Category Archives: real housewives

Jul17

July 16, 2020 – When Nikolas Heard From Spencer, a Seven In the Berkshires, GH Events, a Movie For Erika, Catch Up With Ricky, Days Restart, Goodbye Hope, an Interruption, This Makes Twice, Hero’s End, Creating the Child & Feelin’ It

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Even though the guide tries to convince me this GH Flashback is from May 12th, 2020, I know it’s from May 4th. Refresh yourself below, or go here for the full monty:

https://tvwiththeresa.wordpress.com/2020/05/05/may-4-2020-spencer-agrees-to-see-nikolas-adam-wants-to-drive-away-literally-a-list-for-santa-here/

Jason saw Brando at the gym, and Brando wondered if there had been some kind of cease fire; the kids were off house arrest. Sonny told him that he was free to go back to Chicago, but he’s decided to stay. Ava called Franco to confirm her last portrait sitting. She sent out the invitations, and wanted to make sure there was something to unveil at the unveiling. He assured her the portrait would be finished. At Windymere, Nikolas walked in, and told Ava this had to stop. Franco poured over the bills at his hospital studio, and Elizabeth saw Ava’s invitation on his desk. She started reading it, saying it sounded swanky. The smile left her face, and he asked, what is it? Molly, Kristina, and Sam sorted clothes for the clothing drive, which Molly said was to give professional wardrobe options to women in challenging situations. Neil showed up at Charlie’s, grabbed Julian by the collar, and asked if Julian had any idea what he’d done to Alexis.

Brando said Sonny was okay with him staying, and told Jason that he liked Port Charles and running his own place. Jason asked if he could use another customer. Alexis was late, and Molly stressed about sleeping with someone else when TJ was literally tied up. Sam wondered if Molly shouldn’t tell TJ the truth. Julian asked Neil what the problem was, and Neil said Julian had made his and Alexis’s personal business public. Julian accused Neil of taking advantage of Alexis, and driving her to drink. Because of Julian, the medical board got word that he had lied about their relationship, and it cost Neil his career. On the phone with Diane, Alexis said she’d lied at the hearing, and asked if Diane thought the bar would see it as perjury. Franco asked Elizabeth what was wrong, and Elizabeth read from the invitation that Ava’s portrait had been painted by notorious bad boy Franco, ten years after his fall from grace. She said Ava was dredging up Franco’s past for her vanity party. He said his past was no secret, and it’s what people thought about when they heard his name. Nikolas told Ava that the adolescent games had to stop. She’d given instructions to have trees cut down, but she didn’t get to change the house or grounds. Ava accused Nikolas of putting the snake in her purse at Violet’s party, but he said he didn’t do petty revenge. Ava noticed a letter from Spencer had arrived. Neil said Julian made a public spectacle of him and Alexis, and Julian said Neil had abused his privilege as Alexis’s therapist, doing damage to her. Neil said what Julian had done was worse.

Sam asked Molly what happened after she left Charlie’s, and Molly said she’d decided to tell Brando about her decision not to tell TJ that they’d slept together. When she got to the garage, Sam was there. Sam said she wanted to know where Brando stood, which Molly thought was inappropriate and unnecessary. Sam said she didn’t want Brando taking advantage of Molly, but Molly said she didn’t need Sam running to her rescue. Alexis showed up, and asked what they were fighting about. Jason told Brando that he needed a stabilizer for his Fatboy, and Brando said he’d thought Sam was Jason’s mechanic. She’d been at the garage, and seemed to know a lot about bikes. Jason asked why Sam had gone there. Elizabeth told Franco that Ava knew he’d changed his life around, and just because her life was trainwreck, it was no reason to expose Franco. Franco said a producer had reached out to him about participating in a documentary about Ryan, since he’d been involved in Ryan’s capture. It had also been ten years since his Francophrenia show, the night tried to frame Jason for pushing him off a roof. Nikolas read Spencer’s letter, and told Ava that Spencer was willing to accept him back in his life if he left Ava. Spencer hadn’t forgiven her for selling out to Valentin, and said Nikolas’s turncoat wife had to go. Ava said Spencer needed someone to blame and focus his anger on, but it was wonderful that he wanted to give Nikolas a second chance. Spencer deserved to have his father in his life. She assumed Nikolas would be wanting a divorce. He said, sorry. He’d do anything to reconcile with Spencer. She said she understood, and asked when he was moving out.

Molly told Alexis that they weren’t fighting, and Sam said it was just a spirited debate. Alexis asked what the debate was about, and Kristina said it was about Molly and TJ. Molly had news. Julian said his relationship with Alexis didn’t concern Neil, but Neil said what Julian had done to her was very much his concern. Julian asked if Alexis confided to Neil in therapy or in bed, and Neil said Julian was in denial about holding a knife to Alexis’s throat, and terrorizing a woman he’d said he loved. Then Julian had made their private business public. Julian said Alexis had a reason to be angry at him, but he didn’t know why Neil wasn’t thanking him. Elizabeth told Franco that ten years ago seemed like a lifetime; Franco wasn’t the not same man he was today. Franco said it was because of her. He’d been put in the spotlight, and asked for his side of the story. He was being offered a lot of money, and it was an incredible opportunity. Elizabeth said, absolutely not. She knew it was painful, and didn’t want Franco to relive it, but these were strangers. Ava was supposed to be his friend. Franco said, like or not, scandal sells, and there had been an uptick in purchasing his old artwork. His old paintings had become more valuable. He taught sick kids, had kept the hospital afloat with donations, and single-handedly stopped Ryan, but his past would always be there. Nikolas asked if Ava thought he was giving her Windymere. She said, and the island as well. It was part of the 90% she’d get if they divorced. He said there had been no failing on his part, and it was because of his son. Why was she doing this? He thought she’d wanted him to have a relationship with Spencer. She said she did, but the terms were clear and binding. Nikolas said she was about to overplay her hand, and if she tried to keep his son from him, it wouldn’t end well for her.

Ava told Nikolas, threats were unnecessary. She wasn’t standing in the way of his reconciliation, but a deal was a deal. She wasn’t walking away without her fair share. He accused her of trying to steal Spencer’s inheritance, but she said the remaining 10% was more than enough for Spencer to live on, and Nikolas had agreed to the terms. He said she only cared about herself, and had proved it by driving her daughter away. Ava slapped him, and told him not to talk about her child. He said to stop using his child as a pawn. Ava said now was his chance to prove he loved Spencer. Give up his fortune, and give Spencer the father he wanted – or not. He could stay married to her and keep the money. He insisted she’d fooled him, but she told him not to kid himself. It was his choice – his money or his son. Franco told Elizabeth that they should cash in on the publicity before it crashed. He didn’t think anyone had bought any paintings because of his talent in a long time. It was about his reputation. He didn’t care, and neither did the college fund. Elizabeth said, not at the expense of his art’s integrity; she preferred her art speak for itself. Franco said she wasn’t a real artist. Julian told Neil that he’d treated Alexis like a dirty secret, but now it was out in the open. Neil said Julian was being simplistic and selfish. Alexis had been hurt. She’d lied to the medical review board, and was looking at disciplinary action and possible disbarment. Julian said they were the ones who’d jumped into bed together and lied about it. Neil got what he deserved, but Julian was sorry it was coming back to bite Alexis. He asked if Alexis had kicked Neil to the curb, and Neil said, no, but maybe she should. Brando told Jason about fixing Molly’s car, and said they were on good terms, but Kristina and Sam couldn’t stand him. Molly told Alexis about how TJ had suggested a domestic partnership. Alexis asked if Molly was happy, and Molly said it was more than she’d hoped for. Alexis didn’t buy it, and asked what was really going on.

Realizing what he’d said, Franco told Elizabeth, of course (🍷) she was a real artist. She just didn’t have a lot of experience with the idiots who were in charge of professional work. He wasn’t trying to offend her. Elizabeth said he was right; she had no idea how the art world worked like he did. He told her that it was Ava’s last sitting, and there had to be something to unveil at the unveiling, and she told him not to keep the gravy train waiting. Neil told Julian that Alexis deserved a clean slate, and he’d done more harm than good. Julian asked if Neil was walking away after what Alexis had gone through. She’d risked everything for Neil, now he was going to disappear? It wasn’t about helping Alexis, but about Neil. He was running away to protect himself. Jason asked Brando why he had a problem with Kristina and Sam, and Brando said he’d offended Kristina, and Sam was offended on Kristina’s behalf. He’d been talking to Sam about how she’d helped take down Shiloh, and said people who join cults are idiots. Then Sam told him about Kristina being involved with DoD. He tried to apologize, but the damage had been done. I still fail to see why this was so horrible. Didn’t Kristina think she’d been an idiot? Molly told Alexis that she was sorry she’d kept quiet about it, and Alexis said it was her fault. She’d been too focused on her own thing, and hadn’t been there for Molly. Molly said Alexis had nothing to feel bad about, and Alexis said she thought the domestic partnership was a great idea. Molly was very sensible, and Alexis was proud of her. Molly said Alexis was making her out to be perfect, but she’d jumped in bed with someone when TJ disappeared.

Nikolas went to the hospital to see Elizabeth, who snapped at him, saying she was working. He said she seemed upset. He’d come looking for a friend, but was there any way he could help? Franco went to Windymere, where he found Ava crying, martini in hand. He asked, what happened? but she said she was fine. Franco told her that he was feeling down, and could use a hug. He held her while she cried. Julian told Neil to try and put Alexis first. Use his shrink intuition, figure out what she needed, and act accordingly. He didn’t need to bail. Neil asked if Julian wanted him to be with Alexis, and Julian said, hell no, but Alexis wanted to be with him. He wanted Alexis to be happy. Neil said he couldn’t make up for Julian’s failings, and Julian said he could try not to add to them. He told Neil to fight for her. She was going to need his help. She didn’t let a lot of people in, and had laid herself on the line for him. Julian didn’t know what Neil’s issues were, but told him to conquer them. He’d be a fool to walk away. Brando said Sam was protective of her sisters, and Jason agreed. Brando said he’d apologized, and hoped they were good now. Jason asked if he’d fixed Molly’s car, and Brando said he did. Molly’s boyfriend had come to pick it up. Sam said she was there for the same reason, but it could have just been an excuse to chew him out. Jason suggested Brando not mess with Sam or her sisters, and Brando said he’d learned his lesson.

Molly told Alexis that she’d slept with Brando, who was Sonny’s cousin, but they weren’t related. Alexis said, thank God for small favors. Molly said she’d just had a fight with Jordan, who’d said TJ was done and it was Molly’s fault. She felt frustrated and angry. She’d thought TJ had bailed on a ten year relationship, and let his mother deliver the news. She ran over a curb, damaging her car, and Brando’s was the closest garage. They got to talking, and one thing led to another. Molly flashed back to kissing Brando, and told Alexis that Brando didn’t even know she had a boyfriend. When she explained, he couldn’t have been more decent. Nothing he did was wrong; it was her. Kristina said, it was one night. There was no good reason for Molly to tell TJ and risk the relationship. Molly didn’t think she could swallow her guilt, and Sam told Kristina that Molly didn’t handle her problems the same way Kristina did. Kristina handled them or not until they blew up in her face. Kristina said Sam had been pushing Jason to meet her in secret, and Sam said Kristina was the reason she was on parole in the first place. Kristina asked if Sam was blaming her, and Sam said, yes.

The Real Housewives of New York City

Ramona says, earlier, the energy was bad. She’s hoping that tonight, everyone will be lighter and in a better place. Restaurant guy Ben delivers a load of food. Dorinda pops out in a sequined number with huge angel sleeves that looks like it’s from Danceteria in the 80s. In the time it takes for Ben to put the bags in the kitchen, Ramona tells him that she looks good, but she’s sloppy, and she looks thin, but likes to eat. Nothing like giving herself a couple of compliments. She puts the food into bowls. Dorinda says she doesn’t know why Sonja puts up with LuAnn, and Ramona says Sonja loves LuAnn and likes to perform. Dorinda thinks maybe Sonja should do her own show, and Ramona says Sonja was doing cabaret before anyone else. LuAnn has supersonic ears, and asks what Ramona is talking about. Ramona repeats herself, and LuAnn says, it was caberlesque, and not the same thing. We flash back to Sonja’s show, and LuAnn tells Ramona, she didn’t think Sonja was that good. In the kitchen, Sonja mumbles that she knows the Countess is a major cabaret star. Dorinda tells LuAnn to stop it; she’s being nasty. In LuAnn’s interview, she says Dorinda was trying to protect Sonja, but Sonja was capable, and didn’t need defending. Sonja says she doesn’t care what Lu Ann is saying. She loves LuAnn. LuAnn explains to Sonja that the show is called Countess and Friends; it’s about her, but she brings Sonja in because she loves her. Don’t tell her what to do.

Sonja sits at the table, and says she’s done with LuAnn and her show. In the kitchen, LuAnn tells Len that she has a professional show because that’s what she does. Len says, eat. Sonja says LuAnn disrespected her, and LuAnn asks, how? Sonja says LuAnn thinks she sucks, and LuAnn tells her that she didn’t say that. She said she didn’t want her to be in the show. Ramona says LuAnn isn’t paying Sonja, and it’s insulting. Dorinda says Sonja was with LuAnn when she was down and out. In Ramona’s interview, she says LuAnn is using Sonja for laughs, and not paying her, when LuAnn could afford it, and Sonja could use the money. Dorinda gets weepy, and says, shame on her, and repeats that Sonja was with her when she was down and out. LuAnn says she doesn’t know what going on, and Dorinda leans over the table. They start yelling, fingers in each other’s faces. Dorinda says LuAnn has a mugshot of her drunkenness, and she’s an effing fool. In Leah’s interview, she says, it sucks to hear that coming from Dorinda. All of  them are one drink away from a mugshot. Ha-ha! I want that on a T-shirt – I’m one drink away from a mugshot. LuAnn walks out of the room, and Ramona tells Dorinda that she’s being aggressive. In her interview, Ramona says Dorinda is like a dragon, and she’s after whoever’s in front of her. When she’s drinking, she’s vicious. She went after Tinsley, then her, and now LuAnn. Who’s next? LuAnn hiccup cries as she packs. Ramona tells Dorinda that she’s shocked, and Dorinda says, karma’s a bitch. She doesn’t want to fight, but LuAnn uses them. She used Jovani, which Dorinda gave her. LuAnn continues to pack, and says no way is she staying in this house. Dorinda says Ramona is making her feel ashamed and bad, and that’s not what a girlfriend does. Dorinda sees the Jovani logo on LuAnn’s bag, and starts singing Feelin’ Jovani.

LuAnn tells Dorinda, get over it. Dorinda follows her out, but then comes back without incident. She says, LuAnn never says thank you. What’s wrong with her? Leah goes outside, and tells LuAnn to stop. Dorinda announces that her dress cost $400, and LuAnn says, she’s drunk. In Leah’s interview, she says you would think Dorinda owns stock in Jovani, the amount of times the word has come out of her mouth. It doesn’t make any sense. LuAnn suggests going to pub, and Leah says, they’ll hang out with the locals. Sonja falls over backward in her chair, hitting the floor. LuAnn cries, and Leah hugs her. LuAnn says Leah is so drunk, and Leah says, no, LuAnn is. Leah goes inside and calls for Ramona. She finds Ramona on Sonja’s lap, and tells her that LuAnn is outside hysterically crying. Ramona agrees to come with them – no doubt wanting to look for new men – but Sonja wraps her arms around Ramona’s waist. Outside, LuAnn says she’s not staying, and Leah tells Ramona, LuAnn is in a bad place. LuAnn keeps repeating, I need to go. In Ramona’s interview, she says she’s never seen LuAnn like this. She’s in pain. Dorinda went for the jugular, and it’s not cool. Ramona says she has no phone, money, or card, and LuAnn says she’s got her. They get in a cab, and drive away. Sonja decides to go to bed, and the others follow, even though it’s 8 pm. Len is left to clean up, although it could be worse. It could be the Hamptons.

In the morning, Dorinda finds Ramona in the kitchen. Ramona asks how she’s feeling, and Dorinda says she shouldn’t have gotten involved. She could tell Sonja was drunk; they were all drunk. The rosé gets you every time. She felt defensive of Sonja. In Ramona’s interview, she says Dorinda doesn’t realize how nasty she gets. She used to go from 0 to 60, and it lasted a second or two. Now she goes from 0 to 100, it lasts 30 minutes, and she gets vicious and evil. Sonja sits in bed reading, and Elyse comes in. Sonja says LuAnn is at a hotel, and Elyse asks, what’s the issue? Sonja says, LuAnn is back on her high horse. In Sonja’s interview, she says, all is forgiven because they were partying, and it doesn’t bother her. But LuAnn thinks Sonja’s time isn’t as important as hers, and that bothers her. Ramona tells Dorinda, she she saw the old LuAnn come out. Leah tells Sonja and Elyse that they went to an old school bar that had a jazz band. In her interview, she says, LuAnn was dancing, and she thought LuAnn wanted to sing, but they weren’t interested. In Leah’s interview, she says she had some martinis, flirted with the bartender. Ramona did nothing. What? Sonja says, at least they had fun, and Leah says there were a bunch of 90 year olds there; it was geriatric central. Sonja says she should have gone, and Leah says she would have loved it.

Dorinda decides she has to call LuAnn. Surprisingly, LuAnn answers the phone, and Dorinda says she loves her. LuAnn says she loves Dorinda too. She doesn’t know what happened. Dorinda says, rosé happened. Another T-shirt I want. Dorinda says she woke up, and ran to LuAnn’s room, wondering where she was. She loves LuAnn, and wants them to stay good place. She was feeling defensive of Sonja, and she doesn’t use liquor as an excuse, but can she do it this time? LuAnn says she was also over-served. In her interview, LuAnn says she’s not going to let one night ruin their relationship, but this behavior is hurtful to Dorinda’s friends, and she hopes Dorinda wakes up and smells the roses. Dorinda tells LuAnn, they peaked too soon. She loves LuAnn, and wants her to come back. LuAnn says she just ordered room service, and suggests meeting them shopping. They’ll chalk it up to bad… Dorinda says, rosé. Ramona says Dorinda always knows how to make it nice. In Ramona’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand it, but it’s not worth fighting the battle. It’s easier to just say, okay, and bury it under the rug.

Sonja, Elyse, and Leah join them in the kitchen, and Sonja says she heard a lot of laughing. Dorinda tells the others that she spoke to LuAnn. She got in trouble defending Sonja, even though she had no skin in the game. Leah asks, what happened? and Dorinda says she doesn’t remember. In Sonja’s interview, she says Dorinda is off the hook. Dorinda lost it, but Sonja knows where it’s coming from. They visited Richard’s grave. We see a clip of them in the cemetery, and Dorinda talking to Richard. Dorinda tells the others, Richard is good, and unfortunately, that was his journey. Sonja tells us, it takes a while to get over pain like that. She’s still grieving her ex. I love how Sonja compares her divorce to Richard’s death. Dorinda tells the women, it’s a beautiful little town. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, being stuck in the house isn’t a good thing for these women. They need something fun and different. They need to change it up. Ramona talks to Sonja, saying LuAnn and Dorinda made up after two seconds; what about them? Sonja says she’ll always love LuAnn, but she’s not doing her show; she’s too busy. Dorinda says they were all in the same mindset – rosé. Leah says she’s happy she was the least drunk, and she’s not getting yelled at. The women applaud. Dorinda says Leah was the best behaved, and Leah says she can’t be the psycho bitch forever.

Dorinda points out The Red Lion Inn, a restaurant she worked at, telling Elyse and Sonja that she was Senator and Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s favorite. She brownnosed her way to the top. They pick up LuAnn, who gets in the other cab with Ramona and Leah. LuAnn says she’s glad they get over things quickly and move on. It’s how they roll. She says, now she knows how Ramona feels. Ramona says Dorinda doesn’t realize how she gets; it’s hurtful. In her interview, LuAnn says, Dorinda pushes resentments down, and doesn’t deal with them. Then it rears its ugly head. She should have played dead like Ramona did at the Halloween party. When they all get out, Dorinda, LuAnn, and Sonja hug. LuAnn says it feels like she had a lovers quarrel. They go to Annie Selke. I love their stuff, but I so can’t afford it. LuAnn tells Sonja that she wants her in the show, and if she gets a bigger venue, she can pay Sonja. Sonja says she wants LuAnn to know that she enjoys it. LuAnn says she didn’t mean to act like Sonja was doing her a favor. It’s good for both of them. It’s a creative thing they can do together, and it’s fun. In Sonja’s interview, she says she can’t help but move forward. It’s not a big deal. She just wants LuAnn to know her time is valuable, and that was accomplished. Leah says she and LuAnn made out. LuAnn says, they did? That’s hot.

Dorinda leads the women to a wine and cheese shop. Dorinda mention for the 47th time that she grew up there, and says she has to pick up some cheese. Ramona says, it smells delicious, and they taste various cheeses. In Dorinda’s interview, she says Colin Cowie is a friend of hers – we flash back to them together – and he’s an incredible host, entertainer, and event planner. She was looking to have a fabulous dinner party, and he’s at her stove cooking right now. The cheese guy says the triple cream is from Burgundy, and Sonja says her lover is from there. In her interview, she says, Frenchie has always been in the picture, and we see a clip of them together. She says, ideally, he’d like her to live in France, but she has too much going on where she is. She tells everyone that Frenchie is an amazing intellect, and a jet set guy. Leah talks about going out with a prince, and peeing on him. In her interview, she says she doesn’t normally pee on people, but when would she have another chance to pee on a prince? I can’t say that one is on my bucket list. LuAnn says she’s had prince boyfriends, but has never peed on one. Leah says, don’t judge her, and LuAnn says she’ll give Leah a trophy. In Sonja’s interview, she says she has other ideas about what she’d like to do with a prince.

Dorinda’s taxi gets to Bluestone Manor first, and she says, let’s take our shoes off. Ramona and Elyse go, ahhh. I know the feeling. Sonja tells Leah that she tried to be real, and got in trouble, and Leah says, when keeping it real goes wrong. The table is set, and everything looks amazing. Upstairs, Ramon has clogged the toilet, and works at it with a plunger. I wonder why she doesn’t roll up her sleeves. In her interview, she says she doesn’t want Dorinda to get upset and rage on her. Sonja relaxes in a bubble bath. Not in the same bathroom. Ramona tells the toilet, please flush, but it doesn’t. Leah comes in, and Ramona tells her about the toilet being clogged. Leah says she’ll do it, but it flushes on Ramona’s next try. In Leah’s interview, she says she saw the nastiest little sh*t she’d ever seen in her life. Dorinda comes in, and asks what Ramona did to the toilet. Apparently, the clog is still going on, and Dorinda works at the toilet with the plunger. She tells Ramona, let it sit, and Leah says Ramona can use her bathroom. Why? So she can clog that too?

Ramona brings out a breathalyzer, and LuAnn shows her how to use it. In Ramona’s interview, she says she thought it would be fun to bring. They can get toasty, and now they can’t yell at her about having another drink. The breathalyzer doesn’t lie. LuAnn calls Ramona a bad blower, and says she’s a pro. Everyone gets ready for dinner. Dorinda’s sister Melinda arrives, and Dorinda hugs Colin for doing the dinner. In her interview, Dorinda says Colin has planned weddings, and done events for Oprah and Michelle Obama, so she’s appreciative that he did this because he’s her friend. She welcomes Melinda, and everyone gathers in the living room for cocktails. Leah says she wants to text the bartender; she’s thinking of inviting him. Melinda asks what’s up with that? and Leah says she’s desperate for d*ck. In Leah’s interview, she says she loves a hot bartender. They’re a therapist, eye candy, and get you drunk. What’s not to love? She asks Dorinda if it’s okay for him to stop by, and Dorinda says, no problem. She has a long history as a waitress and hostess there, and how can she say no to a fellow Red Lioner. Dorinda’s friends Sam and Lyle come in, and Leah asks Elyse if Erica is coming out to play. In Elyse’s interview, she says Erica was the nickname she had when she was on Wall Street. It’s her alter-ego, who would come out when she drank. Erica is a party girl. Leah hopes to meet Erica, and Leah says she can’t handle Erica. Leah says, bitch, yes I can. Heather Thompson and husband Jon arrive. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she hasn’t seen Heather in ages, and she’s looking hot. Sonja hits on Colin. In her interview, Dorinda says Heather lives close by, and when you live in the Berkshires, you all know each other. It’s that kind of environment. Everyone sits for dinner, and Dorinda says Colin has graced them, not just with a meal, but a fantasy. Even the salad is impressive. Elyse asks for straight vodka, and Leah tells Ramona that Elyse is wasted. Colin brings out the lamb, and Heather says, what a rack. BA-DUM-CHH! In her interview, LuAnn says, a rack of lamb and a hot man. What more can a girl ask for? I can think of quite a few things, but okay. Dorinda asks Sam if he can help her with online dating. Ramona tells Sam that it doesn’t work for her. If the woman is more successful, the man can’t get it up. In her interview, she online dating is difficult for her. Because she’s just so special. Okay. I added that last part.

Dorinda says she loves Leah because she’s unfiltered, but confident. Leah understands and owns her sh*t, and she’s a good mother and businesswoman. Dorinda is impressed by her. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, once Tinsley was out of the picture, she realized she loves Leah. Leah is her mini me. She tells Leah that she has chutzpah, and Leah says she’s slightly edited. She gets up, and says she’s a work in progress, and feeling herself. She’s honored and humbled, and doesn’t know what to say. She’s happy to be the only one with her period. Everyone cheers. Heather says, everybody take your pants off. Leah hugs Elyse, and in Elyse’s interview, she says, Leah is the type of girl Erica would have a crush on. They kiss. LuAnn asks Leah about the bartender, and Leah tells her that he said he was into casual living. She doesn’t know what that means. Probably that he doesn’t have any money.

Bartender James shows up, and Leah introduces him. In her interview, she says, it’s a good thing to have one available straight guy around, adding to the vibe. Dorinda tells James that she was The Red Lion Inn. She finds out James also grew up there, and says they’re true Berkshireites. She waitressed her way out. Leah asks for more vodka. Dorinda says Leah is amazing. LuAnn thanks Dorinda for a wonderful time. She slept with the fishes, and swam with the saints. She’s happy they’re together. They’ll always have each other’s backs, and LuAnn will always love her. They hug, and Leah tells James that he’s brave to come there; it’s crazy. In Dorinda’s interview, she says she never expects a perfect trip in the Berkshires, but gives it a seven out of ten. They’re like sisters, and have to work stuff out, but the fun outweighs the lingering issues. Ramona and Sonja kiss.

Next time, LuAnn speaks at a meeting, Ramona has her party, Sonja dances on a mirror, and Ramona wants to shut down the party.

🎉 Now the Party Can Start…

GH has some virtual fan events coming up. At least you won’t have to fight the crowd for a good seat.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/virtual-fan-events

📽 One More Life To Live…

Check out Vicki’s latest effort.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/one-life-to-live/erika-slezak-movie-guest-artist

💡 I Actually Remember Him…

Considering my brain deadness of late, it’s a miracle.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/all-my-children/ricky-paull-goldin-catching-up

🏎 Start Your Engines…

Hopefully, this one sticks.

https://deadline.com/2020/07/days-of-our-lives-september-production-restart-date-greg-meng-out-1202976808/

🛩 Hope Moves On…

What she said:

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/kristian-alfonso-opens-up-about-days-exit/

And what they’re saying:

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/stars-react-to-kristian-alfonsos-days-exit/

🤸 Made You Laugh…

It made me laugh anyway. I love the whole Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman thing. Deadpool 2 is one of my favorite movies.

https://people.com/movies/ryan-reynolds-crashes-x-men-reunion-global-citizen/

🥀 Double the Sadness…

I’d forgotten John had a great love before Kelly. Seriously, 2020 hasn’t been a good year for anyone.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/13/john-travoltas-first-love-diana-hyland-also-died-of-breast-cancer/

🤰🏽 No Greater Love…

Not to belabor a celebrity death, but it touched my heart that they think Naya died after saving her son.

https://extratv.com/2020/07/14/naya-riveras-cause-of-death-revealed/

🧙🏽‍♂️ Finishing On the Lighter Side…

Who doesn’t love Baby Yoda?

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/star-wars-the-mandaloiran-vfx-supervisor-explains-how-baby-yoda-created/

🤷🏽‍♀️ TGIWhat…?

I hope you’ve been able to keep some structure in your life, even if you don’t know what day of the week it is. I had that problem prior to the pandemic (how’s that for alliteration?), so nothing new there. Do everything you can, or do nothing; it’s your weekend. Stay safe, stay gracious, and stay using SPF, even if it’s just on the top half of your face.

Jul16

July 15, 2020 – When House Arrest Ended, Kyle Throws a B&W Party, New Bird In Town, West Tease, Home Con, At Last Shahs & Have a Ball

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Magic Eight Ball says the GH Flashback is from April 30th, 2020, even though the guide says otherwise. Refresher below, or the whole deal at:

https://tvwiththeresa.wordpress.com/2020/05/01/april-30-2020-carly-figures-it-out-nyc-wives-do-fashion-week-the-restaurants-are-chosen-camp-please-no-wild/

Sonny called Josslyn and Dev downstairs, and Josslyn was worried they were in trouble. She told Sonny they’d been good about not sneaking out – for the most part. Sonny said it wasn’t about that. He had something to tell them, but was waiting for someone. Brando arrived, and Sonny said he’d asked Brando to stop by. At the hospital, Elizabeth asked Cameron how he liked his new therapist, and he said Neil had been easier to talk to. She asked if he had anything particular on his mind, and Trina appeared. Chase looked at a picture of him and Willow, when Willow knocked on his door. She said she was there to pick up her stuff. She walked past him, and he said her name. She turned back, and he said he was sorry he’d hurt her. She said, don’t. In the park, Nelle asked how Michael’s run was, but he said he had no patience for her, and asked what she wanted. She said she’d heard about Sasha, and he said it was none of her business. She thought it was ironic that he’d been keeping tabs on Nelle, but his girlfriend was the one who’d done him dirty. He told her they were done, but she said they were just getting started. Carly saw Sasha at the MetroCourt, and told Sasha that Michael blamed himself, but she blamed Sasha. She asked why Sasha had cheated.

Sonny told the kids they could now leave the house, and go back to normal, including school. Josslyn and Dev were thrilled, and Sonny told Brando that he was free to go back to Chicago. Elizabeth asked Trina how she was doing, and Trina said, pretty good, considering. (Her father – Taggert – had just been killed.) Cameron thought about when they’d kissed, and said, hey. Portia said she wanted Elizabeth’s opinion. She was thinking of applying for the head of internal medicine, and wondered if she would be stepping on any toes or get pushback. Julian tried to kick Brook out of Charlie’s, and Brook said he’d known all along the baby Lucas and Brad adopted was Michael’s. Michael told Nelle that his relationship with Sasha had nothing to do with her, but she said it reflected on the stability of the home Michael could provide for Wiley. She was willing to compromise and strike a deal. Full custody for her, and he would get visitation, in exchange for grandmas one and two keeping their robust bank accounts and jobs. Willow told Chase that she was sorry too, about her part in making happen, but it was too painful to go there right now. The best way for him to apologize was to just not. Sasha said she knew Carly was furious, but thought it best that things stay between her and Michael. Carly said Chase had gotten thrown in, and she’d believed Sasha when she’d said she loved Michael. Sasha had told her that she would never hurt him the way Nelle had, and the lies and deceit were behind her. Carly wanted to understand what changed. Sasha said Chase felt like things were moving too fast with Willow, and she felt the same. She wasn’t ready for an instafamily, and knew she would never be enough for Michael. He needed someone better; more pure. Diane had confirmed it when she said Sasha marrying Michael was a bad idea. She and Chase were both frustrated, and one thing led to another. Carly said, no. Sasha was lying.

Elizabeth went back to work, and Cameron made small talk with Trina. She asked if that was the best he could come up with. She accused him of avoiding her, and said the only thing that had changed was that they’d kissed. They needed to talk about it, and why not it couldn’t happen again. Josslyn wanted to surprise Cameron and Trina, and left with Dev. Brando said Sonny had made their day, and Sonny asked, what about him? Brando wondered if he had the option to stay. Brook told Julian that he was busted. He’d tried to cover his tracks, and that’s why he’d cut the brakes on Brad’s car, but he didn’t count on Lucas being in it. He said she was delusional, and she said he’d kept Michael’s child from him, and let Willow grieve a child that wasn’t hers. Then he tried to kill Brad. He was in so deep, but one word from her to Sonny, and his problems would be solved permanently. Michael said, so Nelle wanted him to stop fighting for his son in exchange for her dropping the bogus charges against Bobbie, Monica, and the hospital. It wasn’t going to happen. Even if she could prove anything in the lawsuit, and it left them destitute, it wouldn’t matter. They weren’t going to let her raise Wiley. She said he thought he was better than her, and he said he had to be; Wiley deserved better than her, and he was going to have it. She said he was going to be sorry. It didn’t have to be this way. Sasha told Carly that she wasn’t lying, but Carly said none of it tracked. Sasha had said before that she wanted Michael to marry Willow, and she was having an affair with Chase the whole time? She didn’t sleep with Chase. She just wanted Michael to think so. Willow left Chase’s apartment. He found her, but he didn’t fix it.

Sonny said he had no idea Brando wanted to stay. Brando said he realized he was doing a 180. In the beginning, he just wanted to go back to Chicago, but he liked Port Charles. If the deal was over, no harm, no foul, but if he could stay, pay rent, and keep the garage going, he wanted to explore that. Elizabeth told Portia that she could only speak for the nurses, but Portia had totally earned their respect; everyone was raving about her, and she obviously knew what she was doing. Elizabeth suggested she go for it. Trina said she liked Cameron and he was an awesome friend. She was thankful he’d been with her in the car and warehouse, or she would have lost her mind. She told him that PTSD messed with your emotions, and things got scrambled, but it was fine. What wouldn’t be fine was to make something out of it. Nothing had changed. He was into Josslyn, but he’d blow his chances if he convinced himself that he was into her. Cameron asked if they were good, and she said, totally. Julian told Brook, if she went to Sonny, and Sonny acted on her accusations, would she want that on her conscience? Brook said she didn’t want to wreck Lucas’s life even more with Julian’s dirty little secret. Dustin walked in, and asked, what dirty little secret would that be? Chase sat on the floor moping, and remembering better times with Willow. Carly said Michael couldn’t hurt her by marrying Willow, so she’d let him off the hook. She told Sasha not to confirm it, or she’d be obligated to tell Michael that Sasha had sacrificed her own happiness for him and Wiley, because Wiley was the most important thing, and had to be kept away from Nelle. She would have done the same thing, and admired a woman who could do that. Sasha sort of smiled, and left. Michael beat on a tree with a stick, when Willow came along. He told her that he’d run into Nelle, and gave Nelle what she wanted.

Sonny said it was up to Brando, and Brando said, cool. Sonny said if he stayed, it would also be more convincing that he was Dev’s dad, but he didn’t want Brando to feel obligated. Brando appreciated being given a choice. Cameron said Trina was 100% correct, except for him being into Josslyn. Trina said that’s why they were going to the formal in the first place, so he could dance with Josslyn. He said Josslyn wasn’t into him, but it wasn’t a big deal if they remained just friends. He told Trina, hug time, and Josslyn and Dev showed up. Josslyn asked if they were interrupting something. Dustin asked Brook, what about Julian’s dirty little secret? Julian said Brook was exaggerating, and Brook said there was no use hiding. They needed to tell the truth. She and Julian weren’t actually related, but they had people in common, like Lucas. She hadn’t known he was Lucas’s biological father, and Julian propositioned her; he’d thought she was a hooker. Julian said he’d offered to pay for her time, nothing else. Brook said if she mentioned it to Lucas, it would be awkward. So far, she’d refrained from doing that, but it wouldn’t hurt if Julian was nicer to her. Chase brooded some more, and had more flashbacks. Sasha came by to check on him, and he told her that Willow wasn’t coming back. Michael told Willow that Nelle had offered to drop the suit in exchange for full custody, and Willow said, Wiley’s grandmothers would go bankrupt first. Michael said he’d told Nelle that, then she started with her BS, and he lost it. What if she’d been recording it? He kept telling himself not to engage, but he couldn’t help it, and it made him furious (WOTD). Willow said, good for him.

Dustin said he thought he and Brook could have their song ready in time for the Nurses Ball. Brook still couldn’t get over the fact he was a high school teacher, and he said he had bills to pay; he wasn’t a Quartermaine. Besides, he loved teaching. He was passionate about it, like she was with her music. Brando told Sonny, he was fine with helping out, but what he’d resented was being told how to live with no say. He’d screwed up in the past, and taken control of his life, and responsibility for his own choices. Sonny gave him an opportunity for something good, and he didn’t want to waste it. Trina told Josslyn and Dev that Cameron was a complete idiot, but had smart friends to comfort him. Cameron lied that he’d been late to practice, and made the coach mad, when the coach was writing one of his letters of recommendation for college. Trina said she told him that he’d make it up. Dev said their house arrest had been lifted, and Josslyn added that Sonny’s guys were still driving them, but they were free. She was dying to go to the movies. Cameron said, not a chick flick, and Josslyn teased him about secretly loving them. Nelle went to the MetroCourt, and told Carly hat she’d just run into Michael. He’d been abusive and threatening, and she intended on telling her lawyer. She’d been willing to compromise, but Michael refused. She was hoping to avoid all out warfare, but that wasn’t happening. Michael was combative, and the court was going to hear all about it. Chase told Sasha that he was waiting to feel like he did the right thing, so it would make the pain of losing Willow bearable. Right now, all he could think about was the future he’d started to dream of that was never coming true. Willow told Michael, it’s not like it was court. Nelle was an evil psycho, and it didn’t matter. If he played along, she was hateful, and if he fought her, she was still hateful. She wished she had been there. She would have yelled at Nelle too, for everything Nelle had done to her, Michael, and Wiley. If not for Nelle being a walking horror show, Michael wouldn’t have freaked out, and they wouldn’t be heartbroken right now. But it didn’t matter how sad she was, or how much she wished things were different. The only thing that mattered was Wiley’s happiness. Michael said Nelle was the worst, and suggested Willow whack the tree; it made him feel better. He told her, give it a good whack, and she did, saying she hated Nelle.

Dustin and Brook worked on their song at Charlie’s. Sonny said Brando was welcome to stay. They were family, plus he owed Brando. Brando had saved Carly, and stepped up for Dev. Sonny was sorry he’d given Brando no choice, but what Brando had said about respect and free will was important to Sonny. Now that the crisis was over, it was in Brando’s hands, and Sonny would respect what Brando decided. Brando said he was grateful. Portia told Elizabeth she was officially in the running. She’d applied for the position, and had an interview. She thanked Elizabeth for her support. Josslyn told Trina that Cameron seemed happy, and she wondered why. Trina was sure they’d figure it out, and Josslyn said Trina seemed happy too. Trina said she thought she was. Things were still horrible, but her BFF was off house arrest, so things were looking up. They kids left for the movies all happy. Carly asked if Nelle had a recording or footage of Michael’s supposed abusive behavior. Nelle said, no, and asked if Carly didn’t care about how the son she’d raised was behaving. Carly said, not really, and Nelle said Carly would never see her grandchild again, and Bobbie and Monica were going to lose their licenses, all because Michael refused to be flexible. Carly said no one could predict what the judge would do, but she had a good feeling about it, and Nelle walked out.

Sasha told Chase that she was waiting too, for the feeling that it was worth it. Whichever one of them felt it first, they’d let the other know. She said, if it made him feel any better, Carly had figured it out, and thought they were doing the right thing. So did she. Chase said if he hadn’t felt that way, he wouldn’t have been able to do it. Willow said she felt better, and Michael said, better to hit the tree than Nelle. Willow said it depended on who you asked. He apologized for the havoc in her life, but Willow said she didn’t regret it. Wiley was in her life, and she couldn’t be sorry for that, but she couldn’t stand that Nelle might win custody. Michael said they wouldn’t let her.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Kyle visits Camille, hanging out with friend Kimber, at Camille’s new place in Malibu. Camille says she and Dave are living it up, and watching the seals, and we see the view of seals on the beach from their bedroom. She said it’s been healing after their house burned down, and we flash back to the aftermath of the fire. In Kyle’s interview, she says they haven’t spoken in months, and we flash back to the reunion, when Camille got jazzed about LVP and called them the Witches of Eastwick. Kyle says Camille reached out to her, and we see a clip of Kyle telling Mauricio that she was taken aback, but would like to hear what Camille has to say. Camille says, they’ve both been hurt, and she wants to hear Kyle out. Kyle says she didn’t know where the anger toward her came from. Camille liked mean tweets toward the women, and alienated everybody. She can’t trust Camille to be genuine. She says one thing to one of them, and something else to another. In her interview, Kyle says, Camille has a big opinion on Twitter, but says nothing to your face. She tells Camille that she can respect how Camille feels, and Camille says she felt like she was being attacked. She’d just lost her house, and enough is enough. In her interview, Camille says she felt like they were the witches in Macbeth, and she was their common enemy. Camille said Kyle didn’t stand up for her, and Kyle says she felt like she couldn’t. Camille apologizes for the Tweets, and Kyle says they’ve been down this road before. They can surmount the problems again, but she wonders how they get to a place where Camille is with everyone in the group. In her interview, Kyle says she cares about Camille, and would like to get past it. She thinks the others would be open to fixing things, but Camille has to do some work. Kyle tells Camille, let her think about it.

Denise meets LisaR for lunch, and at first, the silence is deafening. LisaR laughs, and Denise says she wanted to meet privately because they have a long history, and she didn’t want to get into anything with the entire group. It hurt her feelings when LisaR called her a hypocrite in Santa Barbara. LisaR asks where the line is drawn in being open, and Denise says she has a line with what she shares with her kids. LisaR says Denise has been open about sex with the group, and Denise says she doesn’t want to share those moments with her kids. LisaR says, if it had just been kept between Denise and her daughter, but it wasn’t. We flash back to Denise telling Erika that Sami asked about a threesome, and also talking to Sutton about it. LisaR says she needs Denise to take responsibility. She used her kids by bringing them into it. In LisaR’s interview, she says the Denise she knows Denise is an open book, but now she’s offended about a threesome conversation, and she’s using the kids. Denise says she’s not upset, but LisaR says her energy isn’t matching what she’s saying. It feels like Denise is hostile and angry. I know I am. She tells Denise, why not be honest with Kyle? She knows Denise doesn’t like her. Denise says she does, and we flash back to Denise saying Kyle is judgmental and self-centered, and she has the least connection with Kyle. In LisaR’s interview, she says, you can’t run; you said it. LisaR wonders where they are now, and asks, what happened? Denise says everyone started on Aaron, and LisaR says, the women can be rough, but they usually don’t just come at someone. Something had to be said to create it. Denise says they didn’t want be there with paparazzi outside, and LisaR says it didn’t help that they huffed off. Denise says she doesn’t feel they did (neither do I – I have no idea why these women keep saying they stormed out). Whether the women believe it or not, is on them. She and LisaR have a long history, and LisaR knows what Denise has done and sacrificed for her kids. She can take it, but as it goes on and on, the kids are hearing it on and on, and that’s why she wants to drop it. In her interview, LisaR says there’s already been a lot about Charlie in the press, and she understands Denise doesn’t want the kids to hear it, but they watch TV. They heard Denise talking about a happy ending. She thinks Denise is using the show to change her image from last season, but the show is about being honest and showing their feelings. She can’t control it. She asks if Denise is going to Kyle’s party, and Denise says, if she can make it. LisaR thinks it’s a lesson learned, and Denise says she learned a lesson. In her interview, Denise says the lesson she learned is that she knows where she stands with LisaR. She can’t trust her like she used to. BTW, they got some skinny fries that look really good.

Kyle frets, talking to party planner Glenn. In her interview, she says they’re raising money for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. When Mauricio was born, he had a blood disease, and spent a good part of his life in a children’s hospital, so they want to put energy and effort into that. She frets to assistant Ashley. Dorit arrives, and she, Kyle, and the morally corrupt Faye Resnick make a toast. Kyle tells Dorit that Camille is coming, and Dorit makes a remark about it being fire season that I don’t find funny. Kyle says Camille acknowledges her mistakes, and wants to make it right. She feels bad about what she said. Dorit says she’ll be civil and cordial, but can’t believe what Camille says. In Dorit’s interview, she says, Camille crossed lines, and there’s no going back for them. She’d be the biggest idiot imaginable if said they could be friends. She asks Kyle about the silent auction, and Kyle thanks her for getting some donations of VIP packages. In her interview, Dorit says Kyle is lucky to have a friend like her. Dorit tells Kyle that she doesn’t want what happened with Denise to happen again, and Kyle says she thinks Denise is avoiding confrontation.

Garcelle goes to a meeting with the company producing her script. Potential director Leena is giving her pitch. In Garcelle’s interview, everything in her drives her to work until she’s dead. The story Leena presents is very different from Garcelle’s script, and in her interview, Garcelle says they expected Leena to tell them how she was going to shoot it, not give them a completely different movie. Hell no. It’s nuts. Garcelle says Leena diverted from the script, and it’s an issue for her. In her interview, Garcelle tells us that it’s a big deal for her to speak up. When she was in acting class, it was hard for her get mad. She needed to learn how to stand up for herself. She tells Leena that she feels it’s not the script she wrote. In her interview, she says, she never dreamt of having the power she has now, and you can’t shut her up. Leena leaves, and it’s suggested Garcelle direct, but she says she has enough on her plate.

Kyle wonders what to wear to her party. The backyard is set up with an amazing, huge tent that has chandeliers inside. Dorit tells PK, tonight should be interesting. Aaron got himself into a sticky situation with the girls. In attempting to defend his wife, he inserted himself in a way that made them uncomfortable. Maybe PK could pull him aside, and have a quiet word. PK says, in his experience, it’s best to help by supporting, and not fighting your wife. In PK’s interview, he says, it’s hard for a guy to watch his wife go through something if he thinks she’s an innocent victim. When saw himself, he wondered why he did it, but some guys have to find out the hard way.

Erika, LisaR, and Eileen share a limo. Eileen says she’s been making a Christmas movie, and LisaR tells her about what happened with Aaron. Eileen says, when husbands defend their wives, it can come off bullying. In their limo, Denise asks Aaron if she’s throwing him into the lion’s den. Erika says she still doesn’t get where Aaron and Denise are coming from. In her interview, she says she lives with a smart man, and she’s over being mansplained, especially by someone else’s husband. Denise tells Aaron, be positive. In Denise’s interview, she says if the women are willing to hear her, she’ll talk all night. Aaron wonders if it’s a full moon, and says he’s wondered that the last eight times.

Kyle wants the blue light on in the pool, and Mauricio says he’s been working on it for the last two hours. She wonders who they’re going to call, and he says, Ghostbusters, because he’s probably high. Kyle says they have all these high-tech things; why can’t they just have an on/off button? She oversees last minute touches, and the guests start arriving. In Kyle’s interview, she says the party cost six figures. If they don’t make $200K, she should have just given the money to the hospital instead of having the party. Camille comes in with Kimber, and Kyle says, time to have a cocktail. Camille says she’s glad to be there, but nervous to see the girls. Mauricio finally fixes the pool light, and Kyle is thrilled. Dorit says hi to Kimber, but gives Camille the cold shoulder. The women, minus Camille and Kimber, look at the auction items – everything from an autographed basketball to a VIP Coachella package. I guess whoever got that didn’t get their money’s worth. Kyle tells them Camille is there, and the world stops spinning for a millisecond. Camille tells Kimber, it’s weird seeing everyone. Eileen asks if LisaR is on good terms with Camille. We flash back to Camille giving LisaR the (probably well-deserved) business. LisaR and Eileen walk over to where Camille and Kimber are. LisaR tells Camille that she was an a-hole on Twitter. Camille says, okay, and LisaR says, but it’s nice to see her. Here’s where this should have stopped, but LisaR continues, saying she’d like to speak with Camille, but she was an a-hole on Twitter. Camille had said they were like a coven, and it didn’t have to be public. Camille said she was dishing out what she got, and LisaR said she wasn’t rehashing anything, so they’re good. Camille says LisaR just called her an asshole; she thinks she’ll pass. LisaR storms off, and Camille tells Eileen, she’s not there to be attacked. In Camille’s interview, she says, who’s the a-hole? It’s LisaR. She’ll have to Tweet about it later. LisaR tells the other women, she had a moment with Camille, and in her interview, says, Camille is like Denise; another person who doesn’t take responsibility for their own behavior. Camille says LisaR can keep being a nasty mean girl if she wants.

Garcelle brings her new boo to the party. In her interview, she says she must love the name Michael, but there’s a difference. There’s white Michael, and chocolate Michael. When she got married to Michael Nilon, the Black community said she was selling out for her kind, and she felt like she had to prove her Blackness. There’s still a connection, no matter what color his skin is, but Black is good. She tells PK that she and chocolate Michael met twenty-two years ago. In Kyle’s interview, she says when you have couple friends, and there’s a divorce, you’re made to feel like you have to choose sides. She and Mauricio have tried to keep a balance with Paul Nasiff and Adrienne Maloof. It’s not a stretch to say they were enemies. Yeah, it’s not a stretch to say Adrienne was a big fat liar about Paul, saying he abused the kids and then taking it back when she realized she wasn’t getting away with it. They’re both at the party, with their new significant others. Kyle’s sister Kathy Hilton is there, as well as Kris Jenner. Kyle shows off a tuxedo from her line, and it is really pretty, with sequins on the jacket and a huge black chiffon bow for a tie. UGH BRANDI WALKS IN, along with friend Mia. In her interview, Kyle says she and Brandi are in a good place. There was a time they couldn’t stand each other. We flash back to some pretty dicey times, and Kyle says Brandi posted a video of herself, crying. We see it, and she’s basically whining about what she didn’t have and Kyle did, and saying that’s the reason she’s mean. Kyle says she thinks Brandi is a good person; she’s just misunderstood. That’s because Kyle is an idiot. Are you kidding me? Maybe there really is a good person somewhere in there, but I’m not misunderstanding. She needs years of therapy to unearth that person. Aaron and Denise arrive next, which is no surprise.

LisaR has no urge to talk to Denise, since she’s not being honest. She’d made it sound like the women had gone after Aaron. I guess outnumbered means nothing to this group. It’s no wonder people get defensive. We see a clip of LisaR telling Sutton that Denise felt attacked, and said there were paparazzi outside. Sutton tells LisaR, there weren’t any paparazzi. In LisaR’s interview, she says what Sutton said was the opposite of what Denise said. Again, even if Denise was just paranoid about the paps, it’s understandable. Maybe someone takes a picture of Sutton now and then, but I seriously doubt they hound her like they do Denise. Kyle greets Denise and Aaron, and in her interview, says, you know when you get on a plane, and eyeball where the exit is? That’s Denise at a party. Denise says hello to Brandi, who says she’s getting drunk already.

Kyle takes the stage, explaining the auction is to support the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, but they’re going to have so much fun. The auction starts, and PK tells Aaron that he heard Aaron got involved with a bit of  drama. Aaron says, it’s all good. Garcelle wins a five-night vacation in Mexico, and Dorit wins a golf VIP package. The auctioneer asks for a straight-up $25K donation, and Kris raises her paddle. PK says they want to support their wives, but Aaron doesn’t want to get into it with the women. If your wife climbs up a tree, you need to help her down, not help her climb up more. Aaron says, agreed, and PK asks if he’ll be putting that into action. Aaron asks, what kind of action? and in his interview, PK says he gets the feeling that his input is not wanted. Aaron didn’t appreciate his brilliance. Gee, ya think? The text says they raised over $300K for the hospital, so Kyle made her goal and more.

Denise asks to talk to Teddi privately. They sit on opposite couches, and Denise starts to say several of the women said they were upset because she walked away. In the meantime, Kyle asks if Camille has said hello to Denise, and drags her into the room. In Teddi’s interview, she says, where’s the escape hatch on this couch? She needs out of there. Camille congratulates Teddi, and for some ungodly reason, Denise invites Camille to sit down. Camille starts to talk pregnancy stuff to Teddi, when Teddi says Camille doesn’t need to do pleasantries. She knows Camille doesn’t like her, and she doesn’t trust what Camille has to say. Camille says, okay, and Denise looks sad.

Next time, Brandi tells Denise and Aaron that she wants to be a thruple with them, LisaR plans a group trip to Rome, Erika and Denise talk one-on-one, and Brandi says Denise isn’t who she pretends to be.

A friend of mine and I agreed that when we enjoy the show the most is when they’re having a good time together. I don’t mind a little hair-pulling, but I can’t stand the constant ganging up mean girl stuff that’s been happening for the past couple of seasons. If I want to see that, I can watch Jersey Shore or Big Brother or something.

🦚 Shake Your Tailfeathers…

Read all about Peacock. What you get:

https://www.eonline.com/photos/31069/every-show-coming-to-peacock

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/peacock-streaming-service-cost-launch-what-to-watch/

And what you don’t:

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/peacock-streaming-not-roku-amazon-fire/

🐎 Worlds Within Worlds…

Get a tease about what’s coming next for Maeve, Dolores, and Jesse Caleb.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/hbo-westworld-thandie-newton-talks-upcoming-season-4/

⛄️ Not Exactly True To Type…

I have no words.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/frosty-snowman-jason-momoa-aquaman-cast/

🎊 As If Hamilton Wasn’t Enough…

Another reason to get Disney+.

https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/disney-plus-comic-con-home-panels-list-marvel-sdcc-2020/

💳 What I’ve Been Waiting For…

And because Bravo hates me, they’re putting it opposite 90 Day Fiancé on Sunday night. I’ll defy them with the power of the DVR.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1170791/here-s-your-first-look-at-the-dramatic-shahs-of-sunset-season-8-virtual-reunion

🐪 Looking For Mike…

We’re past the weekly hump and moving toward the weekend, or put another X on the calendar, depending on where you’re at. Phases, shmases. Make your own fun. Just make sure you stay safe, stay discerning, and stay occupied, but not on Wall Street. Unless you’re wearing a mask.

Jul15

July 14, 2020 – When Finn Told Chase Fix It, Slippers For Everybody, Reunited, Where’s Alice, Dancing Switch, a Tease, Leave Lisa Alone, Teddi Update, Quite a Legacy, Of Course, a Teaching Moment, Don’t Do It & Up

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Okay, now it’s personal. The guide said May 7th, 2020, but in reality, this GH Flashback is from April, 29th, 2020. Here’s the short version, but you can find the whole thing here if you need total refreshment:

https://tvwiththeresa.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/april-29-2020-finn-says-chase-made-a-mistake-lisars-game-goes-south-hills-newbie-gg-is-a-mom-culture-backlash-best-bromance-ever-staying/

Finn asked Chase why he’d pretended he was sleeping with Sasha, and Chase said if Nelle got custody, Willow would never forgive herself. In the eyes of family court, Nelle and Michael were on almost equal footing, so Michael needed a wife who was equally devoted to Wiley, and Sasha had a problematic past. Finn said there was no body count, and no one was perfect, but Chase said Willow was close. However, when he broached the subject, Willow wouldn’t consider it. Finn said it was because Willow loved Chase, and he was doing her a disservice. Chase said, they were adults; Wiley was a defenseless child and needed protection. Sasha called Michael to let him know her things were out of the house, and she’d left the key. She guessed this was goodbye. He told her, goodbye, and Sasha flashed back to telling Chase they’d made a mistake, and should tell Michael and Willow the truth. They were the best thing to happen to her and Chase, and they could have the people they loved back. Chase said that would be awesome for them, but asked if she honestly thought Michael and Willow would be happier with them, or together with Wiley. Carly told Michael that his goodbye sounded final, and he said he and Sasha were over. At the MetroCourt, Willow got on the phone with Lucy to find a new place to live. Nelle appeared and said the rumor must be true; Chase broke another heart. Kristina told Molly to consider her options, but Molly said she needed to be completely honest and tell TJ everything. Sam told Brando that Molly and TJ were about to make it official, and if he made trouble for Molly, he’d be in a world of trouble with her. He asked if Molly knew she was getting involved, and she asked if he was going to run and tattle on her. He said he thought Molly would prefer to fight her own battles, and Sam said he was in no position to tell her about her sister. He said he got it, and she told him, stay away from Molly. If my sister got all up in my business like that, I’d be furious. Lulu ran into Crimson, asking where Charlotte was, and Nina asked her to give Valentin a chance to make it right. In Nina’s office, Charlotte asked if Valentin still loved her, and he said with all his heart, but it wasn’t that simple. She said they could run away right now, and no one could stop them.

Nelle said Chase had thrown Willow away, like he did with her and other women. He was a liar, a user, an expert manipulator, and seduced vulnerable women. Michael told Carly about finding Sasha and Chase together, saying that they’d felt jealous about Michael and Willow spending so much time together with Wiley. He said Carly had been right, but Carly thought she shouldn’t have gotten involved. Brando told Sam that TJ wasn’t going to hear anything from him. Sam said Molly thought she was single, and was heartbroken. Otherwise, she’d never have slept with someone like him. Ouch. She said he’d hurt Kristina’s feelings, saying people who joined cults were stupid. He said he’d apologized, and suggested she not butt into her sister’s business, since Molly was an adult. Sam said she’d always protect Molly, and he said, even if Molly didn’t want her to? Molly told Kristina that telling TJ was the right thing; they’re relationship was bult on honesty. Kristina thought Molly just wanted to make herself feel better at TJ’s expense. Valentin told Charlotte that she wouldn’t see him for a while, and Charlotte wondered if it was because she was bad, but he said, no; she was a good girl. She wanted things to be like they were when she was little, and it was just the two of them, back when he loved her. He said he’d always love her, and she asked why he wouldn’t fight for her. Valentin flashed back to Charlotte saying it wasn’t his fault; it was everyone else’s for lying, even Lulu’s, since she didn’t want him to be happy with Nina. He remembered Charlotte insisting that he’d find a way to get Windymere and Nina back, so they could live happily ever after. Nina asked Lulu why Charlotte was so upset, and Lulu said she thought Charlotte overheard her talking with Laura about Valentin not choosing to fight for custody. Laura thought Valentin was sincere, but Lulu didn’t trust him. Valentin came out with Charlotte, and Lulu told her that she couldn’t run off like that. Charlotte said she couldn’t let her papa leave. She knows he’d do anything for her, and she had to show him that she would too.

Willow said Nelle was trying to manipulate her, and she could go to hell. She knew who Nelle was, and if Brad was telling the truth about anything, it was that Nelle gave him the baby. Nelle didn’t want Michael to have him, and used Willow’s dead child like a prop to convince Michael their baby was dead. Nelle said Sasha was more Chase’s type anyway, and Willow said, goodbye. Finn asked Chase why he thought Willow and Michael would marry, and Chase said once the road was cleared, Willow would follow her heart to Wiley. Finn said he believed Chase’s intentions were honorable, and Chase said Sasha had been stand-up about it. She wasn’t happy either, but agreed that Wiley’s safety came first. Finn said Chase wasn’t going to like what he had to say. His intentions were good, but his methods stunk. He made a huge mistake. Valentin told Charlotte there was a right and wrong way to keep a family together, and they had to figure out the right way. They’d always be family, even if she didn’t see him. She kept his heart beating. Charlotte said Valentin kept her heart beating too. Lulu asked to speak to Charlotte alone, and they went into Nina’s office. She told Charlotte to be totally honest, promising that she wouldn’t be in trouble. Did she overhear Lulu and her grandma? Valentin thanked Nina, and she said she was sorry Charlotte was going through this. He said he wasn’t fighting Lulu for full custody, and Nina said she never thought he’d give up on his daughter. Sam told Brando that Molly saw the best in people, but she was more realistic. She said Brando had been locked up, and he said that made two of them, but he was free and Sam was on parole. It wasn’t about Molly. It was about Sam and Jason. Kristina asked Molly, if TJ had communicated with her, would she have slept with Brando? Molly said, of course (🍷) not, but TJ hadn’t ghosted her; he’d been taken against his will. Kristina said Molly had no way of knowing that, and asked if she slept with Brando to get back at TJ. Molly said, no. She’d been tired of feeling frustrated and angry, and Brando made her laugh; it felt good. Kristina said that was her point. It had nothing to do with TJ, and Molly had no reason to tell him. In that perfect soap moment that sometimes happens, TJ walked in, and said, tell him what?

Kristina told TJ that Molly had been telling her about their upcoming domestic partnership. TJ told Molly that he’d wanted to surprise her, and picked up her car. He wanted to prove to her that he’d do anything for them to stay together. Sam said she and Jason were none of Brando’s business, and he said like he and Molly were none of her business. How about if they both just minded their own business? Sam said he couldn’t dismiss her; she wasn’t done. He said they were done. Valentin told Nina that she knew he would never give up on his daughter, and she said, then fight stay to stay in Charlotte’s life. He said he was trying to do the right thing. He’d been a bad influence on Charlotte, and wanted to keep his distance. Nina said he could do that, or be a better man. Lulu asked why Charlotte didn’t speak to her first, and Charlotte said Lulu never wanted to talk about her papa to her; she always changed the subject. Michael told Carly that he loved Sasha, and had thought it was real. Carly said she thought it was too, but didn’t think Sasha was the woman Michael needed. Michael said Wiley had blindsided them, and Sasha wasn’t ready for an instant family. Either consciously or subconsciously, she got out. Carly swore Michael would get custody and find the woman he deserved.

Molly told TJ that Sam was picking up her car, but he said he’d seen Sam there. Molly said she had to run some errands, but he should stay at Charlie’s and eat. They declared their love for each other, and she left. Brando told Sam that he wasn’t there to cause trouble; it was the opposite. He was covering for Dev because Sonny wanted him to. She wondered if he had an ulterior motive, and he said if she was happy with her mechanic, they never had to cross paths again. Nina told Valentin to be a better man, and be the positive influence Charlotte needed, instead of proving you should walk away when the going got tough. Charlotte wasn’t going to see it the same way he did. He said he’d lived a life fueled by resentment, but she said he was capable of great love. He wasn’t so sure, and she said Charlotte would love him unconditionally for the rest of his life. The right thing he thought he was doing was just wrong. He said, of course (🍷) she was right. He’d tried being noble, and screwed it up. In Nina’s office, Charlotte said she’d heard Lulu say her papa was walking away from her for her own good, and said she was glad. Lulu said Charlotte heard part of a grown-up conversation that she didn’t understand. She wished Charlotte had  talked to her, but Charlotte said Lulu didn’t care how she felt. Michael told Carly that he couldn’t afford to make any more mistakes. Wiley’s custody was in limbo, and Nelle was unpredictable. Carly suggested he go for a run, and flashed back to giving Sasha a second chance, and telling her there were no third chances where her children were concerned. Chase told Finn, get out. It was hard enough for him. He loved Willow, and had to break her heart, tearing his own to shreds in the process, but it had to be done. Finn said it was a bad move to lie. Willow would have made up her own mind, and made her own choice. Chase said it was too late, but Finn told him to come clean, and there would be a chance to save his relationship. There was only one way to find out. He told Chase to let Willow decide how to help Wiley. It wasn’t fair that her decision should be based on a lie. Find her and fix it.

At the park, Michael flashed back to better times with Sasha. Sasha went to the MetroCourt bar, and Nelle zeroed in on her, saying Carly would destroy her for cheating on Michael. She said her lawyer wanted to talk to Sasha about being a character witness against Michael, and Sasha said she couldn’t believe what bitch Nelle warned. Nelle said she thought Sasha had been warned, and called her a backstabbing boyfriend stealing slut. On her way out, Nelle saw Carly, and said they’d have to talk soon. Valentin told Nina that it killed him to think Charlotte believed he was abandoning her. Nina told him to be the Valentin she knew he could be. Lulu and Charlotte came out of the office, and Lulu told Valentin they needed to talk. Molly showed up at the garage, and asked why Sam was there. Sam wondered why Molly was there, and Molly said she decided not tell TJ. Brando said he’d told her before that he wouldn’t say anything, and Molly told Sam to go on ahead. She wanted to talk to Brando.

Nina tried to distract Charlotte, who thought her parents were taking too long. Nina said whatever they decided, it was because they loved Charlotte. Charlotte said she understood, but didn’t have to like it. Nina said, no matter what, she’d be there for Charlotte. Lulu and Valentin came out, and Lulu said it was time to go home. Valentin said he’d pick Charlotte up tomorrow; he wasn’t going away – ever. Lulu said she and Valentin were going to be better. Charlotte deserved to be loved by both parents. TJ asked Kristina how Molly seemed. He thought she seemed a little shaky. Kristina said Molly had been heartbroken thinking TJ had ghosted her. She thought she’d lost him forever. He said good thing he got kidnapped, and Kristina said they had their whole lives ahead of them. She suggested they put the past behind them, and TJ said they had their whole future to look forward to. Molly apologized for Sam, but Brando said family was supposed to look out for each other. Brando said he’d told Molly that he wasn’t going to say anything, and Molly said she’d made her own choices. He didn’t take advantage, but it could never happen again. He said nothing happened between them, and she thanked him, adding she was sorry. He said nice knowing her.

Carly told Sasha that Michael blamed himself, but she blamed Sasha. Michael ran into Nelle, who asked if he was having a bad day. Chase contemplated finding Willow and fixing it, when Willow showed up. She said she was there to pick up her stuff. She breezed past him, and he said her name.

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles

JoshA came by JoshF’s messy office to discuss the Razor house. JoshA said he’d gotten and offer, but the buyer was very well-known, and the caveat was that he’d represent them. In his interview, he said he’d had to sign an NDA. The buyer was a big deal, and it was the perfect property for them. This left JoshF with representing the buyer. JoshA said he was a little sad, but both buyer and seller needed equal representation. JoshA told JoshF to get his beauty sleep; they were going to negotiate tomorrow, and hopefully close the deal. JoshF said JoshA was dead to him, and it was a nice run while they had it. David James was showing homes to Brittnie and Jeremy, who were having their first child and in a time crunch, but still being very picky. James said that if you could get between your home and office in 30 minutes, that was heaven, and the couple owned a successful weed cannabis company in Venice. The buyer’s agent, Santiago, showed them a 4200 square foot, 6 bedroom, 5 bath house, priced at $3.795 million. Brittnie said she wasn’t sure it was their vibe; it was too traditional. James said at their price point, it was hard to find a modern home.

Scott Gillen had given Tracy a listing portfolio of 13 residences, between $60 and $100 million each. She’d told her team they had to pull something elegant together to pull in people, and had a week to do it. In her interview, Tracy said Scott was so anal about keeping his house clean, she was surprised he was allowing her to throw an event there. She told assistant Eleanor that, at the bare minimum, she would have 30 to 40 brokers. If it hit 100 to 150, she’d have a nervous breakdown. There would be a shoe check-in, where everyone would be given slippers. On the deck, they’d have incredible food and beautiful drinks, and she wanted delicate, nice touches. They wouldn’t be able to use the bathrooms either. In Tracy’s interview, she said she’d heard rumors on how difficult Scott was, and how most people didn’t last long. Everyone had discouraged her, but she was doing it. She’d worked her entire career to land a listing like this. It was a tight timeline with a challenging client.

David James showed Brittnie and Jeremy another house in Pacific Palisades, north of Santa Monica. He said it was a tight community in an iconic neighborhood, often used as a backdrop for TV shows. The house was partially staged, since they had been in escrow, but the buyer dropped out. I didn’t catch the square footage, but it was big, with 6 bedrooms, 7 baths, and a smart system. I thought of those people on Dr. Phil, who had been threatened through their own security camera, and I’m not so sure I want a smart anything. The kitchen was fabulous, as always, and I cried inside once again over my postage stamp sized what-passes-as-a-kitchen. James said it was the epitome of a modern, new construction, but not so kid friendly. In his interview, he said he didn’t think they realized how much baby proofing they would need to do. I loved the dual master closets (which you know she’ll take both of), but I cringed at the dual sink in the master bath. I’ve never been close enough to anyone to want to brush our teeth together. And that includes my husband. We have a dual sink in our upstairs bathroom, and all it does is take up too much space. James pointed out the canyon view, and said no one would ever block it. In his interview, James said his clients had no effing clue what comes next. He’d had his daughter at 26, and couldn’t look after himself, much less a baby. He said, Brittnie and Jeremy had an established business, and had no effing idea what was happening. He told them it wasn’t a ridiculous price, and the seller was willing to negotiate.

JoshF tried to convince assistant Wilie that he should change his name to Wilie Coyote. JoshA visited Tracy’s office, looking for booze. He was there late, preparing for his negotiation with JoshF about the Razor house. He figured Tracy was always good for some liquor. She told him that he’d better have a plan, and a backup plan if he was negotiating with JoshF. JoshA said he’d retire if he lost to JoshF. Tracy said she’d never had a client send back an event invite 32 times, but Scott had done it. In her interview, Tracy said he called all hours of night, and texted her at 10 pm, asking her to call him. JoshA told her that he’d had the listing two years ago for 10 days. It was going to destroy her. In Josh’s interview, he said Tracy could hold her own with anybody in any room, but his experience – the non-stop calls, impossible demands, and Scott being an ass in general – was unbearable. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel didn’t end. Tracy said she expected him to cancel the event at the last minute. Josh asked if he was invited, and she said her last list had been rejected, so she’d put him on the next one. In her interview, she said there were difficult people and bad people, and she hoped she wasn’t spending tens of thousands just for Scott’s ego.

The Joshes met at Canter’s, oldest Jewish deli in L.A. In his interview, JoshF said, they were two Jewish guys. Where else would they go to negotiate a deal? He said he’d found out JoshA’s buyer was Alicia Keys, and wasn’t going to go easy on him. JoshF told him, all cash and a quick close at $20 million. He’d tried to comp it, but it wasn’t easy. I understand this, since my house has been difficult to comp in the past. JoshF laughed, and said, give him something work with. JoshA said trophy houses went from $1800 to $4000 a foot, and it was a decent start. JoshF brought up that they’d been asking for more the last time around, but JoshA said, no matter what they’d been asking, that didn’t mean it was worth it. I get this too, since I have an eBay store, and everyone thinks their stuff is worth tons of money. It’s not. JoshF got on the phone with the seller, who said the house was one of a kind, but Josh said the seller was paying him a lot of money, and they had to show they were ready to negotiate, and had to be realistic. The seller told him, get it done. JoshA said he wasn’t messing around, and he’d gone straight to his client’s maximum. In JoshA’s interview, he said his client trusted him to get the best deal, and even though he could go to $23 million, he wasn’t leaving until he squeezed more out of JoshF. In JoshF’s interview, he said he knew he could squeeze more out of JoshA. JoshF told JoshA, $20.8 million; tell her to write another song. JoshA said they had a deal. In his interview, JoshA said he was apprehensive at first, but the more he and JoshF worked together, the more he liked it. They had good times and weird times, and maybe he’d miss JoshF a little bit, but he wasn’t getting carried away. They hugged, and JoshF left, sticking JoshA with the check.

In his interview, David James said Brittnie was due in one week, and they needed to close on the Palisades house yesterday. He and David met with broker Alex, and made an offer of $6.4 million (the asking price was $6.785). Alex said they had a higher offer before, but David said, it wasn’t real, and James said he was giving them a deal on a platter. The developer had three other houses going on the market, and in James’s interview, he said the seller would be a fool not to take the deal and run. James got the buyers to come up to $6.650 million with a 14 day close, but they also wanted the audio visual equipment included, and for the seller to install blackout shades in several rooms. They had a deal, and in his interview, James said, it wasn’t a moment too soon. A few days after they closed, Brittnie had a boy named Tiger. They showed a picture, and I thought it was a good name for him.

Tracy brought a port-a-potty to the New Castle, and in her interview, said she’d gone above and beyond for the launch, and spent $15K. She told the team, no food or drinks in the house, slippers for everybody, and no delivery trucks in the driveway. Party planner Michelle worked like a maniac, and Tracy said it needed to be perfect. Scott was watching everything. She told Michelle to have two golf carts in place at either end of the driveway, to make sure no one was ever waiting, and to make sure the guests got gift bags. Scott arrived, and griped about shoes being everywhere. While Tracy dealt with the hand-rolled sushi bar, Scott bitched about equipment being on his stucco. Tracy said they needed to plug in somewhere, and Scott said he wasn’t talking to her; he didn’t want to ruin her day. In Tracy’s interview, she said, as impossible as it felt to create the event, she did it. She told one of her team that it had to function like a normal effing event, or she was going to lose it. She only got one shot. She wanted to make sure the brokers’ clients got a digital key with all the information on a flashdrive. In her interview, she said the digital key was major. It was the only way for the brokers to deliver the material to their clients. Who knew if they’d ever be able to get in again? The Chairman of Douglas Elliman, along with his CEO, showed up, and Tracy said Chairman Howard was the only person she cared about seeing the house. She wanted him to be impressed, since he was connected to the richest people, and her greatest asset. We saw a clip of Tracy consulting Howard when she wanted to take a leap with her business. He told her if she was good at what she did, she’d be good at it no matter what. James and David arrived, and were told not to touch or lean on anything. David James said he’d heard of neurotic, but this took it to a whole new level. Then they discovered the Saran wrapped toilet, and he said there was particular, OCD, and completely effing nuts. He told Tracy the price was an ambitious number, and she’d need a very specific buyer. JoshA and brother Matt got there just as Scott was pulling out to leave.

Josh said they wanted a personal tour from Scott. In his interview, Josh said the last time he was there, he’d told Scott the house was outrageously priced, and a giant waste of his time and money. They’d told each other to f*** off. Scott said he wasn’t doing a tour, and Josh said he thought Scott was going to break the record for days on the market with a house. Inside, Tracy saw Josh talking with Scott, and James said he’d never seen her look nervous before. Matt argued with Scott about his price, and Josh asked how many times he offered to fire Tracy this week. Scott said, three, and Josh said he was getting soft, but he put agents through the ringer. Tracy couldn’t get outside fast enough, and JoshA said they were there to support their girl. He told her that they were proud of her for dealing with this sh*t. In Tracy’s interview, she said she was shocked Scott hadn’t kicked everyone out, and she was keeping her mouth shut. Scott left without further incident, and JoshA told David and James that he’d lasted a week with Scott. David James said some clients just weren’t worth it. Tracy said she separated her personal feelings about the client’s personality from the business deal. In her interview, she said it had been a roller coaster, but outside of JoshA and Matt, most of the people enjoyed the house. James David said he’d needed to pee for the last two hours.

Next time, a house that’s like a resort, JoshF hires some airplane advertising, Tracy has a party, and JoshA argues price with a client.

🏡 A Family Reunites…

Don’t miss OLTL’s Rappaport reunion on Thursday, July 16th.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/one-life-to-live/rappaport-family-reunion

🧹 Go Ask Alice…

Alice was the best, but somehow, she just faded from the GH canvas. I would love to know how she got on the jury for Michael’s trial though.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/alice-gunderson

👠 Smize This…

Looks like Tom is out and Tyra is dancing in. While I find the work impressive, I never really watched DWTS except for when Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) was a contestant. I left when she did.

https://deadline.com/2020/07/dancing-with-the-stars-tyra-banks-host-exec-produce-1202985914/

🎃 You Can’t Keep a Good Boogieman Down…

Unfortunately, there’s not much to it, and you’ll have to wait a year to see the whole movie.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/halloween-kills-trailer-teaser-2021/

💋 Leave My LVP Alone…

How dare anyone pick on Giggy’s mom, She Who Can Do No Wrong?

https://realityblurb.com/2020/07/11/lisa-rinna-trolls-lisa-vanderpump-over-restaurant-closing-plus-see-how-the-rhobh-star-is-responding-to-sarah-paulsons-recent-lvp-shade/

And it’s not the first time.

https://www.realitytea.com/2020/04/17/lisa-rinna-shades-lisa-vandermpump-on-instagram/

👶 Hang On, Baby…

I might not be a fan of Teddi’s, but I’m still hoping for the best.

https://extratv.com/2020/07/07/teddi-mellencamp-reveals-baby-daughter-needs-neurosurgery/

❤️ He Loved New York…

Oh wow. Someone who died under normal circumstances.

https://nypost.com/2020/06/27/milton-glaser-designer-of-i-%E2%99%A5%E2%80%8A-ny-logo-dead-at-91/amp/

👨🏻‍⚖️ I Was Framed, I Tell Ya…

Wow, what a shock that he pleaded not guilty.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/09/ex-of-rhonj-star-dina-manzo-pleads-not-guilty-to-assault/

👩🏾‍🏫 A Gentle Correction…

Great article for when someone doesn’t grasp Black Lives Matter. The house metaphor is excellent.

https://www.purewow.com/wellness/how-to-respond-when-someone-says-all-lives-matter

🙅🏼 You Don’t Got ‘Splainin’ To Do…

I hate when someone tells me, it’s not that bad, so I can’t even imagine.

https://everydayfeminism.com/2016/02/how-people-whitesplain-racism/

👩‍👩‍👦 Stuck In the Middle…

Here we are, midweek again, or it’s the next day, depending on your viewpoint. Try not to let the whiplash of phases get you down. Stay safe, stay well-balanced, and stay keeping your head held high.

Jul11

July 10, 2020 – When Valentin Was Theo, Jill’s Advice, Just Say No, Sit Stay, Dead Return, Join the Morgans, Shore Twinning, Big Idiots, Upcoming Union, a Dozen Grade A Quotes & Dream

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Round, and round, and round it goes. Where it stops is a GH Flashback from July 26th, 2016.

At the MetroCourt bar, Nina showed Carly the progress Crimson had made in finding Josslyn’s kidney donor, by using their website to reach out. Kristina asked Sonny if he could accept and deal with her being gay. Could he accept her? Sonny said it was a lot of information to take in. At Perks, Alexis was freaking out because Kristina hadn’t come home last night, and hadn’t called. She left a message for Kristina, saying she knew Kristina was an adult, but as long as she was under Alexis’s roof, she had to call and say she was all right. Paul showed up, and told Alexis that Julian was being arraigned, and she said she’d be watching while Julian was remanded without bail. Julian was in the hospital, griping about how all of this was driving him and Alexis apart. He said he wasn’t giving up or going to the arraignment, and ripped up his divorce papers. Julian’s henchman came in, and Julian asked about Ava, but the orderly said no one had heard from her. Julian told him to get a dose of the medication that would make him sick, since he needed to stall.

On Cassadine Island in Greece, a load of people – Ava, Laura, Doc (who’d been shot), Lulu, Dante, Sam, and Jason (really Drew who still thought he was Jason) – were being held prisoner by Valentin, who at the time called himself Theo. Nikolas had been with them, but Theo had already shot him and he’d fallen out a window and disappeared (he was later presumed dead until he showed up for Valentin and Nina’s wedding, two years later). Lulu had gotten away through a secret door which led to underground tunnels. Sam and Jason were in a separate room with a guard, and Jason was chained to a chair. They woke up the guard, who told them to be quiet or he’d shoot them. Sam got up to get some water, felt dizzy, and fainted. In another room, Theo told the rest of them that he’d like to let them go, but it was unlikely they’d keep their mouths shut. He asked who wanted to be the first to die, and Lulu showed up with a gun, saying she voted for him. She told him to drop his gun, and order his guard to do the same.

Paul told Alexis that she should concentrate on her own situation. The Bar Association was going to charge her with a violation, as she’d refused to take a deal for Carrrlos in exchange for him testifying against Julian. She hadn’t been acting in the best interest of her client. He suggested she do herself a favor, call Diane and work on a defense strategy. She was looking at disbarment. Kristina told Sonny about her attraction to Parker, but Sonny said he’d known gay guys from his club days in Brooklyn, and they’d all known they were gay early on. Nina read one of the responses to Josslyn’s story to Carly, who said they weren’t a match for Josslyn’s blood type. Even though it wasn’t Josslyn’s donor, Carly still wanted to contact the parents, and tell them how grateful she was for what they’d done.

Lulu said if Theo thought she couldn’t or wouldn’t pull the trigger, he’d be wrong. Theo said if she pulled the trigger, so would he, and asked if she thought she could kill him before he killed her mother. Would she bet Laura’s life on it? Jason told the guard to help Sam, and swore if something happened to her, he’d kill him. Like the Hulk, he broke the arms off the chair, and the chains holding him to it.

Carly told Nina it was a huge undertaking, and Nina volunteered to help her with the follow-ups. Carly said they had a bond, since they’d both made the mistake of dating Franco, but wondered why Nina wanted to help. Nina said it was good for business, and driving traffic to the website, but Carly didn’t buy it. Nina said her chance at being a mom came and went when she was asleep, so it made her feel good to help. It made her feel motherly. Paul went to Julian’s hospital room, and suggested he save the taxpayers some expense, but Julian wanted to prove he was innocent. Paul said he was going to personally oversee Julian’s hospital release, and escort him to the courthouse. Julian would be doing a perp walk, and Paul arranged for press photographers. Julian said his next show with the press would be an apology. Paul said this was just the preliminary round. The main event would be when he took Sonny down. Kristina told Sonny that she’d never felt this way before Parker, who’d helped her after her break-up. Sonny asked if Parker reciprocated, and Kristina said she thought so. Sonny said when Kristina propositioned Parker in exchange for a better grade, Parker had turned her into the administration. Kristina said she’d broken the rules. This was all new to her, and she wondered if they could talk about it. Sonny said if he hadn’t seen Kristina and Parker kissing, would she have told him the truth?

Alexis called Diane, and told her the Ethics Committee and the ABA was coming after her. Diane had to come up with a strategy. Julian was being arraigned, and she needed to be there. She told Diane to send her an email with the precedents on ethics violations. She saw Parker getting coffee at Perks. Sam opened her eyes, and Jason told her that she’d fainted, and gave her some water. She asked how he got free; what happened? He said the chair was old, it broke, and he got free, which didn’t exactly explain how he broke those chains. He told her to stay there, but she said they were in this together. He said she  was the most stubborn person he’d ever met in his life. Theo told Lulu, put the gun down, or watch her mommy die. Lulu lowered the gun, and the guard took it from her. Dante had gotten the guard’s gun, and Theo said that went for him as well. He told Dante and Lulu to hold hands so they could die together. It showed he was merciful.

Paul said he’d gotten Julian dead to rights, and was going to send him to prison. Julian said Paul had obtained his confession illegally, and he was going to get his attorney to suppress it. Paul said Julian was going to answer for his crimes. Julian’s thug, dressed as an orderly, said he needed to check Julian’s vitals. Paul said, it was time for Julian to face justice afterward. Paul left, and the orderly showed Julian a vial. Alexis asked Parker why she was at Perks, and Parker said she was attending a conference at PCU. Alexis said she was at Kristina’s workplace, but Parker said she didn’t know Kristina worked there; she was just there to get coffee. She had no idea why the hostility, and thought they’d found common ground. Alexis told Parker that she’d said she’d stay away from Kristina, yet here she was. Kristina didn’t come home last night, and hadn’t called home. Parker said Kristina was fine, and Alexis asked if Kristina had been with Parker. Parker said they’d spent the night together.

Kristina admitted that Alexis knew months ago, and Sonny asked why she didn’t tell him. Kristina said Alexis had encouraged her to be honest with him, but she didn’t think he’d understand. He was Sonny Corinthos; the real deal. She was his seriously messed up kid, and they couldn’t manage a relationship. She’d been suspended from school, and was constantly questioning who she was. She was scared. He said, of what? Did she think he wouldn’t love her or he would turn his back on her? She told him, yes. Nina told Carly that she had to get back to Crimson before their publisher went to jail. Carly said it would be great to have Julian behind bars, and Nina said she wasn’t going to miss him. Josslyn came in, and on her way out, Nina said Josslyn’s story was an inspiration to her readers – and to her. Carly told Josslyn that Nina was referring to the response to her transplant, and Josslyn said she knew they meant well, but she wanted them to stop the search for her donor.

The orderly told Julian that he could only get one dose, so make it count. Nina came in, and Julian said he couldn’t catch a break. He assumed she was there to gloat, but she said he assumed wrong. It was a document giving her full autonomy over Crimson, in exchange for her silence about acts of corporate sabotage. If he was convicted, she had to protect the magazine. He said he wasn’t going to prison, but she said he couldn’t be too sure. He signed, and she was almost out of the room, but turned around, saying he missed a spot. She bumped into the orderly, and he dropped the vial, spilling what was inside. She said good thing they were at the hospital, and he could get more medication. Kristina told Sonny that she loved him, but sometimes he could be intimidating. He told her, everyone said that, but it wasn’t about him; it was about her, and them together, trying to make it right. She could tell him anything. He might not understand, but they’d work together to figure out where to start. He’d been under the impression that she was more than friends with Aaron. But then she met Parker? Kristina said she liked Aaron, but their relationship was on the surface. She connected on another level with Parker, and never felt a deep connection like this. Sonny said Parker had been Kristina’s professor and mentor, which put Kristina at a disadvantage emotionally. If she wanted to go out with women, fine, but Parker wasn’t right for her. Alexis told Parker that she’d taken advantage of Kristina, but Parker said she hadn’t; Kristina had sought her out. Kristina wanted closure, they talked, and it led to something else. It was innocent. Alexis said, it wasn’t innocent. Parker was an adult in a position of power, and seduced a young, questioning girl. Parker said she and Kristina were both adults and willing participants, and Kristina couldn’t find her identity without exploration. Alexis said it was nice of Parker to take time away from her marriage to be Kristina’s guide. Parker said she was getting a divorce, and Alexis said now she didn’t know if Parker was rebounding, or had convinced herself she cared. Parker said she cared very much about Kristina, and Alexis said she cares about her intern, but doesn’t sleep with him. She wondered if Parker could see a future with Kristina, because Kristina did. She thought Parker should put an end to that fantasy.

Carly told Josslyn it was important to complete her medical records, and Josslyn said it was more important to protect her privacy. Carly was making her life story public. Carly said she didn’t know it was a problem, and Josslyn said it got worse every day. It was bad enough she had a scar, now everyone knows how she got it. Carly said the transplant saved Josslyn’s life, but Josslyn didn’t see why it had to be public knowledge. She hated that kids were talking about her behind her back. Carly said she was sorry people were so stupid and ignorant, and Josslyn said she wanted to go back to when it was normal. Carly said they needed the information, but Josslyn said the longer she went without a recurrence, the longer it was certain she’d be fine. She said if Carly didn’t stop the search, the next time she visited her dad, she was staying and never coming home again.

Sam and Jason came in, and overtook Theo and the guards. Theo took off, and Jason and Dante disarmed the guards, then Jason went off to find Theo. The guards were tied up, and locked in a room. Lulu hugged Dante, and said she’d gotten scared when the guard took him away. He asked where she’d gotten a gun, and she said she’d knocked out a guard, but he could be awake by now. She flashed back to going through the tunnel, and finding remains. Laura said Doc saved her life. Theo was going to shoot her, and Doc got in the way. Ava suggests they get the hell out of there, but Sam wanted to wait for Jason. Lulu said, he’d saved their lives, but Ava said they didn’t want to give that maniac a chance to do to them what he’d done to Doc and Nikolas. Jason tore through the house, looking for Theo, but he was gone.

Carly said she needed to safeguard Josslyn’s health, but Josslyn said her dad was on her side. Carly said there were no sides, and Josslyn said, her privacy versus Carly’s public quest. Carly said she almost lost Josslyn once, she wasn’t losing her again, but Josslyn asked if Carly every thought about how it affected her. Carly said she did, but she was the adult, and had to make decisions Josslyn might not like. That was a parent’s job. Josslyn said it wasn’t fair. Carly was so afraid of losing her that she was hurting her. Julian put the final signature on the document, and told Nina, go. Nina said he was rude, and not to expect her to visit him in Pentenville. Julian told the orderly that he needed to get another vial, but the orderly said he didn’t know where they were kept. It was too late, because Paul came in, and said Julian was cleared to leave the hospital. His arraignment awaited. Carly called Nina, and told her to call off the search, and remove it from the website. She couldn’t get into it; just do it. Parker told Alexis, she couldn’t break things off with Kristina just like that, and Alexis told her, do right thing and save Kristina hurt down the road. If she cared about Kristina, walk away. Parker said she didn’t want to hurt Kristina, and Alexis said she should have thought about that before she set this in motion. She needed to end it, and Alexis would help Kristina pick up the pieces. Kristina told Sonny that he didn’t have to worry, but he said he always would. She was his little girl, and he’d never give up on her – ever. She said he didn’t answer when she asked if he could accept a gay daughter, and Sonny said she was his daughter. There was no question – no matter what.

Carly apologized to Josslyn, and said her story would be removed from the website, and Josslyn thanked her. Josslyn went off to get some ice cream, and Sonny came in, followed by Nina. Nina said she’d concluded her business with Julian. She passed Paul on the way out; he was there to slap the cuffs on Julian personally, and roll him out the door. Sonny said that was good news. Nina told Carly that she’d thought some more about how they could zero in on the donor, but then Carly called off the search. Carly said Josslyn felt her privacy was being violated, so it would be removed from the website, while they discreetly continued. Nina left, and Sonny asked if Carly thought that was a good idea. Carly said she knew what was best, and Josslyn would come around when they found her donor.

Josslyn called Jax and said he was wrong. Her mom got why she was upset, and promised to drop the search. She handled it. Carly asked why Sonny was so blue. Kristina saw Alexis at Perks, and apologized for not calling; she’d gotten busy. Alexis said she was worried, but she knew Kristina had been with Parker. Kristina asked if Sonny told her, and Alexis was surprised that Sonny knew. Kristina said he saw her with Parker. Alexis asked how it went, and Kristina said, better than she thought it would. Sonny told Carly that he’d talked to Kristina, and she’d come out to him. Kristina told Alexis that she was glad she’d told Sonny the truth. It was a lot for him to process, but he still loved her. Alexis said, of course (🍷) he did, and Kristina asked how Alexis knew she was with Parker. Alexis said she ran into Parker at Perks, and Kristina said they made each other happy, and they were going to figure out what happened next together. Meanwhile Parker was writing a letter to Kristina saying, I’m sorry. I can’t.

Jason told the others that Theo was gone. He’d barricaded himself in a room, and by the time Jason broke in, Theo had disappeared. He said they were getting out, and they started to leave. Lulu didn’t want to leave Nikolas, but Laura said Doc needed help, and they had to get back to Spencer. In the tunnel, Theo made a call, and said the guests weren’t leaving alive.

🗽 So Says Jill…

Interesting how Jill thinks Kyle should leave a franchise she so desperately wants to go back to.

https://people.com/tv/kyle-richards-responds-to-jill-zarin-comments-about-her-marriage/

📍 Can’t Say I Blame Her…

Mo’Nique was smart enough to never go there in the first place.

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/monique-addressed-rumors-she-might-replace-nene-leakes-on-the-real-housewives-of-atlanta/

💵 Positive Reinforcement…

It’s come to this. The same kind of training I use with my dogs.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/07/networks-offering-reality-tv-stars-good-behavior-bonuses-to-not-slur-feud/

⚰️ When There’s No More Room In Hell…

When will The Walking Dead return is still anybody’s guess, but Negan has a few thoughts.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-season-10-finale-showrunner-angela-kang/

👩🏽‍💻 This Might Be Old News…

I hadn’t heard about Friday Night In with the Morgans, but I’ve been a little busy. It looks like fun, and you can stream full episodes from AMC’s website.

https://www.tvinsider.com/936393/friday-night-in-with-the-morgans-jeffrey-dean-morgan-hilarie-burton/

🏖 Attack Of the Shore Clones…

I don’t know if it’s me or what, but all these meatballs girls look alike.

https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/jersey-shores-angelina-slams-deena-over-wedding-and-baptism-drama/

🏡 Oh Happy Day…

That was sarcasm. I don’t know if bringing this show back is a good idea. And I don’t mean because of the pandemic.

https://tvdeets.com/full-production-on-big-brother-to-resume-this-august

💍 Where Reality Meets Talk…

Mazel Tov!

https://tvdeets.com/rich-kids-of-beverly-hills-morgan-stewart-engagement

And apparently, Jordan isn’t doing too badly.

https://www.inquisitr.com/6149800/morgan-stewart-engagement-ring-cost/

https://www.brides.com/story/rich-kids-of-beverly-hills-morgan-stewart-engagement-ring

Since they didn’t really give you a closer look.

MorganSRing

📡 Quotes of the Week

The time is always right to do what is right. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict—alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence. – Dorothy Thompson

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. – Muhammad Ali

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. – Indira Gandhi

Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together. – Eugene Ionesco

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

The bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep. – E. Cossman (Or sometimes a good stiff drink…)

You never know how or when you’ll have an impact, or how important your example can be to someone else. – Denzel Washington

I would put on my old uniform and go to war all over again to protect the right of Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump to say offensive things on TV and Twitter. – Sen. Tammy Duckworth, responding in The New York Times to Carlson and Trump’s attacks on her patriotism

There’s not enough wine for this show. – Cynthia Decker, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiance Happily Ever After

Those French fries are so old, they’ve had birthdays. – Robert Springs, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiance Happily Ever After

One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings. – Franklin Thomas

🤿 Here We Go Again…

Get your mask on and do something different, whether or not you call this a weekend. It’s been another long week for me, waiting on test results for one of the dogs, and hoping for a (technically) negative outcome. I have several who are the same age, and they all seem to be reaching that age. See you on Monday-really-Tuesday, and meanwhile, stay safe, stay hoping for the best, and stay holding your fluffballs close.

Jul10

July 9, 2020 – When Sonny Hired Theo, GH Bios, Berkshires Redux, Returning, Robin Goes Blonde, Too Many Goodbyes, Pandemically Effected, 21 Years, Latest Bat & You

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

The Flashback hand we were dealt today was January 6th, 2011. I was on a phone call for the first half, but I’ll piece that together as best I can.

A bit of the backstory. Because of a mix-up, Maya and Ethan were married, but they didn’t live together, and Edward had offered them a million dollars on their first anniversary. Steven Webber had organized a ski trip, and the bus had an accident. Olivia and Morgan were badly hurt; Kristina was hurt; Michael had been slightly injured; and Kristina’s friend Ali and the driver had been killed. Brenda had killed Anton/Aleksander an international crime lord’s son, and Dante helped cover it up. The crime lord Theo was also a lawyer, and had weaseled his way into working for Diane. Not coincidentally, Sonny ended up hiring him for Dante and Brenda. D’oh! Which brings us to today’s Flashback.

Diane thought it should be a slam-dunk that Brenda shot Anton, but Theo said her ties to Sonny cast doubt on her. Spinelli came into the office and sneezed, freaking Theo out. Spinelli said his hygiene was above reproach, and Theo said that kind of thinking led to pandemics. (Did they search through every episode to find this reference?) Diane hustled him out, saying she’d check in with him later at his office. (He was working with Sam at the time.)

OG Edward talked to Maya and Ethan about their future, and Maya thought Edward was planning on roping Ethan into the family business, which Ethan wasn’t keen on. He told them they’d have to live together though, and they planned to move into the Quartermaine mansion. Edward said Tracy and Luke were on their honeymoon, so they’d have the run of the place. That was not to be, as Tracy came back, saying, Luke decided to skip the honeymoon and go straight to grand larceny.

Terrell Jackson saw Robin at the hospital, and said he had an appointment with Steven Webber. Robin said they’d been swamped because of the bus accident, but Steven came by with Patrick, introducing Patrick to Terrell. It turned out Terrell was a pediatric doctor who had helped with the bus crash. Terrell said he was there to interview for a position at the hospital. When Steven left with Terrell to do the interview, Terrell and Lisa gave each other the soap eye from across the room. Patrick told Robin that he was frustrated because he wasn’t able to save Ali. Robin told him that he wasn’t God, and Patrick said he respected what she had to say. She wondered why he was being so nice (they were separated at the time). Patrick asked Robin out on a date, but she took a raincheck because she wanted to be cautious.

Kristina was still in the hospital, and Sonny came by her room. She told him that she felt responsible for Ali’s death, since she’d pressured Ali to go on the trip. Sonny said he knew what it was like to lose a friend, and told her about Stone. Kristina admitted that she’d wanted Ali to come because she wanted Michael to see that Ali was better for him than the girl he was seeing, who was too old for him. Michael visited Morgan, who had a broken leg, and Morgan wanted Michael to help him get Carly to stop worrying. Carly overheard him and said that wasn’t going to happen. Morgan thanked Michael for saving him, and Michael was all humble. Carly said they should let Morgan get some rest. In the hallway, Carly said she sensed there was more to Michael and Abby’s relationship than being friends. Michael accused her of being judgmental, and said she didn’t get to choose who he hung around with.

Theo went to Morgan’s hospital room, introducing himself as the lawyer who was going to protect Dante and Brenda. He intimated that Sonny was ignoring Morgan’s present situation of a broken tibia. He told Morgan that his son had been killed, and it opened his eyes to the temporary nature of life. He said, no one has as much time as they think they do, and no one’s loved ones are safe. Morgan said his father spent a lot of time and money keeping his kids safe, and Theo said it was fortunate Morgan didn’t get hurt worse in the bus accident. He was sure Morgan’s father would be devastated if he lost Morgan.

Edward said Luke was up to his old tricks, and Maya said, Luke and Tracy’s marriage barely lasted a week. Tracy said she wasn’t divorcing Luke, she just wasn’t saving him. She thought Prague was a perfect place for a honeymoon, but he’d thought it was the perfect place for a diamond heist. He tried to steal a fortune without warning her, and she hoped he got caught. Edward said you could steal scotch and diamonds, or pursue a lucrative legal way get what you want. He suggested he teach Ethan, who said he’d think about it. Dante was at an unconscious Olivia’s bedside, when Theo showed up. He told Dante that he was the lawyer who was hired to defend him and Brenda. They would have to answer for killing a man. Sonny arrived and told Theo, not now, and to leave Dante alone.

At the hospital, Steven Webber hired new doctor Terrell on a trial basis. He could see if he liked the position, and it would give him time to think. Robin introduced herself, and welcomed him. He asked for a lay of the land, and who to avoid, but Robin said she couldn’t be objective. He said, no matter where you went, somebody was bad news, and Lisa walked in. Theo told Sonny that Dante and Brenda would be charged for wrongful death, but Sonny said Dante’s mother might die, and Theo’s timing wasn’t good. Theo said they didn’t have the luxury of time. Things would proceed regardless. Sonny said he paid Theo to do what he needed him to, and he said he was the man who could save Sonny’s son and fiancé. Gratitude might be in order. It smelled of collusion and a cover-up; like Dante had used his badge to help Brenda get away with murder. That was the case the other side would make, and Dante needed to cooperate. Sonny said Dante was wondering if his mother would live or die. He paid Theo a fortune to do what he needed done, and unless they were dragging Brenda off in chains, leave his son alone. Theo understood, and said they had more in common than Sonny realized.

Patrick congratulated Terrell, and Terrell said he was going to be in pediatrics. Maybe Patrick could give him a rundown of the staff. Patrick suggested he not mess with head nurse Epiphany. He told Terrell that Robin was a researcher extraordinaire, and don’t mess with her family. Robin said Patrick never met a patient didn’t want to cut, but his skills surpassed his ego. Terrell thought it was cool that they were married and on staff together, but Robin said they were separated. Terrell apologized, but she said he had no way of knowing.

Michael came into Kelly’s and saw his more-than-a-friend Abby. She said she’d heard about he bus crash, and that it had people from GH on it. She felt bad because she’d convinced him to go. She said she ran to the hospital, since she couldn’t rest until she knew he was okay. He told her Ali didn’t make it. When Abby showed up at the hospital, he’d just been thinking about her, and there she was. She said she needed to know he was alive. She hadn’t realized it, but she sat next to Michael’s father. She hoped it was okay that she told Sonny they were friends.

Carly said she and Sonny needed to talk about Michael. He asked if she was worried about how Michael had handled the crash, but she said it was his new friend Abby. Abby was ten years older than Michael, and he was tutoring her in math. She saw them hug in the ER, and it was a hug hug. She was older, and she was serious about him. Johnny came by, and wondered why Olivia had been going on a ski trip, and Carly said she’d been asked to go at the last minute.

Lisa told Terrell to follow her, and when they were alone, he said she wasn’t winning at being Miss Popularity. She said she’d made mistakes, but there was plenty of blame to go around. He asked why he was there, and Lisa said she wanted him to seduce Robin. Not that she’s not lovely, but the words seduce and Robin just don’t fit in the same sentence for me. Diane went to Spinelli’s office, and asked why she was there. He said he was haunted by her prose; she was a dynamic wordsmith. He couldn’t imagine she was content doing legal briefs. She said she’d shelved her creative writing since college, and he said he had an offer where she could fully express herself. She could chronical The Jackal, PI. She laughed, and asked if he was serious. Johnny came by Olivia’s room, and Dante asked if he wanted to spend time with her. Johnny told Dante that Olivia had broken up with him because of the life he’d chosen to lead. When she woke up, she’d be happy to see Dante. They shouldn’t take their mothers for granted. Dante told Olivia that her ex didn’t appreciate her, and he hoped she didn’t think her son was like that. He cried, and Olivia patted his head. She asked him what was the matter, and he said, nothing.

Abby told Michael that his father was a nice man. She was worried and nervous, and he’d asked who she was waiting for, and she told him, Michael. Small world. Michael said he was glad she got to meet Sonny. She said he figured out that she was a dancer quickly; he told her that he’d run a strip club. Michael said Sonny understood, and wanted Michael to do what made him happy. Abby asked what that was, and he said, right now, it was sitting with her. Having breakfast would be even better.

Carly told Sonny that Michael and Abby were more than friends, and Abby was the last person Michael should be friends with. She must be after his money. Sonny said she wasn’t; she had a job. He met her at the hospital when they were both waiting, and she seemed nice. Carly couldn’t believe Sonny was okay with it, and he said what he wasn’t okay with was Michael hanging out at Bond’s. Carly asked if Abby was a stripper, and Sonny said she was a dancer. Carly said, this is not happening.

🔎 Giving You a Clue…

Some of these characters haven’t been around in ages, and made their appearances at times I wasn’t watching the show. If you’re like me or need a refresher course, here’s Theo:

https://www.soapcentral.com/gh/whoswho/theo.php

Lisa:

https://www.soapcentral.com/gh/whoswho/lisa.php

And Abby:

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/abby-haver-andrea-bogart

The Real Housewives of New York City

Dorinda is at her house in the Berkshires. She calls Sonja, and gets voicemail. She tells Sonja she’s at Bluestone Manor; it’s all done. It’s cozy, and Sonja can have her own room. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, it’s the start of a new life. In the Berkshires, she has the opportunity to exhale. She’s excited to show the girls. It’s her house, and she made it through. She tries Leah next, and the mailbox is full. She calls LuAnn, gets voicemail; ditto Ramona, and she says she’s feeling like a loser, She calls Elyse and again gets voicemail. She says, loser. It’s official. Elyse visits Sonja, and says she needed to regroup after the Halloween party. She’s surprised Sonja remembered it. In her interview, Elyse says, it’s a small town, and Sonja was one of the wild girls running around the East Side. She was a wild girl running around on the periphery, and that’s how they met. Sonja shows Elyse some old pictures, and her Blue Book. We flash back to the night of 1985 is over, and in her interview, Sonja explains that there’s a Blue Book for every major city, and no one can take that away from her. I actually had one of those once. My sister and I snuck into an abandoned house, looking for treasures – well, she was actually looking for old doorknobs – and that’s what I came away with. Elyse asks what Sonja remembers best about the Halloween party. Sonja says she was home with her glam team, it had been a busy week, they had a kiki, and she came in hot and on fire. Elyse wonders what was going on with Ramona, and Sonja says, Dorinda blocked her. Elyse says someone told her Ramona was crying, but Ramona wouldn’t let Elyse sit next to her, and she had to leave; Elyse wasn’t her friend. In Elyse’s interview, she says she feels horrible, but she doesn’t understand it, so she’s angry now. Ramona is not her friend. Sonja says she knows what Ramona has been through and she’s reactive, but Ramona has to understand not to treat people like that. Elyse tells her about Ramona coming over, and making a show of taking her swim cover-up off in front of Elyse’s husband, and then giving him a shoulder massage. Elyse says if she did that to Ramona, Ramona would punch her out. Sonja says she’s getting creepy curly sensations.

Leah meets LuAnn for shopping, and in her interview, she says she’s hungover AF, and LuAnn looks like a fresh flower. Ramona joins them, and LuAnn asks, what happened last night? We flash back to Dorinda calling out Ramona. Ramona says she loves Dorinda, and loves having Dorinda in her life, but Dorinda is mourning her husband’s death for the first time. She went straight to John, and she’s mad at Richard for dying. LuAnn thinks Ramona rubbed her the wrong way, and Leah thinks it was the Larry Scott thing. LuAnn says, Dorinda thought Ramona wanted them there for pictures, so she could get a party for free. Leah says, it looked like Ramona was using them, and ignoring that possibility, Ramona says maybe Dorinda was mad because it wasn’t her birthday party, and she didn’t have friends to invite to one. In Ramona’s interview, she says she has a whole world without them, and they resent it. The women try on jackets, and Leah says Rob is under the weather, so she’s keeping Kier at her house. In Leah’s interview, she says, it’s hard to keep up with these women. LuAnn says she wants to have a good time in the Berkshires, and suggests they make the trip about having a good time. It was a disaster last night; they were at each other’s throats. Ramona says, not her, and LuAnn says she was pushing Dorinda’s buttons. Ramona says, Dorinda is a loose cannon, and she doesn’t know what sets Dorinda off. It’s scary. LuAnn tells her that Dorinda says the same thing about her, and Ramona brought Missy to the party, which hurt LuAnn’s feelings. She needs to work it out with old friends.

Dorinda tells housekeeper Len not to wait on the women. She makes Len practice, using roleplaying. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, Ramona always has an agenda. She figures out how to look her best while making everyone else look worse. The end point is me, me, me. She tells Len not to smile. She’s the soldier in charge. Sonja and Leah arrive, but the door isn’t open and there’s no answer. Dorinda is busy inside, telling Len she found an oyster plate, and there’s so much stuff she could open up her own store in the house. She says when she goes, it will probably all get thrown away. Sonja and Leah go through the back door, and surprise Dorinda, who’s in the kitchen, and happy that they’re early. In Leah’s interview, she says, the Upper East Side way of country living is not the way outsiders rough it. Dorinda said she’d moved all of Rich’s stuff downstairs when he died, and it was all filled with water when she was flooded. It feels like a different energy now. She used to be afraid to be there by herself at night, but now she’s more alive and awake. Leah tells her, everything is beautiful, and Dorinda says she loves the kitchen; it’s her retreat. We flash back to her making it nice. When she shows them the dining room, we return to Sonja screaming, don’t touch the Morgan letters! Dorinda says she got a new rug, and we revisit Coco pooping on the old one. She says Leah is in the Moroccan room, and in her interview, Dorinda says she doesn’t even go in there. She might as well keep it locked. Must be nice to have a house that big. As long as you have a Len.

In the car, Ramona tells LuAnn that she doesn’t know why Dorinda is angry. She loses it for no reason. In Ramona’s interview, she says, Dorinda gets angry, blows up, feels bad about it, and then pretends nothing is wrong. She’ll give Dorinda some beautiful flowers, and move on. She tells LuAnn that she’s really hurt, even though Dorinda didn’t mean it. LuAnn says she should have a separate birthday party for Dorinda, and Ramona says she and LuAnn think alike. Hardly. Even LuAnn isn’t that self-centered and man hungry. LuAnn says Ramona is getting sharper in her old age. Her vocabulary needs work, but what would they do without Ramonaisms? As they come toward the house, LuAnn remarks on what a gorgeous day it is. Ramona calls the foliage, foilage. When they get inside, LuAnn says she loves the carpeting, and Ramona says, it’s so rich looking. Ramona gives Dorinda the flowers, and says she wants to make peace. In her interview, Ramona says she’s willing to let it go. Dorinda is going through something, and she’s mad at life. She feels like life has cheated her. Ramona gets very excited at having thought of this theory. Dorinda says she’ll give them a quick tour, then they’ll have a great lunch. LuAnn is once again put in the fish room. It’s been totally redecorated, but Dorinda has put the shark in the bed. LuAnn says she gets to sleep with sharks, then makes out with it. In LuAnn’s interview, she says Dorinda has done a lot of work to make it look new and improved. It’s Bluestone Manor on steroids. Dorinda says she has a friend for Ramona too, and the swordfish has been placed in Ramona’s bed. In Ramona’s interview, she says she believes in positive energy. If she’s positive, Dorinda will be positive back. Yeah. Until the alcohol is brought out.

In the kitchen, Leah shows LuAnn a social media post from Elyse. She’s posted her picture, writing, it’s all fun and games until someone pisses me off. Leah wonders what she means, and LuAnn says, Ramona. Dorinda says, Ramona blocked Elyse, then corrects herself, saying Ramona unfollowed her. LuAnn says, those are two different things. In her interview, LuAnn says, Dorinda knows Elyse has an issue with Ramona, and she’s one more pawn in Dorinda’s game of chess. Leah says, with friends like Ramona, who needs enemies? Dorinda gets ready to serve Asian chicken for lunch, and the women sit at the table. Elyse arrives, and in Dorinda’s interview, she says, Ramona has a rule book Elyse has to follow, and she’s not following it, so she’s out. Leah announces that she slept with a guy who had one ball. It was a one and done. In her interview, Dorinda says, it feels like a release. The women have heard about what she’s been doing with the house, and now they can see she actually did it. She asks Elyse if she’s talked to Ramona, and Elyse says she will at some point. Ramona wants to pretend it didn’t happen, but it did. She felt betrayed. Dorinda says she would have been heartbroken. In her interview, LuAnn says, Dorinda won’t miss an opportunity to watch Ramona squirm. Elyse says she wasn’t invited to Omar’s (the party Ramona left LuAnn’s party for).

Ramona says she was going out with other girls she hasn’t seen in twelve years. Elyse says, it’s a club. What difference would it have made if she’d joined them? In Elyse’s interview, she says, Ramona has a reputation of blowing up friendships, and making people feel insignificant. That was accomplished. Ramona tells Elyse to lower her voice, claiming it triggers her about her father, even though Elyse isn’t talking that loudly. She suggests she and Elyse have a conversation in the other room. In Leah’s interview, she says Ramona played the victim in Rhode Island. We flash back to Ramona accusing Leah of triggering her. Ramona tells Elyse that she should be on her own, and develop friendships organically. In her interview, Leah says she doesn’t like gaslighting, and she’s not letting Elyse be another victim. She sits with Elyse and Ramona, and the other women follow. So much for privacy. Ramona says if she has a conflict, she prefers dealing with it one on one. She doesn’t get involved, or take sides. Elyse says they talk all the time, and now Ramona has a problem with her friendship. In Dorinda’s interview, as LuAnn predicted, she says she’s enjoying watching Ramona squirm. She has nowhere to go. Ramona says she’s sorry Elyse feels this way, and Elyse says she isn’t sorry. Ramona says it’s not her job to make Elyse comfortable. Nice. Elyse says it’s Ramona’s job to treat her with respect. She couldn’t even answer when Elyse asked if she was a good friend. Ramona says she’d had a major altercation with Dorinda, who’s narcistic. Dorinda corrects her, saying, narcissistic, for which I’m grateful. Elyse says Ramona compartmentalizes, and Ramona says she’s not talking in front of everyone. She starts to leave the room, and Elyse says she’s running away, but Ramona says she doesn’t want to have a conflict in front of everyone. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, Ramona is the queen of scene, and we flash back to several of those. Ramona and Elyse end up in the kitchen, and Ramona says they don’t need an audience. She was disappointed at the Halloween party. Dorinda is going through sh*t, and went off. She wanted to cry, so she left the room.

Dorinda tells LuAnn and Leah about Ramona saying she was drunk. In LuAnn’s interview, she says it’s weird for her to back up Ramona, but she’s been on the other side, and Dorinda needs to understand that she went too far. LuAnn says she wants to be honest, because she loves Dorinda, and Dorinda tells her, be careful. In Leah’s interview, she says she loves Dorinda, but she’s not speaking the truth to her. She’ll get her head chopped off, like in a communist regime. LuAnn says she’s far from perfect, but it felt dark. We revisit Dorinda’s diatribe at the table, telling Ramona that she’s not nice. Dorinda tells LuAnn, don’t go there, and LuAnn says she’s not defending Ramona. Dorinda says Ramona was yelling in front of the group, you’re drunk! In the kitchen, Elyse says she’d thought they were close, and Ramona says she has fifty close friends. Elyse says, maybe Ramona is naïve. She has a lot of social friends. Yeah, it’s more like Ramona has friends who are over fifty. Ramona says she appreciates what Elyse has done for her, and jets out of the kitchen. Elyse says she’s running away again.

LuAnn says, Ramona is in the hot seat. Elyse and Ramona come back, and Leah asks what Ramona said to Dorinda. Ramona acts like she didn’t say anything. Dorinda says Ramona doesn’t seem to feel happy with them anymore. She didn’t even care that they were with her at Larry Scott’s warehouse. Ramona says she was on a sugar high. In Sonja’s interview, she says, that’s a lame-ass excuse. Ramona wanted a group photo to get LuAnn and Sonja’s Instagram followers for Larry Scott. Dorinda says the group loves Ramona, and Ramona tells them that she has nothing to say. Somehow, things are suddenly okay, and she and Dorinda hug. In Dorinda’s interview, she says she’ll give Ramona a break, but maybe Ramona will think twice before calling her drunk or trying to pull the wool over her eyes. Doubtful. In Ramona’s interview, she says she was aggressive with Dorinda, but didn’t regret it. Told you. Elyse hugs Ramona, and Ramona says she’s sorry she made Elyse feel that way.

LuAnna says Dorinda gave in quick, and Dorinda says she doesn’t want to fight. She wants a fun girls weekend. In her interview, she says they keep having the same fight over and over, with no resolution. Dorinda tells Ramona, be peaceful. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, Ramona has a different personality for each occasion, and she’s all Mrs. Posh now. Ramona says she’d been spending weekends alone in the Hamptons, and she’s good with it. Dorinda says Ramona needs someone to love her for her. They’re financially independent, and a strong man says, you do you. She tells Ramona, there are very few strong men, and Ramona says she’s come to terms with it, and choses herself. Dorinda says, all you need is one. In Ramona’s interview, she says she doesn’t know how not to need a man. She met two men at the party who sort of meet her criteria, and they called to ask her out. Sonja suggests ordering pizza and going to bed early. LuAnn says, what about Chinese? and Dorinda gets out Twister. Leah says she won’t throw anything tonight. In Leah’s interview, she says they’re confined to a house with a lot of glass and breakables. She knows herself. If she turns it up, sh*t will get broken, and she doesn’t want to do that. Everyone comments on how great Sonja’s ass is. Sonja says, with an ass like this, why should she have to work? In Sonja’s interview, she says her ass is better than the townhouse. Nobody can take this away.

LuAnn tells the women that she and Sonja are doing a show. Sonja whines that LuAnn never pays her. In her interview, Sonja says, it’s not that she doesn’t have a good time doing the show, but she has a family to support. People depend on her. Besides LuAnn. LuAnn says she wants Sonja to be part of the show because she loves her, and Sonja says LuAnn wants to exploit her. LuAnn is taken aback, and says she doesn’t need Sonja. She can go screw herself. She says Sonja gets $225, and Sonja gripes that the other people in the show get more. LuAnn says she loves Sonja, but she’s not a Broadway actor. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she has Broadway actors and comics. She’s not paying Sonja more to take off her dress. Sonja says LuAnn is being mean, and LuAnn says she loves Sonja. Sonja says she doesn’t, and LuAnn wants her for free. LuAnn says if Sonja loves being in the show, great, but she doesn’t need her. Sonja whines that LuAnn made her feel unappreciated, and LuAnn has enough, saying she doesn’t want Sonja in the show. LuAnn walks out of the room, mumbling that she has her own cabaret show, it’s huge, and Sonja is not going to be a part of it. She tried to include her, and Sonja made her feel bad about it. She’s done. Ramona follows her, and LuAnn adds, bitch. In Dorinda’s interview, she wonders where the good time went. In Leah’s interview, she says that’s the diva she’s heard about, but hasn’t seen. Sonja cries, while Elyse, Dorinda, and Leah comfort her.  LuAnn tells Ramona that Sonja doesn’t understand. She loves Sonja. Ramona says LuAnn is missing the point, and LuAnn says she doesn’t need Sonja in the show. She does a great job on her own, and she’s successful. Does Sonja think LuAnn needs her? Ramona says she’s seen the show, and LuAnn almost seems drunk. She says she’s giving Sonja a chance because she loves her. She wanted to make it fun, but if Sonja thinks she’ll be the star, she’s sadly mistaken.

Dorinda tells Sonja that LuAnn doesn’t love her right now, and Sonja continues to cry. Dorinda says she’ll stand up for Sonja. She’s a warrior, and Sonja is weak. Sonja says she’s not, and Dorinda strides off. In Leah’s interview, she says she knew Dorinda was a white witch, but she needs to sage the sh*t out of Bluestone Manor. LuAnn says Sonja is being horrible right now, and Dorinda finds her. She says Sonja is crying. Shame on her. LuAnn asks, why? and Dorinda says Sonja is her friend. She stood by LuAnn on her journey to sobriety. We flash back to Sonja being supportive, and LuAnn asks if Dorinda is saying she owes Sonja, and Dorinda says she’s saying to stand by her. Be nice. LuAnn suggests Dorinda not get involved. Sonja wails that she was just asking for money. Elyse asks why Sonja is so upset, and in her interview, she says, it’s officially what you call off the effing rails. LuAnn says she never wants to see Sonja even at the show. She’s worthless. She’s not coming to the show ever. Now there’s a real threat.

Next time, Dorinda calls LuAnn a drunken fool, Ramona deals with a clogged toilet, Heather Thompson makes an appearance, and Leah announces she’s the only one with a period.

🥂  The Real Housewives of Potomac begin their new season on August 2nd, and it’s confirmed that the Shah’s of Sunset will be reuniting on July 19th. I’m thrilled. Obviously, I have no life.

👩🏼  Fun fact. Even though I’ve seen it a dozen times – it was a favorite of kids I used to take care of – I never noticed that Kimberly McCullough (Robin, GH) was in Legally Blonde.

☄️ Fallen Stars…

This is weirding me out. Over 90 already. The Roll Call of the Celebrity Dead is going to be long this year.

https://www.tvguide.com/galleries/celebrity-deaths-2020/?ftag=NLS-04-10aaa2i

📺 Anything But the TV…

Although this opens the door to a whole new reality franchise.

https://www.theringer.com/tv/2020/7/7/21315197/pandemic-tv-coronavirus-effects-2020

💋 Posh As Hell…

I love Victoria Beckham. She has a wicked sense of humor. And face it, if she could snag David, she’s got something going on.

https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/david-beckham-victoria-beckham-21st-anniversary-instagram-posts

🦇 The Latest In Bat News…

A new Batwoman is in town.

https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/javicia-leslie-batwoman-ruby-rose

🎁 That’s a Wrap…

More tea tomorrow, taxes took time today. How’s that for alliteration? Hopefully, yours were done pandemic ages ago. Stay safe, stay rolling with the punches, and stay gathering no moss.

Jul9

July 8, 2020 – When Michael Got Sentenced, About Claire, a Bit of Shirley, A Night In Capri Turns Stormy, Pressured, Ramona’s Test, New Digs For Vicki, Caroline Speaks, Concert Redo, Tavern Survival, Phaedra Directs, a Puppy, a Career & Odd

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

As Ferris Bueller said, GH moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and flash back once in a while, you could miss it. Today, what we didn’t miss was May 7th, 2010.

Prosecutor Claire said Jax knew Michael was innocent, and if she went down, she was dragging him with her. She didn’t have much sympathy for the man who almost torpedoed her career. He asked if she didn’t think the judge would go easy on Michael, and she said she didn’t see why not. Judge Carroll was a lot angrier with them than with Michael. She thought it was realistic to expect a suspended sentence, but it was a felony conviction, and Michael would have it hanging over him for the rest of his life. Her phone rang, and she told Jax that the judge was ready to sentence Michael.

At Crimson, Maxie told Lulu that she didn’t know what it was like to be a pariah. Maxie did, and she didn’t recommend it. Lulu stuck by her boyfriend, and now Michael was in lock-up. Lulu thought he judge was just trying to scare Michael, and Maxie said she was sorry she hadn’t called Jason before Dante talked to Michael. Lulu said Dante was only doing the right thing; the secret had been killing Michael. Maxie said he could end up in Pentenville, but Lulu insisted that he would get a suspended sentence. Dante had said Michael would be able to start a new life away from the mob and Sonny. Maxie said the opposite of what Dante wanted could happen, but Lulu said Dante was saving Michael, and one day everyone would understand why she took his side, and be grateful to him. At the courthouse, Carly told Jason that Morgan wanted to have a party for Michael’s homecoming, but she’d told him that they’d have to wait and see. Morgan thought Michael was coming home right away, thanks to Dante. Jason said Dante shouldn’t have promised that Michael would come home. Dante arrived, and asked Carly to hear him out about Michael.

Outside of Kelly’s, Morgan, Kristina, and Molly were conferring about Michael, and Molly asked if they thought he was getting out. Kristina thought it was unrealistic to think he would right away, but Morgan said, Dante promised. Olivia and Johnny came into Kelly’s, but Johnny’s phone rang as soon as they sat down. He said he’d be right there, and told Olivia that he would be allowed to speak before Michael was sentenced. Maxie told Lulu that she was being too optimistic. Maxie had ended up in Shadybrook because she went along with a cover-up, and let someone she loved take the fall. She had to own up to it, and Michael will have to also. Olivia phoned Lulu, and told her Dante could use her support. Dante told Carly, he hoped when this was over, they’d understand he was right. Carly said he gave snitch a whole new meaning, and had turned it into an art. He lied to her kids when he was working against their father. He lied when he said Sonny didn’t shoot him, and if he’d told the truth, they wouldn’t be there. Dante said the guilt had been tearing Michael apart, and Carly asked why Dante didn’t give him time to come forward himself. Dante said it was his job as a police officer to tell the truth, and Carly said, he told the truth when it was convenient or it made him look good. She said Michael would have turned himself in when he came back, but Dante couldn’t wait to grandstand. Dante said she could have saved Michael all this trouble, but he thought the judge would see Michael as a victim, and give him a chance to build his life again. It was the best thing that could have happened to him. Sonny told Dante, stop talking now. He asked Dante why he was lecturing Carly about what Michael needed; he didn’t know Michael, and had been too busy proving Sonny wrong to protect him. Maybe Sonny didn’t deserve a better son than Dante, but Michael deserved a better brother. Morgan, Molly, and Kristina snuck into the courthouse. Morgan wondered if they could get take-out pizza tonight, and Molly said she thought they were overlooking that everyone hated Dante. Morgan said they wouldn’t after today. Lulu joined Dante, and said she believed in what he was doing. He told her, when the judge gave Michael a suspended sentence, they’d see, and she said it was the right thing for her to be there to take his side, especially with Carly there. She wasn’t going to apologize for loving him. Everyone went into the courtroom, and Carly said it was so wrong. Sonny said, no matter what, they wanted Michael to know they were there to support him.

Elizabeth went to Shirley’s (Michael Learned) hospital room, and Shirley said Elizabeth was looking good. She thought it was the ex-husband. Elizabeth said she was glad Lucky came by and stopped Helena from harassing her; it was like old times. Shirley said, from what Elizabeth had told her, Lucky was a rescuer, and they all dream of someone swooping in to make it right. Elizabeth said sometimes it happened. Lucky had saved her when they were teenagers. They’d caused each other pain, but there had been good times, and she was glad he was still out there. She thought he still cared. Shirley said she always believed the bright side, but sometimes there was a case to be made for reality. Elizabeth said it was the first time she’d seen a glimpse of hope for her and Lucky, and it came from Helena of all people. At the MetroCourt bar, Helena told Tracy she felt sorry for Spencer. He was the son of a stripper, and the nephew of a professional criminal; hardly Cassadine material. Tracy said he was good enough for Helena to kidnap, and Helena said she didn’t expect Tracy to understand the traditions like honor and respect. She wanted to raise her grandchildren to be proper Cassadines. Morgan said he felt like a spy, as the kids snuck around, and listened in from a hallway near the courtroom. Sonny asked Diane how Michael was, and she said Michael wanted to make him proud. Sonny asked if she had any idea what sentence the judge would give Michael, and she said, none, but Judge Carroll had the reputation of being fair and thorough. She told him that Johnny was probably there to make a statement for Claudia, and Carly couldn’t believe Jax was there with Claire, and he was sitting on that side of the courtroom. Judge Carroll came to the bench, and reminded everyone that he was not going to tolerate any interruptions or outbursts. Michael was brought in, and the judge asked if the victim’s family cared to speak. Johnny said he would, and got on the stand.

Johnny said that he and Claudia were very close. She was the one person he could come to if he needed anything. Sonny had tried to have killed, and she sought retribution, but she hadn’t intended on hurting Michael. She’d had guilt and remorse over being responsible for Michael getting shot. That, and losing her baby were the worst things that ever happened to her. Sonny deliberately and relentlessly whittled away at Claudia’s sanity, and by the birthday party, she had gone over the edge. She could have killed Carly and the baby, and Michael had no choice but to stop her. The judge asked if he was aware that Michael killed his sister; he’d sworn Sonny had. Johnny said he’d testified that Sonny was responsible for her death, and he was. Sonny built her up, then humiliated her. If not for Sonny’s actions toward her, she never would have ended up at the cabin, and never would have kidnapped Carly. Michael should be considered a hero for saving his mother and baby sister’s life. Claudia wouldn’t want to see him punished. If she could, she would forgive Michael. He wasn’t responsible; Sonny was.

Helena told Tracy that her role as matriarch was to provide guidance and continuity to the next generation. She was looking out for her own, and Tracy might want to do the same – meaning our Luke. Tracy said he was her Luke, and Helena said she and Luke went to dark places Tracy wouldn’t understand. Luke was thrilling when properly stimulated. Tracy told Helena, stay away from her husband. She left, and Helena said Tracy was too smart. She couldn’t have Tracy figuring out that Elizabeth was really carrying Lucky’s child. Shirley said she was dying, so she might have memory lapses, but hadn’t Elizabeth said there was no hope for her and Lucky? Elizabeth said she didn’t see how Lucky could forgive her for sleeping with his brother. He was hurt and angry, and couldn’t see his way back. He’d looked at her differently, but what brought them together was still there. It was funny that Helena had spent so much time pulling them apart, and now might bring them back together. She wasn’t jumping to a happy ending, but if there was a chance, that was enough. Shirley asked, what about the baby’s father, Nikolas? Lucky showed up at Crimson with some flowers from a guy in the lobby, and Maxie said they were from a photographer who’d had to cancel at the last minute. Maybe she’d invite him back if a free portrait was in it; fashion publishing was her calling. She told him Lulu was at the courthouse, standing by her man.  On the stand, Johnny said Claudia wasn’t evil, and wouldn’t want Michael to suffer for what she or Sonny had done. He understood the judge was upset with all of them, but hoped he didn’t take it out on the kid, and was lenient. Michael was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and never meant to kill Claudia. He was acting on instinct, and saved two lives. Judge Carroll said Johnny was bright and articulate, and hoped Johnny turned his life around before they met there under different circumstances. He told Michael to stand.

The judge said Michael had pleaded guilty, and waived his right to trial. He had admitted killing Claudia, but there was no malice or premeditation, so was charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carried a sentence of five to twenty years. He’d also had brain damage, but the judge wanted him to understand the seriousness of his action without completely sacrificing his future. He gave Michael five years, with the opportunity for parole in two years. Everyone went nuts, and the judge banged his gavel, telling them to take their seats. There was still an uproar, with Dante and Carly yelling the loudest. Dante said Michael didn’t belong in prison, and Judge Carroll told him it was past the point of argument. Dante said he brought Michael there to save him, and get him away from the violence and corruption, but the judge said it was too late to negotiate a deal. Michael’s sentence would give him time to turn his life around. Dante argued that Sonny had a lot of enemies in prison, and Michael could be pulled further into it. He asked the judge to please reconsider, give Michael the help he needed, and give his brother a chance to build a better future. Maxie put Lucky to work, toting boxes for her. She said his sister was crazy in love with Dante, and asked what he thought. He said he never figured his sister for the law and order type. He didn’t agree with turning Michael in, and hoped it had nothing to do with him. Maxie said Dante thought the judge would be lenient, but she thought Dante should have given Michael the opportunity to turn himself in. She was afraid he’d end up with a harsher sentence because he hadn’t. Lulu had gone to be with Dante, since she was in the first stages of love, when you have no thought of hooking up anyone else.

Tracy sat in an examining room, waiting for Epiphany. She told Epiphany that she wanted to see the lab tech who did Elizabeth’s paternity test, but Epiphany said, not a chance. Tracy said her family’s money kept the hospital afloat, and Epiphany said it was Lawrence Bailey. Tracy wanted his number, but Epiphany told her that he used to swim laps before work, had slipped, hit his head, and drowned. In court, Judge Carroll said he didn’t tolerate an outburst, but Dante respected the law and his brother, so he’d allowed it. There was no worse crime anyone could commit than taking a human life. Michael had been part of the cover-up, although he’d had terrible guidance from the people who claimed to love him, and extreme emotional pressure. However, he hadn’t been restrained or threatened, and could have come forward. Michael said Mac hadn’t believed his confession, and the judge said it had been off the record. He asked if Michael had shown Mac the bloody shirt or if he’d made any other attempt at a confession. Diane said Michael had been following legal advice, and the judge said they’d go down that road later. Michael was surrounded by a group who flaunted the law the rest of them had to obey. He’d been systematically exposed to violence and mayhem. He’d awoke after being in a coma for a year, and the judge had reservations about how he was living the life he’d miraculously been given back. Dante said, prison wasn’t the goal; Michael should get counseling sessions and guidance. Judge Carroll said Michael was of legal age, and they were all treating him like a child, when in the eyes of the court, he was an adult. He hoped to teach Michael to respect the law, and that his actions had consequences, and he’d be getting Michael away from the adults in his life. He’d keep them away if he could. He said it was an extremely light sentence. He hoped Michael used the time to plan a better life, and that it left him with an aversion to being locked up, so he never broke the law again. Carly cried, and Dante looked like he had a headache.

Maxie said she wasn’t talking about Lucky, and he said he’d been in love with Elizabeth, but once he moved on, he was done rescuing her. Maxie asked how that was working for him, and he said he’d been known to backslide, especially when Helena was involved, but he wasn’t going to keep trying to make the fantasy work. Maxie was glad he’d outgrown Elizabeth. Those who’d had their hearts trampled, would live to love another day. Epiphany admitted that she’d seen Larry talking to Helena, and Tracy suggested Helena had paid Larry to change the test, then killed him. Epiphany said, or she just wanted to see the result early, and Larry slipped. Tracy wondered why Helena would want a Spencer baby appear to be a Cassadine. Michael was remanded to the PCPD to await transfer, and Sonny said it wasn’t justice. The cover-up was his idea. The judge said, it having a less than satisfying outcome wasn’t his problem. Sonny said he told Michael that he was proud he’d saved his mother and sister, and because of him, Michael had lost a year of his life. Because of him, Michael had been in the cabin. Michael had made a bad choice, but he didn’t mean kill Claudia. He was devastated, and had practically been in shock. The judge asked if they’d sought medical attention, but Sonny said he’d brought Michael home, the only place he thought was safe and they could take care of him. He didn’t want Michael punished anymore for saving Carly and Josslyn. Judge Carroll said Sonny had destroyed evidence that would have proved Michael didn’t want Claudia harmed. Sonny said Claudia wasn’t a tragic misguided soul, like Johnny had said. She was 100% evil, and poisoned everything she touched. The judge said, yet Sonny married her. Sonny said the fact was, he’d brought Claudia into Michael’s life, and he was responsible for her death. He begged the judge not to punish Michael, but to punish him. While the judge agreed that Sonny was indirectly responsible, he said Michael was of legal age. While he’d suffered emotional violence, it wasn’t against the law. Sonny was a selfish irresponsible father, and he was getting Michael out from under Sonny’s influence for two to five years.  Sonny was not a person to admire or emulate, and Michael could take this opportunity to turn his life around. The rest of them broke so many laws, he didn’t know where to start; including perjury, wasting his time, and the time and money of the taxpayers. He had a backup of real cases, so it would have to be punishment enough, knowing they’d helped put Michael in a jail cell. He hoped Michael would think about it tonight, and every night, until he was released. He said he was going to personally pray that Michael never came home. Carly hugged Michael. In the hallway, Molly said they were taking Michael to prison. Morgan said, but Dante promised, and she said, Dante was wrong. They watched as Michael was taken away. Court was adjourned, and Carly hugged Jason. Everyone was bummed.

👩🏻‍💼 She’ll Drag Jax Down With Her…

Meet DA Claire.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/claire-walsh

🏥 You Can Call Her Shirley…

The Waltons mom guest starred for a hot minute.

https://general-hospital.fandom.com/wiki/Shirley_Smith_(Michael_Learned)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

When picked up where we left off, with Denise and Aaron jetting from Kyle’s barbecue, and Denise telling him not to say anything with the cameras on them. Kyle said Denise didn’t want to be honest, and LisaR said whenever there was an issue, Denise ran. Not allowing such a thing, LisaR flew after her, but Denise said they’d talk in private. In Denise’s interview, she said if all these women were coming for LisaR, she’d defend her because she’s her friend, but LisaR wasn’t going to bat for her. Kyle told the others that she didn’t like Aaron getting involved, and in Garcelle’s interview, she said, either Aaron was being chivalrous, defending his wife, or it was a bitch move, getting involved in a woman’s conversation. Or women business, and NeNe would say. In Erika’s interviewDenise told LisaR it was time to move on to something else. LisaR had hurt her feelings in Santa Barbara, and she didn’t want the others’ opinions. While walking back, LisaR said it was the effing Twilight Zone. LisaR joined Garcelle, Kyle, Erika, and Sutton in a large tent, and told them that Denise and Aaron were going to have a steak and go to a strip joint. I didn’t catch that part, so I don’t even know if they were being sarcastic or that was their real plan. Erika said that it was hypocritical because Denise was judgmental about the threesome business. Holy! When will these morons get that she just didn’t want to talk about it in front of the kids? In her interview, Garcelle said Denise wasn’t being hypocritical. If the kids weren’t there, they could be as free as they wanted. In Dorit’s interview, she said Denise should have stayed and worked through the situation, so they could move on. In the limo, Denise told Aaron that she wasn’t trying to make them look bad, they made themselves look bad. LisaR said she found it ironic, and Kyle swung around a pole in the middle of the tent, turned upside down, and said, namaste, MF’ers. They all acted like idiots, and honestly, I almost turned it off right there.

Teddi brought her kids along for her sonogram, so they could see their little sister.  LisaR went to Sutton’s store, which was called Sutton. So original. I wondered if her dog was named Spot. In Sutton’s interview, she said she was having a trunk show – A Night in Capri – and sent proper invitations, not some weenie text message. Dorit met with a closet specialist, and we found out she has 229 pairs shoes. At least she did when it was filmed. Who knows now? People have had a lot of time on their hands, and shopping on the internet never closed. Dorit said she needed something to fit all her clothes, but it sounded like she was still going to infringe on PK’s closet space. Kyle almost had a heart attack when she thought she was going to get pulled over while in the car with Kim. In Kyle’s interview, she said, when she and Kim were bad, they were really bad. We flashed back to several of those times, including the limo/alcoholic scene. She added, but when they were good, no one made her laugh harder. They went to see a plastic surgeon about Kim’s implants, since she’d noticed a change in one. Dr. Handel said they were like tires, and it had gone  flat. In her interview, Kyle said Kim already had a lumpectomy. The tumor was benign, but they’d lost their mom to cancer, and she was freaked. The doctor thought it would be enough to remove the implants and give her a lift.

While Aaron was driving, Sami asked if what he was doing wasn’t illegal, and he told her, don’t do what I do – ever. He took for a driving lesson, along with Denise, who said she was a nervous effing nelly. We learned that because of their shape, the break was the hamburger, and the hotdog meant go. Denise said Aaron had the patience she didn’t, and when she watched him, she was reminded of why she fell in love with him. She felt safe and protected with him, and had never been with a man who took care of her.

LisaR and Erika went to a place called EMsculpt, where they stick electric paddles on you to tighten you up. LisaR said she’d done everything, and this was great. In Erika’s interview, she said it wasn’t a replacement for exercise, but it was important. In her business, there was a line out the door to judge you. Erika said Dr. Kinney was her next husband. She was going for a plastic surgeon. In her interview, LisaR said he was Erika’s type; rich and bald. Erika had her stomach zapped, while LisaR did her butt. Erika asked LisaR about Chicago, since she’d also been in it. LisaR said her hardest moment was Roxie’s monologue about fame; it’s who she is. In her interview, she said, it was all about her. She told Erika that they all come from a place of need, and can relate. They’re tough bitches.

Kim checked in to the hospital, and Dr. Handel said the plan was to remove her implants, and remove any abnormal tissue for a biopsy. In Kyle’s interview, she said she hated doctors and hospitals – they made her whole body go numb. It terrified her, thinking something might be wrong, and all she could think about was her mom. Kim was worried that she hadn’t talked to her kids that morning, but the doctor said she’d be fine. In her interview, Kyle said she went back to hearing that her mom had breast cancer, and she was scared to die. She would tell Kyle that she was terrified, and still had so much to teach her. I’m not so sure that’s something you should tell your child, especially if they have anxiety. When the surgery was over, Dr. Handel told Kyle that Kim had done extremely well.

Garcelle was moving into her new home. In her interview, she said she’d been planning and building for close to a year. It was two stories, with a grand entrance; 3200 square feet, with five bedrooms and five baths. She said she didn’t realize she had so much sh*t. I know the feeling, and hate moving. After the divorce, building the house was huge for her. She had a date on Friday night, and said she didn’t introduce the kids to many guys. She didn’t want the kids to go through too many changes, and didn’t want them think mom was a ho. Some women have daddy issues, and she picked men who weren’t emotionally available. She never really had a relationship with her father. She thought he must have known he was dying, and wrote her a letter. He sent it to mom who never gave it to her, then it had been misplaced, so she never knew how he felt or what he thought of her; if he was proud of her. The boys walk on the outside of the banister on the grand staircase, giving Garcelle agita.

The women went to Sutton’s trunk show, where she had some dynamite jewelry. In Dorit’s interview, she said when she’d been offered a job in Italy, she stayed ten years. After a broken engagement, she returned to Manhattan, and met PK. Teddi rolled in, looking unkempt as usual. In Sutton’s interview, she said maybe she could help Teddi. Probably not. Kyle talked about how she and Mauricio were having a black and white party. In her interview, she said they threw a lot of parties, and thought it looked prettier in pictures than a white party. Sutton had a fabulous buffet spread that spanned a few tables. Kyle was uncomfortable when she heard Denise was coming with Aaron. Dorit said she’d learned from that experience, and we flashed back to PK butting into one of the arguments. In Dorit’s interview, she said she knew how Denise felt; thank God for my husband, but it backfires. In Denise’s interview, she said she kept hoping the ladies would put it to bed, and say, let’s have a great night. HA-HA-HA! Good luck with that. Dorit met Denise and Aaron in the reception area. Erika said it wasn’t that deep, but now it was a thing and uncomfortable. My sentiments exactly, but they’re the ones making it a thing and uncomfortable. Teddi said, awkward energy. Denise and Aaron approached their table, and Aaron asked if he was the only husband. Denise said they had a dinner, so he had to come, but in Kyle’s interview, she said she didn’t buy it. Denise dragged Aaron there because she didn’t want to get into anything. He’s her watchdog. Actually, I think if that was the case, he’d be the last one she’d bring. Kyle said she was sorry about what happened that they’d left. In Denise’s interview, she said it was okay for Kyle to leave, but she can’t, and we flashed back to Kyle leaving her own chem trail at a party. Denise said she had to use the bathroom, leaving Aaron to deal with the women. Kyle said she felt weird about how they left, and felt weird not acknowledging it. Aaron thought they should wait until Denise was back, but Erika couldn’t do that, telling Aaron that he’d said they were bad people, they should look in the mirror, and were they happy with themselves. He did tell them to look in the mirror, but he never said they were bad. Aaron said he never called people bad, and Erika said he’d talked down to them. He said if they can live with themselves, okay, and Erika said she could. He said, great. Then she solved that problem. Here’s where I realized I’m Aaron. He’s just not having their phoniness under the guise of honesty, or owning it, if you will. I have the feeling, were I around them for any great length of time, I’d be telling them to look in the mirror too. No. Scratch that. I’d be telling them that if I’d just met them. Denise doesn’t want to talk about some things, and I don’t see what the big deal is. I find it hard to believe all of them are open about everything, and despite what they say, no one has to on a reality show. It’s not a social experiment. They’re Housewives, not the Loud family.

Teddi said Aaron had been belittling, and he said, okay; if that’s how she felt. She said he knew what he was doing, and he asked her to spell it out. Erika said he’d been mansplaining and got heated. He told her that he speaks directly, and she said, so did they. He asked why they were nitpicking people then, and Teddi accused him of being the moral high ground. He asked if she wanted to go there, and Erika said she did; did he? Aaron said he’d go anywhere; he’d go up, down, and all around. Denise came back, and in her interview, she said she’d stupidly left him there with those women. Aaron said if they wanted to talk negatively, they could. He was done with the conversation, but they kept poking the bear. Kyle said he was the one who made it negative. Denise told them she’d said all she had to say about it. Teddi said Denise had called her a sh*t effing stirrer while daughter Phoenix was there. Denise said she hadn’t known Phoenix was there, and this was the dumbest thing ever. Find something else to fight about. She and Aaron walked away, but Dorit couldn’t let that happen. She walked alongside them, yammering. Denise said it was toxic. Dorit told Denise not to say she wasn’t upset when they were storming out. Denise said they weren’t storming out; they were walking away. Back at the table, Kyle suggested Denise just say how she felt. She did. She said she was done. That’s pretty direct. Dorit said Denise was obviously upset, and Denise said it was Sutton’s event, and she didn’t want to cause a scene. In Dorit’s interview, she said Denise was clearly upset and storming out, and that was causing a scene. These people are insane. Storming off is creating a scene, as they’ve all done many times, but Denise and Aaron just said goodnight to Sutton, and walked toward the exit. With Dorit bouncing alongside them, babbling. Causing the scene. Dorit asked why Denise shut it down, and Denise said she had nothing else to say. Erika told the other women that she didn’t give a f***. Dorit said Aaron was being protective, but it wasn’t helpful. In her interview, Dorit said she felt bad for Denise. Now she’d have to blindly defend her husband. Dorit did, and it had sucked for her. Sutton’s boyfriend had the right idea, standing at the buffet and chowing down.

Denise told Dorit that she was past it, but they weren’t. There were paparazzi and people taking pictures; it wasn’t her thing. In Dorit’s interview, she said she didn’t see anyone. Obviously, Denise and Aaron weren’t listening; they were just looking for an excuse to leave. Kyle said she’d felt bad when they left her house, and wanted to talk about it, but they didn’t. They didn’t want to talk about anything when it involved them. She wondered if they’d have to pretend, and Teddi said that wasn’t healthy. Erika said maybe they shouldn’t have any conversations with Denise.

Next time, Garcelle sells a script, Kyle throws the black and white party, Denise and LisaR go to lunch, and Camille, Brandi, and Adrienne show up.

👠 Under Pressure…

Garcelle might have felt the pressure, but she’s kept her cool, and IMO, outshines the veterans.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/01/garcelle-beauvais-felt-pressure-to-be-the-first-black-rhobh-star/

💉 Queen of Corona…

We will never hear the end of this, since Ramona loves talking about herself.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/01/rhonys-ramona-singer-says-she-and-daughter-tested-positive-for-covid-19-antibodies/

🧉 Adios, Uno Amiga…

I love how pensive Vicki looks in the photo. Like I think that’s a candid snap.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/04/rhoc-star-vicki-gunvalson-moves-into-puerto-vallarta-condo/

🎤 A Sister Speaks…

Although she really didn’t say a whole lot.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/02/caroline-manzo-speaks-out-after-arrest-of-sister-dinas-ex-husband/

🎼 Thinking Ahead…

Rescheduling is the new optimism.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9386776/concerts-rescheduled-coronavirus-list

🥂 Looks Like They Made It…

Even before the pandemic, it was sad how so many landmarks had closed their doors in NYC. Not only is Neirs Tavern a Black-owned business, it’s one of the oldest bars in the United States. And it’s survived.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/190-year-old-nyc-bar-neirs-tavern-survives-covid-19/

😥  A Wife Does the Honors…

I’d forgotten Phaedra was also a funeral director.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/02/phaedra-parks-talks-about-directing-rayshard-brooks-funeral/

🐶 Something Sweet…

Who doesn’t love a puppy?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/bradford-anderson-new-puppy

🧹 A Brush With Celebrity…

Years ago, I did a reality show about fantasy camps, and met Ilene Kristen at a soap opera workshop. She was the best! She was very honest about getting into soap operas, how difficult the work was, and how you could get taken advantage of. Her basic advice was: Don’t. I have a picture of us somewhere…

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/ilene-kristen-amazing-career

🛸 Phasing On…

Don’t worry. We’ll be at Phase 475 before you know it. Meanwhile, stay safe, stay keeping it together, and stay ready for anything.

Jul7

July 6, 2020 – Another Tragedy Brought To You By Sonny, Some Clues, 72 Plates On Deck, Why They Go Where, Teresa Makes It Over, Camp Virtual, With the Angels & Forever

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

GH pins the tail on the flashback, and we lift the blindfold to find April 4th, 2008.

Kate asked a young Michael if he understood that his father’s real job had nothing to do with coffee. Claudia (who confused the hell out of me at first, since she was played by Sarah Brown, who was also Carly at one point) was worried about Johnny, and Trevor (who worked for Sonny’s then rival Anthony Zacchara, and also Ric’s dad) told Johnny if he didn’t kill Sonny, Sonny would kill him. Claudia’s phone rang, and she told a hitman that Sonny would arrive at the warehouse in an hour, and to call her when it was done. Max said he didn’t like Sonny going to the warehouse without protection, but Sonny said it was legit business, and Michael and Kate would be there. He appreciated Max’s concern, but told him to take the night off. Alexis showed up, and told Sonny that a dead body had been found in the water after an explosion. She wondered what he knew about it. Sonny said he had important plans, and told her to ask him tomorrow. Spinelli told Jason that mob hostility was being kept at bay, giving Jason the potential to walk in the sunlight with Jake. Robin talked to Elizabeth about raising children by herself. She’d seen how well Elizabeth had done, and that it didn’t have to be a disaster. Elizabeth said, you just do the best you can, and pray a lot. She admitted that she sometimes wished she had a partner, and wanted to be with Jason. Robin said Jason had been her rock after Stone died. She knew he had a special heart, and his heart had been broken when he lost Michael because of her. (She’d told AJ that he was Michael’s father.) Elizabeth said Robin had wanted to keep her pregnancy a secret from Patrick, but Robin said she’d done it from a different perspective, and was glad he knew now. Elizabeth said the truth always came out eventually. Elizabeth said Jason had a great capacity to love a child, and they’d found common ground when he thought Lucky was dead, and he was grieving. She said Jason’s situation was harder, and he’d had to make sacrifices. Rabin said that’s why she was meddling; she hoped Jason would get the chance to be a father. Jax (still married to Carly) told Carly that he had to take a meeting for Kate (Sonny’s then girlfriend, and Jax’s then business partner) in Houston, and suggested she fly there with him, and they could have dinner. Carly asked him when Kate had become more important to him than she was. Jax said most women would find a private jet ride to dinner romantic, but she said she didn’t like being an afterthought, and wondered why Kate couldn’t take the meeting herself. He told her, just come with him, but she said she had the kids to think about. He said the kids had a nanny, but she said she didn’t want to be away from the children or him, and to tell Kate that he was having dinner with his wife. He said he loved her, but didn’t like ultimatums. She said it was a choice, and he said she had one too. She could try to manipulate him or have a great evening, but Carly chose not to go. Kate told Michael that sometimes he thought things were true that weren’t; like when he’d bought a gun. Michael admitted it was stupid, and Kate said it was admirable that he wanted to protect his family, but he’d gone about it in the wrong way. Like it or not, there were rules for kids that weren’t the same for adults, but the bright side was, they were past it. His father’s job had included violence, but Sonny was changing that, and Michael would get to be a part of it. Alexis told Sonny, the body had been ID’d as Randal Compton, who had a connection to Ric’s girlfriend Mariana, who’d left in a hurry. Sonny suggested she talk to Ric, but she said, typically, when a dead body was involved, Sonny was too. Randal had been killed by a blow to the head that could have happened in the explosion, but Kate had been shot by a nearby shooter who was never found (it was Michael), and maybe Sonny had gotten to them first.

Trevor said, unless Johnny went after Sonny, Sonny would take it as a sign of weakness. Trevor said Carly had her own agenda – self-preservation – and Johnny had better have a plan, because if he did nothing, he’d be dead. Claudia told Johnny not to worry; Sonny would be dead in an hour. Jason told Spinelli that Trevor taking over had upset the balance of power, and Spinelli said he knew Jason’s first concern was the safety of Sonny and his family, but he’d more than proved himself. Why didn’t he apply his skills to his own family? Robin told Elizabeth, if the right man came along, she’d get involved. Patrick didn’t know what he wanted, and she didn’t want to be a test case while he figured it out. Elizabeth said Jason’s job wouldn’t put his family in danger, since the violence had been  broken up. Robin said their lives were going in different directions, and there was Carly. Elizabeth said Carly wasn’t the problem, and if it was just her, she’d be fine with Jason, but she didn’t want the kids to be in danger. Robin said her mom and dad were always in danger when she was growing up, but what she remembered and was grateful for was the love. Johnny was concerned a hit on Sonny would be traced back to them, but Claudia assured him it would look like it was a third party hit. They would still need airtight alibis, something even Jason would buy. Johnny suggested he go to the Haunted Star, where Luke was busy working, but Claudia was concerned Luke might find out Johnny was using him. It was risky taking Sonny out, and they needed to keep their hands clean. Sonny said he had something to tell Alexis, but didn’t want her using the information. She promised not to, and Sonny said Michael thought he should protect Carly and Morgan after Emily and Laticia were murdered, and bought a gun. Alexis said Michael was only twelve, and Sonny said he knew that’s why Alexis had kept Kristina from him. He knew he’d hurt Michael, and she was worried he’d hurt Kristina, but he promised on his children’s lives that he was changing all that.

Lulu told Luke that Kate was launching Crimson. They were having their fiftieth meeting with a party planner, and somehow it all got dumped on her. Luke suggested she quit, but Lulu said if she did, Maxie would win. Luke said Maxie would only win if Lulu cared, so try not to care, then extricate herself. She inquired about Luke’s new investor, and Luke told her not to pretend she didn’t come there hoping Johnny would show up. Claudia told Johnny that Luke was smart, and knew the players, but Johnny insisted he wouldn’t be able to trace it back. She told Johnny, the less he knew, the better, and he needed to watch his back. Johnny said he wouldn’t be intimidated by Luke, and she said it was his call. She was off to find her own alibi. Alexis told Sonny, no more lies, and Sonny said he was concentrating on his legit holdings. He wasn’t covering up anything, and just wanted his kids to have lives that weren’t tainted. He wanted them to inherit something not soaked in blood. They were growing up, and he had to make changes. He didn’t want Kristina and Morgan to go through what Michael did, so he was making peace, and trying to show them a different way. It was only coffee coming in. Carly came home, and the nanny said she’d thought Carly was going out. Carly said Jax had abandoned her, so she was just going to make fishsticks and corn for the kids; don’t judge her. The nanny said Michael wasn’t there, but Morgan was upstairs. Carly said Michael wasn’t supposed to go anywhere without permission from her or Sonny, but the nanny said Sonny had picked him up. They were going to the warehouse to check out a new coffee shipment that was coming in; she’d thought it was okay. Carly told her to feed Morgan fishsticks and corn, and she’d be back. When she opened the door, Jason was there, but she told him that she was leaving.

Lulu told Luke that there was money coming out of the Haunted Star, but none coming in, which was bad business. He said she was changing the subject, and he wasn’t going to tell her what to do or who to do it with. Plenty of people lied to her, so why put herself on the list? She insisted she wasn’t lying to herself, but he said she was being defensive. She wasn’t the first Spencer to be ruled by hormones, but why didn’t she have more guts to face what she felt, and deal with it? At the MetroCourt, Jerry Jax introduced himself to Claudia, saying he was happy to meet her. Not sure what that was about. Claudia told the guy at the reception desk that she wanted the best suite they had, but he said they couldn’t accommodate her; the suite wasn’t available. She insisted on talking to the owner. Carly told Jason that that she was going to the warehouse; Sonny hadn’t even bothered asking her if he could take Michael there. Jason said a lot of things were going to change, and Carly told him that Jax had blown off dinner to take a meeting for Kate in Houston, then Sonny and Kate decided to take Michael on a field trip. Jason thought it wouldn’t hurt for Sonny to spend time with Michael, and Carly said when Michael went missing, Sonny wouldn’t even leave his girlfriend’s bedside. She wanted to limit Sonny’s visitation, but Jason thought that would make it worse for Michael. He suggested she and Sonny talk tomorrow, in a more neutral area. Michael had been through a lot, and Sonny was helping him through it. He thought she should cut Sonny some slack. Carly’s phone rang, and it was the MetroCourt reception guy telling her that Claudia was there being difficult. She said she was on her way.

At the warehouse, hitman Ian got himself in position while Sonny was talking to the customs agents. Michael ran to Sonny, so Ian didn’t shoot. Jason found Elizabeth waiting for him when he got home, and she said Spinelli had told her it was okay on the phone, but ran out when she got there. They kissed, and she told Jason that she’d realized she asked him to make the wrong sacrifice for Jake. Johnny went to the Haunted Star, and Lulu asked Luke to leave. She told Johnny what he was doing sucked. He said he’d accepted responsibility and decided to walk away from their relationship, but she said he still kept popping up in her life, and had bought into her dad’s business. If he wanted her back, he should have the guts to admit it; it wasn’t on her. He said it was. She wanted him, but she was too ashamed to admit it. Carly told Carly Claudia to get out of her hotel now. They had a certain class of clientele. Claudia said Carly was easily threatened, and asked if she wanted a lawsuit for discrimination. Carly said it was private property, and she could do what she wanted. Claudia taunted her about sleeping with Sonny, and Carly said Claudia sounded like a stalker, since she kept bringing it up. Jerry went to Carly’s, saying he wanted to see his brother, but the nanny explained that Jax was in Houston on business, Carly was at the hotel, and Michael was at the warehouse with Sonny and Kate. At the warehouse, one of the workers took Michael to look at the crane, while Sonny had Kate smell the coffee beans. Every time Ian tried to take aim, something blocked him. Sonny told Kate that she was right, suggesting he bring Michael there, and she said he needed his father – so did she. They kissed, and Michael came back, suggesting they get a room. Ian took aim again. Elizabeth told Jason that she knew she’d told him to keep his distance, but it was hurting Jake, and Jason deserved to raise him. He said it wouldn’t work if she was afraid, but she said the best thing to do was love the kids and not sneak around; it was wrong. She loved him and wanted to share her life with him if he still wanted to. He said, of course (🍷) he did. All he wanted was a life and family with her. Who is this Jason?

Maxie told Johnny that one minute, he was a sweet guy, and the next, he was gun-toting wackjob. He said she wanted him to chase her, and she said she wanted to forget about him, but he wouldn’t let her, and they kissed. Carly told Claudia she was a one-night stand Sonny might have had the bad taste to have, but he made it up by ditching her, and she was looking at a restraining order. Claudia said Kate couldn’t hold on to Sonny, but she could, and that scared Carly. She should be scared, because no matter how hard she tried, Sonny wouldn’t be able to stay away. While Jerry was on the phone in his car, he nearly hit Alexis. She came over to his car, and asked what the hell was wrong with him.

Ian set his sights on Sonny for the thousandth time, but the warehouse was really busy, and he couldn’t get a clear shot. Michael babbled at Sonny about how high the shelves were in the warehouse, and Sonny told him the coffee was going to be in restaurants all the way to Canada. Michael asked what was really in the bags, and Sonny laughed, but said it wasn’t really funny. Michael said Sonny wasn’t really an importer, but Sonny said he was. It was for his kids, and if they did it right, they wouldn’t need a gun. They hugged, and Ian took aim again. Sonny told Michael to go play, but then noticed Ian. He grabbed Kate, they both dropped to the floor, and Michael ended up getting hit. So for all his practice, that dude had some very bad aim.

👩🏼‍⚕️ Pick a Clue, Any Clue…

We’re back to one of those time periods where I wasn’t really watching, or don’t really remember. So if you feel lost too, here’s Claudia:

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/claudia-zacchara

And Kate, who is also Connie:

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/general-hospital-connie-falconeri-kate-howard-171166

And Trevor. This is one tangled web.

https://soaps.fandom.com/wiki/Trevor_Lansing

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we last left, Kiko was screwed, since the guests were bringing guests for dinner, and twelve guests times six dishes was seventy-two.

Bugs tells Kiko, they have strong team and everyone will help out. They’ll be fine. Hannah says, it’s a complete clusterf***. In his interview, Kiko says he’s done that many plates in restaurants, but there were six to ten chefs. How is he going to do this? Bugs sets the table, and Captain Sandy radios Malia to take what they can from the beach, and get back. The guests return, and Malia asks for all the hands she can get to unpack. She tells the captain, the guests got their beach picnic, water sports, and Justin got to visit with Scout. The dog nanny takes Scout back, and Hannah says, there’s been so much sh*t, but the guests are still having fun. Bugs tells Hannah that she’ll do the cutlery and glasses. In Hannah’s interview, she says she doesn’t particularly like Bugs, and if she didn’t like someone she wouldn’t come back, but Bugs is a strong second chief stew. She laughs at herself for creating a new title.

The guests ask Jessica for snacks, and Hannah tells Kiko that she’ll deal with it. She brings some cheese, and Justin says she’s a lifesaver, but she draws the line at feeding it to him. She tells Jessica that she’ll get the serviettes (napkins), and Jessica asks what soviets are. Hannah brings up more snacks, and oyster guy (I think his name is Leon) talks to his mom on the phone. In the galley, Kiko uses the word mother in a different context. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she’s nervous, and tells Kiko to call if he needs her. Malia tells wants to talk to Pete about the line confusion, and he swears he was just emphasizing that he was putting on the right line, not being a smart ass. Malia suggests he just keep his responses to copy that. She tells him, good job, and they fist bump. In Pete’s interview, he says, allowing her to have control is challenging. He’s used to doing it all on his own. He’s a captain, and also takes care of his dad and son. It’s hard to have someone else being in charge. I think it’s more like, it’s hard to have a woman being in charge. Alex asks Jessica if she thinks Bugs likes him, and she says she’ll find out. Because we’re in middle school.

Kiko tells Hannah, it’s going to be an international menu, and dictates each dish while she writes it down. She says, it sounds like something of everything. He says he didn’t know the guests could ask more people to dinner, and has provisions for eight, not twelve. Hannah asks if he wants her to talk to the captain, but he says he has to do it, but if he wins, he’s effing good. Hannah says, but if he fails, it’s on him.

Port Adriano. Hannah says, 72 plates for 12 guests who’ve been drinking all day. Kiko realizes he doesn’t have enough of some ingredients. In his interview, he says he worked in an Asian restaurant, where they did as many as 2000 plates in one night. It was hard, but nothing like this, since he’s by himself. Jessica says she doesn’t understand Bugs because of her accent, and Bugs says she can speak American, sounding just like one. Bugs shows Jessica how to make a fancy fold with a napkin. In Bugs’s interview, she says she thinks Jessica is receptive to learning, and teaching is a part of her. She taught her little brother and sister, and her brother is now a yacht broker and her sister is working her way up to chief stew. Rob visits the laundry – i.e. Jessica. In her interview, Jessica says the more she talks to him, the more she likes him, but she’s leery about going into a relationship. She’s been betrayed too many times. She caught her last boyfriend cheating. He’d been thirsting over Instagram photos on his phone, so she dropped it in the shower. Hannah tells Bugs that she’s glad to have a strong second. Bugs’s table is gorgeous; all amber and gold and candles. The guests are seated, and think the first course looks amazing. Bugs tells everyone that they’re a good team. The guests watch Scout on Justin’s phone. Malia says her boyfriend is a chef, and she thinks Kiko is doing well, but 72 plates is way too much for one person. Captain Sandy says she’s in awe of the team. In the captain’s interview, she says Hannah and Bugs have put the past aside to work together, and she thinks they’re going to be fine. Guest Zach bitches that he doesn’t like shrimp. Hannah tells Kiko, awesome timing. Captain Sandy tastes Kiko’s bacon ice cream, and says, wow, that’s Michelin star. In her interview, she says, since day one, Kiko’s had the passion, flavor, and smile, but now he has the timing and creativity. She’s blown away. In Kiko’s interview, he says he did it. It’s like when a football player makes a goal, and the audience roars. Then he has to do it all over again. Malia tries to get Pete’s attention, and he says he’s in the zone with the silverware. In Malia’s interview, she says it’s great that he’s helping with service, but she thinks he’s testing her. He wants to see how far he can push her, and it’s frustrating.

Sandy tells the crew, amazing job. The guests’ guests go back to shore, and Justin thanks Kiko personally. Kiko says, it’s a pleasure, which he can’t possibly mean. He’s exhausted, and it’s almost 1 am. Hannah thanks him for his hard work. Justin drinks from a gigantic bottle. Hannah makes toasted cheese sandwiches and Ramen noodles. The guests use the hot tub, while Alex keeps watch. One of the guests says Alex must be tired, and they wonder why he’s still up. In his interview, he says, he can’t go to bed because they’re in the hot tub. If they die, it’s on him. The guests finally crash at around 3:30.

Justin is up by 8, and ready for breakfast. Rob says, it’s going down tonight, and Pete says he’s been working since 6. In Pete’s interview, he says he’s picked up that Bugs is a flirt. He’s going to play it differently than he did with Lara. She’s not going to fall in love overnight, and he has play it cool. News flash: She’s not going to fall in love with you at all, dude. In Bugs’s interview, she says, Pete is like another specimen. I think she means species. Pete sits on the counter, and stares at her, grinning weirdly. She says, what the hell? He’s undressing her with his eyes, and she feels violated. Pete says, let the energy take control. In her interview, Bugs says, Pete has a sense of entitlement to say whatever he wants, but no, it’s not happening. Pete tells Kiko that he came in too high, and Kiko says, go get ‘em, tiger.

Scout is deposited back at the dock. Alex tries to pet him, but Scout ducks, and I laugh. The crew says goodbye to the guests, and Justin gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, saying if they’re ever in NYC, let him know, like that will ever happen. The crew gathers for the tip meeting, and the captain commends Kiko, saying, he never got any rest, but continued to smile. It’s a different dynamic now, and they’re seeing the main goal; amazing. She thanks Bugs for the table settings, and says, it doesn’t matter what the client thinks, but what she thinks. The tip is $17,000 USD, or $1277 each. I think that’s low, and a text box says the average tip is $20,000. Jessica shows Hannah and Bugs a picture of her and Rob kissing. Hannah asks about his girlfriend, and Jessica tells them that he says he’s not seeing his her, but Hannah says there was a picture of them in Rob’s Instagram story the other day. She shows Jessica, and it’s a similar picture, but with another girl. Rob comes in, and the girls get quiet. Hannah says they were just looking at his and Jessica’s photo shoot. In her interview, Jessica says she needs time to realize Ron isn’t like the other losers she dated. Hannah tells Jessica, the picture is before she and Rob hooked up. Jessica says she really likes him, and doesn’t need a broken heart. Hannah says, just ask him about it. Malia calls boyfriend Tom. In her interview, she says he completely supports her career path. Her goal is to be captain of a super yacht. Before this, they were working on the same boat, so it was a hard adjustment. She’s happy he’s coming to visit. It gives her something to look forward to.

Alex says, tonight we party, and the crew gets ready to go out. Bugs is excited to get loose. In her interview, she says relationships aren’t her strength; she’s married to her job, and the single life is the good life for now. They get in the taxis, and Malia talks about having her first date with Tom on her birthday. She got sh*fasced, and hit on the waiters. At the restaurant, Alex asks how Bugs is adjusting. She says she feels like she’s known them a long time, and they toast to being the three charters in. In his interview, Pete says he’s seen the way Bugs looks at Alex when he’s not looking. Maybe they like each other. He’s not jealous; he’s just missing Lara. He texts Lara, saying, hey, boo. You up? Again, because we’re in middle school. Hannah asks if Rob and his girlfriend have an open relationship, and Rob says he no longer has a girlfriend. In Jessica’s interview, she says, so we’re going there? Ron says, it’s over, and in his interview, he says he’d rather not be in something if he’s going to cheat, even though they have an open experience. He asks Jessica what puzzle she’s putting together. People come into your life for a reason, season, or lifetime, and everything in his life has been temporary. Pete asks Bugs, what’s going on? and she says he’s creepy. He doesn’t do it in the right way. He tells her, if it happens again, let him know, and she says he needs to be respectful. In Bugs’s interview, she says she thinks Alex is cute in a teddy bear way, and he made her comfortable coming back on board after the situation with Hannah. The crew moves on to a club. Rob tells Jessica that he’s happy, and she says she is too. Hannah asks if she can steal Bugs a minute, and they sit outside. Hannah asks if Bugs was worried about working with her, but Bugs says a lot of time had gone by, and she hoped for the best. Hannah says it’s gone better than what she thought it was going to, and Bugs says, it’s not a power struggle; she came to support Hannah. Hannah says she’s at a different stage of her life, and thinks that naturally makes Bugs respect the hierarchy. Bugs says she trusts Hannah, so it’s perfect. In her interview, Bugs says she hopes Hannah will stay cordial. She’ll get back to us on that one. Shots are done, and Bugs tells Alex, he smells like Jager bombs. Everyone dances, and Malia says Bugs came in with a bang. They head back, Alex and Bugs together. Rob and Jessica ride alone in another taxi, making out.

Hannah tells Malia that her boyfriend doesn’t get why she can’t always answer the phone. In her interview, she says her boyfriend has a corporate job, and doesn’t understand how she goes away months at a time and can’t communicate. She loves him, and wants it to work, but she’s also serious about her career. Well, we see how that worked out. Malia says her boyfriend asked if she was okay when she didn’t respond to his texts, but she literally hadn’t looked at her phone. Jessica and Rob get into bed together. Alex and Bugs get in the hot tub, and Malia decides to join them. She asks if they’re low key in love, and says, it’s fine. She says the water is ice cold, and checks the controls. She tells them that they’re sitting in a tub of cold water; the heater isn’t on. Bugs points to Pete’s privates, and says, we can tell. Everyone goes to bed. On the phone, Lara says she misses Pete. Bugs tells Alex to tuck her in, and kiss her head. He gives her a quick head kiss, says he doesn’t want to make her uncomfortable, and goes to his own bunk.

Turnover Day. Bugs wonders if she’s alive, and asks if she was drowning in the jacuzzi. Malia says Alex was there to save her, and Bugs asks if she kissed him. In Bugs’s interview, she says she’s with a new crew, it’s the first charter, and she’s making out with one of the deckies. Rob tells Jessica that he’s ten years sober from narcotics. She asks, which ones? and he says, all of them, but he’s happy, even if he’s feeling overwhelmed. In his interview, he says he and his mom went to rehab together. He got sober, and left, and everything turned to sh*t. He starts to cry, and says he wanted to protect and help her, but he couldn’t. He misses her a lot. Her dying gave him the strength to continue to be sober. He wants to give his future family what he never had. It gave him power, and gives him strength not to repeat the pattern. In the crew mess, Bugs asks if she offended Malia or Alex, and Alex tells her about how she pointed out his shrinkage. Malia says she’s glad she could be there for all this.

The boat is cleaned up, and Hannah makes a list for the next charter. Bugs says, now she knows who Pete is; he’s shameless. He says his name is Shameless Pete, and she asks if he had a connection with Lara, and did she feel the same way. He says he’s going to do things Lara has never had done before, and she’ll fall in love. Bugs says he’s making her hangover worse. She asks if he’s had a relationship on a boat before, and he says he’s banged stews. She says she doesn’t know if he said that for shock value, and he says, stews are just down for the good time. His nickname is Party Pete. He says something rude that’s too bleeped for me to decipher, and she says he’s batsh*t crazy. He says, 100%, and tells her that he’s going back to work. In the meantime, Jessica has accidentally slammed her finger in a door, and Bugs finds her crying in the galley. Jessica hopes it’s not broken, and Bugs asks if she felt snap. Jessica says, yeah.

Next time, Hannah says Bugs went out of her way to throw her under the bus, Hannah tells Kiko to work on portion sizes, Bugs talks to Captain Sandy about Pete, Malia talks to Pete about Pete, and the captain says she’s considering letting Pete go.

⛴ Location, Location, Location…

I do love looking at Below Deck’s scenery, especially that blue, blue water.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/below-deck-producers-location-filming-secrets

🛏 Bed Begone…

Removing all traces of Juicy Joe.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1166181/teresa-giudice-gets-rid-of-marital-bed-amid-lavish-home-makeover-see-the-before-after-pics

🏕 For the Parents Going Crazy…

If you get PBS’s channel thirteen, they have some day camp for you.

https://www.thirteen.org/programs/camp-tv/

Summer camps for everyone.

https://www.parents.com/fun/activities/outdoor/free-virtual-summer-camps-2020/

🎭 He Fought the Good Fight…

I didn’t know Nick Cordero’s work, but I was rooting for him. There were so many moments when it looked like he would win too.

https://people.com/theater/nick-cordero-dead-coronavirus-complications/

https://people.com/theater/nick-cordero-dead-broadway-stars-celebs-react/

🔁 Groundhog Monday…

We’re back at the beginning of the week, or continuing with days, depending on where you’re at. For me, it’s called, one more day that I’m not any closer to getting my taxes done. Hoping Uncle Sam gives to you, rather than takes, and that you stay safe, stay thoughtful, and stay hanging onto hope for a better world.

Jul3

July 2, 2020 – When Michael Gave Back Avery, Character Reference, LuAnn’s Halloween Party, New Trek, Pride Pics, Drunk Rainbow, Academy Goals & Rhapsody

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

The deck was shuffled, and a GH Flashback from June 29th, 2015 was pulled out.

Nina went to Ric’s hotel room, and asked Ric if he was Madeline’s new lawyer, while Madeline hid in the other room. At the MetroCourt, Franco asked Denise (Ava’s presumed sister) if they were a couple in public, and she said it suited their ulterior motive. She suggested they practice their canoodling. Michael and Sabrina brought Avery to Sonny’s. Sonny asked if it was a visit, but Michael said he was bringing Avery home. Dante told Valerie he didn’t know how he was going to get through the night, and Valerie said she was there for him. Lulu was in a hotel room with Dillon, and wanted to call her parents with their room number, but Dillon stopped her. Luke and Laura busted into another hotel room, guns drawn. Luke said, freeze, and they saw it was Holly, also holding a gun. Laura told her to put the gun down. Someone had broken into their hotel room, and they’d gotten word their son had been kidnapped. She asked what Holly knew about Lucky, but Holly was legit surprised.

Lulu told Dillon that Dante had sounded distant and cold when she’d last spoken to him, and she needed to make sure they were okay. Dante started putting the moves on Valerie, and she asked what he was doing. He said, the same thing Lulu had done. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see Lulu and Dillon together. He said Valerie had to admit, there was something between them. Ric told Nina that Madeline was a miserable excuse for a human being, and he would never do anything for that monster. He was Nina’s husband, and would never side with someone who had hurt her. Nina said she shouldn’t have listened to Franco. He got to her, and her imagination was running away. She thought it was strange that Madeline was walking around free, and told Ric that Franco had seen her in Port Charles. Ric said Franco could be lying, but Nina asked what the point would be for him to lie. She wondered, if her mother was out of prison, where was she? Why wasn’t she showing her devious head? Kiki asked Denise and Franco to join her and Morgan for dinner, and Morgan said he accepted that Kiki and her aunt were a package deal. Denise left to powder her nose, and Morgan followed her. Kiki told Franco that both she and Morgan were afraid he was going to hurt her aunt, but Franco insisted that he and Denise were the real thing, and told her to relax. Morgan told Denise that they needed to talk. He said Franco was dangerous, and wrong for her. Michael told Sonny that he was returning Avery to him. Even though Sonny’s life was still dangerous, Sonny was Avery’s father, and her family; he couldn’t pretend that didn’t mean anything. Carly asked if Morgan had talked Michael into it, but Michael said Sabrina had helped him to look past his anger, and see what was right. Sabrina said Michael already knew what he needed to do, and Michael said he was giving Sonny’s daughter back to him.

Nina told Ric that she thought Madeline was planning a sneak attack, but Ric said the thought she was trying to keep a low profile. Nina said Madeline didn’t know the meaning of a low profile, and thought she must be scheming with someone to get her hands on Nina’s money. Ric said Nina had to regain control of her finances before Madeline found a way to access them. Nina started to panic, and Ric suggested they meet in the restaurant. Nina said Franco was there, slobbering over his new girlfriend. Michael told Sonny that losing ELQ had a lot to do with why he was there. Lucy had been the deciding vote, and sided with Nikolas because of what Michael had done to Sonny. He didn’t want to take Avery out of spite, or to use as a weapon, and had talked with Sabrina. He told Avery this didn’t mean he didn’t love her. He didn’t want to trade one tragedy for another and tear the family apart. He’d thought giving in meant he was giving up, but his father would have been the first one to tell him to do what was best for Avery. The cycle had to stop. He told Sonny not to make him regret it, and Sonny promised to look out for Avery with everything in him. Michael handed Avery over.

Valerie told Dante he was a great guy, and had helped her with the death of her mother. He wasn’t a guy who cheats. He said he hadn’t thought Lulu was that way, but people surprise you. Valerie said if Lulu was hooking up with Dillon, she was the dumbest woman in the world, and he owed it to himself to confront her, and not be as wrong as she was. She also didn’t want to lose Dante’s friendship if he resented her later. Lulu decided if she called Dante, she’d have to lie, and she couldn’t; she was already sick over it. Dillon said she was doing the right thing, and he had a better idea. Holly told Luke and Laura that Ethan had also been kidnapped, and Luke suggested they all calm down and deal with it together. Holly said she and Ethan had been going after a mark in South America. When she went to pick him up, he wasn’t there, and the whole place was a disaster area. Luke asked if there had been signs of a struggle, and Holly said Ethan had put up quite a fight. He was gone, and she had no idea where or why. Their son had vanished. Laura said it was the same with Lucky. His room had been ransacked, and there was no sign of him. An anonymous person had called, and told her to find Luke, and they were led there. Luke said Holly was the last person he’d expected to see, and asked if she’d searched Ethan’s room for clues. She showed him a matchbook, saying there was no reason Ethan should have one from a hotel in British Columbia. She wondered how the matchbook had ended up there.

Carly told Michael that she’d never been more proud of him. She was sorry for times she’d hurt him when she seemed to be siding with Sonny. When AJ was killed, she didn’t want the family torn apart, so she lied, but he deserved better. She didn’t expect forgiveness,  but wanted him to know she loved him. Michael said he loved her too. He’d grown up believing Sonny was a man of honor, and wasn’t sure if their relationship would be the same again. He warned Sonny that if he felt Avery was ever unsafe, she’d be gone, but Sonny said he’d guard her with his life. Kiki wasn’t so sure if Franco was good for Denise, since he was on the rebound, and asked if Franco was sure he wasn’t using her. Franco promised that he and Denise were good for one another, and Kiki hoped it helped him get over Nina. Nina told Ric that she didn’t care what Franco did, she just didn’t want to watch it. Ric told her not to let Franco win, and suggested she flaunt her bliss with her new husband. He told her to show Franco that the best day of her life was when she kicked him to the curb. He told Nina to meet him downstairs, and when she left, he told Madeline to be gone by the time he got back. She said to be sure to get Nina’s signature giving him power of attorney, and let everyone know Nina had descended into madness again. He said it was touching how much she loved her daughter. Michael told Avery that she’d be living with her dad, but he loved her more than he thought possible. He’d always look out for her, even when she couldn’t see him. He told Sonny and Carly to take care of Avery, and left with Sabrina. Denise told Morgan that it was the only choice, and they went back to the table. Denise said she wanted to spend some time with her baby niece. Carly told Sonny, despite their faults, they’d raised a wonderful son, and had proof of that tonight. She knew Michael giving Avery up broke his heart, but she’d also known it would happen because of who Michael was. Sonny told Avery, welcome home, and Avery fed him a biscuit, which was super cute. Back at his apartment, Michael said he didn’t think out of sight was out of mind. He missed Avery already. His phone rang, but he ignored it. He thanked Sabrina for going with him, and giving them both space. She said he always knew it was the right thing to do. Dante told Valerie that he sucked at marriage, but Valerie said he was an exceptional father and husband. He said he was a lousy friend, and hoped he hadn’t ruined it. Valerie told him that he hadn’t. Dillon gave Lulu his script to read, and asked how he stacked up on a scale of one to ten. She said he practically held her at gunpoint to get her to read it, but wouldn’t shut up and let her. She had some notes.

Holly was surprised to find out that Jennifer Smith had lured Luke out, but Luke said she had nothing to do with Lucky’s kidnapping. Laura said Jennifer had used Luke’s desperation about his son to get close to him, and yes, she meant that way. Holly said, cow, and Laura said, idiot. Laura said whoever contacted Holly would be contacting them, but they hadn’t heard anything. In perfect soap timing, her phone rang with an unknown caller. Laura put it on speaker, and answered, asking where her son was. Holly said, and hers, and the caller said, good; Holly was there, and found his matchbook. Luke asked where their son was, and what the hell the guy wanted with them. He said he’d tell them everything they needed to know tomorrow.

Lulu told Dillon that she didn’t buy the relationship in his script at all, but he said it was true; those people were him and his first girlfriend after Georgie died. She’d stomped his heart into the dirt. Valerie suggested she and Dante forget the kiss, and Dante said, business as usual? She said, absolutely, and decided to go back to Windymere. She still had a room there until Nikolas said otherwise. Sonny fed Avery her bottle, and Carly said Avery looked more like him every day. She didn’t see Ava in Avery, but did see Ava in her crazy sister. At the MetroCourt, Denise said it was important for her to have Avery in her life. Morgan said there had been a truce with Sonny, but Franco stopped her from leaving by kissing her. Ric and Nina walked in, and Nina grabbed Ric, kissing him, while Madeline lurked around the corner. Sabrina asked Michael if he was okay, and he said he was trying to look on the bright side. He and Sabrina could spend more time together, now that he was out of a job. She said she was too, but things were starting to look up. He said he was trying not to think about Avery, and maybe they could help each other think about something else, so they got busy.

Ric told Nina that he wasn’t complaining, but why? She said she felt hot for him, and he suggested they table that, and get back to the issue at hand. Now that her mother was out of prison, they had to make sure Nina was protected by getting her funds released. He said he would have to act on her behalf, and needed her to sign something. He gave her some paperwork, and she signed it without even looking at it. Morgan said Franco and Denise might want to get a room, but Denise wanted to keep her panties on, at least until she talked to Michael. Carly told Sonny that Avery needed to sleep, and she would be there in the morning. Sonny said, and every morning after that. Basking in the afterglow, Michael said he’d wanted Sabrina for a long time, and she said she felt the same way. His phone rang, but he didn’t pick up, and Denise left a voicemail saying she’d like to come by and see the baby. She felt a connection to her sister’s baby, like she was Avery’s mother, which was fitting since Avery didn’t have one. Sonny told Avery that she was home with him, and never going anywhere again. Valerie told Dante that she thought it was best to give both of them space. Dante said he was sorry, and she said he was forgiven, if he’d stop apologizing. She left without looking back, and Dante looked at his and Lulu’s wedding photo. Dillon said now that Lulu knew the truth, what did she think? She said he seemed to think highly of himself; the character was perfect. He said he’d give him a flaw, and Lulu said, just one? Dillon said he chews with his mouth open, and only listens to Top 40, and she said maybe he was perfect. It was a good distraction for her from worrying about her brother for a while.

Holly told Laura to try *69, but Laura said she’d tried everything. They needed to get some rest, and pray the kidnapper followed through and contacted them. Luke told them, the contact said to wait, so they would wait. Laura and Holly agreed.

🏥 In Case You Don’t Know Them…

Meet Ava’s alter-ego sister Denise.

https://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2015/general-hospital-spoilers-gh-avas-identity-revealed-who-figured-out-denises-dirty-secret/

And Valerie Spencer.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/general-hospital-valerie-spencer-brytni-sarpy-167403

And Jennifer Smith.

https://www.soapcentral.com/gh/whoswho/jennifer.php

The Real Housewives of New York City

With the first interview, I got a clue why they haven’t been showing new ones, even though they were filmed before the pandemic. The interviews were done remotely, so those must not have been edited in yet.

Leah goes to the Halloween store, and calls Rob, asking him if he wants to be a clown or a priest. In her interview, she says Rob isn’t typically her plus one, but he’s an important person in her life, and she wants to see what he thinks of the women, and more important, what they think of him. Dorinda and LuAnn join her. In LuAnn’s interview, she says her good friend Evan got her a fabulous venue for her Halloween party. She wants to enjoy it with the girls, and have a great time, so she’s not performing. Dorinda says she was Ramonasized again, and tells them, Ramona is planning a birthday party and invited her and Sonja along to see Larry Scott. We flash back to that, and I realize he reminds me of Michael Madsen in a size large. Dorinda swears Ramona barely spoke to them, and they were just there to take pictures for Larry’s social media. Three hours of her day. In her interview, Dorinda says it wasn’t bad enough that Ramona used them to swindle a free party, but she thought they were too stupid to notice. She tells LuAnn, since Ramona actively disinvited Sonja last year, she thought Ramona should do a joint birthday party, but she said no; it was only her and her coming out. She never even spoke to them again afterward. LuAnn asks if Ramona wanted their advice, and Dorinda says, not really. In Leah’s interview, she says she understands, but Dorinda has known Ramona for twenty years. She shouldn’t be surprised. And she needs to chill with the judging stuff. Dorinda is still skeptical about Tinsley getting engaged, and LuAnn says she and Ramona went out for drinks with Tinsley, and she’s 100% sure. In her interview, Dorinda says, everyone deserves to be happy. Tigers and rabbits don’t get along, but that doesn’t mean they can’t scamper away and be happy. They try on some costume armor, and Dorinda suggests they wear it to Ramona’s birthday party. LuAnn says they can show up as gladiators.

Ramona meets matchmaker Rori for drinks. In her interview, Ramona says Rori set her up with Brian, better known as Red Scarf Guy. She thought he was great in many ways, and fit everything in her box. Excuse me? We flash back to Brian, and to the dud date Ramona had with the guy who thought monogamy wasn’t natural. Rori asks if Ramona is looking for love or money, and Ramona says she wants a best friend who makes her laugh, and someone who travels. Rori says, that’s not cheap, and some women accept a little older and heavier for the lifestyle. Ramona says she wants both. In her interview, she says she wants someone who’s worth is the same as hers, or they get intimidated. She tells Rori that when she moved into her new place, it felt awkward. We flash back to Ramona wailing in the bar that she might never find a man. She says she had a renaissance. She feels more comfortable in her home, and loves herself. (That’s clear.) She wants someone in her life who adds to it, but it’s okay if she doesn’t find it. Rori says, happy finds happy, and Ramona is a great catch. Yeah. Until she opens her mouth. Ramona says, age is just a number. Wake me when she’s done promoting herself.

Sonja meets Elyse for drinks at Dakota. Sonja says Halloween isn’t her favorite holiday. She doesn’t like to get dressed up and be around people she doesn’t recognize. You could have fooled me with that one. She tells Elyse that Ramona bought a voodoo priestess costume and got her a matching one. Elyse wonders, why not her? and thinks Ramona is afraid of losing control. In Elyse’s interview, she says when Ramona need emotional support, she comes to her. She tells Sonja that Ramona called her, and said she was thinking of coming by. Meanwhile, her doorman was buzzing her that Ramona was on her way up. In her interview, she says she doesn’t have a house in Aspen and can’t do plastic surgery, so Ramona doesn’t need her now. Sonja says she tried to tell Ramona about becoming the Century 21 chief lifestyle officer (that’s a thing?), but Ramona eclipsed the conversation and made her feel like an upstart. Elyse says, Ramonaville is filled with one-way streets. In Sonja’s interview, she says she doesn’t recognize Ramona anymore. She has to one-up everyone with her fake friends and fake parties. Shut up, Ramona. Elyse tells Sonja to call Ramona out with her, and Sonja says she has a lot of dirt on Ramona, and she’s sure Elyse does too. Elyse says she’d never do that, but Sonja says Ramona doesn’t need to know that.

Dorinda meets daughter Hannah for lunch, and says she’s not dressed warm enough. Dorinda insists on giving Hannah her coat, and they go to Jimbo’s Hamburger Place, which looks like an old school diner. Dorinda asks for everything on her burger, and Hannah adds, and all the sauces. In Dorinda’s interview, she says if she was stranded on a desert island the one thing she’d bring is Hellman’s. Mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard are part of every meal, and Russian dressing is a holiday. Hannah says, no burger, just sauce, and I wonder why they’re calling condiments sauces. Dorinda shows Hannah a picture of Richard’s son Aidan that he sent to her. Hannah says Dorinda used to get sad, wondering who her person was. She’d always had an anchor that shaped her sense of self. Hannah looks up to her more now, and says Dorinda is a better role model than ever. She was given a bad hand, but didn’t turn it into a streak, which is worthy of pride. In her interview, Dorinda says everyone has seen her go through changes and grow. She’s a different Dorinda today. Hannah says it’s the first time she’s seen Dorinda be herself. She’s managing herself, and not desperate to be married. Hannah says she feels guilty that she hasn’t gotten it right yet. Dorinda tells her about Ramona’s party, and suggests she and Hannah have a birthday lunch. She confuses Riker’s Island – known for a prison – with Randall’s Island – a cute residential island that you can get to by an aerial tram. Sylvester Stallone and Rutger Hauer had it out on the tram in Nighthawks.

Leah, Rob, and Kier go to Chinatown for dinner. In her interview, Leah says, when you’re from New York, you know all the spots to eat; it’s not all about the Upper East Side. She says this is normal for her and Rob. They’ve been co-parenting longer than they were a couple. She hadn’t wanted to be in a relationship; she wanted to spread her wings and fly. She specifies, not those wings, and we flash back to Dorinda discovering how Leah grooms downstairs. She says Rob has been her rock. She tells Rob that she went to lunch with Bunny and Brian (her parents), and we flash back to Bunny saying alcohol is a slippery slope for Leah. Leah says they talked about Rob. It’s weird. They’ve been broken up for eleven years, yet neither one of them has moved on. She feels like her parents wouldn’t accept another person; he’s like their son. Rob says he has no mother figure, so it’s definitely her mom. Leah says she should give Bunny more credit. In Leah’s interview, she says her sister likes to say she and her mother only communicate and show love through arguing. She tells Rob she still has resentment. Imagine telling Kier to live on the street at seventeen years old. Kier asks if Leah was really that young, and Leah says her mother claims she was nineteen, but whatever. Kier wonders if nineteen is a little old to be living with your parents, and Leah says, most people are in college then, and still being taken care of.  Kier asks why Leah didn’t go to college, and if she couldn’t get in. Leah is like, please, and in her interview, says she’s no saint, and she can be an a-hole. She tells Rob that she should be better to Bunny, and Rob says she knew that. She says, don’t be a d*ck. He’s so I-told-you-so, like her mother. She tells Kier, a lot of women marry men like their fathers, which Kier finds disgusting. Leah says she married someone like her mother, and Kier makes a face.

In Leah’s interview, she says she doesn’t normally dress up, but she found a see-through mesh jumpsuit, and she’s going as a voodoo slut. She goes to get her makeup done by LuAnn’s makeup artist, who says LuAnn is on her way. In her interview, Leah says, LuAnn has her own timeframe. LuAnn goes to the venue to check things out, and the décor is phenomenal. LuAnn tells Evan that it’s incredible. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, last year was sexy nurse, and this year, it’s voodoo. It has to be shocking. Evan shows her one room that’s like a cemetery, and tells her that it’s going to be filled with smoke, like a different world. LuAnn meets the chef, who says the menu is over-the-top. His seafood platter looks like it’s escaping. In her interview, LuAnn says, it’s not a Halloween party unless someone is grossed out. She says, the girls will love it, and moves on to makeup. Leah tells her about the jumpsuit, but says she’ll be covered in the strategic places. She doesn’t want to give anyone a heart attack. LuAnn says, it’s Halloween. You’re supposed to give people a heart attack.    

Ramona tells Missy, her plus one, that she hasn’t liked Sonja’s costumes, so she got one for her. They’re the first to arrive, and they check out the decorations. Ramona says her priest wouldn’t like it, and Missy says, don’t tell him. Ramona examines a goat head on the buffet table, and in her interview, she says, who would want to eat looking at that? Her friend Ron joins them, and we flash back to her meeting him at the bar when she was having drinks with LuAnn and Tinsley. She says he looks scary, and he says he takes Halloween seriously. Ramona calls LuAnn, asking where she is. LuAnn says dinner isn’t until 8:30, and Ramona tells her the room is gorgeous. Ramona tells Missy that she’d even sent a group text about starting early. A male friend of hers has a private table at Omar’s downtown, and she wants to go. Like this is her party. Sonja, Dorinda, and Elyse share a limo to get there. In her interview, Sonja says she got lit with her hair and makeup team. Halloween is a national holiday in their in group. If it’s not to you, stay home because you’re dead meat. She tells Dorinda and Elyse that Ramona doesn’t feel her pain or struggle. Dorinda says Ramona wants everyone orbit around her. Sonja gets animated with the voodoo doll she’s holding, and the driver looks nervous. At the party, Ramona tells Sonja’s friend Andrew that his paunch looks real. He tells her it is, and in her interview, she says, oops. Sonja, Dorinda, and Elyse arrive, and in her interview, Dorinda says, it’s a Dorinda set-up. She’s a little jealous. They took a page from her book.

Jill Zarin shows up to get her makeup done. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s been friends with Jill a long time. She’s been on tour, and Jill has a new love, Gary, so they don’t get to see each other often. When she has a chance to invite Jill to a party, she does. Jill asks the makeup artist if she can be pretty, or does it have to be weird? The artist says she’ll make Jill pretty. Sonja whacks at her voodoo doll, invoking Ramona’s name. Ramona says Sonja is scary looking, and Sonja says the doll’s name is Ramona. She’s mad because whenever she  talks to Ramona, Ramona brings the conversation back to herself. In Sonja’s interview, she says, the other three vodka sodas will be kicking in soon. She tells Ramona that she loves her, but she’s an a-hole. Ramona gives Sonja a kiss, and Dorinda says Ramona should apologize. Ramona thinks Dorinda should stay out of it, and in Dorinda’s interview, she says when she’s told to stay out of something, it just makes her more eager to jump in. Sonja tells Ramona that she’s mean to Elyse, and Elyse is always at the bottom of the totem pole. Elyse admits she does feel like that, and says Ramona might have a lot of friends, but they’re different kinds. There are the ones that knock you when you’re on top, and kick you when you’re down; and the ones who celebrate when you’re on the top, and catch you when you fall. Which one is she? Ramona asks which one she wants to be, and in her interview, says she thinks Elyse is jumping on the bandwagon. Elyse says she’s asking Ramona, and Ramona says she doesn’t give a sh*t at this point. She tells them that she has to use the restroom, and walks off. Sonja tells Elyse, Ramona wants her to do well, but not better than her. In Elyse’s interview, she says she’s watched Ramona being an a-hole to other people, but at the end of the day, what do a-holes give you? Ramona goes over to Dorinda, and tells her not to repeat this out of the group. Why do these women always assume any of them will keep a confidence? Ramona says Dorinda and Sonja are her most important friends. In her interview, Dorinda makes a face, and says she doesn’t buy it. I literally lol. Dorinda wonders why Ramona can’t have a joint birthday party with Sonja, and Ramona says she’ll throw another party. Dorinda says, that’s silly. In Ramona’s interview, she says Dorinda would have no one to invite, while she has 80 girlfriends because she’s a good friend. I see that number has gone up by 20 since the last count an episode ago. Dorinda says Ramona just wanted a free party, and Ramona insists that she’s paying for everything. Dorinda tells her to swear on her daughter’s life that Larry is charging her, but Ramona won’t do it, and tells Dorinda, she’s whacked. Dorinda says Ramona is out of her mind, and sounds ridiculous.

Leah and Rob arrive, and Leah introduces Rob to the women. He says he feels small, and wow, they are tall next to him. Dorinda wastes no time, and asks why it didn’t work out. In LuAnn’s interview, she says Rob seems easy-going, and she sees why Leah hooked up with him. Sonja slinks over, and LuAnn says Sonja started Halloween early. In her interview, LuAnn wonders who came with Sonja, and who was at the pre-game? Sonja probably should have gone to bed. Missy says maybe Ramona should talk to Dorinda, but in Ramona’s interview, she says, Dorinda can’t talk when she’s angry. She’s going to stick it out for a while, and go to Omar’s. She tells Leah that she looks absolutely stunning. Sonja says Leah is an effing weirdo, and Leah says Sonja looks hot as hell. Sonja says she likes Leah, but she’s a weirdo. Leah goes over to Sonja, and gets nose to nose with her, and Sonja says they’re artists. Can they keep it real? Leah doesn’t know. In her interview, Leah says she and Sonja are having a fresh new start, and she loves everything about it. Sonja tells her, don’t be divisive be inclusive. In Leah’s interview, she says she understands drunken Sonja language, now she needs to learn to speak sober Sonja. It’s agreed alligator does not taste like chicken. Ramona tells Missy that Sonja is like Jekyll and Hyde. She flips, and it’s scary. Dorinda tells LuAnn, Ramona is a selfish, self-serving person who’s always thinking about herself. LuAnn can’t believe Ramona brought Missy; a girlfriend of her ex-husband’s. Ramona says Dorinda doesn’t have Tinsley to attack, so she’s getting it. We flash back to the engagement party, where Tom told Missy that wearing a wedding ring was like being a dog with a collar. In her interview, LuAnn says, Ramona doesn’t give a sh*t; she’s insensitive. The problem with people is, they always disappoint you, but Ramona never ceases to disappoint. Dorinda remarks that Ramona changed seats quickly to be next to Rick. Is she happy Dorinda brought him? Ramona ignores her, but Dorinda repeats the question, and Rick looks pretty uncomfortable. In Ramona’s interview, she says, the best thing is to ignore someone who’s being mean to you. It makes them more angry, and more reflective. I dunno about the reflective part. It probably just makes them angrier and meaner.

Dorinda stands up, and clinks her spoon against her glass. She says she has a question. Is it nice if you have a good girlfriend who, when they don’t like something you said, asks if you’re drunk? Sonja yells, why did you say that, Ramona? and Dorinda says Ramona has been there an hour and a half, boozing it up. Ramona is sad and mean to her – schadenfreude. Dorinda says, she’s not nice, and Sonja says, Ramona is terrible to her. Dorinda tells Ramona, don’t do that, and Sonja repeats it. LuAnn gets up, lifts her glass, and says, how about them Mets? Happy Halloween. In her interview, LuAnn says she understands Dorinda has had it, but she’s taken it to a whole other level. LuAnn actually feels bad for Ramona at this point. Jill asks if this is how it always is; you walk in, and Dorinda attacks someone? Elyse asks if Ramona is okay, and says she still loves her. Ramona says she has a lot right now. In Ramona’s interview, she starts to talk, and daughter Avery tells her, stop wasting her energy talking about Elyse. She hears Ramona telling her friends; she can’t get enough of it, and it’s annoying. Ramona tells her, shut up. Elyse asks if Ramona is good, and Ramona says she is. Dorinda carves the pig, for which LuAnn is glad. In her interview, Ramona says, who in their right mind, after witnessing that speech, would give Dorinda a knife? Leah pulls an octopus out of the seafood tower, and LuAnn tells her, don’t f*** with the seafood tower, which I predict will be the next, don’t be all, like, uncool, along with, 1985 is over. Leah introduces Sonja to Rob while still holding the octopus. She plops it back on top, and pulls out something else, asking, what is this? I don’t know what it is either, but it looks gross. LuAnn says, this is where it goes wrong, and Leah throws whatever-it-is on the table. In Ramona’s interview, she says, someone put voodoo on this party, and she’s out of there. She’s going to Omar’s, which will be a lot more fun than this party.

The music starts, and everyone dances, except Sonja who looks sullen and clutches her voodoo doll. Leah asks Rob if he’s okay, and he says he’s fine, but he’s not sticking around. She tells him that she loves him so much, and he says he doesn’t know how life ended up like this, but here they are.

Next time, a return to the fish room, Ramona blocks Elyse, Dorinda finally corrects Ramona’s mispronunciation of narcissistic, and LuAnn tells Sonja that she doesn’t need her and to eff off.

🛸 For the Trekkers…

A new animated comedy series. It sounds kind of weird, but I dropped out after Deep Space Nine.

https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-lower-decks-sets-release-date

🌈 For Those With Pride…

Lots of fun pictures.

https://www.manrepeller.com/2020/06/brooklyn-bushwig-2020.html?mc_cid=c16f404248&mc_eid=3e76ab4a64

🤹 But Don’t Let This Happen To You…

GoHomeRainbow

🎭 A Diverse New World…

The Academy is moving forward.

https://www.instyle.com/news/oscars-diversity-goals-new-members

🗺 How’d We Get Here Again…?

We’re back at Friday, or day 103 if you’re going by the pandemic calendar. Just think, we have so much to look forward to when this is over. Like wishing for a seat on public transportation, traffic, and people invading your personal space. In the meantime, stay safe, stay civil, and stay not like Ramona.

Jul2

July 1, 2020 – When Nina Stole Ava’s Baby, a Refresh, Now We’re Talking, NJ Hired Hit, Proud Mom, Another Carrot, What’s Coming Up & Hooray

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Getting into the Wayback Machine, we open the door at November 7th, 2014.

Anna arrested Duke at The Floating Rib. Sonny was about to shoot Ava, but Michael intervened. Sonny said he didn’t know what Kiki had told Michael, but Michael said Kiki told him nothing; Franco did. Old Nina was at an apartment, rocking a baby like it was hers, and Madeline came in with baby supplies. Nina asked if Madeline had intentionally wrecked her marriage to Silas. Silas (Michael Easton before he was Finn) asked Nathan if there was any word on Nina, but Nathan said no, and Dante told Nathan that he had to arrest Sonny. Morgan told Kiki (who used to be Starr) not to worry; Sonny wouldn’t lay a finger on Ava until after the baby was born, but Kiki couldn’t believe Morgan left her mother alone with Sonny. She’d thought Morgan loved Ava, and now she was at Sonny’s mercy thanks to him. Sonny got a text saying Franco was dead, but Franco was at the pier.

Michael told Sonny that Franco had shown him something eye opening – Sonny admitting to killing AJ (Michael’s father). The necklace they’d found had a camera in it, and Franco had recorded Sonny and Carly’s tryst, where Sonny confessed to killing AJ, and Carly helped him cover it up. Ava said she saw it happen, and encouraged Michael to shoot Sonny. Sonny kept yelling at her to shut up, and Ava told Michael that she had to find her baby. Nina got a call from Franco, and she asked him how the wedding went. Dante told Nathan that Sonny got caught covering up the murder, and he had to do his job. Nathan offered to arrest Sonny, but Dante said, no. He knew this day was coming, and it was his job to handle it. Nathan said he was going to find himself in the same situation with his own mother – not Obrecht, but Madeline. Nina had an emotional breakdown and assaulted her husband, and he thought Madeline was helping her. Kiki wondered where Ava was, and Silas said he’d gotten a text from Ava, saying she was with Morgan. Kiki said that wasn’t possible, since Morgan was at the hospital. Anna told Duke that she saw the recording of Sonny confessing to AJ’s murder. Duke had lied to the police and her, and she was arresting him for perjury, obstruction of justice, and being an accessory after the fact in AJ’s murder. Ava told Michael that Nina had taken her daughter, and Sonny had stood in the way of her stopping it. Michael kept his gun on Sonny, and Ava said Michael should kill Sonny for what he did to Michael’s father.

Lucy babbled to Bobbie about Anna arresting Duke, and said Bobbie seemed blasé about it. Bobbie said she had other things on her mind, but Lucy couldn’t figure out what would be more horrible; Duke looked humiliated. Bobbie said she was worried about her daughter. Franco told Nina, the wedding was eventful, and she said her day was eventful too. She had someone new in her life, and couldn’t wait for Franco to meet her, but he wasn’t sure when he could get away. He told her it was corny, but he could use a friend, and she said she could too. Kiki told Silas that Morgan had been in the ER all night, and she didn’t think her mom sent the text. Dante told Morgan that he was looking for Sonny; it was about AJ getting shot. Ava told Michael to shoot Sonny, but Michael told her, shut the hell up. It wasn’t enough that Sonny had killed AJ; she and Sonny had desecrated his grave. He said they were both disgusting, but this was between him and Sonny. He told Ava to go, and she gave them a wide berth and ran. Nina asked Madeline if she’d hired Ava to wreck her marriage, and Madeline said they shouldn’t have this conversation in front of the baby. Nina suggested they speak in French, but then realized the baby hadn’t even mastered English yet. She gave Madeline a friendly reminder that she controlled the money, and said she wanted the truth or Madeline wouldn’t see a dime. Madeline admitted that she’d hired Ava. Silas asked Kiki if she thought the text was from Nina. He’d had a patient who tested positive for something, but then was fine. Kiki said they needed to get to Ava before it was too late.

On the pier, Franco tucked a gun into his waistband, while Ava stumbled through a tunnel, and came out at the pier. She saw Franco, and called to him, but he didn’t hear her. Lucy told Bobbie that if Carly had considered the consequences, she wouldn’t have covered up AJ’s murder. Bobbie asked since when was Lucy a fan of AJ’s? and Lucy said no one liked AJ, but Carly should be punished. Bobbie said the same could be said for Lucy’s boyfriend Duke. Nathan told Anna that Dante was about to arrest his father, and he had to arrest his mother. Anna said she could handle things with Duke. Dante told Morgan that Ava didn’t kill AJ; Sonny did. He remembered the gun was missing when the cops looked for evidence at Sonny’s house, and realized Michael might have it. Michael told Sonny, Jason saw him at the Quartermaine crypt, and asked if Sonny had gone to there to brag to AJ that he’d gotten away with murder. He said Sonny had desecrated AJ’s grave by sleeping with Ava there (hint: sleeping was the last thing they were doing). Then Sonny let the blame fall on an innocent woman for AJ’s murder. Sonny said Ava wasn’t innocent; she’d shot Olivia and killed Connie, then let AJ take the fall. Michael said Sonny knew AJ was innocent, and killed him anyway. Although if I remember correctly, AJ had tried to kill Connie, and Ava just finished the job. Sonny told Michael it wasn’t like that, and Michael asked how it was. Sonny said AJ found out that Ava had killed Connie, and went to confront her. Ava was going to shoot AJ, but AJ grabbed the gun. He’d had his hands around Ava’s neck. Michael asked if Sonny was claiming he saved Ava’s life, and Sonny said AJ took his hands off of her, and was about to tell him something – that Ava had killed Connie – but he shot him anyway. Michael said Sonny hated AJ, so he’d killed him. Sonny admitted he did, but swore he wouldn’t have pulled trigger if he’d known AJ hadn’t killed Connie. He found out later after hearing a recording AJ made of Ava confessing. Michael said he believed Sonny, but it didn’t change anything; it made it worse.

Anna said she’d warned Duke since he’d decided to work for Sonny. She’d told him that if Sonny was found guilty, he’d go down too, and Duke lied to her face. Duke said he regretted that, and Anna asked why he’d chosen Sonny over her. Bobbie said Lucy had been hanging all over Duke since Scotty had chosen her over Lucy. Lucy said she’d needed a shoulder to cry on and a good friend, but Bobbie’s brain was too small to understand the complexities of their platonic relationship. She told Bobbie to have fun sifting through the rubble of Carly’s latest disaster, and left. Franco came in, and asked if he could buy Bobbie a drink. Madeline said she had Nina’s best interests at heart, and Nina said, Silas was a good man, but Madeline sicced Ava on him. Madeline said Silas had chosen to cheat, and she’d done Nina a favor. Nina insisted Silas wouldn’t have touched Ava if Madeline hadn’t put her in his path. Their marriage would have been fine if Madeline hadn’t intervened, but it didn’t matter anymore; she had Silas’s baby now. Kiki and Silas found Ava on the pier, and Silas checked her out, saying she would be all right. Ava wondered where her baby was, and Kiki asked who’d done this to her. Ava said Nina and her mother took the baby. Silas called Nathan, and said he knew where Nina had been. Nina and Madeline fawned over the baby, and Nina said they’d never have to think of Ava again, and neither would Silas. It was like it never happened, and she had something Ava could never give him. Bobbie said she didn’t want anything from Franco after what he’d done to her daughter and grandson. Franco said he’d shown them the truth, and Carly got what she deserved. Bobbie said Carly made a mistake, and he asked, which time? Bobbie said so Carly cheated on him, but she didn’t deserve an ambush. Carly was right not to be with him, and he’d cost Michael his relationship with both of his parents. Franco said he fully expected Michael to thank him someday, and Bobbie said she was getting Carly a lawyer. Franco said it would be a waste of time and money. Duke admitted to Anna that he lied to protect Sonny, but he didn’t choose Sonny over her. It was the opposite. Anna said he risked his freedom and their relationship for a casual business acquaintance, but he said Sonny had offered him friendship and a job, and made him feel useful. Anna asked if Duke repaid Sonny by covering up the murder, and he said Sonny understood the depth of his hatred for Julian, and how much Julian had damaged their lives. He was desperate to rid the town of that scumbag, and Sonny had the means to do it. Anna said Julian was still walking the streets, and AJ was in a crypt. Duke said Sonny needed his help, and together they would bring Julian down. Sonny would have paid the price, but he hadn’t sacrificed his own freedom for Sonny’s; he’d kept his word. Anna hoped he was prepared to deal with the consequences, and not just with the justice system.

Michael asked if it was supposed to make it okay that Sonny didn’t know AJ was innocent. Sonny had sworn he wouldn’t hurt AJ, and Michael thought he could believe that. If he’d loved Michael, he wouldn’t have pulled the trigger. When Michael mourned the loss of his father, Sonny comforted him, knowing what he’d done. He was no longer Sonny’s son, and Sonny wasn’t his father; AJ was his father. Sonny said Michael had a right to be angry, but he’d raised Michael. Michael said Sonny poisoned him against AJ, but it wasn’t for his sake. He’d been a pawn that Sonny used against AJ, and it cost Michael his whole life with his real father. Now he was going to make Sonny pay. He told Sonny to put his gun down. Morgan and Dante kept talking and talking and talking. They talked so long, Dante could have intervened ten times. Ava was brought into the hospital, and Silas said Nina had done something terrible. Madeline asked if Nina realized the baby wasn’t hers and Silas’s, but Nina said, of course (🍷) it was. Who else’s baby would it be? Bobbie asked Franco why getting Carly a lawyer would be a waste of time and money, and he said Sonny had confessed, and he already gave the video to his father (Scotty). Duke was taken away, and Lucy told him she’d take care of everything. Sonny put his gun on the floor, and Michael said now he was defenseless like AJ had been when Sonny killed him. He wasn’t like Sonny, and kept his promises, and he’d promised AJ that he’d make his killer pay.

Serving Some Refreshments…

Michael’s biological dad.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/aj-quartermaine

The scoop on Silas.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/general-hospital-silas-clay-168064

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (in a way)

Tonight, Erika Jayne/Girardi and Reza Farahan gave commentary on episode 618, and Bravo seems to be getting the hang of it. They not only got the right pair – a gay man and a gay icon – but they talked to each other. Reza told us, a bitch did his own hair, while showing off his freshly colored locks. He addressed Erika as Mrs. Girardi, and admitted, besides being a Bravolebrity, he was a Bravoholic. The show was from Erika’s first season, when the women went to Dubai, and included a cast member named Kathryn, who I don’t remember. Apparently, she wasn’t very memorable to a lot of people, since that must have been her only season. It was their second day at Atlantis; The Palm Dubai, and LVP and Kyle went swimming with the sealions; Eileen and Erika went to the aquarium; and LisaR went to the spa with Kathryn. Kyle was angry about some picture my memory was fuzzy on – the word enraged kept coming up. Erika said going to Dubai was glamorous, and they had the best trips. Reza said, nine times out of ten, LisaR will be packing leopard.

Eileen talked to LisaR about the picture situation, and we flashed back to LisaR telling Eileen about LVP and Kyle talking smack about Yolanda. Then I realized the picture must be from Yolanda’s Instagram. There had been a big kerfuffle about Yolanda having been sick, but she’d hung out with Brandi or something. God knows, wherever Brandi is, there’s some kind of problem. Eileen said her relationships with the other women had changed because LisaR was telling her stuff, but not owning it with the others, and it made Eileen look bad. Reza asked Erika if the men had been staring at them. She said, yes and no, without really clarifying, and he said that he was a gay man, and knowing how he reacts to seeing her blonde hair, he could only imagine. In Dubai, the women went for a ride through the desert, and Reza told Erika, the smokey eye was a big hit with Middle Easterners. Erika said she was mad about having to put on a turban for the ride, because it messed up her hair. I guarantee she would have been twice as mad if she’d let the wind whip through it. We had a convertible for a while, and I hated dealing with that. Erika said the ride was intense, and she was worried they were going to fall. Reza pointed out that a vintage Range Rover Defender (what they were riding in) was a big deal. The episode was making him homesick.

The women were brought to an outside dinner table, where camels hung out in the periphery. Erika told Reza, camels spit, and there were snakes in the desert grass. The women were given tea with camel milk, which they loved until they found out it was camel milk. Frankly, I don’t see what difference it makes, since conventional milk comes from a cow. Erika told Reza that she died when the waiter said that, and the tea suddenly tasted different. When the waiter said they were going to be served camel meat, the only ones game enough to try it were LisaR and Kathryn, who got on a high horse in her interview, saying they should eat what the natives did. I get that, but I don’t eat a hamburger surrounded by cows sweetly chewing cud. We’ve gone to a restaurant that has fish tanks for walls, and I feel weird ordering seafood there. Erika asked if Reza had ever had camel, and he said he couldn’t eat dark meat chicken.

LVP had a conversation on the side with LisaR, and the dreaded Munchausen topic came up. I remember that well, because they must have said Munchausen 5000 times throughout the course of a few episodes. We flashed back to LisaR being at LVP’s house, and saying when someone had mentioned Munchausen’s in regard to Yolanda, she’d engaged, and now felt sh*tty about it. LVP asked her why she wasn’t bringing up Kyle, who’d questioned Yolanda’s illness, and in LisaR’s interview, she said Kyle and LVP had both been questioning it. She told LVP, everyone felt same; it wasn’t just her. Erika told Reza, the market in Dubai wasn’t really like Sex in the City, and the women acted like tourists. We watched as they haggled, but Kathryn’s reaction to a cockroach being in a caftan she was trying on, was one of the funniest things ever. Reza said, Kathryn was the one who ate gamey camel meat, and she’s afraid of a roach? I assume it was like the ones in Florida, which you can saddle, and I’d have the same reaction. I’ll bet Reza would too. Erika said, imagine being new, and trying to put the pieces together. On the show, Erika gave Kathryn a replica of the Burj Khalifaa, a famous Dubai skyscraper, and she told Reza that they had followed her on social media after that.

LisaR, Kathryn, and Kyle had drinks and appetizers at a hotel restaurant, and Reza said it was the best going to a restaurant you’re familiar with in a foreign country. He said LisaR looked locked and loaded, and watched as she told Kyle about her conversation with LVP. Kyle said LVP told her that she’d thought LisaR might bring Kyle into it, and LisaR said everyone let LVP get away with manipulating situations. LVP wanted other people to get involved, so she had clean hands. Reza wondered why there was no footage of LVP talking to Kyle, and Erika said because she did it when there were no cameras around. Reza said that was exactly what he’d wanted her to say. In Eileen’s interview, she said Kyle knew LVP was manipulating her, and it was nuts. Reza asked Erika a question about what was happening, and I got the feeling she didn’t really remember, which would be understandable. Reza pointed out that Erika wore a lot of yellow gold in Dubai, and that’s the way they do it in the Middle East.

When the women were at dinner, they discussed the next day’s trip to the mall, and Kyle went over the rules; no swearing or talking about s-e-x. Reza said he was sitting on the edge of his chair, waiting for LisaR to pop off, when she said she had to get something off her chest. LisaR asked LVP why she suggested bringing Kyle’s name into the conversation about Yolanda. Reza and Erika discussed LVP’s body language; Erika saying it conveyed she was in charge, and Reza saying LVP was gangster. Kyle said LVP told her that she was afraid LisaR would bring her into it. LisaR said they’d all talked about it, but she seemed to be the only one going down for it. One of the reasons I’ve soured on the Housewives is because some of this stuff is just so petty, and they make it sound like a mob war. In her interview, Kyle said she’d made some comments about Yolanda’s Instagram (I guess that’s what enraged her), but never said anything about Munchausen’s (see what I mean?). Reza said if he hadn’t seen Kyle’s teeth looking so fly when he saw the episode the first time, he wouldn’t have found his dentist. He’ll always be grateful to Kyle.

Eileen brought up LVP making her uncomfortable in the Hamptons when she’d asked about the affair that led to Eileen’s current marriage. Erika said she thought LVP never liked Eileen, and Reza said, on a side note, Eileen should have gone with a dramatic lip. Erika started laughing because she’d thought he was going to say something more profound. So did I. Kathryn said Eileen wasn’t feeling the sincerity in LVP’s apology, and in her interview, said she thought the problem was cultural differences. In LisaR’s interview, she said she was disappointed in LVP. She had respect for her, and LVP let her down. Reza said LVP looked irritated, and Erika agreed. LisaR told LVP, she’d tried to rewrite it, and it was not okay. The episode ended there, and Reza asked Erika, looking back, what grade did she give herself on the episode? Erika said she scored okay, which isn’t a grade, but okay. Watching it years later, she thinks she called it how she saw it from the beginning. Reza said she didn’t have a Denise Richards type situation going on either. She didn’t show up in shorts and a tank top. She was slaying it from day one. They both thought it would be fun to get together, told each other to stay safe, and blew a kiss.

Much, much better.

🚓 And They Say LVP Is Gangster…

I have to admit, I’m always relieved when a horrible crime turns out to be a personal vendetta.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/wyckoff/nj-real-housewives-stars-ex-husband-hired-mobster-hit-feds

It was just a coincidence, I tell ya.

https://extratv.com/2020/07/01/dina-manzos-ex-husband-thomas-manzo-pleads-not-guilty-in-attack-on-her-current-husband-dave-cantin/

🌈 Fly Your Flag High…

Heather is proud of her daughter’s pride.

https://people.com/tv/heather-dubrow-daughter-max-comes-out-as-bisexual/

🐉 Just Keep Writing, George…

More teasing from the man who holds the key to Westeros.

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/george-r-r-martin-winds-of-winter?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Books&utm_campaign=42636&utm_content=Books_editorial

📽 Colorful Choices…

Coming soon for your entertainment pleasure in July.

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/7-tv-shows-and-movies-were-watching-in-july/

🐫 Hey Mike…

We’re officially past the week’s hump, so I suppose camel milk was fitting. It’s always confusing when Independence Day falls on the weekend – is it Friday or Monday when things are closed? But since for many, it’s still a perpetual weekend, and lots of things are still closed, it’s even more muddled. While you’re figuring it out, stay safe, stay being your unique self, and stay away from crowded house parties.

Jul1

June 30, 2020 – Revisiting Michael In Prison, Who Are They, Almost There, a Loving Reunion, Selling Mid-Century, RHOBH News, Another Goodbye, Jameela Is Done & Believe

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

GH Flashback from June 4th, 2010, come on down!

At the MetroCourt, Carly told Spinelli that she wanted to give Dante a taste of what he gave Michael, who’d been put in prison for Claudia’s murder. She wanted criminal charges brought against Dante, and for him to sit in Pentenville until he rots. She asked if Spinelli could handle that. Olivia and Brook made dinner for Dante and Lulu at Dante’s place. Lulu wanted to contribute some flowers, but had brought goldenrod, and they told her Dante was allergic, recalling a funny story about how he wreaked havoc at a wedding with a sneezing fit. Seriously though, who brings goldenrod to anyone if they don’t know that information? Dante wanted to talk to Michael, but instead got Jason, who’d gotten himself put in prison to protect Michael. Jason said Michael had nothing to say to Dante, and if Dante wanted to see Michael, he could bring the paperwork to get Michael released. He told Dante to stay away until then. Sonny picked up Kristina for therapy with Dr. Spaulding, and told Alexis that he was attending the session with her. He didn’t want to be held responsible for Kristina’s issues, but Alexis told him to keep the focus on Kristina, and not make it about him. She warned him not to be angry and defensive, and he said he’d never abused women. Alexis suggested that he was guilty of verbal abuse.

Spinelli told Carly that setting Dante up with a criminal offense had to be carefully timed. The Jackal’s case had to be airtight, and it could be a red flag if it was too close to Michael’s conviction. Carly said, stage one, they’d get Brook to seduce Dante; and stage two, they’d take their time and leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Spinelli wondered who should follow the trail, and Carly said, maybe Lucky. Spinelli said his cyber-skills would get justice for Michael and Jason, and Dante would pay. Brook talked about dancing with Dante at the wedding where he caused a commotion, and Olivia said they were sweet.

Dante said Jason had gotten himself sent to prison to protect Michael, but didn’t need to protect Michael from him. He already blamed himself, and was doing his damnedest to get Michael released. Jason said Dante just wanted Sonny to think he cared, and wondered if Dante was still building a case against Sonny. He told Dante that he’d never trust him again. Meanwhile, Luke and Tracy were in a medieval looking cell. Tracy wasn’t well, and Luke hollered for the guards. Tracy told Luke that he was doing a good impersonation of a caring husband. He called for a doctor, or even an aspirin handed through the bars; anything. Tracy said this was the price they were paying for Luke’s obsession with dragon lady Helena, and asked if he had any more bright ideas.

Ethan (Luke and Holly’s son) told Lucky that he’d heard Luke had been gone for a week, and the last time he was seen, he’d been worried about Tracy. He thought Tracy was probably in Fiji, and asked if Lucky didn’t think Luke had joined her. Lucky asked how Ethan’s second job with Johnny was going, and said Johnny’s vendetta against Sonny wasn’t a good idea. He said it was like poking a stick in a hornet’s nest, and if they weren’t careful, they’d start a mob war. Ethan said he was a lover, not a fighter, but had no reason to like Sonny. He wondered if Luke had left because of his affiliation with Johnny, but Lucky didn’t think so. At the hospital, Steven (Webber) talked about an up and coming drug a friend of his had invented that would provide restoration of tendons and cartilage, and said he wanted to invest in it. He thought it would be an exciting opportunity, and if it performed as expected, he could become financially independent. Elizabeth said she didn’t want to remain dependent, especially on Nikolas. Back at Dante’s, Lulu told Olivia that if a man’s heart was through his stomach, she was screwed, but Olivia said Dante loved her, and she’d been a rock for him, even when he went undercover. She didn’t think he would have gotten through it without Lulu. Lulu said Dante did what was right, and she admired that.  Olivia said Dante would still be blaming himself for what happened to Michael if not for Lulu’s love and support.

Sonny told Dr. Spaulding that he wanted Kristina to heal, and figure out why she felt the need to protect Kiefer for so long. Kristina wondered how her relationship with her dad might have affected her relationship with Kiefer, and was glad he came with her. Sonny didn’t see a connection, and said any man who hit a woman was a monster. Kristina said she knew he felt that way, but maybe it wasn’t that simple. The doctor asked Sonny to define abuse, and Sonny talked about physical abuse, saying he and his mother went through many years of it. It helped him to understand, but it made him sick. Kristina said Sonny had been abusive to Claudia, and had screamed in the courtroom that she’d gotten what she deserved. She said Sonny had also provoked Johnny, and Sonny said Johnny lied, saying he was an abuser, and he wondered why Kristina believed Johnny over him. Lucky told Ethan that Luke loved his children, but loathed giving them advice and counsel. Ethan thought Luke was probably off risking his life, and Lucky was concerned he might get killed. Lulu had been caught in the fallout from Michael’s conviction, and Helena was lurking in the shadows, drawing Luke like a moth to a flame. Maya (Edward Quartermaine and Mary Mae Ward’s great-granddaughter) joined them, and said she’d checked with the Quartermaines, and Tracy wasn’t in Fiji; it was a false trail, and no one had heard from her. She’d disappeared, and hadn’t even called ELQ. Lucky said it had Helena’s fingerprints all over it. Brook tried to teach Lulu some cooking skills, and Dante came home early. Dante tasted the sauce, and said Brook was an angel sent from heaven.

Carly told Spinelli that she was thinking drug money, and asked if he could access a drug cartel and do a fund transfer. He said nothing was beyond the reach of the assassin of cyberspace, and she said once it was realized that Dante was sitting on cash, and it led back to drugs, his career would be destroyed, and he’d get a taste of his own medicine. Spinelli said it would be a stain on Dante’s reputation that would follow him for the rest of his days, and Carly said she loved it. Spinelli said it would shine a harsher light on Dante’s betrayal, which was the true crime. Carly told Spinelli, once he was involved, there was no backing out, but Spinelli said it was fitting justice. The Jackal wouldn’t rest until the deceitful one had paid for what he’d done. Olivia overheard, and asked who the deceitful one was. At Pentenville, Jason told Michael that there had been no progress as far as his release went. Michael said Dante claimed he was working on it, but he’d told Dante to save his breath; his father would get him out. Jason said he told Dante not to come back without the paperwork, and Michael said Dante just wanted to score points with Sonny. Jason said Sonny had given Dante the benefit of the doubt because Dante was his son. At her session, Kristina said Johnny told her that Sonny had been abusive to Claudia, but Sonny said he’d never hit her. Kristina said abuse was more than hitting, and Sonny said Claudia was a terrible person; she hurt everyone. Kristina said Sonny hated her, so he’d abused her. She said when Sonny gets into fixing mode, he goes off the hook, and flies into a rage. He’s scary, and makes them think it’s the other person’s fault. She’d stayed with Kiefer because it felt familiar. Then when he put her in the hospital, she apologized for him, like everyone did for Sonny. Sonny said Kiefer was twisted and sick, and he was nothing like him.

Ethan told Lucky it would be like Tracy to run off and have Luke chase her; it was their idea of foreplay. Lucky said Helena was in Port Charles, but Ethan said she was there to see her grandson. Maya said Lucky was bias, and so furious at Nikolas, he was blaming the Cassadines. Sonny accused Dr. Spaulding of brainwashing his daughter. He said, it wasn’t right, and he was out of there. Kristina didn’t want to go, but followed him out. Michael wondered if Sonny somehow knew Dante was his son before he was told, and that’s why he believed a stranger. Jason said Dante was a great liar; even he didn’t suspect Dante was undercover. Now that he knew the truth, he was never going to trust Dante again. Michael said Sonny wanted to trust Dante, and Jason said a father feels a connection to their kids, no matter what; it was unconditional love. Spinelli told Olivia that he’d been referring to an online gamer who cheated, and Olivia asked if he was sure he wasn’t talking about Dante. Spinelli said, most assuredly not. Olivia suggested they blamed Dante for Michael going to prison, but Carly said blaming Dante was a convenient way to avoid what was staring her in the face. She was responsible for Michael going to prison. It was her fault and no one else’s. Olivia told her not to beat herself up about it. Carly had always done the best for her son, and it was all anyone could do or expect. They’d focus on getting Michael out of prison, and no one would be happier than Dante. When she left, Spinelli told Carly that she was a most impressive liar, and she said it was a gift she was going to use to defeat Dante and make him pay. Dante asked Brook to stay for dinner, but she said it was a thank you to him and Lulu for getting her a job at the MetroCourt. Dinner was supposed to be waiting when he got home, but he came home early. Lulu said her only contribution would have made the night a disaster; she’d brought goldenrod. Dante insisted Brook eat with them.

Luke suggested he and Tracy go to the Amalfi coast, and get a private villa; price was no object. Tracy said that’s because it was her dime, and he said, on his dime, all they’d get was a shack on the beach, which was not her style. Tracy started coughing, and Luke yelled again for the guard, who told him Helena was on her way. Ethan said Helena had no reason to kidnap Tracy, but Lucky said she had plenty of reasons. Ethan was assuming Helena thought like a normal rational person, and she’s a psychopath. Ethan said maybe she’d mellowed after spending time with her grandson, and Lucky said she’d only use it to cause mayhem. Maya thought Lucky’s imagination was running amok. Lucky got a text from Luke, saying he and Tracy were escaping the madness by casino hopping in the Caribbean, and wanted to be left alone. He still wasn’t buying it, and Maya said if he was looking this hard for a sinister plot, that meant something wasn’t right closer to home. Steven told Elizabeth that the company was looking for a $100K minimum investment, but she said she didn’t have that kind of money. Sonny apologized to Kristina for losing his temper, and said he loved her. He was trying to help, and didn’t understand why she always believed the worst of him. She said she didn’t blame him for what happened with Kiefer; it was her choice to stay. Sonny said she still believed Johnny over him, and she said, no matter how bad Claudia was, she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. Sonny said this wasn’t helping, and he’d check in tomorrow. Kristina made a call, saying she wanted to meet with someone. Dante and Brook reminisced, much to Lulu’s dismay.

Spinelli went to see Jason, who said Sam was worried about him. He said it looked like Spinelli hadn’t seen the light of day in a long time. Spinelli said he was involved in meaningful enterprises, and Jason wondered if he meant gaming. Spinelli said gaming helped him to accept missions others wouldn’t undertake. Jason asked what mission he was on, but Spinelli said it was hypothetical. Jason asked if Carly came see him, and dragged him into one of her crazy plans. Alone in his cell, Michael practiced some boxing, while another inmate (Carter) watched and then applauded. He said Michael had some fast moves, but it wasn’t going to do him any good. Ethan went to see Kristina, and she told him that she was seeing a therapist to find out why she stayed with Kiefer. He asked what she came up with, and she said it might be linked to her relationship with her dad. He and Kiefer were alike. Kiefer was in charge, would get mad, then apologize, saying how much he cared, and it would make her feel special. That’s how it was with her dad. Ethan said she was making progress, and Kristina said she’d invited Sonny to her therapy session, but it was like they were speaking two different languages. Then Sonny announced he was leaving. Ethan told her that she was brave to try, but she said she didn’t feel brave. She’d been a doormat for Kiefer, and felt pathetic. Ethan said she was a survivor, and he admired that. Kristina said that’s why she’d chosen to have a crush on Ethan. He’d told her to have respect for herself and not put up anything less. Even though she messed up and was too young for him, liking him was a positive step.

Sonny went to see Carly, who told him that he couldn’t be there. He said he’d gone to therapy with Kristina, and the shrink did what shrinks do; blame the parents. He thought the therapist was filling Kristina’s head with lies, but he began second guessing himself, and thought maybe everything wasn’t so black and white. Carly said that was a first for him, and Sonny said he never fought with anyone or was as angry with anyone like he was with her. He asked her if he’d been abusive, and she told him not to ask questions he didn’t want the answers to.

🤷‍♀️ If You’re Clueless Like Me…

Again I didn’t know from some of these characters, the flashback being during a time when I wasn’t watching. So for those who are in that boat, or need a refresher course…

All about Maya.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/maya-ward

And Ethan.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ethan-lovett

And Carter. Not much on this guy, which is understandable.

https://general-hospital.fandom.com/wiki/Carter_(Josh_Wingate)

🎥 Are We There Yet…?

It kinda sorta looks like GH will be taping new episodes again soon.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/could-resume-taping-in-july

https://tvline.com/2020/06/26/general-hospital-new-episodes-coronavirus-production-schedule/

💗 If Loving You Is Wrong – Oh So Right

Edwina Findley (Kelly) hosted a special cast reunion done remotely. Included were Heather Hemmens (Marcie), April Parker Jones (Natalie), Zulay Henao (Esperanza), and Amanda Clayton (Alex).

Edwina said she’d asked for everyone’s OMG moment, and we saw clips of those. Hers was saying goodbye to Travis. She said it was the point where Kelly was stepping into her own power. Amanda said she never knew where Alex stood; every year she’d find out she’d been lying the year before. Her moment was at the Cowboy Bar, getting on the mechanical bull, and yelling, yehaw, bitches! She said Alex was a train-wreck, but it was fun. A viewer asked who Alex’s baby daddy was, and Alex said they knew it wasn’t Brad, Randal, or Lushion, and she felt choosing Ian would be a cop-out. She’d decided Alex had so many relationships, it was a Maury Povich situation, and thought it was one of Alex’s many one-night stands. When asked what she thought happened to Alex – at the end of the show, she’d been arrested for Randal’s murder, even though Marcie had killed him – she said with any luck, Alex made her way to a psyche ward, and got the help she needed. She told us that she’d quit waitressing to take the job, and felt there was a divine purpose in them coming together. They became a family, and she was also married with a baby now.

Heather’s OMG moment was when Marcie had found out Randal was having an affair with Alex, and leapt over his desk to attack him. She said that’s when she figured out what the show was going to be; it was everything combined in that moment, and defined Marcie’s emotional ride.

Cynthia and Thomasina – co-workers who lived in different states, but watched the show together via the phone – asked what happened that Marcie went nuts. Heather said she thought Marcie had snapped; that Randal had gotten to her one too many times. She hadn’t meant to kill him, but to show him not to touch her, once and for all. Well, she definitely succeeded. Heather said Marcie had taken it a little too far, but in a perfect world, she got away with it. She hoped Marcie got some peace in her life, and distanced herself from Maxine, along with Brad and the kids.

April’s moment was when Randal had invited himself into Natalie’s house. With her hand on a knife the entire time, she said he thought she was an ignorant-ass fool, but she was from the hood, and it wasn’t that way. Then she told him to get his ass out of her house right now. April said, often Natalie and Randal were the comic relief, but in that monologue she explained who Natalie was – she loved you, but understand that if she had to, she’d cut you. Natalie was her alter-ego. Tyler Perry saw through her, and told her that she knew she could allow herself to go there; it was the reason she’d gotten into acting. She said acting has been her freedom and therapy, and Tyler saw that. Marcie said she loved group prayer with Tyler in the morning, and loved how they held hands, connecting spiritually before a tough day. She also loved making Tyler laugh; it was always a big win. Edwina talked about how she found out her mother had cancer during the first season. When her mother had to go to hospice, she shared it with Tyler, and said she wanted to do something special for her mom. He’d arranged for a set visit, but unfortunately, her mother didn’t make it. She called Tyler when her mother died, and he shared his beautiful spirit, telling her about his own mom. Everyone agreed that Tyler is authentic and caring, even when no one is watching. Edwina said their sisterhood also meant a lot to her.

A viewer, who friends knew not call when the show was on, wondered what happened to Natalie and Lushion. April said they moved the hell out of Maxine, and had the wedding of their dreams – the wedding they deserved – and possibly one more baby.

Zulay’s moment was Esperanza’s final scene with Eddie when she shot him. Edwina said it was the moment fans had been waiting five seasons for, and Zulay said people had been on her since the beginning, but she wanted to handle it with empathy and love. Esperanza’s sole purpose was to be a good mom. Edwina said her sensitivity and honesty came through in her work. Viewer Renee from Houston asked what happened to Esperanza’s daughter, even though I thought it had been pretty clear she was dead. Zulay said Eddie had taken away everything Esperanza lived for. Edwina said the fans loved to hate Eddie, and asked Zulay what it was like working with Joel Rush. Zulay said there was never a dull day, and we saw clips of them behind-the-scenes, having fun. She said he was professional and awesome to work with.

Edwina said she had a surprise, and introduced the men. Besides Joel, there was Aiden Turner (Brad), Eltony Williams (Randal), and Charles Malik Whitfield (Lushion). Aiden said he missed everyone’s sense of humor, and their dinners on Friday night after work. They were a family unit, but now were spread out over the United States. Nothing he’d done before or since gave him the same connection. Joel said the show gave him a purpose, and he was a different man because of them and Tyler seeing something in him. Tyler gave him a shot, and he felt surrounded in love. He’s the man and father he is today because of the show. Charles said they weren’t just a team on the show, but a family. Tyler, Oprah, and OWN always included them in everything, and he said they were true friends. Eltony said there was great chemistry, and Tyler had pulled good work out of him.

The men departed, and Edwina said the ladies would have the last word. Amanda said she was still shocked that so many people watched diligently, including her own family and friends. Heather thanked the fans for letting them tell the stories. They were wild and inconceivable, but things happen in Maxinevilles all around the country. It being a female driven show was a moment of pride for her, and she thanked Tyler for putting women’s stories in the forefront. April was thankful for being a part of history with the rest of the cast, and thanked viewers for investing in the characters and their journeys. Zulay said she was grateful for the loyal fans, and especially for Tyler. He told her something that sounded simple, but changed the way she lived, not just professionally, but personally and spiritually. He told her, sometimes you have to live knowing. You need to live knowing you deserve your dream, and go get it. Edwina said she believe in the manifestation of dreams. She’d dreamt of working with Tyler and Oprah, and had stood under the OWN studio sign. She’d asked someone to take a picture of her, and the picture had been taken on September 9th, 2011. The show debuted on September 9th, 2014. She said there was no dream too big that God couldn’t manifest, although you might not know how or when it would happen. Zulay said Tyler continued to be good to them, and invited them to his studio opening in Atlanta. He surprised them by giving them stars on the Walk of Fame there. Edwina thanked Tyler for saying yes, and choosing them; thanked Oprah for the network (me too!), and allowing them to express their gifts and talents; and thanked the viewers at home for allowing them to be part of the family and being part of theirs.

I’m not sure if this answered any questions, but it was nice of Tyler and the network to give us one last hurrah. I have to admit though, it made me sadder than the finale did. It was like a final farewell.

💵 Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles

JoshA went to look at a mid-century modern house in Trousdale, an area where the blocks are tiered and houses are restricted to one-story, so everyone has a view. The house had 4 bedrooms and 4½ baths, a sunken living room, and was rumored to have been designed for Howard Hughes, who supposedly partied there, and also let his girlfriends live there. Josh said he felt Howard’s personality reflected there, and could feel the swanky mid-century vibes flowing through it. It was another one of those houses that didn’t look like much on the outside, but had all kinds of things going on indoors. Built in 1960, the owners had maintained the original look, but spent money behind the walls on things like electric and plumbing, as well as new appliances. Owner Scott showed Josh his music studio, and gave a lengthy explanation of the kind of music he wrote, telling Josh the earth was increasing in frequency. Josh and I both had the same reaction to that – huh? He played Josh some of his stuff, which I call music to fall asleep to, and chihuahua Chloe brought Josh a toy, but wouldn’t hand it over. I thought the house was really cool, but I love 60s and 70s interior design. It also had a rooftop deck, which Scott said was the only one in Trousdale. Josh thought they’d be lucky to break even, since what had once been $3000 a square foot was now $2300.

JoshF got a cold call from a woman named Heather, who was looking for a house that was kid-friendly. She wanted an area not populated by coyotes, since she wasn’t a diligent dog owner, and was afraid her dogs would get munched and her kids would end up in therapy. Josh said his job was to find his client the perfect house, even if they didn’t know what they wanted. He said when you didn’t know a client, it was like going on a first date.

David and James wanted to get in the Pasadena market, and were given the listing for the house that Tracy had trash talked about them to the owner. James David said they’d have to sell it, and show Tracy up, and David James said, exactamundo, which made my skin crawl. Unless you’re in a Quentin Tarantino movie or Bart Simpson, please, stay away from that word. It was another mid-century from the 1950s, which they thought looked like the Brady Bunch house, but I begged to differ, actually wondering if they’d ever seen the show. I don’t think the Brady Bunch dad could have afforded that house. They decided they needed to convey the potential of the house, without the buyer thinking it would be a humongous project.

James and David had a private showing with brokers and agents to get feedback. There were also a few potential buyers, and it was interesting to watch how the two of them played up the older features with people who loved the era, but pointed out the potential to those who didn’t. Just about everyone commented on the carpeting in the bathrooms (yeah, no), and one guy just kept saying, terrible about everything he saw. I thought he’d had too much work done, and his face was terrible.

Scott suggested to JoshA that he and his band play at the buyer’s open. Josh loved the live music idea, but was concerned Scott’s music might be too mellow. After the open house, where Scott played on the rooftop patio, Josh admitted it had been a great help even though he’d been skeptical. He even took the mic, and made up some clever lyrics about the property. He hoped the good vibe would entice someone to make an offer. He’d channeled his inner Steve Perry – who he clarified was from Journey, for the young ones.

David James got an architect to do renderings, so buyers could see potential of the house. James David said he’d probably spent his commission already. Since Tracy had said they wouldn’t put in the effort for a house priced so low, they wished she had been there. An offer was made, but in the meantime a counter offer came in. David James David encouraged the first broker to get his client to come up. The broker thought his client would feel it was too much risk, but they ended up making a deal. James told David to call Tracy, but not rub it in her face too much. He left a voicemail asking if she’d like to join them for lunch, which they’d pay for out of their commission. I’ll bet she felt like a big a-hole when she heard that.

Next time, JoshF’s client finds something she likes; Tracy is a wreck; Heather tells Josh that when she saw Frederik, he came for her; and JoshA and Frederik argue.

💎 This week’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will feature commentary of a classic episode (classic being their word, not mine) by Erika Jayne and Reza Farahan, Maybe Reza will tell us where the Shahs reunion went. Wednesday, July 1st, at 9 pm. There will be a new episode next week on July 8th.

😥 Another Legend Gone…

He was one of the greats. It would be hard to pick a favorite project, but I do love The Jerk.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1166326/carl-reiner-dick-van-dyke-show-creator-dead-at-98

🎉 Her Job Is Done…

A celebrity who is actually doing it right.

https://pagesix.com/2020/06/27/jameela-jamil-is-done-calling-out-deluded-kim-kardashian/

🚗 Don’t Make Me Turn This Car Around…

A holiday weekend is coming up (I think…), and while some doors have opened, others got slammed shut again. Will we ever get back to normal, new or otherwise? Who knows, but stressing about it won’t make it better. Stay safe, stay constructive, and stay leaving fireworks to the professionals.