The AJ story is really about him getting back into play on different levels, the first being to lure Michael into the Q's story and then AJ fighting for ELQ control. His annoying the hell out of Sonny is HIS story. Sonny gets nothing out of that at all.
With Kate, now we are supposed to be wowed because this beast is getting mildly interested in playing games with Sonny. Enough already. This is a very disturbed woman and that is NOT funny. Sonny is the most alone, isolated character on the show and he needs a woman in his life not a cartoon character.
They bring back Robert to be a super hero, Duke to be a rubber faced multi-character, and Anna to be all over our screens constantly. Yet a 20 year vet who has been one of the show's most consistent supporters can't do anything but be bad mouthed again , be a ploy to a wax museum escapee, and chase after a woman who is so annoying many Sonny fans can't wait to get rid of her.
The only good thing is that Maurice signed and we can do as we always have, continue to watch for Maurice. Maurice will be shooting a movie and escaping this mess, probably for a short bit, and we can run for cover until this show remembers it has thousands of fans waiting to find their favorite, the real Sonny Corinthos, back in the saddle driving stories.