snoops through Alexis' papers to locate and murder a prosecution witness (5/2), and later stabs Carlos (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) to death with the dagger Helena used to slit her mother's throat (5/12). She keeps Julian's bloody shirt and considers turning him in (5/17). Carly (Laura Wright) gets a hold of Ava's sex tape with Paul (Richard Burgi) and uses it to retain custody of Avery (5/25).
 
My Commentary: As it relates to diversity, GH has always been sadly behind the curve. Though we've seen more minority-race and LGB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual) characters in recent years than in the last decade, most have been given back burner plots or used to prop others. Hopefully, Ainsworth being a popular actress and Kristina being the child of two major figures in GH history will mean the story of our first (possibly) bisexual female will gain the traction and attention it deserves (even though the last we saw on 4/27, she was going out with a guy. *Rolls eyes* They better not get chicken). It's been written extremely well so far, with detailed discussion about sexual development and usage of important terminology, such as "polysexual" and "queer" (3/23). When Parker visits Kristina, she argues that Kristina subconsciously fixated on her as opposed to another woman because she was essentially inaccessible--Parker is both married and her professor. The odds of them really being together were next to none; no realities to deal with (3/25). I said, "Ooh, psychology. Thoughtful." It appears that this isn't just about the sensationalism and drama of a hidden secret, and that the writers actually want to teach us something. Ainsworth superbly captures the fear, confusion and frequent deflection that comes with the journey of sexual identity. I was a crying mess with the suspension confrontation; she was using her entire body to emote, down to the point of visibly quivering.

Ava, Morgan & Kiki, Who Killed Silas?
What happened: Silas (Michael Easton) was murdered (7/31) before he could tell Kiki (Hayley Erin) that her mother, Ava (Maura West), was alive, disguising herself as a long-lost aunt (Denise Demuccio) and sleeping with her boyfriend, Morgan (Bryan Craig). Scotty grilled Ava as a suspect during the subsequent trial and she blew her cover (8/24). Madeline Reeves turned out to be the real killer; she wanted to forge Silas' signature to have access to Nina's (Slias' ex-wife) money (8/31). Kiki swore Morgan and Ava off once she learned the whole truth from Franco (Roger Howarth; 9/1). Scotty became Ava's lawyer and got her off for killing Connie, having the 1 shred of evidence in his possession: a recorded confession (9/16). The recording was stolen by new district attorney Paul Hornsby (Richard Burgi), who wanted to use Ava as the face of his mob ring while he tries to dismantle Sonny's organization (9/22). Ava finally regained custody of her daughter, Avery, by goading Sonny into threatening her and taping it for the judge to hear (11/10). Nina and Franco moved into Silas' apartment to look after an alcoholic Kiki, who later ran Carly off the road in a druken stupor (11/3); Carly dropped the charges (11/24). Michael and Carly had an intervention with Morgan (11/23) to get him treatment for bipolar disorder, of which he showed signs starting on 9/2. 
​
​My commentary: I love a good "who dun it?" murder mystery and a Friday cliffhanger! The clues were well-placed and properly misleading (Morgan, Ava and Nina were all at scene and had motive; the Madeline factor was introduced later), and the investigation and trial didn't go on for too long. 1 of the stand-out moments was when Nina (Michelle Stafford) left for Silas' apartment in a rage after learning he let her stand accused of kidnapping Avery to keep up Ava's 'Denise' rouse. "Once again, he's chosen Ava over me!," she yelled (7/31). The lines were great and I enjoy watching Stafford's 'heat to an exploding boil' anger work. Hell must have frozen over on 8/4, because I felt sorry for Franco when got pegged as the killer in trying to protect Nina. Around this time, there was a lot of excellent dialogue about Ava's flaws and desires (ex. when Silas' ghost haunted her on 8/12); character psychology is a rarity. West rocks everything given to her; she's so emotionally animalistic and convincing. It's awful and ridiculous, for example, that a grown woman would weep like a teenager over her daughter's boyfriend (8/28), but West will break your heart, make you sympathize and...get hot and bothered over it. Ava was speaking to Morgan from behind jail bars, but fogged up the place reminding him of their chemistry (8/27): "...the way I touched you, my breath on your neck, the way I bit your lip when we kissed...you know my body blindfolded and I know yours just the same." Which writer was responsible for that erotica, haha? Kiki finding out that her mom wasn't dead should've been stimulating, but it was underwhelming. The Denise thing was fun at first, but I was glad when it was over. I like that Ava's in a position to be a mob queen again and has a new love interest, but I don't like that it's all at the mercy of a man who's stepping on her neck. I want her to finally be in complete control. It's backwards to me that she sleeping with Paul. It was fun to see her back in action at the 5 families meeting on 9/28 and put little Michael, who's always trying to sit at the big boy table, in his place. As for this custody business, I'm sick of Avery being bounced around and fought over. I'm also sick of it being painted like Sonny is Ava's victim and she's uncompromising, as if the baby wasn't literally ripped and kept from her since birth. I love Carly, but I clapped when she called herself Avery's mother and Ava snapped " You're not her mother...bitch (9/24)."

Thoughts and observations of Port Charles happenings.

Guys, I'm trying a new format this time; please let me know what you think of it! :)

The Spencer Clan
What Happened: Luke's long-lost sister, Patricia (Dee Wallace), told Bobbie and Tracy that his mental breakdown was likely the result of repressed memories of murdering his parents, Lena and Tim, as a teen (4/1). Luke (Anthony Geary) fatally hit Lena in the head with a bat on accident, trying to guard her from the abusive Tim (Bobbie was too young to remember this). When Tim berated a devastated Luke after a hospital call confirming Lena's death, Luke snapped and struck him dead. Patricia and Bill Eckert covered up any remnants of the event, and she sent Luke and Bobbie (Jackie Zeman) to live with their Aunt Ruby. After this was explained, Patricia, who was already ailing from multiple sclerosis, presumably died from shock (Luke bound and gagged her) and Luke was sent to a psychiatric hospital. Patricia's daughter, Valerie, who was also attacked, nearly slit Luke's throat for revenge (4/8). Later, Luke is cleared for release by a doctor. Laura (Genie Francis) returns to town and alerts Luke that Lucky and Ethan have been kidnapped by Frank Smith and they're commanded to tell no one (6/15). Lulu and Dillon find out and demand to help in the rescue. Tracy is led to believe that Luke dumped her for Laura (6/9) and Dante (Dominic Zampronga) is told Lulu is visiting her grandmother. Dante assumes Lulu and Dillon (Emme Rylan, Robert Palmer Watkins) are having an affair when he discovers she actually booked a hotel room with her ex-lover (6/30). Dante kisses Valerie on 2 separate occasions and they ultimately have sex (7/6). When he learns the truth, he only cops to kissing Valerie (Brytni Sarpy) and makes her vow to keep the rest quiet. Tracy (Jane Elliott) feels that Luke doesn't see her as an equal and he needs time to heal from his childhood revelations; they agree  to separate (7/21). Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) finds that Helena Cassadine has had his adopted son, Jake, on Cassadine Island since 2011, when he was thought to have died after a freak accident where Luke hit him with his car (7/6).

My Commentary: The multi-episode flashback arch revealing Luke's parricide was beautifully done and directed, and a sight for sore eyes with continual, in-depth storytelling. It had my heart and caught my tears. It was a sweet thrill to see Laura Wright (who portrays Luke's niece, Carly) as Lena, and Jason Thompson and Rebecca Herbst as GH genesis characters, Dr. Steven Hardy and Nurse Jessie Brewer. The arch was great independently, but within context of the "Fluke" storyline, it still left a lot unexplained. Why break now, after all these years? If the drugs Heather's Miscavige men gave him caused the memory to come back, why would it bring out an evil side? The deaths didn't happen callously. The implication is that Luke is inherently evil, but he assumingly showed no symptoms of this before the trauma. Most of all, this incident doesn't explain the inclination towards womanizing and sexual assault (in addition to raping Laura, Luke attempted to do the same to Kiki and threatened Julian with it against Sam), or logistical details, like being in WSB custody with Julian Jerome. I did like how the writers connected the parricide to Bill Eckert's final words: "forgive yourself for what you did to your mother." Geary suggested last June that this year-long journey (that fans found arduous, by the way) kept him from leaving GH, but allegedly after having a post-surgery epiphany, he opted to go anyway. Rather conveniently, the double-homicide unveiling  provided a built-in exit, but the writers wanted to take Luke down the corner of Ridiculous Lane and Unnecessary Road one last time. Jennifer (Frank's daughter) wanted to blackmail Luke into sleeping with her to get "closure" from their broken engagement 35 years ago (6/22). Frank, who's supposed to be dead, wanted to avenge being shot 21 years ago (7/3). A retro villain was resuscitated (and recasted) to be shot again after about 4 episodes (7/6). Oh, and he has something to do with Little Jake (who wasn't born until 2007) being alive, though we won't be told how! It was silly and pathetically underdeveloped. What was the reason for it?! To reunite Luke with his off-canvas sons and ex-boos, Laura and Holly? Him severely needing psychological care was sufficient enough. Was it to bring back Little Jake? Geary theorized the Jake scenario was to redeem Luke from being a child killer, but I think it has nothing to do with him and everything to do with making things more complicated between Liz, Jason and Sam, once Jason regains his memory (more on that in a bit). It would be nice if Jake wasn't killed in the first place or was resurrected to right a wrong, but instead he's being used as a plot device, which I always hate. Luke and Tracy's parting scenes were well-scribed and bright, with Elliott being the queen she can't help but be. The dialogue about how Tracy needs to feed her spirit after chasing Luke and ELQ, and how he needs to recover and can't pick up where he left off gave a powerful and sensible conclusion to their romance that didn't feel hurried or unnatural. The ghosts of Luke's youth reappeared on 7/24, giving him resolve and perspective; again, beautifully done and thorough. Why kill Patricia though? We just got her! I hate when phantom characters are finally brought out of the shadows, only to die almost instantly.

NOTE: This campaign is now closed. If you still would like to donate to my GH Fan Club Weekend fundraiser, you can do so here, but please be advised that the donation will not go towards comments or questions to be included in the following interview. Thanks, J.
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I'm doing an interview with General Hospital's Brytni Sarpy (A.K.A. Valerie Spencer) and you can be a part of it!! The first 10 people to donate $30 to my fundraiser to attend GH Fan Club Weekend will get to submit a question to be answered by Brytni guaranteed! The first 20 people to donate $15 can submit a personal message or comment that will be sent to and seen by her, again, guaranteed! Here's what you have to do:

1) Go to this link: http://www.gofundme.com/oi2rm8

2) Hit "Donate Now" and follow the prompts. Be sure to use a valid email address and credit card. In the comment box, leave your twitter name (ex. @JSaysOnline) and question or message for Brytni (think "creative" and "thoughtful"). Questions or messages that are explicit or attacking to Ms. Sarpy or any of the cast/crew of General Hospital will NOT be accepted. NO refunds or exchanges on donations.

3) Keep up with JSaysOnline.com on Twitter and/or Facebook to catch when the interview is posted.

That's it! Good luck and thank you for participating!