It was the best of times and the worst of times for General Hospital last week. At one point I could not believe I was watching the same show.
I am going with the bad news first.
I can deal with a show changing its mind from day to day, even scene to scene, but not minute to minute. Bobbie was about to meet Brad, the love of her son's life. She was thrilled that they were going to get acquainted. Lucas said they did not have time, and she would get to know Brad at the wedding. Then the trio had a long chat. They could have used the song "Getting to Know You," from South Pacific in the background.
My head snapped when Bobbie revealed that Lucas had gone to medical school and was at the top of his class. Huh? Never heard that before. Where did he go to med school? The "so you want to be a doctor university" or the online "anyone can be a doctor" med school?
Next we had Sonny giving Shawn a second chance to botch things. Still out to kill Franco and Ava, Sonny went back to Shawn, who had bungled Ava's abduction. Sonny is not the forgiving kind, but he let Shawn off the hook.
There is a lot of foreshadowing about the Halloween wedding of Carly and Franco. A regular wedding ceremony in Port Charles ends with someone getting killed, maimed, or arrested. They do not have to go on about the "this wedding is not going to go smoothly" rhetoric.
Ava's early labor seemed endless. There was a woman in labor for 75 days. No lie. Look it up. Ava's pre-labor was almost as long. I hope when she really is in labor, it will be for one scene. I doubt it.
Then came Franco and Heather's visit, and this was where I was offended. GH has the oddest take on mental illness and sanatoriums. Ferncliff is like a sub-par country club. The rooms are small, but that doesn't matter, as you can get out anytime you want. If you can't then someone will bust you out.
The thing that had steam pouring out of my ears was Olivia saying "Freako" belonged in "the loony bin with that deranged mother of his." Mental illness is no joke. Mental illness is sad and serious and affects one in five Americans.
It seems Heather went shopping in the hospital. She told Franco she had her outfit picked out for the wedding. Speaking of off-kilter, Olivia had a vision about Carly and Franco's wedding. I had so hoped never again to see one Olivia's visions.
I hope never to see another episode like this on any soap. Guess what? I doubt that prayer will be answered.
Jerry also got in his licks. When Lulu got on the phone, thinking it was Luke, she said "Daddy." Jerry corrected her but said he could get used to her calling him "daddy." How perverse but how Jerry Jacks -- perfect. He had many a snarky line. I love snark on TV and in real life. When Tracy asked if he was still on the line, he said, "Yes, even though I am being bored to death." Whoever wrote his dialogue was spot-on.
The meeting between Carly and Jake was refreshing. I have to give full disclosure -- I loved Steve Burton's acting even before the car crash that changed his life -- just a natural actor. Guess what? I have been pulled in by Billy Miller. It is great that for once the audience is in on something that the characters aren't. But wait! We do no not know everything. Is he going to be the Jason before the accident or stone cold? He did smile. As I recall, brain-damaged Jason smiled once a year and only if forced. So the audience is still in the dark.
Speaking of dark. The scene with Sonny in the Quartermaine crypt was terrific. Sonny envisioned Connie and had a devil or angel conversation with her. Sonny wants to kill Ava and Franco. His Connie alter said to stop trying to get even and to get on with his life. Maurice Benard gave such a scary Sonny look that I turned my head away from the television. He admitted he loved Carly. He had loved others, including Connie, but Carly was his heart.
And now Franco. I loved it when Jason wondered why Carly did not know the last name of the man she was going to marry. As usual, Roger Howarth was chilling and comical as he told Nina he had dire plans for his wedding. Guess we have to wait until Halloween to find out.
As for the tune in next time cliffhanger, Jerry said Luke was on the terrace. Tracy, Ned, and Lulu ran to the terrace. Tracy gave a gasp and a popped eyed-look then an "Oh, my God."
Guess what I will be watching in real time Monday?
