Mixing It Up

American soap operas, unlike their Mexican telenovela counterparts, last for years, decades if your lucky. This allows the audience to feel connected to these characters, but unfortunately another result of a show's longevity is reduncancy. Oftentimes characters only share scenes with their romantic counterparts so repitition is a given. If you think you've heard a conversation before, it's probably because you have. There's only so many ways to say "I'll love you forever" (or until the divorce papers or final) or "I hate you, you lying, cheating, slutty whore!"

A good way to avoid this pitfall is by inventing unique character interaction. For example, Max and Diane's interaction yesterday was a breath of fresh air. In honor of the GH execs mixing it up, I'm going to mix it up by posting a positive post. Lord knows there was soooooooo much wrong with the show, but I'm guessing that's going to be a trend this week (as opposed to every other week?) and I'll save my complaints until the weekend, unless something really rubs me the wrong way in which case, you will be the first to hear about it.



Number one, the whole set up of a mob kingpin's bodyguard playing gin with his hardnosed lawyer is hysterical. Secondly, I loved that they were basically having two entirely different conversations - Max worrying about "Mrs. C" as usual and Diane going on and on about the designer original Kate promised her.

In the following scene where Max literally dives out of "the boss' chair was pretty amusing as well. They both were acting like two kids who got their hands caught in the cookie jar. Sonny was moping like he always does when something doesn't go his way and I loved Diane's reaction:


Diane: Well, how did it go with Kate Howard? Any word on my dress? Because I'm thinking, as long as the editor in chief of "couture" magazine is personally handling the arrangements, I might be able to pick up a few odds and ends --
Sonny: I don't want you working on Kate's case anymore.
Diane: What about my dress?
Sonny: She's sleeping with Anthony Zacchara's attorney, which happens to be Ric's father, and that is more important than your damn dress.
Max: I'm sorry, boss, that's tough to take.
Diane: Yes, it's devastating. How can you possibly break up with Kate Howard before I have received my designer created-and-fitted original?
Sonny: Diane, did you not hear what I just said?
Diane: Yes, yes, yes -- Anthony Zacchara! Now, you hear me. Mob rivals come and go -- just look at Lorenzo Alcazar -- but this is fashion!

Sorry, Diane, but I don't think a crisis of fashion registers with Sonny unless he's trying to dipsose of a bloody outfit (i.e. evidence).

Of course I loved this little gem:

Diane: How could you do this to me? I have bent the law and broken my back defending you and jason time and time again. Finally, something good has come of it, and now you want to take it away?

What is so fabulous about these scenes is that Sonny is getting a taste of his own medicine - self-centeredness. I love anyone, especially a woman, who doesn't back down from Sonny Cornithos. Yes, she's a mobster's lawyer, but as a reward for fighting for her fashion rights, she gets a pass - but just for today.