What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

 

 

General Hospital

Griff calls Ava a miracle worker. He says the bee sting feels better already. Ava lingers over putting it on him, and I have to laugh.

Kristina approaches Parker at the concert, and asks if she’d like company. Parker says sure, and Kristina sits with her.

Jared meets Obrecht, who thought their business was concluded. He wants to chat about the plan she concocted. He says his money never showed up. Hayden screwed him over – again. Good. Go away.

Curtis finds Finn at Hayden’s office. He wants to stop Finn from chasing her, and says he has to give her time. Finn asks why, and Curtis says she could be anywhere. She’s gone until she decides to come back. He says be glad Monica didn’t press charges, and Finn says maybe she should have.

Elizabeth calls Hayden’s mother looking for her, saying that she and Finn had a lover’s spat. Like Hayden would be going to her mother. Elizabeth literally runs into Franco outside of Kelly’s. They kiss.

Ava apologizes for embarrassing Griff, and he says no need for apologies. She says that’s the first time anyone has ever said that to her. He tells her the remedy worked like a charm. She hopes it will give her less time in purgatory, and asks him what it’s like being perfect. He says he doesn’t consider himself perfect. She says pride is a sin, but false modesty should be too. (It kind of is, according to Paul in Romans.) She calls him beautiful, and asks how he’s not led into temptation. He asks her who says he’s not tempted?

Kristina tells Parker that she loves her mother, but she’s an adult. She wants to know the real reason Parker is there. Tenure isn’t good enough? Parker tells Kristina that if it works out, she might get a senior position. She says she didn’t think Kristina would be there, but would be out seeing the world and forging her own path. Kristina says she’s doing that in Port Charles, and going to business school. Parker says she always knew Kristina would be successful, but needed to find her passion.

Obrecht tells Jared that even if Hayden put the money back, it’s still a felony. Jared says something went wrong; she got cold feet, or got caught, or kept it for herself. She owes him for all the years he spent in prison, and he’s going to collect.

Franco tells Elizabeth that he’s under cover. He’s on a secret mission for brownies, but don’t tell anyone, because it’s a surprise for her. He asks her to tell him how much she missed him. She says she’s incapable of banter because she’s so happy, and they kiss some more. She asks him about New York. He says he’ll have to sell paintings for the settlement, but the rest were returned. I have no clue what he’s talking about, and feel very much out of the loop here. Obviously, I didn’t pay attention to something. Elizabeth says that everyone can move on now, but Franco says they’ll talk about it later. She says she has to get to work, but he doesn’t want to let her go. He says she’s dangerous to the patients because she’s a contagion. He can tell something is up, and asks her what’s wrong.

Curtis asks Finn if he wants Hayden convicted, and Finn says he wants her found. He appreciates what Curtis is trying to do, but he doesn’t need a sponsor. He’s not coming unglued. Curtis is like, okay, and says maybe he’s not as together as he thinks. Finn goes over the last time he saw Hayden, and when he heard her using her old name on the phone. Curtis says it’s rough when you find out what people are capable of – it shakes your foundation. Finn says instead of coming to him, she thought stealing was a better solution. She got defensive and walked out, and he had no idea that was the last time he’d see her. Curtis says he’s not going to want to hear this, but needs to admit to something he’s afraid of –he’s still in love with her. Well, of course, it’s not like it’s been years. More like a few hours.

Griff tells Ava that he’s hardly a saint. Ava says they don’t start that way, and asks if one of them didn’t say, give me chastity, but not yet. He tells her that Saint Augustine sort of said that. He tells her that he has given into temptation, and she mentions Claudette. He says he nearly walked away from the priesthood to raise a family. For a long while, he’d hoped something wonderful would come from his fall from grace. He could have been Charlotte’s father. Ava thanks him for letting her see this side of him.

Kristina asks if Parker’s wife came along, but she didn’t want to leave her patients. She asks if Parker’s wife (who apparently doesn’t have a name) will be joining her later. Parker wants to keep things less personal because, boundaries. She asks about business school, and where Kristina wants to go with it. Kristina says that Parker left her a note and she had to track her down. Parker says sorry. Kristina feels entitled to know how it worked out. Parker says they gave it their all, but her marriage is over.

Elizabeth tells Franco about Hayden being MIA before her wedding. He’s shocked that after all she and Finn went through, she pulled a vanishing act. He suggests consoling Elizabeth, but she says she has to get back to work. He complains that she’s picking sick strangers over him, and she says she’ll make it worthwhile later. Obrecht walks in, and says it warms the heart to see him. Elizabeth says it’s not like she has one. Oh, snap!

Finn tells Curtis that he just wants to make sure Hayden is okay. Curtis asks if he can get past the mistake she made. Finn says he’s as much to blame as she is. When he was detoxing, he told her that she couldn’t be trusted. He wanted her to hurt inside the way he did, and it left a scar. Why would she have faith in him? Curtis says Hayden knew it was the detox talking, and stayed by him. Finn insists that in her mind, he couldn’t return the loyalty. Curtis says that the only thing worse than blaming her, is blaming himself. Idiot Jared walks in, and Finn slams him up against the wall, asking where Hayden is.

Griff tells Ava that there’s no sin in wanting to love and be loved, and feeling the touch of another human. She says it’s getting a little esoteric. She’s getting tired, and still trying to get her stamina back. He reserves the right to lecture her again, or at least go on another outing where there aren’t any bees. He thanks her for coming out with him, and she thanks him, saying that she enjoyed it. He leaves, and she bangs her head against the door. She pours a martini and downs it.

Kristina says that Parker told her she was recommitting to the marriage. Parker says that was the plan. She didn’t mean to take advantage, and Kristina says she didn’t. Kristina tells her that she was never more clear about anything in her life.

Franco suggests Elizabeth and Obrecht remain in neutral corners. Elizabeth leaves for the hospital. Obrecht says she never thought of Franco as the sentimental type, and he says he never thought she’d play three-card monte with urine samples. She asks if she can buy him a donut, so they can discuss what else Elizabeth said about her. Franco wonders why she thinks they’d be talking about her, and she says there isn’t a more scintillating subject. He tells her that Elizabeth is worried about her sister. Obrecht says she’d be worried too, if someone she cared about was hauled off to jail. Franco asks what makes her think that Hayden is in jail?

Jared says he’ll have Finn arrested for assault, and Finn says he’ll have Jared up on blackmail charges. Jared says Hayden owes him; it’s not his fault she lied about her past. Finn says he threatened to expose her, and Jared says he did him a favor, and calls Hayden a bitch. Finn goes after him again, but Curtis stops him, saying he needs his hands for doctoring. Curtis lays Jared out with a punch.

Parker tells Kristina that she and her wife became perfect strangers. Through it all she discovered something about herself, especially when she was with Kristina. Through all the crossed lines and mistakes that she made, she still felt brave for following her heart. Kristina suggests she’s like Anna Karenina, but without the kid or train. Parker says she doesn’t intend to get in Kristina’s way. She hurt her once, and doesn’t want to see her unhappy again. She starts to go, but Kristina stops her.

Obrecht is surprised that Hayden hasn’t been arrested. Franco says that they don’t arrest you for being a runaway bride. She says Finn must be heartbroken. She asks again if Hayden isn’t in jail, and Franco wonders why she keeps asking. She says he just came home from an excursion to a filthy city with a dying Broadway empire (my note: that’s because it’s so freaking expensive); he doesn’t need the stress. Franco questions whether she knows anything about what’s going on, and she says whatever happens to them, they more than deserve it.

Curtis sits Jared down. He tells Jared that Hayden is his friend. He blackmailed her, and caused her to leave town. Now he needs to make it right, and tell him where to find her. Jared says he doesn’t know. Finn tells Curtis how proud Jared is of his tennis skills, and Curtis says it would be a shame if his arm was messed up. Jared tells them that she promised to pay him for taking the fall, and he gave her a divorce. Where is his settlement? He says that she ran out on both of them, but she’s Raymond Berlin’s daughter, and learned to lie and cheat at her daddy’s knee.

Parker says Kristina has grown up a lot, and Kristina says losing a brother will do that. Parker heard about Morgan on the news, and says how sorry she is. Kristina tells her that losing people you love teaches you something about yourself. Parker asks what she’s learned, and Kristina says not to waste time, and not to get caught up in what doesn’t matter, but focus on the things that do. She tells Parker that she’s glad to see her, and Parker says her too.

Ava keeps drinking. She looks in the mirror, and sees herself whole. Griff is there, and tells her that miracles do happen. She asks what she did to deserve this, and he says that grace is not being loved for what you’ve done, but for who you are. He touches her face, and she says that she’s not a freak anymore. He tells her that she’s beautiful, and always was. He kisses her. Her glass drops out of her hand. She’s back in her chair, and gets up to check the mirror. Nope. Still the same.

Ava’s phone rings. It’s Valentin. She says she still has his card. She tells him that she remembers what he said. There’s just one problem – she doesn’t believe in miracles. She hangs up and rips up the card.

Franco brings brownies to Elizabeth at the hospital. He thinks she should blow off the rest of her shift. She takes one, and tells him to take them home to the boys, and she’ll be there as soon as she can. He tells her that maybe she should check the jail for Hayden.

Realizing he’s of no use, Curtis pushes Jared out the door.  He tells Finn that Jared doesn’t know where Hayden is. Finn asks if he’s just supposed to let her disappear with their baby.

Parker wants to start preparing for her classes, and Kristina needs to hit the books. She thanks Parker for sharing, and Parker thanks her for the company, telling her that she can sit in on her class any time.

Ava smells the lavender bottle. She takes it along with her bag into the other room.

Finn says that Rachel vanished and resurfaced as Hayden, but Jared still tracked her down. Curtis suggests she might have learned from her mistakes. Finn says it would take someone pretty savvy to track her down; someone who knows how her mind works.   Could that someone be Curtis?

Franco tells Elizabeth that Obrecht seemed surprised that Hayden hadn’t been arrested, and thinks there’s more to the story. Elizabeth says a lot more. Franco asks why Obrecht would be convinced that Hayden was in jail. Elizabeth says there’s only one reason she can think of – she was in on it. Obrecht approaches them.

Tomorrow, Mac toasts to a new member of the family, Maxie recruits Spinelli, and Nathan and Amy discuss the future of Man Landers.

The Real Housewives of New York City – Reunion Part One

Ohh, nice set. It’s the oldest synagogue in NYC. Ooh, the dresses! My favorite is Tinsley’s, which is a cross between a fairy princess and an 80s prom. Andy is astounded about Carole training for the marathon, since she’s known to be averse to exercise. She said she realized she had to get more fit, but needed a goal. She says it’s strange because she loves it. We find out that Tinsley and Scott are still seeing each other. Sonja has found a three-bedroom that she loves, but hasn’t put her townhouse on the market yet. Andy grills Ramona on her love life. She’s dating someone, but not the guy she met on Love Connection. BTW, this was filmed before Luann’s divorce announcement. I honestly think she waited because she didn’t want it brought up at the reunion. I don’t blame her.

Ramona is up first, and we flash back to how selfish she is. And her birthday party. Andy asks how it was watching the show, and she says that she had a bad year. She didn’t see it the way the ladies did at the time, but when she watched it, she wondered who she was. As she talks, she plays with her hair like she’s fourteen. We all agree that she gives 60 a whole new look, and she talks about the work she has done, saying that she never puts her face in the sun. I’ve been a huge advocate of sunscreen since I was in my twenties, and it makes a major difference. I live in a beach town, and there are people in their thirties who look older than I do.

A viewer wants to know why Ramona made light of trashing Dorinda’s home. She apologizes, but thinks Dorinda looks at it differently. Dorinda says she doesn’t; that’s how it was. Ramona vandalized her house. Ramona admits to being drunk, saying she knew she pulled the lights down (it was apparently something used in production), but didn’t notice that she’d messed up the wall. Dorinda says that Ramona tries to get around what she does wrong, and should just say sorry and ask how she can make it better. Ramona says it’s hard for her, and Carole says that she doesn’t see herself as a bad houseguest. Bethenny tells a story about how Ramona didn’t even acknowledge her staff in the elevator when she’s known them for years. She says that even when she and Luann were in a war, Luann was always pleasant to them. Ramona insists she goes into a zone, and didn’t notice them. Bethenny suggests she go live in a commune in a padded room. Ramona asks why they didn’t say hello to her, and Bethenny says maybe they were intimidated. She calls Ramona a horror show, and Ramona says she is what she is. Bethenny tells her to enjoy that. The way Ramona treated the staff in Mexico is discussed. They also talk about Jill Zaren’s assessment, and Ramona says that Jill doesn’t know her. A viewer asks if Bethenny is interested in reopening a friendship with Jill, and she wonders how many years have to go by before Andy stops asking. Another viewer suggests that Ramona is in the second stage of grief – anger. Ramona says disappointed is more like it. She thought she could control the outcome with her marriage, and it didn’t happen. Bethenny thinks scared people lash out.

Ramona’s party is covered. Andy asks if her wishes came true, and she says that she’s in better place. She’s more settled, and Avery graduated from college with high marks. Bethenny asks if marriage is in the cards, and Ramona says she’d like a partner in life. When asked if it’s the guy she’s dating now, she just smiles, and eventually says she’s in heavy like. Bethenny points out that she’s the only one not in a relationship.

Sonja learned the hard way that when Dorinda comes for you, she doesn’t make it nice. We see clips of Sonja badmouthing Dorinda, and Dorinda saying she has a mole giving her information. We see Dorinda confronting Sonja at dinner. Then at another dinner Clip! Andy thanks her for that, and Dorinda says someone said it to her at Citibank the other day. She explains that she couldn’t stop the verbal waterboarding, and it just came out. They start to talk about Sonja’s love life, but Dorinda is annoyed about Sonja calling her a fraud. Dorinda says she never talks to the press, and she didn’t want to start the season with a bunch of baloney. Sonja defends herself, but Dorinda says she read this stuff for months. Sonja says that by the time she saw Dorinda, she was over it, and had moved on (oh, okay), but still insists that she doesn’t talk to the press. Andy asks about Dorinda’s mole friends, but she’s not talking. Sonja’s sobriety is called into question. She insists she didn’t drink for ten months, but Andy thinks her math is off. A viewer asks about her wearing Dorinda’s PJs, and she says she felt terrible when she found out they were a gift from Dorinda’s late husband. Carole says she didn’t even apologize. Dorinda wants to move forward, and Sonja keeps saying sorry. Dorinda says don’t touch other people’s stuff, and when you do, clean it and return it nicely. Andy is loving this like the antichrist he is.

Congrats all around to Luann. She loves being married, having a partner in crime, and loves Tom. Andy asks about giving up her title, and she says she likes the Mrs. title she has now. Andy talks about how no roadblock was stopping them, even an intervention. We see clips from the whole sad story, including Missy saying she walked in on them, and that’s why she’s not seeing Tom anymore. Luann says she’s a hopeless romantic (and I desperately want to say, no, you’re just hopeless), and being with Tom was like finding home. Yeah, the home for wayward husbands. The final clip in the reel is Tom acting like he hardly knows Missy, as he introduces them. Andy asks why the wedding was so big and so white for a second wedding, plus a shower and a bachelorette party. Luann says she didn’t get that the first time around, and it was also Tom’s 50^th birthday. She wanted it big and beautiful. Andy asks if Sonja still clinging to the illusion that she was invited. Luann says she did send a save-the-date card to Sonja, and Bethenny says now they have a smoking gun. Luann explains that Sonja had been talking badly about them to the press she doesn’t talk to. We see the clip of Luann’s friend, Barbara, saying that Luann was only going through with it to save face. Carole says it was out of genuine concern, and Ramona seconds that. Luann says she gets it. Andy asks what up with Ramona bugging Luann about the bridal shower. We flash back to the last reunion, where Bethenny thought Ramona knew something. Ramona says Luann is happy now, but Tom kissed the same girl from the Regency again. Bethenny says she’s heard he was annoyed that Luann was thirsty for press. Andy asks what Ramona knew.

Ramona asks if it’s important, and Luann says no, because there was nothing there. Bethenny says she’d heard that he had gone to the woman’s hotel room in Philly, and told her that he and Luann had an open relationship, but nothing happened. Ramona agrees that’s’ what happened – nothing happened. Andy stirs the pot, asking if anyone else has heard anything. Bethenny says whatever the situation is, Luann isn’t an idiot. She thinks the group is being respectful now that they’re married. They all hear things, and Luann said she didn’t want to know. Luann says not true, but roll the tape.

Luann says that Ramona kept calling Tom’s exes, trying to find out dirt about Tom. Bethenny says that her delivery is bad, but the content is true. He seems like the kind of person who goes into a bar with one person, and leaves with another. We flash back to his dog-with-a-collar comment about his wedding ring. Luann makes like it’s just his sense of humor being off. Andy asks if it’s alarming that they’ve all heard things. Bethenny says that they only care about her happiness Andy asks if Luann has an open relationship, and she tells him that she wouldn’t be married if she wanted that. Like she would say yes even if it was. He asks what she’d do if Tom cheated, and she says leave. Mic drop, and silence all around. Even I start to get uncomfortable. Dorinda says she’d kill him. Well, that settles that. Andy brings up Luann’s relationship with Count Alex, and she says they were separated and she didn’t want anyone to know.

We see the final Missy clip, where Tom takes his mic off. Luann says she hadn’t seen it until now, so she has to interrogate talk to him about it. Andy says it comes on the heels of Tom being flirty with Missy. Bethenny thinks maybe he flirts to get attention, but that there’s no ulterior motive for him marrying her. What would it be? Putting his life up for public scrutiny? She tells Luann that she puts her Countess shield up, and that if she had seen her partner saying that stuff, she’d be crying in the bathroom. Luann asks why Bethenny thinks she spent the night at a hotel last night.

Poking Luann with his pitchfork, Andy asks how she feels watching it. She sees it as Tom trying to be funny, and needs to smack him silly talk to him about how he’s making her feel. A viewer asks if other friends or family came to her with concerns, and Luann says the family situation has been tough, especially with her son, Noel. It was hard for him to accept Tom in the beginning, and he’s protective, but stands by her relationship. She says no one would have anything to gain from stepping out with Tom, and these girls he’s making out with meeting for lunch are just his friends. She has to accept him for who he is; she can’t change him. He’s a grown man who’s lived a certain way. She points out that she’s friends with Jacques, but Bethenny says she doesn’t make out with him. Luann says the only reason he sees Missy is that Ramona brings her to parties. Ramona says that’s not true.

Next time, Ramona says Tom is sleeping around. Sonja claims Tinsley’s party for her was just for show, Ramona talks about her divorce, and Tinsley’s drinking is brought up.

🍜 On MasterChef, the contestants split into two teams, with Dino in charge of the red team, and Daniel in charge of the blue team. The challenge was to cook dinner for VIPs at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Ribeye steak was the focus. I had to feed the dogs, and when I left the room, it looked like Dino’s team was tanking. They’d cut up the ribeye in a way that Gordon was not pleased with. But when I came back, they were picking two cooks from Daniel’s team to be on the chopping block. Newton and Yachecia got the pressure test – champagne poached oysters, which Christina called “Las Vegas on a plate.” I don’t know about that, but these things looked phenomenal. A little tower of delicious with a foundation of capellini, and a caviar top. They also had to make the capellini from scratch. Yechecia’s caviar fell off, but Newton struggled with the top of the jar, costing him precious time and leaving out two ingredients. I gotta say, Yachecia’s dish did not look pretty (which would not stop me from enjoying it, I’m sure), but her oysters were declared perfect. And then they did the thing I hate the most, we have to wait until next week to find out who goes home. Thanks. Next time, crawfish skills are put to the test, and a previous winner is a guest.

🍍 Tonight was The f Word finale, and I hope you caught the show. I never did catch up, but still hope to, while it’s still On Demand. It’s one of my favorite shows on BBC America, and I was thrilled that it’s been brought to the states. It’s the lighter side of Gordon, and it being aired live makes it even more fun.

🦀 It was prettier than this, but…

Champagne Poached Oysters