Category Archives: movies

Jan30

January 29, 2016 — GH x 2 + Chefs x 2 + 1 Unfriend + 3 Quotes

Posted on January 30, 2016 by theresakp

What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

General Hospital – Thursday

Sam comes into the hospital. Franco is at the desk and asks her if she’d like to go for coffee.

Elizabeth is trying to get Jake to do something normal, but since he’s gone to the darkside, he doesn’t want to. Jason stops by. Elizabeth says it was an uneventful night.

Morgan wants to move out of the friend zone with Kiki, but she says she’s working and doesn’t want to talk about it right now.

The hospital commissioner tells Anna and Robert she’s never met the couple who was scheduled. She tells them the fake names that Carrrlos and Sabrrrina gave the hospital. Since they weren’t too creative, the last name is Rivera and Anna and Robert know it’s them immediately. They ask for any information the commissioner has.

Sabrrrina says that after what happened to Gabriel, she’s not getting in a car. Carrrlos has to take a call. It’s Paul, who tells him that he’d best not call, write or send smoke signals, because if Anna doesn’t catch him, Sonny will.

The commissioner says she can’t give out patient information or the clinic can get into trouble. Anna and Robert tell her that Carrrlos is a murdering fugitive who has Sabrrrina as a hostage.

Paul says Carrrlos needs to disappear now. Carrrlos says Sabrrrina can’t travel and he’s not going without her. He says that Paul had better hope Anna doesn’t catch him, or he won’t be the only one going to prison.

Sonny’s steps weren’t exactly legit. He was just holding himself up. He gets all stupid and feeling sorry for himself. Carly says she knows he’s impatient, but it’s still fantastic that he can stand. Sonny tells Carly not to tell anyone, especially the kids.

Morgan says he and Kiki share a bond. She says they do, but it’s better as friends. He says he’s dug deep in therapy and he knows what he wants and it’s her. That’s right. What it takes most people years to do, he’s done in only two sessions. Now I want to ask him if he’s taking his meds.

Sam says the courts might have given Franco a free pass, but she never will. She says she has bigger problems than him, and he says yeah, like Elizabeth.

Jake gives Jason a picture he drew and says Jason should hang it above where he and mom sleep. Jason is like, we’ve been over this already, and Jake asks him if he’s moving back in.

Sonny makes Carly promise not to tell what she thinks she saw. He says she takes something she wants to happen and makes it a reality in her head. He says a whole bunch of ridiculous things about people encouraging him because he’s weak. He tells Carly she has to respect his choice.

Jason once again tells Jake that he loves him, but he and Elizabeth aren’t getting married and he’s not moving in. Jake wants to know the details, but Elizabeth says it’s a grown-up thing.

Franco says Sam should be more gracious in her victory and cut Elizabeth some slack. He also tells her that she doesn’t have a monopoly on redemption. He says he’s trying to help Elizabeth. Sam suggests he’s the one breaking in.

The commissioner says all they have is the couple’s name. She says the appointment was made through their online booking system. Anna says she needs the IP address and Robert wants to talk to the clinic’s IT guy. Anna’s phone rings and it’s Paul asking if she misses him.

Carrrlos says Sabrrrina is his hero. He admires how she left everything to go with him and says they’re going to have an amazing life. He says he’s put away some money over the years in a Grand Keys account. He says they can go there and make a personal withdrawal. He says it’s warm, tropical and beautiful and they can stay there as long as she wants. I’m totally ready to go.

Anna asks if everything is ok. Paul says, you tell me. He asks if she’s in Berkeley right now and she says yes.

Sabrrrina says she realizes love is all that matters.

Carly says she won’t tell anyone on one condition. She wants to know if his pride is keeping him from accepting help. She doesn’t want his progress impeded because he wants to do it himself. He says Epiphany is up to speed.

Morgan says he’s just poured his heart out and deserves an explanation as to why Kiki is blowing him off. She says she doesn’t know him anymore. She says whenever she sees him, she has to wonder which Morgan she’s getting that day. She says she has enough uncertainty in her life and can’t be with a stranger. Is he going to get stupid now? He takes disappointment about as well as Sonny does.

Jason asks Elizabeth if therapy is helping Jake at all. She says it seems to be and he asks if he should come in for the next session. Elizabeth says not until the doctor thinks it’s time. Jason says he’ll just concentrate on his own therapy right now then. He says he’s about to start hypnosis. Elizabeth asks why, and Jason tells her he had another memory. She’s pretty disappointed to find out it was about him and Sam.

Franco doesn’t know what Sam is talking about. Sam tells him about Jake’s New Year’s Eve scare and the break-in. He says that kind of stuff is beneath him and Sam says maybe Elizabeth was behind him doing it.

Franco asks exactly what she’s accusing him of. He says he likes his life and doesn’t want Jason or anyone else to screw with it. He adds that Elizabeth wouldn’t terrorize her own children and Jake has enough problems.

Elizabeth gets nosy about Jason’s memory. He tells her about it and she says it sounds like he’s making progress. He says he hopes the hypnosis will push him through. She says even though she didn’t want him to remember before, but she does now. Not for his sake of course, but she wants him to know that she’s not all bad. She says despite what’s happened, she’s his friend. With friends like that, etc.

Sonny says he has to do things on his own terms. Carly says she won’t tell anyone. She says that he’s too arrogant for her to pity him. He says thanks for believing in him and Carly says she always has. Max has to talk to Sonny, so Carly leaves. Sonny tells Max he lied to Carly about not getting his legs back, when he is.

Paul tells Anna that they need to talk about her future. She says she realizes she took some personal time, but is she doing that badly at her job? He says it doesn’t seem to be working for either one of them, but he wants to arrange it so it does. When Anna hangs up, she tells Robert that Paul is on to her.

Sabrrrina says Carrrlos must want a boy, but he says wrong, he’s just hoping for a healthy baby, but if he had his wish it would be a daughter. He could love and spoil her and she’d never have to be lonely or afraid and would never know the mistakes he made. Sabrrrina says it will be fine until she’s a teenager and they make some silly things up about the boys she’d date. Carrrlos says maybe when she’s in her 30s, she’ll meet someone who’s almost good enough for her. Sabrrrina asks what if it’s a boy? Carrrlos says he’ll learn that character is the most important thing and his life will mean something. Sabrrrina says she thinks it’s time to push.

Morgan says Kiki is right and that he doesn’t even know himself. He says he’s learning to live with his illness day by day and is starting to feel like a normal person. He says they can be friends, but he thinks they’re just hiding their true feelings.

Sam asks Franco what’s up with Jake. He says if Jakes parents want to tell her, that’s one thing, but he’s not telling her anything. He says she has issues to work out but making a scapegoat of Elizabeth isn’t going to help

Elizabeth says she’s really not a terrible person and she doesn’t want Jason to hate her. He says he doesn’t; she’s the mother of his son and that’s who they need to focus on right now. Elizabeth has to go to work, but the sitter is late. Jake says he’ll stay until she gets there.

Boom! The baby’s here. Sabrrrina asks if it’s a boy or a girl, and Carrrlos doesn’t say anything. She asks for the baby and when he still doesn’t respond, she knows something is wrong.

Anna says she knows what Paul is implying and she has to go back and do damage control. Robert says the phone was traced to a hotel and they’re getting Carrrlos once and for all.

Sonny says the only ones who know are Max and Epiphany. Max says that’s not fair to Carly. Sonny says he doesn’t want his enemies to know he’s improving. He says he doesn’t want Carly involved in the business, even in keeping secrets. Max asks what the plan is. Sonny says when he’s on his feet, he’s taking back the city and getting rid of the unsavory elements, which sounds funny coming from him. He says to let them think he’s helpless, weak and trapped in the chair, and one day they’ll be in for a surprise.

Kiki says she’s proud of Morgan and can’t wait to see which Morgan he becomes. She says she’s not ready for a relationship, but she’ll go on a date with him. No expectations.

Max tells Sonny about that the guns Raj is moving are high grade military weapons. Sonny wonders why Ava is involved. He says she’s putting Avery in danger and he’s not letting his baby girl get hurt.

Anna and Robert bust into the hotel room, but Sabrrrina and Carrrlos are gone. As they’re about to leave, two cops barrel in with their guns drawn.

Jason looks at Jake’s drawings. They all seem normal until he gets to the last one, which is the drawing of Sam. Franco is also looking through Jakes drawings in his medical folder. They’re all weird. Jason trips down Memory Lane in his head and realizes the drawing is of Sam. Jake asks if he likes the pictures.

Tomorrow, Jason questions Jake about the picture and Lulu asks for help getting Dante back.

Random Thought

I don’t know what it is, but I’m just not into American Idol this time around. Did it start happening when we lost Simon? Randy? Stephen Tyler? Did it happen when they stopped showing us the worst of the worst? That was actually the best. Was it that they just couldn’t top season 10? Scotty McCreery for the win, Haley Reinhart who I loved to hate, and Lady Gaga playing at the part where they bring in the celebrities. Maybe it was all downhill from there. Or maybe since I know it’s the final go around, I just don’t want to invest any more time.

Regardless, although I’m only half-watching, it’s always hard to say good-bye to an institution. Idols, we salute you.

Unfriended

Occasionally, I’ll write about a movie I’ve seen that’s exceptional. This is one of them.

The title is somewhat unfortunate. When I first heard it, I figured the movie would be some kind of cheap stalker film like Swimfan. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. I’d previously read that it was better than its title, and had been shown at Sundance under the title Cybernatural.

This is a real ghost story in every sense of the word. What makes the film unique is that It all takes place on a computer screen, there’s no action outside of that. For some reason, this makes it even more frightening. Maybe because I spend so much time on here.

A group of friends is video chatting and a stranger joins them. A stranger with only an icon for a face. Our POV is that of the main character, Blaire, and we go through her discovery that the stranger is a dead friend, one that committed suicide because of cyber-bullying. It’s eventually revealed that this ghost is going to pick them off one by one.

What I really loved about this film was how real the computer screen seemed. It’s totally plausible how Blaire is going through her social media — Facebook, video chat, YouTube and text chat – as well as clicking on links she receives through them. No Twitter is used. I’m guessing because that’s such a public forum, and we’re made to feel that the characters are trapped in their private world. Even the way Blaire’s cursor moves around is incredibly real, and the way she writes messages, changing her mind about what she’s going to say and hesitating to hit send.

There’s a minimal amount of gore, again seen only on the computer screen. It’s made all the more creepy because we rarely see anything clearly with pixels breaking up.

So much better than I thought it would be, Unfriended captured and held my attention all the way through. The premise is unique, the story is intense and the acting is superb. It’s on HBO rotation now, and I highly recommend giving it a look. Although you might not want to get online for a while afterwards.

General Hospital – Friday

Dante is about to sign the divorce papers, when Mayor Lomax knocks on the door. She wants to have a conversation away from the public. She insists on Dante getting Olivia to drop the lawsuit.

Alexis is going over the case with Olivia. She says she expects a lot of supporters, and she hopes the mayor doesn’t fill the audience with her lackeys. Olivia is surprised that people watch a trial because she lives at the MetroCourt and has no clue as to how the outside world works.

Lulu asks Maxie to help her get Dante back.

Christina is packing her suitcase to fake going back to school. Sam tells her she should tell Alexis she’s been suspended and that she isn’t going to be able to keep it up forever. Christina says she’ll get an apartment and a job and go back next semester. Sam tells Christina she had a distressing conversation with Franco. Christina asks why she’s even speaking to Franco, and Sam says she had to talk to him because of Jake.

Franco tells Elizabeth that art therapy might help Jake with his feelings. He suggests they start today. Elizabeth asks why it’s so urgent.

Jason asks Jake who the woman in his drawing is supposed to be, although he has a pretty good idea already that it’s Sam.

Dante tells the mayor he knows all about what happened and he supports Olivia 100%. She says that she’s had her mind on budget cuts. He asks if she’s threatening him with his job. She says that would be unethical, but she was looking over his folder and sees that he’s involved with the Big Brother program. The one for kids, not the reality show. She says a lot of the funding comes from the city, and that protecting the program would be quid pro quo. He says she can’t buy him and to get out before he reports her. She wonders how his wife stays with him. How is she totally out of that loop?

Lulu says Dante thinks there’s no way back because of what they’ve discovered about themselves – he cheated and she sought revenge – and doesn’t want it spilling over on Rocco. Lulu tells Maxie about how Valerie called it quits before the whole Johnny debacle happened. She says she came to realize that one act doesn’t define their marriage. Lulu tells Maxie she has a plan to surprise Dante at the loft, but she stupidly threw away her key when she got mad. Maxie says she’s on thin ice with Nathan , but she would still borrow the key if she knew where it was. She says she knows someone else with a key though.

Olivia says everyone is staring at her and they are. She says they’re not looking at her face either. She says when she gets a cancelation, she wonders if it’s because of the lawsuit. She thinks maybe she didn’t think things through and that she s not sure if she wants to be the poster child for public breastfeeding.

A woman, who obviously recognizes Olivia, approaches their table. Alexis tries to stop her from speaking, but she says Olivia needs to know something from her.

Franco tells Elizabeth that someone else was concerned about Jake’s artwork. She asks who and if he spoke to the therapist. After hemming & hawing, Franco tells Elizabeth he talked to Sam about the drawings.

Christina asks why Sam was discussing Jake with Franco. She says she thought maybe Franco was in cahoots with Elizabeth, but they ended up talking about Jake. Franco let slip Jake is in therapy, but wouldn’t tell her why. Christina tells Sam to mind her own business and not get involved with Elizabeth’s kid drama.

Jake waffles on who the woman in the drawing is and settles on it’s just a bad woman he made up. Jason says Jake can always tell him anything and asks again who it is.

The stranger says what Olivia is doing is wonderful. She says she would have liked to do the same in her day and thanks Olivia for standing up for a basic right for all mothers. The entire place applauds, and we see where Dante got his jumping to conclusions from. Alexis says they’ll get support, but there will also be antagonists. Olivia realizes the lawsuit isn’t just for her, because she lives in the same bubble that Glinda the Good Witch of the North lives in. Alexis says they’ll win, assuming Olivia is still on board and Olivia says hell yes.

Alexis leaves and Lulu sits down. She tells Olivia she needs help in saving her marriage. Olivia says she’s disappointed in her.

Dante says he knows what the mayor is doing and that she’d like him to do something stupid, but his mother’s lawsuit is going to take care of everything. He tells her again to get out and she’s says he’s a lousy husband and a rotten son, because she doesn’t know he’s really a cheating, waffling loser.

Jason asks again about the picture. Jake now insists it’s a bad woman from a video game. Jason asks to see the game and Jake says he doesn’t remember which one it is. Jason says again that Jake can tell him anything and asks if he can take the picture. Jake asks if he’s mad. Jason says no, the picture is just interesting and if Jake remembers more, to tell him. Someone is at the door. It’s the sitter, and of course Jake whines for Jason to stay.

Elizabeth asks if Sam told him she suspects that Elizabeth broke into her own house. Franco tells her she suspected him too. Franco keeps trying to tell her something about Jake, but she won’t hear it. She says she’s not discussing Jake with him and he’d better not discuss her son with anyone else.

Christina says Sam is just going to make trouble for herself. Sam asks if Christina thought she was treated unfairly with being suspended and is there something she’s not talking about. Christina says Sam knows everything , and repeats what happened to catch everyone up. Sam isn’t buying it that’s all there is to the story.

Olivia says she tried to tell Dante that they should work things out. Lulu tells her about the key. She says if Olivia wants to help save their marriage, she needs the loft key.

Sam tells Christina to call her if she needs anything and that Sam has her back. She adds she’s going to take Christina’s advice. She says Elizabeth is so manipulative, it will backfire; she’ll hold it against Sam and try to get Jason to do the same. Christina says Elizabeth is the type of woman who acts all helpless when they’re really yanking the guy’s chain. Sam says she’s going to talk to Elizabeth. Like that’s ever helped before.

The sitter is covered with silly string. She goes to the bathroom to clean up and Jake examines a marble coaster carefully.

Jason comes to the hospital and says he needs to talk to Elizabeth. He shows her the drawing. He says Jake told him at first it was a real person, and then said it was a video game character. He thinks Jake lying to him is cause for concern and they need to get him help right away. Franco hears him and seconds the motion.

Dante tells Olivia that she and Alexis must be doing a good job, because the mayor tried to get him to talk her out of the lawsuit. He also wants to know if she’s been bothering Olivia. Olivia says no, and asks what else is up. Dante asks if she’s seen Lulu.

Lulu and Maxie go to the loft. Lulu asks Maxie to set a romantic stage. Maxie says she could do that herself, so why is she really there? Lulu wants her opinion about a red slip dress she has on under her coat. Maxie says it’s beautiful even if it isn’t this season. Lulu says it’s the dress she was wearing when she told Dante she was pregnant. She says they went through a lot of heartache trying to have a baby, but finally got Rocco. She wants to remind him of the good in their lives and how they achieved something when they worked together. Maxie says Lulu definitely has a chance. They start getting the candles out.

Maxie opens a drawer and the divorce papers are there.

Alexis gets home before Christina leaves. She says it makes her sad when Christina to see her go. She says she wishes it was like when Christina was little and they were close. Alexis tells Christina she can always tell her anything

Jason asks Franco if he’s been eavesdropping. Franco says he knows Jake needs help. Jason tells him to butt out and he says fine, he tried. Elizabeth stops him from leaving and the three of them go into a private room. She asks Franco what he was trying to tell her. Franco shows them the folder with the morbid drawings.

Jake is looking out a broken window. I assume he used the coaster. He deliberately (?) cuts himself on the jagged glass. Or maybe he’s just stupid and wanted to check how sharp it was. There’s a knock at the door and it’s Sam. She asks him what happened to his hand.

Olivia tells Dante that Lulu was there with Maxie earlier. She asks if he has any thoughts on what they’d discussed earlier. He says he had the divorce papers drawn up. Olivia says she meant for him to think about it for more than 10 minutes. He says he didn’t do anything with them yet and Olivia says give it time.

Lulu says Dante hasn’t signed the papers, so there’s still a chance for him to change his mind. She tells Maxie to work her magic on the atmosphere.

Christina tells Alexis some baloney about how she supports Alexis’s marriage to Julian and she’s happy for her even if her dad isn’t. Alexis says she knows something else is going on. Christina says no, that’s it, and she hopes Alexis’s good luck rubs off on her in the love department. Alexis tells her she can bring a date to the wedding.

Jake says someone threw a rock through the window. Sam asks if he saw someone throw the rock. He says yes, but Sam says there’s no rock and there’s no glass on the floor, so it came from inside the house.

Franco says it doesn’t take an expert to see Jake is upset about something. Jason says he’s not a doctor. Franco says no, but he’s an artist and he knows that Jake is in distress. He says pictures that show this much anxiety and rage mean he’s already acting out.

Sam tries to talk to Jake and he runs downstairs to the basement.

The mayor approaches Olivia and Olivia asks how she dare shake Dante down. The mayor says she was merely visiting a city employee, and by the way, all city functions in the hotel are canceled until the lawsuit is settled. Olivia is like, you can’t do that, and the mayor says, you want a war, you got one.

Dante comes in to the loft. Lulu, standing there in her red dress, asks him if he remembers that night in August. He says yes, he does, and what is she doing there. She tells him trying to save their marriage.

Alexis says good-bye to Christina and leaves. As Christina opens the door, a woman is standing there. She addresses the woman as Parker and I go, oooh.

Jason says there’s never been an intruder; it’s Jake. He says Franco is right and that Jake needs a lot of help. I’m impressed that he got it this quickly. He’s no dummy.

Sam follows Jake, saying that no one will be mad at him. She falls down the stairs and lies unconscious at the bottom.

On Monday, Nina wants to help Olivia and Jake looms over Sam’s unconscious body. As much as a kid can loom anyway.

MasterChef Junior

It’s the finale and we’re down to 9-year-old Addison (Addy, who’s won more challenges than anyone else) and 9-year-old Avery. Family and friends are there to cheer the girls on. Brava, young ladies!

The first challenge is to make a 3-course dinner. I take a last, longing look at the pantry. Addy is going the pan Asian seafood route and Avery has chosen a Creole creation. They have 90 minutes. The heartland versus the bayou.

Uh-oh, Addy gets cut. I mean cut with a knife, not cut from the competition. She’s cool though. She falls a little behind, but sucks it up and soldiers on. When the girls get to creating their desserts, I almost go out of my mind because everything looks so fresh and delicious. OMG – Avery is “elevating” a strawberry rhubarb shortcake. I wouldn’t even know what to do with the rhubarb. These kids are just amazing, especially since the people in the gallery cheering them on are really boisterous.

Of course all the dishes are fabulous – even more so for 9-year-olds – and Gordon says it’s the closest it’s ever been. Once again, it’s down to details I wouldn’t have a clue about. The judges switch places with the girls so that they can get some well deserved applause. I love how they never talk down to the kids and treat them with respect. They made the show fun for the junior contestants, but the challenges were just as tough as with the adult MasterChef.

MY GIRL ADDY WINS!!! I feel so proud. She gives props to Avery and says that either one of them would have deserved it today. I hope Avery takes that to heart. I’m sure she’s disappointed, but she’s already further ahead in her culinary skills than most of us could ever hope to be, even if we lived forever.

Well played, junior chefs!

Quotes of the Week from The People’s Couch

This whole thing is a nerdgasm. Blake referring to the return of The X-Files.

It’s never good when a guy’s holding his junk walking in. Joe Resnick, referring to an episode of Sex Sent Me to the ER.

Think of every great person on the planet. If they didn’t get yelled at they’d be average as hell. Lamont Zeno, referring to a contestant on Pitch Slapped.

Jan21

January 20, 2016 — GH & Oscar Gripe Part Two

Posted on January 21, 2016 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

General Hospital

Nina tells Franco that the magazine circulation is up, and people are even renewing their subscriptions. She thinks Julian is going to be thrilled. Guess again.

Julian and Nina have an interview with the Financial Times and Nina will pitch her new ideas. Julian is convinced the green issue of Crimson is a fluke. Olivia calls and tells Julian she has an emergency. Apparently so, since she’s handcuffed to a chair in the police station. Baby Leo is with her in a stroller, but it seems he’s not charged with anything, or they couldn’t find a pair of handcuffs that small.

Doc tells Elizabeth that with some time and treatment, Jake should be fine, but he’s worried about her.

Jason and Sam run into each other at the MetroCourt. Everyone not only eats there, but lives there now. Sam says Dr. Sheinberg is going to save the day with his statement.

Andre rings Anna’s doorbell. She tells him it’s not the best time. Robert comes downstairs and Anna realizes Andre is Robert’s contact regarding Carrrlos.

Sabrrrina answers the phone and it’s Felix. He tells her about Michael stopping by and saying he made a mistake in breaking up with her. She gets excited about this. Hmm… Hot, suave and exciting Carrrlos or boring, so-so looking and unsympathetic Michael.

Andre has a connection to the WSB and Anna asks if that’s how he knew so much about her. He says he never read her file, but knew her reputation. Robert is surprised they know one another. Andre says they’ve seen each other around, but Anna confesses he was her therapist.

Julian and Alexis come to the police station. Olivia tells them what happened, but not quite. Alexis asks if she was arrested for breastfeeding in public, but the mayor pops out and says Olivia has been arrested for assaulting her.

Jason says he wishes there was another witness. Sam says they don’t need one. Jason says he isn’t thinking about his own assault charges, but the break-ins at Elizabeth’s. I guess he thinks there’s a connection there?

Doc asks Elizabeth about the whole wedding debacle, and he says on top of everything, she’s having problems with a stalker, so she’s bound to be seriously stressed. He also says he knows her history.

Nina is doubting herself and Franco says she single-handedly saved the magazine. Nina thinks she was a one hit wonder, and says she’d better come up with some decent ideas before the interview. Franco has to leave, but he tells her she can do it.

Olivia says she didn’t assault anyone. The mayor says she was verbally assaulted. Since when can you be arrested for that? We’d all be in jail. Olivia says she lost her temper a little. The mayor says it wasn’t a little, but Olivia says she’s Italian and it was. The mayor tells an officer to take Olivia to her cell. Alexis says she’s now Olivia’s lawyer and she’s not going anywhere.

Andre has created a profile for Carrrlos, and says it will help determine what he would do. He says Carrrlos is also traveling with Sabrrrina and his child, so he’s going to become increasingly desperate.

Carrrlos walks in while Sabrrrina is talking to Felix, so she gets off the phone. Carrrlos says talking to Felix is a bad idea.

Jason tells Sam about the break-in. She asks if he talked to Jake, and Jason says he’s a mixed up kid and said that she did it.

Doc tells Elizabeth that her level of stress could send her into another breakdown. He says high levels of stress often precipitate conditions someone has already. He tells her if she’s feeling overly stressed, to call for help. She says she will, but IMO that’s highly doubtful.

Jason says Jake is just confused and angry at the situation, and there’s no way to really explain things to him. He says Jake is seeing a therapist today, but he wishes he could figure out what’s going on. Sam says it sounds like a personal issue. Jason wonders who might have a vendetta against him. Oh come on. I know he remembers very little of his past, but does he really need to ask this question?

Elizabeth gives Jake some coloring stuff, and talks to the therapist. She says they have more trust building to do, and all he wanted to talk about was his father. She recommends art therapy in conjunction with talk therapy. Franco sees Jake coloring and asks how it’s going.

Sabrrrina says Felix called her, but Carrrlos says anytime the phone is used, it’s a risk. Sabrrrina says she’s having a hard time getting used to life on the run. She also tells him Anna is looking for her.

Andre and Anna discuss various particulars of Sabrrrina’s and Carrrlos’s personalities. Andre says Carrrlos will want to be in a place with adequate medical care, since Sabrrrina is close to her due date . Anna adds that at this point, Sabrrrina can’t fly.

Brady from the Financial Times comes to Nina’s office. She tells him Julian is tied up and they should reschedule. Brady says they don’t have to because Nina is the brains behind the operation. Nina wants Maxie in on the meeting, but Brady says he wants to know how she came up with the green issue and what she’s doing for an encore. While I don’t pretend to know anything about magazine publication, but I don’t think you’d be giving away future ideas in an interview.

Alexis asks the mayor what the subject was of the verbal assault. The mayor says it doesn’t matter because she’s extremely clueless. Alexis sets the scene and says the mayor did exactly what she’s accusing Olivia of and when Olivia tried to remove herself from the situation, she jostled the table. She tells the mayor that breastfeeding is legal and she’s the one who should have been arrested for harassing Olivia. She says if it goes to court, she’ll make sure this comes out.

Julian suggests that there must be a way to work things out. He says he doesn’t want a scandal that will bury the mayor. Leo starts whining and Olivia wants to feed him. The officer asks where the bottle is, and Olivia says in her bra and that if she was feeding him with a bottle, they wouldn’t be here in the first place. Alexis helps her finagle the baby, since she’s still handcuffed.

Nina tells Brady about her vision of the green issue. She says she wants the next issue to reflect the readership that made the green issue a success. Brady asks about the readers and Nina makes something up after looking at a soda ad, using words like “effervescent.” Brady says he knows exactly what she’s up to.

Sam brings up Franco and tells Jason about how Franco had a brain tumor removed and changed his life around. She says she still thinks he’s dangerous, but wouldn’t jeopardize his new life to get back at Jason.

Elizabeth balks at Jake having therapy with Franco. Both Doc and the therapist say Franco gets results and they would never put Jake in danger.

Andre, Anna and Robert come to the conclusion that Sabrrrina and Carrrlos are in Canada.

Sabrrrina says Anna was under the impression that Carrrlos was still alive. Carrrlos says she has no reason to, and they have to get used to their new life. If I was with Carrrlos, I’d get used to it really quick. He says he’s going to make sure Sabrrrina and the baby have everything they need, and doesn’t know what she sees in Port Charles anyway. Well, it does have the MetroCourt, all things to all people. He says she has to say good-by to everyone she knew there. I assume he means figuratively.

Brady says he knows Nina is going to reflect the glamour of real women, and gives her a whole bunch of new ideas. Nina says he’s read her mind. He thanks her for the interview and wishes her luck with the next issue.

The mayor says she doesn’t see any press at the station. Julian says since he publishes the paper, he’s going to tell the real story and it will be political suicide. The mayor asks if he’s threatening her. He says he actually voted for her and wouldn’t want to see her career go down the tubes. Did this mayor just drop in out of the sky? She should lose her position just for sheer stupidity.

Anna thinks Carrrlos would head for Toronto. Andre says Carrrlos would want to go somewhere more isolated, like Halifax.

Sabrrrina tells Carrrlos he’s right and throws her phone into the wilderness. Carrrlos says from now on it’s just the two of them and Sabrrrina says baby makes three. She says she’s curious as to how he’ll be as a father. He says they’ll find out soon.

Sam says Jason should hire an investigator. Jason asks if she’s volunteering. They decide to check out Elizabeth’s house.

Julian calls Nina and she says they did the interview without him. He tells her the short version of what happened with Olivia and says he’ll talk to her later. A light bulb comes on over Nina’s head.

Elizabeth asks Doc friend to friend if he thinks the art therapy is a good idea. Doc says he absolutely does. Elizabeth goes to get Jake, and Jake gives Franco the drawings he’s finished. They leave and Franco looks at the drawings.

The mayor gets a clue and says let’s pretend this never happened. Olivia, Leo and Julian leave. Alexis tells the mayor that she doesn’t think pretending is a good idea and she and Olivia are filing suit.

Andre is certain about Halifax and Anna says that’s where they’re going to go.

Franco shows Doc Jake’s pictures. He says he used to make drawing s like that as a kid and they’re not necessarily a good thing.

Jason and Sam are at Sam’s house and Jason goes through what happened the night of the break-in. He says the police didn’t find any unknown fingerprints and there was no evidence of forced entry. While they’re talking, Elizabeth and Jake come in. Ha-ha! Elizabeth’s face!

Tomorrow, Carly asks Ava for a favor, and Sam asks Elizabeth if she’s afraid of what Sam will find. She should be, since I’m certain it’s either her, Jake or both “breaking in” to their own home.

The Academy Awards – Controversy Part Two

Part one was the usual yearly gripe about who got “snubbed.” Like I said, there are tons of superb performances that don’t get recognized at all, so be grateful people are talking about you at all. Especially for what you get paid.

Part two involves Jada Pinkett Smith suggesting that African Americans boycott the Oscars because her husband didn’t get nominated for one because of the lack of diversity. While I can applaud the cause, I can’t applaud this as a means to achieve the goal.

I’m with Whoopi Goldberg in that this is a concern during other times of the year, not just prior to the Oscars, and with Wendy Williams, who found the timing somewhat suspicious. One wonders had Will Smith been nominated, would a boycott have been suggested. Highly doubtful. But most of all, I’m with Janet Huber. Although I’m pretty sure Aunt Viv still has an ax to grind from her Fresh Prince days, she’s right, “it ain’t that deep.” There are plenty of areas to focus on rather than something as shallow as the film industry.

Most of all, I feel sorry for Chris Rock, who has found himself in the middle of this stupidity. This innocent bystander is being shot from all sides, and he’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. I hope he follows his own heart and mind, but I also hope he doesn’t bow out as host.

I also hope this woman is proud of herself. She did little to help any actual issues, but a lot to hurt the very people she claims to want to support. Wait. Maybe she should run for office.

I’m a quarter Native American and have always been proud of my heritage. If anyone has cause to gripe, it’s us, having been misrepresented both in story and with casting in film. While that has changed somewhat over the years, I’ve never felt bitter. As a matter-of-fact, I still think, as I did when I was a child, that Tom Nardini was the hottest “Indian” ever in Cat Ballou. When I was ten, I had no idea his last name was Italian. All I knew was that he was cute and funny.

It ain’t that deep.

Jan8

January 8, 2016 — GH Wraps Up the New Year & 8 Who Are Hateful

Posted on January 8, 2016 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

While I don’t normally discuss movies here, I saw The Hateful Eight yesterday. If you love Quentin Tarantino films, you’ll love this one too. The casting is superb, the script and acting are great, and the cinematography is top-notch, although I didn’t see the special 70mm showing. Kurt Russell is bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth, taking his prisoner, Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to Red Rock to hang. While en route, he meets Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson, whose turn it is to shine here) along with some other characters. They all end up being stranded at the remote Minnie’s Haberdashery during a blizzard, where much of the action takes place in one room. As with all of Tarantino’s efforts, this is a wonderful ensemble piece. This time, it’s also a bit of a mystery, figuring out which character is the bad guy – or is it all of them?

Since not much went on TV-wise this week, here’s some GH recaps and I’ll see you on Sunday.

General Hospital — Wednesday

Jason shows up at Sam’s apartment. She asks if he was looking for her, and he says he was looking for a place to live, but when he realized it was her place, he figured he’d say hello.

Jake is with Elizabeth at the hospital. She tells him not to talk to “that guy,” meaning Franco. Franco is on the phone with Nina, who is celebrating at Crimson. She says she can’t wait to see Julian’s face when he sees that they’ve saved the magazine. I can’t wait to see his face when he realizes he has no tax write off.

Alexis tells Julian that Sam should stay with them. Julian says one thing he’s learned from his own kids is to not give them help they haven’t asked for. Hear, hear.

Jordan makes plans to meet someone at Kelly’s. She’s there with Anna. Anna asks her if she has a date. Jordan says it’s a second date. Anna asks with whom, and she says she’s calling him “no expectations” for now. They talk about Robin, and Anna says she should have been savvier and realized Robin really needed her.

Patrick and Robin have taken Emma out of school early. She asks if she’s in trouble, and they tell her no, but they have some exciting news. They’re moving to California.

Franco asks Jake if he’d like to color. Jake says that his mom told him not to talk to Franco. A police officer approaches Elizabeth and wants to talk to her in private. Franco sits with Jake and tells him not to let any of the other patients see him using the good crayons.

Sam tells Jason that technically, it’s his apartment, and she wasn’t trying to sell it out from underneath him. He asks if there have been any good offers and Sam tells him about Paul (although she doesn’t know it was Paul who made the offer). Jason asks her to show him around.

Emma is worried about moving and Robin says it will be an adventure. Emma says she’ll miss her friends. Robin says she will too, but their friends will only be a plane ride away. That’s right, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump from New York to California. And so affordable.

Dr. Andre comes into Kelly’s and talks to Anna. He says he hasn’t seen her on his schedule. She says she might have something to report about Carrrlos soon, but since they keep running into each other, she’ll let him know when it happens. She starts to introduce him to Jordan, but she doesn’t have to, since he’s Jordan’s date.

The new magazines come in. Dillon opens the box and says, “Oh no!” Maxie looks in the box and makes a shocked face.

Olivia comes by Julian and Alexis’s place with a gift. It’s a portrait of Olivia, Leo & Julian. Not too awkward. Alexis is not looking too thrilled and understandably so. There’s some discussion of where to put it, but Julian gets a phone call and has to leave.

Dillon is on the phone saying it’s not an artistic choice, but a huge mistake. All the magazines have green dripping down every page. Dillon says the printer said that’s what they received and the file must have been corrupted. Nina wants them to reprint a million copies, but there’s no money for that. Nina says they’ll have to ask Julian to increase the budget.

Robin calls Anna and asks her to come over.

The cop tells Elizabeth they could have someone come by and check on them later, but she and “her husband” have nothing to worry about. I’m guessing they had nothing to worry about to begin with and not surprised that Elizabeth doesn’t correct the officer about her “husband.”

Sam trips and Jason catches her. This seems to be an ongoing thing. He gathers her into his arms and they look at each other longingly. It actually looks more awkward than that though. It’s like he almost lost his grip on her for a second and they had to regroup the shot.

Alexis says Julian won’t be back for a while and he needs to weigh in on where they put the portrait. Olivia says she gets the message, so she’ll take her picture and go. Alexis says no, she loves the picture and to leave it. When Alexis puts her hand on the frame, Olivia notices her engagement ring.

Julian gets to the office and says there’s nothing they can do about the magazine. They’ll have to just eat it. How much you want to bet that it will be a sensation as is?

Franco is having a good time with Jake, because Roger Howarth is great with kids. Elizabeth interrupts because she ruins every good time.

Sam says the falling and catching thing happened with them a lot. Jason says he might not remember the first time, but he’ll remember this one. Jason tells her about meeting Robin and that he recognized her almost immediately. Sam says maybe it’s from pictures, but Jake says he remembered her when he’d broken in to kill Sam. He says that’s what stopped him. Sam suggests Robin is his guardian angel. He says Robin made him rethink how he feels about his past, and that she told him she had faith in his future. Jason says after she left, he could see her on the bridge from long ago, saying the same thing to him.

He adds that he’s had a memory about Sam.

Anna arrives at Robin and Patrick’s place. Robin tells her about talking to Obrecht. She says the job is less appealing because of the salary cut. Anna says she can get a job elsewhere. Robin says she already has, but it’s in Berkley. She tells Anna they’re moving to California.

Jordan and Andre make maybe not small, but medium talk. They talk about their exes. Jordan says she’s a little rusty with the dating scene. They complement each other on their New Year’s Eve dance moves.

Robin says she practically grew up in the hospital and it’s hard for her to be objective there. Berkley will give her a fresh start and she’ll be going there as an adult. She says it’s a good way to start over and get away from the drama of the past few years. She says she and Emma will be able to do all the things she’s been dreaming about.

Sam asks if Jason wants to tell her about his memory of her. He tells her about the necklace she was wearing when they ran into each other in the park. He says he thinks he remembers putting it on her, but isn’t sure if it’s a real memory. Sam says it is. He says that makes two memories in a week. Sam says that’s good, but Jason says he doesn’t want to lose who he is now. Sam says he’s not that much different – honest, loyal and stubborn. She says he’s also a good cook, but no pressure. Sam says she wants him to be whole, whatever that means to him.

Franco tries talking to Elizabeth, but she’s not having any. He says he thought they’d had a breakthrough at the gala and he’d like them to be friends.

Alexis confirms her and Julian’s engagement. Olivia says she’s happy for them, but weirded out because Julian didn’t tell her. When has he had time?

Julian says one missed issue isn’t going to make or break him, and he’ll write it off. He tells them better luck next time. He leaves and Maxie says the end of Crimson means the end of her career in fashion. Dillon says Julian said there would be a next time. Maxie says the next time they see Julian, it will be when he fires them. Nina is like, hold on a minute, we’re going to be a success with green Crimson. What did I say? I ain’t been watching this 50 years for nothin’.

Maxie is aghast that Nina would want to put it on the newsstand. Nina says they will look innovative, calling attention to an overharvested and overpopulated world. Maxie is like, this will never work. She surprises me. I would have expected more creative thinking from her, and the green thing makes total sense.

Alexis says she and Julian just wanted a little privacy for a while. Olivia says since she’s the mother of Julian’s child, he should have told her. She says that Julian had said that she would always be a part of the family. So I guess that means he should sit around alone for the rest of his life?

Jason says that Sam should keep the apartment. She says it’s the one place she calls home. Jason asks if she’d like to go for coffee.

Elizabeth says that she and Franco aren’t friends now and they never will be. Franco quotes Star Wars because he’s such a nut. He says he’s sorry about kidnapping Jake, but that was another life and he’d never inflict harm on another person again. (Okay, at least now I’m up to speed. I missed all of that during a time period when I wasn’t watching.) She says they still have nothing in common. He says more than she thinks, and if she ever needs a friend, he’s there.

Anna says Robin is a grown woman and has to do what’s right for her family. Robin says Anna is her family too, and she knows Anna misses Duke. Anna says it’s part of life, and you eventually get to a point where you cherish the memories instead of just grieving. Robin says she doesn’t want to leave Anna alone. Anna says she’s not alone, she’ll be fine, and Robin needs to be the woman Anna knows she can be. Robin asks her to come with them.

Maxie says once they go through with the plan, it’s like pushing a nuclear button. Dillon and Nina are like, come on, roll with it, and she says she’s in.

Alexis says Olivia will always be part of the family, and she would never interfere with that. Julian comes in and says he likes the portrait above the fireplace. Olivia says congratulations and enjoy the engagement, and leaves. First of all, she really has no business being annoyed, and secondly, over the fireplace? Really? When you’re marrying someone else?

Franco looks at Jake’s drawings which are very dark, both in color and subject matter.

Jordan and Andre both say that lunch was fun, but not long enough. They agree to a third date and kiss. Dammit! I wanted him with Anna.

Robin tells Anna to think about it. Anna says there’s nothing she would love more than to live near them, but she has work in Port Charles to do now. Robin says there won’t always be work and Anna says of course, and she’ll think about relocating when it’s done, but in the meantime, she’ll visit.

Patrick says they have temporary housing set up and they’re leaving tomorrow. Anna says they can’t. She wants to throw them a going-away party, and there’s also the wedding. (Another light bulb for me. I guess they’d gotten a divorce at some point.) Patrick says they can do that in California, but Emma says no way, not as long as she’s Emma Scorpio Drake.

Tomorrow, it looks like we’re having a wedding.

General Hospital – Thursday

Robin, Emma and Anna are getting ready for the wedding. That was fast. Maxie comes in asking if her assistant wedding planner, meaning Emma, is ready to roll. Sonny is the next to arrive.

Laura sees Tracy at The MetroCourt. She wants to find Luke and asks Tracy if she has any information. Tracy says she has nothing. Laura says it’s nothing important, but she wants him to know Helena Cassadine has been vanquished.

Hayden tells Nicholas he was just served by Michael.

Elizabeth arrives and says she thought it was a going away party, and Emma tells her it’s a wedding too, and that it’s forever this time for her mommy and daddy. The doorbell rings and Elizabeth answers. It’s Jason.

Nicholas says Michael and Alexis are issuing a declaration of war, and that it includes a petition to freeze all of ELQ’s assets. Nicholas says everything hinges on Jason. He has 9% voting stock, which has been under Nicholas’s control. Hayden says that now that Nicholas is being released, the police are going to want a statement.

Tracy wonders if Luke would feel relief or regret. Laura says she knows talking about Luke isn’t Tracy’s favorite subject, but Tracy says she holds no ill will toward him. She says she has fondness for their time together. Laura says it sounds like Tracy has moved on. She says she noticed the chemistry between Tracy and Paul at the gala. Tracy says Paul is a smarmy opportunist who will never darken her door again. Alrighty then.

Elizabeth tells Jason she didn’t realize he would be there. Jason tells Sonny he didn’t realize it was a big event, and wants to leave, but Sonny says he should stay for Robin’s sake. Maxie comes running out to tell Robin she’s ruined everything. She forgot someone to marry them. Mac says he can do it. Maxie says he’s not a minister, but he says he went online in the morning and before his toast was done, he was ordained. That’s actually a little scary.

Robin tells Jason it’s important for him to be there, even though he keeps trying to get out of it. She says it’s the future he imagined for her on the bridge and she wants him to see it. Mac asks if Patrick and Robin are ready to get married.

Tracy says her recent involvement with Paul was a lapse in judgment. Laura says maybe she should follow Luke’s lead and take some time to be with herself and figure out why she keeps trusting people she shouldn’t. Laura says she understands how it is when someone you love disappoints you. Tracy says maybe she’ll take Laura up on her advice. Eat, pray, spend lots of money, I say.

Hayden says she’ll be glad to have Nicholas back home. She says it’s been lonely wandering around Windermere without him, and Spencer has a kick-ass welcome home party planned. Hayden’s phone rings and it’s Tracy. Tracy tells her to make an excuse and get over to the MetroCourt. Hayden tells Nicholas she has some ELQ business to deal with, but she’ll be back soon.

Emma is the flower girl and the only one wearing white. Song part as she, Anna and Robert, and Robin enter. Zzzzzzz…. Carly comes in with a box. It’s probably not a bomb, but I can hope.

Laura visits Nicholas at the hospital. She says she can’t fathom how he’s involved with Hayden after he tried to have her killed. Laura says the lies and secrets he’s keeping are eating at his soul, and asks him to tell her this will be the end of it. Like I’d even believe him if he did.

Patrick says a bunch of mushy stuff about second and third chances and how much he loves Robin. Elizabeth makes stupid faces at Jason. Robin’s turn for mushy stuff.

Commercial break. I went out today, so I’m watching this online and it’s actually less painful because the breaks are only about 30 seconds.

Robin talks about how her memories started to slip away and now she’s here and how happy she is. Instead of regular vows, they decide to recite them to Emma. This is actually a very cool idea, since this poor kid has been through the ringer and needs some feeling of security. Lots of mushy kid stuff. This is a little sad too, since Kimberly McCullough just had a miscarriage.

Mac gets the rings from Felicia, who snuck in at some point. Patrick and Robin exchange rings in the standard way and Mac says by the power vested in him by the internet, he pronounces them man and wife. They kiss.

Carly says since they’ve had bad luck with wedding cakes at Kelly’s, she brought a going away cake.

Laura tells Nicholas he’s been given a second chance to live and not to blow it. She says he should move forward to being the man she knows he can be. He says he’s not giving up ELQ, and she says she’s not getting involved in that, but it’s time for a fresh start without Hayden.

Tracy meets with Hayden, who tells her that Nicholas got the lawsuit from Michael. Tracy wants to know what Hayden is doing and why it’s taking so long.

Robin thanks Carly for her help. Carly says she owes Robin big time and reminds her of a day when she gave Robin a hard time about leaving Patrick. She says Robin told her that if she knew what Robin was really doing, she would thank her. Carly says Robin saved Jason’s life and she’s grateful. Robin says Carly is good for both Jason and Sonny, and that she never gave Carly enough credit.

Jason congratulates Robin and she thanks him for staying. He tells her that he had a memory about her. He says he doesn’t know much about his past, but he knows she’s important to him. Robin says even if he doesn’t get his memories back, he’ll figure out who he is. Lots of milling around and congratulations.

Patrick tells Sonny he wishes he could be there when Sonny walks again. Sonny says he’s glad he and Robin are back together and it means a lot to him.

Robin tells Elizabeth she’s made mistakes but it doesn’t mean her dreams can’t come true. She says she knows how much she loves Jason, but life has happiness in store for her no matter what.

Hayden tells Tracy that Nicholas isn’t the most trusting soul and she has to romance him to gain his trust.

Laura reminds Nicholas that Hayden was originally hired by Ric to pretend to be Jason’s wife. She says maybe Hayden has real feelings for him, but maybe it’s just an act, and she doesn’t want him to get his heart broken.

Everyone says their good-bys. Geez, Felicia only had half a line in this episode. She’s turned into an “under five.” Bye, Felicia. Literally.

Anna gives Emma a plane ticket so she can come visit. Elizabeth is dragging her feet leaving

Carly and Sonny tell Jason if he needs anything, to call them. Jason’s phone rings. It’s Nicholas, who asks him to come to the hospital to discuss something.

Elizabeth lies down on the couch and hears a noise outside.

Jason comes to the hospital. He tells Nicholas he figured the next time they saw each other, it would be in a courtroom. Nicholas says he thinks they can fix it so that won’t be necessary.

Tracy says she knows Hayden needs the job with her. She says she thinks she’s the only friend that Hayden has and she knows exactly who Hayden is.

Robin says her good-bys to Sonny and Carly. She tells Sonny he’s made tremendous progress and she knows he’ll continue to improve.

While the bags are being put into the car, Robin says good-by to Anna. She thanks Anna, and Anna says she loves Robin and would do anything for her, and she’s sure it will be the same with Robin and Emma.

Robert tells Robin he loves her and will always be there for her. Anna tells Patrick that she’s grateful he and Robin are back together. She wishes them luck in California. Robin and Patrick flashbacks. I forgot that I was ever they were so young.

Emma breaks into Robin’s reverie. It’s time to go. Patrick asks if they’re ready for a new adventure, and he, Emma and Robin link arms.

Tomorrow, Valerie is in trouble and Nicholas tries to strike a deal with Jason.

General Hospital – Friday

Johnny shows up at the Haunted Star. Lulu asks where he’s been.

Dante interrupts Maxie and Dillon while they’re working on the magazine. Dante says he needs to talk to Dillon immediately about what he and Lulu were up to on New Year’s Eve.

Elizabeth is startled by someone outside. Boo! It’s Laura bringing Jake home.

Tracy says that Hayden has been lying to everyone she knows.

Nicholas tells Jason that they can make an “official arrangement” and he’ll drop the charges.

Dante asks to talk to Dillon outside. Even though Maxie thinks it’s a bad idea, Dillon complies. Dante goes on and on about Dillon and Lulu sleeping together New Year’s Eve and that Dillon had better not hurt Lulu. Maxie comes out after Dante leaves and asks what on earth Dante is talking about.

Johnny gives Lulu flowers. I’d run off with him if I was her. Johnny says it was all he could do not to bust out of the closet and give Dante what for, and that Dante had no business acting like he did nothing wrong and assuming Lulu did.

Nicholas tells Jason about the suit Michael filed. Nicholas says that the case will be caught up in the courts forever, lots of money will be spent, and ELQ will suffer. He tells Jason if he doesn’t participate in the lawsuit, and leaves Nicholas in charge of ELQ, it will color what Nicholas says to the police. Don’t do it, Jason.

Hayden says Tracy has nothing on her. Tracy says she has nothing on Hayden Barnes, but she has something on the person Hayden was before. Tracy shows her something on her cell phone.

Laura says she’s there to drop Jake off. Elizabeth tells him to go upstairs to play and she’ll be up later. Elizabeth tells Laura that Jake has been affected by the change in her relationship with Jason. She says it’s only a matter of time until Jason is with Sam. Jake listens on the stairs and Elizabeth tells him to beat it. Laura says she thinks Jake could benefit from talking to a psychiatrist. Elizabeth says not everything is in his head, that he saw someone outside on New Year’s Eve.

Hayden tries to take the phone and Tracy snatches it back. Tracy says Hayden has a real trail of scandal. She says it was obvious that Hayden was no garden variety con artist, and she happened up “certain information” to corroborate that. Hayden says Tracy needs her to get ELQ from Nicholas. Funny, Tracy says, since everything leads back to Nicholas.

Nicholas tells Jason that since Hayden was hysterical, it’s up to him what the police believe. Jason says he side-stepped Nicholas, who had started the fight, and that’s how he ended up falling. Nicholas asks who Jason thinks the police are going to believe? Jason doesn’t take the bait. Nicholas says he best reconsider before someone else he loves gets hurt.

Maxie says she was in a car crash once and the slow-motion feeling is the same way she’s felt since Dillon let fly with the DVD about Dante’s cheating. She says that Dante and Lulu aren’t used to screwing up, so they keep obsessing over it and doing stupid things. She says they’re running in circles and need to stand still and figure out what’s going on. She says she told Lulu this, but it would be understandable if things went too far with her and Dillon. Dillon says he wasn’t there on NYE. Maxie says Dante seemed certain, so who was Lulu with? While she takes a call, Dillon makes an exit.

Johnny tells Lulu that Valerie was caught “taking a payment” from a known felon, and he wants to establish a pattern. He’s going to run into her again and act like he’s really interested in her. Lulu says she’ll probably act flattered, but rebuff him. He says it doesn’t matter, by then he’ll have enough evidence. Lulu says the longer he stays there, the longer he risks getting caught. He says he’s all about risk, especially if it’s for a worthy cause. Lulu asks if it’s about helping her or does he have another agenda?

Dante sees Valerie at work. He says she seems upset and she says she’s in big trouble.

Tracy says their agreement was for Hayden to hand over ELQ to her, and she’s giving her 30 days to get the shares back. If not, she’ll give Nicholas proof of who Hayden really is. Hayden asks what satisfaction that will bring, and Tracy says Nicholas will look like an idiot and she’ll eventually end up with the stock anyway. Hayden balks. Tracy makes like she’s going to make a phone call to a Jay (?) Dover and Hayden says she’ll do it.

Jason says it’s good he has a good lawyer. Nicholas says he has a good eyewitness, and reminds Jason of The Floating Rib incident when Jason tossed him over a pool table. Nicholas goads Jason a little, saying Jason can either end up talking to his kids through Plexiglas, or he can take the offer.

Johnny flirts and Lulu says she thought he wasn’t going to do that anymore, adding that when he’s charming, he’s usually up to something. Dillon comes by and Johnny makes himself scarce. Dillon tells Lulu that Dante accused him of sleeping with her New Year’s Eve. He says he knows she wouldn’t pick up a stranger, so where is Johnny?

Laura suggests that maybe it was just a New Year’s Eve drunk looking through the window. She says Jake spent his formative years on Cassadine or Spoon Island or wherever the blip Helena had him, so he’s not exactly normal. She didn’t say it that way, I’m translating. Elizabeth says she should have listened to Laura, and that she continued to lie to Jason while Sam told him the truth. Laura says she’s sorry and hugs Elizabeth, who says she doesn’t deserve Laura’s concern. I agree. Laura says she promises that Elizabeth will come out the other side and things will be better. She tells Elizabeth to call her any time and leaves.

Nicholas asks if Jason wants to be a father to his sons or an embarrassment to his family. Jason asks Nicholas if he really wants to do this to everyone. Jason suddenly changes the subject, asking if he was close to his sister. He says he’s seen pictures of her, but he doesn’t remember everything. He says that Emily must have loved Nicholas, and how did he get from being someone so loved to the person he’s looking at now. Nicholas says this has nothing to do with it, but is clearly shaken. Jason says he’d rather look honestly through Plexiglas than give in to a lie. Nicholas says remember this day when you’re in prison, because that’s where you’re going. Jason gives him the finger (not really) and leaves.

Hayden says she’ll get it together in 30 days. Tracy says if Hayden tries to run away, she’ll hunt her down. Hayden says Tracy has no idea how hard it would be if the truth came out. Tracy says she does and that’s why she knows Hayden will succeed. Hayden leaves and has to catch her breath in the hallway. I’m really glad they’re giving Rebecca Buddig more of a big storyline. I love her in this role.

Maxie notices that Dillon is gone while in the middle of her call. She gathers her stuff up and jets out of Kelly’s, which is apparently her office now.

Dillon tells Lulu he should have called the cops. Lulu tells him Johnny left the morning after Dillon saw him. Dillon asks who Lulu was with New Year’s Eve. Lulu says a harmless drunk had grabbed her and she was fixing her hair and makeup in the stateroom. She says Dante, as usual, jumped to conclusions. Dillon tells her what Dante said, and that he feels the same if she should get hurt by Johnny. She keeps insisting nothing is going on, and he says he’s not so sure. He gets a call and leaves.

Johnny (who must be getting tired of hiding by now) comes out and says she did great.

Valerie says she blew the exam. Dante says that her score isn’t good, but it’s not enough to get her dropped. Valerie says she’ll never get her score high enough to make it a passing percentage. Dante says he’ll help her study and that doesn’t mean he’s coming on to her. She says it doesn’t matter, people will think so. She says it means a lot that he offered to help and she wishes they could be friends, but that’s not possible.

Nicholas tells the police that Jason threw him over the terrace railing. Hayden watches from the doorway looking pretty upset. Afterward, Nicholas tells Hayden Jason was willing to go to prison rather than compromise. Hayden says it’s unfair to Jason’s family and he should put them before greed and vanity. Nicholas says it’s not greed, Jason just believes he’s right. Hayden keeps going on about how can he do this to his family, and I’m thinking she’s hoping Nicholas gets a conscience and realizes he’s going to hurt his own family, but that doesn’t happen. She asks what happens now and Nicholas says he and the Quartermaines go to court and Jason goes to prison.

Jason walks into Elizabeth’s house and calls out to her. When she comes downstairs, he asks why she left the door open. She says she didn’t.

Valerie says if Nicholas helps her study, the next thing she knows, she’ll be cooking him dinner and things will escalate. Dante tells Valerie that every time he takes a step forward with Lulu they take two steps back. Valerie tells him he shouldn’t be telling her this and she can’t deal with the yo-yo stuff. I’m in agreement with her there. Whenever things go sour with Lulu, he’s back to Valerie. What a guy. They should both forget about him.

Lulu says Johnny is taking a huge risk staying there. Maxie comes in to prove the point.

Jason says maybe the door just didn’t latch properly. Jason sees a family picture with him in it, smashed on the ground. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Jake, the Bad Seed.

Dillon sees Tracy, who has decided to go on a trip. She says she’s going to indulge in spa treatments, eat good food, and reprioritize. She says by the time she gets back, she’ll have a whole new outlook.

Nicholas tells Hayden what to tell the police. Nicholas says he takes no pleasure in doing all this, and blah-blah-blah about how he has to do this for the greater good or some baloney. Hayden says there might be a way around it and asks Nicholas to marry her.

On Monday, Jason and Sam get closer, Jake disappears and Maxie threatens to turn Johnny in.

Dec7

December 6,2015 — No Dead, But an Eclectic Night

Posted on December 7, 2015 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

When we left the…um…ladies, a fight was brewing between Cynthia and Porsha. We now move to fingers in the face. Porsha makes a weird, aggressive move, putting her foot up on Cynthia’s lounge chair and straddling her. Cynthia responds by kicking Porsha In the stomach. Porsha lunges for Cynthia and is held back by the crew or security or whoever. Kandi, coming back from the bathroom, is just like, whaaat?

In her individual interview, Kim says that she has a low tolerance for foolishness. Her and me both. This might be the wrong show for her with this crowd.

Porsha is squeaky screaming and Kenya says that Porsha can’t control herself, the disagreement always has to escalate to violence. Kenya wants Porsha and her buddy off the boat. Bye, Felicia!

Cynthia calls Peter. She says he’s still her rock. Really? She tells him she needs for him to come home, and he says he will.

Kim is pretty appalled. In her individual interview, she says that the worst part is how disappointed they’re both going to be in themselves after they catch a breath. I doubt Porsha knows that emotion.

Porsha is tucked into her chaise lounge at home, with her court of yes men girlfriends around her. She shows some bruises, but it looks like she got them from the guy who had to tackle her. Maybe Cynthia shouldn’t have kicked her one, but she shouldn’t have come up on Cynthia so aggressively. Especially considering her past. She makes noises about being supportive of Cynthia and “dumbing [herself] down.” I’m quite sure she’s so dumb she doesn’t know what that means.

Porsha starts to get loud and squeaky again. She’s rambling about Peter and what she knows. Come on, she doesn’t know anything everyone else doesn’t already. Including an audience of millions.

Kim and Phaedra meet at a juice bar. Kim is not too happy that the boat ride turned out the way it did. She says she should have opted out like Phaedra did. She said she was just looking forward to a nice ride with her book and her snack. Ha!

Kenya is telling her friends, as Kandi is telling her staff, about the altercation. Phaedra says she saw bruises and cuts, but again, I don’t think that was from Cynthia. Kim says it’s being analyzed like the JFK assassination. Kenya’s aunt suggests she get the girls together to smooth things over. I think her aunt is crazy. Phaedra says she told Kim it was a wild bunch.

Peter arrives home. Bleh. I can’t stand him. Cynthia says she keeps thinking of how she could have changed the situation, and Peter keeps saying all the wrong things. Her rock. Peter says Cynthia needs to forget about Porsha and examine how she feels about herself. I’m sure what he really means is to think about him.He says he wants to work things out and they get lovey-dovey. How long this will last, who knows.

Kandi has a doctor’s appointment. She goes to Dr. Jackie from Married to Medicine. Kandi is nearly halfway through the pregnancy. Dr. Jackie listens for the baby’s heartbeat. Todd suddenly has to make a call and Kandi is like, really? It couldn’t wait until after the appointment? Dr. Jackie finds the baby’s heartbeat and they look on the sonogram screen. Todd comes back in and they try to fool him into thinking the umbilical cord is something else. Ha-ha! They can’t tell yet though, if it’s a boy or girl.

Phaedra says that her focus has been on the kids. They seem pretty well adjusted considering Apollo’s fall from grace and back into prison. Phaedra whines about being a single mother, but it doesn’t look like she’s hurting any.

Cynthia calls Kenya. Kenya jokes about Cynthia’s Kung Fu Panda moment. Cynthia says she feels awful. Kenya says she wants to give a brunch to get things back on track. Cynthia thinks maybe it’s too soon. Kenya says the problem with her and Porsha is that they waited too long to address things. She might have a point, but it’s empty-headed Porsha we’re talking about. Kenya says if she was able to get past things with Porsha, Cynthia should be able to. Cynthia says, in thinking about it, she may have overreacted.

Kenya wants to meet with Porsha privately before the brunch. They meet at a little coffee/dessert bar. Porsha asks what’s up. Like she doesn’t know. Oh, wait, it’s Porsha. Maybe she doesn’t. Kenya says they once had their own altercation and what happened on the boat didn’t sit well with anyone. Porsha tries to act like it’s somebody else’s fault and talks about Kenya throwing shade at her friend, Shemia.

Kenya says Porsha never takes responsibility for her actions. She tries telling Porsha that, considering their history, she could see how Porsha looked like the aggressor. Porsha says she doesn’t trust Kenya and she doesn’t need to justify her actions to anyone. She says she’ll be glad to talk to Cynthia, but it was just one of those things that snowballed. She gets angry that Kenya is telling her the truth, because she’s stupid and vain. She’s about to run from the situation, when Kenya calls a time out and says she should just tell Cynthia they were both wrong. They clink smoothie take-out cups.

Kandi and Kim are first to arrive at the brunch. Everyone else is late. Kim is annoyed and I don’t blame her. Phaedra strolls in, calling it a “unity luncheon.” Kandi still isn’t sure if Phaedra is being genuine with her. Cynthia is feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. Kim is like, let’s just say it, and asks Cynthia how it’s going. Kenya and Porsha come in together.

Kenya says she wanted to bring them together because of what happened. Kim says, being new, she doesn’t have a side, but it’s important to have clarity to move forward. Porsha and Cynthia decide to talk privately. Kim says she hopes they come back in one piece. Ha-ha!

Cynthia asks Porsha if she’s okay. Porsha says yes, but emotionally, she’s hurt.

Kenya says her talk with Porsha didn’t go well, and Kandi says Kenya seems to be good at pointing out other people’s flaws, but her own, not so much. Phaedra suggest that Jesus take the wheel , and drive fast. Kenya says she was just trying to be a grown up and help make things right.

Porsha says she’s sincere in wanting to move forward and feels Cynthia is sincere too. They hug it out. When they come back, applause all around.

Next week, Atlanta is in the Miami house! Oh wow, it looks like there will be another strange-men-in-the-house situation. Like there was with the New York Wives, except this looks more serious. And speaking of Miami, are those Wives ever coming back? I noticed they snuck in a Real Housewives of Cheshire on Saturday afternoon. Trial run?

Once Upon a Time

Hook is flashing back to his childhood, where his father wasn’t such a nice guy and he got sold into slavery. Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin has Excalibur.

Dark Emma says the man she loved died in Camelot and all that’s left is the darkside. She and the others are splitting up to find Hook.

Zelena pops in poof! in front of Robin and Regina. She wants to discuss her daughter with her baby daddy, Robin. She says they’ll all be dead soon, so it won’t matter anyway. Two hooded figures come up behind Robin and Regina. At the same time, hooded figures surround the other groups. One walks through Henry.

Rumpel appears out of nowhere and tells them to look at their wrists. They have the mark of Charon, an old guy who runs a ferry to the underworld. Rumpel says the underworld is a worse place than even fire and brimstone. He tells them to use their time wisely, to say good-bye. DUN-DUN-DUNNN!

Regina finds Hook by the water. BTW, his first name is Killian. Regina says he might be the dark one now, but he’s not the same guy he was when they first met. He says she has no idea what kind of man he is. And he doesn’t mean that in a good way.

He flashes back to when Enchanted Forest Regina recruited him to kill her mother. In exchange, she promised to send him to a land with no magic so he could get his revenge on Rumpelstiltskin.

Henry looks through a spell book, hoping for something to counteract the curse they’re under. They decide to gather at Granny’s diner. They leave Dark Emma to continue searching. She tells Regina if she can destroy the dark ones, they’ll all be spared. Dark Emma reminds her of when she said they have to do whatever it takes to get rid of the darkness. Regina says it has to be put into someone, a sacrifice. Dark Emma says it will be herself.

Belle meets Rumpel at the shop. He tells her to go see the world and fulfill her dreams. He tells her to take the car, say good-bye to her father, and start living. She says she knew there was a hero inside him and they say good-bye.

Regina and Dark Emma enter the shop. He tells them to go away. Regina says no way, there are a lot of people in the underworld who would like to see the both of them. She tells Rumpel that Emma wants to take the darkness into herself, which will destroy the darkness – and her. Rumpel gives them Excalibur. For nothing, which is a surprise. Doesn’t magic always come with a price? He says it might not work because the blade chooses who it finds worthy. Regina says, later. She has to help Robin protect the baby from Zelena.

In the old days, Regina and Hook stop at a tavern. Someone yells pirates aren’t welcome. Hook turns to face them.

Robin and Regina come home to find Zelena looking at color swatches to redecorate their house. She says in an hour, they’ll be dead, and she’s moving in. Zelena says last time Regina tried to use the dagger it didn’t work. Regina says that’s because she didn’t believe in herself and says let’s take it outside. They go to the clock tower, and Regina uses the power of the dagger to blow Zelena back to Oz.

Dark Emma goes to the diner and silently says good-bye to her family. A dark figure tells Hook he knows what he needs to do.

Old days Hook reveals himself to his father at the tavern. His father is surprised he’s alive and he says they both cheated death. Hook wants to know why he was sold into servitude. His father says he met a woman who helped him see the error of his ways and wishes he’d known her back in the day. He says he’s sorry. Hook wants to know where she is.

Hook’s father says that she died. Hook says he came there to kill him, but they’ve both suffered enough already. He says he can arrange a letter of transit and transport for his father, but can’t come along. His father asks if he can arrange transport for two because he has another son.

Storybrooke Hook stops Dark Emma from leaving. He says he’s saving her because she made him the man he always wanted to be. She says she’s sorry, but she couldn’t watch another person she loved die. He says now she’ll watch everyone die. She brandishes Excalibur, but sees Henry who takes the sword from her. Poof! in a cloud of red smoke, he turns into Hook. She tells him please, don’t do this, but he says nope, he is, and poof! he disappears in another cloud of red smoke.

Snow finds a note from Dark Emma on the diner jukebox. Belle appears and says Hook has already stopped her and there’s no way to prevent their trip to the underworld.

Everyone appears in a forest, where there are a bunch of dark, hooded figures hanging around, along with Hook. Dark Emma runs out of the forest to join them. Regina says Hook can’t do this and he has to ask himself the same question he did on the night they don’t speak of: what kind of man do you want to be?

Hook’s stepbrother tells his father he doesn’t want to leave. Hook’s father says they’ll be fine and he’ll never leave him. Hook is outside and says that his father is telling his stepbrother the same lie he told him. He kills his father with his hook. The last thing his father says is that he can always change.

A hooded figure says it’s time. Dark Emma tries to stop things and suddenly chokes. The figure says maybe she can’t kill Dark Emma but she can stop her. Dark Emma keeps choking and Hook says enough. He pulls the Excalibur card and black snaky things come out and make the hooded people disappear.

He says the darkness won’t stay in Excalibur much longer and tells Dark Emma to take it from him and let him take on the darkness because her family needs her. She doesn’t want to do it, but he wants to die a hero. She takes the sword. She tells Hook she loves him and then – is she supposed to stab him with it or what? Yes, she is. And she does. Lots of tears. I’d cry too, but it’s all more confusing than anything else.

They all pop back to Storybrooke and voila! everything is cool again. Excalibur turns to dust. Wait, not so cool. Hook just keeled over.

The EMTs (God only knows what they must be thinking) cover Hook’s face over and put him in the ambulance.

Rumpel is having a drink (what does he need one for?) in the shop. Belle comes in, says Henry told her everything, and gives him a big kiss. (I guess because he handed over Excalibur?) She says she wanted to see the world, but with him. While Belle is sleeping, he puts on his Mission Impossible clothes. He gets a text from Emma, who’s in the shop.

Rumpel is like, this isn’t the diner, you people have to stop just showing up. Emma says the dagger called to her and she knows he has it. She says he must be the dark one. When Hook thought he was destroying the darkness, he was only moving it. Rumpel says things are as they should be now.

Emma tries to throw some magic at him, but he says he has all the magic of all the dark ones who ever lived. Emma says she still has magic and he has to do something for her. Rumpel says why should he? And Emma says she’ll tell Belle who he really is if he doesn’t.

Rumpel opens the door to the underworld for Emma and the others. It’s pretty cool looking. Kind of like a pretty swamp with blue lighting. Here comes that guy in the boat. Don’t they have to answer three questions or something? Or was that just in Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

They get ready to board the boat.

On March 6, the story of Storybrooke takes place in the underworld and the quest to find Hook is on.

No Walking Dead tonight. There’s a marathon of Into the Badlands instead. I definitely give it a thumbs up.

Work Out New York

Just a first impression. Hot trainers with egos the size of the state of Rhode Island, but who are also insecure. I’m in! But, hey, what ever happened to Jackie What’s-her-name and that other workout show? She was pretty interesting.

Bad Words

Another quickie. I had never heard of this film and caught it on HBO today. It was on the TV when I came back from the store (yes, I leave it on for the dogs), and I just didn’t bother changing the channel. I’m glad I didn’t, because this was a terrific film.

In a nutshell, Jason Bateman is a 40-year-old guy who finds a loophole in a national spelling bee contest. (He has his reasons for wanting to be in it.) He enters the contest, competing against children. He befriends one of the kids, and they both grow in the process. It was heartwarming without being obnoxious, was well-written, and the acting was great. It was a unique story as well. I’m really glad I stumbled across it.

Oct24

October 23, 2015 — A Hospital, Zombies & Something Sinister

Posted on October 24, 2015 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

General Hospital – Thursday

Spinelli tells “Jake” and Sam that he’s in the process of vanquishing a firewall, but it’s like tissue paper to the Assassin of the Internet.

Julian demands Olivia hand over Leo, and says, “Give me! Give Me!” like a 2-year-old. This dude is getting on my nerves.

Carly and Sonny argue over him leaving the hospital. Morgan goes catatonic, so Sonny, who is also a big baby, tries to walk by himself and falls. Oh, please, how old is this guy? He yells for everyone to leave him alone and refuses to get back in the wheelchair. Patrick comes to babysit.

Spinelli comes up against a blank screen. The file has been deleted, but that won’t stop The Jackal from getting it back.

Nicholas tells Elizabeth not to worry about the DNA test, since he deleted the file right after he looked at it. She’s still concerned the lab has it on file. Nicholas tells her to figure out a way to stop “Jake” from searching for who he is, and adds good luck with that. Thanks for the help, Nicholas! All of these scenes, with the exception of Spinelli, are taking place in the hospital. I know the name of the show is General Hospital, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to congregate there.

Commercial break. Wicked City looks wicked good! But what am I supposed to do? Watch TV 24/7? Dammit! Why do things cost money, so we need jobs? It’s just not fair.

“Jake” babbles to Spinelli about “the cloud,” which he obviously knows nothing about. Spinelli says it could take months to retrieve the file. “Jake”starts whining about how can the greatest hacker who ever lived not be able to snap his fingers and get the deleted file? Well, “Jake,” we know one thing. You weren’t in the computer business. “Jake” takes his marbles and leaves.

The cops show up at the hospital and tell Julian to back off. Alexis shows up and tells him that he needs to do this the right way, through the court. I swear, almost every adult in this show needs a binkie and a diaper today.

Patrick interrupts Nicholas hassling Elizabeth. Oddly enough, Patrick is looking like the only mature one right now. “Jake” shows up and Elizabeth says she wants to talk to him at home. I don’t suppose it’s to tell him the truth. God forbid.

Alexis tells Julian he can’t win Leo by playing tug-o-war. She tells him the court is going to look at the best interest of the child, and he needs to start playing nice. He tries to talk calmly to Olivia. Olivia says she wants to shield Leo from mob doings the same way she kept Dante from Sonny. She’s sorry she caused him pain, but she felt it was the right thing to do. She says she doesn’t really know Julian, and isn’t sure he can put Leo’s needs before his own. Julian says she hasn’t given him a chance, and I have to admit he has a point there.

Laura is having lunch with Lulu, and they’re talking babies. Lulu says that she and Dante are ready for another child, which flips Laura’s grandma switch. Nicholas drops by. He says Spencer has narrowed his Halloween costume down to five, and I can’t wait to see what the end result will be. Laura has a worried face that a total stranger would notice.

Spinelli asks Sam if they should really abandon the project, but Sam says “Jake” is just frustrated. She says they should let him take a step back and continue on themselves. The Jackal tells her it could take forever to get the deleted file, and she says they should try it from another angle. Spinelli suggests they try and get “Jake’s” medical records. Um…yeah. Wouldn’t they have his DNA on file?

Carly tells Sonny he can either fold up like a cheap suit or fight. He makes more infant noises. He’s all like, sniff…I’m no good to anyone anymore. I start knitting a baby blanket for him. Honestly, what is up with this today? Oh Lord, help me. Sonny is going on and on about what kind of husband he can (or can’t) be in a wheelchair. I don’t know. How about waiting five minutes and finding out? Maybe he can become a hairdresser and fix those grey-hair highlights of Carly’s.

Elizabeth asks “Jake” why he broke into Nicholas’s house because she’s an idiot. He says if there was an inconclusive result to the DNA test, why would the file have been deleted? Elizabeth says Nicholas was just covering his illegal activity tracks. Elizabeth tells Jake that she wants him to stop torturing himself, when what she really means is she wants him to stop torturing her. She says it’s been a year and no one is looking for him. Ouch! She asks him to stop searching and he says he’s come up against a dead end anyway, although he didn’t exactly say he’d stop.

Patrick comes home to find Spinelli and Sam on the laptop in the living room. She fills him in on what they’re doing, and he says a bunch of rhetoric about patient/doctor confidentiality. He says he’s taking a shower, basically so he doesn’t know what’s going on.

After having some time out, Sonny is feeling better, and apologizes to Morgan and Michael. He says he’ll act like a grown-up now, and follow the doctor’s orders. He says “Max” will handle things with the business while he’s out of commission. I take it Max must be Fat Dude. He tells his sons they’d better stay out of it.

Julian says blah-blah-blah to Olivia about how he’s turned over a new leaf. He promises Leo will never be in danger because of him, and wants to work out a custody arrangement without going to court. Mushy stuff with Julian, Olivia and the baby.

Spinelli is looking at X-rays of Jake’s face and suggests they might be able to find out what he looked like before the car accident that brought him to the hospital. Good idea!

Sonny says he has a hard time asking for help because it seems like weakness. He says he needs his family to believe in him, and then asks everyone to clap if they believe in mob bosses.

General Hospital – Friday

Spinelli gives Sonny a bocce ball set as a wedding gift. He says you can play standing up or sitting down, and that bends Sonny out of shape. He says it’s just a temporary condition.

Epiphany! I love her and always wish she’d have a real story line. It almost happened once.

Sam is staring at “Jake’s” X-rays, while Patrick drinks coffee. He asks what she hopes to find and I wonder if he really graduated medical school. Actually, you’d think Sam would be on top of this by now. Even I’ve seen those programs where they can “age” someone, so it makes sense they’d have something where you could “build” a face onto a skeletal structure.

Commercial break. 20/20 looks like a good one tonight – somebody thinks their kids have demons – but Z Nation.

Danny interrupts “Jake” and Elizabeth basking in the afterglow. He tells them grandma (i.e. Laura) has arrived. She’s babysitting while “Jake” and Elizabeth go out to…do something.

Spinelli apologizes 10 times to Carly, and she says no worries, but they have no way of knowing whether Sonny will walk again and he’s being a huge baby about it. Spinelli explains what he’s trying to do for “Jake” and Sam. Carly says if anyone can crack the case, it’s The Jackal.

Sabrrrina visits Paul’s office. She wants to send Carrrlos’s body back to Puerto Rico, as she promised his parents, but she keeps coming up against roadblocks. Anna, at the hospital morgue, wants to see Carrrlos’s body “for closure.” What the blip that means I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter, since his body is gone. A tech comes in and says the body has been cremated. Paul tells Sabrrrina the same thing, and she freaks because she doesn’t know what she’s going to tell his parents. He claims they tried their best to contact someone, but obviously didn’t call her or Carrrlos’s parents, so nice try.

Patrick says he’s a modern man who cleans the house and cooks. I wish he lived here, even if he does wear too much lip gloss. Even better, he gives Sam a huge engagement rock. Then he goes to work. Way to celebrate.

Michael tells Sonny that he was questioned about Carrrlos, and that the police think Sonny had something to do with his death. Sonny tells Michael to stay the blip away from the business.

Sabrrrina gets the box with Carrrlos’s remains. She sees Anna who says she’s sorry, but Sabrrrina isn’t buying it. Sabrrina says that Carrrlos deserved prison for what he’d done, but he didn’t deserve to die. When she leaves, Anna takes a handful of anxiety meds. Jordan busts into Paul’s office and wants to know why he broke protocol in an ongoing investigation. She says he could have possibly destroyed evidence. Anna wants a copy of something, but I didn’t hear what since they’re repaving the street out front and it got loud all of a sudden.

Someone is hiding in Sam’s house and approaches young Jake, but we only see a shaky cam. Jake makes sounds and Laura comes running downstairs. Surprise! It’s only Cameron (?) in a mask. Halloween hijinks! Cameron is on the floor with canaries twirling around his head though. Jake goes back upstairs, and Cameron makes excuses for him to Laura, saying he doesn’t know much about Halloween since he was with Helena during his formative years. I refrain from making a comment. Mostly because I don’t know whether to make one about Halloween and Helena, or that you don’t need to know anything about Halloween to get the bejesus scared out of you by someone wearing a mask and knock them out.

Obrecht (yay!) tells Liz some baloney about her performance review, but it’s just a ruse to get her to the surprise shower they’re throwing for her. Epiphany makes a lovely toast, and there are congratulations all around. Patrick arrives at the last minute, and Elizabeth asks him to “stand up for [her]” at the wedding. I don’t know if this means she wants him to walk her down the aisle or be her maid of honor.

Carly sees “Jake” and says he doesn’t seem too excited about being the next to get married. He says he’d rather have a real last name to give Elizabeth, and that he’s hit a dead end. Carly says he should cut his losses and if he’s going ahead and getting married, maybe he should just move on and forget he was once someone else. “Jake” asks Carly to be his “best person.” She runs off to plan his bachelor party.

Paul says he did nothing wrong and it was a “budgetary concern.” Nice. He says they have the autopsy and that should be enough. Anna tries to pump the tech for more info. She wants to see the autopsy report – again for “closure.” Who looks at an autopsy report for closure? The tech says he’ll see what he can do.

Yep, Spinelli is going to put the X-ray pics into a program he designed himself. Please, let this storyline be over soon. My heart can’t take it. Please, Spinelli, stop talking about it and just run the program. In the meantime, Obrecht gets the information that someone hacked into the hospital’s system. I’m kind of surprised they noticed someone hacking into one file. Noticed immediately.

Sabrrrina misses the shower. When she gets there, Felix is cleaning up and she tells him that she told Michael about the baby. Felix knows she’s not telling him something, but Michael shows up before she can say anything else.

The tech gets the autopsy report to Anna. She looks at it and says something isn’t right. It says that Carrrlos was shot twice, when she knows he was shot 4 times. She then wonders if it was really Carrrlos’s body.

Epiphany tells Patrick he’s next in line for a shower. She doesn’t mean he smells bad, she means he’ll be getting married next. I know he wears lip gloss, but isn’t the shower usually thrown for the woman?

Oh crap! Jordan shows up at Sam’s and arrests Spinelli. I am not buying this at all. First of all, I highly doubt Spinelli would have left a trail they could find so quickly. And they did all this in like 3 minutes? It would take longer than that to find a tech.

We end with young Jake telling big “Jake” that he knows big “Jake” is his real father. Elizabeth walks in and looks like she just swallowed a cockroach,

Z Nation

Because I have on life, I’m so excited to watch this show!

A couple of dudes are strolling through the forest, when a truck with a giant smile on it comes up behind them. The pair present themselves as a traveling dentists. Immediately, these guys get in the dental chairs and put masks for laughing gas on. They were carrying guns. How can they be this gullible? Of course once they’re under, they’re shoved into the truck.

Operation Bite Mark is going to take the Mississippi River route. They clear a boat of zombies, and find the boat owner still alive. Roberta asks him to take them south to Memphis. Geez, for a bunch of people who need a favor, they’re being kind of nasty. The boat owner is a bit chatty, but hey, it’s his boat. I see people haven’t lost their sense of entitlement. <heaving huge sigh>

They see two guys, Sketchy and Skeezy, who they know from a previous episode. Skeezy is semi tarred and feathered – he fell in with the wrong crowd – and Sketchy is wearing a bowler hat. They’ve been using Murphy’s name to get by and Murphy isn’t too pleased about that.

Zombie jam!

No, not like with instruments, but like a log jam. There are tons of zombies in the water, and quite a few trying to get on board. The boat overturns. 10K gets to shore and Sketchy says his partner is gone, along with the boat owner, and he doesn’t know what happened to anyone else. They see Skeezy’s upper half and think he’s a zombie, but he really just fell in a hole. The three decide to travel together.

The rest of OBM is down river. Doc wants to look for 10K, but Vasquez wants to get going on to California. Roberta says they’ll give it 24 hours.

Some Deliverance guys pop out of nowhere and tell 10K and the two S’s that they’re either lost or trespassing. Sketchy tells them that Skeezy is “The Murphy,” and he can offer them eternal life. He says a bite from The Murphy is all they need. Four of the guys hold down another one to test the theory.

Like The Emperor’s New Clothes, the guy who gets bitten says he feels great, and they all get in line. Sketchy tells them they have to rest for 24 hours in order for the venom to take affect properly, and the three make their exit.

Doc says he sees a signal from 10K, but no one else does. Vasquez and Doc continue to argue about waiting for 10K and moving on. Roberta says nothing is happening tonight, so everyone settle down. Doc says he’s getting tired of this mission.

10K and the flimflam men drive away. There’s a trailer park down the road a piece where Sketchy and Skeezy have…friends? It sounds like they’ve burned some of the people, but the mayor (or whatever he is) doesn’t seems to buy Sketchy’s song and dance. Sketchy tells him that 10K was dropped on his head as a baby and that he’s a deaf/mute. The mayor gives them a mini tour of the town, and tells them to enjoy some moonshine and some women. I wouldn’t relax if I were them.

Doc sees a canoe and tells the others to do what they need to do, but he’s going to look for 10K. Murphy, who’s still pissed about Cassandra’s death, acts like he’s all about the mission now. Murphy says everyone is expendable and he’s the only precious cargo. Roberta says they’ll head south for a little more, but if Doc isn’t at some bridge in a certain amount of time, they’re moving on. Doc leaves in the canoe and I’m worried for him.

10K is recognized by a girl at the trailer park. She remembers them from when OBM stole a truck and isn’t trusting 10K, but 10K explains the mission and she seems cool with that. They have some kind of mill that zombies are turning, and the girl’s husband is one of them. The dentist guys have also been capturing people to turn into zombies for town labor. She says the town is all kinds of evil. Great.

Uh-oh. It’s Escorpion from earlier in the season. This has been a set up. There’s a really quick trial where he accuses Sketchy, Skeezy and 10K of stealing from the town and him personally. Sketchy takes on the role of legal counsel, and he does a whole riff like he’s Harold Hill in The Music Man. I’m expecting 76 Trombones to start any second. It gets to the point where I can’t even follow what he’s saying, which is undoubtedly what he wants. He says it all boils down to that they’re wonderful people and he knows they’re all geniuses. He ends with the “words of Clarence Thomas, if it don’t fit, you must acquit.” Escorpion says it was beautiful, but they’re still guilty. The sentence is death by hanging.

OBM meet Doc at the bridge. There’s been no sign of 10K. Addy tells him that not many people look out for one another anymore, but he’s that person. She says they have to leave, that she needs him on the trip, and 10K will know he tried. Doc makes an eloquent speech to the absent 10K, and joins the group. Just as they’re about to leave, the girl who called the town evil comes running toward them.

The mayor gives a sermon, ending with his hopes that they don’t cause as much trouble in hell as they have in this world. Escorpion asks if they have any last words, and Sketchy tries to give another summation, but Escorpion stops him. He says it’s hangin’ time, but the hanging is foiled by OBM, who have shown up to save the day. The zombies are also on the loose. Girlfriend gives mercy to her zombie husband.

The truck plays music like an ice cream truck (maybe it originally was), & only attracts zombies. Sketchy and Skeezy are staying with the truck. 10K bids them farewell, and joins OBM in their own car. Sketchy and Skeezy arm themselves amid some banter.

The episode ends with a freeze frame of Sketchy and Skeezy (I almost typed Itchy and Scratchy) similar to the ending of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. They break out of the truck, ready to do battle, even though they’re totally outnumbered. Thinking about it, it’s been a while since I saw Butch and Sundance, but I think the dialogue between them just prior to the end might have been from the film too.

Sinister

I got caught up in watching this after Z Nation. It’s on rotation on the Chiller channel.

This is the sort of horror movie I like, more creepy than anything else. I don’t believe in ghosts, vampires and the like, so horror films are never truly scary for me. Probably the last one that really scared me was The Exorcist in 1973. It really scared me. For a while, I had the family dog sleep in my room, until one night, I was awakened by an “oooohhhh” sound. Sure that the devil was there to possess me, I reached for the light. There was Ginger, sitting in the middle of my room, howling at the moon or whatever dogs howl at in the middle of the night. My father, having had enough of this nonsense, told me that it was the live ones I needed to be scared of. Having grown since then, I’ve come to agree with him. So creepy is the best I can hope for.

Ethan Hawke is a writer who moves his family into a house where the previous owners and their children were murdered. The story is going to be his next book. He finds a box of home movies that also feature several murders, all of them having things in common. Creepy stuff starts to happen, and while the ending isn’t a total surprise, it’s worth the price of admission. I always find things with electronics – movies or TV – have a special kind of creepiness. Maybe because these things are so tied to our lives.

Great film for the Halloween season!

Oct6

October 5, 2015 — GH, the OC, London & a Stink

Posted on October 6, 2015 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

General Hospital

Franco and Nina are out to celebrate their conscious coupling, and see Kiki doing shots at the bar. Nina says it’s a funny place for an investment job. I might agree, but I worked in investments in the 80s.The dude she’s doing shots with apparently wants payment for those shots with some nookie, and Kiki fights off his advances until Franco steps in, saying she’s his daughter. After the guy backs off, half-in-the-bag Kiki tells Franco he’s not her father, that her father was killed by Nina’s lunatic of a mother (like that’s his fault), and to get lost. Instead, he drags her sorry ass out of the bar.

Anna and Emma are having an after school snack at a table outside a restaurat. Emma says she wants to write about her grandma for a school assignment because she’s the best person in the world. Ouch! Knife to Anna’s heart. Anna tries to talk Emma into writing about her dad, but Emma basically says he’s a real bore and she’d rather write about Anna, who’s a hero and can do no wrong. Another stab. Sabrrrina shows up and tells Emma to go in and buy some cookies, which I already know must be a ploy to talk to Anna alone.

Laura’s back! I’ve been hoping against hope that she’ll be the one who reveal’s “Jake’s” true identity. Maybe I’ll get my wish. She shows up at Patrick’s house and has flashbacks of talking to Elizabeth before she left. She notices Sam’s engagement ring. DUN-DUN-DUNNN!

Hayden is looking up old news on the laptop to try and put the pieces of her life together. Nicholas tells her that she’s looking at tabloid crap and he’s already told her everything. Nicholas thinks Hayden is up to something, but she says she’s honestly just trying to figure her past out, while she’s rocking a great new haircut. Nicholas gets kind of pissed off and leaves. I still can’t decide whether I believe her or not.

Elizabeth is out with “Jake.” It must be date night or something. These two are so unexciting as a couple, I can’t wait until this is over. “Jake” is still unnerved about Sonny calling him “Jason.” Elizabeth gets a call from Hayden, who is wondering why she broke a vase in anger at Nicholas’s castle or mansion or fiefdom or whatever it is he lives in. It’s one of the few memories that she has and Elizabeth was there. Before Elizabeth can say anything, Nicholas takes the phone from Hayden.

Paul says blah-blah-blah to Michael about getting justice for Sonny, which Tracy isn’t too thrilled about, since Sonny shot AJ. She apologizes to Michael for her outburst, but when he leaves, she tells Paul that she’s not really sorry because Sonny is a lowlife.

No surprise, Sabrrrina wants to talk to Anna about Carrrlos. While she doesn’t know he’s dead, she’s not buying that he would have shot Sonny. She thinks she would have heard from him by now, and thinks she should tell the police, but Anna says that would be a bad idea because she would have to admit to aiding and abetting after Duke’s murder. Nice save.

Laura says the reason she came to Patrick’s first is that she has a condition that needs to be monitored and asks Patrick to be her neurologist. It’s highly doubtful that’s why it was her first stop, but when she saw how cozy Patrick and Sam were, I think she hesitated to tell them about “Jake.” Dammit!

Michael has boomeranged back, and Tracy gives him a mini lecture on how he’s never been a Corinthos and should behave like the Quartermaine he is.

Kiki tells Franco that she lied so he wouldn’t feel sorry for her, and that since Silas died, she has no direction. Franco says that when he thought she was his daughter, it was some of the best time of his life, and I wonder if he’s thinking about Todd and Starr and the good old One Life To Live days.

Uh-oh, Tracy just said she’s going off to pray for patience. Don’t do it. Your patience will only get tested as a result. Sabrrrina has shown up and tells Michael she doesn’t think it’s Carrrlos who shot Sonny.

When Anna and Emma get back to Patrick’s, he and Sam tell them about the engagement. Sam says she feels like the luckiest woman in the world. Just wait, Sam.

Hayden wants to know whose secret she’s keeping, hers or Nicholas’s. She says he’s trying to control her and that every time she’s making any headway, he either gets all control freakish or flirty, which she tells him is “enjoyable and effective,” but she’s not someone who can be controlled. To prove this point, she gives in to his amorous advances as Laura walks in.

It stinks that Dr. Phil is on at the same time. Today’s show said it was about a homeless guy who thinks he’s a famous songwriter, which sounds totally delusional, but interesting.

The Real Housewives of the OC

All right, here we go. I’m already hating on Meghan when they show scenes from the previous episodes. She said she thought all children were raised the same. That’s a huge part of her problem. She thinks everything should be the way it is/was for her.

Of course when the show starts, because I stupidly watched First Look again, I had that moment where I thought I saw it before and wonder how that can be.

Brianna starts off with saying idiotic things. Brooks is away, and she, Ryan and children are staying with Vicki. Brianna and Ryan are whispering in the kitchen about how the house feels weird and smells strange. WTF is wrong with these people? Brianna is a married woman with her own family and I just don’t get how she feels she can dictate what her mother does. I still say there’s a reason why they’ve been in Oklahoma a year and have no friends.

Tamra is getting baptized. Look out for lightning storms in the OC.

Shannon and David are seeing their counselor who makes house calls. I have to admit, I wasn’t that crazy about either one of them, especially him, when they first joined the cast, but Shannon has grown to be one of my favorite wives. I have to give David props too, for getting his act together and letting us in on it. And it makes sense now why he was such a creep last season. It’s good of them to air their counseling sessions as well.

Heather, Tamra and Shannon meet for lunch. Tamra wastes no time in pointing out that Heather’s new skin products “also cure cancer.” She says this because one of the ingredients is the same as what Brooks is using to combat his cancer. But aren’t antioxidants used for more than one thing? Again, continuing from last week, there’s a big whoop-de-do about why they chose Tamra to look at Brook’s medical report. Vicki was clear that her reason for doing it was because Tamra started this whole thing with the psychotic…I mean, psychic. I recently read that the so-called psychic is sorry he ever met them, and how much do you want a bet it was a set up by Andy Cohen anyway? Maybe not Andy personally, but he is the pitchfork that prods these shows. Shannon tells them about David’s affair and to her credit, Heather had already known, but has kept her mouth shut this whole time. In Orange County, there’s a 72% divorce rate. Holy! I honestly think these two are going to make it and I’m proud of them.

Brianna says that Vicki works to make something work that shouldn’t work, because she doesn’t want to be alone. Isn’t that her business? I’ve said this before. I don’t care for Brooks, but I never see him treat Vicki like anything but a queen, so who cares if he’s lying his ass off? Brianna has had it out for him ever since (a billion seasons ago) when he was drunk and told Brianna’s husband he should smack her one. Not so nice, but I’ve wanted to smack her one several times, so I get where he was coming from. To top it off, Brianna’s husband, Ryan, doesn’t seem like much of a prize to me. He seems to have calmed down some, but he was a nasty piece of work for a while. Geez, and I thought I could hold a grudge.

Tamra is now meeting Brianna for lunch. No good is going to come from this. Brianna needs to comb her hair. She says she likes Tamra because she’s so honest. Puh-leeze. She’s nasty and uses the word “honest” to justify it. I’m hoping to God (literally) that her finding Jesus changes her personality. In her individual interview segment, Brianna says there’s nothing Brooks can do to get her to like him. Of course Tamra has to tell her about the PET scan business. Because I have no life, I’d Googled he place myself and it said they do them, so….?

Brianna talks about how Vicki has suffered because of her relationship with Brooks. Well, yeah, but that’s not because of Brooks. It’s because of you. I’m heaving huge sighs through this whole episode so far. I don’t get why everyone just doesn’t drop it.

Oh ho! Tamra says Vicki is using her to do her dirty work and “spread the news.” No comment. No, I take that back. Why is it okay for her to spread all kinds of other news – Meghan’s “research” news, the psychic’s news, any nasty news that comes into her stupid head? There was a point where I’d thought she changed and I was starting to like her, but no. Apparently, she thinks being baptized is also a beauty contest and buys an expensive dress and has her makeup done. She’s an idiot.

Holy! Shannon was doing an at home colonic and got a piece of plastic stuck inside her. She’s going to use an enema to fix this? Damn, woman, go to the ER. It turns out that nothing was there and it must have…um…come out in another way.

Whenever I see Heather and Terry, I think it must be nice to be absolutely loaded.

Everyone keeps talking about how much Tamra has changed. Are we just skipping over the bad parts? Is it me? Both Vicki and Shannon are taking separate limos to the baptism, and something doesn’t seem right about that.

In the preview, Tamra says Vicki could be going to hell for lying. Apparently, she hasn’t been paying attention in Jesus class.

Ladies of London

I love the Baroness’s (otherwise known as Caroline #2) relationship with her two Dachshunds. Her decorating skills are awesome too. She’s got a new relationship going on and she’s pretty excited about it. Her counselor also makes house calls.

Juliet stops by to see Caroline #1 and explains that she told Julie about Caroline’s mini tirade against her, and Julie had to run to Annabelle with it. Caroline #1 says Juliet must be a moron if she thinks anything she says to any of them isn’t going to be broadcast. I agree.

Marissa, who hasn’t taken the gigantic stick out of her butt yet, is discussing her new business venture with her husband. She’s whining about how it’s taking her away from her family. It’s not like she has no concept of working outside the home; what did she think was going to happen?

Annabelle and Julie go to a juice bar. Julie says that Juliet had a “look of horror,” when she passed along the info to Annabelle about Caroline #1. I don’t know what Brits consider a look of horror (even though Julie is American), but that wasn’t it IMO. I think Julie is a little unhinged actually. Everything seems to make her nervous and she’s afraid of making Caroline #1 angry. Caroline #1 has her own set of problems right now with her business (Gift Library) and I highly doubt she gives a flying about any of this. Julie claims to have some gene that makes her extra sensitive. I think maybe she reads too much. I had to take the medical dictionary away from my husband once, since he thought he had every single issue he was reading about. Annabelle tells Julie that she needs to own her feelings and confront Caroline #1, but Julie is askard of her.

Caroline and her sister-in-law, ~~Alexis Carrington~~ Sophie, are having a confab about the New Year’s Eve party. If all this stuff is as unimportant as they say it is, why are they still talking about it?

Marissa is meeting with some brand expert. She’s all startled that things are more expensive than she thought they would be. Welcome to the world. Julie is also trying to get some funding for her JUG balls, which are similar to energy bars. She’s sweating bullets over it, which is no surprise, since she seems to get nervous over just about everything. She’s so nervous, she makes me nervous just watching her. She’s been distributing her Scweddy JUG balls herself, but it’s time to branch out. More ball jokes, but she gets the investors on board.

It’s ~~Joan Collins’s~~ Sophie’s birthday, so all the girls are paying tribute. Julie is “petrified” over seeing Caroline #1 for the first time since the New Year’s Eve debacle. What a shock. Where’s Ramona when you need her to scream, “Take a Xanax!” What do they call not being able to leave high school in the UK? OMG. Julie looks like such a suck up. Annabelle isn’t impressed and says the only way to deal with Caroline #1 is to stand up to her, but instead, Julie gives her a present. And seriously, she looks like a panting puppy while waiting for Caroline #1’s approval. It seems like more of a bachelorette party than a birthday. They stab at piñatas that have sex toys in them. Because she’s really mad at Caroline #1, Julie picks a fight with Juliet. I’m starting not to like Julie. Why am I fighting with Juliet about fighting with Caroline when I’m not fighting about Caroline? says Juliet. Why indeed.

And I don’t think Caroline #1 is scary at all. I quite like her. She’s says after an issue with someone, she moves on and gets over it, because life is too short to do otherwise. She, ~~Victoria Gotti~~ Sophie and Juliet have a nice talk and hugs all around.

Next week looks interesting. They’re going bowling in wigs. And Caroline #1 is going to have to deal with New Yorkers. Ha-ha!

Reeker

Because Halloween is coming up and this is one of my favorite horror films and it’s on Showtime rotation.

The title of this film is somewhat off-putting and I almost didn’t watch it the first time because of that. When I saw Michael Ironside was in it though, I decided to give it a look. He’s a wonderful actor (loved him in V) and also a lovely human being.

I don’t want to say too much about this film, since it has a surprise ending. It’s actually one of those films you might want to watch more than once to catch the clues. It’s no The Usual Suspects, but it’s pretty clever.

A group of kids (not kid kids, but young people) are lost and stumble upon what looks like the Halfway Tourist Oasis, a deserted motel, diner and gas station. It looks like it was inhabited not long before, as all the lights are still on and it looks like everyone left in a hurry. It also stinks to high heaven, hence the film title. When one of them tries to go down the road to find help, he runs into Michael Ironside, who’s driving around in circles in an RV, looking for his missing wife.

Throughout the film, strange characters show up, like a dude whose bottom half is chopped off, along with a hooded figure that keeps making a periodic appearance. Bad things start happening and that’s all I’m going to say.

While this isn’t exactly a classic, it’s well worth taking the time to watch. The pace is good, the story is intelligent and a little different, the gore is nicely done, and the ending is satisfying.

Oct5

October 4, 2015 — King Arthur’s Court & the Dead

Posted on October 5, 2015 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

Once Upon a Time

I’ve always thought it was funny how, in fantasy or horror stories, they’ll believe in one thing, but not another. Like on Dark Shadows, they would be okay with witches, but a vampire is preposterous. Or vampires are totally plausible, but not a werewolf. In tonight’s episode, when King Arthur is thrown into present day Storybrook, he has a magician who’s been imprisoned, but scoffs that a curse could be involved. A magician who once turned him into a fish, so really?

In order to get Merlin released, dark magic will have to be used, so Regina (otherwise known as the Evil Queen) wants to take Emma’s place, even though Emma (otherwise known as The Savior) is supposed to be the one to save the day. Meanwhile, Emma’s counterpart has gone completely darkside and Captain Hook breaks up with her. Yes, I know, it sounds like the writers are on drugs; that’s not my fault. It’s actually easier to follow than it sounds, but you do have to pay attention or you’ll wonder where The Cat in the Hat suddenly came from.

In Storybrook, some weird ass dark fairy comes down from the sky and carries off Regina’s boyfriend, Robin Hood. It turns out it’s in some kind of payment for some magic where a life is required. Hmm…we’ve got seven dwarves, so I’d pick one of them. Who needs Grumpy anyway?

Back at Camelot, Regina gets an awesome necklace from King Arthur to wear at the ball. It’s really nice, but it doesn’t look like it was foraged during the Middle Ages. Not even close. No surprise, it’s really a hidden camera, or cauldron, or whatever it is they use for candid snaps there.

There’s a cutesy part with finding Regina the proper dress and teaching her to dance. I ignore the dialogue, but lust after the clothes.

Apparently it’s okay to bring your iPod to the parallel medieval world. Uh-oh, someone has realized that Regina is not so much savior as evil queen and pulls a sword on her. In the following melee, parallel world Robin Hood gets stabbed. Regina asks Emma to save Robin. As magic always comes with a price, Rumpelstiltskin pops in and tells her that he doesn’t make the rules and Regina will have to pay up. Emma says screw you, I can do it myself and does.

Rumpelstiltskin is another reason I watch this show. Robert Carlyle is a lot of fun to watch in this role. While most people know him from Trainspotting or The Full Monty, my favorite film of his is the lesser known Ravenous, where he plays cannibal Colonel Ives, a soldier during the Civil War. If you can take great acting, smart dialogue, and a bloody mess, put it on your Netflix list or however you view films.

The dark fairy, who is some kind of demon, is really cool. I’m surprised this show has never won an Emmy for special effects, although they’ve been nominated. The demon starts zapping Robin Hood, but the whole group steps in to take the zap, and shows us that we can succeed if we work together. This show is pretty corny, but the corn is tolerable because of the context.

Rumpel gives Dark Emma a huge cornball speech about love and friendship, but says she can fix all that with Excalibur. Of course she can’t take it out of the stone, so they’ll have to ~~kidnap~~ find someone who can.

Fear the Walking Dead

Travis and Madison start packing supplies and are going to find Nick and Griselda. Daniel wants to kill Andrew because they don’t need him anymore, but even I think that’s a bad idea. He seems to be on their side, they outnumber him anyway and if they’re going break into the hospital, or whatever it is, they’ll need him. Andrew makes sense in telling them he’s only been nice to them, even before Daniel skinned his arm. They leave him alive and behind because he’s an expendable character and the car is at capacity anyway.

They drive through the gate at the Army base. The troops in the watchtower tell Daniel to halt or they’ll shoot, but he tells them to save their ammunition. Right behind him is a Times Square on New Year’s Eve level hoard of zombies. This distracts them while they walk right in, although I’m not sure how Daniel avoided getting eaten between the gate and the watchtower.

Nick and the Allstate guy are still in confinement. There’s a huge commotion outside and Nick shows Allstate that he has the key. It looks like the zombies are getting in, the troops are evacuating and they’re leaving the sick behind. Travis, Madison and Daniel have gone inside to look for Nick and Griselda while Alicia and Chris are left in the parking garage with the car. Do their parents really think this is safe???

Nick walks out with Allstate, leaving everyone behind who’s begging for them to let them out. I expect this from Allstate, who seems like a grifter, but would have thought better of Nick. Some Army guys want the car from Chris and Alicia. Even though she gives them the keys, they act like a-holes and punch Chris out when he protests their a-holeness. More disappointment. Mostly because why does a random group of men always end up being misogynistic and violent on these shows?

There’s a lot of chaos with the zombies and the soldiers and the helicopters. Some guy gets his head chopped off by some helicopter blades. Nice. Also reminiscent of both Dawn of the Dead and Planet Terror. I’m never sure if something is an homage or there are just so many ways you can kill someone.

Part of the zombie hoard is after Nick and Allstate. Travis and company have made it into the quarantine area. The people in confinement tell them that Nick is a bastard who left them there to die, but at least these guys have the decency to break them free. Nick and Allstate are stuck between a locked door and a zombie crowd (karma), with Travis and the rest (here, on Gilligan’s Isle!) on the other side of the door.This is a pretty good scene. Very exciting and intense. Liza comes along and is able to open the door with her keycard at the very last millisecond. After which they’re promptly attacked by zombies in the hospital kitchen. Lots of fun props like meat tenderizers to kill zombies with.

Did Nick just say Allstate’s name was Rand or…it’s Strand, but I think I’ll stick with Allstate. I kind of like it. Dr. Exner is staying behind with the sick, which is pretty noble. Especially since she seemed like a real tool. Allstate suggests they go West where he has some property. They come across a mass funeral pyre, no doubt composed (no pun intended) of whoever died at the infirmary. The soldiers took the SUV, but Chris and Alicia are okay. See? That was a gratuitous nasty moment with those guys. Andrew shows up and shoots Ofelia. WTF? I take back all the nice stuff I said about him. On the bright side, pacifist Travis finally waves his aggression flag and beats the ever-lovin’ crap out of Andrew.

They get a truck and a car somehow and head on down the highway, where they see the occasional straggler zombie. (How come it isn’t zomby anyway?) They get to Allstate’s house that looks more like a compound. Nice spread. Nick tries to be a philosopher and I go to sleep.

Commercial Break. Sometimes I wish I played video games. They’ll show a clip from what I think looks like a really awesome movie, and then I find out it’s a video game. This one was for HALO5. Just what I’d need though. Another electronic device that I’m attached to.

Allstate says they can’t stay and that “the only way to survive a mad world is to embrace the madness.” He has a yacht out back and methinks they will be boarding it. Uh-oh, Liza has a bite. Liza (who is also Travis’s ex and Chris’s mother) asks Madison to shoot her. Just when we think she will, Travis shows up. His optimism is back and he thinks she can just take something for it, but that’s a no. Madison gives Travis the gun and another expendable character bites the dust.

Oh no. Don’t let it end this way. With some poetic song playing loudly in the background as Travis goes through angst on the beach and Madison joins him while the waves crash over their knees. No, no, no, no. It was just getting good.

Only 6 episodes? They saved the best for last, but I’m not sure if it’s enough to save the show and get it another season.

BTW, Frank Dillane, the actor who plays Nick, is the son of Stephen Dillane, Stannis on Game of Thrones.

Sep27

Extra! Extra! I Started the Rocky Horror Show Cult

Posted on September 27, 2015 by theresakp

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While these aren’t exactly random, rambling thoughts on what I watched today, in honor of the 40^th anniversary, HBO is having a midnight showing. Not quite the same as seeing it in the theatre, but an homage all the same.

Gather around, children, and you shall hear of the midnight show called Rocky Horror. I’ve often thought that I should write about it, and the time is now. Since I was just totally ignored by the new generation.

It was my first week in NYC. I was young, headed to acting school and the world was my oyster. A friend of mine had come along on the moving trip to get in a little R&R. My family was staying a couple of days and he was staying two weeks, but I was there permanently. We were hanging out at a gay bar called The Ninth Circle in Greenwich Village, getting our drink on and meeting people. One of the people hanging out with us was the manager at the New Yorker movie theatre uptown. The Rocky Horror Picture Show had recently started its midnight run. He asked if we would like to go, tickets on him. I didn’t know much about it, but knew it was a musical, as I had seen the soundtrack for the L.A. production.

“Is it a horror film?” I asked.

“That depends on what you’re scared of,” he answered.

I was definitely intrigued and game for anything, so he told us to pick up the tickets at the box office that Friday night. He also handed us a joint. Smoke a joint? In a movie theatre? I wasn’t exactly naïve, but I had never heard of such a thing. Apparently, I wasn’t in Kansas Ohio anymore.

There weren’t too many people there, and my friend was pretty exhausted. He promptly fell asleep, leaving me to my own deductions, and an entire joint. At first, I didn’t know what to make of it, and it wasn’t because of the pot. When I saw Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) dancing backward in a graveyard, I thought, Is this a joke? But by the end of the film, I thought if it was a joke, it was a well-written one.

A few weeks went by, my friend went back to Ohio, and I was already meeting loads of new people. The RHPS had stuck in my mind though, and I really wanted to see it again. I got together a few new friends, and we decided we would go to the Waverly in Greenwich Village, rather than schlep all the way uptown.

It was a totally different atmosphere there, crowded, the crowd brimming with excitement. We staked our claim on some balcony seats. At the time, there were no fans dressing up or yelling things, but there were a lot of joints being passed.

Rocky Horror had a highly addictive property, and it wasn’t the weed. It was a well-crafted film, to be sure. (Although, don’t shoot me, I actually think Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment is better and more relevant in a lot of ways.) The music is excellent, no stone left unturned in detail, and it couldn’t have been cast any better. But there was more to it than that. In 1976, the idea of “don’t dream it, be it” had found its perfect home in New York City. It was the right time at the right place.

At the time, I had also found the perfect home. While NYC will always be one of the greatest cities in the world, in the late 70s and early 80s, it was still affordable, and I’d landed there like Columbus discovering the New World. I was attending morning classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (less impressive than it sounds) and living in the Webster Apartments, a women’s residence on West 34^th Street. It was a cross between a dormitory and a Tennessee Williams play. Rooms with sinks, shared bathrooms on each floor, two meals a day included, and no men above the first floor (unless you were my dad, who insisted on inspecting it when I first arrived). If a guy showed up, you received a phone call from the front desk telling you that you had a “gentleman caller” and there were rooms on the first floor called “beau parlors” where you could receive your male company. You could also have a guy over for dinner, but he had to wear a jacket between October and May. If he didn’t have one, it could be provided for him at the desk, and that orange jacket got a lot of play from my friends. If you missed a meal, you could get a voucher for a friend, and broke friends need to eat. The meals were surprisingly good, cafeteria style, and there was often a sundae bar. Women weren’t excluded from the dress code either. While you were free to wear what you liked during the week, there were rules for the early Sunday dinner and you had to wear either a skirt or a pants suit. My grandmother had given me a polyester pants suit that I’m sure she thought was very chic (it wasn’t) and I can’t count the times I rolled out of bed on Sunday and into that suit and downstairs for the meal. It wasn’t always the most convenient place to live, but it was great for starting out and a good place to meet other women. I met my eventual roommate, Anna, there, who also became my cohort in Rocky Horror crime.

We started going downtown to the Waverly every Friday and Saturday. The line was long, the excitement was high (no pun intended), and I’m sure every merchant on West 4^th Street hated us. Since the movie had originally bombed and been shelved, there was no soundtrack for the film, but the soundtrack for the LA Roxy cast was still available, so I immediately got a copy. We would often act out the musical numbers in our rooms after coming home. It wasn’t long before our private shows translated into audience participation.

The first person to dress up has never been mentioned in any of the books. I don’t know his name; otherwise, I’d totally give him props. One night, when it got to the part where Frankie asks if Janet heard “a bell ring,” someone in the balcony rang a bell, causing us all to convulse into laughter. I noticed the guy was dressed up like Eddie, the motorcyclist jazz musician played by Meat Loaf in the film. Afterwards, I sought him out and complimented him on his costume, which included the LOVE/HATE tattoos on Eddie’s knuckles. I asked him if they were real. “I’m a psychiatrist,” he told me. “If they were, my patients might get a little disconcerted.” Good point.

RHPS was a little like therapy, a way to let off some steam, without waking up with a hangover. At least I didn’t. I don’t know what other people were doing. Ironically, it was both therapeutic and addictive; both the rehab and the habit. We had made our home in the balcony, and made friends we saw week after week. The party started in the line that stretched down the block, where we waited to get in. We were always early, getting ready by nine and out by ten.

Louis, who sat in our row, was the first one to shout back at the screen. As Janet holds a newspaper over her head in the pouring rain, he yelled out, “Buy an umbrella, you cheap bitch!” A line that lives on to this day.

I went home for Christmas break, and it wasn’t long after my return that I got my first apartment, on West 27^th Street, not far from where I was already. We walked most of my stuff over. I had a roommate for a while, a woman I had met at Webster, but it didn’t last very long. She had trouble adjusting to the city and decided to move back home. By then, I had my first job at Chargit. They took ticket orders for Broadway shows before Ticketmaster was the place to go. I’m sure it got absorbed by them at some point. Anna moved in with me, making it easier for us to be Rocky Horror fangirls together.

Our place was even decorated in early Rocky Horror. We purchased everything we could get our hands on. There wasn’t much merchandising , and certainly nothing like there is now. The only T-shirt you could get was one being sold at the record store near the Waverly. It was black with the dripping words The Rocky Horror Show, sans Picture because it was from a stage play. My guess is that the store bought out someone’s stock and made a nice buck. There were a couple of tchotchkes that had come with the Roxy soundtrack, but the Mecca of Rocky Horror movie stills, lobby cards and posters was Jerry Ohlinger’s Movie Material Store. We bought practically everything they had.

We also knew a couple who lived out in Queens, but attended the midnight show at the Waverly. He was a photographer and often took stills of the screen during the movie that he made into 8 x 10s. I still have those stills (ha-ha). The best part was that no one else had those same pictures. When fans started selling buttons and T-shirts, we got those too.

People were starting to dress up, and found glitter platforms, fishnet gloves and stockings, and feather boas at the hooker stores in Times Square. NYC has everything, so costumes were not that difficult to put together. While Anna and I always dressed fabulously, we didn’t wear costumes and Rocky makeup as a general rule. Speaking of which, it’s so much easier today to find black lipstick and eye shadow. Back then, it was nearly impossible. We found it, but it took some work. We did do the full Rocky regalia one night when we were having an after party. I wasn’t about to wear a garter belt and fishnets on the subway, but I had this incredible 1940s black velvet coat with a beaver fur collar that I’d gotten for ten bucks at Trash & Vaudville on St. Mark’s Place and I wore it over my outfit.

Our apartment wasn’t big – a railroad flat, two rooms and a bathroom – but mostly college and acting students lived there, so no one cared about the late night noise, guests spilling out into the hall, or the funny smelling cigarettes some people were smoking. At one point, there was a banging on the door with the shout, “Open up! Police!” but it was only our upstairs neighbor, Jeff, wanting in on the fun. Later on, he became known as “Naked Jeff.”

After a night of such fine partying that someone drank the bong water (no, it was neither one of us), we had the brilliant idea to watch the sun rise from the apartment rooftop. What we forgot to think about was the height of our building, which was considerably shorter than those surrounding it. No sun rise for us, but we still enjoyed ourselves, chatting, smoking and wandering around. Until Jeff scared us half to death. All of a sudden, his head was peeking over the edge of the roof, which none of us had expected. He actually had every right to scare us, since we’d woke him up. As he came up the fire escape, we realized he wasn’t wearing anything. He wasn’t about to put on any clothes either, but at least he wasn’t mad, and hung out (literally) with us for a while as we watched the sun not rise.

Oh yeah, how it started. The first row of the balcony put you more on the level of the screen, and without seeing other audience members, gave you a certain intimacy with the film. One night, after Frankie sings I’m Going Home, several of us spontaneously stood up and applauded, along with the audience in the movie. It felt like we were in the movie. And that’s how the thought started. How fun it would be, I told Anna, if we tossed confetti during the Frankie/Rocky wedding scene, at the same time they do it on screen. It will fall on the audience below us and they’ll really feel like they’re a part of the movie. I was going back to Ohio for vacation and I’d also wanted to do something special, since I wouldn’t be at the Waverly for a while.

The audience was thrilled and, although it wasn’t the intention, the confetti throwing took off. Anna calls it a “private joke gone public,” and I tend to agree. When I got a letter (yes! we actually put pen to paper and wrote letters back then!) from my sister, who lived near a midnight showing in Cleveland Heights, telling me they were throwing confetti in the theatre there, I was astonished. Imagine my surprise that this even exists 40 years later, all over the world.

The confetti birthed holding newspapers over our heads when Janet did. The paper they hold in the film is the Plain Dealer and I was able to get copies from my father, and I gave them out. I recently sold the last one on eBay for $19.76, in honor of the first year I saw RHPS. Although several people tried it (not me!), it was a no-no to be holding candles so close to newspapers in a movie theatre (that pesky fire code), so that gave way to flashlights. Costumes started coming out, and a mini floor show. Lines were consistently being thrown back at the dialogue on screen. Some stuck and some didn’t. Luckily I got out of there before throwing toast and hotdogs started happening.

One night, after discussing how ridiculous it was that this was our entire social life, Anna and I decided to see another film. Had it been better – I believe it was The Excorcist 2; the title says it all – maybe we wouldn’t have still ended up at RHPS, but we did. By this time, we were getting in for free, although I have a ribbon with hundreds of ticket stubs attached to it. The film was already in progress, and as we approached the balcony stairs, there was a literal wall of smoke. We sat on the steps (breaking another fire code, I’m sure), spending another Saturday night the way we always did.

Probably about a year in, the floor show started to gain more prominence. The film itself started to gain more prominence. It had also lost a certain amount of spontaneity. It became kind of how socialism is good in theory, but someone always wants more and turns it into communism. A few people wanted to take charge of something that had taken flight from a genuine want to make the audience equal with the film. Individuality — don’t dream it, be it – was what the movie was all about for me, and it was time to move along.

Anna and I did attend one of the anniversaries, where our picture was also taken for Sal Piro’s book, Creatures of the Night. A great read – I highly recommend it, as well as his sequel. Although our perspectives differ somewhat, it’s a wonderful depiction of the phenomenon that RHPS became. He certainly doesn’t mention weed – and for all I know, he was squeaky clean back then; we didn’t really hang out together – and that was a big part of it. Hey, it was a big part of the 70s.

I’ve had a bootleg copy since the first one was made, but there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen with those who are like-minded. Before I moved away from the city, Sal called and asked me to come to an anniversary event (the 20^th?). Since my husband was a “virgin,” I thought it would be fun. And it was, but in some ways, it had already become homogenized. Little bags of props were being sold, along with rice for the wedding in the beginning. The audience also seemed to have a comeback for every line in the film. To me, this lessened the experience of the movie itself. If everyone was just waiting for their cue, how could they be comprehending what was on screen?

I can assure you, I’ve never once introduced myself like I need a 12-step program. Hello. I’m Theresa and I started the Rocky Horror Show cult. Although it has bumped into me along the way. Like the night at karaoke when it came up in conversation. This led to someone thinking I was making it up. Now there was a surprise. Who in their right mind would make something like that up? If I was going to choose my 15 minutes, it wouldn’t have been that. But to save my reputation, I brought Sal’s book with me the next time I was there. Even after all these years, it’s obvious that’s me. The even weirder thing was, someone mentioned it to the KJ who was working the sound. It turned out he was there at the Waverly back in the day. Talk about a small world.

I was almost at the 40^th anniversary in Manhattan this weekend, but decided to write this instead and save my money for Halloween. Seeing it was sold out, I shot an email to the person in charge, asking for them to take pity on a RHPS “pioneer” (Sal’s term), and writing a little anecdote, along with a copy of the picture from the book. I could have heard an internet pin drop. They replied, but what they said was it was sold out, but I could get tickets for the midnight show at the Ziegfeld and sent me a link to the movie theatre. Ouch! Not even a nice-to-meet-you.

I got a follow up email, telling me someone was looking to sell their weekend pass, but I decided to take a pass, telling them thanks, but no thanks.

And with that, I officially retire my corset.

Sep12

September 12, 2015 — I Am My Own Zunami

Posted on September 12, 2015 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

Z Nation: Zunami

I was glad to see the Chiller network is running a Z Nation marathon amid the vast wasteland that is weekend television.This was my favorite episode in the first season. And I think a turning point for several characters.

At the beginning of the episode, the group has just lost their leader, Charlie. He’s also the love of Roberta’s life (at least this life), and she’s about to give up. Murphy, in his not-so-subtle way, tells her to get back with the program. A “zunami” is coming – a wall of zombies, headed south, and our friends are trying to stay a step ahead of them. Having had no water for a couple of days though, they’re not at the top of their game. Only Murphy is fine, since he can “retain his bodily fluids.” They become trapped and the only choice is to hide inside the dead body chambers of a morgue, after ousting one of the inhabitants. Murphy, not having the same worries as the others, is able to remain among the zombies and goes out to find supplies. To distract themselves from what’s surrounding them, Roberta thinks about food and Doc thinks about bands from the ‘70s. One of the expendable characters they’ve picked up along the way can no longer take the claustrophobia, and busts out of his chamber, quickly getting eaten, while the others hold their collective breaths.

Citizen Z gets a visitor, cosmonaut Yuri, who has landed from a defunct space station. Although Citizen Z is cautious, the two become friends, sharing stories, having a nip of vodka, and playing golf. Citizen Z has been alone a long time, so it’s a happy moment when he’s finally able to communicate with another human being face to face. Especially when he began this episode saying good-by to Charlie and saluting his bravery via webcam.

This episode is heartbreaking on a couple of levels. One is the change we see in Murphy – becoming both braver and more hardened. He’s a reluctant anti-hero, starting to realize the power he has over the zombies. After stealing supplies from a living mother and child, he lets the zombie father back into the house. Why? I still don’t get that. Is there some method to that madness or does he have a cruel streak? After seeing season two’s premiere episode last night, I’m hoping Murphy comes back from the dark side. He isn’t entirely gone, but I don’t like where he’s headed.

And there’s also Citizen Z finally forging a real friendship, only to realize at the end, he’s still alone. Earlier in the episode, a carbon monoxide alarm has gone off. Since it’s interfering with Citizen Z’s concentration on his golf game, he’s whacks it with the golf club, knocking it off the ceiling, rather than checking the air levels. This does seem a little contrary to Citizen Z’s personality, but creates the setting where we get to really know him.

Seeing it again was interesting in the way that watching The Sixth Sense a second time is. We can now look for “clues.” The first thing Yuri says to Citizen Z is that the air is not safe, even after Citizen Z has told him it’s all right to remove his helmet; Yuri having so many similarities to Citizen Z is no coincidence, but understandable, since he is Citizen Z; Citizen Z researching Yuri’s space station on his tablet (yes! we still have wifi!) and seeing that it had run out of air and all were presumed dead; Yuri’s continual questioning about Citizen Z’s dog sleeping the day away; Yuri knowing that Citizen Z’s real name is Simon, which even we didn’t know.

When Citizen Z discovers Yuri has put his space suit back on, he draws a gun and asks who Yuri really is and why he has intruded on the compound. At first, Yuri tells him he’s asking the wrong question, but when Citizen Z asks why Yuri has put his suit back on, Yuri tells him he’s closer.

A physical fight ensues. Yuri is about to strangle Simon, cutting off his air, while continuing to badger him into remembering what he knows. What is different about today? What is wrong with dog? What do you know? When Yuri asks him why he can’t breathe, Simon says it’s because there is no oxygen. Yuri disappears and the figurative light bulb comes on. Citizen Z drags himself and his dog outside, where they both recover. (Whew!) Seeing Citizen Z standing at the entrance to the compound, alone with his dog (only known as Pup) was actually a little painful and brought tears to my eyes. I so wanted him to have some company.

While The Walking Dead is more like a combination of Orson Welles and Werner Herzog direction, Z Nation is like a Tarantino/Rodriguez effort. The terror is high, but the humanity and laughs continually bubble to the surface, somehow making it more personal. (The only advice my father gave me upon leaving home was, “Don’t lose your sense of humor.” He must have known how easy that would be to do in this world.) I’ve found myself invested in this diverse band of characters, rooting for them, laughing with them, holding my breath when it looks like there’s no way out for them, and weeping inside for them.

I love the horror genre, but zombies have always been my favorites, because zombie stories are rarely really about zombies; instead being representative of real life terrors. Sometimes it’s obvious, like those where humans became zombiefied because of biological warfare or some nuclear waste leak. Others contain more subtlety, like Colson Whitehead’s Zone One, which basically tells us that we need to leave a lot of our “dead” ways behind. (I read it while the electricity was out after Hurricane Sandy and I couldn’t have picked a more appropriate book.) While I haven’t made a definitive decision on what Z Nation is really about – and like The Walking Dead, we are not privy as to why this is happening – I tend to think they both involve the human struggle with ourselves, as well as those who are different from us, and trying to move forward in today’s ever-changing landscape.

Or as Pogo once so succinctly put it: We have met the enemy and he is us.

Aug31

August 30, 2015 — Dating Cait, Dead People & a Train

Posted on August 31, 2015 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

I Am Cait

I don’t blame Cait for being apprehensive about dating. Any woman getting thrown back into the dating pool at 65 would be scared. Unless you’re Tina Turner or some other mega-fabulous being. Cait and friends go to a club where gorgeous guys are pole dancing and dollar bills are being thrown around. Poor Cait is so uncomfortable, it reminds me of Benjamin’s date with Elaine in The Graduate.

Quote of the episode – Cait referring to the club: “In The Abbey they’re all packin’.”

Um…just because Cait is uncomfortable with the strippers doesn’t have anything to do with her liking/not liking men. Seriously, Jenny? Jenny can be pretty astute though, pointing out that Cait has always escaped her problems through work. IMO, it’s better than escaping through drugs. At least you make money rather than spend it. Cait suggests that being with a man might make a transgender woman feel like “a real woman.” When Jenny asks what she means by that, she says “any other woman you see on the street.” Jenny then gives her the advice we should all heed, that Cait is “normal” right now and a woman doesn’t need a man to validate her and make her a woman. I’m sure there’s a country song in here somewhere. Welcome to my world Cait.

What was interesting is that Jenny also said Cait has too much work on the brain. Wasn’t she the same person who suggested Cait be a one-woman educator for the masses? I’m glad she’s come to see that Cait does care about the rest of the world and not just what’s in her shoe closet.

One of the sadder things brought up tonight is how often transgender women are made to think they’re only good for one thing once their transgender status has been revealed. That men will romance them until they find out, and after that’re reduced to late night booty calls. The words that have been hanging silently in the air throughout the series are finally given a voice. Maybe Cait should date Candis. I think she should. Candis is the whole package. I’d date Candis.

Cait tells Candis that the worst thing is to not have hope for the future. I totally agree. Lots of pearls of wisdom tonight.

Fear the Walking Dead

Who is this kid with the acne – in other words, the 30-year-old they’re trying to get us to believe is in high school – who keeps skulking around and obviously knows something? Ok, now he’s talking. Conspiracy theories and how when society crashes, it’s like Lord of the Flies. He’s also gotten the knife back that Madison confiscated from him in the first episode. Except a pocket knife against a zombie is hardly going to be effective, especially a fresh zombie. The knife’s metal is quickly tested on Principal Artie and Tobias (the acne-faced kid) has a hard time getting it through Artie’s thick skull.

Curtis and his ex are looking for their other son who is not Nick. He’s at some kind of protest where things are about to get out of hand. Everything is getting dicey with dead people coming back to life and of course the looters are busy. It’s nice to know that some things never change. A tragedy has happened? Quick! Let’s steal some TVs! The three hole up in a barber shop. As it gets even creepier outside, there is no way Travis can leave to meet Madison, the plan having been to leave Los Angeles together. Madison is at home with Nick & her daughter, Alicia. Things are not going well outside there either.

Will Travis be able to get away to meet Madison? Will Madison be able to get away to meet Travis? Why is it 2 weeks until the next episode?

Snowpiercer (WARNING: SPOILERS)

Just to prove I don’t just watch schlock, let’s talk movies. I caught Snowpiercer on Showtime over the weekend. It was so good, even though I was at home, I didn’t even want to get up to go to the bathroom.

Giving a Reader’s Digest Condensed version of the plot, in trying to fix global warming, a huge miscalculation has been made and brings on another ice age, killing all life. Apparently, however, there was some warning, because the survivors are now bound for nowhere on a gigantic train. The train (the number of cars never talked about, but in the graphic novel, it’s 1000+) is a microcosm of society, with the elite being in the front cars, and the dregs of humanity in the back. Kind of like your everyday flight on a major airline. It’s a nightmare living in the back – they’ve been on the train for 17 years now – so it’s time for a revolution.

As the group of rebels goes forward through the train, I was reminded of The Warriors (1979), where a gang has to get back to their home turf, fighting various rivals (in various costumes and makeup!) as they make their way through New York City. Snowpiercer is very detail oriented, and I was fascinated with the different cars and the different groups of people.

There are lots of great fight scenes, which made me wonder if those In the tail section (or “the shoe” as Tilda Swinton reminds them, while the people in the front section are “the hat”) had been watching Ninja movies and doing strength training all those years, since they have extreme fighting down to a science. There is also a very weird break In the action because the new year arrives.

A lot of the characters are weird, although I guess I’d be weird too, if I was riding a train for 17 years. I hate being in the car for more than two hours. Tilda Swinton is remarkable as Minister Mason, a somewhat androgynous second in command, chewing the scenery, using words like “hooliganism,” and spewing forth great lines, such as, “You suffer from the misplaced optimism of the doomed.”

One of my favorite scenes was in the aquarium section (an absolutely gorgeous set!) where sushi is also served twice a year, and It just so happens that this is one of the times. As the insurgents prepare to dig in, leader Curtis stops Mason from eating, handing her one of the protein bars that the rear cars have been eating for years. No doubt she knows what it’s made out of – insects – something Curtis and crew discovered along the way. Although truthfully, that’s supposed to be one of the best sources of protein. I know. You eat it then.

The train itself reminded me of Coney Island’s rickety wooden roller coaster, Cyclone, the scary way it bounced along the tracks at breakneck speed. None of the parts are getting any younger either, and when she blows, it’s a phenomenal scene. Somehow, I missed this in the theater. It’s a shame because it’s just the kind of film I like to see at the movies. Lots of special effects and blowing things up. It makes me feel like I’m getting my money’s worth, since it costs as much as a cruise for a ticket now. Thank God for the dollar store, so I don’t have to take out a second mortgage to get candy.

I can understand why, at the end, Curtis doesn’t want the job of overseeing humanity. My first job in NYC was with a place that took ticket orders for shows before TicketMaster was born. I was a supervisor for a while and I hated it. I didn’t want to tell other adults when they were allowed to have a bathroom break. So I know how you feel, Curtis.

The story was taken from a graphic novel, but I wish it was a “real” book because I have a few questions. The most pressing of which concerns a polar bear seen at the end of the film. If the earth had was uninhabitable, and all life dead (we saw this to be true looking out the windows throughout the film), where did it come from? It can’t be evolution, because there was nothing to evolve from except snow. Did God put it there? Did it fall out of the train? Will it eat those kids who survived?

Snowpiercer made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me watch it a second time. It was one of those movies where afterward, you don’t want to watch anything else, because you know it will pale in comparison.