(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
The Walking Dead
Rosita is being chased through the woods. She stops at a tree for water, but the bottle is empty. She slumps against the tree.
Daryl, Carol, and Henry walk through a different part of the woods. Daryl is carrying firewood, and drops it at his camp near the river. Carol asks if he’s fixed the boat since last time. He’s not being very communicative, and she asks when he last ate. Apparently, he’s acquired a dog – looks like a German Shepherd mix – and he says, the dog ate yesterday. She’s not talking about that.
Michonne and Siddiq are taking Magna’s group to Hilltop. Michonne tells Siddiq he’ll feel better if he says it. Siddiq says she should have let them stay. He thinks she likes them. He’s not hearing her deny it. She says it doesn’t mean she trusts them. Luke says Magna gave Michonne the option not to trust them. She and Kelly want to get back to their camp. Magna wants her knife back. Yumiko tells Michonne, sorry about Magna; she can be hotheaded. She’s been on edge since they lost Bernie. She talks about how he used to wear a horrid shirt. It was like looking into creation in paisley. Magna said it gave her a headache, so he wore it every day for a week. Magna came around on the shirt, like they came around on Magna. Michonne says, like family. Yumiko asks if Hilltop is safe. Michonne says it is, and Yumiko asks what it’s like. Michonne says it’s been a while since she’s been there, and Yumiko says, then how does she know it’s safe? Michonne says she promised her daughter that she’d get them there, and she will. They just have to trust her.
Hilltop is looking good. There are tons of crops, blacksmithing and pottery making going on, and Enid being a doctor. Jesus listens to music on an old gramophone Tara drops by. She says he’s been spending a lot of time with records. She goes over some farming stuff, other operational issues, and a couple of complaints. She tells him, congratulations; he’s been reelected leader. He says, winning is a given when there’s no one running against you. She asks if he still thinks it’s temporary. He wants to check on Tammy’s crops, but Tara says she has a list. He tells her to ask when he gets back
Daryl shoots a snake for dinner, and stabs a zombie with the same arrow after he gets it back. He’s a multi-tasker. Carol asks if he’s just leaving the zombie, and he says it keeps the animals away. She says he’s longer than he said he’d be. He says he likes it; it’s quiet. He asks how the king is, and she says he’s having a hard time letting go. She’s taking Henry to Hilltop. He’s going to apprentice as a smithy. Daryl appreciates the visit, but wonders why she’s really there. She wants him to come with them. They have problems of their own at the Kingdom, and she’d feel better if Daryl could go with Henry. He says he can’t babysit, but she says it’s not like that. Henry is an idealist, like Ezekiel, which is important, but it can be dangerous. Daryl says he has to learn for himself. Like they did.
Magna’s camp has been torn apart. There are a few zombies lurking. Kelly stabs on in the head, and Connie stomps on another’s head. Luke wields a baseball bat. Magna looks through what’s left of her stuff. Siddiq finds a recorder, and says it was the first instrument he learned to play. His aunt gave him one. He had it a week, until his mom decided, for her own sanity, that he liked painting better. I totally understand this. When I was in fourth grade, everyone had to learn to play the recorder, and you could hear the sounds of practicing throughout the neighborhood. It’s a wonder our parents didn’t lose their minds. Michonne says, for her sanity, and takes it from him. Connie signs that Luke is obsessed with saving musical instruments.
Michonne tells DJ to take any weapons. Magna thinks they should get them back, but Michonne says she’s not letting her men take five armed people into Hilltop. If they want their weapons, they can take them, but they’re on their own. If they want a chance at something better, stay with them. Magna wonders how they’re supposed to trust her, when she’s doesn’t trust them. Michonne says then they can take their chances. Yumiko says they didn’t get brought back together just to be killed. She asks if they’ll be there by morning, and Michonne says they will. Yumiko says they have a real chance for a safe place. The sun is going down soon, and Michonne suggests they find shelter.
Aaron is riding out of the woods, and gets knocked off his horse by Jesus. Aaron says, rule number one – be aware of your surroundings. Jesus says, rule number one – look up. They spar Jesus says, not bad, and gets the best of Aaron. Aaron whacks Jesus in the face, and Jesus acts like he’s really hurt. When Aaron asks if he’s okay, Jesus gets the better of him again. When they’re done, Aaron says he heard it was election day. Jesus says that’s why he’s late. There was a party, and it’s hard to get away as it is. Aaron doesn’t suppose Maggie changed her mind about the fair. It’s important for the Kingdom; for all of them to come back together. They see a flare go up in the distance.
The find Rosita, bloody, and leaning against a tree. Aaron asks where Eugene is, and she says she left him. He was going to a barn. Zombies come toward them. Jesus says they have to go; it will be dark soon. Whatever barn Eugene is in, Jesus hopes he’s safe until tomorrow,
Daryl cooks up the snake. Carol is impressed. Henry wonders if the real reason they came here was that Carol wants Daryl to be his chaperone. This guy? He can handle himself. Daryl says it will be ready in thirty minutes, and Carol says, just enough time. Daryl says, for what?
Carol gives Daryl a haircut. He knows she thinks He’s still looking for him. Carol says, is he? She thinks he should let it go, and that his hair looks better. They eat. Henry asks how Daryl got his scars. Daryl calls the dog, who he just calls dog.
Michonne is on watch, and hears something. She goes inside a stable. She walks quietly past the horses, where there’s a dude at a workbench with his back to her. She comes up behind him, and says, drop it; turn around slow. It’s Luke. He says, he can’t. He starts to turn, and she whacks at him. Everyone comes running. Luke shows them his broken violin. I think Michonne might be just a little paranoid.
Henry wakes up, and leaves the tent. He thinks he sees Daryl from behind, and shines a light. It’s a zombie instead, but Daryl arrives in time to knife it in the head. He keeps walking. He hears Dog barking, and runs in that direction. Dog is tethered to a tree and several zombies are stuck in Daryl’s traps around him. Why are they doing this to me? Introducing another animal which will no doubt eventually get eaten. I’ve gotten to the point where, if a dog is introduced in a horror story I’m reading, I stop reading. Dog is surrounded, barking his head off, with the zombies reaching for him. Daryl approaches. A half-zombie grabs at him. He goes down, and loses his knife. Henry wants to help, but Daryl tells him, get back. Daryl manages to get his other knife out, and stabs, spears, and pikes the heads of the zombies. Henry is astounded. A zombie whose ankle is held in a trap, pulls itself free, leaving its foot behind. Henry jumps forward, and impales it. Daryl finishes the job. He says he told Henry to stay back, and Henry says, you’re welcome. Up on the hill, Carol has her bow drawn. She steps back so they don’t see her.
Jesus asks Enid how Rosita is. Enid says she’s okay, just dehydrated. He says it’s weird, seeing her after all this time. She says for her too. She asks Jesus what they were doing out there, and Jesus says, training. He’s been talking to Aaron, keeping the lines of communication open. Enid says, and avoiding being there. He wants to try to get Alexandria on board with the fair. She doesn’t think they’ll go along with it. Jesus says, it’s important, and Enid says people are noticing that he’s gone, that’s important too. She knows he thinks he’s just keeping a promise to Maggie, but he took the job. Stop pretending. She’s not there; he is. Maggie is counting on him. They’re counting on him. She’s counting on him. He needs to stay there, and keep the place together.
Daryl gets dressed, and Henry looks at the scars on his back. He tosses Henry some salve, saying it’s good for infection. Daryl thanks Henry for the help, and Henry thanks Daryl for saving him. He asks Daryl not to tell his mom. Daryl tosses a stick for Dog to fetch. He says that he’s seeing more and more zombies. Henry tells him that Carol says he’s her best friend; that she had his back no matter what. She misses him. She worries about him. Can he see that? Daryl asks if that’s what Henry wants. Daryl looking over his shoulder all the time. Henry says it’s not just about him.
Luke says, unbelievable. Michonne starts talk, but he’s like, uh-uh-uh. He says it’s an original Stradivarius. Kelly says he found it in a mansion before it was overrun. It was in a kids room. Michonne asks why he collects instruments, and Luke says, it’s art. For a long time, historians and archaeologists wondered how humans survived against the Neanderthals. With them being bigger and stronger, with better weapons, why are we still here? Why did we survive? He tells her about a flute found in a cave, and how it was realized that maybe ancient humans didn’t defeat the Neanderthals the way we look at defeat. They sat around the campfire, sharing stores, and told stories in music and painting. They created communities and identities. The communities they built grew, and the Neanderthals retreated, and died out. It’s what separates humans from animals. It brings people together in building something, and you can’t ignore that. Michonne says after all he’s seen and done, he still believes that’s all it could take? Luke says, survival of the fittest. Sharing art with each other makes them stronger. Michonne ponders this.
Michonne tells Siddiq that they’ll reach Alexandria before Hilltop, and can stop for supplies if they need them. Siddiq says she should come. It’s the least she can do after murdering Luke’s violin. Michonne thinks it’s for the best, but Siddiq tells her, don’t worry about Maggie. She doesn’t know what to do if they see each other, but Siddiq says, she’s gone. Jesus runs Hilltop now. Michonne asks where she is, and DJ runs in saying, walkers; let’s move. They run out, Michonne in the lead. Yumiko says they need their weapons. Magna uses a brick to smash a zombie in the head. Zombies start pouring in. Michonne tells DJ to get the new people their weapons. Kelly gets a slingshot thing going. The horses start getting agitated, and Michonne says, sh*t. Yumiko tells the others they know what to do. Connie and Kelly work their slingshots. Luke opens the doors of the cars in the lot, so the zombies are blocked. Yumiko uses an arrow to knock an awning down, crushing several zombies. Magna saves Yumiko’s ass when a stray zombie sneaks up on her. A zombie toddles toward them, wearing a paisley shirt. Magna is sadly transfixed, and the others stare, open-mouthed. As Bernie gets close to Magna, Michonne knifes him from behind. Siddiq says, let’s go, and urges Magna to move. They all look at Bernie’s body as they go past.
Daryl tells Carol, ready in ten minutes. Hey, she’s using one of my coffee cups. It’s metal, blue with flecks of white, for camping.
The group headed for Hilltop travels on. Everyone is bummed. Michonne says she knows what it’s like to worry about a friend, and feel guilty. Yumiko says they’ll feel better when they have home, and are safe. Michonne says they will. This is as far as she’s going. Siddiq apologizes for not telling her about Maggie sooner. She asks, where is she? and Siddiq says, someplace far away; a new community. That’s all he knows. He understands she wanted the information sooner, but he promised someone he wouldn’t. This means Michonne can come. She should. Michonne says she’s needed back home. She kept her promise to Judith. Siddiq says what about her promise to him? She says, it’s not that simple. They hear horses approaching.
Two men ride up to them. They’re carrying spears, and Michonne asks if they’re From Hilltop. They are, and Michonne says her group is from Alexandria. They’re headed there now. One of the men says they have a message. Hilltop has one of their own – Rosita. She’s been injured. Michonne tells them to let them know that Michonne and the others are headed to Hilltop. The men ride off. Michonne giddyaps. Luke tells them, hold up, and they stop. Connie sees something. They wait, as she looks around, but then she signals, it’s nothing.
Daryl rides into Hilltop. Henry wonders if Enid will recognize him; he’s bigger. Jesus says it’s a pleasant surprise. He asks what brings them there, and Carol says Henry has a stubborn interest in blacksmithing. Jesus says they can help with that.
Aaron tells Daryl that they found Rosita pretty banged up, and Eugene is missing. They’re headed out to find him now, and could use a good tracker. Daryl says he’s going. Henry wants to go too, but Carol says they need to get him settled in. Jesus says he knows where to start looking. Jesus tells Enid that he should go. She says she’ll stay, but next time, he does. Dog leads the way, Daryl follows, and the search party heads out.
Next time, Aaron says he’s never seen zombies do this before, Rosita wants to leave, Jesus kicks zombie ass, and Eugene says, it’s not a normal herd; they’re whispering to each other.
🔊 I don’t know what that fair business is about, but on Talking Dead tonight, Dan Fogler (Luke) said there was something musical coming up. That made me wonder if there’s a connection. Also, Michael Cudlitz (the late Abe) had his directorial debut with tonight’s TWD episode.
🐎 Return to Amish returned to the small screen tonight, but I have to catch it on the flipside. I can’t wait to see what Mary Schmucker, the grandmother of my dreams, and the gang are up to. Some new members have also been added to the cast.
✈ My Dinner with Hervé is on HBO rotation, and Peter Dinklage is so good, he’ll make you cry. About the tragic life (and death) of Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize, it goes far beyond dinner. The performances are brilliant, and the story of a frustrated artist shows incredible insight into a too-brief life.
🍹 It’ll Be All Right...
Sure, Mondays are just fine if you live in Margaritaville.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Last night, I was about to publish, and poof! my internet disappeared. Since my husband gets up at the crack of dawn and was already sleeping, I left him a note. This morning, his note on my note said there was an electrical fire at Penn Station in NYC. Whether these things are related, I have no idea, but regardless, it’s back, and so am I.
General Hospital
Sorry, I missed the very beginning. If someone had told me that one day I’d be cooking lunch for dogs, I would have laughed. Moving on.
Carly tells Jason that she got a voicemail from Sonny last night saying he wasn’t coming home. He’s not replying to her calls or texts, and she’s getting worried. She doesn’t know what’s going on.
Margaux wakes up. Sonny says, she lives.
Mike thanks Stella. He appreciates everything she does. He knows she’s his case worker, but she goes above and beyond. She says she does it because she likes him, and would like to think she’s also his friend.
Margaux asks what time it is. Sonny tells her, last he checked, it was a little after seven. She has to get back to work, and Sonny says she’s probably hung over. She says, thanks to him. He gives her some coffee. It’s not his brand, but it’s what was in the kitchen. He says he’ll drive, and get them back to Port Charles in no time. She asks why he stayed there last night, and he says he knew how upsetting it was when she found out the truth. She says just because her mother put Skully up to it, doesn’t mean Sonny is blameless. Staying there didn’t absolve him from his sins. He says she was in no condition to be left alone. Being betrayed by your parents is a terrible thing. Margaux wants to get going. Both of their phones ding, and Sonny says, what the hell? His wife was back in for questioning about a murder.
Carly tells Jason, all Sonny said was that he was handling a situation out of town. Jason says he was looking for leverage against the DA; he must have found something. Sonny can handle it by himself, and he was focused on getting answers about Ferncliff. Carly asks if he has any information about her neighbor. He tells her that they found Nelle in the room. She’d been transferred from Pentonville, and was sitting on the floor, cradling a blanket and singing a lullaby to it. Carly says Nelle took a page out of her playbook, but Jason says she was nowhere near as convincing. Carly says she managed to fool the doctors. Jason tells her that he and Sam exposed her. She’s being reevaluated, and will be transferred back. That makes Carly happy, but still doesn’t answer her question. He says they couldn’t find her neighbor; he wasn’t there. He’s either transferred, released or dead. Carly says if he died, Ferncliff would do whatever they could to cover it up. Maybe he was transferred. She can’t imagine him being released, although if he was released before Halloween, the police might have someone else to question.
Curtis asks Jordan if she isn’t wasting time. Does she really think Carly is capable of a beheading. Jordan tells him it’s privileged information, but she’s mostly ruled Carly out. Her story checks out, but because of the strands of hair, she can’t eliminate Carly completely. Curtis says it sound like they were planted. Jordan suspects as much, but she’s grappling with the true motive. Was Mary Pat the main target, or was the real goal to set up Carly? And if so, why?
Sonny asks if Margaux is still after his family, but she says she had nothing do with it. She just got the text at the same time he did. There was DNA evidence, and Carly had to be called in again, but she wasn’t charged. Sonny wants to get on the road; Carly must be wondering where he is. Margaux asks what he told her.
Jason asks why Carly didn’t call him, and she says she used her one call for Diane. She was tired when she got home, and had to explain things to Josslyn. In the morning, she had to get Mike out, and Sonny wasn’t there to help with any of it. Jason knows she’s dealing with a lot, but when something happens, she needs to tell him. She wonders why he’s so concerned about her security. He says someone was just decapitated. It was a nurse she hated, and the body was found in Ava’s gallery with her DNA on it. She doesn’t think Ava would have the gall to do it, but he says it’s possible the killer was setting her up.
Curtis says if Carly isn’t the primary target, the murder might have been a means to an end. It’s ideal to set her up. The nature of the attack is vicious, and seems personal. Jordan says it’s disturbing. To shock and horrify is the hallmark of a serial killer. Maybe Franco is right, and if the killer is putting on a show, this isn’t the end.
Josslyn tells Cameron that her mother is still a person of interest. The victim was decapitated. How could they think she was involved. Cameron says it’s messed up, but tells her, don’t worry; it will blow over. Josslyn tells him that her mom said, keep acting like normal, whatever that means. Cameron says Josslyn is going through a lot. Does she want to keep pretending? Josslyn says it’s working. Even Oscar’s mother thinks they’re dating
Kim tells Drew that Oscar needs someone who shares his interests and speaks his language; someone whose opinion carries weight with him. Drew asks if she’s talking about Josslyn. She’s the last person Oscar wants to know. Kim says she was so desperate, she turned to a teenager for help. She went to Josslyn’s house, but saw she’d moved on with Cameron. She seemed happy, and it was surreal; being a normal teenage is so far out of Oscar’s reach. She ended up not saying anything. Josslyn can’t give Oscar what he needs, and Oscar would see it as a betrayal of trust. That’s why they have to fight him in court. They can’t allow him to refuse the medical trial. Monica overhears, and says, Oscar wants to do what?
At Charlie’s, Oscar asks Alexis if there’s been any progress with his case. She’s petitioned the court for a hearing, and says they’re sympathetic to the December 1st deadline for the medical trial. She asks how he feels, and he says he’s having headaches, but nothing he can’t handle. Alexis says he has to go over a few more things, and hands him a million papers. He has to decide whether to go for a GED or high school diploma, and go over health insurance information. It’s important that he review everything. He says he doesn’t know how any of that works. He just thought he had to prove he could make his own medical decisions. She says he has to show court he can live like an adult, and asks if he’s sure he’s ready to handle this. He says he needs to focus on one thing at a time. She says it’s complex, but he has to do it if he’s serious. Oscar says he’ll make it work. Julian says, speaking of work… and Oscar goes back to it. Alexis tells Julian that he’s a good kid. Julian says, he is, and he thinks he knows what she’s doing.
Drew tells Monica that Oscar doesn’t want waste time with a medical procedure that might not work or leave him brain dead. Kim says he doesn’t understand it’s his only option. Monica knows the situation well, and can see the fear and frustration they’re feeling. Her adopted daughter Emily had to make a similar choice. Drew says Scout is named Emily Scout after her. Monica explains that Emily’s mom was her best friend, and she and Alan adopted Emily after her mom died from breast cancer. When Emily was diagnosed with it, she refused treatment. She was sure the cure was worse than the disease, seeing her mother go through chemo that did no good. Kim asks if she died, and Monica says she managed to beat the cancer; she accepted treatment at the last minute. Unfortunately, she was murdered years later. Kim says she’s sorry, and Monica says she’s telling her because she understands what they’re up against. Kim asks what changed Emily’s mind about the treatment, and Monica says someone who loved her convinced her.
Josslyn tells Cameron that their astronomy project was her favorite homework assignment of the entire year. He tells her, stick with the expert. She asks if he still has the keychain, and he shows it to her with his housekeys on it. She says, no pressure if he doesn’t like it. He says he likes it for real. She knows she asks for a lot. Cameron says he could say no, and Josslyn says she didn’t give him that option, but he came through. She’s grateful, not just because she wants Oscar to regret breaking up; she has a good time with him. Last night was fun, except for the cops showing up. She wonders what Kim wanted. It had to be about Oscar. She tells Cameron she’s hungry, and drags him out.
Kim tells Monica that she thought she’d ask Josslyn to intervene, but Oscar would see it as another betrayal. Monica says the young man Emily loved was a deciding factor, along with the love of her family. Kim says, unfortunately, Oscar doesn’t think too highly of his parents right now, but Monica says he’ll come around. She’ll hope for the best, and if they need her, call. She leaves.
Carly tells Jason that she thought it was a set-up, but it hadn’t occurred to her that she might be a target. Jason asks, what about Ava? Carly says she had the same instinct, to think Ava would do this, but it’s not her style. As much as she despises Carly, it doesn’t feel like her. Jason says, worst case, she’s on some freak’s radar. Sonny comes in, and says he’s sorry Carly had to deal with the cops alone. Diane filled him in, but he should have been there. Carly asks, where was he?
Drew says it’s crazy. When he thinks about Emily, he can’t help smiling. It also hurts. He feels like he knew her and loved her, but he never met her. As irony would have it, all the people who are part of his past, who were important to him and loved him; he doesn’t know who they are. Look at them. They share a beautiful son, but he has no recollection of how it happened. Kim is sorry he can’t get his memories back. Drew says, that’s not entirely true. He was presented with another opportunity.
Mike comes in, apologizing to Sonny and Carly for interrupting. Stella took him to the farmer’s market, and they decided to have breakfast, but he forgot his wallet. Stella says he insisted on coming back, even though she’s treating. Sonny says Mike likes to treat – always. Mike asks if he just got home, and Sonny says he had business out of town. Stella tells Mike that she’ll wait in the car. Mike asks if everything is all right, and Sonny has good news. Everything that happened in Croton is over. Mike asks what he means, and Sonny says he didn’t want it weighing on Mike anymore. What happened years ago, is finished. Mike tells Sonny, if he says so. Carly asks if Mike is taking Stella to Kelly’s, but he says they’re going to Charlie’s; she likes the eggs. He gets his wallet and leaves. Sonny says it’s great that he doesn’t remember; he’s better off. Jason asks what Sonny means by finished. Carly asks where he was, and Sonny says, in Jersey with Margaux.
Margaux walks into the interrogation room, saying she didn’t mean to interrupt. Curtis says he’s on his way out, and tells Jordan, no carrot cake under any circumstances. Jordan agrees. When he’s gone, she asks Margaux if she was out late. Margaux says, that obvious? Jordan asks what’s the occasion, but Margaux says she wasn’t celebrating. Jordan asks if she’s okay.
Kim asks Drew, what kind of opportunity? He says the flashdrive was found, and she asks if he means the one with the baseline of his memories. He says, yes, and she asks if that means his memories can be restored. He says, it’s more complicated than that, but yes. Kim asks if he’s considering it. He says he ruled it out at first. Kim says, isn’t it everything he wanted? Drew says, not everything. The risks are too high. He could lose the memories he formed there. Kim says he said he ruled it out at first. Does that mean he’s reconsidering? Drew says he feels like a hypocrite. He’s asking Oscar to risk everything to restore his life to the fullest, but he’s not doing the same for his own life.
Alexis asks what Julian thinks she’s doing. He says she made a big show of taking the case. She was full of principles, and taking the moral high ground. He thinks she believes Oscar has the right to decide his fate, but thinks he won’t go through with it. That’s why she’s showing him how tough life can be if he splits with his mom. She says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Cameron and Josslyn come into Charlie’s, all happy and talking. Oscar sees them.
Sonny tells Carly and Jason that he confronted Margaux’s mother. She freaked out, and went for the letters. Margaux heard because he was wearing a wire. Imagine the irony. Carly asks how she reacted. Besides getting drunk. Sonny says she was hurt bad. Carly says she must know her mother didn’t pull the trigger. After the initial shock passes, she’s going to come after him harder than before.
Stella asks Mike to tell her about his lady friends, and he says none of them are as pretty as she is. She says, of course not; she’s fabulous. Mike says there might be one he enjoys hanging out with more than the others; Yvonne. Stella says, she’s a lucky lady. Tell Yvonne that she’d better do right by him, or answer to her. Curtis comes in, and sees Stella smiling.
Oscar tells Cameron and Josslyn someone will take their order shortly. Josslyn asks how he’s been, and Oscar says, cool, and asks what brings them there. She says they’re getting breakfast to go before school. She adds Oscar must get as much as he wants since he works there, but Oscar says he’s not that into it. Josslyn says she hasn’t seen him at school. How’s the new girlfriend? He says, okay. Josslyn excuses herself, and Oscar asks if Cameron is still telling him Josslyn is just a friend. Cameron says, no.
Kim says as much as Drew sympathizes with Oscar’s position, they’re his parents. Like it or not, they have to make the decisions they think best for him. She thinks it’s a case of do as I say, not as I do. Drew says, it would mean more to lead by example. Kim says he’s not thinking of going through with the procedure, is he?
Stella asks if Curtis would care to join them. Curtis says he’s meeting with the wedding planner for a cake taste. He just picked up the rings. He shows the rings to them, and Mike says, nothing but the best. Curtis says he’s only doing this once, so he wanted to make it worthwhile. He still hopes Stella will be there when he marries the woman he loves. She says she can’t, but the rings are beautiful. Any woman would be proud to wear them. Curtis walks away, and Mike says it’s a shame she won’t be there to see Curtis place the ring on his bride’s finger.
Oscar asks if Josslyn and Cameron are dating for real. Cameron says Josslyn needs someone she can count on; who respects and understands her. They like each other, and have fun together. If Oscar wants him to promise nothing is going to happen, he can’t. Josslyn comes back, and says they have no time to wait. She starts walking to the door. Cameron and Oscar look at each other, and Josslyn asks Cameron if he’s coming. Cameron leaves, and Josslyn turns back to look at Oscar.
Kim tells Drew, there’s no comparison. He went through an experimental treatment. The amino trial was studied for years, while his experience was based on a wing and a prayer. Drew says he’s not going through with it. He can’t risk losing the memories he’s made; his family, his kids, the people he’s grown to love. He doesn’t want to give up on the life he made here, and he’s no more willing to give up on Oscar’s life.
Monica goes to Charlie’s, and asks if Oscar is playing hooky. He says he’s working, and she asks how much he makes under the table. He says he pays taxes, but she says, not today. They’re spending the day together. She gives Julian some money, saying, that should cover it. She and Oscar have stuff to talk about.
Jordan tells Margaux, no wonder she was drinking. She can’t imagine how it felt. Margaux says, anger, sadness, numbness; she doesn’t know what thing do with the information. Jordan thinks she does know. Jordan is the top cop, and Margaux was hoping she’d take it out of her hands, and bury it or pass it along. Margaux doesn’t know if she can do this. Jordan says it’s her choice to make. It’s unsubstantiated, but she has to decide if closing the case is worth sending her mother to prison.
Sonny tells Carly and Jason there’s no evidence to tie him in to the murder. Jason asks if there’s any chance Skully told Jeanette. Sonny says, she was desperate. If she’d had any idea, she would have thrown it in his face. Carly says they’re back where they started. Margaux will just try to get him for something else. Sonny says he doesn’t think so. When Margaux found out the truth, it broke her. He didn’t feel good about it. Carly asks if he feels sorry for her, and Sonny says it’s not his choice. There’s no way he can undo what happened. Like there’s no way to undo how his life turned out. Margaux lost her father twice because of him. Once, when she was a girl, and last night she lost mother too. He feels badly, but should have been there for Carly. He apologizes, and Carly says she’s all right. Jason says, it’s been a tough 24-hours, and Carly might be right. Margaux has to be angry, and if she can’t take it out on her mom or Skully, she might take it out on the next best thing – Sonny.
Margaux looks at her phone.
Tomorrow, Willow announces Career Day at school. Curtis wonders why Nina hasn’t RSVP’d for the wedding, and Sasha tells Valentin the longer she stays, the more she risks being found out.
Below Deck
Caroline whines that she’s never been treated like this. Grounded like a child. She thought by working in yachting, she’d meet cool people, but that’s not the case. She feels singled out. She tells Rhylee that Kate told her if she didn’t get better, she’d have to go home. Well, yeah. You have to do the job you’re getting paid for. Not just ride around on the luxury yacht. Josiah wants Cheetos. Rhylee asks Ashton is he had a good time last night. She did. In her interview, Rhylee says Ashton only expresses interest when he’s drunk. She’s thirty-three. If she wants a fling, she’ll make the booty call.
Chandler goes over what they need to do with the deckhands. Rhylee sees the checklist, and Chandler asks her to spot clean the cushions. In his interview, Chandler says he and Rhylee could never be friends, but as professionals, they need to suck it up. He knows the captain is watching closely, so he definitely wants to redeem himself, and prove he’s the bosun Captain Lee hired.
Ashton is doing the windows in the harness. Kate gives Josiah an update on Caroline’s foot, and says she doesn’t think Caroline is lying. Caroline comes in, and says she’s not lying. In her interview, Caroline says if they’re going to talk behind her back, at least make sure she’s not there. Geez, she’s just a little paranoid. Kate tells her that sometimes crew members will fake injuries because it’s a lot of work, and she doesn’t think it’s the case here. She doesn’t think you can fake a swollen foot. In Kate’s interview, she says she’s already carrying Caroline’s weight when she’s in top health, so when she got injured, it was like, why are you here?
It’s preference sheet time. Four days, ten people, two of them children. Torrie and Albert are a power couple from St. Pete, Florida. Kate says, the four-year-old likes both sparkling and still water. One guest is gluten-free, low carb; several have allergies; and one child has a severe peanut allergy. They’ll have to make sure anything remotely peanut is off the boat. Adrian says they’re like a Japanese puzzle. Kate says, they probably met at a support group for dietary restriction weirdos. Their requests are a pig roast, snorkeling, a white party, and the water toys. Captain Lee says the children are not to be without life jackets when outside of the interior. There’s no margin for error. He says kids are dangerous as hell. He can’t impress upon everybody how important that is.
Caroline tells Ashton that Kate and Josiah were talking about her, saying they don’t think she’s lying. Ashton thinks they like gossip. In his interview, Ashton says you can feel like very much a part of the crew or at the opposite end, and extremely alone. He tells Caroline not to let it bother her. He understands where she’s coming from, and feels for her. He finds a pair of the captain’s underwear in with his clothes, and throws them at Caroline.
The captain asks Chandler if he took care of the issues they discussed, and Chandler says, it’s been good. Captain Lee tells Chandler that he has to have a clear line of communication, so there’s no confusion. In his interview, Captain Lee says with ten people, and two of them kids, they’ll need eyes on them all the time. It stretches the limit of their abilities. He tells Chandler, safety is paramount. There’s no room for error.
Kate tells Caroline the charter is going to be intense. They’re going to have extra guests and children, staying for an extra night. Kate asks if she can work at 100%. Caroling says she can. Kate says she can’t give Caroling extra breaks, because there’s going to be so much work. Josiah says it’s great that Caroline is back to work. They’re exhausted, and really need three stews. Kate says she’s happy Caroline is able to stay and work.
In Ashton’s interview, he says Rhylee has a strong personality. She and Chandler are pissed off at each other, but the way she’s handling herself makes it harder. The provisions come in. Kate says she sees a deer. No, Kate. It’s a pig for the roast. How city is she? The captain tells them to get in their whites, and meet on the aft deck asap.
The captain says here comes trouble on wheels, and welcomes the guests on board. Kate gives out flower crowns. In her interview, Kate says it’s not often there are children on a charter. People who spend a lot of money for vacation, spend a lot of money to leave the kids at home. Kate gives the tour. Kate explains the captain’s orders for life jackets for the kids. At least the parents are telling the kids to say please. The yacht heads out.
Kate tells Caroline to flip it, turn it, fold up the laundry. Josiah dances to that, and Caroline is over it. In Ross’s interview, he says the four-year-old reminds him of his son, who’s also four. His reward at the end is going home to see his kid. Rhylee asks Chandler about the game plan. They should have everything out within fifteen minutes of anchorage. Albert says the kids eat what they do, not chicken fingers. Josiah says they’re already adults. When he was their age, he just wanted burgers ad fries. The four-year-old, Pearson, wants to bang a starfish on the table. Torrie tells him that she’ll give it back after they eat, and he cries. Kate tells Josiah that she will turn this yacht right around. Ha-ha-ha!
Lunch is served. The kids actually seem cute, but I’m only seeing clips of them. Kate tells Adrian that Master Pearson is not loving the vegetables. They drop anchor. Ashton asks Rhylee to do something, and she questions it because it’s contrary to what Chandler said. It irritates Ashton when she does that, and she tells him, calm down. Rhylee complains to Ross that Chandler said to bring all the stuff out, Ashton told her not to do anything, then said to do what she wants. She’s not questioning what he was saying. Ross gets it. Chandler gripes that there’s nothing in water. They start getting everything ready, and Albert says he just wants the jet skis and trampoline today, and the slide on another day.
Caroline tells Adrian someone thinks she’s faking her injury. In Adrian’s interview, he says she’s bringing the vibe down on the whole boat. It’s draining to have someone around who’s always complaining and moping. Some of the guests do jet skiing; the kids play on their tablets. Kate tells Caroline to gather white décor from around boat.
Josiah asks Caroline, what’s up? She says she’s collecting white things. He questions what she’s gathering, and she tells him to take over. In her interview, Caroline thinks there’s a lack of communication in the interior. It’s bullsh*t. Kate says it’s a lot of pressure on Adrian. Ross tells Ashton that he spoke to Rhylee, and Ashton admits he was grumpy. Josiah asks Chandler how it’s going, and Chandler thinks it’s good. I think Chandler doesn’t know what’s going on. Ross says Rhylee needs clear instructions. Ashton understands where she’s coming from.
Kate tells Adrian, 7:30 for dinner. Kate and Josiah decorate the table for the white party. Adrian makes potato leek vichyssoise, and Albert is into it. Not so much the rest of the guests. Adrian says with ten people, who like everything different and have allergies, it stifles his creativity. He can’t be as free flowing, and needs to be calculated. He stresses, and it pisses him off.
Black Angus steak is served, but the guests don’t seem thrilled. One says the steaks are overcooked, and gives it a two out of ten. Ouch. The complain that it’s dry and bland. Kate relays that to Adrian. Ross calls Kai, his baby mama, who tells him that he has to talk to their son about hitting people. In his interview, Ross says he was immature when he and Kai were together, and they broke up. He hopes they can eventually work something out, but right now, Kai needs time to herself. She deserves to be happy. Torrie tells Caroline that for a general preference, they’d like steaks rarer. Caroline says she’ll pass the word on. Josiah tells Kate, but she’d rather not pass along the feedback. Adrian is amazing. In Kate’s interview, she says it’s not great when the guests don’t love the food, but Adrian didn’t have a lot of time, and she thinks he’s in a funk.
Adrian asks if Caroline is okay. In his interview, he says she’s bringing the vibe down on the whole boat. You never know what you’re going to get. She asks if he appreciates feedback, and when he says, yes, she tells him the guests want more sauce, less dry. In Adrian’s interview, he says he’s happy she told him, but he’s not appreciating her vibe. He knows she’s not happy, but don’t project it on him. He tells her that he understands she’s not doing well, but – and she says, keep to herself? He says he can see it on her face. She says he doesn’t know what she’s dealing with; it has nothing to do with the boat. He says his father just passed away, and he doubts it’s that. She asks if it’s a competition? He says, no, but they all have a lot of sh*t going on. She tells him to stop judging her. He says they’re all working together, and if she’s in a mood, it gets put on everyone. If she can’t handle sh*t, step up. She tells him it’s none of his business, and he says, it is. She’s sorry he has the misfortune of working with her, and he says he is too.
Kate says kids on boats are lots of work. The only benefit is they go to bed after dinner. Kate tells Caroline that she’s on at 6:30. She asks if Caroline is crying, and Caroline says she’s trying not to. She babbles about Adrian telling her not to be all sad because it affects him, and he’s sad enough because his dad died a month ago. Kate says it probably wasn’t the best delivery, but the advice is sound. Be her bubbly, upbeat self, and she’ll feel better.
Caroline looks for sugar, and Adrian ignores her. In Caroline’s interview, she says Adrian acts like he’s all about positive energy and rainbows, but it’s bullsh*t when he’s telling her to suck it up and deal with it. The captain tells Ashton the guests are going on a stingray excursion, and to make sure the tender is packed. In his interview, Ashton says dinner wasn’t his best performance. At the beginning of his career, he was called yes, but, since he always had an excuse. He doesn’t know everything, and he’s not perfect. If he’s always defending himself, he won’t learn. The guests are happy with breakfast. Pearson wants to be the boss when he grows up. I think he already has that job.
The captain tells Kate that 2 o’clock is the deadline for the guests getting to the excursion on time. Chandler calls for the water slide, and tells Rhylee to focus on getting out the stuff for the guests. Kate tells Torrie about the excursion. Chandler says they do the same thing every charter; today is no different. Ross says he thought the guests were going on an excursion. Chandler is like, what? and asks the captain about it. In his interview, Captain Lee says it’s a big deal. He doesn’t want deer in the headlights; he wants the light to go on over their heads. Ross says they’re leaving in an hour, and Chandler is wasting time getting stuff out. It makes no sense.
Caroline takes drink orders that are complicated. Something involving cucumber, jalapeno, and Prosciutto. She somehow gives the information to Kate after asking twice. In her interview, Kate says it’s a new day, and Caroline is in a great mood. It’s only a matter time before she has a mystery ailment. Chandler tells Rhylee that whatever she’s doing isn’t a priority. The captain doesn’t get it. He thought he was explicit with Chandler. He looms over the deck crew, watching from the deck above. He says, it went in one side, and out the other, without hitting any obstructions. Kate brings out the drinks. The guests whine they’ve been waiting ten minutes.
Chandler wants the rescue tender prepped for launch. Lunch is served. Torrie says, it’s not boring. Rhylee brings the tender around. Kate tells Adrian the guests are thrilled. The captain calls Ross and Chandler to the wheelhouse. He tells them to take everyone on the Intrepid until they run out of water, then switch to the rescue tender. Rhylee packs the boat, and the guests are loaded in. Kate thinks swimming with sharks isn’t an ideal activity for small children.
They get to island, which is insanely beautiful. The guests get into their fins and masks. A Golden Retriever bounds past. What are these dogs? Shark wranglers? Ashton calls Chandler, who’s busy having coffee and playing on his tablet. He calls the captain, and asks if they should come back or wait. The guests are calling when they’re ready to be picked up. Captain Lee tells Ross to head back. The guests swim with the rays and sharks, and I get jealous all over again. The guests wonder where their beer, water, and towels are, because Rhylee and Ashton are headed back with all the stuff.
Kate gets a call. Albert says they’re ready get out. They’ve had enough; the expedition didn’t go well. There are no towels or water. Kate says the tender will be sent over. She tells the deck crew what happened, and Albert says they’d better be there soon. Another guest says they feel like they’re on Gilligan’s Island. I’m pretty sure these people don’t know what doing without is. Chandler doesn’t know what’s. It’s a no-brainer. How can you take an excursion, and not take sh*t with you. Um… he was there with them. Why didn’t he notice. One of the guests thinks Chandler must be new.
Kate doesn’t want the bad mood carried into the boat. Josiah suggests cocktails, and Kate says, yes. She thinks if someone besides her, Josiah, and Adrian would help the guests enjoy Tahiti, that would be great. She tells the captain they’re under duress. In his interview, Captain Lee says when he has to eat a sh*t sandwich in a correctable situation, there aren’t enough words to describe how effed up it is. Kate asks Rhylee to meet the guests with towels and water. Josiah makes cocktails. The captain says he’s got to face the effing music.
Kate sends Caroline to do laundry, and presents Pina Coladas with gold on the top to the guests. The captain apologies to Albert. In his interview, he says as uncomfortable as he is, it’s nothing compared to how uncomfortable he’s going to make the deck crew feel. They probably won’t hear the end of it. He tells Albert that he doesn’t know why the crew neglected to disperse what was on board, but he’s going to find out and make it up to him.
Kate asks if the captain wants dinner, and he says he wants someone’s ass for dinner. She’s like, whoa. He calls the deck crew to the wheelhouse. Chandler is dreading the conversation. He wants to pack his bags and run away. Captain Lee isn’t exactly sure where to begin. It’s beyond embarrassing, and he’s effing pissed. How can they drop guests off, turn around, and not give them supplies? It’s rudimentary; Deckhand 101. They all have good qualities, but it’s as effed up a deck crew as he’s ever seen. He’s not finishing the season this way. He’s making changes, and they’re not all going to be happy. I hope he makes Rhylee bosun. That would stick it to Chandler.
Next time, Caroline says she’s physically breaking down, Rhylee tells Chandler that she’s taking it to the captain, Ashton says Chandler isn’t just dropping the ball – he’s dropping guests, and Captain Lee says the time has come to have the chat he’s been putting off.
😵 On Flipping Out, Jeff almost lost his mind when they were on their way to the airport, and Jenni had to run back to get her phone. The Lea Black project is still lingering, but tonight, Lala Kent (Vanderpump Rules) also appeared as a client. Well, really her movie producer boyfriend, who seems like a super nice guy. I think Megan quit, but it’s really hard to tell with these people. Next week is the season finale. I’m still upset about the Jenni and Jeff split, but holding out hope that they rekindle their friendship one day.
🎥 The IFC channel has Grindhouse in rotation, uncut, so if you love horror films, the old drive-ins, or horror films at the old drive-ins, this one’s for you. One of my favorites, a dual effort by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, it’s comprised of two films, Planet Terror and Death Proof. The idea was to evoke the old grindhouse pictures, churned out for the drive-ins during the 70s. They were cheap, gory, and often showed lots of boobies. These two movies have those things, but with scripts that are about a million times better, and some kick-ass stunts. Planet Terror is a zombie flick – a government experiment goes bad – with a stellar cast, featuring Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, and Bruce Willis. I have to mention the pleasant surprise also of underrated actors, Jeff Fahey, Michal Biehn, and Michael Parks. Death Proof is more of a slasher film, with Kurt Russell being a serial killer who uses his car as a weapon, and there are a few crossovers of characters from the other movie. At the beginning of Planet Terror, IFC is also airing the fake trailer for Machete, which eventually – like the Pinocchio of films – turned into a real movie. On the blue ray version, there are also several other fake trailers in between the films, but those are rarely shown on TV. They’re quite funny, and Eli Roth has promised to make a real version of the fake horror film, Thanksgiving. Here’s hoping that comes to fruition.
💃 Butterfly’s Lap Dance from Death Proof…
One of my favorite scenes. That jukebox is pretty impressive. So is Kurt Russell‘s game.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Z Nation
The names of those lost are read by Estes. He says the strength of the human soul will carry them through, and if they are the last generation of humans, they won’t be lost to the universe. The future of humanity is at stake. He stands in front of a memorial made of bricks containing the DNA of the dead. Red gives Sun the slide containing Lilly’s DNA.
George tells Roberta that Dante would have gone to Pacifica. They know him there, and anyone would help him. Citizen Z says he’s considered a hero. Roberta thinks as long as he’s on the run, the guiltier he seems, and there are vigilantes out to get him. CZ can’t wait to get to Pacifica. It contains the largest collection of books. Roberta asks what the population is, and George says, sixty-five adults, and six kids. It’s not perfect, but they’re trying to make it work. Everyone is equal there. Doc says, who’s have thought the apocalypse would be the great equalizer.
They see some people running. George thinks she knows them. She says they’re talkers; running from something or someone. Roberta and George follow a path, and Roberta notes that it’s seen a lot of traffic. They find a dead talker. George says someone ate his brains, and Roberta asks if that’s unusual. George says around there it is. Some guys with guns come out of the woods, and George recognizes their leader as Henry. He’s glad to see her; they didn’t know if she was alive. They saw the attack on CZ’s live cam. George says he’s there, and introduces Roberta, saying Roberta saved her in black summer. She tells Roberta that Henry was her professor. Henry thanks Roberta for saving George. In a way, she saved all of them. He tells George that they’ve doubled their patrol since the attack, and there are rumors of other outposts being attacked. He asks if she thinks Dante is involved. She says, no, and thinks it’s insane that he’s suspect. Roberta says she heard about talkers plotting against humans, but Henry says, that’s ridiculous. They’re human too. They live peace harmony. It’s not always easy, but they make it work. At least they did until last week.
Dante watches Pacifica through binoculars. He sees a caravan of cars going in, and says, let’s move.
Doc is impressed with the outpost. It’s what he thought a college would look like. George explains that they took the south end of campus, the library, and dining hall, and made them zombie proof. They have a chef, Amy, who’s a talker. CZ says she can’t eat anything she cooks. It’s like Beethoven being deaf. George says she has an opening for a taster, and thinks Doc would be perfect. He asks where he signs up.
The dining hall is empty, and George says it’s usually packed. She asks where everyone is, and the talker busboy shrugs. There are unfinished meals on the tables, and Henry says it looks like dinner was interrupted. They decide to go to the library. CZ says it’s what drew him and Kaya there. They have the largest collection of books under human control. George says they want send expeditions out to rescue books from the great libraries. Doc says Stephen King seems tame after eight years of the apocalypse.
George shows the a mural of the Pacifica family tree. It displays all the residents of Pacifica and the ancestors they can remember. There are so few survivors, they wanted to memorialize them. The yellow leaves represent humans; the green leaves, talkers; the brown leaves are those who died before the apocalypse; and the black leaves are for those who turned zombie. Doc says, it gets to you; seeing it laid out like that. Kaya’s nana is on a ladder painting, and CZ introduces her. He wants Roberta and Doc to meet his family, and Henry tells them he’s going to see where everyone is. Doc tells nana that he has something for her pipe for later.
They go to the nursery. CZ hugs his son. Kaya says he’s alive, and runs to him. He introduces Roberta and Doc, and they hug. CZ then introduces JZ, and Roberta asks who his little friend is. Kaya says she’s Ann Marie, and George says she’s a talker. Henry runs in, and tells them there’s a town hall meeting with no talkers allowed. It’s madness.
At the meeting, a guy named Danny says, Pacifica is all of them. It’s the point of the place. Another guy asks what he’s talking about. That’s utopia. This is real life. Danny says they’re not strangers or freaks His aunt is out there, and she feeds all of them. A woman named Beth is sick of the PCness, and acting like the talkers aren’t a threat to their survival. Danny says it’s their duty. Outside in the hall, Amy tells George they’ve been locked out, and the meeting is humans only. Danny is trying to convince them otherwise, but it’s scary. Why shut them out? George says she’ll sort it out, and goes in.
Mike lies on Sun’s examining table, looking pretty beat up, and she pokes at his. She asks if he feels something, and he says it feels like his right foot is there. He asks Sun to mercy him. He can’t live without his wife and kids. Sun says she can’t. She needs to know what keeps him talking. We see that Mike has no bottom half to his body. Red comes in, and tells him she’s sorry about him and his family. Sun tries to give him a biscuit, but he slaps it away. He doesn’t want anything to make it last longer. When he leaves, Sun tells Red that his family was killed in the blast, and it left him like that. It’s worse than being a zombie. The zombies don’t know they’re zombies.
10K comes to the lab, and Sun asks how he is. He wants to get out of there, but Red says he still needs to recover, and Sun is concerned about infection. 10K is worried that the longer they stay, the harder it will be to get out. Sun checks the cauterization on his arm, and says it’s healing beautifully. 10K says, it’s not. Sun tells him that Red went back and found his hand. He tells her to sew it back on, but she says, it doesn’t work like that. He can learn to live without it, and there are prosthetic options. Estes walks in, and asks if Sun has everything she needs to complete her research. It’s more important now than ever. He’s sorry about 10K’s hand, and tells him robotics can help. He has a meeting with the outpost leaders, and they’ll see where they go from here.
At the town meeting, Beth says she didn’t come this far to be eaten alive so they can feel better about themselves. George and Roberta walk in, and George asks if she can talk, and says, this isn’t like us. Roberta says, or it’s just like us. Danny says they’re discussing putting the talkers in quarantine. The other guy says, just until they know what’s going on, and Doc says, that’s a slippery slope. Beth says they have no right to put her family at risk. The talkers are dangerous. George says no one wants to put her family at risk, but Beth doesn’t want to hear that everything is going to be okay. She’s not sitting around waiting for something to happen. She storms out, and purposely bangs into Amy in the hall.
Simon (CZ) plays Simon Says with the kids. Beth stomps in, grabbing her child, saying she’s not playing with talkers. CZ says they’re just kids, and Beth says they can kill her child. Kaya says she’s hurting their feelings. They’re still children. Beth says they don’t get it.
Nameless instigator dude says, cut the bullsh*t. The talkers aren’t human. Doc thinks they’re not showing humanity themselves. George says, as long as they have biscuits, they’re fine. A woman says, what if they don’t have them? The delivery didn’t come. Dude says that’s why they need a quarantine. If George is so hell-bent on protecting them, they’ll all be safe. Henry says they’re talking about putting their families and friends into a camp. They’re not Nazis. The woman says there are more zombies than ever. What does he think is attracting them? They’re going feral. Amy comes in with the group from the hall, and asks who she’s calling feral? Danny tells her not to take it personally. Some of the humans start to chant, quarantine. A guy says no one is separating him from his wife, and a fistfight starts.
Roberta shoots into the air, and says now that she has their attention, sit down. She’s new around there, and please forgive her if she oversteps, but they say they want to form a new country. What kind would it be?The idea of quarantine comes from a place of fear. Vigilantes are spreading hate that comes from the same fear. They just came from finding a talker left to rot alive. The woman says they’re right to be afraid. Roberta says the zombie virus isn’t the only virus they need to be worried about. Acts of hate rooted in fear are a virus too, and will eat their brains faster than any talker. How can they dehumanize their neighbors, friends, and families? How can they see them as a threat? Is that a country they want to live in? It’s not one she’s willing to die for. George thanks her. She wants everyone to take a moment and look around the room, remembering who they are to each other. Each of them are there today because of the others. They’ve saved one another’s lives multiple times. They’re only alive because of each other. The talkers are their families and friends. Dude says, not anymore; they’re dead. George says, they are, but their soul is still in there. Who knew death would be on a sliding scale, but it’s the world they live in.
The woman says the talkers want to eat their brains. Amy says, not everyone’s; just hers. Ha-ha! George says as long as they get biscuits, they’re no more dangerous than humans. Probably less, considering this bunch. She knows they’re shaken by the attack at Altura, and they can’t rule out talkers being involved. Dude ask if that’s why they’re looking for Dante, but George says he’d never be a part of it. Dude says he doesn’t know that, and neither does she. If not for him, none of them would be alive. Dude says they can’t trust the talkers, Dante included. Roberta says they have a chance at building a new world. Don’t build it on fear. George still has hope, and knows they do too. One day, the long dark howl of despair will be over. There will be an after someday, and when it comes, she wants to be able to live with herself. Roberta asks what George wants them to do, and George says, go home, rest, and remember what their dream is. One day, they’ll all be talkers. She hopes it’s different tomorrow. If Dante is on the run, it’s for a reason. Dude says, maybe he’s guilty. George says, if so, she’ll bring him to justice.
Roberta tells George that she and Doc will be on watch. Doc says, it wasn’t so pacifico tonight, but George says, they’re good people; they’re just scared. Roberta says they’re not taking chances. She walks George to her room, and Roberta wonders where George sleeps. George explains that she can’t sleep on bed anymore, and has a mat on the floor. Roberta says George did a great job calming the people. She see why they trust her. George says she did her best, and it all went to sh*t. Maybe it’s time for someone else to try. Roberta says, there is no one else, and George says she can’t be who they want her to be. Roberta says she can. There’s no one like them. They don’t get the chance to have doubts, because doubts make them hesitate, and when they hesitate, people die. She backs George 100%, but she has to ask. Does any part of her suspect Dante? George says he’s like a brother. It would be like Doc betraying Roberta. Roberta says there are few things she’s learned to depend on in the apocalypse, but Steven Beck is one of them. She asks George if she knew that was his real name, but George is already asleep.
We don’t see a face, but a guy puts a gun in his waistband.
Doc snores, as Roberta watches. The guy with the gun closes his door behind him, and Doc wakes up. Roberta motions for him to be quiet, and they go in opposite directions down the hallway. Some people are sneaking around, and Doc follows them. He gets to a door that leads outside, and he finds Roberta there. An alarm goes off. Everyone runs outside. George asks what’s going on, and Henry says, the talkers are all gone. She says, everyone? and Roberta says, everyone.
Doc, Roberta, and George arm themselves. George says they probably haven’t gotten far. Henry feels terrible; they’re probably scared. Doc says he blame them. George suggests they move quickly so they can catch up. Instigator dude says they should leave them go. They don’t belong there. Roberta says vigilantes are crucifying them. He says she doesn’t get it, and she says she does, more than he knows. CZ joins them with Kaya, saying she has intel for them. Kaya tells them the chef told her that they were headed into the woods, and they’re supposed to look for a symbol, a radiating sun. Kaya gives Roberta a paper with the symbol drawn on it, saying the chef left it behind. She told Kaya to thank Roberta for everything, and said don’t follow them. George thinks they’re safer in Pacifica than out there, but Kaya isn’t so sure. Roberta says it looks like someone is helping them, and there’s a talker underground.
Red wraps 10K’s wound. She says Sun is working on an interim solution. He asks how long it will take, but she tells him it’s hard to say with lockdown. He just wants something to pull a trigger with. Just asking, but if he’s so gung-ho about using a gun again, why isn’t he practicing shooting with his other hand?
In the woods, Roberta and company see some trucks go by. Henry says maybe it’s a delivery, but George says they’re not biscuit trucks. She finds a piece of Amy’s scarf. Some armed men come out of the woods and their leader asks if there are any talkers with them. George says she works with Estes, and he says he knows who she is. They’re looking for her pal, Dante, and he asks if she’s seen him. She says, not since the blast. Doc asks what they’re going to do with him, and the leader says, put him on trial. George asks, what court?Who are the judges? That’s what the vote was for. He says they formed a provisional court, and Estes is the judge. They’ll give Dante fair trial – then mercy him. If she helps Dante evade them in any way, she’ll be arrested too, for accessory to murder. Roberta doesn’t see where it’s a crime to help talkers, and he says, it’s the law, and he intends to enforce it. George says, there was no vote, but he says either report any contact immediately, or be subject to arrest. He tells his men, move out, and Roberta says they need find Dante before those guys do.
Sun puts blood on a slide and looks at it. She puts it in a case that says Alvin Murphy, and takes it to the memorial wall, sliding it into one of the bricks. Estes sees her, and asks why she’s not in the lab. She says she needed time to think. The last three tests were a failure, and the side effects were horrible. Estes wants her work to continue without interruption. She’s close to the protein that drives the behavior of the talkers. If they find it, they might be able to figure out what the black rain did to restore consciousness to the dead. Sun says they’re killing them in the process, but Estes says if they do nothing, the talkers will die anyway. Sun needs more time, and he says they don’t have it. If they don’t find a solution soon, they’ll have no choice but to treat talkers as zombies. They’ve seen what happens when they’re starving. He tells her that she has 48 hours.
Roberta asks Henry how long he’s known George. She’s known George since black summer. Henry says he’s known her longer than that. She was one of his students. There was something about her even then. Others got killed, but she she kept surviving, and took them with her. Doc says George seems nice, but he knows badass when he sees it. She could probably mercy a horde with her eyes closed. Roberta asks if there’s any chance that Dante is helping the talkers disappear, and George says, if he is, it’s for good reason. He’s saved too many humans to start killing them now. Doc finds the symbol painted on a tree, and calls the others over. George says they’re on the right trail, and Roberta says the paint is still wet. She tells Doc there’s something familiar about it that she can’t place.
George finds some supplies under a tarp, and says it could be a drop. They see a backpack, and she tells them it’s Dante’s. They hear a sound that Doc describes as a giant bug zapper. We see a zombie being poked with an electrified prod. George says, puppies and kittens, and Roberta says, a whole damn litter. A group of zombies moves toward them at a pretty fast clip.
Red tells 10K that he should get some food, but he says he’s not hungry. She says there’s a movie in the dining hall on a real They should go; it will take his mind off things. She says the movie is The Fugitive, and I literally LOL. I also wonder how many people will get the joke. The fugitive’s nemesis is the one-armed man. 10K says he knows what Red did, she did to save his life. Red says she’s not sorry, and she’d do it again. 10K says he’s done the same things. It’s not her. She’s the only thing keeping him going. If he can’t shoot, who is he? She says he’s ten thousand. He’s a good shot because of his mind and eyes, not because of his hand. He’ll have to learn again, and it’s all in there. She touches his head, and he says he needs to think.
Kaya tells CZ that George is sure Dante is innocent. CZ says it would be out of character. He’d lay down his life for them. Kaya asks why would anyone think did it? and CZ says, he was there before the blast, and no one has seen him since. He got it all on tape. Kaya asks where the tape is, and he says he handed it over to Estes for analyzation. She wants to see it, but he says he won’t get it back until after the investigation. Kaya says it’s uploaded to a server. CZ says she has that look in her eye again, and suggests the get started.
Doc asks when the cavalry is coming, and George says they are the cavalry. That’s what he was afraid of. These zombies are quick, and one takes Henry right off of a cliff. George goes after him, and Roberta wonders where they’re all coming from. Henry is up and running, a zombie close on his heels. George pikes it in the head, but another takes its place and knocks Henry down. George tackles the zombie, pummeling its face into oblivion. Doc says, damn. Have mercy. George asks if Henry is okay. He thinks so, and wonders how many times she’s saved his life. She says she likes him as a human. Roberta notices the sweatshirt one of the zombies is wearing, and says this many zombies from Kalamazoo Water Park isn’t random. They hear an explosion. Kaya is on the radio saying, Pacifica…mayday… but she’s breaking up. Roberta takes the radio and asks if Kaya can hear her. Kaya says, Roberta… Pacifica…. mayday… Roberta help us. They hear another explosion, and Kaya says, attack… don’t know why… Roberta tells her, hang on; she’s coming. Henry says he’ll catch up. When the others are out of sight, he rolls up his sleeve, revealing a bite.
Sun goes into the lab, and sees Red is there. Red tells Sun that she borrowed some of her gear. There must be some way to make a trigger finger for 10K. Sun says, how about this? and shows Red a torch.
On the outskirts of Pacifica, there are dead bodies all over the place. Roberta tells the group to keep their eyes open. They could be anywhere. There’s another explosion. Roberta says not to rush in and get killed. It won’t do anyone any good. Beth is lying on the ground, bloody, and calls to George. She says, the dead; so many. Her baby; so many. They hear another blast, and Beth asks for mercy. Roberta aims her gun, but George stops her. She closes Beth’s eyes and mercies her.
Dante stands on a hill looking down at the outpost. He says, they have no idea what’s coming. Time to move. Humans don’t like being killed. We see a group with him, and Amy is among them.
Things fall around CZ at the library, as he calls for Kaya. He hears screaming. Outside, people are running, and it’s chaos.
The text says, to be continued…
Next time, Zombies + bombs = bombies, and Doc says he’s good.
👻 Beyond the Sanderson Sisters…
🎃 This Halloween, if you need a break from twenty-four hours of Hocus Pocus, and are looking for something less conventional, I have a few suggestions. The Cabin in the Woods never gets old for me, but my traditional Halloween go-to has always been The Midnight Hour. A TV movie from 1985, it was hard to find on DVD up until recently. The words TV movie alone might be off-putting, but I love this bittersweet Halloween tale. Some high school kids (who look to be about thirty-years-old) steal some costumes from a museum for their Halloween party, and cast a spell, inadvertently raising the dead. It boasts an eclectic cast, including a pre-Trek LeVar Burton, Shari Belafonte-Harper, Dick Van Patten, and Kevin McCarthy from the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It’s just not Halloween to me without it. You can watch the whole thing here:
Another gem of a forgotten film is Ravenous, a story about soldier cannibals during the Mexican American War. Guy Pearce and Robert Carlyle star, and it doesn’t get much better. Well-written, wickedly funny, and gory as hell, it also features the most heart-pounding fall down a hill I have ever seen. You can find it on YouTube for a small fee, and you can read about it here:
If musicals suit your Halloween mood, both Shock Treatment and Phantom of the Paradise are definite contenders. While not exactly scary (well, it depends on what you’re afraid of), they fit the spirit of the holiday. The former was released as a sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, although I’m not sure why, since the only similarity is the film’s two lead characters are named Brad and Janet (Cliff De Young and Jessica Harper, who has a voice like honey). Also written by Richard O’Brien, it features much of the same cast, but is more of an homage to the evils of reality TV and the average person’s desire for fame. It bombed at the box office, but IMO is better than RHPS in some ways. You can also find it on YouTube, and get an interesting take on it here:
Phantom of the Paradise is somewhat Rocky Horror-esque, but was written by Paul Williams. Before you laugh, know that this is no Carpenters song. With a plotline that borrows heavily from Phantom of the Opera, it’s also a story about how far one will go to achieve fame. It will cost you a couple of bucks to watch the whole thing, but you can see the trailer for free here:
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
I rarely post on a Saturday, but this was too important. The Fearless Vampire Killers is on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) tonight at 8 pm. I don’t know if they’re going to run it again, and it’s rarely on TV. Now’s your chance. It’s a lot of fun.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
As much as I hate being torn away from 90 Day Fiancé, Fear the Walking Dead is back, and I love this show. It’s like Walking Dead’s baby whose generation finally got it right.
Fear the Walking Dead
A nasty storm has come up. Zombies feed near the road, and a few get blown away by the wind.
A zombie falls. Someone ransacks his backpack. It’s Morgan. Piking zombies and taking booty. He gets a radio and lines up all the things he’s nabbed. It’s not a very exciting haul, but there are some protein bars and water.
Al does some soldering. Morgan radios her, and she asks if John is okay. He is, and Morgan asks if she remembers when she interviewed him. She asked questions about where he came from. She asks if he’s going to tell her what she wants to know. He says, no, but he’ll show her. He’s going home, and wants her to drive.
Naomi, now June, guts a fish. Morgan comes looking for John, who’s inside the bus. John says Virginia is a long way. Morgan thinks he shouldn’t have left. It’s where he belongs and where he should be. John says if that’s what he thinks, that’s where he should go. Morgan says they could all come. Alexandria is a good place with good people. John doesn’t think he can make it in his current state, and Morgan doesn’t know what’s out there. He, June, and Charlie are going back to his cabin, if he can make it safer. It’s far, but not Virginia far. He asks when Morgan is going, and Morgan says, tomorrow. John asks if Morgan wants to stay for dinner, but he has more stops to make. He’ll come by before he leaves; maybe John will change his mind. They’ve been through harder things. John appreciates it, but – he looks at June – he thinks he has everything he needs right there.
Morgan goes through a gate into a massive estate. A zombie toddles out, and says, ueeeh yaeh, and Morgan pikes it. Victor calls from an upstairs window of the house, saying, there’s a breach in the fence, and his aim is off. He tells Morgan the door’s unlocked.
Inside, Morgan looks at the art on the walls. Victor, wearing a smoking jacket, asks what Morgan thinks; he’s been rotating the collection. He tells Morgan the wine cellar is quite extensive. Morgan asks where everyone is, and looks around. The house itself is quite extensive. Luci lounges in the music room, while listening to country music. Morgan turns it off, and says he was hoping they could talk. He’s headed back to Virginia. They have room for everyone, even Victor. Victor laughs, and says, road trip. He’s had his fair share of those. Luci doesn’t want to set foot in Al’s tank again. She can’t go out there. Victor says he’s retired from scraping by to survive. He found the best the world has to offer. Luci says there’s nothing for her there – or anywhere. Victor tells Morgan to enjoy his trip, and Luci says, be safe. Morgan asks where Alicia is, and Victor says she moved out of the main house, although she never really moved in. Luci thinks she’s by the garden.
Morgan goes to an enviable greenhouse, and calls for Alicia. He’s met with silence, but looks around. He sees notes that say, HELP.
Alicia is banging on the fence to attract zombies. She stabs them one by one. Morgan needs to talk, and she says she can’t right now. He says she’s been through a lot. It doesn’t seem get better, but he can help. She says she doesn’t need it. He asks, what are these? and shows her the notes. Alicia says she didn’t write them. Someone is tacking them onto the dead. She’s checking them, thinking one has to have something. Morgan tells her it’s not safe, but she says someone needs help. He says there’s no way to tell when they were written or if the person is still alive. There are other ways to do what she’s trying to do. Victor and Luci haven’t seen her for weeks. He thinks it would be good for her, and she could do a lot of good if she goes back with him. She says someone needs help here and now. He says she doesn’t know that. He’s leaving in the morning; she knows where to find him. She bangs on the fence again.
June tells John in a couple more weeks, he can fish again. He says she’s caught more wide mouth bass in these last few days, than he has in his entire life. She asks if she heard right when he told Morgan they were going back to the cabin. He says if it’s still there, but he was just batting around the idea. Given his condition, and the condition of everything… Zombie noises come from outside. Charlie is reading by the creek, and a zombie comes at her. She backs up in silence. Al intervenes, and kills the zombie.
Victor wakes to a bunch of noise. He looks out, and sees blood on the front storm door. A zombie is inside, but Luci has her back to it, and the music is so loud, she doesn’t hear it. Victor gets the zombie before it gets to her, and she doesn’t even know what’s going on. He kicks the boombox, and says, these grapes were not meant for wrath. They have to find the breach.
Al is glad she came to check. John says Charlie will be all right. June asks what happened, and Charlie doesn’t say anything. Al says she didn’t call for help. John tells her that Charlie doesn’t say much. June thanks her, and they look over the bridge to zombies floating down the creek. John says, dead washing up usually means something is amiss up river. He wants to see what’s going on, but he’s not up for it alone. Al says she’ll go with June, and gives him a radio, saying, if anything goes wrong, she’ll call. She just tuned up her gun; they’ll be fine. She and June leave.
Morgan packs. He looks at his book The Art of Peace. Alicia says she knows where they are. There’s a lumber mill up the road. They passed it on their way there, but it’s overrun. Whoever has been writing needs more help. Morgan says he’ll check it out, but Alicia insists on going. They walk down the road. The wind picks up.
There are downed trees I the road, and June tells Al, they have to backtrack. Al thinks can clear them with the cable. She sees a box by the side of the road, with a sign that says, take what you need – leave what don’t – see you further up the road. Al wants to grab her camera, but June says they have to keep moving. She tells Al to be quick, and asks what John said about her when Al interviewed him. Al says he told her a lot about Laura, and the others told her about Naomi. No one said anything about June. Anything June wants to tell her? It wasn’t her motive – she just came here to help – but maybe it would help June to talk. June says she’ll think about it.
Morgan wonders what happens after Alicia helps them, and she says it won’t matter; he’ll be on his way. He says she’s not in a rush. He didn’t say goodbye, and no one knows where he went or what happened. He thought he was doing what he had to do. Alicia says they might not be there anymore, but Morgan says, they will. They’re strong, like her. He has a friend back there, the one who said he’d find his way back to the world and people. He left to get away, and prove his friend was wrong, so he wants to look him in the eye and say he was right. He deserves to know. He doesn’t want her to find out the hard way. A zombie toddles out. She kills it, and sees another note on it. They keep walking.
Victor fixes the fence. He tells Luci that should keep wolves out of the henhouse. He asks if she wants to adjourn to the cellar. She asks what they’re doing here, and he says, enjoying the bounty of their discovery. She doesn’t know what’s left, where to be, or what to fight for. He says they’ve been asking themselves the same questions. He’s going to at least enjoy himself while he’s asking.
Alicia finds another note asking for help. Morgan says there’s a reason for asking. Maybe they should find out why before they rush in. Alicia says, no time, and he follows her into the lumber yard.
John makes a Scrabble game out of cereal box letters, Charlie is reading in the bus, and he wants to ask her a favor; to play a game. He holds out a coffee can, and she takes letters from it. He says there was time he didn’t talk much either. He’d done something he wasn’t proud of. He says you keep thinking on it, and it starts to eat away at you, until you start thinking there will be nothing left; nothing worth keeping anyway. Then something happened. He found someone to talk to. Telling her brought him back to the world, and allowed him to forgive himself. He’s sorry if he overstepped. He tells her he’ll be right back. When he’s gone, Charlie puts her books in her bag, and gets out of the bus. She opens the gate and leaves.
Victor hauls a zombie outside, and sees John. Victor says it’s nice to see him ambulatory, and John says he has a good nurse. Victor tells John that he caught him doing a little light housekeeping. John needs his help. Charlie took off, and she’s out there somewhere. He thinks if he looks by himself, she’ll remain that way. Victor wonders if John knows who he’s coming to. What makes him think Victor would help? She shot his friend. John says he took a bullet because of them; Victor owes him. Victor advises him to leave Luci out of it. John will have to drive. Victor has been drinking heavily.
Morgan and Alicia walk through the lumber yard. Alicia sees more notes on a pile of wood planks. She points to a building and says, that’s where they’re coming from. They hear zombie noises from inside, and go in. There are a load of zombies gathered together near a door, and Alicia says, they have him trapped. Morgan says he’ll help her. He lures the zombies outside, and underneath a crane holding a load of logs. Alicia cuts the cable, and it lands on them.
Alicia goes into the room, and there’s a lone zombie inside. Morgan says he’s been like that for days; she couldn’t have saved him. She sees notes that say, help, come quickly. She says if her mom had found him, she would have saved him. She did whatever she had to do; she was good at that. Morgan says, like her mom used to be before the stadium? She changed, so Alicia can change. Alicia says she has a lot to make up for, and Morgan says, he does too. He asks why she’s sleeping in the greenhouse. She says it gave her a reason to run away, and he says Victor and Luci think they need her. She can save them, like her mom did, if she was just there for them. Alicia says Morgan could be there for them too, so why is he here? She walks out.
Al videos the creek. June thinks they should check upriver; they have to be coming from somewhere. She asks Al to turn the camera off. She wants to talk without being filmed. She says John fell in love with Laura. She’s not Laura. She’s a woman who got sacred and ran away. Not just from him, from everyone. That’s who she is. He wants to go back to the cabin. If they do, she’s afraid he’ll realize she’s not Laura; she never was. If he realizes that… Al says she doesn’t have any advice. She doesn’t know what she’d do, but since they’re just talking off the record, June is with John, helping him. That’s who she is now. Yesterday is yesterday, and today is today, and God knows if they have tomorrow. Al says she sounds like her mom. That’s why she doesn’t do this. June hears something, and birds come flying out from the forest. Al suggests the tide is washing out, but June says not from a bridge that’s out. She thinks they better get out of there.
John waits in the car. It’s beginning to rain. Victor runs back to the car from the library. He thinks they should check the middle school in the next town. Victor drinks as John drives. John says he used to be a cop, and Victor says he used to be a millionaire. Everybody used to be something. John tells him that when this is dealt with, June and Charlie are coming to his cabin. Victor asks, what happens after that? but John says he’s still sorting that part out. Victor says, aren’t we all?
It’s pouring now, and Morgan tells Alicia that they need to find a place to hole up in. She says she’ll be fine on her own. He says, it’s getting bad, and watches as she walks away.
Luci listens to Roy Orbison on the phonograph. She hears the door open, and asks if it’s Victor. There’s no answer, so she takes her gun and quietly goes toward the front of the house. She sees Charlie, and chases after her. She asks what Charlie wants, and grabs Charlie’s coat. Charlie shrugs out of it, and runs. Luci asks if she hasn’t done enough. Back inside, Luci sees a copy of The Little Prince on the table in the hallway. She runs outside, and calls for Charlie. Luci decides to run after her.
June radios John, saying there’s a storm coming their way. John says, it’s there. He asks, where are they? All he gets is static.
In Al’s tank, June says she lost John. Al loses control of the tank, but it doesn’t crash. June says they need to get back, but Al says, not in this. One of the compromises she made when modifying the vehicle, is that she can’t drive in 100 mph winds. A zombie hits the tank, and the hits keep on coming.
Next time, Alicia finds Charlie.
😱 Fear’s Upcoming Season…
In the trailer, it looks like Morgan got drunk at a frat party and someone wrote on his face.
📣 It was nice to see Chris Hardwick back at work. I wanted to see my 90 Day obsession, so I didn’t watch Talking Dead. I’m hoping to catch it later, but I did see his re-entry speech. Without saying why he hadn’t been at work, Chris said how much he appreciated the fans’ support, and his job, saying they were a community. I thought it was heartfelt and sincere. Yvette Nicole Brown was one of the guests, and he thanked her for being his friend and pinch hitting. He had tears in his eyes the whole time, and I nearly cried.
🎥 👀 The Other Things I Watched…
I saw a few movies this weekend – my capsule viewpoints. The Witches of Eastwick – ever see a movie you thought wasn’t that great, and then see it again years later and change your mind? Me too, but this wasn’t one of them. Cabin in the Woods – my umpteenth viewing. I read the book first, and thought, no way could they make a movie that captured the end of this thing. I was wrong. They did, and it never gets old. Dude got to meet his merman too. The Gods of Egypt – I love Jaime Lannister just as much as any red-blooded woman on earth, and the only way I can tolerate Gerard Butler is when he’s wielding a sword, but they might have spent a little more on the background. I found it incredibly distracting to watch them fight, while none of the people in the far background moved, and it looked suspiciously like the backdrop in a high school play. So, I switched to Justice League – a special effects extravaganza, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, the Flash having phobias about almost everything and understandably fearing for his life whenever they did something stupid, and the usual amusing one-liners – what’s not to like? But I could have done with a little less Clark Kent angst. After that, Identity – a little gem of a thriller from 2003 with a twist ending. I don’t know how I missed this, but it also had a great cast, including two of my favorites, Alfred Molina and Rebecca De Mornay, I liked this film too, because it took place within a small radius – in this case, a seedy roadside motel – making it seem almost like a play.
🌞 I also watched a few episodes of Born This Way on the FYI channel. This is a really sweet reality show about a group of young adults who have Down syndrome. One of the few reality shows that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to say I watched. In one of the episodes, an expert was brought in to give the group a talk about relationships and sex. Like many kids, some of their parents couldn’t handle “the talk,” so misinformation abounded. One young lady asked if it was possible to be allergic to penises. The expert wasn’t too sure how to answer that one, until it was explained further that her mother had told her they contained gluten. I gotta say, that’s a good one.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Maxie brings James home, accompanied by Obrecht and Nina. She stalls at the doorway, saying she and Nathan dreamed of this moment, now she can’t get her feet to move. Nina says they all dreamed of a different homecoming, and Obrecht says they must be strong for the little one. Nathan is alive in James’s smile and eyes full of love, and the heartbeat next to Maxie’s. To welcome him home, they have to enter his home. Maxie walks in, and welcomes him to the place his father was most alive.
At the hospital, Michael suggests he and Nelle get married today. Kim is ready for Nelle’s appointment, and Michael says it’s the homestretch. Any day now their little family will be complete.
Chase meets Finn at The Floating Rib. He’s surprised that Finn invited him. Finn says Chase keeps saying they should get together, and get to know each other, and here they are. Let the bonding begin.
Griff asks how Kiki is holding up. She says, better, since he agreed not to tell Alexis about them sleeping together. Griff isn’t totally convinced Alexis doesn’t need to know.
Scotty has news about Kiki and Griff, and tells Ava to brace herself. He didn’t see it coming. She says she already knows what he’s going to tell her.
Julian gives Sonny some espresso on the house. Sonny asks why he’s being generous. Julian says he wants to keep his supplier happy. He might be doubling his order in the next couple of months. He tells Sonny that business is good, and he’s been thinking about expanding. He wants to rip the building down to its foundation, and build something new. He says, enjoy the coffee, and steps away. Jason asks Sonny, once demolition starts, how long before they find the body?
Maxie shows James his daddy’s favorite place on the couch, and tells him about baseball. His daddy taught her, and she’ll teach him. Obrecht says she never got to feed Nathan, and asks to hold James. She cries, saying she’s his oma, and kisses his forehead.
Finn ask if Chase read The Severed Branch, thinking it might give Chase some insight into finding Peter. He asks if there’s been any sign, but Chase says it’s an ongoing investigation. Finn knows it’s been hard on Anna. She just found her son, and now he’s disappeared. Chase says, considering her connections, he thinks there are people higher up on the food chain keeping her posted. He asks if that’s why Finn asked to meet him, but Finn says he was just making conversation. The reason he wanted to see Chase was to give him a birthday present. Chase can’t believe it.
Sonny tells Julian the place looks great. Why go through the hassle of expansion? Julian says he’s not touching this room, but wants to make use of the back storerooms. People have requested private events. Sonny says it’s messy, and takes a long time; it could hurt business. Julian isn’t worried. He tends to another customer, and Jason says, the back room and patio; not good. The bigger the project, the bigger the chance the body is uncovered.
Ava tells Scotty to save the dramatics; Franco told her about the picture David has. Scotty flashes back to listening in on Kiki and Griff in the park. Ava says it’s David who’s on trial, not Kiki; it’s irrelevant. Scotty says he’s David’s attorney; he has to call out the behavior in question. Ava asks why drag in a third person? She doesn’t want him trying to blame the victim. Scotty says, as a defense attorney, he has to act like one. He’s legally obligated to bring forth evidence that the client gives – all of it.
Griff tells Kiki that he can’t promise to commit perjury. David comes by and says hello. Kiki says he’s not supposed to be talking to her, but he claims he’s just being polite, and pretty much calls her a peon. He says he needs to talk to Griff about a consult. Kiki leaves to shadow another doctor. Griff asks if it was necessary to humiliate her. David says any humiliation, like her allegations, is all of her own making.
Maxie tells James about the nursery and the blanket Nathan had sent. When she takes him into the other room, Nina tells Obrecht that she said beautiful things. Does she have more compassion? Will she give Peter more antibiotics? Obrecht asks if Nina is feeling sorry for him. She says she doesn’t want him to die, and Obrecht asks, what about Maxie? Nina says she doesn’t want him to die either. Obrecht points out how much Maxie misses Nathan, but Nina tells her, please don’t let it happen. She doesn’t don’t want him to die by their hands. Obrecht reluctantly leaves.
Maxie comes back, and tells Nina changing a boy is different than changing a girl. Nina says you have to act quick. Nina says Maxie should sleep when the baby sleeps, so she’s leaving. Maxie thanks her for everything. She didn’t know how she would make it through today without Nathan, but Nina and Obrecht stepped up for her. When she looks at James, she sees how much she has to be grateful for. Nina asks if she’s not bitter about Peter, and Maxie says it took a lot not to let darkness in. Nina asks how she’d feel if Peter died. Maxie says, a week ago, she’d throw a party, but realized she doesn’t want him to die. Nina says, even after what he took from her? Maxie says he made terrible choices that had terrible consequences, but he was also her friend. She’s calling him Peter, not Henrik, on purpose because she wants to believe he wanted to reinvent himself and start over. She thinks Nathan would have wanted it for him. He always saw the best in people. It’s his legacy, and she’s going to honor that and pass it to his son.
Wyatt is still working on untying Peter, who tells him to hurry. Wyatt says he’s still working on the badge. They hear Obrecht singing, and Peter tells Wyatt take the bugle and hide. Wyatt puts Peter’s gag back in, and hides under the bed. Obrecht comes in, and tells Peter that she held her grandson for the first time. It was a miracle. He’ll be growing up without a father because of Peter. She takes the gag out, and he asks how the baby is. She says if he cares, he’ll confess. Peter says, then she’ll kill him. She says now that she’s held the baby, the confession isn’t as important, but getting rid of him is. She needs solitude to contemplate her next step, and has to take some time to ponder his fate. She leaves, and Wyatt comes out. Peter tells him to go get help, and take Obrecht’s notebook. It might help people believe him. He tells Wyatt not to let Obrecht see him. Wyatt grabs the notebook, and jets.
Ava reminds Scotty that he’s supposed to throw David’s case. He says she’s put him in a precarious position; she has no idea. She says she wouldn’t be paying him a fortune if he wasn’t. Kiki is a victim, and now he’s going to shame and humiliate her in court? Scotty is sorry, and as a father, whatever he does will be as gently and with as little damage as possible. Ava leaves to check on Kiki.
Nelle and Michael come into The Floating Rib. Nelle is happy they’re getting married before the baby comes. Michael asks, why wait? They have a license. He can find a judge, and they can get married immediately. Nelle thought he didn’t want a justice of the peace, and wonders why they can’t have a real wedding. Michael says, because of him, and looks at Chase. He wants to get married as soon as possible to get rid of him.
Wyatt runs into the art therapy room. Franco asks him if he knows they don’t have a session today. Wyatt starts to babble, saying he went hiking and took the wrong trail. Franco suggests they take a breath together. They do, and Wyatt says he found a man tied up in cabin.
Obrecht returns to the cabin. She tells Peter that she’s realized he’s more trouble than he’s worth. The stroll she took cleared her head, and she thinks it’s better to cut her losses, so to speak. Peter takes this as meaning she’s going to kill him, and says she’ll get caught, sent to prison, and never see her grandson again. She sees the bugle and asks how it got there.
Maxie thanks Nina for today. Nina say Maxie is going through a lot, but coming through it like a champ. Maxie tells Nina that she and James love her. Nina loves them too.
Sonny tells Julian that he’ll make him an offer; buy him out. He can go bigger and nicer without the mess of construction. Julian says Jim made him an offer, and he wasn’t interested then or now. Sonny says he might run into trouble, and Julian says he’ll take his chances. Sonny tells him, the offer is on the table; think about it. He and Jason leave. Scotty tells Julian, when Sonny makes an offer, he usually thinks it’s a done deal. Julian says the building is his, so too bad. Scotty likes the way he thinks.
Outside, Sonny makes some calls.
Nelle tells Michael that Chase means nothing, but he says Chase means something to him. The sooner they can shove their marriage certificate in his face, the better. Nelle says they have no venue, she has no dress, and she’d like his family there to celebrate them starting their lives together. Michael wants that too, but doesn’t want to wait. Nelle has an idea. She gets up and goes to the bar. Michael and Chase exchange glances.
Chase can’t believe it. Two tickets to a double-header in Boston, including a hotel. He says it’s also the weekend that his parents will be in town. What’s not to love? Finn says he knew Chase loves the Sox, got them from a well-connected patient, and had no idea his parents would be visiting. Chase asks if he conveniently forgot, and Finn says he was just trying to do something special. Maybe can get another ticket, and the three of them can go. Chase says, in Boston instead of Port Charles. Finn claims he doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about them, but Chase says their father said he ran into Finn in Berkeley, and he couldn’t get away fast enough. He wonders if it’s another way for Finn to avoid their father. It’s the nicest gift he’s ever had to turn down. Finn says, sorry it didn’t work out, tells Chase to have a nice birthday, and leaves.
Nelle comes back to the table, telling Michael that she talked to Olivia. She’s willing to close the restaurant, so they can get married there. She tells him to call a judge and his family – they’re getting married tomorrow. Michael jumps up like he’s Tom Cruise on Oprah, and says he can’t believe she pulled it together. He’s eager, and looking forward to, putting the past behind them, and focusing on the future.
Julian asks Scotty where he should start with the building project. Scotty tells him to get an architect first. Make sure everything checks out, and that he gets all the permits. Julian says it sounds like he’ll need an attorney, and Scotty says he can shoehorn Julian into his business schedule. Julian says, let’s get started.
Jason tells Sonny that Julian will need a permit and an inspection before he can make a move to begin demolition. Sonny says he can stall it, but not indefinitely. Sonny wants to have one more conversation with Mike to see if he can find out where the body is stashed. Felix comes running down the stairs, and tells Sonny there’s a problem with his father.
At the hospital, Ava finds Griff, who says it’s an unexpected surprise. She thought they should talk; she heard about the picture. Griff says, one friend comforting another on a bad day. She needs to look into his eyes to remember he’d never betray her. Kiki joins them, obviously upset. Ava asks her what’s wrong, and she says David is out to destroy her. She was supposed to shadow with Dr. Harper, but he had reservations about her demands. Ava says there must be another doctor (seriously, don’t they have any female doctors?), but Kiki says even if there’s someone else, David will still keep trying to sabotage her until he runs her out of the hospital. Maybe she should drop the lawsuit.
Obrecht asks Peter again where the bugle came from, and threatens to make him talk. Nina arrives, and says it’s hers.
Franco tells Wyatt that he doesn’t need to tell him a big story. Wyatt says, it’s not a story. The man said he was sick. He begs Franco, saying they have to try.
Nina tells Obrecht that she brought the bugle, and put it under the bed to keep it out of the way. Obrecht asks why, and Nina says it reminds her of summer camp; everyone had to play the bugle. I’ve never heard of that, although everyone in the fourth grade at my elementary school had to play a song flute. You could hear them throughout my neighborhood on warm nights. But I digress… Nina says she thought it could help them to warn each other in case they see someone suspicious, since there are a lot of camps in the area. They have a stressed-out hostage, and the bugle calms her. Obrecht hands her the bugle, and says, by all means. Nina tries to play it, and to her credit, she’s barely worse than Wyatt, but Obrecht says, enough
Wyatt tells Franco the guy is tied up to a bed, and Franco says, adults can be complicated. Wyatt says he’s not stupid, and he’s not making it up. Franco asks where the guy is exactly, and tells him to draw it.
Obrecht returns to the cabin, and Nina says Peter’s fever is spiking; the infection must be flaring up. Obrecht picks something up, and Nina tells her, put the hatchet away. I laugh. Obrecht says she can’t wait until the sequel is completed, and she doesn’t have to mollycoddle Peter. She wonders where her notebook is, and Peter cries out. Nina says, he’s practically delirious, and Obrecht says, fine. She’ll procure more antibiotics. She suggests Nina serenade their guest with more hideous bugle playing. When she’s gone, Peter asks Nina why she covered for him.
Max watches a Yankee game with James.
Sonny asks Felix what’s wrong with Mike, and Felix says he’s agitated, like he’s been thrown off his routine. Sonny says they’d been talking about old times; he thought it was supposed to help. Felix says Mike might be putting too much pressure on himself to remember things. He kept saying that he didn’t want to let Sonny down. Sonny says he’ll go see him, but Felix says he just calmed down. He’s going to do a puzzle with him. Perhaps quiet will help. He tells Sonny not to think he did anything wrong; the disease effects everyone differently. Felix goes back upstairs, and Sonny tells Jason that he’s going to have one more talk with Mike. They’ll find out tonight.
Ava says David has no right to treat Kiki that way. She tells Kiki not to drop the lawsuit. They’ll see who the liar is in court.
Peter tells Nina that he thought Obrecht was going to kill him. Nina says, that’s not what Maxie wants, and he asks if she knows he’s there. Nina says, no. She’s wrapped up in the baby, and as much as she hates it, Peter was Maxie’s friend, and was there for her when she needed someone the most. He tells Nina to let him go before her crazy aunt kills him.
Obrecht sneaks around the hospital. She cuts herself, and asks David for assistance.
Franco says Wyatt’s picture looks scary there, and he says it’s when the bad guy came back. Wyatt has drawn a looming shadowlike figure, and Franco asks what the bad guy looked like. Wyatt says it was a lady, but he couldn’t see her. She was really mad and talked funny. Franco says he thought Wyatt said she was scary, and Wyatt says, not funny like ha-ha, but funny like his friend’s mom, who comes from another country.
David gives Obrecht some medication, and she says, you can’t be too careful about infection.
Wyatt tells Franco that the man makes her angry, and she wants to hurt him. He’s lucky he hid under the bed. He says the man is in trouble. He’s tied up, and they’re the only ones who can help him. Franco says, she had an accent; anything else? Wyatt says he couldn’t see her face, but he saw her shoes. He draws them.
Finn asks what the hell Obrecht is doing at the hospital.
Ava tells Kiki she can do this. She’s not alone. Ava is by her side, and Griff is there for the day to day. She’ll always have a friendly face to see. Kiki wonders if there’s any way she can salvage the shadow position, and leaves to find out. Griff says Ava was impressive, and that she’s a good mother. She thanks him for being good to her daughter. He must be feeling pretty small right about now.
David sees Kiki in the hallway. He says he heard her new mentor isn’t in the shadow program anymore. How frustrating it must be for all her hard work to go to waste. Too bad she didn’t appreciate an opportunity when she saw it.
Sonny tells Jason that he should have stopped pushing about Croton. He doesn’t want Julian to be part of it, but his dad isn’t going to be the one to lead them to it.
Digging through an old box, Julian finds a picture of Mike and Charlie in 1983. He says, interesting.
Michael tells Nelle that he’ll track someone down to officiate. They kiss. Chase stares at them. When Michael leaves, Nelle approaches Chase. She says it looks like he was all wrong. Michael gave her a fabulous ring, and they’re getting married tomorrow. Too bad he can’t be there, but it’s family only. He can wish her congratulations now.
Michael calls Jordan. He tells her, Nelle took the bait. The wedding is on for tomorrow.
Chase tells Nelle, congratulations. She got everything she’s ever wanted. He asks if she wants the truth about her fiancé, and wants to know what’s really going to happen.
Franco thinks Wyatt should talk to Doc. As they walk down the hallway, they see Obrecht talking to Finn. Wyatt says, it’s her. She’s the villain; get her! Obrecht asks what’s wrong with that child. Franco says he recognizes her from a cabin in the woods. Wyatt says, see? She talks funny. It’s the voice he heard, and the shoes he saw. Obrecht tells them she doesn’t have the time for this nonsense, and gets in the elevator. Wyatt says they have to stop her, and Finn agrees that she’s scary. He asks what Wyatt thinks she did. Wyatt asks if Finn is her friend, and he says he hates her. Franco explains that Wyatt saw a man in a cabin in the woods. Wyatt says it was near his camp, and she’d tied the man up. Wyatt had left his bugle there, and he went back. The man says he’s sick, and they have to believe him. Finn says he does, and asks him to start at the beginning.
Peter is glad Maxie thought of him as a friend, although he knows it doesn’t mitigate anything. Nina tells him to stop talking about Maxie; she’s off-limits to him. He tells her the bugle belongs to a boy who found him, and is going to get help. Nina says just because he was found doesn’t mean anyone is coming back. He asks how long before Obrecht snaps? Free him now, and no matter what, he’ll never implicate her. There’s only one way out. Take it.
Wyatt gives Finn the notebook. He says he took it from the cabin. Finn flips through it. He says, it’s the characters from The Severed Branch, the book Peter published. Franco suggests maybe that’s what put it in the kid’s head; he likes to exaggerate. Finn says, let’s find out. Wyatt asks if Finn believes him, and Finn asks if Wyatt can tell him exactly where the cabin is.
Tomorrow, Carly talks to Doc, Michael tells Jason about the impending wedding, and Chase tells Nelle the marriage won’t work.
😎 A Deeper Thinker Than Most of Us…
The reason why these Jim Crow laws were in place have stifled my rights and your rights is because we fell asleep. We fall asleep when we’re moving ahead and we don’t look to the left and right and see that we’re not including people … Because really, at the end of the day, we only move forward when it doesn’t cost us anything. But I’m here today saying that no one and nothing can be great unless it costs you something. – Viola Davis
😇 Another Good One Escapes…
R.I.P Tab Hunter. There’s also a link to their excellent 2015 interview with him.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Michael says he told his mom that he’d look out for his family and protect them. Sonny says his mom is his family, and she’s in Ferncliff, thanks to Nelle setting her up. Sonny wants to tell her about the impending marriage before someone else does. Michael says there’s something else she needs to know.
Julian and Kim go to The Floating Rib, and see Brad and Lucas there. Sam asks Lucas why he’s so serious, and he says he needs Sam’s help.
Terry and Elizabeth go down Memory Lane. Cameron, who’s aged quite a lot in a very short time, comes downstairs, and Elizabeth introduces him to Terry. He leaves for the fireworks, and Elizabeth tells Terry that he’s a pretty responsible kid. Terry says, so he’s nothing like they were. Franco comes home, and Elizabeth introduces her childhood friend. Franco says Elizabeth told him that Terry was her first kiss. Terry says she’s proud of it, but she went by he at the time.
Oscar unpacks a picnic at the park. Josslyn asks if there’s room for one more. He says he wasn’t sure she would show, and she apologizes for ripping his head off the last time they were together.
Rupert tells Carly that she has a visitor. Nelle says, hi, grandma, explaining to Rupert that Carly is her baby’s grandma, not hers. Rupert asks if Carly wants him to escort Nelle out. She says, no, but wait outside; she won’t be long. Nelle says the place is worse than she imagined. Carly tells her maybe one day she’ll find out for herself. Nelle says, someone is in a bad mood, but she has news to make Carly’s day. She’s been thinking long and hard about the damage that’s been done, and has one way to make better. Nelle says she forgives Carly.
Michael tells Jason and Sonny that his mom warned him about Nelle, and he has to pay for his mistakes. paying for his mistakes. Sonny doesn’t see it that way, and wants to protect Michael. Michael says Sonny has; now it’s his turn. He’s going into the marriage with his eyes wide open. Sonny says, it’s a losing battle. Michael says to tell Carly it’s going to be okay. Even if he’s lying, say he believes in Michael.
Terry doesn’t want to intrude, but Elizabeth and Franco ask her to stay. Terry asks if Franco is weirded out, but he says he’s relieved. He had been a little jealous. Terry appreciates the candor, and Franco says Elizabeth could have clued him in to… Terry explains it’s called gender transition, and that Elizabeth didn’t know. They drink to surprises.
Lucas and Brad talk about including everyone in family gatherings, and ask Sam if she’ll be there. She says Danny loves being a big brother, and will take on a new cousin like a champ. Brad says this is really happening.
Kim asks if Julian wants to talk about it. He wonders what there is to talk about. She says his son and daughter are there, and not even looking in his direction. He’s glad they’re spending time together. He’d like to be a part of it, but thinks it’s too late to be a father to them. Kim disagrees, at least with Lucas. Maybe he can’t be a full-fledged father, but he can have a relationship. She saw them at the hospital, and it’s not lost on Lucas how hard he’s tried. She thinks he has a chance.
Josslyn says Oscar seems bummed. He tells her that he hates his mom being with Julian. He knows things are hard for Josslyn with her family right now, but Josslyn says they can’t do anything about their moms tonight, so they should enjoy what they can control. They have an awesome spot for the fireworks. They kiss, and Cameron appears, asking if he’s interrupting.
Carly can’t believe Nelle came all that way just to say she forgives her. Nelle says it’s an important part of healing. Carly says making peace means so much to her. Being in there isn’t ideal, but she sees how much she needed it, and is going to do whatever work it takes to get back to her family. Nelle says, ever growing family, and Carly asks how she’s feeling. Nelle says, wonderful. Michael is waiting on her hand and foot. The pregnancy went by quickly, and there’s been a lot going on. Carly says Nelle has been busy, but Nelle says, never too busy for her.
Sonny tells Michael that he does believe in him, and to take care of himself. Jason tells Michael these are not normal circumstance. Nelle will do anything to get what she wants. Michael says, she wants him. Sonny says they don’t know what she’ll do now. He and Jason explain about the flyer, and how Nelle was trying to make Carly believe his brother was still alive. There’s no line Nelle won’t cross. Michael says he’s smart enough to call for help if he needs it. Sonny has to go, and tells Michael to be careful. After he leaves, Jason asks Michael why the hell he’s marrying Nelle.
Brad thinks it’s the perfect time, and Sam asks, for what? Lucas says they would be grateful if she’d be their baby’s godmother. She’s an amazing mom, and they know if it came to it, she’d go to the ends of the earth for their kid. She’s in, and they make a toast to the godmother. Julian approaches the table, and hopes the baby arrives safely, healthy, and happy. They thank him, and he says he wants it for both their families. Lucas says they’ll let him know when the baby arrives. He goes back to his table, and Sam says her first order of business as godmother is to advise they don’t let Julian in the baby’s life.
Terry says she wasn’t brave; she was scared to death. Elizabeth says that’s why she’s so brave. Franco asks if there was a turning point, and Terry says the older she got, the more trapped she felt, until she couldn’t stand it. Elizabeth can’t believe Terry didn’t tell her. Terry says back then, she just felt like something was off, but she was comfortable and could be herself with Elizabeth. Elizabeth wishes she’d been there to offer support, and Terry says she didn’t know. Elizabeth asks about her parents. Terry tells her, at first, they didn’t know what was happening. Terry acted out with negative behaviors, and they just wanted her to get better, but when it meant that they had to acknowledge she was a girl, no one wanted it. Least of all her brother.
Josslyn explains to Oscar that she and Cameron grew up together. Cameran tells him how they got married in elementary school, and Josslyn ate the licorice ring. Cameron asks how Oscar likes Port Charles, and Oscar says Josslyn has been showing him the ropes. Cameron tells them he’s life-guarding this summer. Josslyn says Oscar has an internship with his dad, and she’ll be reporting for duty as a camp counselor. Cameron says they can hang out.
Nelle gets Carly some water. She says she’s been spending time with Josslyn; they have special bond. Josslyn is excited about becoming aunt. Carly says Josslyn is growing up, and Nelle says, in more ways than one. Carly asks what that means. Nelle says Josslyn confided in her about her relationship with Oscar. It sounds like things are heating up. She hopes Carly doesn’t mind, but she took Josslyn to buy some lingerie; nothing trashy, but age appropriate. Whatever that means at age fourteen. Carly says she trusts Nelle implicitly, and Nelle says then she won’t mind that she asked Josslyn to be her maid of honor. Michael proposed. She asks if she can call Carly mom. Carly says she’s speechless. Nelle says she couldn’t believe it either. The alone time brought them closer with no interference. Carly asks when, and Nelle says, as soon as possible. They’re going to be a true family from the start. Carly thinks it’s amazing. Getting married for the sake of baby is great, although those marriages don’t always last. She married AJ for Michael’s sake. Nelle asks if Carly doesn’t think Michael will love her, and Carly says he put a ring on it, but just because a couple can make a baby doesn’t mean they should be married. Nelle says, not her and Michael, and Carly tells Nelle that she’s right. Rupert tells Carly she has another visitor. Sonny asks what the hell Nelle doing there.
Michael tells Jason to let Nelle think her plan worked, and that he’s in love with her. Over-confident people make mistakes. Jason says she killed her last fiancé; he’s risking his life. Michael says he gets it. Nelle is dangerous and evil and all those things. He’s not pretending she isn’t, but she’s carrying his child. She put his mother, and Jason’s best friend, in an institution. There’s no limit to what she’ll do, but she’s not playing him again. It’s his turn, and he guarantees he’ll win.
Sam tells Lucas he has an I-feel-bad-for-dad face. Lucas says Julian did what he wanted, and respected the boundaries. Sam needs to stand down. Sam says, not when it comes to Julian. She strongly suggests he do the same.
Kim tells Julian that wasn’t so bad, but he says he can feel the arctic chill. He doesn’t expect things to change. He’s concerned about Lucas not knowing anything about the birth mother though. She can snatch the baby back at any minute, and he doesn’t want Lucas robbed of the chance to be a father.
Terry tells Elizabeth that her brother hasn’t spoken to her since her transition. Elizabeth says she must have felt betrayed. Terry says he thinks she just decided she was over being a boy, and would rather be a girl, but she was finally reconciling her physical and emotional sides. Franco says she was freed to be seen for who she really is. He gets it. He knows the pain of rejection. They agree it stinks.
Carly tells Sonny that Nelle came to tell her that she and Michael are getting married. Sonny thought she was getting her ring sized. Nelle says the jeweler is close by. Sonny says he can’t stop the marriage, but he’s not letting her get in his wife’s face. Nelle says she’s glad to brighten Carly’s day. Carly tells her to give Michael a hug, and when she’s gone, tells Sonny, this is not happening.
Michael tells Jason the mistakes his parents have made were because they let emotions get in the way. The baby is 100% innocent, and he’s going to protect it at all costs. He needs to make Nelle feel comfortable, secure, and loved as long as it takes to exonerate his mom. Right now, he needs to focus on the baby. Jason says he couldn’t do it, and respects him for that. He tells Michael that every time he lies, it will cost him. Michael says he knows it, and Jason tells him not to give up his soul for her. Make sure he can live with his choices. Michael says he can live with anything, as long as his mom and the baby are safe.
Kim realizes that’s why Julian wanted to know about the records. He says he wants to know the deal with the birth mother – and father. Does the father even know? He doesn’t want anyone hurt in this scenario, especially his son. Kim tells him that he’s not a party. As much as it stinks, it’s out of his control. She asks, given his experience, if it’s hard to be with her because of what she did to Drew.
Lucas tells Sam that he loves and is grateful to her. They drink to the baby.
Jason goes to the footbridge.
Elizabeth wishes she’d been there, and Terry asks if she thinks she could have talked sense into her brother Sean. Elizabeth says she could have been a friend and listened. Terry says she’s doing that now, but Elisabeth wonders why Terry didn’t confide in her sooner. Terry says for one thing, she was gone, and Elizabeth was her Biz. She couldn’t stand the thought of rejection. Elizabeth realizes Terry thought she wouldn’t accept her.
Cameron has camp training early, and leaves. Oscar says he seems like an okay guy, but he’s not going to lie. He likes it being just the two of them. Josslyn says, her too.
Carly tells Sonny that Nelle is dangerous. He says Michael knows, but she says Nelle is psychotic dangerous. She’s a sociopath who killed her last fiancé. Does Sonny want Michael to go next? Carly tells him that he has to do whatever it takes to stop it.
Julian says he doesn’t judge Kim’s choices about Oscar. The situation is different. She wasn’t trying to keep Drew from his son. She says she could have worked harder. He says she did the best she could. She did what was necessary, and he respects her decisions. She says, then instead of jumping to the worst case scenario with the biological parents, he should think that they’re doing what’s in the best interest of their child; giving them to a good home. Julian says he wasn’t able to protect Lucas growing up, and doesn’t want him to get hurt. Kim says, getting hurt is part of the job. He thanks her for listening. He appreciates her solid advice – and her.
Terry tells Elizabeth that she’s knocked on a few doors, and not many have been as warm and welcoming. Elizabeth says Terry is her friend. She loves her, and nothing will change that. She asks if Terry would like to stay with them, but she has a consult in morning. Elizabeth is excited that she’ll be working at GH, and says she has to come to the wedding. Terry is her oldest friend. Terry agrees, as long as Elizabeth stops calling her old. She’s happy Elizabeth found Franco. She tells Franco that Elizabeth has a huge, compassionate heart that was meant to be shared with someone like him. He says he’s a lucky guy, and grateful. Terry leaves, and Franco hugs Elizabeth.
Sonny says Michael is doing this because he feels guilty. He’s been beating himself up for getting involved with Nelle, and her ending up in Ferncliff. Carly says they’ve already lost Morgan; they can’t lose Michael. Sonny tells her that Michael is a grown man. He trusts Michael, and she needs to trust him. She says it’s Nelle who she doesn’t trust. She might kill him out of spite. He says Michael’s got it, and she asks if he’s got Michael. He says, always. Sonny has some good news about the flyer on her car. He says, invisible ink, and laughs. Carly calls Nelle a bitch, and asks if he can prove it. He says not that Nelle is behind it, but they’re trying. Until then, everything has to stay as it is. Carly says, so she stays in there, and Michael marries Nelle.
Michael asks how the sizing went, and Nelle says, actually, she went to visit his mom instead. She wanted to tell her about the engagement personally. She thought if she could explain how much she loves him and the baby, it would make it easier, but no such luck. Michael doesn’t think it’s a good time to reach out. Carly is still in recovery, and needs space. Nelle apologizes, saying she was so happy, she wanted to share it, and give Carly a piece of joy to hold on to. She asks Michael what if Carly never accepts her, and he says, then so be it. He loves her, and him, her, and the baby are all that matters; they’re a family. He doesn’t think his mom will shut her out forever. Things change, and eventually she’ll give in; she has to. Nelle hopes he’s right as long as motivated by good intentions everything will be fine
Sam brings Danny to the footbridge. Jason asks if Danny is there to watch the fireworks. Danny tells him that his mom says it’s the best view ever. Sam says she was telling him about how Jason built the bridge. Jason says he wasn’t out there with a hammer, but he paid for it. The old one had been special to a friend of his, and over time, to him too. Danny asks if Jason will watch fireworks with them, and Jason says he’d like that. Sam smiles.
Elizabeth and Franco sit on the couch, talking about the visit from Terry. Cameron comes in home early. He tells them that he saw Josslyn, and she’ll be being working at camp. It should be cool. He stomps upstairs, and Franco says, teenagers. The fireworks start, and they stand outside. Franco says it must have been hard for Terry, not being herself. He forgives Elizabeth for making out with Terry. They kiss.
Everyone goes outside at The Floating Rib. Oscar and Josslyn watch from their blanket. Oscar tells Josslyn that he tried the cologne and really likes it.
Nelle tells Michael, next year, they will be a family. He says, perfect.
Sonny has to go. He tells Carly, the next time, the celebration will be hers; he promises. They kiss.
On the footbridge, Danny sits on Jason’s shoulders. Jason and Sam smile at each other.
Tomorrow the show from January 17, 2018 will be aired. Why that one? Who knows? On Thursday, Stella tells Griff not to impose, Oscar tells Kim to stop wasting time with Julian, and Drew tells Sam they’re divorced.
The Haves and the Have Nots
RJ asks David, what the hell, and David says get out of his face. Veronica can’t believe David really hit her. He says after all he’s done for her, and all the sacrifices he made for her. The new house was supposed to be hers after she burned the other one down. She starts freaking out, and hopping up and down. David says she’s made his life hell. RJ tells David to go, but David tells him to mind his own business. Veronica says she has this. She’s going to show him how bad it can get. David tells her to give it her best shot. She says when they got married, she had two rules. One, that he not cheat on her, and two, that he never lay a hand on her; now he’s done both, and he’s with that heifer. He says he never cheated on her, but he had to see her with Benny in the paper. He gave up on her ass. She says he doesn’t know what cheating is, and he calls her insane, telling her not to go near his son or Erica. Stay out of his life. She says, you’ll regret it, and repeats it in a singsong way.
RJ asks if she’s all right. She screams at him to get out, and keeps singsonging, you’ll regret it. After RJ leaves, she repeats, he hit me, over and over. She gets her phone and sits on the couch. She calls Derek, who tells her it’s the middle of the night, but she doesn’t give a damn; she needs some help. She needs some numbers for a partner in crime. He says he’s not doing this, and she says, don’t tell her what he’s not going to do. She wants the numbers at her house by the morning. He says he’s not in that life anymore, but again, she doesn’t give a damn.
Jeffrey sits in the middle of the trashed condo. David comes in, and asks if he’s okay. Jeffrey keeps saying he’s sorry, and David tells him to stop that; his mother is a mess. Jeffrey says she didn’t do this, and David asks who did. Jeffrey tells him, Officer Justin, and David asks if it was before or after they had sex; Veronica told him. Jeffrey says, after, and he knows David is going to tell him to end it. David didn’t know there was something to end, and Jeffrey says, he doesn’t know there is. He likes Justin, and he needs help. David says, so does Jeffrey’s mother, but she won’t change. He says, this kind of behavior leads to bodily harm, and asks if Justin has been abusive. Jeffrey says he has, both physically and verbally. David wonders if Jeffrey didn’t study this in psyche class.
Justin comes out, and says he’s sorry. David says he didn’t know Justin was there, and Jeffrey says, that makes two of them. Justin says he’ll pay for it, but David asks if he can afford a $16,000 couch. Justin says, no, but he’ll try. David says Jeffrey is an adult. If he chooses to be involved with someone like Justin, there’s not much he can do, but Justin needs to get help. Justin says he knows, and David says he’ll be watching. Jeffrey’s mother is nothing compared to what he’ll do to protect the well-being of his son. He asks Jeffrey if he’s sure this is what he wants, but Jeffrey doesn’t know. David tells him when he figures it out, let him know. He has to leave before he gets sick. He tells Justin the misusing of his son makes him want to throw Justin off the balcony, and tells Jeffrey that he’ll have new furniture sent over. He leaves and Jeffrey tells Justin that he’s serious, and asks why he came back. Justin says to beg forgiveness. Jeffrey tells him that he says that a lot, but he’s forgiven. Justin says there’s a program at the department where he can talk to a psychologist, and Jeffrey says he needs to. Justin asks if it works and he gets better, will Jeffrey move in with him? Jeffrey tells him to just focus on getting better. Justin says he will, and Jeffrey says, get out. Justin says he loves Jeffrey, and wants him to say the same. Jeffrey says, I love you; bye. Justin leaves.
DA George is told they have footage from across the street from the bar. An officer asks what’s the hold-up with the Cryer case, and George says the family is strong. They’re connected, and he needs every bit of ammo he can get. The officer asks, what about the son, and George says, he’s a drug addict; not a good character witness. They look at the footage that’s focused on the bar. George wonders what Wyatt is doing there, and then sees Jim, and wonders what the hell he’s doing there. The officer says the witness didn’t see them, but recognized this guy, pointing to Benny coming out the door. The witness said he was the assailant. George says, it’s Benjamin Young. He was hit with a car by Wyatt, and the family covered it up; what’s going on? The officer says the witness claims he’s the guy, and George tells them to bring Benny in.
Sarah asks for evidence to check against a case. The deputy, who obviously thinks she’s hot, lets her into the evidence room. He tells her a shift change is coming, and to hurry, because he doesn’t want anyone to know he let her in. She takes out a box, and puts something in her purse, presumably the bullets. She thanks him, and leaves.
Hanna calls Kathryn. Neither one of them slept well. Kathryn tells Hanna that she called the attorney. Hanna thanks her, saying she thinks the police will be breaking down her door any minute. Kathryn tells her to calm down, and not to worry about the cost. After the call ends, Hanna takes out her laptop, saying she has $32.00 in her account. Not anymore. It’s $8 million now. What bank is that? The interest rate is phenomenal. She calls Kathryn back, and gets voicemail. She leaves a message saying she can’t accept it, and to call her back.
Jeffrey visits Wyatt, who’s still in a straitjacket. Wyatt says he’s been in restraints all night. Jeffrey tells him that he looks better, and will get what he needs. Wyatt wonders if it isn’t illegal to keep him there, but Jeffrey says he said he was going to kill himself. Wyatt says he was kidding, and Jeffrey says they don’t know that. He tells Wyatt that his mother will be coming, and he’ll be fine. Wyatt says they’re going to kill him, and tells Jeffrey to go. He leaves, and Wyatt lies down.
On the phone, Sarah tells Jim, it’s done. He asks where it is, and she says she’s getting rid of it. He asks how he’ll know, and she says, when the case is dropped. He wants proof, but she says she’s not sending him proof. He tells her that he wants it brought personally. Do it, and they’re through. She asks how she knows he’s telling the truth, and Jim says she’ll have to trust him. Sarah says that will never happen. He knows how dangerous this is. He says, bring it. He’ll text the address, and make sure she’s not followed. She says, no sh*t.
There’s a knock at Veronica’s door, and she says, there’s a doorbell, boy. Derek comes in, and she asks if he got her numbers. He puts a paper on the end table, and starts to leave, but she tells him, not so fast. When she calls, she needs for him to come. She doesn’t care what he’s doing. Unless he wants her to call his parole officer. He says, some things are worth going back to jail for. Why not leave him alone? He’s living a clean, honest life. She doesn’t give a damn. He owes her, and she always collects. He asks how much is enough? and she says when she decides it is. He wonders if she knows what he was in for, and she asks if he’s threatening her. He says call him again, and yes. She laughs at him, and says she can’t wait to need something else. She says, they better be good numbers. When he leaves, she can’t believe a damn convict is threatening her.
Benny is surprised to find Hanna at home, and she says she’s not going to work with this thing hanging over their heads. Benny says it will be fine, and she says, she knows; she got a lawyer. She doesn’t want to use Veronica, and they can afford it. She checked the account, but her boss put too much in. Benny wonders why Kathryn is being so nice, and asks, how much? She says she’s going to use it to pay for the lawyer, and give the rest back. Kathryn calls back, and Hanna asks if she’s lost her mind. She put over $8 million in Hanna’s account, and she can’t accept it. Kathryn says she didn’t put it in there, and Hanna asks, who did? Kathryn has an idea, but can’t talk right now. She’ll call Hanna back. Hanna tells Benny it’s a mistake, and starts to call the bank. He says, it’s not a mistake.
Candace’s phone rings. It’s Benny, who asks how much money she put into the account. When Hanna hears the money came from Candace, she freaks. Benny insists he told Candace it was a joint account, and she says they have to move the money. He asks where it came from, and she tells him, it’s legit. She’ll explain when she gets there, and don’t let Hanna touch it. Benny tells Hanna that they should hear what Candace has to say, but Hanna says they’re not keeping it. He says they don’t know where it came from, and Candace says, it came from the devil.
Charles practices a speech, and Landon tells him it’s perfect. He’s going to knock the ladies dead again. He leaves to check on their departure times. Another member of Charles’s staff is there (another guy who has no name), and tells Charles to be careful of Landon. He doesn’t see it, the way Landon caters to him. Charles says Landon is a good guy. Dude says, he’s gay. Charles says, no, but dude says, yes. Now Charles feels stupid, having talked to Landon about women. Dude says Landon is smitten with him, but Charles can’t believe it. He says Landon is a professional and won’t cross lines, and he’s not so sure Landon is gay. Even if he is, so what? Dude says, just be careful. Charles says, they’re adults. Landon can’t do anything to him. Dude says that’s not what he means. Some of the staff are whispering about them. Charles says, ridiculous. Dude says Landon is territorial. All the nights in Charles’s room, the staff is wondering if there’s more to the relationship. Charles says he’s done with the conversation. He doesn’t want to hear it again. Landon comes back, and tells him the car is ready.
Erica looks at an ovulation test. She calls Rocky, and he tells her about Candace beating him with the golf club. He tells her be careful, but she says she still has to work a john. He asks how it’s going, and she says, better. Today, she’s ovulating. He tells her to be careful, but she says, this one is worth it. She needs him to apologize to Candace, and he says, hell no. She says he’s on the inside, and she needs it to happen; just apologize. She needs to know what Candace is up to, and he’s the only one who knows her. She’ll pay him when payday comes. He asks how much, and she says they only deal in millions. He tells her to let him get out, and he’ll think about it.
David goes to Kathryn’s house. He needs Jim to talk him down. Veronica made him come out of himself; he had to pimp slap her. Jim laughs, and David says it’s not funny; he feels terrible. Jim says, about a bitch who tried to burn him alive in his own house? David knows it sounds crazy. Jim asks how hard it is when you pimp slap someone, and David says she flew across the room. Jim can barely keep it together, and says he gave that bitch some wings. David says it was a lot of rage, especially for him. Jim thinks David should have let him take her out when he had the opportunity. David asks where Kathryn is, but Jim doesn’t know and doesn’t care. David says Veronica is going to retaliate, and it will be brutal. He thinks she’ll go after Erica first. Jim asks if she’s the girl living with him, and says David is smitten. David admits he is, and Jim asks what he knows about her. David says he’s not marrying her. He had Oscar check her out, and Jim snarks that’s a real confidence builder. Oscar had better get his money back. Candace put it in Benny’s name. David calls her a clever fox, but Jim says he’s a clever fox watcher, and he’s not playing in the trash anymore. Sarah comes up the walk, and Jim says, here comes his get-out-of-jail-free card. David should leave – plausible deniability.
Sarah gives Jim the evidence envelope, and says, we’re done. Jim says, not quite, but she means it. He repeats, not quite. He wants to show her something upstairs. She says it’s his wife’s house, and she’s not doing that. She’s done, and she means it. She walks out, and Jim smiles.
Candace goes to Hanna’s house. Benny asks where she got the money, and she says she blackmailed someone powerful. Hanna says, first Jim, now the man running for President. Candace says she’s talking to Benny, and she’s not telling who. He needs to open an account, and move the money. She’ll give him a million dollars. It’s for the tow yard and house; she wants to make it right. Hanna asks how can she make right what she’s got wrong? Candace says she was talking to Benny, but Hanna says, it’s her house. Candace asks, is it? Candace tells Benny that she’ll leave the money in the account for him, and that thing. Benny tells her to watch her mouth. She asks if he doesn’t want a fresh start. Benny says someone is going to be after her; they always are. Hanna tells her that everything she does, comes back around; it already has. Candace says she’s heard that before. Hanna is like a broken record or an R&B song – or is it an old Negro spiritual? Hanna says this is the kind of mess that her baby got killed over; is she crazy? Candace says she needs the money. Hanna calls it death money, and shows her a picture of Quincy Jr. She asks if Benny is going to be a criminal too, and why can’t Candace look at the picture? She tells Candace, it takes two signatures, and Benny says, she’s right. Candace wants to know why Hanna is like this; so self-righteous. She tells Benny that she needs this, but he says he can’t do it without Hanna. Candace tells Hanna that the money is hers. Hanna says it’s blackmail money, not her money. She won’t give it to Candace, but she will give it back. Candace asks, to who? Hanna says, the FBI. They must be looking for it.
The doorbell rings. It’s the police with a warrant for Benny, and they arrest him.
Next time, Candace wants her money and says, don’t make her show how evil she can be; Justin visits Wyatt, and suggests he hang himself; and Candace calls RJ for some muscle against her mother. Who will get revenge first?
😵 Apparently, Jill Kargman Isn’t the Only One…
Lisa Edelstein (Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce) doesn’t remember the 80s.
Keep your pets inside, and enjoy your holiday! I’ll be partaking in my annual viewing of 1776. I probably learned more about the Declaration from that film than history class in high school. While flawed, our forefathers did their best, as we all do.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
There was no Fear the Walking Dead tonight, and how will they ever top last week anyway? I was able to watch 90 Day Fiancé: Happily, Ever After? fresh (dissection of it coming soon), and Westworld on the first rerun encore performance. I also checked out The Real Housewives of Potomac, but I’m just not feeling these girls. I’m not sure I ever did. I think if you look up the definition of boushetto in the urban dictionary, their pictures are there. Although Karen did give up a good quote – You don’t know me to be a liar, but we do know you to be a fool.
And of course there’s the elephant in the room, Talking with Chris Hardwick, that was supposed to premiere tonight, but didn’t. That whole thing has bummed me out. I find it sad that, as beautiful a thing as the internet can be, it seems to create an easy judge and jury for just about everything. Maybe it’s just me, but I like getting all the facts first. The only fact I have so far is that he was possibly a d-bag and took advantage in a previous relationship. If people start losing their jobs over that, there will be precious few people working. Especially in the entertainment business where egos are humongous. In other words, I fail to see how this situation is anything close to that of a Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby, or even a Louis C.K. Yet this guy has already been hung out to dry. And the internet makes it way too easy. The Wicked Witch of the West said it best – what a world… what a world.
That being said, moving on…
🚀 Recommendations from the Wayback Machine…
Last week, I stepped back to the 70s with The Warriors, a surprisingly well-crafted film for its time, 1979. The scene symmetry and use of place are sophisticated, and the costumes alone make it worth watching, although the dialogue is often unintentionally funny. While completely unbelievable, the plot is simple. All the gangs in NYC are called to a meeting. One of the leaders suggests all the gangs band together, making them a force to be reckoned with. He’s shot and killed at the big rally, and the wrong gang, the Warriors, are blamed. They have to make it from Coney Island to the Bronx, various gangs coming after them along the way. One of my favorites were the Furies, who wore baseball uniforms and Kiss/Rocky Horror-ish make-up. It was also fun seeing Deborah Van Valkanburgh (Too Close for Comfort) acting like she was in a high school production of Grease. I’m endlessly glad they did not remake this film.
Sadly, The Hills Have Eyes – the 1977 gem I followed The Warriors with – did get remade. It was horrifying all right, but not in a good way. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s just not the same without Michael Berryman. Forget Hills Have Eyes II, which is basically clips from the first film, strung together in a barely cohesive way. Stick with the original. Another straightforward plot. A family from Cleveland (which has never ceased to amuse me, since I’m originally from the area) get lost in the desert, and become the unfortunate victims of a feral family living in a cave. A true B-picture, a lot of it is over-the-top fake, but there are a few chills, a few laughs, and like I said, Michael Berryman.
A heartfelt, albeit late, Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. No matter who or what you are the father of, be it blood relation or a chosen role. Here are some quotes for you:
Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad, and that’s why I call you dad, because you are so special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right. – Wade Boggs
I was raised by my father most of my life. I’m part sailor, part farmer, part craftsman. I was taught I could be anything I wanted to be, but that I needed to work for it. Although he worked an eight to ten hour a day job, he never missed an awards ceremony or a school assembly where parents were invited. He always took time to listen, and was never less than fair. As he said about his own father, the older I got, the smarter my father got. I also realized that, even though it embarrassed me how we opened the refrigerator door with a screwdriver, everyone loved to gather at my house. They knew that no matter who they were, if they were my friends, they’d be welcomed with open arms and an open heart. He passed away shortly before I got married, and I’ll miss him until we meet again.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Griff takes the stand and swears to tell the truth. Diane says he’s their star witness, but if Jason doesn’t show, it’s going to be difficult. Sonny asks, how so?
Curtis and Jordan meet for a drink. He takes it things didn’t go well with the mayor. She says there’s rumbling that she might be asked to step down. He asks how long she’s been given to find Peter, and she says, not long enough.
Alexis goes to Monica’s office. She tells Monica that she knows Kiki made accusations about a senior doctor on the staff. Monica can’t discuss it, but Alexis says Kiki is going public. So she can wait, and discuss it with the press, or avoid a lawsuit, and discuss it with her right now.
There’s a knock at Anna’s hotel room door. It’s Finn. He senses things didn’t go well. She says Robin is the last person to judge, but things have changed. Finn asks how, and she says, how could they not?
Diane asks how Griff knows Carly, and he says he treated her husband for paralysis. He also treated Carly last April. Diane asks why she sought him out, and he says she was having hallucinations. Jason walks in.
In the hallway, Michael brings Nelle some water, and asks how she’s feeling. She says, better, and thinks they should go back inside. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea; it seems too stressful for her. He insists she go home, but she wants to be there for him. He says he’ll be fine; he’s not putting it on her. She says the truth is, she doesn’t want to go home alone. The first thing she sees us the stairs. She asks him to please come with her, and he says, sure.
Diane asks how Carly described the hallucinations. He says she never described them as hallucinations. She believed they were real. She received several calls; in one, she heard a young man, and in another, she heard an explosion. She asks what it indicated to him, and he explains that her son, Morgan, was killed in an auto explosion.
Anna tells Finn that Robin was horrified to find out she had a child with Faison. She didn’t judge or criticize; she had empathy for the young woman Anna was, and the choices she made. Robin was fair, but Anna can’t help feeling that something between them is irrevocably lost. Finn thinks that’s harsh, but Anna says Robin didn’t know who she was. She guesses no one did.
Monica asks Alexis what Kiki hopes to get; is it the money? Alexis says she doesn’t care about that. She wants justice. Frankly, she’d like to know why such a progressive hospital has such antiquated policies on sexual harassment. Monica admits they’re skewed in favor of the accused. David has a sterling reputation and an unblemished record, and he was cleared. Alexis says, and Kiki gets to go back to work with her harasser after he demoralized her.
Jordan tells Curtis that no one spotted Peter leaving Port Charles, and there hasn’t been one sign of him. Curtis asks if she thinks he’s still there. She says, of course. It’s not the first time he’d be hiding in plain sight. No one wants to find him more than she does, and she’s not losing her job over Peter.
Griff talks about the break-in, and how Carly found the picture. She told him she felt a presence, and Diane asks if he means like a spiritual presence. The DA objects, asking if Diane expects the court to believe in ghosts. Diane says Griff can speak to the state of her client’s mind. She asks if Carly believed she was haunted. He says the thought came to her. He gave her a thorough exam, and ran tests. There was nothing indicating trauma, injury, or disease of the brain, so he referred her to Doc.
Doc takes the stand. He says when Carly came to him, he saw she had a history of psychiatric disorders, and was hospitalized twice. Diane asks if he prescribed anything, and he says anti-anxiety medication. She asks about side effects, and he says in rare instances, there’s erratic behavior. Diane asks if it could have possible exacerbated the symptoms of whatever disorder she’s suffering from. He says, possibly, and she asks if Carly is suffering from mental illness. He hasn’t been treating her long enough to diagnose her, but thinks she has an anxiety disorder that alters her perception of reality. Diane asks if it could cause her to take physical action without understanding the consequences.
Anna tells Finn in every relationship in her adult life, even Robin, she’s been keeping a secret; holding back part of her soul. No one could know her. She didn’t want to know herself. Finn says she did the best she could at the time. She was young, and void of the perspective she has now. She thinks Robin understands intellectually, but emotionally… She tells him about how Robin said the tears in her eyes while holding Robin’s children, might have been for the child she gave up. The secret she kept colored every memory and moment.
The DA says Carly has been institutionalized twice. She asks Doc if Carly mentioned shooting Tony Jones in the courtroom. Diane objects, but the judge allows it. The DA says she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Doc says she was, and the DA asks what happened as a result. He says she was institutionalized, and the DA says, barring a prison term. Diane objects again. Doc says the second time, it was voluntary, and the judge asks the DA to move on. She says Doc testified that he hadn’t seen her long enough to diagnose her; why? He says she canceled her follow-up, and didn’t return. She asks if he didn’t think she needed therapy or didn’t think it was serious. Diane’s objection is sustained, and the DA has no further questions. Jason tells Carly to stop this right now.
Monica tells Alexis that she’d like to see Kiki vindicated, and Alexis says it’s going to take some time. Monica thinks until then, there’s something she can do to help her.
Nelle walks in on Michael struggling to put a crib together. He says he was hoping to surprise her, but he has his work cut out for him. They do an impromptu ad and some serious product placement for Snoo. She says she can help, but he says she’s still exhausted, and should treat herself to a nap. He’ll be done when wakes up – hopefully. As soon as she’s gone, he calls Spinelli. He says Nelle just buried his mom in court. He needs proof that Nelle set her up.
Sonny tells Jason that he hates it too, but there’s no choice. Jason insists there is. Chase is on the stand, and Diane asks if he found any evidence of a break-in. He says there was no sign of forced entry or anything suspicious. Carly was agitated, saying the lights had been flickering, and she heard strange noises. He explained the picture probably fell in the earthquake, and chalked it up to an overactive imagination. Diane asks about his second encounter with Carly. He says he found her at Morgan’s grave. Diane says, besides being a lone woman in the cemetery at night, was there anything unusual about her behavior? He says she was emotional. She said she received a message for Morgan to meet her at the cemetery; more specifically, where she left him. She said the message was on the back of a flyer for a noodle house, but when she showed it to him, it was blank. Diane asks if there was anything else, and Chase says Carly referenced her son’s cologne. Diane asks if he can remember her exact words, and he says she asked if Chase could smell his cologne like she could. On cross-examination, the DA says, as a detective, he’s trained to recognize signs of emotional trauma, did she exhibit any? He says yes, and the DA asks if he transferred her to a hospital, but he thought she didn’t require hospitalization. The defense calls Michael Corinthos Jr. to the stand, and I get confused when Sonny gets up, forgetting that’s his real name.
Anna tells Finn that Robin is definitely full of compassion, but it’s a question of trust. She broke it. The look in Robin’s eyes was painful to see. She said she loved Anna, but it felt like she was saying goodbye. Finn says, she wasn’t; she’s just getting her bearings. She says she knows how toxic secrets can be. She didn’t want to be judged, and pushed him away; she underestimated him. Finn says he’s not that noble. He hasn’t been entirely forthcoming about his family or past. She asks if he wants to talk.
Sonny says after Morgan was killed, it shook the family to the core. It took a year, but they were finally stable. Then his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and moved in. He got caught up with that, and didn’t see Carly sliding. Diane asks what he means, and he says he found out she’d been imagining their son was trying to reach out to her. She asks if he’s referring to the incidents already referenced, and he says, yes, but he hadn’t known they’d occurred. She believed it was Morgan, and there’s nothing more he’d want than see their son, but he never expected what happened. Diane asks what he attributes her hallucinations to, and the DA objects, but the judge allows Sonny to continue. He says, in her sorrow, she hasn’t come to the realization that her son is gone. Diane asks if he was afraid of what she might do. He says, not afraid, but worried at times. Diane asks if one of those times was before Nelle’s shower.
Monica tells Alexis that she can’t overturn the investigation without cause, but she can still do everything in her power to keep Kiki out of David’s orbit. Alexis appreciates the effort, but it’s not enough for Kiki.
Spinelli gives Michael instructions on how to log on to Nelle’s laptop. As he’s messing with it, Nelle appears, and asks what he’s doing.
Diane asks Sonny what Carly’s demeanor was like before the incident. He makes it clear that he doesn’t trust Nelle, but Carly saw a double meaning in everything Nelle said, and took it as a threat to her family, especially her son Michael. Diane asks what could happen because of her antipathy toward Nelle, and he says she didn’t want to lose another child. She didn’t want to push it, or… Diane says, what? She’d lose control?That’s exactly what happened. Sonny agrees. It’s the DA’s turn, and she says he has ties to organized crime. Diane objects, and Sonny tells the judge that he’s a coffee importer. I literally lol, and the objection is sustained. The judge says the DA knows better. The DA asks if Sonny felt guilty when he allowed Nelle to come between him and his wife, and he says they sorted it out. Nelle lied, nothing happened; it’s not a crime. The DA says, it’s the cover up, and rephrases. She asks if he didn’t lie to cover it up. He says his wife was already at the breaking point. He didn’t want to push her over the edge. The DA says he lied to help his wife. Is that what he’s doing now? Diane objects, saying it’s argumentative. The judge asks them to approach the bench for a refresher course in proper procedure. Jason tells Carly to fire Diane. The judge will declare a mistrial, and they can buy some time.
Finn says, while Anna was with Robin, he ran into his father. She asks if he lives there, and if they arranged to meet, and Finn says, yes and hell no. He hasn’t seen his father in twenty years. He took his mom’s maiden name after his father remarried. He’s a fast worked. Finn was still cleaning out his mom’s things when his brother was born. It was hard, and he just wanted to get away from everything. Him, her, and his brother.
Jordan tells Curtis, when the search for Peter is over, she’s going to revamp the PCPD. It’s time to sharpen her police force. He says, if anyone can do it, she can, but what about in the meantime?
Michael says, wish us luck, on the phone, and tells Nelle that he was getting coaching on the Snoo assembly. She asks why he’s on her computer. He says he was trying to access the website, and couldn’t log in. That explains it; the computer isn’t his. He was about to call IT. Please don’t tell me that she’s not smart enough to see the panic on his face. He asks why she’s not napping, and she says she forgot her key. Maybe he should be doing the resting. He says he’s feeling the pressure a little. It’s the baby’s first bed, and he wants it to be perfect.
Alexis stops by Doc’s office. She knows she needs to make an appointment, but was there for a meeting. She says it turns out, the thing with her father was getting to her more than she thought it would.
Carly is surprised at Jason wanting her to fire Diane. He says she’s strong enough to stay in Pentonville until he can find proof. Diane will understand. Diane appears, and says, no, she won’t understand. He’s bordering on witness tampering. Carly needs to decide in five seconds. Does she want to go back for a new trial, that could take months, or see this through?
Finn tells Anna that his father was a middle-aged cliché. None of it was Chase’s fault. Burying his wife one month, and marrying a younger wife the next; he wanted to block it out. Chase seems like a decent guy, but he wants something Finn can’t give him. They’re brothers in name only; they’re more like strangers. Anna says Chase seems like more than a stranger, or is there something she’s missing?
Alexis explains to Doc that Valentin found the artifacts. He asks why she hasn’t opened it. Does she not trust Valentin? She says she thinks she doesn’t want to know after all. Doc says Mikkos is dead. He has no control over her unless she gives it to him. She’s acting out of fear. She asks if he thinks she should open it; it might bring a wave of chaos. He says, maybe not. They’ll deal with it together.
Sonny thinks Mike’s arrest might never have happened if Carly was in her right mind. The DA asks why Carly neglected him, and Sonny says she didn’t neglect anything. She was following the note. No one else could see her grief; it broke her. She doesn’t need prison; she needs help. Diane calls Jason to the stand. Sonny looks at him as they walk past each other, changing places.
Curtis tells Jordan if her usual search channels aren’t panning out, try something unusual. She says, he’s hired. He says, we’re hired. He has a new partner – Sam.
Monica comes home, and asks Nelle how court was. She says, rough, having to relive the events. Michael says he hopes his mom gets the help he needs, but his main focus is Nelle and the baby. Monica looks at the bed he’s trying to put together. She says she’s a surgeon, and has put together more complicated things.
Jason says Carly described the phone calls to him, and how she heard an explosion. Diane asks if she seemed upset, and he says, no, worried. Dante traced the calls to a pay phone on Angel’s Bluff, near where Morgan was killed. They went to the pay phone, accompanied by Detective Falconari. Diane asks if there was any evidence of a recent explosion, and Jason says, no. She asks if Carly reconsidered, thinking maybe she’d heard something else. He says, no; she was sure it was an explosion. Moving on to the scarf, Diane asks if Jason saw it. He didn’t, and she asks if there was an attempt to find it and if it was recovered, and it wasn’t, although he looked. She asks if Carly was upset, and Jason says, yeah; she said it brought back the pain of losing Morgan. Diane asks if Carly was hopeful that Morgan was still alive, and would come back someday. He says she was, and Diane moves on to the break-in. She asks if Jason has experience with security systems, and he says he does. Diane ask if when he checked the house, there was any evidence of a break-in or intruder, and he says, no. She asks if Carly showed him the broken picture, and when he says she did, Diane asks if he was there when she found it. He says, no, and she confirms that he only had Carly’s word. No further questions.
The DA wants to make sure she understands. Carly told Jason about the calls before she told her husband. Jason says, yes, and the DA says, and the scarf? She asks when Carly told her husband, and Jason says the night of the break-in. The DA says, in all that time, her husband never noticed anything wrong, or expressed concern that something was bothering her? Jason says, at the same time, his father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and she says, so he was distracted. Did Jason think something was wrong with Carly?
Finn tells Anna, enough sordid family history for one afternoon. She thanks him for sharing what he did. She likes getting to know him better. He says, likewise. He’s been meaning to apologize about something. When he said she was one step away from a bathrobe and a cat, he didn’t mean it. He’s about to leave, and she asks him to wait.
In the hospital corridor, Alexis looks at the envelope some more. She tells herself she’s being ridiculous, and opens it. There’s a watch inside, and she looks surprised.
The Snoo has been built, and Monica says, they psyched themselves out; it’s actually easy to assemble. Drew comes in with his luggage. Monica asks if that means what she thinks it does. He says, if the offer still stands, and she says, welcome home, son.
Jordan tells Curtis that he’s on the clock. Find Henrik.
Jason says he could see Carly was in a lot of pain and hurting. The DA says, other than her husband, is he Carly’s closest friend; does he know her better than anyone? He says, yes, and she ask if he can swear his best friend was insane when she assaulted Nelle.
On Monday, Anna asks Finn to stay, Nelle tells Michael his bitch mother got what she deserves, and Jason can’t answer the question.
🌈 Let Your Flag Fly…
My film recommendation for Pride month is Trick. I stumbled upon Trick by accident, when it aired on the Logo network. The title is somewhat misleading. It makes the movie sound like Cruising, but it’s really a sweet comedy. Gabriel (Christian Campbell) is trying to get his musical off the ground, and he’s also trying to get some alone time with his date, Mark (John Paul Pitoc). Gabe’s best friend is Katherine, played by Tori Spelling, who is surprisingly good, gives one of the funniest monologues in a diner ever. The title song to Gabe’s musical, Enter, You, might be stuck in your head for a while, but it’s not a bad thing. It’s rarely on television, but it’s on DVD and possibly On Demand. Whatever way you can find it, it’s worth watching. It will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.
If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud. – Emile Zola
Mason jars with a handle or wine stem cause me to lose faith in humanity. – Elon Musk
Watching the desperate relationship-challenged compete on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is like watching Hunger Games set in a sunny Hallmark version of a high school prom. — From the new Kareem Abdul-Jabber column on reality TV.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. — Albert Einstein
If you’re as honest and fair as you can be, not only in business but in life, things will work out. – Kate Spade
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Lulu tells Peter that Anna is helping her find Henrik.
Emma promises it will be the best show ever.
Julian tells Kim she looks spectacular, and she does, in a black sleeveless gown with gold sequined flowers, and blue tassel earrings. I love a tassel. He tells her pretty much anything can happen at the Nurses’ Ball.
Lucy is introduced. She says, while the glitz and glamour has its place, the real star quality is the desire to help each other. The nurses sing Everyday People, with Epiphany starting the song. Nurse Deanna also makes her debut. The choreography is pretty good. Confetti falls at the end.
Lucy thanks their sponsor Olay, and says 100% of the donations will be going to HIV/AIDS research and support. She tells everyone to mingle and get out their checkbooks. Jordan greets Chase, and he says he’s taking one for the team, even if the team doesn’t want to rehearse together. Curtis sees Stella, and says he didn’t expect her to be there. She says she got an offer she couldn’t refuse; Mike invited her. Curtis asks if she’s sticking around all night. She tells him that she’s not giving any thought to him and Jordan, and to just go on and have a good time.
Mike tells Sonny it’s great to have a date. Too bad Carly couldn’t be there. He asks where she is again, but Bobbie comes by, and asks if she can borrow Sonny. Mike says he’ll mingle; he doesn’t want his date getting jealous. Bobbie tells Sonny she can’t believe Carly is spending a second night in jail. Nelle baited her all afternoon, and Carly pushed back, but no way did she push her down the stairs. Sonny says he didn’t want to be there tonight, but his dad wanted to come. Bobbie has one of the best looks of the evening; a body-hugging royal blue gown, with a mermaid hem, open-shoulders, and bell sleeves. Along with the required tassel earrings in silver.
Emma asks if she’s going to have to confiscate Anna’s phone. Anna claims she’s trying to contact Robert, but Robin doesn’t buy it. She says either Anna is waiting to hear from Finn, or looking for Henrik.
Maxie tells Sam that she’s surprised Jason isn’t there. He doesn’t like formal events, but always makes an exception for the Nurses’ Ball. Nina says it’s a great turnout. Maxie says Nina should kick back and relax, but Nina says she’s performing later. Afterwards, Valentin is whisking her and Charlotte away for a mini vacation. She wonders if anyone has a cigarette. Peter tells her nobody smokes anymore; thank God he never did. She thanks him for saving her from herself. Peter steps away to make a call. Sam needs a drink.
Valentin is talking on the phone in French, when Peter interrupts, telling him to hang up now. Valentin finishes his call, and tells Peter that he’s rude. He’s planning a trip, and making the final arrangements. Peter says that Anna set him up, and Valentin knew about it. Valentin tells him to get a grip. Peter says she’s going to expose him, and Valentin is leaving him high and dry. It’s his fault. Sam watches them.
Alexis startles Sam, who says she’s nervous for her. Alexis says she’s nervous enough for herself. If it’s any consolation, Finn is introducing her. Sam asks how that happened, and Alexis thinks it was his idea. Sam is glad things are going well between them. Alexis is too.
Finn looks at Anna, and thinks about the will again. He goes to her table, and Emma asks why he doesn’t text; she needs to know what her grandma is up to. Anna says she can text just fine. Finn asks if Anna is performing, and she says she performed at last one.
Chase sits with Lulu. He asks if Dante is nervous, or is he used to performing? She’s like, um… and Lucy grabs Chase, saying she’s trying to keep the show moving. Dante brings Lulu a drink, and she says Chase thinks Dante is performing with him. Dante wonders where he got that idea.
Valentin knows Peter is rattled, but tells him not to do anything rash. He has too much at stake. Peter says Anna is making a fool out of Valentin, and he’s too infatuated to notice. He’s going to deal with Anna himself.
In the dressing room, Chase asks Dante why he’s not dressed, and where the other guys are. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he had to do this on his own. Dante says he’s sorry, and Chase asks if Dante is saying he is on his own.
Lucy introduces Chase. Dante tells him that whatever happens, it’s for a worthy cause. He sings Feel It Still, with a Dick Tracy motif. At least he has back-up singers/dancers. It’s a great number, and Finn actually smiles.
Sam sneaks around, and goes to Peter’s office. She thinks about Curtis saying what’s missing from dude’s background is his background.
Alexis tells Finn his brother is a hit, and asks if he can sing like that. He says not if his life depended on it. (Not since he was vampire Caleb on Port Charles anyway.)
Jordan tells Chase that she’s sorry he got set up, but he clearly turned the tables; he did the department proud. She tells Dante that he needs to take a page out of his partner’s book. Dante says, next year, and Chase tells him, no hard feelings. They shake hands. Curtis blows past Jordan, and Nina says she has to take care of something. Valentin says he’ll miss her, but after the Ball, she’s all his. She says, always, and he tells her he doesn’t think he could live without her and Charlotte. Nina says good thing he’ll never have to find out. She leaves, and he glares at Peter, who is looking at Anna.
Maxie tells Peter that she wants to say hi to Kim, and he says he has email to check. She tells him not to be a workaholic. He looks at the last email from Anna.
Sam looks through Peter’s stuff. Faison’s lighter is on his desk.
Lucy says the next performer is going to dazzle and delight them. She introduces Obstacle Illusion, and his assistant, Mirage. Nina comes out. She creates a puff of smoke, and Curtis appears. He asks, who’s ready for some magic? He turns his black scarf into rainbow colors, and then makes a bouquet of flowers appear. He asks, what good is a magic act without a card trick, and asks an audience member to pick a card before revealing that the cards are all attached. He tells Nina Mirage the stage is messy, and picks up some scraps of paper, turning them into a newspaper. He says he needs a volunteer, and Nina picks Jordan. Curtis claims they’ve never met before, but his mental skills tell him that she’s the police commissioner. Stella is hoping maybe he’ll saw her in half. Curtis quietly tells Jordan to just go with him. He and Nina put her in a large box, and he says he’s going to change her life. They twirl the box around, and Jordan comes back out. She says she feels the same, but has a silver dollar in her hand. Curtis says he’s been looking for that. If he rubs it, he can make whatever he wants. He turns it into a ring, and says the magic is already happening. They came back into each other’s lives, and found something miraculous. He doesn’t want to take the miracle for granted. He gets down on one knee, and asks her to believe in their magic and marry him. Stella is obviously disgruntled. Jordan says yes, and there’s applause and confetti. They kiss. There’s no applause from Stella, who tells Mike this is full of complications. He asks if she’s one of them, but she says it’s too much to go into. He tells her the graveyard is full of people who hold grudges. Take it from him, none of it matters.
Kim asks Maxie if she’s okay. Maxie says she’s trying not to be a nervous mom-to-be; the baby has been more active than usual. Kim tells her that’s normal, and the baby probably just wants to party. If Maxie needs to talk, come see her. Maxie says she’ll be fine.
Anna is back to staring at her phone, and Robin is like, mom… Anna says Emma isn’t there, so she’s not setting a bad example. Robin tells her to knock herself out; she’s going to mingle. Anna reads a message from Henrik: Midnight – Pier 55 – Come alone.
Maxie tells Peter the baby is fine; her, not so much. The proposal was beautiful, and she’s happy for them. Nathan would be too, if he was there, but he’s not. He’s gone, and sometimes it hits her. She leaves and Peter follows.
Sam totally misses seeing the lighter. Someone starts to open the door. The cleaning guy comes in, asking if anyone is there. Sam says just her. He asks where Peter is at, and she says, at the Ball. He asks, why isn’t she?
Sonny hugs Robin, who says she always feels Stone’s presence on this night. Sonny does too. He’s glad she could make it; it wouldn’t be the same without her. he wants to thank her for recognizing that his father was off. She wishes she’d been mistaken. Sonny says it scared the hell out of him. He didn’t want to come tonight because of Carly, but she insisted he come for his dad’s sake and his memories. Really? When was that? It was Stella who told him to do go.
Mike tells Stella that even if she doesn’t approve, she should give points to Curtis for style. She says style has never been his problem. He’s all flash and dazzle, and can charm birds from the trees. She bets Mike knows about that, but he says, according to his son, he’s an amateur.
Lulu tells Sonny that his son has egg on his face. Dante says he played a joke on Chase, but the joke was on him. He’d told Chase it was a group act. Lulu says, it’s karmic justice; he’s super talented. Dante says maybe not super, and Sonny asks if he’s jealous.
Finn slips out.
Lucy says there’s a slight change in the lineup. The next act can’t perform. Mac & Mr. Marvel are stranded out of town, so they’re going to make the award presentation. She needs Finn.
Backstage, Anna looks at the text from Henrik. Finn startles her. He says they can’t keep doing this.
Alexis says Finn must have stepped out, but Lucy needs to keep the show rolling. Molly says she can step in.
Peter asks Maxie if she’d be more comfortable in his office, and gives her a hanky. She says she’s fine; she has to stop this. He tells her not to be hard on herself. It’s been a tough night. He asks if he said something wrong, and she tells him that Nathan gave her his hanky the first night they met. She almost gave it away, but is glad Sam intervened. I’m surprised she can’t guess Peter and Nathan are related. What men carry hankies anymore?
Sam tells the cleaning guy that when you’re a boss, you never have the night off. She needs to pick up a file, and asks if he can come back later. She sees the lighter, and thinks about Peter saying no one smokes anymore, and thank God he never did.
Molly introduces Alexis. She says she’s watched and admired Alexis her whole life. As a lawyer, activist, and mom, she’s overcome personal and professional adversity.
Finn tells Anna now he knows why she’s been pushing him away. She asks how he found out. He says, so she admits it, and she tells him that she was afraid of what he’d think. He says all the time they wasted. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says if she can’t say it, he will. He knows she’s dying. Alexis overhears.
Molly wants to introduce her hero, role model, and mom; and the first recipient of the Port Charles Pioneer award. There’s applause, but no Alexis.
Finn tells Anna that they need to stop playing games with one another. She wonders why he’s carrying on, and he tells her that he still cares; he never stopped. He wouldn’t want anything to happen without her knowing how much he cares.
Valentin tells Nina they have to leave. They need to pick up Charlotte. She asks why they can’t go tomorrow, but he says he doesn’t want to. There’s nothing worth delaying the vacation of a lifetime.
Maxie promises to wash Peter’s hanky. She thinks she wants to go back in. She has to move around. The baby is being active, but the doctor says it’s a good thing. They go back in.
Sam picks up the lighter, and sees the initials CF. She says, Cesar Faison.
Tomorrow, Maxie asks Peter to take her home, Finn is sorry it took so long, and Sonny tells Stella it’s not good to show the world how you feel.
Southern Charm
Cameran calls mom Bonnie. She’s getting stuff together to go to the hospital. She has her last OB appointment and they might induce labor. Bonnie thinks she might be having contractions. Cameran feels tunnel-visioned and focused. She doesn’t want Bonnie being anxious and crazy, and Bonnie promises to be calm. It’s the last time Cameran is going to be in her house without a kid, and it’s something she never thought would happen.
Kathryn meets Chelsea and her roommate/trainer at the gym. Kathryn says her body has changed since having kids. The do some kettle bell work, and I approve. I love kettle bells. After the workout, Kathryn tells Chelsea that she’s feeling lonely. She has to learn how to get herself out there again. She tells Chelsea about Thomas flirting with her in front of Ashley. She says he likes making two girls jealous of one another. In her interview, she says she has Thomas where she wants him; it’s almost like a formula. You gotta do what you gotta do.
Craig meets Austen at the park, and they go for a run. Austen says Victoria texted him after a party and said she wanted to come over. He’d been dating her and everything was fine until he realized he still had feelings for Chelsea. When they’re together, there’s flirtation that builds, but then plateaus. He thinks she’s not interested. Craig says they don’t have the same lifestyle; that’s why he and Naomie broke up. Austen says he wants to keep the friendship with Chelsea, but he and Victoria mesh. Craig thinks they both need to man up and move on.
Naomie’s roommate, Wilson, helps her fold sheets. She’s glad Craig wasn’t at the Nico opening, since she could concentrate on herself instead of them fighting. She went to business school, since she wanted to run her own company one day, and it’s time to prove herself.
Shep calls his dad, Rip. Shep and Rip. No words. Shep’s brother is having a child, and Shep says Rip must be relieved the Rose name will live on. He thinks it’s obvious he won’t have a traditional life, but thinks he might have anxiety about it as he gets older. His investment in bars was unhealthy, so now he’s renovating his house on the beach for rental. He calls it mailbox money – setting things up so you can do what you want and still get income.
Patricia meets with stylist Madison at Gwynn’s for Ashley’s make-over. Patricia doesn’t usually do personal styling, but is making an exception. Otherwise, Thomas will be on Medicare before he gets married. Ashley arrives. She sees Patricia’s ring, and asks her to go ring shopping with her when the time comes. Ashley models some outfits. The stylist puts her in Chanel with Jimmy Choo shoes. Ashley says she feels like a Barbie doll, and Patricia tells her to never refer to herself that way. Champagne is popped. With another outfit, Ashley feels like Pretty Woman, and that reference gets a no as well. Patricia asks if she and Thomas have talked about making it permanent. Ashley says she didn’t move across the country for no reason. Patricia says if and when it goes on too long, if you have to give an ultimatum, so be it. She asks if Ashley is going to start her career there, but Ashley makes some excuse about getting her license. Patricia tells her not to make the mistake of playing house and quitting her job; she thinks it’s burdensome to men. In her interview, Patricia says she knows how to close the deal, and dated her current fiancé four months before he asked her to marry him. She tells Ashley that it makes women more attractive to have a life. It tips the scale, and he’ll want her on a permanent basis. In her interview, Patricia says, she’s had successes, andthe proof is in the pudding. The bill comes to over ten grand, and Patricia says, thank you, Thomas.
Chelsea calls brother Kyle who invites her to join him the tiki bar. She’s waiting for a call or text about Cameran’s baby. In her interview, she says when she lived with Cameran, Kyle was their third roommate. She’d been secretly hoping Cameran would date him. She’s going to Hilton Head in a couple of days with Shep and the gang, and wants to see their old house nearby. He asks if she’s going to introduce Shep to their family. She asks if a certain aunt still has all the cats. He says she has twenty raccoons now.
Shep meets Whitney and Thomas for drinks. Thomas says he’s happy with what he’s got. Whitney hasn’t seen any drawbacks. Thomas says they’re the same with all women – you can’t date. Shep says she can withstand the madness, and Thomas says she can handle Kathryn. They’ve been getting along better than they ever have, and he says when they were together, the pressure was on them from day one. He talks about them spontaneously hooking up on occasion. In his interview, Shep thinks Thomas is still drawn to Kathryn. She’s hot and witty, but there’s something vulnerable about her that makes you want to make sure she’s okay. He asks if Thomas was walking the razor’s edge flirting with her at the party.
Kathryn wasn’t expecting to get any sort of job at Gwynn’s, but was offered an internship. They start off with a styling exercise. Madison gives Kathryn a customer profile, and tells her what the customer wants. She’s a solid ten nervous. The only store she’s worked in is an ice cream shop. There was no pattern or reasoning to the jobs she’s had; she just picked a job and went with it. She loves clothes and fashion, and knows she has potential. She just has to find the right fit. She shows Madison what she’s picked out and why. Madison tells her to think outside the box, and suggests more color and accessories. She loves where Kathryn’s head is at, and it’s a good start.
Austen meets Victoria for dinner. They order ceviche. Victoria talks about her job and suggests coming over on her two-hour lunch break. She asks what Austen wants, and he says he wants to be with her. She asks when he realized this. He sees them giving it a shot, but she wants to make sure he won’t freak out again. She wants his loyalty and to be able to trust him. He says he doesn’t think Chelsea as feelings for him, and Victoria says they’re either together or not. He says they are, and apologizes for his indecision. She accepts, but says it won’t be accepted again. My mind wanders to how these people eat outside a lot of the time, and that leads me to the thought that I’d love to live there, but it’s too damn hot.
Patricia gets ready for an Asian-themed dinner. Whitney puts the fortunes in the cookies. It’s an all-male dinner, and we flash back to others she’s had. She asks if her kimono makes her butt look big.
Thomas arrives first. He and Whitney discuss their suits, and Patricia calls them two vanity prone males. Austen is next, followed by JD (bleh). Thomas says he and Ashley had a quarrel. They were at a piano bar, and she wanted to leave, but he was having a good time. He told her he’s not putting up with this crap. He’s fifty-five, and doesn’t want her hovering over him. Patricia says she’s just looking out for him, but he says he doesn’t want to be controlled. Shep comes in, and Patricia asks where Craig is. Shep says he’s probably sewing her an excuse.
Craig walks in, and says it looks like the Oxford Club. When Shep asks what’s going on, he says he’s just living life. He wants a dog, but travels too much, and Naomie got the cat. Thomas asks if he has visitation rights. Austen says he has a date with Victoria, and Patricia asks what happened to Chelsea. He tells Patricia that he’s moved on.
Dinner is served. Whitney says it’s vegan, and most beneficial for healthfulness and mindfulness. The chef explains the dishes. Shep thought tempeh was a city in Arizona. Everyone declares the food delicious. Patricia hopes every year that the guys get over their Peter Pan Syndrome, but thinks it goes into perpetuity. She says woman ruined their possibilities of getting married because they act like wives with no commitment. In her era, you were a spinster after thirty, admitting they do get worried about the biological clock. Thomas why they can’t have as many wives as they can afford, because he’s an idiot. Patricia tells them about the shopping trip with Ashely. Thomas says it went to five figures, and Patricia says she didn’t ask the price of anything because it’s tacky. Rich people problems. JD’s fortune cookie says his prescription for Adderall is running low. Ha-ha! How about giving him something to knock him out? Thomas opens his, and it says, every exit is an entrance to new experiences. Craig says if that was the case, he’d have fewer kids. Thomas tells them that Ashley wants a child, and Craig asks if she’s using birth control. Thomas says, no, and I wonder why him using it isn’t an option. Patricia says Ashley loved her ring, and Thomas says they’d have to go to the Smithsonian to get one. While he’s talking, Thomas slips, and says Kathryn instead of Ashley.
Kathryn leaves a message for Thomas, asking if he wants to have dinner.
Cameran is back home. The doctor put her on a drip to have contractions, but her body wasn’t having it. Her cervix is like a steel trap. She did a walk of shame out of the hospital with no baby. The doctor told her to wait, and she’ll come when she’s ready. In her interview, Cameran says she’s been pregnant too long, and needs this baby out of her.
Kathryn meets Thomas at a restaurant for dinner. Outside. He points out that they both wore green. She fixes his hair. Sometimes, they really are like an old married couple. They decide to split the fish special. What did I just say? Kathryn wants to be honest, and says Thomas posted a photo of him, Ashley, and the kids on social media, and it hurt her feelings. She was brokenhearted, and just lying on the couch, numb. It looked like a family photo. Thomas sincerely gets it, and apologizes. He realizes it’s hard for her, and will be more respectful.
They discuss Saint’s birthday. It’s on a Thursday, and Kathryn asks if he’d be interested in helping her plan something for Sunday. She wants to show the kids they can be friends. He tells her about Kensie asking why they’re not together. Kathryn starts to say, she wishes, and Thomas interrupts, saying, they could get back together? She says, no. She means it when she says she wants them to be friends and get along. They shake on it. She fixes his hair again.
Next time, Naomie brings kitty Gizmo to Craig as a peace offering, Ashley doesn’t want to be excluded from Saint’s birthday, Victoria asks if Austen has talked to Chelsea about them, and the trip to Hilton Head happens.
🐎 Thought on Westworld. How come no one is like, hey, you don’t look like you belong here?
🎬 Bryan Cranston is a never-ending font of talent. I watched Trumbo last weekend, and he blew me away again. The film centers around Dalton Trumbo, Hollywood’s greatest screenwriter, until he was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities committee during the McCarthy era. An excellent depiction of a paranoia that cost people their livelihoods, but also of the man himself. I was riveted.
Have a Fabulous Fourth!
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 