What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael thanks Ned for holding the fundraiser. Ned says it’s a win-win. They’re raising money for pediatric cancer research, and get to ring in the new year. Kristina tells Michael that it’s said the person you spend New Year’s Eve with, is the person you’ll spend the most time with in the new year. He tells her not to threaten him. She guesses he’d rather be with someone else. Chase walks in with Willow.

At the hospital, Julian finds Kim alone in Oscar’s room. He thought she’d be celebrating with Oscar, but she says he’s with Josslyn in the media room. They’re going to watch the ball drop. He says he can stay, but she tells him to go to the fundraiser. It’s a worthy cause, and she’d like to think one of them is celebrating. He tells her to say the word, and he’ll be back at midnight. He leaves, as Drew comes in. Kim asks Drew if everything is okay. He tells her that Jason stopped by to warn him about someone from his past.

Jason arrives at Sam’s place. She doesn’t think anyone will recognize him in a suit. He says no one will miss her; she looks amazing. She does, in a simple, sleeveless, low-cut black sequined number. She says she was going to blow the party off, but it’s a fundraiser for pediatric cancer research. She thought Jason would want skip it and just write a check. He says he is writing a check, but realized, sometimes you just gotta show up. Sam says, sometimes you do, and they kiss.

Ava is about to make a drink, and sees the box of Kiki’s things. She walks over to it instead.

In bed, Jordan tells Curtis, now he’s done it. He says, they both did. Jordan tells him, now, they’re going to be late. He says, it’s New Year’s Eve. Parties don’t start jumping until after ten, and they’ll be fashionably late. She says, that’s how TV stars do it, and he says he’s not a star yet. She says, soon, and he says, providing the producer doesn’t flake on their meeting tomorrow.

Not-Doc puts on surgical gloves, and sneaks into Peyton’s office.

Sam tells Jason that she should power down. He asks if she’s gotten any more emails. She says, one. They reached out and asked if she wanted help, and Sam said no. She hasn’t heard back. He says someone did a lot of research into her past. He doesn’t think they’re giving up. She asks if he thinks they should try to find them, and he says it’s her call. She knows that; she’s just asking his opinion. He thinks if she engages, she’s giving them what they want. She says he’s right, and she’s going to refuse the bait. It’s weird, knowing someone is out there, digging into her past; it’s so random. He tells her that he ran into someone today. She says, someone mysterious from his past? and he says, not his; Drew’s.

Drew tells Kim that the guy thought Jason was him. His name was Hank, and he said he knew Drew from his military days. She doesn’t remember him introducing her to a Hank in San Diego. He says Jason gave him Hank’s number. He guesses it’s up to him to do something about it. She asks if he thinks he’ll contact Hank.

Lulu walks into the fundraiser with Laura. She says it’s what Laura needs. A night on the town, no campaigning, and no sign of Doc.

Willow thanks Chase, and apologizes about not joining him on Christmas. He says it was a last minute invite, just in case she was free. He asks if she wants a drink, and she’s surprised he’s not asking her where she was. He says it’s up to her to tell him. She nearly bumps into Julian, and Chase asks if he remembers Willow. We flash back to her saying that Julian convinced her to give up her son. He tells them to come back to Charlie’s some time for shots on him

Ava looks through Kiki’s things. She reads, New Year’s resolutions 2001. Get a puppy; train puppy to high-five; see Destiny’s Child at the Garden. Ava says, that was a great concert. She continues reading. Learn how to do a backflip – she remembers that trip to the ER – learn about art from mom. Ava cries.

Not-Doc comes out of Peyton’s office. He looks around. No one is there. He closes the door, and wipes it. He says he’ll see if anyone is looking for Peyton tonight, and checks Peyton’s phone. There’s a message from Curtis, asking if they’re still on for tomorrow.

Jordan tells Curtis that the commissioner can’t be late for a charity fundraiser. He says, not even for her husband? and she says, that’s right; he’s her husband. He says he’ll remind her every day. He gets a text, and says Peyton moved up his flight home, and wants to meet tonight.

Jordan asks if Peyton knows it’s New Year’s Eve. Curtis doesn’t suspect he cares, and Jordan says it’s rude. Curtis says he’ll tell Peyton to forget it. She says, and miss his chance at fame? He says, it’s a long shot anyway, but she says it’s a big deal; go. She’ll get her commissioner schmoozing out of the way, and they can just be newlyweds on New Year’s Eve by the time he gets there. He promises to make by midnight. She says he’d better. She wants him to kiss her when the clock strikes twelve. He says, tonight, and every night, for the rest of their lives.

Jason tells Sam that the guy came up to him and called him Drew. Jason told him that he was Drew’s brother, but there was something about his reaction that didn’t feel right. It was just off. He made a point of telling Jason how he knew Drew, and said Drew knew him as Hank. Sam says, it’s weird, but maybe that’s how he talks. Jason says Hank was working him the whole time. He wanted Drew’s information, but Jason took his. He stopped by the hospital, and gave Drew a heads up. Something about him doesn’t feel right.

Drew asks Kim how he can be sure who Hank really is. He’ll have to go through an explanation; tell a long convoluted story to someone who might be nothing more than an acquaintance. Kim says maybe he’s a friend, but she doesn’t remember. He likely knows Drew from a different point in his life, and might show Drew a different aspect of himself. It could be a window to his past. Drew says he could just have his whole past back, but it’s not worth losing the life he has with his son and daughter.

Valerie sees Kristina and Michael at the fundraiser. They exchange pleasantries, but Valerie seems a little cool. Michael congratulates her on becoming detective, and asks if she wants to join them. Valerie says she’s just going to mingle, and will see them later. Michael asks Kristina if she and Valerie aren’t friends, and Kristina says she thought so. He asks if something happened.

As they get to the party, Sam tells Jason it’s his last chance to bail. Jason says they told Olivia they were doing it, so they’re doing it. Sam says no one benefited more than they did, and Jason says they’re lucky Danny is healthy now. Sam wishes all kids had the same outcome. Julian arrives, and wishes them a happy New Year.

Kim tells Drew it’s not that dissimilar than when he gave her a chance. She was a stranger too. Drew says she also turned out to be the mother of his son; that’s a big difference. She’s not just part of his past, but the present and future. He’s grateful she came to Port Charles, and he could be a part of his son’s life. Kim wishes she’d found him sooner; they would have had more time. He tells her, don’t do that. That’s the past, and they should go from where they are now. He says at least Josslyn got Oscar out of the room. Kim says he has no appetite, but she’s keeping his spirits up. They’re on their own until midnight. He hopes she can stomach the poor company. She thinks she can cope. He asks if they ever spent New Year’s Eve together, other than being stuck in traffic last year. She tells him, you could say that. New Year’s Eve is when they conceived Oscar.

Michael greets Willow and Chase. Willow says she hasn’t met his date, and Michael and Kristina are both all, no, no, no. Kristina tells Michael that for a captain of industry, he stinks at making introductions, and Michael introduces her. Kristina asks how Willow knows her big brother. Michael says since he’s a captain of industry, he spoke to her class on career day. Chase says he wowed the crowd with science tricks, and Michael says, Chase brought a dog. Chase says he borrowed Thor from the K-9 department. Willow excuses herself to see one of her student’s parents. Kristina asks Chase to tell her more about Thor.

Scotty sees Laura, and tells her sorry about the break-up. Doc didn’t deserve her in the first place. He doesn’t know how to tell her this, but Doc might be… She tells him to breathe, and says she knows Doc is sleeping with Ava.

Not-Doc arrives at Ava’s apartment. She makes them both a drink, and he asks what she’s doing. She tells him, making a list of New Year’s resolutions. Against her better judgement, the first one is to drink less, but it’s still 2018, and there’s a few hours before she has to cash that check. She’s resolved to stop crying about things and people that don’t matter. She’s finished living up to other people’s standards and expectations. The only standards she cares about are her own. Last, and most important, she resolves not to let her remaining daughter has get too close. The more she lets someone into her heart, the more she seems to hurt them.

Olivia tells Jordan that marriage agrees with her, and asks where Curtis is. Jordan says he’ll be by later, and Ned asks to speak to her a moment. Olivia makes herself scarce, and he asks if Jordan has read the article by Lulu linking the murders. He was under the impression that link was under wraps. She says it was, but Lulu had been in the squad room. He asks if they let journalists wander around, and Jordan says Lulu has certain privileges being Dante’s wife. Ned understands how persona and professional life can blue, but to avoid a full-scale public panic, Lulu’s privileges need to be revoked. Across the room, Laura raises her glass to Ned. He returns the gesture.

Julian tells Sam that he’s there to support Oscar and Danny, and wonders if they can set aside their differences. Sam blows him off, saying she and Jason are there to have a good time. They go into the party, and Alexis tells Julian it’s probably not a good idea to pretend nothing is wrong. He says he’s made headway with Lucas and Leo, and was hoping to do the same with Sam. Alexis says he hasn’t put in the work yet. He says Sam hasn’t let him, and she tells him to respect that. She asks if that’s why he came; to connect with Sam. He says, yes, but Kim asked him to. She thought one of them should put in an appearance at the fundraiser. Alexis says she probably thought New Year’s Eve at the hospital wouldn’t be fun for him. He says he offered to stay. Alexis says she was being selfless. She was trying to be responsible for her son and him. At the same time, she probably wants to spend the evening with someone who cares about her.

Kim tells Drew, they found out he was going to be deployed after the holidays, but they’d both known it could end any time. Neither one of them expected it to mean so much. To be honest she didn’t think she was strong enough to be with someone who was put in danger again and again. They did decide to remain friends, and agreed to enjoy every moment together – and they did. On New Year’s Eve, they watched they watched the fireworks over the water, went back to her place, and opened champagne. Drew says he’s got it. She says, afterward, when she was lying in his arms, she debated telling him how she really felt; that she loved him. Drew guesses she didn’t say anything, and she says, it didn’t seem fair. He was being shipped out the next day, and a few weeks later, she found out she was pregnant. He knows the rest. She didn’t want to tell him in a letter, and his missions were classified. Time went on, and she rationalized it was fine to leave everything as it was. She’d raise Oscar on her own. Sometimes she fooled herself into thinking she was succeeding. Drew thinks she did, and says Oscar is a great kid. She says that’s just who Oscar is. She had to make all the decisions alone. He says she’s not alone anymore, and kisses her.

Ned tells Sam and Jason that he thought Olivia just had wishful thinking, believing they’d be there. Olivia says she knows how much the cause means to both of them. Jason gives her a check. She looks at it, and says, very generous. It will do a lot of good for a lot of kids. Sam tells he that they were just saying how lucky they were, and she wishes all the kids would be as fortunate as Danny.

Lulu tells Willow that she and Valentin know Charlotte was bullying her cousin Aiden. She made sure Charlotte apologized, and she knows what she did was wrong. She hopes that settles things. Willow does too, but she’ll continue to monitor the situation.

Scotty says Doc is a good doer, but since Kiki’s death, he’s been plastered to Ava’s side. Laura says she wouldn’t wish that kind of grief on anyone. Scotty knows how it feels, but hates Doc and Ava together.

Not-Doc says he’s never been a fan of resolutions or time tables that set us up for failure. He likes setting real attainable goals. His goal for her is to help her mourn, but not for the rest of her life. His goal on New Year’s Eve is to help her realize what she is; a force to be reckoned with, and the strongest person he knows. She deserves to be treated better than she has been, and given more than the world has given her. She doesn’t think that sounds attainable, but he says he’s going to give it to her. And God help whoever tries to stop him.

Curtis goes to Peyton‘s office. He knocks, but there’s no answer. He opens the door, and calls to Peyton. He walks into the darkened room, and trips over something. He sees blood on his hand, and says, son of a bitch.

He turns on the lights and looks around blood everywhere screen sees Felicia

Ava tells not-Doc, those are some goals. Is he setting himself up for failure? When he says that, it almost makes her forget everything she’s lost, for just a moment. He’s not asking her to forget, but move forward. And he wants her to know he’ll be beside her, no matter what the future holds. She says, with him next to her, a future seems possible.

Chase asks Willow if she’s ready to usher in 2019. She thinks it’s going to be a good year. He does too.

Olivia says, less than one minute. She thanks them for the money raised, and everyone applauds. Ned says, it’s almost time, and they count down. At midnight, confetti falls, everyone uses their noisemakers, and there’s a lot of kissing. Auld Lang Syne plays. Michael sees Chase kiss Willow. Kristina looks at Valerie, who looks away. Jordan answers her phone, and says, so much for making it back by midnight. Curtis says she has to get there, and gives her the address. She asks what’s wrong, and he tells her that he thinks there’s been another murder.

Not-Doc kisses Ava.

Through the window of Oscar’s hospital room, Julian sees Drew kissing Kim, and leaves.

Jason and Sam go out on the terrace. She says she knows he’s hit his maximum tolerance for socializing. He says there’s good people in there, but she’s the only one he wants to be with. They kiss.

Kim tells Drew the party in the media room is winding down, and Oscar got to kiss the girl he loves at midnight. Drew says, on the subject of kisses, and she tells him, don’t think twice. They let nostalgia get the best of them. At least the person who remembers did. Drew asks if they’re good, and she says, of course.

Julian comes back to the party, and we hear everyone’s LOUD feet dancing. Alexis thought he went ot see Kim, and he says, long story. His phone rings. It’s Kim, but he doesn’t answer. Michael asks Willow where she’s going, and she says Chase got called in on assignment. He says the party is still going on. She doesn’t have to leave, but she tells him, after midnight, she turns into a pumpkin. She says, happy New Year, and gets in the elevator.

Not-Doc and Ava watch the fireworks. Ava says Kiki loved fireworks. She thought there was something magical about them, but there isn’t any magic left in the world. He says, there is, and promises they’ll find it together.

Police tape is now across Peyton’s office door, and the police are combing the place. Curtis tells Jordan that Peyton said he wanted to meet him there. The door was closed, but not locked. He looked in, but there was no sign of him, just the blood. She says it appears someone was attacked, but they have no way of knowing if it’s Peyton. Chase is doubtful whoever it was made it out alive, but they should still check the ER. Jordan is afraid the killer moved the body.

Jason and Sam watch the fireworks. He gives her his jacket. There are some fake snowmen on the terrace, and he suddenly kicks one over. A dead Peyton falls out from behind it.

Lots and lots of end-of-the-year credits. The next new show will be on Wednesday, January 2. On Monday, according to the guide, a rerun from December 31^st, 1997 will be aired. I’ll definitely be checking that out. On New Year’s Day, it’s football and more football.

Z Nation

When we last left, Estes had come into the lab to find Sun’s brain gone. He says, find them and kill them all.

Roberta, George and Red sneak out. Red wishes they could have given Sun a proper burial. George says she died for a reason. Roberta tells Red to stash the brain where it’s safe, and no one can find it. If anything happens to them, get it to Murphy. Red leaves, and Roberta tells George not to let it get to her. George says she was just remembering putting the posters up with Dante. Everyone who helped is dead now. Sun too. She wonders what if they win, and there’s no one left? Roberta says there are still a lot of people with the will to survive, including her. Keep her head in it. They sneak off.

Still at the lab, Estes tells a guy to be careful. The blood samples are from all over, and God knows what’s in there. He and his colonel look at a map. The colonel tells him the militia is still assembling. Every able bodied volunteer has been employed as well. Pandora is holding Sun’s hands, and dancing around. Estes calls her over, and asks about the information she got from George. She says it took convincing, but she found George’s weakness, and she gave it up. Human that she is. She points to a road intersection, and tells Estes that the talkers are in a clearing near there. He asks, how many talkers? and she says, all of them. He tells the colonel that they have to hit before George has a chance to warn them, and before the talkers hit them. The rules of engagement haven’t changed. The colonel understands.

When they’re alone, Pandora asks Estes, why so tense? She’s all over him, and tells him, forget about that sick, crazy circus. It’s just him and her. She drags him away, as Sun watches with lifeless eyes.

George and Roberta continue to sneak around. It’s empty everywhere. Robert says George’s eye is hurt, but George says she’s okay. Roberta doesn’t think so. George looks okay, but she has to clear her mind of hate. There’s no room for mistakes. This is about justice, not vengeance. She wonders what happened to Pandora, and George says, what was supposed to happen. They could have gone the distance. Roberta suggests they find Kaya.

Kaya is still behind the vending machine with Citizen Z, who says they’re almost out of soda. She says, just a few modifications to the drone images they intercepted, and they’re out of there. CZ says, otherwise, he’ll have to get more change.

George can’t believe they’re not. Roberta says, they are voting, but not at a ballot box. She points the way to the vending machine. George asks if she thinks they have diet. They avoid some soldiers who are looking for them, but Pandora and Estes have gotten to the vending machine first. Estes says he wants them alive, and Pandora says, save the mercy for her. They open the machine, and the hidey-hole is empty. CZ startles Roberta and George by coming up behind them. He says they got out just in time. Kaya is safe with JZ. What now? Roberta says they stick to plan.

Doc tells 10K, this is Roberta’s most half-baked plan yet. He asks if 10K is feeling lucky. 10K says, no, and Doc says, good. It will take more than luck to pull this off. 10K hugs Doc, and Doc tells him, get going. Murphy tells the talkers, Sit! Stay! and they listen better than my dogs ever will. He wonders how long they have to keep hidden, and Addie hopes they’re not waiting much longer. Murphy says, someone’s coming, and Addie tells the talkers, get ready. A lone zombie ambles up the road, and Murphy says, it’s a rando; looks old school. Addie says she’ll take care of him. She twirls her Z-whack, and knocks the zombie down. He rushes her, and she does it again. She smashes his head, and tells the talkers, come and get it. Murphy says, that should hold them for a while.

George and Roberta see the people going in to vote. George says, it’s a low turnout. CZ says, people are afraid to travel, or they’re dead. Roberta says, a yes vote, is a vote for martial law. CZ says, the people have given up on Newmerica. They don’t care who’s in charge, as long as they’re safe. Altura will take control. Roberta says, it’s up to Addie and Doc to get in position. We see Cooper check in to vote. Apparently, he’s not dead. Or maybe he is. Hard to tell these days.

Addie tells the talkers, now that’s over; everyone look alive. Murphy says, they’re not just dead; they’re dead citizens. He tells Addie, they’re sitting ducks, and she tells him, don’t try to be himself; just stick to the plan. He tells her that they didn’t live this long by sticking to the plan.

Doc says, zero hour, and flips some switches on a board. He says, let slip the dogs of war, and gets into a makeshift bunker inside a tent.

Estes radios the colonel, who tells him, there’s been visual contact with the talker camp. He says, they haven’t been spotted, and they’re not where he said they’d be. Estes says, executive orders; show the meaning of mercy, and end this now. His men get in place, and aim their guns. The colonel says they’ve been spotted. No prisoners. Charge! Well, we know how that worked for Custer.

His joint smoking interrupted, Doc ducks when he hears the shooting. He gets a bullhorn, and tells everyone, go. Pandora’s assistant moves forward with Estes’s men, who shoot up everything. They get to a camp, and shoot up the tents. They realize there’s no one there, and go inside the tent where the noises are coming from. They see it’s Doc making shooting noises through a bullhorn. The colonel tells him, put it down, and he does. Pandora’s assistant takes him outside. The colonel asks where everyone else is, and he says, there’s no one else. Just him.

Estes radios for Mercy One. He’s waiting to hear a talker free future has begun. The colonel says there’s been a setback. It’s a decoy: there’s no one there. It’s a set-up. Pandora says, impossible. She made sure George was telling the truth. The colonel says it’s just an old man with a bullhorn. Estes tells him, find out if he knows where the talkers are. The colonel says he’ll tell, right before he mercies him. Estes tells Pandora that George lied to her. Pandora says, you can’t trust anybody these days.

The colonel asks Doc where the talkers are. Doc says he might want to save his bullets. The colonel is suddenly splashed with blood, and Pandora’s assistant falls. 10K says, nine thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-nine. Doc finishes, in case that happens. 10K shoots more of them. Doc says that’s his cue, puts on his shades, and runs. Estes tells the colonel, operation mercy. But he’s not answering because he’s being eaten. Estes hears zombie munching sounds, and wonders, what the hell happened? He asks Pandora what happened to the talkers? Gate 3 calls on the radio, saying he better get down there. He needs to see this.

The guard asks a large group at the gate to state their business. Murphy says they’re here to vote. Estes says they need two forms of ID. Pandora says, and a pulse. Estes says it doesn’t look like many likely voters, and he’s not sure Murphy qualifies. Murphy says what matters is, it’s hard to mass mercy when they’re still talking. Estes says the militia will be back soon. Behind him, George says they both know that’s not true; they’re not coming back. Red says, not as humans. George says, the cycle death can end now, and Pandora says she makes it sound like that’s a good thing. Roberta says, it’s over. Open the gates, and let them in. They just want be with their loved ones. Estes says they have no idea what they’re doing, and Pandora tells him, shut up. She shoots, and runs. Estes takes off, and Roberta and George tell Red they’re going after them. Roberta says they have fifteen minutes to vote, and the crowd rushes in.

They chase Estes and Pandora through a building. Estes and Pandora split up, and Roberta goes after Pandora, while George follows Estes. Roberta runs goes up the stairs. Pandora shoots at her, and Roberta shoots back. Pandora says, bitch. Roberta continues to chase her, follows her to another staircase, and goes down. Pandora is out of bullets, and jumps down to another landing. Roberta doubles back, and sees Cooper in the hallway. He says, hello, Roberta.

He knows it’s a surprise. She says she can’t do this now. He tells her that he came long way; hear him out. Murphy arrives, and asks Roberta if this guy is bothering her, drawing his gun. Roberta tells Cooper that she’s glad he’s alive, but she has to go. She jets, and Cooper tells Murphy that he doesn’t want trouble. Murphy says Roberta may want him alive; him, not so much.

Roberta finds George near a door. George says Estes is inside. Roberta wonders where Pandora is. George says, on three, and opens the door to another staircase. Estes is on a platform at a computer. He greets them, welcomes them to the beating heart of Altura, and invites them up. He’s going to show them what all the fuss is about. Energy and security to build a new world upon. There’s a pool below him, housing lithium. George says, all that fuss for a battery? Estes knows been hard on her, but learning you’re wrong is part of growing up. George says they’ll see who’s teaching who. Roberta says, he’s taking lithium from the talkers for the battery, and he says, so what’s left of the humans can exist. They’ll have reliable storage. At night, when the solar power is out, they can have light, communications, and an electric fence. George says, while others starve. Estes tells her, desperate times mean hard choices have to be made. They can’t be left up to a traumatized mom. Change always involves collateral damage. Darwin had no heart. She says, neither does he. He says it’s not about him; it’s about the future of humanity. He staged the attacks. They were a necessary evil. The way things were, the lithium would be used up in less than three years. Then what? Roberta says, in the meantime, they can find an alternative. He says, it will be too late. By the time a vaccine can be made, the lithium will be used up. And what will be left? Feral talkers and no electricity. Roberta says he paid for the battery with human souls. Estes says, it’s a small price pay for security. The talkers are freaks; a mistake. George asks if that’s what he tells Pandora; how romantic. Estes says, she’s a useful tool, but in the end, she’s a mumbling corpse, like the rest of them. Roberta asks what’s going to happen when she tells everyone. Estes says they won’t believe her. She says, no, but they’ll believe him. She asks if CZ got that, and CZ says, every word. Roberta tells Estes that it’s being broadcast live. Estes doesn’t believe her, and she tells CZ, crank up the volume. Estes says, this is insane, and hears his voice echo back at him from the speakers. Roberta says he’s right. It is insane. She tells him to go back and tell the talkers they’re a mistake. Pandora appears, and says, a mumbling corpse? Is that how he sees her? He says he didn’t mean that way, and she asks how did he mean it? Roberta tells George, she’s about to get real. Estes says what he did, he did for humanity. Roberta says, there’s a new definition of humanity. Estes says, what happens when the dead are all that’s left? What happens when they trade their future for the talkers? What happens when the last vestige of humanity turns to dust? George says he can’t just get rid of them. He says, they’re rotting bags of putrefied meat. They need to cleanse the earth of the talkers before being dragged down to their level. Pandora says, is that what he thinks? and Estes says she’s different. Knife in hand, she says, is she? She slides the knife up his body to his chin. She thinks maybe if he was a talker, he’d feel differently about this whole dead thing. She holds the knife under his chin. The filming drone hovers around them. She tells it, buzz off, and gives it a whack. It falls into the pool, and the feed dies. The crowd watching goes, aww! Estes keeps saying, please, and Pandora tells him, stop whining. She hates it when he whines. It’s so whiny. She had big plans for them. It’s a pity. She stabs the board instead of him, and laughs, as sparks shoot out of it. Estes says, if the lithium overheats it will kill everyone in Altura. Pandora tells him, George was right about one thing. Humans and talkers are equal. They all deserve a final mercy in the end. Estes says, there’s only a few minutes before the coolant wears off. He runs to one of the pipes.

George faces Pandora. Pandora asks if George thinks she can mercy her. George asks if Pandora changed her outfit. Pandora says she always likes to look her best before a big fight. Does she like? George says, no. Pandora takes a fighting stance, and does a samurai yell.

Alarms sound. George and Pandora rush each other, and George slips under and around Pandora. She says she doesn’t want to mercy Pandora, and Pandora says, really? Not even after she chopped up poor, helpless Dante. George says Pandora’s life isn’t enough to pay for his, let alone the others. Pandora says, Boo. Hoo.

Roberta asks Estes what he’s doing, and he says, stopping a catastrophe. It’s going to explode if he can’t get the pumps working; help him. He and Roberta try to turn a valve, but it’s not budging much. Pandora wields a knife in each hand. George knocks one to the floor. Estes tells Roberta the lithium will cause an uncontrolled burn. Roberta grabs a metal pipe, and wedges it between the spokes of the valve, using it to turn the wheel. Steam hits Estes in the face. Pandora grabs George by the throat.

Estes tells Roberta he needs to use a hose as a bypass. She helps him to hook it up. Pandora looms over George, laughing, and squeezing her throat. She says George’s humanity is what makes her weak. She should be happy; she’s going to see Dante soon. George gathers her strength, and throws Pandora off. A screen flashes, pump failure. Pandora tells George they should do this more often. George says she talks too much, grabs her, and slams her to the floor. Pandora gets ahold of a knife, but George knocks it into the water. She cracks Pandora in the face. Her wig goes flying, and her mask hits the floor and shatters, because it isn’t made out of very practical material. She looks like a burn victim. Pandora asks if she disgusts George. She tells George to look at her. George spins Pandora around, and throws her, saying she doesn’t get off that easy. She holds Pandora over the water. Pandora says she could have been George, and George dumps her into the pool, where she fries.

Roberta thinks it’s working. Estes takes out a gun. Roberta tells him, it’s over, but he says she’s ruining humanity’s last chance. He can’t let happen. He shoots at her, but the bullets have no effect. George grabs his gun from behind. Roberta sees holes in her clothing, and says, no blood. She and passes out.

She wakes up on a couch. Cooper is there. She says, not a dream? and he says, no. She feels herself where she was shot, and asks where everyone is. Cooper says, voting, and Estes is in custody. She asks, what about Murphy? Cooper says he and the devil are cool. When Murphy understood why he was there, he brought Cooper to her. He asks how she’s feeling, and she says, nifty. What did he want to tell her? He says, back at the farm, when he found her. He was operating on her, and she bled out. There was nothing he could do. She died. She says, I was dead this whole time? He tells her that she came back as a talker, but different. Maybe it was the black rain she was exposed to; he doesn’t know. Roberta says, damn apocalypse. He didn’t want to tell her. He thought it might change her, and he didn’t want her to change. Roberta says, he came all this way to tell her? He says he wanted her to know. Does she forgive him? She asks if he forgives her for locking him in the trunk. He tells her everything he said still applies. It was from the heart. Roberta says what they had together was real. It was good, and so worth fighting for. She just doesn’t know how much fight she has left in her. She just found out she was dead. Cooper says she doesn’t look dead. Roberta asks if he voted. He did, but he’s not a joiner. He said his piece, and now he’s going to go, but he wants her to know, if she ever wants to dance or hear good music… She says she knows where to find him. He tells her, goodbye, and they kiss.

He puts on his hat. We hear a little Western background music, and he leaves. Roberta says, goodbye.

Doc makes an announcement, saying, ladies and gentlemen, living, dead, or somewhere in between. The polls are officially closed. 10K shows off his new, kind of Edward Scissorhands thing, and Doc tells Addie, chicks dig a man with a hook. Addie says she’s not touching that. She asks what Doc is going to do now. He says he might mosey back to the water keeper, and see if Kurek needs help with the dam. What about her? Addie says she’s going to continue wandering the earth, doing random good deeds. And killing zombies with her Z-whack. Doc says, that goes without saying. George tells Roberta that she’ll feel better when it’s over. Roberta says, once they ratify the constitution, then what? George says, elect people who will uphold it. Roberta says, people like her? and George says, maybe, and those who want to help. Red brings the case with Sun’s brain to Murphy, saying that somebody said give it to him. Roberta says, she said he’d know what to do with it.

Doc introduces George, who’s announcing the results. Roberta tells her, they’ve come too far. George walks up to the front. I note that she changed her outfit. She starts to talk, but the bullhorn gives feedback, so she continues without it. She says she was going to give a speech what feels likes a lifetime ago. Before the bombing. It was a different speech then, for a different world. So much has changed. She knows she has. CZ films her. She says, one thing has always remained. She has the same belief in democracy and the rule of law. The crowd applauds. She’s lost a lot of friends getting there; they all did, but she gained some new friends too. Friends who taught her the meaning of loyalty and courage, and showed what can be done when you have each other’s backs, and what can be accomplished when you believe in one another and carry each other forward, no matter what the obstacles. There were so many times she thought this moment would never come. But here they are. The moment they’ve been waiting so very long for. She says, let’s get to the results. She opens the envelope, looks at what’s inside, and smiles. Everyone cheers. Roberta smiles back at her.

Murphy sits outside with the case. He opens it, sees the brain, and says, Sun Mei. He takes the brain out, breaks off a piece, and eats it. He says, That’s it. Of course. He laughs.

That’s all folks.

😭 It was all I could do not to burst out bawling. Even if Netflix picks up the show, it’s at that point where it would even be doubtful that they could get everyone involved back, and no matter what, it won’t be the same. Write to your congressman… or something.

😘 A Fan Goodbye…

https://fanfest.com/2018/12/26/z-nation-canceled-by-syfy/

🎭 A Cast Goodbye…

https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/z-nation-cast-members-thank-fans-of-the-cancelled-syfy-series/

🙋 Farewell For Now…

This is where I’m supposed to stupidly say, see you next year, but I’m not going to do that. Sunday night (December 30^th), Bravo will be airing a new episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey at 9 pm. It’s titled Bridezilla of Bimini, so it sounds promising, but I’ll most likely be hypnotized by 90 Day Fiancé. Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Take that however you choose.

👄 Quotes of the Week

Nonsense and deep thought, with a little Christmas sprinkled in.

Being normal is vastly overrated. – Aggie Cromwell

I’m not invading you with privacy, or something like that. – Leida to Tasha, who’d said Leida was invading her privacy, 90 Day Fiancé

Death is coming to Brooklyn. And it’s got buck teeth and a cotton tail. – Snowball (Kevin Hart), The Secret Life of Pets

You couldn’t hear a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant. – Uncle Lewis (William Hickey), Christmas Vacation  Disclaimer: Bill Hickey was my acting teacher for several years; however, this movie was not indicative of what was learned in class.

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

The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear. – Buddy (Will Ferrell), Elf

I’m an alcoholic now. I did a lot of stuff that wasn’t cool, and I came here because the program says I have to make almonds. – Robbie (Noah Mills), 2 Broke Girls

You look like a Black Will Smith or something. – Bob Stone (Duane Johnson), Central Intelligence

I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship. — Louisa May Alcott

Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something besides ourselves. – Eric Sevareid

💀 And Have Fun We Did…

Z NATION — “Warren’s Wedding” Episode 407 — Pictured: (l-r) Keith Allen as Murphy, Russell Hodgkinson as Doc, Nat Zang as 10K — (Photo by: Daniel Sawyer Schaefer/Go2 Z 4/Syfy)