Dear readers, we have been fooled before, I know. But this time, I really believe Peter is dead due to one significant word: autopsy. Sure, it's easy to bounce back from being pushed down a flight of concrete stairs, sustaining a massive head wound, having your lifeless body dragged up flights of stairs, and being stuffed in a freezer with a heavy lid shut down over you. But coming back after an autopsy would be Jesus-like, and Peter is no Messiah.
Not only is Peter dead, but the GH writers gave us a fantastic gift, Peter was taken down by women. The badass trio of Felicia, Anna, and Maxie were his foils. When the WSB and PCPD failed, the ladies finally ended his miserable life. When Peter had a gun on Maxie and demanded that she come to him, my heart sank. I thought, "Here we go again. He's going to get away again." But then, out of nowhere, Felicia's beautiful arms came into the frame, wielding a tire iron, and she cracked Peter in the head with all her might. It was like watching the designated hitter bat a ball out of the park. Like poetry, watching Peter fly over the ledge and roll down the embankment. When they showed his gun fly free of him, I was afraid he was going to come to and grab it. And then Maxie grabbed it. To put a cherry on top, Anna showed up, did not call for an ambulance, sat by tearfully, and watched the evil scoundrel die.
The acting of everyone involved was exceptional, but I must highlight the gut-wrenching scene with Finola Hughes and Wes Ramsey. The pair that once thought they were mother and son, the duo who lovingly got to know one another, all the scenes where Anna was fighting to see the good in Peter and looking the other way when his evil streak grew. This all came to a head as she had to stand and watch him die to ensure he took his last breath and to weep for him as she did it. Magnificent work. Emmy-worthy material. I also loved the scene where Drew was trying to gently reason with a dying Peter. It was such a passionate scene. Cameron Mathison is such a welcome addition to the GH canvas! (I might say this every week for months, so beware.)
I know you may think I'm insane, but I did feel sad for Peter. When he spat out at Maxie, "You were supposed to save me, but you abandoned me!" it broke my heart a little because that said to me that Peter knew he needed salvation. He genuinely wanted to be better and believed he could be a good dad and husband.
It looks like Mr. August has finally petered out. #GH
— Dan J Kroll (@DanJKroll) February 23, 2022
But don't be mad at me. I get that compassionate streak from my sweet mother, God rest her soul. My mother used to wonder, "What happened to poor Charles Manson to make him misbehave?" She tried to find the good in everyone, no matter how undeserving. She believed God created everyone with a purpose and was sad when people got sidetracked by evil, leaving their heavenly design untapped.
Also, seeing Kristina Wagner, freshly back on the canvas and given such a unique storyline, be the one to finally end Peter made me giddy. Felicia went into mama bear mode, left her wounded husband, traveled halfway around the world to rescue her daughter from a madman, and ultimately was the reason Peter didn't win. Sure, it was a little fantastical to think that Felicia's car was the exact car that Maxie flagged down on the Autobahn, but so what? I have suspended my disbelief for GH for decades, and I have no intention of stopping now. Felicia's grit and determination were her daughter's salvation, and I loved seeing Felicia given the heroine's role instead being of a damsel in distress. I want to bake the writers cookies or hug them or buy them shots of tequila for letting the ladies take down Peter this time. I love, love, loved it.
Readers, this week was soap heaven. I know the writers save these significant plot conclusions for sweeps weeks, but I wish sometimes they could intersperse a little of these payoffs more often. It's almost too much emotion to take all at once.
Next up is the revelation of Bailey Louise Jones. You might be wondering why I didn't mention Kirsten Storms in the paragraphs above. Because I had to save my praise for her for the tender and heartbreaking scenes with Amanda Setton. That scene where Maxie tells Brook Lynn she is keeping the name Bailey nearly did me in! Oh, my gosh, did these two make me cry! Two ladies who teamed up to keep a secret for months to protect an innocent baby never intended for the lie to last so long. These two powerhouse actors left me in a puddle. When Maxie finally walked out the door with the baby and Brook Lynne collapsed into Ned's arms in tears, I wept with her. I loved seeing how Bailey changed and softened Brook Lynn. It was a spectacular character transformation over the months. Brook Lynn once only cared about herself, her singing career, and not much else.
Now, Brook Lynn's heart has grown three sizes like the Grinch's. She cares about Bailey, Valentin and Charlotte, Maxie, her parents, her family at large, and especially about Chase. Oh, they finally kissed, and I was giddy! When Ned asked Chase what his intentions were, they got interrupted, but I hope Chase says, "Sir, I would like to court your only daughter." Yeah, I know it's not Bridgerton, but still.
And I thought about Maxie -- I imagined her going home to her empty apartment with the baby she's been waiting to hold for months and her other kids at Spinelli's. I hope we see those scenes on Monday. I want to see her get that release, that "Oh, thank God this is finally over" cry. Maxie's resolve in fighting Peter has been a thing to behold, and Kirsten Storms has given us every emotion -- rage, fear, longing, sorrow -- all in her eyes for months. We are so lucky to have a cast that can do what the actors on GH can do -- they never phone it in. Well, I think one person phones it in, but I won't name names.
The teens had their own share of drama this week, and Esme (the remarkable Avery Pohl) was right in the center of it. When Laura and Esme had a heart-to-heart and Esme went to try and smooth things over with Trina, I almost believed her. I do sense Esme has a desire to find real connections with people. I know she's also got a vindictive streak and is plotting evil things against the girls, but if it had been just Esme and Trina, I think Trina might have forgiven her.
Esme has been alone most of her life. She admitted feeling territorial about Spencer. I think Trina's heart is enormous and that Trina may have tried to help Esme the same way she tries to help Spencer, with a little dose of tough love and sound advice.
But Josslyn was there and went full Cujo on Esme. She did so in the name of defending Trina, but let's face it, there is a lot of Carly in Joss. Part of Joss just liked taunting Esme and trying to make her jealous of Trina. And as Trina pointed out at the end, it just made things worse. I am starting to see Esme's plan -- she set up the video camera and taped Joss and Cam. Esme and Spencer had left by that time, so no one would believe that Esme was the one that taped them. She is trying to frame Trina.
I would love to entertain theories about Esme's parents. We think her father might be Ryan Chamberlin, but who do you think Esme's mom might be? Who accidentally slept with Ryan? She's too young to be Felicia's secret daughter and too old to be Ava's secret daughter, so who is your guess for Esme's mom, if Ryan is indeed her daddy? But back to the drama...
If Joss hadn't been so combative, maybe repentant Esme would have deleted the video and let it go, but Joss taunting her made Esme more determined to get revenge. Ugh.
Readers, I think it is time for GH to recast Jax. Josslyn needs to have a parent speak into her life that isn't Carly. Joss was more centered and in balance with Jax's influence in her life, and without him in town, she only has Carly, the bulldog, to advise her. I know some of you are adamantly against a Jax recast, but I'm not. I would love to see another hunky Australian step in and take over as Joss's conscience.
Meanwhile, across town, Joss's stepdad Sonny is making the mess of his life even worse, drunk-dialing Nina. Readers, yes, I love the evolution of Sonny, and Maurice Benard and Cynthia Watros have excellent chemistry. Still, I can't get past the fact that their relationship only started because Nina let Sonny believe she didn't know who he was for months. I'm stuck on that. Like Carly, I wonder where the Sonny who would have said, "You're dead to me, you lying witch!" and never looked her way again is.
It's extremely messed up to me that Sonny will enter a relationship with the woman who let his wife, children, and grandchildren grieve for him, hold a funeral for him, and mourn for him for months while she was in their home, and who lied to their faces. I don't care how much chemistry the actors have. I can't get past that.
I also really enjoyed Sonny's scenes with Brando and the sage advice, "Never assume the person you love knows how you feel." But if Sonny really wanted to help Sasha and Brando, he would have offered them his place in Puerto Rico instead of his residence in Niagara Falls in winter. Have you ever been to Niagara Falls in winter? I have. The waterfalls freeze into giant icicles. I mean, c'mon, Sonny, let them frolic on the beach.
I am so angry that Sasha will do drugs again after she nearly died! Girl, I know you are sad about losing your baby, but I can't believe you would buy drugs again after what you went through! I'm so mad over this. I did think it was genius to cast Sofia Mattson's real sister Helena to fill in for her temporarily. She's doing a fantastic job.
Readers, if I were a GH writer, I would rearrange many relationships. Britt with Austin, Drew with Sam, Dante with Lulu who comes out of her coma, Finn with Hayden or back with Anna -- did you see the connection they still had this week? Dreamy. Maxie with Nathan because I'm pretending the hostage Peter still had is Nathan, who isn't really dead, and as I mentioned in my last column, Carly with no one for a while. I like Valentin and Anna, so I'm torn on that one.
Another couple headed for some rough waters is Portia and Curtis because Nu-Jordan is coming to town. I am not familiar with Tanisha Harper's work, but I am hopeful. We need Jordan's character back on the canvas, although I am disappointed that it seemed like Shawn Butler (the incredible Sean Blakemore) will be leaving. Why can't T.J. ever have both of his parents at once? I hope Alexis gives Shawn a reason to stay and that he doesn't fly off to San Francisco, but it seems he probably will. [EDITOR'S NOTE: After this column was posted, Sean Blakemore confirmed his exit from General Hospital.]
I loved the scene this week between Laura Wright and Maura West. Carly and Ava have been bitter enemies, moving closer to frenemies. As they danced the dance of delicate negotiation between wanting to stick it to each other and wanting to be good moms, they landed on a compromise to work with each other for Avery's sake. I chuckled when Carly pointed out that she had outlasted all the flavors of the month, so that's the foreshadowing that there will be a wedding number six for Sonny and Carly down the line when Nina eventually gives up and turns tail. Ava reminded Carly of all the horrible things Carly had done to Ava over the years but then relented for Avery's sake and agreed to let Carly see Avery.
What will happen tomorrow, dear readers? Will Spencer keep being an entitled brat in prison, casting out his father, Prince Nikolas, for the next 27 days? Will Harmony forge a birth certificate rather than tell Willow she's not her birth mom? Will Liz find out who has been stalking her and haunting her with Franco's memories? Will Laura ever have time to do her mayoral duties between counseling everyone in Port Charles? (I hope not because I love all the scenes where she drops wisdom and kindness to everyone. It's very Lila-esque.)
Will Victor find the card that activates Drew in Peter's belongings, or is it still with Jason in the collapsed tunnel in Greece? Will Monica invite Maxie and her kids to move into the Q mansion so Bailey doesn't have to slum it in an apartment after being accustomed to being a mansion baby? Will Liesl, Austin, and Britt go out for cocktails together to celebrate Maxie's safe return? (So glad they found a way to pair Kathleen Gati and Roger Howarth in scenes together again!) Will Trina and Esme become BFFs when Joss accuses Trina of filming a sex tape? Will Sonny and Carly be back together by May sweeps, or not until November?
Only tomorrow knows, dear readers, and I will tune in tomorrow as long as there are tomorrows.
Tamilu
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