Category Archives: science fiction

April 3, 2026 – GH Weekdays, Marco’s Memorial, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Beastly Springtime, Septenarius Quotes & Sometimes

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What I Watched Today

(Weekday bites, Friday’s whole GH enchilada & media minutiae)

General Hospital

🍕 Weekday Slices…                                                                          

Monday:

On the phone, Jack tried to find out where Jason was, but had no luck. Carly came in asking where Jason was, and he said he didn’t know, but she was skeptical.

Cody tap danced at Molly’s door and when she opened it, he said they’d won.

Wiley asked, what’s a hooker? Who was Sarah? He introduced himself to Sarah, and Chase asked where Wiley’s dad was. Wiley said his dad was upset because Olivia called his girlfriend a hooker. He didn’t know why Olivia was upset. Was it bad to be a hooker?

Kristina came by the Quartermaines to get some of Danny’s things, and Michael asked how she was doing. She said it was rough, but it would be all right. They were all in shock. She hugged Michael.

Josslyn messed with Cullum’s IV, when he opened his eyes and looked at her. She froze for a moment, then checked his vitals. He closed his eyes again and she started to put gloves on, when Lucas came in. He asked what she was doing.

Lucas asked why Josslyn was there, and she said she was surprised he was working. He said he thought he’d make himself useful and asked her to wait outside. She left.

Michael said Jason thought it was best that Danny was surrounded by family, and Kristina said Jacinda told her about Olivia and the gatehouse. He said he was sorry Jacinda had to go through that, but Kristina said Jacinda was more amused than anything else. She was just annoyed Michael’s family was giving him grief. He said Jacinda wasn’t going to like what was said at the family intervention.

Chase said it sounded like an adult conversation that Wiley should talk to his dad about, and Wiley asked if he’d said something bad. Brook took him to the living room and said he was right to ask a grown-up when he’d heard something he didn’t understand. Wiley asked what a hooker was, and Chase said it was a mean word for a certain type of job. Wiley asked if it was what Jacinda did, but Chase said she now worked at Crimson with Wiley’s Grandma Nina. Wiley asked why Olivia was mad, and Brook said, not everybody saw the world the same way. She’d thought Jacinda was inconsiderate and it made her mad. Wiley wondered if that’s why she’d said mean words, and Britt said she thought Olivia and Michael would work it out. That’s what family did. Wiley said family could get mad, but didn’t stay mad, and Sarah took notes.

Cody said they won, and Molly said she was happy, but what did they win? He said, the grand prize, but she said she still didn’t know what it was. He said he’d taken Outback to Pet Paradise since she had a crush on the store cat Pumpkin. He noticed the store was selling raffle tickets for a dog shelter and he bought 50. They won a trip to the Cayman Islands. Molly envisioned margaritas by the pool, but Cody said it was even better – deep sea fishing.

Danny was at the footbridge, when Charlotte and Rocco showed up. Danny said he’d needed space, and Charlotte asked who knew he was there. Danny said his grandma did. He just had to text every half hour. Rocco said he and Charlotte could leave, but Charlotte said, only if that’s what Danny wanted. Danny said he didn’t want them to leave.

Jack said he’d been trying to find information, but there was a blackout, including WSB personnel. Carly didn’t believe him. She said she’d accepted the WSB came first with him, and had accepted half-truths and outright lies, but she deserved a real answer. He said he’d give her one if he had one. Jason shot Ross Cullum in the back and his girlfriend confirmed it. She said the arrest warrant had been issued before Cullum was shot, but Jack said the only thing he knew was that if you tried to kill a director, you’d pay for it. He’d do everything he could to find Jason, but she had to give him time. Carly wondered why Jason would shoot Cullum.

Cody asked what was wrong, and Molly said she was a vegetarian. He said she didn’t have to eat the fish, but imagined fishing for sport wasn’t her favorite thing. She asked if there was any way they could look at the fish and not torture them, and he said, SCUBA diving. He hadn’t done it in ages and hadn’t had a real vacation in years. She checked her schedule and asked how long the trip was, and he said, five days, starting next Saturday. Was there a problem?

Sarah asked if Jacinda lived there, and Chase said she was an executive assistant at Crimson (which didn’t really answer the question). Brook asked what Sarah wanted to see next, but Sarah said she’d seen what she needed to and would be in touch when the decision had been made. She left and Chase said it hadn’t gone so bad, but Brook said it wasn’t great.

Michael told Kristina about the argument, and Kristina said if Jacinda had an issue with the way Michael treated her, she would have said something. Tracy came in and asked what they were planning… Never mind. She’d just make some tea. Kistina asked Michael to pack some of Danny’s things so she could have a word with Tracy, and he left. Tracy said she already knew Jason wanted Danny to live with Kristina’s mother and had made peace with it, but Kristina said that wasn’t what she wanted to talk about. Tracy asked if there was another problem, and Kristina said nothing Tracy couldn’t solve.

Lucas told Josslyn that Cullum’s vitals had improved and he’d be taken off the ventilator soon. What was she doing in his room? She said she wanted to see the man Jason was accused of shooting. She was trying to wrap her head around it. Lucas said they all were. He was sure her mother was upset. She said she was sorry about Marco and suggested he take a break, since he looked like he was running on fumes. She could keep him company. He said, that might be a good idea.

Danny said he was staying at his grandma’s until everything with his dad got settled, and Charlotte said Tracy probably wasn’t happy about it. He said his dad made it clear that’s what he wanted and he thought Tracy would respect his wishes, and she asked what Danny wanted. He said he guessed it was fine. He’d see Scout more. He asked what happened to Rocco’s hand, and Rocco said he’d cut himself. It was no big deal. Danny said Rocco was acting weird, and Rocco said his dad had arrested Danny’s dad and handed him over. Danny must be mad and he was sorry.

Carly wondered why Jason would take the risk of shooting Cullum, and Jack said Dante found the gun and no one else was there except Britt, who positively ID’d Jason as the shooter. He was the only suspect. He was sorry she didn’t get to say goodbye. She asked why he didn’t call her, and he said Jason told him not to. He knew it was already too late, and she’d never make it in time. She said he couldn’t stop them from taking Jason, but how did they get him back? and he said they didn’t.

Kristina said Tracy had it wrong about Michael and Jacinda, but Tracy said she had no problem with Jacinda. It wasn’t her meeting and she was an unwilling participant. Ned and Olivia said their piece, and it was over. Kristina asked why she hadn’t pushed back. Tracy wasn’t known for being Switzerland and should ditch her neutrality and support Michael.

Brook wondered if there was anyone they could call to be character witnesses to convince Sarah they were normal and well-adjusted, and Chase suggested Laura. Brook said, maybe, and he said, Tracy was a good option. She said she didn’t want to risk making it worse. What about Sonny? He said Sonny wouldn’t make it better, when Michael came in. He asked how the interview went, and Brook said it would have been better if he and Olivia hadn’t been yelling about hookers in front of his son.

Josslyn gave Lucas a drink with electrolytes, and he said he was exhausted, but thought work was a better option than Ava’s couch. She said work was a good distraction, and he said it was his signature move, but probably not the healthiest way to handle things. That’s what Marco would tell him if he was there. Josslyn said she wished she’d spent more time with Marco. It was clear he’d made Lucas happy. Lucas said Ava helped him to see they’d made the most out of their short time together, but he would have liked a lifetime with Marco. How could Marco be gone? She said she wished she knew. When you lost someone so suddenly, it sometimes felt like your own future had disappeared too. He said his future had been taken by Marco’s killer and he wanted to make sure Marco didn’t die in vain.

Jack told Carly that the WSB had a lot of black sites and maybe one of his contacts on an unofficial channel could help. To be honest, the odds weren’t good. She asked if he thought they’d kill Jason, but he said Jason was too valuable. They wouldn’t give up an asset like Jason, but he didn’t think she’d ever see him again.

Danny told Rocco that he knew Dante was doing his job. He was sorry Jason head-butted Dante and resisted arrest. Charlotte said that was their dad’s stuff to deal with. They were a team and couldn’t let that come between them. They’d never do anything to hurt each other. Danny said it was on the WSB, not Dante, and Charlotte wondered if the WSB was framing Jason and someone else shot Cullum.

Molly said she’d just scheduled a laparoscopy for that Friday and was supposed to rest for two weeks, and Cody said maybe they could reschedule the trip. Molly looked at the details and said they couldn’t. Maybe he could take Dante or Mac. Cody said it was supposed to be for them. He wasn’t going. She said she’d reschedule her surgery. It could wait. He said, please don’t.

Michael said he had no idea Wiley had been listening, and Brook said he’d heard just enough. Michael said he didn’t want his kids to know about Jacinda’s past. He hoped the rest of the interview went well, and Brook said, aside from Wiley saying he loved playing Tron with hookers. Chase said they were definitely going to check Jacinda’s background, and Michael said they’d see she was gainfully employed. He was sorry if Wiley embarrassed them.

Lucas said Marco was special and his life meant something, and Josslyn said that’s how she felt after Dex died. She needed to do something. Take her advice and don’t let it consume him. Marco wouldn’t want that. He said he couldn’t do nothing, and she told him that wasn’t what she was saying. The best way to honor Marco was to keep going and find a way to have a happy life. Marco would want that for him. She knew it sounded lame, but eventually she saw that, even though she couldn’t at the time. He said he couldn’t imagine being happy without Marco.

Danny said Cullum was a big deal and he didn’t think the WSB would shoot him to frame his dad, but Charlotte said the WSB double crossed their own all the time. They did it to her dad. They could get rid of someone higher up and deal with their Jason problem at the same time. Danny said he didn’t think his dad shot Cullum, but he had a reason. He’d said something bad was happening. Rocco said, how bad? and Charlotte said, bad enough leave Port Charles. Rocco said Jason was leaving with Britt, and Danny wondered why Rocco thought that.

Jack said he was sorry, and Carly said if he couldn’t help her, she’d find another way. He said it wasn’t her world. The WSB had a different set of rules. They superseded nations and disappeared people. She said she’d fight the Bureau if she had to, and he said Jason hadn’t wanted to put her through the pain of him being taken away. Did she think he’d want her to risk herself to find him? He knew it hurt her, and he wanted badly to fix it, but he couldn’t. She said he didn’t care about Jason, and he said he didn’t, but he cared about her.

Molly said she could put off the surgery, but Cody asked if she might not have another flare up if she waited. She said it was possible, and he said then they weren’t going. Her health was more important. There were going to be other raffles, and he’d be a sucker for every one. If he went, he’d just miss her, so he’d give the trip to someone else. They’d make plans when she recovered. She asked if he was positive he wanted to give up the trip, and he said, on one condition.

Rocco said he’d heard Britt was on the pier and thought she was there to meet Jason, and Charlotte said she’d talk to her father. Maybe he would know where the WSB planned to take Jason. She’d told him about Jason’s situation, and she said he’d try to help Jason escape. Danny said that’s why they’d gone to the station, to give him a heads up, but it was too late. They shoved Jason in a van and closed the door. Danny yelled that he loved him and pretty much lost it. He was banging on the door like an idiot. Like it would do any good. Nathan and Dante held him back and he was left there like a pathetic little loser.

Lucas said he should get back, and Josslyn asked if he thought Cullum would recover. He said it was too soon to tell, and she said she didn’t know what would happen to Jason if Cullum died. Lucas said he’d do what he could to keep Cullum alive, when a nurse said Cullum was waking up.

Brook told Michael that it wasn’t about them. It was about Phoebe needing a home with a loving family. She didn’t know what would happen to Phoebe if they were rejected. Michael said the New York Secretary of Health and Human Services served on the hospital board. He’d put in a call… But they both knew someone with more influence than he had.  

Tracy said she didn’t share Kristina’s opinion that she was Switzerland. Kristina wasn’t there. Kristina said she got the sense Michael didn’t feel support from her. It was her family, her house, her rules. As matriarch, she should support Michael. Tracy said if Kristina expected her to take Monica’s place, she’d be disappointed, but Kristina said no one could take Monica’s place. Tracy asked, what was her point? and Kristina said Tracy had just gone toe-to-toe with Alexis about Danny belonging with the Quartermaine family. Stick up for Michael. Tell Olivia to stop belittling Jacinda. Get off the sidelines and bring her family together. Take the reins, Tracy Q.

Molly asked, what’s the condition? and Cody said he wanted to take the trip so they could spend time together. Can they at least have that weekend together? She said she’d be post op and would need to rest, and he said she could stay with him or he could stay there. Let him take care of her. She said she was a demanding patient. Did he really want to wait on her hand and foot? He said there was nothing he’d like more, and she said, how could she refuse? They kissed.

Tracy asked if Kristina was telling her how to run her family, but Kristina said, no. She was sticking up for her brother. If Tracy spent some time with Jacinda, she’d like her. Jacinda was a strong woman, like Tracy. Tracy said, and she wasn’t afraid to express her ideas and opinions, like Kristina. Kristina was to be advised, she may never address her as Tracy Q again ever. Kristina said that was fair, and Tracy asked if Kristina always meddled in people’s lives or were Michael and Jacinda special?

Michael said he’d do what he could to help Brook and Chase, but there was someone better who’d have positive influence over the social worker – their representative in Congress, Willow. Chase said, of course (🍷). Willow would be happy to help.

Josslyn watched through Cullum’s room window, and Lucas told Cullum that he was at General Hospital. He was Dr. Jones. Did he remember what happened? Cullum said he was shot, and Lucas asked if he remembered who did it.

Danny said he wanted to help, but couldn’t, and just made everything worse, but Charlotte said he didn’t. There was nothing he could have done anyway. They were talking about the WSB. He fought back and the last thing Jason heard was that Danny loved him. That mattered. Danny said he wished he knew where they were taking his father, and Charlotte promised they’d find him. Danny said worrying about him was the last thing Jason needed, but Charlotte said Jason wasn’t worried. He knew Danny had them. Right, Rocco? Rocco said, right, and Charlotte hugged Danny.  

Jack said he knew how much Jason meant to Carly. If there was anything he could do, he would. She said she didn’t understand. Jason knew the risks and put other people first. She couldn’t believe he was gone. Jack reached for her, but she said, stop. The WSB couldn’t do this. They couldn’t take away the people she loved. She walked out, slamming the door.  

Tuesday:

Felicia, Nahan, and James were at Bobbie’s for breakfast, and James ran off to talk to Kai. Nathan thanked Felicia for putting her feelings about him and Lulu aside for James’s sake, and Felicia said she wanted to make her feelings clear.

Portia had an ultrasound appointment and told Isaiah that she was nervous about Curtis being there. She was worried that he was angry about what she’d said to Jordan.

Jordan went to see Sidwell and offered her sympathies. She asked if there was anything she could do, and he said, as a matter of fact, there was.

Willow told Drew that she was sorry she and Sidwell had to keep him in this condition, but it wouldn’t go on forever. When the time was right, they’d bring him out of it. He flashed back to Sidwell’s visit and Sidwell saying Willow’s career would skyrocket when she was a widow. Willow told Drew that things had a way of changing for the better. They did for her. The doorbell rang.

Michael came into the nook and saw Brook there. She seemed miffed at him, and he said he was sorry about the social worker, but she said she was mad about his bright idea that sent Chase back into Willow’s orbit.

Willow opened the door to Chase, and he said she was the only one who could help him.

Nathan said, with all due respect, it was none of Felicia’s business, and she said he was right. Like it or not, he and Lulu had made their choice to continue seeing each other. She was angry at first. It felt like a betrayal, and she was afraid Maxie would be hurt. Maxie said she wasn’t thrilled, but accepted they had right to explore a relationship. If her daughter could show them grace, she could too.

Kai asked if James was excited about the game against Llanview, and James asked if he could play shortstop. Trina gave him some pointers, which startled Kai, and she said she’d been in Little League. She loved baseball. Kai said she was full of surprises.

Curtis asked for a word with Portia in private, and Isaiah stepped away. Portia assumed he was angry about Jordan, but he asked if she wanted to find out the sex of their child. She didn’t know if she was ready, and he said whatever she wanted. She said it was time to clear the air.

Sidwell showed Jordan pictures of Marco and said he never saw much of his son until he was an adult. She said, eventually they became close, and Sidwell said, when Marco came out, he was rejected by his mother. It was painful that her actions hurt Marco, but it gave him the greatest gift. He had Marco all to himself and a chance to make up for lost time. Now he faced the unfathomable task of burying his son. Jordan asked what she could help with, and he said he wanted something only she could provide.

Brook said Chase was stopping by Willow’s after his shift to talk about her helping with the foster process, and Michael asked why she didn’t go with him. She said they’d agreed Willow would be more receptive if he went alone. She wasn’t jealous, but they’d had friction around Chase trying to prove Willow’s innocence. It almost cost him his job. Michael said, not to mention his freedom, and she said they’d worked through it and Chase agreed to focus on starting their family. Thanks to Michael, he might get sucked back into Willow’s drama. He said he was just trying to help. He was no fan of Willow’s, but she had the influence to help them be foster parents. Brook said, but at what cost?

Chase told Willow the foster plan, and Willow was thrilled. She asked how she could help, and he said he was worried about the home visit going sideways. She assumed Tracy said something offensive, but he said it was a solid guess, but it wasn’t Tracy. It was Willow’s son. Wiley asked them to explain what a hooker was in front of the social worker. Willow said, Michael.

Michael said he got where Brook was coming from. He had misgivings about his kids’ relationship with Willow. Brook asked how he dealt with it, and he said he still struggled, but never in front of the kids. For the greater good, he had to bite his tongue and hope for the best. Maybe she should try doing the same and let Willow help. She said, what if it became a problem? and he said he was confident she could handle it.

Chase said, Wiley overheard Olivia giving Michael a hard time about Jacinda’s former occupation, and Willow said she wasn’t thrilled about it herself. What did they say? He said they dodged the question about Jacinda’s past and explained about arguing with family. She said, family gets mad, but doesn’t stay mad. It sounded like they handled it well. He said he couldn’t get a read on the social worker and was hoping as congresswoman, she could put in a good word for them. She said, absolutely. She’d do what she could to make sure they fostered Phoebe.

Felicia asked Nathan to forgive her for coming down hard on him, but he said she was just protecting Maxie. She was a good parent. She said he wasn’t bad himself and already had a strong bond with James. James had gravitated to different father figures and had been clearly filling a void. Now that he had his actual father, it had healed his wounds. Nathan said it was the same for him. He loved James so much.

James asked if Trina played shortstop, and she said she was queen of the double plays, but did a little bit of everything. Kai said she should be his assistant coach, since Coach Mitchell was moving, but she said with school and working at the art gallery, her plate was full. James said, please? And she could have all the free snacks she wanted.

Portia said she was sure Jordan told Curtis that they’d run into each other at the nail salon, where she’d accused Jordan of being pregnant and keeping it a secret. Maybe she’d been a little snarky… Okay. She was a lot snarky. Curtis said Jordan told him, but he wasn’t upset. For what it was worth (🍷), neither was Jordan. They’d had their differences, but he hoped they could set them aside for the baby’s sake. She said she’d like that too. She’d had a long conversation with Stella, and it was very enlightening. She saw that she needed to stop blaming Jordan for the problems in her life and move on, and that’s what she intended on doing.

Sidwell asked what Jordan knew about his son’s death, and she said, he was attacked in his law office. There were no witnesses and the police were searching for suspects. He asked if she’d spoken to anyone at the PCPD, and she said, no. Why? He said she used to be the Police Commissioner, and he assumed she still had contacts there. He wanted her to reach out and discover what they were holding back about the murder, then report back to him.

Brook thanked Michael and said she was surprised she hadn’t heard from Chase yet. She wondered if Willow turned him down. Michael said Willow wouldn’t pass up a chance to be Chase’s hero, and she said that meant they’d be in Willow’s debt.

Chase said he couldn’t thank Willow enough, and she said it was the least she could do. He’d put his career on the line to prove her innocence, and she felt terrible that he’d been demoted. He said he had no regrets, and she said he’d believed in her when no one else did. She’d always be grateful. He said Alexis and Drew believed in her, but she said Alexis was paid and Drew was her husband. Chase had stood by her and put his job at risk, as well as his relationship with Brook’s family. He said she was an amazing person with a kind heart, and she said he was too. She’d do everything in her power to make sure they got to foster Phoebe. They hugged.

Felicia said it was clear James admired Nathan and wanted to be like his father, and Nathan said it was daunting. He was worried he’d let James down. Felicia said that was inevitable. It didn’t mean he was a bad parent, but that he was human. Just be himself. James came back and said Trina was going to be Kai’s assistant coach.

Trina said she couldn’t believe Kai convinced her to be assistant coach, and he said she’d have a whole team to boss around. His phone rang and he said it was Willow.

Curtis said he appreciated Portia’s willingness to make peace with Jordan, and Portia said they wouldn’t be best friends, but she didn’t want any tension between them. That included Isaiah and Jordan. He said he felt the same way. She’d accepted Jordan’s place in his life, and he’d do his best to accept Isaiah’s place in hers. Portia said she wanted their baby to grow up with his father being in a loving, healthy relationship. If that was with Jordan, she supported it. He deserved to be happy. He said they all did, and a nurse said Dr. Westbourne was ready for Portia.

Jordan said she was sure the PCPD was doing everything they could and was confident they’d share what they uncovered with Sidwell, but he said he wasn’t confident with Dante. He was Sonny’s son, and would Dante tell him if… when it led to his father? Of course (🍷) he wouldn’t. He’d cover for his old man. He couldn’t let Marco’s murderer escape justice. Jordan said in the time she’d worked there, Dante put a high wall between himself and his father, and was scrupulously honest. Sidwell could trust him. He said he could only trust what he paid for, and she said she hoped he wasn’t referring to her.  

Sidwell said, as the former Police Commissioner, Jordan knew how the department operated and knew the key players. Some probably owed their jobs to her and she should exploit that. She asked if wanted her to spy on them, and he said, call it what she wanted, but he needed information, evidence, suspects, anything that pointed to Sonny. Nothing was more important than having that man pay for his son’s murder. She said she’d make some inquiries, but he said he wanted more than that. It was imperative that she come through. She’d carved herself out a nice life through his generosity, and he’d hate for her to lose everything.  

Chase told Brook that he spoke with Willow, and she’d agreed to put in a good word on their behalf. He had to admit it was a good idea.

Kai and Trina went to Drew’s, and Trina gave Willow a gift for Drew, compression socks to help with his blood circulation. Willow said it was thoughtful and generous after the way Drew had treated her parents, and Trina said she had complicated feelings about Drew. He’d been a great mentor to Kai, but she hated what he did to her parents, not to mention Stella. Still, she couldn’t help but have compassion. Despite his faults, Drew didn’t deserve to be shot.  

James was worried Nathan might have wanted to be coach, but Nathan said he was rusty and would just embarrass himself. James said he just needed practice, and Nathan asked if James would help him out. They could head to the batting cages if it was okay with Felicia. Felicia said, absolutely, and Nathan said he’d reserve a spot, but his phone chimed. He said he’d have to take a raincheck. It was a work thing. James asked if he was going to fight the bad guys, and Nathan said, one in particular. And he wasn’t looking forward to it.

Wiley and Michael looked for spiders outside, and Wiley said he couldn’t finish his food chain project without them. (So, he actually has to bring in the animal? What if he’d picked tigers or kangaroos?) Michael suggested they go to the park, and Wiley said they could fly kites afterward. Michael said it was a great plan, and Wiley asked if they could as mommy to come. Michael said he’d give her a call.

Willow said Drew had visitors. Trina brought a gift. Wasn’t it thoughtful and kind of her? Drew blinked, and Willow said he agreed. Kai said there had been an office email about the softball league and wondered if it was okay that they sponsor a team in honor of Drew, and Willow said it was a wonderful idea. Drew loved playing last year and she kept tripping over his bat. Kai said he’d thought it was taken for evidence and asked if they’d given it back, but Willow said, no. She should follow up on that. They heard Willow’s Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star ringtone, and Willow wondered where her phone was. Kai said it was probably in the living room.

Isaiah asked how the appointment went, and Portia said things were going well with the baby. He said, what about Curtis? Did he give her a hard time? She said, surprisingly, no. He was calm and not upset about her interaction with Jordan. She thought it was finally sinking in. They all had to get along for the sake of the baby. Curtis said he accepted her and Isaiah being together. She’d forgotten that he wasn’t just a good father. He was a good man.

On the phone outside Bobbie’s, Jordan left a message for Joanne, saying she thought it would be nice to catch up. Curtis joined her and she asked about the ultrasound. He said the baby was in perfect health. He wasn’t eavesdropping, but it sounded like she was leaving a message for Joanne in forensics. He’d thought Jordan had planned to avoid her because she was too gossipy. Jordan said she thought she’d use Joanne’s loose lips to her advantage. Sidwell had ordered her to keep tabs on the investigation into Marco’s death and made it clear she didn’t have a choice if she wanted to keep her job. He said she took the job to spy on Sidwell. Did she think it was time to quit?

Nathan went to see Sidwell, and Sidwell said he’d been waiting for him to show up. Nathan gave Sidwell his condolences, but Sidwell said he didn’t need Nathan’s phony sympathy. He needed results.

Chase said he’d ask Willow about pediatricians, since she’d know the best ones, but Brook said she thought he was getting ahead of himself. They still didn’t know when Phoebe would be released. He said he was excited and thought she would be too, but she said she was afraid to get her hopes up. He said Willow would help them get what they wanted, and they hugged.

Wiley said mommy wasn’t picking up, and Michael said he was sorry. Wiley said, really? He knew they fought a lot. Michael said they didn’t agree on certain things, but agreed on the most important thing and always would. They agreed they loved him and Amelia very much and would do anything to make them happy. If it meant hanging out together sometimes, he was all for it. How about if they invited her to the park next week? Wiley hugged Michael.  

Drew flashed back on telling Willow that he thought he had something, but didn’t, and her saying, what was it? Something he saw or heard? He said Alexis asked if the second shot was the last thing he heard. He’d wanted to say no, that there was something else, but he didn’t remember. He flashed back to getting shot and as he lay on the floor, hearing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.  

Willow walked Kai and Trina to the door and Kai said he’d set up a call to the Department of Child Services. Willow saw her phone there, and he said the sound carried to the bedroom. They left and Willow pondered this.

Portia told Isaiah that for the first time, she thought things were not that bad. She had to give Curtis credit. He’d signed the house over to her and understood the incident with Jordan. He was trying to make an effort. Isaiah said he hoped Curtis was sincere and didn’t flip on her when he didn’t get his way, but she said it felt different this time. He said, as long as she and the baby were happy and healthy, that was all that mattered to him, and they hugged. (A lot of that going around today.)

Jordan told Curtis that walking away crossed her mind, but Sidwell’s son was just murdered. He wasn’t asking her to do anything illegal. She was just passing on information from a former colleague. Curtis said it was a grey area, and she didn’t disagree, but she’d invested so much time, it would be a waste to quit. He said part of him wished she would, but he understood. She was on a mission to take down Sidwell and wasn’t the type to leave a job unfinished. She said, not when she was on the brink of success. Sidwell was distracted and not thinking clearly. She felt bad taking advantage of his loss, but had a chance to finally get enough evidence to put him behind bars.

Felicia said she hoped James wasn’t disappointed, but James said he knew his father had an important job like Grandpa Mac. When he grew up, he wanted to be a cop. She said she thought he wanted to be a cowboy, but he said he changed his mind. He wanted to be a hero, a guy who fought bad guys like his dad.

Sidwell told Nathan that he’d spoken to Jordan who was the former Police Commissioner. She assured him that she’d keep him up to date on the investigation into Marco’s murder. Nathan said he wasn’t sure what he could do, and Sidwell said, make sure Sonny pays for his son’s murder. Nathan said he wasn’t sure that was something he would do, and Sidwell said it wasn’t something Detective Nathan West would do, but he wasn’t talking to Nathan West right now. He was talking to Cassius Faison.

Wednesday:

Trina and Kai were in Willow’s office, and Kai said he wasn’t sure when Willow was coming in. Trina asked if it didn’t get to him that Willow was acting like the dutiful wife, when Michael walked in.

Willow told Drew all about Chase and Brook, and how Wiley almost screwed up their interview. Chase always stood by her and believed in her. He was a real hero that Drew could learn something from.

Jack interrupted Nina on a call in her office and hung up her phone.

Laura met Lulu for breakfast at Bobbie’s, and Lulu said she had a favor to ask. It was about Cullum’s attempted murder.

Lucas came by Britt’s office, and he told her Cullum regained consciousness, but didn’t remember who shot him. She wanted him to say she was the reason Marco was dead, but he said he was.

Nathan said they’d agreed Sidwell would never call him Cassius, but Sidwell said they’d been partners a long time. He’d had doubts about Cassius assuming his brother’s life, but he had everyone fooled.

Jack pumped Nina for information from Charlotte, but she said there was no way Valentin would risk staying in Port Charles long term. He was probably in Bora Bora enjoying a Mai Tai. Jack said, then Nina was useless to him and that wouldn’t end well for her or her daughter.

Drew’s caregiver Travis was going to be late, and Willow asked Drew if it was difficult to spend time with her. Now he knew how she felt when she found out about his lies to make sure she was tied to him.

Kai told Michael about Trina singing at open mic night, and Michael said he’d be there. He asked if Kai would bring Wiley on his team with James.

Laura said she had no new information for Lulu’s article, but Lulu said it was personal. No one knew where Jason was or how to reach him. She wondered if Laura could help. Laura said the narrative didn’t add up and asked if this had something to do with Jason assaulting Dante. Lulu said, no, and Laura asked why she needed to find Jason.

Nathan (we’ll just keep calling him that for continuity) said if Lucas overheard them, everything would be for nothing, but Sidwell said Lucas was at work. Nathan’s position at the PCPD gave him access into information about Marco’s murder. Who better to provide it than the twin of the late, great Nathan West?

Britt said she’d gotten them involved, but Lucas said he’d inserted himself where he had no business involving himself. He’d made Marco help to prove Marco was still the man he fell in love with and prove he was worthy of love and forgiveness. How could he have been so selfish? Britt said Lucas was the most selfless person she knew. She knew it hurt to lose Marco and hated seeing him like this, and so would Marco. Marco knew the risk and took it because he’d wanted to help. Lucas asked what happened to Britt’s medicine, and she said, Cullum destroyed it. He said, so everything that happened that night and Marco’s death was all for nothing.

Nina said she’d get Jack what he needed. Charlotte was smart and Nina was sure Valentin had drilled into her that no one was to know where he was. Jack told her to stop stalling or the footage could reappear, and she said she was working on it. Charlotte was like a daughter to her and the betrayal would destroy Charlotte and their relationship. He said she had a choice. Which daughter did she want to protect – Charlotte or Willow? Nina said she’d talked to Charlotte, and Charlotte told her that she hadn’t seen her father, but she knew Charlotte was lying. Give her more time.

Lulu said she and Jason had been close at one time and reconnected when they were defending the boys against Dalton. Danny and Rocco were close, and it was killing Rocco. Laura said they were like brothers, and Lulu said she knew what it was like to lose someone you loved through the WSB. Laura said she could call Robert, when Boyle joined them. He asked if they were talking about Jason. Port Charles was better off without that psychopath.  

Lucas said, it was going well. Marco got the meds and he’d handed them to Britt. Britt said Cullum showed up when she was waiting for Jason and pulled a gun. He forced her to hand the meds over and made her watch as he destroyed them. He threatened her with prison and a life without her meds. The look in his eye was pure rage. She thought he was going to kill her. Lucas said she must have been terrified, and she said Cullum terrified her all the time. She tried to knock the gun out of his hand and they struggled. She fell and hit her head, and it was lights out. When she came to, Cullum had been shot. Lucas wondered how Cullum knew where to find her, but she said she didn’t know. She’d been racking her brain trying to figure it out. Did Lucas know where Marco’s phone was? He said, no. He knew Marco had it with him, but the police said they couldn’t find it when he was interviewed… Cullum found her by reading the texts in Marco’s phone. He must have stolen it. Cullum killed Marco.

Sidwell said Nathan died the night he was shot, but Cassius had convinced everyone otherwise and it had to stay that way. Nathan said he needed to be cautious. He’d tripped up already with police procedure, breaking the chain of custody. Sidwell said, it could be attributed to Nathan’s long absence, but Nathan said if it happened again, people might wonder what was wrong and ask questions. Sidwell said make sure they asked the right ones. He’d lost his son savagely and needed to know exactly what happened. Jordan was looking into it and between the two of them he’d get the results he needed. Nathan said, consider it done, and Sidwell said he’d been doing impressive work. His timely arrival on the scene of Mayor Collins’ car trouble put her and Corinthos under his control. Nathan told Sidwell to give himself more credit. Sidwell had set him up for success when he’d poisoned Maxie.

Willow said both her and Drew’s lives had changed in a short amount of time. She was taking his place in congress, and his team respected her and listened to what she thought. He never did. She could use his position to do so much good. Kai was a smart hire. Something he said bothered her though. When they were here, he’d said he knew the sound of her cellphone ringing in the living room would carry to the bedroom. He did have a key, but how did Trina know Wiley’s ringtone was Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?

Jack said Nina was out of time. He had no desire to set her life on fire and watch it burn. If she delivered Valentin to him, they were good, but he had other means of finding Valentin. Now she was competing with his other means and if he found Valentin on his own before she did, her daughter was done and she’d have no one to blame but herself. He left.

Michael said Wiley’s coach was tough on him and he was convinced Wiley would have a better experience on Kai’s team. Kai said, for what it was worth (🍷), he’d had a coach like Wiley’s who challenged him and pushed him out of his comfort zone. It gave him a sense of accomplishment. Michael said he’d leave Wiley where he was. He’d been thinking like a Quartermaine and trying to pull strings. Kai said he wanted Wiley to have fun and enjoy playing. If it was the same in a few weeks, let him know. Michael wondered if Kai could pay Kai to give Wiley private lessons, and Kai said he had some free time and it sounded fun. Michael said he’d be in touch and left.

Nina told Jacinda to reschedule the Enchantment call. She had to put out a fire thanks to her. Her punishment for allowing Jack to ruin her meeting was to give Nina a full report on the fall/winter trends and prediction, cross referencing those from her competitors’ forecasts. She wanted it by the end of the day.

Lulu said they didn’t ask Boyle to sit down, and Boyle said he and Laura were associates. He didn’t need an invitation. Laura said she was with her daughter. Goodbye. Lulu said Jason was a family friend, and Boyle said, Jason and Sonny. Laura knew how to pick them. Jason shot a WSB agent in the back. Laura said, allegedly, and Boyle said Jason had a rap sheet longer than his arm. After decades of committing crimes and wasting the tax payers money, the WSB took him off their hands. Jason was a cold-blooded killed and got what he deserved. Laura asked if Boyle had any real reason to be there, and he said he didn’t think she wanted her daughter to hear, but he could continue.

Nathan told Sidwell that he’d cemented his ID, but if Maxie had been there… Sidwell said, she’d have seen right through him, and Nathan said her being in a coma bought him time with those who were in his brother’s life and he’d convinced them that he was Nathan. Maxie had no reason to doubt him. Sidwell said he was more concerned about Nathan’s sister. She was the reason all hell broke loose and Marco was murdered. She was planning on leaving with Jason, and Sonny must have ordered Jason to kill his son on his way out of town. Cullum confronted Jason and Jason shot him. Nathan flashed back to Lulu saying she knew Rocco shot Cullum, and told Sidwell that it was possible, but they couldn’t confirm it. They needed to find out what Cullum knew. Sidwell said he couldn’t visit Cullum, but no one would question a detective interrogating him. Find out if there was any evidence leading to Sonny and Jason being responsible for his son’s death. Nathan said, and if he did? and Sidwell said, he’d make Sonny and everyone he loved pay dearly.

Britt said Cullum was a monster who retaliated for Marco betraying him, and Lucas said, he must have done it. It was the only thing that made sense. While Marco was in the hospital fighting for his life, he was fighting to save the man who murdered him.

Willow told Drew that Wiley called the night she shot him. She remembered her phone ringing, but Kai and Trina couldn’t have been there, right? Except Kai did have a key and it wasn’t like she checked the house. It was also weird that Trina brought Drew a gift after what he did to her family. Why would she show him concern? Nina came in and said Jack had paid her visit, but Willow said she was running late and so was Drew’s caregiver. Could Nina watch Drew until Travis got there? They’d talk later. Willow ran out.  

Laura said she thought she needed to do this alone, and Lulu said she’d lost her appetite anyway. She left, and Laura asked if Boyle could be any more of a jerk. He said he thought they both knew he could. He didn’t think she wanted her daughter to hear what they needed to discuss. She needed to publicly condemn Jason and Sonny in a press conference. Laura said they’d talked about this and she wasn’t doing it,  but he said, the murder of Sidwell’s son changed everything.

Lucas told Britt that he took an oath. He’s not saying he wouldn’t have tried to save Cullum, but he regretted being there with him. If he’d been with Marco, he could have made a difference. He could have held Marco’s hand and given him the strength to fight. He could have said something… He loved Marco so much… He cried and Britt hugged him, saying, it’s okay.

Sidwell said Nathan’s sister had been insubordinate since day one, and Nathan said it was a family trait. She came by it honestly. Sidwell said she’d been complicit and betrayed them and Marco. She had to be held accountable regardless of family ties. Nathan said, fine. If she complicated the situation, she had to be dealt with.

Kai said Michael was a great dad, and Trina said, of course (🍷). He was Josslyn’s brother. Josslyn had been there for her during her darkest times. That’s what made what they were doing to Michael feel worse.  

Nina said she and Drew had a complicated history, but she’d be lying if she said it wasn’t hard to see him like this. Willow didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation. The doorbell rang, and it was Michael. Nina said Willow wasn’t there, but Michael stuck his foot in the door and said they had an amicable co-parent agreement. In the meantime, he’d say hello to his dear uncle.

Jack approached Jacinda and she said, Nina had to leave. He said he knew. He was there to see her.

Lucas said he’d been blindsided by Marco’s death and didn’t consider what it meant for Britt. How would she get her meds? She said it depended on how badly Sidwell wanted his project completed, and Lucas said, Sidwell… He was the one who started all this. He was responsible for everything that happened. Marco’s death had to mean something. Britt said he was scaring her. Whatever he was thinking, don’t. Marco wouldn’t want anything to happen to him. Lucas got up and left.

Laura told Boyle that she was sorry for what Sidwell was going through. No one should have to bury a child. But that didn’t change her position on Sonny and Jason. Why did he care? Why did he have no actual work to do for the city? He said he’d get to it eventually. Jason was a Quartermaine who threw money and power around to get what he needed. He had to pay for his sins like the rest of them. Laura said Jason did in his own way, like Boyle. She didn’t want to have a press conference. If the PCPD had something to add and wanted to do that, it was their choice. He said she had a choice to make. He was worried that if she didn’t publicly distance herself, her life would be in danger.

At Pier 55, Lulu flashed back to Nathan saying Rocco was involved in Cullum’s shooting. She looked around and remembered Boyle saying Jason was a killer, when Nathan arrived.

Michael said Nina didn’t have to hover, but Nina said she wasn’t leaving him alone with Drew. Drew was blinking like crazy, and Michael asked if he was trying to communicate, but Nina said it was just something he did. They didn’t understand why. Michael said he felt sorry for Drew. It must be a terrible way to live. Drew blinked once, and Michael said, a little ironic, right? Drew was in that chair because he’d wanted Willow all to himself. Now he had her, but it wasn’t quite the way he’d imagined. Drew blinked.

Willow was about to go into her office, when she heard Trina tell Kai that she hated how everyone thought Michael shot Drew when they both knew it was Willow. (Rut-roh.)

Jack said, unfortunately, Jacinda’s testimony, specifically the part where she lied about Michael’s alibi, helped Willow get off. Now everyone thought Michael shot Drew. He was sure she’d like to make up for that mistake. Plenty of women would be after Michael who were more refined and a good turn might prove her suitability. He had something in his possession that Michael would find valuable. Jacinda assumed he wasn’t telling her what it was, and he said, not yet. She asked how she could get the item in Michael’s hands, and he said, their intern Charlotte. Jacinda was somebody she might confide in. She asked what she was looking for Charlotte to confide, and he said he needed to know if she’d been in touch with her father. It was imperative that he find her father, and he knew Charlotte knew where he was. Maybe Jacinda could get it out of her.  

Laura asked why Sidwell was interested in a press conference, but Boyle said it was his idea, not Sidwell’s. Sidwell was convinced Sonny had his son killed. He was so angry and was out for revenge, she needed to publicly distance herself before his fury fell on her. The best way was a press conference publicly. If she wanted, he’d do it with her. A united front. It would be good for politics. She said she thought Boyle was trying to appear noble in warning her, but she wasn’t buying it, and he said, yet, he was still right.

Britt called someone and said she needed to see them.

Lucas showed up at Windymere, and Sidwell said he was so glad to see him. Their conversation had made him feel closer to Marco. Lucas loved his son so much. Lucas said he did, and Sidwell asked if Lucas wanted to share memories. He had memories to share. He’d found some photos… Lucas said that wasn’t why he was there. Didn’t Sidwell want to know why Marco was murdered?  

Nathan joined Lulu at the pier, and Lulu said, this is where it happened, right? She’d asked her mom to use her WSB connections to help find Jason. Nathan said that was the last thing she wanted to happen. They had the shooter. Don’t give them reason to look further. He knew it was hard, but for everyone’s sake, it was best to let this go. He held her as she cried.

Thursday:

Laura went to see Sonny and said that Jason didn’t leave a messy crime scene, but public perception was that he’d shot a WSB agent in the back. She was being advised to publicly rebuke and distance herself from Jason. Sonny said, what about him?

Ric found Elizabeth at the hospital and asked if there were any updates on the WSB agent who’d been shot. She said, the only reason she could think of him asking was because Jason was accused of shooting him.

Dante went to see Cullum and said he was wondering why the WSB issued a warrant for Jason.

Nathan asked Lulu how Rocco was doing, and she said, his feelings changed by the minute. He’d always been a sensitive, thoughtful boy, and now he was living in a nightmare. Nathan said he was doing what he could, and she said she didn’t want to smother Rocco, but wanted to protect him. She was terrified when he left the house. Nathan asked if she was afraid he’d tell the truth.

At Bobbie’s, Gio gave Rocco some pie on the house, but Rocco said he wasn’t hungry. Gio asked if he was sick, but Rocco said he was thinking about Danny. Danny may never see his dad again and he hated it.

Felicia met Emma at Bobbie’s, and Emma said they needed to bring her grandma home.

Sidwell told Lucas that he had every intention of finding who was responsible and see that Marco’s killer was brought to justice. Lucas loved Marco and missed him just as much as Sidwell did. He was wondering if they could lean on each other for Marco. He asked if Lucas would stay at Windymere.

Brad went to Britt’s office and hugged her. He suggested they go somewhere to drown their sorrows. He hoped she realized this was for the best. Jason had been shipped off before he gave a pathetic excuse to ditch her. She was better off without him. Britt cracked him across the face.

Laura told Sonny that Boyle was advising her to distance herself. Sidwell believed he was responsible for Marco’s death. Sonny said he didn’t have Marco killed, and she said she didn’t think so, but needed to hear him say it. He said Boyle was right, but she said Jason got rid of a body in the trunk of her car. What kind of person would she be to turn her back on him now? Sonny said, the pragmatic kind, but she said she couldn’t admonish him when she didn’t believe he would shoot Cullum.

Elizabeth said Ric hated Jason, and she couldn’t help him do anything to hurt Jason. He was Jake’s father. Ric said he wasn’t here to hurt Jason.

Dante said they’d been notified of the warrant, but there was no indication why Jason was being arrested, and Cullum said Jason was a criminal. He was in the ICU because Jason shot him in the back. Dante said the warrant was issued before that. Why were they bringing Jason in? Cullum said it was need to know. Why was Dante questioning him? Jason had been extradited for a shooting that wasn’t in his jurisdiction. What case was he pursuing?

Nathan said he knew Rocco was still in shock, but did he get why he shouldn’t say anything? and Lulu said he understood, but it was still tough. Nathan said he’d decided to do what he could to protect Rocco and had no time to consider alternatives. They had to stick to the story. She asked what if they found something that tied Rocco to the crime scene? but Nathan said they hadn’t and he’d make sure they didn’t. Lulu said she was grateful for everything he’d done, but he was thinking like a cop. She was thinking like a mother. It was a terrible burden and Rocco was clearly struggling. She wasn’t worried he’d tell a stranger, but he probably wanted to speak to his friends and siblings.

Rocco told Gio that he’d had huge wins, while Danny had losses. He didn’t know how to help. Gio said Danny knowing he could depend on him was all the help Rocco could give right now.

Felicia said she knew Emma wanted Anna close. She did too, but it was complicated. Emma said Anna’s doctors weren’t pushing her to get better. They had to do more. It was their only shot.

Brad said Britt got one, not two, and she said he had no idea what happened. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Lucas got her meds, but Cullum tracked her to the pier where she was waiting for Jason and all hell broke loose. Brad asked, what happened? and he said she wished she knew. Cullum pulled a gun, and she fell and hit her head. When she came to, Cullum was on the ground with a bullet in his back and Jason was telling her to tell the cops he shot Cullum. Brad wondered who he was protecting and why, and she said that’s what they were going to figure out.

Lucas told Sidwell that he and Marco were talking about leaving. Living there had always been the first step to see if they could make it as a couple. Sidwell said they did. They were a beautiful couple and Lucas made his son so happy. Lucas said they’d been looking forward to finding a place of their own. Now he felt so lost. He wanted to feel close to Marco. Sidwell said this was Lucas’s home, where he and Marco were close, and Lucas said if Sidwell really meant it, he’d love to stay there where he and Marco were happy. Sidwell hugged him, and Lucas reluctantly returned the hug.

Sonny told Laura, somebody wanted Marco dead. It sent a strong message. Sidwell didn’t know who to blame and he was an easy target. Sidwell wasn’t thinking clearly, which made him dangerous and reckless. Laura asked if he was telling her to take Boyle’s advice and play along with the press conference, and he told her to take her best swing at him. She said, what about him? Without Jason, he was more vulnerable. He said, take care of herself. He’d do what he could to bring Jason home. She said she’d like to help. She was going to contact Robert. Maybe one of his old friends could come through. Sonny said he wanted to do something that required her trust, and she said she trusted him, but he said, not him. His brother.

Ric told Elizabeth that he was asking for Sonny. There was no love lost between him and Jason, but Jason was important to Sonny and her, so Jason was important to him. Finding and freeing Jason would be next to impossible, but he was going to do what he could to get Jason home safely. He was starting with Cullum. So would she help him?

Dante told Cullum that the shooting was in Port Charles and the business of the PCPD. It didn’t change because they took the suspect away, especially when the action was based on a warrant with charges he declined to share. Cullum said he should thank the Bureau. Jason had run roughshod over the city for years. They did the PCPD a favor by taking him off their hands. He suggested Dante turn the attention of the PCPD to his attempted murder. Dante said, all the accounts were sketchy. Jason refused to answer questions and Dr. Westbourne kept saying Jason shot him. Was her account surprising?

Lulu told Nathan that she knew the last thing that could happen was for Rocco to confide in Charlotte and Danny, but she could see how much he was hurting. Nathan said Lulu was Rocco’s mother and knew what he needed, and she said, what if he needed a professional? He said she couldn’t take Rocco to a therapist. They couldn’t trust a stranger with Rocco’s confession and fate. She said, there was one therapist she knew would be discreet. What if Rocco talked to Doc?

Felicia told Emma that the French authorities had made it clear that Anna couldn’t leave the country. She still had outstanding charges for assaulting a police officer. Emma suggested they hire a lawyer. Anna wasn’t in her right mind. Felicia said that was something they could straighten out later. Right now, Anna was where she needed to be.

Gio said he knew Rocco was worried about Jason, but from what he’d heard, Jason had made it back from impossible odds before. He was strong, super resourceful, and capable of anything. if anyone could get out of this, it was him.

Brad said, now Britt wanted his help? and she said, yes. She was sorry she’d slapped him, but Jason was obviously protecting someone. They had to figure out who. Jason had bailed Brad out of jail for his dine and dash. Brad said Jason did that for her, and she said Jason came through for her. Brad had told her that Jason would never put her first, but he did. He loved her and it might have cost him everything.

Cullum said he was surprised Dante was there interrogating the victim. Dr. Westbourne identified his would-be murderer. Dante said he was gathering as much information as he could to help with the investigation. Was there anything Cullum remembered? Cullum said he was shot in the back. He didn’t see anything. Dante said he wanted context and clarity to help him put it to rest, but Cullum said life was full of uncertainties. (Apparently, he’s now a philosopher.) The WSB didn’t owe Dante peace of mind or the answers to anything.

Elizabeth said she couldn’t give Ric specific information, but what she could do was tell him that any patient from the WSB was going to recover. She knew it was important for him to rebuild his relationship with his brother, and it wouldn’t be his choice to help Jason, but she appreciated the effort. He said he knew she cared about Jason and there was a time it would have made him jealous, but he’d made the choice to start over. That mean he wasn’t going to let the past affect their future. She kissed him and he asked what that was for. She said for continuing to surprise her, and he said he’d give her more surprises, and kissed her.

Sonny told Laura that it was going to take creativity. Ric was going to help by being his personal attorney, while Diane would take care of his business interests. Laura said, he was confiding in Ric? and he said he’d told Ric everything – not about her though. He thought it best that Ric know about Sidwell, so he’d be more equipped to help take him down. She said he needed her to trust Ric, and he said she’d trusted Ric when it came to Rocco. Ric came through, so he was asking her to trust Ric now.

Nathan said Lulu bringing in Doc would be like opening Pandora’s Box. Doc could tell her mother, and it would be one more person keeping the secret. And she was the mayor. Lulu said, it would be an even bigger betrayal not to tell Dante. The more people who knew the truth, the more risk for Rocco. She hated feeling out of control. There had to be a way out of this mess. They knew Cullum was dirty. Nathan said they didn’t know what happened, but Lulu said Rocco told them everything. Nathan said Rocco told them what he believed. He didn’t hear what they were talking about. Jason had a long rap sheet. Who knew what he and Britt had going on with Cullum? She said, if she dug, she might uncover something about Cullum, but he said that could make it worse, not better. She needed to leave it alone. She said maybe he was right. She couldn’t risk blowback on her son. She’d keep quiet. Nathan hugged her.

Emma said Anna felt like she was keeping them safe, and Felicia said, in Anna’s mind, if she came back to Port Charles, Faison might follow. Emma said Anna thought she’d be putting them in danger, even though that wasn’t true, and Felicia said it wasn’t a mystery they could solve. Anna was sick and her mind needed to heal.

Rocco spilled his drink all over himself and the counter. He apologized and asked for towels, but Gio said it was okay. His bandage was soaked and he should get a fresh one. Rocco said he’d change it at home and headed for the restroom. Lulu came in.

Britt said Jason wasn’t the bad guy. Cullum was. Sipping from a flask, Brad asked if she was in danger from Cullum, and she said, yes. Cullum was going to live. Not only did he survive the shooting, thanks to Lucas, she missed her one chance to kill him. He had no fear and no conscience and was able to do whatever he wanted. Brad said the next time she was going to try killing someone, call him, and she said, why? So he could talk her off the ledge? But he said, no. So he could help her get rid of the body.  

Dante thanked Cullum for his time and said he’d see if he could find another agent who was more forthcoming. Cullum called Dante a one-time recruit who got kidnapped, washed out, and institutionalized, and Dante said there was one part that wasn’t there. Out of thousands of WSB agents and operatives, not one was as resilient as he was. He didn’t know when to quit. How did Cullum know Britt would be at the pier? Cullum said, a good agent knew when to play a hunch, and Dante said, so did a good cop.

Ric went to Sonny’s and said, good to see Laura. She said Sonny told her that Ric now represented him. He also told her that he’d confided to Ric about a rather sensitive issue concerning himself and Mr. Jenz Sidwell. Ric said he understood Sidwell had leverage against Sonny for a murder that Sonny didn’t commit, and she said Sidwell manufactured evidence that he was holding over Sonny’s head, but Sonny wasn’t the only person Sidwell had leverage on. There was someone else – her.  

Pascal said he understood that Lucas was staying. His apologies. He was  under the mistaken impression that Lucas was leaving. He’d make sure Lucas’s room was cleaned. He started cleaning up the coffee table, and Lucas asked if he was okay. Pascal said he was fine, but Lucas said he seemed drunk. Getting louder, Pascal said he was. He was grieving. He swiped a tray off the table, along with everything on it, and said, because of Lucas.

Sonny said Sidwell had photo proof of him and Laura looking at Dalton’s body in the trunk of her car, and Ric said, photos could be altered and manipulated. Could anyone else place them with the body? Laura said Detective Nathan West saw that she had a flat tire. He stopped and offered to change it. He was about to open the trunk, when Sonny pulled up. Nathan left, but she suspected he was going to remember that. Sonny said his concern was that Sidwell’s son was dead and he was going to try and blame anyone he could. He didn’t know what that meant as far as retaliation. He wanted Laura protected. If Sidwell was going after anybody, it was going to be him.

Pascal said Lucas should never have been there in the first place, and Lucas said he was sorry for Pascal’s loss. He knew Pascal cared about Marco. They both loved Marco and the loss was unbearable. Pascal said Lucas didn’t love Marco. He used him.

Britt told Brad that they needed to figure out what happened before she was knocked out. Maybe Cullum did or said something she forgot. Brad asked if she thought she knew who Jason wanted to protect, and she said if she figured out who it was, maybe they could help move the needle at the WSB and get Jason released. He said it was a long shot, and she said it was better than nothing. She owed it to Jason to try.

Lulu went into Bobbie’s and Gio said Rocco just went to the restroom. He spilled his drink and his bandage got wet. Could he get her something? She asked for decaf, when Rocco came back. She asked if everything was okay, and he said he was fine. He’d promised not to tell anyone and he didn’t.  

Elizabeth saw Dante and asked how he was doing.  He said he was fine, and she said she wasn’t asking about the physical him. Jason was gone and it was a lot to process. Dante said he was basically trying to make sense of it. He and Jason weren’t friends, but they’d raised their kids together. He’d thought they had mutual respect. Elizabeth said, something seems off. Jason hitting him and shooting an agent didn’t sound like him. Dante said it didn’t. She was right. Something was off. The victim stonewalled him and wasn’t giving him anything. That meant he had something to hide.

Nathan went into Cullum’s room, and Cullum said his boss was just there. He’d tell him the same thing he told Dante. Nathan closed the door and said he wasn’t there for Dante. He was there for Sidwell.  

Gio asked who Emma was writing to, and she said her grandma. It was all she was allowed to do and she hated it. Gio said letters weren’t nothing. He’d saved everything from his mother. She said she was sure the clinic read her letters, but he said she didn’t need to write in code.  Anna probably got comfort from knowing she was okay and hearing about her life. She said she wrote that he was getting her through all this, and thanked him. He took her hand.  

Dante asked if Elizabeth talked to Jake, and she said, it was a tough phone call. She couldn’t tell him much. What was Dante doing now? He said forensics was going over the evidence. They’d swept the crime scene and the gun was under lock and key, so the WSB couldn’t get to it. He thought he had what he needed to figure out what happened without the WSB’s help. Elizabeth asked, how’s Rocco?

Lulu suggested that they go home, but Rocco said he couldn’t stay inside forever. She said she had to keep him safe.  

Dante said Rocco was fine. Did something happen? Elizabeth said Rocco cut his hand in the kitchen and she wanted him to be careful not to get it infected.

Lulu felt Rocco’s forehead, and he said he didn’t have a fever. He felt bad about everything that happened. She said she knew it was a lot, but they were in this together. It would be okay.

Brad asked Britt what they were looking for. The cops already searched. What would they find that the cops missed? Britt said she didn’t know. Maybe they were going about this the wrong way. Jason told her that she had to say he’d shot Cullum. Who was important enough for him to protect? Brad said, Carly, and Britt said, but Carly couldn’t be quiet. She was physically incapable of it. She also wouldn’t let him throw his life away. He’d do anything for Danny. Brad said, maybe, but wasn’t she doing the exact opposite of what Jason wanted, digging into this? She loved him, right? She nodded, and he said, Jason chose to do this. It was what he wanted. If she really loved him, maybe she needed to accept his choice.  

Pascal asked if Lucas didn’t think he saw him eavesdropping, lurking, and sneaking around the wine cellar, and Lucas said Pascal was projecting. Pascal said Lucas was never good enough for Marco. He never loved Marco. He was never trustworthy. He was a snake. He didn’t know what Marco saw him. Lucas should be dead, not Marco. Pascal stomped out.

Ric said Laura publicly distancing herself was a wise choice, and she asked if she should do the press conference. He said, absolutely. Sonny was closely associated to Jason, and it would show she didn’t support Jason by default. Laura wondered if it would be enough for Sidwell, and Ric said it would cool the temperature, buy them time. Sonny said Sidwell was looking for payback, but was smart enough to know going against the wrong person wasn’t good for him. He’d figure out Sonny wasn’t responsible and go after who was.

Cullum said Nathan being a cop was convenient. He could act as a go-between for him and Sidwell without raising suspicion. Nathan said Sidwell wasn’t doing well. He wasn’t thinking clearly. What would Cullum know about that? Cullum said he’d been busy, and Nathan said they still needed to find who was responsible for Marco’s murder. He could use his WSB resources. Cullum said he didn’t need to. Corinthos was behind it. He had to be. Nathan said, what about Cullum? He had Jason in custody. Did he think Jason shot him? Cullum said, no. He was looking right at Jason. Someone else pulled the trigger.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Lucas looks at Marco’s picture in the front of All Saints and says, Marco took Britt’s medicine from his father’s safe to prove himself to him, to prove he was the man Lucas needed him to be. And Cullum killed him for it. He’s so sorry, but he swears by his life and his heart that they are not going to get away with this.

At home on the phone, Alexis says she thinks that’s fair under the circumstances… Thank you. Danny comes in and she says, Principal Harper said he’ll be suspended for a week. He says, that’s fine, but she says, it’s not fine. That’s not the way it’s going to be. Not when he’s living in her house.

At the hospital, Kristina asks if Molly was nervous, but Molly says, not really. The procedure is laparoscopic, so it’s minimally invasive. Kristina says, and the recovery? and Molly says she’ll feel bad for a couple of days, but if it means no more flare-ups, she’ll take it. Kristina says Molly is going to be back on her feet in no time and probably back to work before she leaves the hospital, and Molly says she’s taking the entire day off from everything. She’s sorry she can’t make to Charlie’s grand reopening. She knows how hard Kristina’s been working on it. Kristina says she can’t believe it’s finally here. There are so many last minute details, she just hopes it all goes well. Molly says, it’s going to be amazing, and Kristina says, from your lips. Molly says, after that’s done, what’s next? and Kristina asks what she means. Molly says, that right there is the problem.

Curtis goes to Nina’s office, and she asks what she can do for him. He says Crimson’s reader engagement analysis was supposed to be in his inbox this morning, and she says she’s so sorry. She completely forgot. She’ll put Jacinda on it and get it to him by the end of the day, if that’s okay. He says, that’s fine, and she says, that’s it? Was there something else? He says, yes, their friendship, and she says, is it really over? Because these days, the only time he deigns to speak to her is as her boss. He says, after what she did to Portia, what did she expect?

Carly asks Sonny to please tell her he’s reconsidered, but he says, like he told her last night, this has to happen. She says, no, it doesn’t, when Ric comes in. He tells Sonny there’s just a few more minutes before they need to head out, and Carly says, please tell her Ric isn’t going with him. Sonny says, what if he is? and she says, it’s going to make everything worse.

At the church, Ava says, it’s nice to see Laura, and Laura says, it’s nice to see Ava too. Ava asks if Laura knew Marco, but Laura says, not really, no. She’s trying to do the right thing.

Sidwell touches Marco’s urn, when Lucas comes in. He asks how Lucas is holding up, and Lucas says he’s holding. They don’t really have much of a choice. Sidwell says, they really don’t, do they? The priest asks if they’re ready and goes to the pulpit. Sidwell says he hopes Marco knows how much he was loved, and Lucas says, he did. Marco told him all the time how Sidwell’s love and support meant everything to him. He loved his father so much. Sidwell says, whether deserved it or not.

Laura says, losing a child is excruciating, and Ava says, it is. There’s no pain like it. Laura says, what happened to Marco was absolutely horrific. And it happened in her city, so as the mayor, the least she can do is be here. She wants to be here. Ava says, something tells her it’s for Lucas as well, and Laura says, yeah, it is. She didn’t know Marco, but knows if Lucas loved him, he must have been a good man. Ava says, he was. She had the pleasure of spending quite a bit of time with Lucas and Marco, and it was obvious they loved each other very much. Boyle comes in and Ava suggests seeing Jenz. Laura says, wise choice, and signs the guest book as Ava goes inside. Boyle says, Madam Mayor, and Laura says, Councilman Boyle. He says he doesn’t know if she’s seen the reports, but the rection to their joint press conference has been overwhelmingly positive. Isn’t she glad she took his advice? This only proves that Port Charles needs them both. She says, Port Charles has them both, doesn’t it? and he tells her that he’s just saying, she was so against the idea of the press conference in the beginning. He’s relieved she changed her mind. She says, it’s just that he’s so darn persuasive, she couldn’t resist.

A nurse comes to prep Molly for surgery, and Kristina asks if Molly is sure she doesn’t want her to stay, wait until she’s done, and take her home. They won’t let her leave by herself. Molly says, thanks, but she’s got it covered, and Kristina says, she always does. She loves her. Molly says she loves Kristina too.

Nina says, what she did to Portia was wrong and she’ll always regret what Portia had to go through on the stand during Willow’s trial. Curtis says, that’s something at least, and Nina says, and she should apologize for how her actions affected him. He was trying to protect Portia from Drew, and she pointed Alexis right at her. That’s not something a friend does. He says, no, it’s not, but she was desperate to protect her daughter and had no way of knowing Portia was with Isaiah the night Drew was shot. Still, that doesn’t make it right. She says, no, it doesn’t. Just like what he did to her wasn’t right.

Jordan tells Sidwell, again, she’s so sorry, and he thanks her for her support. It means the world to him. Now that she’s here, does she have an update for him? She says, a small one. She’s spoken to her contact at the PCPD and forensics is still analyzing the evidence. He asks why it’s taking so long, but she says, it’s not. They’re just being thorough. He says he’s not interested in their excuses, and she says she’s not offering any. She’s simply providing him with an explanation. He says, the only thing he wants to know is, is there anything tying Sonny and his people to his son’s murder? But she says, no. There’s no definitive suspect at this time. He says, really? Or is there evidence pointing to Sonny and Commissioner Falconari is refusing to investigate it?

Sonny says he thought Carly was going to trust his judgement as far as his brother goes, but Ric says, it’s okay. Carly is allowed to think the worst of him. Carly says, even if she didn’t, it’s a bad idea for either of them to go to the funeral. Sonny kidnapped the man last summer. Sonny says, not according to Marco, and she says, what Marco told the police and what his father knows are very different things. Sidwell knows what Sonny did and thinks he’s responsible for Marco’s death. How the hell does he think Sidwell is going to react when he sees Sonny at the funeral? Please don’t make this day any harder than it has to be. Ric asks why she’s so concerned with Sidwell’s grief, and she says she’s concerned with her brother’s grief. Because Lucas is devastated and she doesn’t want this funeral to turn into a mob war. Sonny says, that won’t happen, and she says, it won’t happen if he stays away. Please let Lucas mourn the man he loved.

Lucy says, Lucas knows Port Charles is his home and there are so many people who love him, including her. So despite everything, she hopes he’s not planning to leave them, leave town again. She wants him to stay there forever. He thanks her and says, that is very kind, but he don’t worry – he looks at Sidwell – he’s not done with Port Charles yet.

Alexis cleaned a wound on Danny’s face and tells him, hold still. Any other cuts? How are his ribs? He says he’s fine, and she says, but she should see the other guy? Okay. Now that’s taken care of. Danny says he knows the drill. No phone, no internet. He’s sorry she had to pick him up. He knows she has to be at Marco’s funeral. He’ll just be in his room. She says she knows she’s supposed to be at Marco’s funeral, but thinks she should stay here instead, and he says she doesn’t have to stay. It’s not like he can go anywhere. She says she also doesn’t think grounding him is going to fix this, and he says, so he’s not grounded? but she says, no. He’s going to do chores. Take his phone back because he might need it. He says, that’s it? but she says, no. She wants him to tell her what happened. He says, there’s nothing to tell. Hank threw the first punch. Everyone saw him. It’s just school policy that anyone who gets in a fight, no matter who started it, gets suspended. It’s not that big a deal. She says, yes it is a big deal. He was in a physical fight. He hurt somebody and he got hurt. What were they fighting about? He says, Hank was just being a jerk. That’s what he does. She asks, how was he being a jerk? What did he say? Come on.

Sonny says, they’re going to Marco’s funeral to stop trouble, not cause trouble, and Carly says, great. How is that going to work? He says, because last summer, he made peace with Sidwell and sold him his piers. So it would be wrong of him not to pay his respects. Ric says he agrees, but Carly is right about one thing. Sidwell has been very vocal about his theory that Sonny had Marco killed. She says, so maybe now is not the time, but Ric says, no. Now is the only time. Sonny says, attending Marco’s funeral shows he has nothing to hide, that he had no hand in Marco’s unfortunate death, that Sidwell is nothing more than a grieving father looking for someone to blame. She says, a grieving father that has no family left, unlike Sonny, and Ric says, it’s important that Sonny show Sidwell that he’s not responsible. That way, Sidwell doesn’t focus his time and energy on Sonny and his loved ones, when there is someone else out to get him. She says she can see the logic in that, and Ric thanks her. She says, and if grief had anything to do with logic, she’d be all for it, but Sidwell isn’t thinking logically. He’s in pain. Does Sonny remember how hard Morgan’s funeral was? Imagine if Julian Jerome had walked through the door. How would he have felt? She leaves.

Isaiah says he’s so sorry, and Lucas thanks him for coming. He appreciates it. Isaiah says he wishes he could have done more to save Marco, but Lucas says he knows Isaiah did everything he possibly could. He just wishes he could have been with Marco in the end. Isaiah says, Lucas was busy saving a life. He thinks Marco would understand that. Lucas says he did his due diligence as a doctor, but wasn’t there when Marco needed him, and that’s kind of hard to reconcile.

Kristina asks if Suzanne has seen her mom, and Suzanne says, she texted that she’s not going to be able to make it to the service. Kristina asks if she said why she’s not going to make it, and Suzanne says, apparently, Danny got into a fight at school.

Alexis says, why doesn’t Danny tell her what happened, and he says, Hank was just going off about how the WSB arrested his dad and he’d be locked up forever and good riddance. She asks if Hank used those exact words, and he says, yes, and he told Hank that he should worry about his own life, because everyone knows his girlfriend dumped him for Wiley Wheeler. She says, so Danny provoked him? and Danny tells her that he just said what was true, okay? She tells him that he had to say something more than that to get under Hank’s skin, and he says, look, Hank hit him. It’s not like he could just stand there and take it. She says she thinks he was looking for a fight, and he says, okay. He was looking for a fight. Hank doesn’t get to talk about his dad like that. The WSB just took him and they couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Jordan says she saw the press conference, and Laura says, yeah. It seems to be all anyone can talk about lately. Jordan says, it must have been difficult for her to publicly distance herself from Sonny. Has she heard from him? Laura says she went to see him before the press conference, so he was warned, but he understands. Jordan says she has to admit when she was watching the press conference, she was surprised at how well Laura and Boyle worked together, especially since she knows Laura can’t stand the man. Laura says, it’s true. It’s unlikely they’ll ever see eye to eye on anything. Jordan says, especially public service. Laura thinks she should serve the public and Boyle thinks the public should serve him. She seems to be coping pretty well. Laura says, yeah. She thinks she just accepted the fact that Boyle is one of the necessary evils of the job.

Sonny says he hates not being able to tell Carly the real reason for going to Marco’s funeral, and Ric says, there’s no reason Carly should know Sidwell is blackmailing him and Laura. Can he imagine if she did? Sonny says, she’d probably confront Sidwell and expose him and Laura in the process, and Ric says, yeah and there’s no probably about it. But if they keep letting Sidwell believe Sonny had Marco killed, then those photos of Dalton in the trunk are going to wind up on Dante’s desk. He’s surprised they’re not there already. Sonny says, that’s why he’s got to tell Sidwell that he did not kill Marco. Otherwise, this thing is going to escalate and that’s not good for anybody. Ric says he’s just glad Laura followed their advice about the press conference denouncing Jason, and Sonny says he hopes that keeps Sidwell from going after Laura, but they have to do this now because otherwise, there will be open warfare, and that’s not good for anybody. He just hopes Sidwell is able to hear him.

Carly tells Lucas that she’s so sorry. She can’t believe Marco is gone. He thanks her, and she says, he had his whole life ahead of him and he was so excited to spend it with Lucas. It’s hard. It’s too hard. He says, it’s so hard, and she says, Dante and PCPD are going to find out who did this and they’re going to bring them to justice. She promises him that Jason and Sonny had nothing to do with this. He says he appreciates her saying that, but he knows that Jason didn’t kill Marco.

Jordan says she’s glad to see Isaiah, but a little surprised he’s here, and he says he wants nothing to do with Sidwell, but Marco was his patient and Lucas is his friend. She says, uh-oh, and he says, what is it? A Sidwell problem? She says, not yet – she looks at Lucy approaching Ava – but with those two, it’s only a matter of time.

Lucy asks Ava how she thinks Sidwell is doing, and Ava says, he seems to be bearing up. Lucy says, good, and Ava says, but they both know what a nightmare it is to lose a child.

Nina says, Curtis told Willow about her affair with Drew on her wedding day. She should have been the one to tell Willow and she wasn’t. She knows some of that is on her, but she came very close to her daughter never speaking to her again. Curtis says, well, Drew had them all a little desperate. That said, they have to be accountable for their own actions, and for that he’s sorry as well. She thanks him and says she appreciates that. That being said, in retrospect, he actually did her a favor because she kept going back and forth for months, convincing herself that she should tell Willow, convincing herself she shouldn’t tell Willow. He says he remembers, and she says she didn’t have the guts to tell what was going on between her and Drew to Willow, especially when she was trying to find a way to break the hold Drew had over her. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), when he told Willow about her and Drew, he didn’t do that to hurt her, and she says she knows he didn’t. For two people who didn’t want to hurt each other… He says, they certainly did a bang-up job, and she says, yes. So she’s asking him now for the sake of the friendship they used to have, a friendship that has meant so much to her, can he consider that Drew drove her to the same kind of desperation he did Curtis? He says he understands that, but Portia… She says she didn’t think at all that Portia really shot Drew. That was how she convinced herself that there was no harm in naming Portia as a suspect. He says, no harm, and she says, sorry. That was dumb. That’s not what she meant at all. What she’s trying to say is that she’ll always regret if her desire to protect daughter cost her friendship with him.

Alexis says, believe it or not, she understands Danny wanting to fight, because his dad… Danny says, please don’t say he’s gone, and she says, because his dad’s not here. He’s angry and wants to hit something or someone, anything. She gets it. He says, she does? and she says, yes, she does. She’s furious and she is fighting, but she’s doing it legally. He says, what good does that do? They don’t even know where his dad is. She says, because it gets the ball rolling. It puts some pressure on them. Will it work? She doesn’t know. Maybe not, but one way to fail his father is to just give up. He says he hasn’t given up, and she says she knows he wants to do something, but getting into a fight isn’t going to bring his dad back. He says he knows, and she says, before the next time, she really needs to know he understands a physical altercation can go bad really fast. He could have seriously hurt Hank and he could have been seriously hurt. He says, at the time, he didn’t care. Hank was happy his dad was gone. That’s messed up. She says, Hank is messed up and wanted to get a rise out of Danny, which he succeeded in doing. And now everyone else knows how to do it. He says he’ll take them all on if he has to, and she says, is that what he wants? Does he want to have to? He says, no. He just couldn’t help it this time. She says, okay. Now that she’s his legal guardian, it’s her job to make sure that he avoids volatile situations. He says he gets it. He’s sorry if he made things worse. She says, apology accepted, and he says, she pulled off a lawyer miracle with Willow. So he promises to keep his act together and not distract her with any of his stuff if she can bring his dad home.

Kristina says she’s sorry about Marco, and Sidwell thanks her. She says, Marco saved her life. He rescued her from the fire at Charlie’s. She’ll never forget that. He thanks her, and she says she’ll be forever grateful for Marco. Sidwell says, yes. Thanks to his son, their families will be forever linked. He glares at Sonny and Ric.

As Sidwell stares daggers at Sonny and Ric, Ava asks if he’s ready to honor Marco. Maybe they should take their seats. They sit down, and Boyle asks Laura, who thought it was a good idea for Corinthos to be here? He needs to leave. Laura says, well, then by all means go tell him. He looks at Sonny and decides better of it. Kristina tells Sonny that it looked like Sidwell was about to kill him. Is he sure it’s safe for him to be here? Sonny says he’s not here to cause any trouble. He’s here to prevent trouble from happening.

Curtis says, if he understands anything, it’s doing whatever it takes to protect family, and Nina says, to add to all her apologies, she should say she’s sorry if her attempt to save her daughter cost him his marriage. He says he can’t put that on her. If his marriage was strong in the first place, she couldn’t hurt it. In fact, when Portia confessed on the stand that she was with Isaiah that night, it forced them to face some hard truths. It was ugly and it was painful, but they’ve both moved on. She says, so it’s all working out, and he says, yeah. They’ve agreed to raise the baby together and they’re both happy. She says, okay. All she ever wanted was the best for him. He says him too. He misses her. She says she misses him too. So does this mean… He says, it means he doesn’t want to lose their friendship. So if she’s willing to do what it takes to repair it, so is he.

Molly wakes up and Cody is there. He asks how she’s feeling. Is she in any pain? She says, no. No pain. Does he have pain? She touches his nose with her finger, and he says he’s okay. She asks if he’s holding her hand, and he says he is. Is that okay? She starts to push up his sleeves, and he asks what she’s doing. She says she likes his arms and hates sleeves. He needs to promise not to wear sleeves ever again. He can’t cover these arms. She continues to mess with his sleeves, and he says he’ll do his best. In the meantime, before he gets to the sleeves, is she thirsty? Does she want any water? She says, not if it means he has to let go of her hand, and he reaches under his arm with his other hand to get the cup. She says, dexterity. She likes it. He holds the cup while she sips through the straw, and he says, she is so going to regret this when she sobers up. She says, sober. She’s not drinking. She just had surgery. Plus, she can say whatever she likes. This is her dream. He says, oh, her dream, huh? and she says, know what else she likes? He says, what? and she says, this. She touches his chest and says, this right here. He says, well, sorry ma’am. The shirt’s staying on for now. She says, not the shirt. His heart. He has the sweetest heart. Kiss her. He gives her a kiss, and she says she likes this dream. He says, so does he.

Alexis says, Danny staying out of trouble can’t be contingent on whether she can bring his father back. Believe her. She’s doing everything that she can possibly do. She’s filed every legal challenge. Danny says, then why isn’t he here? and she says, because the WSB works differently than other law enforcement agencies. They’re not required to tell them his whereabouts and they are not required to give them access to him. He says, so they can just make his dad disappear? and she says she promises she’ll do everything she can to make that not happen, but it’s going to take time. He asks if he’s ever going to see his dad again, and she says she’s so sorry. She doesn’t know.

Curtis says, they certainly have been through a lot together, and Nina says she knows that and they may never fully restore the trust that they used to have with each other, but she’s so grateful that they’re willing to try. He says, same here, and she says, so things are going really good with Jordan? He says, things have never been better. They’re closer than ever. They moved in together and somehow she seems to be as excited about the baby as he is. Nina says, that’s wonderful. He deserves good things, especially after everything Drew has put him through. He says he has to thank Jordan for that. She helped him through it all. They’ve learned from their mistakes and they’ve gotten stronger as a result. He trusts Jordan completely. She says she hopes they’ll be able to say the same thing someday, and he says, so does he.

Lucas thanks Laura for coming, and she tells him to take care of himself. She’s here if he needs her. She leaves, and he asks Ava if what he said about Marco was all right. He doesn’t remember the service. The whole thing is a kind of blur. She says, it was perfect. He found exactly the right words. They hug.

Lucy tells Carly that she’s really, really sorry about what happened to Jason, and Carly thanks her. Lucy says she just feels it was so terrible that he was swept up like that by the WSB. It must be so horrible for Danny and the Quartermaines, and for her, of course (🍷). Carly says Lucy doesn’t have to worry about them or her. Jason’s innocent. Lucy says, that means they’ll be seeing him again, and Carly says, that’s right. She needs to go talk to Lucas. Lucy says, could she just remind Lucas that if he needs to find another house, she’s more than willing to help. He has her card. Carly says, okay, and Lucy says, okay, ta! and leaves.

Cody says, you’re back, and Molly says she’s back, and by back, he means awake for the first time, right? He says, no. He pushes up his sleeves and says, see? Just for her. She says, oh my God. Was she a complete idiot? He says, she was adorable. Does she want to know what she said? She says she doesn’t know. Does she? He says he guesses he can just show her the video, and she says, video? He says, it hasn’t gone viral yet, but it’s getting good engagement, and she says, no, no, no. Please tell her he’s joking. He says, of course (🍷) he is. So she really doesn’t remember what she said? She says she just remembers being really happy he was here. It’s a nice way to wake up. He says, there’s more of that to come, if she’s still down with letting him take care of her for the next few days. She says, yeah. He promised to wait on her hand and foot. He says, and he shall. She’s really okay? No pain? Molly says she’s great.

Isaiah sees Jordan outside and tells her that he just wanted to say… it’s good to see her. She says, same. So is he glad he came? He says he is. Marco will be sorely missed. She says, he will, by quite a few. Jenz is completely devastated. He says, Sidwell is not a good guy, and she says she knows. He says, so don’t let herself get pulled in any deeper. She’ll just regret it. She says, he doesn’t need to worry. She knows what she’s doing.

Ava asks if Sidwell wants her to stay, and he says he just needs a minute. She says, of course (🍷). Please call her anytime if he wants to talk. He says, thanks. He will. She leaves and he looks at Marco’s picture.

Kristina says she’ll see Sonny today at Charlie’s, right? and he says he wouldn’t miss it for the world. She says, great, kisses his cheek, and says she loves him. He says he loves her too, and goes inside the church. Ric closes the door.

Cody says they’re going to discharge Molly shortly and… Whoa. Where did all this come from? He looks at a juice box and a box of animal crackers on her tray, and she says she doesn’t know, but hand it over. He says, in the meantime, while they wait for the nurse, what does she say they plan their Caribbean vacation. She says, yes, let’s do it, and feeds him a cracker.

At the MetroCourt having coffee, Nina says, so things are pretty good between her and Willow, and Curtis says he’s glad. He knows this isn’t easy for her. She says, which part? and he says, well, after everything that went down, Willow is still married to Drew and she’s dealing with his condition on top of it. Nina says, yeah. She’s not loving it. As much as she despises Drew – and she does – it’s difficult to watch how much he’s diminished. Curtis says, oh how the mighty have indeed fallen, and she says, the worst part is, this stroke has tied Willow to Drew even more tightly because he is completely dependent on her and she insists on taking care of him at home. He says, does she have time for that now that she’s taken over his seat in congress? and Nina says, she has help and she does seem to enjoy being a congresswoman. He says he’s sure she does, and Nina says, but she can’t help wondering if Willow would have chosen this for herself. He says, maybe not, but upward is a good direction to fall. She says, that is true, but Willow has always focused too much on other people’s expectations, especially the men in her life, and sometimes she wonders if her daughter has ever stopped long enough to think about what she really wants. He says, she’s certainly in a position to do so now, and Nina says she prayed every day for something to break Drew’s power over Willow and now he’s utterly powerless. Curtis says, be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.

Danny says he was hoping Alexis would say yes, he’d see his father again. Just be patient. But he thanks her for being honest with him. She asks where he’s going, and he says, to his room. Why? She says she thought he’d want to talk more, and he asks, what else is there to say? She says, there’s this. She knows he feels alone right now, but he’s not. He has his aunts. He has his sister. He’s got the Quartermaines, and for better or worse, he’s got her. He says, mostly better, and she says she’ll take that. So it’s okay if they just lean on each other, maybe for a little while. She knows he’s going to have to sort out his grief on his own, but just remember that his family loves him like crazy and they want to help, so don’t shut them out. He asks if he can go to his room now, and she says, sure. He goes upstairs.

Carly tells Lucas, it was a beautiful service. How is he holding up? He says, it was good hearing people say so many kind things about Marco and he really appreciated her being here. She says, of course (🍷). Where else would she be? He says he doesn’t know. He just wishes neither of them had to be here. She says she knows. Her too. He says he’s sorry, but he thinks he needs to be alone, and she says, okay. Why not let her put him up at the MetroCourt? Just so he doesn’t have to worry about next steps from Ava’s guestroom. He thanks her, but says, actually, he’s still living at Windymere. She says, what? She thought he said he’d moved out. He says, well, that was before, and with Marco gone… She says, there’s no reason for him to be anywhere near Jenz Sidwell, and he says, for him, there is. Jenz is the only person who hurts the way he does. Everyone else is sad and they say they’re sorry and then they move on, but he and Jenz really feel the emptiness of Marco’s absence. So what he needs is to stay close to Jenz, for now.

Sidwell touches Marco’s picture, then turns and sees Ric and Sonny. He says, Sonny dares show his face around here, but Sonny says he’s here to pay his respects. He’s sorry for Sidwell’s loss. Sidwell says he doesn’t believe for a second that Sonny is sorry, but he will be.

On Monday, Brook tells Chase that they’re about to find out if they can be Phoebe’s foster parents; Michael says something about it doesn’t sit right with him; Jordan says, he’s on the warpath and out for blood; and Sidwell says Sonny’s gotten away with far too much for far too long.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

The Nathan/Cassius twist.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-exclusive-ryan-paevey-on-nathan-impostor-twist-and-whats-next-for-cassius/

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/what-happened-to-nathan-on-general-hospital-his-true-fate-revealed/

And they didn’t even need to rub a lamp.

https://ew.com/general-hospital-aladdin-crossover-11940994

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-comings-goings-broadway-crossover-for-emma-and-gio/

Great photos from GH over the years.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/photos/general-hospital-at-63-celebrate-its-most-iconic-moments-from-1963-to-today/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

Ben and Ellie continued to tussle, even after Captain Jason told Ellie to slow her roll during charter. Speaking of, the charter guests – despite Christina being a drunken mess – seemed like lovely people. They partied on a tiny private island which was so cool. Daisy was frustrated about Jenna and Mike’s bickering. Preparing for Marc and Clay’s vow renewal, Ben was reminded of his non-wedding and in Daisy’s interview, she said she wasn’t 22 with a Pinterest board of her dream wedding. She was just looking for a second date. Beautiful décor, white party, elegant, unclutched pearls, and amazing food. The wedding cake had an adorable topper – a silhouette of two grooms and their dogs. Everyone turned in surprisingly early, but they weren’t 22 either. Although I can’t speak to their Pinterest boards. The captain said he wanted to see the issue with Ellie and Ben resolved or he’d make changes. Is another firing in the works? My guess is, if there is, it ain’t gonna be Ben.

Summer House

Loverboy was going under, so as usual, Kyle was his usual whiney, martyr self and took it out on others, mostly Amanda. BTW, if you whine about it, you’re not a very good martyr. He and Amanda talked, but it was mostly him wailing that she didn’t care about him and ignoring everything she was saying. He claimed he wanted to feel like he was in a partnership, but maybe he should try acting like a partner. I was going to watch it a second time since I didn’t pay that much attention to the first, but a rerun of Selena with Jennifer Lopez was actually more attractive. Maybe the reveal of Amanda and West’s relationship will put a new spin on things.

The Valley

Britanny reconnected with a guy she knew 13 years ago and was finally moving on from Jax completely. Kristen and Nia held a dual Sip & See because their babies were born six weeks apart. Schwartz barely knew the details of his divorce, but didn’t want to ask Katy about it, since him not listening was one of the reasons for the divorces. When Michelle flirted with Schwartz, in Kristen’s interview, she described Michelle as a fine French wine and Scwartz as a Jagerbomb in a sports bar, which is fairly accurate. Lala Found out that Luke was a sperm donor at the bank she got Sosa from, which was pretty disturbing. Again, I don’t think this is a show we need to see again, but maybe Lala and Schwartz will add some Vanderpump to it.

Southern Hospitality

I want to like Maddy, especially since she’s a go-getter, but I get the vibe that she’s not as nice as she acts. The group went tubing, despite Lake’s concerns about alligators and brain eating amoeba. Maddy saw a game on TikTok and described it as someone running and someone trying to catch them. Isn’t that called Tag? One more show we really don’t need.

Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

At their final dinner in Italy, Dorit had enough of everyone telling her that she was always late and shopping too much. When Erika tried to chime in, Dorit told her to shut up and followed that by calling her the c-word. She seems to throw that around a lot, and I’m with Rachel that it should be saved for special occasions. Erika said she was the one who’d brought the word to the group, and no surprise, Dorit ran away rather than dealing with her issues. The episode ended with Rachel having a Studio 54 party for her birthday. I can’t wait to see the results of that.

Real Housewives Of Rhode Island

I didn’t hate this, although they always start off good and it smells a little like New Jersey. As a matter of fact, the whole group looks like they could be related to Delores, who paid them a visit. Liz, who nearly looks like Delores’s twin (they use the same plastic surgeon and dentist), said she’d met Delores at a cannabis convention when Frank was getting into the business. Liz and her husband opened one of the first cannabis dispensaries on the east coast, so kudos. The group does seem more relaxed than the other Housewives in the franchise. However, it did look like their might be some upcoming friction at Jo-Ellen’s 4th of July party.  

https://ew.com/real-housewives-of-rhode-island-premiere-recap-interviews-11941421

Ladies Of London: The New Reign

Martha invited a pet psychic to find out what’s going on with her magpie Hecate, and basically Hecate said she’s the boss of Martha. Martha was not surprised, since she thinks Hecate is a reincarnation of her mother. They both love booze and men and are drama queens. I’m sure that goes for a ton of people, and possibly birds. Martha also had a My Fair Lady themed party in the park, which no one seemed to quite grasp right, and Mark deliberately didn’t dress for, finding themes tedious. What a party pooper. Even worse was the hideous yellow safari jacket he did choose to wear. Mark and Kimi attacked Margot for being fake (both of them probably jealous about her acting career), triggering sweet Martha to stand up to Kimi, telling her that she was all kinds of wrong. This led to tears and  reaffirmations of friendship, but Martha still stood her ground, no doubt inspired by Hecate. No one had a recap, but there was this…

Random Reality Items

I don’t recap this, but I do watch it, and have to say something about Lydia’s brothers inserting themselves into her relationship with (now) husband Zac. While I understood they felt the couple was moving too fast, they also insinuated that Zac was gay, since he and Lydia were waiting until after marriage not just for sex, but for their first kiss. The worst part was that they chose to address this just prior to the wedding, even grilling Zac on his sexual preference. Wow. Even if that was the case, it would be none of their business. The only person who would have the allowance to question to him would be Lydia. This seasons premiere episode centered around the couple meeting with her family about it. They claimed whatever was said was said out of love, but I call bullsh*t. Since they’re supposedly all about the Bible, they need to take those logs out of their own eyes before checking the vision of others.

https://people.com/welcome-to-plathville-lydia-confronts-family-clip-exclusive-11933634

I find it a little difficult to believe she was ignorant of people getting hurt – i.e. losing their shirts.

Andy speaks on Miami.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch

Anaconda (2025). Netflix. This movie was too funny! I love Jack Black and he did not disappoint. When two friends decide they’re going to remake Anaconda, hilarity, confrontations with smugglers, and encounters with a giant snake ensue. I laughed all the way through it and, silly as they were, the effects weren’t bad either.

https://www.cbr.com/anaconda-best-franchise-reboot-of-the-decade/

The Creator. Netflix. In a dystopian future, a war has begun between humans and AI. A special forces agent has to find a secret weapon, a child he names Alphie. Lots of close calls, terrific acting, and great effects, but a few too many cornfields for me, especially at the end. It also seemed to borrow heavily from the 80s series V.

https://collider.com/the-creator-sci-fi-netflix-streaming-success-march-2026/

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/scifi/the-creator-2023-review.html

Something Very Bad is Going to Happen. Netflix. In this limited series, a couple – Rachel and Nicky – decide to get married at the Nicky’s family’s cabin in the woods. The cabin is more like a mansion and what starts out to be a simple outdoorsy affair turns into all kinds of insane. Rachel finds out that she’s under a family curse where if she doesn’t marry her soulmate by a certain time, she’ll die. When she finds out Nicky has lied about some things, she begins to question whether or not he is her true love. Really the only way to know is if she drops dead at the altar, but she tries her best to find out the history of the curse and whether or not the match is meant to be, oddly enough with the help of Nicky’s ex. There’s a lot of weird, spooky stuff where you can really feel the protagonist’s fear, and a somewhat ironic soundtrack that’s had me singing You Are My Destiny all week.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/something-very-bad-is-going-to-happen-netflix-duffer-brothers-tv-review-2026

https://collider.com/netflix-something-very-bad-is-going-to-happen-28m-hours-watched/

One Piece Season 2 Finale. (Netflix) I loved this season, filled with loads of action and amazing effects. Chopper is the cutest thing since Sweet Tooth and Katy Sagal was magnificent as Dr. Kureha. My only complaint is that I’m spoiled, so rather than doling episodes out like methadone, I watched it all too quickly. Luckily, there will be a Season 3 and hopefully, it will stream next year, not three years from now.

https://people.com/one-piece-season-2-ending-explained-11921950

https://www.thereviewgeek.com/onepiece-s2endingexplained/

🐾 Wearing Fur In the Spring…

👰‍♀️They do. You may all collectively aww.

https://people.com/golden-retrievers-marry-in-charity-wedding-raising-money-for-dogs-11940578

🍀 So that’s what’s at the end of the rainbow.

https://people.com/girl-sets-up-camera-to-catch-leprechaun-and-is-shocked-by-what-she-sees-instead-11935385

🐻 Speaking of, I saw this on the local news. This cub is too cute!

https://newjersey.news12.com/abandoned-bear-cub-rescued-by-new-jersey-state-police-along-i-78

🐶 In their Easter bonnets.

https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/happy-easter/

Happy Easter!

🐍 Quotes of the Week

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything. – Mark Twain

Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity… successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results. – DuPree Jordan, Jr. (Getting out my tiara.)

It costs money to not make money on your money. – Judge Marilyn Milian, People’s Court

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

Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment. – Arthur Jersild

Because really, a house is a house, but a home is who you are with in the house. – Alice Cooper

I need some M&Ms. – Captain Jason Chambers, Below Deck Down Under

🦁 Came In and Went the Same Way…

Until next time, stay safe; stay enjoying your holiday and respecting the beleifs of others; and stay being careful what you wish for. You just might get it.

Video > Prince – Sometimes It Snows In April (Live At Webster Hall – April 20, 2004)

January 2, 2025 – GH Weekdays, New Year’s Day In Port Charles, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Celebrations, Roll Call, A Passel Of Pups, Septuplet Of Quotes & My Year  

Standard

What I Watched Today

(Weekday bites, Friday’s whole GH enchilada & media minutiae)

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…                                                                           

Monday: 

Kristina wondered if a house fell on Drew, but Alexis said Willow convinced Drew that Scout should come over and he said, as long as Danny wasn’t there. Until she got Willow acquitted, they were at Drew’s mercy.

Sidwell was troubled by Portia’s allegations, but Drew said they were just allegations. Sidwell said if that changed, Drew was on his own, when Willow came in. She asked what she’d missed.

Tracy told Michael that she thought the first Christmas without Monica would be terrible, but it was tolerable. He commended her Christmas spirit and said Monica would be proud of Tracy leading the family through the holidays without her. The doorbell rang and Jacinda introduced herself to Tracy as Michael’s girlfriend. Tracy said she knew who Jacinda was.

Sonny saw Turner at the MetroCourt and said he didn’t want to interrupt, but she said wait. She was glad he did.

Cody showed up at Alexis’s with Danny.

Doc told Laura that he’d gotten a call from a colleague in Dublin. They wanted him to move to Ireland.

Danny asked if it was okay, and Kristina said, of course (🍷). There were hugs all around, and Danny said he had no clue Scout would be there. Alexis said it was a surprise to all of them, and Scout asked if Danny could stay. Danny said Christmas wasn’t the same without her.

At Windymere, Willow said Scout’s smile was off the charts, and Drew said he didn’t give a damn about the rest of them, but as long as Scout was in a good place, so was he. He wanted his daughter to see Willow as a source of good in her life. Scout was lucky to have her. Willow said she was the lucky one, and Drew said Sidwell wasn’t happy about the blackmail allegations. Willow said it was all her fault, but Drew said he blamed Alexis and no one else.

Marco found Lucas in their suite, and Lucas said Mrs. Drew Cain was there and he thought a tactful escape was best. Marco said, there might be another way forward.

Doc told Laura that it was six months as a visiting lecturer at a college and he’d be well paid. He told them that he’d think about it. Laura said she thought he should take it, but he said only if she came along.

Turner told Sonny that it couldn’t be all work all the time. She was taking a break. The last day before the holidays had been rough. Not for her… Sonny said he heard about Portia and heard Turner got her off the stand fast. Turner said the defense did most of her work for her, and he said that was part of it. She asked if he thought there was more, and he said as much as she tried to hide it, she had a heart.

Jacinda brought belated Christmas treats for the kids, and Michael asked if she wanted to go get a drink. Tracy said Jacinda had come all this way. How about a nightcap? She’d heard a lot about Jacinda and still had questions. For instance, Jacinda was an interesting name…

Sidwell said he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t concerned, and Jordan asked how he wanted to play this. He asked her to use her connections in the mayor’s office and PCPD to find out if there was a case pending. He needed to know if he should go all in with Drew or cut ties with him. She said she’d ask around, and he said her troubleshooting skills were invaluable to him, and she’d be well-compensated by her year-end bonus. She said she’d noticed tension between Lucy and Ava, and Sidwell said it was Lucy’s lucy dramatic flair. It was part of her charm, but Ava had charms of her own.

Scout said she missed them, and Danny said they missed her. When it snowed, he remembered their snowman. He was epic. Scout said, she, and Molly suggested they make another one. Alexis said they should do it out back, where there was more snow and more room, and Danny and Scout left. Cody said they were adorable, and Alexis said, an adorable nightmare. Kristina explained that Drew said Scout could only hang out with them if Danny wasn’t there, and Molly wondered if Drew was dying to win the worst dad competition. Alexis said he was a shoo-in, but they’d promised to abide by his demands. If Willow or Drew found Danny there… Kristina suggested they be allowed to spend some time together, and Molly said Sam would want them to keep making memories. Alexis said Drew was ruthless and wouldn’t blink on never allowing them to see Scout again, and Kristina suggested waiting until there was a natural break, then ing Danny. Alexis said, and break Danny’s heart.

Marco said maybe it was time to make peace, put the past in the past, and start fresh, but Lucas said he stood by what he did and said in regard to Willow. She was in the wrong. Marco said he agreed and admired Lucas’s integrity, but there were times when they should expediate going along to get along. Be polite. Wear a mask. Don’t show how he truly feels. Follow his lead. He was an expert. Lucas said he’d try, and Marco said it was all he asked.

Turner wasn’t sure if she took it as an insult or a compliment that Sonny thought she was easy on Portia because she was soft, and he said she’d shown empathy. She had what she needed and spared Portia more embarrassment and pain. He called that kindness. She asked him to keep it to himself. The last thing she needed was the reputation of being compassionate in court. He said it didn’t make her weaker. It did the opposite. She said she didn’t enjoy that Portia had been violated by the system she was part of, but she’d committed a crime and had to face the consequences for her actions. Sonny said Portia was a good person, and Turner asked if that gave her a pass. He said, sometimes good people made bad choices for the sake of those they loved, and she asked if it was his justification too.

Laura said she’d just been reelected, and it wasn’t the best time, but that didn’t mean Doc shouldn’t go. Jordan knocked at the door, stopping by to wish Laura a happy new year, and they hugged. Doc said he’d check on Ace, and left. Laura said it was a lovely surprise, but she sensed it wasn’t just social, and Jordan said she may have found something to give Laura what she wanted on Sidwell.

Lucas found Willow looking out a window and noticed the photo of Wiley and Amelia on her phone. He said it must make her smile when she looked at it, and she said it did. He said he was sure she missed them very much.

Tracy said she remembered Jacinda’s night out with her nephew Drew Cain, and Jacinda said, the body shots () heard round the world. Tracy thanked her and said, the negative press was so gratifying, and Jacinda said Drew was a job, part of her old life. Tracy asked if she was Jacinda 2.0, and Jacinda said it sounded silly, but yes. Tracy said it didn’t sound silly. What was the new Jacinda doing? Jacinda said she was working at Crimson as Nina Reeves’s assistant, and Tracy said Jacinda wasn’t being paid nearly enough. Jacinda said she and Nina found a way to co-exist, but she was lucky to have a chance to learn from Nina. She was good at what she did. Tracy said, so Jacinda was working in fashion, and Michael said it suited her. Tracy said she could see that and was happy for her, and Michael asked if Jacinda needed a refill. Jacinda said she needed directions to the powder room, Michael gave them to her, and she left. Michael thanked Tracy for being so kind, and she said she was being kind because he wasn’t.

Cody asked Scout to help him make hot chocolate and they went to the kitchen. Danny asked what was going on, and Alexis said she was glad he was able to spend time with his sister. It killed her to have to say… Danny said he needed to leave. He got it. Through her tears, Alexis said he needed to leave.  

Tracy said she and Jacinda were aligned in covering for Michael, who was clearly leading her on, but Michael said he wasn’t. She said he didn’t love Jacinda. He needed her and sometimes emotions got confused. He said he didn’t think that’s what was happening, and she said Jacinda was falling for him. He was keeping her in the dark as to his intentions and it was unfair to her. He said he swore he wasn’t and had real feelings for her, and Tracy said he wasn’t just lying to Jacinda, he was lying to himself. She’d been strung along by more men with an agenda than she cared to remember and it left lasting scars. He needed to be honest and clarify the parameters of the relationship.

Willow said she missed Wiley and Amelia so much she could barely breathe, and Lucas said, better photos than violating the custody order. She said they lived in the same city and accidental meetings happened, and he said, were they? He knew how it felt keeping distance. It was torture. That’s why he moved to Boston when he gave Wiley up. She said she had zero intention of giving up her children, much less moving, and he said he’d put Wiley first. He did what was best for Wiley, even if it wasn’t the easiest thing. Maybe she should try it. Drew came in and told Lucas to stop harassing his wife, but Lucas said he was encouraging her to do the right thing for the kids – aka, stay away from them. He was trying to be helpful. Drew said Willow didn’t need his help, but Lucas said Drew did. He’d taken two bullets out of Drew’s back and saved his life and legs. Have a good night. He walked out and Drew asked if Willow was okay. She said she was fine, but wanted to get out of there. She had to pick up Scout anyway. He said he hoped the time with Scout reminded Alexis of what she was fighting for.

Alexis said the only way they could see Scout was if Danny stayed away. There were all disappointed. Kristina said she hated that Drew could do this to them, and Alexis said she was doing what she could to help Willow so the restraining orders would be lifted, but until then, it sucked. Molly said, sucky Drew held all the power for now, and Danny said he was glad for the time he got to spend with Scout. Their mom would be happy that they’d carried on the snow tradition. He promised not to share any pics of it. Cody and Scout came back with the hot chocolate, and Danny said he had to get going. Seeing Scout was the best gift he got. Scout said her too. She loved him. They hugged, and he said he loved her. Take care of their snowwoman. Cody said he’d drive Danny home, and Alexis hugged Danny and told him that she loved him. Danny and Cody left, and Scout said she didn’t want Danny to go. Alexis said she knew, and everyone looked sad.

Jordan told Laura that she’d been in Sidwell’s inner circle for a month, but had found nothing of value in his business dealings. His personal life on the other hand… She was at Windymere for a Boxing Day party, and although Sidwell was openly dating Lucy, he’d been chatting up Ava as well and she got a flirtations vibe. Lucy was there and didn’t seem happy, but Sidwell seemed to enjoy himself. Laura said, if Lucy and Ava were competing for Sidwell’s affection, that may be something they could use to their advantage. Jordan said that’s what she was thinking, and Laura said Lucy was pretty impulsive.

Sidwell said he and Marco could toast to the end of a brutal year. There had been the devastating loss of Marco’s mother, and he was proud of the way Marco carried on. Marco said he’d been lucky to have distractions. His work, helping with the family business, and his relationship with Lucas. But Sonny still needed to pay with his life, since Sonny was the reason his mom lost hers. Sidwell said Sonny was suffering in other ways, and Marco said, it was a brilliant move, pinning Dalton’s murder on Laura and Sonny and using it as blackmail. Sidwell said now Marco understood why he needed to keep Sonny alive for the moment. When he was finished, Sonny was a dead man.

Sonny told Turner that he’d had to shield his family from his mistakes more than once. He knew what Portia was going through. He’d been on both sides of infidelity, and it was never black and white. Turner said that was the opposite of how it was in court. Right and wrong, guilt and innocence. He said the real truth was somewhere in the middle, and she said the only mercy she could exercise was before the trial in a plea deal and afterwards in the sentencing. He said, like with Rocco, and she said, exactly. He said he was grateful anytime anybody showed someone he loved that kind of grace. He didn’t forget it.

Jacinda came back and said she’d gotten lost. The house was huge and gorgeous. Tracy thanked her, and Jacinda asked how long it had been in the family. Michael said, since his grandfather had it built for his grandmother. She left it to Tracy. Jacinda said, very cool, and Tracy said it was. She thanked them for sharing a nightcap and said she’d leave them to their evening. She left, closing the door behind her, and Jacinda asked what Tracy said about her. She felt like Tracy might like her. Michael said they did talk about her, and she said, of course (🍷). That’s what happened when someone left a room. He said Tracy thought he was taking advantage of her.

Scout told Alexis that it was so much better than yesterday. She loved her presents, but being able to see Alexis, her Aunt Kristina, Aunt Molly, and Danny… Alexis said she was sorry Danny had to leave, and Scout said he was the only one who really understood what it was like not to have their mom there. Alexis said she understood, and Scout said, but it was different. Danny knew how it felt to have a mom be there and then be gone. Alexis said they had a wonderful bond, and she was glad Scout had her brother. He’d always be her brother even if things between her dad and Danny were complicated right now. She hugged Scout.

Back at the Quartermaines’, Danny told Cody that Drew thought he was protecting Scout, but she was miserable because of him. Life was so good when he, Scout, and their mom lived with Rocco and Dante. It was awesome. Then their mom died and the rest of them stayed together at the Quartermaines’. They were sad, but there were people around them the entire time. It was impossible to be lonely. He still had that thanks to his dad, but Scout was locked away all alone. Cody said he was sorry. He knew how hard it was to worry about someone you loved. Danny said he hated feeling helpless. He wished there was something he could do. Cody said maybe there was.

Alexis said she was sorry she had to ask Scout to keep something from her dad. She thought it best Scout didn’t tell him that Danny was there. Her dad wouldn’t get upset and Danny wouldn’t get in trouble. Scout told Alexis that she wouldn’t say anything, when there was a knock at the door. Alexis told Scout to get her coat, and Willow came in. She asked how it went, and Alexis said, wonderful. Molly and Kristina thanked Willow, and Scout said, it was the best time ever. Willow said she was so glad, and Alexis thanked her again. Willow said she knew how important it was to spend time with family over the holidays and Alexis had been working hard so she could see hers.

Turner told Sonny that there was a huge difference between a teenager making a mistake and a grown man being a career criminal. When you made the choice to repeatedly break the law, it was never a grey area. Sonny said, never say never. She may find herself forced to do the wrong thing for the sake of the people she loved. Turner asked if he could talk himself into anything, and he got up. He said he didn’t have to talk himself into anything, and left.

Kristina said she thought that’s what they needed, and Molly said watching Scout and Danny together. Alexis said that’s why it was important for her to get back in Drew’s good graces. She had to dig her defense out of the hole, not just for Willow’s sake, but Scout’s future depended on it. Molly said she believed in Alexis. If anyone could pull it off, she could. Alexis said, the next time she got a shot in court, she wouldn’t miss.

Jacinda asked if Michael told Tracy that he wasn’t taking advantage of her, and he said he tried. She said, Tracy didn’t buy it, and he said he couldn’t change the circumstances of how they first met. Tracy knew he was paying her to be his alibi, and thought when the trial was over, they would be too, but she was wrong. Jacinda said she wanted to believe that, but felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. He said, there was no shoe and nothing dropping… except this. He handed her a jewelry box and said, a belated Christmas gift. She said she didn’t get… and he said he thought of her soon as he saw it. She opened the box, finding a bracelet inside, and he said it was elegant, beautiful, and it sparkled – just like her. She said it was too much and she couldn’t accept it. She handed it back, and he said if she didn’t like it, they could get something else, but she said it wasn’t that. It was stunning. He said think of it as a token of his genuine and deepening affection, and he put it on her. He said it looked perfect, and she said she’d never seen anything quite like it. And she’d never known anyone quite like him. They kissed.

Jordan asked if Laura was sure she was okay. Something felt off. Laura said she was fine, and Jordan said Laura could talk to her about anything. Laura said if she if she needed to, she would, and Jordan left. Doc came back and said Ace was asleep, and Laura asked if he’d thought about Dublin. He said he was calling first thing in the morning and letting them know he wasn’t coming. He wasn’t leaving her. Not now. She said she understood, but with everything going on with Sidwell, she felt like it was smart to keep their options open.

Marco said Lucas survived the party without blowing up at Willow, but Lucas said he failed at playing nice and putting on a mask. Their encounter disintegrated, like always. He asked Marco not to be a lawyer and wear a mask with him. He wanted all of Marco, even the parts he wasn’t proud of. Marco said that’s what he loved about them. He used to bottle everything up, but with Lucas, he could just be himself. Lucs said, open and honest, and Marco said, always. They hugged.

Drew said he wanted Sidwell to know there was nothing to worry about in respect to the blackmail, and Sidwell said he was going to need Drew in Washington after the first of the year to help with some things. Drew said why should he actually go to work? there was still a lot to do in Port Charles. Don’t be so quick to send him to DC.

Cody said if Danny wanted to see Scout, be smart. What did he do when he hit his head against a wall? Continue banging his head? You look for a door. It was what was called the long con. You played a role. Drew wanted Danny to live by all the rules he made, so Danny was going to make Drew think he was going along with everything, when in reality, he was just waiting for the moment to take what was his.

In the car, Scout thanked Willow for taking her, and Willow said she was happy Scout got to spend time with her family. Scout asked if she could tell Willow something. Willow had to promise not to tell anyone, not even her daddy. Willow promised, and Scout said, Danny was there. Willow said, it must have been fun, and Scout said, it was, but no one could know she saw Danny or he’d get in trouble. Willow said Scout’s secret was safe with her.

Tuesday:

Gio, Emma, and Kai were at Trina’s on New Year’s Eve. Kai toasted, to a fantastic 2026.

Nathan was on his phone outside Lulu’s when she came out to keep watch with him.

Jordan sat back for some TV and champagne, when Curtis came by. He said he was hoping they could usher in the New Year together, but if it was too soon, tell him.

Cody decorated the stables and asked what Outback thought. Outback barked and Cody said he hoped she liked it too. Molly called and he said he had the perfect place for them to ring in the New Year. She said she was so sorry, but she wouldn’t be able to meet up with him.

Bearing champagne, Carly went to see Valentin in the attic. He asked if she was poisoning him, but she said she was fresh out of polonium.

Britt found Jason in the nook, and he asked if she needed something. She said, his company. It was her birthday and the anniversary of her death, and she didn’t want to mark either occasion alone.

Molly told Cody that Turner called her in to produce a plea deal for a case so she could focus solely on Willow’s trial, and she wanted to review it first thing in the morning. Cody said they’d do it when she had time, but she said it wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve. He said they could pretend. All they needed was a bottle of champagne, noisemakers, and plastic glasses that said 2026. She said she wasn’t backing out or hiding behind work, and he told her to do what she had to, and he’d see her in the new year. He told Outback that he guessed it was just him and his princess pie celebrating the New Year, and Outback barked. He said she was right. He was giving up too easily. It was time to turn the night around.

Gio asked what the deal was for tonight, and Emma said maybe Trina called in a favor and got them into the VIP area at The Savoy, but Trina asked if they minded skipping The Savoy. She didn’t need to see either of her parents tonight. Emma stepped away to take a call, and Gio suggested they stay in. They wouldn’t find better company anywhere else.

Jordan said she was glad Curtis came by. She’d just opened champagne. Could she pour him a glass? Curtis said, sure. He’d been on his way to a party at The Savoy and realized the only person he wanted to be around tonight was her. She said she’d debated on reaching out, but with everything he had going on and everything that came out in court, she didn’t want to push it. He said the only person selfish one here was him.

Carly said, after you, and as Valentin took a sip, she said, Jack picked it out. He said their evening ended early, and she said Jack was called away on business. Not that she minded. He asked if she was tired of playing at being interested in Jack or worried she wasn’t playing a role.

Jason said Britt was celebrating the death she’d faked? and she asked where his sense of humor was. Oh wait. He didn’t have one. He said, not when it came to her death. She worked for Sidwell and he knew Sidwell was using her medication as leverage, but she wouldn’t let him help. She said she couldn’t even enjoy the fireworks without a lecture. She’d see him around. She started to leave, but he said, wait.

Lulu told Nathan that she felt like she was taking advantage of the PCPD. She was starting to think Valentin wasn’t coming for Charlotte, but had to admit she was getting used to having him around.

Emma said Cody had an emergency and wanted her to watch Outback so she didn’t freak out over the fireworks, and Trina said, of course (🍷) she should go. Gio said he’d go with her, and Emma said he didn’t have to bail on his New Year’s Eve plans. He said she was his New Year’s Eve plan, and they left. Kai said too bad they had to go, but he and Trina could still go out. Trina asked if they could stay in, and he said he thought she’d never ask.

Curtis told Jordan that he’d been clear about trying again, but didn’t acknowledge how big of an ask it was, since it came with Portia and all the drama a baby could bring. Jordan said she didn’t begrudge him being invested in the well-being of his unborn child. She knew he hoped it was his and she wanted him to be able to raise the baby. He said he wished it was with her.

Valentin told Carly that it could be difficult to differentiate between what was pretend and what was real. It had happened to him, and he had decades of training and experience. She said she didn’t need training. Her love for her daughter made her capable of anything. He said they had that in common. That’s why she brought Charlotte to him. She said she’d also done it for Charlotte. Charlotte put on a brave face, but she was still a young girl who missed her dad and she deserved to see him.

Lulu said having Nathan here was helping her. She tried to be a chill mom, but knew her kids would say she was overprotective. Nathan said she’d only been back for a year. She’d lost out on a lot of things. Maybe she was scared of losing something else.

Cody told Emma and Gio that he had a personal emergency. He’d had a date with Molly and she’d had to cancel, but he was bringing the party to her. There were champagne and snacks in the fridge. Help themselves. He left, and Emma said it looked like they had the place to themselves. How did Gio want to ring in the New Year?

Jason asked what Britt had in mind for tonight, and she said she thought they could go to The Savoy and dance a bit. He said she’d be in debt for life, and she said, or they could go to the Brown Dog and have a couple of beers. Whatever it was, fun was the destination. She didn’t care where they went to get it. He’d covered her tab at Café Cherie, and she hadn’t properly thanked him. Thank you. Jason said she was welcome, and she said she’d thought they were good. He said they were. He just didn’t think he could be the company she needed tonight.

Valentin said he appreciated the risk Carly took, since the authorities were looking for him and she also had a relationship with Lulu. Carly said Lulu would never speak to her again. Hiding him could land her in prison, so he couldn’t screw this up. They had to make this work. Jack had to go down.

Lulu said she and Nathan were in an exclusive club. She’d missed out on four years, then he stole her thunder by raising her seven. Nathan said, it wasn’t on purpose, and asked if it got easier finding your footing after seeing everyone move on without you. She said ask her in another year. It did, but she didn’t think anyone would say you could slip in seamlessly. She’d managed to find things to ground her – her mom, work, having her kids close. And having a friend always helped.

Emma said they should have brought the digeridoo. It was cooler than a noisemaker. Gio said her grandfather gave it to her, but she said she thought he’d get more use out of it when she taught him to play. Speaking of making music, what about the other instrument he got for Christmas?

Molly wondered where the gods of legal precedent were when she needed them, when Cody knocked at the door and said, special delivery for ADA Lansing-Davis. She couldn’t join him on New Year’s Eve, so he figured he’d bring it to her. Feel free to tell him to get lost. She said, welcome to her legal lair. There was a leak in her office, so she was using Turner’s. He asked if there was anything he could do to help, and she said if he really wanted to save New Year’s Eve, she had an idea.

Jordan said she went in with her eyes wide open when Curtis assumed the baby was his, and she’d be by his side regardless. He said he regretted how he treated her when they were married. He was rigid, harsh, and unforgiving when he thought she was lying and he was sorry. He didn’t hire Selina because of her. He didn’t want to risk any future they might have. They’d wanted to take it slow, but what happened in the courtroom crystalized everything. There was no possibility of him going back to a future without her and he didn’t want to wait to get it started. She said neither did she, and they kissed.

Britt told Jason that she’d see if she could find Brad. He’d go to a club with her and get hammered or sit watching TV and drinking champagne. Whatever. He should have been her first stop. Jason said he cared about her and wanted her to be okay. Could she not see that?

Valentin said he and Carly had the same goal. Jack needed to go. Carly was concerned she’d be clearing a path for him to take Charlotte and disappear, and she didn’t want to do that to Lulu. He said he wanted Charlotte back in his life, but her fears were unfounded, and she said it wouldn’t get easier just because Jack was gone. He said it would be simpler. He’d get exonerated and have a life he could allow Charlotte to be in. For her safety, Charlotte needed to be in Port Charles and she needed Lulu. He had no intention of taking Charlotte from her mother.

Nathan said he noticed Lulu didn’t mention Dante in the things that grounded her, and she said Dante was an important part of her life. He was Rocco’s father, and she loved him and relied on him for a lot, but Dante’s whole foundation shifted when she was gone. He fell in love with Sam and they got engaged. She didn’t know if she could lean on him the way she once did.

Cody read Molly legal precedents, and she said she was almost done. He said, until 1975, it was perfectly legal to streak in Port Charles. He’d always wondered what it was like to run naked around Rice Plaza. She said, cold. She was done after a quick email to Turner and attaching the plea deal. If Turner didn’t like it, she could polish it herself… Sent. Cody said, time to celebrate.

Gio told Emma that it meant a lot that Ned and Sonny came together to give him something so special, and it made Tracy happy. She was having a hard time since it was the first Christmas without Monica. Emma asked if playing again made him happy, but he said, hardly. She said, because he felt pressure to play? but he said, no. Playing was great, but he felt so much distance between the person he’d been and who he was now. He didn’t know what person the violin was part of.

Jordan and Curtis got busy, and there was a song part.

Nathan said, if it was up to Dante, he’d be the one here, and Lulu said, true. He’d do anything to protect her kids. That’s where their situations were different. Nathan was missing a key piece of his life. He said, Maxie, and she said Maxie was going to wake up. He said there was no way to know how she’d feel or if they fit in each other’s lives. She’d made a life with Spinelli, and they had a family. Lulu said they loved each other, and Nathan said he couldn’t assume she’d give that up even if he was her husband.

Valentin said Carly didn’t trust him, did she? and she said, no, but she believed he loved Charlotte. So she had to believe he wanted what was best for her. She thought he knew it was best for Charlotte to be in Port Charles with her mother. He said she was one of the few who talked to him like a parent, and she said, as opposed to what? A criminal? She was used to hanging out with criminals and even criminals could love their children. From what she’d seen, Charlotte loved him and would benefit from having him in her life.

Britt said it wasn’t up to Jason to make things okay for her. It was a full-time job with irregular hours and no overtime. She was a trainwreck. Jason said he didn’t see her that way, and she said she knew he didn’t agree with all her choices. If there was something she needed to get out of, it was up to her to do it on her own. He said she didn’t have to. He could help. He wanted to help. She said maybe that was the sign of a really great friend. They disapprove of everything you do and still come through for you.

Kai asked what Trina wanted to pour herself into in 2026, and she said it always went back to art. She was about to graduate, and she was excited about what was next. Since they were on the subject, she wanted to show him her favorite piece of art.

Emma said she knew Gio thought the music came from his mom, but it came from that side of her in him. If he rediscovered it or never played again, he was still an incredible person. He asked how she always made him feel like he could do anything.

Cody put a Happy New Year hat on Molly and said Outback made him promise to give her this one, and she said Outback had good taste. He’d risked showing up. What if she’d turned him away? He said it would have been worth the trip to wish her a Happy New Year in person. It was nice to see her in her element. It blew him away how smart she was. She said she knew he’d made plans and hoped he hadn’t lost any money, but he said he decorated the stables and figured they’d dance. It beat the Brown Dog Bar. Molly said they could dance there, and he said, amongst the legal books, sticky notes, and a whiff of desperation? She said, yes, and he put on some music and they danced.

Lulu told Nathan that they’d both missed out on so much. Maybe it wasn’t about holding on tightly to the past. Maybe it was about them focusing on and prioritizing what they were grateful for. Nathan said he was grateful for James, his mother and sisters, and his badge. Lulu said she was grateful for her mom, her kids, and her work, and he said he also had her. She said, and she had him, when the fireworks started.

Valentin told Carly that he wasn’t spending New Year’s in Steinmauer. He wasn’t alone and locked up. He could see the sky. Carly said she hoped he was enjoying her luxurious accommodations in the attic, and he said he was watching the fireworks a few miles from his daughter. He got to hug Charlotte because of her. He owed her and paid his debts because he was a Lannister. She said she was running tab, told him, Happy New Year, and left.

Trina said she found it, and Kai said she owned her favorite piece? She said, it was a gift, and showed him a framed photo of them standing next to his artwork. He said, she liked it that much? and she said she did. It reminded her of him. She took down when they broke up, but couldn’t throw it away. Let’s put it back up together. He said he’d love to… after, and they kissed.

Emma said she’d report back to Cody that Outback handled the fireworks fine. They’d be right outside. She and Gio went out, and she said it was freezing. He put his arms around her and said, better? She said, much. The club would have been fun, but she thought this was the perfect way to ring in the New Year. He said, perfect, and they kissed.  

Auld Lang Syne played over the following scenes.

Curtis and Jordan looked out the window, and Curtis said, great harbor view. She said it didn’t get better than this. The only thing she was afraid of was them coming together only to lose each other again. Portia’s baby could still be his. He said, if it was, he’d be the most devoted father he could be and wanted her to be part of the baby’s life. He didn’t want to lose this either. She said they couldn’t. Not again. He put his arms around her, and they watched the fireworks.

Britt said another reason she came by was because in the chaos that was her life, the person she most wanted to be around was Jason. When she was with him, her life didn’t feel so chaotic. He touched her face, said, Happy Birthday, and kissed her. (Finally. Thank you.)

Cody and Molly danced, and she asked if the fireworks were getting louder. He said it might be his heart and they kissed. Molly started to take his shirt off, and he said it was her boss’s office. They couldn’t do this here. She said they could. It was New Year’s Eve.

Deck the Halls played over the yearly extended credits.

Wednesday:

No soap, football.

Thursday:

Tony Geary’s final episode from July 27, 2015.

🫔 Friday’s Half-Eaten Enchilada…

Jordan wakes up with Curtis, and he says, Happy New Year. She says, it’s already off to a pretty good start.

At the stables, Molly comes downstairs wearing Cody’s shirt, and Cody asks if she wants some pancakes. He made way too many. She says he had her at pancakes and hopes he doesn’t mind that she borrowed some of his things. He says she looks better in them, and they kiss.

Laura tells Charlotte that Ace’s nanny called in sick. She wouldn’t have called, but she has someone coming for a meeting and won’t be able to keep an eye on Ace. Charlotte says she thought Laura would have today off, but Laura says, apparently some things can’t wait. She doesn’t know how long she’ll be and can’t look after him until it’s over. Charlotte says, no problem. How about if they get out of Laura’s hair and she takes Ace to the park? Unless Laura wants her to stay home because she’s worried about Charlotte’s father.

At Bobbie’s, Sidwell thanks Marco for tearing himself away from the office… on a holiday, and Marco says, billable hours are billable hours. What’s so urgent? Sidwell says, Alexis’s last day in court was a disaster, to put it mildly, and Marco says, Alexis is a brilliant attorney. He’s sure she’ll salvage the case. Sidwell wonders if she can mitigate the damage done, or is Willow going to prison?

Drew says, Tracy’s movements the night of the shooting were on the footage that was tampered with, and Turner asks if he thinks it was anyone in the department. He says he guesses they can’t rule it out. How bad was it for the case? She says, losing the footage was a blow, but by the time they adjourned, Alexis was on the ropes. He says, Alexis will bounce back and hit back harder, and she says, the PCPD started the investigation with Willow and will have to defend their every action.

Sonny thanks Michael for coming over and says he ran into Turner. There’s something about the trial he thinks Michael should know.

Alexis asks Suzanne to do her a favor. Organize the exhibits and submit a new witness list for the prosecution. Suzanne asks if Alexis is changing her strategy, and Alexis says she is. She’s going after a person who’s more suspicious than Willow – Michael Corinthos. Rather than present a broad array of suspects, she’s going to focus on one simple, plausible scenario. Suzanne says, the last one didn’t go as Alexis had hoped, but Alexis says, reasonable doubt is reasonable doubt. Suzanne says, there’s a long list of suspects, and Alexis says, true, but presenting several at once might be too confusing for the jury. It’s better to present one and give them a clear view of what happened at Drew’s house. Suzanne says, it makes sense, but she has to ask. Is Alexis taking her lead from the anonymous letter? Alexis says, of course (🍷) not. It’s unsubstantiated. But she’s going to do everything in her power to prove what’s in the letter is in fact true.

Turner says Dante will have to defend the investigation, and he says they followed the evidence. It took them a lot of places, but ultimately pointed at Willow and they built a strong case. She says, a strong, circumstantial one, and he says, the phone records showing Willow’s cell pinging off a tower near Drew’s house isn’t nothing. It was the one piece Anna was missing from the traffic cam footage. Turner says, the footage is missing too. They had it and know Willow was in the vicinity, but the jury doesn’t know, and now the footage is gone. They have to proceed like they never had it to begin with. Alexis will use evidence to present doubt that Willow is the shooter. That means they’ll look for someone else to pin it on. He says, like Portia. That didn’t work out too well. She says, Alexis will present another suspect, and she doesn’t want to be blindsided with someone they’ve cleared who’s still viable. Dante says, like Michael? and she says she also wants to know what Curtis was doing with Selina Wu at the club.

Jordan says she knows they should take it day by day, and Curtis says, okay. She says, but she doesn’t want to be one of those couples who get back together and make the same mistakes, and he says he was thinking the same thing. He can’t believe they were ever apart. How did they manage to mess up something so good? She says, there were a lot of different reasons. In order to make it work, their relationship has to be a priority from the beginning, except for Trina. He says, both can be a priority. This time they’re going to do it right.

Marco tells Sidwell, Alexis is an excellent attorney, and Drew has given her more than enough motivation to win. What happened with Portia was a rare misstep. Sidwell says he hopes Marco is right, If Willow is convicted, Drew will be useless to him on the Hill and there will be no chance of his reelection. Marco says, what if he’s impeached? He could be convicted of blackmail. Sidwell says, that would be worse. He’d have to find a new ally in Washington, so their import business remains intact. Fortunately, he has the local politicos where he wants them. Marco says, Mayor Collins did a great job at the press conference announcing the sale of the piers, and Sidwell says, she’s a resourceful, determined woman who doesn’t enjoy being told what to do. Marco asks what Sidwell is going to do, and Sidwell says, never let her forget what she stands to lose.

Charlotte tells Laura that Ace will be perfectly safe with her. She promises. There’s a uniformed cop tailing her, not to mention the WSB surveillance, if Laura is worried about her running off with her dad while she’s with Ace. Laura said, of course (🍷) not. She trusts Charlotte. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have asked her at all. Sit with her a minute now. They sit down, and Laura says she doesn’t think Charlotte’s dad would try to approach her in broad daylight anyway. Charlotte says she keeps telling everyone that she doesn’t think he’ll try to see her at all, but no one wants to hear it, and Laura says, that’s not because they don’t respect what she’s saying. They just respect her father’s ingenuity more. He has a history here and people are being hyper-vigilant. Charlotte says, no one wants her to be snatched on their watch, but Laura says she doesn’t think that’s the reason they’re worried. To be frank, Ace is a handful. Charlotte says, so Laura trusts her. Ace on the other hand… Laura says, Ace would gladly walk into a pack of coyotes… or traffic. She doesn’t want Charlotte to sign up for more than she bargained for. Ace would be happy in his room. Charlotte says, it’s a nice day. She can wear the chaos machine out so he’s too tired to drive Laura crazy. Laura says her grandson is pure joy all the time, and Charlotte says she promises to keep a close eye on him. Laura says, okay, and Charlotte says, she won’t regret it. Laura says she knows she won’t and thanks Charlotte for being a real lifesaver.

Kristina walks into Alexis’s and says she can’t find her charger. Has anyone seen it? The living room is empty, and she sees Alexis’s paperwork on the coffee table. She picks up a binder and looks in it. Alexis comes in and asks what she’s doing, and Kristina says, what the hell? Alexis asks if Kristina didn’t know that’s private, but Kristina says she doesn’t care. Alexis is framing her brother for something he didn’t do.

Cody says he hopes Molly doesn’t think he’s a bad influence, and she asks why she would think that. He says, because of what happened last night, but she says, no regrets. Her sister told her that she needs to start living her life, and last night, she thinks she finally did. He says he’s glad to help. He can’t believe how lucky he was. It was a long shot that she wanted to come back here. She says she didn’t want the night to end. She didn’t want the morning to end either. He says, it doesn’t have to. They can spend the day together, go riding, watch a movie. Did they ever make a sequel to Titanic? She says, no, but they did make a movie where they go down to the wreckage and raise it. She was thinking they could do something else. They kiss and he picks her up in his arms. As he’s about to take her upstairs, Felicia and James walk in. James asks why Cody is carrying Molly. Is she hurt?

Suzanne brings Turner the revised witness list, and Turner tells Dante to take a look at it and tell her what he thinks Alexis is up to.

Michael asks, since when does Sonny hang out with the ADA? and Sonny says he was supposed to meet Brick at Café Cherie, but at the last minute, Brick canceled. He saw Justine having dinner alone and thought he’d say hi. Michael says, they’re on a first name basis? and Sonny says he’s cultivating her friendship. He thought it could be useful. Michael says, to her or him? and Sonny says, friendship goes both ways. Don’t get him wrong. He thinks Turner likes him a little bit, but she wouldn’t hesitate to take him down. That woman does not take her eye off the ball. Michael asks if the ball is Sonny or him, and Sonny says, in general, he is, but today… Did Michael get subpoenaed? Michael says he’s already on the witness list, and Sonny says, that means he’ll be in between two incredible lawyers who will use his testimony to their advantage. He’ll be a target to both of them.

Kristina says, it’s one thing to have a theory about a suspect, and another to actively build a case against them, and Alexis says, aside from everything else, it’s her fiduciary duty to defend Willow to the best of her ability. What does it look like to Kristina? Kristina says, it looks like she’s preparing to falsely accuse Michael of shooting Drew, and Alexis says, give her an alibi she halfway believes. She can’t investigate every aspect of the case, but she’s looked at all the evidence and firmly believes if the police had done their job, Michael would be on trial, not Willow.

Jordan and Curtis go into Bobbie’s, and Jordan tells Sidwell and Marco, Happy New Year. They sit at another table, when Sidwell’s phone rings. He tells Marco that he’ll take the call outside.

Curtis says, that’s it? She says Happy New Year and goes on her way? She doesn’t have to stop and make nice? Jordan says, Sidwell isn’t like that. If he needed to talk to her, they’d be talking. Otherwise, he respects her personal life. Curtis asks if she’s ever had a boss that was like that before now, and she says, never. It’s funny. In many ways, Sidwell is a great boss. The work is engaging, challenging, and exciting. Don’t get her wrong. She still has her own agenda. He says, good to know, and she says, other than her suspicions about his underlying criminality, it’s the best job she’s ever had. He says he agrees that they should put their relationship first, but regarding Sidwell, she doesn’t have to tell him everything. But if she needs him, he’s here. She says she appreciates that. In case he was wondering, she knows her job with Sidwell has to end at some point, but until then, she’s gonna enjoy it… Right up until the moment she takes him down.

There’s a knock at the door and Laura opens it. Boyle says, madam mayor, and she slams the door in his face. She takes a deep breath, opens it again, and says, what? He thanks her for the invitation, and she tells him, shut up and get in. She doesn’t want anyone to think they’re friends. He comes inside and says, aren’t they friends of a sort? but she says, no. He says he knows she’s a busy woman, so he’ll make it brief. She says she is busy, so spit it out. What does Sidwell want now?

Cody puts Molly down, and James says, she doesn’t seem hurt. Molly says, Cody was carrying her because she thought she saw a mouse, and Cody says, it’s cool to them, but not to… He nods in Molly’s direction, and James says he’s got it. Cody asks if James’s lesson isn’t tomorrow, and Felicia says, it was, but they moved it to work around James’s school schedule. Cody says, they did, and Felicia says, James is really excited to use his new saddle. James says, Santa brought it, and Felicia says, with a little help from a special elf. She looks at Molly, who smiles, and James says, grandma and Grandpa Mac let him stay up late so he could see the fireworks. Felicia says she can bring James back another time, but James says, no. Molly says, absolutely not. James needs to try out his saddle, and she should go see her mom. Felicia says, if she’s sure, and Molly says, totally. Felicia says she’ll be back in an hour, and James asks if he can’t stay longer. Felicia says, they’ll see how the morning shakes out, and tells Molly that it’s nice to see her. Felicia leaves and James says he’s ready for his lesson now.

Sonny says, Alexis and Turner are going to set Michael up to say something he regrets, and Michael says he knows Alexis will try and make the case about another suspect. She already has, but after what happened with Portia, he’s not worried. Sonny says, when Turner cross-examines him, she’ll use him to testify about Willow’s questionable judgement. Then she’ll make him say all the mistakes Willow’s done in front of the jury and give him an opening to bury Willow. Michael asks, how is that bad? and Sonny says, it’s worse than bad. She’ll trap him on the stand in front of a jury and have him say how bad Willow is as a mother and how she’s capable of violence. It will all be a matter of public record. Michael says, Willow deserves it, but Sonny says, not the kids. If he does something like that, at some point, Wiley and Amelia will know what he thinks about their mother and it’s going to stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Kristina asks if Alexis is telling her that whatever’s in the file points to Michael shooting Drew instead of Willow, but Alexis says she doesn’t have to prove Willow didn’t shoot Drew. She just has to provide reasonable doubt and there’s plenty of it. Kristina says, so in her mind, she has no doubt Michael did it, but Alexis says, Michael’s not on trial. If she had her way… One reason she believes it’s Michael is that he was at Drew’s house the night he was shot. Tracy Quartermaine saw him. Kristina says she saw the anonymous note. Alexis has got to be kidding. They may as well have cut words out of a magazine. Alexis says, that’s why she’s not submitting it as evidence, and Kristina says, anyone could have sent it. Did Alexis have it checked for fingerprints? Drew’s are probably all over it. He hates Michael so much. It’s not enough that Willow goes free. He wants to make sure Michael pays for Willow’s crime and he’s using Alexis to make sure that happens.

Laura says, Sidwell expects to build multiple helipads on Spoon Island. Multiple as in plural. She expects there will be noise violations. Boyle says, Sidwell wants them at the piers as well. What does she want him to tell the boss? She’ll take care of it, or instead, stand in the way of progress and commerce? Laura says, the boss makes him sound like a dime store hood, which is something he would be. Boyle says, it’s not him, it’s Sidwell, and she says she’s not giving into him. He says, Sidwell will say she’s against a thriving economy, but she says, he doesn’t care about a thriving economy. He cares that he’s not caught in traffic on his way to the airport. Boyle says, time is money, and she says, let him work remotely. He can do that. He’ll never have to leave Spoon Island. He says, Sidwell won’t go for that. He wants to land his privately owned helicopter on his own helipads. She says, on a public waterfront, because he can’t be bothered to take the launch. It’s not fair to the people of Port Charles. He says, that’s why she needs to sell it to them, and she says, if she refuses? He says, take his advice. Give Sidwell what he wants. She doesn’t want to know what he’s like when you don’t.  

Outside Bobbie’s, Sidwell sees Charlotte with Ace and says, hello. Charlotte asks if she knows him, and he says, not yet, but he knows her grandmother. She must be Charlotte Cassadine. And he believes this handsome young fellow is Ace, is he not? Sidwell chuckles and Ace moves closer to Charlotte.

Dante says, Alexis is going to suggest the PCPD focused on Willow Tate prematurely and chose not pursue equally viable suspects who were right in front of them. She’ll say it was biased and arbitrary, not just because Michael is Willow’s ex, but because Michael is a viable suspect himself. She’ll say he chose not to pursue it because Michael is his brother. Turner says she would. She’s not worried. He knows how to handle himself. He’s consistent, methodical, and transparent. Just tell the truth. He says, that was the plan, and she says, stick to the facts. Be himself. They jury will love him. He says, Alexis will come at him with everything she’s got, and Turner says she’ll object if it’s necessary, but she doubts it will be. Alexis dug her own grave and Willow’s along with it.

Alexis says she didn’t realize her skills as an attorney registered so low with Kristina, that Kristina would think she’d build a case based on an anonymous letter without evidence to back it up. Kristina says, there are other viable suspects, and Alexis says, Portia turned into a fiasco. She needs to build the strongest case and provide reasonable doubt for Willow. That’s her duty. Not just for her, but for Scout and Sam.

Sonny says, if Michael lashes out on the stand about Willow, sooner or later, Wiley and Amelia will find out what their father said, and Michael says, it’s too late. They lived with it. They know she chose Drew over them. Drew used his son against him twice. Willow doesn’t care how the kids feel. She married the man and he has to make sure she’s not in the kids’ life. They have him and need to know he’s not looking the other way. They need to know the truth about their mom, that she put her needs over theirs. They need to know he’d do anything to protect them. Sonny says, anything?

Boyle tells Laura, don’t shoot the messenger. It’s his district. He lives there and his constituents live there. Laura says, on paper. He only cares about one constituent. He says, does he want to live with the constant noise and listening to them flying? and she says, what about his other constituents? What is he going to tell them? He says, in public, he’ll be vehemently opposed. He’ll say, oh my goodness. Woe is me. I wish there was something I could do, but Mayor Collins is much too powerful. She says, disgusting. Is this really what he wants? To be Sidwell’s messenger boy, his bootlicker? He must have cared about people at some point to have gone into politics. He says, not everyone is like her. She really is remarkable for her and her ethics to last that long. She says, he makes it sound like a dirty word. He says, just an inconvenience. Don’t make it so hard. From here on out, she needs to be more selfish and look out for herself. She says, he’s an expert on that, and he says, her being her, she can do some good when she can, which won’t be often, but knowing her, she’ll manage. She thanks him for his faith in her, and he says he has faith in Sidwell’s ability to get what he wants. And if she gives him what he wants, Sidwell can be the best friend she’s ever had.

Charlotte asks if Sidwell still keeps horses at Windymere, when Marco comes out. Sidwell introduces Marco to Charlotte, and Marco asks, who’s this? referring to Ace. Sidwell says, this is Ace, and Marco says, nice to meet him. Sidwell says, Charlotte lived at Windymere with her father, and Marco says, it must have been spooky living there. Charlotte says, it was, but she prefers spooky, and Sidwell says, the house has a complicated history. It’s his understanding that if Charlotte’s Uncle Nikolas wasn’t presumed dead, it wouldn’t be his house, but would belong to Ace. Charlotte says they should go now, and Sidwell says he thinks the lost inheritance is a touchy subject. Charlotte says, Ace is ready for his nap. She was going to take him to Bobbie’s for a cookie, but she thinks he should go home. Sidwell says, give his regards to the mayor and keep an eye on Ace. Children this age are reckless. They’re curious explorers and trusting. If you turn for a second, they can be gone. Charlotte says, thanks for the tip, but that’s not gonna happen, and she and Ace leave.

Turner tells Dante, Alexis did herself no favor, showing the jury that she was willing to throw an innocent woman to the wolves on the off chance of saving her client. It looked desperate. The jury won’t like her forcing Dr. Robinson to confess such a profoundly personal thing on the stand, something that has no bearing on the case. Dante says he heard about it. It sounded rough. She says she felt bad for Portia and wonders why Alexis thought it would work in her favor, and he says he thinks the jury felt bad for Willow. She tells him, it’s hard to say. Alexis will never put her on the stand. Willow would never hold up under a cross-examination. She’s not a defendant you’d want to testify. On the other hand, if she doesn’t, it might make her suspicious. He says, what about a cop whose brother of the defendant’s ex? and she tells him, like she said, he’s professional and likeable. Believe her, he’s got this. He says he appreciates her faith in him. He’s going to work to keep earning it. He has a question though. Is she prosecuting this case because of Anna’s investigation or does she think Willow is guilty?

Sidwell says, Charlotte is a charming girl and potentially very useful, and Marco says, how so? Sidwell says, her father is Valentin Cassadine. Valentin Cassadine is a man of many talents. They could use someone like him in their current project. Marco says, if he wasn’t number one on the WSB’s wanted list, and Sidwell says, he may be in the wind, but his daughter is in Port Charles. He can’t be far.

Curtis tells Jordan, looking back on their marriage, there were multiple missed opportunities. So many times where they almost connected, but for whatever reason, didn’t. She says, she had her job and her secrets, and he had his. They were both living in worlds they couldn’t share with each other. She doesn’t want that to happen again. He says, neither does he. There are things she can’t tell him and he’s sure there will be things he can’t tell her. Has the situation really changed?

Charlotte tells Laura that she and Ace went to the park. She was going to take him to Bobbie’s to get a cookie, but he was pre-nap grumpy. How was her meeting? Laura says, better than she would have thought, but still agonizing. It helps to know Charlotte and Ace had fun. Did they? Charlotte says, yes, they did, and Laura says, Ace looks tired. She should probably get him to bed. Charlotte says she can do it if Laura wants, and Laura says, that would be great. Charlotte tells Ace, it’s just you and me… Oh, she forgot. She ran into Mr. Sidwell. He told her to give Laura his regards. She takes Ace to his room and Laura looks distressed.

Cody asks, how are the flapjacks? and James says, delicious. He asks why Molly was wearing Cody’s shirt, and Molly says she was cold. Cody is a good guy and let her borrow his shirt. On the side, she thanks Cody for last night. She had a lot of fun. He says him too. They should do it again sometime. She says, definitely, and he says he’ll give her a call. James asks if Molly is Cody’s girlfriend, and Cody says, yes, but Molly says, no. They look at each other.

Turner says it doesn’t matter what she believes. Dante is a cop with integrity and she’s an officer of the court. They both follow the letter of the law. It’s her responsibility to present the facts in the best possible way she can, hoping that the truth comes out. In the meantime, Alexis will defend Willow to the best of her ability. Both sides will have their say, then they’ll let the jury decide.  

Michael says, of course (🍷) he’d do anything for his kids. He knows what Sonny is thinking. Sonny says, what’s that? and Michael says, that he could have taken Edward’s gun at any time. He could have shot Drew and paid Jacinda for an alibi. Wiped the gun clean and waited for the perfect opportunity to pin Drew’s shooting on Willow, which would be enough to make sure she was out of the picture. Then the final nail in the coffin. He gets up on the stand and makes sure the jury knows what Willow is capable of. She would be put away for good and maybe then the kids would be safe. Sonny asks what Michael is telling him, and Michael says, when he finally gets on the stand, everything he says will be for the benefit of his children.

Alexis tells Kristina that they can’t see Scout if she doesn’t get Willow exonerated, and that little girl needs them. They have to protect her. Kristina says, of course (🍷), but why does that mean sacrificing her brother? Alexis says she knows Kristina loves her brother and is loyal to him, but he’s a grown-up and able to take care of himself. Kristina says, he didn’t do it, and Alexis says, they don’t know that. If Kristina is thinking of warning her brother about the new direction she’s taking, she wants her to remember Scout’s well-being is at stake. She’s just a little girl and can’t defend herself, but Michael is a grown man and capable of handling this. He’s going to have to.

Curtis says, so if he and Jordan are right back where they started, how has it changed where they’re headed? Jordan says, how about this? She promises to be as open as she can about work. He says, so does he. In fact, he promises right here and now, they’ll always have difficult conversations that they’d rather avoid, because whatever this is that’s happening between them is the most important thing.

Sidwell says, Charlotte could be very useful in bringing Valentin on board, and Marco says, now he gets why Sidwell turned on the charm. Sidwell says he’s a charming fellow, and Marco says, he can be and he was in the moment he made a veiled threat. Sidwell says, it was hardly a threat. He just sent Mayor Collins a message.

Laura thanks Charlotte for everything she’s done, and Charlotte says, anytime. Ace is the cutest monster ever. Laura says she has to ask. Does Charlotte know Jenz Sidwell? Charlotte says, no. He introduced himself. They mostly talked about Windymere. He was nice, except… Laura says, except what? and Charlotte says, after he told her to send Laura his regards, he told her to keep an eye on Ace. He said children were reckless at that age. You could look away and in an instant they were gone. Laura sits down hard on the sofa.  

On Monday, Portia asks Curtis to please give her a little bit more time; Laura asks Doc to get Ace out of harm’s way; Kristina tells Jacinda that she has to get out of town immediately; and Valentin wonders what someone is doing here.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit to Print…

No surprise here.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/what-was-the-best-soap-of-2025-find-out-which-show-fans-picked-gh-yr-btg-days-or-bb/

But isn’t a snowman made of sand a sandman? Just asking.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-adrian-anchondo-confirms-romance-with-days-of-our-lives-star-colton-little/

A trip down Luke Memory Lane.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/photos/remembering-general-hospital-star-anthony-geary-1947-2005-his-life-in-photos-and-rare-quotes/

Stars who got their start on soaps.

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20100105_6a0dc430b95a5ecaa804e02330515779/

Roll call of the soap dead for 2025.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/in-loving-memory-the-beloved-soap-actors-who-have-passed-away-in-2025/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Mediterranean

Cathy’s stepfather passed away, it was the anniversary of V’s boyfriend’s death and also her birthday, as well as V’s return to the yacht after recovering from whatever it was she had. Nathan kept trying to win Gael back and Eyebrows Joe and Kizzi mourned their lack of restraint while V was off the boat. Well, Joe did anyway, literally sobbing during his interview. It was an emotional roller coaster for the crew, but the saddest thing of all was the tip of $16K, or $1400 each – from charter guests who left a poopie in the shower. In. The. Shower. Ugh.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Aren’t these people ever embarrassed? They were kicked out of both a spa and restaurant due to loud arguing. Lisa whined about having to dress up, except for the time they all dressed like her. Brittani was tired of walking on eggshells around Meredith, and it was pretty much agreed that Meredith was spiraling. Or as Mary put it, Meredith was having too many highs, too many lows, too many mediums. The pattern was patterning.

Vanderpump Rules

This show is barely watchable for me. The main thing I got out of this week’s episode was, what the hell is wrong with Natalie? If she’s worried about being called a psychotic bitch, she should stop acting like one.

Random Reality Items

Is Vicki replacing Fancy Pants? Is Fancy Pants moving to RHOBH? Stay tuned.

This show definitely looks promising, and I’m thrilled that MJ and Reza have made up.

How can a reality show called Deplorable possibly miss?

Glad to hear she found her person. She dodged a bullet with Craig.

https://extratv.com/2025/12/29/southern-charm-s-naomie-olindo-and-billy-haire-engaged/

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Breakdown: 1975. Netflix. There isn’t a lot to say about this documentary about – you guessed it – 1975. While this review wasn’t exactly stellar, I enjoy a retrospective, especially seeing the films that came out during that time period and interviews with those who were there. This was a fast hour and a half of something I didn’t have to think too hard about. The perfect watch for New Year’s Day.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/breakdown-1975-netflix-documentary-film-review-2025

Girl You Know It’s True. Peacock, Tubi. A docudrama about Fab and Rob, the duo who were Milli Vanilli. Mentored and produced by Frank Farian – also of Boney M fame – the pair lip-synced their way to the top of the charts. After that, it just gets sad. Another relatively mindless watch, yet not a waste of time.

Bugonia. Peacock. I don’t know if I would have shaved my head to see it for free in the theatre, but I was pretty impressed. I’d avoided this film for a while, since aliens aren’t my thing, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. An amateur beekeeper and alien nerd kidnaps a CEO, believing she’s an alien out to destroy us. A clever script, some great acting, and a score that includes Green Day’s Basket Case, this film is amusing, violent, and poignant. I absolutely loved all the twists and turns where I wondered, is she or isn’t she? Something different and well worth your time.

https://www.cbr.com/emma-stone-bugonia-sci-fi-peacock-success-december-2025/

One thing I know from people who have shaved their heads, their hair usually grows back beautifully. It’s like a fresh start.

https://people.com/emma-stone-one-condition-shaving-head-bugonia-exclusive-11854042

Stranger Things Finale. Netflix. I came late to the party on this one after years of friends insisting I watch it. While I enjoyed it and I’ll miss it, I was never all that invested in the characters, so I was a bit double-minded about the finale. The final battle was amazing, but there were a lot of trips down Memory Lane and wrapping-things-up conversations that I thought dragged down the pace. However, I do appreciate that it was for the benefit of hardcore fans. Farewell, Hawkins. It’s been real. Or unreal, depending on whether you’re in the Upside Down or not.  

https://ew.com/how-stranger-things-ends-character-fates-11877953

https://ew.com/stranger-things-cast-watch-series-finale-together-emotional-experience-11878197

🎆 Celebrate Good Times, Come On…

Celebrities ringing in the New Year.

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20260101_d3c0806e136f485ab0fcc98d73c01d7e/

All around the world.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-year-2026-celebrations-around-world-photos-fireworks/

What it’s really like in Times Square. I’ve never gone there on New Year’s Eve, but I had a roommate who went once. She said not only did she get beer spilled on her and peed on, when the crowd moved, you moved. No thank you.

https://people.com/adult-diapers-19-hour-waits-what-its-really-like-celebrating-new-years-eve-in-times-square-11877868

🥀 Roll Call Of the Dead…

Celebrities we lost in 2025.

🐕 The Latest On Planet Pooch…

🐾 Joining the club.

https://people.com/american-kennel-club-adds-3-new-dog-breeds-brings-total-breeds-to-205-11877348

🐩 I’ll bet he doesn’t look like that lounging around at home.

https://people.com/jj-lhasa-apso-wins-best-in-show-at-2025-akc-national-championship-11876779

🎉 Dogs ushering in the New Year.

https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/dogs-who-are-so-ready-to-celebrate-new-years-eve/

🐶 I don’t think that Pug is too happy about the pantyhose though.

https://www.rover.com/blog/new-years-looks-dog/

🪅 Tips for next year’s celebration. Or have one now. Your dog doesn’t know it’s not New Year’s Eve.

https://www.dailypaws.com/living-with-pets/holidays/pet-parties/new-years-eve-party-for-dogs

📡 Quotes of the Week

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

Sometimes a person has to go a very long distance out of his way to come back a short distance correctly. – Jerry, The Zoo Story by Edward Albee

I think the only answer is to live life to the fullest while you can and collect memories like fools collect money. Because in the end, that’s all you have – happy memories. – Sarah Strohmeyer

When we talk about understanding, surely it takes place only when the mind listens completely – the mind being your heart, your nerves, your ears – when you give your whole attention to it.Jiddu Krishnamurti (So when you say, I understand, make sure you do.)

Happiness is for dogs and Americans. – Dr. Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati), General Hospital

Persons of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others; they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else. – Nathaniel Branden

Pickled cucumbers are so good. They taste just like a pickle. – Colin Dooley, Baylen Out Loud

🥂🍾 For the Sake Of Auld Lang Syne…

Until next time, stay safe; stay not starting the new year with the pressure of a New Year’s Resolution; and stay focusing on and prioritizing what you’re grateful for, rather than holding on tightly to the past.

April 18, 2024 – Ava Learns the Truth About Sonny’s Meds, That Awful House, Falling Into a Prime Series, The Dog & Fire

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At Bobbie’s, Carly asks Hunter how it’s going, and says, don’t quit. Please don’t quit. Hunter says she just came out to keep the barbarians at bay, and Carly tells her, keep up the good work. Sitting at one of the tables with her laptop, Josslyn asks if Carly is sure she can’t help with anything, but Carly says, no. She want’s Josslyn focusing on studying. Josslyn says, Katrina’s great, but is she qualified to take over for the cook? And Carly says, she knows her way around a kitchen. She just wishes the stove was working. Josslyn says, there’s no stove? and Carly says she keeps trying to call the usual repairman and he’s on an emergency. Josslyn says, this is an emergency. She has a jack of all trades. At least she used to.

Outside in the parking lot, Brennan says, Dex has to complete the JST in under four minutes and 28 seconds. Any questions? Dex says, ready whenever he is, and gets in position. Chase blows a whistle.

On the phone at the hospital, Dante says, they better kick whoever’s sitting at his desk out of his chair because he’s on his way… That is right. He’s back. He sees Finn at the registration desk, and Finn asks, how’d it go? Dante says, good. He just got a clean bill of health and he’s headed back to work. Finn says, that’s good news. He’s sure Chase will be glad to have his partner back. Dante asks if Finn is okay, but Finn says, everything is not okay. Chase’s bachelor party is going sideways, and he doesn’t know what to do.

At the Bistro, Trina tells Ava that she’s almost ready with the video teaser for the Kevin Huber opening, and Ava says, great. She can’t wait to see it. She can’t tell Trina how much she appreciates the extra time Trina’s putting in at the gallery. Trina thanks her and says she’s happy to. She’s not in school and she’s got to start saving up for things, like her own place. Ava’s phone rings, and she tells Trina that she didn’t realize… She looks at the phone and sees it’s a call from Applied Analytical Labs, and Trina asks if she needs to get that. Ava says, no. If it’s important, they’ll call back.

Sonny splashes water on his face and looks at himself in the mirror. He squints and looks like he has a headache. Lois comes into the penthouse and tells Frank to tell his mother to use arnica. It will help her lumbago. Frank says, arnica, got it, and Lois says, the only issue is, she’s going to have to stay off the garlic while she’s using it. Sonny comes in, and Frank says he doesn’t think his mother can sacrifice garlic. Lois laughs and says she knows what he means. Her ma is the exact same way. Frank tells Sonny, Miss Cerullo is here, and Sonny says he thinks he knows that. Frank leaves, and Sonny says, Lois has never met a stranger, has she? They hug, and Lois says, they’re only strangers until you say hello. She loves hearing people’s stories, which is exactly why she’s here. Something’s off with him, so what’s his story?

Anna answers her office phone and says, he’s here now?… Send him in. Cyrus walks in and thanks her for agreeing to see him. She asks what brings him here, and he says, his duty as a citizen. When he was attacked at All Saints Chapel on New Year’s, he wasn’t prepared to make a statement, but after talking with his sister, he’s ready to make one now. She says, he can do it here, and he thanks her. She says she has to inform him that once he makes a statement, it will officially be evidence and may be used to prosecute his attacker. He says, understood, and she turns on the recorder. She says, present, Commissioner Anna Devane taking a victim’s statement. It’s April 17th, 2024. She asks Cyrus to state his name for the record, and he says, Cyrus Renault. She asks if he can identify the individual who assaulted him on January 1st, 2024, and he says he can. He was attacked by Sonny Corinthos.

Trina tells Ava, don’t get her wrong. She loves her parents. She loves her grandfather with all her heart. She just thinks it’s time she found a place of her own. She can’t be a kid all of her life, right? Ava says, that’s true. Children have to grow up; parents have to let them. She just wonders though, if this is a good time for Trina to be alone. She knows it’s hard to process a loss like Trina’s without some solitude. She also knows that there is such a thing as being alone too much, where the space you want becomes a void. Trina says she hears what Ava is saying and appreciates it, and Ava says, but? Trina says, but between her family and Joss, and her family and Ava… Did she mention her family? She thinks she’s good. And she doesn’t think a little self-reliance is a bad thing. Ava says, just when she thought she couldn’t be prouder of Trina, and Trina says, speaking of space, she’s been dying to ask. How is Ava doing living at Sonny’s? Ava says she guesses it’s okay. She supposes when you spend so much time fighting with somebody and you’re forced to be together and there’s a child involved, you just get used to each other. Trina says, miracles do happen, and Ava says, they certainly do. They’ve settled into a routine. Sonny relies on her. Avery does too, of course (🍷). Trina says she’s glad the two of them are making things work. In the meantime, she has to go open up the gallery. Ava says, since they discussed business at breakfast, it’s a write-off, and hands Trina a credit card. Trina leaves, and Ava sees there’s one missed call and one new voicemail from the lab.

Sonny asks why Lois thinks he’s off. It’s not like his life isn’t going incredibly well. Lois says she knows he’s going through it, but it doesn’t explain why he hasn’t responded to her only daughter’s wedding invitation. Because he knows how much Brook wants her Uncle Dimples to be at the most important day of her life, right? He says, yeah, and she asks, so why is he going to leave his favorite niece hanging? He says he was thinking of just sending a gift, and she says, oh. Sending a gift instead of coming. So what’s that gift going to be? A gravy boat? A toaster oven? Spatulas? Sonny says, no. He was going to buy her an espresso machine. Lois says, Brook loves him, and she loves him. He’s her oldest friend from the neighborhood, and the wedding wouldn’t be complete without him. He says he doesn’t want to ruin the day for her and Brook, and she says, so this is about her and about Brook. It doesn’t have anything to do with him being seated next to one of the growing list of people he can’t stand being around anymore?

Brennan starts the timer, and Dex runs through something that looks a lot like a dog agility/training course, except for when he has to fake shoot a gun.

Carly asks how Josslyn is with everything, and Josslyn says, with the breakup? Carly says, that and Spencer, Trina moving out… and Josslyn says she’s fine. She thanks Carly for asking, but says, Carly has more important things to deal with. Carly says she hates when Josslyn does that. There’s nothing more important than Josslyn. Josslyn says, more urgent then. She’ll be fine. Carly’s customers, not so much. Carly says, help has arrived, and Michael walks in. Josslyn says, where? and Carly hugs Michael and thanks him for getting here so fast. Josslyn says, please tell her that he brought the help, but he says he is the help. Josslyn says, they’re doomed, and he thanks her for the vote of confidence. Carly says, her brother is a capable young man, and Josslyn says, he’s capable of picking up his platinum card. She just doesn’t know about a wrench. He says he’s going back to the office where he’s appreciated. Then mom can call her new boyfriend to help.

Dante asks if Finn has a Plan B, but Finn says, no. He was all in on Plan A. Who books The Savoy on a weeknight? Dante says, they can still salvage this thing. What did Chase say he wanted his bachelor party to look like? Finn says, Dante knows Chase. Nothing fancy. No strippers. Dante says, of course (🍷), and Finn tells him, Chase said no techno music. Other than that… Dante says, they can work with other than that, and Finn says, they can? Dante says, of course (🍷) they can. Don’t worry about a thing. He’s just going to do boring desk work at the PCPD anyway. Now he’s got a case. Finn says, the mystery of the missing bachelor party, and Dante says, that’s right. His first assignment.

Brennan says, time? and Chase looks at the stopwatch. Dex asks how he did, and Brennan says he’ll get his results from both the written and physical tests after they’ve been reviewed. He leaves, and Chase tosses a towel to Dex and says, he did well.

Michael asks if Carly has told Josslyn about the new man in her life, and Josslyn asks, who’s this mystery man? Michael says, some FBI agent, and Carly says, oh my God. Josslyn asks, how serious is it? and Michael tells her that he’d say it’s pretty serious. He has it on good authority that they already graduated to sleepovers at the MetroCourt. Carly says, that’s enough, and Josslyn says, on whose good authority did he hear this? Carly says, Nina, and Josslyn says she should have guessed. It’s just like that time Willow and TJ were having that torrid affair. Carly says, exactly. So is he going to go in the kitchen and fix her stove? He says he’ll take a look at it, and leaves. Josslyn says, so? and Carly says, nothing. She was driving to the coffee warehouse, and she saw this man being attacked.

Anna gets Cyrus’s statement from an officer and asks him to sign it. He looks at it, and says, as he told them here in his statement, he does not believe the young man in scrubs who visited his hospital room was GH personnel. She asks if there’s something he wants to add, and he says he’s since discovered the man was working for Sonny. While he can’t prove it, he believes the man was sent by Sonny to do him harm. Then again, no harm came to him. At least, not that day. She says she’s aware of the situation, and for what it’s worth (🍷), she knows the young man in question has severed all ties with the Corinthos organization entirely. He says he’s relieved to hear that, and signs the statement. She thanks him, and he asks, what happens now? She says she’ll make a copy for him and then she’ll file this. He asks if he needs to make arrangements to leave town for his own safety, but she says, oh no. This information will remain confidential for now. He says, but not forever, hopefully, and she says, until she finds the best possible use for it.

Ava calls the lab and says she just missed a call from a Stuart. Can he connect her please? He says he’s Stuart, and she says she’s calling about sample #H6784, and he says, yes. Like he said in his message, they completed the analysis of the samples she sent to them. She asks if he can tell her the results, and he says, if she doesn’t mind him asking, where did she get those capsules? She says, it’s her husband’s medication. They got them at the pharmacy. She explained all this when she called. Is there a problem? Stuart says, it appears the compounding pharmacy made an error, and she says, what kind of error? He says, each capsule has an imprint code that tells them the name and dosage of the medication that’s supposed to be there, and she says, supposed to be? He says, the contents of the capsule match the imprint code. It is indeed lorphenadrine, but the dosage should be 50 milligrams. She asks, how much is it? and he says, closer to 10 milligrams. Her husband is getting less than a quarter of his prescribed dosage. If this is a pharmacy error, the failed to satisfy their standard of care. She thanks him and says, he’s been very helpful.

Dante walks into the squad room and everyone applauds. He says, they remember who he is, and thanks them. He finds a balloon attached to baseball caps that apparently have his enemy team on them, and he says, those will make for good kindling, whoever thought of that. Anna asks who he thinks, and he says he’s guessing it was that guy, pointing to Chase’s desk. She says, welcome back, and he thanks her and says, it’s good to be back. Even though he’s probably looking at doing more filing. She says, they’ve been saving it all up for him, and he says he can start with what she’s holding, but she says she’ll handle that. Just get settled. He says, Chase’s bachelor party is at the hatchet range, and she asks if that isn’t a guy thing, but he says, that’s old traditional stuff. She says, it’s the tradition part that… and he says, no strippers or anything like that, but drunk people throwing axes. She says, it sounds so tempting. Why is he handling this? She thought Finn was his best man. Dante says, he is, but he tried to book something at The Savoy, and someone’s actually booked up the entire club. She says, on a weeknight, and he tells her, that’s what Finn said, so he wanted to give Chase a good send-off. Could she help spread the word? She says, absolutely, and he says he guesses he has calls to make. She says, no personal calls, but he says he thinks they can agree that celebrating Chase’s time left as a single man constitutes as police business, right?

Trina comes back with the receipt for Ava to sign and says, one of these days she’s paying for breakfast. She doesn’t know when, she doesn’t know how, but she’s going to make it happen. Ava says, she’s more than welcome to try. She has a question for Trina. She likes living with Josslyn, right? Trina says she loved it. Why? Ava says she was just thinking, maybe Josslyn is ready to move off campus too. The two of them could get a place together. Trina says she loves the idea. She doesn’t know why she didn’t think of it herself. Ava says, it would be perfect, and when her boyfriend comes to visit her, there will a lot more room. Trina says she didn’t tell Ava. Joss and Dex broke up. Ava asks, what happened? and Trina says, long story, but the craziest part is that Dex is now trying to become a police officer. Ava says, Dex wants to be a cop. Talk about a change in direction. Trina says, nobody could be more shocked than Joss, and leaves. Ava says she can think of somebody who will be.

Sonny says he’s fine with all kinds of people, and Lois says, oh yeah. She can see him dancing the Funky Chicken during the reception next to Ned and Michael and Tracy… He says, she doesn’t have to list all the people, and she says, come to the wedding. Rise above his petty grievances. He says his grievances are not petty, but she says, they are when you compare them to the magnitude of her daughter’s heart and to the joy she should be guaranteed on this, the happiest day of her life. He needs to put up with those people, who in turn, have to put up with him. He says, that’s what he’s talking about – those people. That’s the point. A large celebration like that, there’s safety issues. He doesn’t know if she’s noticed, but he’s a target right now.

Carly tells Josslyn that Agent Cates might not be her favorite person, but she didn’t want to hear from Olivia that housekeeping found him on the couch in a coma the next morning. John walks in, and Josslyn says, is that him? Carly tells her, you study, and goes over to John. She asks if she can get him something, but he says, no. She’s given him plenty. It’s time he finally gave her something in return.

Anna gives Cyrus a copy of his statement and he asks if he frames it. She says, the department understands his legitimate concerns about his safety. Just to let him know, she’ll give him a heads up when she intends to charge Mr. Corinthos. He says he appreciates that, and she says, he’s welcome. She would wish him well, but… He says, but she doesn’t. And with a history like his, how could she?

Lois says, safety is paramount. which is why security has already been handled, and Sonny says, who? She says, some of Yuri’s people. They’re enormous. She’s got to book a trip to Belarus during beach season. With his people and Sonny’s people, it’s going to be the safest wedding in years. So please, can she tell her daughter that he’ll be attending her nuptials? Well? He laughs and says, fine. She says, wonderful. Will he be bringing a plus one? Ava walks in, says hello to Lois, and tells her that Frank said she was visiting. Lois says, Ava’s still here. She hadn’t realized. Ava says, for the time being, yeah, and Lois says she just figured Ava would want a place of her own that better suits her aesthetic. Ava says she’s here because Sonny insisted she and Avery be here for their safety, and Lois says, but things have been quiet recently, right? And Lucy Coe is such a great real estate agent. She’s sure Lucy could find Ava and that adorable daughter of hers a place lickety-split. Or maybe Ava wants to stay at a suite at the MetroCourt Hotel, since her bestie Nina owns the place. Ava says, those are really terrific suggestions, and thanks her. Lois says she’s here to help. Chiao. She leaves and Ava looks at Sonny, who shrugs.

Carly says, John has something for her? and he says, first off, his sincere thanks for her rescuing him the other night. She says, if it stopped him from falling into a coma or bleeding all over the upholstery, it was worth it.

Michael tells Josslyn, look, it’s mom’s FBI agent, and Josslyn says, back so soon? Did Michael already get a grease stain on his Egyptian cotton? He says he’ll have her know, he scoured all the build-up off the burners and the gas jet. He’s just waiting to see if Katrina and Hunter can get the stove going again.

John says he gets the sense that Carly really enjoys being right. She laughs and says, absolutely. Especially when other people have to admit it.

Josslyn says, Michael doesn’t think she actually likes him, does he? but he says, no. He’s just messing around with her. But still, he thinks they should keep an eye on that guy.

Chase says, officially, they can’t talk about the results, but he can tell Dex that he admires his decision to quit Sonny and apply to the force. Dex thanks him, and Chase says, he read in Dex’s application file that he did a tour in Afghanistan. Dex says, that’s right, sir, and Chase says, detective when they’re at the station. Dex can call him Chase when they’re on the street. Dex says he’ll remember that, and Chase says, he never did the service himself, but he can’t imagine what Dex went through. But Dex lived it and he’s here now. He admires that. Dex thanks him and says he appreciates Chase telling him that.

Chase and Dex go into the squad room, and on the phone, Dante says, hatchet range, 8 pm. Will they be there?… Okay. Good. And keep it on the downlow. It’s going to be a surprise for the guest of honor. He turns around to see Chase and Dex, and says, how much did Chase hear? Chase says, about his super-secret bachelor party at the hatchet range? He didn’t get the time. Did Dex get the time? Dex says he did, and Chase says, he’ll see Dex there. Dex thanks him and heads for the door. Also on his way out, Cyrus says he almost didn’t recognize Dex without his scrubs.

Carly asks if John has any suspects in the attack, and he says, as a matter of fact, he knows exactly who’s behind it. She says, really? Who? He says, her, and she says, excuse me? He says, the way he sees it, she planned that little beatdown as payback for him coming to her door with a search warrant. She asks why she would do that, and he says, isn’t it obvious? To give him a warning. She says, he wants a warning? Call first. She starts to walk away, and he says he doesn’t have her number. She just looks at him and he says, so he guesses he’ll just have to give her his. He holds out his hand and she puts her phone in it.

Lois knocks at Finn’s office door and asks if this is a good time. He says, she’s always welcome. What can he do for her? She says she’s glad he asked. Planning Brook’s wedding has become a full-time job, and she was hoping he could help her take one little item off the list. He says, if he can, and offers her a seat. She says she wanted to inquire about the rehearsal dinner, which happens to be something that’s traditionally organized by the groom’s family. He says, absolutely. Don’t worry. He and his dad are on it. She says, good. She was a little worried about broaching the subject. He says, it’s totally under control. In fact, he thinks that his dad emailed all the details to Tracy. She says, originally, they were planning on doing the rehearsal dinner over on… He says, Coney Island. They’re aware. She says, of course (🍷) everybody who lives in Bensonhurst can easily get to Coney Island. Seeing as how the rehearsal dinner is the night before the wedding and the wedding is here in Port Charles… He says, Tracy had offered up the ELQ jet, which might be a violation of wedding etiquette, but his family doesn’t own a jet. And chartering buses would mean arriving in Coney Island in just enough time to turn around and come back. She says, exactly. The jet is essential and she’s very happy Tracy stepped up. So there’s a favor she would love for him to ask his dad for her. Anything he happens to email Tracy about the wedding, would he mind Bcc’ing her on all of it? That way, she knows what’s going on without Tracy having to know she knows what’s going on. He says, ah. He’ll pass along the suggestion. She says, oh good. Maybe Finn could also have him forward her the email that he sent to Tracy about the rehearsal dinner, in case Tracy gets busy with whatever Tracy happens to get busy with. He says, that he can promise, and she thanks him. She can’t tell him how excited she is for him and his dad and her future son-in-law to meet the whole Bensonhurst posse. He says, they’re already fastening their seatbelts, and she says, they really should. He says, it actually feels like this wedding is coming together, and she says, fingers crossed. Does he mind if she just asks him one more thing? How’s his dad?

Carly asks how the studying is going, but Josslyn says she hasn’t looked at it. What’s the deal with her FBI buddy? How badly was he hurt when she found him? She says, pretty bad. It would have been worse if she hadn’t found him. Josslyn asks if she thinks it was random, and Carly says, they didn’t take anything. He still had his cash and credit cards, phone and gun. Josslyn asks where she found him, and Carly says, a couple blocks from Corinthos Coffee. Josslyn asks if she thinks Sonny’s behind it, but Carly says she doesn’t know. It could have been random. Josslyn says, it could have been Sonny. And if he’s going to do that to an FBI agent, imagine what he’s going to do to Dex when he finds out Dex is becoming a cop.

Brennan walks into Anna’s office with a folder, and she asks if that’s what she thinks it is. He says, Heller’s application, physical, and psyche exam report, and standard test scores. She takes the folder and asks if he can give her the Cliff Notes. He says, Dex was in the 98 percentile of academy applicants, and she says, this year? He says, ever, and she says, wow. She was right about him. Brennan says, she was right about his skills… and she says, but he still has reservations. Okay. Let’s hear them.

Ava says, Sonny looks exhausted. Although, who wouldn’t be after a visit from Lois? He says, who happens to be one of his oldest friends, and she says, don’t get her wrong. She admires Lois’s high-spiritedness. He says, does she? and she says she does. Lois is very vibrant. That being said, she gets the feeling there is precious little Lois admires about her. He says, Lois is just over-protective of him, and Ava asks if she has a point. He says, about what? and she asks if it’s safe for her and Avery to leave. Have they overstayed their welcome? Should she be looking for another place for them? He says, that’s up to her. He’s not in a rush. She says, that’s very nice to hear, and he says he likes having her and Avery here, because he can keep an eye on them. She says, it’s funny. Not very long ago, him keeping an eye on her would have been out of suspicion. He laughs and tells her that he’s got to say he appreciates her looking out for him. She says, what kind of lookout would she be if she didn’t ask him if he took his meds this morning, and he says he has to get on that. He gets up, and she asks if they make him sleepy. He says, they used to, but not anymore. He thinks he’s gotten used to them. Why does she ask that? She says, looking out for him, and he laughs. He goes into his bathroom, gives a scary Sonny look at himself in the mirror, and takes a pill. Ava watches him.

Carly says, Josslyn has every right to be concerned, but this is Dex’s decision and she’s going to have to respect it. Michael comes out and says, bad news. He, Hunter, and Katrina tried everything. Either she needs a new stove or there’s something wrong with the gas. There’s no pilot light. There’s no gas. Carly says she’ll have to try the gas company and call the repairman again. She thanks him for trying and he says, sorry he couldn’t help. Mainly because he’s not going to hear the end of it from Josslyn. Josslyn says, he knows he’s always her hero. And he’d be mom’s hero if he bought her a new stove. Carly says she’s going to call the repairman, and steps away. She sees John’s number and smiles.

Finn says, his dad has stopped sharing any medical updates, and Lois says, that’s not good. She’s so sorry. He says, it’s all right. He thinks his father’s been keeping things to himself to avoid putting a damper on the celebration. He thinks in many ways, this wedding is what’s keeping his dad going. She says she thinks that’s beautiful. Just like his invocation is going to be beautiful. He says he’s sure it will be, and she says she knows when Brook and Chase asked Gregory to officiate at the wedding, he agreed only on the condition they arrange for a back-up just in case. She knows they haven’t actually done that, so would he like her to arrange for a back-up? Quietly? He says, yes, and thanks her. His dad’s right. Whether he’s sharing what his doctor is saying or not, a back-up is probably a good idea. She puts her hands on Finn’s shoulders and says she’s on it. Not that they’re going to need it. He says, if nothing else, her force of will is going to see his father through the day.

Chase hugs Dante and Dante says, okay, pulling back and touching his wound. Chase says he’s sorry. He’s just glad Dante is back. Dante says, him too. Even if it is desk duty. Chase says, anywhere, and Dante says, Chase’s brother is going to kill him, but Chase says he can act surprised. Dante says, he can? and Chase says, watch. He puts his head down, then looks up at Dante, and unconvincingly says, oh my gosh! Dante says, that’s what he thought. Chase is too honest. Chase asks, what’s wrong with that? and Dante says, nothing. It’s a great quality for a cop. It’s a terrible quality if you’re pretending to be shocked to see all your friends hoisting a drink to celebrate your impending wedding.

Dex says, Cyrus probably has an idea of what he was doing in his room at GH, and Cyrus says he has his suspicion. Dex says he’s sorry for that. He took a wrong turn in his life, and now he’s trying to correct it. That’s why he’s here. Cyrus says, what a coincidence. He came here to the PCPD so he could do the very same thing.

Brennan says, candidates like this don’t come around very often, and Anna says she knows. That was her impression too. He says, by his objective standard, Dex Heller could make an excellent cop, assuming he doesn’t need police protection himself.

Sonny says he feels pretty good, and Ava hands him a cup of (I assume) coffee. He says, it’s amazing that out of everybody on the planet, she’s the only one right now who he’d let into his daily routine. She says she considers that trust quite an honor, and he asks where she went this morning. She says she took Trina out to breakfast, and he asks how she’s doing. Ava says, she’s okay, all things considered, and he says, poor kid. She says, yeah. Trina did tell her something pretty interesting. He says, what’s that? and she says, don’t kill the messenger. Is he aware that Dex Heller is joining the PCPD? He bangs his fist on the table and makes the scariest of scary Sonny faces.

Tomorrow, Lois tells Brook and Olivia that she’s got surprises for them; Anna needs someone to come to her office; and Nina tells Drew that they’re one step closer to the real prize.

🤽 Too Close Of Encounters…

Watching this, albeit in a half-assed way, made me rethink what’s more awful, this or The Valley. It’s kind of a backwards love-the-one-you’re-with situation. The show with the most awful people is whichever one is on my TV at the time. This week’s frat party had an space alien theme and was so messy, I started wondering how none of these parties end with one or more attendees being loaded into an ambulance. Well, they do say God protects drunks and fools, so, double the protection.

Narrowing it down.

🌁 Down the Apocalyptic Rabbit Hole…

After watching the entire first season of Fallout, I am now going through the stages that happen after watching an entire series at once. Denial, grief, watching any extras, looking for related articles and merch, and hopeful for a new season.

While I jump around from stream to stream, I’m loving Amazon Prime lately for giving me both Strays and now Fallout. I’m not a game player, mostly because I’m terrified that I’ll get sucked in and never come up for air. I know how easy it can be to lose time on the internet, so I’d probably never see family or friends again. But I have to admit, Fallout has made it very tempting.

A post-apocalyptic theme is high on my list of favorite sub-genres of horror entertainment. It goes: zombies, zombie apocalypse, any kind of apocalypse, big sea creatures, dinosaurs. Somebody dropped a nice amount of money on this series, and I couldn’t be more impressed.

Read all about it.

Season one reviewed.

https://www.theverge.com/24126474/fallout-review-amazon-prime-video

https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/fallout-review-prime-videos-fantastic-take-on-video-game-franchise

Even the gamers think it’s good,

https://www.ign.com/articles/fallout-season-1-review-amazon-prime-video

The cast and cameos.

https://people.com/fallout-cast-everything-to-know-8635070

https://screenrant.com/fallout-show-cameos-explained

The set was right up there with Barbie. So many amazing details.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1127848/fallout-series-prime-video-creators-video-game

And the soundtrack couldn’t have been more perfect.

https://mashable.com/article/fallout-soundtrack-music-tv-show

For the hardcore full-time nerds.

https://people.com/fallout-easter-eggs-8634730

The future of the future.

And a maybe.

https://www.cbr.com/fallout-season-2-aaron-paul

🐕‍🦺 CX404 AKA Dogmeat…

Since I usually end with an animal story, what could be more appropriate?

https://www.looper.com/1554242/how-amazon-prime-fallout-fixes-dogmeat

Spoiler, but you want to know.

https://www.distractify.com/p/does-the-dog-die-in-fallout

The real deal.

Popped No Chain Whatsoever in New Orleans…

Join me tomorrow for soap and pre-weekend wit and whimsy. Until then, stay safe, stay knocking before entering, and stay putting up with the people who in turn have to put up with you.

November 19, 2023 – Part 2 – The Final Fear & Better

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

Part 2 – The Road Ahead

Madison flashes back to Alicia as she looks for Tracy in the woods. She calls to Tracy and says, she doesn’t have to be afraid. Tracy hides in a hollow log, looking at her medal, and crying silently. Zombies start to come into view. Dwight pops out of the woods and kills one, and Tracy scootches further back into the log. June asks if they found Tracy, and Sherry says, not yet, but they found Troy’s righthand guy. He’s hurt bad, but he’ll make it. Daniel asks why they’re helping Russell, and Dwight says, the herd dispersed, and they want to keep him close to find out where they went. Daniel wants to get a car and get as far away as possible, but Luciana says, it’s over. Daniel says, not as long as the girl is out there. Troy still has his followers and they’re fanatics. They hurry Russell into the car, and Daniel asks Luciana how far the refinery is. She says, about a day’s drive, and he tells her get the car and he’ll get some supplies, and they leave. Tracy comes out, but so do a couple of wayward zombies. She knocks one down, but her pokey stick gets stuck in another, and it brings her down. She kicks at it, and Madison kills it. She says, Tracy is going to get herself killed, but Tracy says she doesn’t care. Madison killed her dad. Madison asks if she heard her mom was Madison’s daughter, but Tracy says, that’s not true. Her mom Serena died. Madison asks why Tracy’s father would tell her what he did, but Tracy says she doesn’t know. Madison insists Tracy come with her. It’s not safe; there are dead everywhere. Tracy says she’s not safe with Madison, but Madison says she did what she had to. She sees Tracy’s ankle is hurt. She says, what’s left of the herd is still out there, and she’s all Tracy’s got. She coughs and thinks of Alicia. Tracy asks where Madison is taking her, and Madison says, to find Tracy’s mother and her daughter, so her daughter can be put to rest. Tracy’s father was right about one thing. Pretending the world is different than it is gets people killed. The sooner Tracy figures that out, the better. It’s how she’ll survive. Madison figured it out too late to save her own kids and she’s not making the same mistake with Tracy.

Aww, the opening credits show everyone.

Luciana gases up a car and hotwires it. She radios Daniel to meet her, and Madison appears holding a gun on Luciana. Madison tells her, don’t say anything, and turn off the walkie. She asks if Luciana’s road network doesn’t include Fort Worth. They need Luciana to show them the way. Madison calls to Tracy, and Luciana says, she looks hurt. She asks why Madison is doing it this way, and Madison says she can’t run the risk of being taken back to the island and living the way Victor wants them to, thinking the world is different than it is. That will get them killed. Troy is out of the picture, so fix the car so they can get out. Madison takes some oxygen and remembers Alicia and Nick. Luciana says, maybe if Madison puts Alicia to rest it will help her see beyond her anger and show her there’s something more to fight for. She tells Madison that she needs to get a new fuel pump, and Madison makes her leave the walkie.

Madison tapes Tracy’s ankle, and Tracy says, pretending they’re family won’t change what Madison did. Madison says she knows it seems unforgiveable, but this way, Tracy will live long enough to understand why she did it. Tracy gives Madison the medal and tells Madison that her dad said he got it from her mom. If what he said is true, it belonged to Alicia. Madison asks, why give it to her? and Tracy says, it doesn’t work. It didn’t keep her dad safe. Madison says, apparently, it didn’t keep Alicia safe either, and Tracy grabs Madison’s gun, saying, back away. Madison says she’s not leaving Tracy, and takes the gun from her. She takes out the magazine and says, it’s not loaded. Does Tracy think she’d risk pointing it at her daughter’s kid? She puts the medal in the empty magazine and then into the breast pocket of her jacket, and Tracy asks why she’s keeping it. They both know it doesn’t work. Madison says, it’s all she has left of her daughter, besides Tracy. She can get a new chain for it. Victor shows up, and asks what they’re doing here. Madison says, Luciana told them? but Luciana says she gave Madison her walkie. Victor says he needs to take them back to PADRE, so Tracy can process what happened, and to help Madison process what Troy told her. Madison says, they can’t go back, but Victor says, it’s the safest place. Madison says, building what she and Alicia wanted will just get Tracy killed, but he asks what she’s talking about. She says, Alicia gave Troy a second chance, and he killed her and took her kid for it. Victor says he knows things seem scary, but Tracy can trust him, and holds out his hand. Madison shoots in the air and says, stay away. The shots alert the zombies heading their way, and they fight the zombies off. Daniel says he’s not letting Madison take Luciana away from him, and Madison says, nobody’s going to get hurt if they just let her and Tracy go. They’ll go on foot if they have to. The zombies are getting plentiful, but Daniel says, they don’t have enough bullets, and Victor suggests they get inside. They all go in the auto shop.

Zombies scrabble at the windows, and Madison asks if there’s another way out, but Luciana says, the back wall caved in. Victor says he’s getting help and radios Frank. He tells Frank that they’re pinned in an auto shop and need help, but Frank says, they’ve got their own problems with the dead. On the island, a barge full of zombies is headed for the dock. Dwight says, what the hell is this? and Russell says, they should have done more than disperse the herd. If Troy taught them one thing, it was how to herd the dead. They’re going to overrun this place, and there’s not a damn thing they can do. June says, they had a truce, but Russell says, then they killed Troy. Dwight grabs Russell and says, stop them, and Russell laughs and says, he can’t. Zombies begin to tumble into the water, and Dwight says, get everyone inside and close the gates now! The rain starts to pour, and the zombies start coming through the water and onto the shore. It’s pretty creepy looking.

Daniel says, there’s not enough firepower. They’ll wait them out. They’ll tire eventually. Victor says, it’s time they don’t have, and calls Frank. Frank asks if Victor is okay, and Victor says, they’re safe for now. What about Frank? Klaus tells Frank that they’re surrounded by zombies, but the walls are holding. He asks if Tracy is there, and Victor says, she is, why? Sherry sits Russell by the radio and Frank says, Troy’s man wants to talk to her. He says if they hand over Tracy, his men will draw the zombies away. Victor puts Tracy on, and Tracy asks if it’s really Russell. Russell says, it is. He promised Troy that he’d take care of her. Madison says, Troy asked her, and Russell says, after she gutted him. He wasn’t in his right mind. Madison says, Tracy is all she has left, but Russell says, that’s not necessarily true, and she asks what that means. Troy stabbed Alicia and left her for dead, but he didn’t see her die. Madison says, Troy told her that Alicia turned, but Russell says, that’s because it’s what he told Troy. Troy cut her up pretty good, but Alicia got him too. She nearly drove her arm clean through his stomach. Like mother, like daughter. He limped home with it still in his belly; that’s how he got her arm. He sent his men back to make sure the job was done, and they found a blood-soaked mattress, a bloody knife, and bloody footprints heading out the door. Victor says, that doesn’t mean she’s alive, and Madison says, he could be lying to get what he wants. Why did Russell tell Troy that she was dead? Russell says, Troy wasn’t in a forgiving mood. He told Troy what he wanted to hear. Give them Tracy, and she’ll find her daughter. Luciana tells Madison not to fall for it, but Madison tells Russell that she can’t do that. If Alicia is out there, she deserves to be with her daughter. Alicia wouldn’t want her turning Tracy over. Russell says he thought she might say that, so his men will take the island, but Dwight says, the dead can’t get in here. Russell says, they don’t have to get in. They just have to get the living out. There are some bomb blasts, and Victor says, he needs to get to the island. He’s doing it with or without them. He opens the door to the waiting zombies, and everyone scrambles. There’s slicing and dicing and whacking zombies in the head.  

Dwight asks how Russell blew off the grenades, and Russell says, they had launchers for a while, and waited for the right time to let them rip. Dwight knocks him down, and June says, they can’t stay much longer. Daniel was right; they should have left Russell to die. Dove brings June the set of pistols that belonged to John and asks what they are. June says, a little help from the past, and Dwight says, they have to leave. They’ll go through the woods. He tells Dove to take the prefects and fire as many flares as they can off the far walls. It will thin the herds and they can create their own path. Only kill zombies if they have to, and don’t stop until they get to the dock. They’re bringing Russell with them. Are they ready? Sherry says, for Finch, and Dwight says, open ‘em. Russell asks if they’re insane. They’ll be eaten alive. Dwight says, that’s why Russell is here, and uses him as a buffer in the front. Ha-ha-ha!

At the auto shop, Victor says, that’s the last of them. They have to get to the island now. Daniel says that’s the last time Victor and Madison put his family in danger to save theirs, but Victor says, Daniel would do the same thing if Luciana was on the island. Daniel says, Victor is pursuing this self-serving crusade to make himself feel better about the rotten things he’s done, and Victor says, the parts of him that Daniel hates are the things he doesn’t like about himself. Daniel asks if he’s a psychiatrist now. Every person he ever cared for, he lost because of Madison and Victor. Madison says, they’ve all lost people, and Daniel says he’s sorry he let Madison’s husband in his barbershop back in Los Angeles. He’s had bad luck since. She says she’s sorry she let Daniel into her home, and Victor says he’s sorry he let Daniel on his boat. Luciana says, they can make it to the refinery before sunrise, and Daniel says, wherever Alicia is, she’s better off without Madison. Victor says, that’s enough, and Luciana tells Madison that the car should get her where she wants to go. She hopes Madison can find peace. Daniel suggests Tracy run as far as she can from these people; Madison is losing her mind. And Victor is a selfish, pathological liar, and would have gotten them killed like every person he’s cared for. Victor radios Frank, and Frank says, there are too many. They can’t get to the dock. They’re pushing them back to the center, pushing at the fence. Victor asks why they’re not inside the fort, and Frank says, they’re fighting. They’ve got their hands full and the zombies are going to breach the net. Victor says, they need to move to the docks, but Madison says she’s not going. She has to find Alicia. Victor says, they will, after they save the island. She says, Tracy is in no shape to fight, and if she goes, she might not come back. Victor says he needs his friend to try and save his family, and she says, he is her friend, but she can’t. He doesn’t understand. She’s been seeing Alicia, Nick too. It’s like a dream, just their faces, before things went bad, back in L.A. If she has a chance to find Alicia, she has to try. Start over. Victor asks if she doesn’t think he wants that. He has his family dream; she’ll have hers too. Madison says, then he understands why she has to look for Alicia. She can’t go further with him. He says, so this is it. He came to save Tracy, to save Madison, so he could give her chance to get things right. Now Frank and Klaus might die because of it. He guesses Madison is teaching Tracy what she wants her to learn. This is how you survive. If she finds Alicia, tell her that he tried.

Tracy and Madison are in the car, and Madison looks at a map. Tracy says, if Madison is so sure the world is sh*t, why was it so important for Alicia to believe differently? Madison says she doesn’t know. She thinks parents just try to give their kids the things they didn’t have. Tracy asks if Madison had nothing to believe in when she was a kid, and Madison says, her daddy used to drink. When he drank, he hurt her mama. He hit her. He would apologize and claim he’d stop drinking, but he never did. She watched it happen for a long time, when she was around Tracy’s age. One day it went too far. She saw too much, like all those moments built up. She knew he was going to kill her mama eventually and she wanted it to stop. She wanted it to stop so bad, she shot him. Tracy puts her hand on Madison’s and says, she did it to protect her mom. She didn’t want Alicia to have to do anything like that. Madison says she thought she could build a place where Alicia wouldn’t have to, where she and Madison’s son could feel safe. But all she ever did was put them in danger. Tracy says, so Madison gets it. Why she has to do this. She shoots Madison in the side, and Madison falls out of the car. She laughs, and says, Tracy finally understands this is what happens when you try to build something better. You end up giving people hope and putting them in danger and getting them killed. Find Alicia and make sure she understands too. Tracy says, Alicia’s not her mom. She’s done listening to Madison. She runs away.

Victor and the others run to the island, and Victor radios for help. Luciana and Daniel hear him, but Luciana says, they can’t get there in time. They’ll have to fight on their own. Victor says, it can’t end like this. Nooo!

On the island, the dead are being burned in funeral pyres. Troy is now a zombie and stuck in a tree. Tracy sees him, and says she’s been looking for him all night. She shot Madison; she had to. She thinks everyone died on the island. She loves him. She aims the gun and shoots.

Tracy buries Troy, and says, he was all she had left. She looks at the gun, when Victor comes along. He tells her to put the gun down, but she says, leave her alone. He says, if that’s what she wants, but first he’d like to help clean her up, and there’s something he needs to tell her. Zombies are heading their way, and Victor picks up the gun and holds out his hand. He says he knows a place that’s safe.

Tracy asks what Victor wants. Why is he still here? He says, because she still has something left to fight for. She just doesn’t know it yet. She asks how he can say that. How is he even alive? He says, Madison saved him. She saved all of them. He promised he’d find Tracy and tell her what Madison did. Tracy says, no, no, no. She shot Madison. She killed her. We see Madison after Tracy shot her. She gasps and gets up. Victor says, she thought she was dying too. She thought it was all over. Tracy asks, what happened? Madison takes the magazine out of her pocket, and Victor says, something stopped the bullet, the St. Christopher’s medallion, Alicia’s medallion. Tracy says she doesn’t understand, and Victor says, after Tracy shot her and Madison realized Tracy wanted everything to end, she knew she was wrong. She knew she had to do something big, something monumental, if there was any hope in restoring Tracy’s faith in what’s worth fighting for. We see the fighting on the island and Dwight yelling, move! Victor says, for the people they love, for the people they have, for the things that are bigger than all of them. We see June tending wounds, and Victor says, for the things they’d give their up lives to protect. Tracy says, no way she saved them all with that many dead, but he says she did. The same way she did before. Like a repeat of the stadium. We see Madison drawing the zombies’ attention with a flare, and leading them away, and Victor says, she led the dead into PADRE’s walls so they could escape to the docks and live. Madison breaks open fire extinguishers, and Tracy asks why she did that for them, and he says, it wasn’t just for them. It was for her too, so she would know. She says, know what? and Victor says, that her dad and Madison were right. They knew fighting for something better could get you killed, but it also does something that just fighting to survive can’t. It can let you live forever. Madison sets fire to the horde and blows up everything. Tracy says she’s got no one left, but Victor says, she has him and all the others. Tracy says, Madison died for her and so did her father. She can’t. She pushes Victor and takes the gun. She says she can’t be here, and runs out into the dark woods.

Tracy picks a flower among the rubble and brings it to a sleeping Madison. She takes out the medal and tells Madison that she found a chain in the supplies. She wishes it still worked. She puts it in Madison’s hand, and Madison stirs. Tracy takes out the gun, and Madison wheezes, then coughs. She asks, where is she? and Tracy says, she’s awake. She’s thought Madison was going die and had to drag her up here on a stretcher. She got antibiotics. She thought Madison’s lungs were infected. Her dad trained her in all fields of medicine. Madison says, the fort collapsed, and Tracy says, it took her half a day to dig Madison out. If she hadn’t had this one mask, Madison would have suffocated. Madison sits up, and says, Tracy came back. Tracy says, Madison is the only family she has left. Victor told her what she did. Madison says she’s sorry about Tracy’s dad, and Tracy says she knows. She’s sorry she shot Madison. Madison says she doesn’t think she gave Tracy much choice and sits up. She did good. She did real good. A woman asks if anyone is there, and Tracy grabs the gun, telling her, stop. No closer. The woman says she’s not here to hurt anyone, and Tracy says, put your hands up and move slowly, but the woman says, she can put the gun down. She’s just here to bury her… We see it’s Alicia and she says, mom? They hug and cry.

Madison says she can’t believe it’s real, but Alicia promises it is. She asks if Madison is okay, and Madison says she will be. Meowing comes from Alicia’s duffel bag, and Tracy runs over, opening the bag and petting… Skidmark! I nearly burst into tears. I forgot all about him. Alicia says, it’s a very old friend she came across searching a warehouse for supplies. She’s trying to return him to his rightful owner. Madison asks how she found them, and Alicia says, a story woman about a woman who sacrificed herself here. The person who told her said her name was Madison. It didn’t make sense, and she didn’t know how Madison could possibly be alive, but she had to be sure. She saw the fort over there. How is Madison still here? Madison says, Alicia’s daughter came back and saved her, and Alicia asks what she’s talking about. Madison says, Tracy, the child Troy took, but Alicia says she never had a kid. Tracy says, Alicia’s not her mom? and Alicia says, no, but she knew Tracy’s mom when Tracy was a baby. Her name was Serena. She was a pretty amazing woman. Madison wonders why Troy lied; she doesn’t understand. Tracy says, Troy knew how hard Madison fought for her own kids and gave Madison a reason to for her. Madison asks who Alicia heard the story from.

On a bridge overlooking a highway, Alicia says she’d been picking up outside chatter on the road. She would have looked for Madison if she’d known she was alive. Madison says she would have looked for Alicia too; she would have never stopped looking. Alicia says, after Troy attacked her and she got back on her feet, she went to find the people she’d been saying with, and she saw something on the road; women dressed like her, using the weapons she was using, doing the things she was doing, helping people. Madison says she met some of them, and Alicia says, it was like the story of what she’d done was doing more good than she could do on her own. So she went somewhere else and used a different name so Troy couldn’t find her. If she hadn’t, maybe they’d have found each other. Madison says she made the right choice. She gave people something to believe in. Tracy runs over with binoculars, and they duck down. They see several trucks coming down the road, and Alicia says, the people who told her what Madison did had one of those containers. We see the trucks said PADRE, but now the P is changed to an M, and they say MADRE. Madison wonders if it’s because of her, and Alicia says, they don’t even know she’s alive.

The four trucks meet at a crossroads. Luciana asks if everyone has a mask and knows where to refuel, and June says, yes. Dove asks what direction June is going in, and June says, there’s a cabin in Texas she needs to visit, someone she hasn’t seen in a while. Dove asks if she wants company, and June says, it’s far, but Dove says it will give June time to teach her medicine. What June did for her when she was shot, she wants to learn to do the same for other people. June says, then she’s going to the right place. The cabin belonged to her husband. It’s where she met him. Where he taught her to shoot and survive and to live again. If he can do that for her there, maybe she can do the same for… Odessa. Ada says, the repeater stations will allow them to stay in touch, and Dwight says, they’ll be hearing from him. He’s going to be looking for the parents who are still out there. Sherry says, they found each other against all odds, they’d like to do the same for the kids. Odessa asks, after they find them, what then? and Sherry says, they’ll figure it out. Everyone disperses into their vehicles, and Sherry asks what Dwight is thinking. He says he’s thinking about the Sanctuary. They could take everybody there. She asks, why go back there? and he says, they know it’s defensible, and the streets are still intact. She says she lost him to that place before. She can’t lose him again. He says, she’s not going to. They’re a family. Maybe they can take the place and make it worthy of its name. Make Finch proud. Sherry nods, and says, okay. Let’s try. He says he loves her; she says she loves him too, and they kiss.

Daniel says he was thinking about what he told Victor, and he was wrong… in some parts. Victor did save him and his family when the world fell apart. Thanks for the Abigail. Victor says, don’t thank him for something people should do for one another. Daniel caught him on a good day. Daniel says, maybe Victor does remind him of the worst parts of himself. He doesn’t know if people like them can act differently. Maybe that’s why he has a problem with Victor. But for the sake of the others and their own sakes, he guesses they’ve got to try and change. Victor thinks he has, but whether Daniel has is up to him. In German, Daniel says, I’m tired of war. All the best. He puts his hand on Victor’s shoulder and moves on. Victor hugs Luciana and tells her to take good care of herself. She says, him too. Gracias. He kisses her hands, and goes to the truck. Daniel hears a cat, and Skidmark comes out from under the truck. He asks, where did you come from? and laughs, picking the cat up and hugging him.

Victor sees a freshly picked flower in the truck and asks if Klaus put this in here. Klaus says, no. Why? Victor says, nothing, and they get in. Frank says, he did all he could. If Tracy wants to be found, she will. They’ll comb the area a few more times. He gets in, and Victor looks out the window. He sees Madison, Alicia, and Tracy walking away through a yard, and Frank asks what he’s looking at. Victor says, nothing, and starts the truck. He asks, where to? and Klaus puts his finger randomly on the map. Victor says, onward. I wonder if Victor will tell them one day.

Madison and Alicia lean against the truck, and Tracy asks if Madison is sure she’s okay with this. Madison says, they don’t need her. They’re like the people who step in for Alicia. They’ll do better if they think she’s gone. Before she gives them a reason to stop believing. Alicia asks, where to? and Madison says she’s been having visions of Alicia and Nick, before everything went bad. Alicia asks, where? and Madison says, Los Angeles. Alicia says, they saw it get bombed, but Madison says, that was a long time ago. It’s probably still pretty rough there, and people could use their help. She puts her hand on the cannister holding Nick’s ashes and remembers the old days. She says, it will never be what it was, but that doesn’t mean they can’t start over. Alicia says, let’s go, and Madison asks if Tracy is in. Tracy says, yeah, let’s go, and they get in the truck.  

The song, Mama Tried plays as they drive away.  

There are thank yous for the cast to the fans. Thank You #WalkingDeadFamily.

🌊 See you later for soap and awful people on Deck.

November 19, 2023 – First Part of Fear Finale & Dog

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What I Watched Today

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

Disclaimer… or something. To do this amazing but very, very long finale justice in editing, I give you Part 1 right now and will post Part 2 tomorrow. Or later today. Or… I’m tired.

Fear the Walking Dead

Part 1 – Fighting Like You

Mississippi Queen plays, and we see a fire being set and bright lights coming on. The zombie horde is led out of the woods by Troy and company. He radios Russell who says, they’re in formation. He’ll see Troy at the rendezvous. Tracy asks how they’ll get to PADRE, since it’s an island. They can’t walk the zombies in. Troy asks, who said they were walking? Russell came through with the perfect way to get them there. They’ll finally have a home. Tracy says, her mom pulled loose, and zombie Serena scrabbles at the back window of the truck. Troy says, she won’t hurt them. She’s going to be the one to make Madison pay for everything she’s done. He asks Tracy, what’s wrong? and Tracy asks why her mom has to kill Madison. Troy says, Alicia’s mother put the thinking into people’s heads that got them killed, and they can’t let that happen to anyone else. Tracy says, Victor told her the St. Christpher medal belonged to Alicia, but Troy asks if she knows how many St. Christopher medals are out there. He was mistaken. Her mother gave it to him when she died and made him promise to give it to her and keep her safe. That’s what he’s been doing ever since. Tracy yells, look out! and the truck flips over an embankment.  

Tracy tells Troy, wake up, and he opens his eyes. She says, he’s been out for hours, and he asks, what happened? She says, they went over an embankment. She thinks he ran over a trap. Troy has been impaled with a tree branch, which is sticking out of his upper chest, and he says he’s pinned to the seat. He asks, where’s the gun? and she says, he lost it when they crashed. She can’t find it. He says, they have to catch up with Russell, and tries pulling the branch out, but he can’t. He says, Tracy has to go meet Russell. He’ll give her the coordinates. But she says she’s not leaving him. He says she has to. It’s everything they’ve fought for. If she doesn’t make it to PADRE, everything they’ve done won’t mean anything. Tracy says she’s going to find help. She doesn’t want to live there if she’s not with him. She gives him the medal to keep him safe like, and says she’ll come back for him. Then they’ll make PADRE their home together. She runs off, zigzagging through the zombies headed for the truck.  

A zombie is squashed by the MRAP tank, and Madison gets out. Victor radios, as Madison realizes the zombie horde is gone. He asks where she is, and she says she can’t help him. Enough people died because of her and she can’t put the rest at risk. He says, it’s just him and his newly found friends. She says she has the tank, ammo, and guns, and doesn’t need help. Unlike him, she has no one to disappoint. He should build PADRE into what Alicia wanted. Victor says, she thinks it’s one thing, then can’t stop. He learned the hard way at the Tower. There was always one more thing he had to do to keep it safe. Before he knew it, he was the thing people needed protection from. There’s another way. Madison opens the back door to the tank, and sees Tracy. She asks what Tracy is doing here. Where’s Troy? Tracy says, he’s hurt, and Madison says, bullsh*t, but Tracy says, he crashed the truck. Madison asks, why Russell didn’t help, and Tracy says, he couldn’t. He’s leading the rest of the herd. Madison asks, where? but Tracy says she doesn’t know. Madison asks, who does know? and Tracy says, her dad is going to die if she doesn’t help him. Madison asks why she’s here, and Tracy says she thought she could use the radio. Madison asks where the truck is, and Tracy hesitates, but Madison says, Tracy can’t use her radio and she’s running out of options. Tracy says, it’s down an embankment, about a mile east of here. Madison sits her down, and zip ties her wrist to the tank. She radios Victor and says, change of plans. She’s leaving the MRAP. Victor asks, where she’s going, and she says, to kill Troy. Tracy says, no! What happened to, no one’s gone until they’re gone? She told Victor to build what Alicia wanted. If Madison gave Victor a second chance, why not her dad? Madison says, he doesn’t deserve one, and Tracy says, that’s not what Alicia believed. Help her dad the way Alicia helped her. She gestures toward Alicia’s mechanical arm, displayed in the tank, and Madison leaves.  

Russell radios Troy and says he’s picking up stragglers. How is Troy in the same place? Troy says, by the looks of it, he’s not going anywhere. Promise him something. Russell says, anything, and Troy tells him whatever happens, find Tracy and make sure she gets there. Russell promises she’ll finally have a home. The zombies coming closer to Troy are whacked in the head, as Russel says, they’ll take the island. Madison says, no, they won’t, and neither will Troy. He pulls the branch out of the seat, but not his chest, and he launches himself at Madison. They tumble down, and he pushes her toward zombie Serena. Madison twists the stick, pulls it out, and shoves it in zombie Serena’s head. Troy says, she had no right. Madison picks up the hammer, and says she’ll bury him next to her, and he says, she thinks killing him will help build the island. She says, he killed her daughter. She has to do what she has to, to make sure Alicia’s memory didn’t die with her. People like them are no longer in this world, but Troy says, she can’t kill him. She wants to stop the herd, and he’s the only person who knows where they’re going. She says, her people will figure it out, but he says, not in time. She needs to do something for him. He needs to see his daughter. He needs to tell her something. Madison brings out the radio, and says, tell her now, but he says he needs to see her. She says, nice try, a-hole, and he says, let him bury his wife. Bring him to his daughter, and he’ll take her to Russell. She asks what he has to tell Tracy that’s so important, and he says, it just is. She asks how she knows he’ll hold up his end of the deal, and he says, she doesn’t. Just like he doesn’t know she won’t kill him. She says, okay. She takes him to Tracy, who asks, what happened to him? He says he was doing what it takes to protect PADRE and get to see his daughter one more time. Madison radios Victor and says she’s coming back. She’s bringing Troy and he’s going to lead them to the herd. And she’s bringing Tracy. She tells Troy, hold still, and pulls out the stick. He falls over.

Tracy watches one of Alicia’s video tapes, when Victor opens the tank. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says, waiting for her father. He agreed to tell them where the herd is heading. Victor says, whether he’s lying or not remains to be seen. Why would her father help when PADRE is everything to him? Why would he give it up? He supposes they’ll find out. Tracy says, he’s going to kill Madison when he gets what he wants. She thinks he doesn’t deserve a second chance. One of the Alicia clones asks, how many tapes has Tracy seen? If she watches more, she’ll see that Madison gave a lot of people second chances, whether they deserved them or not. Tracy says, like who? and Victor tells her that Madison never gave up on him, but Tracy says, Madison’s not her anymore. Madison radios Victor and says, they’ll be there shortly. Troy buries Serena, and she tells him, it must be nice to bury the person you love. He says, Alicia can rot on her feet forever, and she asks if he wants her to put the branch back in. Keep talking. He says, his wife is dead because of her, and she asks, why? Troy says, it’s not important, and Madison says, it was important enough for him to kill her daughter over it, and he says, Serena was pregnant, and they were still looking for a place live since Mexico. She got bit. Madison says, and that’s Alicia’s fault? but Troy says, nope. Alicia’s the one who saved her. Madison asks, how? and he says he put out an SOS on the radio. Alicia was the last person he thought would respond, but she did. Madison says, she helped him? and he says, that surprises her, especially after how they parted ways in Brokejaw. Serena was bitten on the arm like Alicia, so she knew where to cut and how to do it… Then, when Serena was out of the woods, Alicia got back in the MRAP and left to help more people. Madison says she’s having a hard time seeing how this led to him killing Alicia, and he says, Serena changed after that; Alicia changed her. She wanted to be just like Alicia. Madison asks if she was, and he says, yeah. She tried to help as many as she could. One day, they got a call, and SOS on the radio. A guy said he needed help, and when Serena showed up, he shot her and robbed her. He took everything she owned and left her for dead. When Troy went looking for her, he found her holed up in a strip mall, but it was too late to save her; she’d lost too much blood. He held while she died. He listened to her weep about how she’d never watch their daughter grow up. She allowed herself to get wrapped up in Alicia’s bullsh*t, and she made him promise to never let Tracy hurt the way she did. So he never let his daughter believe the same bullsh*t Alicia put in Serena’s head. Madison says, that’s why he killed Alicia? and he says, yep. He made a promise. An errant zombie tumbles down the hill toward them and Troy shoves Madison, who gets tangled with it. He runs, but trips on a wire and falls into a trap. Madison extracts herself and goes over to the pit. She says, today is not his day, and Crane comes up behind her. He says, it’s not hers either, and hits her in the back of the head.

Madison wakes up on a barge, tied to Troy. Crane says, welcome back. Does she like his new digs? It doesn’t measure up to what they have in PADRE, but it was handy to get supplies to the cargo ship when he ran out of gas. Troy asks, who the hell is he and what does he know about PADRE? Crane says, he is PADRE. Or he was. Him and his sister. Lark got his sister killed. Madison says, she got herself killed, and Crane says, and Blue Jay spared him. Madison asks what he wants, and he says he’s looking for a way to get paid back. Today he found it. He heard them on the radio, and he’s prepared to give Troy what he wants. Troy asks, what’s the catch? and Crane says, he can start by telling his friend to call off the dogs, and Troy laughs. He asks why he’d do that, and Crane says, he’ll let Troy and his daughter live in PADRE. Madison says, he’s lying, but Crane says, Troy has more of a chance with him than Madison. Do they have a deal? He holds out the radio, and Madison yells to Victor that they’re on a barge near the docks, but Crane knocks her in the face. She says she should have killed him when she had the chance, and Crane says, this is what happens when you show mercy. She says she was trying to save his people from him and his sister, and Crane says, change of plans. Troy is going to tell his friends to call off their army in person and take him to the herd. If either one of them tries anything, he’ll kill them both. He tells his men to get the truck ready.

They drive, and Victor comes on the radio, saying, they’re at the barge… Crane turns off the radio and asks, what changed? Madison risked her life to reunite Wren and Nightingale. Now she’s using a father against his daughter. What happened to, family is worth fighting for? She says, it still is. She’s just fighting his way. Zombie blood hits the windshield, and Daniel, Luci, et al come out. Crane tries to overpower them, but zombies start coming. Luci calls to Madison, who shoots at Crane’s guys, and a couple of zombies get Crane down.

Luciana leads them into a nearby building, and Madison tries to radio Victor, but Troy says, he can’t hear. They have to get to higher ground. Daniel says, he’s not going anywhere, and Luciana says, they’re here for a reason. To do to him what he did to them at her truck stop. Daniel says, and Ofelia and Charlie and anyone else he hurt. Madison says, he can’t be the only one who knows where the herd is, and Luciana says, they can find it without Troy. Madison says she needs to find the MRAP and meet Victor on the road. Daniel is about to cut the bond tying Troy to Madison, but Madison stops him. She says, they can’t have him getting away when this is over. She has to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else. Daniel says, if she doesn’t, he will, and he and Luciana leave.

Troy and Madison walk, and Troy tells Madison that Crane isn’t going to take the herd. He sent Crane in the wrong direction. Madison asks, why? and he says he’s dealing with her, not them. Madison says, she’d kill him just as quick, but he says he doesn’t think so. He knows her, or maybe he knows what it is to believe in something so hard, you can’t let it go. They get to a footbridge that’s basically rope and boards, hanging over a lagoon where zombies are lurking. Troy wants to cross, but Madison says, something is pulling them down, probably quicksand. If the bridge breaks, they’re both dead. A shot fires, and Crane says he found them. They run to the bridge, which looks pretty shaky, and they start to go across. It breaks, and the zombies look up, ready for an easy lunch. Crane takes the trusty ax he just happens to have, and cuts one of the ropes. Madison and Troy fall in.

Crane tells Madison that he thought she needed to be paid back after what she did to his sister. It’s what she deserves. Troy asks what he’s talking about, and Crane says, she let Shrike get bit over and over. Her and Nightingale let it happen. Troy says he wants to get his daughter, and Crane says, that’s why the right people need to protect them from themselves, and especially from the kids. Why does Madison think they saved her at the stadium? They heard her on the radio; no one is gone til they’re gone. They found her in the water truck, gasping for air, surrounded by zombies. They didn’t hesitate to pull er out. If she was willing to die for them, they knew they could get her to do just about anything. She thought her beliefs would save her kids, but in the end, it’s what got them killed. Madison yells, come on! to the zombies toddling around in the woods, and Crane’s so busy being full of himself, they get him down and he’s out. Troy says he’s sorry, but Madison says, that’s not going to get them out. Troy says, they’re not that different, but she says she’s nothing like him. He says, the northwest corner is where he was leading them, to the swamp. He was hoping the current would sweep them to the island. She asks why he’s telling her this. Maybe she doesn’t deserve a second chance. Troy says, she does, but not if they’re not found in time. He didn’t want it to end like this. Madison says, the truth is, PADRE is better off without people like them, and they duck underwater.

Victor tells Madison, stay with them, and she coughs up water. She says, they found them and saved her, but he says, Daniel and Luciana found them. Luciana says, they’re not the ones who saved her. Tracy did. Troy says she grabbed a root and pulled them out. They used Crane’s ax to snap the cuffs. Troy says he wasn’t telling Madison the truth about what Serena said, that she regretted following Alicia. After Alicia helped Serena, Alicia gave Serena the medal and said it would bring them luck. Tracy says, he told her… He says, he knows: he lied. Serena made him promise to let Alicia believe she was alive, so she’d always know what she was fighting for. He broke that promise. Daniel says, he’s a liar, and Luciana asks why they should believe him. Troy says, he knew what it was to believe hard in something and not want to let it go. He saw it in Serena’s eyes. She never let go. She believed in it even though it got her killed. When she was going under, something in her eyes, the look of someone dying believing in nothing. He couldn’t let that happen, not for Tracy’s sake. He didn’t do what Serena asked and keep it alive. Maybe he could if he was given a second chance. Madison gets up and says, like Troy did for Alicia? He said he’d take them to the herd. It’s time for him to hold up his end of the deal.

The song Hair of the Dog plays, and Russell radios Troy. He says he’s here. He caught up to the herd. Troy should see it. Troy says he does, and Russell might want to get down. The MRAP barrels in, and the machine guns open up on the zombies. Russell says, it’s going to take more than that, and Madison says, they know. A truck caravan pulls by, with Dove in the last truck bed. The caravan leads the herd away, and big baby Russel whines, nooo.  

Madison takes some oxygen, and Victor asks how she is. June says she has fluid in her lungs, and they need to get back to the island. Dwight says, they broke up the herd, and June says, they have to get back to PADRE. Victor thinks they should give Troy the benefit of the doubt, but Luciana asks how they can trust him. Victor asks, what about second chances? He and Daniel are just as guilty for what they’ve done. Daniel asks if willing risk that. Troy tells Tracy that it worked. It kept him safe. He gives her back the medal. He did what he said and found them a home and kept her safe. He’s sorry he lied for so long. Madison says, they have to get ready to head out and help the others and tells Tracy that she wants to talk to her dad. Tracy goes to help, and Madison says she’s been thinking about Alicia and how she gave Troy a second chance despite everything. She shows him Alicia’s mechanical arm and says, it’s all she has left. Troy says, it doesn’t have to be. He’ll do everything in his power to make sure he’s worthy of a second to everyone on the island. Things have changed. She has to believe him. She says, that’s just it. She doesn’t. She stabs him with the arm, and Tracy yells, no! and runs off. Victor wonders about second chances, and Madison says, Troy was right. That’s what got Alicia killed. If she hadn’t done this, she’d be putting them at risk. It’s how they survive. As he’s dying, Troy tells Madison to fight for Tracy. She’s not his daughter. Serena died before the baby was born. Madison asks who her mother is, and he says, Alicia. He took her child to make up for what he lost. Madison yells, no! and Troy dies. She asks where Tracy has gone, and everyone looks confused or lost or both.

🐊 See You Later, Alligator…

Since this thing got away from me, come back again for Part 2. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering family is worth fighting for, and stay believing no one is gone until they’re gone.

November 12, 2023 – What Would Alicia Do & Monsters

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

At PADRE kids are doing obstacle courses, food is being served, math lessons are being taught. June marches in with Dwight, Sherry, Dove, et al. A couple stops them, and tells them that no one is coming in. June asks, under whose orders? when Victor walks out and says, his. June asks where Tracy is. They know he has Troy’s daughter. Victor suggests perhaps discussing this in a more civilized manner, but Dwight says, this seems pretty civilized. Victor tells Dwight, long time, and asks Frank to bring Klaus to their room. June asks why Victor brought the girl here, and he says, Troy wouldn’t attack if he knew his daughter was here. Dwight says, or it’s the perfect reason to attack, but Victor says, Troy doesn’t know they’re here. It’s not like she’s tagged for migratory purposes. June says, if Victor was doing more than playing father, he would know the lengths a parent would go for their child, but Victor says, they still don’t know him. June says she does. She watched him make bad decision after bad decision. People lost their lives because of what he did. John’s father lost his life because of what he did. She’s not making the same again. He says, many people lost their lives because of her. They’ve all done things to survive, and no one can throw stones. When Tracy went missing, he saw an opportunity. He had to make a call. June says, no one asked him to, and he says he’s not the man he used to be. She asks how she knows that, and he says, she’s not the woman she used to be. Right, Naomi? Frank says, Victor told him everything, and Dwight asks who he is. Victor says, this is his husband, and June says, show them if he’s changed. Dwight says, help them bring Tracy back to her father, and Victor asks if they think that would satisfy Troy. June says, it might, if they bring him the man who kidnapped her too, and Dwight says, start walking. Victor says, they don’t know Troy like he does. He lost the hotel, and it’s his last chance to do good on what he promised Alicia. Dwight says he wishes he believed Victor, and June says, if he wants to show them that he’s changed, now’s the time. Victor looks at Frank, who shakes his head, but Victor says, let’s walk. Dove goes to get Tracy, and Frank says he won’t let Victor do this. He saw what that man did at the hotel. He’ll kill Victor. Victor says, these people will kill him if he doesn’t go, and he doesn’t want Frank in the crossfire. Wait for him. He’ll come back. Frank says he’ll be waiting. Victor leaves with June and the others, looking back one last time.

On the water in a boat from PADRE, June radios Troy that they have his daughter. She’s safe and they’ll return her if they agree to terms. Tracy asks if the blindfold is necessary, and Victor laughs. He says, it’s not going to work. They’re not going to remove it. The reason the settlement has lasted so long is that no one knows where it is. Tracy tells him to stop trying to be friends with her. He’s the one who brought her in. June radios Troy again, saying, Tracy is safe and will be returned. Victor tells her, no matter what Troy says, Troy is going to kill him and hurt Tracy. Tracy says, her father would do anything to protect her, but Victor says, her father’s not the man she thinks he is. June says, Victor can change, but not Troy? and Victor says, Troy is a sociopath on a revenge tour. He has issues. There’s a difference. Why is he the only person looking after Tracy? Sherry says, the only person he’s looking after is himself, but he says, it’s not about that. It’s about building PADRE the way Alicia wanted him too. Troy radios, and asks, who is this? Who has his daughter? June says he doesn’t know her, but she freed Madison and Victor from the hotel. She asks Tracy to talk to Troy, and Tracy says, it’s okay. They’re bringing her back. June says, they will, provided he gives them assurance he won’t take PADRE. Troy says, they took his daughter, but June says, they didn’t. Victor did, and they’re bringing him back too. Troy says, there’s one problem. They need a place to live. June suggests they stay at the hotel. Madison is no longer at PADRE, and his beef with her isn’t a beef with them. Does he want his daughter or not? He says, they have a deal. Bring her and Victor to the hotel. Victor says, it’s a trick, but June says, they’ll be there. Victor says, don’t do this, but Dwight says, it’s too late. Victor looks scared and grabs the blindfold off of Tracy. He says, now she knows where PADRE is, and Tracy takes a dive over the side of the boat. Victor jumps up and runs to the bow, pulling out wires and plugs as he goes. He too jumps off the boat, and Sherry tells Dwight to turn around, but he says he can’t. There’s no power.  

On land, a zombie grabs Tracy and she falls, but she scuttles away. Four of them surround her, and Victor arrives, whacking them in their undead heads. He tells Tracy that he’s not going to hurt her, and she says she’s not worth anything dead. He holds out his hand and sees a St. Christopher medal around her neck. He asks where she got the necklace, and she asks, what’s it to him? June calls to him, and he says, they’ve got to go. He’s not taking her back. Tracy asks where he is taking her, and he says, to the one person who can help both of them. Dwight begins to call their names, and Victor helps Tracy up.  

Madison plays loud music on a boombox in a forest clearing, and as zombies come out, she sledgehammers them. Apparently, she’s found her calling. When all the zombies are down, Victor calls Madison’s name. He brings Tracy out, and Madison asks what he’s doing here. She told him that she couldn’t help him build PADRE. He says, they’ll have agree to disagree on that, but that’s not why he’s here. She turns the music off, and he says he heard she was looking for Alicia. She says, Alicia deserves to be at rest. She did it for Nick and wants to do it for Alicia. She asks, who’s his friend? but Tracy says she’s not Victor’s friend. Victor says, she’s Troy’s daughter. He found her wandering and saved her life. Tracy says, he kidnapped her, and Victor says, perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle (as it almost always does). Madison asks, what’s her name? and she says, Tracy. Madison says, she has her father’s eyes, but don’t worry. She won’t make Tracy pay for his crimes. Tracy asks, what crimes? and Madison says, he killed her daughter on top of other sh*t he probably didn’t tell her about. Tracy says, he told her everything. How Madison killed his father and turned his brother against him. And how she left him for dead at the dam. She also killed Tracy’s mother. Madison says she doesn’t know what Troy told Tracy, but she didn’t know Tracy’s mother. She asks why Victor brought Tracy here, and he says, he took her to PADRE. It was the only play he had, but the peasants revolted, saying it was too risky to keep her there. Madison asks why he brought her here, and he says, it’s Madison’s best shot at finding Alicia. Tracy is wearing a medal that belonged to her. Madison asks how he knows, and he says, because he gave it to her. Madison asks, why? and he says, it doesn’t matter. What does, is that it may lead to Alicia. Madison asks if that’s true, and Tracy says, maybe. Madison says she’s not getting pulled in for a maybe, and Victor says, Tracy might be more forthcoming when she realizes they’re the only ones who can save her. Madison asks, from what? and he says, PADRE. June, Dwight, and Sherry want her because she knows where PADRE is. Madison asks why there was no blindfold, and Tracy says, Victor pulled it off. Victor says, they were going to send Tracy back to her father, and he had to make it impossible for them to turn her over. It’s what Alicia would have done. Tracy says, he did it because they going to hand him over too, and he brings her over to Madison. He says, Madison is the only person who knows the man he used to be. It’s not about saving his own skin; he’s saving Tracy’s too. Madison asks if she knows where to find Alicia, and Tracy says she doesn’t think she has a choice. Madison says, smart girl. All right. First, Tracy takes her to Alicia. Tracy asks, what happens after that? but Madison says she doesn’t know. But Victor’s right about one thing. She can’t go back to her father. They leave, and I envision a buddy series with Victor and Tracy. Kind of like The Last of Us or Arya and the Hound on Game of Thrones.

Madison hotwires a car with a full tank of gas at Luciana’s truck stop. Victor finds a gun in the glovebox, and says, thanks, Luci. Madison asks if he thinks Luciana will mind, and he tells her, the sign says, take what you need. They look at a map with Tracy, and hear Troy on the radio, but Victor says, he’s nowhere near them. He’s looking for June. They hear some people looking for Madison, and Madison wonders who they are. Victor asks if they’re Tracy’s father’s people, but Tracy says she doesn’t know who are. She says, they need a bigger map. Her dad’s fight with Alicia happened further than this. Victor looks in the car, and Tracy grabs the radio, trying to get Troy and shouting where she is. Madison snatches it back, and tells her, don’t do it again. Victor says, it’s okay. Troy’s people are by the hotel. They still have time. Tracy points at a spot on the map, and Victor asks if she’s sure.

A gas truck pulls in, followed by some other vehicles, and Daniel and Luciana get out. Luciana asks what they think they’re doing. She’s been monitoring radio chatter. Why did they bring Tracy here? Madison says, they’re just stopping by, and Luciana says she thought she made it clear she doesn’t want to get dragged into their fight. Daniel asks if Tracy is in their car, and Victor says, they’ll make sure Troy knows they had nothing to do with it. Luciana says, Troy won’t believe them, and Madison says, they need to pass through. Luci says, they’ve been put in danger already. She can’t let them travel this road. She has people who are still breathing that she needs to protect. They need to give Tracy back to Troy. Madison says, she knows where PADRE is, but Luciana says, that’s not her problem. Victor says, she knows what Troy is like, and she says, that’s why she’s giving Tracy back. Step away. Everyone draws their guns, but Daniel says, let them go. Even if they return Tracy, Troy will attack them; that’s his nature. They need to set a defensive perimeter. It’s easier to do now. On the side, Luciana says, what if they made a deal with Troy? but Daniel says, he needs to find out what’s going on. Luciana tells her men to lower their weapons, and Victor asks why they want to help. Daniel says he knows what it’s like losing a daughter. He wants to help Madison find Alicia and bury her. Daniel leaves with Madison, Victor, and Tracy.  

In the car, Tracy looks at the map and tells Victor to slow down. Daniel says, she’s been looking at the map for 15 minutes, and Victor says, she’s a child, not an atlas. Tracy says, he’s Daniel Salazar. Her dad told her about him. Daniel asks if her dad told her why he wants to kill him, and Victor asks him not to scare her. Daniel says, even children need to learn what we do and don’t do has consequences. They need to learn that no one gets a free pass. Tracy says, her dad said Daniel’s daughter died because she tried to poison a lot of people, but Daniel says, his daughter died because Tracy’s lunatic father led a herd of the dead to destroy his own settlement. She died defending that settlement. She died because of Tracy’s father. Victor asks why Daniel is here. He doesn’t give a sh*t about the girl. He wants Troy to feel what he feels. Madison says, there’s something fundamentally wrong with Daniel (touché!), and Victor stops the car, getting out his gun. He says, they’re leaving, and starts to get out. He asks why he’s the only one doing the right thing. They know how far he’ll go for what he believes is right. Daniel pushes the gun aside, and it goes off. The bullet hits the headrest, and Daniel tells Madison to go. She guns the engine, and Victor flies out into the road. Daniel asks if Madison wants to find Alicia or not, and Victor curses as zombies come toddling out. He says he’s really not in the mood today, and goes between tight trees. He gets to the road, but more come and he’s surrounded. One grabs him and then another, but he pushes them away. Yet another comes from behind, and we see it’s like a tent city for zombies along the road. I say, he can’t end this way, as he struggles with one, and a truck rattles down the road. Automatic weapons shoot from the top of the truck, and I wonder if it’s Al. Remember her? Victor is down, but the zombie on top of him is knifed in the head. A hand reaches down, and it looks like a mechanical arm, but it’s a metal sleeve on a normal arm. He asks who she is, and a young woman wonders if he thought she was Alicia Clark. She gets that a lot. She asks if he’s coming or not, and helps him up. He asks how many are with her, but she suggests they save the introductions for inside, and he gets in what’s essentially a tank.

Madison, Daniel, and Tracy get out of the car, and Madison asks if this is where they find Alicia. Tracy says, it’s what she said she wanted, but Daniel doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Madison says, it’s the only one she’s got, and they look down onto a bridge across a ravine where tons of zombies are standing around. Madison says, the herd is stuck. She’s seen that before. Daniel says, the ground is frozen, and Tracy says, Alicia is in the herd. Her father led it here before it got cold. The herd was following them, and he didn’t want it near the hotel. When the temperature dropped, he knew the mud froze. Madison says, Troy told her that he didn’t know where Alicia was, but Tracy says, he lied. He didn’t want her to find Alicia and bury her. Madison asks how she knows, and Tracy fingers the medal. She says, it doesn’t matter, and Madison says, let’s go.

The tank barrels along, and driver Della says, they’re a sitting duck until the guns are reloaded, but Troy doesn’t know they’re here. For now. Sitting in the back, Victor looks at his savior’s arm, and he says, the last time he was in here, he was with someone he never thought he’d see again. She says, Alicia told them before Troy killed her, and he asks if they knew her. She says, briefly. She passed through all their lives. He asks why they’re dressed like Alicia, and she says, it’s more than dressing like her. They’re keeping Alicia alive. They’re doing for others what Alicia did for them. The driver says, when they’re settlement was under siege, Alicia made their attackers regretted shaking them down. Passenger Sara says she had pneumonia, and Alicia found antibiotics for her. Victor says, what about the girl who saved him? and she says, he doesn’t remember her. They spoke when she was a kid. They were on a roof. Victor says, they were interviewed at the Tower, and she says she was with her dad. Victor turned them away. She thought they were going to die. They had no source for food and water that wasn’t contaminated. They had no shelter, and the air was bad. They heard a voice transmit a message. Alicia said, come to the Tower and we’ll build something better. When they got there, the fire was burning, and the Tower was destroyed. Not being able to help himself, Victor jokes that he should have left it in a better state than he found it, and she says, they weren’t the only ones who showed up. There were dozens of survivors, and they watched the Tower burn. She was thinking, this is where they’re going to die. Then a figure emerged on the horizon. Victor says, Alicia went back in the Tower after she put them on rafts, but she says, Alicia did more than that. She went in to get the fuel generator and drove them out of the wasteland and radiation. Her father died from exposure a few months after. Victor gets teary and says he’s so sorry. Her father died because of him. Why did she save him? She says, it’s what Alicia would have done, and he asks, how was she? Was she still sick from the bite? She says, the fever stopped, but Alicia didn’t spend much time with them after they were settled. Della says, Alicia never stayed in one place very long. She gave people hope, so they’re trying to do the same. Victor asks, what the girls name is, but she says, Alicia’s legacy will better continue if people believe she’s alive. Victor asks why they came here, and she says, they heard Madison’s message, and knew Troy wasn’t far behind. Victor asks why Troy killed Alicia, but she says, they don’t know. She wasn’t the only person Troy killed. Word spread. There used to be more of them. Victor tears up, and tries the radio. He says, it’s Victor, and asks Madison to please respond. They need to talk about Tracy. He says, they could be anywhere, and Alicia 2.0 says, they’re not going to find them driving blind. Troy comes on the radio and says, where is she? Madison better not have lost her. Victor says, he knows exactly where they’re going.  Where Troy hid Alicia. He can help, but Troy has to tell him where to go. Troy asks why he’d do that, and Victor says he could be Troy’s last chance. Troy says, Victor is the one who took her, and Victor says, and he’s the only one saving her. Troy will never catch up on foot. Troy says he won’t be on foot much longer.

At Luciana’s truck stop, she asks where Troy thinks he’s going. He says he remembers her, and in Spanish, he says, it’s a shame about Nick. She says she doesn’t want trouble. They can use the roads as long as none of her people get hurt. Troy asks if she’s going to help him, even though Nick chose the ranch over her? She says, her people are more important than her pride, and Troy says, then stand down. They’re outnumbered and outgunned. He tells his men, fan out and take what’s worth taking. Luciana says, don’t, and he says, it doesn’t end well. She says, for you, not us, and Dwight and the others come out. I’m thinking, now Troy is outnumbered, and Troy says, so this was all bullsh*t. Luciana says she needed to get close to him. Stand down. Troy says he’s trained all his men, and they’ll take out more of Luciana’s people than vice versa. Dwight suggests they test that theory, and Frank says, he’s looking to make room in the hotel again, Troy says he has no time for this. His daughter’s in danger. Luciana says, stand down, and June says, his daughter’s as good a reason as any to lower his weapons. Troy says, no, and reaches for something. Everyone gets tense (or more tense than they are already), but Troy says, it’s just a walkie. He radios for Victor, and says, fortunately for Victor, he’s the only person who can help him make sure his daughter is okay. Victor says, tell him where they are.

A cowboy walker gets kneecapped by Madison, and literally breaks off at the knees. She says, he’s a long way from home, and Daniel says, he’s not the only one. He asks Tracy how long the herd had been following them, but she says she doesn’t know. She didn’t know about it until they got here. Daniel says, something’s not right. It doesn’t make sense. Madison says, the zombies can’t hurt them, and asks where Alicia is. Tracy says, somewhere in here, and points. Daniel says, the man led a herd of dead against his own people, and Madison tells him, go back then. She’s got Tracy. Daniel says he’s not letting Tracy out of his sight, and they walk through the stuck zombies. Tracy says, there, and they walk through into the forest where the zombies were headed. Daniel asks if Madison wants help, and Madison says, give her a minute. She walks up to a zombie who looks like she could be Alicia from behind and says she’s so sorry. She would come if she’d known. Daniel draws his gun, and Madison says she would have stopped Troy from doing this. She pushes the zombie’s hair away from its face and thinks of Alicia. She gets a good look and says, it’s not her. Tracy pushes her into the zombie, who breaks off at the feet. They both fall, and Madison says she can’t believe she listened to Tracy. Where’s her daughter? Why lie? Tracy says, that’s her mother, and she wanted her to make Madison pay. Extracting herself, Madison says she’s never seen her before, and Tracy says, her mother saw Madison and Alicia, and believed what they believed. That’s why she’s dead. Madison asks what that means, and Tracy says, no one’s gone until they’re gone. It killed her, like it killed Madison’s kids. Madison takes in some oxygen, and Daniel says, they should leave, but Madison says she needs to figure out what to do. Daniel wonders if she’s going to use Tracy to make Troy pay for what he did to her daughter, and Madison says, she knows where PADRE is. There’s only one way to protect the island. Looking at her sledgehammer, Daniel asks if she’s got the stomach for that, and Madison says, Tracy just tried to use her own mother to kill her. Daniel ties Tracy’s wrists together, and Tracy says, no. They can’t do this. Madison says, she should have thought about that before she brought them out here, and God forgive me, I laugh. Tracy begs as Daniel ties her to a tree. She says she knows where her dad killed Alicia. The old mansion off Route 26 near Fort Worth. Madison says, she’s lying, but Tracy says, it’s the truth. Madison says, that doesn’t change the fact that she knows where the island is. Victor yells, stop! and Madison tells him, it’s a lie. Alicia’s not here. Coming out with the three girls, Victor says, Alicia’s body may not be here, but Alicia still is in the women carrying on her legacy. A zombie grabs Madison and they kill it, Tracy frees herself from the tree, and starts to sprint off. Victor says, wait, but she tells him, it’s just like her dad said. They’re going to kill her. She takes off, and Madison says, they have to go after her. The zombies are starting to pry themselves loose from the frigid ground, some of them breaking and falling, but some getting free. Alicia 2.0 says, they knew Madison’s daughter wouldn’t want her to die like this. Alicia would her to help and protect Madison. Madison says, let’s go, and they run.

At Luciana’s truck stop, there are small fires burning, and trucks pulling up. Luciana radios Daniel, who says he’s glad she’s alive. How bad was it? She says, Troy’s men had them surrounded. He and his men didn’t care if they lived or died. Victor looks at Frank, who’s tending to a gravely wounded older man, but Victor says, it’s too late. Frank says he can save him, and calls for more dressing, but the man has already turned zombie. Victor takes care of it and says he’s sorry. Frank says, we need to stop this man who did this to all our friends, and Victor says, we will. Madison asks, where’s Troy? and Luciana says, he’s not here. He stole a truck, but he’s lost most of his men. What matters is if he knows where PADRE is. Madison says, he’s going to do what he did to the ranch, and Daniel says, that’s what the dead were for, his army. Dwight says he’s taking a headcount, and Madison tells Luciana where Tracy said Alicia was. Luciana says she’ll take Madison there after this is over. Alicia 2.0 stares at Madison and says, Madison has no idea what this means. Until she heard the message, she thought Madison was dead. Madison asks how they know her, and Sara says, the interview tape. They listened to it so many times, they wore it out. Madison asks if Victor put them up to this, but he shakes his head. She tells the girls, none of it means anything, but Victor says, when he came to her in the library, he thought he needed her to face what was coming, but he didn’t. She needs him. She almost killed a little girl. Madison says, to protect everyone else. She doesn’t have anyone left to disappoint, so she can get her hands dirty. Victor says he pushed Alicia away, so she didn’t have to get her hands dirty. He gave her the medal, so she’d remember who she was, because he didn’t know if he’d be able to. He was wrong. He wasn’t protecting her. He was using it as an excuse not to be a better man, and he won’t let that happen to Madison. Madison gets in the back of the truck, and Victor says, let him come with her. Luciana says, she needs help, and Victor says, she’s got it. Daniel says, it doesn’t look like it. He hates Troy as much as she does. Use him. Madison says, he may end up dead. There’s only one way. She’s going to finish what she started ten years ago at the dam. She pulls away, as Victor yells her name. Daniel says, that’s not the way to end this.  

Next time, Madison says, killing Troy is how PADRE survives; Victor says, Madison never gave up on him; and Madison faces Troy with her sledgehammer.

☮️ Peace In Rest…

Boomerang back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and that mess on the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay considering volunteering at your local soup kitchen on Thanksgiving, and stay remembering that what you do and don’t do has consequences, and no one gets a free pass.

November 5, 2023 – Dwight Tries To Make Something Good From Something Bad & Climbing

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

A man goes inside an abandoned house, kicking garbage out of his way. He lights a lantern. We see it’s Dwight. He looks at a framed photo of Sherry and himself in better days, and flashes back to Daryl telling him, make it right. He tries to rest, but is unsuccessful, so he whittles. He hears something and checks the house. He hears a man coughing in one of rooms, slips into the room, and grabs the man in the dark. The man says he thought the place was empty, but Dwight says, it’s not. The man asks if Dwight lives here, but Dwight says, it doesn’t matter. The man tells Dwight that his name is Jay, and Dwight asks if he’s going to walk out, or does he want Dwight to drag him out? Jay says he got robbed, and he’ll die if he doesn’t get what they stole back. Dwight says, there’s nothing valuable anymore, but Jay says, there is if you’re a diabetic; he had insulin in his bag. Dwight says, he’s full of sh*t. There’s no insulin left. Jay says, there was in his group. They had a guy who could make it, and he believed in miracles until the thieves killed him. They took everything, and with what he had he would have made it through the week. Dwight asks if Jay is messing with him. Does Jay expect him to believe this is a coincidence? Who told him? Jay asks, who told him what? and Dwight gets him down on the floor. He asks, who told Jay about him? Jay said he had a week’s supply. What happens after? Jay says he doesn’t know, but a week in hell is better than being dead. Please. He lost everyone. He owes it to them to make things right, however much time he has left. Dwight asks if Jay knows where the thieves are at, and Jay says he does.

Outside the old Sanctuary, zombies growl, and Dwight asks Jay if the guys who took his medicine are in there. Jay says, yeah, and Dwight says, good luck. He’s going to ask one more time, who told Jay about him? Jay asks why Dwight thinks someone else is involved, and Dwight says, the last time he helped someone get insulin, he ended up here. Jay says, at the factory? and Dwight says, they didn’t call it that then. Jay asks what it was called, and Dwight flashes back to when he lived there under Negan’s oppression. Dwight says, the Sanctuary. His life has been sh*t since he set foot in there. He doesn’t know if it’s Jay or the universe playing a sick joke on him, but he’s not going in there for anyone. Jay says, they’re not that different. His wife was everything to him. They killed her and their son too. Dwight came back alone, and Jay thinks Dwight lost someone too. If they don’t help each other, what are they even doing here? Dwight thinks a moment, and says, all right. He’ll meet Jay back at the house. Dwight looks at the zombie chained to the perimeter fence, and walks around, checking out the lay of the land.

Dwight sneaks inside, and creeps around. He sees windowed double-doors, a light shining behind them, and flashes back to Sanctuary life again. He goes into the room and rifles through the bags. He finds the insulin and finds a picture of Jay with his wife and son. He runs to the exit and sees the symbol for infinity etched on the wall. He looks through the furnace door window at the flames inside and sees the iron hanging next to the furnace and remembers Negan burning his face with the iron. A gun cocks and a voice says, turn around, a-hole. Dwight turns and guard Phil asks what he has there. Dwight says, they took someone’s medicine, and he’s here to get it back. Phil says, somebody did a number on Dwight’s face, and Dwight says, he’ll walk out, and Phil will never have to see his face again. Phil says, Dwight stole from them, and needs to be made an example. They’ll start on the other side of his face. In a lightening swift move, Dwight grabs Phil and shoves – no, shoots – him into the blazing furnace. I’m in awe. A bullet grazes Dwight, and a man asks what the hell he thinks he’s doing. A bunch of men run in and their leader Marty says, they’ll find out. Dwight jets out of the building, and wonders where Jay is. He calls to Jay and zombie Jay comes out from behind the bushes. Dwight knifes him in the head, and says, Daryl should have killed him when he had the chance. He tried make it right. He guesses he couldn’t. Daryl should have killed him. Please come and do it now. He cries – aww – and yells, please! A car approaches and pulls up. Sherry gets out, and asks what Dwight is doing here. She came to find him. June gets out and says she needs him. He passes out.

Inside somewhere, Sherry stitches Dwight up, and he says, they need to get out. Sherry asks, what happened? Who did this? The guy outside? He says, no, and she says, then who? but he says, it doesn’t matter. If they’re seen, those guys will kill them. June says, they’re almost done, and tells Sherry, pinch, pierce, then pull. Dwight asks if June shouldn’t be doing this, but June says, it’s better this way. Dwight says, they need to go, but June says, they’re not leaving without him. Sherry says, a fight is coming, and Dwight asks, what kind of fight? June says, one they can’t win without him, and Sherry says, Troy has a score to settle. He wants to take PADRE from Madison. Dwight says, sounds like her fight, but Sherry says, Madison is MIA, and Victor is in charge. Dwight says, he’s still alive? and she says, a lot has happened since he’s been gone. He asks what it has to do with him, and Sherry says, he’s trained a lot of kids. June says, they trust him and will listen to him, but he says, nothing he does or says to them will help them do any better. He asks why Dove is here, and Dove says, PADRE is the only home she’s known. Without it, she’s got nothing. Dwight gets up, and says he can’t help save those kids. He couldn’t save his own son. June says, that’s not his fault, but he says, it doesn’t matter. Every time he tries to make something right, someone gets hurt. Sherry says, that’s not true, and Dwight says, the guy outside needed insulin, just like her sister. He asked Dwight for help, and he died. The best thing he can do for PADRE and the kids is leave here alone. Sherry asks if he thinks she wanted to come. She came for their son. He says, Finch is gone, but she says, PADRE isn’t. He says, that place is the reason Finch is dead. Why fight for it? She says, maybe something good can come from something bad, and he says, it won’t. She says, they have to try, and he asks, why? She says, Finch’s life needs to mean something. Making PADRE is how they can honor him. Dwight says he can’t go back. He’ll honor Finch in his own way. He gets up, and Sherry asks what he thinks Finch would say if his father walked away from kids who needed protection, and he says, it’s not because he doesn’t care. It’s because he does. He leaves, and June says, it’s fine, but Sherry follows him out.

The three of them go outside, and June radios Dove. Dwight asks, what’s wrong? and Sherry says, Dove has been missing since they woke up. June asks Dove to tell her where she is, when a truck pulls up with Dove driving. June says, she looks hurt, and Sherry runs to the cab. Dove is slumped against the steering wheel. Dove sits back, insisting she doesn’t need help, but June says, she looks wounded. Dove lifts her shirt and shows June a bullet wound, and June checks her out. June says, there’s no exit wound. They need to get the bullet out right away. Sherry asks, who did this? and Dove says, someone tried to steal the truck. They were looking for someone that burned their friend. Dwight says, they have to get her inside, and June says she needs anesthetics. They have to get the bullet out and the wound cleaned before Dove goes into septic shock. Dwight points out that she said we, and June says, they need medical supplies. Marty says he should have known Dove would be with them, and he and his guys come out of the woods. Marty says, sorry about the girl, but what after Dwight did to Phil, it feels like a beautiful karma. Sherry asks what he’s talking about, and Dove says, Dwight’s the one who burned their friend. Marty says, Dove doesn’t look so hot. Maybe they can help. They have top notch medical supplies, but of course Dwight already knows that, since he was inside. Sherry asks Dwight, where? and Dwight says, the Sanctuary. Marty says, tick-tock. What’s it going to be? June asks what he wants in exchange, and Marty says he wants the satisfaction Phil deserves in finishing what he started, and he intends to give it to him. If Dwight hands himself over, he’ll get the girl patched up. Dwight lowers his gun, and Sherry says, nice try, a-hole. There’s a shootout, and Sherry says, they’re going to the Sanctuary now. Dwight says, that psycho will follow them, but Sherry says, they’re on foot. The Sanctuary is 20 miles. They’ll be in and out before Marty knows it. Dwight says, another kid needs surgery. When does it end? June says, they have to help Dove, and Sherry says, they have to go now. Zombies begin toddling out of the woods, and Marty shoots at them. Dwight drives the truck out.

They bring Dove into the Sanctuary, and Dwight tells them, be careful; there could still be people here. Sherry flashes back to Negan, and Dove coughs. Shots ring out, and Dwight shoots back, but runs out of bullets. Zombie Phil scrabbles at the furnace window from inside the furnace, and June says, they need to move. She grabs supplies, and she and Sherry shove stuff in their bags, while Dwight checks the place out. He tells them, the place is clear, but they have to hurry. June says she needs lidocaine. The best they can do is inject anesthesia around the wound. Dwight and Sherry keep flashing back to their time at the Sanctuary, and June tells Sherry to clean the wound. She gives Sherry a syringe and tells her how to do the injection. Dwight says, June should do it, but June says she told him that she can’t. He wonders if it’s about what happened in the train car, but she says, it’s more than that. She tells him, as soon as it’s numb, start the extraction. Dove says she doesn’t want Dwight removing the bullet. He couldn’t save his own son, and he’s not doing the same with her. They feel a rumbling, and the building shakes. Dwight looks out at the tons of zombies who have gotten through the fence and are now pounding at the building. He says, the gunfire must have drawn them. The fence is broken, and they’re piling in. June says, it’s not going to work. The bullet is too close to one of Dove’s arteries. They might do more damage taking it out. Sherry says, the place is hanging on by a thread, and Dwight says, he’ll stay and hold them off for as long as he can. He runs out.

Sherry follows Dwight to the ammo room, and says she knows why he wants to stay and fight the zombies. He doesn’t plan on surviving. He says, maybe Dove is right, and they’re here because of him, but Sherry says, that’s defeatist bullsh*t, and Dwight says, it is what it is, honey. Dwight loads his gun, and she tells him that it doesn’t have to be this way. He says, the guy he tried to help lost more than insulin. He had a wife and kid. He shows her the photo of Jay with his family, and says, he’s about Finch’s age. He tried to help and landed them back in this hellhole. This is not a coincidence and it’s not defeatist mentality. She asks him to tell her what it is, and he points to an infinity symbol on the wall. He says he drew that when they were living here. He put them all over the place, where Negan couldn’t find them. It was them forever. It kept him going and made him feel like they could turn something bad into something good. Maybe they can, but not if he’s with them. He’s so tired of making people suffer for it. Sherry says, so he’s going to kill himself? and he says he’s going to clear the walkers. Maybe they can save Dove and honor Finch. She calls him a selfish a-hole and locks him in the room. She says, he doesn’t get to give up like this, and she leaves as he pounds on the door.

Outside, there’s a multitude of zombies, and June hears metal creaking. She says, they have to wait until the building is more stable and they need extra hands. Dove says, it’s not about June’s finger (the one Shrike removed) or what happened on the train. What’s the real reason? June says, it’s not important, but Dove says, June is a nurse. She’s got a bullet in her, and every minute they wait is a minute she’s closer to dying. June says, Dove isn’t dying. What happened to them isn’t going to happen to her. Dove asks, who’s them? and June says, Finch, Hannah, and her daughter Rose. Dove says, June has a kid? and June says, yeah. She would have been Dove’s age. Dove asks, what happened? and June says, she had pneumonia. June went out to look for medicine, came back and… it just was too late. She cries and says she couldn’t save her daughter, just like she couldn’t save Finch. Dove says, now she knows PADRE was right. June can’t protect her; none of them can. She can’t exactly say why she wanted to get away, but she didn’t come here for Red Kite. She wanted to get as far away from PADRE as she could. She was running away. June says, she told them it was the only home she’d ever known, and Dove says, was. It’s gone now, and people like June are in charge. They just let the kids down. That’s what people do who can’t get over their own sh*t. Metal bangs, and June radios Dwight and Sherry, asking, what’s happening? Do they copy? Outside battling zombies, Sherry says she’s working on it. She just locked Dwight in their old room. June asks, why? and Sherry says, PADRE needs him. The kids will follow him. They know he’s right. June says, what about her? and Sherry says she’ll keep the zombies at a distance, but June says, she can’t on her own. Sherry says, just do what she came to do; help Dove and get Dwight back to PADRE. The zombies have been pushing at the fence between them and Sherry, and it suddenly comes down, right on top of Sherry. Sherry’s gun and radio are just out of reach, and June keeps trying to get her.

Inside, Dwight tries to get out of their old room. He breaks a chair. The zombies are right on top of Sherry, along with the fence, their snapping faces just inches from hers. Dwight looks at the infinity symbol, while June keeps trying to radio Sherry. This is all very intense. Dwight hammers at the door, and the zombies keep piling on the fence. Sherry flashes back to memories of Finch. June gets into Dwight’s room and tells him that Sherry needs him. He runs out, and Sherry flashes back to burying Finch. Dwight is there, pulling the zombies off the fence, and slicing and dicing them.

Dove stands in the bathroom and groans. She’s broken a mirror and is about to take the bullet out herself with a shard. June – who’s having quite a busy episode – says, Dove will die. She needs help. Dove says she’s not getting it from them or June, and starts to cry. She’s about to cut herself, and June says, no! Stop! Dove drops the glass and falls to the floor.

Sherry asks how Dwight got out, and he says, June let him out. Sherry says she had it covered, but he tells her that she was lying to herself about honoring Finch and keeping him alive to fight for PADRE. It’s bullsh*t. She says, he’s wrong, and he says, is he? Or did she lock him up because she was planning on doing the same thing? Sherry asks if he thinks she wants to die, and he says he knows she did. She doesn’t really believe good can come from bad. She wants to, he does too, but she can’t. She says, if that’s true, she doesn’t know how she can go on living. Marty comes back and says he had the feeling he’d find them here. Sherry and Dwight run back in, and Marty goes in shooting.

The building is still shaking like crazy, and June checks Dove’s pulse. Dwight says, their friends are here. The door is locked, but it won’t hold. Sherry says, they have to go somewhere safer, and June grabs supplies. She gets on one side, Sherry on the other, and they help Dove up and out of the room. Everything starts to crumble, and zombies are coming in. June says, they’re surrounded, and Sherry shoots as many as she can. They see Marty coming, and June says, they’ve got to get out, but Dwight says, there’s nowhere to go. The zombies are getting the better of Marty and his friends, and I laugh. Light fixtures and beams start falling, and Sherry and Dwight nearly get creamed, but they jump aside at the last second. June stabs a zombie coming for her and Dove. Zombies continue to stream in, and Marty gets Dwight up against the furnace, Phil still scratching at the window. Marty says, remember how he told Dwight about giving his friend the satisfaction? He thinks he’s going to enjoy this more than Phil. He starts to open the furnace door, but Dwight grabs the iron and whacks him away with it, into a waiting zombie’s open arms. June says, they have nowhere to go, but Dwight says, the fire’s out. Let’s go inside. The building begins to collapse.

Inside the furnace, Dove asks, what happened? June says, the building is collapsing, and Dove says, it still hurts. This is never going to work. Sherry isn’t so sure this will help, but Dwight, keeping his lighter going so they can see, says, maybe it can. They hear metal clanging, and he says, the furnace is stable and will protect them from whatever is happening out there. June can do the surgery in here. June says she can’t, but he says, yes, she can. She asks how he knows, and he says, Sherry was right. Maybe something good can come from something bad. Maybe that’s the reason they wound up here. They needed each other to see it. Prepping Dove, June says she doesn’t want to hurt her, and Dove says, then don’t. Sherry says, June can do this. What happened to her, and them, doesn’t have to happen again. Maybe they just needed to work through the bad to get to the good. She half-smiles at Dwight, and June asks if Dove trusts her. Dove says, ask her again after the bullet is out, and June says, fair enough. She takes out her supplies, and Dwight keeps the lighter going.  

The oven opens and they come out. It’s practically the only thing left standing. There are a few errant zombies wandering around, and zombie Marty lies on the floor pinned there by another zombie. Dwight says, holy sh*t. It’s over. He asks how Dove is doing, and June says, she’s still resting. She’s going to be okay. Sherry looks up, and there’s a finch perched on what’s left of a wall. Are they trying to make me cry? June says, they should probably hit the road, and Dwight asks how she’s doing. June says, better, and he says he never should have left. Maybe they can turn the place into what it’s supposed to be, the way Finch wanted it to be. Sherry says she thinks they can.

Dwight says he made something for June, and gives her a finger he’s carved. He says, back in the train car, before it went the way it did, he asked her to be part of their family. He ran away, but he’s here now, so the offer still extends to her, and Dove as well. Sitting in the driver’s seat of the truck, Dove says, thank you, Red Kite, but Dwight says, she’s family. It’s Dwight. She says she’s Odessa, and he says he likes it. They should go. They have a lot of work to do. June and Sherry get into the truck, and Dwight looks around for a moment, then gets in. They pull away.

A song plays from a 45 on a turntable, something about sailing to Spain. Over the radio, we hear Russel say, nothing yet. Sorry. Troy says, his daughter is alive and well, and they will find her. We see it’s Victor’s turntable, and a little girl screams as she’s let down the hall by a man and a woman. She’s also blindfolded, and she says she hates this place. Where is she? Where’s her dad? They bring her to Victor, and in German, the man says, they found her for him. The woman asks, what does he want them to do? and Victor says, he’ll handle it. He tells the girl that he’s going to remove the blindfold. He does, and she asks, who is he? What does he want with her? He says, his name is Victor, and her eyes get huge. He says, it’s a good thing found her. She asks, why? and he says he’s going to help her. And she’s going to help him. She says, do what? and he says, save PADRE. He tries to touch her face, but she jerks away, and he smiles.

Next time, a stuck herd of zombies; Madison thinks she sees Alicia; Victor says, it’s not about him or her, but about PADRE; Troy wonders what makes them think he’ll make a deal; Victor gets attacked by zombies; Troy says, it doesn’t end well, and Luciana says, for you.

🕰 I’ve Fallen Back and I Can’t Get Up…        

Join me tomorrow for soap and yachting in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay working through the bad to get to the good, and stay not letting anyone down because you can’t get over your own sh*t.

October 29, 2023 – Two Finds Plus a Loss & The Night Wind

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

As Daniel’s boat comes in, a zombie is on the beach, caught in a fishing net with a starfish attached to its head. Daniel asks if Hawk has ever seen where the tankers came from, but Hawk says, no. Madison thinks this is a waste of time, but Daniel says, their fuel is low and they need to find out where PADRE gets their supply. She tells him that they’re giving Troy time to regroup, but Daniel says he lost a daughter too, and they’ll make Troy wish he’d died at the dam. The tanks are empty and zombies start coming out of the woods. Victor suggests they go inside the gas station. When they go in, they hear music playing, and Daniel says, whoever is in here, show yourself. He tells Hawk to shoot anything that moves, and goes to look around. It’s like a gas station/mini mart, and there’s a sign that says, take what you need. Madison asks what this place is, and Victor says, relics of a bygone era. Daniel comes back and says, they’re clear. Victor asks if Hawk is sure this is where the gas comes in, and he says he is. Madison sees a one-armed zombie and starts banging on the window, drawing the zombies to it. She tells Victor that there’s one missing a left arm, and takes Alicia’s mechanical arm out of her bag. Victor tells her that this isn’t healthy, and the agitated zombies scrabble at the window. It breaks and Madison falls back onto the floor, a zombie on top of her. Victor kills the zombie and helps her up, and the group takes off for the back of the building. They hear shooting outside, and the zombies fall. Daniel says, it’s not them, so who was it? Luciana walks in, and is shocked to see Madison. She says, Madison died a long time ago, and Madison says, she’s been getting that a lot. Luciana wonders why Victor is there, and Daniel asks if it’s really her. He’s been looking for her for a year. Luciana says, he found her.

Along with some men of Luciana’s, they clean up the zombie mess, and Victor asks if Madison is okay. She says, her baby was alive and she didn’t even try to look for her. She’s Alicia’s mother and should have never given up. Victor says, the last thing Alicia would want is for her to die in the process, but Madison says, if Troy was telling the truth and Alicia’s still out there, she needs to put her to rest. Victor says she will. If Alicia’s out there, they’ll find her. Madison tells Luciana that she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to trash her gas station. Luciana says, Daniel told her what Troy did to Alicia. Madison has nothing to apologize for. Madison hugs her, and Luciana says, so much has happened. There are fresh supplies in the back if they need them. Victor thanks her, and Daniel asks if Luciana’s been making gas. She says, PADRE brought her in years ago, and she didn’t have a choice. He asks who they used against her, and she says, him. She asked for his freedom in exchange. If she hadn’t, they would have killed him, since they considered him too old to be useful. He thanks her, and says he thought she was on the island, but she says they needed someone to refine fuel and she had to work in the shadows. Victor asks why she set up the gas station, since there are bad memories from the last time they holed up in one. Luciana says, if she was helping PADRE, she wanted to make sure she was helping others, and Madison asks what the place is. Luciana says, it’s a way station for travelers. There are 23 locations in the network throughout Arizona. As long as she delivers the fuel, they don’t ask questions. She can let them have gas as long as Troy doesn’t figure it out. She’ll send a tanker to the main road, and they can wait there for it. She needs to keep her operation safe. Daniel says, they haven’t talked in seven years, but she says she needs to protect the place. Daniel says, Troy didn’t follow them, when a truck pulls up. Luciana radios her people outside to tell Iron Tiger to wait. Madison asks who Iron Tiger is, and Lucina says, they should leave now. It’s safer for them to wait in the back. She goes outside, and Madison wonders if she’s telling the truth, but Daniel says, she wouldn’t lie to him. Victor says, she knew he was alive and didn’t look for him. She’s moved on. If it was a choice between them and her place, which does he think she’d choose? Daniel says he’s going to show them how mistaken they are, and he marches outside. He tells Luciana that the others think she’s up to something, and she says, he’s making this harder than it needs to be. The others have now followed him out, and Madison says, Luciana is making it harder. Who’s in the truck? Luciana says, it’s not him, and Victor asks what she’s worried about then. Madison walks closer to the truck, and Luciana’s people draw  their guns. Victor draws his gun, and the truck door opens. The driver steps down, facing away from them, and Madison says, turn around slowly. It’s Charlie, who’s surprised to see that Madison is still alive, and Daniel is surprised Charlie is still here. Daniel hugs her, and she says, June didn’t have what she needed at the Tower to treat the radiation poisoning, but PADRE did and Luciana gave it to her. Madison wonders why Charlie wouldn’t let them see her, and asks, what the hell is going on? Victor says, it’s complicated, but Charlie says, it’s not. She… shot Nick. She was scared and Ennis was dead. She pulled the trigger and she’s so sorry. Madison lunges for Charlie, but Victor holds her back and says, don’t do something she’ll regret. Luciana says, let her explain, but Madison says, there’s nothing to explain. Get the hell away from her, both of them. She flashes back to various times with Nick, and takes a sledgehammer to an old truck. She kills some zombies with it, and Victor brings her oxygen. She breathes some in, and she says, he knew? He says he thought Charlie was dead, so he didn’t think it mattered. She says, he didn’t? The girl she brought into the stadium killed her son. Victor says, she had no idea how it would play out. He should have told her. She hammers at an already downed zombie, and says, it’s not okay. If she hadn’t brought Charlie in, Nick might still be here. If she’d hit Troy harder, Alicia might still be here. If she’d done things differently, they might both be here. Victor holds her, and says, maybe he should take her back to the island. Daniel can handle getting the fuel. Madison asks how and why Charlie is still here. How was she let back in? Victor says, they gave her the same thing everyone else wants – a second chance. Madison asks if Alicia would want that, and he says, she’d be the first one to forgive Charlie. Madison doesn’t think she can forgive Charlie, but Victor says, no one is asking her to. Charlie wants talk to Madison, but Victor says, it’s not a good time. Madison says she wants to hear what Charlie has to say, and Charlie says she doesn’t blame Madison. She hated herself for a long time. She doesn’t expect Madison to forgive her, but she needed to say that since she doesn’t know when she’ll see Madison again. Madison says, Charlie just wants to feel better about herself, and Charlie says, she was 11, scared, and being used by  people older than she was. She’s so sorry she took Nick from the world, so she tried to turn her pain into something more. That’s why she’s doing what she’s doing, making things like this possible. As bad as Nick’s death was, something good came out of it. Just tell her if she can make Madison see the good. Victor says again, it’s not a good time, and Madison says, Charlie snuck into the stadium and fooled her, her son, and everyone. She wants Charlie to do the same with Troy. Charlie asks if Madison wants her to find out what he’s planning, and Madison says she wants something else. She wants Charlie to kill him. Victor says, don’t do this, but Madison says, Charlie took the stadium and her son. It’s the least she can do. Charlie says, Madison is right. She’ll do it.

Daniel says he thinks it’s too dangerous. They know what Troy is capable of. Let him do it. Madison says, Daniel won’t even get close to Troy. He doesn’t know Charlie and won’t see her coming. Daniel says, for years he thought Madison and Luciana were dead. He doesn’t want to risk Charlie. Madison says she knows what she’s doing; don’t make it harder than it needs to be. Charlie says, she’ll bring the fuel to Troy. He’ll be less suspicious if he gets something out of the deal. Luciana says, then what? and Charlie says, she’ll fix it for them. When she comes back, no one will have to worry about Troy anymore. She’ll also find out what happened to Alicia. Madison tells her not to pretend to care, but Charlie says, Alicia was her friend. She knows Madison doesn’t believe her, but she wishes she could take back shooting Nick. He was like a brother to her. Madison says, if he was, she wouldn’t have shot him, and Luciana gives Madison the keys to the tanker. There’s enough gas to last for months. Daniel asks if he can stay until Charlie returns, but Luciana thinks it’s best if he goes back to PADRE. She stays hidden to keep things like this from happening. Daniel says, maybe he shouldn’t have come, and she says she wanted to find him, but needed to protect everyone. He says he’s proud of her for that and her whole operation. Inside, Madison tells Victor not to look at her like that. She’s not letting that a-hole take the island. Victor asks, why, if it’s not what Alicia wanted? and she says, if Charlie is telling the truth, she’ll show them by killing Troy. Victor gets on the radio, and Madison finds a coffee can with a note on top of it that has her name. She says, this is her son, and Luciana says, they were clearing roads, and Charlie wanted to see where Nick was buried to tell him that she was sorry. Luciana didn’t realize how much she missed him until she saw his grave. Charlie said he deserved something better, so they cremated what was left of him and brought him here. He’d been buried in Field Hill country, so they could get to the weapon cache. Victor says, they were in a dark place, and Madison says, Charlie was right; Nick deserves better. Luciana says, they didn’t know where that might be, and Victor says, but Charlie thought Madison would. Madison asks if they can reach her, and Luciana radios for Iron Tiger. Charlie answers and Madison tells her to come back. She was right about Nick. He deserves better and Charlie should be there to say goodbye. Charlie says she can’t come back, but Madison says, Charlie doesn’t have to do what she asked. She was just a kid and doesn’t have to make up for Nick. Charlie says she means she literally can’t come back, and we see Troy’s men aiming their guns at the truck. Troy tells her, get out of the truck, and Madison ask, where is she? How did they find her? Charlie says, they were patrolling the road, when Troy opens the door, and hears Madison asking where she is. Charlie tries to make deal for the gas, but Troy asks why he should trust anyone talking to Madison. He tells her, get out of the truck. They have a lot to talk about. Luciana unplugs the radio and tells Madison that she can’t reveal where they are. Madison says she’s trying to do the right thing, and Daniel says, she wants to do the right thing now? They have to help rescue Charlie. Luciana says, they have to go, and Victor says, they’ve all suffered losses, but Daniel says, they have to try. Madison says, it looks like they’re going back to Troy.

Charlie’s wrists are tied to a chair in a room with shards of glass covering the floor. Troy is whacking the left arms off of zombies that are brought to him, and tells his men to bring in another when he’s finished. Charlie says, he doesn’t scare her, and he slices of her bonds with his sword. He says he finds it easier to talk when things are equitable. Don’t try to run. The last person messed up their feet so bad, they only got a half mile before the dead found them. She asks why he’s cutting their arms off, and he says he’s got to pass the time somehow. She says, he wants Madison to think they’re Alicia. Why did he kill her? He says, he’s the one asking questions. He’s not the only person who’s killed a Clark. Is what Madison said true? Did she kill Nick? Nick was a friend of his; he was like a brother. They were both better suited to this world than the last one. That’s what they thought anyway. Why was Madison trying to protect her? Charlie says, Madison was giving her a second chance, and he laughs. He says, if she believes Madison’s kumbaya bullsh*t, it’s going to get her killed. No one gave them a second chance. Charlie asks what he wants, and he says he wants to know where PADRE is. She asks why he cares, and he says he needs somewhere to set up shop, a place people like Madison can’t take from him. She asks, why not this place? and he says, they took it in one afternoon. They need someplace more secure that no one can take from them. Charlie says, someplace he can take from Madison, but he says, that’s just the icing on the cake. Charlie says she doesn’t know where PADRE is, and he puts his sword to her throat, saying, he doesn’t believe her. She says, she left the gas tankers for them to pick up, and tells him, drop the sword. He says he doesn’t believe her, so he guesses they’ll see how fast she can run with glass under her feet. He starts to unlock the gate keeping the zombies out, and she says, wait. There’s a map in the truck with a list of the drops. Maybe he can use it to figure out where PADRE is. He hears Russell on the radio asking for someone to check an explosion outside. The tanker just blew sky high. Troy says he wants a headcount now, and asks Charlie if it was on a timer. Is that why she wanted them to bring the tanker in? A man on the radio says, they need to get the fire out before it draws more dead, and Troy tells Charlie that she’s going to help him find PADRE whether she knows where it is or not.

Walking down the road, Madison and the others hear the explosion. They hear Russell on the radio asking how big the fire is. A man says, the whole thing went up and it’s spreading fast. Daniel says, it must have been the tanker, and Troy asks if Madison is there. She takes the radio, and asks, what the hell happened? He says, her tanker exploded, and she says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Daniel tells Madison that it must have been part of Charlie’s plan to be captured, and Troy says he has Charlie; she wasn’t in the truck when it blew. They must trust Charlie if they sent her in to kill him. He guesses they thought he’d be killed in the blast. Madison tells him not to hurt Charlie, and he wonders what Nick would think. She says, he’d get it. People do sh*tty things and come back from them. Troy says he’s glad she thinks so. She’s going to have to do something that will upset a lot of people. She says she wants Charlie back alive, and he says he wants to know where PADRE is. Victor says, they’ll hit him with everything they’ve got, and Daniel says, Troy doesn’t deserve PADRE. Troy says, the girl or PADRE? and Charlie says, don’t tell him. He kicks the chair over, and she lies in the glass. He puts the radio near her, and Daniel says he’s going to strangle Troy with his bare hands. They head back to their truck, and Troy asks if they hear that as Charlie gasps. He says he’ll kill her if they don’t tell him what it is he wants to know. Madison says, meet her in front of hotel, and she’ll tell him where PADRE is.

They drive close to the hotel, then walk. They see a burning zombie, and Madison says, it’s missing an arm. Where are they coming from?  Troy and his men meet them, and Troy tells them, hold it. There are a lot more of them inside. This better not be a trick. Madison says, no tricks; he has her word. He says he’s not sure that’s worth anything. He’ll hand Charlie over when she gives him PADRE’s location. Daniel says, if he hurts Charlie… and Troy says, let him guess. Daniel will take out his other eye. Daniel says, Troy will wish he did, and on the radio, Charlie says, don’t make a trade for her, but Madison says, Charlie is there because she asked her to be. She asks Troy how she knows he’ll hold up his end of the deal, and he says he’ll send his right-hand man to the location to find out if she’s bullsh*tting. He doesn’t care about Charlie. He just wants a safe place. Madison took everything from him, so he’s going to take everything from her. Madison asks if this is about Jeremiah, but Troy asks if she thinks he gives a sh*t about his old man. She says, then what did she take from him? but he says, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is PADRE. Victor says, there must be another way. They have people to consider like Frank and Klaus. They need assurance Troy won’t hurt the people there. Troy says, they’ll have ample time to leave. He doesn’t care about the people, just the settlement. Victor says he’ll drive, and Troy says, no weapons. Madison tells Charlie that they’re getting her out, and Charlie stabs one of the guards watching her. She says she just took out one guy, and she can take out another. Madison tells her, don’t do this, but Charlie says she’s not going to watch another place Madison built be taken away because of her. Madison says, it’s not her fault, and Troy asks why she’s doing this for Madison. Charlie says she’s not. It’s not what Alicia wanted, and Nick’s death has to mean something. Victor said Alicia’s last words to him when she thought she was dying was, make it mean something. Madison says, they’ll build something else, but Charlie says, he’ll just go after another place. They won’t kill her because it’s the only way for him to get what he wants. Daniel tells Troy, she’s right. If he kills Charlie, he’ll have no leverage and won’t know where PADRE is. Troy says, no one is shooting anyone. Put the gun down and they’ll work it out. Madison says, let Charlie go, and he can have PADRE, but Charlie says, don’t give him the location. Madison says, it’s not Charlie’s choice, but Charlie says, yes, it is. Madison won’t have to give him PADRE if he has nothing to trade. She flashes back to all the people she’s met and being with them, and Daniel says, no! Charlie calls up more memories, then shoots herself. Troy asks if the other guard can’t stop her, but he says, she’s dead. Daniel lunges for Troy, but Victor holds him back. He says, Troy is lying, but Troy says, Daniel heard the guard. Madison says she’s so sorry, and Daniel says he’s going to kill Troy for this. Troy says, this is not how he wanted this to go, but they can’t leave. He needs the map. A man radios that Tracy is missing, and Madison says, they have kids in there? Troy says, why did she think he wanted PADRE? The man says, Tracy said she’d never seen a truck running, and went to the tanker. Troy takes off running and calling for Tracy.

Troy goes to the burning tanker, continuing to yell, Tracy! He shoots zombies until he’s out of bullets, and pulls out his sword. A zombie gets him down, and Madison kills it. She asks what the hell he’s doing, and he says he’s not going to let another kid die after what happened. He opens the cab of the truck, and Madison says, whose kid? He says, she’s not in the cab, and a man tells him that there are dead everywhere, but Troy tells them to keep looking. Madison asks why he didn’t just tell her the truth, and he says, so she could take his daughter? Madison says she didn’t take anyone from him, but he says, that’s not true. His daughter’s mother is dead because of her, and he doesn’t have time for this. Madison follows him as he kills any zombie in his way. She says, he’s been cutting off their arms, making her think Alicia is everywhere she looks. They fight, and Madison gets him down. She asks who he thinks she took, and he says, the woman who rescued him at the dam. She gave him a second chance. He’s got to find his girl. Madison says, now he knows what it’s like wondering where your kid is, and Victor runs up. He says, they’ve got to get out of here, and drags her away.

On the road, Madison sits in the truck and watches Daniel on the truck bed looking despondent. Madison gets out, and we see he’s looking at Charlie’s hand sticking out from the tarp that’s been put over her body. Luciana tells Madison to use the fuel wisely; she won’t get more. They lost Charlie, and now Troy knows about her people. They’re at risk. She let herself get dragged into a fight that wasn’t hers. Daniel wants to go with Luciana, and tells Madison that they sent Charlie into a viper’s nest. There’s something fundamentally wrong with Madison. This is the second time someone dear to him died because of her. Madison says, they need him, but he says, they don’t. They need the army he’s assembled, if she can convince the parents of the children she stole that she’s changed. He tells Luciana that he wants to come and help take care of her like he’s wanted to for years, and she says, okay. He gets in the truck with her, and they drive away.

Victor tells Madison that what Daniel said isn’t true, but Madison says, it is. She sent Charlie to Troy to pay for what she did top Nick. It doesn’t matter that she changed her mind. Charlie is dead. Victor wonders why Troy thinks she killed the mother of his child, and she says she doesn’t know, but she can’t go back to PADRE with Victor. Daniel was right. She can’t ask anyone to follow her. He says, they’re not building it for her, but for Alicia, Nick, Frank, and Klaus. Madison says, if she stays it won’t happen. He has to keep the promise. He says he needs her; he can’t do it alone. She gives him the keys and says, he’s going to have to, and walks off alone.

Next time, Dwight confronts Troy, and Sherry is in big trouble.

🍭 Everyone Gets a Goodie Bag…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and what’s on Deck in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your black cat indoors on Halloween, and stay not making it harder than it already is.

October 22, 2023 – Madison Reunites With Victor & Ballad

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

Near a beautiful hotel on the beach, kids are playing soccer, farming is being done, and everything’s idyllic. It’s also in German. Victor comes from the balcony into a hotel apartment, but a man (Frank) and his son (Klaus) call him Anton. Frank kisses him, so I assume they’re a couple. A man knocks at the door and says, they have a new arrival. We see zombies clamoring outside, surrounding a tour bus at the entrance of the hotel. Frank, Klaus, and Victor find a man inside the bus, and Klaus asks if he needs help, Victor translating it to English. The man thinks his arm is infected, and Victor says he’s come to the right place. They take him inside, and the man asks where he is. Victor says, an oasis for the dispossessed, the desperate, the weary. They help people. The man asks why everyone is speaking German, and Frank says, they were tourists visiting this place; the bus was their tour bus. They didn’t make it home, so they made one here. This place is about second chances, and making sure everyone gets one. Victor says, everyone deserves a second chance.

The man gets antibiotics, and Victor takes him to get something to eat. It looks better than my dinner. As a matter of fact, it looks better than the last restaurant meal I had. Victor tells the man that schnitzel will do wonders for his strength, and the man says his infection is already starting to clear. Klaus tells Victor that a new guest was found half-conscious, and he put her in his room. Victor goes to see her, and it’s Madison, who says, Victor? It can’t be. Klaus wonders why she’s calling him Victor; his name is Anton. Victor tells Klaus to help his father and hustles him out. Madison, whose breathing is labored, asks what Victor is doing here, why was Klaus calling him Anton, and why is he speaking German? Victor flashes back to the tower and hugs her. She cries, and says she thought she lost him. He tears up, and she asks, what’s going on? Frank and Klaus come in with the oxygen, and Frank asks if everything is okay. Madison says, his name’s not Anton; it’s Victor Strand. Tell them his name. Victor says, Anton. He’s never heard of Victor Strand. She must be mistaken. Madison says, he’s not telling the truth, and Frank says, Anton/Victor doesn’t know her? Victor says he’s never seen her before, and Madison keels over. Frank hurries to set up the oxygen.

Victor sits at a table with Frank, Klaus, and several others. They discuss Madison, and Victor says he has no idea why she’s calling him Victor. Klaus says, she’s confused and scared, and a man asks if anyone asked her why. Klaus says, she had this in her bag, and shows them a walkie-talkie. He turns it on, and Daniel begins to speak. He’s trying to find Madison, and Victor tells Frank, turn it off, but Frank gives Daniel Madison’s description, and says, they want to help her. Daniel says, if they want to help her, give him her location. Victor grabs the radio, turning it off, and says he’s trying to protect them. She can’t stay. Frank says, she is staying, and asks if anyone disagrees. No one does, and Frank tells Klaus to take Madison some soup. Victor says he doesn’t want Klaus alone with Madison, and Frank asks, what is he so afraid of? Victor doesn’t answer, and Frank tells Klaus to make her feel at home.

Madison wears an oxygen mask, and her wrists are tied. She asks if Klaus would mind cutting her loose, but he tells her that his dad said it’s not safe. She asks what he thinks, and he asks why she thinks he’s this Victor Strand guy. She says, because he is, but he says he knows his dad wouldn’t lie. She says, he doesn’t know Victor, and Klaus asks why he would pretend to be somebody he’s not. Madison says she doesn’t know, but it’s pissing her off. Klaus feeds her some soup and sees her Nick and Alicia tattoos. He asks who they are, and she says, they were her kids. He says, were? He’s sorry. She sees a bird he’s rescued, and she says, her kids rescued a bird when they were around his age. He says, the birds get confused, and fly into the hotel windows. She asks if he always helps, and he says, everyone deserves a second chance. She asks, who taught him that? and he says, his dad, Anton. She asks where his mother is, and he says, his parents split up when he was little. His father brought him here on holiday before the world changed. They got stuck and they’ve been here ever since. He never saw his mother again. Madison says she’s sure his mother would be proud of him, and Klaus says, Madison seems cool too. She says she doesn’t think everyone would agree, and he says, they listened to her walkie. Why are they after her? She says she’s not sure. They were hit out of nowhere and their boats were stolen. He says, she must have done something, when Victor comes in, and she says she’s got to hand it to him. He made something here, even if it’s a lie. Klaus says, he’s not lying, and Madsion asks why Victor is hiding. Frank radios and says, they have new guests, but they’re not welcome ones.

On the bus, a man named Russell says, they’re looking for a woman that they heard is hiding out here. Victor says, that doesn’t narrow it down, and Russell says, her name’s Madison. Frank asks what they want with her, and Russell says, that’s their business. Frank says, sorry, they can’t help, and Russell asks if they have children here. Frank says, some, and Russell says, this woman was one of PADRE’s top collectors. She’s been broadcasting that she’s trying to rebuild PADRE. Frank says, that seems like a good thing, but Russell says, seems ain’t is. This particular leopard doesn’t change her spots. The head of their outfit knows her for who she really is. Daniel’s voice comes on the radio, and he says he knows they’re monitoring the channel. Russell cuts the radio off, and Frank says, she’s not here, but Russell thinks she is. He says, there’s two ways this can go. Hand her over, and they walk away. The voice they heard on the radio isn’t alone and he seems determined. If they have to fight to get her, they will. Do they want that fight on their doorstep? Victor flashes back to tossing people off the roof, and says, she’s here. Frank says, what the hell?

They find both Klaus and Madison are gone, and Russell says, she took him. Victor says he told them she seemed dangerous, and Russell says, if she gets him back to PADRE, they’ll never see their son again. Victor looks at a bulletin board and says, that’s not where they’re going. This is. He shows them a tour brochure, and says, Madison tore the map off before they left. Frank wonders why she’d take Klaus there, and Victor says, there’s only one way to find out.

They go to the shoreline, and Russell says, they came in two boats; she must have taken the other one. He asks Victor and Frank to hand over their weapons; they’ll get them back when they get where they’re going. Daniel comes on the walkie, asking if Madison is there, and Russell says, listen old man, you’re better off without her, but Daniel says, hurting her would be a grave mistake. Russell says, it’s not his call, but it will go better for her if they back off. Daniel says, too late for that, and Russell looks through binoculars to see Daniel and some others coming toward them in a boat. Russell says, he found them. If they leave now, they can still lose him. Victor looks conflicted, and flashes back to Daniel. He runs back up the beach stairs, and Frank follows him. Russell says, screw this, and the boat takes off. Frank and Victor run through the woods.

Frank asks, what the hell is wrong with him? and Victor says, it’s not their fight, but Frank says, Klaus needs them. Victor says, they’ll find another way, but Frank says, they took the only boat. Victor says he knows where there’s a raft. Zombies are toddling around in the woods, and Frank asks why Victor is so upset. Victor says, Madison has their son, but Frank says, before that. She called him someone else; is he? Victor wonders how he could ask, and Frank says he knows Victor hasn’t been fully honest with him; he’s always known Victor wasn’t truthful. Frank lived a lie, hiding who he was with Mia and Klaus. Whatever’s going on, Victor can tell him. Victor sees the raft, and says he used it years ago, before they found each other. Frank says, the years were not kind to it, and Victor says, let him do this alone. He goes through the stuff in the raft, while Frank kills a zombie coming toward them. He asks if Victor is the man Madison talked about, but a zombie blindsides him, getting him down. Victor stabs it through the back of the head with a sword, and Frank asks where that came from. Victor says, it’s what he was looking for. More zombies come, and Victor suggests they move now.

They walk in the dark, and Frank tells Victor, there was nothing they could have said to make Klaus stay. He thinks Madison reminds Klaus of his mother. He wasn’t there for her when the world changed. Maybe Madison made him feel like it was a second chance at helping her. Victor takes his Frank’s hand, and says, Frank never told him what happened after he told Mia his truth. Frank says, she was angry and confused. In the end, the truth set them free. He should have come clean sooner. Victor asks if she forgave him, and Frank says, of course, as he would Victor, if he’s Victor… Victor says, he’s not Victor, and Franks says, if he is Victor, whatever he did, he’s sure it’s forgivable. Victor says he’s not that man.

Victor sees the library from the tour map, and Frank says, they’re here. Inside, Klaus tells Madison to wake up. It’s going to be okay. Stay with him. Frank and Victor come in, and Klaus hugs Frank. Franks asks, what happened? and Klaus says, they ran out of oxygen on the boat, and he was trying to find more. They have to help her; she’ll die if they don’t. Frank says, finding oxygen here is going to be difficult, but Victor says he has an idea. He looks outside in a cooler and finds a tank, and Frank asks how Victor knew it would be here, but Victor says he didn’t. With this many rafts, he figured they carried supplies. Frank says, like he happened to find the sword, and Klaus says, there’s no time to argue. They see a boat out on the water, and Frank says, it’s them. Victor says, they need to go, but Klaus says, not without Madison. Victor says, there’s no time, and Klaus says, then he’s staying with her. He defended Victor to her, saying, his dad would never hand her over to people like that. Maybe Victor isn’t who he thought he was. Victor says he is and he’s going prove it. He tells Frank to take Klaus home. He’ll be behind them after he helps Madison. He takes the oxygen, but Frank says, he can’t do it alone. Victor says, Frank took a chance on him when they met. Frank saw the man he could be. Let him prove he can still be that man. Frank kisses Victor, and says, be careful. He and Klaus head out in the boat.

Victor gives Madison the oxygen and says, they need to go. She asks what he’s doing here, and where Frank and Klaus are. He says he sent them away, and she says, so he could throw her to the wolves again? Victor says, the wolves are circling and he came to help her. He promised his son that he would. She can either come with him and live, or stay here and die. They grab some supplies, and Victor says, they’ll take the zodiac. Madison asks, then what? and he says, they’ll talk about it when they get there. Madison says, she couldn’t protect her own settlement, calling him Victor, and he says, his name is Anton. She asks if he’s scared sh*tless that his family is going to find out who he really is, but he says, they already know. She says, he was ready to let her die to protect his secret, and he says he’s here, isn’t he? She asks if he’s cutting her throat with that sword, then going back and telling his kid those people did it, but he says, he’s not who she thinks he is, and she says she doesn’t know who the hell he is, taking a swing at him. They hear a gun cock, and Russell says he found them.

Madison says, don’t do this, and Victor says, whatever she did, they can work it out. Russell says, Victor has no idea how far back this goes. Madison says she doesn’t even know who he is, but Russell says he knows her. Victor says, whoever he thinks she is, that’s not her anymore, and Russell wonders why he should believe Victor after what he pulled on them; they’re the same, pretending to be something they’re not. He’s not fooled. Madison asks what he wants, and Russell says, PADRE. They’ve been looking for a place like it for a long time. She’s going to show him where it is. Zombies intrude on the conversation, and while Russell and his men are distracted, Madison grabs a gun and she and Victor take off. Russell and his men follow, shooting.

Victor says, the boat, but Madison says, they’re not going to make it. They have to go back. They kill some zombies and run back inside the library. Madison tries to shut the door, but some of the zombies are partway inside. She says, the door isn’t going to hold, and Victor says, the bookshelves. They tip the bookshelves over, blocking the zombies, but they’re still reaching over. Victor kills some of them, nearly gets pulled over when one grabs him, and loses his sword. They’re backed against a wall, and Madison runs out of bullets. Victor tries to radio Klaus and Frank, and says, they need help. He tells Madison that he’s sorry, and she asks if it’s him talking or Anton. He says, it’s him, and she asks why he’s pretending to be someone else. He says he had to. Whatever he was called, he had to leave that person behind. She asks what he did, and he says, what he had to. He created a thriving tower, a place where people could be safe. He was ruthless, even to Alicia; he betrayed her. When the tower fell, they washed up on these shores. Some of them were taken to PADRE. Others were struggling to survive. He tried to help them, but they wouldn’t let him; they couldn’t forgive him. He tried to help find food to make almonds amends, but when he came back, they were dead, just like the ones here. He hated being Victor, so he killed him. He died with everyone else. She asks what he became; who is he? He says, the last time he saw Alicia, she told him that she loved him. He didn’t think anyone could. When he met Frank and Klaus, he could be the person Alicia thought he was, but he could only do it as someone else, as Anton. Madison says she understands. Klaus is a good kid. He did all right. He takes her hand and thanks her. The zombies are agitated and reach for them, and he says, Alicia had the chance to watch him die and after everything he did, he deserved it; Alicia didn’t. Madison asks, why didn’t she? and he says, because her mother taught her that no one is gone until they’re gone. Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what. She says, they’re not so different. They got rid of the people running PADRE. She got rid of them and promised the kids she took that she’d help find their parents. She sent out messages from the repeater station, hoping their parents would hear her. He asks if they did, and she says, some, but they weren’t the only ones listening. Those people heard and she drew them to her. Now she’s put everyone else in danger. He says she was just trying to help, and she says, that place and what she promised those kids is all she has left. Klaus comes on the radio and says, the soldiers are here. They got inside. Suddenly, the zombies are shot from behind with a machine gun by Russell and his men. Russell grabs Victor’s sword and starts shoving everything aside. On the radio, Klaus says, Victor has to get back, and Russell says, they’ll take him to them. He whacks Victor in the head with the sword and everything goes black.

When Victor and Madison wake up, and find they’re tied to chairs. Russell says, welcome back, and we see Klaus and Frank are also tied up. Russell says, he told them to hand Madison over. This could have been avoided. Victor says, if he hurts them… and Russell says, it’s not up to him. Madison asks who it’s up to, and he says he’ll let him tell her…  A man walks in, drops his duffel bag, and tells Madison, it’s been a while. She says, Troy, and he says he’s just as surprised as she is. He knew he’d find her when he heard her radio broadcast, but he didn’t think she’d be keeping the same company as she did in Mexico. Frank says, he’s making a mistake. This man isn’t who he thinks. Troy says, that isn’t Victor Strand? and Frank says, his name’s Anton. Troy is confused. Troy says he thinks Frank is the one that’s confused. About Victor, and certainly about Madison. He’ll tell Frank the truth about who she is. Even better, he’ll show him. He takes off his shades, and one of his eyes is messed up. He says, it’s not pretty to look at, but that can happen with a bad hit to the head from a hammer. We flash back to Madison whacking Troy, and he says, this is what she did to him before she left him for dead in Mexico. After she destroyed his family’s ranch and killed his brother and father. He lost them all because of her, and Victor helped. Madison asks what he wants, and Troy says, the same thing he’s wanted since she took it from him. The same thing he’s been helping these people find since he was pulled out of the rubble in Mexico – a home. She took his, and now he’s going take hers. She says, he’ll never find it, but he says she’s going to tell him – he takes out a hammer – or he’s going to do to Victor what she did to him. He grabs Victor and raises the hammer. Victor tells Madison, don’t do it. Hold onto that place. It’s what Alicia would want. Frank says, tell them what they want to know, and Troy asks, how many people is she prepared to hurt? Frank asks Victor to look at him, and Victor says his name is Victor Strand. He lied to Frank about so much, but what he felt for Frank was real. He says he loves them both in German, and as Troy is about to hammer Victor, Klaus says, no.

Daniel comes in, holding a knife to guard guy’s throat, and says, drop the hammer. The entire crew marches in, and June says, do it. Daniel says, drop the weapon, and Troy suggests Daniel follow his own advice, but Daniel knocks guard guy out, and someone knocks the hammer out of Troy’s hand. Madison gets free, and Daniel suggests, the next time, make sure they’re dead. June and the others keep their guns on Troy, and Troy asks what Daniel thinks he’s doing. Does he think he’s going to stop them? They know where this place is now, and they’ll keep coming back. Madison says, do that, and there won’t be anyone here for him to hurt. Her plan of building is about to expand. They took her in when she needed help, and she’s going to do the same. Troy says, she just told them what she did to him. What makes them think she won’t do the same to them? She says she did things she regrets, but the place she’s building isn’t about her. It’s about keeping something bigger alive. Daniel says, they have to get out of here, and Madison says, she’s building it for her kids, for Alicia. Troy says, she’s making a mistake. It’s the same thinking that got Alicia killed in the first place. She asks, how the hell would he know? and he says, because he killed her. She calls him a liar, and he says, she doesn’t believe him? He pushes his duffel bag toward her with his foot, and says, open it. Daniel tells her not to listen to him. Let’s get out of here. She takes out Alicia’s mechanical arm and asks, what is this? Troy says, she doesn’t recognize it? It belonged to Alicia. He took it off her corpse after he killed her. I yell, don’t believe him! at the TV, and Madison grabs the hammer, but Victor holds her back. He tells her not to let Troy get in her head. Troy says he would have put her down, but after all the wandering around he did in Mexico, he thought it was only right that he let Alicia wander too. Maybe Madison will find Alicia, or Alicia will find her and she can finish the job. She wants a fight? They’ll give her one, but the question is; what is it she’s even fighting for?  

This season, Madison says, someone’s got to stop him; Victor wants to go with Madsion; Madison says she has to put Alicia to rest and build PADRE into what she wanted; Daniel is going to strangle someone with his bare hands; and zombies, zombies, and more zombies.

👮🏽‍♀️ Busting Some Ghosts…

Join me tomorrow for soap and shenanigans in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay dressing appropriately for that office Halloween party, and stay knowing, no one is gone until they’re gone.

June 18, 2023 – Morgan Sees Red, Dead In the City & New World

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

There’s a mishmash of images in Morgan’s head; chaos, bloodshed, Grace and Mo. Madison snaps him out of it, and tells him that she heard about Grace and came to see if he was okay. When she got here, he was killing them. There are fallen dead all around him, and he says he doesn’t remember killing them. She says he attacked her too, but he doesn’t remember, and he tells her that Mo is at the shipyard. He’s got to stop her. He screams for his ax like Joan Crawford/Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest. He’s graffitied the train car, and says she needs to get away from him. In losing Grace like he lost Jenny, he’s afraid of losing Mo too. He thought he was past seeing red. When he does, all he does is kill; until he’s cleared. Walkers and people; it doesn’t make a difference. It’s a cycle and it’s starting again. He swung his ax at her, and doesn’t remember. Who knows what else he might do? She says she’s not leaving him. She’d lost herself when they met, and he helped her back. Whatever happens now, she’s with him. She’ll make sure he doesn’t lose himself. He says he has to come back and bury Grace right. He can’t lose Mo. He doesn’t think he’ll survive it. She says, then let’s not lose her. She leaves, and he looks at his bloody hands.

They go to the shipyard, and there are dead zombies all over the place. Some are still up and moving though, and Morgan does his clearing thing, seeing red. Madison calls to him, and says she tried to stop him; they helped. He sees Daniel is there, along with the rest of the army. He asks if he hurt her, but she says she managed to stay out of the way. Only the prefects were here, and they got out. As they trudge through the water, Daniel tells Morgan that June is monitoring PADRE from the repeater station. The dead overwhelmed the prefects and pushed them back to the water. Mo led them out. The island’s been evacuated. Morgan radios Mo, and says, a friend once told him, you can hide, but you can’t run. The only thing that will ease the hurt is the people she has left; the same thing she’s running from. He starts to see red again and tells Madison about the settlements PADRE wants to build. He’s afraid if Mo goes with them, he’ll never see her again. Madison says she’ll go after Mo. Mo ended up at PADRE because of her; let her make it right. June radios Daniel, and says, it sounds like the prefects are surrounded by walkers on a couple sides. They’re going to a houseboat. Morgan is worried about it sinking, but Madison tells him that they’ll get to it before it sinks. Morgan says, it’s overgrown. She’ll never find it. Daniel says, then he’ll have to be the tour guide. He gives her his ax.

Crane and Shrike land on shore. Crane tells Shrike that he got rid of any trace of their files, but he couldn’t find the coordinates. Shrike says, they must be somewhere they haven’t looked. Brilliant deduction, Sherlock.

Mo sees the houseboat, and a flare goes up. She radios PADRE One, and Shrike tells her to double back. They’re not on the houseboat. PADRE is moving ahead with the expansion, but they need the coordinates to launch it; that’s what it’s always been about. Mo wonders why they can’t decide on their own coordinates, but Shrike says, these were developed to provide the perfect conditions for community. The coordinates are hidden in a pair of binoculars on a Carrion named Krennick. Kill as many as they can until they find him. Morgan radios Mo, saying, don’t listen. Get to the houseboat. Keep herself safe until he gets there. Shrike will get her killed. Shrike says, no, Morgan will get her killed, but Morgan says he’s not going to lose his kid. Mo says, he already has. Don’t make it harder than it already is. Daniel says, they can do this, and Madison says, they’ll have to fight their way toward Mo. Morgan sees red, along with the images of death and angst in his head, and tries to get his ax. He sees himself fighting Madison, but the next thing he knows, he’s in quicksand along with his ax. Mo tells the prefects that they’re going to split up to cover more ground, and Morgan radios her. He says, what she saw at the house on the walls is happening again. He doesn’t know what he’s done or might do. Promise him to forget what he told her. If she sees him, run from him.

Dwight loads a gun, while Sherry nurses Finch. June comes in and asks where Dwight is going. He says, Shrike’s going to the swamp, and he’s making sure she doesn’t come out. He’s going to stop Shrike from doing to the kids what she did to his. June asks him to let her do it. She wasn’t there for her daughter and should have been. Finch needs him. So does Sherry. Let her do this. He gives her the gun and goes to Finch and Sherry.

Morgan is in the swamp, seeing red. Mo stabs him in the collarbone, and says, he thought she was Carrion. She’s sorry, but she had to stop him. Madison radios, and Morgan says, she needs to help Mo at the houseboat. Gasping for oxygen, Madison says she’ll try, but she doesn’t know if she can find it without him. Morgan tells Mo, turn around and walk away.

He wakes up in the sinking houseboat, one arm chained to a railing. Mo says, he passed out, and it was the only place she could bring him. It’s the safest one. Zombies are starting to get uncomfortably close, and he tells her, cut him loose, and he’ll kill the zombies. She needs to get as far away from him as she can. She says, why couldn’t he just let her go? Now they’re trapped like before, because of him. She was trying to run away. He asks why she didn’t, and she says she didn’t want to watch him die like Grace, but now there’s no way out. He tells her that they’re breaking the cycle, as zombies break through the hull of the boat. He sends up a flare with one hand, and Madison sees it. She radios that she’s on her way, but Shrike pops out of the woods, and says, no, she’s not. Madison says she needs to get to the houseboat, and Shrike says, so is she. She should have just killed Madison. Shrike is about to shoot Madison, but Daniel shoots a warning shot at her first. He says, the next one will be in her head. His army comes out, and he says, meet the parents of the children she stole. She says, rescued, but he assures her that they don’t see it that way. Dove says, they’re stuck trying to live a life that’s been dead a long time, and Daniel tells Madison to get in the boat. He’s going to try to get through to them. Madison takes off, and there’s a gun battle as Madison paddles away.

Zombies are closer to the boat, and Morgan asks for his ax, but it’s still a hard no. Mo stabs the zombies in the head, and says she’d rather fight them than him. He tries to get loose, and begins to see red as more zombies break through. He radios Madison, who says she’s coming as fast as she can, but she’s not sure it will be enough. He says, it has to be. Mo needs her. Madison says, and she needs oxygen. He wouldn’t let her save Mo before. He says, she still can. He gives Mo a scuba tank, and tells her that she’s going to swim right under. She refuses to leave him, but he says he’ll find a way out. He’s not going to make the same mistake he made 7 years ago. They were surrounded by walkers, and the boat was sinking. Mo was just a baby, and he thought it was all over. He saw red, and when he came to, his hands were covered in blood, and he was standing over her. He called PADRE to get her because he didn’t trust himself to care for her. Swim until she’s clear of this place. Mo takes the tank, and dives, and Morgan radios Madison. He says, Mo is going to be okay. She says, what about him? but he says, just find her. Make sure she doesn’t get on the ship. Shrike gets on the radio and says, if she finds the coordinates, he’ll never see Mo again, but he says he doesn’t think so. The walker they’re looking for with the binoculars is in front of him. He’s going to bury the coordinates at the bottom of the swamp, where they’ll never find them or him. He reaches for a rifle nearby, and sees red, along with images of Mo in distress. We jump to Madison fishing him out of the water. She tells him, the houseboat went under, and she had to pull him out. He asks, where’s Mo? He has to stop her. Madison says, he’s going to get himself killed, but he says he can’t lose her. Madison says, when PADRE first got its hooks in her, it was with her kids, and her kids were the only thing that kept her going. Even when Alicia thought she was dead, Alicia kept Madison with her. Shrike comes flying out, asking, where is he? She’s freaking out for the first time, and losing control, and Morgan says, he went down with the ship. Then, of all the zombies in all the towns, Shrike’s dad comes through the water. Shrike falls to her knees and cries, remembering him. He comes out of the water, clutching at her, and tears her neck out with his teeth. Madison kicks him off of Shrike, and brings down the ax. She tells Shrike that she’s sorry, and takes the binoculars, as we all would. She takes out the coordinates, and Shrike says, dad, I’m sorry. Madison says, he was always with her.

Crane has Daniel and the others on their knees, and tells the prefects, guns up. He shoves Daniel, saying, don’t look at him. Mo runs joins them, and asks, what’s going on? Dove says, the army is stopping them from finding Carrion, but didn’t have what it takes, and Crane says, you know what comes next. This is what they’re trained for – shoot them. That doesn’t happen, and Dove says, they’ve been given an order – fire. Daniel says, they won’t do it. Making a child kill for the first time is harder than you think. Dove says, he’s wrong. They heard Crane; pull the trigger. Daniel says, don’t listen to them. When he was young, he was in the same position. He wishes someone had stopped him. It will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Dove says, enough. This ends now. Guns up. Pull the trigger. Nope. Crane says, pull the trigger now, and he and Dove hassle Hawk, but he won’t shoot. Morgan runs up, and says, hold your fire. Mo asks why he’s here, and Dove tells her not to speak to him. He tried to kill her. Morgan says he’s not here to hurt anyone, and Madison says, they’ve got the coordinates, holding them up. Crane asks what they want for them, and she says, nothing. Morgan says, they’re going to give the coordinates to them, and Crane says, it’s a trick. Morgan says, it’s not a trick, and Daniel starts to protest, but Morgan says, if that’s what it takes to end all this, let them have it. He’s letting Mo go. If she thinks this is what she needs, he won’t stand in her way. Mo says, he told her that he didn’t want to lose her, and he says he doesn’t. Dove says, he’s just messing with their heads, and Morgan says, it started when he lost his wife and son; he lost himself. When Dove’s mom died, it started again, but he thinks he can break free of the cycle. Madison led him to it. She said, you never lose the people who matter. Crane says, enough, and Madison says, his sister couldn’t kill them. She saw their father, and remembered what he wanted PADRE to be; what he died for. Morgan says, part of him was still alive; Crane’s sister saw it. They’re a part of the people they love. Go to the ship and see where it leads them, but remember the people they’ve left behind who will remember them. They might not know today or tomorrow how important it is, but the day will come.

Mo puts her hand on Crane’s arm, and he lowers his gun. She tells Morgan that she wants to be with him, and they hug. Everyone is like, aww, except for Crane, who cowers like the big baby he is.

Shrike wakes up on an operating table, June watching as Shrike sees a snapping zombie head above her. Shrike cries out, but June says, no one is going to hear her. Morgan and Madison told her where Shrike was, and she brought Shrike here. Shrike says, there’s still time. Give her a dose of radiation. Please. June radios Dwight and Sherry, asking what to do, but Finch stops Dwight from answering for a moment. He says, don’t make her feel this, and Dwight tells June, make it quick and painless, and June tells Shrike, it’s less than she deserves. June stabs the head, when Crane walks in. She points her gun at him, but he says he just wants to see Shrike. June says, either he does it or she will. He blubbers and shows her that he’s unarmed. June tells him, bury her deep, and find another place to live. She leaves, and Crane and Shrike cry, but I have little sympathy.

At the shore, Morgan thanks Madison for helping him find his daughter and himself. But there is something else. Whatever comes next for her and the kids, they don’t need him to get it done. He’s been thinking about the people he ran away from when he arrived. He has to find them; see if they’re still there. Right his mistake, and make sure they’re okay. He wouldn’t do this if he didn’t believe the rest were safe with her. She says she thinks they only see her as a woman who took their kids away, but Morgan says, she’ll give them good reason not to. Mo says, Madison gave her a reason, and hands Madison her old jacket back. She thanks Madison, and hugs her. Morgan hugs Madison and says, they’ll always be with her. Mo and Morgan get in the boat, Mo leaving her prefect mask behind, and they row away.

Sherry and Dwight bury Finch, marking his grave with a wooden name plaque. Dwight asks if PADRE didn’t give him the name, but Sherry says, he made it his own and no one can take it away from him. She asks what they’re supposed to do now, and Dwight says he thinks it’s got to be the end of them. No matter where they go, or what they do, it stays the same. Sherry says, it never stops, and he says, it just seems to get worse. Maybe it’s not because of a-holes like Negan and Shrike. Maybe they’re not meant to be together. Sherry tears up and asks where he’s going. He says, back home. He thinks he can start over. She says she doesn’t want to hurt him, and he says he doesn’t want to hurt her either, but it seems to be what they do to each other. Sherry says, then let’s put an end to it, and he says he’s sorry. They hug. Pfft! Why is Dwight doing this?

Dove asks Madison if they’re getting on the ship, and Madison tells the group that there are files on the island that tell them where they came from and who their parents are. Some of them could still be out there. They’ll find them and bring them here. They’ll make PADRE what it was meant to be in the first place.

Morgan buries Grace in a large makeshift graveyard. Mo comes along in normal clothes, having ditched her uniform. He hugs her and gives her a not-pokey stick to practice with. She goes to wait for him, and Morgan goes to the grave of E. Eastman. He says, as much as his weapon has changed since Eastman gave it to him, he supposes he has too. Eastman made that all possible with everything he gave to Morgan and taught him. Morgan has realized all life is precious, but it’s not about killing or not killing. It’s about what you do with the time that you have and the people you have. Morgan needs him to look after Grace. Mo practices in the background, and Morgan tells her, every swing has a reason. Either strike or block. He asks her to show him, and she makes some moves. He says, they need to get going, and she asks, where? He says, remember the friend he mentioned; the one who told him not to run? He thought they’d look for him. Mo asks if he thinks they’ll find him, and Morgan says, it wouldn’t be the first time they found their way back to each other. He gets on the walkie, and says, this message is for Rick Grimes from Morgan Jones. He’s going to look for Rick, whether he’s at Alexandria or not. He’ll leave this message every day at dawn and leave the walkie on for a few minutes. Who knows? Maybe Rick will even be listening. He looks at Grace’s name plaque, kisses his palm, and places it on the ground where she’s buried, thinking of everyone he’s lost. He picks up his ax, and says, let’s go. They start to walk, and they both turn for a second, like they heard something, then keep walking.

A message comes over the radio. This is Madison Clark. If you can hear this message, you are in a territory PADRE has patrolled. PADRE has fallen. They are no longer a threat to you or your children. She gives some coordinates to come find any children, and someone listening writes them down. Madison says, if they can’t get there, send an SOS to this channel, and they’ll find them. They’ll do their best to reunite them with their children and make up for the damage PADRE did. The listener packs a bag with a bunch of weird weapons, including a mechanical hand.  

The final season returns this fall.

🗽 Dead Spoilers…

While the first episode was more of a set-up than anything else, I don’t think this show is going to disappoint. I’m thrilled that we’re finally getting out of Georgia, but even better, NYC is a phenomenal backdrop for zombies. Okay, maybe I’m a little biased, having spent a good portion of my life there, but it’s definitely fun new territory. I didn’t recap, since this week I dealt a laptop death, a dog stepping on a bee, and pulling a hamstring during a workout. I was like, isn’t Vanderpump Rules and that incessant ad with the woman singing about her A1C enough? Anyway, I just wanted to enjoy it, but I did jot down some highlights. If you haven’t watched it yet, don’t read them.

Maggie is looking for her son, and while she still holds a grudge against Negan, she needs his help to find Herschel. She hunts Negan down, then they follow a lead she has to NYC. They travel through New Babylon, a capital city where marshals keep order. One in particular, Perlie Armstrong, is out to get Negan. Zombies are called chompers in this one, and among the many new dangers the city holds, they get bombarded by zombies falling from rooftops. On the plus side, a little ice cream type truck tours the streets, playing crooner tunes, and luring zombies. Like gossip columnist Cindy Adams always says, only in New York, kids. Only in New York. Herschel, now a young man, is being held captive by The Croat who reminds me a little of Teddy. He wants information, but Herschel isn’t giving it, and it looks like he’s the type to show no mercy.  

🗯 Best quote, from The Croat, talking about the city after the zombie apocalypse: The irony is that in death, the city is so much more alive than it ever was. Because the struggle, it galvanizes you. Shows you the strength you had inside all along.

Oh yeah, and there’s cockroaches.

⚰️ Dead Tired…

Come on back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s on Deck. It looks like another double episode, but I have no clue why this is a thing now. Until then, stay safe, stay having a Happy Father’s Day, even if you just father a plant, and stay remembering it’s about what you do with the time that you have and the people you have.