What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Due to circumstances beyond my control, Halloween festivities postponed until tomorrow. Therefore here’s the whole enchilada.
General Hospital
At Crimson, Valentin asks if Nina wants to go shopping. She asks if it’s fun shopping or boring shopping, and he says fun shopping. They talked swapping out the artwork at Windymere, but the wedding preparations got in the way. Now that they’re back on track, he thought they should check out some local galleries. Nina says she’d love to, but she’s swamped. He says they could do it another day, but she says she trusts him, and he has exquisite taste. Anything is an improvement over Helena’s portrait. Nina’s assistant Judy (where did she come from?) delivers a box for Nina. Valentin says it’s not from him. There’s a bottle of champagne inside, and Valentin says, it’s expensive. He wonders who wants to curry favor from her, but Nina says she wouldn’t go that far. A note congratulates Nina for kicking Valentin to the curb. It’s from Spencer.
On the phone at Kelly’s, Laura thanks someone, and fauns a little. Doc walks in, and asks if he should be jealous. She says, which answer will get her a kiss? And he tells her, any of them. She says she was talking to Dr. Clark, the art professor at PCU. Doc asks if she’ll be able to contact the artist who painted Helena’s portrait, but she says, unfortunately, J. Garrin passed away. He asks if she still believes there are clues in the painting. She says she does. That’s why it’s important that they find it before it’s too late.
Ava explains to Trina that the back room is where they keep the paintings that are in rotation. They store the other art in a facility. Trina asks if she only keeps records online, or does she have handwritten backup? Ava says, that’s a shrewd question. In art, providence is everything, so she keeps handwritten records as well. Trina suggests they put Helena’s portrait in the back room. It’s like the eyes are watching her everywhere she goes. Ava looks at the painting, and thinks Trina is right. It might be bad for business. They carry it to the back.
Lulu goes to Dustin’s classroom, and he asks if she’s still speaking to him. He’s sorry he had to cancel their date, but the faculty assembly ran long, and he has a bunch of essays to correct. She tells him that he doesn’t have to apologize, but he says he feels bad. She figures he hasn’t had a break, and brought the date to him. She knows it’s traditional to bring a hardworking teacher an apple, but – she closes the door, and takes a bottle out of her tote bag – will cider work instead?
Jason and Diane visit Sam at Pentonville, and asks if she’s okay. She nods, and says she misses the kids. She misses him, but it could be worse. Her cellmate is in solitary right now. He asks if she knows why, and Sam says she attacked her cellmate. Okay, I laugh. She asks Diane if there’s any chance she’ll be out soon, but Diane says there’s only so much she can do. Brice is gone, and there’s no one to corroborate his statement. They also lack evidence to debunk his claim.
Outside Nina’s office, Maxie says Peter knows Valentin better than anyone. Is there the slightest chance Valentin is telling the truth, and he and Obrecht had nothing to do with it? Peter doesn’t answer, and she says he won’t stop staring at his phone. He says he’s getting updates on Franco’s competency hearing.
Scotty asks Kim how far she’d go to lessen her grief over Oscar. She’s not sure what he means, and he asks if she doesn’t want another baby. Martin says, relevance, and the judge lets it slide, but urges Scotty to get to the point. Scotty asks if it’s true that Kim drugged the original Drew Cane, so she could conceive a child against his will. Kim stammers, and He says, yes or no. Did she drug a man to have a child with an unwilling participant? She says, yes.
Valentin tells Nina that Spencer hasn’t lost his proclivity for being annoying. He’s going to have egg on his face when he sees what he spent for nothing. Nina says she’s going to send it back. She’s trying to be virtuous. She tells him to go make art selections, and she’ll finish up at Crimson.
Sam asks what the chances are she’ll be convicted of Shiloh’s murder? Diane says it’s net neutral, and the only real evidence they have is Nurse Sheri, but that’s hearsay. That the PCPD was so ready to dismiss the charges speaks volumes. She’d say the odds in Sam’s favor are good. Jason asks what the time table is, and Diane says they have one option that could speed up the process.
Maxie tells Peter, she thought spending time with her would be more interesting than the competency hearing of a man he barely knows. Peter flashes back to Shiloh telling him that Drew might know more about him than he thinks. He tells Maxie, it’s an historic ruling, one way or the other. Maxie says, whoever wins, it’s going to be devastating. Why can’t The Invader run good news? Lucy comes in, and says, if it’s good news Maxie wants, it’s good news she shall receive. She’s about to make Peter’s dreams come true. (Oops. From the preview, I thought it must be Sasha.)
Kim says she didn’t go through with it. She admitted it and apologized. Scotty says did she have a change of heart, or did someone stop her? She says someone stopped her, and Scotty asks if it’s true that she’d have gone through with sexual assault if she hadn’t been stopped. Martin objects, saying this is a specific event that didn’t happen, and the judge says, sustained. (Boo! Hiss!) Kim says she knows it’s inexcusable, but she was grieving for her son, and confused. Scotty asks if she’s still grieving, and she says, yes, of course (🍷). He says, so is she still confused? Is that why she wants Franco to retain Drew’s memory? Perhaps she’d like to have another child with a dead man.
Martin says, objection; badgering the witness. Scotty says the witness is Martin’s biggest advocate for Franco’s medical competency. Franco gets up, and says, stop, but the Judge tells Martin to control his client. (She’s back on my good side.) Scotty says he’s made his point; no further questions. Martin has no redirect, so the judge says they’ll take a brief recess. Kim goes back to her seat, and Elizabeth tells Scotty, that was so brutal. He says, it has to be. He told her that he’d do what needed to be done.
Dustin tells Lulu the cider is even better than an apple, and she asks if he doesn’t mind that she showed up uninvited. She hasn’t seen him since she ruined Nina’s wedding. Dustin says, by telling her the truth. Lulu says, the situation was spiraling out of control. She thanks him, saying she has no one to confide in. Maxie’s too close to it. Dustin can’t imagine how confused Charlotte is. She loves Nina so much, and it must have been distressing for Nina to move out instead of getting married. Lulu says, that’s the thing. Nina took him back.
Alone at her desk, Ava flashes back to when she asked Laura if she gets the sense of being watched, and asking if Laura thinks she’s crazy. Valentin walks in, and Ava nearly goes through the ceiling. She says, what the hell? Why is he sneaking up on her? He says he wasn’t aware coming in the gallery door was sneaking up. He’s looking for some new artwork; maybe commissioning a portrait. She wonders if he’ll be on his trusty steed, but no matter what pose, he’ll considered overcompensating. Valentin says he was thinking of a family portrait; him, Nina, and Charlotte. Ava says if he thinks Nina is going to forgive him, he’s beyond delusional. He tells her that she’s behind the times. Nina took him back, and they’re more committed than ever.
Judy asks if Nina wants her to send back the champagne, but Nina says, it’s too nice to go to waste. She gives Judy some other office work.
Laura asks Doc how it went with Ava. He says, Ava’s not officially his patient, but… She understands; he wants to protect Ava’s privacy. She asks if he isn’t supposed to be at Franco’s competency hearing. Doc says he’s Scotty’s last witness. She’s surprised Doc’s not there already, and he says he didn’t want it to be hard on Franco. He must feel like he’s on display. He adds that she might want to come along. Elizabeth can use all the support she can get.
Martin asks Franco where he was stationed when he met Kim, and he says, San Diego. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2003, and recorded as missing until 2012. Martin says, nine years. He asks if Franco remembers where he had shore leave, and he says, Barcelona, Berlin, and in July of 2010, he was in Turkey. Scotty objects, saying, these are the life events of Drew Cane. The witness is perjuring himself. Martin says he’s answering questions citing time and place; events as he remembers them. The judge says, overruled. Martin asks if Franco recalls what Kim just admitted to, saying she drugged Drew Cane. Franco says, of course, it was like, two minutes ago. Not really, but come on. Franco says, yes, and Martin asks, was she saying she drugged him? Franco says, no, it was the other Drew Cane, the one whose plane went down. Martin says, she never did that to him? He says, no, and Martin says the plaintiff just demonstrated awareness of time, space, and situations. His process of recollection determines that he’s of sound mind and body, as they’d need to prove in order to make a will, or agree to surgery. This has gone beyond the scope of egregious. He has no further questions. Franco looks a little confused. Is he rethinking this?
Cameron asks Elizbeth, what is it? She doesn’t know why, but July 2010 is significant. She can’t remember why. She suddenly says, oh my God. Scotty says, what? and she says, nothing. He says, if she doesn’t tell him, he’ll look it up.
Ava tells Valentin it’s impossible that Nina took him back. He tells her, take it up with Nina. They’ve rescheduled the wedding. She says, it’s because he’s Valentin Cassadine, the man who gets away with everything. Not this time. She grabs her jacket, and walks out. Valentin says, he guesses he should show himself out? He leaves, and Trina comes out, looking for Ava.
Diane tells Sam, the law entitles her to a bench trial, where the judge will render a verdict. It has the benefit of being quicker than a jury trial, since they don’t have to choose and question a jury. The judge stipulates the facts and evidence. She has no reason to doubt it won’t work in Sam’s favor. Jason says, it’s all up to the judge, and Diane says the judge who’s set to hear the case is Judge Madrigal; she’s famously pragmatic. Sam says, it’s a lot to think about. She asks Diane for some privacy, and when Diane leaves the room, she asks Jason what he thinks. He says he’s not comfortable putting Sam’s future in one person’s hands.
Peter says Lucy is going to make his dreams come true? She says the luxury condo he couldn’t get? Now he can. The buyer fell through, and she has first crack at it. He can have it if he acts fast. Maxie say’s he’ll take it, but Peter says he’s not ready just yet.
Scotty says Franco testified that he was on leave in Turkey in 2010. Franco says, right, and Scotty says, would he also say that included July 23rd? Franco says, yes, and Scotty says he’d like to enter into evidence, an article from the L.A. Prodigal from that date. Martin tries object, and the judge – who is playing with me today – tells Scotty, proceed. He reads Murder at the Mocha. A strangling at the art show on July 23rd; it’s believed the artist was the culprit. Does he have any idea who that was? Franco says, nope, and Scotty asks if he’s sure. Franco says he was in Turkey, and Scotty says, even if he was in Turkey, didn’t he read about it? How does he explain this? Scotty asks if this rings a bell, and shows Franco a picture of himself.
Maxie says she thought that was the condo Peter wanted; one big enough for all of them. It’s the one he took the $35K from the bank to put a down payment on. What changed? Ava storms out of the elevator, asking if Nina’s in there. Before Maxie can say anything, she walks into Nina’s office. Lucy wonders what that’s about. Ava tells Nina that she wants her scotch back. Nina says she thought it was a peace offering, and Ava says she thought they understood each other. She not wasting time burying the hatchet on a woman who would take back Valentin Cassadine.
Valentin sees Laura outside of Kelly’s, and says he wants a word. Doc says he doesn’t think so, but Laura says, it’s okay, and tells him to go on ahead. She tells Valentin, she’s assuming this is about Charlotte, but he says it’s about another of her grandchildren; Spencer. She’s his guardian, and responsible for him. Is she aware of the hell he’s trying to create?
Scotty asks Franco if the artist seems familiar, and tells him to read the caption under the picture. Franco reads, the artist Franco is being questioned in two murders. Scotty says, it’s a picture of him, but Franco says he wasn’t there. Scotty says, clearly, he was. He wasn’t in Turkey; he was in L.A. The LAPD was questioning him on two murder charges. Franco says, no, they were questioning Franco. Scotty asks how can the plaintiff be mentally competent when he can’t remember being questioned for two murders. No more questions. Elizabeth says she didn’t want Scotty to do what he did, and he says he’d do anything to get his son back.
Lulu tells Dustin that Valentin acted just as surprised as Nina, saying he had nothing to do with it. Dustin says, come on, and she says, that’s how he’s spinning it. Dustin says, and Nina chose to believe it. Lulu tells him, Sasha and Obrecht didn’t say it outright, but they implied Valentin was in on it. He says no wonder she’s a reporter, and she says to be honest, she came by it naturally. Both of her parents have a pathological need to right wrongs, and be heroes. He needs to get used to it if he’s going to be around her. He says he’s glad she thinks he’ll be around long enough to get used to it.
Lucy asks what Maxie and Peter think Nina and Ava are talking about. Not a follow-up piece? Or maybe Ava is mad that they’re not doing one. Maxie says Peter suddenly doesn’t want the condo? Lucy says she’s seen it before. When it gets to signing on the dotted line, the buyer panics. She tells Peter not to be nervous. She needs his commitment, or someone else will snap it up. Peter says, the condo is fine. It’s just… Maxie tells Lucy that Peter will call her, and Lucy says, don’t take too long. She leaves, and Maxie says she thought this is what Peter wanted; something big enough for her and James to move into. Isn’t that what he wants? He says he wants it more than anything, but he’s worried about something getting in the way of their happiness. Maxie says, like what?
Jason tells Sam that just a judge will be determining if she’s innocent or guilty. It still scares him that it’s just one person. Sam says, a jury could be bias, especially if they know her history. They could find her guilty. Jason says they need to catch Peter. Sam says, especially if Franco loses. Then they can forget it.
Martin says his medical witness has been unavoidably detained, but thinks she’ll be there within the hour; there was an emergency. Trina slips in. She tells Cameron that she figured he needed a friend, and it’s more interesting than anything she’d binge watch. Doc comes in, and Scotty asks if the judge can hear his testimony now. Doc thinks they need to talk first, but Scotty says he’ll be fine. Martin agrees, and the judge tells Scotty, okay. Scotty tells Elizabeth, he’s going to send it home. Doc is sworn in, and Scotty says he’s the closer; the cat’s in the bag. Scotty tells Doc that he’ll just cut to the chase. Doc is Franco’s regular therapist, right? Doc says he is, and he recently had a session with him at Shadybrook for the purpose of determining Franco’s competency. Scotty says, in Doc’s expert opinion, is the man in question completely in control of his faculties? Doc says, yes, and Kim smirks. I want to smack her.
Jason tells Sam that he doesn’t like the idea of a bench trial, but he’s not the one sitting behind bars. It’s her decision, and he’ll support no matter what. She says she knows. Diane thought the judge would be objective, and they’ll get it over with faster. She hates being away from Danny and Scout, and doesn’t want to be away from them any longer
Scotty believes Doc misunderstood, but Doc says his answer is definitive. After speaking with Franco, he meets the legal standards. Really? It’s okay to think you’re someone else now? Another real person? There must be a lot of Jesuses out there. Scotty asks if Franco said he was Franco, and Doc says, no. He believes himself to be Drew Cane, but that doesn’t mean he’s unaware, and incapable of making medical decisions. Scotty says, the man in question is legally Franco. So how can Doc say he’s in his right mind? Martin says Scotty is badgering his own witness. Scotty asks for permission to refer to the witness as hostile, and the judge asks, on what grounds? He’s Scotty’s medical expert. Scotty has no further questions. Martin says, just to be clear. Doc doesn’t support Elizabeth continuing as Franco’s medical proxy. Doc says, no, because the man he examined, however he identifies himself, is fully aware of making decisions, and capable of choosing medical care. I have a headache, and the judge asks if there are any other witnesses except for Martin’s expert. Martin says they don’t need to wait. He concurs with Scotty’s witness. No other witnesses are necessary. The judge says she’ll take a short recess to deliberate. Scotty looks defeated, and Cameron says, this is bad, isn’t it? Franco holds Kim. Bleh.
Well how about this? If Franco thinks he’s a totally different existing person (I know Drew is dead, but he was a real human), wouldn’t he be making medical decisions for someone else? He’d need Franco’s permission. It’s not like he thinks he’s a woman, and that’s the kind of situation they’re comparing it to. This is driving me nuts. Come on, Scotty, think.
Nina tells Ava that she needs to leave, and Ava says Nina needs to wake up. She doesn’t honestly think Sasha came up with all this on her lonesome; faked three DNA tests, and duped Valentin? She’s barely old enough to rent a car. Nina says it’s not Ava’s concern, and she knows nothing. Ava tells Nina to open her eyes. Valentin is obsessed with her; she’s gotten under his skin. He’ll tell himself that he’s doing it in her best interest. He’ll tell any lie, and break any rule. He’ll do whatever he can do to keep her by his side, and he’ll never let her move on. Nina asks if Ava is still talking about her, or projecting what Ryan did to Ava?
Valentin says Laura had no idea that Spencer sent champagne to Nina’s office, no doubt on her dime, taunting them about their interrupted wedding. As a child, he was a nuisance; as an adolescent, he’s becoming problematic. If he ever becomes a threat, Valentin will deal with Spencer the way he deals with threats. Laura asks if he’s threatening to harm her grandson. He says, of course (🍷) not, but he knows things that would make life difficult for Spencer. She says, like what? and he tells her, tighten the leash. That’s all he has to say.
Ava tells Nina, throwing Ryan in her face is a low blow, even for her. Nina says she’s sympathetic to what happened to Ava. It was sick, horrible, and beyond imagination, but Valentin isn’t Ryan. He’s not a killer. Ava says he killed Nikolas right in front of her. Nina says Ava was quick to offer her support, but not to help her; to hurt Valentin. Ava may have been a fool for Ryan, but Nina is nobody’s fool. Ava says they’ll see about that an walks out. Nina takes out the champagne.
Lulu tells Dustin, not that it wasn’t fun, but she’d love to get a real date on the books. She asks how his schedule is tomorrow, and he says, even more harrowing. He’s chaperoning the Halloween dance. Lulu says, the Haunted Star is hosting it; she’d forgotten. He says she must be taking Rocco and Charlotte trick-or-treating, but she says, Olivia and Ned are taking them with Leo. She has a rare night off. What about next week? He says he’s allowed to bring a guest. Would she like to be his date to the dance?
Diane tells Sam and Jason that she double-check, and the judge is still confirmed to hear Sam’s case. She sweet talked the clerk, and can get it heard in a couple of days. Jason asks what she thinks, and Diane says she thinks the judge is fair, but it’s a big decision. Ultimately, it rests with Sam. Sam says she wants to get home as soon as possible. Let’s do the bench trial.
Peter wonders if they should check on Nina, but Maxie says, she can handle Ava. She wants to talk about them. What could get in the way of their happiness? Peter’s phone dings, and she says, it’s a teachable relationship moment. This is not the time to be on the phone. He stares at the phone, and she says, what is it? He says, the hearing. The judge is coming back with a decision.
Kim tells Franco that she’s sorry he had to hear about what she did to Drew. It was a horrible time for her. The judge tells everyone to be seated. She’s made a determination in the competency hearing of Franco Baldwin.
Julian is surprised, Lucas and Brad go to therapy, and the judge renders a decision.
🔫 Dueling Cheaters…
Did he/she or didn’t he/she?
🎃 It’s Not Halloween Without Her…
A retrospective of Heidi Klum’s Halloween costumes over the years.
🎇 Quotes of the Week
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. – Theodore Roosevelt
Make yourself heavy. – Evelin Villegas, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way, when coming down with Corey in a hot air balloon
🎼 Classic Meet Classic…
Great version of this song, and perfect for the season. See you on the night of Dead.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 