What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
🎄 Hope everyone had themselves a merry little Christmas! Moving on…
General Hospital
At the MetroCourt, Laura looks at her wedding ring set and remembers getting married to real Doc, saying she’d love him every day for the rest of her life. Carly sits with her, and says she’s been there, and it’s nothing Laura did or didn’t do. Doc can’t be in right mind if he gave her up for Ava. Laura says that’s what she’s afraid of.
At Ferncliff, Not-Doc/Ryan wakes straitjacketed, real Doc up. He says sorry it’s been so long since his last visit, but he brings great tidings of joy.
Julian chats with Leo at Charlie’s. Olivia comes in, and Leo tells her about the family of snow people they made. Julian thanks her for letting Leo visit; he needed it. She says she figured that, and Julian thanks Leo for today.
Oscar looks at something on his laptop with Kim and Drew. Josslyn comes in, and Oscar’s parents jet for coffee. Oscar shows Josslyn the laptop, and says it’s not his car, but looks like it. Outside in the hallway, Kim tells Drew that she’s glad Oscar fell in love when he was well. Josslyn gives Oscar a Christmas gift.
At the prison, Nelle tells a guard that she doesn’t have a doctor, as she’s led to the visitor room. Obrecht is there, and says she does. Consider it a long overdue post-natal checkup.
Michael sees Willow at the hospital. She asks if he made it back to his parents’ house after the meeting. He says he did, and it was a fun holiday; what about her? She says it was better than expected. The meeting helped. He says speaking about her son was a big step. She tells him it felt good, saying her dreams for him out loud. She just wishes she could have made them come true.
Ava takes little pink mittens out of a box at Kiki’s apartment. Griff and Anna walk in. She asks what they want, and Anna wonders if they can help. Ava tells them that she read about a woman whose husband died in their apartment. She left a book he’d been reading open to what he’d last read, and called it an act of wishful thinking. Leaving it as it was when he died would keep him alive for her. She’d thought it was ridiculous, and that the woman was weak, but now she prays the same prayers. She tells Griff that prayers only work for the faithful, so it leaves them out of luck.
Michael tells Willow that he’s glad he went to the meeting. It was helpful to be around other people who lost a child. She tells him, be honest. He saw her, and felt bad. He says she was a deciding factor. Because of one terrible thing, they understand each other. She tells him that her pregnancy was a surprise, and she’d wondered what kind of life she and her baby would have. Michael doesn’t know if he’ll ever stop imagining what it would have been like to see his son grow up.
Nelle asks if Obrecht isn’t a fugitive. Obrecht says she had an unfortunate misunderstanding with law enforcement, but it’s been cleared up. Funny how life works. One minute, she was on her way to prison, and the next minute, delivering Nelle’s baby in the middle of nowhere. Now, Nelle is in prison, and she’s asking herself, where is that beautiful baby boy?
Doc asks where Laura is, and Ryan says he’ll get to it, but wants to share his news. He’s totally pulling this off. He tells Doc that he must be one heck of a shrink. His patients know how he’ll respond. Doc says Ryan is in no position to treat patients, and Ryan says, neither is he. Doc asks what he’s done with Laura, and Ryan says he’s been nothing but a gentleman. She’s lovely, but too staid for his taste. He had to put distance between them, but once the divorce is final, he won’t have to worry about that. Doc says, he’s divorcing Laura?
Laura tells Carly that she can’t help but be concerned about Doc’s mental health. Carly says, put in perspective, he seems distracted and detached. He blew her off when she wanted an appointment to talk about the anniversary of Morgan’s death. Laura says, that’s not like him. So many things aren’t like him. A few years after Ryan ‘s death, he had a psychotic breakdown, confusing his identity with his brother’s. The way he’s been acting, she’s afraid he’s headed for another breakdown. Carly says that would explain his odd behavior, but not his romantic interest in Ava. Is it possible Laura is looking for a reason to believe he doesn’t really want a divorce?
Ryan tells Doc that Laura had trouble accepting the end of their marriage. He hopes she makes peace with it, so he doesn’t have to employ other means of problem solving. Doc tells him, leave her alone, and Ryan says that’s what he’s trying to do. He tells Doc, she’s safe, but there’s only so much he can take. He’s already had to dispense two problems, and he’s hoping there’s not a third. Doc says, he didn’t kill anyone, did he? and asks if Felicia is okay. Ryan says, she’s fine. He’s not into her at all, but to answer his question, yes; twice. He’s murdered two people. Doc tried to fix him, but he’s not broken. This is just who he is. Doc tries to lunge at Ryan. Ryan tells him to be careful; he might hurt himself. As much as he enjoys the irony, Ryan needs him healthy and lucid. There are gaps in his knowledge of Doc’s life that he needs to fill. Doc says he won’t help, but Ryan says he will. Laura’s life depends on it.
Oscar opens Josslyn’s gift. It’s a five-year planner. She tells him to open it. He reads. January 1 – ring in the new year with Joss; January 11 – bake cookies with Joss; February 9 – take Joss on a hike; February 14 – watch Valentine’s Day movies and bake truffles with Joss. He asks if she did this for the whole year, and she says, just the first year. The rest, they’re going to plan together.
Lulu gives Laura a belated birthday gift from her, and handmade cards from the kids. The gift is a gorgeous opal necklace, and Laura loves it. Lulu says they love her. She knows it’s been hard dealing with Doc, and wants Laura to know how special she is her and the kids, Spencer included. Laura tells her, it means so much. A year ago, she and Doc were in love and happy. Now, they’re unrecognizable. She can’t fathom what happened to get them there. Lulu thinks, it begins and ends with an A. Laura knows that’s a factor, but they both insist they didn’t start seeing each other until after she and Doc separated. It’s something else that she hasn’t figured out yet.
Anna tells Ava that Kiki wouldn’t want to tear them apart. Ava says, probably not, but she’s dead, so she doesn’t call the shots. Anna suggests Ava use a service to pack up, but Ava says, no one is touching her daughter’s things. Anna says they’ll leave her then. Griff says he’d like to have something of hers, because he can’t read social cues, and doesn’t get that this is probably a bad time to ask. Ava tells him that he’s already had plenty. He didn’t kill Kiki, but took her just the same. Anna wants go, and Ava dares Griff to stay and watch her put evert bit of Kiki in boxes. She asks how it feels, being left emptyhanded. The same way she was when Griff stole Kiki away.
Anna tells Ava that they understand she’s in pain, but it doesn’t give her license to attack Griff. Griff says they’re both grieving, but Ava says his grief doesn’t compare. She asks if he knows what grief looks like. Kiki saved every bit of her childhood; every scrap. She pulls out a homemade card with a child’s handprint on it, and reads, for Mommy, who holds my hand when I’m afraid. She says, report cards, birthday cards, Kiki saved every card Ava gave her. She was going to make a collage one day. One day. She says all of the Kikis she knew and loved are there. The three-year-old ballet dancer; the six-year-old who loved roller coasters she was too small to ride; a short story she wrote when she was ten; a hat she tried to knit. Ava didn’t just bury one child, but all the little girls Kiki was while growing up. Anna asks if there’s someone they can call, but suddenly there, not-Doc says, that’s all right; he’s there. Ava cries, and he holds her. Griff wipes a tear from his eye.
Laura asks Lulu how she got her hands on such privileged information. Lulu says she was dropping off a care package to Dante ‘s partner. Laura says, and she just happened to see Mary Pat’s file? Lulu says, no. She was looking at Kiki’s file, where they’d noted similarities in the two killings, and suspected a pattern. Laura asks if they think it might be one killer. Lulu says in both cases, the body was moved, and found at a party or event, and they were both killed with a knife. Carly has been eavesdropping, and says she’s sorry to interrupt, but is Lulu saying the police are investigating a serial killer?
Oscar tells Josslyn, it’s hard to believe how different everything was last Christmas. They found his mother’s CD, and the letter. He didn’t even know Drew was his dad. Josslyn says it seems like Drew’s been his dad longer than a year. She asks if he wishes his parents were back together, and he says, it seems dumb, but yeah. She says, it’s not dumb, but he says he sounds like a little kid. It would make him feel better about everything if his dad was looking after his mom, but she still has Julian. Josslyn tells him, like he said, a lot can change in year.
Kim tells Drew that she’s praying the treatment works, but wondering what happens if it’s not reducing the tumor. Drew says they’ll just have to find a way to squeeze the world into the time they have left with him.
Willow tells Michael that she got to hold her son for a while. His weight and warmth helped; he was so perfect and fragile. She knew she had to give him up, but couldn’t let go. She eventually asked the nurse to take him, and her arms felt so empty afterward. At night, she has dreams of holding him again. Michael does that too. Dreams that Jonah is alive, and he’s holding him. When he wakes up and remembers, like she said, his arms feel empty.
Nelle tells Obrecht she had her baby alone, and it didn’t survive. Obrecht says he was born strong and vital. If he was an actor, she’d have given him a ten. Trauma didn’t kill him. Maybe Nelle did. Nelle says everything she did was to protect him and give him life, and Obrecht wonders why it doesn’t sound like he’s dead now. Nelle says she still feels him with her. She’s still in morning. Why is Obrecht mocking her grief? Obrecht says, while they’re on the subject, Maxie told her that Michael is devastated. She can only imagine his gratitude if he were to learn the truth.
Ava tells not-Doc that she needs to go through everything, and he says, she shall, but not everything needs to be done today. Anna says they came to help, but not-Doc doesn’t know how much help Griff can be. Me neither, and I actually think them showing up is rather insensitive. He says Ava can look through everything at home, and picks up the box, telling Anna and Griff to lock up when they leave. When they’re gone, Anna tells Griff not to let Ava’s anger and bitterness affect him. it’s the last thing Kiki would want.
Kim and Drew go back to Oscar’s room. Drew asks where Josslyn is, and Oscar says she took off on an errand. He tells them to check out his planner.
Josslyn goes to Charlie’s. Julian asks if Oscar is okay, and she says he’s doing good today. He says he was planning on stopping by later with a sandwich, and he wants to be there for Kim as well. Josslyn says, the best way to help Kim is to help Oscar. He asks if she has any idea how he can do that, and she says, give up Kim.
Laura asks Lulu how closely the police have linked the murders, but she only knows it’s being investigated, and has no specifics. Carly says she was framed for Mary Pat’s murder, and Griff was framed for Kiki’s. What if part of the pattern is the killer framing obvious suspects? Lulu didn’t think of that. Carly says there’s a strong possibility the killer isn’t finished, and will target someone else. Why haven’t the police said anything? Ned walks in, and Laura says, maybe the mayor can enlighten them.
Nelle tells Obrecht that Michael won’t listen to her. Obrecht says Nelle framed his mother for pushing her down the stairs. It’s not a stretch. And she doesn’t need to convince him; only suggest a DNA test on the deceased child. Nelle says Michael isn’t worthy of her son. He wanted to steal her baby, and let his bitch of a mother raise him. Carly doesn’t get to win. Obrecht is concerned about the baby. If Nelle doesn’t tell her the truth, she’ll be compelled to tell the police everything. Nelle’s move.
Nelle refuses to answer. Obrecht asks if she dispatched a baby, and switched them. Nelle says she didn’t kill any baby, and Obrecht says, prove it. Nelle says after Obrecht left, she made her way back to the road, thinking she’d hitch a ride to Sawyerville, and figure out a way across the border. She knew her plan would never work, and Michael’s family would never let her keep the baby. Fate stepped in. Obrecht asks how fate came to her assistance, and Nelle says, Brad was on the side of the road. The newborn that he and Lucas planned to adopt had died. Brad was a wreck, and Lucas didn’t know; he was still at the hospital. Obrecht says, fate showed up after all. It says it gave her a healthy baby, and she passed the other off as her own. Nelle says, with people who truly love him, and are more deserving than Michael and his mother.
Michael says Willow should meet his godson. Holding him helps. The family is crazy about him. Willow says, he’s a lucky boy to be so loved, and Michael says he brought joy back in their hearts. He thinks they’re the lucky ones to be able to love him the way they do.
Josslyn tells Julian that Oscar’s parents have a real connection. They rely on each other, and are getting closer all the time. It’s Oscar’s one upside to being sick. Julian says, that’s a fantasy. They’re not together. Josslyn says, they could be, if he stepped aside. He’s the one person who can make Oscar’s wish come true.
Laura asks Ned if the police have advised him that a serial killer is on the loose. He asks her to keep her voice down. They suspect there might be one. Laura says, the people have a right to know, but Ned says he doesn’t want a panic. The investigation is ongoing. Lulu asks if she can tell her readers that, and he asks if she wants to create paranoia and panic to sell papers. Olivia pulls Lulu away, asking if she wants an exclusive on what’s happening with the new pediatric wing, and let people read about good things for a change.
Not-Doc and Ava go to the MetroCourt bar. He orders two martinis, very dry with extra olives, just how I like Ava likes them. He says there’s a situation that requires his attention, but shouldn’t take long.
Back at Ferncliff, Laura approaches Doc, who’s lying on the bed. He tells her she’s not safe. Give him what he wants; walk away. Laura says she took a vow to stand by him, whatever life holds in store, and she’s going to keep her promise. She’ll love him every day for the rest of her life. Doc says it will get her killed. She touches him, and then disappears. He says he has to do something to save Laura.
Not-Doc comes up behind Carly, startling her. He ask why she’s jumpy, and she says it must just be the day. She asks what she can do for him. He says she wanted information about her neighbor at Ferncliff. She asks if he’s gotten more than name, and he says he did. He couldn’t wait to share the truth with her personally.
Nelle says, now that Obrecht knows everything, whatever she does, please leave her son with Brad and Lucas. They deserve him; Michael doesn’t. Obrecht tells her not to worry. She finds the truth is left best unsaid – until one really needs it. She leaves, and Nelle looks freaked.
Willow asks Michael, what godson? and he says Wiley Cooper Jones.  He shows her a baby’s first Christmas ornament that has his footprint on it. He says, it’s a mouthful, but the name suits him. Willow says, it’s beautiful.
Griff tells Anna that he remembers the afternoon he and Kiki became neighbors. His radiator wasn’t working, and he came over to see what was going on. Hers was broken too, and she tried teaching him the subtle art of banging on it with a wrench. Even then, she was gorgeous; it was impossible to look away. He didn’t know it then, but he was already in love. Anna says, someday the memory won’t hurt so much, and he’ll be glad of them. Griff says he’ll have to take her word for it. He looks in the DVD player, and takes a disk out. He says he knew it would still be there. From Here to Eternity. Kiki loved that movie, and insisted he watch it. She said she was a hopeless romantic, and proud of it. Anna asks if he wants to go, and he says there’s nothing for him there. He takes a last look back before closing the door.
Olivia tells Lulu that they had to struggle to rebuild after the earthquake. They’re just now making a comeback. She’s hoping Lulu will make the right choice, and write about how people are coming together. Lulu says she writes the truth, but Olivia says there’s more going on in Port Charles than a murder investigation. She can choose to write about some of that.
Looking in the planner, Kim tells Oscar that she sees a lot of baking. How about, get teeth cleaned?
Julian tells Josslyn that he’s not walking away from Kim. She needs him. Josslyn says he’s wrong, and just being selfish. He doesn’t care that he’s taking away Oscar’s dream. Julian says Drew and Kim aren’t getting back together because Oscar wants them to. Josslyn asks if it’s ever occurred to Julian that they need each other. Oscar’s parents want to spend time together with their dying son. They’re a family. Why doesn’t he step aside, and let them be a family in the time they have left? I guess she’s never heard of co-parenting?
Doc thinks about what Ryan said. There are gaps only he can fill. He says, there may be a way to save Laura.
Not-Doc tells Carly that her Ferncliff neighbor’s name is Wilson Ritter. He’s an extremely dangerous sociopath, and committed unspeakable crimes. He’s been restrained for himself and other’s safety. His cries for help were manipulations. He’s glad she didn’t act on them. She could have gotten hurt if she’d gotten too close. She thanks him, and he asks if she can now leave Ferncliff behind and go on with her life. She says, that’s the plan. She’s glad she got nowhere near that guy.
Ned tells Laura that this is exactly the reaction he’s trying to avoid. How long before a homeless person is mistaken for the killer and shot? Laura thinks the public has a right to know. Ava approaches them, and asks if Ned hears himself. A killer is out there, and needs to be found before they kill someone else’s daughter. Either find them, or she will. Not-Doc listens from the sidelines.
Tomorrow, Anna asks someone to move in with her (I assume Finn, but we don’t see who she’s talking to), Laura thinks Doc is headed for another breakdown, a man sees Jason, and says, it’s really him.
📺 Tradition Lives On in Reruns…
Since they did end up showing the December 23, 2005 episode of GH on Christmas Eve, I got my traditional reading of the Christmas story. Even better, it was Alan who read it. IMO, one of their biggest mistakes was killing him off. An even worse mistake? Bringing him back as a ghost after they realized their first mistake. Did they think they were Port Charles?
👓 Recap on a Rerun…
Bravo aired last week’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey, but I was able to pay a little more attention. So in case you didn’t see it…
Dolores wondered how Danielle had a ring on her finger, and she couldn’t even get new main squeeze David to commit to dinner. Marge had a brunch where everyone did facial masks, except Danielle, who claimed to be allergic to everything. Dolores defended Teresa, saying Melissa could have approached Joe #2 about spending more time with their father. Jackie horned in on the conversation, taking Melissa’s side, causing Teresa’s blood to boil. Jackie said she was too old to be screamed at, and Teresa told her to butt out of the family’s business. The verboten subject of Joe #1 came up, and it was on. Marge said instead of mud masks, it was mud-slinging, and Teresa was done with Melissa and Jackie. Melissa said it was either namaste or kill with Teresa; there was no in-between. Marge thought they’d be taking a lot of baggage to Bimini. Danielle was Bridezilla all the way, starting with not being able to carry her own bag off the plane. I love a Bridezilla. Only on TV though. I’d never want to deal with one personally, and I was as far from one as it gets.
Dolores talked with a group of women who were seriously down on their luck. Like on their way to the shelter down. In her interview, she said it was a reminder for her not to sweat the small stuff, and assured them that hard times were only temporary in her experience. I looked blankly at the TV, since Delores has probably had a better life experience than most people, and hard times can go on forever. In a moment of clarity, Teresa decided not to involve Gia in her argument with Joe #2, since being without her mother taught her that you can’t buy back time, and she wanted Gia to spend time with her uncle. Marty talked about choosing Danielle over his children, which Joe #2 thought was bullsh*t in his interview. Teresa and Melissa argued at dinner, and Joe #2 pulled them aside, saying it had to stop. He didn’t want to deal with their nonsense anymore. They had to love each other. They ended up hugging it out, but we’ll see how long that lasts. Next time, Los Cabos, naked dudes, Gia raps, and Melissa wants to go home.
🎉 The next new episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey will be aired on Sunday, December 30th, at 9 pm. There won’t be much new anything on New Year’s Eve, but there will be a Vanderpump Rules behind-the-scenes special from 2016. The finale of Unanchored – or as I call it, Summer House at Sea – will also be aired, because no one cares. Andy Cohen will be hosting New Year’s Eve festivities with Anderson Cooper on CNN, where they will giggle the night away. He said he’d never do it again, but I wish Andy would have another New Year’s Eve special on Bravo. The night Giggy married Grandma Wrinkles was the best New Year’s Eve ever. And yes. I know how sad that sounds.
🎅 A GH Christmas…
Some great photos here.
https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital-holiday-christmas-party-photos-169051
💔 Bridezilla No More…
Excuses, excuses. You knew what you were getting into, Marty.
💸 No Surprise…
JD (bleh) is like the poor man’s T-Rav.
https://www.tmz.com/2018/12/22/southern-charm-j-d-madison-arrested-check-violation/
ðŸ˜Â Worst. News. Ever.
I just want to cry. Santa was good to me, but I also got two credit card bills, the news that a high school boyfriend had passed away, and the cancelation of Z Nation for Christmas.
😔 And a Song To Go With It…
Epiphany sings. <SOB!>
https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital-live-on-song-kiki-funer
👎 The Network That Stole Christmas…
Syfy. Grinchier than the Grinch.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 