Category Archives: soap opera

Apr19

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

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🤽 Too Close Of Encounters…

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

Summer House Season 8, Episode 9 Recap: Danielle’s ‘Kind of F*cking Nutty’

Narrowing it down.

Summer House’s Paige Calls Danielle ‘Nutty’ for Slamming Craig Romance

🌁 Down the Apocalyptic Rabbit Hole…

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

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

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

Read all about it.

Season one reviewed.

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

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

Even the gamers think it’s good,

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

The cast and cameos.

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

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

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

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

And the soundtrack couldn’t have been more perfect.

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

For the hardcore full-time nerds.

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

The future of the future.

‘Fallout’ Renewed For Season 2 At Amazon

And a maybe.

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

🐕‍🦺 CX404 AKA Dogmeat…

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

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

Spoiler, but you want to know.

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

The real deal.

Real Life Dog That Inspired Beloved ‘Fallout 4’ Character Has Died

⛓ Popped No Chain Whatsoever in New Orleans…

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

Apr18

April 17, 2024 – Brook Has the Money Talk With Chase, Sudsy Stuff, This Week’s Top, An Exit, A Date Or Not, Melrose Return, OctoWonder & Day

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura says she hopes she’s not interrupting anything, but Anna says she could use the break. You’d think protecting a community wouldn’t require so much paperwork. Laura says, try getting the right colored trash cans to the right address. You’ll be buried under paperwork for weeks. She was just about to meet someone, but she wanted to talk to Anna first. Anna asks, what’s on her mind? and Laura says, justice. She thinks she and Anna have been standing in the way of it for too long.

As they put away chairs after a meeting, Finn says he and Alexis are in the room at the same time. She asks if he missed her chair stacking abilities, and he says, still not good. He hasn’t seen her. Has she been hitting another meeting or… She says she could give him a million reasons why, but it all boils down to other things taking precedence, and he says, it happens. She says she knows people slack off from time to time, but if she continues to do it this way for this long, she may risk everything.

Aiden tells Violet, dinner has arrived, as he walks into Finn’s apartment with Elizabeth and Jake. Violet says, good. She didn’t feel like cooking. Elizabeth says she’s glad they could help. How is she? Violet says, good, and Elizabeth asks Gregory, how’s his day? He says he’s fine, and she says, Finn’s not home? He says, not yet. The babysitter just left. Violet asks what they’re having for dinner, and Elizabeth says, they’re having turkey burgers, fries, and salad. And her dad better hurry up or he’s going to miss out. Aiden says, they’ll have fries if it’s okay for him to use the air fryer, and Gregory says, of course (🍷) it is. Just make sure to tell Finn how much he loves it. It’ll make his day. Elizabeth tells the boys to unload the stuff in the kitchen and get started, and Gregory tells them to help themselves to anything in there. Violet suggests she show them where everything is, and Gregory says, good thinking. Violet follows the boys, and Elizabeth asks if Gregory is okay with a turkey burger. He says, if she’s asking him if he’ll be able to hold it, or will he fumble it all over himself and the table and the floor, her guess is as good as his. She says she was asking him if he was in the mood for it, and he says, sorry. A burger sounds great. She says, and for the record, if he holds it, drops it, or wears it, it’s still going to taste really good. He asks, what’s going on with Jake? and she says, ugh. He says, never mind. He thinks he knows.

Chase comes out wearing an apron and carrying some plates, and Brook says, the smells coming out of that kitchen are driving her nuts. She can’t wait to dig into this very green… He says, chicken. He was very free with the spinach. He went with their honeymoon theme – chicken Florentine. He sets the plates down, says, Italy, and pulls out her chair. She sits and wonders how she got so lucky. First him, now this. He says he’s made dinner before. It’s not that big of a deal. He opens a bottle of wine, and she says she loves him for doing this. She loves all the extra work he did in the kitchen to make this happen. She loves him for selling his truck, but hates the fact that he doesn’t have it anymore.

Chase says, the truck was just a silly guy thing. He had no idea she was so attached to it. She says she’s attached to him, and he loved that truck, but he says, no. He loves her. Besides – he takes the apron off and sits down – it’s not like he needs the truck to haul lumber or bales of hay or anything like that. She tells him, whatever you say, and he asks if she has a picture in her mind of her standing in the truck bed, holding a Just Married sign, with tin cans hanging from the bumper. She says she does now. She would have loved that. Though at the moment, she would much love Lucy Coe dangling from that bumper. He says he saw what happened on Home & Heart. He’s sorry the video launch of Deception’s new cream was so problematic. She says, if Sasha hadn’t shown up when she did, they’d still be hearing about the trials and triumphs of Lucy Coe, and he says, Sasha’s pretty great. Brook says, because she’s gracious and charming, and she made it clear the viewers that they should buy Deception’s new cream. Lucy made it clear to the viewers that she needs therapy. He says, it got a little better when Scott got there. He at least mentioned the cream. She says, the Home & Heart new product launch was supposed to be another step in Deception’s financial rebound, and he says he’s on track to get a raise at the PCPD’s next fiscal year. She says, he’s on track? He should just get it right now. No one’s better at their job than he is and he works harder than almost anyone. He says, if he does get the raise – they clink glasses – he thinks that they should invest the money in some property, build a little forest getaway, and maybe that truck will come in handy. She says, he realizes they don’t have to wait, right? They could buy five new trucks, five forest getaways… They could probably buy five forests. He asks if they need to have the money talk again, as in, her family has all the money, and he has a decent government salary. She says, they probably should, but first, she just needs to take a couple of bites of this gorgeous, green chicken to fortify herself.

Alexis says she doesn’t know if Gregory told Finn, but she’s so sorry. She’s not going to be able to make Chase’s wedding. He says he’s sorry to hear that. Did she get a better offer? She says she got a different offer. Diane has made it her mission to get her disbarment fixed. He says, good news, and she says, shocking news. She would not have thought after all this time… She thought the chances of them wanting to review her disbarment highly improbable. He says, it became not so improbable, and she says, it became real. She has a hearing with the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan the day after Chase’s wedding, but she has to be there 24 hours in advance. He says he’s sure Chase and Brook will be disappointed, but they’ll be thrilled by the reason. She says, getting a hearing does say the court feels there’s sufficient grounds to take a second look. He says, if anybody deserves a second chance… but she says she doesn’t know about that. He asks why she says that, and she says, maybe she got the justice she deserved the first time when the court smacked her down. He says, the court smacked her down, but she’s doing a pretty good job of it herself, and she says she knows she didn’t support perjury and she didn’t perjure herself, but she did lie to the medical board, and she was under oath. So when the disciplinary committee took action, she didn’t think it was appropriate to contest it. He says he gets it. She needed to punish herself. If we don’t think we’re worth saving, we don’t even try.

Laura says she doesn’t think she or Anna were consciously trying to impede the pursuit of justice. She’s just saying that she knows she’s guilty of not seeing clearly what was right in front of her. She’s sorry. This has been weighing on her for a long time. Anna says she thinks Laura is going to have to be a bit more specific, and Laura says she’s talking about her friendship with Sonny. Anna says she knows he and Laura have a history, and Laura says, Luke and Sonny were friends. The club Luke owned was originally owned by Sonny. Anna says, Paradise Lounge, and Laura says, yeah. Anna says, such an ironic name in retrospect, and Laura tells her, to say it was a disreputable place would be a compliment. Eventually, they just shut it down, and then Luke and Sonny turned that space into Luke’s blues club. They really bonded over that. They became very close, and since then, Sonny has done a lot of things to help a lot of people that she loves. Anna says, he did for Robin. He was there for her daughter in ways she couldn’t be. Laura says, he’s done a lot of good. He really has, especially for the hospital. And the thing is, she really believed they had a bond. Anna says she did too. He listened to her when that double-agent thing came out. She considered him a friend, albeit an unconventional one. Laura says, considered. Past tense? Anna says, an individual walked through this door into her office and told her flat out that Sonny ordered him to kill someone, and Laura says, Sonny ordered a hit. She guesses she knew in theory what Sonny did for a living, but she guesses she didn’t allow herself to think about what it meant in practice. Anna says, he’s charming and generous and has decent impulses, no question. But charm has no moral weight and impulses aren’t character. Laura says she feels so ashamed that it took her so long to wake up and see him for everything that he is. Anna says, every time, she felt they shared this understanding of darkness that no one else shared. She didn’t allow herself to play out what that was, what that actually meant. Laura says her friendship with Sonny was never a secret. She’s just here to say, if Anna ever felt inclined to go easy on Sonny because of her, don’t. (Come on. These two aren’t stupid and they’ve been around the block and back. They knew Sonny was a mob boss, but thought all he did was import coffee?)

Laura says she realizes now that Sonny has a very dark side, one that he can keep hidden from most people, but she got a chance to see what that side was capable of when she saw her brother lying in that hospital bed, and she realized that Sonny is a violent and dangerous time bomb that could go off whenever he decides it’s necessary. Anna says, that sounds about right, and Laura says she knows Cyrus has done the same, probably a lot worse, but Cyrus is not as skilled as Sonny at not getting caught. Anna says, he’s not a generous philanthropist that has woven himself into the very fabric of the city for the past few years, and Laura says she’s still struggling with what Sonny is capable of doing. That he could do what he did to her brother with just his bare hands. Anna says, and in church. She talked to Cyrus, and he said he would not testify against Sonny. There were no other witnesses, and she knew that Sonny would lie about whatever charges she filed against him. Laura says, and as they’re learning, Sonny is really good at lying, and Anna agrees. Laura says she thinks she’ll be going. So if the opportunity presents itself for Anna to pursue this case… Anna says she’ll be ready. Laura can count on it. Laura thanks her and leaves.

Chase says, his wine guy had several choices to pair with tonight’s dinner, but he chose the pinot grigio because it’s Italian, and Brook says, like the chicken. He says, and the woman he loves, and she says she loves him too. And she loves this wine. She thinks she’s had enough of it to have the money conversation. So she and Tracy talked… He says, let him get a pen, and she says, for what? He says, so he can sign the prenup that Tracy drew up and they can get back to the wine, but she says, drink the wine. There is no prenup. He says, it’s fine. He thought about it and he’s fine with signing it. And he wants her to feel safe. She says she does feel safe, and he says he does too. Which is why he’s fine with saying that nothing is ever going to happen to their marriage. Which means this prenup means nothing. So they’ll put it in a drawer and pull it out in 50 years, and they’ll see how much his signature changed. She laughs and says, they both know his signature changes depending on his mood. Remember when his team lost and he had to sign the pizza delivery guy’s receipt? The pen almost went through his hand. There is no prenup. He got another bottle, didn’t he? He says, how about this? If for some reason their marriage falls apart, then he walks away with nothing more than he brought to the marriage. She says she appreciates the offer, and he says, but she’s not going to take it. Because according to Brook’s teachings, you never accept the first offer. She says she couldn’t be prouder. Their marriage isn’t going to fail. She knows it and he knows it. So the conversation they should be having isn’t about what happens when they split up. It’s about what happens when they don’t.

Finn says, good thing Diane is in Alexis’s corner, because it doesn’t sound like Alexis is, and Alexis says she’s just being cautious. She does have a history. He says, history is in the past. It’s done. She says her apologies to him and Mr. Faulkner, but the past is not dead. The past’s not even in the past. It’s right here. And that side of her that’s capable of doing horrible things or self-sabotaging may be in the backseat right now, but it’s always around there, lurking somewhere. He says, they’ve talked about this. They’re wired the same way. That’s what makes them always focus on the negative things first and the good things come in tenth place, but that doesn’t mean they’re to be ignored. Some really wonderful things have come out of her past. She says, her girls. Best thing that ever happened to her. Nothing else even comes close. She refers to them as little Roombas because they’re always wandering here and there and everywhere, but eventually, they always get back on track and come back to mom. He says, she must have done a lot of things right to have three daughters as great as the ones she has. She says, other than her girls, she feels like the most good she’s ever done in the world has been through her legal career. Because she’s been able, in some very small way, to move the needle of justice forward. She wants to do that again. She wants to feel good like that. He says, yes. And if the court case goes the way it should, she will. She says, so she just needs to not get in her own way and stay sober. And they both know if she loses this case, she’ll want a drink to console herself and if she wins it, she’ll want to celebrate. He says, life doesn’t make it easy, does it? and she says, Molly is already worried about her. If she slips up again, her girls may be done with her. He says, she’s not going to let that happen, and she says she’s here. And she’s going to be here tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day. And if she’s not here and he’s here, he better call her out on it. He says, okay. He’s watching his dad die slowly before his eyes. And after treating his dad poorly most of his life, he has a few months to make up for it. So he’ll be there for her if she promises the same for him. They shake hands, and she says, always my friend. She hugs him, and he thanks her.

Violet and Aiden come out of the kitchen, and Elizabeth asks, how’s it going in there? Aiden says, all good, and Violet says, it would be great if Aiden could make the cheese fries instead of regular ones. Gregory says he’s all for it if it’s okay with Aiden’s mom, and Elizabeth asks if they think she’d say no to cheese fries. Is his brother helping? Aiden says, he was, but now he’s on his phone, and Elizabeth says, just yell if they need anything. They go back into the kitchen, and Gregory says, it’s none of his business, but he’s guessing that the tension level has risen a few notches in her house since Jake’s father came back in the picture. She says, yeah. Actually, she was hoping to talk to him about this. She knows there was a time when Finn rejected him, and even though their situations are completely different, there’s a form of that happening with Jake. He doesn’t want to talk about Jason. He doesn’t want to acknowledge his name. He’s so, so angry. Obviously, Gregory didn’t just up and leave his kid without any notice whatsoever, so she doesn’t know. Maybe he doesn’t have any advice to offer. He says, it sounds like Jake’s not the only one who’s angry, and she says, no, he’s not, but he is the one most crippled by it. He says, sometimes he thinks anger is just our way of punishing ourselves when the one we really want to hurt is someone we love and can’t let go of. He can’t tell her how much he loved Finn’s mom. Watching her die was the worst thing that ever happened to him. Worse than waking up now each morning, wondering what ALS has stolen from him. But then he met Jackie. She was so young and vibrant, she made him feel alive again. Maybe it was a rebound. They loved each other and he wanted to be in love again so badly. It didn’t feel wrong to him. It didn’t feel like he was being unfaithful to his late wife. She says, but that’s how Finn saw it, and he says, that’s the way Finn had to see it. Otherwise, he would be being disloyal to his mother. The anger that Finn channeled his way… But like anything that hot and intense, it had to eventually exhaust itself and it did. And what remained is a loving father/son relationship that she sees now. So maybe Jake just needs to let his anger burn itself out so he can get to his own now.

Alexis says, Finn knows if there’s anything he or his father want or need, she’ll be there, and he thanks her. She says she just wants to let him know that she saw Gregory recently and he didn’t look very good. Finn says he knows. And like her, he’s struggling to hang on to his sobriety. When he reflects on his past, he was not a good son. His dad did nothing but good, and he treated him very badly. Alexis says, he’s changed. He’s made amends. He’s not the same person anymore. He says, yeah, but that person knows where he lives. Now his dad has turned inward. Gregory won’t let Finn go to any of his doctor’s appointments with him and won’t let Finn see any of his test results. All he does is give Finn these glowing reports about how well he’s doing, and all Finn has to do is take one look at him to know he’s lying. She says, being a doctor and his son, he picked the wrong guy to try and bluff, and Finn says, he’s holding himself together by sheer force of will so he can make it to Chase’s wedding. She says, it means a lot to him, and he says, it does. It’s going to, right? Chase is the good son. He’s the one who wronged his dad. He turned it around in his head to make himself right. It takes a lot of time and energy to convince yourself everyone else is the problem, but not you. She says she knows the syndrome, and he says he stays up at night thinking of all the time he lost his family, the lost days that became lost years. He doesn’t sleep much anymore. She says, nobody can punish us like we can, and he says, his dad was devoted to his mom. He was there for her. She died so young. Finn was just angry. He was angry at everyone. But when his dad met Jackie and she helped him move on and be happy, he found a way to punish his dad for it. Sleeping with her before the wedding, before their wedding. What kind of son does that? (I’m glad he mentioned this. When Gregory didn’t, I started to wonder if I’d made it up. I guess he felt it wasn’t his place to tell Elizabeth.)

Brook tells Chase that her mother kept them away from the Quartermaine money. She knew it was there, but she had a pretty good career as a music manager. The Quartermaine money wasn’t always a gift. He asks if Ned was around, and she says, enough. She’s pretty sure he paid child support. It’s not like she ever felt she didn’t have two parents. And her grandparents, her aunts and uncles, her cousins, all the people who might have been cousins, they were always around. He says, so that’s why the guest list for their wedding was so long, and she says, and she only invited the ones she likes. Some of her relatives had a house. Some of them had one gifted to them in a will, but none of them were rich. They were comfortable in Bensonhurst. He says his upbringing was probably quieter than hers, but they were pretty middle class too, and she says she wants that kind of life for their kids. A life full of love that makes them feel safe. She knows there are going to be bumps along the way, but they will be surrounded by family who will take them by the hand and help them. He asks if she doesn’t think there will be members of the family who will want to take their hand and put a bunch of money in it, and she says, there definitely will be. He knows her family. That’s going to happen, but there’s two of them and they can send them off. It’ll be a little tricky to have a normal life, especially in Port Charles, but it’s not impossible. He takes her hands and says, if they’re together, nothing is impossible, and she says, there you go. She thinks what granny was really after with that prenup wasn’t about protecting her trust or her inheritances from him; it was about protecting them from what the insanity of that kind of money can bring. He tells her that he never thought he’d say this, but he thinks Tracy has the right idea.

Chase hands Brook her glass of wine and says, here’s what he thinks, and he thinks Tracy would agree. They’re young, they’re healthy, they have careers that they love, and between them, they’re comfortable. She says she’s with him so far, and he says, they take the interest from her trust fund and any other funds she has and put them into a savings account for their kids. It’ll be for education… and shoes. She says, exactly what kind of shoes is he thinking? It sounds good. He says, it will be a safety net if anything comes up, and she says, like a shoe emergency. He says, a medical emergency. Or if they want to help out a loved one. And he’s sure there’s charities they’d like to support. She says she likes the sound of it, and he says, the only thing he cares about their kids inheriting is the good stuff they bring to their lives. Honesty, compassion, a strong work ethic. She says, he brings so much more than that. Granny told her that no one would want to live off their spouse’s money, which is a really weird thing for her to say, considering all the guys in her life did just that. He says he never understood her taste in men, but he understands where she’s coming from. He always wants to feel like he can serve and protect this family. See what he did there? She says she did, and he says he thinks he brings value to their marriage. He can sing. She says, yeah, he can, and he says he can cook. She says she can attest to that, and he says he can catch the bad guys. Some might even say, it’s her dollars against his collars. She tells him that she’d never say that, and they kiss.

Laura goes into the Bistro and says, she asked them to meet and keeps them waiting. She’s so sorry. Cyrus says he’s always happy to wait for his sister, and he used the time to try and figure out the reason behind her unprecedented invitation. She asks what he came up with, but he says, nothing. He decided to be grateful just to spend some time with her. She says she’s glad they’re doing this then. He’s looking well. He thanks her and says he’s feeling good. He’s getting stronger every day. He tries to look at his time at GH as just an extended spa stay. She says, he’s joking, but what happened to him in that church was no joke. He says, it’s in the past, but she says she’s been thinking about it an awful lot lately, and if he chose not to press charges against Sonny because of her, because of her friendship with him, she wants him to reconsider. He deserves justice. She doesn’t want to be the reason he doesn’t get it.

Detective Brennan says, Anna wanted to see him? and she says she wanted to know the status of Dex Heller’s application to the academy. He says, Heller aced the written exam. He’s got a physical and job standard test next. He’s got to say, the guy looks army ready. He can’t imagine there would be a problem with either one. She says, that’s great. Sounds very promising. He says, they don’t get candidates of this caliber very often, and when they do, the academy grabs them. She thanks him for the update, and he says, if he could be honest, he thinks though, in this case, they should consider passing on it.

Violet says, ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served, when Finn walks in. He hugs Violet, and Gregory says, your timing is impeccable, sir. Finn says, sir. He likes it. Jake says he hopes they made enough fries, but Finn says, don’t worry. He’ll just eat Jake’s. Aiden says, there’s another basket ready to go. His air fryer is amazing. Finn says he knows. He keeps telling people and they say he’s crazy. Gregory, Aiden, and Violet head for the kitchen, and Finn asks how Jake’s day was. Jake says, no complaints. How about him? Finn says, no complaints, and Jake says, they’re living the dream. Jake follows the others, and Finn apologizes to Elizabeth for being late. She kisses him and he says he had a meeting and he stayed behind for a little bit and talked to Alexis. She asks if everything is okay, and he says, just checking in with each other. How’s his dad doing? She says, he’s just the sweetest person. If it wasn’t for Finn, she’d be halfway in love with him already. Finn says he better not be late for dinner again, and they go to the kitchen.

Cyrus says, Laura isn’t the reason Sonny escaped justice for his assault. He is. She asks what he means, and he says, Nina Reeves came to see him when he was in the hospital. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Tell him, does she think people like Nina Reeves and the Quartermaines become phenomenally wealthy without breaking the law, or are they just phenomenally good at not getting caught? She says, if she had to take a guess, she’d think that over the generations it’s probably a bit of both. He says, Nina used some of that generational wealth to walk in and buy him a radio spot for his Scripture based show. She asks if that was in exchange for him not pressing charges against Sonny, and he says, yeah and he agreed. She says, now she knows how he got on the radio, and he laughs. He says, it’s over now. He got sick of hearing his own voice and some of his listeners told him they thought he sounded phony when he quoted the Bible. He was terribly offended until he listened to himself. She says, was it bad? and he says he has no standing and no business telling anybody how to live their life. He thinks that came through. He has a lot of work to do on himself, and it’s probably best he takes care of that before he presumes to shepherd a flock. She says, he seems different, at least more thoughtful, and he says he prays that he is. She says, now that he’s taken Nina Reeves payoff, would he consider pressing charges against Sonny?

Brook says she can’t believe how nervous she was talking money with Chase, and he says, she’ll get better with practice. Besides, he thinks they’re going to be having that talk every few years. She asks if he thinks they’ll change their minds, decide they want to buy all the trucks, and he says he’s pretty confident in saying no to that, but money changes. Banks close, markets crash, opportunities come up that weren’t there before. She says, they’ll cross those bridges when they get to them, and maybe they’ll buy them if they want to, but for now, they’re good. He says, she was nervous about having the money talk because of his fragile male ego, wasn’t she? Because if the shoe was on the other foot and he had the millions, he doesn’t think she’d like living off his money either. She says, probably not, and he says, that’s all he needed to hear. She says, he should have told her sooner; she would have said it sooner. He asks if they can be done with this money is a ruinous burden talk, and she says, yes, yes, a thousand times yes. He says he wants her to give him one practical good thing that money brings them, and she says orthodonture. Their kids are going to have beautiful teeth. He laughs.

Anna asks why Brennan thinks they should pass on Heller. He just said Dex was extremely qualified. He says, there’s some things the intake test can’t catch, and she says, for example? He says, Heller made a wrong turn in his life and he’s trying to make up for it, and she says, Brennan thinks Dex is trying to make up for the time he spent working for Corinthos. He says, yes, and penance is the wrong motivation for becoming a cop. When there’s a guy with a gun holed up somewhere, the cops who have something to atone for are the ones who run in too soon too fast. A lot of times, they don’t come out. She says, got it, and thanks him for the update and insight. He says, no problem, and leaves.

Cyrus says he doesn’t know if reinstating charges against Sonny would serve justice or not, and Laura says she saw him when he was lying in that hospital bed. He was unconscious, but that man could have killed him with his bare hands. He says, but he didn’t, thank the good Lord, and she says, yes, thank God, but she heard that Sonny wasn’t able to use his hand for more than a week. Cyrus says, but he was responsible for the circumstances that made his beating happen, and she asks what he means. He says, by dishonest means, he came to know certain things about Nina. And he followed Sonny into that church knowing full well how his ill begotten knowledge would hurt him, and he haunted Sonny with it. He knew the pain would make him crazy and it did. She says, so he goaded Sonny into a rage, and he says, yes. And he knew, even as his own blood was flowing down his face, he had won. With every blow, he had more leverage over Sonny, and it disgusts him. Everything he’s ever done involving Sonny disgusts him. It’s been so long, he doesn’t even know what it was he wanted from Sonny to begin with. But that night, it had to do with revenge. She thanks him for admitting all that to her, and says, but he still didn’t deserve to be beaten like that. He says, maybe he didn’t, but maybe he did. Maybe it would be good for Sonny to go away for a while. He doesn’t know. She says, well, she does, and he says, then he’ll let himself be guided by her, but she says, no. She can’t tell him what to do here. He has to decide this for himself. He says, what an irony. The one time he didn’t ask for it, he holds Sonny’s fate in his hands.

Tomorrow, Finn tells Dante that Chase’s bachelor party went sideways, and he doesn’t know what to do; Cyrus goes to see Anna; Michael tells Josslyn that they should keep an eye on that guy; John says, it’s time he finally gave Carly something in return; and Lois says, it wouldn’t be complete without Sonny.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

I was surprised that this was the most difficult scene for him, since Jason got socked with a lot of surprises.

GH’s Steve Burton Reveals What Almost Made Him Walk Off Set!

Grandpa Carmine has RSVP’d yes.

George Russo Cast as Carmine Cerullo on GENERAL HOSPITAL

New gigs for three.

GH’s Kathleen Gati Shares Details of Her New Movie!
GH Alum Ashton Arbab Previews His Powerful New Film
GH Alum Anthony Montgomery Is Writing His Memoirs!

She deserves it, and she’s absolutely gorgeous.

GH’s Brooklyn Rae Silzer Is Crowned Prom Queen!

🔪 Tonight In Chefs…

A Supper Club sounds amazing. I love this site’s blow-by-blow recaps.

‘Top Chef’ 21 episode 5 recap: In ‘Supper Club,’ one budget-busting chef risked bringing down their entire team

💎 Because We Can’t Have Nice Things…

Is Bravo kidding? She was just coming into her own, and part of the trio of reason – Garcelle, Sutton, and Crystal. They never know a good thing when they have it and hang on to the bad things for far too long. She will be missed.

https://ew.com/crystal-kung-minkoff-exits-rhobh-after-3-seasons-8634000

🗽 No Boy Toy Here…

He looks too much like the Count. Methinks the Countess wants one a little younger too. And possibly more French.

Patti Stanger on Luann de Lesseps ‘Boring’ Olivier Sarkozy Fling

No judgement on the age difference. I have zero against that whichever way it goes. But they literally look like a father and daughter when next to each other, especially when he’s holding her hand. I blame it on Mary Kate dressing like she’s 12.

Luann de Lesseps Clears Up Dating Rumors About Mary-Kate Olsen’s Ex and More

💅🏼 Reviving Their Place…

It’s good to see Heather Locklear sharpening her claws again.

https://people.com/melrose-place-revival-in-the-works-with-heather-locklear-laura-leighton-daphne-zuniga-8629989

🐙 Just Marvelous…

After seeing so many videos of them doing things like playing with divers, I won’t eat octopus (or eel) anymore. Again, no judgement. You do you. I don’t think I could ever give up a tasty burger.

https://people.com/paul-rudd-marvels-at-mimic-octopus-8630194

🪣 Fighting Fire With Water…

Join me tomorrow for more soap and amusement. Until then, stay safe, stay turning obstacles into opportunities, and stay not wasting time and energy convincing yourself everyone else is the problem, but not you. It’s probably you.

Apr17

April 16, 2024 – Laura Wants Sonny Prosecuted, Sandoval Just Gets More Awful, Down In the Valley & Sometimes

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Maxie puts two bags on her desk, and one falls over, spilling everything onto the floor. She says, given the kind of day she’s had, that tracks. She starts picking it up, and says, it’s the perfect end to a whole lot of perfect days. She screams into her sleeve, and Felicia says, that’s how she felt when she watched the Deception spot on Home & Heart today. Maxie says, thank you, and gives a thumbs up. Felicia says, after watching Lucy’s performance, she would have bet any money that Lucy would be the one face down on the floor, and Maxie says, is Felicia kidding her? Lucy only knows where the floor is because sometimes, she drops a gummi on it. The word star was used to describe Lucy’s performance today. Felicia says, by who? and Maxie says, Lucy, of course (🍷). She might breathe the same air, but she’s not one of them.

Jordan and Laura walk into Jordan’s office, and Laura says, if Jordan isn’t comfortable with it, it’s not a legal requirement. Jordan says she just has to live with it a minute to get used to the idea. She has protection on all of her accounts and credit cards, and now she just needs to upload her entire tax return and send it to the city council? Laura says she knows. It makes you feel vulnerable, doesn’t it? Jordan says, as former police chief, it makes her feel stupid, and at risk. Laura says, if she decides not to do it, she won’t think any less of Jordan. As a matter of fact, the Quartermaine who was the last mayor, she doesn’t think he sent any of his tax returns to the council any year. Jordan says she can’t say she blames him, and Laura says, Ned didn’t see the need for transparency, but when she took over as mayor that city business should be. So she turned her tax returns over to the city council every year, and in return, they accused her of all kinds of things, but never of being a crook. Jordan says, if it’s okay with Laura, she’ll scan the documents herself. She doesn’t want them floating around the office. Laura tells her to do whatever she wants to do here. There is one more thing she’d like to discuss with Jordan, but it’s a little bit more of a touchy subject. Jordan says, touchier than sharing her finances with a bunch of strangers? and Laura says, it’s about her brother. Jordan says, Martin? but Laura says, Cyrus.

Josslyn and Trina jog to a bench area in the park, and Josslyn asks if Trina needs to take a break. Trina says, unless Josslyn wants to carry her the rest of the way. Why did she let Josslyn talk her into this? Josslyn says, because Trina loves her and missed running with her, and Trina says she does, but she also hates Josslyn a little. Can they walk? Josslyn says, of course (🍷). They can also call a car and go home and have some pizza. She thinks a few more runs and Trina will have her mojo back. Trina says she doesn’t think it’s ever coming back, no matter what she does, but Josslyn tells her, don’t say that. She hasn’t been exactly where Trina is now, but she knows how heavy grief can be. It can weigh you down. When you move, you get stronger, and it gives your brain a chance to reset. Trina says, it’s like your fighting for survival, right? and Josslyn says, that’s part of it. Trina says she appreciates Josslyn. Sometimes she gets in a rut, but Josslyn just reminded her of a way to get out of it. Josslyn says, Trina is the best friend she’s ever had, and she’s stronger than she knows. She just wants Trina to be able to see it for herself. What can she say? She loves Trina. Train says she loves Josslyn too, and Josslyn says she misses running with Trina. And she misses living with her. The dorm is so sad. They see Dex walking toward them.

At Pizzulo’s, Sonny tells Brick that they have to talk out in the restaurant. A VIP has taken over his office. Brick asks, who’s more important than Sonny? and Sonny says, Avery. She’s doing her homework. What does Brick have for him? Brick says, a couple of his men went after Cates in the manner they discussed, and the meeting was interrupted when a good Samaritan drove up. Sonny says, a good Samaritan who just happened to be driving around the waterfront? and Brick says, yeah, but not before they finished the work on Cates. Sonny asks where the work was taking place, and Brick says, about a block away from Sonny’s coffee warehouse.

TJ finds Gregory in an exam room and apologizes for keeping him waiting. Gregory says he didn’t know TJ was. He thought Dr. Cramer was keeping him waiting. TJ says, Dr. Cramer was called the ER for an emergency consult and asked if he could handle his late appointments. With Gregory’s consent of course (🍷). Gregory says he’s already here, so let’s do this. On the condition TJ calls him Gregory and not Mr. Chase. TJ says he can do that, and Gregory says, good. His appointments with Dr. Cramer go almost the same way every time, so this might be a nice change of pace. TJ says he’ll do his best, and Gregory says, it shouldn’t be hard. He knows the drill. TJ will ask him if he’s had a fall since his last appointment and if he did, how many times did he fall and how badly did he hurt himself? What were the circumstances just prior to the fall? Is there anything specific that might have triggered it? TJ laughs.

Felicia tells Maxie, it wasn’t all that bad. Sasha slid in and saved the day, right? Maxie says, yeah. Sasha saved their sales, even dressed as a stable hand, and Scott ran interference with Lucy which earned him a distinguished service medal. Felicia asks, then why was Maxie on the floor, face down yelling into a rug? and Maxie says she dropped some stuff and when she got down on the floor to pick it up, she just sort of went with it. Felicia says she usually yells into a pillow. What’s going on? Maxie says, lately, she just feels like maybe there are too many personalities around here, and Felicia says, she must be talking about Lucy obviously, but is there a next runner-up? Maxie says, it’s really hard to rank them, but everyone is tired of Lucy. Tracy is tired of all of them. Sasha’s willing to pinch hit, but she’s tired of Deception. And let’s face it, Brook is never tired of music management or planning her wedding, but Deception is coming in a distant third on her priority list. Felicia says, so Maxie is taking care of the entire business herself, and Maxie says she can’t really blame Brook for being so focused on her wedding. Chase’s dad is sick. Hey, the accountants say Deception is finally in the black. Although you’d never be able to tell from looking at her checkbook. Felicia says, while Maxie is taking care of everything at Deception, who’s taking care of her?

Brick says he doesn’t know what Cates was doing down at the waterfront last night, but he paid the price for it, and Sonny asks if he turned up at GH. Brick says, no. There was a discreet inquiry at GH, Mercy, and Founders Hospital, but there was no record of a Cates being admitted. However, he’s sure his guys roughed Cates up a little bit and they didn’t break any bones, but the message was definitely sent. Sonny says, he’d have to be smart enough to get that, and John Jagger Cates is not smart at all. He has no loyalty, no guts. When his brother, Stone, was dying of AIDS, where was Jagger? Nowhere to be found. Does Brick know why? Because he couldn’t handle it. Brick says, so Sonny stepped in, and Sonny says, yeah, he stepped in. He loved that kid. And he’d do it again. Brick says, and yet, Cates doesn’t seem to be overflowing with gratitude, and Sonny says, he just comes with hatred. Something’s wrong with the guy; there’s something missing. Brick says he can see that, and Sonny says, but he’s not smart. But why is it hard for him to believe Cates would think he’d be at the warehouse?… He knows why – Jason. Brick says, it’s hard for him to believe Jason’s working with Cates, and Sonny asks, why? Jason came to his house and told him to his face. He is an FBI informant. The dots between Cates and Jason are not hard to connect. Brick says, in his experience, sometimes you can connect the two wrong dots and it could lead to presenting a very misleading picture. Which brings him to Dex Heller.

Trina says she didn’t know Dex was staying in town, and Dex says, it’s good to see her. She says, him too. Is he working? Looking for a job? Josslyn says, Dex actually applied to the PCPD, and Trina says she wouldn’t have guessed that Sonny and the PCPD would be in the same career path. He says, it’s a bit of a career curve ball. The pay’s not great, but he wants to see if he can make it happen. She asks if that’s why he’s taking a last workout before dinner, and he says, it can’t hurt. Trina looks from Dex to Josslyn and says, come on, guys. She knows they broke up, but she doesn’t know why. But watching them right now, she thinks they don’t know either.

Maxie says she had her doubts about Deception, but at least they’re still in business, and things are looking better every month. As far as taking care of herself goes, that is not going quite as well. Felicia says, who are you and what have you done with Maxie? She used to never have trouble prioritizing self-care. Maxie says, Felicia means she was selfish and self-absorbed, but Felicia says, that’s not what she means. It’s good to put yourself first, but ever since Maxie’s been a mother, she’s always put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own. As Maxie’s mom, she has to say, it’s really starting to worry her. Maxie says she’s tired. She’s mad at everyone, and that is exhausting. Felicia tells her, you know what they say, it’s healthy to let go of your anger, and Maxie says, okay. She’s tired of being mad at Lucy for being Lucy. She’s tired of Tracy and her literal all-around impossibleness. She’s tired of being mad at Felicia for the whole Spinelli faking a flood in his apartment so he could move in thing, and she’s mad at Spinelli for going along with that. Felicia says, Maxie really has to let Spinelli off the hook. She really played up the fact that she was Maxie’s mom when she asked him, so he really didn’t have a choice. Maxie says, Felicia isn’t really helping with the whole less mad at her thing. And she’s really tired of Spinelli being the one guy she cares about, but she can’t let near her. Felicia asks if she hears herself, but Maxie says, of course (🍷) not. She’s doing more venting than listening. Felicia tells her that what she just said makes no sense. It’s completely illogical. Maxie says she’s illogical? That’s on Felicia. Felicia raised her to be polite and good with numbers. She didn’t raise Maxie to be logical.

Laura says, neither one of them is excited to talk about Cyrus, but she’d like to have Jordan’s input. Jordan says she’s the last person to ask. She can’t be objective. Laura says she knows Jordan and Cyrus have history. Jordan knew him before he and Laura knew they shared a father. Jordan says her goal was to put Cyrus in prison for crimes she knew he committed. She compromised herself in doing that, and he retaliated in ways that almost destroyed her. She can’t revisit that. Laura says, her feelings are completely justified. She’s found herself more than once looking over the list of horrible crimes that he’s committed, and some of them he’s been convicted for. Jordan says, and most of which he hasn’t, and Laura says she knows. It sometimes takes everything in her not to roll her eyes when he shows up on her doorstep and he’s quoting Scripture. She does know there are some hardened criminals though, that undergo a sort of a spiritual awakening. Jordan says, that’s usually in the time between their guilty verdict and their sentencing. She’s sorry. She’s showing her bias. Laura says, that’s okay. Most of those guys don’t end up sounding like Cyrus. Jordan says she’s not in a position to judge anyone. She falsified evidence to get Cyrus convicted. She’s not proud of it, but she’s not ashamed of it either. Laura says, Jordan thinks she doesn’t understand her motives? Really? Knowing what Jordan does know, does she think there’s any justification at all for what Sonny did to Cyrus? Jordan says, in her deepest, darkest fantasy, she may have dreamt about vigilante justice, but it’s not something she would go through with. She wants to trust the law. Laura says, and that’s her dilemma. It’s not with Cyrus. It’s with the man who nearly beat him to death with just his fists.

Dex says, it was great to see Trina, but he should get going, but Trina says, what happened? The three of them used to be so close, and now they’re just standing here like they met at a party three years ago. Josslyn says, they’ve all changed, and Trina says, they have changed. What happened to Spencer completely derailed her life, but here they are and they’re acting like they ain’t got nothing to say to each other. Josslyn says she thinks they just need a little time, but Trina asks if they’ve learned nothing from what she’s been through. You don’t get more time. This is all you have. This is it. Spencer is gone. But she has all this love for him here inside her. Her love for him didn’t disappear just because he did. Dex and Josslyn used to be so in love with each other, it was annoying, and they’re still here. So figure it out. She leaves, and Josslyn says she’ll be right behind her. Dex says, she’s been through too much, and Josslyn says she thinks Trina just needs her friends right now, and like it or not, they are those friends. He says, whatever she wants him to do, he’ll do it, and she says she thinks they just need to figure out a way to be at the same place at the same time without making everyone feel wildly uncomfortable. He says he’s in. Whatever it takes.

Sonny says, Dex Heller is dead to him. He should be dead period. Brick says he’s the one who discovered Dex and the big deposits he was receiving into his account while Sonny was getting shot at in Puerto Rico and the MetroCourt. Sonny says, yeah. So? Brick says he hasn’t been able to track the source of the money, and Sonny knows how good he is at finding out things. Sonny says he knows where the money came from – Michael, and Brick says, Michael? Sonny says, Corinthos, and Brick asks why his son would be paying Dex. Sonny says, to spy on him, so he could get information and give it to the FBI, but Brick says, that makes no sense. Sonny says he knows it doesn’t make any sense, but that’s the way Michael is. He’s like one of the other guys. He loves his son. He took care of him. But he didn’t know whether to give Sonny a little respect and loyalty or spy on him and take him down. Brick says he’s so sorry, but he feels like he got it wrong with Dex. He put Dex in a position he didn’t entirely deserve. Sonny says, everybody makes mistakes. His first mistake was trusting Dex, but Brick gave him the heads up and told him something was off with Dex. Brick says, maybe now he’s wise enough to give Sonny a wide berth, and Sonny says, Dex knows better than to mess with him because he’s smarter than Jagger. Brick says, it’s getting late, so he’s going to get out of here and leave Sonny to his dinner. Sonny says, Ava’s going to show up here pretty soon, and Brick says, not that it’s any of his business, but how are things at home with the two of them? Sonny says, it’s nice to have a woman around, and they laugh. They shake hands and Brick leaves.

Jordan says, Sonny Corinthos? They both know he’s the one who nearly beat Cyrus to death on New Year’s Eve. Laura says, the more she thinks about that, the less she feels like a city official and the more she feels like Sonny’s accomplice. Jordan says, unless Laura’s been doing some side work for Sonny she’s unaware of, she doesn’t know where Laura is getting that from. Laura says, it’s because she tells herself that she and Sonny are old friends. Cyrus, although he’s a blood relative, has committed all of these horrible crimes. She thinks he’s trying to straighten himself out, but she doesn’t really know. All she knows is, he’s going about it in the most irritating way possible. She loses patience with him. She’s slammed the door in his face. Jordan says, there’s a big difference between slamming a door and trying to kill someone, and Laura says, but her point is, if it were anyone but Sonny who attacked Cyrus, who attacked anyone and put them in the hospital, she would want the police to pursue that case. She would want the assailant to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. So why would Sonny be the exception? And no one, especially not the mayor, should look away from a crime because it was committed by someone they thought was their friend. Jordan asks if she’s thinking of having Sonny arrested, and Laura says, the one thing she does know is, that’s not her call to make, but she does know whose call it is.

Ava comes into Pizzulo’s and tells Sonny she’s sorry. It’s like a whole week was jammed into one day. He says, don’t worry about it, and she says she thought he and Avery would be starving by the time she got here. He says he already made Avery dinner, the Corinthos meatball special. She says, lucky Avery, and Sonny says, she told him about her day, that it was good. He put her in the office. She fell asleep on the couch. Ava thanks him for doing all that and he says, his pleasure. Why was her day long? She says she doesn’t think it’s something he wants to hear, but he says, try me. She says she thinks it’s better if she doesn’t. Some of it has to do with she who must not be named. He says, Carly, but she says, the other one who mustn’t be named. He asks what Nina wants, and she says, him.

TJ asks if Gregory is having any difficulties with his medication. Does he ever miss a dose? Gregory says, not on purpose. One of his pills is every six hours, another one’s every eight hours, one of them is on an empty stomach, one of them is with food. Sometimes he just gets frustrated and takes them all at once. TJ says, not ideal, and Gregory says, that’s not counting the times he can’t remember if he took them, so he takes them again. Or not at all. TJ says, he might need a better system, and Gregory says his son Finn is quite the taskmaster. TJ says, not only at home, and Gregory says, TJ isn’t the first person to tell him that. Finn always seems to know what pills he takes, when he took them, and what meds are on deck. Finn is probably the reason he’s doing as well as he is, and people seem to think he is. TJ asks what Gregory thinks, and he says he tries not to compare how he’s feeling today with how he was feeling a year ago. TJ says, wise man, but Gregory says, not so much wise as older. But TJ is young. Does he have kids? TJ says he and his partner have one on the way. They’re using a surrogate. Gregory says he and Alexis work together. He thinks she said something about that. His partner is Molly, and her sister is their surrogate? TJ says, Kristina. And if Gregory works with Alexis, he bets Gregory’s heard a lot. He’s going to try and keep Alexis from scrubbing in during the birth. Gregory laughs and says, good luck with that. When is the baby due? TJ says, in August, and Gregory says, that’s just wonderful. TJ shows him crossed fingers, and Gregory asks if there’s a problem.

Felicia says she did set out to raise a strong, capable, brilliant daughter, but she also raised Maxie to be illogical, so she’d have at least one flaw. Maxie says, congratulations on a job well done. Let’s call it a day. Felicia asks, what’s going on with Spinelli? and Maxie says she kissed Spinelli the night they found out Jason was back. Emotions were running high. Felicia asks why she’s just hearing about this now, and Maxie says, because it’s not logical for her to tell her mom about some crazy nerd she kissed, unless she’s going to follow it up with, she thinks he’s the one. Felicia says he doesn’t really see this as a problem and why she’s still on Maxie’s grudge list. Her matchmaking skills worked. Maxie says, Felicia is still on her list because she’s broken Spinelli’s heart so many times, she can’t do it to him again. And it doesn’t matter that James adores him or that Georgie is crazy about her dad or that Bailey Lou lights up every time Spinelli walks into a room. And it definitely doesn’t matter that she loves Spinelli and probably will forever.

TJ says, he’s a doctor, so he knows it’s important to have the proper amount of sleep, have good nutrition, exercise moderately. If you want to have a healthy baby, that’s the best chance. Gregory says, absolutely, but men and women have been worrying about their unborn children for centuries and in circumstances far more daunting than these. In fact, there was this famous Union officer who fought ferociously in the Civil War. Her disguise was so good, no one realized she was a woman until she went into labor on the battlefield, and she and her baby were just fine. TJ asks if that’s true, and Gregory says he doesn’t remember where he read it, but it’s true. TJ says, so Gregory is telling him this could be worse. Kristina could be eating hardtack and giving birth during Gettysburg. Gregory says, it’s an extreme event, but his point is, long before they were walking the earth, babies were coming out just fine. And of course (🍷) there are sad exceptions to everything, but worrying about them in advance isn’t going to make them more or less likely to happen. This is TJ’s moment. Live in it.

Sonny asks what Ava told Nina, and she says, nothing. As a matter of principle, she doesn’t tell Nina or anyone else anything about him. He says, she had to want something, and Ava says, she does. She wants him back. He says, you know what’s sad? She can’t accept the marriage is over and move on. Ava says she’s sorry it came up at all. His marriage is between him and Nina. He tells her, like he said, until Nina can accept the marriage is over and signs the divorce papers, she’s just going to be hurting. He’s sorry Ava had to go through that. She says, it’s all right. She can sympathize with Nina, even though she knows Nina has no one to blame for her situation but herself.

Dex asks if Josslyn is okay, and she says, yeah, she guesses. It was a huge gift getting Jason back. Her mom’s over the moon. She’s just been happier and lighter, and it kind of just energized the rest of them. He says, she looks great, and she thanks him. She says she just went for a run, so she probably doesn’t smell great, and he says he misses her smell, and her warmth, and her hair across his face.

Brick walks into Jordan’s office carrying a bouquet and says he hopes he’s not disturbing her. The woman at the end of the hall told him that he could find her here. These are for her. He hands her the flowers, and she says, he remembered she likes daffodils. He says he remembered everything about her, and hopes she remembered that he said he’d be back. She says she remembers hearing something like that, and he says, then he just has one more question. Can she come out and play?

Felicia says she was remembering a time when she was in the exact same place Maxie is in. She was in love with someone, and after years of false starts and misfires, she finally realized he was the love of her life. Maxie says, Mac, and Felicia says, when she and Mac broke up, she didn’t think their relationship could be mended. And when it was mended, she was so afraid to let him in. She was so afraid she’d do something to screw it up for good, but then she listened to her heart, not her fear. She’s so glad she did, because when she and Mac were married for the last time, they both knew it was forever. Maxie says she and Spinelli broke up once and it nearly killed her. If she lets him in again, how does she know nothing bad will happen? Felicia says, she doesn’t. She just needs to have a little faith. Maxie says she survived a break-up with Spinelli once. She doesn’t know if she could do it twice. Felicia takes her hands and asks if Maxie thinks Spinelli has the same worries she does, because Felicia doesn’t. He’s seen Maxie at her worst, at her best, and everything else in between, and he never turned away from her until she kicked him out and closed the door behind him. And after he was gone, were either one of them any happier?

Gregory looks at TJ’s tablet and asks if he has to put his glasses on or can TJ tell him if it’s a boy or a girl. TJ says, they told the OB/GYN that they didn’t want to know, so he carefully picked ultrasound pictures where you can’t see. Gregory asks if he’s secretly hoping for one or the other, and TJ says he’s secretly hoping it’s a girl, but Molly can never know that. Gregory says, and she never will, and TJ says, but he’s just hoping the baby is healthy, and has all the necessary toes and fingers and doesn’t know who its surrogate was, because she’s a little crazy and so is her family. Gregory says, so for his partner, TJ snatched up the only entirely sane member of the family, and TJ says, Molly and Kristina are… passionate. Molly is perfect except for all these excuses she keeps making for Kristina. He thinks they’re going to keep rolling off his back like they used to once the baby is here. Gregory says he doesn’t envy TJ right now. All he can do is wait and worry, but it’ll pass. It’s about to be so wonderful. Trust him. TJ thanks him and says, but isn’t Gregory supposed to be the patient and he’s supposed to be the doctor? Gregory says, in his last act as TJ’s physician, let him just say, eat all his vegetables, don’t drink to excess, and he’ll see TJ in a year for his next follow-up. They shake hands and TJ thanks him.

Jordan tells Brick, not bad. Funny with enough sexy to pull it off. He says, she hasn’t seen his sexy yet. She has to sign a release first. She says, the woman down the hall is a notary. Does she need to call her, or should she just take her chances? He says, she’s not taking a chance on him. He’s a sure thing. She asks if he’s saying he’s easy, and he says, for her? Always. She says she needs to finish scanning these before this conversation gets her in trouble with human resources. He says, they’re definitely taking a chance because they’re not safe or suitable for work, and she laughs. She says, a man who can make a human resources joke, and he says, once she finishes that up, he can impress her some more. He can take her out to dinner someplace nice and quiet. And while she’s doing that, if he can find a sink, he can put the flowers in some water for her. She says, no need to do that. She’s taking them home with her. She’s just been scanning these tax returns for the city council all evening. He says he knew that’s what those were. He caught a look earlier. She says, her tax returns are private. He doesn’t need to be looking at them. He says his apologies. So since she showed him hers, he’ll show her his.

Josslyn says she wants to say something and wants Dex to just let her say it, and he says, sure. She says she thinks she knows why he’s doing this. When she found out he was willing to kill for Sonny, she came down on him really hard. And now she thinks he’s trying to prove to her, and himself, that he’s not that guy. He says, okay, and she says, if he was cleaning toilets at a middle school or rescuing puppies, she would respect that and back him up 100%, but not this. He can’t become a cop. It puts him squarely in Sonny’s sights. He says he’s not going to go looking for Sonny, badge or no badge, but she says, he knows too much about Sonny’s business. Eventually, Sonny is going to want to get rid of him for that, so badge or no badge, it doesn’t matter. He says, Sonny had a chance to get rid of him and he didn’t, and she says, because her mom stopped him. But he doesn’t listen to her anymore. And Dex knows Sonny loses his mind a little bit every time he thinks someone betrayed him. Look at what Sonny did to him. He hung Dex from a meat hook and put him in a freezer the first time he thought Dex lied. Dex says, and she saved him. he hasn’t forgotten. She says, he’s not going to let this go and Dex knows that. They might not be together anymore, but she doesn’t want anything bad happening to him, ever. She has to go. She gets up and he asks her to wait.

Felicia says, it wasn’t fair of her to conspire with Spinelli, to make an excuse for him to move in, and Maxie says, that was a rare, but rather large swing and miss for her. That’s okay though. Most of the time, she’s very wise. It wouldn’t kill her to actually listen to Felicia once in a while. Felicia says she didn’t expect Maxie to say that, and Maxie says she didn’t expect to say it, but she’s tired. To be honest, she’s surrounded by a lot of wise people. Mac, Felicia, Brook… Even James has this really cute way of looking at life where he cuts through the noise. Not her though. She is the noise. Felicia says, there are so many people that love Maxie. She just wishes Maxie could be one of them. Maxie says, most days she’s okay. Sometimes it’s rough though. Felicia says, those are the days she needs someone at home who loves her more than anything. Like an adorable, crazy nerd, for instance. She hugs Maxie.

Dex says, before Josslyn goes, there are some things he thinks she should know. He told Commissioner Devane that he would testify against Sonny. She says, what? How? He says he didn’t have any hard evidence, so she said it would just be his word against Sonny’s. She says, and anyone else Sonny got to lie for him, and he says, right. She said it would all end up in the wash and he’d end up with an even bigger target on his back. She says, as if that’s possible, and he says, so the Commissioner suggested he become a cop so it would give him some level of protection. He doesn’t know if it will or not, but once he started this process, he saw it as a second chance. Not to prove anything to her, but because it felt right to him. She says, that’s as it should be, and he says he fought for his country. Then he fought for that man to make money by any means possible. Sonny saved his life and put his faith in him, and he thought he’d found a home in him. But someone like that can never be home. Fighting for what is good and decent, protecting people from being victimized, that is the fight he wants. She says, even if he’s fighting for people like Cyrus, but he says he doesn’t get to pick and choose. He wanted her to know where he was coming from when he applied to the academy. She says she appreciates him telling her, and he runs off.

Jordan says she thinks it’s best that any and all financial records Brick has, remain a mystery to her, but he says, there’s nothing scary or bad in there. He’s just a consultant who’s very good at his job and very high in demand. She says she knows. She’s familiar with one of his clients who has a frequent demand for his services. He says, that may be one of his clients, but he’s not his clients any more than she’s the city’s infrastructure, which by the way, could use some improvements. She says, thank you… I think, and he says, come on. Even superheroes get hungry. She says, that’s true, and he says, come on. His phone rings, and he says, yeah?… Argh… All right. Tell him that he’s one his way… Fine, he will. Damn. She says, he did tell her that he was in demand, and he says he was hoping she’d be the one doing the demanding. She says, next time he’s in town, let her know, and he asks if that’s a demand. She says, not quite, but something like that, and he says, then how can he refuse? He leaves and she wonders what’s wrong with her.

Ava says she’s going to say something she probably shouldn’t, and Sonny says, let’s hear it. She says she knows they’re not together in the conventional sense, but the truth is, she really likes living with him. He says, yeah. He likes it too. Sometimes unconventional is the way to go. They both smile.

Tomorrow, Brook says she appreciates the offer, and Chase says, but she’s not going to take it; Gregory tells Elizabeth that he thinks he knows; Laura says she and someone else have been standing in the way of it for far too long; Anna says, they’ll be ready; and Cyrus says he holds Sonny’s fate in his hands.

Vanderpump Rules

Scheana meets with everyone, minus the Toms, James, and Ally, at Kyle Chan’s store to shoot her Good As Gold video. She says she got a text from Katie and she’s not coming. She said she’s on her death bed. In Scheana’s interview, she wonders if Katie is really sick or avoiding Lala after the fight they had. We flash back to that, and Scheana says, when she recorded Good As Gold, she never imagined 10 years later she’d be doing a video. Going back to the studio with The 27 made her realize how good music has been for her. It’s a creative outlet where she can let her feelings out. She couldn’t be happier.

Ally tells James that Rachel did a podcast, and she’s blaming him for Hippie’s behavior. There’s podcast talk at the shoot as well, and Scheana says she’s been going since 7 am and hasn’t listened to it, but people texted her. She hasn’t been able to catch up. She tells Ariana that Raquel claimed she and Ariana were acquaintances. In Ariana’s interview, she says she and Raquel spent a ton of time together. We flash back to some of that and Raquel saying that these are her forever friends. Ariana tells us, when Raquel says they weren’t good friends, it’s to make herself feel better about what she did. Or she’s saying Ariana is sh*t. Scheana says, Raquel claimed she had a savior complex and that their friendship was equally beneficial. But Raquel never paid for anything, not even toilet paper, and she had sex in Scheana’s bed. Ally tells James that Raquel said she was upset after she and James broke up and wasn’t over him. She never loved Sandoval. That’s not what she said last summer. We flash back to the Reunion where Andy used the words in love with Tom, and she agrees she was. James says, Sandoval offered to have him open for his band at the El Ray, and in James’s interview, he says he understands Sandoval lied, as he lied to Sandoval in the past, but he’s trying to figure out their friendship. Was it real and is there anything to salvage?  He tells Ally that even though he doesn’t open for anyone, he’s considering it, and Ally says, it’s depressing. She wants to move on to brighter topics. She tells James that Lala is having a sperm donor party and letting her friends pick out the baby daddy.

Lala asks Ariana if she can have the party at her house, but Ariana says, the house is a hot mess without Ann, and we see a clip that says, life without Ann. It’s not even hot. It’s just a mess. She tells Lala that when she has a new house, Lala can absolutely get inseminated there. In Lala’s interview, she says, it’s a monumental moment, the picking of her future child, who will be part of her life until she dies. She wants to take the science jargon out of it a little. We see a clip of her visiting the lab, and she says she’s trying to figure out ways she can look at her baby and say, they were brought here out of love. It may look different, but love is love. Lala says she’s going to ask Lisa. Ally tells James that Lala was venting about Katie at paintball. They’re both intense personalities and need to work it out. James agrees.

Schwartz says, the dogs are all he’s got, when Sandoval walks in. Schwartz apologizes for the condition of the fridge. Lately, things have fallen apart. Sandoval says he’s shell shocked that Raquel said she wasn’t in love with him on the podcast. She’s acting as though she somehow got the worst of it. Schwartz says, they both got it bad, and Sandoval cries, saying, he thought she’d see the work he’s done on himself. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he wasn’t ready to give up hope until he heard from her. Now he has. To go through all that and not give it a shot, what was it all for? He tells Schwartz that he doesn’t understand. He would do anything for her. Schwartz says, regardless of what she said, she probably just wanted to be heard before she pursues her new life. It’s been over. Me: sorry not sorry.

Lisa goes to TomTom and asks bartender Logan if the Toms are there. He says he hasn’t seen them, and she says, they’re supposed to be showing her cocktails. In Lisa’s interview, she says, it will never be PUMP; it’s a different aesthetic. But there’s no reason they can’t develop the restaurant part and add brunch. Scwartz arrives, and Lisa asks if he’s keeping his hair or is she shaving it off. Logan says, it turns him on, and Lisa says, then keep it. Lisa says, Sandoval was supposed to be here at 1:15, and Schwartz says, it’s 1:45. Schwartz tells her that Sandoval listened to Raquel’s podcast, and Lisa says she hopes Raquel said something nice, but Logan says, she didn’t. Lisa says, who cares? She doesn’t love Sandoval. She’s been open about that. Schwartz says, it’s over, and Lisa says, Raquel has been away for three months, and she thought Sandoval was in a better place. Schwartz says, he was, when Sandoval finally shows up. Lisa says, he’s late, really late. He says he’s sorry, and Lisa asks if he wants to talk. He begrudgingly says, I guess so, and Schwartz makes himself scarce. Lisa doesn’t have to pry too hard for Sandoval to admit he’s upset because of the podcast. She asks why he’s listening to it, and he says he wants to know what she’s saying. It’s bullsh*t. She says, don’t listen. Why torture himself? She asks about the house and Sandoval says he’s accepting Ariana’s offer. She asks if he’s going to sell it or buy her out, and he says he’s thinking about it. He made the offer over two months ago, and his thoughts have changed. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, it took Ariana so long to get back to him, he’s on the fence whether he’s going to keep it or if he can refinance. If he refinances, he’ll be paying more than double what he’s currently paying. Lala joins them, and Lisa asks what she wanted to talk about. Lala asks if she can host her sperm donor party at Lisa’s home, and Lisa asks if there will be j*rking off in her back garden. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Lala assures her that nobody is going to be doing that. It’s going to be beautiful, and she has the catering lined up and the balloons. Everyone will get a packet with the donor information, and they’ll vote. Lisa asks if everyone else is choosing her sperm donor, and Lala says, including Lisa. Let her be excited. Lisa says she gives her blessing… she guesses.

Scheana and Brock go to Ariana’s house, and Ariana says, Logan was at TomTom and said Sandoval was having second thoughts about buying her out and might want to sell. They could have sold in March, and she could have been out of here. In Ariana’s interview, she says, now that Sandoval got an actual look at the financial end, he realized he couldn’t do it. She could have told him that before. It’s hard being right sometimes, especially when that’s always the case. Brock tells her that they heard part 4 of Rachel’s podcast: How Do You Like Them Apples? In Scheana’s interview, she says she’s got a new song with The 27 called Apples. When she first wrote it, it was only about Raquel, but she extended the second verse, and it was directed at Sandoval. She’s trying to take a traumatic experience and turn it into a piece of art. It’s therapeutic and it’s catchy. Scheana says, Ariana has a lot on her shoulders. She has everything, and that’s amazing, but she’s still dealing with a lot, so they’re seeing what they can help with. Ariana says she doesn’t touch what isn’t hers, and in her interview, Scheana says, Ariana and Sandoval’s house has always been on the messier side. But if it’s so messy now that Ariana doesn’t want people over, that worries her. She doesn’t want Ariana falling back into a dark place. You don’t want a messy house that’s a reflection of your mental health. She and Brock get to work, and Ariana says, they’re doing the assistant’s job. Scheana comes out with a present that’s been there since Christmas, and it’s now August. In Ariana’s interview, she says, now that she knows for sure she’s moving, she’s not unpacking anything and putting it away. If she receives a box, she just stacks it. It’s one less thing she has to pack. Scheana says, she’ll feel better if they throw the trash away. Scheana picks up… something, and Ariana says, they don’t want to touch that, but Brock says, they’ve got a kid. Scheana says, she’s touched worse things. She cleans up after Brock. Brock says he’s not that bad.

Sandoval rehearses with his band and it’s pretty awful. James comes in with Hippie as Sandoval leaps around the stage. James says, Sandoval is the talk of the town, and Sandoval says, it’s been a rough couple of days. James says he’s been there with Raquel and learned his lesson. Sandoval says he tried to look out for Raquel, but he realizes he cared more than her. It was f***ing bullsh*t and disrespectful. She used him and threw him away. I have no words, and James says, he lived his own life after he and Raquel broke up. He’s done talking sh*t. Sandoval says he has no closure, and James says, f*** closure. Sandoval says, Raquel is selfish. She gave James the ultimatum about not drinking because she thought he couldn’t do it. James says, Raquel said she didn’t love Sandoval and had sex with him because she was getting over James. Sandoval says, if they had sex when they’d meet, it was only for a little bit. They mostly talked. James says, what Sandoval had with Ariana was true love. He forgot and now wants to rewrite history. Have fun with his band. James isn’t opening for him. This is a joke. In James’s interview, he says, Sandoval can’t let go of the past. He’s waiting for Sandoval to get a clue, but maybe he never will. He’ll be 75, doing karaoke, and taking out his d*ck flute. STFU. Sandoval tells James to go push some buttons on his laptop as James walks out.

Puffy! There’s a gorgeous spread awaiting Lala’s party at Villa Rosa. Lala tells Lisa that after everyone’s bellies are full, they’re going to play pin the sperm on the vagina. In Lala’s interview, she says, she’s a couple hours away from choosing a baby daddy. There are so many supportive people who love her daughter, she knows they’ll love on the new baby. Ally tells Katie that the argument she had with Lala sounded heated. At paintball, Lala said she seemed miserable and was getting upset easily. Katie insists she’s not miserable and getting upset easily. She’s tired of the same dumb sh*t. In Katie’s interview, she wonders, since when does Lala talk sh*t behind her back instead of to her face?

Schwartz visits Sandoval and meets new assistant Craig. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he met Craig when Craig interviewed for Schwartz & Sandy’s. He’s now Sandoval’s new assistant. It didn’t work out with Ann, so Craig is coming on board. Sandoval says he’s delayed responding to Ariana’s email so he can hang out with Mya longer. He’d consider keeping the house… Schwartz asks him not to say, if he had a roommate. Roommates are terrible. But hypothetically, what rent would he be paying? Sandoval says, $6000. Schwartz pays $4500 now, so it’s not that bad. I guess Sandoval is bad at math since that’s a big monthly jump. Schwartz says, he can’t put something like that in and not get a return. He’d have no equity. Sandoval says, they could get loan together, but Schwartz says, they’ll be looked at like two nincompoops.

Lala tells the guests, before they pick donors, they need to go through their binders. She thanks them for coming here because she loves them, and now she’s getting emotional. This isn’t how she pictured her life, but she’s beyond grateful this is an option. The one thing she feels she’s good at is being a mama. But before they pick a baby daddy, they’re going to play pin the sperm on the vagina. She thinks Lisa should go first. Lisa wonders how she got roped into this, and in Lisa’s interview, she says she’s blindfolded. How is she supposed to know where the vagina is? She can barely find her own. What about Ken? He’s used to fumbling around. Maybe he’d do a better job. Lala says, okay, bitches and gays, lets pick a f***ing donor. She brings out Ryan from the sperm bank who’s been walking her through the process. She goes over the donors, and in Ariana’s interview, she says, a word of advice to potential donors. Be thorough and heartfelt with your answers. Are you in it for the right reasons? Lisa says, Lala must have the one whose favorite animal is a dog, and Lala’s mom wants the one who cooks. Lala reminds them that they’re not shopping for a man, just his sperm. She has the voters use a happy/negative face paddle to vote, and donor one is a slam dunk. In Lala’s interview, she says, she has her baby daddy. Going this route is giving her what her heart and soul so badly want. She tears up and says, it’s very exciting. She tells the guests that she’s planning on a November or December insemination, which would mean an August or September due date. Next summer, she’ll be bumping around. Lisa says she had more fun conceiving Lala’s baby than she did her own.

Ally tells James about the party, and in her interview, she says, the questions she’d ask would be, what was their GPA in high school and what is their sun sign? She tells James that Lala asked if she wants a baby, and she said, one day, but she’s not ready right now. James says he sees it in the future, and Ally says she never felt called to being a mom. She’s felt it with cats and dogs, but not a baby. She had no dreams of marriage. James says, these are things he wants, that he’s worked his whole life for. He sees a future with her, and it scares him that she’s not ready. He doesn’t want to invest another five years and find out it’s bullsh*t and never meant anything. In James’s interview, he says, he thinks about everything leading up to this moment and the girl he loves has no plans for kids. It would break his heart. He tells Ally that the love chapter in his life wasn’t what he thought it would be. He doesn’t want to think about going back to square one. It would be a nightmare to him. Ally says she loves him and sees a future with him. She wouldn’t be with him if she didn’t.

At TomTom, they prepare for the first brunch, and Schwartz says he’s going to pass out shots. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, the brunch has been five years in the making. It’s not how he envisioned it with PUMP on the other side, but it’s a win. They have a great turnout and he thinks it will be one of their biggest selling points moving forward. James tell Sandoval that he’s sorry, and in his interview, James says, after he talked to Ally, he remembered he has to be the bigger person. He sets up his DJ stuff, and Lala asks what Katie and Ally were discussing at her party. Katie says, Ally said Lala claimed she seemed miserable and getting angry at everything. Lala asks if Ally said that was verbatim, and Ally says she’s trying to remember. We flash back to Lala using the word unhappy. Lala tells Katie that she was going to have a conversation with her, since she felt Katie wasn’t in a happy place, but Katie says, she’s wrong. Lala says she wants to know she won’t trigger Katie, since Katie said she didn’t feel Lala was loyal or consistent. Katie says, it’s not that. She thinks Lala’s softness is going to not deserving people, and she’s been more defensive. Lala says, maybe it’s because they were inseparable last year and now, she doesn’t know where her place is. She gets it. She has a kid. Katie says she doesn’t have a person or kids. She has all the time in the world. She doesn’t want Lala to feel like she has no time for her. Scheana says she’s learned that Lala needs someone checking in with her, and Katie says she texts and calls Lala. Lala starts to cry, and in Katie’s interview, she says she’d love to have Lala as a close friend, but it goes both ways. It’s an effort, not an obligation. Lala says she needs Katie to know that she loves her for who she is. She wants them to show up for each other, and wonders if they can get back to that. Scheana wonders if they can go back to being the Spice Girls now.

Brunch is in full swing. James is doing his thing, and the response is good. Sandoval tells Schwartz that he got something from Doug about another property they could possibly move into. After living with the enemy, he realizes… Scheana comes over, and says, every day, it’s something new about Sandoval. She asks how he’s doing, and he says he feels betrayed and hurt and he’s not getting closure. Scheana says, none of them are. She wrote a song and there are a couple of specific lines… Sandoval says, about the affair? and Scheana says, it’s open to interpretation. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, it’s open to interpretation aside from the fact Raquel drove a Jetta (mentioned in the song). Sandoval says, she’d feel differently if it was her and he wrote a song, but it’s okay. He walks off, and Scheana says she thought he’d heard it. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he thought he and Scheana were becoming friends again. Now she’s going to profit off his pain. He’s collateral damage, but she’s got to put her track out. If she cared about things, she wouldn’t do this. He walks past the table on his way out, and says, keep cashing in on his misery.

📲 Now I’ve got to find that song for my playlist.

Next time, Schwartz gets a tattoo and Sandoval passes out; no longer the worst human on earth, Jax pays a visit; and Scheana and Brock are at each other’s throats.

🍼  Slipping Into The Valley…

I’m not liking this show. So far, it’s not the trainwreck Summer House is. There are no frat parties with an agro Lindsay, screaming at her boyfriend of the season, or engagement parties being eclipsed by a former BFF’s bizarre insecurities. This is a different kind of dislike. For one thing, not everyone in the world is interesting. Brittany and Jax are transports from Vanderpump Rules, where Brittany was a novelty and Jax was… well, Jax. There is also transport Kristen, but we’ll get to her. TBH, the rest of the cast names haven’t registered. Because they’re boring. Stepford boring. It’s like high school students playing at suburban life. A lot revolves around kids and marriage, but it’s just not that noteworthy. Ditto the shade. One woman looks up her friends’ houses on Zillow and even knows what they pay in taxes. While that seems a little stalkerish, and personally, I’ve never done that, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Not to mention, the overblown house prices information on Zillow is all public record anyway.

Then we have Kristen. I’m no fan, but this girl can’t catch a break. I believe she’s sincere in her intention of wanting to mature and change, but good luck when no one will let you forget your VanderPast. Shame on the show itself for including so many flashbacks of Kristen’s bad behavior many years ago. This one is just not working for me.

The Valley Episode 5 Recap: The ‘D’ Word
The Valley’s Michelle, Jesse Get Hit With Cheating Rumors Before Separation

🔎 No Diggity To See Here…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and gems of entertainment unearthed from the internet. Until then, stay safe, stay not shying away from opportunity, and stay not worrying in advance. That isn’t going to make the worst more or less likely to happen.

Apr16

April 15, 2024 – Sasha Saves the Day For Deception, Not Royalty On Deck, A Thought & Fever

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly tells Jason that even if Nina doesn’t let Sonny know directly, she’s going to make Sonny aware that she slept with John Cates. But just to be clear, she did not. Jason says, copy that, and she says, that’s new. She doesn’t remember him ever saying, copy that, before. Anyway, she doesn’t know what she’s worried about. Sonny already considers her a traitor. Why would he care who she slept with? Jason says, because he loves her, but she says she doesn’t think he does anymore, and leaves.

Ava goes to Nina’s office and tells Madison that Nina is expecting her. Madison says, unfortunately, Nina’s been called away to guest services, but Ava says she doesn’t mind waiting and goes into Nina’s office and sits down. She takes out her phone and pulls out a plastic bag with some pills in it. She flashes back to taking Sonny’s pills to help her sleep and makes a call. She asks if this is Applied Analytical… Good. She’s hoping they can help her. She thinks there’s been a mistake with her husband’s medication. If they took a look at his pills, would they be able to identify the prescription and the strength?… She can’t ask his pharmacy. They’re online… That’s wonderful. She thanks them and says she’ll messenger them today.

On air at Home & Heart, Lucy says he has every intention of returning as mistress of ceremonies at the Nurses Ball… Backstage, Brook asks Maxie how they’re doing, and Maxie says, see for herself. Lucy says, it’s not the same without her, and Haven says she watches the Nurses Ball every year. Lucy thanks her and says, that’s very kind of her. Sometimes they do have very special guests… Haven says, and the guests always look so fabulous, so tell them what role Deception plays in all that gorgeous hair and makeup. Lucy says, of course (🍷) Deception is so very important, but she has to say, it’s not more important than wardrobe. Especially her wardrobe, because sometimes she’s had more than a dozen gown changes. Of course (🍷), like she mentioned, she was unable to host last year. It was the first time ever, but she was lucky because she was able to run things remotely… Maxie tells Brook not to worry. She called the cavalry, and Brook says she hopes Maxie means a literal legion of soldiers who will distract the viewers from this disaster. Maxie says, only one soldier, the best one for the job, and Brook says, they’d better get here soon, because they’re going down fast. Lucy says she started Deception. It was her little brainchild back in the 90s…

Lois invites Gregory in and asks if there’s something she can get for her favorite in-law to be. He says, no, but thank you. He doesn’t want to take up too much of her time. He was just hoping to get a quick word with Brook. She says, Brook is off doing something with Deception. Is this about the wedding? He says, as a matter of fact, it is, and she says, then he’s come to the right person. As the mother of the bride, it’s her honor and pleasure to make sure this wedding comes off without a hitch.

Anna sits at her desk, making notes about the people connected to Pikeman. There’s a knock at the door, and John asks if he’s interrupting. She says, my God. What happened to you?

Lucy says she’s sure some of the viewers remember, the 90s were a very different time, and Haven says, you know what she remembers most about the 90s? Lucy says, do tell, and Haven says, the hole in the ozone layer. It was an environmental crisis that affected everyone on earth, not just Port Charles. And does Lucy know what layers were affected the most? The epidermis and the dermis. They could have used a face cream like the one Lucy brought them today. Lucy says, they sure could have, and Haven asks her to tell them about it. Lucy says, they didn’t have that, so she’s thinking, maybe subconsciously, that is exactly the idea that made her want to create Deception. Haven says, and she did. And now, Deception and Home & Heart would like to invite the home audience to enjoy Deception’s new face cream at home. Brook tells Maxie that she never thought she’d hear herself say this, but thank God for Haven. She doesn’t know how much more of the Lucy chronicles they can take. Maxie says, don’t worry. The cavalry is here. and Scotty says he got here as quick as he could. Brook says, this is the cavalry? Scotty joins them, and Maxie tells him, this is what they need him to do. Get up on that stage and get Lucy to talk about the product. Brook says, just get her off the damn stage, and Scotty says he’ll take care of it.

Haven says, come on, just a little dab, and tries to put some of the cream on Lucy’s face, and Lucy says, no, but thank you so much. As she mentioned, this cream looks best, starts, and works best on completely washed skin. You do not put it over makeup. Haven says she’s sure they can get someone up here to get that makeup right off Lucy’s face, and Lucy says, on camera. Haven says, oh yes, on camera, and her washed, unmade up face will be in a nice, tight close-up. Lucy says, that will only happen over one of their dead bodies, when Scotty comes onstage and says, good thing he just showed up. Haven says, this is a closed set, but Lucy says, actually, it’s not a closed set to a dear, dear friend. Also, he happens to be the lawyer for Deception. So viewers out there, please welcome noted personal injury and defense attorney, Scott Baldwin. Scotty thanks her for the warm welcome, and says, about this face cream… Lucy says, know what she’s thinking? Memory Lane. The 2013 Nurses Ball, they were on the stage together at one point, and this takes her back to that Nurses Ball. Actually, that was a time twelve years went by when they didn’t have a Nurses Ball, and she knew she couldn’t let that hiatus to go on one more year. Maxie says, oh well. It was worth a shot. Deception was nice while it lasted. Brook tells her, don’t give up yet. She’s got one more Hail Mary. She jets.

Tracy walks into the stable in riding clothes and calls to Cody. She says she’s ready for her ride, and Cody comes out. He says, she’s running a little late, and she says she hopes that means her horse is saddled up and ready to go. He says, actually… and she says she wanted to tell him that she hasn’t ridden in a while, so she wanted to just take the horse for a walk around the arena. Just until she gets her feet back. He says, okay, so about the saddle… She says she loves that saddle. She rode that saddle for years. It’s a multi-generational saddle. He tells her, like she said, she hasn’t used it in a while and there was a problem with the way it was stored. She says, that’s a dressage saddle. It was custom made. If there’s a problem with it, he’s out on his hind end with no pillion to cushion him.

Gregory tells Lois that he’s sure Chase and Brook’s day will be hitchless, especially with her at the helm. She says, he’s right of course (🍷), but she thanks him for noticing, and he says he calls it like he sees it. She asks him to sit down and says, come on, tell her. What’s worrying him? He says, it’s a small thing really, and she asks if he needs to change his entrée from chicken to fish. Because there’s plenty of time. Speaking of time, does he happen to have a copy of what he’s going to be saying at the altar? It’s not because she needs to approve anything at all. It’s just that she needs to know how long it’s going to take. He looks startled and a bit overwhelmed.

Jason asks when Sonny stopped loving Carly, and she says, people fall out of love all the time. He knows that. He says, but not her and Sonny. They can’t live together – that’s happened before – but they still love each other. She says she tried. Sonny was different after he came back from Nixon Falls. He was infatuated with Nina. Jason agrees he was different, and Carly says, and to Sonny, nothing could ever be Nina’s fault. It was her fault, it was Jason’s fault… He thinks they went behind his back. He thought she was unfaithful to him. When they got word Jason had died, she felt like her heart was ripped out of her chest, but to Sonny, he barely noticed Jason was gone.

Tracy says she wants to see her saddle, and Cody says he thought she’d never ask. He calls to Sasha, who walks in with the saddle. He says, it turns out Sasha has a way with Havana leather, no matter how old or water damaged. Tracy says she can’t believe that’s the same saddle, and Sasha says, it’s a wonder what some balm and a sheepskin glove can do. Tracy says she had no idea that when Sasha chose to leave Deception, it would work out so well for her, and Sasha says she’s welcome. Tracy asks Cody what he’s waiting for. Put the saddle on the horse. He says, yes, ma’am, and Tracy says she’ll be outside. Cody thanks Sasha and says, she just saved his hind end. She says, it’s the least she could do. It’s a nice hind end.

John says, by all appearances, he was the target of a mugging, and Anna asks what he means, by all appearances. He says he was attacked by two guys on the waterfront. They came out of nowhere, laid him out, but they didn’t get around to robbing him. It could have been because the beating was interrupted or… Anna says, or it could have been orchestrated, and he says he’d bet his badge on it. She says, for argument’s sake, the waterfront isn’t the safest part of town, and he says, especially this part of the waterfront, a block from the Corinthos Coffee warehouse. Coincidence? She says, that depends. What was he doing snooping around Corinthos Coffee?

Carly says, Sonny told her that he was in love with Nina. Then he tried to walk it back, telling her that they were leftover feelings from Nixon Falls or something like that, but she told him she wanted a separation. But Sonny decided they were going to reconcile. More than that, he wanted to renew their wedding vows, and he gave her an old tomato ultimatum. If she didn’t show up, he’d know they were over. Jason asks if she showed up, and she says, yeah, she showed up. She was an hour late, and by then, Sonny was in bed with Nina. She literally walked in on them. He says he’s sorry, and she says, it was awful. It was horrible. There was a big fight. Sonny blamed her and that’s when she stopped caring what Sonny thought and she stopped caring how Sonny felt and she asked him for a divorce.

Cody says he’d better get the lady of the manor mounted (excuse me?), and Sasha asks if Tracy knows she can’t fire him. He says, sure, but it doesn’t stop her from trying. Speaking of employment, this would be a great time for Sasha to fill out those applications for all those jobs she doesn’t want. Do it. He leaves, and she says, or she could straighten up the tack room. She walks out, leaving her phone on the table, when Brook calls.

Gregory tells Lois that he hasn’t settled on a final draft of what he’s going to say. He’s been writing for weeks. She says she totally sympathizes. She knows he wants it all to be perfect. She’s just saying, when he knows what it is he’s going to be saying, would he mind sending her a copy? She needs to time out the ceremony so she can let the kitchen at the MetroCourt know when to start firing up the food. He says he hadn’t realized… and she says, it’s crucial. It’s totally crucial. You have to have the food come out to the table when it’s hot, not when it’s overdone. And definitely not when it’s been heated under those heating lamps. Those contraptions need to be outlawed. Her phone rings, and she says, excuse her for one second. She picks up her phone and says, oh, it’s Brook. She answers and says she’s sitting here with Brook’s future father-in-law. Brook says she needs Lois to do something for her. It’s an emergency. Lois asks Gregory to excuse her for one moment, and leaves the room. Gregory now looks startled and confused.

Lois runs into the stable and tells Sasha that Brook has been trying to reach her. Sasha says she’s sorry and picks up her phone. Lois says, there is a Deception disaster. Lucy is crashing and burning on Home & Heart. Sasha says, Lucy? and Lois says, she decided to do the spot herself, which is a complete disaster. She doesn’t watch H&H herself, but her ma does, and you know who else watches it? All of her ma’s friends, and they all know that Deception is Brook’s company. So Lucy’s failure is Deception’s failure is Brook’s failure, and they can’t let that happen. So come on. Lois needs her to go. Sasha says she’ll have to change, but Lois says, there’s no time. She snagged the fastest ride in the garage. Can Sasha drive a stick? It doesn’t matter. She can drive one. Let’s go. She grabs Sasha’s hand and drags her out the door.

Lucy says, what she remembers in particular about that year is all the obstacles she had to overcome. She had to get all these good people together for such a good cause and raise so much money for those very good people. Haven says, just like their viewers at home, and Scotty says, hello, viewers, and suggests they tell the viewers how this face cream can take a mug like this and turn it into a matinee idol. Lucy says she’s so delighted to see him and have him here with them, but it’s kind of rude to interrupt. Where was she? Oh, right. There was a ball for nurses and the year was 2014… Haven says, yes, and her dear, dear friend Scott showed up right at the end and kissed her… in her underwear… again. Lucy thanks her and says, it’s so kind of Haven to remember that. Haven says she never forgets a Nurses Ball. Isn’t Lucy unforgettable? Doesn’t she look great? And you know what? You can look great too. She holds up the cream.

Nina says she’s so sorry to keep Ava waiting, but Ava says, it’s no problem. She had some business to take care of anyway. Nina kisses her on the cheek, and Ava says, what about her? Did she have a hotel emergency? Nina says, Ava knows how it is. One guest’s crisis is a hotelier’s whole day. Ava says she’s not familiar with that expression, and Nina says she hopes it never becomes one. Madison comes in and gives Nina a list of things she needs to deal with, and Nina thanks her. Madison leaves, and Ava says, Nina’s assistant is very diligent. In the fifteen minutes she was waiting, Madison must have come in and out of here three times. Nina says she thinks she was checking up on Ava, and Ava agrees. Nina says, she might be overcompensating, and Ava says, for what? Nina says she’s had a few unexpected visitors lately. Drew has gotten in the habit of just barging in unannounced whenever he wants to. He feels like he’s entitled to everything and has to wait for nothing, and when it comes to her… Ava says, the woman who sent him to prison where he almost died, and Nina thanks her for sharing that. Ava says she thinks somebody had to, and Nina says, which brings her to why she wanted to see Ava. Ava says, and here she thought Nina just missed her, and Nina says, of course (🍷) she does. She needs a progress report on her reconciliation with Sonny.

Carly tells Jason that Sonny did offer her a huge settlement, but all she wanted was the house. She thought she could take care of herself with her half of the hotel. He says, Diane told him how she lost it, and she says, her big investment with Aurora. She didn’t know it at the time, but it was 100% insider trading, but the only reason the SEC even paid attention was because Nina turned her and Drew in. He says, Diane told him that too, and she asks if Diane also told him that she could have saved herself and Drew by flipping on Sonny. He says, no, and she says, there wasn’t a formal offer, but Diane thinks the Feds would have made a deal because she had evidence against Sonny. He asks, what kind of evidence? and she says, proof that Sonny violated the National Security Act. He says, how did she get that? and she says, Michael.

John asks if he’s the bad guy here, but Anna tells him that she never said he was. He says, she just insinuated that he had it coming because he was in the vicinity of Sonny’s coffee warehouse, but she says she’s just suggesting the possibility that Sonny’s guards handled him because he violated their security perimeter. He says he didn’t violate anything; he was a block away. He was jumped by professionals. She says, he most likely was, and he says, if she agrees with him, why did she just… She says, a crime has been committed and she’s just trying to rule out possibilities. It’s part of a process called police work. He says, oh really? Could she spell that out for him? She says she’ll text him. Does he want some water? He says, yes, and she pours some for him. She asks what he was doing skulking around Sonny’s warehouse, and he says he was tailing Jason Morgan’s lawyer, Diane Miller. Does Anna think she’s clean? Anna says she doesn’t know. How many lawyers are clean? He says, touché, and she tells him, that being said, while most of her clients are disreputable, the woman herself is quite a professional. She’s a paragon of ethics, or at least skilled enough to make it appear so. He says, then what was she doing heading to Corinthos Coffee at that dangerous time of the night? and Anna says, Jason is part owner of the coffee company. He says, which makes it all the more likely an alliance is brewing between Jason and Sonny Corinthos.

Carly tells Jason, Michael and Josslyn were devastated over everything that happened with Sonny and Nina. Michael decided they were all better off if Sonny was in prison, and Jason knows Michael. He’s like Jason. When he sets his mind on something, he just doesn’t stop. Jason asks how Michael got evidence against Sonny, and she says, he hired a professional, and ex-soldier named Dex Heller. And Dex was able to record Sonny getting illegal weapons from a company called Pikeman. Dex gave Michael the footage and Michael gave it to her. He asks what she did with it, and she says she destroyed it. By then, Michael’s feelings toward his father had changed and Michael realized Sonny going to prison would tear the whole family apart. So they came up with a new plan. She and Michael were paying Dex to keep an eye on Sonny and report back to them if Sonny found himself in any kind of trouble. He says, so she was paying this guy to spy on Sonny, and she says, it was for his own good. He says he doesn’t think Sonny would see it that way, and she says, he did not when he found out.

Tracy comes into the solarium and says she didn’t know Gregory was here. He says he was talking to Lois. She excused herself and said she’d be back in a moment, but that was a while ago. Tracy says, she operates in a different time zone. Why was he talking to Lois anyway? He says, happenstance. He actually stopped by to talk to Brook. She says, in the afternoon? She’s working. He says he supposes when you have your afternoons free, you forget other people don’t. Anyway, it’s not urgent. He can call her later. She says, or he can give her the message and she’ll pass it along, and he says, very well. He just wanted to let Brook know that he won’t be bringing a plus one after all. She asks, what happened to Alexis? and he says, something came up. She had to cancel. She says she doesn’t think it’s much of a tragedy. Alexis and weddings don’t mix. Of course (🍷) she’s prejudiced ever since Alexis went runaway bride and left Ned at the altar. He says, if she doesn’t like Alexis, isn’t that a good thing that Alexis didn’t marry her son? She says, it’s not that she didn’t marry Ned. It’s how she didn’t marry Ned. But she had her reasons then and Tracy supposes she has her reasons now. He says, as a matter of fact, she does. He shouldn’t say anything. Tracy says, then he must, and he says, she has to promise not to… She says she won’t say a word, and he says, Alexis has to appear in Manhattan the morning after the wedding. She’s hoping to get her disbarment overturned. Tracy says, good for her, and he asks if she means that. She laughs and says she’s sure some part of her must, and he says, anyway, that’s why she can’t make the wedding, which means that he’ll be going stag.

Ava says, a progress report, huh? Should that be single or double spaced? Nina says, sorry, and Ava says, maybe she could email it to Nina. Her assistant can flag it in her inbox. Nina says, all right. She apologizes. Ava isn’t her assistant and doesn’t need to report to her, but she did say she would act as her advocate. Ava says, and she is, and Nina asks how things stand. Does Sonny miss her? Ava says, of course (🍷) Sonny misses her, and Nina asks if he said that. Ava says, he doesn’t have to. Whenever Nina’s name comes up, his mood gets dark, and he might fix himself a drink. Nina says, Sonny’s drinking again? and Ava says, not to excess. It’s just gone back to him fixing a scotch or two in the evenings. Nina says she feels so bad for him. He’s been so volatile. Ava says she doesn’t recommend lecturing him on the subject, and Nina says she didn’t mean to interrupt. Ava said Sonny doesn’t like hearing her name. Ava says, he asked her not to mention Nina at all unless it’s absolutely necessary. That proves he misses her, right? She’s still under his skin. That’s obvious. It’s progress. She’s sure of it. Nina says, Ava is a lot more sure than she is.

Lois brings Sasha to Home & Heart, and asks Brook and Maxie, how hard did the iceberg hit and is the ship still afloat? Brook says, see for herself, and they walk closer to the set. Lucy says she really thinks all her years as president and CEO of Coco Cosmetics… Haven asks if they can get a camera on the product, and Lucy says, it made her really be the driving, creative force that made Deception. Lois tells Sasha that she needs to get in there, and Brook says, it’s trending like crazy. Lois says, in a good way? and Brook says, Haven, yes. Scott, yes. Deception, meh. Lucy, you don’t want to know. Maxie says, sales are still really low, and Sasha undoes her ponytail and says she’s on it. Haven asks how Lucy would describe the cream, and Lucy says, on their Deception website. That’s how. She bets the viewers don’t remember, she wrote not just one tell-all book, but two. They probably all purchased A Travel Guide to Port Charles, but who remembers Left for Dead? Sasha says she remembers Left for Dead, and Haven says, look who it is, viewers. Sasha Corbin, the former Face of Deception. Sasha waves at the camera, and Lucy says, now she’s really not the face of anything. By the way, what is she wearing? Sasha says, these are her work clothes now. She’s a stable hand and she loves it, but it’s a lot of hard work and it doesn’t really afford an opportunity to feel pretty. Haven says, this is her not pretty? Look at her. Isn’t she gorgeous? Sasha thanks her and says, that’s so sweet. She thanks Lucy and says she’s got it, but Lucy says, no, she doesn’t. She’s not quite done. Scotty says he thinks she’s got it, but Lucy says she’s not. She has so many more things to say. Scotty says he thinks Sasha could handle it, and Haven says, it’s always such an experience with Lucy. Scotty steers Lucy offstage, and Haven says, if she may ask, Sasha’s makeup… Sasha says she’s not really wearing any, and Haven says she hates her. Sasha says, it does make it a lot easier for her to show Haven, and the audience at home, what Deception’s Deceptor Nourishing Moisturizer can do. Haven says, take it away, honey.

Anna says, the last thing Sonny wants is anything to do with Jason, and John asks where she’s getting that information. She says, Sonny. He came here to her office, trying to persuade her to file charges against Jason. John says, for what? and Anna says, for whatever part he played in the attack on the docks. Sonny conveniently forgot, Jason’s the reason his son is alive. So John said these attackers of his were surprised. What happened? He says, the two guys who jumped him ran off when Carly Spencer pulled up in her car.

Ava says she doesn’t understand where this skepticism is coming from. Nina trusts her, doesn’t she? Nina says, of course (🍷) she trusts Ava. Ava is her best friend. It’s just that if Ava can’t even mention her name to Sonny, how does Ava know he’s even open to the idea of saving their relationship? Ava says, Nina is still his wife for one thing, but Nina says, only because she hasn’t signed a sheet of paper. Ava says, right. And is Sonny pressuring her? Nina knows how insistent he can be; how he hates loose ends. Is Sonny standing over her with a pen, demanding she sign the divorce papers? Nina says, no, and Ava says, exactly. This is going to take time and she knows it’s agonizing for Nina. Nina says, an understatement, and Ava says, Nina’s got to be patient. She can’t rush this. She has to wait for just the right moment, when Sonny realizes how much he wants Nina back, and then she strikes. Nina says, so what, if any, difference does Ava think it would make if she sells her half of the hotel to Jason Morgan? and Ava asks where this is coming from. Nina says she had a little visit from Diane Miller, and she proposed the sale, and Ava says she thought Nina liked owning the hotel. Nina says she does. It’s just that the novelty has worn off. Ava says, more fun running it as a prize she took from Carly than a day job, and Nina says, so does Ava think if she sold her half of the hotel to Sonny’s best friend, she’d win some points.

Carly tells Jason, it was crazy. Sonny was going to kill Dex, so she had to tell him everything. He was furious. And betrayed. He disowned Michael the same way he disowned the two of them. She’s a traitor. Jason’s a traitor. None of it matters. Nothing they’ve done, none of the sacrifices they made. They don’t count for anything? Jason says, they count with him. Everything Carly has been through, everything she’s done, Sonny might not be grateful, but he is. She hugs him.

Tracy tells Gregory not to worry about a thing. She’ll pass along to Brook that he’s no longer bringing a plus one. He says he hopes it doesn’t mess up the seating too badly. He knows how much care and planning… She says, stop. He’s the father of the groom. He’s officiating the wedding. He’ll take his rightful place at the family table next to her. He thanks her and says he’d like that very much.

Lucy asks Maxie, what is Sasha doing here? She’s not with the company anymore. She’s not even spokes-modeling anymore. Why, pray tell, is she dressed like an escapee from Mayberry? Maxie thanks her for stepping in until reinforcements got here, and Lucy says, don’t do that to her. Don’t handle her. Maxie says she’s not handling Lucy. She was put in an impossible situation and handled it the way only Lucy Coe would. Lucy says, thanks a lot. Since she put it that way. Her phone starts to ding, and she says she’s blowing up. This phone is blowing up. She’s blowing up!

Brook says, Lois is a superhero, and Lois says she knows. Brook says she doesn’t know what they would have done if she hadn’t gotten Sasha here, and Lois says she did, so they’ll never have to find out. It’s a really nice set-up they’ve got here. She’s used to concert lighting, which is fabulous of course (🍷), but this is elegant in its own way, like Brook.

Haven says, that’s all they have time for today. She thanks Sasha and says, it’s great having her back. Sasha thanks her and says, it was great being here. The producer says, and we’re out, and Haven tells Sasha that she saved the show. She just wants to say thank you. Sasha says, her friends needed her, and Haven says, they’re very lucky to have her. And if she may say so, for whatever it’s worth (🍷), she wishes she’d been kinder. Sasha asks if that’s an apology, and Haven says, her attorneys advised her not to apologize in case Sasha sues them, but yes. She apologizes and hopes Sasha will come back.

Brook says, socials look great. People have never loved Sasha more. Maxie says, Deception has had a roller coaster of a day. All time low to almost all time high. They didn’t sell out, but she thinks they will by the time they leave the building. Brook says, not a bad day, and Lois says, not bad at all, and hugs her.

Lucy tells Scotty that she’s actually trending. Her public has never loved her more.

Nina says she’ll admit to Ava, but not anyone else, that running the hotel is a lot more work than she wanted, and it’s not really work she enjoys. So she’s pretty sure Jason is going to buy the hotel and turn around and give it to Carly. At the very least, that will annoy Drew, and at the very best, humiliate him. Ava says, payback for firing her, and Nina says, among other things. If she can sell the hotel to Sonny’s best friend, it might earn her half a point with him. Ava says, Sonny and Jason were closer than brothers. From what she’s seen, Sonny would be deeply moved if Nina made a deal with him. Nina says, she thinks so, but Ava says she knows so.

John says he has no idea what Carly was doing there. He was too distracted by the beating to ask. Anna says, she was probably going to visit Jason, and John says, it seems like he hasn’t had any trouble settling back into his old life. She says she distinctly remembers him telling Jason to do exactly that, to stay in Port Charles and wait for Pikeman to take him out. There’s a term for that – bait. He says, she sounds disapproving, but she says, it’s just a reminder of why Jason originally came back to town. It was as half of a sniper team, and his partner had a handgun that fired armor piercing rounds. So Jason knows firsthand what Pikeman is capable of. Every day he’s walking the streets, knowing they’re coming for him, and when they do, it’s going to be a hell of a lot worse than being jumped by a couple of thugs. So she’s just saying, why doesn’t he back off and give the man a little credit?

Jason says he doesn’t know what’s wrong with Sonny, but Carly says, maybe nothing’s wrong with Sonny. Maybe this is who he really is. Sonny doesn’t give a damn about anybody else. Why should they give a damn about him? Don’t tell her it’s because of the kids. She’s not going to set a bad example for Donna by letting Sonny walk all over her. He says, good, and she says, he’s not going to ask her to forgive Sonny? but he says, it’s up to her. She asks if Jason is going to forgive him, and Jason says, for now, but it’s possible Sonny could push him too far. Considering how he’s treating Carly, he’s getting pretty close. She says she misses who Sonny used to be, and she misses how they all were together. She misses the Sonny she used to love and just wishes there was a way they could reach him. He says, they can’t force Sonny to trust them or accept their help. All they can do is live their lives right now and be there if he needs him. She says, or they could turn their backs on him and let him drown… Jason would never do that, and she wouldn’t do that either. He thanks her, and she says, sometimes she thinks about how it would have been so much better if she never would have loved Sonny and stayed in love with Jason. He says he likes them the way they are, and she says she does too.

Tomorrow, Maxie tells Felicia, if she lets him in again, how does she know nothing bad will happen; Brick asks if Jordan can come out and play; Gregory asks if there’s a problem; and Laura says, it’s not her call to make, but she does know whose call it is.

Below Deck

Barbie wails to her mom that she ruined the day for everyone, and her mom says she understands, but Barbie needs to change her attitude. She’s not a quitter. She’s a good employee who does her job. Fraser tells Max that he’s done, and Max says, Barbie is in the bathroom crying on the phone. Xandi says, God bless, which I assume is a variation of bless your heart. In her interview, Xandi says, there’s been a lot of drama and Barbie had her hand in most of it since she got on the boat. We flash back to some of that, and Xandi says, if she doesn’t want to be here, no one is forcing her. Barbie whines to Kyle that she’s not herself anymore, and he tells her to stop being someone she’s not. Barbie says she’s a bad bitch and never quit in her life.

The crew gets ready for dinner and Ben gets handsy with Paris. In Sunny’s interview, she says she feels like she’s been dating Ben since their first crew night out. He’s playing into temptation and it’s disrespectful to her. It’s not cool and he just looks like an a-hole. She tells Dylan, it’s disgusting behavior, and there isn’t even tequila (yet). They sit down for dinner, and Anthony raises his glass to the family, to the crew. Barbie says she apologizes for the sh*t that was going on today. There’s been a lot of drama with her and Fraser, and they have to figure it out. She’s sorry it affected everyone. Xandi says, that’s the worst toast ever, and in Ben’s interview, he says, it should have been a private conversation. In Kyle’s interview, he thinks it’s passive/aggressive, and in Paris’s interview, she says, this is a sh*t show. Ben asks for Paris’s IG and Sunny switches seats to get away from Ben. In Ben’s interview, he says he has no idea what’s going on. Why is he in a situation like this again? Maybe he’s really stupid and some kind of yacht savant. Fraser tells Xandi, tomorrow they’re going to be three stews again. Sunny talks to Ben on the side, and he says he wants to spend more time with her, but she says she feels disrespected in many ways. When someone else touches someone’s waist and ass in front of her and everyone, it’s not okay. Ben asks what she wants. What are they? She says, it doesn’t have to be titled for him to respect the fact they’re sleeping together. He says he likes her, and she asks if they’re an item. He says, they’re not dating, but becoming an item. I have no idea what that means, and Sunny asks if he’s saying their like for each other is going down the drain and they’re just sleeping together, and Ben says, maybe by the end of the season they’ll be dating. For reasons I can’t fathom, Sunny says she can live with that, but in her interview, she says, the conversation was so full of sh*t. Ben was all over Paris, and she’s not the only one seeing it. They get back to the boat and head straight to bed. Fraser says, 10 o’clock. Are we this fun? Good for us, actually. In Sunny’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to get hurt, and in Paris’s interview, she says, flirting usually goes over her head and she doesn’t want to be that girl. She keeps forgetting boys just want to f*** 24/7. Barbie says she’s totally getting fired.

The next morning, Fraser meets the captain on the bridge. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s been honest with the captain and wants to continue that. He tells Captain Kerry that his gut feeling is that Barbie needs to be gone. She’s causing that much aggravation for the team. She lacks respect and has done everything to undermine his authority. Her behavior is past its sell-by date. Insubordination is a fire-able offense.

Fraser tells Captain Kerry that Barbie made a speech at the table yesterday, airing their dirty laundry, and the captain says, they’ll need to find someone first. They’re mixing business with personal issues, and for Barbie to bring it up on their day off, he took it as being insulting. Fraser took it personally, but he has to separate that from business. Three days ago, Fraser said she was doing a good job, now she’s impossible to work with. Being chief stew isn’t just about hiring and firing. Fraser says, what the captain sees isn’t what they’re getting, but Captain Kerry says, strength is not always acting on the power we have. Fraser says, good point (it is!), and the captain tells him to have a talk with Barbie. Try his best to remove the emotions. In the captain’s interview, he says he gets the feeling that Fraser is pushing his own agenda. That’s the problem with a leadership role when you let emotions take over. He can help Fraser to be a good stew, but he’s got to let go of the emotions. Paris tells Xandi that she loves being in laundry. She feels like she’s ironing out the issues in her life. In Xandi’s interview, she says, Paris is living proof prayers work. She’s an actual stew and she’s funny. Sunny tells Ben that she’s confused by their conversation. She’s not asking for a ring, but she’s not open to f***ing around with other people. Ben says, they’re on the same page (highly doubtful), and she says, if they are, it sets the tone better. Captain Kerry calls Barbie to meet near the aft deck and tells the crew that he’s heading off the boat. Paris says, if pillows could talk, and Fraser says he doesn’t want to know. I’m in total agreement.

The captain sits with Barbie at a picnic table, and he says, she and Fraser have a personality conflict, like nobody knew. Barbie says, it’s an honor to work under Fraser, but they clash. She’s never had a chief stew and was always a solo stew, so that’s another struggle. Captain Kerry says, it’s the emotions. Fraser respects her work. She can’t fix what he does, but she can fix the way she sees things. Explain that she’s struggling and doing her best. If that doesn’t work, talk to him. She says she thinks she and Fraser have to sit down and talk. Fraser tells Xandi that the captain doesn’t want to get rid of Barbie, and Captain Kerry asks Fraser for a talk. Lots of talking and talking about talk going on. They sit at the picnic table, and the captain says, Barbie wants to stay and do a great job. She respects Fraser, but understands her delivery is not great. Listen to what she says, and process before he responds. Fraser sits with Barbie, and she says she’s sad that yesterday ended the way it did. She actually admires him and knows she’s been a nightmare. Fraser says, they had harmony after Cat left. Barbie is the person he needed and needs. He wants her to be there. If she puts the effort in, he thinks there’s good stuff ahead. Barbie suggests they start over. Don’t fire her. He says he’ll try not to. Ben tells Kyle that he needs someone he can trust to be his eyes ears when he’s not here. Dylan is knowledgeable, but doesn’t know the boat well. Sunny doesn’t have as much experience, but she wants to improve and has initiative. However, if he makes Sunny lead deckhand, the crew is going to think it’s because they’re sleeping together. In his interview, Ben says he’s going to make either Dylan or Sunny will be pissed. He’s between a rock and a hard place again. This guy is so full of sh*t.

It’s time for the preference sheet meeting. The primary is Carmen who owns a PR management company in Washington DC that caters to athletes. She and her husband Ray wish to be called Queen and King while on the yacht. Carmen dislikes pork and guest Tiphanie is not a fan of seafood. Anthony reads that they want a beach picnic and a movie premiere night where they walk the red carpet. Ugh. This screams nouveau riche. The only red carpet I’d want to walk would be an actual red carpet that I was entitled to walk, not some made up nonsense. They read that guest Brandon is not allergic to anything. Just gay and picky. Fraser calls him a loser. Captain Kerry predicts they’ll be high maintenance, so make sure their departments are impeccable. In Anthony’s interview, he says he feels like he’s constantly failing. We flash back to Anthony floundering and being disorganized, and he says, it’s hard to come back when he feels not good enough.

The boat is readied, and provisions come in. Ben tells Captain Kerry that he’s ready to appoint a lead deckhand. He based his choice on character and knowledge of the boat. He’s appointing Sunny. The captain says, excellent. He’s very happy and agrees she’s the right person. She’s already doing it. In Ben’s interview, he says he and Sunny are good at separating work and pleasure, and he thinks the job comes first. Captain Kerry tells him to be kind with Dylan and give him a moment to process. Paris makes towel swans, and in her interview, she says she used to make turkeys. People are weird. Maybe they like bestiality in the bedroom. Yacht service calls Captain Kerry and says, guest Brandon missed his flight and will arrive at 3. He says, give him a yell when Brandon gets there, and they’ll meet him at the closest dock. Ben tells the deckhands that he’s decided to give one of them more responsibility. We flash back to Ben being dubbed lead deckhand with the golden deck brush, and he says he’s going to continue the tradition. The next lead deckhand is Sunny. In Sunny’s interview, she says, wow. It’s gratifying to know she’s doing a good job. She pats her own shoulder and says, kudos. Ben dubs her with the golden brush and in Dylan’s interview, he says he thought it was a joke, but it’s not April 1st. He realized Ben is serious and doesn’t want to be an a-hole. He doesn’t want to say it right on deck, because everyone is going to think he’s a d*ck. He has a d*ck, but he’s not being a d*ck. In Sunny’s interview, she says she doesn’t want people to think she slept with her boss. I think it’s kind of too late for that.

The guests arrive and the primaries receive crowns. In Fraser’s interview, he says, calling them king and queen is kind of an insult to the monarchy. But the monarchy isn’t paying him, so he’ll do it. He gives them the tour, and in his interview, Dylan says he’s going to do his best regardless of the situation with Sunny. Sunny asks him advice. How is she supposed to lead when she’s asking the lower deckhands for advice? Does he need to have sex with the bosun? If he had a vagina, he wouldn’t be in this situation, and it bothers him. This guy is a d*ck. He also just got here, so why would he be given the promotion?

Dylan congratulates Sunny, no doubt while gritting his teeth, and the yacht pulls out of the slip. Primary Ray says, land, hoe, which is actually kind of funny. Another guest says, when the drinks start flowing, we start hoeing. The yacht anchors, and Anthony tells Fraser that lunch is going to be Mexican. Ben rubs Sunny’s neck as Dylan watches, his blood boiling. Captain Kerry gets a message for guest Brandon to be picked up, and Kyle tells Ben that Dylan isn’t happy. Ben says he’s giving Dylan space, and Kyle says he thinks Ben made the right decision. Lunch is served, but it’s mahi-mahi, and guest Tiphanie doesn’t eat fish. In his interview, Anthony says, f***, and makes her a Ceasar salad. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he wonders how many times he told Anthony to look at the preference sheets and make sure he doesn’t do what he did last time. If Anthony keeps f***ing up, he’ll have to make a change.

Halifax Harbour. Barbie and Ben pick up Brandon, while the other guests ride around on the jet skis. Brandon arrives and one of the guests says, the party has arrived. Fraser mumbles, he seems insufferable, and in his interview, he says, Barbie says she wants to turn over a new leaf and be better. He’s going to put her on housekeeping. He wants her to be well-rounded and wants to see Paris on service. He should be able to count on his stews to do anything. The primaries are getting busy and leave the cabin blinds open. I’m not sure how they’re watching without being seen, but the deckhands watch them going at it. In Sunny’s interview, she wonders if they’re into voyeurism. Why keep the blinds open? The guests get ready for dinner, and Dylan whines to Barbie that he’s had two years commercial experience, and she tells him, be a man about it. In Barbie’s interview, she says, Sunny is her girl, but personally, she’s Team Dylan. She’s in a weirder position being second stew when Xandi is second stew. So she’s more on Dylan’s side because she feels Dylan’s pain. Tuna ceviche is served, with Tiphanie getting mac and cheese, the others coveting her dish. Fraser tells Paris, these guests like Burger King and McDonald’s. They’re not going to like ceviche. In his interview, Fraser says, Anthony’s food is brilliant. Anthony’s got it, but he doesn’t know if Anthony can pull it out at this stage. He tells Anthony that the guests have no adventure. The next course is basically fancy chicken salad, which you’d think they’d like, but guest Clifton says, this is bullsh*t.  Dylan tells Paris that he’s pissed and feels like he got a slap in the face. She tells him to hug the banana downstairs. I assume she means the floatie, but it’s unclear. Dylan pretty much tells anyone who will listen how Ben did him dirty. Brandon and Ray start to argue, and from what I can grasp it’s about Brandon inviting Ray to a drag show without preparing him in advance that it was a gay thing. Apparently, Ray needs a heads up about what he’s walking into. Was it a mine field drag show? In Fraser’s interview, he says, Brandon is upset because… He doesn’t know and doesn’t care. In Barbie’s interview, she says she lives for guest drama, but this is dark, and in Paris’s interview, she says, this is comedy gold. Carmen says, bon appetitty, and I’m thinking maybe this group should have gone to that place in Florida where the circus people live or something.  

Brandon leaves the table, and loudly explains why Ray is wrong to a couple of guests who follow him. Anthony says, this is the probably the worst tasting of his life, and at the table, Ray says he’s got to feel safe. Xandi tells Fraser that Barbie has a different mindset, and Fraser says that’s what he wants from her. He thanks Xandi for her coaching and they high-five. Paris tells Ben that Dylan thinks he gave Sunny lead deckhand because they’re banging. He’s got his panties 100% wrapped around his ball sack. In Ben’s interview, he says, if Dylan is upset, Dylan should talk to him. It’s not okay for him to talk to the crew. We flash back to Ben doing the exact same thing on several occasions, and he says he feels dumber when he’s around Dylan and it’s pissing him the f*** off. Fraser and Kyle hug, and Barbie tells Kyle to stop hugging her man.

Meanwhile, Tiphanie tells Brandon it’s good to get a different perspective, and Brandon says, it’s not a different perspective. Ben tells Dylan that it wasn’t cool of him to gripe to the crew, and they’ll chat tomorrow. In Dylan’s interview, he says, for f***’s sake. Ben is offended that he’s offended by Ben’s sh*t decision. He guesses he can’t tell anyone anything. Hmm… Maybe he’s just really stupid, since what Ben is not offended by, but annoyed by, is him talking to the crew instead of putting on his big boy pants and talking to Ben. Brandon continues his tirade in the hallway, and Tiphanie says, the only way to change is to inform and educate. Paris tells Fraser, lava cake is a great Band-Aid and will help everyone. Agreed. In his interview, Fraser says he’s beyond ready for this sh*tshow to be over. The chef doesn’t know where he is or where anything is. He thinks Anthony realizes it’s too much. It seems as though he’s giving up. Anthony digs around for a scooper and says, it’s really not good. Brandon goes back to the table and Ray says he understands where Brandon is coming from. Fraser says, something needs to change or they won’t make it until the end of the trip. Paris says, they need dessert, and Fraser says, he needs Anthony to focus, and Anthony says, it’s a hot mess.

Next time, Ben talks to Dylan; primary Carmen wants to know why there’s only regular bacon; and Captain Kerry has a talk with Anthony.

💭 I just remembered, Anthony is dyslexic and never told anyone. At least as far as we’ve seen. I would never blame anyone for any condition they have, but if he keeps it a secret when it’s causing a problem, that’s on him. The captain and crew would totally work with him. It’s actually very sad, since he’s such a nice guy and not moody, which isn’t always the case with the chefs.

🪢 At the End Of My Silly String…

Come back if you dare tomorrow for soap and VanderFolly. Until then, stay safe, stay not taking up the entire sidewalk if you’re with a group, and stay remembering, in a crisis, lava cake is a great Band-Aid and will help everyone.

Apr13

April 12, 2024 – Jason Has a Generous Impulse, Outside the Soap, Cancelled Talk, Knots Again, Just Awful, VanderSituation, Details, BravoCon Man, Three Tails, Nonet Quotes & Wild

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the MetroCourt, Alexis says she’s missed Gregory, and The Invader isn’t the same without him. He says he misses it too. He truly enjoyed the work, but in the words of a famous American poet, you’ve got to know when to fold ‘em. His best days aren’t ahead of him. She says she hopes he doesn’t mind if she still calls him every day with her problems, especially if they’re ethically sticky. He says he’d be hurt if she didn’t. Anything in particular? She says, let’s just eat before I lose my appetite. The Invader gives me heartburn. He says he’s sorry to hear that, and they look at their menus. She says, there was something else she wanted to say to him. She’s so sorry, but she can’t be his extra one for the wedding. He says, why not? and she says, because there’s a slight chance she may be getting her law license back.

At the coffee warehouse, Diane says she takes it Jason got her message about some of his bank accounts being unfrozen. He says he did. Fast work. She says she’s Diane Miller, and he asks if he has enough money to buy back Carly’s half of the MetroCourt. (I swear, I thought that’s what he was going to say before he said it.)

Michael says he doesn’t know what his mom was doing with Agent Cates… and because she never learns, Nina says, it’s all too clear what they were doing. Carly was bringing up room service for two and Agent Cates was wearing nothing but a towel. Curtis says, Nina knows things aren’t always as they appear. He’s sure Carly wouldn’t cheat on Drew. Drew says, it wouldn’t be cheating. He and Carly broke up. Curtis says he’s sorry; he didn’t know. Michael says, his mother’s personal life is her business, not Nina’s, and Nina says she just thinks it’s a shame Carly would hook up with a guy who’s a federal agent after she and Drew broke up.

As she brushes him, Sasha asks not-Comet not to tell his buddies, but she thinks his coat is the shiniest. He must get a lot of vitamin A, D, and E. Cody comes in and says, you again. Any luck with the job search? She says, not really. She’s applied for everything; receptionist positions, corporate communications, positions in insurance and public affairs, most of them in New York and Connecticut. He says he’d hate to see her move, but at least she’s getting nibbles, right? and she says, but nothing that interests her. She’s tired of being considered because these jobs are public facing, and she fits the company’s image. He says, receptionist jobs are out. She’s way too qualified for that. But any company would be lucky to have her. She says, not if they only care about her looks. Been there, done that.

At the Home & Heart studio, Lucy tells Maxie that they need gels because the light is just not flattering… to the product. She asks a woman on the stage if they could please get some lighting gels, and Maxie says, they’d really appreciate it. The woman says she’d have to get the producer’s permission, and Haven says, that’s okay. Just do it. She asks if Maxie and Lucy are ready for another blockbuster segment, and Lucy says, absolutely. Maxie says, all set, and Haven says, no Sasha she hears. Maxie says, unfortunately not, and Haven says she doesn’t know this Blaze, but her granddaughters are very excited. She’s been ordered to get an autograph. So is she here yet? Maxie says, they’ve decided to streamline the duties of the Face, so Blaze will not be the spokesmodel today. Haven asks, then who is doing the selling today? and Lucy says, who else? Moi. (I’ll have what Morgan Fairchild is having. She’s 74 and looks amazing.)

On the phone, Brook says, it’s fully electric, not a hybrid?… Tracy walks in and Brook says, that is so awesome. Send her all the specs and financials. Send her everything. She’s so excited that they have the pickup in stock. She’ll be waiting. Tracy says, don’t tell her that she and Chase has eschewed the traditional limo ride to church for a 4×4.

Michael says, before they believe what Nina’s telling them, just consider the source, and Nina says she imagines Michael is used to this. Carly is not known for her discretion. Drew says, Carly has a right to privacy just like everybody else. He doubts any of them would like everybody to know what they do behind closed doors. Nina says, that’s the thing. Cates’s door wasn’t closed. They were perfectly visible from the hall. Maybe Carly just needed a good… night out. Curtis says, they don’t know what did or didn’t happen. What they do know is, Carly and Agent Cates are consenting adults, so whatever happened is none of their damn business. Drew says, Curtis is right. He’s done discussing it. Nina says, yeah. It must be painful knowing Carly got over their relationship so quickly.

Haven says, so Lucy is the spokesperson, and Lucy says, yes siree bob. Because who better than the founder? Maxie says, and nobody knows the product better than Lucy, and Lucy says, yes, indeed. She’s been in on every single step of developing their new face cream. Haven says she’s going to have to check with her producer about this, and leaves. Lucy says, that certainly could have gone a lot better, and sees Maxie looking at her tablet. She asks, what is with Maxie’s tepid attitude? She just stood there like she swallowed a fish. Why didn’t Maxie have her back more? Maxie says, maybe because she doesn’t agree with Lucy’s decision to do this. Why is she insisting on taking this all on herself? Lucy says, why is Maxie so against… Wait a minute. Maxie wants to get up there herself. She wants the spotlight. Is that correct? Maxie says, Lucy has to be kidding her. She wants Sasha in the spotlight. The public knows her, and they love her. Lucy says, okay, fine, but Maxie has to get over that because Sasha – she lowers her voice – quit. Maxie says, thanks to Lucy, and walks off.

Carly goes the MetroCourt bar and says she got Michael’s text. How did he know she was in the hotel? He says, Nina told him. He guesses she spent the night in Agent Cates’s room. She says, that woman. Nina called to tell him that? Is she going to put it on the cover of The Invader? He says he was in Drew’s office downstairs, and she showed up and filled them in, and Carly says, she told Drew? He says, and him and Curtis Ashford. They were in the middle of a meeting. She says, Nina once told Sonny that she was having an affair with Brick and she was wrong. Does that woman ever learn? Just to be clear, she stayed over with Agent Cates. She did not sleep with him. Michael says he knows, and she asks, how is Drew?

Diane says she doubts Jason has developed a sudden interest in the hospitality industry, so she can only assume… He says he’s going to give the MetroCourt back to Carly, and Diane says, that’s a very generous impulse, but it’s going to take some finessing. First of all, Nina has no incentive to sell. He says, give her one. She can name her price. Diane says, no she can’t. Absolutely not. She has far too much pride in her skills as a negotiator to hand anyone a blank check, much less that real estate heiress. She can make a little profit, but Diane isn’t going to let him overpay. He tells her, handle it however she thinks is best. Just make it happen. She says, his real obstacle is going to be Carly, and he asks, why? She says, because he’s not the first person to offer to help her reclaim the MetroCourt. Initially, Olivia offered to loan her the money. Then Nina, in a craven attempt to suck up to Sonny, offered to sell it back to her. Then Sonny and Michael. And Carly has said no to all of them. She wants to do it herself. He says, don’t worry about Carly. He’ll work it out with her.

Sasha says, Cody’s not trying to get rid of her, is he? and he says, never. But as great as it’s been, she can’t stay with him and the horses forever. She says she knows. She’s going to run out of savings at some point. Sooner than she’d hoped actually. But she loves being here with the horses. They don’t care how she looks. He says, the horses appreciate her for her, and she says, exactly. He says he gets what she’s saying about being underestimated, and she says, people underestimate him too, don’t they? He says, occasionally, but she’s on a whole other level. She has brains, business savvy, personality, not to mention a strong work ethic. She says she’s proud to say she helped develop Deception’s initial business plan, and he says he bets Lucy and Maxie are kicking themselves right now for letting her walk away. Sasha wonders if she should be kicking herself. Was she crazy to leave Deception? He asks, why? Is she thinking about going back?

Maxie says, if Lucy hadn’t undermined Sasha by telling her that she needed to be edgier, they wouldn’t be in this mess, and Lucy says, what mess? They’re not in a mess. There’s no mess. Deception is not in a mess and she’s perfectly capable of being a pitchwoman. Maxie says, not as capable as Sasha. Their customers admire her. Not just for her beauty, but for her courage and the challenges she faced. She justified their faith. She’s not just beautiful, she’s inspirational, and you can’t buy that kind of narrative. Lucy asks, what is Maxie all of a sudden, the voice of reason? It seems like right now Maxie is a little bit power hungry. Maxie says she has just as much of a right to an opinion as Lucy does. They’re equal partners. Lucy says, they are. Maxie is absolutely right. And as such, they should work together against their common enemy, Tracy Quartermaine. But it feels like Maxie’s friendship with Brook has clouded her judgement lately, and maybe Tracy could then bring down Deception. Maxie says, Tracy didn’t want to get rid of Sasha. She actually lobbied to keep her. Lucy says, until she didn’t. Because Sasha quit and she was not fired. Maxie says, all right. Fine. Maybe if Sasha had felt heard and included, she would have stuck around, but Lucy is only interested in her own opinion. Face it. Her love affair with herself is the real problem.

Brook says she and Chase are going to Florence on their honeymoon, and Tracy says, congratulations. Florence is beautiful. It’s one of her most favorite spots on earth. Brook says she can’t wait to stroll through the Tivoli Gardens hand in hand with Chase. It’s going to be so romantic. Tracy asks what this has to do with a truck, and Brook says, since Tracy is so generously paying for the wedding, Chase insisted on paying for the honeymoon. And Florence is a dream come true, but it is more expensive than a stateside destination, so he sold his truck so he could pay for the trip. Tracy says, wow. She has to hand it to him, that is a sweet gesture. Brook says, he loved that truck. That’s why she’s going to be surprising him with a truck as a wedding gift. And guess what? It is fully electric, top of the line. Tracy says, don’t do it, and Brook says, come again? Tracy says, disrespecting your husband is no way to start a marriage, but Brook says, she’s not disrespecting him. She loves him. But there’s no reason he has to choose between their honeymoon and a truck. They can afford both. Tracy says, Brook can afford both.

Curtis says, Nina is way out of line, and she says she’s sorry. She takes his hands and says, but maybe he doesn’t know Drew as well as he thinks. She tells Curtis that she loves him, and he says he loves her too. She leaves, and Curtis tells Drew, that was uncalled for, and Drew says, it’s been worse. Now where were they? Curtis says, in a minute. He wasn’t aware Drew and Carly had broken up. Drew didn’t tell him. Drew says, because Curtis had a few things to focus on, and Curtis says he remembers when Drew came to the gym and told him that things were rocky between him and Carly. He thought they’d work it out, but he guesses they didn’t. They seemed so happy. Drew says, that was before Jason came back.

Carly tells Michael that Agent Cates didn’t want to go to the hospital, so she brought him back here. She stayed with him so she could wake him up every couple of hours. Basically, she was on concussion watch. Michael asks where she found him, and she says, a couple blocks from the coffee warehouse. At first, she thought he was trailing Jason, but then she realized he must have been following Diane. He asks, why? and she says, because Jason’s too hard to follow. He says, it didn’t bother her that the guy she sat up with all night taking care of wants to bust Jason? but she says, it doesn’t bother her because he’s not going to find any evidence against Jason. There’s nothing in that warehouse but coffee. And Sonny is so furious with Jason right now, there’s no way he’s going to bring Jason back to the business. So basically, Sonny is doing Jason a favor.

Alexis says, so basically, instead of sitting and enjoying a wedding with Gregory and the happy couple, she’ll be pacing up and down a hotel room, preparing for her appearance in front of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court. Gregory says, this is momentous. Although he has to admit he’s a little irked that she kept it from him until now. She says she really doesn’t think it could actually happen. It’s the longest of long shots. He says he doesn’t know. Her and Diane teaming up to argue her case. He’d take that bet. He raises his glass and says, to her then, but she says she doesn’t want to jinx anything. Sorry. She’s alternating between pretending this isn’t happening and having paralyzing anxiety because she really, really wants this so much.

Brook tells Tracy that she and Chase share everything. What’s hers is his and vice versa. Tracy says, sounds great. Very unrealistic. Brook says, don’t go there. They already had the prenup conversation, and that’s not happening. Tracy says she totally respects Brook’s misguided decision to forego the prenup. However, she’s learned from previous experience that having more personal wealth than your husband puts undue stress on the marriage. Brook says, no offense, but Chase is nothing like Tracy’s ex-husbands, and Tracy says, Brook means her ex-fortune hunters? She’s absolutely right. But – she pats the spot next to her on the sofa, and Brook sits down – she knows Chase’s father. And she’s assuming in addition to being a stand-up guy, Chase was taught to be the breadwinner in the family. Brook says, please. That is so old school. Tracy asks if Brook hasn’t noticed her husband-to-be is very traditional. It’s part of his charm. Brook says she almost blew it, didn’t she? but Tracy says, she did it out of love. Like he sold his truck out of love. But her going off and buying another one totally negates the sacrifice he made. She’d be devaluing his loving gesture. Brook says, wow. Tracy saw that. She didn’t. Tracy says she’s had many years to make mistakes and learn from them. But buck up, girlie. She’s got herself a thoughtful, generous, devoted husband-to-be. Brook says, the best. She’s just sad he has to give anything up for her.

Gregory asks if Alexis knows what happens when well-meaning people find out you have a terminal illness. You start getting suggestions; mindfulness, positive visualization, prayer, alternative medicines, healthy diets, yoga, acupuncture, you name it. She says, that’s got to be really overwhelming, and he says, yes, but you get used to it. He knows it comes from a good place. She asks if she’s done that, but he says, no, not at all. She asks, what’s his point? and he says, despite what other people may suggest, he thinks what it all comes down to is what you choose to believe. Alexis believes that she could still be a good lawyer. She says she does. She still has as much passion for it than she’s ever had and there’s nothing more satisfying than helping someone get the justice they deserve in court, no matter what the obstacle. He says he bets she was a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. He hopes he gets a chance to see her back in action. She says she hopes he does too. He should know that most of these appeals are denied, which is why she’s so quiet about it. He says he has faith for both of them, and puts his hand on hers. She says she wishes everyone felt that way.

Madison hands Nina a stack of messages and tells her that the proofs from the shoot are on her desk. No one can locate Pedro; he still hasn’t delivered the dress for the cover. Nina asks her to call the agent and tell them if Pedro doesn’t deliver in 24 hours, he’s off the cover and her roster. She’s not doing this with him again. She looks through the messages and says, these can wait… Really? Olivia? Madison says, she keeps calling, and Nina says she can’t believe Olivia is still harping on the color refresh she gave the fourth-floor bathrooms. And forget about calling the agent. She wants that pleasure herself. Oh, and if Drew Cain calls, she’s not available.

Drew says, Curtis knows he loves Carly. He still loves Carly, but he’s moving on. He’s getting over it. He’s accepted the fact that she’ll always put Jason first and that is exactly why he had to end it. Curtis says, he ended things? Is he sure Carly is okay with that, after everything they’ve been through? Drew put his life on the line for her. Drew says, believe him. They both know it’s for the best. He did them both a favor. Curtis says, that sucks, and Drew says, it does, but he also knows it’s the right decision. The next time he’s in a relationship, he’s going for the brass ring. He wants what Curtis and Portia have. He wants it to be tested, survivable, solid… Curtis says, it’s true. That’s what they have. They’ve definitely been through the fire, and they’re still standing. Drew says he couldn’t be happier for Curtis.

Lucy tells Maxie that she’s just so passionate about her company. Right now, Deception is the most important thing in her life. Maxie says she knows Lucy loves Deception, but so does she, and Lucy says she knows. She has nothing but love and respect for Maxie. That’s why she lured Maxie away from Crimson to join Deception, but this friendship she has with Tracy’s granddaughter sets her teeth on edge. Because she can’t let that harpy ruin everything that she… they worked so hard to build. Maxie says, they built Deception together, and unless they get on the same page and start trusting each other again, Tracy’s not going to have to lift a finger to destroy Deception. They’re going to do it for her. Haven comes back and says, her producer agrees with her. Lucy is not a suitable replacement for Sasha, so their segment is cancelled.

Diane asks if Jason wants her to put him in touch with a real estate agent, and he asks, why? She says, to find him a place to live? but he says he has a place to live. She says, a rented room above Bobbie’s? and he says, yeah. He likes it there. She says, if he changes his mind, and if she can convince Nina to sell, he’ll have a whole hotel of rooms to choose from. He says he likes where he is, and she asks if he signed the papers her assistant dropped off last night. He says he didn’t get any papers, and she asks what he’s talking about. Her assistant was supposed to bring them to him last night. Carly walks in holding the envelope, and Diane says, this looks familiar, taking it from her. Carly says, Diane’s assistant came by Bobbie’s, and she said she would bring them over, but she got sidetracked. Diane puts them on Jason’s desk and tells him, start signing. He doesn’t need a notary. She’ll pick them up from him the next time she sees him… which she thinks will be soon. She’s off. She leaves and Carly asks if Jason is okay. Jason says he’s good and thanks her for bringing the papers by. She says, that was just an excuse. She wanted to see him. He asks if something happened, and she says she did something he’s not going to like.

Sasha says, if she was thinking about going back to Deception, and just hearing him say that made her stomach drop… He says he guesses that’s a clear answer, and she says she doesn’t want to do something she dreads. Besides, Deception has already moved on. They have a new Face, and booked a new segment on Home & Heart. Today, actually. He says, no regrets? and she says, not one. She may not know what she wants to do, but she knows what she doesn’t want to. He says, that’s progress. When she does figure out what she wants, let him know.

Alexis says, Molly is worried if her appeal is denied, she’ll start drinking again, and Gregory asks if she thinks that could happen. She says she’s an alcoholic. A lapse is always possible. Maybe that’s why she downplayed it so much, because she’s worried the disappointment might… He says, might destroy her? and she says, it’s destroyed her before, and Molly had a front row seat. The life she’s rebuilt doesn’t get her pulse racing, but it’s steady. And she worried if she gets her hopes up, it might be too big of a gamble, and she’s worked too hard for her sobriety. So is this a risk she can afford?

Tracy says, it may be old school, but no spouse or partner worth their salt is going to want to live on their other half’s money, and Brook says, Tracy has dealt with this her entire life, hasn’t she? Tracy says, the family money has given her a lot of advantages, but it’s also caused her a lot of pain. Brook says, those men are idiots. How could anyone look at Tracy and only see dollar signs? She’s an amazing woman, filled with wit and depth and beauty and surprising sensitivity. If those guys couldn’t see that, it’s their loss. Tracy says, yep, she’s a catch. So is Brook. Brook says, not that the Quartermaines are poster children for happy marriages. Look at Edward and Lila. Yeah, they were in love, but how many times did he cheat on her? Tracy says, too many, and Brook says, and Alan and Monica. Tracy says, both serial cheaters and they argued about it the whole time. Brook says, her father was a bigamist. He was married to her mother and Katherine Bell at the same time. Tracy asks, what’s her point? and Brook says, what if she and Chase follow the same pattern? What if their marriage is doomed already?

On the phone, Nina says, they are in charge of the kitchen. Is that correct?… She may have authorized the slightly cutting back of the service staff, but she did not intend for the room service orders to arrive cold. Outside her office, Madison tells Diane that Nina can’t be disturbed. If she likes, Madison can make her an appointment. Diane says she wouldn’t, and barges into Nina’s office, Madison following her. Nina says she expects the room service to maintain the same high standards as the rest of the hotel. She thanks them and Madison says she’s sorry. She told Diane… Nina says, that’s all right. She understands Miss Miller does not like to take no for an answer. Madison leaves, and Nina says, if Diane is here for the divorce papers, she’s wasted her time. Diane says she’s actually here to make an offer on the hotel. She has a client who is interested in purchasing Nina’s half of the MetroCourt, and willing to do it at 3% over market value. Nina asks, who’s the client? and Diane says, Jason Morgan.

Carly says, he was just lying there, and Jason says, and she got out of the car. That’s too big of a risk to take. She says she couldn’t just leave him there. Besides, the muggers took off after she blasted her horn. Anyway, she grabbed John and took him back to his room at the MetroCourt. She spent the night there, waking him up every two hours to make sure he was okay. Jason says, he was jumped a block away from here, and she says, yes, but they didn’t steal anything. They just beat him up. He asks what she’s thinking, and she says she’s thinking it wasn’t a mugging. Maybe it was Sonny.

Lucy says, Haven can’t just cancel their segment, but Haven says, this is live TV. She can’t go on air with an amateur. Lucy laughs and says she hosted the General Hospital Nurses Ball for years and years. And it was on a stage and on camera and she raised millions of dollars for GH. Haven says, congratulations, but she won’t be selling face cream on Home & Heart today. Maxie says, if Haven cancels their segment, what is she going to put in its place? And why would she turn her back on a sure thing? Haven says, they have lots of pre-taped segments. This isn’t the first time this has ever happened. And with Sasha, it was a sure thing. With Lucy, a whole other story. Maxie says, Deception is her highest earner. Haven said so herself. All of their segments have sold out. So will this one.

Gregory tells Alexis, risk is a funny thing. You don’t want to do it unnecessarily, but then again, you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t do it at all. Trust him when he tells her, the things you regret at the end of your life are not the things you tried to do and failed at. It’s the chances you didn’t take. Say she gets reinstated and she’s back doing the thing she loves. Let’s say she doesn’t. She’ll still know she gave it her best effort. And that’s its own reward. Her taking this chance is like skydiving was for him. She says, terrifying? but he says, life affirming.

Carly tells Jason that Cates stopped by Bobbie’s a couple of times, and she just assumed he was working her for information about Sonny, but he never asked her anything significant. But when she told Sonny, he was furious. The way he was toward Jason the other night after his arraignment. Jason says, she thinks Sonny had Cates beat up, and she says she definitely thinks it’s possible. Sonny hates him. And not because he’s an FBI agent, but because of the history they have. She knows the basics about what happened with Karen Wexler, but Sonny regrets it. And Jason knows, when Sonny regrets something, he’s volatile. And on top of that, John was Stone’s older brother and Sonny feels like John abandoned Stone. So she thinks it’s possible Sonny would be targeting Cates. Jason says, John Cates is an FBI agent (in case we didn’t know), and assaulting an FBI agent is a federal crime and Sonny knows that. She says, Sonny knows it. He doesn’t care.

Nina asks, since when has Jason Morgan been interested in the hotel business? and Diane says she’s just here to make the offer. Nina says she would imagine this is for Carly. Does he know whose bed Carly was in last night? He might change his mind. Diane says, interested or not interested? when there’s a knock at the door. Nina says, come in, and Madison says she’s so sorry to interrupt, but accounting needs Nina to sign off on the ad rates. Nina finds the folder and Madison leaves. Diane says she imagines it must be so difficult to run both Crimson and the MetroCourt, and Nina says she loves them both. Diane says she hadn’t realized Nina was interested in the mundane. Cranky guests, plumbing issues, all that tableware and linen to keep track of… Well, she’ll leave Nina to it. She starts to leave, and Nina says, 15% over market. Diane says, four.

Tracy says she doesn’t believe Brook’s marriage is doomed. Just be aware of it. What she thinks is reasonable, Chase may think is extravagant. Like public school versus private school. Brook says she hears Tracy, and Tracy says, as long as she understands that they have very different frames of reference about money, they’ll be okay… on that front. Chase really loves her. Brook says she loves him too. She’s sorry Tracy wasn’t treated with more respect. Tracy says, it’s true. She kissed a lot of frogs. She even exchanged vows with some of them. But in the end, she got her prince. Her marriage to Luke started with blackmail, but it ended with a true partnership. They were equals. Luke accepted her for her. He loved her and she did the same for him. Brook says, it sounds like she was very lucky. Tracy says, she was, and so is Brook. They hug.

Brook says she thinks she and Chase will make it, and Tracy says she certainly hopes so. And whatever happens, she’s always on Brook’s side. Brook says, back atcha, and Tracy says, now she has to get down to the stables because she’s riding again. Brook says, have fun, and Tracy thanks her. Brook says, good talk, and Tracy says, anytime.

Sasha says, very funny, and seeing all the pieces of hay in her hair, Cody asks, what happened to her? She says, Ranger, and he laughs and says, she got a whole bag of tricks. Not a mean bone in his body though. She says, he’s a sweetheart, except messy, and he asks if she’s sure she doesn’t want to reconsider Deception, as he picks the hay out of her hair. She says, can he imagine if Haven de Havilland saw her now?

Haven says she’s here today with Lucy Coe, founder of Deception. Welcome, Lucy. So tell us what fabulous product you have for us today. Lucy thanks Haven and says, in fact, she’s so happy to bring them their brand-new face cream for the woman on the go. It is super moisturizing and goes on like a dream. It’s lightweight and you put this on just one time, and you’re good for the whole day. Haven says, sounds like her kind of moisturizer. She’s so busy and definitely on the go. Lucy says, tell her about it. No one is busier than she is. Besides running Deception of course (🍷), she has a thriving real estate business, and she was also, for many years, on the advisory board of ELQ. On the side, Maxie starts looking miffed, and Lucy says, and her vote kind of contributed to major decisions… Just recently though, that’s changed, but that’s a long story. She can tell them all about it later, but she thinks the viewers probably recognize her the most for being the mistress of ceremonies at the General Hospital Nurses Ball for many years… well, actually until last year. She wasn’t, because… Maxie looks like she has a headache and a half.

Alexis tells Gregory, that parachute jump was euphoric. And she almost backed out. When she forced herself to do it, she realized, until then, she’d been living in fear, and she doesn’t want to do that anymore, so she has to try. He says he thinks they call that resilience, which is also life affirming. And as far as he’s concerned, whether she ever practices law again or not, she already won.

Drew thanks Curtis for coming by. He really wants to discuss this fitness/wellness idea further. Curtis says, definitely. He still can’t believe Nina came at Drew like that. Drew says, it’s all good. She knew what she was doing. Curtis says, maybe. He thinks she’s still hurting over Sonny. Go easy on her. Drew says he and Nina have reached an understanding. They’ve made accommodations with each other. (Is that what the kids are calling it now?)

Nina says, nine. Take it or leave it. Diane says she will take it back to Jason, and Nina says, this might be a little premature. She knows they’re talking about price, but she hasn’t made up her mind to sell, so she needs to think about it. Diane says, the offer won’t be on the table indefinitely, and Nina says, if Jason wants the hotel so badly, he can wait.

Jason asks if that’s why Carly took care of Cates, to make up for what she thinks Sonny did? She says, no. She was just trying to help. It wasn’t until after when she thought about it, and she realized it could have been Sonny. He says, there’s nothing she can do about it. So here’s the thing. Cates is either going to figure it out or he’s not. The best thing she can do is just stay out of this. She says, yeah… That could be a problem. He says, why? and she says she told him, Last night she spent the night in John’s room, in a chair. But this morning, she ordered room service, and when she opened the door to get the tray, John came out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel, and Nina was standing right there, and she saw him. She left a vapor trail straight to Michael and Drew. It’s only going to be a matter of time before Nina tells the entire world that she spent the night with John Cates, including Sonny.

On Monday (unless there’s another eclipse), Brook tells Maxie not to give up yet, she’s got one more Hail Mary; Tracy says, if there’s a problem with it, Cody is out on his hind end; Ava tells Nina that she’s sure it’s progress; and Jason tells Carly that he doesn’t think Sonny would see it that way.

🎭 Old Gig, New Gig…

I’ve never seen this show, but I remember seeing the title in the guide listings.

James Patrick Stuart Reveals the Role He Calls: “The Most Fun I Ever Had”

This looks promising.

Susan Lucci Joins Cast Of Jonah Hill’s Dark Comedy Outcome

💫 What Goes Around…

It would only be fitting, since the replaced a soap. Now can we say goodbye to The View?

CBS Cancels THE TALK — Will a New Soap Take Its Place?

👄 Knotty Girls…

And Donna Mills is another one. She’s 83. Is it her vitamins? Something in the water? What? She has no right to look that good. I’m just kidding though. Good on her and Morgan Fairchild.

Donna Mills Teases Mini KNOTS LANDING Reunion — At L.A. Gala
Knots Landing Reunion – Together Again

💃🏿 Back With the Wind…

It might be a season worth watching with Phaedra and Kenya returning.

Kenya Moore Confirms Real Housewives of Atlanta Return

🏊‍♀️ Another Awful Summer…

Warning: sarcasm ahead. I just can’t understand how things fell apart when Lindsay was in love enough with Carl to make him a sandwich. If you follow this awful nonsense, you might remember many seasons ago when Lindsay’s boyfriend, whose name has been blessedly wiped from my mind, wanted her to make him a sandwich and she went out of her mind. I’m embarrassed to even know that. Then we have Kyle and Amanda who are married, but living on different planets. Run, Amanda, run! Paige and Craig seem to be the only sane ones right now, but we’ll see what happens the next time he brings up marriage.

Summer House Season 8, Episode 8 Recap: Imposter Syndrome

If you must have more.

Summer House Season 8 Midseason Trailer: Tears, Fights, and the Big Breakup

🪀 Rebounding From the Rebound…

Ugh. I hate guys like Schwartz. He thinks it’s friends with benefits, while she thinks it’s something more, but he doesn’t dare say anything because he doesn’t want to lose her. Usually, those types don’t say I love you, for which I give them credit, but not good old Schwartzy. He’ll say anything to keep things status quo, which makes him even worse. No surprise he bounced quickly to an actual girlfriend. No doubt he doesn’t like being alone with himself. The good news? He ditched the blond look.

Jo Wenberg and Tom Schwartz ‘Don’t Talk Anymore’
What Tom Schwartz Did To Make Jo Wenberg ‘Very Angry’
Tom Schwartz Gives Update on New Girlfriend Sophia Skoro

🍸 Giving Them Reunion…

I’m not sure how Lala didn’t fare well. She had zip to be embarrassed about this season. I don’t think I could forgive Sandoval, but I understand why she is. I also understand why she’s getting annoyed with Ariana. Not that I blame Ariana for still being pissed off. I would be too. But to act all middle school and say, if you hang out with him, you’re dead to me, is ridiculous since they’re all in the unique situation of having to deal with each other for the show. What she really wants is for Sandoval to be off the show, but that doesn’t look likely. Instead, she should just rub his nose in the best revenge of living well, instead of snarking at him every chance she gets and acting like she’s a queen banishing a subject. It’s not a good look and could backfire on her eventually.

Lala Kent Gives New Details on Pump Rules Reunion: ‘Grossed Out’

🎰 Speaking Of Reunions…

Viva Las Vegas. What’s the matter? NYC not good enough for him anymore? And 2024?

Andy Cohen Announces BravoCon 2025, Returning to Las Vegas
BravoCon Is Going on Hiatus in 2024 and Returning to Las Vegas in 2025 as the Network Plans to Host Smaller Events, Plus Andy Cohen Speaks

🍻 Two Dogs and a Cat Walk Into a Bar…

As Reggie said in Strays, poop for your freedom!

https://people.com/united-airlines-flight-forced-to-divert-after-dog-pooped-in-first-class-aisle-8629565

Get rid of the dude. Keep the dog.

https://people.com/woman-refuses-to-give-away-dog-even-though-boyfriend-allergic-8630181

Do you know this kitteh?

https://people.com/authorities-search-for-owner-of-lost-cat-in-strawberry-dress-8629238

🎺 Quotes of the Week

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. – Dalai Lama

You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work for his own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful. – Marie Curie

A little progress each day adds up to big results. – Satya Nani

Clichés are tropes because they’re true. – Wesley Fists (Austin Crute), Daybreak

Make the choice to embrace this day. Do not let your TODAY be stolen by the ghost of yesterday or the “To-Do” list of tomorrow! It’s inspiring to see all the wonderfully amazing things that can happen in a day in which you participate. – Steve Maraboli

People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right. – Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you. – Lao Tzu

The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see. – Gilbert K. Chesterton

I don’t care to eat a chicken foot. – Karen Everett, The Family Chantel

✈️ Absence Makes Someone Not Here…

Take a cuppla days off, then visit again on Monday really Tuesday for soap and not Jill on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay not fixing it if it ain’t broke, and stay remembering that the things you regret at the end of your life are not the things you tried to do and failed at. It’s the chances you didn’t take.

Apr12

April 11, 2024 – Chase Changes the Honeymoon Plans, Blame Game, VanderMoments, Shading Shannon, Dead Talk, Pet (!) Diversity & Normally

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly wakes up in the chair and looks over at John sleeping on the sofa.

Brook says, what if they made a mistake? but Lois says, they didn’t. Brook says, what if the style’s all wrong? but Lois says, it won’t be. Brook says, what if the lace is like a gross shade of ivory? but Lois says, that’s never going to happen. Brook says, what if they ruined Lila’s dress for nothing? and Lois says, Lila’s dress was already ruined. Unsalvageable, said the seamstress, except for the best part, which they’re putting to perfect use. So what is she really afraid of? Brook says, what if she doesn’t like it? and Lois says, if she doesn’t like her wedding dress, they’ll scrap it and find her something she loves. Because there’s nothing more important than her happiness on her wedding day. Capisce? Brook says, capisce, and Sandrine walks in with an assistant carrying a garment bag. She says, ladies, are you ready? The wedding gown of your dreams.

Curtis walks slowing into Drew’s office, and Drew says, look at him. He can’t believe this progress. It’s incredible. Curtis says he firmly believes if you do the work, you can achieve anything, and Drew says he was in Greenland with Curtis, so he’s not going to underestimate him, but walking this soon after surgery is next level. Curtis thanks him, and Drew says, and he can take a compliment. Curtis says, Trina’s been on him about absorbing good energy. It sounds a little woo-woo to him, but he’s trying. Drew says he’s happy for Curtis, and Curtis says, don’t keep him in suspense. Why is he here? Michael walks in and says, what’s going on? Drew says, let the meeting of the minds commence.

Alexis says, Nina did not just say that, and Nina asks if she denies it. Alexis says, that she’s being mean to Nina’s precious gossip slinger? Are they in second grade? Nina says, DeWitt is not just The Invader’s society columnist, and Alexis says, ugh, that title. Nina says, he got a promotion. He is now associate publisher. Alexis says she knows that. Nina reminds her of that all the time. How could she possibly forget that Nina has hired someone so incompetent? Nina asks, says who? and Alexis tells her, says me. And it’s not DeWitt’s fault that he’s going to make an ass of himself. That honor belongs to Nina.

TJ meets Marshall at a park bench, hands him a coffee, and says, good morning. Marshall says, and what a beautiful morning it is, and TJ says he has egg sandwiches too, handing Mashall a bag. Marshall says, that’s very thoughtful of him. Not that he wasn’t thrilled to get TJ’s call, but since he has the morning off, why isn’t he spending it with Molly? TJ says he considered it, but he knew how the conversation would go. Marshall asks, how’s that? TJ says, she’d thank him for wanting them to do something together, then she’d say she has an arraignment in five minutes, but she’ll make it up to him tonight. Then that would turn into her trying too hard and both of them faking it through whatever she thought of, or even worse, she stays late at the office to avoid the situation altogether. Marshall asks who they’re talking about here, because that doesn’t sound anything like TJ and Molly.

At the MetroCourt, Anna thanks Valentin for meeting her and apologizes for it being so last minute. He says, lucky for her, he had no breakfast plans, and they sit down. He says he ordered her tea and pours her some. She thanks him for being thoughtful, and he says, she called, and he came. What’s this about? She wonders if he can help her with a case, and he says he’ll always help her. What’s the case? She says, Pikeman.

Brook says she doesn’t know what she was so afraid of. The dress is perfection. Lois says, the only thing more beautiful than that dress was her in it, and Brook asks if she’s crying again. Lois says, get used to it. Her baby girl is getting married in the most magical wedding gown. Brook says she doesn’t know how Sandrine did it, but she really captured the spirit of Lila’s dress to a T. Lois says, it feels like she channeled Lila, all of her kindness and her warmth and her acceptance and her generosity, because that’s who Lila was. Brook says, Lois is so lucky she got to wear Lila’s gown, and Lois says, Brook gets to be a part of that too. Brook says, in the tiniest way, but Lois says, no. In her own way. That’s what makes it so special. Brook gets to have a piece of Lila while still being who she is. Beautiful, amazing, incredible her. Brook thanks Lois for doing this with her, and Lois says, is she kidding? Is she insane? She would have busted that door down if she hadn’t gotten an invite. Brook says, then she’s glad Lois did, and Lois says she’s so happy for Brook. And she’s happy for Chase. She’s happy for all of them really. Brook says she’s happy for them too, and they hug.

Alexis says, why doesn’t Nina just admit it. Nina hired DeWitt to piss her off. Nina says she actually does think he’s an asset, and Alexis says, and the fact he’s a colossal thorn in her side? Nina says, that’s just a perk, no doubt about it. Alexis asks, why? and Nina says, why does she enjoy steam shooting out of Alexis’s ears? Alexis says, why is she doing this? She doesn’t even work here anymore. Nina says, that’s exactly why she needed a replacement, but Alexis says, Nina didn’t need a replacement. Alexis was doing just fine and would do even better if Nina would stop breathing down her neck. Nina asks if Alexis wants people to read her publication, and Alexis asks, what kind of question is that? Everything was fine before Nina got here. Nina says, but is it better since she brought DeWitt on? Be honest about that. It is, because there’s a measurable rise in website traffic. Alexis says, and she thinks that’s because there’s a gossip column? and Nina says, yes, partially. Alexis has to court their readers. She has to give them something delicious and irresistible, so they stick around for the hard news. What she can’t do is decide what’s good for them and ram it down their throats. You have to woo them. Alexis says, what if she just quits? and Nina says, there’s the door.

Michael says, it’s good to see Curtis back on his feet, and Curtis says, it’s good to be back. He hears Jason was exonerated. Michael says, yeah. They’re all relieved about that. Curtis says, when Jason was suspected of taking shots at Sonny, he thought maybe there was a chance he tried before last summer at the MetroCourt. It’s nice to know Jason didn’t put him in that wheelchair. Drew says, he didn’t stay in that wheelchair very long though, did he? and Curtis says, no. He was lucky. He had experimental surgery and it worked. Drew says, come on. The surgery just gave him a chance to walk again. Curtis is the one who made that a reality. All the rehabs, learning how to walk again… Is Curtis kidding him? He can’t imagine what that was like for Curtis. Curtis has all his respect for making it through that and getting to the other side. Curtis thanks him and says he doubts Drew brought them here to compliment him on walking again. Why are they here?

Carly asks how John is feeling, and he says, sore. She says she bets, and he says, and very tired. She says, really? He didn’t sleep well? He says, it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep with her waking him up every couple of hours. She says she’s sorry. Should she have let him monitor his own signs of concussion? He says, is he, by the way, concussed? and she says, no. He’s bruised and bloody, but somehow, his head came out unscathed. He asks if that’s her professional opinion as his almost nurse, and she asks if he’s going to start arguing with her this early in the morning. He says he already knows it won’t do any good.

Sandrine says, Lois might surprise Brook, but Brook says, nothing her mother does surprises her. She’s well-aware of her mother’s flair, shall they say, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Lois comes in, and Sandrine tells Brook, like she said. Wearing a midi dress with a black lace overlay and a short white jacket along with pearls, Lois says, ta-da. Brook says, wow… ma… that’s… Lois says, she hates it?

Alexis tells Nina that she always says that – there’s the door – but they both know Nina needs her. Nina says, agreed. And she’s been agreeing with Alexis the whole time. Her point is, she thinks the paper would benefit if they just had DeWitt’s expertise and experience. Alexis says, no, and Nina says, that’s it. Just no. Alexis says she will not sit by and let The Invader be turned back into a tabloid, and Nina says, then don’t let it. Alexis says she’s trying, but Nina is making it very difficult. A messenger comes to the door and says he just needs a signature from Alexis. Alexis signs the form, and Nina says, you know what it’s going to say on Alexis’s tombstone? Alexis says, death by frustration? and thanks the messenger. He leaves, and Nina says, no. It’s going to say, Alexis Davis, didn’t play well with others. Alexis says, and now they’re back to the schoolyard, and Nina says, because Alexis refuses to grow up. DeWitt stays. End of discussion. She leaves, and Molly walks in. Alexis says she hates that woman, and Molly tells her, take a breath. Alexis says, how? She sucked all the air out of the room. Molly says, professional differences? and Alexis tells her, you could say that. She invites Molly in and says, tell her something wonderful that has nothing to do with this publication. Molly says she would, but she can’t. The Invader is actually why she’s here. Alexis puts her head on the desk.

TJ asks if Marshall has ever looked back at a decision and known he should have gone with his gut, and Marshall says, too many times. TJ says, when Molly pitched the idea of Kristina being both their surrogate and egg donor, his instincts were screaming, this is the wrong move. For a million reasons, but the most glaring being that Kristina’s too close. There’s no finish line. There’s no cutting ties at the end. Why? Because there couldn’t be. She’s Molly’s sister. Marshall says, and since Molly couldn’t go forward without his buy-in, that was TJ’s moment to shut it down. TJ says he should have explained why he was against it, calmly and unequivocally, before anything got too far. Instead, he went with the short-term gain of giving Molly what she wanted. Marshall says, some would call that being supportive, but TJ says he calls that being a coward. She was so wrecked. She was utterly devastated that she couldn’t get pregnant. So when she pitched the idea, he knew that for Molly, the closest thing she could have to carrying her own baby was for her sister to have it for her.

Anna tells Valentin that she and Dante were ambushed on the docks by Roman Hume. He worked for Pikeman. It’s just so strange. All roads seem to lead back to this one, ultra secretive organization that’s run by a ghost. He says, a ghost? and she says, Pikeman’s ties to the WSB are clear, but no one seems to know who’s at the top of the pyramid. So she needs information. She was hoping maybe he could provide it for her. He says, Pikeman? and she says, he was working for them as recently as last summer. He says, as an intermediary, a glorified messenger, and she asks how that job came about. He says he did some contract work for them back in the 90s, and they felt comfortable asking him to introduce them to Sonny, but whether Sonny and Pikeman did any work together after that was none of his concern. She says, okay. Maybe she can pick his brain about something else. Or someone. He asks, who? and she says, Jack Brennan.

Lois asks, what’s wrong with it? and Brook says, absolutely nothing. Lois says, well, something, but Brook says, the dress is lovely. It’s classy and elegant and tasteful… Lois says she feels a but coming, and Brook says, no buts. It’s just not really Lois’s style. Lois says, it’s just and but are exactly the same thing, and Brook asks if Lois thinks that’s her style. Lois says, to go out on a Saturday night? No, but she was under the impression that what you wear to your daughter’s wedding isn’t what you wear to go clubbing. They’re two completely different things. Brook says, it doesn’t have to be this different. What kind of nails would she even do with that? Lois says she was thinking maybe just clear, and Brook says, what? Lois says she’s the mother of the bride. She’s supposed to be understated. Brook says, there’s no supposed to be here. This isn’t a royal wedding. There areno standards she has to live up to. Brook just wants her to wear what she wants to wear. Something that makes her feel like her. Lois says, this definitely doesn’t feel like her, and Brook says she didn’t think so. Back to the drawing board. Lois tells Sandrine, let’s pull some colors, some swatches… Maybe show some skin this time. You know what? Maybe a plunging neckline. Brook says, let’s not get carried away, when Chase walks in. He asks if he missed it, and Brook says, missed what? What is he doing here? Sandrine says, there’s been a special order for the bride-to-be, and Brook asks what they’re up to. Sandrine says she was commissioned to design a dress for Brook’s honeymoon, and Brook asks if Chase really thinks that’s necessary. He says, very, and Sandrine takes out a beautiful black cocktail dress. Brook says, it’s gorgeous, and Chase asks if she likes it. Brook says she’s obsessed with it, but it’s long sleeves. Doesn’t he think she’ll be a little warm in Palm Beach? He says, they’re not going to Palm Beach.

Molly says, The Invader ran a piece on the DA’s office being opposed to the overturning of Heather Webber’s conviction, her multiple convictions of assault and homicide going back nearly twenty years. Alexis says, that would be with the metallosis diagnosis. Yes. She signed off on that. Molly says, then she knows the article cited an unnamed source, and Alexis says, yes. Molly says, mom, and Alexis says, what? Molly says, everybody at the DA’s office assumes that source is her. Alexis says, it isn’t, and Molly says, Alexis knows that, and she knows that, but her colleagues, specifically DA Scorpio, do not know that. Alexis asks what Molly wants her to do about it. The story checked out. Molly says she wants Alexis to help her prove that she’s not the one who broke confidentiality and discussed the case with a reporter, and Alexis asks how exactly Molly wants her to do that. Molly says, tell her who did.

Marshall asks if Molly knows TJ has misgivings about Kristina being the surrogate, and TJ tells him that he wouldn’t say it exactly like that, but yeah. Molly has her worries too. He thinks that’s the problem, because whenever he tells her his concerns… Marshall says, about what, besides the being too close part? and TJ says he just doesn’t think Kristina is taking the best care of herself. (Huh?) She’s out late, she’s not avoiding stress, plus the small fact that she’s out with her dad, who’s getting shot at on the regular. Marshall says, points taken. So when he brings all these things up to Molly… TJ says, she takes the position of defending Kristina, even though he knows they share the same concerns. That’s why they avoid the topic altogether. He just feels like, during this time, he and Molly should be closer together, but he just feels more and more distant from her. Marshall says, and what about Kristina? Has their relationship been affected? TJ says, how can it not be? Any time he shares a worry he has with her, she accuses him of overreacting. It’s as if Kristina is having the baby and she’s going to let them know when it’s here. He sounds ungrateful, doesn’t he? Marshall says, no. He sounds human. TJ tells him, that’s what mom said. Marshall says, smart woman, your mother.

Drew says he’s been doing some research and Floodgate Consultancy Group says, the wellness and fitness space is booming out there. They’re all across the country, but especially in the high-end areas, with both residential and urban people spending so much money not only to look good, but to feel good. Really laying the foundation for health, wellness, and longevity. Michael says he read that report too. 40 is the new 25, and with the right fitness regimen and the right products, you, too, can achieve it. Drew says, so thoughts? and Michael says he thinks it’s a good time for Aurora to diversify. Crimson and print media is still a front burner for them, but it is drying up. They need to find alternative revenue streams. He thinks dipping in to an expanding market makes sense. Curtis says, an expanding market like health and wellness, and Drew says, which is where Curtis comes in.

On the phone, Carly says she just ordered toast and eggs. She doesn’t understand what’s taking so long. John comes in, wearing only a towel, and Carly says she’ll hold. She tells John that she bets the shower felt amazing. He says, it did, and she says, it’s amazing what hot water can do, but he says, not so hot really. Carly tells the kitchen that she’s still holding, and looks at John. He says, the water never got too warm, and she says, he’s got to be kidding her. Back on the phone, she says, she’s here. She’s still here… No. She’s pretty sure there’s no food in her hotel room… What? They left the food outside the door, without knocking…?… Okay. She hangs up and says, they’ve got to be kidding her. No hot water, shoddy room service… This hotel is definitely going downhill. She opens the door just as Nina is walking by, and Nina says, oh. Good morning to you. She looks at John standing behind Carly in the towel.

Valentin tells Anna, what he remembers about Jack Brennan is, his rapid rise to director of the WSB was followed by a spectacular fall. He singlehandedly orchestrated Frisco Jones’ ouster and a year later, he was out himself. She says, he knows Jack is in Pentenville, right? and he says, yeah, thanks to her. She says, in part. She went to visit him the other day. Valentin asks, why? and she says, curiosity? Valentin hasn’t been to see him yet? Valentin says, has he been to see Jack Brennan in Pentenville? No, he has not. Why would he do that? She says, because they were close back in the day, when they were all coming up together at the WSB, but he says, no, not really. Jack Brennan did really well academically and even better with the ladies, but he was in the back of the room, not making eye contact. She says she distinctly remembers them at that pub they used to go to… The Archangel. The two of them were playing dice or something. Whatever it was, they were laughing because they’d aced an assignment that the rest of them just botched. He says, that sounds like Jack, but it doesn’t sound like him. If he was at The Archangel, he was lurking. He wasn’t hanging with the cool kids. Not like her. She was at the center of the circle. Jack was too. He thinks she probably has him mixed up with someone else. She says, he and Jack were just feeding off of each other. They were pushing each other to be better, to be smarter… He says, if anybody was pushing anybody, Anna was pushing Jack. They were the best of the best. Everybody knew that. Valentin was on the fast track to a desk job. He and Jack Brennan have never shared more than ten words together.

Alexis says she cannot and will not reveal the identity of her sources, and Molly tells her that now she’s going to say journalistic integrity. Alexis says, very good, counselor, and Molly says, that’s crazy. Leaked, privileged information is not protected speech. Whoever that source is, not only violated their professional conduct guidelines, they also jeopardized future cases. Alexis says, that sounds like a DA problem, not her problem, and Molly says, it’s a very big problem if the article affected the fairness of a trial. Alexis says, what trial? Heather’s already been convicted on multiple counts, and the DA has already refused to revisit any of those cases. And without a case on the docket, Molly can’t argue that a leak compromised anything. Molly says, she’s impossible, and Alexis says, that’s part of her charm. She holds out her wrists and asks if Molly would like to lock her up until she cracks.

Marshall says, TJ is in a tough and undesirable situation. Life hands those to us sometimes. When one was handed to him, he went for the big fix; he left his family to protect them. But had he stayed, had he gutted it out, it turns out he probably would have had a pretty decent life. TJ says, so Marshall is telling him that he made a huge mistake? but Marshall says, no. He’s saying it’s human nature, or more specifically male nature, to go for the big fix. Sometimes that’s not always the answer. Sometimes you can just let it breathe and settle, and that can be the way to go. TJ says, unfortunately, that ship has sailed, and Marhsall laughs. He says, not for the here and now. Kristina is who she is. And yes, she’s carrying TJ’s baby, and he can’t change that, he can’t erase that. But what he can do is step back and take a look at the whole picture and focus on what really matters. His relationship with Molly.

Carly closes the door and steps out in the hall, telling Nina, stalk much? Nina says, just doing her regular rounds. Carly remembers. Carly says, vividly. Although this hotel is definitely not what it used to be. Nina says, better? but Carly says, not quite. Nina says she didn’t think Carly could surprise her anymore, but she’s done it. An FBI agent? What’s Sonny going to think? Or Jason, for that matter? And poor Drew, forever the runner-up in the twin department. Carly asks if she’s finished, but Nina says she could keep at it all day. Carly looks at the food under the cloche and says she’s happy that Nina’s here. Nina says, no one could be happier than her, and Carly says she’d like to file a complaint about room service. Nina asks if Carly even has time to eat, because she seems quite busy, and Carly asks why Nina doesn’t spend less time worrying about her private life and more time managing her hotel. Nina tells Carly to enjoy the rest of her stay, and leaves. Carly pushes the cart into the room, mumbling about Nina, and John comes out fully dressed. He says, friend of hers? and Carly gives a short laugh.

Curtis says he’s listening, and Drew says, as he mentioned, the wellness/fitness space is booming. Aurora wants to move into that business, but they need someone to spearhead the initiative. Curtis says, meaning? and Michael says, someone with practical experience and knowledge of the fitness industry, a strong leader with customer service experience, and multi-level management skills. Drew says, which are skills Curtis has. The Savoy is a huge success. Curtis asks how they see Aurora moving into the business, and Michael asks what Curtis would do. Curtis says, the most practical thing might be for Aurora to buy up some of the small gyms around the country, rebrand them, and combine them into a national high-end fitness club. People are spending a lot of money in wellness. Meditation rooms, plunge baths, yoga, Pilates, physical training… A mind body connection and combined with a training-slash-fitness facility, this is a one-stop shop. It might require significant capital. Drew says, which they have… Nina walks in, saying, Drew won’t believe this. She just saw Carly… She stops when she sees the other two.

John says he gets the sense Carly and Nina don’t get along, and she says, he must be an FBI agent. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she doesn’t let Nina get to her… She tries not to let Nina get to her. He says he knows a little bit about their history, and she says, lucky him. He says he takes it there isn’t enough water under the bridge yet, and she says, there’s not enough water in the world. Sorry about the eggs. He says, it’s not her fault. Besides, coffee is the only necessary component. (Agreed.) She says, when she owned the MetroCourt, this would have never flown. If a customer complained about their food, they would redo it at no charge. She refills his coffee, and he says, she’s big on customer service. She says, it’s literally what the hospitality industry is all about, and he says, she must have had her fair share of jerks blow through here though. She says, yeah, sure, but for the most part, people were great. And she loved it. She loved making people feel happy and comfortable and special. He asks if she doesn’t get to scratch that itch running Bobbie’s, and she says, to an extent. She loves Bobbie’s – she really does – but it’s a restaurant. Full stop. In this place she got a taste of all of it, really curating a space. From the carpets to the linen to the lighting. Even the music. Putting all of those things together to create the ultimate experience. She loved it. He says, sounds like a symphony, and she says, it kind of was. He says, and she was good at it, and she says, she was great at it. He asks if she thinks she’ll ever do it again, but she says she doesn’t know. She tells people that she will, that she’s going to get her half of the MetroCourt back, but she thinks that’s just a pipe dream, The MetroCourt belongs to someone else, two someone elses. She’s just going to have to accept that.

Chase says he’s been working on a surprise for Brook, and she says, but he’s terrible at keeping secrets. Chase says, it’s true. Her mom has been helping him keep this under wraps. Lois says, guilty as charged, and Brook says, so no more Palm Beach? Chase shakes his head, and she says, please tell her that he’s not working. It’s their honeymoon. He says, they’re still going away, but there has been a change in destination. He leads her over to the loveseat, and she says, okay. As long as it’s not a downgrade, she’s in. Everyone else quietly leaves the room, and she says, so what are they talking? Miami? Charleston? Palm Springs? She’s never been to the desert. He says, think a little further away than that, and she says, like out of the US away? He nods, and she asks what he did. He says he’s marrying the woman of his dreams. No, scratch that. He never dreamed of her because he didn’t know someone this wonderful could exist, and he wants their honeymoon to be a reflection of that. He wants her to remember this trip for the rest of her life. Because she deserves it. She deserves everything. She says, he’s the sweetest man on the planet. So where on this planet is he taking her? He says, Florence, and she says, he’s kidding. He says he’s not kidding, and she says, Florence, Italy? He says, her mom told him that she wanted to go, and she says, only for her entire life. Oh my God, Florence? She jumps up and says, not only does she get to go, she gets to go with him? He asks if she’s happy, and she says, happy doesn’t even begin to cover it, and kisses him.

Molly says, so she guesses Alexis wins – again, and Alexis says, freedom of the press wins – always. Except she has no idea why she’s fighting so hard for it when it comes to this paper. Molly says, because she cares about her job and the integrity of her paper, and Alexis says, integrity the new associate publisher will undoubtedly destroy. Molly starts to leave and picks up the envelope the messenger delivered. She asks, what’s this? and Alexis says, a messenger dropped it off when she was fighting with Nina. Molly asks if she’s looked at it, but Alexis says she was too consumed with rage to care. What is it? Molly says, it’s from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, and Alexis says, they’re handling her appeal. Molly says, it’s probably her decision, whether they’ll review her case, or she’ll stay disbarred. Open it. She holds it out to Alexis, who backs up, saying, no. She can’t. She tells Molly to do it, and Molly asks if she’s sure. Alexis nods, and Molly opens the envelope.

As Molly reads what’s inside, she looks sad, and Alexis says, it’s okay. It was a longshot anyway. So the appeal was denied… Molly says, they’re giving her a hearing. They set a date and everything. Alexis grabs it from her and looks at it. She says, they’re giving her a hearing, and Molly says, not just that. They’re giving her hope. This is hope. They hug and jump up and down.

Marshall says, TJ needs to find reasons for him and Molly to come together that aren’t about the baby. It’s those moments of now, those moments where it’s just the two of them. Those moments are precious too. Now, as much as he enjoyed that egg sandwich and this beautiful park… TJ says, and the incredible company of his grandson, and Marshall says, that too. Get his behind over to the store and buy all the ingredients for Molly’s favorite dinner. Just make sure it’s reheatable in case she does have to work late. Wouldn’t it be nice for Molly to come home and see her favorite meal on the table waiting on her? TJ says, Molly would love that, and Marshall says, don’t spend the next three months wringing his hands over what Kristina is or isn’t doing. Spend the next three months with his partner, being just that – partners – before they become parents. Molly is a very special woman. TJ agrees she is and thanks Marshall. They bro hug.

Chase says, mimosa for the bride-to-be, handing Brook a drink, and she thanks him. They say, cheers, and clink glasses. Brook says she can’t believe it’s true, and he says, believe it. She says, Florence… the Uffizi, the Duomo, David… He says, whoa. Who’s this David guy? She says, and they have to take a day trip to Pisa and an overnight to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. He says, she’s thought a lot about this, and she says, this is like a bucket list thing for her. And she can’t wait to look up all the best restaurants and they’re going to have gelato every, single day, no exceptions. Okay? He says, yes, ma’am, and she says, they’re going to drink wine at sunset in every piazza they can find. It’s going to be so incredible. He says, she’s so incredible, and they kiss. She says, they have so much planning to do. Wait. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, a honeymoon to Florence is a lot more expensive than one stateside. The airfare alone. He says, that’s okay. He has the money for it. She asks, how? and he says he sold his truck.

Anna says, Valentin and Jack weren’t friends, but they certainly knew each other, right? He says, of course (🍷) they did, and she says, when he was working with Pikeman, in his dealings with them, did he ever get the sense Jack was involved? He says, she believes Jack Brennan was working with Pikeman? and she says she does. She can’t get him to admit it, but when Valentin was an intermediary, did anything jump out at him? He says he wishes he had something useful to offer her, but sadly, he doesn’t. She says, okay. It was worth a try. Maybe when she goes back to see him again. He says, don’t. Pikeman and Brennan are dangerous. If they’re working together, then they’re not to be messed with. She thanks him for his concern, but says she can take care of herself. He says, please do, and she thanks him for breakfast and leaves.

John opens the door for Carly and says, thanks again. She says she doesn’t think he thanked her the first time, and he says, then thank you. Not just for saving his hide on the docks, but for getting him back here and keeping an eye on him all night. She says he’s welcome, and he says, and he guesses they get to be friends, even if it’s just for a minute. She says, just for a minute? Are FBI agents not allowed to have friends? Oh. Worried he’s going to divulge classified information? He says, something like that, and she says, makes sense. But how does he know he doesn’t talk in his sleep? She leaves and he watches her walk down the hall.

Drew tells Nina, they’re at a meeting, so try back later, but Michael asks what she was going to say about his mom. And what did Nina do now? Nina says she didn’t do anything. She just thought Drew would want to know Carly moved on quickly from him and is now sleeping with everyone’s favorite FBI agent, John Cates.

Tomorrow, Tracy tells Brook, disrespecting your husband is no way to start a marriage; Maxie asks why Lucy is insisting on taking this all on herself; Alexis tells Gregory that it’s a risk she can afford; and Carly says she did something that someone isn’t going to like.

🛟 Here It Comes…

Now it’s somebody else’s fault she was a pita. Maybe she confused Fraser by answering every time the primary was asked a question.

Jill Zarin Blames Chief Stew Fraser Olender for “Disaster” on Below Deck Trip, Calls Out Crew’s “Attitude,” and Reveals What Fraser Promised at Start of Charter

🍸 Between Rules and Reunion…

I can’t believe anybody actually monitors who follows who. Aren’t they busy not opening restaurants and stuff?

Vanderpump Rules’ Lala Kent Unfollows Katie Maloney & Ariana Madix on Instagram as Their Feud Continues, See How Fans Are Reacting

It’s not about the pasta mirror.

Ariana Madix Claps Back at Sandoval’s Claim That She Doesn’t “Pay for Anything,” and Discusses His Counter-Offer, as He Accuses Her of Lying & Insists He Made “Top Market” Offer

🍊 Shady John…

Andy leaps with glee as he twirls his moustache.

John Janssen Seemingly Shades Ex Shannon Beador as a “Narcissist” Who ‘Lies’ as Girlfriend Alexis Bellino Calls Out “Smear Campaign”

⚰️ About Those Dead…

Like the franchise is ever going away.

The Walking Dead Franchise Has A Very Unsure Future

Ha-ha! I thought it said giant zombie heads. Now that would be a variant.

https://screenrant.com/walking-dead-new-villain-zombies-season-1-return

Carol’s turn coming up.

https://www.cbr.com/daryl-dixon-book-of-carol-release-date-cast-news

🐕 From Around the Globe and Back…

Bollywood babies.

Say hello to your favourite Bollywood celebrities’ furry friends

Backup pups.

https://people.com/meghan-trainor-stars-in-music-video-with-dogs-8629755

☔️ April Showers Bring More April Showers…

Stop by tomorrow for pre-weekend soap, the Summer smack talk promised, and shenanigans. Until then, stay safe, stay thinking twice before engaging in online debates, and stay doing the work. If you do, you can achieve anything.

Apr11

April 10, 2024 – Sonny Meets Jason At the Warehouse, There Goes the Sun, Nathan’s Lane, VanderViews, He’s Toxic, This Week In Chefs, No Snow, Animal Reaction & Paris

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Getting up from the floor and gathering her clothes, Nina says, Drew has been planning something like this all along, but he asks if he needs to refresh her memory. He wasn’t the one who started all this. She says she knows, but she thinks he had this on his mental backburner since he took her magazine away and gave it to Carly. They all know how that worked out. Drew says, the only thing he’s been fantasizing about Nina is her losing all her money, losing her looks, and getting convicted of a nameless crime that gets her sent to prison, like she sent him. (Wow. Most of us would just say, was it good for you too?)

Carly puts some ice in a towel on John’s head and says he looks like he was mugged by a small army. Is he sure it was only two people? He says, yeah. Those guys might not have killed him, but this ice might. She says, it’s not that cold, and he says, it’s ice. By definition, it’s cold. He takes the ice from her and sits down, holding it himself. She says, the ice machine on this floor was broken, which is appalling, and he says, that’s what she finds appalling? A broken ice machine? She says she had to go down a floor to get the ice and it was melting by the time she got it to the towel. He says, yet, when placed against the human body, it’s still plenty cold, and she wonders if the FBI knows the only thing it takes for an agent to spill his guts is a couple of ice cubes. He says he likes to keep some things to himself, and she tells him, all she’s saying is when she ran the MetroCourt, that ice machine would have been maintained. She hands him some water, and he says he’s grateful for the medical expertise. She shakes some ibuprofen out of the bottle, gives it to him, and says she went to nursing school. She didn’t graduate, but the training was really good. When you have kids, you have little reaction time. then you have to keep it together before you get to an actual doctor. Speaking of which, please let her take him to the hospital. Or at least let her call the house doctor here. He says he’s quite happy with the care he’s received so far. He wouldn’t change a thing.

Laura tells Doc that she doesn’t want to jinx it, but she thinks Ace finally fell asleep. She told him a story, did a little singing… Maybe she’s getting the hang of his bedtime routine. Or maybe he’s just getting used to falling asleep without Esme and Spencer. She looks over at Doc, who’s concentrating on his tablet, and she says, or maybe she’s just telling herself a story.

Blaze and Kristina watch TV, Kristina’s head in Blaze’s lap. Blaze asks if Kristina is sure she’s okay with it, and Kristina says, yeah, but if Blaze isn’t into it, just change it. It’s just a movie. Blaze says, the movie is fine. She wasn’t really paying attention. Kristina asks, what’s going on? and Blaze says she keeps thinking about the whole Face of Deception thing. Is Kristina sure she’s okay with her being the Face? (Sounds like a Batman villain.) Kristina says, yeah. Blaze already shares her music with the world. Why not share her beautiful face too? Blaze says, because her mom inserted a clause keeping her private life private in every contract. And if anyone pushes against that point, she made it very clear it’s a deal breaker. Kristina says, Blaze is her public persona and Blaze is not out, but Allie, her girlfriend, is. Blaze says she’ll never get tired of hearing Kristina call her that, and Kristina says, she and her girlfriend are out to their families, to their closest friends, and the people who really matter. That’s all she really cares about. So locking down her private life is the deal Blaze made with her mom and everyone else, but as long as it doesn’t impact them and their relationship, she doesn’t see a problem with it. Blaze says, right, and Kristina says, unless the person who has a problem with it is her.

Curtis walks a little unsteadily into the bedroom, and Portia calls to him, asking where he is. He says, why doesn’t she come upstairs and find out? and she walks into the bedroom. She sees him without his cane, and says, oh my God. He says, one small step for man… Actually, it was a bunch of little steps, but one giant leap for yours truly. She says, this is huge. It’s so great not to see his cane anywhere. He says, no cane. Just him and his two legs. He sits on the bed, and she says, he’s amazing, but he says, no. She’s amazing. If it weren’t for her, he would still be stuck in some hospital bed. Or in his wheelchair still. Mad at the world, feeling sorry for himself, some version of that. That’s how his story would have ended. Because of her, he has nothing but new chapters to write. And he can’t wait – he stands up and she squeals – he can’t wait to write them with her. He takes her hands and says, thank you, my love. They kiss and she says, anytime.

Ava tosses and turns in bed. She sits up, takes her sleep mask off, and says, this is pointless. She gets up.

Jason says he owns half this warehouse, and Sonny asks if he’s taking it back. Jason says he never gave it up, but Sonny says, he deserted it. He was gone for more than two years. He lost the right to take it back. He doesn’t want to see Jason’s face. Didn’t he make that clear? Jason says, that’s why he had Diane speak to Sonny on his behalf. He still owns 50% of Corinthos Coffee. Sonny says, don’t quote his own lawyer… Jason says, their lawyer. They both trust her and what she says. Why not trust her judgement on this? Sonny says, forget Diane. Jason came to his warehouse to get an answer from him. He got his wish. This is his business, and he doesn’t want Jason anywhere near it.

Portia says she’s so proud of Curtis, and not because he made it up the stairs, but because he didn’t give in to despair. He didn’t quit. He says, truth be told, he thought about it. There were times he thought about it, and each time he thought, what would he say to Trina? She got hit with something terrible when Spencer died and it’s okay to call it quits, just curl up in a ball? It’s not him. She says, it’s not. Those words sound like a foreign language coming out of his mouth. She loves it. He says he’s a father now; he’s a son. It’s not just about him anymore. She says he did forget one thing out of that list, and he says, what’s that? She says, lover, and he says, is that so? She says she’d be a fool to let all the effort he took getting up those stairs and into their beautiful bedroom go to waste. And she’s no fool. They kiss.

John thanks Carly for the ice. He thinks it helped. Or else the bitter cold destroyed all the nerve endings in his body, so win-win. She says, he needs to keep this on his head, directing his hand back, and he says, she needs to go home to that adorable daughter of hers. Carly says, she’s great. She’s happy with her nanny. What Carly is concerned about is him having a concussion. He says he’s fine. Trust him. It will take more than a couple of shots to this hard head to do any damage. She says she doesn’t know about that. If he does have a concussion, someone needs to check on him every couple of hours to see if he’s having a hard time waking up. If he is, that means his concussion is getting worse. He says he’ll be fine, but she says, please, just let her take him to the hospital. Just think. If he’s right, he gets to say I told you so. He says he does like that, but come on. All they’re going to do is admit him and wake him up all night long. He’d rather stay here. She says, okay. She can wake people up with the best of them. She takes the pillow off a chair, sits down, and puts her feet on the coffee table. He asks what she’s doing, and she says, getting comfortable. She has to conserve her energy. She has to shake him away in a couple hours, then a couple hours after that. He says he really appreciates… She says, he’s wasting his time. She’s staying right here and she’s going to save him from himself.

Nina asks if Drew is saying he regrets this as much as she does, and he says, two people consumed by mutual, passionate hatred with no acceptable outlet? It’s better than poisoning. She says she doesn’t see a big difference, and he says, think of it like a screwed up spontaneous combustion. She says she’s going to think of it this way, as a downpayment, and he asks, what’s on layaway? She says, appoint her to the board, and he says, of Aurora? What possible sense would it make for him to appoint her to the board of Aurora? She edits Crimson. That’s her entire value to them. She says, and she makes the magazine a success. Okay. Maybe not that, but he’s close to Michael and he’s close to Willow. Find a pathway for her to get back in her daughter’s good graces. He asks if she thinks 45 minutes on his office floor commits him to dragging her out of the wreckage she made of her life. It’s going to take more than a couple of rug burns for him to lift a finger for her.

Nina says she tried to treat Michael and Willow to a surprise anniversary dinner, and they turned her down, which was humiliating. Drew says, surprise dinner, huh? Translation. Regardless of what Michael and Willow wanted, she pushed whatever she wanted on them, which is so on brand for her. She says she doesn’t care how he describes it. It felt like she was punched in the heart. Forgive her if she had to come down here and pull herself together and get a breath. Instead of sympathizing with her… He says he never will sympathize with her, and she says she knows she has a little part in this, but she thinks he took advantage of her emotional, vulnerable state. He says, she’s projecting. Taking advantage of people is her stock and trade. She tells him, shut up, and he says, let him just be clear. Her offer of an anniversary dinner when she can’t stand Michael and wishes Willow hadn’t married him, was it really just for Willow? Or was she hoping maybe they’d tell Sonny how generous she is? Does Sonny know she’s still pining for him? She goes to slap him, but he grabs her hand and says he’ll take that as a yes.

John asks, what time is it? and Carly says, almost midnight. He says, that late? She should really go home. She says, if he insists, she’ll drop him off at GH on her way, but he says, that’s not necessary. She says, it probably is, but he’d probably just be trading one problem for another, huh? He asks what she’s talking about, and she says, if he went to the hospital, the nurses would start asking him questions – she puts a blanket on him – and they’d have to call the PCPD. Then the PCPD would want to know what the heck he was doing wandering around the waterfront at that time of night. He says he wasn’t wandering around. He took a walk. She goes back to the chair, using her coat as a blanket, and says, in the most dangerous part of town at night. He says, Port Charles is a safe place, and she laughs. She says, make sure he mentions that safe part when he talks to the police because they love that kind of feedback. He says he got mugged. It’s a terrible thing, but it happens. This time it happened to him. She says, he should stick with that story. But she wants him to know that she knows he was tracking Jason.

Jason says, if Sonny doesn’t want him in his organization, he understands, but Sonny says, no. Jason doesn’t understand. He trusted Jason more than anyone and now he can’t trust him. Jason says he never gave the Feds anything on Sonny, and Sonny asks why he should believe that. Jason says, because if he had, they would have arrested Sonny. He’s been protecting Sonny this whole time. Sonny says he’s not a child. He doesn’t need protection. He needs Jason to get away from him. Otherwise, he will have to remove Jason.

Laura tells Doc that she’s concerned about how small Ace’s family is going to be. There are no siblings. He may never know Lulu and Lucky. She knows there’s Elizabeth’s boys, but they’re quite a bit older and they have their own lives. It’s really just her, him, and Ace. Doc says, and Heather, and Laura says she knows Heather likes to call herself Ace’s grandmother. He says, technically, she is Ace’s grandmother. They may not like it, but Esme was her daughter. He asks about the transfer to California, and Laura says she forgot to tell him. The DA cancelled the transfer because of her medical condition. So she’s in Pentenville for the foreseeable future. He says, unless something else occurs, and shows her the tablet. She reads: chemically induced abnormal behavior. This is really what he thinks happened to Heather, isn’t it? Does he think they would ever reopen Heather’s case after all the things that she did?

Nina says, if Drew breathes a word of this to Sonny… He says, having sex with her on his office floor isn’t something he’s going to be bragging about. He wouldn’t worry about Sonny. Sonny is a little preoccupied right now with Jason’s surprise return. She says, he can think about more than one thing at a time, and Drew says, and somehow, he isn’t thinking about her at all. She has to face it. She’s not even on Sonny’s radar right now. He doesn’t care who she’s mixing it up with. Maybe because he’s got a new roommate.

Ava calls to Sonny and asks if he’s home. She pours herself a drink, then sets it down and goes to Sonny’s bedroom. She wonders what he has that would make a person sleep. She checks in a box by his bed, but only finds an OTC pain reliever. She says, he’s got to do better than that, and goes into his bathroom. She wonders where he keeps the good stuff and looks in the vanity drawers. She finds a prescription bottle labeled Lorphenadine, and says, may cause drowsiness.

Jason tells Sonny, it doesn’t have to be this way. He’s not a threat. He’ll stay out of Sonny’s organization. All he wants is his half of the coffee business. Sonny says, and all he wants is the truth. If Jason didn’t inform on him, what was he doing with the Feds? Jason says he told Sonny everything he could, but Sonny says, Jason told him nothing. He thought it was because Ava was right there, but Ava’s not here now; it’s just them. If Jason wants Sonny to trust him, if he wants half of the business back, he’s going to have to trust Sonny. What happened to him?

Jason says, the FBI picked him up on Cassadine Island. They flew him back to Quantico. They offered him a deal. Become an informant and no charges will be filed. He took that deal because it was his best option. They didn’t want him to inform on Sonny because they knew he would never do it and it would never work. So they sent him after somebody else. Sonny asks, who? but Jason says he can’t tell Sonny. Sonny says, why? Does Jason think he’s going to go tell these people he’s a traitor? Jason says he can’t tell Sonny because it’s part of the deal. If he talks, that violates the terms of the agreement, and the charges get filed. Sonny says, was part of the deal to take a shot at him? How many times did Jason try to kil him? Jason says he never tried to kill Sonny, and Sonny says, and he’s going to believe that? Because Jason is loyal, because Jason’s his friend, his brother? Jason says, because if he tried to kill Sonny, he wouldn’t have missed.

Ava tells herself that she can’t self-medicate with somebody else’s prescription. It does cause drowsiness though, and if Sonny can handle it… She pops the top off the bottle so easily that it’s probably the most unbelievable thing ever seen on GH. She takes a pill, then says, who is she kidding? and takes another one.

Blaze tells Kristina that she wants to be fair. Having a control freak for a mom can be really helpful when it comes to her career. Kristina says, what about the rest of her life? Her real life. Blaze says, her mom tells her that she knows her better than she knows herself, and Kristina says she hates when parents say that. Blaze says, her too, but she thinks her mom says it because when she was Blaze’s age, she crossed the line a few times. And then she became a mom. Kristina says, becoming a mom certainly changes your perspective on everything, but she’s only an aunt, so… Blaze says, Kristina’s not only an anything. She thinks because her mom didn’t want her making the same mistakes she did, she became super strict. Kristina says, it kind of worked. Look at her. She’s smart and disciplined and built an incredible career for herself. It’s amazing. Blaze says, a lot of that is because she paid attention to everything her mom said when she was growing up. Her mom should be able to look at her life and know that and trust her enough to live her own life. Kristina’s parents do. Kristina doesn’t respond, and Blaze says she must have missed something. Is there a problem with her parents?

Curtis is sitting up in the bed, and Portia asks if this is the folder he wanted. He says, yes. He probably could have gotten it himself, but it would have been 2 in the morning before he got himself down the stairs and back up. She says, with the progress he’s making, he’ll be up and down those stairs in no time, and he says, the miracles of modern medicine. You doctors can fix anything. He asks if everything is okay, and she says, yeah. She’s fine. He says he sort of lost her there for a second. He wondered where she went. He thought maybe she was thinking about these bills. She says, no. Those bills are all his. He says he doesn’t know if she saw this note from Brook Lynn Quartermaine. She’s pushing him to have an invitation only event at The Savoy to showcase Blaze’s new single. He’s probably going to say yes, but he thinks he’ll let her sweat a little bit. She says, it has nothing to do with that, and he says, talk to him. She says she was at the hospital and overheard Doc and Alexis saying something about how they could use a preexisting condition to overturn a conviction. Heather Webber was diagnosed with metallosis. Basically, her artificial hip is poisoning her. And one of the symptoms of metallosis is a shift in personality. He asks if anyone is arguing that Heather Webber isn’t responsible for all those lives she took, and Portia says, that’s exactly what she’s afraid of. Someone is going to use her condition as grounds to reopen Heather’s case, and possibly set that woman free.

John says, Carly thinks he was tracking Jason. She’s getting warmer. She says, hide and seek. Really? Is that how the FBI conducts its business now? He says, his supervisors would definitely not approve of this situation, but they’re not here. So does she want to guess again? She says, okay. If he wasn’t tracking Jason, he was tracking… his lawyer. Diane Miller? He says, give the lady a cigar, and she says she doesn’t want a cigar, but she will take a very expensive glass of wine at a date to be determined. He says, deal, and she says, getting mugged isn’t generally a mood lifter, but it’s made him fun. He thanks her and says he is fun. She just doesn’t know him well enough to see it yet.

Curtis says he gets the legal argument that Heather’s condition – Portia says, metallosis – has contributed to her mental state, but she committed multiple homicides. There’s no way she should be allowed to go free. (Pointing out that we’ve been here before with Franco.) She says she prays he’s right, because Trina’s been through enough. It’s enough, this whole family. He says, but they made it through and they’re stronger than ever. She says, they are, aren’t they? They made it through together as a family. He says, she better believe it, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make her feel safe and secure and loved. She says, he just told her that he’d do whatever it takes? and he says he sure did. She says she thinks she’s going to need him to prove that.

Doc tells Laura that he couldn’t stop thinking about his conversation with Alexis about Heather and the hypotheticals that could set her free. So he did a deep dive into a database about toxicology and abnormal behavior. At first, you would think the chances of Heather’s murder conviction being overturned are inconceivable. Laura says, but then with further investigation… He says, it’s not without medical and legal precedent. She says, wow. She can’t imagine what the reaction would be to Heather going free. They know Portia Robinson, Sasha Gilmore, Dr. Obrecht, all those people are going to be outraged. As would most of the citizens of Port Charles she thinks. He says, understandably, and she says, unless it can be proven that Heather herself was victimized. And if that were the case, she thinks it would be wrong not to give her a second chance. He says, selfishly, there’s a side of him that would like to see Heather redeemed. Not released, but rehabilitated into someone functional. Someone stable that Ace could know, even have a relationship with. And if he’s being honest, he’d like to think some good could come of the harm he’s caused. She says, none of this is his fault, but he says he made one decision about his brother, and it resulted in a series of devastating events. If Ryan hadn’t gotten loose, then Heather would still be institutionalized, and her victims would still be alive. So would Spencer and Esme. They never would have even met Esme. She says she thinks he’s forgetting one thing. Ace wouldn’t be here either.

Kristina tells Blaze that she doesn’t have a problem with anyone in her family right now. Actually, it might be the first time she’s been able to say that. Her mom’s good; she’s supportive of their relationship and the surrogacy. Blaze says, what about her dad? and Kristina says, her dad’s good. He loves her unconditionally. He of course (🍷) has a dark side, but he’s loving and generous and more sensitive than people think, and he can get hurt too. She’s a little worried about her dad right now. Blaze asks if that’s because he and Nina broke up, and Kristina says, Nina’s not perfect, but he was happy with her. And since Ava moved in… Blaze says, wait. She moved in? She thought Ava was just staying there temporarily. Kristina says, so did she.

Nina says, Ava is staying with Sonny for security reasons, and Drew says, keep telling herself that. She finishes getting dressed and says, let her worry about Ava. Just figure out a way to get her closer to her daughter. And if it’s not appointing her to the board, then come up with something else. He says, even if he were to help her, Michael will never see her as anything other than a threat to his family. She lied to him about his father’s death, then sued him to get access to his child. But Willow’s got a softer heart, and he’s still friends with her. Nina says, he’ll help her plead her case to her then, and he says, maybe, but after his near-death beating he took in prison because of her, she’s going to have to make it so worth his while. (I used to find Drew kind of boring. Now he just creeps me out.)

Jason tells Sonny that Port Charles is still his home. This warehouse is still half his. He’s going to be here every day, importing coffee, totally legit. So whatever business Sonny wants to do, do it away from the warehouse, so he doesn’t have to be witness to it. Sonny asks if Jason thinks he won’t do it. He thinks Sonny won’t get rid of him? He could do it in a heartbeat. All he’s got to do is say the word, and Jason is gone. Jason says, come on. If anything happens to him, Sonny knows the cops are going to look at him first. Sonny says, don’t tell him what he knows. Know what he knows? Jason can’t be trusted and he’s going to have to get protection. From Jason. Because Jason is a traitor. Jason says, stop, and asks if Sonny is taking his meds.

Nina says, Drew will be her ally, and he says he thinks ally is a strong word for what he’ll be, but she’s a creative person. She can put her thinking cap on and come up with something that will be worth his time and effort. He picks up his shirt and says he likes this shirt. She can start by sewing the buttons back on it. He tosses the shirt to her, but she says, do his own mending, slinging it back, and she walks out.

Carly tells John that they need to order all new ice machines for this hotel. But she doesn’t need to keep going on and on about how this hotel is not great anymore. He says, it’s a nice hotel, and she says, it was, but she’s not going to bore him with all her complaints about the hotel. She puts new ice in a towel and says, what about him? Are there any other circumstances, besides being beaten up – she laughs – where he’s fun? He says he must be concussed or at least punchy. He’s said way too much already. She says she has a lot of experiences where she’s listening to things she doesn’t repeat or remember. She looks over at him and he’s asleep. She says, that’s a way to end a conversation, and turns down the lights. She gets back in the chair and says, sleep well, Agent Cates. I’ll wake you up in a couple of hours.

Portia comes out dressed in fabulous lingerie and says she guesses Curtis is still working on the bills. So she guesses she’ll just… He says, no, no, no. Not looking as good as she is. Come here. She sits on the bed next to him, and he says, in case she doesn’t remember, they never had an official honeymoon. He thinks they should do something about that as soon as possible. She kisses him and I assume they get busy, since the camera pans to the ceiling.

Laura shows Doc her phone and says, viola. You can see Ace in real  time. He’s still sleeping. Doc says, that’s amazing. She makes the same face when she sleeps. She says, maybe it runs in the family, and they sit on the sofa. He says, the picture and the sound is so pristine. Here he thought the baby monitor was the pinnacle of technological advancement. She says, it was… twenty years ago, and he laughs. He says, and when he hears people say twenty years, he thinks, oh, they’re talking about the 80s. Then he realizes… no, they’re not. She says she knows them raising a baby at this point in their lives wasn’t part of his bucket list, and he says, was it on hers? She says, no, and he says, it’s not like they’re ready to retire and they’re not exactly people who back away from life. She says, and she thinks Ace has given them so much more life, and he says, Ace has, and he loves it. And he loves her. She says she loves him too, and kisses him. He says, they took an awful lot of wrong turns and detours before they found each other, but they did. And he thinks Ace is just another unexpected… Laura says, responsibility? but he says, miracle. She says, wow. He’s really something. He says he’s a lucky man, and she says she’s a lucky woman. She puts her head on his shoulder and he puts his arm around her. Aww.

Kristina tells Blaze that she knows there’s still a security reason for Ava to be staying at Sonny’s place, but it’s just that something doesn’t feel right about it. It’s weird. Even Dante noticed, and he’s on pain meds. Blaze asks if she said or did anything, but Kristina says, no. It’s just little things. She can’t see the whole picture yet, but one thing she does know is, Ava is a Jerome. And the Jeromes love power. It’s like a drug. Blaze says, Kristina thinks she’s going to what? Make a move on Sonny’s business? Kristina says, not a move move. She’d never come at something straight on; she’s too smart for that. She’d slither in from the side or something. And she’s making herself indispensable to Kristina’s dad. She’s running interference, she’s making him drinks… Blaze says, her dad doesn’t see what she’s doing? and Kristina says, worse. He likes it. A lot.

Ava lies awake and says, may cause drowsiness, and sits up. She says, Sonny must like the taste of those. She feels absolutely nothing. Nada. They don’t help you sleep. They don’t help anything else. What do those stupid pills do? (Got it.)

Sonny tells Jason that he takes his medication every day, every dosage, like clockwork. He’s not having a breakdown. He just has to face the truth. Jason’s not who he thought. Or maybe he never was. Jason says he’s not Sonny’s enemy, and he doesn’t want any trouble. And he accepts that Sonny doesn’t trust him. Sonny doesn’t have to trust him. He’ll stay out of Sonny’s way. Sonny says, he’d better. Sonny pauses a moment and says, go ahead, take the warehouse. He can sit in it until he rots. He starts to leave, but stops and says, if you double-cross me again or I suspect you’re interfering with my business or my life… I will end you. He walks out and Jason looks concerned.

Tomorrow, Brook asks, what if they ruined Lila’s dress for nothing; Curtis asks Drew what he’s doing here; Anna asks for Valentin’s help with a case; and Alexis says, what if she just quits?

🌞 Since They Had the Day Off…

Celebrities – they’re just like us. Except for the paycheck. And the fame.

See How the Soap Stars Enjoyed the Solar Eclipse!

💔 Hallmark’s Loss…

As a general rule, I don’t watch romances, but I can’t imagine him not pulling in viewers.

Ryan Paevey Reveals Why He Wants To Take a Break From Acting

🍸 Rehashing the Rules…

The Reunion is probably going to be a doozie, but anything would be mild compared to last year. I think.

Lala Kent Suggests Ariana Madix “Never Brought Anything” to Vanderpump Rules & Shares Why She Was “Concerned” Going Into Season 11, and Addresses Her Inability to Be “Productive” With Tom as She Compares Their Relationships With Their Dads
Scheana Shay Says One Costar Wasn’t Honest on Camera Due to Fear of Fan Backlash, Hints at What Went Down With Lala at Vanderpump Rules Reunion and Being “Scared,” Plus Talks Schwartz’s Kiss, & Live Viewing Thread
Tom Sandoval BLASTS Ariana Madix as ‘Laziest F–king Person’ in RAW Vanderpump Rules Deleted Scene!

🍼 Kentucky Shade…

I’m still trying to figure out why she settled for him in the first place.

Brittany Cartwright Says “Toxic” Situation With Jax Got “Worse” After The Valley Filming, and Shades Him as a “Toddler,” Plus Discusses Challenges of Working Together and Suggests He’s Unwilling to Do Couples Therapy

🔪 Tonight’s Top…

Those who can’t do, watch stuff like this.

https://people.com/top-chef-recap-episode-4-buddha-lo-guest-judge-two-cheftestants-eliminated-8624517

🦣 He Shows Nothing…

Oh well. I would have liked to see a few more mammoths, giants, and such.

https://ew.com/jon-snow-game-of-thrones-sequel-shelved-kit-harington-says-8629070

🦁 An Eclipse For Everyone…

They must have thought it was a short day and an even shorter night. This is basically just a clip of zoo animals getting ready for bed, but the guy who’s being interviewed is pretty excited about it. According to him, every question is a great question. My pets couldn’t have cared less.

https://people.com/texas-zoo-animals-caught-reacting-darkness-during-eclipse-8628890

🤸‍♀️ Bringing It Off…

Join me tomorrow for soap and smack talk about the awful people on Summer House. Until then, stay safe, stay listening with all your senses, and stay never self-medicating with somebody else’s prescription.

Apr10

April 9, 2024 – Nina’s Plans Take a Surprise Turn, Wait What, Schwartz Embraces His Pre-Midlife Crisis Mode, In the Valley & Never

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Trish tells Michael and Willow, as requested, the best table in the house. Michael thanks her, and she tells them that their waitress will be right with them. Enjoy their meal. Trish leaves, and Willow says, isn’t Michael the perfect husband, taking her out for supper. He says, only the best for his lovely bride. Happy anniversary. She says, just a little bit early, and he says, early or late, every single day with her is a celebration.

Nina asks Trish if everything is okay, and Trish says, everything is fine. She just thought Nina would want to know that her daughter’s here with her husband.

Kristina goes the penthouse and Ava answers the door. Kristina asks if her dad is here, but Ava says, he’s not really available. He’s resting. She’ll tell him that Kristina came by though. Kristina says she’s going to wait for him because she really needs to speak with him tonight, and Sonny says, who’s that? Just what he needs, a visit from one of his favorite daughters. She says she doesn’t know about that, and they hug. He says, definitely in the top three.

Drew calls Carly at Kelly’s, and she says, it’s really great to hear his voice. He says, and hers. He’s calling because he needs to get in touch with Jason and doesn’t have a way to reach him. She says, he has a phone now. She can give him Jason’s number. He says, just give him a message please. Tell Jason that he got a little visit from the FBI this afternoon.

Jason leads Diane into the Corinthos Coffee warehouse, and she thanks him for meeting her in the parking lot. It isn’t the best area of town. Why did he want to meet here in the first place? He says, because this – he opens a door – is going to be his office. She laughs and says, that’s Sonny’s office, and he says, not anymore. (I’m with Jason so far on just about everything, but taking Sonny’s office? Um… no.)

Nina says she didn’t know Michael and Willow were coming in tonight, and Trish says, they’re celebrating their anniversary. Nina says, but their anniversary isn’t until later in the month, and Trish says, there’s a note on the reservation that it’s an anniversary celebration. And somebody called ahead for a special dessert. Nina thanks her.

Willow says she can’t believe it’s a few more weeks and they’ve been officially married for a year, and he says he knows. And he knows their actual anniversary is in the middle of Brook and Chase’s wedding, so he thought they should celebrate tonight. But nothing says they can’t sneak off for some alone time that night too. She says she’s glad they did this. They have a lot of anniversaries to look forward to, but the first one is a big milestone and it’s nice to be here alone with him. He says he feels the same way and they kiss. A server comes over with champagne for the table, and Michael says he thinks it’s a mistake. They didn’t order that. Nina appears and says, that’s her gift. Happy anniversary.

Sonny tells Kristina to have a seat. Put her feet on the table if she wants. Is she hungry? He can grab her something to eat. She says, he doesn’t have to fuss over her, and he says, she can’t blame a father for worrying about his pregnant daughter. She says she knows, and she loves that about him, but she’s good. Ava says, how about something to drink then? and Kristina asks for a water. (Not loving Ava’s new bangs. They belong on a 12-year-old, and Ava is way too stylish for that.) Ava says, of course (🍷), and goes to the bar. Sonny says, it’s late. What’s going on? Kristina says she ran into Josslyn at Bobbie’s and they kind of got into it. There may have been some yelling. He asks what they were fighting about, and she says, him. He says, it’s not surprising because Josslyn isn’t one of his fans, and Kristina says, she’s definitely on the warpath. It drives her crazy that Josslyn always has to be right about everything. The holier-than-thou attitude is so annoying. He says, it doesn’t matter what Josslyn thinks because Kristina shouldn’t have to defend him, but Kristina says she wanted to. He says, these are his battles, not her battles, and she says she knows better than to engage with Josslyn anyway. She couldn’t help herself. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones, which are no joke anyway. Ava gives Kristina her water and gives Sonny a drink. Kristina looks from the drink to Ava, then back to the drink.

Carly says, the FBI questioned Drew about Jason? and he says, at least they came to his office and didn’t drag him in for a formal interview. They wanted to know how much contact he’s had with Jason since he resurfaced. She says, that’s ridiculous, but he says, not really. The FBI doesn’t know them and they’re brothers. They might have thought Jason would confide in him. She says she’s sorry he got dragged into this, and he says, at least they know Jason didn’t shoot Dante. Did he happen to mention where he’s been since 2021? She says, no. He hasn’t said much. Drew says, never does. Take care of herself. Stay out of whatever trouble he’s in, okay? If not for herself, then for Josslyn and Donna. They need her to take care of them. Jason can take care of himself.

Making himself comfortable in Sonny’s office, Jason tells Diane that he and Sonny were partners. He still owns 50% of Corinthos Coffee. Or he did. She says, no, he does. Or he will, once the necessary paperwork has been filed. He says, what about everything else? He knows he left his estate equally divided between Jake and Danny, and the other half went to Carly. Nobody’s asked anything. Nobody seems to know what’s going on. What happened? She says, the short answer is, his estate has been in probate the whole time, and he asks, why? What’s the problem? She says, because the law is complicated. There are a lot of hoops to jump through. Normally, it takes seven years for a certificate of death in absentia to be issued, and that was necessary in this case because they couldn’t find his body… which is now very evident as to why. He says, okay, and she says, and even with the notarized statements she had from witnesses, who all claimed no one could have survived that cave-in in Greece, it still should have taken several years. Strangely enough, the government issued a certificate of death in absentia for him the moment she filed the paperwork. Which leads her to believe someone behind the scenes was working in his favor.

Michael says, if they were going to order champagne, they would have done it themselves, and Nina says, that’s just the start. She arranged for the chef to prepare them a fabulous five-course dinner, only their finest dishes. Her treat. Willow says, the last time they spoke, she made it clear she doesn’t want to see Nina, and Nina says she didn’t mean to intrude. She’s just confused because they’re here, so she thought… Willow says, Michael asked her where she wanted to go, and she picked the MetroCourt because she’s always liked it and doesn’t want to avoid it because of Nina. She thought the fact that Nina hadn’t reached out for the past few weeks meant that Nina accepted and honored her wishes. Nina says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to interrupt. She just thought because they were here… It doesn’t matter what she thought. She picks up the champagne and says she’ll cancel everything and won’t bother them again. She leaves, and Willow asks if that was as awful as it felt. Michael says, it was pretty bad, and she says, this is her fault. They should have gone to the Grill or Café Cherie. He says, she wanted to come to the MetroCourt because she loves their chocolate soufflé, and he wanted to bring her here because she loves their chocolate soufflé, and he loves her. She says, but it was wishful thinking that Nina would actually keep her distance. He says, that’s on her; it’s not on Willow. They’re here together, it’s their anniversary, the chocolate soufflé has already been ordered. So let’s just have a glass of wine and celebrate. She says, he really is the best husband, and he tells her, don’t you forget it, and they kiss.

Kristina says, that water really hit the spot. She thinks she dehydrated herself yelling at Josslyn. Sonny says, next time, she has to just take a deep breath and walk away, and she says, he’s right. What Josslyn thinks doesn’t really matter. He asks, what else is going on? How’s work? She says, work’s fine. Everything’s fine. She does have some good news actually. Allie – Blaze – is going to be the new Face of Deception. He says he knew that because he ran into Blaze’s mother at the MetroCourt when he was meeting with Lois. Natalia was going to talk to Brook about everything. She says, small world. It’s a smart move for both Blaze’s career and Deception. She thinks they’re going to have a lot of crossover exposure there. It’s cool. He says he’s just worried about how it’s going to affect her, and she asks what he means. He says, Blaze is going to be the new Face of Deception and get famous or more famous. Does she think she can deal with that with everything she’s got going on? She says, yeah. She doesn’t think that spotlight’s going to fall on her at all. Maybe if Allie were out publicly, but she made a deal with her mother to keep her personal life personal. He asks how Kristina feels about that.

As Carly flips over the sign at Bobbie’s to Closed, Olivia blows in and says she’s going to kill her. Carly is going to have to bail her out of prison because she’s going to kill her. Carly says, who? and Olivia says, Nina. She fired Pearce. Can Carly believe it? Carly says, the room service waiter? And Olivia says, yes. Some picky guest had a mix-up with the order, which has been known to happen during peak hours when the guy gets a little overwhelmed. Carly says, but they just apologize for him, comp the order, and pull back on the amount of orders he was filling, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). That’s what they would do, but not Nina. She looks at his record, she sees there’s a couple of complaints, and off he goes. (I guess it never occurred to them to maybe not have him scheduled for peak hours or, God forbid, let Nina know.) Carly says, Olivia has to hire him back, and Olivia says, of course (🍷) she’s going to hire him back, but the guy was heartbroken and mortified. The whole staff knew about it. Carly says she can’t believe Nina fired Pearce. He’s been with the MetroCourt since it opened. Olivia says, the woman’s been on a rampage ever since Sonny dumped her, but Carly says she thinks dumped is an excuse. She can’t believe Nina fired sweet Pearce. And she did it without input from Olivia, her partner. Olivia says, that’s not the only thing Nina’s done without input from her.

Jason says, if Diane has his death certificate, why is his estate still in probate? and Diane says, because there were various rumblings about money laundering and racketeering… He says, come on. They know the assets in his will are legitimate. She says, but that needed to be proved to the government’s satisfaction. The wheels of justice turn very slowly when an estate as large as his needs to be vetted. But this is great news because none of his assets have been disbursed and his estate is intact. He should be able to reclaim it with a minimum of fuss. He says, okay. What about Carly? Why is she running Bobbie’s? Why did she give up the MetroCourt? Diane says, she didn’t, and he says, then what happened? She says, in a word – Nina. (Oh, come on. How is it that Nina’s to blame for everything, even things she had nothing to do with? She bought it, but she wasn’t the reason Carly had to sell it. Not to mention she tried to give it back to Carly a couple of times. She even had to be talked into buying it in the first place.)

Willow asks Michael to tell the truth. If Nina hadn’t tried to comp the champagne, was he going to order a bottle? He says he thought they weren’t going to talk about Nina, and she says, he’s right. Consider the subject changed. He says, good, because they’re celebrating, right? and she says, yes. He says, and what is a celebration without – he reaches in his jacket pocket and takes out a jewelry box – a little gift. She tells him that they said no presents. She didn’t get him anything. He says he knows he said that, and he means it, because honestly, he has everything he could ever want. But she, his beautiful bride, deserves the world. She opens the box, sees a gold bangle, and says, it’s stunning. He says he’s glad she likes it, and she says, who wouldn’t like this? He takes it out and puts it on her wrist, and she thanks him. She loves it. She just wishes she had more places to wear it. He asks what she means, and she says, something this fancy doesn’t exactly go with her scrubs, but she’ll save it for special occasions. He says he’ll make sure that more of those occasions happen, and she says, it’s a deal. How did he decide on this? He says, Wiley actually picked it out. He brought Wiley to the jeweler’s, narrowed it down, and Wiley chose that one. She says, Wiley never said a word to her, and he says, Wiley is very good at keeping secrets. She says, it probably helps that Wiley is in bed asleep half the time when she gets home. She constantly feels like she’s playing catch-up and missing things with the kids. Sometimes she only hears about their day from Michael or the nanny. They’re only going to be this young once and she feels like she’s missing so much.

Olivia holds out a paint sample card and asks what color Carly would say that is, and Carly says, light yellow. Olivia says, yes, and thanks her. According to Nina, this is either off-white, chartreuse, or her personal favorite, greenish gold. (I was actually thinking off-white.) The woman is insane. Carly says, that’s for sure, and Olivia says, Nina’s taken advantage of her being distracted with Dante and the hospital and everything, and she painted all the bathrooms on the fourth floor that color. Carly says, that can’t look good, and Olivia says, everyone one of them looks like a walk-in corpse. Carly says, at least it was only one floor, and Olivia says, so far. Who knows what Nina is going to do next time she has her back turned? The woman is a menace. Carly says, for many reasons. Can she get Olivia something? A coffee? Olivia says she just needed to vent, thanks Carly, and hugs her. Olivia leaves, and a woman walks in. Carly says she’s sorry, but they’re closed, and the woman says she’s looking for Diane Miller. Diane asked her to bring these documents here for a meeting with Jason Morgan at this address. Carly says, he stays here, but he’s at his Corinthos Coffee office. Maybe she’s meeting him there. The woman asks if Carly has that address by any chance, and Carly says, actually, she’s on her way there. She can drop off those documents to Diane if she wants. The woman says, that would be a lifesaver, and thanks Carly, giving her the envelope. Carly thanks her back, and the woman leaves.

Jason asks what Nina has to do with the MetroCourt, and Diane says, where does she begin? Jason says, before he left for Greece, Sonny and Carly were back together and Nina was behind him. Diane says, their marriage fell apart shortly after he left. Details not necessary. Suffice to say, Sonny chose Nina over Carly. Then Drew and Michael hatched an ill-advised scheme to get control of ELQ by merging it with Aurora Media. Carly wanted to help; she wanted to invest. So she leveraged her half of the MetroCourt. Then when the deal fell apart, Carly took a huge hit financially. He says, she didn’t tell him any of this, and Diane says, Carly couldn’t buy back her half of the hotel, so Nina swooped in and purchase it. (I hate when they rewrite history. Heaving a Jason-like sigh.) Bobbie gave the diner to Carly to help her back on her feet. He asks why Nina would want the hotel, and Diane says, because Nina Reeves believes that Carly is the reason for everything that’s wrong with her life. So after she took Carly’s husband and her hotel, Nina turned Drew and Carly in to the Feds for SEC violations. Jason’s brother took the blame, did some prison time, but Carly had to pay a five million dollar fine and almost lost her house. Jason says, but she didn’t, and Diane says, no, she didn’t. Somehow, she’s managed to hang on and she’s building back her life. Carly’s not the easiest client she’s ever had, but she’s astonishingly resilient. He says, yeah, she is.

Kristina says she’s fine with the way Allie wants things to be, and Sonny says, really? She says, yeah. Blaze is a famous musician, and she works hard – Ava listens in – and a lot of people in the public eye want to keep their personal lives personal. They’re already on display so much as it is, so she gets it that Blaze would want to keep some things to herself. He says, that’s true, and she says, it would be the same thing if she were dating a male musician who was an up-and-coming hot new artist. She wouldn’t want to be joined at the hip with him either. She wants to be known as her own person and wants to be known for her own achievements, not being someone’s girlfriend. Sonny says, she works so hard. No one is going to think that. She says, maybe not, but she also loves her anonymity. She doesn’t want to be recognized in public. She’d have to think about looking good whenever she goes out. Is he kidding her? It’s not for her. But she’s proud of Allie. She saw Allie when she was going in for a meeting with Nina at Crimson, and she thought, Allie is going to be on the cover of Crimson, and she deserves it. She’s really happy for her. Sonny says, Nina’s at Crimson? and Kristina says she thought he knew that. He says he didn’t – Ava listens even harder – and Kristina says, she is and, no offense to Carly, but she’s really glad for Allie’s sake. She thinks it’s great Nina is back. She just has more experience, and with Allie being the Face of Deception, she’s going to need that. He says he’s happy for Nina. She always loved that magazine. But something seems off here. Ava asks what he means, and he says, why would Drew hire back the woman who put him in prison?

Drew gets ready to leave the office, when Nina comes in. She says, he’ll never guess what happened, and he asks if this has to do with Crimson. She says, no, and he says, too bad… She says she tried to do something really nice for Michael and Willow for their anniversary and she got completely shut down. She wanted to comp Michael and Willow dinner and champagne, and Michael, of course (🍷), immediately said no, and Willow felt she had to side with him. And she has no one. She needs some help. Drew can help her, help her find a way to get back into her daughter and grandkids’ lives. He says he can’t help her, but she says, all she needs to do is talk to Willow… He says, if she’s trying to get sympathy, she came to the wrong place, but she says she doesn’t want sympathy. She wants him to help her. He says, come on. She’s got to take responsibility for her actions. She’s the one who ruined her relationship with Michael and Willow. She burned that bridge. There’s nothing he can do. She says, that’s where he’s wrong. Now that she’s back at Crimson, he can appoint her to the Aurora Board of Directors. Then Michael will be forced to deal with her. And this will be the start of her way back in. He asks why he’d help her. What would he get out of this? She says, for one thing, it would drive Carly crazy.

Nina says, Carly expects all the men in her life – Sonny, Jason, Drew – to be wrapped around her little finger, no matter how poorly she treats them. Drew says, except he’s not in Carly’s life, and she says, but that doesn’t matter to Carly. Come on. He’s not this naïve. Carly expects him to be loyal to her, even though she’s not loyal to him. And he knows she’s right. Carly’s sense of entitlement knows no bounds. If he promotes her to the board of directors, Carly will think they’re allies, or maybe even friends. And that’ll drive Carly crazy, and she’ll come running to him, begging for his attention.

Diane says she has already started the process by having Jason’s accounts reinstated. Once that happens, he’ll have complete access to everything. He says, good, and she says, in fact, her paralegal was supposed to come to this meeting tonight and bring her some documents for Jason to review and sign. She’s guessing because of the hour and the location, they got too nervous to come down. She’ll have everything to him tomorrow, latest. He thanks her and she starts to leave, but he says, hold on. He needs her to do something else for him. She says, name it, and he says, Sonny made it very clear to him that he doesn’t want to see his face or hear from him again. So he wants her to let Sonny know that he’s taking back his half of the company and he’s going to be working right here.

Michael says, it’s up to Willow. What he said from the beginning still stands. He’ll support her if she wants to keep working and he’ll support her if she wants to quit. She says, getting her nursing degree was hard and she really wanted to get back to work, but the truth is, she does have the luxury of spending more time at home with their kids. Wiley’s school is half-day, but Amelia is still so little. She wants those sweet baby moments… and she notices he’s not saying anything. He says he doesn’t want to influence her, and she says, but? He says, but nothing. It really is her choice. They have plenty of money. She says, he has plenty of money, but he says, it’s her money too, because she’s family. Her, him, Wiley, and Amelia. And what’s best for their family is for her to do what she thinks is right. She says, it is an incredible luxury knowing she doesn’t have to work, that she could choose something different, something that gave her more time with the kids. And maybe it is time she really thought about it. He says, if she decides not to keep working at the hospital, there is other work she can do. More flexible, and she’d still be doing a lot of good. She says, please tell her more about this flexible do-gooding occupation he just described, and he says, his great-grandmother Lila was on the board of several non-profit charities, and they did amazing things. She could choose a charity, or charities, she’s interested in, and she could really make a difference. She could work it around her schedule with the kids and she’d have the best of both worlds.

Ava tells Sonny that she wouldn’t worry about it. If Drew is up to something, then Nina will figure it out. She can take care of herself. He says, she’s probably right, and Kristina says, it’s getting really late, and she has plans with Blaze, so she’s going to get going. She hates to drink and run, but… She hugs Sonny and says she loves him. He says he loves her too, and Kristina says goodbye to Ava. She leaves, and Ava says, other than her little tiff with Josslyn, Kristina seems good. He says, she does. So did Ava’s friend Nina tell her that she got her job back at Crimson, and Ava just didn’t mention it? Ava says, that’s not what happened. In fact, Nina’s phone must be lost under some photographs on her desk because she hasn’t heard from her. And maybe those divorce papers she hasn’t signed yet are there too. He says he didn’t know she was keeping track, and she says she just knows he wants things settled. It’s none of her concern. He laughs and says he guesses she’s right. They look at each other longingly.

Two guys beat the crap out of John in an alleyway, but they hear a car horn and stop. Carly yells, leave him alone! and gets out of the car. The guys take off, and Carly runs to John. She asks if he’s okay and takes his pulse. He groans, and she asks if he can hear her. She flips him over and realizes who it is.

Carly tells John to look at her. She asks if he knows who she is, and he says, she’s Carly Spencer. She says, that’s good. Thank God. She helps him sit up, but he says he’s got it. She says, he’s hurt. She’s going to call 911. They can’t have gotten far. He says, no. Don’t. They jumped him from behind. He can’t identify them. It’s pointless. She asks why they attacked him. Was it a robbery? Did they take anything? He checks to see if he has his wallet and says, they didn’t take anything. She says she must have scared them off when she pulled up and started yelling at them, and he says, either that, or robbery wasn’t their intention. He gets up and leans against the wall. She says, they have to get him out of here in case they decide to come back. She’s going to walk him to his car. Lean on her. He puts his arm around her shoulders, and she helps him down the alley.

Michael says he thinks Willow would be fulfilled raising their kids and working with these charities. And she’d be amazing at both. Taking his hand, she says, even after all this time, sometimes she still forgets how much he believes in her. He says, always, and she says, it’s kind of crazy. Growing up like she did, she never dreamed that one day she’d be in a position to have this kind of choice. He makes her feel like the luckiest person in the world. He says, right back at her, and they kiss.

While Ava and Sonny stare at each other, there’s a knock at the door. He says he has to get that, and opens the door to Diane. He says, it’s pretty late. What’s wrong? She says, there’s nothing wrong. She’s here on behalf of another client. He says, Jason, and she says, yes. With Jason’s return, his estate will immediately be pulled from probate. All of his assets will be returned to him, and he’s asked her to tell Sonny that he’ll be resuming his half-interest in Corinthos Coffee. He says, that’s not going to happen, but she says she just came from the warehouse where he’s setting up his office. Sonny says, message received, and walks out of the apartment. Diane smiles at Ava.

Nina tells Drew that just because Carly comes running, doesn’t mean he has to let her in. He already played hero for her. Do something for himself for once. He says, by doing something for her, and she says, by helping her get closer to her daughter. He says, Willow has made it very clear. She doesn’t want to get close to Nina. She doesn’t want to know Nina at all. Nina asks Drew to have some compassion. He knows what it’s like to be separated from his child. He asks, who’s fault was that? How dare she demand his help with her kid, when she got him locked away? She says she didn’t create those consequences. He and Carly did when they… He says, the excuses keep coming, and they both yell at the same time. He starts to walk away, but she grabs his arm, and his shirt opens, several buttons popping off. She says she’s talking to him, but then gets mesmerized by his abs. He asks, what’s wrong with her? and he realizes his lack of buttons. She wonders where the buttons have gotten to, and he takes off his shirt. He tosses it at her and says, they’re all hers.

In John’s hotel room, Carly says she wants John to see a doctor, but he says he just needs some ibuprofen. His head is pounding is all. She says, no surprise there. What the hell was he doing walking around the waterfront at this hour, two blocks from Corinthos Coffee? He says, that’s not important. He appreciates her walking him in. He can take it from here. She says, what he needs to do is sit down and rest. She’s going to get him some ice and water, so he can take that ibuprofen. He says, that’s not necessary. He can do it himself. She tells him, stop trying to be so macho. She’ll accept that he won’t go to the hospital, if he accepts that he needs her help. Deal? He says, deal, and she says she’ll help him sit down. Be careful. He may have some broken ribs. She helps him to the sofa, and he thanks her. He says she’s welcome.

Michael frowns at his phone and Willow asks if there’s something wrong. He says, no. It’s just Aurora business. He’ll talk to Drew about it tomorrow. Tonight is about them. She asks, how is Drew? Does he seem okay to Michael? Michael says, he seems fine. Why? She says she was just thinking how weird it is that when they were hiding Jason and taking care of him, they never asked Drew for help even though Michael works with him and he is Jason’s brother. He says, Jason and Drew aren’t very close. It never even occurred to him to tell Drew. Drew hasn’t said a word about Jason’s return, and he didn’t think he should be the one to bring it up. She says she just feels bad for Drew. It must feel like things changed overnight for him. One minute, Michael’s mom and Drew are a solid couple. Then Jason comes to town and Carly and Drew break up. The two of them basically stopped reaching out to him too. That’s got to sting. Michael says he doesn’t want to hurt Drew, but protecting her is his number one priority, and nobody can know they were involved with hiding Jason. She says she knows. He’s right, but she can’t help wondering how Drew is dealing with all of this. He says, because she has a big heart and cares about people, but not to worry. Trust him. Drew can take care of himself.

Drew asks if there’s something else Nina wants, and Nina asks if Carly ever told him that he has a nice body. He says, she’s only seen half of it, and she says, you boys. You’re all the same. You act so brave when you’re on your barstools or picnic benches and behind your desks. But what do you do when a girl takes you up on it – she moves closer to him – and does something like this? She unbuttons her blouse and says, do you cower? He unbuttons another button, and she touches his chest. He kisses her, then stops and looks at her. She says, he’s such a Boy Scout, and he says, a man lets a lady say no. She asks if she said no, and he kisses her again. He kicks the door shut, and backs her to the desk, swiping everything off with his hand. They start getting busy, and he throws her blouse at the camera.

Jason hears someone come into the warehouse, and says, hey, Sonny. Sonny says he doesn’t want Jason here. He wants Jason gone.

Tomorrow, Drew says, Nina is going to have to make it so worth his while; Carly says she’s staying right here and saving John from himself; Portia says she’s going to need Curtis to prove that; and Sonny says he doesn’t want Jason anywhere near him.

🤯 I’ve got to say, did not see the Nina/Drew thing coming.

Vanderpump Rules

Venice Beach. After driving Sandoval away, Ariana asks, what’s up with this? and Brock says he thinks she just castrated Sandoval and he’s sitting in the corner. Ariana says, he’s been throwing jabs at her. She’s allowed to feel a certain way. She never did anything to him. In Ariana’s interview, she says, now Sandoval is doing everything he can to make her seem like she was a horrible partner. If this is the type of conversation he has when everyone is present, he needs to STFU. Schwartz says he and Sandoval will go elsewhere, since he doesn’t want to jeopardize the vibe, and Ariana says, bye. Schwartz leaves, and Ariana says, he’s never going to get it. She wants him to jump in the ocean. Lala says, no way is this winning, but Ariana says she didn’t do anything to him, period. The Toms go to a bar on the boardwalk, and Schwartz says, Sandoval needs to get out of that house, but Sandoval says, Ariana paid for the dog, that means everything else is his. (Mwa-ha-ha-ha!) In Sandoval’s interview, he says he paid for everything the house needed. Pens, batteries, the electrical work, repairs, toilet paper, paper towels. Schwarz says, Sandoval got destroyed on the internet when he said that. Why bring it up again? In his interview, Sandoval says, when Ariana gets her own place, it’s going to be a rude awakening.

Brock suggests they go to the bar, and Scheana says, Tori is coming to the bar. In Scheana’s interview, she says she doesn’t have the best track record at matchmaking – we flash back to her encouraging Schwartz to make-out with Raquel – but now that Schwartz and Katie are totally over, it might be okay to set him up again. Lala says she loves Tori. They talked at Scheana’s wedding. In her interview, Scheana says, she introduced Schwartz to her former nanny Tori, and we see a clip of Tori saying she thinks Schwartz is hot. Scheana says, clearly, she misjudged things. When Katie heard about it, she said Tori should date her instead. But all’s fair in love and war, and with Schwartz and Katie, that’s really all you get. Katie calls Schwartz to tell him that he left his stuff, and Schwartz says, it was for a greater cause, Ariana’s feelings and the beach day vibe. He thanks her for grabbing it, but she says she’s just letting him know the stuff is there. They’re moving. The group heads for the bar. Schwartz and Sandoval flirt with some girls and buy them a drink. Sandoval toasts to Venice, sun and laughter, and a continued happy ever after. Tori arrives and introduces herself as Schwartz’s ex-wife. He asks what she wants to drink, and she says, he knows what she likes. He says, champagne, and in his interview, he says he thought Tori was super cute and super fly. When they were at Hotel Ziggy, she confessed that she thought he was fly as well. Some validation? He brings back champagne sparkling wine and not a champagne glass. Schwartz asks if she wants to go on a date, she says, okay, and they clink not champagne glasses. The others eat oysters in a booth, until Katie decides to invade Schwartz’s space. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, what a little c*ck blocker. He doesn’t know if Katie is into Tori or just competing. In Katie’s interview, she says, if Schwartz doesn’t like her taking his girl, maybe he should try harder. Schwartz leaves, and she calls him a weirdo.

James plays cornhole while Ally plays ping-pong with Brock. Lala tells Ariana that she can’t control what Sandoval does. She can only control herself. She wonders if Ariana has unresolved feelings, and Ariana says she understands her anger isn’t healthy, but they can never say she f***ed up. Lala tells her that she never said that, and asks if Ariana feels like Sandoval threw her away like she was nothing. She created a life with someone, and this is what happens when it unravels. There are no guarantees it will work out. Scheana suggests they get Ariana out of that house. Who cares about material items? They just want her to be happy. Ariana cries and says, it sucks. She put so much of her life, money, and time into making that her dream home. It was not only wrecked, but Sandoval wants to act like he’s someone deserving when she never did anything to him. In Ariana’s interview, she says she keeps her armor up because this sh*t is traumatic. She’s trying to find ways to go through it without making it everyone’s problem. (Too late.) She tells them that Sandoval is openly talking sh*t and has no remorse. Lala says, Ariana rose to the occasion, grabbed opportunity by the balls, and ran.

Katie talks with Tori at a picnic table, and says, while she hasn’t had a relationship with a girl, she’s had sex with a girl. Tori says, it’s better, and Katie says she would never put a label on herself. She likes people. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s always had an attraction to women. She thought she and Schwartz were forever, but that’s not going to stop her from doing anything. Tori says, Katie is so pretty, and she wants to kiss her. They kiss, and at another table, Lala says, they’re giving each other sex eyes. They kiss some more.

Jo meets Lala at a hot dog place. They order and sit down. Jo says, they look like a lesbian couple, and thanks Lala for coming here. Lala says, Schwartz suggested she talk to Jo. She saw Jo at Ziggy and saw she was not okay. We flash back to that, and Jo says, very much not okay. In Jo’s interview, she says she didn’t feel welcome. Schwartz loves his friends, and she wants to be welcomed into the group. Lala’s the ticket. Lala asks if Jo knew about Sandoval and Raquel, but Jo says, no. They hung out a couple of times, but she wasn’t paying attention to them. She was looking at Schwartz. In her interview, Jo says she thought Ariana and Sandoval had broken up. It’s crazy to think she’d pry and ask Sandoval how his relationship is going. Move on. Lala says, Jo and Schwartz are the strangest thing in the world, and Jo says, he doesn’t want a relationship, but they’re emotionally close. She’s being there for T-Money. That’s a random thing she made up. Lala says, T-Money and Joseph should be on their wedding invite, and Jo is like, no, but we all know she’s thinking, ooh, wedding.

Ariana, Katie, Ally, and James go to a golf range. James’s ball is a dud, and he says, it was a practice run. I laugh because I stink at golf. He asks if Katie remembers making out with Tori, and Katie says, they were chatting. He asks, at what point did it go from chatting to making out? and she says, Schwartz is going on a date with Tori. James asks if she’s moving in on Schwartz’s date, but she says, it’s not always about him. James says, it’s in the same month she slept with Max, and in James’s interview, he wonders why everyone is acting like this is normal. Katie married Schwartz in a white dress with vows and cheers. Now they’re divorced and dating the same girl who looks 21. Sh*t is f***ing weird. Ariana says she doesn’t want to be triggered, and Sandoval keeps throwing jabs at her. James says, Sandoval invited him to paintball, and Ariana says, there are group texts she’s not included in now. Seriously. I don’t know what either Ariana or Sandoval expect. No one wants to be in the same room with the two of them together. Katie tells James to take Ariana’s anger out on Sandoval, and Ariana says, Sandoval thinks he’s a professional paintballer. Ally asks how the house stuff is going, and Ariana says she’s waiting to see if he counters her counter offer. James asks, what if he rejects it? and she says, the letter says, after this many days, they’ll go to court and have the house sold. I didn’t quite catch it, but I think she added it would be a short sell, which is something you don’t want because that means doing it ASAP, and you’re not likely to get top dollar. Ally asks what Ariana’s dream place looks like, and Ariana says she wants treehouse vibes. Ally tells her to manifest that, and Ariana says she wants a place where this is hers and no one can take it.

Scheana accompanies Lala to the sperm bank, and in Lala’s interview, she says she loved being pregnant and knows she’d like to carry on her own. She wants to be fully in charge of her child and never wants the unknown. It may work out or you may enter into a custody battle and have to share the child. We flash back to her custody war with Randall, and she says she just wants to know her kid is hers forever. Director Brian comes out and asks how she’s doing, and she says she’s a little nervous. She never thought she’d be coming to a sperm bank, but she’s learned to never say never. She asks if most people that come to donate are looking for cash or just being good humans, and he says, a lot of donors desire to help others. She asks if they know the sperm is healthy, and he says, every donor has a psyche evaluation in addition to a genetic panel screening. The most important part of the process is donor selection. Lala says, in her mind, her daughter was conceived out of love, but because that type of love is taken out of the process, she wants this baby to know they’re all there, waiting for her enter the world. He says, they do their best to make the process simple, easy, and maybe a little exciting. He leaves Lala to process, and Lala tells Scheana that she’s going to form a family. She feels like part of something broken. Scheana says, Lala has a lot to think about, but at the end of the day, she’s an amazing mother and will provide an amazing life for her kids. In her interview, Lala says she pictured life how she grew up, with a mom and dad in the same household. That didn’t happen and it’s really hard. She feels like she deeply failed an innocent soul, and it wasn’t because of her. So she’s not risking that again. Scheana says, the beach was intense. She’s treading lightly with Ariana and doesn’t want to upset her. Lala says she doesn’t know if Ariana is trying to stand her ground, but she’s not going to win. It’s simple. Move out. If she’s choosing to stay, Lala can’t feel bad. Scheana says, it’s her pride. She can’t let go. Lala says, it’s more than pride. Your pride is saved living with the man who screwed you over? You’d have more pride living in a box on Sunset. Scheana says, one day, whenever this is over, it will make sense as to why it took this long, and Lala says she hopes so.

Schwartz goes to the hair salon where Jo works. He tells her to do anything to his hair, and she says she’s going to bleach it. He says he went on a date with Tori, who’s been very close to Scheana for ten years. Jo says she’d like to know why he’s going on a date with someone in the friend group, and Schwartz says, that’s changed since Katie slept with Max. Jo asks, how come she’s getting hate? and Schwartz says he has a tidbit. Tori made out with Katie before their date. It feels bizarre, and Tori is going on a date with Katie today. We see Tori and Katie doing some painting at Katie’s place, and Katie says she’s going to Bob Ross her way through this. Jo asks who liked Tori first, Schwartz or Katie? but he’s not sure. He tells her that he’s going to a singles mixer with Sandoval because Sandoval didn’t want to go alone, and Jo says she wants to go. She takes the bonnet off Schwartz, and he asks if he looks edgy. Jo says he looks like Eminem, but not agreed.

Scheana, Ariana, Katie and Ally have a girls’ night at a bar, and Katie and Schwartz going out with Tori is discussed. Lala thinks it’s weird, and Katie says, Tequila Katie is a ho. At the LA Singles event, Schwartz says, he’s feeling Kenergy, and tells Sandoval that he wanted to invest in himself. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he’s heard blonds have more fun, and it’s ringing true for him. He’s embracing his pre midlife crisis mode. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, Schwartz and Jo are on different pages. Jo sees their situationship glass as half full of a relationship, and Schwartz being Schwartz is giving her mixed signals. It’s part of his superpower. He’s charming all the time. Jo messes with Schwartz’s hair, which, IMO, is less of an I-love-you thing than a hairdresser thing. Kyle says, she’s not going to get him girls.

At girls night, Katie says she heard Lala and Jo got together, and Lala said she reached out to Jo, who wanted to give her side. Schwartz asked her to. Katie says, Jo means nothing to Lala, but she does. Why is she doing this? In Lala’s interview, she says, Jo is harmless. She’s not rolling up to steal their men. She says, Katie is her homie, but she called Jo a crackhead and is treating her like the bad one. Katie says, this isn’t making sense, and Lala says, it’s not her job for her life to make sense to Katie. Katie says she likes consistent, and Lala says, she’s not best friends with Jo or Raquel, but they need to let it go. If Katie wants to hang on to it, she wishes her the best. At LA Singles, the hostess gives the group wristbands – green for single, yellow for open, and red for wingmen. Kyle tells Schwartz that he can’t be with Jo always and expect to get girls. Sandoval talks to several girls, and Schwartz says he’s a make-out slut. In Jo’s interview, she says she had the impression they were here to support Sandoval, but when they got here, Schwartz was interested in other women. Is she chopped liver? In Schwartz’s interview, he says, maybe it’s not realistic to be as close as he and Jo are and go out with other people. He’s wondering if she’s in deeper than he is. She’s not his girlfriend. In her interview, Jo says, they are still hooking up and have said I love you, but it bothers her that he doesn’t want to share their relationship with his friends. It bothers her and she’s tired of feeling like a secret. She says she hates this and leaves.

The group, minus Ariana and Katie, meet for paintball, along with some other random friends. When they see his blond hair, Schwartz says, he woke up like this, and in James says he thought maybe Schwartz got sick of dying it the wrong brown. In James’s interview, he wonders if he’s the only person who’s realized Schwartz has been covering his grey hair for a long time. You can’t see the grey when it’s bleached blond. Sandoval asks Scheana how it’s going, and she says she’s not playing. She’s just here for moral support. She thought it was indoors, like a more of a laser tag situation. So there’s no VIP bathroom? Instructor Matt says, you can go blind or get your teeth knocked out, and Scheana says, that doesn’t seem fun. Agreed. Matt says, they have rattlesnakes too. When a paintball breaks on their body, they’re out. James is captain of Team One, and Sandoval is captain of Team Two. Sandoval tells his team to spread out, and Schwartz says, Sandoval is cold blooded and takes this sh*t seriously. The girls watch, and Scheana says, Sandoval is like a professional. Lala says, the energy at girls’ night took a turn, and Ally says, update her. Lala says she and Katie have been getting into it a lot, and Scheana says, Katie got upset that Lala went to lunch with Jo. Lala says, they grabbed a hot dog, and Ally says she’s glad. She felt bad for Jo. Lala says, Jo is hard to follow; she’s all over the place. Katie got upset, saying she liked loyalty and constancy, and Lala was like, hold the f*** up. Loyalty from a girl who just f***ed her ex’s best friend. She knows Katie’s been unhappy for a long time and she tried to baby Katie, but she isn’t going to be on the receiving end of her going crazy. It’s unclear who, if anyone, won the paintball game.

Schwartz comes home and Jo is there. He asks, what happened the other night? He’s confused and wonders if he’s sending mixed signals. They have undeniable chemistry and have a good time, but that being said, he doesn’t want a relationship. He wants to date other people. Jo says, imagine how she feels. They’ve been there for each other. Does she embarrass him? He says, not at all. People are saying they’re secretly dating. Maybe they need to not hang out as much. Jo says, or at all, and in Schwartz’s interview, he says, to hear her say that is gut wrenching. They had a fantastic voyage full of compassion and support. Maybe even love. It would be a tragedy if they never hung out again. Schwartz says girls he just wants to have fun, and Jo says, they have a weird connection. Everyone else sees it. It’s so easy with them together. They’d be disgustingly ugly and old and laughing. He agrees 100%, and she says, maybe they need time, because deep down, she has feelings for him. He says, it’s the same with him; he’s not denying them. Jo tears up and says, there’s nothing wrong with being honest. She’d never pressure him. She wants to let him do him. He says, same, and she says, the most amazing thing they have is the support, the laughter, and the banter. She’ll miss that. She thinks it only comes around once in a while. It’s okay to say he can find it somewhere else. In Jo’s interview, she says, it’s hard. She just wants him to be happy. He’s her favorite person in the world and that’s the goddam truth. She thinks the world of him. She cries and Schwartz asks if she’s okay. She gets up, says she wants to call her dad, and leaves. Schwartz weakly calls after her, because he’s a ballless dude who fears pretty much everything.

I hate this type of guy even more than a player. They mess with your feelings, but won’t commit, then pretend they don’t get what’s happening. I hope he rots.

There was no preview.

🐍 Valley Venom…

Jax: I just want to have a nice dinner, have some shots, and get drunk.

Me: Same.

When this show isn’t boring me, it’s giving me a headache with all the nonsense screaming and yelling.

The Valley Episode 4 Recap: Capri Chaos

🌴 Watching Out For That Tree…

Drop in tomorrow for a little soap, a little this, and a little that. Until then, stay safe, stay standing at least a foot away when talking to someone new, and stay never giving mixed signals. It’s the worst.

Apr9

April 8, 2024 – GH Eclipsed, Drop Dead Gorgeous Blond Australian Stew On Deck, Poor Ant, At the Villa, Arguing Already, Farewell Too Soon, He Will Finish, Behold the Echidna & Total

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Not today, eclipse.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Is Preempted on Monday

Below Deck

Fraser thinks Anthony bit off more than he can chew, and he’s worried the chef is not quite there yet. Jill badgers Fraser about the dinner start time, and I already want to smack her. Anthony tells Fraser that he’ll try to make the magic happen. In Barbie’s interview, she says she’s taking the brunt and giving a fake-ass bullsh*t smile that she doesn’t feel. She’s not a complainer. The captain joins the guests for dinner, and Fraser asks for the primary’s dinner preferences first. As Melinda tries to tell him, Jill butts in since she thinks she’s a primary. Anthony tells Fraser that instead one main course, he has to make three different main dishes at the same moment. He can’t build all the plates at the same time. Guest Jen ends up without a plate, but she tells the others not to wait. Jill says her food is cold, and Fraser says, it’s the worst day of his life. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, this is the worst dinner service all season, but if he looks pissed, the others will get pissed. To top it off, we have Jill. In Dylan’s interview, he says, when he was growing up, no one told him that he was good looking. Now he gets hit on by guys and girls. He tells Ben about dating a guest, and in his interview, he says he likes the hunt. When he sees a hot girl at the bar, he does pushups and asks, what’s going on baby? Seriously? I don’t care how hot he is. No, just no. The guests finish eating, but dessert isn’t ready, and Fraser says, they have to kill 20 minutes. The stews make up a concoction of rum and almond milk, with a touch of strawberry. The captain tells the guests about meeting his girlfriend on a ship, when the French chocolate souffle comes out. IMO, it’s well worth waiting for. Fraser says, Barbie seems quiet, and she says her fake smile only lasts so long. In the captain’s interview, he says he needs to talk to Anthony after the charter. There’s no use doing it now.

Fraser tells Xandi that tomorrow is going to be the sh*ttiest night. Everyone is so sensitive, the energy is horrific, and they have no stew. Barbie sees Xandi and Fraser talking and tells Kyle that Xandi is talking sh*t about her. In Anthony’s interview, he says, dinner was disappointing. He doesn’t want to be on charter. He wants to run in his room and cry all night. Ben talks about choosing lead deckhand to Fraser, and says, Dylan is like a puppy, interested in everything, but Sunny knows the boat. On the minus side, obviously they’re sleeping together. In Ben’s interview, he says, on paper, Dylan is fantastic, but Sunny works well with the crew and he can rely on her. He has to assess their strengths and weaknesses. Fraser tells him that the person who puts the most effort in needs it. Barbie sighs as she works, looks in the laundry, and says, f*** you. I’m not helping. Stupid-ass bitch. Nice.

In Sunny’s interview, she says she wants to love and connect. She wants to feel feelings. She’s got butterflies over Ben (ick). Captain Kerry gets a text that a new stew is arriving. Anchor is in the pocket and the yacht is en route to Port Louis Marina. Xandi says, this trip might kill her, and in Barbie’s interview, she says she’s ignoring Fraser. She doesn’t know how to communicate with him. He dismisses what she feels, and she can’t win. She can’t be herself and feels defeated. Ben and Sunny are called to the bridge, and the captain says, today is windier. In his interview, he says, the wind is at over 30 knots. The last time he was in this kind of wind, he lost the bow. If anything goes wrong, he’s going to smash into the dock and hit a concrete bank. Fraser wonders why Barbie is ignoring him, and in the captain’s interview, he says, the wind is coming in and there are two steel workboats to the side. If the wind doesn’t back down, he’s going to hit them. It’s a very difficult docking. The wind is holding him off. Jill says, he’s in trouble, because she knows all about being a captain and docking a massive yacht.

Jill says, blah-blah-blah, and Melinda says, this is giving her anxiety. I’m not sure if she means the docking or Jill babbling about it. Captain Kerry manages to dock the boat without incident, and the crew change into their whites. To their happiness, the guests pack. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s never wanted anything more than to drop these guests in the sh*tter. He’s done. Fraser tells Barbie, well done, and Jill says she’s so sad. She hates this part. They had fun and she hopes she wasn’t too much work. 😐 Melinda thanks the crew, and says, it’s the best vacation ever. The deck crew was flawless, and she knows they were the hardest to cook for with all their different preference. She gives the captain the tip envelope, and they finally leave the crew in peace. Captain Kerry says, that was a fun charter. He’s cracking a beer now. Fraser asks Barbie, what’s happening? and she says, nothing. Kerry calls Anthony to the headmaster’s office. He says he’s going to tell Anthony straight. Dinner service was bullsh*t. His food was cold and two guests were without food. What the f*** was going on? Anthony says he was looking for the best solution for the guests to find dinner amazing. He’s upset with himself. Captain Kerry says he shouldn’t have kicked off with sushi and been laser focused on one guest, and in Anthony’s interview, he says he failed this one. It reminds him of bad moments when he was younger. He was called a loser at school and sees the teacher in his head. Born a loser and dies like a loser. I feel badly for him, but not too dramatic. The captain tells him to do the stuff he can do with his eyes closed. Fraser tells Barbie that she seems off, and she says, it’s an off day. He says, when it’s aimed at him, he thinks she’s in a bad mood and it’s not conducive to the team. She says she went to bed pissed and woke up pissed. He could have told her that he and Xandi were going to the beach to meditate. He says, it’s not like they were chilling, and she wasn’t talking yesterday. She says she’s scared to communicate with him, and he says he can’t deal with it. She says she’s flipped the switch back, so it’s good now.

It’s time for the tip meeting, and Captain Kerry says, it feels like they’ve gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson. His hat’s off to them. The tip is $20K or $1667 each. We hear crickets, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s the worst tip they’ve gotten, but it’s still a lot of money. His mom recently found out they have a Native American heritage and a huge extended family in Montana. He’s going to spend a couple years there, and it will be nice if he can support himself. The captain says, they have tomorrow off, and they’re heading to a resort. The new stew is arriving tonight and will meet them at dinner. In his interview, Fraser says he’s excited. It’s like Christmas has come early. The captain says, the new stew’s first day is a day off. He’ll drink to that. Ben says he’s going on a two-day bender. Barbie tells Kyle that she wants to quit, but he says, mama didn’t raise no quitter, which is pretty funny to hear with his accent. Anthony says he’s ready to party, but he’s sad inside. He feels people know he made a mistake. He’s trying to stop thinking about it, but it not going to be a great night. Kyle drinks some liquor straight from the bottle and says he’s good to go.

New stew Paris arrives at the restaurant. In their interviews, Ben, Kyle, Anthony, and Sunny all say, wow. In Fraser’s interview, he says he knows who Paris is. She’s the ex of a dear friend. We flash back to two seasons ago, and see Fraser with his friend Jake, who’s talking to Paris on the phone. Fraser says, to him that means she’s gold. He tells the others that he worked with her ex, but this is their first time meeting in person. In Paris’s interview, she says she’s a sailing stew. She’s outgoing, funny, and loves mayonnaise. She says what’s on her mind because she has no serotonin left and regains it though people’s suffering. She laughs and says, that’s not true. She’s not evil. She is Australian though, and in Sunny’s interview, she says she’s definitely jealous. Paris is drop dead gorgeous, blond, and from Australia. She feels a little worried about what Ben thinks. Barbie tells Paris that she looks like she can take it emotionally, which is actually kind of rude. Ben and Kyle talk on the side, mostly about Paris. Paris says she’s had four years’ experience, and Fraser says she must be competent with housekeeping. Anthony tells Barbie that he needs them. He’s alone in his department every day. In her interview, Paris says she started in the Mediterranean, then the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and America. She doesn’t know the dynamics on the boat and it’s like a new school. The crew gets back to the boat, and Paris finds out she’ll be bunking with Xandi. She meets Captain Kerry, who says, everyone is nice, but the captain is an a-hole. Sunny and Ben have sex in the bathroom (ick again), when Barbie asks if Sunny can throw out a tampon. It’s an emergency. Sunny says, they were c*ck blocked so hard. What happened to the tie on the door thing?

In the morning, on the way to the resort, Paris says she lives in the country, and they have two kangaroos. She tells them that the echidna (which kind of looks like a hedgehog – see below) has a four-headed penis. Fun fact! They get to the resort and head for the pool. I’m jealous even though I live near the Atlantic Ocean, one of the biggest pools in the word. I need to get a friend who has a pool or talk one of my existing friends into getting one. Barbie tells Ben that Fraser wants to fire her, while Fraser tells Xandi, in the beginning, Barbie was amazing with her work, but her attitude is feral. Barbie whines to Ben that she doesn’t eat or take breaks, and Fraser tells Xandi that Barbie is talking about him now, because he has bat ears. Barbie tells Fraser that she doesn’t feel like she can talk to him because she works for him, not with him. He says she’s horrible to work with when she’s in a mood, and she asks if Fraser wants her to go, but he says, no. He just wants her to accept that this is the job. She then whines to Paris, and in Paris’s interview, she says, this is awkward. Fraser feels comfortable venting to her, but he’s her boss. She just got here, and she feels like Dr. Phil. Everything can be fixed with conversation, a hug, and tequila. Fraser tells Barbie that if she can’t move on, he can’t, and she says she doesn’t feel safe telling him her feelings. He says, if she doesn’t like it, she can f*** off, and she says, that shows how much she can’t trust him. In her interview, she says, Fraser doesn’t like her even though he likes the way she works. He doesn’t care about her or her feelings. In Fraser’s interview, he says, speak up, bitch. Don’t be passive/aggressive. She tells Fraser that she loves him, but he says she doesn’t act like it. She’s a horrible person when she doesn’t want to speak. She says, he wants her to go, but he says he wants her to understand how this works. If she can do it, fantastic. If she can’t… She says, okay, cool, and they part company. In Anthony’s interview, he says he’s still learning. It’s tricky. The restaurant business is different. There’s a guy for everything, and here, he’s by himself. He promised his younger self that one day he’d be successful, and he has to keep that promise. Sunny wonders if Xandi and Ben could have been a thing, but Xandi says, if he was ten years older. Sunny asks if she likes them old, which would be like 40, and Xandi says she’s done raising people’s husbands, whatever that means. Paris asks Barbie if she’s okay, and Barbie tells Paris that she and Fraser are too different, and they clash. They don’t get each other, and personally trigger each other. Paris thinks there’s a resolution if they communicate, if they if don’t trigger each other’s defensiveness. Barbie says she can’t, and in Paris’s interview, she says she feels Barbie and Fraser are similar and the issues cause both of them to be defensive. They’re also out in the sun drinking, which makes them all drama queens. What started from a small issue has grown into a mole hill. She tells Barbie, if it doesn’t work out, it’s his neck on the line. Fraser tells Ben that he’s done with Barbie. Ben says, what about one more charter? but Fraser isn’t having it. He says, she’s impossible to work with. In his interview, Fraser says, he’s given more chances in the past than he should have, and now he’s not about giving more chances. You show your true colors after two chances. We flash back to Barbie’s first, second, third, and fourth chances, and Fraser says, if it’s not great after the fourth, you’re off. He needs to pull the cord earlier. He tells Ben that he’s done.

Ben hugs Fraser and suggests he sleep on it, and in Ben’s interview, he says he thinks Fraser is taking it too far. The problem is Fraser’s lack of management skills in making people gel. Dylan asks if Paris likes Steve Irwin, and she wonders what kind of question that is. He’s a national treasure. Dylan says he watched Steve while growing up, so it must count for something. Paris says, if he was here, he’d say, crikey, that’s cringe. In her interview, she says, Dylan is gorgeous, but so awkward personality-wise. If he was mute, he’d get more action. Dylan leaves and Ben comes along. Paris asks if he put out the fire, and he puts his hand on her knee. He gets even more handsy, and no surprise, Sunny sees. Xandi says, good God, and Sunny says, sayonara. In Sunny’s interview, she says, Ben touching another woman makes her uncomfortable, jealous, and angry. It’s mad disrespect. Paris tells Fraser that she thinks he and Barbie are upset because they’re similar, but he’s like, no way. Barbie calls her mom as she puts on her makeup and cries. She says she doesn’t want to be here and she’s mad at herself for giving up, but she has to quit. She wants to go home. Fraser tells Paris that he’s supported Barbie and tried it all. He won’t look after someone who speaks to him like she does. She’s a subordinate and he’s the chief. Barbie tells her mom that she can’t get through to him and can’t fix it. She has an amazing life at home and doesn’t need to be with people who don’t understand her and she clashes with so much. She doesn’t like giving up. Fraser tells Paris, welcome to the circus.

Next time, in Sunny’s interview, she says, Ben looks like an a-hole; Sunny tells Ben, it’s not okay; Anthony makes fish for a guest who doesn’t eat fish; Barbie says she’s sorry her and Fraser’s contention affected everybody; and Fraser goes to the captain about Barbie.

⚓️ Atlas Of the Deck…

It’s doubtful he’s carrying the show, but despite his faults, he’s one of the best chefs they’ve had.

How Anthony Iracane Is Carrying Below Deck Season 11

🏰 Viva La Villa…

I started watching this and the venue is magnificent. Not so much the employees who are already drinking too much and arguing in front of the guests. But Lisa is there along with Puffy (!), so all will be well.

Vanderpump Villa Premiere Recap, Episodes 1-3: Welcome to the Lux Life
Vanderpump Villa Episode 4 Recap: Who Is Managing Eric?

🍊 That Didn’t Take Long…

Apparently, Tamra is already causing problems and the horse hasn’t even left the gate yet.

Audio Leaks of Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador Fighting in London

🥀 Sad OC News…

Today’s PSA: Drug responsibly and for the love of all that’s holy, stay away from fentanyl.

https://people.com/real-housewives-lauri-peterson-son-josh-waring-dead-at-35-8627969

https://www.eonline.com/news/1398971/rhoc-alum-lauri-petersons-son-josh-waring-died-amid-addiction-battle-his-sister-says

🐎 Not Done Yet…

They lost me somewhere in season 4. I think it was a big mistake to open things up to the real world so early. Westworld stopped being Westworld and turned into something else.

https://ew.com/jonathan-nolan-still-intends-to-finish-westworld-8624582

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/westworld-season-5-storyline

🦔 Cute But Mighty In Its Own Way…

Behold, the echidna.

https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/echidna

But wait, there’s more.

https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/echidna

🌚 Stars Aligning Now…

Join me tomorrow for soap and VanderExploits. Until then, stay safe, stay not leaving puddles around the sink in a public restroom, and stay remembering that everything can be fixed with conversation, a hug, and tequila. And also, that the echidna has a four-headed penis. You’ll be a real hit at parties.

Apr6

April 5, 2024 – Anna Visits Brennan In Pentenville, Come Monday, New Manager, Their Portrayal, Buddy Project, Poor Ann, Mutual Admiration, Dead Talk, Happily Ever Afters, X Quotes & Clearly

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Lois touches up her manicure in the nook, and Brook says, thank God she’s still here. She needs Lois. Lois asks if it can wait. She’s already late. Brook says, it’s about the wedding, and Lois says, whatever it is, they’ll fix it later. She promises. She starts to dash off and Brook says, fine. She’ll just have to get married without a wedding dress. Lois says, okay, you win.

Sonny sits at the MetroCourt bar and sends a text to Lois: I’m here. Where are you? Natalia comes up to the bar and says, Mr. Corinthos, we meet again.

Molly goes into Bobbie’s and Carly says, she just missed the lunch rush, so take a seat anywhere. She’ll have someone bring out a menu for her. Molly thanks her, and Carly says she wanted to tell Molly she did a great job in court the other day… at Jason’s arraignment. Molly says she’s surprised to hear Carly say that. She thought Carly would hold prosecuting Jason against her. Carly tells her, who says she doesn’t?

In his office pretending to be working, Drew picks up the phone and says, send her in. Jordan walks in, and he asks, what brings her by? She says, when they spoke the other day, he said he’d be open to Aurora promoting the city of Port Charles. She’s here to follow up.

At Pentenville, a guard brings Brennan to the visitor room, and Brennan says, look who it is. Anna says, good afternoon, and he says, it is now. She asks, why is that? and he says he likes being right. He told her that she’d be back to see him, and here she is.

Sam brings Dante into the apartment, and he says he’s got this as he slowly walks to the sofa. She asks if he’s sure about that, and he says he might need a little help. She helps him to sit, and he takes her hand and says he just wanted her to sit next to him. She says she’s missed this, and he says, him too. She says she was afraid she’d never have him here again in their home, and he says, see? All that worry was for nothing. She says she loves him so much, and he says, him too. She says, welcome back, and they kiss.

Sonny asks what brings Natalia to the MetroCourt, and she says she has a meeting and they’re officially late. He says, the person he’s meeting is late too, and asks if she wants to wait with him. She says she would like to, and takes a seat. She’s always surprised by people who just don’t respect the value of other people’s time, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him. He says he’s just waiting for a friend. Business is business. He asks what she’s drinking, and she asks what he’s having. He says, scotch, and she tells the bartender that she’ll have the same. He says, she doesn’t seem like the white wine type, and she says she’s found that business rivals don’t really respect a Sauvignon Blanc. He says he’s sure her rivals are impressed by her, and she thanks him. She asks if she can make a personal observation and he says, no… He laughs and says, go ahead, and she says, since they last met, he seems lighter, happier. He says, is that right?

Lois says, sit. Tell her everything. Brook says, when they decided to downsize the wedding, she called Sandrine and told her to stop working on alterations on Lila’s dress. But now that Dante’s feeling better – Lois says, thank God – and they’re having the wedding they originally planned, she called Sandrine back and told her to start working on the dress, and she said… Lois says, there was a fire, but Brook says, no, and Lois says, a broken pipe flooded everywhere. Brook says, ma, no, and Lois says, oh God, it’s squirrels again. Brook says, worse. She said the fabric is too old, that it’s falling apart, it won’t hold a seam. Bottom line, the dress cannot be altered. Lois says, that is a setback for sure, but Brook says, it’s more than a setback. The dress can’t be worn. Game over. Lois tells Brook to bite her tongue. She knows when things are impossible, that’s when they start to get creative. There’s got to be some way to salvage some part of Lila’s dress.

Rocco comes in with Scout, and says, Dante’s home. Dante says he is. He told them he was coming back, right? Rocco says, but now he’s here, and Dante says, he’s right, and Rocco’s here too. Sam asks, where’s Danny?

Molly tells Carly that she was assigned the case. She had to make the best argument she could. Carly says she knows Molly was just doing her job. If Jason didn’t make bail and Dante hadn’t woken up to exonerate him, she wouldn’t be in this good of a mood, but that’s not what happened. Jason’s free, Dante’s home with Sam and Rocco, and Molly’s niece and nephew. Molly says, and they’re crazy about him. She just hopes they’re not so excited to see him, they pop Dante’s stitches and Sam has to take him back to the hospital. They laugh, and Carly says, that would be awful. Kristina comes in and says, guess who’s on time? Molly says, not just on time, but early, and Kristina says, the end times must be upon us. She says hi to Carly, who tells them to take a seat – clearly, they can sit anywhere – and she’ll bring them menus. Molly sits, and Kristina tells Carly that she knows Nina is back at Crimson. Is she okay? Carly says she’s better than ever, and Kristina says, really? Carly says she’s busy enough here, and Drew’s a savvy businessman. She’s sure he had a reason for taking Nina back.

Jordan says, since Aurora is headquartered here, it benefits his company for Port Charles to be seen as the vital, thriving, culturally rich city it is. He says, as opposed to the smuggling mecca with outbursts of violence from organized crime get away from, and she says, that’s the image they’re trying to get away from. He says he’s sure the shootings at Selina’s warehouse didn’t help any, and she says she’s really glad they’re having this chat. He asks, why is that? and she says, there are some days she really misses being Police Commissioner, but he’s made it so she doesn’t miss law enforcement at all. They should do this more often. He says, they’ve got to find a way to make that happen. Starting with cleaning up the city’s image. She says she’s hoping Aurora Media will play a pivotal role in rebuilding the city’s image, from the streets up.

Brennan says, they told him that the Police Commissioner was here to see him. When did Anna take back her old job? She says, it’s been a couple of months, and he asks if Police Commissioner wasn’t a come down. International spy to small town cop. (Wow. It was a mecca just two seconds ago.) She says she could do worse. She could be wearing one of those jumpsuits. He laughs and asks if she doesn’t miss working intelligence, and she says, sure, but she actually enjoys doing local police work. He asks how that’s even possible. He remembers her back in the day, the ambition. She was downright scary. She asks if she’s scary now, and he says, she’s not not scary. She laughs and says, he was always such a smooth talker. He says, all Australians. It’s in the genes. He asks why she’s here, and she says, a name came up that made her think of him – Pikeman.

Jordan tells Drew that she wants to rebrand this city. Emphasize the art scene, their gorgeous location, its architecture… His phone rings and he says he thought he told his assistant no interruptions. He’s so sorry. The door opens and John walks in. He tells Drew not to blame his assistant, and Drew says he won’t. Who the hell is he? Jordans says, this is Special Agent John Cates with the FBI, and John says, Deputy Mayor Ashford, always a pleasure. She says she’s sure it is, and Drew says, as John can see, he’s at a meeting right now. What does he want? John says he needs Drew to answer a few questions about his brother Jason Morgan.

Molly asks if Kristina can be any more insensitive, but Kristina says, Carly is fine. Molly says, if she weren’t fine, does Kristina think she’d let on? This is Carly, for God’s sake. Kristina says, honestly, she doesn’t think Carly is crying many tears over her breakup with Drew, and Molly asks how it’s her business. Kristina says, admit it. She’s just as curious. Know how she knows? Molly hasn’t even asked her about… Molly says, oh my God. How’d it go at the doctor? She’s sorry she and TJ couldn’t be there. Kristina says, it’s totally fine, honestly. She’s laying there in what they have the nerve to call a gown. They put that goop all over her belly and roll that electric eye over it, and that’s it. She was totally fine doing it on her own. Josslyn comes in and Molly says, hi. Josslyn says hi back and goes to the counter. Carly asks if she isn’t sick of this place, and Molly asks Kristina, what’s up with her and Joss? Kristina says she has no idea what Josslyn’s problem is.

On the phone, Lois says, the bodice is completely unsalvageable?… How about those gorgeous pleats?… How popped and yellowed?… And the crinoline?… Oh no… Wait. What? They’re intact? Are they sure?… She’s going to put her daughter on the phone with them right now. She hands the phone to Brook, who says, yes? Hello?… Uh-huh… Oh my God, yes. That would be amazing… She can come in for a fitting anytime… Oh no. She’s so sorry. She can’t come in right now. She has a crucial meeting right now. She hands the phone to Lois, says, sorry, and leaves. Lois sees a bowl of ice cream on the counter and says, ooh, strawberry. She sits down, eats a spoonful, remembers she’s late, and runs off.

Sonny says he’s in the mood to celebrate a little bit, and Natalia asks, what is the special occasion? Sonny says his son is a cop, his oldest son, and he was shot in the line of duty. It was touch and go for a bit, and they thought he wasn’t going to make it. She says, but he did, and Sonny says, yeah. She raises her glass and says, to his son. He says, to Dante, and clinks his glass against hers. She asks if he’s still in the hospital, but Sonny says, he’s home today, and it’s going to take him a while to make a full recovery. She says, okay, but that’s wonderful. She’s happy for both of them. He says, thank you very much. He’s so happy. She says, that reminds her of something he said, that there is nothing more important than making sure your child knows you love them. She’s been thinking about that a lot lately. He asks if things are better with her and Blaze, and she says, yeah – she takes a sip of her drink – and no.

Scout tells Sam, Danny said he had to do something, and Sam asks if he mentioned what that was. Rocco says, no, but that’s just how he is. He’s not big on explanations. Sam says, all right. No big deal. She’ll just shoot him a text. Scout says, she can’t, and Dante asks, why not? Scout says, mommy took his phone when she grounded him, and Sam says, ouch. Scout’s right. She did do that. All right. She knows where to start. Dante says, she thinks he went to see… She shoots him a look, and looking at Sam’s phone, Scout asks why Carly would know where Danny is. Danny walks in with a bakery box and tells Dante, welcome home. Dante says, there he is. He’s back. Sam asks where he’s been, and Danny says, Eckerd’s. He wanted to get some donuts to celebrate Dante’s homecoming.

Natalia tells Sonny that she doesn’t want him to think less of her for saying this, and he says, there’s only one way to find out. She says she’s still struggling with mixed feelings about Allison, and he says, being gay. She says, yeah. She wishes she could wake up tomorrow morning and just feel enlightened and comfortable with the way she is. He says, it takes time, and she asks if it took him time with Kristina. He says, no, not really, but he thinks with Kristina, it took her so long to tell him because she was afraid he’d reject her, which he would never do. Natalia says she feels like it’s a little bit different with Allison, because she’s not altogether convinced that it’s not a reaction to the harassment and abuse she got from her former manager. He says, Linc Brown, and she says, that’s the one. She knows Sonny accepted her right away, but did he ever wonder with Kristina? Did he ever ask why? He tells her that he’d be lying if he said he never wondered if her bad experiences changed her and made her who she is. Know what he learned? That happens to all of us. Kristina was, is, and always will be Kristina. Natalia says, and she’s charming and beautiful, and he says, she gets that from her dad. She laughs, and he wonders if he can ask her something he thinks she may not like. She says, hold on, and takes a sip of her drink. All right. He asks if she thinks she knows what her daughter wants more than her daughter does, and she says, of course (🍷) she thinks that. Of course (🍷) her daughter doesn’t always agree with her all the time. He says, to daughters, and they clink glasses. Lois and Brook arrive and see Sonny with Natalia.

John says, if Jordan wouldn’t mind, but Drew says he wants her to stay. He’s got nothing to hide. John says, it’s fine by him. Has Drew heard from his brother? Drew says he has not, and John says, not since the charges were dropped? Drew says, nope, and John says, what about before? Drew says, the only time he saw Jason was at his arraignment, and John says, and they didn’t speak then. Drew says, actually, no, and John says, to his own brother? Drew says, they’re not that close, and John asks, then why go to the arraignment? Drew says, they have people in common. He was there for them. And that is the extent of their contact. John says he’s sorry, but he finds that hard to believe.

Brennan says, Pikeman, and Anna says, come on. Don’t tell her that he doesn’t know what that is. He says, of course (🍷) he knows. Armaments, defense systems, skilled mercenary soldiers. She says, very lucrative business, and he says, it was. He’s sure it still is. They were investigating them. She says, he was? and he says, the WSB was. Sadly, he no longer considers himself part of that institution. She says, what really amazes her is the fact that he was able to be the director of the WSB and head up Pikeman at the same time, and he says, what? She says, that was terrible, that look of astonishment. He’s not even trying. He says he doesn’t see how one can head a global law enforcement agency and a paramilitary defense contractor at the same time. But the fact she thought he could have, he’s quite flattered. She says, Pikeman has weapons. WSB needs weapons. That way we were able to… She keeps referring to the WSB as we. He says, institutional espionage is addictive. It’s a hard habit to break. She says, a partnership with Pikeman gave the WSB access to untraceable weapons, which allowed them to meddle in countries they were supposed to leave alone. He set it up perfectly. He says he did? He must be really good. She says, he’s one of the best. Then he got himself caught because he couldn’t leave Port Charles alone. Why? What’s so important here?

Kristina says, Molly was in the courtroom, so she didn’t see it, but she and Josslyn got into it before Jason’s arraignment. Josslyn went on and on and on about how Jason just had to be innocent. Molly says, which it turns out he was, and Kristina says, yeah, but no one knew that at the time. But did Josslyn listen? Nope. She was being totally unreasonable.

Josslyn sits down at the counter and says, Dex is becoming a cop, and Carly asks if she’s sure. Josslyn says, yes. He was here and he was reading the paperwork right over there. So what happens when Sonny finds out? What happens if Sonny takes him to the Pine Barrens and Carly isn’t there this time to stop him? Carly says she could try to talk Dex out of it, but if he’s that determined… Josslyn says, Dex should be able to do whatever he wants to do, but he can’t because of Sonny. The FBI should be investigating Sonny, and they should put him away in jail until the end of time like he deserves. Kristina gets up, and Molly says, no, just leave it, but does Kristina listen? Nope. She says, Josslyn is talking trash about her dad, and Josslyn says, in a private conversation. Kristina says, their voices carried. She might want to walk that back. Josslyn asks why she’d want to do that, and Kristina says, a lot of reasons. Everything her father’s ever done for Josslyn.

Josslyn says she’s sorry. What is she supposed to be grateful to Sonny for? Kristina says, he’s been wonderful to Josslyn. She grew up in his house. Josslyn says, he was her stepdad. She was a child. She had to live there. Kristina says, Sonny has always loved Josslyn and treated her like she was one of his own daughters, and what does she do? She tears him down behind his back. Josslyn says, call him over. She’ll say everything right to his face. It wouldn’t be her first time. Kristina says, Josslyn hates him like he is some terrible person. Her father has donated wings to hospitals… Josslyn says, where’s the money coming from that he donates these wings? His coffee imports? Kristina says she’s not discussing what her father may or may not be doing with his business… and Josslyn says, may or may not… Kristina says, about which none of them has firsthand knowledge. Josslyn says, Kristina might not, and Kristina says, Josslyn does? Carly walks over and says, they’re not having this conversation here. They need to take a step back. Kristina says, no, please, enlighten her. She can’t wait to hear this. What does Josslyn think she knows about what her father does? Josslyn says she knows Kristina’s father is a vicious thug and a murderer.

Brook hugs Sonny, and he says he didn’t know her mom was bringing her here. Lois says she wasn’t, but Brook was meeting someone here, and Natalia says, that would be her. Lois and Natalia introduce themselves, and Lois says she’s sorry they’re late. They had a wedding dress emergency. Sonny says, that happens, and Natalia says, does it? She’s never heard of a wedding dress emergency. Lois says, now she has, and Brook suggests she and Natalia chat somewhere more private. Sonny says he hears Blaze is the new Face of Deception. That is exciting. Natalia says, we’ll see, and Brook says, let’s take that table over there and let them catch up. Natalia says, have a nice lunch, and goes with Brook. Lois tells Sonny, she seems… nice.

Sam says, since they eat donuts with their hands, why don’t Scout and Rocco go upstairs to wash up? Scout asks if Danny is in trouble, but Sam says, no. Rocco tells Scout that their business is upstairs. Let’s go mind it. They go upstairs, and Sam tells Danny that she needs him to tell her the truth. No matter what, he’s not in trouble. When he went to get the donuts, did he go and see his father? Danny says, no, and she says, okay. He asks if she believes him, and she says, shouldn’t she? He says, yeah. He just didn’t think she would. She opens a drawer and says, how about this? She’s actually going to give him his phone back. She takes out the phone, hands it to him, and says, but under one condition. She is going to put the locator on, so she knows where he is. He says, so not only does she not believe him, she doesn’t trust him either, but she says she does believe him, and she trusts him. She just wants to protect him. He says, from his own father, and she says, his father isn’t someone he should be around right now. Jason leads a dangerous life. Danny says he’s got homework. He tells Dante, enjoy the donuts, and goes upstairs. Sam says, what? and Dante says, she’s the mom, so what she says goes, but respectfully, he thinks she might have made a mistake there.

John says, like Drew told him, he and his brother have people in common, most notably Sam McCall and Carly Spencer. Both of them were married to one, and both of them were involved with the other. Jordan says, none of which merits investigation from the FBI, and John says he was getting to that. She says, well, hurry, and John says, both Drew and his brother have been charged with a federal crime. His brother went to prison after a no contest plea, and Drew went to prison after pleading guilty to insider trading. He was granted early release, which means if Jason is involved in any criminal activities and Drew is implicated, he could be sent back to Pentenville. (Wouldn’t the FBI already know how close Drew and Jason are or aren’t?)

Brennan says he’s thought a lot about Port Charles. There’s so much to do in this city, so much to discover. Anna says, like a mission report on the defection they worked on together. Does he remember that? He asks, how could he forget? It was a dismal failure. She says, but then he found out she had a hard copy, and he couldn’t let that get out, could he? He says, because it went south? He’ll have her know that he’s been a part of more than one failed mission. She says, but none of those resulted in ten million dollars disappearing, and he says he remembers the ten million too. It’s funny, because back then they thought that was a lot of money. She says, they did, but it’s enough to provide seed money for Pikeman. That’s why he had to destroy the report and silence her in the process. He says, right. So if he’s such a diabolical mastermind, why is she still alive? If she’s the only person who can tie him to the missing money, why wouldn’t he just kill her? She says, it’s not for lack of trying, and he says, or maybe that’s what someone wants her to believe. She asks if he’s saying he’s being framed, and he says, like she hasn’t? She says, it happens to the best of us, and he says, someone didn’t like the direction he was taking with the WSB, and now he’s in here. Maybe she can help him get out. Maybe she can find out who framed him. For old time’s sake. She says she’ll consider it, if he gives her something in return. He says, such as? and she says, a name. With him in here, someone’s got to be running Pikeman. Who?

Josslyn says, Molly is the ADA. She must have access to the file on the assault of Cyrus Renault. Show Kristina. Kristina says, Josslyn wants to talk about thugs and murderers, Cyrus Renault is at the top of that list. Josslyn says, he used to be. Maybe he still is. It doesn’t matter. She should look at the file. And she should take a really good look at the photos and see what her beloved daddy did to a helpless old man who couldn’t fight back. Molly says, this isn’t accomplishing anything. They’re going to go. Josslyn tells Molly, show her. And then show her all of the information in all of the files on all of the lives Sonny has ruined and all of the people he has had killed. Carly tries to interrupt, but Josslyn says, then maybe Kristina will see him for who he really is. Kristina says she can’t be around Josslyn, and walks out. Molly looks at Josslyn, who says, if Molly wants her to apologize, she can’t. Molly says, Kristina is pregnant right now. She can’t handle this kind of stress. Even if she could, what good does it possibly do, rubbing her nose in how Josslyn feels about Sonny? He’s her father. She loves him. She has every right to. Molly leaves, and Josslyn looks guilty, as she should. She can be a mean girl.

Sonny says he thinks that’s a record. Two seconds, and Lois wrote Natalia off. Lois says, oh no. She’s as open as the next person. He says he can see that, and she says she means it. She’s willing to give anyone a chance, but come on. She’s been in the music business a little bit too long. She can spot a stage mother from a mile away, and she’s telling him, that Natalia is enmeshed in her daughter’s life. So much so, that poor kid isn’t going to be able to have a life of her own. He says, and no one can say that about her, and she says, there is no questioning how close she and Brook are. But her daughter is her own person, and she accepts the beautiful, brilliant, vibrant human being that she’s become. He says, and she is that, and Lois says, let’s see if that Natalia can say it about her own kid.

Brook asks what Natalia’s concerns are about Blaze becoming the Face of Deception, and Natalia says, she’s already a star. Brook says, she is, a rising star, and Natalia says, higher and higher every day. So forgive her if she questions some of Brook’s managerial choices. Brook says she’ll be happy to answer any questions Natalia may have. Fire away. Natalia suggests they start with the most obvious, which is that Brook has this wedding taking up all of her time. So will Brook even have time to focus on what’s best for her daughter? Brook says, yes. Next question. Natalia says, let’s just stick with this one. What if she had a wedding dress emergency and she had a meeting with a record label or a venue manager?

Dante says, the more Sam forbids Danny to see his father, the more he’s going to want to see his father. She says she doesn’t know what else to do. Does he have any suggestions? He says, talk to Jason? He doesn’t know. He may be biased right now because technically, the guy saved his life.

Brennan says he can’t tell Anna who’s head of Pikeman because he doesn’t know, and she says, might she remind him that she and Dante Falconari were targeted by Hume. Hume was employed by Pikeman, working under his orders. He says, if she has proof of that, by all means, show it to his attorneys. He’s sure they’d love to see it. As would he. Let him ask her. Does she have any evidence directly tying him to Pikeman? No? Then why does she think that is? She says she may not have anything to tie him to Pikeman now, but she can certainly tie him to it back in the day.

Sam says she’s grateful Jason helped save Dante’s life, but this isn’t about him and Jason. This is about her protecting Danny from Jason. She doesn’t want him to get sucked into Jason’s life more than he already has. Dante says, first of all, he’s not trying to make it about him. He’s with her. He’s just concerned that… She says, forbidding Danny from seeing Jason is only going to make him want to see Jason more. She knows that. She just doesn’t know what else to do. He says he’s going to do whatever it is Sam tells him to do to help her. She says, of course (🍷) he will. Because he knows what it means to be a father. And it’s more than biology. He’s the one who’s here. He’s the one who’s put in the time. He’s the one Danny can count on. He says he doesn’t know about that, but he knows he’s the lucky one, because he has her and those kids. She says, yeah, and they’re about to kiss, when Scout asks if they can eat now. Sam says, of course (🍷). Come on down. The kids all come downstairs, and Sam says she has some really good news. Olivia brought over some dinner, but she was thinking maybe they’d do something a little different. Since it is a celebration, maybe they could have dessert before dinner. Unless of course (🍷), they want to have dinner before dessert. Show of hands. Dinner first?… No? Dessert first? All the hands go up, and Sam says, dessert it is. Danny says, Dante gets first choice, but Dante says he’ll give his first choice to Scout. Scout asks if there’s a pink one with sprinkles and Danny asks what she thinks. She takes one out, and Sam asks what she says. Scout says, thanks Dante. Welcome home. Dante thanks all of them and says, this is the best welcome home ever. Now pass those donuts around.

Drew says, if John wants to investigate him, go for it. Sift through every detail of his life. John can audit his company. He has absolutely nothing to hide. He’s just going to give John a little bit of advice. Make sure he dots every i and crosses every t, because he’s going to make this very public. And he’s pretty sure the FBI doesn’t want John bringing on that kind of exposure for them. John thanks Drew and says he appreciates Drew’s time and cooperation. Drew says, he’s very welcome. So they’re done. John says, for now. If he does hear from his brother – Drew says he won’t – or obtain any information, give him a call. Drew says, John wants to bring down Jason, that’s on him. John leaves, and Jordan asks, who does Drew hate more, his brother or Very Special Agent (ha-ha!) John Cates? He says he definitely doesn’t hate his brother. It’s just, Jason brings on his own trouble, and he doesn’t want to be dragged down into it. She says, heard, and he thanks her for staying. She says she’s so glad she did. Drew tearing into Special Agent Cates was a thing of beauty.

Anna says, that mission report, and Brennan says, the one she believes he tried to have her killed over. She says, that one. It clearly states that he was instrumental in planning that operation where the ten million went missing. It put him in a perfect position to sabotage the op and abscond with the money. Everyone else involved with that op was either sidelined or demoted, but not him. His career skyrocketed. It’s almost as if someone in a much, much, much higher position at the Bureau not only approved of his actions, but was rewarding him for them. They were rewarding him with positions that were advantageous to him and to Pikeman. Pikeman is far too valuable to collapse in his absence. So who did he hand it off to? Who is running it now? He says he wishes he could help her, but alas, she’s wasting her time. He calls the guard and says, the Police Commissioner is done with him. The guard leads him away.

Brook tells Natalia, Blaze wanted to keep it at smaller venues for now, then move on to other ones once they sold those out. After all, it’s better to sell 300 tickets to a 200-person venue than it is to sell 500 tickets to one that holds 1000. Natalia says she happens to believe Blaze could sell out a 1000 plus seat venue, and Brook says, so does she, but this is Blaze’s choice and she backed Blaze because she believes in her. Blaze is her client. She and Blaze will decide what direction to take her career. Natalia says, Blaze might be Brook’s client, but this is her child. It’s her job to safeguard Blaze’s happiness. Brook says, Natalia’s not going to get an objection from her. They all want Blaze to be happy. Natalia says, to that end, she wants to make sure Blaze doesn’t publicize something she can’t take back later. So she wants Blaze’s private life to remain private. Are they clear? Brook says she doesn’t manage Blaze’s private life. And neither does Natalia. Whoever Blaze decides to spend her time with and whoever knows about it, that’s up to Blaze. A word of advice… Natalia says she doesn’t need Brook’s advice, but Brook says, trust her. She does. Sonny is Blaze’s girlfriend’s father, and he loves his little girl. He thinks she hung the moon. She doesn’t think he’d appreciate Natalia trying to keep their relationship a secret.

Lois says, thank God. She can see the relief in Sonny’s face. She can hear it in his voice. He says he’s been relying a lot on Dante lately. Not just as a son, but as a friend. Lois says, how so? and he says, Dante has a way of getting through to him – he lowers his voice – and he needs that in his life right now.

Carly says, Josslyn was right about Sonny, but Kristina refuses to see it. Of course (🍷) she does. Sonny is her father. Josslyn says, don’t tell her that she has to go apologize, and Carly says, no. She doesn’t have to apologize. Kristina isn’t a delicate flower, and she gave just as good as she got. But she’s worried about Josslyn. Josslyn is so angry about the situation with Sonny and Dex, and she gets it, but all that rage Josslyn has inside is only hurting her. Josslyn says, of course (🍷) she’s filled with rage. Sonny sent Dex to kill Cyrus and Dex was going to do it, but he felt like he didn’t have a choice. And she can’t be with someone who could do something like that. Carly says, that’s the choice Josslyn made and she’s proud of her for it. Josslyn says, even if she’s miserable? and Carly says, that’s how she knows it wasn’t an easy choice to make. And as far as if it was worth it or not, only Josslyn knows the answer to that. Josslyn says, all she knows is, she still loves Dex, and she misses him, and Carly says he understands. She’s been there. Josslyn says, but she’s terrified because Dex is going to become a cop, and there’s a real chance Sonny will have him killed.

On Tuesday (see below), Drew asks Nina what he gets out of this; Sonny asks Ava why Drew would hire the woman who put him in prison; Jason says he needs someone to do something else for him; and Carly yells for someone to be left alone.

👓 No Soap Monday…

It’s the solar eclipse, baby.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Is Preempted on Monday

📋 Carly’s New Hire…

Meet Hunter.

Kody Kavitha Cast as Hunter on GENERAL HOSPITAL

🔬 A Little Mental Health On the Side…

When art imitates life. One of the reasons I love GH. They keep it relevant.

Maurice Benard Addresses GH’s Portrayal of Mental Health

💣 Joining Forces…

I can see them as The Blues Brothers 2.0.

William deVry Updates Fans on His Project With Kin Shriner!

🍸 For Ann’s Sake…

But will she ever actually be working?

Something About Her: Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney Hire Tom Sandoval’s Ex-Assistant Ann Maddox

There’s no doubt it was stressful.

Tom Sandoval’s Former Assistant Ann Maddox on Her ‘Stressful Work Environment’

But apparently, the worm with a mustache doesn’t think it’s stressful picking up his dirty drawers and being a go-between for two people who shouldn’t be sharing a house in the first place.

Tom Sandoval Threatens Ex-Assistant Ann Maddox With Legal Action Over Podcast, Accuses Her of “Betrayal” & Lying, and Claims Ariana Never Wanted Her Around, Plus Ariana Suggests Ann Was “Fired” as Schwartz & Katie Weigh in

💎 When Worlds Collide…

Definitely a meet cute.

Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan Reveals Hilarious Experience Meeting Sutton Stracke

⚰️ What’s Next In Dead…

New addition to the City.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/dead-city-season-2-update-sons-of-anarchy-actor-kim-coates-added-to-cast-01htqk16jafm

Thoughts on the Dead future.

What’s Next for The Walking Dead?

🐶 Miracles Happen…

Best happy ending ever.

https://people.com/woman-viral-search-for-senior-dog-missing-from-animal-hospital-exclusive-8620174

That grasshopper must live!

https://people.com/zoo-vets-make-tiny-neck-brace-for-grasshopper-bug-8619996

He’s in love.

https://people.com/simon-cowell-cuddles-adorable-black-white-puppy-8620886

💡 Quotes of the Week

It’s not a lie if you believe it. – George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Seinfeld

I’d rather see my face aging than a face I don’t recognize at all. – Cameron Diaz (Thank you.)

Quitting can be a hard choice to make, but often it’s a brave one as well. – Susan David

A polite enemy is just as difficult to discredit, as a rude friend is to protect. – Bryant H. McGill

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. – B. B. King (No one can take integrity away from you either.)

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down. – Mary Pickford

Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable – and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God. – Henry Emerson Fosdick 

People will always have opinions about your decision because they’re not courageous enough to take action on their opinion. – Steve Maraboli

The man who insists on seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. – Henri-Frédéric Amiel

And that, my dear, is how you run an asylum. – Matron Grady (Judith Light), Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story

⚡️Aftershocking…

Enjoy the eclipse then join me on Monday really Tuesday for what’s cringeworthy on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay opening/holding the door open for any human immediately before or after you, and stay celebrating with dessert before dinner on occasion. Unless of course, you want dessert after dinner.