What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brick meets Sonny and Jason at the Brooklyn bar. He says he heard about Dev’s passing, and gives Sonny his condolences. He remembers setting up a new identity for Dev when he came there from Turkey. He was a smart kid with a lot of potential. Did Sonny find out who was responsible? Sonny says he did, and he’s glad Brick happens to be in Brooklyn. They need his help tracking down Julian.

In Secaucus, New Jersey, Julian sits in a bus station with gunshot wound. He looks at a ticket to Montreal.

Nikolas watches Ryan in his hospital bed, when Britt comes by. She asks if she can help him?

Ava comes into the hospital, and hears Portia on the phone telling Trina to call back the second she gets the message. Ava asks if something is wrong, and Portia says, as a matter-of-fact there is, and she holds Ava personally responsible.

In the park, Trina says, dad? Jordan says, Trina? and Trina says she shouldn’t sneak up on people like that. They might have a heart condition. Jordan says she didn’t mean to scare Trina. She was thinking about Trina’s dad, and came to a place where she could remember him. Trina says she’ll leave Jordan to it, but Jordan says she’s welcome to stay. It would be nice to spend time with someone else who remembers Taggert. Taggert listens from behind the bushes.

Carly says, Cyrus told Trina her dad was alive? How was Trina anywhere near him? Josslyn says, some guy told Trina to hang around the bistro because someone had information about her dad. She did, and Cyrus showed up. Cyrus is obviously messing with Trina’s head… right? Cyrus walks into the MetroCourt.  

The nurse tells Curtis, there’s no need to worry about his patient’s transition there, but he says he’s not worried. He knows they’ll take good care of her. She says, the doctor sedates all the patients on their first night to make them more comfortable.  

Brandishing a pretty large needle, the doctor tells Laura, this won’t hurt one bit. Before she knows it, she’ll be fast asleep. Curtis bursts in, and says, stop!

Britt tells Nikolas, unless he’s next kin, he has no business in Ryan’s room. Nikolas says he wasn’t in the room; he was in the doorway. Britt says, if she hadn’t come along, he would have been at Ryan’s bedside. What’s the plan? And don’t patronize her with a lie. He says he heard Ryan could be coming out of his coma, and Britt says, and…? He says he’d thought he’d keep tabs on Ryan, and Britt asks if he was really keeping tabs, or was he going to take Ryan out himself?

Portia tells Ava, she called the school, and apparently, Trina has skipped the last two days. Trina said she was taking yesterday off, but then said she changed her mind and she was going. Ava says, but she didn’t? and Portia says, no, and Trina’s not returning her calls. Ava asks if she thinks Trina is at the gallery, and Portia says she would understand if Trina wanted to take a few days to cope with Dev’s death, but she needs to answer her calls. Ava tells her, Trina isn’t hiding out at the gallery. She hasn’t seen Trina since Dev was killed. Portia wonders, then where is she?

Jordan gets that Trina is still angry about her exposing Taggert, and Trina says, thanks to Jordan, Cyrus was released, and everyone thinks her dad is a lousy cop who broke the law. How can she call him a friend? Jordan says if there’s any way she could have protected Taggert’s reputation, she would have, and Trina says, she didn’t try. At least she’s doing something about it. She’s trying to prove his innocence. At least she was until… Jordan says, what? and Trina says, it doesn’t matter. She won’t let anyone think her dad is a bad cop. Jordan understands she wants to clear Taggert’s name, but Trina is setting herself up for disappointment. He did fabricate evidence against Cyrus.

Carly says she’s texting someone to pick Josslyn up, and it’s not up for discussion. On the phone, Cyrus tells someone to take care of it, and Carly approaches him. She tells him, stay the hell away from her daughter and her friends. He says he’s had no contact with Josslyn. Is there another friend Carly is talking about? Carly says, stay away from all of them. Stop poisoning their minds with lies. He asks what makes her think he has? and she  tells him, stay away, or he’s not going to like what happens next. He asks why she’s so worked up about something that hasn’t happened?

Brick says, setting a bomb doesn’t seem like Julian’s style, and Sonny says, he owed Cyrus a favor. Brick asks if they have proof, and Jason says Julian is their proof. That’s why they need to find him. Brick asks if he’s in Brooklyn, and Sonny says they tracked him to an old girlfriend’s apartment, but Cyrus’s men beat them there, and tried to kill Julian. He won’t be going back anytime soon, and it made it more difficult to find him. Brick says, there is one way.

Julian hears an announcement that his bus is delayed an hour. He talks to himself, saying he should have taken a plane. Who is he kidding? Airport security would have been all over him. Come on. One more hour. He changes benches, and a man puts his luggage down, and sits next to him, the man’s newspaper in front of his face. Julian tells him, there are other benches; take it somewhere else. The man lowers the paper, and it’s Duke. He says, no Julian. He’s exactly where he needs to be.

The doctor asks Curtis if something is wrong, and he says, the nurse told him about the injection the doctor gives to help the patients sleep through the night. His patient has a severe allergy to the medication. The doctor says, there was no mention about it in her file, and Curtis says, it was an oversight on Dr. Collins’s part. No doubt his grief over his wife’s slip back into psychosis distracted him. He’d like a moment with his patient. He can help her to relax, and get her to sleep through the night. The doctor and nurse leave, and Laura hugs Curtis, and thanks him.  

Nikolas asks what Britt is implying, and she says Ryan will probably never regain consciousness, but he’d like to make that permanent, right? He says, if Ryan dies, he won’t shed tears, but helping Ryan to his final destination in hell isn’t on his to-do list. Although it’s not a bad thing to wish for; one less serial killer in the world. Doesn’t she think so? She says she took an oath to do no harm. The minute she starts placing value judgements on her patients, she’s turning in her stethoscope. He asks how it feels, being on the high road, and she says, it feels really good. How does it feel being on the low road, so he can hold on to his fortune in a loveless marriage to Ava? He says, it feels right. Their relationship has changed.

Ava tells Portia, Trina is a smart, responsible young woman. It could be that she needed to take the time to grieve her friend. Portia says, but it’s Trina’s senior year. Her grades have been spectacular, and her extracurricular is solid. She doesn’t want Trina to ditch class, and blow her chances at a good college. Ava says, perhaps Trina is avoiding a lecture. While it might be justified, maybe Trina’s not picking up for Portia right now.

Carly tells Cyrus, her daughter and her friends are off limits. He and Sonny might have a truce, but Cyrus doesn’t want a war with her. He says he imagines not, and she walks away. He makes a call, and says, there appears to be truth in what Julian told him. Find Trina, and she’ll lead them to Taggert.

Trina says she knows her dad better than Jordan, but Jordan says, falsifying evidence doesn’t make him a bad man. Trina says, really? Tell the judge who released Cyrus from prison. Jordan says, according to the judge, and her, Trina’s dad broke the law. She thinks Trina needs to understand where her dad was coming from. For two years, they watched tons of people die from overdoses, and there was nothing they could do to stop it, even though they knew Cyrus was responsible. Trina says, if Cyrus was guilty, why did they have to make up evidence? Jordan says they couldn’t find concrete proof, so he couldn’t be convicted. Imagine how frustrating it was. Cyrus was free to sell drugs, and bore no responsibility to the rise in deaths. Trina says, they couldn’t find anything that would stand up in court? and Jordan says, exactly. Her dad, Mark, and Bob made a choice, Cyrus went to prison, and the bodies stopped piling up. Trina asks if she’s saying her dad believed the ends justified the means, and Jordan says, even if he knew it could come crashing down on him. He believed falsifying evidence meant saving lives, and he wouldn’t and couldn’t change a thing. Taggert continues to listen.

Brick asks if they’re familiar with facial recognition software, and Sonny says he’s used it in his business. Jason asks if the cops don’t use it, and Sonny tells Brick to enlighten them. Brick says it can be used to cross-reference photos from social media posts and online activity with active security footage. Sonny asks if it’s legal, and Brick says, it’s a grey area. Civil liberties concerns. They know how it goes. Sonny tells Brick to do what he’s got to do to find Julian.

Julian says, Lavery. No, it’s not possible. Duke says, after all this time, the least Julian can do is call him Duke. Julian says he’s not real. He’s dead. Duke asks if he’s a figment of Julian’s imagination, or is he delirious from blood loss? Call it what he likes, Duke is delighted to be there. Julian asks why he’s there, and Duke says, he’s got a front row seat to Julian’s bad deeds catching up with him. Julian has nowhere else to run. No more rocks to crawl under. No more reinventing himself. They all reach the end of road eventually, some sooner than others, and Julian’s time is finally… Julian drops to his knees.

Curtis says Laura was willing to get doped up to keep the operation going? She says she could use a good night’s sleep. Did he find out if Florence is a patient? He says, she is; room two, this floor. Laura says, perfect. She’ll wait until things quiet down, and slip out. She’ll pay Florence a visit, and find out what connection she has to Cyrus. Curtis has a better idea. He’ll sign her out, and they’ll find some other way in tomorrow morning. Laura says, absolutely not. Their plan worked. Curtis had her admitted, and got them to believe she has a mental illness, helped by Doc’s trumped up referral. She’s not leaving until they get what they need out of Florence.

Brick asks if Sonny has no idea who the shooter was outside the apartment, and Sonny says, Cyrus made sure there was no way to connect the shooter to him. Carly calls Sonny, and he asks if everything is okay. She says, Cyrus apparently told Trina that Taggert is alive. Sonny asks how Cyrus found out, and she tells him, Josslyn didn’t say, but she agreed to help Trina find out if it’s true. Sonny says she has to stop it, and she says she has Josslyn convinced that Taggert is dead, but it’s not good. Sonny says, the most important news is that Cyrus knows Taggert is alive, and he’s going to go after Taggert again.   

Jordan tells Trina, her father is dead, and according to law enforcement, he broke the law. He didn’t do it lightly, and knew it might come back to haunt him. Trina says, he knew it was wrong, but needed to make things right, and Jordan says, he was willing to accept whatever punishment he got. She knows it’s a lot to process, and appreciates Trina sticking around to hear her out. Trina says, it doesn’t cost anything to listen, and Jordan asks Trina to tell her what’s on her mind about her dad. Trina’s phone rings, and it’s Ava. Ava says she’s at the hospital with Trina’s mom. Her mom is concerned about Trina avoiding her calls. She’s worried about Trina, and Trina needs to drop what she’s doing and get to GH and see her right now. Trina says, about that… Okay. She’ll be right there. She tells Jordan, she’s got to go. Her mom is worried. Jordan asks if she can call a ride for Trina, and Trina says, like a cop car? Is she crazy? Trina thinks she’ll call a Ride Share. She thanks Jordan for what she said, and Jordan tells her, be safe. Trina leaves, and Jordan sighs. Taggert comes out, and Jordan asks if he’s happy now. He got to see Trina one last time. He thanks her, and she tells him to take her advice. Get out before Cyrus finds him, and tries to kill him again.

Britt says she should have bet on Nikolas falling in love with Ava. She could have bought a yacht. He says she loves being right, and she agrees. She asks if things have changed, and he says he and Ava are figuring it out. She wonders if he could be more vague, and what it means for the post-nup. Is it in the shredder, or is he being cautious, keeping it around just in case? He says, the road to true love isn’t smooth. Ava comes out of the elevator, and says she hopes she’s not interrupting. Britt says, it’s perfect timing. Nikolas told her there’s been an interesting development in their relationship. An alarm goes off in Ryan’s room, and Britt tells them, stay there. She goes in, and Ava looks at Nikolas.  

Julian tells Duke, he may have a one-way ticket to hell when his life is done, but sorry, he’s not dead yet. Duke says, denial won’t work this time. Right now, Julian is a scared little rat, scuttling away to find a hole to hide in. He doesn’t fight; he flees. Julian says, look who’s talking. Duke’s life wasn’t a bed of roses either. Duke was a gangster like him. Duke can blame Julian all he wants for his death, but Julian isn’t the one who killed him. Duke says Julian had someone else do his dirty work. Now he’s afraid. Duke looks at a woman who’s joined them, and asks if she wouldn’t agree.  

Laura tells Curtis, she can slip out, find Florence, and maybe question her, if she’s in a condition to talk. She knows Curtis doesn’t like this, but it’s the plan that makes the most sense. Pick her up tomorrow. She hopes Florence has the information they need to bring Cyrus down.

Taggert thanks Jordan for what she said to Trina, and Jordan says, dragging his reputation through the mud? He says, explaining why they created evidence to put Cyrus in prison, and helping Trina understand, in the kindest way, that he’s not perfect. Jordan says she meant every word. She also explained her own actions. He says he still thinks they did the right thing, and she says, despite the consequences? He says, breaking the law to protect their families, then worrying about the consequences later. She asks if she they had a choice, and wonders what’s so amusing. He says, they’re partners again. Working together to protect Trina. Jordan has his back like she did when they worked for the DEA. She says, and he has hers. They hug, and she tells him to take care of himself. She hears something, and tells him, get down. A gunman pops out, and Jordan draws her gun.

Josslyn says she saw Carly confront Cyrus; that’s what Trina was worried about. She didn’t want Josslyn to tell Carly, and make it worse between the families. Carly says, she also didn’t want an adult to discover what they were doing. Josslyn says, it doesn’t make sense. Why would Trina’s father fake his death? Carly says, Trina is vulnerable. It was a tragedy that Dev was killed, and it makes sense that Trina would want to believe something positive. Josslyn says she guesses. Trina is convinced her dad faked his death to protect her, but what kind of parent would do that, leave their kid to grieve? Carly says, when Josslyn is a parent, she’ll understand. You’ll do anything to protect your child.

Brick tells Sonny, Cyrus could be tracking Julian like he is, but Sonny says, he doesn’t have a Brick. Brick wonders what if the cops take Julian down themselves? and Sonny says he told Diane to reach out to the PCPD. Jason says there’s probably someone waiting to ambush Julian, and Sonny says, make sure they fail. Brick asks if they’re in the business of keeping Julian alive now, and Sonny says, only until he gives up Cyrus.  

Julian says, Connie Falconari? Is this a joke? He’s not responsible for her death. She says, yet here she is. What little conscience he does have, disagrees. He says Ava shot her. Ava is responsible for her death, not him. She says, Ava killed her to protect him. No one knew he was really the boss of the Jerome crime family. He says, it was Ava’s choice, but Duke says, Julian manipulated her. He made her think she had to act to save him. He convinced Ava that without him, she’d have no one. He doesn’t love Ava; she’s just a pawn. Julian says, that’s not true. He loves Ava, and he won’t be made to feel guilty about her choices. Alexis appears, and says, what about his choices? Has he ever owned up to the fact he took a knife to his wife’s throat? She hands him a knife.

Ava tells Nikolas she can’t help thinking what she’s thinking, and he says, either Ryan dies or goes back into a coma. Even if he makes a full recovery, it’s not the end of the world. She says he can’t threaten her with Julian any longer to get her to do his bidding, and Nikolas tells her, think positive, but she says that’s not really in her DNA. Mac shows up, and Nikolas asks what he’s doing there. Mac says he could ask the same thing, and Ava says they were there about another matter, when the alarm went off in Ryan’s room, so they came to check. Britt comes out, and Mac thanks her for notifying the PCPD about the change in Ryan’s condition. How is he? She says, he regained consciousness.

The gunman lies on the ground, and Jordan says he just took a shot at the Commissioner. He says he wasn’t after her. He was after the girl, hoping to draw Taggert out of hiding.  

Trina shows up at the hospital, and Portia says, thank God she’s okay. Trina says, of course (🍷) she is. Portia didn’t have to worry. Portia says, mothers always worry, and Trina says, sorry. Portia says she would have understood if Trina wanted to take a few days off to cope with dealing with Dev’s death. Why did she lie, and say she was going to classes? Trina says, it’s complicated, but Portia doesn’t have to worry. Portia says, rule number five in the Mother’s Handbook, when a child says, don’t worry, you worry more, but Trina says, if she’s wrong, it would only hurt Portia.

Taggert looks at the gunman, and tells Jordan, he’s gone. Jordan says, Cyrus knows Taggert is alive, and he asks, how? and she says, it doesn’t matter. His family isn’t safe if Cyrus knows he can get to Taggert through Trina. She’s going to take him to the one place she knows Cyrus can’t get to. He says, which is? and she says, trust her.

Ava tells Nikolas, of course (🍷) Ryan wouldn’t do them a favor and die. Britt says their presence isn’t necessary. She still needs to consult with the surgeon, but Ryan’s brain was deprived of oxygen for too long. Ava asks if he’s a vegetable, and Britt says she ran an initial test, and he might be in a vegetative state. Ava tells her, like she said. She’d like to see for herself. She heads for Ryan’s room, and Nikolas stops Britt from following her. Britt asks if she should let Ava go, so she can smother Ryan with a pillow. Nikolas says, the last thing Ava wants is to go to prison. Ryan tortured her for too many years for her to be denied the right to see his condition for herself. Ava looks at Ryan.  

The doctor leaves Laura’s room. She looks around, and slips out of bed. She tiptoes to the dresser, and pulls out some clothing. Geez, you’d think she’d wait a millisecond.

Julian tells Alexis, he didn’t mean to hurt her. He told her, his sister was threatening his family. Connie says, here we go again. It’s never his fault. It’s easier and more convenient to blame someone else. Duke says, Ava is the perfect scapegoat. She’s vengeful, but she doesn’t have mind control. How could she coerce him into trying to kill Alexis? Alexis says he wasn’t trying to kill her; he was trying to save her. Duke says, by dragging her to the pier with a dagger at her throat, while his sister was planting a bomb? Anything to make it more convincing. Alexis says she’s asked herself the same thing many times. Does he have an answer? Julian says she’s got to believe him. He was trying to save her. He loved her then, and still loves her. Duke says he’s not hearing violins, and Connie says, they’d only play the same old song. Julian loves his family. Julian would do anything for his family. Blah-blah-blah. Julian says if he could take it back the harm he caused, he would, but he can’t change the past. What else is there to do? Alexis says, he could balance the scale of justice, and die. She holds the knife to his throat.  

Laura slips out, and walks down the hallway to Florence’s room.

Ava tells Ryan, hello? Anybody home? She gets in his face, and sharply says, wake up! but gets no reaction. She says she wanted him dead. She should have pointed the gun directly at his heart and fired until she ran out of bullets for what he did to her; what he did to Kiki. But sometimes you don’t know the perfect gift until you receive it. He’s been given a fate worse than death. Hell for him is this purgatory of nothingness, and she hopes he suffers for a very long time. She puts her face close to his, and says, take one last look, you son of a bitch. It’s the last time he’s ever going see her. Nikolas asks if she’s ready, and she says she is. She’s released Ryan’s hold on her. They leave, and Ryan is motionless. Then just a hint of a smile happens. It’s so slight, we can’t be sure…

On the phone, Brick says he owes them one. He tells Sonny they checked Julian’s photo, and got a hit in the metro area. It shows Julian waiting for a bus to Canada. Jason asks where he is, and Brick says, Secaucus. Jason says, it’s right across the river. They can be there in no time. Sonny says, Julian isn’t getting away this time.   

Alexis tells Julian, he knows the only way to balance the scales is to just pay the debt he owes them. Connie says, release them from the pain, and Duke tells him, accept his fate. This is the end. Alexis says, just let go, and Julian slumps. It’s announced that his bus is leaving, and Julian’s ticket falls to the floor.   

Portia tells Trina, she doesn’t know what to think, and Trina says, please, no more rules from the handbook. Don’t tell her rule number 6 is, be strong enough to handle anything your kid throws at you. Portia says Trina read the handbook. And she’s going to read Trina the riot act if she doesn’t return to class. It’s not Trina’s job to protect her, and even when Portia is 106 in a nursing home, she’s going to be protecting Trina. Trina says she saw Cyrus at the bistro. That’s why she didn’t go to school. Portia says, she did what? What did he say to her? Trina says he told her that her dad is alive.

Mac finds Jordan in the park, and says, she’s barely out of the hospital. Now she’s taking out a perp? She says, it was self-defense. She killed him to protect someone else. Taggert comes out, and says, long time, Mac. Good to see him. No surprise, Mac is shocked.  

Josslyn asks if Carly thinks there’s any truth in what Cyrus told Trina. Could Taggert be alive? Carly says, just speaking from parental experience, a parent’s instinct is to protect their child, even at the risk of their own life… Carly’s phone rings, and she says Josslyn will be downstairs in the lobby. She tells Josslyn that her ride is there, and to call her the second she gets home. Josslyn says she will, but she thinks Cyrus left while ago. She doesn’t think Cyrus is going to approach her. Carly says, he’d better not, and Josslyn wonders where Carly thinks he went.   

Laura goes into Florence’s room, and I wonder if Cyrus is going to catch her. She approaches the bed, and looks at Florence. She’s about to touch Florence’s hand, when she hears someone coming. The door handle moves.

Tomorrow, Portia tells Trina that Cyrus is about to get what’s coming to him, Curtis tells Laura there’s trouble back in Port Charles, Michael says he’s not going to take away Chase’s choices like Chase did to him, and Jason asks Sonny how he wants to do this.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

On her home video, Emily said she couldn’t go to Lake Arrowhead because she tested positive. She had a headache and was tired, but nothing else. She felt like she did what she was supposed to do, and didn’t know where she got it. The kids were fine, but Shane didn’t feel well, and had a cough. In her interview, Emily said it was a lot mentally, and she was scared everyone in her household had it.  

In Braunwyn’s interview, she said she was nervous to be going on a trip with the women. They drink a lot, and her sobriety was new and fragile. She decided to take her own car, and stay nearby. She thought it would be weird, since Shannon and Emily couldn’t go, and told Sean to leave his phone on. If she called, it meant she was having a nervous breakdown.

Kelly arrived first at the Arrowhead villa. She said it was spectacular, and I agreed. In her interview, she said the view was beautiful, but it felt like Camp Crystal Lake. It had a Friday the 13^th vibe.

Shannon was quarantined at John’s house, and said she was still achy. All three kids had tested positive, and she was concerned, even though her last test had been negative. Braunwyn stopped by, staying outside while they video chatted. In Shannon’s interview, she says she was worried about the girls being alone, but she couldn’t be in the same house with them. Braunwyn said she had a device that checked your oxygen intake, and asked if Shannon wanted to borrow it. Shannon said she did, and told Braunwyn that the kids didn’t understand how many people were getting this, and how it trickled down. She was getting fearful, thinking, what if she had it?    

Kelly made a video call to Rick, and showed him around the villa. It was his first day at his new job, and he said it was good so far. He knew a lot of people there. In Kelly’s interview, she said Rick’s had moved to Orange County, since his job moved to L.A. permanently. She thought she couldn’t find a better man or better match. He was her best friend and lover; everything she’d hoped and dreamed of. Elizabeth joined her, and said the view was amazing, and I agreed there too. Kelly brought out a whole reusable shopping bag full of supplements, and Elizabeth asked if she was turning into an old lady. Kelly told Elizabeth about Braunwyn pulling up Elizabeth’s financial information on the internet, and we flashed back to that. Gina arrived, and they sat down to chat. Kelly told them that Vegas was open, and she’d been on airplanes. They talked about Shannon, and in Gina’s interview, she said Shannon was over-dramatic, but if there was ever a time to be that way, it was now. Braunwyn pulled in while she was on the phone with Sean, and said she’d just entered bizzarro world. Kelly wanted to have a drink before Braunwyn got there, and said Braunwyn had been the one telling her not to go out, then Braunwyn went out. Elizabeth said a friend called and said she thought they were supposed to be in quarantine because of the trip. Elizabeth said  they were, and her freind sent her a video of Sean and Braunwyn at a pool party. Elizabeth showed them the video, and in Kelly’s interview, she said Braunwyn was a hypocrite. Pot, kettle. Kettle, black. Everyone is drinking by the time Braunwyn comes in.   

In her interview, Braunwyn said she’d been living in a safe bubble with her family, in an alcohol free home. Here, there were bottles everywhere, and triggers. She’d been there one second, and thinks she shouldn’t have come. Kelly told Braunwyn about the video Elizabeth got, and Braunwyn said it was before she knew she was supposed to quarantine. Kelly said Elizabeth got the video after Braunwyn had called and told her about quarantining. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said, Kelly took the truth, and skewed it. Gina said Shannon had called her up, hysterical, but she’d been allowing John and the kids to come in and out. Now the kids have it. Braunwyn got up, said she didn’t want to talk behind Shannon’s back, and went out on the deck. In Elizabeth’s interview, she said Braunwyn was hypocritical, since Braunwyn had talked behind her back.

In Shannon’s interview, she said she and John were taking supplements to keep their immunity high. She was creating a virus immunity wall. At Shannon’s house, Sophie was having a quarantine countdown, and they were having a great time. She said they missed mom, and smiled a smile that said, not really.

Outside, Gina asked Braunwyn what was going on, and Braunwyn said she didn’t feel okay about discussing someone who wasn’t there. Kelly said Braunwyn didn’t tell anyone to shut up when they were talking about her, and we flashed back to Vicki and the whole train thing. Kelly told her, stop being fake. Braunwyn told Gina, she didn’t know why Kelly was mad, and Gina said Elizabeth was mad at Braunwyn for digging up stuff on the internet. She shouldn’t have done that. Braunwyn said that wasn’t true, and Elizabeth told Kelly that she wanted to know real Braunwyn. Kelly said Braunwyn had a professional photographer there when she was in a protest march, and everything was about her image. Braunwyn was full of sh*t. In her interview, Kelly said, a professional photog defeated the purpose of the protest. Kelly gave Elizabeth a clown mask, and put on a pig mask. We flashed back to Vicki and the ongoing pig insult. Vicki: gone, but not forgotten. Elizabeth said she was Braunwyn, reverting to a middle schooler.

Shannon checked in with the kids, and John said they looked good for an infected scourge. Shannon ran through a list of what they should be taking, and asked how they thought they got it. John asked if they’d been kissing anyone. Shannon asked about their symptoms, but the kids were terrified to tell her. Shannon asked Sophie why she was smiling. What was so funny? In Sophie’s interview, she said, does her mom tend to overreact? Is she breathing oxygen? Yeah. Just a little.

Gina said Braunwyn seemed more hesitant, and asked if Braunwyn would be wondering what they were saying about her if she wasn’t there. It must be more challenging for her. Braunwyn said she was staying at a resort, since she’d have a hard time at 4 am, when everyone was up and partying. In her interview, Braunwyn described the arc of partying. So fun, this is great, I love you so much, waaah! She said she wanted to leave at a high point. Gina asked how Braunwyn’s marriage was doing, and Braunwyn said covid was bad for her marriage. They had no sex for a long time, and were passive/aggressive. It wasn’t pleasant. They went in not knowing if it would work, and came out deciding to put in whatever work they could. In Gina’s interview, she said she wasn’t surprised. The vow renewal seemed sterile. Gina said Sean had been there for Braunwyn, and Braunwyn said Sean almost took the kids and left, but he was afraid she would die.  

Emily did her mid-day checking in on Shane. In her interview, she said the irony was that she tested positive, but Shane’s test was negative, yet he felt sick. To his credit, he was keeping his sense of humor. She was taking care of the kids, her husband had covid and she was taking care of him, and she had covid and no energy. It was more than one person should have to deal with.   

The women went to the lake, and Gina said she’d rather camp with bears than find out what was at the bottom of the effing lake. Elizabeth said she found Braunwyn funnier when she was sober, and Kelly said Braunwyn was better when she was hammered. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said, anyone who would say that to someone in sobriety was messed up; Kelly was an a-hole. Elizabeth and Kelly did some paddle-boarding. Elizabeth called Kelly’s name, causing her to turn and fall off her board, and Elizabeth said she deserved it. Gina wanted to be brave and conquer this. Kelly called Shannon from the beach, and complained about Braunwyn, although she said she didn’t think Braunwyn had any ill will. Braunwyn walked past while Kelly was talking, and Kelly said she’d call Shannon later. Elizabeth tried to help Gina with paddle-boarding, but Gina ended up in the water. In her interview, Gina said it didn’t matter if it was a river, a lake, the ocean, or a pool, she thought the kraken was coming. This kind of thinking is foreign to me, since I live by the ocean and think there’s nothing better than swimming in it. I can be skittish about waves, but I’ve never once thought anything was going to rise from the deep, and devour me as a human sacrifice. A lake is even better. No waves.

Emily was crying and scared. Shane wasn’t getting better, and couldn’t breathe. In her interview, she said she was trying to do the best she could, but she didn’t know if she was making the best choices.  

Elizabeth said she was glad Kelly knew how to cook, and in her interview, Kelly wondered how three women could go through life not knowing how to cook. They wore face shields while cooking, and tried to sanitize while they went along, but they shouldn’t have bothered, since what they were doing didn’t seem very affective. Kelly wanted a drink. In her interview, Braunwyn said two months earlier, she’d had to clean out some wine she’d remembered was in the refrigerator. She thought it wouldn’t be bad to keep, but ended up getting rid of it. Social situations were different now. Alcohol was everywhere, and she was out of her comfort zone. It had seemed like a good idea, but it was too much. Braunwyn went on the deck to call Sean, and was pissed when one of the kids had to get him. She said it was the one thing she’d asked, and she shouldn’t have to track him down. She told him that she could feel drama and toxicity coming. She was the weird alcoholic in the room, and a buzzkill. She hadn’t realized how much drinking was a connector.

Emily took Shane to the hospital, but couldn’t go in with him. He’d texted that his oxygen levels were low, and they had him on an IV and medication, as well as oxygen. In Emily’s interview, she said what she heard was, Shane was going to die in the hospital alone. She called Shannon, and said Shane had been coughing up blood and throwing up. He had a gall bladder attack on top of the virus. He’d tested negative the first time, but they’d still been waiting on the second test results. In Shannon’s interview, she said she should be Shane, since she had lung issues, and it scared her. In Emily’s interview, she said Shannon had been a good friend. They were two women and mothers, comforting each other on their way through this. Shannon said there was so much uncertainty. Who it would touch, and who it would effect badly. None of it made sense, which was what made it frightening. She hit the nail on the head there.

Gina said it wasn’t the same without the others, and Kelly talked about Rick’s new show. The subject of taking down historical statues came up, since Rick is a newscaster, and Braunwyn said some of them were offensive to some people. Kelly said they couldn’t rewrite history. Were they going to tear down the Colosseum? In Braunwyn’s interview, she said marginalized people needed to be respected. She told Kelly, statues didn’t educate, and Elizabeth said they should be put in a museum. Kelly thought it should be put to a vote, but Braunwyn said, being nice hasn’t worked. In her interview, Braunwyn said Orange County was conservative, but she was done keeping her mouth shut. Kelly didn’t think Braunwyn was qualified to discuss minority issues, and Gina said, when she was arrested, she was scared of the consequences, but never scared of the cops. In Gina’s interview, she said the system worked for her, but would it have gone that way if she’d been a Black girl, or guy? Maybe or maybe not, but maybe not wasn’t even okay. In Elizabeth’s interview, she said she didn’t get all of it, but thought awareness was what they were striving for, so the cause was working. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said it was an uncomfortable conversation to have, but the only way to change was by having it until it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Elizabeth thought they should do something active and fun the next day, and suggested archery and go-cart driving. Kelly remarked that the alcohol she was drinking was 40%. On the side, Gina asked Braunwyn if they were talking about things. Braunwyn wondered, what things? and Gina said Elizabeth knew she’d been digging up stuff on the internet, and she agreed Braunwyn shouldn’t be doing it. In Gina’s interview, she said Braunwyn had to find a way to channel what she was going through in a more positive way. Kelly asked Elizabeth about confronting Braunwyn, but Elizabeth said she decided to do it tomorrow. Kelly said Braunwyn had two sides. She had a sweet, good side, and another side where she wanted to further her agenda. Gina joined them, and Elizabeth wondered how Sean was dealing with Braunwyn’s newfound sobriety. Gina said they were working through it. Braunwyn was about to call Sean, when she heard Gina freaking out. In Gina’s interview, she said she didn’t realize when she took the master suite, she’d need a full-on beekeeper suit. We saw one corner of the room covered in tons of… some kind of flying creature, but I don’t think it was bees. Elizabeth said there was a big-ass spider in there too.

In Emily’s interview, she said she just got an update from the hospital. Shane wasn’t responding to her texts, and she started to panic. The only information they would give her was that Shane was back in his room and sleeping. He had to give his permission for anything else. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard, since she’s obviously a pretty close family member. She said she was worn out and worried, and didn’t know how long he was going to be there.

Emily finally got a text from Shane that said she couldn’t imagine what it felt like. It was worse than prison, and every hour was like a fight. Emily told him, please don’t say that, and to let her know he was okay. She loved him.

Next time, ax throwing, biking, Shannon is worried and pissed at her kids, Elizabeth confronts Braunwyn, and Braunwyn helps Elizabeth through a panic attack.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

It was Park City Fashion Week, and Brooks was going to be the youngest designer there. Jen roller skated from her office to her partner Stuart’s office, and told him, it was Fashion Week, so they were getting in party mode. He fanned her with a giant feather fan, while she hula hooped. I’m not making that up. In her interview, she said her cousin Tony Vainuku was a filmmaker, and debuting his documentary. She was going to be hosting the VIPs. She reminded Stuart about when he got drunk at one of the Sundance parties and thought he was a rapper by the name of Stu Chainz, which is actually pretty funny.

Lisa said her company Lux Marketing was at its most busy during Sundance. It was 10 days of non-stop events. Some people said she was the Queen of Sundance, but she thought she was just good at what she does. In her interview, she said she’d learned if she wanted more, she had to work harder. The LDS church promoted being in constant pursuit of being their best selves, and she loved setting standards for herself. In his interview, John said he and Lisa owned everything jointly, but Lisa was the boss. He didn’t mind, since they worked well together. The producer asked if Lisa had pressed him to do the interview, and he said he couldn’t confirm or deny.

Whitney told Justin about Mary’s luncheon, and Jen came over with Stuart. Jen and Whitney had a hot tub party, and discussed Justin’s birthday. In Whitney’s interview, she said his birthday always falls around the start of Sundance, so she goes all out. He’d sacrificed his standing in the church, and his relationship with his family to be with her, and she wants to show him how grateful she is. He deserved it. She said it wasn’t about choosing teams for her, and she liked Mary. Mary was crazy, but also her friend. Jen told Whitney that Mary had attacked her and called her a hoodlum. In Jen’s interview, she said that had been the last straw. Whitney said she wasn’t letting any drama go down at the party; it was about Justin.

Meredith asked Whitney to walk in the show, and said she was a part of history in the making. Jen said she wanted to be drama free at Justin’s party, and wanted no eye rolling from Mary. In Mary’s interview, she explained that housekeeper Charlinda was her grandma’s brother’s daughter. They weren’t close, but at the end of the day she was family. Heather was worried about Jen and Mary being at the same party, but in Mary’s interview, she said, in life, you weren’t going to like some people, but had to get along. Justin began his birthday by taking a body shot off of his wife, and then they got on a party bus. I’d be the party pooper on a party bus, since I’m a huge fan of seatbelts. In Heather’s interview, she said she loves Jason’s birthday parties. It was one of the reasons he married Whitney. She could turn it up. She was decades younger and sexier, and not afraid to show it. In Whitney’s interview, she said, after the bus, the party moves to her friend Kathryn’s house where they get the VIP treatment. In her interview, Heather said Kathryn was well-connected in Park City. She was the Queen of Sundance, but don’t tell Lisa. Whitney made a toast to Justin, saying he was the sexiest MF’er there. Jen wondered where Mary was, since she’s obviously obsessed. Mary said if she had to be around someone, she didn’t want to fight. She wanted to make sure they were good, and approached Jen.

Jen told Mary that she’d tried to explain where she was coming from, and obviously triggered something. Mary told Jen that her grandfather comment was out of line, but Jen claimed she never said that. Mary said Jen had been screaming things at her, and in her interview, Mary said, Jen was straight-up lying, had a twin, or was not in reality.  In Jen’s interview, she said she’d been drinking and didn’t remember what she’d said. She knows she didn’t say that to Mary’s face, but it was possible she’d said it to someone else. Mary suggested they move on, and said she was willing to do that, but in her interview, she said she was done with Jen.

In Meredith’s interview, she said Park City was the cultural hub of Utah. They had Sundance, but this year was the first ever Park City Fashion Week. She was walking, and would be wearing her own jewelry with McKell Maddox’s clothing. She said Brooks had always loved fashion, and had never let her pick out his clothes. She was proud of his ambition. He was debuting some of his track suits, but he was disappointed  that his dad wasn’t there to support him. Meredith said it made her sad that he couldn’t, and in her interview, said they weren’t getting along, and Seth was taking over a new company in Ohio; the combination made it impossible for him to be there for Brooks. Lisa said she was hosting the most amazing event she’d ever put together at Sundance. It was going to be open to the public, and they were giving away prizes. The walls were all peel-away game pieces. The Sundance Queen never disappoints. Sitter Dezi was with the boys, and suggested they call Lisa, but Lisa ignored the call. In her interview, Lisa said, working mothers have to compartmentalize. During Sundance, mommy is MIA. She doesn’t answer the phone unless it’s work related.

Whitney and Heather went to a bar, and Heather said her drink tasted like water. In her interview, she said Mormons aren’t supposed to drink alcohol. The legislature was made up mostly of Mormons, so they made rules to keep their patrons in line, like limiting alcohol access. The drinks are watered down, and you’re not allowed more than two drinks on a table. It made it hard for closet Mormons like her to get a buzz. Heather told Whitney that she wished she had a fairytale relationship like Whitney did. In Heather’s interview, she said she chose faith, religion, and lifestyle over love, and had deep regret over her choices. She didn’t regret her children, but had wanted the whole package. She told Whitney that she wanted to be seen for who she was, and still be loved. Whitney said she had to put herself out there, but Heather said when she showed who she was, she got her hand slapped. In Heather’s interview, she said she was a virgin when she got married, and felt deprived. She was never single, never dated, and never explored who she was and who she found attractive. Whitney said Heather wasn’t going to find it until she made steps toward it, and thought Heather was making excuses. Heather insisted, in their community she couldn’t find someone. In her interview, she said she needed to find someone who didn’t come from a Mormon perspective of what her role should be. She was divorced, drank, and had three kids. No one wanted to take her home to meet their parents for Sunday dinner. Whitney wanted Heather to have the fairytale, and knew Heather could get it.

Jen worked with event planner Mara on the VIP party, and Sharieff actually showed up. Jen was proud of her cousin, and how he was representing Polynesians and Tongans. Heather thought Sundance was a brush with the big life, fun, and fantasy. You could meet men from other areas and cultures. It was the gift of Sundance; no strings attached. In her interview, she says she was always looking for sex, but not for love. Then she said, that sounded horribly vulgar. Could they delete? Nope. Katie and Lala from Vanderpump Rules made an appearance. Crossover! Whitney said she knew Lala through a mutual friend, and had insisted Jen invite them. Tony showed the guests the documentary, which was about a local Utah rap group. In Jen’s interview, she said she the minorities in Utah were the underdogs, and it was important to see their successes. Katie explained she was from Park City, and Jen steered a cute guy in Heather’s direction. She was a bit aggressive IMO, but very funny. In her interview, she said she felt the vibe with Curtis, and wasn’t letting him find another cougar. She left with him, and in Whitney’s interview, she said she wanted to yell, remember who you are and return with honor. Something their Mormon parents had told them growing up.  

Brooks was running late for the show, since he had to do his facial mask. In Meredith’s interview, she said as a parent, it was hard to juggle making kids responsible with their stress level. Suddenly, the smoke alarm went off, and it was so loud, my husband asked me what was going on, and he was in another room. Meredith found a toilet had overflowed, which apparently had something to do with the alarm. To add to the fun, their dog barked incessantly the entire time. Meredith made a call to maintenance while Brooks freaked out, and discovered some dog poopy.

Fashion show coordinator greeted Whitney, who was walking in the show. Brooks ended up being 45 minutes late, and in his interview, he said when he was growing up, his mom made a big deal of Sundance. Now he was part of something he grew up idolizing. Meredith felt badly that Seth wasn’t there, but he’d left a video poem for Brooks. Meredith thought it was sweet, but Brooks said it wasn’t the same as having him there. In Meredith’s interview, she said she’d asked for space, and they needed it, but she wished they’d been more sensitive to what Brooks had going on. She’d tried hard to be a great mom. She teared up, and said it was hard on the kids to see their parents going through hard times. Her parents divorced had hurt her, and she didn’t protect them. She’d screwed up.

I’ve decided I like this show for the most part, but Jen, not so much. I didn’t love how she acted like her drinking was an excuse for supremely insulting Mary.

Next time, the runway shows, Brooks talks to Seth, Whitney’s dad is ready for the next step, and Jen gossips about Meredith.

🥃 Closing Time…

All I have to say is, thank God for Amazon. Without them, I might not have gotten any Christmas gifts. You’d think I’d have been more on top of things this year, but nooo (said in John Belushi voice). All I want for Christmas is a vaccine. Okay, and the annual Holiday Barbie. So whether you’re doing it online or venturing out, stay safe, stay within your budget, and stay out of denial, lest you be haunted later.