What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Brook tells Tracy that she said she do it herself. Do not say anything to her dad. Chase comes in, and says, there she is. Did she forget about Bailey’s appointment? They waited as long as they could, but eventually had to leave without her. She says, something came up, and asks how Bailey did, and he says, amazing; 95^th percentile, across the board. Something came up as in… She says, her grandmother, and he says, she can tell him anything. What’s going on? She says, Tracy figured it out. She knows Bailey is Maxie’s daughter.

Anna and Maxie are seated at a MetroCourt table, and Anna says she’s glad they were able to reschedule. Maxie says, her too, and Anna says she can tell. Maxie’s enthusiasm is underwhelming. Maxie says she’s not looking forward to another grilling session about Louise. She assumes that’s why they’re here.

Brad sits with Britt at the table in her office, and says he got her favorite. She says, they’re cold, and he says, so? You know how much he would have killed to eat cold crab cakes when he was in Pentenville, especially from the MetroCourt? She says, it would just be nice to eat them there, and he tells her, he thought it would be nice to catch up in a more intimate setting. She says, he knows as well as she does, it’s not brunch without bottomless mimosas and people watching. So why the sad, hidden away meal?

Felicia gives Peter’s guard, Officer Baird, a coffee, and says she knows how long and boring guard duty can be. Maybe this will help perk things up. (Is that supposed to be a Perks joke?) He thanks her, and says he appreciates it, and she says she’ll be sure to tell her husband how diligent he is. He asks if he can help her with something, and she says she was hoping to have a quick word with the prisoner, but she was told visitation was limited. He says, not for the acting Commissioner’s wife, and opens the door. She goes in and closes it, and Peter asks what she’s doing here. She says she wanted to see him face-to-face, and he asks if she’s looking for something particular. She says, his soul.

The MetroCourt bartender asks if he can get Drew something, but Drew says he’s just waiting for someone. The bartender says, is this him? and Victor says, Drew Cain. Fancy meeting him here. Shall they break bread? Drew says, him and Victor break bread? He doesn’t think so. Bones maybe. Victor says Drew has been through quite an ordeal. His hostility’s to be expected. Drew says his brother is dead because of Victor, and Victor says, it’s his understanding that Jason died trying to save, Drew, Britt, and Obrecht from Peter August. Drew says, who was Victor’s ally; they were working together. Victor says, allegedly. Careful with the insinuations. Drew gets up, and says, he’s not the one who needs to be careful, when Sam runs in. She tells Drew, don’t, and suggests they get a table, but Drew says, just a minute. He has a few things to clear up with Victor.

Maxie asks if Anna thinks she should intervene in whatever that is, but Anna says, it looks like Drew’s got it. Maxie says, so now they’re back to the grilling portion of their visit? but Anna says she’s not grilling Maxie. She reserves that for suspects, not victims. She and Maxie’s mother are very worried about her, that’s all. Maxie says, Anna is worried? She wakes up every morning facing another day without her daughter, hoping Louise manages to stay safe, because if Peter finds her… Anna says, he won’t, but Maxie says Anna doesn’t know that. So forgive her if she’s not overly concerned that Anna and her mom are worried. Anna says, duly noted, but Maxie loves Louise, and they love Maxie, and the way she’s handling this… Maxie says, is wrong? but Anna says, is admirable. She’s putting one foot in front of the other for the sake of her children. Honestly, Anna doesn’t know how Maxie is doing this, but what they want her to know is that she doesn’t have to do it alone. Let them help her. Maxie says, they’ve already helped. She doesn’t know what else there is Anna could do; the trail has run cold. Anna says she knows. Her suggestion is that they look at it all again with fresh eyes. Is there anything else Maxie can remember? Maxie says she told the police everything she knows, and Anna says, really? Everything?

Brook asks why Chase isn’t freaking out, and he says, he is, just internally. She says, join her externally, would he? He says, try not to react, and she asks if he’s met her grandmother. He says, on a scale of one to ten, how screwed are they? She says, the good news is, her granny will do anything for family, and he says, even her? She says, hey, and he says, sorry. He knows she and Tracy haven’t always had the best relationship. She says, no one has with Tracy, but when push comes to shove, she knows Tracy will have her back. He says, what about him? He’s here to protect Bailey. Tracy knows that’s the reason he’s here, right? Brook says, she does, but she doesn’t think it’s enough. She’s not wrong, because if Peter has proven anything, it’s that being confined does not render him powerless. He asks, what’s the alternative? and she says, her grandmother thinks the best way to keep Bailey safe is to put distance between her and Peter. He asks, how much distance? and she says, an ocean’s worth.

Austin walks in his office, saying, sorry to keep you waiting. He sees the office is empty, and says, or not, since you didn’t wait. He calls Valentin, and says, they should have this conversation about Brook. She can’t just destroy people’s lives anymore, and he thinks they should plot their retaliation… Okay, that’s a little extreme, even for Valentin. He was just thinking paternity fraud, since she falsified Bailey’s birth certificate saying he was the father, not Chase… Okay, that’s too bad. Can he go after her civilly?… All right, well maybe this would be a more productive conversation if they could have it face-to-face when Valentin’s not doing other things. He’s pretty sure, as they speak, Brook is concocting more schemes on other unsuspecting marks, and they need to figure out how Brook is vulnerable, and take her down.

Sam says, Drew just got his freedom back. Don’t lose it because of this piece of garbage. Victor tells him to listen to his ex, aside from the piece of garbage bit of course (🍷). Sam says she actually thinks she was spot-on, and Victor tells Drew, don’t squander his second chance at life. Drew says, maybe it was Peter who held him captive, but Victor provided the facility, and provided the guards. Those years he lost are at Victor’s door just as much as Peter’s. Victor says, of course (🍷) he regrets any dealings he had with Peter; it was a terrible lapse in judgement. As for Drew’s captivity, he seems to be fully recovered. Drew says, Victor may have gotten a pass from the WSB, but Victor will never get a pass from him. If he even twitches in the wrong way, Drew will make him wish he’d stayed dead.

Brad tells Britt, fine. He doesn’t want to be seen in Carly’s hotel, all right? It’s awkward to say the least. She says, that, she gets, but the MetroCourt isn’t the only game in town; there are other restaurants, with much better ambience than the office. He says, add a little mood lighting, maybe some artwork, she could have a destination on her hands. She asks if this has anything to do with his Aunt Selena telling her to stay away from him, but he says, no. He makes his own decisions. He’s with her right now. She says, in hiding basically, and he says, besides, his aunt’s out of town. She says, all right then, be straight with her. What’s going on?

Chase says, Tracy wants Brook and Bailey to move to Amsterdam? Brook can’t be considering this. Brook says, her granny can be very persuasive, and without Valentin’s considerable resources, including Yuri, this house isn’t as safe as it used to be. He says, then they’ll hire security, and she says, how suspicious would that look? Valentin leaves, takes his bodyguard with him, and all of a sudden, weeks later, they have security 24/7? He says, so he’ll move back in, but she says, that’s a terrible idea. He asks, why? and she says, three words for him; Michael and Willow. He says they’re fine now, and she says, fine is a far cry from shacking up together. Is he sure he wants to do that to himself? He says he would for her… and Bailey. She says that means a lot to her, but she doesn’t think it would be a good idea. He asks if she’s talked to Maxie about this. Brook can’t just take Maxie’s daughter halfway across the globe. She says, that’s why they’re having this conversation. They have to come up with an alternative stat, because her grandmother is right about one thing, Peter will only grow more dangerous as his prison time approaches. And if he figures it out like Tracy did, everyone in this house could be at risk.

Peter asks if Felicia sees a soul in there, and she says, she’s coming up empty, but if he still has a heart, he’ll let her know where her granddaughter is. He says, come on. She’s a P.I. Can’t she find her herself? She says, this is a joke to him, isn’t it? All the lives he’s taken, the families he’s destroyed… He says, his family was destroyed. Who answers for that? She says, hopefully him. My God, doesn’t he take responsibility for anything? It was his lies that drove Maxie away. And what did he do; try to change? No, he doubled down, had Maxie kidnapped, and hired a deranged nurse to induce Maxie’s labor. Who does that? He says he loves Maxie. All he wanted was for them to be together. She says he believes that, doesn’t he? That this is all coming from a good place. He says, because it was. If all of them hadn’t poisoned Maxie against him, he woudn’t have had to go to such extremes. She says, at least he admits it was extreme. You know what the sad thing is? There were people who really cared about him, people who believed in him. Anna, Valentin, Maxie, James, and instead of living up to that love, he let them down. He says, you certainly wouldn’t know about letting people down, would you… princess?

Anna writes as Maxie says, then the ambulance took her and Austin back to GH, and Anna knows the rest. Anna says, and Austin doesn’t remember anything after he was knocked unconscious? and Maxie says, not as far as she knows. Anna says she doesn’t know what she’s missing. Peter swears he’s looking for Louise so they can all be a family again. Who else would take Louise, and why? Maxie asks if Peter didn’t say he had information on where Louise is, but Anna says, he’s lying. He’s just trying to trade information he says he has, for getting out of a long prison sentence. Maxie says, or he’s using Louise as a bargaining chip, and Anna says, she supposes anything’s possible, but forensics went through those woods with a fine toothed comb. There’s no outside witnesses, there’s no other evidence. If Peter had an accomplice, they’re a magician. She doesn’t mean to be flip, but all of it always leads her back to the people who saw Louise last; Maxie and Austin.

At the MetroCourt, Sam says, before she forgets – she hands Drew a paper – it’s for him; Scout drew it. It’s him. He says he totally sees the resemblance. This is awesome. He thanks her, and says, it’s getting prime real estate on the fridge. Sam wonders if Cook will allow that, and he says, she has no choice… Yeah, there’ll be lots of begging. She tells him, good luck with that, and he says he’s sorry he almost lost it out there. She asks if he’s kidding. She was impressed that she didn’t walk in on him strangling Victor. He says, him too. Restraint has never been his forte. She says, a new and improved Drew, and he says, new? Yes. Improved? We’ll see. He wanted to meet because he ran into Valentin. She asks what Valentin wants, and he says, it seems he already got what he wanted. Drew’s ELQ shares.   

Maxie says, every time someone asks her about that day, she feels like she did something wrong, but Anna says, no one’s blaming her. She was kidnapped, and forced to give birth in the middle of the woods. She’s sorry. She’s just trying to process things out loud. Maxie says, she needs a minute, and leaves, when Victor comes by. He asks if that was Maxie, and Anna asks if that was an altercation with Drew. Victor says, more a misunderstanding, and she says she’s sure he’s misunderstood. He says, finally someone who gets him, and she says she’s not in the mood; what does he want? He says he would have thought, as his shadow, she’d already know, or was she too busy discomfiting Maxie? She says, Maxie is no business of his, and he says, a damsel in distress is always the business of a man of chivalry. She says, it may come as a surprise to him, but they’ve all moved on from the 50s. He asks what Maxie was upset about, and she tells him, like she said, it’s none of his business. Victor flashes back to Peter saying, he’ll exchange the key to Drew’s control for Maxie and his daughter. He tells Anna, it’s called compassion. It’s dreadful what happened to Maxie’s baby, isn’t it? Maxie comes back, and asks, what the hell does he know about her baby?

Chase asks if they’re agreed on no Amsterdam, and Brook says, no Amsterdam, but she and Bailey still have to go somewhere. He asks what she’s thinking, and she says, maybe the MetroCourt? The hotel has security. He says, too many people, too few questions. It doesn’t scream safe to him. She says she could talk to Uncle Sonny, and Chase says, just tell him the whole story? She says, good point. They have to come up with something. She promised Maxie that she’d keep Bailey safe; she can’t fail now. He says he has an idea. A place that has 24 hour security provided by a trained officer of the law. She says, he doesn’t mean… and he says, move in with him.

Sam says, she was going to tell Drew about the shares once he was settled in. He’s had a lot to deal with. He thanks her, and says, he’s never been super involved with ELQ, but now he’s at Monica’s. She says, now his family is probably all over him, and he says, pretty much. He can only use the excuse that he was being held captive for so long. He laughs, but she says, not that funny, huh? He says he really wanted to get caught up to speed, and thought she’d be the right person to fill him in. How did Valentin, of all people, end up with his shares? She says, Scout’s shares were in a trust. Then things with Shiloh came to a head and Sam went to prison. He says he heard about that; he’s so sorry. She says, it was really tough on the kids, and he says he can imagine. She was eventually paroled, right? She nods, and says, it came with a condition. She couldn’t have contact with anyone who had a criminal record. He says, meaning she wasn’t allowed to see Jason.

Brad asks Britt if they can put it up to re-acclamation. He just got out of prison. It might be some time before he’s on again. She says, he was plenty on when she visited him in said prison. Now that he’s a free man, it’s all doom and gloom? She doesn’t buy it. He asks her to cut him some slack. Life on the outside is not exactly one big party for him. He doesn’t have a husband, Lucas’s family is furious with him, which makes half this town off limits, and it turns out labs aren’t keen on hiring baby-napping ex-cons. Shocker. So it turns out his career is just as done as his marriage. She says she’s sorry; she didn’t mean to be insensitive. He’s right. Coming back to this new reality is a lot. She’s here to talk or scream, or whatever he needs her to do. He thanks her, and she says, at least they have each other, right? She missed him. He says he missed her too. He’s just still processing. She says, no pressure, but could he maybe process a little faster? She went out with this new wingman the other night, and he could stand to learn a lesson from the OG.

Victor tells Maxie to sit down; it’s lovely to see her again. She says, the feeling is definitely not mutual, and he asks if it’s something he said. She says, it’s more like things he’s done, especially teaming up with Peter. What exactly does he know about her daughter? He says, Peter was anguished about her disappearance, and desperate to get her back. Anna asks if Victor doesn’t think he was putting on a show, but Victor says, God no. His only aim was to reunite his family. Anna tells Maxie, Peter is looking for Louise also, and Maxie says, Peter will never get his hands on Louise. Does Victor hear her? Never. Victor says, Maxie certainly is formidable, and Maxie says she’ll do anything to protect her child. He says he sincerely hopes Maxie gets her back, when his phone dings. He looks at it, and says, his son can’t make lunch; he’s been held up. He tells them, it’s been a pleasure, and leaves. Maxie says she wishes she could say the same.

Felicia tells Peter, don’t call her princess, but he says, it’s true, isn’t it? After all, she is royalty, and like most royalty, she just can’t escape the mundane bored her. Being a wife and a mother? Dullsville, right? (Dullsville? Victor’s not the only one still in the 50s.) He says, she had to seek adventure, travel the world, and while she was doing all that, her daughters were growing up without her. She says, he’s a nasty piece of work, and he says he can be. See how easy it is to admit who you truly are? Give it a try. She says she’s made mistakes, and he asks if that’s what she calls being MIA while her child is murdered. She can come at him all she wants, but he knows what this is truly about; her pathetic attempt to make up for her failure as a parent. He’d never fail his daughter that way. She says, they’ll never know, will they? Because of him, Louise may be lost forever. He says, what if Louise isn’t lost? What if he can lead Felicia straight to her?

Chase tells Brook, he’s Bailey’s father. The two of them coming to live with him is brilliant. She tells him, if he does say so himself, and he says it would help sell the idea of them co-parenting. She says, no, and he says, that’s it? Just no? She tells him, what would people say? He has a one-bedroom apartment. He says, with a very comfy couch, which she’s already acquainted with, and she says, it’s not practical, but he says he’s kidding. She can have the bed this time. She says she did, and still does, appreciate him letting her crash, but they weren’t the best of roommates, and this time, they have another human with them. He says, Bailey would need her own space, and she says, ideally, yes. He says, then let’s get something bigger, and she asks if he means rent a place together. It’s actually not a terrible idea. He thanks her, and she says, she bets Lucy could help them find a temporary rental. He says, it would keep Tracy at bay, give Maxie more time with her daughter, and make Bailey that much harder for Peter to find. She says he’s a genius, and hugs him.

Victor goes to Austin’s office, and says he’s not sure if Austin remembers him. Austin says, Victor Cassadine. He remembers Victor. He was the first person Peter asked to speak to when he woke up. Victor apologizes for the intrusion, but a nurse told him that he might find his son in here. She was clearly mistaken. Austin says, Valentin split a half hour ago. If Victor wants to step outside, he can text him. Victor asks if Austin has a moment, and Austin says, not really, but Victor says he’s curious as to what first made Austin suspect Brook was lying about her baby’s paternity?

Maxie tells Anna, each Cassadine is worse than the last. Valentin is excluded, obvi. Anna says, he’s certainly had his moments, but he’s come a long way. Victor has given them a reason to rule Peter out; he doesn’t have Louise. Maxie asks what they do now, and Anna says she has an idea, but she’s going to need Maxie’s help.

Austin says, even if he did pose the idea to Valentin that Brook was lying, why would it be any of Victor’s business? Victor says, it’s pretty straightforward really, and sits down. Valentin is his son, and little Bailey was passed off as his granddaughter. Valentin is neither naïve nor particularly trusting, yet he was thoroughly convinced. Austin was the one who opened Valentin’s eyes to the unfortunate truth. Austin asks how he knows all this, and Victor says, he makes it his business to know things, especially where his family is concerned. Austin asks why he doesn’t just talk to Valentin about this, and Victor says, he was hesitant to reopen an old, painful wound that’s only just beginning to heal over. (Old? Didn’t this just happen?) Personally, he thinks Valentin is letting Brook off too easily. He asked Valentin to retaliate. Austin says, and here he thought that was his big idea, and Victor asks if Valentin is going to move against Brook. Austin says, they were discussing options, and Victor says, which brings him back to his original question. What made Austin suspect Brook was lying? Austin laughs, and says, because she’s a manipulative… scheming person. And she only thinks about herself, the Quartermaines, and ELQ stock. She nearly cost him his position here on staff, and definitely cost him his rightful claim to his father’s inheritance. Victor says he’s sorry Austin had so much trouble, but at least it gives him the advantage of knowing clearly who Brook is. Austin says, yes, he knows clearly. He knows more than Valentin; Maxie too. Victor asks, did he say Maxie?   

Chase says he should be a genius more often, and Brook tells him not to let it go to his head. He says he’ll talk to the nanny, and get Bailey’s things ready, and she says, she’ll text Lucy for some listings. She sits down, and says, ugh. He says, what? and she says, there’s one problem they didn’t consider. He says, just one? and she wonders what her dad is going to say. He wasn’t exactly happy the first time she crashed with Chase when he kicked her out. Chase says, they’re on way less shaky ground now; don’t worry. He’ll help her come up with a believable reason for their move. Under one condition. She springs for housecleaning.

Sam says, after they lost Drew, Valentin made her an offer, and he holds the voting proxy for Danny and Scout until each of them turns 21. He says, in exchange, Valentin cleared the way for her to see Jason, and she says, it was never meant to be permanent. He says he gets it. She was prioritizing getting her family back together, and she says, exactly. Isn’t it ironic, all those lengths she went through to keep her family together, and it all fell apart. He says, if she doesn’t mind him asking, what happened? She guesses the simplest way to put it is, she changed and Jason couldn’t. He was committed to Sonny and his business, and she needed security for herself and her family. He says, like what they had when they started Aurora, and she says, exactly. He says, and like what she has now with Dante, and she says, with Dante, there’s a balance, and there’s a sense of adventure she still has without putting herself or her kids at risk. He says, a win-win, and she says, yeah. Anyway, her deal with Valentin was contingent on Drew’s death, and he’s very much alive. If he wants his shares back, she’s sure there are grounds for that. He says, his family would be happy, but she says, what matters is if he’s happy. He says, when he figures out what makes him happy, he’ll let her know.

Britt asks if Brad hears what she said, and he says, she’s replacing him with a new wingman. She says, no, but she might have to if he doesn’t tell her what’s wrong. He says he just did, but she says, what else is wrong? This is more than reentry, and they both know that. He says he’s afraid of his aunt, and she says, that’s ridiculous; she can’t dictate his life. He says, actually, she can, and Britt says, because she’s letting him stay with her? He can stay with Britt. He says she’s forgetting who his aunt is, and she laughs. She says, she’s a product of Cesar Faison and Liesl Obrecht. She’s not easily intimidated. He says, maybe she should be, and she asks what he’s not saying. He says, his aunt is very skilled at getting people to do her bidding, and she says, people like him? He says, she made him do something horrible, and he doesn’t want anyone associated with him to pay the price.

Felicia says she doesn’t believe Peter, but he says, even if there’s a chance he’s telling the truth, shouldn’t Felicia do everything in her power to make sure Maxie can hold her child again? Or is she just going to let Maxie fend for herself, like always? She says, truth or not, how does she fit in? and he says, being the wife of the Police Commissioner, she’s in a unique position to make sure he’s treated fairly. She says, if by treated fairly, he means exonerated, she’d rather see him executed first. He says, then she’d be discarding all hope of seeing her granddaughter, but she says she doesn’t believe him. He’s a liar just like his father. But guess what? She stood up to Faison, and faced down Ryan Chamberlain, and she can’t wait to see him end just as pathetically as they did. She starts to leave, and he says, when Maxie was pregnant with Louise, they used to stay up at night. They’d lie there, and talk about their future. Maxie said, the key to raising a happy, healthy child was to remember how Felicia mothered her, and do the opposite. She says, his soul isn’t lost, and he says, oh no? She says, clearly, she was looking for something that never existed, and leaves. He tugs at his bonds.

Anna says, they’ll get Maxie back to Pawtuck. She knows this is going to be hard, but they’ll get Maxie into the woods, and maybe she can relive the night she gave birth to Louise. If she’s comfortable with that; it might help jog her memory. Maxie says, if Anna thinks it will help, and Anna says, she does. So she’ll make arrangements for both of them as soon as possible. Maxie asks, who else is coming? and Anna says, Austin. She thinks it will be helpful to tap into his memory as well.

Victor tells Austin, he just saw Maxie; it’s so tragic her child going missing like that. He’s in awe of that woman’s strength and courage, and Austin says, Maxie is an incredible person. Brook is just going to be Brook, and take advantage of her. Austin opens the door, and Victor says, so Maxie is another one of Brook’s victims. Austin says, he doesn’t  know if Maxie would put it quite like that. Maxie insists they’re friends, which makes zero sense. Maxie also admitted to him that not that long ago, they couldn’t stand each other. Victor wonders what changed, and Austin says, Maxie has a huge gaping hole in her heart, and Brook is allowing her to spend time with the baby. Victor asks if Austin is saying Brook used Bailey to take advantage of Maxie, the way she did with Valentin, but Austin says he doesn’t think Maxie would put it exactly like that. He thinks if the circumstances were better, Maxie would see Brook more clearly for who she is. Losing Louise was hard, and spending time with Bailey eases that pain. It works out well for Brook, because most people don’t trust Brook as far as they could throw her. Having Maxie as a friend and defender, people are more likely to give Brook a second chance. Victor says, what he’s hearing is, Maxie’s friendship is an asset Brook’s not willing to give up. Which means Maxie may well be the key to getting back at Brook.

Brook says she thinks she found the perfect listing, and shows Chase, but he says, it’s a little out of his price range. She says, please. Granny said she was committed to Brook’s safety, so let her put her money where her mouth is. Besides, it’s cheaper than moving her across the globe; Tracy should be thanking her. He says, okay; let’s do it. First, they have to talk about boundaries. Brook flashes back to Chase losing his towel in the steam room, and Chase says, ground rule number one; she puts her socks away this time. And he’s not watching The Bachelorette. She says, he will and he’ll love it, and he says, just don’t tell anyone. She says, let’s talk about his protein powder that gets everywhere. He says he loves that stuff, and she says, try not making a mess. He says, she’s talking to him about a mess? and she says, she’s a woman; she has a lot of things. He says, too many, if you ask him, and she says, she didn’t.

Sam says she’s going to check on Dante, and Drew says to tell Dante he said hello. She says, good luck, and he thanks her for coming. She says, always. She knows she already said it, and she’ll probably say it a hundred more times, but she’s really glad he’s back. And she’s happy they were able to maintain this relationship He says, some things are unbreakable. Their bond is one of them.

Britt says Brad is legitimately shaken up about this. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad. He says, it is, and she says, try her. He says he’s an ex con, and she says, so is she. Big whoop. He says his previous crimes are nothing compared to this. It’s going to come back to haunt him; he just knows it is. In a way, it already has. She says he’s starting to scare her. What did he do, and what does it have to do with his aunt? He says he can’t tell her, and she says, he’s going to hint at this horrible thing, imply that association with him will put her in danger, and then not tell her about it? He says, just leave it alone. Please? She says she thought they were best friends, and he says, they are. She says, then let her help him. He says, he poisoned Peter August.

Tomorrow, Dante tells Britt that he has information about Peter, Doc asks how much time Esme is spending with Ryan, Laura asks if Nikolas can reconcile with Spencer before he goes to prison, and Carly says she owes Drew an apology.

Project Runway

In Shantall’s interview, she said it was hard to enjoy things at this point. She wasn’t sleeping, thinking about getting into the final two. In Kristina’s interview, she said she was exhausted and emotional. She had to find the strength to leave the emotions inside her. The designers were barely off last week’s runway before Christian surprised them with a new challenge. He asked them to follow him back to the runway, where Elaine said they’d be working with up and coming hairstylists, courtesy of TRESemmé. It was a one-day challenge, where they were to collaborate with the hairstylist, and create a runway look inspired by the hairstyle of their model. Elaine told them to stick to the spirit of the foundational hairstyle, and create a head to toe look that showcased both talents. The styles were, creative ponytail, Bantu knots, chic and sleek, creative buns, long braids, and twists. In Chasity’s interview, she said, Black women have had to tame down their hair, which was a form of expression, and she was excited about the challenge. Christian said that the hairstylists would return on runway day to help.

They went to hair/makeup room to confer with the hairstylists. Chasity had twists, and said her idea was to take it back to the motherland with an animal or tribal print. Kristina had chic and sleek, and wanted to go with a modern Great Gatsby. In Aaron’s interview, he said his motto was, with something bad comes something good, and he wanted to do a rain jacket. It also happened to be Aaron’s 40^th birthday, and back at the townhouse, the other designers had a pile of donuts with candles in them and balloons waiting for him. In his interview, he said he was living his best life, and that was amazing.

At Mood, Christian reminded the designers that it was a collaboration. They had a $500 budget, and 30 minutes to shop. Bones was thinking, Met Gala, and Shantall was thinking, MTV Awards or the Grammys. Shantall went for white leather, and Christian said it was probably not the time to try new things, but she didn’t care. In Aaron’s interview, he said he stepped out of the box, and the perfectionist in him was screaming loudly. Kristina was feeling the tension.

Also using leather, Coral wanted to do more, but was nervous. She said, using that material didn’t make construction easy. The designers conferred with the hairstylists via their tablets. Bones’s father was still recovering from heart surgery, and Bones wanted to pay tribute to him, since he’d been an inspiration. Bones liked to incorporate abstract painting into his clothing, and wanted to create a heart with his gown. Chasity used horsehair to make her gown more 3D, and also compliment the hair crown she’d discussed with the stylist. Christian found out it was Aaron’s birthday, and handed him a pearl handbag from another designer’s table as a gift. He also gave Aaron some tips, and Aaron said Christian had never failed him. Christian told Aaron not to blame him if it didn’t work out.

Aaron’s concentration had been on the coat, which was transparent, and he said if he didn’t start the jumpsuit, he’d be sending a half-naked model down the runway. The leather literally cracked at the waistband when Shantall was working on the pants part of her pantsuit. Chasity’s concern was that she wanted to tiger print dress and the hair to complement each other, not fight for attention. At the end of the day, everyone was stressed and worried the wouldn’t finish. At the townhouse, there was a donut piñata that Aaron knocked down right away, but it didn’t break. Then Coral took out her frustration by beating on it, but it was pretty hardy, and the designers finally ripped it apart.

It was runway day, and Chasity had a video chat with her daughters. In her interview, she said they were her motivation. She’d had an emotional journey, and in 2020 had depressing feelings that developed into suicidal thoughts. She reached a mental low, but knew she had more for her daughters in the future, and now here she was. The hairstylists worked with the TRESemmé stylists. Aaron was still trying to put a jumpsuit together for underneath the trench coat, and even I said, oh my God, when he put it on his model. He said he’d made a disaster, and a mess could be cleaned up with a mop, but this jumpsuit needs FEMA. Coral thought the several ponytail hairstyle was too complicated for her outfit, but I liked it. In Chasity’s interview, she said this was Black Girl Magic. They were putting the dream down the runway, and it was time for the world to see more of them. She didn’t dim the light on any other race, but made sure her daughters knew the beauty of theirs. I thought that was a perfect viewpoint.

The guest judge was model Precious Lee, who was also an activist for race and size diversity. Precious said her father had been doing hair for over 50 years, and she’d grown up in the salon. The show started, Bones’s design going first. He’d gotten creative buns, and made a red gown with a removable long skirt, that revealed a shorter skirt underneath. Coral had the creative ponytail, and had designed a black skirt and jacket set. I actually thought the problem wasn’t the hair working against the outfit, but the skirt working against the jacket; the weight of the fabric seemed unbalanced. Shantall had Bantu knots, and added a silver halter top to her white leather pantsuit. Chasity paired her tiger print gown with hair twists done like a crown, and the look was quite fabulous. Aaron had long braids to go with his raincoat over the jumpsuit disaster – a Superman blue piece with I don’t know what going on up top, a mishmash of colorful and sparkly bands. Kristina paired the chic and sleek hairstyle with a black and white, mixed print, three-piece outfit; a long skirt, crop top, and one-sleeved kimono cover-up. Elaine said the whole thing was impressive for one day. I’d think it was impressive if it took them a year. I can make a halter top though.  

It was critique time, and Nina said Kristina’s one-sleeve kimono look was one of her favorites. She liked the mix of prints, and Elaine thought the kimono was innovative. Coral said she’d been going for a feminine silhouette in a hard material, and Brandon said it was impressive for the amount of time she’d been given, but he felt the hair and look were separate. Nina said the challenge was to help them understand how important hair and makeup was to a total look, and Precious said she loved the pieces, but separately, and separate from the hair. Bones explained his heart concept, and showed that the underskirt could be changed to different lengths. Elaine said it was a work of art, but also an unfinished idea. Nina said she felt like he was trying hard, and Bones said he was trying hard to finish. Precious said she loved a Met reveal, and Brandon said he had clarity of his idea. Then they got to Aaron, and Elaine said the coat was great, but what was underneath was tragic. Ouch.

The judges wanted to see the mess under the raincoat, and Brandon said it looked like it was designed by the president of the doing-too-damn-much club. Aaron said he couldn’t let her go naked, and Elaine said she would have been better off. If he’d put her in underwear, he would have sold the jacket. Nina said she was confused as to whether the model was a gymnast or a superhero. I was like, yes! I thought superhero too. She added that he shouldn’t be too hard on himself, and Precious said she was into a trench, and thought his would sell out. Moving on to Chasity, Chasity said Black women’s hair defied gravity because it grew upward. Brandon said he came out wanting a runway moment, and she gave him one. Nina said it was the most impressive outfit she’d seen from Chasity to date. She’d embraced the challenge wholeheartedly, and it was Black Girl Magic. Elaine felt the design was competing with the hair, but she wasn’t a fan of the tiger print. Finishing with Shantall, Nina said she thought the pants were terrific, but wasn’t a huge fan of the jacket. Precious thought Shantall had made the outfit look elevated, but it was stronger without the jacket. Elaine said it was a successful marriage of the hair and outfit.

The judges discussed, and Brandon said Bones and Shantall had middled out and were safe. He thought Chasity had delivered a runway look, and Precious said, with Black girls, it was often all about the hair, and the rest followed. I could totally understand that. The hair is like an accessory unto itself. Elaine thought Kristina’s outfit was cohesive, and Nina said she masculine/feminine merge. On the sad end, was Aaron, who Nina said made a mistake. Brandon said when it rained, it poured, and it rained on Aaron. Elaine said the jacket was cool, but what lies beneath was anything but cool. Brandon said Aaron had an epically bad day, and they moved to Coral. Precious said she had too much going on, and she got confused. Elaine said, it felt like a mess, and Brandon said it was chaotic. He thought she didn’t understand the challenge.

The designers were brought back out, and Elaine said their favorite looks met the challenge, and perfectly complemented the hair. Chasity was the winner, which was no surprise, since it was glorious, and Precious said she was proud of her. Chasity said her youngest hadn’t accepted her dark skin and natural hair, and dedicated this look to her girls. In her interview, she said she wanted to show the judges that she deserved to go to Fashion Week. The judges told Shantall and Bones that they were in, and moved on to the low scorers, Aaron and Coral. Brandon said Coral’s look was disconnected, and failed to meet the challenge, and correspond with the hair. Aaron’s jacket had potential, but the jumpsuit was a tragic mix up. Aaron was out, which was a surprise, at least to me. I guess at this point, even if you’ve done stellar work, if you make a rookie mistake, you’re out. Coral went back with the others, and said she was in, but it hurt because Aaron was so good. Aaron said he was grateful for the wonderful opportunity, and would never forget it. He’d spent his 40^th birthday there. Nina said he was still a winner, and Brandon said he was talented, but also had a great heart and attitude, which would carry him farther. In Aaron’s interview, he said he became an adult at 40 on Project Runway because he’d owned his mess. He was proud of it. He’d spent his life worrying if he was good enough, but everyone had bad days. Tomorrow, he would wake up and know he was good enough. Christian said Aaron had learned and grew from day one. He came there to be him, and he was – exactly, and uniquely, him.  

Next time, an editorial look, and a photo shoot with model Coco Rocha.

🤹 Never Can Say Goodbye…

Join me tomorrow for soap, a spot of tea, quotes, and a catchy tune. Until then, stay safe, stay being the bigger person, and stay knowing everyone has bad days, and you’re good enough.