Victor Cassadine is back, and he has a brand-new handsome face.
This week, Charles Shaughnessy stepped into the role of the legendary Cassadine, and I was hooked from the minute Scott and his "Schnitzel" experienced sudden turbulence over the skies of Port Charles mere minutes after jetting off to St. Lucia in a private chartered plane.
Viewers would later learn that the conference about Huntington's disease had been a carefully laid plan designed to lure Liesl into the sticky little trap that Victor had set. Victor was unapologetic, and he reminded Liesl that at least he had let Scott live. Liesl was not impressed.
Back on the fateful flight, Liesl clutched her precious locket with photographs of Nathan and Britt nestled inside. I was certain that weasel Peter had somehow figured out what Liesl was up to, and he had arranged a crash similar to the one that took Drew's plane down over the Gulf of Aden.
I was not a happy viewer. I love Scott and Liesl together. They are an imperfect pair who are perfectly suited for each other, and it's so nice to see Scott happy and in love. Liesl, too, for that matter. Each is damaged, and each has done terrible things in the past, but they've also suffered profound loss and endless heartache. They each try to do better, and have, so they should be rewarded with a little joy.
I'm so grateful that the writers are giving Scott and Liesl a chance -- and some action.
Alas, Scott steered his Schnitzel wrong when he urged her to sit tight in her seat and put on her oxygen mask. Instead of oxygen, it supplied a hefty dose of chloroform gas, which sealed the lieblings' fate. After a couple of henchmen tossed Scott out of the plane -- strapped to a parachute -- Liesl was whisked off to a secret lair that resembled a five-star hotel.
It was all delightfully entertaining, and I'm sure that Finn and Liz will always remember their family getaway in the woods and how Scott fell out of the sky as they were stargazing. More on that later.
Like me, Liesl assumed the culprit behind the abduction was Peter -- until she found herself face to face with Victor Cassadine, who didn't hesitate to quip that his death had been greatly exaggerated. True, but I couldn't help but wonder if he'd been practicing that line all day in the mirror in anticipation of wowing Liesl with his keen wit.
For the record, Liesl was not amused.
When are these people going to learn that no body always means a clean getaway for the villains -- and most non-villains? I never truly believed that Victor was dead any more than I believe that Alex Marick succumbed to a gunshot and drowned in the sea. However, I certainly didn't expect Victor to turn up as quickly as he did, even if Anna and Sam had been all but summoning him by repeatedly saying his name during their chat over the WSB files on Drew's plane crash.
I presume it's Victor's name that had been scrubbed from the flight manifest, which suggests that he is the one who is holding Drew. Was Victor also the person in Naomi's hotel room minutes before she was killed? Victor was certainly known to work with Helena, but I can't really see him having much use for Peter, given who his parents (mainly Faison) are.
Also, if Frisco is in charge of the WSB, then how does Victor have access to changing records without Frisco being aware? I mention Frisco because his daughter Maxie is the mother of Liesl's grandson. There's a strong connection there that poses a threat to both Maxie and James, and I would think even if Frisco never sees nor talks to his daughter, he'd want to safeguard her and those around her from Victor's machinations.
I have so many questions that I'm going to need Anna and Valentin to team up to get to the bottom of things. Let the games being.
Meanwhile, in Nixon Falls, Nina is getting mired deeper and deeper in the hot, steamy mess that she's created for herself. It's only going to get worse because Jax has put all the pieces together, thanks to Sonny's special sauce that Trina shared with Josslyn to serve with cheese sticks or shrimp on the barbie. I'm not sure. I was too distracted by the half jar of sauce that would barely cover a meatball.
What makes Sonny's marina sauce so spectacular that a teenage girl can recognize its unique flavor with just one taste? It's spicy -- and sprinkled with culinary magic. Josslyn was blown away, and for a brief moment, she wondered if Sonny could be alive and making special sauce in Nixon Falls. She quickly dismissed it as impossible because Sonny was dead, but Jax knew otherwise.
Suddenly, Jax recalled the hazy image of Sonny in a cowboy hat at the hoedown in Nixon Falls as Jax was being loaded into an ambulance.
After that, Jax was on a mission, and it didn't take him long to ferret out that Nina's "Mike" was in all likelihood Sonny. Jax quickly called to ready his jet for a little trip to Pennsylvania to confirm what he already knows in his gut.
There's little doubt in my mind that Jax intends to confront Nina, but I don't trust him to do the right thing. Not anymore. Jax has become selfish and manipulative, and his blackmail of Michael is proof of that. He can tell himself that he did it for Nina because he genuinely believed that she had made a mistake, but it's very unlikely that Jax would have gone to such lengths if he hadn't been trying to get back into Nina's good graces -- and her bed.
I don't hate Jax, but I'm disappointed in him. He's been so shady lately that almost anything is possible with him at this point.
Nina needs saving from herself, and as much as it might hurt her, the best thing would be for Jax to tell "Mike" the truth about everything. One thing is certain: Nina won't do it, despite her insistence that "Mike" needs to search for answers about his past before embarking on a future with her. If she truly wanted that, then she would admit that she holds the key to "Mike's" past and leave it up to him whether he wants her unlock it or not. She could tell him that his family -- a wife he loved enough to marry nearly a dozen times, two sons, three daughters, and two grandsons -- believed that he had drowned in a river and his body had washed out to sea.
Nina could assure "Mike" that his loved ones had used all their considerable resources to search for him until all hope had been lost and that they would move heaven and earth to get to him if they had any inkling that he was alive.
I can't tell you how irksome I find Mike's justification for not looking into his past. I find it infantile and selfish. Basically, he doesn't want to find his family because he's in a snit that they didn't look hard enough for him. Furthermore, since they didn't bother searching, let them suffer. They deserve to mourn for a man who isn't dead. Really?
I mean, I'd get it if "Mike" said that he's afraid that he might not have been a good person in his other life or that his gut told him to leave it alone. Heck, I'd even buy him not wanting to know anything about his other life because he fears that his memories will never return, and it would be too painful to see his loved ones as nothing but strangers.
Pretty much anything would be better than pouting because no one came looking.
It's only a matter of time before Nina gives in to temptation and takes what "Mike" is so freely and eagerly offering. Will Jax show up at the Tan-O as the sheets cool on the newly minted lovers? I hope not, but I suspect so.
I also fully expect fireworks and bombshells at Jason and Carly's wedding, but I don't think it will be Jax revealing that Sonny is alive. The mayhem is more likely to come from Cyrus and his cohorts amongst the Five Families.
Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) is back in action and plotting revenge from behind bars with Buscema. Cyrus has no problem with collateral damage, which means the wedding will likely be the backdrop for whatever Cyrus and Buscema are cooking up. Will Jason and Carly tie the knot before chaos ensues? If Sonny doesn't stop the wedding, then nothing will. Carly is already dealing with a return of old feelings, which is a clear sign that the writers want to explore that aspect of Carly's relationship with Jason.
Carly has one problem to a happily ever after marriage with Jason: Britt.
Jason still has feelings for Britt, which is why he always looks pained when she makes a point of letting him know that she's determined to move forward. I've seen Jason torn between two lovers before, and he tends to gravitate to the one he can't have. I don't see Jason reciprocating what Carly feels as long as Britt remains a presence in his life. That is going to keep happening as long as they both live in Port Charles.
Hopefully, it doesn't drive Carly to do anything too crazy. Carly is always at her most destructive when she feels desperate. I don't want Carly to go there. I want her to have learned from her past and to not do anything that will destroy her friendship with Jason.
We all know that the minute Sonny returns, whether as "Mike" or himself, Carly is going to run to his side. She always does. The same goes for Sonny. One look at Carly, and he's going to know, deep in his soul, that she was the one -- not Nina -- that he saw in his dreams, and the two will be united in their fury at Nina for not being honest with Sonny from the start. I can't say I would blame them for feeling that way.
Nina is going to have a lot to answer for -- and atone. Her walk of shame is going to be worse than the time Liz became the town pariah after she was caught canoodling with Nikolas. I can still hear Lulu dressing Liz down at the hospital in front of all her peers.
Nina is going to deserve every miserable second.
Folks, I have a confession. I wasn't thrilled about the idea of pairing Finn and Liz. I liked them as friends, but I wasn't sure how they would work as a couple. Finn is just getting over a broken engagement, and Liz is still mourning her murdered husband. Plus, there's Hayden.
I know that siblings falling for each other's spouses, lovers, or partners is not unheard of, especially on a soap opera. I also realize that Finn and Hayden weren't exactly together when she left town, but there were feelings. Strong feelings. Finn and Hayden also share a daughter.
The camping trip did a lot to turn me around about a romance between Finn and Liz. They are a strikingly beautiful couple and devoted parents, and they have medicine in common. Even so, I still want them to have a conversation about Finn's feelings for Hayden and what would happen if Hayden were to return. I think it's quite obvious that Hayden isn't gone by choice. Nikolas' role in Hayden's departure has been exposed, and Naomi has been murdered.
Violet is adorable, and I look forward to seeing Finn and Liz celebrating the holidays together with their children. I just don't want to get invested in the pairing only to have Hayden's return rip everything apart.
Jordan and Shawn's search for answers almost guarantees that Hayden will be making an appearance in Port Charles sooner rather than later. Plus, I'm pretty certain that Hayden was the prisoner that Drew and Nurse Chloe heard screaming in agony from one of the distant cells.
Finally, let's talk about Esme.
Esme calls herself Spencer's girlfriend, but that's just not the vibe I'm getting from them. They feel more like co-conspirators than a couple who are into each other. There's more chemistry between Vincent Novak and gabby drunk Gladys than Spencer and Ms. Prince.
My initial thought was that Esme was one of Ryan's infamous disciples, but I changed my mind when I saw her meeting with Ryan. She definitely sought him out, but it seemed that she was more curious at his condition than someone meeting an idolized mentor.
Esme clearly has an agenda other than helping Spencer break up Nikolas and Ava. Could there be a connection between Esme and Ava? I found it odd that she referred to Kiki as "Lauren." No one used that name except Franco and his mother. More and more, it's looking to me like Spencer is simply a means to an end for Esme.
One thing is clear about Esme, she's devious and up to no good. Harmony definitely has Esme's number.
Chase is enjoying quite the speedy recovery, hiking all over the woods with Violet and Aiden. I can't help but wonder what the point of his marriage to Willow was. It almost feels like there was a quick rewrite because it really seemed as if Chase was going to use his paralysis to keep Willow tied to his side. I'm happy, though, that the writers didn't go there because I prefer that Chase remain one of the good guys.
Fun fact: Schnitzel is my very favorite food on this planet. Growing up, my mom always made it on my birthday -- at my request -- and both my Oma and my Tante Tilde would make it whenever I visited. Inspired by Scott and Liesl, I made schnitzel for dinner the other day, and both my children and my son-in-law ended up popping over for a rare family dinner. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, board games, and precious family bonding time. Thank you, GH!
Looking for a good binge-worthy watch? Check out Netflix's Clickbait. It is a great whodunit that you won't figure out until the writers want you to, with no loose ends and no pesky cliffhanger. For an added bonus, Joyce Guy (Phyllis Caufield) makes an appearance in several of the five hour-long episodes. I thoroughly enjoyed this limited series.
I think Carly should carry the Bowl O Moss instead of a bouquet at her Wedding to Jason. Then, when it comes time to throw the "bouquet", she can smack Jax in the head with it. -- Missez Premise
After all these years, it was good to finally see another "Girls Night Out," especially with Epiphany back from vacation. Elizabeth looked exceptionally stunning, but I thought they were all being unprofessional, immature, and needlessly cruel to Britt, for people who were trying not to think about work. -- Scrimmage
As stated before, considering Austin's age and the back story told that Alan had a fling with Charity and she had a young son when she wed Jimmy Lee, it would make much more sense if Austin turned out to be Alan's son and therefore have a legit claim to Q estate since Edward did not exclude Alan or his descendants from that will... -- Dreyne Smith
I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to leave a comment below or email me.
Take care and happy viewing,
Liz Masters
What are your thoughts on General Hospital? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
