Dear readers, you know me as the GH Soap Diva, but at my day job, I work for one of America's largest churches. I wholly and deeply believe in redemption. I believe a broken person can be transformed into a new person, a better person, a changed person. I've seen it firsthand. Some of the people who work beside me in the office have all manner of criminal backgrounds; people who did dark and dangerous things in the past were transformed by love into preachers and teachers and spend their lives reaching out to a city filled with people who need a second chance as much as they once did.
So, when many of you wrote me this week in utter shock and disgust that BlondTodd is, in fact, Franco, afraid that his stay would be limited, I had to disagree.
In soap terms, redemption is quite simple. The GH writers have proven that this week with a fancy bit of revisionist history. All the reasons we hate Franco are wrong! He didn't really rape Sam after all; he just made it look like he raped her. He really didn't have Carter rape Michael in prison; he just made it look like he arranged that, when in fact he intended for Carter to keep Michael safe. Certainly the writers have a lot more unraveling to do in Franco's case because the character in his original state was a serial killer. That means the writers will have to undo multiple murders, chalk outlines, creepy toy monkey scenes, and spray painted tags, but hey -- TV writers eliminated an entire season of Dallas with a dream, so it can be done. Will you be able to accept a redeemed Franco if it means keeping Roger Howarth? I know I can.
Imagine the possibilities of a redeemed Franco! It's a gold mine! This makes Roger Howarth a Quartermaine and able to interact and mingle with Tracy and Monica and Ghost Alan. Imagine Carly, who has crazy chemistry with the actor formerly known as Todd, falling in love with Jason's twin brother, whom Jason hates, and Jason coming back to find her with Franco. Imagine Michael forgiving Franco for Jason's sake. Imagine Franco being an uncle to Sam and Jason's baby Danny -- if they can take the time to tell this story right, and even get Steve Burton back for a single day some sweeps week to watch it all blow up, and Jason comes home to find Franco has taken over his life?! Oh man, it's just too good.
Would I rather have him be Todd? Yes. But on the up side, since Franco has Kiki as his daughter, it allows Todd and Starr to live on with all new names. We get to keep the dynamic those two actors have built over the years without ABC getting sued by Prospect Park, so it's a win/win for everyone.
Some of the redemption scenes were messy and tough -- as real redemptions always are. It was difficult to watch the whole Corinthos family having to relive Michael's rape. Sean Kanaan did a wonderful job reacting to the news that his son had been viciously attacked in his absence. Challenging scenes to explore, but which everyone handled magnificently. I also enjoyed seeing Michael's confession to Kiki, because they are incredible together, but the sad truth is that this new revelation that they are related means there is no way we can ever revisit those two actors in a romantic setting. They are, in fact, cousins now. And not the kissing kind.
And across town in another sea of change, NuLulu has regained her memory and is back home in bed with Dante where she belongs. Sorry, Milo, maybe next time. While I miss the lovely and talented Julie Marie Berman, I think Emme Rylan is doing a fine job of transitioning into Lulu's skin, which is much easier to see now that she remembers her family again and is behaving like Lulu.
If I were the betting sort, I'd put money on Lulu being pregnant with Stavros' demon seed. Imagine how creeptastic it would be if Lulu gave birth to a child who was simultaneously Nikolas' little brother and nephew all at once! But we still have Britt's baby, whom I assume is Dante and Lulu's, too -- and Maxie's baby, who is assumed to be Spinelli's, so I predict there are going to be a lot of baby switches going on over the next year.
As Lulu is having flashbacks about Stavros and Helena, I would like to point out that while we saw Laura push Stavros into the deep freeze, we have no proof he's dead -- he's a cat who hasn't used up all nine lives yet. As soon as Laura and Luke left Cassadine Island with Lulu, one of Helena's goons could have thawed Stavros out.
Nikolas seemed much less traumatized about his father's death than he does over whether or not he should tell Liz that A.J. danced in the sheets with Carly. He is carrying the recording around in his pocket, listening to it obsessively, debating whether to tell Liz or not. Those princely manners really get in the way sometimes. Readers, if I had the choice between A.J. and Nikolas, I wouldn't even have to stop and think for a second before diving into Nikolas' arms. I don't care whose brother he is or how many people would be mad. #TeamNik
Not that I don't love A.J. and the beautiful mess he is, but he'd be better-suited to a devious conniver like Ava Jerome or Britt. He needs a partner in crime more than an upstanding citizen as his lover.
Which brings me to Luke and Tracy... Tracy prefers having scoundrels as lovers...May I just say that I've been watching Jane Elliot on GH since the 70s, and the past two weeks, she proved again what an acting powerhouse she is in several heart-wrenching scenes with Luke. As much as I was rooting for a Luke and Laura reconciliation, I have to admit that Luke and Tracy have a dynamic that is unbeatable -- they are raw and honest with one another, and there is a transparency and vulnerability between them that I could watch forever.
Readers -- I have never considered Luke to be an alcoholic. I have considered him a drinker. When Alan and Lucky were addicted to pills, we saw the evidence of their addiction eating up their lives, but I've watched Luke sitting at bars drinking for 30+ years, and except for the time he raped Laura or ran down Jake with his car, his drinking never seemed to negatively impact his day-to-day life. (Yes, I do know how ridiculous that sentence is. Just laugh. It's a soap opera.)
On the other hand, "I've watched Luke sitting at bars drinking for 30+ years." So I can very easily believe Luke has liver damage. That is an entirely plausible plot and a good one to explore. My BFF and I sat around last week after enduring some various health ailments and discussed what we would probably eventually die from. I said heart attack, as I'm overweight and spend too much time at the cupcake shop across the street. She said lung cancer, as she's a smoker and has been for 30 years. But in truth, considering the fact that we were both drunk for most of the 80s, we could end up with liver damage like Luke. Ha.
Side note: I really, really, really want Carly's haircut. Laura Wright has looked stunning lately, and I just thought I should mention that for no reason whatsoever other than I am envious and it's good to confess our sins.
What will happen tomorrow, dear readers? Will Maxie and Dr. Westbourne end up in Lamaze class together? Will Luke scale down the hospital wall on his sheets to Coleman's place and bribe the barkeep for a flask? Will Milo eat a donut for breakfast to mourn the loss of Lulu? Will Tracy warmly welcome Kiki into the family for just one small signature? Will Franco give everyone cymbal-playing toy monkeys for Christmas? Will Molly's prom end up in a brawl between her two boyfriends? Will Sam end up in Shadybrook after seeing two people in one week she thought were dead guys?
Only tomorrow knows, dear readers, and I will tune in as long as there are tomorrows.
Tamilu
