Sunday, May 25, 2008

Genoa City's Finest Go Waco

Big news in Genoa City this week as Nicki finally gets her own office (most likely at the expense of the profits made from the .08/hour they are paying their Malaysian sweat shop workers, as revealed by Brad); Heather Steven’s hair is taken to heights of absurdity as she takes style tips from My Little Pony; Adam inevitably receives the wrath of his new father after acquiring a company with a lawsuit pending from Jabot; David is revealed to be a killer (scene killer undoubtedly) ; and Nick regains his memory and still decides to stay with his half man/half beast of a wife, Phyllis.

Manson. Jones. Koresh. Newman?
Daniel's attempt to leave GC for a mere two months to go on tour with his has-been rock star father was met with nothing short of panic. A 21 year old who wants to leave his shit-ass town for 2 months to go see the world with his father? Is this such an unreasonable request, really? Phyllis acted like he was going off to do a tour in Iraq for god's sakes. This extreme reaction seemed eerily reminiscent of the resistance one would face when trying to
leave a cult. So it begs the question: are Genoa City's Finest (GCF) part of a cult? Further research allowed us to compile a list of the criteria for what constitutes a cult, and upon perusal, we are convinced. And thus the list:

  • Charismatic or messianic leader who is self-appointed and has a special mission in life (think Victor, whose special mission is to make money no matter what and to belittle and undermine all those around him in the process)

  • The leader is not accountable to any authorities (think Victor who has been notoriously seen as living above the law).

  • Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished (hence anyone who has ever questioned or disagreed with Victor is obliterated either professionally, financially or emotionally)

  • Instills a fear of leaving the group (and thus the panic that surrounds anyone who tries to leave the fold...as we've seen with Daniel last week)

  • Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members (and thus the cesspool of incestuousness that is Genoa City)

  • Diminished intellectual ability, vocabulary and sense of humour (with each episode this becomes more and more of an issue for GCF)

  • Reduced use of irony, abstractions and metaphors. (ditto)

  • Reduced capacity to form flexible and intimate relationships (where would the show be without this as a premise?)

  • Poor judgment. (A prerequisite for all of GCFs)

  • Physical deterioration. (Katherine Chancellor)

  • Malnutrition. (Only choice of sustenance for GCF is the food at the Genoa City Athletic club, and Gina - do not underestimate her powerful role in this cult - ensures that members are deprived of the necessary nutrients as a tactic for keeping them disorientated and susceptible to emotional arousal and vulnerability).

  • Hallucinations, panic, guilt, identity diffusion and psychosis (Hallucinations? Think Jack with his father’s ghost. Think Jana and her brain tumour. Panic? Think Lauren and her panic attacks. Guilt? Think Jana and Gloria, Nick, Paul, hell everyone, except for of course, leader Victor. Identity Diffusion? Psychosis? Where do we begin?

  • Verbal abuse (A passion and skill for leader, Victor)

  • Sleep deprivation and fatigue (is it a coincidence that GCFs are all self-proclaimed workaholics?)

  • Sexual promiscuousness (no comment)
Dialogue of the week.
Victor's reference to David Chow as a "professional parasite."

Does that make Victor a professional asshole then?


Questions of the week.
1. How can Nick and Sharon work with Daniel knowing that he was inadvertently responsible for their daughter's death?
2. Three words. Danny Romalati's groupies? Two more words. Yeah right. Please tell us, whom or rather what would want to sleep with Danny anyway?
3. How did Nicki feel when she received some shitty pesos from David as "memorabilia" for their wedding, when she endowed him with an expensive watch?

4 comments:

buddysnuddys said...

Down with David Chow! Could I be more ready for him to leave the show?

Anonymous said...

I think it's time for a new drinking game. One shot every time we see WAY too much of any female member of GCF's boobs, and two shots if the offending outfit is worn in the workplace. I give you Nicki's champagne-colored number leading up to her romantic Mexican wedding, and the little black dress Phyllis wore to work today.

buddysnuddys said...

Oh, good Lord! Phyllis' outfits alone would have us all passed out under the table.

Anonymous said...

Well, author, your WACO parallels are not foreign to Genoa. I think we can all remember Nikki pre- stripper days when she did infact join a cult. When she tried to leave they locked her in a barn, wearing nothing but the cult issued Karate outfit, to be eaten by rats. And do we remember who infultrated the cult to save her?? That's right...Paul fricken Williams. So her attraction to Victor is only the symptom of an apparent greater weakness.
As for Daddy Romalati coming back and taking his non-son with him. Doesn't he in a small way represent the desire of all viewers who have to watch Amber in one more horrendously styled scene? TAKE US AWAY FROM HERE.