Lee’s Top 5 GH Moments of 2012

Lee’s Top 5 GH Moments of 2012

What a difference a year makes. Had someone tried to convince me last year that anemic, running-on-fumes General Hospital would be experiencing a stunning creative renaissance at the talented hands of OLTL dream team Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati, I’d have laughed and written some fan fiction. But since their work started airing early in the year, GH has been must-see TV. Not every “Cartini” move was a stroke of brilliance - has there been a more obvious blunder than the “love story” of Kristina and Trey? - but from the moment Johnny shot out Anthony’s tires, leading to a car crash that took the lives of an innocent young man and his daughter (One Life to Live’s Cole and Hope), I’ve been hooked. Here are five moments I felt really stood out among the many stellar stories.

#5 - Sam Meets With Heather Webber, Opens Pandora’s Box
It seemed like a one-off guest appearance: Sam met with mental patient/legendary Port Charles psycho Heather Webber to discuss Jason’s biological mother Susan Moore and learned that Susan gave birth to twins. Heather asked Sam to deliver a letter to estranged son Steven Lars, but Sam was horrified to learn that Jason and serial killer Franco were twins and ran out without the letter. When Heather was declared mentally fit enough to come home and live with Steven, she immediately began a new reign of terror that, in the end, all came down to Sam not following through on delivering the letter. By the time Heather was thrown back into the loony bin, she’d already murdered Steve’s ex-girlfriend Maggie, goaded Todd into switching Tea and Sam’s babies, kidnapped Luke and attempted to throw a baby off a cliff. Sam may have gotten her baby back in the end, but all this could have been avoided if she’d simply kept up her side of the bargain!

#4 - Patrick Scatters Robin’s Ashes As We See Her Alive
I had trouble choosing just one great moment that stemmed from Robin’s presumed death, but the revelation that she was alive - a reveal that hadn’t been spoiled beforehand! - was shocking and signaled the return of the true soap cliffhanger. The viewers were given renewed hope for the beloved character and immediately began to theorize: How did Robin survive the explosion, and who was behind whole scheme?

#3 - John Ingle’s Final Appearance
The campiness of the “poisoned water” saga delivered a surprisingly poignant and sobering climax. As Sonny and Co. rushed to get the cure from Jerry, a very ill Edward offered the only available serum to Emma. “I love you too,” he told Tracy, who then delivered a quiet yet powerful speech about family and love. Edward’s appearance, which was reportedly at the request of a very ill John Ingle, would be his last, as Ingle passed away not long after. The image of Edward giving a “thumbs up” to Patrick and Emma will give me goosebumps for years.

#2 - Elizabeth Confesses All To Jason
Carlivati silenced months of fans complaining that he didn’t like or “get” the character of Nurse Elizabeth Webber with one immensely moving scene that showcased the talent of portrayer Rebecca Herbst and finally opened the character up for redemption. After confessing that she switched the DNA results of Sam’s baby, Elizabeth broke down and admitted to Jason that she’d been slowly falling apart since Jake’s death. No longer hiding her pain with self-righteousness and judgment, Elizabeth was finally able to explain how angry she was with Sam, with Jason, with everyone. With rumors of an exciting new year for Elizabeth, this scene was simply perfect.

#1 - Fondue Foils Faison’s Fun
Was there a more satisfying moment this year than John and Robert hurling fondue in “Duke’s” face, melting his mask and ruining Faison’s dastardly plans? The scenes showcased the talents of GH favorites Finola Hughes, Tristan Rogers, Ian Buchanan and Anders Hove, with OLTL transplant Michael Easton fitting in seamlessly. There were a ton of “OMG!” moments this year, but this moment was a creative and brilliant payoff to viewers who were screaming and throwing things at their TVs for months for Anna to come to her senses.

What were your favorite GH moments this year? Sound off in the comments or on Twitter @dayplayerdish or @leemeyer26, and have a happy holiday!

Are we seriously upset that GH introduced a gay black guy?

Last week, General Hospital introduced a new nursing student, Felix DuBois. Felix, an openly gay black man, attempted to give Sabrina an impromptu makeover before her “date” with Patrick to discuss the Nurse’s Ball. Sabrina was surprised when Felix pulled lipstick out of his pocket, and apparently viewers were, too. Following his appearance, gay news and media blog Towleroad called out the show and Head Writer Ron Carlivati for presenting such a “stereotypical” gay character, which prompted Carlivati to reply to the scathing comments and uninformed opinions, some of which called him out for being self-loathing and homophobic. I felt pretty strongly about the issue, so here are my thoughts.


First of all, the knee-jerk reaction to the character has been really blown out of proportion. Felix has aired once so far, which is not nearly enough to get a true feel for the character. He will next air today (Monday) and the reason he’s carrying lipstick will be explained (hint: Lucy Coe). Second, Ron Carlivati is the last person who should be criticized for his portrayal of gay characters. In 2009, One Life to Live introduced five gay, ethnically diverse characters (Fish, Kyle, Nick, Amelia and Madame Delphina) and did stories involving coming out, gay marriage, hate crimes, parental rights, and, most importantly to a soap, love. These characters were flawed and complex additions to the canvas and won Carlivati a GLAAD award. Now he introduces a character who is not only gay, but black (and let’s face it - GH has had a pretty poor track record with black characters in the past) and connected to the hospital (another area in which the show has lacked in recent years) and viewers cry foul? I wouldn’t be surprised had these complaints come from One Million Moms or some other hate group, but I’m stunned and angry that gay people are the ones raising hell about this.

Gay men need to stop being afraid of so-called “stereotypes.” Gay people come in all shapes, sizes and colors. There is plenty of gay representation on television now, and I’d argue that most modern gay characters are played as masculine and “straight acting” (a term that really annoys me). Carlivati has introduced a character that many of us have encountered, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, Felix should be celebrated for breaking the mold. “Men” don’t have to be masculine or macho; a real man is someone who shows honor, is true to himself, and unapologetic about the way he is. So thank you, Mr. Carlivati, for being brave enough to introduce a character that breaks the mold and shows us something new and fun.

Confessions and Catharsis For GH’s Liz

Elizabeth never mourned Jake properly. Okay? I said it. The girl didn’t have a chance to mourn the loss of her little boy in between dodging murder allegations and other assorted disasters. And though we’ve been told that she’s been successful and living on and being a good mother to her living children, we have really only seen otherwise. Life hasn’t been good to Elizabeth Webber, and October 2’s episode finally brought all of her stifled pain and frustration and anguish that she’s been feeling up to the surface. As Rebecca Herbst delivered Liz’s powerful confession - that she lied about the baby’s DNA test to keep Jason and Sam apart - we got to see the real Elizabeth Webber.

“I didn’t deserve to have my child taken away from me, either!” Elizabeth cried out as she finally admitted that she never forgave Sam for watching Jake get kidnapped years ago. Herbst’s performance was incredibly raw and honest and made me remember why I fell in love with the character back in the 1990s. Elizabeth survived a violent rape. She survived failed marriages. She survived the loss of family and friends. But who really survives the loss of a child? “Ever since we lost Jake, I’ve been trying to recover on my own, trying to let time heal. But It’s only gotten worse. And so I really thought … I thought you would make it better. That you would fix it. That’s not fair of me to ask that of you,” she whimpered. Who hasn’t felt that way at some point? Elizabeth’s pain was so real, so incredibly potent, that I understood where she was coming from for the first time in a decade.

Credit should also go to Ron Carlivati, who managed to take one of my least favorite stories ever and create an incredibly strong throughline for all the characters involved. I was going through my Twitter feed and was astonished at how many complaints were targeted at Carlivati for “not liking” the character of Elizabeth! Because the way I see it, Carlivati not only likes the character, he gets the character. He’s the first writer to get the character since Michele Val Jean, and that’s no small feat. I’m not sure where Elizabeth goes now- I’m going to suggest lots of therapy - but I am confident that with Herbst and Carlivati steering, the journey will only get better from here.

Scandal Season 2!

Yayyyy!!! Scandal is Back!!!

How about that jammed packed season premiere? I for one am glad the show is back in full gear.

Now on to my random musings!

• Olivia's wardrobe needs to be it's own Pinterest board. Ms. Washington rocks  the hell out of those clothes.
   
•  "You're ornamental not functional." Ahh damn Fitz! Don't be so hard on Mellie Aka the FLOTUS! I love me some Mellie! And for the record, President Fitz, she had children for your career, faked a miscarriage to save your candidacy, and now got pregnant to bolster your president. So she is highly functional..Thank you!

• I'm suddenly intrigued as to why Quinn warranted Olivia and Huck basically kidnapping her and forcing her to take on a new identity. Even more so, who did Olivia contact to put the fix in on her trial? I am intrigued! Even though I hate Quinn and her dumbness with a passion, they got me hooked! 

• Fitz and Oliva...that is some powerful chemistry those actors possess. Still the best part of the show.

Great start to the season!

Lauren

Lee’s Two Cents

Lee’s two cents - one positive, one negative


General Hospital: Don’t Drink The Water! (But please do.)

Ron Carlivati took a while to get into the right rhythm and groove at General Hospital. Sure, the show was infinitely easier to watch than the trainwreck that was Garin Wolf’s tenure and more entertaining than longtime Head Writer Bob Guza’s never-ending mob epic, but overall the show lacked a consistent tone or direction. All of that changed, though, with the return of fan fave villain Jerry Jacks and new baddie Joe Scully, Jr. Jerry’s plot to poison the water of Port Charles and demand a ton of money for the antidote made for absolutely fantastic viewing. Weaving in old stories, such as the Dead Man’s Hand cards, and involving the entire cast, the month-long umbrella story reminded us exactly why we fell in love with GH in the first place. It was full of thrilling action and adventure (I won’t forget the climactic confrontation between Jerry and Sonny on the docks any time soon), romance (Dante and Lulu’s strong devotion and love for one another, Alexis and Shawn’s epic kiss following her rescue, the growing triangle between Jason, Sam and Liz), humor (Todd rounding up the “1 Percenters”) and riveting emotional moments (Edward’s selfless act of giving little Emma the only available antidote proved to be a powerful moment for fans of John Ingle, who unfortunately isn’t looking very healthy). In the end, the story was not only a throwback to the swashbuckling adventure of GH’s past, but a sign that this creative team knows what they’re doing and that for the first time in years, General HOspital is in very good hands.


Days of Our Lives: Listen To Your Mother, Sonny

Sonny was upset with his mother for not approving of his burgeoning relationship with Will, but I wanted to hug the woman. I get that Will and Sonny are being positioned as the next gay soap supercouple, but Adrienne really has a point. Sonny is a happy, well-adjusted guy with a nice family and good looks on his side; why settle for some constantly embattled, irrationally angry guy who is still not quite okay with being gay? Sometimes we look beyond the baggage to see a wonderful person worth fighting for, but so far, Will has only proven to be selfish and absolutely dysfunctional. Sonny should go with his heart, yes, but he should also be practical. There’s a reason Sami hasn’t been able to nail down one guy, and Will has definitely shown many of her negative, self-destructive traits. Run while you can, Sonny. You’ll only regret this in the future....

“I love you, too” - John Ingle Passes Away

“I love you, too” - John Ingle Passes Away

There was something very powerful about the September 11 episode of General Hospital, in which a very ill Edward Quartermaine selflessly gave the poisoned water antidote to little Emma and gave Patrick a smiling “thumbs up.” His only spoken line in the entire episode to his on-screen daughter Tracy, “I love you too,” showed that Edward, who put on a tough-as-nails act as Quartermaine family patriarch, was just as compassionate and nurturing as his late wife Lila. Sadly, the episode was John Ingle’s last; he passed away on September 16, surrounded by his family.

It would be easy to list all the accomplishments John Ingle has accrued over the years; a beloved teacher and actor, Ingle made a lasting mark in show business, but to me, his greatest accomplishment was portraying a character that was not only endlessly entertaining to watch but also one that reminded us of what soaps are about: love in many shapes and forms. His devotion to his dear Lila (played by the lovely Anna Lee, who passed away several years ago), his unfulfilled desire to do right by the family of his illegitimate child, Bradley Ward and his unspoken love for Mary Mae (the late, great Rosalind Cash), along with his biting, yet loving relationships with his children made Edward relatable and often comforting to watch.


General Hospital’s creative team would be wise to honor Edward and Ingle’s legacy by building a story around Edward’s mission to rebuild his dwindling family from beyond the grave; I can just see Tracy having to welcome the rest of the Ward family into the Quartermaine mansion at Edward’s final request, or Monica’s shocking discovery that Edward had been secretly nursing Emily back to health since her death in 2007. It’s all wishful thinking on my part, but John Ingle’s portrayal of Edward should be celebrated, and what better way to celebrate the life and career of a great man by creating something new and wonderful in his honor?



Ingle’s wife passed away earlier this year, and I can only hope that he has reunited with her, wherever they are, just as Edward has hopefully reunited with his beloved Lila and made peace with Justus and Mary Mae. I’m going to miss you, John Ingle, but thank you so much for the memories and may you find health and good fortune wherever you are.

Dive In: Revenge

You don’t have to wait until the Dallas sequel starts airing this summer to get your primetime soap fix. ABC’s scorching Hamptons soap Revenge returns this Wednesday, and if you haven’t watched, here’s everything you need to dive in and enjoy the most dramatic and surprising soap on TV!

Who’s Who

Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke
Amanda Clarke, our (anti?)heroine has returned to the Hamptons years after the wrongful arrest of her father, David, for a heinous crime he didn’t commit to get revenge on those who wronged him. Now going by the name Emily Thorne, the cold young woman ingratiates herself into the lives of the Hamptons-royalty Graysons, the family primarily responsible for her father’s arrest. Emily courts and becomes engaged to handsome-but-clueless Daniel Grayson and sets out to take down the Graysons one by one, but her plan hits a snag as she actually begins to fall for Daniel, all the while developing feelings for her childhood friend, Jack Porter, now a handsome bar owner.

Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson
Cold as ice, the confident and cruel “Queen” Victoria is Emily’s primary target, believing her to be most responsible for ruining her father’s life. Victoria had an affair with Emily’s father the summer of his arrest, and shortly after became the most revered (and feared) socialite in the Hamptons. Now the matriarch of the Grayson family, Emily’s schemes have exposed wrinkles in Victoria’s perfect life, which have led to her taking drastic action and stooping to horrific lows to maintain the life she worked so hard to create.

Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross
The foppish young technology billionaire is Emily’s one confidant and only true friend. Having considered her father a mentor, Nolan is 100 percent loyal to Emily and often makes sure her manipulations and schemes don’t backfire. Insecure with no family and few friends, Nolan once fell for Tyler Barrol, who seduced him before trying to blackmail and extort him. Nolan has also tried to sway Emily toward Jack Porter, who he has recently befriended.

Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter
A would-be world traveler, Jack’s plans to leave Montauk via boat to travel the world hit a snag with the surprise death of his father. Now taking care of both the bar and his little brother Declan, Jack has fallen hard for Emily, not knowing that she is really childhood friend Amanda’s Clarke, who he’s carried a torch for since she gave him her puppy to take care of following her father’s arrest. When Emily realizes that her dog Sammy is still alive and well and living with Jack, she is slowly pulled toward him. Following Emily’s engagement to Daniel, Jack meets and falls in love with the real Emily Thorne, who claims to be Amanda Clarke!

Josh Bowman as Daniel Grayson
The handsome, booksmart, completely naive son of Victoria and Conrad, Daniel is the quintessential golden boy. After a drunk-driving accident that left his waitress girlfriend paralyzed the year before, Daniel walks right into Emily’s trap and falls hard for her, much to Victoria’s chagrin. Emily’s manipulation of Daniel leads to him dissenting from his mother and father’s grasp to become his own man, not realizing that Emily has him wrapped around her finger. Daniel inadvertently brings his college roommate Tyler Barrol into everyone’s lives, and is now charged with his murder!

Henry Czerny as Conrad Grayson
Victoria’s husband is the mastermind behind David Clarke’s framing and shows no remorse for those whose lives he’s ruined to get ahead. Conrad’s marriage to Victoria falls apart when Emily exposed his affair to Lydia Davis, Victoria’s best friend, and Victoria blindsides him by filing for divorce. Expecting too much from son Daniel and showing a soft spot for daughter Charlotte, Conrad’s life is further turned upside down by the revelation that David Clarke is Charlotte’s biological daughter.

Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Grayson
Charlotte is an impressionable teenage debutant who develops an intense young romance with Declan Porter, which neither Victoria or Conrad approve of. Charlotte’s world falls apart when her parents announce their divorce, and she begins to spin out of control after learning that she is the biological daughter of suspected terrorist David Clarke. After being blackmailed by her grandfather into not going to therapy (he was afraid of family secrets getting out), Charlotte’s begun popping pills to cope, which is bound to produce disastrous results.

Connor Paolo as Declan Porter
Jack’s younger brother becomes involved with the Grayson family after starting a relationship with Charlotte. While his working class background initially doesn’t mix well with Charlotte’s delicate lifestyle, Declan eventually becomes a rock for the young girl as her life begins to fall apart. Declan has trouble listening to his Jack, resenting that his older brother didn’t sell the family bar after their father’s sudden heart attack and death (which Declan witnessed and felt partly responsible for). Declan is the first person to come across the dead body of Tyler Barrol at Emily and Daniel’s engagement party and suspects his brother of the murder.

Ashley Madekwe as Ashley Davenport
An ambitious event planner and Emily’s supposed best friend, Ashley yearns to have the riches and lifestyle Emily and the Graysons enjoy. Ashley struggles to impress Victoria, who treats her like her personal assistant, and ends up compromising her friendship with Emily to gain the acceptance and respect of the Graysons. After Tyler Barrol’s murder, Ashley secretly sells photos of the family to the tabloids, which Nolan discovers, prompting him to question her motives.

Supporting Cast

James Tupper as David Clarke
David Clarke was framed by his associates at Grayson Global for assisting a terrorist organization that caused a terrible plane explosion. Before dying in prison, David left his young protege Nolan Ross a box filled with diaries, pictures and other evidence that incriminates the Graysons and everyone else who helped incriminate him, hoping that Emily would find peace knowing that he was innocent (not thinking she’d decide to avenge him). David was in love with Victoria and knew that her baby Charlotte was his daughter.

Margarita Levieva as Amanda Clarke/Emily Thorne
The real Emily Thorne met Amanda Clarke in juvenile detention, where they were roommates. After Amanda came into money following her father’s death, Amanda paid Emily in exchange for switching identities. After a sequence of events that result in the real Emily murdering the Grayson family lawyer, the real Amanda brings her to the Hamptons for damage control, where she ends up falling hard for Jack Porter, who thinks she’s Amanda from his childhood! Following the murder of Tyler Barrol, “Amanda” disappears, prompting Jack to try to cover up what he thinks she did.

Ashton Holmes as Tyler Barrol
Tyler is a sick, mentally unstable grifter who worms his way into the Grayson family through Daniel, who knows him as a friend from college. Tyler’s pathological ways are revealed when he seduces Nolan Ross for his money while supposedly dating Ashley Davenport. After Emily discovers Tyler’s true identity, she arranges for Tyler’s older brother to have him institutionalized (after Tyler holds the Graysons hostage at Daniel’s birthday party). Tyler escapes the mental institution just in time for Emily and Daniel’s engagement party, where he partially reveals Emily’s true nature to Daniel before trying to kill him. Daniel shoots Tyler once in self-defense, but is shot dead by Mr. Takeda, Emily’s mentor, in a plot to put Emily’s plans back on track.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Satoshi Takeda
“Mr. Takeda” is Emily’s mentor, who’s trained her both physically and mentally for avenging her father’s death. When her Emily’s plans hit a snag, Mr. Takeda comes to the Hamptons to help her, all the while expressing his disappointment in Emily’s apparent weakness for falling in love with Daniel Grayson. Takeda shot and killed Tyler Barrol and framed Daniel for the crime, hoping that it would set Emily back on track. Takeda was last seen driving off with “Amanda Clarke,” who he believed was causing too much trouble for Emily.

The Story So Far....

This is not a story about forgiveness. Emily Thorne came to town with one thing on her mind: revenge. But after actually developing feelings for Daniel Grayson, she considered toning down her plans - until Victoria let Daniel believe that David Clarke had raped her. Now, Emily is caught in a tangled web of lies and murder, struggling to maintain her strong outer shell while things begin to fall apart.

It was Takeda. On the beach. With Daniel’s gun. Psychotic Tyler Barrol planned to expose Emily’s lies at her and Daniel’s engagement party. After showing Daniel a photo that Emily was hiding with a list of her targets, he and Daniel struggled, resulting in Daniel shooting him in self-defense. Before Daniel could make his next move, Satoshi Takeda knocked him out and finished Tyler off - with Daniel’s gun. Now, Daniel’s been considered a flight risk and is being held without bail at Rikers Island prison, while Takeda has disappeared with the real Emily Thorne, who was causing too many complications for the real Amanda.

We’re all family here. Charlotte Grayson was devastated to learn that she is the biological daughter of David Clarke, long thought to be the accomplice in a terrible terrorist attack that claimed many lives. When Emily learned of her half sister, she was conflicted as to how to handle the situation. Charlotte’s boyfriend Declan suggested Charlotte talk to a therapist about her problems and stress, but Charlotte’s grandfather Edward Grayson was leery of his family secrets being exposed and blackmailed her out of it, threatening to make sure Declan wouldn’t be able to attend school with Charlotte in the fall. After finding Declan’s older brother Jack’s painkillers, Charlotte’s begun using drugs and falling apart at the seams.

Back To (Horton) Square One....

For those of you who haven’t yet heard, I’m sorry to report that DAYS head writers Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. and Marlene McPherson (sometimes called “MarDar”) have been fired and replaced with veteran soap writers Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell. I’m deeply disappointed with this news. Though their stories were met with sometimes met with criticism, Thomas and McPherson should be commended for returning something to Salem that had been missing for years: heart, soul, love and family.

Looking back, it’s easy to see why Thomas and McPherson’s work was met with such mixed reaction. With the soap press inundated with news of a “reboot” that would restore DAYS to its former glory, many viewers expected something more than what they got. Their first few episodes, centered around the unveiling of Horton Square and the return of several fan favorite characters, were filled with a warmth that the show, along with most soaps, had been lacking for a long time. Families interacted, friends hung out with each other, romance was in the air for both established and new couples and stories began to center around organic, character-driven conflicts. The first months of “MarDar’s” run saw the return of John and Marlena, Austin and Carrie and Jack, as well as the introduction of a new character, Madison. The returning characters were integrated smoothly into the existing fabric of the show, and Madison was paired with Brady, who found himself without a love interest. Additionally, the long-gestating story of Will coming out of the closet began, which got fans and press talking. So what went wrong?

The main stories took a few months to develop, but it was Johnny’s disappearance that set off a chain of events that began with Sami and EJ having sex and ended with the destruction of Sami and Rafe’s marriage and EJ and Nicole’s still-tenuous relationship. Will witnessed the disturbing sex act, which sent him into a tailspin and eventually led to his coming out. The mystery of Alice’s closely guarded secrets allowed for some fun Bo and Hope moments, while all the while we got to see small, intimate moments between all the characters; who can forget the painful but cathartic therapy session between Bo and Hope where they finally dealt with unresolved feelings about Zack’s death.

It would be easy to pick apart little mistakes that Thomas and McPherson made. Not every story they wrote was a winner; I’m sure nobody wants to recall the pointless caper revolving around Chad, Will and Sonny’s Web site, and the less said about the suspense-free mayoral race the better. But even those stories, which fell very flat, had elements that kept them watchable, even enjoyable. The Web site saga’s cimax laid the groundwork for Abigail’s obsession with Austin as well as Chad and Melanie finally getting together. The mayoral race eventually figured into Will’s story and gave Abe and Lexie some much-needed conflict.

So if Thomas and McPherson consistently featured popular characters in compelling stories, why would they be fired less than a year after their tenure began? I tried very hard to think of a good reason, but Marlene McPherson answered the question herself on her Twitter account:

@marlenemcp: Thank you DOOL fans. U r the best and we love you! NBC never let us tell our stories. They kept stopping us and changing our direction. Sad.

There you have it, folks. In this time of shows be canceled right and left and all sorts of upheaval behind the scenes at almost every soap, the corporate suits still think they know what’s best and interfere until things stop working. It’s ridiculous to see two talented writers get the boot, seemingly for no reason at all, by two writers whose previous track records have been spotty at best. I hope that McPherson and Thomas find work elsewhere, because they proved in their short time on the show that they understood soap opera as a medium and knew how to respect, entertain and satisfy the audience. “MarDar’s” work will continue airing until July, so hopefully their work won’t be completely undone by the “new” regime. For now, though, keep watching DAYS and let the-powers-that-be know that you have been enjoying DAYS and are disappointed to see yet another jarring change about to occur.

Dayplayer Dish In April 2012

Dayplayer Dish April 2012!

Stuck inside during April showers? Check out Dayplayer Dish! With a revitalized, regularly updated blog filled with fun features, a weekly podcast and chat and constant Twitter updates, Dayplayer Dish is excited to announce several interviews and features coming up in April.

Thursday, April 5: Happy Endings Season Finale Review - Blog
Lee and Lauren do a classic He Said/She Said on the April 4 season finale of sophomore hit Happy Endings. What do they think about the wacky developments in the lives of Dave, Alex, Jane, Brad, Penny and Max? And was Brian Austin Green able to keep up with the stellar cast? We’ll see!

Thursday, April 12: DPD Primetime Debut With Melody Thomas Scott - Podcast
The popular podcast returns to its original hour-long format with Y&R’s iconic Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman) chatting with the crew! Tune in and join us in the live chat room, where we’ll be taking questions to ask the legendary soap star!

Monday, April 16: A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge - Blog
Want to jump into ABC’s wickedly addictive primetime soap but afraid you’re not going to know what’s going on? Fear not! Lee’s guide to Revenge will introduce you to the characters, key stories and backstory so that you’re ready for its Wednesday, April 18 return.

Thursday, April 19: Bobbie Eakes Interview - Podcast
Jamie and Lauren chat with soap vet Bobbie Eakes on her roles as Macy Alexander on Bold and Beautiful and Krystal Carey on All My Children. Find out what it was like working with greats like Darlene Conley and David Canary, plus her time with her soap singer group, the Daytime Divas!

Thursday, April 26: The Ladies of Anacostia Interview - Podcast
Lauren and Jamie chat with the talented ladies of the popular web series, Anacostia! Find out what it’s like working on a hit show made for the web and what’s next for this fabulous cast of characters!

GH: Welcome To Port Charles....

You may have heard of Port Charles. It’s the town that used to make headlines all the time, whether it be for crazy terrorist plots to freeze the world, medical crises at the world-famous General Hospital, grand romance, rich and famous family scandals.... you’ve definitely heard of Port Charles. People used to talk about it all the time, but then it seemed to fall off the map. For years, people rolled their eyes at the constant rumblings of the mob wars, the serial killers running rampant and the constant violence. But something’s changed now. The dark cloud hovering over the town and hospital seems to have cleared, and people can’t stop talking about the latest, exciting goings-on in Port Charles.

Where do I even start? How about that crazy night a few weeks ago, where an attempt on Detective Dante Falconeri’s - who, by the way, is the illegitimate son of kingpin Sonny Corinthos - was made at the Metro Court Hotel, which set in motion a string of events that culminated in crazy former kingpin Anthony Zacchara going missing after getting in a car accident that resulted in the deaths of a little girl and her young father from Llanview, Pennsylvania! Word has it that the lone survivor of the deadly crash, young rich girl Starr Manning, also of Llanview, is out for blood and on her way back to Port Charles as we speak! And there have been reports of Llanview detective John McBain sneaking around town, as well. Looks like the mob better watch out!

Speaking of accidents, have you heard about the crazy lab explosion that recently rocked General Hospital? The out-of-nowhere tragedy took the life of Dr. Robin Scorpio-Drake, a longtime Port Charles citizen who was in the lab trying to create a serum for her ex-boyfriend, coffee importer (and rumored hitman!) Jason Morgan, who was suffering from major brain seizures. The serum was apparently saved, as was Jason’s, but the accident left Robin’s family devastated in shock. Her husband, Dr. Patrick Drake, almost refused to use the serum to save Jason’s life! And anyone who was at the memorial service witnessed Mac Scorpio, Robin’s police commissioner uncle (who basically raised her), drag Robin’s cousin Maxie Jones out of the church kicking and screaming after she claimed that the lab explosion was her fault! But the biggest rumor going around is that Robin’s apparently alive, being held captive against her will! But who would do such a thing?

After the lab explosion, Robin’s once-absent mom Anna Devane returned to Port Charles and started hanging out with ne’er-do-well Luke Spencer, whose son Ethan Lovett supposedly skipped town with mother Holly Sutton, with Robert Scorpio chasing after them after Luke talked him down from a bridge by lying that Ethan was his son! Luke seems to be in hero mode, trying to do right by his family by changing the name of Jake’s bar to the Floating Rib to stop reminding Elizabeth Webber of the son she lost last year.

That’s not all that’s going on, either. I heard through the grapevine that fashionista Kate Howard has been acting mysteriously, taking on the persona of Connie Falconeri, Kate’s identity before she went off to college to make a name for herself. Some have even seen her flirting with Johnny Zacchara, who’s also been seen with Carly Jacks, Sonny Corinthos’s ex-wife. Maybe mysterious new GH psychiatrist Ewen Keenan can figure out what’s wrong with her. And there have been rumblings about Heather Webber, known to longtime PC citizens as the TOWN PSYCHO, has been reaching out to estranged son Steve after being visited by PI Sam McCall, who’s been trying to figure out the bizarre connection between Heather, Sam’s husband Jason Morgan, and dead serial killer/artist Franco. In other “secret” news, the stripper beatings have continued, leading the PC Police Department to start suspecting each other of wrongdoing, with clerical assistant Lulu Spencer Falconeri claiming that new detective Delores Padilla is somehow involved. Who knows what other secrets are lurking around, waiting to be exposed? Perhaps the PCPD will finally solve the murder of kooky Dr. Lisa Niles!

If you haven’t been following the goings-on in Port Charles, I really suggest that you start! Things have never been more exciting, with all sorts of activity going down at General Hospital and imperiled city. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

General Hospital airs Monday-Friday at 3 p.m. EST on ABC, written by Ron Carlivati and produced by Frank Valentini.

2012: We are back,Rating the Soaps!

It's 2012 is in full swing and it’s time to rate the soaps!

The Bold and the Beautiful
The Story So Far: After months of waffling back and forth between the feuding Steffy and Hope, Liam has seemingly settled down with Hope, while Steffy finds herself in Rick’s orbit once again, much to Amber’s chagrin. Brooke and Ridge have been focused on their daughters, while Taylor and Thorne have grown closer.
What Works? I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again - B&B is a blast to watch. It’s funny, it’s fast-paced and it has an extremely talented cast. Audiences who tune into B&B every day know what they’re getting: frothy, light romance with characters they love. Great character moments, like Liam and Bill’s recent falling-out, serve as great chasers to the often-campy stories.
What Needs Work? For a show that’s got such a strong cast of women, the stories border on misogynistic. Hope and Steffy shouldn’t be fighting for Liam! He’s hurt them both and hasn’t exactly proven himself to be a catch. Other characters like Jackie and Owen, who are interesting and fun, don’t get nearly enough airtime. And stories often start and stop with little to no warning.
Grade: B

Days of Our Lives
The Story So Far: Love and family is the name of the game in Salem, as couples come together and fall apart and families crumble as buried secrets and resentments come to the surface. Sami’s family has all but fallen apart after Will revealed that he caught her and EJ having sex, while Rafe and Carrie gave in to their attraction with a passionate kiss - witnessed by their spouses. Months after discovering that Alice was keeping secrets from her loved ones, Hope learned the terrible truth that Alice had tried to hide: she and John are still married! The next generation of Salem has had its own turmoil, as Abigail’s issues with her father have led to an unhealthy obsession with compassionate Austin, and Will’s sexual confusion has led to volatile and rash behavior. And Brady and Madison’s carefree romance has been rocked by the surprise entrance of Madison’s much older, devious husband Ian, who seems to have connections to everyone in Salem.
What Works? DAYS has delivered on its promise of romance and family drama in spades. Watching Sami’s family fall apart before her very eyes has been riveting, and seeing seemingly solid couples John and Marlena and Bo and Hope rocked by the revelation of John and Hope’s marriage has made for great drama. Brady and Madison’s bland romance has surprisingly become the springboard for a new umbrella story with new character Ian, which is finally going to give Kate and Stefano something to worry about. Will’s coming of age story has been exciting to watch, as well, and the overall use of vets and fan faves have made for easy viewing.
What Needs Work? The constant shuffling of couples, especially with the teens (Melanie, Chad, Gabi, Abigail), has made it hard to invest in any new pairings. Sonny, a compelling new character, has been relegated to being Will’s sounding board and seems to exist in his own after school special. Jack’s return has been less than stellar, with his trademark humor being replaced with upsetting anxiety and trauma. And where are faves like Justin and Adrienne?
Grade: B+

General Hospital
The Story So Far: Fates are about to collide as a tragedy rocks Port Charles to its core and changes the course of everyone’s lives.
What Works: As usual, the cast is uniformly excellent.
What Needs Work: The whole show, but the new creative staff knows that, so it’s okay!
Grade: N/A, as the show is in transition and rating it in its current state would be unfair.