Category Archives: nighttime drama

Dec23

December 22, 2018 – Sun Loses Her Mind, Run’s Writing & My Other Favorite

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Z Nation

Murphy is behind a metal fence with the talkers. He tells Estes that he came as a show of good faith, but Estes tells him that he had a choice. Murphy says his friends need some biscuits. Estes says he has a vote to prepare for. Murphy tells him that his friends live for democracy, but Estes says his democracy is only for the living. Murphy says, it’s voter suppressing. Estes tells the talkers, get on the bus. Murphy says talkers get nippy when they’re hungry. He sees that one of the buses is missing a tire, the talkers are obviously agitated, and there’s no driver. He concentrates, and the talkers calm down. He sees Addie taking aim in the distance, and says, these buses aren’t going anywhere.

A guard scans people as they go into the Altura campus. One man sets the alarm off. Another guard says, traitor! and shoots him. Hiding inside, Kaya is busy on the laptop getting clearance for Roberta, George, and Citizen Z. CZ and George get through easily, but the scanner does something weird when it’s Roberta’s turn. Kaya’s fingers fly over the keyboard. Roberta tells the guard, try again, and she gets through. George says, marshal law before voting day? Estes is unreal. Roberta tells her, no matter what, they stick to the plan. CZ is off to find Kaya, and Roberta tells him, stay alive.

CZ goes through the halls, and quietly calls Kaya’s name. He opens the front of a vending machine, and finds her in a space behind it. She asks if he got it, and he gives her a flashdrive, saying, the keys to the kingdom. Two guards walk past the machine, but don’t notice anything. Kaya says, Altura at her fingertips, and CZ says, the perfect setup. She tells him, let’s rock.

George tells Roberta that Estes’s office is this way. Roberta says, when the time comes, she’ll deal with him. A guard tells them to stop, and they move faster. Another guard tries to block them, but they knock him down and run. The first guard aims his gun, telling them to freeze and get on their knees. He says traitors have a lot of nerve showing up there. He cuffs them, and Roberta says they’ll regret this.

Pandora approaches the talker buses with her assistant. The guards are all lying on the ground, dead. There’s a huge smear of blood on the side of one of the buses. She touches it, and tastes it. She asks if she’s supposed to believe strung out talkers did this. She sees the bus is empty, but Murphy pops up from a back seat, saying, don’t shoot. He tells her that he loved her in Phantom of the Apocalypse. She asks where her men are. He says she’s Estes’s mascot, and she says he’s the big red one, the proprietor of Limbo. He says he was, until Estes’s goons forced him out of business. She calls him a friend to talkers, and a talker lovers friend, which makes him a traitor. He says he’s been called much worse. She asks what happened, and he tells her that he was forced on the bus, and the talkers went batsh*t crazy. She asks if he expects her to believe they were overrun by starving talkers. She takes out a switchblade, and asks where the talkers are now. He says, they ran off, and she tells him that she could eat his brains and find out what she needs to know. Her assistant grabs Murphy from behind, and Pandora says, stop stalling. Murphy says he got knocked out, and when he woke up, everyone was gone. She says, it doesn’t matter. He can’t protect them anyway. Her phone rings, and Murphy wonders where everybody is getting phones. It’s Estes. Pandora tells him that she understands, and she’s on her way. Murphy says she’s not taking him, but she says there’s no need. Estes has already arrested George and Roberta, and he’ll never be welcome there.

Roberta sees a surveillance camera, and tells George that Kaya and CZ will find them. Behind the vending machine, CZ asks Kaya if she’s found anything, but she’s still checking cameras. Pandora is back, and Estes tells her that he doesn’t like it. They’re up to something before the election. Pandora asks him to let her find out, and he says, the talkers need to stay lost. Pandora tells him not to worry. They won’t be voting; she’ll make sure. George will tell them what they need to know. She passionately kisses Estes, but his eyes stay open.

Doc has brought the talkers to the spot Roberta told him to. He tells them, let’s go. They’ve got their orders. The talkers and Addie come out. 10K and Doc set up a tent. Addie gives out biscuits.

Estes says hello to George and Roberta, and George tells him, save it. She asks what happened? and if he’s been lying to her this whole time. He says, unbridled idealism is easy to direct, but Roberta thinks the word he wants is manipulate. George asks if the final mercy is his idea of democracy. Estes says they’re the ones who hacked him. George wonders how his much his fellow Alturans will believe in him when they find out he was behind the blast. He asks who they’re going to find out from. Them? Roberta says, the truth always comes out. He says while they’re in a cell, he’s going to be elected supreme commander, and have them convicted of treason. In Altura, they take a dim view of election interference. Roberta asks, why? and he tells her, it’s not personal; just evolution. He tells the guard to bring George. Roberta asks where he’s taking her, and Estes says, to answer a few questions. He tells Roberta not to worry. He’s playing good cop. Pandora and her assistant show up.

In the lab, Red and Sun watch a dismembered hand jump around. Red says she’ll ever get used to that, and Sun tells her, the zombie virus is singularly focused. It wants brains. Red says she feels bad for Becky, but Sun says, Becky is at peace now. The virus is making the hand move. She’s run tests on Murphy’s blood, and it comes back to where it started. There’s something in it that has the same neuroreceptors as in the virus. Red asks if Sun is close, and Sun says maybe they’ll get lucky. She injects the hand. It’s still for a moment, then flips all around, becomes still again, then moves like a normal hand. Sun says it killed the virus and rehumanized the hand. Red says she’s found the cure.

Alone with Roberta, Estes tells her, welcome back to Altura. Her appearance was unexpected, and her timing curious. She thanks him for the warm welcome, and adds, Altura hospitality needs a little work. He asks where the talkers are, and she says, what talkers? He says they’re planning something that’s doomed to fail. They can’t stop the vote, but she can stop the bloodshed right now. Is she willing to decide for every human that her way is right? He asks where the talkers are, and she laughs.

CZ tells Kaya to go back to George. Kaya says that chick with the creepy mask makes her nervous. She sees Pandora torturing George, and the laptop goes out. CZ says there must have been a power surge, and Kaya says she has to reboot. A guy loses money in the vending machine, and starts cursing it out. CZ drops a soda down manually. Kaya says, this could take a while.

Pandora tells George that she could break a finger or toe, or her nose. She picks up a wrench. George asks what it’s like being Estes’s pet. He’s using her. Pandora says they’re using each other. Estes has big plans, and she’s his queen. George tells her to keep telling herself that. Pandora asks why they’re in Altura, and George says, sightseeing. Pandora asks where the talkers are, and George says, she rounded them up; you tell me. Pandora is glad George isn’t cooperating, and picks up a cattle prod. George asks why she’s chosen Estes over her own kind, and Pandora says she’s not a talker. George says, there’s no shame in being dead. Her best friend was a talker. Pandora says, the poor rebel Dante. So devoted to her. George tells her not to talk about him, but Pandora says she’s earned the right to say whatever she wants about him. George asks what that’s supposed to mean, and Pandora says she doesn’t know? This is even better than electricity. She killed Dante, not random vigilantes. He asked her to give George a message. His last words were, George help me. Why did she leave him alone? He needs her. She shocks George with the prod, as she mimics Dante. George says he was the best person she’s ever known, and Pandora says he wasn’t a person. He wasn’t even a talker. In the end, all that was left was a bag of garbage. She’s asking one more time where the talkers are. She shocks George, and laughs.

10K wonders why Murphy is never around for the heavy lifting, and Doc says, he’s clever that way. He tells 10K that he’s a good man, and 10K thanks him. Doc says, it’s nice to know a compliment still means something in a world like this. He says, no matter what happens, keep going. He’s like a cockroach, and his dad would be proud. Doc loves him like his own son, and 10K says he feels the same way. He asks if Doc thinks this is going to work, and Doc says, it had better. Lives depend on it. He calls for more cable.

Addie supervises the talkers, who are building a sandbag wall. Murphy joins her, and Addie says they’re almost ready. Murphy says, back there at the buses, she had a lot of issues to work out. She says she did it for them, not him. He tells her she has a way with her Z whacker.

Estes tells Roberta, any attack on Altura by the talkers would be folly. He senses she knows that, but Roberta says he’s confusing her with someone who scares easily. Tell the people of Altura they’re friends, let them vote, and maybe she’ll let him live. Estes says it’s amusing that she thinks there’s still a debate to be had. He tells her, goodbye, and as he’s leaving, she says, there will come a time when everyone turns talker, Remember that.

Red and Sun pack up some supplies. Red asks where they’re going, and Sun says, anywhere out of Estes’s hands, even Z territory. Red says she has a friend with access to an Altura truck. Sun tells her to be careful, but hurry. Red leaves, and Sun packs up the blood sample vials. Estes walks in, and asks if she’s going somewhere with his lab.

Guards put Roberta in another room. She asks, where’s George?

Kaya tells CZ that she’s trying to patch a workaround. She sees Roberta, and says she’s back in. Roberta signals for her to unlock the door, and she does. CZ wonders where George is. Kaya looks in other rooms, and sees Estes with Sun in the lab. CZ tells her, find George, then go back to that. She gets to the room George is in, and says, it’s bad. CZ says he’s going to find Roberta, and they’re getting George, and tells her to keep an eye on Sun. She tells him to be careful, and hand her a diet Coke on his way out.

Pandora keeps shocking George, who’s battered and bloody. She says, the talkers are planning an attack. George hopes Pandora didn’t break a nail on her face. Pandora shocks her again, and asks what she’s planning with the talkers; tell her. George says, and ruin her fun? Pandora says she can do this for as long as it takes, and George says, ditto. Pandora’s assistant brings in a zombie wearing a hood. The assistant removes the covering on the zombie’s mouth and eyes.

Sun tells Estes that she doesn’t want the samples to be contaminated. He tells her, have a seat; she seems tired. She say the trials have taken a toll on her. He says he hasn’t seen her in days. He picks up one of the vials, and asks what it is. She says, another failure, and he asks, why keep it? She says to learn why it failed, He picks up a syringe, and asks what’s in it. She tells him it’s the pure Z virus. He holds it up to a drone near the ceiling, and she asks if he’s been spying on her. What does he want? He says she already knows the answer. He takes out a gun, and tells her to get comfortable. He straps her to the chair, and she asks what he’s doing. He says, compelling the witness, and injects her. He says now maybe she’ll tell him the Z cure. He wants to watch it work on a human subject. He asks, which one is the vaccine? She shakes her head, and he says he’ll find it himself. He has no shortage of human subjects, starting with her and her friends. A guard comes in, and Estes says he had one job, and he let Roberta escape. He tells Sun not to go anywhere. He leaves, and she begins to turn.

Pandora asks George if they’re planning to attack on Altura’s election day. George isn’t telling her, and Pandora says, so they are planning to attack. She asks where the talkers are hiding. She says she’s barely touched George, and runs a knife over George’s face. She licks the knife, and says she finds George delicious. Where are the talkers? She tells George, through face is the long way to the brain, but the nose cartilage and eye cavities go easy. Where are the talkers? George says, don’t do this, but Pandora says she can’t disappoint Pierre. She brings the zombie over to George, and talks baby talk to him. He gets crazy, and Pandora asks again where the talkers are. She recommends that George tell her before Pierre eats her, and brings him closer. George says, get him away, and Pandora says, good boy! Down! She’s asking one more time, where are the talkers?

Red comes back to the lab. She says she got the truck, but doesn’t know if they have enough gas. She finds Sun in the chair, and sees that she’s turned. She asks, what happened? and Sun points to the vials.  Red takes out a syringe, but Sun gets loose and comes after her. Red drops the syringe, but manages to get it back. She tries to inject Sun while struggling with her. Sun gets Red down on the floor, but Red is able to inject her. Sun becomes human again, and Red says, it really works. Sun looks down, and there’s a broken beaker imbedded in her stomach.

Addie tells Murphy, even if the talkers get to vote, does he think they’ll fit in as well as the two of them. She thinks Estes won’t let it happen. Murphy says, let George and Roberta take care of Estes, and Addie says, there will always be another one. Humans aren’t evolving. Murphy says they are, but Addie is afraid there’s no place for them. He suggests they take the talkers and start over, but she doesn’t know.

Estes tells a guard to double the security, and find Roberta. He doesn’t want her skulking around today of all days. Pandora approaches him, and says, George broke. Estes hopes Pandora had fun, and Pandora says, George spilled her guts – literally. The talkers are setting up a staging area near Pacifica. Estes says he’ll activate security, and send everyone available to wipe their kind from the face of the earth. She asks, what about guarding Altura? He says he’ll do that, and asks where George is. Pandora says George and Pierre are having a snack. Estes says, good for Pierre.

Pierre keeps rushing at George, and she keeps kicking him back. He suddenly kneels in front of her.

CZ asks Roberta, which room? and she says, they all look the same. He asks Kaya to unlock a door at the end of the hall. They go in and find George on the floor. Roberta sees Pierre on the floor, unmoving, and says, a little close for comfort. CZ asks how George did that. I’d like to know too. Roberta asks if George gave it up, and George says, all of it. CZ says they have to find Sun; she’s alone with Estes. That can’t be good.

Sun tells Red to leave the glass in her. CZ and Roberta come in, and CZ asks where Estes is. Sun says, he’s coming back. She tells them she did it. Roberta says, the vaccine works? CZ asks if it’s like biscuit booster packs, and George asks if it restores talkers. Sun says, talkers and zombies, fresh ones anyway. Roberta asks if it’s a cure, and Sun says, it’s a start. Roberta says they can’t let Estes find out. They need to grab Sun’s resources and go. Sun says she can’t. What they need is in her head.

Doc rolls a joint, and 10K says, last smoke? Doc tells him, don’t be a fatalist. 10K leaves to get the truck. Doc lights up.

Murphy tells Addie that the talkers seem nervous. Addie tells them, hold tight, and Murphy says, the vote and citizenship are waiting if they want it, but they have to take it. Addie says they’ll help, and tells them, arm up. The talkers are each carrying a staff. They raise them, and march toward Altura.

Pandora sees a dead Pierre, and yowls. Estes says, they went to the lab.

Sun says she’s dying. She’ll be the first death since the black rain. Roberta says they can get more of Murphy’s blood, but Sun says the antibodies are evolving daily. They have to take her brain and preserve it before she dies. CZ says they can sew her up, but she says she’s lost too much blood. If Estes gets ahold of her… George says she won’t let him. Sun tells Red to get the syringe, but Red says she can’t inject Sun with poison. Sun says she can, and will. They’ll leave a dead end, and Estes will have nothing to work with. She tells George to tie her off, so the poison won’t reach her brain tissue. They’ll have what they need to recreate the cure. Red says, no, and hugs Sun. An alarm sounds, and CZ tells them to hurry. Roberta ties Sun off at the neck.

Estes is at the door. It’s locked, but he gets in, finding Sun in the chair with the top of her head gone. Pandora says they took her brain, and the cure with it. Estes says they’ll drain her blood. Maybe they can recover traces of it. He’s going to have every traitor mercied.  He’s going to find them, and kill them all. He leaves, and Pandora caresses Sun’s face, asking, where did your little brain go?

We see Roberta and George leaving with a carrying case.

Next Friday, the finale is a killer. We see the real Pandora, and Mario van Peebles (Cooper) is back.

🚬 About That Song…

My other favorite Christmas song. Apparently Reverend Run wrote it while he was high. I’m not sure what that says about me.

https://pagesix.com/2018/12/07/rev-run-was-high-when-he-wrote-christmas-in-hollis/

🎄 It’s Christmas…

…time in Hollis, Queens.

Mom’s cooking chicken and collard greens,

Rice and stuffing, macaroni and cheese,

And Santa put gifts under Christmas trees…

 

 

 

Dec15

December 14, 2018 – Cameron Bakes Some Brownies, Welcome to Hackertown, Quotes of Seven & December Duo

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Curtis tells Jordan, surprise! Honeymoon at Kelly’s. She swears they’re going to Fiji – as soon as she closes the case. He says they both know investigations rarely go as fast as they’d like, but she’s making progress. She tells him that she keeps thinking something is right in front of her, but she’s not seeing it. He says she’s done a masterful job investigating links and gathering evidence. She thinks she doesn’t have much to show for it, but he has the feeling that’s about to change.

Julian sees Kim with her head on Drew’s shoulder, and gets back in the elevator.

At Turning Woods, Sonny asks Carly if everything’s okay. She says, a minor crisis at work, but it’s fine. He appreciates her coming, and she says she’s happy to be there for Mike. He’s not the one she’s mad at. Sonny asks if she wants to argue about Margaux right now. She says she’d like to forget Margaux exists, and focus on Christmas. They see Mike and Yvonne decorating a tree, and Carly says it looks like Mike is ahead of them.

At Kelly’s, Marcus tells Stella that Sonny claims it’s all innocent, but he’d like to see how Sonny would like it if someone was chasing after his wife. Stella doesn’t think he’s like it too much. Marcus says it’s torture looking at the person you love when they have no idea.

Cameron gets a text. I’ll bring the (weed emoji). You bring the money. His phone rings. Elizabeth tells him the sitter can’t stay late, but Cameron says he has plans. She asks what kind, and he says extracurricular activities. They look good on college apps. She says she needs him to go straight home, and he says, fine. He’ll be there. He gets another text. Meet me in one hour.

Valentin sees that Nina is packed and ready to go. He says she doesn’t waste time. She tells him it’s not like she brought her entire wardrobe. She was just keeping Sasha company. He says, and safe. There’s a serial killer loose in Port Charles. She says she has no reason to stay, but he says he can think of a few.

Lulu meets Laura at Charlie’s. Laura asks, what’s going on? and Lulu says, everything, wondering when it became December, like we all are. She wishes she could figure out who Charlotte is bullying, and Laura says, Aiden. Lulu says, Charlotte is bullying her own cousin?

Valentin tells Nina that Charlotte will miss her. Nina says Charlotte knew she was leaving when Sasha did. Valentin says Sasha is safe in Chappaqua; what about her? There have been no arrests in Kiki’s murder, and there’s the killing of that nurse. Nina has confidence in Jordan and her team, but Valentin says there’s been no progress. He asks her to stay there. At least it’s a safe place.

Laura tells Lulu it’s getting worse. She doesn’t want to upset her, but she’s Charlotte’s mother. She needs to know what’s going on. Lulu asks if she’s talked to Elizabeth, and Laura says she knows Aiden is being bullied, but not that it’s by Charlotte. She’s surprised Charlotte’s teacher didn’t tell her, but Lulu says Willow is trying to diffuse the situation. She doesn’t want Charlotte to be publicly reprimand, or the kids might choose sides, and it will leave Aiden more isolated.

Alexis comes into Charlie’s, saying she’s there to whisk Kristina away for a late birthday celebration. They’re going to a spa, and Kristina can bring a friend. Kristina says she’s working all night, and Alexis asks if she can talk to the owner. Kristina says Julian is out, and wherever he went seemed important.

Sonny says the tree looks great. Yvonne sticks her finger on an ornament, and Sonny asks if she’s all right. Mike says she’s okay, and Sonny suggests getting a Band-Aid. Mike says it’s not necessary, and tells him to back off. Sonny says Mike doesn’t need to get excited, and Mike tells him, back off. Why is Sonny telling him what to do. He’s the adult, not Sonny. He asks where Sonny’s father is.

Through the window, Curtis sees Stella and Marcus in Kelly’s, and says, damn. He tells Jordan that Stella is with Marcus Godfrey. She asks if that’s the Marcus; the lost love of Stella’s life? He says, the one and only. He supposes he should thank him for inspiring Stella to show up at the wedding. She said she met an old friend who inspired her to put things in perspective, and guesses it was him. Jordan asks how Curtis tracked him down, but Curtis says he didn’t. Marcus has his own reasons to be in Port Charles.

Stella tells Marcus that Sonny sees his father seems happy. Marcus asks what he’s supposed to do; let it keep going on? She says she’s not telling him to do anything. He says she was never one without an opinion back in the day. She says she’s learned when to keep her place, and he says it’s her place now. She’s an old friend, and Mike is her client. If she has something to say, he wants to hear it. She tells him she thinks he’s being ungenerous. Not to Sonny or his father, but Yvonne.

Sonny tells Mike that he’s his father. Carly says he knows Sonny. He’s Mike’s son Michael. His name is just like Mike’s, but everyone calls him Sonny. Mike guesses he must have forgotten for a moment. Sonny says, it’s all right. He didn’t want intrude, but wanted to be there for the party. Yvonne asks if everything is all right. Does he know this young man? Mike says, he’s a good guy, and suggests they take care of her finger. When they’re gone, Carly says she’s so sorry, and hugs Sonny.

Alexis tells Kristina, it’s not fair. Julian keeps putting her in charge, and she’s not being paid for two jobs. Kristina asks her to stay out of it; she has enough to deal with. Alexis asks if Julian has been talking about Kiki’s death, and if he’s in a bad way. Kristina says he’s messed up about it, but his way of taking care of himself is taking care of others. He’s been looking after Kim and Oscar, and running errands for them. Julian comes in, and snaps at Kristina about the shaker being on the bar. Kristina tells Alexis that she prefers it when he’s out taking care of Kim.

Kim asks if Franco and Elizabeth want some food, but Elizabeth says they’ll take a raincheck. Kim says they owe her for the extra support and care she’s given Oscar. Drew says they appreciate it, and Kim adds, especially with what’s going on. Franco tells them that they postponed the wedding, partly because of Kiki. It seemed soon. Elizabeth says they’ve also got stuff going on with the kids.

Cameron tells Aiden to stay in his room until he finishes his homework. He takes out a box of brownie mix, and says, to bake or not to bake; that is the question.

Lulu can’t believe her daughter is bullying her nephew. Laura says, they’re both young, and it can be a wonderful teaching moment. Lulu says they’re getting through this time, and Laura asks if she and Valentin are still on the same page. Lulu says they are; Nina is the problem. She refuses to believe it. Laura says, no one wants to believe their child is capable of bullying, but it’s not uncommon. Kids are under pressure too, and don’t always deal with it the best way. Lulu says she’s going to win this time. If Valentin can’t discipline Charlotte, she will.

Valentin would like to believe he doesn’t frighten Nina, and she says he doesn’t. He’s not a threat to her health or well-being. He says, good to know. She says she just gets distracted around him, and doesn’t always make the right decision. It was great that he found Sasha. She loves him, and might always love him, but she can’t stay with him. She can’t pretend things didn’t happen that did. He says he’s not the same man he was when he gave Peter to Faison. He’s not the same man since he met her in the hotel hallway. Meeting her changed him forever. The man before her is the man he’s been ever since. She says she should go, and he says, please don’t. She can’t keep doing this; she doesn’t have it in her. He says she doesn’t have to do anything. He’s never going to stop trying to win her back, even when she says she doesn’t believe in them.

Carly tells Sonny that Mike and Yvonne are on their way back; they’re picking out games. She doesn’t know how aware Mike is about what happened, and Sonny says, it’s to be expected. Stella warned them. Carly says, that doesn’t make it easier. You can tell yourself that you’re prepared. You can read all the brochures, but knowing it is different than living it. Sonny says he tells himself it’s not that bad. Mike is still here, and still his dad, but the good times are less, and the bad times are getting worse. He doesn’t know how to handle it. He doesn’t know what to do. Carly says she doesn’t either, but they’re not doing it alone.

Stella tells Marcus that Yvonne has a special bond with Mike. They give each other light. Anyone can see it. Marcus says it’s how she used be all the time, and it means the world to him. Stella asks if it’s so wrong that Yvonne has a connection with Mike. He’s not a stranger at this state. Why deny her a friendship she enjoys? Marcus says she’s less present each day, and focused on Mike, not her husband. Does she know how hard it is to want something just outside your reach?

Kristina tells Alexis, birthdays don’t mean anything anyway. She’s learned every day is like a birthday, a chance to start over. Alexis doesn’t see the harm in celebrating. You only come into the world once. Kristina says, who knows? It could have been five hundred times. Alexis says, okay, Buddha. Does she believe in reincarnation. Julian comes back in, and complains about how the limes are being sliced. He asks why it’s so hard for Kristina to do her job. Alexis says it’s a bar, not an operating room; no one is dying. He needs to chill. He says he doesn’t tell her how represent her clients; don’t tell him how to run his business. She understands it’s a tough time, but don’t it take out on her daughter. Julian says, okay, she’s fired. He tells Alexis, thanks for the advice. He feels chiller already.

Elizabeth tells Kim that Aiden has a great teacher, who picked up on it. Franco gripes that she won’t cough up the name, and Kim says, it’s frustrating. Oscar went through it in middle school. Franco says he’s tempted to put Spinelli on retainer. Elizabeth says the other parents are dealing with it on their end, and she understands the child has been spoken to.

There’s a knock at Valentin’s door, and he says, someone is about to die. It’s Lulu. He tells her, it’s not a good time, but she says, too bad. They’re getting the message across to Charlotte before more damage is done. Nina asks if this is about the alleged bullying. Lulu says Nina has to stop running interference. They tried working it out together, and it was a disaster thanks to her. Nina says Lulu is taking the teacher’s word over her daughter’s, and Willow is PC to a fault. Kids need the room work out their own problems. It’s the other parents’ job to toughen up their kid. Lulu says the kid is her nephew, Aiden. Valentin asks if they’re talking about Aiden Webber. In her first moment of soap timing ever, Charlotte walks in and says, what about him?

Cameron is starting to bake, when there’s a knock at the door. Laura asks if his mom is home. He says she’s out, and he’s on babysitting duty. Aiden is there, and finishing his homework upstairs. She doesn’t want to interrupt, and Aiden says he was just working on an extracurricular activity. She says she’ll wait. He asks if he can get her anything, but she says she’s fine. He’s goes back to the kitchen, and is looking at something on his phone, when she walks in. She ask if she startled him. He says he was just focused on his phone, and she asks if this is the extracurricular activity. He says he’s supposed to make brownies for the bake sale, but he’s challenged. She says they’ll do it together.

Franco says they should go. Cameron is probably tired of babysitting. Elizabeth suggests Kim and Drew get some rest. The better shape the both of them are in, the better for Oscar. She and Franco leave, and Drew asks Kim about getting something for the staff. She gets on her phone, and says there’s a $500 credit in her account. It’s definitely a mistake. She makes a call.

Alexis finds Julian outside, tearing apart boxes. She asks if he thinks it’s a good idea to fire his first bartender on his first anniversary. He opened up Charlie’s a year ago. Julian says he doesn’t keep track, and she tells him, try sobriety. It makes you good at keeping track. He says he’s got enough problems, and she says he’ll have even more without Kristina’s help. He says she’s not fired; he’s just pissed off. He attacks the boxes. Alexis says she can tell. Does he want to talk. He says he shouldn’t lean on her; it’s not right. She tells him to talk to someone. His anger is toxic. He says things didn’t turn out way he thought they would. She says, they rarely do.

Charlotte asks why everyone is mad at her. Nina says they’re not mad, and Lulu says they’re upset about the way she’s been treating Aiden. Valentin says school is easy for her. Lulu says, it’s not like that for everybody. Valentin tells her, it’s important not to hurt others’ feelings, and Lulu adds, especially those who are having trouble in class. Charlotte says it’s not her fault Aiden is different. He’s so weird. She tried to help him, and tell him how to act, but he doesn’t listen. He does things differently, and that’s why no one likes him. It’s his fault, not hers.

Marcus says it’s nice to meet Jordan, but he should go. There’s a holiday party at Turning Woods. Curtis says he’ll walk him out. Jordan sits, and Stella asks how married life is. Jordan says she loves it, but she’d love it more if she wasn’t working twenty-hour days. Stella asks how the investigation is going. Jordan says she thinks she’s getting close. Stella says she has every confidence Jordan will close the case, and she and Curtis can pick up where they left off. Jordan appreciates that they have some time alone. She wanted to thank Stella for coming to the wedding. It meant everything, and she hopes it’s the start of things being better between them. If she can find Marcus after all these years, anything is possible. Stella asks if Curtis told her about Marcus, and Jordan says, some. She knew some herself because she went looking for him.

Outside, Curtis asks Marcus how Yvonne is doing. Marcus says, not well. She’ll never get better, and he’s accepted that, but he hopes she doesn’t decline too quickly. Curtis knows he and Stella have a history, and suggests Marcus let her help. She’s very talented in her field. Marcus says, she’s already done plenty.

Jordan tells Stella that she thought if she could find Marcus, and bring him back into her life, it might soften her attitude toward them. Stella asks if Jordan tried to reunite her with Marcus. Jordan says she wanted to explore the possibility, but when she discovered he was married, that was the end of it. Stella wonders why Jordan is telling her now. Jordan says she has to be honest if she wants to move on and be a family. She asks if there’s any chance for that.

Carly thinks Mike and Yvonne are cute. Yvonne lifts Mike’s spirits. Sonny is relieved that Mike found a friend. Carly says he’s sweet and considerate with her. Sonny says when Mike was first diagnosed, he thought Mike losing his memory was the worst thing, but now he thinks it’s going from the limbo before he forgets. That must be hardest; slipping away. He must feel alone. Carly thinks that’s why Mike is protective and territorial with Yvonne. Sonny says, it’s clear they have a connection. He can’t lose her.

Lulu says it’s not Charlotte’s job to tell her classmates how to act. The first rule – the only rule – is to treat others the way you want to be treated. How would she feel if someone told her how to act or what to like. Or embarrassed her? Valentin says he was teased mercilessly because of the way he looked, and she should feel bad. Lulu says, she’s not helping; she’s hurting. They know she can’t be best friends with everyone. Everyone is different, and it’s all okay. They’re just asking her to be kind and respectful to Aiden; to everyone. Charlotte starts to cry. Lulu says they know she’s a good person. She shows them every day. Charlotte says, deal, and Lulu says, good. Now there’s just one more person they have to show.

Cameron thanks Laura for the assist. She saved batch of brownies. Laura say they don’t get much of a chance to be together. She has some advice about his brother. Cameron says he tried to warn their mom it was going to happen. He was going to get picked on in school. Laura asks why Cameron thinks that, and Cameron says, he’s just different. He doesn’t fit in. Cameron knew that once Aiden hit a certain age, kids will see and pick on him. Laura says that’s astute of Cameron. His brother looks up to him. It would be wonderful if Cameron let Aiden know he’s great the way he is.

Franco and Elizabeth come home. Elizabeth says she didn’t know Laura was stopping by, and Laura says she was hoping they’d get a chance to talk. Elizabeth thanks Cameron, and tells him he’s off. He’s relieved of duty, and can go back to doing whatever he was doing. He’s already flying out the door, saying, home by ten. Elizabeth apologizes for him being rude, and Laura says, clearly, he was in a hurry; he forgot the brownies. Franco asks, did she just say brownies? as he eats one.

On the phone, Kim says she’ll check her email. She tells Drew that Julian got her a credit. It’s probably in her spam folder. She looks, and says there are several. He got someone to clean her apartment and grocery shop. She feels guilty; she’s kind of neglected him lately. Drew is sure Julian knows what she’s going through, and wants to help. Kim wishes she could return the favor or thank him in person. Drew says, Oscar is asleep. He’ll hold down the fort. She’d do the same for him. Just bring back pizza when she’s done. She leaves.

Alexis asks what Kristina is doing, and Kristina says figuring out if she’s been there long enough to get unemployment. Julian says she’s rehired. Alexis says, not so fast. Doesn’t he have something to say? He tells Kristina that he’s sorry, and Alexis says, how about a raise? He needs Kristina, and knows it. An extra five dollars an hour. Julian says, done, but she’s working overtime this weekend. Alexis tells Kristina, you’re welcome.

Laura says the brownies are for a drama class bake sale, and Elizabeth asks if she’s sure she heard correctly. Laura says, maybe he’s been bitten by the acting bug, and Franco says, who knew? They have a budding pastry chef. Laura says, he had help, and Elizabeth thanks her. Laura knows Cameron can be a handful, but he’s a great kid. Franco says he’ll drop the brownies by the bake sale.

Cameron goes to the hospital. Drew sees him, and gives him a hug. Cameron says he came to check on Oscar, and asks how he’s doing. Drew says, sleeping, but he’s doing better. He’ll tell him that Cameron stopped by. When Drew is gone, Cameron texts, don’t need the product. Deal’s off.

Kim finds Julian, still messing with the boxes. She says she appreciates what he’s doing. He says she could have texted or called, but she wanted to tell him in person. He asks, what? She says he’s amazing. He always comes through for her, and takes care of her, no matter what, and she wants to thank him.

Kristina gives Alexis a drink (non-alcoholic) with an uneven lime, on the house. She says Alexis still has the magic touch, and Alexis says, when has she never? She sees Kim and Julian hugging through the window.

Laura is glad she and Elizabeth are alone. She wants to talk about Aiden. The bell rings, and Elizabeth says, hold that thought. She opens the door to Lulu and Charlotte.

Valentin asks if Nina wants him to call for the launch. Nina tells him she’s not leaving after she saw the way Lulu talked to Charlotte. Valentin says Charlotte needed some tough love, but Nina says it was more than that. She’s going overboard. She’s more worried about protecting Aiden. It might stunt his development. She wants to stop Charlotte from being the incredible, independent girl she is. Valentin promises to be vigilant, but Nina says she’s staying.

Jordan tells Stella that her search didn’t lead anywhere, but she still butted into Stella’s private business. She hopes Stella understands and forgives her, or will. Curtis comes back, and asks, who’s hungry? Stella says she’s had her fill, and she’s due back at work. She looks at Jordan, and smiles, patting her on the shoulder. Curtis asks what he missed.

Sonny tells Carly it’s getting late. They should get his dad home before he gets fuzzier. Carly says he seems preoccupied. Mike and Yvonne gaze at each other. Carly thinks they should give them a minute. Marcus comes in as Yvonne touches Mike’s face.

On Monday, Franco has to tell Elizabeth something she won’t like to hear, Lulu says Charlotte needs to apologize to Aiden, Mike kisses Yvonne, and all Jason wants for Christmas is to spend the day with Sam.

Z Nation

We see a screen with texting. Kaya in the Skya: Are you there? They’re headed your way. Ghost King 2.0: Good. Kaya in the Skya: Can I trust you? Ghost King 2.0: Of course.

Roberta and George check out the fencing around Hackertown. A zombie gets electrocuted, and Roberta says, some of the wires can still be hot. Roberta bangs on a metal post. She says, 3 o’clock, and they draw their guns, but it’s Citizen Z. He’s sorry he’s late; he fell asleep. Roberta is glad he made it, and he says, just barely. Altura is locked up tight, and Kaya didn’t want him to go, but she gets it. They’re in a war.

They approach the building that houses Hackertown. CZ says it was a telephone switching center, and they built on the old hardware. There aren’t many digital malefactors left, but they’re pros. They spent many hours to crack Altura. They see a lock system with a small screen, and CZ says they have to prove themselves worthy by entering the next number in a series. The screen asks, what is the meaning of 42? George doesn’t get it. CZ says, it’s an old hacker joke. The answer is the total numerical value in the letters of the two words. He puts it in, nothing happens, and he says, or not. George kicks the door open, and they go in.

It’s dark, and they guide themselves with flashlights. They go down a hallway lined with equipment, and into another room. There are screens going and music playing. A voice tells them, hold it right there, and Roberta say they come in peace. A dude steps out into the light, and CZ asks if he’s the real Ghost King 2.0. He tells them that they have to answer a question. Roberta asks if he’s the troll under the bridge. Ghost King asks what’s the number one rule in hacking, and CZ says, information wants to be free. Ghostsays, the judges say cool, and he puts on the lights. CZ says he has something for him, and punches him in the face. He tells Ghost, Kaya in the Skya says, hello bitch.

Ghost asks what that was for, and CZ says he knows Ghost is trolling his wife. Ghost says it’s not his fault she’s hot. He asks how they got in, and George says they passed the test – for the most part. A guy in a hammock asks them to keep it down; he’s trying to meditate. Roberta says they need help. They need to see Estes’s computer. Ghost says, that’s impossible, and adds, it will take a few hours. CZ says, so they can do it, and Ghost tells him, no one said yes. What do they get out of it? He’d like a new laptop, a car, a shotgun… Roberta tells him to be realistic, and he says, in the unlikely event Newmerica is established, they want immunity in perpetuity for all cybercrimes they may have committed. George asks, what crimes? and he says, a little of this, a little of that. George says if he helps them now, she’ll try to get them a pardon in the future. They fist bump.

The sign on Limbo says, closed. Inside, Addie says if the talkers don’t get biscuits or brains, they’re going to have a problem. Murphy says tell him something he doesn’t know. He asks Doc how the miners are, and Doc says, great. As long as your definition for great is starving slowly and turning zombie. They look at the fish tank with the lithium bricks in it. 10K says it’s a dozen blocks of pure lithium. Addie says that’s why they were eating batteries. She saw them slicing the batteries, and putting the slices on their tongues. It works on the brain. Murphy asks how her truffle slicing skills are. They hear a noise, and Murphy opens the door. It’s Estes. Murphy says, welcome to Limbo. It’s a pleasure to see him. Estes has his posse with him, and Murphy says he sees Estes brought his back up dancers. He tells Estes that they’re closed to the public right now. Estes’s men draw their guns, and Estes says he’s sheltering escaped talkers. He knows they’re here. Open up. Murphy asks if he has a search warrant. Estes says, this is the apocalypse. Stand back, and let them come in. Murphy stands aside, saying he should have cleaned up.

Inside, Doc, Addie, and 10K sit at a table, playing cards. Murphy says, welcome to Limbo. Or at least what’s left of it.

Sun looks through a microscope, and says, negative. She says, it has to be here, and looks at another slide. Negative. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Red with another woman. Sun tells them that she’s the only one there. Red says this is her friend Becky. She came for help. Becky got sick while she was hiding her. Sun asks if she’s a talker, and Red says, yes. Becky says she’s hungry. Sun wants to see how dead she is, and examines her. She says, toxic shock. The infection has overwhelmed her body. People are becoming immune to everything; antibody resistant. There’s nothing Red could have done. Red says Becky needs a biscuit (sounds like a children’s book), but Sun says she doesn’t have any. They took them all. Becky suddenly punches Red.

Doc, Addie, and 10K continue to play cards. Estes tells his men, keep looking. He asks what the occasion for the mini reunion is, and Murphy says, it’s Thursday. Addie heard Doc is a maverick at strip poker. Doc tells her, one word of advice – later. Murphy tells Estes there’s a two drink minimum. Estes says Murphy was housing dozens of talkers, and Murphy says, says who? Estes says, everyone. Murphy says he doesn’t see any, and Estes tells him, seeing is one thing; believing is another, and he believes they’re here. He takes out a gun under the table. Murphy asks if Estes is going to believe him or his Spidey sense. Estes says he’ll wait it out. He orders water for everyone, and Murphy says, two bullets a glass. Estes tells him to put it Altura tab, but Murphy says they don’t have one. Doc shakes his head at Addie, who also has a gun. Estes nods to one of his guys, and the guy gives Murphy four bullets. Murphy says he’ll be right back, and Doc asks if he should deal Estes in. Estes declines.

Murphy pours two waters and smiles. Estes asks if Murphy has seen George and Roberta, and he says, nope. Estes says he thought they were friends. Murphy says he doesn’t have the chip in him now, does he? 10K says, go fish.

Ghost introduces his crew, Girl Boom, and Skip Grecko, the guy in the hammock. GHOST says Skip is the richest man in the world. He specializes in crypto-currency, and has been harvesting coin mines that are still in operation. Roberta wonders why, and GHOST says, sometimes hacking is the journey. A dude who’s pretty much a skeleton sits at a computer, and Ghost says, that’s Bones. He’s old school from the old freak phone era, and a ninja on the keyboard. He tells them, when you’ve only got one talker, a bag of biscuits goes a long way.

CZ asks if they have Estes’s password, and Ghost says, maybe. George says they can hack his laptop, and Ghost says, they have their own air gap email server – the full Hillary – but they’ll need someone inside. Kaya comes up on the screen, and Skip asks who the babe is. CZ says that’s the mother of his child. He tells Kaya that they need someone to get inside, and she says she can do it. Girl Boom says she’s in the system, and they can see what everyone is up to. Kaya is walking toward Altura’s headquarters, and Girl Boom says, there she is. She messes with the security system, so Kaya disappears from the feed. She says, no more Kaya

Kaya goes to the rear service entrance. Ghost says Bones has card keys and IDs. You wouldn’t know by looking at him, but he’s quite the catfisherman. CZ says they’ll need high clearance, and Ghost calls him Captain Obvious. He tells Kaya what to put in the keypad. She’s in, and CZ tells her to be careful.

Estes sees a security alert on his phone; unauthorized key use. He says, Ghost King 2.0, and Murphy says, what? Estes tells him, former employees that turned into vandals. Murphy says, he has a cell phone? Estes says it seems like his talker friends have vanished. He wishes Murphy would come to Altura. They could use his sales expertise. Murphy says, leaving so soon? Estes says they have an intruder. Search every inch, and keep quiet. If they want to hack, let’s hack.

Estes uses his phone to unlock and open the doors at Hackerville. Zombies walk in. Girl Boom says the power has been killed on the door locks. Ghost thinks maybe Estes is on to them, and CZ tells him to get Kaya out now. Ghost says they have company; every corridor has been breached. Execute order 666.

Kaya sneaks around. She tries to contact Hackerville, and asks, where are you guys?

Alarms go off. Ghost says they got this. CZ can’t believe they have drones. Skip, Girl Boom, and Ghost get into position, and several screens come up with the drones on them. Ghost asks Skip what the probability of success is, and Skip says, 32.33, repeating. Ghost says, better than usual; very nice. The drones fly, and a few crash into the walls. Ghost says Bones made modifications. The drones shoot at the zombies. It’s like a video game. Girl Boom slams a zombie in the head, and they laugh. Roberta is like, damn. Skip races his drone around some columns, and Ghost says, go for bookends. He tells Skip, get in on this, and the three of them surround a zombie, shooting at its neck until they slice his head off. George laughs, and Ghost says he didn’t expect that; it just happened. He says, uh-oh. They’re out of ammo. They slam the drones into the zombies’ heads, and it’s a bloodbath. Ghost is the only one left, then he’s out. He says, they crashed, but finished strong. CZ says, crazy, and Ghost says CZ has been doing it the hard way. A zombie ambles in, and Ghost says, time for the big guns. He takes out a metal box, and pulls up an antenna on it. A tiny drone floats out and flies around like Tinkerbell. George fights with the zombie, and holds a ladder between them. Ghost concentrates on the Tinkerbell drone, and it goes up the zombie’s nose. Ghost tells them, get down, and the zombie’s head explodes. George wants that.

Addie slices the lithium, using a razor blade. Murphy asks if she knows what she’s doing, and she says, no. She tells him she has to be careful cutting. It melts in their mouths. The talkers line up and she feeds them. 10K says there’s a kid missing, and Murphy says, it’s always something. His parents are there, and Doc says they’ll find him. They call out for Mason.

Red says Sun has been working with blood samples. Sun says by hand. Red wonders what Sun is looking for, and Sun says an anomaly, a mutation, something that gives immunity. Red asks if she’s had any luck. Sun says one sample showed immunity, but it won’t do any good. She shows Red the vial, and it’s labeled Murphy. Red says, great. Sun tells her that Murphy’s blood so full of crap, she doesn’t know which gene has what effect. On the examining table, Becky starts thrashing around. She wants brains.

Addie slices and feeds. The others look for Mason. 10K says, still no sign, and Murphy says, these talkers blend into the furniture. There’s a knock on the door. It’s Estes with Mason. Estes says he has something belongs to them.

Roberta asks how Kaya is doing. She says she’s outside Estes’s door. Girl Boom says, card swipe coming her way, and Kaya unlocks the door.

Murphy asks Estes if he thinks he’ll get away with this. Estes says he’s just trying to help them. Murphy says rounding them up, putting them in lockdown, vigilante justice. That’s not being supportive. Estes says, it’s for their own good. Doc says, even for the zombie apocalypse, that’s lame.

Out in the yard, 10K draws his gun.

Murphy asks what Estes really wants. Estes says he has the talkers hidden away. Murphy insists he doesn’t, and if he did, they’re not his to give. He doesn’t own them. Estes says then Murphy won’t mind if he takes them. 10K draws a bead on Estes, but as he’s about to shoot, there’s a gun at his head. Murphy tells Estes he’s just a simple busman trying make an honest biscuit. Estes says, cut the crap. 10K is led in. Murphy asks if this is trying to be supportive. Estes says he’s done wasting time. Disarm them.

They go inside, and Estes tells Mason that he’s sorry. There’s nobody there. His parents left him. He says Mason is shaking, even though he’s not. Estes says he’d be scared too, if his parents abandoned him. He’s never going to see them again. Mason cries silently, but we hear crying from behind a door. Estes opens it. Mason’s mother grabs him to her, and Estes says this is the thanks he gets for saving her boy. She’s welcome. He tells his crew, send more trucks.

Becky cis flipping around, and Red tells Sun, do something. Sun says there’s only one thing left to do. She gets a gun, and Red says, not yet. What about Murphy’s blood? Becky grabs Red’s throat. Red tells Sun to hurry, and Sun injects Becky with Murphy’s blood. Becky seizes, then relaxes. She says, wow, and tells Red that she’s sorry; she didn’t mean it. She thanks Sun, and asks, what’s happening? Red says she’s burning up, and Sun says, the infection that killed her is coming back. She’s dying all over again.

Kaya is in Estes’s office, and opens his laptop. She needs the password, and Ghost tells her, hold tight. They’re going to all run their antilogarithms simultaneously. CZ asks if she has the thumb-drive. As soon as she gets in, employ it. Ghost asks if it’s for his NSA toolkit, and CZ says, no. Ghost asks if he can have a copy, and CZ says, solid no. Ghost says, there are no more secrets. The NSA don’t care. CZ says he cares.  Ghost says he’ll get it from Kaya. He says, the last letter always takes forever, and Roberta says, mercy. The password is mercy. CZ says, look who has a future in hacking. He tells Kaya the password, and she’s inside.

Murphy asks Estes what’s going to happen to the talkers. Estes says he’ll take good care of them. They’ll be safe in their own space. Murphy decides he’s going with them. He’s got to. Estes says, technically speaking, he is a talker. He’ll be safe under their protection. Murphy says he feels safer already. Estes wishes he’d work for Altura. They have more in common than Murphy thinks. Murphy says, no they don’t. Estes says if he changes his mind, they have excellent dental. Hell, I’ll go.

Becky relaxes again. She asks Red to help her, and begins to flail around some more. Red wonders what’s happening, and Becky yells, make it stop. It’s actually pretty sad.

Kaya says every file looks suspicious. It might take a while. Kaya flips through the files, and Roberta says, anything. Kaya says, lithium mining, the biscuit supply mine running out, lithium from new sources. Roberta asks if there’s anything about Dante, but Kaya is still looking. She thinks she found something in the editing program. Estes has been editing a document to make Dante look guilty. George wonders why Estes would do that. A screen shows guys with guns walking down the hallway. Roberta tells Kaya, upload everything and GTFO.

Murphy gets in the truck. Estes asks if that’s everybody. Doc, 10K, and Addie remain, and Doc says, sorry; human. Estes says to leave them. They have no problem with humans. As the truck door closes, Murphy ask if he mentioned he was claustrophobic. Estes says it’s a short ride to air conditioned buses that will lead to new lives.

Red wipes Becky’s face. Becky has a short seizure. Sun gets the gun. Red says, no, but then tells Becky not to be afraid. Becky says Red tried, and she loves her. Red turns her back, and Sun gives Becky mercy. Red cries.

Kaya uploads the files, mumbling that you’d think Estes would have better Wi-Fi. She shows them a document, and asks if anybody knows what this is. George says it looks like it’s redacting, and wonders what it means. Roberta tells Kaya to get out now.

The guards look through the window of Estes’s office. Kaya closes the laptop. They walk in, but she’s nowhere. They look underneath the table, but there’s nothing. One of them closes the laptop.

At Hackertown, they look at the document on the screen. Some of it is still redacted, but it clearly says, final mercy. George asks, what’s final mercy?

Next Friday, the final battle is at hand. And it looks like Pandora is in the thick of it.

💭 Quotes of the Week

Have you no human consideration? * Show me a human and I’ll have it. – Bill (Gary Merrill) and Margot (Bette Davis), respectively, All About Eve

Thread count: yes. Washing instructions: do not wash. – Caroline (Beth Behrs), 2 Broke Girls, after buying sheets at the Less Than A Dollar store

I said, ‘I’ll do it for nothing.’ Actually, I had to give him $4,000 dollars. I had to pay him to do the part. — Dick Van Dyke, recounting that he had to financially persuade Disney to allow him to portray Mary Poppins‘ banker, Mr. Dawes Sr.

When he saw Misery, my ex-husband said he didn’t see anything unusual up there. – Kathy Bates

It’s obvious you’re not a woman. * I’ve been aware of that for some time. – Margot (Bette Davis) and Bill (Gary Merrill), respectively, All About Eve

Do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you. – Rupi Kaur

I’m fine. I’m a Spartan. – Eddie Judge, The Real Housewives of Orange County

👯 December Double Whammy…

WinterIsComing3

SantasComing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec11

December 10, 2018 – Kiki’s Funeral, Vanderpump Pride, HAHN Beginnings, a Little OC & Another Week

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Julian tells Ava it’s time, but she says she can’t. She can’t let Kiki go.

Not-Doc sees Jordan at the church. He didn’t realize she was close to Kiki, but she says she’s here for her son who was. It’s also a gesture of respect; Kiki stood up for her beliefs. She also thinks, given the nature of the murder, the killer might come out to enjoy the results of their handiwork.

Sunflowers are everywhere, and Nina tells Franco that it’s beautiful. He says it doesn’t compare to the beauty Kiki brought to world. She says it’s a testament to Kiki, but he wishes he could give Kiki her life back.

Drew tells Margaux that he has no time for games. She says she’s offering his life back; his true self. Just take it. He says, you don’t get something for nothing, and asks exactly what she’s offering. She tells him that his memories are on there; just take it. He wants more than his past. Oscar’s future is looking bleak. Unless she has a cure for cancer in her back pocket, back off.

Jason visits Oscar. He says Alexis talked to him about Oscar’s will. He’s honored, but he can’t do it.

Marcus tells Sonny and Carly that he knows it’s not polite to just show up, but he doesn’t want to mince words. He wants Sonny to keep his father away from Yvonne. He hope he can make them both understand that his father is endangering his wife’s health.

Alexis sees Griff at the church. He says he shouldn’t be here, but Alexis says she saw the way Kiki looked when she talked about him. He made her happy. He says none of them should be there. It shouldn’t have happened. How can she be gone?

Julian tells Ava that she needs to get ready. He knows she doesn’t want to, but thinks she’ll regret not going to the service. She says if she steps into the church, it will be real. Her daughter in a box, and every dream buried with her, and nothing left for Ava. There’s a knock at the door, but Ava says the only person she wants to see is her daughter. Julian answers, and it’s Michael with Avery, who runs to Ava. She’s in high school now. Just kidding.

Michael says Avery needs to know what happened, and they thought Ava should be the one tell her. Julian says he’ll call Scotty, and tell him that they’re delayed. Avery asks where Kiki is. Michael says Avery must have heard Sonny talking, and thought she was coming to see both of them. Avery asks if Kiki will be there soon. Ava says Kiki loves Avery very much. Her favorite thing in the world is be with her, and if she could, she be would be there. Ava wishes she could be there too, but there was a terrible accident, and Kiki was hurt very badly. Avery asks if she’s okay, and Ava says, no. She was hurt so badly, no one was able to make her better, so she can’t be with them today. She can’t be with them anymore. Avery wants her, and Ava says she does too. She cries, and hugs Avery.

Oscar says, Jason doesn’t want to executor? Jason says he understands Oscar is mad at his parents, but he doesn’t want to add to their pain. Oscar says he’s doing it for the same reason he brought the lawsuit; he wants to make his own choices. He needs to be ready if the medical trial doesn’t work. If he asks his parents, it will destroy them. Jason says it sounds like he doesn’t believe there’s much hope, and he’s expecting to die.

Margaux asks Drew to please believe she’s genuinely sorry his son is sick. He tells her, knock it off. She’s not giving him something unless she wants something back. Margaux asks if he really thinks she’s incapable of making a meaningful gesture. He says he wants nothing from her. She says everything he wants is on there. His entire past. Why is he afraid to take it?

Carly asks if she can get something for Marcus, but he says he’s on his way back to the facility; Yvonne is expecting him. Sonny understands that his time with his wife is precious. Marcus says he means no disrespect, but he and Yvonne have been married thirty years. They weren’t blessed with children, but their love made up for it. Despite what Sonny’s father believes, Yvonne is still his wife. Alzheimer’s didn’t invalidate their vows. Carly says, no one is suggesting otherwise, and Marcus says, except Mike.

Jordan tells not-Doc that she’s putting the pieces together, and would like his take on it. He says he’s concerned about the emotional well-being of the community, and she says she’ll be in touch.

Alexis hugs TJ and Molly. Jordan joins them, and asks how TJ is. He says, terrible. He can’t wrap his head around it. Who would want to kill Kiki? Jordan promises she’ll find out.

TJ asks Lulu when not-Doc became Ava’s go-to guy? Lulu says she thought he loved her mom, but she doesn’t even recognize him anymore.

Sasha approaches Griff. She says she’s so sorry. They haven’t really spoken since the stunt Ava pulled. She’s sorry Ava used her to hurt them. Griff says Kiki had nothing but empathy for how Ava manipulated Sasha. She was looking forward to them becoming friends as well as sisters. Sasha says she would have liked getting know Kiki, and Griff says, it was impossible not to love her.

Elizabeth hugs Franco, and asks if she can do anything. Franco says she’s doing it now. She tells him to remember she’s here, and he’s not alone. He want to stay by the casket until everyone is there.

Ava thanks Avery for coming, and says she loves her very much. Michael tells Avery to go with Uncle Julian to wait outside. Ava thanks Michael for bringing her. Michael says Kiki would want them to put their differences aside to take care of Avery. He’s sorry for her loss. He leaves, and Ava looks in the mirror. Julian comes back. He says he’s sorry she has to go through this. Ava tells him that she knows what she needs to do.

Drew tells Margaux that he’s at peace with how things are; he’s not chasing the past. Margaux says his past is right there. What he does with it is up to him. She has the feeling one day he’ll want to know. Now he knows where they are. She gives him the flashdrive and walks away.

Oscar tells Jason that he wants to live, but needs someone to talk to in case he doesn’t. Someone who won’t fall apart. He knows Jason will be honest. Jason asks Oscar to tell him what it is he wants, and he’ll see if he can do it.

Molly tells Alexis, it feels wrong; Kiki taken like that. It’s unfair. Alexis always taught them to fight for injustice, but there’s nothing she can do. She hates feeling useless. Alexis does too.

Scotty says not-Doc has been busy, and asks if the PCPD gave him a badge now that he’s a detective. Not-Doc says he’s been asked to assist. Jordan feels with his expertise, he might have insight into the mind of the killer. He says, she’s right. He does know how they think.

Oscar tells Jason that he hasn’t been a Quartermaine for long, but he was automatically given stock in ELQ. If he dies, he wants to family tradition, and establish something for kids who are sick. Those are all the assets he has. As for the personal stuff, he wants to pick out a few things for the people closest to him, and have his mom get rid of everything else. Jason will have to help her with that. He doesn’t want his room turned into a shrine. Jason says Oscar is responsible for his own choices, like the stock, but shouldn’t his mom grieve the way she wants? Oscar says he doesn’t want to die, but if he does, his parents will need serious help in picking up the pieces. Will he do it? Jason agrees to honor Oscar’s wishes on one condition. When he beats this, he gets Alexis to draw up a new will with a new executor. Oscar says, deal, and they shake.

Sonny tells Marcus that he thinks they’re getting ahead of themselves. Mike and Yvonne just enjoy playing cards. His father is dealing with a lot, worrying about the memories he’s lost, and grieving the ones he’s missing. Is it so wrong for him to spend two hours a day not thinking like that? Carly says Yvonne and Mike are good company for each other; there’s no harm in that. Marcus hopes she’s right. He leaves, and Sonny says, it gets hard; struggling to hold onto love that is being forgotten. Carly thinks Mike and Yvonne’s friendship is a good thing, but wonders if Mike thinks she’s more than a friend. Sonny says it’s not like they can be alone. Mike lights up when sees Yvonne. He doesn’t know if it’s him being selfish, or if it’s Kiki’s death weighing on him, but he’s so grateful that his dad can have one bit of happiness, no matter how he finds it.

TJ tells Lulu that the med students and nurses set up a GoFundMe for a sexual harassment curriculum for med students. Lulu thinks Kiki would love it, and would like to do a follow-up story in Kiki’s honor. Epiphany says Kiki was a member of the GH family.

Sasha thinks she’s intruding, but Nina says she was Kiki’s sister. She missed a lifetime of knowing her. Sasha says Kiki was good to her in the short time they knew each other. Nina tells her to stay. The stories might make her feel like she knows Kiki better. Nina also likes having her daughter by her side.

Elizabeth approaches Griff. He says, Kiki deserved more. Elizabeth says, not long ago, Kiki told her how hopeful she was about the two of them. Griff made her really happy. Griff says she was beautiful and full of life. If only he didn’t leave that day. Elizabeth tells him, don’t do that. Kiki didn’t die because he wasn’t there, but because some sick person chose take her. Speaking of which, not-Doc walks in.

Ava enters with Julian. Not-Doc tells her that he’ll always be there if she needs him. She doesn’t know if she can do this, and he tells her to lean on him. They sit.

Drew sees Jason at the hospital, and says, funny running into him. He says, Jason might as well see it, and shows him the flashdrive. Jason asks if it’s Andre’s, and Drew says Margaux had it. She found it, and decided to give it to him. Jason says she was holding it the whole time, and Drew says she was using it as leverage. She wanted to get Jason through his memories, but he didn’t do it, and she gave it to him out of the goodness of her heart. Jason says, if she was the bigger person, she would have given it to him when she found it. Drew says, the question is, what to do with it now.

The pastor tells everyone to be seated. He says they’re her to celebrate Kiki’s life, and thinks it’s appropriate that she be memorialized by someone who knew her best. He calls Franco to come up. Franco says family isn’t just who you’re related to. You can choose family, and he and Kiki chose one another. He wasn’t her biological father. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Kiki didn’t care. She continued to choose him, and insisted he remain a father figure in her life. He loved Kiki very much. He’s certain she had no idea how much. Maybe that’s the lesson. They all take things for granted. You think you’ll tell someone you love them next time. Kiki didn’t do that. She had a voice and spoke her truth, and he believes she drew people together. Who but Kiki could get a group of misfits like them to get together. She’s smile and be proud. She’d be grateful they put aside their differences, and for just one moment, grow a little kinder. He says, Kiki loved sunflowers, and it’s fitting. They’re resilient seekers, coming up out of cracks; anything to turn their face to the sun. Kiki wasn’t perfect, but she was resilient. She hated lies and hypocrisy, and took on Dr. Bensch and won. She had a wicked sense of humor, but couldn’t tell a joke to save her life. She put ketchup on her eggs, which from a culinary standpoint, is just wrong, but she wouldn’t listen to him. She was stubborn, and never once gave up on him. He starts to cry, and says, not just him; all of them. He’s a better person because of her. They’re all better, because she was the best.

Griff gets up. Ava asks not-Doc, how dare he? Stop him, but he just puts his arm around her. Griff says it’s a good thing it’s not a Catholic service, since he was stripped of the privilege to administer the sacraments. Kiki was furious, asking how dare they take his faith away. He promised her that he’d never lose it, but that was when he lived in a world with Kiki. Now he doesn’t know if he can have faith in a world without her. He wants to honor her, but his soul is empty, and he can’t find the words. He can say that she loved them all very much. Epiphany sings (Live On?), and we see everyone’s bummed out faces.

Drew tells Jason, assuming it’s real, he doesn’t know what to do with the flashdrive. Jason says it’s his decision. Drew says he doesn’t want Jason’s memories, but can’t risk losing the ones that aren’t his; his kids and his son. Jason says, no one knows what’s going to happen with Oscar, but Drew has the flashdrive now. Maybe one day he’ll use it without losing anything.

At the chapel, Carly tells Sonny that she’s going to visit Morgan. Sonny is going to stay, and she asks him to say a prayer for her.

Ava stands at Kiki’s grave. She tells the others that she knows what they’re thinking. How could she produce a daughter so kind and good? Franco says, no one is thinking that, but she says, don’t lie to her. She can see it on their faces. She didn’t deserve Kiki, and they think she wanted Kiki to die. Say it.

Alexis asks if Molly and TJ want to stay with her, but Molly says with TJ’s schedule so busy, their apartment is closer to the hospital and the campus. TJ suggests they come by for dinner tomorrow. Alexis like the idea, and tells them that she loves them both. They leave, and Alexis hugs Epiphany. Jason asks if Alexis is okay. She says, tough day. He tells her that he agreed be Oscar’s executor. She says it must be comforting to Oscar, but hopes he doesn’t have to step up. Burying a child is hell.

Drew looks at the flashdrive while he sits at Oscar’s bedside.

Sonny lights a candle. He says, please, God, grant Kiki easy passage, give peace to Morgan, and grant them comfort knowing they’re together. Every time he thinks of Morgan’s death or the senseless crime of Kiki’s passing, or his father reaching for his last bits of life that are leaving him, his faith falls short. Help him to trust God’s mercy. Grant him the grace to believe again.

Margaux tells Jordan that no one was lurking. Jordan can’t see any of them committing such a vicious murder. Margaux says unless she doesn’t know them as well as she thinks, and the killer is among them.

Ava says Franco was so eloquent. He has no words for her? Not one of them has the courage to say what they’re actually thinking. She knows they blame her for Kiki’s death. Admit it. In their heart of hearts, they think it was what Ava deserved. Julian says, no one blames her; please stop. She says, only him. Seeing Carly standing there, she says, right Carly?

Tomorrow, Obrecht wants to go to GH immediately, Ava says she paid for Morgan’s death with her daughter’s blood, and not-Doc thinks he’s found his true calling. (Murderer?)

Vanderpump Rules

Jax and Brittany are officially engaged. The party waits. Stassi says, impromptu engagement parties don’t just happen. She, Tom, and Schwartz took care of the necessities, and Stassi had to take everyone to a bar, then redirect them back to the apartment after the announcement. She also had to make sure there were likes and comments on the ring photo. And accommodate their VIP guest, LVP – and Giggy!

The happy couple arrives. Brittany is shocked that Lisa is in her apartment. Lisa thinks Jax has changed, and he’s honest and sincere. However, he’s still Jax, so she might want to get the ring checked out. Champagne flows. Lisa urges Schwartz to hurry up on the cocktails for TomTom.

Brittany yells she’s engaged from the terrace. How long before she’s yelling, I want a divorce, and considering a jump from the same terrace?

Meanwhile at SUR, James DJs. Billie, totally blonde now, tells him Jax proposed to Brittany. He says, old man Jax is getting married. He thinks Jax will be a great first husband for Brittany.

Jax says this is a pre-engagement arty, and wants to have a bigger one. In his interview, he says he used to be close to his mom. Everyone loves her, but they haven’t communicated since his father passed. Their marriage was on the rocks, and she was going to leave before he was diagnosed. She was cagey about what was going on. Jax understands it was to protect him and his sister, but wishes he could have said goodbye to his dad.

Kristen tells Lala that James treats everyone like they’re disposable humans; it’s disgusting. Lala says he thinks he’s better than everyone else, and has to stop doing what he’s doing. She was over him, but then he purposely mortified Brittany. Kristin is tired of him getting away with doing things to people in her circle. He’s on her sh*t list. Brittany and Jax thank everyone for coming, and run upstairs. Katie thinks it’s time for everyone to go home.

Lala, Scheana, Tom, and Ariana go shopping for Pride. This year, it’s an 80s theme. Tom is looking for something reminiscent of the aerobics classes his mom went to. Jax and Brittan call. Jax thanks Tom, and Brittany says she loves them all. Tom asks how it feels waking up fiancés. Brittany puts her ring hand in front of her face, and says she walks around like that now.

In her interview, Lala thinks Jax’s dad was a wake-up call. She knows what it’s like to lose a father, and you don’t come back from that; it changes you. She doesn’t think any of them are being Jaxed. Tom thinks Jax is on a dad kick now, and emotional, but what about when it wears off? Ariana thinks it’s real, but she’s cautious. In Jax’s mind, he’s changed, but it remains to be seen if he’s capable of a lifetime commitment. She feels tepid about it.

Kristen’s dog, Gibson, humps a toy, and Kristen says he’s just like his dad. In Stassi’s interview, she ays she and Kristen are maturing. They don’t need to go to bars in the middle of day any more. They drink at home. She tells Kristen there’s been a shift in Jax. Kristen says he treats all of them differently now. They discuss James, and Kristen says she’s coming after him like a MF.

Ariana says she and Tom are going to James and Raquel’s for dinner. Lala say when she and Randall were at Coachella, James was taunting her dude. He told Randall, lighten up. We all know each other inside and out, if you know what I mean. In her interview, Lala says James is coming after people who she loves and cares about. She has to draw the line. Fool her once, shame on you; fool her twice, shame on her; but fool her three times, he’s dead to her.

Kristen tells Stassi, James has done terrible things to too many people. One by one, they’re coming out of the woodwork. She met with Hope, who told her that she, James, and Raquel all stayed at the same house when they went to Coachella. We see a clip of Hope telling Kristen that she and James hooked up while Raquel was sleeping. Kristen tells Stassi that Hope has been coming back and forth for years, and they’ve been banging the entire time. In the clip, Hope says James thinks he’s entitled to every girl. No one ever held him accountable. Kristen asks Hope to come to Pride with her. Kristen tells Stassi that she wants to speak for everyone he’s silenced, and she’s showing up with Hope at Pride. In her interview, Stassi says that the way Kristen talks is like a villain in a softcore porno. She’s going to take James down. Stassi calls Kristen a psycho, and says she loves her.

Jax visits Lisa, who congratulates him. She likes his car, and he says it was his dad’s car. In his interview, Jax says he and his father bonded over muscle cars and hockey. He was the most selfless and kind human being Jax has ever met. He asks Lisa how long her engagement was, and she says she’s not a good example; it was only three months. He tells her it meant a lot, her coming to the engagement party. Most of them have no family there, and consider her family. He has less family than before, so it means a lot. In Jax’s interview, he says his father left him a car and some money. He used a big chunk of the money for Brittany’s ring, and it’s running low. He asks is Lisa needs extra help at SUR. He was possibly hoping to get his job back. She asks if they haven’t they moved on from that, and says, professionalism is paramount. He knows he got into trouble, and she tells him not to minimize it. He’s also been confrontational with James. Jax says he’s fine with James, but Lisa thinks he’s not. She wouldn’t be either, but he’s not dealing with it at SUR. He says there’s nothing explosive going on. She asks what the upside would be in hiring him back. He says he hates to use his father’s death, but it was a wake-up call, and he’s made a transition. He asks her to let him prove it. He understands he’s on thin ice, but asks if she can find it in her heart to let him work for her again. In Lisa’s interview, she says Jax has a different energy; a vulnerability she hasn’t seen before. She tells him, Pride is tomorrow, and he can do the little bar in the garden. He appreciates it, and she says don’t let her down. He says he doesn’t want to let anybody down, and she says it will take more than one shift to prove he’s a good worker.

In James’s interview, he says he couldn’t be living a better life. He has a supermodel girlfriend, a puppy, a two-bedroom studio (um… which is it?), and he’s DJing. Life is good. Tom and Ariana arrive for dinner. Tom is impressed with the place, even more so when a washer and dryer is revealed. Ariana says the last time she used a washer and dryer that wasn’t coin operated, she was living with her parents. Tom asks, how’s living together? and Raquel says, great, for the most part. James asks what’s wrong with it, and Ariana says, it’s an adjustment for sure. James says when they have a tiff, they hug or kiss it out. Tom says he annoys the sh*t out of Ariana. The only thing he has to worry about is getting smothered to death in his sleep.

Tom asks James how everything is going with Jax. James feels badly; he didn’t know Brittany was in the building. Tom says that shouldn’t matter. He is literally being white Kanye. Kanye says effed up sh*t, apologizes, then does it again. James doesn’t want bad juju, and Tom suggests getting them an engagement gift. In his interview, James says Tom is like an older brother. Tom’s done stuff that people don’t normally come back from, but he came back. He asks Tom and Ariana if they feel obligated to get engaged now. Tom says he’s had the ring for four years, and Ariana looks sick. He’s joking. In his interview, he says if he did have it, it would be completely designed by scientists and gemologists, and unlike anything the world has ever seen. Alrighty then. James says it’s the best first dinner party ever. They clink glasses.

Scheana loves the 80s, and says walking into SUR on Pride Day, is like walking into an 80s sitcom. We see them arriving and getting set up in sitcom form – OverSURved – with credits and a laugh track. Scheana says the 80s were the best, and we should have stopped there. Possibly for the first time ever, I tend to agree. Lala wonders where Katie is. She’s on camel-toe watch. In Katie’s interview, she says everyone is in costumes and it’s Pride. There was a time when she didn’t like her body, but she’s accepted that she’s not going to look like Lala or Ariana, but she’s happier than she’s ever been.

SUR is jumping. In Jax’s interview, he says it’s nice to see some things never change. They’re so busy, he can still open a beer, and Tom is wearing something feminine. It’s good to be home. Scheana sings Good As Gold, or whatever the hell the name of the song is she sings. James gets on the bar, and raps. He’s not going to sing about Jax again, is he?

Kristen and Hope sneak in the back. Kristen says they could go in the front, but James wouldn’t be blindsided, which is no fun. Hope says, happy Pride. Peter toasts to Jax coming back. Kristen finds Raquel, and the three of them go into the ladies room. Kristen wants to know if Raquel is aware or doesn’t care. Hope says James is committing infidelity all the time, and Raquel asks if Hope is going to say James had sex with her too. Hope says, at Coachella when Raquel was sleeping. She’s not saying this to hurt Raquel. Kristen says she doesn’t know if Raquel knows the person she’s dating. When Raquel was at school, he was screwing everything he could stick it into. She’s dating the most manipulative POS on the planet. Raquel says, this is coming from her? In Raquel’s interview, she says she knows Kristen is a little deranged. She’s hung up on her past with James, and taken things she resents, and blown them up in her brain. Kristen says if she wants to stay, that’s her business. Raquel wonders why Hope is telling her now, and if it’s because she’s with Kristen, who’s encouraging her. Hope says James manipulated her for years; she had his back. Kristen tells Raquel that it’s not easy to admit you had sex with someone’s boyfriend. We flash back to Kristen telling Stassi about Jax. Hope knows it makes her look bad, and Raquel says, it’s a horrible thing to do. Hope says she’s aware of that, and Raquel says she thought they were friends. She walks out.

Lisa is gorgeous as ever, in pink frills and a giant hat. In her interview, she says every Pride Day, she’s torn in two, running between SUR and PUMP, and next year, there will also be TomTom. Stassi introduces Beau to Lisa, and we find out his real name is Bogey. Lisa says she has to interrogate him, and Stassi says she told him it would be like meeting her dad. Lisa asks how they met, and Stassi says, through Kristen. When Lisa arches an eyebrow, Stassi says, she set Katie and Schwartz up. Lisa says Beau hasn’t mentioned her ass yet, and we flash back to creepy Patrick, who wouldn’t shut up about it. Beau promises he’s not that guy, and he’ll never talk about her ass. His mom said he should thank God for Stassi’s ex. He made Beau look better. Stassi say she’s happy, and Lisa says that’s how it should b. Stassi says she didn’t see it from the outside, and Lisa says, everyone else did. In her interview, Lisa says this is a guy who embraces who Stassi is, rather than suppressing her. She deserves a great relationship.

Raquel hunts for James. James congratulates Jax, who tells him to make sure he’s ready when he does it. James tells Jax that he’s announcing him, so be prepared for a wave. He apologies to Brittany, and she tells him what he said was unwarranted, and hurt her feeling bad [sic]; she was so embarrassed. He promises to never do it again, and says Raquel told him off too. He presents them with a gigantic Patron gift basket. In Brittany’s interview, she says James seems sincere, but she doesn’t know if she’s ready to forgive him yet. She will drink the tequila though.

Raquel asks to talk to James. She pulls him aside, and says she was just ambushed by Kristen and Hope, who said she had sex with him at Coachella. She doesn’t want be idiot. James calls Kristen a slut. In his interview, he insists she’s still obsessed with him, and she’s showing up where he works. Her two main topics are how she pays for everything for Carter, and James Kennedy is an a-hole. He tells Raquel that Kristen is lying through her teeth. Everyone is obsessed with him. He wants to ask Raquel to marry him one day; he wants her forever. This happened multiple times to Jax too, and he and Brittany are engaged now. In his interview, Jax says he’s been accused of cheating a lot. And it’s all true. Raquel starts crying, and says she’s let it go every time someone has told her. He asks what more can he do, but she doesn’t know. They walk through the back of the restaurant, and James says, of all people. The stalkers and the bitches wish they were in his position. He he works hard for his sh*t. Raquel says she’s tired of defending him. He’s insulting people, and she’s trying to tell everyone that he’s a good person. He says, who the eff cares? Let’s go.

Scheana dances on the bar. Schwartz drinks leftover beer from a patron’s table. Lala tells Raquel she was there when James cheated on her. James tries to intervene. Lala asks if she can talk to Raquel, and he says, no, you can’t, and walks away. Raquel asks who she’s hearing this from, and Lala repeats that she was there. When Raquel was at school, he was cheating on her. Raquel doesn’t trust Hope, and Lala says she can’t be that stupid. Raquel says she’s not stupid. Lala wishes she’d wake up. In Lala’s interview, she wonders what’s hard to understand? When Raquel was getting her degree, her boyfriend was getting his, in screwing people who aren’t her. Raquel says Lala claims to support women, but Lala says she doesn’t support Raquel sitting back while James assassinated her with his words. Raquel says is sorry James hurt Lala’s feelings, and Lala says he affected her life. He affected a lot of people’s lives, but they’re good.

James whines to Tom that people are throwing allegations at him. Tom asks if none of them are true, and James swears on his mother’s life. At that moment, somewhere, a lightning bolt strikes her. In Tom’s interview, he says there are a lot of smoking guns. They have Ellie, who had pictures of them in bed, and Gigi, who had his clothes. James has probably cheated. James asks if Tom thinks he’s screwed around on Raquel, and Tom says, at some point. James says Tom should have his back.

Kristen and Hope say James needs to go, and Tom says he works there. He says James is very triggered right now. The other girls show up, and James says, if anyone should be triggered, it’s Lala, but she’s killing it like always. Lala tells him that people aren’t cool with him. He needs to stop screwing up. She says he needs intense help, and he’s like, no, you. Katie asks what’s up with James’s pants, which are belted with a fanny-pack. He tells her that her shorts aren’t flattering. Lose some effing weight. (Yeah. She’s probably a size four.) In her interview, Katie says James points out people’s insecurities, and uses it against them. It’s a sh*tty quality. He should come up with something more inspired than calling her fat.

Still going back and forth, Lisa wants to see how James is doing. He’s walking down the street, high-fiving people and taking selfies with them. He says, no one can replace James Kennedy. He’s the star. That whore can go screw herself.

Next time, a girls’ night without Scheana, Stassi tells Scheana that she has no loyalty and it bites her in the ass, and Katie gives Lisa an old tomato ultimatum.

🎭 OWN has started rerunning The Haves and the Have Nots from the beginning. If you’ve never seen this show, and are a fan of Tyler Perry, and/or nighttime drama, give it a look. The short version is, a savvy prostitute blackmails a married judge out of millions. The prostitute’s mother is also the cleaning lady of the judge’s wife, and they have a relationship much like Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard in The Family That Preys, also a Tyler Perry effort. The acting is fabulous, and the story intense, with lots of twists and turns. I was hooked from the beginning, and I guess a lot of other people were too, since it’s still going strong years later. The big surprise for me was John Schneider, star of the old Dukes of Hazzard, playing the smarmy judge. Who knew he could ooze such evil?

🙉 Drama in the OC…

Still working on watching the OC Reunion. I caught some of Part Three. Shannon being psychoanalyzed. Shannon and Gina yelling at each other. Shannon telling Gina not to put words in her mouth. Everyone moaning over their regrets – Shannon’s being losing her sh*t in Jamaica. And ending with a shot of tequila

Some highlights:

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2018/12/rhoc-reunion-recap-shannon-beador-breaks-down-fight/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2018/12/lala-kent-ready-to-quit-vanderpump-rules-again/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

Andy, clearly wanting to stir the pot some more…

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2018/12/rhoc-reunion-emily-simpson-fight-kelly-dodd-shannon-beador-video/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

⛅ Today is the First Day…

Of the rest of your week.

MondayFriday

TuesdaySlap

Excellent point!

MondayFar

 

Dec8

December 7, 2018 – Obrecht Isn’t Fooled, the Secret Ingredient, a Mix of Six Quotes & Weekend Reactions

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What I Watched Today

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

 

😳 Oops, I did it again. Missed the beginning. It was a real comedy of errors at dog lunchtime here today. I’m going to have to start feeding these guys earlier. I don’t care how long morning naptime is. In the meantime, this is what I got. I didn’t miss much.

General Hospital

Margaux tells Jason that she hasn’t spoken to Drew in ages,but he’d like to keep it that way. He knows she wants to investigate him, and tells her to keep Drew out of it. Margaux asks why she’d want to investigate Jason.

Oscar introduces Daisy to his parents, explaining that she’s the friend who got him into the house he’s living in. She’s been looking out for him. She says it’s an honor to meet them. She tells them she was doing a technique on Oscar to channel his thoughts. They wouldn’t believe the mind’s capacity to heal the body. She says everyone in the house is crazy about him.Oscar thanks her for visiting.

Kristina tells Alexis that it’s sad; a funeral for someone her age. Someone who had so much to look forward to. Alexis asks why she’s breathing like that, and Kristina says focusing on her breathing keeps negative thoughts at bay. So does reaching out people and helping the community. Alexis asks if she learned that from the friends she spent Thanksgiving with. She’d like to hear more about the friends Kristina has taken such a liking to.

Margaux asks if Jason is paranoid, and he asks if she doesn’t remember dragging out all of his case files from 1996. She made it clear she was coming after him and Sonny. She says the circumstances have changed. Jason says, good to know. If they change again, don’t involve Drew.

Obrecht thinks Anna and Finn are exaggerating. Britt could have the flu. Finn says Britt is unconscious. Her body is attacking itself. Obrecht says, even if she believed them, what makes them think she’s capable of creating an antidote. Anna says they nearly lost Tiffany to the disease. Faison wasn’t a medical expert. Obrecht developed the virus, so she can come up with the antidote. Anna asks, if Britt dies, she’ll be kind of responsible. Can she live with that?

Sam thanks the newspaper employee, saying she can’t wait to reach out. It’s been way too long. Curtis says, never underestimate how trusting some people can be. Sam tells him the subscriber lives in a long term memory care facility.

Carly asks Yvonne if she’s married, and Marcus says he comes every morning. He sees the roses and says someone outdid him. He asks who brought them, and she tells him, Mike; he’s sweet to her. She asks him to put them in water. Sonny has an idea. What if he and Mike play hooky today? He’ll call Max to take care of business. Mike says he’s fine there. He sees Yvonne reading the paper. Stella tells Sonny that it might sound strange, but she thinks it’s best if Mike stays here for the rest of the day. Carly says, after what just happened, it’s all the more reason to maintain routine. Stella thinks it’s best, and Sonny says okay. He tells Mike that he’s taking off, and to have fun. Mike asks Yvonne if there’s any good news. She says that’s what she loves about Galina. There’s always something going on. She asks if he’s ever been there, and he says no, but he hopes to someday.

Alexis says Kristina is broadening her outlook. They’re lucky they’re in a position to give back as a family. Kristina says it goes beyond volunteering. They have meeting where they share what’s going on in their lives. Things that are bogging them down and giving them anxiety. They talk until it’s out of their system; it’s like cleansing the body of negative energy. Alexis says there’s some value in sharing feelings with a group of strangers, and Kristina says, AA. She apologizes for talking to Alexis like it’s a new concept. Alexis says it works for her. She looks forward to meeting Kristina’s new friends, and Kristina says he might get the chance right now. Daisy walks in.

Obrecht says, let’s say Anna is telling the truth; it was thirty years ago, and there was an antidote. They don’t need her help. Anna says Tony Jones produced enough for the outbreak, but then destroyed what was left. He didn’t want to risk someone figuring out how to reverse it. Obrecht thinks Anna should consult her boyfriend. He devised the cure for Blackwood Syndrome. Or are they using Britt’s illness as a way to trap her?

Jason says Margaux pushed Carly into Ferncliff, harassed Mike despite his condition, and hassled Michael and Kristina. She buried her own father next to Morgan just to mess with Sonny. She tells him that he’s making a large generalization, but he says it proved she’d use anybody to get what she wants. Drew can deal with her himself, but not right now.

Alexis introduces herself to Daisy, and commends her for getting Kristina interested in public service. Daisy says she can’t take credit for that. It comes naturally to Kristina.

Drew asks how Oscar is doing, and Oscar says, terrible. Drew says, in the end, it will be worth it. Kim asks if Oscar can eat lunch, but he says he’s not really hungry. Drew says, for hospital food, but what about BLTs from Kelly’s. Kim says Terry can eat what he wants as long as he’s up for it.

Alexis says she told Kristina that she wouldn’t badger her, but she’d love to hear more about what they do.

Margaux tells Jason that she really cares about Drew. He says she has a twisted way of showing it. She says she’s lost patience with the conversation, and has lost her appetite. She gets up, and tells him to enjoy himself.

Daisy tells Alexis they’re having a meeting this weekend if she’s interested in coming by. Alexis says she can’t this weekend, but they’ll figure something out. She goes to sit with Jason. She tells him she’s there on Oscar’s behalf. Oscar wants to make Jason executor of his will.

At the facility, Sam tells Curtis that they need to find the patient who subscribed to the paper. They’ll pretend they’re checking the place out for a relative. He says espionage in a convalescent home. It’s a first. Stella comes out, and asks what Curtis is doing there. He says he came to see her. Marcus joins them, and says, don’t tell him this grown man is her nephew. Stella introduces Curtis, and his work partner Sam. Curtis asks if he’s the Marcus. He’s sure Stella mentioned Marcus a time or two. Curtis asks what brings him to town, and Marcus says his wife Yvonne is a patient there.

Obrecht accuses Anna and Finn of toying with Britt’s life. Anna doesn’t buy her moral outrage. She kept Anna’s son captive for months. Obrecht says, Nathan is dead. Now they want to take her only surviving child. Finn says it took him almost ten years to find the cure for Blackwood, and Obrecht says his drug addiction probably helped. He says he spent every waking hour for nearly ten years working on it. Britt doesn’t have ten days. Obrecht wants the vial of blood, but Anna tells her, no more stalling. Either she’s coming or not. Obrecht says she’s going nowhere until she’s tested the blood herself. Finn was so eager to produce the vial; why? Was it really a prop? Anna says she’s the only person who can devise an antidote. Obrecht says she’s not going to face arrest and prosecution unless she knows for certain. The antibodies are unmistakable, and she has a test kit outside. She can validate it in no time, unless it’s a ruse. Finn takes out the vial, and gives it to her. She leaves with it, and Anna and Finn follow as far as the hallway. Anna says they are totally screwed. Finn says it’s Britt’s blood, but if she does an extensive analysis, she’ll realize he created the antibodies in the lab.

Jason is honored that Oscar wants him to be executor, but thinks he’s getting ahead of himself; he just started treatment. Alexis says it gives him a sense of control. It’s just the distribution of his estate. Jason asks, what estate? He’s a kid. Alexis says, don’t forget he’s a Quartermaine. He has stock in ELQ.  

Daisy tells Kristina that they’re doing an outreach, and she thought Kristina might want to come. Kristina says she’s stuck there for a few more hours. She tells Daisy that she’s in a weird mood. Her late brother’s old girlfriend was killed, and the funeral is today. Daisy tells her to remember what she learned; negative thoughts lead to negative events. Kristina says it’s hard to stay positive; she was way too young to die. Daisy says Kristina can miss her, but she’s back at the source of all life. She’s returned home, like we all will one day. She hopes Kristina finds comfort in that. Kristina thinks she can.

Margaux sees Drew at Kelly’s. She says she can’t avoid his family today, and he asks what the hell that means. She says never mind, and asks if he has a minute to talk. He says he has to be back at the hospital. The waitress brings his take-out food, and Margaux asks if everything is okay. He says his son has cancer. Margaux says she’s sorry; she’s sure he’s a fighter. Drew says he’s in no mood for her false sympathy, and in no mood to be blackmailed again.

Kim tells Oscar to rest. She wonders if she should tell Drew to nix Kelly’s, but Oscar says, no. The worst case scenario is that he barfs. Kim says, that’s not funny. He says she wanted him to enjoy being a normal teenager, including keeping his diagnosis a secret. She says it’s more complex than that, and he tells her discussing bodily fluids is as much a normal teenager as it gets. He has to laugh or it will be worse than it has to be. She says she loves him, and has to say something. She needs to apologize.

Sam tells Curtis and Stella that she’s going to say hi to Mike. Curtis. Curtis bets Marcus has good stories about Aunt Stella back in the day, and Stella says, none that he cares to share. Sam sees Mike, and he hugs her. She asks how he is, and he says, good. She asks who his beautiful friend is, and he introduces her as Yvonne Godfrey. Sam doesn’t know if it’s a coincidence, but she came there looking for a Godfrey. She asks if they’ve met before, but Yvonne doesn’t think so. Sam asks if she’d mind answering a couple of questions. Yvonne agrees, and Sam asks if she’s from Galina, Illinois. Yvonne says, home of Ulysses S. Grant. Sam sees she’s keeping up with the action back home. She shows Yvonne the obituary, and asks if she sent it.

Carly is worried about Mike. It looked like he had no clue Yvonne was married. She asks Sonny if he thinks it’s the first time Mike was told. Sonny isn’t sure, and she thinks it must be terrible to forget, and have to go through it all over again. Carly thinks her husband handled it well. Yvonne is there full time, and he wants her to be happy and make friends; like the want for Mike. It has to be rough watching her forget him more each day. Sonny says, she has to remember her husband. No matter what, he’ll never forget her. They hug.

Yvonne tells Sam that she didn’t send it. Sam says the envelope was postmarked Port Charles, and she’s the only one who gets the Galina paper. Maybe she doesn’t remember. Mike thinks maybe Sam should ask questions another time. Marcus comes back, and asks if everything is okay. Mike says it’s fine; Sam was just asking questions about Galina. Marcus suggests he take Yvonne back to her room, but she wants Mike to take her. They leave, and Marcus follows. Stella tells Curtis, so he was just wanting to visit his auntie? He’ll straighten this out when she calls tomorrow. She has a client, and thinks it’s best if they’re gone when she gets back. Curtis says, roger that. Sam takes a picture of the newspaper mailing label.

Kim tells Oscar that she’s sorry for the choices she made, and that it put a rift between them. She hates that he feels like he can’t trust her anymore, or that she didn’t love him enough to be honest. She loves him so much. He’s the most important person in her life; he’s her whole life. She wanted him to be happy, and thought could give it to him just a little longer. Oscar says he was always happy, and Kim says, maybe it was worth it a little bit then. She hates that she pushed him away. She gets weepy, saying the apartment is empty without him. Oscar says when he moved out, he wasn’t trying hurt her. He was hurting, and it was his way of taking control of things. Kim knows, and even though she hates the distance between them, she’s proud of him. He went out there and proved he can take care of himself on his own terms. Eventually, that’s what every parent wants for their child. It’s hard to accept he doesn’t need her anymore. He says she’s wrong about that. He’ll always need her. They hug.

Alexis tells Jason that Oscar’s grandfather willed him voting shares of ELQ. Jason says Oscar doesn’t have to worry about that, but Alexis disagrees. The Quartermaines are well-intentioned for the most part, but with ELQ, not so much. Oscar is worried they’ll fight over the shares. If, God forbid, Oscar dies, he wants Jason to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Obrecht returns, saying she saw the antibodies, and Finn asks if that means she’ll go. She’s afraid not. Anna asks, why not? She saw with her own eyes that Britt is deathly ill. Obrecht says she can synthesize an antidote there, and they can bring it to Britt. She knows Anna’s lofty principles wouldn’t allow her to let Britt die to spite her. Finn says he might. He’s her doctor, and has complete control over her treatment. It’s way too risky to obtain medicine from an unauthorized source. Obrecht tells him that he needs more lessons from his lover on sharpening his bluffing skills.

Sonny thanks Carly for being there. She says she’ll always be there. They make each other stronger. They’ve been through a lot together, but that’s how it works. The house phone rings, and Sonny says, send him up.  Carly asks if it’s trouble, but he’s not sure. Marcus is at the door. Carly introduces herself, but he walks past her. He says he remembers her, and Sonny tells him he’s not being polite. Marcus says he doesn’t mince words. He wants Sonny to keep Mike away from his wife.

Curtis tells Sam he doesn’t know how well she knows Stella, but when she says scram, you scram. Sam knows Yvonne seemed confused, but the subscription doesn’t expire for another nine months; it had to be recent. Curtis says maybe she doesn’t remember subscribing; she seemed worse than Mike. Or maybe someone subscribed for her to trigger her memories, like what Sonny has done with Mike. Sam says that doesn’t explain why Yvonne would send her the obituary. Curtis says, assuming she did. Sam says it can’t be a coincidence, but he says, maybe someone is using the connection. Sam is like, that’s it! They leave, and Daisy comes out. She looks around, and picks up Yvonne’s paper. Daisy is very busy.

Jason doesn’t know what say, and Alexis says she’s never known him to be much of a talker. He has a couple days to think about it. Jason asks if she’s sure it’s what Oscar wants. She says, it would mean the world to him.

Kim apologizes to Oscar for the waterworks. She’s tired, and she’s sure it didn’t help. Oscar says, it did; a lot. She wants to let him rest before his dad gets back. Oscar asks her to stay with him. She gets in the bed and holds him.

Drew gets back to the hospital, and Margaux shows up. He asks if she’s following him, and she says she wasn’t finished with the conversation. He says he was. She says, despite what he think about her and her actions, she’s grown fond of him. She thought he was a good guy who got mixed up with the wrong people. She still thinks he’s a good guy. She means it, and can prove it. She hands him the flashdrive.

On Monday, Marcus thinks Mike is dangerous to Yvonne, Jordan talks to Michael, and Kiki’s funeral.   

Z Nation

A voiceover of Doc says, the secret is buried under the past, and guarded by demons with sharp claws.

Talkers form a chain gang without chains, and shuffle into a scrapyard. There are guys in hazmat suits standing around, guarding the place. One of them tells the talkers, it’s unacceptable. He doesn’t care if they’re freaked out. They’re going to keep working. He wants barrels full of lithium by dark. He hits one of the talkers with the butt of his gun. A zombie near a trash barrel takes something out, and licks it. A claw crane picks metal up and drops it into a pile. The talkers go through it. The one at the trash barrel bites into what looks like a computer processor.

Another talker comes to the barrel and starts pulling apart electronics. Talker #1 tells talker #2 to watch, and breaks the processor in half. He gives #2 half, he bites it, and it’s like, wow. #1 says, welcome to the party. A third talker, a woman approaches them. An alarm goes off, and the talkers gather. Mean Dude kicks one of them around, and says they get stupider by the minute.

Talker #1 looks at #2 and #3. He nods. We see pressed metal cubes in the yard. Mean Dude says, this place should been picked clean a week ago. One of them is too slow, and Mean Dude shoots him in the head. He says, let that be a warning, and tells them, get back to work. Another supervisor hits #1, but the three talkers fight back. Mean Dude tells them, weapons on the ground. Things calm down, and he says, it’s all good. #1 says, it’s far from all good. Mean Dude shot his friend. Mean Dude says, he was already dead; he was just making a point. #1 says he was inflicting pain on another. Bleeders destroyed the world. They’ve forfeited their right to live. Now it’s their turn. He tells the talkers to rise up and listen to him. Their time has come. Freedom is here for all of them. They won’t be oppressed and murdered. They’re going to live out their days as they decide. Join him. No more will they be slaves to the living. Their time is now. They will be free, and free every talker in the mine. They’ll bring them into the light by any means necessary. They have nothing to fear if they stick together. He goes into the mine.

There are loud noises from the mine, and Mean Dude says, fire! They shoot. #1’s head comes rolling out. The talkers run. The head says, have mercy.

A truck hurtles past Roberta, George, Doc, and 10K. Doc says, a recycling truck. They’re using gas like there’s no apocalypse. Roberta wonders what was in the crate in the back. George says, it’s going to Altura, but where was it coming from? They see the crane, and the piles of metal. Roberta says, buried under the past, and guarded be demons with sharp claws. George says, her ancestral prophecy? Roberta says they’re going to check it out. Stay quiet. Keep low. Doc is glad they’re all together for once. They get on top of a van near the edge of the scrapyard, and watch through binoculars. Doc wonders what the talkers are doing, and Roberta says, they’re mining something. 10K reads a sign; caution – hazardous materials. Doc asks why signs never say anything nice, like baby goats this way. Roberta says whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, and Doc says he must be Superman. Go figure. Roberta tells Doc and 10K to find out where they’re loading. She and George will check out the miners. Doc says, that didn’t take long.

10K and Doc hide, and watch for a truck. They see something fly across the yard, and get sucked into a hole amid all the metal. Doc says, that was creepy, and 10K agrees. He says, let’s find the trucks.

Roberta and George see Mean Dude barking orders again, and beating on a talker. He says if he had biscuits, they’d be done in twenty-four hours, but no. He tells them, pick up the pace. Roberta tells George, the talkers are pretty far gone. George says, they have no biscuits. She wonders if it’ toxic steel that’s keeping them from turning. They see talker #3, and he looks toward them. They crouch down further, and he says, don’t go down there. The metal is alive. Mean Dude says, back to work. #3 says, it’s not safe, and gets pushed back with the workers.

George wonders if the secret ingredient is there. Roberta would like to get her hands on the barrels. George takes off her jacket, and tells Roberta to come with her. She steals a talker’s hat and coat. Roberta jumps over the junked cars and piles of steel. George gets in line with the talkers. Roberta gets her guns ready. George takes a computer component out of a barrel, and Mean Dude asks what she’s doing. Roberta sets her sites on him. George fake sneezes, and Mean Dude is like, eww! I literally lol. A piece of steel rolls down the pile. Mean Dude shoots, and George runs to Roberta. Mean Dude says, cease fire. He tells the others to get back to work, so they can get the hell out. George practically flies over the piles of everything. She sees the hole that Doc and 10K saw something get sucked into. She looks in, and calls to Roberta.

At the bottom, Roberta comes to. It’s a pretty long fall. She gets up, and everything is fuzzy for a moment. She walks into what looks like a workshop, and sees the body of one of the hazmat guys. She takes his mask off, but there’s no head. She she looks around, and sees electronics, wires, and a board with a joystick. She sees a buzz saw, and spins it.

10K and Doc sneak around. Doc says, whatever they’re guarding must be important. Looking around, he thinks that someday, all that will be left of us is mountains of crap, and oceans of plastic. Sadly, living near the ocean, I tend to agree. 10K wonders what all this junk is, and Doc tells him, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure… That didn’t come out right. They see one of the hazmat guys messing around with some wires. They hide behind a wheeled cart, pushing it forward behind the guy. The guy keeps thinking he sees something, but every time he turns around, they stop. It’s pretty funny. They finally sneak out.

10K wonders what they’re doing with all this, and Doc says, who knows? They see another hazmat guy stirring hot molten metal, and making it into bricks. Other hazmat guys put the bricks into a tank, and the tank into a crate. They roll it out, right past Doc and 10K. 10k asks Doc if it’s silver, but Doc says you don’t have to be that careful with silver. Whatever it is, they’re afraid of it. Some people run past, and Doc says those guys know something they don’t, and they jet.

George calls to Roberta. Mean Dude tells George, get down from there, and points his gun at her. He says, move or be mercied. She walks down the mountain of metal. He says he has a special tunnel just for her. He pushes her into the line of talkers, and says, send her down too. He tells the guards, shoot if they resist. Shoot anything that doesn’t look right. Mean Dude isn’t liking this, and 10K rolls a barrel down the scrap heap, distracting him. George goes into the tunnel.

10K and Doc run across the yard. They go through a large garage-like door, and everything is wreck, with blood everywhere. Doc wonders if they shot each other. Whatever it was, it was big.  10K says, no baby goats, and Doc repeats, no baby goats.

Roberta pushes something out of her way. A makeshift sign says, kill them all. and there’s another body nearby. Roberta sees a flashing light, and feels around for her gun, but has nothing. She’s defenseless.

Down in the tunnels, someone loads what looks like a Star Trek gun, and bites into a computer part. The creature is a sort of bionic zombie meets the Borg; his body supplemented with metal parts. He picks up the buzz saw, and cuts through a metal sheet. Sparks fly. Roberta lies on the floor, wearing a hazmat suit and mask, and pretending to be dead. A real hazmat guy is next to her, and wakes up. He’s pulled away. He screams, as we hear saw sounds.

#3 tells George, don’t go down there. Have biscuits. He shows her a computer compressor. He says, it brings you back from the abyss, but it doesn’t last long. He hands it to her, but she says, no thanks. Still alive. She says she’s waiting for friends, and he repeats, don’t go down there. The alarm sounds, and Mean Dude says, more barrels; move it! George moves things out of her way.

Outside, the claw picks up some metal, and puts it in a crusher. After the metal is crushed, the claw picks up the cube and deposits it in the yard. Doc and 10K find a room with multiple TV screens, monitoring areas of the yard and mine. Doc says maybe they can find Roberta and George. He wonders what this button does, and presses it. The claw drops a cube on someone, but Doc doesn’t see, and says, nothin’. 10K suggests another one to try, and the crane begins to spin. The claw picks a guy up. Doc says, oops, his bad. Now he know what that one does. 10K thinks maybe they shouldn’t be doing this. They see someone coming toward the building, and close the door.

Mean Dude opens the door, finding Doc and 10K in hazmat suits. Doc says, it’s all okay. The situation is normal. Mean dude asks who he is, and Doc says, Siegfried; and his partner, Roy. The boss sent them to speed up the operation. Mean Dude says, Estes? And Doc says, yeah, Estes. He’s not happy, and needs more bricks. Mean Dude says, screw Estes. He has no idea what they’re up against. He has men missing, and even the talkers are spooked. This place isn’t just hazardous; it’s haunted. Doc says, haunted or not, he’d better get moving, or he’ll end up digging truffles with the talkers. Mean Dude says Doc is wasting their time, and Doc says Mean Dude is wasting his time. He’s got work to do. Mean Dude says he doesn’t have to be such a d*ck. Doc tells 10K, haunted. As if zombies aren’t bad enough. 10K suggests they find Roberta and George.

Roberta wanders through the tunnel. Metal is everywhere. She hears sounds, and grabs a pole. She waits, ready, but it’s George. George asks if it’s zombies, and Roberta says, whatever it is, eats batteries like twinkies. George says, eating them like biscuits. Roberta thinks about what’s in them, and says, lithium. What if that’s the secret ingredient? George wonders why they’re not making biscuits if they’re scavenging. Roberta says they’ll find out, but first, they have to get out before their rechargeable friend comes back.

Roberta and George crawl through the tunnel. George hates the apocalypse. They pop out of he tunnel, and are met by hazmat guys with guns. George ask what they want, and suddenly, their guns fly out of their hands, and onto a magnetized piece of equipment. Inside, Doc says, not so tough without guns. HE thinks he’s getting the hang of it. George and Roberta are about to get in a fistfight with the guards, when another one with a gun steps out. He’s pulled back – by what, we don’t see – and blood splashes out from where he was. Roberta suggests they get out of there, and they run. Roberta asks, what is that thing?

George says it’s gaining on them. 10K runs with them. Borg zombie follows. Doc opens the door, and tells them to hurry; there’s a thing behind them. They run inside, and he closes the door. They don’t hear anything, and Doc says nothing is getting through that door. Doc wonders what they want, and Roberta explains they’ve mining the dump for a while. They’re mining lithium. George says, it’s the secret ingredient. Doc tells them that they found out Estes is in charge. Roberta says, whoever controls the biscuits, controls the talkers. Whoever controls the talkers, controls Newmerica. Roberta says they have to get the last shipment. Doc looks at one of the screens, and sees some guys loading a truck. He says it looks like they have the same idea.  George asks if Roberta is thinking what she is, and Roberta says, they’re going to hijack that truck.

Mean Dude says he’ll drive; move over. Wearing a suit, Doc sits in between him and another hazmat guy. 10K is in the truck bed, with a third guy. The guy in the cab says he’ll be glad to leave this place. Doc says, tell him about it. They see Roberta and George, and Mean Dude wonders what those two are up to. He tells Roberta to get in back, but Roberta says they’re taking the truck. Direct orders from Estes. The guy in back looks at 10K. Mean Dude says, something’s not right. George gets the door open. Doc elbows Mean Dude and the guy on his other side. 10K slams the guy in the back. Roberta and George pull Mean Dude and the other guy out of the cab. They get ready to leave, with Doc driving, but the engine won’t turn over. George tells him that he’s flooding it. 10K is still fighting in the back. Roberta is pulled out of the cab. George is ready to fight, but Mean Dude slams her up against the truck. She faceplants. He pulls Doc out of the truck, but has no better luck starting it. George is lying in front of the truck. Roberta and Doc try to get her up. They hear saw sounds. A guy yells, and an arm falls down near them. Roberta looks back, under the truck, and sees Mean Dude flailing around on the ground, blood spurting from where his arm used to be.    

Mean Dude wails. Borg zombie stands there. George says, whoa. 10K shoots him from the back of the truck, but Borg zombie just looks at him. A hazmat guy throws something at him, but it bounces off like it’s Styrofoam, and hazmat guy takes off. Everyone gets ready to fight, but the power goes out in Borg zombie’s hand. Roberta says, his battery is dying. She tells the others, wear him out. They go after him, and nothing is effective, but he seems puzzled, turning this way and that, as each hit comes, clanging against his metal pieces. He grabs Roberta’s weapon, and starts to come after her. His buzz saw starts running, not full power, but enough. He puts it near her face.

A grid on this chest flickers, and his arm turns off. Roberta gets up, and says, she sees him. Doc asks if it’s dead, and Roberta says, he’s trapped. Doc asks who he is, and talker #3 says he recognizes him. He was one of the first miners, and went missing months ago. Doc wonders if it was too much lithium. Roberta asks what he wants, and says let them help him. Borg zombie walks slowly away, and they follow. He drags one metallically enhanced foot.

He gets to a panel, and presses some buttons. He stands on an X. George says, he’s going home. The claw comes down, and picks him up. It puts him in the crusher. Roberta looks sad. His cube sparks. The claw sets it down. The talkers gather around, and eat from it. Roberta says, the apocalypse is getting weirder and weirder.

#3 thanks them so much. They gave back their lives; their souls. George says they’re welcome. Roberta tells the others, stock up on as much lithium as possible, and get these talkers to Limbo. George says she has questions for Estes. She thinks she knows a guy who can get past Altura’s high tech security. She tells them, come on. Roberta asks where they’re headed, and George says, Hackertown.

An eyeball looks out from one of the crushed cubes.

Next Friday, it’s trolls vs zombies. And it looks like a lot of drones.

☕ Quotes of the Week

With great power comes great responsibility. — A lot of people have uttered a version of this phrase over the centuries, but it’s best attributed to Stan Lee in the form of an omniscient narrator in the August 1962 edition of Spider-Man.

Amish rules are not to drink, but I decided the hell with it. – Ada, Return to Amish  

Debbie is like a cat. She disappear, but then reappear when the time is right to make your life hell. – Larissa, referring to her soon-to-be mother-in-law, 90 Day Fiancé

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. – Helen Keller

Your nose is dead from being in that house. – a hoarder’s sister, Hoarding: Buried Alive

Of course the wolf flies. – Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson), Rampage

🛀 Weekends Be Like…

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Dec2

December 1, 2018 – Doc Spirit Walks for Water & Saturday Night

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

Z Nation

Doc opens his eyes to a talker tied up next to him. The talker complains about sores from sitting, and says, you’d think they could turn a guy once in a while. 10K and Doc are also tied up, and the talker grumbles some more about the constant decay. Doc tells 10K to wake up. The talker says, that’s what they do to saboteurs. That’s what he is, and he thinks it sounds rather continental. He says 10K is looking pale. Just transitioned, did he? 10K says he’s not a talker, and the talker asks why his hand fell off then. Doc asks, who did this? and the talker says, they’re quick as lightening. You don’t see them, but they see you, and the next thing you know, you’re shot with an arrow. He gets loud and weird. Roberta is suddenly there, and puts something in his mouth to shut him up, saying, enough out of him.

Doc has never been so glad to see her. She unties him and 10K, and they run, George joining them. Arrows fly at them, and George tells them to keep their heads down. She yells that they’re not here to fight. They’re not the enemy.

A boy whistles for zombies near a trap. A woman brings the group through, and tells him, good looking out, Little Foot. She says they killed some zombies, but what they have here is worse. Little Foot asks if they’re bombers, and she says, could be. She’s bringing them in. Roberta asks Little Foot if they’ve been bombed, and he says, lots of times. They also got hit by a zombie bomb. Roberta tells George to have patience. They need to wait and watch, and these people will see they’re not the enemy. They’re led into the grounds where the dam is. Doc tells them, hang in. He knows some natives that can sort it out. Hopefully they won’t get their asses kicked in the meantime.

A woman says, Steven, is that you? using Doc’s real name. It’s Kuruk, who got Doc high nowhere near the Grand Canyon two seasons ago. She kisses him. She also knows George, and Roberta asks if she can help them. Kuruk undoes their bonds, and says something tells her they’re not there by chance. George says, unfortunately not. Doc tells her they came about the water. George says they came about keeping the peace, and says Kuruk’s father knows her. Doc says Kuruk knows him, and knows he’s true to his word. She says, the apocalypse changes people, but he says, not that much. Roberta says, what George started was working. Kuruk says, it was working, before the bombing. George says the idea that they’re stronger together always works. They want to know why the water was shut off. Kuruk says they didn’t shut it off, and asks them to come with her

Ayalla – who met 10K when they were nowhere near the Grand Canyon – sees 10K, and asks what happened. He says, zombies. She asks if he wants help, and leads him forward. Kuruk shows the others a map, and says there have been zombie attacks; long-walkers from far away, but they’re just a distraction to divert their attention from more sophisticated sabotage talkers. Doc says, saboteurs, like the guy tied up next to them. Kuruk says, they’re lethal. They’ve lost their strongest warriors. Now the dam is failing, and it’s time to go; they can’t stay there. George says, then they won’t be able to control the water; their people are vital to Newmerica. George had an agreement with her father, making them friends and allies. Kuruk says they were. He keeps trying to fix the damage from the attacks, but they’re coming faster and faster. The next one comes before he fixes the last one. The whole dam could fail, and them with it. George says she’ll talk to the chief. He’s a reasonable man.

10K asks Ayalla what she just called him, and she says, it’s Navajo for ten thousand. He asks, what’s Navajo for girl who just led him in a circle? She tells him that she wanted to see if he trusted her or not. He says he did, and she led him in a circle. She says he followed her, so cool. It’s done, but don’t get a big head about it. She says his wound is looking better. He asks if she bandaged him. She says she did, and he says, but she didn’t untie him. She says, it’s been a while. She wanted to make sure he was still him. He asks if she shouldn’t be back at camp helping pack up, but she says, no. They should be helping her people not get run off their land for the billionth time in history.

Roberta and George approach some people fixing a dam wall. George introduces herself, and asks to speak to the chief. A man says, he’s busy, but George says he’ll want to hear what she has to say. He says if she knows him, then she knows his name. She says he told her to call him Eddy, and he says, everyone knows that. She says, he who goes to the water. He calls for the chief, who comes out asking, what’s with the racket? He’s trying to work. He sees George and asks why she came. She says because the water was cut off. She was told they’d been attacked, they’re leaving, and need to abandon the dam. He says, that’s fear. The young ones are afraid of everything; zombies, talkers, the power of the water. Roberta thinks those are healthy fears these days. He says you should have healthy respect for forces that can harm you, but you learn to work with them. Their ancestors are there. The land was flooded when they built the dam. Their ancestors there, and a new generation is out there; he’s not abandoning either one. Roberta asks if he wants to go down with the ship – or dam – and he says not if he can help it. There’s a huge noise, and he says the saboteurs stopped the turbines; the pressure is building up. He has to stop it while there’s still time. George says, if anyone can fix a dam, he can, but Roberta says, what if he can’t?

Ayalla tries to find something for 10K’s hand. She suggests an egg beater, but he says he’s not a cook. She holds up a garden gnome, and he says, maybe not such a good idea. She picks up a deer antler, saying, deer are known for intelligence, energy, and speed. He could use it to prop his gun, or as a slingshot, and it’s pretty sharp. She tells him that he doesn’t choose the hand. The hand must choose him first. He has to get naked to be free of attachment, and stand in the sun all day. If he’s still standing at nightfall, the hand is his. She does some hand motions and chanting, and looks to the sky. Then she tells him that she’s kidding. White boys are so gullible. She says, hold still, and takes out a drill.

Kuruk nurses Doc, who says she’s working her magic again. He wishes there was something he could do to help them stay. She does too, and he says maybe there’s something they haven’t thought of. She says he sounds like her father. He was in Minnesota when the apocalypse came, and they found him a year ago, and now it looks like they might lose him. Doc misses a simpler time, when they were just running away from zombie hordes, and sending them into the Grand Canyon. She says she thought he was nowhere near the Grand Canyon, and he says, right; it wasn’t them. It was kind of near there where he met a special lady. He thought they shared something kind of spiritual. She says they did. He says he never thought he’d see her again. He lost the necklace she gave him. He didn’t mean to, but zombies. Then the necklace found him. It was kind of a miracle, and got him thinking if found her again, they could… She says, what? Settle down, grow old together? He says, a man can dream. She asks where they settle in the dream, and he says, here seems nice. She says, it was before the attacks. Now they don’t have enough warriors to defend themselves and the dam. Doc asks her to let them help. It could be nice again. All of Newmerica can be, but not if they leave and let their enemies win. She says she’s not letting anyone win.

They hear a struggle outside. It’s the talker saboteur struggling with George. He goes after one of the women, and tears open her neck with his teeth. Kuruk says, hold her; help her. The others hold her down. She dies, and then wakes. Kuruk says, she’s changed. They know what they have to do. She’s led away, and Roberta asks where they’re taken. Kuruk says, every living thing has its place and purpose; every dead thing does too. Doc tells her, things will get better, but she says she’s not staying there and watching her people get wiped out for a pie in the sky idea. She tells everyone to pack up. They’re getting out of there, and leaving before nightfall. George asks if she’s leaving her father. It doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere. Kuruk says they’ll just have to change his mind.

In the woods, Ayalla tells 10K to try out his antler hand. They see an outsider, and 10K aims at him, but Ayalla says they want him alive to talk. She tells 10K to follow him, and she’ll alert the others.

10k follows the outsider, who goes through a fence and into the dam area.

Kuruk goes to see Chief Eddy. She tells the guard to let her father know she’s leaving. If he doesn’t come out, he might never see her again. The guard whistles for the chief, and they wait.

10K follows the outsider through the tunnels under the dam. He sees the outsider take out a paper. He reads it, and cuts open a lock.

Chief Eddy comes out and hugs Kuruk. She tells him leaving is the only way, and he says, may the Great Spirit watch over her on her journey. She asks him to come, but he says he’s not running anymore. His people have run enough. Their place is here. George joins them, and says they can help. Someone is trying to ruin Newmerica, and drive them apart; drive the tribe and their people apart too. Chief Eddy tells her what she says is true, but his people are choosing fear. Kuruk says they’re choosing to live. He says the only way their people will survive is to come together with all humans and their relatives. Everything starts to shake, and he says, not again.

Chief Eddy literally runs into the outsider, and kicks him down the stairs. He whacks at the outsider with a hammer, but the outsider dodges it. Chief Eddy throws it at him, but misses. The outsider laughs and kicks at him. Chief Eddy takes out a crowbar, but it falls over the railing. He takes out another hammer, but the outsider grabs it and pushes the chief over the railing. The pipes begin to shake.

Kuruk asks George what she’s supposed to do, tie her father up and drag him out? George says it doesn’t look like the talkers will let her. Kuruk says he’s her elder. She’s supposed to look to him for guidance, not the other way around. Roberta says maybe they can help. Ayalla tells them about 10K following the outsider, and Roberta says they have to get in. Kuruk says everything is guarded or locked. Doc suggests they do what they did before – spirit walk. Kuruk says what happened before was a fluke or a miracle, but Doc thinks it’s worth a try. He thinks he could do it again. He explains that Kuruk gave him some medicine, and he left his body. His spirit walked, killed a zombie, and saved 10K. Kuruk says he got really stoned and had a hallucination. Doc says, it worked, and Roberta asks if he thinks he can do it. He says, unless someone has a better idea. Kuruk wants to help, but her medicine isn’t that strong. She asks Little Foot where Ashki, their medicine man is, and he says, probably sleeping.

Ashki is snoring in a car. Kuruk tells him, wake up. He says he wasn’t sleeping; he was dreaming. His grandfather died before he could finish his training. How else is he supposed to talk to him? He asks who the new people are.

They sit around a fire. Ashki says they want him to betray his lineage and people, and send Doc on a vision quest he isn’t prepared for, or entitled to. Then guide him through the spirit world to protect the water for a nation that keeps breaking treaties with them. George says they want to get in so Kuruk can talk to her father. Ashki asks if she told them he can do this. She knows it’s crazy, but can’t think of another way. Doc says, last time, all it took was some good peyote, but Ashki says he doesn’t have any. Roberta says, it’s a new world. Maybe it’s time for a new ceremony. Ashki says, what then? and George says, save the dam, find out who’s behind the attacks, and stop them. Roberta tells him their people control the water. He asks if Kuruk believes them. She says she does, and he tells her, grandfather says give it a shot, but Roberta has to come too. He says he knows her from the spirit world.

Ashki gives Roberta something to drink, and says he won’t take her anywhere she’s not prepared to go. George says she’ll be there the whole time. Roberta, Doc, and Kuruk drink. They fall out, and Ashki brings out a defibrillator, just in case. The three spirit walkers look like they’re having seizures, and Ashki says, give it a minute. They relax again, and he says, it’s all good.

Kuruk appears under the dam, and calls for her father. Roberta appears and sees the outsider, but he runs past her without seeing her. Doc appears and sees 10K, but can’t touch him; his hand goes right through. He says he has to do it psychically, and concentrates. He tells 10K, wake up. Everything starts to shake and rattle. Kuruk tells the guards that she needs to find her father, but they can’t hear or see her. She touches one, saying her name, Wilma. Wilma says, something is here. Kuruk tells Wilma, listen, and says something that sounds like adavo. Wilma says, spirit, come this way. I was just thinking, Kuruk said everything was guarded, but they seem to be pretty useless, except for keeping the chief’s friends away.

George asks Ashki how long they leave them, but he doesn’t know. He’s never done this before.

Roberta follows the outsider. He shoots someone, and runs through her. She reacts, and George sees it in the real world. She tells Ashki that Roberta isn’t breathing. She does chest compression, and tells Ashki to give her the paddles. She shocks Roberta, who’s running after the outsider. She wakes up, and says she found the saboteur. She knows how he got in, and they need to save the dam.

Kuruk sees her father, who’s still alive. She tells him, keep breathing, and puts something under his nose. He asks if this is his daughter, and she tells him to see her. He says he’ll see her on the other side, but she says they need him there. She holds her hands over him, and sings in Navajo.

The dials on the machinery start going crazy. Doc says, oh no, and whatever he tries to touch, his hands go through. Alarms go off. He tries to wake 10K, but he’s suddenly back in the real world. He says he has to go back, and picks up the container of whatever Ashki had given them. Ashki tells him not to drink too much, but he gulps it all down, saying he doesn’t need to spirit walk; he needs to spirit fly. His spirit goes back to where 10K is, and he goes into 10K’s body. He pulls himself up, and shuts off a valve. Doc as 10K says, far out! It worked!

Roberta and George go through the gate and under the dam.

Chief Eddy is fine, and runs up the stairs. The building is shaking, and he says, too much pressure. The dam is failing. 10K shuts off another valve. He tells Chief Eddy that he’s trying to stop it, and the chief says he started it. Kuruk tells him that 10K is one of George’s people. 10K explains that he’s really Doc. 10K was unconscious, and he’s just borrowing his extremities; ah, to be twenty again. Chief Eddy says the saboteur must have gotten to the emergency panel.

Roberta and George pass a dead body on the steps. George tells Roberta that she never saw a talker kill their own kind. They see the outsider using a mini blowtorch on a panel, and Roberta yells, stop! She shoots at him, but misses, and he runs. 10K and Chief Eddy follow, and water starts to spray out from the wall.

Chief Eddy takes them back outside, telling the guard to lock the exit; don’t let him escape. 10K comes to, and says he feels old and kind of stoned. Doc says he’s awake, and 10K asks where Doc is. Doc says, sorry, and appears for a moment. He tells 10K that he’ll see him soon, and disappears again. 10K asks Chief Eddy what happened? and the chief tells him that Roberta and George went after the saboteur. 10K runs up the stairs, and Chief Eddy asks where he’s going. 10K says they need his help, and he needs his gun.

The saboteur/outsider waits by an upstairs door. George comes out, and he kicks her, but she gets it together, and they fight. Nice roundhouse kicking. She slams him up against the wall, and asks, who sent him? He head butts her, and is about to shoot her, but 10K shoots him from behind.

The water flows and the tribe celebrates. Kuruk says they have their warriors back. They are stronger together. George says they brought the talkers back into the tribe; now she needs to do the same. Kuruk says Ashki had a vision, and created a new ceremony derived from the ghost dance of their ancestors, to reunite the spirits with the living. They will be living with the spirits of the dead, who will fight on their behalf to make the white colonists leave. No offense. It’s meant to bring peace, unity, and prosperity, and includes everyone. George asks if that means they’ve changed their minds about Newmerica. Kuruk says they’ll come to congress and vote for a new colony, uniting everyone.

10K says he still feels weird. Doc says, good weird or bad weird? and 10K says, weird weird. Doc tells him it’s better than being dead. Chief Eddy thanks them for saving the dam and their home. Doc says, it feels like home. A place to settle down, if settling down ever comes back. Chief Eddy says he’ll always have a place there. Kuruk says, and here, and hugs him. He says he’ll meet her there whenever he can. She has something from Ashki for him, and he puts it in his pocket.

10K thanks Ayalla for his new hand, and she asks what he’s trading to keep it. She says, nothing is free. He’ll have to trade her another body part if he wants to keep his hand. She tells him that she’s kidding. Use it well. They hug. Ashki tells Roberta he has a message from his grandfather for her. The knowledge she seeks is buried under the past, but beware. It’s guarded by demons with sharp claws. Roberta asks what buried under the past means, and George asks if she heard the part about the demons. Doc says, sounds like another Tuesday in the apocalypse. Roberta asks Ashki to tells his grandfather thank you, and Ashki says she’s welcome.

They leave as the tribe continues to dance.

Next Friday, here comes the zombie-nator. Doc tells 10K, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure… That didn’t come out right.

🍟 Because Why Not?

Good times…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov26

November 25, 2018 – The Whisperers Are Here, Two Thoughts & My Birthday

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

Zombies gather in a field. Jesus asks Aaron if he’s ever seen them do that before, and he says, never. Daryl joins them and suggests they circle around back with the horses, and pick up on foot. Jesus and Aaron are worried about the zombies milling around. Daryl says they should go; a storm is coming. They shove off. The zombies continue to mill. One looks up like they heard something.

Gabriel reads meditations to Negan. Don’t judge distraction; let it wash over you. Negan isn’t feeling it, and says, screw it. Gabriel doesn’t understand. Clearly, Negan wants help. Negan says maybe this is all they get, and Gabriel asks if he’s getting any benefit out of their sessions. Negan says he knows another week has passed. He tells Gabriel not to take it personally. He’s never getting out, but appreciates Gabriel. He has everything he needs. He has a window that’s as good as TV was. Gabriel says, it’s an important first step, but life needs meaning. Negan plays catch with a ball against the wall as he speaks. He says people talk outside the window like they don’t remember he’s there. That’s when he gets the really good sh*t. Rosita said things Gabriel would find interesting. Gabriel says he doesn’t need Negan to tell him how Rosita feels about him. Negan asks, who said she was talking about him? Gabriel says he’ll see him next week.

Outside, Gabriel sees a group come into the town. A woman tells him that messengers from Hilltop have said Rosita is hurt.

A rider flies through Hilltop, yelling, riders are coming! It’s Michonne and Siddiq, with the new people. Connie signs that she’s not excited, and tells Kelly to let her know if they seem suspicious. Diane (whose name I finally remember without having to look it up) tells Tara there are eight. Magna says they’ll shoot anyone who they don’t like the looks of, but Luke says, they’re solid looking; scrappy.

Michonne says they’ve come for Rosita. Diane asks who the others are, and Michonne says, they’re good people, looking for a home. She told them Hilltop might consider taking them. Diane gives Michonne a look, and removes her katana and other weapons. The others follow suit, including a reluctant Magna.

Michonne and company go into Hilltop. Michonne asks Tara where Jesus is, and she says he’s with a search party looking for Eugene. Eugene went out with Rosita, but wasn’t with her when she was found. Enid says she was unconscious when she got there, but she’ll be fine. Michonne asks how they knew Eugene was with her, and Tara says she was able to tell Aaron. It’s like the old gang back together. She tells Michonne that they’re probably on their way back already. She’ll have to wait for Jesus to get back. If they want to stay, they have to talk to him, and have to earn their keep. Kelly tells her that Connie says thank you. They all do. Siddiq tells Michonne it’s good they’re here, and Michonne says, yeah, but they yeah sounds more like, not really. She smiles; then doesn’t.

Magna says a group with a guy named Jesus running things sounds like cult. Siddiq tells Michonne that he didn’t know about Eugene, and these are their friends. Carol comes over and hugs Siddiq. Michonne says she didn’t expect to see her. Carol asks who her friends are, and Magna says they’re not friends. Michonne introduces Carol, who signs nice to meet you, but it’s all she knows. Siddiq tells them to come with him, and they’ll find out where they’re staying.

Carol asks Michonne about Judith and RJ. Michonne asks if Ezekiel is there, but Carol says just her. She’s dropping off Henry. He’s apprenticing with the blacksmith. She says he’s a good kid, with a big heart. He can see the world falling apart. She tells Michonne that they need the fair, and asks if Alexandria can’t send a delegation. Michonne says she didn’t want to turn them down, but Alexandria had their troubles too. Carol gets why it’s hard, but they’ve all lost something. They’ve both lost children, and they kept going. They’ve always been a family. Michonne says they still are, but the Kingdom is the Kingdom. Hilltop is there, and Alexandria is here, and in between, there’s a whole lot of broken world. They can’t pretend otherwise. They have to take care of own now. Carol says, it’s a shame, and Michonne says, but that’s how it is. They part company.

Jesus tells Aaron that Daryl used to come by, but never stayed. Aaron says they used to be explorers. They were looking for people, and a chance to be a part of something bigger. Maybe this is showing Jesus the way forward; the next step. He’d be a good leader if he stopped fighting it. He looks at Daryl out in the field, and says, he spent a long time keeping people away, but finding them is his thing. He wonders if Daryl will ever stop fighting too.

Daryl tells them the herd is coming for them. The wind is carrying the sound. He winds up a clock, and throws it into the field. He says, let’s put some ground between us and them, and they run.

Diane asks Carol if she can hitch a ride. The Kingdom needs her more than Hilltop. Carol says she’d like the company. Henry puts some boxes in the cart, telling her that he got an advance on his pay. He got some tools and nails for her to take home. She tells him that she wouldn’t be leaving if she didn’t trust him. He says he’ll be back for the fair. He’s going to make her proud, and she says he already has. She’s choked up, but holds it back, and drives away after waving goodbye.

Jesus tells Daryl that Aaron put the count at around one hundred and forty, and now it’s double that. Aaron wonders if it could be a different herd, or another one. The zombies march down the road, and Daryl says, as long as they’re going the other way, it doesn’t matter. We see the alarm clock in the field. No idea what significance this has, if any.

Enid sees Henry getting instructions on making a spearhead. When she talks to the assistant about something, Earl asks Henry if he wants to spend the evening with him and Tammy. He says that sounds cool, but he’s really tired.

Gabriel empties Negan’s bedpan. Negan tells him an elaborate scientific explanation about something that boils down to, every time Gabriel smells something that came from Negan’s ass, part of it goes up his nose. Sadly, I actually knew this information already. Gabriel tells him, shut up. For once in his life, shut his mouth. Gabriel says he keeps scratching. He thinks if he digs deep enough, he’ll find a person he can help, but he never does. He tells Negan that he sent Rosita out, and she got hurt. He doesn’t know how bad, and can’t help her because he has to be here with Negan. Someone has to be responsible for him. Negan says he’s sorry; he didn’t know. Gabriel says it’s bad enough he has to clean up Negan’s sh*t. He shouldn’t have to listen to it too. Negan seems disturbed.

Henry sees two boys and a girl around his age. One introduces himself as Gage. He says Henry was there during the war; he’s the kid with the stick. Henry says it was a long time ago. A girl introduces herself as Addie, and the other boy is Rodney. Gage says they’ve been watching him mope around, and Addie is seriously worried. They’ve always lived there, and Addie thinks it must be exciting to be someplace new all the time. Rodney asks about Oceania, and if it’s really all women. Henry says, mostly, and Rodney says he should have become a fisherman. Gage asks if Henry wants to hang out in the woods, and Henry asks if they don’t close the gate at night. Gage says whatever’s got him down, it’s not worth it. Life’s too short. Henry says, okay; he’ll do it.

Siddiq tells Michonne that he’s sorry he kept so much from her, but he’s on her side. Michonne knows people would still be angry, but that doesn’t make it easier. Siddiq says, it’s not too late to mend fences. Michonne says, it’s not, but she won’t. Not in the way they want her to. She didn’t make the choices she made because they were easy. At least they’re alive to hate her for it.

Rosita wakes up, and panics. Michonne tells her that she’s at Hilltop. Jesus and Aaron found her. Rosita says, Eugene! and Michonne says a group is out there tracking him. They should be back soon. Rosita says she knows where he is, but Siddiq says, they can handle whatever is going on. Rosita says, no; they can’t. There’s no way they can handle it.

The storm gets closer. Daryl, Jesus, and Aaron walk in the dark, using flashlights. That must be hard to hold along with a crossbow. Dog goes first into a barn, and digs at some hay. Daryl pokes at it, and hits something hard. Aaron asks if Eugene is in there, and Eugene says, affirmative. They lift a trap door, and Eugene comes out, totally shaken. He says he took a bad step, and dislocated his knee. They have to get out. The herd followed him, and they’re on their way back. Daryl says, they’re gone. They’re not looking for him. Eugene says they’re been there twice looking for him. It’s not a normal herd. Aaron asks what he means, and Eugene says when they passed by, he could hear them. They were whispering to each other. Aaron says, talking? Eugene says, Rosita heard it too; she can corroborate what he’s telling them. Daryl says they’ve got to get back. Dog barks, and I say, oh sh*t, out loud. Aaron says, no way it’s the same herd. Daryl says the herd’s got them cut off. Eugene is like, no, no, no, no, no!

Henry and his new friends drink and break windows. Some things never change. Henry falls over. He says if this is their idea of fun, he’d hate to see what happens when they get bored. Gage says they’ll show him now. They go outside where there’s a zombie in a pit. Gage laughs about it, and he and Rodney play ring toss, trying to get the rings on a metal thing stuck in the zombie’s head. He also has a few darts sticking out of him. Addie walks away. Gage tells Henry to try his luck. Henry pushes him out of the way, jumps in the pit. and kills the zombie. Gage asks what he did that for, and Henry says if he has to explain, Gage won’t understand. Gage is outta there.

The herd moves forward. I’m scared. They’re moving into the woods. Eugene is freaking out, and Jesus says, it’s not making sense. They shouldn’t have doubled back, and really shouldn’t have followed them to the barn. Eugene has a theory; the dead are evolving. They’re not dead in a sense that makes sense. Their brains are alive, and if their brains are alive, they can change. Daryl is like, what?! and Jesus says, it’s not any crazier than it already is. If the zombies can talk, they can learn strategy. He thinks they should split up, but Aaron says they’re stronger together. Jesus says that doesn’t help them. The only way out is to avoid a fight. Daryl and Aaron take Eugene, and Jesus goes the other way to distract the herd.

Negan continues to play ball. He notices the door move when a draft blows through. He gets up, and pushes the door open. Now what? He picks up his ball, gives a side smile, and tosses the ball behind him.

Tara tells Earl that Henry threw up on a pig, and then her boots. Henry says he’s sorry, and she says, good. She has enough to worry about and loved those boots. She’s going to bed. Earl thought he was too tired to do anything. The reek of crappy moonshine coming off him says that was a lie. He was found outside the gate, shouting. Does he want to explain how he wound up there? Henry says, no, sir, and Earl asks who gave him the booze. Henry is silent, and Earl says, okay. He offered take Henry on and teach him, but if this is how he treats his commitments, he can take his scrawny ass back to the Kingdom. Henry knows he screwed up, but the people back home are counting on him. His parents are counting on him. Earl asks, what the hell got into him? Henry says he saw his mom cry; she’s so tough. Before that, he was too excited to think about it, and understand what a huge deal it was. He guesses he didn’t want to think about it for a while. Earl says he’s been there. The minimum sentence for drunk and disorderly is two days, but he’ll talk to Jesus, and see what he can do. He tells Henry to get some sleep. He’ll have a lot of work to catch up on when he gets out.

This herd is scary. Daryl is on top of a box car, and lights a string of firecrackers. They smoke the place up and make noise. Dog barks. I’m going to have a heart attack. The herd keeps going, surprising Daryl. He quiets Dog.

Aaron and Jesus get Eugene to, oddly enough, a cemetery gate. The herd is following. The go through a spot where the stone is crumbling. Jesus tells them to follow the wall; there’s a gate somewhere. The zombies start tumbling in, following them. The gate is locked. Jesus and Aaron try to push Eugene over the wall, but it’s not working out. It’s as not good as it gets. The zombies are closing in. Aaron and Jesus stan and wait, weapons at the ready. As the zombies reach them, they fight; stabbing and slicing heads, piking and smashing skulls. Eugene quakes near the gate. The whispering zombies suddenly stop.

Michonne is on the other side of the gate, and calls to Eugene. She tells him to push as she pulls. Magna appears, and helps. Together they get it open. Jesus tells Aaron to go ahead, and goes all ninja on the zombies. Aaron tells him to move it.

O.M.G. A zombie comes up behind Jesus, and literally stabs him in the back. He whispers in Jesus’s ear, something about him not being where he belongs. I’m stunned. I was not expecting that.

Magna’s group flies out, and goes after more zombies with bows and arrows. Jesus’s killer is slain. Aaron kneels beside Jesus. Well, sh*t.

Lightening begins to strike. Looking at the zombie who killed Jesus, Daryl calls Michonne over. He looks at the zombie’s head, and cuts at its hair. At first, I think he’s scalping it, but the whole face comes away. Like that dude in Silence of the Lambs. Daryl turns the zombie over, and he’s a dead human.

We hear the words, circle round, being whispered. Dog barks. Through the fog, the Whisperers move closer. This bunch is trapped.

💀 This was the mid-season finale. Next time, there’s a new enemy and a new level of creepiness. Negan is on the loose and whistling again. AND DOG IS OKAY. For now. The show returns in February.

🌅 Mini Contemplations…

Nobody can bring you peace but yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Why wait? Dream is now. – Sophie (Jennifer Coolidge), 2 Broke Girls

🎂 They Say It’s My Birthday…

The party in my mind…

BirthdayPup2

Probably closer to it…

BirthdayPup3

 

Nov24

November 23, 2018 – The Brain Biscuit Flour Mill, Walking Video, Mary Pat’s Head, a Wife Yes, Charm News, a Wife No, Thankful Quotes & Shaft

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

🍗 Hope a great Thanksgiving was had by all!

Z Nation

Roberta, 10K, and Addie walk on the road between wheat fields. Roberta notes that they need harvesting; they’re going to seed. Addie doesn’t know how many live humans are left to do the work. She says, welcome to the heartland, and asks what the plan is. Roberta says they’re going to find out what’s in the biscuits. Addie asks what the end game is, and Roberta says, help George get her new country going first. Addie thinks they’re more tear sh*t up types than building a nation types. Roberta says they have to make sure the right people are in charge, and George is a natural leader. As they get closer to the farm, they find several mercied bodies. Addie says they’re farm workers, and some are talkers. Roberta thinks someone doesn’t want the biscuits made. 10K asks if they hear that, a ghostly voice saying, feed us. Roberta signals them to move into an area where a bunch of cars are parked. We can hear, feed us, biscuits. It gets louder as they get closer. They hear, but don’t see anything.

A dude pops up among the cars, and Addie says he’s a talker. Robert says he might know something. They raise their hands, and walk toward him. Roberta says they come in peace. She knows they’re hungry, but have no biscuits. They can help. 10K asks, what happens when talkers stop talking? Roberta guesses nothing good. They’re surrounded. Addie doesn’t want to hurt them, and Roberta says, let’s try to make this non-lethal.

George and Doc drive up, and they get in. Roberta says, perfect timing, Addie says they got her message from Kaya. Doc asks where they’re headed, and she tells him a farmhouse up ahead. Doc says they’ll have just about enough gas.

In the fields, Pandora tells a talker, he must be starved. She knows where he can find tasty brains waiting to be nibbled. She pushes him, and says, go after them.

Doc pulls up at the farmhouse, and says they’re running on fumes. They go inside, and George blocks the door. 10K says the talkers must have been hiding in the wheat. They look hungry, and Roberta wonders what they’re eating. A farmhand comes out, and says he knows – brains. He takes off his hat, and shows them the top of his head. It’s gone.

Roberta says the talkers have been eating his brains? and he says, everybody wants a piece of Charlie. Addie asks what happened, but he thinks they ate that part. Roberta asks if anyone else is there, but Charlie isn’t sure.

Roberta asks George if she wants to talk about Dante. George says it was her fault. She shouldn’t have let him go. Doc says, that’s not true. George says he put his trust in her and what she believed in, and it got him killed. Addie says she got Dante killed? and Doc says, the vigilantes got him. They killed the captain and his guard too. They’re probably the same bastards who killed the others. Roberta hugs George, and George cries. She says they chopped him in pieces, and put him in a trashcan. He did it for her. He was still alive. She had to mercy him. Roberta says George did right. George asks, who would do that? and Addie says, humans. Doc says, maybe not. Maybe talkers. They left a sign saying, this is what happens to traitors. Addie says, Newmerica would be a better place if they got rid of the people. Doc says, maybe the zombies got it right; screw everyone. Roberta promises they’ll bring Dante justice. George says she can’t give up. She can’t let Dante’s death be in vain. She has to see it through, no matter what. She’s willing to die for a better world. Roberta says, that’s her girl, and if that’s all we got, that’s all we got.

Doc goes into the garage, and picks up a mason jar. He sniffs it, and says, that could curl your nose hairs. He dips his fingers in and licks them. Steam comes out of his ears, and he says, that’s ass-kicking hooch.

Addie looks around upstairs. 10K goes to the kitchen, and takes off the tin can hook he’s been using. His wound looks pretty sore. Doc asks how it’s going, and 10K says, it hurts like a bad mother – Doc says, shut your mouth, a reference to Isaac Hayes‘s Theme from Shaft that 10K doesn’t get. He thinks the wound should be cleaned up, but the water is brown. 10K doesn’t think they should use that water, and Doc says he has a perfect plan B.

Addie keeps looking. She opens a closet, and brings her pokey bat weapon down among the clothes. She hits someone. She says, you, and he says it looks like she has him where she wants him.

The talkers are moving fast, with Pandora behind them.

Addie says she should kill him. He says, put him out of his misery. She says or make him wish he was dead. He asks what she wants him to do, and she says, unbutton his shirt. He does, and she slides her weapon down him. He says, now what? and she tells him to kiss her. They kiss, and she says he stood her up. She waited two days; she thought he was dead. He says, you know how it is. Zombies. She sees he has a wound and asks what happened. He says someone shot him.

Doc tells 10K it might sting, and pours the hooch over the wound. Obviously in pain, 10K puts the jar to his mouth. Doc says he wouldn’t drink that, but 10K guzzles the jar down. He says he feels great, then throws up. Doc says it might take his mind off his hand for a while. Roberta asks if he’s okay, and Doc says, alcohol poisoning. He’ll be good in a day, or three. They put him in a chair. Roberta says the talkers are still lurking.

Addie brings the guy downstairs. Addie says this is her friend, Finn; he’s been shot. Doc bandages him, saying he lost a lot of blood; he’s a lucky man. Finn asks if the wound is that bad, and Doc says, no, he’s a terrible doctor. 10K gets sick again, and Doc says his next patient. Roberta asks how Addie and Finn know each other. Finn says his farmhands turned taker, and Addie helped him. Addie says, they hit it off, and Finn helped save a lot of talkers. He says, like Butch and Sundance. An aside here: I thought the scene with her asking him to unbutton his shirt was lifted from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But in the film, it’s Robert Redford and Kathrine Ross, and he’s waiting for her in her room. Roberta asks what happened? and Finn says when they came back, Charlie volunteered to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his friends. They fed them tiny bits of brain. He had them rounded up to go to Limbo, when he was shot and the talkers were set loose. Somebody doesn’t want them to make biscuits. Roberta asks if he knows the secret ingredient. He says other than chopped brains, he doesn’t know what’s in them. He’ll show them what’s left.

He takes them to the manufacturing area, and shows them the machine that mixes brains into powder. Then it goes into the flour. George asks if they took it all. He says, there’s some flour left, but they took all the added ingredients. They’re the only source in the area. Not just for biscuits, but all grain. They don’t have much seed left, and need to harvest. Addie says, all of Newmerica could starve. They see where the fire was, and Finn says when he came to put it out, he got shot. Charlie got a machete in the head. He didn’t get a good look at them though. Roberta asks, if he had workers, does he think he could harvest? Addie says he’s bleeding again, and tells him to take it easy.

Doc and 10K come out in cowboy gear, twirling lassos. Doc says he was in a goat rodeo one time. He says they’ll round up the talkers, and Addie says, what could go wrong? Pandora says, looks like somebody wants to play cowboy. Let’s send them a stampede. The talkers move forward.

Finn tells Charlie, cue the dinner bell, and he hits on one of those triangle things, saying, come get your brains. Roberta and George get ropes ready. Roberta tells George that she’s still in shock. Some things are not meant to be seen, but she needs George’s head in it. Addie and Finn wait in a car. Finn says, it’s like old times, and Addie says, it was a month ago. He says, that’s old for the apocalypse. He’s glad she’s there. He was worried it was going to be just him and Charlie. She asks if he’s okay, and he says, yeah.

10K and Doc go talker hunting. Charlie continues to ring the triangle, saying, hot brains. He says, a little sriracha, spicy, the way they like it, and sprinkles some on his head. Addie and Finn rope some talkers. Finn tells Charlie, now, and he takes a piece out of his brain to feed them. Doc lassos a tiller, 10K says, yippee-ki-yo-ki-yay, and gets one with a net, but gets tangled up in it. Doc knocks the zombie out with a hammer. 10K asks if he’s dead, but Doc says, he’s already dead; he just stunned him. He suggests they tie him up before the others get back.

Pandora says, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Let’s nip this revolution in the bud.

Roberta and George go into the stables. George tells Roberta to watch herself. They’re almost completely turned. They see a talker in the shadows. Another runs past (I think it’s Pandora), but Roberta thinks they should get this one first. George says she knows he’s scared. She is too. It’s a scary world these days. She promises she’s not going to hurt him, and says it must be terrifying, but they have brains for him. A volunteer, Charlie, generously donated his brains until they get biscuits. They just have to secure him for his own safety. He grabs a hoe, and tries to hit George, but she gets him down. Outside, Pandora has set herself up with a gun. She says, it was nice while it lasted. She’s going to enjoy this.

10K comes up behind Pandora, but doesn’t see the gun. He says, there you are. He tells her this is for her own good. She’ll get some brains, and be humanish in no time. He’s not going to hurt her. Pandora’s cohort is behind him with a taser. They fight, and Pandora jumps in. Her crony gets 10K on the ground, and forces him to put his hook in his own mouth, but Doc has gotten the taser, and tasers him. He tells 10K he couldn’t help it, and suggests they corral these two.

The talkers have been put in a pen. Charlie asks what it is they’re doing again. Doc says they’re feeding the talkers so they don’t turn zombie. Charlie asks, what are they feeding them with? and Doc says, actually, brains; his brains. Charlie says, he’s cool with that, right? Doc says, as far as they know. Doc tells the talkers to make two lines. Pandora gives half-mask guy half a biscuit, and eats the other half.

Roberta wonders who’s been cutting off their supplies. George says, it couldn’t be talkers, but Roberta says people and talkers are easier to manipulate when they’re starving. George says they’re going to stop the revolution and bring justice to the world. Finn says, the world belongs to the dead now, and Addie says maybe it’s not theirs to claim. George says they all need each other to survive. That’s why they need a new country. Addie says, so far, George’s new country has done nothing but get people killed, including Dante. George says, maybe Addie is right, and she’s responsible for Dante’s death. It will haunt her until her mercy comes, but it’s not up to Addie to judge her. Addie says, not everyone shares her dream or her way of doing things. Roberta steps between them, and says they have no time for politics. Like it or not, they’re fighting the same fight together. They’re at war, and don’t even know who they’re fighting. Pandora watches them.

Charlie starts to sing Bicycle Built for Two. Doc asks how he’s feeling, and he says, lightheaded. BA-DUM-CHH! Doc leads him to a chair. Addie asks how he’s doing, and Doc says, not good. He keeps singing, and gets stuck on the word crazy, going, zee… zee… zee… Charlie asks Finn if it’s time. Finn says he saved them all. They’re alive because of him. Charlie asks, can he have his mercy now? and Finn says, sure. Charlie tells Finn goodbye, and goodbye whoever the rest of them are. Finn sings, and takes out the last of Charlie’s brain. Charlie is officially gone. Finn says, have mercy, and everyone is bummed

The talkers all sing Bicycle Built for Two, and Doc says, that was weird.

Finn says, since the water supply was cut off, they would have eventually died from drought. The hydraulic power that controls the flow of water was cut off after the first attack. George says it’s a Native American operation. She knows the chief. Roberta suggests they talk to some water keepers. Finn says he’ll stay there to keep an eye on the talkers. Addie kisses him goodbye.

Pandora pokes her friend, telling him if he doesn’t stop singing, she won’t hesitate to mercy him. She hates that song. Finn walks up, and says, what do we have here? It looks like they’re feeling more like themselves. He tells the talkers that after he gives Charlie a proper burial, and gathers some supplies, they’ll set off for Limbo. He thinks after dark is safer. He’s not doing well, and Pandora says, it won’t be long now before someone starts playing for the other team.

10K says his hand hurts like it’s still there. Doc tells him, it’s phantom limb syndrome. Eventually, it works itself out, and the brain ignores the signals. Roberta can’t figure out why the farm was cut off, and Addie says maybe they didn’t like George’s idea. George says they’re independent, but the is chief fact-oriented, and supported the referendum, seeing the positives. Doc asks if 10K is all right. 10K says he’s just hungover. Doc feels his forehead, and says he’s burning up; he’s not fine. He needs antibiotics. George thinks they can get help from the chief, and Doc says he knows all about Native American medicine. Together, Doc and 10K say, but we were nowhere near the Grand Canyon. They see a distress signal, and Addie says, Finn. Addie runs back to find him lying on the ground.

She moves him underneath a tree, and he says two talkers jumped him and set the others free. Addie tells him, hang in there, and Finn says he’s scared. He’s lost too much blood. She tells him not to be afraid; she’s there. Roberta goes through the wheat field, and a talker pops up. Roberta says, hey, Emma, it’s me. Emma looks like she’s about to attack Roberta, but hugs her. I’m assuming, in life, Emma wasn’t known for her social skills.

George goes through another field, and hears her name being called. Pandora crouches in the wheat.

Finn tells Addie that they had big plans. Addie says they can still do big things. He asks if she promises to keep their deal. If he doesn’t like it, she’ll mercy him. She promises. He asks if she thinks he’ll see a white light, and tells her, it hurts. He’s scared, and doesn’t want to turn. Addie tells him not to fight it, and he tells her that he loves her. She loves him too. He dies. She closes his eyes, strokes his face, and kisses him. He starts to shake, coughs, and wakes up. She says, so? He says, nothing hurts, and he’s not afraid. For eight years, every day since day one, he’s been afraid. Now he’s not. She tells him that she saved him some. The last piece of Charlie. He eats it.

Roberta and George join them, and Roberta says they rounded up all the talkers, except two. Finn says they’re probably the ones who jumped him. Roberta says, is he? and Addie nods. Roberta says, welcome back. She and George are going to catch up with Doc and 10K. Addie says she’s going to stay and help Finn get the talkers back to work, but after that… Roberta tells them to take care of each other. George tells Addie, see you in Newmerica. Addie says, keep dreaming, and George says, somebody has to.

Doc wonders where they are. He says 10K seems to be healing okay. If Roberta and George aren’t back soon, they should just head to the dam without them. He says 10K’s fever broke, and gives him some water. He hopes the water keepers are friendly. He’s shot by an arrow, says, they’ve got to be kidding, and falls over.

Next Friday – Ninjas! Spirits! Wait, what? Doc is a ghost, and enters 10K’s body. 10K feels old and kinda stoned.

👹 If You’re Reading This…

You’ll probably be interested in this:

https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/video-extras/season-09/episode-07/spoilers-making-of-the-walking-dead-season-9-episode-7?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4-907-inside&utm_campaign=the-walking-dead

🏥 If You Read This On Weekdays…

You were bummed because football was on instead of General Hospital. Here’s a consolation prize.

https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital-behind-the-scenes-mary-pat-death-168319?utm_medium=email&utm_source=SailthruHorizonDaily&utm_content=14987444&utm_campaign=ABCsid_ed_Newsletter_engaged_weekly%202018-11-05&utm_term=Master_ABCsid_sitesignups

🎉 Best News I’ve Heard in a While…

Which is kind of sad when you think about it. LVP is still on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

https://www.etonline.com/lisa-vanderpump-sets-the-record-straight-on-rhobh-drama-exclusive-113983?linkId=59713270

👍 It’s About Time…

T-Rav charmed himself out of more than being a cast member.

https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kathryn-dennis-files-to-modify-custody-after-thomas-ravenel-arrest/

🎃 Charming Halloween News

I love the addition of the dog as Michael.

https://people.com/parents/southern-charm-cameran-eubanks-daughter-dresses-up-patricia-altschul/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-article

👎 Bad Idea…

No. Just no.

http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/personal-space/living-with-ex-after-divorce?cid=soc_tw_Bravo_RHOC_PersonalSpace_Dish

📣 Quotes of the Week

You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance. – Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Being grateful all the time isn’t easy. But it’s when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: perspective. Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It’s the quickest, easiest, most powerful way to effect change in your life—this I know for sure. – Oprah Winfrey, What I Know for Sure

In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices. – Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business. – Anne Lamott, Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers

My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus. – Stephan W. Hawking, New York Times Magazine interview

My gratitude for good writing is unbounded; I’m grateful for it the way I’m grateful for the ocean. – Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

I think that real friendship always makes us feel such sweet gratitude, because the world almost always seems like a very hard desert, and the flowers that grow there seem to grow against such high odds. – Stephen King, The Eyes of the Dragon

It has been said that life has treated me harshly; and sometimes I have complained in my heart because many pleasures of human experience have been withheld from me…if much has been denied me, much, very much, has been given me. – Helen Keller, The Open Door

They do not love, that do not show their love. – William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona

🎼 Because It’s the Second Time This Week…

I’ve heard a reference to this song.

 

Nov19

November 18, 2018 – Daryl Gets a Dog, Some Talk, Amish Return, a Dinner & It’s Here Again

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

Rosita is being chased through the woods. She stops at a tree for water, but the bottle is empty. She slumps against the tree.

Daryl, Carol, and Henry walk through a different part of the woods. Daryl is carrying firewood, and drops it at his camp near the river. Carol asks if he’s fixed the boat since last time. He’s not being very communicative, and she asks when he last ate. Apparently, he’s acquired a dog – looks like a German Shepherd mix – and he says, the dog ate yesterday. She’s not talking about that.

Michonne and Siddiq are taking Magna’s group to Hilltop. Michonne tells Siddiq he’ll feel better if he says it. Siddiq says she should have let them stay. He thinks she likes them. He’s not hearing her deny it. She says it doesn’t mean she trusts them. Luke says Magna gave Michonne the option not to trust them. She and Kelly want to get back to their camp. Magna wants her knife back. Yumiko tells Michonne, sorry about Magna; she can be hotheaded. She’s been on edge since they lost Bernie. She talks about how he used to wear a horrid shirt. It was like looking into creation in paisley. Magna said it gave her a headache, so he wore it every day for a week. Magna came around on the shirt, like they came around on Magna. Michonne says, like family. Yumiko asks if Hilltop is safe. Michonne says it is, and Yumiko asks what it’s like. Michonne says it’s been a while since she’s been there, and Yumiko says, then how does she know it’s safe? Michonne says she promised her daughter that she’d get them there, and she will. They just have to trust her.

Hilltop is looking good. There are tons of crops, blacksmithing and pottery making going on, and Enid being a doctor. Jesus listens to music on an old gramophone Tara drops by. She says he’s been spending a lot of time with records. She goes over some farming stuff, other operational issues, and a couple of complaints. She tells him, congratulations; he’s been reelected leader. He says, winning is a given when there’s no one running against you. She asks if he still thinks it’s temporary. He wants to check on Tammy’s crops, but Tara says she has a list. He tells her to ask when he gets back

Daryl shoots a snake for dinner, and stabs a zombie with the same arrow after he gets it back. He’s a multi-tasker. Carol asks if he’s just leaving the zombie, and he says it keeps the animals away. She says he’s longer than he said he’d be. He says he likes it; it’s quiet. He asks how the king is, and she says he’s having a hard time letting go. She’s taking Henry to Hilltop. He’s going to apprentice as a smithy. Daryl appreciates the visit, but wonders why she’s really there. She wants him to come with them. They have problems of their own at the Kingdom, and she’d feel better if Daryl could go with Henry. He says he can’t babysit, but she says it’s not like that. Henry is an idealist, like Ezekiel, which is important, but it can be dangerous. Daryl says he has to learn for himself. Like they did.

Magna’s camp has been torn apart. There are a few zombies lurking. Kelly stabs on in the head, and Connie stomps on another’s head. Luke wields a baseball bat. Magna looks through what’s left of her stuff. Siddiq finds a recorder, and says it was the first instrument he learned to play. His aunt gave him one. He had it a week, until his mom decided, for her own sanity, that he liked painting better. I totally understand this. When I was in fourth grade, everyone had to learn to play the recorder, and you could hear the sounds of practicing throughout the neighborhood. It’s a wonder our parents didn’t lose their minds. Michonne says, for her sanity, and takes it from him. Connie signs that Luke is obsessed with saving musical instruments.

Michonne tells DJ to take any weapons. Magna thinks they should get them back, but Michonne says she’s not letting her men take five armed people into Hilltop. If they want their weapons, they can take them, but they’re on their own. If they want a chance at something better, stay with them. Magna wonders how they’re supposed to trust her, when she’s doesn’t trust them. Michonne says then they can take their chances. Yumiko says they didn’t get brought back together just to be killed. She asks if they’ll be there by morning, and Michonne says they will. Yumiko says they have a real chance for a safe place. The sun is going down soon, and Michonne suggests they find shelter.

Aaron is riding out of the woods, and gets knocked off his horse by Jesus. Aaron says, rule number one – be aware of your surroundings. Jesus says, rule number one – look up. They spar Jesus says, not bad, and gets the best of Aaron. Aaron whacks Jesus in the face, and Jesus acts like he’s really hurt. When Aaron asks if he’s okay, Jesus gets the better of him again. When they’re done, Aaron says he heard it was election day. Jesus says that’s why he’s late. There was a party, and it’s hard to get away as it is. Aaron doesn’t suppose Maggie changed her mind about the fair. It’s important for the Kingdom; for all of them to come back together. They see a flare go up in the distance.

The find Rosita, bloody, and leaning against a tree. Aaron asks where Eugene is, and she says she left him. He was going to a barn. Zombies come toward them. Jesus says they have to go; it will be dark soon. Whatever barn Eugene is in, Jesus hopes he’s safe until tomorrow,

Daryl cooks up the snake. Carol is impressed. Henry wonders if the real reason they came here was that Carol wants Daryl to be his chaperone. This guy? He can handle himself. Daryl says it will be ready in thirty minutes, and Carol says, just enough time. Daryl says, for what?

Carol gives Daryl a haircut. He knows she thinks He’s still looking for him. Carol says, is he? She thinks he should let it go, and that his hair looks better. They eat. Henry asks how Daryl got his scars. Daryl calls the dog, who he just calls dog.

Michonne is on watch, and hears something. She goes inside a stable. She walks quietly past the horses, where there’s a dude at a workbench with his back to her. She comes up behind him, and says, drop it; turn around slow. It’s Luke. He says, he can’t. He starts to turn, and she whacks at him. Everyone comes running. Luke shows them his broken violin. I think Michonne might be just a little paranoid.

Henry wakes up, and leaves the tent. He thinks he sees Daryl from behind, and shines a light. It’s a zombie instead, but Daryl arrives in time to knife it in the head. He keeps walking. He hears Dog barking, and runs in that direction. Dog is tethered to a tree and several zombies are stuck in Daryl’s traps around him. Why are they doing this to me? Introducing another animal which will no doubt eventually get eaten. I’ve gotten to the point where, if a dog is introduced in a horror story I’m reading, I stop reading. Dog is surrounded, barking his head off, with the zombies reaching for him. Daryl approaches. A half-zombie grabs at him. He goes down, and loses his knife. Henry wants to help, but Daryl tells him, get back. Daryl manages to get his other knife out, and stabs, spears, and pikes the heads of the zombies. Henry is astounded. A zombie whose ankle is held in a trap, pulls itself free, leaving its foot behind. Henry jumps forward, and impales it. Daryl finishes the job. He says he told Henry to stay back, and Henry says, you’re welcome. Up on the hill, Carol has her bow drawn. She steps back so they don’t see her.

Jesus asks Enid how Rosita is. Enid says she’s okay, just dehydrated. He says it’s weird, seeing her after all this time. She says for her too. She asks Jesus what they were doing out there, and Jesus says, training. He’s been talking to Aaron, keeping the lines of communication open. Enid says, and avoiding being there. He wants to try to get Alexandria on board with the fair. She doesn’t think they’ll go along with it. Jesus says, it’s important, and Enid says people are noticing that he’s gone, that’s important too. She knows he thinks he’s just keeping a promise to Maggie, but he took the job. Stop pretending. She’s not there; he is. Maggie is counting on him. They’re counting on him. She’s counting on him. He needs to stay there, and keep the place together.

Daryl gets dressed, and Henry looks at the scars on his back. He tosses Henry some salve, saying it’s good for infection. Daryl thanks Henry for the help, and Henry thanks Daryl for saving him. He asks Daryl not to tell his mom. Daryl tosses a stick for Dog to fetch. He says that he’s seeing more and more zombies. Henry tells him that Carol says he’s her best friend; that she had his back no matter what. She misses him. She worries about him. Can he see that? Daryl asks if that’s what Henry wants. Daryl looking over his shoulder all the time. Henry says it’s not just about him.

Luke says, unbelievable. Michonne starts talk, but he’s like, uh-uh-uh. He says it’s an original Stradivarius. Kelly says he found it in a mansion before it was overrun. It was in a kids room. Michonne asks why he collects instruments, and Luke says, it’s art. For a long time, historians and archaeologists wondered how humans survived against the Neanderthals. With them being bigger and stronger, with better weapons, why are we still here? Why did we survive? He tells her about a flute found in a cave, and how it was realized that maybe ancient humans didn’t defeat the Neanderthals the way we look at defeat. They sat around the campfire, sharing stores, and told stories in music and painting. They created communities and identities. The communities they built grew, and the Neanderthals retreated, and died out. It’s what separates humans from animals. It brings people together in building something, and you can’t ignore that. Michonne says after all he’s seen and done, he still believes that’s all it could take? Luke says, survival of the fittest. Sharing art with each other makes them stronger. Michonne ponders this.

Michonne tells Siddiq that they’ll reach Alexandria before Hilltop, and can stop for supplies if they need them. Siddiq says she should come. It’s the least she can do after murdering Luke’s violin. Michonne thinks it’s for the best, but Siddiq tells her, don’t worry about Maggie. She doesn’t know what to do if they see each other, but Siddiq says, she’s gone. Jesus runs Hilltop now. Michonne asks where she is, and DJ runs in saying, walkers; let’s move. They run out, Michonne in the lead. Yumiko says they need their weapons. Magna uses a brick to smash a zombie in the head. Zombies start pouring in. Michonne tells DJ to get the new people their weapons. Kelly gets a slingshot thing going. The horses start getting agitated, and Michonne says, sh*t. Yumiko tells the others they know what to do. Connie and Kelly work their slingshots. Luke opens the doors of the cars in the lot, so the zombies are blocked. Yumiko uses an arrow to knock an awning down, crushing several zombies. Magna saves Yumiko’s ass when a stray zombie sneaks up on her. A zombie toddles toward them, wearing a paisley shirt. Magna is sadly transfixed, and the others stare, open-mouthed. As Bernie gets close to Magna, Michonne knifes him from behind. Siddiq says, let’s go, and urges Magna to move. They all look at Bernie’s body as they go past.

Daryl tells Carol, ready in ten minutes. Hey, she’s using one of my coffee cups. It’s metal, blue with flecks of white, for camping.

The group headed for Hilltop travels on. Everyone is bummed. Michonne says she knows what it’s like to worry about a friend, and feel guilty. Yumiko says they’ll feel better when they have home, and are safe. Michonne says they will. This is as far as she’s going. Siddiq apologizes for not telling her about Maggie sooner. She asks, where is she? and Siddiq says, someplace far away; a new community. That’s all he knows. He understands she wanted the information sooner, but he promised someone he wouldn’t. This means Michonne can come. She should. Michonne says she’s needed back home. She kept her promise to Judith. Siddiq says what about her promise to him? She says, it’s not that simple. They hear horses approaching.

Two men ride up to them. They’re carrying spears, and Michonne asks if they’re From Hilltop. They are, and Michonne says her group is from Alexandria. They’re headed there now. One of the men says they have a message. Hilltop has one of their own – Rosita. She’s been injured. Michonne tells them to let them know that Michonne and the others are headed to Hilltop. The men ride off. Michonne giddyaps. Luke tells them, hold up, and they stop. Connie sees something. They wait, as she looks around, but then she signals, it’s nothing.

Daryl rides into Hilltop. Henry wonders if Enid will recognize him; he’s bigger. Jesus says it’s a pleasant surprise. He asks what brings them there, and Carol says Henry has a stubborn interest in blacksmithing. Jesus says they can help with that.

Aaron tells Daryl that they found Rosita pretty banged up, and Eugene is missing. They’re headed out to find him now, and could use a good tracker. Daryl says he’s going. Henry wants to go too, but Carol says they need to get him settled in. Jesus says he knows where to start looking. Jesus tells Enid that he should go. She says she’ll stay, but next time, he does. Dog leads the way, Daryl follows, and the search party heads out.

Next time, Aaron says he’s never seen zombies do this before, Rosita wants to leave, Jesus kicks zombie ass, and Eugene says, it’s not a normal herd; they’re whispering to each other.

🔊 I don’t know what that fair business is about, but on Talking Dead tonight, Dan Fogler (Luke) said there was something musical coming up. That made me wonder if there’s a connection. Also, Michael Cudlitz (the late Abe) had his directorial debut with tonight’s TWD episode.

🐎 Return to Amish returned to the small screen tonight, but I have to catch it on the flipside. I can’t wait to see what Mary Schmucker, the grandmother of my dreams, and the gang are up to. Some new members have also been added to the cast.

✈ My Dinner with Hervé is on HBO rotation, and Peter Dinklage is so good, he’ll make you cry. About the tragic life (and death) of Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize, it goes far beyond dinner. The performances are brilliant, and the story of a frustrated artist shows incredible insight into a too-brief life.

🍹 It’ll Be All Right...

Sure, Mondays are just fine if you live in Margaritaville.

 

Nov17

November 16, 2018 – Sasha Gets the Boot, Doc’s Version of History, Quick Quote Quartet & Saturday Sendoff

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Michael meets Sam at The Floating Rib. She thinks he should know about something. Jason walks in.

Aiden tells Elizabeth and Franco that it was Career Day, and there was a policeman; it was cool. Franco asks if everyone was nice to him, and Aiden guesses so. He asks for money for the vending machine. Franco tells him if someone isn’t nice to him, he should tell them, and they’ll take care of it tout suite. Aiden is like, huh? and Franco says it’s fake French. Elizabeth asks if he’d like to call his dad

Kiki sees Griff at the hospital, and hopes he’s there to pick up his lab coat. He says not exactly. She wonders what’s taking so long, but Griff doesn’t know. The good news is Peter sent the committee a statement, saying he wasn’t impacted by Griff’s transgression in any way.  Kiki says that’s good news; the so-called victim doesn’t feel victimized. She wonders why the committee wants to talk to him. He thinks they want to question him again, but he’s going to tell them the same thing he did before – the truth. Kiki says speaking of the truth, it’s time Sasha heard some.

Nina is impressed that Sasha has the spread sheets almost done. Sasha says don’t tell her boss, but she’s trying to impress her new mother. Nina says they are equally impressed with her. As she’s walking into her office, Nina tells Sasha about a phone call she’s waiting for. Sasha tries to tell her that someone is in her office, but Nina is too busy talking to hear. She walks in to find Valentin.

At the MetroCourt bar, not-Doc asks Ava if this seat is taken. She wonders who’s asking. She’s saving it for a friend. He says since he’s no longer her doctor, and sits down. He says she’s still mad at him. She says not mad. Slightly perturbed and inconvenienced, but if she’s honest, she missed him. And here he is now. She says now that boundaries are out of the way, let her buy him a drink. He says he’s been craving a Bloody Mary. BA-DUM-CHH!

Michael asks if it’s a coincidence or an ambush. Jason says he’s looking for Michael’s dad. Have they seen Sonny?

Sonny asks Margaux if he can come in. She says she already got an earful from his wife. Sonny says it’s not between her and Carly, it’s between them. She asks what he’s going to do? Kill her like he killed her father?

Elizabeth tells Aiden that he hasn’t talked to his dad in a while. She thinks he’d like know how Aiden is doing. Aiden wants to go to the vending machine, so Elizabeth gives him some money. Franco says he can’t blame Aiden. What kid wants to tell his parents he’s being picked on? She asks if he’s speaking from experience, and he says when kids gave him a hard time, he sabotaged them. He had a lot of rage. He says they can start covert art therapy when they get home, but Elizabeth says, why wait. He says Aiden unburdening himself with finger paint is good, but this needs to stop.

Lulu flies into Willow’s classroom, asking if she’s late. Willow says she’s actually early. She’s trying to reach Charlotte’s father. She’d prefer it if they were both there. Lulu asks, how bad is it?

Nina says she doesn’t owe Valentin any explanations; they’re divorced. She has no time or patience for him. His phone rings. It’s Willow, and he asks if there’s a problem about Charlotte. He tells her he’ll be right there. Nina asks if Charlotte is okay, and Valentin says her teacher wants to meet with him and Lulu. Nina asks what about? and he says, they’re divorced. He doesn’t owe her any explanations. He leaves, and she grabs her jacket.

Griff thought Kiki was excited about the relationship with her new sister. He doesn’t want to come between them. Kiki thinks she’s overreacting because of her mom, but needs to set Sasha straight. She tells Griff to focus on getting his job back, and she’ll settle things with her sister.

Not-Doc asks Ava how things are with her daughter. Ava says she’ll come running back in time for the holidays. They’ll be back to being inseparable like they were before they allowed men to tear them apart. He says her optimism doesn’t match her demeanor. Why isn’t she able to sleep?

Michael asks what’s going on with his dad. Jason says he’s taking care of things with Sonny, and wanted to see if he needed a hand.

Sonny asks why he’d want Margaux dead. Even if he did, he’s just a simple coffee importer. She says, who thinks she’ll drop the investigation into her father’s murder, now that she knows her mother was involved. Jason calls, and Sonny says he’s with her now. He’ll let Jason know if he needs him.

😠 &$*!*$^%@&&@*##$!@! Why is this interrupted for NYC Mayor Jerkface making excuses because he wasn’t prepared for a snowstorm everyone knew was coming? Here’s a news flash – winter comes every year. Omg, he went on for nearly the whole hour. Moving on the bootleg way.

Margaux tells Sonny that she didn’t hear screaming, so it’s not Carly. It must be Jason. When should she expect him? Sonny asks why, and she says he sends Jason to do his dirty work, like Skully sent Sonny to do his. He asks why he’d want her dead? She heard her mother arrange her father’s murder; he’s out of the equation. She says if that’s true, why is he there?

Jason says Sonny has it under control, and Michael asks if he wants to join them. Or are Sam’s words for his ears only? Sam says it might be good to get Jason’s perspective. He was there too; at Ferncliff. She hates to spoil his good mood, but thinks he should know who was there. He says as long as it’s not his mom, he doesn’t care. He asks who? and Sam says, Nelle.

Kiki goes to the Crimson office to see Sasha. Sasha says she’s getting acclimated, and Kiki says, speaking of which, she thinks she moved too quickly with Sasha, and Sasha moved too quickly with her boyfriend.

Ava asks not-Doc if it’s that obvious. He asks, what’s the problem? and she says she’s lost her edge. She used to plan revenge in her sleep, now she crawls into bed – alone – and the thirst for vengeance turns to sadness. Kiki and Griff broke her heart and spirit. Not-Doc doesn’t buy that, and neither does the Ava boiling with rage. Where is she now? Ava says right there, reminding her of the times she told Griff that she loved him, and he wasn’t ready to say it back. Reminding her that he used her as a stepping stone out of the priesthood to someone else. He says, not just a benign sadness, but wounded and angry. She says she is, and he tells her that he has the perfect cure.

Sam tells Michael it seems Nelle faked a nervous breakdown, and was transferred. Jason says they went to get answers for his mom. She wants to know if the patient next door belongs there and is being treated. When they checked the cell, they found Nelle instead. Sam says they don’t know if she was a decoy, or the patient had already been moved. She could have been put in the first room that was available. Michael asks if they’re sure she was faking. She had a nervous breakdown before.

Sonny tells Margaux that she can’t accept the truth about her father’s death. She thinks the word he’rs looking for is murder. He says, yes, murdered. Her mother was having an affair with Skully. She asked him to get rid of her father, and he made it happen. Margaux asks if he’s still saying he’s blameless, and he says she can’t prove otherwise. She told herself stories about her father and family, none of which are true. If she keeps digging, it will only get worse, and she’ll only hurt herself.

Aiden brings Franco some candy in the art therapy room. Franco asks if he wants to draw a picture. He can start with Mr. Jellybeans, his hamster. Aiden says, Mr. Jellybeans is the best.

Valentin arrives at the classroom, and asks what’s going on; she said it was urgent. Nina flies in, and asks hat she missed, explaining that she’s Charlotte’s stepmother. Willow asks if both parents approve of her being there, and they’re both fine with it. Willow says she’s observed troubling behavior. Charlotte is bright and quick, but can be assertive. Nina says, good. She should be in today’s world. Willow agrees she should, however, it’s evolved into bullying. Lulu asks if she’s saying Charlotte is bullying other children. Willow says she broached it to Charlotte, and told her it’s unacceptable behavior, but it’s become more frequent and open; in front of teachers. It’s like she knows there will be no consequences. It’s not about blame, but it’s escalated, and per school policy, she needs to get the parents involved. Nina thinks Willow is misunderstanding Charlotte’s leadership skills, but Willow says, they’re not leadership skills. Nina says Willow clearly doesn’t understand her daughter, and the problem is her. Valentin shakes his head.

Sasha asks if Kiki is mad about last night. She was flirting with Kiki’s boyfriend, but she thought it was no big deal. They’re just friends with benefits. Kiki asks where she got that idea.

Not-Doc says he’s concerned about Ava’s well-being. He tells her that she needs to get some rest, and offers her a sample of a new sleep aid.

Jason tells Michael that Nelle was holding a blanket like a baby. Michael says, Nelle lies about everything, but it could be genuine. Sam says, except when they pointed out Ferncliff could be a bigger trap than Pentonville. She flung the blanket aside, and went off on them, saying she’s not letting Carly win. Jason says Nelle thought it was a stepping stone to freedom, and when she gets out, she’s going after his mom again.

Margaux says Sonny is just as at fault as her mother. He says she has nothing. He has no ties to her father’s death. There’s no evidence, no witnesses, nothing. While he lives, he’s a free man. She’s going to be rotting in a prison she’s built for herself. Is that what she wants?

Willow says Charlotte is confrontational not just with her classmates, but adults, even strangers. Lulu asks when that happened, and Willow says, this morning. It was Career Day, and she challenged a guest about his name, education, and appearance. Lulu says she didn’t see that, and Willow says it happened after she left. Some children like to push boundaries; Charlotte is one of them. Valentin asks if it’s an isolated incident, and Willow says, no. She’s been mocking a particular classmate, and takes every opportunity to make fun of them, and make them the butt of jokes. Valentin asks, who? but she can’t divulge that. She hopes discussing it will result in change. Nina asks if she’s discussed it with Charlotte, and Willow says she asked why Charlotte didn’t like them, but it wasn’t for any reason. So she’s asking them as parents, to step in. Explore where this is coming from and make sure she knows it’s unacceptable, and knows it must change.

Sasha tells Kiki that she’s new. It was an honest mistake, and it won’t happen again. Kiki says, while they’re being honest, she made a mistake too. She shouldn’t have asked Sasha to move in so soon. She was excited about having a sister. She’s hoping they can start over. Get together now and then as friends, not roommates. Sasha asks if Kiki is kicking her out, and Kiki says, yeah, she is. Sasha needs to be out by tonight. She already has a mother to contend with. She doesn’t need anyone else against her and Griff. Sasha says she really doesn’t trust her boyfriend, does she? Maybe she’s insecure because he dated her mother. Kiki tells her to be out by tonight.

Franco says, clearly, Aiden gets the ability to draw from his mom; he’s amazing. He likes Aiden’s version of Mr. Jellybeans with the crown; more regal than rodent. Aiden says Mr. Jellybeans is his best friend. Franco thought Bianca was his best friend. Aiden likes her okay, but sometimes she… Franco suggests he draw a picture of Bianca, but Aiden doesn’t want to. Franco says, how about his family? Aiden says he can do that. They’re nice to him.

Ava takes the sample. He tells her, like any medication, take with caution; one at first, no more two in 24-hours. He wants her to be at her best for her reunion with her daughter. Then they’ll talk about other methods to chase away the demons that keep her up. She asks if he has demons, and he says they all have painful experiences locked away. She asks if his have anything to do with his brother, but he says, no. They have everything to do with him. She tells him that he knows a lot about her, but she knows nothing about him.

Sasha sees Ava, and says, how convenient. She had no idea how to find her, but now she can tell Ava to her face. Next time she wants to break up Kiki and Griff, leave her out of it.

Margaux says Sonny is trying to sound like he gives a damn about what happens to her. He says he can picture her as a little girl, believing her mother’s phony grief. It’s all she had. He thought when she heard the truth, she’d leave that behind. She says he thought wrong.

Sam says Nelle lied to get transferred. They told her it was worse, and she ditched the act and threatened Carly. Michael says it sounds like Nelle. Jason says he seems calm, and Michael says he learned it from him. He’ll always regret getting involved with Nelle, but he doesn’t feel guilty for grieving over Jonah. It’s getting more manageable. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Nina tells Willow that Charlotte doesn’t need to change. She’s strong and brave, and she’s been through a lot. Valentin says she had a difficult early childhood, but they’ve always encouraged her to be polite and have compassion. Nina asks if Willow has children. Willow says that’s not relevant. Nina thinks maybe they need someone who knows about raising a child. Willow appreciates Nina’s faith in Charlotte. That being said, she thinks it might be more productive if she talks with Charlotte’s parents. Nina asks if Willow is kicking her out because she’s not Charlotte’s biological mother. Valentin tells Nina to go home. They want to hear what Willow is saying, and she’s making it next to impossible. Nina says Valentin has been Charlotte’s one constant, except when he’s off doing God knows what, with God knows who, God knows where. Nina asks if Lulu wants her to leave. Lulu says Nina is upset, and they need to get to the bottom of this. Nina says she’s watching Willow, and does the two-finger thing. Valentin says he’s mortified. Willow doesn’t doubt Nina loves Charlotte very much, but it’s unproductive. Lulu asks how they handle it, and Willow suggests written guidelines that will help them to be productive, not accusatory. They can explain that the behavior is not acceptable and there will be consequences for her actions.

Ava tells Sasha she thought it was a casual relationship. She’s sure they’ll work things out. Sasha says Kiki told her to move out. Whatever perverse game of mother/daughter chicken she’s playing is over. She lost. Before she leaves, Sasha orders room service. Ava looks at the sample.

Michael thanks Jason and Sam for the update on Nelle. Say what will about her, but she’s never dull. He also thanks them for making sure she’s back behind bars. Sam says, see? Things get better. Michael says they can all use some good times. The holidays are around the corner. They’re family, and need to start acting like it. He leaves, and Sam says, speaking of holidays, Thanksgiving is next week; any plans? He says, her first.

Sonny admires Margaux’s spirit and passion, but why not focus on her own life, instead of dogging his? She’ll make him a deal. He confesses to her father’s murder, pleads guilty, serves twenty, and when it’s a done deal, she’ll book a cruise. Sonny says, whoever pulled the trigger was the weapon. Her mother and Skully had her father killed. She wants to know what he’s going to tell Avery when she grows up. It’s not her dad’s fault he’s a murderer. Sonny says now she’s pushing it. If what happened to her father happened to him, he would hope Avery would leave it behind her, and not make it her life’s work to bring them to justice. He would hope she would be happy. Surround herself with people she loves and who love her.

Michael walks into Willow’s classroom. She says she just had an almost Chernobyl parent/teacher conference. He says, almost? and asks if she saved it. She says, maybe. She thought she was handling it. Now, she’s finding a meeting. It helps. He knows what she means. He says he also brought something that might help, or at least provide a distraction. He gives her a box. She said she wanted more seeds. She says when he makes a promise, he keeps it. He says, eventually. He also promised to tell his story to the group about what brought him there, and he hasn’t yet. She says, he will, and so will she – eventually. Until then, she has gardening to do. In November?

Nina is looking up Willow on Spyder-Finder. Valentin comes in, and she tells him to get out. He wants to apologize, but she won’t accept it, and says she’s going to call security. He says he missed her fierceness, and she says he won’t when he’s being hauled out. He says he particularly likes it when she’s defending Charlotte. He’d like her to there when they talk to her. She says Charlotte is always a priority, and he knows she always wants the best for Charlotte. He’s grateful for her help, and she says, for Charlotte, anything.

At the hospital, Lulu asks if Finn there. Elizabeth says he’s not in, and asks if she want to leave a message. She’d rather speak to him in person. She wants to make sure if Britt is well enough to be interred… she means, interviewed. She asks how the kids are, and Elizabeth says Aiden is going through a rough time. Lulu says Charlotte is going through a phase too.

Franco says Aiden drew himself little. Aiden says he’s the baby, and Franco says, he’s the youngest, but he’s a big kid. Aiden asks if he didn’t do it right. Franco says it’s perfect, but he doesn’t see Aiden as being tiny. Aiden says, but he is.

Kiki asks Griff how it went, and he says he explained himself and admitted he was wrong. Who knows? He asks how it went with Sasha. Kiki says she told Sasha she was wrong in letting the relationship move too quickly, but her behavior toward Griff was inappropriate. She turned it around, and accused Kiki of doing the same thing her mother does; blaming her insecurities on the other person. She doesn’t want to be like that. Griff says she’s not.

Ava hears that food is being delivered to Sasha’s room. She puts the pills from the sample in the soup when the room service tray is unattended.

Margaux asks Sonny if he’d want Avery to let go of his murder and move on with her life. He says he would, for her sake. Margaux says he doesn’t care about her sake. She was deprived of a lifetime of memories, and he wants her to let it go. Sonny says facts are facts, and evidence is evidence. Does she want to spend her life in a hotel room, listening to her mother talk about setting her father up? She asks if he’s afraid she’ll find something. He says, there’s nothing to find. Let it go, and live her life.

Sam tells Jason that Curtis and Jordan are getting married on Thanksgiving. Sounds insane, but there must be a method to the madness, but it’s not until later. She wanted to watch the parade with the kids. She asks if he wants to watch with them; she has a lot to be thankful for. He wonders if she still likes the pumpkin donuts from Kelly’s, and says he’ll pick some up. It’s a date.

On Monday, Monica asks if Oscar wants to know what he’s up against, Kim tells Drew that she’s not willing to give up, and Kiki tells Franco she’s getting weird vibes from Sasha and Griff.

Z Nation

10K says, brains and biscuits, how was it not Murphy’s idea? Murphy says, one day, the apocalypse will make him a rich man. He tells one of his barmaids, try not to eat each other. Roberta shows them a map to a bakery in the backwoods. It’s not the type of place that welcomes visitors. Murphy says, a secret brain bakery? He’s sure he hears banjo music in their near future. Roberta wonders how they can make sure Dante gets a fair trial. She tells Doc and George to go to Altura, and they’ll go to the bakery. Doc says they’ll meet later. He and George get in a car. Doc says, it’s no El Camino, but beggars can’t be choosers.

On the road, Doc says they don’t make them like they used to. George says they don’t make anything at all. Back at Limbo, Roberta says, let’s find the bakery.

George doesn’t like not having eyes on Dante. Doc tells her he’s gunning it, and she shouldn’t have her feet on the dashboard. If the air bag goes off, her knees could go into her brain. She thinks that’s the least of their worries, Doc says the air bags aren’t reliable in a thirty-year-old car, so it’s not going to happen. A zombie lying in the road. They run him over, and the air bags go off. George says, he was saying? She thinks she hurt her ankle, and he says it’s better than a knee in the brain. He checks to see what he has for pain, but doesn’t want to give her the hard stuff. He takes out a joint, lights it, and deflates the bag with the lit end. George says she’s never smoked before. Doc says it’s a terrible habit; it stunts your growth. Oh wait, he was thinking of nicotine. He doesn’t think her ankle is broke, but it’s sprained. She takes a drag on the joint, and says her foot hurts, and now she has a cough. Doc tells her to give it a minute. He sees some zombies, and says, hang tough. He has to take care of some tourists. He uses his hammer in each hand method. George smokes in the car, and watches in rearview mirror. She laughs about the car having an ashtray. A zombie heads toward the car. She takes out a knife. Doc gives it a hammer in the back, and it turns around and pins him to the hood of the car. George says she’s got him, and shoots it. Doc says the spliff must be working. She says she can’t feel her foot; she doesn’t feel anything. She wants to get to Altura before night falls. Doc sees the road zombie’s legs poking out of the grill and kicking. He tells her, have a seat. This could take a while.

Murphy and Roberta get to the bakery. 10K thinks it looks abandoned. Roberta says that doesn’t mean no one is home. Murphy says this must be place; he smells brains. Skulls litter the yard, and Murphy picks one up. Robert tells him to get his ass away from those skulls, and focus. Addie busts the door open, and they go in.

They slip through the storage area, and see a mess where the baking is done. Roberta says it looks like they left in a hurry. There are brains everywhere, and Murphy says it’s no mystery what the secret ingredient is. Roberta says it looks like they haven’t been in operation for a while. She takes a skull out of Murphy’s hand. They hear banging noises.

Doc looks at the engine, but can’t figure it out. George is reading the Constitution, and he asks if she’s catching up on social studies. He used to love history, especially when he was buzzed. One of his favorite paintings is of the Constitutional Convention. The gang is all there, with Ben Franklin chilling in the middle, George Washington presiding, and Thomas Jefferson looking badass. He tells her the founding fathers had huge pot farms. They were like, cannabis rules. He imagines George Washington and Thomas Jefferson (Sketchy and Skeezy) talking about hemp fibers being good for everything. Jefferson says they’re good for migraines, expanding your mind, and toothaches. Ben Franklin (Re-Pete) joins them, and asks who’s been getting icky with the sticky. Jefferson says he cultivated it, but didn’t inhale. He says he’s out of matches, and Franklin says they must to invent one. He lights his pipe. Back in the present, Doc coughs. He says that one went down to his toes. She’s surprised the founding fathers got anything done, much less starting a country. Doc says they’re prepared for lift off, and gets the car going.

Murphy says, someone turned the oven on. He guesses not Betty Crocker. Roberta says they’re not there alone. A mixer starts up, and Murphy goes toward it.

10K and Addie keep looking. Addie asks if 10K is okay. He says he’s fine, and she says, just checking, lefty. He wants to take the stairs, and she says, after him, calling him Captain Hookless. She doesn’t want to pry, but doesn’t know why things have to be so hard. Between Mac and Lucy her eye the least of what she lost. 10K says he still feels his hand in his dreams; carrying gear, lacing shoes, holding hands, shooting a gun. It’s like having a friend that was there, but isn’t any more. Addie knows what he means.

Murphy watches the mixer. He says with all the brains laying around, he’s getting the munchies. A dude shoots at them, and everyone ducks. Another dude sees Addie and 10K, and shoots at them. He yells that they have intruders. The first dude says, don’t worry, brother; he’s coming. He shoots at Murphy, who ducks under the table. Roberta signals Murphy, and slides a gun over.

Brother #1 is so shaky, he looks like he’s tweaking. 10K moves a bakery rack over and gets Brother #1 in his sights. Brother #1 peeks out, and 10K shoots. Brother #1 falls, and Addie comes toward him. He says, sorry, ma’am, and she whacks him in the head.

Doc makes a pipe out of an apple, and George says he’s quite the handy man. He tells her to think of him as the Ben Franklin of paraphernalia. She asks what the difference is between the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Doc says they got so excited writing rules for the government, they forgot the people the government was for. In Doc’s mind, John Adams says he’d rather chop his hand off than sign. The government was created to protect the people from foreign enemies. A zombie walks in, and Doc says, my bad. There were no zombies back then. Adams asks who’s going to protect the people from the government. Washington says, back to work, and Franklin complains that he just opened champagne. Adams says, not his fault, Quaker Oats Man. The people need to know how the government is protecting them. Adams says the Bill of Rights will; he has a list. He pulls out a bunch of cards, and Washington reads through them. Freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom from alien life forms. He can see some of this going in. He tells Jefferson to write this up. Jefferson says he wrote the Constitution, and Frankly says, they all did. Jefferson says, no, he physically wrote it. Washington says they’re making progress.

George asks Doc what makes the Bill of Rights so important. Doc says they’re the God given rights of humanity. She says humanity changed with the definition with of mortality. They see a zombie struggling toward them. Doc asks what makes the zombies different from humanity? Basic decency says they deserve to be treated no differently, and have the same rights. He deserves live life without government interference. George says, he’s a zombie. Doc says she knows what he’s getting at, and kills it. It’s the government’s job to protect their rights, and they need it when people are afraid, and don’t know what’s right. George asks what will protect Dante without a Bill of Rights. Doc says they will.

Brother #2 goes through bakery, and shoots at Murphy. Murphy shoots back, but the gun runs out of bullets. Brother #2 says he’s going to give Murphy the same choice he gave the last people who tried to shut them down. Murphy says, chocolate or vanilla? And Brother #2 says, mercy or talker. Roberta comes up behind him, and says she can ask him the same question. She doesn’t want to hurt him, but she will. He says it’s a zombie standoff. He’s got them like the ones who tried to shut down the bakery. Put down their weapons, or they’ll all be craving brains. Roberta says they’re not who he’s talking about.

Addie and 10K bring in Brother #1. Murphy asks if that’s the other brother. Roberta says he’s still human; let’s keep it that way. Brother #2 says they’re Americans in need of help. Brother #1 tells him to watch out for the one-eyed one. She’s not nice. She’s mean like a badger. Murphy thought they speak English in Canada, and Brother #1 says, we doos. Brother #2 says he’s Gilly, and Brother #1 is Skull; Skully for short. Roberta says they need biscuits; lots of them. Gilly says they’ll have to talk to his mom. She’s in charge of baking. Roberta asks where she is, and he says she’s in the office. They’ll have to see what kind of mood she’s in. It’s not easy. After the black rain, they were headed to Newmerica, and were turned ass over tea kettle by a bunch of zombies. Their other brother, Chili, got bit, but never turned. When they caught their mom sneaking him brains, they realized he was a talker. Their mom started baking up roadkill, and the more he ate, the more he was like the brother they knew. Everyone wanted their mom’s biscuits, so they set up a bakery. Roberta asks why they stopped, and Gilly says they were blown up, and under attack from zombies. Murphy says, someone didn’t want them baking biscuits. Roberta says they need the recipe, but Gilly says she’s been cranky. She’s in the office for her own good. He says Chili is in there too. They were trying to work out the recipe, but their running out of options. They look up and see zombies pressed against the office window, including mom.

George wonders how they can make sure Dante gets due process, when vigilantes think talkers are more zombie than human. Doc says a bill was made to protect them from each other. The Founding Fathers hammered out amendments, better known as the Bill of Rights. Doc’s mythical Ben Franklin asks why they have to start with guns. He likes muskets as much as the next guy, but putting them first seems gun crazy. Jefferson says they’ll put freedom of speech first. It will look better for the kids. He says Sam Adams has two beers, and is ready to challenge his mother to a duel. Washington says they’ll had a well-regulated militia. He goes down the list, and says, unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; should keep the lawyers busy. He likes that no one should be compelled to testify against themselves, and Jefferson says, what happens in Paris, stays in Paris. George says, no cruel and unusual punishment, and Doc says the whole apocalypse is cruel and unusual. Jefferson says, otherwise, they’ll be using Franklin’s kites to electrocute prisoners. Alexander Hamilton comes in, and asks if they’ve around to slavery. Washington says they’re talking about it. Abe Lincoln (Smiles) pops in, and says he’d appreciate it if they’d take care of the problem now. Washington says he has a cool hat. What is his name? Lincoln says they didn’t see him… He was never here… Hamilton says, that dude belongs on a bill. George says she doesn’t know much about history, but she knows Lincoln never talked to Washington. There’s a hundred year difference between them. Doc says that’s not the point. Slavery was a stain on America that even the civil war couldn’t make right. The only way Dante is going to get a fair trial is if he’s considered human; no talkers will. George tells Doc that he sneaks up on a person, and Doc says he still has some teeth left in his head. We see a sign that says, martial law now in effect.

Gilly tells Skully to keep his wits about him. He puts a bike helmet on Skully’s head, and hands him the top of a trash can for a shield. Skully says he always picks scissors, and Gilly calls him dumber than goose poop. Murphy cranks up a boombox, and holds it up to distract the zombies. Skully says he can’t do this, but Gilly makes him go into the office. He moves quietly behind the zombies at the window, while Murphy keeps their attention. Skully looks through the papers, and sees something sticking out of his mom’s back pocket. He tiptoes behind her, and slips out the recipe card. He backs away, and falls. Murphy says, he’s out. Skully gets back up, and Murphy says, there he is. The recipe card is on the floor, and the zombies close in on Skully. Gilly yells for Chili to get away from him, and closes the door. Gee, thanks for the help. Murphy says, they’ve got him cornered. Skully fights with Chili, and Gilly yells, brother, get off my brother! Mom stands in the window, and eats the recipe card. Murphy says, one brother is riding the other like a moose. Skully yells, nooo! and the zombies attack. Outside, a group of zombies, all wearing the same rain ponchos, come toward the bakery. Roberta says, the only way to calm them down is to feed them actual brains. The zombies outside start to come in. Murphy says, it looks like somebody ordered take out, and runs at them with the boombox. He busts one over the head with it. I think the ponchos might be significant, because in an earlier episode, there was a group all wearing shirts from the same park, and they made a point of mentioning it.

Roberta and the others go after the zombies who are coming in. Addie uses her pokey club, and 10K shoots. Addie kneels with her weapon in both hands horizontally, and 10K uses it to aim. He says, switch! and they trade weapons. Addie uses the gun like she does her club, and whacks the zombies with it. Roberta beheads a zombie. She takes the head, and says, crack this one open. She tosses it toward Murphy, who says, hey, I’m walkin’ here. I wonder if that’s a nod to Midnight Cowboy. He is a bit of a Ratso.

George wonders when everybody will see they’re all in this together. Doc says they’ll need the 15th amendment. – the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. In Doc’s vision, Washington says, it makes sense. Lincoln says, it will take a civil war and the 13th amendment. Washington suggests they pass the 13th amendment right now. Lincoln says it’s abolishing slavery, and Jefferson says, abolish as in setting free? It might take further study. Washington says, hear him out. Why not make them three-fifths human? Then keep that going for a hundred years, until they work out the kinks. George hopes they hope don’t have to fight a war to make talkers full citizens. Doc says they already did. Everybody dies. Just because they have no pulse doesn’t mean they don’t have brains. George says, everybody dies, and sooner or later – she and Doc finish together, they’re all talkers.

The brains from the severed head are given to the zombies. Gilly thinks the brains are doing the trick. Roberta asks mom if she’s with them. She hugs Skully and Chili. Gilly tells her that some Americans came looking for help. She’s sorry they have to see her looking all dead like this, and wishes she could have given the place a lick and a promise. Roberta says their supplies were cut off, and they have starving talkers. They want the secret recipe. Mom says, it’s no secret. In the beginning, she was lacing them with brains. They ran short, and flour was delivered from the heartland, with the secret already mixed in. Murphy says, the secret is brains? and mom says, no. The secret ingredient is love, and kisses his cheek. He doesn’t get it. Mom gives each of the zombies a kiss. She says if it can help someone else to keep from go through what they’ve had to, so be it. She says they have enough right there to make a batch of the original.

George is shocked that women weren’t given the right to vote until the 19th Amendment, and it wasn’t passed until 1920. Doc says, old white dudes. What can he say? It takes time to get it right. George says they don’t have time. Doc says he doesn’t like the look of this, and they see an abandoned truck. George wonders if it was the truck with Dante, and Doc hopes not. They open the truck door, and a dead guy falls out. There’s another dead guy inside. George says, no sign of Dante. Maybe he escaped like last time. Maybe talkers did this, and let him go. Red letters on a nearby trashcan say, this is what happens to traitors. George picks up a pair of sunglasses. I assume they’re Dante’s. The can rattles. She opens it, and finds Dante, all folded up and bloody. He can barely open his eyes to look at her. She gives him mercy.

The gang makes biscuits. Murphy loves the smell of fresh baked brains in the morning. Mom says she might keep him on as a full time baker. He says he had a great teacher. She tells them to wrap the biscuits and put them in containers. Roberta calls Murphy over, and says, this family isn’t going to make it on their own. Take them with him to Limbo. He likes the idea; Limbo could use a bakery. Roberta tells him, take care of them, and be safe. He tells her to be safe too. He doesn’t want to have to save her ass. Roberta says he might have to, and he tells her the apocalypse wouldn’t be half as fun without her. Be careful. He starts to walk away, and she says she loves him too. Mom says the biscuits are packed.

Doc asks if George wants to say a few words. She says actions speak louder than words, and leaves the Constitution there, and puts on Dante’s sunglasses. On the marker, it says: Here lies Lt. Joe Dante – first citizen of Newmerica.

Next Friday, get ready to wrangle. We go back to the Old West, and Pandora says, let’s send them a stampede.

Good Lord, I hope that was coherent. This show can bounce all over the place more than Once Upon a Time did. Okay, maybe not.

☝ Quotes of the Week

You don’t ask people about their personal business. You don’t address the pink elephant in the room. – Delores, The Real Housewives of New Jersey

If he’d known, he would have had a crush on you too. – a friend of mine after I told them I had a crush on Roman Polanski when I was fourteen.

When there is an animal in your life there’s always a reason to laugh. – Anonymous

It’s go-go, not cry-cry. – Skip (Skip Reissig, who’s also Quentin Tarantino’s realtor), Planet Terror

🍨 A Weekend Sendoff… 

And because I’m brain dead and couldn’t think of anything else.

 

Nov15

November 14, 2018 – A Letter for Finn, Dallas Takes a Dip, Cassie Gets a Few Surprises, Mini NJ & Thursday Deal

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Anna finds Finn at the hospital. She thinks there should be guards, but Finn says Britt won’t get far with her ankle bracelet. Anna says she’s worse than her mother. She has to stay away from pillows, or she’ll start feeling the need to find out what it’s like to shut her up. He says he’s not available to bail her out today. The future of GH depends on him.

Charlotte says the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s Career Day. Chase walks in, and loudly says, for all.

Elizabeth hurries Aiden. He’s already missed the bus. Franco says he’s happy to drive him. Elizabeth asks where Aiden’s backpack is. He tells her, upstairs, and suggests staying home, since he’s late already, but Elizabeth doesn’t think so. She tells him to get it.

Curtis is waiting for Nina at Crimson. He says he came to find out what he did wrong. He’s not feel the love there for him. She asks why, and he says she hasn’t RSVP’d.

Max is having coffee at the MetroCourt. Peter says she’s doing it wrong. You’re supposed to be inconspicuous on a stakeout. Valentin and Sasha are there, and Valentin asks for a word. Sasha says she can’t be late for her first day at work. She took Nina up on her offer to work at Crimson. He says they need to talk, but she says there are eyes on them. Valentin says that’s why she should go. She knows; the longer she stays, the more likely she’ll be found out. Why is he worried. No one will tell Nina; no one knows. She’s treading lightly. Laura appears and asks Valentin who his friend is.

He introduces them, and Laura asks how they’re acquainted. Valentin tells her that Sasha is Nina’s daughter. Laura wasn’t aware she had one, and Sasha says, neither was she. They recently met. Laura says Nina must be thrilled she’s visiting Port Charles. Sasha says it’s more serious than that. She’s starting a job at Crimson today. Valentin says he’ll go up with her. Laura welcomes her to Port Charles.

Peter tells Maxie that Sasha must have missed the memo to avoid Valentin. Maxie says Valentin is the one who tracked her down. Peter thought it was Curtis, and Maxie says Valentin hired him. Peter says that explains why she has her guard down. He wonders why Maxie isn’t getting involved, but she says she’s not putting her nose in places it doesn’t belong. She accuses Peter of looking at her like she’s backsliding. He asks if it’s that hard, and she says, especially when she’s sitting across from someone she has a burning question for. Is he planning on going to Curtis and Jordan’s wedding with Nina or not?

Nina tells Curtis that she has the invitation right there, and shows him. He says he’ll accept a verbal confirmation, and she says, of course it’s yes. He has a favor to ask. Nina says, yes, and he says she doesn’t know what it is. She says it doesn’t matter. He says even if it means standing up for him? Drew has a personal situation. She wonders if he’s asking her to be his best man, and he says, best person. Someone he trusts, who has his back, and wants the best for him and his bride. The true definition of a friend. She says she’d be honored to be his best person, and hugs him.

Finn feels warm. Anna asks if he’s nervous. He says he keeps telling himself that they’re just third graders. She says he’s a doctor on career day. It’s a match made in heaven. She doesn’t know why he’s worried; he’s great with kids. Emma is a fan. He says Emma is biased. She says either he’ll inspire the next generation to be doctors, or send them running to law school. She believes in him.

Lulu is happy Chase could make it. He says it’s community outreach. She asks if he volunteered when he knew Charlotte’s teacher was having Career Day. Willow welcomes their special guests. Michael and Stella are also there. Willow says they have everything from a police officer to a reporter, and some in between. Charlotte tells her, not everybody is there. Where’s Aiden?

Elizabeth checks Aiden’s backpack, and takes something out that looks like a belt. She asks if he’s wearing this, and tells him he knows the rules. He says, just for lunch, but she tells him no, hand it to her or lose screen time. He hands it over. Franco says goodbye, and leaves with Aiden.

At the hospital, Scotty tells Elizabeth that his client in 009 is getting the short end of the stick, and asks if she can swing by his room. He’s headed toward suing the hospital on top of the taco truck. She snaps at him to wait a second.

Franco tells Aiden that he’s a good kid, and his mom loves him. Nothing will ever change that. He gives Aiden some money for lunch, and an extra dollar not to tell Elizabeth about the conversation. Then another dollar not to tell her about the extra dollar. Aiden goes into class. Finn sees Franco, and asks where Willow’s room is. Franco gives him long directions that end with going through the gym and out the double-doors.

Maxie accuses Peter of ghosting Nina. He says he’d be more comfortable making the decision if he knew why she’d invited him. Maxie suggests he ask. Laura approaches, wanting to thank him in person for The Invader’s endorsement. He thinks she’s the right choice, and wishes her the best of luck. She appreciates the support, and needs all she can get if she’s going to take advantage of the election postponement. She hopes to get the chance to prove herself. Anna joins them and says, that makes two of us.

Curtis asks if Nina is bringing a date. She says she’s asked, but they’ve yet to confirm – it’s not Valentin. He says he’ll leave her plus one blank. Nina says if they can’t come, she’ll ask Sasha. Curtis asks if she’s staying in Port Charles. Nina says she is, and Curtis is surprised. He thought Sasha felt they were getting too close too soon. He asks what changed her mind. Nina says they’re getting to know each other, and Sasha is working there now. It didn’t work out with temp agency, and they had an opening. Curtis asks if she doesn’t think it’s too much. Sasha comes in.

Franco is reading a child psychology book, when the doorbell rings. It’s Scotty. He says Elizabeth was late for work, and he’s lounging around; some people are having a productive morning. He has some clients at GH who could use art therapy. Franco says his first appointment was canceled so he’s brushing up. Scotty asks which kid is having a problem. He says the boys are angels, and Scotty asks why he’s reading a child psychology. Franco says he works with kids. Scotty says Elizabeth is would as tight as piano wire, and Franco is catching up? There’s obviously something wrong. He’d thought by now if Franco had a problem he’d come to his father.

Laura runs into Elizabeth at the hospital. She asks if Elizabeth is okay, and Elizabeth says she has everything under control. Laura says, control is key when raising three boys, but she’s not at home, and doesn’t have to be in control in front of Laura. Elizabeth says she has nothing under control, and feels like she’s failing.

Willow introduces the first speaker – Stella. Finn runs in, out of breath. Willow is glad he made it. He says he took a wrong turn, and she says she’s glad he’s here now, and tells him to take a seat. Chase says, smooth, and Finn tells him, shut up. Willow introduces Stella. Stella says people think she’s just an average citizen, who no one would look twice at. They don’t know what she really is, but she’s letting them in on the secret. She’s out there fighting to make sure everyone gets treated decently. She takes off her jacket and has a shirt that says SWW. She’s Social Worker Woman! Finn says, she has a costume.

Lulu gets up next, and explains the basics of reporting: who, what, when, where, and most important, why and how. She says it’s not a reporter’s job to tell them what to believe, but to provide information, so they can make up their own mind.

Michael asks, who knows what ELQ does? No one raises their hand, so he says, let’s find out together. He says they make important chemicals for innovative technology, and pours something in a beaker. The kids are like, wow… He shows them a giant pumpkin, and says they also fight world hunger. They grow food with special seeds, and he’s brought seeds for all of them to start their own gardens. I start wondering if GMOs are involved, and if they’ll all get giant vegetables like in that Gilligan’s Island episode. Finn frets. Michael says, a good CEO helps his company help the world, which leads to their motto – do a little bit of everything, and a whole lot of good. Chase tells Finn not to worry. Chase is called up. Finn says he’s not worried at all, and fans himself.

Nina asks Sasha if she remembers Curtis. She says she has him to thank for being there. He’s just glad she found her way to Nina; Valentin was the brains behind the operation. Sasha says they’re both her heroes. Nina says Curtis is her hero. Sasha thought Valentin would make the cut. She puts something on Nina’s desk and leaves. Curtis asks Nina what about her and Valentin, but Nina says he just had them over for dinner. There’s nothing to be worried about.

Anna asks to borrow Peter, and they step away from the table. Anna appreciates his discretion. He tells her, enjoy it while it lasts. He can’t hold off Lulu much longer. She says the gag order has been lifted. He asks what about the plan to nail Obrecht. She tells him that his sister at GH in room 510; she’s been taken extremely ill. She has an infirmity they can’t diagnose. Peter says she didn’t seem ill at The Floating Rib, but Anna says, looks can be deceiving. He says she once asked him to plant a false story, and he refused. She’s refined her strategy by giving him false information. She asks if he wants to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. The less he knows, the less he has to worry about. He says she sounds like Valentin; one more thing they have in common. She says, sharing goals? and he says, having to make things right. Anna asks what Valentin can do, and Peter says, for one thing, he reunited a mother and child, separated through no fault of their own.

Chase says, if trouble arises over the next ten minutes, he’s deputizing Charlotte. He shows them how to do fingerprinting. Charlotte asks if it isn’t digitalized now, and he says it is, but before that, it was done on cards. No two people’s fingerprints are exactly the same. Even identical twins. He says he’s brought his special assistant, and goes to get him. Stella asks Michael if he has any idea what Chase has planned, and Michael says, no idea. Chase brings in a gorgeous German Shepherd, saying, this is Thor. Chase worked with the K9 unit before he was a detective. One of Thor’s favorite parts of the job is public outreach. He loves meeting people. He tells Thor to say hi, and Thor barks, and shakes hands with Willow. Chase goes on to bike safety, ending with how they should never illegally park. Willow says time’s up, and Chase quietly says he wasn’t talking to them. Finn says if he knew it was bring a cool animal day, he’d have brought Roxie. Willow says they have one more speaker.

Franco asks Scotty, what if a kid changes his personality from outgoing to uptight? Scotty says kids sometimes go through phases that run their course eventually. Franco doesn’t think that’s the case. Scotty suggests talking to him, but Franco says Aiden is shutting him out. Scotty says what about talking to his teacher; maybe she can shed some light on it. Franco says she can’t. Scotty says, it’s a tough case, and Franco wonders where that leaves him. Scotty says, where it leaves all parents – worried.

Elizabeth starts to cry, and Laura says, everyone has their moments. What does she think she’s failing at? and Elizabeth says, motherhood. Laura finds that hard to believe. Elizabeth says, something is wrong with Aiden.

Finn gets up, and says, so many little kids. He asks if anyone knows why the cookie went to the doctor, and Charlotte says, it felt crummy. She asks where he went to medical school. He tells her, Stoneybrook, and she balks at a state school. Willow tells her not to interrupt, and Finn says, it’s a good school. He asks if anyone has heard of the bird flu, and Charlotte asks if he has it; he looks like a bird. I wonder what’s gotten into her, and Willow says she’ll see Charlotte after school. She asks if Aiden as a question, and Charlotte says, he never talks. He might not have a voice. Chase asks if it’s true that Finn saved a patient from brain worms. Finn says it was his most fascinating case, and the bell rings. One of the kids says, time for gym, and they all run out. Willow thanks the guests.

Maxie asks Peter what that was about. He says he and Agent Devane have a difference of opinion as to what constitutes accurate reporting. Maxie says, Agent Devane? He says he’s not feeling the bond, and probably never will. Maxie asks, where were they? and he says, Nina’s invitation. She assumes he’s going to accept.

Anna says Valentin has been busy in her absence, and he asks what he did now. She says he gave Nina the one thing she couldn’t have. She wonders if he thought he’d find redemption in conjuring up a daughter. He says there was no conjuring. There were two labs, and two separate tests to prove they’re related. He could think of worse things to make a play for redemption. Maybe he can win back Peter’s friendship, and maybe hers. She tells him to stay away from her son.

Peter asks Maxie if it was her idea for Nina to ask him to the wedding, but she says, it was all Nina. He says it’s nice of her, but he doesn’t think he should be within a mile of it. The wedding will be loaded with police, and people who care about Nathan. It might be insensitive. Maxie is sure no one will notice. Nathan would be fine with Nina taking anyone but Valentin. Peter tells her that he’ll go, but first, he wants to know who she’s taking.

Valentin shows up at Nina’s office. Curtis says he’ll consider that her RSVP. She wants the table next to Stella. He tells her Stella won’t be there, and they’ll talk next time. He leaves, and Valentin has something he thinks belongs to Nina. He found her earring under the couch where she fell asleep. She tells him she has a deadline, and he asks if she has time to talk about what happened. Or they could talk about what could have happened.

Willow thanks the guests for making Career Day a success. Finn thinks he can be left off that list. Willow thinks they could do another day, and asks Michael to bring seeds for her next time. Stella says she’s bringing props next time. They leave, but Chase lingers, and asks Willow for her contact information. He says it’s for Finn, and she says she can give it to him directly. Chase says Finn is nervous, but he’s a bright guy. Willow says she can catch up with him, and Chase says, or she can give him her number.

Franco tells Scotty, hopefully the book is more enlightening. Scotty says Franco has the sense God gave a goose, and should trust it. Kids need a roof over their heads, clothes, and food. He can figure out the rest. Franco says he needs Aiden to trust him now, so Elizabeth believes he’s a good parent. Scotty asks if his problem is with Aiden or Elizabeth.

Elizabeth tells Laura that she snapped at Aiden because he missed the bus. She should be focusing on him, not him being late. She sure he thinks she doesn’t care about him. Laura says she’s a good mom; she just had a bad morning. Elizabeth says Franco is going to do art therapy with Aiden to see if it helps like it did with Jake. Maybe she’ll talk to Doc. Laura suggests maybe she talk to someone else – Lucky.

Chase asks if he can call Willow to ask her out sometime. She says maybe she could be persuaded if he brings Thor. He asks when, and she says she hasn’t said yes. He says she didn’t say no. She tells him it’s been a while, and he says for him too. He says they can see who’s the worst first date, and she says she’ll knock him out in round one. She gives him the number, and says she looks forward to his call.

Laura asks if Elizabeth has told Lucky. Elizabeth asks if Laura thinks she should. He’s not part of Aiden’s life, but if he knew what Aiden was going through, he’d come running. She thinks it might do more harm than good, and Laura says she could be right. Whatever she decides Laura is there for her and Aiden. They hug.

Scotty asks what’s really bothering Franco. Is his problem with the kid or proving himself to Elizabeth. Franco says, both. Scotty wants to help. Maybe he should take Aiden out fishing or hiking. Franco doesn’t think he’d be interested, and Scotty says figure what he is interested in, and eventually they’ll connect. Problem solved. The bride-to-be will know he’s the man for the job. Franco says it’s not bad advice, and Scotty says, ten bucks. Franco thinks that’s steep for the family rate. Scotty suggests they play catch, but Franco says Scotty knows he doesn’t do well at that; he has trouble with his spiral.

Willow calls Elizabeth. Elizabeth asks if everything is okay. Willow thinks it’s time for another conversation about her son.

Valentin tells Nina they have unfinished business. Nina says she has meeting to go to, and asks that they at least agree the conversation is far from over. Sasha says Nina has another visitor. Valentin says she’s busy, but Peter says he’ll just be a moment. He’s accepting her invitation. Valentin asks, for what? and Maxie says Curtis and Jordan’s wedding. Nina invited Peter as her date.

Anna runs into Finn at the hospital. He wonders why she’s still there, and she says she came to check on a patient. She asks how the presentation went, and he says the look on his face is how he’s thinking; he’s bleeding. Anna asks, how could he go wrong? Curtis approaches them, and says this came in the mail, and gives an envelope to Finn. He says, it’s from Hayden.

Tomorrow, Anna asks Finn what was in the part he didn’t read to her, Curtis says Drew is being generous, and not-Doc asks Franco what makes him think he can catch the killer?

The Real Housewives of Dallas

Day 2 – Copenhagen. LeeAnne is tired; it’s late. D’Andra and Kameron are the only ones still up. D’Andra is sorry she hurt Kameron’s feelings. She didn’t mean to hurt Kameron’s family. Kameron says she’d never intentionally try to hurt someone she loves. D’Andra says they know each other differently. No one else understands the family dynamic. In her interview, D’Andra says she and Kameron bonded over the pressure of Dallas society, and how you have to be a certain way. D’Andra tells Kameron she has principles. She got mad and thought Kameron wasn’t a loyal friend. In D’Andra’s interview, she admits she was wrong, and never meant to hurt Kameron. She was wound up because Kameron and LeeAnne poked and tag teamed. D’Andra says when her dad was there, he was the defender. She has a small family; it’s just her and her mother, and they’re not getting along. She thinks it’s finally settled, but she just has her husband. Kameron says she’ll always be there for D’Andra. She knows D’Andra is dealing with stuff. D’Andra apologizes, saying it’s time for her to learn and to be better. She hopes they can move on. If it takes time, she understands. She’s going to do her best to be a better friend. She gets teary, and says, it’s hard. They hug it out. In her interview, Kameron says their families are in similar social circles, and they understand each other because of that. Kameron thinks they can move forward, and there are more hugs. In her interview, D’Andra says she doesn’t know if they can go back to where they were, but they have peace. They laugh over last night when D’Andra got in Kameron’s elevator.

D’Andra feels lighter, like a weight lifted. LeeAnne asks Cary what the agenda is, and Cary says, biking. Everyone shuffles out. Kameron jokes that she’ll decide what to do depending on who she wants to hang out with. LeeAnne says her ass is sitting on the boat. Stephanie says whatever Brandi decides, she’ll go along with. In Cary’s interview, she says, these girls have been clinging to their besties for dear life. Not today. LeeAnne and Kameron, separate; Brandi and Stephanie, separate. Brandi says LeeAnne would look like the wicked witch on a bike, and LeeAnne asks if she’s still mad. LeeAnne says they need to talk, but Brandi says it’s too early. LeeAnne walks off. She tells Stephanie that Brandi is still mad, and Stephanie says she’s mad about the alcoholic stuff. LeeAnne wonders why D’Andra acts in a more violent manner – we flash back to her putting her finger in LeeAnne’s face – but there’s no repercussion. LeeAnne says Brandi thinks she’s the punching bag of the group. Kameron agrees. Kameron thinks the only way to move forward for LeeAnne, is to get an apology.

D’Andra, Stephanie, and LeeAnne go on the boat. Stephanie isn’t a fan of boats, but she’s a fan of hot captains. They drink rose, and the hot captain says it’s the best way to experience Copenhagen. He explains a bunch of stuff in Danish, and they reply, skoal! Kameron loves biking because she’s more in control of her environment. Brandi and Cary go biking with her. In her interview, Cary says she dated Lance Armstrong, who taught her a thing or two. Cary remembers the shopping area. She says she was ten when she was in Denmark, but just wanted to be home with her boyfriend and friends. She iddn’t stop and smell the roses. Ten seems too young to have a boyfriend, but I can identify, having gone to the Bahamas with my father when I was fourteen. I just wanted to get back home and enjoy the summer with my friends. Oh how I wish someone would take me on that trip now. On the boat, they go past the backside of an old world palace. Carved dragon tails make the main spire. It’s just beautiful.

Cary wants to stop at a trampoline park. The boat goes past, and the girls yell they have wine. Cary says it’s a small city, but it’s crazy. What are the odds they’d run into each other? These bitches can’t be separated. She wonders who has the tracking device. The hot captain, who really can speak English, drops them off. Some of them bounce on the trampolines. Cary steers, while D’Andra sits on the front of the bike. Stephanie, D’Andra and LeeAnne stop for lunch. In her interview, D’Andra thinks Stephanie is a calming force, and can help them get back on track.

D’Andra excuses herself to go to the bathroom. LeeAnne tells Stephanie that they’re pretending like nothing is wrong. It’s what old people do. LeeAnne wants to keep the caps from their beer bottles, and talks about saving things like the bouquet from D’Andra’s wedding. In her interview, Stephanie says she sees two close friends who have drifted apart. It reminds her of what she went through with her best friend. D’Andra comes back, and Stephanie tells them that she wants them to talk and be friends. She asks if D’Andra loves LeeAnne. After a pause, that might or might not be editing, she says, yes. She doesn’t think they’re not friends. LeeAnne feels like D’Andra doesn’t respect her. D’Andra says LeeAnne made her financial situation clear. I roll my eyes, and LeeAnne says she mentioned it once, and said it out of love, but D’Andra is still harping on it a month later. She wanted to solve a problem for D’Andra, and she’s said she’s sorry a million times. She thinks their tit for tat isn’t helping them move forward. D’Andra says if they promise not to talk about it anymore, they can put it to bed. LeeAnne doesn’t think D’Andra has respect for her or their friendship. D’Andra thinks they’ll get past it. In D’Andra’s interview, she says she’s done everything she knows to do, except apologize. And why not? She says she and LeeAnne have a long history. They’ve shared a lot, and she wants her friend back. She says great things are happening in LeeAnne’s life, and she’d love to be there to support her. She understands it might take time, but she’ll do her best to make it up. LeeAnne says when D’Andra took away the opportunity to love her, she took LeeAnne’s heart. In her interview, Stephanie says she’d love to see them be friends again. LeeAnne says she’d love to turn back time. Stephanie says she’s super proud of both of them. They’ve been friends for a long time, and they’re great people. LeeAnne thanks her for being a calming influence.

Cary says they’re going to Tivoli Gardens, and artsy amusement part in the center of town. And they’re wearing Danish girl outfits. Yes, they are. They skip across the street. The park is so cool. I would love this place. LeeAnne says this is how carnivals got started. She grew up with Siamese twins, and a snake pit where she put a python around her waist. She had a larger than life, vibrant childhood. it gave her a view on world no one else has. She adds, by the way, no one dressed like this. Cary wishes Zuri was there, but it’s cool being there with friends. They look like idiots.

They ride the carousel. The Ferris wheel has seats that look like hot air balloons. They have a beer, saying, skoal! since it’s all they know. Everyone agrees it’s been fun. D’Andra says Stephanie was calm and centered. D’Andra and LeeAnne concur that they’ve had a breakthrough. In her interview, Brandi says they had lunch with Dr. Phil, now everything is okay. Cary says she told Brandi that LeeAnne was upset about her joke, and LeeAnne says Brandi is still mad. Brandi says LeeAnne told people to be careful about her, and that she had a baby to save her marriage. The bottom line is, if LeeAnne is feeling hurt because Brandi called her a wicked witch, she’s not apologizing. LeeAnne says she doesn’t have to, and she wouldn’t expect it. Brandi says maybe she should have said wicked bitch. LeeAnne says she’s apologized, and obviously Brandi doesn’t want to accept it. She’s agitated and angry. Brandi says it’s just going to happen again, and that’s why she feels done with LeeAnne.

Cary is bringing the girls to meet the rest of the cousins. They’re having lunch at Cousin Lotte’s house. She tells D’Andra that she should have brought a swimsuit. It’s tradition to swim in the Baltic Sea. In her interview, Cary says you’re supposed to be naked, but it’s cool if you wear a suit. They head out. Everyone looks at their phones on the bus. D’Andra says her husband had a party. LeeAnne says she got a message at midnight that Rich loves and needs her. Brandi says, and send naked pictures.

The neighborhood is adorable, with sweet, little houses. Cary meets all the cousins, and Camilla is there. There’s a spread outside, and Lotte says she has one more cousin to introduce. She brings out Zuri, followed by Mark. Cary is beyond excited. Zuri says they came to Copenhagen for her. In LeeAnne’s interview, she says, this is what life is about – family. It’s the one thing she doesn’t have. It’s beautiful to watch and be a part of, even for a second. Geez, even I’m tearing up. Mark tells Cary that he worked it out with her dad. In her interview, Cary says for him to come all that way with her baby girl; he knows how important it is for her to have a relationship with her family. Copenhagen is incredible.

Time to eat. Lotte says it’s a traditional Danish lunch. They start with spiced herring. Zuri tells Cary that she doesn’t have to eat the pickled herring, but Cary says she’s going to try everything. Stephanie has a hard time putting a piece in her mouth, and chews for a long time. In her interview, she says, it tastes like salty a-hole; gross. I’ve had it, and disagree totally. Mark says he has another surprise. Cary’s dad is on FaceTime. It’s 6 am where he is. Everyone waves. In Cary’s interview, she says everyone who matters to her is in the room. It’s a blessing to be there, and feel the love, the sense of belonging, and energy. She wants to pack it in her suitcase, and bring it home to her dad. They do shots. Lotte tells them to look each other in the eye, and say, skoal!

Cary says it’s tradition to take a naked dip in the Baltic for good luck in the year to come. You go in naked, come out, and put your clothes back on, It’s not a big deal. It’s also 50*F. Zuri asks if there are sharks, and that’s a no. They see a fisherman, and Zuri says, okay, you don’t get privacy? I die laughing. Cary explains that it’s okay to be naked there. In her interview, she says she’s all about experiencing the culture. She’s going to do the plunge the way the Danes do. In Stephanie’s interview, she says Cary loves being naked. If she had to see her family naked, she’d need fifteen years of therapy. LeeAnne says she passes. She has a fashion show coming up, and doesn’t want to get sick. In her interview, LeeAnne says the last time Cary persuaded her to swim naked in the Mexican ocean, she came home with a flesh-eating bacteria. Plus, it’s thirty degrees. Stephanie says there are vaginas and franks everywhere. In Brandi’s interview, she says she thought it was liberating and freeing to get in naked, and then she saw LeeAnne take out her phone. Have some respect. Stephanie takes off her extensions, and she and Kameron get in with suits on. Mark and Cary go in, and in her interview, Cary says it’s the infamous Duber d*ck that allegedly got s*cked at the Round up. Feast your eyes, ladies; feast your eyes. Lotte says Brandi and Cary passed the Viking test. Cary tells them it’s hard to say goodbye. She tells Zuri that they’ll meet back at the hotel. In her interview, she says she’s just getting to know everyone again, but she will be back, 100%.

On the bus back, Cary thanks everyone for making the day special. Mark made reservations for them at a Michelin star restaurant. Brandi says she needs to collect LeeAnne’s phone. She asks why LeeAnne would do that, and LeeAnne says the video isn’t seeing the light of day. Brandi says, it’s disrespectful, and LeeAnne deletes it. Brandi tells her to delete it from her trash too. She does things like that, and will use them against people. LeeAnne tells her that she’s wrong. In Brandi’s interview, she says, why take it in the first place? She knows LeeAnne is vindictive. She could have texted it, or emailed it to herself, or put it in her iCloud. She calls LeeAnne a manipulative bitch, and says she wants to use it against them. LeeAnne tells Brandi that she’s special, which shuts her up momentarily. I think she doesn’t know how to respond to that. In her interview, Kameron says they’re on national TV, and wonders why Brandi is angry about a cell phone. Cary confirms the deletion. Stephanie says, everyone is good.

Back at the hotel, LeeAnne says she genuinely thought the video was something they’d want to see later. Kameron thinks Brandi is paranoid. LeeAnne says it was spur of the moment, and she thought she was doing a good thing. She didn’t even think about them being naked. Everyone gets ready for dinner. In LeeAnne’s interview, she says Brandi is agitated because she hasn’t broken a glass, called people names, or started a fight. She wants the old LeeAnne to be the dragon, so she can act afraid, and everyone will hug her.

At Hõst restaurant, server Ken suggests a tasting menu, and starts them with champagne. In her interview, Kameron says the food has been fancy and sophisticated; everything Cary wants to eat. She’s hungry. Stephanie points out that the shrimp has eyeballs. D’Andra says, don’t look, just eat. Stephanie thinks it’s lazy not to take the head off the shrimp.

Cary asks about everybody’s favorite moment. LeeAnne says hers was Tivoli. D’Andra thought the boat was fantastic. Brandi – who is wearing way too much bronzer – says meeting Cary’s family, and the bonding thing was great. Because she just can’t STFU, she adds she does feel hurt by LeeAnne, so that took away from it. LeeAnne says she had no malicious intent. Brandi asks how she’d like it if she filmed LeeAnne’s sunny-side up boobies. Omg, I can’t believe her. I think 1) LeeAnne is right; Brandi’s pissed because she’s not getting a rise out of her, 2) she’s overtired and yes, drinking too much, and 3) she’s also pissed that Stephanie is now friends with LeeAnne. In LeeAnne’s interview, she taps the bowl that makes the meditative sound, and keeps tapping.

LeeAnne says she didn’t sneak around to do it, and Kameron says it was about capturing the moment, not blackmail. Stephanie doesn’t think there was anything wrong about it, but understands why Brandi didn’t want her doing it. LeeAnne says it was deleted. Brandi says she’s insecure about that. How does she know? LeeAnne says Brandi can look at her phone. She shows D’Andra that it says, no photos or videos. LeeAnne says if it went elsewhere, she’d know who did it. Cary says, that’s true. LeeAnne says, it was done in innocence. No one gets the same amount of punishment, and LeeAnne thinks the street is unbalanced. Stephanie says it wasn’t malicious. Brandi says it’s a trust issue, and in her interview, whines once again about LeeAnne making up rumors that she’s an alcoholic and had a baby to save her marriage. Brandi says LeeAnne always has an agenda. She’ll use against Brandi when she gets mad at her. She’ll talk to everyone else, except her. In her interview, Brandi says, LeeAnne is pretending to be Zen, but can only keep it up for so long. She’s a good manipulator. LeeAnne says she’s not mad at Brandi, nor is she going to be, or let herself get that way. Brandi says she doesn’t trust LeeAnne. LeeAnne says she doesn’t trust Brandi either. LeeAnne says she’s not going down History Street again

In LeeAnne’s interview, she says Brandi wants to prove the old LeeAnne exists. She does. She just controls her better. It’s called maturity – try it. All LeeAnne can say is, sorry, she can’t trust Brandi. Brandi doesn’t think anyone there trusts LeeAnne.

Next time, Brandi calls the group fake bitches, D’Andra is on friend probation, and LeeAnne has her fashion show – one dress worn 175 ways.

Star

Cassie heard sirens, and DEA and FBI agents raided the club. She got her gun ready, and then we saw, 24 hours earlier…

Cassie found out Xander was taking his wife to an Atlanta gala, when she thought it was over. He tossed an engagement ring to her as she was about to drive away.

Star’s biggest fear was depending on someone else. She told Jackson they weren’t from the same place. He didn’t understand.

Alex confronted Derek about the girl at the club, but he said it wasn’t like that. She had to trust him. He left, and she had a panic attack.

Maurice told Noah that he was cool with whatever Noah and Megan had going on, as long as it didn’t interfere with business. He said Noah was slipping, but Noah said, hits don’t come overnight. His plaques and Grammys spoke for themselves. Maurice said he needed to step up his game; there was always someone who wants it just as bad. Noah wondered if that was a threat, but Maurice said he was talking business.

Take 3 and Miss Bruce met with Maurice, who thought they needed to up their social presence game. He introduced Chloe, who he’d hired to help with that. He thought Noah needed to engage with the fans more. Miss Bruce said the festival was supposed to showcase Take 3, but Maurice said Noah was the comeback kid. Mateo hired him to do as he saw fit, and that’s how he sees it. Miss Bruce told Take 3 to take to the stage and figure it out. Star suggested getting Chloe’s attention on them. The girls were in.

Cassie wanted to go to the gala with Xander. He told her that Karma was too hot, and still had a rat problem that she was supposed to handle. It was affecting his business and reputation. He called Cassie a sloppy bitch, and told her fix it. Then he asked her to marry him.

The undercover girl told Derek not to lose his focus. If he worked smart and fast, they’d find a way to get closer to the action.

Cassie told her thug, Mike, they had to find and plug a leak. Derek came looking for a job, and Mike said he could use more manpower. Cassie told him that she was doing it for his granny, and what goes on in the club, stays in the club.

Noah was confronted by a girl whose DMs he was ignoring. She insisted they’d slept together when he was on tour, and he was so good, he gave her the clap. He said he’d never met her, but she showed him a photo of the two of them looking intimate. She wanted $20K or was going public. Maurice said the truth didn’t matter; it would be bad publicity. Megan said it was extortion, and they should call the authorities. She told Noah, whatever he decided, she’d make it work, but if he paid the blackmailer, she’d keep coming back. Noah went with his lawyer.

Star said she was all the baby has, and Jackson said she acted like he wasn’t a part of it. She wouldn’t move in with him, or even talk about it. It was his baby too, and he was going to be there every step of the way, but he and Star were done.

Mike told Derek he’d have to sweat to make cheese. If Derek wanted real money, mike said he’d contact his boys. Cassie sang, and Xander confronted her about Cotton going to the police. Cassie said it was a family problem, and Cotton had nothing to do with this. She had Cotton under control. He saw where that had gotten them, and said he wasn’t sitting back and letting her throw away the future. She said she had him, and he said he trusted her.

The accusations against Noah ended up on TV. Maurice asked if he was someone Megan wanted to be with.

Mike brought Derek in the back of the club, saying Jamal had been skimming off the top. Jamal said, just once, and Mike held a gun to his head. He asked Derek what he thought, and handed him the gun. Derek thought of his grandma, and took it. It was a set-up, and Mike was just seeing if Derek would have his back. Jamal said he almost believed him. Mike said Derek proved himself, and had a job. Derek said he was a quick learner. Mike told him to keep his mouth shut, and his grandma’s mortgage would be paid sooner than he thought. Cassie thinks she’s calling the shots, but she ain’t.

At the salon, Star said they were busting ass, but couldn’t get press. Cassie blew in, and told Cotton, you don’t snitch on family. Cotton told Cassie that she was paranoid, and Miss Bruce told Cassie, stop coming for family. Cassie insisted she was protecting them from the cops sniffing around Carlotta. Miss Bruce suggested she leave Xander alone. He beats her ass. Cassie told them it was none of their business. Miss Bruce said she was on a roller coaster ride she couldn’t get off.

Simone told Alex to quit pretending everything was okay, and talk to her. Alex said she thought Derek was cheating. She saw him and a girl at the club. Simone never saw a man more sure of his love, and said they’d been thought too much not to fight for what they had.

Cassie told Xander everything was locked down. Star came to Cassie’s office, and said Cassie was letting any man treat her any way. Cassie told her get the hell out. She didn’t know about life, especially Cassie’s. Star said she got her ass beat when she was with Hunter, and kept coming back. Something good was waiting on the other side of the decision if she dumped Xander.

Derek talks to the undercover girl before the club opens, and kisses her when Mike looks at them, but Simone sees them too. Maurice tried to convince Megan that Noah wasn’t who she thought, but Megan said every time she looked at Maurice, she saw their daughter. It was too painful. She needed to move on, and he had to let her. With Megan’s help, Noah proved the photo was fake. He said, whatever is done in the dark will come to light. He didn’t press charges, just wanting to focus on his music.

Star, Simone, and Alex created a ruckus, pretending to fight. Chloe fell for it, and filmed them. Alex said she was glad it was their last album, and Simone pretended to be shocked that Chloe was filming them. Alex grabbed her phone, and threw it.

That’s when it went back to the beginning. Cassie hearing sirens, and seeing the raid. And getting her gun ready.

Cassie confronted Xander at the gala. She thought he was coming alone, but he said his wife decided to come at the last second. She told him the feds raided the club, but she got out before they could talk to her. There was no evidence, since she wasn’t sloppy. He told her it wasn’t just cash; he had boys running drugs in her club. She said she should blow his brains out. Xander said he did it for them, so they’d never have to worry, and he was filing for divorce. He said he loved her, then asked her to take the fall. She slapped him instead.

Star brought Jackson to a new house where there was plenty room for a kid. She wanted Jackson there too. She couldn’t change the past or how it happened so fast, but she wanted to try and make sure the future was better. Jackson said it was too late, but Star asked him not to walk away. They’d both done that their entire relationship. She wanted the baby to have a functioning family, like Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv. Jackson didn’t know if they’d ever be that great, but they could try.

Derek told Alex it wasn’t what she thought, and she asked if it was payback for Noah. He said he couldn’t explain right then, and he got a call from undercover girl. Alex told him to go be with that bitch; she was done with him. He said he loved her more than anything.

Noah and Megan were walking outside, when a guy with a gun came up behind them, and knocked Noah down. He told Noah to stay down when Noah asked him not to hurt Megan.

At the studio, Alex told Simone she was right. Simone started crying, and said it wasn’t just about Alex and Derek, but her and Nina. Alex asked what she meant, but Star interrupted, telling them Chloe’s video of their fight went viral. She showed them the comments, and one said, not missing their last performance. Alex said, it happens all the time; people grow apart. Star said people were calling it their goodbye album. They were trying to help Carlotta, but they’re different artists with different dreams. Alex told Star that they did everything they said they would. Star said, they did more. Simone thought it was right. Their last album. Star said they were going to do it right.

As Take 3 went over their plans, behind the club, undercover girl tried to get Derek on the phone, but Mike grabbed her. Cassie put the ring back in the box. Mike strangled undercover girl. Cassie went to the cops, and turned herself in.

Next time, the finale, Xander says he always wins, Carlotta is back, and Noah pulls a gun on Derek.

✂ There was no great hair tonight, except for an extra dude in the studio with interesting dreads.

💅 On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, once again, dog poop was the great leveler. When Melissa invited new wife Jackie and her kids over, they had to dance around an accident in the hallway. That’s right, no matter how much money you have, that dog is going to poop in the house. Jackie is a mom blogger, and said if anyone doesn’t like her style, she cordially invites them to go eff themselves. I like her already. Teresa pressured BroJoe to spend more time with their father. She’s still in training, and was fretting about an upcoming trip to Oklahoma, where no doubt her friends would encourage her to drink and eat. This prompted a great quote from trainer Tracy – no chicken pot pies for you.

🐛 Inching Toward the Weekend…

ThursdayFriEve

ThursdayMorgan

KittehDeal