Category Archives: New Year

January 10, 2025 – A Killer Is Revealed, Soap Suds, Reality Recaps, Weekend Watch, Award Corner, Great Moments In New Year’s Eve, Best Bowl, Cardinal Number Of Quotes & You

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday through Thursday bites and whole enchilada Friday.

Monday:

Portia confirmed that Elizabeth was suspended and told Cyrus that he was no longer welcome at the hospital again. Trina helped Josslyn pack up Dex’s apartment. Jack was pissed at Colette because she was supposed to tail Valentin, not take a shot at him. He looked at the Rice Plaza footage and saw Cyrus stab Dex.

Michael filed for full custody after seeing that Willow was with Drew in DC. Willow told Drew that Michael was punishing her for being with him. Lucy welcomed Sidwell to Windymere after he bought Spoon Island. They flirted, had champagne, and she gave him some gifts, including her book. Both Laura and Willow separately talked to Martin, and Martin told Laura that Willow would have to be smarter if she wanted to keep her kids.

Carly was supposed to have dinner with Carly at the MetroCourt, but had to cancel. Jack ended up joining her instead. Sidwell literally skipped through the Windymere living room to the terrace and watched as Sonny’s penthouse exploded. Sonny and Jason were in the hallway, and the only one inside was Michael, who turned into a fireball.

Tuesday:

No soap, funeral.

https://abc7ny.com/post/general-hospital-new-episode-tuesday-preempted-abc-news-special-report-former-president-jimmy-carters-state-funeral/15765536/

Wednesday:

Drew and Willow got busy while Jason told Sonny to call 911 and smothered the fire on Michael with a blanket. After Michael got to the hospital, Isaiah worked on him with Lucas assisting.

Carly enjoyed her time at the MetroCourt with my husband… I mean, Jack.

Josslyn wanted to stay in the place her and Dex were happy, but Trina told her that she wasn’t just grieving; she was angry. After Trina left, Josslyn looked at Dex’s gun a lot. Curtis told Nina that taking Wiley over state lines was a federal crime. She wanted to bring Willow and Wiley home, but he advised against it.

Brook was upset because she wasn’t pregnant yet, even though she was doing all the right things, including eating pineapple which she didn’t like. (Who doesn’t like pineapple?) We found out Brook had been pregnant before and given the baby away. She thought God was punishing her, but Lois said, God didn’t work that way. Chase discussed things with Sasha, who told him that he and Brook should just relax.

Lucas told Carly, Sonny, and Jason that Michael had 3rd degree burns over 40% of his body. He was critical and they didn’t know if he would live. Nina called Willow with the news.  

Thursday:

Drew showed up at the hospital since he’s an idiot and a creeper. Curtis advised him to get lost. Martin wanted Willow to petition the court for sole custody, but she said, absolutely not. Diane advised Carly to get the kids away from Willow. Nina told Willow that she shouldn’t show up at the hospital, but she went anyway. She and Josslyn got into it.

Jason said the explosion was like nothing they’d ever seen, and Sonny said they had to find the culprit and stop them dead in their tracks. Anna and Chase investigated the penthouse. Anna called Jack to come and help. Jack said, the Bureau had come across the same type of incendiary device before and thought he could be of assistance. Sonny said they’d find who did this and retaliate, and Jason said he was all for that (me too), but he also wanted to get Danny out of the line of fire.

Sonny and Kristina had a father/daughter moment on the roof of GH. Molly showed up at the hospital to offer support. Carly prayed in the chapel that God spare her son. Drew walked in to give his sympathies, but she wasn’t having it. He whined about what he’d done for her, and she hit the nail on the head telling him that he had a hero complex.

Michael opened his eyes.

Friday…

On the roof at GH, Sonny looks up and tells Morgan that he’s worried. Can he watch over his brother? Please help him. Isaiah comes out and joins him.  

At Beradino’s, Alexis sees Ric and says, her bad day just got worse. He says, nice to see her too. Despite her many flaws, she has great taste in restaurants. We see Cyrus puttering around, and Alexis asks if Ric can eat somewhere else, but he says he’s meeting a client. However, if she feels compelled to leave, don’t let him stop her. He encourages it. He tells the hostess, Lansing, party of two.  

Lucy brings Sidwell to Bobbie’s and tells him that there are other charming spots, but for an authentic Port Charles meal, this is the spot. They have the best burgers, chili, and everything in between, but no matter what, always, always, always order the fries. He says he’ll remember that and tells her that her energy is contagious. She suggests having made such a charming new friend has made her happy, and he says he appreciates that. She says, now back to the tour. Bobbie’s is named after a special, dear friend of hers, the late Bobbie Spencer. He asks if she said Spencer, and she asks if he knows the Spencers. He says, no, but he’s sure they’re lovely people, and she says, unfortunately, Bobbie passed away not long ago. She was influential in the community. She was a nurse at GH, owned this place, and was a leader for charitable causes.

Colette asks if there’s any new business, and Jack says he just spoke to Anna. She asks if it was about Valentin, but he says, no. It was about the fire that put Michael Corinthos in the hospital. The WSB may bear some blame.

At the MetroCourt, Felicia says she’s glad she was available to take Maxie and Sasha to lunch, and Maxie asks to what they owe this unexpected treat. Felicia says she needed a break from the hospital stress, and Sasha says she can imagine. Felicia says she loves her job. It’s rewarding, but it’s also difficult and draining. She sees people during the hardest times in their life and it’s challenging. She witnesses their pain, not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain. Maxie says, the patients are lucky to have her and so are they, and Felicia says, sometimes it’s hard for her to leave work behind, especially if she knows the patient. Like now, with Michael Corinthos. Sasha asks, what happened with Michael?  

Portia tells Jason that Michael is in shock. He has severe burns, and the main issue is to manage his pain. He’s on the highest dose of morphine and they can’t bring him to full consciousness for too long. It’s too much. Jason says, Michael came to, and he’s sure Michael knew it was him, and Portia says, good. That’s a great sign. He’ll likely be heavily sedated or unconscious for the next few days and it’s absolutely the best thing for him right now.

Carly tells Drew that her son is upstairs in excruciating pain fighting for his life. Does that even matter to him? Drew says, she came at him when he was speaking the truth. She needs to go make a list of the things Sonny’s done to harm Michael, but he can see it on her face that she already knows. Does she have any regrets about way back when she decided to let Sonny raise Michael instead of AJ? Was it worth Michael’s life? She says, nothing is worth Michael’s life, and he says he knows she loves her son, but none of what she did was what was best for Michael. It was all about what she wanted.

Jack tells Colette that the incendiary device left almost zero evidence. It was a unique weapon like a device the WSB designed years ago. He knew what the hardware looked like even before Anna described it. Colette says, it’s highly classified, and he says, it was meant for Sonny, not his unfortunate son. They need to find out who wanted Sonny eliminated and had access to the weapon. She says, there could have been a security breach. Maybe the specs were leaked and sold to the highest bidder. He says he’s making it top priority, and she asks if it has anything to do with the Rice Plaza footage, but he says, that has to do with his other project.  

Willow tells Josslyn that no matter what’s happened between her and Michael, she loves him. He’s the father of her children and she’s praying he recovers quickly. Josslyn says, did she forget she cheated on Michael with his uncle, and they had sex in the nursery? How skeevy can you be? Nina joins them and says, that’s enough. Leave her daughter alone.

Sitting with Ric, Ava says, it’s not like she’s destitute. The gallery is doing well, and she had money of her own before she married Nikolas. She was planning on moving the gallery to a new location and purchased a building. She was going to renovate it and have it up and running before she sold the building the gallery is in now. He says, she’s paying for mortgages on two commercial properties? and she says, unless the divorce settlement money is returned to her, she’ll have to sell the building and finding a buyer won’t be easy. He says he’s sorry, but the only way she’ll see any of the money is if the estate grants it, and she says, by estate, he means Alexis. He says, as trustee, Alexis is the only one who has the power, and Ava says, the money isn’t even Alexis’s. It’s in trust for Ace. He says, until Ace is of age, Alexis can decide how it’s spent. Considering Ava was involved in Alexis’s disbarment and Kristina fell out Ava’s hotel room window causing the death of her baby, the chances of Alexis gifting her are pretty slim.

Diane joins Alexis and says she’s represented Michael’s family for most of his life. What happened is unimaginable. She can’t stop thinking about it. Alexis says, Michael has always been so good to her girls over the years. She respects him for that. Diane says, he’s a wonderful man, and Alexis says, Kristina adores him and she’s reeling. She’s had so much loss lately. Michael has to pull through. Cyrus listens in.

Felicia says she assumed they heard, and Sasha asks why Michael is in the hospital. Felicia says, there was a terrible accident at the penthouse. Michael is in the burn unit and in critical condition. Sasha says she needs to go see him, and Felicia says, of course (🍷). Maxie asks her to text or call if there’s an update, and as she leaves, Sasha says she will.

Sonny says he comes up here to think sometimes, and Isaiah says, it’s good for that. Sonny thanks Isaiah for everything he did for Michael when he brought Michael in, and Isaiah says, of course (🍷). He has a lot of experience with burn victims from his time in Africa and he’s glad to help. Sonny asks about the percentage of recovery and tells Isaiah to be straight with him. Isaiah says, it’s serious, but GH is doing everything in their power to treat Michael and alleviate the pain. How is Sonny feeling? All the stress could complicate his condition and possibly make it worse. Sonny thanks him for his concern, but says he can’t think about himself. Isaiah says he understands that Michael is the only thing on Sonny’s mind, but he has to take care of himself too. Sonny asks if Isaiah has kids, and Isaiah says, not that he’s aware of. (Ha-ha!) Sonny says, when he does, he’ll know the love for his kids can get him through anything.  

Carly tells Drew not to preach to her about selfishness. He had sex with Michael’s wife in the nursery where his daughter plays. Did he think about Michael? Or did Willow’s hero worship give him such a high that he couldn’t control it? Drew says she can’t understand his and Willow’s relationship. What’s between them is real. She asks if that’s what he tells himself, and he says, it’s more real than what they had. (Ugh. I hate people who argue like this. Like all of a sudden it was never a good relationship to begin with. It’s so immature.) Carly laughs and asks if that was supposed to hurt her. It didn’t. He had sex with her daughter-in-law, the mother of her grandchildren. Now she sees him for who he really is. He did her a huge favor when he dumped her. He says, good. He’s a lot happier away from her too. He walks out of the chapel. (Quick. Get that man a bonnet, diaper, and baby bottle.)

Colette asks about Jack accessing the Rice Plaza footage, and he says, Josslyn asked him to because she wants to find the person responsible for stabbing Dex. Thanks to the footage, now he knows who it is. She says, mystery solved, but to what end? He can’t use top secret footage to solve a civilian case. He says, of course (🍷) he can’t. But now that he knows who Josslyn is looking for, he can leave a trail of breadcrumbs and see how well she follows them.

Nina says, Josslyn has no right to speak to Willow that way. Her husband was just in a horrible accident. Josslyn says, Michael is her brother, and nothing she said was anything less than the truth. Was there anything Willow didn’t use Michael for? Nina says, Josslyn is just like her mother, and Josslyn says, thanks. She could say the same thing about Willow right now. Nina can’t stand to be called out on her crap. On the surface, they’re both so sweet and friendly, but underneath, they’re lying liars who lie. Stay the hell away from her brother. She walks away.  

Lucy says she and Sidwell had sort of discussed Mayor Laura Collins. She’s actually a former Spencer and has two Spencer children. Sidwell says, there are a lot of them in Port Charles, and she says, quite a few and very notable. He says, she knows everything and everyone in Port Charles really well, and she says, she seems to be doing all the talking. She knows she’s doing all the talking. He has to share something about himself. He says, she handled his purchase of Spoon Island skillfully. What else does she need to know? She says she hardly thinks the transfer of information captures a person. From what she read, he’s not currently married, but does he have a couple of former Mrs. Sidwells running about? What do she and Port Charles need to know about the newest resident? He laughs.

Maxie tells Felicia, it’s awful. Michael has always been good to her. She can’t imagine what the family is going through. Spinelli is going to be devastated and poor Jason. He’s got to be losing his mind. Felicia says, Michael’s injuries are severe, but it’s still possible for him to recover, and Maxie says she’s going to send every positive thought his way. Felicia says she hopes Sasha is okay. She seemed upset and stressed after she heard the news. (Well, of course. < 🍷>) Maxie says she knows Sasha and Michael were together at one point and stayed good friends, but her reaction did seem out of proportion. It’s probably pregnancy hormones. Felicia says she wants to tell Maxie how much she loves her, and Maxie says, why? Is there something wrong? Felicia says she’s fine. Don’t worry. Her work as a patient advocate has given her a new perspective. Working with people who are grieving and people in hospice who don’t have much time left, they all say the same thing over and over. Their biggest regret is not telling the people in their lives how much they love them. Her and Maxie’s relationship hasn’t always been easy, but she’s glad they’ve moved past it. She doesn’t want a day to go by that she doesn’t let Maxie know how much she loves her. Maxie says she loves Felicia too, and takes her hand.

Sasha looks into Michael’s room window and cries. Jason arrives, and she asks, what happened? All she heard was that there was an accident. He’s going to be okay, right? Jason says, they don’t know yet.

In the chapel, Carly says, please let Michael recover. He’s such a good man and has so much to live for and so many people who love him. Sonny comes in, and she asks if there’s an update. He says he went by Michael’s room to talk to Portia. Jason was with him and Michael woke up, but they had to sedate him because he’s in so much pain. Carly covers her face with her hands, and he says, the doctor said hopefully they’ll find out something soon. She asks how it happened, and Sonny says he doesn’t know any more than he did last night, but whoever planned this is after him.

Willow thanks Nina for defending her, and Nina says, Josslyn is a bully and a hypocrite. Don’t listen to a word she says. Willow says she thought that they’d come together to support Michael and the kids through this tragedy, but Nina says, Josslyn is a lot like her mother. Their first instinct is to lash out. No empathy, no compassion, just rage. Willow wonders if she can get some alone time with Carly, but Nina says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Willow says, they were close once. Carly walked her down the aisle when she married Michael. She cares… Nina says, cared, past tense, but Willow says she doesn’t know. Nina says, unfortunately, she does. Carly sent Diane and a social worker to the apartment and took custody of Wiley and Amelia. Willow says, how? and sees Drew come out of the elevator. She runs to him, throwing her arms around him. She says he has to help her. Carly has taken the kids. Drew looks at Nina.

Josslyn literally bumps into Jack at the hospital, and says, sorry. He says, it’s fine, and asks how Michael is. She says, the same. He’s in pain and it’s horrible. He says he’s very sorry, and she thanks him for bringing her to GH last night. He says he was glad to help, and she says she’s headed to grab some air. He says, before she goes, he has an update to share with her about who stabbed Dex.

Ava says, Ric is a fantastic lawyer. He got Heather Webber set free and got her cleared of any wrongdoing in Kristina’s accident. There’s got be something he can do. He was married to Alexis and knows her so well. He has to be able to use that to his advantage somehow.

Martin comes into the Baradino’s and says hello to Cyrus. Cyrus says he’s grateful Martin came to see him, and Martin says, that’s because when Cyrus calls, he picks up the phone. Cyrus should try it sometime instead of dodging his calls. Cyrus says he’s been doing the Lord’s work. The holiday season has been busy. He needed to see Martin because GH is trying to restrict his access to patients. Martin asks what that has to do with him, and Cyrus says he wants Martin to put a stop to it. His patients need him. Martin says, there are plenty of places Cyrus can do the Lord’s work if GH doesn’t want him there, and Cyrus says, if the law won’t help, the Lord will provide a path for him to continue his work. The Lord has ways the legal system knows nothing about. Diane comes by and asks if Martin has a moment to discuss the Corinthos custody case, and Martin says, when he’s done with his brother, they can have a chat. Cyrus says, it’s fine. They’re done. He’ll leave them to their business. He moves along with his non-Lord’s work.

Ric goes over to Alexis’s table and says, may I? He sits down, and she says, you may not. Seeing he’s not moving, she heaves a sigh.

Josslyn tells Jack that she wants to hear everything, but she’s confused. She thought there was no footage from Rice Plaza. Jack says, it’s true they have no footage, but he has a lot of resources. He called in a favor from the PCPD and got the witness list from Rice Plaza on the day of the assault. She says, that would help immensely, and he says he’ll forward it to her right now. She thanks him, and he says he suggests she speak to the witnesses. Ask questions and piece the scene together. Unless it’s too much for her to handle. Then she can always hire a private investigator. She says she’s going to do it herself. It’s what she owes Dex. She looks at her phone and says she received the list. She even knows some of the people. He says he hopes one leads to the answers she’s looking for, and she sees Felicia at the reception desk. She says she thinks she already knows where to start.

Carly says, Drew was just here and said what happened was her fault for bringing Sonny into Michael’s life, and Sonny says, Drew has no business judging her. Don’t listen to him. She made the best choice she could for Michael at the time. She tells him that he’s saying that with such confidence, and he says, it’s not like he doesn’t know the feeling. It’s not the first time he’s put Michael in danger or Michael has been fighting for his life because of what he does. He was supposed to protect him from all this. She says, he didn’t know what would happen, and he says, neither did she. She says she just wants Michael to be okay, and he says he does too.

Sasha tells Jason, it’s horrible to see Michael like this. She and Michael never had a real break-up. Everything that happened with Willow, Wiley, and Chase took their lives in different directions, but the love is still there. Jason says he gets it. Sometimes life doesn’t work the way we plan. She says, Michael stood by her when everyone else hated her. When her mother told her that Robert was her dad and she and Cody broke up, he found time to comfort her when his own marriage was falling apart. He’s such a good man. Jason says, the best, and Sasha looks in the window again and cries.

Willow asks how Carly can take the kids, and Nina says, Diane brought Chase and a social worker and this court order. She shows Willow the paperwork, and Willow says she thought even though Michael filed for divorce, they’d figure it out through mediation. Drew says he just had his head ripped off by Carly because she found out they spent the night together in DC. Clearly, she wants revenge. Willow says she can’t believe they’re talking about Carly taking revenge through her kids, and Drew says, it’s a valid order. Nina says, they need to petition the court for an emergency custody hearing, and Drew says he can call in a favor, but in the best case, it won’t happen until next week. Willow says she can’t be without her kids until next week. Michael will be in the hospital a long time and the kids will be scared without either of their parents. Nina says she understands what it’s like to be without your baby. There’s no worse feeling. But they can’t defy the court order. It will work against them in the long run and there’s no recourse at the moment. Drew says, maybe there is.

Sidwell tells Lucy that his last love left him feeling wounded. It seems she was using him to get her hands on inventory. Lucy says, that’s absolutely horrible, and he says, it’s a hazard of his profession. He doesn’t think she needs to hear more detail.  She says she loves details and nothing he could say would bore her. He says she’s too kind and he’s happy to repay her hospitality with lunch. And the knowledge she imparted about Port Charles will prove invaluable in helping him acclimate. She says, it’s been a pleasure. If there’s anything else he needs, don’t hesitate to ask. They clink coffee cups.

Diane asks Martin when she can expect a response to the divorce petition, and he says he assumed it would be put on pause after last night’s events. She says she understands, but unless instructed otherwise, she’s going to proceed with her client’s wishes. And if his client thinks she can be galivanting up on Capitol Hill with her son and her husband’s uncle, she needs to think again. He says, they’ll have to see how it shakes out at the custody hearing, and she says, or they can spare the upset if his client makes a compromise now. He says, a brave attempt. Now if she’ll excuse him, he thinks he should get back to his brother. He looks around, but Cyrus isn’t there.

Ric tells Alexis that the money belongs to Ava. She’s entitled to pain and suffering for the emotional duress she suffered when married to Nikolas. Alexis says she knows a thing or two about emotional duress having been married to Ric. Ava has mistaken her for an ATM. It’s not her money. She’s just the trustee. Ric says, she knows the Cassadine money ruins lives, like with Stephan and Nikolas. Even if Ava got all of what Nikolas gave her, Ace wouldn’t miss it. Alexis says, despite her reservations in giving it to Ace, Ava is not going to see a penny, and he says, if it was anybody but Ava, she’d be singing a different tune. She says she’d like him to leave. She enjoys the food here, and staring at him is making her lose her appetite. He leaves.

Carly tells Sonny, hindsight is a funny thing. You look back and see everything clearly and it’s easy to question your decisions. He says, they’re just torturing themselves here and can’t change the past. She says, it would be nice if they could. She was thinking about if she had to do it over, knowing what she knows, would she do it differently? He says, of all the wrong turns they made, there’s one thing they did right – their kids. Michael, Morgan, and Donna, they’re amazing kids. She says, Michael is special, and Sonny says, he is. She says, they have to present a united front. Their strength will be Michael’s strength. Sonny says he’s going to check on the doctors. They’re going to go through this. Hit it face on as a family. He takes her hand, and she says, yes.

Willow asks what other recourse she has, and Drew says, even though she filed for separation and Michael filed for divorce, they’re still legally husband and wife. If Michael made her his healthcare proxy, that’s still valid. She’s holding the cards. Michael is badly injured, a lot of decisions will need to be made about his healthcare, and Carly and Sonny think they’re in charge. Nina asks if he’s suggesting using the fact that Willow is Michael’s wife as a bargaining chip to get the kids back, and he says, exactly. She can deny Carly, Sonny, or anybody else access to Michael. Willow says she would never do that. Things weren’t great between her and Michael, but Michael is a good person and an amazing dad. Even after everyone saw the video, he let her take the kids so they could be with her. She’s not going to pay him back by keeping his family from him. Drew says, it’s Sonny and Carly that she’s up against, not Michael. Carly is angry about them being together, and it could be the only leverage she has to get her kids back.

Jason tells Sasha that Sonny and Carly are on their way back from the chapel and suggests he give her a ride home. She says she probably shouldn’t drive this upset and thanks him. They leave.

Sonny asks, how’s Michael? and Portia says, his condition remains the same. Carly asks if there are any long-term burn recovery units she recommends. They’d like to get him set up as soon as possible. Willow pops out and says, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s Michael’s wife and she’ll be making the decisions about his care. She’s the only one the doctors will be talking to. (Wow. She nasty.)

Felicia tells Josslyn that she’s sorry. That’s all she remembers. She wishes she was more help. Josslyn says, even small details matter in cases like this, and Felicia says she did tell Chase there was something weird that she can’t put her finger on. She’s done everything she can to remember why she feels that way, but it still escapes her. Josslyn says, if she recalls it from beginning to end, it might come back. She was at Rice Plaza, picking out a tree with Georgie and James. There were holiday lights and carolers, the college kids fighting before Dex and his partner ran them off. The elevator dings, and Felicia says she sees what it is. It’s the bell. Josslyn asks, what bell? and Felicia says, that’s what she was trying to remember. Cyrus was at Rice Plaza taking donations and he had a bell he was ringing the entire time. Jack listens from the other side of the desk, and Felicia says, when Dex was stabbed, there was no sound. Cyrus had stopped ringing the bell.  

We see slippered feet walk into Michael’s room and gloved hands closing the door and the blinds. Standing next to Michael’s bed, Cyrus says he knows Michael is in terrible pain, but it will soon be over. He’ll be at peace. God will call him home. He puts his hand on Michael’s forehead and says, may your soul be surrounded by divine light. He takes out a syringe and prepares it. He checks Michael’s IV bag, plunges the needle in, and we see that it’s digitalis.

On Monday, Tracy tells Cody that if he invests, that money will be gone; Laura says, Dante did the right thing by going after Lulu; Nina tells Sonny not to waste precious time on this fight; and Isaiah says, Michael will die either way.

I have to say, I didn’t see another digitalis death coming. As much as I hate all these characters being killed off, it is one hell of a storyline.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

This is just horrific. I had to turn off the news the first night. While I know I’d cry over losing my stuff too, if everyone and their pets gets out alive, that’s the most important thing.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/soap-stars-share-wildfire-updates

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-opens-up-about-losing-everything

They read the room.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/2025-daytime-emmy-awards-rescheduled-to-october

In happier news. Hopefully, this gets enough viewers to stay on the air. Many a decent show has been cancelled because it wasn’t given enough time to build up an audience.

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

💊 A Dose Of Reality…

Here’s what happened all week on…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Another group of demanding, immature guests, who were – of all people – drag queens, who I would expect more empathy from even on a superyacht. TBH, Cloyce’s consistent inconsistency leaves something to be desired, but they didn’t have to make fun of him. Shame on them!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Love Boz and her boyfriend Keely. They seem like the perfect couple and it’s nice to watch. Erika and Dorit can both go pound sand. PK blindsided Dorit, saying he wanted a divorce during a 4-hour therapy session. Who has a 4-hour therapy session? I’d be done after 4 hours too. In an actual real non-screaming moment, Garcelle talked about the years she had to give Oliver tough love and how it killed her to not even let him in the house. She did it right though, because look at him now. That’s what reality TV should be about. Seeing the changes. Some of these women also need to get a vocabulary. Erika debuted her new single, Dominos, and it sounded like all her other singles. Like Jennifer said, it’s not going to win any awards for lyrics, but it’s catchy.

Real Housewives of New York City

While I do think Brynn has some good qualities, girlfriend needs to mature. She’s way too into stirring the pot and it’s not a good look. She picked on Jessel for having a penchant for glam. Really? Like she doesn’t?

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

I could barely sit through this. Meredith freaked out when she discovered out Britani was recording the back of a seat during a bus trip, screeching about how sneaky it was. I guess she forgot that Bravo recording them is actually the whole point and there are cameras on all the time. These women do nothing but find things to argue about, and they’re best response to an insult is, no, you. It didn’t sound any better when Heather had to explain what the word nefarious meant. Someone please get them a dictionary. They give me a headache. Except for Mary, who is still the MVP.

I also watched a little of Sold on SLC, and I think the crux of all their problems is the church. No judgement, to each his own, but if it isn’t lifting you up, get out. These people are all adults and feel they have to pretend to be a certain way just so they don’t get excommunicated. It’s doubtful they’re fooling anyone, so I’m guessing as long as they put their share into the collection plate or whatever, it’s all good. Seriously, if it’s making you hate yourself and everyone else, get out.

Southern Charm

Taylor’s picker still seems to be off, but hey, sometimes you need something in the moment that won’t be in your future. I’m more looking forward to next week when JT meets with Craig. Mostly because I want to see how JT makes an ass of himself this time.

This made me feel sad, but I get it.

Southern Hospitality

I still maintain that this show wants to be Vanderpump Rules 2.0, but misses it entirely. For every real moment, like the discussion between Michols and TJ about being gay in Charleston, there’s a ton of screaming, yelling, and heightened drama that belongs in a middle school.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

A Mother’s Instinct. I love the 60s time period, which is why I chose to watch this. But I stayed for the twisty-turny plot and the incredible acting.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mothers-instinct-neon-film-review-2024

Smile 2. I know a lot of people liked the first one, but I wasn’t one of them. It was okay, but I wasn’t thrilled with the ending. I’d seen the trailer for this when I saw Red One, and thought it looked promising. I was right. I actually thought this was better than the first one. This article pretty much sums up why. The costumes were also quite fabulous.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-watched-smile-2-i-need-to-talk-about-why-horrors-of-fake-smile-got-to-me

The Deliverance. More of a straight on horror film, based on so-called true events. Like both Lovecraft Country and Them, real life horror parallels supernatural horror. It was a captivating ride, capturing the truth of trying to escape poverty, along with the terror of living in a haunted house. Lee Daniels is a master and he snagged Glenn Close. It was definitely worth the time.

Nightbitch. I was looking forward to seeing this and it didn’t disappoint. You don’t need to be a mom to relate either. It gave me all the feels – it was funny, sad, poignant, and joyous. And there was an apology at the end that every man should watch. A bonus for me was seeing Jessica Harper, Janet from one of my favorite films, Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment. It was also nice to see an actress aging like a normal human.

🏆 And You Get an Award…

Golden Globe winners.

https://ew.com/2025-golden-globes-winners-full-list-8769343

Golden Globe fashion. Holy! Zendaya looks just like Elizabeth from GH.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37442/2025-golden-globes-red-carpet-fashion

https://pagesix.com/2025/01/07/style/melissa-rivers-on-the-best-and-worst-golden-globes-2025-looks/

Awards to come. The SAG nominations.

https://ew.com/2025-sag-awards-nominations-full-list-8770586

🎉 Bravo For the New Year…

Including one of my all-time favorite New Year’s Eves – the night Giggy married Grandma Wrinkles.

🐕 Bowling For Pups…

Coming February 11th. Be there or be a cat.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/get-ready-for-puppy-bowl-xxi-

🪂 Quotes of the Week

Your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think that you’ve lost time. There is no short cutting to life. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time. – Asha Tyson

It’s never too late to never give up. – Pamela Anderson

Youth has no age. – Pablo Picasso

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

Things just tend to accumulate after Labor Day. What can I tell you?Little Edie Beale, Grey Gardens

My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. – President Jimmy Carter

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me again next Friday for soap, recaps, what to watch (or not), and other entertainment nonsense. Until then, stay safe; stay helping a neighbor shovel after a snowstorm; and stay telling the people in your life how much you love them. Don’t let that be a regret.

January 3, 2025 – Sonny Makes a Request Of Jason, Soap Suds, Southern Talk, NJ Tirade, Hard To Do, Finished Watch, Coming Up, Holiday Hangover, Star Celebrations, Times Square, Piffle Clone, Ha-Ha, A Half-Dozen Quotes & Feeling

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

On Thursday:

Isaiah told Sonny that he has to see a cardiologist.

In Prague, the sniper shot through the café window, missing Valentin. Valentin grabbed Charlotte and took off, but when Lulu and Dante followed, all they found was Charlotte’s air tag in a nearby planter.

Michael told Sasha that he thought he and Willow were headed for divorce, and Sasha told Michael that she was pregnant, but she didn’t want him involved. Michael reluctantly agreed.

Drew talked Willow into coming to DC with him for his swearing in ceremony.

Alexis told Ava that the Cassadine money had really belonged to Spencer and now belonged to Ace.

Anna went to Jack’s hotel room, and he still insisted he had no information on Valentin. He got a call from Collette about Valentin escaping, and when he hung up, Anna tased him because she wanted his full attention. She told him that she knew he’d met Emma, and that Emma was off limits.

Moving on to Friday…

Prague, Czech Republic. Dante brings Lulu to her hotel room, and she tells him that he doesn’t have to stay. He escorted her back and she’s fine. He can go to his room. He says, so she can hit the streets as soon as he takes off? and she says she could promise that, but she’s not going to lie to him. He asks if she’s going to go to the town square and yell Charlotte’s name when she and Valentin are long gone. She says, thanks to him.

In a car parked somewhere, Charlotte asks if Valentin is sure he’s okay. He says he’s fine. How is she? She says she’s sorry. It’s all her fault.

Sasha comes into Michael’s office and says, she can go if he has something more important going on, but he says, nothing is more important, and asks her to have a seat. She sits, and he says he respects her decision to raise the baby alone, but he has to ask her to do something for him. Stay in Port Charles.

Nina goes to Curtis’s office and says she assumes he hasn’t spoken to Drew. He says, no and he doesn’t expect to. Nina says, he’s in Washington DC with her daughter.

At the penthouse, Isaiah advises Sonny to see Dr. Pasternak. His reputation as a cardiologist is excellent. Isaiah is still new to GH, but his referral should get Sonny in. Dr. Pasternak is usually booked up. Sonny says he’ll get checked out. Just so Isaiah knows, whoever he talks to needs to be discreet. Isaiah says, Sonny’s number one priority should be getting his heart looked at as soon as possible, when Jason comes in and says, good to see Isaish again.  

Lulu tells Dante that she promised to come alone. She kept her promise, but now she’s worried Charlotte thinks she’s a liar. Valentin certainly does. God only knows what he’s telling her. Charlotte hasn’t seen her in four years, and she’s been under the sole influence of her father. It was her one opportunity to regain Charlotte’s trust and Dante blew it to hell. Dante says he was trying to look out for her, and she says, did she ask him to? How did he find her anyway? He says he knows people, and she says, great. Just great. What gives him the right? She’s not lying helpless in a hospital bed. She doesn’t need a minder and he’s not her husband, but Charlotte is her daughter, and she’ll find Charlotte any way she damn well pleases.

Valentin says, none of this is Charlotte’s fault, but Charlotte says, he told her not to contact anyone back home. She texted Rocco and talked to her mom. She told her mom where they were. She did everything Valentin told her not to. Valentin says, her mother is awake after four years and Charlotte wanted to see her. It’s nobody’s fault. Charlotte says she was being stupid. When they were in the Christmas market, she saw families and thought it would be okay to text Merry Christmas to Rocco. Valentin says, she’s a fugitive because of the choices he made. She has to follow the rules to be safe on the run. She says she broke the rules, and he almost got killed. He says, she broke the rules because they’re not fair to her. What he’s asking her to do isn’t fair.  

Sasha tells Michael that part of her wants to stay. Even before she got pregnant, when she was pretending to be Nina’s daughter, she loved the fantasy of having a family. Now she has a family of her own and she’s starting to know them. She’d like the baby to know them too. He asks, what’s the problem? and she says, secrets have a way of coming out, so it’s best if she leaves Port Charles. She gets up, and he asks if it isn’t most important that the baby have a safe, stable life. It would be helpful to have family nearby, including himself. What about a medical crisis? Isn’t it better to have a support system in place? He won’t fight her on her decision. He’s just asking and he’s hoping she decides to stay.

Curtis says, Drew took Willow to his congressional swearing in? and Nina says, what could be more appropriate than Drew putting his hand on a Bible as Willow stares at him with stars in her eyes? Did she forget to mention that Willow brought Wiley? Drew couldn’t be more clear about his intentions. Curtis says, damn. What does Michael think? She says she doubts he knows yet, and Curtis says, she’s probably right. It’s a bold move to take Michael’s wife and son to his swearing in. He knows good and well that it’s a high-profile event and there will be press coverage. She says, what does he care if he blows up Willow’s life even more? She knows Curtis is the new CEO and understands he has more important things to worry about than Drew’s bad behavior. He says, Nina is still his friend. It’s not rocket science to know why she’s upset. Nina says, Drew will destroy Willow’s life. Willow doesn’t see what’s happening and Drew doesn’t care about the consequences. He’s not doing anything to protect Willow or her family. Curtis says, she’s not wrong. Drew will do what’s best for Drew. But they both know that’s not the only reason Nina is so upset.

Isaiah says he’s leaving, and Sonny thanks him for stopping by. He walks Isaiah to the door, and Isaiah leaves. Sonny says, Jason isn’t asking what’s wrong, and Jason says he figures Sonny will tell him if he wants him to know. Sonny says, something is wrong with his heart. He had an incident where his heart was racing and it didn’t slow down, but it passed. He had a twinge when he was with Kristina, but it passed, so he went to the gym and worked out. It felt like his chest was tightening like he never felt before and fell to his knees. He was trying to get his phone, when Dr. Gannon showed up. Jason says, good thing he was there. Sonny hasn’t gone to the hospital yet? Sonny says, no, and Jason says he can arrange for Sonny to go to a private out of state hospital, but Sonny says he thinks they’re overreacting. Isaiah gave him a prescription. Jason says, he can’t mess around with his heart. Isaiah isn’t a cardiologist. He needs to see a specialist. Sonny says he’ll see one eventually. This was a wake-up call, and he has to change how he runs the business.

Curtis says, Nina played a key role in Drew getting elected. Is any part of her pissed that it’s not her standing there? Nina says she wants no part of DC. Drew thinks he can do whatever he wants with whomever wants. She thought there was more to him than that. Curtis says, as did he. He considered Drew a good friend for a long time. He risked his life for Drew and now he’s had to reframe his perspective. Nina wonders what happened. Is Drew so slick he fooled them both or did he change? Curtis says, he definitely changed. He doesn’t know if it was prison or Drew becoming a politician. They can analyze it all night, but Drew is who he is now. The same man who’s willing to sleep with his nephew’s wife and throw him under the bus at Aurora. Nina says she’s sorry. Drew let them all down. Curtis says, he certainly did. Drew isn’t the man they thought he was and he’s going to deal with Drew the way he is now. He strongly suggests she do the same.

Sasha asks if Michael has thought about what happens with him and Willow if she stays. What if they decide to save their marriage? Michael tells her not to let him impact her decision. Let him worry about that. She says, and the Quartermaines. She’s already dreading telling them. They’ll all assume Cody is the father, and when she convinces them that he’s not, they’re going to wonder who is. What does she do? Lie and say it was some random guy she met in a bar? Tracy will love that. He says, it’s no one’s business. They’ll have to respect her privacy. She asks when the Quartermaines have respected privacy. She doesn’t know if she can keep working there and she can’t keep living there. He says, no problem. He can take care of that.

Valentin says, Charlotte admitted she contacted her mother. She trusted him with the truth. She says, because she loves him. She doesn’t want them to keep secrets from each other. He says, when she told him, he should have moved them to a new place, taken them underground. She asks why he didn’t, and he says he wanted this for her. They’ve been praying for this for years and he wanted her to see her mother. It’s his mistake believing Lulu would come alone. She asks if he thinks Lulu is responsible for this nightmare.

Dante asks if Lulu is hearing herself. She came to Prague to meet Charlotte and convince her to go home. Did she think Charlotte was going be ready with her passport? She says she doesn’t think Valentin would let Charlotte go around without proof of identification. She’s sure Charlotte had it with her. He asks if she was sure Valentin wasn’t watching them, but she says, it doesn’t matter. She was this close to Valentin letting Charlotte go with her. He asks what she’s basing that on, and she says, Valentin knew Charlotte was going to see her. Charlotte told him and he gave her permission. Dante says, because he wanted to look like the good guy, and Lulu would look like the bad guy trying to tear Charlotte away. He was manipulating them. Lulu says she was getting through to Valentin. He could see that her taking Charlotte home instead of her having a life on the run was the right thing to do. Dante says, Valentin was playing her.

Michael says, if Sasha doesn’t have the finances, he does, but she says, that’s a firm no. She intends to raise the baby on her own and she’s not asking him for a check. He says, she’s not asking; he’s offering. Before she says, no… She says she did, and he asks if she’ll reconsider. If she has money, it will mean a better life for the baby. She says she can and will raise the baby independently. She promises the baby will have a happy, healthy home and she’ll provide everything he or she needs. They’ll want for nothing, especially love. He says he believes her and in her, but if she finds herself needing anything, promise she’ll reach out. She thanks him and says she knows he means it. She’ll stay in Port Charles. He thanks her, and she says he makes some excellent points. He says, she’s a good negotiator, and she says she had inside information that she already knew the baby’s father is a great guy. He thanks her and she says if she had to get accidently pregnant, she’s glad it’s with him. He says, him too, and thanks her for staying.  

Nina says she sees who Drew is, but Willow doesn’t. She’s spellbound and doesn’t realize he’s responsible for blowing up her life. She’s falling for his act, his noble façade and longing looks, pretending he’s pining away for her. Please. If she only knew everything. He says, Nina could clear things up for Willow. There’s crucial information missing, but he’s sure Nina could provide something to make her see Drew more clearly.

Sonny says, there’s nothing like lying on the floor, helpless, thinking, what happens to his children if he dies? He thought it could be Nixon Falls all over again. Jason says, everyone thought Sonny was dead. He and Carly had to step up and take care of the business. Sonny says, Carly almost went to prison, and Jason says, it’s over. They managed. Right now, business should take a backseat, and Sonny should focus on his treatment. Sonny says he knows Jason can run the business short term, but he’s talking long term. They have to think about what’s coming.

Lulu says she doesn’t need to trust Valentin, and Dante asks if she thought Valentin would let her take off with Charlotte. The same guy who’s been fighting to keep Charlotte to himself for her whole life. She says, Valentin has changed, but Dante says, he hasn’t. She says, Dante didn’t hear him and didn’t see his face. He was a heartbeat away from letting her leave with Charlotte. He says, it’s lucky Charlotte didn’t watch her father die, and she says, the sniper followed Dante. Dante says, she doesn’t really believe that, does she? She was the one tearing through Europe, telling anyone who would listen that she was going after Valentin Cassadine. And she doesn’t think she was on anybody’s radar? The sniper hit five minutes after he got there. Does she think that was enough time for them to trail him, get in position, and take a shot? He’s sorry, but the sniper was following her.

Valentin says he doesn’t think Charlotte’s mother tried to kill him, and Charlotte asks if he’s sure. He says he thinks she’d enlist Dante’s help to get Charlotte back, but doesn’t think she’s responsible for the attempt on his life. He thinks she was followed. Charlotte asks how he knows, and he says, because it would hurt Charlotte, and that’s something Lulu would never do. But there are people who want to see her harmed. That’s why they have to keep running, to stay alive, but she doesn’t have to stay with him.

Sasha goes to the hospital and asks for an appointment with Dr. Navarro. The nurse at the reception desk asks if she’s been a patient, and Sasha says she was. Sasha Corbin. The nurse brings up her chart and says she can make an appointment, but needs to advise Sasha that there have been changes in the prenatal program since she was last here. The patient advocate can update her. Felicia comes by, and the nurse calls to her. Felicia asks if she can help Sasha, and Sasha says, yeah. She thinks Felicia can.

Nina asks how Curtis knows she and Drew were sleeping together. Did Drew tell him? He says, no. She just did. She told him that there could be more between her and Drew, and they’ve been spending more time together. It’s not a far jump. She says, they’re consenting adults and she has nothing to be ashamed of, but he tells her that he’s not saying she did. He’s saying the situation is layered. Drew bridged the gap between her and Willow. She asks if he’s saying she should be grateful that Drew brought them together and ignore that Drew blew up Willow’s married life. Does he think she’s an opportunist? Curtis says he’s not judging, but wants her to be realistic about herself and her daughter. She says, Willow wouldn’t be living with her if Drew hadn’t put it in motion. She thinks Willow is better off without Michael, but should absolutely not be with Drew. But she can’t make Willow see that. Curtis says he knows one way. Tell Willow the truth.

Lulu says, if Dante is convinced the sniper followed her, that means Valentin is being hunted with guns. Charlotte is in danger, and she has to save her. She heads for the door, but Dante stops her. She asks, what should she do, give up? Let Charlotte stay and hope they keep ahead of whoever wants Valentin dead? He says, no. He’s not telling her to give up. He’s saying, let the professionals handle it. She just got her life back and has a son who loves and misses her. She should be grateful for that right now. She says she is grateful. She loves Rocco, but she’s also Charlotte’s mother. Rocco is safe in Port Charles. She can’t stop until Charlotte is home and safe with him.  

Sonny tells Jason that he was five minutes away from going to prison. Jagger was threatening Kristina, and he was ready to confess to the whole shebang. Jason says, he didn’t, and Cates is no longer a problem. Sonny says, there are other problems. Who brought the gun to the PCPD that cleared Alexis of Cates’s murder? Who found his gun and turned it in and why? Jason says, it was too convenient, and Sonny says he just wants to know his children are taken care of. He gave Charlie’s to Kristina. Jason says he heard, and Sonny says, Alexis is worried that it will put Kristina in the spotlight, and it will be audited. Jason says, that’s going to happen. The coffee business gets audited all the time and they pass. And there’s no way Sonny would use his kids. Sonny says, the Feds don’t know that. He’s tired of being a burden to his kids. Jason says he doesn’t think Sonny’s kids think that. They love him and need him. Sonny says he knows. He thinks it’s time to take a step back and hand the business to Jason.  

Jason says, Sonny wants to hand the business to him? and Sonny says, there’s nobody else he trusts to maintain it. Jason has always been in his corner, and he could count on him. He appreciates that. Jason says he’ll always be loyal to Sonny and can be Sonny’s second. He can step up anytime and run the business on a short-term basis, but he’s sorry. He can’t take over the organization.

Felicia says, anything Sasha wants to discuss is protected by HIPPA, and Sasha says she appreciates that. She wants Felicia to know what’s going on. She’s pregnant. She adds quickly, Cody’s not the father, and Felicia says, good to know. How does she feel? Sasha says, nervous… excited. She’s moving forward with the pregnancy. Felicia asks if Sasha minds if she takes a few notes. She assumes Sasha is here because she wants to register for prenatal care. Will the father be involved? Sasha says she’s doing it all on her own, and Felicia says, okay. That’s perfectly fine. They usually access the father’s medical records, but that’s not always possible. The priority is to make sure Sasha feels cared for and she and her baby are supported.

Nina tells Curtis that she can’t just say she forgot to mention she and Drew are sleeping together, but Curtis says he’s sure she’ll find a tactful way. She says, no amount of tact will help her tell Willow that she and Drew are sleeping together while Willow follows him with stars in her eyes. What kills her is that she was so grateful to Drew for bringing her and Willow together, she didn’t see that Drew did it to make himself look good. Now he’s brazenly pursuing Willow and parading her around town, and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Michael walks in and says, stop what? Nina says she’s not sure if Michael heard, but Willow brought Wiley to Drew’s swearing in ceremony. Willow thought it would be nice for Wiley to see the monuments and see how the political system works. Amelia is with the nanny and Nina is going home soon. Michael says, that’s fine. He wants to talk to Curtis about the projections and the Tokyo project when he has a minute. (I want to know what the Tokyo project is. They’ve talked about it enough.) Curtis says, sure, and Michael leaves. Nina says, that’s strange. He didn’t react at all to the news about Drew and Willow. Curtis says, that should concern her.

Lulu says, Dante is making this about her choosing between her children, but he says, not really. Charlotte chose Valentin, while for the last four years, Rocco has been by Lulu’s bedside willing her to wake up. When she did, she traveled halfway around the world to another continent. She says, to find Rocco’s sister and bring her home. Is he telling her that he wouldn’t do the exact same thing? He says he would, but not like this. Valentin is flying under the radar, but if she keeps chasing him, she’s going to bring attention to him, and it could cause Charlotte to get shot. She says, Charlotte was already shot, and it was kept from her. Valentin told her about Anna shooting Charlotte. Dante says, it was a horrible accident. Right now, it’s her choice to protect Charlotte and not bring her harm. She asks if he thinks she’d knowingly bring harm to Charlotte, and he says he doesn’t. He feels like she’s not hearing him. She traveled here with a sniper trailing her. She could have died. That’s what life is like in Valentin’s world. She says, all the more reason to get her daughter away, and he asks if she’s willing to risk her life. Her son lost her once. He’s not going to let Rocco lose her again.  

Valentin says he watched Charlotte with her mother. They both looked so happy. Charlotte says, it was weird at first, forced. It’s been so long since she’s seen Lulu awake. After they got going, it was great. They talked about Rocco, grandma, and the rest of the family. That’s what she thinks she misses the most, talking and spending time together. He says, she deserves moments like that. She doesn’t have to stay with him. She can go home to her mother.

Felicia says she’ll make sure Sasha gets an appointment with Dr. Navarro as soon as possible, and Sasha thanks her. Felicia says, no pressure, but Sasha should consider telling her parents. Robert is an excellent grandfather. Sasha says she’s not sure how her mother feels about being a grandmother, and Felicia says, Holly might surprise her. Sasha says she’ll think about it. They’ve got a lot on their plate. Maxie knows. She was the first person Sasha told. Felicia says she’s glad Sasha had someone to talk to. She knows Sasha said she wants to do this on her own,  but she has a family who loves her and they’re more than happy to support her. Speaking of which, she needs an emergency contact. Who should she put down? Sasha wonders if Maxie would do it, and Felicia says she’s sure Maxie would, but can’t speak for her. She’ll put herself down for now. Sasha says she likes that.  

Curtis tells Nina that his Aunt Stella says, still waters run deep. That’s Michael. Drew made a big mistake in making Michael the enemy. Nina says, Willow could be collateral damage if she stays close to Drew, and Curtis says, exactly. He knows Nina loves her daughter and she’s worried if she tells Willow the truth about her and Drew that she’ll lose her, but his advice is to come clean now. Secrets are ticking time bombs. The longer she lets it play out, the bigger the explosion will be.  

In his office, Michael looks at his phone. He sees a photo of Willow and Drew in The Invader. He calls Diane and says, Willow went to Washington DC with Drew and took Wiley without his permission. Can they use that?

Jason says, Sam’s death changed everything. Danny had a stable home with her and Dante. That’s not the case anymore. Sonny says, Jason is his only parent, and Jason says, Danny lost his mom and he’s putting Danny first. He deserves that and more, but on a practical level, that leaves Sonny without anyone to handle the organization. Sonny says, there’s nobody responsible enough for him to do that.

Valentin says he’ll put Charlotte on a flight back to Port Charles, but she can’t contact him. She says, if she’s with her mom, she’ll never see him, but if she’s with him, she’ll never see mom? He says, that appears to be the choice. He’s sorry. They both love her, but they have different situations. She says, her mom has Rocco, Dante, grandma, and so many others who love her. They only have each other. That’s how it’s been from the start. She wants to stay with him. He asks if she’s sure, and she says she is. He hugs her, and she says she can’t leave him. He says, okay then, and starts the car.

Lulu says she’s not going to agree to head back and let them handle it, and Dante says, that’s it? Nothing he said made a damn bit of difference. She says, it’s her life, and he says he gets that. It doesn’t matter who sacrificed theirs so she could have it. Sam died so she could have her life. She says, that’s not fair, and he says, she wants to talk fair? Sam is dead, his fiancé and the mother of two kids, the woman who helped him raise Rocco when Lulu couldn’t. She’s dead and Lulu is about to risk everything Sam saved. Her son is with her and she’s going to throw that away. She doesn’t care about any of it. Lulu says she’s grateful Sam died for her and she’s sorry about what he’s going through, but this is still her life. She makes her choices and she’s going to fight for her children. He says, anything she does will put Charlotte at risk or she can come home to the son who doesn’t matter so much to her anymore. He leaves, and Lulu throws a vase at the door and screams, dammit!

On Monday, Carly wonders if Willow has lost her mind; Willow is worried about Michael taking the kids from her; Portia tells Cyrus that he’s no longer welcome at the hospital; and Jack tells Collette that if Charlotte led them to Valentin once, she’ll do it again.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

He’s got some selfcare to do.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-reveals-why-he-left-general-hospital

This is a tease all right. He got headshots. So he has an audition?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-teases-his-new-project

Farewell to the first Carmine.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-alum-john-capodice-dead-at-83

How they celebrated.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/see-how-your-favorite-soap-stars-celebrated-new-years

🧵 Sew Charming…

This week’s recap. Patricia looks amazing for 108. Her age words, not mine. She also looks amazing for 83, her real age.

Here’s hoping Craig doesn’t regress. He’s kind of been the voice of reason since Paige came along.

👠 A Celebrity In Her Own Mind…

This woman is the worst.

😢 Sniff…

I’m sorry to hear this. They seemed like a great couple.

https://people.com/trixie-mattel-david-silver-break-up-after-8-years-dating-8679753

👀 Last Night’s Watch…

I finished this last night and now I’ve started on the book. It started slow, but once it picked up speed, I was all in, and it didn’t disappoint. I love an apocalypse.

https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/mgms-earth-abides-is-a-quietly-compelling-take-on-rebuilding-humanity-from-scratch.php

💻 What’s To Come…

What’s new for 2025.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/2025-new-tv-shows

🎅 Christmas Leftovers…

Amazing winter photos.

https://www.discovery.com/nature/get-in-the-holiday-spirit-in-this-winter-waterland-pictures

Christmas traditions all over the world.

https://www.discovery.com/exploration/6-global-christmas-traditions-pictures

Visit Santa’s hometown.

https://www.discovery.com/exploration/visit-santa-s-hometown-in-finnish-lapland

🎉 How They Rang It In…

How the stars celebrated New Year’s Eve.

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20250102_b4a16a250c4a49fd99dc3fbe49873fb6/

https://people.com/best-photos-stars-celebrating-new-year-2025-8767787

🗽 Having a Ball…

Waiting for the drop.

What happens in Times Square stays in The Post.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/31/world-news/new-years-2025-live-updates-photos-from-nyc-around-the-world/

🐶 Piffles All Over Again…

While it might not exactly be the same dog, it’s still amazing.

https://ew.com/queer-eye-dog-mr-piffles-cloned-by-magician-owner-piff-the-magic-dragon-8767593

My Cuddle Clone of Ralph

🃏 A Joke…

What does a polar bear eat after the dentist fixes his tooth?

The dentist.

🔊 Quotes of the Week

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

Those aren’t glasses. They’re aquariums with stems. – Molly (Melissa McCarthy), Mike & Molly

You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past. – Richard Bach

Love what you have. Need what you want. Accept what you receive. Give what you can. Always remember, what goes around, comes around. – Unknown

Understudies are the substitute teachers of the theatre world. – Kramer (Michael Richards), Seinfeld

📆 Turning the Page…

Join me next Friday for soap and what to watch (or not). Until then, stay safe; stay leaving the problems of 2024 behind; and stay remembering that secrets are ticking time bombs. The longer you let them play out, the bigger the explosion will be.

January 2, 2024 – It Can’t Get Worse, TempSam, His Fave, Soapy New Year, Salty Talk, Worst In Real, Upcoming Vampire, Roll Calls, Star Celebrations, Furry Resolutions & 2525

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In bed with Drew, Carly says, she thought this was going to be a horrible New Year’s Eve, that she was going to be spending it all by herself, but here he is. She must be dreaming. He says, it’s no dream; it’s real. She says, no way. She must still be asleep. This is too good to be true. He says, let him convince her that he’s really here, and they kiss.

TempSam (see below) and Dante stand on the terrace watching the fireworks. Dante says, and just like that, it is 2024, and Sam says, time goes so fast. She’s sorry their plans got stalled tonight. He says, is she kidding? It wouldn’t be any fun at The Savoy knowing Scout’s at home sick with a sitter. Besides, does she really want to get dressed up and celebrate with a bunch of people? Because he doesn’t. He’d rather celebrate it right here. She says, he really doesn’t mind? and he says he really doesn’t. He’s right where he wants to be. She says she is too, and they kiss. He picks her up and carries her inside.

Brook and Chase go into the Quartermaine mansion, and Brook says, let’s make it quick. Get in and get out. They make a beeline for the living room.

At Pier 54, Michael’s phone rings. He asks Willow if everything’s okay. She’s supposed to be here for the fireworks. She says, everything’s fine, but she got held up, and asks where he is now. He says he’s at the pier. The fireworks are almost over. Does she want to meet at The Savoy? She says, sounds good. She’ll see him there. Ned and Olivia arrive at the pier, and Olivia asks Michael if Sonny’s here, but Michael says he hasn’t seen Sonny. Olivia says, Lois didn’t make it back here either, and Ned says, maybe they’re still at the club. Olivia says, they have to get back there – now.

In her office, Nina fingers her engagement ring, and flashes back to marrying Sonny. She remembers him telling her that he loves her and always will. She says she has to tell Sonny, and gathers up her stuff. She opens the door and Willow is there.

Sonny asks, who’s lying to him? and Lois says she’s sorry she has to be the one to tell him, because they’ve been friends for a really long… He says, she hasn’t told him anything yet, and she says she knows who really ratted out Carly and Drew to the SEC. And his family knows too.

Carrying in a bottle of champagne, Brook tells Chase that they’re going to ring in the new year with the good stuff. He says, all right. Come on. Let’s go. He heads for the door, but she sits down, and he asks what she’s doing. He thought their plan was to get it and get out before anybody else shows up. She pops the cork and says, too late. The cork’s out of the bottle. He knows her motto: It’s better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. He says, or they could not get on Ned’s bad side, and she says, look at him, trying to score points with his future father-in-law. Trust her. Dad will get over it. He says, there was champagne at the club, and she says, it was great to see Blaze perform, but that place was a dive bar. It is a well-respected dive bar where many a future rock star has appeared. It was a solid booking. He says, and Blaze did amazing, and Brook says, she did, but that champagne was swill. He says he wouldn’t know; he stuck to the ginger ale. She says, good for him. She has to cleanse her palate. And tonight is their first New Year’s Eve as an engaged couple. What’s a more special occasion than that? His phone dings, he looks at it, and says, whoa.

Dante and Sam kiss, when Scout walks in. She says she had a bad dream.

Drew and Carly clink champagne glasses and kiss. She says, if this is any indication of what’s going to happen in 2024, this is going to be a damn good year, and he tells her that he couldn’t have said it better himself. She says, he just got off a plan from Australia. Isn’t he jet lagged? He asks if he seems jet lagged. He is a little hungry though. She says she has tons of food in the kitchen. She can make him something. He says, if she doesn’t mind, he’ll take the lead on that. He knows how she is in the kitchen. She tells him that her kids say she makes the best brownies on the planet, and he says, those brownies from the box are really good, and they get out of bed.

Nina invites Willow in, and Willow says she took a chance that Nina would still be here. She remembers Nina mentioning she had to work New Year’s Eve. She’s sorry. Did she catch Nina on her way out? Nina says, she’s just in time, but she thought Willow would be at the New Year’s Eve party at The Savoy with Michael. Willow says, that was the plan, but then it hit a snag… Really. She shows Nina a rip in her dress, and says she got dressed at the hospital. She decided to check on a patient before she left, and her dress got caught on the door. She thought Nina could maybe help her out. Nina says, of course (🍷) she can.

Sonny says he doesn’t know why Lois is making a big deal about this. He knows Ned turned Carly and Drew in to the SEC. So what? She says, it wasn’t Ned. He’s been letting everyone believe it was him because it works to his advantage. He says, why would it work to Ned’s advantage? Why would he take the fall? Maybe she misunderstood what she heard. She says, no. Trust her. She’s the only one with her head on straight. If he doesn’t believe her, ask his son. Michael comes in with Ned and Olivia.

Chase says, it’s his dad, and Brook says, oh no. Did he get hurt? Is he at the hospital? He says, just the opposite. His dad sent photos of him skydiving. She says, what? and he says, how crazy is this? showing her the photos. She says, look at Gregory smiling; he’s so happy. Chase says, he really is. The way he looks in this photo is how his dad is to him. That’s who he was when Chase was growing up. He thought when his dad started using a cane, he’d never see him like this again. He’s really happy that his dad can jump out of an airplane. She asks, what’s wrong? and he says, it’s just that, before the ALS, it would never have occurred to his dad to go skydiving. He’s really making the most of the time he has left.

Dante hands Scout a glass, and says, when he was little and not feeling well, his mom always gave him ginger ale and that did the trick. Sam asks if Scout wants to tell her about the dream, and Scout says she had a dream about going to her new school. The teacher was a monster. She tried to get away, but she couldn’t. It was too fast. Sam holds her and says, it’s okay. She doesn’t have to go to that school if she doesn’t want to. Scout says, daddy will get mad at her, but Sam promises he won’t. Because she and Scout’s father just want what’s best for her. Scout says she thought they told her that school was the best, and Sam says, it’s a good school, but the best school is the one where Scout feels comfortable, and she enjoys learning. Scout says, so she doesn’t have to go? and Sam asks if that’s what she wants. Scout nods and says she wants to stay with her friends. Sam says, then no, she doesn’t have to go, and Scout thanks her.

Drew says, that hit the spot. Carly has to thank Josslyn for the leftovers. Carly asks what he’s talking about. Her name wasn’t on that box. He asks if they were hers, and she says, no. He says, Donna’s? The moss bowl’s🎍? and she says, no. He says he rests his case. If she complains about it, tell her that he owes her a yummy meal. She says, okay, and hands him a glass of champagne. He asks if they’re toasting the New Year, but she says, no. They already did that. They’re toasting his return. They clink glasses and kiss, and Carly asks, what happened? She thought he was extending his stay so he could negotiate more joint ventures. He says he got a little impatient with some of the board members in the company he was dealing with. He wasn’t quite as skillful as he thought he’d be. He figured it would be best to let a colleague finish the deal. She says, Drew Cain lost his patience, and he says, it was more like he kind of got out of there before he lost his patience and blew up the deal altogether. She says, wow. That’s not like him at all.

Michael asks, what’s going on? and Sonny says, that’s what he’d like to know. Lois says she told Sonny that it wasn’t Ned who pointed the SEC at Drew and Carly, and Olivia says, stop it. Lois says, he deserved to know. Michael, Olivia, and Ned (who Lois seems to think is Sonny’s whole family) know who’s really responsible. Olivia looks like she has a migraine, and Ned says, Lois is right. He didn’t go to the SEC. He wouldn’t hurt Carly that way. Sonny says, what about Drew? and Ned says, he and Drew have had their issues, but he’d never expose Drew to Federal scrutiny. Olivia says, Ned is telling the truth. He’s not the one who tipped off the SEC. Sonny says, Michael is very quiet over there. Is what Lois is saying true? Did Michael keep this from him? Michael flashes back to almost telling Sonny, but deciding not to, and Sonny saying, Michael can come to him with anything. Michael says, yeah. He did.

Chase tells Brook that he’s not going to keep bringing their whole night down. He’s not a doctor. His dad could be around for a long time. Brook says, okay, and hands him a glass of champagne. To her incredible fiancé, the best man she knows. They clink glasses and drink, then kiss. She says, okay, it’s his turn to toast something amazing about her. He says he doesn’t know what he’d toast about her, and she says, thank you. He says, there’s just so much. He wouldn’t know where to start. But he’ll start with her beauty, her kind heart, and her generous spirit. She’s wildly talented, and the way she makes him feel like he can do anything. So he’s toasting to all of the above. He loves her. She says she loves him too, and they’re about to kiss when his phone rings. She says, he really has to turn that off, but he answers, Detective Chase… No, they were right to call him. He’ll be right there. He says he’s sorry; he has to go. She asks if everything is all right, and he says, police business. He kisses her and leaves. She drinks down her champagne and picks up his glass, saying, no sense in wasting good champagne.

Sam says she just checked on Scout, and she’s out like a light. Dante says, poor kid. She’s really stressed out about this school. She says, it’s heartbreaking to be so afraid of changing schools and feel like she couldn’t say anything about it. He agrees and asks what she’s going to do, but she says she doesn’t know. She didn’t press the issue with Drew because she thought Scout was warming up to the idea of going to Westwood. Really, she was just saying what she thought he wanted to hear. Dante says, it’s tough. You want to get them out of their comfort zone so they can grow, but at the same time, you’ve got to respect their feelings. She says, yes, and that’s what she’s doing now. When Drew first brought the idea of Scout going to Westwood to her, she was totally worried about Scout going there; transferring her away from her friends at her current school, and right in the middle of the school year. Now that she sees how upset Scout is, she’s not going to make her go. He says he respects her position and her decision, but how does she think Drew’s going to react?

Drew asks if Carly thinks there’s something about the New Year that makes you want to make changes in your life, but she says she’s not good at New Year’s resolutions. If she makes a big, sweeping change, it usually blows up in her face and she backslides by February. The moss bowl🎍considers all the resolutions Carly has broken, and Drew says he just had a lot of time to think about things when he was in Australia. Some things he’s happy with, and some things he’s not. She says, like what? and he says he just kind of fell into a role he’s not comfortable with. He was just so grateful to be home after being held overseas that he fell into this role of peacekeeper with the Quartermaines. He felt it was his duty to get along with everybody, to calm the waters at ELQ, and that’s just not working for him anymore. Where was Ned’s loyalty to him? Ned’s the reason he got sent back to prison. She says she understands what he’s saying about Ned, and she agrees with him, but the rest… She loves how kind and generous and forgiving he is. He tells her that he’s just saying he’s not a choirboy. He’s a grown man and he’s got his limits. And he’s got an extended family that knows how to play dirty. Where has that forgiving nature got him other than months in Pentenville?

Sonny says, Michael knew? and Olivia says she thinks they’ve done enough damage for one night, looking at Lois. Lois says she hopes Sonny knows she only wanted to help, and Ned suggests they give Sonny and Michael some privacy. He leaves with Olivia and Lois, and Michael says he’s sorry, but Sonny says he doesn’t want to hear Michael’s apologies. Why didn’t Michael come to him as soon as he found out who turned Carly and Drew in? Michael says, there’s no clear-cut answer… and Sonny says, it’s very simple. Just tell him the truth. Michael says, it was best for everyone involved if Ned took the fall, and in the end, Ned agreed. Sonny asks why he would do that, and Michael says, because they made a business arrangement that worked out in Ned’s favor. Sonny says, it works out for Ned, yeah. He wheeled and dealed, and Michael kept his mom in the dark? Michael says he thought it best for everyone, including Sonny, and Sonny asks how lying is best for him. Michael says, because sometimes the truth can do more damage than a lie, and Sonny asks how long he’s known. Michael says, since October. He found out right after Sonny and Nina got married.

Willow comes out in a new dress – black, sparkly, sleeveless, and low cut – and Nina says, she looks lovely. Willow says, Nina’s Crimson closet of dresses sure came in handy. What does Nina think? Is this a good look for New Year’s Eve? Nina says, it’s almost perfect. She needs a necklace. Nina takes off the one she’s wearing and says, take hers, putting it on Willow. Yes. Much better. Willow says, this is so generous. Thank you. Nina says, anything for her, and Willow takes Nina’s hand, saying, she knew she could count on Nina. Nina’s eyes fill up with tears, and Willow asks, what’s wrong?

Sam tells Dante that Drew is just going to have to accept the fact Scout isn’t going to Westwood Academy, because this is about what’s best for their daughter, not what he wants. Dante says, he’s a reasonable guy. He’s going to understand Sam’s decision, and if he doesn’t, he’ll come around to it when he hears her side. She says she knows. He’s a terrific dad. She just thinks she’s going about this all wrong. He says, how so? and she says, isn’t she doing what Drew did? Making a unilateral decision without consulting the other parent? He saw how upset Scout was. She doesn’t know what else she’s supposed to do.

Carly says, they haven’t talked much about Drew’s time in Pentenville, and he asks, what is there to talk about? She says, for one thing, he’s different. She noticed a change when he got out. He’s coming down much harder on Ned, whereas before, he would have tried to keep peace in the family. He asks if that’s unreasonable, but she tells him that she didn’t say unreasonable; she said different. There’s the whole situation with Scout’s school. He asks if Sam told her that he got Scout into Westwood Academy, and she says, Sam told her that he announced it to her and Scout, without any discussion. He says, she’s going to have a lot more opportunities at that school than the one she’s at now, and Carly tells him that she’s not saying if it’s good or bad if Scout goes to that school. He asks what she is saying, and she tells him that she’s saying she loves him, and she’s concerned about him. He says, because he wants his daughter to go to an excellent school? and she says, because he went through hell, and it’s changed him. She just wants him to know that whatever he’s going through, he doesn’t have to carry it alone. She’s here.

Nina says, it’s nothing, and Willow says she knows they’re still figuring out their relationship, but she hopes one day they get to the point where they’re able to tell each other anything. Nina says she does too. She needs to tell Willow something… Looking at Willow, she’s reminded how they were robbed of the moments they didn’t get. Brushing Willow’s hair before school, looking at a million pictures from Willow’s prom, and helping her pick out her wedding dress. The list goes on. She was so happy when she found out she was pregnant, and she dreamed about all the things she would do if she had a daughter, and she had a daughter. But they never got to do those things. Willow says, the important thing is that they have each other now – she takes Nina’s hands – and there will be many more moments for them in the future.

I don’t know about you, but I feel sick.

Brook is about to leave, when Ned, Olivia, and Lois come in. Olivia asks what she’s doing here, and Brook says she was picking something up. Ned asks, how was Blaze’s show? and Brook says, it was great. She was phenomenal. Everybody loved her. She’s going to be a star. Lois says she thought Brook was spending tonight with her fiancé, and Brook says, they were. Chase got called into work. How was their night? Olivia says, Brook can direct that question to her mother, and Brook asks Lois if something happened. Lois says she’s sorry, but she and Olivia need to talk, privately. She steers Olivia into the living room and closes the door. Brook says, obviously, something happened, and asks Ned to tell her everything.

Lois says she knows Olivia is upset, and Olivia says, damn right she’s upset. What the hell was Lois thinking? Lois says she was thinking that Sonny is her good friend, and Olivia says, well, congratulations. She just ruined her good friend Sonny’s life.

Sonny says, Michael has known for over two months who tipped off the SEC about Carly and Drew? and Michael says, yeah. Sonny says, so Michael is telling him that he found out after his wedding. Michael knew how important it was for Sonny to have him at the wedding. So the whole reconciliation is a lie? Michael says, he loves Sonny. That’s not it… Sonny says, Michael loves him. So why didn’t Michael tell him the truth? Michael says he tried. He went to Sonny to tell him, and Sonny was just so happy, the happiest he’s seen Sonny in a long time, and Michael didn’t want to take that away from him. He also thought if he told Sonny the truth, something might be broken, maybe between them. Sonny says, Michael knows he loves him. He would never let anything be broken between them. Michael says that he knew if the truth came out, it would hurt Sonny more than anyone else.

Carly takes Drew’s hand and says, if he wants to leave what happened at Pentenville in the past, that’s fine. She just wants him to know that she loves him. She’s here for him, and if he ever needs her, all he has to do is ask. He says he just wants her to know that he hears her and appreciates her. He hugs her and tells her that he appreciates everything she’s saying so much. Just knowing she loves him and is here for him is all he needs. She says, if he changes his mind, ever, that’s okay, and he promises if he ever needs any support, he’ll come to her. Now what does she say he gets in the living room and makes a nice fire? They can finish that bottle of champagne and make some New Year’s resolutions they can actually keep. She says, like what? and he says, like taking long walks together. Like leaving their phones at home. She says she could do that, and he says, like Saturday morning donuts, and she says she could really do that. He says, like spending way less time with business when they could be in bed, and she says, these are some resolutions she can definitely get behind. They kiss, and he says he’s going to get started on that fire. He leaves, and she says, he’s definitely going to be okay. Her phone rings, and since the moss bowl🎍doesn’t answer phones, she picks it up.

Sam tells Dante that this is all relatively new to her. She’s basically been a single parent to both Scout and Danny, and she’s used to making all the big decisions on her own. He tells her that he’d say she’s done an awesome job because she has two awesome kids, and she thanks him. She says, when Drew first came back to Port Charles, they were basically in lockstep on how to parent Scout, until he came back from Pentenville. Dante says, maybe he’s just trying to put it behind him too fast. He knows he did the same thing. Drew probably wants to prove to himself and to Scout that he’s a good dad. What better way to prove that than to get your kid into some elite school? She says, but why not come to her first, so they could talk it over and see if it was appropriate for her? She knows Westwood is just one decision, but it’s a big one, and there are going to be so many more, bigger decisions the older she gets. He says, right. That’s why they have to get on the same page now, so down the line, they can make these decisions together. She says, right, but she just told Scout that she didn’t have to go to the school, without including Drew in the conversation. Did she just make a big mistake?

Lois says, Olivia can’t guilt her. Sonny had a right to know. Olivia says, but she told Lois in confidence, but Lois says, Olivia didn’t tell her anything. She figured it out on her own. Olivia says, whatever. She begged Lois not to say anything because this affects so many more people than just Sonny. Lois says, it affects Ned’s deal with Michael to get control of ELQ, and Olivia says, but it affects more people than just Ned. Since they’re on the subject of Ned, why don’t they talk about Ned? ELQ is his family company. He loves it. It means something to him. Just because Lois can’t stand it, she had no right to mess this up for him. Lois tells Olivia, what can she say? If she sees something, she says something. You know something funny? Olivia used to be the exact same way. Olivia says she thought Lois was her friend, and Lois says, she is Olivia’s friend, but she’s also Sonny’s friend. Olivia says she can’t even trust Lois now. She begged Lois not to say anything, but she had to go run her mouth and ruin everybody’s life. Lois says, the way she sees it, Olivia knows better than anyone what it means to keep secrets from Sonny. Olivia says, wow, and Lois says, Livvy… Olivia says, Lois said what she said because Olivia kept it a secret from Sonny that her child was his son? So that when Dante grows up and becomes a cop and goes undercover, he doesn’t realize he’s going after his father? That when Sonny finds out and doesn’t realize the cop that he’s shooting is his own son? Is that what Lois is talking about? No. Is that what Lois is throwing in her face right now? Her good friend?

Michael says he didn’t want to hurt Sonny, especially after getting him back, but Sonny says, the only way this would hurt him is if the person who turned Carly and Drew in to the SEC is someone he cares about. He knows Michael didn’t do it because Michael wouldn’t do that to his mother. Michael says, it wasn’t him, and Sonny says, so he must have good reason to withhold this information from Carly and Drew. What is it? Michael says, the informant wasn’t close to his mom or Drew, but exposing them would hurt someone else he loves very much. Sonny says, Willow, and Michael nods.

Willow tells Nina, it’s New Year’s Eve. How did they get talking on such a heavy topic? Tonight is all about new beginnings, right? Nina tells her, that’s what people say, and Willow suggests they head over to The Savoy. She thinks they’ve kept their husbands waiting long enough. Nina says, okay, and they get their bags. Willow says she’s not sure what to do with her dress, and Nina says, Crimson has a person that does alterations on the model’s dresses. She can make sure that is as good as new. Willow thanks her and says, that would be amazing. It’s a brand-new dress. She was going to wear it for the first time tonight. It would be great if it didn’t go to waste. Nina says, it just occurred to her that Willow could have gone to the Quartermaines to change, but she came here. Willow says, the Quartermaine house is so far away. Why go all the way home when she has a mother who works in fashion? She thanks Nina again for loaning her the new dress and fixing the old one. It really means a lot to her. Willow hugs Nina, and says, shall we? Nina says, after you, and follows Willow out. She closes the office door and leans against it for a moment, wishing she could cry, then leaves.

Dante says, it seems to him, the only mistake Sam would be making is forcing Scout to go to a school she strongly doesn’t want to go to. Sam says she knows Drew didn’t mean to put her in a rough spot, but Scout did feel like she has to change schools because it’s what he wants. Dante says he thinks Drew is a great dad, but he did put Scout in a rough spot and also put Sam in a tough spot. He thinks Sam should trust her instincts and try to make it right. She thanks him for having her back, and he says, she always has his. That’s what makes them so good together. They kiss, wish each other a Happy New Year, and get busy.

Brook says, let her see if she has this straight. Ned let everyone think it was him who tipped off the SEC about Carly and Drew’s insider trading? He says, actually, he was on his way to tell Drew who was really to blame when he slipped and fell and lost his memory. She says, them when he got his memory back, he made an agreement with Michael to keep quiet in exchange for Michael’s stock proxy? He says, that’s right, and she says, and people wonder why this family scares her sometimes. Olivia bursts out of the living room, and Lois begs her to wait. Olivia asks if Lois has some more helpful advice. Someone else’s secrets that she feels entitled to announce to the entire world? Lois says she went too far, and she knows it, and Olivia cries and says, the night Sonny shot Dante was her worst nightmare coming true. That moment haunts every quiet corner in her mind. Just tell her. How long has Lois had that locked and loaded and ready to throw in her face? Olivia runs outside, and Lois calls after her. Ned follows Olivia out, and Brook asks Lois, what did she do? Lois says she opened her big mouth, and she may have started the new year by losing her oldest friend.

Sonny says, what about Willow? and Michael says, Drew’s out of Pentenville. Mom’s happy running Kelly’s. She and Drew are happy together. Please, let this go. Sonny says he doesn’t want to hear that. Who is it? Nina and Willow come down the stairs, and Sonny asks again, who is it? Who turned his mom and Drew in to the SEC? Michael says, it was Nina, and Sonny turns around to see her.

Carly looks stunned, when Drew comes back and says, the fire’s lit… She stares at her phone, and he goes over to her, asking, what is it? She says, it was the embassy in Amsterdam. My mom’s dead.

Geez, can this day in Port Charles get any worse?

There was no preview. Just the full credits with Deck the Halls sung in the background. Which seems weird since we’re past New Year’s Day.

🚑 Sliding Into GH Like…

The latest in quick change artists.

🧮 Except For the Wig…

This was a favorite of mine too. And I’m with him on the wig. They’re annoying.

Easton Rocket Sweda Reveals His Favorite GH Episode of 2023

🥂 Soap Celebrations…

Like Christmas, it’s probably not much different from what we all do.

🧂 Salt This…

Biggest revelation – if we want to call it that – Jen gave Heather the black eye. But there weren’t any details. I want details. I kind of liked Monica after half-watching this season, and don’t think she’s necessarily the bad guy. She just suffers from the same boredom and lust for screen time that all the other Housewives do. And here’s a thought. If things are dark, dirty, and scandalous, don’t do them. Because Monica was right about one thing, nothing stays in the dark forever. Not in today’s society.

While I don’t do resolutions, I’m honestly rethinking watching any of the Housewives more than peripherally. They seem to start off with promise, but slide downhill faster than my local K-Mart did when it was new. I had the Salt Lakers on while I was doing something else, and there were so many bleeps I couldn’t even hear the conversation. While I was raised by a sailor and enjoy a colorful adjective, come on. These are adults with children and jobs… sort of. It just boggles my mind that they act like age five to middle school on any given day. Dropping huge bombs and grilling people on personal issues at parties or group dinners, who does that? And the mean girl ganging up that happens, like on RHOBH. While that behavior should never be acceptable, if you’re doing it after college, what are you doing? Go sit in the corner. I’ll get off the soapbox now, but they all might be reduced to a link next season. Here’s the salt.

https://people.com/rhoslc-recap-monica-garcia-trolling-account-exposed-season-4-finale-8421154

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhoslc-season-4-finale-recap-cast-updates-reunion-details

📺 Worst Of the Worst…

I can’t understand how they missed The Littlest Groom. I watched about half of one episode and couldn’t stomach the voyeuristic nature of the show. Since it was yanked off the air pretty quickly, I’m guessing other viewers felt the same.

https://ew.com/gallery/worst-reality-tv-shows-ever/

⚰️ Interview Times Two…

Season One was pretty impressive, so I’m sure it’s worth a watch.

https://ew.com/interview-with-the-vampire-season-2-jacob-anderson-interview-8417770

🌠 Stars That Dimmed…

Andrea Evans, Jackie Zeman and Treat Williams were big shockers for me. Norman Lear, not so much. I couldn’t believe when I saw the headline Cause of Death Revealed. At 101, what do you think it would be?

https://www.avclub.com/remembering-the-stars-we-lost-in-2023-1849997910

🎊 Ringing It In…

What the stars did for New Year’s Eve. Some of these celebrities are just like us; others, not even close.

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20240102_9942c23e11d14fc5be4388de302d5d12/

https://www.eonline.com/photos/36751/stars-celebrating-new-years-eve-2023

And some stars didn’t have such a great New Year’s Eve. I have no doubt he got slammed for this, and maybe even had his reasons, but why did he leave the car when his daughter was in it?

https://people.com/ian-ziering-thankful-to-be-unscathed-attack-bikers-8421158

🐕 Resolutions Aren’t Fur Everybody…

I didn’t see any resolutions mentioning cats. I assume cats just refuse to make them.

https://www.thewildest.com/dog-lifestyle/dog-new-years-resolutions

🍾 Not Forgetting Auld Acquaintances…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and cringing through Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay looking forward to the days ahead, and stay never feeling entitled to announce anyone’s secrets to the entire world.

December 29, 2023 – New Year’s Eve In Port Charles, A Return, On Or No, Real Top, Dead Talk, He Can Dance, Eve TV, Something For Everyone, Zoo Baby, Pets (!) Of the Gram, 12 Quotes For 12 Months & Another

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the Port Charles Heliport, jump instructor Denice tells Gregory that they have to get going before the sun goes down. Otherwise, they’ll have to cancel the jump. Is she coming? People cancel all the time. Gregory says, she’ll be here, and a man says, they’re losing daylight, when Alexis comes running up. She says she’s here, and the man asks if they’re doing this. She says, yes. She’s a woman of her word. She’s doing it. Even if it kills her.

Spencer knocks on Trina’s dorm room door, and she answers wearing a robe. He says, she’s not dressed for a party, and she brings him in, kissing him. He says, good point. What party? She says, they’re going. She just needs two more minutes. He says, that’s a big ask, and she says she’s sure he’ll be fine. Entertain himself. He picks up a magazine and flips through it, then sees a letter that’s been opened. Trina asks if he can zip her up, and he says, of course (🍷). If he must. She turns around, and he says, she looks perfect. So who is writing her from the Sorbonne? She says, he wasn’t supposed to see that.

Esme waits in the visitor room at Pentenville (?). Heather – our New Year’s gift! – joins her and says she knew Esme would be back.

Sonny goes to Nina’s office, and says, the party’s about to start, but she says she has to get these end-of-the-year bonuses done. She’s so sorry. It’s just a magazine; business is very difficult. Their team managed to keep their numbers up with online revenue, and she needs to show them that she appreciates them. He says, they’re lucky to have a kind-hearted boss, and she says she thinks he’s a teensy bit biased in her favor. He says he’s finding out what it means to be married to a generous, thoughtful woman, even though he’s not sure what her priority is tonight.

On the phone at The Savoy, Carly tells Sam, it’s okay. The flu is going around. Just give her love to Scout, and she and Dante take care. And happy New Year. Michael joins her, apologizing for being late, but she says, that’s okay. Where’s Willow? He says, she got stuck covering at GH. There’s a lot of callouts. Carly says, it’s the flu. Sam just called. Scout has it, and she and Dante can’t make it. He says, that’s unfortunate. So… She says, it looks like it’s just the two of them.

Olivia comes in with Lois and Ned, and she asks if it reminds Lois… What’s that place in the city they used to sneak in… Lois says, Area on Barrett Street. She can see the resemblance. Ned tells them to get a table while he gets the drinks. What would they like? Olivia says she’s a Cosmo girl tonight, and Lois says, champagne for her.

Carly says, it’s already New Year’s in Australia, and Michael says, it’s a shame Drew’s trip got extended. She should be celebrating with Drew, not him. She says, what about him? Willow’s at work. He’s spending New Year’s with his mother. They’re a pathetic pair, huh? He asks if she wants more champagne, and she says, yes, so he leaves to get it. She gets up and calls, make it a prosecco, please, when Ned passes by. She says she’s been waiting to talk to him, but he says he really doesn’t have time for this. She asks if he’s been busy since he got his memory back. Because ever since he pointed the SEC at her and Drew, and Drew went to prison, she’s been meaning to ask him a question. How would he like her to return the favor?

Nina says, Sonny is her priority – always. She promises she’ll hurry up and meet him way before midnight. He says, don’t worry about it. He was just being sentimental. She says, of course (🍷). It’s their first New Year’s Eve together as husband and wife. She wants to be with him too. She’ll leave this here and come in early tomorrow. He says, no. She’s going to wrap that up and she’s going to meet him at The Savoy. They’re going to have a midnight kiss… They’re going to have so many New Year’s Eves together. She says she likes the sound of that, and they kiss.

Heather says she knew Esme wouldn’t be able to stay away from her forever, but why is it today? Doesn’t she have plans for New Year’s Eve? Esme says, not really, and Heather says, there’s something different about her. Did she change her hair? Esme says, no, and Heather says, well, something’s different. Anyway, how’s her little grandbaby Ace? Baby’s first Christmas. She bets he got loaded up with presents from all those rich people, right? Esme says, probably. She doesn’t know. He spent the holidays with Spencer and Trina. Heather says, she’s always been cagey on the details when it comes to Ace. Now Esme is telling her that she let him spend his first Christmas without her? And that look just now on her face when she said Trina’s name. That’s not remorse. That was contempt… Oh, she remembers, doesn’t she?

Trina tells Spencer that one of her professors told her about this art program at the Sorbonne, and she just applied on a whim. She got waitlisted, then she got accepted. Let her just grab her bag. He says, wait a minute. This is a massive opportunity for her. She says she knows, but she can’t go. Not with Curtis about to start his treatment, and she’s really excited about her spring classes, and then there’s him. She’d miss him so much. He says, he’s going to miss her too (um… it’s not like he has a job; he could go), and she says she can travel when she graduates. Paris will always be there. She can wait. He says, this opportunity at the Sorbonne won’t be. She has to go. She has to do this.

Denice says, since this is a tandem dive, Gregory and Alexis will each share a harness with their instructor, and the instructor will release the parachute. Any questions so far? They need to get going. Alexis says she has a question. Did Gregory tell them about his recent stay in the hospital? Gregory says he did, and his doctor signed off on this. It was pure dehydration, that’s all. Alexis tells Denice that she’s done an extensive search on Denice’s safety records with this organization. Alexis knows pretty much all there is to know about her, but she doesn’t know much about the harness. Is it safe, and when was the plane last serviced? Denice promises to answer those questions on the way to the plane, but Alexis tells her that she just wants to say, the gentleman who showed her how to do everything seems very nice and very capable, and she thinks she’ll be safe enough with him. Denice says, that was Dan. He’s gone for the day. Alexis will be fine with Falcon. There he is. Falcon looks like the drummer in a rock band, and Alexis says, no. Gregory says, why don’t they switch? She’s already familiar with Denice. They’ll be fine. Alexis says, no. She’s sorry. Every molecule in her being is telling her not to jump out of that plane. Please forgive her. She said she could do it, but she can’t. She just can’t.

There’s a knock at Nina’s office door, and she says, come on, Sonny. She needs more time than that. She’s not a miracle worker. Cyrus walks in, and says, oh ye of little faith.

Olivia asks Lois, what was the name of that Russian place in Brighton Beach? Talk about dicey. Good vodka though. Hello? Is she talking to herself over here? Lois says, Olivia might have a problem, and Olivia tells her to forget about the secret and just have some fun, but Lois says, no. Look. They see Ned and Carly arguing.

Ned says, Carly wants to send him to prison? Take her best shot. Except he didn’t actually commit a crime, unlike her and Drew. She says, Drew was nearly beaten to death in prison, because of Ned. Ned has to live with that, but if he doesn’t care about that, maybe he cares about his precious company. Valentin Cassadine is MIA. Ned had amnesia, thinking he was some faded rock star. Maybe ELQ deserves a visit from the SEC. He says he doesn’t have to take this. She wants the truth? He’ll tell her exactly why Drew was sent to Pentenville. Michael arrives with the drinks.

Esme asks how Heather could tell just like that, and Heather says she’s been studying Esme since the first moment she laid eyes on her in Spring Ridge. She knows Esme’s face. She knows Esme’s mannerisms. Esme used to look so lost, but just now, she saw something in Esme’s eyes, a glint, a sense of purpose. It’s nice to meet the real Esme. She pats Esme’s hand, and Esme flinches. Heather says she didn’t mean to upset her. It’s a good thing. Esme says she’s just glad to be able to talk to someone about it, and Heather says, Esme has her. Trust her. Pour her heart out. Esme cries a little and says, it’s like she’s two different people. She doesn’t know what to do or what to think. Is she this horrible person who did these things to Spencer and Trina, or is she this mom who loves her son more than anything in the world? And she doesn’t know how she can be both. Heather says, everything’s going to be okay. Does Esme know how she knows? Because Esme did the right thing. She came to see her mother.

Spencer says, there’s so much for Trina to do in Paris when she’s not studying at the Sorbonne. It’s one of his all-time favorite cities, and the best part is that she’s in close proximity to so many other great cities. She’s next to Berlin, Copenhagen, Barcelona… It’s a train ride for her. She says, yeah, but she doesn’t have a command of the language, and he says, it’s not going to be a thing after the first semester. She’s going to be the toast of the town. Every guy is going to falling head over heels for her. Is she kidding him? As a matter of fact, why is he encouraging her to do this? Maybe she should stay. Never mind. Bad idea. She says, you know what could work? He could come with her.

Nina asks what Cyrus is doing here. Does he need something? He says, it’s not what he needs. He’s here to help her. She says she’s fine, and she’s very busy, so if he needs to talk to her for some reason, he should talk to her assistant, and she’ll set up… He picks up a magazine and says, isn’t it amazing how they distract themselves with the mundane in order not to ponder the great mysteries of life? Taking the magazine, Nina says, if they just sat around pondering that, they wouldn’t get anything done. So like she said, she’s busy. He says, very well. He’ll leave her to her work, but remember, she doesn’t walk alone. She flashes back to being in the confessional, and the priest saying, and remember, she doesn’t walk alone. God is always with her. Cyrus says, so, has she set herself free? and Nina looks like she might have a stroke.

Michael asks Ned, so what is the truth? Why exactly did he get himself involved, and more importantly, what exactly did he get out of it? Ned flashes back to Michael giving him the voting proxy on half of Michael’s ELQ shares for keeping his silence about Nina. At the table, Lois looks at Olivia, when Sonny walks in. Ned says, only the satisfaction of being a good citizen. He was looking out for the little guy. Carly says, come on. He was looking out for himself. He wanted power, and he didn’t care who he had to hurt to get it. Ned asks Carly, if he’s such a menace, why is she provoking him? and Michael says, watch it, but Carly says, don’t stop him. What is he going to do to her? Sonny walks up and asks if Ned doesn’t think he’s caused enough damage.

Lois says, great, now Sonny’s involved, and Olivia says, Lois told her that she wanted to stay out of the Quartermaine’s affairs, so why doesn’t she do that? Lois says, because she hates seeing Ned being called out in public for something he didn’t do, and Olivia says, it’s complicated. Lois doesn’t understand. Ned is doing what he thinks he has to do for the family. Could she please just accept that and move on?

Ned says, Sonny is going to lecture him about damage? The man who’s left a swath of broken lives and destruction in his wake? Michael says, this isn’t the time or place. They don’t want to make a scene. Can they all agree on that? Sonny says he’s good, and Michael suggests he and Ned talk in private. They leave, and Sonny asks if Carly is okay. She says she was. Now she’s not so sure.

Lois asks if that looks like positive momentum to Olivia? How is it that another war between the Corinthos and Quartermaine families better than the truth?

Gregory tells Alexis that he’s sorry. He thought this would be fun. She shouldn’t feel obligated to do something she doesn’t want to do. He tells the instructors, thanks. He appreciates the prep and the time, but he’s calling off the jump. Falcon says, it’s all right, but Alexis says, no, it’s not all right. Hold on. Don’t go anywhere. She tells Gregory that she’s all over the place. It’s not even just the jump. It’s the girls. She’s worried. She just has a lot on her mind. Does he think they could talk by themselves, just for a minute? Gregory asks if they can be given one more minute and gets the okay signal from Falcon. Gregory asks, what’s going on? and Alexis says, it’s the girls. She’s worried. There’s been a new development. Sam is savvy. If Alexis dies, she’ll be fine, but Kristina and Molly, no. They cannot exist without her. They need their mother. They need her to protect them. He says, so she wants to protect her kids and keep them from getting hurt if they jump, but they’re adults. And as adults, they can choose when and if they jump, and if they do, they’re going to have to pull their own ripcords. She says, did he just do a skydiving analogy? It was good. He says, letting their kids go is the ultimate test. He tried to shield Chase from his illness with disastrous results. Remember? But Chase forgave him. Their kids are full of surprises. They never know what they’ll become or what they’re capable of. He has to believe his kids are going to grow and learn and thrive and make mistakes, but survive. And that belief, that faith, gives him great comfort, and great courage. Alexis says, Denice, Marlon… Gregory says, Falcon, and she says, Falcon, let’s get a move on. Gregory asks if she’s sure, and Alexis says she’s sure… No, she’s not sure, but she said she was going to jump out of the damn plane, so she’s going to jump out of the damn plane. Damn it. They head to the damn plane.

Heather asks if anyone else knows about Esme’s memory coming back, and Esme says, not really. She tried telling… Heather says, but she didn’t, and Esme says, no, but… Heather says, absolutely not. Zip it and keep it zipped. Esme asks how she can go one pretending that she doesn’t remember anything, and Heather says, she inherited the familial talent for misdirection. Besides, she’s done it before. Esme says, but not like this. Pretending she’s sorry for all the bad things the old Esme did. Heather says, and she really doesn’t feel bad about it, and Esme says she did. When she didn’t remember any of it, it was horrifying. But now that she remembers why she did it and felt so justified, it’s because it was justified. Heather says, exactly. So just keep telling them exactly what they want to hear. She’s made a fresh start and now she’s a different person. Esme asks where that gets her. She’s still a single mom, Alexis Davis’s drudge, and a witness to Spencer and Trina’s insipid happily ever after. And she’s unable to do a thing about it. Heather smiles. (Just for the record, although I’m thrilled with the visit to Heather, I’m not loving Esme’s 180. Or is it really a 360?)

Trina says she knows Spencer can’t come with her, but when she opened it, she started daydreaming about how amazing it would be if they could be together. But she knows he can’t leave Ace, so just forget she said it. He says, she knows how much he loves her, and he’d never want her to think he’s prioritizing Ace over her. She says she doesn’t, and he says, but Esme’s moved out and she’s Ace’s primary caregiver. Maybe they can find a way. He can fly back on weekends as long as Esme will let him see Ace. She says, wait a minute. What is he saying? He tells her that he’s saying, when the woman you love invites you to go to Paris, you say yes. They kiss.

Nina says, Cyrus was at All Saints. That’s just so wrong. He’s not a priest. She doesn’t know what he thinks he heard… He says, more than enough. He and Drew Cain became friendly when they were Pentenville. Drew saved his life actually, and after Drew was attacked, he was able to return the favor. Drew had a very hard time inside. All he wanted to do was get back to the woman he loved, the woman he sacrificed his freedom for. Carly Spencer, formerly Carly Corinthos, her husband’s ex-wife, the mother of his children. She says, he’s a hypocrite. He listened to her confession? How could he be so dishonest? She thought she was talking to a man of God. He says, she was. Just as she is now. So how can he help her?

Sonny asks if Carly wants to tell him what that was all about, and Carly says she told Ned what she thought about him, for obvious reasons. Sonny says, good. Now it’s his turn. Carly stops him, and says, he’s not worth it. And she needs something stronger than this. She picks up her champagne glass and heads for the bar.

In the hallway, Ned tells Michael, it’s New Year’s Eve. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Sonny comes by and tells Ned, it’s not over between them, then disappears. Michael says, they had an agreement.

Lois tells Olivia, if Sonny thinks Ned harmed Carly, he’s not going to let it go. He’s going to finish it. Now what’s going on with those two? They look over to see Michael and Ned talking, and Olivia says, probably talking about ELQ. Lois says she thought Michael was trying to push Ned out, but Olivia says, quite the opposite. Ned has been taking on more responsibility. Michael’s even given him his proxy. It’s all good. Lois says, wait a second. Michael handed over his control of ELQ? Why would he do that? Olivia asks why she cares. She swears Lois always does this. She gets something in her head, and she can’t leave it alone. Like the time Lois’s mother was planning a surprise party for her for months and she ruined it. Lois says, okay. Let her think. Did Michael do this to keep Ned quiet? Because it must be something big… Ooh. Oh my God. Did Michael turn his own mother in to the SEC?

Sonny tells Carly that he’s sorry. He had to interfere. He just doesn’t like Ned treating her like that. He knows she can hold her own, but… She says, that’s okay. She needed the distraction. It stopped her from throwing her drink in Ned’s face. That would have been a perfect ending to a perfect year, right? He says, the night’s still young, and she says, not for her. She’s going to go. Will he tell Michael that she left and have a happy New Year? He says, she’s not going to stay for the countdown? Come on. She says, it’s going to make her miss Drew even more, so have a happy New Year. She leaves.

Olivia tells Lois, no. Michael did not turn his own mother in to the SEC. Lois says, then make it make sense. Why would Michael hand over control of ELQ to Ned? Does Tracy have something on Michael? Or are Ned and Tracy planning something? Olivia says, stop this. Stop overthinking it. Just let it go. Lois says she can’t, because it stinks to high heaven. But Olivia was right about one thing. She is overthinking this. She thinks the answer is right here in front of her face. And here’s what she thinks. She thinks Ned has something on Michael, and Michael is paying off Ned to keep him quiet. Is she right?

Nina asks what Cyrus wants. Money? He laughs and says, of course (🍷). No, he doesn’t need money. He has the riches of the kingdom of God. What he wants is for her to confess. Not to a priest in a cubicle, but to the people she hurt. She says, what good would that do? Drew is free, Carly is moving on, the Corinthos family is coming together. What good would it do dredging up the past? He says, did she or did she not send a good man to prison? Where he was beaten to a pulp. Did she or did she not try to separate a mother from her children and separate a man from his child, all out of spite and wickedness. She tells him, cut the sermon. Please. He’s more a man of the orange jumpsuit than a man of the cloth (ha-ha-ha!). He’s a criminal, a blackmailer, so what’s his angle? What is he planning to do with what he knows?

Basking in the afterglow, Spencer says, there’s a church over there that he and Trina should go to. It’s got a little walled-off garden next to it, then down the street, there’s this really quaint and cute restaurant. It makes the best crepes she’s ever had in her life. They’re simple, but they’re very delicious. He thinks she’ll like them. She says, sounds like heaven, but it’s one thing to daydream and another to live in reality. Maybe he should think about this. He says, no. They’re doing this. This is happening. He’s not letting them back out of this. She says, okay, and he says, because he was in Europe once and when he was, it was very, very lonely and depressing. So hopefully, this will give him a new opportunity or new chance to experience it with fresh eyes with someone he loves. So he doesn’t need any time to think about it. He knows exactly what he wants. He wants to be in Paris with her. She kisses him, and he says, fireworks. She says, he got that right… but he says, no, the real ones up there. They can make it if they hurry. He jumps out of bed.

Heather tells Esme, forget those twerps. She was always way too good for Spencer anyway. She won. She got Ace, and that’s everything. She’s still got the upper hand, so don’t blow it by admitting she got her memory back. She’s a really good mother to Ace, right? Esme says, yeah, she is, and Heather says, then just keep up the charade, for his sake. And be sure to practice a little self-care. Esme says, what? Like a spa day? Heather says, no. Like she’s young. She’s beautiful. Smart as a friggin’ whip. Go put on a party dress and get out there. Maybe she’ll meet somebody new. It’s New Year’s Eve. Meet somebody who’s worthy of her. Come and see her mother again. She’ll help Esme keep her head on straight. Keep her memories to herself. As much as she’d like to see more of Esme, she has way too bright of a future to squander it in this place. Esme takes Heather’s hands and says she will, and thanks her. Heather says, anytime. It was a pleasure to finally meet her daughter… all of her.

Ned says he and Michael may need to revisit the terms of their agreement if Carly’s going to start harassing him in public. Michael says, Ned is being well-compensated for his trouble. Michael’s proxy gives him controlling interest of ELQ. If that’s not good enough for him, he’ll go get Willow. Because she deserves to hear the truth about Nina before Ned announces it to the entire world. Ned says, you’re bluffing, and Michael says, try me.

Lois says, what on earth could Ned have on Michael that would make him give up control of ELQ? and Olivia shushes her and says, stop it. She calls over to Sonny, and he joins them. He says, you ladies look marvelous, and Lois thanks him. They hug, and Sonny kisses Olivia on the cheek. She says, he’s looking handsome as always. Where’s Nina this evening? He says, she’s working. She said she’ll be here by midnight. Lois says, no. He has to get her here, because the person you kiss at midnight is the person you’ll be with for the rest of the year.😱 He says, in that case, he should call and see what’s going on. He excuses himself, and leaves. Lois says, ho-ho. Like she said. Right in front of her face. It was never about Drew getting in trouble with the Feds. The intended target was always Carly. Olivia says, Lois… Lois says, Carly, who acted on inside information. So whoever tipped off the SEC had to believe that Carly would be the one who would wind up in prison. And who had the incentive of getting rid of Carly. How about the person who is currently married to her ex-husband? Nina. Nina’s the one who tipped off the SEC. Olivia looks worn-out, but Lois breathes a sigh of relief and drinks some champagne.

Out in the middle of somewhere, Alexis tells Falcon that her heart is still beating outside her chest. Will it stop? Will it be regulated? Or did she live so that she can die now? He says, probably. Pretty rad, huh? They do a fancy handshake, and Falcon starts to walk away. She asks, where’s Gregory? Did he jump? Is he dead? Falcon leaves, and Alexis calls to Gregory. Gregory says he’s here. Sorry he’s late. Traffic. She hugs him, and he says, easy does it. She says she loved it, and he laughs. She says, it was amazing. Soaring through the sky and the perspective that she saw of the world looking down. It was so beautiful. It was amazing. It was extraordinary. It was transformative. It was probably the most transformative moment of her… He kisses her. Then she kisses him.

Carly walks into Sonny’s old kitchen and throws her bag on the counter, knowing she’s never alone when the moss bowl🎍is there. She goes to the sink and is startled by an air horn. She moves toward the door, when Drew comes in. He says, happy New Year, and she runs into his arms. She says, it is now, and they kiss.

Nina asks what Cyrus is planning to do with this information, but he says, nothing. She says, so he doesn’t want anything in exchange for him keeping quiet, and he says he’ll settle for her redemption. She asks if he knows that Carly and Drew aren’t the only injured parties here. She almost lost the only daughter she had left before she even knew she was her daughter. He tells her, look at what a tangled web she’s woven. Did she really think it would never unravel? The guilt is already weighing on her and pulling her down closer to the gates of hell. Hell is a state of mind. It robs you of your peace and your chance to experience real joy. All this bartering and deal making to avoid telling the truth. She asks why he’s here. He doesn’t know her. He doesn’t give a damn about her. He says he’s been her. He’s justified his lies, and it only makes for more lies and moving further away from everything that matters. That’s why he tries only to tell the truth now. She tells him, so this is his way of saying, if she doesn’t confess, he will, and he says, karma, fate, providence, they all point to the same thing. That is, your actions determine your life’s destiny. Just think of all the hurt she can undo with just a few simple words. All the clarity she can give to Carly and Drew and her husband, Sonny Corinthos. Nina’s phone rings and she sees it’s Sonny. She picks up the phone, looking pained.

Olivia says she’s begging Lois, please do not say a word about this to anyone. Lois says, how could she not have told Sonny this? Nina, his wife, called the cops on Carly and Drew. Why hasn’t Ned said anything? Olivia says, because he knows how many people would be hurt if he did. Sonny is happy with Nina. Nina and Carly have a truce off sorts. Drew is out of prison and his life is back to normal. What good could it possibly do to dredge all this up again? Ned comes back and asks if Olivia is ready to go. Olivia says, they’re in the middle of a conversation here, and Ned says, let’s take that conversation on their way to the docks. They’ve got fireworks. Lois says she’ll meet them out there. She’s going to powder her nose. Ned says, see her over there, and steers Olivia out. Sonny comes over to Lois and says, he left a message for Nina. She’s going to meet them. Does Lois want to walk with him over to the docks? She say she’s sorry, but he’s going to miss the fireworks this year.

Drew and Carly kiss their way into the bedroom as the fireworks go off. The real ones, outside. They get busy.

Gregory and Alexis smile at each other and look up at the sky. She puts her head on his shoulder.

Spencer and Trina watch from the rooftop. He says he’d follow her anywhere. Esme watches from behind them, her hand balled into a fist.

Cyrus says, Nina didn’t answer her call, and she says she should have handed him the phone. It was Sonny. He says he won’t tell Sonny. He wouldn’t want to rob her for her chance at salvation. She has to confess; no one can do it for her. She says she didn’t want him to know. It’s going to hurt him. She prayed that he would never, never know. He says, try praying for the truth to set her free, and she says, if anyone should tell Sonny, it should be her. He says, that’s right. That’s good. That’s all he wanted to hear. New year, new beginnings. He says he has faith that she’ll do the right thing. Until then, he won’t be far.

Sonny asks if Lois has something on her mind, and she says, he has a right to know what’s going on. He says, get to the point, and she says, they’re lying to him. He says, who? and she says, his family. They’re all lying to him.

Next week, Carly says, this is gonna be a good year; Olivia tells Ned, get back there, now; Brook tells Chase, better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission; Willow asks for Nina’s help; and Lois tells Sonny that she knows who really ratted Carly and Drew out to the SEC.

🥜 Sometimes She Feels Like a Nut…

She’s back and brought her crazy with her.

🧼 Who’s Ringing It In…

Spoiler: GH is not on.

🎪 Matter Of Opinion…

And were there really any top moments?

🪦 What’s Up With the Dead…

Coming in February.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/is-the-rick-michonne-series-the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-a-limited-series

It’s coming. They just don’t know when.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/12/10/walking-dead-city-season-2-whats-coming/

Sometime in 2024.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/12/18/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season-2-premiere-2024/

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-wraps-season-2-cast-post-images

And the rest.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/the-walking-dead-universe-what-s-to-come-in-2024

🩰 Something Random…

You can’t blame her for taking a shot at relevance.

https://ew.com/dance-moms-abby-lee-miller-travis-kelce-better-dancer-taylor-swift-8418858

📺 Give Me the Remote…

Coming to a small screen near you on New Year’s Eve.

https://nypost.com/2023/12/29/entertainment/how-to-watch-the-ball-drop-on-new-years-eve-a-guide-to-all-the-tv-specials/

🎊 All About Eve…

If you’re going to a party or giving one.

https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/new-years/new-years-eve-party-guest

https://bestlifeonline.com/new-years-eve-party-etiquette/

For party goers or not.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/holidays-celebrations/g42099986/things-to-do-new-years-eve/

But I’m not going around the block with an empty suitcase.

https://www.womansday.com/life/g34886062/things-to-do-on-new-years-eve/

https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/fun-ways-to-celebrate-new-years-eve-at-home-48052534

If you’re spending it alone.

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-do-i-cope-when-i-am-alone-on-new-years-eve-3024303

Keeping it stress free for the pets.

https://www.four-paws.org/our-stories/publications-guides/new-years-eve-minimising-your-pets-stress

https://barkio.com/en/blog/article/how-to-spend-a-stress-free-new-year-s-eve-celebration-with-your-pet

🦏 Born On Christmas Day…

Unbelievably cute. Those little ears!

https://people.com/zoo-atlanta-welcomes-first-white-rhino-calf-ever-on-christmas-eve-8420147

🐩 Slide Into Their DMs…

Pets are influencers too.

https://people.com/celebrity-pets-with-their-own-instagram-accounts-7567698

https://influencers.feedspot.com/pet_instagram_influencers/

🦜 Quotes of the Week

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

If you don’t sleep, you go loco. – Max Salvador, Below Deck Mediterranean

In our world, old friendships are hereditary. – Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski), The Gilded Age.

If you hear a voice within you say, you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. – Robert Brault

There’s not much to see actually. We’re inside a Chinese dragon. – Howard (Ryan O’Neal), What’s Up, Doc?

Maintain composure in times of heightened emotion, reacting only when thoughts are calm and clear. Being sensible will open doors for solutions and creativity. – Jaren L. Davis

You know how to stop this? Stop it. – Dr. Phil

Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor. – Sholem Aleichem

I don’t want to be a man. I want my cereal – Jordan Thomkins (Jeremy Suarez), The Bernie Mac Show

Sometimes a person has to go a very long distance out of his way to come back a short distance correctly. – Jerry, The Zoo Story by Edward Albee

El Wray sez: Happy New Year!

🥂 Auld Lang Syne-ing Off…

Wishing you all good things in the New Year and no pressure on the Eve beforehand. Make a resolution, don’t make a resolution; party, don’t party. You do you. Join me for going back to the old soap grind after New Year’s Day. Dare I say it? See you next year. Until then, stay safe, stay following your own path, and stay remembering, your actions determine your life’s destiny.

December 28, 2023 – Lucy Begins Step One Of Her Plan, Jake 2.0, Salty Talk, VanderChat, Another Roll Call, Traditions, Times Square, New Year Pets (!) & Loved

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the Home & Heart set, Maxie asks if they think it’s too much or not enough, and Brook says, if her mom were here, she’d say, there’s never too much. Tracy says, the viewers may not agree, and Maxie asks if she thinks they should ease up on the cowboy props. Tracy says she’s all for a little Western flair, but she doesn’t want it to evolve into kitsch. Brook asks what Sasha thinks, and Sasha says she thinks the art department did a great job. It’s a little over the top, but isn’t that the point? They’re selling a fantasy, right? Brook says, if you’re lucky enough, sometimes fantasies come true, and Tracy says, usually with a lot of hard work and some money. Not that Lucy Coe would have any idea about that. She’s a spendthrift with the attention span of a gnat. Maxie says, her fantasy is Tracy and Lucy not going at each other’s throats, and Sasha says she’s just glad she missed the fireworks… Although she’s so sorry she was late. Maxie says, that’s okay. She was there for most of the meeting. Brook says, Sasha never told them where she was, and Sasha says she was with Cody. They lost track of time. Maxie says, really? Has something changed between the two of them? Cody walks in, and probably wonders why everyone is looking at him.

Elizabeth goes over some hospital things on the phone, and watches as Finn gets in the elevator.

Lois walks into the nook and says, something smells so good. Olivia says she finally got around to making that post-Christmas turkey soup, and Lois says she told Olivia that she wanted to help with that. Olivia says she’s sorry. It totally slipped her mind. But what’s done is done. She’s got to make sure it’s on the low burner… Lois asks, why does it feel like Olivia’s been avoiding her since Christmas? but Olivia says, no. She’s happy to have Lois in the house. Lois says, if she’s done anything to upset Olivia, she wants to know, but Olivia says, it’s not that. It’s not Lois; it’s her. Lois says, what about her? and Olivia says, it’s nothing. It’s not a thing. She really has to check the soup. Lois says, not until Olivia tells her what’s going on with her, and Olivia asks if she betrayed Lois when she married Ned.

Alexis goes to the penthouse, and Sonny asks what brings her by. She says she’s there to ask a favor, and he says, she never asks for a favor, but she says, this is an exception. She needs Sonny to tell her that she’s wrong.

Kristina is reading What To Expect When You’re Expecting, and there’s a knock at the door. She puts the book behind a couch pillow and opens the door to TJ. She says, Molly’s not with him? but he says, it’s just him. She asks him to come in, and he says, this is actually Molly’s idea. She thought it would be better if they talked privately. Kristina says, that sounds ominous. Is Molly okay? He says, her sister’s fine. She told him about the conversation they had with Alexis. Kristina says, it was more like a lecture on legal ramifications and some obscure law that only applies to surrogacy with a donor egg. He says, it made him realize they have to set some things straight, and she asks if he’s changed his mind about her.

Behind the scenes at Home & Heart, Lucy says, Scotty remembers the plan, right? and he says, yes. He picks a fight with Lucy and Tracy overhears, but it’s not much of a plan as far as he’s concerned. She says, it’s just step one, and he asks to circle back to the part where he marries Tracy. What’s in it for him? She tells him to keep his voice down and focus on the task at hand. They have to make Tracy believe they’ve had this huge falling out, so she sees Scotty as an ally, and he has a chance to charm her pants off. He says, wait a minute. He’s not Sir Lawrence Olivier here, and she says, he’s not, but just focus on the goal. And the goal is their satisfaction in knocking Tracy down to size and taking her for everything she’s worth. He says he loves when she gets into scheming mode, and she says, then get ready, because she’s just getting started.

Sonny says he and Alexis have known each other a long time. He doesn’t think she’s ever asked him to disagree with her, but he’ll give it his best shot. She says, don’t get used to it, and he says he assumes this is about Kristina. She asks if he’s aware Kristina is now going to be the egg donor as well as the surrogate, and he says, Kristina filled him in. She says, that’s it? That’s the reaction? How can he be so calm? Doesn’t he see how this can tear the girls apart? He says, how so? and she says, for starters, there is no contract between TJ, Molly, and Kristina that’s legally binding, which means that Kristina, at any given point, can change her mind after she becomes pregnant. And there’s no legal remedy because it’s her biological child. He says he talked to Kristina. She’s thought long and hard about it and knows it’s a huge responsibility. Does Alexis think otherwise? Alexis says she does, because Kristina’s never been pregnant before. She doesn’t know what it’s like, and Alexis is concerned it will be harder than Kristina expects. He says, like it was hard for her to give up Sam? and she says, that was vastly different circumstances, but yes. So this could not only be problematic for Kristina and Molly, but for the entire family, because it would put them in a position where they have to pick sides, which is impossible. This could be a nightmare. He asks if this is where she wants him to tell her that she’s wrong, and she says, yes. She’s underestimated Kristina in the past, so tell her. Is she doing it again?

There’s a knock at Finn’s office door, and Elizabeth says, hey. He says, enter at your own risk, and she says she saw him coming out of the OR. He seemed to be in a mood. Did something happen in surgery? He says, no. Everything was by the numbers, no complications. She says, then why the mood? and he says, because Dr. Warris had to waste her valuable time watching over him. She didn’t assist him. She just stood there watching, because apparently, after 25 years of doing this, he can’t operate without having someone supervise him. And he guesses he’s just tired of having this lawsuit hanging over him. She says she knows. It’s beyond frustrating having your every move monitored. He says he’s dedicated his entire professional life to medicine, to healing people. Amy just told him that three of his patients would like their files transferred to other doctors. He hasn’t gotten a chance to defend himself, and already his reputation is taking a hit. She tells him to remember that Monica and the GH board are behind him, and he says he appreciates that. If he loses this case, insurance will pay out the damages, but they’ll drop him as a client. If that happens, he’ll be unable to get malpractice insurance elsewhere, and at that point, the hospital will have no choice but to let him go. (Wow. That’s a bigger racket than health, homeowners, and flood insurance combined.) She says, he needs to remember he did nothing wrong, and he says, how do they make the jury believe that?

Scotty loudly tells Lucy, come on. This is just a sales appearance. She doesn’t need the Deception lawyer here. Besides, he’s very important. He’s got a lot of high-end clients. Lucy says, he’s so important. Look at him. She pays him a lot of money, and he comes showing up in an outfit like that, all scruffy? He asks, what’s wrong with this outfit? and she says, it’s kind of like business wrinkled. He says, it’s not… Tracy runs over and says, please. Zip it. If they have to talk, modulate their voices. Try to act like professionals.

Julie says she can take Sasha and Cody to their dressing rooms now, and they follow her. Felicia comes in, and Maxie asks what she’s doing here. Wait, she has to answer this email really quick. Cody glances back at Felicia, and Felicia watches Cody as he goes to the dressing room.

Lois asks, where on earth did that come from? and Olivia tells her that she’s just saying. She knew Ned was Lois’s husband when she came to Port Charles, but she fell for him anyway. Lois says, that was like, six years ago. Olivia and Ned have been married most of that time. They broke up, they got back together… Why is this coming up right now? Oliva flashes back to Tracy asking if it doesn’t bother Lois that Olivia married her former husband, and Olivia says she knows Lois came to Port Charles because Lois read the article about Brook being fired from Deception and she’s Lois’s daughter; that’s her priority. Lois says, of course (🍷) she is, and Olivia says, but Lois has been here since before Thanksgiving. That’s a long time and she’s Olivia’s best friend. They never talked about her marrying Lois’s ex-husband, and she’s got to wonder, is there a reason for that? Lois wonders if Olivia is asking if she has thoughts about her best friend marrying her ex-husband, and Olivia says, yes. Lois says, you bet I do.

Sonny says, is Alexis underestimating their daughter? Maybe, maybe not, but the way he sees it, he’s proud that their daughter is willing to carry her sister’s baby. And he thinks Kristina’s proud. That’s even more important. All those years they saw her struggling with her self-esteem… It makes sense, because she has parents who are driven and successful. He always felt that Kristina was kind of lost, personally and professionally, and he thinks things have changed now. She says, he may be right. She’s noticed since Kristina started developing the youth center, she’s more focused and more mature. Sonny says, she’s gotten past the self-doubt that’s been holding her back in the past, and Alexis says she thinks it’s wonderful that Kristina has this new-found confidence, and she knows Kristina’s intentions are good. But sometimes life has a way of upending your intentions. Look at them. It’s not like they planned on having a baby together. He says, plans change, and she says, that’s her point though. When Kristina said she wanted to be the surrogate, Alexis was concerned, but thought, that’s doable. But now that the baby is going to be biologically hers, it makes it all more complicated. He asks if she can imagine a life without Kristina, regardless of how she got here, and she says, no. Of course (🍷) she can’t. He asks if she knows why. Because babies change everything.

Kristina says, this is exactly what she was afraid of, because TJ never really wanted her to be the surrogate. He only went along with it because it’s what Molly wanted, and now that her mother has announced there’s no legally binding contract, he’s having second thoughts. He asks if she can stop telling him what he thinks long enough for him to actually talk, and she says, yes. Sorry. He says, part of him loves the fact that if they use her egg, both he and Molly will be biologically related to the baby. On top of that, it’s a huge relief that she and Molly have reconciled and gotten past their differences. It makes him happy to see Molly this happy. Kristina says, so what’s the problem? and he says, in many ways, she’s the ideal egg donor, but Alexis is right about the legal situation. So he needs to hear for himself from her lips that he and Molly will be the parents of this baby and Kristina will be the aunt. Nothing more, nothing less. Can Kristina actually live with that?

Tracy says, Brook has been distracted since she got that call from Chase, and Brook says, he was with Gregory at the hospital. Tracy asks, what happened? and Brook tells her, Chase said he took a hot yoga class, so they’re hoping it was just dehydration. Tracy says, maybe it’s his ALS, and Brook says, he was admitted to the hospital for the night, and they’re going to check everything and make sure he’s okay. She sees Julie and asks if Julie can give the director a note from the Deception team. When the models come out on stage, can she tell him to make sure the products are all featured at every camera angle? She knows Sasha and Cody are both very good-looking people, but they’re selling products, not models. Julie leaves, and Tracy says, good note. Very astute.

Maxie says she appreciates the support, but she also knows Felicia doesn’t stop by her work for no reason. Is she still on the Cody-is-Mac’s-son train? Felicia says she’s really proud of Maxie. She thinks it’s great that Home & Heart booked Deception as a repeat performance so soon after the last one. Maxie says, their last appearance here, they sold out in 20 minutes, and she has the feeling this is going to be just as good, if not better. She thinks it’s safe to say, Deception is back. They hug.

Cody and Sasha come back out, and Cody says, Felicia is only hanging around because she’s suspicious of him. She says, or he could see it as Felicia wanting the husband she loves to know he has a son. He says he already told her why that can’t happen. Not only does Mac deserve a better son than him, but he already signed a document saying he’s Taub’s son. It’s fraud and perjury. He can’t risk that coming out. She says, try not to worry. She promises she’ll help him keep an eye on Felicia. The hairstylist says she’s ready to work on Cody’s hair, and Cody sits in the chair at her station. Felicia gives him the side-eye.

Elizabeth says, Finn and Dennis Muldoon were chatting at a school function. He mentioned he was having some symptoms, and Finn suggested Muldoon come see him as a patient. Finn says, Mr. Muldoon had been a patient here at General Hospital for several years. He thinks they were in network for his insurance, and before he came to see Finn, Finn went over his entire history. Over all, in pretty good health. She says, the man had Stage IV colon cancer. He must have had some symptoms. He says, they both know people who have ignored symptoms for months. Sometimes it’s people who are too busy to see a doctor; sometimes they’re too afraid to see a doctor. Unless Muldoon saw a doctor out of network. She asks if he means like when he was overseas, and he says, it’s possible. He was thinking something closer to home. He remembers Muldoon mentioning something about having a vacation home in Beechers Corners. He used to try to juggle his schedule so he could spend at least a month there in May or June. She asks if Finn thinks he could have seen a doctor there, and he says, if he did, he would have paid for it out of pocket. That wouldn’t show up in his file at GH. And if he did see a doctor within two or three months of seeing Finn for the first time, it’s another doctor who didn’t detect the cancer either.

Sonny tells Alexis, this isn’t a closed adoption where Kristina isn’t going to know what happened to the baby. She’s always going to be in the child’s life as the aunt. She’s going to watch that baby grow and thrive with terrific parents like TJ and Molly and Alexis and Jordan. Alexis asks if he doesn’t think that could make things worse possibly. How hard does he think it will be for Kristina to stand on the sidelines and watch someone else raise her biological child? What if she doesn’t like the way Molly and TJ are parenting? He says, like how? and she says, Molly’s a vegan. Kristina is not. How long does he think it will be before she slips the kid a cheeseburger at Charlie’s? He says, what if he slipped the kid a cheeseburger. He’s the grandfather biologically, right? She says, no, he’s not. That’s just her point. He’s not the grandfather. He’d be the great-uncle because he’s Molly’s uncle. Does he see how confusing this is? If it’s confusing for her and Sonny, think how confusing it will be for them. This could tear the whole family apart.

Olivia and Lois have some wine, and Lois says she loves Ned. He’s the father of her child. They’ve been through so much together, but she is not in love with Ned. She hasn’t been in love with Ned for years and years and years, and she only wants what’s best for him. And Olivia is the best. It does her heart good to see how happy they are together. Olivia says, it does? and Lois says, of course (🍷) it does. Olivia says, thank God, and Lois says she doesn’t get it. Olivia thought she’d have a problem with her being married to Ned? That she, Lois Cerullo, who Olivia has known her whole life, would sit on her feelings? Come on. Does that even sound like her? Olivia says she doesn’t know what she was thinking. She was a big dummy. Lois says, okay, so what happened at Christmas that got her so freaked out? and Olivia says, Tracy. Lois says, of course (🍷) it was Tracy. What did Tracy say? Olivia tells her, it’s not so much what she said. Tracy insinuated that she should be very eager for Lois to leave because of her history with Ned. Lois laughs and says, think about it. Of course (🍷) Tracy wants her out of this house, because like oil and water, they do not mix. And they both have major differences of opinion on what’s best for Brook. Olivia says she knows. She’s sorry. She can’t believe she fell for Tracy’s nonsense. Lois tells her not to beat herself up about it. Tracy excels at getting into people’s heads. It’s a typical Quartermaine trait. Olivia says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she’s so happy to have Lois here. And not just for Brook’s sake, but for her own too. Lois says, Olivia can just think of it as payback. Back in the day, growing up in the neighborhood, Olivia was the coolest chick she knew, and when all of those mean girls started coming after her, Olivia was the one who had her back. Olivia says, that’s not exactly the way she remembers it. She remembers Lois being very tough and learning pretty quickly how to take care of herself. Lois says, that is true, but Olivia’s always been way tougher than she’s been. This proves it. She’s living with the Quartermaines. She couldn’t do it, but Olivia can. They clink glasses.

Maxie asks if she can talk to Sasha for a second, and Sasha asks, what’s up? Maxie says she just wanted to see how it’s going working with Cody. They look great together on camera, but she knows it’s probably a strain working with him because Sasha has feelings for him. Sasha says, Cody has been great. She really enjoys working with him. Maybe too much. Maxie says, that’s good. She knows Sasha has had a tough year. Sasha says she trusted the wrong people. One more reason she really needs to work on herself before she can even think of starting a new relationship. But that’s for her and Cody to figure out; professionally, they’re great. Maxie says, that’s good, because they’re becoming one of Deception’s biggest assets. Sasha looks around and wonders where Maxie’s mom went.

Felicia watches as the hairstylist finishes with Cody. He goes to the set, and Felicia tells the hairstylist that she heard the producer was looking for her. She leaves, and Felicia takes a tissue and puts the hair from the brush into a plastic bag.

Sasha tells Cody that she’s sorry. She lost track of Felicia.

Maxie says she needs to take care of something right now, and leaves the set. Tracy tells Sasha and Cody that they’re ready for their spokesmodels, and Lucy says, by the way, they look awesome, but something’s missing. Something’s not quite right. She looks around and says she’s got it. She takes a cowboy hat off a prop cactus and says, they’ll place that on Cody’s head… and look at that. He’s definitely a romantic, rugged cowboy. Just the image they need. Tracy says, it’s all wrong, and takes the hat off Cody’s head. It casts a shadow on his face and you can’t see his beautiful eyes. Scotty says he thinks Tracy’s right about the cowboy hat, and Lucy says, did she ask for his input? He asks if she’s the only one who’s allowed to have an opinion around here, and she says, he’s an attorney. What does he know about fashion? Obviously. He says he’s just trying to give her a guy’s point of view here, and she says, obviously, he doesn’t know the female perspective. No wonder Liesl dumped him. Everyone looks somewhere else, anywhere but at Scotty.

Elizabeth says, so if another doctor, maybe even multiple doctors missed Muldoon’s colon cancer, that could be good for Finn’s case. Finn says he gets why it’s difficult for juries to understand medical complexities in a malpractice suits. From a jury’s standpoint, this man came in with a simple stomach ailment, and is somehow dying of cancer, leaving the family behind, because Finn found the tapeworm, but didn’t discover the cancer until later. They assume that must be negligence on his part. She says, so if they can prove to the jury that another doctor missed the cancer… He says, it might help them to understand how difficult it is to make a diagnosis based on Muldoon’s symptoms. He doesn’t know. What does she think? She says she thinks it’s going to work.

Kristina says she gets why TJ is asking these questions. She does have a well-earned reputation for leaping before she looks, but she can assure him, she’s really done a lot of soul searching about this, and she doesn’t want children of her own. At least right now at this point in her life. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, pretty sure. And she’s excited to be pregnant and go on this journey of course (🍷). She’s going to love this baby, and it’s a little bit more intense now that they’re using her egg of course (🍷), but it’s going to be special. And maybe she will even have a special connection to it, but once this baby is born, she’s more than content to step back and let him and Molly be parents, so she can just keep being that cool aunt. He says she has no idea how good it feels to hear her say that, and she says she’s happy to help him and Molly finally have a baby. She’s also happy, after the baby’s born, to focus on running her center. She promises she knows what she’s getting herself into.

Scotty says he knows Lucy can fight dirty, but this is an all-time low. You know what? He’s not going to be her lawyer anymore. Find herself another top-drawer attorney. He quits. He walks off, and Lucy says, fine. She’s glad he quits. She’s just going to find another attorney tomorrow. So about the hat… Tracy says she hasn’t changed her mind about the hat, and Lucy says, neither has she, picking it up. Cody says, if they don’t mind hearing from one of the models, he has an idea that might make Lucy and Tracy both happy. Brook asks, what’s his idea? and he says, how about – he takes the hat from Lucy and puts it on – they start off with the hat on, then they take it off. He takes it off with a flourish, and Lucy says, okey-dokey. She guesses that might work. Tracy says, let’s try it. (He’s a genius!)

Felicia puts the bag in an envelope and seals it. Apparently, no one cares that she doesn’t belong there and is taking something from the hairstylist’s station. Sasha comes along and asks if she’s enjoying herself, and Felicia says, yes. Being backstage is always so fascinating. So much goes into making a TV show. Sasha says, rehearsal is starting. Does she want to watch? Felicia says, absolutely, and heads for the stage. Sasha notices the hairbrushes lined up on the station table.

Olivia says, life here is definitely more difficult with Tracy in the house, and Lois says, Olivia tells her that like Tracy is the exception. Quartermaines have been bickering about everything all the time, even her own Brookie. Don’t tell her that she said that. Olivia says, Lois’s secret is safe. Ned can be reasonable. Lois says, unless he’s going against Drew and Michael, right? and Olivia says, true. Lois says, to be clear, all of the Quartermaines have their good points individually. She just hates to see what it does to Ned when he’s around his family. Olivia says, Lois is talking about the old days. Ned has changed. He’s really become his own man now. Lois says she knows Ned is Olivia’s husband and she has to defend him, but can she really say Ned is his own man when he ratted out his own cousin to the SEC? Olivia asks what she said, and Lois says, Ned turned his own family in to the SEC. Olivia says, Lois doesn’t understand, but Lois says she understands Drew is Ned’s cousin and Carly is Michael’s mother. If somebody turned her mother in to the SEC, she’d never forgive them. So Michael should forgive Ned? No way. Olivia says, Ned is not a rat. Ned is allowing everyone to think the worst of him for the sake of the family.

Scotty approaches Tracy and says he’s glad she’s here. She says she thought he quit, and he says he did, but he wanted to apologize to her for the other night, those horrible things he said about Luke. He knows she really loved Luke and it was very disrespectful of him. She thanks him… she guesses. Why the change of heart? He says, that stuff Lucy said about his ex-girlfriend Liesl really hurt him. So he thought he probably did the same thing to her and that’s why she threw that martini in his face. She says, apology accepted, but if he does it again, she’ll do it again. He says, never. And she was right about that cowboy hat. He doesn’t think Lucy pays attention to all the little details. She says, not a good trait for the head of a company, and he says, no, but Tracy’s here to keep her in line. He’ll catch her later. He leaves, and Tracy looks perplexed.

Alexis tells Sonny, say something, and he says, she raised two strong, intelligent women, not to mention compassionate. She says, but she wants them to stay that way. If Kristina isn’t able to keep her promise to Molly, Molly will be devastated. And on the other hand, watching somebody raise your biological child may be too painful for Kristina and maybe she’ll just have to leave town. He says, if this were court, she knows the judge would have to overrule her speculation, and she says she knows she’s worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Tell her that she’s wrong. He tells her that he’s not going to say she’s wrong. He’s a little worried too. Alexis looks like she has a headache.

Brook asks if everything has to be a battle with Tracy, and Lucy puts her fingers in her ears, singing, la-la-la-la. She doesn’t take behavior tips from a traitor. Brook says, fine, and walks away. Maxie tells Lucy, this has to stop. She can’t take the constant fighting. Lucy says she’s sorry. She’ll do better, she promises. She probably did overreact a little bit. For Maxie, she’ll be better with Tracy. Maxie says, good. Because none of them like it, but right now, Tracy is their cross to bear. Lucy says, yep. She can’t wait for Tracy to get what’s coming to her.

Lois asks if Olivia is saying Ned wasn’t the one who turned Carly and Drew in to the SEC, but Olivia says, don’t listen to her. She misspoke. It’s not a thing, and it’s… Lois says, so why is everyone saying it’s Ned? and Olivia says, Ned denied all the accusations at first. Then he had his accident and he turned into Eddie, and Eddie couldn’t have cared less. Eddie didn’t have any of Ned’s memories and Eddie couldn’t be bothered. Lois asks if she’s saying when Ned got his memory back, he also remembered that he wasn’t the one who turned in Carly and Drew to the SEC. Does he know who the real rat is? Why is he taking the rap for somebody else’s bad deeds? There’s got to be a reason. Olivia says, Lois has to remember, Carly is her second-best friend, but she did commit insider trading. She bought up all the Aurora stock when Michale told her that ELQ and Aurora were going to merge. Lois says, but they didn’t merge, and the SEC would have never gone after Carly unless someone else provoked them. Olivia says, let it go. Just let the sleeping dogs lie. Lois says, so who turned in Carly and Drew to the SEC? Who is Olivia protecting, and why?

Olivia says she’s not going to tell Lois who the real rat is, and Lois says she doesn’t understand why Olivia won’t. Olivia says, because it was Ned’s choice, and Lois says, and she’s not going to explain why? Olivia says, the only thing she can tell Lois is that she and Ned agreed it was best for the whole family if they both kept the identity of the rat a secret. What could be more loyal than that? Lois asks, what happened to telling it like it is? and Olivia says she would have thought by now the two of them would have learned, sometimes it’s best to keep their big mouths shut. Sometimes the truth can hurt, and right now, it would hurt some of the people they care most about. And they’ve been through enough these past three years. She just doesn’t want another disaster. Not right now when there’s finally hope for a little bit of joy. Please promise she’s not going to say anything. Lois says she doesn’t know anything. But fine. She learned long ago to stay out of Quartermaine business.

Alexis asks why the hell Sonny was pushing back so hard if he agreed with her, and he says, she asked him to talk her off the ledge and he did his best. She says, all of a sudden, he’s being cooperative? and he says, it’s hard for him to accept not being the grandfather. Can she imagine how hard it is for Kristina to accept not being the baby’s mother? She says, yeah… So what are they going to do about it? He says, there’s nothing they can do. Kristina says she knows what she’s doing; he’s going to take her word for it. Alexis says she doesn’t think Kristina is lying to them. She’s just worried Kristina is lying to herself. He says, she’s worried, he gets it, but ultimately, it’s Kristina’s decision, and they’re going to have to stand by and love her no matter what. Alexis says, and she’s so good at standing by, and Sonny says, she did the right thing by not going to Kristina and venting, and instead coming to him and talking to him. She thanks him and thanks him for being here so he could listen. He says, always.

TJ says he appreciates Kristina talking this out, and she says, he wouldn’t be a good dad if he didn’t ask the tough questions. She can already tell he’s going to be a fantastic father. He thanks her, and she thanks him for loving her sister and for supporting her through all of this. She admires both of them. He says, it’s mutual, because they both admire the hell out of her for doing this. She’s making his and Molly’s dream of becoming parents come true. She says she loves that she’s stepping up for Molly. Molly has done it for her countless times. She can’t wait to see who their child grows up to be.

Elizabeth asks if Finn’s dad is up for dinner with them in his room, and Finn says, he pulled the old, I don’t want to be a burden, but he slowly came around. She asks if he’s concerned about Violet seeing him in the hospital, and he says he’s been thinking about that. He thinks he’s going to tell her the literal truth, that grandpa overdid it in hot yoga – he never thought he’d say those words – and that he is staying overnight so the doctors and nurses can keep an eye on him. She says, perfect explanation, and while they’re there, they can celebrate. He says, celebrate what? and she says she reached out to a couple nurses she knows in Beechers Corners. It turns out Muldoon did see a doctor there, about a month before he came to see Finn.

Maxie asks how it is being the male Face of Deception, and Cody says he still thinks he’s an odd choice for a spokesmodel, but if it makes Sasha happy, he’ll muddle through. She says, they make a great team, and he says he thinks so too.

Felicia hands a man the envelope and thanks him for getting here so quickly. She tells him, make sure this goes straight to the lab, expedited testing. He leaves, and we see Sasha watching.

Tomorrow, Olivia tells Lois to please accept that and move on; Alexis asks Gregory to forgive her; Nina asks what Cyrus plans to do with what he knows; and Heather says, Esme remembers.

🎨 Circling Back…

At least he didn’t go upstairs and polish his skis for 20 years.

🧂 Just a Pinch…

It wouldn’t be the first time Andy had to scream at a bunch of Housewives.

Canceling the whole panel at BravoCon? It must have been one ugly fight.

🍸 Teasing the Rules…

Well, what did they expect? Everyone forgot?

This must have been a tough choice since there are so many.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/vanderpump-rules-stars-dumbest-moments-211741813.html

🥀 2023’s Losses…

I’m obsessed with these lists.

https://people.com/celebrity/celebrity-deaths-2023/

🎉 Keeping It Traditional…

New Year’s traditions and celebrations.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/holidays-celebrations/g34787153/new-years-traditions/

https://www.countryliving.com/life/g5075/new-years-eve-traditions/

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/

https://www.tlc.com/life—relationships/new-year-s-eve-traditions-across-cultures

🗽 Dropping the Ball…

Most expensive Olive Garden buffet ever.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/new-years-eve-parties-inside-times-square-carry-hefty-price-tag-over-12k-to-ring-in-2024

Trust me. It’s better to watch the webcast. I never went there personally, but my best friend did and said it was a nightmare. Not only was it beyond crowded, but someone also spilled beer on her, and someone peed on her shoe. Not the same person, but still, no thanks.

https://www.timessquarenyc.org/times-square-new-years-eve

🐶 Let Auld Pets Not Be Forgot…

Keeping it safe and fun.

Dressing up. I’m not too sure about the pantyhose though.

https://www.rover.com/blog/new-years-looks-dog/

🪩 BYO Disco Ball…

Join me for the last blog of the year tomorrow and celebrate the changing of the calendars, keeping in mind, we don’t need no stinkin’ resolutions. Until then, stay safe; stay not overdoing it on New Year’s Eve, but not pressuring yourself if you don’t want to do it at all; and stay not worrying about things that haven’t happened yet.

January 4, 2023 –Bad Endings In the New Year, PSA For Pet Owners, New Year Soap, Andy’s Shots, Roll Call 2022, Best In Chic, What They Did & Better

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura thanks Ava for letting her stop by; she knows it’s late. Ava says, Laura told her it’s important, and invites her in. She asks, what’s up? and Laura says she’s worried. She has to find a way to help Nikolas. Ava says, and Laura came to her? and Laura says, Ava probably knows him better than anyone else now. She’s hoping Ava can shed some light on why Nikolas is afraid. What does Victor have on her son?

Dante says, Miss Prince? and introduces himself. He says, they’ve met before. Can she tell him what happened to her? She looks around, and asks, what happened? He says, she’s being treated for hypothermia, and she asks, why? He says he was hoping she could tell him. And also where she’s been hiding out the last six months.

Spencer says he knows Nikolas claims he’s there out of concern for him, but he always has an ulterior motive. What is it? Nikolas says his motive is his family, and Spencer says, right. He tells Trina, if she doesn’t mind, he’d like a moment alone with his father. They step away, and Trina tells Elizabeth, that seemed intense.

Nikolas says, finding Esme like that must have been a shock, and Spencer asks Nikolas to level with him for once. Is his psycho ex-girlfriend carrying Nikolas’s kid?

Cameron is closing up Kelly’s, when Scotty comes in, and asks what he’s doing here. Cameron says, working, and Scotty asks why he’s not out and doing what young people do on New Year’s Eve. Cameron says, technically, it’s January 1st, and Scotty says, his point exactly. Why isn’t he out with that beautiful girlfriend, bringing the New Year in with a bang?

Dex and Josslyn bask in the afterglow on the couch, and Dex asks how she is. She says, from one to ten, eleven, and he says, him too, and kisses her. He says he meant what happened on the dock. Someone tried to kill her tonight. She says, oh, that. She feels lucky and uneasy, but somehow here with him, she feels safe. He says, she is, and kisses her.

Obrecht says, Britt’s dress is torn. Is she bleeding. Britt starts to walk, and drops to the floor. Obrecht asks, what’s wrong? and Britt says she guesses she had more to drink than she realized. Obrecht says she’s calling for help, but Britt says, don’t. Obrecht says, obviously, something is wrong, and Britt says, it’s too late.

Josslyn says, this wasn’t the plan, and Dex says, it’s not like he never thought of it. She says she’d just try to push those thoughts down, and he asks, why? She says, he works for Sonny, and she’s never going to be okay with that. All those lies she used tell herself, that Sonny was actually an honorable man and his behavior was justified? She’s never going to tell herself those lies again. Her phone dings, and Dex hands it to her. She sees a text from Cameron: NYE re-do when I’m off work? Can’t wait to see you.

Cameron says, it’s Scotty’s lucky day; it’s the last one. He puts a plate in front of Scotty who says, a brownie. He’s not going to touch it yet. He texted his schnitzel to come join him. Cameron says, he didn’t ring in the new year with Dr. Obrecht? and Scotty says he was at Britt’s birthday party, but got a call from a client, and had to go. Cameron asks if someone spilled champagne, fell, and broke their hip, and Scotty says, collarbone. Cameron says, and they’re suing? and Scotty says, it will keep him in brownies until 2024. Cameron says, sounds like he should work for Scotty, and Scotty says, if Cameron every needs any money or anything… Cameron says he’s fine, but Scotty says, Cameron has to squeeze in some fun. It’s true what they say; life is short.

Obrecht tells Britt not to be defeatist. It’s not a good look on anyone, especially her. It’s only a scratch. How did this happen? Obrecht cleans the wound, and Britt says, Obrecht knows her; two left feet. Obrecht says, the Huntington’s? and Britt says, it definitely doesn’t help. She suggests getting Britt home, cleaned up, and in bed. No MetroCourt. She wants Britt to stay with her. Britt says, Obrecht never made a toast, but Obrecht says she thinks Britt’s had enough for tonight. She can barely keep her eyes open. Britt says, humor her. It’s her birthday. Obrecht picks up a glass, and says, to many more nights like this, draining the glass. She says she’s been thinking a lot about wasted time lately, and Britt says, her too. Obrecht says she wasn’t affectionate enough; too focused on molding Britt. Too focused to appreciate her, and Britt was unable to see the plain truth. Britt’s life was a miracle, and she robbed them both. She never held Britt enough, and never held her brother at all because she gave him up. She didn’t even get to hold him at the end. Britt coughs up blood, and Obrecht says, Britt’s not drunk, and this isn’t Huntington’s. What’s happening to her?

Laura tells Ava, Nikolas led her to believe he was in pretty big trouble. He wouldn’t tell her what it was, but he did say his Uncle Victor could either save him or ruin him. Does Ava have any idea what he was referring to? Ava flashes back to Esme falling off the parapet, and says she wishes she could tell Laura, but as they both know, Nikolas doesn’t tell her everything. Laura says she’s sorry Nikolas hurt Ava. What he did to her was unforgiveable, but she remembers a time when the two of them shared everything. Ava says she thought so too, but now she’s questioning everything, even the happy moments, and Laura says, she knows for a fact Nikolas regrets his choices. If she’s being perfectly honest, she has a few regrets too.

Nikolas tells Spencer to keep his voice down, and Spencer says, Nikolas thinks he can keep this a secret. When Esme wakes up, she’s going to blow Nikolas out of the water. He doesn’t know how pregnant she is, but he knows it’s definitely not his, which leaves Nikolas. They see a nurse go into Esme’s room, and Trina wonders if that means she’s awake.

The nurse tells Esme that she’s paged the doctor, and he should be here soon. Esme asks for water, but the nurse says she’s not cleared for that yet, and Dante says, stop stalling. Esme says she’s not stalling; she’s freezing. The nurse says she’ll get another blanket, and leaves. Dante asks if Esme wants him to repeat the question, calling her Miss Prince. Esme asks why he keeps calling her that.

Nikolas sees TJ headed for Esme’s room, and asks how she is. TJ says, that’s what he’s about to find out, and goes inside. Nikolas tells Elizabeth, this is unacceptable. What’s the point of being on the Board if no one tells him anything? Elizabeth tells him to come with her, and they leave. Trina says, Spencer’s dad is really invested in Esme, and Spencer says, she has no idea. She asks what they were talking about, but he says, nothing important. She says, it didn’t seem that way, and he says, that’s the thing about Cassadines. Our conversations always seem fraught. It’s part of the mystique. They should be celebrating; their plan worked. They lured The Hook out of hiding by pretending to be together. She says she’s not so sure they did.

TJ says, any nausea or headache? but a shivering Esme shakes her head. He says, what about tenderness? and she says, no. TJ asks the nurse to order him a fetal heart monitor, and an OB consult with an ultrasound. Esme asks why he’d need that, and he asks, when was the last time she felt the baby move? She says, baby? and looks under the blanket. She says, oh my God. I’m pregnant?

Ava asks what regrets Laura could have, and Laura says she hates that her son couldn’t be a better husband to Ava. Ava says, that’s his fault, not Laura’s, and Laura says, maybe. But looking back, she repeatedly encouraged Ava to stay with Nikolas. Maybe she shouldn’t have done that. Ava asks how Laura could have known that. Nikolas, and Nikolas alone, is at fault for the demise of their marriage. So she doesn’t want to hear about regrets; not Laura’s anyway. Laura says she doesn’t like to think of herself as naïve, but she thought Nikolas’s relationship with Ava could make him a better man. Ava says she thought so too, and for a while she thought it did. She guesses they’re both naïve.

Josslyn hurries to get dressed, and Dex tells her to slow down, but she says she can’t. She has to talk to Cameron. He says, it’s after midnight, but she says she can’t let Cameron go into the new year thinking they’re something they’re not. It’s not fair. He asks if she regrets it, and she says, this? No. But it was wrong for her to give in to her feelings for Dex while she was still with someone else. She owes Cam the respect of a conversation. He’s not just her boyfriend, he’s… Dex says, her best friend. He gets it. She says she’s about to break Cameron’s heart, and Dex starts getting dressed. She asks what he’s doing, and he says, there’s a killer on the loose, and she’s out for Josslyn. He can’t let her go by herself. She says, Cam can’t see him, but he promises to stay out of sight. She almost died tonight. She’s not going anywhere alone.

Cameron asks if Scotty saw Josslyn at Britt’s party, and Scotty says he didn’t, but he told Cameron that he had to leave early. Cameron says, it’s just that he texted her, and hasn’t heard anything back, and Scotty says, they’re good, right? Cameron says, yeah. They’ve just been super busy; him with soccer, her with volleyball. Now that it’s winter break, they’re going to be spending a lot of time together. As soon as he’s done here, he’s going to do a New Year’s do-over. Scotty asks what he’s doing? Go grab her.

On the phone, Obrecht says, please hurry. She’s having an anaphylactic reaction of some kind. Obrecht goes back to Britt, and says, because of the holiday, the closest ambulance is ten minutes out, but they’ll be here. Britt says she was coming back for Obrecht, and Obrecht asks if she’s in pain. Britt shakes her head, and says she wanted more time with all of them. Obrecht says she’ll have more time. She’s just having some sort of immune response. Britt says she didn’t want to die alone, so she came back. Now it’s close. Obrecht says, she’s not making sense, and Britt coughs. Obrecht says she’ll drive Britt to the hospital herself, but Britt says, they won’t make it. Obrecht asks what she means. The hospital is a few blocks away, and she’s an excellent driver. Britt says, the scratch is from a hook. She’s been poisoned. Obrecht can’t save her.

Outside Kelly’s, Dex says he’ll be here if Josslyn needs him, and she says she doesn’t know how she’s going to do this. Inside, Scotty tells Cameron to seize the day, and Cameron says he’s going to do it. Seize the day. He starts to leave, when Josslyn walks in. He says he literally was just about to look for her, and she says, they need to talk. Ugh. No guy ever wants to hear those words.

Ava laughs, and says she was thinking how horrified Laura was when she discovered Ava was her new daughter-in-law. Laura says, Ava wouldn’t be her first choice, and Ava says, who could blame her? Laura’s his mom. Laura says, Nikolas doesn’t see it that way. He thinks she oversteps and judges too harshly. Maybe he’s right. Ava says she wishes she’d been the kind of mother Laura is. If she had been able to set aside her anger and sadness, and had been there for Kiki… Laura says, no. Don’t do this to herself. Look how much she’s there for Avery. She’s setting a great example by showing Avery that she’s not accepting less than she deserves. Ava thanks her, and not just for saying that, but for always being so kind to her, despite all the bumps in this very tumultuous road. Laura says, being with Ava is the happiest she’s seen Nikolas. The fact that it fell apart… Ava says, it feels like a failure, and Laura says, divorce always does; it’s like a death. How is Ava dealing with that? Ava says, vodka helps. She’s not going to lie. She’s mad as hell at Laura’s son. Laura asks what she intends to do about that.

Nikolas says he should have put the Cassadine Island plan in motion earlier, and Elizabeth tells him, stop. That ship has sailed. Esme could be in there telling the police where she’s been all this time. Do they need to call Scotty? Should she call her boys and tell them she’s about to be arrested? He says he won’t let that happen, and she asks, how? He’s going to be in the police van next to her. He says he needs to make a call, and walks off.

TJ asks if Esme knows what day it is, and she asks, what’s happening to her? He says, she’s safe. Everything is okay, and she’s going to be fine. Does she know where she is? She looks at Dante, and tells TJ, he said this was a hospital. TJ says, it’s normal to be confused after a medical event, so why doesn’t she start by telling him her name? She says she can’t.

Spencer says he thought Trina would be thrilled they don’t have to pretend anymore, and she says, assuming Esme is The Hook. He says, not this Ryan Chamberlain theory again, but she says, think about it. Esme is pregnant; like pregnant pregnant. Can he really see her out there, attacking people, getting the best of someone like Rory or Ava? He says he doesn’t know, but he does know he’s not going to stand here while Esme ruins both of their lives. Dante comes out, and Elizabeth asks, how’s Esme? Spencer asks if she’s talking, and Trina asks if she’s awake. Dante says, she’s awake, and Spencer asks if she confessed. Dante says, she’s not saying much of anything, and Spencer says, of course (🍷). She’s probably already lawyered up, but Trina says she doesn’t think that’s it. Why isn’t Esme talking? Dante says, she claims she doesn’t remember anything.

Obrecht tell Britt that they have to move, but Britt says she can’t. Obrecht says, she has to try; the hospital will have an antidote. Britt says, no time, and coughs. She says she’s glad she came back. She’s glad she’s with Obrecht. In the beginning, and in the end. Obrecht says, this is not the end. There must be something she can do. Britt says, hold her like she wanted to hold Nathan, and Obrecht gets down on the floor, taking Britt in her arms. She cries as she says, Britt could talk before she could walk. So intelligent, so brave. Into everything. She remembers one evening she looked away for two minutes, and Britt managed to open her briefcase pulled out the contents. Fine motor skills that should have been beyond her. Britt had gotten hold of a pen and drawn all over herself. She was annoyed, but she should have kissed Britt, and smiled at how silly and wonderful she looked. She should have picked Britt up, and kissed her and kissed her, instead of scrubbing her up, and putting her to bed. Britt is starting to fade, and Obrecht says, all those kisses she never gave Britt. All those nights she put Britt to bed, and never once rocked her to sleep, her precious girl. My schone tochter. She realizes Britt is gone, and kisses the top of her head, and says, I love you, sweetheart. Mama loves you.

Scotty tells Josslyn and Cameron to have a good New Year’s, and leaves. Josslyn asks if they can sit, and Cameron says, of course (🍷). They sit down, and he asks, what’s going on? She says she really doesn’t want to do this, and he says, do what? She cries, and says, things have changed between them, and she really can’t ignore it anymore.

Laura gets her coat, and tells Ava, just for the record, she knows Ava owes Nikolas nothing. Ava says, less than that, and Laura says, but if Ava thinks of something that could help Nikolas get out from under Victor’s thumb, could Ava just tell her? Ava’s phone rings, and she says, Laura’s son has impeccable timing. She asks what Nikolas wants, and he says, what Ava wants; not to be implicated in a crime. Esme is at General Hospital. Ava asks if anyone knows she’s there, and he says, the PCPD for starters. They’re questioning her as they speak. They need to get their story straight about what happened that night on the parapet. Ava says she’s leaving now, and Laura asks, what happened? Ava says, Esme Prince has been apprehended.

Trina says, this is crazy. Esme is suffering from memory loss? Dante tells her, that’s what Esme is saying, and Spencer says, that is a load of… crap. She’s lying. Dante says he has to the update station, and steps away. Nikolas joins them, and asks what Dante said. Elizabeth says she’ll fill him in, and leads him away. She tells him, Esme claims she doesn’t remember anything, and Nikolas says, anything about the last few weeks? but she says, sounds like about anything at all, and Nikolas wonders, what the hell is her angle now?

Trina wonders if Esme could really not remember who she is, but Spencer says, no way. It’s just one more in a long line of Esme’s tricks. She says, but what if it’s not? and he says, believe him, it is.

Esme tells TJ that she’s scared.

Cameron says he doesn’t understand, and Josslyn says, they’re growing apart. He says he knows he hasn’t been around a lot. He’s just been busy with soccer, his brothers, and work. She says, it’s not that, and he says, then they’ll spend more time together, but she says, it’s not about physical distance. It’s about her, and what she feels. He asks if that’s changed, and she says, yes. He says, relationships evolve, right? They grow, and they’ve been through so much in the last year. She says she kept telling herself that too. And that if they cared about each other enough, they can recapture what they used to have. He says, haven’t they? He’s sorry; he’s confused. He thought things were fine. She says, things aren’t fine. They’ve been struggling. He knows this; they talked about this. He says he knows they talked about it, and then they… She says, they had sex. She thought it would fix things, but it didn’t. He says he thinks they need to talk about this. Think it through, and figure out a way to get back to where they were. She says, no, they can’t, and he says, that sounds final. She says, it is, and he says he sees. She didn’t come here to fix things. She came here to break up with him.

On the phone, Dante says he hasn’t figured out yet where Esme was when Britt Westbourne was attacked, but he has her personal belongings… He’ll bring them to the lab to be analyzed. It’s a bag of her personal belongings; clothes mostly, and a Christmas ornament. See if CSI can do something with it. Spencer walks over, and Dante says he’ll call them back with any updates. Spencer asks Dante, please tell him that he isn’t falling for this.

Ava comes out of the elevator, and sees Trina. She asks if there’s any news on Esme. She heard Esme was here with the cops. Trina says, she claims she doesn’t remember anything, and Ava says, nothing? Trina says, apparently. She’s surprised to see Ava here. Ava says, Nikolas called her, and Trina says she thought he would. But if Ava doesn’t suspect Esme of being The Hook, why come?

Nikolas says, there’s no way Esme has amnesia after everything she’s pulled, but Elizabeth says she doesn’t think Esme is faking it. He asks how she can say that, and she says, her best defense against The Hook allegations is that she was being held captive at Windymere all this time. She could send the police over there right now; there’s evidence all over the north tower. The truth is her alibi. Laura comes along, and says, what’s this about an alibi?

Cameron says, so that’s it? He and Josslyn are done? He gets zero say in the matter? She says she’s trying to be fair. She wants them both to be happy. He says he is happy. He thought she was too; clearly, he was wrong. He’s such an idiot. He gets up, and she follows, saying, he’s not. He says, he’s been going through life thinking everything was fine; meanwhile, his girlfriend’s miserable? She says she was never miserable. She could just feel them going in different directions, without that not same connection used to have. She starts to cry, and says she’s sorry, so sorry. She should have come to him sooner, but she’s so scared. The thought of losing him terrifies her. He says, and the thought of staying with him is worse? Does she still love him? She says she’ll always love him. She’s just not in love with him anymore. She knows that this changes things… He tells her, don’t say it. Don’t think for a second that they can be friends after this. She says, but she wants to. Please. He asks how they can do that when he’s still in love with her. He can’t just go back. Not now, and maybe not ever.

Scotty sees Obrecht on a bench at the hospital, and asks if she’s all right. She says she’s alone. She tried to protect them, and she’s still all alone. He says, she’s not alone. He’s right here. What happened? She tells him, she said she came back for me. What’s that mean? If she hadn’t come back… He asks, who? Look at him. If who hadn’t come back? She says, her Britta. She’s gone. Her little girl is gone.

Nikolas tells Laura that they were just wondering how Esme was going to talk her way out of this, and Elizabeth says, Nikolas told her that he’d talked to Laura about them. It must have been a shock. Laura says, actually, she’s mostly concerned about her grandchild; she’s concerned about all of her grandsons. She asks why Nikolas is here. Aside from being Spencer’s ex-girlfriend, she didn’t think he knew Esme all that well. He says, Esme’s action affected so many people In Port Charles… Elizabeth says, they just want to see Esme pay for what she’s done.

Ava tells Trina, Esme terrorized her. Esme set her car on fire, and left Kiki’s hospital ID next to it. Not to mention what she did to Trina. How could she not be here? Trina doesn’t think Ava will be as heated when she sees Esme, and Ava asks what that means. The nurse brings TJ the fetal heart monitor he wanted, and says she ordered the OB consult. Trina tells Ava, Esme is pregnant.

Cameron says he has to get back to work, and Josslyn grabs his arm. He tells her, don’t make this harder than it already is. Goodnight. He goes to the counter, turning his back to her, and she says, goodnight. She lingers at the door a moment, then leaves. Cameron cries, and outside, Dex asks if Josslyn is doing okay. She shakes her head, and he says he’ll take her home. Inside, Cameron yells in frustration.

Ava says, Esme is pregnant? and Trina says, and get this. Spencer doesn’t think the baby is his. Ava says, Spencer’s right, and walks over to Dante. Dante tells Spencer that what he believes is irrelevant, and Spencer says, Esme needs to go to prison whether she remembers what she did or not. Ava strides over, Trina following, and asks how far along Esme is, but Dante says he can’t give her that information. Trina asks if TJ said whether Esme was capable of physical violence, and Dante says,  that’s also privileged information that he can’t give them. Ava says, so a  wanted criminal’s right to privacy is greater than public safety? and Dante asks what she wants. Esme is being held and questioned. Ava says, she also heard Esme is saying she doesn’t remember anything. Dante had better take everything she says with a grain of salt. Does he hear her? He says he thinks the whole hospital hears her, and she says, at best, Esme is a conniving liar, who terrorizes people and torches cars. Trina says, and films people without their knowledge, and Spencer says, and frames innocent people for it. Ava says, at worst, she’s a murderer, responsible for a spree of brutal attacks, of which she’s a victim. Dante says, he gets everyone’s concern and interest, but he can’t give them answers yet. Nikolas asks if he and Ava can talk in private, and she asks when Esme conceived. He suggests they go somewhere quiet, but she says she’s fine where she is, and she asked him a question. Laura asks, what’s going on? and Ava asks if he isn’t going to answer his mother. Elizabeth says, now is not the time, and Ava asks if she hasn’t stood up for Nikolas enough. The baby Esme is carrying, it’s his, isn’t it? He says, yes, and she smacks him across the face, and says, that’s all she needed to know.

Scotty calls Nina, and tells her that he has horrible news.

Alone with Britt, Obrecht says, five years ago this month, she lost Britt’s brother. Now Britt has left her too. She can’t fathom it. A world without Britt’s brilliance, her humor, her utter determination. A world without her… Where does that energy go? It can’t just disappear. Their time together was far too short. She’s so proud to have been Britt’s mutter. To have witnessed the woman Britt grew up to be. Give Nathan a message for her. She whispers something in Britt’s ear, and kisses her forehead. She pets Britt’s hair, and says, Godspeed, Britta. Until we are all reunited.

Tomorrow, Nina knows something Maxie and Brad don’t; Ryan tells Heather to confess, so their daughter goes free; and Esme recognizes someone.

🐶 First, a PSA For Pet Owners…

This is hard to read, but it would feel wrong not to pass this info along. I’m really careful about treats I give my dogs.

🧼 Onto Soap Business…

Those we lost.

GH Year in Review.

How the soap stars celebrated the New Year.

Things in soap history that happened on January 1st.

🥃 And the Beef Goes On…

I’ll bet they got wasted afterward.

This is so stupid.

🥀 Roll Call…

Celebrities we lost in 2022.

https://ew.com/celebrity/stars-we-lost-in-2022/

https://people.com/celebrity/celebrities-whove-died-in-2022/

👠 Fashion Fabulousness…

The best in movies.

https://ew.com/movies/best-fashion-moments-movies-2022/

The best in music.

🎉 Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight…

How the stars celebrated.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/35521/stars-celebrating-new-years-eve-2022

🤸 Rolling Into the New Year Like…

Tomorrow, join me to find out what’s happening in Port Charles, and for more new year tea. Until then, stay safe, stay giving grace to yourself as well as others, and stay seizing the day, because life is short.

January 7, 2022 – Sonny Goes Back Home, Postponed, Luke’s Death, an Exit, Last Bow, Possible Wife, SI DUI, Ring Clap, Ringing It In, the First Dozen Quotes This Year & a Tale

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the Deception office, Chase asks if Brook is working late. She says he didn’t have to come himself. She would have called the baby nurse to pick up Bailey. He says, now that Peter’s awake, he doesn’t want to take any chances. If it were up to him, he’d never take his eyes off this little angel. (Bailey is really cute, and one of those very aware babies who seems to know what’s expected in a scene.) Brook says she appreciates that. Unfortunately, Peter isn’t their only problem now that her grandmother is back in town. He says, her grandmother Tracy? and she says, yes. If he sees her anywhere in the house, steer clear. He doesn’t want anything to do with her. He says, so she doesn’t want him to take Bailey back to the house? and she says, kind of like at the last possible moment. He tells Bailey, it looks like it’s just you and me, kid.

Trina and Ava are seated at the MetroCourt, and Ava asks for another place setting. Trina asks if someone is joining them, and Ava says, yes. This is a working dinner with their new employee. Spencer walks in, and Ava says, he’s right on time.

At Charlie’s, Cameron tells Josslyn, there’s a lull right now, so if she wants to vent about her mom and Sonny, now would be the time. Josslyn says she’s so pissed at Sonny, and he says, keep going. She says, he totally protected Nina in court. She’ll never have to pay for what she did. He doesn’t even view it as a crime. He’s completely betrayed his family, especially her mom. Cameron asks if her mom has said anything, but she says, not directly. He should have seen her on New Year’s; she was hurting so bad. He takes her hand, and says he’s sorry her family has to go through this, but he thinks everything will be okay. How many times have her mom and Sonny been married? She says, one more time than they’ve been divorced, and he says, exactly. He thinks they’ll get through this. She says, this time, she’s not so sure. She really thinks her mom and Sonny may have broken up for real. Esme walks in, and says, oh my God. That’s terrible. Josslyn says, it is, and thanks her. Esme asks if that means they can’t use the cabin.

Phyllis knocks at Nina’s office door, and asks if she’s interrupting. Nina says, is she kidding? Of course (🍷) not. She’s exactly the person Nina needed to see. She takes Phyllis’s hands, and says, as a matter-of-fact, she was going to drop by Charlie’s when she got off work. Phyllis is glad she saved Nina a trip, and Nina says she bets Phyllis can guess what she needed to talk about. Phyllis says, the hearing? and Nina says, it was crazy. She won’t believe what happened. Phyllis says she knows exactly what happened. It finally came out that Nina and Sonny fell in love. Nina says, it was a disaster, and Phyllis says, she’s right. So what is she going to do about it?

Olivia says, Sonny told Carly how he felt about Nina, and she was honest with him about how she felt about Jason on her wedding day, but has she been honest with Sonny about how she feels about Jason still? Sonny walks in, and Carly asks what he’s doing here. He says, he lives here, and doesn’t want to leave until they settle things. He asks Olivia if he can have time with his wife, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). She was just on her way out. She tells Carly that she’s rooting for her; don’t let her down. She leaves, and Sonny asks how Donna and Avery are. She says, they miss him. She told them that he was away on business. He says he doesn’t want them to think he’s gone, and she says, unlike Nina, she has no desire to keep him away from his family. He says, good, because he wants to come home. They’ve been apart too long. He knows he made a mistake, and he should have told her from the beginning, despite his reasons. She asks, what reasons? and he says he told her, Jason died. She says, then Sasha and Brando lost their baby, and he didn’t want to cause any more pain. He says, Sasha and Brando went through a terrible tragedy, and it broke his heart. Then they lost Jason, and Carly was able to express her hurt and grief. He lost his best friend, his brother, and he had to stuff all that inside. He had to be tough for her. He didn’t want to lose her, and didn’t want this thing with Nina to come between them. He didn’t say anything, and he should have, and it made it worse. But now, he’s been apart from her for nine months, and one night. He doesn’t want to spend one more minute without her.

Elizabeth sees Finn in the hospital locker room, and he asks if they’re still on for tonight. She asks, why wouldn’t they be? and he says he doesn’t know. Emergency? Family? Friends? The weather? She laughs, and he says, maybe she’s having second thoughts? She says, no, never. There’s no way she’s missing their first official date. She even brought a dress for the occasion. Don’t tell her that he changed his mind. He says, him? No. He’s just – he takes her hand – he’s just really happy if she feels like she can move on with him. She flashes back to putting her ring away, and says she thinks Franco would want her to be happy, and she is happy, with him. He kisses her.

Josslyn says, that’s nice. Her mother’s marriage is falling apart, and Esme is worried about a weekend getaway. Esme says she’s right; it was insensitive of her, and she’s truly sorry. Josslyn says, apology accepted, and Esme says, it’s just that all she can think about is Spence. He’s with Ava right now to discuss restitution. It’s torture. Not only this business with Ava, but the whole going to prison thing. She sits down, and says, the only thing Spence was looking forward to was their time in the cabin. Josslyn says she’s really sorry, but the last thing she wants is to ask Sonny for anything, and Esme says she understands. She doesn’t know how she’s going to tell Spence the weekend is off. On top of everything else, how can she take this from him too?

Spencer says he didn’t know Trina was going to be there, and Trina says, same here. She’ll leave if they’re going to be discussing… He says, please don’t leave on his account. He never minds seeing her. Ava on the other hand… He sits down, and Ava says, there’s no need to flatter Trina; he already has the job. He says, a job is usually paid for; this seems like indentured servitude. Ava says, court mandated indentured servitude. He owes her. The fake blood did damage to her gallery, not to mention the art itself. She opens the menu, and suggests they have a little something to eat before they talk business. Surf, turf, or both? Spencer says, he can’t afford to eat anything there. Ava has a stranglehold on his trust fund. Ava asks who he thinks is paying for this meal? She tells Trina to order whatever she likes. It’s on Spence.

Brook asks if Chase has heard anything about his suspension, but he says, not a peep. Which is fine. Not having to work means having more time to look after this little troublemaker, and when he’s not watching her, he fills his time with working out, and looking up brand new facts. Did she know the severed head of a sea slug can grow its whole body back? She says she doesn’t find that fascinating; she finds it repulsive. He says, why can’t it be both? and she asks if he’s really okay. He says, he was just so eager to get out of the wheelchair, and now that he’s able-bodied, he’s still kept from doing what he loves. It’s beyond frustrating. She says she’s so sorry, and he says, he told her, it’s not her fault. She says she can’t help but feel responsible. He was suspended for punching Valentin in her honor. He says he would do it all over again. Olivia comes by, and says, thank God Brook’s here. Brook asks if anyone is hurt, but Olivia says, not yet, but if Brook doesn’t talk her down, she’s going to Crimson, and rearranging Nina’s lying face.

Nina says, Phyllis knows what happened at the hearing? She was under the weather, so Nina assumed she was out of the loop. Phyllis says, one thing she’ll never take for granted again, in Nixon Falls, when she and Lenny had problems with their marriage, they never ended up on the news. Nina says, what? Phyllis found out about this on the news? Phyllis says, yes, and Kristina also filled her in on what happened at the hearing. Nina is sure Kristina had a mouthful to say about her, and Phyllis says, she did, but she’s hurt and confused, like Phyllis imagines Nina is. Nina says Phyllis has to believe her. She never wanted anyone to know about her and Sonny. No one, especially not like this. Now Sonny and Carly’s marriage was in trouble, and he was a wreck on New Year’s Eve. Phyllis says, she saw Sonny on New Year’s Eve? Alone? She’s asking for trouble.

Olivia says, then Willow testified that she heard Nina and Sonny talking about falling in love in Nixon Falls, which then Sonny confirmed, also on the stand. Chase says, poor Willow, and Brook asks, how’d Carly react? Chase says he has to meet his brother at GH, so he’ll take Bailey, and leave them to talk. Brook says, he’s introducing the baby to his brother? and he says, yeah. It’s going to be fine. He hands her a paper bag, saying, he almost forgot. He thought she might be working late, so he got her turkey on rye, her favorite. He added a banana because she always seems to steal his. Brook thanks him, but says, don’t think for a second her banana stealing days are over. He says he wouldn’t have it any other way, and says, goodbye, wheeling Bailey’s carriage out. When he’s gone, Olivia asks Brook to tell her every single detail. Brook says, about what? and Olivia says, her and Chase obviously.

Ava says, she and Trina came up with a list of projects Spencer can tackle at the gallery after he serves his sentence. Spencer says, if he’d thought this plea deal meant working for her, he’d have asked for more prison time, and Ava says, that’s gratitude for you. Luckily, she has good news. He won’t be working for her. He’ll be working for Trina.

Cameron tells Esme that he’ll break the news to Spence once he finds out what’s going on with Sonny, but Josslyn says, that’s okay. Esme’s right. They promised Spencer a fun time at the cabin, and considering it’s the last fun he’ll have in a long time… Esme says, that’s so decent of her. She knows it will mean the world to Spence. Josslyn says, the way she sees it, after what he did to her mom, Sonny owes her, and she could use some time away. Esme says she knows the feeling. Before they died, her parents were in the process of splitting up. It was brutal. Cameron says, it’s never easy; he’s sorry. What happened? Esme says, what didn’t? They both know the drill. He betrayed her, and they blamed each other. It was devastating. Josslyn says she’s sorry, and Esme thanks her, but says, she’s not. She may have been just a kid, but it taught her a valuable lesson. There’s a circle in hell reserved for people who tear families apart.

Nina says, nothing happened with Sonny, but Phyllis says, trust her. When the two of them are together, something happens. They have unresolved feelings for each other, and whether they act on those feelings or not is beside the point. Right now, being together, even casually, is inappropriate. Nina says, Phyllis is probably right, but Sonny has unresolved feelings for her. Phyllis asks what point Nina is making, and Nina says, she was chatting with her friend Ava, and it got her thinking. They all deserve happiness in life, right? She knows it sounds crazy, but right or wrong and not now, what if Sonny’s happiness lies with her?

Carly says, that’s the man she married, and Sonny says he thinks that’s who he is. She says, Sonny told her that he has reasons for keeping the truth about him and Nina from her. What reasons? He says, it doesn’t matter; it doesn’t exist. She says, that’s not the truth, and he asks what she means. She says, the reason he didn’t tell her was because he knew she’d ask the inevitable question. He asks if they have to do this now, and she says, yes, they do. She says she asked him last night, and she’s going to ask it again, and if he can’t answer it this time, he can turn around and leave. Does he have feelings for Nina? He doesn’t say anything, so she shouts, does he have feelings for Nina? and he says, yeah.

Trina says, Spencer’s working for her? But it’s Ava’s gallery. Ava says she won’t be there very much in the coming months. She and Nikolas are going to renew their vows. Their first wedding was last minute, so they want to plan something elegant, and in her absence, Trina will supervise. Spencer says, that’s no better. No offense, Trina. Trina asks if he thinks she wants this. Excuse her. She jets, and Spencer says, wait. Ava tells him, sit down. They’re not finished here yet.

Cameron says he knows how it feels. His family was torn apart when Franco was killed. He almost let his anger get the best of him. Esme says, sometimes anger can be fuel, and Josslyn’s phone rings. She excuses herself, and steps away. Outside, she asks Trina, what’s up? and Trina says she’s at the MetroCourt with Ava and Spencer, and things just went totally sideways.

Esme apologizes for getting intense, but Cameron says, she’s entitled. She thanks him, and says, it’s just that she didn’t grow up with her biological family, and the family that chose her imploded. That’s probably why she’s so devoted to Spence. He’s her family now. Cameron says, makes sense, but as far as anger… She says, he doesn’t agree? and he says, he’s sure she’s right. Anger can be fuel. But they can’t let it overrun them. Wasn’t it anger that drove her and Spencer to stalk Ava?

Sonny tells Carly, it’s complicated. He has feelings for Nina, but he’s getting over it. She says, you don’t just get over that, and he asks if she’s speaking from experience. She says, don’t do that. When he asked her about Jason, she was honest. He says, but she didn’t tell him right away, and she says, she told him within days. Didn’t she answer every question he asked? And she’s been asking for months for him to tell her what happened in Nixon Falls, and he was consciously keeping it from her. He says, that wasn’t him, but when she was with Jason, that was her. She says she doesn’t blame him for what he did as Mike, but he owes her the truth. He says they’re not going to be able to get through this if they’re not under the same roof, and she tells him, he said he wasn’t Nina’s victim. Now she realizes how true that was. Sonny was Nina’s accomplice.

Nina asks how many times Phyllis has told her, she and Sonny shouldn’t ignore their feelings for each other, but Phyllis says, she advised Nina to come to terms with her feelings. That’s very different. Nina says, if Sonny and Carly separate – if – does Phyllis think it’s possible for her and Sonny to be together? Phyllis says, first, she’ll answer the question Nina asked. Yes, it’s possible. Now she’ll answer the question Nina didn’t ask. If it’s possible, does she think Nina should act on her feelings? Hell no.

Josslyn says, basically, Spencer would be working as a handyman? Has he ever even held a hammer? Trina says she doesn’t think it’s just about the work. Ava isn’t making this easy on him. Josslyn says, he and Esme stalked Ava for months. They made implied threats to Avery, and, oh yeah, set Ava’s car on fire. She knows Spencer’s their friend, but after what he’s done, he’s getting off easy.   

Ava says she admits she had a little fun at Spencer’s expense, and he says, she means, kicked him when he was down. That’s low, even for her. She says, still not quite as low as leaving a teddy bear teddy with a murderer’s voice for her child to find. He asks, why involve Trina? and she says, besides paying for what he did to her, his true task is to make restitution to Trina. Does he think she needs the money him doing odd jobs at the gallery will save her? Restitution isn’t only about money. It’s about righting wrongs. Repairing what’s broken. Restoring what’s been stolen. He says he never took anything from Trina, and she asks if he can honestly say he didn’t hurt Trina. He says, one of his greatest regrets is how he treated Trina. He should have been honest. He should have told her that he already had a girlfriend. He shouldn’t asked her to cover for him, when she didn’t realize he was actually going after Ava. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to make that up to Trina, but Ava says, he can try. Him framing a few pictures with Trina at the gallery isn’t going to fix the trust that’s broken, but trying to make Trina’s job easier could go a long way.

On the phone, Trina says she thinks they calmed down a bit. It was looking pretty intense for a while. She thanks Josslyn for letting her vent, and Josslyn says, anytime. Trina knows Josslyn’s got her back.

Esme says, Cameron is right; about the anger thing, and what she and Spence did to Ava. She’s a work in progress. He says, they all are. Trust him, he’s not judging. If she knew what anger drove him to do when Franco was killed… She says, do tell, and he tells her, all he’ll say is, he was impulsive, and he was reckless. He’s very grateful he had people around him who were patient and forgiving. She says, angry Cameron sounds quite intriguing, and he says, she’ll never meet him, not if he can help it. Josslyn comes back in, and says, that was Trina. Sounds like Spencer’s super unhappy over whatever Ava cooked up for his restitution. Esme says, Trina’s there? Spence didn’t mention she’d be at the meeting. Cameron says, maybe he didn’t know, and Josslyn says, even if she is, what’s the big deal? They’re all friends here, right?   

Chase brings Bailey/Louise to the hospital, carrying her in a baby sling, and Elizabeth says it’s so nice to see her. Is she all snuggly and comfortable with her daddy? Finn says, it’s about time he got to meet his niece, and Elizabeth says, she’s beautiful. Chase says, that’s all her mother, and Finn says, definitely, but Elizabeth says she thinks Chase has something to do with it. She has to get back to work, and tells Chase, congratulations. She tells Finn that she’ll see him later, and leaves. Finn says he can’t believe his little brother is a father, and Chase says, Bailey’s not the only good news in the family. Is he imagining things, or do Finn and Elizabeth seem… closer? Finn says, he thinks he and Elizabeth have decided to see where this can go, and Chase asks, what finally changed? Finn says, she did; mostly. She’s been through a lot, and he thinks she’s ready now. Chase says, it’s been a tough year for both of them. He’s glad they can look forward to a future together. Finn suggests they not get ahead of themselves. And what about Chase? What does his future hold?

Brook tells Olivia that she and Chase are friends; there’s nothing going on with them. Olivia says she saw the energy between them, and don’t argue with her. She has a nose for these things. Brook says, that’s not why Olivia came there. How’s Carly taking the news about Sonny? Olivia says, that’s why she’s so steamed. Carly is so angry at Sonny right now, and rightfully so, but she’s also torn. She desperately wants to forgive Sonny, but it’s a massive betrayal to get past. Brook says, if Olivia can forgive her dad… Olivia says she’s forgiven him for many things, and Brook says, then Carly can forgive Uncle Sonny, can’t she?

Phyllis says, sorry she was so blunt, but Nina says, that’s okay. She just doesn’t want Phyllis to get worked up when she’s recovering. Phyllis says, some of the responsibility of this situation lies with her, and Nina says, no. What did Phyllis do? Phyllis says, if she’d been completely honest with Nina after Sonny regained his memory, Nina might not still be fantasizing about a future with him. As Lenny would say, it’s never too late for settin’ straight. So is Nina ready to get real?

Sonny says, Nina’s accomplice? and Carly says, he’s Nina’s protector. He told Carly to lay off Nina. He says, he didn’t want a war, and she says, look where that got them. He promised Nina would stay away from their family, but that didn’t stop the two of them from reminiscing in the hospital chapel. Is he kidding her? Is he going to stand in her way now, and asks her not to go after Nina, after she fired the first shot at the hearing? Is he? He says he doesn’t know what that’s going to accomplish; just forget about Nina. She says, like he has? and he says, she doesn’t want to trust him, and doesn’t want to forgive him. Is he wasting his time? Is she saying there’s no hope for their marriage?

Chase tells Finn, fatherhood has been great, so far, but without his job, he feels useless. Like he doesn’t have a purpose. And he gets the feeling he’s starting to bug Brook. Finn says, first things first. Being a dad is the greatest job there is. There’s nothing useless about spending time with his little girl. That being said, he understands Chase’s suspension has made him feel restless, but it’s not going to last forever. Chase says, here’s hoping, and Finn says, he thought Chase and Brook were good friends. Chase says, they usually are, but lately, their vibe has been off. Hanging out with Brook is effortless, but lately, it’s just awkward. He’s not sure what’s come between them. Finn laughs, and says, you’re wearing her, bro. Co-parenting Bailey with Brook has brought a new dynamic into their friendship. There’s bound to be some bumps in the road, but they’ll figure it out. Chase says, that makes sense, and Finn says, it’s going to all fall into place. Chase asks how Finn can be so sure, and Finn says, it comes from frequently being right. Just think of all the things Chase overcame this year, and he’s still standing, literally. Chase says, thanks to him, and Finn says, and Chase’s own resilience. He knows he’ll never have Chase’s optimism, but he hopes he can learn to embrace life like Chase does. Elizabeth goes by, whispers, hi, and Chase says, it looks like he already has.

Trina comes back to find Spencer heading for the reception area, and she asks where he’s going. He says he’s going to find a waitress. He can’t stand being here one more second. So he’s going to get his dinner to go. After all, he did pay for it. Trina says, Ava ambushed both of them. She didn’t know Ava was going to have her supervise him. She’ll decline. He says, no. He’s grateful to have the opportunity to work for her, if she’ll have him. She says, why not? Good help is hard to find.

Esme gets some coffee, and asks what she owes Cameron, but he says it’s on the house. She thanks him, and says he’s a life saver. She tells Josslyn that she hopes her mom and stepdad weather the storm, and if they can’t, Josslyn emerges strong anyway. She thanks Cameron for the caffeine, and Josslyn for the cabin, and says, she knows what it’s costing Josslyn. Esme leaves, and Josslyn says, is she crazy, or did Esme almost seem sincere?

Nina says, Phyllis has always been real with her. That’s why she values their friendship so much. Phyllis says she hopes they continue to be friends after she says this. Sonny may not see himself as a victim, but what Nina did, pretend not to know who he was, and keeping him from his family, including the grandson they shared, allowing Sonny to fall in love with her, that was a violation. And the only way to make this right is to leave Sonny alone. Nina says, what if he doesn’t want to be left alone? and Phyllis says, let Sonny and Carly figure this out. Whatever the next step is, it’s not hers to take. Phyllis gets her coat, and leaves.

Carly says, if there’s any chance for them, Sonny needs to be honest with her. He says, he’s already admitted he has feelings for Nina. It’s confusing and complicated, and he doesn’t want to have these feelings. That’s as honest as he can be. She tells him, he said they didn’t have sex; did he kiss her? Did he touch her? He says, it doesn’t matter, but she says, it does to her. He asks why she wants to hurt herself; she’s already hurt. She says, she can’t forgive him if she doesn’t know what she’s forgiving. He says, it’s not going to help, and she says, it can’t be worse than what she’s imagining in her head. Tell her. He says, to move forward, you have to forget, but she says, for her to move forward, she has to know every last detail. He says, that was Mike; he’s Sonny. She points at a plate, and says, his daughter wanted him to have that cookie, and walks out of the house.

Trina goes back to the table, and says, Ava knows she’ll do anything Ava asks, but when she asked if Trina was comfortable having Spencer work at the gallery, Ava never mentioned she’d be supervising him. Ava says, she doesn’t want to supervise him, and Spencer’s the one being punished, not her. Trina asks why she’s being punished, but Ava says, she’s not; she’s being rewarded. Doesn’t Trina think it would be a little satisfying, bossing Spencer around after everything he’s done to her? Trina says, honestly, no, and Ava says she doesn’t know why she’s surprised. Trina is cut from a much kinder cloth than she is. Now she feels bad that she sprang this on Trina. Can Trina forgive her? Trina says, of course (🍷), and Ava says, good. Because Trina is going to run her own gallery one day, and she’s going to need this experience, boss’s orders. Trina says, when Ava puts it that way… They see Spencer, carrying a to-go bag, and waiting for the elevator. Trina catches his eye.

Cameron says, it was sincere for Esme, and Josslyn says, it certainly was a surprise, Esme confiding in them about her childhood. Cameron wonders if it was a good surprise or a bad surprise, and Josslyn says, that depends on whether Esme was lying or not. He says, it seemed like she was telling the truth, and she says, it did. She hates to admit this, but there may be an outside chance that there’s more to Esme than she’s given her credit for. He says, if Spencer likes her, how bad can she be?… Gotcha. He asks if they should give Esme the benefit of the doubt, just this one time, and Josslyn says, she gets an A for effort, but they’ll see if she passes the class.

A nurse hands Esme a bag at the hospital pharmacy, and asks if it’s a new prescription. Esme says, it is, and the nurse says Esme needs to speak to the pharmacist. Esme says, that won’t be necessary, but the nurse says, the dosage is strong. She advises a consultation to go over proper usage. Esme says, no need. She knows exactly how to use this.

Olivia says, thanks for the chat, and Brook says, anytime, walking her to the door. Brook says, huh, she actually meant that, and Olivia says, no one is more surprised than she is. Brook says, don’t tell everybody they’re getting along; she has a reputation. Olivia says, Brook definitely has a reputation, and thanks Brook for keeping her from punching Nina in the nose. Brook says, what Nina did was truly messed up, and Olivia says, but? Brook says, but she’s made choices she knew would hurt people. Sometimes for reasons people think are right in the moment, and dig holes that are just too big to climb out of. Olivia says, Brook’s made mistakes, and Brook says, one or two. Olivia says, but beneath all of Brook’s barbs and bluster, she’s got a beautiful heart. She loves without reservation, and Olivia thinks Brook just wants to be loved in return. Brook says, the heart is a muscle; it will atrophy without use. Olivia says, start using it, and Brook says, easier said than done. Olivia says she doesn’t know about that. Sometimes the very thing we’re looking for is right in front of us.

Finn thanks Chase for introducing him to his niece. He tells Bailey that he’s so glad to finally meet her, and Chase says he wants to get her home. Finn says he should probably go find a cure for a disease or two, and Chase says, only if he has the time. He’s thrilled for Finn. He was starting to enjoy curmudgeon Finn, but thinks he can learn to like nice Finn too. Finn tells him, don’t get carried away. He knows he and Elizabeth took their time getting here… Chase says, it took them forever. They were the last two people to realize there was a spark between them. Finn says, sometimes it works that way, right? There were some obstacles, but now it seems like nothing is standing in their way.

In the locker room, Elizabeth takes out her dress. Something falls out of the locker, and she picks up her wedding ring.

Sonny is all alone in the kitchen, without even the moss bowl 🎍 for comfort. He flashes back to when he was in the Nixon Falls clinic after the fire at the Tan-O. He remembers Nina saying, what they have is real. If he leaves, she wants him to know something. She honestly loves him. He takes a swig of his drink, then smashes the glass.

On the phone, Nina says she’s sorry. Her meeting ran late. She’s on her way. She’ll be in the conference room in five minutes. Carly comes in, and slams the door. She tells Nina, you’re gonna miss that meeting.

On Monday, Trina says she saw the Ava that Josslyn warned her about, Victor tells Spencer that it’s time he lived up to being a Cassadine heir, Sonny says he really screwed up, and Nina says there’s something else Sonny didn’t tell Carly about.

😷 Down But Not Out…

Supposedly, it won’t affect the schedule.

🧼 Good Soap Characters Never Die…

Since Tony Geary is still alive and well, and living in Amsterdam smoking weed, I’m not buying it.

https://ew.com/tv/general-hospital-killed-off-luke-spencer/

Relive the moments.

⚖️ Say It Ain’t So…

What the what? But he and Obrecht are so cute together.

🎭 Closing the Curtain…

One Life To Live liked her so much, she came back later to play a different role. I had no idea she was Arthur Miller’s sister though.

https://people.com/theater/joan-copeland-broadway-star-and-sister-of-playwright-arthur-miller-dead-at-99/

💎 Wifely Tease…

I wouldn’t mind seeing her added to the cast. I liked that reality show she had with Dave Navarro.

https://www.justjared.com/2022/01/07/carmen-electra-teases-possibility-of-joining-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-cast/

🏎 Influenced Wife…

Apparently using the Kim Kardashian filter on that IG post.

💍 In Defense Of Morganite…

It’s still a gorgeous ring, and it was still expensive. I think my engagement ring was around $500.

https://people.com/style/scheana-shay-claps-back-at-fans-who-criticized-her-pink-morganite-ring-i-didnt-want-a-diamond/

🎉 Happy Last Year…

You didn’t think I’d forget. The celebration continues, even if only in my mind.

Celebrity Celebrations.

https://people.com/celebrity/happy-new-year-2022-see-celebrities-celebrating-in-photos/

How Daytime does it.

📯 Quotes of the Week

The moment we choose to love, we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. – Bell Hooks

The question is whether any civilization can wage relentless war on life without destroying itself, and without losing the right to be called civilized. – Rachel Carson

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. – Soren Kierkegaard

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

Art is not what you see but what you make others see. – Edgar Degas

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. – Maya Angelou

Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness. – Steve Maraboli

If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive. – Audre Lorde

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. – John Powell

Sometimes you make the right decision, and sometimes you have to make the decision right. – Dr. Phil

Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them. – George Eliot

🌃 Into the Night…

It’s the second weekend of the new year. That two-day break from work if you’re still doing that, and if you’re on the resignation bandwagon, call it whatever you like. But whatever you call it, enjoy a change of scenery, even if it means moving your computer to another room. You’ve got an open invite to join me on Monday for soap and Deck adventures. Until then, stay safe, stay leaving them wanting more, and stay leaving it alone, if the next step is not yours to take.

December 30, 2021 – New Year’s Eve In Port Charles, What’s On, Who’s Gone, Backlash Defense, Lala’s World, Bad Idea, Celebrations, Traditions, 22 Quotes for ’22, Eve Talk & Another One

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Today’s drinking game will include extra words because, New Year’s Eve (🍷).

Portia comes into The Savoy, and Curtis says she looks stunning. She tells him that he cleans up pretty nicely himself. He says, it’s a big occasion, and she says, happy New Year (🍷). He says, not just New Year (🍷); new beginnings. Right here with her, where it all started. He kisses her. Martin comes in with Lucy, and says, good evening and happy New Year (🍷), to Nika, who’s playing hostess. He asks if Valentin has a reservation this evening, and Lucy wonders why he needs to know.

At Kelly’s, Valentin sees Anna, and asks if the seat across from her is taken. He sits, and she asks if this is when he asks her about the conversation with his purported father. He says he couldn’t care less about anything Victor says or does, and she says, her either, but she thought he’d want to hear what was said. He says, not really. He and Anna have been tiptoeing around each other for far too long. He’s over it, and thinks she is too. So why doesn’t she let him take her out tonight? They can kick this wretched year to the curb, and start 2022 (🍷) fresh, the best way he can think of starting it – with each other.

Holding a gift bag, Drew knocks on Sam’s door, and when she answers, he says, surprise.

On the phone, Josslyn says she was really looking forward to them having her dad’s house to themselves, and Cameron asks if she’s sure she can’t get away. She says, unfortunately, something major happened with her mom, and she’s sorry, but she can’t leave. She’s really going to miss being with him tonight. He says, him too; she has no idea. She says she thinks she does. She’ll call him at midnight.

Michael tells Willow that Dante just texted him. He found Sonny. Willow hopes he’s okay, and Michael says, he’ll be fine, but he thinks it’s best if Sonny keeps his distance for a little while after he hurt mom. She says she’s so sorry. She can’t believe the mess she made. He says, she did nothing wrong. She told the truth about his father, which is something his father should have done a long time ago.

Carly takes down Sonny’s stocking from the fireplace, and looks at it. Then she looks at a picture of the two of them. Michael comes in, and says, mom? Carly says, excuse her, but he says, just talk to them. Willow says she’s so sorry about what happened in court, and Carly says, when Willow testified that she’d known for weeks about Sonny and Nina, did it ever occur to Willow to let her know her husband had fallen in love with someone else?

Maxie and Nina sit down at the Savoy, and Maxie asks, what’s wrong with Nina?. She gets to ring in 2022 (🍷) free as a bird; she should be celebrating. Nina says she should, but she’s not exactly in the mood. Scotty’s legal maneuvering kept her out of jail, but he blew up her life. And possibly Sonny and Carly’s.

Sonny knocks back drinks at Charlie’s, a stack of crumpled bills on the bar, when Dante walks in. Sonny asks what he’s doing there, and Dante says, Michael called him. He was looking for Sonny. Sonny says, congratulations. Dante found him. Dante says he can see that. Michael also told him about the hearing, that Willow took the stand and testified that Sonny and Nina fell in love in Nixon Falls. Sonny says he did not fall in love with Nina. That was Mike. He didn’t know who the hell he was, but he can’t get Carly to see that. She kicked him out. What if he never gets her to understand? What if he’s lost her forever? He slugs back another drink.

Drew apologizes for not calling first, and tells Sam, he promised Scout that he’d drop by with something special for New Year’s Eve (🍷). She says, it’s fine. Scout will be happy to see him. He says, here’s hoping, and she says, enough with the false modesty. Their daughter adores him.

Martin says, Valentin is his most lucrative client, and Lucy says, so the more the merrier. He says, no, far from it. As a matter-of-fact, Valentin made it clear that his and Lucy’s association is a bit of a conflict of interest. So much so, he issued an ultimatum; either his business or her. She says, obviously he chose her, but he says he doesn’t see why he should have to make a choice at all. He’s not here, and he’s not going to be here. The way Martin sees it, if they don’t make a scene, he can have his hummingbird cake and eat it too. How does that sound?

Maxie says, so Willow said Nina and Sonny fell in love. In court. On the stand. Nina says, yep, and Maxie says, wow. That is so dramatic. How did she even know? Nina says, Willow overheard her and Sonny talking in private, and she convinced Willow to keep it a secret, but Scotty pried it out of Willow. Maxie asks how Scotty found out, and Nina says she has no idea. Obrecht joins them, telling them, happy New Year (🍷). She sees Nina’s face, and says, what?

Scotty gives Cameron and Aiden what look like cassette tapes, and says he’s sorry he didn’t get these to them before Christmas. He tells Elizabeth that he has one for Jake too, but she says, he’s at a sleepover. She’ll make sure he gets it. He says he didn’t know Violet was going to be there, but Finn says, it’s okay. Scotty says, who doesn’t need five bucks? and Cameron says, Franco used to say that. Finn says, okay, and Violet takes the money, thanking Scotty. Scotty says he bets Franco did; he was always bumming five bucks from him. Aiden wonders what the gift is, and Cameron says, they’re old school tapes of sorts. Scotty says, it’s Franco’s music. He thought they could listen to it and keep Franco’s memory alive on New Year’s (🍷). Franco always liked this really crazy music. What do they think? Elizabeth looks sad.

Michael says, Willow came to apologize, and Willow says she’s so sorry. She never wanted to say what she had to at that hearing, but she had no choice. Carly says, she had a choice before. She chose to keep it to herself. Willow says, was she supposed to tell Carly that she overheard Sonny and Nina talking about how he fell in love in Nixon Falls, when he didn’t know who he was? It was over. Sonny is back, and Carly is the one he loves, not Nina. She didn’t want to hurt their marriage. She didn’t want to hurt Carly. Carly whirls around and says, but you did, Blanche! Oh wait, wrong drama. Carly asks if Willow didn’t want to hurt her, or did Nina ask her not to?

Dante says, Sonny has to give Carly some time. She’s got to remember that Sonny is Sonny. He’s not that guy who fell for Nina in Nixon Falls. Mike is gone; he doesn’t exist. Sonny says he told her, and it doesn’t matter, but Dante says, eventually, it will. How many times have they broken up? Sooner or later – hopefully sooner – Carly will come around and realize there’s nothing left between him and Nina. That’s right, isn’t it? There’s nothing left? Sonny asks if Dante shouldn’t be with Sam, but Dante says he’s got to get Sonny squared away first. Sonny says he just wants to be with his wife. There’s nothing Dante can do about that. Dante says, just like there’s nothing Sonny can do about falling for Nina when he thought he was someone else. That’s love. It’s like chemical stuff. There’s nothing you can do to control that. Nina is the guilty party here. Sonny didn’t do anything wrong, and Carly’s going to see that. Sonny says, that’s not the problem; not the whole problem anyway. He should have told Carly what happened in Nixon Falls before it came out in that courtroom. Dante asks why he didn’t.

Michael tells Carly, attacking Willow isn’t going to make this any better, and Josslyn says, Michael’s right. The blame is not on Willow; it’s on Nina. She’s the one who let Sonny keep thinking he was Mike. Michael says, and when they fell in love, Nina kept this whole sorry charade going. Carly asks Willow if Nina asked her to keep her and Sonny’s secret, and Willow says, yes, she did. Carly asks if Michael knew, but he says, no, not until the hearing. She says, and he’s okay with that; that Willow chose Nina over him. Over the family who welcomed her with open arms.

Nina says, it was Obrecht who told Scotty about her and Sonny, and Obrecht says, gerne geschehen (you’re welcome). Nina says, Scotty figured out that Willow knew something. How could she? Obrecht says Nina is free; that’s all that matters. Nina says, at what cost? She and Scotty might have wrecked Carly and Sonny’s marriage. Obrecht says, pity, and calls for more champagne. She asks why they’re not drinking yet, and Nina says, and destroyed her life. Obrecht says, all the more reason she should be drinking, and she didn’t destroy Nina’s life. On the contrary. She saved it.

Curtis tells Portia, he’s allowed this club and his father to monopolize his attention when he should have been giving her his time and energy. She thanks him, but says, all the time and energy he’s put into this club has been totally worth it. The Savoy is a success. And so is he. He thanks her, and says he didn’t think he needed to hear that, but he did. She says, as far as his father goes… He says, he doesn’t really want to talk about that man when he’s trying to have a special evening with his lady. She says, that’s always nice to hear, and he says, in fact, he’d like for them to be closer. She says, what a coincidence, because she wants that too, and he kisses her.

Scotty says, they’ve got to remember all the times with Franco, but they’ve also got to live their lives; he would want that. He tells Elizabeth that he’s sorry, and asks if he stuck his foot in it again. She says, no. Cameron just said something to her like that, and Scotty tells Finn that he’s got to watch his step. This is his family. They’re his heart. Finn says, his too, and Scotty says, but don’t tell anybody he has a heart. Finn asks who’d believe him? and Scotty says, nobody. He tells them, happy New Year (🍷), and leaves, and Finn asks if Elizabeth is okay. She says she’s just glad he’s here to help her bring in a brand new year.

In the kitchen, Elizabeth tells Aiden to bring the cake in, and she’ll clean up in here. Finn says, he’ll do it, and she says, she’ll wash; he’ll dry? He says, deal, and she puts her wedding ring on the shelf above the sink.

Sam brings Scout downstairs, and Drew says she looks adorable. Does she remember he said he’d bring something special by for New Year’s Eve (🍷)? She nods, and he says he hopes she likes them. He takes a pair of gold 2022 (🍷) sunglasses out of the bag, and asks if he can put them on her. She says, yes, and he does. He and Sam rave about how she looks, and Drew says, 2022 (🍷) coming. He has noisemakers too, and Sam tells Scout not to make too much noise for mommy, but Drew suggests she make noise all night. He thought Sam would look good in a pair of them too, and gives her a silver pair. She says he knows she loves a good pair of sunglasses, and Scout asks if Drew will stay until midnight.

Willow says she saw that Carly and Sonny were happy together. Why change that? Carly says, because Willow knew Sonny was in love with someone else. Michael says, he’s not defending dad, far from it, but Sonny doesn’t love Nina, and Mike from Nixon Falls doesn’t even exist anymore. Carly says, last night, she asked Sonny point blank if he still had feelings for Nina, and he couldn’t answer her. Josslyn asks if Sonny’s been cheating on Carly, and Carly tells her, he says not. Josslyn asks if Carly believes him, but Carly says she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know what to believe. Sonny says he still loves her, but she doesn’t know how he could, when a part of him is still in Nixon Falls with Nina. She says she doesn’t know what the hell to believe, and storms out.

Sonny tells Dante, when he got his memories back, when he knew who he was, he lashed out at Nina, like she was a stranger and enemy. Dante says, when it came to filing charges, it was Michael’s call, not Sonny’s; why? Sonny says, he wanted it to be over. He didn’t want to relive it in a courtroom. He was going to tell Carly privately, then Jason died. They were grieving, then Sasha and Brando’s baby died, and he thought it would be cruel to tell Carly then. He wanted some distance from all the loss, and he waited too long. He asks for another drink, and Dante says, so when it came to Sonny’s testimony, he said what Nina did to him was not a crime, right? Sonny says, she lashed out. She was hurt. That’s what people do when they’re hurt. Dante says, so is he saying he feels sorry for Nina, after she kept him from the people who love him? Sonny tells him, he didn’t say he felt sorry for her, and Dante says, but he felt something? Sonny says, yeah, and Dante asks if he still feels something. Sonny says, yeah, and Dante wonders what that something could be. Sonny says, here’s the problem. It’s like Mike is still in him. He didn’t leave all of Mike behind in Nixon Falls. He still carries a small piece of Mike’s heart, and God help him, that small piece of Mike’s heart belongs in some way to Nina.

Carly goes out on the terrace, and says, Jason, where are you? Why aren’t you here?

The kids bring their dishes into the kitchen, and Violet tells Aiden, that cake was super delicious. Cameron says he agrees, and says, it was top-notch. Aiden says he can’t take all the credit; it was Franco’s idea. Cameron says, Aiden baked it, and Elizabeth says, the fireworks are about to start. She tells them to get ready, and they go upstairs. Elizabeth tells Finn, she’s sorry if Franco’s presence… They just really miss him. He says, it’s okay. It’s nice they can share their memories. Franco obviously did a lot of good for the family, and her. She feels around the shelf, and looks around the sink, and says, her ring; it’s gone. It must have fallen down the drain.

Drew says, he’d absolutely love to stay, but something tells him, midnight past Scout’s bedtime. Sam asks Scout if she remembers that she wanted to wait until her brother got home to celebrate, but Scout says, that was before they got these glasses. Drew says he has to get home, but how about if he gives her an airplane ride all the way upstairs and tucks her in? Sam says, sounds like fun, and Drew says, one… two… takeoff! He picks Scout up and spins her around, then takes her upstairs.  

Dante says, he doesn’t entirely understand what Sonny went through, but Sonny can’t just forget what happened while he was Mike. Those feelings and experiences were real. It’s a real part of him; it doesn’t just vanish. Sonny says, a shadow, an echo; Mike is still in here. Don’t get him wrong, it’s not like the feelings he has for Nina have anything to do with the love he feels for Carly. Nina’s like an ex. He laughs, and says, she’s just going to fade away. Dante says, it might not happen while Sonny is drinking himself into oblivion though, and Sonny says, it needs to start fading tomorrow. Tomorrow is New Year’s Day (🍷). It’s a good time to hit the… Dante says, reset? True enough. Sonny laughs, and says, the last thing he wants is to have Dante sitting with him at a bar, when he could be ringing in the New Year with Sam. Dante says, okay, he’ll go, and asks Sonny where he’s staying; he’ll drop Sonny off. Sonny says, he’s fine, and Dante asks if he’s is sure he’s okay? Sonny says he’s a big boy; he can take care of himself. They hug, and Sonny thanks Dante for being him, and a great son. Dante slips Sonny’s keys in his pocket, and says he wants Sonny to know that everything he said stays between them. Sonny thanks him, and Dante tells him, be good, and leaves.

Josslyn says she can’t believe Sonny did this, and Michael says he gets that Sonny was protecting Carly by keeping it a secret, but that doesn’t excuse it or make it right. Josslyn says, what’s that saying? It’s not the crime, it’s the cover-up. Willow says, sometimes the worst things happen when we try to shield our loved ones from knowing the truth, when Carly comes back in. She says she’s sorry. She knows they’re here for her, and she loves them for that. All of them. She takes Willow’s hand.

Scotty walks over to Obrecht’s table, and asks, where’s the champagne? Life’s a ball, and we’ve got a lot of living to do here. Obrecht says she’s afraid Nina doesn’t see it that way, and Scotty asks if Nina is still upset. Nina says, the last thing she wanted was for her and Sonny’s feelings for each other in Nixon Falls to be used as a weapon. He says, funny. He didn’t think she’d want to rot in a prison in Pennsylvania. If he  blindsided Willow, he had to; they would have lost. Nina says, she would have taken the risk. Now, Sonny and Carly are hurt; the whole family is devastated. He says he didn’t know the Corinthos family morale was of such importance to her. Maybe Nina should have told them Sonny was alive a year ago instead of keeping it a little secret. Nina says she’s so sorry. She can’t stay here. She tells Maxie that she’s sorry; happy New Year (🍷); she loves her. She’s mad at Obrecht, but happy New Year (🍷). She leaves, and Maxie says, unbelievable. Scotty is as tactless as he is rumpled. She follows Nina, and Scotty asks, what’s this rumpled business? Obrecht just looks at him, and he asks what he did. She tells him that he said too much that wasn’t necessary, and he says, he got the charges dropped. She says, he didn’t have to rub Nina’s nose in her mistake, and he asks if they’re having a little love spat.

Martin says, as much as he loves showing Lucy off for this crowd, how would she feel about coming back to his place? She says she kind of knows exactly what he’s doing, and kisses him. She says, okay, and they get up. He sees Valentin come in with Anna, and leads Lucy out the back door. He says, this is not an exit, and she says, it’s kind of like they’re hiding out. He wonders how they’re going to get out of there, and she says, it would be very simple if he’d just fire Valentin as a client and pick her.

Curtis says he’s been thinking about the first time he and Portia were together. It was so wrong, but so much was so right, because it brought him here tonight, making memories with a caring, kind, intelligent, beautiful woman. Portia asks if he’s saying he’s feeling her, and he says he’s feeling her. He’s fallen for her.

Valentin tells Anna, oh look, Martin’s here. That means Lucy Coe can’t be far behind. She asks why that matters, when Martin approaches their table. He says, if it isn’t his favorite client, and his favorite operative. Happy New Year (🍷). He tells Anna that she looks exquisite. As a matter-of-fact, they’re a matched set. Come to think of it, it’s kind of sad. Valentin asks, what’s sad? and Martin says, he looks as good as they do, but he has no one to dance with. He’s alone; bereft of company, on the busiest date night of the year.

In the back, Lucy puts on a New Year’s hat and glasses. She sees Maxie, and says she needs Maxie’s help desperately. If she doesn’t get out of here without Valentin seeing her, Martin is going to lose his most lucrative client. Please, please, please. Maxie relents, and Lucy thanks her. They go inside, and Maxie says, stick with me. She’s got Lucy’s back.

Finn messes around under the sink, and Elizabeth asks if he’s sure he knows what he’s doing under there. He doesn’t strike her as the handy type. He says, really? He’ll have her know, he put himself through two years of medical school working at a plumbing company. She says, really? and he says, really. He drops the wrench, and we hear water splash. He comes out, and she asks if he’s okay, handing him a towel. He wipes his face, and stands up, saying, refreshing. He holds out her ring on his pinkie, and she thanks him. She starts to put it on, but stops, and looks at Finn.

Sam lets Dante in, and he says, nice sunglasses. She says, Drew got them for her and Scout. It was a surprise. Drew comes downstairs, thanking Sam for letting him tuck Scout in. He sees Dante, and Dante holds out his hand, saying, happy New Year (🍷). They shake hands, and Drew says, happy 2022 (🍷) to the both of them. Have a good night; he’ll see them around. He starts to leave, but Sam says, Drew. He turns around, and she hugs him, saying, any time, while Dante pretends to look at something on the desk. Drew leaves, and Sam says, he only stopped by to see Scout. He says she doesn’t have to explain anything to him. He gets it. Sam says, okay, and he says, it’s all good. He takes her hand, leading her to the couch, and says, the countdown’s about to begin. In the hallway, Drew puts on his coat, and leaves for real.

Carly makes a beeline for the door, and Josslyn asks where she’s going. Carly says she needs to get out of the house and unthink. Michael asks if she’s okay to drive, and she says she is. It’s a lot to take in. She needs to deal with her thoughts. He tells her, just be careful, and she says she will. She leaves, and Josslyn says, she’s going to be okay, right? Michael says she knows mom. When things are tough, she puts her guard up. That’s how she deals. Josslyn says she’s going out for a bit, and Willow asks if she’s going to follow her mom. Josslyn says, no. The way she drives, she’s halfway to wherever she’s going by now. Josslyn leaves, and Michael says, it must be almost midnight, and Willow says, pretty close. He says he’s not in the mood to celebrate, and Willow says, yeah. He takes her hand, and pulls her into a hug.  

The guests at The Savoy count down, and yell, happy New Year (🍷)! Maxie brings Lucy through the club. Scotty and Obrecht kiss. Valentin and Anna kiss. Martin slips out after Lucy and Maxie, and he and Lucy leave together, Maxie giving them a thumbs up. Curtis and Portia kiss, and there’s lots of horn blowing, but no confetti. I’m guessing Curtis doesn’t want to clean that mess up.

Sonny looks around, and sees Nina come into Charlie’s.

Curtis and Portia go back to one of their places – a bedroom with a lot of lit candles – and get busy, while a female vocal of Auld Lang Syne plays. Fireworks go off, both figuratively and literally. The song continues to play in the background for the rest of the show.

Anna and Valentin kiss some more. He says, they should do this more often. I concur.

Nina tells Sonny, she just stopped by to say hello to Phyllis, but he says, Phyllis isn’t there. He has to go. She says she doesn’t think he should drive, but he says he’s fine. He wonders where his keys are, and she says if he needs a ride, she’ll drive him home. He says he’s not going home, and she says, then she’ll drive him wherever he wants to go. He grabs a glass of champagne going by on a tray, and drains it. he says, let’s go, and follows her out.

Carly goes to the footbridge, and watches the fireworks. She says, Jason.

Dante and Sam kiss, and Sam asks, what took him so long? He says he was with his dad, and Sam asks if Sonny is okay. Dante says, yeah. He’s going through some things right now, but he’ll be fine. At least he got his dad to open up to him; they talked a little. She says, if Dante feels like he needs to be with Sonny, she’s not kicking him out, but… He says, no. He offered, but… She asks if Sonny is drinking, and Dante says, he took Sonny’s keys. He needed some space, which evidently leaves them here alone. He kisses her.

Elizabeth looks at her ring, and puts it in the drawer of the kitchen island. She turns to Finn, and he holds her.

Cameron watches the fireworks with Avery and Aiden. Josslyn arrives, and he says, she’s here. She says, of course (🍷). She couldn’t let 2022 (🍷) start without this. She kisses him, and the little kids smile.

Willow looks out the window at the fireworks. Michael comes up behind her, and puts his arms around her.

Carly hears something on the footbridge, and turns to see Drew.   

Tomorrow, a rerum from February 24th. Next week, Britt says Victor certainly has a lot to celebrate, Drew asks if it’s possible that Carly blames herself, and Nina tells Sonny to sleep it off.  

🎉 And the Rest…

Which soaps will be on New Year’s Eve.

🥀 Those Who Have Gone On…

The soap stars we lost in 2021. Farewell, sweet prince.

⚖️ In Defense…

Tamra is the worst. I’ll just leave it there.

💋 Giving You Lala…

Like he can do better.

Interesting how she never wanted Randall involved with her brand. No muss, no fuss now.

This surprised me, since GG and Reza were at Lala’s party. And like GG hasn’t stuck with a few red flagged partners.

⚰️ Just No…

Unless Alan Ball is writing it, I say let Six Feet Under stay six feet under. It was the perfect ending. Let it go.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/six-feet-under-follow-up-in-the-works-at-hbo/

🍾 Auld Lang This Syne…

Enjoy some New Year’s Eve celebrations.

https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/holidays/photos/new-years-eve-around-the-world

And some New Year traditions.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/g25360543/new-year-traditions/

🥠 Quotes of the Week

No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again. – Buddha

Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start. – Nido Qubein

Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life. – Robin Sharma

Packaged inside of every mistake there lays a great lesson. And while I don’t want to take the mistake into the New Year, I most certainly want to take the lesson that’s packaged inside of it. – Craig D. Lounsbrough

You are never too old to reinvent yourself. – Steve Harvey

You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.Martin Luther King

Be so busy loving your life that you have no time for hate, regret or fear. – Unknown

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. – T.S. Eliot

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C.S. Lewis

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. – Seneca

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. – William E. Vaughan

You do not find the happy life. You make it. – Camilla Eyring Kimball

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.Benjamin Franklin

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. – Maya Angelou

Listen. I wish I could tell you it gets better. But, it doesn’t get better. You get better. – Joan Rivers

The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become. – W.E.B. Du Bois

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on. – Hal Borland

It always seems impossible until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela

It is never too late to be what you might have been. – George Eliot

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are. – J.P. Morgan

On New Year’s Eve the whole world celebrates the fact that a date changes. Let us celebrate the dates on which we change the world. – Akilnathan Logeswaran

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. – Albert Einstein

🗓 See You Next Year…

We’re back on Deck January 3rd of the New Year. A bit about that. If you’re a resolution maker, start early, and make one not to pressure yourself about resolutions. And resolutions or not, don’t pressure yourself about New Year’s Eve. It doesn’t matter who you spend it with, even if it’s only yourself. I’ve spent it more ways than I can count. On a cruise around Manhattan, in a lavish restaurant, a hot club, and a dive bar. I’ve seen Barry Manilow sing It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve at Radio City when the clock struck twelve, and I’ve stood in the middle of Madison Square Park watching the clock strike twelve. I’ve spent it with a lot of people, a handful of people, as part of a couple, and alone. The only thing I’ve never done (and never will) is Times Square. Back in my single days, my roommate went. She said someone spilled beer on her, somebody else peed on her, and when the crowd moved, you moved. It was a first and last for her, and a never for me. But my point is, one thing for sure, January 1st came and another year began, no matter what I did the night before. In the eloquent words of Bill Murray in Meatballs, it just doesn’t matter.

So no matter what New Year’s Eve path you choose, stay safe in all ways, stay being moderate in all things, and stay having a Happy New Year, no matter where you’re at. Or at least a Tolerable New Year.

January 8, 2021 – Sonny’s Rescue Becomes Recovery, Who They Are, Julian’s Exit, Shiloh’s New Gigs, Salt Lake Unity, a Warning, a Scandal, a Reveal, a Baby, UK Update, a List, Muppet Surprise, Three For the Holidays, Two Kinds of Goodbyes, Quadteen Quotes & Future

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Taggert hears someone come into the jail, and says, Trina? But it’s Portia.

On the phone, Jordan thanks someone for the update. Diane knocks on the door, and comes in with Jason, saying she thinks Jordan was expecting them. Jordan says she was expecting Jason, but she isn’t surprised. Diane asks, where else would she be when her client is being questioned by the authorities? Jordan says, when she initially asked Jason to come, Diane’s presence wasn’t necessary. Jason says, now it is? and Jordan says, that depends. Cyrus’s mother is missing. Any thoughts?

Cyrus tells Laura, if it was her mother, would I’m sure she’s fine be acceptable? Because it isn’t to him. Laura says she doesn’t give a damn. Why doesn’t he send his complaints to her daughter, and when she’s well enough to pass them on to her, then she’ll listen. He says he’s telling her for the last time, he had nothing to do with it. She says she’s sick of hearing him say that. He had everything to do with it. He killed two people, and left her daughter comatose. He says at least he’s concerned about Lulu’s welfare. She doesn’t seem to care at all about his mother’s condition. She says of course (🍷) she cares about Florence, but if Florence is with the people he says she’s with, she’s fine.

On the phone, Michael says, so instead of search and rescue, it’s search and recovery… He knows what that means. He thanks them, and says he’ll let his mother know. Willow comes in, and he tells her that she looks really good. She thanks him, and says she has dinner plans at the MetroCourt… with Chase.

Dante sits at the MetroCourt bar having a beer, one eye on Peter. Chase comes in, and says, the conquering hero returns. Welcome home, partner.

Peter makes a call, and says he’d like to speak to Dr. Arthur Cabot… He knows the doctor is in solitary, but this is an emergency medical consultation regarding a procedure he developed. Dr. Cabot is literally the only person who can answer his questions… He knows that, but there must be something… Fine. He gets it. Thanks anyway. He hangs up, and says, for absolutely nothing. He gets up, and nearly runs into Sam, who asks where he’s going in such a hurry.

Carly looks at the Christmas stockings and takes Sonny’s down. She sits on the sofa, looking at it, and sees him come in. She says, Sonny? and wakes up.

Michael says, it makes sense for Willow and Chase to figure everything out, and she says she can reschedule. With everything that’s happening with his father, if he needs her to stick around… He says, that’s okay. She should go. She asks if he’s sure, and if he’s heard anything from the authorities in New Jersey about the search. He says he has, and there’s nothing any of them can do right now.

Dante says it’s good to see Chase, and Chase says he’s glad Dante is back. Dante says, him too, and Chase says he was going to reach out, and it’s not an excuse, but he had some pretty heavy cases, and there was a lot going on in life. Dante says, sorry. He heard Chase looked after his family while he was gone. Chase says, it was an honor and a pleasure. Dante says it’s what good cops do. Chase is one of the best. He pats Chase on the shoulder, and Chase says he was sorry to hear about Lulu. Everyone at the station is pulling for her. Dante thanks him, and says, she was a fixture there. Chase says, she will be again. Soon. He tells Dante that he needs to get a table, but they should catch up some time. Dante says he doesn’t think so, but then tells Chase, he’s just kidding. Chase asks if he’s going to be in Port Charles for a while, and Dante says he is. He needs to look after his family, and  tie up some loose ends. He glances surreptitiously at Peter.

Sam tells Peter, she’d like to coordinate Maxie’s bachelorette party and his bachelor party. Peter says he’ll be in touch, but Sam says she’d like to pin down a date. The wedding is only a few weeks away. He says he knows when his wedding is, and also knows she’d be more than pleased if it didn’t happen. She says, Peter… and he says he knows she can’t stand the thought of him marrying Maxie.

Carly opens the door to Sasha, and asks her to come in. She says, Michael isn’t there, if that’s who she’s looking for. Sasha says, actually, she’s there to see Carly.

Portia says Taggert wasn’t expecting her. What surprises her is, he actually thought it was going to be Trina. He says it’s more hope than expectation, and she tells him, it’s a lot to hope for, considering how furious Trina was that he lied to her about his death. He broke her heart. Losing him… He says, she didn’t lose him; he’s right there. Portia says, she did, and that loss changed her in ways she doesn’t think Taggert fully comprehends yet. He says he’s so sorry for the hurt he caused her, and Portia. He knows how it must have felt, but that lie kept Trina alive. He can live with his daughter hating him, as long as she’s alive to do that.

Diane says, Jordan didn’t just ask her client to confess, and Jordan says she has no intention of dragging Jason through a pointless interrogation, but Cyrus came to her, saying his mother was kidnapped from Vermont, and leveling all kinds of accusations. Diane says, against Mr. Morgan? With what proof? Jordan says she has to do her due diligence regardless. Diane says, correct her if she’s wrong, but the PCPD has no jurisdiction over an incident that happened in Vermont. Jordan says, Harvard Law paid off, and Diane laughs. Jordan says, that’s exactly what she told Cyrus, but if he’s telling the truth, and his mother was moved against state lines against her will, the Feds will get involved. And none of them want that.

Cyrus asks Laura, is this the kind of caustic repartee they missed out on not growing up together? She asks, why? Does he want more? He says, what he wants, dear sister, is for her to find his mother. He knows she’s more than capable of crossing certain lines to get what she wants when she’s so motivated. For example, the night they met. She says, when she threw him in solitary. She remembers. Good times. He says, exactly. She knows how to work the system, and he also knows exactly what she’s capable of when she’s backed against the wall. David Hamilton. Theresa Carter. Rick Webber. She says if she hears anything, she’ll let him know. Now if he doesn’t mind, she has a city to run. She starts to walk away, but he grabs her arm, saying, he does mind. He minds very much. A voice yells, get your hands off of her! It’s Lesley (Laura’s mom).

Carly asks how Sasha is; is everything okay? Carly takes down the Christmas stockings, and Sasha says, it is, and a lot of it is due to Carly. She owes Carly a great big thank you, and an apology. Carly asks why Sasha owes her an apology, and Sasha says, she started going to out-patient therapy after her… overdose. Carly says, that’s very brave, but Sasha says, she doesn’t feel very brave. Carly says she’s seeking help for something that almost killed her. She’d say that’s very brave. Sasha says she only started going because Maxie threatened to kick her out of Deception, and Carly says she bets Sasha wasn’t the only one there who was strongarmed into going. Sasha says, once she started going, she learned a few things. There were people she pushed away, or worse, dismissed. People who were trying to help her when she was in a bad way, and Carly is one of them.

Sam says Peter isn’t her favorite person, and she’s sure she’s not his either, but they could put their differences aside for Maxie’s sake. He says, nothing would make him happier, if it were true, but he knows it’s not. He knows Spinelli was trying to railroad him. She says she thought Spinelli was over that, and he says, Spinelli changed his tune for the sake of Maxie and Georgie. Sam says, so has she, and Peter says he hopes that’s true. If she really cares about Maxie – she says, of course (🍷) she does – he says, then she’ll stay out of his way, and brushes past her. Dante watches.

Lesley says she doesn’t know who Cyrus thinks he is, but grabbing at women is illegal. He says she’s absolutely right; he was out of line. Laura asks what Lesley is doing there. She was going to meet Lesley in New York on the weekend, when she went to visit Lulu. Lesley says she knows, but she was thinking about how much Rocco and Charlotte need to have their family around them. So she figured a trip up north was what she needed. Laura says she’ll get Lesley settled in at her house, and Lesley says Laura hasn’t even introduced her to her assailant. He must be Cyrus Renault. Cyrus says his reputation has preceded him, and Lesley says, his reputation and his rap sheet. He says, she must be Lesley Webber, and she says Dr. Lesley Webber to him. As she’s sure he knows, she’s an emeritus member of the hospital board. They’re going to be spending time together. He says, how delightful. He’s really looking forward to spending time with the tramp who slept with his married father.

Portia tells Taggert, she doesn’t understand why he would turn himself in for falsifying evidence against Cyrus. He says, his cover was already blown. Jordan thought the safest thing was to take him off the board, keep his head down. At his arraignment, he’ll plead guilty, and get a lighter sentence. She says, he could do that, but he could also fight to get his life back.

Diane leaves, and Jason closes Jordan’s office door. He says, Cyrus was there? Jordan says, he tried pressuring her, but she shut it down. The only leverage he had over her was her secrets, and she’s fresh out. He says, congratulations, and she thanks him, admitting it feels good. She asks how things are with Cyrus on his end, and he says, it’s been handled, for now. She asks if it has anything to do with Florence Grey, and Jason doesn’t say anything. She says, dammit, Jason. She wishes he would at least say no. She says she appreciates this… alliance they’ve formed, and he says he does too. She tells him, then don’t put her in a position where she has to investigate Cyrus’s allegations against him. There’s a knock at the door, and an officer gives Jordan a big envelope. Jason asks if that’s all, and she tells him to wait. This also concerns him.

Laura tells Lesley that she doesn’t have to listen to Cyrus, but Lesley says she’s curious. Cyrus says she slept with his married father. He has to narrow it down. Laura says, mom! and Lesley says, what? She was a tramp. She probably conquered hundreds of married fathers. Cyrus says, this was a special conquest. It’s what binds them together. Lesley doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about, and he says his father was Gordon Grey. She says, oh, that married father, and Cyrus says, he passed away a long time ago. As he remembers, Lesley and his mother were friends, then Lesley betrayed her. She asks how Florence is, and he says, apparently, fine, but his sister is doing her damnedest to keep her away from him. Lesley says, sister? That would make Lulu his niece, and he just about killed her. He says he had nothing to do with what happened at The Floating Rib. Julian was the culprit. Lesley says she’s sure Julian had nothing better to do than set off a bomb in a restaurant full of people for no reason. He says, as he understands it, there’s a good chance Lulu will recover, which is more than he can say for his father, whose death Lesley set in motion when she educed him. Lesley looks at Laura.

Taggert tells Portia, he lost a year in the shadows. Not to mention the two years he lost undercover, trying to convict Cyrus. She says, he’s earned the right to his life back, and he says, except for one thing; he’s guilty. He knows Trina doesn’t want to believe it, but he planted the evidence that sent Cyrus to prison. She says, Cyrus was responsible for countless murders, and they’re going to work together to expose him for the man he truly is.

Chase meets Willow at the MetroCourt, and pulls out her chair for her. She thanks him, and he says he was in the neighborhood… of her chair. He’d convinced himself that she was going to cancel, and she says she almost did. He says he would have understood, but he’s glad she’s there. She says, she is too, and Chase says he’s really happy they’re doing this. She says, so is she.

Sasha says she’s finally come around to telling Carly, her attempt to give Sasha a swift kick in the right direction was appreciated. Carly says she’s welcome, but doesn’t owe her an apology. Sasha was struggling because of the sacrifice she made for Carly’s family, and she’ll always be indebted. Michael comes in, and Sasha says she was just leaving. Michael says it was good to see her, even if briefly. She says, her too, and Carly asks if he has news about the search. Sasha says, search? and he says, she hasn’t heard? Carly says, Sonny was in an accident, and he’s missing. The police are searching, and they’re going to find him. Michael says he heard from the New Jersey State Police, and Sonny’s status has changed. It’s gone from search and rescue to search and recovery. Carly says, but they’re still searching, right? and Michael says he doesn’t think she understands. She says she does understand. She doesn’t know what they expect to find, but what they’re going to find is Sonny, alive and well.

Sam asks if she can join Dante at the bar. She sits down, and says she noticed he’s keeping a close eye on Peter. Why? He says, apparently marrying your half-brother’s widow, the brother who was killed by their crazy father, doesn’t violate bro code. Sam says if he finds anything interesting, pass it her way. They might have aligned interests. He says, will do, and Sam orders a beer. She says, about Sonny. How’s the family holding up? He says, they’re just waiting for the official word from the search parties, but she says, it’s Sonny. If anything, they have hope. Dante guesses they’re supposed to convince themselves, but to be honest, he feels like the hope for Sonny surviving gets smaller with each passing day.

Carly tells Michael, his father has survived worse than a bridge collapse. Sonny is coming home. She says she’s making coffee, and asks if she can get him anything. He says, that’s okay, and Carly says she’ll be in the kitchen if he needs her. Sasha tells Michael, she’s so sorry, and he thanks her. She says she knows it’s a ridiculous question, but… He says, is he okay? He is for someone whose father is missing and presumed dead. Sasha asks if she can make him a drink, or does he want her to go? He says he wouldn’t mind her staying.

Willow says, he retired just like that? and Chase says, he went from the K-9 unit to a well-to-do couple, and he’s living his best life in Niagara. Even though he ruined his cake at the retirement party. He remembers how the kids went crazy when Chase brought him to the classroom, and his brother hated being upstaged. She says, the kids were excited… Why are they pretending there isn’t a giant elephant in the room? He says, they’re just talking, but she says, they didn’t come there to make small talk, and pretend things are the way they were before. So why are they? He says, it’s what he wants more than anything.

Sam tells Dante that she’s sorry, and he says, Sonny could show up, and Lulu could wake up at any moment. Forget he said anything. He should offer condolences. Sam just lost her father. She says she’s not going to pretend to grieve. The world is a better place without that man it. He says he doesn’t disagree, but there’s one person hurt by Julian being dead, their brother Leo. She says she thinks Leo is better off not knowing Julian existed. She’s glad it’s not up to her. He says, the wheels are already in motion for Ned to officially adopt Leo. It’s crazy; he just lost his father. She says, that’s all the more reason for them to step up for Leo as his brother and sister.

Lesley tells Cyrus that she has no idea what lies Gordon fed him over the years, but she never seduced anyone… Well, not him. Cyrus tells her, like she said, there were probably hundreds. Lesley says she should have been so lucky. She and Gordon had an affair. He was her professor, and should have been more conscious of the emotional differences between them in the relationship. Cyrus says, it’s fortunate she can pass it through a modern lens, and absolve herself of responsibility. Does it also hold true for his father’s decision to leave Port Charles? He convinced Cyrus’s mother to start fresh down south. She didn’t realize the exodus was at Lesley’s urging. Lesley says, on that point, he’s right, and Cyrus says, and here we are. Who knows how different their lives and destinies would have been in Port Charles. Laura says he has no one to blame but himself, and asks Lesley if she can have a moment alone with Cyrus. She’s not afraid. She wants to talk to her brother. Lesley gives them privacy, and Laura shakes her fists at him. She says she’s not about to let him use her mother as a scapegoat for his lifetime of horrible decisions. Do they understand each other? He says they do, but understand this. He’s trusted her to resolve the situation with Jason promptly. How would she feel if something happened to her mother? She says, spoken like an innocent man.

Laura finds Lesley crying, and asks if she’s okay. Lesley says, not really. Cyrus said some horrible, untrue things, but there’s one thing she can’t shake. Her recklessness when she was young is what led them down the path to the pain they’re all feeling right now. Laura holds her, and says, it’s okay.

Portia tells Taggert, neither was a good plan, and he says he’s exhausted. He just wants it over with. She says, then get a good night’s sleep. Stop thinking about himself, and think about his daughter. Be the man she thinks he is, and fight so she doesn’t lose her father a third time. Jordan comes in and say she didn’t know Portia would still be there. Portia says, Dr. Robinson, and she was just leaving. When she’s gone, Jordan asks if Taggert is okay, and he says, for a man who just got his ass handed to him by his ex, he’s not too bad. She says, Portia is good at that, and asks why he looks so wistful. He says Portia is good at calling him on his crap. That’s why they got married, and why they got divorced, and why they’re still friends. What’s the good word? She says, Cyrus no longer has a hold on the department. He says, what about TJ and Trina? and she says she’ll explain later, but for now, she does have bad news.

Carly stands in the kitchen, and tells herself, stop it. He’s coming back. Sonny’s coming back.

Peter runs into the hospital, and says he hopes the reception nurse can help him. It’s important that he contact a former staff member – Andre Maddox.

Willow says Chase let her believe he slept with her friend, and he asks if it matters that he did it to save Wiley. She says she appreciates what he did, but not being kept out of the loop. He says he had to focus on Wiley. He misses her, and wonders if she misses him too. She says, of course (🍷) she does. From the moment she left the apartment she was missing him every moment of every day for months, until… The pain they made her feel is still real, even if the betrayal wasn’t. They can’t wish it away overnight. He says, give him a chance to show her that he’s the guy she thought he was; a guy she can trust with her heart, and that their love is worth fighting for. He loves her; he never stopped. He knows in his heart and soul she loves him too. She leans in toward him…

Willow says, she can’t; sorry. Chase says he thought she wanted him to, and she says she can’t. She’s married to Michael. She wanted him to kiss her, but she has to go. He asks if she can take a second, but she says, this is too complicated right now, and runs out. Maybe not runs, but she walks really, really fast.

Sasha asks if she should check on Michael’s mom, but he says, she’s probably trying to face what happened. Or she’s doubling down on her denial. It’s best to stay out of her way. She says, it’s obvious which Carly is doing, and he says he’s afraid her not facing reality is setting her up for more pain. She says, Carly is right. Just because the authorities stopped the search and rescue, doesn’t mean Sonny won’t be alive. He says, it’s the not knowing anything that’s the worst. Hearing that it’s changed to search and recovery… Only living things need rescue. His dad is no longer someone to them, just someone they need to… She hugs him, and he thanks her. She asks if he wants some air. She’s missed the walks they used to take to the boathouse. Of course (🍷) it’s freezing. He says, a walk sounds good.

Portia comes out of the elevator, and Cyrus says, it’s good to see her. He knows she has a lot going on with discovering Trina’s father is alive and well. She says, is there something he wants to ask her? but he says he’s just sharing her good news. She says, they’re done here, and walks away.

Jordan tells Taggert, Sonny was in an accident. A bridge he was on collapsed. He says, how the hell…? and she says they’re still gathering details, but Sonny is presumed dead. He doesn’t know what to say, and she says she thought he should know. He thanks her, and says he and Sonny had a complicated history. It’s strange that someone he dedicated his life to bringing down, bent over backward to make sure he was safe. He was a complicated man. She says, he was.

Sam and Dante sit at a table. Sam says, Sonny had the bright idea for a dinner with Carly and himself, and her and Jason. Carly thought it was part of his big plan. Dante does an impression of Sonny saying, we’re all here right now for the summit, and Sam laughs. She says, she and Carly started cracking up, and realized this was part of Sonny’s plan. Dante says they’ve spent the last 20 minutes telling stories about Sonny like they’ve started his wake. Like maybe this time, he could actually be gone for good. They clink beer bottles, and say, to Sonny.

Jason goes into the house, and looks at a picture of Sonny and Carly. Carly says she didn’t hear him come in. He looks grim, and she asks if he saw Michael and Sasha. He says he didn’t, and she says she didn’t mean for them to see each other, but she’s glad they did. Sasha wanted to apologize, and she left the room to give them time alone. Jason says he was at the police station, and has an update. She says she doesn’t want to know, and he says, waiting isn’t going to change anything. They sent a search team into the wreckage from the bridge, and they didn’t find Sonny’s body, but they found this. He hands her a necklace, and she says, Sonny’s St. Christopher medal. He says, it was snagged on the wreckage. They think Sonny was pinned when the bridge collapsed, and his body was dragged down river. He knows Sonny would have gotten out if he’d gotten clear of the wreckage, but he didn’t. Carly starts to hyperventilate, then starts to cry. She says, he was arrogant, and he was selfish. They couldn’t stand each other. She doesn’t know what made them fall in love. She cries, and Jason holds her. She says, I don’t know.

In the woods, we see someone lying in the snow. We don’t see their face, but gee, think it’s Sonny?

On Monday, Chase asks if Finn can possibly relate, Carly asks if they can’t touch Cyrus, Molly wonders if she and TJ have a future, and Brando warns Jason about the Feds.

🏥 What Cyrus Said…

We’ve covered David Hamilton, but Theresa who?

https://general-hospital.fandom.com/wiki/Theresa_Carter#:~:text=Nurse%20Theresa%20Carter%20is%20a,an%20unknown%20actress%20in%202006.

And in case you didn’t know Rick either.

🐶 He’s An Animal Lover Too…

I wasn’t Julian’s biggest fan, but I don’t think they should have killed him off. Especially since they finally got his hair right.

https://torontosun.com/entertainment/television/exclusive-william-devry-sounds-off-on-his-shocking-gh-exit

🏃🏻 Shiloh Strikes Again…

And he’s pulling double duty.

💏 But She’s Not Moving To Ohio…

All is well in the Marks household.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/30/rhoslc-star-meredith-marks-reconciles-with-husband-seth/

⚠️ A Warning From Candiace…

I don’t know how seriously I could take someone whose hair looked like hers at the RHOP reunion. What was that?

👠 For Those Who Can’t Get Enough…

All about the scandalous scandal.

https://nypost.com/2020/12/23/the-scandalous-divorce-of-erika-jayne-and-tom-girardi/

📡 Full Disclosure…

I have to admit, I was surprised. It’s going to be a while before she’s off the shrink’s couch.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/31/rhocs-elizabeth-lyn-vargas-opens-up-about-childhood-in-cult/

🙌🏼 Her Reality Goes On…

I actually think Stassi was growing as a person on Vanderpump Rules. It’s a shame cancel culture is so narrowly focused.

https://extratv.com/2021/01/08/stassi-schroeder-and-beau-clark-welcome-first-child-find-out-her-name/

📮 News Of a London Lady…

The good news.

https://pagesix.com/2021/01/03/ladies-of-london-alum-caroline-stanbury-is-engaged/

And the bad news.

https://pagesix.com/2021/01/07/ladies-of-londons-caroline-stanbury-positive-for-covid-19/

🎈 I’ve Got a Little List…

Pop culture from the past four… whatever that was.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/02/pop-culture-trump-era-2020-analysis-449495

🧸 Mixed Message…

Well this must have put a damper on many a family’s holiday season.

https://news.avclub.com/remember-when-a-broadcast-of-muppet-family-christmas-en-1845903062

🎉 That Holiday Glow…

More celeb celebrations.

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20201226_89c768c0b2c54d3da1e806c6c7b16039/

🗽 In Case You Missed It…

And you may as well have. Although it was amusing to see an empty Times Square.

https://nypost.com/2021/01/01/small-crowd-in-times-square-rings-in-new-year-with-low-key-celebration/

🍾 I Can’t Say I Disagree…

The best part was when Anderson Cooper was like, hey dude, slow down, it’s early yet.

https://pagesix.com/2021/01/01/andy-cohen-drunkenly-rips-mayor-bill-de-blasio/

🥁 Roll Call 2020…

Those celebs we lost, and it’s probably not even a full list.

https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/celebrities-who-died-in-2020-47084634

From across the pond.

https://news.sky.com/story/celebrity-deaths-2020-the-famous-faces-and-notable-figures-we-said-goodbye-to-this-year-12128650

🧻 A Different Kind Of Roll Call…

Celebrities, they’re not like us.

https://nypost.com/2021/01/02/2020-taught-us-one-good-thing-celebrities-are-meaningless/

🎙 Quotes of the Week

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6, NLT

Do one thing every day that scares you.Eleanor Roosevelt

Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends. – Kate Spade

You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?Rumi

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

Sun is like God calling you an alcoholic. – a hungover Jenny Harper (Amber Tamblyn), Two and a Half Men

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. – Anne Lamott

Whoever you are, whatever your dream, you have to be strong in your head and strong in your heart. Be strong. There’s no quitting in the person who wants it bad enough. – Carly Patterson  

Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action. – Benjamin Disraeli

The unique ability to take decisive action while maintaining focus on the ultimate mission is what defines a true leader. – Robert Kiyosaki

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.Milton Berle  (Or kick one out, I say.)

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

🌜 Goodnight, Moon…

Even before the pandemic, my weekends weren’t much different than my weekdays. Every day is a work day in one way or another. But whether your days are all workdays, all days off, or a combination, stay safe, stay innovative, and stay on the road less traveled. It’s easier to keep your social distance that way.

December 30, 2020 – Cyrus Has a Really Bad Day, Elizabeth Tells All, Salt Lake Snowmobiling, Soap Skinny, Celeb-rations, New Love, Leaving, Fan Of a Fan, an Update, a Look Back, Confetti, Happy New Year & Just Another One

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Why not? It’s the last post of the year. I missed the before credits action, but this is what happened. Jackie showed up at Anna’s, and asked how Finn was after his injury. Anna said he was with Gregory in Rice Plaza, watching the Polar Bear Dive. Finn came close to spilling everything to Gregory, but a drunk Alexis came by, wishing them a happy new year. Finn noticed she was bleeding, but she brushed it off, saying she’d broken a glass. Laura told Carly that she thought she was Cyrus’s weakness. Ned, Olivia, and Tracy had lunch in the MetroCourt, and Tracy said Ned was a lucky man to have Olivia. Olivia wondered, since when was Tracy her biggest fan? Jason met Cyrus at the pier, and then…

Jackie tells Anna, she still can’t believe Chase went swimming in the freezing cold. Anna says Jackie must not be a polar bear, and Jackie says, no. She says Anna has a lovely home, and Anna thanks her. Jackie says, it must be fun having a little girl running around, and Anna says, Violet brings the place to life. Jackie asks if Violet is home, but Anna says, she’s napping. She got up at the crack of dawn to play with the dollhouse Finn got for her. Can Jackie believe Finn is a father? Jackie says, yes and no.

Alexis tells Finn, she broke a glass and nicked herself. It’s not like she’s bleeding out. He says, it’s not big, but it’s deep; she’ll need stitches. Why don’t they go to GH, and he’ll stitch her up himself. She tells Gregory, his son is a wonderful friend. He’s just generally a wonderful person in general. Gregory says she gets no argument from him. She says they slept together, and Finn didn’t die. Imagine that? Finn says they should probably get going. Did she drive? She says, no. A, she wouldn’t, and B, her license was taken away because of Tracy. Didn’t he feel a shift in the cosmos? The bitch is back. He says she can tell him about it on the way. She says he can’t make her go, and he asks if she’s going to walk around to spite him. She says, maybe, and laughs, telling him, lead the way. She leans on him, and says, such a gentleman. He really is. They leave, and Gregory follows them.

Laura tells Carly, she and Cyrus have the same father, and Carly says, Rick Webber? Laura says, no. Rick is her adoptive father. Her biological father was Gordon Grey. Cyrus is her half-brother, along with Martin Grey. Carly asks how she found out, and Laura says she was doing the same thing Carly was, trying to find a way to stop Cyrus. She did some digging, and found that Cyrus was paying all the medical bills for a woman named Florence Grey. Obviously, she meant a lot to Cyrus, but Laura couldn’t figure out the connection. She started to wonder if Florence was the same one who was married to her father, so with a lot of help, she found the long-term care facility where Florence was, and managed to get in. Carly says, of course (🍷) she did, and Laura says she was only in Florence’s room a minute, when Martin came in, with Cyrus not far behind. It all just came out. Florence is their mother, and they share Gordon as a father. Carly says, wow, and Laura says, that’s the word. Carly says Cyrus went from being an island to having an entire family, and Laura says, an entire family she’s a part of. 

Cyrus says Jason strikes him as less inclined than Sonny to be influenced by pride and family concerns. He deals in facts, not emotions. That’s why Cyrus doesn’t hold it against him that Jason blew his warehouse to smithereens, and cost him a substantial amount of money. He was acting on Sonny’s orders, but now he has the opportunity to think for himself and make his own decisions. Imagine how much better his life would be, and the people in his circle. Instead of this tedious and costly stand-off, they can finally cooperate. Jason asks, how?

Finn tells Alexis, he’s giving her an antibiotic just in case. She says, thanks, buddy, and he says, got it, pal. She asks if she chased his dad away, but he says Gregory is getting coffee. He heard about Julian, and he’s sorry. She grabs him in a hug, and starts crying, saying, she wants to go home. He asks who he can call. Sam? Molly? She says she’ll take a taxi, and he says he’ll drive her. She insists on taking a taxi, and says, go, be with his dad. He says it will take him ten minutes, but she says she wants to go alone. He says he’s not letting her. Come up with somebody, or he’s her ride. It’s up to her. She tells him to call Ned.

Tracy says Olivia is right. She wasn’t always Tracy’s favorite, but she has to understand Tracy is extremely protective of her family. The Quartermaines have dealt with their fair share of gold-diggers in the past. Monica and Lucy come to mind. Olivia says, Monica is not a gold-digger, and Tracy says, not now. She grew into the role of a Quartermaine, but not in the beginning. Why does Olivia think Alan gave Monica the house? He wanted to buy her love. Olivia says she can’t speak for their history, but Monica loved Alan. Tracy says, when she wasn’t cheating on him, and Ned says Tracy is one to talk. Tracy says she was worried Ned would follow suit, and he did at first. That’s why all of his marriages failed. Olivia is different, and she’s finally opened her eyes to that. Instead of seeing Olivia’s Brooklyn accent, she sees a matriarch in the making, and she’s good for Ned and the Quartermaine family. Olivia fights for her own, like her. She lets Ned be who he needs to be, for himself and the family. Olivia completes him, the same way Luke completes her. Ned asks if Tracy is comparing her relationship with his an Olivia’s, and she says, laugh all he wants. Luke turned out to be the person she’s been looking for her whole life, and Olivia is that person for him. She was glad Ned found Olivia. Olivia says, her too.

Jackie says, Anna doesn’t like her, does she? and Anna asks if she’s giving that impression. Jackie says, just the opposite, but she thought because she’d been spending time with Robert… Anna says she wasn’t aware of it, and Jackie says Robert has been attentive since she’s been there. Anna says they have a history, and Jackie says, as does Anna with Robert. Anna says she loves Robert as a friend, but that’s all they are. Jackie says the times she spent with Robert were the most fun she ever had, and Anna laughs, saying, he is a lot of fun. Jackie says, meeting Anna explains a lot. Holly was great, and Robert loved her, but there was something else going on that he never said; a missing piece. It was Anna. Anna says, having a child bonds you like nothing else, and Jackie says, there they have it. She’s ready to get it out in the open. Anna isn’t sure what Jackie is referring to, and Jackie says Anna knows about her and Finn.

Laura tells Carly, it was eye-opening how desperate Cyrus is for his mother’s acceptance and forgiveness. She saw  a different side of him, and thinks he’s transferring his feelings onto her; the sister who finally accepts him when his mother rejected him. He’s been estranged from the family since he was a teenager, but she doesn’t think it bothers him as much as the rift with his mother. Clearly, he loves and misses her. Carly asks if she’s been in Port Charles all this time, but Laura says, no. She’s in Mountain Landing Long-Term Care in Vermont. Carly says, that’s random. Did they let Laura in as a visitor? Laura says, not exactly. She admitted herself as a patient.

Cyrus tells Jason, he’d like to do what he originally proposed to Sonny; it will be beneficial to both sides. Jason opens the pier so he can bring his product through, but Jason will have nothing to do with it. No distribution. No dirty hands. Although he’d appreciate security being provided to keep the competition out. He’ll give Jason 30% of he profit; gross not net. There will be no risk to him, while he’ll get a sizable return. As an added benefit, they won’t be at each other’s throats, so Jason could either maintain the import business, or focus on the legitimate coffee empire, while he collects the profits Cyrus will shower him with. Come on. Be smarter than Sonny.  

Carly says she can’t believe Laura had herself admitted, and Laura says, it was dicey for a minute, but Curtis was looking out for her. She needed answers. Carly asks if she thinks she got them, and Laura says, she thinks it’s a good start. Carly says, so she’s Cyrus’s soft spot, and Laura says, she’s not kidding herself. She’s not going to tell Cyrus to play nice, and he will, but she thinks it’s an opening. She can capitalize on his vulnerability, and point him in a better direction. If she does it right, she can neutralize Cyrus. Carly thanks her, and they hug. Carly thanks Laura for coming by, and says she appreciates Laura’s words; they mean everything. Laura says she’ll keep Sonny in her prayers, and leaves. Carly gets on the phone, and says, listen to her every word. This is so important.   

Anna tells Jackie, Finn confided a number of things, and Jackie says she appreciates Anna being discreet, but she knows Jackie slept with Finn. Anna says Jackie assured Finn that he wasn’t Chase’s father, and Jackie says she did. It was the best outcome for all concerned, but things were left conflicted. She takes full responsibility for what she chose to do, but what Finn chose afterward is on him. Anna says, no judgement on her part, and Jackie says, it was fine when Harry was a baby, but as he got older, he asked more questions about why his brother wasn’t in their lives. Now they’ve bonded, and those questions are more pressing than ever. Out of curiosity, what camp is Anna in? Should Chase be told or not? Anna says, it’s not her place. She can understand both sides. Resurrecting the issue might cause pain for Chase and Gregory, but doing nothing is causing Finn pain. He’s responsible for the predicament he’s in, but the secret has poisoned his relationship with his father, and now Violet. They deserve to have Gregory in their lives. What is Jackie going to do about it?

Olivia wonders if they should hug it out, and Tracy says, let’s not go overboard. Finn calls Ned, and says he’s with Alexis at the hospital, and she’s asking for him. Ned asks, what happened? and Finn says, she cut her arm on some broken glass, and he put in a few stitches. But they both know that’s not the problem. Ned asks if she’s been drinking, and Finn says, yeah. He doesn’t want to let her take a cab. Ned says he’s on his way. He tells Tracy and Olivia, Alexis hurt herself and needs a ride home. Tracy asks what that’s got to do with him, and he says she asked for him. Tracy tells him not to enable her, and he says he’s not showing up with a martini, just a ride. Tracy says, she’ll go, but Olivia says Alexis isn’t going to want to see Tracy. She’ll go with Ned. Ned says, no. They’re having a lovely time at lunch, which is rare in this family. So sit and enjoy this rare opportunity to have his mother’s approval. He leaves, and Olivia says, poor Alexis. She’s having a hard time. Tracy says, when someone self-destructs, there’s always collateral damage

Jason says Cyrus is making assumptions, but Cyrus says, Sonny’s not coming back. His sources at the Secaucus PD told him the bridge collapsed. Jason was there. No body was found and Sonny hasn’t been in touch. Clear indications that the man is dead. He admires Jason holding out hope, but the time has come for him to shift his perspective. Now all this is for his taking. Jason says, no deal. Cyrus isn’t moving his product through Port Charles ever. It’s Sonny’s territory – Cyrus says, was – and he’s going to run it the way Sonny will want to find it when he comes home. Cyrus says Jason disappoints him. Not just his foolishness in turning down the deal, but more so for convincing himself of something he knows isn’t true. So be it. If he can’t persuade Jason, he can’t. He thanks Jason for taking the time to meet him. Jason says if waiting he’s waiting for Walker to take him out from his sniper nest, he’s not there. Cyrus says he guesses he’ll have to do it himself, and draws his gun.

Cyrus shoots, and Jason ducks behind some crates. He tells Cyrus, drop the gun, or he’ll put one between his eyes. Brando comes in behind Jason, and says, drop it. Jason drops it, but two other guys come on the scene with Carly, who says, drop it or they’ll both be dead. Brando puts his gun down, and Jason tells him to get on the ground. Jason fires a shot missing Cyrus, and says he has one chance. He’s going to put the next one in Cyrus’s head. Cyrus puts his gun down, and gets on the ground. Jason tells the men to get Carly back to the car. She tries to argue, but he says, right now. He tells Cyrus, there will be no escalation. Come after him again, and he’s dead. Jason walks away, and Cyrus pounds the ground. Not his day.

Alexis is snoozing when Ned comes in. He asks, what happened? Does she even remember? She says she’s sorry she asked Finn to call, but he wouldn’t let up. He says she can always call him. Is she all right? She says, it was a small cut, but he says, big enough to require stitches. It’s only a matter of time before she truly hurts herself or someone else. She drove her car off the road, and now this. She says she broke a glass, and what Tracy said happened, didn’t happen. The coffee. He asks what she means, and she tells him, Tracy said she was searching for coffee. It’s right there on the counter, front and center. He says Tracy isn’t familiar with Alexis’s kitchen; she must have missed it. Alexis says, impossible, unless you’re blind. Tracy drove them off the road.

Anna tells Jackie, she has no plans to alter the status quo. What happens next is between Jackie and Finn. Jackie thanks her, and Anna says, but she’ll support Finn in whatever decision he makes to tell Chase the truth or not. Jackie feels the truth would be more harmful than good. They’ve stayed silent this long. Anna says, but it hinged on keeping their distance. That’s not the case anymore. Finn and Gregory walk in.

Ned says Alexis isn’t making sense. His mother drove them off the road? She says she knows it seems strange, and he says, it seems like she’s confused. Tracy drove Alexis home, and Alexis took the car off the road. She says she doesn’t think that’s what happened. He says Tracy and Chase found her, and she admitted she didn’t remember getting in the car. She says, it feels wrong. She doesn’t know how else to say it.

Olivia wonders what happened with Alexis, and tells Tracy, she should have gone with Ned. Tracy says, no, and Olivia asks, why? Tracy says, too many cooks in the kitchen. Alexis might feel overwhelmed or ganged up on. Olivia says, maybe if she was upset with Alexis, but they’re friends. She just wants to help Alexis get through this. Tracy says, trust her. It’s better this way.

Gregory tells Jackie that she looks well, and she says, so does he. Finn says he’s sorry they’re late; Alexis needed help. Anna asks if everything is all right, and Finn says he hopes so. Gregory says Finn’s bedside manner has improved. Anna has been good for him. Anna asks if Gregory wants tea, and Finn says he’ll help her.  

Gregory says Finn invited him to stay for dinner, and Jackie says Finn and Anna make a good couple. He says, they do, and asks if she’s met Violet yet. She says, no; Violet was napping. He says, she’s the most wonderful little girl; full of joy and curiosity, and excited about the wedding. He says, sorry, and she says, don’t be. He shouldn’t be. She might be there. Robert invited her as his date.

Cyrus tells Brando, Jason didn’t hit him because he didn’t want to. As for Brando, he doesn’t know whether he’s an ally or a hidden enemy. Brando says, Cyrus’s meeting was supposed to be done at 3:10, so he came to check. He saved Cyrus’s life. Cyrus asks why Brando didn’t shoot, and Brando says he didn’t know what was going on. Cyrus says, if he’d died, the first thing his lawyer would do is send what he knows about Dev’s identity being falsified straight to the Feds. He wanted to use it to nail Sonny, but there’s more than enough to incriminate all of them. It will be ironic if Jason has walked away from how many murders, including Walker’s, and ends up back in prison for forging Dev’s ID, and Brando will be in the cell next to him. He’ll think about that the next time he wonders where Brando’s loyalty lies. He didn’t shoot when he had the opportunity.

Jason tells someone on the phone, he wants no evidence of what happened, and zero evidence Carly was there. Make sure the guards are with who they’re assigned to. Carly says good thing she was there; she knew it was an ambush. He says, of course (🍷) it was an ambush. He took the guy out. He knew what he was doing. Carly says, apparently not. Brando had a gun on him. He says, next time, send the guards. Don’t get in the line of fire and leave her kids without a mother. She says she had protection, and he says, so what? If bullets start flying, there’s no guarantee. She says he was walking into a trap. What if he’d been hit? He says, then he would have survived like he has every other time. What he can’t survive is losing her. I think, why don’t they just do it already?

Gregory says, Robert Scorpio, Anna’s ex? and Jackie says, that’s the one. He says he’ll finally get to meet Robert. She’d told him about their adventures back in the day. She says, back in the day, before she settled down, and her dreams came true. He’s surprised Anna invited Robert to the wedding, and Jackie says he and Anna are friends., and Finn tolerates him for her sake. Finn and Anna have come back in, and Finn says, it’s a secret, but he likes Robert. Why are they talking about Robert? Jackie says she’s his plus one, but she’ll only say yes if it’s all right with Gregory. Gregory says, Chase would love to have his mom there, but it’s Finn’s day. Finn says, it’s okay with him. It’s going to be a real family affair. Anna pours the tea.  

Cyrus and Brando go to the MetroCourt, and Cyrus says he needs a drink. He tells Brando, wait over there, clearly still pissed. He orders scotch on the rocks, and sits. Laura comes in, and asks if he’s all right; he doesn’t look well. He says, it’s a business complication, and she hopes nobody died. He says it was touch and go, and she says she’s glad she ran into him. She’d like to talk to him about Sonny. He can’t see how that’s relevant, and she says, with Sonny’s disappearance, peace could be destroyed. She’d like to work with him to keep the streets safe and the violence down. He asks what that would entail, and she says, meeting regularly to discuss health and safety issues. She doesn’t believe biology alone bonds people, but as mayor, it’s her duty to keep the people safe. So meet her halfway. He says he appreciates her reaching out, and he’d be happy to work with her on this matter. She says, good. She looks forward to their first meeting. She’ll be in touch. She starts to go, and tells him, she’s really happy no one was hurt at his meeting, and smiles at him.  

Tracy stomps back to table, and finds Olivia gone. She says, dammit. Leave you alone for five minutes, and look what happens.

Ned tells Alexis that she needs to pull herself together. She asks if he’s afraid she’ll drag him down with her, and he says, that’s not what he meant. She says she’s sure he’s thinking it, and he asks if she blames him. She’s doing things she doesn’t remember, it’s not a stretch to think she might say things. She says she has no intention of hurting anyone else, and he says, just herself. Go back to AA. She promises to avoid Olivia at all costs, and Olivia comes out of the elevator. Ned tells her, he said he had this, and Olivia says she knows. she just thought Alexis could use a female friend. She tells Alexis that they love her and want help her through this. Alexis says, that’s sweet, but no help is needed. Olivia says she can’t mean that after what just happened. Alexis says, she’s fine. The only reason she called was because Finn wouldn’t get off her back. She tells them to have a lovely afternoon, and she’s going to do the same. She walks away.  

Carly says, she can’t die, but Jason can? He says he brought her in. She would have had nothing to do with business if not for him. She helped Sonny for his sake, and now she’s in power and doesn’t know how to handle it. She shouldn’t know. If she dies because of it, he couldn’t stand it. She says she’s not sorry, and she’d do it again; alone if she had to. He says they don’t know if Sonny is alive – she says, he is – and he doesn’t want to lose her too. She says she’ll always catch him. Always. He says she blew his shot. He would have killed Cyrus if she hadn’t shown up. She asks why he didn’t take it, and he says, because she was there. If there was a witness, or things went sideways, or she was an accessory… He can’t have it. He had to let Cyrus live, and now things are going to escalate. Cyrus isn’t stupid. Cyrus knows he didn’t kill him because of her, and it makes them more vulnerable. Her phone dings, and she looks at it. She says she thinks things aren’t going to escalate, and he asks, why? She says, things have been solved.  

On the phone at the bar, Cyrus says, what?… How?… When? He yells, son of a bitch! wiping all the glasses onto the floor. Brando runs over, and asks, what is it? He says, they have his mother.   

Next week, Portia needs to speak to Taggert, Jax wants to take Josslyn away, Laura needs leverage from Martin, and Carly says, now they have leverage. Tomorrow, ABC will air a rerun from September 17th, 2020, and on Friday, college football.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

When Braunwyn and Elizbeth took a walk, Elizabeth ended up having a panic attack. Braunwyn asked her to name five things she could see, two she could smell, and one she could feel, and I’ll be damned if she didn’t calm down after those activities. In her interview, Elizabeth said, from 0 to 13 she was raised in a religious environment. Her grandma was the head of the church, and her father one of the main preachers. They couldn’t wear or eat what they wanted, or leave the compound. They knew how to control everyone. Elizabeth told Braunwyn that she didn’t know how to move on, but Braunwyn said she was doing it right now. In Elizabeth’s interview, she said she needed to hide the sadness, and found laughter attracted people to her. It was easier to live in a fantasy of happiness than her reality of depression. She was worried if she started talking about it, everything she’d built would disappear. She said she’d carried the burden of feeling she’d done something wrong, but Braunwyn said she was free now. Elizabeth asked if Braunwyn thought less of her, but Braunwyn said it was the opposite. Now she had context. In Braunwyn’s interview, she admitted she hadn’t been a good friend, and regretted the petty stuff, and would have to make amends. The group went catch and release fishing, and Gina’s first catch of the day was herself.  

John told Shannon that he thought he should stay at the house, because it was inevitable he’d have covid. In Shannon’s interview, she said she’d tested negative when the girls were positive, and had quarantined with John. She had strict rules, but they weren’t necessarily followed.

Shane was still in the hospital, and FaceTimed with Emily and the kids. In Emily’s interview, she said the kids knew he was sick, but didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. It was hard, since she couldn’t imagine a time she and Shane hadn’t been together during something difficult.

Shannon said, on the positive side, she was coming home to take care of the kids. Two seconds in the door, she started bitching about all the laundry, dog sh*t, and dishes in the sink. She said the girls were healthy enough to lay in lounge chairs getting sun, so they were healthy enough to wash a dish. Her WOTD was un-flippin’-believable.

Gina said it was hard to get to know Elizabeth. She didn’t understand her. Elizabeth said she was embarrassed about who she is. She’d told a neighbor what was happening, and the FBI shut down the church. She was vague, but it sounded like there had been sexual abuse going on. She told Gina and Kelly while they were at the lake, and Gina said it was horrifying. Elizabeth told them that when the FBI came, her dad said she’d lost a father. This is why she wants to live for herself now. Gina wondered why they were all so f***ed up.

Elizabeth said had been a trip for cleansing, but she didn’t know it was going to happen for real. In her interview, she said, opening up opened her mind to having real friends, and it was a wonderful feeling. Gina asked if it bothered Braunwyn for them to drink around her, but Braunwyn said it didn’t. Kelly made enchiladas, and in her interview, called her father for a breakdown of their Mexican heritage, then spaced out while he was talking. Shannon called to say she was positive, and John was still negative, so they had to separate. It added another layer to the whole thing, since they were always together. She wondered if it would go to her lungs, and Kelly told her, just get it over with. Gina said this is why she took it seriously, and people who were compromised should be careful. Both Braunwyn and Kelly were concerned, since they’d seen Shannon recently. Braunwyn had been in the house, and called Sean to let him know. He told her it had been seven days since they’d been there, and she said she was feeling dizzy. He told her that wasn’t a symptom. She had him google the symptoms, and go through them, but she didn’t have any. Kelly thought it was crazy that she hadn’t gotten it, since she’d been asking for it by going out. She told the women, a group of Marines told her that type O blood was bulletproof, but in Gina’s interview, she said she didn’t think that’s how it worked. I wondered where Kelly ran into a group of Marines that she discussed her blood type with. Kelly was glad Shannon hadn’t come. Gina said Shane had tested negative, and woke up with a 105 fever. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said she thought she’d take a break, and escape from reality, and now she was scared for her kids and herself. She didn’t want to be in the woods if she got it.

Kelly said there were a lot of roadblocks to her getting married on 10-10-2020, but she wasn’t letting anything get in the way. By hook or by crook, she was going to make it happen. She called Rick, who said they had planning to do, and they talked about a trip to Napa. Elizabeth said she’d slept like a rock, which was no surprise. Gina told Braunwyn, they had to take the virus more seriously; she knew Braunwyn had been going out. Braunwyn talked about her friend Shari, who she calls her wife since they quarantined together. In Gina’s interview, she said when she and Braunwyn first met, Braunwyn told her that she preferred women sexually. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said she and Shari kept each other sane. They traded off. The women called Shannon before they left, and she told them that Sophie came home sick. Kelly remembered John meeting her at the door maskless, and in her interview, she said it was killing her vibe. Maybe she shouldn’t go to Napa.

Kelly spoke with Lisa, the covid test nurse, who told her she might been in contact with someone who had the virus. In Kelly’s interview, she said she had been laisse faire about the virus, but it was hitting close to home, and making her think this was a real thing now. She was getting worried. The nurse suggested Kelly isolate for 14 days in her home away from others. Kelly said, no Napa now.

Emily’s kids made cards and a welcome home sign for Shane. Emily said it had been a long eight days. In her interview, she said she’d actually thought what she would do if he didn’t come home. As a mom, she had to allow her mind to go there. She never wanted to be in that situation again, thinking about taking care of the kids on her own. She appreciated Shane more than she ever had before. She picked Shane up from the hospital, and he said he just wanted to shower and lie down. In Emily’s interview, she said she was looking forward to a normal family life with him back home. It sounded simple, but when you go through the depths of despair, you don’t wish for more than that. It’s all you need.

Gina called Emily, who said Shane had been back a week, and seemed normal now. To verify, she asked Shane how he was feeling, and he said she was annoying him. She told Gina, she had to get in a headspace to enjoy his commentary. Braunwyn called Elizabeth, and said what she’d done was awesome. Braunwyn was happy Elizabeth was taking her power back. She did nothing wrong. Kelly told Shannon that Braunwyn claimed Shannon had brought the information about Elizabeth to her on a silver platter. We flashed back to Braunwyn saying that, but Shannon denied it. In Shannon’s interview, she said Braunwyn could be nice, but she was also a big effing liar. Just tell the truth, people.

In Kelly’s interview, she said dealing with a teen was the hardest. She had zero patience as is. Jolie, who is a young woman now, went over the courses she had to take remotely with Kelly and Rick. In her interview, she said she and Rick got along well; they were really similar. She didn’t like or know Kelly’s past boyfriends, but Rick was a normal person, and if her mom was happy, she was happy. In Kelly’s interview, she said, living in the ‘burbs was the right decision. She’d seen a change in Jolie. It was a great family atmosphere, but as soon as Jolie was out of high school, she was going straight back to the beach.

Elizabeth told jimmy that Arrowhead was crazy. Braunwyn got her open up, and was cool about it. In her interview, she said she took the time to talk to Jimmy about what she’d gone through. He understood her more now, and didn’t shun her. He just loved her. It was the first time she’d been accepted for her weakness. She told him that she was having a hard time. She’d spent her life hiding from the shame, and creating a façade. Jimmy wondered if she was healed now enough to move forward, and put the pieces together. It was important that she show people it’s not the end of the road. In Elizabeth’s interview, she said she’d never had this kind of support.

Emily visited Braunwyn, who told her that she looked good, and Emily said she had that covid glow. She told Braunwyn that she’d lost her sense of taste and smell, but once she got it back, she’d gotten someone else’s. In her interview, she said she still loved tacos, but healthy tacos. She told Braunwyn that she was lucky her symptoms had been manageable, so she could take care of the kids. Shane was at about 80% and looked healthy. She gave Shannon credit, telling Braunwyn that Shannon reached out every day. It gave her the opportunity to get to know Shannon better. Braunwyn said it had been a heavy trip. She thought she’d be getting a break from everything that was going on, but she felt lucky that she was staying at a hotel. She wasn’t there yet. Emily suggested a sober companion, and Braunwyn said Shari was living with her and Sean now. Emily asked how Sean felt about that, and Braunwyn said he got jealous because she spent more time with Shari, and went to her about the hard stuff. Emily suggested if Sean didn’t like it, maybe she shouldn’t do it. She didn’t want Braunwyn to put herself in a situation where she had more than she could handle. Braunwyn said when she and Sean had gone away, it looked like a romantic getaway on her Instagram, but they were deciding whether they should stay married or not. Her not drinking changed the dynamics. Emily said she had questioned what it was Braunwyn was trying to suppress and push down, so it didn’t come up. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said she’d created this perfect life, but she wasn’t feeling it. When she had a fantasy, Sean didn’t have a starring role.  

Next time, Elizabeth’s divorce is finalized, Shannon wants no toxicity in her household, Elizabeth talks to her brother about their childhood, and Kelly tells Shannon that Gina is concerned about her.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Mary spoke with Robert Jr., and called him out for buying his girlfriend a Prada purse with her credit card. She said the purse would outlast the relationship, and not to buy something expensive like that again unless he’s going to marry her.

Heather met with contractor Travis, who was working on expanding Beauty Lab & Laser. In Heather’s interview, she said her personal life wasn’t so great, but she was killing it at Beauty Lab. She’d had side gigs when she was married, but her husband said it wasn’t worth it because they had limitless money. She said it wasn’t about that. It was about her skills and fulfillment. It was like the full circle of redemption. It reminded her of who she was, and how she felt about herself before she was married. She wasn’t all the way there, but it was a huge step forward.

Meredith was on the phone with Brooks when Seth came back. Brooks thanked Seth for missing his show. The runway walk of one athletic ensemble. In Meredith’s interview, she said she felt guilty and responsible, since she was the one who asked for space. Seth said he was sorry he missed, and couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t happen again, but he’d try. He told Meredith he thought it was a good idea for him to come back and try to repair the damage, and Meredith said Brooks was disappointed he wasn’t there, but she knew why. Seth told her, not knowing what direction their relationship was going in would have overshadowed Brooks’s big day. Their relationship shouldn’t impact the one with their kids. He’d realized he was so focused on his career, he hadn’t grown emotionally as a husband. He asked her to give him another chance. The last weeks were brutal, and if she would put in the work, he’d put in 10 times the amount, He couldn’t stand being without her. Meredith said it had probably been positive for them not to communicate, but she missed him. She wished they could have shared Brooks’s show, and she got a taste of what life would be like without him. She was willing to put the work in. In her interview, she said it was an incredible relief that they’d come to the same realization. They needed to be together. It wasn’t going to be smooth sailing, but they were on a positive path. She told him that she wanted to make it work.

Lisa met John for dinner, and in her interview, she said one of the perks of owning a liquor brand was that she knew every restaurant, bar, and club owner in the state. It was easy for her to get a reservation anywhere. They continued their discussion about working too much, and Lisa said she wasn’t giving up anything, and if a killer opportunity that fit in their portfolio came along, she didn’t want to pass it up. He thought they needed to work at not working. If an email came in at 11 pm, it could wait until the morning. In Lisa’s interview, she said she could get things done while still engaging. While she was messing with her phone, a producer asked if she had a nice dinner with John, and she was like, what did you say? totally disproving her statement. John wondered what it was all for. It was work first, then the kids, then them, with enjoying themselves at the bottom. Lisa suggested they include the kids more in what they were building. In her interview, she said she heard him, and there wasn’t one night where she didn’t go to bed wondering if the kids felt loved. There was guilt.

Whitney and Justin headed to the sober living facility, where they were going to mediation with Steve. Justin said Whitney’s dad thought he’d been there long enough, but they had a different opinion. In Whitney’s interview, she said she’d received an SOS text from Steve, saying he was going to be receiving a roommate, and he was freaking out. She needed to get there before he packed and ran away. She wondered what the real issue was, and said Steve wanted her to make it better, so he wasn’t being 100% accountable and responsible. She understood that he was older and didn’t want a roommate, but thought it was just an easy excuse to leave the program. He thought he was on vacation at the Four Seasons, but he was in sober living. He was there to work at getting better, not acting entitled. Justin told Whitney she had this.

They met with Steve and counselor Elsie. Steve said he felt anxious, and had been clear about not wanting anyone else in the same room. He said he wanted to get back in the game and be productive; pick up his career. Whitney asked if he’d looked for job. Where was he going to get money? The plan she was hearing required someone helping him. In Whitney’s interview, she said the first time her father went to rehab, he wanted her to pay for it. He’d made a list of everything he’d paid for in her life. Since he chose to have her as a child, now she owed him $30K for rehab. She was like, f*** you, but she still paid. She told him that they didn’t want him thinking they didn’t want to help, but he couldn’t expect her to take care of him, whether it was giving him money, a place to live, or a car. She wanted to get away from that pressure and burden; it made her resent him and close herself off to him. She wanted to help him because she wanted to, not because he felt entitled since she’s his daughter. Steve claimed nobody wanted to be as self-reliant as he did, and Whitney said being there was helping him. Their goal was for him to do it on his own, not because it was given to him. She said he should figure out a way get money while he was in there, so he had something to start with. Steve said they’d saved his life, and admitted they had been a security blanket, but he wanted to do it for himself and on his own. Elsie told everyone, good work.

The entire group met for snowmobiling, and in Jen’s interview, she said she didn’t know what was going on. Seth missed the fashion show, but showed up for snowmobiling. Lisa wanted to portray a perfect family, but no one was perfect. The guide said they’d be going 21 miles up a mountain, and having lunch at the top. In Heather’s interview, she said she didn’t mind being a single rider. It was like sex; more fulfilling if you do it on your own. This looked like fun, but I like the snow and cold. I don’t think I could live in the mountains though. It looks pretty, but makes me feel claustrophobic or something. In Whitney’s interview, she said she was confused. Meredith and Seth were being lovey-dovey, but Jen said Meredith was possibly seeing someone else. It didn’t add up.

During lunch, everyone chit-chatted, and in Jen’s interview, she said she was happy when Sharrieff could be there, especially when they were with their friends. She wished she had what the others did. Their significant others were with them all the time. Sharrieff told a story about Jen’s whole family going on their first date with them. In Lisa’s interview, she said Jen and Sharrieff were like yin and yang. Sharrieff talked about how sweet Jen was, and in Whitney’s interview, she said, do you know your wife? and we flashed back to the many tirades Jen’s had within a few episodes.  

Whitney told Heather that Jen claimed she’d heard something about Meredith and Seth, but if Whitney wanted to know anything, she’d have to ask Meredith. Heather said Jen had mentioned it to her, but she wasn’t interested. In Heather’s interview, she said, Jen clearly didn’t keep her word. She’d shown Heather a picture of Meredith with another man, not Seth. It looked like they were in a relationship, and Jen acted like it was a secret they’d never speak of again. Realizing she was getting nowhere, Whitney said if Meredith and Seth had some kind of arrangement, she supposed it wasn’t for them to judge. Heather didn’t take the bait, and said it wasn’t for them to say, judge, or even ask. If it didn’t come from Meredith, she wasn’t interested.

After snowmobiling, Meredith, Seth, Lisa, and John went to Jen and Sharrieff’s place. The guys compared the Mormon and Muslim religions, which are both pretty strict. Sharrieff said they were allowed multiple wives, but Jen said, oh no he wasn’t, and in her interview, she said one Jen Shah equaled 45 wives. In Lisa’s interview, she said she and John weren’t cultural Mormons. People focus on the cultural side, and forget what’s important – a relationship with God. She didn’t think God cared if she owned a tequila company. TBH, me neither. In Jen’s interview, she said what Lisa was following wasn’t the Mormon church. It’s the church of Lisa Barlow.

Jen, Lisa, and Meredith got in the hot tub, while the guys played foosball. Jen said she was lonely when Sharrieff wasn’t there, and was concerned about Omar going to college. Inside, John said he thought he could set goals personally just fine, but doing it together was a different story. The guys discussed their various marriages, and Sharrieff said Jen was super reactionary, which was an understatement.

Jen kept prodding at Meredith to spill something, but in her interview, Meredith said she was feeling confident and positive about her marriage, but she didn’t need to tell anyone. What if it went wrong? She’d let them know when the time was right. She told Jen and Lisa that she and Seth were committed to their marriage, and they were headed in a positive direction. In Jen’s interview, she said Meredith was acting like her life was perfect.

Next time, penguins! Mary isn’t invited to Jen’s party, and Jen pitches a fit at the party.

📺 Is This Thing On…?

A holiday schedule for the soaps.

🎄 Just Like Us…

The soap stars celebrate the holidays too.

And so do other celebrities.

https://www.essence.com/celebrity/celebrity-holiday-photos-2020/

👫🏻 The Second Time Around…

Teresa gets a new man for Christmas.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/25/teresa-giudice-spends-christmas-eve-with-new-boyfriend-family/

Not to be outdone, Juicy Joe’s new main squeeze.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/24/joe-giudice-reveals-new-girlfriend/

👠 Gone Girl…

Monique is no longer having it. Scroll down for Robyn calling Michael a creep.

https://people.com/tv/monique-samuels-not-returning-to-rhop/

Karen has hope for Candiace though.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/27/rhops-karen-huger-hopes-candiace-will-learn-and-grow/

🏵 Kudos For Karen…

I have to admit, this is pretty interesting.

https://pagesix.com/2020/08/06/rihanna-says-shes-proud-of-rhop-star-karen-huger-during-instagram-live/

💎 I Can’t Keep Track…

Looks like Tom might have really cheated.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/19/erika-jayne-reveals-california-judge-is-tom-girardis-alleged-mistress/

Looks like Erika is done. With the jewelry anyway.

https://pagesix.com/2020/12/22/erika-jayne-photographed-without-wedding-band/

🗽 Memories…

A stroll through Times Square Memory Lane.

🎊 Something For Next Year…

Did you know the confetti used in Times Square on New Year’s Eve is made up of wishes? Me neither. You, too, can be a part of the celebration. It’s too late for this year, but why not get a head start for 2022?  No one will be there this year anyway.

https://www.timessquarenyc.org/whats-happening/nye-wishing-wall#.VoNmw5MrKgQ

Happy New Year!

Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect. – Alan Cohen

🍾🥂🥡  See You Next Year…

It’s finally time to say goodbye to the year that looked so promising. To the year we thought would be ours. To the number we thought looked so cute. While the light is getting brighter at the end of the tunnel, don’t be disappointed if you wake up on 1/1/2021 and it’s not just a bad dream. It’s going to take a while, but you’re still here. We made it this far, and one day it will seem like it was just a bad dream. Enjoy the New Year weekend however you can, but remember to stay safe, stay smart, especially with your alcohol intake, and stay knowing that there will be an end to this madness before long.