What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Spencer sees Josslyn in a classroom at PCU, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she’s taking a seminar; is he? He says he’s trying to withdraw from the classes he scheduled for next semester. He doubts PCU has a remote learning platform for students in Spring Ridge.
Stella goes to Portia’s office, and asks if she’s busy. Portia says she’s never too busy for Stella, and invites her in. Portia asks if Stella is okay, and Stella says she’s fine. She’s there about Curtis. Portia gets up, and asks if something happened with Curtis, but Stella says, no. She’s sorry. It’s really about Marshall.
Marshall says, it’s good to see Curtis; it’s a surprise. Did Curtis use his P.I. skills to track him down? Curtis says, Aunt Stella told him where to find Marshall, and Marshall says, it’s not very fancy, but it will do until he finds a place of his own. Curtis asks if Marshall is looking for an apartment in town, and Marshall says he thought he’d stay and get to know his family… TJ and Curtis. Does Curtis coming there mean it’s a possibility?
Alexis walks into the seminar, and Spencer asks if she’s looking for someone. Alexis says, Professor Kahn. She signed up for the Sociology of Crime seminar. Josslyn says, her too, and Spencer asks why Alexis signed up. Alexis says she’s interested in the sociology aspect, and since she can’t practice law anymore, she thought she’d look into mediation or conflict resolution; something law adjacent. Josslyn says Alexis can sit with her, and Alexis says, cool.
Willow asks if Nina used her, but Nina says she had no idea Scotty was going to put Willow on the stand, or that he even knew that Willow knew something. Willow has to believe her. Michael says, he believes this is what Nina wanted, and Nina says, this is what she wanted? For the whole world to know about her relationship with Mike in Nixon Falls? Is he crazy? She begged Willow not to say anything. Michael says, Scotty blindsided his father and the DA to inflict maximum damage by calling Willow. Nina managed to evade the law, and hurt his family at the same time. Nina says, Michael is the one bent on revenge. If he hadn’t pressed the Llantano DA to arrest her, then none of this would have come up. Her relationship with So… Mike would have stayed a secret.
Sonny calls to Carly, saying, wait. She stops, and he asks her to let him explain. Will she listen to him? She says, listen to who? Sonny? Mike? Or someone else entirely different? He says, her husband, and she says, tell her that he’s not still sleeping with Nina. He says he didn’t sleep with Nina, and she says, he remembered his family before he could? Is that it? He says, he remembered his family and came home to her, where he belongs, and she says, he fell in love with someone else. (Pot, meet kettle.) Where does that leave her?
Curtis says, so Marshall thinks he can just show up there and plant roots? and Marshall says, he just started looking. He’s not sure how long it’s going to take. Curtis says, so Marshall intends to play house in Port Charles, after all this time? Where has he been? Marshall says, everywhere and nowhere. He never stayed in one place very long. Curtis says, that’s it? That’s all Marshall’s got for him? Marshall says, they keep going over this thing. He can’t give Curtis an explanation that will satisfy him. All he can say is how ashamed he is for all the time he lost with Curtis. That’s why he’s here; that’s why he’s staying. He wants them to get to know each other. Curtis says, Marshall wants to get to know him now. Well, guess what? It works both ways. All those years he and Tommy grew up without a father, where was he?
Spencer asks if Alexis has to go back to school to be a mediator, and she says, that’s what she’s trying to figure out. She thought if she just took a three-week seminar during winter break, it might help her decide if she’s ready to be a student again. He says, that’s valid, and asks why Josslyn is taking classes on her winter break. Josslyn says, they’re reading Professor Kahn’s book in her Introduction to Sociology class, and it’s pretty great. When she saw the professor was giving a seminar, she thought it was a great opportunity. He asks if she’s ever explored this concept he calls leisure. He was good at it until his dad fell under Ava’s spell, and his life became a complete dumpster fire. The professor comes in, and asks everyone to take their seats. They have a lot to cover in very little time. She introduces herself, and says she’s passing around a sign-in sheet. If they don’t sign it, they won’t get credit for this lesson. She hands it to Spencer, who just stands there, and she asks if there’s a problem. Josslyn says, no problem, and grabs Spencer, pulling him into the seat next to her, and telling him to be quiet. He might actually learn something.
Willow tells Nina, don’t you dare try to turn this back on us. Michael didn’t come after Nina for revenge; he wanted justice. What Nina did to his father was criminal. What’s worse is, Nina came and went in and out of their lives the whole time. She stood by, and watched Sonny’s family grieve for months. It’s not just criminal; it’s cruel and selfish. Nina says she realizes what she did to Sonny and his family was horrible. She’s said it a million times. That’s why she stayed quiet. She realized Sonny wasn’t telling anyone one about their… her and Mike’s relationship. It was over. The only reason it came out was because Willow overheard a private conversation, and she’s not going to apologize for that. Nina stomps back to the courtroom, nearly running down Scotty on his way out, and telling him, not now. Willow follows Nina, and Michael says Scotty miscalculated, using Willow like that, threatening her and badgering her on the stand the way he did. He won’t forget that. Scotty says he was defending his client, and Michael says, they both know there’s no legal defense for the hell Nina put his family through. Scotty says, Michael must have missed the part where the judge called his father back to the stand, and he testified that he was not Nina’s victim. So don’t blame him if dada was having a good time in Nixon Falls, and didn’t want to come home to his family. Michael punches him in the face.
Sonny says, he and Carly belong together; she knows that. She says, he fell in love with Nina, and he tells her, that was in Nixon Falls. He had amnesia; he wasn’t himself. She asks if he forgot his life as Mike when he remembered he was Sonny? and he says, no. She asks why he didn’t tell her, and he says he was going to, but Jason died, and he didn’t think it was the right time. She says she knew something was wrong, but she thought it was her. She blamed herself because of everything that happened with Jason, but Sonny was lying to her. When she found out Nina knew he was alive – not from him, but from Maxie – what did he say to her? He said, let it go. Now she knows why. He was protecting Nina. He says, he didn’t want to lose her in a war with Nina. He didn’t want to waste any more time with Nina. Nixon Falls is done; it’s over. She asks how he can stand there and say that to her, and he says, because it’s the truth. She says, he’s not just lying to her. He’s lying to himself.
Professor Kahn says, you can track the changes in society by seeing how the laws change in that society while it develops. Take for instance the United States versus Porter. In that case, Arthur Porter was charged with assault when a man broke into his home. Despite putting that man in the hospital, he was found not guilty because he was defending his property. Alexis says, well… and the professor says, excuse me? Alexis says, nothing. Carry on. Professor Kahn thanks her, and says, this is an example of property being valued over people. Alexis says, not really, and the professor asks if she knows the case. Alexis says, actually, she does. Porter was defending his wife and child, so she could argue that Porter was concerned with their well-being and safety, which was the deciding factor. The professor says, oh, she could.
Portia asks if Stella is telling her that Marshall has an ulterior motive for getting back into Curtis’s life, but Stella says she doesn’t know. She hasn’t seen Marshall in years, and has no idea what kind of man he is now. Portia asks, what kind was he? Was Stella unhappy he married her sister? Stella says, no. Irene and Marshall loved each other; that much she does know. But Marshall wasn’t always the easiest person deal with. Portia says, running off from his family, and letting them believe he was dead for decades certainly fits with that description. Stella says, what concerns her, is how Curtis is dealing with it. Earlier, Curtis told her something she never knew; how he and Tommy would make up stories about their heroic dad when they were kids. Portia says, so they painted their father as a hero; it’s not uncommon. And now that childhood fantasy is back from the dead. She gets the sense, that even with all Curtis’s misgivings, he really does want to know his father. Stella says she knows, and she’s worried the reality is going to crush Curtis.
Marshall says Curtis thinks everything he’s saying is lip service, but he’s truly sorry his sons had to grow up without him. If he’d had a choice, it wouldn’t have happened. Curtis says, he keeps alluding to this choice, or lack thereof, whatever that means. As far as he knows, Marshall left and pretended to be dead. Marshall says, it was the hardest thing he’s ever done in his life, and Curtis says, then why did he do it? Marshall says, he thought what he was doing was best for his family, and Curtis says, leaving his mother to raise two boys on her own was best? Marshall says he knew their Aunt Stella would be there to help, and Curtis says, and she did, thank God, but it wasn’t her job. She’s not their father. That’s what they needed – their father. It’s been so long, Curtis barely remembers Marshall. Marshall says he remembers Curtis. He has fond memories of Curtis and Tommy. Giving them piggyback rides up and down the stairs. They used to wear superhero PJs, and drape a towel around their neck like a cape. Marshall tears up, and says, Curtis’s smile was the greatest part of his life. Curtis says, if they meant that much to Marshall, why did he leave? He didn’t care to see them grow up? Marshall says, more than Curtis knows, and Curtis asks, then why did he leave?
Scotty says, that is assault, but Michael says he doesn’t care. He tells Scotty, arrest him, and walks out.
Willow approaches Nina back in the courtroom, and asks if she was wrong this whole time. She gave Nina the benefit of the doubt, and said nothing to Michael or his family, and Nina used her to hurt the people she loves. Nina says, she didn’t do that. For the last time, she didn’t tells Scotty about her and Mike, let alone that Willow knew about them. She’s not responsible for Willow’s choices. Willow says she had no choice, but Nina says, she could have lied.
Carly asks Sonny to tell her the truth. She wants to know every single thing that happened in Nixon Falls. Sonny says, he had no past; he had no ties. He only had a watch with a message engraved on it, to Mike, so that’s what he called himself. Then Phyllis and Lenny took him in and they were great to him. Then Nina showed up; she was Phyllis’s friend. Carly says, Nina knew exactly who he was, but Sonny says he didn’t know that she was lying to him. Then this con man Elijah Crow was trying to take the Tan-O from Lenny and Phyllis, and Nina helped Mike stop him. Carly says, and he fell in love with Nina, but Sonny says, he didn’t remember Carly. She says, maybe he didn’t want to. (I know I wouldn’t.)
Stella says, she’s sure Portia thinks she’s a busybody, but she can’t sit back and wait for Curtis to admit he needs support. Portia says, Curtis needs to work it out in his own way, but Stella says, not if it means leaving him on his own. This isn’t the time for Portia to give Curtis space. It’s the time for her to step up, and show him that he’s not alone.
Marshall tells Curtis, it’s not easy for him to talk about his past. He had some really bad years. Sometimes, he didn’t know if he was going to make it through, but he turned things around. Now he’s finally in a place where he can give Curtis the support a father should. Curtis says, he’s a grown-ass man. He doesn’t need Marshall’s support now. What he needs are answers, but Marshall doesn’t seem to be in a place to give them. He could have used this fatherly support when he was growing up. He and Tommy were teased by the kids. They didn’t believe Marshall had died. They said he was probably in jail. He can’t remember the number of fights he got into defending Marshall’s name, and it was all a lie. Marshall says he’s sorry if he hurt Curtis, and he’s sorry if he hurt Tommy. TJ told him that Tommy had PTSD when he died. He never knew. Curtis says, how would he know that, and what does it matter? Marshall says, everything matters to him about Curtis and Tommy, and Curtis says, then he should have stuck around.
Nina says, when Scotty asked Willow if she knew another reason Sonny wasn’t coming after her, Willow could have said no. Willow says, she was under oath. Scotty was threatening to have her charged with perjury. Nina asks, who would contradict Willow? Who would have stood up and said Willow was lying? Not her. Not Sonny. No one. She hurt Sonny in so many ways, and this was her one chance to do something good for him, and Willow took that away. She starts to walk away, but Willow tells her to get over herself. Not everything is about her. She grabs Nina’s arm, but Nina jerks away, saying, don’t. Willow says, she kept Nina’s secret, but she wasn’t going to lie on the stand for Nina, or put herself at risk to cover up Nina’s mess. Nina says she already told Willow, she wasn’t at risk, and Willow tells her, she also said she didn’t tell Scotty that Willow overheard her, but unless he’s psychic, Nina must have let something slip. Once she was on the stand and under oath, she had to tell what she knew. Nina says, all right. God forbid Willow should get down in the mud with the rest of them. Congratulations. She told the truth, and devastated the family she claims to love in the process.
Sonny says, Carly can’t possibly think he chose not to remember her, but she says she doesn’t know. She didn’t know he and Nina had a secret. He says, that’s not the way it was, and she says, how many times has she found him and Nina together? She was so stupid. He says, there is no him and Nina, and she asks what Willow overheard then. He says, something she didn’t understand, and Carly asks how many times he’s met with Nina. He says, he only met her the one time, to get her to understand the way things were, and that once he remembered Carly and his family, she was nothing. Carly says, before that did she make him happy? He says, he had dreams about Carly when he didn’t know what his name was. The deepest part of him remembered her. He’d have dreams of a blonde woman, and he’d try to touch her, but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t see her face, but somehow he knew she was his and he was hers, and he’s still hers. Can’t she see that? She says, not after what she heard in that courtroom.
Curtis says, this was a mistake, but Marshall says, don’t go. Curtis says, he doesn’t like carrying around this anger any more than he liked growing up without a father. Marshall just doesn’t get it. He grew up lost. He didn’t have a man to show him how to be a man, the man he wanted to be. Marshall says, yet here he is, and Curtis says, through a lot of hard knocks and stumbles along the way. By the grace of God, he’s here. No thanks to Marshall. Curtis open the door, and Marshall says, please. He can’t change the past, but give him a chance to make things up to him now. Curtis says, not unless Marshall tells him where he’s been. What’s more important than family? Marshall sighs, and Curtis says, all he’s asking for are answers; clear answers, with facts and dates. If Marshall can’t give that to him, don’t bother staying in Port Charles.
Willow asks if Michael is all right. Scotty’s threatening to file a complaint for assault. Did he really punch Scotty? Michael says, right in the face. He knows it was wildly inappropriate. He let Scotty get under his skin, and he lost it. He talked to Diane, and she already cut a deal citing harassment and provocation. Willow says, that’s one less thing to worry about, and he says, he’s sorry DA Sheridan opened the door for Scotty, and put her on the stand. She says, she’s the one who kept Nina’s secret. If she’d told him, none of this would have happened. He says, it’s not her fault. Nina manipulated her. She says, she was trying to protect his parents’ marriage. She didn’t want to be the one to mess things up, and now she did anyway. He tells her not to blame herself. This is all on Scotty and Nina. He just hopes the judge didn’t buy their tactics. He asks if his parents came back, but she says, no. She doesn’t know where they are. Sheridan comes by, and says, this is it. The judge has made his decision.
After class, Spencer wonders if Alexis is going to write an addendum to the professor’s book; Alexis really schooled her. Alexis says, she just takes exception when people don’t state all the facts; she likes facts. Josslyn says, she definitely made the lecture more interactive. It was more like a debate, and Josslyn liked it. Professor Kahn calls to Alexis, and Alexis says, rut-roh. The professor says she’d like a word, and Spencer and Josslyn make themselves scarce. Alexis says, she realizes she overstepped. She gets passionate. She’s sorry she disrupted the lecture. The professor says she recognizes Alexis’s name; she’s the defense attorney. Alexis says, she used to be a defense attorney, and Professor Kahn says, she read Alexis’s article in the Law Review on jury bias; she made some very interesting points. Alexis thanks her, and she asks how Alexis has time to take the seminar, and why would she want to? Alexis says she’s looking at a career change. Her days in the courtroom are over. The professor says, then she’ll cut to the chase. Alexis is wasting their time being here. Alexis doesn’t belong in her class.
Sonny says, he didn’t know who Carly was in his dreams, and she says, she used to see him. She see him, and talk to him when times were bad. He says, that’s because they belong together; she knows that. She says, he kept a part of himself from her. Was he ever going to tell her about Nina in Nixon Falls? He says, yeah. He wanted to so many times, but Jason died; then Brando and Sasha’s baby was in crisis. He wanted to tell her, but he’d get interrupted. She says she thinks he believes he was going to tell her the truth, but she doesn’t. She thinks it was a story he told himself to justify the secret. Meanwhile, he locked away his time with Nina somewhere in his heart, and kept telling her there was nothing wrong; there was nothing between them. He says she keeps putting Nina between them. She’s going to have to let that go. She says, he’s dodged every time she’s asked him. Just now, she asked if he fell in love with Nina, but instead of answering, he said he couldn’t remember Carly. That’s not an answer. He says, it is. He wouldn’t have looked at Nina if that blonde woman in his dream had turned around, and he’d seen her beautiful face. He loves her. She tells him, he said that. What he hasn’t said is how he feels about Nina. Right here, right now, today.
Alexis says, if Professor Kahn is worried she’ll interrupt, she promises to try and control herself, but the professor says, that’s not what she’s talking about. Alexis should be teaching. The students could benefit from her passion for the law, and it’s clear she’s not shy about public speaking. Alexis says, really? and the professor says, she happens to know about a professor who’s retiring. There might be an opening at PCU. Maybe Alexis could start off as an adjunct, and work her way up. Alexis says she never thought about teaching, and Professor Kahn tells her, think about it. It could be just what she’s looking for.
At Portia’s office, Curtis says he hopes Stella wasn’t telling Portia an embarrassing story, like when he lost a tooth trying to ride his bike off their front stoop. Portia says, no, but she’d definitely like to hear that story another day. What brings him by? He says he just left from talking with Marshall, and needed to see her beautiful face. She asks how it went, but he says that’s not why he’s here, and kisses her.
Judge Milford says, this court is here to interpret and uphold the law, not mediate personal disputes. In reviewing all documents and evidence, it is the court’s determination that the Commonwealth has failed to prove Miss Reeves’s actions meet the legal definition of fraud. He’s dismissing all charges against Nina Reeves, and this case is hereby dismissed. This court stands adjourned. The bailiff says, all rise, and the judge leaves. Willow tells Michael, she’s so sorry, but he says, this isn’t over. Sheridan says he’s sorry. He’s also stunned by Judge Milford’s ruling. He wouldn’t have brought the charges if he didn’t think they had a strong case for fraud. Michael says Sheridan made a strong argument, and assures him ELQ will continue to support his campaign. Sheridan says he appreciates that, and apologizes to Willow for calling her to the stand. If he’d had any idea Scotty was going to ambush her, he’d have left her in peace. Willow says she’s just sorry Scotty was able to use her testimony to his advantage, but Sheridan says, actually, Mr. Corinthos’s testimony was the deciding factor. Michael asks what he’s talking about, and Sheridan says, once Mr. Corinthos said he didn’t consider himself a victim, in his mind at least, no crime was committed. Michael says he wasn’t in the courtroom for that, and Sheridan says, it’s an interesting question of law. He wishes he’d done better with it. They leave, and Nina sits at the defense table, looking dejected. Scotty asks what’s with all this business? She’s free as a bird. She asks how he knew about her relationship with Sonny, and he says, that’s what she pays him for, but she says, this is not what she wanted.
Sonny asks if Carly doesn’t think he’s angry at Nina for letting Scotty pull that stunt. She says, and? She asked him how he felt about Nina. Sonny rubs his head, and she says, Sonny. He says, okay, okay, hold on. She has to understand what it felt like to wake up in the woods, not knowing who he was, alone, scared. Phyllis and Lenny took him in. They gave him a job, an anchor. Then Nina… when he sees her, he sees her as Mike’s friend, his confident. But he also sees what she did to Carly and to his kids. It’s really all jumbled up in here, he indicates his heart. She says, Nina let her believe he was dead, and he still has feelings for her after everything she did. Sonny says, let’s go home, but she says she needs time to think. He asks what that means, and she says, she needs some time apart.
Spencer finds Josslyn on a bench in the hallway, looking at her phone, and says, success. The dean’s office was still open; he’s enrolled. She says, see? It worked out. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, Nina’s preliminary hearing was today, but she still hasn’t heard a word from anyone. He says, no news is good news, and she asks when that’s ever been true. Fingers crossed, the judge will throw the book at Nina Reeves, bind her over for trial, and revoke her bail. He says, Josslyn’s not vengeful or anything, and she says she hates Nina. She’s the worst kind of hypocrite. She acts all sweet and sympathetic, when all she really cares about is herself and what she wants. He asks why she doesn’t hate Ava that way, and she says, she does hate Ava that way. She’ll never forgive Ava for what she’s done to Morgan. However, she is Avery’s mom and Trina’s mentor, so she has to suck it up and has to coexist. However, she will never buy into Ava’s BS, and she’ll never think Ava is a gracious lady, but she chooses to keep the peace. If he’d come to her before he went on his stalking kick, she’d have told him the same thing. He says he wishes he had. Josslyn would have shot his stalking idea down in flames, and he wouldn’t be looking at 30 days in Spring Ridge. She says, he’ll be okay; he’s stronger than he thinks he is. He says, he hopes so. In the meantime, while his freedom lasts, this trip should erase any traces of lingering tension between her, him, Cameron, Trina, and Esme. They’ll get to know each other better. Josslyn says, she certainly hopes so.
Professor Kahn tells Alexis that she’ll send an introductory email to the chairman of the department. She knows it’s winter break, but she (the chairman) is a workaholic. Alexis says, maybe she’s just passionate about what she does, and the professor says, good. Use that approach. Alexis says she kind of likes this idea. She might like teaching at PCU, but hopes she has the proper qualifications. The professor says she’s certain Alexis does, especially as an adjunct. Who knows? They might want her full time with her credentials. All she needs to do is ace the interview, and pass the routine background check. Alexis says, background check. Of course (🍷).
Marshall lets Stella in, and says, Curtis came by to see him today. She says she figured he would. He had questions, so she told him to come talk to Marshall, but Marshall didn’t tell Curtis, did he? She saw Curtis a while ago, and he surely would have mentioned it. Marshall says, he left dissatisfied, and she says, Curtis is not going to stop until he gets answers. Marshall says, he’s not surprised. Is that why she’s here, to warn him? She says she’s worried about how it will affect her relationship with Curtis, but he says, don’t worry. He’ll never, ever tell Curtis that she knew he wasn’t dead. She’s like a hero to his sons, and he doesn’t want to take that away too.
Portia says, not that she’s objecting at all, but Curtis didn’t answer her question. He says, that’s because he doesn’t want to talk about Marshall. He wants to focus on her. She says, that’s fine with her, and he says he hopes she’s ready for tomorrow night, because he has big plans for them on New Year’s Eve.
Michael says his parents aren’t answering their phones, and Willow hopes they’re all right. He says, they’re really going through it right now. He wants to let them know, according to the judge, Nina’s actions aren’t criminal at all. Willow asks what he’s going to do, and he says he doesn’t know, but what he’s not going to do is sit back and let Nina get away with her crimes against his family.
Nina tells Scotty that he’s not going to stick around for the paperwork; she’s got to go. He says she can thank him, but not just with a check. He did his job. She’s not going to prison. So she’s welcome. She says she can’t think about that right now. She’s too worried about Sonny.
Sonny says, Carly doesn’t need time. He wants her; he wants their family together. She knows that. She says she knows Nina still has a hold on him, but he says, she doesn’t. She asks him to look her in the eye and tell her that Nina means nothing to him. He says he doesn’t know what she wants him to say. Listen… He reaches out to touch her, but she says, stop. He says, they can still work this out, but she says, they can’t. Don’t come home tonight. She walks off, leaving Sonny alone.
Tomorrow, Curtis says he’d like to be closer to Portia, Scout asks if Drew can stay until midnight, Valentin says he’s over it and thinks Anna is too, and Dante asks Sonny if he felt something.
👰🏼 That Was Quick…
I wonder what Vicki predicted for this one.
🍼 Picking Lanes…
Now that she’s without Randall’s paycheck, hanging out with the SUR crowd doesn’t seem so unattractive.
🎄 Not Done Yet…
The last day of Christmas is technically January 5th, so here’s some post-Christmas Day cheer.
Some blessings:
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/craic/irish-christmas-blessings
Some lights:
https://nypost.com/2021/12/18/a-stunning-look-at-the-famous-dyker-heights-christmas-lights/
And some celebrities. Who knew Diana Ross liked the matching family PJ thing?
⛄️ Before I Melt Away…
Once again, tomorrow will be this week’s Friday, so join me for soap, tea, quotations, and a seasonally appropriate tune. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your expectations realistic for both yourself and the new year, and stay not telling yourself a story to justify a secret.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 