What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly thanks Willow for bringing Wiley by, but she’s surprised Michael didn’t come. Willow says, he wanted to, but he had an important meeting this morning. Carly asks if Willow can stay for some coffee, and Willow says, it would actually be nice to talk. Carly asks, about anything in particular? and Willow says, Michael and Nina.

Nina and Phyllis walk into the Italian restaurant, and Nina says it’s great having her there. Phyllis says, eventually, she’s going to have to face Nixon Falls again, and figure out what life looks like without Lenny, but a few more days away couldn’t hurt. Nina asks if Phyllis is sure she doesn’t want to rebuild the Tan-O, but Phyllis says, the bar was her life with Lenny. She doesn’t have the heart to do it without him. Nina says, then why go back? Why doesn’t Phyllis stay in Port Charles, and let Nina help her?

At another table, Nikolas puts his fork down, and Ava says, not hungry? He says, just tired, and she says he was tossing and turning all night. He says he’s sorry if he kept her up, but she says, it’s okay. Spencer’s his son. Of course (🍷) Nikolas is worried sick about him. He says, they may not agree, but Spencer’s still just a kid, and he’s facing jail time, and she says, for some pretty terrible crimes. He says he knows. He’s not suggesting Spencer walk away with no consequences, it’s just that… She says, they offered him a way out. All he has to do is just take it.

Spencer is led into a courtroom, where Esme is waiting. She throws her arms around him, and asks if it was awful spending the night in jail. Did he get any sleep? He says, yes, and yes, but not much. She wonders if he shouldn’t take the deal, but he says there’s no way he’s going to be beholden to Ava. There has to be another solution. Public Defender Diaz runs in, saying, she was assigned to his case. Just give her one second to get up to speed. She sits down, and goes through some papers. She opens a folder and says, she thinks they have a real shot here. In all likelihood the judge will move to dismiss. Spencer says, that’s amazing news, and Diaz says, nobody actually saw him deface the garage, so it’s pretty open and shut. He says, garage? What is she talking about? and she says, Sparky Carraway, destruction of private property. He says, no, he’s Spencer Cassadine, harassment and criminal mischief. She says, oops, wrong file. One second. She dashes out again.

Michael tells Ned that he’s expecting a call from Candace about Austin’s lawsuit. He’ll let Ned know once he talks to her. Ned says, there might not be a lawsuit anymore, and Michael says, since when? Ned takes it Michael hasn’t heard about the Brook drama. Olivia walks in, and says she thought Ned was at the office, but Ned says he chose to work from home, and she says, she’ll leave him to it. She leaves, but he follows her, and says, wait. If they keep avoiding each other, how are they going to fix things? She says she needs space right now, and the doorbell rings. It’s Maxie, who asks if Brook is home. She needs to talk to Brook about Austin. Michael asks if anyone wants to fill him in on what Brook did, and Brook comes down the stairs. She says, nobody else did? She gave them their best shot at keeping Austin out of ELQ, and this family.

Austin is on the computer at the hospital reception desk, when Monica says, Dr. Gatlin-Holt. He says, don’t shoot. He knows he’s not supposed to be there, and won’t see any of his patients in person. He just wanted to make sure Miss Battelle was getting all of her fluids. Monica says, Dr. Chen is covering all his patients while he’s on suspension, and he says, suspension, right. All thanks to Brook Lyn’s games.  

Esme says she’s sorry she couldn’t get Spencer a high profile attorney. She tried everything. Doc refuses to help, and she can’t get in touch with his grandmother. Her trust manager wouldn’t advance money when he found out what the charges were. Sonny walks in, and Spencer greets him, but when Sonny doesn’t return the greeting, he says, Sonny’s not going to help him, is he? Sonny says, he is, but Spencer’s not going to like how.

Esme say she’s grateful Sonny didn’t abandon Spence like everyone else, and Sonny says he needs a minute alone with Spencer. Spencer says she doesn’t have to go, but she says, talk to his uncle; she’ll be waiting outside. She tells Sonny, she’s so sorry for her part in the whole Nikolas and Ava taking Avery out of the country misunderstanding, and Sonny says, he’s very clear on what she tried to do. She says she was just trying to help, and leaves. Spencer says Sonny has the wrong idea about Esme, and he says, apparently, he had the wrong idea about Spencer. If Spencer wants to go after Ava, be his guest, but don’t use a child to do it, especially his child. Spencer says, it wasn’t him.

Monica brings Austin to her office, and says she read Brook’s allegations. He says, pretty sensational, doesn’t she think? and she asks if he’s saying Brook is lying. He says she’s manipulating him. She claims she’s concerned about Leo, which should have been his first clue, since she doesn’t care about anything but herself. Monica disagrees, and says, Brook has moments of selfishness, but who doesn’t? She cares very deeply for her family. He says, so deeply, set him up, and Monica says, loyalty is very big with the Quartermaines. Does she always agree with the way they display it? No, but there’s a definite us against them mindset. Austin asks if she’s included in all that.

Ava asks if Nikolas is positive he wants to do this, and he says, whether or not Spencer agrees to their conditions, placing her in charge of his trust sends a message that they’re a united front. She says, and she’s not going anywhere, and he says, not on his watch. She says, if she controls Spencer’s money, he can’t ignore her; he can’t be so disrespectful. He says, and he won’t be able to cave to Spencer, and she says, not that he would. He says he’d like to believe that he could stand firm, but he doesn’t trust himself. Part of the reason this is happening now is because of all the times he gave into Spencer when he was a child. She says she’s happy to play bad cop, but Spencer was adamant that he wouldn’t buckle. He says, this is happening whether Spencer likes or not. Spencer doesn’t get a choice about accepting Ava as his wife. If he refuses, he’s basically sending himself to jail. She says, Spencer knows the terms. If he can actively support their marriage, she won’t cooperate. She won’t testify against him, and the prosecution’s case is dead in the water. He says, which is extremely generous, given everything Spencer has put her through. He asks if she thinks Spencer will swallow his pride, and she says, for Spencer’s sake and his, she sure hopes so.

Sonny asks what Spencer means. He didn’t use Avery to scare Ava? Spencer says, he did; he just means he wasn’t himself. He was so focused on punishing Ava, he went too far. Sonny says, what are the two rules? and Spencer says, never threaten children or your family. Sonny says, Avery’s both, and Spencer says Sonny knows he’d never hurt Avery, but Sonny says he doesn’t care if it’s implied or real, Spencer crossed a line. Spencer says, he’s sorry, and Sonny says, all the allegations against him for supposed crimes he did, why does Spencer think he’s still standing a free man? Spencer says, Diane Miller? and Sonny says, no. He has a code that he sticks by, he lives by. When he goes after somebody, he makes sure he doesn’t get caught. Spencer is playing these little games, and got himself busted. Now he has to face the consequences.

Michael says, Brook tricked Austin into breaking his doctor/patient confidentiality. She turned him in, and now she’s threatening to take his medical license unless he drops the claim on ELQ. She says, yes, and she doesn’t know why she’s getting so much static over it. Ned says he definitely would have used a different tactic, and she says, a way less effective tactic. Maxie says she’s not going to tell Brook what to do… and Brook says, but Maxie’s about to tell her what to do? Maxie says, no, she’s going to give Brook her opinion, which is that Austin is a genuinely good guy, and he legitimately cares about Leo. Olivia says, wrong. Austin’s not a good guy, and his opinions about Leo are way off base. Would she like to get him out of the family? She would, but she’d prefer he’d been caught running his mouth about literally anyone other than her son. Now it’s going to become a big deal, and Leo is fine the way he is.  Maxie asks if it would be that bad if Austin got his share of the inheritance. From what she sees, it looks like there’s more than enough money to go around. Brook says, that’s not the point. Her great-grandfather purposely left Jimmy Lee Holt out of his will. It doesn’t matter if he was thinking about reconsidering. None of those thoughts ever made it into an official document. None of those thoughts were ever signed, filed, or probated, so Austin is going after money that isn’t his. To make things worse, he’s hiding behind some sob story about honoring the wishes of his late father, when all he cares about is getting those shares. She says, Michael is awfully quiet. What does he think?  

Ava says she heard Nikolas on the phone this morning. Was he checking on Spencer? He says he must have second guessed himself a thousand times last night. He couldn’t stand the thought of Spencer in that cell, but he’s been coddled too long. Ava agrees, but also understands that raising a son who lost his mother is terribly complicated. He says, something he knows all too well, and she says, he just wants to give his son all the love he didn’t get from Laura as a child, right? He says he shouldn’t have translated it into giving Spencer everything he wanted, but he did, which gave Spencer the dangerous impression he’s the center of the universe. He has to do better, and with her by his side, he will. He’ll see her later. He jets, and she wonders where he’s going.

Austin tells Monica, correct him if he’s wrong, but she does seem a little different than the Quartermaines. More... He’s not sure the word for it is sane, and she laughs. She says, it’s taken years for her to find her place in that family. Not just as Alan’s wife, but as an individual. Because, let’s face it, the Quartermaines can be a huge pain in the butt. He says, he’s seen it many times, and she says, especially when it comes to ELQ; that company is really family in so many ways. He says his dad saw that. He always said he felt like a small town hick by comparison, but he was Edward’s son, and deserves to be recognized. If they want to play dirty, bring it on. She asks if his father wanted him to be in business as opposed to medicine, and he says, his father just wanted him to be happy. She says, is he? and he says, he was before all this drama and infighting. She says, then she has a question for him. If he knew how the Quartermaines operate, and didn’t like how they operate, why did he come knocking on their door?

Carly says, if Willow is concerned about Michael, she wants to know about it, and Willow says, she knows. But after all the pain and heartache Nina caused Carly’s family… Carly says, Willow’s family; she’s just as much a part of the family as anyone. Willow thanks her, and says she guesses she’s saying, she’ll understand if Carly doesn’t want to talk about Nina. Carly says, she doesn’t, but Nina’s not going anywhere, and she wants to know what’s going on. Is Nina hounding Michael about seeing Wiley? Are they afraid she’s going to do something? Willow says, actually, she’s more afraid of what Michael might do.

Michael thinks Brook used a smart strategy, and she says, thank you; finally someone who sees some reason. He says, Austin came at them, and she found where he was most vulnerable. It’s better than them just railing at the guy. Austin has a big ego. He gave his opinion on something he has no authority to give his opinion on. That’s his weakness, and Brook targeted it; he’s impressed. Brook says, gold star for her, and Olivia says, oh my God. She’s going to check on Leo. She leaves, and the doorbell rings. Michael says, he’ll get it.

Michael opens the door to a man we’ve never seen, who says he didn’t expect Michael to come to the door himself. Michael says, he doesn’t really stand on ceremony. He’s more interested in getting things done. The man says he likes the way Michael thinks. Nice to meet him. They shake hands, and Michael says, likewise, Mr. Sheridan. He thanks Sheridan for making the trip from Pennsylvania.

Phyllis tells Nina, she settled in Nixon Falls because it was Lenny’s home town. Everything there reminds her of him. Nina says, she gets it, but Port Charles has a lot to offer. Sonny is here, and Nina is sure he’d want her to stay too. Phyllis says she wasn’t going to bring him up, but now that Nina has, how did their talk go? Were they able to clear the air at all? Nina flashes back to Sonny coming to her office, and saying, she’s not going to be happy in Port Charles very long. Nina tells Phyllis, she knows exactly where she stands with Sonny.

Sonny says he cares enough about Spencer that he wants Spencer to learn his lesson. Spencer says he thinks he knows the lesson already, and Sonny says, Spencer’s dad was wrong in making Spencer think he was dead. Spencer can’t change that, but he can change how he moves forward. He has to stand up and decide who he wants to be. Spencer asks what Sonny means, and Sonny asks if he wants to be the guy who owns up to his mistakes, or the guy waiting for his father to write a check and be rescued? Spencer says he thought his dad would side with him. He thought his dad loved him enough that when push came to shove, he’d pick him over Ava, but he didn’t. Sonny says, that hurts right?

Sonny tells Spencer, it’s a terrible thing when a parent you love is addicted something, and chooses it over you. That’s what happened with Sonny’s dad – God rest his soul. His dad loved him a lot, but he’d walk away any time he could bet on the horses. He knows Nikolas isn’t a gambler, but he’s addicted to Ava. They think they’re in love. He knows it’s heartbreaking when you can’t count on your father, but it’s the reality Spencer is living in. He violated the code, and Sonny can’t bail him out; not this time. He starts to leave, and runs into Nikolas on his way in. Nikolas asks what Sonny did to Spencer, and Sonny says, he just made sure Spencer listened to some hard truths. Now it’s Nikolas’s turn. He leaves, and Spencer says he thought Nikolas gave up on him, but Nikolas asks why he’d be standing there if he gave up on Spencer. Spencer says, you tell me.   

Sheridan says, as the DA of Lantano County, it’s not often he makes house calls in Port Charles. But when he heard about Michael’s potential and sizeable donation to his campaign… Michael says, he deemed it worth the trip, and Sheridan says he did. Tell him, what’s Michael’s interest in the Pennsylvania election? Michael suggests they talk in the den.  

Ned says, for the record, he’ll be thrilled when Austin is out of their lives, but if he gets fired… Maxie says Ned is worried about Leo, and Ned says, yes. He’s worried the message that Leo might be on the spectrum will get drowned out. Then what? Olivia comes in, and says, then what what? He’s talking about Leo, isn’t he? This is what she hates. All this hush-hush secret conversations about the non-problem that is her son. Why can’t Ned hear her on this? He says he hears her; he just doesn’t agree. She says she thinks it’s time they talk divorce, and he says, what? The doorbell rings, and Olivia opens the door to Austen. She says, and she thought the day couldn’t get worse. He walks in, says hi to Maxie, and tells Brook that he has an answer for her.  

Willow says, Michael is justifiably worried that Nina will want to be in Wiley’s life, and Carly says, she will. Willow says, maybe… Probably, but she hasn’t come to them yet. Why provoke the fight until they absolutely have to? Carly asks how Michael feels, and Willow says, they talked it over. He said he was on the same page, but she doesn’t know. She thinks he might be holding back. She thinks in his heart of hearts, he wants to take action, and make Nina pay. Carly says, as he should, and Willow says she doesn’t disagree. She’s furious with Nina. Part of her wants to haul off and slap her for showing up at the house for a last visit with Wiley. Carly says, she would have loved have seen that, and Willow says, all the lies she told. How she was there at Sonny’s funeral, watching everyone grieve. It was hateful, but what good does it do to incite a big, ugly battle that won’t help anyone? Carly says, here’s the thing. Just because Nina hasn’t done anything yet, doesn’t mean she won’t.

Phyllis says, Port Charles is lovely, but what would she do there? and Nina suggests a job at the hospital, but Phyllis says she enjoys being her own boss too much. Ava comes over to the table, and introduces herself, saying, it’s nice to finally meet Phyllis. She sits, and says, there’s not many people who can boss Sonny Corinthos around. She can’t imagine him as a busboy. Nina says, bartender, and Phyllis says, Mike… Sonny was more than a bartender; he was her friend. Nina says, he still is, and Ava says, he’s lucky to have Phyllis. She’s just fascinated with this whole other life in Nixon Falls… Nina says, Ava owns the gallery here, and Charlie’s Pub, and Ava says, the gallery anyway. Nina asks what she means, and Ava says, she put Charlie’s on the market when she thought she was leaving town. Nina says, now she’s staying put, and Ava says, she’s not sure if she’s going to keep it. She asks if Phyllis has been to the pub, but Phyllis says she hasn’t. Ava says she hopes Phyllis comes by. She thinks Phyllis would like it. Phyllis’s phone rings, and she steps away to take the call. Nina asks what Ava is doing, and Ava says, gathering information. Nina says, for what? and Ava says she’s going to ask Sonny for joint custody of Avery, and knowledge is power. Nina says Ava told her that she wouldn’t take advantage of her relationship with Mike; they just talked about that. Phyllis returns, and says, sorry about that, but Nina says, that’s okay. Ava has to leave. Sonny walks in.

Spencer shrugs Nikolas’s arm off, and Nikolas says, he’d never give up on Spencer. This is partly his fault, and he wants to fix it. Spencer asks if he’s broken. Is that what Ava told Nikolas? Is that why Nikolas threw him away? Nikolas tells him to stop blaming Ava, and take responsibility. Spencer says Ava told him that Nikolas is giving her control over his trust fund. Open his eyes and see his wife for who she really is.  

Sonny asks Phyllis how she is, and how she likes the city. Phyllis says, it’s a beautiful city, and he tells her that if she needs anything, call him, and he means anything. She thanks him, and he tells Ava, come on. They go to another table, and Phyllis asks if Nina is all right. Nina says, yeah. She’s accepted that Mike doesn’t exist, and she means nothing to Sonny.

Ava says, that was a little awkward, and Sonny says, they’re here for Avery. She says, what she wanted to tell him is, that while he was away, Avery got used to seeing her every single day. He says, until she left Avery with Carly, and she says she did that for Avery’s protection. He says he has no intention of keeping Avery away from her. The visitation rights as they are, are perfect… No? She says, no. She doesn’t think that’s what’s best for their daughter any longer. She wants to revisit the arrangement, and she’d like joint custody. He says, not gonna happen, and she looks at Nina.

Carly tells Willow, Nina doesn’t respect boundaries or care about people’s feelings. The fact that she’s trying to rewrite the history of Nelle proves she’s not dealing in reality. She’s desperate to believe that Nelle was troubled or misunderstood, and had Nina known the truth, she could have redeemed Nelle. And she acts on those beliefs, like telling Wiley about his real mother or defending her daughter.  It’s no different than believing Sonny was happier in Nixon Falls. Willow says, and she acted on that belief, and Carly says, she did, which makes Carly concerned about Wiley, and about Nina having a relationship with him. Nina is going to continue living with her belief that Nelle could have been better through Wiley. She doesn’t get that her beliefs are just stories she keeps telling herself. As far as Carly is concerned, that makes Nina extremely dangerous.

Michael says he likes Sheridan’s record on law and order; how he tackles tough cases to get justice. Sheridan says, if he’s elected as Pennsylvania Attorney General, he intends to build on that commitment. Unfortunately, the incumbent looks strong in the polls. Michael says he saw that, which is why he reached out. He thinks their donation could get Sheridan through that final push, and Sheridan says he’s grateful. He has big plans for his state. Michael says, about that. He’d like to discuss one plan in particular.

The Quartermaines gather in the living room, and Brook tells Austin, they’re all very busy, and don’t have all day. He says he spoke with Monica earlier, and Brook says, whoop-de-do. He says, it was a really nice conversation, zero posturing. It’s hard to imagine she’s part of their family. She talked about that. She talked about ELQ, and how it’s hard for them to distinguish between where the family ends and the business begins. Ned says, that’s hardly a revelation, and Austin says, it made him realize something. He wants to be part of this family, but then he realized that if they’re all incapable of separating the family from business, he doesn’t want anything to do with it. Zero. Zilch. Hand over the papers, and he’ll sign away his claim. Brook looks all proud of herself.

Brook hands Austin the paper, and he reads it. As Jimmy Lee’s son he relinquishes all claims to stock or any assets. Maxie asks if this is what he really wants, and he says he’s not sure. What he wanted for so long was for his father to get the recognition he wanted so badly, but now he’s thinking the price is just too high. He’s not talking about his medical career; he’s talking about his soul. Brook says, cue the violins, and he says he had no idea what he was walking into. There is no depth the Quartermaines won’t sink to, and he wants nothing to do with them. He wants no part of them. He’s not a Quartermaine. Brook says, hallelujah, and gives him a pen. He signs the paper.  

Willow says, everything Carly is telling her, makes total sense. She just feels, at this moment, Nina is lying low, and it doesn’t do Wiley any good to poke the bear. Strategically, if they have all their defenses right, Nina’s at the disadvantage, so why not wait? Let her be the one to go court and fight for visitation. Carly says, Willow wants to put the ball in Nina’s court? And Willow says, if they target Nina, it makes her the victim, and she obviously has no problem seeing herself that way. But if they sit back and do nothing, she’s the one starting the fight. Carly asks if there’s a chance Willow is saying this because deep down, she’s the type of person who likes to fix things and wants everyone to get along? Willow is sure that’s part of it, but isn’t Michael like that too? Or is she wrong? Carly says, Michael is kind, and fair, and forgiving, but he’s also someone who can be pushed too far. Given the grief they endured, and the risk she took stepping in for Sonny, and to think it didn’t have to happen, Nina might have pushed Michael too far.

Nikolas says he knows exactly what Ava said to Spencer. She offered him a way out of the charges, out of the whole godawful mess, but did he take it? No. Spencer says, there’s no way he’s going to live his life under that woman’s thumb, and Nikolas says, she’s his wife and he loves her. All they’re asking is for him to respect that. Spencer says, never, and Esme pulls him aside. She says, she understands he’s upset, but she thinks he needs to do what his dad a and Ava want. He asks what she’s talking about; she can’t stand Ava either. Esme says, she knows, but at this rate, all he’s going to accomplish by trying to spite them, is land himself in jail. Then what happens to her?

Ava says she thinks Sonny might change his mind, but he says, he has custody of Avery, and that’s that. He pauses a moment, and says, she’s right. Avery is going through a rough time right now. She’s happy that she’s with her father, but she’s confused. She needs stability and assurance that her parents are going to be there. Ava says she agrees completely. What is he saying? He says he’s going to give her more time with Avery. Not on the court’s terms, but his terms.

Maxie asks if Austin is sure he’s okay with dropping the lawsuit, and he says, lawsuits never make him happy. He thanks her for her support, and she says, anytime. She leaves, and Ned tells him, good luck. For what it’s worth (🍷), he thinks Austin’s patients are lucky to have him. Brook holds the door open for Austin, and Austin says, how very kind. She says, isn’t it? and he says, if she’s thinking this is over, she’d be wrong about that. This is just beginning. Back inside, Olivia tells Ned, sorry, but the guy’s got an ulterior motive. Ned says, she didn’t really mean what she said earlier, and she says, don’t tell her what she means. He says, that’s it, out of the blue, she wants a divorce, and she says, he really thinks this is out of the blue? He says, yes, and she says, if they can’t even agree on what’s best for Leo, what kind of a marriage do they have? She stomps off.  

Spencer says there’s still a chance  he can beat these charges, and go free, and Esme says, with a lawyer who doesn’t even know his name? Nikolas says he’s not the enemy, and Spencer says he never said Nikolas was. Nikolas says, this is happening right now, and in real time. Is Spencer willing to risk a record and possible jail time just to dig in his heels? Esme says, she’ll support him, no matter what. She can’t imagine losing him. Diaz comes back, and says she read Spencer’s file, the right one this time. Spencer asks Nikolas if he can have a moment with his to consult with his attorney, and Nikolas asks him to please think about what they talked about. Diaz says she essentially  just has one question for Spencer. How does he want to plead?

Willow says, so Carly doesn’t think there’s anything to be said for keeping the peace? Carly says she does, but that’s not going to happen here. Willow is surrounded by very proactive people. Michael won’t do anything rash, where the blowback lands on Wiley, but make no mistake, if Michael’s put in a situation to act, her son will act. Willow thanks her for the coffee, and leaves. Carly shakes her head. I send hate vibes to the lily pond. If the moss bowl🎍 was still there, we wouldn’t have nearly as much tension.   

Sheridan says he sees a lot of potential here, and Michael says, so they can help each other? Sheridan says he looks forward to it.

Phyllis says she’s going to treat herself to a stroll through the botanical gardens, and Nina says, she loves the botanical gardens. How about if she clears her schedule, and goes along? Phyllis says, it’s kind of her, but she was looking forward to some time alone. She wants to stroll and let her mind roam. Nina asks if she’s sure, and Phyllis says Nina doesn’t need to worry about her; she’ll be fine. She just needs to figure out what comes next. Nina says, you and me both. Phyllis leaves, and Nina looks at Sonny and Ava.

Sonny asks if that works for Ava, and she says it does. She thanks him for acknowledging that Avery needs her mother. She thinks Nixon Falls changed him. He says, he always takes care of his children, and gets a very Mike look on his face. She says she’ll write out a schedule, and email it to him. She starts to leave, and he says, hold on. They still have some unfinished business

Tomorrow, Doc tells Nikolas that she (Laura?) was very clear about what should happen, Victor is impressed, Nina wants to offer a solution, and Sonny has a proposition for Ava.

Project Runway

Christian called everyone back to the runway at 1:30 am to give them a challenge. He told them, fashion changed constantly, which kept it relevant, and right now, there was nothing more relevant than streetwear. The designers were to create three separate pieces for an impactful breakout streetwear look. Their guest judge was Wisdom Kaye, the best dressed man on TikTok. They watched on video as he explained some things about streetwear. The key takeaway points for me were, big is comfortable, and accessories are key. They were given two days. There was sketching, picking models, and going to Mood (45 minutes, $300). While the sketching was happening, Haitian born Prajje talked about how he wanted to bring his culture into his designs, but always seems to get the wrong model. He was concerned it was going to look like cultural appropriation. This caused chatterbox and plus-sizer Meg to get a little too enthusiastic with her support, saying she was insulted for him, which made Prajje uncomfortable. She also made it about herself, saying she’d grown up without seeing big girls as models. I made the sketching about myself, and did some designing in my head because I love streetwear. And for a hot minute, I was a designer. Sort of. I was assistant office manager for an up and coming junior sportswear company, who shall remain nameless, and often wore many hats. I designed a matchbook cover for them (a tchotchke for buyers), but on days when they were short a designer and needed something quickly, they’d be like, here draw this, but make it different; what’s commonly known as a knockoff.

Prajje was able to switch models, and that got Kenneth thinking an Asian model would be better suited to his designs. He asked Meg if she’d switch with him, and told her that he’d understand if she said no this late in the game. In Meg’s interview, she said she thought it was important to respect and acknowledge he wanted to design for his own culture, but she’d also spent hours designing for the model she had, and didn’t want to seem bitchy if she said no. She decided to swap, and brought her model over to Kenneth, but here’s where it got weird. She told Kenneth that the time to have the discussion was 16 hours ago, which was totally true, but she did get bitchy about it, and when Kenneth said they didn’t have to do it, she told him, stop talking. Back at her work station, she didn’t shut up, causing her new model to be concerned she’d yell at him. This prompted Prajje to jump in, since he was already pissed off from the earlier conversation, getting all her face about how she’d pretended to be supportive earlier. She ended up walking out, after bitching at Kenneth for not being supportive, and making Kenneth cry. And this is just the second episode.    

The next day, Christian told the designers that he’d heard they had a tough night, and Meg decided to drop out. In her interview, she said she’d been blindsided and had a panic attack, but felt she did the right thing in sticking up for herself. The intensity of the competition wasn’t good for her mental health or mental peace. Kenneth decided to throw together a patchwork piece using everyone’s scraps, to thank them for their support.

They did the usual plug for Tresemme (ha-ha, auto correct wants it to be tiresome) and Maybelline (which is actually in spellcheck), and the show was on. Unfortunately, the patchwork thing did not work very well, and looked out of place with the rest of  the outfit. Bones had a skirt that turned into a cape that I loved, and Kristina mixed patterns in a way I would love to, but fail at miserably. Aaron also had a yellow/grey reversable bomber jacket that I would definitely buy if I could afford it, and Wisdom said it was his favorite look. Prajje had an entire painting on the back of his jacket. It was beautiful, but I’d be afraid to wear it. I’d probably lean up against some wet paint the first time out. Then came everyone urging Kenneth to tell the story behind the… shirt? Vest? Whatever it was.

Prajje said it hadn’t been fair that Kenneth had been degraded in front everyone, and couldn’t speak for himself, and they both ended up crying. The judges were supportive, but Brandon said, unfortunately, it was their least favorite. The story couldn’t save him.   

The judges picked the three highest and three lowest scores; Aaron, Prajje, and Kristina being the former. The latter were Darren, who tried for a rock star look, but ended up with messy; Katie, whose outfit was deemed out of proportion, but I did like the shirt; and Kenneth. What did I say about that patchwork thing? Brandon said there had never been a time when it was harder to pick a winner, but Prajje got the title this week, his Haitian culture paying off. Nina said the expression of him in the outfit had moved her. In his interview, he said it had been amazing to end with a win. He’d won with and for his country. Nina told him that he had passion and creativity, and he said it was reassurance he was on the right path. He also won immunity for next week. As for a loser, the judges decided since someone had already gone home, they didn’t need to send anybody else there. There was a group hug, and Brandon told them to celebrate and bring it next week. When the almost losers went back to the group, everybody squealed and hugged.

Next time, a haunted house, and guest judge Taraji P. Henson.

🌝 Goodnight, Moon…

Come on down tomorrow, for soap and whatever else I can dig up that’s entertaining. Until then, stay safe, stay cultivating wisdom, and stay grounded in reality. Don’t make your beliefs just stories you tell yourself.