Dear readers, I was over the moon when I saw the news that Nelle (Chloe Lanier) was coming back. She is one of the baddies I love to hate. I hoped we would get a very much alive Nelle showing up for a family reunion with Nina and twin sis Willow, but instead, we only got nightmare Nelle, at least for now.
But even in those few dream/fantasy scenes, we got a good dose of our departed villainess still, as she put it, living rent-free in the heads of Port Charles residents. Point of interest, Wiley also had a bad dream that night. Did he dream about Nelle, too? Or was she lurking in his room, and Willow dreamed about Nelle because she heard her voice through the baby monitor? One can only hope.
Nina, on the other hand, was having imaginary conversations with Nelle. I am a big fan of imaginary chats. I have them daily, to be honest, sometimes with a loved one far away or my dearly departed parents, but let's just say that my imaginary life is rich.
Nina envisioned a conversation with her daughter where she could have fixed everything that was wrong with Nelle if only Nina had been around to parent Nelle. But even Nelle's ghost is whack. In Nina's fantasy version of Nelle, the ugly truth came out. Perhaps Nelle could not have been saved because maybe the evil was in her DNA. Nelle pointed out their similarities to Nina and drove home just how much alike they were, wreaking havoc and seeking revenge on everyone who had wronged them.
For the first time, I think Nina genuinely considered that possibility. Maybe Nelle's craziness and vindictiveness were hereditary. But when Willow showed up and then Carly, all of Nina's self-reflection spilled over into catfights instead. People have gotten the impression that I am not a fan of Cynthia Watros because I am not crazy about the Sonny and Nina pairing. That is not true. I have loved Cynthia since Lost, where she played sweet Libby to my precious Hurly.
I do not like that Sonny is in a relationship with his captor, Stockholm syndrome style. Certainly, Nina didn't kidnap Sonny, but I can't get past the fact that Nina allowed Sonny's wife, kids, and grandkids to think he was dead for nearly a year. That's unforgivable to me. The old Sonny would have discovered that and kicked Nina to the curb. She would never be spoken of again.
That he is still in a relationship with her and defending her makes me wonder if his brain is genuinely and fully back to normal. I hope one day he snaps out of it, Nina brings him breakfast in bed, and he smashes the tray of eggs against the wall and screams at her, "You let my family think I was dead, you bitch! And now you're trying to buy me off with a cheese omelet?!?"
I know that is unlikely, but I think about it, anyway.
But back to Cynthia! Despite my strong feelings against the Sonny and Nina pairing, I love Nina. Her scenes with Nelle were heartbreaking, and her scene with Willow started so tenderly, then that underlying rage exploded in both women, and it got ugly. Enter Carly, and it gets worse.
Laura Wright is a gem, and if you missed her interview with Cameron Mathison on Good Morning America about GH's upcoming 60th anniversary, here's a gift for you. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/video/laura-wright-cameron-mathison-talk-general-hospitals-60th-89094310
Her scenes with Nina this week were intense. Catfight at the cemetery! I did think it was low for Carly to attack Nina at her dead daughter's grave. Imagine the reverse, if Nina went off on Carly while she was mourning Morgan on the anniversary of his death. We would never hear the end of it! We see Carly still struggling with whether to tell Willow that Nina is her birth mother.
The news will finally come out, because Willow will need a blood donor, bone marrow donor, or some sort of DNA match through her cancer treatment that will require Carly to come clean about the DNA test. When that happens, will Willow turn on Carly? Will she embrace Nina instantly, or will it be a hard-fought battle for a mother/daughter relationship? Will Sonny be furious with Carly, or will he forgive her when she explains her reasons? I don't know the answers to those questions, but I am excited to find out.
I am a big fan of Katelynn MacMullen. Whatever material they give her, she runs with it. Sometimes Willow is demure and gentle, and sometimes she's a protective fiery dragon, and Katelynn excels in both cases. But I will say something, and I know half of you will be mad at me. This is only my opinion, and I am fully aware that other people have different views... Katelynn deserves a good partner, and our new fill-in, Michael Robert Adamson, is fantastic. I prefer his version of Michael to Chad Duell's.
But to be fair, I have been mad at Chad Duell since GH fired Drew Garrett, who was a fantastic Michael. He was as impressive then as Nicholas Chavez is as Spencer now. Garret's firing was out of the blue and shocking. But over the years, I accepted that Chad was who the powers that be chose, and I have applauded Chad's scenes. He has done some fantastic work; I am not unaware of his talent.
But his version of Michael has become so harsh and volatile that I can barely watch him. And then Robert Adamson comes in, just as angry at Sonny but with more tenderness underneath the rage. A kinder, gentler Michael. And that is who Michael has been historically. He's attempted to be the Lila of his family. The peacemaker, the sensible one.
I blame a lot of this on the writers because Carly and Sonny have cheated on each other multiple times, married, divorced, remarried, re-divorced, and repeated. That Michael is now willing to take Sonny down and destroy him because Sonny slept with someone after a brain injury, and a year-long bout of amnesia appears entirely over the top to me. I love watching Sonny fight his enemies, but having Michael as his chief enemy seriously disturbs me. Hey, Michael, does the name Kiki ring a bell?
Speaking of Kiki, it's amusing to see Sonny vigorously defending Ava and protecting her right now. Certainly, Ava is Avery's mother, but that fact has never given Ava any goodwill with Sonny over the years. I would love to see an Ava and Sonny union. Perhaps an old-style "Luke/Laura on the run adventure." Maybe some old mobster wants to gun down the Jerome and Corinthos families, and Ava, Sonny, and Avery go live in a barn in Beechers Corner for a while. I don't envision that happening, but I like that Sonny is taking care of Ava.
The scene with Victor and Sonny was a delight. Charles Shaughnessy and Maurice Benard have more scene chemistry than half of the love matches in Port Charles these days. Will they have to combine forces to save Spencer in Pentonville?
I really want to know who gave Ava that fishhook to the gut. Right now, Jordan is working harder on snooping into Portia and Curtis' relationship than she is on finding Ava's attacker.
I get it, though; she still has feelings for Curtis. Curtis left her over lies, and now Jordan is reasonably sure that Portia has been lying to Curtis with a big, life-altering lie for, say, 19 years. Jordan's detective brain puts two and two together and believes Trina may be Curtis' daughter, and she is slyly asking Trina if she's ever taken one of those fun DNA tests.
Here's a true story. I took an Ancestry DNA test last year at Christmas. I got it as a gift. I just wanted to trace my family heritage and learn more about my Native American ancestry. Do you know what I got in addition? Two new cousins! Someone in my family had two children that they gave up for adoption. They both spent their lives trying to track down their birth family. I took the DNA test and was notified that I had two DNA matches predicted to be my first cousins! It was shocking but exhilarating!
I have met one of them and have talked to the other on the phone. They are both charming people. The two are half-siblings, and they are in touch daily now! It's a very soapy story, but a joyful one. We have all cried together over the randomness of this. When I took this test, I had no idea I would find two new family members! This was especially meaningful to me, as I am an only child, my parents are gone, and I am running low on family. It eased my loneliness a bit to find them. Maybe when Trina takes her DNA test, we will discover some other lost children of Curtis, and she will have siblings.
But back to Jordan. Consider these facts: 1) Curtis and Jordan are still married. 2) Jordan still has feelings for Curtis. 3) Portia has lied to Curtis about being Trina's dad for her entire life. 4) Curtis is going to find out and be furious with Portia. What do you think will happen next? I think Curtis and Jordan may get a second chance at love. On the other hand, Portia will have two furious men, Taggert and Curtis, gunning for her. I fear she may have to go the way of Carly and be single for a while.
Meanwhile, across town, Sasha is having a total meltdown at the Metro Court dining room after Lucy suggested she step away from Deception for a while. Sofia Mattsson is doing a fantastic portrayal of a woman coming apart at the seams. While, as a viewer, I am weary of her downfall, I can't look away from her powerhouse performance. But I am getting to the point where I want to look away. After Sasha lost Liam, her performance during those scenes was Emmy-worthy and absolutely gut-wrenching.
But readers, I have had friends who lost babies and didn't become drug addicts. They struggled, were depressed, and occasionally broke down in tears, but they turned to their faith, friends, and family instead of baggies of pills. So many women in Port Charles are being written like basket cases. I would love to know the tally of female writers in the GH writers' room because it seems to me this is how men think women behave in times of crisis. Where are the solid female influences like Agnes Nixon, Claire Labine, Gloria Monty, or Lee Phillip Bell? I think we need much more estrogen in those writers' rooms.
Now on to my precious Mac. Readers, I have loved Mac Scorpio, Robert's surly little brother, since the day he blew into town. Over the years, Mac (the incredible John J York) has been back-burnered. I am thrilled to see him and his beloved Felicia (the adorable Kristina Wagner) come to the forefront of this significant storyline. When Mac and Felicia started talking about kids, I thought for sure they were going to somehow make Esme's be Felicia's daughter. Instead, this took a twist, and we now believe that it's Mac who has the long-lost child.
I wasn't terribly interested in Cody, but now that I believe he is Mac's long-lost son, I am very interested in him. I couldn't see how the writers would rewrite history to make it okay that Dominique gave a child up for adoption, given what we know of her. Still, they did a good job writing a plausible explanation for Cody's existence, leaving Dominique's angelic reputation unscathed.
A long-lost Scorpio? Yes, please! Oh, imagine the reunion with Mac, Uncle Robert, and Cody and them opening a Scorpio family P.I. business or something. I'm in! I'd add Ethan Lovett in there, too, as I am still hoping when Holly reemerges that Ethan comes, too, and is revealed to be Robert's son instead of Luke's.
Speaking of Luke, I was hoping he'd come back for a brief stint or cameo, like Tracy sometimes does. I have heard so many rumors lately, but I don't know which ones are valid. Is Luke still alive, and has he been held captive with Holly by Victor Cassadine all this time? Is Lulu about to be killed off for good when Laura pulls the plug after hearing the doctor say Lulu will never awaken? Is Jonathan Jackson returning as Lucky to help Liz deal with her unknown family heartaches? I would welcome any and all of those storylines, but until they happen, I won't let myself get too excited. I have always loved this Alice Walker quote from The Color Purple: "I try to teach my heart not to want nothing it can't have."
But here is something I want more than anything else on GH right now. I want Trina to dump Snory, be Spencer's prison pen pal, and visit him daily until he is released. I am jonesing for Sprina and tired of waiting for the payoff. Are they going to make me wait until November sweeps? Will I have to watch those two lovesick mopey teens for three more months? Please, no -- give me the kiss I am dying to see. Spencer and Trina are reaching supercouple status before ever even becoming a couple. Go to soap Twitter, and that's what everyone is talking about. Just search #Sprina and find a gazillion very passionate tweets. Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Tabyana Ali are the breakout stars of GH this year, without a doubt. I honestly don't know anyone who isn't rooting for them.
Watching Spencer pen a love letter to Trina on the floor of his hotel suite left me misty. I am a fan of the written word (obviously). I have a box in my storage unit filled with every letter that anyone has ever sent me, pen and paper, stamps, and ink. It's more meaningful to me than any other possession. If my entire house were washed away in a flood, my letters and photos are all I would try to save. I wish Trina got to read those carefully chosen words instead of him snatching them away from Trina, afraid of rejection. I am so glad Ava told Trina the truth, that Spencer believed in her all along. The look on her face after hearing that news was so moving. Oh, my heart aches for these two.
My fear is that a bad thing will happen to Spencer in prison. I say this because everyone keeps ominously warning Spencer. I must admit that Spencer going to jail for visiting his dead mother's grave for 20 minutes while an entire town of criminals and mobsters roam free makes me mad. But perhaps this is the writers' way of softening Spencer. Maybe he will have to befriend townies in jail. I don't know where they are going with this, but nothing better happen to Spencer in prison. If anyone punches him, I hope Sonny rallies all his imprisoned thugs and pulverizes them.
I fear that Ryan may pretend to wake up, since Esme is missing, and end up in Pentonville. If Ryan ends up in prison with Spencer, I will be afraid. Even with one hand, Ryan is still a serial killer, and I still have him on the suspect list of Ava's attackers.
I can't talk about the teen scene without heaping mountains of praise on William Lipton and his band, the Runarounds, for their magnificent performance on GH this week! Their song "Darling Darling" had me immediately on Apple music, trying to download it, but it isn't there yet. The sky is the limit for this talented young man as an actor and musician. I can hardly wait to see what's next for him. I remember when Jack Wagner launched "All I Need" as Frisco Jones on GH. Before the days of digital music, I got in my car, drove to the record store, and bought the 45. Yes, that's how old I am. I expect this song will be a smash hit for our dear Cam and his band. If Brooke Lynne wants to be a record producer, she must sign Cam. Or maybe Lois will come home and sign him to L&B records. (Yes, please)
Lastly, I loved the Sam and Dante scenes this week. While I was sad when Steve Burton left GH, I think it was a golden opportunity for Kelly Monaco. She finally got to break free of the shadow of Jason, and she shines these days, going from black leather to summer dresses and being allowed to laugh, smile, and enjoy falling in love with Dante. Dominic Zaprogna and Kelly are delightful together. Watching them unpack boxes and start a life together made me smile.
When I heard Dante say someone wanted to buy his house, I became concerned because that would typically be a soapy sure sign that Lulu would show up out of her coma and bust up their relationship. But rumor has it Lulu will be killed off, so I am not sure what to think. For right now, I am reveling in Sam and Dante's blossoming relationship, and time will tell if Lulu or Jason comes back and creates a disturbance in the force.
What will happen tomorrow, dear readers? Will we find out which woman is giving orders to Austin and his skeevy cousin Mason? Will the GH writers add any new skeevy people in Port Charles to hang out with Smoltz, Felty, Dex, Mason, Sienna, and Linc? (Seriously, ENOUGH.) Will Alexis use her paper to help Valentin when she finds out it's to save Charlotte? When Charlotte comes home, will she be the same age as Joss, Cam, Trina, and Spencer? Will Martin come home to find Victor smearing sunscreen on Lucy's shoulders and deck him? (Side note, did you see Victor grab Lucy's wrist by the pool? A reminder that underneath that British charm is a dangerous man.)
Will we find out Rory's offer to get Spencer a job in the prison library was a scam and that Snory is evil and has it in for Spencer? Will Chase and Brook Lynn get the love scene we have been waiting for instead of just teeny kisses in the Q kitchen? Will we ever discover what Marshall's beef is with Sonny? Will Ms. Wu compromise the Savoy with her shady dealings, and will everyone have to return to partying at Charlie's or the Haunted Star?
Will anyone ever notice that Phyllis has been missing every time someone tries to visit her at Charlie's? Will Cody lay off Spinelli now that Sonny has warned him to behave? Will Robert give Anna his little black spy book, and if so, how long before it falls into Victor's hands? Will Sam realize she laid Dante's welcome mat down the wrong direction? It should say "Buongiorno" as they enter and "Arrivederci" as they leave. Will the writers realize it's difficult for us to invest in Britt and Cody as a couple, since we already know that Kelly Thiebaud is departing the show?
Only tomorrow knows, dear readers, and I will tune in tomorrow as long as there are tomorrows.
Tamilu
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