What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

In Monaco (which I keep getting mixed up with Morocco), Anna and Finn sit at the café. He tells her that he’s ordering the most expensive entrée. She still seems to think they’re on a mission, and he says Cassandra told him that she never leaves Monte Carlo. Anna says she told him that before. He asks if Anna has a plan B.

Valentin says that he and Cassandra haven’t spoken in years, and now she wants a medical reference? She tells him that Finn saved her life. Valentin wonders what Finn is doing in Monte Carlo, and Cassandra says he’s on holiday. She reminds Valentin about how well they worked together – and played. She says she has some matters of mutual interest, but he tells her they have nothing of mutual interest, and says good-by,

Laura checks that the chamber of a gun, and puts it in her purse. She knocks on Valentin’s door, and asks to come in.

In Russia, Ava paces alone in her room. Griff knocks on her door. He tells her that Dr. Kline is in the next room, and should be out for hours. She asked how he found her, and he says he met a man at a church.

Patient 6 tells the priest that he has money and can get a train ticket, but the priest says that’s no good without papers. He thinks he has another way though.

Laura wants to know what happened to Ava. Valentin tells her that he Ava a clinic referral. Laura says that he took advantage of a vulnerable woman who is suffering from disfigurement. He says he’s forgotten more about pain and disfigurement than Laura can hope to know. Laura says that he used his knowledge against Ava to manipulate her. He’s wondering where this is coming from, since he and Lulu agreed to compromise for Charlotte’s sake. Laura says he murdered her son, and left Spencer fatherless. Now it’s time she got her revenge. She pulls out the gun.

Cassandra sits on the terrace, and her butler/companion pours her some wine. She tells him to skip the charade, and get his glass. She tells him that it’s a shame Dr. Finn can’t treat her there. It’s not like she has to take a three-masted schooner, but the air vents on a ship carry germs.

Finn tells Anna that he’s been playing spy games against his better judgement, but he’s been trying his best to hold up his end. Anna says they’re in Monte Carlo. She knows it’s a strange way of showing gratitude for him saving her life, but they’re on a adventure. Finn says what he needed was to be left in peace. He misses Roxie, who is the closest thing he has to friend. He asks if she has someone like that or is it verboten in her world? She says it’s not verboten, but it’s risky; attachments show your vulnerabilities, and enemies will eventually exploit them. Sooner or later, dedication to duty leads to disappointment. Finn says he gets it. Anna’s phone rings. She looks at it, and says, aww.

Griff tells Ava that it’s all clear. Ava says he arrived in the nick of time. If she didn’t believe in miracles before, she does now. He asks what they were going to do, and she says punish her for helping a patient escape. He describes Patient 6, and tells her that’s the guy who told him where to find her. She asks if he’s all right. Griff tells her as far as he knows, and asks if she has her passport. She tells him it’s locked up, and he asks if this will help, showing her some keys he took from Kline. Ava says that she’s impressed, and maybe there’s hope for him yet. Ava takes the keys, and goes down the hall.

The priest introduces a man named Baska to Patient 6, and says that his ship goes to America. He’s agreed to get Patient 6 home. Patient 6 tries to give Baska the money, but the priest tells him no; to help a stranger is pleasing to God. He tries to give it to the priest but he won’t take it either. Someone bangs on the door, and shouts open up.

Valentin tells Laura that she’s got his attention. She tells him that he’s going to fix this Ava thing, but he says that he couldn’t if he wanted to; it’s out of his control, and Ava is out of the country. Laura says he can get her to come back. It’s not like he hasn’t kidnapped someone before. He tells her that she has to face the facts; the civil suit is dead in the water. Laura tells him that they’re going ahead with it, with or without Ava’s help. Valentin says his lawyers will bury them. They can’t even prove Nikolas is dead, and will put Spencer through tribulation that he doesn’t need. Laura says that Nikolas is dead, and Valentin killed him, cruelly and deliberately. Now he thinks that he’s home free, but think again. She asks if this is how if felt, holding the gun on her son. She cocks it, and says now she knows what it’s like to be in his shoes, and he knows what it was like to be in Nikolas’s.

Anna tells Finn that it’s a message from Robin. He asks if she’s one of those attachments that an enemy can use against you. Anna says all her life; most recently when Olivia-J almost blew her up. She came so close to losing her, but Robin recently had a second child who just went to his well baby checkup. He was named after his grandfathers – Noah Robert. They call him Noah, but he takes after Robert. Anna explains that she hadn’t told Robert she was pregnant with Robin, and gave her to a good friend to raise. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t regret it, but she had to keep her in hiding for six years. She saw Robin, but as friend; she but couldn’t be her mother. When she was finally able to take her, Anna became a mom with a vengeance. Now Robin is a mother, and she has a second chance to make up for lost time. Finn says that you can’t make up for abandoning the people you love. Ouch.

Ava comes back with her wallet, passport, and phone. Griff tells her to skip the packing. She can replace her stuff; just leave it. She asks if they’re making a run for it. Griff says yes, but she tells him no.

At the church, one of the men at the door says that they’re searching for an escaped mental patient. Patient 6 tells Baska and the priest to get out. He’s going to stop them. If he doesn’t do something, they could tear the place apart, and take it out on them. The priest says he can’t be allowed to fight in the house of God.

Laura pulls the trigger, but nothing happens. Valentin starts to stutter, saying that she’s lucky. She tells him that she came close to putting bullets in the gun. He says that it’s a mistake to level a gun at someone unless it’s in self-defense. She says it was worth it to give him the experience. He’s not invincible; he’s vulnerable. Valentin says that he didn’t claim to be invincible. Laura asks that when he thought his life was over, what god did he pray to, or does he even pray at all?

Anna says that Finn has no idea how hard it was. Finn says that somehow, she found the strength to abandon her child. She says she had no choice. Finn says to be good at her job, she had to desert her daughter, and didn’t even tell the father. She had no right to run away with their child from the man who loved her. Anna says this is about Hayden, and Finn gets up and walks out.

Ava tells Griff that she has the expertise to get away with a crime, and make it look like no crime took place. Griff wonders if they’re just going to walk out, and she says, exactly. They’re going to asks the front desk to call for a car, and walk out calmly. Griff wonders what happens if Kline wakes up, but Ava says he just told her Kline will be out for hours. Griff got into the clinic using his medical credentials, saying he was consulting with a patient. Ava says the result of the consultation is her checking out, and leaving with her personal physician. His way will get them caught; her way gives them a 30% chance of success. The walk to the elevator, carrying her bags.

The priest tells Patient 6 that God has helped him, and not to repay that with violence. He tells Patient 6 to go now. Patient 6 thanks the priest, and leaves with Baska. The priest opens the door, and tells the two men that all are welcome. They tell him that they’re looking for a dangerous American man. There had been another American here who lied and said he wasn’t there. The priest says no one is there except him. The men look around, but Patient 6 is gone.

Anna follows Finn outside. He says he told her that he wasn’t Bond material. She says he’s doing just fine. He says part of him is thinking that if Hayden hadn’t run, he could have saved the baby. Anna says this will sound hypocritical, but sometimes you have to accept things aren’t in your control. Finn tells her she’s just saying that because she thinks she still needs him. He says he’ll play nice with Cassandra. He has nowhere else to go, and nothing better to do.

Cassandra wants to know more about Finn’s traveling companion; he never even mentioned her name. Her butler says they could be friends, but she tells him that platonic friendships between men and women are like unicorns; you hear about them, but never see one. Her butler points out that he’s her friend, but she says he’s a well-paid one. She wonders if the Finn has a lack of involvement or a secret. Her butler asks why she’s even interested, and she says she’s never passed up the chance to possibly be cured. He asks if that’s all. Madam has been known to mix business with pleasure. She says this time it’s different.

Valentin tells Laura that he doesn’t pray to anyone for anything. If his life flashes before his eyes, he’ll be faced with powerful regrets. Laura asks if he regrets killing her son. He says he regrets the whole incident on Cassadine Island. If he had known his father left him everything, he could have just ousted Nikolas, since he was disinherited. Laura calls him a bastard. He says she uses that as an insult, but it’s the truth in his case. She tells him Nina will eventually figure him out, and Charlotte will too. Valentin says that Nina has already had that chance, and they should try to get along for Charlotte’s sake. He and Lulu came to an agreement. Laura says that he forced her to agree. Valentin asks if, when she was holding the gun, she ever thought about the technology he might have. A video could have serious consequences. She says he’s bluffing, and he says not to count on it if she does it again. He tells her not to disrupt the agreement, or he’ll win, and she and her daughter will lose.

Griff and Ava are on a plane. Ava wonders if she’s dreaming. Griff pours her a drink, and she tells him he shouldn’t be encouraging her vices. He tells her that she deserves it. She can’t believe they did it. He reminds her of the 30% chance she said they had, and she says that she was lying. He says that she stayed icy calm, and asks if she wasn’t frightened. She says that she was scared to death. He tells her that there’s nothing to be afraid of now. Just sleep, and he’ll wake her up at JFK. An announcement comes over the intercom that they’re being detained at the gate for a security issue.

Laura puts away her gun. She says one more thing. She wants Valentin to know about his family. His stepmother put a curse on her once. He says that sounds like Helena, but he doesn’t believe in curses. She says that you don’t need to believe for them to work. He asks how it manifested itself, and she says that just knowing Helena had a vendetta was enough. She and her family were tortured for decades. Valentin says it’s best that she’s gone then. Laura tells him that when Helena died, she thought the curse was broken, but still waited for a black cloud. Then there he is. He tells her that like prophecies and sorcery, the only power curses have is what you give them. Laura says that you don’t have to believe in the supernatural to understand evil.

Here’s where I curse the world out, because we get interrupted to go to Las Vegas, where POTUS is speaking. He talks for a few minutes – after four o’clock. Thanks, ABC! But all is not lost. Thanks for real, YouTube!

Laura tells Valentin that evil is a sickness of the heart, which manifests itself by what you put out in the world. Valentin doesn’t believe in karma, but she says that it works whether you believe it or not. He’ll never know peace of mind, and will be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life, wondering when the past is going to catch up with him. She walks out, and he closes the door.

Anna tells Finn she’s sorry. She was insensitive, talking about her family and knowing how he feels. He knows it was heartbreaking, but she did what she thought was best. She tells him they can apologize for every regret they’ve ever had, or quit while they’re ahead. Maybe they should call it a night. Finn asks where the fun is in that, and tells her that she was right. She asks what he has in mind.

The stewardess announces that the security issue was resolved, and they’ll be pushing back from the gate shortly. Ava pours another drink, and says she missed this. She tells Griff that even underground medical facilities don’t serve alcohol. Not to patients anyway. Neither do planes while you’re still on the ground, but we’ll let that pass. Ava tells him about the people looking away from her, and Griff asks her if she’s ready to tell him what happened.

Baska leads Patient 6 to a cargo room in the ship. He tells Patient 6 to be careful, and stay out of sight. Patient 6 asks where they’re headed, and Baska tells him, New York.

Valentin thinks about manipulating Ava to recant her statement. His phone rings. It’s Cassandra. He tells her they have nothing further to discuss, and she says that she’s never known him to dismiss something when so blindly uninformed. He wants to leave the past where it is, and she says they’ll test that when she sees him. She’s decided to seek treatment with Finn, and is coming to Port Charles.

Ava tells Griff that she’d rather not relive it right now. She says the more they talk about her, the more he’s avoiding her question. Why did he come to find her?

A man grabs Patient 6 from behind, and they start to fight.

This episode was dedicated to the late technical director, Averill Perry.

Tomorrow, Stella has news, Griff says an apology isn’t the only reason he came to find Ava, and Josslyn asks Oscar if he wants to know who his father is.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Teresa’s mother has passed away. We see clips from Antonia’s life, as well as clips from the funeral. Gia gives a beautiful eulogy. Teresa tells us how amazing she was. The family lets balloons go at the service.

Two months later. Teresa is getting the kids ready for school. Joe #1 is in the clink, and she tells us that he’s lost a lot of weight, they see him when they can, and the girls are in constant contact. She’s juggling a lot with them. She has good days and bad days, and misses her mom.

Joe #2 is also missing their mom. Melissa says she never saw a man love a woman like his father loved his mother, and she’s worried about him. Watching his parents, she thinks maybe they need less. It makes her want to enjoy life together more and spend time with the kids. She doesn’t want to live to work, but work to live.

Dolores says life is going by fast. Frankie is going away to college, and she’s a little scared. Ex-husband Frank is moving back in. He might as well; he’s there all the time anyway. She says his relationship with his girlfriend is like a hamster wheel, and he asked to come back. He tells her that Frankie is spoiled. Dolores says that he’s been the man of the house, and is afraid the two Franks will drive each other crazy when she’s off running her businesses. Her gym effort did so well, she’s opened another one.

Siggy and husband Michael have dinner. She threatens daughter Sophie that she’ll be showing up at the party Sophie is going to, making sure there are no boys there. She’s feeling the empty nest syndrome, because nobody is asking for her help anymore. She bought a bunch of stuff for her son’s dorm room, and Michael reminds her that it’s only 4’ x 4’.

Joe #2 and Teresa visit their father. He’s still feeling lost, and Teresa says she sees him cry every day. she wants to make things better, but there’s no way. Joe tells her that he wants to sell the house. Their dad wants to be near Teresa, and Joe says he’ll be there to help whenever he can. They go through some photos and mementos, and cry. Teresa says it doesn’t feel real. She feels numb, but she’s trying to stay positive for everyone else.

Melissa goes to her store, Envy. She loves that she loves everything in it. She dissolved her partnership with Jackie, since they had two different visions. They were working toward liquidating everything, and in the middle of the night, Jackie snuck in and took all of the stock. Melissa couldn’t believe that Jackie was so callous, knowing what was going on with her mother-in-law. We see a video of an empty store. Wow. She took everything but the fixtures. Even worse, she took the clothes to Kim D.’s store. Melissa calls her a rat who’s always looking for a piece of cheese.

Joe #2 is taking his father and Teresa’s kids out to dinner, so Teresa can have a girls’ night. A flower delivery comes from Danielle. Gia reminds her grandpa who Danielle is by recalling Teresa flipping the table. In her interview, Teresa says they have a past, which we see in some clips, but she feels Danielle never got a fair chance. Teresa has changed, and wanted to see if Danielle did, so she reached out to her. Now they do yoga together. She’s glad they’re reconnecting, but is afraid about Danielle becoming too clingy. Joe arrives, and they head out. Teresa’s friends come bearing wine and loads of food.

Dolores tells them about Frank moving back home. Teresa asks if she’s still dating “that guy,” and Dolores says she is. She says in his mind, Frank is home with the kids, so she can stay out longer. In her interview, she says that Frank is her best friend and will always be in her life. Teresa can’t believe her mother isn’t there, and it feels like she’ll be coming over tomorrow. In her interview, Melissa tells us that Joe and Teresa took turns sleeping in the hospital, and their mother never spent a night alone. Siggy wants to take everyone on a vacation to Boca Raton.

Siggy goes to a spa where she’s giving a lecture. Since her book took off, she gives speeches for anyone who wants to be inspired. Women start arriving, and wine is poured. She introduces us to new friend Jody, and Margaret who has joined the cast. Siggy’s philosophy is to know your worth. She says a lot of brilliant people have been rejected, and a man’s rejection is God’s protection. After she does her talk, she signs autographs.

Dolores packs for Boca. She’s glad Frank and Frankie will be home together for the first time in ages. Teresa gives instructions to Gia, who yawns in response. Melissa realizes that she and Joe #2 have never been apart for her birthday, but says he’s hot when he’s Mr. Mom.

Siggy tells us that Boca is her second home. She lived there ten years after college, and her children were born there. They have three ocean-view suites. The ladies arrive at the hotel, and the rooms are more modern than I like, but beautiful, and the views are fabulous. Teresa hasn’t been on vacation in years. She’s still on probation, but feels like things are getting back to normal. Siggy says tonight they’re going to her favorite restaurant, and Margaret is going with them.

Margaret calls herself a powerhouse in pigtails. She says her lifestyle line is like Lilly Pulitzer on crack, and she runs her business out of her home. She tells us that makes it tough to cuddle with her husband in the morning. Leaving her first husband was a huge scandal in her town, but she says too bad, take her as she is.  She introduces her pig-tailed self to the girls, and they head out for dinner.

Melissa is proud of herself for sending Joe #2 a nudie pic; her first ever. Siggy comes into the restaurant, hollering greetings to everyone. In her interview, Melissa says that if she and Teresa could have hidden under the table, they would have. Siggy yells that it’s her favorite restaurant in the world. She says that when you live somewhere for a long time, you know everyone. She loves everyone there, and they love her. She works the room, and the others order wine. Siggy shouts for the best champagne. Margaret thinks she needs to tone it down a notch, and tells the girls about her business.

Siggy wants advice. She says that when she speaks to people, it makes her heart sing, but Michael doesn’t want he working as much as she does. We see a clip of him telling her to slow it down. She tells them that she’s down to two events a week. Margaret talks about leaving her first husband to run away with the contractor. Teresa says she likes keeping busy and working, but misses the partnership of her husband. She’s a hands-on mom, and thinks that if Joe #1 hadn’t been a dumbass, she’d have help now. She doesn’t say it exactly that way; I’m paraphrasing. It upsets her that she missed out on a year with her mother. Melissa says that Teresa never shows anger about it, and to hear her say it out loud is like, wow. Teresa says he’d better be a changed person when he comes back. In her interview, Dolores says that Teresa claimed she’d never leave Joe, but that was before her mom passed away.

The next morning, Joe #2 FaceTimes with Melissa. He talks about how the pictures she sent turned him on. She tells him that since it’s her birthday, now he has to send pictures to her, but she’ll just look at them and laugh. He asks about Teresa, and Melissa says she seems to be expressing herself for the first time. He suggests getting her drunk and having fun.

Dolores calls Frankie’s tutor, who doesn’t think he’s turned in his college applications on time. She says if she calls Frankie right now, she’ll make big mistakes as a mother. The tutor says she can appeal. Dolores says when she calms down, she’ll deal with it. She has to call Frank to pinch-hit, and wishes she’d been more on top of it.

Everyone gathers for brunch. The birthday girl arrives, and Danielle does too. She wants coffee and a bloody Mary at the same time. In her interview, she says, that’s right, bitches, I’m back. She never thought in a million years that she and Teresa would be vacationing together. They talk about Danielle’s housewarming, and we see clips. Melissa says it’s crazy, but she thinks Danielle is super cool and entertaining. Me too. She liked one of my tweets once, and I rarely tweet. Teresa says it was like picking up where they left off. She’s cautious, but wants to give it a chance. Danielle hopes it’s for real, and that it leads to an apology.

In her interview, Siggy wonders if she’s the only one who thinks Danielle is crazy and this could be a problem. Danielle brings up Kim D. A car registered to her was found with two burned bodies inside. I remember reading about this online. At first, Kim D. was worried that one of them was her son, but eventually hunted him down. Danielle has empathy, but hasn’t seen her since Kim set her up at the club to get her hair pulled. We flash back a million years ago to that. Melissa says if that’s the last time she saw Kim, congratulations. They call Kim a cockroach, and Siggy points out that she’s still friends with her. Melissa says even if Siggy kisses her ass, Kim will still backstab her. Siggy wonders what Melissa’s gripe has to do with her. She lets it pass because it’s Melissa’s birthday.

Joe #2 asks if the boys miss Melissa, and one of them says she’s mean. In his interview, he explains that she’s the bad cop. He tries to clean up a spill, and fails miserably.

In Boca, a boat is chartered and the girls go on a mini-cruise. Teresa calls home, and Milania misses her Nona. Teresa says her heart is with her family, even though she’s grateful to get away. Margaret feels badly for the girls, and says they shouldn’t have to suffer so much.

At dinner, Margaret tells the ladies about a spray that gives you a better orgasm. Teresa asks if she has any with her. A seafood tower arrives, along with shots. Melissa brings up her bachelorette party, and how Teresa told Joe #2 that she was dancing with all the guys. She demonstrates her dancing. Teresa says she felt terrible, and Melissa says that she and Joe didn’t talk for weeks. Teresa tells us that she used to be the troublemaker. Margaret asks if they think Siggy’s husband is being controlling, because he wants her to scale back. Siggy says God gave her a gift, and she’s the most talented person in the world. In her interview, Melissa wonders if she’s heard of Michael Jackson, Madonna, or the guy who invented the light bulb. Siggy gets weepy about having to choose, and Margaret wonders why she has to. Teresa says if she’s passionate about it, why would he want to take it away?

Siggy had a beautiful cake made with a shoe on top, and the icing on the bottom layer matching the wallpaper at Envy. Teresa makes a toast, saying that Melissa is the sister she never had. Melissa brings up the dancing again, and she and Teresa throw cake at each other, culminating with Teresa throwing the whole thing at Melissa as she runs off yelling that it’s her birthday. No more for these two. Siggy says they’ll have to explain to the restaurant they’re from Jersey. She’s not too happy, saying that the cake was a work of art and it’s disrespectful. Margaret tells Siggy to take it down a notch again, and Siggy tells her to go screw herself.

We’re off to a good start.

This episode was dedicated to Antonia Gorga.

This season, yoga, muscles, another birthday celebration for Melissa, a trip to Milan, Joe #2 buys a restaurant, Siggy calls Danielle a crazy scumbag and argues with Margaret, Dolores and Teresa tangle, Kim D. makes an appearance, and Danielle flips out.

🎂 I couldn’t find the cake from this episode, but this one is almost as good…

The Kim D. Car Story

http://people.com/crime/kim-depaola-car-burned-alleged-murder-arrests/