Category Archives: science fiction

Feb26

February 25, 2018 – A Somber Start to the Dead, a Bit of Ash, an Atlanta Mention, McWhat? & a Song

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

When last we left, teens and tweens everywhere were crying into their Skittles because Carl got bit. They’re thinking he might make a cute zombie though.

Rick prays that mercy prevails over his realm. I think this is a dream. There are kids running around, and Jerry is there. Everyone is all happy, and things look normal. In the here and now, Michonne and Rick dig what I assume is a grave. He tells her to go, and we flash back to Carl fighting off a zombie. This time we actually see him get bitten. It gets shot from behind, and Siddiq asks if he’s okay. He says he is. Siddiq and Carl drop down to the sewer tunnel.

Back home, Carl checks out his wound, and the bite holes in his shirt. He waits for Rick with a guard, who gives him a note from Michonne, saying she had to see for herself. Carl writes letters to everyone. He and Siddiq go back through the tunnel. Carl sets up a cot there. He rocks Judith on the porch, and they do some finger-painting. He takes a Polaroid selfie of the two of them. Carl and Siddiq share a candy bar. I guess this is his bucket list? Such as it is during the apocalypse.

Carl does some planting, and waves to Michonne as she drives by. He enjoys the sunshine.

Across from the Sanctuary, Morgan tries to get a bead on Negan. The Saviors shoot at the zombies outside, and Morgan tells someone on the radio, it’s not now. He says the Saviors are trying to make a path, using the zombie bodies as a block. Suddenly, the room Morgan is in, is being riddled with bullets. He stops, drops, and rolls out the door.

Morgan is outside, and sees the zombies wandering to the opera music. He bangs on the fence, distracting them. They come his way. Some Saviors pop out, but he’s able to slip away while they’re busy with the zombies. A Savior caravan goes by, and Morgan jets out of the forest as soon as they’re gone.

Elsewhere in the forest, Carol tells her Kingdom group about a place the Saviors don’t know about, and tells them to hide there until she comes back. Henry says he’s going too. They killed his brother, and he’s not going to let them kill her too. He wants a gun, but she says that’s not happening, and heads toward the Kingdom.

Carl shows Rick his wound and sweats bullets. Daryl holds Judith. Carl says, sorry, like he dented the car. He says if he doesn’t make it, he wanted to make sure he said goodbye, and gives Rick the letters. There’s shooting outside, and Rick says it’s them. Carl tells Rick about bringing Siddiq back, and that he’s the one from the gas station. It wasn’t the Saviors; it just happened. He got bit.

Gavin tells Ezekiel that Negan is going to kill him, and there’s nothing he can do to stop it. Ezekiel says he buried his people, and what happens to him matters not. Gavin says he liked him. He accepted things for how they were, and didn’t get any big ideas, but then Rick planted one, and here they are. Ezekiel says he made a choice he can live with; now it’s Gavin’s turn to do the same.

Morgan sneaks around the Kingdom. He runs into Carol, who’s also sneaking around. Morgan thinks they can take them one by one, but she thinks it’s better to avoid them until they can’t. He says they have Ezekiel, and she says they have to take them now.

Michonne tends to Carl. Siddiq has some OTC inflammatory that will help with the fever. It did for his mom and dad. Rick’s son should have them. Rick asks if he was a doctor, and Siddiq says he was a resident… before. Rick asks if he’s Siddiq. Carl says he wasn’t going to make it alone, and needed them. That’s why he brought him back. He starts coughing, and Rick gives him the medication.

Michonne tells Dwight to make it stop. He’s one of them. She begs him. Rosita says if Hilltop is safe, they should go there. Dwight says they’re looking right now. Their best chance is to stay until they’re gone. They’re almost done. It wasn’t about destroying the place; they don’t have the ammo for that. After they’re gone, that’s when they go. Rosita says they wait then. He asks if she thinks Hilltop the best plan, and she asks if he has another one. He says, all of them together, and Daryl finishes, it will be their worst nightmare.

Two Saviors are putting out fires (literally), while Morgan and Carol watch. He says they have to go through the courtyard, exposed; this is it. He taps one guy on the shoulder, and knocks him out with his staff. Carol knocks out the other. Carol thinks they should just do it. Two more Saviors run out, and they knock them out too. Morgan impales them with the pointy end. He and Carol go inside.

Gavin tells everyone to hustle. He asks Ezekiel if it’s going bad; if it’s going to turn into something else. Ezekiel says he’s the author of this nightmare. I’ll have to remember that one.

Michonne strokes Carl’s face. He says she’s supposed to be resting, but she tells him that she’s not tired. He says it’s going to stop; it’s not supposed to be like this. She’s having a hard time keeping it together.

Dwight thinks it sounds like it’s letting up. Rosita says it looks like he was right – about everything. Daryl decides to take a look, and hands Judith off to Rick.

Morgan and Carol sneak around some more. They start to go inside another building, but Morgan hears something. He looks around the corner of the porch, and sees some Saviors unloading a car. He silently goes down the steps, and kills all three of them, but another pops out of the building with a gun. Carol shoots him before he can shoot Morgan. Morgan takes one of their guns, and they go inside.

Ezekiel is packed into a pickup truck, and Gavin says it’s his last ride; try to make him comfortable. He tells Ezekiel that you try, and hope, and want things to finally settle, but no. it always comes down to this. It always has to get dark and ugly and inhuman. He doesn’t like it. Ezekiel says it’s not too late to walk back from something decided. Gavin says Ezekiel did, and look what it’s got him. Gavin gets on the radio, and calls Peter, but gets no response. He starts to get nervous, and calls Gomez, and also gets no response. Ezekiel tells him again that it’s not too late. They hear gunfire, and Gavin says to get Ezekiel inside now. Morgan and Carol creep around one of the trailers.

A tear rolls down Rick’s cheek. In his mind, he sees a cookout. Eugene jokes with Judith, who is around five. Rick and Michonne continue to dig.

The gunfire stops. Michonne says they can get to Hilltop. Rick says Carl won’t make it. He has to stay with him. She says they’ll both stay. He asks her to take Judith; she needs to be there. He starts to cry, and Daryl says he’ll take her and keep her safe. He’s got this. Rick wants to let her say goodbye, and brings her to Carl. Carl tells her that his hat was dad’s before it was his; now it’s hers. It always kept dad with him, and helped him. Maybe it will help her too. He tells her before mom died, she said he’d beat this horror, but he didn’t. She will though; he knows it. She starts howling, and Rick gives her to Daryl. Daryl says Carl saved them all. Everyone starts to leave.

Siddiq says Carl helped him, and he’s going to honor his memory. Carl brought him there and gave him a chance. Siddiq can never repay him, but can honor him by showing his people, friends, and family that what he did wasn’t for nothing. It mattered and meant something, and because it did, he’s going to honor Carl. Carl smiles, and shakes Siddiq’s hand. He tells Saddiq congratulations; he’s stuck with them. Siddiq leaves to join the others.

Commercial break. They need to stop trying to make Red Machete happen. It’s not going to happen.

Gavin tells everyone what to do. They’re ending this whatever the hell it is. He smacks Ezekiel, and says it is too late. He’s the author, and Ezekiel is the dead man. He lives, and Ezekiel dies; it’s the way it is. Ezekiel says the compromises he made were done to save lives. He realizes the compromises Gavin is making are to save only his, but no more. There’s an explosion, and everything is pretty dark. The Saviors start shooting. Gavin holds up his hand, signaling them to stop. He tells Morgan and Carol to give up, or Ezekiel is dead. Carol and Morgan come out, machine guns blazing. Gavin is so startled, he forgets all about Ezekiel, who dives for cover.  Gavin gets hit in the leg, and drops his gun. Morgan has turned into a serious badass. We already knew Carol was. Ezekiel grabs Gavin’s gun, and now he’s a badass too. One of the Saviors gets Morgan down to the floor, and starts punching the crap out of him. With some bizarre burrowing skills, Morgan puts his hand into the guy’s wound, and practically disembowels – no, I spoke too soon – he disembowels him. Yep, he’s pulling the guy’s intestines out right out. Wow. I did not see that one coming.

Gavin gets up and tries to run (yeah, I’d be scared too), and Morgan shoots at him. He gets away, and Morgan picks up his staff/pokey stick. Ezekiel says they should leave, but Morgan tells him they don’t need to go, and heads after Gavin.

Violin music plays (I’m not kidding) as Rick and Michonne make Carl comfortable. He doesn’t want Michonne to be sad or angry. She’ll have to be strong for Rick and Judith, and for herself. She says she will, and he tells her not to carry this; not this one. He calls her his best friend. She says he’s hers too, and smiles through her tears. She kisses his hand. Rick says they need to get him out of there.

Gavin stumbles around like a blind bat out of hell, while Morgan walks steadily behind him like Michael Meyers in any one of the Halloween films.

The town is burning. Michonne and Rick walk out, with Carl between them. Rick says he can make it. They take Carl to the church, which is relatively unscathed by the fire.

Morgan drags his staff along the ground, like Freddy Krueger’s knife fingers, and Gavin shakes. He sees Morgan’s shadow. This is great. Morgan opens the door to Gavin’s hiding place, and he tumbles out.

Carl thanks Michonne and Rick for getting him there. He tells Rick about when they were back in the prison. When they got outside, there was a kid a little older than him with a gun. He was starting to put it down, and Carl shot him. He was giving up, and Carl just shot him. Carl thinks about him and what he did, and how easy it was to just kill him.

Morgan kicks Gavin. Gavin says Morgan is a sick man; he kept his word. Morgan’s not having it, and walks around him. Gavin says they can go back to Hilltop. Ezekiel and Carol arrive on the scene. Gavin says they think they can beat Negan. They can’t, but it can go back to how it was. Morgan says, no.

Rick tells Carl that what he lost, what happened, all those things he had to do; he was just a boy. Carl says Rick saw what he did, and how easy it got.

Gavin asks if Morgan killed all those men because of the kid. Morgan has his staff a few inches from Gavin’s nose. Gavin tells him killing him won’t make any of it go away. He’ll still wake up in the same sh*t tomorrow. Morgan drags him to his feet.

Carl says that’s why Rick changed. He brought them in, and they all lived together; frenemies. Rick put away his gun. He saw how Rick changed, so Carl could be who he is now. How he stopped fighting. It was right and still is. It can be like that again. He can still be like that again.

Ezekiel tells Morgan to cease this revenge. It’s the coward’s way. They don’t have to kill him. Let him see what he’s wrought, and let it be his to live with.

Carl says Rick can’t be who he was. He’s different now. He can’t kill all of them. There has to be something after. For Rick. For them.

Carol tells Morgan to stop. He doesn’t want to do this, and doesn’t have to. He’s the one who told her that they can be better than them. She can see he doesn’t want to do this. Morgan says he has to. Gavin looks petrified. Suddenly, there’s a hole in his neck, and blood starts pouring out. He drops to the ground, and Henry stands behind him with a pokey stick like Morgan has. Morgan looks slightly freaked.

Carl doesn’t know how it could be, but he’s seen it. We see it too, as he describes it. Rick has a beard, longer and greyer. Michonne is happy, and Judith is older, listening to songs he used to… before. Alexandria is bigger. There are new houses, crops, and people working. Everybody is living together, and everybody is helping everybody else. Rick can still be who he was. That’s how it could be. Rick says it was all for him from the start. Everything he did was for Carl and Judith; it still is. Nothing is going to change that. Carl says he wants this for Rick. Rick says he’ll make it real. He promises.

Ezekiel tells Henry that it’s all right. Henry says he had to. Carol scolds him, saying it’s not what he was supposed to do; it wasn’t for him. Ezekiel says all will be resolved, and hugs him.

Rick tells Carl that he’s sorry he couldn’t protect him. A father’s job is to protect his son. Carl says it’s just to love. Carl isn’t looking too good, and reaches for his gun. Michonne starts to say, it should be – and Carl says, he knows. It should be someone you love, but you should do it yourself if you still can. He has to do this. He tells her that he loves her, and she says she loves him too. He tells Rick that he loves him, and Rick says he loves Carl so much. Everyone is crying except me, since I stopped investing a long time ago. It’s a beautiful tableau though, with the light coming through the broken stained glass window, and the three of them in semi-darkness.

Rick and Michonne are outside, and we hear the gunshot.

Michonne and Rick dig. We see Carl’s idyllic world. Judith tells Negan good morning as he picks tomatoes.

Rick sits under a tree. Panes of stained glass hang from its branches.

Next time, Simon thinks they should cut their losses, Negan says to do the job, and Simon approaches the Heapsters.

🎶 Side knowledge: During the opening scenes, the song At the Bottom of Things by Bright Eyes was playing. Loved. It.

🍑 I’m half paying attention to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, where they’re infecting Barcelona with American reality TV. The amusing highlight of the evening – besides my husband asking if everyone was Nene, since that’s the only name he knows – was when the women were leaving their hotel. Apparently, it wasn’t up to the standard these peaches are used to, and a few of them were saying, “Goodbye, mildew,” on their way out the door. For a moment, I thought mildew was someone’s name.

👹 Ash Vs the Evil Dead had its season premiere tonight. Ash opened a hardware store/sex emporium in his home town, but his retirement from chasing deadites was not to be. The book was back, via an idiot on an Antiques Roadshow type program reading out loud from it. Why does everybody always read out loud from age-old spells? It’s really a bad idea. Ash had a wife and a daughter he knew nothing about (nor did we), but the wife didn’t matter, since she got her head sliced off with a cymbal in the high school band room. It looks like Ash’s daughter, Brandy, will be coming along for the ride this season, as well as Kelly’s boyfriend sidekick whatever-he-is, Dalton, who is also the descendant of an ancient order of knights who fight evil.

🔫 AMC has a new show coming up on Monday called McMafia. I’m wondering if it’s about an Irish mafia guy, or if the mafia is a franchise now.

👀 It Takes a While, But They Get to the Song…

 

Feb20

February 19, 2018 – An Election Wrench, a Weekend at Big Bear, a Little Bit of Butcher’s Block & Freyja

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Curtis tells Julian that Charles Street is lit. The polls are jumping. He says it’s more than choosing a new mayor. The future of the neighborhood rests in the balance.

Alexis and Ned vote.

Molly asks for “Julian’s girlfriend’s coffee.” Julian tells Curtis that he doesn’t know what she likes better – the drink or that he has a new friend.

Griff asks Mike to repeat the three words he’d said earlier. Mike’s brain stalls. Griff tells Mike that he’s going to show him drawings, and to tell him what he sees. Mike says inkblots all look like butterflies, but these aren’t inkblots. Griff shows him a lion and Mike says, cat. Griff shows him a rhino, and Mike says, cow. Sonny tells him to take his time, but he says he knows a cow when he sees one. Griff says he’s doing great, and wants to move on.

Peter brings flowers to Nathan’s grave. He says he can’t make them fill the hole left in Maxie’s or the baby’s life. He didn’t mean for Nathan to get hurt, and didn’t imagine it would end up like this, but here they are. He gets choked up, and says they were the only two who could stop their father’s twisted legacy, but even that won’t bring Nathan back. He wishes more could do more. Maxie appears, and says he’s done enough. I have to admit, although I wasn’t thrilled with him at first, Peter is growing on me.

At the will reading, Sam says it’s another one of Faison’s mind games. Anna adds that it was designed to create maximum destruction. Even from the grave, he’s pitting them against each other. Sam thinks it’s a crock, and Faison just wants them to destroy each other. Anna says if anyone could get satisfaction in hell, he’d be the one to do it.

Griff wants Mike to repeat some numbers in reverse. He stumbles on it, and asks for water. Sonny says he’ll go get some.

Jordan meets Curtis at Charlie’s. She says the polls are running like a machine. She’s excited about TJ and the kids canvasing. She wonders where Alexis is, but Curtis hasn’t seen her.

Alexis looks at Post-It notes in the alleyway behind Charlie’s. Bringing out the trash, Julian asks if it’s now the hangout for future mayors. She tells him it’s a madhouse, and she may very well lose the race. She’s working on both victory and concession speeches, and he tells her that she always did want to win both sides of an argument. She says he can’t fault her for being prepared.

Olivia-Q tells Ned to take a minute and relax. He says he and Alexis are still in a dead heat. Olivia is relieved that the special interest attack ad didn’t have an impact, but he says not to be so sure. Alexis is the underdog and getting the sympathy vote. He could still lose.

Maxie brushes snow from Nathan’s headstone. She wishes she’d said something sooner, but thanks Peter. He saved her and her baby that day. Nathan would thank him too. Peter says there’s no need; he’s so sorry. She knows that, and says she should feel honored about all the flowers, but it’s just annoying. She wonders if it’s selfish not to want strangers near him. She comes here to be closer to him, but it doesn’t help. It just makes her want to go home, but he’s not there either. She can’t shake the feeling that if she finds the one right place to go, he’ll be there. She knows it’s not rational, and that he’s dead, but then she doesn’t. Peter says grief is tough for the mind to accept sometimes. She thanks him. He says he didn’t do anything, and she says, exactly. He didn’t give her a bunch of platitudes, and is the first person not trying to make her feel better. He knows he can’t, and she says neither can anyone else. Only Nathan coming back can do that. How is she going to do this without him? She says coming there was a mistake, and Peter asks if he can take her home.

Jason wants the provisions of the will read again. Diane reads that Faison leaves Drew the one thing he wants more than anything else. There’s a detailed account of Andre’s work, including the reversal procedures, locked in a safe to be released when the provisions are met. He leaves to Jason the alias and last known whereabouts of his son, the man who let him live. Only his executor knows the information, and will only release it to the other if one of them dies. Sam says Andre only made one copy and it’s lost. Anna tells them Faison would like them chasing around the world as much as he would like them killing each other. He relished the ability to make people search for answers.

Molly tells Alexis the polls are off the charts. Alexis is proud that Molly is her daughter, but Molly tells her not to take anything away from her own accomplishment. Alexis doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal, but Julian does. He knows it’s not his place, but he’s proud of her too. He calls her Madam Mayor, but she says not yet. He tells her it’s only a matter of time.

Sonny asks Mike how it’s going, and Mike tells him they’re playing Simon Says next. Griff has to leave for a moment, and Mike tells Sonny the tests are pointless. Who cares if he misses a few things? It’s expected at his age. Sonny says Griff is the best, and can tell them what they need to know. Mike says he’s only doing this because Robin asked him too. She’s a sweetheart, and he couldn’t turn her down. He says Sonny must have things to do, and can go, but Sonny wants to be there. He set aside the day to spend time with Mike. Griff comes back, and Mike says they should be done by now, right?

Maxie invites Peter in. He doesn’t want to intrude, but she doesn’t mind; she’d like someone to talk to. Peter looks around, and she says it’s not just her; Peter can feel him here too. Peter says he can tell they had a happy life, and Maxie says, the best.

Jason tells Diane there must be an address for the executor. Diane says the solicitor of record died, and the papers were delivered by messenger from a Swiss bank. They claim they have no information. Someone must have been left in place, but there’s no indication of who. Drew thinks it’s a waste of time, but Sam suggests they hear the rest. Diane brings out a small display case, saying it was left to Anna. I was hoping it was the Wellington Dog, but it’s a figurine of a goddess.

Molly says it’s too close to call. There are a lot of people still at the polls, but she knows Alexis is going to win. Jordan says soon it will be official that Alexis is the next mayor of Port Charles.

Ned practices his speech. Jim comes by, and Ned tells him not to get too excited; it’s still too close to call. Jim says while Alexis has gained substantial ground in the game, a few key votes in key districts can make the difference. He suggests they have a drink and keep an eye on the race together.

Griff tells Mike the tests are done. He can’t give a diagnosis yet, but a CT scan can rule out some things. Mike says he and Sonny are overdue for a meal, but Sonny says they might as well wrap it up now. Griff goes to set up the test, and Sonny thanks Mike for humoring him. He says he’ll be right back, but I’m not so sure I’d leave this dude alone.

Sonny asks Griff what’s wrong with his dad, but Griff says he can’t discuss it without Mike’s permission. Sonny tells him not to give any details, just a general idea. Griff says the CT scan should tell them a lot, and he thinks Sonny is correct to be concerned about Mike’s cognitive abilities.

Maxie tells Peter that he has a unique connection to Nathan. He was there when Nathan was shot. Peter says he was on the floor, but Maxie says he was there. He tried to stop the bleeding like she did. She thinks she knew then that Nathan was dying. She wonders why Peter was there that day.

The figurine is of the Norse Goddess, Freyja, who represents prayer, fertility, love, sex, beauty, war and death. Anna says it’s part of Faison’s sick obsession, and wants no part of it. Diane thinks she should have it appraised. Even if it’s a reproduction, it might bring in some decent money; she could donate it to charity. Anna says Faison has put them in an untenable position, and left her a token she wants no part of. Diane tells them the remainder of the estate has been left to his son.

Curtis tells Julian that he did some additional digging into Roger Calvin, the guy who mugged Stella. Two sizable amounts were deposited into his account; one the day before Stella was mugged, and one the day after. Julian says he was a hired gun. Jordan has joined them, and wonders why pay someone to mug Stella? Curtis has a theory.

Sonny asks Griff, hypothetically, what would a CT scan tell them? Griff says it can rule out certain possibilities, like mini-strokes. He says Mike’s medical history is also important, but Sonny can’t help with that. Mike wasn’t around when he was a kid, and they only had sporadic contact after he moved to Brooklyn. Griff asks if he knows of any recent falls, and Sonny says Mike hasn’t said anything, and Rita didn’t mention it. Griff asks if there’s been any head trauma; did Mike box or play football? Sonny says Mike had a rough life, and was in plenty of fights. A few Russians beat him up pretty badly. Mike comes out in a hospital gown and robe, and gives Sonny his watch. He says Sonny’s mother gave it to him, and there was never any pay off big enough for him to pawn it. She deserved better than him, and so does Sonny. Griff walks Mike to the scan room. I’m already wondering if that watch is really the one Jason gave to Rita.

Peter tells Maxie that he was dropping off some budget changes; Nina had been fighting him on cuts. Then, Faison showed up. Maxie says if he hadn’t needed to drop off the paperwork, Faison would have kidnapped her. Peter says a glad coincidence put him there, but he wishes he could have done more for Nathan. Maxie says she remembers Nathan bleeding, and Faison was going to drag her away, but Peter showed up with Shane’s gun, and Faison took off because of him. Peter says she’s making him sound like a hero, but he didn’t know what he was doing. She says he did it anyway, and that’s what a hero is. When nothing makes sense or you’re scared, you find a way to do the right thing. Nathan was a hero too, but training only gets you so far. He was willing to put himself on the line for others, and did it every day. Peter did it for him on his last day. She thanks him.

Diane tells the group there’s no indication of which son it is, but the will was made on January 13th, 2018. Sam says it was after they wrote the article, and Anna says since he detested Henrik, Faison must have intended for Nathan to be his heir. Sam says the estate should go to Maxie then. Diane says because the son isn’t named, Henrik could make a claim. Anna was planning on visiting Maxie, and asks if she can tell her about the will. Diane says it’s Faison’s last word, but Drew says it’s just his next move in the game. He’s still taunting them.

Curtis says the dude is paid to mug Stella, and then leaves town. Big guns are going after his little aunt? Jordan asks when Curtis last saw Stella, and he says she was manning the poles. Jordan says the day she was mugged, she was out canvasing; she’s not the main target. Alexis and Molly come in. Alexis says it’s still too close to call, but Molly thinks there will be a big surge in her favor. Julian thinks someone is playing huge stakes to throw the election.

Ned says it’s still too close to call, and there could be a last minute surge for Alexis. There are still people in line to vote. Olivia says there are plenty of undecided voters out there, and Jim says it’s not over until the finish line is crossed. Wow. What a philosopher. Ned tells them he has to find a way to be gracious in victory or defeat. He thanks Jim for his support. Jim tells Ned that he’s got this.

Outside, Jim calls someone, and says, right.

Jason shows up at the hospital and asks Sonny how Mike is. Sonny says they don’t have the whole picture yet, but it’s pretty clear something is off. Once they do the CT scan, they’ll know more. Jason asks what Sonny is going to do, but he doesn’t know. He spent years despising Mike, and said he would never be like him, weak and running from things. When Mike came back into his life, he tried hard, but Sonny wouldn’t let him in. Finally, they came to terms as adults. Not father and son, but more like man to man. He doesn’t know if he can be the son Mike needs him to be right now.

Maxie thanks Peter, saying she hasn’t been able to talk to anyone else. He’s a good man, like Nathan was. Maybe when the baby is old enough, he can help her explain how brave Nathan was that day. Peter says he’d be honored. There’s a knock at the  door, and Anna gives Maxie a baby gift from Robin. Peter says he has to go. Maxie hopes they get a chance to talk again; it meant a lot.

Drew tells Sam that he’s tired of being thisclose to nothing; feeling like he has a memory, and then back in no man’s land. Sam tells him that he’s not killing his brother; that’s not an option. Drew says he’s just venting. She says it’s exactly what Faison wants; them at each other’s throats, frustrated and angry. But they’re too smart to play Faison’s game.

Molly reads some online comments, telling Alexis that people realize the attack was because of her opposition to the redevelopment project. Alexis says comments don’t prove anything, but Molly tells her that she can’t ignore the evidence. Alexis knows she’s hoping for a last minute surge (word of the day), but she’s not calling herself mayor until the polls close and the results are tallied.

Ned tells Olivia that no matter what, he couldn’t have done it without her. She thinks he can still win. He’s been honest from the start about who he is and what he wants to do for Port Charles. A city is a living thing, and generates taxes, which are used to pay for things the city needs. Ned thinks she’s the one who should have run. No one else could make road maintenance sound patriotic. She says nothing could be more patriotic than making the city and it’s people’s lives better. She believes he’ll have the chance to do that. She looks at her phone, and makes a shocked face. Ned takes a look, and says, omg.

Molly looks at her phone, and says, no. She shows Alexis. It’s an article with the headline Con Job, talking about Alexis visiting Nora on behalf of Julian.

Sam tells Drew the ornament is still out there, and he says it’s still a needle in a haystack. She says they own a media company. They can use their resources and do everything in their power to find it.

Sonny asks Jason about Faison’s will. Jason tells him that Faison claimed there was information on Henrik and the memory reversal procedure locked in a safe. The catch is, the only way one of them can get the information is if the other is dead, but he’s not playing Faison’s game. To the best of their knowledge, Henrik is still in Port Charles. Faison left his estate to his son, but didn’t specify which one. If he surfaces, Jason will be waiting.

Anna tells Maxie that Patrick and Robin donated money in Nathan’s name to the PCPD, but she also has some unpleasant news. Faison left his estate to his son. Maxie says, to Nathan? Nothing tainted by that murderer comes into her house. Anna understands, but tells Maxie that he was very wealthy. Maxie doesn’t want his blood money; she doesn’t need it. She and the baby will be fine. Anna tells her that with Nathan’s passing, the missing son could try to claim it. Maxie says he can have it – all of it. She wants nothing connected to the man who murdered her husband.

Peter finds Sam and Drew. He tells them he’s been doing some soul searching. He’s not ready to leave Port Charles after all. There are people there he doesn’t want to leave.

Tomorrow, Monica tells Nelle that her timing is perfect, Ned’s odds are improving, and Doc asks what Franco remembered.

Vanderpump Rules

Tom, Scheana, and Ariana are working some shifts at Villa Blanca while SUR is recovering from fire damage. Lisa tells us there’s a litany of things they have to accomplish. It would normally take three weeks, but they’re doing it in three days. Scheana’s boyfriend, Rob, has a house in Big Bear, so she’s taking some of the friends for a weekend. She reads a text from Jax, saying he doesn’t want to come because everyone is being mean.

Brittany, Katie, and Kristen decorate their scooters, which Brittany tells us are a necessity with LA traffic. Katie says Stassi didn’t just run off from her party, but stuck her with the bill. She’s not backtracking to the days where they enabled and coddled her. Stassi arrives, and immediately apologizes and starts crying. She seem to be the most upset over binging, rather than getting skinny, over her neurosis. Patrick called her out on causing drama for her friends and not just him. She knows she’s wrong about everything, and claims it’s stress. She and Patrick aren’t in the best place, it was eating at her, and she lost it. Patrick is a condescending twit with a man bun. Are women really this desperate? Stassi wants them to know, other than that, it was one of the best birthdays ever. Kristen tells her to just let it go, and Stassi writes a check. Kristen wonders what you do with one of those.

The girls go scootering. Stassi compares the scooters to broomsticks. I could see that.

Jax and Brittany pack for the trip. He thinks he’ll have to channel a lot of his meditation skills to get through the next few days. Lala joins them. She’s excited, but it’s early in the day for her. She tells Brittany about the driving arrangement. Brittany tells her that Jax is having problems with James. Lala says whenever James has a drink too many, a switch flips. Brittany thinks James might still have a thing for Lala, since he attacks her when he’s on a drunken, belligerent roll. Gee, ya think? Lala says others have told her the same thing, but that ship sailed long ago, and has sunk since then. She says he’d better get in the friend zone if he’s not there already.

And they’re off! Rob’s cabin is three bedroom waterfront property, hot tub included. Scheana calls Rob, whose trying to fix the boat. It’s more the life she’s envisioned for herself than the one she had with Shay. When the others arrive, Scheana goes over the sleeping arrangements, telling them that Jax said he needed a bed because of his back. In her interview, she says if she had a dollar for every time old man Jax referenced his age, she wouldn’t have to work at SUR. Ariana hopes he isn’t a bummer, and Tom says he wants to talk to Jax tonight. On the way to the cabin, Tom bought a survival knife, and has already cut himself with it. Scheana asks the group to be respectful of the property. Good luck with that. The guys make a liquor store run.

Lisa says they have to nearly rebuild the restaurant, and are limping along. She talks to a guy about painting the floor olive green. The place looks like a huge mess.

The guys buy every liquor known to man, along with some ice cream and spinners. James has cut down on drinking, but says something comes over him on group trips. The bill is nearly three hundred bucks. When the clerk asks how long they’re going to be there, they tell him two nights.

Scheana tells the girls about how Rob is the handiest person she knows, and how hot that makes him. Oddly enough I understand this. A guy building stuff or cleaning the house is the biggest turn on in the world. Lala wonders if he can rescue kittens and save babies. Raquel thanks her for inviting James so she could come along. Lala tells her that James was talking smack about her man. Raquel asks what he said, but Lala doesn’t want to repeat it. She tells Raquel that she’s about to snap, and Raquel needs to keep him in check.

Rob arrives, the boat having been fixed. Jax says the way Scheana talks about him, you’d think he invented air. He thinks there must be a lot of pressure not to fall off the pedestal.

Katie visits Stassi. Stassi gives her a drink, telling her that she has a request. Katie is handier than any boyfriend she’s had, and Stassi asks her to fix a padded bench. My husband told me that he was impressed when he found out I had my own toolbox, so I guess this works both ways. I’m not sure how else I was supposed to fix stuff though. Wait six weeks for the super to get around to it? Stassi says Patrick wasn’t happy with her meltdown. Katie thinks she’s more docile around Patrick, like she’s afraid to say something wrong. Stassi says she does walk on eggshells, and Katie says she’s better than this. Stassi tells her the same patterns are happening; the same ones she said weren’t going to this time around. It’s time to go to the tarot card reader. In her interview, Stassi says she used to pretend to be one in high school, but had no idea what she was doing. She just made it up as she went along.

Raquel tells James about what Lala said to her. James says Raquel is going by what she sees, but he’s going by what he knows. He wants Lala to be happy, but doesn’t think she will be with this guy. How can he respect a man he never sees? Raquel thinks he should be more respectful of Lala, and be supportive of her relationship. He says you can’t support something that’s rotten. That James, he’s a real raconteur.

Peter is surprised that SUR is back open so quickly. He tells Lisa everything looks brilliant. She says SUR is like her baby, and thinks they should celebrate. She orders a spicy margarita. Well, that’s a first.

At the cabin, the girls prepare dinner, and James kibbutzim. I looked this up, and it’s the only accepted plural form of kibbutz. The more you know… Lala says she’s an easy target for him when he starts drinking, and that he’s a hurt human being. Rob approves the food, and dinner is served. Brittany gives Rob a group thank you. In his interview, Jax says Scheana wants everyone to believe Rob is perfect, but she did the same thing with Shay. Rob toasts to Tom opening a restaurant. James remarks that Jax is left behind working at SUR, and Scheana says, technically, Jax could be James’s dad. Ha-ha! Jax must be feeling pretty small right about now. Ariana thinks James should reel it in with Lala.

After dinner, the group plays a card game where couples are asked a question sexual in nature. If they don’t want to answer, they have to drink. In his interview, Tom says he and Ariana are doing better, but it’s a work in progress. The game is actually pretty boring.

Stassi and Katie go to see Angie, the tarot reader. Stassi thinks after four years, she and Patrick need to figure things out. Angie has her pull out some cards, and flips things around. She tells Stassi she’s meant to have babies, and thinks she’ll be pregnant in 2019. Stassi starts crying. She’s been worried she couldn’t have children, because she has a medical condition where she only dates a-holes. Angie says she sees a guy with a lot going on, and the end of a difficult situation. Stassi says she and Patrick have been going back and forth. Katie says they haven’t been solid, and Angie is picking up on the issues. Angie says she doesn’t think it’s worth it to keep going. I think tarot cards are bullsh*t, but I agree with her. For all I know, she’s been watching the show as long as I have.

James is getting sloshed, and babbles about the country being made by people like him. Drunken idiots? Jax tells Tom they have a good time, but know when to shut it down. He thinks it’s a lot. Kelsey told him to separate himself from people who cause him anxiety and anger. He says he’s mentally burnt, and his hat’s off to Schwartz and Tom, who can still party hardy. In his interview, Tom is worried that Jax thinks just because the other guys have things going on, he’ll get left behind. He wants to help Jax, but Jax is concerned about the time frame. He says Tom is doing it, while he’s thinking about his future as a bartender forever.

Scheana and Rob go to bed, and the others decide to play truth or dare. Lala thinks there should be rules. James tells her to shut up, and Lala says one more time, and she’s going to pop him one. He starts to leave, not even realizing she’s talking to him. Lala tells Raquel he’s a bitch. James tells her to change her attitude, and she tells him to stop coming for her. He tries to hug it out, but she’s not having it. Brittany says he should apologize, and he asks what Lala wants. Brittany says he’s mean to Lala, and the girls decide to give them a moment. In her interview, Lala says they go from zero to one hundred in an instant. James says he needs respect, and starts to leave again. Lala asks if they’re friends or not, and he says not. She asks why they can’t have a conversation like friends do? He says she thinks she’s better than everyone else, but without her boyfriend, she wouldn’t have the Range Rover, the Chanel, or the private jet. Lala tells him that Raquel doesn’t like it when James insults her, and he should apologize. She talks about him goofing around with her physically, and how Raquel doesn’t seem cool with that either. She tells him that he wouldn’t like it if the roles were reversed.

Scheana comes out, and tells the group that Rob is trying to sleep. Tom suggests going to bed. Jax asks Brittany what’s up with the yelling. Lala takes James outside, and asks why he feels the need to come for her. He calls her an idiot for about the fourth time now, since he can’t come up with another word. She tells him to STFU, and the next time he talks about her man, she’ll draw blood. I believe her. Inside, Jax tells Brittany that he has super high anxiety around James, and he’s in a fragile state. Maybe he should be more concerned about Lala. Lala says she tells James things that she doesn’t tell anybody, and asks him to stop using it against her. He insists he doesn’t do it… that much. She doesn’t want him to do it at all. Jax tells Brittany that he didn’t want to come here; it’s not fair. Lala tells James to stop coming for her man. Jax wants to talk about his problems, but Brittany tells him to relax, and that she’s going to sleep. Lala says she and James were intimate at one point, and to stop coming for her and her man. He says Lala’s man has put the one he loves in jeopardy, which makes no sense whatsoever. She’s been talking about future things that he wants. He loved her, and he’s not used to it yet. Lala says he has Raquel now. He wonders why their friendship has changed, and she tells him they owe respect to Raquel and her dude. In her interview, Lala thinks James believes he’s losing her to her relationship. It doesn’t mean he’s losing her as a friend, but he doesn’t know how to make the transition. Lala tells him that they need boundaries, and asks if he’d like to apologize. He says, yes, but that might change in two seconds. Obviously annoyed, she goes back inside, telling him that they’re good, but not really meaning it.

Next time, Lisa is a guest on Stassi’s podcast, Jax almost drowns, and Scheana tells Kristen that she and Rob are in love. After which, we all roll our eyes.

🍖 I just got done watching the second episode of Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block, and it did not disappoint. Zoey came back a changed woman, apparently having been up the stairs to nowhere. We got a little more history of the Peach family, finding out that Joseph’s daughters had been murdered. Louise joined Alice in her quest to find out just what the hell is going on in Butcher’s Block, and they got a midnight supper invite from the Peach family for their trouble. It was really creepy cool when the candlelit table in the woods turned into a candlelit table in the Peach’s house, which the townspeople had burned to the ground decades earlier after finding “something” in the basement. Joseph explained that the vanished family had changed to a different type of energy. He literally got into Alice’s head, and the candlelit table turned into a table of cannibalistic delights. This show is intense, gruesome, and certainly unique.

💃 Freyja

Freyja2

Freyja

Freyja3

 

 

 

Feb13

February 12, 2018 – After the Funeral, Two Birthdays, an Atlanta Mention, a Creepy Town & the Visible Man

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

At the cemetery, Lulu says she’s sorry abut Maxie’s loss. Maxie says she should be; she killed him. Lulu asks how she can say that. Maxie says Lulu wanted to be the next big thing; journalism’s next superstar. She asks if Lulu got her story, and what the going rate is for her husband’s life.

At The Floating Rib, Anna asks if Felicia and Mac need anything. Felicia tells her, a time machine. Yeah, we could all use one of those.

Kim goes to Charlie’s to get take-out. Julian tells her they have couple’s dinners available for Valentine’s Day, and gives her the menu to check out. She says it’s a little over the top for her son.

Finn and Alexis are leaving an AA meeting at the hospital. Finn asks Alexis if he agrees to buy coffee, will she get off his back about sharing? She says she will, if he’ll add telling her one significant detail.

Sam asks Drew why the staring contest with Franco. He wonders why he’s making Franco nervous. Franco suggests to Elizabeth that they leave, but she wants to wait for Maxie to get there. Mac wonders where Maxie is.

Lulu tells Maxie that she didn’t fire the gun. Maxie says she didn’t shoot Nathan, but she put him in a position to be shot. And for what? A stupid article? A pat on the back from her boss? Lulu says she understands Maxie’s heart is breaking and needs to lash out, but Maxie says, no; she needs her husband. She tells Lulu don’t dare cry, and Lulu says she loved Nathan too. Maxie says she used him to advance her career. She actually believed she’d become a prize-winning journalist after two weeks. Her ego knows no bounds. She exploited Nathan. She knew he wanted to get Faison away from his family, and Nathan agreed because she put the idea in his head, making him think it was the only way when it was just her way. Peter listens from behind some bushes, looking pained. Maxie says Lulu did it to get an interview, and she knows it’s true. Dante says they’re not doing this, and Maxie tells him she knows he told Lulu to leave it to the police. Lulu says Nathan was the police, but Maxie says, no. He was a husband and father-to-be who would do anything to protect his family, and she took advantage of that. Why not? She had nothing to lose. She risked nothing, and in turn took everything from Maxie.

Oscar and Josslyn enter Oscar’s apartment. He tells Josslyn she has to be fast; his mom will be home soon. She asks what if she hurts him, but he tells her to hurry.

Finn wants to go to Charlie’s, but Alexis says Julian is Charlie. Finn wonders when that happened, and says he has to get online more. He asks if she wants to go somewhere else, but she says, let’s just do it.

Franco ponders the rabbit’s foot. Drew asks how it’s going. Franco says it’s a funeral, and leaves the table.

Spinelli tells Anna that his deepest regret is not finding Faison sooner, and Anna agrees it would have played out differently. He asks if she’s still looking for Henrik, and she says, absolutely. He could be planning on picking up where his father left off. Spinelli says Henrik’s trail is as cold as Faison himself. Anna tells him that no one can stay lost forever.

Dante wants Lulu to leave, but she says she needs to make Maxie understand. Maxie says, of course that’s her response. No I’m sorry; no I was wrong, and made the biggest mistake of my life. It’s Maxie’s problem, and Lulu has to make her see she’s right and Maxie is wrong because Lulu is always right. The one thing that could bring her closure is Lulu admitting her part, but she’ll never get it. It’s not Lulu’s style or in the Spencer DNA. Lulu says she admits it when she’s wrong, and Maxie asks when was the last time she did that. Lulu asks if she wants an example, and Maxie says she does, but she doubts Lulu will be able to find one. When Maxie screwed up, she felt terrible and apologized over and over until Lulu forgave her, but she’ll never get that from Lulu. Her ability to feel regret or remorse doesn’t exist. She’s incapable of it, and also a murderer, but a morally superior one, so there’s that.

Lulu says she can’t mean it. She asks Maxie to talk, but Maxie says it’s not her job to make it better for Lulu. Nina tells Lulu to stop; she’s done enough. She tells Lulu to please go, and leads Maxie away. Dante takes Lulu in the opposite direction. Nina asks if Maxie is okay, and suggests they go to the reception. Maxie doesn’t want to leave him; she doesn’t know how to do this. She asks Nina to please tell her how. Nina doesn’t know, but they’ll figure it out together. They hug, and Valentin takes Nina’s hand.

Drew tells Franco that he thought the condolences went well. Franco says the whole thing is sad and awful. Drew asks if Franco is avoiding him.

Julian tells Kim that she’s not walking home alone. She says a free drink, take out, and delivery, and Julian says he aims to please. She says, or make someone jealous. She sees him staring at Alexis, and he says he’s just making sure the customers have what need. Kim hands him the bags to carry. At first, he acts like the bags heavy, giving me hope that one of the actors gets it, but then, not so much. (sigh) Finn asks Alexis about getting something to eat, but she says she’s not hungry.

Peter stands by Nathan’s grave with tears in his eyes. He says it’s strange to say goodbye when they weren’t formally introduced; not as brothers at least. He wishes he’d known Nathan. He seemed like a good man; loving, kind, heroic – all the things their father wasn’t. He says it’s so clear how much Maxie loves him. He’s tempted to say he was a lucky man. He’s truly sorry that his luck ran out.

At The Floating Rib, Anna tells Maxie it was an honorable send off for an honorable man. Maxie looks at the pictures, and says she knows how much Nathan loved her. Sam tells her that she was great today. Nathan would be proud. Maxie excuses herself, and tells Nina that she can’t be there. Everyone is so sad and sorry. Nina tells her to take care of herself. Felicia wants to take her home, but she wants to be alone. After she leaves, Spinelli tells them that what Maxie says she wants and what she needs are often different things. Mac tells him to take care of their girl, and he follows Maxie.

Franco thought Drew would prefer he keep his distance, and Drew says he does. He asks how long Franco has known Jim. Franco says as long as Drew has, since they were little kids. Drew asks if Franco recognized him, but Franco says it was the other way around. Jim showed up at his studio. Drew wonders why he wouldn’t have said something about meeting someone from their past. Franco says there is no “our past,” just the past. The were toddlers, and don’t remember. Drew asks to see the rabbit’s foot.

Valentin sees Anna in the hallway. She asks how Nina is doing, and he says as would be expected. He wants to help, but can’t. Anna says he’s helping more than he knows. She tells him that she’s still processing their conversation. He wonders if there’s anything he can do or any questions he can answer. She asks why keep quiet? He hated her for so long, and all this time, had ammunition at his disposal. If anyone found out she had Faison’s child, it would kill her career and damage her personal life. He had the means to take her down, and didn’t. What stopped him? He says there’s a thin line between love and hate. He loved her, hated her, and everything in between, but could never bring himself to destroy her.

Josslyn is in front of Oscar, who’s sitting on a stool. She’s doing something, but we don’t see what. Kim comes into the apartment with Julian, and Oscar and Josslyn scramble around; Oscar running into the kitchen. Josslyn asks why Julian is there, and he says, love you too. Oscar messes around in the kitchen, and Kim asks what he’s doing. He says grabbing some food, and she tells him to say hello to their guest. He walks over, and we see he has a black eye. I laugh because I thought Josslyn was waxing his eyebrows or something.

Alexis says there seems to have been an uptake in Finn’s attendance at AA meetings, and asks if it’s because of Anna. Finn says he has a tendency not to know what has until it’s gone. Dante and Lulu come in. Lulu tells Dante it won’t shut off. It’s not just the words, but the way Maxie said them. Maxie hates her. So do I. Her point?

Maxie hesitates before going into the apartment. She finally does, and sits on the couch without taking off her coat. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Spinelli, and she asks what he’s doing there. He says her mother was right; she shouldn’t be alone. She says, but she is.

Elizabeth asks Franco if everything is okay, and he tells her Drew was just asking to see the rabbit’s foot. Elizabeth asks why, and Drew thinks he recognizes it. Franco hands it to him. Sam says, anything? Drew says, no, but he appreciates it.

Anna thanks Valentin. Felicia sees them in the hall, but goes back inside. Anna is grateful he kept quiet. She asks if he knows where her daughter is, and if he kept track of her, but he says he only knew what the midwife told him. It was a private adoption; no birth certificate, and no records exist. She went to a good family, and has a good life where Faison doesn’t exist. If Anna found her, she would have to tell her the truth. She says, Robin too; it would turn her life upside down for a multitude of reasons. Valentin says she knows what she has to do.

Oscar tells Kim that he got in a fight. Kim says, that’s clear, but with who? He asks if she remembers the friend he told her about that identifies as a girl, and says he stood up for her. She says next time, tell a teacher, and don’t provoke the bully. He says there wasn’t any time. Josslyn says if he hadn’t stepped in, their friend would have been seriously hurt. Kim says she cares about her son, not their friend.

Finn tells Alexis that he keeps making the same mistake over and over. She asks who left who, and he says this time, it was all Anna. It’s like she opens a door with one hand, and slams it shut with the other.

Dante tells Lulu that he was with Nathan every day. Nathan wanted Faison caught. Lulu admits she pushed him about the interview until he gave in. She should have stayed out of it. Dante takes her hand.

Spinelli gives Maxie some tea. She asks if he thinks it’s strange that she didn’t want Georgie at the funeral. He says on the contrary. She was looking out for their daughter, who is too little to understand what transpired. She also would have missed her school outing. Maxie brightens a little, and says, her first field trip. Spinelli tells her that Georgie went to the Portland zoo, but she doesn’t have to only imagine it. She asks if he has a video, but he was referring to her coming home with him. Their guest room goes unused, and Georgie would be ecstatic to spend more time with her. She tells him that going to Portland won’t make her forget that her husband is dead.

Peter looks for Maxie, and Sam tells him it was too much for her. He says it’s understandable. Drew and Sam hope he’s had a chance to regroup, and rethink leaving. They’re not shutting any doors.

Valentin tells Anna that she made a bold choice. Does she continue going forward with the consequences, or pass it on to her children? He gives her some advice that he ultimately borrowed from her. Let the past be the past. They’ve all made mistakes. The difference between him and her is that she wants to be better; so be better. She wonders if it will be enough, and he says it will have to be. He leaves to be with Nina.

As the kids are leaving, Julian tosses Oscar the bag of frozen peas. Josslyn says she’ll tell her stepdad that he said hello. Kim asks if Sonny is a friend of his, and he says, not exactly.

Finn asks Alexis, where is he supposed to go with this?

Maxie tells Spinelli she can’t jet off to Portland and forget Nathan. She forgot before, when she could have been at home instead of wasting precious time. She’s not wasting more by running away. Not feeling the loss, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Spinelli says he wasn’t suggesting that. She knows he was just trying to help, but don’t. She tells him don’t show up either. He doesn’t understand what happens when she hears a knock or footsteps or the elevator door. Every moment of every day is a reminder that Nathan is gone. All the brief, blissful moments of hope are the hardest to get over. She needs to be there until she does. She doesn’t need reminders. It’s horrifyingly real, and he can’t help her with that. She tells him to leave. He kisses her forehead and goes.

Peter tells Nina how sorry he is. She introduces him to Valentin. Valentin says it’s kind of him to come, and he says they’re all family at Aurora. Nina leaves them to help Felicia. Valentin says he hopes Peter has reconsidered leaving town. Some people might get suspicious. Peter thinks Valentin is overestimating his importance, but Valentin says Drew is going to follow every lead. Peter says there were complications, and Valentin says it was a shame about Nathan being collateral damage. He tells Peter to trust him, since he’s always looked out for him in the past.

Lulu tells Dante she has to quit her job. He says she loves it, but she says she loves Maxie more, and needs to make this right.

Alexis tells Finn she’s a master of mixed signals, both giving and getting them. She says that people can hold mixed truths in their hearts. If Anna is finding it that hard to keep away, she’s not ready.

Kim tells Julian that Oscar is her everything. He’s all she has. Julian says that’s not entirely true. She says she has her work, and it’s meaningful, but he says she also has friends.

Elizabeth asks where the rabbit’s foot came from, and Franco tells her it was in a box with his stuff from New York. It’s been with him ever since. She says it’s done it’s job. They’re happy, in love, and about to get married. Who’s luckier than them?

Sam tells Drew to remember the last time he got that familiar feeling. It was about Kim, and she ended up being a big part of his life. The rabbit’s foot could be a missing piece of the puzzle.

Felicia says she saw Anna talking to Valentin, and asks if she should be worried. Anna says it’s taken decades, and they have no more wars to fight.

Nina places a ticket stub from the Natural History Museum on Nathan’s grave. She talks to Valentin about taking Nathan there, and thanks him for bringing her. She needed one more chance to say goodbye. He tells her that he’s been in a lot of dangerous situations, but he never met someone as brave as she’s been today. She says she doesn’t feel brave. He tells her that she doesn’t have to, and holds her.

Maxie put on Nathan’s jacket and smells it. She talks to the baby, saying she’s so sorry. Sorry the baby won’t get to meet the dad who would have loved them; he already did. She’s sorry she lost it earlier, and hopes she didn’t scare the baby by freaking out about the future. She swears its mom isn’t psycho, just sad and angry. She’ll pull it together. It’s what the baby’s dad would have wanted. He’d want her to sing songs and make the baby laugh, like he was looking forward to doing. She’ll do it for both of them. It’s not the same, and they’ll always miss him, but she thinks if they’re brave and lean on each other, they’ll get through it and be okay.

Tomorrow, Robin thanks Jason for killing Faison, Michael says he’s selling the building, and Sonny tells Mike he’s not going anywhere.

Vanderpump Rules

Stassi and Katie go shopping at Dapper Cadaver. Stassi is having a death/murder-themed birthday party, and I guess this is the place to go. She’s celebrating the death of her 20s. When she dies, she wants to be taxidermized with a glass of wine in her hand and let people take photos with her. I actually think this is a cool idea. She has a list of the various items she wants to get, and goes over the guest list with Katie. In her interview, she tells us that Patrick blocked her when he went to Amsterdam. She tried sexting him, he turned her down, and she got angry, telling him she was going to find someone else. He’s finally unblocked her, so she’s hoping he comes to the party. She thinks she and Ariana having the same birthday is like Bride Wars.

Billie, Scheana, Lala, and Ariana go outfit shopping. Ariana is having a kings and queens party, because she’s a queen. I could make a lot of jokes here, but I’ll leave it. The girls look through the fabulous dresses, lingerie, and accessories. Billie tells Ariana that her 30s is her prime, but Ariana says she’s not having sex. In her interview, she says she’s not a fan of her nether regions. Really. She said that.

Tom and Schwartz go to the restaurant site. Today is the day to find out if the permits are approved. Without them, they can’t start the construction. Tom says they’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, and we flash back to those. Lisa and Ken arrive. Lisa says Tom smells like alcohol. He tells her the triplets are on their way home, but last night they went to a strip club and made it rain. Lisa wonders if Schwartz’s wife knows he went to a strip club. She tells them the permits have been approved, and they start Monday. Tom counts it among one of the best days of his life. He writes a check, but tells Lisa not to cash it until the end of the month. Schwartz is having PTSD from writing the check for the wedding. That’s why they catch you at the end for that. You’re a little drunk, so it doesn’t hurt as much. He didn’t say that last part. It’s my personal observation.

Ariana visits therapist Julia. She says it’s long overdue. She wants to do more to help herself and get her head right. She tells Julia about her self-criticism, and how it’s amplified over the years. Her ex-boyfriend added to the problem. She says in the beginning, she thought it was a fling, but he wanted her to stay, and after she moved in, held it over her head because she had no money. Julia asks about her support system, and she says Tom is a true partner. Julia wonders about marriage and family, and Ariana says she never wants to give birth. Her goal is to just be able to function without so much anxiety. In her interview, she wants to communicate her feelings to Tom, but doesn’t want him to think it’s him. She tells Julia she’s frozen. Well, let it go then. BA-DUM-CHH!

James, Lala, Brittany, and Schwartz go to Villa Rosa to discuss World Dog Day. Lisa wanted a festival that was diametrically opposed to the Yulan dog meat festival. In his interview, James says it’s not the most extravagant or exciting gig he’s had, but on the road to success, you have to pay your dues. Lisa suggests Schwartz make out with the guests for a fifty-cent donation. Brittany asks if Lisa is coming to either of the parties, but she doesn’t have the time. Giggy! Schwartz tells her that she wouldn’t have to dress up for Ariana’s party, since she’s already a queen. Once again, I have to squelch my jokes.

Lisa asks Brittany to stay behind. She wants to talk about Jax. Lisa says it’s been challenging to say the least, and she doesn’t want him there tomorrow. She tells Brittany that she doesn’t want him anywhere near her.

Tom makes breakfast and serves it to Ariana. He asks how therapy was. She says she’s a work in progress, but she’s glad he stuck around. He says he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her, but when they first started dating, they had sex all the time. In his interview, he says he understands the excitement dies down, but thinks she’s afraid to tell him. He tells her that he knows the newness wears off, but she says the only thing that wears off is confidence; there’s no pretending. He thinks she felt it more back then, but she begs to differ, telling him she was just saying it to impress him. In her interview, she says she knows it must be confusing for him. Ariana isn’t thrilled that they haven’t been spending much time together. Tom says he got a high off of helping Tom’s brothers and we see clips. He gets that some things turn her off, but she says there’s no closeness if they don’t do things together. In her interview, she says when he does other things, it makes her think he doesn’t want her. He tells her that he can’t read her mind.

Katie does Stassi’s makeup. She says she wants to be a hot dead girl, and is going for shot-in-the-head chic. Kristen says they’re like sluts in a morgue. Katie tells them about Kevin Lee bringing her flowers, and we see a clip. He tells her that he’s sorry, and she tells him that he should never make comments about weight to anybody. Ever. She tells the girls it was awkward. His apology doesn’t affect her, but she feels badly for him.

Tom loves dressing up and going over the top. Jax stops by while Tom is trying on costumes. He tells Tom that he and Brittany decided on prom king and queen. He’s wearing a prom style tux, and stopping by Burger King for a crown on the way there. Tom puts in creepy white contacts. Brittany calls, and lets Jax know about Lisa not wanting him at World Dog Day. He doesn’t know why Lisa is holding a grudge when others have done worse. I hate that. I hate when people won’t take responsibility, and try to deflect by pointing at someone else. He tells her just go without him. She says he’ll miss the beauty pageant, and Tom adds there are a lot of hot bitches there.

It’s party time! We visit Ariana’s party first. Tom, wearing a Maleficent costume, introduces Queen Ariana, who is dressed in gold with a huge spiky crown. James says everyone is killing it with the costume game tonight. I would agree, but Scheana and Lala are basically dressed in lingerie and wearing crowns. I’m not sure if that qualifies as a costume. Lala says she’s never missing one of Ariana’s birthdays again. Billie tells Tom that she’s heard amazing things about his drag, and we flash back to that.

Schwartz says Stassi put her name on the party – it’s macabre. He thinks the scariest thing is the ranch dressing fountain, and has no doubt people will put their fingers in it by the end of the night. Peter brings a bottle of Dom Perignon from Lisa and Ken. Stassi is thrilled, since a year or so ago, she would have gotten a bag of Giggy’s flaming dog poopy. Patrick comes in wearing a man bun, which is scarier than everything else combined. Stassi’s mother asks how the trip was, and Patrick says he had a great time. Stassi feels like she’s walking on eggshells, trying to make things work. Her best solution is to drink. She orders Jager bombs all around. Bleh. I think that’s even worse than the fountain. It tastes like cough medicine.

Jax tells Billie that he’s not going to Stassi’s party. He doesn’t want to be around the anxiety; he’s trying to surround himself with better people. Ariana tells Tom that experiencing things together is a huge thing for her, and he apologizes. He says he needs her; she’s his foundation. Well, that beats saying she completes him. It kills him that she’s doubting herself and being self-conscious. He tells her that she’s his number one, and she says ditto. She says if she doesn’t feel the closeness, it’s hard to get busy. They kiss. She says he’s not perfect, and she’s a work in progress (all right already), and she wants to be close to him. He suggests they make magic happen, and she asks if she can keep her crown on.

Katie tells Patrick that he and Stassi need to stop breaking up and making up. He says he doesn’t care if she has sex with other people, but he doesn’t want her to have emotional commitment with anyone else. Kristen says Stassi has always been the conductor in relationships, but with Patrick, she’s second fiddle.

Ariana’s brother, Jeremy, is wearing a little crown that reminds me of Blaine and Antoine (Men on Film) on In Living Color. He takes the mic, and wishes Ariana a happy birthday. The cake comes out, and Ariana tells everyone how glad she is they came. She breaks up a plastic crown, and tosses the pieces out like in Mean Girls. She says she’s not a queen amongst peasants; they’re all royalty.

Katie has brought in Arielle the stripper from her party in in Las Vegas, and wants Stassi to take a shot off of her body. Stassi says she wanted her as a guest, not a serving tray, and declines. She’s nervous about Patrick being there, because they’ve been fighting, and she’s effed-up on Adderall and tequila. She walks outside. Kristen and Katie follow. She tells them she hasn’t been able to talk to Patrick the entire night, and she’s annoyed by how everything turned out. They try to talk her into coming back in, but she tells them to go eff themselves; she’s leaving. Kristen says back in the day, she would have gone after Stassi, but she’s an adult. Get a grip and grow up.

It’s World Dog Day. This year, they’ve taken over the street where the rescue center is. Cute dogs everywhere! Brittany’s Monroe wins the beauty pageant, and title of VP Posh Pup. Brittany hopes it doesn’t go to Monroe’s head, since she can’t deal with two big-headed divas at home, the other one being Jax. Scheana asks Peter about Stassi freaking out at her party. He tells Ariana that Stassi was ticked off about the body shot. Ariana says this is why they’re not friends.

Brittany tells Lisa that Jax will have to do a lot of work before she ever makes him another sandwich. Brittany asks if Jax has texted, but Lisa says no. She tells Brittany his apology doesn’t cut it now. He was in enough trouble at the Beverly Hills Life party, but by not reaching out, he’s dug a deeper hole. Lisa says she supports them, and expects the same in return.  Stassi texts an apology to Katie. Katie says the meltdown was Stassi circa 2012, and immature bullsh*t. They also had to pick up a $1400 tab. Schwartz is surprised, thinking it had just been a mini meltdown.

This season, horses, dancing, the Toms are late for a meeting, Stassi thought it would be different with Patrick this time, drinking, more drinking, Tom doesn’t want to be around Katie, Brittany kicks Jax out, and Jax gets fired… maybe.

🍑 On The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Porsha had a vegan dinner for the ladies, and Cynthia invited them all on a trip to Barcelona. Kenya seems somewhat separated from the pack this time around, probably due to being a newlywed and having an ongoing feud with Kim. I’m lukewarm about this season, but this episode did give me what could possibly be the best quote of the millennium:

💥 What kind of fraggle knackle bullcrap is this? – Sheree Whitfield

🔪 I’m already loving Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block. In this latest effort, the plot revolves around an odd town with a strange history, where people keep disappearing. Sisters Zoe (Holland Rogan) and Alice (Olivia Riccardi) are making a fresh start there. Alice is a budding social worker, and Zoe is being treated for the “insidious onset” of schizophrenia, as well as battling a drug addiction. Landlady Louise (Krisha Fairchild) made it clear from the start that she wasn’t their mom, not even their cool aunt, but their landlady, yet she shared a joint and a story with Zoe not long after the girls arrived. Louise was also a reporter back in the day, and is working on a book about the town and the disappearances, her brother having been one of them. I adore her already, and hope she doesn’t meet an untimely end.

During Alice’s first day on the job, a child disappears while waiting to be picked up by CPS, vanishing inside her own home. Alice’s supervisor chalked it up to the mother running with the child, but Alice wasn’t so sure. That night, she followed a small, shadowy figure to an old park, thinking it was the little girl. At the entrance, she found Rutger Hauer instead, who was creepy, yet somehow grandfatherly. Out for his nightly walk, he told her his family once owned the park and he lives close by. Further into the woods, Alice discovered the figure, sitting at the bottom of a staircase that went nowhere, and what she had thought to be a little girl, was a little person, with a weird, unnerving baby’s face. It went after her with a mallet, but she was saved by a tall creature – what it would look like if Groot and the Visible Man had a baby – who took the whatever-it-was up the stairs. Later, Alice saw Louise’s research board for her book, which included a photo of the Peach family, who owned a lot of the town way back when. The focal point of the town is a huge brick building labeled Peach’s Meats with a logo of Joseph Peach’s face. He’s the family patriarch, and oddly enough, looks just like Rutger Hauer.

Zoe realized that Alice had concerns about following in her mental footsteps. Feeling smothered and weirded out – there’s also a nutcake lady running around town looking for scissors, which Louise has informed them not to give her – Zoe decides to book. While at the bus stop, she meets Joseph. Being musically inclined, I’m super aware of soundtracks (Vanderpump Rules always has a great one), and I almost fell off the couch when I heard Timothy by The Buoys in the background while Louise was working. For you youngsters, it was a hit in the 70s, written by Rupert Holmes, and is about some miners who eat one of their own when they become trapped. How this became a hit, who knows? but I do have it on a 45 somewhere. This clinched the deal for me with Louise. She also gave me the second-best quote:

🌏  When you set out to change the world, the world changes you.

Creepy babies, creepy Groots, staircases to nowhere, a strange landlady (her hobby is taxidermy) who smokes weed, a mysterious town, and Rutger Hauer. Seriously, what more could you want?

💀 The Visible Man

My sister had one of these when I was a kid, and I was fascinated with it.

Visible Man  Visible Man 2

 

Feb8

February 7, 2018 – Valentin Knows All, Kelly Gets a Lawyer, Happy & Sad TV News

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

At Windemere, Nina talks to Valentin about funeral plans. Anna comes in, and Nina is like, seriously? She says if Anna has business with her husband, do it later. Anna is there to see Obrecht, but Nina says she’s resting, and she’ll give her a message. Obrecht comes out, and asks what more Anna could possibly want from them?

Sam brings Drew a potted orchid with a pair of tickets to Thailand attached. Drew asks what business they have there, but Sam says it’s a do-over for the honeymoon.

Peter meets Lulu at Kelly’s. He asks how she’s doing. She tells him the happy ending she was writing turned out to be an obituary.

Mike asks if Sonny slept all right. Sonny tells him that he set up the espresso maker he sent three Christmases ago. He asks where Mike has been. Mike says it seems like something is on Sonny’s mind, and Sonny tosses the bag of money at him, asking him to explain it. Mike doesn’t understand, and asks what it is. Sonny says, tell him, and asks again where he was. Mike says he goes for a walk every morning. He meets his friends for coffee, and sometimes they have breakfast; he has his routine. Sonny asks what about the money? Mike says if Sonny doesn’t know, that makes two of them. He has a side job, and he’s not an idiot. He knows what happens to guys who don’t deliver. Sonny asks what the $10K is doing in Mike’s cigar box? Mike doesn’t know, and says he didn’t put it there.

At Charlie’s, Jim asks if Julian has had a change of heart. Julian says his offer is generous, but Charlie’s is still not for sale. Jim says Julian knows where to find him. Julian says at his regular table, and if he ever sold Charlie’s, Jim might starve.

Curtis tells Julian that Jim isn’t smiling, he’s baring his teeth. Julian says he’s trying to start his life over, and doesn’t need this hassle. Curtis realizes that Julian isn’t just holding out; he’s not selling. Julian says Charlie’s is staying right where it is – in the middle of Jim’s plans.

Sam says she’s never been to Thailand, and as far as they know, Drew hasn’t either. He says everything old is pretty much new. She tells him that Monica will take care of the kids, and they’ll have their first real adventure as Drew and Sam Cain. They can make memories of their own, and have more adventures. He calls her ambitious, and says the word honeymoon has a nice ring to it. They start making out, and Alexis pops in, asking if they don’t have work to do.

Peter can only imagine how devastated Lulu must be. She says it’s nothing compared to how Maxie feels. She lost her husband, and Dante lost his partner. They both have a huge piece missing, and she set it into motion. Peter says they might take some small comfort in knowing someone who loved Nathan wrote the obituary. She says Maxie can’t even talk to anyone. He asks how the baby is, and Lulu says fine, but it will never know what a great father it had. Ned approaches the table. He complements Lulu on her byline, and says now that the election is in full-swing, they’ll probably want a one-on-one interview with him. Peter tells him to contact the paper directly, and Ned moves along. Lulu says, well, that happened, and Peter says readers recognize good talent.

Anna wants to search the grounds in case Faison left something behind. Valentin tells her to knock herself out, but he did a thorough sweep, and there was no trace. Anna has an envelope of Faison’s personal effects, and thought Obrecht would want them.

Sonny tells Mike that he took the time to come there because he heard Mike was in trouble. He finds out that Mike is a bag man, and has $10K in his cigar box. He can’t force Mike to take help, but he can reimburse Caruso, and Mike can keep the money. Mike says he doesn’t want or need Sonny’s help. Sonny says he doesn’t need Mike’s help either. Rita comes in, wondering what’s going on. She tells Sonny that Mike is too proud and stupid to ask, but they’re in trouble, and need his help.

Sam tells Alexis that she heard things at headquarters are a little intense, and wonders why she’s there. Alexis asks if they caught the attack ad. Drew did, and tells Sam that it stated Alexis makes bad decisions and is bad for Port Charles. Sam says she’s surprised at Ned. Alexis says he claims he didn’t know about it, but he didn’t have it taken down either. Sam suggests running a counter attack, pointing out that Alexis had enough sense to leave Ned at the altar. Alexis doesn’t think that would help, but she does need an endorsement. Aurora Media could say something pointing out the good she’s done. Drew thinks she’s a terrific candidate, and would like to help, but an endorsement from them would tank the campaign.

Lulu dabs at her eyes, and says Peter has knack of catching her at vulnerable moments. He tells her to be glad she can still cry; most journalists can’t. She says he’s been a great mentor. How is it possible she doesn’t know a thing about him?

Obrecht backs away from the envelope, saying she wants nothing to do with it. Anna thought she or Britt might want it, but Valentin suggests she take it and destroy it. Anna says she could, but not right now. Obrecht said he had a son; what about him? Obrecht says Faison killed the one pure part of both of them. Anna says she’s talking about Henrik, and asks if Obrecht can help find him.

Sonny tells Rita that he’d love to help, but can’t if he doesn’t know what’s going on. Rita says she’ll tell him everything, and he asks how the $10K ended up in the cigar box? Rita doesn’t know. If she did, she’d tell him. Mike says he doesn’t need her to defend him to his son. If his word isn’t sufficient, Sonny needs to get out. Sonny says he wants to believe him, but Mike says that’s not good enough. He says he’s sweaty from his walk, and needs to take a shower, adding something stinks in here. After he leaves, Rita says she knows Sonny hasn’t seen him in a while, but he’s not himself. She told him not to take the job; they’d find a way to get by. Although who can blame him? Is he going to stock shelves with high school kids? Sonny counts the money, and says it’s all there. That means Mike is telling the truth, at least about gambling. If he’d fallen off the wagon, it would be short. Rita says he’s proud. He’s been trying, and has succeeded for the most part, but he needs his own to believe in him. He’d rather die than admit that. Sonny understands, and she says if he wants to help figure it out, go easy on him.

Sam says Drew is right. An editorial campaign headed by Julian’s daughter is not a good idea. Drew says it’s not what she needs. It should come from the Port Charles Press. Sam adds that they made an agreement not to dictate content. She offers to take Alexis to lunch, and Alexis says it’s a nice consolation prize. Sam says they can strategize. They leave, and Drew looks at the tickets.

Peter tells Lulu that his life story isn’t that interesting. He wasn’t close with his family. His mom abandoned him as an infant, and his father shipped him to boarding school. Lulu asks if he had siblings, and he tells her that he had a brother, but he died before they had a chance to know each other. Lulu compares his life to a Dickens novel, and says he deserves better. He says he practices what he preaches, and wrote himself a better ending in spite of his family.

Nina tells Anna that Nathan is the only one who mattered, and Anna agrees he was a great man. Their loss must be profound, but Henrik could be out there following in Faison’s footsteps. Nina wonders where he’s been, and where he is now, and Anna says that’s what she’s trying to find out.

Sonny tells Rita that she’s right. Rita says Mike told her how he abandoned Sonny, and that his mother’s second husband was not a nice guy. Sonny says he’s already come to terms with that, but Rita says that doesn’t mean Mike doesn’t think about it every day. He didn’t know the money was missing, and she tells Sonny that Mike has been distracted, like there’s something heavy on his mind. She’s been worrying about him, hoping he’d tell Sonny. Sonny says she might have noticed they’re not sharing kind of guys. Rita tells Sonny that Mike’s face lights up when talks about Sonny and his kids. He’s proud of him, and despite the cranky bastard act, wanted to be someone Sonny is proud of. Cutting and running wasn’t the best way to do it, but Mike loves him in his own half-assed way. The last thing wants is to need him, but right now… Mike comes back in, and says Sonny is still there. Does that mean he believes him?

Ned goes to Drew’s office. He says despite the rough relaunch, they seem to be ahead of the game. He tells Drew that the family was denied the opportunity to have his back while he was growing up, but they would have, like they did Jason. He has their loyalty, and the family is standing beside him. All they ask is that he stand beside them as well.

Sam and Alexis go to Charlie’s. Sam remarks that Alexis is there a lot, and Alexis says campaign headquarters are across the street; it’s hard to avoid. She tells Sam not to worry. There’s no risk of her getting back together with Julian. Apparently, he has a girlfriend.

Lulu asks if Peter ever looked for his mother. He says he had a fantasy as a kid that she’d come back, but it didn’t happen. He was given to his father through an intermediary, and his father didn’t know who his mother was. His father ran the gamut from boring to unpleasant. He was self-absorbed and unfeeling, but business kept him away a lot, so Peter didn’t have to see him. He was a horrible person. Lulu asks if he’s no longer alive, and Peter says he’s been dead a while. He spent most of his childhood seeking approval, but there’s only so much dismissal and ignoring you can take before you don’t need it. That’s when he was able to break free.

Anna asks Obrecht if she has any idea where Henrik could be. Obrecht says she saw him as boy, but he’s long since grown. Anna says if he’s continuing to do Faison’s work, he needs to be stopped. Nina says, not today; not now.

Sonny tells Mike that he believes him. He tells him not to worry about the money. Things are squared with Caruso; he’s been paid off, and Mike can keep it. Sonny says he should take a vacation, and come meet Avery. He also hasn’t met his great-grandson Rocco, and Dante and Lulu would love to see him. Mike says he’s too young to be a great-grandfather. Sonny says he screwed up, but he can make it up by coming to visit. Carly would love to see him too. Mike asks what about Rita, and Sonny says he’s inviting them both. Rita says she has to work, but tells Mike to go. He says he’s not going anywhere.

Jim approaches Alexis’s table, and asks if she remembers him. She says he’s the one who accused Laura of exploiting the memory of Mary Mae. Jim asks to let bygones be bygones. Alexis says she could try, but apparently, he needs something from her. She invites him to sit, and he says he can only stay a minute. She introduces him to Sam, who says she knows he’s the face behind the Charles Street redevelopment project. He would love to discuss the details, since he did that for Alexis’s opponent.

Curtis comes in, and Julian asks what he found out. He says the guy who attacked his Aunt Stella disappeared. He was the only one injured, Jordan persuaded him not to press charges, and he skipped town. Curtis can’t figure out why. Julian says he might have been acting on someone else’s orders.

Drew asks if Ned is suggesting he stand beside the Quartermaines, or stand beside him. He wonders if Ned is looking for a personal endorsement, and Ned asks if that would be so bad. Drew says, to ask, no, but he’s going to tell him the same thing Sam told Alexis. They’re choosing to remain neutral. He appreciates Ned stopping by, and his kind words, but has to get back to work. Ned sees Alan’s cufflinks, and Drew says Monica gave them to him. Ned says that’s what it means to be a Quartermaine. (Cufflinks?) It’s not about choice, but a legacy. Recusing himself is a great strategy; it makes him more of a Quartermaine.

Lulu says Peter should get his memoirs down on record, if only for his own self-worth. Peter says his work was done by surviving. Sad stories about toxic families are a dime a dozen. Lulu says they’re all unique. Someone might read his, and not feel alone. He says if there are billions out there, there’s plenty to choose from. She thanks him for the distraction, and he says, what are friends for?

Nina tells Anna to have some respect, and give them time to grieve. They have to work out the funeral arrangements. She begs Valentin to get Anna out of the house, and leaves. Anna says she knows they don’t believe her, but she’s sorry. She wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t critical. Valentine wonders how critical something can be about a dead man. Anna wants to make sure everything about Faison, including his son, is wrapped up for good.

Mike appreciates the offer, but he has his routine; it keeps him steady. Sonny says they have sidewalks in Port Charles. Mike says he meets his friends for coffee, and Sonny says he’s got more coffee than Mike could ever dream of. Mike doesn’t want to be away from Rita. She tells him to go; it’s not Timbuktu. Everything will be there when he gets back, including her. Sonny tells him to come to Port Charles and meet his family. Mike agrees.

Jim has ideas for joint ventures between Niagara and Aurora. Sam says she’ll give his card to Drew, but she thinks what he needs is an ad agency. Ned comes in, and Jim leaves to join him. Sam asks if Alexis thinks Ned saw them. She says considering how hard he’s trying not to look at her, yes. Sam asks if she’s going to confront him about the ad.

Curtis wonders why a dude would mug someone, and then try to press charges after they defended themselves? I could actually see this happening in NYC. Julian says the street lights were out, and Curtis adds that the security cameras were too. Stella has been very vocal, and was arrested for assault, and now being made to look like the crazy bad guy. They watch Ned and Jim laughing together.

Peter goes to Drew’s office, and thanks him for the amazing opportunity. He’s tendering his resignation though. It’s time for him to leave Port Charles. Funny, he didn’t mention he’d only be staying a couple of months during the interview.

Anna asks Valentin if he ever crossed paths with Faison after leaving the WSB. Valentin laughs, saying for a seasoned professional, she’s making a mess of this. He can field her vague and ridiculous questions all afternoon, but his wife wants her gone. He tells her let’s cut to the chase. What does she want to know about her and Faison’s son?

Tomorrow, Michael says Nelle knows there’s no future between them, Elizabeth knows what something means, and Drew won’t accept Peter’s resignation.

If Loving You is Wrong

Brad drives off after seeing Alex talking to Randal. Randal laughs, and Alex tells him to shut up. She says he’s going to push her too far. He tells her that when she went to her parents, it was too far. She tells him to leave her alone and harass his own wife. She realizes he doesn’t believe her about Marcie carrying his child, and tells him to ask her. He asks if she hates Marcie that much, and Alex says she’s just telling him the truth. Randal says she needs his help to break up Marcie and Brad. She says yes, she does want him to break them up. She tells him to do what he always does, but he wants to do what he used to do with her. She says that’s never happening again. He says he’s going to ruin Marcie’s life real quick, and come back to ruin hers. He asks if he’s getting under her skin, and she says he almost lost his. She wishes her daddy had hanged him, and mentions she has a lot of relatives and friends back home. He tells her to give them a hog holler. She goes back in the house. He checks his phone to see where Brad is, and gets in the car.

Kelly’s new attorney, Carl Adams, introduces himself to Lushion. Lushion says he called a Marty, but apparently, he’s unavailable. Lushion asks what office Carl is from, and he says the Public Defender. Lushion says it must be a mistake, and give him a moment. Carl steps outside, and Lushion makes a call to Ian.

Ian is still out for dinner with Marcie. She sees the call is from Lushion, and Ian says he’s not answering. She thinks he should, so he steps away from the table. Lushion says he has a kid there from the Public Defender’s office. Ian says his recommendation was busy, and his hands are tied. Lushion says Carl looks like he’s out of high school, and he can’t believe Ian is doing this right now. Ian says he’s sorry. Lushion says the other lawyer didn’t call him back, and Ian tells him that Marty said no; Travis’s family is well-connected, and the case is getting press. Lushion says all the more reason Kelly needs a good lawyer. Ian says no one is going to take the case without getting paid, and Lushion thinks something else is going on. Ian says he told him everything, but Lushion isn’t buying it. He was going to help Kelly, and now he’s so cold he can’t even give a recommendation. Ian says it’s not like that, and to give Carl a chance. I hate Ian right now.

Marcie asks if everything is okay, and Ian says it’s fine. She asks if it’s about Kelly, and he tells her he can’t talk about it. He suggests dessert, but Marcie just wants water. Ian says he’s been out of the dating game for a while, and she reminds him it’s not a date. He tells her that she’s a rehearsal. She says guys have been using her a lot lately, and calls for the waiter.

Larry starts to come to, and Eddie calls him baby girl. Larry says he had his fun; Eddie needs to let him go. Eddie wants to enjoy it some more. He thought Larry liked being dominated. Larry says Eddie has a terrible reputation; he’s crazy. His department hates him, and he has several complaints against him. He’s racist, sexist, and homophobic. Eddie says he’s a lawyer’s nightmare, and he hates Larry. Larry says call it even, but Eddie says call him in power. He makes Larry repeat that he has the power. (♫ We got the power! ♫ plays in my head.) Larry says he hasn’t been to work all day, and it doesn’t concern Eddie? Eddie says he was humiliated, and punches Larry in the face. Larry laughs and says he loves it. Eddie picks up a plastic bag, and Larry says there are ways to do it; Eddie could kill him. Eddie says he thought Larry was turned on, but Larry says not by death. Eddie puts the bag on his head, and Larry struggles.

Carl asks if he can see Kelly now, and Lushion says they’re bringing her. Carl knows Lushion doesn’t like it, but says he’s good at his job. Lushion doesn’t doubt it, but Carl doesn’t believe him. He says people judge him all the time, but he really is good. Lushion says his opinion doesn’t matter, and leads Carl to the interrogation room.

Kelly asks if Lushion got the lawyer, and he says she’s been appointed one. He brings in Carl, who introduces himself. Kelly doesn’t understand, and Carl says he’ll explain it. Kelly asks Lushion to call Natalie and find out how Justice is doing. Carl apologizes, saying he knows it’s difficult. She says it was self-defense. He tells her that he needs to hire a private investigator to corroborate her story. I dunno about that. Everything is on record, and there are quite a few witnesses. Kelly says she has no money, and asks how he’s being paid. He says he’s a Public Defender, and she says she wants a real lawyer. He tells her that’s offensive. She says she needs individual attention. They have huge caseloads, and he’s probably used to doing deals with the DA. He suggests probation and time-served. She asks if he can do that, and he says probably not, but he needed a starting point. Right now, he’s all she’s got. When she gets another lawyer, he can fill them in. He asks what happened.

Natalie gives the kids dinner. One of the boys tells her there’s something wrong with Justice, and wonders when Joey is coming home. I’d forgotten all about Joey. Natalie doesn’t know, and he asks if Joey has seen Justice’s mom. Natalie asks if he’s been talking to someone, and he says it’s all over school. She tells him to go eat.

Justice looks pretty bummed. He tells Natalie he’s not hungry. He asks where his mother is, and she says Kelly had to go to the jail. He asks if she killed Travis; everyone at school knows. Natalie says she’ll let his mom tell him. He’s tired of being treated like a kid, and Natalie says he is a kid. She tells him Travis was trying to hurt Kelly, and she was protecting them. He wasn’t a good person. Justice says it must have happened after he was asleep. He tells Natalie that Travis had been talking to him; he’d been at the window. He told Justice that he loved him, and would always be there for him. Natalie finds out that Travis had asked Justice for Kelly’s financial information. He’d said he wanted to put money in her account, and told him not to tell. Natalie asks what else he did, and Justice says he was just helping his mom. Natalie tells him he has to eat something.

Natalie calls Lushion. Poor Lushion. I say that every week. She tells him it’s about Justice. He told her that the night of the shooting, Travis came to his window and was talking to him, and she knows how Kelly’s accounts got hacked. He says they’ll talk later, but Kelly asked if he’s okay. She doesn’t think so, and he says he’ll be there in a bit. He tells her that he loves her.

At the restaurant, Esperanza asks Stephen if Marcie and Ian are staring. Stephen says yes, but it’s no big deal. He jokes that he could threaten to arrest them, but says it’s not the end of the world if they find out. She asks why he wants them to know, and he says why not? Esperanza says, because they’re not together, and Stephen says, but they are. She wonders if it has to do with Eddie, and if they’re in competition. He asks why he’d be playing a stupid game, and she says they’re always measuring each other up. He tells her that she’s crazy. She says she was just asking, and he says he answered. Esperanza wants to get going, since her daughter is with a sitter. Stephen says since they’re not together, does she want to go Dutch? Good one, Stephen. She tells him that he’s paying, and not to follow her out like a puppy.

Lushion visits Kelly in her cell. She says it’s going to be bad, and he asks what the attorney said. He looked Carl up, and he’s pretty decent. She says she needs great. He tells her that Justice is fine, and she says tell him she’s okay. He asks if she wants him to visit, but she says no. She wonders what will happen if she never gets out. She needs to know what to do with him. Lushion says if that happens, they’ll take care of him, but she’s not being convicted. She tells him he’s done enough, but he says not until she’s free. She thanks him. He tells her they’ve got her, and stay strong.

Ian is hypnotized by his phone. Marcie asks what’s going on, and he says, nothing. She says he hasn’t been the same since Lushion called. He repeats that it’s nothing. She isn’t pretending to know him, but knows when something’s wrong. He asks what she knows about Kelly. Marcie says she’s a good person, and the kind of mother she’d like to be one day. She tries to be on the side of right. Marcie wishes he was representing her. She knows when someone has a good heart, and he does. He says most people don’t think lawyers do. She tells him that some, like Larry, need to change some things. She knows they’re friends, and Ian says they work together. She says it sounds like he doesn’t like Larry, and Ian says he respects him, but has issues. Larry didn’t even show up for work, and he had to stand in for a press conference that Larry asked for. Marcie thinks Ian should have his own practice, and he says easier said than done. She says it’s like getting out of a bad marriage. She hopes Larry can get Randal to sign the papers. Ian says if anyone can, it’s Larry. Marcie sees Brad, and tells Ian it’s his new neighbor. She goes over to talk to him

Marcie asks Brad what’s going on? He says he’s not good. He saw Alex talking to Randal after he’d told her not to. Marcie says they never learn. He asks what she’s doing there, and she says she wants him to meet someone. She introduces Brad to Ian, and tells him Larry just bought a house on the block. She asks if Brad wants to join them. Brad asks if she isn’t on a date, and she says they’re just celebrating Ian’s house. Ian asks about the schools, and Brad says they’re good; he has kids in elementary school. Ian says he has kids that age too. He saw baby carriage and a blonde on Brad’s porch. Brad says the blonde is his wife, and Ian assumes they have a newborn. Brad says she does. His wife had an affair with Marcie’s husband, and they have a baby. Not TMI or anything. Did it not even cross his idiotic mind that he might be embarrassing Marcie? Or her client? Welcome to the neighborhood! Brad tells Ian that Marcie’s husband lives next door, and is driving him nuts. Ian asks if he means Randal; he knows Randal and Larry are friends. He’s sorry to put things together, and sorry for the drama. Marcie says he didn’t bring it. Ian says he can deal without conflicts and chaos, and Marcie tells him that he can handle himself, but speaking of drama…

Randal appears and says hello like Flounder in Animal House, and I laugh. Marcie suggests they go, but Brad wants to stay. Ian says they were just leaving. Randal says he just got there, and he has some questions. Ian tells him, not today. Randal asks if Marcie is pregnant with Brad’s baby, and she she is. He asks if she’s sure. A birdie told him otherwise. She says his birdie is wrong, and Ian says, let’s go. Randal asks if she’s doing threesomes now, and she and Ian leave.

Randal tells Brad that if he finds out the baby is his, Marcie is going to be so pissed off about what happens. He’s about to follow them, but Brad grabs him, and punches him. They have a huge brawl in the middle of the restaurant.

Next time, Brad wants the truth from Alex, Randal visits Kelly in jail, and Marcie has a medical emergency.

 🎭 Good News & Bad News

😈  Channel Zero is back. This time with Butcher’s Block, and Rutger Hauer. Since it conflicts with my viewing schedule, I’ll probably have to watch it On Demand like last time. I hadn’t known that the stories are based on those found on Creepypasta. The one from Candle Cove is quite disturbing. You can read about it here:

https://the-line-up.com/channel-zero-creepypasta-horror-show?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Lineup%20Weekly%20Wednesday%20Newsletter%202018-02-07&utm_term=The%20Lineup

🏰 Sadly, Once Upon a Time will be ending after its next, and seventh, season. The death knell of the Friday time-slot has spoken.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/once-a-time-end-season-7-abc-1082008?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%20Today%20in%20Entertainment_now_2018-02-07%2010:15:22_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie

FridayTomorrow

Jan5

January 4, 2017 – Spinelli Tracks Down PK Sinclair, Ghosts Are Done Warring, Random Thoughts & Vertical Living

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Sonny says that Brick is looking for Faison. Jason thinks the key is in the manuscript. Perhaps PK Sinclair is trying to draw him out. This confuses me, since PK Sinclair is Faison’s pen name. Now it’s a separate person? Spinelli appears, and says as fortune would have it, he reconstructed the book.

Lulu brings a jelly donut to Dante, telling him that she had to elbow a dockworker to get the last one. He wonders what she wants, and she asks if she can’t come by with a token of her affection. BTW, has he closed any cases or nabbed any bad guys lately? He asks if she means Faison in particular. (Funny aside. This spellcheck only recognizes donuts, not donut singular. Who runs spellcheck? Krispy Kreme?)

At Charlie’s Pub, Obrecht tells Nina it’s 9:43 and she told everyone 9:45. They’re late. Nina says she shouldn’t have scheduled it on the day everyone is nursing a hangover. Obrecht says this is just the stylish setting for Maxie’s baby shower. Nina thinks it will be a huge success if Obrecht puts the same amount of energy into it as she has in hiding things from Nathan.

Nathan tells Maxie that he’s trying to be sensitive to his mom’s feelings, and says they should limit the amount of talk and questions about Victor to their immediate circle. Maxie says she’s good with that, but can’t vouch for everyone else. Nathan asks, like who? Amy comes out of the elevator.

Lulu asks if Dante thinks she’s that shallow. She just got done with paperwork requesting information on any cases, and brought him the donut to be nice. Although if he’d like to speed up her research, she wouldn’t object. Jordan and Valentin walk through to the interrogation room. Dante says maybe Lulu’s next big story is right there. Lulu thinks maybe it’s her next big chance at sole custody.

Finn tells Anna that he killed Cassandra. Anna says he’s just going through withdrawal, but he asks her to listen to him.

Dante says Valentin isn’t wearing cuffs, but Lulu says neither one of them looked happy. Dante is worried about Lulu wanting a story on Faison. She says she’s going through the proper channels, but he’s concerned if Faison finds out, and gets to her first. He wishes her next big story didn’t have to involve a guy who’s on the WSB’s most wanted list. Jordan comes out, and asks if she has to relieve Lulu of her press pass, but Lulu swears she’s not there on press business. Jordan asks Dante to come in.

Nina tells Obrecht that she’s not talking about the current lie, but the one where she claimed to be Nathan’s aunt, not his mother. Obrecht asks why she’s complaining, when she ended up with an adorable brother. Nina wonders why do it in the first place, but it’s clearly a sore subject for everyone, and she decides to leave it alone. Felicia arrives, and Obrecht says she’s her favorite oma-to-be. Nina asks herself what Obrecht is hiding.

Maxie gives Nathan a kiss goodbye. Amy says she seems happy, and Nathan says she’ll be happier when the DNA test is back. Amy acts ignorant, but he says Maxie told him, so she can drop the act. He asks if the results are in.

Valentin isn’t certain it’s appropriate that Dante is present, but Dante says it’s not the first time, and won’t be the last. He asks what Valentin can tell them about Cassandra. Valentin says she’s Anna’s project, so the questions should be directed at her. Dante says he and Cassandra were partners in crime way back when. Valentin guesses that’s why Anna found him useful.

Finn explains to Anna that Cassandra drugged him. She had a needle, and he had to stop her. He lunged at her, and must have grabbed the needle and used it against her, but everything is a blur. Anna asks what the last thing is he really remembers. Finn says Cassandra threatened Anna, and said she was going to give her a fix. That’s when he grabbed the needle and drugged her. Anna asks if he remembers taking the needle, and he says that must be what happened.

Sonny thanks Spinelli for coming all this way, and Spinelli says he would cross any continent to help his friends find the truth; it’s like the old days. Sonny says it is, and Spinelli starts talking about how nostalgia is said to stunt progress with friends, but he disagrees. Sonny interrupts, and asks if he found anything. Spinelli tells them he’s on the trail of PK Sinclair, and one lead sparked two more.

PK Sinclair doesn’t exist, and there’s no evidence that they’ve been employed as Faison’s alias for decades, but it turned out that the publisher is in contact with someone writing under the name. Whoever wrote the manuscript has been corresponding with the publisher. Jason asks if he traced the emails, and Spinelli says he got a name. Oh, I get it, it’s someone pretending to be him.

Felicia thanks Obrecht for organizing the get together. Obrecht wants Maxie’s shower to be nothing less than perfect, which is why she abandoned the traditional notion of surprise, and brought Maxie in on the planning. Lulu and Maxie walk in, and Lulu asks Maxie if she’s ready to plan her own baby shower. Felicia hugs her, and tells her, run, save yourself. Obrecht tells her that she’s late, and hopes Maxie teaches her grandson better manners. Lulu is surprised Nina is there, and asks if they can talk. Nina says it’s not even lunch, and Lulu is already bothering her. Lulu says she just saw Valentin at the police station, and it looked like he was in trouble.

Amy tells Nathan that there was a rush put on the test, but there’s a huge backlog. She’ll tell him as soon as the results are in. He says he owes her, and she says she’s the one who owes him. Nathan says this makes them even. Nobody owes anyone anything, and they’re just two friends who help each other when they can. He tells her that he’s there on police business. He needs to check on one of the patients – Cassandra Pearce.

Valentin says he’s the victim. Cassandra tried to kill him; maybe they should be talking to her. Jordan says she’s in no condition to talk; she’s in ICU hanging by a thread. Dante says they found her passed out in an alley near Charles Street. She’d OD’d.

Finn tells Anna she should go. She says he just told her about saving her life; now he wants her to leave? He’s afraid he might hurt her too, but Anna says it was self-defense. He says he took an oath, and she tells him that he didn’t kill Cassandra. She’s not dead.

Anna tells Finn that Cassandra is in ICU and is critical. Finn says if she dies, that makes him a murderer. Anna says he doesn’t know that. What’s puzzling her is that in the time between when she found him and the authorities arrived, Cassandra went missing. She was found in an alley, and it’s highly unlikely she crawled there on her own. Maybe the same person put her there who pumped her full of her own drugs.

Jordan asks if Valentin ever saw Cassandra use, and he says not recently. Dante asks what about in the past, but he hasn’t seen her in years. Dante says it appears the drugs were forced on her. Valentin points out that he put himself at considerable risk to help Anna get her locked up by the WSB. Why would he kill her? Dante suggests it was to protect his family.

Obrecht asks if Charlie’s menu is good with Maxie; it’s under new management, and has gone from pedestrian to pretentious. Felicia congratulates Lulu on her scoop. Lulu says that means everything to her. All this time, Felicia should have been mayor. Felicia asks how it feels to break hard news. Lulu says it’s great, but sadly, it’s old news already, and you’re only as good as your next article. Felicia asks what she has in mind, and Lulu says it might be big. Felicia asks what the subject is, and Lulu tells her, Caesar Faison.

Spinelli tells Sonny and Jason that the publisher was unable to reveal who the author was, but he hacked into his email before they were off the phone. Sonny looks through the printouts, saying there isn’t much, he just says he has an idea for a PK Sinclair novel. Jason says it seems like the publisher was into it at first, then the emails dry up, and the publisher’s emails go unanswered. Spinelli says the clue is in the timing of the last one. They promised the delivery of the manuscript on the day before Jason broke out of the clinic.

Lulu tells Felicia it was confirmed that Faison was in the Port Charles area recently. He was traveling with Britt, but she stayed behind. Felicia wonders why he was there, but Lulu doesn’t know. She’s thinking of asking for an interview if she tracks him down. Felicia thinks no good can come from crossing paths with him. She says the real question is, what does Lulu stand to lose if she puts herself in Faison’s crosshairs?

Maxie tells Obrecht she should just enjoy herself, and not try so hard. Obrecht says for the longest time, she didn’t allow herself to dream of this day. At one point, she didn’t allow herself to think of Nathan as her son. Maxie asks why, and she says it would have placed him in danger of his father. Maxie says Victor can’t hurt anyone anymore… right?

Spinelli doesn’t think the date is a coincidence. Sonny wonders if Jason’s escape threw the plans out of whack. Spinelli is working on tracking the IP address, but in the meantime, he has the manuscript intact. Sonny asks how he got it.

Nina blows into the station, and wants to see Valentin. Nathan tells her that he’s being interrogated, and she says not anymore, and Dante has a conflict of interest. Valentin tells them to let him talk to Nina. Jordan says her brother has her under control, and asks where Valentin was last night. He says with Anna, and Dante says what about after they escaped? He tells them that he contacted the sitter to make sure Charlotte was okay, then went to the MetroCourt to find Nina. Dante asks why he didn’t call the police, and he says he was working with a capable WSB agent. He figured she had a handle on things, although she did seem distracted. My take is that since Anna left first, and got to the house pretty quickly, there’s no way Valentin is involved. I think Nina might be though.

Anna tells Finn that he spent most of the night in a stupor or unconscious. He wouldn’t have noticed a John Philip Sousa marching band coming through. He thinks they might have walked over his head. She tells him the potency of the drugs Cassandra ingested have probably done serious brain damage. Finn says what if Cassandra had used them on her? Anna asks how he’s feeling, and Finn says not half as good as he looks. Amy asks for moment with the patient. Anna says she’ll be back, and Finn says he’s given up telling her what to do. He says he’ll see her tonight. She says, maybe sooner. She has something to take care of.

Cassandra lies in a hospital bed on a ventilator. Someone looms over her bed.

It’s Anna. I got all excited for nothing, even though Faison isn’t involved in this storyline.

Nathan asks Nina if she remembers the woman whose hair she tried to pull out by the roots. Nina says her name is Cassandra, and it was a personal matter. Nathan says she was found in an alley, and someone pumped her full of drugs. Nina tells him that she’s a drug dealer, trying to get people hooked on things they’ll never be able to kick. Nathan says it’s his job to know that; how does she?

Jordan asks if anyone can verify where Valentin was after the MetroCourt. He says his wife can, and gets up. Jordan says it’s not over, but he says it is for him. If they have more questions, they can contact his attorney. Nina tells Nathan that Valentin was working with Anna to bring Cassandra to justice. Nathan asks if he shares that information with her, and Valentin joins them, saying he doesn’t keep secrets from his wife. He promises Nina a happier reunion tonight, but has to take care of something, and jets.

Jordan tells Dante this is more complicated than they thought.

Amy asks Finn if he needs anything, but he says there’s only one way through it; same way as before. He tells her to take the twelve-step chip out of his wallet. She asks if he wants to hold it to keep focused, but he says he wants to throw it away. It’s useless now that he has to start over. She says she’ll hold onto it. She doesn’t think this counts as a slip; a maniac poisoning him when he’s trying to save the woman he loves.

Anna locks the door. She tells Cassandra that her guard is on break, and the staff is busy. No one is watching, and it’s just the two of them. She’s had a lot of time to think about how many deaths could be traced to Cassandra’s drugs, how much damage was done to families, and how many more lives would be ruined if she was given the chance. Anna puts on a pair of surgical gloves, and says she doesn’t think it’s worth risking it. It’s better off if Cassandra never wakes up. Her finger moves toward the cancel button on the machine.

Lulu tells Obrecht that she’ll defer to her and Maxie for the menu. Obrecht is surprised, and says sometimes her actions are misinterpreted, and well-meaning people stop her from doing something good. Lulu says that’s not her forte, but Obrecht says she gave the world Nathan. Lulu suggests she show her son and the world that she’s capable of decency. Obrecht asks how she should accomplish that, and Lulu asks her to help track down Faison. Obrecht says even if she knew where he was, why would she do that? Lulu says to give him the opportunity to tell his side of the story. All things considered, he might not get another one.

Felicia tells Maxie she’s being a good sport. Maxie says she has to make it work. Obrecht has her quirks, but she’s family. She thinks Obrecht is going overboard to compensate for dragging her feet about Nathan’s father’s medical records. Nathan thinks she’s hiding something, but Maxie thinks he won’t say it out loud, but is afraid he’ll pass on his father’s evil genes to the baby.

Spinelli explains how he recreated the manuscript using a computer program. Sonny asks him to talk English, and he says it’s the computer’s suggestions of how to fill in what was missing. It can’t recreate the whole thing, but predict it. Jason says that might be enough. They don’t need to know how it ends, just what it means.

Felicia asks Lulu if she landed an interview, would she share the information off the record? Lulu says she may be a reporter, but she’s also a Spencer. She’ll do anything to get him to talk, and then turn him in. Felicia suggests she start with Spoon Island. Faison has a long history with it, and swindled it away from Ned when he first arrived. He could hide there forever, and they’d never know. If he’s anywhere near Port Charles, she’d start looking there.

Obrecht says something in German, and Maxie asks if she just called her a sausage? She asks Maxie if Nathan is still obsessing over his father, and Maxie says he’s just worried. Obrecht asks what reason he has for fretting; the records are accurate. Why question it when there’s nothing to be concerned about? Maxie says the test will confirm everything, and Obrecht asks, what test?

Nina tells Nathan sorry for the ruckus, and being a pita. Nathan tells her it’s okay. Nina says now that Valentin has been released, everything is fine. Nathan says, but he left her there; what gives?

Anna goes back to Finn’s room. He asks where she went, and she says to see Cassandra. She wanted to make sure she never hurts anyone again. Finn asks what she did.

Valentin sees Amy cleaning up Cassandra’s room, and asks what happened? Amy says she shouldn’t tell him, but it will be on the news soon enough. She was released into the custody of the WSB. He asks where they took her, and Amy says wherever they take comatose drug traffickers after an OD. Chances are, she’s never coming to.

Anna tells Finn that she didn’t kill Cassandra. He asks if that’s the truth, or she’s just saying that to make him feel better. Anna says she thought about it, and came thisclose to finishing her off, but didn’t. She called Robert, and he had her taken to a secure facility. He asks what about when she recovers? Anna says it’s unlikely, but if Cassandra regains consciousness, she and the bureau will make sure she never harms another soul. Finn guesses they did good. She says they did. He says he has only one regret. They didn’t get their New Year’s Eve. She takes his hand, and says they’ve always got next year.

Obrecht doesn’t understand why they need a test. Maxie says to prove to Nathan that he’s a Cassadine.

Nina is sure there’s a good explanation, and tells Nathan to let her worry about her husband – not that she’s worried – and let him worry about the DNA test. He asks if she knows something, and she says she knows Obrecht is a pathological liar. He wonders if Victor isn’t his father, who is?

Spinelli says the manuscript might tell them what they need to know. The main character is based on Faison, and a power struggle ensues between him and “Octavian.” He reads from it where the Faison character says, “It’s been you all along; you stole everything.” Octavian replies that if he’d opened his eyes sooner, he could have saved himself, calling him “father.” Spinelli says this begs the question, did Faison have a son?

Next time, Kiki tells Griff that Ava wanted Morgan for herself, Maxie questions Obrecht’s motives, and Drew overhears Carly tell Sam not to do something to him.

👻 SyFy’s Ghost Wars had its finale tonight. Although it’s more like ghost turf wars. It’s set in an isolated Alaskan town, but filmed in Vancouver, and the scenery is one of the stars IMO. The story revolves around a community in paranormal crisis, along with an outcast medium who has his own demons to fight. I have to admit, I just half-assed watched this show, but saw enough to pronounce it excellent. Meat Loaf is among the cast, playing the town handyman and bully. Hey, everyone needs a side hustle. He also gave me a terrific quote.

👿  If this fails, we’re gonna have a lot of pissed off ghosts coming back at us. – Doug Mercer, (Meat Loaf), Ghost Wars

👹 Superstition, about the owners of a funeral home, looked good too, but I didn’t have time to stick with it. How can you miss with the setting being a funeral home? Unfortunately, both of these shows look unlikely to be renewed, so catch them On Demand while you can.

❌  The X-Files returned, but I never got into it the first time. I already knew the truth wasn’t out there. But to all you Burning Smoking Man fans – enjoy!

🚓 Anyone remember Brimstone? What about American Gothic starring Gary Cole as Sheriff Buck with a B? With all this 90s TV nostalgia, I’m getting misty for the shows that were never really given a chance.

📺 Not much else happening on the TV front tonight. The two Joshes butted heads on Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles (ho-hum), and the new LA real estate buzzword is “vertical living” in referring to apartments. It sounds so science fictionish when they put it that way.

🌆 More Like What I Thought Vertical Living Meant…

VertcalLiving4 VertcalLiving2 VertcalLiving3

VertcalLiving

Dec17

December 16, 2017 – Z Nation Trifecta with Photos & a Quote Quartet

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

Technically, what I watched Friday night.

Z Nation

A quick recap of last week. Operation Bitemark went back to Mercy Labs, where they found the blob that was once Dr. Teller’s wife, and his intact son, encased in some kind of liquid in a tank. Sadly, they needed the juice powering the tank to power the radio, so Andrew was taken off life support, or suspended animation, or whatever he was. Lily wanted to save him, but Roberta said he’d be like a bug trapped in amber that won’t die, since no one was coming to get him. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of one. I thought it was “the few,” but okay. Roberta collected another cylinder, and there was also a lot of flashing back to the mercy-proof zombies and Red.

Kaya told Citizen Z that the man with a plan cracked his way into NORAD, and downloaded files from something called Black Rainbow. Scampy was still frolicking around, albeit minus an arm, and caught Citizen Z unawares. Citizen Z pulled out Scampy’s heart, but of course this did nothing. Kaya came to his rescue, zipping Scampy into a body bag. Kaya found out a lot of money had been pumped into the Black Rainbow project, and something called the fourth strike weapon. She and Citizen Z kept trying to get Operation Bitemark on the radio, saying they had vital information regarding Black Rainbow. They finally connected, and told Roberta that intruders copied the files and spoofed their way into NORAD. Kaya told her the reset will kill everything in order to start the world over; the launch codes needed to be changed. Roberta said her dream was about stopping the launch, and Kaya said they had to be changed manually at the launch pad, but they’ll need the thumbprint of the President to change them. Roberta said they were headed to Washington DC

The Season Finale

Operation Bitemark travels down the road. Roberta says this is it. The last place evacuated. Doc says there’s a nuclear war, and the government got relocated while the rest of them were blown to smithereens. Roberta tells them to keep their eyes open. They walk into the Mount Weather Emergency Operation. They see massive doors built into the side of a mountain, and a line of abandoned cars. Roberta says she guesses the President didn’t make it inside.

They look into the cars, but nothing, until they get to the last one. Secret Service zombies pop out. Murphy looks in the back, and Roberta asks if it’s the President. He says sort of; all the good parts are gone. He checks, saying no thumb on one hand, and no hand on the other hand. Murphy finds an ID indicating it’s the President’s husband. Roberta says they need to go inside; the President could still be in there. Roberta tries the ID, but the lock uses a retina scanner. She asks Doc if he’s thinking what she is, and that’s a yep. Murphy goes, eww! Doc scoops out the guy’s eyeball. It doesn’t work on the first try, but he removes a contact or cataract or something, and it opens the doors.

Roberta tells them to keep their eyes peeled for signs of life. Murphy adds, and dead. Doc asks why it always has to be underground. Why not a showdown in a penthouse, or at least something with a window? They go through the building. Roberta wants to find the Oval Office. They check the Congressional Chambers, where there are some political zombies toddling around.

Doc and Murphy dispatch them, and high-five each other for keeping democracy alive. Lily and 10K clear the stairs. Roberta smashes a zombie in the head in with her Route 66 shield. Two very much alive Secret Service agents stop them in the hallway.

Roberta introduces herself, saying she needs to see the President; it’s about saving humanity. The agents – both of whom are named Johnson, but are not related – tell them they’re about eight minutes too late to save humanity. Roberta explains that there’s going to be a biological attack to cleanse the world and repopulate it with genetically modified offspring. They’re not sure what the problem is, and Roberta asks if the President knows her husband is dead.

A woman comes out and tells Johnson to put his weapon down. They ask which one, and she says both of them. She introduces herself as Jane Carlson, President of the United States. Roberta asks how many survivors there are, and she says they’re looking at them. Most of them evacuated, and they were supposed to follow, but ran into obstacles. Murphy says he just killed some obstacles. Roberta explains they’re on a mission to find a secret weapon, and need her thumbprint. She knows it sounds crazy. Jane hopes they didn’t go to much trouble. She has no thumbs. Murphy says, eww! She didn’t know thumbs would be in such demand, and suggests they go to the Oval Office.

Jane offers them bottled water, and jelly beans from the 80s. She tells them about a visitor who said he could either kill her, or she could take a sedative, but either way, he would take her thumbs. She tried to tell him it wasn’t what he needed, but she had no choice. When she woke up, he was gone, and so were her thumbs, but she never knew why. Roberta tells her that they’re needed to access a doomsday weapon. Jane explains that she’s about the fiftieth down the line for President, so they would do no one any good. It needs to be the person who was President during the outbreak. President Bill Carney, who turned Z, but last she knew, still had his thumbs. He’s about twenty-five levels below them. The lower level is rife with zombies, and was sealed off ages ago. Roberta says the only way to access Black Rainbow is to have the President’s thumbprints. Jane asks if Dr. Teller sent her, Roberta says he did, and Jane says there’s something she’s supposed to show her. One of the Johnsons puts on a VCR, which Murphy calls Jurassic tech. Jane says that’s what happens when you’re on a budget. She takes out a tape.

They eat jelly beans as they watch. We go through all the “unauthorized use of” warnings, and finally get to Black Rainbow –  when three strikes aren’t enough. We’re told if this is being watched, World War III is over, and we lost. The corn belt is a wasteland of radioactivity, and anyone who survived day one has been wiped out by fallout contamination. No doubt, some enemies have escaped, repopulated, and colonized what was once the USA. The narrator says, no, sir, not on our watch. Now is the time for Black Rainbow – the fourth strike in the doomsday project that will protect US interests, even after the US is gone. The narrator goes on to talk about drones that will spread a contaminant that kills anything it touches – the ultimate autonomous doomsday weapon, when three strikes aren’t enough. Roberta decides they’d better find the President after all.

The group gets in the last working elevator. Jane explains that access was cut off after day one, and no one has been down there since. There’s an entire alphabet of elevator buttons, and they go to level Z. Roberta asks who’s down there, and Jane says pretty much everyone was trapped, including most of Congress and the cast of Hamilton. They’re all zombies now. The elevator stops.

The door opens behind them, instead of the way they’re facing. They bust through the crowd of zombies, which, sure enough, contains some Hamilton cast members. Hamilton has officially hit the big time now. Doc says they’ll have to check every Z, and Murphy says, welcome to the nothing-is-ever-easy club. Roberta gets back in the elevator, and presses a button with an omega symbol. She gets out, and goes down a long hallway. Doc realizes she’s missing, and says they have to find her, but Jane says they can either find a dead President or help their friend.

Doc finds a jacket belonging to the President, and tosses it to Murphy. Doc says maybe Murphy’s whispering powers are back, and he can detect a scent. Murphy says he’s not a bloodhound, and it’s degrading. Doc says so is dying in an underground bunker; take a whiff. He does, but says the only thing he detects is that the President needs stronger deodorant. Jane says she has a plan.

Roberta calls out for anyone alive.

Jane suggests they open the door enough to let the zombies in one by one, and check them one at a time. She shakes her head no, as each one comes through, and they’re mercied.

Roberta continues on downstairs. She hears the music for Hail to the Chief, and follows the sound. She finds a dead man sitting in an auditorium, while the music blares from a boombox.

Doc wants Murphy to sniff one of the zombies. Murphy says he’s doing it under protest, and Doc asks how that’s different from anything else he does. Murphy tells him they all smell alike, and it’s not a good smell.

Roberta sees a teleprompter rolling a speech about everything being fine and under control.

Jane thinks one of the zombies might be the President. They wrestle with him, and Lily says he’s feisty for a dead guy. They put something in his mouth to keep him from biting, but Jane says, her bad. It’s not him. It’s the Secretary of State… or Agriculture.

Roberta goes backstage, and finds the zombie President tied to a chair. She wheels him out.

Murphy says for the record, this plan sucks unilaterally. Doc says it could be worse. Murphy asks how, and Doc says it might suck, but it’s all they’ve got. They hear a squeaking sound, and Roberta arrives with the President. Jane confirms that it’s him.

Doc says thumbs up has been given a whole new meaning. He thanks Jane, and she tells him to vote for her when things are back to normal. Roberta says if they can stop Black Rainbow, maybe there will be an election again someday. Jane says she never said anything about stopping it, and asks if that’s why Teller sent her. One of the Johnsons draws his gun, and says everyone chill and no one gets hurt. Lily draws her gun, and tells everyone to be calm. Jane tells her to lower her weapon; it’s a direct order, and she’s still her Commander-in-chief. Lily keeps her weapon readied, and Jane says she’s ordering her to help secure the prisoner. Roberta tells Lily she doesn’t have to listen to her, but Lily says she does, and moves to the other side. She says she’s sorry, but she took an oath; she’s a Marine. Jane hopes to get her vote one day. They return to the Oval Office.

Roberta tells Jane that she retrieved the toxic cylinders from Mercy Labs. Jane wonders how much she was told about the reset. They were about to join the Founder when Operation Bitemark showed up. Murphy says, good luck with that plan. Doc thought they were going to Newmerica, but Jane says it’s doomed. The only ones who will survive the reset will be those in Zona, and democracy will flourish. Doc says there won’t be anyone left to vote, but she says the right people will vote. Everyone else is collateral damage. Lily says the rest of humanity will be wiped out, and Jane tells her that she switched sides just in time. The reset starts now. Lily says, no, and shoots her. Doc and 10K kill the Johnsons. Jane calls Lily a traitor. Lily says she’s required to disobey an unjust order, and shoots her again. Doc says she just killed the President. Lily says she turned, besides, they’ll get another one.

They move out to the hallway, where Lily and 10K wait until the Johnsons appear. They blast them until there’s nothing left. Jane careens around the corner next, but they’re out of ammunition. Roberta says she’s got it, and stabs Jane in the head with a golf umbrella that just happens to be there. Roberta goes into a fugue state, and sees a fireball in the sky. She finishes Jane off until she’s another pile of mess.

Doc asks if Roberta is okay. Murphy says now that they have President Thumbelina, what are they going to do? Roberta says, take him to Washington DC. If anybody asks, they were nowhere near Mount Weather.

Part Two

Washington looks like a pile of rubble. Our heroes fight off various Congressional and House zombies on the way to the Capital building. Ooh, nice exploding head. Murphy says if they knew what they were looking for, that would be great. Roberta says she’ll know when she sees it, but they’re getting close. Roberta flashes back to killing Jane, but it’s in her dream wasteland. She circles a mound of wreckage, and tells Murphy to stand there and put his hands up. She puts a curb your dog sign in front of him, and tells him to get on the rock and put his hands together. She has Lily hold the sign, and crouches down. She goes into her dream, and sees a spire instead of Murphy.

Roberta pulls some junk off of a sewer cap. They open it, and she smiles.

They go down, bringing the President with them. Murphy wonders if they’re on a VIP tour from hell, and Doc says leading the President is like walking a Slinky. Roberta brings them through a tunnel. A blind worker zombie feels his way toward them. Roberta slams him, and Murphy marvels at a blind Z, wondering what they’ll think of next. Doc tells him they go by sound, so curb his farting. They need to go down thirty flights, and discuss how to get the President down the stairs. While they’re debating this, Murphy dropkicks him, and says he fell.

When they get downstairs, they find a couple of zombies, who are either mad or blind, snacking on the President. 10K nails them with a slingshot, and announces that’s 8,402. Murphy says the President is fine, but Doc says he looks like he fell off a cliff in a cartoon. They get him back up, and Doc tells him to look alive.

They continue on, going past signs for the first and second strikes, and destruction worldwide. Next is the third strike, and kill, kill, kill. When they come to the fourth strike, there is only a Skeletor face. Doc suggests they go to the cafeteria instead, and wants to know why they always have to go the way of the skull? Roberta tells them to hold, and they hear zombies. It’s a close, narrow hallway, and Green Beret zombies move toward them. A body drops down from the landing, and Murphy says somebody up there doesn’t like them. It’s the man with a plan. Roberta says he’s going to launch the codes, and they let him get there first. Roberta translates some Latin words written on the door – to the end of everything – even though she’s never studied Latin.

Roberta flashes back to waking up in Zona. Dr. Teller says they have a lot to talk about; a lot of questions. Roberta asks where she is, and the doctor tells her Zona, and explains that she was in a medically induced coma. He tells her about the bullet passing through Murphy, and hitting her. She’s now immune. He says Murphy is there too, giving blood to save the world. The world is in grave danger, worse than the zombie apocalypse or danger from themselves. This time, they still can save what’s left of humanity, and she’s the only one who can do it.

Back in Washington, they enter another area. Roberta sees a the launch panel. She stares at it, and starts messing with the dials and keyboard. In her Zona flashback, she’s wearing a VR headset, and Teller says that what she’s seeing is a mockup launch panel of a doomsday weapon. She asks if Black Rainbow is nukes, and he says, worse. The fourth strike repurposes weapons of mass destruction, and uses them to make the world new. By the time she gets there, she’ll know what to do. In Washington, the machine starts beeping, and Roberta continues to fiddle with it.  In Zona, she gets frustrated, as Teller watches. In real time, Lily says, locals coming this way. They need the door code.

Dr. Teller suggests Roberta relax, and let her subconscious do the work. 10K says, here comes everybody, Lily adding, everybody and their mother. Doc asks what happens when the timer gets to zero? Murphy tells Roberta that they need the door code. Roberta puts on the security camera monitors. 10K says they need the door code. In Roberta’s Zona flashback, Teller is explaining geographical areas to be treated. The timer stops. The man with a plan takes out a cylinder. Roberta remembers asking Teller what’s in them. He tells her the end of the world as they know it. A chemical agent that will spread the cure globally within a few years. Once the countdown is started, she has three minutes to change the cylinder. In the conscious world, Murphy tells Roberta they really need the door code. She finally gives it to Doc who punches it in. The door closes, but it gets stuck and doesn’t close completely. Roberta says when Teller woke her up, he told her how to stop it. She has to change the cylinders.

The President is wheeled to the panel. He starts to put his thumb on the pad, but Roberta says, not now. She tells the others she has to go alone to change the cylinders. Where she’s going, no one can follow. If they get to Newmerica, find Addie and Red, and tell them she loves them. She says goodbye to everyone, and tells Murphy if she’s ever in a coma again, don’t wake her. Lily salutes her.

Roberta follows a corridor to a hard hat area where the launch pad is, housing a huge flying saucer-like drone. The man with a plan appears, and tells her it’s too late. Her actions noble and heroic, but misguided. She tells him to misguide this, and runs toward him. He shoots at her, but the bullets bounce off her shield. Seeing this on the monitor, Murphy says they have to help. Doc says she told them to stay there. Roberta and the man (not to be confused with The Man in the previous season) fight. Murphy says Roberta kicked his ass. Doc says they still have a situation, and starts shooting through the door opening.

Roberta opens the drone. In her mind, Teller gives her the instructions. She blocks the opening from closing completely. Teller says she’s almost done. He says there’s a 78% chance of gas being released, which is why she has to do it alone. She asks, if she does this, is she not coming back? He says if she doesn’t, humanity isn’t coming back. She inserts the cylinder, and sits up. Murphy says that’s the signal; Mr. President, it’s showtime. Doc thinks he should wait until she clears out, but Murphy says Roberta is running the show and that’s the signal. A half-zombie flies into the room, and jumps onto Doc’s back. He twirls around, but it won’t let loose. Murphy says, on three, and the machine says, countdown, three minutes. Doc says that was fun.

Roberta gets out of the drone. The others see the man on the monitors, but Roberta doesn’t. Murphy says he’s going. Doc tells him, no, but he leaves anyway. The rest watch as Roberta gets down, and the man knocks her out.

Roberta sees the Black Rainbow in her mind. She gets rained on, and starts to burn and melt. Teller says, sorry about the fire and brimstone, but he needed images strong enough to burn in her memory. Some plans are best kept hidden, even from ourselves. He says someone would personally like to thank her for her sacrifice.

It’s Michael Berryman! The Founder tells her, hello, and Roberta says they’ve met before. He says many times. He wanted to personally thank her, on behalf of everyone in Zona, for her heroic efforts to make the reset a reality. She says her mission was to stop Black Rainbow. Teller says there’s been a small change in plans. The Founder says she’s the saver of Zona. There’s a flesh-eating bacterium in the drone. It will cleanse the world, and they’ll start anew. Roberta asks what makes them think she’s going along with it. The Founder says she has no choice, and puts his oxygen mask over her nose and mouth.

Roberta hears the countdown. She says, she’s the reset. Well, this is just mean.

Murphy fights with man. The man whacks him with the cylinder, and gas is released into the man’s face. Roberta gets up. Two minutes and counting. She goes back to the drone. Doc wonders what she’s doing, and Lily says she’d better do it fast. When Roberta is inside the drone, she forgets to block the door, and it closes all the way. Doc wonders where Murphy is. Crawling out toward the cylinder. Roberta starts to take the installed cylinder out, but her hand shakes (part of her dream). She hears the drone start. The back of the building opens, and it’s like the landscape in Roberta’s mind. Minus the nuclear fallout. The drone starts to rise.

Doc says it’s taking off with Roberta. Lily asks what they do, and 10K says they can’t stay there. They all run. This is the longest nine seconds ever. Roberta starts to mess with the other cylinder, and yells, nooo! The drone takes off. Doc, Lily, and 10K watch. Now what?

The drone flies with Roberta inside. Things start popping out of it, seeding the clouds. Murphy joins the others, his skin totally red. Doc says, Black Rainbow. Murphy says Roberta was right. They watch as the Black Rainbow forms in the sky. 10K says it’s beautiful. Lily asks if they’re going to die. 10K says it looks like it, and she grabs him and kisses him. Murphy asks Doc if he thinks they should make a run for it, but Doc says no. They’d just get run over by a giant wheel of zombie cheese. Murphy says maybe the reset isn’t such a bad idea after all, and Doc says he guesses they’ll find out.

The drone spins. Roberta says. have mercy. and cries out.

😈 I already heralded the good news of Z Nation being renewed, but Channel Zero will also be back with Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block in 2018. Looks good!

Quotes of the Week

It is not happy people who are thankful; it is thankful people who are happy. – Unknown

You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. – Mary Tyler Moore

Look down at me and you see a fool; look up at me and you see a god; look straight at me and you see yourself. — Charles Manson (Scary thought, but he might have had a point.)

We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it. – Rick Warren

 🏆 Some of the Zeason’s Best Moments

🌈 Roberta’s Vision

ZNationRoberta

💫 On Zona with Michael Berryman

ZNationBerryman

😢 Farewell Lucy

ZNationLucy

💞 Fan Art

ZNationBlackRainbow

💥 My Girl Roberta

ZNationRoberta2

 

 

Dec11

December 10, 2017 – Alexandria is Literally in the Sewer, 90 Day Drop Out & Break Some Bad

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

Rick tries to get someone on the radio, but only gets static.

Rick is on the road with Carl. Carl says it’s not enough. If he cared, he’d do something. It takes more than hope. Carl tells Rick it will be something after the fight’s over, and Rick says not for everyone. Carl asks, what about him?

Rick comes out with Jadis and the Heapsters (sounds like a rock band), and they go to the Sanctuary. There are bodies and zombie bodies everywhere, and it’s a real mess. Tetris Jadis says, not like the picture. Gunfire begins, and the Heapsters jet. Rick ducks behind something. Carol drives up in a car with Jerry. Rick gets in.

On the road (I hate when they flip back and forth like this), Carl says Rick is going to live, and asks why they’re fighting. Because they don’t like the way the Saviors want everyone working for them? He wants something more than just killing other people. Are they just going to kill all of them? Rick says finding a way forward is harder, and something more. That’s how it’s got to be.

We see Rick, Carol, and Carl’s faces. Then Ezekiel, Jerry, and Maggie. And Negan who whistles and laughs, making me smile. Come on. You can’t help but kind of like him. He’s so devil-may-care.

Enid tells Aaron they have to talk to them after coming all this way, right? He tells her that he and Eric used to take trips like this when they were looking for people to take back to Alexandria. She says she’s sorry. She had been thinking about Oceanside, wondering if they’ll talk to them. He says it will be a risk, but they have to convince them. She thinks they should have brought guns. He asks if she wants to drive, and they switch places. She makes an unplanned turn, saying she wants to check something out; give them something they can use. Aaron says they can’t show up empty handed. She drives toward a distillery. Would there really be any booze left after all this time?

Michonne tells Judith she’ll be back soon, and she’ll bring Judith’s daddy back with her. She’s glad Daryl returned. Daryl says they’ll go in tell and them to give up, and they will. She says sorry she couldn’t go with him when he let the zombies in, but he says it’s okay; it worked.

Carl opens an encyclopedia. Tweens everywhere sigh. He looks at a note that says, just survive somehow.

Tara tells Rosita it worked. The walkers are in, and they’ll finish it like they planned. Tara asks if she found any guns. Rosita says nothing heavy, just some grenades. Tara says they can use them to redirect the herd, and Rosita stacks a bunch of crates in her arms.

Enid and Aaron sleep in the car at the distillery. Aaron sees someone, and makes a signal for Enid to be quiet. He gets out with his rifle, and she follows with her gun at the ready. Someone tells them that they shouldn’t have come here, and Enid shoots. A woman says her grandma is dead, and we see Natania on the ground. Aaron and Enid are surrounded by Oceansiders. And they have guns.

Carl messes with a sewer cap, and Michonne asks him what he’s doing, He says he met someone, a traveler. She says, in the sewer? We hear Negan speak through a megaphone, saying he bets they’re wondering why the lookouts didn’t sound the alarm. He’s being polite, and cutting through the cowsh*t. They lose. It’s over. Everyone will have to give an apology, and the one who apologizes last, dies. He kills Rick, and then it’s over. He whistles some more. Michonne can’t believe they got out. Carl tells her to come on, and they drop down into the sewer.

Rick is all shaky. Carol’s face is like steel. Carol and Jerry’s car crashes into something.

Ezekiel sits in his throne room, dejected. He reads a note from someone saying they had to bounce, but I’m not fast enough to see if it’s from Carol or Jerry. He hears a commotion and shooting. He moves quickly, and gets out of there.

Jesus drives with Maggie on the passenger side, and Neil in the backseat. He asks if Maggie thinks they’ll surrender. She says eventually, but not now. Would they give up that quick? She tells him it will be when they run out of food, water, and choices. I’m having difficulty believing they got out of that mess at the Sanctuary. Maggie tells Jesus to slow down; there’s a tree in the road that wasn’t there before. She says, it’s them, and gets on the radio, telling the others to turn around. Too late; they’re trapped.

A truck pulls in front of them. Maggie and I both say, oh sh*t. The back of the truck opens, and Jerry is hauled out. Simon gets out of the cab. He remarks that it’s a damn nice night. I think he’s trying to be like Negan, but IMO falls completely short. A couple of guys lean a crate up against the front of Maggie’s car.

Carol tries to get it together, telling Tara to meet them there. (Where?) Over the megaphone, Negan says they’ll get points for creativity. Tara says they can fight. Carl says they just need to survive tonight. It’s his show, his plan, and they’re all going to do it. They scatter, and Negan says, one minute.

At the Kingdom, Gavin says he didn’t want it to come to this, but they wanted to order off the menu. Now, they have to eat sh*t. He didn’t want to serve it, but the Kingdom and everyone in it belongs to Negan. Moving forward, everything they produce belongs to the Saviors, and they’ll let them hold on to just enough to keep going. All able-bodied men and women will repair and refurbish the Sanctuary. Since they made it a mess, the Saviors will be hanging their hats here.

Simon tells Maggie that due to recent decisions, everything has changed, yet nothing has changed. Everyone needs to hand over their guns. He tells the guy holding Jerry to kill him if anyone tries anything, and that goes for everyone in the cars.

Outside the walls of Alexandria, Negan says Rick brought this on himself. He was willing to work with them. They just had to follow a few simple rules. Now he has to go. Carl appears at the top of the wall, and says Rick isn’t home. Negan tells the Saviors to hold their fire. It’s Carl answering the door like a big boy; he’s proud. He guesses Rick will get back to a smoky surprise, and Carl says there are kids there. Negan says it breaks his heart, but there were kids at the Sanctuary; he must have seen them. There was a baby at the outpost, and he wonders what happened to her. He says none of this sh*t is fair. Hell, he knows that Carl had to kill his own mom. That’s screwed up; ergo, they need someone in charge who’s willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen, and that’s him. Carl says they can stop it. Negan says Rick gave his people a choice, but not him. They need a new understanding with apologies. Carl tells Negan if he has to kill someone, kill him; he’s serious. Negan asks if he wants to die. He doesn’t, but he will. If him dying can stop it, and make things different for everyone, it’s worth it. He asks Negan if this was the plan, and if it was supposed to be this way. Is this who he wanted to be? Negan thinks this over.

The Alexandrians zoom past in a caravan. Outside the town, Regina tells Dwight they should have had trucks, but he says it will hold. It doesn’t, and the trucks drive right through.

Explosions start happening in Alexandria. Negan tells Carl that he thought they were having a moment. So did I. Carl drops down, grabs his bag, lights some flares, and throws them around. Everything is burning. The church explodes, and a car blows up right next to him.

Simon tells Maggie and company that one person has to answer for this, but he hasn’t found Ezekiel. They should do themselves a favor and cooperate. I swear, if Ezekiel dies in this episode, I’m not watching next season. He says Ezekiel has to be there somewhere. There were rules, and he broke them. If they don’t give him up, this moves into something traumatic (like it’s not already), and he doesn’t want that. He tells them not to make this worse; the kids don’t need to see this sh*t. Simon gets nothing but silence, and says they’ve got five minutes. Then it’s Negan’s way, and it’s on them, not him.

Maggie asks Simon how they got out. Simon gives her three guesses, and says, let’s say they figured it out. Right now, the Kingdom is getting their innards splayed out, and the Saviors are taking possession. The same with Alexandria, as long as they don’t make it complicated. He tells them it’s the farmers’ lucky day. They’ve been chosen to keep producing. He says Gregory made fool out of him, so he’s hoping Maggie is the one to make things right.

Music is heard, and Simon tells Maggie that they need to shift into active listening. Eugene, who he was skeptical of, worked out. He helped get them out of the situation. Now his guys are leading the herd away. It can go one of two ways. One, he can kill the likeable gent on his knees (Jerry), drag them out, and put her in the box, in which she won’t suffocate like their friend Sasha. He’ll take her to Hilltop, gather everyone, and kill her in front of the whole place. After that, they’ll go back to the Sanctuary, and put her on a spike. Then his people will lead the walkers to Hilltop, and they’ll pull same the move they did – unsuccessfully. It will be a pita for everyone concerned. He tells Jesus to go home, water stuff, and save everyone, mostly him, trouble. He has to kill one of their people; then they’re aces.

Simon shoots Neil. He needed Maggie to know he means business. Now tell him he doesn’t have to go down the line. Maggie says she doesn’t need to do it, but wants to ask a favor. She’d like the box to bury Neil in. Simon tells her, favor granted.

Eugene can’t sleep. No surprise. He takes a drink. He actually might be more fun as a drunk. He weeps a little. Maybe not.

Carl wanders around. Is this his plan? Did the plan not work? Wtf is going on? Negan’s people are all over the place. Carl goes onto the porch of a house, and hears something. He runs, as it blows up behind him.  He sees everything burning. He looks exhausted. Buck up, dude, you’re still a teenager. I’d have been long dead by now, with all this jumping off of things.

In the woods next to the road, Tara says the Sanctuary attack was a mistake, but she made one too. Maybe Sasha would still be alive; maybe everything would end up the same way. Maybe they have to play it out to figure it out. Michonne asks where the hell they are. They hear a vehicle approach. Daryl throws flare in the road. Regina tells Dwight to stop the car; he’s leading them into it, and will get them killed. Daryl and the others start shooting, and gunfire goes back and forth. Regina tells Dwight it was him. She shoots him in the arm, but comes short of killing him, since she almost gets shot.

Alexandria continues to burn. Negan laughs. He says the convoy got away, but the kid still has to be there; he’ll go down with the ship. He tells the Saviors to find him, and don’t kill him. Blow up the houses. He’s going to Rick’s house to make spaghetti. Send Carl his way when he’s found.

A few of the Savior’s see Carl, but he lights more flares, and the smoke blurs their vision. He drops into the sewer.

Eugene tells Gabriel that Dr. Carson is capable of returning to Hilltop, but he’ll die en route. Dr. Carson asks what’s going on, and Eugene says Gabriel told him that Maggie will need his services for the birth. He tells them the guard at the north gate isn’t there. What they choose to do with this information is up to them. Gabriel asks if Eugene killed him, and Eugene explains that he gave him medically induced diarrhea via his coffee, and he’s “catastrophically crapping his khakis” right now. Gabriel asks why he changed his mind, and he says he couldn’t sleep. Gabriel says it’s not too late, and to come with them; they’ll take him back. I wouldn’t be too sure about that. He says he shan’t be doing that, and oops! he dropped the keys to a vehicle parked outside the unguarded gate. Gabriel tells him that he’s doing the right thing. Eugene says that assessment is relative, and Gabriel says no, it isn’t.

Ezekiel pours a line of gas, leading away from quite a few barrels of it, and sets it on fire. The whole thing blows up. He drives a bus through to the Kingdom. One of the Saviors says they need him alive. Carol asks one of the Kingdom people where Ezekiel is, and says to go to her house outside the Kingdom, and meet her there. As Carol gets to Ezekiel, he closes the gate, telling her that he can save them. Someone knocks him out from behind. I’m worried, since he’s a guest on Talking Dead tonight.

Maggie goes back to Hilltop, where the Saviors have been rounded up. Gregory says she knows he doesn’t belong here, and she tells him to shut up. She points to Dean, and says, that one, and tells them to get him out. Gregory is like, aw, man. She asks one of the guys for his gun. They bring Dean out, and Savior Al says, don’t do this. Dean, calls her cupcake, and says if she wants to put on a show, let her. She shoots him. It was probably the cupcake reference. She asks if Al wants to be next. He doesn’t. Maggie says they aren’t even, but it’s a start. She tells them to start fortifying the walls, and bury Neil. Jesus says he thought they weren’t giving up. She says they’re under attack; no more supplies are going in. They have to make a last stand.

Dwight shouts to Daryl and the others that it’s over. He made sure they could get back. He made the convoy come to the roadblock; he knew what it was. Now he can’t go back. Daryl asks how they escaped, and Dwight outs Eugene. He says he can still help them. He knows how the Saviors work, and knows how Negan thinks. He wants them to win, and wants Negan to die. Michonne says they need to get back now, and Enid helps Dwight up.

Maggie writes on the box. We have 38 more. Stand down.

Negan tells Ezekiel they had a good thing going. He felt bad for the kid. He didn’t want that, now more people have to die. Morgan slips around the back. Negan says he liked Ezekiel. Now his people are going to see their king is dead. Morgan stands outside, listening.

Daryl throws a rock into the sewer. Why? I have no clue. Everyone begins their descent. Dwight tells Michonne that he’s sorry. Michonne hesitates before going down. She watches some zombies sauntering around, and shuts the sewer cap.

Hey, it’s Rick. Where has he been? He goes to his house, calling for Carl, Michonne, and Judith. In response, he gets conked in the head by Negan, who says, sh*t isn’t funny anymore. Don’t make him do this. He says he has plans to cut Rick up in little pieces, then when he’s just a creepy stump with a head, he’s going to kill him in front of everyone. Rick asks if he ever shuts the hell up, and Negan tells him, no. He says Rick’s kid volunteered to die, and asks what kind of boy he raised. He tells Rick that he’s going to fix Carl. In a few years, Carl is going to be his own. They start to fight, and Negan says when he’s done with Rick, no one will try what he did ever again. Rick grabs Lucille, and gets a whack at Negan, who tells him not to touch her. He grabs Lucille back, and Rick snatches his gun from under the table. Before he can shoot Negan, Negan pushes him back, and they both go through the window. Rick takes off, and Negan says, sh*t

Michonne slices the top of a zombie’s head off. She looks very determined. A Savior grabs her, and says they’re all dead, and it’s her fault. Well, she’s the one with the big sword, so he dies. She spears him through the forehead, and then won’t stop hacking at him. Rick finds her, and asks where everyone is, but she can’t even speak.

They go through the sewer tunnel, and see the others. Judith is there.

We see the faces of Maggie and Jesus; Rick walking through the sewer, and seeing the others; Carol; Ezekiel, still smiling; and Morgan. Rick sees Dwight. Then we see Eugene’s face, Gabriel, and Saddiq. Carl tells Rick that Saddiq brought him there. Carl seems kind of out of it. Uh-oh. Carl got bit. He shows Rick his wound. When did that happen? Michonne falls to her knees. Tweens everywhere cry, but think he’d make a cute zombie.

We pan out on Carl through the long lens of the sewer tunnel.

As Negan would say, well sh*t.

Next time – February 25th – Dwight says they’re still out there looking, Ezekiel is still alive, the last stand is made, and Negan and Rick make love. Just kidding. And while I’m throwing ideas out there, why doesn’t Eugene put himself to real use, and invent a cure?

💍 On 90 Day Fiancé, it looks like there’s one down already. Molly called it quits with Luis, and rightly so. Very disappointing. The preview for next week showed her still toying with going through with it, but I doubt it’s happening. I hope not. He’s callous and a little strange.

🔬 AMC will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Breaking Bad, with a marathon of the whole thing. It starts December 31st, and runs through the weekends in January. If you haven’t seen this show, check it out. Or watch it fresh if you have. The writing and acting are incredible, and there are many sardonic laughs along the way. The story actually has an ending too. Chemistry teacher turns meth lab king, starring Bryan Cranston. What’s not to like?

BreakingBadKnocks

Walter White – Breaking Bad

 

Dec4

December 3, 2017 – The Dead Invade the Sanctuary & Christmas Shopping Cheer

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

Rick sits in the container. Someone opens it. It’s Tardis Jadis and her cohorts. He tells her it’s not too late; the offer stands. Join them or die. She takes his photo. I guess this is a thing now? She tells him to turn around, and she takes a picture of his nakey behind. Her assistant drafts a letter. He asks why the pictures, and she says, after. He asks, after what? and he’s closed back into the container.

Eugene ponders his crappy life, and takes notes. What he knows, what he doesn’t know, and things he wasn’t aware of. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Dwight. He’s well aware Dwight is the fifth columnist. He’s been charged by Nathan to figure it out, so needs him to cease and desist his back stabbery. In exchange, he’ll keep what he knows to himself. Dwight grabs him by the collar, and sits him down. He says the Saviors are finished. Negan is finished. This place, what it’s been, is over. Food and water are running low, the workers are angry, and the Saviors are scared. All he has to do is nothing. Wait, and let it play out. He asks if Eugene can do that. He’s seen what happens, heard the screams, and smelled the burning skin. Dwight says that’s coming. Once you do those things, you become them, and there’s no going back. Eugene says he thinks about being safe a great deal, and it’s what’s important; what cranks his shaft. He says it’s not perfect, but they’re Saviors, and they save. He tells Dwight his cloak and dagger is on the QT. Just do nothing to anyone within the walls of the Sanctuary, and it will stay that way.

Eugene goes downstairs, where the zombies are clamoring at the windows. A Savior tells him he could use some help; Gabriel is getting worse. He has an infection, maybe more than one, and it’s only a matter of time. Eugene wishes he could help. He wishes for Razzles too (do they still make those?), but if wishes were horses and all that. Dude asks him to stay with Morgan, while he tries to find some Chinese herbs; maybe Eastern medicine will help. Gabriel nearly coughs up a lung, and tells Eugene to sit; Eugene looks worse than he does. Eugene says, he looks like a potato in a sh*t casserole, and sits.

Gabriel reaches for some water, and Eugene helps him drink. He coughs some more. He asks if Eugene is going to help him get Dr. Carson out. Eugene tells him there’s a Wilkes-Barre of walkers out there, and he doesn’t see it happening. He’s a small person, who doesn’t stick his neck out for anyone but himself, and stays in his lane. Gabriel just wants him to do the right thing. Eugene wonders what the definition of that is, since it’s different things to different people. Not going by other’s definitions has kept him staying vertical, when so many have gone horizontal. Gabriel tells him it requires faith, and the trusting belief that God is guiding him, and has a plan. Eugene says that’s absurd. Gabriel says he’s a man of science, but not long ago, would have found it impossible to believe that the dead could walk. (He has a point there.) Gabriel says maybe it’s not impossible. He’ll know what the right thing is when the time comes. He takes Eugene’s hand, and when Eugene takes it away, he sees a red dot on his thumb.

Morgan sees the zombies outside the Sanctuary through his gun site. He hears Daryl say he’s got something. Daryl drives up in the truck.

A Savior whose name I don’t remember visits Eugene. She asks if he’s fixed her boombox. He asks if she’s not distressed they’re trapped. She says she was already trapped. He asks if it’s possible for him to have the second bottle despite the delinquency. He needs it. She asks if he’s making jet fuel, but he says he needs it to sleep. She gets it; she needs help sleeping too. She tried to stop this. They came to him, and asked for help. He could have changed this place to something better, but took care of himself. She gives him the bottle, saying she hopes it helps, but it won’t. Negan summons Eugene.

Daryl says, make it happen. He tells Michonne to cover him. He’s going to crash the truck through the zombies and into the into the building. Michonne is concerned that they’ll be killed, but Daryl says  the workers are on other side. Michonne says it’s risky. Tara says they’ll work with what they’ve got, and Morgan says they’ve got him; Daryl is covered. Rosita thinks they should wait it out; it could go bad. Tara says it almost did go bad, and Daryl says they don’t have the Kingdom anymore. Rosita says Rick went to talk to the scavengers, and thinks they should wait for him. Tara says she knew about the weapons, but didn’t say anything, and look what happened. Rosita says it’s happening without her; she’s out. Michonne decides to see it through, but Rosita asks if it’s easier to risk everything than stay and wait. Michonne says she used to believe that, and Rosita says she wishes Sasha had realized it. Daryl says let’s go, and he gets in the truck with Michonne.

Negan sits at the head of the boardroom table with Lucille. Eugene sits down. Negan tells him if things don’t get fixed soon, a lot of people will die. His people, not him. He’s too good at this, but he doesn’t want to see them die. He doesn’t want to see Eugene eaten. It’s about pooling and organizing strength, and he’s strong. He wants to make sure Eugene knows he knows that. Eugene says their pages are utterly and completely one and the same. Negan holds out his hand. Eugene starts to kiss it, but Negan says he was going for a handshake, and tells Eugene to stand up. He understands the confusion; he rarely does this sh*t. Not many get mutual respect from him. Eugene says work needs getting to, and leaves. Negan smiles.

Eugene works on the boombox. He examines the speaker. He goes to the basement, wearing a miner’s headpiece with a light, looking around in the dark. He sees Sasha’s coffin, and flashes back to her bursting out of it, zombified. He opens it and finds the iPod he gave her. He sniffles a little.

Morgan tells Daryl to cut the engine before he draws walkers. This should be awesome if it works, or even if it doesn’t. Tara gets out to go for a cover spot. Daryl asks Michonne if she’s up for it. She says she came to see for herself if things would work, but she doesn’t get to know that. None of them do, but she does know things are working now, and they need to trust things will keep working. What they’re about to do, is it worth risking that? Daryl says it is for him. She hopes it works, but she can’t do it. She says she shouldn’t, and gets out, looks at Tara, and walks away. Tara says he has Morgan and the snipers; they can do this. Daryl says they will.

Outside on the second floor, Eugene sets the iPod up on a glider that looks like it’s made out of a kite. He talks into the recorder, and says stuff I don’t understand. Dwight tells him not to turn around

Tara runs around the compound, and sees the zombies trying to get into the Sanctuary. She radios that she’s there and ready. Morgan is ready. The lookouts are ready.

Dwight tells Eugene to get up, and back away from that thing. He has a gun, and Eugene gets all shaky. He says he’s attempting to save people’s lives. If Dwight kills him, he’ll be killing a great many innocents. Dwight asks if he’s aware that Negan is going to kill all his old friends. Eugene says they were former traveling companions. Dwight says he’s working with them to keep people alive. They can get rid of Negan, they’re almost there. Eugene says Negan ain’t the dyin’ type. Dwight says he is, and he’ll either execute Eugene or he can take his chances of being shot in the back. Eugene turns the iPod on, and cranks up the sound. The glider takes off, and floats above the zombies. Wtf? I guess he’s trying to lead the zombies away using Dolly Parton. Dwight’s hand shakes.

Daryl starts the truck. Dwight shoots at the glider rather than Eugene. Tara just shoots. Eugene turns around, and Dwight is gone. Morgan shoots. Daryl drives. Eugene ducks. Daryl puts cinderblock on the gas pedal to hold it down, jumps out of the truck, and it slams into the building. Morgan says, clear to the south. Daryl and Tara run as the zombies swarm into the Sanctuary.

The Saviors shoot at them, but they’re way outnumbered. Eugene has a panic attack. Dwight can’t believe it. Regina machine guns, but why bother? Just run. Eugene freezes on a landing as the bodies pile up at the bottom of the stairs, and they still keep coming. Eugene just blinks at the zombies reaching for him.

Eugene goes to Gabriel’s room, and says his invitation is declined. He won’t end up like Sasha or him. He can’t do this. Judge him, but he’s staying alive, and doing what takes to lock that down. He’s going to make sure Dr. Carson stays right there, since staying alive requires his expertise. He’ll survive; it’s all he knows how to do. Morgan is like, go to hell.

Negan tells Eugene he hopes Eugene realizes the storm of sh*t (his favorite word) he’ll be dumping on Rick as soon as he’s clear of the sh*tstorm Rick dumped on him. He asks how it feels to be his second, and to save people. Eugene says it feels great, and he’s solved some other problems. Negan is thrilled that Eugene has made more bullets, calling him magnificent. Eugene agrees he is. Regina and Dwight come in, and say that the dead have taken over the lower level. Negan tells them that Eugene has solved a way out of this mess, and he says he has a topper Dwight looks at him, I’m sure thinking he’s a gonr. Eugene says he’s fixed the intercom. Negan asks if that’s it, and Eugene says, sorry. That kind of thing cranks his shaft. He leaves.

Alone in his  room, Eugene listens to the shooting. He shivers and cries. He should cry. He drinks the liquor straight from the bottle, throws up, and drinks some more.

Rick is hauled out again. A scavenger takes him to the trash heap, and forces him to his knees. A zombie with a helmet is brought out, snapping and snarling. Jadis says, time for after. Rick pops the guy holding him in the nose, and manages to fight, even with his hands tied. He grabs the stick the zombie is attached to, and twirls the zombie around in a circle, so that it nails everyone else. Until it’s head pops off. Rick goes after Jadis, who has a gun, but he trounces her anyway. He gets her on the ground and puts her face a few inches from the zombie’s head, which is still alive and gnashing its teeth. He tells her the others won’t attack today, but they will. They can play their games, draw pictures, sculpt all the sh*t they want, but he’s leaving; maybe they should just run. I agree. They’re not super effective. Jadis signals her people to lower their weapons.

Rick asks if they’re done, and she says, yes. He helps her up. He tells her the Sanctuary is surrounded twenty deep. He tells her to come with him. When the others meet them, they’ll ask for surrender. He alone kills Negan. He asks if there’s a deal, and she says, after, the Saviors things; their things. Rick says, all of theirs; a fourth. Jadis says she gets to sculpt him, and he says no sculpting. His boots and clothes now. I think she likes him.

Rick leads Jadis and company out. He sees some zombies feeding on one of his snipers, and shoos them away. He uses the radio, asking if anyone copies, but there’s nothing. He takes the gun and climbs up the tower. He focuses on the Sanctuary, and sees it empty of zombies. He’s like wtf? but shakier.

Next time, they just have to survive the night, Maggie and Jesus join up with the others, and the big confrontation with a shocking (they promise) ending happens. It’s a 90-minute mid-season finale preceded by a marathon starting Saturday night.

😵 That’s all she wrote tonight. You try dealing with the AOL upgrade that’s more like a downgrade while finishing your Christmas shopping.

🎇 The Fantasy

Shopping Shopping6.gif

👺 The Reality

Shopping4 Shopping3

🎅 Total Delusion

Shopping2.gif

😎 Done

Shopping5

Dec2

December 1, 2017 – JASON REVEALED, a Barbershop Rumble, a Hexaquote & Weekend Reality

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Diane remarks on what an eclectic gathering it is. Carly tells them that Jordan and Curtis brought Andre back to answer a few questions. Andrew tells Carly that Curtis texted him, the guy who used to be her best friend. Carly says they’re still friends, he’s just not Jason. Andrew tells Andre to tell the truth; he’s Jason Morgan and the other guy is his twin brother.

At the hospital, David sees Alexis, who apologizes for not returning his texts. She’s embarrassed that he had to extricate himself from her clutches. He says he didn’t mind, and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. He just doesn’t want to take advantage of her when she’s on the rebound

Julian shows up at Ava’s apartment. He asks if she missed him.

Elizabeth asks Andre, after everything Jake has been through, how could he? Andrew says Andre sabotaged his kid and stole his life. Jordan reminds him that Andre is still in custody, but Andrew asks how she can be objective when she had a relationship with him? Curtis says she went all the way to Cuba to find him, and wants answers herself. Diane says the commissioner is hardly objective, and Andrew says neither is she. Diane tells him feelings are irrelevant. What matters is what she can prove. She can subpoena Andre, and the process could take two weeks to two years, or they can settle it now. Spinelli tries to interject, but she stops him, saying the question is for her client and his brother. Both Jason and Andrew agree to settle it now.

Franco wants to leave, but Elizabeth says she needs to be there, so he decides to stay with her. Diane tells Andre it’s not a legal procedure, but his Miranda rights are in effect. He can remain silent or have a lawyer present. Andre says he’s already been read his rights. He understands what he says can be used against him in court, and he’ll probably get what he deserves. He explains that he developed a procedure to map and transfer human memories. He’d hoped that patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s could have their memories preserved and restored. Diane says neither one suffers from those conditions, and asks how they got involved. Andrew says he began his research with the WSB, but they had ethical concerns and shut him down. She asks who financed him after that, but he doesn’t know. The money was sent by wire transfers from offshore accounts. He knew it was possible the procedure could be misused, but thought the long-term benefits outweighed the risks. He tested the procedure on identical twins – Jason Morgan and Andrew Kane.

Alexis blames her daughters for insisting she go out and socialize, and Sam practically ordered David to ask her out. He says he’s enjoyed their time together and would like more, but he’s aware she’s just off a rough break-up. She tells him her ex-husband was just released from prison. He hasn’t been exonerated, but was given a conditional release. David asks if that’s good or bad news, and she says it depends on who you ask. He says he was talking about for her, and she says she has no idea.

Ava hugs Julian, and asks how it happened? He says it’s a long story. She asks why he didn’t let her visit. She went to Pentonville more than once, but every time, he refused to see her. He says he wanted her to go on with her life, and it looks like she has. He tells her that her face is amazing; it’s like new. She wouldn’t go that far, and asks why he’s not in prison. He says he’s been given a conditional release. In the light of Olivia-J’s statement, the verdict has been set aside, and he’s awaiting a new trial. He wonders if his bedroom is still available. Griff shows up with flowers. I’d say that’s a no.

Diane asks if Andre understood them to be willing participants, but he says they never spoke before the procedure; when he first saw them, they were sedated and unconscious. Curtis asks if that didn’t send off any alarms, and what kind of doctor is he? Andre says a desperate one, on the verge of a breakthrough. Jordan says he sold his soul for it. Diane tells them they’re getting off track, and asks if he knew which was Jason and which was Andrew. He says he did. He was instructed to map Jason’s memories, and give them to Andrew. She asks how it affected Jason, and he says it didn’t. It’s like making a copy of your hand. You have the copy, but your hand is unaffected. Andrew’s memories were replaced, and he believes he’s lived Jason’s life.

Andre mapped Andrew’s memories as a baseline, and imprinted Jason’s over them. She asks if he has any idea why the backer wanted the procedure done on Andrew, but he says they never spoke directly. The backer’s goals and motives are a mystery.  They were taken away by the same people who brought them, and in in 2015 one of the subjects surfaced in Port Charles. Andre was expected to establish residence, and monitor him. Andrew goes nuts, grabbing Andre by the collar.

Alexis tells David that she did something bad and self-destructive, but she can’t talk with anyone about it. David says she can talk to him and he’ll keep it confidential. She says Julian’s attorney begged her to see Julian. He’d run afoul of another inmate, and his life was at risk. She was concerned enough to find his sister, but couldn’t get access to her. So, she found out who was paying her attorney’s bills, and blackmailed – no, extorted them. David says extortion suggests physical violence, and she says she would have given his name to a mobster, and he would have been buried in galoshes, or fed to the fishes, or whatever they do. She was prepared to use it for leverage. She says she’s compromised her ethics every time Julian was in her life. David asks why she did it then. Alexis tells him that even after all he’s done, she doesn’t want Julian dead. He asks if it’s because she’s a good, conscientious person, or does she still love him?

Griff gives Ava the flowers, and Julian asks if he’s putting in overtime loving thy neighbor. Griff says he’s no longer a priest, and Julian asks if that was before or after he started sleeping with Ava. Ava is like, hey! and he says sorry, but he finds it ironic that the man who gave them so many lectures on guilt and morality found his way to her bed. She says Griff saved her life, explaining about what happened at the Russian clinic. She tells Julian that Griff also rescued her last night. She did something not as dangerous, but equally impulsive, and he saved her. She and Griff have a meaningful relationship, and he needs to respect that. Julian apologizes, and holds his hand out, but Griff has no intention of shaking hands with his father’s killer. Julian takes this as his cue to leave, and says he’ll text Ava his contact info when he figures out where he’s staying. He tells them to enjoy their new relationship. Ava apologizes to Griff for Julian’s awkward sense of humor. Griff says he’s a murderer, and asks why he’s out of prison.

Andrew asks Andre if he pretended to treat his kid so he could watch him, but Andre says he didn’t pretend. He did everything in his power to help Jake. Diane asks if Andre knows who is who. He says he does, and she says, then tell them. They have the right to know. We do too! I say to the TV.

Andre says they won’t have much use for him once the truth is out, so he’s taking a last chance to explain his intentions. Alzheimer’s and dementia are soul destroying conditions that lay waste to lives. Sam interrupts, saying no one feels sorry for him, and calling him cruel and greedy; he’s acting like it’s no big deal. He took Andrew’s life away and sold it to the backer. Screw him and his intentions; tell them who is who, so they can be done. Andre says he was sent to Port Charles to monitor Andrew. YES!!!! Jason is Jason. Carly pokes Sonny, and Sam looks at her husband.

David apologizes for being intrusive, but Alexis says it wasn’t. She just opened up a vein. Being in AA, she wants to share all the time. He asks if she’s the reason Julian was released, and she says she’s a major factor. He says, despite the negative impact on her life? She tells him there were a few positives mixed in. He is Sam’s father, and also donated bone marrow to save her grandson’s life; she’ll always be grateful for that. She had some of her happiest months with him, but he was lying to her, so although she’s relieved, she has no intention of ever letting him in her life again. Julian appears, and says hello. =

Griff says Olivia-J changes her story, now Julian gets a new trial? Ava says he was coerced. She threatened his family, and he was never a willing accomplice. Griff says maybe not, but he was willing to have his father killed, and there will never be justice for that. Ava asks if they have to revisit that ugliness. Griff says he gets that she loves him, but he sees a man who keeps committing crimes and gets away with it. Ava asks if that isn’t where forgiveness comes in. You believe someone who’s damaged and flawed can be better and change. It doesn’t erase what they’ve done, but it heals them and yourself. Griff asks if that’s what he told her, and she says many times. He calls himself a hypocrite, saying he can’t find forgiveness in his heart for Julian.

Andrew asks how much Sonny is paying Andre? He’ll get away clean, and all he has to do is lie. Andre says he’s not lying. Andrew says he knows his life and memories, and asks why Sonny is turning on him. Sonny says he has nothing to do with this; he gives his word. Andrew says his word means nothing to him anymore. He has a life of his own, and wouldn’t work for him, so Sonny sold him out. Sonny says he has it wrong. Diane asks Andre if he has any proof, but there’s nothing he can access. Jordan asks an officer to take Andre to booking. Andre tells Andrew he’s truly sorry, and Andrew says he truly does not care. Andre is taken away, and Andrew tells Sam it’s time to go. Spinelli says he has proof. The longer this goes on, the more painful it becomes. He has proof that Andrew is Andrew.

Andrew says Spinelli is a hacker, and could create a fake data file. Spinelli says he could, but why chose to inflict more pain? Prolonging this just causes more distress and confusion. His goal is to establish the facts. What Andrew does with them is his business. Curtis suggests Andrew listen. At least he’ll know what he’s up against if he decides to fight. Spinelli takes out a picture of Andrew with his original face, dressed in a uniform. Spinelli says he commends him, calling him “sir.” He’s a Navy SEAL.

Ava tells Griff she’s not making excuses for Julian, but he’s spent his entire life living up to their father’s expectations. Victor was ruthless and brutal, and that was the code Julian was expected to live up to. He vacillated wildly between emulating his father and getting away from him. He’s not like Sonny; it doesn’t come naturally. He was playing a part, pleasing a man who’s long in the grave. Griff says that doesn’t bring his father back, and doesn’t make it any easier watching Julian walking around. He can’t be around it. She wonders if he’s asking her to choose between them.

Alexis introduces David to Julian. Julian asks if he’s treating her, and David says they’re just friends. He tells Alexis he’ll see her later, and jets. Julian asks how long they’ve been friends. She says Sam introduced them and he was at her house for Thanksgiving. She tells Julian this is his first and only warning; stop following her. Don’t make her get a restraining order. He says he’s not following her. He’s there to see a doctor.

Spinelli tells Andrew that he served with honor, has a distinguished service record, and multiple medals and commendations. He went AWOL, and there was no indication of trauma, no conflict, no reason; he simply vanished three months prior to Jason being lost and presumed dead. He thinks the backer might have thought it best to acquire him before Jason, but Diane says the road to hell is paved with speculation. He says he has no more facts, but Jordan does. Being the commissioner, the Navy file is at her disposal. She goes to the laptop.

And we have a match! She tells Andrew to see for himself. He says they’re electronic records, and Spinelli could have created them. Diane says they can issue hard copies, and can match them. In the meantime, she’ll move on the cold case files from 1996. Curtis says they both got screwed, but facts are facts. Waiting around for the hard copy isn’t changing anything. He’s a Navy SEAL, and it’s an impressive badge of honor. Andrew says it would help if could remember one thing about his old life, but he doesn’t. He just remembers Jason’s.

Ava tells Griff that she wasn’t expecting Julian’s release, but she’s happy he’s free, even if it’s conditional. She can’t turn her back on him. Griff isn’t asking her to. He’ll respect their relationship, but hopes she can respect his feelings. He doesn’t want any pretense or to make polite conversation. He doesn’t consent to anything Julian has done. Ava asks what it means for them, and he says she has to decide if she can be with him if he can’t be around Julian.

Julian tells Alexis that he needs to have a bone reset. He had no idea she’d be there, and she doesn’t need a restraining order. She says that remains to be seen. He’d thought they might be in a better place, but she says it’s better for her is she’s far away from him.

Curtis asks Jordan if she saw the look on Andrew’s face when he realized his entire life belonged to someone else. She says Andre has a lot to answer for. Sonny tells Diane to add a bonus to her bill. She tells Jason this one if free, but if he needs her in the future, her normal rate has gone way up. He thanks her for believing in him, and she says he was a pleasure to advocate for, not like some people, and looks at Sonny. She can count on him being reasonable. Spinelli tells Jason maybe he and Andrew should have a private conversation. Jason tells Spinelli he did great, but Spinelli says it doesn’t give him back five years, or console the man who unwittingly took his life. Jason thanks him, and he says it was an honor and a privilege. He hugs Jason until Jason finally says that’s enough. Jason thanks Carly and Sonny, telling them when he was planning his escape, he knew they’d be there for him. Carly hugs him, and Spinelli thinks libations are in order. Sonny asks if that means he wants a drink. Diane tells Jason he still needs to get some paperwork processed, and he tells her to go with them. Everyone leaves all happy.

Andrew asks Sam what she thinks. She says he’s a hero, but he says only on paper. He has no connection to Andrew Kane. Aw, he looks so sad.

Alexis is glad Julian was released, and says a second trial could conceivably go well. She hopes he uses the opportunity to turn his life around, but she can’t be involved. He says because of Sam and the grandchildren, there will always be a connection. Alexis says he’ll have to talk to Sam about that. She can’t participate; he’s worse than a fifth of vodka. David comes by, and asks if everything is okay. Alexis says she was just leaving, and asks him to text her about the restaurant he wants to go to. Julian tells David to be good to Alexis. David says that’s so inappropriate on so many levels, he wouldn’t know where to start, but Alexis is smart and independent, and can speak for herself.

Ava tells Griff that she has no intention of turning her back on either of them. It’s called compromise, a concept her brother never quite grasped. Griff says he’s heard of it. She says in these particular circumstances, it means she’ll arrange her life so there’s as little interaction as possible. She’ll see Julian on her own time. He says it might be more complicated than she realizes, but she says she’s a complicated woman; simplicity bores her. She can make it work, as long as she doesn’t lose him. He says he’s not going anywhere, and kisses her.

Elizabeth says Franco is quiet. He doesn’t have much to say. He’s disappointed. No one has ever accused Drew of being warm and fuzzy, but they managed to coexist. There’s no way Jason can grasp or care that he did crazy things because he had a brain tumor, or that Jake improved. He got through when no one else did. Elizabeth says Jake has confusion enough in Jake’s life, now she has to tall him who his father is. Under normal circumstances she’d have him talk to Andre, but she isn’t in a hurry. She tells Franco that Jason would never do anything to intentionally hurt their son. He’s not going to demand anything; he’ll wait until the time is right. She has faith in him when it comes to Jake.

Andrew says it’s like a slow-motion nightmare; like the game where you pull blocks out one by one, until the structure collapses. He’s found his long-lost twin, but the kicker is, he’s the one who’s lost. He’s not Jason Morgan. It’s the last block. Sam says that’s not true. He says she heard Diane; he can take everything. She says it doesn’t matter, but he says it does to him. Everything they’ve built can be taken. He wonders what they’re going to tell the kids. Sam calls him “Jason,” and is like, oops. He walks out, and tells Jason that he doesn’t care about the DNA; they’re not brothers. Jason tells Sam to take care of herself, and leaves.

On Monday, Franco tells Andre he needs a session, Robin asks Elizabeth not to do that, and Nelle has a Christmas present for Michael.

And once again – YESSSSS!!!!! I called it. It would have been pretty embarrassing had Steve Burton not been Jason, since I’ve been calling him that from the jump.

Z Nation

In Chicago, 10K and Lily look for the others. It’s foggy, and there are suds floating in the air. Foam party! They can barely see two feet in front of them. Lily says it’s FUBAR. 10K bayonets a zombie, and says they have to find Roberta. Everyone is wearing some kind of covering over their mouths.

Doc and Murphy are also in the mess, whacking zombies. They enter a cabin. It’s Sketchy and Skeezy in a barbershop, along with barber Sal. Sketchy says, what’s up, Doc? He’s wearing half-beard, and calls it avant-garde. Doc says they can’t stay; they have to find Roberta. Sketchy says if she still has a pulse, she’s his kind of gal. Doc reminds Murphy that he’s always said, never get out of the boat, but Murphy isn’t anxious to get back in the toxic sh*t either. Sketchy says nuclear fallout, plus chemicals, equals zombie frappe. Murphy thinks the barbershop is the last sliver of paradise, and Roberta is indestructible…ish. Sal asks them to leave their weapons in the box at the door. Murphy insists his cane is just a walking stick, but the barber isn’t fooled. Murphy says they’re getting off on the right foot. He sits in the chair. Doc watches at the window.

Roberta slogs through the sudsy gloom, calling for the others. She starts to feel weird and dizzy.

Murphy says he could die and go to heaven, and the two swindlers tell him, don’t say that, in tandem. Doc can’t find the right memory to remind him, but feels strongly that Sal’s face must have relevance. The barber says his mind is playing tricks, and Doc says, could be. There’s a discussion on the difference between telekinesis and telepathy. Doc says he’s done both on peyote, as well as teleporting. Murphy snores in the chair. Doc says they’re on a one-way trip to hell, and he still finds time for a nap. I’m on that same trip lately, and wish I could catch a nap. Sketchy and Skeevy keep cringing every time Sal puts the razor near Murphy’s throat.

Sketchy looks nervous as the barber shaves Murphy. Sal says his name is short for Salazar, and Doc asks if he’s Albanian. Sketchy and Skeezy hide behind one another. Sal says he’s Greek, and that they invented the sandwich. Sketchy says it was the Romans, so they could eat on the go while raping and pillaging. Murphy says they’re both wrong. It was invented by the fourth Earl of Sandwich because he didn’t want to leave the poker table. Sketchy talks about Thomas Crapper, and Doc says if it was the other way around, they could be eating a crapper and taking a sandwich. Everyone ponders this.

Sketchy says if looks could kill, Sal would knock them dead, and are obviously trying to warn Doc and Murphy. Doc says they’re like ships passing in the night; some harbor, and some torpedo and sink. He suddenly says, Albany, then, Albuquerque. He’ll figure it out. He gets all Zen and meditates, while Murphy asks Sal about baklava.

Above them in the attic, an odd, gigantic leprechaun-looking guy has a gun. Below them, zombies clamor in the basement. Is this like Sweeney Todd?

Roberta continues on. She coughs, and pushes suds out of her way. A zombie tries to grab her, but she mercies it. She sees someone in the dusk, and they run from her.

Murphy is impressed with Sal’s work. He wants to check it out from the back, and Sketchy tells Sal to grant a man his last request. Doc lights a joint. Sal reaches for the chair lever, and Sketchy and Skeevy start talking about a tanning bed Sal has in the back; it’s solar powered. Murphy wonders why they’re acting like everything is a matter of life or death. The dude upstairs looks down through a hole in the floor. He catches Sketchy’s eye, and wiggles his bushy eyebrows. Sketchy shows Murphy to the tanning bed, asking him to sign some papers for his protection, Murphy grabs the clipboard, tosses Sketchy out, and throws the papers on the bench, and. The top sheet has GET OUT! written on it, but he doesn’t see it.

Doc is still wondering where he knows Sal from. Skeezy tries to stop him from broaching the subject. Murphy opens the tanning bed, and we hear zombie noises. He closes it again. Doc gets a scalp massage, and says Sal has magic hands. Sketchy asks if he’s fresh off the boat, and he says by way of Detroit. Doc recalls his good times there. He starts talking about a guy he knew there named Tony Cueball, which was weird, since he had hair down to his knees. Sal says he’s never heard of him, as he tests the razor. Doc suddenly sits up, and says he knew it. It’s Tony. He knocks the wig off of Tony’s head, and he’s bald. Tony opens a trap door (it is like Sweeney Todd) , and Doc nearly falls into the crowd of zombies reaching up from downstairs. Sketchy and Skeevy fight with Tony, and the guy upstairs shoots an opening in the floor, and drops down. Tony tells them to say hello to his little friend. Sketchy and Skeevy say they tried to warn them, and Doc says, next time, try harder.

Outside, Roberta follows the stranger. He’s dressed in a protective suit and wears a helmet. She sees a giant stingray floating through the murky sky. It descends.

Tony tells his little friend, otherwise known as Tiny, to take it easy; they’ll kill them soon enough. Murphy thought they were friends, and Doc says he’s not even a barber. Tony says it’s never been personal. Doc talks about how Tony sucker punched him, stole everything he had, including his underwear, and left him to die. Tony says it was business. They hear something outside the door, and Tony says he’s going to shoot first, and no questions. Sketchy says if that’s who he thinks it is, he’ll want her alive. Doc says, mama brings the pain. Tony tells them they’re the chattiest bunch of marks in the apocalypse. Murphy is surprised it’s a robbery; he thought it was a bunch of sadists. Sketchy says they’re not sadists, they’re capitalists. The door opens, and 10K and Lily come through, saying don’t shoot; they’re unarmed. Murphy tells them that they look like they smell. 10K doesn’t feel good, and throws up, creating a domino effect, and everyone else throws up. It’s like that scene in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. It goes through the floorboards, where the zombies lap it up. I’m totally grossed out, but then I laugh since, out of all the gory stuff, this is the thing that makes me go, eww!

Roberta follows the stranger. He signals for her to halt. A zombie walks through, but never notices them. She says she needs his help.

Tony says it’s still a robbery. Sketchy and Skeezy get Tony to drop his guns, and chaos ensues, with everyone fighting, and slipping and sliding on the… you know. The machine gun drops down through the trap door, and Doc says he’s too old for this sh*t. Tony is too. Tony says he needs to settle the last score. This is fate giving them a chance to reconcile the past. This time, he will kill him. Murphy comes out, telling everyone to run. The tanning bed zombie – an over tanned, tall blonde, whose skin is totally sagging on her bones – is out.  Sketchy and Skeezy get thrown toward her, and the three of them fall. She snaps at them, and Tiny pulls her off, stomping her head to a pulp. Tony tells Tiny to take that thing out. Skeezy says he’s been bitten, and wonders if he’s going to tan. Sketchy tells him he’s going to Z.

Roberta keeps following the stranger through the foam. She starts to falter, and keels over. She sees the black rainbow.

Skeezy doesn’t want to die. Sketchy says he might go Z, but he won’t die. Sketchy tells him the barbicide (the blue stuff they put the combs and brushes in) will kill anything. Skeevy chugs it down, and Sketchy tells him that he wasn’t supposed to drink it. Tiny and Tony draw their guns. Tony remembers Sketchy and Skeezy conning him once before, and wants to kill them. He doesn’t have enough bullets, so he suggests he and Tiny cut off their arms and legs, and throw them in the basement. Doc says to do them justice, but Tony insists cutting off arms and legs seems just. Skeevy and Sketchy start to argue, and Murphy says to do it the old-fashioned way. Tony wonders if he means dissolve them in acid. Murphy tells the con men that fate decided to screw them; the only game is survival of the fittest. Toss them out and let Darwin do the rest. Tony gives Sketchy a gun, and says there’s one in the chamber; make it count. Sketchy gets sniffley, and Sketchy grabs the gun and puts it to his own head. He threatens to be a mad Z, but Sketchy tells him that he has so much to live for in the next eight to ten minutes. Why don’t they heed Murphy’s advice about the Darwin thing? He’s talking about freedom, independence, choice, a man wrestling fate, riding on the wings of destiny. Tony likes his own idea better. Doc says sometimes the best weapon is upstairs, and asks for a hat.

They count the ballots. There’s a tie between limbs and exile. Tony says somebody didn’t vote. Everyone looks at each other. Doc asks Murphy if he voted, and Murphy says after the Gore/Bush election, it didn’t seem worth it.  

Two guys come in. While they’re getting sick, Sketchy steals a key. Everyone starts talking at once, explaining what’s happened, and Murphy asks if they want to vote. Sketchy wants to say goodbye to Skeezy. He grabs Skeezy, kissing him, transferring the key. Skeezy asks why he never said anything, and Sketchy says he didn’t think he had to. One of the men recognizes them, remembering when they crossed paths before, and how Skeezy bit him. He says he thinks this SOB bit him, and Sketchy says Skeezy bit him too, right here, by his heart. They throw Skeezy out the door. We hear him yelling, and Sketchy says, we get it, you’re dead.  The two men draw their guns, and says it’s an old-fashioned stickup.

Sketchy says whatever they do, please don’t put them in the basement. It’s cold and dark, and he can’t go down there. He’s scared of confined spaces. One of the thieves asks where the booty is – the basement? He thinks they really want to be there, and they order everyone downstairs. The basement door opens, and the zombies rush out. Operation Bitemark (minus Roberta) and Sketchy leave the others in the basement. We hear shooting, and Tony and Tiny come out, covered with blood. Tony says it’s time to end this. Everybody dies. Sketchy asks if he doesn’t want to make a speech or last words.

Someone is trying to get in the door, and the group moves over, leaving Tony and Tiny to face whatever comes through. The door bursts open, and the metal handle on the inside flies off, impaling Tony and Tiny. They slide to the floor. Sketchy asks Skeevy what took him so long, and accuses him of swallowing the key. Doc says they planned this the whole time, and Sketchy says they tried to cut him in, but he almost tanked the whole thing.  Murphy says they’re either masterminds or lying. Doc says he believes them when they’re lying, and he’s scared when they’re not. Murphy asks, all this for what? Sketchy says retirement. They’re taking over the barbershop. Doc says they need to find Roberta.

Roberta opens her eyes to her wasteland vision. The stranger tells her to get up. She has to get up. Roberta sits up, and he tells her she has to keep moving. She picks up her shield and the containers from the lab. Suddenly, the skies are clear, and she’s on a normal road. The man says everything depends on her, and she sees it’s Dr. Teller. He walks away, saying he won’t be there to help, and disappears. The others join her. Murphy says they’ve been looking for her. She leads them down the road. Murphy asks what happened to Sketchy and Skeevy, and Doc says they’re following their own dream. We see a Route 66 sign.

Back at the barbershop, Sketchy tells Skeezy, this is the life. He asks what they should do next, and Skeezy says, get a dog. He wonders if there are any left, and figures there are, somewhere. Sketchy looks at the new haircut Skeezy has given him. A half-haircut to match his beard. He says it’s perfect. The zombies downstairs make noise, and he stomps on the floor. He tells Skeezy they’re ready to kill the competition. Skeezy says they were born ready. They laugh like hyenas, and we see that the name of the shop is Curl Up & Dye.

There was no preview.

Quotes of the Week

Go to the mirror and slap the first person who shows up. – Iyanla Vanzant

Outrage is a hobby for some people. – Chris Sullivan

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt! – Charles M. Schulz

Part of my identity is saying no to things I don’t want to do… I check in with myself throughout the day, and I say, “Do I really want to do this?” and if the answer is no, then I don’t do it. And you shouldn’t either. – Lady Gaga

You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think. – A.A. Milne

Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them. – C.S. Lewis, From Studies in Medieval Literature, Compiled in Words to Live By  (Ain’t it the truth?)

😎 How I Still Get…

Weekend-Baby

😺 My Hopes & Dreams…

Weekend-Kitty&Duck

😒 The Reality (but not for the same reason as the Dowager Countess)

Weekend-Downton

Nov27

November 26, 2017 – The Aftermath Outside the Sanctuary & Weekend Thoughts

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

Sigh.

Rick takes a note out of a microwave on the side of the road.

Carl opens the gate at Alexandria, letting the caravan in.

A memorial is created at the Kingdom, remembering Shiva, and the others that we lost.

In a voiceover, Rick says the plan is working. They’re winning. They’ve lost people, but when it was over there weren’t any Saviors left standing. Maggie says, Jesus took prisoners. They’re holding them until they decide what to do. Carol tells about the ambush. She, Ezekiel and Jerry are the only ones left. Rick says it’s scarier than he thought it would be. Sasha was the first, and they need to make it right for them. He’s headed to the next step. The Sanctuary is cut off from any supplies. They’re to meet there in two days to end it, and win it all. They fought every step of the way to this moment. The path led them to who they are, to each other, and to now. This can be their last fight.

Jesus passes out food to the prisoners. Maggie is irritated, but he says they had a bumper crop of turnips; even the Saviors didn’t want them. I understand, having had more zucchini than I could handle one year. Gregory says to build a gallows already; save the bullets, and be done with it. Maggie tells him to go inside – now. He says she knows he’s right. Maggie tells Jesus that he shouldn’t have put them in this position. He wonders what they’re fighting for, but she says they have to end it. He tells her they have to make sure what’s left was worth what they lost when it’s over.

Jerry says the King isn’t receiving visitors, but Carol knocks anyway. She says they promised to meet Rick, and need everyone who can fight. Jerry tells her Ezekiel wanted him to go away, but this is what he does. Henry asks if he can help, but Carol tells him to stay there.

Tardis Jaundice Jadis and the Garbage Pail Kids have captured Rick. These people are weird and annoying. Jadis asks what he wants, and he says the same thing he wanted before – a deal. She says they killed his people. He says they killed some of hers too, but they need him, and his people need them. She knows they have the numbers to take the place. He announces the Saviors are finished. Negan and his people are trapped by walkers. Until they surrender, they stay there. He’s there to offer a better deal; it’s their choice to forget Negan, switch sides, and be part of what they’re building together. Or they’ll be destroyed. Threats and dreams. He passes out the Polaroids that he took after the attack. His people know he’s there. What they do next, depends on what Jadis does right now. She smiles, and says no. Rick is led away. She says he talks too much. Ha-ha! He does.

In his old office, Gregory tells Maggie that people who aren’t leaders always think they know better. It’s not so easy. Maggie thinks it was easy for her not to sell out Hilltop to Negan. He says what he did was in the best interest of the community. She says he was scared, and tried to save himself. He tells her not just himself. He’s sat in the leader chair. She needs someone to tell her it’s okay to follow her gut. Jesus might try to make her feel bad, but she’s the shepherd, and they can’t have wolves among the flock. It’s that simple.

Michonne decides to go out and look for Rick. Rosita tells her not to, but she won’t listen, so Rosita gets in the car. Tara tells Daryl he was right not to kill Dwight. They wouldn’t have gotten this far without him, but when it’s over, she wants to be the one to kill him. Daryl says maybe they could do it together. Geez. It was an accident for Pete’s sake.

Jesus looks through the fence as he guards the prisoners. A Savior asks if this is what he signed up for, but he doesn’t respond. The Savior says he was by himself for a while. Different guys kept taking over, but he didn’t care since he was getting food. They sent him to put up a fence, and now here we are. Jesus tells him to stop. None of them are innocent. The Savior says he’s no angel; there’s no such thing.

Rosita asks why Michonne needed to come out. Michonne says it’s like a siren has been going on in her head that she can’t turn off. She helped get it started, and needs to see it, turn the alarm off, and go back home.  Rosita seems satisfied with her answer. They hear something, and Michonne tells her to stop the car.

It sounds like opera. Rosita doesn’t think it’s the Sanctuary. Neither does Michonne, but she says they don’t know. They walk into the woods, ready for a fight, following the music. They come out and move toward the building it’s coming from.

In the middle of the woods, an impaled zombie grabs for a bag hanging from a tree. A guy kills it, and it’s the guy from the gas station a couple of episodes back. Carl makes himself known, explaining that his dad was firing warning shots at the gas station, and introduces himself. The man says he’s Saddiq. Carl asks if Saddiq wants food and water. He remembers Saddiq saying his mom told him to help people, and Carl’s mom said to do what’s right. He tosses the supplies to Saddiq, who drinks greedily from the water bottle. Carl is glad he found him, and tells Saddiq that he and his dad are in a community. He asks Saddiq to answer honestly. How many walkers have you killed? Two hundred and thirty-seven, give or take a couple. How many people have you killed? One. Why? The dead tried to kill him, but they didn’t. Carl asks if the traps are how he killed so many. He says that’s only part of it. His mom hoped that killing them freed their souls. Maybe she was right. Carl asks if it doesn’t just make things harder, interfering with his own survival. Saddiq says you have to honor your parents. Carl says if he did that, they wouldn’t be talking, and he wouldn’t be asking him to come to the community.

Henry whacks at zombies with a stick in the woods. Carol shoots them, and says kids who go into the woods are never seen again, or if they are, they’re monsters. He says she needs fighters, and he’s fighting. He asks if she was going to the Sanctuary by herself, inferring that it’s not too smart. He wants to kill the ones who killed his brother. Carol asks if he knows how to use the stick, and Henry tells her that he watched her train people. She tells him to stay close.

Tara approaches Jesus, and tells him Maggie said to bring the Saviors in. He tells them two at a time, and they’re led into a pen. Maggie says they’ll feed them and not mistreat them, but won’t stand for anything less than total cooperation. Gregory says they can’t let people they don’t trust run around inside their walls. She says she grew up on a farm, and knows about sheep and wolves. Two guys grab Gregory, and walk him in with the Saviors. He acts like Sylvester the Cat, grabbing at things, and dragging his feet, trying to keep them from putting him in the pen. Savior Jared tells Maggie she’s going to get her people killed, but oh that’s right, she already did. He tries to grab one of the guard’s guns, and she cracks him one. She says she might regret her decision, but he’ll definitely regret his.

Carl and Saddiq hear zombie gurgles. Zombies are feeding on a deer, or moose, or Bigfoot, or something. Several zombies stagger toward them. One gets up close and personal with Carl. Saddiq stabs its throat, but they keep coming. It’s a pretty tense, oh sh*t! moment. Carl is totally trapped, and Saddiq gets one down, but he’s struggling. Finally, Carl gets a grip on his gun, and shoots them. I was starting to like Saddiq, then I remembered. Don’t like anyone on this show and invest nothing. Carl says he’s responsible for Saddiq now; that’s how it works. Saddiq doesn’t want to make trouble, and says Carl’s dad didn’t want him. Carl says sometimes kids have to make their own way and show the parents. Good point.

Michonne and Rosita follow the sound. They go inside a warehouse (?), and hear people talking. It’s two Saviors, a man and a woman, talking about saving asses and how what’s done can’t be undone. Tara and Michonne sneak around. Michonne accidentally kicks a tennis ball, and the Saviors see it. They draw their guns. Rosita takes out her gun. The Saviors shoot, and Michonne takes off. The Saviors search for them, one of them whistling. Tara looks in a box, and pulls out a drill. I think.

Michonne jumps out, getting the best of the woman, but she rallies, and they duel. She calls to her partner. He comes into view, and Tara points a gun at him. He says she’s not going to use that thing – which is like, a villain’s famous last words – and that wasn’t a gun, it was some kind of fire launcher. The second the words were out of his mouth – whoosh! – like Enoch, he was no more. The woman drives off in a truck, the back of it carrying large speakers, blasting the opera. As she gets to the intersection, BOOM! She’s T-boned by a garbage truck. Daryl is the driver, and Tara came along for the ride. Rosita says, that was too close, and Michonne says, it was.

Daryl says that was a Savior, and Michonne explains they found them scavenging. Tara asks why they’re out there, and Michonne tells Tara that she has to see the Sanctuary. Rosita says she does too. Rosita asks what about them, and Daryl says they have work to do; all of them.

Carol makes another try at seeing Ezekiel. Jerry says still not seeing anyone. She tells Henry to cover his ears, and points her gun at the door. Jerry says it’s not locked. Carol goes inside.

She finds Ezekiel, sitting on the floor in front of his throne, Shiva’s empty lead in his hand. He knows what she wants, and what he should be doing, but he can’t. She tells him the people out there need him. He says he played a part, and the stakes were their lives. He still played it; he knew, and yet he smiled. He can’t be what they need. He asks her to please, just leave him alone. Carol starts to leave, and stops. She asks why he kept coming to visit her? Ezekiel says it was his duty to make sure she was okay. She says she was okay; why did he really? He tells her that she made him feel real, not a fiction. Tears roll down Carol’s cheeks. She says he is real – to her, to the Kingdom; the people need their king to lead them. He says she could lead them, but she says it has to be him. He inspired them to build this place, to believe in something. He has to help them grieve, to move on, to end this. He owes them. Henry needs him. The people need King Ezekiel, and if he can’t be the king, do what he does best, and play the part. Carol says she has to act every day. It bothered her at first, but it’s who she is, and she’s still standing. They have to act like everything is normal. It’s what they need, and what he has to give them. Ezekiel says he can’t.

Jared works at cutting the bonds on his wrists with a rock. The guy who was talking to Jesus, slaps it out of his hand. He says Jared will get them all killed. Keep it together, and this place will be theirs. Gregory broods.

Aaron, Maggie, and Enid sit in Maggie’s office. Aaron says he keeps forgetting Eric is gone. He has moments where he thinks he’ll see him and be able to talk about how he’s feeling, and his mind catches up. He remembers, and the pain is knowing it won’t ever happen. Enid knows the feeling. He asks if it gets easier. Maggie says no, but it helps to do something about it. Jesus comes in, and tells them Gregory is trying to suck up to the Saviors; she did the right thing. He thanks her, but Maggie says, not so fast. She thinks they might be bargaining chips. Maybe they can trade them for some of their own people, so they might need them. But if they don’t, they can’t let them live. Jesus looks sad. Aaron walks out.

Aaron packs up his car. Enid asks where he’s going, and he says he’s going to make sure they win. She wants to come, saying he’s right; they need to win. He tells her to get her stuff, and some food. They might be gone for a while.

Daryl drives to an empty lot. He looks through a pair of binoculars, and gives them to Michonne. She sees the Sanctuary, and it’s coated with zombies trying to get in. Daryl thinks they should end this thing right now.

Jadis draws an A in chalk on a storage container. A naked Rick looks out from inside. She, and the garbage people (Talking Dead calls them the Heapsters), leave Rick at the dump alone.

Next time, inside the Sanctuary, Dwight has a talk with Eugene, and Eugene gets a gun held to his head.

🎆 It was a long weekend in more ways than one, and included my birthday, which included martinis. I’m trying to ignore Real Housewives of Atlanta, or at least not concentrate real hard on it, and I like to compile my 90 Day Fiancé thoughts into a once a month fiancé rant, so the Dead stands alone. Hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend. Now, back to work.

🐶 For the Dog Lovers…

WeekendPup

🐱  For the Cat Lovers…

WeekendGrumpyCat

🐙 For Everyone Else…

WeekendOwl