Category Archives: television

March 13, 2017 – The Fun Never Ends in Port Charles, the Wedding Weekend Begins, Summer House Ends & Some Housewives Talk

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Sonny visits Morgan’s grave. He has good news. Morgan’s killer is being brought to justice, and his family is holding up. He says they’re not sure they can prove who the killer is, and he and Carly split up. Sounds more like good news/bad news to me. He tells Morgan he did something very stupid, so don’t blame his mother. He managed to hurt her again. As he’s talking, Carly comes with flowers.

Ava’s phone rings. It’s Olivia-J. She asks for Julian. She tells him that she decided she couldn’t take the chance meeting at Ava’s. She’s found a way to protect herself with someone who’s more valuable to him. He asks who’s more valuable than Ava, and Olivia says his precious ex-wife, Alexis.

Dante tells Jordan what Jason and Curtis are doing. She says what if the bomb detonates, and Dante says hopefully, the bomb squad will disarm it.

At this point, Finn is sitting on the floor looking all sweaty. He tells Hayden it doesn’t seem like there’s a fire, and wonders if it’s something worse. Hayden asks what could be worse than a fire? He says that he doesn’t want to find out. She tells him he looks awful, and he says it figures.

Sam yells at the police about wanting to find Jason, and Epiphany tells her to knock it off. She gives the baby to Epiphany, and goes back to arguing with the officer. Franco tells the police to quit hassling Sam, and she tells him there’s a bomb in the building. They hear an announcement saying that Jason and Curtis are inside with the bomb squad.

Jason tells Curtis to leave, but Curtis wants to wait for the experts. The bomb squad shows up, and asks how they’re doing. Curtis tells them that they’ll be doing better once the bomb is disarmed. They have just over three and a half minutes left.

Sonny tells Carly that he thought if he talked to Morgan he could figure things out. Carly says she’ll come back, but Sonny asks her to stay. He says that he should have been talking to her and asking her to forgive him. She says she doesn’t give a damn about Nelle. Her son is dead. Sonny says our son, but she says it doesn’t feel like it. She says the worst part was going through it all by herself, and having the pit in her stomach with nothing to fill it and no one to understand. Sonny tells her that he understands. Carly says when she realized that, the relief was overwhelming, but now it’s like she’s back to the beginning. He says it doesn’t have to be that way, and she says it does. He says that sleeping with Nelle was the biggest mistake, and he doesn’t even know how it happened. Carly says she’s forgiven him for worse, but he let her keep Nelle close. He says he tried to get rid of her. But he didn’t, Carly tells him, and he should have told her the truth. Sonny says he didn’t want to add to her pain, and Carly says he let Nelle take advantage of their family at its lowest point. He says he’s sorry, and she says she is too. She wants to spend time alone with Morgan.

Julian asks Olivia-J what she’s done to Alexis, and Olivia says he’ll find out when he meets her. She tells him come to the footbridge. Ava asks what’s going on, but Julian tells her that the less she knows, the better.

Hayden asks if Finn can wait this out. He tells her he’s going to be in full-blown withdrawal soon, and she should have left while she had the chance, before he starts throwing up.

Franco tells Sam that Jason wouldn’t want her anywhere near a bomb. She says that Franco should be in there, not Jason. Since Elizabeth is still in the hospital too, Sam asks Franco how it feels to be on the other side.

Jordan sees Elizabeth, and asks why she’s still there. Elizabeth tells her that she was helping to get patients out. Dante says that since Jason is Jake’s father, she should know what’s happening. He tells her about Jason being in the elevator with the bomb.

Curtis asks the bomb squad guy what wires need to be cut. The guy explains that the bomb has dual triggers, and both have to be disarmed simultaneously. Curtis refuses to leave, saying he can cut the wires himself. This is actually more practical than noble. The bomb squad guys have so much equipment on, by the time they trade places with Curtis, they’ll all be blown to smithereens. The guy gives Curtis the wire cutters. He tells Curtis that the same color wire will disarm both triggers. Curtis decides to go for the red one.

Carly tells Morgan that it’s typical of her and his dad to bring their issues to him. She says she couldn’t protect him in life, but she can try now. Her phone rings. It’s Ava, surprising the hell out of her. Ava says she’s desperate for a visit with Avery and can’t get Sonny on the phone. Carly says she’s at Morgan’s grave. Ava says she didn’t know. Carly says now you do, and hangs up. Carly tells Morgan she loves him, and leaves.

Alexis comes to on the footbridge, where she’s handcuffed to the railing. Olivia-J says sorry about the chloroform, and some sponsor she tuned out to be. Alexis asks why she’s doing this, and Olivia tells her that she doesn’t expect Alexis to understand. She’s learned there’s no line between love and hate. Olivia says she already has – my husband, who is home today, walks by and says something, and I have no idea what Olivia has now. Thanks, Ron.

Hayden wipes Finn’s forehead with a cool cloth. He says if he has to be stuck with anyone, he’s glad it’s her, but she doesn’t deserve this; she’s healthy and strong. Hayden says she’s where she wants to be. Her place is with him.

Sam tells Franco this is torture. They’re outside while the ones they love are inside. She says Elizabeth won’t die, because Jason is risking his life to save everyone. She says thank God he survived the ancient history of Franco trying to kill him.

Curtis realizes the red wires aren’t the way to go, and asks how Jason feels about blue. Jason likes blue. One…two…three…commercial.

An explosion sound is heard inside the hospital. Sam begs an officer for Jason’s status. He radios, but no one answers. Jason walks out. Sam runs to him. Guess blue worked.

Finn tells Hayden he’s still alive. He wonders if he heard a loud boom. Hayden says he’s not delirious, but nothing is raining down on them, so they must be okay. He asks what she’s going to do when she gets out. She tells him she’s going to help him kick his addiction. He asks why she’s wasting her time with him. She says he never ran, so she isn’t either. He says if something bad happens, she doesn’t have to keep her promise. She tells him that nothing bad will happen. A voice on the loudspeaker says the evacuation is officially over an everyone get back to work

Jason asks about Emily, and Sam says they need to get her and go home. Jason tells Sam that she’s going back to bed in the hospital. She makes him promise to come with her.

Jordan follows-up on Olivia-J. Curtis comes in. Jordan says he didn’t have to do what he did. He says he’s practically an expert. She mentions some case and says it doesn’t count, but he says he’s two for two. He wants her to admit she’s glad he’s alive. He reminds her that she was also knocked unconscious, and needs to see a doctor.

Franco sees Elizabeth and kisses her.

There’s a knock on Ava’s door. It’s Carly, who starts to bang on the door like a lunatic. Ava tells Carly she’s no longer a suspect, and there’s proof someone else planted the bomb.

Julian sees Alexis on the footbridge. Olivia puts a gun in his back and says right on time.

Elizabeth and Franco find Finn and Hayden. Elizabeth asks if Finn is sick, and Hayden says he’s going through withdrawal.

Sonny comes by Sam’s room. He says he heard Jason saved the day, but Jason says Curtis did most of the work. Sonny checks out Emily, saying she’ll give Avery a run for her money. Sam says she knows he’s thinking about Morgan, and she’s sorry. He says nothing to be sorry about; the baby is a blessing.

Carly says everyone kept telling her that Ava couldn’t be guilty, but Julian was talking to his sister on the recording. Ava says he was talking to his sister, but not to her. He was talking to the sister who supposedly died in 1990, but didn’t. She shows Carly an article about Olivia-J on her tablet, and says Carly can apologize now. Carly looks at Olivia’s picture and says she killed my son.

Julian tells Olivia-J to let Alexis go; she has nothing to do with it. Olivia says she has everything to do with it. She wants him to feel the same pain she did when he murdered Duke, and she lost the love of her life. The difference is, she isn’t going to kill Alexis, Julian is.

Elizabeth says she’ll help Finn, but she can’t let him go back to work in his condition. Hayden asks if she’s going to report him, but Elizabeth says his secret is safe as long as he takes a leave of absence.

Jordan tells Curtis that she feels fine, and there’s a madwoman running loose. He says as soon as she gets checked out, she can go back to work. He tells her that it’s good she has someone looking out for her.

Out in the hallway, Jason explains to Sonny about Olivia-J. He says it was only a matter of time before she made a mistake. He tells Sonny to go home to Carly, but Sonny says she wants nothing to do with him. Jason asks if she knows about Nelle. Sam pops out, saying that Emily is done eating. She asks if Sonny is all right. He says the woman who killed his son is still out there

Carly asks if Ava believes Olivia-J is alive. Ava says considering she saw her, she doesn’t have much choice. Carly asks why she didn’t call police, and Ava tells her that Olivia had her tied up and threatened the safety of someone she cares about. Carly says she thought that Ava cared about Morgan. Carly tells Ava that she doesn’t want the police finding Olivia; she wants to find her first, and make her pay in ways she couldn’t imagine. Ava says she guesses prison won’t suffice, and Carly asks if it would had it been Kiki? Ava says no, but keep in mind that it wasn’t Olivia’s intention. Morgan shouldn’t have been in the car. Carly says you don’t get to plant a bomb and say oops, didn’t mean it, when there’s collateral damage. There’s nothing she could say or do to get Carly to forgive her.

Olivia-J tells Julian that he’s going to shoot Alexis. He laughs, saying that she’s missing the mark. He says Alexis and he are done; they have no love for each other. Olivia says that any fool can see he’s madly in love with her. She’s learned that pain and love are two sides of the same coin, and he’s learning that lesson. If he doesn’t do it, she will. She gives him the gun. He tells Alexis that he’s sorry, and shoots.

Sonny tells Jason and Sam to cherish every moment with the baby. He leaves, and Sam says she feels awful for him. Jason agrees, and asks how she is. She says fine right now, and snuggles against him.

Finn signs a request for a leave of absence, and thanks Elizabeth for her discretion. She says just make it count. Franco brings in a wheelchair to take Elizabeth back to work. Finn wants to take Hayden up on her offer of help, but feels that it’s something he needs to do on his own.

Dante confirms to Jordan that she needs to be checked out. Curtis is glad for another voice of reason.

The chain on the handcuffs is broken. Julian tells Alexis to run.

Epiphany comes to get Jordan. Jordan tells Curtis that he doesn’t have to wait, but he says he does.

Carly picks up an empty martini glass, and asks Ava if it was Olivia-J’s. Ava says Julian always said that Olivia was a lunatic, and he wasn’t kidding. She tells Carly that she doesn’t want to repeat the experience of meeting her, and Carly says she won’t have to, and smashes the glass against the wall.

Sonny calls in favors. He wants the bitch who killed his son.

Julian and Olivia-J struggle over the gun. Alexis starts to run and a shot goes off. Olivia looks into the water. Well, either Julian is in the water or Olivia is going to keel over into it.

Tomorrow, Carly talks to Morgan some more, Sonny asks Curtis for help, and Jake refuses to talk about what happened on the island with Helena.

Vanderpump Rules

Tom plays a trumpet while dog Charlotte gives him the side eye. Jax stops by, and asks about bringing Tom’s triplet brothers in for the wedding. He’s concerned about the expense because they’ve waited until the last minute. The triplets still live at home in Yuli, Florida. I mention the town because Tom says it’s some place no one has heard of, but I just sent an eBay order there not that long ago. Tom calls and asks if the brothers can make it if he and Jax spring for the tickets. Tom wants it to be a surprise, and Jax seconds that. Jax says the triplets love their brother, but aren’t the most responsible guys on the planet. I’d say so, since they’re still living at home and they’re not children. Or even college students.

The bridesmaids go for a fitting. Nice dresses! Katie shows up, and is impressed with how the girls look. She says everyone is going to look fantastic, especially her. Well, let’s hope so.

Schwartz has the responsibility of going to Dylan’s Candy Bar and getting candy for the wedding favors. Jax loads up on candy corn, and Tom says he’d rather let Jax bang his girlfriend than eat candy corn. I don’t know about that, but I personally find candy corn stomach-turning. Jax calls it a favorite Halloween treat. I didn’t even like it when I was a kid. It was one of those dud candies. Chocolate or die.

Stassi talks about some upcoming dates, but she doesn’t want to bring anyone to the wedding. She wants to hang out with her friends and stalk the eligible bachelors. They discuss Katie working on her anger issues.

Schwartz says he fell apart in NOLA and was a mess. Now, moving forward, he’s left lingering resentments behind. I’d actually be more concerned about Katie’s lingering resentments.

At SUR, Katie tells Jax and Scheana about her date night with Schwartz. Scheana says better to fix the problems now than after they have kids. She’s thinking about next summer for her, but Jax thinks that’s too soon. They talk about Stassi dating again. Scheana tells them that Shay is working on something special for her in the studio, but Jax wonders if it’s just avoidance.

Lisa finds two horses outside of the restaurant. She says there’s always an aura of magic and surprise in West Hollywood, and always expect the unexpected. She gets on one of the horses and rides into the restaurant. Not really, she rode about half a block, but that would have been cool.

In the restaurant, Lisa tells Jax he needs to be more heavy-handed in pouring Sangria. She tells him the glass is barely wet and in her interview, says he pours for her like he’s her date on prom night. He tells Lisa about Scheana wanting kids soon, and thinks Shay is avoiding her. He says he’s always thought she could do better, but Lisa says it’s not her business unless Scheana makes it her business. Thank you. And I wouldn’t blame Shay for avoiding this crowd if he wants to stay sober. I’m sure they have other friends, right? Right?

Stassi is doing a photo shoot to get her mojo back. If some of the photos are hot and not too risqué, she’s going to use them for her dating app. Seeing Tom dressed as a woman has encouraged her to up her game. She talks to Katie about the wedding, and says it’s getting real now. She realized how much she cared about their friendship when they were apart, and says it feels good to be friends again. The photographer has Stassi put on a barely there body suit. Stassi says there’s something liberating about letting it all hang out.

Brittany scares Jax by telling him that she discussed Schwartz’s with Kristen. She tells him to calm down, and reminds him that he’s the one with the biggest mouth in town. He claims Kristen is worse, but, no.

Raquel’s mother and sister come to visit. James says that dating her is a world of difference from dating Kristen, and I’m not repeating the analogy he gives. James tells them that he’s not working at SUR or PUMP anymore. He says he kept getting into “situations.” We flash back to him getting drunk and behaving like a rabid animal, and Lisa telling him that he’s turning into an a-hole before her eyes. He says he has a gig at a new restaurant, and he hasn’t been drinking. He promises that he loves Raquel, and the family thing means a lot to him. In his interview, he talks about his parents’ divorce, gets all teary, and says he sees a future with Raquel. Her mother proposes a toast, and everyone loves everyone.

Katie and Schwartz are getting ready to leave for the wedding. Stassi comes over to help them. They’re bringing a cake and a piñata. Stassi says the piñata is probably filled with condoms, gummi bears, Ninja Turtle action figures, and maybe some weed. Ha-ha! I love Stassi’s sense of humor. Schwartz says they like taking road trips, and he likes Katie doing the driving. Stassi takes a going away picture.

Lala shows up at SUR while Ariana is on her break. In her interview, Ariana says she hasn’t seen Lala since the birthday debacle, and it sounds like she’s not too interested. Lala has some things to say in person. She’s serious about how sorry she is. She tells Ariana that she’s embarrassed about her actions in not showing up for Ariana’s birthday. Ariana has been a good friend, and she’s sorry how she handled things. She tells Ariana that sometimes when she can’t manage her life, she goes into shut-down mode. In her interview, Ariana says she wants to give Lala another chance, but she’s not going to pretend nothing happened. Lala asks if Lisa is there, and asks Ariana to pray and/or give good vibes. She goes inside.

Lisa asks Lala what the hell happened. Lala explains about shutting down, and how when that happens, it’s f-u to everyone, and she does what she wants to do. Lisa says owning it doesn’t absolve her from taking responsibility. She had Lala’s back, and Lala let everyone down. Lala says she feels embarrassed and awful. Lisa says she left them hanging, but they survived without her. She doesn’t think Lala was honest with her life, and Lala says she doesn’t think anyone there is worthy of hearing about her life. Not too entitled sounding. Lisa is like fine, keep your life private then, but when you lie, don’t expect people not to call you on it. Lala gets weepy and says she’s different from other people, and her anxiety prevents her from doing a lot of things. Lisa tells her to grow from it. In her interview, Lisa says Lala’s entire strategy is being young and pretty, which isn’t going to last forever. She tells Lala to keep in touch.

Tom tells Katie he’s excited, but he misses his brothers.

Kristen and Carter are packing. Kristen explains the logistics. She asks if he knows about Schwartz’s brothers, and tells him about the surprise. She whispers like Schwartz is in the next room.

Oooh! A bear! Katie says it’s the first bear she’s seen, and Schwartz says there are bears all over West Hollywood. HAHA! (Google it.) They get to the cabin, and the venue people help them with the cake. The co-owner goes over expenses. An extra 10K for the flower additions. I faint. Aside from my bouquet, and bud vases for the tables, my flower budget was zippity-doo-da. I couldn’t justify buying flowers for an hour’s service, and the caterer/planner decided on the centerpieces. $51,058 is the grand total. I pick myself back up off of the floor again, and I can’t even repeat what Schwartz says in his interview. That’s a lot of money for a wedding in the woods. Katie thinks they should drink, write the check, and chill. I’d have to down a lot of booze to write a check in that amount for anything except real estate. I’d have to be drunk to begin with to spend that much on a wedding.

Kristen and Carter arrive. Schwartz says he could be clear of student loan debt, but instead he’s writing a check for flowers and a buffet. Student loans for what? Schwartz has a degree? What is he doing with his life? Stassi is next, bearing the piñata. Her friend Rachael is with her. They had some travel problems, and she says they ended up having to navigate by the stars. Katie tells her about the bear. She can’t believe everything the group has been through, and says being there together is a testament about how much they care about each other. She feels lucky to have a “framly.”

Tom missed his flight because he forgot his suit, but I don’t know if that’s just a story to cover for picking up the brothers. Schwartz talks about his dad not coming because of a flying fear, his sister having to work, and that his brothers not coming because of finances. I’m thinking if the wedding cost that much, what was another $1500 to get them there (which is what it ended up costing for three tickets at the last minute).

Jax says Schwartz’s brothers share a cell phone, so communication hasn’t been the greatest. He’s not going to relax until they’ve arrived.

Scheana is looking forward to spending time with Shay. She shows Shay a pantsuit she’s considering for the rehearsal dinner. He tells her that when he does laundry, he doesn’t even know what half the things are that she wears.

Giggy! Harrison! Lisa and Ken arrive with the dogs, Pandora, and her husband. The desk clerk tells them about the great hiking nearby, and Lisa says the last time she did a hike, it was to Neiman Marcus. Their room is bi-level and beautiful. Lisa can’t believe this is actually happening. Ken wonders If Schwartz is going to back out. We flash back to a few times when he’s quit what he started. Giggy!

Everyone manages to get to the venue in one piece, minus Tom. Schwartz tells Jax that his and Brittany’s room is where the saloon used to be. Ariana says Tom made it to the gate just as it closed, and she could see his nose pressed against the window glass as the plane took off. Okay, she didn’t say that exactly, but that was my mental picture. Jax tells Brittany he has to call Tom, since Schwartz’s brothers missed the flight

Next time, the gang goes tubing, the piñata happens, lots of booze is consumed, the brothers arrive, and the wedding begins.

🏖 Summer is finally over on Summer House. The most boring show ever. Weekend at Bernie’s is a better illustration of the Hamptons. It was tough for me to keep the names straight. Everyone looked alike, and I swear all the girls were named Lindsay. There was a Kyle and a Carl for God’s sake. Kyle was one of the few I could decipher, probably because the show started with him striking out with Stassi, who was spending a weekend there. In the finale, he made a commitment to his girlfriend, Amanda, whom he invited out for the final weekend. Most likely after discovering that no one else would have him. Sadly, the Pegasus pool float didn’t make it, and Carl had to stage a burial. He said that Pegasus deflated was the perfect metaphor for the summer, and I tend to agree. There was no indication of a reunion. Hope this group enjoyed the fifteen minutes they got off of Stassi’s coattails.

🍑 On The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Phaedra staged a weird friendship intervention that she called a “restoration meeting.” This made it sound like there was something spiritual about it, but it was more like a grievance airing. Cynthia could barely keep her eyes open, and to no one’s surprise, Porsha couldn’t understand why it was bad to make up criminally prosecutable lies about Kandi when she felt hurt. While for a moment, it was disquieting to think that Phaedra could be the voice of reason, as Kandi so aptly put it, the meeting was an epic fail. The saddest thing was Sheree having a come-to-Jesus moment about her ex, Bob Whitfield, who still doesn’t understand what he did wrong.

🗽 The Real Housewives of New York: How They Got Here airs on Wednesday, March 15, at 9 pm. As with Southern Charm, it’s a retrospective. I guess this is a thing now, and who can blame Bravo? Why not milk the franchises for all they’re worth? I’d hate to be that guy – and you know there was one – who thought Bravo was a complete waste of time and effort and would never turn a profit. Hopefully, he didn’t sell his stock.

 

March 12, 2017 – Prince Charming Learns About his Father & Richard Tries to Start a War

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Once Upon a Time

A man enters a cabin in the pouring rain. His wife, Ruth, tries to calm twins David and James, who are crying in their crib. He says he’s failed them. Rumpelstiltskin appears, and offers a deal. He says the king needs a son. They can have one healthy son or two dead ones. The man tells Ruth that they have no choice. Rumpel flips a coin to decide which son he takes. Prince James it is. He tells them the deal must remain a secret, and James is no longer their son. Storybrooke’s David is the remaining baby, and the man is his father, Robert.

In Storybrooke, David tells Emma he’s proud of her, and that with hope, nothing can tear the family apart. They toast to family. David wishes they were all there, and Emma says she’ll break the curse, and they’ll get Snow back.

David steps outside and feels something in the air. His father appears with blood all over his hands. David faints. Hook finds him, and he says he’s fine. Hook tells him to get some sleep. David says if he wanted advice, he doubts he’d take it from a pirate. Geez. Just a little touchy. Hook goes back inside, and David discovers that he’s holding an old coin.

Robin complains about the incessant noise bothering him, and Regina explains the alarm clock. She’s brought him some clean clothes, since he probably smells to high heaven. Snow tells Regina that she doesn’t know who this Robin is, but Regina says there’s a part of her Robin in there. Snow says she’s worried, and Regina says she is too.

Hook visits Archie. He tells Archie that David sees him as he used to be. Technically, he’s still a pirate, but he’s a good pirate now. He thinks David wants something better for Emma, and it’s about to get more complicated. He shows Archie an engagement ring. He wants David’s blessing, but doesn’t know how or when to ask him. Archie says he shows progress in just buying the ring – he has a conscience now. He tells Hook not to wait; life is too precious. If he wants to know what David thinks, ask him.

Snow leaves a video message for David, telling him she misses and loves him. His father appears again, and David says he owes him nothing; he was a drunk, and died when David was six. David asks if he’s there about the coin. He tells Robert that he’s spent his entire life trying to forget him, and asks what he wants. Robert answers, the truth.

Back in the day, Robert is at the pub. The bartender suggests he spend the money on his family, but he hoists another one. King George is announced. The king says he knows what they’re thinking – why is he there? He tells them that his son has been abducted. Anyone with information will be rewarded, and anyone withholding information will be in trouble.

Robert wants to look for James, but Ruth wonders why he’d want to come back to a dying farm. A young David asks where Robert is going, and he says on a supply run. David asks if he’ll be better when he gets back. Robert swears he’s never touching another drop, and David gives him a lucky coin. I guess he’s going to rehab? I get a funny mental picture of a medieval enchanted rehab.

In the present, David flips the coin around in his hand. Hook drops by. David says he needs Hook’s help. He shows Hook a bulletin board with all kinds of photos, maps and arrows, and asks if he sees anything. He tells Hook that he saw his father’s ghost, and no matter what, Robert is still his father, and deserves justice. He asks Hook for help. Hook thinks Emma might be better suited to the task, but David doesn’t want to worry her or Snow. He says Hook is a pirate, and that’s what he needs.

Regina shows Robin the book of their stories. The doorbell rings. It’s Zelena, who asks where Robin is. She wonders if he’s scheming to take the baby back, and realizes that Regina hasn’t told him. She starts to blather on about how Robin can never see the baby. Regina tells her to go home, and she disappears, poof! in a puff of green smoke. Regina goes back inside to find that Robin is gone, and the book is opened to the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Out on the streets of Storybrooke, Robin draws his bow on the Sheriff, aka Keith. The arrow goes into a telephone pole, and Robin crosses the street to attack Keith. Keith tells Robin that he’s not the same person. Regina appears and sends Keith somewhere else before Robin does something he regrets. She needs Robin to promise to stop running away and trying to kill people. He says, all right. Well that was easy.

Emma has taken Henry on a canoeing trip. David and Hook go to her house to borrow some spell ingredients and the book that goes with them. Hook is concerned about sneaking into Emma’s place. David says the one time he needs him to be that guy, he gets cold feet. He tells Hook that he needs the shed key and a lookout. Hook gives him the key and stands watch.

Switching to the past, Robert approaches Rumpel for help. He says James is missing, and he wants Rumpel to help find him. He has nothing to offer, but says Rumpel owes him. Rumpel says that Robert finally grew a spine, but Robert says he finally became a father. He wants to tell his boy that he’s sorry. Rumpel says he could be persuaded for a hair off of Robert’s head. Poof! In a cloud of purple smoke, a crystal globe appears. Rumpel says that James ran away, but it’s to a place that Robert doesn’t want to follow him to. He plucks the hair off of Robert’s head, and gives him James’s location. When Robert leaves, Rumpel tells us that small things can hold great power.

Forward to Storybrooke, David goes through the shed. Hook sees Emma’s yellow VW bug drive up. Her car is really hard to miss. He asks what happened, and she says they forgot lifejackets. Hook says he’s desperate to kiss her. She says she knows he’s lying, and asks what he’s hiding. He says he’s been out of sorts because of Archie; he paid him a visit to talk about her. He says he thought that she was going to die, and it changed the way he thought about things, about them. Behind Emma, David sneaks out of shed. Hook tells Emma that it’s hard for him to share feelings, so consider them shared. They kiss. Emma goes to the shed, and Hook and David jet.

Regina asks if Robin was going to kill the Sheriff. He wonders about her calling him on that, when she’s the one cursing everyone. And he doesn’t mean she’s swearing at them. She says she knows she sounds like a hypocrite, but she’s changed. She tells him that the other Robin had a child, really two, but just one is there – the daughter he had with her sister. She says it’s complicated, and he says everything there is. Regina tells him that she’d hoped to give him a fresh start. He kisses her. Hmm… She was kind of looking around during the kiss and has a disgruntled face. She tells him that she’ll show him more of the town. I guess the kiss didn’t go well?

David tells Hook that the spell should show them where the coin was when his father died. David twirls in a circle, and Hook puts something in the beaker that looks like taco chip pieces. The beaker starts to smoke. David dips the coin in it, and then puts it on a map. It rolls around and lands on Pleasure Island. Hook says he knows it, but has never been there.

Way back when on Pleasure Island, we see a humongous, old-fashioned carnival. Robert wanders among the crowd. He’s offered a pint, but says he’s looking for his son. This is not rehab, but he is abstaining. He sees wooden boy Pinocchio on a bench, and sits next to him. Pinocchio asks him if his coin is worth something, and Robert says it was from his son. He tells Pinocchio that he’s looking for his other son, the prince. Pinocchio says he hasn’t seen him, but his nose begins to grow. Robert says tell him where his boy is.

Robert finds where James is hiding. James says he doesn’t want to go home. His father wants him to hunt, and he doesn’t want to kill things. Robert says he’s not taking him to that home, but the home where he has a brother to play with. He thanks Pinocchio. Two of the shills see him, and they start to run.

In Storybrooke, adult human Pinocchio tells David that this is the coin his father had. David thought he was just a drunk, but Pinocchio tells him that his father was sober. Pinocchio explains that it was a part of his story that he’s not proud of, so he took it from the book, but he wants to help, so he’ll look for it.

David tells Hook that because of him, he’s changed his mind about revenge. Hook says he’d stop him if he could, but David isn’t going to give him that chance. He handcuffs Hook to a bike rack, and drives away.

Rewinding, the king is waiting on the docks. He offers Robert the reward for James, but Robert says that James doesn’t want to go with him. He tells the king to let him lie where he’ll be happy. The king says that Robert looks old and that conscience must be a terrible thing. Robert says he realizes what he did was wrong. James begs not to be taken, but the King tells the guards to grab him, and they can have the reward if they kill Robert and make it look accidental.

Fast forward to David finding the king in a cell. David accuses him of killing his father, and the king plays semantics, saying he only ordered him killed. David says he offered a temptation and Robert withstood it. David throws him a dagger, and says fight for your life if you think it’s worth it. They slash at each other. Hook intervenes, and throws the king outside. David says that the king killed his father. He says that in his final moments, his father resisted temptation, but died anyway. Robert did the right thing, but it wasn’t enough. David goes through a bunch of “what ifs,” ending with what if he loses everything that matters. Hook says to kill the king if it will make him feel stronger, but think about his father. He asks if Davud wants to be a murderer in return. David lets him take the knife.

In the enchanted forest, the guards bind Robert to the cart. They say everyone will believe he was drunk and drove the cart off the road. With him tied to it, there’s no way he can survive the fall.

Back to today, David’s father bids him farewell on the dock. Hook asks if David is okay. He says he thinks so, and owes Hook an apology – he’s the noble one. It cost him more than it should have, and he did the hardest thing anyone can – he changed. He saved David from making a huge mistake, and David doesn’t know how to repay him. But Hook knows. He asks if he has David’s blessing in asking Emma to marry him. There’s silence for a moment, then David finally smiles and says of course. He didn’t realize that Hook was so old-fashioned, but Hook says he is over 200 years old.

Snow and Regina talk. Regina tells her about Robin kissing her, and says it was nothing, like kissing a photograph. It just isn’t him. She says Snow was right. Snow says sorry, she didn’t want to be. Regina says it’s not her fault, but there has to be a reason he made it through. If she isn’t the reason, what is? She wonders who he is and what he wants.

Robin goes to Regina’s mausoleum and takes out an intricately carved box that contains a heart.

Pinocchio finds the part he tore out of the book and gives it to Hook. Hook looks at the pages and sees Pinocchio on the bench with Robert.

The guard tells Robert it’s time to die, but Hook stops him. He and his men kill the guards. He says they’ve gotten a fortune. Robert thanks him for saving his life. Hook asks why he would do that, and Robert tells Hook he won’t say anything. Hook says that’s right, because dead men tell no tales, and runs his sword through Robert. (Although this made me wonder why no one would have realized Robert was killed by a sword, not a fall. It doesn’t take modern medicine to determine that one.) Hook tells his men to take the stuff, hide the cart and this poor, departed soul.

Emma comes out of the house to find Hook out front. He says he’ll be in in a minute. He looks at the ring and snaps the box shut.

Next time, Hook gets more analysis from Archie, Gideon wants Rumpel/Gold to help him with his destiny, and a big, scary giant stomps around.

The Walking Dead

Ezekiel’s men set up a single melon in the back of a truck. No clue.

Carol wakes up and lights a lamp. She smokes a cigarette. Do they grow tobacco or is there just an endless dramatic license supply?

Morgan teaches Benjamin’s little brother how to use the staff. He asks if the kid’s goal is to really knock his brother out, and thinks it’s more that he wants to be like him. He tells little brother that if his feet ain’t right, nothing is.

Carol emerges to a beautiful pink sky. She walks down the road and climbs a tree. She pikes zombies in the head with a street sign. She sees Benjamin and asks where Morgan is.

Carol asks Morgan why Jesus was there. Morgan says he wanted to find out if they could work together. She asks if it’s true that a deal was made between the Saviors and Alexandria, but he tells her to talk to Daryl about that. She told him not to say where she was, so he didn’t. Daryl didn’t find her because of him, and what they talked about was between them. He’ll go to Alexandria if she wants to; she shouldn’t go alone. He asks if she found what she wanted getting away from everyone, or was it too late to get away? A tear trickles down her cheek, and he says they can leave now if she wants to. In true Carol fashion, she says nothing and walks out. Carol’s passive/aggressive crap irritates the hell out of me.

Benjamin asks if Carol wants him to walk with her. He says he’s trying to see what she does with the zombies, and asks If she’d let him observe. She tells him to go do his drop. She sees a zombie in the street that she’d incapacitated earlier, but keeps moving. Someone is watching her.

Richard sees a backpack that says Katy on it, and he buries it.

All is well in the Kingdom. Ezekiel observes. He asks one of his subjects, Nabila, what she’s found. She tells him that many of the plants have weevils, and they’ll have to burn them before it gets to all the crops. He tells her to do what must be done. She says the good part is, that it will all grow back. Sheba Shiva makes a noise, and Nabila says she just peed herself, so she’ll be going now.

Benjamin thanks Morgan again for the book. He says he’s still thinking about it – to injure an opponent is to injure oneself; you get hurt no matter what. He gives Morgan a drawing that he found. Morgan hangs it on the wall. Benjamin says a girl helped him with it, but when Morgan asks who, he gets evasive and leaves.

Richard and Morgan talk about Benjamin having a girlfriend, and Richard says Benjamin is too young to be a father. Richard tells Morgan that before the apocalypse, he had the perfect family and life. He asks what about Morgan, and apologizes about how things have been between them. He knows Morgan is a good man, but they don’t look at killing the same way, and the day is coming when you can’t be that good.

Morgan tells Benjamin that it’s time to go. The guys get in the truck with the produce offering. Morgan asks who the girl is, but Benjamin is still not forthcoming.

Somebody has blocked the road with a line of shopping carts. Richard says it can’t be anything good He gets out with his gun. He tells everyone that they can get out, but keep their guns out. They all look around, scouting the place.  Richard tells them to move toward the building. In the back, they see a hole with a sign that says “bury me here.” Ezekiel says that people have lived through every kind of misery, and this is how they must exist now; it’s lucky they’re not all insane. Benjamin says luck has nothing to do with it. Ezekiel made them another world.

They move the carts. Savior Gavin and company show up. When right-hand goon to the right-hand goon, Jared, is chastised by Jerry for interrupting Ezekiel, Jared whacks Jerry in the head with Morgan’s staff. Gavin says that he appreciates the delivery, but this is making him stressed and he didn’t sign up for being stressed. He asks if they have today’s offering. He wants their guns, but the group draws them and Ezekiel says they didn’t agree to that. Gavin says give them up or try to use them. Richard tells Ezekiel that they should give them over. Gavin gets nasty, and Ezekiel says to give Morgan his stick back and they can have the guns. Gavin says he needs to understand the gravity of what’s happening. He was given a choice; which is it going to be? Morgan says it’s fine. Ezekiel says to give them the guns.

Gavin tells Ezekiel that he took guns because things are getting emotional. He checks out the melons they’ve brought, and says they’re short; he counts eleven. Ezekiel says that’s impossible. Gavin says the problems have to end now. Ezekiel needs to learn the stakes, and they’re going to teach him. Ezekiel says they’ll get double in return, but Gavin says right now is what matters. They haven’t held up their side of the bargain, and they’re going to deal with this now. Jared holds a gun to Richard’s head. Richard says, just do it. Jared shoots in another direction, and we hear, no!

Benjamin has been shot. Gavin tells Jared to give back Morgan’s stick and get in the truck. He tells Ezekiel that he’ll make deliveries on time and they’ll be complete. He’s going to show Gavin that he understands by bringing the missing melon tomorrow. Ezekiel says he understands. They grab Benjamin, and put him in the truck. Concern is voiced about him bleeding out. Richard lags behind and Morgan yells for him to get in.

Carol is planting some seeds, and sees the truck pull up. Benjamin is brought in and put on the kitchen table. Carol tries to stop the bleeding, but she’s not having much luck. Benjamin says, injure the opponent, injure yourself, and dies. He dies. Ezekiel tells Carol that he’s sorry, but they had no choice. Morgan walks out. Carol asks him to wait, but he doesn’t listen. He thinks about the grave. He thinks about killing himself. He thinks about a lot of stuff. He kicks a box.

Richard appears tells Morgan to pick his gun up.

Richard tells Morgan that it was supposed to be him. He was going to give his life to show Morgan, and something else happened, because they’ve done nothing to stop them. Nothing. He tells Morgan about how he was in a huge camp, a city of tarps, latrines, wood smoke, and babies crying. He knew they had problems, but didn’t think they were his to solve. He thought there were smarter and stronger people to deal with it, so he did nothing. There was a fight and a fire, and he lost his wife. He ran for three days, no food, no sleep. Then he lost his little girl. Right in front of him, because he didn’t do something; because he waited. Okay. Let’s all say it together: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. (Edmund Burke? I know this was up for debate at some point.)

Richard asks Morgan to listen. He says they can use what’s happened. They can show the Saviors that they understand what they need to do. They have to do something to make them believe. When they gain their trust back, they kill them. They can join with Alexandria and Hilltop, and crush them in one fell swoop. This is it; Morgan has to kill, or else he might as well kill himself. Someone had to die. Richard tried to be the one, but that didn’t happen, so he’ll be the one to lead the army to destroy the Saviors. He says they’ll talk to Ezekiel. He’ll tell everyone what he did, and live the rest of his life making up for it.

Morgan meditates. Ezekel comforts Benjamín’s little brother. Morgan meditates some more.

We revisit Ezekiel and the melon in the truck from the beginning of the show. They go to the parking lot to meet with Gavin. Morgan asks Richard if he’s talked to Ezekiel yet, and Richard says he will when they get back. Ezekiel hears them and says let’s talk now. Gavin’s truck pulls up. He and Jared get out. The Jerky McJerkfaces. Gavin asks how the kid is, and there’s no answer. He ponders this, and deduces that Benjamin is dead. He tells Jared to start walking back before he kills him, and don’t say one word. Jared starts walking.

Gavin asks if they have the melon that all this started over. Richard says they get it, and Morgan whacks Richard, knocking him to the ground. He starts to strangle Richard, and everyone just stands there. He pounds Richard’s head into the ground until he’s dead. WTF??? Morgan says he set it up. Richard blocked the road, and it was all him. They had everything when they left. Richard took one of the melons from the cargo. He wanted to start something between the Kingdom and the Saviors. Morgan wanted to show Gavin that they get it; they understand what they need to do and how to go on. Gavin says good, but I think he’s a little freaked. He says, next week same time. Morgan says they understand.

Wow this is f-ed up.

Ezekiel says he did this. Morgan says he wanted to die for them before; he wanted it to be him. Ezekiel says they must take their leave, and Morgan shouldn’t be alone. Morgan says he’ll go. The Kingdom people leave, and Morgan puts a knife in Richard’s head.

Morgan drags Richard’s body and buries it. In digging the hole, he’s unearthed the backpack. He buries that too.

Noisy zombies coming through. Morgan pops them in the head with his stick and does some majorette moves.

Morgan visits Carol. He asks if she really wants to know what happened in Alexiandria. She asks what happened to him, and he says he strangled Richard; he’s the one who got Benjamin killed. He asks again if she wants to know, and she nods. He tells her that Negan killed Glenn and Abraham, he beat their heads in with a baseball bat. He says the Saviors have Alexandria, along with everyone else. Everything they do is for the Saviors now. And they’ve killed more, Spencer and Olivia. Jesus brought some of them there because Rick wants to fight. She wanted to know; now she does.

She asks where he’s going, and he says he’s going to kill them one by one. Carol tells him to wait. She packs her bags, and goes into the Kingdom. She sees Ezekiel planting with Benjamin’s brother. She tells him she’s sorry, and he thanks her. She tells Ezekiel that they have to fight. He says they do, but not today. She joins them planting.

Morgan carves his stick, making a point on the end.

Next time, Sasha isn’t changing her mind, Rosita and Sasha work together, and more zombies! Okay, I wasn’t totally paying attention, since I was looking at the digital guide, and the teeny tiny picture was up in the corner.

 

March 10, 2017 – Jason Trades Places, a Shark & a Quote

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Hayden tells Curtis the hospital is on lockdown. He asks if she’s seen Jordan; he needs to find her. Hayden thinks she’s in there somewhere.

Griff tells Finn that he’s having a bad day. I’d say so. They’re going to Monica, and Finn is going to tell her that he needs time off for rehab. Griff says it’s his ethical responsibility. Finn tells him do what you have to. Elizabeth interrupts, and tells Griff that his patient in ICU needs him.

Curtis asks an officer about Jordan, but all he can say is that Dante initiated a search. Curtis tries calling her, and hears the phone ringing inside of an office. He busts the door in, and sees Jordan lying on the floor.

Jason tells Sam that she and Emily are better off at the hospital with Olivia-J out there.

At Ava’s apartment, Olivia-J says she was hoping that Ava went out for olives. She’s fascinated how DNA even trickles down to the love of martinis. Ava isn’t interested in chit-chat. Olivia draws a gun on Ava, saying she was hoping they could have some girl talk. She asks where Julian is.

Anna wants to get up, but Dante tells her to lie back down. She says that psychopath has Robin, and she has to find her.

Robin is all tied up right now though. And standing on the bomb in the elevator.

Griff asks Elizabeth if she’s talking about Marisol, and asks what’s going on. Elizabeth says she’s all alone and whatever this is, Marisol needs him more. Griff tells Finn this isn’t over, and leaves. Finn eyes the tray of medications and picks up a cup. Elizabeth asks him what he’s doing.

Curtis asks Jordan to wake up and she does, saying she’s fine. He says he knows she’s fine, but is she okay? BA-DUM-CHH! She says Winston must have gotten the jump on her while she was looking for Olivia-J. Curtis tells her that Olivia escaped. He helps her up, and says she needs to be looked at by a doctor. Julian happens to be walking past, and she tells him to hold it.

Ava tells Olivia-J that she doesn’t know where Julian is. She hasn’t seen him since February, but he visited her in jail for a crime that Olivia committed. Olivia says that Ava has killed people, but Ava says Morgan didn’t deserve to die. Olivia says neither did Duke. Ava asks what she wants, and Olivia says a special delivery.

Alexis comes to Sam’s room with a fruit basket. She apologizes, but Sam says it’s not her fault. She tells Sam how scared she was, but Sam says she has everything she ever wanted. Jason says he wants to make sure that doesn’t change, and goes off to do preventing-a-tragedy stuff.

Robin shouts, but her mouth is covered with duct tape, so that doesn’t work too well.

Anna has a headache. Dante comes into her room and asks if she’s really doing this. She says she is. He says there’s an APB out for Olivia-J and Robin. Anna says who knows where Olivia stashed Robin and what kind of condition she’s in. She says he has to look at the surveillance tapes. Dante says he’d love to find her, but Anna isn’t making it easy. She tells him to just go. Jason comes by, and asks if she’s okay. She tells him that Robin is in trouble.

Finn asks Elizabeth why the meds are unattended, and says that he was checking a patient’s dosage. She asks if he was having a taste test, and he tells her she’s out of line. She says he’s the one who’s out of line, and she knows the signs of a user. She tells him that she gets what was going on with Griff now, and can’t let him treat patients. Hayden appears, and asks what’s going on. Finn says it was a misunderstanding. Elizabeth says she caught Finn stealing meds, and tells Hayden he’s an addict; she knows because she’s been there. Hayden says she already knows.

Alexis still can’t believe that Olivia-J was her AA sponsor. She tells Sam that Julian knew about it, and that Olivia was behind Morgan’s death. She wonders how she could be so stupid. Sam says it’s Julian’s fault, not hers. Alexis tells Sam that he’s in the hospital. Olivia held him captive, and put him in the trunk of a car. Sam asks if she saw him, and tells her to admit that she’s worried about him.

Julian tells Jordan that he’s looking for Olivia-J. She says they have that handled, and asks if he knows where she could be. He says he’d tell her if he knew; he doesn’t want Olivia out there. He’s going to check on Sam.

Jason asks how long Robin has been missing, and if Anna thinks Olivia-J is bluffing. Anna says she’s sure Olivia is serious. Olivia said their history is going to come back to haunt her, but it could mean anything. Jason says to call him if she thinks of anything, but she wants to search the hospital. She doesn’t know why, but she believes Robin is there. She wants to go with Jason.

Olivia-J tells Ava to call Julian and tell him to come home. Ava asks what Olivia is planning. Olivia says he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and that’s why he killed Duke. Now it’s come to this, because she failed. Ava says they all fail from time to time, but Olivia says it’s not an option for her, and lists her various failures. She realizes everything was a lie. She tells Duke she’s sorry, and tells Ava to go sit. Ava asks what she’s doing. Olivia says the next best thing. She wants Ava to call Julian, and tosses a phone to her. She tells Ava to improvise.

Jason thinks they should concentrate on anything overlooked. Anna looks at the out of service sign on the elevator, and says her past with Olivia is back to haunt her.

Elizabeth asks how long Hayden has known. Hayden says long enough to know Finn prefers drugs over her. Elizabeth talks about Lucky, and asks if Finn has told Hayden she’s not supportive enough. She tells Hayden not to let Finn take her down with him. Finn says that’s her life not theirs. Hayden thanks Elizabeth.

Julian comes to the front desk, and the nurse hands him the phone. It’s Ava for him. She says she needs for him to come home right now; she has a problem.

Alexis tells Sam that she was a little worried when Julian gave her the key to the safe deposit box. Sam says he chose to protect Olivia-J. Alexis says or protect them. She knows Olivia has leverage against him. He warned her to stay away from Olivia when he found out she was Alexis’s sponsor. The baby stirs, and Sam tells Alexis that her name is Emily Scout Morgan.

Curtis tells Jordan she’s going to push herself until she collapses. Dante arrives, and she asks for an Olivia-J update. He says it appears she’s kidnapped Robin.

Anna flashes back to when Olivia told her about rigging the elevator, and how the next best thing to getting rid of Anna, was Anna losing Duke’s baby.  She tells Jason that Robin is in the elevator.

Finn wants to talk to Hayden. He asks if she actually believes Elizabeth. He says that was her life and he’s not crashing or dragging her down. Hayden tells him get clean or she’s having him removed from the hospital.

Jason and Anna call to Robin. Jason pries the door open and she’s there standing on the bomb. Jason says it’s like a landmine; it’s pressure sensitive. Dante joins them, saying they need to call the bomb squad and evacuate. Anna tells Robin they’ll get her out. She wants to untie Robin, but Jason says she’ll kill Robin – and everyone who’s in the vicinity.

Alexis feeds Emily. She lists all the people who love her. Sam hears an alarm. Alexis says she’ll check it out, and hands Emily to Sam. Sam tells Emily not to worry.

The bomb has twenty-five minutes to go. Jason slowly walks into the elevator. He tells Robin it’s going to be okay, just give him a few minutes. He removes the tape from her mouth, and cuts the binds from her hands. Robin says she knew Anna would find her. Dante says the building is almost clear. Alexis shows up, and Jason tells her to get Sam and the baby out, and tell her he loves her. Dante leaves again. Robin tells Jason to go, but he says he’s not going anywhere.

Curtis says he’s coming with Jordan. She asks if he’s self-deputizing, and tells him okay, but this doesn’t set a precedent.

Robin wants Anna to go. She says the bomb squad will be there, but Jason doesn’t think they should wait. He wants to exchange places with Robin. Robin doesn’t think the bomb squad is going to get there in time, and he’s trying to get her out. Anna tells her think about the baby, and she tells Jason she’s pregnant. Anna says he has a wife and children, so let her do it. Robin says she knows Anna wants to help, but she’s not strong enough to do this right now. Anna agrees, but insists on waiting. Jason tells Robin to take his hands. He says she likes to dance, right? and gets behind her. They switch places. He says she’s free.

Jason tells them to go. Robin runs to Anna. Jason tells them not to worry about him and congratulates Robin. Anna tells Jordan what’s happening. Jordan tells everyone to clear out. Jason tells Robin he’ll be fine, and Anna says she owes him. Jordan tells Curtis to go too, but he wants to stick around.

Griff asks Elizabeth what’s going on. She asks if she can help with Marisol’s transport. She says there’s not much time.

Finn hears the alarm thinks it’s a drill, but then Jordan is heard on the loudspeaker saying it’s an emergency evacuation. Hayden says it’s not a drill. Finn says there’s no fire doors on that floor. Because of the medication kept there, everything automatically locks. They’re locked in.

Sam wonders where Jason is.

Jordan says the bomb squad is landing on the roof, and Jason says tell them hurry up.

Alexis tells Sam that Jason is probably helping with the evacuation. Sam doesn’t want to leave, but Alexis insists.

Julian goes to Ava’s place. He sees her tied up. He asks if it was Olivia-J, and if she’s there. Ava says yes, but she’s gone.

Griff tells Elizabeth to go. He says he understands what it means to be a parent, and he can’t leave his patient. His place is here, and he asks Elizabeth to tell Marisol’s parents that he’s with her. He tells her to have faith.

Over the loudspeaker, Jordan says that this is the final evacuation notice. Finn tells Hayden that it must be serious. Hayden asks him to promise he’ll get clean if they get out. He says if these are their final moments, the last thing he wants to talk about is rehab. He loves her.

Alexis tells Sam that Jason is probably in the crowd somewhere.

Julian releases Ava from her bonds. She says that Olivia-J is crazy. She forced Ava to call him, and took off. Ava has no idea what Olivia is doing.

Alexis texts Jason. A gloved hand clamps down over her mouth.

Anna tells Sam about Robin. She says Jason was instrumental in getting her out. She says he took her place, and explains about the bomb being pressure sensitive.

Jason sees the text that says Sam and the baby are safe. Even when standing on a bomb, he’s still busy with his phone.

Jordan wants Curtis to leave. Dante tells her that the bomb squad is on the roof. Jordan tells him that some of the patients can’t be moved. Jason wonders if it would be safer if they brought the bomb to the squad. He tells Curtis to release the emergency stop, and send the elevator to the roof. Curtis tells Jordan, sorry, and gets in with Jason. He says he’ll stay and enjoy the ride.

They look at each other as the elevator goes up.

On Monday, Julian asks Olivia-J what she’s done, Sonny talks to dead Morgan, and the bomb squad deals with the bomb.

🐬 Once in a while, I recommend a film, and I was impressed by The Shallows. My husband is always whining that there are no really scary movies anymore like when we were kids, and I have to remind him that’s because as adults, we know things like vampires aren’t real. Scary things for adults have to do with mortgage issues, taxes, and heathcare. Scary movies for adults involve real life situations. Home invasion movies can be scary, but too often they’re laughable, the antagonists bordering on comic, and the protagonists just plain stupid. (I felt the same way about the first Purge movie.) But it was thumbs up on the scary-meter for me with The Shallows, especially since I live near the ocean.

Not that you’d see waves or sharks like that at the beach near me, but like Jaws before it, this can make any body of water seem unsafe. Nancy (Blake Lively, who did an amazing job) is riding one last wave before she calls it a day on an off-the-beaten-path Mexican beach. She’s alone, but not really, because there’s this shark. From the first to the last time we see it, it’s scary. I actually made noises out loud.The film wasted no time in jumping into action, starting with riding some excellent waves. It was relentless, and kept the pace with few pauses. There’s nothing deep about it except the water, but it was exciting AF.

A Sort-Of Quote

Proving that I don’t know what day of the week it is, I included the quotes of the week yesterday. But while I was watching Hoarders the other day, I thought that a hoarding situation is the only time you’ll ever hear, “Ewww! Cupcakes!”

WeekendCouch

And your television set.

March 9, 2017 – Griff Makes a Choice, First Responders Filet & Quotes Threefold

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Jason picks up little Scout while Sam sleeps. Sam wakes up and says this is better than any dream. Jason gives Scout to her. Honestly, I’m not one of those people who gushes over babies, but this one is very small and cute. (Tiny trivia: For the first four episodes, Scout was played by triplets, and she’s now being played by twins, Lori and Sevan Andonian.)

Nelle says her final paycheck isn’t going to last long. On the phone, she tries to get in a substitute teaching pool, but is told she needs a degree. There’s a knock at her door. It’s Josslyn. They’d made plans to go to a Shawn Mendes concert, but Nelle forgot. Either Shawn Mendes is the only recording artist who will play in the vicinity of Port Charles, or he has stock in this show. Josslyn tells Nelle to go change, and notices the packed boxes. Nelle asks if Carly knows she’s there, but Josslyn is clueless.

Michael makes ELQ decisions. Carly comes into the office and says they need to talk. He says if it’s about Nelle, Sonny was already there, and told him not to forgive her.

Kiki knocks on Ava’s door. As usual, I’m enthralled with Ava’s outfit. She has on a bright blue blouse (say that three times real fast) with bell sleeves that I’m totally coveting. Kiki says that she heard the charges have been dropped. Ava aks if she’s there to celebrate or give her a hard time, and Kiki says shes there to make peace. She adds there’s an APB out for Ava’s sister Olivia-J.

Finn is freaking out because he can’t get to his lab, where I assume he’s keeping his stash. As he’s walking by, Dante tells him to take a chill pill. Brad hears, and says that Finn must be out of pills. He asks if Zen Zen will do and holds up a vial. Even after all these years, apparently, Finn isn’t a very good drug addict. Why didn’t he keep something at home just in case?

Monica tells Dante that Olivia-J is unstable on a good day, so be careful.

Anna asks Olivia-J where Robin is, and what did she do to her? Olivia says Anna’s history is coming back to haunt her.

Brad tells Finn that he should be taking more precautions. See? Even Brad knows better. Brad mentions that Finn had said he’d split the profits from the Blackwood Syndrome cure with him. Finn says he worked for years on it, and Brad worked for a whole day. Brad says that Finn cut him in exchange for his silence. He wasn’t included at all in the deal, so why should he do Finn any favors? Brad asks Finn what it’s worth.

Carly tells Michael  that Sonny lied and cheated, and she doesn’t know what she’s going to do with that, but he’s right that Michael has a kind heart. She tells him not to buy into Nelle’s victim act. Michael thinks it not that simple. Carly asks if Michael still has feelings for Nelle after all she did.

Nelle tells Josslyn she has to leave. Josslyn says they had this planned for months. Nelle says she can’t go; sometimes plans change. Even when you think you’ve covered all the bases, sometimes things happen that you don’t want to happen. She tells Josslyn to be glad that she didn’t find out the hard way, and that they’re no longer friends. Josslyn asks what she did wrong, and Nelle tells her to go home.

Sam marvels at how beautiful Scout is. She says that the name Scout is kind of plain, and she wants something to make it perfect. Jason thinks she has something in mind, and she does.

Monica wonders why she didn’t hear about everything from the police commissioner. Dante says he’ll have Jordan contact her asap. He radios looking for Jordan, and says Anna is MIA as well.

Olivia-J goes blah-blah-blah about how great Robin is, and how you’d never know she’s HIV positive. She tells Anna that she took Robin then, and she’s taken her again.

Brad asks Finn how many millions he was screwed out of. Finn says all he wants to do is help people, and hadn’t been interested in selling, but the hospital was going under. If he hadn’t sold the patent, GH would have been sold, and none of them would have jobs. Brad says who needs a job when you have millions? Finn says he’ll give him credit, but Brad says he was only interested in the cash. Finn says he didn’t promise any money, and Brad isn’t getting a dime. Brad says his promise to Finn is null and void.

Anna throws Olivia-J up against a wall. Olivia points out how much Anna is bleeding, and Anna gets dizzy. She slumps down, and Griff goes to her. Olivia tries to skate, but Griff tells her to hold it right there.

Ava complains to Kiki that Julian cleaned out her bar, even the olives, but Kiki has come bearing vodka.  Kiki asks about Olivia-J. Ava says Julian shot her years ago, and everyone thought she was dead, but in all fairness, she did try to kill Julian first. Kiki says their famil is insane, and Ava says she’s glad she’s never crossed paths with Olivia. Kiki tells her Olivia is the reason she’s out of jail; the police think she’s the one who planted the bomb that killed Morgan. Kiki apologizes for thinking that Ava had anything to do with Morgan’s death.

Carly begs Michael not to have a relationship with Nelle, and he says they’d barely started. Carly says she’s worried about his generous spirit. He’s a lot like Lila, and people took advantage of her. Michael says he has feelings for Nelle, but not the kind she thinks. He’s angry and humiliated, but he can’t hate her. Her father exploited her, and she targeted the person she thought was responsible. Carly asks if he thinks it’s her fault. He tells her that she didn’t deserve what happened, but neither did Nelle. Josslyn pops in, saying something is wrong with Nelle, and wonders if Carly knows what it is. Michael says he’ll let Carly explain, and leaves.

Monica visits Sam’s room. Sam says they were discussing the baby’s name. Monica thought they settled on Scout, but Sam says it’s kind of plain, and should be her middle name. Jason says they’d like to name her Emily. Monica is thrilled.

Griff tells Anna to stay with him. Olivia-J is like, how sad. (Insert sarcastic, tearful emoji here.) Griff tells her not to go anywhere, and holds the gun on her. Olivia points out that she’s unarmed, and that’s the choice he has to make – taking her to the police or saving Anna’s life. Which is more important? I guess he’s not thinking about the option of wounding her so she can’t leave.

Brad tells Finn that Monica should know about the patients who were under his drug-addled care. Finn says that they’ll question Brad too. He says once Brad became a pita, he started checking around about him. The main thing he’s heard is what a weasel Brad was, and how ethically corrupt, but Lucas reformed him. He wonders what Lucas will say about the blackmail, and if their marriage will survive. Brad tosses the vial to Finn, and says that’s the last thing he’s getting from him, and walks away. I could swear Finn tosses it in the trash, but that can’t be right.

Monica tells Sam and Jason that it’s wonderful. Jason says it was all Sam’s idea. Sam says she knows what Emily meant to everyone. She wants her daughter named after someone who brought joy to the family.

At The Floating Rib, Nelle orders a drink, saying that it’s a special occasion. The bartender says they’re short staffed, and she asks if they’re hiring. He tells her that he’ll talk to Felicia, and she tells him never mind. As a matter-of-fact, if Felicia comes in, give her a heads up. Michael suddenly appears and asks why, so she can hide? Hiding from the worst detective on the planet can’t be too difficult.

Carly forgot about the concert too. Note to self: Shawn Mendes is popular, but forgettable. Carly asks if Josslyn talked to Nelle. Josslyn says Nelle told her that they’re not friends anymore, but she doesn’t know what she did. How is she supposed to fix what she doesn’t know about? Carly tells her that Nelle doesn’t want to be her friend anymore because of her.

Michael joins Nelle. He says that he never saw her drink alcohol before, and she tells him now is a good time to start. He asks if she’s drowning her sorrows, and she asks if he can blame her. Michael says he’s the wrong person to ask. She says she reached out, and he says he got her texts. He tells her that he knows something terrible happened to her, and understands her need for revenge. She asks if he forgives her, but he says never.

Carly tells Josslyn that it’s not appropriate for her to be friends with Nelle. It’s not about her, and no one in their family is going to have a relationship with Nelle anymore. She says that Nelle lied to them about a lot of things. Josslyn asks if Nelle isn’t her kidney donor, and Carly says it wasn’t about that. She misrepresented herself. It was an act. She was manipulating everyone to get in and sabotage the family.

Kiki tells Ava that she should have had more faith in her, but Ava doesn’t blame her for doubting. Kiki says never again. Ava is a good person, or at least trying to become one.

Griff settles Anna into a hospital bed. Dante asks what happened, and Griff says Olivia-J happened. Dante asks where she is, and Griff tells him in the basement. Dante asks him to show him where. Griff asks the nurse to get a hematologist to see Anna, and goes with Dante.

Monica tells Jason and Sam that Emily is smiling down on them. An officer comes in with an update from Dante. Jason asks what’s wrong. Monica had hoped it would be resolved before she had to say something, but tells him the hospital is on lockdown until the police are done searching for Olivia-J.

Finn goes to Anna’s room. He says he told her to take it easy, and obviously she didn’t take his advice. She says, “Robin,” and he tells Anna that they’ll contact her. Brad stands in the doorway like an idiot. He sees Finn’s hand shaking and makes a puzzled face.

Dante says a lab under the hospital is crazy, and Griff says not as crazy as Olivia-J. He tells Dante about her trying to turn him into Duke. He thinks that she went through the passageway to the outside. Dante gives orders to the other officers. Griff gives him the gun, and says that Olivia was going to do something to Robin.

Ava wants to know what’s going on with Kiki. Kiki says things with Dillon are progressing into something good. Ava asks when she can take them out to dinner. Kiki says tonight; they already have a date. Ava says they should have their own time, and she wants a hot bath, a martini, and a good night’s rest. She says she’ll walk Kiki to car; with Olivia-J on the loose, it’s not safe.

Sam wonders if Olivia-J is there because of her. Monica says she’s interested in something buried beneath the hospital, but police are stationed on every floor, so Olivia won’t get near her. Sam says she knows Jason wants to go after her. He says he does, but he’s going to let the cops do their job, and he’s not leaving them.

Finn prepares a shot for Anna. He says she’ll be good as new in no time. He looks pretty shaky though. Brad watches from the doorway.

Griff asks Brad what’s going on. Brad says just between them, he thinks Finn isn’t in any condition to be treating Anna. It’s hard to tell if he’s genuinely concerned or just a jerk. Maybe both.

Carly won’t tell Josslyn what happened. She says the damage is done, and there’s nothing to fix. It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to tell Josslyn. Josslyn says she’ll go to Sonny, but Carly tells her not to. She says Sonny did something she can’t accept, and it has nothing to do with Morgan. Josslyn asks if it has to do with Nelle. Carly says, yes, and that’s all she’s going to say. Josslyn puts two and two together, and says that’s gross.

Nelle tells Michael she understands, but that night at the cabin, she realized a future with them was worth more than revenge. He says her original goal was for his mom to suffer, but they’ve suffered enough. He says he understands why she felt justified, but Carly was shattered after Morgan died. He asks how Nelle could see that and want to hurt her more. Who sees someone suffering and devises to pile it on? Nelle says that’s not how it happened, and he says tell him where he’s wrong.

Nelle tells Michael he needs to know something. He asks if that’s true or does she just want to get something off her chest? He asks if it’s going to help family heal. Nelle says nothing, and he says that’s what he thought, and walks out. I’m confused. If she tells him that she didn’t really sleep with Sonny, that might actually be helpful, and what was his point in hunting her down? Just to reiterate that she did a bad thing?

Josslyn can’t believe Sonny would cheat on Carly with Nelle; it’s disgusting. Carly says sometimes people disappoint you. Josslyn asks if they’re divorcing, but Carly needs to think. Josslyn asks what they did to deserve this, and Carly says they did nothing. She says Nelle is a sick, sad person, and she’s going to make sure she never hurts their family again.

Finn tells Dante that Anna is responding well to treatment, and encourage her to avoid knife fights in the future. Griff wants to talk needs to Finn. He tells Finn that he’s going to let Monica know he’s addicted to Zen Zen. Poor Griff can’t catch a break. He goes right from being kidnapped, pretending to be Duke, and saving Anna, back to his day job.

Anna asks Dante what happened. She tells him that Olivia has done something to Robin, and he has to find her.

Jason wants to call Sonny to find out what he knows about Olivia-J, but Monica interrupts. She says good news, bad news. Olivia isn’t in the hospital anymore, but the police have no idea where she went.

Ava returns to her apartment. Olivia-J is on the couch sipping a martini. She says, nice to meet you, and tells her she’s out of olives.

We see the out of service sign on the elevator. The camera pans down through elevator shaft, and there’s a bomb at the bottom.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth thinks Hayden is in denial, Curtis finds something startling, and Anna says Robin is in trouble.

🍲 I’m going with the kid who has a mohawk  on MasterChef Junior. For no reason other than he has a mohawk. Tonight, the kids cooked filet mignon, along with potatoes and various vegetables, for a group of first responders. I’ve never had broccolini before, but it looks intriguing. What’s amusing is how these children are such sophisticated cooks, but they’re still children, and every once in a while, they get Ed Grimley crazy or have a meltdown. It’s amazing though, how few tears are shed when a contestant is cut from the competition, since it’s done so gently. The kids who stay cry more than the ones leaving. And those exiting get to keep their aprons.

Quotes of the Week

I put on pants 50 years ago and declared a sort of middle road. I have not lived as a woman. I have lived as a man. I’ve just done what I damn well wanted to and I’ve made enough money to support myself and I ain’t afraid of being alone. — Katharine Hepburn, the New York Times, May 1981

Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them. — C. S. Lewis, Words to Live By: A Guide for the Merely Christian

I wanted to be the creepy old guy, scaring the kids. Now I’ll never get my car back. — Ash (Bruce Campbell), Ash vs the Evil Dead

GHEmilyScout

Emily Scout

March 8, 2017 – Nina Testifies, a Renewed Star, a Brief Note & a Sad Note

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Nelle is packing. She says there’s nothing left for her in Port Charles. She looks at the keyring that Michael gave her, and thinks about their time at the cabin.

Sonny comes by Michael’s office. He wants to apologize.

There’s a knock at Nelle’s door. It’s Carly. She says she’s dropping off Nelle’s last paycheck. She tells Nelle that there will be hell to pay if she comes near her family again.

When Valentin sees Nina, Nora reminds him to remain calm and stable. Nina says she’s Charlotte’s stepmother, and there to make a statement. She apologizes for being late. The judge tells her to take a seat, and tell them what she thinks is in Charlotte’s best interest.

Jordan tells Julian that they searched the basement, and there’s no sign of Olivia-J or Anna. Julian says he didn’t tell her the basement, he said under the hospital, and if Olivia finds out Anna is trailing her, there’s no telling what she’ll do.

Oooh! They replay “Duke’s” reincarnation. Olivia says it worked. Griff/Duke says because of her, he lives again. This is way cool.

Michael tells Sonny that it’s been a long day and he just wants to get home. Sonny doesn’t expect him to say all is forgiven, but he wants Michael to hear him out. He says Michael cared about Nelle, and Michael says he thought they were getting close. Michael tells Sonny that if he wants to apologize, it shouldn’t be to him.

Nelle tells Carly that her life is none of Carly’s business. Carly asks if Nelle made the lies up herself or did deadbeat Frank make them up? Nelle asks if he was such a deadbeat, why did he keep this, and shows her the rattle. Carly says he probably wanted to pawn it. She says he didn’t give a damn about her until she was grown-up, married, and rich

Nora is like, jackpot, but Valentin says we’ll see. Lulu tells Laura that it’s a disaster, but Laura says maybe not. She has faith things will work out like they’re supposed to. Nina says she wants to tell the court the truth about her marriage.

Anna tells Griff/Duke to stay away from Olivia-J. He says stay out of it; he owes his life to Olivia. Olivia says there were more incantations to be done, but Griff/Duke says her passion drew him back. He kisses her, and says she proved everyone wrong. Olivia sees Duke instead of Griff, and hugs him. Anna is like, wha…?

Jordan wonders what Olivia-J wants with the foundation of the hospital, and asks if Julian thinks something is buried there. Julian says he doesn’t know, but she’s obsessed. Jordan says they know she was obsessed with Duke, and asks if he thinks Griff is in danger. Julian says maybe.

Griff/Duke tells Olivia-J that she sacrificed everything to bring him back, and he doesn’t know how to make it up to her. Olivia is just happy he’s there. Griff gives Anna the eye when he embraces Olivia. He says that he and Olivia can leave there and be together forever. Olivia says she’s waited forever to hear those words, but what about Anna? They won’t have to worry for too long; she’s going to bleed to death while they’re goofing around.

Nina says when she and Valentin got together, they were strangers. Their relationship grew quickly, which was a surprise to her and everyone else. She says people saw their marriage as a sham, and nothing could be further from the truth. She loves him, and they got married because they love each other. In him, she sees a capacity to love and nurture that she never knew existed. He encouraged her to form a bond with Charlotte, and she loves her. She says Lulu is allowing her animosity toward Valentin to blind her to the truth. It would be a mistake to take Charlotte away from the father she loves and the home she knows.

Julian hears the door to his room open, and says he wants to be left alone. Winston, pretending to be a doctor, asks if he doesn’t have time for an old friend.

Griff/Duke says he’ll always love Anna, but his heart belongs to Olivia-J; the past is over. He says the best thing for all of them would be for Anna to leave and get the help she needs. Jordan looks around the basement and sees the fingerprints near the secret door.

Michael asks why Sonny would throw it all away. Sonny says he didn’t plan it, but on Thanksgiving night, Morgan was gone, and he couldn’t think straight. He thought he and Carly were done, and got drunk. Nelle saw the state he was in, and while they were putting Morgan in the ground, she worked herself in; it was a trap. Michael says she was plotting against them, being who they wanted her to be, so she could get close. Sonny says she fooled all of them to get at Carly. Michael says at the end, she tried to stop it, and he can see what could have been if she was the person she was pretending to be. Sonny says he’s lucky; the only real thing is her grudge against Carly. Michael says Sonny could have warned them; all he had to do is tell the truth.

Nelle says Carly wants to paint Frank in a bad light. He reached out to her, and she rejected him. Carly says she’s living in a fantasyland that Frank created. He only hit her up for cash. Nelle dumps out a bunch of letters out of her trinket box. They all say return to sender.

Lulu asks Diane if she can do something, and says Diane has to prove Valentin is unfit. She says she has an option, but it’s brutal and final, and there will be no room for compromise.

Nora thanks Nina. Her phone rings, and she steps away. Valentin tells Nina how grateful he is. She says she’s not done fighting with him about the secrets he’s keeping from her, but he and their marriage are worth the fight.

Diane wants to file a petition to remove Charlotte from Valentin’s home. He’s guilty of a felony – kidnapping his own daughter.

Griff/Duke tells Olivia-J that Anna has no place in their life. Anna says she’s not walking away. Griff/Duke says it’s for the best. Anna says he needs to take care of himself, and he says he will, good-by. Olivia says she can’t let that happen, and draws a gun that must have been in her shoe.

Winston tells Julian that he needs to tie up loose ends. They can’t risk Julian opening his mouth. He and Julian struggle on the bed, and Winston puts pillows over Julian’s head. Felix walks in and asks what’s going on, and Winston jets. Julian tells Felix to get Jordan.

Jordan is told Julian was attacked. She asks if it was Olivia-J, but learns it was a man posing as a doctor. She runs back upstairs.

Olivia-J says that Anna will go to the police. Griff/Duke tells her that they’ll be long gone. She says they can’t allow a witness, and she’s sorry, but Anna has to die.

Valentin says that’s absurd. Nora says he’s under no legal obligation to deal with this. He wants to straighten it out, and says he’s been Charlotte’s legal guardian since her birth. Diane says she thinks she can establish grounds, and that in the eyes of the law, kidnapping is a broad term. When in reference to custody, it can mean one parent denying the other contact. Nora says Valentin has gone out of his way to facilitate contact. Diane says recently, but when did he know that Lulu was Charlotte’s biological mother?

Nelle asks if these are the letters, and says that they were all sent back unopened. Carly says that Frank wanted cash, not bonding. Nelle says he was trying to support his family, and she knew that, because the first time she wrote him back. She told him if he needs to make ends meet, don’t look to her. Why should she care about him or his little brat? Nelle says she cared about his little brat when she needed a kidney for hers.

Michael asks why Sonny didn’t tell him the truth. Sonny says he didn’t want to add to Carly’s pain or burden any of them. Michael is like, this was better, huh? He says that Sonny watched for months, and was protecting himself, leaving the door open for Nelle to trash his family.

Nelle insists that Carly wanted this. She didn’t ask any questions, and the second Josslyn was safe, she was done.

Jordan gets the deets about the attack on Julian. She wonders why Winston would do Olivia-J’s bidding. Julian says she has a bunch of thugs that she orders around, and no one is safe.

Griff/Duke tells Olivia-J that the authorities might reverse what she’s done, and she’ll lose him again. Anna says she wouldn’t do anything to threaten his chances. Olivia says that Anna wants her locked up so she can have him. She tells Griff/Duke not to fight her. He says he understands it’s the only way, but he should be the one to pull the trigger; then he can be totally free to start over with her. She says he’s right, and she doesn’t want to jeopardize them having a life together. She hands him the gun and he points it at her.

Jordan asks Felix for anything he remembers. She says no one comes in or out of the hospital; GH is under lockdown.

Valentin tells the court that when he found out about the embryo, he knew it was Lulu’s egg. Diane says he denied Lulu a relationship with her daughter, and he’s deliberately manipulated the situation. Nora objects to Diane manipulating the facts. The judge says she’s going to deliberate in chambers, but it will be quick. Lulu thinks she might get to take Charlotte home, but you know what they say about counting those Charlottes chickens.

Laura tells Nina that she obviously didn’t take their talk to heart, but Nina says she did, more than Laura knows. Laura hopes Nina will be able to live with the choice. So much for having faith in things turning out the way they’re supposed to. Nora tells Diane that her petition will be denied, but kudos for the argument. Diane says she doesn’t know what they do in Llanview, but in Port Charles, they go for the kill.

Griff/Duke tells Olivia-J that she needs help. Olivia says he told her that they belong together, and Anna says she belongs in an institution. She wants Duke alive more than anyone, but he’s never coming back. Olivia flashes back to her, Duke, and the rest of us being young. Olivia starts to cry, and Griff says he’s not his father. Olivia rushes him, and he ends up dropping the gun when he falls.

Jordan secures the building. Felix sees Winston going into a stairwell, and tells Jordan. Jordan radios in that she’s in pursuit of a suspect. No one is to move until they get her signal.

Anna drags Olivia-J off of Griff, who picks up the gun. Olivia says it’s not over. She knows something that they don’t.

Sonny accepts that his family hates him. Michael says he hates being disappointed, and Sonny is better than this. Sonny says he’ll do everything to prove he’s better. He says Michael has a gift of forgiveness; he has a way of letting go and moving on. He begs Michael not to do it with Nelle. She’s dangerous, a liar, and a user. He asks Michael to promise not to let her back in.

Carly tells Nelle that she believed Josslyn’s donor was Jake. She begged her best friend to make the sacrifice. She has no idea how Josslyn ended up with Nelle’s kidney, but she didn’t approach Frank. Nelle asks if she thinks it’s a coincidence. If she didn’t arrange it, who did? Carly says Frank did a number on Nelle, and it’s not her fault, but what she did to Carly’s family is her fault. If she’d told the truth, Carly would have helped, but she chose to sabotage Carly’s family, so keep packing. If she messes with them again, she’ll find out what payback really feels like. Carly leaves, and Nelle shoves the letters back in box. She looks at the keyring, and says she thinks it’s time to give this town another chance.

In the hallway, Carly tells someone on the phone that they need to talk now.

The hearing is back in session. The judge says that the unique circumstances of Charlotte’s conception puts the court in a unique position. Clearly both parties want what’s best for her, but it’s unclear who can provide the best situation. The court will arrange for Charlotte to meet with a psychologist to determine her wishes. Diane’s petition is denied. She tells Valentin if he pulls a stunt like that again, she’ll make the decision herself.

Valentin asks what Nora thinks, and she says it’s a good sign. She hopes neither one of them have skeletons in the closet. Diane thinks the meeting will show that Charlotte needs her mother.

Jordan is back in the basement, and calls out that she’s armed. She looks at the fingerprints again, and opens the door. Before she can enter, she gets whacked in the back of the head with a pipe.

Anna tells Olivia-J that it’s over. Olivia says that if she gets taken away, Anna won’t know what she did to Robin. I have to admit, in all this craziness, I forgot all about Robin.

Tomorrow, Olivia-J tells Anna that history is coming back to haunt her, Finn makes a deal with Brad, Nelle tells Josslyn that they’re no longer friends, and Carly questions Michael about his feelings for Nelle.

🌟 Much to my delight, Star has been renewed for a second season. Queen Latifah’s hair alone gives me life, and I’m loving seeing Naomi Campbell as a grown-up actress. They never cease to come up with interesting guest stars either, tonight’s offering being Paris Jackson as a photographer, and Big Boy as himself, hoping to sign the girls. Because of the latter, the girls set up their manager, Jahil (Benjamin Bratt), because they want out of their contract. In an excellent scene, Cotton (Amiyah Scott) put on male drag so that she could cash some stolen checks. Brava and bravo! Lead singer Star’s boyfriend, who did not want her to go on tour, hit her again, and I’m hoping that she calls it quits this time. The characters all seem real, so it was an easy show to invest in. Next week is the season finale, where we’ll see if the girls win the contest they’ve been working toward. If they don’t, I might be as disappointed as they’ll be. I’m also hoping a tour doesn’t mean we don’t see the home town characters as much.

😢 Worth mentioning. Sadly, Teresa Giudice’s, mother passed away last week. (At the age of 66 – this is getting scary!) What makes it even more poignant is Teresa having to go it alone, without husband Joe, who is serving time. I know, I know, but I’ve watched them for so long, they seem like cousins that I might not like very much, but they’re family, so I invite them to Thanksgiving.

🍑 Southern Charm: How They Got Here was what I suspected. Here, is where we left off, with yet another argument at a big party, and it was basically clips from the previous seasons. The Bravo milk-train rolls on…

March 7, 2017 – Olivia-J Recreates Duke, Candace Nails Her Mark, Erika Goes Home, a Little LA & Upcoming Shows

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Diane tells Lulu they don’t want to overplay their hand. Nina’s absence at the hearing will speak volumes.

Nora tells Valentin that she wouldn’t be a good lawyer if she misrepresented his chances. She asks if he and Nina could put aside their personal differences for Charlotte’s sake.

At Crimson, Laura tells Nina that she has nothing against her; they have a lot in common. She’s lost years of her life too. Nina asks why she’s there, and Laura says she thinks she knows a way they can both get what they want.

Jordan comes to the hospital and asks where Julian is.

Julian tells Anna that Olivia-J wants GH, and passes out. Andre and Jordan come in. Anna tells them that Olivia is alive, and did this to Julian. Jordan says she promises they’ll get to the bottom of it, but let them do their job. Anna says Olivia is in the hospital somewhere, and they can’t let her escape.

Griff wakes up strapped to a table. Olivia says she knew that bump on the head wouldn’t keep him down long; he’s just like his father. She tells him that she’d explain if there was time, but they’ve been found out. He says he knows who she is, and she tells him that she’s Olivia Jerome, the person he’s going to spend the rest of his life with. Great.

Diane tells Lulu that she brought the social worker’s report, and it will present the kind of parents they’ll be for Charlotte. Lulu tells Dante what a great dad he is. She wonders what’s holding up Laura.

Laura says it’s clear that Nina and Charlotte love each other. Nina says if Valentin gets custody, that’s not a problem. Laura says she heard they were having issues; Maxie texted her. Laura thinks Nina is questioning what she knows about Valentin.

Nora asks Valentin if they have Nina’s support. He says she’s accepted certain truths about his life, but is becoming increasingly uneasy with them. Nora says that it’s better that Nina not be there at the beginning, rather than disappearing later, and Valentin says he told her not to come unless she’s in it for the long haul. Nora says where she comes from, that’s called an old tomato ultimatum, and never ends well.

Lucas talks to Alexis about Sam. She can’t believe that she came so close to losing Sam and Scout, and that she’d almost started to believe Julian. Lucas is shocked that Olivia is back. Alexis hopes that she’s far away. Valerie comes out of the elevator, and asks them to come with her.

Julian says Fred Gray botched it. Jordan asks if Gray was working with Olivia-J, but Julian says he’s the one who brokered the deal. Anna wonders why Olivia would come back to GH. Jullian tells her that Olivia wants what’s underneath it.

Griff asks where he is. Olivia-J says they don’t have time for questions, but they’re under the hospital, and he’s as exhausting as Robin. He asks where Robin is, and Olivia says she’s safe. She marvels at his resemblance to Duke, and asks if Duke ever talked about her. He tells her that he never met his father, and found out about him through Anna, and Olivia says her name is not to be spoken. She lights a candle, and asks if he feels something. She says it must be hard to work here with his father’s soul locked in the walls. Griff says his father’s soul is at peace. Olivia says she heard him cry out for vengeance and justice, but he got none of those things. His soul is locked in GH’s walls. He won’t be free of this mortal coil unless she helps him to get a new life. He needs a vessel to return to, and because of Griff, he has one.

Valentin tells Nora that Nina is passionate and compulsive. She’s angry with him, and not without reason. He doesn’t want her to do something impulsive at the hearing, and says she should stay at the office. Nora says they can work with that, and spins it to make Nina a role model. He says Nora really is the best, but Nora says she’d feel better if Nina was beside him in court.

Nina says that Laura knows nothing about Valentin, her, or their marriage, and not to disrespect her in her office. Laura says she knows about the Cassadines, but Nina says that Valentin didn’t grow up with them. Laura says maybe it’s genetic, and they all use secrets as currency. She asks if Valentin left Nina in the dark about something, and Nina says it’s none of her business. Laura says maybe things will work out or maybe one day Nina will wonder who’s she’s sleeping next to. If they split up, she’ll never see Charlotte again. If Lulu gets custody, she’ll make sure Nina is in Charlotte’s life. Nina asks what she has to do in return.

Griff says Olivia-J is insane, and Olivia says she’s tired of hearing that. He says Duke is dead, and she can’t bring him back. She insists that she can bring back the love of her life. She lights a candle, and says when the flame goes out, Duke has returned. Griff says he knows she loved him, and it’s hard to accept. She wants him to drink some forgetfulness cleansing tea. She says some call it a metaphor, but they need to cleanse his body like a factory reset, so Duke’s soul can return. He says he’s not drinking it. She puts a funnel in his mouth. I have to laugh because it all looks so silly.

Anna asks Julian what he means about underneath the hospital. Andre says there’s a chance he doesn’t know what he’s saying. He asks if Olivia-J was ever a psyche patient, and Anna says yes, about a thousand times. Andre thinks her file might be of use, and asks Jordan to confer. He tells Anna she’s in no position to be playing super spy. She tells him that she’s the most qualified, and he says she’s also the most vulnerable because of being on blood thinners. Jordan says Olivia won’t get away. Anna says she doesn’t answer to Jordan, and Andre asks her not to do anything reckless.

Olivia-J tells Griff to relax. She says he’s a good son, giving his father a second chance to live. Duke would be proud. She tells him it will be over before he knows it, and takes out a scalpel.

Valerie tells Alexis that there’s a threat. Anna joins them, and tells her about Julian being attacked by Olivia-J, and that they think she’s still in the hospital. Alexis stomps off to find Julian. Anna tells Lucas about how Olivia wants what’s underneath the hospital. He tells her Tony was blackmailed into working in Helena’s lab under the hospital, but he figured the fire destroyed the lab. Anna deputizes him (sort of), and says Olivia wants Helena’s lab.

Valentin comes into the courtroom, and Diane tells Lulu to focus. Nora tells Valentin to stay calm and stable. Diane is a master at innuendo and rumor, and passing it off as fact. She tells him not to take the bait when she slings dirt. Diane tells Lulu to let Nina’s absence to speak for itself.

Laura tells Nina that neither Lulu or Valentin seem to be more qualified than the other. Nina says that Charlotte loves Valentin, and Lulu scares her. Laura asks her to testify that her marriage is a sham. Nina says it might be shaky right now, but her marriage is real. Laura says they’re already fighting, and asks if Nina is confident that their marriage can withstand Valentin getting Charlotte and not needing her anymore. Nina says that Laura is playing with her feelings. Laura admits she is, but nothing she’s said is a lie. Nina says Valentin has done nothing to hurt her, and Laura wants her to stab him in the back. Laura says she’s in control, not him. She can testify on his behalf or tell the truth and still keep Charlotte in her life. She asks Nina to think about it for Charlotte’s sake, and hopes she sees Nina in court.

Alexis bursts into Julian’s room.

Andre looks over Olivia-J’s hospital files. He says she was sent to Ferncliff after her dead brother tried to kill her. She was briefly in a coma, and reverted to a childlike state when she woke up. According to the notes, she believed she was a seven or eight-year-old. Andre says it can be a psychosis that’s a response to an emotional trauma where the mind retreats from reality. The person can’t process particular pain or loss, and latches onto a fantasy.

Anna goes to the hospital basement. She sees Olivia-J’s fingerprints by the secret door and opens it. Olivia drips Griff’s blood onto the candle flame. She talks to Duke, saying she’s prepared a vessel for him, and he has to choose to live again. The door opens, but it’s not Duke, it’s Anna.

Laura gets to the court just in time. Lou Judge Rawles asks for opening statements. Lulu goes first. Blah-blah-blah daughter I didn’t know about blah-blah feelings blah-blah a mother’s connection. Zzzzzzzz…. Wake me when it’s Valentin’s turn. Lulu says she can offer Charlotte a stable home and a brother who adores her (really? I don’t think they’ve been in the same vicinity more than twice), and a loving father. She asks for full custody.

Anna says, so she is alive. Olivia-J says it wouldn’t be a reunion for her and Duke without Anna crashing the party. Olivia holds up the scalpel, and says Duke is coming back. She’s found a body to house his soul, and unless Anna wants them both to be lost, she’ll put the gun down.

Alexis says if Julian hadn’t been such a tool, her granddaughter wouldn’t have been born in the cold. Julian gets sappy about having a new grandchild, but Alexis says he’s not going anywhere near her.

Anna puts down the gun. She tells Olivia-J not to hurt Griff, but Olivia says don’t tell her what to do. They struggle over the scalpel. Of course it has to be a scalpel.

Nina looks at the picture from Charlotte.

Valentin talks about how neither he nor Lulu were willing participants in the embryo implantation, but when he found out he had a child brewing, he found a surrogate. He was in the delivery room when Charlotte was born, and was with her for all her firsts. He’s already established that Charlotte knows and loves him, and he’s been the one constant in her life. He says Lulu is attached to idea of Charlotte in the abstract “my daughter,” but doesn’t know her as a person. She’s not a possession. She’s a beautiful little girl who needs stability and constancy. This is Charlotte’s life and childhood, and her needs are more important than his or the Falconaris’.

Anna and Olivia-J struggle over the scalpel.

Valerie says everyone is accounted for except Griff. Jordan says he’s Duke’s son.

More struggle. Anna tells Olivia-J to stop before someone gets hurt. Olivia says that Duke is coming for her, not Anna, and she’s going to make sure she’s dead this time. She throws Anna down, but Anna kicks her. Olivia slashes at Anna with the scalpel, and one or both of them flash back to when they were younger. (And so was I – sob!) Olivia tells Anna that she’s bleeding, and she is. A lot.

Diane presents the social worker’s report, and the judge wants a quick break to read it. Nora also has affidavits for her. Lulu says she almost believed Valentin’s statement. Diane tells her to focus on what they’re presenting; any character witness can swing things either way. Nina walks in.

Alexis asks Julian if it was his idea for Olivia-J to be her sponsor. Lucas comes in, and Julian says it wasn’t like that, and he has a lot to tell her. She tells him to save it; she’s done with him. She’s going home to throw the safe deposit key in the trash.

The candle goes out, and Griff wakes up with a start, startling me. Olivia whacks Anna a good one, and she’s out. Griff breaks the straps like he’s the Hulk.

Jordan wants the hospital swept. She goes to Julian’s room and says they think Olivia-J is targeting Griff. She asks Julian about the basement, and he says that Olivia has Anna.

Olivia-J is about to shoot Anna when Griff appears. Olivia asks, could it be? and Griff says, it’s him – Duke.  I gotta say, Griff looks super-hot, and I would swear he was really Duke come back from the dead if I didn’t think he was just trying to get the better of Olivia. Or is Duke really back? There were vampires in Port Charles at one time…

Tomorrow, Carly threatens Nelle, Nina tells the truth, and Olivia-J tells Griff that Anna has to die.

The Haves and the Have Nots

Hannah tells the desk sergeant that her daughter is Candace Young, and the sergeant asks her to wait there.

Rookie tells Justin he’s sorry for shooting at Jeffrey. Justin says they were just goofing around. Rookie says it looked like Jeffrey had gotten the best of him, and didn’t know Jeffrey was his friend. Justin insists Jeffrey isn’t his friend confusing all of us. Justin says he’ll squelch the report, so Rookie doesn’t get in trouble. The desk sergeant comes to get Justin, who apparently runs the police department.

Justin approaches Hannah. He asks if she knows where Candace is. She says she does, and he asks where. She asks how Candace is going to be arrested. Justin asks if she has weapons. Hannah doesn’t think so, and he says they’ll just ask her to come with them. She says she has Candace’s son, her grandson, and doesn’t want him to see her get arrested. Justin says they’ll do their best, and asks if Hannah can entice her outside. Hannah says she’ll try, but she wants to be sure. Justin promises they’ll wait for her to come outside to take her into custody. Hannah gives him the hotel and room number. She asks if he can wait until Quincy Jr. is on the school bus. He asks who she is to Candace, and Hannah tells him that she’s Candace’s mother. He asks if she knows how Quincy Maxwell died. She says she doesn’t, and Justin says he was stabbed over 40 times. Hannah tells him to look up Quincy’s record. Justin asks about Quincy and Candace’s relationship. Hannah says he was violent, and if she did anything, it was probably in self-defense. Hannah starts to get defensive herself.

Justin says there had to be more than one assailant. The medical examiner thinks there might have been a man involved, and he asks if Hannah can think of anyone. Hannah says she can’t, and Justin gives her his card. He says they don’t even have a warrant yet, so they’ll be waiting for her call. He tells her she did the right thing.

After Hannah leaves, Justin calls Jeffrey. Jeffrey doesn’t answer.

Charles tells Candace that he doesn’t know if he really wants the presidency. She says it’s POTUS, and asks if he knows how many men and women have dreamt of that. He says it can be stifling, and the bubble is small. He grew up in Detroit by way of Tennessee, and it’s debilitating. He loves politics, but not the Whitehouse. Not without his wife, raising his kids alone. He says he’s a good guy, and Candace says her chief-of-staff will hook him up.

Charles says he’s going to be president, and can’t sleep with a woman he just met. Candace says he’s single and they like each other, so what’s up with that? He repeats that he can’t. She asks if it’s the bubble or his wife. He says he was with his wife for fifteen years and doesn’t know how to do this. He says Candace seems bored, and she asks if he likes strong women. He says he does, and calls her beautiful, but he can’t do this. Candace says what if she told him she wasn’t interested in ever letting anyone know? He says he’s heard that before, and then it’s used against you. She asks what about her reputation, and he asks how he would ruin it. She says she’s worked for everything she has, and wouldn’t want to waste it. She wants people to know she worked to get where she is, so she’s not interested in ever letting this moment be known. He asks if she promises. She does, and he says he finds her impossible to resist. She says most men do.

She tells him to stop thinking and just be Charles for an hour or two. They start to make out. She leads him to the bed. Where there’s a bunch of crap. You might want to clean that off. They get busy in the middle of all the papers and books and stuff. Ow!

Jeffrey reads the texts from Justin, telling him how the police think more than one person was involved in Quincy’s murder. Veronica asks if she needs to take the phone away, and tells him to get in the room. He goes in and sits on the bed. Melissa comes out in lingerie. Jeffrey says that does nothing for him and she says it was Veronica’s idea.

Candace and Charles bask in the afterglow. Jeffrey leaves a message for Candace to call him back.

Melissa asks Jeffrey what’s going on; he seems bothered. He says she’s why he’s bothered, and she asks what’s really going on. She can tell there’s something else. He says he got in a fight. She asks if it was bad, and he asks if she’s acting like she cares. She says she’s not acting, but forget it. She asks if the officer outside was the lover who pissed him off, and by the body language, it seemed like something casual between them. He says yes, Justin is his lover and they just had sex and it was good. He goes on about it, but Melissa is unfazed. Jeffrey continues with TMI, and she rolls her eyes.

Veronica walks in and asks, what happened then? She heard him telling his story, so finish. Melissa tries to intervene, but Veronica says she’s not talking to her; she wants to know how low Jeffrey can go. She tells him, you work, Miss Thing, and he says she’s been drinking. She brings up Jeffrey testifying, and tells Melissa that he’s done all kinds of things to her, including putting a knife in her chest. She says he doesn’t understand she’ll always be here. She doesn’t know what was going on between him and Officer Too Friendly, but this is his future.

Melissa says if Jeffrey wants to be with a man, he should. Veronica starts laughing. She says Melissa is bought and paid for, and it’s not to think. She tells Jeffrey not to see that man again. He says he’s done, and she needs to let this go. He tells her to go to bed and sleep it off. She says she’s not afraid of him, and he calls her sick. She says she’s not trying to hurt him: she’s trying to make his life better. He says, by locking him up? She begs him to try a few more times. She’s giving him freedom, and he needs to honor it. She says enough disgusting talk, and asks Melissa what she thinks. Melissa says she doesn’t think. Veronica tells Jeffrey to enjoy his future wife.

Melissa apologizes to Jeffrey. She puts her hand on his shoulder and he tells her move. She says she’s sorry for everything, and for him being involved, and starts to cry. She says Veronica should be asleep by now, and he can leave; she’ll cover for him. Jeffrey says he doesn’t want her to do anything for him ever. Melissa says it’s wrong the way Veronica is treating him and holding her father over her head. She has Melissa the way she has Jeffrey. Her father worked hard his whole life, and she thought she could help. It seemed like a way out, but it’s deeper in. Jeffrey says he can’t go to jail.

She asks what he did, and he says murdered someone. She says with Veronica as a mother, she’s surprised he’s not a serial killer. She realizes he’s telling the truth, and he says she should be afraid of him. She says death doesn’t seem like that bad of an idea, and asks why he did it. He says he was being pushed. She asks if he’s being pushed now. He says yes, and he snapped. Melissa says she just needs enough money to take care of her dad. Veronica will be asleep on the couch soon. He says he’s not doing anything to his mom, and Melissa says she just meant if he wanted to see his friend, but he has to be back by 4 am, since she comes upstairs like clockwork. She tells Jeffrey good-night.

Oscar calls Jim. He has Wyatt’s address, and Jim says they used to own the building. Oscar says it will be hard to find out where the money is offshore, but he’s working on it. Jim is impressed. Jim calls George and says he’ll help him trap Candace in exchange for one thing. George says he’ll give him all the photos. Jim says that If he does this, he wants it over.

Jim looks outside and calls to Kathryn. He asks if Hannah has Amanda’s car. Kathryn says she gave it to her. Jim wonders what’s going on with the two of them.

Kathryn goes out to the car. Hannah tells her that she needs a criminal lawyer. Kathryn asks what she’s done now, but Hannah says it’s for her son and daughter. Kathryn says that Hannah knows how much she hates Candace, but Hannah says that Candace is still her daughter, and the favor is for her. Kathryn asks what Benny has to do with it, but Hannah says she can’t say. She asks if Kathryn will help her. Kathryn says she’ll make some calls, but as much as she hates the bitch, Veronica is the best. Hannah says that Veronica is her friend, and Kathryn is like, whatever you say. She tells Hannah that she’ll call Marty in the morning. Hannah thanks her, and says she has to get back.

Charles and Candace bask in more afterglow. They have pillow talk, and he asks how many men she’s been with. She says the only thing that matters is who she’s with at the time, but she used to see a lot of men. He asks what’s changed. She tells him that she’s getting older and wants to settle down. He asks for her story. She asks what’s his story, and he tells her that he’s running for president. She says most stories are more complicated, and he says the reality is that she can’t know. She asks why. Charles tells her that he wants to be president, he just met her, and they end up in bed. His wife would never have done this, since she was conservative. Candace thinks he’s a wannabe freak, and maybe his wife was too. He wonders if he said anything wrong, and she says no problem. He tells her that it would hurt a lot of people if this came out, and that he can’t have this come out. She picks up her phone and says she can.

Meanwhile, David and Erica are going at it. Erica sees War in the doorway.

Next time, the finale – Jim wants a night with Candace, Hannah asks Benny what he did, and Candace tells Charles that he messed with the wrong female.

Important information. If Loving You is Wrong starts its new season on Tuesday, March 21st, at 9 pm.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Harrison! Giggy! Schnooky! LisaV tells Ken that if she was Kyle, she’d be more pissed off at LisaR than Eden. She tells him about how LisaR called Kyle an enabler. He thinks she just says whatever pops into her head. I think he’s right. I have to mention, I’ve been thinking about Ken all week, and how emotional he got over the disgusting dog meat trade. Being British, he’s not the type to normally show his feelings, and I thought it took a very strong man to reveal that to the world. My husband bought something from Amazon made in China the other day, and I almost popped him in the nose.

Kyle meets Dorit for lunch. Erika meets Eileen for lunch in another location. Erika says she’s going to visit her mom in Georgia, and that her mom is in a play. She tells Eileen that her mother has had a resurgence, and Eileen calls it cute. Let’s not diminish another woman’s accomplishments or anything. Bleh. I’m liking Eileen less as this show goes on.

Kyle tells Dorit about an event happening at her store. They have some kind of drink debuting, and The Fat Jewish is going to help with the promotion. Dorit says that Kim was a rock star last night, and we flash back to her basically telling LisaR off.

In her interview, Eileen says LisaR can often get in trouble for what she says, but she’d rather deal with someone like her. She seems to think this falls under honesty, although many of the Wives have a skewed view of what that is. News flash. It doesn’t mean just saying whatever floats through your brain.

LisaR thinks that she and Kim had a moment of release and need to move on now. We flash back to them hugging it out, and Lisa thanking Kim for being open. Lisa says if you hang onto resentment and anger, it only poisons you. She talks some nonsense about positive energy.

Dorit says when someone keeps doing the same thing over and over, it’s hard to get past it. Dr. Phil calls this stepping on your foot. You can’t forgive someone for stepping on your foot if they’re still stepping on it. She says LisaR makes you think you can trust her, but you blink, and then you can’t. She says Kim and LisaR have been able to work things out – for now – but wonders how many times it’s going to happen. She gives Eden some leeway for being influenced by her relationship with her own sister.

Kyle meets with The Fat Jewish. She asks him to call LisaR out on saying she’s sick, but showing shoe shopping on her Instagram. He calls her, and she says she has the stomach flu. He says she was shopping earlier, but she says the doctor was next to Sak’s. Eden arrives with her friend, Dru.

Dorit trips out of the limo, literally, and Eileen and Camille arrive together. The event is in full swing, and Erika is drinking wine out of the bottle with a straw. LisaV wonders why Kyle is calling a Jew fat, and Kyle has to explain. She introduces The Fat Jewish to everyone. Erika gushes over some jeans. The Fat Jewish takes his shirt off and gives Kyle a lap dance. PK tells LisaV that Ken has been giving him a hard time all night. Erika compliments Dorit’s haircut, and Dorit says it’s the first compliment she’s ever gotten from her. Erika says it’s not, so we flash back and she’s correct. Dorit wonders why Erika seems to have a wall up.

LisaV talks about the trip to Hong Kong she’s taking to stop the dog meat trade. Kyle is coming along, because Ken can’t go, and suddenly, everyone else is coming too. In her interview, Lisa says why not invite The Fat Jewish as well.

Commercial break why do they advertise next week’s “whole new episode,” when we’re not done watching this week’s yet?

LisaV instructs her housekeeper about the different dressings she’s made for a lunch she’s having for Dorit, Erika and Kyle. They’re trying out a new wine for the restaurant and she wants to do it right. Dorit hugs Erika for way too long, and even I get uncomfortable. Kyle arrives, and announces that her sister Kim is a grandmother. She says there was quite a crowd at the birth. Lisa says she has a bone to pick with Erika, who invited Eileen to Hong Kong. In her interview, Lisa says the last time they went away, it was a bloody nightmare. She does think it’s a good idea for both LisaR and Eileen to promote the cause though, because they have a few dozen followers on social media. They agree that Eileen is a nice person, but Dorit says she wouldn’t trust her with her innermost secrets. Erika thinks she should only trust PK with those. Erika says she does have a couple of close friends, but she never wanted to be as trusting as her mother. She says she watches and measures when it comes to herself, although that doesn’t mean she’s not sympathetic or empathetic with other people. Dorit says she’s hard to read, and she’s trusting until someone gives her a reason not to be. In her interview, Kyle says she thinks she understands. Erika is guarded because people have judged her. Dorit says it makes her hard to read, and Erika says she’s a different animal.

Erika’s makeup artists, Clyde and Preston, accompany her in the private jet to Atlanta. She says she’s a Southern girl, and she’ll always be a tomboy too. She’s capable of both camping and glamming.

Kyle brings a family cradle to Kim for the new baby. Kim shows her pictures. Kim says it was the most amazing experience of her life. Kyle tells Kim about the trip to Hong Kong. Kim still isn’t sure about the experience at Kyle’s party. She says LisaR is always like, I made a mistake, and Kyle does an imitation of her saying, “own it.” Kim says she doesn’t have the energy to expel for these people, and I relate.

Erika rents a car and heads to her grandparents’ house. Her mom’s fiancé, Chip, greets them. She says it’s great and emotional at the same time. They look at family photos. She talks about how her grandparents always came to the rescue when her mother needed help, and her grandfather was the only father she ever knew. She tells Preston and Clyde about her grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, and it sounds dreadful. She used to speak to her grandmother every day, and when the phone calls stopped, that was the hardest part. She says it was a marker that the woman she knew was no longer, and to see someone so vibrant and strong slip away is inhumane.

Erika’s mom, wearing a Pat the Puss T-shirt, gets home, and we see where Erika got her good looks from. In her interview, Erika tells us that her mother was a piano teacher, but Erika stunk at piano, so she became a singer and dancer. Her mother was 18 when she had Erika, and did the best she could. Erika says she was never cut any breaks, but her mother loved her and wasn’t a bullsh*tter. She says it was like throwing a kid in a pool to learn to swim, but she didn’t drown. Her mom talks about the play. She thinks it’s good to be involved in something like theater, because it keeps her going and alert. Erika says it’s important to be creative and continue to express herself. Thank God she didn’t say it was cute.

Giggy! Harrison! Ken! LIsaV and Ken go to the dog rescue. Lisa is so excited, she slides down the bannister. She wants to make the rescue center like a lifestyle shop. She says there’s going to be a spa where Vanderpups can get the best blow job in Hollywood. Ha-ha! That LisaV, she’s a real card.

LisaR comes by. Giggy is too precious for words with his little bald behind and pom-pom paws. LisaR says she’s still not 100% well. LisaV explains that they started Vanderpump Pets as a company, but then they realized what was happening in China, so they expanded operations and are also making a documentary. She tells LIsaR they need someone on all fours, and asks her if she’d like to come along to Hong Kong, and put the Dubai trip behind them. In her interview, she says that she wants to mend fences, but isn’t going to forget what happened. It’s not a grudge; it’s being smart. I’m totally on board. That LisaV, she’s also very wise. LisaR is glad to hear it. She’s moved on, but hearing this from LisaV is like getting a bonus check. LisaV asks for LisaR’s feather eyelashes as some kind of commitment, but in her interview, she says she wants LisaR to leave with bald eyes. LisaR hands her lashes over, and in her interview, LisaV says maybe she can manipulate LisaR, and wonders if she’ll carry the bags.

Commercial break with important information. The Real Housewives of New York starts its new season on April 5th, Wednesday, at 9 pm.

In the morning, Erika and her mom go to the cemetery. They take a golf cart to go in. Her mother says she has a fear of being buried and wants cremation. In her interview, Erika says she was closer to her grandmother. I hate to say this, but this looks like a pet cemetery. The headstones are like flattish rocks and it’s in the middle of a forest. I don’t see any other graves around either. What’s going on with this??? They put flowers by the stones, and sit to talk. Erika says she didn’t want to cry today, and her mom says she didn’t cry as a kid. Erika says she was treated like an adult a lot, but she knows her mom was under a lot of pressure. Her mom says it made her a tough old bird (geez, how old is Erika? 40?), and Erika says she gets accused of being cold. She has little patience for crybabies and people who need a lot of hand-holding. I can understand where she’s coming from. I’m not unsympathetic either, but when someone is whining about the same problem they were whining about five years ago, I tend to think they don’t really want to resolve the problem, and start to inch away. Erika’s mom says she’s the sweetest, and Erika appreciates her feelings being validated. Her mom tells Erika that she’s been good to the family, and her grandparents would be proud. We end with a hug.

Next time, Hong Kong phooey, the girls discourage Eden sleeping with someone she doesn’t know, LisaR confronts Dorit, and Erika calls Dorit on her bs. Sounds like it’s not going to be a great trip for Dorit.

A Few Randoms

🔫 ImpostersUma Thurman is the best! Anything with her in it is always worth watching.

🍑 Southern Charm: How They Got Here, March 8th at 9 pm. How they got where? I looked at the blurb in the digital guide and it looks like a retrospective of previous seasons.

💃 Little Women: LA highlights – Matt told Briana he wanted to train to be an MMA fighter, and she asked if he wants to fight people. When he replied, “Well, they don’t fight animals,” I nearly died laughing. Terra gathered the girls to explain that she’s not dying, and until a doctor tells her to stop doing Dancing with the Stars, she’s sticking with it. Christy signed up to have neck surgery, and Elena and Tonya went to a spa for some kind of freezing treatment that’s supposed to help with inflammation. Briana is also dealing with postpartum depression, and Jasmine begged her to get some help before it gets worse.

March 6, 2017 – Nora Buchanan Comes to Port Charles, SUR’s Annual Photo Shoot & Scary Summer House

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Diane goes the bar and orders a double espresso because she needs extra caffeine for the case coming up. She gets chatty with the woman next to her. She talks about her opposing counsel, Nora Buchanan. Which is who she’s sitting next to, although she doesn’t know it yet. I guess she never watched One Life to Live.

Nina deals with the ringing phones in the office. Valentin comes in, and hangs up the phone. Nina is still annoyed with him about Anna.

Anna is packing up. Dante sees her checking her weapon. He asks if she’s leaving, and she says that’s a good observation. He asks if her doctor knows. She thanks him for caring, but says she’s not going to just wait there while Olivia-J is alive and on the loose.

Franco gives Elizabeth a ride to work, and they flirt in the garage. He points out that Ava and Julian have a sister crazier than they are. He says crazy doesn’t discriminate, and he wants her to be safe.

Dante talks to Anna about Olivia-J’s obsession with Duke. He says there’s a good chance Olivia is out to get her, and she says she’s counting on that.

Olivia-J has Robin prisoner. She tells her that they have a lot of work to do, and need to get cracking. She is a lot of fun. I guess that’s why they made her kooky/aggressive instead of just aggressive. It gives leeway to bring her back again.

Elizabeth tells Franco that Olivia-J does give her the creeps. He asks about Sam. Elizabeth says she’s doing well, considering. Franco suggests she not to talk about it if Jake can hear. He explains about his conversation with Jake, and how Jake said Sam had a bad curse on her.

Olivia-J tells Robin that it’s a blast from the past, and congratulates Robin on her success. She takes the tape off of Robin’s mouth. Robin says everyone thought she was dead, but Olivia says she’s back and better than ever, and that circumstances dictated her return. Robin asks if it has anything to do with her family. Olivia says it has to do with the murder of her one true love, Duke.

Anna leaves a message for Robin. She complains to Dante about Robin being over-protective, and Dante says that Robin was just concerned for Anna’s health. Anna says she’s not an invalid. She tells him that they have to get Olivia-J out of hiding, and she’s the perfect bait. Griff is in the doorway, and says he hopes she’s talking about her dating life.

Valentin tells Nina that he wasn’t with Anna, and gives Nina a picture that Charlotte drew for her, saying that Charlotte was asking for her. She wants to see Nina in the morning, and so does he. Nina says she loves being Charlotte’s stepmother, but doesn’t love him keeping secrets.

Nora says it sounds like Diane has a fight on her hands. Diane goes on about covering all the bases, and realizes that she’s doing all the talking. Nora says she knows who Diane is, an attorney by day and novelist by night, and asks when the new book is coming out. Diane is flattered that she has a reader, and says lately her duties as an attorney have been taking up all of her time. It’s nice to see Nora again. I got to meet her on the OLTL set, and she was lovely and gracious. Actually, all of the people there were, both cast and crew. Bo winked at me. Ah, memories!

Franco tells Elizabeth that Jake has some unresolved issues about being on the island with Helena, which he pronounces He-leen-a. Elizabeth says that Jake seems fine, and thinks he just needs to be a kid for a while. She asks Franco to pick her up later.

Diane says normally she doesn’t take custody cases, and Nora asks why this one. Diane tells her that she’s on retainer for a particular man with a particular reputation, and he wanted his daughter-in-law to have the best representation possible. Nora asks how she wins a custody case, and Diane talks about discrediting the other parent without looking like a shark, and that the focus should be on the best interest of the child and trying to compromise.

Laura and Lulu walk in. Diane is about to introduce them, and says she didn’t catch Nora’s name.

Nina asks Valentin why Anna broke in, and why it doesn’t make him angry. He says he doesn’t know how he would have reacted if Anna hadn’t collapsed, but she did, and he doesn’t want to make her life more miserable. He says Anna is the past, and Nina and Charlotte are the future. He asks if they’ll be able to present a united front at the custody hearing.

Griff says he’s not signing off on Anna’s paperwork, and Finn isn’t either. Dante tells her not to do anything stupid because he’ll be in court. They wish him luck.

Robin asks if Olivia-J wants revenge on Julian ordering the hit on Duke. Olivia says that by the time she was able to reunite with Duke, Julian had taken him away again. She’s come back to right Julian’s wrong; she has to restore balance at General Hospital. Robin asks what that means. She says obviously she has to bring Duke back. Obviously.

Nina tells Valentin that she didn’t realize how different they are. His spy training was good, because he’s impossible to read, while she wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s angry and confused, and Valentin says she should think about what she wants, meanwhile he’ll be in court fighting for it.

Valentin comes into the bar and introduces his attorney, Nora, to everyone.

Elizabeth comes back to the garage, and Franco admits he’s the new garage attendant. He says it was available, and she has three boys to take care of. She says he’s charming, talented, and thoughtful. They lean against a car to kiss, and hear something in the trunk.

Olivia-J says she would think that someone with Robin’s skills, knowledge, and education would be more aware. She’s studied every culture and philosophy, and seen miracles happen. She’s expanded her consciousness. She tells Robin that death is a transitory state, and sometimes we need to give life a happy end. Robin is like, are you resurrecting Duke in the hospital basement? Olivia says don’t be stupid; they’re in a boiler room, but they need GH. She opens a secret door, saying this is it; this is the lab where Helena breathed new life into Stavros.

Anna says she’s following all the rules, and Griff says Finn told him that she’s just following the rules she likes. After mumbling about patient/doctor confidentiality, she tells Griff that a higher priority has emerged – Robin.

Olivia-J looks around the lab, bringing Robin along. Robin thought it had been destroyed. Olivia says she found out it wasn’t, and asks Robin if she’s familiar with the machines. Robin says she is, and they look damaged, but she’s a doctor, not an engineer. Olivia asks how Helena resurrected her son. Robin says Stavros wasn’t exactly dead. The machines just kept him alive while he was healing. She says the machines aren’t going to work on Duke; he’s not coming back.

The car alarm goes off and Elizabeth calls for help. She pops the trunk open, and Franco says it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Elizabeth sees Julian in the trunk.

Nina looks out the window, not getting any work done. She flashes back to Valentin telling her he loves her, and how she was afraid of saying it back. She thinks about Valentin telling her that Anna is the one stuck in the past, and Nina is hung up on what the other men in her life have done to her.

Diane tells Nora that her reputation does her justice, and she’ll be a formidable opponent. Nora says she’s right about compromise being the name of the game – unless her client refuses to compromise. Diane says this is the first time they’ve met, but she learned something. Nora says her too, and leaves with Valentin. Diane tells Lulu and Dante that Valentin has a good lawyer, but theirs is better.

Anna says she thinks Olivia-J wants to exact revenge on Julian, and that she was madly in love with Duke. She tells Griff about how she was pregnant with Duke’s baby, and Olivia rigged the elevator to crash and she has a miscarriage. Griff asks if that was the intention. Anna doesn’t know, but it served Olivia’s purpose. She has to find Olivia before she targets Robin. Hurting Robin is the surest way to hurt her. Elizabeth runs in, saying she’s there about Julian.

Olivia-J asks if Robin is all science and no faith. Robin says she wishes they could bring Duke back too, but it’s not how the machines work. Helena had Stavros’s body, but Duke was cremated. Olivia takes something out of her bra, saying she’s been carrying it for years. I could make a lot of jokes here, but moving on. It’s a lock of Duke’s hair, and she says the DNA should be enough. Robin says it’s not. Olivia says she can’t give up on Duke, and Robin says she understands. She lost her first love too, but can’t bring him back, the same way she can’t bring back Duke. All they can do is live their lives in their loved one’s honor, and Duke would want Olivia to be happy. Olivia says it’s not possible without him. Robin says she’s moved on, and Olivia can too. Robin reaches toward Olivia, and Olivia drops the vial. It shatters, and she tells Robin, look what you made me do.

Olivia-J says Robin destroyed the last pieces she had of Duke. Robin says that’s not true; he left a piece of himself in each of their hearts. Olivia says that’s not good enough. She says Robin did have one good idea though. Maybe he left another piece of himself.

Anna asks how Julian is. Griff says it’s not that severe, and he’ll recover. Anna is having the car checked out. She wonders why Olivia-J would leave Julian alive. Perhaps there’s another reason she came to town, other than getting even with him. She says good thing Olivia doesn’t know about Griff.

Diane apologizes for her lapse in judgement, saying it won’t affect the case. Lulu says Valentin murdered her brother, but Diane reminds her that there’s no proof. It helps their case that he’s had an unsettled undocumented life, but Nora will present him in the best light possible.

Nora tells Valentin that Diane is good. When she found out who Nora was, she barely blinked. She makes a nice living making sure Sonny stays out of prison and gets what he wants. Valentin says that’s why he hired Nora. She tells him to be careful how he presents himself. She asks about Nina, and he says he doesn’t know if she’ll be joining them. At all.

Nina calls Charlotte. She says she’s sorry she couldn’t tuck her in, but she had a grown-up work thing. She promises she’ll make it up to her. She asks what Charlotte wants her to do, and if Charlotte would like to sing with her. She sings as she looks at a photo of the three of them, and starts to choke up. Oh come on, we know you’re going to help. Get to the hearing already.

Lulu says Maxie texted her, saying Valentin and Nina are on the rocks. How she knows this, I’m not sure. Lulu says that if the marriage is unraveling, they’re not providing Charlotte with a stable home, and Diane says they can spin this. Lulu says they have to act fast while the problems are hot.

Nora tells Valentin to apologize, whatever it takes, get Nina there. He says it’s not going to happen. She says he’s a man with a questionable past, while Lulu has stacks of affidavits to support her as a parent. If he doesn’t present to the court that he’s the preferable parent, he’ll have to share custody or lose it entirely.

Lulu tells Dante that they should take advantage of the situation. Dante says they could push Nina away from Valentin or back into his arms.

Nina looks at her calendar, seeing the entry for the hearing. Laura comes in. Nina says it’s not a good time. Laura says she’ll want to make time; she has a proposition.

Griff asks Anna to be careful. She promises she will. Anna says if he sees Robin, tell her to stop dawdling, but she’s not leaving Julian until the police get there. Griff leaves, and Anna calls Julian a cat with nine lives. He asks where he is, and she tells him he’s in the hospital, and that he was found tied up in the trunk of a car. She asks if Olivia-J did this.

Olivia gets in the elevator with Griff.

Anna asks Julian where Olivia is, and why she put him in the trunk. He says she’s here and never left.

Griff remembers Olivia from the garage. She’s flattered that he recognizes her, and says she could never forget him. He reminds her of her one true love, his father, Duke.

Tomorrow, Laura tells Nina that they can both have what they want, Anna asks Julian where Olivia-J is, and Olivia-J kidnaps Griff.

Vanderpump Rules

Everyone manages to get back from Vegas without getting arrested. Jax shows Lisa their drag pictures. She tells Tom that he looks better as a woman. She asks if Schwartz and Katie had a good time, but Jax says they didn’t sleep in the same bed for the first two nights and fought 80% of the time. Lisa decides to talk to Katie.

Scheana and Ariana talk about the fighting. Ariana doesn’t think it’s a good solution to bottle up the problems until after the wedding. She wonders how you retrain yourself not to fight like that.

Harrison! The SUR photo shoot is coming u,p and we flash back to the previous ones. This year’s theme is indulgence. Lisa asks Katie about the fighting during the party weekend, but she passes the blame to Schwartz. Lisa says if they keep going in that direction, they could lose each other. In her interview, Lisa says this is more than pre-wedding jitters, and if they can’t get along on vacation, how are they going to get it together IRL?

Stassi and Kristen go to lunch. Kristen brings her dog Gibson along. He’s a certified service dog; she got him a card for $79. She says she won’t stab James in the heart while Gibson is with her, so whatever works. Stassi fills out a dating app profile on her phone. She tells us that desperate times call for desperate measures, and she does not want to date any more bartenders.

Katie and Schwartz visit Lisa. Schwartz doesn’t trust the swans. I probably wouldn’t either. Lisa asks what they still have to do. Katie says they still have some catering stuff to deal with, and one more thing. A guy dressed like a butler comes to the door. He proclaims Lisa the fairest in the land, and tells her that Katie and Schwartz request that she officiate at their nuptials. She tells them that she’s totally overwhelmed and didn’t expect it, and Schwartz says they wanted something special. Lisa tells them she takes marriage seriously, and the way they’ve been behaving gives her cause for concern. We flash back to Katie telling Lisa about various fights with Schwartz. Lisa says it has to be a new chapter in their lives, and she wants to make sure they’re taking responsibility. Schwartz says everything they’ve been through has overshadowed the relationship. Katie starts to cry.

In her interview, Katie says they have big problems, and they have to face them. She tells Lisa that she wants to be with Schwartz. She says they let themselves forget who they were, and she and wants to get back to that. Lisa wants to know they’re really committed to each other before she agrees.

The kids go to the beach for some sun, and drinking in a different atmosphere. Stassi says she had a date and made out all night long. She’s not looking for anyone to put a ring on it though – unless the ring is really big. Schwartz tells them about asking Lisa to officiate, and how they ended up having a sit-down and it got heavy. She wants to make sure they love each other before she says yes, and Schwartz agrees it’s been a disaster lately. Tom says the friends have overstepped boundaries, but it was out of concern. Dolphins! (I’m like a person with ADD when I see animals.) In his interview, Tom says that only Lisa has the balls to say what everyone is thinking.

Schwartz suggests that he and Katie not be a-holes anymore. Good luck with that, especially hanging around this crowd. He says they’re supposed to be unflappable, but they’ve been majorly flappable. He almost picks up something on the beach, but Katie tells him not to touch it; it’s a tampon. Ugh! This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine, since I live near a beach. Anything plastic really.

Lisa goes to the stables to visit Prince Tardon, her new horse. Ariana comes along to go riding with her. In her interview, Ariana says she doesn’t know if she could have a bigger lady crush on anyone. Me too. She tells Lisa that she talked to Schwartz, and Katie feels guilty. In her interview, Lisa is glad they’re taking her seriously, but they have a lot of work to do. She asks Ariana if she’s ever getting married, but Ariana is not too keen on babies. Lisa says talk to her in five years.

Stassi visits Kristen. She says she’s a recovering serial monogamist, and it’s the first time she’s dated in seven years. She’s going on a blind date tonight, and says he has the best Instagram she’s ever seen – no gym selfies. Kristen wants her to bring condoms, but Stassi says she’s not doing anything on a first date. Kristen thinks she needs to break down the wall she’s put up. I dunno. It looks like she’s doing just fine to me. These days, it probably isn’t a good idea to not have sex right off the bat. To be honest, it probably wasn’t in my day either, but we had fewer STD and STV concerns.

Tom is treating the guys to a spray tan session at Jax’s house. What happened to lunch at a restaurant? On top of it, he calls it a “sesh,” which makes me cringe. Schwartz announces that he and Katie had sex last night. Tom says mission accomplished. Schwartz asks who can get ordained quickly in case Lisa says no. In his interview, he says having Jax do it would be like Lucifer baptizing you.

Stassi meets blind date David. She says it’s like interviewing someone to evaluate if you eventually want to have sex with them. Kinda. They start with some wine and nice to meet yous. It sounds like he does something with computers, and when he tells her that he gets up at 7 am, she nearly has a coronary. Stassi is convinced that she’s pretty because she sleeps late. She talks about feeling pressured with her last relationship, but says maybe she felt that way because he was the wrong person. In her interview, she says that David is the kind of guy she should want to date, but she’s not feeling it. I have to say it, he does seem boring, and I understand why. Sorry, David.

Schwartz brings home some props for the photo shoot. There’s a pig with an apple in his mouth (I assume papier-mâché), a bunch of grapes, and other food items. Schwartz puts a towel over the pig’s head, saying the eyes are following him. Katie goes over the wedding budget. In his interview, Schwartz says Lisa suggested they be in each other’s presence and reaffirm their love, so they’re trying. He tells her that he feels terrible about what happened in Vegas, but she says she wants to leave it behind them. In her interview, she says she has no more doubts about him, and got the answers that she needed. He says he just wants to get take-out and watch Pauly Shore movies with her for the rest of their lives. Really? He’s not sounding much better than David. Worse. At least David has his Instagram going for him. In his interview, Schwartz says his confidence over the wedding has wavered, but in the past few days, they’ve brought back the reason they’re doing it.

Time for the photo shoot. It’s Brittany’s first, and she says she feels like part of the family. Ariana says it’s like the awkward office Christmas party you have to go to, but at this party, she’s naked. That actually sounds like one of those recurring nightmares. A table is set with a sumptuous feast, the pig at the center. Jax thinks they should update the website with the new photos, since they still show Kristen and Stassi, who haven’t worked at SUR for years. Tom has come prepared for anything – formal, casual, bright colors, muted colors. The photographer takes some shots of the girls fully dressed first.

Stassi and Kristen go out for lunch. I don’t know what it is, but it looks good. Thai maybe? Kristen gets a text from the girls about the photo shoot, saying be glad you’re not here. Stassi says her date was nice, but she needs a man. She wants to be the young skank, not be left for the young skank. Kristen thinks she needs someone who has their sh*t together, and in LA, that doesn’t happen until they’re in their 30s. Jax aside. They discuss Katie and Schwartz. Stassi thinks Lisa is smart to hesitate over officiating at the wedding. Then can’t believe she said that.

Photos are taken of Lisa with the guys in formal wear. Katie asks Scheana for tips about the wedding, since she’s never even been in one. Scheana says she feels a little left out; she misses their individual closeness. Katie says she didn’t realize Scheana was feeling excluded, and Scheana is just as important to her as ever. Scheana gets weepy, and tells Katie that she wants to be included.

Lisa sets up a shot of Tom and Ariana, suggesting they fornicate on the table. Only Lisa can get away with using that word. In his interview, Tom instructs us on how to hide an erection if you need to. ♫ LA-LA-LA! ♫ Several photos are taken.

Schwartz and Katie talk privately, although Tom walks past and makes faces at them. Schwartz wonders if they should have a back-up in case Lisa says no. Lisa comes by, and says that’s how she wants to see them, smiling and happy, but not now because they have to get moving. Pictures are taken of Schwartz, Katie and a rose. Lisa is glad they’ve taken her advice to heart.

Brittany tells Jax he looks handsome, but I think he looks uncomfortable. She wonders why he didn’t return the compliment, and he says he told her that she looked pretty twice, and that should be enough. He’s such an oaf. I never even use that word, but it totally applies here.

The group shot is taken at a table with more lavish meal stuff. In her interview, Lisa likes having the photo shoot to document the history of SUR. Giggy! She says it’s like an extended family.

While out to dinner at SUR, Schwartz says he feels like he and Katie have gone through twenty years of relationship in five years. Katie says they looked at each other and their relationship through other people’s eyes, and it changed things. Lisa joins them and asks how they’re doing. Katie says they’ve been paying attention to the small things, like kissing each other good-by. Schwartz asks Lisa what her answer is, and she says now she’ll be happy and honored. She says they deserve each other, but in a good way. They’re both lovely people.

Next time, Lala is back, Stassi gets glamour shots taken, James meets Raquel’s mother, and Jax and Tom cook up a surprise for Schwartz.

🏖  Just a note about Summer House, which I’ve been watching (God help me), but not recapping. Why bother? Sex, fight, rinse, repeat. The really bizarre thing, the thing that bothers me the most, isn’t that this is like The Real World  for adults (the more current seasons of The Real World, not the first ones, which were actually interesting), but that they sound like they’re rejects from Vanderpump Rules. They have accents like Valley girls, and one of them even said “gag me with a spoon” tonight. They didn’t move the Hamptons, right? The Hamptons is still on the east coast, right? Where did they get these people? This show frightens me. I could blow the SUR kids off, citing coastal and age differences, again with the exception of Jax, but this group is in their 30s and Long Island is still in New York, right? The antics of this bunch belong in a frat house, and it isn’t even appropriate there. The finale is next week. This has been one long summer.

🍹 Although Kyle did give one of the best quotes ever: I am way to drunk to deal with this right now.

March 5, 2017 – Once Returns, Rick Finds Guns & Feud is Fabulous

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Once Upon a Time

Underneath a bridge, a little girl reads a fairy tale book, then uses the pages to stoke a fire. A young man asks what her story is. She tells him that she ran away and it’s none of his business. He asks her to stop burning the book, and tells her that The Ugly Duckling was his favorite. He says the best fairy tales are about transformation. She says that’s not what it’s about; the duck was always a swan, but didn’t know it. He says it’s about belief; if we believe in something strongly enough, we all have the power to change our fate. He asks if this is the fate she wants.

The little girl tells a desk clerk that her friend brought her there, and her name is Emma Swan.

In the enchanted parallel world, before Emma and Regina can jump into the porthole, Robin holds them up for their jewelry. Some huntsmen ride close by, and Robin jets. Henry leads the pack, and thinks that Emma and Regina crossed the river. Emma tells Regina nothing there is real. The place was created by a wish. Emma thinks she’s found a way back.

David and Hook stroll the streets of Storybrooke. David says they need to give the Evil Queen what she deserves, and he’s not resting until it’s done. Hook says he’s in, but he hopes David knows what he’s doing.

Rumpelstiltskin (as Gold) asks Gideon how this is possible. Gideon says he was in a place where time didn’t move. Gold asks if the Queen harmed him, but he says she toughened him. In all of the dark years, he tried to remember Belle and follow her example. He’s still going to kill Emma though, because he’ll gain her power as Savior. He needs to rid his land of the Black Fairy. He says when he kills Emma, he’ll finally become a hero. He disappears, poof! in a puff of pick-a-color smoke. Okay, I wasn’t looking.

Emma finds Pinocchio, who thought she’d been captured. He asks what happened that she’s in the Enchanted Forest, and she says it’s a long story. He tells her how he desperately wanted to be a real boy, and it only took his father to make it so. He asks what he can do for her, and she tells him to build something to get her out of there. She wonders if he still has the enchanted wardrobe, but he dismantled it years ago. He thinks he can still help. He knows where the grove is that the wood came from, and thinks they might be able to replicate his father’s work. Emma asks Regina what she thinks, but there’s no Regina, only a note. Regina says she knows Robin isn’t real here, but needs to know if he’s better off without her, like everything else in the realm.

Regina looks through the window of the pub, and remembers seeing Robin for the first time. She goes inside and everybody freaks because she’s the Evil Queen. They all run, but Robin asks if she’s going to buy him a drink. He thinks she’s there for the necklace that he stole, but she wants to talk. She asks if he’s happy, and he says she’s a strange one. He tells her that his life is great, he answers to no man and sleeps under the stars. She says he was better off, and he asks why she would care. Before she can say anything, the Sheriff of Nottingham comes in to arrest Robin, and slaps a cuff on Regina. He says Robin comes with a bonus, and tells his men to take her too.

Pinocchio and Emma go to the enchanted grove. Pinocchio checks out his father’s tools, and picks something out. He says that a true wood carver must be in conversation with the tools and materials. Emma pulls out a sword and tells Pinocchio she’s no longer a princess, but a Savior. She explains that her fate is to die while protecting her family.

Hook comes out of nowhere to “rescue” Emma. He’s fat, has grey hair, and looks like an aging Jack Sparrow. Obviously, he wasn’t better off.

In Storybrooke, Gold tells Gideon that it’s lonely. Gideon says that’s his fate. Gold says fate is a tricky business that requires planning. Gideon believes that Gold thinks he isn’t strong enough. Gold says there are things a man learns with time, but Gideon tells him to get lost. He says Gold thinks he knows all about him, but he has no idea. Gold says that Gideon’s life has been full of pain, but if he wants someone to pay, let it be him. He tells Gideon to hit him. Gideon doesn’t do it, and Gold says if he can’t hit his father, how does he expect to kill the Savior? He says he can help, but Gideon says he doesn’t need his help.

Emma tells Hook to let Pinocchio go, and leave the rescue to the professionals. She says she doesn’t need rescuing and Pinocchio easily takes Hook’s sword from him. Hook says there’s a reward for Princess Emma’s return. Pinocchio asks if she knows him, and she says she knows another version of him, and they sort of live together in another world. She knocks Hook out with some magic, and says it’s time to go home and get someone off the rum. Hook disappears, but the tool is broken.

Emma asks if Pinocchio can fix it, but he says he can’t. She says they have other tools, but he says they need magic and he’s not good enough. He says he’s sorry she put her faith in him, and hopes she doesn’t make that mistake again.

Regina and Robin are locked in a cage in the forest. Robin says he’s going to die having accomplished nothing. She says he’s Robin Hood who robs from the rich and steals from the poor. He asks if she’s nuts, and tells her that he just steals from the rich. She finds out that Marion died before they got married. He says there’s no one. She asks if he’s happy. He says if she wants the truth, he hasn’t been happy for a long time. She says he never had love.

The horses begin to rear up and run away. The guards chase them. One approaches the cage and is blown back. Rumpelstiltskin appears. Regina asks him to take the cuff off. He says on one hand she helped him escape, and on the other, the woman he loved starved to death. He dumps out a bag of bones and says that’s her now. Regina assures him that she had nothing to do with that. He says he might not be real, but he has the feeling he can still make her bleed. Yikes.

In real life, David tells Snow he’s sorry he can’t wake her. He promises he’ll find their daughter, bring her home, and fix this. He and Hook try to make a plan. Belle says they’re looking for her son, Gideon. He grew up in another realm, and the experience affected him. She says Rumpel is out looking for him too. David wonders who Rumpel is helping, and Belle says she can stop him, but she doesn’t want anyone harmed. She trusts them, and asks them to trust her. David says when they find Gideon, she can try to get him to listen.

Back in the world of fairies, Rumpel pushes Regina and Robin into a cell, and locks the door. Robin is like, so, I’m living in a fake world created by the wish of a princess who isn’t fake, and I’m a folk hero in another version. Regina is surprised he believes her. He says he doesn’t mind believing that he lives a better life in another world. He asks if he’s a scoundrel there, and she says he’s dead. He asks if the other Robin had a good life before he died. Regina says she thinks and hopes so. He helped a lot of people, and loved his friends and family. And her. Robin says it sounds like a good life, even if it was too short. He tells Regina that he’s not just the world’s greatest thief, and breaks the lock. They leave the cell.

Emma is about to chop at the tree, and spies a carved box with her name on a gift tag tied to it. There’s a carved swan inside. She goes to Pinocchio’s ship and asks him what it is. He tells her happy birthday. He says he always liked swans, and talks about The Ugly Duckling. His father told him that if you believe hard enough in something, you can change your fate. Emma remembers him at the fire, and says, it was you. She says when she was a kid, Pinocchio gave her advice that changed her life. He says she became the swan. She hands him the magic spatula and says he can do this. If he believes he’s a master carpenter, he will be, and his life will change.

Pinocchio chops at the tree. Magic pops out of it, and he says it looks like the swan is going home.

Commercial break. No surprise. It’s for Beauty and the Beast. I’d love to see it on the big screen, but I’ve sworn off any movie below an R rating. The last time I saw something that was PG-13, I felt like I was in the middle of a bus during a field trip, surrounded by the light of phone screens.

Pinocchio builds whatever, and thanks Emma for believing in him. She says his father would be proud. He shows her the finished product – a new enchanted wardrobe. Regina and Robin arrive, and Robin asks if they’re getting back in a tree. Regina tells him sorry for dragging him in. He gives her a feather, saying she’ll have a piece of Robin. She tells him that when her Robin died, there was a feather that was lost. She’d hoped he was in a good place, and thinks somehow, he lives on in this Robin. Emma asks if she wants to bring him as her plus one, but Regina says he’s not real. How can a wish become real? Emma says if Regina believes that any part of Robin is in there, she should bring him, saying that they make their own fate. She did it, and now it’s Regina’s turn. Robin says he’s in. Regina tells him it might not work, but he says it might. She asks if he wants to take the risk, and he says it’s not that great there, so why not go with the woman who was willing to die for another version of him?

Pinocchio opens the door. Emma steps through and Regina thanks him.

In Storybrooke, Emma and Regina come through, but no Robin. Emma says she’s sorry, and Regina asks for a moment alone. While she’s meditating on her sadness, Robin appears. She hugs him. He’d probably hug back, but he has arrows and stuff in his hands. She shows him the town from the top of a hill, officially welcoming him to Storybrooke.

Commercial break. It’s for the Time After Time series premiere. I thought this show had been on already, since there have been ads for it for months. I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to see it, but I loved the 1979 movie with Malcolm McDowell and David Warner.

Emma strolls down the street, thinking about her vision. Gideon appears and says he’s been waiting. She says she only knows one Gideon, and he’s a lot younger. She asks what he wants, and he attacks her. They battle with their swords. Emma’s sword goes flying, and Gideon has them both. The others run up, and Emma tells them to stay back. Belle tells Gideon that he doesn’t have to do this. He freeze frames everyone. He tells Emma that he’s not going to hurt them, just her. Her hand starts to shake, and he tells her that she’s fated to die. She says not today.

Emma blows Gideon back with magic and holds a blade to his neck. Gold begs her not to kill him. Gideon says he doesn’t need Gold’s help, and disappears. No poof, no smoke, just disappears. Emma is stunned that he was Belle and Rumpel’s baby. They suddenly notice Robin, and Regina explains about the alternate reality. Everyone hugs. We hear a typewriter.

Emma walks in on Pinocchio typing. He says he works in a cabin out there, so his father can sleep. She asks him if he knew it was her when she was little. He says he kept tabs on her for a while. He knew she didn’t belong on the streets, and had to make sure that she did too. Emma sees the book that she was going to burn in a box on Pinocchio’s table. He says when she picked Swan as a last name, it made him happy. He figured she got it, and was on the way to being the person she was supposed to be. She says she thinks she’s on her way to believing she makes her own destiny. He tells her that believing is the first step.

Gold finds Belle on the bridge, and asks if she’s making a wish. She says he succeeded in keeping Gideon from his horrible fate. He says Gideon had the power to make his own choices. He thought Gideon would make the right choice, and even though he was wrong, Gideon may still do it. Gold says that through his whole dark life, he’s sought out light, like her. He doesn’t want Gideon to kill anyone because it’s not the cure for his pain. He doesn’t want that for his son.

Belle says she protected Gideon, knowing what he wanted to do, and it can be easy to rationalize. Gold says, indeed it can. As they’re talking, Gideon is climbing up the stairs inside the clock tower. Belle wonders what they can do. Gold says if there is, they should do it together; not just for them, but for everyone. War is coming to Storybrooke.

Gideon busts out the clock’s face. It shatters everywhere.

Next time, Emma wants to break the curse, David needs a pirate, and Emma wants to know what Hook is hiding.

The Walking Dead

Michonne and Rick comb a house for supplies, gathering anything of value. Down in a van by the river, she thanks him for keeping watch last night. He says they’re getting batteries for the walkie-talkie and getting it to work again. They raid another house, fighting off some zombies. They get busy during a break. Rick is discouraged that all they have are two guns, some dented cans of beans, and some football jerseys, but Michonne says they’re fighting the fight.

They come across a group of Saviors playing golf. They see batteries in the back of their truck.

Back at the van, Michonne tells Rick that they have to get back. Rick wants to stay a little longer, and sounds like a kid who wants to stay up later. Michonne agrees.

Rosita stitches herself up. Tara tells her it’s going to work out. They have the numbers to fight; they just need guns. Rosita asks where they’re going to get them, and says she can’t just wait. Tara says they’ll get the guns and fight. Rosita says it’s not going to be easy; it wasn’t the last time. She says she’s going to find guns.

Rick sleeps while Michonne drives. Rick sleeps while Michonne makes coffee. She sees a deer and tells Rick to shhh! even though he was sleeping. She gets a gun, but the deer is gone. Rick says he owes her a deer. They look around the forest, making so much noise that every deer within miles has disappeared.

They see a fence with a half-fallen tarp on it. Rick bangs on the fence and a soldier zombie stumbles around on the other side. Rick sniffs a bullet casing and they look around. Michonne says something serious happened here a long time ago. Rick says there might be serious guns in there.

Rosita noses around an abandoned house. She starts to go inside, and a Mama June (not hot) type zombie ambles out. She slices mama’s head in half with a machete. She finds a gun, but it’s just a water pistol.

Michonne and Rick go to the top of a building. They see zombie soldiers and civilians wandering around a carnival. Cool! Let’s get those zombies on the Ferris wheel. Rick says there was a fight, and they’re still wearing their guns. Michonne shoots, and ends up doing well at one of the carnival games. Until she and rick fall through the roof. We hear Rick laugh. Because it’s all good when you’re in love.

Rick and Michonne lie there laughing. They look around and find a boatload of food. Some kind off pre-packaged “ready to eat” meals.

Rosita finds Gabriel at the church. She tells him she didn’t find any guns even though she was out there all day. She had a gun, and was going to kill Negan with it. If she’d done it, he’d be dead. Maybe she would too, but who gives a damn? She lists all the people who would still be alive, and says that she’s still there because she was stupid enough to listen to him. She tells him that he doesn’t know sh*t about sh*t, and he tells her she’s right. He told her not to do what she was planning because they needed her, and they still do. It’s easier to be dead, and if it’s his fault, fine, but he did what he thought was right. He says she can blame him for having life, but what is she going to do with it? Anything is possible until your heart stops beating. Since she can’t argue with that, she walks out.

Michonne and Rick open the boxes, pull out the meals, and dig in. Michonne makes a plan to get the others to fight with them and kill Negan, but she doesn’t know what happens after that. They’ll have to reorder the world once he’s gone. Rick says they’ll figure out how to work together. She thinks he should be in charge, but he doesn’t. She says he’d be good at it, if it’s something he wanted. He says he doesn’t think he would, and he doesn’t want it. He says they could work together, and he wants that, if she does. She says she wants that, and they kiss.

Rick says they can take their time. The place is clear, locked up tight, and they found the only way in. He thinks they should get back. He gives her a package of chili and mac and cheese together. That’s love. The zombies stagger about outside, while Rick and Michonne get busy inside. Honestly, I don’t know how busy I could get, or would want to get, with zombies lurking around several feet away.

Tara babysits Judith. She’s torn between telling Rick about Oceanside or not, and uses Judith as a sounding board. She says that the others should just fight with them, but they only want to hide because they fear the world. But if she tells everyone about Oceanside, it might end up proving their point. She wonders what makes their life worth more than the others, because they want to stop the people who want to hurt other people?

Carnival time! Rick and Michonne watch the zombies from behind a truck. Rick wants to block one of the gaps to make it easier for them. He wants to do it quiet with the sword. Michonne makes a noise, and takes out the zombies one by one as they come her way. Rick grabs a gun from a zombie soldier, who’s wedged halfway through the windshield of a car. Rick tries pulling him out by the feet, and the zombie’s foot comes off. Ha-ha! He pulls some more and the guy’s legs come off. Ha-ha! again. Rick finally gets him out of the windshield glass. Michonne joins him and they push the car toward the gap. He realizes that the breaks don’t work, and all of a sudden there’s gunfire from a soldier zombie. Michonne jumps into the trunk, and Rick steers the car to the opening in the fence. Zombies surround the car and claw at it. Rick says it was a great plan, and Michonne agrees that it was.

They jump off the car and behind some ride barricades. They run through the fairgrounds, the zombies trailing behind. They knock over the test-your-strength game, and it blocks the zombies for a bit. Rick asks if Michonne wants to go, but they both think they can do this. Rick goes in front of the Ferris wheel and coaxes the zombies forward. Michonne does the same thing by the big slide. As the zombies get to the gate, they’re dispatched; heads rolling, eyeballs squishing, blood spurting. Rick sees the deer, and jumps onto the Ferris wheel, climbing up to the top. He’s about to shoot the deer as zombies are coming toward it, and he falls off. Oh crap.

Rick is down, but grabs the gun, and starts shooting the zombies. Michonne runs toward him, gun drawn. When she gets there, she sees the zombies circled around something, eating. She looks sick, and tears roll down her face. She drops her sword. The zombies start to come toward her. She backs away, but she’s not herself.

Like Superman, Rick jumps out of a crate, and throws the sword to Michonne. They slice and dice the zombies. They hug, and Rick says he tried.

They gather up the guns. A lot of guns. Michonne has a moment.

It’s quiet on the ride back, but they got tons of supplies. I’d be hiding some of those somewhere. Rick pulls the van into the forest. He wishes they could have spent more time away. He says he hasn’t been sleeping, thinking about what they’ve lost, and the friends he couldn’t save. He says they went through something, and this doesn’t cure it. Michonne says she’s sorry. He says they’re going to fight them. They’re going to lose people, maybe even each other, but it will be worth it. Michonne says she can’t lose him. Rick says she’d asked him what kind of life they’d have by just surrendering, and it would be no life. Fighting the fight is living, making a future for Judith and the others. He says she can lose him. It’s not about them anymore; it’s about a future. If he doesn’t make it, she’ll have to lead, and she can. She asks how he knows, and he says she led him there.

Back at the Heapsters heap, Jadis asks if the guns are all operational. Rick says they need cleaning up. There are over sixty guns, but Jadis says it’s not enough. Rosita suggests they leave and take their guns with them. Jadis says no, and they haggle. Jadis gets to nine and they get the cat back, and Rick says twenty, and they fight together. Jadis says yes, and if they get more soon, they’ll fight. Everyone wanders around looking like they’re doing something important. Michonne tells Rick they have a few more days before what happens next. They’ll figure it out in a few more days.

Back in Alexandria, Tara is looking for Rick. He asks if she’s okay, and if she’s seen Rosite, who hasn’t shown up for her shift. Tara suggests that maybe she went out looking for more guns. She says she has something to tell Rick.

Rosita stomps through the streets, and sees Sasha at Abe’s grave. She says she needs Sasha’s help. Sasha says under one condition – she gets to take the shot. Rosita agrees. She asks if Rosita brought explosives, but Rosita felt that was taking too much of a chance. She has something better. She brings out a bazooka, and hands it to Sasha, so she can take her shot. Rosita says that Rick and Michonne found guns and the Heapsters wanted more guns. She thinks that means more excuses. She tells Sasha that she’s memorized what Carl and Daryl told Rick about the Saviors’ camp. Sasha says she has a map that Jesus drew for her. They discuss how they can’t be caught alive, and it’s a one way ticket for both of them.

Next time, Ezekiel rises up, Carol emerges, and there are lots more guns.

💣 Feud: Bette and Joan is perfection! The casting couldn’t be better, and the topic couldn’t be more current. For all the equality whining going around, not many people talk about how ageist our society is, and the scope is even narrower for actresses in Hollywood. Way back when, Joan Crawford recognized this, and brought the novel, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell, to Bette Davis’s attention, thinking it was the perfect vehicle for them both. Being no slouch in the brains department herself, Bette agreed, the rest is history, and their feud is legendary.

While both women are gone from this world, so there’s no one to confirm or deny, this interpretation of their relationship shows an almost softer side. While hating each other on a certain level, neither could deny the other’s talent or their admiration for it. Although “frenemy” wasn’t a term back then, they were the perfect example of it.

The cast is chock full of exceptional actors and actresses, like Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, and Stanley Tucci. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Jackie Hoffman playing Mamasita, Joan’s right hand person. I recognized her right away, pointing and shouting “Penny’s mother!” at the TV, as I’d seen her on Broadway in Hairspray.

And lest we not forget one star of any period drama – the clothes and props. So far, I’m enthralled. One of my favorite things in the world are those brocade dresses with matching coats that were so popular in the 1960s. My favorite Barbie outfit will forever be Evening Splendor. (However, I would not have paired the green/blue bag with this.)

barbieeveningsplendor

March 3, 2017 – Nelle’s Plan Implodes & Three Not-So-Blind Quotes

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Jason goes to Sam’s room. He sees that she’s on a ventilator.

Jordan wants everyone looking for Olivia-J. She has patrol cars stationed near where Alexis’s daughters live. Alexis asks about Julian, but Jordan isn’t sure if he’s a victim or an accomplice.

Olivia-J takes a heavy bag out of her car trunk in the hospital parking garage. She says she knows it was a bumpy ride, but it was a ride, and more than he deserves. Julian is also in the trunk.

Anna asks Robin what’s troubling her.

Carly says she sees it’s true that Nelle couldn’t be selfless, and wouldn’t have voluntarily donated a kidney. She regrets any pity she wasted. Nelle says maybe she is horrible, but it’s not her parents’ fault; it’s Carly’s. Carly says all she ever did was buy into Nelle’s act, but Nelle says that Carly got what she deserved.

Sonny asks what Nelle is talking about. He says the psycho pulled him into this, and he wants to know why. He asks what Carly did. Carly says no good deed goes unpunished, and Sonny says you don’t go to all that trouble without a goal in mind. Michael adds that he’d like to know too. Nelle says her real last name is Benson. It was also Carly’s last name, but they have more in common than that. Carly says, omg, Nelle is Frank Benson’s daughter.

Robin brings Anna up to speed about Sam, and tells her that Sam is in a coma now. She did her best to comfort Jason, but sometimes it’s not enough. Doctors are just people, and at the end of the day, it can come down to guesswork and hoping you get lucky. Anna says she’s sorry that she’s been sulking and not paying attention to what Robin might be going through.

Julian tells Olivia-J to leave his family alone. She’s like, what? Can’t hear you with that tape over your mouth. A guy asks if he can help her. The guy is Griff.

Jordan tells Alexis that it wouldn’t be the first time Julian manipulated events. Alexis tells her about the safe deposit box. Jordan says she’ll speak to a judge, and there shouldn’t be a problem getting a warrant to open it. Monica calls Alexis. She says Scout is fine, her vitals are good and her appetite is even better, but Sam had complications from surgery and is in a coma.

Jason talks to Sam. He says he heard she had a rough time in surgery. He tells her that most people wouldn’t have survived the fall, but she’s not most people. He calls her a little phoenix, and says she’ll rise above. He says she’s the strongest person he’s ever met, and he needs her to be strong for him now. He’s afraid, and he’s never been afraid like this. He asks her to open her eyes or squeeze his hand. He’s not strong enough to do this without her. He begs her to look at him. I’d read at some point that fans weren’t really liking this Jason and Steve Burton was coming back, but I think this Jason is great, and I wasn’t that crazy about Steve Burton. Whether it was him as an actor or that the character wasn’t very likable at the time, I’m not sure.

Nelle says Frank Benson was her father too. Carly says he never gave a damn about his kids or Virginia, and took off, leaving them with a bunch of debt. She asks if that’s what he did to Nelle’s family too. Nelle says he tried his best, but when her mother died, he wasn’t good with money. Carly says he meant nothing to her, and she didn’t owe him a dime, although he’d tried to get money from her from time to time. Nelle says until Josslyn got sick, and Carly demanded a kidney.

Jordan brings Ava into the office. She wants to know about Ava’s sister, Olivia-J.

Griff asks if Olivia-J needs help. She says she’s bringing some books to a friend in the hospital, but knows her way around since she used to live in Port Charles. I dunno. I’ve lived in my town for over twenty years and don’t know my way around the hospital. Olivia says Griff looks strangely familiar. She asks if they’ve met before.

Robin tells Anna she has a protocol in place. She talks about how terrified she was, and how precious Anna is to her. Anna says Robin is precious to her too, especially now that she’s been reminded of her mortality. At times like these, she wishes that Robin had a sibling, so didn’t have to face this alone. Robin says maybe she’s actually lucky, but she’s thought about it too. She asks if Anna ever thinks about the children she’s lost. Anna says sometimes, and holds them in her heart. She thinks about the dreams she might have had for them. She talks about the babies she’s lost, and how she would have had Duke’s baby if it weren’t for Olivia-J.

Alexis runs into the hospital. Monica tells her that at one point Sam coded. She’s stabilized now, but unresponsive. They have her on a ventilator and she’s being monitored. Alexis asks about the baby, and Monica says she’s fine. She asks if Alexis wants to see her, but Alexis wants to check on Sam first. She looks through the door window and sees Jason. He tells Sam how pretty the baby is, and that she’s here because of Sam.

Alexis walks into the room. Jason says Sam was in the snow a long time, and when he found her she was in labor, but the baby is fine. Alexis says the police are looking for Olivia-J. She says Sam’s father put her in danger, and didn’t even warn her. Jason leaves, and Alexis tells Sam that mom’s here.

Ava asks why Jordan cares about a dead woman. Jordan says they have reason to believe Olivia-J is alive and involved in a criminal conspiracy with Julian.

Olivia-J tells Griff that there’s something about his eyes. She feels like she knows him deep in her soul. He asks if she was in Port Charles in the late 80s  or early 90s, and that maybe she knew his father, Duke.

Sam tells Anna that Duke worshiped the ground she walked on. She just wanted them to get married already, but they kept going back and forth. Anna says the life had a hold on him, and even when he tried to get out, the Jeromes had a grip on him. Life can turn on a dime. There she was pregnant with his baby, and their lives were ahead of them. Olivia-J rigged an elevator to crash, and when it, did no more baby.

Carly insists the thought never crossed her mind to ask Frank for a kidney. Nelle says that Carly called her father, and when she asked for a kidney, Frank gave her Nelle’s. Carly says they’d thought the donor was Jake Webber. Nelle says that was a smokescreen for the truth. Michael asks if there’s any documentation, since it’s just Frank’s word against Carly’s. Sonny says she screwed up their lives for a lie. Nelle says whatever she did, Carly did it first. Carly lied about who she was when she came to town, and slept with her mother’s husband. Now Nelle slept with hers. Nelle says, “What goes around, comes around, bitch,” and Carly slaps her.

Jason wishes he knew how to help Sam, but thinks it’s up to her. His sentence is cut off by a commercial. Thanks, ABC.

Carly says that Nelle should have gotten her facts straight. Nelle says maybe Carly didn’t know it would be her kidney, but she didn’t care. Sonny says it wasn’t Carly that screwed her over, it was her father.

Jordan tells Ava that it appears Olivia-J is alive, and it sounds like it was her on the recording. Ava whines about false imprisonment. Jordan says if she wants to get out, spill the beans. Ava says she doesn’t know anything. All she remembers is Julian saying that Olivia was a whack-job, unstable, compulsive and obsessive, and she wanted power. Jordan asks obsessive about what, and Ava says, whom. She tells Jordan that Olivia stalked Duke relentlessly, and that Jordan should be talking to Anna.

Anna tells Robin that Olivia-J thought she was the obstacle between her and Duke who needed to be removed, and she almost succeeded. Robin says she’s sorry, and Anna says she never thinks about it. She says Olivia tried to make amends, but there are some things you can’t fix. Robin suggests talking about something more cheerful, and asks Anna if she sent a layette set for the new baby. Anna says she did, but what is Robin not telling her?

Griff asks if Olivia-J knew Duke. Olivia says she knew his name because he’d owned a big nightclub, but they never met. Griff says maybe he has one of those faces. He tells her to take care. When he’s gone, she asks how Julian could keep Duke having a son from her.

Jason tells Sam that in every crisis you think of something different. He talks about trying to find her, and how dark it was because it was cloudy. By the time he got to the bridge, he didn’t know if she’d been in the snow for too long. He had a strange thought about the star necklace he’d once given her, and the clouds opened enough for the stars to show through and give light. When he got to her, she was so cold and tired, she wanted to give up, but she wasn’t going to let the baby down. He remembered the night she was shot while she ran to him, and how guilty he still feels, and how Danny was never supposed to be there.  He says she’s become a fiercely protective and nurturing mother, and his best friend. He doesn’t deserve this type of happiness, but is too selfish to give it up. He needs her to fight, because he and the kids love her.

Alexis brings in the baby, saying Scout wants to see her mother.

Sonny tells Nelle that it’s easier to believe a lie than face the truth, and Carly calls her a liar and a user. Sonny says that he can’t feel sorry for her. She’s a spoiled, vindictive brat, who has no idea what she messed with. She says somebody had to make Carly pay. Michael says he can understand that she was a kid and wanted to believe her father, but she got to know his family. No one lied or abused her. Carly bent over backwards with gratitude. Did it occur to her to question her father’s version of the story? Carly says that Nelle was too busy trying to trash her life and take her down, and that better women have tried.

Robin tells Anna that she has a suspicious nature. Well, yeah. The big secret is that she’s exhausted. Anna asks why she doesn’t go home and rest. Robin says because her mother won’t listen to the doctors. Anna says that’s emotional blackmail and promises that she will. Griff walks in. Robin says she’s going to get some rest, and Anna promises to stay in bed, but she’s a spy, so to call if she goes back on her word.

Anna tells Griff that she goes back and forth, feeling sorry for herself, and having gratitude that it isn’t worse. She feels lucky for all the support. Jordan pops in. She asks Anna for anything she remembers about Olivia-J.

Olivia-J says Julian didn’t tell her about Griff, and he says he was too busy taking her orders. She wonders what other secrets he’s keeping. Just when she was thinking about trusting him, she can’t. Maybe she should just cut her losses.

Tiny Scout! Jason takes Scout to Sam, and tells Scout that her mommy loves her more than Scout can understand. He places the baby near Sam. Sam moves her hand toward the baby, and opens her eyes. Jason tells her welcome back.

Carly says she should have seen it coming, but she wanted to believe that Nelle was sweet and selfless, when Nelle is really a snake who got her chance when Morgan died. She used their grief to sabotage them. She’s right; what goes around, because the pain Nelle caused is coming for her like a runaway truck. Sonny seconds that. He says she made a bad enemy. In the hallway, Carly tells Sonny that she wants to beat Nelle silly, but what’s the point? What’s done is done. Sonny says she took advantage of their grief. Carly says it worked; he slept with her. For real. IMO, Sonny is more accountable here. I’m not excusing Nelle, but she’s very young and believed a lie (maybe, we don’t really know yet), while Sonny should have known better than to keep everything to himself.

Nelle tells Michael she tried to stop it. That’s why she was in a hurry to get back from the cabin. She knew that she was on the road to her future, and for a while, she thought it would be beautiful and with him. He says she was wrong and so was he. He thought she couldn’t play chess, but she’s been playing the entire time. She screwed his father, and took advantage of Morgan’s death. She played to win. He tells her enjoy the victory, reminding me of John telling Diana pretty much the same thing in V. I half-expect Michael to add, “queen of your poisoned planet.”

Alexis says Sam is her best friend, and they’re all, I love you. She thanks Scout for waking Sam up. She’s sure that Scout will do that again, but in a less dramatic way. She leaves. Jason tells Sam to stop crying, and says that she’s incredible. Sam says Scout is a fighter, and just when Sam was about to give up, Jason came. He says they’re lucky, and Sam corrects him, saying they got a miracle.

Anna tells Jordan that she was just talking about Olivia-J. Griff asks who she is, and Anna says that she’s Julian’s sister. Anna tells him that she’s dead, but she and Duke knew Olivia back in the day. Griff leaves, and Anna says that Olivia is like a curse; say her name three times and she appears. She tells Jordan that’s a joke; she’s dead. Jordan says maybe not. New evidence has come to light, and they have reason to believe she’s still alive.

Olivia-J goes on about not knowing Duke had a son, and that Julian has never given her what she needs. She says she’ll deal with him later, and slams the trunk, adding that she has more important things to do. She picks up the bag, and sees Robin, who says, omg, it’s you.

On Monday, Valentin asks Nina if she can present a united front with him, Olivia-J tells Robin that she’s back and better than ever, and Franco and Elizabeth get a scare.

Quotes of the Week

Nothing in life is fair. Fair is a dirty word and I’ll thank you not to use that language around me. – Dexter, from Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay

It’s so hard when you’re young to look at older people and understand that they have been where you are. It’s the weirdest thing. You just can’t get your head around that, can you? You can’t get your head around the fact that someone who is 60 was once 16, if you’re 16. But the fact is they have been, and they remember it. They know what it was like.Helen Mirren, The Arizona Republic

No one forgets the truth, they just get better at lying. – April (Kate Winslet), Revolutionary Road

Something to send you off on your weekend with…

psychedelicunicorn

March 2, 2017 – Nelle’s Dirty Deed is Exposed, Small Chefs, Mark Twain & My Dad

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Tracy is treating Finn and Hayden to dinner. Hayden seems annoyed, and Tracy asks them to postpone their lovers’ spat. She has no one else to celebrate with, so they’re stuck with each other.

Laura wakes up at JFK. Long term parking?

At the hospital, Elizabeth stops Jason from scuffling with Franco.

Carly tells Sonny the whole time he knew about Nelle, and he could have stopped it any time. He asks if she would have forgiven him, and she says he didn’t give her that chance, so they’ll never know. That hurts worse than him sleeping with Nelle to begin with. I totally understand this, since I’ve been on the receiving end of someone making an assumption that I won’t understand, and in doing that, not even giving me a chance to. Carly says there’s nothing she wants him to say or do at this point. She opens the door, and Michael and Nelle are standing there. Michael asks if something happened, and Carly says you could say that

Laura hears the car alarm go off. She sees the car door opening and screams, but it’s Doc.

Finn asks if anyone has heard from Laura. Tracy says not since she said she’d be early to the meeting, and left Obrecht to decide their fate. She tells Finn and Hayden that they’re as much fun as a spoonful of botulism.

Carly wonders where to begin. Michael says he’s in a hurry, since he’s going to Atlanta with Nell; she has to see a sick friend. Carly asks if it’s the friend who talked to Felicia, and if Nelle was going to keep Michael away so Carly couldn’t tell him. Michael asks what’s going on. Sonny steps in. He says that last Thanksgiving, he got so drunk he couldn’t see straight, and he slept with Nelle.

Robin asks Franco what happened, and he says he wasn’t doing anything except helping with Sam. He tells Jason he’s welcome, and walks away. Jason says it’s not his fault,and tells Robin what happened. She’s shocked Olivia-J is alive. She asks if the police know. Jason says yes, but doesn’t know if they’ve caught her yet. He says she pushed Sam off the footbridge, and Sam fell down the incline. She was out in the snow all night, and when he found her, she was in labor. Elizabeth comes out with an update on Sam.

Hayden says it’s been a long day, and she’s still shocked that Finn would sell his patent without legal counsel. She can’t help but wonder what part of his soul he had to sell to save the hospital. He says the contract included arranging for a low cost generic version of the drug to be made, so that the people in underdeveloped countries will be able to acquire it. Hayden asks how he managed that, and he tells her that he advised the pharm guy how to repurpose the drugs, and it allowed him to get what he wanted in the end. He says it’s given him a reason to stay in Port Charles, which has grown on him. Tracy makes a toast to the both of them. She says if two such flawed and unusual people can find love, there’s hope for all of us.

Elizabeth tells Jason that Scout should be fine. She says she heard he performed miracles. Jason says it wasn’t easy, but Scout finally came around. Elizabeth says that Sam’s issues are more complicated; there appears to be internal bleeding. She says she’ll keep them posted. Franco overhears. Jason and Robin leave, and Franco asks Elizabeth if Sam is going to be okay. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know, and asks for help with some nurse stuff. He says he can’t believe he’s saying this, but he feels badly for Jason. He knows how he would feel if it was Elizabeth.

Sonny says he’s not proud of this. He was drunk and grieving. Nelle came by to check on him, and the next thing he knew, she was in his bed. It was a mistake on his part, but she knew what she was doing. He wanted her to keep the secret, since the family was in pain already. She said she would, and she recorded their conversation. He asks Nelle if she was going to blackmail him. Michael says it doesn’t make sense, and Carly agrees. She came to think of Nelle as a daughter, and Nelle ended up in Sonny’s bed. She asks if Nelle felt good about getting over on her. She can’t understand how she got things so wrong, and says Nelle is one hell of a blackmailer. Nelle starts to leave, but Michael stops her, and says she has one chance to explain.

Michael says he believes his parents. Carly says the recording is right there. Nelle can’t believe that Carly went through the trash, but Carly says she’ll do a helluva lot more when someone messes with her family. Michael asks why Nelle did it. Nelle says she’s sorry, and he asks if this is why she was talking the way she was about being a bad person. She tells him she’d already set something in motion and tried to stop it. Carly says she listened to every word, and Sonny says she planned this all along. She saw he was in a dark place, and helped him get more drunk. It was a plan to get him in bed and record the conversation; then she left a trail with the flowers and the bra. Nelle says she decided not to go through with it. Carly asks if blackmail was on the agenda. She’d already slept with Sonny; what was she planning? Nelle says Michael deserves to know what happened.

Laura tells Doc that she doesn’t know how she got there. He asks what’s the last thing she remembers. She tells him she was supposed to meet Lulu at the MetroCourt, but she canceled. She drove to the hospital, and the last thing she remembers is being in the garage, and then she woke up at the airport.  Doc asks if she was unconscious, but she’s not sure. She panics about the meeting, but Doc tells her the hospital is up and running. He says she lost some hours, and she wonders what happened to her. She has no idea why she’s there.

Finn tells Tracy and Hayden that he has to discuss a case with someone in California, and needs to make a call. Harden says, nice euphemism. When he’s gone, Tracy tells Hayden that she’s very edgy for someone who just emerged victorious from a hospital takeover. Hayden says she’s worried and scared. Finn is addicted to Zen Zen. Why? Why did they have to give it a name that sounds like it’s either a mint or the latest fast food sandwich? Or maybe a cartoon cat.

Franco talks to Jake. I think it’s Jake anyway. What happened to that other Jake who seemed like the girl in The Bad Seed? Franco tells Jake that he has a little sister. Jake wonders why Jason didn’t call him. Franco says he’s still at the hospital, and it’s complicated. Jake thinks Sam and the baby aren’t okay.

Jason calls Alexis, and tells her that Sam is in surgery. Robin brings him some coffee. He tells her that he was calling Alexis and needs to call his partner. He’s been working with someone on finding out who killed Morgan. Robin asks if he thinks it’s Olivia-J, and he says he’s had enough of her name for now. Robin tells him that she was at the hospital to see her mom, and heard about the hospital save. She says Anna is improving, but she doesn’t want to tell her about Olivia yet; it would just have a negative impact. Elizabeth returns, and tells Jason they’re doing everything they can, but Sam is critical.

Doc tells Laura her pulse is fine, but her pupils are dilated. He thinks she was drugged, and asks if she remembers anything out of the ordinary before she woke up. She says she talked to Alexis at the MetroCourt. After Alexis left, there was a guy who knocked her purse over, and he was nice, but did say said something about her coffee. Why light bulbs aren’t going on all over the place, I’m not sure. She wonders why anyone would drug her, and Doc says there was a lot at stake with the hospital vote. Maybe somebody didn’t want her voting. Laura asks how he found her, and he tells her that she texted him.

Tracy tells Hayden that Finn’s behavior has been erratic, and it did occur to her. Hayden says she talked to him, and he used the ELQ jet to get drugs in Canada. Tracy says she should string him up. Hayden says he’s been altruistic and caring one minute, and the next he’s crazy. She asks how she can have a relationship with someone she doesn’t know. Tracy says the real issue is that it will kill him. He won’t face it, so they have to.

Elizabeth says Sam coded, and Robin explains to Jason that her heart stopped, but that doesn’t mean she’s dying. She tells him that patients code more than people know, but he has to trust the doctors. He has to trust Sam too; she knows her kids and Jason need her. Jason says his wife might not make it. He couldn’t protect her, and nothing is helping. Robin says he could pray. He can imagine them happy and whole – what some people call a visualization, she calls faith. It’s been her most valuable ally, and given her a future. It will give him one too. She takes his hand and says they’ll do it together.

Michael asks Nelle to explain. Carly wants to play the audio. Nelle says she threw it away. Michael says he saw the flowers, and he knows his father would never send flowers to a woman he was having an affair with, and this wasn’t even an affair; it was only once. Carly says there’s no question that Nelle set Sonny up, but Sonny left them vulnerable. He did that. Sonny says he was out of his mind when Morgan died, consumed with finding who killed him. Nelle was the least of his problems, and by the time he paid attention, it had already been put in motion. Carly says every day he looked at her and kept quiet, so what Nelle wanted, he helped her to get.

Michael says it’s Nelle’s last chance. If she has anything to say, say it now. Maybe she would if anyone would give her a chance. I’d like to know too.

Finn comes back all chatty. He wants to make a toast. Tracy says what they’re going to do, is talk about him and Zen Zen.

Franco tells Jake that Sam is sick, but she’s a strong woman. Jake looks out the window, and Franco asks what’s on his mind. Jake says that all last year, he was mean to Sam. Franco says she forgave him, and knows he was just going through a tough time. Jake says maybe she’s going through a tough time too; she has a bad curse on her.

Jason and Robin check out Scout. At least she looks like a newborn. I hate when someone has just had a baby and it looks like it’s about 25 pounds. Robin says Sam will make it, and Jason has to trust her. He says when he’s holding Scout, he starts thinking about their life, and can’t figure out how he got there. He was alone, no memories, nothing to lose, and now he has everything to lose. Robin tells him everything to love and fight for, and that it takes courage to love and open your heart. He says he loves Sam so much, but not long ago, he thought he was incapable of those feelings. A new world opened up. Sam held it together, and made him a better man and father, and now he’s afraid.

Michael asks Nelle if any part of their friendship was real, and to tell him now. She says that’s why she didn’t want them to get close, but he was caring and kind, and she found herself wanting to spend time with him. At the cabin, he made her believe she didn’t have to be bad and angry. She wanted to stop what she had in motion, but Bobbie had already told Carly, and it was too late. So she decided to run, but when he wanted to come along, she thought she would have the chance to make him understand. She starts to cry, and says she’s sorry. Carly says, tears, right on time. She says Nelle is good up until someone figures out her game. Sonny wants to know the point. Carly doesn’t want crap excuses, and calls Nelle a scheming piece of trash, whose kidney ended up in her daughter, so she decided to ride gravy train. She wishes that Josslyn didn’t have Nelle’s cold blood running inside of her. Wow.

Doc tells Laura that she told him to come to JFK, and then he tracked her with an app. She says he’s a genius. He says no, but he’s touched; even in her stupor, she reached out to him. They kiss. Because now is the perfect time to be goofing around, and not getting the hell out of there.

Finn asks why Hayden would do this to him. Tracy says she’s worried and doesn’t want him to die. He says he told her he’d get help. Tracy asks when that was going to happen; when he got stopped at the border? She tells him that he won’t be using the jet again either. He says he’s never been that far gone, and she wonders how he knows. He tells her that he’s got it under control and will quit. He says he promised Hayden, and wants her to tell Tracy that he’ll be fine. He tells them both to back off. Tracy asks if she seems like the back off type. She tells him that if he doesn’t quit immediately, she’ll make his life a living hell, and Hayden says she will too.

Carly says Nelle kept saying she would never choose to give up a kidney. The truth is that whether she’s deeply damaged or psychotic, whatever her parents did to her, this isn’t their fault. Nelle says she doesn’t blame her parents. She blames Carly.

Franco asks Jake why someone would put a curse on Sam. He tells Franco that it was Helena. Helena said that if she died, Sam would have problems, and it looks like she was right.

Elizabeth tells Jason that Sam is out of surgery and in ICU. She urges him to go see her.

Tomorrow, Monica tells Alexis that Sam is in a coma, Griff crosses paths with Olivia-J, and Nelle tells Carly what goes around comes around. And hopefully explains this whole thing.

🍗 MasterChef Junior continues to amaze, delight, and make me wish I could cook as well as an eight-year-old. Mayim Bialik paid the kids a visit tonight, and they created vegan burgers for her. Dammit! Maybe I should have had kids. These dogs won’t even boil an egg for me.

🎉 A Spontaneous Mardi Gras Quote

 It has been said that a Scotchman has not seen the world until he has seen Edinburgh; and I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans.Mark Twain  I have the feeling that Mark did not possess any talent of foreseeing the future, since it pretty much looks like a drunken nightmare covered in beads. I’m also fairly certain that a lot of the locals hide the way New Yorkers hide from Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

🎊 True story: When my father was in the Navy in the 1940s, he went to Mardi Gras when he was on leave. He told me he went into a bar, and the next thing he knew, they were sweeping the streets. So much for Fat Tuesday.