You're just too good to be true

Some are all about deception, while others insist on living in the light of truth. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium in Port Charles, which has our columnist wondering exactly who is too good to be true -- and who isn't?

This week, I realized why Kim is so lonely. She is a terrible friend and very prone to self-delusion. The signs were always there, starting with Kim's annoying habit of referring to Julian as "Charlie" and the seventeen years that she pined for a man who never once reached out to her -- that she was aware of. Also, all that nonsense about not telling Oscar that he had an inoperable malignant tumor so that he could live his best life possible in blissful ignorance.

We saw how that turned out for Kim, yet she continues to cling to lies, especially the ones that she tells herself.

I was not the least bit shocked that Kim ultimately succumbed to temptation and slept with Franco/Drew. I saw that illicit little interlude coming from the moment that Franco kissed her at the hospital. She saw a spark of Drew in Franco's eyes and the promise of the fantasy that she had spent nearly two decades weaving for herself. It was just too much to resist. Even Julian sensed that her desperation to move to Manhattan sooner rather than later was more about FranDrew than about starting a new life with him. So, no, I was not shocked. I had expected it even when Kim went on and on about how Liz was such a good friend.

The confrontation between the two women was good. I didn't mind Liz slapping Kim, even though I generally abhor violence between women, especially over a man. However, someone needed to try to knock some sense into Kim because she sounded like a lunatic insisting that Liz accept that Franco was gone and that Drew had a new body. Unfortunately, one slap was not enough.

I kept waiting for Liz to ask Kim during their little exchange if Kim would have slept with Cameron had Shiloh gone through with Plan A. That would have been the first question out of my mouth because, but for Franco, Cameron would have been the one walking around with Drew's partial memories and reminding Kim of all the special moments that she and Drew had shared. Cameron would have been the one who had kissed her at the hospital, begged her to run away with him, and repeatedly asked her to share memories of Oscar.

I'm so disappointed that the writers didn't go there because it's where everyone else has gone who has watched this storyline unfold. I've seen it on Twitter, on message boards, and even in my own feedback.

Kim can sing until the cows come home that Franco is gone and that Drew has returned to her, but we all know that she would be bellowing a completely different tune if it had been Cameron who had received those memories. It's for that reason that I can't stomach watching Kim and Franco together. I can't forget that it might have been Cameron, and I'm bothered by the idea that Kim knows that Franco would never be intimate with her because he's in love with his wife.

I didn't see two star-crossed lovers find their way back to each other on Tuesday. I saw a sad and desperate woman use her friend's husband to live out a fantasy that hurt a lot of people including three innocent boys.

I don't blame Liz for having Franco declared mentally unfit. Someone has to be Franco's advocate, especially when another is eager to take advantage of him. I squealed with delight when those orderlies popped up on the piers to tear Franco out of Kim's clutches and injected him (right through his shirt) with a sedative before hauling him away, because it was exactly what both FranDrew and Kim had deserved.

What a cowardly thing to do to try to slink out of town without facing the music.

Not for a minute do I believe that FranDrew wants to spare Liz and the kids the pain of seeing Franco's body walking around with another man's memories. He knows that Franco's family is not going to give up without a fight, so it was only a matter of time before FranDrew was forced to deal with this abomination. If nothing else, he has to deal with his very legal marriage to Liz before he can move on with his life.

Despite Kim and FranDrew's belief that flash drive Drew is a real person, DNA and fingerprints say otherwise. He's still Franco Baldwin.

I want the real Drew to return with all his memories intact and for him to tell Kim to kick rocks because of the stunt that she pulled with Franco. After that, I want Kim to go away. Move to Wales, where Dante went for treatment, and sign up for outpatient therapy. I'm over Kim.

Liz was right; Franco made his wishes known before the procedure was done. He wanted to find a way back to his wife. Liz needs to hold onto that as the psychics had urged her to do. I'm certain that Franco will return to Liz because the version of Drew that we are seeing now is not the honorable man that Kim had described to Oscar. That man had such a strong sense of right from wrong that he had risked his own life to turn in a fellow soldier for war crimes instead of accepting a lucrative bribe.

The real Drew Cain stays and fights. He is a decent man with integrity who puts the needs of others ahead of his own. Always. That is why, when given the choice between Sam and Sonny, Drew -- as Jason -- chose Sam. It is also why Drew was in Afghanistan in 2012, fighting for his country, rather than in San Diego, playing house with Kim.

This version of Drew has shades of early Franco in him, back when Franco was a selfish, manipulative jerk. As much as I dislike FranDrew, I take comfort in knowing that it's because I'm seeing flashes of Franco peeking through.

Unfortunately, I suspect that as soon as Franco and Liz find their way back to each other, Kim is going to announce that her night of passion with Franco resulted in the child that she had hoped to conceive with Drew when she had drugged and attempted to rape him. I pray that I'm wrong -- I hate kids being used as pawns -- but that's exactly the kind of plot twist that would give this story more life.

In other news, Sasha did the unthinkable; she came clean to Michael about her dirty deal with Valentin, posing as Nina's daughter in exchange for money. We also learned something new about Sasha. She had needed the money because her only living relative -- a grandmother -- had needed to undergo lifesaving surgery. How long before Granny Gilmore arrives in Port Charles to visit Sasha? Will she come bearing some secrets, such as that the reason that Sasha was raised as an only child is because a rich woman from New York City sold the baby to Sasha's mother?

Wouldn't that be a deliciously shocking soapy twist?

The truth is that I adore Sasha, and I would dearly love for her to end up being Nina's daughter, since it appears that the writers have moved on from dangling Willow as a possibility. True, they could pick that back up when the truth about Sasha is revealed to Nina, but it doesn't really matter because I want Sasha to stick around, and I do love the relationship that she shares with Nina. Perhaps Nina can adopt Sasha when all is said and done. Imagine going from no children to two daughters. I want that for Nina.

Despite all of Sasha's lies and deception, I see her as one of the good people. She has a genuinely kind heart, and it turns out that she was motivated by love not greed. However, coming clean nearly backfired on Sasha when Michael walked out on her because she had lied. This is why people don't like to confess dark secrets, Michael!

Never demand absolute honesty if you are going to cut and run the first time that you hear something unpleasant or ugly. People seldom hide good things. Given Michael's less-than-stellar past, you would think that he would be less squeamish. I get that part of his reaction had to do with what Nelle had put him through, but one second in Sasha's company is enough to reassure even the dimmest person that Sasha is nothing like Nelle. Sasha actually has a conscience, which is why she felt guilty -- not justified -- for lying.

That brings me to Brad. Oh, how I loathe that miserable toad.

Brad's knee-jerk reaction to everything is to lie then cover up. He has no guilt about what he's done. His only fear is being caught. There's no regret for keeping Jonah from his father because Brad believes that he's better than Sonny. Never mind the fact that Brad tried to kill a woman, and when that failed, he tried to brow-beat someone else into doing the deed for him. Hmm, who does that sound like?

I was thrilled that Julian decided not to tamper with Liesl's brakes. Not only do I not want Liesl killed off, but I also don't want Julian getting his hands dirty for Brad. That little weasel isn't worth it.

I couldn't believe that Brad actually started to whine when he realized that Liesl's crash might raise questions. After using every manipulative tactic in the book to get Julian to agree to the ridiculous plot, Brad then had the nerve to complain about the method that Julian had chosen. He's lucky that Julian didn't throttle him then and there. I certainly would have. Heck, I probably would have tampered with Brad's brakes and been done with it.

Will Julian have a change of heart once he learns that Kim has moved on and left him a Dear Charlie letter? I hope not. Kim doesn't deserve his downfall. Instead, I hope Julian decides to blow the lid on Brad then give Neil a little competition. If Neil is the one for Alexis, then let's see if he can beat Julian in a good old-fashioned love triangle. I'd much rather see Julian combat a romantic foe than embark on another mob war with Sonny.

It didn't escape my notice that Cassandra warned Sonny that other mobsters were grumbling about his grasp on power, suggesting that they might be open to following someone like Julian into the field of battle against the Corinthos organization. Then again, there is her mysterious partner whom she called for assistance. Will he be the one to step forward to give Sonny some trouble?

Cassandra was rescued after waking up from her coma by a man wearing a ring bearing the Cassadine crest. Hints have been dropped for months now that Nikolas is alive, most notably when the psychic warned Laura that her son was in danger then clarified that she hadn't meant Lucky. Since Laura only has two sons, that leaves Nikolas. If Nikolas was truly dead, then how could he be in danger?

However, I can't imagine Nikolas aligning himself with someone like Cassandra, especially now that Valentin revealed that her only hold over Valentin had been dealt with. I'm not sure what happened to Claudette, but Valentin seemed quite confident that the threat had been neutralized.

It was interesting that Cassandra's accomplice had reached out to Alexis to represent Cassandra, which also suggests that it might be Nikolas. Then again, Michael E. Knight is waiting in the wings, set to make his GH debut. Will he be Cassandra's partner? Could he also be connected to Nikolas?

We will have to stay tuned.

What I'm not looking forward to is seeing Shiloh escape justice. Literally. I guess I'm more bloodthirsty than the writers because I would have killed Shiloh off. I see no reason for Shank to ever return, and watching evil villains get what they deserve is one of the things that I've always loved about soaps.

Why do we need the threat of a sexual predator looming over Willow, Sam, and Kristina's heads? I'm incredibly disappointed, and I miss the days when the bad guys met the fates that they deserved -- and boosted ratings.

Heck, I lost count of the number of times that they resurrected Stavros Cassadine, only to kill him off again. And again. And again. There was satisfaction in knowing that he had paid the ultimate price for his sins.

We had quite a few sinners this week, including Lulu and Dustin, who gave Cassandra quite the show by taking their exploration of the ship to a whole new level until the untimely arrival of Laura and Curtis.

Folks, I like Dustin, but does he seem just a tad bit too good to be true? My fear is that yes, he is.

It was Dustin's keen interest in the Haunted Star that planted the seeds of doubt. The ship is infamous, and he should have known that Lulu owned it if he had looked it up online as he had claimed. Things like that are always mentioned in news articles, and that ship has been in the news a lot over the years. Remember the time that Sonny saved everyone on the Haunted Star, which earned him a pardon for murder from the governor? What are the odds that Lulu's name wasn't mentioned in the article about her ship and her father-in-law's heroic efforts?

I like Dustin, so if he has an ulterior motive for meeting Lulu, I hope it's not so awful that it ruins the chemistry that he and Lulu share. I like them together, and it's time for Lulu to move on.

So, what is going on with Peter August?

First, the writers appear to plant doubt about his maternity, undoing something that didn't need to be done in the first place if the plan had been to make Alex his mother all along. Next, Peter goes from having a fresh clean slate to arranging for Drew's disappearance, the attempted murder of Andre Maddox, and now this nonsense with Shiloh all in the span of a week. And for what? To hide the fact that he had a more pivotal role in Jason and Drew's abductions.

Maxie would have forgiven Peter, but his actions illustrate that he hasn't changed. Like Valentin, Peter is his own worst enemy. Maybe after both of their lives implode, they can get a villa together, far away from the wrath of Maxie and Nina. If Spinelli has anything to say about it, Peter's time will run out before Spinelli returns home to Georgie and Ellie.

Folks, Sonny is the most selfish man I have seen in ages -- even by soap standards. That he would actually expect his pregnant wife, who is dealing with an unborn baby diagnosed with spina bifida, to not only take in Dev, but to ship out her own daughter to ease Jax's concerns about Dev is beyond horrible. Sonny needs to make an appointment with Neil to work on his narcissism and to figure out his fascination with Dev.

Does Dev remind Sonny of Morgan? Is Sonny trying to hide behind Dev to avoid dealing with an uncertain future and a disabled child? Who knows? Sonny doesn't really explain to Carly why he feels so compelled to help a street urchin who shares nothing about himself except that he's proud to be a thief and is eager to work for Sonny.

As for Dev, he's been on the canvas for three months now, and we've learned nothing about him. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of kids and teens on soaps because I'm more interested in the adults, but GH has some incredibly talented younger actors. If the writers want me to take an interest in Dev and root for him, then they have to give me more than a rebel without a cause. Start filling in the blanks or erase the sketch and move on, because we have a lot of wonderful characters on the show more deserving of the spotlight, including a young teen named Trina that I'm far more interested in hearing more about.

I'm not an expert or anything, but even I could see how loose the rope around Laura and Curtis' wrists was when Cassandra held them at gunpoint. Cassandra deserved to get the tables turned on her. Also, I love the dynamic duo of Curtis and Laura. They are pure gold.

Line of the week goes to Curtis Ashford. After catching Lulu and Dustin in flagrante delicto, Curtis hilarious asked Dustin, "How's it hangin'?"

William Lipton continues to amaze me. His scenes with Franco outside Kelly's were gut-wrenching to watch. The real Drew Cain could never have walked away after seeing the raw pain in Cam's eyes. Kim dishonors Oscar's memory by allowing FranDrew to call himself her son's father. It's also incredibly insulting to the real Drew Cain.

Why are people so quick to accept that Drew is dead? You'd think that Jason, in particular, would have a more open mind about his twin's plane crash, given how Jason had been presumed killed when his body had vanished in water.

First of all, kudos to the VERY talented person who puts together all the clever photo collages for the Two Scoops column. This week's entry, showing Oscar (along with Cam and Trina) gaping in horror at the sight of his mother kissing Cameron's stepfather is absolutely hilarious! I sense a bit of an Evil Genius at work in these mash-up pictures, and that's JUST what we need to set the tone around here. Keep up the fantastic work! -- Scrimmage

FINALLY!!!! Michael and Willow notice that Wiley doesn't look anything like Shiloh or Willow. As I posted in the past, if the kid had a 3 day growth of stubble, he would not resemble Shiloh. -- JDF

The most ridiculous scene this week is when Sam called the charter plane company (because she's still on the account...) and asked about the arrival or departure info of Drew's plane and they apparently told her it disappeared and she just simply says "thank-you" like that's a normal occurrence. I am not an ace PI like Sam (ha), but I think I would have asked a few more questions. -- Savannah loves GH

I know this storyline of Franco having Drew's memory is crazy but I am enjoying watching him with Kim, since they both have not had much to do on GH. -- soaplover

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment below.

Take care and happy viewing,Liz Masters

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