When General Hospital began telling a story about teenage domestic violence I was hopeful that it would have the capacity to educate and warn teenagers about the nature of abusive relationships. I had hoped this storyline would encourage them to respect themselves and empower them to seek help should they ever find themselves the victim of abuse. My hopes were high because I genuinely believed GH wanted to shine a light on a subject that is so rarely talked about. The PSA's that aired after every episode where Kristina was abused only seemed to confirm this belief. However a few weeks ago it became clear that this was not a story of education and empowerment, despite evidence to the contrary.
In the beginning this storyline showed so much promise that is difficult to fathom how it could go so horribly wrong in such a short amount of time. I'm not quite sure what happened but once Ethan became a factor everything just sort of unraveled. And somewhere along the way I think the show just sort of gave up trying to even convince the audience they were trying to tell an important story. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the PSA was noticeably absent on Friday after Kristina experienced her most brutal beating.
And since Alexis killed Kiefer when she hit him with her car, no lesson can even be taken from all of this. If Kiefer had lived and was prosecuted it would send the message that abuse is not a tolerable offense, therefore victims should not be afraid to speak out against the violence. The only message that is being sent with Kiefer's death is that the only way to escape abuse is by killing the abuser. On the other hand I suppose I should be relieved that Kiefer was killed because with the direction this show has been going lately it would not have surprised me to see him become the reformed bad boy who ultimately reunited with Kristina.
On a positive note, I am glad Kristina finally admitted to Dante that Kiefer was the one who had been beating her. At least that lets the viewers know that Kristina would have likely pressed charges against him. I am also glad that she acknowledged the ongoing nature of abuse because even if viewers are unable to take away anything else from this they need to know that abuse only stops when the victim is finally able to walk away.
In the beginning this storyline showed so much promise that is difficult to fathom how it could go so horribly wrong in such a short amount of time. I'm not quite sure what happened but once Ethan became a factor everything just sort of unraveled. And somewhere along the way I think the show just sort of gave up trying to even convince the audience they were trying to tell an important story. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the PSA was noticeably absent on Friday after Kristina experienced her most brutal beating.
And since Alexis killed Kiefer when she hit him with her car, no lesson can even be taken from all of this. If Kiefer had lived and was prosecuted it would send the message that abuse is not a tolerable offense, therefore victims should not be afraid to speak out against the violence. The only message that is being sent with Kiefer's death is that the only way to escape abuse is by killing the abuser. On the other hand I suppose I should be relieved that Kiefer was killed because with the direction this show has been going lately it would not have surprised me to see him become the reformed bad boy who ultimately reunited with Kristina.
On a positive note, I am glad Kristina finally admitted to Dante that Kiefer was the one who had been beating her. At least that lets the viewers know that Kristina would have likely pressed charges against him. I am also glad that she acknowledged the ongoing nature of abuse because even if viewers are unable to take away anything else from this they need to know that abuse only stops when the victim is finally able to walk away.
Hi Paula,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your insight into this kind of abuse. I believe all too often abused teens think they are the only ones being beaten because the verbal and emotional abuse has already beaten down their self respect. So they think they "deserve" the beating in some way.
I too wish GH had followed through with the story line by punishing Keifer properly. I would have liked to see him squirm along with his arrogant daddy.
Looks to me like they are trying to make Ethan a victim in all this. I'm sure he will be arrested for hitting Keifer. I'm just wondering if all of this is going to lead to he and Kristina becoming a summer item???
I happened to notice the look on Alexis' face before she ran him down. Is she going all Cassidine on us now after all these years?
ReplyDeleteI think the PSA should return and play for a couple of weeks. Too often, victims of abuse (female and male) just think they did something wrong and if they behaved better, dressed better, stopped complaining and cooked better, things would change. Only they don't.
I sort of wished Keifer hadn't died because I so wanted this to play out, especially after suffering the two weeks of Ethanitis, but that's how it goes.
Hi Lizzy!
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether Kristina and Ethan will become a summer item or not. I thought that was where this storyline was headed until Maya showed up, now it seems like they might be trying to pair him with her even though it doesn't seem to me like they have very much chemistry.
Paula
Hi Peggy!
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but that's a good observation maybe Alexis is becoming a true Cassadine. I guess we will find out if she lets Ethan take the blame for something she did. lol!
I'm glad you pointed out that both males and females can be victims of domestic violence because no one ever talks about the fact that this sort of thing happens to men too. And yes the PSA should continue to air because I don't think Kristina is going to stop talking about what happened for a while.
Yes, Kiefer dying brought an abrupt end to a storyline they have been building up for about a year. Like I said the only reason I am glad he was killed off is because I knew I wouldn't be able to tolerate them eventually reforming him into the model boyfriend which was bound to happen sooner or later if he lived. :)
Paula
Hi Paula!
ReplyDeleteOnce again, we see eye-to-eye 100 percent.
I am so disappointed that Kiefer was killed because it brings no closure to Kristina or to the viewers!
I, for one, wanted so badly to see him prosecuted and to see the machinations his father would go through to protect him from prosecution. But that was all taken from us by Kiefer's death.
And the fact that Alexis hit him and left him for dead will just devastate Kristina and give her even more low self esteem than she already has.
Now if Alexis doesn't step up and confess, this will be even worse for the viewers as we will, once again, be dragged down through who knows what until the truth comes out.
Whew! Did I have an opinion on that - LOL!
Well done commentary!
Hi Michele!
ReplyDeleteI hope Alexis confesses soon. I think the sooner we can move beyond this storyline the better because it has strayed so far away from the point and has become such a mess. And as someone brought to my attention earlier Kiefer has sort of become like a victim in this whole scenario. If only he had lived and been prosecuted. Kristina would have eventually seen him for the person he was and his parents would have had to admit he wasn't "the perfect son". Now that he is dead it is going to be so much easier for Kristina to diminish his bad behavior and amplify his good behavior, making it more difficult for her to heal.
Paula
Paula,
ReplyDeleteI think the scene with Bobbi that I was able to see this morning (a bit behind I am, yes) appears to point to maybe Kristina getting some of her self esteem back.
Do you see maybe when and if Alexis confesses and is in court, that Kristina will come forward and say she ran Claudia off the road so that her mom's sentence isn't so bad?
Hi Peggy!
ReplyDeleteThat thought crossed my mind too about Kristina having to confess to running Claudia off the road. I hope they will shift the focus now to Kristina's healing rather than finding justice for Kiefer. I would hate for that to become the focal point now.
Paula
Paula,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Part of Kristina's self esteem issues could be due to the fact that she has unresolved. I hope the writers have kept this in mind.
Didn't see the PSA out here on the prairie but I pray that they played it somewhere.
Peggy
Hi Peggy!
ReplyDeleteYeah, they seemed to have stopped running that PSA. Like I said, I think they just gave up on trying to convince viewers that they were trying to tell an important story.
Paula