Category Archives: science fiction

Dec3

December 2, 2016 – Sonny’s Dream Comes True, Murphy is Roberta’s Nightmare & Collectible Quotes

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

General Hospital

Jason and Sam are meeting Curtis. He’s late, and Sam asks if Jason still trusts him. Jason says he never did.

Curtis eavesdrops on Ava’s visit to Julian in the hospital. I’m wondering why Julian doesn’t have a guard. Sonny would have one. Ava asks if there’s been any progress tracking down the driver. Julian tells her no, and he doesn’t think there ever will be.

Alexis gets a text from Julian asking her to stop avoiding him. She flashes back to the accident. OMG – she just hung her purse on the back of the chair at Kelly’s. You should never do that. It’s a huge invitation to a purse snatcher. And Lord knows, Port Charles is rife with criminals. She puts a nip of liquor into her coffee. Anna is suddenly there, and says she hopes there’s more where that came from; she could use some. It’s cold in Port Charles today.

Nell listens to the recording of Sonny on her phone with earbuds. Michael asks if she’s listening to something good.

Carly wakes up Sonny, who’s sleeping on the couch. She says she woke up and reached for him, but he wasn’t there. She didn’t like the feeling of life without him. She says they have a lot to work on, but have to work on it together. She wants him beside her now and forever. He says he loves her and they kiss. As their lips part, he sees Nell’s face, and she says she loves him too. He wakes up. Carly is there. For real. I think.

Nina tells the kids at the hospital that Santa is on his way. She plugs Toys for Tots. Valentin comes in and asks if he can help with anything.

Alexis asks Anna why she wanted to meet. Anna says she heard about Alexis’s case being reviewed. Having returned to the WSB, she has some pull with the bar, and could use her influence to get Alexis’s license restored. Alexis asks what the catch is.

Ava complains to Julian about the inept police department. She says he has to do something about Sonny – it’s the second attempt on is life. She says he’s vulnerable right now, and she wouldn’t miss the opportunity. He asks what she has in mind.

Nell acts like she was listening to music. She asks Michael what’s up, and he says he’s going Christmas shopping and asks if she can help him. He wants to brainstorm some gift ideas for Carly. He thanks her for helping on Thanksgiving, and asks if she cheered her friend up. Not really, but her “friend” doesn’t know that.

Sonny tells Carly he was having a nightmare, and she asks if he remembers what it was about. He says every time he sleeps on the couch, he can’t get his mind to shut off. He tells her that it was a long day, and she says not as long as Julian’s.

Laura and Doc bask in the afterglow. So that’s where Santa is. He asks if she has any regrets, but she has none. Not counting opening her coat and finding Santa staring at her. She says that she realizes that she’s been making excuses and she loves being with him. She says her life is better with him in it, and he says the feeling is mutual.

Jason tells Sam that it’s safe to assume Curtis is sympathetic to law enforcement, so he doesn’t really trust him, but his favorite PI, meaning her, is out of commission. Sam wonders if Curtis has loyalty to Julian, but Jason thinks it’s just the opposite. He has unanswered questions, and maybe a grudge. And they’re running out of time to prove Sonny’s innocence.

Sonny tells Carly it’s a shame Julian wasn’t finished off. He says go ahead and ask if it was him.

Dante and Lulu are still all romantic when they arrive at the hospital. Lulu tells Dante about how Tracy ended up babysitting, but doesn’t have the details.

Valentin has brought toy donations. He talks with Nina about Toys for Tots. I always love how every year they try to make these conversations sound natural. Valentin says that Nina has a soft spot for children, and she says maybe a little.

Doc suggests breakfast in bed to Laura. He likes to cook, but says it’s no fun doing it for one person. She suggests they cook breakfast for each other. He asks if she’s up for the challenge of eggs Florentine. She asks when he’s supposed to be at the hospital, and he says right now. Oops.

Nell gives Michael gift suggestions. He says she really knows Carly, but there’s one more thing he needs to ask before he goes. He tells her there’s a Toys for Tots gala happening, and asks if she’d like to go with him.

Carly doesn’t think for one second that Sonny did it, but says the police probably do. He’s surprised they haven’t questioned him, and she says they know he’s not going anywhere. She says when they first lost Morgan, the only way to deal with it was anger, and she lashed out at everyone, especially him. She says the grief is still there, but the anger has faded and she’s seeing things more clearly.She knows he’s not responsible for Morgan’s death, and it makes the grief more bearable. Sonny says it matters a lot. If she doesn’t believe in anything else, believe he wants to change for her.

Anna asks Alexis how much she knows about Valentin. Alexis says he’s proved he’s the heir and owns everything Cassadine. They talk about Charlotte. Anna says Claudette has disappeared, and Valentin came forth with proof he’s her father. She says Griff lost in court because it’s impossible to prove any of Valentin’s crimes. She needs a place to start looking. Anna says she knows Alexis has been in contact with the Greek authorities, and if Alexis could help, she would be grateful. Alexis says she knows Valentin is evil.

Ava goes on to Julian about Sonny. Curtis’s phone rings, so he steps away. Julian tells Ava that when the time is right, he’ll deal with it as he sees fit. He suggests she not provoke Sonny. He asks what if Sonny gets off, and she says he’s making it sound like Sonny has been wrongly accused. She tells him the trouble is going to be all Sonny’s and leaves.

Jason tells Sam that the new DA will want to make a name for herself and is interested in making a case, so she’ll want an early trial date. Sam says Diane will push it back. Jason says even though Sonny was previously pardoned by a judge, they can still bring up his past.

Carly asks Sonny if Jason has made any progress. Sonny says not yet, but he will. He’s hoping there will be enough evidence that the charges get dropped. He says he’s not doing anything stupid; he doesn’t want to throw away the good he has left. Carly says she believes him and they’ve had too much loss not to be honest. Sonny thinks back to Nell in the bed. He asks if Carly wants coffee, and she says he doesn’t have to change the subject. She can tell something is eating him up inside and asks what it is. Oh brother.

At the hospital, Lulu wonders why Valentin is hanging around Nina. She freaks when she realizes they’re together. Nina tells Valentin she has to get back to work. He asks if he’s done something to offend her, and she says if Anna has her way, he will.

Anna tells Alexis that any detail could open up a line of inquiry. Alexis tells her about establishing Valentin’s lineage, and that he resided in the UK. Anna asks about his time there. Alexis says she doesn’t know much except that he went to boarding school when he was five. She says when she asked about his mother, he told her to keep her focus on the Cassadines. She tells Anna not to say anything to the bar. She wants her license back on her own merit.

Curtis enters Julian’s room. He says Julian needs him. He needs to find out who’s after him before his luck runs out. The third time’s the charm and it’s already been twice.

Sonny tells Carly that he has too much time to think and be alone. He knows he shouldn’t be playing coulda, shoulda, woulda, but he does it all the time. Carly says she does it too. She says you have to stop and think about the future and the people who love and need you. She tells him to think about Avery. Sonny’s phone rings. An old fashioned landline phone with a twirly cord. He says to send her up and tells Carly to guess who’s here. It’s Ava. He asks what she wants and she says they have to talk. She hopes they can keep it civilized. She sees Carly and wants to speak privately, but Sonny says she can talk in front of Carly. Ava says no secrets between the two of them, eh?

Valentin asks Nina if Anna has been talking to her. She says more like an interrogation. He asks if Anna said to stay away from him, and she says more or less. Valentin was hoping Anna would back off after Charlotte’s custody hearing. Nina thinks it might have something to do with what happened in Greece, but she chooses to believe his version. She says he’s far from innocent, but he’s a good father and it carries a lot of weight with her. He whispers something naughty in her ear.

Dante tells Lulu that eventually Valentin will make a mistake and they’ll catch him then.

Alexis tells Anna to nail Valentin to the wall. She wants him to pay for Nicholas’s death. Anna says she’ll do what she can, and steps away to make a call. She says she has the name of Valentin’s childhood school and it’s a starting point.

Alexis sees Sam and Jason outside. She apologizes for ditching them on Thanksgiving. She gets another text from Julian and says she has to go. Sam asks if she knows Julian was hit by a car. Alexis asks if there are any suspects. Sam says the police are looking at Sonny, and Jason adds that they don’t think it’s him

Julian says maybe it was an accident. Curtis asks what he remembers, and Julian says he remembers firing Curtis. He’s not giving him one more cent. He says if he keeps investigating, he’s going to regret it.

Michael and Nell talk about business. She says he’s cool and icy, and it’s the opposite of the warmth he has with his family. He says she’s been so good to them, he wants to treat her to something fun.

Ava tells Sonny that they need to revisit the custody agreement. Sonny says the agreement is that it’s on his terms. She says he doesn’t have a leg to stand on, and one of them has a monitor. I think Scotty is rubbing off on her. Sonny says he’s Avery’s father, and Ava says he can’t even go out his front door. He says she can go to the park or wherever with her brother or sisters, and the charges could be dropped next week. Ava says not only did he kill Morgan, he tried to run Julian over, so why not spare Avery more turmoil and chaos? There’s no reason that Avery shouldn’t be with her mother. Carly says she’s the reason.

On Monday, Curtis thinks Julian is hiding something, Anna talks to Laura, and Carly threatens to kick Ava’s ass.

Z Nation

Addie continues to follow The Man and Lucy, and a zombie pops out at us like one of those things on YouTube. A ball of zombies tumbles past. Ha-ha-ha! Lots of hijinks already. Addie stops for gas at a station overrun with zombies. She dispatches them with her nifty new weapon. She thinks she sees Lucy in the back of a car, but it’s a doll.

Kaya says Spokane is totally powered up. She tells Citizen Z that The Man is still headed for the coast with Lucy. No word about Operation Bite Mark though. Citizen Z is bumping along in a tiny plane that Uncle is piloting. He tells Kaya to keep and eye out for Roberta. He asks Uncle if everything is okay, and Uncle tells him they’re carrying too much weight. Citizen Z says Uncle thinks he’s funny, but he’s not.

Roberta and company spy on Murphytown. She feels badly for the Blends, who live in some kind of limbo. She says Murphy has the numbers. Sun asks how she plans on limiting collateral damage. Kyle says the whole world is collateral damage. Roberta says they made their choice, and she can’t let them stand in the way of saving humanity. She’s come too far and killed too many to give up now.

10K is shooting zombies and sees Roberta. He runs down an alley. She waits at the other end and knocks him out as he runs past.

Kaya sees Roberta on the screen. She radios Citizen Z, telling him OBM has landed. She says Roberta looks like she’s traveling with some rough customers, and tells him that Addie isn’t with them before he asks. Neither is Doc. Citizen Z says they’re going into strong headwinds, but don’t worry. He looks pretty worried though.

Roberta makes a plan with Kyle and Sun. She gives Kyle instructions He says they’re professionals and suggests a grisly distraction. Roberta wonders what to do with 10K. She says she can see the Murphy in his eyes. She asks if Murphy sent him to kill her. Sun keeps her from getting physical with 10K, saying he could be useful knowing about Merch’s work. He doesn’t want to talk to her, and Roberta tells him it’s for his own good and punches him. She pulls a paper out of his pocket and hands it to Sun to read. It’s the paper he was looking at in the previous episode. It says: Find Warren, bring her to me. If she won’t come, kill her. Roberta tells Sun to give him a booster. Sun hesitates, wanting a baseline first, since he’s had so many drugs pumped into him. Robert says she’s do it herself. A bloody severed hand drops down from above. Murphy says hello to Roberta.

Murphy tells Roberta that it’s the new new him and if she likes it. He looks like a cross between my Uncle Al and a KISS band member. He tells them no sudden moves, but one of the men aims at him anyway and is shot down. Roberta asks if he’s dying, and he says he’s becoming. She asks if he’s becoming Moses or Billy Idol, and he tells her he’s becoming his destiny. He asks where she gets off judging him, and says at least 10K has the good grace to count his kill. He points out that she’s brought along the Red Hand. He tells Kyle that if he wants to stop being a murdering nihilist, to take the cure. Kyle says he’ll stick to his nihilist ways. Murphy wonders where Hector is, and answers his own question – dead.

Murphy suggests that Roberta take the cure, but she says no way. He tells her that their lives as they know them are over, but they can be reborn. Roberta says he’s insane. He says they were all wrong, and look at what he’s built. He says it’s over for the human race and they all know it. He knows how she thinks and tells her don’t do this. He wants and needs her on his side. She says she has a species to think of. His species. He says not any more, not for a long time.

Roberta tells him Sun needs his blood for a vaccine. He says he doesn’t trust humans anymore, and wants to let nature take its course. He helps 10K up and tells Roberta her friends are rubbing off on her. He leads 10K away, telling him he did good in reaching out.

Sun tells Roberta maybe they can still reason with Murphy. Roberta says she doesn’t know him. Sun says this is about revenge, not the mission. Roberta says nothing else matters except getting Murphy’s blood for the vaccine. Sun says give her a lab and she’ll do her part

The zombies are eating someone who fell into the moat. Murphy asks what he did, and looks up to see a huge sign hanging from the building, saying Be Afraid. Murphy says he knew the day would come, and it’s here, but they won’t be afraid.

Kaya plays with streetlights, trying to get Roberta’s attention. Sun asks Roberta how they’re going to cut the power to the fence. She and Sun go down an alley. One of Murphy’s minions is checking the bridge security and Kyle and his men take her down.

In Murphytown, tons of people are still getting inoculated. Murphy’s head guy tells im that they’re almost out of vaccine, and Murphy gives him a new batch. He says it’s wonderful how so many are joining him.

Citizen Z is trying to talk to Kaya, but he’s not coming in clearly.

Roberta sees that Kaya is signaling them in Morse code on the streetlight. Sun translates. Operation Bite Mark, Frenchy. It’s the fast food clown. Kaya explains who she is and says she has a message from Citizen Z, but the screen goes blank before they can copy. Roberta isn’t sure, but she thinks Kaya said they found Lucy. She tells Sun that they need to finish what they came to do.

Murphy says Warren! the way Seinfeld says Newman!

Murphy tells his clan that living without fear is within reach, but some find comfort in chaos and terror. He says they knew the day would come when they’d have to defend their way of life. He tells them be careful out there a la Hill Street Blues. He tells 10K to get the power restored. He’s ready to dance with Roberta.

10K and a technician head for the power supply, but get shot at. The tech thinks they should try to reason with them. He walks out, raising his hands over his head, explaining that he’s the one who restores the electricity. He gets shot for his trouble, and 10K ends up getting shot in the arm. Then a zombie grabs him with a small crowd of them on the way. What do you know there’s Red and 5K with a slingshot. Red leads 10K away.

Even though he can’t hear her, Kaya tells Citizen Z something is going down in Murphytown and the power is down. She says she forgives him for being recklessly brave, and that he’s her hero. She says don’t forget to be careful and come back to her.

The woman from the bridge is covered with blood and approaches Murphytown. The guys run out to get her, but she struggles against them. She screams for Murphy to help her. Kyle pops out of a trailer and we realize she’s attached to it. She tells them not to let go and yells for help. Kyle says it’s time to die and they let her go. She scoots back to the trailer and there’s a shootout between Kyle’s men and Murphy’s. Murphy watches and makes a hand gesture. Not that kind of gesture. He’s controlling them.

Sun and Roberta continue on. The get inside and go upstairs to the lab. Roberta tells Sun to get what she needs while she finds Murphy. Roberta looks around and hears what’s going on outside. She sees the gunfight. A woman tells her she can’t be in there, and then recognizes her. Roberta shoots her. She says “Murphy loved you,” and drops to the ground. Roberta says she has something for him.

10K tells Red she looks good for an hallucination. He hears Murphy and says he has to go.

Murphy makes another hand gesture and the zombies in the moat break the gate down. They’re cut off at the ankles by a wire which is pretty cool. Unfortunately both the bridge woman and Kyle are casualties. A zombie free-for-all ensues.

Roberta comes up behind Murphy and says knock knock. He says her lost boys are bleeding out. She says they knew what they were in for and served their purpose. He tells her that she’s turning into an ends justifies the means gal. She says she has a mission and he says that’s getting old. He says he saved the world, and she tells him that he’s taking the zombie messiah thing to heart. He says he’s brought peace and that’s what a savior does.

Roberta wants his blood. He says she’s on a fool’s errand. She tells him that there are still survivors. He says they come to him every day, begging to be released from fear. He says she needs a bite mark to make her see things more clearly. She holds up a brain and Murphy gets all longing and shaky.

10K catches Sun in the lab. She says she can help him and the rest of them. He says they don’t need help, they need Murphy. She says she has to test the vaccine and asks if he can help find the notes she needs. Red and 5K run in, and 10K says don’t worry, they’re not real. He tells Sun that he can’t help, but Red tells him to let her do what she needs. He says Red isn’t real, but Red says she’ll prove it and kisses him. I can’t help but think of how he must smell. And when was the last time he brushed his teeth? 10K is all happy and hugs 5K. He tells Sun where the research is. The password is password and she opens the vault.

Some guys come in and tell Sun to put the book down.

Murphy asks Roberta where she got that and she teases him with a piece. He grabs it and eats it. She knocks him down, asking him if he’s saving the people or are they his food supply? He says she doesn’t understand. They wrestle, and Roberta kicks him in the cojones. Roberta tells him that he’s reborn this very moment, because she’s decided not to kill him. His cronies come in. The little girl runs to him, and Murphy asks who the monster is now. He asks if reality is setting in. He’s never seen a look of resignation on Roberta and it doesn’t suit her.

Uncle lands the plane near Murphytown. Roberta says Citizen Z might have a message about Lucy. The plane doesn’t land well.

Everyone goes out to the plane. Citizen Z is weirded out by actually seeing everyone in person. He says he sees it’s a bad time, but has a message for Roberta. She hugs him and asks if Addie and Doc are still alive. He says he doesn’t know, but Doc told him that Lucy has been kidnapped by The Man. Murphy says he’s taking her to Zona. Citizen Z says he’s taking her to a top secret rendezvous, but he has the coordinates. Murphy tells Roberta that he needs her help and she says let’s make a deal.

Kaya keeps trying to get Citizen Z. Suddenly he’s there. He says things got dicey, but they’re going after Lucy. Kaya tells him that The Man is still on his way to Puget Sound. He tells her that she’s saved the world. She says she’s missed her period. He asks if that’s a code thing, and she says it’s a she’s pregnant thing. He says the world will have to take care of itself; he’s coming home.

Murphy says he’ll be back soon. He’s told that Roberta can’t be found, and he says that everything will be fine.

Meanwhile, Addie finds The Man’s car abandoned on the road. It’s still warm. She sees a few dead zombies. One of them is pointing, and Addie says, “Clever girl.”

Next time, Addie faces The Man, and Lucy shows her mettle.

Quotes of the Week

We can complain that rose bushes have thorns or we can rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.          – Abraham Lincoln

The adoption process is simple. We put cats in your car when you’re not looking. – Kate McKenna in a Whiskers R We SNL skit

…Above all things lose no occasion of exercising your dispositions to be grateful to be generous, to be charitable, to be humane, to be true... – Thomas Jefferson

Nov28

November 27, 2016 – We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Squid Ink & Tara’s Oceanside Vacation

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

Once Upon a Time

Gold ties up one of Blue’s fairy nuns, poof! in a puff of red smoke. The Evil Queen joins him. He wants her to take care of Zelena, but she’s not willing to kill her sister for him. He claims he’s come to his senses as far as Belle loving him is concerned. Gold says he’s going to send a message via fairy and dumps some gold sprinkles on the nun, making her turn old.

Belle tells the group that Gold is going to do the same thing to her to speed the baby along. She says he’s trying to scare her into going back to him, but it’s still a no.

Back in the day, Rumpelstiltskin brings a baby to Belle, asking her to take care of it. She asks where its parents are, but Rumpel says it doesn’t matter, the baby is his now. Belle realizes he stole the child, and wonders what happened to him to make him so awful. She asks the baby’s name, but he says you don’t waste a name on something you’re not going to become attached to. She asks what he’s going to do with the baby. He says he’ll be back at sundown and don’t even think of hiding it.

Back in Storybrooke, Belle finds a book on defeating the Dark One. It tells her to follow the strand. Voila! She look down and there’s a red strand in the form of a glowing red ribbon. She follows it. It leads to the shears, but they disappear when she tries to take them. She says she’s in the dreamworld and her son appears. He’s come to warn her. He says she followed the strand of his fate, and his father intends to use the shears. He tells her the answer is inside of her and she has to move quickly.

Snow and Jasmine grade papers. Jasmine thinks Aladdin found a way to find Agribah, but she’s worried about what the price will be for finding it. Snow tells her to be the princess she was meant to be.

Emma and Belle peruse the book Belle was looking at. Hook says the magic is in the ink and Emma thinks she can extract it.

Back at ye olde palace, Belle reads a story to Nameless Baby. She wonders what Rumpel is planning. She leaves, carrying the sleeping baby in a basket.

The Evil Queen visits Zelena. She says Gold sent her, and suggests they take it outside. In the backyard, the Evil Queen tells Zelena enough games; let’s end it. She slams Zelena up against a shed, but as she’s about to finish her off, she clutches her heart. Regina is standing behind her and says it’s her heart. She’s willing to crush it to stop her twin. Zelena tells her it’s because of Rumpel, who says it’s either her or him. Regina says he lied. The Evil Queen has a hole in her heart, and she’s so desperate, she believed him. She tells the Evil Queen they’re done with her, and she disappears, poof! in a puff of purple smoke.

Hook goes to Gold’s shop. Gold is about to zap him, but Emma gets him first, and using the squid ink, puts Gold in freeze mode. Emma and Hook start to look for the shears, and Emma has a vision. She’d thought they’d stopped, and it throws her totally off-balance. In the meantime, Gold becomes animated again and leaves the shop.

Gold finds Belle, telling her that he’s far too powerful to be beaten by squid ink. She tells him it’s never going to happen, and he says he can’t lose another son. Belle stumbles backward into the elevator. She asks why he’s doing this. He says he can never be who she wants him to be. He says when they met, he told her that he was a difficult man to love, but he’s come to believe that he’s actually a man no one can love. With his son, he can start over. Belle says she never wanted him to be perfect, just to try. He says he did and look what happened. He thinks all they have is magic, and she reminds him that it comes with a price. She says he’ll lose her forever and asks if that’s a price he’s willing to pay.

In olden times, Belle takes the baby to library tower. She sees an incantation from the Black Fairy. She wonders out loud what Rumpel would need with that, and Rumpel appears, saying it’s for him to know and her not to find out. He says he doesn’t speak fairy, but he has her. He makes the baby disappear, and says she can stay there for a while, in case she has any ideas about stopping him.

Regina heals Zelena’s wounds. Zelena says she should have been the one to reach out, but Regina says she didn’t come here to apologize; she came to steal something for a spell to reverse the fairy’s aging. When Zelena questions why she didn’t just ask for help, Regina says she didn’t think Zelena could be trusted after what she’s done. Zelena realizes that Regina still holds her responsible for Robin’s death and asks what about forgiveness. Regina says she can do a lot, even spare Zelena’s life, but can never forgive her.

Jasmine rubs the lamp that Aladdin gave her, and a gold cuff pops out, poof! in a cloud of yellow smoke, but Aladdin tells her the genie has been freed. He puts the cuff on himself. She tells him he’ll be a prisoner of the lamp now, but he thinks it can help them find Agribah. He tells her let’s find out and goes into the lamp. I wonder if it has tiny couch inside, like in I Dream of Jeannie.

The Evil Queen lambastes Gold. She tells him even if he could be the person Belle wanted him to be, how long would it last? She says this time, Belle has a child to protect, and she’ll do what she should have done long ago. Leave and take the child, and he’ll be alone. He tells her to look in the mirror, and not to question him again. He says they’re done and to get out.

In the tower, Belle bangs at the door with a metal thing. She calls for help. She opens the little window in the door, and the Blue Fairy flies in. Belle says she needs Blue to get her out. Blue says they have to stop Rumpel before he gets to the Black Fairy, who stopped defending the children she was supposed to protect and started stealing them. Rumpel is going to use the baby to lure her. Blue says Belle is the only one who can help. She opens the door and Belle scurries out.

At Granny’s, Hook tells Emma that they have to make sure Gold can’t use the magic on Belle. Belle sips tea while Hook grills Emma about her vision. She tells him that there was something new. The sword used to kill her had a glowing red jewel in it. Belle says something about the tea, and she’s suddenly about to give birth.

In the enchanted forest, Rumpel does an incantation to bring forth the Black Fairy. She’s very punk looking. He tells her she can’t have the baby yet and she asks who summons her. He squid ink freezes her and she realizes who he is. She says squid ink won’t hold her long. He brings out a dagger as back-up, and asks why she abandoned the one child that was hers. She says it can’t be and he says it can, mother. Hard to believe Rumpel was once a baby. He says she didn’t even bother to give him a name. He asks why she abandoned him. She says she’s surprised he’d even ask, and sometimes you have to choose power over love. She tells him time’s up, and he’ll just have to keep on wondering. She flies off and Belle is standing there with the baby.

She says he didn’t deserve what the fairy did, but sacrificing an innocent child isn’t the answer, no matter how much pain he’s in. He says no one knows anything about his pain and woe is him, and disappears, poof! in cloud of scarlet smoke.

Fast forward to Gold saying behind every pita there’s a fairy. He tries to go toward the house where Belle is giving birth, and is held back by fairy magic.

With Emma and the aged fairy in attendance, Belle goes into her dreamworld and meets her son on a swing set. She says his father’s coming and will use the shears. She needs to know what to do, but he says she already knows. She jumps up and says she can’t. He says there’s no other way; they’re out of time. She says she loves him more than anything, and he says he won’t ever forget it. He tells her not to forget the book. As she asks what book? she’s back in the bed pushing.

Belle has her son. She’s asked for Blue, and says she needs her help. She asks if Blue will be his fairy godmother, and take him somewhere safe and far away. She says it’s her sons only chance. She thinks it will be over someday, but until then, she wants distance between him and Storybrooke. Blue agrees and takes the baby. Belle gives Blue a book to read to him so he knows where he came from. She tells him she loves him and blah-blah- blah, stuff you would say in that position.

Gold enters, but Blue is already gone with the baby. Foiled again! He looks out the window and sees Blue soaring away. He accuses Belle of abandoning their son. She says she gave him his best chance at a good life and tells Gold that it’s over. Belle says he can do what he wants with her, but he’ll never find their son. Gold says he will, and leaves.

In the old days, A couple gets their son back from Belle as Rumpel watches. Foiled again in the past!

Gold goes into his shop and the Evil Queen asks if someone lost another son. He tells her don’t, and she says Belle really hates him now. He tells her to go, and she says she’s waited a long time to see what happens when you poison your love. He says she did it. She says she did the legwork with the tea, but he forced her hand. She says just tell Belle, no, wait, she won’t believe him. He tells her she crossed the line and he’ll make sure she pays. The Evil Queen says she’s not too concerned. He says he plays a very long game, and she’s nothing more than another pawn. She tells him good luck finding his son – again – adding that fairies make wonderful mothers.

Gold is abashed and beaten. He trashes his place, smashing everything.

Hook says Regina was able to reverse the aging spell on the fairy, and Belle is as good as expected after what happened. Emma says that’s why she keeps fighting. Belle remnded her why she doesn’t run. She wants to help her family and friends. Hook knows the vision is still getting to her. She suggest they find out what really happened to her.

They go into Gold’s shop, and Emma says someone had a temper tantrum. She sees the sword that was in her dream. When she touches it, she has a vision. She says this is the sword that will kill her. Now that they have it, they can find out who’s responsible and stop them.

Next time, be careful what you wish for, Emma disappears, and the course of fairy tale could be altered forever.

The Walking Dead

A zombie flounders on the beach and gets a stick in his head for his trouble. A child and young woman are walking on the beach. The child sees another one, but as she’s about to stab it, the woman says to wait. She says the woman isn’t “a bobber,” she’s alive.The child wants to do it anyway, but is told that they don’t have to if they don’t tell anyone. She asks if the child is going to be a snitch. The child says no, but she’s not going to help.

It’s Tara washed up on shore. The woman drags her in.

Two rusty cans of okra and a bottle of aspirin are all Tara and Heath could find on their run. Heath says it’s been two weeks. They need ammo and medicine and there are people counting on him. He talks about all the people they killed just for some milk and corn. He says you take what you can and take out who you have to and keep going, but no one is in this together anymore. Tara says it only hurts because he knows it’s bullsh*t. Heath says it’s him, her, and whoever else wants to stay alive. He tells her that after today, they go back.

The woman from the beach looks at a map. She brings water, a weapon, and something wrapped in a cloth to Tara. Tara is still unconscious, so she leaves everything next to her. When she’s gone, Tara drinks some water, watching from behind a huge tangle of driftwood. She finds dried fish in the cloth. She follows the woman while keeping her distance.

They go through a forest. Tara sees some women talking while carrying baskets into a cabin. Children are playing outside, and it looks like it was once some kind of resort. It’s now a mini-colony called Oceanside. Tara stealthily checks the place out. Looks like it’s also all women.

Something is happening. Several women go inside a shed that houses weapons and come running out with guns, and the rest flee inside. They start shooting at Tara. She runs and they chase her. One catches up but falls. Tara gets the gun, but doesn’t shoot her. She continues to run. The kid from the beach confronts Tara, saying they’re supposed to. The woman who was with her calls her name, Rachel, and stops her.

The rest surround Tara with their guns drawn. Tara says hi, she’s cool, and not here to hurt anyone. The young woman, whose name is Cindy, tells them to put their guns down, but she’s told to get away. Tara says sorry, she just stumbled in, and didn’t even realize she was in. The women continue to aim their guns at her.

In the backstory, Heath and Tara stand on top of a dumpster and survey some possible scavenging. Heath says it looks like there are a lot of blind spots, but they jump down. I would break my ankle for sure if I did that. They look around for a while and go past some tarps that are hanging across part of the road. They see a humongous dump truck that has dropped a load of sand. Tara starts pulling at something in it. Heath is digging around with his foot and finds a ton of bullets. Just as he’s about to tell her Tara, the tug she makes causes the sand to shift and come tumbling down. The sand hill is filled with zombies.

They fight them off, but the struggle is real. Heath and Tara get separated in the melee. Tara gets cornered.

Back at the seashore, a lady asks Tara if she needs to use the bathroom before they begin, but Tara indicates that she’s handcuffed to a radiator. There are several women there, and the speaker, Natanya, introduces the others as Cathy and Beatrice, and Cindy, the woman from the beach. Tara asks about the bells she heard, and Natanya explains their alarm system. She says that they were lucky the place was relatively clear to begin with. She asks Tara where she’s from. Tara tells her Atlanta originally, but she’s been traveling with a companion for a few years, and they’ve been working on fishing boats. Natanya asks a few questions and asks how she got there. Tara explains that they were attacked by zombies, she ended up falling off of a bridge and the current brought her there. She says she followed Cindy back from the beach to see if she could get help. She’s asked why she was sneaking around and Tara says she wanted to see if it was safe – and she’s still not sure. Natanya says they usually shoot strangers on sight. Tara says if they just point her in the right direction, she’s gone. I have no idea why these people aren’t satisfied with her answers. Natanya says give them a while and maybe they’ll have a brainstorm as to what to do with this anomaly.

Beatrice fetches Tara, taking her to Natanya’s house. Natanya formally introduces Cindy, who is also her granddaughter, and Tara thanks Cindy for what she did. She says she was trying to show Rachel. Natanya assumes she means how to kill zombies, but Tara knows that she was also teaching her compassion. Everyone sits to eat. Nice dishware.

Natanya says she’s hoping to convince Tara to stay. They can keep their village a secre,t and she can put down roots. She says if they can find Heath, he can stay too. Tara says forgive her, but where are all the men? Natanya says there was a skirmish with another group, and none of them made it. They lost others too. After that, they decided to protect themselves no matter what. They left with nothing except the clothes on their backs. They found this place, and could stay hidden and alive. She hopes Tara understands why they shoot first and don’t bother asking questions. Natanya tells Tara that she knows she was lying about her past, and asks her to tell the truth.

Tara tells her about Alexandria, and how they did things just like they do in Oceanside. She talks about taking out the Saviors, and how they got what they deserved. She says they didn’t do it to make the world a better place, but they did it to stay alive. Tara thinks the women shouldn’t be hiding though. She says if they keep seeing everyone as an enemy, that’s all they’ll find. If they band together, they can keep each other safe.

Natanya suggests sending a guide with Tara to find Heath, and then on to her community. Cindy wants to go, but Natanya tells her no, because she didn’t follow the rules. She says if it works out, there will be other chances, and if not, she doesn’t want her going. Tara says there will be other chances.

Tara gets ready to leave. Cindy is in the cabin sulking, and Natanya sees her off. Beatrice and Cathy go with her. A zombie is stuck in a tangle of tree branches, and Tara says she’s on it, but Beatrice shoots at her and she runs. She tumbles down a hill and stays there, holding her knife. She watches as Cathy comes by with a gun and jumps her. She does not win the battle.

Tara says she could have killed Cathy back in the village, but she didn’t, and to return the favor. Cathy says Tara’s people are all dead. She says that was just a Savior outpost where they killed the people, and Tara has no idea what they did. She says if the Saviors know about her friends, it’s already too late. Tara asks if the Saviors were the ones who killed their men. Cathy says they tried to fight, but lost, and every male over the age of ten was lined up and shot in the head. They were supposed to work for Negan, but they left in the middle of the night. She says Tara will lead the Saviors back to them. She’s about to shoot Tara, when Cindy intercepts her, and Tara takes off.

Cindy calls after her to wait. Cindy aims her gun, but Tara says she’s saved her three times, she isn’t going to shoot. Cindy wants Tara to swear she won’t tell anyone about them, even her own people. Tara asks why she would do that? Cindy asks why they killed all those people? She says they didn’t really have to, and nobody’s evil; they just decide to forget who they are. Tara says some people are evil. She’s seen it, and that’s why she has to go back. Cindy asks her to swear.

Tara says she swears. Cindy gives her a pack of food and water. She says it will take Tara to the bridge, and try not to fall off this time.

Cindy takes Tara back where she was at the dumpsters. Tara tells Cindy to just go back and say that Tara attacked her. Cindy says Cathy and Beatrice will be coming, and she has a gun and ammo. Tara asks why she’s different from the others, and Cindy asks why Tara is.

They sneak around and whack a sand zombie in the head. Cindy is grabbed by a surprise zombie from a car, and Tara nails that one. This alerts two other sand zombies to their presence, and all of a sudden, there are tons of them. More than I think could have fit in that sand pile. Cindy and Tara run along the tops of the cars. Cindy covers Tara as she runs the sand zombie gauntlet. Cindy runs out of of ammo just as Tara gets to the other side.

Tara has a flash back, remembering Heath running out of ammo. She tells him to leave her, but he won’t and she gets pushed back and falls off the bridge. Back in the present, Tara dodges sand and car zombies, one of which gets an eerie bead on her. She looks in between the dumpsters and sees Cindy being led away. She sees Heath’s glasses on the ground. And fresh tire tracks nearby. She says, maybe that was you, then sees a hotel room key with PPP on it, and adds she hopes it was.

Tara scavenges something from a boat and sees a gift shop. Wanting to purchase some sunglasses, or perhaps take a break from the zombies stumbling around outside, she goes in and checks the place out. She eats some of the dried fish that Cindy packed for her. She finds a shell bracelet in the backpack.

Holy! She did get sunglasses. Bright orange ones.

Eugene looks through his binoculars and opens the gate. Tara enters. He stands there and cries.

Rosalie says she’s sorry, and Tara says she’s sorry too. She asks if Tara has any leads. She says she doesn’t care how dangerous it is, she’ll go. She says they can make it right; they have to. Tara says they can’t, and she didn’t see anything like that up there, making good on her promise to Cindy

Next time, Negan and the Saviors (sounds like a band) return, but so does Jesus, so it’s not all bad.

 

Nov26

November 25, 2016 – All Zs All the Time, Plus a Few Quotes

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

Z Nation

Doc and Addie have split up. Doc to find Roberta, and Addie to find Lucy.

Kaya shows Citizen Z some weird humans who are behaving zombie-ish. Like the one that was after Lucy last week. They discuss a guy who’s been working on vaccines, but have heard nothing from Operation Bite Mark except for the occasional Murphy rant. Citizen Z wonders if the world is emptier

Doc comes across a castle (!). He investigates while listening to a woman reciting Poe on the radio. This is an awesome piece of property. He locks eyes with a zombie who has all kinds of gems an studs embedded into him. Doc tries to shoot, but the bullets bounce off. Oh sh*t! moment. Doc is trapped and there are two more zombies coming. All decorated the same way, like members of a strange motorcycle gang.

There’s a sound like someone banging on a pan, and the zombies leave. Three women approach Doc.

Doc lies on bed and the women watch him. He asks if he’s dead, and they tell him good morning. One of them says he’s safe, another says he had a bad sunburn, but her ointment will make it disappear. They introduce themselves as Sarah, Linda and Camilla. Doc says it’s like zombie Christmas out there, and he’s told that happens to be Sarah’s forte – bedazzling. Doc asks if it’s their radio he heard, and Camilla says that he probably heard her radio show. She recites poetry and is a poet herself. The ladies tend to Doc’s beard and hair. He finds out they have a solar-powered transmitter and asks if he can use it to contact someone. Sarah asks if he has a girlfriend. He says no, and explains that he got separated from his group. Sarah has given him a man bun, and he has the same reaction I do to one.

Doc tries to get Citizen Z on the radio. The women ask what mission he’s on, but he’s not at liberty to say anything except that the fate of humanity lies in the balance. Linda asks what he and his group do for fun, and he says it’s been a while. Sarah starts to massage his shoulders, and we see that the wire on the back of the radio is detached.

Citizen Z hears something on the radio and asks if anyone copies. Kaya thinks he’s nuts, but he says he knows he heard something.

All of a sudden, the radio Doc is on goes dark. Sarah says sometimes the battery won’t hold a charge, but they can try again tomorrow. They bring Doc to the zen room. I guess they’re a very small artist colony? And apparently haven’t seen a living man in a while. Doc sits in the garden and the ladies bring him food. Linda explains that they’re self-sufficient, and Sarah tells him there’s nothing they don’t have and nothing they can’t do. Doc is impressed with their culinary skills. Linda plays footsie with him.

The women ask Doc questions and vie for his attention. They finally leave as he finishes his food. He goes back to the castle where they wait on him. He hears Sarah calling “here, kitty,” and he says he hasn’t seen one in years. Linda says neither have they. Sarah puts some food down and zombies come to eat. They’ve been given cat’s names and are somewhat trained. One wears the cone of shame because he won’t stop trying to eat himself.

Doc gets cornered by a zombie and shoves its spike adorned head into the wall. He says sorry, but Linda says there’s more where that came from. Linda plays the organ while Camilla reads poetry. Sarah asks Doc if he’d like to see her scrapbook. She was an accountant before the apocalypse and likes to keep a record of things. She takes a scrap of clothing from each of the zombies, causing Doc to think about 10K counting his kills, and wonders if he’s all right. There are some rather grisly souvenirs of Sarah’s relatives as well. Doc wants to get away to bed, but the ladies think the night is still young and offer him some homegrown. He asks if they’re angels of mercy.

Doc finally gets to bed, but not before removing his man bun. He hears the doorknob to his room rattle. He slowly moves toward the door. It’s Sarah with a glass of milk that she milked herself. She says she’s just one room over if he needs anything. Next is Camilla with her book of poetry. It’s meant to be read in the nude, because that’s how she wrote it. Actually, she doesn’t have much on right now. Linda comes in with a sword and worried that she’s going to kill him, he says he has people depending on him including a little blue girl. Linda says if she wanted to kill him, he’d be dead, but she brought the sword in case he needs it during the night. He quadruple locks the door when she leaves.

It doesn’t matter. All three women get in somehow and join Doc in bed. He tells himself to walk away before he ends up pickled in a jar. Then again, it’s the apocalypse.

It must have been quite a night. Doc extracts himself from the tangle, but can’t find his clothes. Donning a pink robe, he washes his face while thinking things over. He sees finger parts in the sink, but before he can even comprehend it, he hears something on the transistor radio and tries the transmitter again. Linda follows him, saying she wishes he hadn’t seen that and Doc runs for it.

Linda chases after him. The zombies pop out of the woods and he runs back to the house. He realizes that a lot of the crafts around the place are made of skulls and skin. He runs to the basement with Linda still after him. He sees a half-bedazzled zombie in chains, people in stocks, and a guy with weed growing out of his head. Doc says he must be in the hobby lobby of hell. A guy chained to a table begs him for help. Doc asks why the cute ones are always crazy. The guy tells him to run while he still has legs. Doc gives him a means to free himself and gets moving again. The three women confront him, wearing masks of human skin. They look like missing members of Slipknot.

Linda asks if he’s leaving without saying good-by. Sarah shoots a bedazzling gun at him. He threatens to shred her scrapbook. Linda attacks him, saying pain is a beautiful thing. She head butts him, Camilla hits him with a hammer and Sarah shoots another bedazzle at him. Lucky for Doc, the people from the basement come upstairs just in time to stop Linda from using a meat clever on him. He bangs on a pan near the door and let’s the outside zombies in. Chaos ensues.

Doc runs to where the radio is and hot wires it. Citizen Z is trying to get in touch, and Doc gets through. Citizen Z asks where they are. Doc says he has an emergency message for Roberta that The Man has kidnapped Lucy. He says Roberta is headed to Spokane to stop Murphy, but this changes everything. The women break the door down, but Doc is nowhere to be seen. Until they look up.

It’s tea time. Doc is climbing up the radio tower with the zombies below. Linda and the others kibbutz while drinking tea. He says he likes his skin on his bones where it belongs and he’s not coming down. Sarah tells him there’s a cup of tea for him if he changes his mind.

Doc kicks the connection to the tower off and starts to swing the tower until it falls. Just before it hits the ground, he flings himself off. He runs away, wearing the pink robe and his underwear.

Citizen Z tries to get Roberta on the radio. Kaya got coordinates to a place where they think The Man is contacting Zona. Kaya says what if they can’t reach Roberta in time or she doesn’t have a radio. Road trip?

Doc finds a zombie stuck with a bicycle in some trees. He kills the zombie, takes the bike and plucks the bedazzle out of himself.

Linda and the ladies clean up the tower mess. Sarah finds some of Doc’s beard hair and puts in it in her scrapbook. The one that got away.

Next time, 10K is about to assassinate Roberta and the day Murphy said would come, is here.

Quotes of the Week

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. – Aristotle (I know a lot of people on Facebook that should heed that right now.)

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. – William Arthur Ward

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you! –  Dr. Seuss

 

Nov21

November 20, 2016 – The Walking Dead Stands Alone, Except for a Short Visit from Atlanta

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

Because the American Music Awards eclipsed Once Upon a Time, and I’m just touching on the Atlanta Housewives for now, it’s mostly zombies tonight. The spellcheck at WordPress seems to have taken the evening off as well, so apologies for any typoooooz.

The Walking Dead

Dr. Carson is there when Maggie wakes up. She has some a condition placenta previa, resulting in a placenta separation that could have been caused by trauma. He says the baby seems fine, and we all listen to the heartbeat. The doctor tells her to take it easy for a few days, like she has to call in to work.

Maggie asks Sasha where “they” are and Sasha shows her two fresh graves. She gives Maggie a pocket watch that was Glenn’s. She says all Abe had was a cigar. Maggie leaves the watch on the makeshift headstone pile of rocks, instead of saving it for their child like a normal person would. Sasha tells Maggie she’s going to be okay, and they’re both staying until the baby is born.

Jesus has cleaned up well, so I guess they have showers at Hilltop. He brings some flowers to the graves. Gregory accosts Maggie about Negan. He wants her to leave, but she says the doctor told her to stay. Gregory seems seriously out of touch, and Jesus tries to explain who the two women are. Gregory tells him that Maggie said her group could keep them safe from the Saviors, but so far she’s only put them in danger. He says plausible deniability is their way out. Jesus says it will be dark soon and Gregory says they can stay for the night. Sasha says Maggie is pregnant and Gregory says that’s her mistake. Geez. Jesus tells them he’ll take them back in the morning.

Rick wants to go on a supply run since the Saviors are coming back soon. Carl asks if this is how it’s going to be now, and Rick says yes. Rick gives Michonne a radio and says if she changes her mind, they’re headed North. They kiss good-by.

Carl asks why Michonne didn’t go and she says she needs to figure some things out, like how they do this. Carl says Rick is wrong and she knows it. Michonne says even if she thinks he is, she doesn’t know for sure. She tells Carl to make sure to change his bandage and be nice to Olivia. She leaves. Presumably not to go with Rick.

Carl finds Enid climbing the wall. She’s walking to Hilltop. He says he’s not saving her any more. She says she’s sorry he had to see it, and he says he’s not. He walks away and she goes over the wall.

Jesus tells Sasha he’s glad she’s there. He says he’ll try to change Gregory’s mind, but he’s not a leader. Sasha says she’ll leave and scavage for Hilltop if they’ll keep Maggie. Jesus doesn’t want that, and she asks what he does want. He says he just tries to help where he can, and she tells him maybe he has to do more. He gives her Abraham’s necklace, saying that he liked Abe. He was the only person he knew who could say things that would make you smile and wince at the same time. Yeah, he was the only character with a sense of humor and they killed him off. Thanks, Walking Dead. 😕

Maggie comes in and Jesus says he’s sorry. He’s going to see what he can do. She asks why they burn their dead, and he tells her that the idea was to just keep going. He says he’ll see them in the morning.

Maggie asks now what? Sasha says they’ll stay. She wonders if Gregory is dangerous, but Maggie thinks it’s worse – he’s a coward.

Enid rides her bike toward Hilltop and almost gets attacked by a zombie, but a car runs it over. It’s Carl. A man true to his word. She asks why he’s there, and he says he was just going for a drive.

At Hilltop, everyone is asleep and loud music starts blasting from nowhere. Sasha sees the gates open and fires burning. She goes up to the roof. A bunch of zombies are walking through the gate. WTF?

Sasha calls to Jesus (no, not that Jesus), saying that Maggie needs help. Some of the guys come out. Jesus kicks ass. Sasha tries to get into the car that’s playing the music. It’s wrapped in chains, and the hatchback is sealed with a middle finger made out of metal. Gregory watches from a window. Sasha almost stabs Jesus by accident. He runs to close the gate, but here comes Maggie with a bulldozer. Why fool around? Squish, squash, kick, stab. Maggie rolls over the car, which hopefully isn’t a relative of Christine’s.

Carl and Enid walk down the road. Carl says he’s glad he saw what he did, so when he has a chance to kill Negan, he won’t hesitate. She says it’s how it is you do things for the ones you love, or loved. He says it’s not for love. He says he’s sorry he locked her in, and she says she didn’t need to see it. Enid says they don’t even know if Maggie is okay, and Carl says they’ll get there.

Jesus talks to Gregory, who tells him all this can be his if he sticks around and becomes a part of things. Wow. What incentive. Maggie and Sasha come in, and Gregory tells them they have to go. Jesus can’t believe he’s saying that after the save last night. Sasha says she’ll go; Maggie can stay and they’ll call it even. She asks how they can make this work, and Gregory says they could meet one on one (wink-wink). She tells him to go to hell. He cancels an order for preserves he was going to give them, like it matters, and I’m thinking forget coward, this dude is a nut.

A truck caravan is coming in. Gregory says Maggie and Sasha have to hide. He tells Jesus to put them in the closet. It’s the Saviors. Zzzzzz….. Sorry, but they’re such one-trick ponies.

Carl finds a backpack with roller skates in it. How fortuitous! He and Enid skate down the road. They hold hands. 16 Magazine readers go crazy.

Gregory opens the door and the Saviors walk in with Simon at the helm. This is so stupid. Gregory welcomes them to Hilltop and tells them to make themselves at home. Simon says it isn’t a social call; they need to talk. He wants to talk in the study and see some painting. Referring to Rick and company, Simon tells Gregory that the people he used to deal with have been removed from the field of play. Gregory acts ignorant.

Gregory tells Simon that the message was loud and clear. Now it’s Simon’s turn to act ignorant. They look at the painting. I looked this up and it’s Portrait of Charles V on Horseback by Anthony van Dyck. There doesn’t seem to be any meaning behind it though. Simon says the Saviors like to show management by example, and last night was them working their asses off to provide an example. He says people at Hilltop probably forget what the corpses look and smell like. He says they were going to come in for a save, but the Hilltoppers cleaned up the mess themselves – “good on ya.” He says since they picked up their skills from the Saviors, it was still their win. I had a boss like him once. Simon calls Gregory a team player, and says his people are spoiled. He refers to Rick’s group again, and says the Hilltoppers who associated with them are extremely dead, and the people who killed them work for Negan now and are real go-getters. Gregory says it’s a shame, but tell Negan that he understands the benefits in crossing the aisle, whatever that means. Simon says for now everything is as Negan wants, but thanks him for recognizing what they bring to the table. That’s why he’s still there while others aren’t. Simon asks if there’s anything else Gregory wants him to know. Uh-oh. Trick question.

Gregory comes out of his office with Simon. Jesus looks hard at them. It looks like Gregory is going to rat out Maggie and Sasha when he opens a locked closet, but the only thing inside is a case of Scotch. Simon says he hates Scotch – it tastes like ashtray and window cleaner – but Negan will love it. I hate it too, although I’d probably be more gracious in my description. No points for Gregory though, since Simon is going to say it’s from him. He takes the case, and tells his men to take half of whatever they have. And the painting. Simon asks Gregory if he can get a kneel out of him and I think he said “neon,” so I wonder wth? for a moment, and think he has neon signs as well as paintings. Simon tells Gregory it’s a solid kneel and remember it for next time. These guys are so boring. Where is Ezekiel when I need him?

Carl doesn’t think Negan is there, since he doesn’t see the truck. Enid tells him that she knows he wasn’t taking a drive, he was coming to get her. He asks her to come with him to kill Negan. She says it would be for them, not Abe, Glenn, or Maggie. She says asks how, but Carl says it wouldn’t matter. He kisses her forehead and then they start really kissing. Tween/teen Twitter accounts explode. Enid tells him he shouldn’t go, but she can’t stop him.

Jesus lets Maggie and Sasha out of a different closet. Gregory says he told Jesus the hallway closet, and Maggies says, yeah, so he could give them up. Jesus asks Gregory wants to let everyone know he works for the Saviors and lose his position. He says that Maggie and Sasha are staying, and they’ll be one big dysfunctional family. Gregory says he made progress today, and he’ll see them through it. He says the Saviors can be reasonable, and Maggie punches him. She takes the pocket watch from him. He tells her that he didn’t want it left out in the rain. Since he’s been calling her everything except what her actual name is, Maggie says he’s going to start calling her by her name now – Maggie Rhee.

Jesus talks to Maggie and Sasha about Gregory, saying that when he got there, Gregory was already in charge. He thinks it just happened, and it wasn’t because Gregory had any special skills. He apologizes for not talking to him sooner. Maggie leaves for the trailer. Sasha tells Jesus that if he wants to make it up to them, he can he find out where Negan lives. Jesus says that one of the trucks is going back soon, so sure. She asks him to keep it between them. He says that he doesn’t like not telling Maggie, and she says she doesn’t either.

Maggie sees Enid at the graves. Enid asks if Maggie is okay, and Maggie says she’s not. She says she won’t be either, and hugs Enid.

Enid says she heard Maggie killed some walkers and a car when she’s supposed to take it easy. Maggie says it wasn’t too hard she’s had practice. Sasha comes in surprised to see Enid. Sasha asks why balloons are on Abe’s grave, and Enid says there’s nothing marking it. Maggie tells Sashe that she was going to use the watch her father gave Glenn to mark his, but decided to give it to Enid instead. Enid asks if she doesn’t want to keep it to remember Glenn by, but Maggie says that they don’t need anyting to remember him by – they have themselves. Well, she also has a baby coming. Maggie says a prayer before they eat.

The Saviors load up the truck and the caravan leaves. Sasha sharpens her knife. Jesus sneaks into a truck and drinks some Scotch. As he’s pouring the remainder of the bottle out, he sees that Carl is in the truck with him. Hi, Carl! Tiger Beat readers go out of their minds.

Next time, Negan wants to bring civilization back to the world, and Rick says they have to do something. Biggest. Understatement. Ever.

What would Carl and Jesus do?

💋 Just brushing up against The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Kenya went with Matt to his family reunion in Cincinnati. Even though she offered to pay for his first class plane ticket, Matt insisted on driving, feeling that it would be a bonding experience. An 8-hour car ride and Kenya agreed. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

Porsha is looking for a baby daddy, frightening all of us. First of all, because she’s going to breed, and secondly that there might be someone out there who agrees with this cockamamie idea, and that’s who she’s going to breed with. She and Phaedra are the two phoniest phonies I’ve ever seen. If they had a full brain between them, they’d be dangerous.

It looks like Sheree might get back together with Bob, although he’s moving a bit fast for both of our tastes.

Next time, Phaedra sets up a game of drunk laser tag and Mama Joyce goes nuts. Both of those events should make it worth watching.

Nov19

November 18, 2016 – Valentin Obtient la Garde, Lucy is Found Then Unfound & Quotes to Ponder

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

General Hospital

Valentin opens his arms and Charlotte goes to him. She whispers something to him in French. He tells her the nice judge will decide if he’s taking her home.

Curtis meets Julian for breakfast. He says he’s done some more digging. Julian says Sonny confessed at the funeral, but Curtis says he almost confessed. Somebody stopped him.

Franco looks at Tom’s picture in the newspaper online at the hospital. He flashes back to choking Tom. Suddenly, the paper is gone and it’s a 404 error. He starts banging on the computer and I identify. The tech guy comes by and tells him that’s not going to help. Franco sees Sam in the hallway.

Elizabeth is about to go into Kelly’s and Tom is there. She asks if he’s following her, but he says it’s a coincidence. He’s glad he ran into her though, because they have unfinished business.

Jax makes surprise waffles for Josslyn, and I’m skeptical that they’re homemade. Josslyn tells him that she misses Morgan. She says yesterday was hard, and she wasn’t even there for the worst of it. She can’t believe what Sonny said. Jax says he did the right thing. Josslyn thinks Carly will never go back to him now.

Carly shows up at Sonny’s cell. Sonny tells Carly he wants to make it right, and wants Morgan to have peace. She says there is no peace. She brings out a jar and says there’s pieces of their son in there. She opens it. Sonny wakes up. Jason is there.

Jax tells Josslyn that he can’t answer that question. Carly comes in and sits with Josslyn to eat. Jax says he’ll try pancakes tomorrow and Carly says it sounds like he’s staying a while. Josslyn says she wants him here, and so does mom.

Elizabeth takes out her pepper spray. Tom says he’s not going to hurt her. He tells her that legally, he can’t say certain things, but if he’s ever done anything to harm her, he’s sorry. He says he’s trying to get on with his life, and she doesn’t have to send her boyfriend after him. Elizabeth says Franco told her about it and she doesn’t blame him. Tom says Franco left out the part about choking him.

Franco apologizes to Sam for what happened in Hawaii. He says it was sick, but there’s no excuse, tumor or no tumor. He apologizes for what he took away from her. He knows it’s a lot to ask, but hopes that one day she’ll forgive him. She tells him to go to hell. Well, that answers that question.

The judge asks Claudette why she calls Valentin “papa,” and Charlotte says because he is. The judge asks if she likes him, and Charlotte says she loves him.

Curtis tells Julian that he thinks Jason knows more than they do. Julian says he’ll be right back, and wants to hear about some actual investigating. Curtis moves over to sit with Diane. He wants to talk about her client.

Sonny asks what Jason has for him. Jason says the bomb had nothing to do with Sonny or hi contractor, but they have to find out who planted it. Sonny asks if it matters, since Morgan is dead. He wonders why he should keep fighting.

Carly tells Josslyn that Jax has work and a life. Jax says he has no obligations right now, and he can stay as long as they need him. Carly offers a suite at the hotel, but Josslyn wants him to stay with them.

Sam asks what Franco’s end game is, to lower their defenses so he can blindside them? He says something happened to someone he cared about, and he realizes he has to come to terms with some things .He doesn’t want to be that guy. It dawns on Sam that he’s talking about Elizabeth, and she says there is no being better person; he’s sick and cruel and he’s lying to himself.

Tom shows Elizabeth the marks on his neck. He tells her that Franco said he was going to torture Tom until he begged for death. He says he doesn’t want to go to the police or harm her, and to tell Franco that he’s no threat to her. Elizabeth says he’ll always be a threat because of what he took from her.

The judge wants to wrap it up. Valentin says his daughter loves and trusts him, and wants to be with him. Anna says he’s dangerous. Valentin says she only has allegations, and to prove it. Anna shows the judge some Interpol stuff. She says Valentin didn’t even exist prior to 2011. She thinks he intends to disappear again, with Charlotte. The judge wants to review and deliberate in private. They step outside. Griff tells Anna, nice save, but Valentin says he wouldn’t be so sure.

Diane tells Curtis that Sonny must have remembered her advice and kept silent. Curtis says that Sonny talked to Jason. Diane tells him that she has nothing to say, since he’s working for dirtbag Julian. She thanks him for picking up the tab and leaves.

Jason tells Sonny that he didn’t fail Morgan. No matter what guilt he’s feeling, it isn’t going to change anything, and throwing his life away won’t help anyone. He asks if Sonny wants Avery with Ava. Sonny says Carly will work it out. Jason asks if Sonny knows Oscar Jessup. Sonny says when he worked for Skully, Oscar was a contractor for the Jeromes. Jason tells him not to do something he can’t take back, and that it’s not too late.

Jax tells Josslyn not to put her mom on the spot, but Carly says she’s right. They have plenty of room. Josslyn wants to finish her homework so her weekend is free. When she’s gone, Carly asks Jax how he thinks she’s doing. He says she’s hurting a lot. Carly is worried she’s not there for Josslyn, and Jax says that Josslyn gets her strength from Carly.

Griff says Claudette meant something to him and he owes it to her to fight for Charlotte. Valentin says Claudette only has a passing relationship with the truth, and doesn’t love him. Griff asks what Valentin did to her and punches him. Well, that was a bad move.

The judge comes out, asking if she needs to call security, or are the three of them capable of sitting down while she renders her decision? She says she understands it’s a heated situation, but she can’t condone any violence. She tells them what just happened has no bearing on her decision, but it’s clear that Charlotte has bonded with her father, is secure in his presence, and loves him. Anna has serious allegations, but no corroborating evidence, and his lack of history has no bearing on his fitness as a parent. She awards custody to Valentin.

Carly tells Jax it’s great having him there, for Josslyn and for her. He knows what she needs. He tells her that the waffles are a one time thing. He’s making a green smoothie tomorrow and he won’t let her put it in the planter. She laughs and says it’s been a while since she found anything funny. She says Morgan wouldn’t like her like this, but his life is over. Jax says he wouldn’t want hers to be. She wonders how to move through this. Jax puts his arm round her and says maybe they can try together. Josslyn sees them and smiles.

Jason meets Sam. She tells him about Franco. She thinks he’s trying to get into her head. He apologized for what happened in Hawaii and says he truly regrets it. Jason asks how Sam feels. She says it’s not up to her to make him feel better, and thinks he’s a coward. She wonders what Elizabeth is thinking.

Franco asks Elizabeth where the donuts are, and she says she forgot them. She asks if he tried to choke Tom. He says he told her he went to see him, but Elizabeth says he never told her that he tried to choke him. Franco says he never said he didn’t. She says it was lying by omission. Franco says it wasn’t an end-his-life choke, just a send-a-strong- message choke. She wonders if they can make this work. He says he’s not sorry for anything he’s done. Tom is garbage and scares her, and her being scared upsets him. He asks who told her, and she says Tom did.

Griff says the judge can’t give Charlotte to Valentin, but she says there’s no legal reason not to. She talks about equal protections of law, and that you don’t get to violate someone’s rights because of your opinion of them. Should Claudette resurface, that will be a separate matter. Her decision is final. Griff looks sick, and Valentin smiles.

The judge thanks Charlotte for her help and says she’s made her job easy today. She tells Valentin to stay in New York for the time being, and he says he’s staying in Port Charles indefinitely. The judge lets Griff say good by. Griff tells Charlotte that he knows he’s not her dad, but she’s in his heart just the same, and he’ll always be there for her.

Franco is like, what? Elizabeth says she saw Tom at Kelly’s. She says it’s disgusting he’s out of prison, but he’s legally paroled. He has every right to have Franco arrested, but she doesn’t want Franco taken away from her. She wants him to swear he’ll let it go.

Josslyn is doing a report on Pride and Prejudice. She asks Jax and Carly for some input. She talks about Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, and how they realized they belonged together. She hints that the story relates to Carly and Jax, and asks if she got her point across.

Diane tells Sonny he’s reviewed the confession and has a strong case for reasonable doubt. She says why bother though, since he’s determined to plead guilty, but he says not any more.

Jason tells Sam about talking to Sonny. She says she talked to Spinelli about Jessup’s phone number. In perfect soap timing, her phone rings and it’s Spinelli.

Curtis tells Julian that something about the bomb doesn’t add up. Julian tells him go on a wild goose chase on his own time. Since Sonny confessed, Curtis doesn’t need to follow up anymore. He’s fired.

Anna tells Valentin she’ll uncover the truth about him. He tells her to open her eyes in Latin and leaves with Charlotte.

Elizabeth tells Franco that Tom has done enough damage; they can’t let his release from prison consume them. She goes back to work, and Franco thinks about what Sam said to him. The computer tech comes by, and Franco asks if he can break into the cloud and hypothetically track someone’s GPS.

After she goes back upstairs, Jax and Carly talk about Josslyn wanting to pair them up again. Jax says she probably thinks it would get Carly away from Sonny. Carly says other people see Jax and Sonny as opposites, but she looks at them at individuals. She says she and Jax’s time with each other was herhappiest, and she should have worked harder at the relationship. They kiss.

Diane asks if Sonny has decided to take her advice, and he says yes. She wonders what brought about his change of heart. He tells her that they both want the same thing – justice.

Sam hangs up with Spinelli. She says Oscar has been dead since 1990.

Curtis tells Julian that he’s done good work. Julian can’t argue with that, but says he wanted Sonny in prison and that’s where he’s going. He gives Curtis a check. Curtis leaves, and Julian’s phone rings. Julian says he got rid of him like he was asked, and he’s done everything Jessup has wanted.

On Monday, Curtis asks Hayden what’s going on, Jason is afraid they’re too late, and Jax is hesitant, but Carly isn’t.

Z Nation

Doc and Addie run as some Lucy’s adoptive father shoots at them. Her adoptive mother, who also has a gun, them. She says she won’t hesitate to shoot them, and that Lucy needs new friends. They’re taken inside.

Murphy says he needs an assistant for all the paperwork. 10K is brought in to see him. He tells 10K  that he’s not like the others; they’ve all embraced him. When he doesn’t have a booster shot, he’s a pita, but when he has one, he’s uncommunicative. He reacts, but doesn’t act. They’re preparing to go to war, and 10K should be leading. Murphy says they need to fix his problem. He thinks it might be 10K’s name. It’s also his mission and purpose, and as long as he’s 10K, he’s of no use. He needs a new purpose. The world has moved past zombie killing and he needs a new mission. He renames 10K “Thomas,” and says first, he needs to know if he can trust him.

Addie and Doc are tied to chairs. “Pa” says they aren’t playing games. Doc says they’re not there to cause trouble. “Ma” asks who they are and where they’re from. Addie makes the introductions, and says they came from upstate. Doc says they were traveling with Murphy. Addie tells them that Murphy sent them to get his daughter. Doc adds that he helped deliver her. Addie explains that Murphy asked them to take him to California. Pa says that must be at least 100 miles and she tells him it’s more like a few thousand. And I thought I was geographically challenged.

Pa asks if Addie is a princess. Doc says it’s really Lucy talking, and Addie asks if he’s having a stroke. Addie remarks on how big Lucy is. Ma says the zombies love her; they keep her safe and even help with the chores. Addie asks Lucy if she’d like to go on a trip, and Lucy says she’d like to see her daddy. Pa says they have to see if they’re telling the truth, but Doc says how would they know all this? Pa says just give them the password. Ma says Murphy gave them a password in case he had to send someone one day.

Addie tells Doc to tell them the password. He looks at Lucy and says “Smurf ,” and waits to be shot. The couple puts their guns down. Pa brings out a humongous knife and says he’s cutting them loose. He amends that to it’s the wrong password and Doc is going to meet his maker. Doc says Murphy must have given them the wrong password and asks for a do-over. Addie tells Lucy they can’t take her to see her daddy if Pa kills Doc. Lucy says she wants to play with them, but Pa says they mean her harm. She says no, play. Ma tells her whatever she says, and they’re cut loose. Ma says they’re not out of the frying pan yet.

Lucy takes them to meet her friends. A bunch of zombies hanging out in the backyard, dressed as princesses, pirates, and fairy tale characters.

Lucy tells Addie and Doc not to be afraid; these are her friends. Addie thinks Lucy’s friends aren’t going to like them. Doc explains they’re not like her; the zombies think they’re food. Lucy gives them “tea,” and then wants to play hide and seek. Doc is “it,” and the zombies and Addie are supposed to hide.

Murphy asks 10K if he knows the knife game and 10K nods. He does that between the fingers thing with the knife. Murphy says they have a history. He needs to know it won’t interfere with things and what 10K is willing to do for him. 10K’s knife goes faster. Murphy says he needs to know if he’ll kill for him and die for him. 10k now Thomas moves the knife even faster.

Doc finishes counting. He hears Lucy giggle. He’s not about to find any of the zombies, so he starts looking for her. Ma is behind the house with a gun and he tags her. She seems annoyed. Doc follows the sound of Lucy laughing. And finds a zombie dressed like Raggedy Ann.

Murphy concentrates on 10K with leopard iris eyes. 10K stabs himself and stops with the knife. Murphy says good thing it wasn’t his trigger finger, and wraps the wound. He says let’s talk about the new mission.

The zombie tries to attack Doc. He calls for Lucy. He grabs a rock and hits the zombie in the head with it. Addie runs to him, asking if he’s okay. Lucy comes out asking them to do it again. She wants Raggedy Ann to get up, but that’s not happening. Addie says Doc had to stop her or she would have bit him. She’s dead. Lucy says Doc broke her and she hates him; he ruined everything. She runs off, and Addie follows. Pa goes too, and the zombies surround Doc, but Ma is still there with a gun.

Addie and Pa run after Lucy through the woods. Ma takes Doc inside. Seriously, what was he supposed to do? Ma says they’ll have to round the zombies up now, since Lucy hates it when they run off. Then they’ll probably shoot him. She asks if he’d like tea.

Lucy checks out some flowers. A zombie comes out of the woods, and she tells it to take her home, but the zombie is threatening. Lucy says bad zombie, but the zombie says she’s no zombie, and to come here. Lucy screams.

Lucy comes to the edge of a cliff and tells the woman to stop. Addie comes up from behind and knocks the woman down. She tells Lucy it’s not a zombie, she just looks like one, and to run. Addie fights the woman and grabs a huge stick, chasing her off. Lucy says Addie saved her and runs to her.

Murphy gives 10K instructions and asks if he understands. 10K nods. He says he has a surprise for him, and shows him a syringe. He says it’s what 10K wants, to be himself again and be human. 10K hesitates. Murphy concentrates, and 10K puts the syringe down. Murphy says good, and to remember what they talked about. 10K leaves.

Lucy jumps up and down, happy she’s going to meet her dad. Doc says he brought her into the world and won’t let anything happen to her. She asks about her mommy. Addie says her name was Serena and she loved Lucy very much. Doc tells the story of Murphy and Serena meeting, and we flash back. He says they fell in love over a blueberry pie. He says they were king and queen of the apocalypse. Lucy asks if they lived in a castle. Doc says yes, and we flash back to things that didn’t happen. Lucy asks how babies are made. Doc says it’s like baking a pie. They loved each other so much, they ate the whole pie she baked. Lucy asks if that’s why she’s blue, and Doc says yes. He says by the time they finished the pie, her mom had a bun in the oven of her own. We see Serena giving Murphy a list of baby needs while he sips a martini.

Doc says they were separated by fate and we see them leaving Serena in the dust. Doc says Murphy looked for her, and we flash back to when they met up again. Doc says that Lucy was ready to come out and meet the world, and he was there to help. We see the delivery, and he says she made quite an entrance. He talks about Murphy loving her immediately. Lucy asks if her mommy loved her. Doc says she loved her so much, she had to fight off zombies who wanted to hurt her. Lucy says zombies are her friends, and Doc says not all of them. We flash back to how Serena met her end. Doc says Serena is a warrior princess, and fought them off and saved her, but afterward, she had to rest, and went to a faraway land. By the time he’s done, Lucy is asleep in Addie’s lap.

Zombies gather outside. Along with a hooded figure that has Freddy Kruegerish knives.

Doc and Addie buckle Lucy into the car. Addie asks where Ma and Pa are. Doc goes back to see what’s keeping them, but the house looks empty. He goes out back and sees them sitting in chairs. He approaches them saying this is best for Lucy. They’ve been tied up. He undoes the bonds, and Ma says it’s his fault. Pa says he lied to them, and the couple chases Doc. He locks the back door and runs out the front. It’s a little tense when he can’t get the front door open, but he breaks the lock.

Doc calls to Addie. Ma says if he hurts her, every zombie in the apocalypse will be after him. Doc says he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. He finds Addie on the ground next to the car. The Man drives off with Lucy. Doc calls to Lucy, saying they’ll find her, and tends to Addie. Ma and Pa come running out.

They come after Doc. He tells Addie to play dead and runs. He lights a flare, and sticks Pa in the back of the head with it. I’m not so sure you could get through a skull with a flare, but okay. Ma knocks Doc down. She tries to bite him, and he says it wasn’t him. Addie comes from behind, and smashes her in the head with a garden gnome.

Lucy asks The Man a million questions, including are we there yet? She says he’s not a good bully, and asks why his head is shiny. He tazes her, and she says do it again. He does it again, and she laughs and says again. He tells her to shut up. She wants her Aunt addie. The Man tells her that Addie is dead and Lucy screams. Murphy hears her.

Doc stitches up Addie’s head wound. Addie says they have to go after her. She says they have to get help. They passed a radio tower and one of them has to contact Citizen Z or Roberta. Doc suggests that she take the motorcycle and follow Lucy; he’ll go to the tower.

Murphy feels hot and it’s getting hard to breathe. He goes out for air, loosening his collar. Somewhere Lucy is fussing with some ropes. She has a hood over her head and is gasping. The Man stops the car. He takes Lucy’s hood off. He asks what happened to her, I assume he’s noticing her color for the first time, and she says wait until she tells her daddy.

Murpy stares into the distance, presumably connecting with Lucy.

Addie rides down the highway with determination.

Outside Murphytown, 10K looks at his dog tags that say Thomas. He consults a paper. We don’t see it, but there’s not much written on it. What there is, is written in large print in felt marker. I can make out the words “end” and “kill.”

Next time, Doc makes a broadcast and becomes a guru.

Quotes of the Week

What’s the answer to a perfect square? – You. — Greg Ottot (Diedrich Bader) and Taylor Otto (Meg Donnelly) respectively, on American Housewife

The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity. From the day of the Declaration, the American people were bound by the laws of God. — John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, 1821

Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining. — Judge Judy

Nov14

November 13, 2016 – The World Behind the Mirror is Revealed, the NJ Reunion Drags On & Negan Shakes Down Alexandria

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

Once Upon a Time

Snow talks to David while he sleeps. She says maybe this is their normal now. Regina blames herself. She says she’s the only one who can hurt the queen, but Emma doesn’t want her to engage. Emma says her own sentence is already death, and Henry needs one of them to be there.

Snow is about to kiss David, and makes a face like she smells something weird. She looks at the mirror and then throws something at it. The Evil Queen is watching them.

A split screen shows us how Snow and David are living now. They leave notes for each other and videos on the phone. He leaves her flowers all the time. I’m thinking this is a great way to avoid any marital conflict, and wondering how I can arrange this for myself.

Emma visits Regina and asks if she has anything. She says she got an idea when Snow broke the mirror. They might not be able to hurt the queen, but they can imprison her in the world behind the mirror. Henry volunteers to be bait.

Henry meets the Evil Queen on the beach. She tells him that she knows he’s upset about his parents, but someday he’ll understand that you have to make hard choices. She talks about when they used to come there and feed the seagulls. She says he was afraid of them, and he tells her that he’s not afraid of anything now, especially her. He disappears, poof! in a puff of purple smoke. Regina and Emma show up with a mirror, but the Evil Queen tells them that it’s the wrong one because she switched them. She flips the tables (or mirror, as it were) on them, and they end up in the world behind the mirror. The Evil Queen says she hopes they enjoy where they’re going, because it’s where they’re spending the rest of their lives.

Emma wakes up and sees Storybrooke in a mirror. She’s in a room with mirrors everywhere, and calls out for Regina. The camera pans out and it’s a stone room within a forest of mirrors. Emma sees Granny in one of them, and tries to get her attention. Regina appears and tells her they’re all one-way mirrors. They have no way to communicate. She says it was the perfect prison for the Evil Queen since she has no friends anyway. Emma says people might not be able to break out, but maybe someone can break in. They think Henry is their answer.

The Evil Queen as Regina tells Henry that it worked and she’s finally free. Hook asks about Emma, and the queen tells him that Emma is driving to NYC to find the Dragon. She directs Hook to a fake voicemail. Snow says they finally got rid of the monster, but the queen says maybe not so much of a monster. She says they have someone else to worry about – Henry has to get ready for a dance. She says she’ll make sure everything works out for him.

Belle tells Zelena that Gold has closed his shop. She says he’s after her baby and she needs Zelena to help stop him; they’re both mothers and know what it’s like to care about someone who lets them down. Belle says she’s seen Zelena make portals before. Zelena says Gold has the wand she needs under lock and key, but Belle says she knows who can get it.

They meet with Jasmine and Aladdin, who claims to be the best thief anywhere. Jasmine doesn’t want him to get involved, but Zelena says it’s their fault that Gold is in possession of the shears in the first place. Belle says if Aladdin is any kind of a hero, he’ll help her escape the beast.

The Evil Queen visits Gold. She tries to come on to him, but he’s like, not today, he’s working. She says she needs the Hammer of Festus, which makes me think of Festivus for the rest of us. He says the hammer’s magic is only useful to someone who doesn’t have any. She says she wants it for Henry. Gold says villains don’t get happy endings, but the queen says she’s looking for a beginning. He asks what she has to offer him in return. She says now they’re on the same team, aren’t they? He tells her to remember her mother’s lesson – love is weakness. She says it can be, but it can also be a weapon, and she’s going to use it on her son.

Hook keeps leaving messages for Emma. He says he knows phones work in NYC and something doesn’t feel right. He sees the glass from the mirror on the beach. The Evil Queen appears and he asks what she’s done with Emma and Regina, but she says she’s not answering his question and blows him back with some magic.

Emma and Regina are getting nowhere, and Regina says they have to zero in on something. Emma suggests Granny’s, where Henry is meeting Violet before the dance. They see Henry adjust his tie, and they bang on the mirror. The Evil Queen as Regina calls to him. Emma says he has no idea they’re even gone. Henry tells the queen that he doesn’t think he’s good enough for Violet. The queen says Violet is a nice girl, but still a commoner and she’s lucky to have him. She says they might go back to her castle one day, and he’ll be king. Henry says he thinks he should finish high school first, but she says it’s not always about actually sitting on a throne, it’s about how you carry yourself. She tells him girls notice these things and to go off and be kingly. He leaves and the Evil Queen looks into the mirror and smiles.

Henry meets Violet. She asks if the homecoming dance is like a ball. He tells her something more important is happening, and to keep looking at him. He says that the woman behind him isn’t Regina, it’s the Evil Queen. He tells Violet to think of a reason to leave. She says she isn’t crazy about her dress, and wants to show him another one in the shop window. He tells her she’s a great liar. She says thanks, and they leave.

Emma and Regina are upset about Henry. Suddenly, Emma thinks someone else is with them. Regina says she doesn’t think so, but the Dragon comes out. He was imprisoned by the Evil Queen. He says everything is off balance, the dark and the light, a lesson sometimes learned at great cost. Emma says they’re worried abbot their son, and he says he once lost a daughter and paid the price.

Aladdin sneaks around Gold’s shop. Gold is doing some spinning (on a spinning wheel, not a bike). He hears something, but it’s just a windup toy. Aladdin finds the wand.

The Dragon takes Emma and Regina to another room in the mirror forest. Emma says she was looking for him. He says unfortunately, breaking their curse is beyond his ability. He tells them that Sidney was working on a way out, and points to a broken mirror. He thinks together they can mend it. Regina fixes one of the cracks by touching it and starts messing with the glass pieces.

Henry talks to a mirror. He says if his moms are in there, say something. The Evil Queen overhears and says it’s not like leaving a voicemail. She tells him that a gentleman never ditches his date. He says that Violet is somewhere safe, and he realized his mom wasn’t his mom. She brings up how she once helped him be brave, and says he could be great, but not if he’s a wimp. He says she can’t Darth Vader him and he’ll never join her. She says she’s not really evil, despite the name. She’s not a hero either, but a leader, and they do what’s necessary. She brings out a heart.

The Dragon tells them Henry is safe. Emma and Regina realize it’s the Evil Queen speaking through him. She’s also in the mirror and tells them that she has the Dragon’s heart. The Dragon doubles over. He says he doesn’t want to do this, and red smokes envelops him. When the smoke clears, he’s turned into a huge dragon.

The Evil Queen says to kill them, and the dragon Dragon goes crazy, flying all around and breathing fire. The queen gives Henry the hammer and says he can save them by smashing the Dragon’s heart. Henry says the Dragon is innocent, and it won’t make him hers. She says he’ll understand more of who she is though. He says if Regina dies so does she, and she says that’s how certain she is he’ll do it.

Emma and Regina hide behind some pillars. They discuss being mothers. Emma says neither one of them are sacrificing themselves, and Regina says they’ll do this together. She comes out and distracts the dragon. Henry says if the Evil Queen is his mom, not to make him do this. She says her own mother proved that sometimes all you need is a little push. The dragon comes after Emma and Regina. They cry out for help, but Henry smashes the mirror instead of the heart.

Good choice. The dragon breathes fire on the mirror, and Emma and Regina pop through. The Evil Queen says they made Henry soft, and accuses him of hiding behind them. He says he’s not hiding, and strong families make you stronger than you would be by yourself, but she’ll never understand because she’ll always be alone.

Hook grabs the queen from behind with his hook and tells Her Majesty to shove off. The Evil Queen tells Henry that she only wants what’s best for him, and disappears, poof! in a cloud of purple smoke.

Jasmine tells Aladdin she’s proud of him. Why do they both have British accents? Is Agribah lost in the UK? She says she was so focused on finding Agribah, she almost stopped him from helping Belle. Along with stealing the wand, he lifted a genie lamp, and gives it to her. She says the genie is gone, but he says he’s free now, but whoever’s inside might be able to help them find Agribah

Belle brings the wand to Zelena. Gold pops in right behind her. He says he can’t let Belle take their child away. He puts a spell on her and says no matter where she goes, he’ll find her. She calls him a beast, but he says it’s love. She says next time, she’ll run so far and so fast, he’ll never set eyes on his child. He says Rumpelstiltskin takes children, and she says tell your first son that.

Gold falls to the floor. Zelena says his heart only beats because of her, and if he hurts her, he hurts himself. He struggles up and says they’re far from done. He disappears, poof! in a cloud of purple smoke. I guess a lot of the smoke budget was blown on the dragon Dragon, so they couldn’t afford another color.

Snow writes to David. She says she can’t do this anymore and she misses him. They switch places. David takes the crumpled paper from her hand and says he misses her too.

Violet goes to Granny’s. Henry apologizes for them missing the dance. She says they had their first date there, and it’s better than the dance. Henry says she’s seemed distant, but she says it’s not him; she’s having a hard time adjusting to school. She feels out of place like the kids in the John Hughes movie, and doesn’t know if shes a jock or a nerd. He says he should have started with Sixteen Candles, and tells her that she doesn’t need a label; she’s Violet. He asks her to dance

Emma tells Regina that Henry is going to be okay with or without her. Regina says the queen was wrong about him. She was so worried about how they’re going to raise him, she didn’t realize that they already had.

Gold looks at the sonogram picture. The Evil Queen tells him that children rebel; it’s their job, but it’s the parents job to make them strong. Gold asks how far she’s willing to go, and she says she’ll do anything. He suggests they might both get their happy ending and kisses her. She says they are on the same page this time, and he says for now. But there’s one more thing to take care of. He tells her that Zelena has become a bit of a problem, and he wants her dead.

Next time – in 2 weeks – Gold becomes a beast who goes too far, and Belle might lose her baby.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey – The Reunion Part Two

Teresa claims she had a gut feeling that Jacqueline set her up. Andy takes a break. Jacqueline says no wonder Teresa is so angry with her. In the dressing room, Chris tells Jacqueline that Teresa is crazy.

Chris and Joe #2 join the group. Andy says that was quite an accusation. Teresa says she doesn’t feel Jacqueline was responsible, but she dabbled in it. She went to “certain people” getting information, and started the ball rolling. Andy asks Siggy and Dolores what they think. Siggy says she’s been friends with Jacqueline for 2½ years, and Dolores says she doesn’t think that’s something Jacqueline would do. Chris says they have a mutual friend who called him about a possible Federal investigation, then Chris called another friend who had some ideas on how to circumvent things. He approached Joe #1 who told them to f-off, so he washed his hands of it. He asks when Teresa is going to take responsibility.

Jacqueline drags Melissa into it, saying that Melissa was giving her information. Melissa says she thought of her as a girlfriend who she told things to in confidence. She warns the others that Jacqueline will spill their secrets. Jacqueline tries to get Chris involved and Melissa points out that she doesn’t need to drag Joe #2 into her business. Chris says blah-blah-blah about how they used to be friends. He claims Jacqueline tried to get everyone to be friends when Teresa was on the outs with Melissa, but he told her one day she’d be the one on the outside.

Joe #2 thinks this is petty stuff, and that his family destroyed him. He says he was a mess for a while. and we flash back to some choice moments like the christening party. Chris talks about how he met Jacqueline, and somehow the subject of Jacqueline being a stripper pops up again, but doesn’t linger. Chris insists that Jacqueline never meant any ill will toward anybody.

Andy lightens the mood by saying sometimes he thinks he needs a Jersey translator, and shows some clips of “Jerseyisms,” which are more like Teresaisms. Like when Teresa confused an enema with edamame. Dolores confuses things further by telling her that it’s really a colonic. Teresa blames everything on having had braces on the back of her teeth. Jacqueline admits to it being an endearing quality.

Andy talks about Italian families and how it’s sometimes like being at war. He touches briefly on the rift between Teresa and her brother, but moves quickly on to Teresa coming home and how even prison didn’t bring her down. We see clips of the family, and of Joe leaving. Andy says he was surprised to hear that Teresa might have to sell the house. She says she thought it might be good to downsize, but the kids don’t want to leave, so she’s working hard to keep them there. Andy asks what she learned in prison. She talks about the wonderful women she met there, how they’re not bad people, and actually uses the word prison. She says it really wasn’t exactly a camp, and a lot of it was disgusting. She says she took responsibility, but she really just signed a paper. Andy asks if she blames Joe #1, but she says he took full responsibility, telling the court she had nothing to do with it, but since she’s a celebrity, it went the way it did. We see all the paparazzi screeching at her. Melissa says if Joe #1 could have done her time, he would have. I honestly believe that is the way it went. I think she had no clue what she was signing – why would she have read it, since she trusted her husband? And I think she was made an example of because she’s a reality star.

A viewer remarks that Teresa doesn’t seem to have remorse, and she’s like, what more do you want? They talk about Joe #1 now being inside, and how he almost has a six-pack now. Andy asks about Teresa’s insistence that Joe never cheated, and she says show her proof. They talk about Teresa’s going away party when she left the clink, and how Gia has a boyfriend now. Andy suggests she date Dolores’s Frankie, and Teresa says you never know.

Andy asks if Teresa thinks Joe will keep it together, and she says he is already. He asks about the possibility of Joe being deported. She says because it’s a legal matter, she can’t really discuss it and they’ll see what happens. He asks her why it’s something she doesn’t want to discuss, and she says there’s no need to give it life. Amen to that. Of course she doesn’t want to discuss it. Geez. That’s possibly the stupidest question Andy has ever asked anyone.

Chris is back, although I hadn’t realized he left. Andy asks why Teresa doesn’t want to deal with her cousins. Teresa says they’re toxic; they never called or wrote once, and Rosie really hadn’t been there for Joe. Jacqueline says that Teresa wouldn’t even sit on the same couch with them, and Teresa basically tells her to mind her own business. Siggy says Jacqueline just wanted to bring the family together, and Teresa says she doesn’t see it that way. Siggy says Teresa had different priorities than dealing with her cousins.

A viewer asks about Melissa and Kathy, but Melissa says they just drifted apart. Jacqueline tries to voice an opinion, but Melissa shuts it down, saying Jacqueline knows it’s true.

Next up, the nightmare in Vermont. We flash back to all that, and I want to smack Jacqueline’s stupid face all over again. Andy asks why Melissa invited Robyn and Kristina, and she says they were friends. Teresa talks about Jacqueline antagonizing Robyn, but Jacqueline says she was calling Robyn’s bluff. Chris says Jacqueline thought it was going to be a time of genuinely mending fences and was disappointed. Which I guess gave her leeway to scream at whoever she wanted to. Dolores thinks Melissa should have come to Jacqueline’s rescue, and Melissa says after Jacqueline barked at her like she was one of her kids, she didn’t answer Jacqueline fast enough. Andy asks Melissa if she had four nose jobs. Melissa barely starts to talk and Jacqueline jumps in with her two cents. Melissa says it’s her secret to tell, and wants to know why it’s Jacqueline’s business.

Jacqueline says blah-blah-blah, and claims Teresa went to jail for lying. Melissa calls Jacquleine a sh*tty friend. Teresa says she has a clown’s face, and that she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing with rabies. She calls Jacqueline disgusting, and Jacqueline acts like she doesn’t care, but Teresa says she does and that’s why she keeps coming back.

Andy asks Joe #2 why Jacqueline and Melissa had problems after Teresa came back. Joe says Jacqueline got weird, and Melissa says she acted paranoid and never believed that Teresa could change. Jacqueline questions whether or not Melissa and Teresa are really friends. Melissa says when Jacqueline lies, she turns the sound off. Chris claims that Teresa messed up their relationship with Joe #2 and Melissa. Melissa says there was a time they were friends, but Jacqueline ‘s mind messed with her and she started to question things. Then she called a magazine with stories about them, and that ended it.

We flash back on more of Jacqueline’s idiocy. Andy brings up the lunch that went south. He asks Jacqueline why she even went. Jacqueline says her intention was to talk to everyone one on one. Andy says that seems rational and logical, but that wasn’t how it came off. Jacqueline claims that Teresa and Melissa came in with an attitude. Dolores insists they were still angry about Vermont, but then stands corrected after they tell her that wasn’t the case and we see a clip.

Andy asks if Jacqueline’s approach had been different, would Teresa have accepted it. Teresa says she would have. Andy asks what about Melissa, and the lovely Jacqueline squeaks that he was going to talk to her. Melissa points out that Jacqueline was never a friend in the first place. Chris claims that Jacqueline feels too deeply for people, and when she’s hurt, she goes to extremes. Okay.

Andy asks Siggy and Dolores what it would take to heal the friendship. Dolores suggests a lobotomy and Siggy says you have to put gas in a relationship to keep it moving forward and this tank is out. We flash back to some better times. In an old interview, Chris says they have a strong bond, whether they admit it or not. Jacqueline says it’s hard, and Teresa says no matter what, she’ll always have a special place in her heart for Nicholas. Jacqueline says they’ve both said and done things that are terrible, but Teresa says she’s never done anything to intentionally hurt Jacqueline. They had great times, but something went sour. Dolores says once someone apologizes, you can’t go back and say you don’t trust them. I dunno about that.

Andy brings up Jacqueline being hit hard when Joe #1 went away. She says just because she’s angry doesn’t mean she doesn’t have compassion. She starts crying. Andy asks if Teresa felt warm toward Jacqueline when she saw that, and Teresa says she did at the time. Dolores insists that neither one of them would turn the other away if there was an acutal need.

Andy talks about them leaning on one another. He asks Jacqueline if she was surprised that everyone was so supportive about Nicholas, and they all start crying. Teresa and Melissa hold hands. Melissa says even as angry as she is, she doesn’t like to see anyone hurt. Siggy says they’re all the best moms ever. Everyone agrees. Siggy says she loves them all, but she’s never going to Vermont again. She asks if everyone would do a group hug for her. Andy wants to see one too. Jacqueline says everyone doesn’t have to be friends, and Teresa begs her not to talk to people who want to hurt her. Dolores thinks they should stop talking before it goes bad, and Andy says let’s move forward.

They all hug, including Andy.

Best quote of the reunion: If you need to remove the knives, then there should not be a lunch. —- Dolores

The Walking Dead

Michonne stares at Rick while he sleeps, but it’s not exactly a loving look. She gets out of bed and gets her sword. And kills Rick. Just kidding. She messes around in the fireplace and brings out a gun. She quietly puts it into her duffel bag and leaves. Rick sees her and who knows what he thinks.

Michonne walks across a field to an abandoned truck, and gets on top of it. She surveys the land and waits.

Rick tends to Judith. Eugene crunches numbers or whatever he does. Rosita asks him to open the gate. Spencer asks if Eugene wants to come, but he says no. Rosita says no surprise. Eugene says he’s getting a music player back together and doing his part.

The Whistling Man Negan pounds on the gate, telling the little pigs to let him in. Is he going to huff and puff? A guy opens the inner gate and asks who he is. Negan is like, are you joking? and then Rick joins them. He tells Rick don’t make him have to ask. Rick says they were told a week and he’s early. Rick opens the gate and Negan says he missed him.

Negan kills a zombie with Lucille and says “easy peasy lemon squeezie.” We already know he’s one of those funny guy villains. He’s brought Daryl along with him, and says he just took care of a dead prick that could have killed them all, instead of bashing someone’s head in. He hands Lucille to Rick and strolls into Alexandria.

Negan says things like hot diggity dog, and that Alexandria is an embarrassment of riches. He tells Rick that they’ll have plenty to offer up. Rick tries to talk to Daryl, but Negan tells him no, and the same goes for everyone. Negan is so ridiculously satisfied with himself, he’s almost not scary. He tells Rick they’ll decide what they take and his workers move out into the town. Negan says they’re going to search the houses a bit and keep the process moving. He asks if Rick is going to show him around.

Rosita starts to go back to the car. Dwight asks where she’s going, and then says he doesn’t care. He takes the weapons from the car. He tells Rosita he has a job for her. Get Daryl’s bike. She says it’s not there and he says she knows where it is. She starts to leave and he takes her cap, telling her she can go now. She and Spencer get back in the car. Dwight dumps out her water and says don’t take too long.

Michonne is still at her post on the truck. She aims her gun at a zombie. She shoots and misses. She shoots again and misses. She practically unloads the gun. Either she’s a really bad shot or the site is off. She splits the zombie’s head open with her sword. I’m sure that’s more satisfying anyway. She walks through the woods and sees a dead deer. I’d eat the whole thing right there before I’d bring it back for Negan to steal.

Some of Negan’s people bring out a ratty chair. Negan is pleased, and says they’re reasonable people once you get to know them. Daryl follows him around silently. One of the guy’s wants to show Negan something. It’s Rick in the old video that Deanna took. He looks all Jeremiah Johnson, and Negan says he wouldn’t have wanted to mess with that guy, but it’s not Rick anymore. He asks what happened to the sick girl, referring to Maggie, and asks if she was married to number two. He tells Rick to be careful with how he looks at him, and goes on about good looking widows. He says he’d love to see her. Father Gabriel asks if he wants to pay his respects, and Negan says he’s freaky as sh*t, sneaking up on him like that. Negan assumes Maggie didn’t make it. He says it didn’t need to happen, but Daryl forced his hand. He was going to ask her to come back with him.

While Negan is prattling on, there’s a shot from somewhere. It’s Carl telling the guys to put stuff back. Rick tells him to put the gun down. Carl says they’re taking all the medicine. He tells Negan that he should go before he finds out how dangerous they really are. Negan asks if Carl just threatened him. Rick says to put the gun down, but Negan tells him they’re having a conversation. Negan tells Carl he likes him and doesn’t want to go hard proving a point. He says half and half is what it is. He asks if Carl wants him to prove how serious he is…again. Carl gives Rick the gun and Rick gives it to Negan.

Negan is reminded how many guns they have. He says this emotional outburst has made it clear he can’t allow that, and they’re all his now. He asks Rick where his guns are.

Negan shakes down Olivia at the armory. She says she keeps track of everything like the rations and the guns. Negan says they have slim pickin’s as far as food goes, and they’re no good to him if they starve, so for now they can keep their food. He says is a thank you too much to ask? but Rick says nothing. Negan says he knows they started off on the wrong foot, but Rick forced his hand. He says he’s reasonable if people cooperate, and asks if Rick is cooperating. He wants to know if there are any guns waiting for their moment. Rick says the guns are all in the armory to the best of his knowledge, and Negan says he’s counting on that.

Rosita and Spencer go out to the forest. Spencer looks under a pile of branches and says it’s still there. It’s Daryl’s bike. He says he knows it sucks, but this is their life now, this is where Rick got them. He says maybe if Rick had thought it through, it would be different. People might still be with them. I’m not a huge Rick fan, but he’s being just a little harsh. Rosita trots into the woods.

Negan tells Rick he thinks their attangement is going to work just fine. He wonders if Rick has been taking care of his guns. He aims one at Daryl, who doesn’t react, but shoots out a window. Some guy brings out a bazooka. Negan says he’s going to have fun with it. A woman tells Negan they’re short two guns. Rick says they had some people leave and maybe the guns are with them. Negan asks if Olivia sucks at her job, but she says the inventory is correct. He asks if she knows where the guns are and that he’s disappointed. It shows that someone isn’t on board and he can’t have that. He says he doesn’t enjoy killing women, but it was Olivia’s responsibiltiy. He badgers her and she starts to cry.

Rick’s people gather at the church and he tells everyone he thought of hiding some of the guns, but what if the Saviors found them or they had the guns on them when they ran into one of them? It doesn’t matter how many bullets they have, it isn’t enough. He says hiding guns isn’t the answer anymore. He asks who has the two they’re looking for or who knows where they are? He says if they don’t find them, Negan will kill Olivia. A guy asks why they care and Rick asks if he has them, but he doesn’t. He says most of them weren’t there; they didn’t have to watch. If they give Negan what he wants, they live in peace. Another guy gets up and asks how they’re getting out of this. Rick says there is no way out of this. He’s not in charge anymore. Negan is. He asks again who has the guns. Eugene says not everyone is there.

Rosita slinks trough the forest following some zombies. Spencer calls for her. She hides behind a tree and takes the zombies out with a knife. I don’t know if there’s a purpose or she’s just getting out her aggression. She impales one’s head on the end of a log. Ooh. She took a gun off of him. But it’s empty. Rosita tells Spencer that Negan is going to take all their guns and asks if he’s going to tell. She says this is not their life and he walks away.

Rick watches Negan sitting with Olivia. He starts tearing the place apart. Gabriel comes in and says he feels like it’s going to work out. They’ll find the guns, get through today, and find a way to beat this. He has faith in Rick. He says things change; they weren’t always friends. He asks if Michonne has them, but Rick says she doesn’t have what they’re looking for. He thanks Gabriel for his quick thinking about Maggie.

Aaron tells Rick there’s nothing so far. They all split up to look elsewhere. Rick opens a floor grate and finds a lot of stuff, like bouncy ball, a can of beans, and whiskey. He pulls out a sack that has two guns in it. He brings them outside. Some guy is bothering Enid about keeping some balloons, making her say please a bunch of times. A-hole.

Rick gives Negan the guns. Negan says funny how a little thing like holy sh*t someone is going to die, lights a fire under everyone. He asks where Rick found them. I’d tell him it was Maggie’s house. Might as well make her the scapegoat since she’s supposed to be dead anyway.

Negan’s people start to pull out. Negan tells Rick he’s got a helluva place. Negan sees Michonne out of the corner of his eye. Rick asks for a second. Negan says no at first, and then smiles. Rick goes in, and Michonne sees him holding Lucille. Rick says he needs the rifle. He says he knows it’s in the bag and that she was out practicing. He says they have to give up their guns. If Negan finds them, someone dies, and he’s not losing anyone else. He asks if she’ll let him give the guns to Negan.

Michonne comes out with the deer like she was hunting. Rick gives Negan the gun. Negan says this is something to build a relationship on. He tells Rick that he’s special. Rick asks if Daryl can stay. Negan says, not happening, but amends that to maybe Daryl can plead his case and sway him.

Daryl says nothing. Negan says Rick tried. Now he has to get over that tall wall and earn for him. They’ll be back soon and Rick had better have something interesting for them, or Lucille will have her way. Someone will die, and no more magic guns. Michonne throws down the deer, and Negan says he loves a gal who buys him dinner and doesn’t expect him to put out.

Dwight takes Daryl’s bike and throws Rosita’s hat back to her. He asks if they found anything else, and she says just his dead friend. He rides off on Daryl’s bike. He tells Daryl to just say the word and he can have it back, but Daryl remains silent.

Negan tells Rick that nobody died. He thinks he and Rick can find their understanding. He asks if Rick wants him to go, and Rick says that would be good. He tells Rick to say the two magical words, and Rick says thank you. Negan is like, no, thank you, because he’s cuckoo.

Another zombie comes by and Negan says they need his help. He tells Rick they’re going to both come out winners and to watch his form. Rick tightens his grip on Lucille. Negan kills the zombie with a candlestick. (It was Negan in Alexandria with the candlestick.) Negan says win win, and to clean the candlestick up for next time.

Negan stats to leave, and says how careless of him, going back for his bat. He wonders why Rick would want Lucille after what she did, and thanks him for him being accommodating. He tells Rick that he just shoved his d*ck down Rick’s throat and Rick thanked him for it. Finally, they leave. Daryl looks at Rick from the back of the truck.

Rick tells Spencer that they were going to kill Olivia over two guns that were missing, and he found them in Spencer’s house. He doesn’t fault him for having the guns, but the food and liquor? He calls Spencer weak, saying they got lucky this time, and Spencer says they should have made a deal when they could. He asks if Glenn and Abe were lucky too. Rick tells him that if he says something like that again, he’ll knock Spencer’s teeth down his throat.

Rosita confronts Spencer about the guns. He says he had them for a while because he didn’t trust Rick. He says he was worried about Rick being in charge, and she said it already, that this doesn’t have to be their life. He drives away, and she takes a gun out of the wheel well of another car.

Rick fixes up a bed on the floor since the mattresses were all taken. Michonne says the rifle belonged to the Saviors and wasn’t on the list. He asks if she has more, and she says no. She says everything they have, they got from fighting for it. Rick says he made a choice and Negan has the numbers. She says what about Hilltop, but he tells her they still outnumber them. He says if they play by the rules, they’ll have some kind of life. Michonne says what kind?

Rick talks about Shane and how he took care of Carl when Rick was out of commission in the beginning. He says Shane hooked up with Rick’s wife because they thought he was dead. He says he loves Judith, but she isn’t his. He had to accept that to keep her alive. He hopes he can raise her and protect her and teach her to survive. He says he had to accept how they live now to keep everyone else alive. He tells Michonne that she has to accept this – they all do – or it wont’ work. Michonne says she’ll try.

Michonne goes back to the abandoned truck. She hears something and looks in the distance. She gets down and walks across the field. She sees a smoldering pile of gravestones and starts hyperventilating.

Rosita picks up a shell casing. She takes it to Eugene and asks him to make her a bullet.

Next time, Maggie is at Hilltop and at risk, Carl is done, and Jesus is back (no, not that Jesus).

 

Nov12

November 11, 2016 – A GH Funeral, a New Escorpion & a Trio of Quotes

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

General Hospital – Thursday

Jax wakes up Carly, who feel asleep on the couch. She says for a while, she stopped dreading the day, but it’s here.

Sonny says today is the day, and he’s going to make things right. Nell comes to the door. Carly sent her to pick up some clothes because she didn’t have appropriate funeral attire. She asks Sonny if he wants to talk. He doesn’t.

Alexis tells the alcoholism quiz on her computer that it knows nothing. Sam comes by. She says she was calling all morning, and Alexis says her phone died. Sam tells her that it smells like a bonfire and asks what happened.

At the hospital, Franco asks Elizabeth how she’s doing. She says time hasn’t dulled any of the pain Tom Baker inflicted on her. Franco tells her that she did a great job on her victim impact statement, and thanks her for sharing it. Elizabeth is waiting to hear from the parole board, and he says there’s no way her statement can’t affect things.

Finn goes to Windemere and asks Laura if she’s seen Hayden, and if she was behaving oddly. Laura says she seemed flushed, but nothing too out of the ordinary. He asks if she’s there now.

Elizabeth tells Franco that she hopes he understands why she didn’t want him to stay. He says he totally does, and what’s important is to keep Tom behind bars. He says what they have is special, and he wants her to feel comfortable. She says she doesn’t know how she would have survived without Lucky, and when she lost him, Jason was there. In some ways, Jason put her on the path she is now, by making her feel safe. Brad is cursing Finn out nearby, as he goes through some of the lab’s contents.

Laura tells Finn that Hayden wasn’t there in the morning, and her bed is still made. She invites him in. Hayden pops up saying she was fine last night and still is.

Nell apologizes to Sonny, and he says it’s not her fault; he shouldn’t have snapped at her. He asks about Carly, and Nell says she’s functioning, but not living. She tells him that Jax arrived and stayed at the house with Carly. He says that’s great, but his face doesn’t match his words.

Jax gives Carly coffee. He tells her that Bobbie and Josslyn are making sure everything is in place for the reception, and Nell went to get her dresses. Carly appreciates that Jax loved Morgan like a son. Jax asks about Sonny, but she says when she sees him, she thinks of their bad choices, and sees how badly they failed their son. Jax says none of it is on her. She says it is, because she believed Sonny had changed.

Alexis tells Sam that her oven timer needs to be fixed, but Sam wonders why Alexis didn’t smell anything. Alexis deflects the questioning. Sam asks if she can borrow Alexis’s laptop.

Finn asks what Hayden is doing. He says they need to know if she was exposed. Laura asks exposed to what, and he gives a mini explanation. Hayden says she has to get to work, but Laura says it would be a good idea for her to listen to Finn. Hayden says she’s fine, and Finn says he’s not going anywhere.

Brad complains to no one in particular, saying there’s a Hazmat team cleaning up in the lab. He says there’s definitely something wrong with Finn, and no one seems to care. Elizabeth says she does, and it sounds like Finn might be an addict.

Franco talks to himself about Jason, a guy who kills people, making Elizabeth feel safe. Obrecht overhears him, and he tells her about how Jason makes Elizabeth feel safe and made him leave, Obrecht asks if he expressed his feeling, and he says no. She says she told him not to bottle things up and expect Elizabeth to read his mind.

Kristina comes by Alexis’s place to get her shoes, and talks to Sam, distracting Sam long enough that Alexis can delete the history on the laptop. Kristina says everyone is blaming Sonny when it’s Julian’s fault. Sam says not everyone. She and Jason don’t.

Nell asks if Sonny is still planning on leaving. She says he’s making a mistake and that his family needs him. He says they’re better off without him. He asks if she kept his secret. Nell says yes, but it’s hard not telling Carly. Sonny says he’s put her through enough. Nell tells him that for what it’s worth, she hopes he reconsiders. She goes upstairs, and Sonny looks at a picture of himself and Morgan.

Carly tells Jax that she begged, she pleaded, she tossed an entire gun shipment in the harbor. She knows that Sonny sees violence as a solution, but she lied to herself, thinking she could make a difference. She says she should have known that Sonny was incapable of change. Jax says that doesn’t change the fact that she still loves him.

Laura says if she’s been exposed to something through Hayden, she needs to know, but Finn says it isn’t transmitted that way. Hayden says don’t worry, she’s fine, and she’ll be out of Laura’s life soon. Finn asks her about last night. She claims she was out, but he thinks she passed out. He wants to take her temperature and check her heart. Hayden says she’ll cooperate if he’ll leave, but she doesn’t even make it to the couch before she keels over.

Carly tells Jax that a part of her wants to reach out to Sonny, but she can’t get sucked back in. Now she can see the chances she took, not only with herself, but her children. She’s sorry she didn’t listen to Jax. Jax says no apologies, but Carly says Morgan should get one. Jax brings up a Thanksgiving in the past, and how Morgan sabatoged their cars so they had to spend the day together, and they stopped fighting. She says Morgan is a great kid; he knew they belonged together.

Nell comes back downstairs. She asks if Sonny needs anything else. He says he’d love to be able to hug his son and hear his voice, but that can’t happen. He tells Nell that Carly is probably waiting, so she should go. She says she hopes wherever he goes, he manages to find peace. Sonny gives her the letter for Carly, and says to give it her after the service. She promises she will.

Sam tells Alexis that Danny said the cookies were burning and she was asleep. Alexis makes the excuse that they were watching a boring kids’ movie. Sam says Danny claimed he shook her and tried to wake her. She wonders why even an alarm and smoke didn’t wake Alexis up. She asks if Alexis was drinking while watching Danny.

Finn tells Hayden that he’s reasonably sure she’s been infected. He promises to take care of her and find a cure for them both. Hayden says even if it kills them.

Brad has a jar of something in a plastic bag. He doesn’t know what it is, but he’s going to find out.

Obrecht tells Franco that he needs to find a way to express his feelings about Jason, rather than repress them. Franco talks about Eliabeth being raped, and asks if he’s supposed to feel badly about scaring Sam. He thinks there’s no difference between the sick rapist and the sick illusionist.

Alexis tells Sam that she wasn’t drinking. Sam says the bottle is half gone. Alexis tells her that Laura came by. She explains what Mikkos had done with the estate, and how she had to tell Laura. She says that everything Laura thought belonged to Nicholas and Spencer belongs to Valentin. She says Laura asked for the wine . Sam wonders if Alexis helped her drink it, but Alexis says no

Carly tells Jax that she knows he and Nell got off on the wrong foot, but Nell has helped her a lot. Nell pops in with clothes and shoes. Carly goes upstairs to get ready. Nell asks if she could do anything for Jax. He thanks Nell for helping Carly. She says Carly has been good to her, so no thanks needed. Jax asks if she remembers the circumstances surrounding her kidney surgery.

Sonny takes out his gun. Kristina is at the door, and he puts it back in the box. She says she told herself she wasn’t going to cry, but walking into the house, it hit her that she’s never seeing Morgan again. Sonny asks her to sit down. She asks him why he’s so peaceful, and he says he’s come to a decision. He’s happy that she’s supported him and wants her to make peace with losing her brother. He wants her to thrive and be the best person she can, and find the happiness she deserves. He tells her to live the best life she can live, for him and her brother She asks why it sounds like good by, and asks where Sonny is going.

Franco tells Obrecht that he and Elizabeth have been taking it slow. She’s accepting him for who he is, but Tom Baker’s parole hearing brought up old stuff. Obrecht asks if Tom is going to be let out, and Franco says he’ll make sure he never is.

Brad runs back from wherever they test stuff, and says the jar contained and opioid that’s one of the most tightly controlled substances in the world. Finn having that much in his possession could get him fired. Obrecht applauds, saying Brad finally got the drop on Finn.

Laura tells Hayden that she and Dr. Finn are going to help her. She takes Hayden’s temperature. Finn says they can’t let it get to a life threatening condition. Hayden asks if the exposure isn’t a life threatening condition, but he says it can be slowed.

Sam apologizes for thinking Alexis wouldn’t honor her promise. Alexis says right now they should concentrate on Sonny and Carly. Sam says because of Morgan’s death, she’s become a helicopter mom.

Nell tells Jax that she remembers the car ride, the smell of the room, the sound of the machines, and how she just wanted to go home. Jax wonders why her parents would do this, and she says money; her father couldn’t keep a job, and they weren’t the best parents. Carly comes down. She tells Nell she can dress there, just lock up before she leaves.

Sonny tells Kristina that he’s not going anywhere, but since Morgan died he’s been distant. He apologizes and Kristina says they’re all coping as best they can. It’s not his fault, it’s Julian’s. Sonny says all she needs to know is that he loves her and always will. He says before Morgan died, he didn’t say it enough, and no matter what, he’s always going to tell her how much he loves her. She says she loves him too, and they hug. He tells her to go to the car while he checks on something. When she’s gone, he takes out the gun and says, “Okay, buddy.”

Franco asks Elizabeth why Brad was so concerned about Finn. She tells him that it’s not her business, and she wants to stay away from it. Her phone rings. It’s the prison.

Obrecht calls Monica, saying she has proof that Finn has something that will put the hospital under more scrutiny.

Finn tells Hayden that she’s showing signs of sepsis, and has to get to the hospital.

Elizabeth tells Franco that the parole board took the statement into consideration, and decided to parole Tom anyway. The man who raped her is getting out of prison.

Alexis leaves for the funeral. She gives a lingering look to the wine bottle.

Nell talks to herself, saying she doesn’t know what Sonny wrote, but Carly’s life is about to go from bad to worse.

At the church, Kristina tells Sonny that he was quiet on the drive, and asks if everything is okay. Jax and Carly come in. Kristina tells Carly that she feels lousy, but Sonny feels worse, especially now that Carly strolled in with Jax.

Jax tells Sonny that he’s going to miss Morgan. Sonny says him too. They bro hug.

Tomorrow, Franco is going to stop Tom, Nell gives Carly a letter, and Sonny tells Jax that after today, he won’t be a problem.

General Hospital – Friday

Laura calls for transport to the hospital. Finn tells Hayden she’s going to be okay. I don’t think she’s looking too good though. She stops breathing.

Franco tells Elizabeth that they’ll fight Tom Baker’s release, but she says by tonight he’ll be in Port Charles, staying with his brother.

Jordan and Andre have breakfast and talk about Morgan’s funeral. Julian approaches them and says why drag out the investigation when they all know that Sonny is guilty?

Jax realizes Sonny has a gun. Sonny says he has to protect himself, but Jax says this is the behavior that got them here in the first place. Kristina tells Carly that she doesn’t have to rub Sonny’s nose in it by showing up with Jax, but Carly says he’s there for Josslyn.

Jason meets with the broker. He asks how a bomb ended up in Julian’s car.

Sonny tells Jax that after today, he won’t be a problem for his children anymore.

Hayden’s pulse is back, but thready. Finn brings out a shot of adrenaline.

Franco is stunned, but Elizabeth explains that Tom wasn’t convicted for raping her; he was convicted of another crime. Franco says he’ll stop him before he hurts Elizabeth.

Anna gives her condolences to Dante, explaining that Robin wanted to be there, but had to go back to Berkeley. Griff tells Lulu and Dante that Valentin is Charlotte’s father.

Kiki hesitates to go into the church. Dillon sees her.

Molly, who has a great new haircut, is praying by the votive candles, and Josslyn joins her. Molly says she doesn’t really pray, but it’s the only way to talk to Morgan now.

Kristina asks if Carly stopped to think about how her being with Jax would hurt Sonny. Carly says he has to get through it as best he can. Kristina and Jax leave to check on the other girls. Bobbie tells Carly they’ll get through it together.

Jax questions Sonny, but Alexis comes in and distracts them. She tells Jax that she wouldn’t be surprised if her ex-husband tries to pull something when everyone is at their most vulnerable.

Jordan tells Julian they’re investigating everything. Julian says that’s why he hired his own guy.

Jason asks the broker why Morgan Corrinthos is dead. The contract was supposed to be canceled, and Jason wants to know why it didn’t happen.

Franco says there’s no reason they can’t stop Tom, but Elizabeth says absolutely not. Finn comes running in with Hayden in his arms.

Griff tells Lulu and Dante that Claudette lied to protect Charlotte from her own father. Lulu says no wonder, and Anna tells her that they’re going to do everything to prevent Valentin from harming Charlotte.

Nell says she has something for Carly. We think she’s going to give her the note ahead of time, but she shoves it to the bottom of her purse and gives Carly some earrings that she forgot. Carly tells Bobbie that they were the first gift Morgan gave her that he bought with his own money. Bobbie seems skeptical of Nell.

Micheal suggests where all the kids sit, and Kristina says it feels like they’re being pulled apart. Michael says that Morgan will always keep them together. Nell approaches Michael and gives him kudos. She says they’re lucky to have him as a brother, and so was Morgan.

Olivia hugs Sonny. She tells him he takes on too much guilt, and she and Dante love him. He tells her to take care of their son.

Jordan advises Julian against any outside investigation and interference.

The broker – who looks and sounds like he stepped out of a Rat Pack movie – says he canceled it himself, immediately after getting off the phone with Sonny. He says his guy wouldn’t even have done it like that. He doesn’t have anything to do with bombs and makes things look like an accident. Jason asks if he’s saying his guy isn’t responsible, and the broker says absolutely. Someone else was trying to kill Julian.

Julian asks Curtis what’s up with Jordan, but Curtis doesn’t want to talk about it. Julian tells him make sure nothing interferes with investigation. Curtis tells Julian that he knows what the last call was on Pete’s phone.

Jason wants to talk to the contractor, but the broker says it doesn’t work that way. Jason says it does today. He tells Max to stay with the broker and make sure he calls his guy, and leaves for the funeral.

Kiki didn’t expect to see Dillon. He says he’s surprised himself. He and Morgan didn’t exactly get along, but he never wanted something like this to happen. He asks if she’s going in. Kiki says she doesn’t know; she doesn’t think Carly wants to see her. Dillon says think about what Morgan would want, and she goes in. He waits a beat and follows.

Kiki sits next to Lulu. Dillon sits next to Bobbie. The service begins. We don’t hear it, but only see everyone’s reactions. Kristina gets up to speak. She talks about Molly helping her with what to say, and reads something from the Bible. Dante speaks next, talking about what a great kid Morgan was, and that he’s grateful for the time he had with him. He also does a reading. It’s about forgiveness. Sonny ponders it.

Hayden is finally in a hospital bed hooked up to things. Finn tells Elizabeth that Hayden came in contact with something in the lab. Hayden goes into shock.

Josslyn sings Amazing Grace. Sonny ponders some more. Obviously, today’s theme is forgiveness. Finn and Elizabeth trying to get Hayden under control is interspersed with the funeral. Sonny and Carly look at each other from across the room.

Franco uses the hospital computer to look up Tom’s brother’s address. Because it’s left totally unattended and no one is around. There might be more reasons than one why people don’t want to come here.

Hayden is stabilized. Elizabeth asks Finn what they’re dealing with, and he tells her to keep monitoring her sister and he’ll be back. Tracy asks Laura what happened. Finn comes out and says Hayden is stable for now. Tracy tells him to leave the rest to the doctors. Finn says he’s a doctor. Tracy says because of Brad’s complaints, he’ll probably be banned. He says he’ll take his research elsewhere, but Tracy says he has a reputation. Finn says it’s his fault that Hayden is sick. Tracy asks if she has what he has, and Finn tells her that it’s worse. She was exposed to something more concentrated. He says no one will be able to understand the treatment like he would. Tracy says she has an idea.

At the funeral, Michael speaks. He talks about not being able to protect Morgan, and hopes that Morgan would forgive him. He says they never gave him enough credit for his capacity to forgive. Kiki leaves and Dillon leaves behind her. Michael says Morgan always found room in his heart again for people who did him wrong.

Kiki tells Dillon to go away, but he says he can’t leave her like this. They hug, and Kiki cries.

Michael says he wishes they could all be as forgiving as Morgan, and wishes he was still here. He never had the chance to tell him how much he admired him.

Elizabeth tells Finn that Hayden is stable for now. He asks her to gather the medication they used and arrange for transfer. Tracy is taking her. Elizabeth gets weird about that, but Laura says even if she doesn’t understand, Finn is the best one to treat Hayden. Tracy says Hayden saved Elizabeth’s life, now it’s her turn. Finn thanks Tracy, and Tracy says just prove her right.

Carly goes to the podium. She says the casket is empty. There wasn’t a body to recover, so they filled the coffin with things; pictures, acceptance letter to college, symbols of Morgan’s life, symbols of his potential. He was going to be a great man, but now that potential is gone. She cries at the casket. It’s killing Sonny. Jason comes up and hugs her. This is just miserable.

Jason sits down and Sam asks what happened. He says he thinks he’s on to something that will change everything. Sam says Carly really needed him. Sam doesn’t seem well, so Jason and Alexis suggest she go home. They leave with her.

Curtis tells Julian that Pete was lured away so someone could plant the bomb. He asks if the name Oscar Jessup rings a bell. Julian says no, and Curtis asks if he’s sure.

The priest starts to give the details for the reception at the MetroCourt, but Sonny wants to speak.

Franco calls Tom’s brother, Seth. Using an Irish accent, he says he’s from the parole board, and needs to confirm that Tom will be staying with him and what his address is. He says he’ll be personally following up on the conversation.

Hayden is wheeled out, and Finn calls Tracy the best friend he ever had. He hugs her. She says she’ll see him at the house. Laura tells Tracy that she really sticks her neck out for the people she loves. Tracy says Finn saved her life, but Laura says she thinks Tracy cares about Hayden too.

Kiki wants to go back in. Dillon asks if she wants him to go in and sit with her. She thanks him and they enter together.

Julian says he’s the guy who signs Curtis’s paychecks, so stop wasting time with Pete, and prove Sonny was behind it.

Sonny says his son is gone and he can’t believe it. He knows most of them blame him, but they can’t blame him more than he blames himself. Morgan’s life wasn’t easy; he deserves to be at peace, but that can’t happen because of Sonny. He says there’s only one way Morgan can be at peace, and there’s only one way to make it happen – the only way he knows how. He takes out the gun.

On Monday, Valentin and Doc meet again, Ava thinks it’s just a matter of time before she’s found out, and Sonny takes responsibility for Morgan’s death.

Z Nation

Back on the air, Citizen Z is joined by Kaya in the Skya. They suddenly get a load of feedback, and Murphy comes on. He makes a speech about the new world he’s creating. He says everyone has done what they had to in order to survive. He tells them about the Murphy Miracle Vaccine, and says it’s there for all who are ready for freedom from fear.

Roberta watches Murphy’s compound. Dr. Sun thinks the vaccine can be deluted so that a person is immune, but not under Murphy’s control. Hector spies Murphy leaving. Roberta says he has a magazine and there’s only one place Murphy ever reads. The toilet? Roberta decides to go on her own, and slips into the latrine. Ha-ha! There are two of them with half moons on the doors. One says Mr. Murphy, and the other says Everyone Else.

The zombies start pounding at the door to the Everyone Else outhouse where Roberta is. Murphy comes out, complaining that he can’t get five minutes to himself. One of his cronies tells him that someone cut through the fence. They open the Everyone Else door, but it’s empty and obviously someone has gone out the other side. Murphy says, “Warren.”

Sun asks Roberta how long they’re going to search. Roberta says until they find the Red Hand or the Red Hand finds them. Hector says the Red Hand is crazy even by apocalypse standards. Roberta says they’ll need an army. Hector tells her that they can’t be controlled, and they’ll change her more than she’ll change them. She tells him, so be it.

Sun notices some trash cans are on fire. The three of them slip into what looks like a utility headquarters. They see some people who seem high, messing around with an abandoned car. Hector calls them Enders. Roberta fires a shot and the Enders flee. Escopion is written on the car’s hood and there are bodies in the trunk. Roberta thinks they’re probably the owners of the car.

Some zombies come out of nowhere. While Hector and Roberta are dealing with them, one gets Sun on the ground, but someone shoots him. A guy comes out from behind a wall. He says it’s an odd little stand-off, and introduces himself as Hopper. He tells them that he was just going down the road, and they need to watch out for the Red Hand; their methods are harsh. Hopper explains that he’s the Red Hand’s drug dealer, and just a small time business man. Roberta wants to see Escorpion. Hopper says he’ll take them, for a fee. She draws her gun, and he says okay, no fee.

Kaya figures out that Murphy is transmitting from Spokane. Citizen Z wonders what Murphy is up to.

Hopper says Escorpion had a come to Jesus zombie moment, and decided to bring justice to a lawless world. The Red Hand executes his judgment. They drive to a warehouse area.

They get out of the car and Hopper lags behind. He tells them they’re paranoid. Roberta says he is too, and he says Escorpion wants it that way. He lights up a joint and asks Sun if she wants to partake. He offers her drugs or something stronger, saying she needs a man. He puts his arm around her and she flips him to the ground. Roberta tells him not to pull that sh*t again and helps him up.

Hopper leads them to one of the warehouses and opens a metal door. Roberta says it had better not be a trap. They follow Hopper inside. Hopper leads them down to the basement and through a tunnel. He calls it “underground Seattle.” He says it was a cesspool of humanity until the Red Hand cleaned it up. They go on for what seems like forever.

Screams are heard in the distance. Sun hears a scratching noise, and they see disembodied hands climbing all over the place. Hopper says it’s best they keep moving.

10K is in a cell. He’s brought to Murphy. Murphy says the thing about confinement is that it gives you time to think about the big things, like who am I, why am I here? 10K says he only thought about how much he hated Murphy.

Murphy asks what Roberta is planning. 10K says she didn’t tell him. Murphy opens a safe. He pulls out a vial calling it humnaity in a single injection. If 10K tells him Roberta’s plan, he might get his soul back. 10K says Roberta is planning to smack his ass good. Murphy laughs. He tells his cronie to find 10K something useful to do, and that zombie moat clean up might be a good start.

Hopper leads the trio to a chamber where there are neon signs that say guilty. Underneath, there are men bound up in barbed wire with metal gags in their mouths. One tries to speak, but Hooper throws a switch and electrocutes them. He says, the sign did say guilty. The men turn to zombies, breaking their bonds and going after Roberta, Hector and Sun. Hooper applauds when all of the zombies are dead. He suggests they do that professionally and tells them that Escorpion will see them now.

A phone rings? Murphy gets off his throne and looks around for the source. A phone inside a cardboard box inside a closet is ringing. Murphy answers. It’s Citizen Z. Murphy tells him that Operation Bite Mark has been terminated, and there’s a new mission now. Citizen Z asks about Roberta. Murphy says he doesn’t know what happened to her. He says Merch decided it’s more than she could handle, and he has his own mission now. He tells Citizen Z not to call again and hangs up. Kaya tells Citizen Z, that went well.

Hector, Roberta and Sun are led to another area. Everyone gets on their knees and they’re made to do the same. Escorpion is presented. It’s Vazquez. I say OMG! out loud.

Vazquez tells Roberta he hears she has a proposition for him. She says she didn’t expect to find him here. He asks if they’ve met. She says yes, but it’s been a while. He says she must be mistaken; he’d have remembered her. Vazquez says he knows Hector. He’s one of those men who think they’re better than him. They want the peace he brings, but denounce his methods. He says right now the world needs a mad man. Hector asks if he’s sure he doesn’t remember him, and shows him his tattoo.

Vazquez says he has one just like it. He tells his guards to lock Hector and Sun up. Roberta tells him that she also is on a mission, and together they can get a vaccine for the zombie virus. He says he has his own mission, and she should help him. She says they were on a mission together once. He asks her to tell him about it. She unbuttons the bottom of his shirt. She says he was badly wounded and dying; she was hurt too and he helped her. She some close enough to kiss him, says, and then…and she kisses him.

He calls the guards and says get her out of his sight.

Sun asks Hooper what’s going to happen to them. He says he doesn’t know; Escorpion is unpredictable. He throws Sun into a single cell and tells her that she’s safe – for now. Roberta gets thrown in with Hector. She tells Hector that Vazquez won’t help; he still thinks he’s Escorpion. Hector blames himself for Vazquez going insane, because of what he did to Vazquez’s family. Roberta says he’ll snap out of it and Hector asks what if he doesnt? She says she’ll hill him. Hector says she won’t have to, and grabs her from behind, squeezing her neck until she blacks out.

Hopper wakes Roberta. He asks where Hector went. She says maybe he walked out. Hopper takes her and Sun to Vazquez/Escorpion. Vazquez asks where the other one is, and Hopper says he escaped, but not for long.

Vazquez asks Roberta why she’s really there. He asks what this is, showing her a vial. She says their mission, and tells him about trying to get Murphy to California and how they found the real Escorpion. She says he has to remember; they were doing it as a team.

Hector comes in fighting. Vazquez goes over to Hector, and Roberta asks Vazquez not to kill him. Hector says he’s the real Escorpion. Vazquez says it’s lie, and punches him. Hector tells Vazquez that he was an undercover cop named Vazquez, and Escorpion killed his family. Vazquez says he lies. Hector says they met again in Mexico. He goes through the scenario, and how he remembered killing them .He says he didn’t care about their begging and shot them both.

Memories flood Vazquez’s mind. Roberta says it’s true. Vazquez tells the guys to let Hector go. Robeta sees they’re going to fight and wants to stop it. Vazquez hits Hector with some kind of hammer, and then runs him through with a machete. I gasp. Vazquez says he is Escorpion and wants Hector to say it, but he refuses.

Roberta sees the machete and kills Vazquez with it. More gasping on my part. Roberta tells him that she’s sorry. Everyone just stands around watching this entire thing. Vazquez says he’s sorry too, and calls her Roberta. He asks for mercy, and she says yes, go home to your family. He dies and she gives him mercy by slicing off his head. Even though I’m miffed that they gave me Vazquez back and then took him away, it’s really cool how his head slides off his body as he slides down to the floor.

Roberta drops the blade and goes to Hector. She asks Sun to do something. Sun gives him an injection of the experimental vaccine. They wait for a millisecond. Sun says it didn’t work, but he’s not turning.

Hopper holds up Vazquez’s head, and everyone kneels to Roberta.

Whoa.

We hear Murphy say that there’s a world without fear and zombie bites. They’re taking back the apocalypse one vaccine at a time, and if you can hear him, fear no more.

Doc and Addie come to a clearing in the woods. They look into a backyard where a zombie couple is with a little girl. At first Doc thinks the child is going to get bitten, and then he realizes it’s Lucy. Apparently, zombie children grow at the same rate as children on soap operas, because she looks a lot older than one. A live man comes out of the house and shoots at them.

Hector opens his eyes.

Wow. This episode took me all over the place.

Next time, it’s all about Lucy.

Quotes of the Week

Little Jewish kids love hip-hop. – Marcy Blum, president of Marcy Blum Associates, from the online article Hollywood’s Battle for the Best Bar Mitzvah: $5M Budgets, Justin Bieber and Camels

Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed. – Michelle Obama

I respect your jumpsuit, but not its contents. – Tina Fey, as Kate Ellis in Sisters

veteransday

Nov7

November 6, 2016 – Two Cursed Hearts on Once, a Not Yet Broken Daryl on Dead & Continuing Conflicts on the NJ Reunion

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

Once Upon a Time

A breeze blows through the bedroom as Snow and David sleep. Suddenly, Snow finds herself in the middle of the forest. The Evil Queen asks if she remembers her 15th birthday. She got a pony that was just another loyal subject and she’d said it was her best day ever.. The Evil Queen says Snow’s father always made sure Snow got more than she wanted, and now the queen wants what she’s always wanted – Snow’s heart in her hand. She says since David has half of Snow’s heart, she wants that too.

Snow says there’s a protection spell on both of them. The Evil Queen says they’ll hand their hearts over willingly. She shows Snow something terrible in a bottle. She tells Snow that they have twelve hours to figure it out or the whole town will get a taste of it. The Evil Queen disappears, poof! in a puff of purple smoke, and Snow examines the bottle.

The Evil Queen tells Zelena she’s finally getting her revenge on Snow, and David will be thrown into the bargain too. Zelena asks if Rumpel is helping her. The Evil Queen says they’re old friends.

Back in the day, Snow sells a piece of jewelry because she needs the cash…er, coppers. David looks for his mother’s lost lamb (is his mom’s name Mary?), but can’t find it. She says the way things are going, they’re going to have to admit defeat and sell the farm. David goes off to find a buyer for the farm. He’s going to the same port town that Snow is.

In the forest, Snow tears down a wanted poster with her face on it, and the Blue Fairy warns her to get out of the way. They nearly get creamed by an ax. Snow says it’s the Woodcutter, who is als oa bounty hunter. Snow says the forst is no place for her. She’s sold everything and has just enough to get away from The Evil Queen. She’s heading to the nearest port town.

In Storybrooke, Snow explains the bottle of trouble to the others. Emma’s hand shakes. She tells them that the Oracle said things could change as they went along, but the only certainty is her death. Regina tests what’s in the bottle on a tree. It goes all weird, loses it’s leaves and gets bigger. She says it’s water from the River of Lost Souls, and it proves that the Evil Queen is working with Gold. She says if Snow and David don’t give the queen their hearts, she’ll destroy the whole town. Snow wonders if this is the path to Emma’s death. David tells her not to give up. She says she’ll never do that, but the Evil Queen might have finally gotten them.

David’s dog, Wilby, brings him a cup. Wilby leads him to a tiny carriage. A traveling merchant comes out and says David has his cup. He says he was sleeping there so no one would find him. It turns out they’re going the same way, so the merchant offers David a ride. He’s not really a merchant though.

The Blue Fairy tells Snow that everyone loves her, and that love is the most powerful thing of all. Snow says love doesn’t hold its value and she can’t afford to invest in it. She says what can change her life is a ticket out. The Blue Fairy tells her to be careful, and that danger can seem harmless at first.

Fast forward, and Belle wishes she could help, but she’s looked through all her books at can’t find anything to counteract the water. The Blue Fairy, known as Mother Superior in Storybrooke, joins them and says she has nothing either. She thinks there might be some magic to imprison the Evil Queen in a sapling inspired by true love. She believes it’s lost somewhere in Storybrooke. She tells them that there’s a beckoning spell, but it won’t be invisible to Gold and the Evil Queen, so it will be a race. Regina says there might be more between the queen and Gold than just business. Regina says she’d always had chemistry with Rumpel and they can use it to their advantage.

Zelena gets a note from the Evil Queen to meet her at Gold’s shop. Regina peeks out from around the corner and watches Zelena enter. Zelena sees Gold in the back of the shop making out with the Evil Queen. The Evil Queen tells Gold that they should take it somewhere more comfortable, and Zelena says, yeah, like a bed of lies, and walks out.

The Evil Queen blocks Zelena’s path. She says she didn’t say anything because she knew Zelena would be jealous – the proof being in her green neck. Zelena says she’s tired of the lies. Gold sees the note, and the Evil Queen realizes that Regina wrote it. Gold says they’re being played.

Mother Superior makes a rainbow that shows them the way to the sapling.

Way back when, David and the merchant walk through the forest. David feels woozy after drinking some water, and the merchant tells him he shouldn’t take drinks from strangers. David passes out. Snow comes through the forest and hears something in the shrubs. Wilby comes running out and then she sees the Woodcutter’s ax. The Woodcutter tells her that the dog is good at finding strays, and Snow spits in his face. He says he’s not going to kill her, he’s just taking her the the queen for the reward, and the queen will kill her.

In the present, Snow tells David it’s good to be on an adventure with him again. Regina finds a trap door near a path in the forest. She opens it, asks if they’re ready, and the three of them disappear, poof! in a cloud of purple smoke.

Hook tells Emma that her parents will be fine. They’ll find that baby tree thing and fix it. He reads from Henry’s book. It says David and Snow always found each other, no matter what the Evil Queen did, and even when they couldn’t, Emma made sure they did. Hook says they were born of her love and she can overcome anything. He tells her to remember who she is – the product of true love.

Wilby licks David’s face (true love’s kiss? ha-ha!) and he wakes up. David runs to the carriage. Snow is trapped inside. She tells David that the Woodcutter will be back any second and he needs to go. David starts banging at the lock.

Back to the future, Snow, David and Regina find the sapling. Snow and David uproot it and flash back to all of their adventures. Regina hurries them along, but the Evil Queen arrives. She steals the sapling and Snow says it won’t work for her. She breaks it in half and it turns to dust. She tells them to hand their hearts over, but David says they still have time. The Evil Queen says she’ll see them at the cemetery soon enough – it’s a good place for endings.

Back home, Snow tells David that they can’t let the town die. He wishes they could have saved the sapling. They talk about a shared memory where each thinks the other wasn’t there.

In the Enchanted Forest, the Woodcutter finds David trying to break the lock. They fight. Snow grabs the Woodcutter’s arm through a hole in the door and they’re able to kill him. David wants to free Snow, but she says she’s made some enemies. If he sees her face, he’ll have a target on his back. He says he’ll leave, and she can free herself. He asks what she’s doing alone out in the woods. She tells him that she’s trying to survive and not doing a good job of it. He thinks she’s resourceful, and tells her about having to sell the farm. She says she has money and wants to give it to him. He tells her that she needs it herself, but she says maybe she is resourceful, and makes plans to rob a corrupt nobleman. She tells David that knowing he believes in her makes her not alone. She gives him the money, and a little glowing thing happens. The sapling is born.

The Evil Queen tells the townspeople she’s glad they accepted her invitation. If Snow doesn’t show up in five minutes, she’s going to give them some water from the River of Lost souls. Zelena makes a snide remark to Belle about Rumpel making a deal with the queen.

Snow and David arrive. The Evil Queen says she knew they’d show up, even without the sapling. Snow says they know their love is more powerful than anything she has. They’re willing to make the sacrifice. Snow says their paths always go back to each other, and then to Emma. David has Regina remove the protection spell.

Snow and David stand before the Evil Queen holding hands. She’s all happy. She takes their hearts out and the townspeople let out a collective gasp. The Evil Queen says she’s dreamt of this moment forever. She wants to give Snow her pain. the pain of being alone. Since she couldn’t kill her, she’s come up with something more cruel. S returns their hearts. Snow falls to the ground, and disappears, poof! in a cloud of purple smoke. The Evil Queen tells David that since he always finds Snow, start looking and see what happens when he does.

Belle visits Gold’s shop. She tells him that Zelena told her about him and the Evil Queen. She says she doesn’t care what he does and who he does it with, but she does care about the shears. She says Gold intends to use him on their son, but he doesn’t get to tamper with their son’s life just to keep him from hating his father. She says she knows he’s better than that, and he does feel love and could be a good man. If he wants his son’s love, don’t take it, be worthy of it. Gold asks what if he fails. Belle says that’s him all over – fear of failing, which is worse than being evil; he’s too weak to be good. She leaves, and Gold is mighty pissed at Zelena.

David drives to the woods to look for Snow. Emma follows in the VW. David finds Snow in a case made of branches. He removes the top. Regina has come along, and says she doesn’t think it will work this time. David kisses Snow and she wakes up. They remember the first time this happened, and David falls over.

Regina says that the queen put a sleeping curse on Snow’s heart, so they share the curse. When one is awake the other will be asleep. Snow says they’ll never be together. Yeah, but they’ll never argue either.

Next time, Snow tries to break the curse, and Regina thinks they can trap the Evil Queen  behind the mirror, but she and Emma get trapped instead.

The Walking Dead

I would love watching King Ezekiel every week, but it doesn’t look like that’s the deal tonight.

Dwight is watching Who’s the Boss reruns, while he does shots with his girl, Sherry. Alrighty then. Dwight carves chess pieces. Bread is baked. Bartering is done. Negan kicks someone’s ass. Dwight writes down the number 39. He seems to have contraband pickles and condiments. Somehow, a chicken sandwich is born.

Dwight eats while watching some guys play weird games with the zombies. One zombie is stuck to a flagpole and just keeps sliding up and down. I guess the chicken has run out because Dwight makes a dog food sandwich. Oh wait. That’s for Daryl. Well, at least it’s probably loaded with nutrition. Daryl is also naked and I get a little distracted.

Alone in a small, dark cell, Daryl hears a way-too-loud song and I turn down the TV. Dwight brings another sandwich. He watches as Daryl eats. Daryl starts to sleep and the song starts up again. Dwight pops in with a sandwich. How many does he get a day? Daryl is all shaky and weird. Dwight brings in his crossbow and drags Daryl out.

Dammit! They gave Daryl clothes. They look like scrubs with an anarchy symbol on the shirt. Dwight take Daryl into a building to a Dr. Carson. Well, maybe he’s not a doctor, but he’s playing one. Sherry is there and recognizes Daryl, but Dwight says not to talk to him. Sherry tells Dwight it’s negative, and he says maybe next time. She tells Daryl to just do whatever they say.

The doctor checks Daryl out. He says Daryl will get better, and Negan will take care of him. Dwight smirks. Negan sees them in the hall. He wants to talk to Dwight. Daryl sits in the hallway until Dwight drags him out again.

Daryl watches the reindeer zombie games. Dwight tells Daryl that’s him unless he’s smart. He can be like them, or Dwight, or the zombies. He tells Daryl to make it easy on himself, and throws him back in the dark. He tells Daryl that he was rebellious at first too. The song plays again and I start laughing this time. It’s something called Easy Street and it’s very peppy.

Negan tells Dwight that Daryl is going apesh*t and some people are harder to break than others. Negan says since Dwight is doing a great job, pick who he wants as long as she says yes. (Well that’s good of him.) Dwight says he’ll pass and Negan is shocked. Dwight says he hasn’t earned it yet. A voice comes over the radio, saying they have an orange situation. A thief named Gordon has gotten away, and Dwight responds that he’ll meet them at the gate. Negan says he doesn’t have to do grunt work, but Dwight says he likes it. Dwight is so up to something, I wonder how Negan doesn’t see it.

They need to stop the torture, because I start laughing every time I hear that song now. Dwight is off on Daryl’s bike, so some other dude brings his sandwich. Along with another play of the song. OMG – stop it – hahahahahaha! I can’t take it anymore. It reminds me of the time a friend of mine put a token into a jukebox by accident. For whatever reason, it played the opposite side of the song we wanted and it wouldn’t stop. We would be talking, and every time the song would end, we’d wait…and then it would play again and we’d laugh hysterically. Finally, someone went over to the jukebox and kicked it a good one, and it moved on.

While I’m cracking up, Daryl manages to sneak out. I guess he stuck something over the door lock. Cool! Dwight comes across zombies with limbs cracking off as they try to crawl. Dwight pushes the bike along railroad tracks and past an accident. He takes it all in, and almost gets crowned by a zombie falling from the bridge above, then ends up nearly getting bitten by another one.

Back at Neganville or whatever it’s called, Daryl is confronted by Sherry. She tells him that he won’t get away, and when you’re bad, Negan will be worse. Daryl goes to the outside door and sees a line of bikes. He makes a run for them. Uh-oh. Caught. Surrounded. And here comes the man of the hour with his baseball bat. He asks if Daryl is pissing his pants yet. No, but I’m going to from laughing if he puts that song back on again.

No surprise, Negan is all smiley. He asks each man who they are and they all say Negan. He tells Daryl that he’s everywhere, and it was his last shot at realizing that fundamental truth. It sucks, because his life was about to get easier. He doesn’t think that Daryl gets it. Daryl has three choices: you work for Negan as a dead man; work for him and wish you were dead;or work for him, get a brand new pair of shoes, and live like a king. There’s no door number four; it’s the only way.

Negan almost hits Daryl with the bat, but Daryl puts his hand up to block it. Negan says he loves how Daryl doesn’t scare easy, but it pisses Lucille off; she finds it disrespectful. Lucky for him, she isn’t feeling thirsty today, but Negan is definitely getting a drink. He walks off whistling as the guys beat the crap out of Daryl.

Dwight continues on with a flat. He sees a zombie in the distance attacking someone. It’s Gordon. Dwight drops the bike, dispatches the zombie, and whacks Gordon.

Someone says Daryl’s name, It’s Sherry. She says, in the woods after they took his stuff, she said she was sorry. He’d told her she was going to be, and now she is.

Dwight asks Gordon if it was worth it. Gordon says just let him go, and Dwight says he can’t. Gordon asks why, since they used to be friendly, and Dwight keeps telling him to shut up.It’s revealed that Sherry was Dwight’s wife, although Dwight says not anymore. He tells Gordon to keep walking, that there’s nowhere to go anymore – everything is Negan’s or will be. Gordon says it’s okay if Dwight shoots him; he wants him to. Gordon says he can’t go back. Dwight says it’s the only way. Gordon says that’s what Negan wants them to believe. There’s only one of him, so why are they giving up?  Dwight says they were losing. Gordon says when they got there, they thought it would be okay and they could fight the monsters . He drops to his knees and Dwight tells him to get up, and that he’ll dig up Gordon’s dead wife and feed her to the crows if he doesn’t. Gordon says that Dwight won, but there’s nothing left. Gordon gets up and they start to walk again. Dwight shoots him in the back.

Sherry is having a smoke in the stairwell. Dwight asks her for a cigarette. Where are they getting those? Are they growing tobacco? He asks if Negan is good to her, and she says yes. She asks if Dwight is happy, and he says yes, but doesn’t sound like it. He says he did the right thing, and it’s better than being dead. Better than being a zombie maybe.

Oh no here it comes again. ♫ Easy street…da-da-da-da ♫ Daryl gets his sandwich. Dwight tells Daryl that he got his friend killed and he got Tina killed, so don’t pretend he doesn’t know the score. He should be dead, but Negan took a shine to him, and he shouldn’t forget he’s lucky. Dwight sticks a picture on the wall. and says don’t forget. Daryl swipes it down but then looks at it. It’s kind of dark and I can’t really see it, but I think it’s Glenn’s smashed in head.

Thank God. They finally play something different. Roy Orbison‘s Crying. Both Daryl and Dwight lsiten on opposite sides of the door. Daryl weeps. Dwight leaves before he starts.

Dwight brings Daryl to Negan. Negan tells Daryl he looks awful and they’ll have Carson fix him up. He says Dwight hustles and he likes hustle, but things weren’t always cool between them. He says Dwight’s sis fell behind on points because she needed lots of medication. Negan had wanted to marry her and take care of her because he’s a stand-up guy, but while he was thinking about it, Dwight stole the meds and took off with the girls. He couldn’t let something like that stand; there are rules. It cost him a lot going after Dwight, and he still got away, but he saw the light and came back to ask forgiveness. Negan was okay with it, but Lucille is a stickler for the rules. Dwight begged him not to kill Sherry, so he was just going to kill Dwight, but Sherry said she’d marry him instead. It was a start, but not enough, so Dwight got the iron, and then Negan married Sherry. After all that, Dwight still got on board. Negan says he’s a top guy, and they’re totally cool. He tells Daryl that he’s ready to be that guy.

All Daryl has to do is answer a simple question. Who are you? Daryl is quiet, and Negan asks if he’s overwhelmed by the awesomeness? Negan asks him again, while brandishing Lucille, who are you? Daryl answers, “Daryl.”

Negan smiles and tells Dwight that it’s cool. Daryl made his choice; it’s not his problem if it’s a dumbass choice. Daryl is thrown back into his cell, and Dwight says he’s going to wind up in that room or hanging on the fence. Daryl says he gets it. He understands why Dwight took it; he was thinking about someone else, which is why Daryl can’t.

Dwight ponders things outside, while watching the zombie Olympics or whatever that is going on. I almost feel sorry for him. He sees Gordon as a zombie, and it looks like Gordon recognizes him.

Next time, Rick sees Negan again, Michonne is ready to fight, and Rick tells the group that he’s not in charge anymore.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey – Reunion Part One

Beautiful dresses and Teresa looks stunning in a black strapless number. Andy asks about Joe #1, and Teresa says he’s working on his GED and wants to go to college when he gets back. Andy talks about the last reunion she attended, and he wondered at the time if she would be back. She says she’s surprised Jacqueline is there, and Jacqueline says she loves confrontation. As evidenced by her running away from every single one

Jacqueline talks about getting along with Dolores and Siggy. Siggy says she loves everyone. They talk about Dolores’s growth and how she became an independent woman this year. We flash back on how heavily she was counting on Frank, the best ex-husband in the universe. A viewer asks if Frank wasn’t in a relationship, if they’d get back together, but it’s a no. They talk about her son Frankie being hot, and her new management of the gym. They discuss Dina, and who she’s friends with now. Dolores talks about being friends with Caroline, and how it might have contributed to her and Dina no longer being close.

We flash back to the ups and downs with Jacqueline and Teresa this season. How do I detest Jacqueline? Let me count the ways. Andy asks if Jacqueline thinks Teresa has changed, and Jacqueline gives a vague “in some ways” answer. Siggy says Jacqueline’s intentions are good, but her delivery is horrible, and that Teresa is the opposite with no filter. They talk about Jacqueline calling Joe #2 and dragging him into things between her and Teresa. Andy asks if Jacqueline thought Melissa was threatened by the friendship? It doesn’t take long before the three of them are all talking at once. We flash back to Jacqueline’s criticism of Teresa buying a car after she got out of prison. Teresa says they paid back their restitution, and leasing a Lexus isn’t that much, which I’m sure is a matter of perspective. The bottom line for me is that unless someone is paying my bills, they have no business talking about my financial decisions.

Commercial break with important information. Below Deck is on Wednesday this week.

Apparently, Teresa had tweeted that she would like Danielle Staub back on the show. She thinks Danielle would be a great enemy for Jacqueline. Danielle had asked on Facebook if Teresa understands now how it felt to be called names in front of her children. We’re treated to a flash back of Teresa calling Danielle a “prostitution whore,” and flipping the table.

They talk about Siggy and Dolores’s friendship. They’ve known each other the least amount of time, but seem closest. We flash back to a bunch of Siggy stuff. Siggy talks about her family’s move to Israel when she was in high school, and how she came back to America for her senior year.

Jacqueline’s family life is discussed – Ashlee’s engagement, Nicholas’s breakthroughs, and Jacqueline becoming a “glamma.” Jacqueline talks about her new grandson. Teresa and Melissa are whispering and Andy breaks it up. Teresa says Jacqueline talks all about family, and then allows her daughter to say nasty things on Twitter. We see a tweet from Ashlee about Teresa, calling her an ape. Huh? Teresa tells Jacqueline that her daughter needs to learn respect. Jacqueline tries to drag Gia into it, and Teresa tells her to compare what Ashlee puts online to what Gia does. Ashlee has been crazy rude over the years, and I’d hazard a guess that Gia is a nun in comparison.

Joe #2 joins the ladies. Andy talks about what great mothers all the women are, and we flash back to various scenes with the various kids. It’s amazing that most of these kids turned out halfway normal. Andy asks if Teresa gets Jacqueline’s position better after being with Nicholas, and Teresa says she realizes it’s difficult. They talk about Milania, who can be a real loudmouth, but also very sweet. Jacqueline gives her props for how wonderful she is with Nicholas.

We go back in time, watching how Melissa developed her business and the conflicts she had with Joe #2. Andy talks about Joe’s crumb comment being sexist, and Joe says he was raised a certain way. He talks about Melissa giving him sloppy Joes from the can when they were first married. Melissa says that he’s definitely evolved. A fan points out that Melissa had been arrested for shoplifting twenty years ago (when she was a teenager? really? someone’s bringing this up?), and she talks about going through a rebellious period. Derek has quit Envy, but Melissa says it had nothing to do with him selling stories. They talk about Kim D and who told who not to shop where or go to whose events.

Jacqueline acts like Kim D isn’t that bad, but we flash back to her gossiping about Teresa right to Jacqueline. A viewer asks about Teresa not liking that Jacqueline asked her about tabloid rumors, but it not bothering Teresa when Siggy did. Teresa says she didn’t know Siggy. Andy doesn’t get it, but I do. What she saying is that Jacqueline should have known better than asking if something was true, but Siggy wouldn’t have known that, so it was an innocent question when she asked.

Andy says it’s nice to see Teresa and Melissa getting along, and they agree. We flash back to Teresa coming home. It’s such a beautiful, human moment, not matter how you might feel about these two, they’re still people and they’re still a family who love each other. We flash back to Joe #1 leaving. Teresa talks about being away from her daughters. Andy asks them about visiting Joe #1 and Melissa says she most likely won’t. She talks to him on the phone and he has a huge family who all want to see him. We learn that Joe #2 lost his virginity at the age of nine and Teresa walked in on it. Thank you for that visual.

Because Teresa and Melissa are getting along so well, Jacqueline brings up the sprinkle cookies from ten Christmases ago. We flash back to the history of discord between them. Melissa asks why Jacqueline likes to examine their family problems. Jacqueline says they keep implying that she was involved in Strippergate, and Jacqueline says let’s talk about the facts. Teresa infers that it was Jacqueline who did some stripping. I’d also like to know why Jacqueline feels the need to be so involved with the interpersonal relationships of people she’s not related to.

After Teresa insisting that Jacqueline is the one who was once a stripper and Jacqueline saying she wasn’t, we flash back to when that club guy claimed Melissa worked for him (she was a bartender). Now that they’ve jogged my memory, Jacqueline stirred the pot during that whole thing. Melissa tells Jacqueline her hands aren’t clean. Teresa says Jacqueline and Kim D have been tight since day one. Jacqueline says they play dirty and does Melissa think she’d really do that to her? Melissa says she’s not in denial about Teresa, but Jacqueline didn’t show up to the reunion, running away from any responsibility. Melissa says she thinks Jacqueline felt guilty and didn’t want to face her. She says the number one person who caused it was Kim D, but Jacqueline likes situations to happen to other people, taking the attention off of herself. Andy says Joe #2 is the real stripper and Joe wants to know what’s wrong with strippers.

Jacqueline talks about who was going to be at the reunion and how it was toxic, so she avoided it. Teresa says Jacqueline has done numerous things to hurt her and her family. She says that Jacqueline is the one who gave the tabloids a story about Joe #1 cheating. It’s interesting – we flash back to see Jacqueline asking Teresa leading questions and Teresa basically saying she’d kill Joe if she caught him cheating. Jacqueline tells Teresa she’s crazy. Teresa says she’d never put up with it and Joe #2 backs her up. Teresa says Jacqueline’s first husband cheated on her, and somehow it gets to Dolores not having liked Jacqueline for a long time prior to this season, which Dolores denies.

Teresa says Jacqueline is a liar, and Jacqueline says that Teresa went to jail for lying. Teresa says she pled guilty, but Jacqueline set her up. Teresa says Jacqueline and Caroline were behind everything, even calling the government. Siggy says Jacqueline truly loved Teresa at one time. Jacqueline is aghast, but Teresa says she’s glad she got it off her chest and believes it in her gut. Jacqueline says no wonder Teresa is so angry at her.

Next time, extra housewife Chris wants Teresa, Joe #2, or both to take responsibility; Melissa tells Jacqueline she has crazy eyes; Siggy tries to be peacemaker – no doubt unsuccessfully; and Dolores says to light a candle, because that thing is dead. She could be referring to quite a few things here.

Nov5

November 4, 2016 – Take Your Pick: a Couple of GHs, Z Nation Politics, Quotes, a Recommendation or All of the Above

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

General Hospital – Thursday

Carly asks Nell to hold her calls. Sonny walks in to her office.

Jason asks Curtis what he found on Sonny. Curtis says he’s just following leads, and Jason asks what he’s got.

Dante tells Lulu they have someone in custody she’s been thinking about for a while. It’s Daphne.

Nina asks Maxie when she was going to let her know that Charlotte wasn’t her niece. Imagine her surprise when she found out from Griff. Maxie says Claudette lied to all of them. She knows Nina is disappointed, but she’ll be Georgie’s step-aunt soon. Nina says she wants to know what’s happening when it involves her baby brother. Maxie says she’s been busy having just been kidnapped, and since Nathan had to save her, he’s been busy too. She tells Nina that The Beard was after Claudette, and no doubt he’s tracking her down now. Nina says karma is a bitch and so’s Claudette. Maxie says she kind of feels sorry for Claudette; it’s a bad move to cross Valentin Cassadine.

Griff calls from work to check up on Charlotte. Nathan approaches the desk, and Griff says he knows it’s awkward. Nathan says it was Claudette who lied to him, not Griff. He tells Griff that someone has been asking questions about Charlotte. Griff asks who. Nathan tells him that child services is concerned about how she’s being taken care of. Until her birth certificate is found, she’s a ward of the state.

Valentin tells Anna he’s been expecting her. He introduces himself, and she says they’ve met before, haven’t they? Valentin says not unless it’s in a past life, and Anna asks why he’s been expecting her then. He says he’s investigated her background and lists her credentials. He asks what she wants. She tells him she wants a direct answer to a simple question – why is he here?

Lulu asks how they found Daphne. Dante says she was in Auckland using a phony passport and Robert had her sent to Port Charles. He wants Lulu to be in on the questioning.

Jason tells Curtis that they want the same thing- the truth. Curtis says Jason just wants Sonny exonerated and tells him not to front. Jason says he’s not fronting; he just wants honesty.

Sonny asks for privacy, but Carly says they have work to do. He says it won’t take long. He’s set up a foundation in Morgan’s name for kids with mental illness. He tells Carly that maybe she can get some contributions at church. Nell leaves, and Carly looks at the paperwork, saying Sonny can’t afford to give this much. He says it’s the right thing to do. She reminds him of how he opened the hospital wing when Stone died and he had to make sense of the tragedy. She says there’s no making sense of this one. He can start a hundred foundations, but it won’t bring Morgan back or absolve Sonny. Sonny says he knows that and found another way to clear his conscience.

Carly asks what Sonny means. He says he’s been going back to church and he’s hoping that it brings him peace. Carly hopes so too. He asks if she means it, and she says she does. He says he’d like to say a few words at the funeral, and she tells him of course. He says take care, and leaves.

Outside, Nell tells Sonny that the foundation is a beautiful idea and Morgan would be proud. He says he wishes that were true.

Griff tells Nathan that Charlotte is his daughter, and if she gets taken away from him, how can he protect her? Nathan tells him to take a DNA test immediately.

Anna asks what Valentin’s intentions are. He says he wants to reconnect with his family. Anna says he’s had years to do that. She asks again why he’s there, and he asks if she’s always so suspicious, and why she thinks he’s there.

Dante and Lulu go into the interrogation room. Lulu tells Daphne that they have questions. Daphne says she’ll tell them anything they want to know. Lulu asks why she was on the island, and Daphne says she lives there. Lulu says no one has lived in the house for years. Dante asks why Valentin hired her, but she says he didn’t; it was Helena. She paid Daphne to come to the island. She wanted Daphne to bear her grandchild. That’s right. Helena just picked out some random woman for this job. Okay.

Curtis says Jason would bury any evidence against Sonny. Jason says Julian wants Sonny put away. Curtis says his job is not to tell the client what they want to hear; if Sonny is guilty, he’s guilty. Jason asks what Curtis has on his phone. Curtis says he’ll save Jason and his hacker friend some trouble, and shows it to him, saying that’s all he needs.

Carly tells Nell that since there’s no body, she’s asked Michael and Dante for some of Morgan’s personal effects. She says he was proud of himself for getting into Vanderbilt and framed the acceptance letter. She says it’s in Sonny’s house and asks Nell to get it.

Griff says he doesn’t need a DNA test; he knows he’s Charlotte’s father. Nathan says once he gets one done, he can have his say. Griff wonders if that won’t alert Valentin.

Maxie tells Nina about Valentin trying to kidnap Claudette. Nina says he was amazing… until Curtis arrived and they looked at his phone. Maxie thinks Nina might need police protection. Nina says revenge is the last thing on Valentin’s mind. Maxie asks if she saw him.

Anna tells Valentin that when someone with his record decides to visit the city, she likes to know their reason for being there. He says all of the charges were dismissed, and thinks there’s something she’s not telling him. Anna says the WSB was infiltrated by some members of his family, and asks if he is who he says he is. Until five years ago, there was nothing indicating he even existed.

Daphne tells Dante and Lulu that her brother worked as a guard on the island. Helena’s eldest son had passed way, but she still had an embryo. She set Daphne up, paying all of her expenses, and all Daphne had to do was carry the embryo to term. Lulu says she’s the child’s mother. She asks where her child is, but Daphne says there isn’t one. She never carried the embryo. When Helena came back from Paris, she said the deal was off. Daphne says it was as if she was defeated. Lulu asks if she used someone else. Daphne tells her that Helena said the embryo was no longer viable and had been disposed of.

Nathan tells Griff that the DNA test might raise red flags, but if he doesn’t get it done, child services will take Charlotte. Nathan leaves, and Griff asks a nurse how long it would take for test results. She tells him 90 days, and he asks her to find Brad Cooper.

Anna tells Valentin there’s no one to verify who he says he is; Helena and Victor are both dead. He says he’ll consent to a DNA test. He tells her that he’s the product of an illicit affair, and other than a scribble in a diary, there’s no proof he exists. Anna says he’s quite connected, and either has a crack legal team or a maleable judge. It would be inconvenient if she discovered and exposed his contacts. She tells him that it’s about public safety, but he says she ripped the veil off the threat. She asks him to leave Port Charles without making trouble, or she’ll make trouble for him. She says she’d believe him if it wasn’t for Nicholas. She tells him that she knows his type. She’s sorry he was treated cruelly by his family but the minute he got power, he inflicted cruelty on others, which makes him no different than the rest of the Cassadines. He’s a forgotten, insignificant little man lashing out at the world, because his daddy didn’t love him. Wow. He tells her to shut up.

Jason tells Curtis that the connection is flimsy at best. Curtis says the chemicals used aren’t available in this country, but they are near an island owned by Sonny. Jason says it’s still no connection, and Curtis tells him not yet.

Sonny talks to Diane on the phone. He says he needs his whole family taken care of – now. He hangs up, saying his family will never have to see him again. He sees Nell in the doorway.

Anna asks Valentin if she touched a nerve. He apologizes for the outburst. I thought he was pretty restrained, considering. She tells him that her advice is not to stick around, and he advises her to avoid his family as a topic of conversation. She says she’s come to put him on notice and she did. If someone gets so much as a paper cut and she thinks he’s behind it, she’ll have him locked up. She suggests he leave Port Charles. After she’s gone, he throws something at the door.

Maxie wants Nina to get a bodyguard, but Nina says she’s overreacting. She says they’re not going to tell Nathan. In true soap opera fashion, Nathan is suddenly there and says, tell me what?

Lulu asks Daphne if Helena might have given the embryo to someone else. Daphne says Helena was never quite the same, and kept saying that Stavros wouldn’t live on. An officer comes for Daphne, and she tells Lulu that she’s sorry for her loss. Lulu tells Dante that now they know what the envelope meant. If Helena couldn’t use the embryo, they couldn’t either, and she wanted them to know it.

Jason checks on Carly. She hugs him and thanks him. She says Sonny wants to speak at Morgan’s funeral. Jason is surprised, and Carly says she is too, but she wan’t going to say no. She tells Jason about the foundation. Jason asks if the figures are correct and says it’s a lot of money. Carly says that’s typical of Sonny to clear his conscience that way. Jason wonders if something else is going on.

Sonny asks how much Nell heard. She says most of it. He asks what she thought she heard. She doesn’t want to speculate, but thinks it might be legal trouble because of the accident, and he might skip town. She says it’s none of her business, but shouldn’t his family know? He says they might not approve, and asks her to forget what she thinks she heard.

Nell thinks that Carly and Michael deserve to know if Sonny is leaving. Sonny tells her that all his life he just wanted to be a good father, but he’s caused too much pain. She says she’s seen how much his family loves him. He asks her to let him grieve in his own way. Nell says that it’s not her place, and he might decide to stay. After he leaves though, she’s going to tell them. Sonny says it won’t matter. She goes upstairs to finish her errand. Sonny signs a note and leaves it on the desk for Carly.

Jason thinks something else is going on with Sonny. Carly thinks it could be a manic episode, but Jason says he’s taking his meds. He’s in a bad way and hasn’t slept. Carly says she hasn’t either, and she can’t be the one to take care of Sonny when she’s barely holding it together herself. She says Sonny planted a bomb and the bomb killed Morgan. End of story.

An officer tells Curtis that the commissioner wants a word and he has to come to the station.

Lulu tells Dante that maybe it’s time to let it go and close the door for good. She says she thought about Olivia’s premonition, and that maybe she had a daughter out there. Dante says if there was, he’d move heaven and earth to find her. Lulu says she’s learned by losing Morgan and watching Dante grieve, that they’re blessed to have Rocco, and she’s grateful for the family they have.

Nathan makes Nina promise that if Valentin calls her, to tell him right away. She says Valentin knows that he has no chance of another shot with her.

Valentin takes out a locked box.

Griff gets his mouth swabbed. Anna runs into the hospital. She tells Griff that she paid Valentin a visit. She says he never once mentioned Claudette or Charlotte, but that she’s certain he’s hiding something dangerous.

Tomorrow, Nell finds something in Morgan’s room, Griff decides to leave the priesthood, and Jordan tells Curtis that he’s in trouble.

General Hospital – Friday

Sam and Jason wait in a parking lot for Pete to show up. Jason says everything points to Sonny, but something doesn’t add up, and it’s probably staring them right in the face.

Ava talks to Kiki. Kiki isn’t sure if she’d be welcome at Morgan’s funeral. The one thing Carly asked her to do was not lead Morgan on if she had feelings for Dillon, but she did it anyway.

Nell brings the acceptance letter to Carly’s office. She also found what she thinks might be his journal.

Curtis asks Jordan what she wanted to see him about. She says he broke the law by taking the picture of the police file, and now has to face the consequences.

Anna tells Griff that child services is following up, but she knows the case worker, so they can postpone things. Griff says he should have the results by then. Anna thinks Valentin is planning something, but doesn’t know what.

Valentin visits Alexis, who has decided to take him up on the job offer.

Jordan tells Curtis that it’s too bad Valerie had to learn the hard way about him. He tells her that the file falling was an accident, and he took a picture by instinct. He asks her to leave Valerie out of it, but she says Valerie’s career is probably over, and at the least, she’ll face charges.

Kiki asks Ava to put the feud with Carly to rest for the day. Ava says Carly is being inappropriate to blame Kiki for Morgan’s state of mind. She says whenever Carly sees Kiki from now on, it will be a reminder, and how long should she endure it? She tells Kiki this is no life for her. Kiki says no one is looking for a server who spontaneously bursts into tears. Carly might not like her, but she gets it. Ava thinks she should go back to school or go abroad for a semester. Kiki asks if Ava is trying to get rid of her. Kiki says she can handle seeing Carly, but Ava says she’s not the only one who worries her. Morgan does too.

Carly looks at the book and says Morgan wasn’t the journaling type, since he always said what was on his mind. Nell says it looked like he was trying to hide it. Carly asks if she read it, but Nell says only the first page. Carly opens it and says he started keeping it when he was in Freedman.

Anna tells Griff that they shouldn’t assume Valentin is just there for one reason; the Cassadines are multi-taskers. She says it was like being worked over by a professional interrogator who was keeping her off guard. She’s going to use her resources to delve into his background. Griff tells her that he’s calling the bishop. He’s going to leave the priesthood for good.

Alexis tells Valentin not call her Natasha or sis; they only have a professional relationship. He says he stands by his promise to leave if he’s not the heir. Alexis says she has questions for him, and it shouldn’t take her long to determine when he’s leaving Port Charles.

Ugh! Breaking news. Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah.

Jason tells Sam he’s been going over everything. He says the only thing that comes out as weird is Pete leaving the keys in the car and giving someone the opportunity to plant a bomb. I’d say that’s quite a lot. Sam suggests someone might have paid him. Jason sees that Pete just showed up for his shift and suggests they ask him.

Anna asks Griff if he’s sure. He says he’s been called to another life, and having only one person call him father might be easier. Ha-ha! A surgeon priest with a sense of humor. He believes God sends signs telling us His will, and Charlotte is the biggest sign he’s ever experienced. His path is more clear than it’s ever been.

Valentin and Alexis trade barbs. She asks about Nicholas signing over the title, and asks if there’s no quid pro quo. Valentin tells her that Nicholas was on the run and wanted to unload his assets, but she says it doesn’t make any sense. And Judge Judy says when something doesn’t make sense, it’s not true. Alexis didn’t mention that, but it is what Judy says. Alexis tells Valentin she could even accept it if his was the only recollection, but there’s Ava.

Ava tells Kiki she couldn’t have known what was going to happen, and Kiki says that’s what Sonny said. She says even if she didn’t know how much he was suffering, she should have been there for Morgan. She made things worse. Ava insists she’s not responsible and Kiki says, then who was? Ava flashes back to messing with Morgan’s meds. She says she knows exactly who’s responsible.

Carly asks Nell to stay. She reads from the journal. Morgan writes that Andre had asked him to keep it, and maybe it will be good for him. He’s done a lot of crazy things, but he’s starting to feel better, and wants to get out and try life again. He wants to be with Kiki and the people he loves. He writes that he’s bi-polar, and looking at the words, he has to accept it, but that doesn’t mean life is over. He says he wants his mother to be proud of him.

Jordan tells Curtis that she won’t take action against Valerie. She doesn’t want TJ’s uncle behind bars with his father either. She says he’s cleaned up his act with the drugs, but he’s still a user who only cares about himself.

Oh for the love of all that’s holy. Breaking news again. That can’t wait a whole half hour. Thanks, ABC.

Ava tells Kiki that Morgan was rational enough to pull over and was getting out of the car when he died. It’s Sonny’s fault, and Kiki should talk to Carly if she doesn’t believe Ava.

Carly says Morgan made an entry every day and next to it is a record of him taking his meds like he promised. He writes about getting out of Freedman and how he knows he can do this after Sonny talked to him. He goes on about finding Kiki with Dillon, but that they’re getting back together. Carly says everything sounds normal and happy. Until it’s not. He talks about the guy harrassing Kiki and how he backed off. Nell says the reaction sounds normal. Carly says he was in control of his illness. Until he wasn’t.

Here comes Pete. Sam gets out of the car. She tells him she’s Julian’s daughter. She says she thinks they can help each other out. She says the conversation can stay between the two of them. She wants his version of what happened the night Morgan was killed and offers him some cash.

Carly reads an entry about the baseball cap order. He says it wasn’t his fault, but he feels like a screw up. Everything feels off. He feels like he’s in a hole and doesn’t know why. He talks about discussing going back to school with Nell. Nell tells Carly she’s sorry. The writing changes; it’s as though he’s in a hurry. Carly says he was headed for a manic episode.

Ava tells Kiki that Morgan was going into a manic spiral and the events were inevitable, but if Sonny hadn’t planted the bomb, Morgan would be alive. Kiki asks who she’s trying to absolve, Kiki or herself?

Anna, Griff and Charlotte play cards. Griff suggess pizza, but Anna thinks they should go out. She says they have a trained agent with them. Her.

Valentin tells Alexis she’s a true credit to the Cassadines. She says no one ever said they were stupid. He says he should go, and she tells him not to stop until he gets to Greece. He remembers another document that he found in Greece, and gives it to her. She says it’s in Greek and he tells her have it translated. I’m shocked that neither one of them took the opportunity to say, “It’s all Greek to me.” Valentin says he’ll be in touch, and she tells him that she’s counting the minutes, closing the door in his face.

Sam tells Pete to think of it as severance pay. Pete says he has nothing to say, and Sam says maybe he should talk to Jason then. Pete asks if she’s threatening him, and she says no, that’s her husband’s job. Jason comes out and she leaves. Pete reconsiders, saying that they don’t even have to pay him. Jason asks what happened the night Julian’s car blew up.

Curtis says it was a mistake, but Jordan says it’s how he lives his life. He isn’t worthy of the badge, he has no morals or ethics. She says he’ll never work for the PCPD or any other jurisdiction close by. He says he’s not leaving Port Charles. She says fine, work for a lowlife, and tells Curtis that he’s finally found his calling. He calls her a hypocritical bitch.

Anna, Griff and Charlotte go to The Floating Rib. The test results are in, and Anna leaves to get the envelope. Griff makes fun of the high end menu with Charlotte. Valentin walks in and sits near them. Griff looks freaked.

Ava tells Kiki that she knows for a fact that Sonny is responsible. She hates seeing Kiki feel guilty. Kiki says she does feel guilty, but she’s not leaving Port Charles (today’s theme). She says she’s going to face what’s next, just like everyone else involved.

Carly tells Nell that Morgan’s handwriting gets worse and worse, until the entries are just short blurbs. Can’t think. Busted. Expelled. No one understands how I feel. Why can’t I do anything right? Tears slide down Carly’s face and she shakes her head.

Anna comes back to the table. Griff excuses himself, which surprises her. She opens the envelope. Griff goes to Valentin’s table and warns him to stay away from his daughter. Valentin says there’s a misunderstanding – Charlotte is his daughter. Thought so!

Curtis says Jordan acts high and mighty because she sacrificed so much to get where she is. He reminds her of every mistake she’s made, and says that she likes putting him down because of her cheating on Tommy. He tells her that if he’s in the gutter, she’s with him.

Jason asks Pete why he left Julian’s car with the keys in it and walked away. All of a sudden, Pete falls to the ground. Jason ducks next to a car.

Carly sees check marks for every day, even the last entry. Nell says Morgan never stopped taking his meds, and Carly says that she thought it was the only way he could spiral. Nell wonders if he faked it in case someone looked at the journal. Carly says he kept his vow and didn’t understand why it wasn’t working. Nell wonders if the medication needed adjusting. Carly doesn’t get how it cold go so badly, so quickly, unless there was something wrong with the medication.

Kiki has to get back to work and says she’s sincere in thanking Ava for stopping by. Ava gets a text from “Blocked.” I saw you. I know what you did to Morgan. Hmm… Nell perhaps?

On Monday, Carly tells Sonny she found something, Elizabeth asks Franco for a favor, and Charlotte sees Valentin.

Z Nation

A group of dudes drive an RV into a cluster of zombies.

Doc screws around with the engine of the ice cream truck. Kaya comes on the radio, playing a song for Operation Bite Mark. Addie says they need to find a transmitter to get in touch with Citizen Z and Kaya. Doc wants to get in touch with Kaya and tell her to play some Hendrix.

They hear a siren and a limo drives up. It’s Sketchy and Skeezy from many episodes ago. Doc says he thought they were dead, and asks what kind of luck that is. Addie says dumb luck.

Doc and Addie get in the limo and have a cocktail, while two motorcyclists work on the truck. Skeezy explains that they claimed the limo from the Bill Clinton museum and they should see what was found in the cushions. Sketchy says they heard about Murphy, and asks if they’re joining him. Doc tells him that he and Addie were checking out another group, and Sketchy says they’re all going the same way. He says friends don’t let friends drink and drive, and suggests they ride with him, calling it a presidential motorcade. Addie wonders what these two goons are up to now.

The limo follows Skeezy driving the truck, with the two motorcyclists ahead of him. Sketchy has Doc and Addie put on shades and they pull up to a building that used to be a large store. Skeezy announces the President of the United States, Sketchy, whose real name is Thurston Howell. There’s no one there for the rally though.

Sketchy says they’re just afraid, and changes the music. The motorcyclists turn into stripper cheerleaders. People start to come out from the recesses of the building. One introduces herself as the Mayor. Sketchy thanks her for her service and introduces Skeezy as Jefferson, his spiritual adviser. He sets up a podium and makes a state of the union address.

He says they’ve seen better days. He tells them that he knows they’ve heard the government has run off, but together they can get America working again and control the socialist zombie menace. A zombie comes out of nowhere and grabs him, but gets taken down. Sketchy says he’s willing to lay down his life because lost causes are worth dying for. Everyone applauds and the Mayor calls him Mr. President. Doc suggests it’s Mr. Smith Goes to the Apocalypse.

The Mayor says when their well dried up, most of the people left. They’re what’s left of South Dakota. Addie hasn’t been able to find a radio. She tells Doc that Sketchy is going to rip these people off. A woman named Erin runs up to Sketchy saying her husband is sick. He takes a picture with her, gives her a pin, and tells her good luck.

Doc talks to Erin. He says he’ll do what he can.

The Mayor asks how do they know he’s really the President? She asks who voted for him. Skeezy pulls out a scroll. Sketchy says he was billionth in line for the presidency, and everyone ahead of him is dead. He shows her his POTUS underwear.

Erin leads Doc to the quarantine section. She tells him people started getting sick about a week ago. She takes Doc to her husband. Doc looks at the man’s eyes, which are weird and yellow. The Mayor says they all have it; it’s first sign that something is wrong. Doc asks if they’ve been bitten, and she says not to her knowledge. He says the only thing they can do is let it run it’s course. He has no clue what it means.

Addie asks how it went, but Doc says there’s nothing he can do. Sketchy is making a speech about he store being an American enterprise. He says their fear turns them into monsters. He doesn’t want them to be afaid, but needs their help. He wants to build a wall to keep the zombies out and make the zombies build it.

Sketchy shows a map with an illustration of where he’ll build the wall. He says let’s make America America again. He explains that they’ll need funding. Whatever they can give in trade – guns, ammo, drugs – no donation is too small or large. Erin starts to go forward. Addie tries to stop her, but she says someone is finally giving them hope. She gives Sketchy her wedding ring.

Sketchy says it’s like his mother used to tell him – and gets beaned with a shoe. A guy with a bad toupee comes out of the crowd and says he’s John J. Lannister, the next president. Skeezy tells Sketchy that he saw the zombies take Lannister down, and no one could have gotten away from that.

Outside, Doc tells Addie this reminds him of Black Summer, and how entire cities were wiped out in days. He wonders what’s making the people sick. Addie asks if it’s worth the risk of them getting sick and he tells her, why save the world if there’s no one to enjoy it?

The dudes in the RV take stock of their supplies, including a cattle prod.

Lannister chews out Sketchy for stealing everything from him, including his pom-pom girls. They start slapping each other and girl fighting. Skeezy holds Lannister down and Sketchy thanks everyone, saying they have to leave to build the wall. He says four score and seven years from now, they’ll see the wall.

Lannister comes out and says the people deserve a vote. He announces his candidacy and Sketchy says it’s not an election year. Lannister presents his own plan – a series of very large holes. He wants to use criminals as bait. The zombies fall in the holes and eat the criminals. Lannister insists on a debate. Sketchy agrees. Lannister says they need a neutral moderator and calls out Addie.

Addie asks if it isn’t true thatthey’re both shameless con artists. Sketchy says he didn’t have con artist relations with this man. Lannister says zombies can’t be trained. Sketchy calls Lannister a flip flopper. They use all of the classic debate lines.

Doc tends to the sick and a man runs by yelling for help. He runs into the debate room, telling them that everyone in the neighboring town of Rosebud is dead and turned zombie. The Mayor says that’s their water supply. The man keels over. Doc tries to revive him. Erin tells Sketchy to do something. She’s not looking too good either. Sketchy says he’s going to kill the zombies first. Everyone applauds.

The zombie town of Rosebud is arriving. Lannister grabs a sword and Sketchy has a gun. Sketchy tells Skeevy that if he doesn’t come back, to kill Lannister. They go outside, following a zombie into another building. Sketchy tries to shoot the zombie, but the gun doesn’t work. Addie has followed and kills the zombie, as Sketchy and Lannister watch from behind a pillar. As she’s beating the crap out of the zombie, they run out the door.

Doc has no luck in reviving the man. The Mayor says he’s gone and Doc can stop now. The man immediately turns, and Doc gives him mercy.

Sketchy and Lannister come back. Sketchy brags that he killed the zombie and Lannister says he’s lying.

Doc starts to notice everyone’s eyeballs getting yellow.

The dudes in the RV say that no matter how much they beg, no mercy. Who are these guys?

Doc hot wires a mototcyle.

Sketchy and Lannister are back at their debate. Addie asks what Sketchy has done for the country, and says America has gone to the zombies. Silence. Sketchy asks when was the last time they paid taxes and says they’re welcome. A vote is taken.

Doc rides to Rosebud. He goes into the first house he sees. Not much there. He goes into the backyard and finds a shed with a makeshift skull and crossbones sign on it. He walks in. There are bodies everywhere. The people have committed suicide.

Doc checks out the water pump, but the water is brown. He looks at some pipes rigged up by the pool and follows them. He reaches into a water tank and pulls out a zombie head. Yuk! He goes back to the shed and examines the bodies more closely. They have yellow eyeballs.

Sketchy and Lannister continue to debate. I thought we were voting. Addie is snoozing off. Doc runs in and knocks the cup out of Lannister’s hand. He tells them that the water is contaminated and that there was a zombie head stuck in the filter. The Mayor says it’s their only water source, and they’ll die. Doc says they’re already dying and sees that everyone’s eyeballs are turning yellow. The Mayor says not everyone is sick, and Doc tells her that this zombie stuff is unpredictable.

Lannister says Sketchy is using his tactics to manipulate, a prime example of government overreach. Doc tells him that he’s insane and he’s trying to help these people live. The Mayor asks Sketchy what he thinks. Sketchy says there’s not enough proof and the matter needs more study. Doc says if they want to die, drink the water.

Addie tells Sketchy that this is real. People are in danger, so drop the act and help them.

Doc grinds something in a cup. The Mayor tells him it’s over anyway, but he says there’s always hope. He gives her some ground charcoal, saying it will bind the poison. She’s like, really? and he says he saw it on Naked and Afraid, and hopes it works.

Addie packs up. Sketchy tells her he wants to be a good person, but before she can answer, the RV dudes come running in. They tell everyone that these guys are con artists.

The zombie horde of Rosebud shuffles toward the town.

Doc sees the Mayor’s eyes clear up. She says she feels better, and he was right about the water.

The RV leader calls them treasonous charlatans, and asks what they have to say for themselves. Sketchy makes a snarky remark. Everyone grabs guns and there’s shooting back and forth . A cheerleader whacks the RV leader in the head. Doc tells Addie that it’s politics as usual. The zombies enter. The Mayor yells at them to quit shooting at each other.

The cheerleaders are taken down immediately. Doc grabs Addie, and she says time to go. He asks about the others, but sees that it will be okay when he and the Mayor exchange glances. Doc and Addie run out and get in a car where miraculously, the keys are in the visor.

Skeezy says he can’t live without his cheerleader love until he sees she’s a zombie, and then says let’s go. He and Sketchy run out, but the car is already moving. Doc accidentally knocks down some tanks of oil. Sketchy, Sleezy and Lannister (sounds like a law firm) slide around in it, smacking at each other. Addie asks if Doc wants to go back for them, but he says he hates politics.

Addie says she just wants to find Lucy and get the apocalypse over with. They pass the South Dakota sign.

The Mayor gives charcoal to the others, and they get better almost instantly. Erin and her husband are leaving, but want to know who won the election. The Mayor says that everyone wrote the same thing – that weed doctor.

We see a giant US flag hanging from the ceiling. The stars are in a “Z.”

Next time, Murphy wants 10K to spy on Roberta, Roberta thinks they need an army, and a renegade hand causes trouble. I mean a real hand. Like a hand detached from a body.

Quotes of the Week

I wrote “loan” because it was not a loan. – Plaintiff on Judge Judy.

My dear boy, have you ever tried acting? – Laurence Olivier to Dustin Hoffman when he stayed up for four days in a row in preparation to play his sleep-deprived character in Marathon Man.

After all human beings are like that. When they are alone they want to be with others and when they are with others they want to be alone. – Gertrude Stein, Paris France, 1940

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. – Marie Curie

🔊  Recommended: Channel Zero: Candle Cove on the SyFy network. An odd and creepy series about a TV channel that’s come back to haunt the adults who once watched it as children. Candle Cove had been a TV show that wasn’t listed in the TV Guide, starring some weird, badly made puppets. When the kids watched the show, real life murders happened. And it’s happening again.

Oct31

October 30, 2016 – Captain Nemo Finds Storybrooke, Carol Finds a King & Siggy Finds No Closure

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

Once Upon a Time

Long ago, on the Jolly Roger, Hook yells at the crew for being slow. One of the men says they’re tired and Hook asks who dares defy him?. It’s a stowaway who says he’s no one and wants to ask him a simple question. He asks if taking revenge on the Dark One has been worth the time and effort. Hook says he’ll have to settle for him first, but suddenly sees what he thinks is a sea monster. The stowaway tells him there isn’t one, and he’s saving Hook’s life. He pushes him into the water and dives in after him.

In Storybrooke, Regina hunts down the Evil Queen for a little chat. The Queen insults her lack of entrance flair. Zelena joins them. Regina says that her masquerade as a cricket therapist didn’t work.

Snow and David are inside Zelena’s house. Snow lets Jiminy Cricket out of his cage. I’ll say it again – he’s so cute! I want one.

The Evil Queen says she’s not there just to gloat, she’s there for something else. Zelena runs inside where David and Snow are. The Evil Queen says the real fun can begin and Regina appears in between them, poof! in a puff of purple smoke. She tells the Evil Queen to bring it on.

At Granny’s, Jasmine tells Aladdin they haven’t talked about Agribah – they still need his help. He doesn’t want to hear about it and leaves the diner.

Hook joins Henry and Emma for breakfast, but Emma gets a text from Jasmine that she doesn’t know where Aladdin is. Emma and leaves to help find him. Hook tosses Henry’s Pop Tarts in the trash and says he’s going to make him a pirate’s breakfast of grapefruit and mackerel. I have to admit, it’s a lot healthier. God only knows what’s in a Pop Tart. I won’t touch them. Henry takes the trash out.

The Evil Queen is waiting outside, and asks Henry if his new father is bothering him. Henry says Hook isn’t his father, but she says he may be soon. She says she knows what it’s like to be that person, and Henry says Hook isn’t like her. She shows him a box that Hook was fooling around with, and he finds the shears. The one thing that can take away what makes Emma special. She says Hook doesn’t care about Henry or Emma, and he needs to asks himself what he’s going to do about it.She disappears, poof! in a cloud of purple smoke. Copycat.

Emma catches Aladdin breaking into a car. He says it’s his, and she says they need to talk. He says he knows Jasmine sent her.

Hook looks for Henry. He sees that the shears are gone.

Back in the day, Hook comes to on a submarine. A man with a harpoon tells Hook welcome aboard. Hook punches him out and asks where he is. He asks what magic this is, and a captain welcomes him to the Nautilus, saying to call him Nemo. Hook asks what he wants. Nemo says the ship is a second chance. Hook says he’s not staying. Nemo says he knows Hook’s heart is full of hatred and seeking revenge, and he finds people like him. The one thing missing in his life is family. Hook says no one will replace what the Dark One took. Nemo says he knows how it feels. He lost a family too, brutally murdered while he was at sea. He spent decades hunting the murderers down. When he was finished, all he was left with was an empty heart and a blood-stained harpoon.

Hook wants out, but Nemo needs his help with a mission. He tell Hook that when it’s done, he’ll see this ship is where he belongs.

Hook finds Henry at the docks and asks what he’s doing there. Henry says what his mom wanted Hook to do. Hook says he’s trying to protect Emma. They see something rise out of the water and start to run, but their path is blocked by a guy who says the captain wants to see Hook.

Henry and Hook are taken on to the Nautilus. Hook opens the window shade and it’s super cool under the water. The ship is pretty amazing too.

Snow and David meet at the hospital. Another refugee from the Land of Untold Stories has been brought in. David is going to go to the station to see if he’s been reported missing. Snow sees Belle in the waiting room. She’s getting her first ultrasound. She doesn’t want Rumpel to be a part of anything, but doesn’t know how to deal with it. Snow says she doesn’t have to deal with it for three trimesters.

Henry wonders what would happen if Hook had just gotten rid of the shears. He says he’s saving her life. Henry says her being the Savior is what brought them together, and Hook doesn’t get to make decisions since he not part of the family. Henry says they’re just going to be fish food now anyway. Hook says the captain isn’t someone he’s going to want to meet.

Way back when, Nemo and Hook are in old-fashioned diving suits with those big round helmets. Nemo tells him stay on the path. They go through a cavern. Another diver says he’d give his life for Nemo. His family was taken for him and he grew up on the docks, vowing revenge, and Nemo saved his life. Hook asks if he found those who wronged him. They guy says no, and Hook says he shouldn’t give up so easily.

They come across a huge treasure chest. Nemo says there’s more than gold and jewels in it. Hook tries to back away and a giant squid grabs him. Nemo said stay on the path, dude. The squid is awesome, all tentacles and teeth. Nemo harpoons it. Good-by giant squid! Nemo says Hook is stubborn, but he hasn’t given up on him. He’s part of the family.

Rumpel as Gold visits the Evil Queen. She says she’s driving a wedge through the Charming clan and asks if he’d care to join her. He asks if she remembers her lessons. Never take what’s his being the most important one. He says the shears are gone, and he can smell her magic all over it. The Evil Queen realizes he wants to use them on Belle so he can change the fate of his family. She tells him like everyone he’s ever loved, the shears are long gone. He tells her to be careful who she crosses; she might need an ally. She says you don’t need allies when you win, and she’s doing fine without him.

Emma drives Aladdin out to the woods. She shows him the Welcome to Storybrooke sign. She shows him the base where a car hit it. She says she hit it after Henry tried to convince her she was the Savior. She says it wasn’t the only time. Yesterday when he gave her the shears, she was worried she might use them. She imagines her family having to watch her die. She says she ran, but came back to face the people she disappointed, and tried to make up for her mistakes. He says he doesn’t know how to fix things in Argribah. She tells him finding out what happened is a good place to start.

Hook tells Henry he killed his own father. When he did it, he didn’t just take his life. He had a son, named Liam after Hook’s older brother, and he left an innocent boy an orphan.

In the past, Nemo shows Hook a key. He says all they do is sail with no place to call home. This key opens the gateway to the Mysterious Island, where you can start over. He tells Hook this is his chance. Hook says he can’t give up now. Nemo says Hook has lost people he loves and doesn’t want to open his heart, but the island is a place where he never has to lose anyone again. He asks Hook to join his crew. Hook asks where he got the key, and Nemo says it belongs to his first mate. He was a young boy when his father was murdered. He tells Hook his first mate’s name is Liam.

Fast forwarding, Henry thinks Hook is trying to make up for Liam with him. He says Hook can’t do that, but maybe he can, and shows him the shears. He says, first rule of kidnapping is they never search the kid. Hook gives Henry a diving suit. He says there’s only one helmet, so he’s not going. He says if only one of them can go back to Emma, it’s Henry. Henry dives into the water.

Back in time, Liam approaches, calling Hook “brother.” He says he’s been waiting a long time for this and produces a weapon.

Hook runs farther into the submarine. He sees Nemo who tells him that running from Liam won’t solve anything. Liam is like a son to him and gave up seeking vengeance. Liam enters, saying he was a son to someone else once too. Nemo says killing Hook won’t quench the fire inside him. Liam tells Nemo that’s easy for him to say; he got his revenge. Nemo says they were so close to finding a home. Liam says his heart is no stronger than the captain’s. Nemo gets in between Hook and Liam, and Liam stabs Nemo accidentally. Hook says Liam deserves better, and hopes he finds it. He jumps into the water.

In the present, Liam tells Hook he’s taken everything, his father and Nemo. Hook realizes the Mysterious Island is the Land of Untold Stories, and Nemo is in Storybrooke. Liam says that Hyde took Nemo, and he’s dead because of Hook. Henry returns and tells Liam to stop. While he’s distracted, Hook knocks him out. Hook says he told Henry to leave, and Henry says if he had Hook would be dead. Hook says he couldn’t see another family ruined, and Henry says neither could he.

Hook says he won’t use the shears if Henry doens’t want him to. They’ll find another way to save Emma; the decisions don’t have to come true. He puts the shears in a chest and it sinks into the water.

Aladdin approaches Jasmine. He apologizes. She says she knows he feels guilty, but there’s more he needs to know. He says he might not be the Savior anymore, but if they go back to Agribah, he might be able to help. Jasmine says she went to a neighboring kingdom seeking an alliance. She got caught in a sandstorm on the way back, and when she got there, Agribah was gone. Way to end their storyline.

Belle asks Snow about the patient that was brought in. Snow says he’s in surgery, but the doctor thinks he has a chance. Belle has two copies of the sonogram. Snow asks if she’s giving one to Gold. Belle doesn’t know if he can ever repair things. She does know the son in her dream looked at him with hatred. She wishes things could turn out differently.

The patient is Liam. Hook sits next to the bed and tells him he’s in the hospital. He’s surprised Hook didn’t kill him, but Hook says he has something to live for now. Liam realized if he killed Hook in front of Henry, he’d be creating another boy filled with hate. He wishes Nemo could see them.

Nemo is wheeled in. He was found this morning, and was the patient in surgery. He and Liam join hands and Hook goes to the waiting room. Emma is confused as to what happened. Hook says he’ll fill her in, and Henry jets. He says everything that happened was his fault. Henry was looking to right a wrong. He didn’t dispose of the shears, thinking it might help save her even if she hated him for it. He says Henry made him see the error of his ways, and they’re at the bottom of the ocean. She says she would have done the same thing. They embrace.

Gold looks at a huge book. He says the pirates and the son worked things out in the end. The Evil Queen tells him that they’re an insipid bunch, too forgiving of each other. She says she’s come to make amends, and has been going about it all wrong. She forgot the most important lesson – know what you want and go after it with everything you have. He asks what she wants. She kisses him. Hmm…

Belle comes to Gold’s shop. She sees it’s closed and slips the sonogram picture under the door.

Gold asks if the Evil Queen wants him. She says something else, but she needs his help. He asks what makes her think he would help her. The Evil Queen says fortunately for him, there are still a few underwater creatures who owe her a favor. She has the shears. He asks what she needs his help with. She tells him that the one thing she’s always wanted is Snow White’s heart and smiles

Next time, the contents of a bottle could destroy Storybrooke, they have 12 hours to figure it out, danger lurks around every corner, and the Evil Queen thinks the cemetery is a good place for endings.

The Walking Dead

Carol is being hauled in a wagon by two guys on horseback that look like knights. Morgan follows.

Zombies attack and Carol falls off. Morgan and the others fight them off. Carol thinks she sees someone she knows, but it’s a zombie. She staggers away while the guys are still fighting. She comes to a house and sees a lady beckon from the window, but it’s a zombie. She slumps against a fence. A zombie is headed toward her and gets it’s face sliced off. Nice one. A bunch of people on horseback come in and dispatch the rest. I’m going with this crowd.

A guy named Daniel says they’ve been looking for Morgan, but it looks like he found some people himself. Morgan fiddles with a mailbox because maybe that zombie mailman from Z Nation is coming along.

Carol sleeps while Morgan sits next to the bed. She wakes to the sound of makeshift wind chimes. She asks how long she’s been asleep and he tells her two days. I always think that would be freaky to wake up and so much time has gone by. But it’s better than American Werewolf in London where he was out for three weeks. She asks where they are.

Morgan wheels her through the town. He says their weapons will be with held until they leave. In about a week, they can go back to Alexandria. The town is called The Kindgom. Morgan says they were helping Carol, so he helped them. It’s beautiful, lots of plants and animals, and Renaissance Faire clothing. Morgan explains the story he gave the man in charge, whose name is King Ezekiel.

Morgan wheels Carol into a building. He tells her Ezekiel does his own thing. They go into an auditorium where Ezekiel sits on a throne with his pet tiger next to him. I like him already. He could possibly save this show for me. I’m getting to the point where I’m tired of it being depressing and more depressing.

Ezekiel tells the tiger to settle down; these are their guests. He says if she’s a friend of Morgan, she’s considered a friend of the realm unless proven otherwise. He introduces himself and welcomes her to The Kingdom. He asks if he detects skepticism, and if she thinks he’s mad. He asks what she thinks of The Kingdom and King. She tells him that she thinks he’s amazing, the place is amazing, and Shiva the tiger is amazing. She says she doesn‘t know what’s going on in the most wonderful way. He says he let’s everyone take what they want as long as they contribute. Drink from the well, replenish the well.

He has one of his men give her some fruit. She says she doesn’t want to be any trouble and she’s not a fruit person. He says if there’s anything she wants or needs, just ask, and mentions they have a great musician. She says more rest and maybe a hairbrush; no one told her she was meeting royalty. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile like this, but I don’t know if she’s faking it. They both say it’s a pleasure, and Morgan wheels her out.

Carol is like, what the what? She tells Morgan that this is make believe and she can’t do this. Freakin’ spoilsport. Morgan tries to talk to her. She says when he’s not there to stop her, she’ll go. He says he’ll stop her, but she says it’s not up to him. He says he won’t let her die out there. She says it doesn’t matter what he does.

Is she kidding? This place is awesome!

Ezekiel and company hunt some wild pigs. They drive them to a place where a zombie is hanging from the ceiling, because they want the pigs’ bellies full of rot. I don’t get that, but okay. Some zombies wander up and one of the guys, Benjamin, is learning how to kill them. He doesn’t quite get it, so Ezekiel finishes the zombie off. Morgan is told that no one back at The Kingdom needs to know about any of this. Ezekiel yells to the zombies that one day they will be released from the curse and in the meantime, they live in their place. I’m fascinated.

Back at The Kingdom, Ezekiel asks Morgan how he acquired his skills with the staff. Morgan says from a cheese-maker. Ezekiel says Benjamin’s path is in need of adjustment, and asks if Morgan will train him. Morgan says the staff could have saved the man he shot to save Carol. Ezekiel says like it saved Morgan. He needs Benjamin to live because he’ll be an important member of his staff. Morgan agrees, and Ezekiel says The Kingdom is favored by his presence again.

Carol sits in her room. Shiva suns herself and an acapella choir sings It’s All Right. Morgan shows Benjamin how to use the staff. Watching Benjamin reminds me of one of my martial arts workout DVDs. Carol wheels around the place, faking it, acting all nice to a guy and pretending to be over the moon about some cobbler. She pretends to tear up about how great the town is, and asks for a tissue. She steals some clothing when they guy has his back turned. She’s pissing me off.

Benjamin asks about Morgan’s book. Morgan tells him it’s philosophy. Benjamin says he’s read all the books there several times, and air conditioning manuals are boring. Morgan gives him the book. Ezekiel tells them they have matters of import to attend to.

He says the swine are slaughtered far from the kindgom. It’s a secret and secrets are burdens that come with a cost. A bunch of guys get out of cars and meet them. They belong to the Saviors (not to be confused with Emma and Aladdin in the previous show). Ezekiel says their arrangement is important. Oooh, I think I’m getting this. One of the guys says the pigs look bigger than last time, and Ezekiel’s man, Richard, says they were well fed. The man asks for help loading them into the truck. A woman starts to quietly tell Morgan they’re from another group, but Morgan says he knows who they are. Apparently, Ezekiel is trying to poison the Saviors or turn them into zombies.

The guys load the truck. One of the Saviors tells them they’ve gotten off easy. Richard says maybe he has it backwards. They start to fight. Guns are drawn. Ezekiel says to lower their weapons and tells Richard to let him go; this isn’t what they do. The guy gets in a few more punches until he’s made to stop. He’s a real a-hole. Ezekiel tells Richard they’ll discuss it. The Savior says it’s produce week next week, so they’d better produce or Richard is going first.

Ezekial asks if the man Morgan killed to save Carol was one of them. Morgan says yes, and asks if that’s why Ezekiel wanted him here, because he could do it again? Ezekiel says the opposite.

It’s movie night! Everyone is finishing up dinner and Benjamin and Morgan talk. Benjamin is raising a little boy. He says Ezekiel was tight with his father, who was a good fighter. He was sent out to clear a building, but there wasn’t enough back-up and eight men didn’t make it out. His father was one of them. He says Ezekiel is more careful now. He’s keeping his deal with the Saviors because they want to fight, but don’t want to lose people. Morgan asks if Benjamin agrees, but he says he doesn’t know enough to know.

Benjamin asks about an inscription in the book about not killing. Morgan says he didn’t write it, but it’s not about what he thinks. People can point you in the right direction, but can’t show you the way. You have to find that for yourself. He says he’s just fumbling through, and sometimes we change our minds. He leaves to talk to Carol.

Carol is gone. Good. She was no fun anyway. Morgan sits on the bed and smiles.

Carol limps around to the apple tree. Ezekiel tells her to help herself. The garden is his favorite place, and he’s glad she saw it before she left . She apologizes, but asks what good she is there. Ezekiel tells her to never bullsh*t a bullsh*tter. He says the sweet and innocent act is clever. Blend in, get people to trust her, get what she needs, and disappear. He says the gun she has belongs to the Saviors, and she did more than put up a fight – she won. She says by ending up here? and he asks if it’s funny. She tells him that this place is a joke, and out there it’s real. She says he’s selling people a fairy tale. He says maybe they need one. She asks if having his ass kissed is a perk.

Ezekiel sits with her. He says people want someone to follow; it’s human nature. They want someone to make them feel safe, and people who feel safe are less dangerous and more productive. They see a dude with a tiger and make him larger than life, a hero. Who is he to burst their bubble? They needed someone to follow, so he faked it until he made it. He was a zoo keeper and Shiva fell into a moat. There was no medical assistance, and she was hurt and going to bleed out. He knew the risk, but she was in pain, so he saved her life. After that she never even showed a tooth in his direction. She could do a lot of damage, but she hasn’t and won’t. He lost a lot like everyone else. When it started to end, he came back to the zoo. Shiva was alone, hungry, and trapped, like him. She was the last thing left in the world he loved. She protected him, got him here, and made him larger than life. He used to act in community theater and played some kings. He says his name is really Ezekiel though. Cards on the table, nothing up his sleeve, but appreciates it if she keeps it between them, at least for now.

Carol says she doesn’t care. Do what he wants. She’s going to go. He asks where? She says away. He says he’s sorry for whatever bad she’s been through. There’s too much of it out there. It feels like it’s all bad, especially when you’re alone, but it’s not all bad. Where there’s life, there’s hope, heroism, grace, and love. He hopes that she’s not walking away from life. He made his own world. He found a way to embrace the contradiction, by being over-the-top good. He says maybe he’s crazy, but maybe he can help if she lets him. She asks why he cares, and he says it makes him feel good. He says she can go or not go, see if he’s on to something or it’s more bullsh*t.

Morgan and Carol ride down a road. Morgan asks if she’s sure this is what she wants. She does. They stop at the house where Morgan was fixing the mailbox. He says she’s his favorite person he ever knocked down, or at least in the top two or three. He tells her to take care of herself. She says always watching, always ready. He gets back on his horse and she goes in the gate. He puts the mailbox flag down.

Carol sees the zombie in the house and goes inside brandishing her weapon. She buries the now dead zombie in the yard. She builds a fire and there’s a knock at the door. She hears the tiger. It’s Ezekiel with an apple. He tells her she has to try one. She gives him a real smile. Almost.

Next time, more Negan (sigh), Daryl gets shoved around, and Negan likes it that he doesn’t scare easy.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

It’s time for Melissa’s fashion show. Siggy and Dolores discuss Jacqueline in the car. Dolores thinks Jacqueline overreacted to her text. She’s been going around saying Dolores set her up to look like a no show.

Preparing for the show, Melissa feels abandoned, since her partner is in the Bahamas. She says she doesn’t know what she’s doing and didn’t sleep last night. The models practice their walks.

Jacqueline is on the couch hacking and coughing. She tells Chris that she wouldn’t have gone to the fashion show even if she wasn’t sick. Chris thinks that some of her friends aren’t really her friends. He thinks she should get to the bottom of why Dolores asked if she was coming to the fashion show when she knew Jacqueline was sick. Um…maybe she forgot or was just making conversation. The overreaction is trickling down.
The Wakiles and Teresa cross paths at the bar, and it’s awkward. In her interview, Teresa says she’s done with her cousins and there’s no confusion about that. She doesn’t wish anyone ill will, she just wants to be left alone. Joe #2 and Richie talk. Teresa tells Melissa she wants to be there for her, but she feels sad. It’s her first event without Joe #1.

Siggy and Dolores arrive. Dolores tells Kathy about calling Jacqueline and that Jacqueline is paranoid that she was being set up. I’m not getting this. Does Jacqueline think Dolores was trying to catch her in a lie about being sick? Kathy asks if Dolores is open to talking to Jacqueline, but Dolores says she’s too angry right now. She shows Kathy the text. Teresa joins them. She says she wishes Jacqueline the best, but she’s evil. Kathy insists she’s not.

Melissa gets the models ready. She’s nervous and gets a glass of wine. Teresa tells Siggy that she walked into something with Kathy and Dolores. Siggy says Jacqueline got weird with Dolores. In her interview, Teresa says Jacqueline is sweet at first, but then you get to know her.

Backstage, things are crazy. The music starts. The models begin to walk the runway. Melissa runs around like a nut, telling everyone they need to move faster. All of a sudden, no one is on stage and she doesn’t know what to do. Melissa starts to freak, but everything falls back into place. The clothes are really cute.

Melissa makes a speech, thanking everyone at Envy and her family. Joe #2 is proud of her. She turned a crumb into a cake. She talks about feeling a tug on her pillow the night before and no one being there, but she had “a feeling.” That morning, her mother reminded her that it was the anniversary of her father’s death and she feels like he’s there.

Siggy asks Melissa to lunch on Friday. She’s invited everyone because she wants closure. She says Jacqueline is fighting with Dolores now, and she wants everyone to say their peace without fighting and walk away like ladies. Good luck with that. In her interview, Siggy says she wants everyone to move forward and shut up. She’s hoping Jacqueline comes.

Dolores meets Frank for lunch. She tells him he said the kitchen would never get done and it happened. She adds that he won’t be getting a bill because she’s on a payment plan with the contractor. Frank is the best ex-husband in the world. Next to Bruce Willis. He jokes that she’s breaking up with him, and she says she’s just taking the pressure off. In her interview, Dolores says Frank is in another relationship, but they have a bond that can’t be broken. He feels concerned that she doesn’t want help anymore. She says he’s like a part of her, and it’s just the financial help she doesn’t need.

Frank tells Dolores that her father took him aside when the problems started, and said sh*t happens, but you never turn your back on your family and children, and he’ll always be a part of the family. She wants to get the check. He says he likes the new Dolores, but she tells him don’t get used to it.

Teresa’s lawyer, Jim, comes over. He says he’s gotten a few emails from Joe #1 and she says she missed his call because she was doing yoga. She’s getting certified and needs to put in a certain amount of hours. Jim asks about finances. Teresa says after they got married Joe did everything, but it’s going back to the way it was before that, and she might have to sell the house. She says the kids have been through enough, but she’ll do what it takes to keep things afloat, since Gia is almost college bound. She shows him a framed cover of her new book that the publisher sent. She has one of the last book, and says she’s definitely a different person now and proud of who she is. She can’t wait for Joe to get home. Jim says to never feel like she’s by herelf.

Dolores and her mother are doing some cooking. Siggy comes by, loud as ever, with her own mother, and all of them put together a meal. Siggy thinks their moms are too selfless and should do more for themselves. They sit down to eat, and she toasts to their mothers being wonderful. Siggy says she’ll always take care of her mother the way her mother has taken care of her, and Dolores says her too. Siggy tells them there has to be a way to get the friends back together, but Dolores doesn’t think so.

Melissa comes home to Joe #2 cooking dinner and roses on the table. He tells her to sit down. He’s made chicken cordon bleu. They talk about Melissa’s sales, which are thriving. In her interview, she’s afraid he wants her to scale back. He apologizes for saying she made crumbs where he made cake. He says he loves her and stands by her and he’s a lucky man. He brings out parfaits for dessert. She asks if they’re having cappuccino with candy sticks, and he says he got the kind she likes. She says she’d like his candy stick after dinner and he picks her up out of the chair. These two are so cute.

Siggy is bringing the girls together because she wants Vermont laid to rest. She’s having the lunch at a restaurant because she doesn’t want a repet performance in her house. She removes the knives from the table. She hasn’t heard from Jacqueline, so she doesn’t know if she’s coming, but she’s hired security. She tells some bald guy in a black jacket what the score is.

Melissa tells Teresa that Jacqueline is super paranoid and doesn’t like them together. Teresa says she’s a cuckoo. Melissa is hoping for closure, but the most Teresa thinks she’s getting is a nice lunch.

Jacqueline shows up first. Siggy gets all teary. Jacqueline says she came for Siggy because she knows what it’s like to be in the middle. She says she said horrible things to Teresa in Vermont. She claims Melissa didn’t like her and Teresa being friends. She says she couldn’t even sit down before everyone tried to talk for each other. In her interview, Jacqueline says she wants to make it more comfortable for everyone and is glad to explain where she was coming from. Whatever that insane place might be. Siggy says Dolores loves her. Jacqueline says she knows Dolores explodes, but then gets over it. She wants to get to the bottom of the animosity with Teresa, but has no interest in Melissa.

Dolores joins them and Siggy starts crying again. What is wrong with her? Dolores apologizes to Jacqueline. Jacqueline gives some half-assed explanation about her paranoia. She says she knows Dolores’s heart. She wants to talk to Teresa and Melissa one on one. Siggy tells Jacqueline that Teresa was sincere, but Jacqueline wonders why she took the first opportunity to disband the friendship. This woman is so delusional. The first time she saw Teresa after she got home, she took the opportunity to be insulting, and she did all that finger-in-the-face stuff in Vermont.

The second Teresa and Melissa get in the room, Jacqueline demands that Teresa sit across from her and Melissa leave the room. She wants to talk one on one. She has a ride waiting if they refuse. She says it’s the way she likes to do things. Teresa says she doesn’t call the shots, and she says she is today. Teresa calls her “teacher,” and Jacqueline doesn’t like it. Teresa asks if Miss Teacher is better, and Jacqueline asks if bitch is better. Teresa asks if a word I’m not going to type is better. Jacqueline tells Melissa to leave the room again. Siggy says she’s giving them orders, and no one wants to be spoken to like a child. Teresa says she thinks Jacqueline is evil to the core. Jacqueline wants everyone to leave. I don’t think evil is the word I’d use, but she’s something abnormal. Dolores suggests everyone try something new and speak softly. Jacqueline asks if Teresa needs a back up, and Teresa says yes, she does. She wants everyone to see what’s going on. Joacqueline says call her when she can talk one on one (which will be never) and leaves. In the other room, Jacqueline apologizes to Dolores. In her interview, Jacqueline calls Teresa and Melissa animals. WTF?

Teresa says Jacqueline is a coward. Melissa says when Jacqueline is in a situation where she isn’t controlling things, it’s run, Forest, run. Agreed. Which is why I find her tagline so amusing. Teresa says she’s conniving and twisted. Siggy asks Dolores if she thinks Jacqueline handled things wrong. Dolores does, and they go out to find her. Jacqueline definitely sees them. The car slows down and she sticks her head out the door, but then they drive away. Why don’t they dump this chick?

Dolores says on a good day you don’t speak to an Italian like that. Teresa says Jacqueline wants them out of the room so no one else can tell her she’s wrong. Melissa says if you have nothing to hide, you don’t run. Teresa tells them that Jacqueline is dead to her. Melissa adds that she took off her mask. Dolores thinks no one was mentally prepared for the meeting. Huh?

Teresa says she’s been home three months and it feels like she never left. She thanks them for being supportive.

It’s the finale, so they have the little blurbs about what everyone is doing. It’s all boring. Until we get to Teresa – whose yoga partner is now Danielle Staub. I don’t even know what to say.

Next time, the reunion. Duck and run.