Sunday, September 30, 2012

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

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

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.