Volume I, Issue vi

February 1999

GH in Review by Amy McWilliams

View a section by clicking on the links below, or read the entire review by scrolling down. The review takes up 8 separate pages, but the navigation at the top and bottom of each remains consistent.

General Hospital

Carly/Jason/Robin

Carly/Jason/Robin cont.

Sonny

The Cassadines

The Cassadines cont.

Mac and Felicia

Justus

Jax

The Spencers

Bobbie

Lucky and Elizabeth

Laura

The Quartermaines

The Quartermaines

• Emily rages at her family for ruining Michael's party. Edward and AJ are unfazed, however, and celebrate the evidence of trouble in Jason's household of two women. They plan to bring Carly and Michael to the mansion. Meanwhile, Emily talks to Alan on the phone and Katherine ropes Edward and AJ into the bachelor auction, all the while hoping to hear from Nikolas after their fight. (12/29)
• At the hospital later, Monica tells Alan that she's positive he can make it back to his job just as Tony has. (12/29)
• As the family prepares for the fundraiser, Edward grouses about being auctioned off but nobody believes it for a moment. When Nikolas arrives to pick up Emily, she wants to make an entrance, much to Edward's dismay, but he humors her at Monica's insistence. (12/30)
• The Qs coldly greet Katherine at the auction, grumping all the way. Meanwhile, Ned instructs Alexis not to be too far away come midnight. (12/30)
• Ned and V end up sharing the evening together, and she tells him that she doesn't buy his hard exterior any more. She's seen that he's really softhearted. In turn, Ned tells V that she has some of the best of Isabella's traits--as well as some great ones of her own. (12/31)
• Monica can't believe she has to eat dinner with Taggert for Katherine Bell's fundraiser. He tries to apologize, but she won't hear it. (12/31)
• At another table, AJ (who also asks her to confirm that she and Ned were working together to get her into the ELQ CEO-ship) warns Alexis about Ned and tells her that Ned has always taken everything that should be his. He also tells her that that's all about to change. (12/31)
• Lila arrives just in time to make a preemptive bid on a mystery man, and spends her New Year's Eve with Jason and Michael at the bike shop, much to Edward's chagrin. (12/31)
• AJ and Edward plot to get Michael away from Jason. AJ wants to play on her desire for credibility and social status, which Jason can't give her. AJ hears that Carly has moved into the Brownstone. (1/7)
• A reinstated Tony talks to Alan about a procedure he did at the clinic and makes it clear that he trusts Alan to take care of minor things that can't wait, as a start. Monica overhears, and tells Alan that she's thrilled. She hopes he'll come home, but Alan says he's not ready. Monica says that she'll be patient. He asks her to have lunch with him sometime. Later, Monica asks Tony's advice on hiring a new neurosurgeon, since his hand still keeps him out of surgery, but she makes it clear that, in a custody battle over Lucas, she'd be on Bobbie's side. Her acceptance of him is strictly professional. (1/7)
• Tammy, who walked into GH to see Alan and Monica together, meets him later on the docks. He asks her for dinner, but she has an appointment. He gives her his arm and she walks him to his meeting. (1/7)
• AJ meets Katherine on the docks and they chat about AJ taking over the reins from Ned. (1/8)
• Alan and Monica have their breakfast date. (1/13)
• Emily returns from Jason's wearing the helmet and leather jacket he bought her. Edward and Lila tell her how much they love her, and Alan later comes to see her. Monica gives her a necklace and Emily tells her mom about her crush on Nikolas. She goes to borrow a bracelet from Katherine and finds her in bed with Nikolas. (1/15)
• Meanwhile, AJ and Edward reassess their plan, given the news that Robin and Jason have broken up, and AJ gets a call from Robin. (1/15)

Ned: "By no stretch of the imagination did that performance this afternoon improve anyone's relationship with anyone."
Emily: "Oh, come on, Ned. I'm onto you, too. You act like you're all disapproving and like you're better than the rest when you go right along for the ride."
A.J.: "Whoa! I believe that was a direct bull's-eye."

Lila: "I'm afraid that was rather rude. But my shouting apparatus is not what it used to be."
Monica: "Where did that come from?"
Lila: "Oh, Reggie gave it to me for Christmas."
Ned: "I can't imagine what use he thought you'd have for it."
Lila: "All I hear so far are from people who think that they've been treated unfairly and had their feelings trampled. But I don't hear anyone admit to doing the mistreating or the trampling."
Edward: "Well, I found the afternoon to be both productive and enjoyable."

Emily: "If you don't want me to lie, then don't ask where I'm going and don't ask when I'll be back."
Ned: "Anyone else having deja vu? Remembering the day when they realized that in order to save your soul, preserve an sense of integrity or values at all, you'd have to lie through your teeth in this house morning till night?"

Monica: "Lila, would you try to speak to her?"
Lila: "I don't know how much help I'll be, dear. I've only had limited experience in learning to deal with bullies."
A.J.: "Shall I call Annabelle in to barf on your shoes?"
Edward: "I've taken worse abuse than that. In fact, you know, it would take both Alan and Tracey piling on me at the same time to even break a sweat."

Yawn. I'm tired of Emily's shrill screaming about the evils of every member of her family, and even Lila with her whistle couldn't rescue this scene of family horror for me. All the Qs do these days is yell, it seems, and that has to be balanced out for me to have any interest or sympathy for them at all.

Emily: "House of horrors. Hello."
Alan: "Well, you have the most beautiful phone manners. Your father would be very proud."
Emily: "Hmm. I was hoping it was you."
Edward: "Jason actually has our phone number?"
Emily: "Look, do you think that it would be possible to lock grandfather in the basement and maybe A.J., too?"
Alan: "I think their yelling would only keep you up at night. Hey, listen, don't let the old man get to you. He's afraid of you, you know?"
Emily: "Well, if he is, I can't tell."
Alan: "Seriously. He would rather have you think well of him than anybody on the face of the earth. That is a powerful advantage."

Surprisingly, I was to get just such a scene--more than one, actually--from Alan. He's so quiet now that he's recovering that his verbal quality alone sets him off from the family. I love his connection to Emily, and I soften when I see his tentative connection to Monica. He's the Q for me.

Emily: "Ok, that must be Nikolas. Uh--I'm going to make an entrance."
Monica: "Ok."
Edward: "Well, since when did she become Scarlet O'Hara?"
Monica: "Go with it, Edward, just this once."

All of that is not to say that the Qs aren't good for some humor.

Katherine: "Well, you two certainly look dashing."
A.J.: "Thank you. It's all for you, Katherine. All for you."
Katherine: "Thank you."
Ned: "Excuse us."
Katherine: "Well, I guess tuxedos can't help everyone, but thank you for coming anyway."
Reginald: "Was that sincerity? Relax--it doesn't become you."
Katherine: "Oh, Monica. Monica, I know we've had our differences, but I can't tell you how much your presence means to me."
Monica: "I'm here for the hospital, Katherine, and for the people that will benefit from the funds we raise."
Katherine: "Whatever."

They're also good for bashing Katherine, and the assembly line of Quartermaine scorn to which she was treated at their entrance was good enough reason for them to be there. Monica's dinner with Taggert was boring recap, but Edward's conversation with Elizabeth was charming. Ned and V were delightful as well, as they always are. I wouldn't mind a little romance there, you know.

Reginald: "Excuse me. We're not quite finished. Mrs. Lila Quartermaine would like to make a preemptive bid of $50,000 for the bachelor of her choice."
Edward: "Lila!"

Lila's mystery bid and her scene with Jason at the end of the last episode of 1998 were the best, however.

Monica: "You know who you remind me of?"
Alan: "Hmm?"
Monica: "The man that I married. Somebody that's very warm, smart, and really certain about what he wants and isn't afraid of who knows it."
Alan: "Well, there's no point in me having any secrets. Everything about me is right out in the open now."
Monica: "Yeah. That's my problem. Problem is that you shut me out. You didn't let me help."
Alan: "Monica, you were the enemy--you and anybody else who stopped me from getting at my pills."
Monica: "Yeah, I realize that now. I also realize just what I put you through when I shut you out when I was going through the whole cancer thing."
Alan: "Oh, no. That's completely different. You see, the cancer happened to you. I brought my drug dependency on myself."
Monica: "Well, it might've been different, but it still took me a long time to get back to you. But when I did, you were there. And I want you to know that no matter what it takes, how long it takes, I'll be there for you. I promise."

I was so glad to hear Monica and Alan discuss this comparison. They both responded in the same way, faced with crisis, and I'm still working out what their need to withdraw from each other (and the rest of their family) means about their marriage.

Monica: "Well, I respect you, too, Tony, but let's just get one thing straight--it has nothing to do with what I think about you in your personal life. I don't sanction anything that you have done regarding Bobbie, and I want to let you know that if I'm ever called upon to testify in a custody case, I will be on her side."

Again, Tony starts out happy then sneers. Enough already; we get the picture.

Alan: "How's A.J. doing? Is he ok?"
Monica: "Oh--he's fine. He's healthy, he's sober, and he's up to his ears in E.L.Q."
Alan: "Father running him ragged?"
Monica: "Actually, he is getting closer to Edward every single day."
Alan: "Uh-oh. That must mean that father's up to something."

Alan: "I know how desperate you can be for my father's approval. And the more withholding he is, the more that you want it. And if he is ever encouraging, you will do absolutely anything to keep that light on in his eye which is directed at you. I don't blame A.J. a bit for looking to him to be a father figure, or even Jason. Because god knows, I've never been their father."
Monica: "No, Alan, come on now, you're really being too rough on yourself."
Alan: "Monica, it's the truth. And if I'm being rough, so be it."
Edward: "Alan, it's good to see you looking so well. Hello, Monica. You know, your mother and I are so proud of the progress you've made and all that fine work that you're doing down there at that--that clinic. You know, seeing the two of you here together, it's like old times. I tell you, this Quartermaine family is finally getting itself back on track. You keep up the good work, son. I approve. Could I please have my coat?"
Monica: "Well, that was horrifying."
Alan: "Thank you."
Monica: "He goes from nothing to best friends in 10 seconds."
Alan: "Yeah, and back down to nothing in five. God help A.J."

Monica and Alan's breakfast together was absolutely charming. I'm going to enjoy seeing them work back towards a solid marriage. I'm impressed with Alan's understanding of how his family works, and that he's willing to put that understanding to use for his son--AJ. His scenes with AJ were to be the highlight of the upcoming crisis concerning baby Michael, but that will have to wait for the next issue.