Category Archives: fantasy

Jun18

June 17, 2018 – What’s Not on TV, a Visit from the 70s, NOLA Split, Father’s Day & My Dad

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What I Watched Today

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

 

There was no Fear the Walking Dead tonight, and how will they ever top last week anyway? I was able to watch 90 Day Fiancé: Happily, Ever After? fresh (dissection of it coming soon), and Westworld on the first rerun encore performance. I also checked out The Real Housewives of Potomac, but I’m just not feeling these girls. I’m not sure I ever did. I think if you look up the definition of boushetto in the urban dictionary, their pictures are there. Although Karen did give up a good quote – You don’t know me to be a liar, but we do know you to be a fool.

And of course there’s the elephant in the room, Talking with Chris Hardwick, that was supposed to premiere tonight, but didn’t. That whole thing has bummed me out. I find it sad that, as beautiful a thing as the internet can be, it seems to create an easy judge and jury for just about everything. Maybe it’s just me, but I like getting all the facts first. The only fact I have so far is that he was possibly a d-bag and took advantage in a previous relationship. If people start losing their jobs over that, there will be precious few people working. Especially in the entertainment business where egos are humongous. In other words, I fail to see how this situation is anything close to that of a Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby, or even a Louis C.K. Yet this guy has already been hung out to dry. And the internet makes it way too easy. The Wicked Witch of the West said it best – what a world… what a world.

That being said, moving on…

🚀 Recommendations from the Wayback Machine…

Last week, I stepped back to the 70s with The Warriors, a surprisingly well-crafted film for its time, 1979. The scene symmetry and use of place are sophisticated, and the costumes alone make it worth watching, although the dialogue is often unintentionally funny. While completely unbelievable, the plot is simple. All the gangs in NYC are called to a meeting. One of the leaders suggests all the gangs band together, making them a force to be reckoned with. He’s shot and killed at the big rally, and the wrong gang, the Warriors, are blamed. They have to make it from Coney Island to the Bronx, various gangs coming after them along the way. One of my favorites were the Furies, who wore baseball uniforms and Kiss/Rocky Horror-ish make-up. It was also fun seeing Deborah Van Valkanburgh (Too Close for Comfort) acting like she was in a high school production of Grease. I’m endlessly glad they did not remake this film.

Check out the costumes: http://mentalfloss.com/article/55223/21-street-gangs-featured-warriors

Sadly, The Hills Have Eyes – the 1977 gem I followed The Warriors with – did get remade. It was horrifying all right, but not in a good way. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s just not the same without Michael Berryman. Forget Hills Have Eyes II, which is basically clips from the first film, strung together in a barely cohesive way. Stick with the original. Another straightforward plot. A family from Cleveland (which has never ceased to amuse me, since I’m originally from the area) get lost in the desert, and become the unfortunate victims of a feral family living in a cave. A true B-picture, a lot of it is over-the-top fake, but there are a few chills, a few laughs, and like I said, Michael Berryman.

🍹 I was sad to hear that Reagan and Jeff from Southern Charm New Orleans were splitting up. Who gets the little dogs??? http://extratv.com/2018/06/07/reality-stars-reagan-and-jeff-charleston-split/?adid=extra_eme_26606_2018-06-07_rightnow1

👔 Last But Not Least…

A heartfelt, albeit late, Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. No matter who or what you are the father of, be it blood relation or a chosen role. Here are some quotes for you:

https://parade.com/303081/viannguyen/fathers-day-2018-50-funny-and-inspiring-quotes-about-dads/?utm_source=paradenewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=homepage_newsletter_June%2017,%202018_08_44_15

🏆 It Takes Someone Special…

Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad, and that’s why I call you dad, because you are so special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right. – Wade Boggs

I was raised by my father most of my life. I’m part sailor, part farmer, part craftsman. I was taught I could be anything I wanted to be, but that I needed to work for it. Although he worked an eight to ten hour a day job, he never missed an awards ceremony or a school assembly where parents were invited. He always took time to listen, and was never less than fair. As he said about his own father, the older I got, the smarter my father got. I also realized that, even though it embarrassed me how we opened the refrigerator door with a screwdriver, everyone loved to gather at my house. They knew that no matter who they were, if they were my friends, they’d be welcomed with open arms and an open heart. He passed away shortly before I got married, and I’ll miss him until we meet again.

👑 My Dad…

 

Jun11

June 10, 2018 – The Final Stadium Showdown & Weekend Time

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Fear the Walking Dead

[Then] Madison is out in the woods. She slips under a zombie alarm. She tells someone not to turn around, and hands where she can see them. She doesn’t know them, but saw their vehicle, and has a good idea  of what they’re capable of. They don’t know her either, and they’re not going to. She tells them to toss the keys, but they drop them, saying they’re not tossing sh*t. It’s Al, and Madison shoots the cup she’s holding. Al says that was her dinner. Madison says it wasn’t an accident. She’s lost everything, and has nothing else to lose. Al says she thinks she’s been through a lot? She has no idea.

[Now] Zombies scrabble at Al’s truck. The camera pans out, and there’s an unbelievable number. John is still breathing, but Naomi has to get the bullet out. Everything she needs is inside. Morgan asks if Al can get closer. Al asks Charlie to keep filming. One day someone will want to know what happened.

[Then] Madison is holding a gun on Al, who’s tied up in the back of her truck. She says the sooner Al gives her the keys, the sooner she can get out. Al asks if Madison knows how many times she’s been zip tied? If Madison wants something, she has to give Al something. Madison sees a box of Al’s tapes, and asks what they are. Al says that’s not how it works. Madison says there are people out there who need her; the truck will make it easier. Al says she interviews people she comes across, and Madison thinks maybe she talked to them. Al tells Madison to cut her loose, and they’ll talk about a deal. Madison wants the keys and the tapes. Al says she tried to do it the nice way. She’s freed herself, and grabs Madison. Al wakes up on the floor of the truck, and says, sh*t. Madison is driving.

[Now] In the stadium parking lot, Al says she can’t get much closer. The zombies will get jammed in the wheel well, and they won’t be able to get them out. Morgan says he’ll move fast, and Al says it’s going to be loud. John tells him not to go; he got Morgan into this. Morgan says John got him out of something; now he’s getting John out of this. Naomi says she’ll be right back, and kisses John’s forehead. Al opens the gun window, and guns down a good number of zombies. Naomi and Morgan make a run for it. They’re barely inside, when the entrance blows up.

Al radios, asking if they’re all right. Morgan says they’re good in here. Charlie calls to Al from the front seat. We see Alicia in the stadium, with a gun trained on them. Al tells Morgan they need to hurry. They’re here. They found us.

[Then] Parked under a bridge, Madison looks through the interviews, hoping to see Nick and Alicia. She gets frustrated, and pounds the dashboard. A zombie comes to the window. She rolls it down, and pikes the zombie in the head. The zombie falls to the ground, and Al is there with a gun, saying, remember me? Madison gets out, and Al tells her, everything better be there and working. Madison says it is, and Al says Madison is going to tell her a story, starting with who she’s looking for.

[Now] Alicia, Victor, and Luci shoot at Al, who shoots back. Victor tells Alicia to radio Al, and she does, saying it’s not going her way. She knows how much ammo Al has, and it won’t last forever. She thought Al just wanted a story, and Al says she thought she’d mix it up today.

Morgan and Naomi go through the zombies in half-darkness, killing them as they go. The shooting continues outside. John falls unconscious, and I freak, thinking he’s dead. On the radio, Naomi tells them to keep applying pressure; he can’t lose more blood. Al tells John it’s not going to end like this, and he says it’s okay. Charlie films everything. John tells Al that when it’s all over, to stop running from people, and Morgan should do the same – or not. Morgan knows what he means.

Naomi grabs supplies. Morgan radios that they’re coming back now. The truck rocks with a blast, and Alicia asks how Al likes it. Al says, nice try, bitch. Her truck is built like a tank in a tank. The door falls off, and Alicia is standing there with a gun. Al asks if she’s going to help with the door, or what?

[Then] Al asks if Madison always uses a gun to get what she wants, and Madison says, if that’s what it takes. Al wonders what makes it okay, and Madison assumes she hasn’t lost anyone she’s cared about yet. Al asks who was it, and what happened to her? Al guesses it was her kids, and asks if someone did something to them or did they do something to her? Madison wonders why any of it matters, and Al says, because it’s the truth, facts, reality. Just admitting that there is one reality, and they share it. That they’re connected by a single, screwed up world. That’s the truth, and it can change things. Madison asks, how? Al say she’s been doing this a long time; since before things went bad. It was always bad, but it got worse. She was in a village on the other side of the world, and there was a warlord who called himself Twisted Round, who thought he owned the place. He was shaking people down for things they didn’t have enough of to start with. No one talked because they were too scared, but she talked someone into talking about it. In the end, they found out he didn’t have an army or guns, and didn’t last much longer. The only thing he had going on was that the truth wasn’t coming out – until it did. She knows she doesn’t have the story Madison is looking for, but someone might be interested in hers one day. What happened to her kids? Madison says she made them a promise they’d be safe, and she wasn’t able to keep it.

[Now] Al asks Alicia not to hurt Charlie. Alicia asks, why not? Charlie hurt her. On the radio, Naomi asks if Al copies her. Alicia tell Al to say it’s safe to come out or Charlie dies. Charlie killed her brother, and she’ll do it. At the stadium, Luci and Victor aim. Al tells Naomi it’s safe. Al looks at John, and asks if she can get her camera. John secretly turns the radio on, so Morgan and Naomi hear what’s going on in the truck. Victor says they’re not coming out. Alicia and Al struggle in the truck.

[Then] Al tells Madison that she doesn’t have to give the details; just the truth. Madison says she promised to find a place to live. Something that wasn’t just walls; they’d had those. What she was looking for was different. She was looking for a place where her kids wouldn’t have to do what she did to Al today. Al asks if she found it, and Madison says she thought she did. Al asks, what happened?

[Now] Alicia pushes Al down, and her head hangs out the door into the crowd of zombies, who grab at her. Charlie gets the radio, and tells them to hurry. Naomi says she’ll go, but Morgan tells her that they don’t want to kill him, and hands her the radio. He tells her to let him know what to do to keep John going. In the truck, Charlie grabs Alicia, and they end up on the floor. Al gets the gun, and Alicia sees the cup o’ noodles soup. She asks where Al got them, and Al says there was a semi with a bunch of them; she traded with them for an interview. Alicia grabs the tapes, and sees one that says Amina. Al asks if she knew her.

[Then] Madison tells Al it doesn’t matter; what she was looking for might not even be possible. She says for certain things, you don’t need a camera; it just sticks. She talks about renting a house in the mountains one summer. It had big windows and one morning, a bird flew into one. It was injured, and the kids kept it in a shoebox, naming it Willomina, Amina for short. They nursed it for weeks, taking turns staying up all night. Whatever they did, it just seemed to get worse, but her son was a sensitive boy, and her daughter decided it would live. Every morning, Madison dreaded what she might find, but one day she heard chirping, and Amina was flying around the living room. She lived because her kids didn’t give up on her; they gave her a chance when no one else would. There’s not a whole lot of that left. Al says, no, there’s not. Madison says that’s why she needed a different place, where things were different. We see Alicia watching her interview on the camera. Madison can’t imagine that part of them dying, and says you do what it takes to keep it alive. Alicia tells Al, eff you. Al looks at her and says, Madison never tolf her their names. She asks if the stadium was the place Madison was looking for.

[Now] Alicia goes into the stadium, and sees Morgan. She points the gun at him. He says he’s just trying to help his friend, and she says he can, after he steps aside. He doesn’t understand, and Naomi says she does. Alicia’s mom is dead because of what she did.

I’m getting all the feels, and realizing that I’m one with Al.

Morgan says she’s been doing this a long time. She’s thinking this is who she is, and what she’s got to do. He says let her save John. Alicia says she doesn’t get to; she doesn’t get anything. Naomi says, Alicia brought her there; she helped her. Alicia says she’s not that person anymore. Morgan says she can be. She just has to decide to get out. He says he tried to get away from people; everything and everybody. He thought he had to. Someone told him that he’d end up with people again, and he didn’t want to believe it, so ran halfway across the country to prove them wrong. Now, he’s standing between a gun and someone he just met. Things can change. They did for him, and can for her too. Alicia starts crying. Morgan says they already have; he’s not dead. He asks her to step aside for her brother, but she says she won’t step aside for Naomi. Naomi says no matter what Alicia thinks she lost, what her mother wanted for her is still in her, and she sees it. Alicia puts the gun down, and Morgan holds her. He tells Naomi to go to John, and gives her the gun.

[Then] Al writes Amina on Madison’s tape. She says, deal, and cuts Madison loose. She asks where Madison is heading; where her kids might be. She doesn’t need details, but wants to figure out how far it is when she gives Madison food. Madison says they got separated outside of El Paso. Her kids escaped, and she barely got out. Naomi gives her some noodle cups, and Madison asks what she owes her. Al says, nothing. She gave Al a down-payment, and can tell the rest of the story when she finds them. Al says she moves around a lot.

Madison drives. She sees a station wagon, and stops. She puts the radio on, and hears Alicia say, mom. She finds Alicia, Victor, and Luci at the motel. She tells them that she’s been to every motel between here and El Paso; they had to be at one of them. She sees Nick and hugs him. Victor asks where she got the MSG jackpot. She says from someone up the road, and he tosses Alicia a cup o’ noodles.

Madison shows them the stadium. Victor says it’s a little big, but she says she’s not just of them; they’ve been thinking too small. Nick asks if she wants to bring people in. She says someone helped her when they didn’t have to. She thinks it’s time to do the same.

[Now] Al drives in silence with Alicia in the passenger seat. Naomi has John hooked to an IV. Victor asks why Madison didn’t tell them about her. Al doesn’t think she was proud of how they met. She quietly asks what happened to Madison. Alicia says if she wants the rest of the story, pull over.

Naomi tells John it’s going to be okay. She tells him that her name is June. Now he knows. He says it’s his favorite month.

Al films, as Alicia, Victor, and Luci contribute to the story, while sitting around a fire. She asks them to tell her about that night. What she did. What they remember. Alicia says she and her brother were in the parking lot – surrounded.

We see the zombies around their car. Victor says they’re not leaving them out there. Madison, Luci, and Victor try to get to them. Alicia says, they cleared a path, but they had to get to the stadium. Victor says it was easier said than done. Madison told them to stay inside. She said the walls would hold, but they didn’t believe her. They didn’t have the same faith that she had in the place. Luci say she doesn’t think anyone did. Not when they saw what they were up against. We see zombies on fire, zombies getting shot, and Cole shooting at them. Alicia says they decided to run. Victor says, Madison tried to stop them. Alicia says they couldn’t get back Mel took their car. We see him driving, with Charlie in the passenger seat. Charlie says he found her in parking lot. They were closing in on her, and he saved her. Al asks what happened. Victor says the people were trying to get away. They didn’t. All the people she brought in were going to die. Naomi says she tried to talk them out of it. She believed the walls would hold, but she couldn’t change their minds. She was going to stay, and when she went to get supplies, she got back too late. The caravan was overrun, and the dead came at her. She ran until she couldn’t anymore. Alicia says, she joined the Vultures. They thought she was still inside; they thought she died. Naomi says she thought they all died. When the Vultures found her, she didn’t think she had anywhere else to go. Victor says she did what she thought she had to. Alicia says, none of them could get out of the parking lot. She couldn’t get beck to the stadium; there were too many dead. Victor says, Madison had another idea.

We see Madison standing with a flare, drawing the zombies away from them. Alicia says when they realized what she was trying to do, they tried to go back, but there were too may dead between them and Madison. Victor kept Alicia from running after Madison, saving her life. They’d reinforced the walls to keep the dead out, and Madison knew they were strong enough to keep them in. They followed her inside. Luci says it was more than they could count. We see them, and it’s a lot. Victor says she led the dead inside, so they could get away. She tried to go through tunnels, but there were still too many outside the gates to escape. So she locked herself in.

We see Madison run out of bullets. Alicia radios. Madison says she was afraid to lose this place. She thought they needed it to stay who they are right now. She tells Alicia, no one is gone until they’re gone. She faces the dead, and throws the flare. It starts a fire. Nick and Alicia watch from the car in horror.

Alicia says it was never about the stadium. Victor says it was about the people. Luci says, it was about them.

They drive away. Victor says she gave up her life, so they could live. Al turns off the camera. She writes Madison on the tape. Victor passes out cup o’ noodles to each of them. A new group is formed.

A folk song plays as the noodles are passed out. I find out later, it’s called *Love, Love, Love by The Mountain Goats.

Next time, zombies in a hella wicked storm, and Alicia wants to be left alone.

*Some things you do for money; some you do for fun, but the things you do for love, come back to you one by one.

😵 Why Does Weekend Time Go Faster?

SupermanTime

Ferris

 

 

Jun4

June 3, 2018 – The Stadium is Under Attack, a Few TV Tidbits & Not Done

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Fear the Walking Dead

John isn’t looking too good, but Naomi tells him to stay with her. He says he got her note. She and Morgan drag John behind a car, and away from the shooting. Morgan tells Naomi he’s john’s friend. She says she’ll get medical supplies, and promises to be back. He says he knows she will.

Mel says they have to get out of there. Alicia hits one of the Vultures. Mel starts the ambulance he’s driving, but Naomi says she needs the field kit from the back. He’s like, too bad, and keeps driving. She runs after the ambulance. As the distance becomes longer between them, the back of it blows up. Alicia is standing there with a grenade lancher, and tells Naomi that they took her in. Naomi says it’s not what she thinks. Naomi runs back to John, and tells Morgan they have to get him out of there.

Luci sees Charlie. Charlie says she’s sorry. Luci has gun pointed at her, but shoots some other guy. Al keeps filming. Morgan tells her they need to get John out. She says she’s not part of story, and Morgan says if she hides, a good man dies. The story is almost finished, and it doesn’t have to be that way for John. Al pulls her mega truck next to John, and opens the gun portal. Alicia puts her hands up, and Naomi and Morgan get John inside. Al says, gotta move.

Morgan tells Charlie they won’t hurt her. Charlie wants to make sure Mel is okay. Morgan says Mel is gone. She needs to come with him, or she’ll die. She gets in Al’s truck. Alicia, Victor and Luci shoot at the back as it’s driving away. Naomi tells Al to go to the stadium. Al says it’s supposed to be gone, and Naomi says, it’s not. Al says Naomi is supposed to be dead, and asks if she wants to tell them what else they got wrong.

[Before] Planting is happening at the stadium, and everyone pitches in. Nick says it won’t be ready for months. Madison says rations will get them through. He asks if she’s ever thought they wouldn’t make it, and she says, plenty of times. He asks what got her through, and she tells him, thinking she didn’t want to be out there; it’s way better in here. Douglas radios, saying they have a visitor. It’s Charlie. Nick asks why she’s there, and she says she needs their help.

[Forward] Morgan tells Al that they don’t have much time, and she says she’ll get him there. Charlie realizes he’s Nick’s friend. He knows what she did. Why did he save her? He says, because this has to stop some place.

Naomi tells John again to stay with her. She finds a tin of Scrabble letters on him. Morgan says he’s been looking for her, and never gave up all this time. Naomi says if you try to protect someone, you wind up hurting them. Al asks what happened; what did she do to them? Charlie says what happened wasn’t Naomi’s fault. It was hers.

[Before] Outside the stadium, a zombie pounds at the car Mel has crashed. Alicia says he’s breathing, but to be careful. He might have lung damage. Charlie insists Mel was trying to avoid the accident. There’s an argument as to whether they should just leave him there. Alicia says, if they leave him, will he make it? Nick says the Vultures lost and know it, and now they have supplies. Charlie says she lied before, but she’s not lying now. She asks Madison to please bring him back with them. Nick says they just started replanting. Madison says, If it’s a trick – Charlie says, it’s not – they’ll handle it. She says Naomi put a gun to her head when they first met; now they’re replanting thanks to her.

[Forward] Alicia sees a Vulture zombie and cuts him down. She tells Victor to wait. She sees someone crawling toward her. She squats down, and Mel reaches out. She asks how long Charlie was with him, and he gurgles something unintelligible. She says, you know what? It doesn’t matter, and smashes him in the head with the butt of her weapon. She should have left him for the zombies

[Before] Mel is handcuffed to a bed at the stadium. He asks what he’s doing there, and Naomi tells him that he has broken ribs. He asks where Charlie is, and Madison says she asked them to help her; she’s fine. He says she needs to let them go. Naomi says he has a serious injury. He says they’re not safe. Madison tells him that he’s said that before, and they’ll make it. If his brother and their crew try something, they’ll handle them. Mel says he and his brother are the ones they need to worry about.

We see a bus load of zombies, trying to get their hands out of the boarded-up windows.

Victor shows the Vultures’ numbered flags to Madison, saying that’s all that’s left. She says maybe Mel is telling the truth. Nick asks Charlie if she thinks Ennis is leading them there, and she says he wouldn’t do that. Madison asks if she’s sure. She tells Victor it will be tough, but they can do it. He says they have cars running the length of the railway. Madison asks if they’re full of dead, and Victor says, they were. She asks how many, and they go through the flags; the highest number is 735. Madison says no one goes in or out without them knowing. She tells Nick to take Charlie to her room.

Mel nearly coughs up a lung. Naomi tells him take the deepest breaths he can. When she gets close to help him, he pulls a knife on her, and tells her to take him to Charlie. Naomi pooches him in his broken ribs, takes the knife, and says not to make her break his cracked rib. He’s here to keep him breathing. He says they won’t listen to him. She’s new; maybe she’s been out there for a while. Maybe she was at another place that went down. Maybe knows what he does; what happens to people who stay. They die, and everything they’re fighting for dies with them. It doesn’t need to be that way for her. This place isn’t worth her life. He asks her to come with them. If she helps them, they’ll help her. He has the feeling she knows he’s right.

Madison pries the boards off of a concession stand. Naomi approaches. Madison says she needs the needs the lumber to reinforce the walls. Naomi says, it’s not safe here, and Madison says it will be. Naomi thinks they should consider what Mel is saying and think about leaving. Madison says that’s what the Vultures have wanted since they showed up. Out there, things don’t get better. She built this place for her kids; so they can have something close to a real life. Naomi says if she wants to protect them, she has to disappoint them. Madison says she thought about walking away. She told Alicia to prep a car just in case. She saw it on Alicia’s face, like she was chipping away at what they built. She told herself she wouldn’t use it. Naomi thinks she should reconsider. Madison asks what he said to her, and Naomi says he didn’t have to say anything. She’s been on the wrong side of where Madison is. Naomi doesn’t want to see it happen to her. What she built for her kids isn’t worth risking their lives – or hers.

Madison continues to accumulate boards off of various structures. Mel coughs some more. Madison says if he wants to go; go. He asks why, and she says while he’s here, he’s going to try to turn the others against her. He asks where Charlie is, but Madison says she’s not going. She can’t let him risk Charlie’s life.

Everyone is helping to reinforce the walls. Madison tells them to open the gate, and get the Land Rover. Mel wants to go. Victor says he might die out there. He’s there because she didn’t give up on him; what’s different? Madison says, open the gate, or she will. Mel gets in the car, saying they won’t make it. Madison says, if Charlie goes with him, whoever Charlie turns into won’t be Charlie anymore. He tells her the walls won’t hold, and Madison says she’ll keep Charlie safe. Mel tells her that’s what her parents said, and died in front of her. Don’t make her go through that again. Madison says she wasn’t there; it wasn’t them. He says they’re trying to be the type of people who are extinct. She draws her gun, and says, no one’s gone until they’re gone, and he drives away, wounds and all. The gates close again. Madison tells them not to think about what Mel said.

Nick tells Madison that she should have made him stay; He wouldn’t have taken Charlie, since he can’t get far. Madison says he’s not getting far without Nick and his sister protecting him. Nick asks if she remembers when he said he was afraid of who he was out there? He was really afraid of being away from her; she showed him the way. She finds him when he’s gotten lost. He felt found here, like he’d finally starting to get it. Letting a guy kill himself because they’re afraid of him. doesn’t sound like what she wanted them to find out.

Charlie says, he’s gone, but he’s hurt? He’s not going to make it, and he’s her friend. Alicia says she put a radio in the car, and it’s on. They should let Charlie see if he’ okay. They call, and Madison asks if Mel can hear her. He coughs, and she asks where he is and if he’s all right. He coughs some more. The signal is lost, and everyone looks grim and sad. Charlie says they have to help him.

More reinforcing goes on, and Cole hopes it holds whatever is coming his way. Alicia says they have to go out. Victor asks Nick if Madison knows they’re leaving. Nick asks, is he letting them out, or what? Victor knows they’re going after Mel, and says their mother did the same thing for him. Who is he to stop them? He lets them out. As they get on the road, Nick says they’re going to find Mel, and help Madison remember why she built this place.

One of the Vultures starts a truck full of zombies. A woman says, you know what to do, and he drives off. Behind him is a whole caravan of trucks.

Naomi finds Madison to tell her that she’s not going. Madison says, in that case, they’ll find her a new bedroom. Naomi says if she starts pulling boards off the showers, she’s chaining herself to the pipes. Madison says she forgot how it was for her kids to look at her like that, but it would it be worse if they didn’t. She guesses she taught them something after all. Naomi says whatever is going to happen, will happen soon. She’s prepping the infirmary.

Nick sees the Land Rover, and radios Victor, says they found him. Victor tells him to get back with due haste. Nick nails a zombie. Alicia says Mel is in rough shape. Nick hears something, and tells her to kill the headlights. They see the trucks coming toward the stadium. The trucks drive past without noticing them. Nick radios Victor, telling him a convoy is coming his way.

Victor tells Madison to sound the alarm. Madison is surprised Victor didn’t try to stop Nick and Alicia. He says they needed to do it, and she says that doesn’t mean she has to like it. Cole says, that’s not a convoy. We see only two headlights. Madison radios Nick and asks if he’s there, but he’s still a half-mile off. It’s an ice cream trail, leaving a trail of… blood? Gas? Something. Nick radios Madison, who tells him to just in get inside. Alicia says maybe it’s a trap, and here come the trucks. Ha-ha! My heart is beating faster.

The trucks line up in the parking lot. Luci asks what’s happening. Madison explains that Nick and Alicia are out there. Lots of zombie rumbling is coming from the trucks. The Vultures set up ramps. Ennis whistles, and signals for the trucks to be opened. Zombies stagger down the ramps. I think it must be gas. Someone is going to get these zombies lit.

Madison radios Nick and Alicia to come inside. and here we go, the gas is set on fire. The zombies crowd Nick’s car. Madison runs down. Victor tells her she can’t go out there. She says her kids in the parking lot. Is he going to stop her? He says, no. He’s coming with her. Luci says she’s coming too. In the car, Alicia asks how much ammo the have, and Nick says, not enough, reminding me of Sheriff Hague (Michael Biehn) in Planet Terror. Madison says there are too many zombies for them to drive through, and Nick says they can’t last much longer. Douglas says they have to get the fire out before anyone can leave. Victor tells him to shut up and open the gate. Alicia radios Madison, saying she’s sorry they had to come out to try and save him, but they couldn’t just hide. They didn’t mean to do this to her, but it was the right thing to do. Zombies grapple at the car. We see the flames reflected on Madison’s face.

[Forward] Al drives past a burned ice cream truck. Naomi says don’t stop; there’s no time. Morgan asks if she’s sure she’ll find what they need. She says she set up the infirmary herself. Any supplies that were taken, were taken from the outside; no one would go in there. Morgan says he thinks he knows who Al is; he’s seen it. She says he doesn’t know who she is. She’s a chick with layers. Me too. I am so one with this show right now. Al tells them to hold on, and she drives through the closed gate into the stadium. The dust clears, and there are a million zombies scattered all around. They grasp at the truck.

Next time, the mid-season finale (sigh) – Madison has nothing else to lose, Al thinks someone will want to know what happened, Naomi tries to save John, and Al machine guns the crap out of some zombies.

Excellent episode!

💍 I only saw pieces of 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? and will be watching it in its entirety at a later time. However, I saw enough to wonder what the blip is with Chantel’s family? Are they bad actors? Are they on something? Like a high dose of Valium? Even Chantel has inherited their strange, wooden monotone – in two languages! No wonder Pedro is looking to book back to the DR, but I still think there’s something crooked about the mother/sister grifter team. And note to Molly – all men call watching the kids babysitting. Even when the kids are their own.

🎭 Sadly, Imposters has been canceled:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/imposters-canceled-as-bravo-refines-scripted-approach-1116494?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%20Today%20in%20Entertainment_now_2018-06-02%2006:47:37_ehayden&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie

🙏 In happier news, Preacher will be back on Sunday, June 24th.

WeekendMinions2

 

 

May19

May 18, 2018 – Worlds Collide at the Ball, NB Fashion, Goodbye OUAT, Junior Winner, Joybell Trio & Weekend

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The show was on for a couple of minutes, when ABC broke in with news about the school shooting in Santa Fe. I get that, but it had happened several hours earlier, and, as usual, went way past the point of giving us news. That’s what I hate. My problem isn’t with the news itself, but all the amenities that come with it, like interviewing the janitor’s second cousin who witnessed nothing, but knows when it’s going to rain. Seriously, unless the world is coming to an end – and I mean literally, like if the sun is hurtling toward us – or we’re being invaded, I don’t see the point and it’s just irritating. Later, I was able to watch what I missed online with Verizon, but they usually don’t list it the same day. Lucky me, I didn’t have to imagine the lips syncing with the words on a pirated version.

General Hospital

Molly introduces Alexis, but she’s busy eavesdropping on Anna and Finn backstage. Finn tells Anna he’s never stopped caring. She’s never far from his mind and heart, and he wouldn’t want anything to happen without her knowing he cared.

Jason stops by Nelle’s room to find Michael. Michael asks if she’ll be okay for a few minutes. She says sure, and then the show gets interrupted for news that can wait an hour. I catch up a few hours later. Jason gives Nelle a stupid look. In the hallway, Jason tells Michael that Carly didn’t push Nelle, and deep down he knows that.

Finn apologizes to Anna for taking so long to tell her. Alexis makes herself known.

Nina doesn’t understand why Valentin is so eager to leave; he still has to perform. He promised Lucy, and Nina tells him not to let her down. She asks if something is going on.

Sam looks at the lighter on Peter’s desk, and sees the initials, CF. She says, Cesar Faison. She remembers Jason telling her about Faison carrying it, and that it wasn’t with his belongings. At the time, she’d said, if they find the lighter, they find Henrik.

Alexis, Finn, and Anna all look at each other. Alexis walks away. Finn says he should – and Anna says, yeah, he should. On stage, Lucy apologizes for the glitch. Alexis comes out to applause, but she keeps moving, and goes out the door. Mike points out to Sonny that she’s upset, and asks if he wants to go after her. Sonny says it doesn’t have anything to do with him.

Valentin tells Nina that he wants to get away with the two people that matter to him the most, her and Charlotte. Nina reminds him that his song at last year’s ball convinced her to give him another chance. He screwed up. Here’s his chance not to do it again.

Sam says Peter was in the hospital the night Faison died. She sees his copy of The Severed Branch. She flips through it, and says, just like it happened in the book.

Michael knows Jason will always defend his mother, and he’s grateful, but he wasn’t there. Jason says, neither was he. Jason asks what Nelle said. Michael says she told him that his mom lost control. Jason say that’s proof Nelle is lying. Carly would never risk her grandchild. He knows she would lie down in front of a train for her family. Michael says, under normal circumstances, and it’s been anything but normal lately. Jason insists it’s Nelle sabotaging Carly’s life.

On stage, Lucy says it’s not the Nurses’ Ball without some drama, but they’re not letting it ruin a good time. She tells the audience to kick it up a notch for the rocker others call Eddie Maine, but they call him Mr. Mayor. He and his first lady are spearheading the rebuilding of their city. In 60s garb with a flower power background, Olivia plays the tambourine, and Ned sings, (What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding. Excellent.

Colleen Sullivan tells us to stay tuned for more glamor, excitement, and surprises. They’re just getting started.

Jason tells Michael there have been calls from a payphone near where Morgan died, a replica of his scarf, the power outage and intruder at Bobbie’s house, and Carly finds Morgan’s picture on the floor, broken. Michael asks if he thinks Nelle did all that. He’s going to have to prove it. Jason says like he’ll prove the blanket is real. Jason gets a call from Sam, but asks her to hold on. He says he needs Michael to be careful, for the baby’s sake and himself. Michael says Jason has given him a lot to think about. Jason gets back on the phone, and asks Sam what’s going on. She says she needs to see him. It’s important.

Molly – in a very becoming sleeveless gown that looks like it’s made out of blue/green glitter – tells Finn that whatever he said to upset her mother, she’s completely humiliated. So don’t apologize or try to fix it, just accept the fact that he’s a jerk and leave her alone. Anna says, oh dear. Ha-ha! She’s so British sometimes. He says it didn’t go exactly as planned. Anna says, for the record, she’s not dying. Finn says, for the record, he meant everything he said. Anna says she cares a lot about him too. Oh, kiss already.

Ava suggests she and Griff take advantage of his room upstairs; she could use a warm-up before her performance. Griff says he wants to watch the rest of show, She says it’s cool.

Stella tells Sonny it’s manifestly none of her business, but sometimes an outsider can pick up on things another person is too close to see. Sonny asks where she’s going with this. She tells him that he has a stare that could freeze a blasting furnace. Putting it on the woman who is the mother of his child might not be the wisest thing. Mike tells her to forgive him; he has a helluva temper. Sonny says it’s difficult to be in the same room, especially tonight, but she’s right. It’s not a good thing to show the world how you feel. Stella agrees. Sonny raises his glass to Ava, who’s like, huh?

Backstage, Kim asks Josslyn and Oscar if they’re ready. Drew joins them. Oscar says he didn’t know Drew was coming, and Kim says, neither did she. Drew says once he heard Oscar was performing, he couldn’t be stopped. Oscar hugs him, and says, thank you. Everyone smiles.

Anna says Finn needs to find Alexis and apologize. He says, yes, he does. Anna tells him that she’s not staying much longer. She looks at text from Henrik: Midnight. Pier 55. Come alone. She says she has a meeting. She can’t tell him about it, but after tonight, she’ll be closer to it all being over. She tells him to go find Alexis.

Alexis sits at the bar. The bartender asks what he can get her. She looks at the bottles.

Michael goes back to Nelle’s room. She tells him that she’s gotten the all-clear from the doctors. She’s being released tomorrow. He says that’s good news. She asks if there’s something wrong. He says Jason was telling him what was going on with his mother. She thinks someone is harassing her; messing with her head for months now.

Finn sits next to Alexis. She says he found her. He tells her the concierge saw her take the elevator. He says, that’s not a double-vodka? She says, it’s a club soda, and she wishes people would stop acting as if she’s dying for a bottle of gin every time she feels crappy. Finn says he never meant to hurt her; he’s sorry. She says he has nothing to be sorry for, and he didn’t hurt her. She just hurts. She knew he still cared about Anna; it’s not on him. He didn’t do anything. She allowed herself to be a prop in the game he was playing with Anna.

Anna starts to text Henrik. Robin startles her, and asks what’s up with her and Finn. Anna says it’s complicated, and suggests they go and enjoy the show.

Peter is messing with his phone, and Maxie says, more work? He tells her these are the last ones, and goes out to the hallway. Julian asks Molly if she’s getting nervous about Finn. She says she doesn’t want to fight with him – he did save her life – but her mother is in a vulnerable place. He’d better think long and hard before he does anything for Alexis’s sake. Julian says he’s not sure what means. She thinks he does. Kim asks what Julian doing about Alexis, and Julian says he’s here with her, and they should get back to their seats; her son is performing. Lucy says the Nurses’ Ball is known for spotlighting younger performers, and introduces Molly and Oscar. This is when the news released us back to the program. Or rather, commercials, then the program.

Molly sings, while Oscar accompanies her on the guitar. I think the name of the song is I Never Knew, but I’m not positive. I’m not familiar with it, and come up empty in a subsequent search. Sam shows Jason the lighter. She says she found it in Peter’s office. She was confused at first, since he said he wasn’t a smoker. She remembered he’d said he had to confront Faison about something in the hospital the night Faison died. Jason says Faison was honest for once. He’d said Henrik was hiding in plain sight. Jason says, Peter August is Henrik.

Mike tells Molly she was spectacular, and tells Oscar his date is pretty, but not as gorgeous as Stella. Kim motions Oscar over.

Kiki asks if she can sit at Molly’s table. Molly thought she was sitting with Dr. Bensch, but Kiki says she wants to be with people her own age.

Kim asks if Oscar is glad now that he took music lessons. I’m assuming that means she forced him to take them.

Michael asks Nelle if his mom mentioned anything to her. Nelle says she rambled about a disappearing note and Morgan’s cologne, but she wasn’t making sense. Something starts to beep on Nelle’s monitor. She begins to panic, and Michael tells her, just breathe.

Sam tells Jason that Peter is with Maxie, and asks how they’re going to do this.

Maxie tells Peter that she’s not feeling so great, and asks him to take her home. Valentin watches.

Robin asks if Anna is leaving already; there’s a lot left. She asks if it has to do with the emails she’s been receiving. Anna is cagey, and says she wouldn’t leave if it wasn’t important.

Lucy tells Valentin it’s his turn.

Kim asks Julian if he’s thinking about going after Alexis. Julian says he’s here with her. She says they promised to be honest with each other. He says they’re having a great time. She tells him if he needs a friend, he has one, and leaves.

Finn tells Alexis that she was never a prop. He fell for Anna more than he wanted to admit. He wasn’t using her; he wanted to move on. Alexis says that’s why they call it a rebound. There’s a good reason why people in same AA meeting shouldn’t hook up. He says it’s not about that; it’s about him. She deserves better. Alexis says that she needs him to not be there right now, and he wisely leaves.

Kim sees Olivia looking into the swag bags, and Olivia says she’s taking advantage of the break to snoop in the bags. We get an advertisement for Olay with Kim pitching the product.

Michael says he didn’t mean to upset Nelle. She tells him that she was so scared when Carly pushed her; she was out of control. Michael asks if she’s sure Carly pushed her, and she says, she absolutely pushed her. He tells her to get some rest. She says she’ll be fine, because he’s there.

Mike sees Deanna, and says he found his favorite nurse at the Ball. Deanna says, since it’s the Nurses’ Ball, the odds of that were pretty likely. Stella introduces mike to Felix. She thinks they’ll get along well.

Jason asks Robin if her mom is still there. He has to talk to her. Robin says she left, and asks, what’s up? He tells her Anna will explain when there’s time. Sam tells him that Peter left with Maxie. She thinks he’s meeting with someone. They have to get into Peter’s email account.

In the car, Maxie apologizes to Peter for making him leave early. He says he had to work anyway. He asks how she’s feeling, and she says like the baby is doing a kickboxing workout. She suddenly tells him to pull over. Her water just broke. Shouldn’t they jet to the hospital? Peter asks if she’s sure, and she says, very, and she’s done this before. She says they have no time to get to the hospital. There’s something wrong with the baby. Where’s that Star Trek transporter they always use?

Julian sees Alexis at the bar. Kim asks if she can join Drew. He’d thought Julian was her date. She says he had to see someone; she’s flying solo. They go in and sit together.

Jason and Sam go into Peter’s office. Jason leaves a message for Spinelli. He tells Sam that they don’t have a lot of time. They need to hack into Peter’s email. He pushes the keyboard toward her

Lucy tells the audience to give themselves a hand, and to keep the momentum going. The next performance was a surprise addition to last year’s Ball. He was so good, they asked him to come back. Valentin sits at the piano, and performs Peter Gabriel’s Book of Love, accompanying himself. He sings to Nina, and she smiles. He is really good.

As the song finishes, Robin get up. Robert is on stage. He punches out Valentin.

On Monday, David follows Kiki, Robert wants justice, and Anna waits for Henrik. Who is busy delivering a baby.

👗 Since I know my dress descriptions were lacking, you can see some of them here. I voted for Sam.

https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital-nurses-ball-2018-red-carpet-fashion-160214

🏰 Sadly, tonight was the Once Upon A Time finale. Since they shoved it into the death spot on Friday night, and I knew it was the last season, I found it hard to commit, so I hadn’t watched much of it. I figured I’d catch up on a rainy weekend some time. I did want to see the end though, and it was sweet. They brought in many of the old characters for the farewell. In a nutshell, Rumpel/Gold and Belle were reunited at last, in heavenly clouds. All the realms were united, and Regina was chosen to lead them. Snow White and Prince Charming officiated at the coronation, crowning her The Good Queen. Emma called it a happy beginning, since Regina didn’t like endings, and the stories were far from over. However, Regina thought second chance was a better choice. because in the end, they could get past it all – with hope. And we saw the sign, saying, Leaving Storybrooke. Sad face.

🍖 It was also the finale of MasterChef Junior. The final three – Quani, Beni, and Avery – had to create a three-course meal. For their entrees, they each gathered inspiration from their roots, cooking catfish, veal chops, and a ribeye, respectively. A lot of attention was given to Quani having elevated the catfish. Apparently, none of the judges were a fan of it, which surprised me, since I like catfish. Although it sounded like one of those things that, if it’s not done exactly right, you don’t want to eat it. When they moved on to the dessert, and Quani’s tart broke, so did my heart. It was not a happy moment. Beni was the big winner, and the young chefs ended with a group hug. I have to confess, I both rooted for Avery, and was glad she didn’t win. She’s eight. Eight. And cooks better than anyone I will ever know.

⛲ Quotes of the Week

All from the same poetess.

A lifetime isn’t forever, so take the first chance, don’t wait for the second one! Because sometimes, there aren’t second chances! And if it turns out to be a mistake? So what! This is life! A whole bunch of mistakes! But if you never get a second chance at something you didn’t take a first chance at? That’s true failure. —  C. Joybell C.

Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin. And there are many things that don’t really end, anyway, they just begin again in a new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren’t really an ending; some things are never-ending. — C. Joybell C.  Or as Semisonic put it more simply, every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

We have to allow ourselves to be loved by the people who really love us, the people who really matter. Too much of the time, we are blinded by our own pursuits of people to love us, people that don’t even matter, while all that time we waste and the people who do love us have to stand on the sidewalk and watch us beg in the streets! It’s time to put an end to this. It’s time for us to let ourselves be loved. — C. Joybell C.

🎈 Last But Never Least…

WeekendPup2

WeekendJump

 

May14

May 13, 2018 – The Story of John & Naomi, Extra Useless Information, Talking About Fear & Mom’s Day

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Fear the Walking Dead

John opens the box with the matching pistols, and cleans and loads them. He sees a zombie wading through the creek. He puts a board over his ditch moat, and whacks it with an ax. Smart move to save bullets.

He lies in bed listening to Billy Bass, who I guess is his alarm clock. He washes up, makes the bed, and plays Scrabble with himself. He says, people, as he washes the breakfast dishes. He runs down a list of various words as he has coffee on the porch. He continues as he does chores. He says platypus, and uses it in his next Scrabble game.  As night falls, he watches DVDs.

There’s a sound outside. John says, not another one, and asks himself where they’re coming from. He finds Naomi in a canoe on the shore, barely conscious, and brings her in. She says she has to get back, and he tells her she’s safe, but injured. He looks at a gash in her side. The good news is, it’s not a bite. He tells her he’ll take care of it as best he can.

The next morning, he finds Naomi looking in the truck for his keys. He tells her they’re on the top of the visor, and she might want to avoid reverse. He says she has a pretty bad cut. She gets in the truck and closes the door. It won’t start, and he says it needs a new battery. He tells her if she wants to go, he might as well set her up with food and water. She should get some rest, and change the bandage on her wound too.

Inside, Naomi looks at her wound. She starts to stitch it up herself, and says she can’t. She asks John to do it, and gives him instructions, saying, just do it.

John makes fish stew for dinner. He tells Naomi, the French call it bouillabaisse, presenting her with a bowl, saying, soup is the blanket of food. He tells her to enjoy, and introduces himself. She thanks him. He says she looks like a Laura, and asks if it’s an acceptable substitute. He tells her about a job he once had, teaching kids at a pea shooting range, and says she can stay as long as she likes. She says she’ll be moving on, and he offers her food and shelter until she’s ready, but the next time she wants something, ask. He wonders if she’s a doctor or nurse, and tells her to take the bed; he only sleeps an hour or two if he’s lucky. She asks how he knew she was a nurse. He says he doesn’t know many people who could stick a needle in their side. He asks if she was a nurse until… and she says, yeah. He says it seems like forever ago, and she agrees.

Naomi is restless. She sees the couch is empty and gets up. John is cleaning the pistols. He hears her but when he turns around, she’s gone.

John whacks some more zombies in the creek area. Naomi comes out, and asks if they wash up. He says, there’s something amiss up river. He tells her that he goes to the store on Tuesday, and she says she’ll come. He thinks she should rest, but Naomi is insistent. He supposes he wouldn’t mind he company, and gives her a pair of boots, telling her there are snakes. She declines, saying she won’t be able to run in them. He leaves them on the porch in case she changes her mind.

They take the canoe down the river. She asks if he’s been there long, and he says, a good while. She asks what he did before, and he tells her that he was a police officer. She wonders why he didn’t bring his guns; she thought all cops have them, but he says they cause more problems than they solve. She asks if he liked being a cop, and he says, at one time. Zombies walk the bridge, and one falls in. Naomi takes out her knife, but John pushes it into the water with his oar, and they go past. He notes that a broken part of the bridge railing needs tending to.

John docks the boat, and they head for the store. He says it’s been in Bill’s family for sixty years. Naomi asks where Bill is now, but John doesn’t know. They closed the road for repair before things went south, and he hasn’t seen him since. They walk into a fully-stocked store, and John tells Naomi to help herself. She gets a knapsack. and fills it, while he gets supplies. Naomi moves some merchandise around, and John asks if she’s rearranging things. She explains that people need splints and dressings, and aren’t always thinking. She’s just doing her part. He tells her how his name is Dorie, like the fish, except ie. 

Outside, he says they’re going to need a ladder. They fix the bridge, and John asks if he can call her Laura. She says that’s fine, but she won’t be staying long. A zombie toddles toward them, and she stabs it in the head.

While lying in bed, Laura hears a movie playing, and comes out. John says sorry for disturbing her (which my autocorrect wanted to change to disrobing her – ha-ha!). It’s usually his movie night, although every night is getting to be movie night. She gets some water, and he says he’ll turn the volume down. He asks if she wants some popcorn. She doesn’t, but she sits on the couch. I’m trying to figure out what the movie is from the dialogue we can hear, but I can’t. He tells her about the snacks he makes on movie night, and suggests concocting something.

John snoozes, and Laura looks at him. He opens his eyes, and she says she lost her child. She gets up, and goes back to bed.

Laura wants John to teach her to fish. It’s a resource, so she should know how. They go out on the river, and he instructs her. She hooks a fish, and gets all excited. He teaches her how to clean and gut it. They have it for dinner, and she thanks him. They play Scrabble.

There’s more fishing the next day, and Laura prepares it herself. That afternoon, John clips her stitches. He says she might have a scar, but nothing too bad. She thinks she should be going, since she’s healed up, but she’ll take a couple days to pack some things. John goes outside, and chops a zombie’s head in half. Laura says they need something stronger to block the opening; a car at Bill’s might still have a charge. She helped him, and it’s the least she can do. He gets wheel barrow, and loads up the zombie he downed.

At the bridge, John asks how Laura learned to hot wire a car, and she asks if he’s going to arrest her. He sees she’s got one of his pistols, and says he asked her not to go through his things. She tells him that they might need protection, but he says she’s good with a knife; the noise from the gun just brings more zombies. She says they’re no good in a box, but he wants them in a box, not out there. He gets out of the truck.

John walks through the zombies, whacking them. Laura gets the ones he doesn’t, and it’s a chopfest. They drive a truck to the opening, blocking it. Laura is on the truck, but outside of the cab, guiding John. The zombies begin to gather, and Laura tells John to shoot them. They’re pushing at the car, and one zombie breaks the window with the machete that’s poking through him, and is now six inches from John’s face. He stabs at it, while Laura keeps yelling for him to shoot. John finally deals a fatal blow, but then won’t stop stabbing once it’s over. He and Laura are both covered in the blood that has sprayed everywhere.

Back at the cabin, Laura scrubs at their clothing. John says he didn’t get bit, but she says she’s seen people get sick from being exposed. He tells her that he didn’t mean for it to happen. She says he had a gun. He says that’s not how he does things, and she says it nearly got him killed. He says, better him than someone else. She asks if what he’s talking about has to do with why he doesn’t want to talk about being a cop. She asks what happened; did he take it or fire it? He says he fired. She says, good guy or bad guy? He says that’s not the way he looks at things, but she’d call him bad. She asks if it was a mistake or intentional, and he says, intentional. It was an intentional mistake. He stopped at the gas station, and a guy was robbing the place. John told him that he was a police officer, and to put his weapon down, but he would not. He tried to clip the guy in the leg. John starts to choke up, and Laura tells him it’s okay. John says, the guy turned, and he hit him dead center in the leg, and he bled out. Laura asks if that’s why he moved up there, but he says, no. People thought he was a hero. She says, it doesn’t matter how many people say it’s not your fault; what matters is if you believe it.

On the bridge, the zombies clamor at the truck. It starts to roll, and they start falling into the river.

Laura and John are sleeping, when John hears a lot of zombie noises. That’s because there are a sh*tload of them coming toward his house. He calls to Laura, and starts to whack them as they come out of the creek. Laura whacks and chops at them with a shovel, but they’re all falling into the moat, creating a bridge for the ones still coming. They’re surrounded, and Laura tumbles into the moat. John suddenly has the guns, one in each hand, and shoots with both at once, doing that twirling-the-guns thing. The last one is inches from Laura’s face and it’s hard to aim, but he does it, and kills the zombie. Holy! Even though we know both of them make it, I was holding my breath.

John surveys the mess. Laura sits next to him on the steps. She thanks him. She says he might not think he’s a hero, but she does. He’s an honorable person, and she’s very, very lucky to have washed up in his front yard. He gives her one of the pistols, telling her, if she’s going, she’ll need it, and he needs her to take it.

They sit on the couch. John gets up, and Laura asks what it is; why won’t he look at her? He says he loves her, but he didn’t want her to know. She asks why, and he says because she’s leaving, and he doesn’t want her to. He says if she wants the cabin, he’ll go. He tells her that he needs her alive. If she’s alive, the whole world feels alive. They kiss. At this point, I’m liking him too.

John wakes up to Billy Bass – alone. He looks around, and calls Laura’s name. He sees her shoes where the boots were on the porch. On the table is, I love you too Im sorry, in Scrabble letters.

Morgan and John sit by the side of the road. Morgan says, she loved you, and John says, yes. John says, maybe if he’d waited to tell her… but Morgan says, no waiting; not in this world. Waiting is how you lose people. John says he believed he had a second chance; it was stupid. Morgan says they still do. Madison, Victor, Luci; they’re still here. They think the only thing left is to fight, kill, or die. John says, maybe they’re right. Morgan tells John to look him in the eye, and tell him that’s what he believes. If he can do that, they’ll go their separate ways. John says he doesn’t believe it. Morgan says, they’re alive. They’re part of the world. Let’s not waste another second.

Morgan gets up, and gathers his stuff. John puts the other pistol in his holster. They walk down the road.

Nice episode.

Next time, John uses the pistols some more, Mel tells Madison to be careful, and Naomi says it’s dangerous.

🐟 Apparently, there’s more than one Dory with a y who’s a fish, and is a John. A white-fleshed sea fish found in European waters, John Dory (also known as St Peter’s fish), is an odd-looking creature with an oval, flat body and a large, spiny head. The white, boneless, meaty flesh is firm and flavoursome and can be cooked in a variety of ways: grill, sauté or poach it. – from BBC.co.uk  – Food.

💀 🔊 Talking Dead was a good one too, the guests being Yvette Nicole Brown and Jenna Elfman. The artistry of the episode was discussed, and it really was beautifully filmed. The scenery was gorgeous, but John’s cabin was also an amazing setting. Yvette talked about how she has an investment in the characters after knowing the backstory. I was with her there, but I’ve always had more investment in the characters from Fear than those in The Walking Dead. From the jump, they were more multi-faceted. TWD needs a charming rogue like Victor, trading barbs and sexual tension with Maggie. I was surprised nobody brought up Naomi/Laura having lost her child, but Jenna Elfman was very cagey about where the story was going next. I wondered if her child was Charlie. Also surprising was the gift an audience member went home with – a canoe. A clip of Garrett Dillahunt (John) talking about filming the episode, gave me a quote that I not only couldn’t resist adding, but could relate to: It’s only been six days but I feel twenty-seven days tired.

🍀 Speaking of Quotes…

👵 Favorite Irish Mammy Sayings for Mother’s Day

https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/craic/top-ten-irish-mammy-isms-according-to-poll?utm_campaign=Best+of+IrishCentral+-+2018-05-13&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Mailjet

This did not include my own mother’s favorite, this is not a restaurant, which I actually heard come out of my own mouth while babysitting my neighbor’s twins. Although my mom wasn’t Irish, that list looks pretty mom universal.

💖 Speaking of Mother’s Day…

HappyMothersDayAll

💕 And My Best Girl Forever Mom…

Juliet&HerBabies

 

 

May7

May 6, 2018 – Burying Nick, a Variety of Rambling & Creepiness

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

Fear the Walking Dead

Everyone is stunned about Nick. Al has videoed the aftermath. We see Luci make sure Nick doesn’t come back by stabbing him in the head, Alicia re-killing Ennis more viciously (somehow, he got rid of the deer head he was impaled on), and Victor covers Nick up. In the van, Victor tells Al, let’s get this over with. Al says it can wait until he’s buried, but Victor says that was the deal. She asks how he ended up there, and he tells her that’s a big question. She says sometimes those are easier to answer. Luci says they could have stopped this from happening.

It’s another one of those back-and-forth episodes. Luci watches a guy, who looks like Riff Raff from Rocky Horror, bring some supplies to the Vultures. Charlie laughs with Ennis. She explains to Al that they had to stretch rations with cattle feed. Victor says it’s an acquired taste.

At the stadium, Victor offers to garnish lunch with maple syrup, and Alicia tells him to save it for the pancakes. He says, for when things get better, and they will. Madison says it’s time to be creative. The need to find places their friends in the parking lot haven’t hit, like maybe a bowling alley.

Victor says it was their first misstep, going on runs that day.

Victor and Cole walk through a greenhouse. Cole says he went to A&M University, and knows which plants are safe to eat. He encourages Victor to tell him something about himself, and Victor says he didn’t go to A&M. They find something edible, and look for a cart. Cole asks how long Victor is going to act like he’s afraid of him. Victor says that’s not the case.

Al asks if he was afraid of Cole, and Victor says, of course not. He says they’re supposed to be talking about Nick, and Al says they’re talking about him.

Cole and Victor fight off zombies in the greenhouse. Cactus zombies. They have quills sticking out of them all over. One gets Cole down. Victor pikes it in the head and helps him up.

Nick takes Luci to a nearby library. His mother once brought him there, and he thinks it’s a sign. Luci says she went with him because Nick thought it would be good for her.

Inside the library, Nick whistles. It’s empty because zombies don’t read. He takes a poster down off the wall, and Luci asks why they’re here. Nick tells her that people need a reason to stick around, and not just food. She says there’s nothing left, but he thinks there has to be something. Luci says it’s about her, referring to Charlie. Nick says she thinks they’re looking out for her and they’re family. Luci says she thought Colonia was a good place to be, but it wasn’t. He helped her.

Al says, but he couldn’t help Charlie. Luci says, she killed Nick. What do you think?

John tells Morgan he used to be a police officer. He knew a guy who drank a bottle of rye every night. One night he survived a close call. A guy stole a garbage truck, and it ended up squashing his patrol car. He went a week without touching rye. John says it takes more than a week to change someone. He thinks Morgan will be on his way after Nick is buried. John is going to find Laura, and wants Morgan with him. He wants them to meet. Morgan just wants to see Nick buried, and he’ll be on his way. He’s better on his own.

Al says they can stop if it’s too much; Alicia’s brother died. Alicia says, yeah, he did.

Alicia and Naomi go to a small waterpark. Naomi sees a van she thinks they should take back, pointing out that it even has a tape deck. She looks for keys, but finds nothing. They head into the park, which looks like something from Abandoned, but with dead bodies all over. A zombie stumbles out, and Alicia stabs its head. Another follows, and Naomi takes care of that one. Naomi says whoever camped here moved to higher ground when the fence came down, showing Alicia a site on a platform at the top of the waterslide. The stairs are barricaded, but Alicia says they can get up there from the slide. They look at the zombies wandering around in the water.

Victor says he wanted to do the right thing in the car. Cole tells Victor that if he doesn’t like him, just tell him. Victor says he does like him. Cole asks why he won’t share information about himself then, and Victor says he doesn’t want Cole to know him. He’s done dumb things, and keeps this to remind him not to be that man. He hands Cole what we both agree looks like a piece of a rock. Victor says, it’s not.

Al asks if going on run brought them closer together, and Alicia says, of course it did. They were the only ones still breathing. She and Naomi wade through the pool, and the zombies. Naomi tries to get up the slide, but keeps slipping back down. Alicia gives her a boost, and tries to follow, but she slips and loses her knife. As they struggle to get up the slide, there’s a terrific crane shot showing the cluster of zombies, grappling at the bottom.

They carefully make their way up. It would really suck to get all that way and slide back down into a mess of zombies. They look at the stuff left behind, and Alicia thinks there’s still some ammo. A zombie toddles out, startling them. They struggle with it, and Naomi falls down to a bowl-like attachment on the slide. I’m guessing you could once slide through it, but now there’s a clog of zombies caked in slime in the opening. Naomi kicks at them, but one is particularly aggressive. Alicia slides down, having grabbed a pipe that was part of the slide. She knocks the zombie in the head, and it slides back down into the clog. I have to admit, I made noises out loud throughout this whole scene.

Al asks when she sharpened it. Alicia says that came later.

Back at the top, Alicia and Naomi go through the stuff. Naomi finds the keys to the van, but says nothing. There’s a trunk of medical supplies, and Naomi tells Alicia to take as much as she can. Naomi gives Alicia binoculars, and suggests she look for what hasn’t been picked over. Alicia thinks there’s a possibility, but when she turns around, Naomi is gone.

Al asks, what happened? Did she run? Victor says, they’re all running.

Victor and Cole go to a parking lot. Cole asks where the hell they are. Victor opens the hatchback of a car, and says, when the crops failed, he gathered things. Cole asks why Victor is showing him. Victor says there’s enough room for two. Cole tells him that people are hungry. Victor says the supplies would maybe feed them for a day; it wouldn’t make a difference. Cole says makes a difference between them making it for another day or not. Victor says so could this. Before, he did things where people got hurt or died. He learned self-preservation. He says famine is on the horizon, and he did it to ensure he survived. He wants Cole to know this is him. Cole shakes his head. He can’t do it. Victor says he didn’t think so. Cole says he’ll drive himself back.

Al asks if he left, and if Victor thinks it’s his fault. Alicia says, it’s not his fault. He wasn’t the only one who thought about leaving.

Naomi starts the car. It chugs to a stop because there’s no gas in it. I’m not even going to say it. Yes, I am. You’d think she’d have checked that first thing. She sure made a good guess those were the right car keys. Alicia is there, and says that’s the second time she ran out since they’ve met. Naomi doesn’t have to tell them anything, but she’s either with them, trying to keep it going, or not. Naomi says she can’t try to keep this going. Alicia tells her that she said the same thing once. She went off on her own; no one could talk her out of it, but wasn’t what she wanted it to be. Maybe she’ll realize that too. Alicia says she’ll go with her to get some gas.

Al asks if Luci thought about leaving. Luci says they all did.

Luci tells Nick that they have to go. He says there could be something there for her. He looks around in the back, and we hear zombie noises. A trail of books leads to a zombie who’s tied up, so it can’t escape. Nick puts it out of its misery, and sees that its wrists are slit. Luci sees a book of maps. Luci say she doesn’t want to end up like that. Nick tells her they know what’s wrong, and they’re going to try and fix it. She says what if they find a new place? Start over. He asks, where, and she hands him the book. She says the first place they open to.

Al asks Luci, what page did it open to? It’s the reason she’s sitting here, isn’t it? Luci says she should have never opened the book.

Madison looks through binoculars at the Vultures. Mel waves and holds up a radio. She gets on hers, and asks if he needs help. He asks if they have relish. She goes down to the parking lot, but I don’t see her bringing any relish. He says they’ve finished it, haven’t they? And the ketchup and mustard. Condiments are the first things to go, in trying to dress up things they don’t want to eat. The dressing up part is true even in real life. I remember putting Italian dressing on green beans and ketchup on mac and cheese at lunch in high school. Mel is cooking hotdogs. He asks where she’s sending people, and she says, why? So they can beat them there? She doesn’t think so. He says every time she sends someone out, they might not come back. Madison says they will; she knows her people.

Mel says before he lived on the bus, he lived like them, in a settlement; his family’s cattle ranch in hill country. It was a nice place to be, but then wildfires kicked up. Madison knows where he’s going. She says, he’s smart, and saw what was coming. He tried to warn everyone, but they wouldn’t listen. So he and his brother left before the fires hit. She says she’s sorry about the rest of his family. Mel says, people are stubborn creatures. He asks if she’d like a weenie, but she’s good. He says if she didn’t come out for food or company, what is she doing there? She says her offer still stands. If they want relish, they could scrounge some up from the concession stand. They can make a go of it, if they work together. He asks if she believes that. She does, and he says that’s why the place is going to fall. His offer also stands. She turns to leave, and he says she was wrong about his story. He told them that they could save the place, and they listened. He and Ennis were the only ones who made it out alive. They could hear them scream as they drove off. Madison walks away.

Al says that’s why it’s so important. They gave up on the stadium.

In the library, Luci flips open the book.

Victor sits in his car.

Naomi tells Alicia that she was a nurse. After a while, she could tell who would make it and who wouldn’t. She says the stadium won’t last. They have to think about where they’re going next. Alicia says she’ll talk to Madison.

Victor says Al thinks she knows what happened that day, but she’s wrong.

Cole drives up to the stadium, and Madison asks if Victor is okay. Victor drives in behind him. Al asks why he came back, and Victor says he got a reminder of what he stood to lose. He looks at the syrup. Al asks what people thought when they found out about his escape hatch. Madison sees all the supplies, and says it looks like they got a break. Victor tells Al that he didn’t tell them the truth. Al asks Luci what page it opened to.

Luci says they’re going north. Nick asks what if there’s another way of looking at this. They bring the book to Madison. Nick asks what if they went further to scavenge than they have before. Madison says they can’t go that far every time, but he says they only need to go once. He tells her they can get seeds and fertilizer. They can replant, and turn the place back into what it was. Madison says okay, because she’s coming from a place of yes this season.

A tear rolls down Luci’s face.

Alicia tells Madison they have to talk. Al asks if Alicia told her about Naomi.

Alicia knocks on Naomi’s car window as she’s starting to leave. She asks if they ever lived when Naomi thought they were going to die. Naomi tells Alicia to let her do the talking, and Alicia gets in, saying, nice wheels. At the stadium, Naomi says if they’re going to make it work, things will get worse before they get better. She’s going to set up an infirmary.

Alicia says instead of fighting to change everything, she should have told them to leave. Luci says they should have found somewhere else. Victor says he wanted to be a better person, that’s why he’s dead. Luci says they could have stopped it all. Al puts down the camera.

Al stops the van, and they get out. Victor says, this is it. They dig, and John asks, why here? Alicia asks what difference it makes to him, and he says he just wants to know. They continue to dig, and dig up a cache of guns. Al says it’s not about Nick. They’re going after the rest of them, even after what happened to Nick. Alicia says it’s what he would have wanted. Al says answers only matter if they’re true. Alicia says it was the truth, and Al says it was served between two slices of bullsh*t. She tells them good luck without her. Victor says they know where the Vultures are meeting up next, and Al says, they needed a ride. John says she’s been snookered. She asks if they’re really going to lug all this, and Alicia says unless she takes them. John says his seems to be the only story that doesn’t end with someone getting hurt or killed. Victor says if Al wants to know how it ends, come see for herself, and Al tells them to load up the van. Morgan asks Alicia if they’re still planning on burying her brother or are they leaving him on the side of the road? Alicia says they’ll bury him there. Morgan says, he liked growing things, right?

In a spot near a beautiful tree, Victor puts the last dirt on the grave. Luci kneels down and touches it. Morgan leaves a bluebonnet.

As they’re packing the truck, John asks where they got some of it. Alicia says it’s just stuff they’ve picked up along the way. He asks for a knapsack, saying it belonged to Laura.

At the stadium, Naomi asks Alicia for a second alone. She takes out a gun that matches John’s.

John takes out the gun. He says, her name was Naomi. She never told him her real name. He asks where she is, and Alicia says she didn’t make it out of the stadium. Things went wrong. He guesses that trip is off, and asks what happened. Alicia says, she’s dead, and he says that’s not true. She’s out there; she’s gotta be. Victor says, there’s the rub, his story did end up with someone getting hurt. Alicia says they did this. Come with them. John asks them to let him be. Al approaches him. She says she’ll find out what happened, and come back for him. Morgan tells them to go; he’ll stay behind. They drive off. Morgan tells John that he’s sorry. John says he was right. We’re always on our own.

Next time, John and Naomi’s story.

👌 I love the Morgan/John pairing. I have more feels for these characters than the ones on Walking Dead. They just seem more well-rounded. Although I probably enjoy Talking Dead most of all. It’s like the day after a convention (sci/fi, horror, Star Trek, whatever, take your pick), when you rehash everything and look over all the crap you bought.

🏯 I’m not really watching Into the Badlands, although it might be one of those things I consume in one bite On Demand someday. I did glance at it though, and it looks awesome. Like a Quentin Tarantino film, but more colorful. The fight scenes are unbelievable – chicks with swords! – and I’ll bet a lot of the actors go home bruised and sore.

🍷 I didn’t really take in too much of The Real Housewives of Potomac tonight, but there was a stand-out quote, brought to us by Candiace: I think I like her better drunk. I don’t know who she was referring to, but I thought of how well it could apply to anyone in the franchise saying it about anyone else in the franchise.

🐎 Was that Walking Dead’s Simon I saw on Westworld?

👻 Sadly, Ghost Wars has been canceled.

https://www.themarysue.com/syfy-cancels-ghost-wars-after-one-season/

😱 🎢 Imagine Zombies Clogging This Up…

Much worse than spiders. I’m talking to you, Stephen King.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA AbandonedWaterslide

AbandonedWaterslide5

AbandonedWaterslide3 AbandonedWaterslide2

 

Apr23

April 22, 2018 – Madison Meets New People, Quite the Hat, Film Talk & More Than One Random Thought

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

Fear the Walking Dead

Before

Everyone is sleeping like things are normal; like it used to be. Luci makes coffee for Nick, and everybody gets dressed, and ready for the day. All kinds of activities are going on.

Madison asks a little girl about her family, but she doesn’t want to talk. She asks the girl about some of her favorite things instead. Madison says it takes getting used to, but this is home now. She’ll do what she can to make it happen, but needs help. The girl nods. Madison asks where the girl was coming from, and she points. Madison looks out to see zombies wandering around outside the baseball stadium they call home.

Over a loudspeaker, we hear it’s been 365 days. Victor says they’re celebrating, and pours maple syrup over everyone’s breakfast. Madison hammers away at something, and Alicia brings her some food. She tells Madison that they’re leaving in twenty minutes.

The girl talks to Nick about a story that sounds like Faust; a guy selling his soul to the devil. The turnip crop isn’t doing so great, and the girl, whose name is Charlie, asks about food running out. Nick says they’re almost growing enough not to need scavenging.

Madison tells the others where she thinks Charlie is from, but it’s outside the range. Madison says they have to look for her family anyway.

The group gets ready to leave. Nick asks Luci to find Charlie a new book. If she’s reading Faust, hopefully Luci understands to bring back something at a higher reading level than My Little Pony. Luci says Nick should come, but he has a turnip situation. He asks her to make sure Madison comes back this time. Luci tells Madison that Nick has to come out at some point. Madison says he needs to feel safe right now, but he will. Nick finds out it’s weevils causing the crops to fail, and radios the car. They get out of range before he can finish the conversation.

Madison parks, and tells them eyes open, stay close, keep talking. Victor and Luci go through a building that’s been picked clean; even the lightbulbs are gone. Alicia and Madison find a mess and a burned-out car. Madison says it’s lucky Charlie got out alive. Victor realizes the place isn’t just void of survivors, but also the dead. It’s a ghost town without ghosts. (I said that, not him.) Madison sees half-eaten food, and tells Victor that they’ll be there in a minute.

Luci says Madison won’t stop until she looks under every rock. Victor says she wouldn’t stop until she found him. He still hasn’t asked why she helped him after what he did. Luci suggests he does.

Charlie messes with the radio, and Nick tells her it’s okay, they haven’t been gone that long. Charlie knows it’s not a regular run. Nick says if her family is out there, they’ll find them. He asks if she’ll help with the turnips. What is it with turnips? They grow them on The Walking Dead too. Considering my gardening skills lean more toward enthusiasm than actual talent, maybe I should try growing them.

Madison and Alicia look around, but there’s nothing. A woman comes up behind Madison with a gun, and asks for her keys. Madison tells her that she doesn’t have to do this, but the woman keeps a bead on her. Madison signals Victor on the radio. He says, sh*t! and takes off. Madison tells the woman about the settlement. She says they have strong walls, plenty of food, and good people. She says they took in a little girl named Charlie, and asks if the woman knows her, but she says she doesn’t have a kid, and tells Madison to stop. She takes the keys from Madison’s pouch, but runs up against Alicia, with Victor and Luci now behind her. The woman dashes past them. Madison follows.

The woman runs up some steps leading to an oil tank. Alicia asks her to put the gun down, and puts her own down. Alicia tells her to trust them; they’ll give her the car. The woman backs up, and falls into the tank. Lots of falling through roofs going around. It’s dark, and full of oily water. Zombies pop up everywhere. Madison tells Victor to get the hatch open, and jumps down. Victor and Alicia struggle to get it open, but finally do, and oil, water, and zombies flow out. They kill the zombies, and Alicia gets Madison out.

Luci finds a copy of The Little Prince. Well, it’s no Dostoevsky, but better than My Little Pony. Victor wonders why they’re bothering, and Madison says, no one is gone until they’re gone. The woman introduces herself as Naomie. She says she’s sorry; she wasn’t going to hurt her. Madison asks if she has any idea who let the zombies into the tank, but she just got there. Madison asks where she’s from, and Naomie says it’s been a long time since she’s been from anywhere. We hear zombie noises, and Luci says they should leave – now.

Nick burns the turnip crop. A zombie sticks its dead fingers through the fence. Suddenly, music is playing, then fades. Nick wonders if it’s a signal, and he and the others wait to hear it again. There’s just silence, and Nick asks Charlie to open the gate. He gets in a car, takes a deep breath, and rolls out.

Nick remembers being behind a fence, and blowing up the reservoir. Zombies grapple at the car, and Nick runs into something, hitting his head on the dashboard. A sniper from the settlement shoots at the zombies, and radios him to get back. He gets out, and starts walking toward the gate. A zombie starts to come up on him from behind, and in perfect timing, Madison returns and creams it with her car. Luci asks what happened, and Nick says he was out for a stroll. She tells him get in.

Madison wants to talk to Charlie. Charlie says it’s okay; she knows Madison didn’t find them. Madison  tells Charlie that she has to ask another question; not an easy one. What happened at the camp? Who did that? Charlie says nothing, and Madison says they’ll talk later.

Nick gets his wounds dressed by Naomie, who was a nurse, at the ER, then the ICU. Madison doesn’t think it was a surprise to Charlie that they didn’t find her family. Nick leaves, and Naomie says Madison didn’t tell her it was a baseball stadium. Madison says Naomie didn’t believe she had a camp. Naomie asks how many, and Madison says forty-seven; forty-eight if she decides to stay. Naomie says she pulled a gun, but Madison says they’ve all done worse. She thought she’d lost her kids, but found them and found this place. They built it up together. They are who they are because of it. Naomie says they don’t know her. Madison says she doesn’t know them. They’re both taking a chance. She suggests Naomie take a shower, and Naomie is astounded they have one – with hot water.

Victor pushes the car Nick was driving, while another guy steers. Luci radios them to get inside now; ditch the car. They look behind them, where there’s a convoy of large vehicles driving in. They run in, and lock the gate. This doesn’t look good.

A dude rides around on a bicycle, music coming from the boombox on the handlebars. Another guy opens a boxcar, and takes out a ramp. Biking dude leads the zombies up the ramp, and goes out the other side, while the ramp guy locks the zombies in. He puts a flag up that says 12. (In last week’s episode, Al found a flag that said 51, and said she’d seen a lot of those.) A third guy gets out a lawn chair, sits in it, and cracks a beer. Everyone watches. Okay, they have me. I have no clue what’s going on, but obviously these numbers mean something.

Madison walks over to guy sitting down, and asks what he’s doing. He says, having a drink. She asks if there’s a problem, and he says, we’re good, and asks if she wants a drink. She says they have people inside with guns, and he says, that’s a helluva welcome. She tells him that she saw the camp, and the tanks. He asks if she thinks they did that, and she says she saw their flag. He tells her that they had to clean up the mess. The people never thought of what would happen if the bleeder valve got jammed. He warned them, but they didn’t listen. Madison asks what he wants. He wants them to listen. They have a mess of their own. He knows they had a bad batch of turnips, and says to tell Nick to check the other crops; weevils are a bitch to get rid of. Madison asks how he knows Nick’s name. He calls out for Chito, and Charlie walks over.

He tells Charlie, sorry he’s late, but he got her some new records. She smiles, and he tells her to get in the bus. He tells Madison that she’s a good kid. They found her a while back; she has a knack for finding good stuff, and they hit the jackpot here. Madison says they’re not taking anything. He tells her people often say that. They don’t take anything from anyone; not anyone alive anyway. He knows they’re good people, and how many guns they have. He says there’s a natural cycle to a place like this, and they’re due for something to go wrong. They can either give them their stuff and live, or join them. Become one of them, or they wait for them to die, trying to make things work. Either way, he ends up with what he wants. It’s not a threat; it’s the way it goes. He tells Madison that his name is Mel, and holds out his hand. She doesn’t reciprocate, and says they’re not going anywhere. Mel says he’s heard that too. She says they’ve been like them, moving from place to place, and they’re not going back to that life; they’ve found a better way. Mel says they just haven’t been tested yet, but they’re about to be. If she changes her mind, they’ll be waiting. I’m wondering where the women are in this merry band.

Nick toils in the fields. Mel and his friends play more music, country this time. The weevils still rule the turnips. Madison continues to hammer. The others put down their guns, and join her. Takeaway point: Country music makes people do carpentry.

Luci goes out to the bus. Charlie watches from the window as she leaves the book outside. Luci goes back, and joins in on the hammering. Nick remembers working on Jeremiah’s house.

Now

Morgan and John are on their knees, with Madison and her group around them. Morgan says, we’re not who you think we are. Nick rifles through Morgan’s knapsack, and Morgan tells him to help himself. Luci says they must be with them, and holds up the numbered flag. Al asks, who? Victor says, the Vultures. Al has no idea what he’s talking about, and says, if you a-holes would put your guns down, we can help each other. Madison asks who put the flag up, and Al asks what is it to them? Alicia tells Al that she’s going to answer their questions. Al says they found it, and Alicia says show them where.

They get into Al’s truck, and move out.

Next time, Morgan and Nick tussle, Alicia fights zombies, and Morgan says it’s not going to work out how they think. And in case you didn’t know, Naomie is being played by Jenna Elfman.

😸 Ha-Ha!

On Talking Dead, when they say goodbye to those we’ve lost this week, they included Nick’s crop, calling them tur-nopes.

🍸 I barely glanced at The Real Housewives of Potomac, but I did see Robyn trying to have some serious words with Ashley about respect. Ashley was wearing a hat – a fascinator no less – the size of Potomac, and I wondered how Robyn could even keep a straight face, much less discuss anything important. This was during a garden party Gizelle had for a book she was writing (via ghostwriter) about pastor’s wives in the Black church, who are called First Ladies. It’s fiction, but loosely based on her own experiences. I’d definitely read that.

🏯 I was watching a mini-marathon of Abandoned episodes on Viceland this morning (I love that show!), and it led to my leaving the TV on when the original 1980 film of The Shining followed. I’ve never thought it was as good as the book, and thought Jack Nicholson seemed crazy from the jump. I would never let him babysit my hotel over the winter. And Shelley Duvall… well, she was Shelley Duvall. The remake (1997) had more of a sporting chance, since it was a mini-series and had more hours to tell the story. Sadly, although I finally got the topiary animals I wanted to see (Stanley Kubrick couldn’t get them to look right on film in the original, so they were scrapped for the maze), it was somewhat tepid, and lacked the intensity of the original Danny (Danny Lloyd) and Dick Halloran (Scatman Crothers). Which brings me to my point. It was pretty much background noise until Scatman was on the screen. While I love looking at the hotel – sometimes the setting can be one of the stars of the film for me – my favorite scene is when Dick connects telepathically with Danny in the pantry, then explains the shining to him. They just seem so real. That it still captivates me after all these years is a testament to their acting skills. SPOILER – if you’re the one person who hasn’t seen this film. That’s what made it even worse that they killed him off, totally changing the end of the story, where he saves the day. I heard there was supposed to be a third time, again for the big screen. Whether that’s the charm or not, remains to be seen.

🎷🚬 The second episode of Southern Charm New Orleans was on tonight. While Charleston is your upscale country cousin, NOLA is your sultry, mysterious maiden aunt, who never ages, but has a portrait upstairs.

🔌 I saw a commercial for Amazon Echo, and it was a father telling Alexa to announce “ready or not” to his kids during a game of hide-and-seek. How lazy can you get????  Unplug now. Save yourself.

🔮 Danny Learns About His Gift…

🌎 Happy Earth Day! 🌍

Apr22

April 21, 2018 – Double the Dead with Catch-up & a Side of Random Thoughts

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What I Watched Today

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

 

I couldn’t do this last week because the wind blew my internet away. But now, I’m all caught up, and if you weren’t, you will be too. Sorry for the different tenses between shows. It just came out that way.

The Walking Dead

Rick wondered how it happened that Carl got bit. Siddiq explained that his mom believed the dead’s souls were trapped. Carl wanted to honor her to gain Siddiq’s trust, and died paying respects to a woman he never knew. Siddiq had a brainfart, and forgot it was dangerous. Which didn’t exactly answer the question.

Ezekiel told Jerry to justify what they’ve lost, be prepared to lose everything. but they weren’t going to lose sh*t. Daryl still thought Dwight could be setting them up. Morgan got weird, thinking that something was happening, and nearly skewered Henry with his pokey stick. Maggie wouldn’t let the stray Saviors come along for the battle. Morgan insisted on coming, even though Rick was skeptical. Morgan said they were worse than they were, and it was wrong for Rick to have given his word, then double-cross the renegade Saviors. They lost everything good, and can’t go back. Morgan wanted to finish it.

Negan told Dwight that he had nothing, and told his guys to load Dwight up. Eugene personally checked and quality controlled all of the ammunition, and Negan tested it on an effigy of Rick. Eugene suggested a one-fell swooper. Negan decided Gabriel should tag along; he had things to confess.

Negan set up a roadblock, using his own people as bait. He told Gabriel that Rick thought he got the real story. Now he’ll find the map with the time and place, and believe it, because he’s going to kill everyone who could have told him otherwise. Sure enough, Rick kills them all, even the last guy begging for his life. Morgan saw Jared in a vision, and he told Morgan that he should try dying sometime. Ezekiel found the map on one of the dead Saviors, and Carol figured they could get to Negan before he knew what happened.

Gabriel was surprised that Negan wanted to kill everyone; he’d thought Negan didn’t want that to happen. Negan told him it wasn’t about want; it never was. Gabriel bounced out of the moving car, but Eugene helped hunt him down. Negan remembered Gabriel saying he didn’t want to die a fruitless death, and told him you can’t always get what you want, while I got a Rolling Stones earworm. He told Eugene to put Gabriel back in the car.

Jesus tried to explain the conundrum of safety to Morgan, and proposed the pokey end of his stick for the dead, and the blunt end for the living. When Rick and company came out into the open, they heard whistling. It looked like the Saviors had Rick’s people outnumbered by about 300%. Negan said he met Rick’s ambush with a bigger one, and to come out and face them. He wanted to make it fun, so he brought some old friends. He told them that Eugene made today possible; the same with Dwight. He told Dwight he was going to watch them die, and live with that. He was going to clean house, starting with Gabriel. He told Rick there never had to be a fight, if he’d just accepted how things are. Negan started to count down, and they looked like the Jun horde from The Beastmaster coming over the top of the mountain.

They joke was on them, because Eugene had quality controlled the bullets to shoot backward, and they shot themselves. Pretty good trick. Rick announced the charge, and there was lots of shooting, but Negan took off. The ex-Saviors Maggie didn’t want there came anyway. A bunch of Saviors who came out of nowhere, nearly nailed the group, but got blown up by the Oceansiders, who’d decided to join in too. The remaining Saviors kneeled in front of Maggie, and said, it’s over.

Rick went after Negan on his own, but ran out of bullets. They kicked each other’s asses for a while, by the tree where Carl is buried. During a break, Negan told Rick he was bullsh*tting with the eenie, meenie, minie, mo business in the beginning. He just didn’t want to kill a kid’s dad in front of him, but if he had, the kid might still be alive. Negan always makes good points. He told Rick he’s bigger, badder, and has a bat. Rick wanted to talk about the future. He told Negan that Carl said there didn’t have to be a fight. Despite looking somewhat weepy, Negan said Carl was wrong, and Rick slit his throat. Surprising the hell out of me, and probably everyone else, although somehow, it seemed anti-climactic and rude.

Everyone was like, whoa, and then, now what? Rick said Negan was still alive, and told Siddiq to save him. Maggie freaked out, saying they had to end it, and it wasn’t over until Negan was dead. Rick said they were all going home. Negan might be alive, but his way of doing things was over. Anyone who couldn’t live with it would pay the price. He said they were going to live in peace and fairness, and find common ground. The world was theirs, but others would come for them unless they stood together. The new world was going to begin, and there had to be something after. Rosita gave props to Eugene for the sabotage, but punched him in the face anyway for the puke.

Morgan gave Carol his pseudo armor for Henry, and walked off. Rick got teary, as Rick is wont to do these days, and said, mercy prevails over the land. He sat where Carl was buried, and cried.

The ex-Saviors decided to go back to the Sanctuary, hoping to get something out of it.  The guy whose name I can never remember told Maggie that he’d been reading the book, and could make some things. He has a passion for building things, and said she gave him his life.

Daryl took Dwight to the woods. Dwight started crying and saying he knew what he did, and knew he’d have to face it and pay. He was ready; it was enough to see Negan taken down. He cried, saying how sorry he was, and Daryl told him to shut up. He tossed Dwight some car keys, and said to keep going. If he saw Dwight again, he’d kill him. As Dwight walked away, Daryl told him to find her. I assumed he meant Sherry.

Gymboree Jadis was reading at the trash heap when Morgan showed up. He told her that Rick said she could come back if she wanted. He explained that Rick wanted to show people that things can change, and needed all the hands he could get. He told her that she didn’t want to be alone, and everything in life worth a damn, is people. She told him her name is Ann, which was kind of a let-down. He told her he needed to be alone, and go back without him, which made perfect sense considering what he’d just said.

Dwight went back home to the cabin in the woods (no, not that one), where he found a note. it just said honeymoon, with an infinity symbol below it.

In Maggie’s office, she told Jesus that he was right. She had no regrets, but he and Rick were right. Rick wasn’t right about Negan though. She said they had to make it thrive for the people who live there. They needed strength, and the ability to defend themselves better, but RIck was wrong; Michonne too. She said they were going to bide their time, wait for the right moment, and then show him. Daryl came out of the shadows, and said, yeah, they will. I don’t like this.

Negan woke up, his neck bandaged, handcuffed to a bed. Michonne said she needed to tell him some things. They planned on making him watch what happens. Rick said it wasn’t about who he killed, but what he did to so many, making them live for him and putting them under the boot. Negan struggled to say, he saves people, and Michonne put her hand on his throat. Rick suggested they could open his stitches for a while. Rick said Carl pitched something better; working together for something bigger than all of them. Michonne added, being an example. They weren’t going to kill or hurt him, but his fate was to rot in a cell for the rest of his life, evidence that they’re making and getting back a civilization like they had. He’ll get to see how wrong he was about what people and life can be. They’ll show people things changed by keeping him breathing. Michonne said after all this, he’s good for something.

Gabriel went to the burned out church and thanked God. He said he understood, and knew now. He’s been given so much, and now he can see.

Rick wrote to Carl. As he wrote, we saw them in the old days, walking down a road. He told Carl that he forgot who he was, and Carl made him remember. He remembered walking with him, and knew who he was for the first time. They were walking side by side, but Carl was bringing him somewhere. To the new world. He made it real. Rick sees it and remembers. Officer Rick and little Carl continued to walk down the road.

Moving right into…

Fear the Walking Dead

Out in the middle of nowhere, a man stands by a truck. He hears something, and asks if anyone is there. He longs to hear someone else’s voice, and suggests they come out and have something to eat. He talks about his life before, and says he can make popcorn. He also has books. He says, since no one is there, before he goes quiet again for another year, he has a story. He talked to a woman who showed up. He let her stay. They had feelings for each other, and one day, they allowed it. He hoped by saying it, he would see it. He did. It was nice, and there hasn’t been a lot of nice. We hear a zombie. The man shoots it, and we see Morgan just behind. The man introduces himself as John Dory, like the fish. He asks Morgan what’s his story?

Morgan is at the trash heap. Jesus knocks at the entrance. He thought they could continue their acquaintance. He insists Morgan cares about people, and tries to get him to come back.

Morgan is alone again. There’s another knock at the entrance, and this time it’s Carol. She asks him to come back. He helped her, so let her help him. She’s not going to tell him what to do, but he belongs with people who care about him.

Again, Morgan is alone. Rick shows up, and says he can hide, but he can’t run. He wouldn’t be alive if not for Morgan. Rick was hurt, and Morgan brought him in. Morgan wasn’t shot, but he’s been hurt. He asks Morgan to come back, and not to waste another second. He’s alive and part of the world. A lot of people are there because he helped them. Morgan says that’s not him anymore. Rick disagrees, saying he’ll end up with people one way or another. He’s part of the world already, so just come back. Rick leaves.

Morgan packs up his stuff, and gets his stick. He takes a long last look at the trash, and moves on down the road. He thinks about Rick’s words, and starts to run. He hotwires a car, and the gas tank is miraculously full. He walks some more. He sees a group of people, and avoids them. He finds another car, and drives again. He goes into a town and sees a cluster of zombies.

He opens a car to find someone who’s sick and shaky. He starts to leave some supplies, but the guy doesn’t want them. Morgan says, sorry. He thought the guy was on his own. The guy says, we all are. Morgan moves along, and it starts to rain.

Morgan comes up behind a zombie in the woods. A shot rings out, the zombie falls, and we’re back to the beginning. John tells Morgan he’d like company, but Morgan is hesitant. John asks if he’s seen a woman with a pistol like his; he’s looking for her. Morgan says he hasn’t, and starts to leave, but John suggests he stay the night; he can take the back of the truck. Morgan sees the wisdom in a good night’s rest. He slips out later while John is snoring.

Morgan finds a tent with a lantern lighting the inside. He sets down his stick and gets whacked in the head. I jump a mile.

Dude tells Morgan, whatever he’s thinking, don’t. Morgan says keep the food, and he’ll go. Dude doesn’t want him telling no one. Morgan says he has no one to tell, and doesn’t want to know anyone. John is suddenly there, and shoots dude in the arm. He says he’s looking out for his friend, and dude says he has friends too. They’re surrounded, and John says now he got himself captured. He’s reminiscent of Eugene in how he speaks.

A big ass truck drives into the tent city, or whatever it is. The woman behind the wheel asks what’s going on, and remarks they have new people. She likes new people. She has a cake and some Cup O’Noodles, the good kind, and she’ll throw in some Pall Malls. Apparently, dude likes Pall Malls. She opens the hatch of the truck to reveal a couple of machine guns. She tells dude, there’s always a choice, and this is an easy one. Morgan and John get in the truck.

The woman’s name is Althea; Al for short. John asks if she’s an officer of the law, and she says, not exactly. She tells them that they owe her. She didn’t save them out of the goodness of her heart. John draws his gun, but she says she just wants to ask them questions. What they’ve seen, who they’ve met, where they’ve been, and where they’re going. She tells them that she’s a journalist, pulls over, and picks up a video camera.

Al interviews John, who talks about Laura. Al asks how they got split up. He says it’s not a happy story, and gets vague. Morgan asks why it matters; there are no news stations anymore. She says he owes her. He tries to give her some food instead, but she only wants his story. He just wants to go. John gives him some clean socks for the road.

Dude comes back with his friends to hassle Al. They want the truck. Dude asks for Morgan’s stick. Morgan slams him with it, and he and john get the better of dude and several of his guys. John gets his gun back. Morgan jumps onto a truck, and John inadvertently lets a bunch of zombies loose. Dude tries to steal Al’s truck, but doesn’t have the keys. Al flings them away, and dude tries to run for them, but a zombie goes after him. Morgan gets shot in the leg by a sniper, who’s been a bad shot up until now. Morgan knocks him around on the roof. The sniper falls off, but hangs onto the ledge, dangling above a gaggle of zombies. Morgan holds out his hand, and pulls him back up. As thanks, the sniper punches Morgan. This is a good example of no good deed going unpunished. They both tumble through the roof. No surprise, Morgan does not help a second time, and gets the hell out. He throws a grenade or something, ducks, and the room blows up. He goes back outside.

John and Morgan shoot and pike zombies. Dude harasses Al for the keys until John finally shoots him, and leaves him for zombie food. Al gets in her truck, opens up the guns, and kills the rest of the zombies. And they all lived happily ever after. Not quite, but they lived.

Al says Morgan still owes her. He tells her to pull over. She films as he talks about Alexandria and the Kingdom. He says there was a big fight, but he left before he left. She asks why he left, but he thinks she should talk. He asks why it’s important, but she doesn’t want to return the favor. She says one real thing, and they’re even. Why did he leave? He tells her that he loses people, then he loses himself. He starts walking down the road again.

Morgan sees the station wagon the sick guy was in, and sees someone walking in the distance. He follows them, but some zombies, feeding by the side of the road, decide to follow Morgan. Since his leg was injured in the fight, he can’t go too fast, and he falls. They’re on him, but John appears once again, and pikes them in the heads.

Morgan needs to know who it is walking up the road. I guess he’s hoping the guy made it, but that’s a no, and he ends up spearing now-zombie guy in the head with his stick. He says he’ll travel with them until his leg heals, and no asking questions. Al says she’s not going to stop, and he says, no answers then. John says she’s taking him to look for Laura in exchange for more story.

Al sees someone in the middle of the road. Both Morgan and John inform her that they don’t kill. She tells them it’s a great moment to share that information. It’s a girl, hunched over. Al asks if she’s injured, and tells Morgan to get the first aid kit. The girl says there are bad people there, then grabs Al in a headlock. It’s Alicia. Victor, Madison, ♫ and the rest ♫, come out from the forest. Al asks what Alicia’s story is.

And there we have it. Until tomorrow night.

🔎 An Observation…

Andrew Lincoln always looks like a businessman on an interview when he’s a guest on Talking Dead.

🎬 Another Thing I Watched…

Mourning Son is a 2015 documentary about the murder of Dave Navarro’s mother, and how it’s affected him throughout his life. It’s also a glimpse into what an incredible artist he is. I had no idea about his background, but always thought he was a very honest and kind man. When Bill Maher was hosting Politically Incorrect – before he fully turned into a mean curmudgeon, and was just working on it – I saw Dave put him in his place when he was talking out of his ass. I’ve admired him ever since. Even more so after seeing this excellent film.

🎆 Right now, I’m (finally) watching Girl’s Trip, and between this and Star, can confirm that Queen Latifah wears more fabulous wigs than the entire cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta put together.

🛀 Enjoy the Remaining Weekend Like…

Minions

Apr9

April 8, 2018 – The Battle of Negan & Simon, a Little Atlanta, a Dash of Potomac & Bye-Bye Weekend

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

Rick reads Carl’s letter and gazes out the window. Carl talks about his eighth birthday, and other things he remembers from how it used to be. Tears rolls down Rick’s cheeks. It’s not just the stuff that happened, but how Carl felt, special and safe. He thought growing up would mean a family and a job, but it means keeping those you love safe. He wants Rick to feel safe, like he did when Rick held his hand on walks. He doesn’t think the Saviors will surrender, but there’s regular people in there. They’re close to starting over, and have friends now – there have to be more places and people; a chance to make changes and have a real life. If they won’t end it, he has to. He has to find peace and move forward; not forget, but make it so it won’t happen again. Show them they can be safe again without killing, and maybe one day they’ll have birthdays, schools, jobs, and pizza on Friday night, like they used to. Carl tells Rick to take Judith on walks like they had, because she’ll remember. He tells Rick that he loves him. Rick sees Michonne walking hand-in-hand with Judith.

Michonne lies on the bed, pondering. She checks the nightstand. There’s a letter for Negan in the drawer. I’m hoping somehow, Rick and Negan can work together as frenemies. Not just because I think Jeffrey Dean Morgan is nearly everything on this show, but there’s a tremendous amount of story potential there. Please, Walking Dead, don’t blow another opportunity.

Gregory tells Simon that he came back to make amends. Simon is pissed because Gregory made him look like an ass. Gregory says his intel wasn’t current. Juice and momentum can give you a chance in the game. He had it, and did it. Maggie had Hilltop by the nut, and he didn’t know it. He wants to make it right with Negan. Simon tells him that he’s Negan, and not in the collective sense, but he’s assumed control. Negan no longer in the field of play. Gregory calls Simon, the man, and says he knew he could do it. Negan had a big personality, but was too unconventional. Simon is a leader. Simon tells Gregory that’s why he can’t be seen going easy on him. He has the juice and momentum, and wants to keep it. Ergo, Gregory goes. Gregory says the stupid troglodytes at the Sanctuary can’t advise him in community affairs and politics. Simon tells him, it’s ended. Gregory says he’s achieved, survived, and suffered too much. He’s been reborn as a certified sh*t-kicker. It’s not going to end with him wandering into the wilderness with his d*ck in his hand. Gregory says, he is the juice. Simon throws him to the ground. He says he wasn’t going to send Gregory away; he was going to kill him. He asks if Gregory can make coffee, and Gregory says, the best in the land. Simon tells him they’ll start with coffee, and see where it goes. Is this a date?

The Oceanside people go through the woods. Still trying to convince them to fight, Aaron is there, and is so dehydrated and weak, he can barely fight off a zombie. Cyndie says they made their choice. If wants to die in the woods, that’s his.

Eugene shows the Savior ladies the dish he’s made – mac and cheese with sardines – a staple from his college days. It’s a lasting energy source. He eats some, and says it takes him back. It’s all that’s on the menu until the order is complete. He reminds everyone that their lives are on lock. Negan is MIA, and Simon has taken over. They need to be lickety-quick, but he thinks the best they can hope for, is to squeeze out the bare minimum needed to stop Simon from finding out how short they are. Gabriel coughs up a lung, and Eugene tells him to keep his mask on. He either has influenza or cocca-something. Either way, it’s airborne or he would be dead.

He brings a bullet over to Gabriel, and asks him to feel it. Morgan says the imperfection was intentional. He wanted to make it so didn’t work. He doesn’t want anyone to die. Eugene asks if he wants to die, and Gabriel says he doesn’t want to hep him, but does fear death. He thinks maybe it’s God’s way of showing he’s still the same person who locked his parishioners out. He’s still the same scared animal, doing what he can to survive. Eugene tells him to find an unobtrusive corner; he’s off the line. He tells Gabriel to try not to cry too loud. He’s going outside to test rounds not compromised by Gabriel’s chicanery.

Eugene goes outside, and is ambushed by Daryl and Rosita. They spirit him away.

Dwight goes out for a smoke, and hears Negan’s whistle. Negan asks him if he’s surprised. He shouldn’t be. Dwight says they found his car, and Simon thought – Negan cuts him off, telling him it was a real punch in the d*ck (his second favorite word). Rick cornered him with those decomposed a-holes, and Dwight and Simon never showed. He knows what they were thinking, and wants to know if Dwight remembers who he is. He tells Dwight the conversation is just between them. Dwight says, Simon is his number two, and he thought Negan would want him to go by Simon’s call. Dwight says, he’s Negan. Negan says, good; that’s what he likes to hear. He tells Dwight that when time comes, and it will, to remember this talk. Remember what they’ve done, and can still do together. Dwight looks relieved.

In the boardroom, Simon tells Negan that he thought Negan had been killed, and he was gone. Negan polishes Lucille. Simon admits he lacks discipline, and made it personal. That’s why he moved it from infection to extermination at Hilltop. Things went bad, but he owns it, and asks for a pass. He’ll make it up to Negan; he promises. Negan smiles, and ask if Simon remembers when he took this place; when Simon helped him? He wasn’t sure he wanted to keep Simon on board before he had a system in place. Simon had killed all those people in a settlement long ago. People think that’s psychotic sh*t from a demented, broken ghoul. That’s someone you don’t want to work with, let alone stand next to. He figured he’d figure keep an eye on Simon, and everything seemed to work out until this point. He tells Simon he needs him on his knees. Simon gets ready for a bat in the head, but Negan says, all is forgiven. Get his ass up; they’re good. Simon tells Negan that he won’t let him down. Negan says he appreciates the hell out of that.

Negan has a board meeting, and a Savior takes out a map. Negan points, saying this is where they start. They don’t have to take Hilltop, but they’re going to make sure the farmers can’t leave. If they poke their heads out, the Saviors will clip their asses. They’re going to have teams 24/7, sniping them one by one, until they have full contrition. Simon is happy to have Negan back, and Negan says it’s good to be back. Negan tells them clear out, except for Dwight. He wants to kick around some things. I’m sure Dwight thinks one of those things is his head.

Negan tells Dwight he’s smart as hell. No matter what, he didn’t stew or do anything stupid. He just went about the business of getting his. Nothing shook him. He kept his eyes on what could keep him alive and well. He tells Dwight to keep on keeping that sh*t clear. Dwight nods, and Negan smiles.

Eugene suspects he’s alive because they have a nostalgia for comradery, but he’ll give them space until they’re ready to break the ice. Daryl pulls out a large knife, telling Eugene to shut his mouth or he’ll cut Eugene’s tongue out. Rosita tells Daryl to keep on moving; they’re going to be looking for him. Eugene thanks her, and she tells him to shut up. He tells her that she’s the one who told him making bullets would save lives. He thought the crack of a bat would be the last thing he’d hear, and then thought Negan would torture him, but he didn’t. He gave Eugene a chance to live. Rosita says everyone who has died since then is on him. He says Rick pushed to take the Savior’s home. Rosita pulls out her gun, calling him a selfish coward and a traitor. He turned his back on the friends he had, and didn’t give a rat’s ass about them. They’re going to stick him in the darkest hole, and the only time he’ll come out is when need him to teach them something. He’ll get his wish and live, but they’ll be forcing him to do something useful with his pathetic life.

Dwight writes things on the map. There’s a knock at the door, and he hides everything. It’s Simon, who says, it went well. The status quo has been re-achieved. He asks why Dwight was held back, and Dwight says, for a pep talk. Simon tells him they need to have a serious talk with others who are less than thrilled with the current management. It saddens him, but the time has come to gather like-minded individuals to gather strength, and do what need to do. He tells Dwight to think about what Negan has done to him. Everything he’s extracted; every indignity. He knows what he has to do. They’re meeting in the courtyard after rounds, and going to begin what’s next. Dwight says, all right, and Simon grabs his shoulders, and says, yes, my boy. Well, if it was a tossup I don’t think I’d pick Simon.

Daryl shoots some zombies with arrows.  While the zombies are being a distraction, Eugene sticks his fingers down his throat, and makes himself throw up on Rosita. Considering what he ate, that’s pretty disgusting, but she barely flinches. He takes off, and she shoots at him, but he gets through a hole in a fence. She and Daryl follow. Rosita says they can’t let him get back, and suggests they blow his head off. As soon as they pass, Eugene comes out from under a pile of ashes and mess.

Aaron is sleeping in the woods. It starts to rain, and he gets some water from a can nearby. He hears zombie sounds, and takes out his knife. It’s a mean-looking one, and he pikes it in the head. If we were in a 42nd Street movie theatre, I’d yell, look out behind you! Another zombie grabs him, and they fall together. Aaron loses the knife, and the zombie grabs at his legs. He manages to kick its brain out of its head, but here comes another one. The knife is lost, but he grabs a pokey stick, and skewers it. Yet one more comes, knocking him down, and it’s inches from his face only separated from him by the stick. He gets the upper hand, and beats the non-living crap out of it with the stick. He lies there, rain pouring down, surrounded by the now dead undead.

Someone asks if he’s dead. It’s the Oceansiders. He says they left him. It’s what the Saviors turned them into. They lie, they don’t trust, and don’t live the way they want because of the Saviors. The Saviors hurt them, and will keep on hurting them, unless they do one thing – fight. They just look at him vacantly, and I’m thinking this group seriously lacks personality. Give them a personality or get rid of them.

Commercial break. Red Machete is still not happening for me.

Dwight waits in the courtyard. The others come out, Gregory among them. Simon tells them that if they’re here right now, they’re in. They can talk about approaches and finesses, but they’re in; no take backs. They need to make it quick, quiet, and respectful. Negan has done a lot for them, and deserves it. He says Dwight has legit personal issues with Negan, so the kill is his if he wants it. Something quiet – not a knife, that’s too personal. Maybe a silencer. Then they’ll set a break to start healing. The destruction of Hilltop and its people, and then get on with their lives. He says, right, Dwight?

We hear whistling, and I literally lol. Negan says he’ll take it from here. He says, three… two… one… There are gunshots, and the renegade Saviors drop, save for Gregory, Simon, and Dwight. Two Saviors come out for Simon. Simon lunges at Negan, who says there’s the Simon he knows. He’s coming at him, instead of doing that backstabbing bullsh*t. He asks, why? After everything he did for Simon. He killed the garbage people, when Negan specifically told him not to do that. He pounds on one of the dead Saviors with Lucille. He says after all this, him being him, he’s still going to give Simon his share. If you want to be the man, you got to beat the man. If he can do that, then hell, he should be the man.

Inside everyone gathers. Simon blathers about how they have to get to work when this is done, and how he didn’t want this, but the Sanctuary must stand. As he’s talking, he catches Negan off-guard with a punch. He gets his bearings, and they fight. I’m just a little worried, since Negan is wearing his leather jacket, which probably isn’t a good idea. Negan gives Simon a head-butt. Simon goes down, and Negan kicks him in the face. Gregory inches away. Dwight grabs him, and tells him to get out now. He gives Gregory a map, telling him to give it to Rick. It’s about tomorrow, and the only move they’ve got. He hands Gregory some car keys. Hopefully, he won’t just keep driving.

Negan straddles Simon, strangling him. Finally, he lies still. Negan gets up, and says, what an a-hole. I realize my mouth is open. The crowd was certainly quiet about it. I have to admit, I’ll be glad I won’t have to work around writing Simon says anymore.

Gregory is shoved into the pen at Hilltop. Maggie gives the map to Rick. End Negan, end the risk, is written on it, along with something about where they’ll be. Maggie asks what they’re going to do.

Negan tells Dwight that Simon was a d*ckless worm. What else could he do but crush his throat? But what was bad for Simon, is good for him. They’ve had their ups and downs, but he’s always been able to count on Dwight. He’d like Dwight to be his right-hand man, if he’ll accept the promotion. Dwight agrees. He wants to help Negan finish things with Rick. Negan tells him not to sell himself short. He already has.

Laura, who knew Dwight was a traitor, is in his room. Negan says he found her on the side of the road. She says in Alexandria, he killed their team. She ran and kept running. She wanted to expose him for the scum weasel he is. Negan says it makes sense. He told RIck when to attack, and how to get to the outpost. He’s been slipping workers guns, and maybe even lied about Shari. He thinks he’s some sort of hero, but he’s a nobody and way over his head. When he said Dwight comes through when he’s needed, he meant it. He knew he could count on him delivering the plan to Rick – the brilliant fake-ass plan. He used Gregory. Negan thought he’d take a field trip, but he got a delivery boy; good for him. All that intel will lead them directly into the line of fire. They won’t know what hit them, all thanks to his new right-hand man. He’d thought about killing him, but that was too dignified for a backstabbing, double-crossing dirtbag. Negan says he has plans for Dwight, and laughs.

Looking all angry and rumpled, Eugene tells the workers that they have to prepare to protect the Sanctuary. Negan is back, and they’re going to finish Hilltop. A messenger tells him Negan needs the bullet order by tomorrow. He says to give Negan his personal congratulations on his return. His request will be filled in its entirety, and on time. If he needs bullets, he’s going to get them. All of them. They’re going to rise to the occasion, and will change Savior history forever. He tells Gabriel, all hands on deck. He’s going to be sorting shells. Follow his lead, or cry and die. He says, here we go. He quotes Rosita, saying, time to do something useful with their pathetic lives.

Yay! Simon is a zombie chained to the fence. He’s a good one too; a snapping maniac. Negan is on the deck, and Michonne radios him from a rooftop nearby. He asks if Rick is with her, and to put him on. She says this isn’t about Rick; it’s about Carl. Carl wrote him a letter, and she’s delivering it because that’s what he wanted. Negan says he can’t promise not to kill the messenger, and she tells him, shut up and listen. She reads.

Carl tells Negan that he was helping someone, and got bit. Now he’s gone. Negan might be gone, but he doesn’t think so. He wonders if Negan is working on a way out. Maybe got out. Maybe he thinks it’s a lost cause, and wants to kill them all. He wishes he could have asked if Negan feels that he has to be who he is. If this is what he wanted or wished he could have. The way out is forgiveness. There doesn’t have to be a fight. He hopes his dad offers peace, and he takes it. He hopes things can change. It did for him. He can still start over. Negan listens to every word so thoughtfully, I want to cry.

Negan says, there is no getting out of it now. He wouldn’t accept surrender if they were on their knees. Winning isn’t about beating them, but killing every last one of them. That is starting over. He never wanted this. Rick made it happen. Tell him that. No more talk. He throws the radio down and stomps on it, along with my storyline dreams.

Next week – both the finale of The Walking Dead (at 9 pm), and the premiere of Fear the Walking Dead (at 10 pm). Morgan tells Rick to finish it, the Saviors attack, and Dwight is sent to Jaundice Jadis. I can’t wait to see Fear, since they’re setting up camp in an amusement park. Abandoned amusement parks are creepy all on their own. Add zombies, and you can’t lose.

🍹 A Quick Wives Note…

🍑 The Real Housewives of Atlanta know how to pour on the glam. It was part one of their reunion, and Porsha went full-on princess with a tiara, mammoth jeweled earrings, and a blue velvet gown. Although she claimed to be a goddess because she’s grown. The earrings were all huge, sparkly, and fabulous. Only Kandi was slightly lower key with the accessories, but made up for it with the bling on her gown. NeNe was in red lace and fringe. Kenya was in a frilly yellow explosion. She confirmed her pregnancy, but she never did actually say, I’m pregnant, which made me wonder if the bun is in someone else’s oven. Cynthia had the most glamorous, Rapunzel-like side ponytail ever, and was wearing a red gown fit for a quinceañera. Marlo joined them swathed in lavender cotton candy. Only Sheree was a bit of a disappointment. Her gigantic emerald earrings passed, but she was covered all the way to her chin in a gown of silken material that did not look good on film. She said it was Gucci. Was it his nun period? I wondered if her new felon man doesn’t want her showing any skin. A viewer even pointed out that she seemed unusually covered up this season.

🏰 The Real Housewives of Potomac has mostly centered around Karen’s tax issues, since apparently her husband owes the government. They moved out of the neighborhood, although her idea of downsizing isn’t like the average person’s idea. I guess now they only have 6000 square feet and one pool. What blew my mind though, were the rest of them demanding answers from her like it was their right to know. I’m not a huge fan of Karen’s, but they were like a pack of vultures.

WeekendOver

WeekendGoodby

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apr2

April 1, 2018 – Everyone is Looking for Something, Wrong Lane Legend, Some Ramble & My Neighbor’s Brother

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

At the trash heap, Tardis Jadis hears shooting, and covers Negan with a bunch of material. She plays dead, and several people run past. A guy stops and spits on her. Lucky for her, he keeps moving. When it’s over, she removes her boots and coat, and is in the nightgown she wore when she killed the other Heapsters.

Wearing normal clothing – a plaid flannel shirt and jeans – Jadis retreats to a long, narrow bedroom that’s in amazingly pristine condition, and even has a skylight.  She picks up a now clean Lucille, and checks her watch. She goes to the container. She goes to the container. Negan says, what the sh*t?  He’s tied up, and she pulls him out on a dolly.

Carol chops wood. Ezekiel wants to look for Henry, but she says Maggie needs her. He tells her that she’s choosing not to leave; why? Does she believe Henry is already dead? She told him to pretend until it’s so, yet she can’t. He thought she was the bravest person he’d met, but no. She’s being stopped by cowardice.

Tara tells Daryl it’s been over a day, and she’s still not sick. He says she got lucky. She says Dwight shot her with clean arrow. Everyone else who got hit, got sick. It can’t be an accident. Daryl asks if Dwight gets a pass. Tara reminds Daryl about telling her that they might need Dwight. If she’d killed him, now she’d be dead. She thinks it’s personal with Daryl, and he’s not looking at the whole picture.

Michonne asks Rick if he wants to read it. He gets his coat, and says they need food. She asks what he wrote to Rick. Rick doesn’t know; he can’t. Michonne says he has too. Someone stopped her, and now she’s stopping him. Carl wrote it because he wanted Rick to read it. It was one of his last wishes. She tells Rick that he’s staying. She takes his coat and bag, and leaves the room. Rick looks like he has a headache, and takes out the letter.

Morgan sees Carol, and she asks if he’s looking for him for the Saviors. She says he doesn’t have to, but he says he does. He was supposed to do it before. Carol says fine, but she’s coming with him.

In Maggie’s office, Rosita says if the Saviors come back, they can’t defend a sizeable attack. Daryl thinks hand-to-hand combat is the way to go. Maggie asks if he thinks they’re running out of ammo, but Rosita says they have their bullet-maker; they’ll never run out, but she knows where to find him.

Negan tells Jaundice Jadis that whatever happened, he can smell it. He told her that he thinks people are a resource; he doesn’t throw that away. He’s confident that most people can be put on the right path; his own path. He wouldn’t have done this. It’s the work of someone not following the program, but it’s his mistake; he’ll own this. He took a chance, and thought he was doing the right thing, and punched himself in the d*ck. He’s sorry. He really is sorry. Jadis says she lost all she had. He tells her that he can help get it back. She brings Lucille down about an inch from his face.

Carol tells Morgan it makes sense that they stayed near the road. She finds a partially eaten turnip, and says, they were here. Morgan sees something and runs, calling Henry’s name. Carol follows. Morgan sees Henry, who turns around. He looks like death, and says, you know where it is; you were supposed to. Morgan says he’s not there, and tells Henry he’s not there. He tells Carol that Henry is dead. Carol says she didn’t come to look for Henry, but keep an eye on Morgan. She saves people, but she can’t save the dead. Morgan says he’s not dead. He doesn’t die; he just sees them – again and again. Even when he looks away, he still sees them. They continue to walk, Morgan in the lead. He sees a zombie whose head was cracked open with a rock. He says they came through here. Maybe it was a shortcut.

Rick watches Judith play. A single tear rolls down his face. He goes out with his gun, and asks Alden where they went. Alden says his best and only guess is the Sanctuary. He says they talked about getting out, but he hadn’t given their plans too much credit. Rick asks how he would do it, and Alden tells him about an old dive bar Negan talked about turning into an outpost. He asks Rick to do him a favor, and if Rick finds them, not to kill more than he has to. He says it went bad last night. They made a wrong choice, but it probably hasn’t hit some of them yet. He says Rick could bring them back and show them. Rick says he could.

Jadis’s watch beeps. She tosses Lucille, and walks off. Negan says, let’s talk about this. He had nothing to do with it. He moves himself along on the dolly with his feet. Jadis slides out a luggage cart with a zombie attached to it. It’s super weird, like the zombie is part of the cart. Negan says if she really wanted to harm him, she wouldn’t have left him near a bag full of guns, along with pictures of her nearest and dearest. She looks out, and he has a gun in one hand, and a lit flare in the other. Nearby are several photos. He suggests they have a chat.

Down the road, Carol and Morgan see a herd of zombies crossing. Carol thinks they should wait, and let it pass. Morgan says they could lose the trail, but Carol is afraid of losing more than that. A zombie stumbles toward them, and Morgan pikes it in the head. He starts to walk down the road, and Carol says maybe they can find them by another road. Morgan says he knows what they’ll find. She says he won’t know unless they keep going, and she won’t know unless she tries. He can try too. Morgan says he can’t. She saves people; he watches them die. He’s supposed to. Carol says he found her. He saved her. He knew she could come back, and he can too. He says it wasn’t him. He’s not strong like her. He was there watching them, knowing something would happen, and then it did. He has to kill him. He walks off. Carol calls to him, and then walks in the opposite direction.

Gimcrack Jadis tells Negan to leave the pictures alone. He says he figured they meant something to her. Considering the way things are, she can’t just pop around corner and order friends. He’s asking her one more time, what the sh*t is this? Is this how she kills people? Jadis mimics him, saying people are a resource. She asks him to put the flare away. It’s all she has left. He took her world; her everything. He tells her that his wife’s name was Lucille. She got him through. He didn’t give her sh*t, and she got him through regular life. The bat got him through this. He named the bat after her. It’s the last piece of what he has of her life, like Jadis’s photos. Jadis says, yes, and her watch beeps. She pushes the cart toward him, jumping around it. She knocks the gun out of one hand, and tries to grab the flare, but it falls into a puddle. A helicopter comes by, and she runs inside. Negan says, what the sh*t? for the fifteenth time. Jadis runs back out with a lit flare, but it’s too late. She walks over to where Lucille is, amid a pile of kindling, and is about to light it on fire. Negan says he didn’t burn her pictures. What will she have after she burns Lucille? Just a pile of ashes. She says she gets to hurt him, and he says he didn’t do it, but he can settle it. She puts the flare down, and cries.

Rick runs through the woods. He and Morgan see each other. Morgan is about to whack Rick with his staff, and Rick says Morgan knows him. Morgan says he’s not right, and Rick says out here for them and they’ll finish it. He and Morgan go out to the road, and see a car with fresh body parts next to it. The screen goes to black, and we hear shots.

In the dive bar, the Saviors are talking about two guys who are lying there. Jared wants to get rid of them, saying they don’t look too good. Another Savior says maybe that’s because they hacked part of them off. I guess these are the guys who belong to the body parts. Jared says, even if they make it, who’s waiting? They need to make their own way. If they deliver Rick to Negan, they’ll win big and be recognized. He asks if Rick is ready to walk. They’re ditching the dead weight and moving on. Jared is about to kill the two wounded men, and one Savior says they can get them to the doctor at Hilltop. Rick suggests they come back with him. He says they chose wrong, but it’s not too late. Cut them free, cooperate, make a fresh start, and become part of a community. He’s giving his word. There’s not a lot worth much anymore, but a man’s word means something. Jared looks skeptical. He asks if Rick thinks they’re dumb enough to believe him. He asks Jared to hear him out. They don’t have much time. They’re headed this way. They need to make a choice now.

The Saviors start to get nervous, and Jared says, there’s no herd, and there’s no deal at Hilltop. Rick didn’t come to save them. He came for blood. He says, this one here, indicating Morgan, strangled one of his own men with his bare hands. Jared accuses Rick of saying bullsh*t. Morgan says he came here to do what he was supposed to; kill every last one of them. Jared holds a gun to Morgan’s head. Morgan smiles, and tells him to save his bullets. He’s going to need them. The herd is coming, and after, when he’s just torn skin, loose teeth, and blood – stuff the zombies didn’t eat – it will be a damn shame, because there will be none of them left to kill. Now tell us how you really feel, Morgan. Jared tells the Saviors, let’s dump and bounce. Morgan says it never changes. He doesn’t die. No one does. Everybody turns. Jared is about to shoot Morgan, when another Savior stops him.

They hear the herd. Zombies begin to flow in. Jared is like, WTF?! and shoots at them. Rick yells for someone to cut them loose. Someone knocks Jared down, but it backfires, and they get eaten. Jared takes off. Morgan and Rick get loose, and get their weapons. Rick shoots, and Morgan uses his big stick. There are several Saviors helping them dispatch the zombies, and they kill them too. I’m like, he-e-ey. Rick throws the last one to a zombie. Wow. He’s harsh. Morgan looks around in the rooms behind the bar. He sees Henry by the pool table. But not for long. Jared pops out, and attacks Morgan with some pointy thing that looks pretty dangerous. He almost stabs Morgan in the throat, but Morgan throws him off and out, closing a metal gate that separates the rooms. It’s a kind of chain link, so Morgan watches Jared trying to grab through the openings. Jared screams as zombies tear his flesh from him. Morgan shows no emotion.

A dying Savior tells Rick this isn’t what he said, and Rick says, he lied. He shoots the guy in the head. Hmm… I don’t know how I feel about this. Morgan says, everybody turns, and walks out. Rick says Morgan saved him; he would have died. Maybe on the street in front of Morgan’s house. Morgan didn’t know him; why did he do it? Morgan says they should go. Rick says, just tell him. He had his son then. Morgan says, because his son was there. I forgot all about that.

Negan has Lucille back. Anthrax Jadis looks at the pictures. Negan asks what happened there; what was that was all about? He tells her to come with him and he’ll follow a new path. She’s not interested, but he says, the offer stands. Maybe he’ll swing by again. Who knows? Maybe she’ll want to share. He leaves, and I’m disappointed she didn’t go with him. And it seems Negan is better at keeping his word than Rick is.

Carol annihilates some zombies, after seeing Henry is trapped in a tangle of roots along a swamp. She pulls him out, and he says he’s sorry. She hugs him, and he cries. She says she was wrong; he can survive.

The wall guards at Alexandria bang on the sheet metal, and hoot and holler. Jerry runs to get Ezekiel. Carol and Henry walk in. Henry runs to Ezekiel. Carol nods, and keeps walking. Henry and Ezekiel hug. Nice welcome, but way to draw a crowd of zombies.

Carol tells Ezekiel that he was right, she was afraid. He says, but she’s no coward. Carol says she had a daughter. After she lost her, Carol was nothing. The people she was with saw a better version of her, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t find herself down at times.

A wind blows through Alexandria. Morgan and Rick come in. Morgan touches Henry, making sure he’s real. He tells Henry that he killed the man who killed his brother. He smiles, And Henry says he’s sorry, putting his hand on Morgan’s shoulder. Morgan tells him, don’t ever be sorry. Rick walks past everyone, and goes inside. Michonne sees Morgan crying.

Matrix Jadis brings her rolling suitcase to the bedroom. This must be her safe space. Her clean place too. She lies down on the bed.

Negan drives. He pulls over, and opens the passenger door. He says, if sh*t could sh*t, it wouldn’t look as sh*tty as you. Get in. I think this is probably his record number of sh*ts in one episode. Definitely in one sentence.

He drives to the Sanctuary. The guard says he knew Negan was alive. Negan says, hell yes, but not a word. Daddy is home, but it’s going to be a surprise. Hell, he has all sorts to roll out. We hear zombie noises from the car. See? He’s fun. He brings some life to this show. I know that sounds oxymoronish, but it needs some fun.

Daryl and Rosita watch Eugene through binoculars. They make a plan to take him out.

Rick changes into a comfortable t-shirt, and takes out the letter from Carl. Michonne comes in, and he thanks. Her he says he’s sorry, and she tells him that he doesn’t have to be. He says he loves her. She loves him too. They kiss. She leaves the room. He sits on the bed and reads. He cries a little.

Next time, Negan surprises Dwight, Simon wants to gather the like-minded, and the Saviors plan to take the Hilltop.

✝ My Late Slip

Tonight, I hate Walking Dead even more than usual, since they screwed up my entire evening by being on at all. Bravo decided to show new episodes as well, but not for any Wives who are important to me, so I’ll catch up with Atlanta and Potomac later. So how did they screw up my night, do you ask? (Or maybe not.) I’m going to be up half the night watching the late rerun, since I wanted to see Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. I mostly wanted to see it because, Alice Cooper. Alice was my first real concert that my sister took me to. An hour in, I still mostly wanted to see it for the same reason. Did Chrissy Teigen fund this production? I have nothing against John Legend, but no. He looked like he was having difficulty getting through the score and moving around at the same time. I’m sure he moves around during his concerts, but this is a different kind of moving around. I don’t know if he wasn’t used to it or wasn’t up to it or what, but next to Brandon Victor Dixon (Judas), who knows his way around a Broadway stage, he was a total lightweight. Like vinyl, the concert format of this musical was touted as something new, but isn’t. That’s how the show was first presented. I saw the original on tour. Quite young at the time, I thought they were just really loose with their staging. Especially when Jesus came out and started slapping hands with everyone. At first, I thought he was an actor who showed up late.

It’s always annoyed me that the two most lackluster songs were given to Mary Magdalene. Although I did love her dress, an orange ombre maxi sheath number. The audience was apparently made up of 12-year-olds and/or Legend fans, since they cheered every time he actually made it through a difficult note. Thankfully, they did change some of he score to suit his vocal range. Except for one they forgot. He thought he’s sad and tired? He should have been me watching this. Every once in a while, they also changed a word or line, leaving me with a question mark over my head, because it did nothing to improve on the lyrics or make them more relevant. The lighting was also a problem, most likely looking abstract and cool from the audience, but it wasn’t made for television viewing. During Peter’s Denial, some dude was taking his pic with a cell phone, which also left me wondering. If they were modernizing this, why wasn’t the rest of it like that? Was that supposed to be ironic or something?

Alice gave me a thrill and a smile. Not bad for a seventy-year-old. Thank God (heh-heh) the audience obviously knew who he was. His costume rocked. If a suit could be called psychedelic, this one would be it, again in an orange pallet. (The color scheme in general was in the brown-yellow-orange family.) He also held a walking stick/scepter topped by a small skull. I’ve seen several different Herods – from an Ohio summer theatre Herod, who was downright frightening, taking the apple he was eating and smushing it into Jesus’s face, to the silly film version with my old NYC neighbor Toby’s brother, Josh Mostel (both, sons of the late, great Zero Mostel). Alice was enjoyable and milked it well. I also loved his harem of dancing girls. The choreography as a whole was good.

Oh yeah. Could We Start Again. The third Mary Magdalene song. There’s a reason this one wasn’t even on the soundtrack.

I always feel a little sorry for Pilate, who was really a little fish in a big, Roman political pond. Ben Daniels worked for me here. I love how he seemed like he got a migraine when Herod dropkicked Jesus back to him.

The biggest hit out of the show – the title song, Superstar – was spot-on, again Dixon knocking it out of the park, in the appropriate sparkly outfit, the backup dancing reminiscent of Janet Jackson in the 90s, with some obvious freestylin’ at the end. The crowd went wild.

John Legend is probably a really nice guy and a good singer, but this was out of his whatever. I don’t want to say league, because he’s just in a different one. Lane perhaps? This role was not for him, not at this time anyway. Legend, maybe; Superstar, no. He got lucky though, with a solid supporting cast, winning choreography, and interesting direction.

👠 The Real Housewives of Potomac has a new girl – Candiace. What is wrong with parents?

🎭 I also checked out Your Husband Is Cheating On Us. Multi-talented, JD Lawrence, brings his urban theater circuit play of the same title to NYC. Besides being let in on the rehearsal process, we follow the actors living in the same house. It’s a worth-watching show within a show, and definitely something different.

🏅 Quote of the Night

Rick and Morgan walk into a bar… there is no punchline… just death. – Talking Dead

🎶 My Neighbor’s Brother