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Reviews
General Hospital (1963)
My 60 Years in Port Charles
This iconic soap premiered in 1963 as a hospital-based drama featuring Dr. Steve Hardy, Nurse Jessie Brewer, and the rest of the staff. But by the late '70's it was all about two star-crossed lovers---young hoodlum Luke Spencer and his sweet soul mate, Laura. In 1980 Luke and Laura went on the run, solved the mystery of the "Left-Handed Boy," and prevented evil Mikkos Cassadine from freezing the world. What a hoot all that was! In subsequent adventures they interacted with dashing Aussie spy Robert Scorpio as well as his brilliant ex-wife Anna Devane AND con artist Holly Sutton. Tales of international intrigue and espionage, revolving around the W. S. B. (World Security Bureau) became standard fare. Then in the '90's brooding mobster Sonny Corinthos pretty much took over the town. Thereafter the show focused on his many romantic entanglements and offspring, his bipolar disorder and of course his crimes. And let's not forget the super-rich, colorful Quartermain clan with their eternal vying for money and power. Alan and Monica Q lived "unhappily ever after" but enjoyed tormenting each other for decades. Jason, their disaffected heir, suffered brain damage and left home to become Sonny's hit man! And Damian Spinelli, hilarious computer nerd, made himself indispensable to EVERYONE whenever there was hacking to be done. Nowadays GH still has many of its original cast members along with their descendants. As of 2023 my favorite mature pairing is Anna Devane and Valentine Cassadine, who have won me over completely. And the same can be said for the young supercouple "Sprina"---angst-ridden teens Spencer Cassadine and Trina Robinson. Their chemistry's just, well, through the roof. As for soap dysfunction, that too abounds. Kudos to Carly Spencer, a legendary character in her own right, who has finally kicked Sonny to the curb. His new lady Nina Reeves---I love her but oh, she's trouble! And ditto for Ava Jerome, semi-reformed villainess who still shows her claws from time to time. Ambulance chaser Scott Baldwin remains a delight after 40+ years and remember how he used to be married to our Laura back in the Jurassic Era? Oh yeah, and Luke and Laura have been divorced for ages now. Laura's currently the Mayor of Port Charles and married to her psychiatrist. As for Luke, he's "presumed dead," but we all know what THAT means, don't we? No body was ever found. His present-day wife happens to be the wonderfully b*tchy Tracy Quartermain whose barbed comments make everyone squirm, and...Gol durn it, but I love this show!
Vampires (2020)
Gritty 21st Century Parisian Bloodsuckers
Truly avant garde, and I mean that in the very best sense. An entirely new and fun spin on the "coming of age" story. "Vampires" is fun to watch, and kudos to the French for getting it right! I'm hoping for a season 2 on this one.
Chen qing ling (2019)
Soul Mates and Zombies and Rabbits, Oh My!
During the dark days of Covid-19 this series kept me going. It's a marvelous fantasy/ costume drama set in ancient China. Not the greatest CGI but hey, your attention will be mostly riveted on our gorgeous heroes---Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji---so who cares? These two are frenemies-turned-soul mates who join forces to fight a growing evil. Night after night they must battle such things as giant turtles, walking corpses and Aqua Demons. One of the boys even dies in Episode 1 but don't worry, in the very next scene he's resurrected! How and why this happens is a major mystery to be solved so sharpen your investigative skills. A clever storyline draws you in, and before you know it you'll be addicted.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are the heart and soul of The Untamed. They're complementary opposites, i.e. Twin flames and yin/yang polarities. Wei Wuxian is fun-loving, unorthodox and free-spirited, the exact antithesis of sad, repressed, by-the-book Lan Wangji. Because of Chinese censorship their burgeoning relationship can only be shown through innuendo and subtext. Don't expect any x-rated content here. Notwithstanding the talented young actors, Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, have a chemistry that's heart warming and through-the-roof . Their slow burn connection made The Untamed a mega-hit back in 2019 when it first aired on Asian TV. Now on Netflix it's something that Western fans can obsessively watch and re-watch.
Another plus is the cast of well written, well acted subsidiary characters. Virtually EVERYONE has an interesting backstory. The five major clans deliver more than their quota of soap opera secrets, scandals and intrigues. There are also villains you'll love to hate--I myself am shamelessly crushing on Xue Yang, a mass murderer hottie!---as well as flawed but likable good guys. Insecure Jiang Cheng, tragically naive Xiao Xingchen and morally ambiguous Nie Huaisang all spring to mind. The female characters make a strong impression too. Wen Qing is brave and heroic, and even timid Yanli rises to the occasion through her loyalty and capacity to love. Little Blind, a grifter child, sacrifices herself for others. And let's not forget Lady Yu, the stepmom from hell and a real scene stealer!
"What is right, what is wrong?" becomes the question in dealing with moral complexity. The Untamed world is never black and white and provides no easy answers. Wei Wuxian follows his heart instead of empty rules, becoming Lan Wangji's inspiration and role model. The Untamed makes you think as well as feel. It carries a profound message of love, humanity and compassion. It's great TV. But be forewarned: It's also an exotic rabbit-hole. Once you follow the white bunnies and tumble down into Wonderland you'll never be quite the same again...!
Nancy Drew (2019)
Not the Nancy You Expected
After reading all the negative reviews I feel compelled to say something in defense of this show. I myself didn't read Nancy as a kid---my literary idol back then was Anne of Green Gables---but many years later, as a book dealer, I discovered the series through my customers who were all clamoring for vintage copies of The Brass-Bound Trunk. Once I'd dipped into the stories I began to understood why so many readers, for nearly a century, have loved Nancy Drew. What a cool character she is! Smart, brave, curious, loyal to her friends, and an absolute genius when it comes to solving a mystery!
When I tuned into Episode 1 of the TV series I was initially shocked. I hadn't expected to see Our Nancy on her back, being loudly banged by her boy friend! This gratuitous sex scene was off-putting and probably drove away some viewers. Notwithstanding I tried to take it in my stride. Any brand-new show can make the occasional misstep, and I decided to give TV Nancy another chance and then judge accordingly.
I'm very glad I did. So far I haven't missed an episode, and to my surprise I've enjoyed the storyline very much. IMHO the writing is not "terrible" but actually rather clever, with both funny and scary twists. A genuine mystery unfolds. Kennedy McMann is perfectly cast as Nancy; she looks and lives the part. I am also glad to see so much diversity in the young actors who play her friends. The original books were, at times, a tad racist: the good guys all tended to be white-bread Wasp-y, whereas the bad guys had Hispanic or Eastern European names! Not so here. George is Asian, Nick is black, Bess is gay. And what's more, the richest white family in town turns out to be rotten to the core. And hey, there are ghosts too...not "Scooby Do" ghosts, but real ones! So much the better.
Nancy Drew the book series was always meant for kids. Nancy Drew the TV show is Nancy all grown up. It may not be the Nancy you expected to see, but it's a pretty good production all the same. I hope that people give it a chance.