Wow! What a week.
I have to admit that I tuned in on Monday with pretty lofty expectations, having watched Ironman take a last stand, a couple of redeemed heroes sacrifice themselves for the ones they had loved, and a Night King fall at the hands of a very clever and determined young woman. The bar was set pretty high.
Luckily for me, GH delivered, and then some. Wednesday and Thursday gutted me. Friday was pretty hard, too, especially when Kim arrived at her apartment and saw the shrine to her son. Oscar's passing packed quite the emotional punch. I don't know which part got to me more: seeing Lila and Edward patiently wait for Oscar to say his goodbyes, watching Drew carry his son's body out of the bedroom then gently place it on the gurney, Oscar realizing that the party at Charlie's Pub wasn't real, or Oscar lovingly kissing Josslyn's cheek one last time?
There were just too many poignant moments to choose from, each more devastating than the last. Oscar's death was tragic, but I honestly didn't expect it to be as gut-wrenching as it was. I wept so much during the two episodes that each day, I ended up with puffy eyes and a pesky headache that often follows crying jags.
I'm a sucker for tearjerkers, and the writers did an outstanding job with Wednesday and Thursday's episodes. They are absolutely Emmy worthy. Whether you liked Oscar or not, he was an important character -- especially to the Quartermaines, whose numbers had dwindled down to barely a handful in recent years. The writers respected that, and they took it a step further by not only giving Oscar a truly touching sendoff, but also by honoring the Quartermaine legacy in the process. As soon as I saw Lila, tears sprang to my eyes, and I reached for a tissue.
Oscar's last days were very difficult to watch. Anyone that has ever experienced the loss of a loved one to cancer probably saw shades of the ordeal in what Oscar and his loved ones went through. I know that I did. The hours of sleep as the battle wears down, that brief rally of strength before the inevitable end, and afterwards, when all you can do is sit there, holding your loved one a final time as the grief crashes over tidal waves. I don't care how much time you have, you are never prepared for the end. It's overwhelming, and I can only imagine that it's infinitely worse for a parent.
Drew and Kim broke my heart as they raced into their son's bedroom and Kim checked Oscar's pulse. There was a moment when it seemed to me that Kim was about to start CPR, but then she stopped herself. It shattered me because, as a parent, I absolutely understood that instinct.
Like Olivia, I was sobbing out loud, especially on Thursday. Everyone did an incredible job, and I'm going to miss Garren Stitt. I have no idea how he managed to get through those scenes without shedding tears as Kim, Drew, and then Josslyn took turns telling Oscar what he had meant to them. The actors, the writers, the camera guys, the makeup people, everyone deserves accolades.
I know that Josslyn will be okay. I think that Oscar got things wrong during his glimpse into the future. Josslyn is not going to find love with some random dude from high school; it's Cameron who will help her pick up the pieces. And Josslyn is going to help Cameron, too, because it's clear that Cameron is broken up about Oscar's passing. They might not have articulated it, but those two boys forged a strong friendship in the short time that they knew each other. For someone like Cameron, who has been dealing with his brother's bullies and judgmental peers, that's an important piece of his support system.
Franco is, as well, even though Cameron is not too keen on his stepdaddy. I'm happy that Franco isn't giving up on Cameron. That's what Cameron needs to see because every other adult male role model broke that promise and bailed. I don't blame Cameron for having trust issues. I realize that Cameron also has an issue with Franco's history, but it's not like Cameron comes from a long line of saints. His father was Zander Smith, his uncle is currently in jail on a murder charge, his aunt Hayden is on the lam, and his brother's father is a mob enforcer. Oh, and his crush is the stepdaughter of a mobster and the niece of a mercenary/terrorist.
At some point, Cameron will have to make a decision. He can respect his mother's choices and accept Franco as part of the family, or Cameron can go his own way. I have a feeling that he's going to choose the first, not the latter. Cameron loves his mother, and he's devoted to his family. I don't see the self-destructive streak that guided Cameron's father down the wrong path time and again until it claimed Zander's young life, so I'm hopeful that things will work out.
I believe that it matters that Franco hasn't returned to his old ways, and that he continues to make an effort to be a better person. Even Carly has ceased growling at Franco whenever she sees him.
I have no idea what's next for Drew or Kim. Kim really doesn't have any ties to Port Charles other than her relationship with Julian. Drew is a free agent, too, in that he can take some time to go off to find himself, maybe climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to honor his son. However, there is a place for Drew in the Quartermaine family because Monica adopted him, and he has his daughter and twin brother. Plus, Drew considers Franco a brother.
There are ties that bind Drew to Port Charles, and after his scene with Shiloh on Friday, I want him to take down Shiloh. The audacity of that slimy Shank showing up hours after a man's son died just to spout fortune cookie philosophy to a grieving father. It was shameful and disgusting. I thought that Shiloh had better game than that. He's not even trying to pretend that he's anything other than a sleazy cult leader. I don't know how Drew held back from chucking that book at Shank's head.
Drew isn't a businessman. He's an action hero. I'm really hoping that Oscar's request for Drew and Jason to find a way to be brothers was a bit of foreshadowing of what's to come. Drew needs a mission, and taking down a cult is right up his alley. Plus, Drew has history with Shiloh, which means that Drew might be keeping Shiloh's dirty secrets locked in his head -- or on a flash drive. I know that Drew doesn't want to risk losing the precious memories of his son and daughter, but I have a feeling there's another way to access those memories.
Why exactly does Sam have to go through the motions of giving Shank a phony secret about Jason? She knows where the files are kept, so why not just break in one night, while everyone is asleep or at a rally or doing whatever they were doing the night that Jason scooped up Kristina and marched out with her and the tainted cup?
It just seems a tad bit risky and a whole lot foolish to spend time with a guy who drugs women with narcotics then has sex with them. What is to stop him from slipping something into Sam's drink to get a jump-start on things? The man is a dangerous sexual predator and there's no telling what he's capable of if things should suddenly go sideways.
I realize that Sam is a self-proclaimed danger junkie, but she's also a mother of two young children. One of them just lost her brother. I can't help but question Sam's priorities at the moment, especially since Kristina is out Shiloh's reach and imminent danger.
The day that Oscar passed, my jaw dropped when Sam asked Jason to check in on Danny and Scout when he got to the Quartermaines' because she didn't want them to really know what was going on until she and Jason could sit down and talk to them together. Sam, if you are worried about that, then why are your kids there in the first place? Also, shouldn't Drew be the one to sit down with Scout and Sam for that talk, not Jason?
It's really hard to root for Sam when she's all over the place and not making a whole lot of sense. There's no reason that the kids should be at the Quartermaines' when everyone is focused on Oscar and his final hours. Scout, yes. She's his sister, but even that is questionable because of her age and need for supervision. Couldn't Molly have babysat if Sam was too busy to take care of the kids?
And why does Sam not have a nanny? She's a multi-millionaire, so money shouldn't be an issue.
Also not making sense is Chase. One minute, he's ready to take down Dawn of Day single-handedly, lock up Shank, and throw away the key, then the next minute, he's acting like Kristina's family did a terrible thing by rescuing her from the clutches of a diabolical cult leader. Pick a lane, Chase!
Brava to Diane for reminding Valerie that the police have no right to question or put Alexis under surveillance. No one has filed a missing person report on Kristina, so there are laws being broken by the new crime-fighting duo. That's not a good start.
I don't know yet if I like the new Valerie because she's been all business so far. I'm hoping that changes once things settle down and she has some scenes with Kristina.
What surprises me is how much I like Willow. She is nothing like I initially thought, which is exactly why I try to keep an open mind about new people. Gone is the mousy teacher who looked like she wandered off a Disney princess movie set.
Willow has some bite to her, and I love that she refuses to cower down to Shiloh. She's willing to do what's necessary to save someone else from falling victim to Shank's Machiavellian tricks, and she's not wasting time getting things done. How wonderfully refreshing. Usually gleaning secrets from a character is like pulling teeth.
That said, I do wonder what secret Willow offered as a pledge when she joined the Trust. Clearly, she must realize that Shiloh is going to wave that under her nose at some point. I just hope that when he does, she has the strength to call his bluff and let the chips fall where they may. That's the only way to truly sever Shiloh's hold over her.
I can't wait to see what Willow has to say to Kristina on Monday. I have a feeling that we are going to learn more about Willow. My only concern is that the writers will succumb to temptation by mitigating Kristina's bad deeds with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Several on the show have recently raised the possibility, but I think that would be a mistake. Sometimes, people just make bad or foolish choices. Kristina has always been shown to be an insecure person who desperately craved her father's attention. She was hurt that her father didn't fight harder to be a part of her life, and she resented her mother for being a helicopter parent who also made poor decisions.
Kristina is stubborn, and she has to work hard to get good grades, unlike Molly, who has never struggled academically. Kristina got sucked into DOD because Shank is an experienced grifter who preys on insecure people by telling them what they long to hear. Kristina dug in with DOD because she felt pushback and sensed ridicule from her loved ones. Even Sam recognized Kristina's penchant for cutting off her nose to spite her face when she cautioned Molly about confronting Kristina.
Kristina definitely would benefit from therapy, but I do not believe that she has bipolar. As much as I hate blaming parents for the choices that their adult children make, I do have to acknowledge that Kristina didn't have the best role models, growing up, when it came to affairs of the heart. That is what I believe is at the root of Kristina's problems, not a chemical imbalance.
Ideally, I would like for Kristina to take full responsibility for her actions, make amends, and learn from this. Come out the other side wiser and better for the experience. I want to see character growth, and I wouldn't mind if she found some real love along the way. Despite Kristina's foolishness of late, this is someone that I have watched since conception. I want her to have a happy romance with someone that she can continue to grow with.
Meanwhile, Finn is trying to work up the nerve to ask Anna to marry him. He had a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring ready to go, but Robert ended up with it, and he doesn't appear to be in a rush to return it. Is it because Robert has unresolved feelings for Anna, or is it something else?
I doubt that Robert is still secretly in love with Anna. I know that he will always love her, but he has moved on. I'm not sure what happened between him and Holly, but it's clear that Robert isn't pining for Anna.
I suspect that Robert is concerned about Finn taking over Robert's place in the family. I also think it's a silly concern, but I'm not in Robert's position. Robert is a spy who probably wouldn't know how to put down roots if he wanted to. Finn is the opposite of that, and he's a brilliant doctor and scientist, which means that Finn has a lot in common with Robin. I can see why Robert might feel a bit threatened, but I'm certain that Robert will also realize that his place in the family is sacred. No one could ever replace Robert in any way. There will always be a special place in Anna's heart for him, and Robin, Emma, and baby Noah are absolutely devoted to him.
Robert just needs to bond a bit with Finn. I would love for the writers to come up with a fun adventure for them. Perhaps they can go camping together. That would be a hoot!
In other news, Lulu is working with Ava, Kevin, Mac, Felicia, and Laura to lure Ryan out of hiding so that he can face Ava's wrath.
The trip to Paris did Lulu a world of good. She no longer breaks down when she sees Kevin, which bodes well for Kevin and Laura's future. She also seems to be over Dante jetting off for deprograming without a real explanation, which means we are sure to see Dante sooner rather than later because I can't imagine that they are going to leave Lulu in this endless limbo.
I hate the idea of Dante and Lulu divorcing, so I'm really hoping that Dominic Zamprogna can be lured back, or they recast the character. Dante is a great character, and he has so much more story left to tell.
Meanwhile, I wouldn't mind Maxie getting a little competition for Peter's affections. Not serious competition, but enough to shake things up a bit and help her take that step to actually go out on a date with Peter instead of giving him an out at the last minute. Maxie is the type of person who has a better appreciation for things that she has to work for, and I don't feel as if Maxie has worked all that hard for Peter. The guy has been mooning for her since before Nathan died, and living like a monk.
It might do Maxie a little good to chase Peter for a bit.
So, when do you think Ryan will make an appearance? Perhaps for the Nurses Ball when it's traditional for all hell to break loose? Yup, me too.
I'm certain that this year's grand finale will be Ava finally facing off against the one-handed serial killer who murdered her daughter. I can't wait for it. I've been daydreaming about it ever since Ryan slithered to Ava's doorstep then used her to satiate his lust and his need for an alibi.
Like Arya Stark, I have a list, and both Ryan and Shank are on it.
I find it fascinating that Cameron is still doing community service for his first offense when there are numerous people on this show who have faced far less punishment for far more serious offenses.
If I'm blessed enough to live a life as long as Lila's, I sure hope that once I pass over, a half dozen decades are shaved off of my appearance. I'd much rather spend eternity looking 30 rather than 90. I'll wear a name tag to identify myself to my descendants.
So, Lulu runs off to Paris, and suddenly a cathedral that stood for 850 years burns down. Coincidence?? I'll let YOU decide. -- Scrimmage
Friday's episode was the first time that I have actually seen a kitchen in the Corinthos' household! For years I've seen Sonny coming from somewhere with plates of food but nary a pot or pan. -- JDF
My question is, how would Brad be inducted should he get that far? Do I really want to know??? Where are the men and the children being housed??? -- lovethosedimples
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment below.
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.
