People have opinions. Especially about other people's lives. Make any decision and watch the world line up to tell you that you're doing it wrong or how your choice is a mistake. Oftentimes this happens with relationships. "Why is she with him?" "What does he see in her?" How many times have you asked that question, or heard someone ask it? Probably plenty.
No one gets Michael and Abby. He's young, privileged, and emotionally damaged. She's older, a stripper, and also emotionally damaged. Everyone (but ten-year-old Molly) disapproves of their relationship. No one approves of their friendship, or understands what they mean to one another. Michael's parents, extended family, and friends have warned him in no uncertain terms that Abby is no good for him and that he should stop seeing her. People have threatened and bribed Abby to try to get her to stay away from Michael. She's ripped up six-figure checks to make her point, but they still don't understand. The fact that Michael and Abby sit in Kelly's Diner, share a coffee, and share their feelings drives everyone mad. What the world doesn't get is that on some level that's invisible to outside eyes, teen virgin Michael and seasoned stripper Abby are the same. They connect. It just is.
Is everyone right? It seems so this week as Abby's brutal and abusive ex, Brandon, has slithered into town to slap Abby around. If Michael defends Abby, will he go back to jail or get a pass for defending a helpless woman? He cares too much about Abby to watch her get beaten around, and I predict he will risk his future freedom to defend her. He would happily risk his future freedom to rescue her, and maybe when his family realizes what she means to him -- that he'd risk returning to Pentonville to save her -- perhaps they will back off.
Sonny and Brenda have been around the block a few times. They have wrecked their relationship and broken each other's heart on a plethora of occasions. In the past decade or so, Sonny left Brenda at the altar on their last go 'round at marriage, which crushed her to the point of breakdown. But they let those old heartaches float out the window of their hearts like feathers lifted by a powerful breeze. Their past failures and botched attempts at love are obstacles to the spectators in their lives, but not to them.
Brenda once wore a wire and tried to get information on Sonny, which enraged him and made him lose his trust in her. They have both been married to other people. They have a complicated and painful past. Everyone has reminded them of their failures. "He already left you at the altar once, what makes you think he'll show up this time?" "You know you can't trust her, she will just break your heart again." Voices are always swirling with opinions and downright fury that Brenda and Sonny refuse to call off their wedding.
When you love someone to the core of your being and you do something that hurts them, it hurts you, too. Do you think Sonny has forgotten that he hurt Brenda at their last stab at nuptials? Of course not; he knows full well what his failure to follow through cost her and he's determined not to repeat the mistake again. Brenda once tried to save Sonny from his criminal lifestyle, but this time around, she has a criminal past of her own. They confessed their sins to one another and opted to be a personal Jesus for their beloved, doling out forgiveness and love which cleansed them both.
I have a friend whom I adore. We've been close friends for over a decade. That fact bothers nearly everyone we know. On paper, we don't make sense - we have some jarring differences in world-view such as I am a devout Christian and he's an avowed agnostic. But we have a connection that is tangible and eternal. In spite of his family and friends and my family and friends telling us all the reasons we should stop speaking, we never ever manage to do it. I wrote him recently about something no one else in my life would understand, and he instantly understood. I breathed a sigh of relief just because he exists in the universe. Then he said something exceedingly true -- "I think we're the only ones who get us."
Thus my title this week. There are people who speak a language you speak that no one else does, that understand you in a way no one has ever understood you, and you're hard-pressed to explain that connection to the world because you can't even explain it to yourself. It just is. A living, breathing, organic thing that is like oxygen; once you have found it, you have to have it and fill your lungs with it just to keep your soul alive. The message that connection sends is simple -- "I'm not completely alone on the planet. Someone out there gets me."
Sure, Michael could walk away from Abby -- she is putting his parole at risk. But he won't. Sure, Sonny and Brenda could call off the wedding and follow all the advice from their loved ones, but they won't because they remember (and so do we) all the days and nights they both spent staring out windows across the world from one another, aching to be together. They can't turn their backs on that kind of love -- they can't pretend it doesn't exist even if would be convenient and make the world more comfortable if they did.
I thought Lucky and Siobhan were on track to finding that kind of love, but she turned out to be a traitor. Lucky knows she is working for the Balkan now, but something inside tells me he is going to help her anyway. After all, they do have her sister at gunpoint, what else could she do? Being a Spencer, Lucky will understand how a pretty girl could get herself into such a pickle and will probably help our Irish lass in spite of all her lies. I mean, at least she wasn't sleeping with his brother.
This brings me to Elizabeth. Readers, I'm pissed. I could try to find a delicate word to say the same, but I don't want to. What is it with this show and killing off the main characters? There are about 20 expendable characters on GH right now, and I'd trade all of them to save Liz and Rebecca Herbst. Lucky doesn't know Aiden is his son. He hasn't forgiven her. They haven't had a chance to build that slow but inevitable reconciliation yet - but we knew they would eventually because they have that eternal connection, too. All of their flashbacks and memories and the history of Lucky, Liz, Nick, and Emily evaporate without her. They aren't just killing off a character; they're killing off an era. Killing off Emily was one of the stupidest decisions ever, and this is just salt on the wound.
So many of you have written me and said, "I'm out," because this was the last straw, and you've had it with GH. I sometimes wonder if that's the point. Maybe they want us all to stop watching. Maybe ABC gets some big bonus from their sponsors if they fill GH's hour with Dr. Oz or Oprah reruns. I dunno, but it irks me.
It's not that I hate the newcomer characters; it's that I don't love them to the extent that I want them to eliminate the legacy characters. You've asked what we can do to save Becky, and the answer is -- nothing. Fans pleaded, begged, signed petitions, and threatened to quit watching over the last five actors killed off or let go, and it accomplished nothing. Sorry to be depressing, but those are the cold, hard facts. Even Rebecca's fellow cast members tweeted and posted things expressing their dismay. You'd think if anyone had power, it would be her costars who could stage a walkout or something. But they know they could all suffer the same random fate tomorrow.
All that having been said, I am extremely antsy for Brenda and Sonny's wedding. I got a hot tip from the delightful Adrienne Barbeau that the fashions at the wedding are going to be to die for -- (no pun intended.) My advice is to watch Sonny and Brenda's wedding just for the outfits, even if you're not a fan of the couple!
Best man Dante will be mopey at the wedding unless Lulu makes up with him right before the ceremony or before the Balkan (a.k.a. Theo) kidnaps her. I can't decide if he's going to try to strangle her with her scarf or if someone will walk in just in time to save her, but that creepy Theo has the look of death in his eyes and is looking at Lulu as if she's an antelope and he's a lion.
The most wonderful thing about his performance is the fact we can see the Balkan seething under Theo's cool exterior. Every time one of the witnesses in the case casually dismisses Alexander, you see Theo tense up and have to push back the volcano of anger about to erupt inside his heart. It's wonderful acting, and I hope he gets some kind of "Best Villain" award somewhere down the line.
Another fine actor on GH is much younger and sweeter than the Balkan. Haley Pullos, a.k.a. Molly Lansing, has done a stellar job as a child who can't quite bounce back from the horror of watching someone die in a bus crash. I had such high hopes when GH introduced Shawn as a war veteran with PTSD. I thought "Wow, GH is actually going to touch on the war and address something real and socially relevant." But sadly they punked me; Shawn turned out to be just another toady for the Balkan. To say I'm disappointed is putting it mildly -- I'd go so far as to say I'm ashamed of them.
I live in San Diego, which is a military town, and I work at a place that actually counsels families about things like PTSD after soldiers and sailors return from war. To glaze over it once it's brought up is shameful. Although the nightly news is more wrapped up in Dennis Kucinich's dental work than they are the plight of our troops -- that doesn't mean the war ended or that the aftereffects of it won't be felt for decades to come. C'mon GH -- man up and take on this hard topic. You could make a difference.
Brenda made a difference by letting the cat out of the bag and taunting Carly with the fact Jax went to London on Brenda's behalf. Meow; methinks there is a major catfight on the horizon. Brenda doesn't know that Carly has the ammo to blow her life apart, and any self restraint Carly used in the past - forget it - she will definitely use it now.
When Carly left her house, I assumed she was headed over to Lulu's to gloat about the breakup with Dante. I know those scenes are coming and I'm looking forward with anticipation. Dante had a bad week -- his girlfriend dumped him, he's being sued in a wrongful death suit and has a snooty lawyer, and his mom is being pursued by...another mob kingpin? No, a really wonderful and caring rich and handsome doctor...So, Dante's problem with Steven Weber is...what?
Good thing GH brought Liz's brother on right before they fired Rebecca Herbst, right? Without any family connections or in-depth interactions with the rest of the cast, how long will the wonderful Scott Reeves last? I think the only safe cast members on GH right now are Maurice Benard and Tony Geary, and even they are probably a little nervous about their future. *sigh*
Losing Liz is sad, but they are doing everything possible to make us dislike her character. The tug-of-war between Elizabeth and Brook Lynn over Nikolas is beneath all the characters involved. If you want a love triangle between those three, give it some depth and don't reduce the players to smearing grease on their faces and faking flat tires or faking earaches on babies. It's just lazy writing.
Real love triangles happen when people are trapped in one reality and are reaching for another, or are confused about where they belong, or made promises to one person before someone more suitable appeared -- but rarely because a paid escort and a baby mama are having a pissing contest over a prince. Dumb. I'm not rooting for anyone here -- I'm not engaged in either coupling.
At the other end of the spectrum is the moving storyline about Sam's discovery that it's possible for her to have reconstructive surgery that might allow her to carry a baby. The loss of Sam's baby was such a poignant storyline; revisiting it years later and imagining the confusion she must feel as she is presented with that choice has been so touching. Think about the worst pain you've ever felt and ask yourself if you'd risk it again in order to gain something you want above all else? Sam has wanted a baby but thought it was impossible, but with only a 50% chance, is it worth a shot? She and Jason discussed it and decided their lives are still too dangerous for a child, but I'd wager that after the Balkan has been handled and the two of them are cuddled up on the sofa, they might revisit the issue. Here's hoping.
What will happen tomorrow, dear readers? Will Alexis hire a live-in therapist to help Molly and Kristina with their issues? Will anyone think to call Ric and let him know his daughter is traumatized? Will Brenda's wedding dress have sleeves that cover her hands? Will someone give the ladies on GH a decent manicure? Will Terrell take a class at Home Depot so he can do Robin's next home repair with a bit more finesse? Will Johnny cave in to the Balkan's evil demands now that he got a beatdown? Will Spinelli and Maxie ever be in the same room again? Will Edward find out Maya's soft on him? Will Siobhan catch the bouquet at Brenda's wedding and forget to kidnap her?
