What I Watched Today

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

 

 

Shahs of Sunset – Reunion Part Two

I’m still trying to get over the fact Destiney was on People’s Couch and I didn’t realize it.

Asa asks Reza if he believes her about not getting IVF treatments to have her son. He does, but hates himself for having doubts. She says she and MJ aren’t friends like that. Shervin says Asa doesn’t reciprocate, and that’s why MJ is hurt. Asa insists MJ never wanted good for her, and crossed the line. We flash back to MJ not wanting to hug her after finding out she’s pregnant. MJ says she was shocked and disappointed that it was six months before any of them were included. Asa tells MJ she’s lost all respect for her. Reza tells Asa that she doesn’t understand MJ and what she’s been going through. MJ tells Asa about crocheting a blanket for baby Soltan, and Asa says, the bastard child. They break for lunch.

Backstage, Mike is upset, and GG says it seems like Asa hates them. MJ brings up Asa’s comment on racism, and Mike jokingly asks if she’s talking about him. Asa overhears and isn’t happy. GG asks for the paramedics. She’s having a panic attack, and says she just smoked some weed. She tells the paramedic how cute he is.

Back to the reunion. Andy says it was a season of new beginnings for GG. Her anger levels turned down, but not completely off. A viewer asks about GG’s sobriety. She says she was never practicing sobriety, and shows us her vaporizer. We flash back to her fight with her sister Layla on Thanksgiving, and GG says she can’t anymore. Mike doesn’t think the relationship can be healed – there’s been too much damage. We find out he’s hooked up with Layla in the past. Andy is surprised that Reza and GG reconciled. Reza says hating her was taking up energy and space in his head and heart, and was a lot of work. He either had to let it go or let her go. GG doesn’t think it would have happened if his friends hasn’t pointed out to him that she’d changed. Reza tells us that they were just in Palm Springs together. Now the song Layla will be my earworm for a while. You’re welcome.

We revisit GG getting her hearing aid. She didn’t know how deaf she was, but notices now when the batteries need to be replaced. Andy says by the time he found her wedding registry, he heard the marriage was over. Reza is willing to guarantee that there are relatives on Shalom’s side who didn’t want to go to the wedding, and that’s why they just had a civil ceremony. GG says she kept asking if he was sure things were cool with Shalom’s family, and he insisted it was. Andy asks where things are at now, and she tells him that they’re trying to get to know each other, since they didn’t before. Wow – that’s some ring. Andy reminds her that she has a Shalom tattoo, and she claims she doesn’t regret it, but talks about a fight they had and how she slashed the tattoo to show him that she didn’t care. Mike says that’s some serious sh*t. She says information came out that he’d been married before, and applied for a green card. A lot of people thought that was his reason for wanting to marry her. His ex was also on the reality show Dash Dolls about the Kardashian boutique.

Andy says, guess what? We invited Shalom here! GG is mad, and everyone is surprised. Shalom comes out, and Andy asks how he would define their relationship. He says they’re working on it and trying to figure it out. Andy asks if him snapchatting his abs to her was the deciding factor. and brings up the green card issue. Shalom says there are plenty of women he could marry for that reason, and they’d accept a cheaper ring. Andy asks if he’s attracted to women on reality shows, but he says his ex was only on one for about two weeks. We flash back to Shalom being upset about GG kissing her scene partner in the play. Shalom says it was really bad, and he apologized to everyone. He comes from Persian/Jewish family, and 90% were against him getting married. After a few drinks and people talking in his ear, he realized he had a proposal happening in Times Square. Asa says it was weird. Andy asks why they broke up, and Shalom doesn’t know. GG says whether it was true or not, the gossip was hurting her, but he only sees it from his point of view. She tells him that he got overbearing, and when they got married, she got a call from E! News, saying Shalom wanted to do a story. Shalom says one day she loves him, and the next, she hates him. Shervin asks why try again, and he says he still loves her. He’s confused about her feelings though. Andy points out they don’t have a prenup. Reza says he’s a good guy. He likes GG, but likes Shalom more. Mike says together they might be like oil and water, even if they’re both good people. GG says at this point they’re going to see if something is worth saving. They’re taking it one day at a time. Andy says the good news is, she’ll always have the tattoo. خداحافظ, Shalom. (That’s goodbye in Persian.)

They talk moms. Reza says Mike’s mom is more thug than all the rest put together. Andy ask if Mike relies on her too much, and he says he doesn’t have to. Reza adds that she’s omnipresent in his life. Andy asks why there’s an obsession with Mike’s dool and where it goes. Mike corrects that to where they think it goes, and says it started in Mexico, and never stopped. We flash back to MJ catching a glimpse of “Russel the love muscle.” Mike thinks it’s funny, and Reza says it’s like that one shady relative you have who’s always up to no good.

Andy reads a raise your hand viewer question, and tells them raise their hands if they think Mike is as much of a man whore as ever, but only Reza thinks so. Next, Andy asks who thinks he’s slept with Jessica in the past year. That would be everyone. Mike says it’s complicated. It’s sad, and he felt it ended prematurely because of how he treated her, but now he’s the better version of Mike. Andy asks if he’s seen the email Jessica sent to his mom, but he says no, and has never brought it up. MJ wonders why. He says his mom stepped in when Jessica lost hers. They had a connection outside of him, and it was between them. He doesn’t feel it’s his business. Reza thinks Jessica feels that if it’s not cool with his mom, it’s not cool with Mike. Mike says been divorced for about a year, and they’ve both dated. The whole thing broke his heart, and he cries when he watches the show. Andy asks what’s the number one thing he learned. Mike says a lot, but the main thing is you have to be open and honest in a relationship, and be present and real.

Adam joins the group – his first reunion. He and Reza just celebrated a year of marriage, and Andy asks what Adam thinks of the new Reza. He says he has more closet space since Reza lost weight. Andy asks who he’s closest to out of the friends, and Adam says Asa has become a close friend. She’s the one person who reached out to him after Thailand. GG says Reza has changed a lot. In the beginning, he was rebellious, but he’s calmed down. Mike says his tone is different, and the way he talks about Adam. He wants to be a better person because of Adam. MJ says he fights hard daily to make himself better. A viewer asks if he’s been faithful, and Reza says 100%. He did the don’t ask don’t tell in another relationship, and it didn’t work, but there might come a time for that conversation down the road. Andy points out how upset Adam was about Reza using the divorce card; he felt disposable. Ada says it brought up Thailand for him again, and was hurtful. It’s one thing to think it, but another to say it to your partner. A viewer thinks it’s weird that Reza compares being faithful to alcoholism, using the one day at a time credo. Reza says it helps him as a person who had infidelity in his life.

They discuss what religion their child will be, and Adam says he’s converting to Judaism. Andy asks if having a baby pings Reza’s commitment issues. Reza prays they’ll be together for the long haul, since he comes from a broken home. Adam says he plans for future, but it’s always one day at a time (the phrase of the night). Mike commends it, and loves them both.

Reza says they’ve decided on surrogacy, and adoption can be an option later. They sold their house in Palm Springs, and just closed on a new one, which is a surprise to everybody. Mike says that explains why Reza has been MIA. Reza says once they move in, they can deal with baby stuff. Mike is upset that he didn’t tell them, but he wanted it to be a surprise. Reza says now Mike knows how he felt about Asa’s pregnancy. Asa mentions she didn’t even know Mike had a company until she saw him with the shoes.

Andy tells us Asa’s reluctance to share was a sore point this season, but has bubbled up in the past. He asks about MJ being offended, and MJ says she’s been open, and it hurt her feelings that Asa wasn’t. Reza says as friend he gets it, but as for being a cast member on a reality show, it’s effed up. From that aspect, it bothers him. From friend aspect, he loves Jermaine, who never has negative word to say. Asa says he has his own right not to sign a contract. She tells them that she’s been open about financial struggles, and was labeled the poor one, even though that wasn’t exactly the case. That’s why people are rooting for her success now. GG says it’s a contradiction, how she claims she doesn’t want to get involved, but wants to know everything that happens with the others. She asks why Asa is on the show. Asa says it’s says amazing platform, and GG says the rest of them are bleeding for the world to see, and Asa should tell her facts. Asa continues, saying she has political and social convictions, and wants as many people as possible to see that. Mike thinks its all surface stuff. He has issues with her; she brings only superficial things to the show. Everyone talks at once, so I can’t understand what anyone is saying. Andy tells Asa that’s what she brings to the show, but why is she on the show. Asa says wants her voice heard, just like anyone else. Mike asks why make him sound like racist, instead of using the opportunity to talk about her interracial relationship? He loves her, but doesn’t like the person she became this season. She insists she’s taken the side of other cast members who have been ganged up on, and calls Mike a follower. He says he stands on his own, and asks why she’s continuing if she doesn’t want to show her life? Andy says she’s at a crossroads. Jermaine doesn’t want to be on the show or have Soltan on it, so where does she go from here? Asa tells him that her brain is on her baby, and she doesn’t know. Andy asks if she still cares about her friends.

Asa talks about looking at old videos of their travels, and getting sad. It was a difficult season, and she thought they weren’t happy for her. She believes in the future, and believes there’s hope, but has thinking to do. MJ says every time she bared her soul to Asa, it was her way of being a sister and forming a lifelong friendship. She says it sucks. Asa remembers beautiful moments, but MJ’s back stabbing and being two-faced deteriorated the friendship. If there’s no loyalty or respect, there’s nothing to build on. Mike is sad for the group thinks it will change after today.

Andy asks where they go from here, and Reza says if he and GG can get from where they were to where they are now, anything can happen. At the end of the day, they’re family, and should cherish their relationships. Andy says maybe Shervin’s girlfriend will be at the next reunion. Reza wants Shervin’s publicist’s number, since he did so well with his monologues. Andy hopes Reza and Adam will be pregnant by then; MJ as well. He wonders if GG and Shalom will still be together, and she says she’s a serial monogamist.

Asa says that some of the relationships are frayed, but her most important relationship is at home. She feels changed, being responsible for her son, who won’t eat unless she feeds him. Andy attempts to says something about them all being good friends in Persian. Reza toasts to all of them. Asa can’t leave fast enough.

Backstage, MJ says it was the dumbest day of her life. Reza asks if she thinks she and Asa will reconcile, but that’s a no. Asa tells Mike that she really doesn’t think he’s a racist, and changing her tune, GG thanks Shalom for coming.

🚑 Married to Medicine will be returning next Sunday at 10 pm.

The Walking Dead

We see close-ups of the main characters from Alexandria, Hilltop, and the Kingdom.

At an outpost, the Saviors work at getting their weapons in shape. Mara tries to call Little Roy on the radio, but there’s no answer. She finally reaches Todd, and tells him to lock the stairwell on every floor. A group led by Aaron zooms up in the reinforced trucks, and shoots everything up.

Another group, led by Jesus, sees a moat of zombies outside another outpost. Morgan says they just need the right timing. If the Saviors fire first, the rest will be alerted. He tells Diane not to give them time to fire a gun. One of the others asks Morgan if he needs to be covered, but he says he doesn’t die. Okay…

Carol and Ezekiel recover from the grenade that was lobbed at them last week. Zombies are pouring out of the clinic, and the group shoots, stabs, and axes them. Carol asks where the guy with the grenade went. If he tells the Saviors they’re here, it’s over before it started. Ezekiel is confident that’s not going to happen, and they’ll find him. Their comrades are back to the staging area, and will release Shiva if necessary. He claims certain victory, and Carol looks impressed.

Aaron and his group continue shooting the place up. Aaron is really into it. Rick and Daryl get inside with a small group.

Morgan teases the zombie barricade. Two guards walk toward them to see what’s going on. Diane shoots them in the head with arrows.

Jesus, Tara, and some others go in with Morgan. Diane whistles, and the rest come in silently. Tom says kill the bitches is written on the wall. Wtf? They spread out. Morgan hears someone talking. He waits outside the door, telling the other guys with him to hold up.

Rick looks at the map. Daryl says upstairs. He kicks open a door.

Mara says the Alexandrians are too chicken sh*t to move in, and tells the Saviors to push them back. There’s lot of machine gunning, and Aaron says don’t let them through. He tells his group to move in.

Morgan and two other guys bust into a room, shooting the first guy they see. Several men pop out from behind him, and shoot them. I go, what?! because I wonder why Morgan wasn’t faster on the draw.

Daryl and Rick climb on top of an elevator cab and go to another floor. Rick says they’d be faster if they split up.

Tara and Jesus find a man alone in a room. He begs them not to shoot him. He starts sniffling, saying his name is Dean, and Tara points out he peed his pants. Tara wants to shoot, but Jesus tells her to wait; the man has his hands up. She says they have a job to do. They hear shooting, and Jesus tells her to check it out while he covers Dean.

Diane tells Tara to be ready. They don’t know if Morgan is alive. Dean tells Jesus that he’s just a worker, brought from the Sanctuary to cook and clean; he had to leave his wife and kids. Jesus tells Tara that they don’t want to hurt the workers. He’s not shooting someone with their hands up or letting her. She sees Maggie’s prenatal vitamins, and says they stole medical supplies from Hilltop just because they could. Dean takes this opportunity to grab Jesus’s gun from him, and get him in a hold. Dean tells them it’s hard to piss yourself on purpose. He crushes the vitamins, and says they’re ruined, like that dumb bitch Maggie. She’s just going to die anyway, like they are, but for now, he’s taking them with him for an insurance policy. Dean keeps talking, and apparently never saw The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, where Tuco says, “If you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk.”. While he’s babbling, Jesus gets his gun back, and ties him up. Tara still wants to kill him, saying it’s not about revenge, it’s about getting the job done, but he won’t let her, insisting Maggie will listen to him.

Diane asks Jesus if there’s another way out, and he says to follow him. It looks like Morgan is dead. Nope, not quite. The armor pieces he’s wearing saved him. He sits up, grabs his gun, and runs to catch up.

Gunfire is still happening outside. Mara realizes it’s not good for them, and one of the dead Saviors attacks her, biting out a piece of her throat.

Ezekiel’s group is in the woods looking for grenade guy. Carol says if he made it back, the Saviors know they’re coming. Ezekiel says they’ll be ready regardless. Carol asks him if he knows that it’s not just a few walkers. He says he does, yet still smiles. She asks why, and he says he has supreme confidence. His job is to project certainty. In other words, fake it till you make it. It’s what he’s done and does; he leads people forward in darkness. Carol says they might not make it or win, but Ezekiel has no fantasy of failure this day. They move forward as they move the very world forward.

Daryl sneaks around with his crossbow. I wonder how hard It must be to be sneaky with a crossbow. Props to him. He looks into a room, and sees the remains of food and handcuffs attached to a pipe. He slides back out. Rick goes down another way, and looks in a bedroom that’s empty. Suddenly a dude comes out of nowhere, and punches him out. Rick tries shooting him, but dude is too fast. Rick kicks him in the face, and he slams Rick against a wall. Rick gets him in a chokehold, and asks where they are. Dude says there are no guns. He struggles free, and Rick piggybacks him, continuing to choke him. He sees a hook on he sees a hook on the wall and impales the guy on it. Like Billy did with that guard in Midnight Express, except it’s through his eyeball.

Morgan goes through the building, shooting anything moving.

Jesus and his group circle around the back. He tells them not to shoot right away, but Diane says if they shoot first, someone dies. A Savior opens a big garage door. Jesus tells him to drop his gun and surrender. He does since there’s fifty of them to his one, but his back up comes out, and he tells them to put their guns down; they’re surrounded. Tara tells Jesus that even if Maggie listens to him, Rick will listen to her. All the Saviors lower their weapons.

Morgan keeps shooting people. I assume it’s people; we don’t actually see what he’s shooting. He looks supremely pissed. He comes out into the sunlight, and walks toward the others. In his head, he hears Rick saying, we have to come for them, before they come for us. Where there’s life, there’s possibility.  Morgan walks up to a Savior who says he knows him, and asks if he was transferred too. It’s the dude who took Morgan’s staff, and killed Benjamin. Morgan is about to shoot him, and Jesus tells him to lower the gun. Morgan says they came here to kill them; they’re supposed to. Jesus says they surrendered; it’s not what we do, and Morgan asks, what do we do? And in my head, I think, do-be-do-be-do.

Rick goes back out into another room. It’s a nursery, complete with a baby sleeping in a crib. Rick shakes his head, and I wonder if the guy he killed is her father. Rick gets all weepy like he does on occasion, and I say, there’s no time for that now, Rick. He sees himself in the mirror, and walks away.

Carol sees blood on a leaf, and they follow the trail. Is there a hairdresser in the group? Carol’s hair looks fabulous. Ezekiel says, there! and starts to run. He stops and lowers his gun. He says their friends have arrived. We see Shiva take a man down up ahead.

Aaron’s group isn’t done yet. There’s still tons of shooting going on. How many freaking people do they have? Aaron’s husband, Eric, gets shot. Aaron ducks down and runs to a car. He gets in and floors it to Eric. He asks if Eric is okay, and Eric shows him the gunshot wound. Aaron helps him out of there. Hard to tell if he’ll make it.

Ezekiel says there it is, our certain victory. He’s not glad for anyone’s death, and Carol says she knows. Knight dude, whose name I don’t remember, holds out the radio. The Saviors know they’re coming. Knight dude says the jig is up. Ezekiel says no; their journey won’t end in retreat. Knight dude says, but they know we’re coming, and Ezekiel says, indeed they do. He raises his sword and laughs. Carol smiles. Yeah, he’s cooler than cool. He’s one of my reasons for sticking with the show. Him, and Negan. And peer pressure.

Rick looks in another room. He looks at a photo, and says, dammit!  A man walks in with a gun, and tells Rick to keep his hands down, and turn around slow. The man says, hi, Rick, and Rick says, Morales. Rick says he was in Atlanta. Morales says it was a long time ago. It’s over. He called the Saviors back, and they’re coming.

We see close-ups of everyone’s faces again, like in the beginning. Everyone looks tired, but Ezekiel is still smiling. Carol is too, as much as Carol smiles.

Morales cocks his gun.

Next time, Ezekiel says their first victory will deliver the second, and the second will deliver the third. They will not lose one of their ranks. That is one optimistic guy.

🎃 No Halloween is Complete Without It…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7-uC0LDllM