Category Archives: Teresa Giudice

February 12, 2020 – The Investigation Is Squashed, Shopped, the Wives Head To the Shore, Something New & Frozen Love

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Sam asks Robert what he means by the deal is off. She and Jason kept their end of the deal. They gave him a lead connecting Peter and David Black. Robert says, it’s a good lead, but he’s not allowed to pursue it. She asks, why not? They were close to nailing Peter. Why back out now? Robert says, it’s not his call. Jason asks, whose call? and Robert says, it’s the million dollar question. Someone shopped them to the Attorney General.

Finn thinks Anna is projecting a little bit. He imagines Peter and Robert’s altercation was worse than usual. She says, hard to believe, but it was. They were arguing about Peter before he arrived. He asks if she told Robert that she knew about his deal with Jason and Sam, and she says, no, but they were fighting and he inferred as much. He asks what she thought she was going to get, by confronting Robert, and she says she just thought she could get him to back off. He asks if they’re talking about the same guy. Did she think he was going to pass up an opportunity to get Peter? She asks if she’s supposed to just accept that Robert is going to do everything he can to destroy Peter’s life. Does Finn have any idea how painful that is?

Emma sees Peter at Kelly’s. She says she stopped by his office yesterday, but he was out, so it’s a happy coincidence, finding him there. He asks if there’s any chance he can get his first official hug as her uncle, and they hug.

Ava calls Valentin, and he asks if he should address her as Ava or Mrs. Cassadine. She says for him, always Mrs. Cassadine. She says her call concerns the property he used to reside in illegally, and asks if there’s any way to turn the stable lights on remotely. The mistress of the property shouldn’t wander around in the dark. He tells her, try a flashlight. The cliffs are slippery, and it’s only a matter of time before Nikolas pushes her off one. Nina comes into the gallery, and Ava says she’ll be with her in a minute. She tells Valentin, have a nice evening, and don’t dwell on everything he’s lost. Valentin calls Martin, and asks him to get to GH.

Maxie tells Jax that she needs approval for something regarding Crimson. He asks if it’s another budget hike, and she says the shoot in Dubai is more costly than they thought. He says he’ll go over it with Nina, but Maxie says, she’s not in the office. She already looked at the budget; these days, Maxie wears many hates. Jax says he’ll take a look at it, and get back to her. She thanks him, and he asks if there’s something else. She says, Nina didn’t tell him that she wasn’t coming in? and he says, she doesn’t have to. Maxie says, of course (🍷) not, but she thought Nina would share that information, since…

Ava asks what brings Nina by, and Nina says she’s on the hunt for a new home, and she’ll need new artwork, so she wanted to look at Ava’s latest acquisitions. She asks if that was Valentin on the phone, and Ava says she had some questions about Spoon Island. Nina suggests she ask the staff; why provoke Valentin? Ava says, why not? She won’t be intimidated by a homeless false heir out on bail. She’s only worried about Nina. Valentin wants her back. Nina says, too bad; she’s moving on Ava likes that direction, but says Nina is lacking conviction. Nina says Ava doesn’t believe her? and Ava says, not really. Nina says if Ava had arrived in her office earlier, she would have. She and Jax kissed. Ava says, that is an interesting development. How exactly did that happen?

Maxie tells Jax, proximity is a funny thing. It’s like salt or cayenne pepper. Too much is overwhelming, but too little is bland. Adding just the right amount makes what you’re cooking better. She knows he and Nina kissed, and wants to know where he’s going with the relationship.

Ava tells Nina, she remembers music playing when she walked in. Champagne was chilling, and she thinks their toast was to more than the rise in circulation. She’s sorry she spoiled the mood. Nina says she’s glad. It would have been a disaster if Jax had been there when Valentin arrived. Ava says, that’s true, but Nina smooched her corporate dreamboat. Nina suggests they not call it that, and Ava says, seriously, she’s happy for Nina. It takes courage to get yourself out there. Nina says, it was a tiny little kiss, and Ava asks if it was a good kiss. Nina says, fantastic. It’s all she think about. Ava asks if that’s bad. It means she’s over Valentin, or trying to get over him, but Nina says, it doesn’t matter. It’s not like she and Jax have a future. Ava says, with Valentin out of the picture, why the hell not?

Martin meets Valentin, who says he expects the DNA results any moment. Martin asks if he’s there for moral support, but Valentin says he wants Martin to take action as soon as he has proof he’s a Cassadine. He’s wants to regain his assets, and make sure Nikolas and Ava are off Spoon Island. He asks how it’s going with Nelle, and Martin says she’s primed to sell the ELQ stock she inherited, but she’s expecting a life changing number. Valentin says once her stock is acquired, they need to move on to the other shareholders. He needs a majority holding to take control.

Finn says he understands how painful it is for Anna, and she says when Robert is on the warpath like that, he puts on blinders. He only sees Peter as a criminal. She doesn’t know what to do now that Robert is working with Jason. Finn flashes back to giving Sam and Jason information that connects Peter with the assassin. Finn says he’s sorry she’s going through this, and she says she’s just angry really. Why did Robert make a deal with Jason of all people? Finn says, strange bedfellows, and she says, Robert considers Jason a thug, but he’s putting that aside. She can’t believe Robert went behind her back. Finn says, to be fair, she did it first by withholding information from the file she returned. She asks whose side Finn is on; it’s getting harder to tell. He says, obviously hers, and she says if that’s true, he should understand why she kept the information from Robert. Robert, and now Jason and Sam, are going everything they can to destroy Peter. They want to pin it all on him; Drew’s death all way to the attack on Andre. She had to protect him. She had no choice. He says, she did. She chose Peter. She says she had to defend him.

Jason asks how the Attorney General found out about their deal, and Robert says, someone shopped them to him. He was told in colorful terms, if he continued with this, he’d face sanctions. Sam says the AG should want the killer brought to justice, but Robert says the spike in mob violence went against them. It’s their job to put the mob out of business, and not where he’s supposed to go for help. Sam asks if they don’t want to find out who the killer is, and Robert says, they’re pursuing it in their own way. Sam doubts they’ll make it a priority, and Robert says she’s probably right. He’s sorry. No one wants to take this guy out more than him, but his hands are tied. Sam says, what now? and Robert says she has to go back to the terms of her parole, and her parole officer. Jason says, what about Peter? and Robert says, he’s a Bureau problem now. Sorry.

Sam says they did everything Robert asked; it’s all her fault, but Jason says, she heard Robert; the Feds won’t work with him. She says she brought Finn in. If she hadn’t done that, they could have taken it further. Jason says they gave Robert the connection to Eurotech, and doesn’t think they would have gotten it on their own. (Again, really? I could have googled it and figured it out.) She says she should have known Finn would give them up to Anna.

Martin tells Valentin, the negotiations continue between Ned and Linc. Ned is increasingly motivated to get his daughter out of her contract. Valentin says the goal is, if Brook gets squeezed hard enough, she’ll give up her shares. Don’t let this Linc guy drag it out too much. Valentin doesn’t like him; he’s pond scum. Martin says, pond scum has its perks. Ecologically speaking, Linc secured them the contract that gives them the leverage they need. Valentin says, if he’d known Brook was going to be sexually harassed, he’d have never signed off on it. Martin says, after he comes through on their agreement, Valentin can throw Linc to the wolves. He’s been useful, and followed directions thus far, but it’s only a matter of time before Brook goes behind Ned’s back and trades her shares for her artistic freedom. Valentin says, it gives him a foothold, but it’s just a start. They have a lot of work to do before he has controlling interest. He asks if Martin has the list of shareholders he sent. Martin says he does, and Valentin says, pack a bag. They’re leaving Port Charles tonight.

Jax tells Maxie, he can’t approve her proposal if she doesn’t give him a chance to review it. She says, it won’t take long; she was thorough. He says he’s sure it is, but he wants to get through it by the end of the day. Maxie begs him to tell her what happened. She’s only asking because she cares about him and Nina. He’s not breaking any code; she just wants Nina to be happy. He says he does too. She asks what he’s doing about it. Is he making her happy? She won’t tell anyone. He says, there’s nothing to tell. He and Nina are both on the same page. She says, between the two of them, Nina was nervous to talk to him. Good thing they both agree. She knows Nina will be happy with someone who won’t jerk her around like Valentin did. Jax asks what she’s talking about. He and Nina aren’t together.

Ava says she doesn’t get it. Nina is free of Valentin; why turn Jax down? Nina says she didn’t. Ava says, Jax turned her down? Nina says, nobody turned anybody down. They discussed the situation, and they both agreed it’s not the right time to date. Ava asks, why not? Nina says she has a lot going on. She just got out of a long-term volatile relationship with Valentin. It’s not the time to start dating. Ava says all she’s hearing are excuses, and maybe a lie. Tell her the real reason it ended before it started.

Peter asks Emma to tell him everything. How’s everyone in Berkeley? She says, good. They’re waiting for him to visit. Noah wants to show Peter the stadium he’s going to play in. Peter asks if Noah isn’t a little young, and she says, Noah doesn’t think so. He asks, what about her? She says she wants to go to the Claremont Hotel for tea. He says he’d be delighted, and she says, and she wants him to see the Redwoods. Grandma loves those. He says he does too. He asks if everything is okay, and she says she was just deciding something. He’s a part of her family, so she should tell him when something happens. He says, of course (🍷) she should. What’s going on? She says her grandma is worried about him.

Finn tells Anna, the bottom line is, if Peter isn’t hiding anything, he has nothing to worry about. Anna says she’s worried that this is just Robert’s first course of action, and who knows what he’s drumming up. Finn asks if she thinks Peter is hiding something, and she says she has no reason to suspect that, so she’s giving him the benefit of the doubt. No one else seems willing to. Finn says he’s being cautious, and Anna says one thing she learned at the DVX, is that it’s very easy to live up to people’s low expectations of you. If they start calling you a criminal, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and you move toward the darkness. She doesn’t want that for Peter. Someone has to tip the scales in Peter’s favor, and lead him to his better self. Finn asks if she thinks the best way is to withhold information, and she says, probably not, but she doesn’t regret it. Peter never had a fair shot at life. She walked away, and never went back to check on him. Finn says, if it was her, but she says, it doesn’t matter. Peter was raised by a monster, but there’s good in him. She owes him a second chance at life; he needs to be encouraged. Finn asks if she thinks covering up for him is helping him. She doesn’t know, but what else is she supposed to do? Finn says, show him that his choices have consequences. She might want to take a step back, and let authorities handle their part. He knows how much she loves Peter, but sometimes you have to do the right thing for someone you love, even if you know it will cause them some pain.

Sam wonders if Anna gave them up. Finn must have told her, and she told the AG. Jason says, it’s his fault. He went to Anna in the first place. At the time, he thought she’d see the truth. He knew she’d be upset, but he didn’t think she’d deny what’s right in front of her. Sam says, she’s a parent. She’s going to see Peter in any light she wants to. Maybe it wasn’t Anna; maybe it was Peter. Jason says, it doesn’t matter; the deal is off. Sam says she’s so pissed. She never should have trusted Finn. Now they’ll never have the lives they wanted. The second they walk out, they’re back to square one, and have to pretend not to be together again. She can’t do it anymore. Jason knows it’s tough, but she says he doesn’t know. It’s time to take control of the situation. Jason asks, how? and she says, take Scout and Danny, and disappear.

Anna tells Finn, she’s familiar with the notion of tough love. What’s he getting at? He says he needs to tell her something. He ran into Sam, and told her… There’s a knock at the door, and Anna asks what he told Sam. The knock is more persistent, and she says, dammit, and goes to the door. It’s Robert, and she says, what is it? He asks why she went to the AG. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says his deal with Sam and Jason was tanked – all because of her.

Maxie says, Jax just told her that he and Nina were on the same page about the kiss, and he says, they both agreed the kiss was a mistake. She asks, how could the kiss be a mistake? and he says, Nina has a lot on her plate. She’s getting her life back together. Maxie says, no one knows better than her that Nina is an emotional wreck thanks to Valentin, but what better way to get a fresh start than with a brilliant, compassionate guy like himself? He says, it’s not the right time.

Ava says she can tell Nina is holding back. If she’s not over Valentin, she shouldn’t feel ashamed. It’s tough getting over love – especially dysfunctional love – but sometimes talking about it helps. If Nina wants to do that, please vent away; she’ll listen. Nina sits, and Ava says she’d hate to see Nina take Valentin back after all he’s put her through, but Nina says Ava doesn’t have to worry. Valentin isn’t the reason she’s not pursuing a relationship with Jax. Jax is the reason. In all honesty, she was intrigued, but then Jax said the kiss was a bad idea, and they should put it behind them, so they can stay friends. You don’t friendzone someone you’re interested in. Ava asks if she gave him a reason to think that she’s not interested, but Nina says she didn’t have time. He shut her down before she could discuss it. Ava says, then bring it up again.

Valentin says he sent Martin a detailed itinerary. The shareholders are far flung; he should expect a long trip. Martin says Valentin could have asked first, but Valentin says, Martin is on retainer. It comes with the job. Martin says, still, advance notice would have been appreciated. Valentin says, too bad. He has a strategic approach for each of the shareholders, and it’s time to put his plan in action. A nurse tells Valentin, the results are ready. He opens the envelope, looks at the contents, and frowns.

Jason says, that’s a big move, and Sam says, the alternative is being apart for two more years. Jason says he doesn’t want that, but if they go, Danny will grow up with no family besides them. He’ll never be able to see his grandma or sister. Is she willing to do that to him? She says she doesn’t know, and starts to cry. She says she just remembers what it felt like when she lost him. She doesn’t want to feel that again. Danny is the only reason she got through it, and she doesn’t want to put the kids through another two years of this.

Peter asks Emma, what’s troubling Anna? Maybe he can reassure her. Emma says, it’s about Peter’s complicated history. He says, that covers a lot of ground. He made a lot of unfortunate choices when he was young. He was so focused on what he wanted, he ignored the cost – not just for himself, but for other people. He made some bad decisions, and then made worse decisions trying to cover them up. He says, there’s a good lesson to be learned, not that he thinks she’ll make any of the mistakes he did. She asks, what’s the lesson? and he says, when you screw up big, stop, and stand still. Take a look around and ask yourself what you did to get there and now that you’re there, what’s the lesson you’re supposed to figure out? She asks if he learned them, and he says he did, but he learned some too late. Some people don’t want to forgive his mistakes, which is their right. The last thing he wants to do is drag Anna down because of mistakes from his past. Emma asks if that could happen, but he says, no. He has a whole new life now; a good life. He has family; Maxie, James, her, her mom and dad, and Noah. And Anna. People he truly cares about, and he thinks care about him. She says, of course (🍷) they do. The things from his past are gone for good, and they’re not coming back to hurt anyone. She asks if he’s sure, and he says he is. Don’t worry anymore. She says she won’t, and they pinky promise.

Anna tells Robert, start making sense or get out. He says she tipped off the AG. Finn wisely says he’ll give them some privacy, and goes upstairs. She says she hasn’t told anyone about his deal, certainly not the AG. He says she really doesn’t know, does she? Peter overheard them; it must have been him. She says it’s not Peter’s fault Robert was yelling. He says they’ve been stopped from moving ahead with the lead, and she says, assuming it was worth pursuing. He says they’ll never know now. It’s just as she planned. As a bonus, he’s been taken off the investigation. That means it’s in the Bureau’s hands, and they won’t do anything. Peter will get off scot free. She says he can’t be certain Peter is guilty of anything, and he says, all they know is that Peter lied when he was at the front door, and it must have been him who spoke to the AG. She asks, why? Has Robert found something that proves Peter hired the assassin? He says, it was just a lead; a starting point. She asks, what was it? and he says, Eurotech. If she’s so convinced Peter is innocent, maybe she should check into it herself.

Martin asks what it says, and Valentin says, Alexis isn’t his sister; they share no DNA. He’s not a Cassadine. Martin says, that can’t be right, but Valentin says his people monitored the whole procedure. There’s no way it was tampered with. He crumples up the paper, and Martin says he knows that’s not the outcome Valentin wanted. Valentin says it’s not like he chose to be a Cassadine. It’s just something he was. They sent him away and forgot him, but he always had the bloodline, the name, the legacy. Now what? Nikolas wins. He’s the prince; he’s the heir. And what is Valentin? He’s a lie, told by greatest liar who ever lived, Helena Cassadine – his mother.

Robert tells Anna, Sam and Jason think Peter and David Black are linked by Eurotech. She asks how they came by that information, and he says, they weren’t too specific. She says, shocking. What are they going to do with it? He says, the Bureau isn’t going to do business with Jason. He’d made a deal with Sam about her parole, and now she’s not going to see her family for a year and a half. Anna says, oh God, that’s terrible, and he says spare him her faux concern. She’s more concerned about Peter. He dodged a bullet again. Congratulations. She protected a murderer. He leaves, and Finn comes back downstairs. She asks if it was him. Did he tell Sam and Jason about the Eurotech connection?

Jason tells Sam, it will be even harder on the kids. They have a big family, and a lot of people they love, who love them. Sam says she knows; it’s just unfair. He says, as painful as it will be for them to spend two years apart, it will be more painful for more people if they leave. Sam says her parole officer isn’t going to let up. Delores is going to be on her, waiting for her to make a mistake, so she can send Sam back to Pentenville. Jason says, let her try. They’ll work around her.

Valentin says, in light of his current situation, it’s vital that he retain control of ELQ. Martin says, it’s a lot to take, but Valentin says he’s resilient, and also solvent. He has plenty of his own money put aside, and can cover Martin’s retainer. Martin says, thank God, but from now on Valentin pays in advance. Valentin asks what Martin is doing there. They have shareholders to meet. Martin says, they will, but he doesn’t like the idea of leaving Valentin alone. Is there someone he can talk to?

Ava suggests Nina march back into Aurora and level with Jax. Nina asks if she should throw herself on Jax’s desk and beg him to reconsider. Ava says, yes, and Nina tells her, what Jax said was true. Her life is complicated. She needs to move forward, and needs to find a new place to live. Besides, Jax is her boss. Ava asks if Crimson doesn’t have autonomy, and Nina says, it could get messy and complicated. Ava says, that’s love. She needs to be willing to take a risk. Nina needs to go for what she wants, and if if makes Valentin crazy and jealous in the process, that’s icing on the cake. So be it.

Jax tells Maxie, Nina needs space, and he’s giving it to her. Maxie asks if Nina actually told him that she’s not interested. He asks if that isn’t what Nina told Maxie, and she says, absolutely. He wonders why she’s asking then, and she says, verification. Nina might be done with Valentin, but she’s not finished with love. He tells her, just say what she’s thinking, and she asks if he’s sure Nina isn’t interested in dating him. He says, he was, until she showed up.

Anna says, Finn told Sam and Jason about Eurotech, didn’t he? and he says he did. She asks if he knows what he’s done. How could he? He says he can explain, and she asks who the hell he thinks he is.

At Kelly’s, Peter says Robert just missed Emma. He says he knows; his brother has her. He’s not sure he’d want her to hear what he has to say to Uncle Peter anyway. Peter takes it that it’s not a peace overture. Robert says Peter overheard him and Anna, and shopped them to the Attorney General. Peter asks why Robert would care, unless he’s up to something shady. Robert says he really should thank Peter for getting him off that production. Now it’s just Peter and Jason. His daughter adores Jason, and Anna has a soft spot for him too. Him, not so much. He knows a trained killer when he sees one, and Jason knows the truth, Henrik. Jason is coming to get him, and this time Anna isn’t going to be able to save his sorry butt. Have a good night.

Sam says she should go, but she hates leaving Jason. He says, they’ll get through it. She says she knows, but she loves him so much. He says he loves her more. They kiss, and their theme music plays. When I wake up from my nap, Jason tells her, it’s okay. She cries, and he holds her, saying, it’s going to be okay. He tells her, go first. She takes a breath, peeks through the blinds, and goes out the door.

Delores comes down the hall, and sees Sam. Sam asks, what’s going on? and Delores says she’s glad she bumped into Sam. They have a problem.

Maxie thinks her work there is done, and Jax tells her, hang up your bow and arrow, Cupid. He’ll let her know about the budget, and she says, Nina might want to take a pass at it tomorrow. Some things deserve a second look.

Ava hopes Nina is on her way to talk to Jax. At least consider it. Nina appreciates the support, and says she has to admit, she’s a little surprised at getting such helpful relationship advice from Ava. Ava says she doesn’t have a winning record, but that could turn around at any moment. Nina says, in a loveless, sexless marriage with Nikolas. Ava says, point taken. If Jax kisses Nina again, she wants to hear all about it. In the hallway, Valentin listens.

Tomorrow, Brad tells Nelle that he told Lucas the truth about Wiley, Lulu says she and Dustin took a big step, Finn tells Anna that Peter is guilty, and Ava says Valentin is going to kill Jax.

🛒 I read a lot, so it’s rare when a word stumps me, especially one I’m familiar with. Thanks to Robert, I learned that another definition of shopped is, to inform on. I actually looked it up, because I thought I was misunderstanding him.

👗 On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Gia’s prom was a big deal for Teresa, especially since Teresa wasn’t there for Gia’s 8th grade prom. Joe on Ice called, and Gia said Teresa was being like Godzilla, and she was a psycho. You’d have thought a wedding was happening. Everyone gathered at Teresa’s house = Melissa and Joe #2, and Dolores and Frank, who brought Frankie, et al. There was a ton of food and balloons and flowers, and Melissa and Joe #2 brought Gia a bouquet of roses. Dolores said if she could dream up the perfect girl for Frankie, it would be Gia. Melissa mentioned the upcoming trip to the Jersey Shore, and said she wasn’t sure Jackie, Jennifer, and Marge were going to like it, since they were more Hamptons girls. Although we learned later that Jackie was a seasoned Shore pro.

Being director of the Long Island Musical Theater Festival, Jennifer’s brother Steven was participating in a fundraiser to provide musical scholarships. Jennifer brought Gaby, since she’d been going through some bullying at school. She wanted Gaby to see Steven in his element, so she could see where he is now, after having gone through his own trials. Husband Bill told Jennifer that Joe #2 was inappropriate at Marge’s party. (As a reminder, Joe #2 had suggested Jennifer was sexually frustrated, and Bill should bang her more.) Bill thought it required an apology, and Jennifer wondered how the Shore trip was going to be.

We saw pictures and videos of Gia over the years, and Teresa said it seemed like yesterday Gia was a baby. She said Gia had to grow up faster than a lot of kids, and she was proud to call Gia her daughter. Gia made a grand entrance down the staircase, in a spaghetti strap, powder blue gown, with crisscross straps in the back, looking absolutely gorgeous. I teared up for a moment, thinking I didn’t have all the pomp and circumstance, but my father was there. As sleazy as Joe #1 is, he seems to love his kids, and vice versa, and the whole thing is sad.

In her interview, Jennifer explained that her mom came from a tiny village, and married at sixteen. Coming to America, there was a language barrier, and she didn’t understand the culture. As the kids got older, they taught her, and now she tries to never miss an event, so she was coming to the fundraiser. Before the show, Jennifer asked for tequila, and Steven told her that she’d better behave. Apparently, she has a reputation even within her family. Broadway vet Caroline Bowman (Wicked, Kinky Boots, and Evita) sang, accompanied by a chorus, while Steven played piano. Jennifer said she admired her brother for having the courage to be who he is. She thought he was a good example for Gaby on staying true to yourself. Steven’s mom told him that she was proud of him, and no matter what, she’d be there for him. Jennifer pointed out their mother had come a long way from when she couldn’t accept that Steven was gay, and she and Steven couldn’t have a relationship.

Danielle met Teresa for coffee, and Teresa told her about the Hamptons. Teresa said she and Marge got into it a little bit, but she wasn’t choosing sides. She told Danielle about the Shore trip, and Danielle said, even though she wasn’t invited, she had plans to be there this weekend anyway. Teresa said Danielle and Marge in the same room was toxic, and the girls said they didn’t want to be around Danielle. Danielle didn’t know what she’d done to Melissa, and said she’d been at the last several parties Melissa threw. Teresa encouraged her to talk to Melissa one-on-one.

Dolores worked with decorator Sam on the new house. She said she knew her taste could be overboard, so she hired him to keep her in check with that and the budget. It seemed to be the age old problem of the woman wanting the guy to get rid of his old crappy furniture, and him not wanting to. David actually showed up on screen, and Dolores told him that he was going to ruin the house with his ratty stuff. In Dolores’s interview, she said men who’d given her commitments had disrespected and lied to her. David hadn’t lied or cheated, and she decided that was more important than a ring. David gave her a commitment to for furniture, and promised to get rid of his.

Everyone packed for the trip. Jackie was hoping Jennifer wasn’t going to try and smooth things over; she had enough of Jennifer’s apologies. Jennifer decided she was just going to ignore Jackie, and packed a Sorry Not Sorry T-shirt she had made for the trip. Bill said she might ignore Jennifer, but with that shirt, Jennifer was going to have a hard time ignoring her. Joe #3 asked if Marge was going for eight months; she’d packed so much. Again, I can’t say anything about that, being the same way myself. In the car, Joe #1 claimed he didn’t get involved in the women’s drama, but it was the second time Jennifer had attacked his wife. Melissa said Danielle was going to be at the Shore, and wanted to talk to her. She was glad Danielle didn’t know the address. Teresa, who rode with them, said Danielle didn’t know what she’d done to Melissa. Melissa said when Danielle was with them, it was never a calm and normal situation.

I have to interject that they kept making it sound like the Jersey Shore is one town. It seemed funny that it was just assumed Danielle would be in the same place, when it’s a huge stretch of coastline. I wasn’t paying attention 100%, but I don’t think they mentioned exactly what town they were going to. I didn’t recognize it at all, but again, we’re talking about a massive area.

Dolores put out cupcakes with each person’s face on them to designate rooms. No big shock, it was a beautiful house. Everyone gathered in the kitchen to chat, and Dolores said Gia was everything she ever wanted for her son. Prenups were discussed, and Teresa said Joe #1 told her that he hadn’t wanted to get married. This led to them talking about Joe #1’s cheating ways, and Teresa told everyone that she had found a dedicated phone to an old girlfriend when Gia was three months old. She said she should have left, but she wanted to believe him. In her interview, she said, it took a long time, but she owed it to herself to open her eyes.

Joe #2 made up with Bill, saying he was just busting Bill’s balls (say that three times real fast). In his interview, Joe said Bill couldn’t help it if his wife was nuts and a loose cannon.

The group went to dinner at a restaurant on the water. Teresa was a good sport when brother Joe joked about her husband cheating, but in her interview, she admitted she didn’t think it was funny, and it bothered her. Melissa told everyone that Danielle was going to be at the Shore, and wanted to talk to her. Marge said she thought she smelled something in the water, and called Danielle a barnacle. Melissa said she was going to meet with Danielle, and let her know she went too far, and they no longer wanted to hang out with her. Marge suggested she wear a life vest. Jennifer laughed, and Melissa told her that she was also on thin ice. In Jennifer’s interview, she said Melissa kept forgetting she started it, and we flashed back to Melissa doing nothing more than saying they were all losers for not understanding Jackie’s frugality. I’d say it’s more like Jennifer is overly sensitive. Melissa said, that was the second time, and if Jennifer threw one more thing at her, she was going to lose it. Marge said she just wanted to get through a meal. Joe #2 toasted to a great group, even though they want to stab each other.

Back at the house, Teresa said she’d do anything for her kids, and Marge said people don’t realize the stress they’re under, having to pay lawyers. Jennifer pointed out that at least Marge has Joe #3; Teresa doesn’t have a partner. In Marge’s interview, she said, leave it to Jennifer to diminish her bonding moment with Teresa, and sh*t all over it. Bill said their children have no capability of understand how hard their mom works. Marge said she didn’t know Jennifer worked, and in her interview, Jennifer said she has five kids. Her job is ten times harder than Marge’s. Game on.

Next time, mini golf, sailing, Melissa says Jennifer’s only achievement was marrying a rich man, Melissa meets with Danielle, and says they don’t want her around. Then the pier explodes. Just kidding. I think.

🏡 New show Family Karma premieres March 8th, and it looks promising. You can check it out here:

https://www.bravotv.com/family-karma

❄️ You Gotta Love Yourself First…

Caroline Bowman is also in the tour of Frozen. The cold never bothered me anyway either.

February 6, 2020 – Lucas Has Visitors, Tuxedoed Runway, Afterward, a Bit O’ Live, Chefs Back, Parry’s Pup, Wife Ban, a Revelation, Over It & Bad

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Taggert comes by Jordan’s office, and says he’s glad he caught her. Her phone rings, but she doesn’t answer. Curtis leaves a message for her to call him.

Anna brings Emma home, and asks if she’s happy to see snow. People say there are no season in California, but the seasons there are just gentler. They get real winter in Port Charles. She asks if Emma remembers the ice rink, and thinks they should go. They can rent skates. Emma asks if everything is okay. I have to add, Emma has grown into a gorgeous young woman now.

Finn tells Sam, he supposes a person can get desensitized. They’re used to risks to themselves, and don’t perceive how they can bring a risk to others. How do you get someone to listen who doesn’t want to? Sam supposes the person making the big mistake is Anna, and the mistake she’s making is about Peter.

Brad wants to see Lucas, and Carly tells him, take a deep breath first. He goes into Lucas’s room, and sees Bobbie by the bed. Lucas’s eyes are closed, and Brad says, oh no.

Laura opens her eyes, and Doc says, there she is. She says, sorry. She was so worn out from the visits from her children, she needed a nap. He asks if she wants visit restricted, but she says, no. Her kids needed her. They needed her reassurance. She can’t say she blames them.

Jason tells Michael, the shootout came from a drug trafficker with a long reach and a bad reputation; Cyrus Renault.

Sonny picks up the prison phone, and Cyrus says, Mr. Corinthos, we meet at last. Sonny says, Mr. Renault, and Cyrus tells Sonny, please call him Cyrus. Sonny leans forward and says Cyrus made a big problem for himself, and he’s not sure Cyrus can solve it.

Doc asks Laura, who wore her out more; Lulu or Nikolas? She tells him, it’s hard to say. Lulu is falling in love with Dustin, and isn’t sure what she wants to do. Nikolas is up to his neck in dysfunction with Ava, and doesn’t want to admit it. She didn’t have the heart to tell them that their mother had been shot, and was too tired to listen. Doc says, so she listened anyway. Jason walks in, and says he hopes he’s not interrupting. Laura says, not at all, and invites him in. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he’s just checking in to see how she’s doing. She says she’s fine, and Doc says she shouldn’t have been in that situation to begin with. Jason says, Sonny had no idea there was going to be an attack, and deeply regrets her involvement. Doc says, not as much as Laura does, and Laura asks if Sonny knows who’s responsible. Jason says, he’s working to address the situation, and Laura says, tell Sonny that she appreciates his concern. As his friend, she’s happy he and his family weren’t hurt, but as mayor of the city, she’s not about to allow Port Charles to be ground zero for a mob war. Whatever Sonny is doing to address the situation better not include violence or retaliation. Jason says she’ll pass on his message. He leaves, and Doc says he guesses she told him.

Cyrus tells Sonny, his only problem is with the Feds. They sentenced him to life without parole for something he didn’t do. Sonny says the Feds must like him. Why was he transferred to Pentenville? Cyrus says, bureaucracy works in mysterious ways, and Sonny says, not for him. He keeps what’s his. Too bad Cyrus didn’t think about that before he tried something stupid.

Brad says he knew it was too good to be true, but Bobbie says, Lucas woke up about an hour ago. Carly says, he’s sleeping, and Bobbie says, it’s part of the recovery process. Brad hugs her, and says he was so scared he’d lost Lucas. Bobbie says, when he was in a coma, Lucas wasn’t sleeping. His body was actively fighting to get better, and he’s exhausted. He’ll be in and out for the next few days. Brad says he’s not leaving Lucas’s side. He’s going to be there until he wakes up. Julian asks how long it will be, and Bobbie hopes not much longer. She’s going to check with the neurologist on his tests. Carly says she’ll take Wiley, and give them time together. She looks at Julian, and coughs, then says, or not. Brad tells Lucas, wake up, and Julian asks what he thinks he’s doing. They need to get their story straight. He told Lucas the truth before the accident. What is Brad going to say when Lucas brings it up?

Anna thanks Emma for taking the guest room. Violet saw Emma’s room, and it was love at first sight. She’s generous. Emma says she’s so excited to meet Violet in real life, and Anna says she’s just like Emma was at that age. She’s precocious, and loves to read, draw, do crafts, and play make believe. This morning, they were playing Avengers, and Violet was Captain Marvel. She was Nick Fury, and Peter was the bad guy. Anna tears up.

Finn tells Sam, he’s just talking; don’t take what he says literally. Sam is aware they don’t know each other well, but assures him that she can be trusted. He’s not the only one who thinks Peter is bad news. Robert is on his side. Finn says, that would be a first, and Sam says she promises Robert is determined to put Peter away.

Emma asks Anna if everything is okay with Uncle Peter. Anna wonders why she’s asking, and Emma says Anna seems like she’s trying too hard to be happy. She seems sad underneath, and there are tears in her eyes when she talks about him. Anna says Emma is perceptive. She should know better than to try and fool her. Emma says she doesn’t need to; what’s wrong? Anna says, it’s convoluted, with a complicated history that really should stay in the past, and not be dredged up. Emma asks if she’s talking about Peter, and Anna says she is. When Peter was younger, he didn’t always make the best decisions, but he’s done everything possible to make amends, and turn himself into a better person and make better choices. He’d prefer his mistakes were left in the past, but some people won’t let him. Emma asks, who?

Sam tells Finn, Robert offered to broker a deal. A new parole officer who’s less strict, so she can spend more time with Jason, providing they give him something big, something incriminating. Finn says, on Peter? and she says, yeah. She wants her family back together, and thinks they can help each other. If he has any damning information, he has to tell her. At least before Peter hurts Anna.

Sonny says he understands Cyrus’s strategy – go big or go home – but this time, it was a very public attack on Sonny and his loved ones. There was an attack in Brooklyn, and two in Port Charles. If it had worked, Cyrus would have been able to take over, but guess what? It didn’t. Sonny is still standing and Cyrus is twisting in the wind.

On the phone, Laura asks someone to have Jordan call her back asap. Curtis comes in, and says he’d offer to pull some strings to get her call through, but shouldn’t she be recovering? Doc says he made that point, and Curtis says, no luck? Doc says, not even a little. Laura says she has responsibilities, and asks what she can do for Curtis. He says he was about to ask her the same thing. She says she doesn’t know who’s behind the shooting that landed her there, but she intends to find out. Curtis says he knows she has her own security detail, but he’s more than willing to provide backup. She says, as much as she appreciates it, it’s not necessary. She has information that she wasn’t the intended target; she was collateral damage. Curtis asks how she can be sure, and Doc says, it was confirmed by an inside source. Laura says that’s why she needs to speak to Jordan. She saw Jordan and Marcus Taggert conferring the other day, and bets it has something to do with the latest flare up of mob violence.

Jordan says it’s good to see Taggert, and he asks how she’s holding up. She says, if he stopped by to get Sonny’s statement, they’re going off of what they received from the NYPD. He says he’s not there to bring Sonny to justice, and she says, sorry, Captain Ahab. Has he abandoned his quest for the great white whale? Spill. Why is he there? He says he got information on their friend Bob.

Chase finds Willow outside of Kelly’s, and she asks, how’s work? He says, pointless and frantic. Everyone is rushing around, but there’s been no resolution. They know the target, but don’t know who’s responsible. So far, they have no leads. What about her? He’s not so stressed she can’t tell him about it. He asks if she’s heard from Brad, but she says, not since he told her that he doesn’t want her taking care of Wiley. Chase says Brad’s husband is in a coma, and it’s probably misdirected anger. Give him time to cool down, and he’s sure Brad will reconsider making Willow Wiley’s nanny. If that’s what she wants.

Brad asks Julian, what’s wrong with him? and closes the door. Julian says, his son woke up, and he’s worried about something Brad said. Brad should be as well. He told Lucas that Wiley is Michael’s son. There’s no way in hell Brad is bringing Julian down with him. Lucas says Brad’s name, and Brad jets to Lucas’s side. He says, you’re awake. Apparently, Julian isn’t so concerned that he’s not willing to talk about this right in front of Lucas, asleep or no. What a jerk. I sometimes wonder if the actors ever tell the director, no; I refuse to even say this. It’s too stupid.

Curtis asks who Taggert is, and Laura says she thought he knew. Taggert was a detective at the PCPD a long time ago. He was actually in the trenches during the last mob war. Doc says Taggert left more than fifteen years ago, and Curtis says that explains why he doesn’t know him. Does Laura think the shooting brought him back? She says, possibly. She doesn’t know what other connection he’d have to Port Charles. Maybe Jordan. Curtis says, what about her? and Laura says, they knew each other from work; she bumped into them at the PCPD  the other day. Curtis says he’s headed there now. He’ll tell Jordan that Laura is trying to reach her. He suggests Laura try to pencil in recuperation between work. Doc says he hears that, but she says, no promises. Curtis leaves, and ponders a while in the hallway.

Jordan asks how Taggert got his hands on Bob’s records. They had to have come from Bob’s personal physician. Taggert tells her, don’t ask questions if she doesn’t want the answers. She looks through the folder, and says, just like Bob. He had two check-ups a year, and was a total hypochondriac. There’s no shortage of bloodwork, but no traces of drugs on his last visit. It was less than a month before he died, so he got addicted in a couple of weeks? It’s a stretch. Taggert says, there’s definitely been foul play.

Cyrus looks at the guard, who makes himself scarce. He asks Sonny if he follows football. Sonny says he loves it, and Cyrus says, then Sonny will understand his perspective. A preemptive strike is like a hail Mary pass. If the team scores, the player is a hero. If the ball is intercepted, he’s benched or fired. Sonny says, it’s not a game, and Cyrus says, it’s a negotiation.

Jason tells Michael that they’re doing research on Cyrus; how he works and who he knows. All they know is he’s in Pentenville for a Federal drug crime. Michael says he was running his operation from prison, and Jason says, that’s for Sonny to worry about. Michael says he wants to know what they’re dealing with. His phone rings, and he says he has to take it; it’s his grandmother. He listens, and says, wow. Thanks. He tells Jason, Lucas woke up from his coma.

Brad says he didn’t know if Lucas would come back to him, but he did. He loves Lucas so much. Lucas starts to sit up, but Brad tells him, take it easy; he’s been through hell. Lucas asks if his mom is there, and Brad says she’s talking to the doctors. Lucas says, they were in an accident? and Brad says, they were driving on Thanksgiving when the brakes went out; they don’t know what happened. He asks if Lucas remembers anything about being in the car or the accident.

Sonny says, Cyrus wants to negotiate? Cyrus says Sonny gets 10% of everything he moves through Port Charles. He guarantees no merchandise will be sold in Sonny’s location; he can keep the market to himself. Sonny says he’s not interested, but Cyrus says he should be. Every day Sonny refuses to allow Cyrus’s produce to move, it costs him money. He doesn’t care about himself; he’s rich enough. But if you don’t change with the times, the times will destroy you. So do they have a deal?

Willow tells Chase, she’d love to be nanny again, but she doesn’t want to get her hopes up. She was almost embarrassed at how important the job was to her. Chase says she has no reason to be embarrassed. She says, being a part of Wiley’s life is a big deal, but seeing him every day, maybe it was too much. He says, how so? and she says, maybe she was so happy being close to Wiley, she blurred the lines she put up when she chose adoption. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Michael. She takes the call, and tells Chase, good news. Lucas woke up. Chase says, Wiley’s got his dads back. Willow looks at him.

Lucas tells Brad, he doesn’t remember being in the car, and Brad asks, what does he remember? Lucas says, he came home from work. Elizabeth got Terry to cover for him, so he could see Brad; he wanted to hash things out between them. That’s all he remembers. Brad says, that’s okay. None of it matters now. Lucas sees Julian, and says, dad? Julian says Lucas knows how to scare someone. He understands Lucas is still pissed at him about Halloween. There was no excuse. Brad says Julian has been his rock the whole time. He doesn’t know how he would have gotten through this without Julian. Lucas asks about Wiley, and Brad says he’s there, and lets Carly in. Carly says Wiley thought he’d never ask. She brings Wiley over to Lucas, and puts him on the bed.

Finn tells Sam, there’s something he wants to say. Her phone rings, and he tells Sam, she should take that. Sam says nothing is as important as what he was about to say. Finn says he’s sorry about her parole situation, but he’s got nothing to give her on Peter. He gets up, and her phone rings again. It’s Jason, and she asks, what’s up? He says he just heard her brother is awake.

Anna asks if Emma is sure she’s all right on her own, and doesn’t want Anna to drive her to see Epiphany. Emma says she likes the walk to the hospital, and wants to see the park, the library, Rice Plaza, and her old school. Anna says she’s a little young for nostalgia, but Emma says she likes to see places that were important to her. She can stop by the MetroCourt and say hi to Uncle Peter. Anna says they’ve become good friends, and Emma says, even though he’s miles away, he’s been a good uncle to her and Noah. She tells Anna not to listen to anybody. They don’t know Peter like she and Anna do.

Jordan says she knew Bob’s death was suspicious. They need to get the investigation reopened. Taggert says, it’s circumstantial, but she says if they give them Bob’s background, they’ll see it too. Unless… What if this has to do with what they did? They said they’d take it to their graves. He says, it looks like Bob kept his end of the bargain, and Curtis walks in.

Anna thanks Emma, who says the people who are judging Peter don’t know him like they do. They have to keep believing in him; he deserves their faith. Finn comes in, and says it’s a nice surprise. He’s impressed how Emma got there on her own. She says, it’s no big deal, and he says she’s a seasoned traveler. Anna says, she’s independent now. She’s going to see Epiphany on her own. She tells Emma to be back by dark, and if it starts to get late, call, and she’ll pick Emma up. Emma says she’ll give them plenty of time to… talk.

Lucas says, let him get this straight. He was in a coma longer than Sam served time for manslaughter? Sam says, funny. She’s glad he still has his sense of humor. Lucas says, it’s fully intact. Michael says, they’re happy he’s back, but not more than Brad is. Sam asks when he can go home, but Bobbie says they don’t want to risk moving him yet. They’ll keep an eye on him for a few days before he’s discharged. Julian asks Brad to step outside with him. They need to take care of some administrative work. In the hallway, Brad asks Julian, what’s up? Julian says they need to get their story straight now. Brad asks if he didn’t hear Lucas say he doesn’t remember, but Julian says, what if he does? Then what? Brad says, that’s a big if, and Julian says, it’s a big possibility. Brad thinks Julian should calm down and chill. For once, Brad feels like everything will be okay.

Jordan hugs Curtis, saying she didn’t know he was stopping by. He says he was visiting Laura, who’s been trying to reach her. Jordan guesses she’s been busy, and Curtis says, this would be…? She introduces Taggert, and says they go way back. They were colleagues during her stint at the DEA. Curtis asks if Taggert is still in law enforcement, but Taggert says he’s retired. Curtis wonders what brings him back to Port Charles, and Taggert says, coincidence. He used to live there, and he’s visiting old friends. He didn’t know Jordan was Commissioner. They just ran into each other today. (D’oh!)

Cyrus tells Sonny, he’s offering an olive branch, but Sonny says he doesn’t want peace; he wants Cyrus gone. Cyrus says Sonny is going to be disappointed. He has personal reasons for moving to Port Charles, and he’s there to stay. Sonny says, you never know. Cyrus is far from his base of operations. Accidents happen.

Finn tells Anna, Emma is great. Anna says she should have been more patient; she’s sorry. Finn says he should be apologizing. He was wrong. Anna says, okay, she accepts. She thanks him, and says things are a little strained between them. He says he can’t pretend they’re not, but he doesn’t want to be the guy who runs out when things get tough. She says, that’s not like him, and they kiss. He says there’s something he needs to tell her. He ran into Sam at Kelly’s. Sam and Jason are determined to find a link between Peter and the attempt on Franco and Andre’s lives. Anna says, Jason is relentless, and Finn says, Robert knows, and he’s working with them.

Cyrus tells Sonny, it’s true; prison is dangerous. But he has supportive friends. Sonny says he has friends in Pentenville and Port Charles too. He doesn’t trade in Cyrus’s merchandise, but he knows people who do. Unfriendly people, who can be expected to go against Cyrus. It could cost Cyrus his life. Sonny hangs up, and Cyrus smiles.

Jordan tells Curtis, today is the first time she’s seen Taggert in ages. (Double D’oh!) She can’t believe it’s been so long. She wishes he’d come at a better time, but maybe they can catch up before he leaves. He says he bets TJ is bigger than he is now, and she says TJ could give him a run for his money. Taggert says the three of them should do dinner, and Curtis says, that sounds nice. How long is Taggert there for? Taggert says he’s there for the time being. It was nice meeting Curtis. They shake hands, and Taggert says he’ll see them around.

Sonny calls Jason at the hospital, and Jason asks how it went. Sonny says they’re in for a fight. The son of a bitch isn’t backing down.

Doc supposes he can’t hide Laura’s phone and pretend it’s lost. Laura asks what kind of mayor she would be if she dodged the phone during a mob war. He says, Sonny is an old friend. Is she going to reach out personally and ask him to keep the peace? She says she’s sure Sonny would avoid it if he could, but she’s afraid whoever is responsible is forcing his hand. That means there could be more collateral damage.

Chase says, amazing, and hugs Willow. She says she’s thrilled. Lucas’s family must be over the moon. He asks if she wants to see them, but she says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. She doesn’t want to intrude. Chase doubts it would be an intrusion, but she says she doesn’t want to cross the line. Lucas is out of his coma, and God willing, will recover, and things will get back to normal. He says, doesn’t she want that? and she says, of course (🍷), but she won’t have a role in Wiley’s life anymore.

Carly asks if Lucas is okay, and Lucas says he’s fine. She says she’ll take Wiley, but Lucas repeats, he’s fine, just tired. Bobbie says his body is exhausted, and Carly suggests they leave, and give the two men some time. She’ll bring Wiley back in the morning. Michael says he can take Wiley for the night, as long as his dads sign off on it. Lucas thanks him, and Carly gives Wiley to Michael. They all leave, except for Julian, who stands there like the jerk he is, with his arms folded. Lucas flashes back to vague memory of Brad telling him Wiley is Lucas’s son. Brad asks, what is it?

Tomorrow, Nina tells Valentin that they have to move on from each other, Lucas says Brad was working up to a confession, and Nelle accuses Michael of bringing her there to kill her.

🎩  On Project Runway, Victoria decided she wanted and deserved to be there. I didn’t get a vote, so there she stayed. We found out the tuxedo was named in 1886 after Tuxedo Park, a place for the rich and elite. No surprise, Billy Porter’s tuxedo gown was talked about as modern, innovative, and a reinvention of the tux. The designers were challenged to show a modern take on an old classic. They were told that use of satin was what made the difference between a tux and a suit. That was news to me, so now I’m going to have to check that out. Christian said they weren’t monsters, so help had been brought it – the designers who’d already been eliminated. The eliminated contestants chose who they wanted to work with, in order of how their names were drawn. Jenn chose Brittany; Tyler picked Delvin; Melanie wanted Geoffrey; and Veronica went with Sergio, after saying in her interview that she’d never work Victoria. Chelsey selected Nancy; Alan had a mental blackout, and went with Victoria; and Shavi was left with Marquise. Since there was one extra eliminated designer, Asma was left to go get a cab home. (Not really. I don’t know where she went.) The designers had their choice of male, female, or non-binary models, since tuxedos are for everyone. Sorry, not me. I can’t imagine a tuxedo on my short self. I would look like I was playing dress-up. In his interview, Alan said Victoria was a solo designer, and didn’t work well with others. She barely works well with herself. For the two-day challenge, they were given a $600 budget, and 30 minutes at Mood. By the first commercial, Victoria was telling Alan to shut up. Delvin went for powder blue material until Christian was like, um… and he switched to an emerald green with a print for the lining. Geoffrey decided on a jumpsuit, saying the judges vibed on them. Victoria went with a gown, and Sergio, a backwards tux, saying he was thinking outside the box. This was a puzzling statement, since even I know that’s been done before.

Everyone got a night out at a rooftop bar, and the next morning Sebastian, winner of season 17, brought breakfast. He said the competition had changed his life, with the CFDA helping him launch his first collection, and finding him buyers. His advice for everyone was not to look at the other designers – in other words, don’t compare – and to go with their first idea. Geoffrey was very weepy during his interviews, and unsure of what his next move would be. Victoria said she only wanted Alan for moral support, and wouldn’t really let him help. He mostly did things like get water for her. Christian told Geoffrey to reassess the details, and he decided to streamline. After sleeping on it, Brittany decided she didn’t like the grey color scheme she’d chosen, and opted to change the design rather than make something she wasn’t proud of. For the outside of the jacket, she used the print she’d originally meant for the lining, and created black shorts to go with it. Nancy poached Tyler to use as a model, since he was the same size as hers, making Delvin extremely irritated. In Victoria’s interview, she groaned that Nancy kept doing the same silhouette, even though that’s exactly what Victoria does. Asymmetry mean anything to her? Marquis said he was getting his inspiration from the military – he’d been in the ROTC in high school – and wanted his design to be crisp and clean.

Delvin, Brittany, and Victoria were trashing Nancy, saying her tux looked like a glamorous garbage bag. Unbeknownst to them, she wasn’t far away, and heard every word. I laughed when Delvin realized; his face was priceless. Sergio told her that it was their problem, not hers. In Sergio’s interview, he thought all they saw was her age, but she would sneak up on them. While Nancy was on the buttonhole machine, it broke down, and Delvin said that was the second time Nancy had been in his way. That’s like the millionth time he’s been a jerk. Christian said they didn’t have buttonhole machines in his day, and he did okay. In her interview, Brittany pointed out that Sergio’s backward tux was a direct copy of Celine Dion’s iconic look.

The guest judge was Thom Browne, three time CFDA designer of the year. Brittany was a stand-out, but for all the wrong reasons. She should have stuck with the grey palette. The jacket wasn’t awful, but the lapels were weirdly thin, and the shorts were horrifying. At this point, I figured she was on her way out, even though I desperately wished it was Victoria. I don’t like her, and wouldn’t want to work with her, or even know her. Unfortunately, Victoria somehow whipped together a gorgeous jacket with a long, asymmetrical skirt that revealed a sparkly garter – the one thing she let Alan do. Karlie said the model looked like a sexy villain in a Bond film, and thought the whole show was amazing.

The judges felt Geoffrey’s jumpsuit was minimalist, and he stayed true to the challenge. On the other hand, Nina said she didn’t get tuxedo from Delvin’s look, and Brandon said it looked like a leprechaun in a corset. Personally, I didn’t think it was that bad, but I agreed with Sergio, when he leaned over and told Nancy, karma. Thom said the look was too safe. Victoria got high praise for combining feminine and masculine details, boosting confidence and power, while still embracing femininity. Everyone loved the open back that had a satin strip running down the middle. Nina thought Marquise’s tux made his male model look regal and powerful – I have to add here that his model was super-hot with a bangin’ bod – and Brandon said Marquise let his ideas fly; he just needed help anchoring and executing them. Thom said he loved male cleavage, by which he mean a show of the ankles. I actually thought, flood pants, when I saw it, but okay. His tux had a horizontally pleated jacket, with a pant/skirt combination, and Thom said he would have pleated the skirt. I agreed, nodding my head, like Thom cares. Brittany was mortified from the jump, and said she’d never done menswear. Karli’s face was like, WTF? and Elaine said, it was hard to look at; there was so much wrong. She was shocked it was Brittany’s design, and said, it was like a douchey Hamptons party look. (Ha-ha-ha! They probably would wear that on Summer House.) Brandon said, it was a mess, and I thought the whole thing was just sad. Thom said the proportion was the hardest thing for him to take, and if she was going that way, she should have gone even shorter, and pushed the limit. Sergio – who needs to either get it together with his causes or stop throwing them in there – said he went with the backward thing because of the state of the country. Everyone thought they knew where he was going, but he did a 180 by saying we should go back to the 1950s, when everything was better; a house was affordable, and a family could live on one income. Granted, he’s right there, but Elaine pointed out that the 50s wasn’t a great time for people of color. She told him that his messaging was frequently off, and he should stick to fashion. Because somebody had to, Nina brought up John Galliano’s backward tux that Celine Dion wore to the Academy Awards. Sergio claimed he’d never seen it, and absolutely no one bought that. Nancy got all excited about her sleeveless print tux, and babbled endlessly. Brandon said he wished he could do interviews that way. People asked what his inspiration was, and he’d say he didn’t know. Thom said it didn’t speak tuxedo to him, and thought she was playing it safe. Nobody seemed to like it very much, which surprised me. It wasn’t anything I would wear, but I thought it was something different, and looked terrific on the model. The judges were so negative, at this point, I worried about Nancy being out.

The judges deliberated, and Sergio, Marquise, Geoffrey, and Victoria were on top; while Delvin, Nancy, and Brittany were at the bottom. Brittany’s placing was obvious (they were all like, what the hell?), but the judges said Delvin had too many things going on, and Nancy’s tux wasn’t anything they hadn’t seen before. Karlie thought the brocade was overwhelming, and she was underwhelmed with the design.

Marquise was the big winner, the judges saying his garment was well-tailored, and that he’d reinvented the tux. He had the confidence and ability to extend and challenge himself. He said it was an honor to be able to come back and prove his worth. In his interview, he was especially honored by Thom’s approval, and was thrilled he got to show the judges why he shouldn’t have been eliminated. It is pretty cool that he got brought back, and then won a challenge.

The judges said the bottom three missed the mark for different reasons, but one look was a clear failure. I knew then, Brittany was out. She looked miserable. Delvin was crying, but I’m not so sure it was for her. I’d hoped it was because he was humbled after trashing Nancy, but it was probably because he just escaped by the skin of his teeth. Brandon told Brittany, it was painful to see her go, but sometimes a devastating thing brings you back to life. He suggested she use it to propel herself to other great things he knew she was capable of. Through her tears, she said it had been an honor to be there, and she looked up to all of them. It had been a crazy ride. She got a Karlie hug, and in her interview, said she disappointed the judges and herself. She had thought she’d be in the finale. I thought Sebastian was right in saying you should go with your first idea.

While backstage, Brittany bemoaned there being nothing to be happy about or proud of with her tux look, Christian made his usual appearance to gently tell the loser it was time to clean up their space. He told Brittany, he was so sorry. She’d have to endure this a little longer. It was the Siriano Save, used at last. He said he thought she’d lost her way, but she was talented and her work was amazing, so he wanted to save her. We saw a clip of Christian telling the judges about his decision to save Brittany, and the judges being all happy. In her non-exit interview, Brittany said she had to show she was worthy of Christian’s save, and not let him down.

Next time, a tie-dye challenge, and Leslie Jones is the guest judge. I love her!

👓  After the Runway…

See Christian interview Sergio, and a dog in a bowtie.

https://www.bravotv.com/project-runway/season-18/episode-9/videos/christian-siriano-sits-down-with-a-surprise-guest-in-the

🕵🏻  Omg, I guessed the secret word on Watch What Happens Livefashion – before they showed it. True story. Christian was on, and inferred he didn’t buy Sergio’s political statements.

🍳  Top Chef All Stars will begin cooking on Thursday, March 19th.

🐕  Good Brad…

Another happy ending for a rescue pup.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/parry-shen-family-rescue-dog-roxi?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9844&recip_id=5057&list_id=9

🍊  Two Amigas Down…

So you think Vicki is going to get married now? Or will she just wait until the ban is over?

https://radaronline.com/photos/rhoc-vicki-gunvalson-tamra-judge-banned-tv-one-year-non-compete-clause-bravo-exit-show/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🛥  A Surprise For the Captain…

Methinks there might have been one or more terminations had Captain Lee really known what was going on.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/kevin-dobson-kicks-sand-kate-chastain-captain-lee-rosbach-reacts?cid=soc_tw_Bravo_BelowDeck_Dish

🖤  He Felt Nothing…

I doubt she cares very much, but he is freaking rude. Good riddance, I say.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2020/02/rhonj-joe-giudice-said-he-felt-nothing-for-teresa-before-split/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🧨  Valentine Flipside…

She knows the struggle is real.

February 5, 2020 – Sonny Faces Cyrus, Marge Celebrates 20 Years, TMI Already, NJ Tidbits, Goodbye Spartacus & the Other Elvis

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Violet says Peter will never defeat her, but he says they’ll see about that. She pretend shoots him while he stalks her. Finn walks in, and Violet says they were playing superheroes; Peter is the bad guy. Peter says, Violet’s choice, not his. Finn asks where Anna is, and she comes in with Violet’s backpack. She thanks Finn for the update on Laura, and asks how work is. He says, busy, and she says she let the time get away from her because they were having so much fun. Now Violet is late for the bus, so she’ll have to drive her to school. Finn asks Violet if they moved Halloween to January and didn’t tell him. Violet laughs, and says, no. He suggests she put something warmer on for school, and turn back into Captain Marvel when she gets home. She asks if he’ll still be there, and he says he wishes he could, but he has to go to work. Violet goes upstairs, and Anna says, Peter is good with her. Peter says, she’s a great kid. He can’t wait until she and Finn are married, and he and Violet are officially brother and sister.

As they walk into the MetroCourt, Maxie tells Nina about an idea for the Deception launch – the wedding of Crimson and Deception. It could look like an invitation. Nina isn’t sure she wants to talk marriage so soon after what happened. Nina sees Jax, and asks what he’s doing there. She says she heard about the shooting, and asks if Josslyn is okay. He says, physically Josslyn is fine, and she asks, what about him? He says he’s not handling it half as well as Josslyn is. He wants to focus on work. Nina says, work is good. Not good, like it’s a diversion, but it’s good to concentrate on something you can control. Alexis joins them, and tells Jax that she’s sorry she’s late. Jax says she’s right on time, and shows her to their table. Maxie says, what was that?

Alexis asks how Josslyn is doing, and Jax says, well; for someone living in an armed fortress. It’s Carly’s idea for her to stay there, but after what happened, it’s up for debate. Carly thinks it’s safer, but how do they know she’s not in the line of fire? He says he’s handling it, and asks how it’s working out for her, and she says, not well. He knows how she feels about unfinished business and family. He says, that’s why he invited her for coffee. She asks if he’s going to apologize for not telling her Nikolas was alive.

Michael tells Nelle, the boathouse has heating and plumbing, and is fully furnished. Her bags have been packed. She says he’s arbitrarily banishing her to the boathouse, while Sasha gets to stay in the main house. She didn’t pretend to be someone’s daughter, which is called fraud. Sasha says she wasn’t convicted for attempted murder. Michael says it’s best they stay away from one another, and Nelle asks why Sasha gets a free pass when she lied? Sasha says she’s in no position to judge anybody, and Nelle says, Michael does have a type, but why not put Sasha in the toolshed? Sasha says because she’s sleeping in Michael’s bed.

Julian shows up at Brad’s, and says he comes in peace. He’s brought cappuccino, from Perks, of all places. Brad wonders, why he doesn’t believe Julian comes in peace? He’s trying to keep his head above water, and Julian’s keep pushing it under. Julian says he knows he’s been hard on Brad, but it stops now. He’s here to help. Brad asks, what’s the catch?

Sam runs into Kelly’s, telling Spinelli that she’s sorry she’s late. He says, no apology necessary. He trusts all is well after last night, and Sam says, yeah, but her parole officer doesn’t think she should be with Jason. Spinelli says he doesn’t know what’s worse, keeping them apart or knowing Peter is a bad influence. Sam says that’s why she wanted to meet.

Jason tells Sonny that the guy who shot up the warehouse got loose, and their guy is dead. Sonny asks about the gunman, and Jason says he’s not a problem anymore. Sonny asks if he told Jason anything, and Jason says the gunman told him who he was working for before he died.

Anna tells Peter, she’s glad he stopped by. Emma is coming to town, and thought maybe she could be Black Widow. They say goodbye, and Anna asks Finn if everything is okay. He says she left Peter alone with Violet.

Jax tells Alexis, if he had it to do over again, it would be different, but at the time, he thought it might put Spencer in danger if Valentin knew Nikolas was alive. Alexis says she thought he was too smart to get involved with the Cassadines and their schemes, and he says maybe he’s not as smart as she thinks. She asks why he’s acting humble. What happened? He says, nothing, aside from hiding Nikolas and protecting his daughter from a mob war. She asks, what else is going on?

Maxie asks what’s going on between Nina and Jax? Nina was on the brink of babbling. Obviously something is going on, and if Nina doesn’t tell her, she’ll find clues on her own. She’s a great emotional detective, and she’ll figure it out. Nina says, if Maxie must know, she and Jax kissed.

Martin arrives at the Quartermaines’, and says Nelle texted him to come. She said she was being falsely imprisoned, and kidnapped. Sasha says she wishes. Michael says Nelle is unhappy with her current living situation, but he has a solution. They can increase the offer for her ELQ shares. Once she signs them over, she’ll have all the money she needs to move wherever she wants. Martin asks what the offer is in terms of numbers, and Michael says he had a proposal written up this morning. Nelle looks at it, and rips it up. She says, better, but not nearly enough. She’s not going anywhere.

Julian tells Brad that he was sitting with Lucas, and he realized how selfish he’d been. He needs to do what’s best for Lucas and Wiley, not just himself. Brad asks what that looks like, and he says he’d like to help take care of Wiley, and in turn, that will help take care of Brad. Wiley cries, and Brad goes to tend to him. Julian takes a plastic bag with some pills in it out of his coat.

Spinelli asks if Sam is going after Peter, and says he’s all in. Peter is unworthy of Maxie’s love. By chance, he saved Andre and Franco’s lives, and Maxie has taken his heroics as redemption. Sam says, she and Jason don’t buy it. They suspect Peter hired the gunman. Spinelli says, Peter shot him. Why thwart his own plan? Sam doesn’t know. To cover his tracks, or he had second thoughts. Maybe he had a change in heart to win Maxie over. Spinelli says, now Maxie is living with him. Sam says, if they’re right, Peter had a bigger part in the original memory transfer than he claims, and scrambled to cover his tracks. If she and Jason can find solid evidence, they can be together again.

Jason tells Sonny that he knows why it was hard to break the gunman. It wasn’t money; it was fear. Carly comes in, and Sonny says they’re having a business discussion. She says if it has to do with who targeted their family, she deserves to be part of it. She, Josslyn, and Michael were almost shot. She deserves to know who tried to kill her children, and what Sonny is going to do about it. Sonny says, let’s hear it, and Jason says, Cyrus Renault. Carly asks who that is, and Sonny says, a drug trafficker. He’s a heavy hitter who funneled drugs through Russia to the US, and paid off officials so he could operate in both countries. He has a reputation for being ruthless, and you don’t want him as an enemy.

Julian takes a pill out, and puts it in Brad’s coffee, shoving the bag into a container on the bookcase. Alexis is suddenly there, and says thank God he’s here. Brad’s been arrested for opiate use. He was found passed out, with Wiley in his crib, unattended. Julian guesses Brad cracked under the pressure of taking care of Wiley by himself. Alexis says, in the meantime, Wiley will need a new place to live until his fathers get better. Julian says Wiley can come home with him, and Alexis says he has a big heart. When Lucas wakes up, he’ll be grateful. This is just in Julian’s head, and he drops the pill on the floor. He fumbles to pick it up, when Brad comes back in with Wiley. Brad asks what he’s doing.

Jax tells Alexis, he’s been busy, and spending all of his spare time at work. Alexis says, Nina is dramatic. How are things going? He says, Nina isn’t letting her current situation get in the way of work. She’s a good thing for Crimson, and he wouldn’t know what do without her. Alexis says, something is happening between them.

Nina tells Maxie, she was upset about what was going on, and Jax wanted to give her a tutorial on the fun side of the island. Maxie says, what? and Nina says he brought champagne and some amazing cheese. They danced in the office. She was so happy; smiling and laughing. It just happened. Maxie asks if he’s a good kisser, then says, what is she saying? It’s Jax. She’s sure he’s a great kisser. Nina says, Ava barged in, so things are still unresolved. Maxie says, resolve them, but Nina says, it was just a moment of madness. Maxie says, or is she interested in Jax? Nina looks over at him.

Anna says she didn’t realize Finn felt so strongly that he wanted to keep Violet away from Peter. He says, Peter has killed people. He doesn’t appreciate Peter threatening his daughter, even if it’s just pretend. Anna says he can’t think Peter would hurt a child, but Finn says Peter’s done other damage. He’s been talking about this with Sam. Anna asks, what did she say? No. What did he say? He tells her, he said nothing, but he’s wondering how Peter is going to explain his ties to the man who tried to kill Andre and Franco.

Nelle tells Michael that she’s not changing her mind. He says the Quartermaines will contest her right to the shares, and tie her up in court for years. She says, after some thought, she thinks the boathouse is charming. Michael says, staying there isn’t going to drive the price up; take it and go. Sasha tells her, think of it as a fresh start, but Nelle says she has to be in Port Charles because of her parole. She might as well stay close to the family. Martin requests to confer with his client in private, and he and Nelle go into the living room.

Nelle says, if Martin is going to tell her to take the offer, save his breath. It’s not enough, and she’s staying put. He says she really loves Michael that much, and she says, for an attorney, he’s not that bright.

Jason says Cyrus has never been this far east, and Michael wonders why. Jason says, to eliminate the opposition, and clear the way to Port Charles. Michael says he’s not part of the business, but Jason says if Cyrus thinks there’s any obstacle, he’ll have to remove it. Carly asks how he can be stopped, and Sonny says, it’s not easy. Jason says he’s been running his business from Federal prison, and Sonny says, from everything they know about his operation, they’ll have to strike back, and strike back hard.

Alexis says she liked it better when Jax was mad at her. Did he sleep with Nina? He says, no. They kissed. That’s all.

Nina asks Maxie how she could be interested in Jax. She just left Valentin. Maxie says she was playing Valentin, and was out for revenge.

Jax tells Alexis, it happened without him thinking, but it was nice.

Maxie tells Nina, it sounds amazing. Go for it.

Alexis says she wants Jax to be happy, but Nina comes with a lot of baggage. Is he sure he can handle her? Alexis’s phone rings, and she steps away to take the call. Jax messes with his phone, and Nina sits down. She says she hopes she’s not interrupting, but can they talk?

Michael is surprised Nelle didn’t push back harder, and Sasha asks if he thinks she has a plan. He says, she always has a plan. This isn’t going to get resolved as easily as he’d hoped.

Nelle says, Martin thinks she loves Michael? She laughs, and says, he thought that was her reason for rejecting the offer. That she’s hoping if she hangs on long enough, she can get him back. She says, hell no. She can do better than Michael.

Julian tells Brad, he almost slipped on one of Wiley’s toys. Brad says he hasn’t been great at cleaning lately. He thanks Julian for the coffee, and says he needed a break. Julian tells him, sit; take a load off. He’ll feed Wiley. Grandpa will take care of everything.

Anna asks if Finn thinks now is the right time to have this conversation. He’s been up all night, and hasn’t slept. Finn says, that’s true. Then again, every time he asks, she dodges the question, like she’s doing now. She says she and Peter had a good talk. He ID’d Eurotech as one of Faison’s companies, and said he worked there. He said a lot of people did, and one of Faison’s associates could have easily targeted Andre. That’s probably what happened. It’s a connection to Faison, not Peter. Finn asks if she knows anyone besides Helena, Faison, and Peter who was involved in kidnapping Jason and Drew. She says, not by name, but it’s not like there’s a detailed record. Peter knew nothing about the assassin, and the authorities need more than a work association to link him. Finn says, how about her?

Sam tells Spinelli, Brice said Peter paid him to implicate her, it would make sense that he’d be behind the attacks on Drew and Andre. Spinelli starts to get up, saying he doesn’t want Peter anywhere near Maxie and the children. Sam stops him, and says, Maxie can’t know anything until they have solid evidence. Spinelli says, true. Peter will just talk his way out of it again. Sam says, that’s where Spinelli comes in. He says, do tell.

Jason tells Sonny  that he got a lead on Cyrus’s Canadian entry into the US. They should be able to track his shipment. Sonny says, do it, and tells Jason they uncovered something in Cyrus’s DOJ file. He’s not at Thompson Penitentiary anymore. He was taken out in the middle of the night; a top secret transfer. Carly asks where he went, and Sonny says, Pentenville.

Nina says she was telling Maxie how supportive Jax was when he brought the champagne and cheese to her office. He hopes she liked it, and she says she did – a lot. She’s very grateful, so that’s the reason she was acting weird when she ran into him. She doesn’t know how to act around him. He tells her, take it easy. The kiss shouldn’t have happened. She says, no?

Peter finds Maxie at the MetroCourt, and tells her that her office said she’d be there. She says she’s eating with Nina, who’s otherwise engaged. She asks how Anna is, and he says, better than he expected. He, Violet, and Anna were playing Captain Marvel. She says, Violet adores him, and he says, Emma is coming to visit, so next time, they’re playing Black Widow. Everyone is making an effort to include him in the family. She says, tell her everything, and he flashes back to Anna telling him that his link to David Black didn’t make it back into the case file. The incriminating documents are out of reach. He tells Maxie that Anna is very supportive. It’s nice to know she’s on his side. Maxie says, of course (🍷) she is. She’s his mom.

Anna asks why Finn can’t trust her judgement. He says he has to ask. He loves her, and the truth is, she has so much unresolved guilt, she wants to believe anything Peter is telling her. Anna says, maybe, but it could be the truth. He asks what Robert thinks, and she says, that’s meaningless. Finn asks if Robert is going to find anything incriminating, and she says, no. He asks how that’s possible. What isn’t she telling him? She says when she gave the file to Robert, she kept back Peter’s resumé and David’s employee record. He says even if she destroyed the documents, there’s still a connection. She says, it’s tenuous, and won’t hold up in court. He says that’s not her decision to make. If Peter wasn’t her son, would she still think he was innocent?

Sam tells Spinelli, as Georgie’s father, he has every right to insert himself into Maxie’s life. He doesn’t know if he can be cordial to Maxie’s boyfriend, but Sam says Peter might get suspicious, and there’s only one choice. Spinelli says, hack his computer, and she says, exactly. There’s probably a goldmine of information in there. Just don’t put himself at risk. He says with Maxie, Georgie, and James involved, it’s worth the risk. He’ll do it, even if it takes him all the way to Mount Doom.

Nelle says, Martin deals in facts, and the fact is, Michael is never going to love her, but she couldn’t care less. He’s not sure he believes her, or that Michael does. She asks if he’s ever heard the term, misdirection. You get them to focus on one thing, and they don’t see the trap until it’s too late.

Michael asks if Sasha is sure she’s not having second thoughts. She says, every time she sees Nelle, she’ll whisper, boathouse. Michael asks if Nelle got to her, and she says, no. He says, it’s okay. He’s the first to admit that sometimes Nelle lands one. Sasha asks if he thinks she’s like Nelle.

Martin asks what Nelle is really up to, and she says the longer she lives with the Quartermaines, the more they’ll want to get rid of her, and the more they’ll pay her to go away. She needs enough to live well for the rest of her life. She’s going to be too busy to work. He asks what she’s going to be doing, and she says she’ll have plenty to occupy herself with. New cult leader perhaps? Just a thought.

Anna asks, if Violet hadn’t entered Finn’s life, would he be more willing to see the good in Peter? When they get married, Peter and Violet will be brother and sister. He asks if that’s still the plan. Let him know. She asks what he means, and he says, when they got engaged, they talked about being married by now. But then she decided to take off for six months. She says, he told her it was okay. He says he doesn’t remember being asked. Violet comes back, and Anna makes a fuss over her getting dressed by herself. Finn says he’ll take Violet to school, and Anna asks if he’s coming back. He says he’s not sure. He has a lot to think about. He leaves, and Anna looks like she’s going to cry.

Maxie and Peter invite Alexis to join them. Seeing Nina with Jax, she sits down. Peter asks what she thinks about Nikolas’s return from the dead. She says, if it’s for The Invader, no comment. He says, change of subject. Tell him about something he wouldn’t want to publish.

Jax says he’s Nina’s boss; it’s inappropriate. She says he wasn’t sexually harassing her. He says, call it ill timing. She’s still dealing with the Valentin fallout. She doesn’t need him to make it more complicated. He thinks they should put the kiss behind them, and move forward as friends. That’s right. Jax just put Nina in the friend zone.

Michael tells Sasha, nothing Nelle said can hurt them, and Sasha says, he’s right. She can’t let Nelle get to her. He says as soon as he figures out Nelle’s end game, she’s out of their lives for good.

Nelle says she has one shot, and Martin asks, what’s the magic number? She says she’ll know it when she sees it. She needs an offer high enough so she can leave Port Charles forever. He says she talks as though Michael is no longer part of the plan, and she says, he’s not.

Brad drowses, sitting up on the couch, and struggles to wake. He thanks Julian for the time out, whatever the reason. Julian says he’s glad to help. Brad looks like someone who needs a break. He asks how the coffee is, but Brad says he hasn’t tried it yet. It would be nice if they weren’t at each other’s throats anymore, especially with Nelle out of prison. Julian says they need to work together, and Brad says they both forgot Lucas. Julian says they have to make sure he has something to come home to. They clink paper coffee cups, and toast to the to the future.

Sonny says, the timing of Cyrus’s transfer wasn’t a coincidence. Jason says, he must have pulled some strings. He’ll check to see if any politicians have received extra compensation. Maybe Cyrus made a new political connection. He leaves, and Carly asks if Sonny has dealt with Cyrus before. He says, no, but he’s stepping up to his reputation; no warning, no open negotiations. Carly says, if he operates out of the Pacific Northwest, why is he coming after Sonny now? Sonny doesn’t know, but he’s going to find out.

Jax promises Nina it won’t happen again. She says she’s not worried he’s going to ambush her with another one. He says, so are they free to continue as friends? She says, colleagues, and they shake hands. She says she should get back to work, and he says, Alexis left, so he should get going too. Nina heads back to Maxie’s table, and Jax goes to the elevator, looking back at Nina before he gets in.

Maxie says she’s proud of Peter, but why did he back off? Peter says when Alexis didn’t want to answer questions, and he realized he wouldn’t want Anna or Violet intruded on. Nina tells Maxie that she has to get back to the office. Maxie says she can go, but Nina tells her to stay and enjoy her coffee with Peter. She’ll see her later. Maxie tells Peter that she thinks she should probably go. Spinelli appears, and says, gracious greetings. It’s a joy to see them both. Can he join them?

Finn literally smacks into Sam at Kelly’s. She asks if he’s all right, and he says, obviously not. She says he must have had a rough night at GH. Has he gotten some rest? He says, not yet. He walked in… forget it. It’s not important. He starts to leave, and Sam says, wait, grabbing his arm. She asks if the something unimportant has anything to do with the conversation they had about protecting their children. He says, what do you when someone you love makes a mistake so big it could cost someone their life?

On the phone, Anna confirms with Robin that Emma is on the plane. She’s so glad Emma is coming to visit. She’s just the person Anna needs to see.

Sasha tells Michael, sorry for her moment of doubt. She won’t pay any attention to Nelle. Nelle can’t scare her off. Michael says, no matter what Nelle is planning on, they can get through it together, and they kiss.

Martin wonders if Nelle is going to enjoy being the houseguest from hell, and she says, let the games begin.

Brad’s phone rings. He listens, and says, what? Oh my God. He tells Julian, Lucas is awake.

Carly tells Jason that she got into it with Jax. He wants Josslyn to live with him. He’s worried about her safety, and she doesn’t blame him. Should she pack the kids up and go to California; get a place on the beach? Jason asks if Jax would let her take Josslyn. Sonny won’t let her take Avery. Is she going to leave Avery leave behind? And Michael’s not a kid anymore. Carly gets it; it’s impossible. Jason says, it’s just too soon. Cyrus had the advantage, but not anymore. He’s far from his home base, and they’re going to shut him down quick. Carly asks, what if they can’t? and he says, if it becomes too dangerous, he’ll tell her, and they’ll figure out what to do next. She takes his hand.

Sonny picks up the visitor’s phone at Pentenville. Sitting on the other side of the glass, Cyrus says, Mr. Corinthos. We meet at last.

Tomorrow, Julian says no way is Brad bringing him down, Sam tells Finn that he has to tell her if he knows anything about Peter, Laura says she was collateral damage, and Sonny tells Cyrus that he made a big problem for himself.

🍻 On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa had forgotten the ID she and the girls needed to get in to see His Royal Juiciness. After making a few frantic phone calls, she was able to get in by showing them copies sent by Hot Joe (i.e. Joe #2). She said Joe #1 looked tired, and they had to visit through glass in this facility. At Dolores’s place, daughter Gabrielle was home, and about to go to vet school in the Leeward Islands, as she couldn’t get into any of the US schools. More power to her. My GYN was schooled in the Philippines, and he’s fabulous. Dolores said she was a realistic pessimist, and didn’t want to make a move to the new house with David without a commitment. She wasn’t keen on seeing someone else move in either, since she’d overseen every detail in creating it. Jennifer told husband Bill about Jackie having money, and Marge’s upcoming party. She felt bad about calling Jackie cheap. Bill told her to think about apologizing to Melissa, Joe #2 told him about Jennifer throwing the plate. Jennifer said she was just trying to get Melissa’s attention, but he said two wrongs don’t make a right, and suggested she carry a bell.

Melissa went to dinner with her mother and sisters, since she needed a dose of her family. They discussed raising kids during their teen years, and Melissa wondered when Antonia was going to stop being obnoxious. She told them about wanting another baby, and that the doctor said she was in prime condition. Her mom said she might have one egg left, and they toasted to that. At Teresa’s house, Bro Joe came over to fix a sink leak, and they talked about Gia going to the prom with Frankie Jr. Even I’m excited about that. In his interview, Joe #2 thought Teresa should stop spending money on attorneys for Joe #1, but understood the girls wanting their dad to be there. Teresa said Joe #1 told her to find someone else, and he feels nothing for her. Joe #2 told her that he never thought Teresa had a good relationship. Joe #1 never treated her the way she should be treated. He felt a real man could open up and say I love you.

Jackie visited with her dad Barry, and had arranged for some professional organizers to do their thing, starting in the kitchen. Some stuff was a little messy, but he was hardly a candidate for Hoarders. Jackie told him that she was concerned there was nothing in his fridge except mashed potatoes and iced tea. He said he hadn’t had a steak or pork chop in nine years, since he’d had lap band surgery. He couldn’t stand to gain five pounds, and said he weighs himself every morning. In her interview, Jackie said that her father’s yo-yo dieting had been a contributing factor to her eating disorder. She told him that his it’s almost worth it comment was almost an insult to her. There were times she licked ice cubes for dinner, but all he saw was the result. She knew anything they said to one another came from a place of love, but wanted him to understand that his insensitivity hurt. He seemed like a cool guy.

Marge got ready for her business anniversary party, and Joe #3 hoped his friends knew what cocktail attire was. Jackie admitted Marge was the best hostess ever, but told Bill that she’d had it with Jennifer. Bill said the guys had been busting his chops because of the way she acts, and said that she was frustrated sexually. Jennifer promised there would be no scene at Marge’s party, but we’ll see what happens. Marge told Joe #3 that she was considering having security at the party.

In her interview, Marge told us her brand was all about affordable luxury, and how you can make things amazing on a budget. She said she was unsinkable, and she and Marge Sr. would always be each other’s sidekicks. David didn’t show, and Jennifer wasn’t entirely sure David existed. Dolores told everyone she’d rented a house at the Jersey shore, and she wanted all of them to come, husbands included. I said a silent prayer that they never rent a house near me. Dolores felt her role in the group was peacemaker (really?), and she thought going there would bring them to a better place. Melissa said if someone was an a-hole, she was going to tell them that they were an a-hole, and Jennifer was being an a-hole.

When Jennifer got there, she barely acknowledged Melissa, and in her interview, Melissa wondered how Jennifer could throw sh*t at her, and then walk by giving her a lame wave. How about being an adult, and apologizing for being an a-hole? Marge said she told Jennifer, no hysteria, and I noted Marge’s housekeeper dresses better than I do. In Jackie’s interview, she said she thought Jennifer and her husband tolerated each other because he works so much, even though she spends every penny. Jennifer didn’t want tension at the Shore, and told Jackie that she felt terrible. Jackie said she’d ruined the trip, and Jennifer tried to throw Marge under the bus by saying she’d repeated a private conversation. In her interview, Jackie said, now it’s Marge’s fault. Jennifer needs to take responsibility. Jackie told Jennifer that it had been a number of times, and she wasn’t sure they mixed. Jennifer got pretty pissed that Jackie wasn’t having it.

Jennifer went running to Marge, saying Jackie was rude, and she told Jackie to take the stick out of her ass. Dolores said she didn’t want fighting on the trip. Good luck with that. Dolores said the husbands get along, and in Marge’s interview, she thought maybe the testosterone would calm the estrogen down. She told Jennifer to give it a rest. As for the husbands getting along, it looked like that might be on shaky ground. Joe #2 confronted Bill, asking what was up with his wife throwing food at Melissa? He said she’d also thrown a glass at Melissa before, and we flashed back to that. Melissa should have popped her one then, and been done with it. Bill said he couldn’t hold Jennifer back, and Joe #2 suggested he bang her more; she was frustrated. Bill walked away, and Joe #3 said he couldn’t take it. In Dolores’s interview, she said she didn’t want the husbands fighting because people could get hurt, and we flashed back to some tussling. Marge made a speech, telling everyone how she started her business on the kitchen table with no money. Her mom showed her how important it was to be independent, and they needed to raise and inspire strong women. She toasted to twenty years, and hoped for another twenty.

Dolores told Marge about Bill getting bombarded. In her interview, Marge said the event was a miracle – no glasses went flying, and no one embarrassed her – but the Jersey Shore was going to be a freaking sh*t show.

Next time, Gia’s prom and the trip to the Shore.

🏖 Tonight, Summer House won the award for TMI, and images I will never get out of my head. Amanda said she needed to stop picturing it – it being a sexual act that happened between Carl and Lindsay – and I said, no, I do. There’s already all kinds of yelling and sh*t, and it’s only the first week. I still can’t believe these people all have good jobs, and can afford to stay at a palatial home for the summer, while I go to back porchville for vacation.

🤸🏼‍♂️ In Giudice News…

Milania turns fourteen. It seems like just yesterday she was singing about wanting to grow up.

https://starmagazine.com/photos/teresa-joe-giudice-milania-14th-birthday-cake/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

Same old Juicy.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1119832/teresa-giudice-breaks-silence-on-separation-those-pictures-of-joe-with-other-women?source=email&medium=emn-content-2&cmpid=evening&content=emn-news

👴🏻 I Had No Idea He Was 103…

I mostly included this so I could tell you how I mixed up both Mitt Romney with Mitch McConnell, and Kirk Douglas with Charlton Heston today. Take that, Samuel L. Jackson. I’m not Laurence Fishburne! We don’t all look alike!

https://www.eonline.com/news/605938/kirk-douglas-dead-at-103?source=email&medium=emn-content-1&cmpid=breaking&content=emn-news

💕 Getting the Valentine Ball Rolling…

I’m not much for the Hallmark channel, but I do love this song, especially this version.

January 31, 2020 – Some Dust Settles in PC, Salt Lake Parties, VanderSuit, Bachelorette Breakdown, Freeing the Juice, an Engagement, More Mud, a Breakup, Close To a Dozen Quotes & Groundhog Tune

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

🌞  And we’re back.

General Hospital

At the warehouse, Carly asks if Jordan can get the ambulance there faster, and Gladys tries to comfort Brando. Jason has shown up, and Jordan asks if he can tell her what happened.

Josslyn is at the hospital, where Chase asks if she can retrace her steps for him. Josslyn says she went to the pier because she’d left her journal behind. That’s when she saw the shooter. Chase asks if he was headed for Sasha and Michael, and Josslyn says he was, but she thinks it was really Michael he wanted, and she had to warn him. If she hadn’t, the shooter would have killed him. Chase says Michael is lucky to have such a brave sister. She saved his life.

Michael arrives at Sonny’s, and asks a guard how everything is. The guard says, no sign of trouble, and Michael says Sonny is taking Mike back to Turning Woods. He wonders how things are at the warehouse, but the guard says Tony hasn’t checked in. Michael says he hasn’t heard from his mom either. Dev comes in, and asks, what’s going on? The place is crawling with guards and he can’t go anywhere. Michael tells him, something bad went down.

Finn tells Nikolas that it’s terrible to have forced Hayden to abandon her child. Nikolas says he never intended it to go there, but Finn says, he did. His greed cost Violet her mother. Nikolas says, temporarily; Hayden will come back. Finn asks if he’s supposed to take Nikolas’s word for it because he’s a prince. Finn says Nikolas thinks he’s gotten away with it, but promises he won’t.

Jax thanks Elizabeth for taking care of his daughter, but she says she didn’t do much. He says he appreciates it anyway, and he’s sorry for what Nikolas did to Hayden. Jax regrets enabling him. Elizabeth asks what Nikolas did, but Chase interrupts. He thanks Jax for letting Josslyn answer questions, and says he might have some follow-up. Jax tells him to call any time, and he says Jax’s daughter is a brave young woman. However, Jax should have a talk with her about the difference between brave and reckless. He moves on, and Elizabeth tells Jax that whatever he has to say can wait; Josslyn needs him. He says it kills him that Hayden can’t be with Violet, and she says, thanks to Valentin. He says, Valentin isn’t the one who forced Hayden into hiding.

Ava tells Valentin that criminals who get off on bail often go on to convictions. He says she inspires him. How many times has she been charged with murder, and beat the conviction? Nina says, enough, and Valentin says he’s made mistakes, but loving her isn’t one of them. He’s not stopping until he gets back everything he lost.

Gladys tells the EMTs, please help. They can’t let her son die. An EMT says they’re ready to move, and Gladys says she’ll ride with him. Jordan tells her, go ahead; an officer will take her statement later. Carly says she’s going too, and asks Jason to tell Michael that she’s okay. Jordan tells Jason that she got an update from the NYPD. Sonny was the intended target in the Brooklyn shooting. On the pier, it was Michael, and then they have the warehouse. The coordinated attacks begin with him.

Dev asks if Josslyn is okay, and Michael says, she’s fine. Dev asks why she didn’t come back, and Michael tells him, she’s at GH; her father wanted her checked out. Dev says, thank God no one was hurt, and Sasha thinks Michael should tell him the rest. Dev says, there’s more? but Michael’s phone rings. It’s Jason, who asks if Michael is okay. Michael says, he, Sasha, and Josslyn are fine, but Laura was shot; she’s in the hospital. Jason tells him about the warehouse being targeted, and Michael says his mom was there. Jason says she wasn’t hit, but she went with Gladys to hospital. A guy was shot, and they’re riding with him. but he doesn’t have any more details. Michael says he’s got it, and Jason says the police are there. He’ll call when he knows more. Jordan says Jason might express his gratitude by cooperating for once.

Valentin tells Nina that he misses her. All he thinks about is that they belong together. Ava tells Nina not to humor this nonsense. Valentin doesn’t know what she needs. Nina says, everyone thinks they know what she needs today, and asks what Valentin wants. He says, her. He always wants her, and deep down, she feels the same way. They can work it out. She says, it’s over, but he says he doesn’t believe that. They had a life at Windymere; her, him, and Charlotte. She says the life they had there is long gone. Doesn’t he get it? She was in it with Ava. Valentin needs to get it through his head that she helped them take him down.

Jax tells Elizabeth that Nikolas recruited him to help get him back to Port Charles, where he knew there was a document that could reinstate him as heir. He recruited Hayden as well; her job at Aurora was just a front. They were both helping Nikolas. Valentin caught on, and targeted Hayden, pressuring her for information. Elizabeth says Hayden must have thought she had no other option than to leave Violet. Jax says, it’s not that simple. Valentin offered Hayden money for information. Nikolas found out about it, and wanted to get her out of town before she talked. Nikolas staged the attack that forced Hayden to leave. Elizabeth says, he wouldn’t do that, but Jax says, he did. Hayden was an impediment in his plan, and he moved her out of the way. Elizabeth says Jax knew? and Jax says he found out after Hayden disappeared. He confronted Nikolas, who told him everything. He tried to reach out to Hayden, but her phone is off, and he has no way to trace her. Elizabeth says she can’t believe Nikolas would do this to Hayden and Violet. Separating a mother from her child is despicable. Nikolas approaches, and Elizabeth cracks him one across the face. He’s been getting a lot of that lately.

Jason tells Jordan, the Brooklyn shooter is dead, and she says, Jason killed him. She talked to the NYPD, and knows what happened. Surprisingly, Jason wouldn’t talk without his attorney being present, but the waitress exonerated him, and the NYPD is satisfied it was self-defense. She is too. She knows there’s no way Jason wanted a gunfight in the middle of a restaurant. Jason says, no, he didn’t, and she wonders who targeted them in Brooklyn. Who knew they’d be there?

Elizabeth asks Nikolas what he did to Hayden, and Nikolas supposes he has Jax to thank. Jax wisely says he’ll give them some space, and jets. Nikolas says he was going to tell Elizabeth, and she says Hayden helped him pull off his plan, and this is how he repays her? How could he do this to her? Him, of all people. Valentin tore him away from Spencer, and forced him into hiding, and he did the same thing to Hayden. Nikolas says he never intended for it to be more than a few days. He thought Hayden would check in. He didn’t know she was going to make herself unreachable. Elizabeth says Violet means everything to Hayden, and he convinced Hayden to leave to protect Violet. He knows Hayden doesn’t do things halfway. She’s disappeared without a trace, and they have no way of finding her to tell her it’s all a lie, staged by her friend Nikolas. She says he has to go find Hayden. Her daughter needs her.

Jax lets Finn know that he told Elizabeth the truth. Finn asks if he wants a thank you, but Jax says, no. He regrets his part in it. If he’d known what Hayden was going to do, he would have stopped Nikolas. He asks how Violet is, and Finn says, it’s hard coming up with excuses when Violet asks for her mother. What would Jax tell Josslyn if Carly disappeared? Elizabeth tells Finn that he’s needed in the ER. A second shooting victim has been brought in.

Several of Sonny’s guards are in the hospital waiting area, and Chase asks if one of them is visiting a patient. The guard says nothing, and Chase says he didn’t think so. The PCPD is providing security, so they can go. The guard doesn’t move, and Chase says if he and his boys don’t leave voluntarily, he’s going to arrest them. He thinks Mr. Corinthos has had enough trouble today, and sure as hell doesn’t need more. Sonny’s security team leaves.

Dev is obviously upset, and Michael tells him that he needs to calm down; it will be okay. Dev asks how he knows, and Michael says he doesn’t, but Dev can’t imagine the worst. Josslyn, Carly, and Sonny are safe. Dev asks what they do now, and Michael says, wait it out. If Dev wants to do something to help, he can be with Avery. Michael suggests Dev watch a movie with her; make sure she feels safe. Dev says he can do that, and goes upstairs. Sasha asks if Michael really thinks that will calm Dev down, and Michael says, it will make him feel less afraid. He and Morgan used to do it with Josslyn. She says, comforting Dev seems like second nature, and wonders how many times he’s done it before. He says, calm someone down? and she says, or explain away someone trying to kill him.

Ava says she’s confused as to why Valentin is still there. He heard Nina; there’s nothing left there for him. He says Ava doesn’t speak for Nina, and Ava says, nor does he. He’s deceived her time and time again. Now beat it. She and Nina have important things to discuss. Valentin asks Nina to hear him out, and she asks, what’s left to say? He says he loves her. Nothing he’s done was with malice. He can still make her happy. Ava says he’s delusional. He thinks if he says he acted out of love, it will absolve him of the lies and betrayal. In reality, the sad truth is, he doesn’t know the first damn thing about love.

Josslyn comes out of the ER with Jax, and sees Gladys, who says, it’s nice to see a familiar face. Jax asks, what’s going on? and Gladys says, it’s such a disaster. She doesn’t know what to do or how to help. Josslyn says she’s helping just by showing up; it will be okay. Gladys tells her, that’s sweet to say, but she can’t relax until she hears it from the doctor. She saw her boy, lying there shot and bleeding. Jax asks who she’s talking about, and she says her boy Brando. He got shot saving Carly’s life. Carly joins them, and hugs Josslyn, saying she was so worried, and asking if Josslyn is okay. Jax says Josslyn got the all clear, and Josslyn says she’s allowed to leave. Carly says, thank God no one was hurt, and Josslyn says she didn’t hear. Carly says, hear what? and Josslyn says, Michael was with Laura on the pier, and Laura’s been shot. Gladys says, this night is getting worse and worse. Carly tells Jax and Josslyn that Gladys’s son saved her life. They had to stop by the warehouse, and suddenly some guys started shooting. The bodyguard got Gladys into the office, but Carly was stuck outside with bullets flying. A guy showed up, and pulled her to safety. Gladys says her boy is a hero, but he got shot. Carly says, it’s not bad; he’ll make a full recovery, but Gladys says, he lost a lot of blood. She can’t lose her son; he can’t die. Josslyn says, he’s in great hands, and Jax says he’s glad he’s okay, but what’s going on? Carly says, it’s all a mess, and he asks where Sonny is. He saw Sonny’s bodyguard there. Carly says he’s getting Mike settled back in Turning Woods. There were two attacks out of town. Obviously, someone is making a move against Sonny, and Jason is talking to the cops at the warehouse.

Sasha tells Michael, she’s not naïve. It’s not like she hasn’t heard who Sonny is. Michael asks if it’s a problem now, and Sasha says, after he nearly got killed, it might be. He says he knows it’s awful, and wishes she didn’t have to go through this. She says she’s terrified, and he says she has a right to be. He’s experienced things like this before, and learned how to handle a crisis like this. She asks if there will be more, and he tells her, it’s hard to say. His father is a powerful business man, and gets unwanted attention from time to time, but it’s Sonny’s business, not his. Sasha says either the gunman didn’t know that or didn’t care. He didn’t see Michael Corinthos, the head of ELQ; he saw a target. If not for Josslyn coming back, he could have died in front of her. She doesn’t think she can go through that again. He holds her, and says, it’s okay. She won’t have to.

Chase joins Jordan at the warehouse, and she says Tony was just taking her through what happened. She asks Tony to tell her again, and Tony says, it was a normal afternoon. A shipment of beans had just come in. They were offloaded, and the workers were gone. Carly stopped by to drop off some paperwork, and brought Dev’s grandmother with her. Gladys wandered off, and Tony went after her; that’s what the shooting started. Jordan says, he saw it begin? and he says he put Gladys in the office, and returned fire. Carly was pinned down, and there was no way for him to reach her. Chase asks if it occurred to them to call the police, and Tony says they were a little busy. Jordan tells Tony, continue, and Tony says, the gunfire came closer, and was about to reach Carly, when this guy swooped in to cover her. Jordan says, Brando, and Tony says he didn’t recognize the guy, but he must be a professional the way he covered Carly and got her to a more secure location. The gunmen shot at them until they ran out of ammunition, then took off. Jordan says, they shoot up a warehouse that’s the property of a powerful alleged mob kingpin, and just leave?

Tony says he doesn’t know what to tell her. The gunmen were shooting, then they were gone. Chase arrives, and she asks if Tony minds retracing his steps again with Chase. Tony says, no, and Jordan tells them to get started while she talks to Jason outside. She and Jason step out of the warehouse, and Jordan says, hypothetically speaking, if there was an attack on a warehouse, would the shooters run out of ammunition and leave? Either they’re the most incompetent gunman ever, or Tony isn’t telling the whole story. Jason says he wasn’t there; he can’t say. She says, of course (🍷) not. She admires him on some level. He’s raised non-incrimination to an artform. Taggert shows up, and says he knows from past experience how uncooperative Sonny and his associates can be. She says tell her about it.

Jax tells Carly that he’ll take Josslyn to his place, but she asks him to take Josslyn back to Sonny’s. It’s well-protected, and Michael, Dev, and Avery are there. It will make Josslyn feel better – and her. Jax says, Brando saved her life; impressive for a supposed dead guy. Carly tells him that she doesn’t know why Gladys lied, or if it really is Brando, but she’s sticking around. She wants to find out why Brando got dragged in, or if he was involved with the whole thing.

Valentin tells Ava, before Nina, he didn’t know trust or love. He thought love led to misery and unhappiness. He supposes he wasn’t far off, but he didn’t know the big picture; the joy and connection of knowing someone completely. Of having someone love him back, without judgement. He didn’t know what it was like, but he does now. Ava says he’s just wasting his breath. He says Ava doesn’t know a thing about love. That’s why she’s easy to manipulate. Ava asks what he’s talking about, and Nina says she’s trying to do a job. Both of them need to leave. Ava says she has some redecorating to do in her castle, and Valentin says, good luck with that. Ava says Valentin’s taste is ostentatious and pretentious, which makes sense, since he was pretending to be a Cassadine. Not to worry. She’ll have the place spruced up in no time. Nikolas walks in, and she adds, with the help of her husband. Nina says she has to make a change in security. She can’t take anymore. Nikolas says he figured Valentin would weasel his way out of jail, so he took the liberty of drawing up some paperwork. He hands Valentin an envelope.

Valentin takes the papers out, and says, it’s a restraining order. Nikolas says to keep him far away from Windymere, and adds, keep reading. Valentin says, nice of Nikolas to arrange a DNA test. Nikolas says Valentin can refuse, and he’ll petition the court for an order, but that will be a clear indication that Valentin is not a Cassadine. Valentin says Nikolas doesn’t see it; he’s so caught up in revenge. Helena is playing him. She set him up from beyond the grave. She left a trail of breadcrumbs to what he wants most – to be the prince – but Valentin is the rightful heir. Valentin Mikkosovich Cassadine. Nikolas is the punchline to Helena’s last pathetic joke.

Gladys tells Carly that she can’t stand waiting, but Carly is sure Brando is having excellent care. GH has the best doctors in the state. Gladys says, Brando has always been brave, with no thought to his own safety. Carly says she’s grateful Gladys’s son saved her life… Gladys says, but? Say what she’s thinking. Carly says Gladys told them that Brando was dead. Why say that when she knew he was alive? Finn comes out, and Gladys says she’s Brando’s mother. She asks how her son is, and Finn says, he’s stable. The bullet passed clean though. Gladys says, prayer is working, and he tells her, keep it up. The bullet missed all key organs and arteries. Gladys asks if she can see him, and Finn says, of course (🍷). Gladys goes inside, and Carly thanks Finn. Finn says he was just doing his job. Whoever bandaged Brando on the scene did good. Carly says, thanks, and he says he’ll make sure she gets updates.

Elizabeth leaves the bag with Brando’s personal effects at the reception desk.

Josslyn goes back to Sonny’s, and Dev hugs her, practically knocking her over. He says Michael told him what happened; he was worried. Michael says he told Dev she was all right, but Dev says he had to see for himself. Jax says Sonny has enough security guards to start a football team. Sasha tells Josslyn that she didn’t get a chance to thank her. If she hadn’t called out, things could have ended differently. She saved Michael’s life. Michael agrees she did, and Josslyn says he owes her big time. Jax tells her to get some rest, but she says she’s not doing anything until her mom gets home. Jax says Carly and Gladys are fine, but whatever happened at the warehouse was bad; they could have been killed. Dev says, a shooting at the warehouse and pier at the same time must mean something, and Jax says, nothing good.

Chase tells Jordan the preliminary findings match Tony’s story – to a point. There were two shooters outside, and three inside; Brando, Tony, and Brent, who worked there. An associate chased the gunmen, and didn’t return. Taggert says, he probably grabbed a gunman to hold for Sonny. Jordan introduces Taggert to Chase, and tells Chase they worked in the DEA together. Taggert says it was after his tenure at the NYPD. He and Sonny worked different sides of the same street in Brooklyn. He’s not there in an official capacity, but asks Jason, if he was, who might try to take over Sonny’s territory? Jason says he’s not answering any questions without his attorney present. Taggert says, some things never change. Sonny must have pissed someone off. Jordan says, Sonny is at Turning Woods, getting Mike settled. Tagger says, Mike was involved? It must have been pretty traumatic for him. Jordan is glad Sonny is taking care of Mike, but when he’s done, she has plenty of questions.

Carly sees Brando’s stuff, and noses around. She slides something out of the bag.

Elizabeth sees Finn, and tells him that Jax told her about Nikolas. She’s still in shock. He tried to justify his actions, but keeping Hayden from Violet is unforgivable. Finn says Violet misses her mom very much, and Elizabeth asks how he’s doing. He says he loves Violet, and wants to be the father she needs. Elizabeth hopes he doesn’t feel alone in this. He has Anna for support, but she doesn’t want him to forget that he’s officially part of her family now. Violet has a lot of people who love her, including three cousins who’d like to see more of her. Finn says it’s kind of her, and suggests arranging a playdate. He can’t believe he said those words, and she tells him, get used to it.

Valentin tells Ava and Nikolas, enjoy their brief stay. Don’t go crazy redecorating. Ava married his nephew, and thinks she married a prince, but he’s nothing. Nikolas tells Valentin to stay away from his home. Valentin says he still has his true love, and Ava says, too bad it’s not reciprocated. She imagines there are a lot of fine-looking upstanding men who will be lining up to treat Nina better than Valentin did. Valentin says, maybe she’s right, but they can’t love her like he does. Nina says, goodbye, and he says, for now. He leaves, and Nina smiles at Ava.

Josslyn tells Sasha, a random guy showed out of nowhere to help, and he was shot. Her mom insisted on waiting at the hospital with Gladys. It’s was Gladys’s son Brando who saved her life. Jax says, Dev’s father.

Carly looks at a photo of Dev and Gladys.

Jordan says, three shootouts going down at the same time is no coincidence, and Chase says, if it’s connected to Sonny’s truck getting stolen, it’s a huge escalation. Taggert says, they wanted to get rid of the competition fast and final, but Jordan says, the good news is, they failed. Jason and Sonny are still standing, along with their families. She tells Jason that when he talks to his lawyer, he might want to think about all they stand to lose if this blows up into a mob war. She doesn’t mean territory, but their families, and innocent bystanders. What’s coming for them has no code. It’s going to be public and ugly, and she’s going to stop it if she has to take him and Sonny along with them.

On Monday, Willow tells Brad to manage Nelle or she will, Gladys asks Brando what he’s doing in Port Charles, and Carly asks Sonny why they’re doing this to him.

🧂 Some Non-News…

It’s not very exciting, but there’s not much on the new Wives yet.

https://pagesix.com/2020/01/26/real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city-cast-parties-during-lil-jon-performance/

https://pagesix.com/2020/01/25/vanderpump-rules-stars-hang-with-hopeful-housewives-of-salt-lake-city/

👎🏼 Bad Employee…

I guess the law of averages says into all businesses, some d-bags must fall.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2020/01/lisa-vanderpump-dog-foundation-sued-sexual-harassment/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

👰🏻 Just Can’t Get Enough…

Ariana breaks down the breakdown.

https://www.eonline.com/shows/pop_of_the_morning/news/1117046/ariana-madix-discusses-kristen-s-role-in-vanderpump-rules-bachelorette-party-breakdown

👙 Yeah, Well…

It’s not like he probably wasn’t doing this all along.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1116974/joe-giudice-spotted-partying-with-women-in-mexico-after-teresa-giudice-split?source=email&medium=emn-content-6&cmpid=evening&content=emn-news

💍 Moving On…

Eternity meaning, until someone better comes along.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2020/01/rhoc-shannon-beador-ex-husband-david-engaged-new-girlfriend-lesley-cook/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

⚾️ It Never Ends For Meghan…

I’ve noticed that taking ownership is the new not taking responsibility.

https://radaronline.com/photos/jim-edmonds-meghan-king-edmonds-threesome-feud-podcast-intimate-knowledge/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

💔 Kinda Saw It Coming…

Their relationship had it’s ups and downs, and I was rooting for them, but it’s not a surprise. What is a surprise is that they’re being publicly nasty.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1117148/90-day-fiance-s-tiffany-franco-and-ronald-smith-announce-split?source=email&medium=emn-content-1&cmpid=evening&content=emn-news

🛎 Quotes of the Week

It’s almost time to die. – Judge Judy upon finding out how many people in the courtroom didn’t know who Rip van Winkle was.

Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense. – Gertrude Stein

So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune. – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Artistic growth is, more than it is anything else, a refining of the sense of truthfulness. The stupid believe that to be truthful is easy; only the artist, the great artist, knows how difficult it is.Willa Cather

I had to learn who I was again through animals, because animals know who you really are. – Kim Novak

Sometimes when you least expect it, the tables turn and that scary feeling that has taken hold of you for so long somehow turns into hope. – David Archuleta

It turns out, nature is more imaginative than we are. – Abraham Loeb, a theoretical physicist at Harvard (I’d say God is, but okay.)

Putting a guy who’s in the closet in the closet? It’s like gay nesting dolls. – Max (Kat Dennings), 2 Broke Girls

Let me start with anger management. Don’t piss me off. – Pao Mayfield, 90 Day Fiancé: Pillow Talk

It feels like a summer camp for drunk third graders. – Kate Chastain, Below Deck, referring to unruly guests

My mother always used to say: The older you get, the better you get, unless you’re a banana.Betty White

🦡  To See Or Not To See…

Just please don’t drop the groundhog. (That was the closest thing to a groundhog emoji I had.)

January 29, 2020 – The Scoop On GH, Jennifer Is a Jerk, New Same Old House, Another Ripple, Another Loss, Handsy Jax, Don’t Do It, I’m With Beau, a Reprieve, It’s Coming & the Drug Is Love

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Here’s what I got. Supposedly, ABC is letting the new episodes loose now. I checked their site, and it’s showing the episode with the shootouts, so I’m ahead by two. When this airs on real TV, I’m not sure, but if the site has them, On Demand should have them too. On Demand has been akin to the devil during this blackout, listing an episode as new, when it’s a random rerun. Merry Christmas, Shiloh! Anyway, I’ll keep my eye out for news, and recap again as soon as they’ve caught up to me.

What ABC says:

https://abc.com/shows/general-hospital/news/gh-news/abc-to-resume-airing-original-unaired-episodes-of-general-hospital

What Soaps In Depth said:

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/new-episodes-return-today?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9641&recip_id=5057&list_id=9

About Brando (and it sounds like a good theory):

https://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2020/general-hospital-spoilers-is-brando-corbin-an-undercover-cop-devs-father-back-from-the-dead-determined-to-take-down-sonny/?fbclid=IwAR2xqVwcZ-m3gmlynMuM3xrrh5WQnhbShobObg2hSuH8pRz5pnTGYullwis

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

When we last left, Jennifer had tossed a fork and plate at Melissa in a restaurant because she has absolutely no manners whatsoever. She said, blah-blah-blah, don’t talk about my kids, when no one was talking about them. She’s one of those people who likes to change the narrative to suit themselves, and it’s working my last nerve. Apparently, Melissa’s was also being worked, since she said she wanted to pop Jennifer one. Jennifer left, staring daggers at Melissa the whole way to the car, and since we’re in middle school, Teresa and Dolores went with her. Marge wondered why Teresa always leaves with the uninjured party, which is a good question. The topic of Jackie not eating was addressed, and Jackie explained that people don’t understand about how difficult it is getting past an eating disorder. We saw a clip of her watching a video of her younger, overweight self with her father, and he said, it was almost worth it. While I’m sure he didn’t mean it in a malicious way, that’s really an awful thing to say. She told Marge and Melissa about eating only apples and canned tuna during a trip to Mexico with her husband, and putting herself into treatment when they got back.

In the car, Jennifer claimed she didn’t want people criticizing Jackie, when she seems to be the only one doing that. As soon as they got back to the house, she started making noises about leaving, and of course the other Musketeers, Dolores and Teresa, said they’d go too; Teresa saying, since they all came together, they would leave together. When Jennifer told Jackie that she’d be leaving, in Jackie’s interview, she suggested Jennifer take her kooky tequila-ass self and walk back to NJ. I couldn’t have agreed more. Melissa asked Teresa to stay, and Jackie wondered if she was back in high school. (Thank you.) Teresa decided she didn’t want to choose friends over family, and in a rare move, did the right thing and stayed. Jackie said she’d wanted the weekend to heal wounds, but it was worse than ever.

The guys also got together over the weekend – Joes #2 and #3, and Frank Sr. – for drinks. It wasn’t lost on me how when the men get together, the atmosphere is the opposite of the women getting together. The guys always encourage each other, and have a lot of laughs. If there are any altercations, they’re solved in ten seconds with a beer. They have so much more fun than the women do, and no one throws anything. Well, maybe a football. In the Hamptons, the remaining women – Jackie, Marge, Melissa, and Teresa – went out to dinner to a restaurant on the water (gorgeous!), and somehow it was uneventful. Probably because Jennifer had taken her tequila-ass self home.

Back in New Jersey, Melissa told Joe #2 that Jennifer got gangster on her, and asked why crazy people intrigue Teresa. Joe said Teresa was going through something, and they give her attention. Despite her legal/financial troubles, Marge was celebrating 20 years in business, and invited Marge Sr. for a visit. She said she worried about Marge Sr. more than Marge Sr. worried about her, and now that Marge Sr. was in Manhattan, she felt like a kid again, who didn’t want her mom to go to work and leave her alone.

Teresa met Joe #2 for drinks and apps, and told him about Not-So-Juicy Joe saying no one would want her, since she had so much baggage. Joe #1 said Not-So-Juicy was just trying to mess with her head. On the way to taking the girls to see their dad, Teresa realized she’d forgotten her wallet, and they had no ID. The problem was, they were already an hour and a half into the trip, and had to be there at a certain time. To be continued…

🤽🏼‍♀️ Tonight, Bravo aired a half hour of a Summer House retrospective/sneak peek of the new season. The best blast from the past was Amanda saying Kyle was like one of those little dogs humping your leg. You just want to kick him off. And then getting engaged to him. As for the future, from what Kyle told us, we should expect them to act like family – drunk, obnoxious, and dysfunctional, but in a loving way. While I think all families are dysfunctional to a degree because they involve people, he’s not describing my family. Although it might explain why he’s the way he is. There will be a few new faces, and the good news or bad news, depending on how you feel about the show, is that the people are all still awful.

🏀 A Sad Six Degrees…

That crash was far reaching, and a lesson in how temporary our life here is.

https://pagesix.com/2020/01/27/christina-mauser-who-was-killed-in-helicopter-crash-with-kobe-bryant-coached-shannon-beadors-daughters/

💔 Another Farewell…

Bidding adieu to a grande dame of the soap world.

https://soaphub.com/days-of-our-lives/beloved-soap-veteran-marj-dusay-passes-away-at-83/?fbclid=IwAR3hmf_67w-p6Oz5H6iNfR43FMVGlY0LffgsMFxvWDH-JhwdIRR4P_wb-fA

🍹 Hunk Being a Matter Of Perspective…

And how did Lance Bass get involved?

https://radaronline.com/videos/vanderpump-rules-jax-taylor-handsy-with-stripper-bachelor-party/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🍾 Brittany Continues To Get Jaxxed…

Watch What Happens Live viewers gave their marriage six years, but how do we know she doesn’t just want to torture him for life?

https://starmagazine.com/photos/vpr-jax-taylor-lies-strip-club-brittany-cartwright/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🍜 It’s Not About the Pasta Either…

For the record, I’m on Beau’s side. Tom seemed cool early on, but he’s kind of a d*ck.

https://starmagazine.com/photos/stassi-schroeder-tom-sandoval-fight-tomtom-book/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

👠 The Queen Of Second Chances…

I doubt there’s much LVP doesn’t have the power to do, but she does tend to give many do-overs.

https://radaronline.com/photos/lisa-vanderpump-rules-doesnt-have-power-firemax-boyens-racist-tweets/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🐲 If We’re Still Here In 2022…

And maybe old George will have those books finished by then.

https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/house-of-the-dragon-release-date-and-everything-el/2900-3356/

💋 Because It’s Almost Valentine’s Day…

Okay, it’s not that close, but this never gets old. They’re like Riff Raff and Magenta 2.0, and Oscar Isaac is yummy.

January 22, 2020 – When Will It End, Changes, You Can Dress Them Up, Soon To Come, Nora, Deckwads, More Goodbyes, Yet Another, Breaking Meghan, AMC News & Hazy

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

GH was once again preempted for what I like to call, oh my God is this guy still talking? At this point, I have no clue what’s going on with this it, and don’t think they do either. While yesterday’s episode was supposed to shown today, it was noticeably absent. The magic of the internet failed as well, since it was stuck on yesterday’s episode. If anything pops up before I go to bed, I’ll post it, but if not, here’s the link to yesterday if you didn’t catch it:

https://tvwiththeresa.wordpress.com/2020/01/22/january-21-2020-no-trial-soap-for-you-jims-kidnap-plot-thickens-tom-rains-on-stassis-book-signing-morning-gibberish/

Here’s a kind of, sort of, not really explanation:

https://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2020/general-hospital-spoilers-trial-preemption-schedule-what-gh-fans-can-expect/

🤷🏻‍♀️ I am no good with a spontaneous change in schedule, especially if it involves free time. Not that there is ever any free time – it’s like extra money, always absorbed by a need. Since I went to bed at the crack of dawn, when I realized GH wasn’t happening, I figured I’d catch it online later, took a nap, and overslept. Then I made my uneventful attempt to find it, and realizing for a second time that it wasn’t going to happen, watched a documentary about Courtney Love. Very productive.

🏖 On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa tried to guilt Marge about not inviting her to the Mother’s Day brunch. Jackie’s house in the Hamptons is gorgeous, and reminds me of some of the houses here. Not mine. Jackie talked to Teresa, saying Marge didn’t expect her to drop Danielle, but at least have her back about Danielle trying to yank out her ponytail. Marge told Teresa that Charles Manson never did anything to her, but she’s not bringing him into the friend group. This might have been a good analogy had Teresa known who Charles Manson was. In her interview, Melissa informed us that historical figures were not Teresa’s thing. I’m not so sure there’s much world knowledge that is her thing. When Marge demanded to know why Teresa didn’t tell Danielle to knock it off, it was too much for Teresa’s brain, and she had to walk away. It always amazes me how much these women pack for a weekend, but then again, I used to bring at least five pairs of shoes for a weekend at the Shore because you never know. Now I live here because I’m destined to live in tourist traps. But I digress.

The women went out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Not-so Juicy Joe called, and suggested Dolores find Teresa a doctor, so he and Teresa could have a relationship like Dolores and Frank. Teresa told the women that he’d also said she had too much baggage for any man to want her. Jackie talked about her husband signing a prenup because she has family money, which led to Jennifer pumping Jackie for financial information. The next day, they went shopping, and Jennifer split off with Marge to find a gift for Marge Sr. Jennifer told Marge she thought Jackie was stingy, based on the fact Jackie didn’t throw ostentatious parties for her children, and just had pizza like a normal mom. The group reconvened for lunch, and as soon as Jennifer went to the bathroom, Marge had to tell Jackie about the stingy comment. When Jennifer came back, after she got over being blindsided, she told Jackie to take the stick out of her ass and enjoy life. She felt Jackie wasn’t making her children’s experiences memorable. In her interview, Jennifer said if she was getting thrown under the bus, she was taking Marge, and pointed out that Marge said Jackie doesn’t eat. Marge immediately apologized, which Jackie said was the difference between a friend and an a-hole, but Teresa felt a friend should speak their mind. Jackie suggested Jennifer not come to any more of her parties if she was so bothered. Melissa said Jackie was a saver, and to watch whose kids were nicely set up years from now. Of course this was in a restaurant where people were watching, and ended with Jennifer tossing glassware, and Melissa getting to her feet. To be continued…

📺 On last night’s HAHN, an ad for the new season of If Loving You Is Wrong said, coming soon. Whatever that means. I suppose it all depends on your definition of soon. The definitive word on The Shahs of Sunset is that returns on Sunday, February 9th at 9 pm. You can read all about the coming drama here:

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/shahs-of-sunset-season-8-premieres-february-trailer-spoilers

🗽 I caught Awkwafina’s Nora from Queens, and loved it. Reminiscent of Margaret Cho’s All American Girl, but grittier and with more weed.

🛥 A Nail Gets Hit On the Head…

I couldn’t believe what an accurate description this was of the d-bags dudes on Below Deck. Not Captain Lee – it’s never Captain Lee. The best quote: Kevin’s back went out because his skeleton can’t even support all the sh*t he talks. Sounds about right.

https://decider.com/2020/01/20/below-deck-guys-are-the-worst/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

🌠 Because It’s Hard To Let Go…

Another roll call. I don’t know why, but I can never get enough of these.

https://parade.com/969159/samuelmurrian/celebrity-deaths-2019/?utm_source=paradenewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=homepage_newsletter_December%2022,%202019_08_30_27

👋🏽 And So It Begins…

One for the coming roll call. Blessed are the cheesemakers, and RIP Brian’s mom.

https://extratv.com/2020/01/22/terry-jones-of-monty-python-dead-at-77/

👠 Lookin’ Bad As Hell…

Girlfriend needs to pull herself together, eat something, and dust her shoes of this guy for good.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1113898/meghan-king-edmonds-says-she-feels-like-a-target-against-jim-edmonds?source=email&medium=emn-content-4&cmpid=evening&content=emn-news

🎭 Like It’s Not Crowded Enough…

It’s like feast or famine with the programming. Right now, Tuesday is a battlefield, and it looks like Sunday will be joining it soon. Fans of the Dead will be thrilled, but AMC has some great entertainment to come in general. I am wondering how NOS4ATU got another season though. Not that it wasn’t good, but I thought that was the end of the story.

https://comicbook.com/thewalkingdead/2020/01/06/the-walking-dead-three-shows-2020-trailer/?utm_source=Comicbook.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=200106_152048_Comicbook.com%20Daily%20Newsletter&utm_content=Link

❄️ Still Waiting…

I feel like Charlie Brown on Halloween, everyone gets snow, and all we get is a lousy bag of rain.

January 15, 2020 – Nelle Reveals Herself, Mother’s Day In Jersey, Joe Obvious, Officially Uncoupled, Surprise Losses, Drama In the Hills, VanderMoments & Atmospheric January

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Carly tells Sonny that Avery and Donna are down for the count. She wonders when Ava will tell Avery about her new stepfather. She can’t believe Ava and Nikolas are married. Sonny says he doesn’t know who’s blackmailing who, but it’s not going to end well.

On the phone at the MetroCourt, Nikolas says he’s very much alive. He’s taking the Cassadine Industries jet, so file the flight plan. Ava joins him, saying she’s sure Laura is tied up at city hall. Is it so wrong to keep her handsome new husband company? She kisses his cheek, and he says. people are watching. She says, you bet they are. They’re the new hot couple. It’s a story of redemption – her – and resurrection – obviously him. Since she’s not going anywhere, get used to it. He says they’re married until he gets the codicil, and she says, even after, it’s not over. Until then, they have no reason not to spend time together. He says, yes they do.

Lulu tells Dustin, as much as she’d like to blame Brook for everything that’s ever gone wrong… Dustin says they obviously have a history, and she says they do, but even Brook doesn’t deserve to be grabbed by some slimeball. She says watching Dustin was hot, and he says chivalry is his thing. She says she likes it, and speaking of history, they seem to have some of their own, Dusty.

Brook says they have to let her go, and Chase says she assaulted a police officer. She says it was an accident; she was trying to hit a civilian. He asks if she’s aware that it’s a crime, and she says the forced grabbing of an intimate part of her body without her consent is a crime. Chase says, it won’t be without consequences, and looks at some paperwork. He tells her it says her last name is Ashton, and she says she changed it. Ned comes in and says she’s telling the truth. Brook is a Quartermaine through and through. Brook asks if she can go now, but Chase says, no. She asks Ned what he’s waiting for, and tells him to do something. Ned says Chase heard his daughter; lock her up.

Olivia puts out coffee, and Tracy says it looks like Olivia has been setting up board meetings her entire life. Olivia says, a compliment from Tracy? Tracy asks her not to tell anyone. She has a reputation to uphold. Olivia says she knows Tracy wouldn’t be acting nice unless there’s something in it for her. Let’s have it. What does she want?

At Shiloh’s memorial, the veiled woman says she didn’t know Shiloh long, but they shared a special bond. After all – she removes her veil, and we see it’s Nelle – he was her husband. Michael says he’ll start. What’s she doing out of prison? Harmony asks what does she mean, her husband? Nelle says she’ll answer their questions in order. She tells Michael, good news; she’s a free woman. And to her dear old cellmate, she’s Mrs. David Henry Archer. She removes a glove and shows off her ring, saying, they’re all her guests.

Carly tells Sonny, two people gaslighting each other isn’t a basis for a marriage. She wonders what Ava could have… The lightbulb comes on, and she realizes Ava must have the codicil, and is using it as leverage against Nikolas. The house phone rings, and Sonny says, of course (🍷). He tells Carly, she’s not going to believe this. They go to the door, and Stella is there. Sonny asks, what happened? Did the weather get so bad she got homesick? Stella says, something like that. Sonny wonders why he’s the only on not surprised, and Carly says she reached out to Stella to come and talk about his dad.

Ava says she needs to give Nikolas a gentle reminder. He hasn’t signed the post-nup yet. He doesn’t see why they need it. She has the codicil, and while she’s holding on to it, he’ll have to go on with this sham of a marriage. Ava says, just because it’s out of revenge doesn’t make it a sham. Their marriage is very real. A good spouse provides for their mate in case the worst happens. He says he’s not signing, He’s waiting for his mother. Ava says she can be the witness. Nothing says official like a signature from the mayor. He starts to read it, and says, she wants an island of her own? She says the Cassadines own a chain of them. What’s one tiny island? He says the water is shark infested, and she says she’s been swimming with sharks her whole life. She tells him not to be stingy.

Brook tells Chase, her father is obviously joking. The pervert should be charged for sexual assault. He told her to stop singing, she told him to shove it, and he put his paws on her.

In the interrogation room, Lulu says, then he put his hands down Brook’s pants. Laura asks what Brook did.

Brook says, so she slapped him, and tried to push him off, but he grabbed her. That’s when Lulu told him…

Lulu says she told him to keep his hands off Brook, and he said, back off, sweetie, and shoved her. That’s when Dustin stepped in, and grabbed him by the collar, and told him to keep his hands to himself. Dustin says, words were exchanged, there was shoving… and Lulu says before they knew it, somebody called the cops.

Chase says Brook hit him with a beer bottle, and she says she was trying to hit the guy who touched her. Ned asks if he’s in custody, and Chase says, he’s in a holding cell. Ned asks if Brook is all right, and she says, it happened so fast; she just wants to go home. She asks why Ned is against her, and he tells her he’s not saying the guy shouldn’t be punished. He’ll talk to Robert. She says Linc started it. Just drop the family name, and take her home. He says she spent years running from the family, and all it stands for. Now she wants to use the name to get out of trouble.

Tracy tells Olivia, she does have an ulterior motive, and it should appeal to her. Michael is a lovely young man, decent and polite. Olivia says, coming from Tracy, it doesn’t sound complimentary, and Tracy says it will take more than boyish charm to fill the Quartermaine shoes. Olivia says that’s the real reason Tracy is back. She wants to force Michael out. Tracy says she has no shares, vote, or say. On the other hand, Olivia’s husband has all three.

Michael asks how the hell Nelle got out. She tells him, like Shiloh said, keep believing and good things happen. It’s no wonder she wanted to honor his memory. Pentenville’s not the most romantic place, but it was good enough for them; her, Shiloh, the chaplain, and a witness. Daisy says she was honored to be included. The ceremony was beautiful, and deeply spiritual. Nelle says she’s sorry she didn’t tell Harmony; she didn’t want to break Harmony’s heart. She tells Willow, it’s a shame she feels she has to deny everyone’s feelings for Shiloh, especially since she took something precious from the time she was with him. Willow says she took her son, and Nelle says, Shiloh spoke about Wiley all the time. He spoke about reclaiming him, so they could be a family. Now he’s gone, and the responsibility falls on yours truly.

Sonny says he doesn’t know what’s left to discuss, and Carly says, hear her out. Stella says she didn’t come to preach. Carly says she asked Stella to come talk to Sonny; not as some expert in the field, but someone who cares deeply about his father. Sonny hopes Carly paid Stella’s airfare, and Stella says, first class, with a room at the MetroCourt, but she would have rowed there if she thought it would help his dad. Sonny says they all love him, and want to do the right thing. Did Carly tell her about the new trial? Stella says she’d heard about it, and did some research. It does sound promising; however, Mike’s condition is more advanced than the patients in the study. Sonny says that’s why they can’t afford to wait until all of his father is lost. Stella understands, and her heart goes out to him, but while he’s holding on to Mike, what is Mike holding on to?

Nikolas tells Ava, let’s get something straight. She says she lives for clarity, and he says she lives in his home. They don’t share a bed or a future. Once he has the codicil, they’re going their separate ways. She tells him to listen to himself. Codicil is all he ever says. What’s the point of marriage if it’s not forever? He says, till death do us part, and she says he won’t kill her. He asks why she’s so sure, and she says she could be wrong, but she doesn’t think she is. As for their marriage, he’s not going to get what he wants until she gets what she wants. So sign. She lifts her martini glass, and says, to true love…

Brook asks why it’s okay for Ned to change his name, and he says she did it to get out of a contract. He did it to embrace the family. She doesn’t seem to be interested in that. Brook says he wanted the power, influence, and privilege that the name affords. He says they could use it at the shareholder’s meeting, and she says what better place to take her rightful place in the clan. Laura, Lulu, and Dustin come out, and Brook thanks Dustin for the rescue. She tells Lulu, always a pleasure. They leave, and she says if they can go, so can she. She’s the victim. Chase says he spoke to Felicia and Mac, and they’re willing to let it go, as long as they’re reimbursed. Ned says he’ll cover the damages, and Brook says she’ll pay him back. He says, she will, and Chase uncuffs her, telling her that she’s free to go. Don’t let him see her back there. She promises he’s seen the last of her, and leaves with Ned.

Michael says Nelle isn’t getting involved with his godson, but she says it’s not up to him. He says he’s going to check her story, and she tells him, do that. He steps out, and Nelle says, out of curiosity, Willow chose Brad to be the baby’s father? Willow says, Brad and Lucas are Wiley’s legal parents. Not Shiloh, even if he was alive. Nelle says, harsh. She’s not trying to take Wiley from them. Not yet. Harmony asks if she’s planning to in the future, and Nelle says she didn’t say that. Jason says he wouldn’t worry about it, and she says, it speaks. She forgot he was there. He asks how she made parole, and she says, Harmony was set free, so was she. Harmony says she had remorse for her crime, and got early release. Nelle says, unlike Sam, who shot Shiloh in the back. She owes her release to Ryan Chamberlain. If he hadn’t tried to escape, she wouldn’t have risked her life to protect society at large. They’re welcome.

Jason sees Michael in the hallway, and tells him, Nelle just wants attention. Don’t give it to her. Michael goes back in, and says, now that Nelle has made her big entrance, what does she want? Nelle says she’s not greedy. All she wants is what belongs to her.

Sonny tells Sonny, they’re family, and Stella says, as much as he loves his family, is he willing to take Mike from his surroundings and routine, take him away from the one place he knows and trusts? Sonny says the doctors told him what might happen when they had the evaluation at the clinic. It’s better than doing nothing. Carly says they’re not doing nothing. Stella says Mike has people he trusts, a place he knows, his family nearby, and Yvonne. Sonny says, Yvonne is on a feeding tube, and Mike keeps asking where she is. Carly says he thinks if Mike is away, he’ll forget about her, and Stella says, he might know she’s missing, and it will be worse. Sonny says, it might give Mike more time. Even if it doesn’t work, he’ll know they tried everything. Stella says, that’s easy to say, but how is he going to feel if they try, and it still doesn’t work?

Nikolas tells Ava that he wants a lawyer to look at the post-nup before he signs. Laura arrives, apologizing for keeping Nikolas waiting. She says she didn’t know Ava was joining them, and Nikolas says, Ava was just leaving, but Laura tells Ava to stay if she wants. She’s not thrilled about the marriage, but they’re adults. What they do is on them. Spencer is another story. Ava says, Spencer doesn’t know? and Nikolas says it doesn’t concern her. Ava says she cares about Spencer, and now she’s his stepmother. It does concern her. Nikolas says Spencer doesn’t know he’s alive. Laura was right. It’s not something he can tell Spencer over the phone. Hello, it’s me, your father. I’m not dead. That’s why he’s flying to France to see Spencer tonight.

Dustin goes back with Lulu to her place, and she asks him to come in. He says, it’s late, and she says, nice try, Dusty. How does he know Brook? He says, it’s not that fascinating, but she says she’ll be the judge of that. Start at the beginning, and don’t leave anything out.

Walking into the mansion, Brook tells Ned, she had no choice. Should she have let Linc put his hands all over her? He says, of course (🍷) not. If she wants to be a Quartermaine, she has to think like one. Be smarter, and less impulsive. Olivia and Tracy join them, and Brook asks what they’d do if a man asserted his power by grabbing their butt. Tracy says, break his hands, and Olivia says, kick his ass. Brook says, that’s what she did, but Ned says, she went on the defensive and it escalated into a barroom brawl. Brook says it looks like everyone is at a meeting, and Tracy says, they are, but it’s no surprise their CEO is MIA.

Chase goes back to the memorial, and Nelle says sorry he got dragged in. She’s sure she can clear things up. Chase asks if Willow is okay, and Willow says, fine so far. Nelle says she just realized. Harmony said her daughter had a new man in her life, but she had no idea it was him. Good for her. She’s glad someone has filled the void Shiloh left. Not that anyone can. Chase says, for once in Nelle’s life, she’s telling the truth, and Michael says, she is. She’s Shiloh’s widow; the wedding was legit. Nelle says, it was true love of course (🍷).

Sonny tells Stella that he’s done his share of gambling, and knows the odds aren’t good. Carly asks, why risk it just to postpone the inevitable? and he says if it gives Mike more time, it’s worth it. Jason comes in, and asks if it’s a bad time. Stella says she has to get settled at the MetroCourt, and thanks Carly for the room. Carly says she deserves a night of luxury. Stella says she’ll be around if they want to talk, and Sonny says he’ll walk her out. Jason sighs, and Carly asks how the memorial was; how’s Michael? He says Michael is fine, but she needs to count to ten. She asks, why? and he says, Nelle showed up at the memorial. She made parole.

Nelle tells Willow and Harmony, the three of them should grab lunch sometime. They share a special bond. First Shiloh, now Chase, with Willow. Harmony wonders how they could share a cell, and she didn’t realize Nelle was delusional. I dunno. For years she didn’t realize Shiloh was delusional. Chase asks Nelle if she said what she had to say. Willow says, she said plenty, and Harmony says, yet she said nothing at all. Nelle says she has another appointment; she’ll see them later. She asks if they could do her the biggest favor. Hold on to Shiloh’s portrait, while she finds a place to hang it. She leaves, and I wonder what happened to the other people who were there, and disappeared.

Dustin tells Lulu, it was open mic night at a bar in lower Manhattan. He was nursing a beer, and working on writing some music, and he heard Brook’s voice. He looked up, and she was in the spotlight. Lulu says, Brook can sing; she’ll give her that. Dustin says Brook came down after her song, and started taking drink orders. Lulu says, she was literally working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, and he says, that much is true. I die laughing. Lulu asks if they sang outside of a convenience store. She’s seen that movie. He says, it ended as soon as it started. She dumped him for a piano player. She says, a guy as amazing as him, dated someone as dreadful as Brook, and she dumped him?

Michael arrives at the meeting, and Brook says she hopes he has his body armor on; knives are out. Tracy thanks him for joining them. It’s nice that he found the time. Ned asks Pascal where they’re at, and Pascal says, the roll call. Should he go over it again? Michael says, no. Pick up where they left off. Pascal says Tracy is there for Dillon in absentia, and Tracy says she has his proxy vote. Pascal says, Michael is present, so that concludes it. Ned says, there are several items on the agenda, the first being the question of selling Oscar’s shares.

Sonny thanks Stella for coming, and Stella says, but she should mind her own business. Sonny says she’s family as far as his father is concerned. What happens is her business. She says Sonny is still taking Mike to New York, isn’t he?

Carly tells Jason that Pentenville threw Nelle a jailhouse wedding before they cut her loose? Why bother? The only reason Nelle bothers with anything is money, revenge, or both. What did Shiloh have that Nelle can use?

Laura says Nikolas is flying out tonight? He says Spencer deserves to hear it from him, and he wants to see his boy. Laura says, after all Nikolas has done, he’s not going to pull a vanishing act. Ava tells Laura, don’t worry. She’ll make sure Nikolas stays in touch. Nikolas asks how she’s going to manage that, and Ava says, because she’s going with him.

Harmony asks what the hell that was about, and Chase says, it’s classic Jenelle. He says he can take Harmony back on his way home, and Willow says there’s something he needs to know. It’s about Wiley, not about her. Brad is overwhelmed, and Michael was concerned Brad doesn’t have enough support. It escalated until Brad turned to her and practically begged her to be Wiley’s nanny, so she’s going to help take care of him. Harmony thinks it’s a good idea, and Willow says, it’s a temporary situation. At some point, Brad won’t need her, Chase asks if she really thinks she’ll just be able to walk away.

Pascal says, Oscar has fifteen bequests, but Michael says, something came up that’s a major impact. Tracy suggests they stick to the agenda, and Brook says, Michael is allowed to talk. Michael says Oscar left his shares to Shiloh, but Ned says that’s in probate. Now that Shiloh is dead, they revert to the family regardless. Tracy says, the shares couldn’t find a better home in the hands of Olivia and her precious son… Olivia says, Leo, and Tracy says she knew that. Brook says they should put the shares where they’ll do the most good. Ned says, Olivia and Leo are family, and more than deserving. Michael agrees with Ned, and Brook calls Michael an idiot. She asks how he can be CEO of a major company, and not see a power play is being set up. Don’t let them do it.

Nikolas says he’s flying solo, but Ava says he’ll face the pain of a difficult reunion with her by his side. He says it’s not her place, but she says, it definitely is. She owes it to Spencer. She wants him know she’s trying to atone, and make sure what’s rightfully his is acknowledged. Laura reminds them, this is about Spencer, not redemption. Nikolas owes it to his son to be honest with him. Nikolas says, of course (🍷), and Laura says she wishes she could trust him. She misses being able to. All she’s asking is for him to think of Spencer, not himself – if that’s possible. Laura leaves, and Ava says she likes that woman. The more she knows Laura, the more she likes her, and the more glad she is that Laura is her mother-in-law. Nikolas says, a technicality. Ava says she hasn’t been to Europe in years. She’s going home to pack. Is he coming? She tells him, think of it as a honeymoon. Separate rooms of course (🍷).

Dustin tells Lulu, believe it or not, that’s how the story ends. Good guy, bad girl, bad girl breaks good guy’s heart. Lulu is glad Brook has terrible taste. He says Brook had a way of pushing his buttons. Lulu says, not just his. Brook is the absolute worst, and had everyone walking away from her. He says Brook did him a favor. Writing music wasn’t for him. He discovered teaching, and never looked back. Lulu says, not even after he came to Brook’s rescue? He says he didn’t know it was her, and would have done it regardless. The guy was a creep, but he has to admit, if it was anyone else, it wouldn’t have escalated into a low grade riot. Lulu says, no nostalgia? and he says, the last thing he needs in his life is a wrecking ball named Brook Lynn. Lulu is glad hear that. They cuddle.

Willow tells Chase that she hopes one day that Wiley will know who she is, and she’ll help him understand why she chose Brad and Lucas to raise him. Everything is up in the air right now, and all that matters is Wiley being loved and cared for. Harmony says let her know if she can do anything, although she knows she has no right to ask. The first thing she did was use her grandson to lead Willow back to Shiloh. She’s ashamed of that, and more than anything wants a chance to make it up to the two of them. She owes it to Willow. Willow says she’ll see what Brad says, but she’d like that very much. Harmony goes out to wait for Chase and Willow, and Willow says they’re alone now. Let her have it. All the reasons he thinks it’s a bad idea for her to take care of Wiley. He asks if she thinks she can handle it, and she says she does. He hugs her, and says, so does he.

Stella tells Sonny, every day is precious. Is it worth risking Mike’s fragile quality of life to roll the dice? Sonny says he knows it’s a long shot, but even if it’s one million in one that it could work, he’s taking the shot.

Carly tells Jason, Shiloh was out of money when he died. One of his followers had to post bail. They know Nelle isn’t a follower, and has no spiritual motive, so why?

Olivia asks if Tracy thinks she doesn’t know she has an angle. Tracy says, fill her in on the angle Olivia thinks she has. Olivia says she’s her own person, and not just voting the way Ned wants. Ned says he trusts her judgement. Brook says, Michael is either in a naïve state or doing a masterful job of sucking up. Pascal says, yay or nay, and Brook calls him Fish and Chips. He says, she’s delightful. Nelle walks in, and says, there must be some mistake. There’s no way they started without her, right?

Tomorrow, Lulu wants Nikolas to tell her that he’s sorry, Sam tells Alexis that Nelle is Shiloh’s widow, Olivia says they’re going to make Nelle’s life a living hell, and Sonny says he needs Jason’s help.

👠 Highlights Of New Jersey…

On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Melissa told Joe #2 that she got a lot of calls inquiring about the men’s line after the fashion show, and because Teresa is defending Danielle, Margaret is going crazy. The fertility doctor called with their test results, and Melissa was more than okay, but Joe #2 had only 3 swimmers out of what should have been 15 million. Everyone found this hysterically funny, and the doctor said quitting a supplement he’d been taking should fix things. Marge had success with a drag queen brunch, and decided to have another one, as well as a Mother’s Day brunch. Because Teresa had been incommunicado, Marge decided not to invite her. Jackie agreed they weren’t in a good place, and Marge had to do what she felt was right. Jackie decided to invite the women to her Hamptons house, hoping they’d bond. While they were having a pedicure, Teresa told Dolores that she wanted to matchmake Gia and Frankie Jr., and Dolores let it slip about Marge’s brunch. She suggested Teresa talk to Marge, but Teresa wasn’t having it if Marge didn’t want to invite her.

Mother’s Day happened, and Teresa’s girls made breakfast. She said she was lucky to have them, and that Mother’s Day was difficult for her since she’d lost her mom. She griped that Marge knew it was difficult, and should have invited her. The girls gave Teresa a card, and counted down to Teresa crying over it. Joe #1 called, and Teresa told him that the girls had gotten her a necklace with her name on it. Since everything has to be about him, Joe claimed he’d gotten a name necklace for Teresa a while back, and criticized her for not remembering. Their daughters said he must be right, and in Teresa’s interview, she said it started out being a beautiful day, but Joe always gets the girls to go against her. She said she was no longer tolerating his disrespect.

At Marge’s Mother’s Day brunch, the drag queens greeted the guest moms, and flower crowns were passed out. We also learned, champagne for breakfast is totally appropriate. The drag queens put on a show, and Jennifer’s mother said she’d never been to anything like it. Up until then, the wildest thing she’d seen was the ugly naked guy in Times Square. We saw a photo of the Naked Cowboy, who wears briefs and is hardly ugly. Melissa was shocked that Marge didn’t invite Teresa, but Marge said they hadn’t talked at the fashion show, and Teresa was pissed because Marge said she was an embarrassment. Marge admitted to being embarrassed about her own behavior as well. In Melissa’s interview, she said Marge had only seen the namaste Teresa. It was her first rodeo with the going from zero to ten Teresa. At the brunch, the moms and daughters told stories from when they were growing up. They showed a picture of Marge Sr. as a young mother, and wowza! She was gorgeous. Everyone ended up crying. Jennifer noted that when the drag queens were performing, there was a lot of arm crossing and squinting from her mother.

Dolores said David didn’t think it was important when she asked him to show up for things, and he took advantage of her kindness. Maybe he doesn’t want to be seen on TV with this water-throwing, ponytail-pulling group. At least we’re actually seeing him this season. Jennifer asked her mom what she thought about the drag queens. Her mom said Dolores told her they were men, and she said, you’ve got to be kidding? which I guess is a compliment. Jennifer thought her mom had come a long way, and said she was raising her own children to be accepting of people  She brought up her brother being gay, but her mom wasn’t very comfortable talking about that, saying she was old-fashioned, and it was his life. If he’s happy, God be with him. Jennifer wanted her mother to be happy that he wasn’t living a lie.

Marge helped Marge Sr. do some organizing. In Marge’s interview, she said Marge Sr. claimed she wanted to be more of a mother, but they’re keeping their roles as they are. Marge is the mother, and is going to fix Marge Sr.’s life for her. Teresa didn’t want to go to the Hamptons because It was pouring out, and she was in a bad mood. She told Dolores that she was busting ass, but the kids take Joe’s side all the time. Dolores told her to put her foot down. No surprise, Jackie’s house in the Hamptons was fabulous. Marge told Melissa, at some point, you have to decide what’s right and wrong, and you can’t be friends with a certain type of person, by which I assume she meant Danielle. Melissa agreed, but said you can’t tell someone who to be friends with either.

When Teresa got there, she thanked Jackie for inviting her – and thanked Marge for not inviting her. So we started that way. Marge wanted to talk later, but Teresa said they were in the same friend group, and everyone else was talking about it. Marge said she had intended to invite Teresa, and even brought her a goody bag, which I thought was really tacky. I would never give someone a goody bag from a party I didn’t invite them to. Teresa didn’t want it, and I didn’t blame her.

Next time, more of the Hamptons, and Jennifer directs some loud and stupid at Melissa in public.

🎩 Like We Hadn’t Guessed…

Juicy Joe is old-fashioned? Really?

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2020/01/joe-giudice-admits-he-was-old-fashioned-husband/

💔 It’s Official…

What we already knew.

https://pagesix.com/2020/01/12/joe-giudice-reflects-in-emotional-post-after-teresa-giudice-split/

😥 Unexpected Roll Call…

Reality stars lost before their time.

https://radaronline.com/photos/when-death-isnt-scripted-reality-stars-who-have-passed-too-soon/

🔥 It Didn’t Take Long…

Again, not liking the mob mentality, no matter who the target is. Denise skated through her first season. I guess now she has to pay the price.

https://www.realitytea.com/2019/12/26/report-brandi-glanville-warned-denise-richards-that-kyle-richards-said-denise-would-be-targeted-on-real-housewives/

No surprise Brandi would be involved.

https://betches.com/why-is-brandi-glanville-slamming-denise-richards-on-twitter/

But definitely surprised this might be the reason.

https://betches.com/did-brandi-glanville-just-confirm-her-affair-with-denise-richards/

🍸 SUR, the Gift That Keeps On Giving…

Obviously, Ariana was not an English major.

https://betches.com/8-vanderpump-rules-moments-that-arent-talked-about-enough/

January Reaches Its Half Life…

Wherever your January is, I hope it’s going well. And if it’s not, it’s halfway over.

January 8, 2020 – Alexis Sees Nikolas, Dallas Concludes Its Painful Reunion, an Opinion, Marge Gets Her Ponytail Pulled, Eva Makes Me Laugh & Don’t Mess With It

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

On the phone, Sonny says he wants private security riding with them. He tells Carly not to worry, and Carly says it could have been Gladys eavesdropping. She needs Gladys gone. Sonny says he’s already arranged it. Gladys comes in, and asks where they keep the extra blankets; her room was kind of cold last night. Sonny tells her, never mind that. Grab her coat. He has a surprise for her.

Ava wakes, and looks around. Nikolas stands by the bed, and asks if she’s looking for this. He holds out a gun.

Martin goes to Lulu’s place, saying he’s there on behalf of his client, Valentin. Lulu says she knows who his client is. He says he’s there to see Charlotte, and make sure she’s okay. Lulu says, she’s fine. No thanks to her father.

Robert joins Valentin in the interrogation room, and Valentin asks if he’s there to drop the charges. Robert asks what he thinks, and Valentin says he thinks Robert has some unsubstantiated accusations from unreliable witnesses. He’s teetering on the brink of unlawful arrest, and Valentin will sue him into an early retirement. He thinks Robert is going to let him go.

In Sonny’s kitchen, Carly tells Jason she thinks Sam’s parole restrictions are ridiculous. Jason says Diane was clear, and Carly asks if that isn’t why they pay her – to get around the law. She says, the situation with Jax is over, and Jason asks, what situation? Carly says the big secret Jax was keeping. Nikolas Cassadine is alive.

Valentin says he thinks Robert is going to stretch this out as long as he can. The case will be dismissed, and he’ll be left empty-handed. Robert says, speaking of empty-handed, he heard about Valentin being disinherited. Valentin says, not yet, but it brings up an interesting point. Why wasn’t Nikolas in the cell next to his? Isn’t faking his own death and framing an innocent man still a crime?

Martin says Valentin will be relieved to know that Nina is with Charlotte. He saw Valentin in jail, and he made it clear that Charlotte’s well-being is his first priority. Lulu says Charlotte has been traumatized by last night, and Laura says she finally fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion. Lulu adds that they’re not waking her up. She’s surrounded by women who love her, and she’s safe, far from Valentin. Martin says he’ll convey the message, and leaves. Lulu says, unbelievable. Valentin was caught in the act of kidnapping, and sends his lawyer to check on Charlotte. Maxie says, technically, it wasn’t kidnapping, since they share custody. As messed up as it is, Valentin had the right to take Charlotte. Lulu asks if he had the right to attack Peter, and try to kill Ava. Maxie says she’s not defending him, but Lulu says it sounds like she is. Laura says, Valentin is still Charlotte’s father, and in the eyes of the law, he has parental rights. Lulu says, fine. She’ll take him to court. She’ll do whatever it takes. Valentin is never getting anywhere near Charlotte ever again.

Ava tells Nikolas, good morning to you too. She hopes this isn’t a new wake up call. She says her wifely duties are limited, and he says there’s only one wifely duty he’s interested in. He wants the codicil that proves he’s the rightful heir. She says, true; without it, his claim amounts to nothing. He says he married her as they agreed. Now it’s her turn. Where’s the codicil? She asks if he doesn’t get the value of please and thank you. She holds out her hand, and he gives her the gun. She puts it in the nightstand, and he says, give him the codicil please. She says, that’s better, but it occurred to her that she needs it as leverage. They didn’t have time to draw up a prenup, and he could annul the marriage or divorce her, and she’ll be left with nothing. He says he won’t go back on his word. He promises to share, and he won’t divorce her or annul the marriage. Ava says he could kill her, but he says he doesn’t want her dead; he saved her life. She says, because he wants the codicil, but he’ll never find where it’s hidden. He can only reclaim his inheritance with her by his side.

Sam arrives at Carly’s, and meets Jason. Carly asks if anyone saw her, but Sam says, no. Carly tells them, the guards know what do if a cop or Sam’s parole officer show up. She’s going upstairs to check on Donna. When she’s gone, Jason and Sam kiss.

At the café, Gladys tells Sonny that she didn’t expect breakfast. He says she’s been good to his dad, and Mike likes her. She says that’s important to her; she likes Mike too. She’s glad Mike called, and she decided to come and see him. She can’t tell him how much it meant to spend the holidays with his beautiful family. It’s been like a dream for her. Sonny can be intimidating, but his house is full of life. Donna is a joy to behold, and she loves how Avery likes to play hide and seek. And sometimes with Dev, it feels like she’s really his grandma. Sonny says, but she’s not, and Gladys says, it feels good to pretend. Brando didn’t give her any grandkids, and it makes her feel like his spirit lives on; like losing him counts for something. Sonny is sorry she lost her son, and appreciates what she’s done for his dad. She says she can continue to visit, but the trip is long. Sonny says, that’s why he bought her a new car, to make the trip easier.

Ava calls for Obrecht.

Jason asks if Sam is okay, and she says she’s tired. She’s not sleeping well without him. She can’t believe this happened just as they were getting their family together. Alexis walks in, saying she has the documents, and stops short. She says, are they kidding her? What are Jason and Sam doing, meeting in Sonny’s house in secret? Who’s absurd, reckless, really bad idea was this? Carly says it was hers.

Obrecht says, Ava called? and Ava asks if she’ll kindly escort Nikolas to the sitting room for coffee. And would she call a locksmith to change the locks on her bedroom door? Obrecht is sure Ava is capable of contacting a locksmith on her own. Ava says she’d think Obrecht would be more helpful, since she’s staying there for free. Obrecht says she took the precaution of retaining her residence in town. She stayed last night because she didn’t see the point in traveling over the freezing water so late. Ava asks if she’s leaving, and Obrecht says, it depends. It occurs to her that if Ava wants her presence as chaperone, she’s not on the best terms with Nikolas. She knows Nikolas has a murderous streak; his last wife can attest to that. Nikolas assures her that Ava is safe, and Obrecht asks if she should pack. Ava says, no. She can stay if she wants to. Obrecht says she accepts Ava’s invitation – for the time being. Her long term plans depend on her beloved niece. In the meantime, Ava should emulate Nina’s behavior as an exemplary lady of Windymere. Nikolas is sure Ava will get the hang of it. She just needs to practice. Ava says she’ll see him in the sitting room, and tells Obrecht not to let Nikolas out of her sight. Nikolas goes on ahead, and Obrecht says she doesn’t believe he poses a threat to Ava in any way.

Alexis asks if Carly knows the parameters of her daughter’s parole, and tells Sam and Jason that they agreed to abide by those parameters. This is crazy. Sam isn’t allowed to associate with felons, which Jason is, and so is Sonny. Carly says, Sonny’s not there, and she needs to trust them. Alexis says she brought over papers for the trust that Sonny needs to sign. Carly takes them, saying she’ll let him know, but Alexis says she’s not leaving without Sam. She’s not allowing Carly to compromise her daughter’s freedom. Carly says she didn’t. She guesses they don’t know, and Alexis says, know what? Carly says, Nikolas is alive. Sam says, what?! and Carly says, he didn’t die in Greece. He’s alive and well in Port Charles. He surfaced last night at Windymere.

Laura says she never had a chance to ask Nina; did she know Nikolas was alive? Nina says Valentin realized the codicil was in the portrait, and she went to Shadybrook to talk to Ava. She found Nikolas’s ring in Ava’s room. Ava was in bad shape; terrorized by Nikolas’s ghost. She put two and two together, and realized Nikolas had to be alive. Maxie gets that Nina didn’t know Nikolas, and she doesn’t know if he’s really a bad guy, but she knew his family was grieving for three years. Why didn’t she tell them that he was alive?

Martin says he’s dismayed that DA Scorpio is infringing on his client’s rights by questioning him without the benefit of counsel. Robert says he was just leaving, and goes. Martin says he assumes doesn’t want to sue for harassment. Valentin asks if he saw Charlotte, and Martin says, no. He was  told she was sleeping, but he’s confident she’s fine. She’s with her mother, grandmother, Maxie, and Nina, and he’s sure she’s in good care. Valentin says, good; Charlotte loves Nina. He asks if Martin talked to Nina, and Martin says, briefly. There wasn’t much to say. He wonders why Valentin is still asking about Nina after she double-crossed him. She conspired with someone dedicated to his ruin. He can’t still be in love with her. Valentin says he is, and she’s in love with him. There’s a thin line between love and hate. He lied about Sasha, and she gave him the opportunity to tell the truth, but he didn’t. Whatever she needs to feel whole again, he loves her.

Nina says Maxie is right. She’s sorry. She should have told Laura that Nikolas was alive. Whatever game he’s playing, none of it matters, compared to the fact Laura is getting her son back. Laura gets up, and Lulu says they’re thankful he’s alive, but he’s no saint in this. All of this deception surprised them too. Laura says he left them to grieve for three years. He terrorized Ava, then married her. Nina says, whatever happened last night, her son knew what he was doing.

Obrecht asks Nikolas how his coffee is, and he tells her not to feel that she needs to wait on him. She assures him that she doesn’t. He says she would probably be more comfortable in her own place. She says, and Ava would be more comfortable with her staying. She advises him to use restraint. If Ava meets with an unfortunate accident, his triumphant return will turn into a humiliating debacle. Even so, that might be inevitable. Valentin is a formidable enemy. He got rid of Nikolas once. Don’t be surprised if he does it again, in a more permanent fashion. He says it sounds like she’s rooting for Valentin, and she says, perhaps she is. He says, after what Valentin did to Nina? and she says, it’s not a matter of wanting Valentin’s success, but wanting Nikolas to fail. He asks, why? and she says he pressed charges against Britt for endangering a child, when all she did was help Spencer with a harmless prank. She was made a fugitive, then sent to prison. Britt had to betray her to cut a deal, and because of Nikolas, she’s not there. He’s a prince, all right; the prince of hypocrites. Look how he treated his family, and his own son. What happened to him?

Alexis says, Nikolas has been alive all this time? Carly says, he’s been in Port Charles for months, working with Jax on finding a codicil that will restore him as rightful heir. Alexis says she’d like to see that codicil. She doesn’t know whether she wants to hug Nikolas or slap him, and Sam says she feels the same way. Jason asks where he is now, and Carly assumes at Windymere. Alexis says she’s going over there. She reminds Carly to have Sonny sign the documents, and tells Sam and Jason to wrap up whatever it is they’re doing, and don’t let it happen again. She leaves, and Sam says she knows Alexis is all over the place, but she has a point. Why did Carly call them there, and was it worth jeopardizing her parole?

Gladys tells Sonny the car is so fancy and high tech. How is she going to figure it out? It practically parks itself. He says it’s paid for, including the taxes. She’s good to go. She says she knows he’s buying her off. She knows he wants her gone. So does Carly; she gets it. She overstepped by sticking her nose in his business. She’s sorry. She just felt so at home, she forgot herself. Donna’s christening is coming up. They have to bring her into God’s graces. Sonny says they’re taking care of that; Carly is arranging it. Gladys asks if he can find it in his heart to let her stay until then.

Sam tells Jason, they’ve been there before. When she was taking Shiloh down, the pretended to be separated. Last time, they were only risking a DoD member finding out, but if they’re caught this time, she’ll go to prison to serve out the rest of her sentence. She can’t do that to her kids, him, or herself. Jason says, maybe things will change, but they should do what Diane said. Carly wonders why they’re not mad as hell, and Sam asks what good that would be. Carly says it will make them think. She brought them there to strategize, and figure a way out of this.

Sonny tells Gladys, sorry; she can’t stay until the christening. She says, what about Mike? He responds to her, and trusts her. He says that’s why he gave her a car, so she can make the drive in comfort. He called the staff, and she can visit as often as she wants, but as far as this goes, she needs to clear out. She says, fair enough. He’s been more than generous. Maybe she can repay him a little. She digs in her bag, and says she’s been doing research. She hands Sonny some papers, and says she found this article. It’s too technical for her to understand, but it’s about magnetic waves in the brain, and sounds promising. He thanks her.

Nikolas tells Obrecht that he’s never been perfect. He has a dark side; it’s in his DNA. He and Britt understood that about each other. It wasn’t just Britt. It was a dark tangle of very bad decisions. Obrecht says, he was spiteful. Standing in the doorway, Alexis says, so it is true. Nikolas walks to her, and she hugs him.

Valentin asks what the strategy is to get him out. His inheritance needs protection. Martin says he’s working on it. As for his inheritance, the language in the codicil is very straightforward; assuming it’s authentic, and assuming Valentin submits to the DNA test. If he passes, Nikolas gets nothing. Valentin says, that’s not happening, and Martin says Nikolas will have to produce the actual codicil, and there are ways to block the request for the DNA test. He asks if there’s any truth to the accusation that Valentin is Helena’s son. Valentin says he hated that woman, and she hated him. The whole thing stinks of Helena. One last chance to taunt him from beyond the grave.

Nina says, regardless of what happened, she’s happy for them. Tell Charlotte she loves her. Lulu says Charlotte needs that now more than ever. Nina leaves, and Laura says they had no chance to talk, but she’s pretty sure Nikolas told Charlotte that he was her secret bodyguard. Lulu says, Charlotte jumped into the harbor, thinking he’d rescue her. If she and Dustin hadn’t been there, Charlotte would have drowned. Maxie says Nikolas didn’t think she’d do something like that, and Lulu says, he didn’t even consider how the potential consequences. Poor Spencer. She asks if anyone has spoken to him, and Laura doesn’t want him to hear it over the phone. She’s flying to France. Lulu says, Nikolas has to be the one to do it, and Laura says she still thinks she should be there. She believes Spencer is going to be very hurt when he finds out what his father has done.

Obrecht tells Alexis and Nikolas that she’ll be in town if anyone needs her. She leaves, and Alexis says she missed him. How could he do this to them? He says if Valentin knew he was alive, he’d have never stopped looking. Valentin would have used them to flush him out, especially Spencer. Alexis says Spencer has thought he was an orphan for three years, and went after Valentin. She asks if he’s talked to Spencer, and he says his mother didn’t want him to reach out without her paving the way, and Alexis says, at least someone is looking out for Spencer’s well-being. He says he has to make Spencer believe everything he did was for him. Ava breezes in and tells Alexis, welcome. She’s sure Alexis is there to wish them well. Don’t worry. Etiquette says she has a whole year to give them a wedding gift.

Carly tells Sam and Jason, whatever they come up with, she just wants to help. Jason says, they have no plan; they’re still trying to process. Carly says, at least they know they can use one of Sonny’s houses, but Jason says they only need to be caught one time. Carly tells them to find leverage; go over the parole officer’s head to someone with more authority. Sam says, like who? and Jason says he thinks he knows someone.

Alexis says Nikolas married Ava? When? Ava says, last night, and Alexis says, what the hell? Ava is sure Alexis recalls when she and Nikolas encountered one another years ago. They were on Cassadine Island together, and share a special connection. When he came back, he tried to reach out to her, but she was unstable. In her grief, she thought she was hallucinating. Imagine her joy when she found out it was really true; Nikolas is back, strong and vital. They’ve been blissfully reunited, and decided not to spend one more moment apart. Alexis tells her, save the star-crossed lover crap. What’s going on?

Laura says it would be good if Charlotte had somebody to talk to, and Lulu says she’s all for that. She’ll do anything to make sure Charlotte gets through this. She’s been through enough. She’s already contacted Diane to get the ball rolling to sue for full custody. Maxie says, for Nina’s sake, she should let things settle before she goes to family court. If Valentin is convicted, he’ll go to prison, and it’s a non-issue. Laura says, Valentin has a talent for evading the law. When Charlotte almost got blown up, he was ready to go to court to get full custody. Lulu is sure any judge would see that Valentin brings danger into Charlotte’s life. She knows Charlotte belongs there, surrounded by good people. She wants to make certain Charlotte doesn’t turn out anything like her father. He can’t make a move now when he’s behind bars; he can’t strike back.

Martin tells Valentin that he’ll do an investigation, starting with Nikolas’s whereabouts when he was dead, and he’ll push to reopen his fake murder, and blaming Drew. Ava accused Valentin of pushing her off the parapet. It didn’t happen, did it? Valentin says, she was drunk, and it was dark and icy. Martin says, as he thought. She’d just been released from Shadybrook, she was drinking heavily, and she has a checkered past. Valentin says he should be able to do something to get him out before Lulu makes a move on his daughter.

Nina and Obrecht sit at the café. Obrecht says she knows Nina is in terrible pain, and Nina says, a lot of people are in pain. Obrecht hopes she’s not thinking of Valentin, but Nina says, Valentin is in pain, and Charlotte is in pain, but she and Valentin are adults. They inflict pain on themselves and each other, but Charlotte is a sweet little girl. She doesn’t deserve it. Obrecht says Charlotte is resilient, and knows Nina and Valentin love her. Nina says, they took her from Valentin. He brought her over from Windymere, and they stopped him in Rice Plaza. He was treated like a kidnapper, when he had every right to have her. He tried to make it okay for Charlotte, and told her to go with Lulu. It must have killed him. Charlotte was acting brave, but Nina could tell her heart was breaking. None of it had to happen. If she’d made a different choice, they’d be in the living room, reading another chapter of Little Women. Obrecht says, believe her when she says the most dangerous words in any language are, if only. She made her choice, and others made theirs. They can only take responsibility for their choice, and move on. Nina takes her hand, and nods.

Ava tells Alexis, what’s going on is, she and Nikolas are setting up housekeeping. They’re keeping Obrecht on as an unofficial maid. Alexis says, right. As if marrying Ava wasn’t purgatory enough, he’s not adding Obrecht. Nikolas tells Ava, they’ll discuss it further later, and Ava says she’d be happy to. She’s sure he’ll see things her way. Alexis says she’s out. They can negotiate themselves. She congratulates them on the first day of wedded bliss, and says, good luck. Nikolas tells Ava, there is no way Obrecht is staying, but Ava says he needs to understand. If he wants the codicil, he’ll have to reconsider.

Maxie says she’d like to stay, but needs to get to work. Lulu asks if she can she thank Nina for checking on Charlotte, and tell her that she’s always welcome there. Maxie says she will, and she’s sure it means a lot. One more thing, as a friend and mom. Just consider holding off on the petition for custody until she knows it’s necessary. Lulu says she’ll think about it. Maxie leaves, and Lulu asks if Laura thinks she’s wrong to push for custody right now. Laura says it has to be Lulu’s choice, but she knows whatever Lulu chooses, she’ll put Charlotte’s interests first, because she’s a good mom. They exchange I love yous, and hug.

Nikolas says, Ava won this round. He’ll allow Obrecht to stay a bit longer. In turn, she has to give him what he wants. She says she will, as soon as the post-nup is signed. He didn’t expect her to leave herself wide open, did he? In the unfortunate event that they split up, she can’t be left empty-handed.

Carly tells Sonny that he just missed Sam and Jason. He asks how they are, and she says, better since they came up with a plan. She asks how it went with Gladys, and he says he bought her a car, so she can see his dad whenever she wants. Carly hopes Gladys doesn’t use it as an excuse to stop over and spend the night there. Sonny says he did the best he could, and she says it’s all she can hope for. He looks at the article, and she asks what he’s reading. He says they’ll talk about it later, but she wants to talk now. He says it’s an article on a medical trial in New York on Alzheimer’s. He thinks it might help his dad.

At the station, Robert sees Jason, and says, clearly he’s not there to confess to a crime. Sam comes in and joins Jason, asking if Robert has a minute. Robert says, oh yeah. The two of them together, yet they don’t seem surprised to see each other. To what does he owe the pleasure? Sam says they have a proposal for him.

Tomorrow, Jax tells Finn that he’ll do everything he can to bring Hayden home, Ava tells Julian that she’s going to have the sweetest revenge, and Sonny tells Carly that it’s the first steps toward a cure.

The Real Housewives of Dallas – The Reunion – Part Two

Brandi drinks from a flask. LeeAnne says, let the hanging begin.

Andy says it was a Housewives vacation miracle in Thailand, until D’Andra stepped out in LeeAnne’s Infinity Dress, and showed them 175 ways to unravel a friendship. We see clips from Thailand, Thailand, where everyone gets a baby elephant. Andy starts gently, asking about the temple and the fortune teller. Since Stephanie was relieved that being murdered wasn’t in her future, a viewer asks who Stephanie was afraid would murder her, and LeeAnne nominates herself. Viewers chime in about the dress. D’Andra insists supposed to be funny, and also give LeeAnne a taste of her own medicine, because, who knows? LeeAnne has never come out wearing D’Andra’s face cream or whatever. D’Andra says everyone is terrified of LeeAnne, but she isn’t. She tells LeeAnne that she missed her big moment as a salesperson, and should have shown her how to wear it. If it had been her, everyone in the restaurant would have been wearing the dress when she was done. LeeAnne says she’s not D’Andra. A viewer asks if this is the same woman who made fun of two-faced Stephanie. LeeAnne says she apologized, and that’s rehashed a little, LeeAnne saying it’s like comparing a goldfish and a shark.  Andy says viewers thought D’Andra and Kary looked like mean girls, and Kary says it wasn’t their intention to offend LeeAnne’s business, but watching it back, she realized it was too much. Brandi says she loves a good joke, but their delivery was off. LeeAnne says, it could have been funny, and Stephanie agrees it was wrong. D’Andra apologizes, and says, it wasn’t intended to be that bad. Kary says LeeAnne should have said it was hurting her feelings, but LeeAnne says it took everything she had to sit quiet. She knew if she said one word, she would blow. Kary wishes she would have, and they could have fixed it, but I think that’s doubtful.

Andy asks what a lady boy show is, and Kameron says, it’s a drag show. He asks if the performers were actually having sex. D’Andra says she and LeeAnne were in the first row, and could see they had condoms on. Kameron says she didn’t know what they were going to see, and wasn’t sure if it was real. LeeAnne says, when the sarongs came off, it was time to leave. They discuss the red light district, and how, after getting hit with more balls than anticipated, LeeAnne lobbed harsh words at Kameron. We flash back to Kameron’s graphics about the ping-pong show, and I die laughing all over again. That was the funniest thing all season. They should just let Kameron handle the whole show. We flash back to LeeAnne giving Kameron the business about sex workers, and the aftermath. Kameron says she didn’t realize they’d be naked and coming at them with the ping-pong balls. She thought there would be costumes, but didn’t think they’d show where the ping-pong balls were coming out of. Everyone seems skeptical, and she asks what’s wrong with her being naïve? Why are they calling her out? Stephanie says she didn’t think the location was dangerous.

Andy says LeeAnne seemed fine after coming out of the lady boy show, but freaked out after the ping-pong show. LeeAnne says, when the performers started having sex, they were all like, whoa. It wasn’t okay when the wieners came out. She thinks it was a lot. Kameron wishes she’d been more aware. She googled it when she got home, and says it’s true they were supporting the sex trafficking industry, which takes advantage of women. Brandi says she’s turning it into something it’s not, but Kameron tells her to google it. D’Andra says, it’s like a strip club, and LeeAnne says she’s never been to one. Brandi says the performers were older, and had made the choice to work there, but Kameron says they’re being naïve. Andy brings up LeeAnne implying that Kary put Kameron in an unsafe environment, and LeeAnne says, looking back, she shouldn’t have blamed Kary. Stephanie thought it was about jealousy when Kameron didn’t want leave, and Kameron says at that moment, she thought it was anxiety. Andy says LeeAnne hadn’t wanted Brandi hanging out with D’Andra a while back, and LeeAnne says she was concerned about them getting drunk. D’Andra asks how many times LeeAnne has talked about being drunk, and we flash back to that. Kary says if the same actions are anyone else’s, they’re an alcoholic. Andy doesn’t understand why Dallas society is a big deal, and D’Andra says it’s not how LeeAnne is presenting it. They stand on their own with their accomplishments.

Andy asks if D’Andra expected Kameron to confront LeeAnne at dinner. D’Andra says she did, and Kameron says she was planning to, but they all started going at her before the appetizers. When she sees one person get beat up by a group, she feels for them. Remember, they’re human. She says she was upset because she wanted her moment, and everyone stole it. Brandi calls her chicksh*t, and Andy asks Kameron why she said LeeAnne should be afraid of her. Kameron says there is a hierarchy in Dallas society, and things happen that piss people off. LeeAnne says, don’t f*** with Dallas royals. Stephanie thinks it’s bullsh*t. Just live your lif,e and who cares? LeeAnne says Kameron’s life revolves around society, and Kameron says she hates that word. Andy says she hates elitist too, but it sounds like what she’s saying. Kameron says she doesn’t go by those credos, but it’s truth. D’Andra doesn’t believe you can knock someone out of society, but Kameron says, it’s reality.

We move on to D’Andra’s company. It was on the verge of collapse, D’Andra had no access to her trust, and a mother she doesn’t trust. We flash back to all the company stuff, and how D’Andra had to suck it up and regroup. Mama Dee’s wig is discussed, and Andy requests one for the clubhouse. (Which he ended up having that evening on Watch What Happens Live.) Andy asks if Dee had remorse when she saw herself, and D’Andra thinks she was shocked. She said she prayed about it, and God told her to pay off the office lease, since she’d pretty much forced D’Andra to sign it in the first place. D’Andra says, in the last few years, their relationship has been an unhealthy competition, and she wants it to change. She wanted the business to separate from the relationship, since it was the biggest impediment. A viewer asks how she can be fifty years old, and not have access to her trust fund, and she says she gets access when Dee passes away. Andy assumes Jeremy understood D’Andra’s stress better when he came to work there, and she says he had more respect for her. A viewer asks why Jeremy doesn’t get a real job, if his art isn’t paying the bills. D’Andra says he’s served in war five times, and gets veteran’s disability pay. She just got her first paycheck from the revamped company, and they’re doing amazing. She has a deal with HSN and Dillard’s.

Andy says there was no love lost between Kary and LeeAnne. The only thing they could agree on is the fact that they didn’t like each other. We flash back to all that. A viewer asks why LeeAnne expected to be invited to Kary’s girls night, and LeeAnne says she just went along with Kameron. Kary snaps at LeeAnne, asking if she always does what Kameron tells her to do. This is starting off well. A viewer thinks it was classless for Kary to call LeeAnne stupid for not having traveled outside the country. Kary says it wasn’t right, but she’d had it, and LeeAnne points out that she has traveled. She says she loves when Kary’s bitch-light shines. Andy asks why Kary called LeeAnne a bully, and Kary says, it’s a strong word. I don’t know when it became that. The definition is pretty straightforward – someone lording their power over another with less power – so it could be used in many situations. I don’t know when it became some stupendous insult. Kary says LeeAnne is aggressive, and her wedding planner dragged Kary on social media, saying she was an alcoholic. This apparently all started with Kary saying he should lick an a-hole, because that’s what he’s good at. The discussion degenerates into who likes what, and TMI, but IMO it was a pretty immature insult. I’m not surprised Steve responded in kind, since he’s a wedding planner and probably moody.

Here it comes…

We flash back to the question of LeeAnne being racist posed to the cast members in their interviews. Stephanie says, she doesn’t think so. LeeAnne just says dumb sh*t. That’s what gets my vote. She does basically latch on to things as well, and seemed more to be making fun of what Kary had said, not her nationality. Brandi suddenly disappears, and everyone is wondering wtf? She comes back with a folding chair, sets it up facing the cast, and tells LeeAnne to sit there. She says watching this, she’s disappointed, and doesn’t want to associate with LeeAnne; she’s ashamed, and it’s not okay. I’m (almost) dumbfounded. This is the stupidest, rudest thing ever. Not that she’s mad at LeeAnne, but it’s overboard and grandstanding to the max. LeeAnne agrees it’s not okay. The use of a term like that over and over is racism. She can’t imagine how Kary feels. Is she kidding? I don’t think Kary feels much of anything except self-righteousness. LeeAnne says, it doesn’t feel good. She doesn’t believe in discrimination; she’s all about inclusion. Brandi says, that’s not the way it appears, and LeeAnne says, let her finish. Kary starts crying, sort of, and I’m once again confused, since it didn’t seem to bother her before. It was just more ammunition. LeeAnne says she never understood calling someone by their nationality was using a label. She didn’t use her words well, and wasn’t present mentally. She agrees it was a mistake. Andy says, it was a series of mistakes. LeeAnne says she said things shouldn’t have. Andy asks Kary if she heard from Kameron after the show aired, and how does she feel? Kary tells him to give her a second. I’ll save what I have to say about all this for a separate paragraph later.

Brandi says, no one should ever feel less than, and LeeAnne says it was her mistake; she apologizes. Kary says her kids are from Mexico… her family. She can’t even look at LeeAnne. LeeAnne never apologized. LeeAnne says she did, at the finale party, and Kary says she just made excuses. Looking back, she wonders why LeeAnne didn’t even send her a text when it aired. LeeAnne apologized to everyone else, but not to her. LeeAnne says, it’s obvious Kary hated her, and she was told not to reach out by production, but Andy says, that’s not true. LeeAnne says she can show him the email, but he and Kary both say that was only two days ago. He says she’s had four months. LeeAnne says, it’s just airing now. Andy says she doubled down on attacks in the interviews. I’d always wondered when those were done, and that kind of answers my question. Apparently, after the footage is edited, it’s shown to the cast member, and they comment on it. LeeAnne says she often doesn’t remember what she says in a heated moment. He says, social media is lighting up. D’Andra insists that LeeAnne knew what she was saying was wrong, and LeeAnne says D’Andra doesn’t know her. D’Andra says her conscience must have told her, but maybe she doesn’t have one. Andy points out that she said, not affected, when she was walking out of the party. We see a clip of that, and he says, it’s interesting that she didn’t reach out. LeeAnne says she feels the hatred from Kary, it makes her uncomfortable, and that’s how she reacts. Stephanie feels the things LeeAnne said are racist, and she’s a better person than that, but just ignorant. Andy asks if LeeAnne understands the difference between Kary calling herself Mexican and LeeAnne calling her Mexican. LeeAnne explains that if Kary had called herself a turtle, that’s the word she would have used. She was ignorant, and didn’t understand the power of the difference between Kary referring to herself and her doing it. Andy asks if she know Julio Iglesias is Spanish, and she says she does now. I definitely believe this, since I didn’t know either, although I never sat in his lap. I probably couldn’t name one of his songs. LeeAnne says she didn’t know how to talk to the other ladies. She was unhappy with herself. She spent hours crying, but didn’t express it to the others. She says she’s not good at that. Kary says LeeAnne claims she has to get better at so many things, and LeeAnne says that’s why she won’t reach out. No matter what she says, it’s never good enough, correct enough, or right enough. Kary says, it’s not real, and LeeAnne says that’s Kary’s perspective of her. Kameron says she loves LeeAnne. She’s made mistakes that she can’t take back, and she’s going to learn from them, but it will take time. Remember that she’s human, and humans make bad mistakes. LeeAnne says she really effed up. She went in a hole, and she’s upset and disappointed at herself. Kary feels that LeeAnne didn’t care about hurting her, but LeeAnne says she did care. Kary reminds LeeAnne about how she said actions are the important thing. What has LeeAnne done? LeeAnne admits she’s done nothing. She made a mistake, she was ignorant, and she’s educating herself. D’Andra doesn’t think LeeAnne is ignorant, and LeeAnne says, that’s the saddest part; D’Andra doesn’t know her. A viewer asks if Stephanie shouldn’t have called LeeAnne out. Stephanie says she was too chickensh*t, and it was her bad.

Andy says there’s something else. They all thought those parts were never going to air. Why? Brandi says, LeeAnne is a strong person, who’s brought a lot to the show. They thought she’d be protected. Kary asks if they never would have told her if it hadn’t aired. Kameron says she 100% would have. She didn’t want to give light to that, but automatically knew she didn’t want it to continue. That’s why she brought it to Kary’s attention. Stephanie says she told Kameron it was coming out before Kameron told Kary. Kameron says she would have told Kary anyway, but D’Andra doesn’t believe it. Kameron says don’t tell her about her own intentions. Andy says they don’t editorialize the show; they just let it play out. Brandi asks if Kary thinks Kameron would have done nothing, and Andy asks if Kary is upset that Kameron waited. Kary says she’s disappointed in Stephanie and Kameron for not saying anything. She knows it’s an uncomfortable position to be in, but wishes they hadn’t waited. Kameron apologizes. Andy says they’ve been doing interviews over the past few months, and doesn’t understand how LeeAnne hasn’t changed her tone. LeeAnne says the interviews were done before the show aired, and she’s been having conversations with the audience. People who weren’t upset, explained to her. Hispanic people told her how they felt, and that’s where she found answers. Brandi says it wasn’t a slip-up; she articulated her words. Kary says she can’t imagine LeeAnne not knowing what she was saying behind her back constantly. She knew what she was doing. D’Andra says she thinks LeeAnne is duplicitous. She says one thing, and does another. Andy asks if she’s racist. D’Andra believes she is, and he asks Brandi, reminding her that she never answered during the interviews. Brandi says her nieces and nephews are Hispanic. She says, yes, and Kameron says LeeAnne just didn’t use her words properly. She made an extreme racial comment, and said bad things about Kary, but she thinks LeeAnne is human. Brandi says, answer the question, and Kameron asks if she can talk. Brandi says she’s making excuses, and Kameron says, it’s not about her. She’s not stereotyping LeeAnne as racist. Andy asks Kary for a final thought, and Kary says, it’s very sad and disappointing. Just very sad. LeeAnne tries not to cry, and D’Andra smirks; a smirk I desperately want to wipe off her face. Kary says they’re in 2020, and it’s not okay. LeeAnne says she’s sorry. She really is.

In closing, Andy asks for one thing they’d like to apologize for. LeeAnne says, just one? and he says, just one, and to whom. D’Andra says she’d apologize to LeeAnne for the whole dress thing, and to her mother as well. FYI, that’s two. She gets a U in following instructions. Brandi says she’d probably apologize to Kary. It’s not like her go bed early, and she disappointed Kary in Mexico. Kary says she’d apologize to LeeAnne for the dress business, and for calling her stupid. LeeAnne thanks her. Kameron says she’d apologize to Kary for not telling her sooner, and Kary thanks her. Stephanie says her apology is twofold; for not telling LeeAnne what she was doing was wrong, and not coming to Kary with it. LeeAnne says she apologizes to Kary 100%, and all of the audience. LeeAnne struggles to talk through her tears. She says there are words to say she’s sorry, and she promises that it will never happen again. I’d say this is genuine, and sad. Andy asks if Kary takes what LeeAnne is saying, and Kary says she’s hearing it, but thinks it’s actions that mean the most at the end of the day. LeeAnne says, 100%.

Andy says, Kameron told them that when everyone goes to Thailand, they get… he looks at Kameron and says, what? She says, a baby elephant, and Andy says he has one for everyone. It’s a very cute stuffed elephant, with their name embroidered on one ear, and RHOD S4 on the other. Even Andy gets an elephant, which he says he’ll probably give to his son. He asks Kameron to lead them in song, and she does.

Thailand! Thailand! Where everyone gets a baby elephant!

The crew starts to break it down. LeeAnne walks up the stairs alone, while the others take pictures. She says she can’t change what happened. She can only do better in the future. A producer says, a work in progress.

💰 My two cents. I doubt this is the popular opinion, but if nothing else, I’m a fair person. My friends can sometimes hate this about me, because they’re like, but I’m your friend, and I say, you are, but you’re still wrong. I think a couple of things LeeAnne said are right on. If Kary had called herself a turtle, she would have latched on to that. However, like Otter says in Animal Houseonly we can do that to our pledges. It’s different for Kary to be referring to herself. But although LeeAnne often fabricates and embellishes, I believe she wasn’t thinking that way, and possibly wasn’t thinking at all. I also believe she’s sincerely sorry, but has a hard time saying it. Of course she shouldn’t have said that about Kary, and should know better, but beating her down isn’t going to set an example for change. And unfortunately, there are bigger fish to fry out there; real racists. Like Stephanie said in her interview, LeeAnne just says dumb sh*t.

🍷 On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Marge had dumped water on Danielle and her Versace. Danielle sucker pulled Marge’s ponytail until security separated them. Dolores said it was old school stripper fighting, and I wondered how she knows this. Teresa left with Danielle, but went back. She pointed out that Marge went first, but Marge considered that defending Danielle, and wasn’t having it. Outside, Teresa also pointed out that Marge had pushed Marty in the pool, but Marge said it’s either her or Danielle. I’m not saying Danielle should have hair pulled, but why did Marge think she could do that and there would be no retaliation, especially from Danielle? Dolores and Teresa both admitted might have reacted the same way, and we got a nice table flip flash back. Teresa told Dolores that her fight with Joe #1 started over her spending money, even though she’d paid off all the debts. Dolores was concerned that Teresa had signed a prenup, but it might have had no provision for her if she became the breadwinner. Of course Teresa had no idea what was in it, since she hasn’t totally learned her lesson. Gia convinced Teresa to smile and agree when her dad called from the clink. Melissa was having a fashion show for her new men’s line, and Frankie Jr. was modeling. Melissa was concerned, since whenever there’s a fashion show, Teresa causes a scene. Kim D anyone? Jackie gave her kids nutrition lessons which I appreciated. At the show, Jennifer told her husband that shots get the job done, making a comparison between some people wanting the foreplay, while others just want the finishing line. Joe #2 said he may have been late to the party, and didn’t like to be proved wrong, but Melissa proved him wrong, and he was proud of her. Aww! Marge said Teresa was an embarrassment for not having her back. Since Jennifer told Teresa that Marge dumping water on Danielle was no big deal, Teresa dumped some on Jennifer, albeit not over her head. So she’s already working on Melissa’s prediction. Coming up is a trip to the Shore, and a trip to Italy.

🍑 I took a peek at The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The women did some trust exercise where they hung from the side of a tower, something I’d never do in a million years. I wasn’t paying attention, but I know they were in Toronto, and I’m pretty sure I’ve been to that tower, and gone to the restaurant at the top. Both NeNe and Eva opted out. Eva because she’s pregnant, and NeNe because she said Black people don’t do that. But the best moment of all was when Eva and NeNe were in the restaurant while the others braved the height. NeNe was blooping away about herself, and Eva looked past her at a tower of seafood going by. You just knew she was no longer hearing NeNe. It was the best.

🍸 For Those Doing Dry January…

This is from my annual Christmas movie. Don’t ask me why it became a Christmas movie for me, since there’s only one scene where it’s Christmas.

 

 

January 2, 2020 – An Uninvited Guest, a Question Answered, Dallas Reunites, Marge Drenches Danielle, Laverne Judges the Runway, NYE Celebrations, Daytime Roll Call, Shocking Roll Call & Starting Right

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

At the MetroCourt, Sam tells Jason that she doesn’t have much time. Her parole officer is doing a home visit. It will be a good opportunity for her to show she’s an excellent mother and a responsible citizen. Jason asks why she’s nervous, and she says she’s not. But she does think it’s weird that the parole officer wants to meet, and on top of it, she got the creepy invitation to Shiloh’s memorial. If anyone needs to stay dead and buried…

Obrecht answers the door at Windymere, and lets Jax in. She tells him to help himself to some champagne. He asks if she’ll be joining him, and she says, of course (🍷). Why not raise a glass to the bride and groom? He says speaking of the bride, he’d like a word with Nina before the ceremony. Obrecht says she’s not there, and Jax asks if she’s decided to bolt already.

In the hospital elevator, Nina looks at the test results. It says a probable match as mother and daughter. She gets out, and almost runs into Sasha. Nina says the moment is almost too perfect, and Sasha says it’s a complete surprise. Isn’t it her wedding day?

Valentin stands outside in the snow on the balcony of a tower. Martin asks if they must meet up there, and Valentin says he likes the view. Martin says, a sheer drop into icy water; to each his own. Martin asks if Valentin is going to clue him in on his wishes. He’d love to get back inside. Valentin says he wants the woman he loves, and the future they deserve with the family they’ve created. What he doesn’t want is to lose any of it.

Obrecht opens the door to Jordan and Curtis, and leads them to the bar. Jordan asks when Curtis is planning on telling her who the missing person is that Jax hired him to find. And don’t tell her, the less she knows, the better. He says he doesn’t have to; she just did. Laura comes in, and tells Jax that Doc is on the way. Jax says there are a lot of important people there, except the bride. Ava makes a toast, to the happy bride. Happy is the bride sunshine falls on, and happy the corpse the rain falls on. Or is it the other way around? (I looked it up; she’s correct the first time.)

Carly says when she tells Sonny what she’s been keeping secret, he’ll want to do something. Please don’t; don’t react. Lashing out just makes things worse. He asks what the big secret is, and she says, Nikolas Cassadine is alive and well, and here in Port Charles.

Sonny says, Nikolas is alive and well. She saw him? She says, saw and spoke to him. Sonny asks, when and where? and she says, Jax’s house after Halloween. She asked him why Josslyn couldn’t stay there, and he started making excuses. Nikolas walked in, and the reason was clear. Sonny asks what Nikolas said, and she tells him, that he’d been in hiding; waiting for the opportunity to take back the Cassadine estate from Valentin. He recruited Jax to help. Sonny says, last he checked, Nikolas was a fugitive, and Jax is helping him. That’s a crime.

Ava asks if Jax and Laura don’t love weddings. She wouldn’t miss this for the world. Jax asks why that is, and Laura says it’s not like Ava and Nina are best friends. Ava says, it’s water under the bridge. The water is toxic and flammable, and all the fish are dead, but it’s under the bridge. Laura says Ava’s enthusiasm has peaked her curiosity, and Ava says she doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but she promises it will be memorable. Obrecht asks to see Ava’s invitation, and Ava says, no. Obrecht asks if she wants to leave on her own, or should she force Ava? Please tell her the second one. Jax says, Ava is his plus one, and Obrecht says she admires his compassion. She knows what it’s like to be the town something-in-German. Ava says that had better not mean what she thinks, and Obrecht asks if she thought it was pariah, or was she expecting a more appropriate insult? Jax asks Ava for a word, and Ava asks what Obrecht’s problem is. Jax says she’s probably being protective of Nina, as is he. Ava says all he’s missing is a suit of armor, a horse, and big, round table. He says he’s got his eye on her. Charlotte comes out, and Laura admires her dress. Charlotte says, it’s new. She didn’t want to wear the dress she wore last time; it might be bad luck. Laura knows Charlotte was disappointed last time, and she hopes it goes the way Charlotte wants this time.

Michael arrives at the MetroCourt, and says Sam got the best Christmas gift, spending Christmas with the kids. Jason says they couldn’t ask for more. He asks where Michel is going, and Michael says he’s going to ring in the New Year with Sasha. They’re having drinks with friends, and then taking off, but Jason said he wanted to see him. What’s up? Jason shows him the invitation to Shiloh’s memorial, and asks if Michael got one. Sam says she got one too, and Michael says he doesn’t know what make less sense, her getting invited or him. He pulls out his phone and shows them. Sam says Kristina was invited too, and Willow and Harmony. Michael says, two that escaped, the people who betrayed Shiloh, and Sam killed him. They were all invited. He asks if they have any idea who’s behind this. His connection is indirect, through Kristina. Sam says Michael took the DoD house from them, and he’s Wiley’s godfather. The Dawnies know that Shiloh is Wiley’s biological father. Michael says, they could still think Wiley is one of their own. 

Nina tells Sasha that she’s on her way to her wedding, and asks why Sasha is there. She didn’t have a relapse? Sasha says she’s fine; it was just a follow-up. She thanks Nina for asking, and Nina says she’s glad, but she should get going. She drops her papers, and helping to pick them up, Sasha sees the DNA test results. Nina says it’s clearly not about Sasha.

Valentin tells Martin, Ava might be a problem. Martin says, she burned the painting. Why doesn’t Valentin declare victory, and be done with it? Valentin says he has reason to believe the codicil still exists. If that’s the case, he needs to defend his position.

Laura sees Charlotte looking around, and asks if she lost something. Charlotte says, someone. Her bodyguard should be there. Like he should have been on the pier. She doesn’t understand why he disappeared. Laura says she thinks she understands why he’s so important. A lot of scary things have happened to Charlotte lately. It makes sense that she’d want someone to protect her. Charlotte asks if Laura believes he’s real. She showed Laura his picture. Laura says, yes, he’s somebody Charlotte’s mom and Laura cared about. Charlotte asks if they don’t care about him anymore, but Laura says, of course (🍷) they do. She asks if when she and Lulu were talking, Charlotte didn’t pick up the phone and decide he was her secret bodyguard. Charlotte says she didn’t decide. Her papa hired him. She knows because of the ring. Laura asks, what ring? and Charlotte says, he wears a ring like papa’s tattoo.

Laura asks if Charlotte can describe the ring, and Charlotte says Laura has seen it all around the house. It’s on shields and in the trophy room. Two dragons, back to back, with claws for feet. In the middle, there’s a shield with the letter C. She tells Laura that she wants to ask Obrecht to make her a Shirley Temple; hers are the best. Charlotte goes to the bar, and Curtis asks if Laura is okay, but Laura says, she’s fine. Jax thinks Ava is up to something, and she’s working with Nina. Ava says they’re mortal enemies, but called a temporary truce. Jax says the last time these same people were all in the same room, the portrait burst into flames. He hopes there are no fireworks tonight. He doesn’t want Nina to get hurt. Charlotte tells Obrecht that her Shirley Temples are the best, and Obrecht says it’s one of her more useful talents. She gives Charlotte her drink, and steps away to use her phone.

Martin asks if Valentin is suggesting that Ava staged the burning of a painting she could have made a quarter million dollars on, just so she could hang on to the addendum? Valentin says, Ava has a penchant for sloppy vengeance, and could use the codicil to bring him down. Martin says he’s not thinking of breaking into the gallery again? Valentin’s phone dings, and he says he won’t have to. Ava is there. Martin says, she’s crashing the wedding? Does Valentin want him to show her the door? Valentin says he has another task in mind. Something Martin might enjoy; it’s low risk.

Sasha walks into an examining room with the test results, and Nina follows her. Sasha asks how long Nina has known, and Nina says her life is no longer Sasha’s concern; it never was. Sasha asks how long Nina has known she wasn’t acting alone? Nina says since the last wedding, when Sasha stood up and admitted she’d scammed Nina. That’s when she knew. There was only one person who could pull it off. It had to be Valentin. Sasha says, if she knows, why is she marrying him?

Michael tells Jason and Sam that he doesn’t care how many memorials they throw for Shiloh. No Dawnie is ever going to come near Wiley again. Sam asks if Jason is going to stop by for New Year’s, and he says, of course (🍷). She kisses him, and calls him an incredible romantic. He tells her, good luck, and she leaves.

Carly tells Sonny that Jax and Nikolas had a plan where Nikolas would reunite with his family, and Valentin would be history. Sonny asks why it didn’t happen, and she says, before Christmas, the whole thing literally went up in smoke. He asks what she means, and she says, Mikkos left a codicil disinheriting Valentin, and returning the estate to Nikolas and Spencer. He hid the codicil in the painting. That’s the theory, but no one will ever know because it went up in smoke. He wishes he could have been there to see Jax’s face when he came up empty. Jax is an accomplice, which means Jax could be in legal trouble. Carly says, no he can’t, because no one is ever going to know.

Curtis tells Jordan, if she’s not feeling this, they can leave. She asks if it’s that obvious, and he says, only to people who know her – and every passerby. She says, sorry, but he says, don’t be. She lost a friend, and she needs to feel how she feels. She thanks him for understanding, and he says, as her husband, it’s literally his job. She says she broke her resolution not to think about it until after New Year’s, but he says it doesn’t count, since resolutions start on New Year’s Day. She’s good. He says if there’s anything she needs to get off her chest, he’s there for her, and holds her.

Martin asks Ava for a word (phrase of the day), and introduces himself. She asks if he’s there for the bride or groom, and he says, a little of both. He’s a great admirer of her gallery. He’s popped in, but was shy about saying hello. She asks if anything in particular caught his eye, and he says, several pieces, including the J. Garrin, but that doesn’t matter anymore. It’s a shame. She says she can’t think of a more suitable ending. He says Windymere is filled with fantastic work, and she says, no doubt pillaged from churches and orphanages. He says there’s one he’d like her opinion on. He’d like to show her; it will just take a moment. He leads her out, as Obrecht watches suspiciously.

Carly tells Sonny not to turn Jax into immigration, and not to call in any favors. Sonny says, Jax clearly broke the law, and Carly says, so has he. Jax knows it, and if he turns Jax in, it will rip their family apart. Josslyn hated Sonny, and it took months for her to forgive him. It would be worse if he did it again. It’s not worth it. None of it is worth it. Sonny asks why she didn’t tell him the night she found out Nikolas was alive? Why couldn’t she trust him with the truth?

Jason asks Michael how things with Sasha are, and Michael says it was a rough year, but they’re looking forward to a fresh start. No secrets; everything is on the table. He says Jason is heading for a fresh start as well. Sam is out, and his family is back together. Jason says, that’s the plan; he’s lucky. Michael says Sam shouldn’t have been there in the first place, and Jason says, no argument from him. Michael tells him, go home and celebrate Sam’s freedom. Jason tells Michael, happy New Year, and Michael says, may 2020 be happy and uneventful.

Sam nervously straightens up. There’s a knock at the door, and parole officer Delores introduces herself. Sam says she’s been expecting Delores. Delores asks if there are people there tonight in the house, but Sam says, no. Her children are spending New Year’s with their grandmother, and her partner is out for the night. Delores says they’ll talk more about that after she conducts her inspection. Sam asks if there’s anything in particular she needs to know, and Delores says she needs to make sure there are no violations; no firearms, drugs, or alcohol. Sam says she’s never done drugs, has no firearms, and the alcohol has been removed from the house. It’s sparkling cider for tonight; the instructions were clear. Delores suggests they start with the kitchen.

Nina asks if that isn’t what Sasha wanted. Didn’t she hide Valentin’s involvement in the first place so Nina could have the family she dreamed about? Sasha doesn’t understand why Nina ran the test again, and Nina says it proves Valentin orchestrated the first test. He used the swab he took from her mother’s casket to prove Sasha was hers. Whether Sasha knew it or not, it’s what she went along with. Sasha says, obviously Valentin went to extremes. Does Nina know why he did?

Heading up to the turret, Ava says she doesn’t climb that many stairs for just anybody. What artifact does Martin want to show her up there? Valentin comes out, and says Martin is afraid of heights, but she’s made of sterner stuff, isn’t she?

Carly tells Sonny that she didn’t want to argue. If the plan worked, Nikolas would come forward, and if not, no one would be the wiser. He has to stay out of it. Sonny asks, who else is in it? and she says, as far as she knows, it’s just them; her, Jax, and now him. Sonny says Ava saw Nikolas’s ghost, and Carly says Ava thought she did on Halloween. She checked herself into Shadybrook, then checked out. Sonny says when she came by, she said she didn’t see what’s not there. Carly says, Ava realized, and Sonny says Carly knew the truth, and still didn’t tell him. He shakes his head.

Delores says, Sam is a P.I., and owns a registered handgun. Sam says, not anymore, but when she did, she kept it in a safe, far away from her children. Delores says, speaking of her children… She looks at the stockings hanging up, and says, Scout is her daughter, and her son is Danny. Does their father, Jason, reside with her?

Nina tells Sasha that she knows why. Valentin loves her. Sasha says Nina loves him too. Nina says, God help her, she does, but maybe she loves the person she thought he was or the person she wanted him to be. That guy is great. Sasha says, maybe Valentin can be that guy, with no more lies in the way. Nina says, when it comes to Valentin, she doesn’t know if that’s possible. She holds her hand out, and Sasha gives her back the test results. Sasha tells Nina that she’s a good person. She’s an honest person, so whatever she’s thinking of doing, does she think can go through with it? Nina tells Sasha, happy New Year, and leaves.

On the phone with Lulu, Laura says the wedding hasn’t started, and they still need a bride. She asks Lulu to send her the photo of Nikolas that she has on her phone. The most recent one, in her favorites. She’s just feeling sentimental. Martin comes back, and says he senses Obrecht is a talented mixologist. She guesses his drink of choice is a Manhattan. He says, that would be perfect, but hold the vermouth, and nix the cherry. (In case you didn’t know, that would make it straight whiskey.)

Valentin asks what Ava thinks of the view. She says, it’s beautiful and remote, but she seriously doubts he lured her up there to show her the skyline. He says, that, and to talk with her about something before the wedding. He wants to tie up some loose ends that any respectable groom would want to tie up. It was quite a trick she pulled. Auctioning off the portrait, then setting it on fire. Ava says that remains a mystery, and he says, like any good illusionist, she’s not going to tell him, is she? He asks where the codicil is, and she wonders who even uses that word anymore. He says that’s what Julian said at the MetroCourt, and she asks if he was eavesdropping. He says he was, and tells her not to waste his time. Tell him what she wants for it, and he’ll give it to her. She says she neither wants or needs anything from him.

Sonny tells someone on the phone that he wants all eyes on Spencer, 24/7. And look out for Nikolas. He’s alive, and may come for Spencer. They need to find him first. Carly says he’s not taking any chances, and Sonny says, if Valentin figures it out, he may go after Spencer. She says she gets it, and he says he’s glad she approves. She says she’s told him everything. Where does that leave them?

Wearing a sparkly, sexy dress, Sasha meets Michael, who says, wow. She says, look who’s talking, and they sit. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she’s fine. She asks what time Chase and Willow are getting there, but he says he knows something is wrong. She says she ran into Nina. Nina knows Valentin is behind the agreement for her to be Nina’s daughter. Michael says, good. Did Sasha tell Nina that Valentin’s not just her partner, and the whole thing was his idea? She says, Nina has the DNA result that proves Valentin used the sample he got from Nina’s mother. She left for the wedding. Michael says, she’s still getting married? and Sasha says, who knows? Nina is heading for a world of hurt, and needs all of their support. Michael says she’s not thinking of going to the wedding, is she?

Laura gets the picture, and tells Charlotte there’s no way she would be able to tell he was wearing a ring. Charlotte says, maybe he wasn’t wearing it then, but he was when she saw him. Nina flies in, apologizing for being late. Obrecht says she was about to tie a little barrel to a St. Bernard, and send it out to find her. Jax says they have to talk, but Nina says she’s talked out. She’s sorry she’s late, but it’s a long story, and not worth telling. She won’t be long. Charlotte says she’s glad Nina is there; she was worried. Nina is sorry she made Charlotte worry, but Charlotte says once Nina marries her papa, everything will be okay. Nina hugs Charlotte, and says she loves her; never forget that. She dashes upstairs. Jax calls after her, but gets no response.

Ava drains her glass, telling Valentin that she’s going inside to get herself another martini. Should she send up a footman in case his bride decided to show up? He says he’s not done negotiating, but she says she is. He says if she doesn’t take the deal he’s offering, he’ll find other means to get what he wants. She suggests he go get himself hitched, and he says he will, once she turns over the codicil. She tells him to get married, and go on his honeymoon. Make it a long one, and don’t be surprised if when he comes back, someone else is living there who deserves it more. She starts to go past him, but he grabs her arm, and says she’s not going anywhere.

Sonny tells Carly, he thinks it comes down to trust. She didn’t trust him. She says, after what happened last time. Sonny lashes out in anger, and when he’s done, he regrets the hell his family has been put through. She didn’t want another blow up, so she chose not to tell him. He says, that’s what gets him. She chose to trust Jax. IMO, that’s an unfair statement, since it’s Jax’s secret, not Carly’s.

Obrecht calls to Jax. She says she was just about to share her medical research ideas with him. He says he’d love that, but wants to check on Nina. Obrecht assures him that Nina is fine. Martin tells Jordan that she’s a vision; bonsoir. She asks if he’s okay, and he says, weddings make him uneasy. He’s handled his fair share of divorces. It’s optimism and love versus bitterness and regret. He’ll feel better when the night is over.

Curtis asks Laura, what’s up? and don’t tell him that she’s okay; he knows her talents. She asks if he remembers her late son, and he says, when her son was married to Hayden; sure. She says, Charlotte swears she’s seen him. Not just his face, but his signet ring, and it doesn’t appear in the photo Lulu sent of him. How can it be?

Jason gets home, and asks Sam, what happened? What did the parole officer say? She tells him, the parole officer said that this is the last time she’s going to see him.

Sasha tells Michael that she wants to be there for Nina, but knows the best thing to do is stay as far away as possible. Michael hopes in the new year, she washes her hands of Nina and Valentin. She says, Valentin for sure, but part of her will always hope she and Nina will make amends. She’s worried Nina is headed for more heartache before the year is out.

Nina looks at herself in her dress. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Jax.

Valentin tells Ava that he acts with precision when given an opportunity that he shouldn’t pass on. She’s been drinking heavily, and with her fragile emotions, she slipped. He pushes her over the edge of the parapet. And I’m very disappointed.

Tomorrow, Ned says Brook made her bed, and now has to lie in it; Laura is afraid if Valentin gets taken down, Charlotte will be taken down too; and Charlotte finds Valentin at the tower.

❓ Because I tend to get curious about accuracy on certain points, I looked up whether a parole officer could tell you that your spouse has to go. It hardly seems fair, and really should depend on the circumstances, but apparently, they can. I got this from a legal answers site:

Probation officers are given a lot of authority and even if it’s questionable whether they can do something , in many cases they usually get their way with individuals who are unrepresented. At the very least, an attorney can bring a motion before a Judge and challenge the probation officer’s actions/decisions.

🐮 Even though my level of concentration was nil on New Year’s Day, I still checked out Part One of The Real Housewives of Dallas Reunion. The first thing we found out was that 4.7% of mail gets lost, not 30% as LeeAnne had suggested. I still say it’s a good possibility that Kary’s wedding invite could have gotten lost, although admittedly, there’s an equal possibility one was never sent. The main focus was criticism of LeeAnne’s wedding – from the lack of food to the vows, which the women claimed were a dig at her mother. Kameron thought they were nitpicking stupid small things, and was like, wtf? It’s LeeAnne’s wedding. I couldn’t agree more. Especially since I had people argue with me over some of my own choices. My maid of honor told me that I couldn’t possibly have a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. I said, watch me, and I did, which was what I told everyone who said I couldn’t do whatever. Rich was also criticized for looking at other women, even though LeeAnne was okay with it.

They touched on Eduardo’s financial hold over Kary, who said things remained the same, but she was happy. I have my doubts about that. You don’t go from that much concern over a situation to none whatsoever. Kameron’s trash comment to Brandi had a moment, and Kameron reminded Brandi that she had just said F-U and to go s*ck a d*ck. She was criticizing Brandi’s behavior, not her character, and probably would have used another word, but it was in her mind since Stephanie had wondered if peeing behind the trailer was trashy. Andy said viewers loved that Kameron had gone out of her comfort zone with her bathroom habits. A viewer asked if D’Andra was drinking any less, since the fortune teller had said she was going to die if she didn’t stop. D’Andra insisted she’s just a social drinker, and didn’t drink during the week. I guess that means it couldn’t possibly be harmful if she’s socializing to excess every weekend.

The episode ended the way it began, with the women being critical of LeeAnne, who once again got dragged on for bringing up her childhood so much. The main gripe seemed to be that she uses it as an excuse for bad behavior, but she maintained that she’s only pointing out the reason she reacts the way she does. I say, maybe it’s both. God forbid any of these women should see both sides. Like Dr. Phil says, no matter how flat you make a pancake, it’s still got two sides. Kameron probably comes closest. It looks like there’s no let-up on LeeAnne in Part Two, when the racism question is brought into play. I still think she was using that adjective because Kary kept harping on it as her strength. Poor choice of words? Most definitely, but I don’t get a racist vibe from her. And really, they’re all annoying this season. Next time, Kameron also calls Brandi a liar.

💭 What’s interesting is how much these women are all triggered, yet they seem to start with opening the door to it themselves.

👠 On The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa argued with Juicy Joe on the phone, while Gia tried on prom dresses. I mean at the same time. They were in one of those bridal shops, and Teresa sat screaming at her husband in the waiting (viewing?) area, mortifying Gia, who just wanted to get her damn dress. Jennifer, per Turkish tradition, served a whole lamb on Easter that her mom cooked, and the kids practically ran from the room screaming when the head was brought out. Daughter Gaby brought up Jennifer’s brother being gay, which apparently, their mom is in denial about, and Jennifer was proud it was all handled so well. We also got TMI about Jennifer’s sex life.

Marge, Jackie, and Melissa went to lunch, and Marge had an abysmal batting average as far as rumors go this week. First, she wondered if Teresa and Danielle were swimming in the lady pond. Really, Marge? Highly doubtful. She also said Marty would neither confirm or deny, but said he was at peace with Danielle. Since they still live together, I find it hard to believe they haven’t slept together since the break-up. I think Marge just wants to believe it’s not happening because she hates Danielle. Teresa hosted a private shopping event, inviting everyone. Jennifer said Danielle scared the eff out of her, although I think she could hold her own in a hair-pulling. Danielle and Teresa chatted, while the others obviously talked about and made fun of Danielle; Marge saying some pretty rude things, like comparing Danielle to the sushi. Danielle told Teresa that Marge and her minions were after her, and that included Melissa. She reminded Teresa that she’d promised to have Danielle’s back. Teresa said she did, and would set those bitches straight. Marge suggested they talk about the Versace clad elephant in the room, and Teresa accused Marge of breaking Danielle and Marty up. Marge said Danielle had alleged Marty was abusive – with both her and her daughter. In her interview, Melissa said there were two realities; the one Teresa sees and the one everyone else sees. She’d been at this rodeo before with Teresa and Kim D. Marge said Danielle was sick, and a pathological liar. Throughout this insanity and the shouting, the boutique owner went through a lot of changes, from unhappy to fearful to amused. Danielle and Marge almost came to blows, but Melissa stepped in between them. Then for some ungodly reason, Marge dumped water over Danielle’s head. Danielle dumped all the stuff out of Marge’s purse and threw it around, saying, Marge started it, and she was going to finish it. Melissa said this behavior was unacceptable – like this has stopped anyone before – and it ended with Danielle grabbing Marge’s ponytail.

Apparently, this fight carries into next week, when no doubt the owner will look fearful and then angry.

👗  On Project Runway tonight, stylist Karla Welch was a mentor, and the challenge was to design an outfit for Karlie to wear to a CFDA event in Paris. Karla told them if they don’t make the stylist happy, their work won’t get to the talent, so I guess a stylist is sort of a style bouncer as well. The designers were told to make their work original and wearable, and think American in Paris. The twist was that they would be upcycling; reconstructing discarded clothes to make something new. In his interview, Sergio told us that he always uses that method, so he’s not a burden to the environment, Instead of going to Mood, they had $150 and 45 minutes to go Goodwill. Hey, I have my best pair of jeans from them. It was a one-day challenge, and Karla told them to sketch their designs on the way there. I just need to say it. Why do stylists always dress in black and look like hell? Karla was wearing what looked like an oversized boy’s black suit. Not that I have anything against a boy’s suit on a woman, but it was boring and looked like she was wearing her big brother’s clothes. At two hours to runway, so much seemed so unfinished. Shavi was pissed and flustered, having found a hole in his garment, and needing to compensate quickly.

Laverne Cox (love her!) was the guest judge. They used models that were Karlie’s size, but I thought they should have forced her to try on everything. The designs were most pretty cool, until they got to Melanie’s outfit, where I said, God no. It looked like it was made out of scraps, and the model’s boobs were falling out. Marquise had a good idea, with a cold-shoulder suit jacket, but made a mess of the back, which was very ill-fitted, and had to be held together with tape. Shavi’s model could hardly walk, her pencil skirt was so tight. Geez. He should have cut a slit in that thing the second he realized. It did not work in his favor.

Chelsey, who created a high-waisted trouser with a matching crop top, using twelve pairs of jeans, was at the top. Karlie said Chelsey’s outfit had the American in Paris vibe she’d love to rock, and Chelsey said she liked to dress the everyday woman in not-so-everyday clothes. Nancy was also at the top, with a jazzed up pink shirt worn backwards, and a black skirt Karlie said she’d love to twirl in, also made out of jeans. Nancy had quite an emotional moment, where she said she wasn’t just the oldest on this particular show, but the first designer in their 60s, being 64. Brandon said her design was light and fresh, and she’d arrived at 64. He gave the world hope, and gave Nancy a hug. Victoria rounded out the top three, with an asymmetrical (thank you, Nina – that’s the word I was looking for last time) mini dress with a cut-out on the side. She also had a moment, remembering watching the show with her mother in Russia. Laverne told her that dreams can come true, and Victoria’s did, since she was the winner for the third time in a row.

On the flipside, no surprise, Shavi was in the bottom three, along with Marquise, who was told it was obvious the integrity of the garment was held together by tape. Tyler was once again in the forefront, but not in a good way. His outfit wasn’t bad – a black skirt with a white insert, and a white sleeveless top with a tuxedo ruffle – but it didn’t meet the criteria of the challenge. Brandon said out of the three requirements, all he got right was wearable. But like this wasn’t bad enough, when Brandon said he couldn’t see Karlie wearing it, Tyler said, not even to dinner with the Kushner’s? (Karlie is married to Joshua.) This went over like a lead balloon, and there were crickets for days. Backstage, everyone shook their heads, and Sergio thought he was going to be sick. Recovering, Karlie told him the challenge was to design something for Paris, and it wasn’t what she’d asked for. I’m not so sure that remark didn’t help him out the door, although Karlie said she wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing any of the bottom three outfits to the event – or anywhere. Before his exit, Tyler told Karlie that he really wasn’t a jerk, and had no hidden agenda in what he’d said. In his goodbye interview, he said he was still in the anger stage of the five stages of grief, but he would stand by his look to the death. He loved it so much, he intended to make a copy for his drag persona. Since Christian gets to save a designer, he hoped it would be him, but I think that’s doubtful. He said he was walking out proud and more motivated.

Next time, Cyndi Lauper is a guest judge, and the designers will form teams to create her iconic 80s style.

🎉 Stars Celebrate…

Celebrities. They’re not just like us.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1106816/see-how-your-favorite-stars-are-bidding-farewell-to-2019-on-new-year-s-eve?source=email&medium=emn-content-3&cmpid=evening&content=emn-news

😥 Stars We’ll Miss…

A daytime roll call of the dead.

https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc-daytime-soap-stars-died-2019-174354?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=8346&recip_id=5057&list_id=9

😮 Stars Who Shocked…

A surprising roll call.

https://extratv.com/photos/most-shocking-celebrity-deaths-of-2019/?adid=extra_eme_27323_2019-12-24_rightnow6

🌞 A New Decade Starts…

But since there’s nothing for 2020, I’ll just stick with a classic.

December 27, 2019 – Port Charles Celebrates Christmas, Teresa Teams Up, Uncoupling, True Prediction, Tori Wants In, Trying Too Hard, a Loss, Ringing In 14 Quotes & This One Is It

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Curtis plays Santa in Rice Plaza. Jordan tells him the traditional drink is hot cocoa, but he says he could use something stronger. She says she’ll have everything he needs after his shift, and he ho-ho-hos back to work.

Gladys wants to pack up some cookies at Turning Woods, but Sonny says they’re for the residents. She says, Mike is a resident, but he didn’t eat any, and Sonny pays them to keep Mike there. Carly arrives, and Sonny asks how Lucas is. She says, he’s just lying there. He looks like he’s asleep, but it’s not the same. It’s like how Michael was; you can just tell. Michael woke up, so they have to believe Lucas will. It’s Christmas, so it’s the right time. The time when they’re supposed to believe good things happen.

Josslyn tells Dev, if he liked Thanksgiving, he’s going to lose his mind over Christmas. Santa comes down the chimney, and leaves presents for all the good boys and girls. Dev says, Santa was born in Turkey, and has been dropping money down chimney’s since the 1400s. They celebrate Christmas in Turkey, just not like they do in America. She says, the first thing America kids learn is that Christmas isn’t something you can buy. The presents are great, but the true meaning of Christmas is in your heart. It’s about being a little kinder, and having more patience, and if you’re lucky enough to have people in your life who love you, taking the time to let them know you love them back.

Cameron tells Trina that she can stop with the pictures. Trina says he looks handsome. What’s wrong with him? He should be in a good mood. Franco is home. Cameron says, he’d like to be home, but instead he’s there finishing his community service in a Christmas tie. Trina tells him to embrace it and own it, but he just wants to get it done.

Leo sits on Curtis’s lap, and Curtis tells him that he’ll get his crew on it. Right, crew? Cameron hands Curtis a candy cane, and says, right. Curtis tells Leo, don’t ever forget the true spirit of Christmas. It’s better to give than receive. Leo hugs Curtis and says he loves him. Jason asks Scout (who’s made a bit of an age jump) if she’s ready to talk to Santa. He wonders what she’s asking for, and she says it’s a secret she’s only telling Santa.

Nelle tells the guard she should be in the infirmary, but the guard says she’ll be fine, and puts her back in with Sam. She asks if Sam missed her, and sees that Sam got cards from her kids. She bets Sam misses them like crazy. She knows what that’s like.

Tracy asks Monica what possessed her to obliterate years of memories? Monica says they still have them, but Brook says, granny is having difficulty with hers. Maybe Monica could prescribe something. Tracy tells Brook to call her Tracy. She wasn’t advised that Monica was redecorating. When she left, Monica said it was her house too. Monica tells Tracy, she said because Tracy was leaving, and she was in the grips of sentiment. Of course (🍷) the house is all hers. Alan gave it to her. Tracy says that’s because her brother was an idiot, and Brook says, ouch.

Brook and Monica look at the tree. Brook likes it, and Monica agrees. Tracy says, it’s better than the rest of the room, and Brook says, resistance to change is a precursor to dementia. Monica says it’s just Tracy’s personality, and asks if Brook thinks Olivia will be disappointed. Tracy asks why she cares, and Brook says, they have a deal. Monica says Olivia gets all of the other holidays, including Arbor Day. The house was filled with flowers. Tracy says she’s wandering from the subject, and Monica says she gets Christmas. It’s her house; her tree. Olivia decorates the nursery, and it’s a gingerbread fantasy, but the kids love it. She’s sure Olivia would prefer a shiny silver tree, but don’t they think, in the spirit of Christmas… Both Brook and Tracy say, absolutely not. Monica says they agreed on something. It’s a Christmas miracle. Michael and Sasha come in. Michael ho-ho-hos, and stops when he sees Tracy. He says he didn’t know she was coming, and she says she’s questioning the wisdom of her visit.

Scout sits on Santa Curtis’s lap. He says he knows her; Scout. What can he give her for Christmas? She says she wants her mommy to come home.

Nelle asks if Sam heard about her brush with death. Ryan nearly plunged a scalpel in her one remaining kidney. It was just a millimeter away. Sam says, amazing, and Nelle says she could have died. She wonders how Josslyn would feel. She’d have to live with the guilt. She got lucky. Sam wonders how Ryan got a scalpel, and says if he’d wanted Nelle dead, she’d be dead. Nelle says, too bad she didn’t run into Josslyn at GH; she ran into everyone else. Michael was there with Wiley. She guesses he was watching Wiley after the accident. Poor Lucas. He’s not doing so hot. Too bad Sam is in there for killing Shiloh; she could be helping. Nelle is sure Christmas will be melancholy for Sam’s kids. She imagines how Christmas would have been with Michael if their little boy had lived. They’d all be gathered around the Quartermaine Christmas tree. But sadly, Jonah is gone. Her baby is dead, but Sam still has hers, even if can’t see them until who knows when.

Curtis tells Scout that Santa might not be able to bring her mommy home, but he can give her some magic. Cameron gives Curtis a candy cane, and he gives it to Scout. He says he knows it looks like every other candy cane, but this one is magic. Whenever she when licks it, it will remind her of every happy and fun time she had with her mommy. At the same time, her mommy will remember too, and it will make them both feel better until her mommy comes home. Danny suggests they finish up, so they can wrap mommy’s presents. Jason thanks Cameron for assisting, and Cameron says he’s just doing his job. Curtis asks Jason to tell Sam that Santa says hi.

Trina asks Josslyn if Cameron doesn’t look great, and Josslyn says she loves it. It’s very Christmas choir boy. Trina says, it’s part of his community service. Just one more week, and he’s a free man. Dev says they should celebrate; drinks are on him. Trina wants an espresso, and Dev says she’d love Turkish coffee. He knows to get a hot cider for Josslyn. Cameron says he has to get back, and he’ll see them later. Dev goes to get the drinks, and Trina asks if Josslyn is going to make Dev’s Christmas wish come true. Josslyn says she got him a wireless speaker, and Trina asks if she’s blind. Can’t she see Dev is crushing on her?

Carly hopes Sonny doesn’t mind that she invited Brad for Christmas dinner. Whatever his faults, no one can deny he loves Lucas. Sonny says, technically, Brad is on her side of the family, so he’s putting up with Brad for her sake. She guesses so; why? He says that means he can ask her to put up with a guest from his side. Gladys tells Carly, merry Christmas, and Carly asks if she came to visit Mike. Gladys says she did, but Sonny was kind enough to invite her to stay for Christmas.

Michael asks if Brook knew her grandmother was coming to visit, but she says she had no clue. He explains to Sasha that Tracy was living in Amsterdam, and swore she was never coming back. Yet here she is. Brook says, Tracy does nothing without an ulterior motive. Either she screwed up in Amsterdam, and has to lie low, or she’s planning some shenanigans; a double-cross or a takeover. She tells Michael, watch his back.

Tracy tells Monica that she heard they lost Oscar and his father. It’s a lot to handle; she’s sorry. Monica says she takes consolation in that they got to know and love each other. Oscar also left a wonderful legacy to the Kilimanjaro Foundation. Tracy says she heard there was a problem with probate, but Monica says, Ned and Michael are taking care of it. The good news is, the foundation has been funded, and kids are already making their way up the mountain. Ned comes in with Olivia and Leo, and says, merry Christmas, every… Hello, mother. Olivia says, merry Christmas, and Tracy says, this must be Leo. She introduces herself, and Olivia says it’s nice to have her home for the holiday. Ned says, it is indeed. What is she doing there? Tracy says, Amsterdam was too tranquil. She needed a good dose of family. Monica says, lucky them.

Nelle tells Sam, you’d think they’d let her recuperate in the infirmary. She nearly paid with her life to prevent Ryan from escaping. Her lawyer says they’re calling her a hero. What if she gets pardoned, and sent home? She’d get out before Sam, but she’d be happy to help Jason. Sam’s children must be missing her. Scout is too young to know what’s going on, but Danny is old enough. Sam tells Nelle to shut her mouth before she shuts it for her.

Jason thanks Santa’s assistant for watching the kids while he got hot chocolate. He tells them that they’re grandma is going to be there shortly, then they’ll decorate the tree and hang their stockings.  He’s going to need help, since he’s terrible at both. Danny laughs, and says Jason does so many cool things. Why is he so awful at decorating? Jason says he just is, but he’s good at following directions.

Alexis tells Jordan that she doesn’t feel merry, and doesn’t think she can be happy, but she’s hanging on. Jordan is sorry Sam is still in Pentenville. They took the case out of her jurisdiction. Alexis says she’s sorry about all of it. Between Sam’s situation and hers, it’s been quite a year. Jordan says, there are some things to be grateful for, and Alexis says they had an exceptional blessing, but it was at the expense of Lucas, who’s still in a coma.

Josslyn asks if Trina thinks Dev is into her because he knows she likes hot cider. Trina says she asked him, and Josslyn asks what he said. Trina says, something lame and incoherent, like boys do when you call them out on their feelings.

Cameron tells Dev that his family got their Christmas wish; he shouldn’t complain. Dev says his happy family is complete, and Cameron asks about Dev’s home in Turkey, and Dev says Christmas came for him too. Sonny welcomed him into the family, and he became friends with them, but Cameron says, what about back home? Dev says everything he needs is there. He has no complaints. Trina and Josslyn join them, and Josslyn tells Dev that her mom is expecting them. Trina says she’ll stay and be moral support for Santa’s assistant. Josslyn tells them, merry Christmas, and Trina says watch out for the mistletoe. Dev asks what that is, and Josslyn tells him, come on.

Sonny tells Carly that Gladys was keeping his father company, and at the end of the visit, his dad wanted him to ask her to stay over. Gladys says, Sonny was kind enough to make it an official invite. Sonny says he couldn’t say no, and Carly says looks like Gladys is joining them for Christmas. Gladys asks if Carly wants a cookie.

Monica wants to try a new Quartermaine tradition – wassailing. Sasha says she’s read about it. It was a medieval precursor to caroling. Monica says, absolutely right (soon to become my new drinking game phrase, along with absolutely not). Alan always wanted do it. Tracy says, Alan was too sentimental for his own good. Monica says, in spite of the tragedies that have befallen them, they’re all together, some from near and far. It’s the perfect time. She passes out the wassail, saying, Alan would want to wish them good health; that’s what wassail means, and what their family needs. Tracy says, Monica didn’t poison it, did she? and Monica says Tracy’s visit was unexpected. She didn’t have time. Maybe next year. They toast to a merry Christmas. A friend of mine brought wassail over one Christmas Eve. It’s pretty tasty.

Alexis tells Jordan that she has to get going. She and Jason are wrapping presents once the kids are asleep. Jordan says she remembers those days. Alexis goes over to Jason and the kids, and Danny tells her about the magic candy cane. She says they’ll have to put it in a place of honor. Jason says he needs to take off, and asks if Alexis minds taking the kids home. She says, even Sonny takes Christmas off, and he says, everything he’s doing, he’s doing for the kids.

Gladys admires the decorations at Sonny’s house, and Carly asks Sonny if there are any other surprise guests. He says, Michael and Sasha, and Gladys says she’d love an Old Fashioned. Carly says she’s going to check on Donna and Avery. Gladys asks who they are, and Carly says, their children. She goes upstairs, and Gladys says, isn’t it wonderful to have a house full of kids? Sonny says, bourbon or rye? And she says they’re both from the old school. If it’s not rye, it’s not an Old Fashioned. Sonny laughs, but says they’re not both from anything. He pays her for a service. Dev and Josslyn arrive, and Gladys tells Dev, look what Santa brought; his nana. She hugs him.

Jason tells Danny to get started, and he’ll be there in a while. Be good. Danny asks if Jason will be home before his bedtime, and Jason says, definitely, and before Santa gets there.

Nelle tells the guard that Sam attacked her, and could have busted open her stitches. The guard calls Sam to come out. Nelle says, what about her? but he says only Sam. Under her breath, Sam calls Nelle a bitch as she goes past.

Brook asks how Leo’s visit to Santa was, and he says he asked for everything from his list. Brook says Santa might not bring everything he asked for, so he should ask for more than he’ll get. Sasha says negotiating seems to be a Quartermaine family trait. Michael is a master and was kind enough to handle a negotiation for her today. Brook asks if he’s becoming an agent, but he says he was just doing Sasha a favor. Leo suggests Michael negotiate for him, so he can get everything on his list, and Brook says, spoken like a true Quartermaine. Tracy asks Michael how things are going at ELQ.

Curtis continues to ho-ho-ho, and Jordan says, it’s almost over. He says things are winding down. He’s thinking of saying to all a good night. Would she care to take a ride on his sleigh? She says, gladly, but they see another kid waiting. Jordan’s phone rings, and he asks if it’s police business. She says, no, but she has to take it, and steps away.

Trina tells Cameron that she has some cocoa for Santa’s personal assistant, per North Pole etiquette. They clink paper cups.

Dev says if he’d known Gladys was coming, he’d have gotten her a present. He goes upstairs, and Carly says she made up the guest room. Sonny tells Carly that after Christmas, he’ll send Gladys away. Josslyn calls Gladys Mrs. Corbin, and she says to call her Aunt Gladys, since they’re practically family. Josslyn says, they’re not. She knows Gladys is part of the deal to keep Dev in the country. Gladys says, still, she appreciates them sharing their home. Otherwise, she’d be all alone, looking at old photos of her son. She remembers it like yesterday, how excited Brando was, thinking he heard Santa’s sleigh. She tears up, and says she needs some air. She goes out on the terrace, and Sonny tells Josslyn, a word of advice; the less she says to Gladys, the better. Josslyn says she can’t stand the phony acting, but Sonny says they don’t want Gladys to know how much they’re protecting Dev. Carly says, it gives her too much power. Josslyn says she’s sorry; she hates this. Carly says, her too, but it’s temporary. Out on the terrace, Gladys is on the phone. She says she can’t tell them how much she misses them. She said terrible things she regrets. Now, at this time of year, she can’t stop thinking about them, and wishing it was all different. Sonny comes out, and asks who she’s talking to. She says, Brando.

Nelle asks the guard if Sam is in solitary, and he says, not exactly.

Alexis gives Danny and Scout their stockings to hang up. Danny picks up one that says mom, and wonders if they should hang it up. Jason comes in, and Danny asks where he went. Jason says he was working on a Christmas surprise. Sam is behind him, and asks, who wants a merry Christmas? She hugs the kids, and everyone is all happy.

Trina tells Cameron that he does look handsome. Once she posts his picture, every girl in school is going to show up. He says she’s not posting that, and chases her. On the phone, Jordan says she appreciates it, and thanks them for letting her know. Curtis asks if everything is okay, and she says, an old friend just passed. He asks if it’s someone from their Baltimore days, but she says it’s no one he knows. He asks if she’s okay, and she says, just shocked, but she’s not dwelling on it. It’s Christmas, and she’s going to cherish what’s in front of her; starting with Santa. He hugs her.

The guard tells Nelle that Sam made parole. She’s surprised, and he says he is too.

Sam says she’ll have to give Santa a thank you note, and Alexis says, her too. She got her gift. She tells Sam, welcome home. Sam tells her, merry Christmas, and thanks her. They hug, and Alexis says she’s going home and letting Sam be with her family. She loves them – even Jason. She won’t question him about his errands again. Sam asks who’s going to help mom find her stocking, and Danny gives it to her.

Nelle takes a big piece of cardboard out from under her mattress. It says, Nelle’s Aspirations 2020, and is covered with pictures cut from magazines, most of them of little boys.

Brook says she can tell Tracy that ELQ is doing great. She read the shareholder report, and they’re in the black. Michael says it’s nice to make money, and be kind to the environment. Tracy thinks they should care less about the environment, and more about the bottom line. Michael says they’re doing great. Ned thinks they need to table the discussion for today, but Tracy says Brook needs to be more realistic. She’ll never get rich singing, and needs to look to her stock in ELQ. Couldn’t the family company use another junior executive? Michael says his mom and dad are expecting them, and asks them to film the caroling. They jet, and Olivia tells Ned to get his guitar. Ned calls Jason, and asks if he’s coming by to wassail and carol, but Jason says staying there with Sam. He thanks Ned for that, but Ned says, all he did was tell them that Sam was an excellent candidate for parole. He’s glad they agreed. He tells Jason, merry Christmas to you and yours. Hold them close tonight. Tracy says Ned isn’t doing a favor for Jason, is he?

Jason picks up Scout, so she can hang up her stocking. Danny tells Scout, she did it. She told Santa that she wanted mom home, and he did it. He doesn’t want another present. He tells Sam that they have to help Jason decorate the tree, since he’s terrible at it. Sam and Jason kiss.

Carly brings out cookies, and asks if Josslyn is okay. Josslyn say she’s just writing her thoughts, and Carly says maybe she should try that. Dev comes down with some presents, saying, he’s not the best at wrapping, but he tried. He puts them under the tree, and asks how the carolers get past the guards. Carly says they don’t have those, and Dev says, another iconic American myth shot down. Josslyn says, at least Santa will make it.

Gladys tells Sonny, it’s pathetic really. She’s been paying phone bill since Brando died, so she can hear his voice on the message. Sonny probably thinks she’s a sentimental kook, and maybe she is, but she misses him so much. He died thinking she was mad at him. Sonny tells her, come inside. He’ll make her another Old Fashioned with rye.

Tracy tells Ned, Jason made it clear he doesn’t consider himself a Quartermaine. Dealing with him will only get Ned into trouble. Ned says a lot has happened since she’s been gone. He’ll leave it at that. He suggests they get on with Christmas, and she says, by the looks of things, she got there just in time. Ned brings his guitar into the sitting room, and Olivia thinks they could all use some tidings of comfort and joy.

Brook, Ned, Olivia and Leo sing The First Noel. Monica gives Tracy a drink, and they touch glasses. Tracy hugs Monica.

Finally out of his Santa suit, Curtis takes Jordan’s hand, and they kiss.

Cameron tells Trina, his picture can’t get out. She says she’s deleting it. She already posted it… Psyche! She says she’d never do that. She’s always got his back. They leave the plaza.

Josslyn and Dev go out on the terrace, and Josslyn says, there he is. Dev asks, who? and she says, Santa, pointing to the sky. Doesn’t Dev see him? He looks up, and says, she’s right. He sees him too. He tells her, wait. Something is moving, and Josslyn says, oh my God. You’re right.

Michael and Sasha get to Sonny’s, and Carly tells them, merry Christmas. Josslyn and Dev run in, and Josslyn says they saw the sleigh. Carly tells her, the kids are asleep, but she says she’s serious. There’s a light moving through the sky. They all go out, and gather on the terrace, Gladys hanging back a little. Dev points, and everyone looks up. Sonny says, merry Christmas.

The tree is finished, and Sam watches her family, dabbing at her eyes. Jason puts the lights on. He puts his arms around Sam and the kids, and they all look at the tree.

On Monday, Carly asks Sonny if it’s another interrogation, Sonny says he wants the truth, and Carly says it’s time to tell him exactly what’s going on. It’s looks like it will be a new episode on Monday, Tuesday (New Year’s Eve) is a repeat encore episode, and Wednesday (New Year’s Day) is football.

👯 Super Frenemies…

This article wasn’t exactly a font of information, so I’m skeptical. What could these two possibly be advertising?

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/12/teresa-giudice-and-caroline-manzo-film-super-bowl-commercial/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

😴 No Surprise…

In case you were living under a rock.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/12/rhony-teresa-giudice-joe-giudice-separate-20-years-marriage-divorce-rumors/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

👍 I Haven’t Heard Anyone Say It Yet…

Vicki was right.

https://radaronline.com/videos/jim-edmonds-daughter-hayley-says-meghan-king-ruined-family-divorce/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🌴 Better Than Brandi…

I would love to see Tori Spelling on RHOBH. I don’t see how her money situation has anything to do with it. Bethenny Frankel couldn’t pay her rent when she started on RHONY.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/12/tori-spelling-begs-real-housewives-90210-flop/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🍹 I Thought He Was In Jail…

Frankly, I think the show is doing just fine without him.

https://radaronline.com/photos/southern-charm-thomas-ravenel-kids-thriving-custody-battle-kathryn-dennis-filming-delayed-photos/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🎭 A Light Goes Out On Broadway…

He composed several of my favorite musicals – Mame, Mack & Mabel, and La Cage aux Folles. He was also a true man of the theater, evidenced by this quote:

I said, I can absolutely do it. I know all about Israel, recalled the composer much later. And I knew nothing about Israel.

http://www.playbill.com/article/jerry-herman-composer-of-tuneful-broadway-hits-dies-at-88

🎊  Quotes of the Week

I never worry about being driven to drink; I just worry about being driven home. – W. C. Fields

Ring out the false, ring in the true. – Alfred Lord Tennyson

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. – William E. Vaughn

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.Benjamin Franklin

Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. William Shakespeare

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. – Oprah Winfrey

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis

It is never too late to be what you might have been. – George Eliot

Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction. – Germany Kent

Life’s not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it’s about doing, being and becoming. – Mike Dooley

Many years ago, I made a New Year’s resolution to never make new year’s resolutions. Hell, it’s been the only resolution I’ve ever kept!D.S. Mixell

Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. – Carl Bard

Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one. – Brad Paisley

Get the f*** out of my house, Kenny G. – Amy (Mila Kunis), Bad Moms Christmas

🎈 We Can Hope…

Still waiting on that Christmas miracle too.