what GH is doing right

[gwynnega]

I'm always complaining about Bob Guza's stupid mob obsession on GH. But one thing he's done right is introduce the character of good-hearted hacker Damian Spinelli, portrayed by the talented Bradford Anderson. He's one of the main reasons I haven't abandoned the show altogether. It seems apparent that the GH showrunners realize what a find they have in Anderson, and that, if the show survives, he may well end up being their new Tony Geary. Not unlike Geary, Anderson can sometimes be over the top (and the writing for Spinelli can encourage such excess), but he's great at comedy and perhaps even better at drama, he has great chemistry with pretty much everyone on the show (and notably with Kirsten Storms' Maxie), and he's adept at handling the vast swaths of quirky dialogue the writers give him.

I've heard complaints about the way Spinelli talks--"nobody talks like that!"--but in fact I think that's one of the best things about the character. No one else on daytime talks like him, and his thesaurus-like dialogue adds some needed texture to GH, packed with mobsters grunting out their few lines of verbiage. Also, on the few occasions when he does drop the high-flown Spinelli-speak (for example, he tends to talk about himself in the third person as "The Jackal, assassin of cyberspace") and speaks directly from the heart, the contrast is very affecting. For example, on yesterday's show, Spinelli asks for Jax's help in winning Maxie's affections. "Just be yourself," Jax counsels, and Spinelli stops the babble and says simply, "Myself isn't good enough." (The scene is here at 1:57, though you have to skip past Jason and Carly angsting endlessly about Sonny.)

For awhile the writers misused Spinelli to prop up Jason and Lulu, but at some point they must have realized he deserved his own stories (and that Anderson improves pretty much every scene he's in), and the writing improved. I love that they're throwing him in with a variety of characters--how great the scenes with Jax were yesterday! And I love watching the GH cast--in particular, stonefaced Steve Burton--trying not to bust up laughing in his scenes with Anderson. One particularly funny scene is this one, featuring Sarah Brown, who also seems particularly amused by Anderson.

It's not that I trust Guza and co. not to mess things up, but they do seem to be going in the right direction with Spinelli. I just hope they let him get the girl this time!

Comments

[usedtobeljs]

I love characters with stylized language. :-) I stopped watching GH right before Spinelli was introduced, I think, so it's great to read your overview!

[hugs]

[gwynnega]

His dialogue is stylized, all right! I really enjoy the fact there's a character on GH with a large and interesting vocabulary (something I've missed since Kevin Collins left the canvas). :-)

::hugs::

[callmesandy.livejournal.com]

I could not agree more!

And remember when he was first introduced, back in the Alcazar days? I think another thing GH has done well is to gradually shift him from minor annoying character to lead without feeling like we are having a newbie shoved down our throat.

[gwynnega]

I agree. I actually loved the character from the moment he first appeared, but then there was a period of time awhile later when he was on all the time but only as a Jason and Lulu propper, and if they'd kept him in that capacity much longer, I probably would've gotten sick of him.

I don't think Anderson was on contract at first, so they were probably trying to decide how viable the character was. If they'd hired a less talented actor, the character might well have fallen by the wayside...

[10zlaine.livejournal.com]

What I really like about Anderson is that from day one he's shown that he's an excellent actor. So many people who start on soaps have that n00bness to them as they learn the 3 camera thing and the different direction/blocking required in daytime not to mention the heavy script load - yet, he's landed on his feet since day one, despite that crazy Spinelli-ese.

The biggest thing that has always kept me in daytime and tied to shows I should have abandoned long ago is the acting, and even though GH really blows, there are still some excellent performances being turned in.

[gwynnega]

Yes, Anderson just walked in and made it look easy. He has a theater background, and it really shows. I suspect he has more lines to learn per week than any other actor on GH...

GH still has one of the best casts in daytime, which is what makes it so frustrating when the writing sucks.

Meanwhile, today's OLTL was incredible. Not only do they rule at character-driven drama, but today they completely bested GH in the action/adventure/shoot-'em-up realm, AND they brought back Tina Lord and the original Marty Saybrooke!

[10zlaine.livejournal.com]

I've been keeping an eye on OLTL for a couple of weeks now - it's been tough since there has definitely been an influx of *youth* - but I'd seen the ads for Tina and Marty, and I'm watching right now!

[gwynnega]

I was spoiled for most of what happened in that episode, and I still didn't see it coming!

[herself_nyc]

I'm a little behind on RH, but last night watched the ep where Pat gets drunk on plum wine and goes to see Faith. And Dee nags at Johnny — she has a 6th sense for knowing when she's been stepped out on, though who wouldn't want to step out on her? I'm really starting to feel sorry for Roger!

[gwynnega]

I love that the first person to see Dee and Pat's new apartment is Roger!

[herself_nyc]

Yeah, I guess that was significant!

I also love all the sets on the show. That one in particular, really captured the kind of vacant apartment you'd expect in the mid-70s on the Upper West Side.

[gwynnega]

Wait'll you see what that place looks like when it's furnished!

RH had a really wonderful scenic designer in their first several years. He was the same guy who did Dark Shadows. I cringe when I see what they did to the RH sets in the mid-80s. They redid the bar in green--hideous!