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January 31, 2025 – Lulu Confesses Her Love For Dante, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Performing, Animal Tales, An Even Number Of Short Quotes & Mountain

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

Tara from Turning Woods had info for Elizabeth, but when she and Lucky showed up, Tara was out sick. Natalia told Lucy that she could land an account in LA, but the contact only wanted to meet with her and the silent partner – i.e. Sonny. Kristina went to see Sonny and asked him if everything was okay since he didn’t show up at Charlie’s. She said they had to keep Avery away from Ava and she’d decided to testify at the custody hearing. Anna told Jason about Sidwell being in Port Charles. She asked if he or Sasha were willing to go on record about Sasha’s kidnapping.

Curtis told Nina that Drew was going to undermine the company in congress if he didn’t get his stock back. Chase visited Willow, who whined about Drew being ostracized by his family. Drew met with Martin and told him that Monica wasn’t speaking with him. He was her first truly lost cause, and he wondered if he’d ever really been a part of the family. Anna told Jason not to go after Sidwell on his own. Lucky told the Turning Woods rep that Cyrus wanted a list of his patients who had died so he could send condolences to the family. Curtis told Nina that things had a way of getting out and encouraged her to tell Willow that she’d been sleeping with Drew. Drew told Martin, if they thought banning him from the Quartermaine grounds would keep him from Willow, they had another thing coming.

Jason told Anna that he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Mr. Furner came in while Lucky and Elizabeth were there. Lucky distracted him by threatening a lawsuit while Elizabeth waited for the printout. Chase told Willow that he and Brook were trying to have a baby.  Nina told Curtis that she’d made the devil’s bargain with Drew. She couldn’t tell Willow about Drew, nor he about her. She hoped with time, Willow would trust her more than Drew. Curtis said he had a plan and needed Nina’s help. Anna said the best way of getting Sidwell was to get criminal charges that would stick, but Jason said he had to do it for Michael.

Natalia conferred with Sonny about the LA trip. Anna asked if Jason could guarantee he would be the only target for retaliation. He could break the cycle of violence by not retaliating. Curtis told Nina that he wanted to sabotage Drew’s connections in DC. Chase showed Willow his lab results and she told him to see his doctor. According to the results, he couldn’t father a child.

Tuesday:

Ned told Tracy to show some respect to Willow or she’d be out on her high-class derriere. Tracy said two fingers of bourbon for everyone, and no one was leaving until they figured out what to do.

Felicia took Anna for a manicure and told Anna that she’d seen Emma clubbing. Emma joined them and Anna questioned her. Emma said, it wasn’t a spa day; it was an interrogation. Carly couldn’t figure out Jack’s angle. He said when he first came to Port Charles, he was on a mission. He had no intention of pursuing her until she visited him in prison. He considered her a friend, not an asset. Kai told Trina that his vertebrae was cracked, and he couldn’t play football because he’d risk a spinal injury. She suggested he talk to her mom. Portia told Alexis that Sam had been murdered and how they came to that conclusion. It had been a pattern. Alexis said she wasn’t leaving it to the police and was going to find answers.

Ned said the mess was all on Drew and they should give Willow a chance to create distance. Tracy said they had to make rules and asked what Chase thought. Brook told Lois that she was able to have a baby. Lois asked if she regretted giving her baby up, and Brook said it was the hardest choice she ever made, but she never regretted it. Chase said Willow was a good person and they should respect her. Tracy said Drew would use Willow to his own ends, but Ned said, if they pushed things, Willow would run back to him. Sasha said Tracy was being dramatic, then Tracy screamed because she saw a mouse. She said Sasha was out if she didn’t climb up and get it (like the mouse wasn’t in Chicago after Tracy screamed), but Sasha said she wasn’t climbing anywhere because she was pregnant, quickly adding, it’s not Cody’s.

Sasha said if anyone had complaints or judgements, oh well, and Gio said he didn’t grow up with a father and turned out fine. Alexis talked to Isaiah about Sam. Trina asked Portia to talk to Kai. Anna said Emma was allowed a social life, but not allowed to lie to her and sneak around. Emma said she’d been to a fundraiser and wondered, since when was Anna so uptight? Jack offered to have Michael’s cultures forwarded to Germany from the WSB to expedite things for Carly.

Tracy wondered why they offered daycare to everyone, and Ned said she’d just kidnapped two more. Portia said Kai wasn’t necessarily sidelined. Anna said there was a difference between uptight and responsible, and she was the latter. Emma said she never saw Anna because she worked so much. Carly called Felicia about the cultures, and Felicia told her to proceed with caution when it came to Jack.

Emma made a deal that if she got straight A’s, Anna would go clubbing with her. Jason asked Sasha if Michael knew about the baby. Chase told Brook that his tests came back, and he couldn’t get her pregnant. Portia suggested Kai get a second opinion from a specialist in sports medicine. Kai said Trina’s mom was amazing and he knew where she got it from. Alexis said she wasn’t going to stop until she found the killer. Jack went to the hotel spa and Felicia warned Carly that Jack had an agenda, but Carly said Jack was intriguing and she wanted to know more. Valentin showed up at the spa to kill Jack.

Wednesday:

Chase told Brook that he was sterile and couldn’t be a father. Olivia and Lois took Tracy for a manicure to destress. Sasha told Jason that Michael knew she was pregnant, and he was the father, but they had a deal that he’d stay out of it. At the hospital, Anna told Lulu that she was glad no one was hurt in Prague. Lulu said she was glad her daughter didn’t get shot a second time. Valentin pretended to be a masseuse and tried to strangle Jack while he was on the table.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Emma told Gio that she wanted to do a fundraiser to stop animal testing. She wanted him to play at it because something classic and boring would get the old people and boomers to contribute. Olivia said asking invasive and intrusive questions was Tracy’s love language, but she should let up on Sasha. Martin came into the beauty salon and said, good luck with that. Sasha said it was none of Jason’s business, but he said Michael had a right to know. Anna said she didn’t have the words to tell Lulu how sorry she was, but Lulu said she could see how it was an accident because of the circumstance. She thought Valentin was dangerous and bad things happened when he was around. Carly went looking for Jack at the spa.

Anna said she had an eye open for Valentin, and Lulu thanked her. Gio agreed to play at Emma’s fundraiser, but wondered if it was a scam to get extra cash. Jason told Sasha that Michael had asked for her and thought it was because he knew she was carrying his child. Sasha said if he wanted to help Michael, make sure no one else found out. Chase didn’t want Brook to miss out on the experience of being pregnant, but she said she loved him more than anything and they’d get through it together. Tracy said Martin would defend anyone and she’d been trying to protect the kids. He said she had a bad habit of rolling over people’s lives and just wanted to hurt Drew. Lulu told Dante that she was the best judge of what she could do, but he said, obviously not. Carly heard a noise in Jack’s room, but an employee said it was nothing.

Jack was lying on the floor when Carly came in and cracked something over Valentin’s head. Chase said he didn’t deserve Brook, but she said he was stuck with her. Emma said she was sick of people treating her cause like it was a joke, and Gio said he was only kidding. She said she’d volunteered for a shelter when she was younger. Some puppies were bought by a lab, and it stayed with her. Cody showed up looking for Tracy. He wanted to apologize for missing their ride, but Gio said she was pretty upset, so Cody should wait on that. Martin said just because Tracy disliked someone didn’t make them disreputable, and Brook called Lois, asking her to come home. Portia told Anna about the pattern of suspicious patient deaths and that someone had injected the patients with a large, unprescribed dose of digitalis that resulted in a heart attack. Carly told Jack to wake up or she’d tell the world he died wearing his bathrobe, and told the employee to call an ambulance.

Brook told Lois about Chase and said she felt like her soul was broken. Gio told Cody about Sasha being pregnant and Jason promised not to tell anybody that Michael was the father. Sasha had no doubt Willow would use her pregnancy against Michael, and she’d do what it took to keep her baby away from the Q’s. She also wanted Sonny to be kept in the dark. Anna told Portia about the Angel of Death syndrome, but Portia said two of the cases involved healthy patients, Sam and Dex. Lulu said she was no longer helpless, but Dante said she was human and had limits. She said he focused on someone else to ignore his own pain and didn’t want to think about losing Sam. Jack said he was fine and the WSB would handle Valentin. Carly asked what he was going to do now, but he said, that’s classified.

Jack made a call to have Valentin killed on sight. Tracy asked what Martin’s problem was with her, and he said she had an obnoxious misguided sense of entitlement. She felt entitled to judge him and Willow and had prevented him from having a relationship with Lucy. Tracy said he should thank her instead of ruining her zen. Lois said Brook and Chase could be as sad as they wanted for as long as they wanted. Brook said Chase suggested IVF, but he was just sacrificing his feelings for her. She thought she should tell him that she’d been pregnant before. Dante said he didn’t blame Lulu for Sam’s death and she asked what he was doing for himself. She knew her presence was a complication in his life. He said he’d never be sorry she was here. Anna asked to talk to Dante. Jason said Sasha didn’t have to do it on her own and he was on her side.

Anna told Dante that Sam was murdered. Sasha let Jason feel the baby move. Carly and Jack kissed.

Thursday:

Hitting the heavy bag, Chase flashed back to his and Brook’s baby journey. Brook told Lois that Chase was mourning the life he’d imagined for them. She wanted him to know the pain and anguish she’d felt giving her baby up so he didn’t feel so alone. Alexis told Diane that Sam had been murdered, while Lulu told Maxie. Cody listened in on Sasha talking to Jason about the baby, but slipped away before he heard Michael was the father. In Baden Baden, Jack went to Carly’s suite and kissed her. She said she needed a minute, and he apologized if he’d read things incorrectly, but she said he didn’t. She just didn’t want to do something she regretted. He said he wasn’t there to sleep with her and had something much different in mind.

Molly visited Cody at the stables to drop off his paperwork from the station. He was less than hospitable. He said his feet were held to the fire while career criminals got away with everything. Jason wanted Michael’s side of the story, but Sasha said she didn’t owe Jason anything. He said she owed Michael. Lulu said she owed Sam everything, but Maxie said, feeling guilty over something she had no control over would go nowhere. Lulu admitted still being in love with Dante. Brook said she’d have to tell Chase the whole truth, that Dante was the father of her child. Dante told Chase about the murders at GH and that Sam was one of the victims. Alexis didn’t know what to do with her feelings about Sam being murdered, and she threw stuff around the office.

Jack brought Carly to the rooftop, where he had a fire going and they had champagne. Carly said, it was cozy, beautiful and private. He toasted to her changing her mind about coming to the spa. Jason told Sasha that he’d back off the second he talked to Michael. Sasha said they were done, but if he talked to Michael, tell him that she was thinking of him and praying for his recovery. Cody said, clearly Molly had an agenda, but she said she was there as a favor to Mac. He said he appreciated it and she left. Diane wanted to say the right thing, but Alexis told her that there was no right thing to say. Diane said, whatever Alexis wanted, she was all in – whatever she needed, whenever she needed it. Alexis said she had to tell Molly and Kristina, who were on their way there. Diane got a text from Jason and promised she wouldn’t tell him anything. Kristina came in and wondered what had happened.

Brook said if she told Chase, she’d have to tell Dante, and she felt sick. Dante told Chase about the digitalis murders, that Dex was one of the victims, and Michael had been saved by Isaiah’s quick thinking. Maxie said she was surprised Lulu admitted she still loved Dante, but it would be weird if she didn’t. Jason met with Diane and told her about Sasha’s pregnancy. Alexis told Kristina and Molly that Sam was murdered. Carly wanted to know what was going on between Jack and Valentin. She thought it was crazy that Valentin tried to kill him. Jack said, Valentin had been a friend, but after tonight, he wasn’t protecting Valentin any longer. He figured Valentin assumed he was the one who fired the shot in Prague. He hadn’t, but he was at that point now. It was a winding, complicated story. Carly told him to order another bottle of champagne.

Dante unloaded on Chase about Lulu and said she had to stop taking risks and be careful for her sake and Rocco’s. He was happy she was there, but Sam was gone because of it. Every time he looked at Lulu, he’d think of Sam and what they’d all lost. At the MetroCourt, Cody saw Diane with Jason. He apologized to Maxie about the other night and told her that Sasha was pregnant. Then he realized she knew already. Jason said Carly couldn’t know anything about this. He was going to the clinic to see Michael, but wanted Diane to keep an eye on Sasha. Jack told Carly that he wanted to rise in the ranks at the WSB and an alliance with Valentin was a smart move, so he sought out Valentin’s friendship. Valentin was the iron fist, and he was the velvet glove. Valentin needed him as much as he needed Valentin, and they became true friends.

Diane promised to keep an eye on Sasha and let her know when Jason got clarity. The fact Michael never told her spoke to Sasha’s credibility. Jason said if he was wrong, he’d gladly admit it, and she said she wanted a ringside seat for that. Maxie asked how Cody found out, but he said it didn’t matter. Maxie said Sasha was clear that she had no plans to tell the father, and Cody said the father was Jason. Sasha told the baby that they could do this on their own and promised she’d always be there. Lois said she didn’t want to influence Brook’s decision, but Brook said she needed Lois’s advice. Lois said Brook was a grown-up now and it was only her choice to make. Brook said she and Chase had to be open and honest and she had to tell him. Dante asked Chase what was up, and Chase said he’d talk when he was ready. Alexis promised they’d find out who did this to Sam. They were going to shield the truth from Scout and wanted to wait for more information to tell Danny. She’d ask Anna to keep it away from the public for as long as possible. They’d have to stay strong and present a united front for Sam.

Carly said there was more to Jack than met the eye. She admired his loyalty. He said there was a big difference between them. She was a good person. She said he wasn’t the bad guy he wanted people to think he was. To her, he was the guy who’d done awesome things for her and expected nothing in return. They kissed by the fire.

Friday’s Enchilada:

In his hospital room, Kai struggles to put on a brace belt and Trina walks in.

Jordan is surprised to find Drew at Volonino’s, and asks if he’s allowed through the doors of Aurora these days. He asks if she means his company, and she wonders if he’s trying to drive away anyone who ever thought they knew him.

Curtis meets Portia at Beradino’s and says, Aurora’s new CEO is looking fine. He says he aims to please, and she asks, what’s with the good mood? He says he’s at breakfast with his beautiful wife. Why wouldn’t he be? She says she saw on the news that there’s a holdup with the McConkey esplanade. It was a big project for him and Aurora. Curtis says, it still is. Don’t worry. He’s steps ahead of it. Since no one eats at home, at another table, Ric says, even though it was gruesome, the fire strengthened Ava’s case. She asks if it’s strong enough to rescue her daughter, and he says he thinks it should. Given her present financial situation, he has a proposal to present to Diane. With any luck, it will convince Diane to wrap things up with her and Sonny. Ava says, that would be ideal, and thanks him. His generosity had been so helpful. He says, what generosity? and she says, him representing her pro bono. He says he’s not doing her case pro bono, and she says, he’s not? Since he stopped hounding her to pay, she assumed… He says, that his service was gratis? Why? Because they kissed?

Lulu meets Laura at the bistro and apologizes for being late. Everything she does seems like something she has no chance with. She was here with Rocco and her baby boy is now a coffee drinker. Laura says, he’s a coffee snob, and Lulu says, he gets that because of Sonny. Dante is so good with Rocco. He’s a great dad, but… Laura says, she’s still in love with him, isn’t she?

Dante bursts into Anna’s office and asks, what the hell is going on? Mac said she ordered him locked out of Sam’s murder investigation. She says, he’s correct, and he asks, why?

Brook goes to the stables and asks Cody if they’re alone. He says, yeah, and she says, good. She needs to talk to him. He says, about what? and she says, the summer romance she had with Dante, and he asks if she means the summer she got pregnant.

In Diane’s office with Kristina, Sonny says he’s going to LA on business for Deception, and she says, that’s a long way to go for a silent investor. He says, Natalia wanted him to go and he wants to go over some things before he leaves. Diane says, that’s why Kristina came, and he says, there are things they all need to discuss.

At Volonino’s, Brad does push-ups, and his trainer suggests a break, but he says, no breaks. The trainer hands him some water and says, he needs to hydrate. Brad takes a drink and says, if he’s going to hit his goal before Miami, he can’t afford breaks.

Ava asks if Ric thinks she kissed him in exchange for legal fees, and he says he hopes not. It was a good kiss, but hardly covers his retainer. He’s attracted to her, but business is business. He’s extending her grace in deferring his payment. She says, he’s a beacon of charity. At this juncture, it’s like the kiss never happened and it’s not likely there will be another. He says, ever? and she says, not until she gets her daughter back. After that, they’ll see what’s on the table. He says he guesses he should be going then, and leaves.

Curtis tells Portia that Drew is stalling the project, and she says, that’s so sad. He says he can think of two other strong words, and she says, Drew is using his office to exact petty revenge. She’ll stick with sad. Tell her about his next steps. He says he’s going to need an ally on Capitol Hill who has more connections than Drew. Nina is setting up something, but if it doesn’t work, he has a back-up. Meanwhile, his focus is on the next step with Aurora, and it involves her, him, a beach, and daquiris on a tropical island.  

Drew says he understands that Jordan is upset about the esplanade, and she says, he brought the project to her, and they worked on it together. Now he’s stalled it. He’s damn right she’s upset. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he’s sorry, and she says, explain why he’s doing this. He says he’s just trying to hold onto what’s his.

Brook says, of course (🍷) she’s referring to that summer, and Cody says he thought the subject was verboten. She says, it was, and it is. Did he ever tell Dante? He says, she swore him to secrecy, and he drove her to the bus station. She left and he didn’t see her again until he started working here. She asks if he ever told Dante, but he says, no. He hasn’t even thought about it since then. She says, thank God, and thanks him, and he says, no problem. She says she’s sorry to make a big deal out of it, but she had to be sure. He says he gets it, but it was like, a million years ago. Why bring it up now?

Anna says she wants to reiterate how sorry she is, but Dante says he doesn’t want her sympathy. He wants Sam’s file. She says, he barged into her office and asked for access to a case… He says, because Sam  was his fiancé and he loved her, and Anna says, that’s precisely why she can’t let him get anywhere near the case.

Trina offers to help Kai, but he says he’ll do it himself. He struggles some more, and she says, it will be easier when his arm isn’t in a sling. He finally asks her to help him, and she puts the belt on him. As she wraps it around him, they gaze at each other for a moment.

Lulu tells Laura that she loves Dante, but not… He’s still grieving Sam… They were already divorced, but she ended things with Dustin. She was planning on telling Dante that she never stopped loving him, but unfortunately, she never got the chance. Now she’s finally awake, but Dante is grieving Sam… He totally should. Laura says, good to know, and Lulu says, it’s probably better. Things between them are worse. Laura asks, how so? and Lulu says, they fight all the time. When she went to Prague, Dante brought it on himself to follow. It’s a habit and they know how she doesn’t like being handled. Laura says, they do indeed, and Lulu says she wants to try and get along, but he makes it impossible. Laura says, maybe she’s pushing him away, but Lulu says, it’s not that. If anything, she thinks she’s holding herself back.

Sonny tells Diane that he’s concerned Charlie’s is going to be scrutinized. The business is clean, but he did sell it to Kristina. Diane says, she’ll stay ahead of it and tells Kristina to call if there’s a problem. Kristina says, if the Feds tap her phone, she’ll ask for a copy of the recording to help her keep track of things. Sonny says he doesn’t want what he’s done to interfere, and Diane says she’ll make sure of it. She’s about to leave when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Ric and Ava, and Ric says, good. They’re already here. That makes it easier.

Brad kisses his bicep (he’s pretty jacked) and says, woo!

Kai thanks Trina for her help and says he’s sorry for snapping. She says she gets it, and he says he appreciates her coming, but he’s not in the mood. He’s still trying to rap his head around what he’s going to do with his life. She says, that’s why she’s here. Since he was injured in a game, PCU can’t revoke his scholarship. She brought him some catalogs for inspiration. He says he can’t think about classes. He’s barely managed to schedule his rehab. She asks if that means he got a second opinion that was positive, and he says, they told him, no promises.  

Drew tells Jordan that he’s the ultimate team player. He’s dealt with Tracy, navigated Ned’s fragile ego, and sat through his fair share of family squabbles disguised as ELQ board meetings. He does one thing the family doesn’t approve of… Jordan says, he had an affair with his nephew’s wife, and Drew says, and the rest of the Quartermaines are saints compared to most people. Monica banned him from the grounds, and he was pushed out of his own company. Jordan says she gets it. His life as a rich congressman is in shambles. Welcome to politics. They’re not here to talk about Quartermaine infighting. He’s stalling the progress for the good of the city he’s been chosen to represent. He says, it could still happen. That depends on what Curtis chooses to do with Aurora.  

Portia says, Curtis’s plans for Aurora involve them on a beach? and he says, not just any beach. St. George Island, potentially the first site of Aurora’s new resorts. Portia says she loves it, and he says, of course (🍷) he wants to experience the island before moving forward and he can’t without her. What does she say? She says she can feel the sand between her toes, when Curtis’s phone rings. Jordan says she’s calling in a favor, and Curtis says, which one? She tells him to meet her at Volonino’s as soon as he can.  

Anna says, when she told Dante that Sam was murdered, she was speaking to him as a private citizen. That’s why he can’t be involved. He says he can help find out who killed her, and she says she’d let him if the victim was anyone else. He says, because it’s Sam, and she says, imagine if he finds the killer and it goes to trial. What does he think the defense is going to do? He says, object because of his conflict of interest, and she says, they won’t need to. We won’t have a case. It will be thrown out because he was involved in the investigation. He asks if that’s what she wants, but she says, no, but she has to look at it. What if he finds the killer and decides to take the law into his own hands? He asks if she thinks he’d do that, and she says, in this instance, she doesn’t know. He asks what she means by in this instance. Does she have a suspect?

Brook says she’s sure everybody knows she and Chase are trying to start a family, and Cody says, word got around. She says, it’s bringing up a memory for her, living in the same house with Dante. She needs to be sure. He says he never told Dante. He hasn’t even thought about it in years. If she had told Dante back then, he’s sure Dante would have stepped up, unlike other guys. She asks what he means, and he says, it’s an obligation and the guy has to step up. He can’t leave the woman hanging. Brook asks what he’s talking about, and he says, Sasha is pregnant and she shouldn’t be in it alone.  

Drew works out with the weights, when Curtis comes in. He asks if this is why Jordan needed him, and she says, Drew told her that the future of the esplanade depends on Curtis. Care to elaborate? Curtis says, Drew wanted to push Michael out of Aurora, and Jordan says, while he’s in Germany, recovering from third degree burns? Curtis says, yeah. And if Drew doesn’t get what the wants, he’s more than willing to sabotage Aurora. Hence the delay on the esplanade. Jordan says, is that right? and Drew says, Curtis couldn’t be more wrong.

Kai tells Trina that the doctors told him to manage his expectations and set reasonable goals. Don’t get ahead of himself. She says, that’s good advice, and he says his teammates’ doctors said the same thing. She asks if they played again, and he says, one did. The rest never set foot on a field again. She says she’s sorry, and he says him too. He knew it was a possibility, but he told himself that it would never be him. How could he be so stupid?

Lulu tells Laura that Dante would jump in to save any chance he got, whether she needed him to or not. Laura says, Dante just lost someone he loved and maybe he doesn’t want to lose someone else. Lulu says, maybe… probably. She hates seeing him and Rocco in pain and not be able to help. Dante sees her as the woman his fiancé died trying to save. What is it going to be like for the rest of their lives? Laura says she knows what Lulu thinks, but unless she’s spoken to Dante directly, she doesn’t know how he feels.

Anna says she has no suspect yet, but there’s a person of interest, and Dante asks, who? She says, it’s not his case and she’s not disclosing more information. He says, she hasn’t told him anything. Dammit! She needs to tell him… She says she thinks he should go home. She’s placing him on one week’s paid leave and would like him to see the department psychiatrist. He asks if he can say no, but she says she thinks he knows the answer to that. He says, fine, and leaves.

Diane tells Ric to come back when he’s made an appointment, but he says he has an offer regarding the custody hearing. Sonny says, let’s hear it, and Ric says, the recent incident at his domicile caused the destruction of property and injury to his son. Ava says, it was obviously an attempt… and Ric says, it’s obvious Sonny can’t provide a safe home for Avery. At best, Sonny is going to lose. He’s made an effort to save them time and expense. He gives Diane the paperwork and she laughs. She says, visitation every other weekend and Ava has sole custody and all major holidays? Ava says she’s willing to give up Arbor Day, but Diane says she won’t even entertain it. Ric says, then they’ll go to court, and Sonny says, let’s do it. Ric says he’s going to call Kristina to the stand, and Kristina says, no problem. He asks if she’s sure. He’s going to ask about her father’s brutal assault on Dex Heller and his long list of mental and emotional instabilities. He’ll also bring in her impulsiveness and hot-headed temper that led to the attack on Ava and also the death of Kristina’s child. Sonny says, that’s enough, and Kristina says she looks forward to making sure Avery ends up with the right parent. Ric says, it’s impressive, but her keeping it together in her attorney’s office for five seconds doesn’t hold a candle to keeping it together on the witness stand… which she knows. Ava tells Sonny to spare the agony for both him and his daughter and take the deal. Sonny leans on his desk and asks, when’s the date? Diane says, February 25th, and Sonny tells Ric, see you there. Ric says, it’s their final offer, and Sonny shrugs. Ric says, it’s over, and he and Ava leave. Diane says she knows one thing, and Sonny says, they’re desperate. Diane says, right, and he says, Ava’s funds have dried up. Kristina says, Lucy mentioned to her the other day that Ava took a place far below her standards, and Sonny says, Ava wouldn’t trade down if she didn’t have to. Kristina says, that’s good news. If Ava can’t afford it, all they have to do is wait, but Diane says, they can’t rely on that. Ric and Ava’s argument is stronger than theirs.

Dante sees Brook at the stables and asks if Cody is around. She says, he was, then he wasn’t. She doesn’t know if he’s coming back. Is Dante okay? He says, obviously not, and she asks if there’s anything she can do. He says he doesn’t know. Sam was murdered and Anna won’t let him find the bastard who did it.

Lulu says she knows Dante loved Sam, and Laura says, and Sam loved Dante. She’s grateful they gave a good home to Rocco. Lulu says her too, but she’s a little jealous. And by little, she means really jealous. Laura says, Sam is gone now, and Dante has to find a way to live with the loss, and Lulu says, it’s a big loss and here she is, swooping in. Laura says, Lulu is entitled to be here, and Lulu says, Sam is too, but she can’t be. Laura says, but Lulu can, and Dante is afraid he’s going to lose her too. He practically camped out by her bedside and fought like hell for her. She says she knows, and Laura says, from her own life, she knows it’s possible to love two people at the same time. Dante absolutely loves Lulu. Maybe not in the same way she loves him right now, but there’s definitely a place in his heart for her. Lulu says she knows it’s not rational, but she feels like it’s her fault Sam died. If she feels that way… Laura says, maybe Dante does too?

Trina says, Kai isn’t stupid. He doesn’t know how rehab is going to turn out. His first orthopedist told him that he’s never play again. He says he doesn’t feel like a lecture. He needs to figure out rehab now. As for class, he doesn’t know if he wants to go back. She says, why? Even if he never plays again, he’s been given an amazing opportunity. A scholarship most kids would kill for and PCU is an amazing school. He says he knows Trina thinks she’s helping, but she’s not.

Drew says, when he pitched the esplanade, he did it on behalf of his company. Now he’s pitching for his constituents. Jordan asks, then why hold up the project that will give his constituents jobs? and he says, the environmental report was of concern, so it’s been put on pause for review. She says, it’s going to die because he has an ax to grind, and he says, it’s Aurora’s project. Curtis is the CEO and it’s up to him to clear up the issues. Curtis says, Aurora will be fine without the esplanade, and Drew says, there you have it. Curtis says, Drew is screwing them over, and Jordan says, it was a project for the constituents that was supposed to carry on the name of the man who gave Drew a seat in congress. (Good point!) Drew says, Curtis seems tense. What does he say to them working it out in the ring?

Diane says she hates to admit it, but Ric had good points. It’s of public record that the penthouse fire was deliberately set. Sonny says, Avery was at Carly’s, and Diane says, that’s the only reason Sonny still has custody. As for Kristina, she was magnificent back there. Kristina thanks her and says, hate is a powerful motivator. Diane says she has to advise Kristina, no matter how cool and calm she is on the witness stand, Dex’s assault is going to count in Ava’s favor. Sonny says, Ric is all about money. The only reason Ric is representing Ava is to hurt him. He’s going to use Kristina to do that. Kristina says, let him try. She can’t allow Ava to have Avery. Diane says she knew Kristina would say that. She’s going to let them talk. Take all the time they need. She leaves and Sonny says, Diane is right. Ric is going to hammer her on the stand like last time. Kristina says, let him. Ava’s not going to win this case. She doesn’t get to have her daughter back after she took Kristina’s from her.  

At the MetroCourt bar, Ava says, Sonny is itching to take them to court, but Ric says he’s not so sure. Ava says, he has enough money to drag this on forever, and Kristina, with her hair trigger temper, didn’t take the bait. Ric says, no matter. It comes down to Sonny. If he doesn’t want to move forward, it’s all over. She says, too bad he and Diane are determined to do that, and Ric says, maybe he’s wrong, but he thinks something is going on with Sonny.  

On the phone, Anna says, come back to my office and we’ll go over your allegations about Cyrus. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, it’s open. Cody comes in and asks if she’s seen Mac, but she says, he’s out on a call. Is everything okay? He says he needs to get a message to Mac’s brother and doesn’t have a way to reach him, and she says she can reach him. He says, it can wait, and she says, is he sure? It seems urgent. He says, it is… It isn’t important. It’s not like they need to contact international law enforcement. Anna tells him, just say it, and he says, Sasha is in trouble and it’s Jason Morgan’s fault.  

Brook tells Dante that she’s sorry, and he says, the minute he found out Sam was murdered, he wanted to hunt down the piece of garbage who did this. He’s a cop. She says, the best, and he says, Anna told him under no uncertain terms that he’s too close to the case. She says, maybe he is, and he says, obviously. He went to Anna’s office to show her how he’d handle it, and instead, he proved her right. He lost it on her. He yelled at his boss, and she sent him home. Brook says, Anna made the right call, and he says he knows that. For Sam to die like that, in a hospital bed, confined, unable to fight… If she could have gotten up, she would have fought tooth and nail. Brook says, damn straight, and he says, Sam was there because of him, and she’s gone because of him. He doesn’t know how to live with that.

Lulu asks Laura, how does she not feel responsible? The only reason Sam was in a hospital bed was because of her. Laura says, it’s human to feel like it’s her fault, but it’s completely untrue. She’s not responsible for Sam’s death. Only one person is – the murderer. Lulu says she knows that. It’s just so hard to silence the voice telling her that it’s her fault and to think about how Dante sees her. Laura says, he’s grieving, so she can’t assume to know how he feels, but she could ask, and Lulu says, just like that. Laura says, with the connection they have, yeah. It may not be the best time to tell him the full breadth of her feelings, but she can love him as friend.

At the hospital on his phone, Brad orders the deluxe spa package, while Portia tries to quietly go past him. He trots after her and asks if she has any idea where Dr. Jones is. She says, he switched his shift. She can imagine why. He says, speaking of schedules, is there any chance he can get an extra vacation day in Miami?

Curtis says, Drew wants to see him in the ring? and Jordan says, she brought them together hoping they could compromise like the adults she assumed they were, and Curtis says, it was a noble thought. But they both know Drew makes decisions based on what Drew wants. Drew says, and Curtis never misses the opportunity to get on his high horse. Curtis says, it must be real difficult for Drew to see that high up, being so damn lowdown, and Drew asks what Curtis says when the common denominator of the people keeping secrets from him is himself.

Anna asks how Jason is involved with Sasha, but Cody says, forget it. She says, he doesn’t barge into her office saying Robert’s daughter is in trouble and then drop it. He says he wants to talk to Robert directly, but she says, they’re close. What happened? Is Sasha in danger? He says, no. It’s not a crime or a legal thing. She tells him, just say it, and he says, Sasha is pregnant, and Jason is the father.  

Ric tells Ava, the thing about having a brother as an enemy is, they can read each other. He has a strong feeling something was off with Sonny just now. She asks how he can tell, and he says, Sonny may talk tough, but he has the sense Sonny doesn’t want to see this through. She says, when he dreams, he dreams big. Sonny doesn’t give up. He says, Sonny knows cutting her out will hurt Avery. Maybe he’s starting to care a little. She says she hopes he’s right. She needs to have Avery with her. The sooner he can make that happen, and the sooner she’s back on her feet, the sooner she can pay him. Once he gets paid, maybe after that they can see where things stand between them.

Kai tells Trina that he figured out how to put the brace on and it’s an accomplishment. He appreciates Trina coming, but he needs time to himself. She says, okay. She’ll leave him to it. She goes to the door and says, just so he knows, he doesn’t need to do this alone. She leaves, and he gets on the bed with his phone. He puts on an old game, and the announcer says, PCU is down three and going for a Hail Mary pass… They win, thanks to the golden arm of quarterback Kai Taylor! He puts the phone down, and Trina sees him through the window. She takes out her phone and makes a call. She says, when you get out, come and meet me at GH. Nothing is wrong. I just need help.  

Portia says she’s made accommodations for Brad, and he knows why. Brad says, just because he forced her doesn’t mean it’s not appreciated, and she says she does have limits and if she sticks to them, they shouldn’t have a problem. He says, understood… That said… She says, if he starts asking too much too often, people will start to notice. Don’t push his luck any further than he has. He says, so… is that a yes? and she says, enjoy your vacation day. She jets, and he says, thank you.  

Curtis says, his friendship comes with loyalty and wonders if it’s too much to expect in return, and Drew says, so his friendship is transactional. He’s not applying undue influence to sink Aurora. They’re not in court. Curtis says, let him remind Drew that he’s brand new to congress. He’s alienated his backers by seducing his nephew’s wife. He overextended himself and left himself wide open. Curtis and Jordan walk out.

Sonny asks what Kristina wanted to see him about. Is everything okay? She says, actually, no. The hospital investigated Sam’s death, and it turns out it’s not an accident. Sam was murdered. He asks if they know who, and she says, no, but they know how. She was given a drug she wasn’t supposed to have. Digitalis killed her. He says he’s going to ask a question she might not be able to answer. Does Dante know? She says, probably. The police are looking into it. Should she worry? He says he doesn’t want her to worry. Let him worry. Everybody has a breaking point and she’s carrying too much.

Brook says, it’s not Dante’s fault. She knows he can’t see it, so she’ll let him get there on his own, and he will. He says, she’s right, and she says she knows he’s saying that to get her off his back. She’s here if he needs anything. He says, she’s a pretty good friend when she tries, and she says, don’t tell anyone. He says, they wouldn’t believe him anyway, and they hug. Lulu walks in.  

On Monday, Laura tells Lucky that she has some news; Gio tells Emma that he has a bad feeling about something; Maxie tells Sasha that the more she stonewalls, the more it looks like she has something to hide; and Lulu tells Dante, nothing can be further from the truth.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

Looks like a good time. Especially for that random dog who’s probably been stealing food all night.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/gh-star-tabyana-ali-celebrates-her-birthday-see-the-party-pics

Sage advice for any condition you might be suffering from: If you are suffering, you have to be your own advocate to keep going… If your doctor doesn’t get it, find a new doctor that listens to you and believes in you, and doesn’t just want to stick you on an antidepressant.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/gh-star-tabyana-ali-celebrates-her-birthday-see-the-party-pics

Side gig. I still say Adam Huss was the best Nikolas and they should bring him back.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/adam-huss-wraps-a-movie-with-tuc-watkins

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

In making a sushi dinner for multiple people who don’t eat fish, Cloyce said he had nothing to do but laugh, bang his head against the wall, and innovate. It must be tough for any woman who dates Cloyce to get past him giggling like Anderson Cooper. Captain Glenn joined the guests for dinner and was impressed. Glenn said he still believed in Gary, which is beyond my scope of understanding. In his interview, the captain said, if Gary wanted to step up the ladder, he’d have to grow and mature. Good luck with that. Mixing his metaphors, Captain Glenn said, the crew knocked it out of the park and suggested they put this baby to bed. He’d seen growth and thought they finished the season on a high. The tip was $21K or 2000 euros each, and they’d made a total of $188K for the season. Gary told Daisy that he wanted them to live a fairytale life. She was like, hard no, and wondered why they couldn’t get to a level they could agree on. After the crew night out, Gary waited alone at the jacuzzi while everyone else went to bed. He had a lightbulb moment in his interview, where he said if he was going to be in Glenn’s position, he’d have to start taking more responsibility for his actions. I still can’t figure out what the problem was with the stews and Daisy, except that she wanted them to work. Gary thought there was still hope for him and Daisy, and we flashed back to them over the years. He was intrigued to see what the future held. Glenn said, it was a crazy season and it was done. Margarita time.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

In Kyle’s interview, she said she was alone in the house more often because the kids wanted more time away from her. Um… yeah, that’s how it works when kids get older. Boz and Dorit have gotten tight, which surprises me, since Boz doesn’t seem like she’d suffer fools or rambling talkers gladly. Garcelle pointed out that Kyle saying she’s never shared anything PK has said to her sounded like it was more than memes, but Kyle insisted that they’d never discussed PK and Dorit’s marriage. Kyle apologized to the group for yelling and leaving, but in Sutton’s interview, she wanted Kyle to apologize for acting better than everyone else and not being accountable. Kyle used the old it’s not who I am backpedal. I hate when people say that because, if not you, who? It was who you were in that moment and to say that is distancing yourself from accountability.

Dorit and Kyle went for a walk on the beach, and Dorit asked where Kyle’s loyalty lay, with her or PK. Dorit wanted the same respect from Kyle that Kyle would expect from her. In her interview, Kyle said she understood and if it was what Dorit needed, she’d do it, but IMO, she should have understood it without Dorit having to tell her. Dorit was also wrestling with Jagger having asked if she and PK were divorced, since he’d gleaned it from social media. In Erika’s interview, she said it was impossible to shield children in this day of the internet, but I wonder if you even should in the first place. By all means you should explain things at their level and make sure they know you’re there for them (and your partner too, if that’s a factor), but I’m not so sure kids should be shielded from negative situations entirely. God forbid they hear it from someone else like this poor kid. The show ended on an up note for once.

Real Housewives of New York City

It was the Reunion Part 1, so… There’s never a lot to say about these, since it’s just a rehash of the season’s arguments and them getting mad all over again. There was Jenna coming out in robe and turban, which was… original. Brynn spoke more about her assault, and sad to say, it’s someone she’s required to inhabit the same space with on a regular basis. It seemed hard for Erin to understand how difficult it is to out someone like that when it’s a he said/she said situation. There was a big deal with Brynn having said Pavit wasn’t the love of Jessel’s life, when they’d been talking about crazy hook-ups. Jessel was pretty upset about her family seeing the show. It looks to be a lively Part 2.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Ugh. The Reunion Part 2. In a word, tedious. Meredith almost walked off because… Okay, I lost track of the whole thing, but it had to do with something she said or didn’t say and who said she said or didn’t say it. You see how I could get lost, right? Angie said that for a new Housewife, Bronwyn put herself out there and that’s why everyone loved her. Agreed. Seth was a jerk, trying to explain away why he called Whitney a bee-yotch during a dinner. No excuse for that, dude. As NeNe so succinctly put it, stay out of women’s business. Period. End of story. With the exception of RHONJ, where the men should have their own show, the husbands need to stay quiet. It’s not called Real Househusbands. Still this season’s MVP, Mary was the exception. Lots of tears over Robert Jr.’s story, even from Andy. And it shut the other women up for once. That’s quite a feat. Whitney said it helped her kids understand why they didn’t have a grandpa as she hasn’t spoken to her (addicted) father since Season 1.

Southern Charm

Poor JT. I almost have to feel sorry for him. Almost. He’s so clueless as to how he’s going wrong. Although Venita doesn’t see it. She admitted to having a crush on him and I thought, oh, just do it already. Craig called Austen and wanted to hang out, which surprised me, but it didn’t seem to surprise Austen. Shep hadn’t heard from Sienna, who texted that she needed a moment. It made Shep nervous, which made me laugh. He said he wanted beautiful babies and a Bahamian house, making me laugh harder. Patricia and Madison had a pajama party, complete with caviar in bed, making me rethink my friend group, and Patricia said Sienna had approached Whitney on Raya before meeting Shep. Venita invited JT for dinner, and he told her that he was seeing someone. It wasn’t the answer either one of us was hoping for. I don’t like him, but she does, so I felt bad for her. He professed faithfulness, but IMO, he’d been leading Venita on. Not a gentleman.

I don’t remember this guy from Summer House, but I’m not always paying attention.

Southern Hospitality

I tried to watch this. I really did. But it’s just a bunch of relationships that are more complicated than they need to be. I’ve seen enough to know Emmy is a drama queen, so I can just imagine when she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her. Red flags have been thrown her way before, which she’s put her fingers in her ears and gone la-la-la about, but this seems to be irrefutable evidence. Rut-roh.

There was this priceless quote though: Even though I’m 33, that’s like 50 in gay years, so I’m basically dead. – TJ

I feel the opposite. While the diversity is commendable, the personalities aren’t so diverse. We even have Maddi being James Kennedy 2.0. Sans the alcoholic rants. Wait for VPR’s reboot if you want to relive the glory days. Or actually watch the original glory days on several streaming services.

Random Reality

The latest in Atlanta. Twirl on, Kenya. Twirl on.

Why not? And I actually don’t mind Slade. They seem to be a good match. Maybe he’ll marry her on his deathbed.

Get your lemons ready.

I’m sporadic in watching this, and like with Survivor, I get lost with the challenges, but when I see it, I enjoy it. Alan Cumming is the best host, all theatric and Scottish.

Take the tour.

https://ew.com/the-traitors-host-alan-cumming-season-3-castle-tour-exclusive-8766966

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Sleep. Hulu et al. I was a fan of Korean cinema long before it was popular, and Netflix had a Korean for beginners category. While this wasn’t one of my favorites, that didn’t make it less intriguing. A story of possession masked as a sleep disorder, it has creepiness a plenty. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending, which left me kind of hanging, but the style and atmosphere were worth the time spent. I hadn’t thought of it as a metaphor for a deteriorating relationship, but there’s that too. Those of you who feel, if I want to read, I’ll get a book, be forewarned; this one has subtitles.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sleep-korean-film-review

https://nofspodcast.com/sleep-review-new-korean-horror-is-a-methodical-slow-build-of-simmering-scares

Saturday Night. Netflix. This is the telling of the story of the first episode of SNL, and how no one thought it would get on the air, much less stand the test of time it has. A dramatization for sure, but the real-life drama may have seemed heightened since there were so many roadblocks. From John Belushi refusing to sign his contract while ice skating in a bee costume to Milton Berle flashing his legendary junk, it’s a fun watch.

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/saturday-night/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/saturday-night-netflix-review

The truths and the nots.

https://people.com/how-much-of-saturday-night-is-true-8725801

Some of this is a stretch to connect to SNL, but six degrees and all that.

🎸 Who’s Playing For Who…

The Super Bowl performers.

https://ew.com/super-bowl-2025-performers-kendrick-lamar-halftime-sza-jon-batiste-8779483

The Grammys performers.

https://ew.com/everyone-performing-at-2025-grammys-charli-xcx-sabrina-carpenter-more-8779877

🐾 Send In the Furbabies…

🐶 It’s always nice to see a celebrity using their powers for good. This must have been incredibly rewarding. I’ve loved Paris since Tinkerbell wrote her book.

https://people.com/paris-hilton-reunites-her-foster-dog-from-l-a-fires-with-the-dog-s-family-8781373

🐎 What would the Super Bowl be without the Budweiser Clydesdales?

https://people.com/super-bowl-2025-budweiser-clydesdale-horse-commercial-8780322

🐕 And don’t forget the best Bowl of all.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/pb-xxi-gallery

https://www.discovery.com/shows/on-tv/puppy-bowl/see/2025

🐐 Quotes of the Week

Anyone who wants to achieve a dream must stay strong, focused and steady.Estée Lauder

A dead end street is a good place to turn around. – Naomi Judd

Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. – Groucho Marx

If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small. – Richard Branson

Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. – Pablo Picasso

You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old. – George Burns

Words are the clothing of our thoughts.Jonathan Swift

A ship in a harbour is safe, but it’s not fulfilling its potential. – Susan Jeffers

If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment. – Carlos Santana

I don’t know why they say alcohol is a depressant. It fixes everything. – Joyce (Swoosie Kurtz), Mike & Molly

🍫 Like a Box Of Chocolates…

Until next week, stay safe; stay being adaptable in social and professional settings; and stay managing your expectations, setting reasonable goals, and not getting ahead of yourself.

January 24, 2025 – Sidwell Meets Laura, Soap Suds, Not My Reality, Weekend Watching, Nom-Noms, Animal Endeavors, 10 Concise Quotes & Freeze-Out

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

No soap, inauguration.

Tuesday:

Kristina waited at the launch with Alexis who was going to Spoon Island to meet with Sidwell about Windymere. Drew wanted to charge Tracy with kidnapping because she wouldn’t tell them where the children were even though Martin had a court order. Anna looked like she had a headache when Tracy feigned innocence, and Tracy asked if she looked like a nanny, but Anna said, only one in a Grimm’s fairytale. Tracy told her that Yuri had taken the children and nanny out for the day. Maxie met with Natalia about a new testing facility for Deception. She wanted the closing pushed back to give Sonny time to be with Michael and told Natalia that it wasn’t safe to be in Sonny’s orbit.

Michael was brought to consciousness and told Carly that he wanted to go to Germany. He also wanted to see Sasha. Drew horned in on Anna talking to Tracy, and Jack showed up at the station with info about the incendiary device. Ava was also going to Spoon Island to see Sidwell and badgered Alexis about the settlement money.

Jason went to track Sasha down and Carly told the others that Michael wanted to go to Germany, but Willow wanted to speak to him to confirm and apologize. Tracy claimed they were taking the kids from Monica, but Drew said it killed Tracy that Alan gave the house to Monica, and it was just a power play. Jack told Anna that the WSB was familiar with the device, and it had probably been developed for black ops. She asked if he ever used it and if he was the one who planted it.

Willow went in to see Michael and confirmed he wanted to go to Germany. She apologized for everything, and said the kids missed and loved him and he had to get better for them. She said she’d always love him, and he suddenly clutched in pain.

Ava said her daughter wasn’t safe with a man whose enemies tried to incinerate him and wanted Kristina to testify at the custody hearing. Alexis told Ava to stay away from her daughter or Ava would answer to her. Jack told Anna that he’d be more discreet than setting a luxury high rise on fire. She said the attack was sophisticated and not a usual mob hit.

Carly freaked out about Michael, when Jason arrived with Sasha, but Portia had to sedate Michael again to ease the stress on his system. Carly blamed Willow, but Jason told her not to take out her anger on Willow and focus on Michael. Carly said she’d be going to Germany with him, and Anna called Jason, telling him to get to the station.

Alexis said that Ava didn’t ask, but taunted and badgered. She wondered if Ava would want anyone treat Avery the way she treated Kristina, and Ava left since the truth is hard for her to hear. At the station, Anna told Jason that it was his family, so deal with them. Sasha told Maxie that she’d had a prenatal checkup and thought of Liam. Drew horned in at the hospital and told Willow that he thought Carly had finessed the situation. Sonny advised him to leave, but Willow wanted to talk to him.

Sidwell met Alexis at the dock, and she said she didn’t need to see Windymere again. The Cassadines weren’t known to be sentimental. Maxie offered to go to appointments with Sasha, who said she wasn’t ready to tell the world, but she was glad Maxie and Felicia were there for her to talk to. Maxie asked if Sasha was allowing herself to be happy.

Drew told Willow that he’d had Tracy arrested, but they didn’t know where the kids were, and they didn’t have Michael to use as leverage this time. Willow didn’t like the thought of using Michael as leverage, but was worried she’d messed up in cooperating with Sonny and Carly.

Tracy didn’t want Drew near the kids, but Jason said it was Willow’s call. Tracy said, Willow no longer had a mind of her own and was Drew’s puppet, but Jason said, Michael would want them with their mother. Tracy told him that she wouldn’t go to jail because she had too much money. Ava went to see Sonny and said if Avery had been where Michael was standing, she would have been killed.

Anna said she didn’t have time for the Quartermaines’ petty feuds and had real crimes to deal with. Alexis gave Sidwell the title to Spoon Island and told him that if isolation and excess were what he was looking for, he found his perfect dungeon. He said valued his privacy. Carly thanked Jack for getting Michael into the clinic and arranging for a medical jet. He told her to focus on her son and he’d take care of everything else. Anna told an officer to take Tracy to booking and told Tracy that sometimes the best way to win was to bend.

Drew convinced Willow that Sonny and Carly had been manipulating her. As he chatted her up in the chapel, Jason walked in. Sonny said he wouldn’t let Ava poison his daughter against him, and she said she was going to show the judge the charred remains of the penthouse and photos of Michael’s burns and she was going to get her daughter back permanently. She left and Sonny tried to take his heart meds, but keeled over.

Wednesday:

Charlie’s was reopening and Kristina and Lucky toasted to their dads who were great partners back in the day. Natalia found Sonny, got some medication in him, and called 911. Jason thought there was a compromise if Willow stayed in the gatehouse with the kids and Monica could have access. Lulu wanted to speak to Tracy, but Dante said, no. Lulu said she was fluent in Tracy Quartermaine and asked to have a crack at her.

Spinelli said they might have lost a gastropub, but gained the essence of cool in the new Charlie’s. Willow said if Jason could get Tracy to agree, she’d move back to the gatehouse, even though Drew told her not to negotiate. She had all the power she needed. Felicia told Sasha that the q’s thrived on toxic shenanigans and not to get caught up in it. Lucky told Elizabeth that he may have found a lead in their case.

Brick hit on Jordan going into Charlie’s, but she was meeting Isaiah. Kristina told Brick that him being there officially made it the coolest place in town. Sonny came to while Natalia was on the phone with 911, but he insisted no help. Jason asked to speak to Tracy who asked what the catch was. Drew said Tracy was using Monica to bully Willow. She said her kids were traumatized enough and she wanted to bring the kids back to their home. Jason said it was Tracy’s only chance to make a deal that would keep the kids close to Monica, and Lulu agreed he was right. Would Tracy rather be right or free? It was her turn to be strategic and play the long game. Be smart and take the win.

Sonny asked Natalia to call Isaiah and ruined his date with Jordan, but Brick took his place. Lucky told Elizabeth to follow his lead. Sasha told Felicia that she didn’t even recognize Willow anymore and she’d used Michael as leverage. Felicia suggested they show her some grace. Cody acted like an ass at Charlie’s and told Spinelli that if he wanted to stay out of prison because of Society Set-Ups (which none of us even remember anymore), he’d pony up some $75K. Brick asked if he should be jealous. Isaiah went to Sonny’s, and Sonny explained what had happened with Ava. Isaiah said the pills were just a stop gap measure and Sonny needed to see a cardiologist. Drew tried to talk Willow out of living at the gatehouse, no doubt for his own selfish gains, but Willow wasn’t having it. He said if the Quartermaines saw a way to get her children, they’d do it. Tracy agreed to take the deal.

Lucky talked to Martin about Cyrus, who said it was their mother who inspired Cyrus’s vocation. Isaiah said Sonny couldn’t be there for those he cared about if he didn’t take care of himself. Natalia said she’d stay with Sonny. Jason let Willow know that the kids were waiting at the gatehouse. Martin’s mother said if it had been up to Cyrus, she would be gone, but Cyrus just hadn’t wanted her to suffer. Lucky said they were still missing something because neither Dex nor Sam were terminal. Spinelli said Cody was the same sketchy grifter he’d always been. Lucky told him to take a walk, and Cody told Lucky to take a nap and punched him. Brick intervened, and Maxie thought she’d have to save Cody from himself.

Drew told Martin that Willow needed to be freed from the Quartermaines and Martin asked if Drew meant free to be with him. Drew said he’d do anything to protect Willow. Cody was brought into the station as Tracy was being released. Kristina said bar brawls weren’t the vibe she was going for. Willow came home and all was right with the world. For now.

Thursday:

Both Cody and Lucky were arrested, and Elizabeth tended to Lucky’s wounds in the interrogation room. Mac wondered what the hell was going on with Cody. The more he tried to get through, the more Cody pushed him away. Molly went to see Cody, who thought Lucky should have to pay for damages too, since he’d also been arrested. Molly said he was the only one throwing punches. Ava went to see Laura and Brick went to see Sonny. Kristina told Alexis about the fight, and Jordan said Brick had to step in to stop the fight, but the police thought Lucky was involved. Laura told Ava that a lot had changed and she couldn’t be Ava’s character witness. It was better if she wasn’t involved.

Josslyn told Lucas that she knew Cyrus had stabbed Dex and how she’d messed up at the station. Lucy brought Sidwell to Charlie’s and the thought it was distinctive and inviting. Lucy paved the way for a meeting with Laura.

Molly said no charges would be filed if Cody paid for the damages, but he said he had no money. Mac asked what the hell was wrong with him. Mac asked if Cody’s drunken fights were part of a bigger problem. Ric showed Ava an apartment since she had to establish a permanent residence, but she thought the square footage was lacking. Natalia told Brick what was going on with Sonny’s health, and Sonny filled him in on the rest. Brick said they had to make sure a close call like this never happened again.

Sidwell had to jet. Kristina said he seemed nice, and Alexis said nice and peculiar, since he thought Windymere was charming. Jordan went to see Laura and told her about Sidwell being in town. Cody promised he was done with booze and bar crawling. Mac said Cody was in a spiral that was getting worse, and he wanted to know why. Molly told Felicia that Cody was being a five-star ass. Lucky wanted to talk to Felicia about Cyrus, and Lucky discussed Cyrus with Josslyn. He said all they had were theories and suppositions and they needed evidence.

Lucky and Elizabeth talked to Felicia who said she thought it was the right choice to ban Cyrus from the hospital. Cody told Mac it wasn’t about Sasha. He trashed things when they were good. Mac said he had a family to rely on now and couldn’t push them away. Natalia went to Charlie’s and told Kristina that Sonny and Brick were discussing business. Brick arranged for Sonny to see the best cardiologist in the country in Los Angeles, to keep the diagnosis from the Five Families (marinara sauce). Ric said Ava didn’t have the means for a long-haul custody battle.

Kristina said she was worried about Sonny as she’d gotten a new date for the custody case. Anna said there were no outstanding warrants on Sidwell and even Interpol’s tag had been dropped. Laura got notice of the meeting and said it might be time to give Sidwell what he wants. Ava told Ric that Laura backed out of being a character witness and he told her to never doubt he was on her side, then they kissed. Josslyn said she was going to find the tie between Cyrus and the murders.

Mac left Cody in jail to think. Ava agreed to take the apartment. Laura called Sidwell and made a date to meet. Molly said, as long as people like Cody were saved from the consequences of their actions, there would always be a next time. Lucky wanted to talk to the Turning Woods staff and check their records, but Elizabeth said he’d stepped on a lot of toes there, so he agreed to let her do the talking. Lucas asked Josslyn to promise she’d stay away from Cyrus.

Friday’s Enchilada:

Baden-Baden, Germany. Carly goes into her hotel suite breathing heavy. She almost throws a bottle, but decides against it. Instead, she sits down and cries.

Willow leaves a message for Drew telling him that she’s back at the gatehouse and just wanted to hear his voice. There’s a knock at the door, and Nina says she brought breakfast. She asks how it is being back, and Willow says she’s afraid she made a huge mistake.

Drew asks if Curtis has a second to talk, but Curtis says he doesn’t know what Drew could say that he’d want to hear.

Trina sees Josslyn at the hospital and asks what she’s doing here. Josslyn says she’s trying to stop a murder.

Stella visits Kai, who’s watching a game tape. She says she came to check on him and see if there are any more flowers or gifts that he wants her to distribute. He says, the volunteers took care of it, and she asks if he’s sure he doesn’t want to keep some of it. He says he won’t be here long enough to enjoy it. He’s getting out soon.

Lulu goes to Maxie’s office, but Maxie’s not there. The phone rings, and she answers it. Maxie comes in and mouths, who is it? and Lulu mouths back, Blair Cramer. Maxie says, no, and Lulu asks if she can have Maxie return the call. Maxie says, Lulu has improved since she worked at Crimson, but she’s overqualified for the Deception job and wouldn’t be happy. Lulu says, happiness is overrated, but Maxie says, Lulu isn’t into beauty or cosmetics and needs to be challenged to keep her interested. Lulu says she just wants to earn her own money on her own terms and not rely on what Tracy and her mom decide, but Maxie says, she’d be miserable if she took the job. Lulu asks, what’s going on? Is Maxie trying to get her to withdraw her application, so she doesn’t have to turn her down? Brook walks in and asks what Lulu is doing here. Didn’t Maxie tell Lulu that they’re not hiring her?

Sidwell knocks on Laura’s office door and tells her that he’s looking forward to their meeting. Laura invites him in, and says she thinks he knows Anna. Anna certainly knows him. Anna says she and Sidwell met when he tried to have her killed while she was in Africa. He also tried to have Laura’s son killed.  

There’s a knock at Carly’s door, and she opens it to Jack.

Sidwell says he feels terrible about the situation with Lucky in Africa, and Laura asks if by situation he means holding Lucky captive and forcing him to play poker in order to stay alive. Anna says, he tried to execute her and Jason, but he says, the incident differs vastly from his perspective. His business was threatened. Anna and Jason lied about who they were, as did Laura’s son, and Holly stole from him. Laura asks if that justified holding them captive and torturing them, and he says, when his livelihood was threatened, he took any steps the law of the land allowed to protect it. He was in a country that had no law and nothing he did was illegal. Anna says, they have a fairly strong law here. He abducted Sasha, held her for ransom, and blew up a building – a trifecta of illegality. Sidwell asks if someone accused him. Is there a witness or evidence? He has no idea what she’s talking about. Anna says, they have nothing at this time, and he asks them to allow him to explain why he asked for a meeting. He’s an exporter based in Europe, but wants to expand to the North American market. Laura asks, why Port Charles? Llanview, Pine Valley, or even New York City would be a better choice. To be clear, they don’t want him in Port Charles.

Lulu says, this isn’t about the job, and Brook says she’ll handle it. She’s an officer of the company and has an interest in its success. The job at Deception is to be her assistant. Lulu says, they already established that, and Brook says, given a choice, she wouldn’t choose to work with Lulu. She’s uncomfortable to have around and it makes for a difficult work environment. Lulu says she gets that Brook doesn’t like her, but doesn’t understand why. She’s not the one who came between Brook and her boyfriend. Brook was the one who did that to her.

Willow tells Nina that she didn’t think moving back to the gatehouse would be that big a deal. She’s lived here for years, and it was great, but that was before this ugliness. Tracy walks in, looks at Nina, and asks why she’s not surprised. Nina says, nice to see her too, and Tracy says she saw Wiley getting on the bus to school and Amelia is out for a walk with the nanny. She thought it was the perfect time to go over new ground rules.  

Drew says he didn’t like the way he and Curtis left off. They’ve been friends for a long time, and he didn’t intend to double-cross Curtis. He thought he was doing right by him and Michael, but he failed. He should have handled it differently. Curtis says, ya think? and Drew says, things are different now. Michael is out of the picture, and they can use the opportunity to pivot from his mistake and do something that will work for them both. Curtis says, given what Drew’s done, whatever he’s thinking isn’t going to work, and Drew says he had that coming. He understands why Curtis is angry, but he never meant for it to come to this point. They’ve known each other a long time and go way back. They’ve been through so much together. He’s just asking Curtis to hear him out.

Josslyn tells Trina that she’s trying to see if anybody has any information on Dex, but she’s not getting anywhere. Trina says she gets that Josslyn wants answers and doesn’t blame her for being frustrated, and Josslyn says she had to do something to honor Dex’s memory. She asks if Trina is here to see her mother, but Trina says she’s here to see Kai.

Kai tells Stella that he’s had an MRI and every scan possible. He wishes they’d hurry with the results. The sooner they do, the sooner he’s back on his feet. She says she knows patients who would enjoy a break from enormous men chasing and tackling them, but Kai says he loves football and wants to get back as soon as possible. She says, he still has a lot of work ahead, but first he needs the paperwork. He thanks her for taking care of everything, and him, and she says she’s happy to, but he doesn’t want to push too much too soon, or he’ll set his recovery back. Listen to his doctor. He says he’s not going to do anything to jeopardize his full recovery. He wants to be back for next season.

Carly asks what Jack is doing here, and he says he had a meeting in London. He swung by to see how she’s doing. She says, normally, she’d ask him to wait downstairs so she can pull herself together, and he says he’ll wait wherever she wants. Or if she’s not up to a visit, he can leave. She tells him, come in, and asks if they can order room service. He says, yeah.

Nina says, Tracy can’t barge into her daughter’s house, but Tracy says, it’s Monica’s house because Alan gave it to her and Monica wants her great-grandchildren close by. It’s for her sake Tracy agreed to Willow living here. Willow says she agreed to the compromise because of the kids and Monica, not Tracy. Tracy doesn’t even like her kids. She kidnapped them and kept them from their mother, convincing herself that it was in their best interest, but it wasn’t. Willow withdrew the charge because it hurt too many people, but she could easily change her mind and have the charge reinstated.  

Curtis says, because of the friendship he and Drew used to have, he’ll hear Drew out, and Drew thanks him. He sits down and says he doesn’t like that he’s not in control of a company he started, and he wants it back. He suggests they set up a stock sale so he can get that back. He’s not going to throw his weight around. All he wants is ownership of his own company back. Curtis says, Michael is out because he’s recovering from third degree burns, but Drew tells him that he’s not saying that. Curtis says, it sure as hell sounded like it, and Drew says, Michael has wealth beyond belief. Curtis has a contract to be CEO for five years and he’ll honor that. Curtis says, he’s suggesting the orchestrate a stock sale, Drew gets controlling interest, then steps back and lets him run it without interference. Drew says, Michael did what he did to get back at him for Willow. It had nothing to do with the business. He’s seen the incredible things Curtis is doing and knows he cares about Aurora. Curtis says, of course (🍷) he does, and Drew says, as a courtesy, he wants it acknowledged that he founded the company and it’s running successfully. It makes sense since he’d be the majority shareholder. Curtis says, Drew makes good points, but he’d rather resign than take the deal.

Trina says, she wants Kai to know, if there’s anything she can do, he can count on her, and Josslyn says, it must be rough for him. She thinks it’s good for him to see Trina. Kai’s identity and everything in his life revolves around football. She’s not in that world and brings a different perspective to the conversation. She’s a good friend. She asks, what’s in the bag? and Trina says she went to the wellness center and got power bars and electrolyte water. (I drink that!) It’s good to stay hydrated while in the hospital. It was no big deal. Josslyn says, Trina could have done it later, but Trina says, sometimes later is taken away. They both know that. Josslyn says, that’s why they’re best friends. They get each other. Trina says, they really do, and Josslyn says she’s heading out. They hug, and Josslyn says, let her know how it goes with Kai.

Stella tells Kai to take time to heal. He has his whole life ahead of him and needs more than an arm and shoulder to throw a football. He says, ironically, he’d been debating whether to enlist in the draft or play his senior year. The decision’s been made and he’s glad he has another season at PCU. Stella says, that’s a good way to look at it. And she has one more season to watch him. He asks if she likes football, and she says she loves it. This season was the first time she followed PCU. Their quarterback is a phenomenon. He says, if she wants tickets, just say the word, and that goes for when he’s in the NFL. She says she’s always wanted to go to the Superbowl, and he says he likes the way she thinks. They laugh, when the doctor comes in. He asks if now is a good time to talk, and Kai says, perfect. Stella leaves, and Kai says, so what’s the good news?  

Brook says she feels like Lulu is just waiting for her to mess up and it’s stressful. Nothing kills creativity more than criticism. Lulu says she doesn’t sound critical all the time, but Maxie says, they both do it. Lulu says she doesn’t intend to be critical, and Maxie says, maybe it’s a habit, but it’s not fun to be around and she doesn’t like it. She loves them, but she’s just being honest. Deception has had a lot of ups and downs. Hiring her to work as Brook’s assistant when it’s obvious they don’t like each other seems like there would be complications.

Jack asks how things are with Michael, and Carly says, the doctors at the clinic say he’s doing fine, but they won’t let her see him. She understands that it’s cutting edge and intense. He needs to be isolated because he’s injured and in a lot of pain. But they’re in a foreign country and she has no control. He says, she can leave and go to Johns Hopkins where she’d be allowed to visit, but she says, Michael needs to be here. She’s hoping he comes out like Ava and won’t need surgery or skin grafts. She gets it. He needs to be here. Jack says, even if it means following their rules? and she says, it’s what Michael needs and what she wants. It’s the first offer of hope, and she wants that for Michael. More important, Michael wants that for himself.  

Curtis tells Drew that he wouldn’t betray Michael if he was completely healthy and down the hall in his office. He’s not going to do it while Michael is recovering. Drew says, he had no problem seizing the company Drew co-founded, but Curtis tells him not to rewrite history. Michael gave him the score about Drew double-crossing him. Drew asks why Curtis doesn’t see it from his perspective, and Curtis laughs. He says he’s not going to try and explain it to the man used to know. This Drew in front of him, he doesn’t recognize him. What the hell happened to him?  

Tracy asks if Willow was so dazzled by Drew’s faux hero persona that she had to have him at any cost or was she more conniving than Tracy gave her credit for. Was she trading up from Michael to Drew when he went to congress? Willow says, that’s not what she was doing, but Tracy says, either way, she’s proved untrustworthy. She thinks Willow is little more like Nelle than she realized.

Jack says he respects Carly’s decision to leave Michael where he is, and she says, it’s the right call. She’s been emotional since she got here. He says, if there was ever a time, this would be it, and she says she feels like it’s her fault. He says, she’s Michael’s mother and it’s normal to feel responsible, but she says, it’s more than that. Michael was burned because he was at Sonny’s, and it was her decision to bring Sonny into Michael’s life.

Stella sees Trina and says, what an unexpected treat, and Trina says she came to see Kai. How is he doing? Stella says, he’s in good spirits and getting ready for next season, and Trina says, he’s staying at PCU and she’s not sad about it. Stella says she doesn’t think Kai is sad either. He’s missing out on the draft, and she’s impressed with his attitude. It will get him through tough times. Trina says, Kai surprised her. She prides herself on not making snap judgements and she did with him. He wasn’t what she thought. Stella asks what she thought, and Trina says she thought he was a shallow arrogant jerk who only cared about football. Stella says she’s glad to know that. She’s really liked him ever since his terrible downward dog in yoga class. Trina being in his corner will do him a world of good.

Lulu says, the last thing she wants is to cause complications at Deception. She’s sorry she imposed on her and Maxie’s friendship. It won’t happen again. Brook says she knows they’ve all been through hell. Being in a coma for four years and having liver failure must be a complete nightmare. Maxie says, they wanted to do anything if it would help Lulu get better. They were all tested for compatibility, even Chase and Brook. Lulu says she didn’t know, and Brook says, there are a lot of things she doesn’t know. While all of that was happening, Maxie was running Deception and managing Lucy, which is a full-time job, and dealing with the lawsuit that almost took them down. Lulu asks who sued them, and Brook says, her grandmother. Lulu says, Tracy? and Brook says, the details don’t matter. Her point is, Deception survived in large part because of Maxie’s creativity and hard work. Lulu has no idea how much Deception means to Maxie.

Sidwell says he didn’t choose Port Charles randomly. He’s invested in property. Laura says, he’s an intelligent guy. He must know she’s going to keep a close eye on the man who hurt her son. Anna says she’d think he’d cut his losses and leave, but he says he prefers to prove that he’s a law-abiding citizen, and Laura and Anna laugh. He says he’s sure Anna and the PCPD will be checking up on him on a regular basis, and Anna says, he can count on it. And they’re not the only agency who will be keeping tabs on him. He says he welcomes all the attention and knows in time they’ll decide he’s an asset to this fair city this. He thanks Laura for the meeting, and she says, he may find it difficult to do business in a town where he’s not welcome. He says he looks forward to proving them wrong, and leaves.  

Drew tells Curtis that when he was given the opportunity to go to congress, he thought he’d have a chance to achieve something he didn’t believe possible. The more he was around politics, the more he wanted it. At the time, he and Willow’s relationship changed. Curtis says, Willow is his nephew’s wife, and Drew says he knows. It just happened. They weren’t trying to hurt Michael. Willow saw what he was trying to achieve, and they developed a connection. One she doesn’t have with Michael. Curtis says, whatever he has to tell himself to feel better, and Drew says he’s not the first person to be in this position. Not all marriages last forever. His didn’t and neither did Curtis’s.

Nina tells Tracy, enough. It’s not right for her to use Nelle’s name. Tracy says, Nelle cut a wide swath of damage and that one is the same. If she sees the opportunity, she’ll step in on the children’s behalf. Willow asks what she means, and Tracy says, act responsibly or she’ll lose them. Nina says, they belong with their mother, and Willow says she’s made a genuine effort to compromise. If that doesn’t work, she’ll take the kids back to her mother’s apartment and Tracy can explain to Monica and the rest of the family why they’re gone. Tracy says, fine. However, there’s one condition and it’s non-negotiable. Willow’s boyfriend may not visit on the property. If she’s compelled to look into Drew’s lying eyes, she’ll have to do someplace else. Drew is banned from the property permanently. She leaves.

Carly tells Jack that she and Michael’s biological father didn’t get along… except once. He laughs, and she says, his family, the Quartermaines, didn’t like her very much. She had feelings for Sonny at the time, and he helped her get custody of Michael. She got what she wanted and ignored the very real danger of making Michael a part of Sonny’s life. Their kids have been paying ever since. Jack says, she’s being too hard on herself. Michael is strong and capable and an excellent businessman. Carly says, he wouldn’t have been at Sonny’s except for her choices, and he says she can’t let herself think that way. Hindsight is always 20/20. There’s no point in dwelling on past mistakes. That way, madness lies.

Lulu says she would never do anything to hurt Maxie. Maxie is one of the most important people in her life and she loves her. Maxie says she knows and loves Lulu too, and Brook says she knows how much Lulu cares about Maxie, but she needs to realize what Maxie has been through and how far she’s come. Lulu says she knows things have changed and she’s got a lot to catch up on. She’s trying as fast as she can. She’s been focused on getting a job, so she can gain independence and search for Charlotte on her own terms, but she’s only been seeing things from her perspective. She didn’t take a second to look at it from Maxie’s. It’s not fair and she’s sorry.

Jack tells Carly that early in his career a mission went wrong and an agent, a friend, was killed. One colleague left the WSB and wallowed in guilt. It destroyed his marriage. Jack didn’t outwardly react, so people assumed he didn’t care. Carly says she’s sorry for what he went through, and he says he lost a good friend that day. He tears up and says, there’s nothing he could do to change that. The only way forward was to learn from what went wrong. You can’t life according to what if. You never know what a different decision would have brought. She says, you can’t change the past. She’s been down that road when she lost her son Morgan, and it leads nowhere good. He says, it never does.

Drew tells Curtis, what happened with Michael’s marriage and his injuries are two very different things. He didn’t cause Michael’s burns, and he didn’t help push Willow away. Curtis says, right, and only the doctors can help Michael’s physical injuries. Drew says he made a mistake in placating Michael because he felt guilty. He knows what’s best for Aurora, and if he’d stuck by Curtis, they’d be in a different place. Curtis says, Drew had to do what was best for himself. So does he. When Michael recovers – and he will – he’ll actually respect Michael’s business sense, maybe better than Drew’s. Drew says, wow, and Curtis says, if Drew’s ultimate success is in stealing Willow from his nephew, he’ll have got what he wanted and will find a way of life for himself.

Nina says she’s proud of Willow. Few people can say they stood up to Tracy Quartermaine. Willow says she couldn’t have done it without her mom by her side, and Nina says, it’s where she belongs. Willow says, Drew is right. The Quartermaines treated Michael terribly. She saw how they hate Drew. She should probably do what Drew said and move back in with Nina. (What is wrong with this woman?)

Lulu says she knows Maxie and Brook got close over the past four years and she guesses she felt threatened. She saw the opportunity to have Maxie on her side. Maxie says she doesn’t want side either one of them. They’re both her friends. She can’t force them to like each other, but she does reserve the right to love them both. Brook says she’s worked hard not to be the person she was. Part of her issue is that Lulu reminds her of her past regrets. Lulu says she’s not alone. They all have regrets. Tracy walks in saying, she’s had a bad day, so don’t… Lulu! What is she doing here?

Anna tells Laura, according to her search, Sidwell has no outstanding warrants, and the property transaction was legal. Laura says, what if Anna, Lucky, and Jason submitted an international complaint to the court? but Anna says, that’s no good. Sidwell was doing business in an area that’s completely lawless with zero authority to back them up. Laura says, what about Sasha’s kidnapping? Maybe she can tell them something they can use against Sidwell. Anna says, unfortunately, for various reasons, it wasn’t reported. There’s nothing on the books and nothing tying Sidwell to the property that blew up. Laura says, a man like Sidwell doesn’t change overnight, and Anna agrees. Laura asks what Anna is thinking, and Anna says, Sidwell’s arrival coincided with the fire in Sonny’s apartment. Laura asks if Anna thinks Sidwell was behind the fire, but Anna says she doesn’t know. It’s too soon to say. She’ll have the CID check the warehouse that blew up after Sasha’s abduction. If there’s a match, they might be able to pin it on Sidwell.

Drew tells Curtis that a freshman in congress is a good friend to have, but he has no reason to help the company succeed. Curtis says, he’d rather sink his own company that see it succeed without him, and Drew says, Curtis has one final chance to reconsider his offer. Curtis says his answer stands and opens the door. Now get the hell out. Drew leaves and Curtis slams the door.

Nina says she saw Willow stand up for herself in a way she hasn’t seen before. She compromised with Carly and Sonny because it was the right thing to do. She could tell Willow was more at ease. She has to continue to trust herself and her instincts. The Quartermaines and Monica appreciate the effort she’s put into the kids and Michael will appreciate it when he gets back. Willow says she hopes so. She doesn’t want to hurt Michael more than she already has. Nina says, the effort she’s making is a huge step toward an amicable resolution for them both in the future. Willow wonders if she should stay here. She’s going to miss Nina. Nina says, not a chance. She’ll be here all the time. Willow says, good, and they hug.

Maxie says, Lulu was thinking about applying for the assistant position, and Tracy says, she’s hired. Lulu says, they were just talking and she’s not sure she’s a good fit, but Tracy says, of course (🍷) she is. Lucy says the company is run on beauty and creativity, and Lulu has a boatload of both. Lulu says she thinks she’ll go see if Carly will hire her at the MetroCourt, but Tracy says, absolutely not. She’s the majority shareholder and the final decision is hers. She wants Lulu here. Lulu says, that’s nice of her and thanks, but she’s good. Tracy says she’ll pay Lulu double what the last assistant made, and both Maxie and Brook say, what?! Tracy says, Lulu is worth twice what Gladys Corbin was, and Brook says, Wade was her last assistant. Tracy says, Lulu is worth double what Wade was making. What does she say. Lulu says, it’s a great environment and it would give her a chance to work with people she respects and loves. She guesses she has to accept it. Tracy says, woohoo! Welcome to Deception. The phone rings and Tracy asks what Lulu is waiting for. Lulu answers the phone. Maxie Jones’ office…  

Trina goes into Kai’s room and says her Aunt Stella told her that he was impatient for rehabilitation. She brought him some power bars and electrolyte water. He thanks her, but his tone is flat, and she says she knows it’s silly. He probably has tons. He says, it’s not that, and she asks if something is wrong. He says he saw the orthopedist and he’s never going to play football again.  

At Turning Woods, Josslyn tells the reception nurse that she has a light load this semester and was looking to do something more meaningful with her time. She was hoping there were extra slots for volunteers. The nurse checks and says, there’s one slot not covered. It’s all hers if she wants it. Josslyn says, absolutely. Sign her up.

Jack asks if Carly wants him to find out why she’s being denied access to Michael, but she says she can handle it herself. He says he’s disappointed that she doesn’t need him, but not surprised, and she says she’ll get in to see her son whether they like it or not. He says he doesn’t doubt it for a second, and she says, but she would like a ride. He says, done. Consider him her chauffeur.

(Mrs. Jack Brennan… 💘)

On Monday, Laura says, Lulu might be headed for trouble; Drew tells Martin that they have another thing coming if they think he’s not seeing Willow; Kristina asks if Sonny thinks it’s really the best time for him to be traveling right now; and Jason needs Anna to do something more for someone now.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

Good news! And a reminder that mental illness and addiction don’t discriminate.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/vinessa-antoine-shares-her-brothers-been-found

She must get tired of fielding this question.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/is-carly-leaving-general-hospital-laura-wright-speaks-out

So did he take the subway? Nothing says NYC like that smell.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/steve-burtons-weekend-to-remember-in-nyc

Too bad they didn’t get much of a final scene.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-katelyn-macmullen-says-goodbye-to-chad-duell

This is a better tour than you get from the adults.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/go-backstage-at-general-hospital-with-gary-james-fuller

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Gary acted like someone held a gun to his head to drink so much, when Captain Glenn was being nice. The punishment was forfeiting 500 euros of the tip, which was $23K, so they still got $2055. Gary apologized, and he and the captain hugged it out. The charter was 8 women, all with a different food restrictions, which made Cloyce’s head explode. Next time, the finale.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Boz told Dorit that she thought there were more than memes between PK and Kyle, but Erika told her that it was nothing. When cornered into sharing her text with PK with the group, Kyle read it and then stormed out saying, I’m done! Memegate lives on.

Yeah, I never thought for a moment LVP was coming back to RHOBH. She’s a busy woman what with all her restaurants, a hotel, and single-handedly ridding the world of the dog meat trade.

The Real Housewives of New York City

Ubah is a real disappointment, suggesting Brynn slept her way into the Housewives. That in itself is an insult. If I was going to sleep my way into something, it would not be this show. This is where the big kerfuffle happened. The women were all upset, since Ubah saying such a thing was beyond insensitive given Brynn’s history. Then Ubah got super upset and claimed she never knew Brynn’s history, or she never would have said it. The fourth wall was broken all over the place – although I did question whether or not that was some kind of ratings Hail Mary pass – and Brynn suddenly wasn’t sure if Ubah actually knew her history. It literally took me the rest of the show to follow this, so don’t feel bad if you’re lost. Apparently, this was some kind of friendship breaking point, but TBH, I didn’t think it was all as big of a deal as they were making it, especially since the only two people involved should have been Ubah and Brynn.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

It was the Reunion and literally ten minutes in, everybody was talking over each other and Andy was yelling. However, kudos to the women for their gorgeous outfits – the ladies in shades of red. Whitney said Bronwyn didn’t claim her publicly as a friend, which I thought was really weird. Do we need to confirm friendships on Instagram now? A viewer suggested Heather had become a mean girl when she lost weight, but I don’t think that’s quite it. Heather was always a mean girl (to which she concurred), but IMO, she lost her authenticity along with the weight and becoming a Housewives clone, like Jen in RHONJ. It ended with Todd and John looking like they might get into a battle royale.

Southern Charm

Whitney said the coffeemaker was so complicated, you needed a Ph.D. in astrophysics to run it. Highly doubtful. You probably just need to not have a hangover. It was much of the same, the usual if you’re friends with them, you can’t be friends with me. Austen was sour grapes over Craig wanting to move on from their friendship and podcast, but hey, sometimes it just isn’t forever. I have plenty of friends I’m no longer friends with for various reasons, but that just means we went in different directions. It’s not an insult. I think if Paige had really wanted to make it work with Craig, she could have been bi-state or however you put it. But again, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Shep wanted to be Jimmy Buffet without the guitar, living in the Bahamas with Sienna, and in his interview, he said, you don’t have those fantasies if you’re not serious about it. I dunno about that. Molly is the MVP so far, playing the euphonium – i.e. tuba – in the Charleston Concert Band, coincidentally directed by her high school band teacher. Imagine. An actual interesting person with an interesting focus. Or even any real focus. She said, music changes you, as all art should. She also thought tantric sex was too much work. Same. JT tried to tell Taylor some truths about Gaston, but she wasn’t having it. I get covering her ears and going, la-la-la, but I’d want to know. JT wasn’t understanding that there’s a time and place and that wasn’t it.

Southern Hospitality

Emmy had another breakdown and I’m over it. Although she did bring Tammy Faye raccoon eyes, which I applaud.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night on Peacock. This is an interesting foray into what goes on behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show that’s been on since the beginning of time. Or at least the mid-70s. A four-part miniseries, it’s not the most exciting thing in the world, but it’s interesting to see how a show with that kind of longevity works. Personally, I think I’ll enjoy Saturday Night – which I’m hoping to catch this weekend – more, but this still held my interest. I’m there for a documentary, and the third episode focusing only on the More Cowbell sketch is well worth it.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/snl-50-beyond-saturday-night-secrets-cast-writers-cowbell-1236110501/

https://www.thewrap.com/snl-50-beyond-saturday-night-ep-morgan-neville-interview-peacock/

Wicked at the movies. Yes, I actually ventured out in the world to see it, since I’d won a ticket in some instant win internet contest. There was no way I was battling children for a seat, so I skipped the first weekends after it opened. Then I got whatever was going around as a Christmas gift, but I managed to squeak in before it was gone entirely. I’m glad I did, since this really should be seen on a big screen. As I’m sure you already know, it’s magnificent. I’d never seen the Broadway play and the score isn’t my favorite, but the story is bittersweet, the casting is perfection, and it’s beyond lavish with the special effects. One of my favorite parts was the reunion of Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, and I wondered how it felt after all those years. My only question was, in a world where there are bears who are nannies, a goat who’s a professor, Munchkins, peacocks who wear hats, flying monkeys, and a place literally called Emerald City, why is a green woman considered strange?

https://collider.com/wicked-oscar-nominations-best-original-score-john-powell/

https://deadline.com/2025/01/cynthia-erivo-best-actress-wicked-oscar-nomination-interview-1236266022/

https://deadline.com/2025/01/ariana-grande-best-supporting-actress-oscars-interview-1236265006/

🏆 Awards Corner…

It’s that time again. The Academy Awards will be airing March 2nd.

https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/2025-oscar-nominations-see-full-130201914.html

🦁 Four-Legged News…

🦛 Yet another pygmy hippo influencer.

https://people.com/how-to-watch-pygmy-hippo-poppy-livestream-8773741

🐩 I never thought about this. It’s kind of weird.

https://www.cuteness.com/1737908/dog-breeds-dont-exist-why/

🐶 Best Bowl in town.

https://people.com/puppy-bowl-2025-record-breaking-142-puppies-8772392

🐕 I love a special needs pup.

https://people.com/11-puppies-with-special-needs-puppy-bowl-2025-8772912

🥠 Quotes of the Week

We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. – Jimmy Carter

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. – Jim Rohn

When someone tells me no, it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it simply means I can’t do it with them. – Karen E. Quinones Miller

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison

He has all the integrity of a coat rack. – Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot), General Hospital

All progress takes place outside the comfort zone. – Michael John Bobak

It is far better to light the candle than to curse the darkness. – William L. Watkinson

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. – Stephen Covey

The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge. – Thomas Berger

Don’t be a Gino. – Jasmine Pineda, 90 Day Fiancé: The Last Resort

🐻 Hibernation Mode…

Until next week, stay safe; stay driving extra carefully in weather you’re unfamiliar with; and stay not waiting for later, since sometimes later is taken away.

January 17, 2025 – Michael Gets the Final Say, Soap Suds, Not My Reality, Weekend Watching, Plus One, Getting There, Gate in the City, Exit Interview, Good Guy, Awards, The Players, Hebodomad Quotes & Things

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

Willow said she was in charge of Michael’s medical care, and Michael went into cardiac arrest. Portia said Willow had the right to make decisions about Michael’s medical care, and Drew told Carly and Sonny, hand over the kids and they’d have access, like the trashbag he is. Carly said, Drew was pushing things to point of no return, so Willow would have no one to turn to but him. Nina finally talked Sonny into giving the kids back, and Willow thanked Drew because she’s an idiot in love with a trashbag.

Cody wanted to invest in crypto, but Tracy said it would be better to set his money on fire. Alrighty then. But later, Cody told Brad to call his Aunt Selina because he had a sure thing bet on football after he’d talked to Kai for 3 minutes. Later, Portia said she wanted to use Brad’s talent for bending the rules to find out what patients had gotten digitalis without it being prescribed. Brad was a busy guy this week.

Lulu told Laura about what happened in Prague and asked when Laura was going to tell her that Anna had shot Charlotte. She said she thought Dante was right in that she’d led the shooter to Valentin. Laura promised to help Lulu find Charlotte again.

Isaiah told Lucas that they could choose to do something, and risk Michael dying, or do nothing, and Michael would definitely die. He chose to do something and gave Michael a medication that counteracted the digitalis. Isaiah told Portia what happened with Michael, and they came to the genius conclusion that, someone in this hospital is killing people with digitalis.

Tracy and Stella talked about Monica, which was like a knife to the heart knowing that Leslie Charleson had passed away.

Tuesday:

Lucky talked to a woman from the Port Charles Redemption Mission and found out Cyrus’s focus was on patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Lucas told Elizabeth about Michael and how Isaiah had given him digoxin immune FAB to counteract the digitalis. Lucky said they had to figure out what connected all the digitalis victims and why Cyrus would want them dead. Jason told Sonny that whoever planted the bomb in the penthouse would try again.

Willow told the kids that Michael was in the hospital. Dante told Sonny what happened in Prague. Josslyn conferred with Lucky about Cyrus.

Drew showed up at Nina’s and after she slammed the door in his face, she let him in.  She said he’d moved Willow away from what she loved and valued with the sick hold he had over her and gave him the business. She said Drew wouldn’t know love if it jumped up and bit him in the ass.

Tracy said she’d help Lulu if she had a solid lead, but Lulu needed to be more strategic and less emotional. Jason suggested the clinic in St. Petersburg where he’d been held hostage for Michael’s treatment, since Ava had her burns treated there. Sasha helped trick Willow into letting the kids go to the main house, and Tracy said, they weren’t leaving. Martin argued with Tracy about letting the kids go with Willow. Felicia said Jason and Carly had to leave the ICU, and Nina told Sonny that he had to go to the Quartermaines and get the kids from Tracy.

Wednesday:

Lucky and Elizabeth went to Beradino’s where Cyrus works. Josslyn went to Anna about Cyrus stabbing Dex. Alexis spoke to Drew about Sam’s wishes for Scout. Drew decided to commute to DC rather than live there. Carly wanted to call a press conference and out Drew, but Felicia told her not to make it worse than it already was.

Sonny talked to Tracy, who told him that Drew was the enemy and to handle him accordingly. Trina and Gio watched the game at The Brown Dog, and Emma showed up. (Since she was nuEmma, I didn’t realize she was also the pickpocket in Rice Plaza.) Cody was also at the bar. Alexis said Scout needed consistency and stability, and Drew said, maybe Willow was what she needed. Alexis wondered if it was less what Scout needed, and more what Drew needed. Tracy reminded Sonny that Michael was AJ’s son.

Felicia needed a drink, and Sasha was her designated driver. Elizabeth chatted Cyrus up while Lucky was in the bathroom, then suggested to Lucky that she volunteer at the mission. Carly asked Jack about the Boronsky clinic, and he said it no longer existed, but the burn expert was now in Germany. Carly badgered him about getting Michael into the German clinic. Jason showed up at the Quartermaines and asked Tracy to please give the children back. Tracy said it was the first time he’d ever said please, but then pulled the Monica card. Alexis suggested Scout move in with her, but Drew wasn’t having it. Anna questioned Cyrus, but Josslyn blew everything and alerted him to the investigation. Tracy said, for once in Jason’s life, don’t choose Sonny, choose his family, and he did.

Thursday:

Chase got checked out and Brook went to see Dr. Navarro. She told the doctor about her teenage pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro told her that it should have no impact on her trying to get pregnant now. Nina suggested Willow compromise, but Willow was all about what Drew said. She thought Nina was asking her to bow down to Carly and Sonny, but Nina said Willow needed empathy. Lay down her weapons and maybe they’d lay down theirs. Tracy said using the kids as bargaining chips wasn’t going to fly. They were where Monica wanted them and that’s where they were staying. (Keep twisting those knives.)

Kai ended up in the hospital and Cody had to pay off his bet. Carly told Tracy about transferring Michael to the burn expert, and asked how far Tracy would go if it was Ned. Tracy said, as far as she had to. Nina told Ava what was going on and that Willow’s life was in shambles because of Drew. Dante talked to Cody about Lulu, and Cody said, Dante could keep doing what he was doing and get shut out, or do things Lulu’s way.

Trina visited Kai in the hospital. Tracy sympathized with what Carly was going through as a mother, but it was about what Carly had put the family through for years. Tracy suggested Carly and Sonny find another way. Nina discussed the Willow/Drew situation with Ava. Selina tried to get Cody back in the game, and Dante wondered what was up, but Cody told Dante that he was okay. Alexis talked to Curtis about Drew. Nina wanted to get Willow thinking for herself again, and Ava said, tell Willow who he really is. When they were falling in love, he was having sex with her mother. Chase told Tracy that she couldn’t keep Wiley and Amelia from Willow and this had to stop. Willow asked to see Carly.

Friday’s Enchilada:

In her office, Brook leaves a voicemail for Chase that she’s done with her appointment and Dr. Navarro was super positive. She should get her test results soon, but maybe they should do something to relax, like spend a weekend in New York City. Have dinner and see a show, just them, and they can have baby making time. They’ll figure it out tonight. She loves him. Lulu comes in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Chase says, Tracy can’t keep the kids from their mom, and Tracy says, not him too. He has no idea how many times she’s had this conversation today. She was hoping for a break. He says, they’ve been through a lot, and he’d like to think they could be honest with each other. She says she’s going to stop him. He makes her granddaughter so happy, and she holds his entire family in the highest regard, so she’s going to put this as nicely as she can – butt out.

At the gallery, Lucas shows Ava a video on this phone, and she says, look how well Avery is dancing. Her costume is perfect. Lucas says, Avery was so proud. She wanted to make sure he recorded the rehearsal for Ava. She thanks him for bringing it, and he says he wanted to return the favor for her talking him down on Christmas Eve. She says, of course (🍷). She can’t stop thinking about the fire at Sonny’s. She’s so grateful Avery wasn’t there. She asks if they know the cause yet, but he says, all he knows is that the police are looking into it.

At Beradino’s, Cody looks at a cashier’s check and says he was so close to making his dreams come true. He sees Drew and walks over to him. He says he’d tell Drew that it’s nice to see him, but he’s far too sober to lie.  

Jordan starts a conversation with Martin near the bar, but then sees Drew and Cody and says she’s needed over there. Drew asks if Cody is disappointed that there’s’ nothing left to blackmail him with, and Cody says, you smug… Jordan tells him, don’t even think about it.

Outside Michael’s room, Willow says she’s glad Carly is here. She was hoping to talk with her and Sonny. Sonny joins them, and Willow thanks them for getting here so fast. Sonny says, it sounded important, and Willow says she knows they’re upset, and she understands why. She’s hoping they can find a way forward that works for them both. Carly asks if that means she’s going to let them see their son.

Chase tells Tracy that he’s had a front row seat for everything that happened with Michael and Willow because he’s friends with them both. He’s begging her not to make it more difficult. She says, it’s not difficult; it’s simple. The children are going nowhere. He tells her that everyone says she’s acting out of spite, but he doesn’t believe that. He saw how she helped his dad and Finn. Through all the snarky and sarcastic comments, he knows nothing means more to her than family. He knows she thinks she’s helping protect the kids, but he promises she’s only causing more drama.

Brook asks if Lulu needs help, and Lulu says she was looking for Maxie, but she can hang out in the waiting area. Brook says, she’s better off texting. Maxie is meeting with a vendor, and her afternoon is booked solid with interviews. Lulu says, that’s why she’s here. She was hoping to be one of them. Brook asks if she’s applying for a job at Deception.

Ava tells Lucas that she knows firsthand what Michael is going through. It’s a horrible, painful ordeal. Have they arrested anybody for setting the fire? Lucas says she doesn’t think so. Anna and Chase were at the hospital to question Michael, but he was in no shape to talk. Ava says, he was injured because of Sonny, and Lucas says she knows what she’s thinking, but Avery is completely safe. He sees her all the time. If he had doubts about Avery’s safety, he’d tell her. She says, of course (🍷) she worries about her little girl. She’s glad Lucas gets to see Avery so much and came to show her the video. Will he do one little favor for her? He says, it depends, and she says, give Avery a hug and tell her how much her mama loves her. He says he’ll do it tonight after work. He’s headed there now. She asks him to send her the video and he says he will. He leaves, and Ava makes a call. She says, I need to see you right away.

Cody tells Jordan that he has no beef with the congressman, but it seems the congressman might have one with him. Drew says he does, but Jordan says, neither of them need to get into anything in a public place. Cody should go. Cody says, gladly. He’ll see Drew around. Have a terrible day. He hopes Jordan’s day is a pleasant one. He leaves and Drew says, nice to see Jordan’s got his back, and she says, it looked like he was the one escalating things. What was it about and what did he do?

Willow says, the situation between her and Michael is being made more difficult with everyone getting involved. Michael wouldn’t want her separated from their kids. Carly says she had the kids and sent them to the Quartermaines, and Sonny says, she did what she thought was right at the time. Carly says she had no idea Tracy would hold them hostage, and Willow says, the kids are worried sick about Michael. Carly says, Wiley called her. He’s wondering what happened. Willow says, he called her too and asked when daddy was coming home. Carly says, Sonny made a good faith effort, and Sonny says, but Tracy refuses to let them go. Carly says, Tracy has no right to keep them and can’t legally. They’ll figure out a way to get them back. Willow says she hopes Carly is right. She needs to trust her own judgement about what’s best for her children and Michael and she’s come to a decision.

Ric walks into the gallery and asks, what’s so important? Ava says, Avery’s life is in danger. He needs to petition the court for an emergency custody order for her to have Avery full-time. Ric says he thought Carly had Avery, and Ava says she assumes he heard about the fire. It was no accident. Ric says, of course (🍷). Any time there’s a catastrophe in Sonny or Jason’s vicinity, it’s some attacker seeking retribution. She says, what if Avery had been there? She could have been burned like Michael. It’s terrifying. He says he’s sorry. As a father, he understands, but the court won’t see it as a reason for an emergency change in custody. Avery was nowhere near there at the time of the fire. She was with Carly and Donna where she has a bedroom and where she’s lived most of her life. Ava says, if he won’t file it, maybe she should find herself a lawyer who will. He says, that’s her right, but they’ll tell her the same thing. Wait until the right moment to make her move. She tells him, says the absentee father, and he says, it’s no reason to get personal. She says, sorry, but she could never understand how he could stay away from Molly for so long. It kills her not seeing Avery every day. He says, one of his biggest regrets is not being able to be a presence in Molly’s life, and she says, what if he was in her place and Molly was in danger? What would he do? He says he’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe, and she asks why he’s telling her the opposite. He says he wants her to fight, but be smart. Her current custody battle with Sonny is going to be very long and very expensive. She says she may be overextended at the moment, but it’s not like she’s living in the street, and he says, then why hasn’t she paid him?

Lulu says she’s here to apply for the job, and Brook says, it’s an assistant position. Wasn’t Lulu’s last job as a reporter at The Invader? Lulu says, that was four years ago. Deception needs an assistant, and she needs a job. They don’t all have trust funds. Brook says she doesn’t care what Lulu thinks, but every job she’s had, outside the music industry and in, she’s stood on her own and earned her own paycheck, Lulu says, like when Brook was paid to seduce Dante? (very mature) and Brook says she did that and it was a lapse in judgement. She and Dante have moved past that. Lulu says she didn’t get the memo, and Brook says she lives in her family’s home with her husband. Dante and Rocco live there too, and they all get along great. They let go of something that was a lifetime ago and they’ve moved on. Lulu says, Brook is being condescending, when Maxie comes in. She says she sees they’re getting along as great as ever, and Brook’s phone dings. After reading a text, she says she needs to go home and talk to her husband. She leaves Lulu in Maxie’s capable hands. She trusts Maxie will make the right decision. She leaves and Maxie asks Lulu what they were arguing about this time.

Tracy says she didn’t realize Chase had a psychiatric degree to go with the police badge, but he says he doesn’t need a degree to read her. She says, since he’s an expert in her behavior, what is she going to say next? and he says, she’s going to argue that Willow can’t be trusted because she cheated on Michael with Drew. Drew will never be a real Quartermaine, and even though she doesn’t like Michael, he’s a real Quartermaine. Family’s got to stick together. How did he do? She says she’s delighted they’re on the same page. Now drop the entire thing. He says, there’s one more thing. She left out something important. Wiley and Amelia are Michael’s kids, but they’re also Willow’s kids, and they need their mom.

Willow says, Michael would want both Carly and Sonny to be with him during this and she won’t stand in their way. Carly thanks her and looks through Michael’s room window. Sonny thanks Willow and says he knows how difficult the decision is. She says she’s not sure how it got so messy, and he says, they’re both grateful she’s letting them see Michael. She says, Michael has done so much for her. He gave her the gift of family and supported her dreams even when they changed. All she wants is for him to get better and be with the kids again. Portia joins them and says she needs to discuss the next step in Michael’s recovery with Willow. Willow looks at Carly.

Tracy says, Chase is disposed to favor Willow, seeing her as a well-meaning angel led astray, but Chase says, that’s not true. She says she watched the congressman’s hubris in taking Willow and Wiley to the inauguration. She saw the pictures. Willow, Wiley, and Scout, the perfect readymade family. He had no concern whether Michael or Monica would see the photos. Chase says, Michael and Monica are adults. This is about two kids who need their mom. Tracy says, their mother does not put them first. She does.

Lulu says, a miracle recovery doesn’t pay the bills. She needs a job. Maxie says, at Deception? and Lulu says she saw the ad, but she didn’t want to put Maxie on the spot, so she tried other places. The Invader is under new management, and nothing else panned out. Maxie says, she’s overqualified, but Lulu says she just needs to make money. Maxie asks if she’s interested in cosmetics, and Lulu says, not really, but she wasn’t into fashion and she was still good at her job at Crimson. Maxie says, what about the Brook factor? and Lulu says she promises to be on her best behavior working with Brook. Maxie says, she’d be working under Brook, and Lulu asks if she’d be Brook’s assistant. Maxie says, since they hate each other, she doesn’t see it going well, but Lulu tells her that she wouldn’t say hate. It’ll be fine, but it’s weird that Brook and Maxie are BFFs now. When did that happen?

At the hospital, Cody says, just the man he didn’t want to see, and Brad pulls him aside. He says he told Cody that he’d text. Coming to where he works is not cool. Cody hands him the check, and says, it’s most of the money he owes Selina. Brad says, most of it? He placed a bet with his aunt for Cody and not he can’t pay up? Lucas sees them.

Ava says she’s working to secure funds. She’ll get the money. Ric says, she could work harder, and she says she’s good at what she does. She’s in communication with some long-term clients who are experienced collectors. She just wants her daughter with her. He says, she needs to dig in for the long haul. They both know how Sonny is with his kids. He’s territorial and had his share of custody battles and won. At least Avery is close by and safe. Watch and wait. Patience is the key. Sidwell walks in and asks if someone can assist him. Ava says, of course (🍷), and introduces herself as the owner of the gallery. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he’s brand new to Port Charles and stumbled on her lovely gallery. He’s Jenz Sidwell. She says, it’s nice to meet him, and Ric introduces himself, shaking hands with Sidwell. Sidwell says, since Ava owns this fine establishment, perhaps she can guide him to which painting is worthy of his attention.

Jordan asks what Drew was trying to accomplish starting a fight, but Drew says, Cody approached him. She tells him, stop looking innocent, and he says he just doesn’t trust Cody. She asks who he does trust. Look around. Is there anyone currently talking to him who isn’t on his payroll? He says he’s guessing Curtis filled her in on what happened at Aurora, and she says she’s aware of the issue. He says he hopes she’s aware that he was giving Curtis a promotion, a huge raise, and complete control of the wellness division. She says, that’s his problem. It’s not about the money. It’s about how he treats his friends who were always loyal. Curtis values honesty and Drew lied. Drew says he never lied, and she says she stands corrected. He misled Curtis. He let Curtis think he was going to be CEO. It’s less betrayal in his books, but in hers, it’s semantics.

Portia says she’d like to speak with Willow in private, but Willow says, Carly and Sonny can hear too, so they can all discuss options. Portia says, good. They got Michael a bed in the Johns Hopkins burn unit. It’s the best hospital in the country and vacancies are rare. Willow says, he’ll be close enough to visit, but Carly says she might have a better option.

Chase says, Tracy can get herself in trouble if she doesn’t turn over the children, but she says she’s not afraid of litigation. He says he’s talking about criminal charges, and she laughs. She says, the carrot didn’t work, so now he’s bringing out the stick and threatening her. Good luck with that. She’s faced down worse. Brook walks in and asks why Tracy is picking a fight with her husband.

Maxie says she’ll have to fill Lulu in on her relationship with Peter August another time over a bottle of wine. And when she says, bottle of wine, she means several shots of tequila. Lulu asks what that has to do with Brook, and Maxie says, Brook was there for her in a big way. Lulu tells her, if you say so, and Maxie says, Lulu may not want to hear it, but Brook is a good person. She’s flawed and made questionable choices, but who hasn’t? Brook has been a good friend. Lulu says she’s glad Brook was there when Maxie needed someone, but something about Brook always rubs her the wrong way. She plays at being Bensonhurst, but has the Quartermaine name and fortune to fall back on. Maxie says she’s not buying that. Lulu is obviously upset, but she doesn’t think it’s about Brook. What’s really going on? Lulu says, Charlotte.

Ava says she’ll show Sidwell around. Ric was just leaving. Ric says he’d like to stick around and watch her work, and she says, art is subjective. What speaks to someone depends. She asks Sidwell to tell her something about himself so she can steer him in the right direction. He says he’s an importer looking for a North American base, so he moved to Port Charles. Ric asks, where’s his house? and Sidwell says, it’s an old, gothic residence on Spoon Island. Ava says, he bought Windymere? And he asks if she’s familiar with it. She says she used to live there, and Sidwell laughs.

Cody says he thought he had luck, but it was not his lady, and Brad says he’s $5000 short. Cody says he’s good for it, and Brad says he’ll tell his aunt. Maybe they can work out something. Cody says he’s never going to use the term sure thing again. He jinxed himself. Brad says he’s sorry, and Cody says he’s got to go. Brad walks over to Lucas and says, it’s not what it looks like. What he saw isn’t what he thinks.

Jordan tells Drew that she’s the last one to cast stones. TJ’s father was her husband’s best friend. The issue isn’t how he chooses his relationships. It’s how he treats the people in his life. Drew asks if she realizes that Curtis was just as deceptive in stealing Aurora, but she says, he led Curtis to believe he’d be permanent CEO, then went behind Curtis’s back and promised the job to Michael. Drew says he was trying to make peace, but it was a futile effort, and she says, stop. She doesn’t want to hear his explanations. He dug a hole for himself and if he doesn’t start making amends, he’s going to be alone and isolated. She believes he’s a better man than his recent actions indicate, so she’s going to give him some advice. Start mending fences. She leaves, and Martin joins Drew. He says he guesses it’s safe to assume the appropriate amount of rain has gone down on him from his constituents.   

Carly explains there was a groundbreaking procedure to remove scar tissue in a burn unit used by the Boronsky Clinic in St. Petersburg, Russia. It’s now closed, but the doctor is working in Germany. Willow asks if she wants to send Michael to Germany and asks if Portia has heard of the procedure. Portia says, no, never, but Carly says, the results are incredible, and Jack Brennan was able to secure a space in the clinic. Sonny asks if they can talk privately, and they step away. He asks why she didn’t tell him before, and she says she wanted to make sure it was possible. Michael can make a full recovery with no scars. He says he’s not sure, it’s so far away, but she says, you can’t even tell Ava was burned. She wants that result for Michael and Sonny has to trust her that this is the best thing. She’ll be there every minute of every day. She gets that he doesn’t trust Jack, but doesn’t he trust her?  

Carly tells Willow that the clinic has had incredible results, but Willow says she doesn’t think it’s best for Michael. He needs to be nearby so they can visit. Portia says she has no information, so she has to advise against it, and Willow says she’s not comfortable with Michael so far away and the doctors not having vetted the procedure. Carly says, he’ll make a full recovery, but Portia says, his burns are quite severe. Carly says, they’ve already seen the results. No one is able to tell that Ava had third degree burns. Willow says, Michael won’t have his family, and she knows Johns Hopkins is a great hospital. It’s her preference. Sonny says he thinks Michael should make the decision, and Willow says, that means waking him up. Portia says, it will cause immense pain, but Sonny says, it’s Michael’s life and he should make the call. Carly says she knows Michael wouldn’t want them to make the decision for him, and Willow says, she’s right. Michael has to decide for himself. Wake him up and let him choose. Portia says, okay, but only one of them can go in and talk to him, and Sonny says, that would be Carly. Willow says she agrees.

Sidwell says, it’s nice he and Ava have Windymere in common. How was her time there? Ava says, it was eventful, and he asks, what made her leave such a magnificent home, if she doesn’t mind him asking. She says she was living there with her husband and they split up, and he says he’s sorry to hear that. She says, he’s being kind, but she’s moved on, and he says he’s glad to hear that. He’s a firm believer in second chances and kismet. How else could you explain him wandering into her gallery? He sees she has the taste and expertise he needs to help him choose the right art to make his new home his own. Ava says she happens to have the perfect painting in mind and steers him to a large modern art canvas. She says, this painting is by talented Greek artist from Crete. He’s a marvelous painter and a talented sculptor. Sidwell says, the light in the study will make this a vibrant addition to his collection, and she says she loves the artist and would love to show him more of their work. They walk to the next room and Ric follows.

Tracy tells Brook that she and Chase disagree. He believes she should give Wiley and Amelia back to Willow and she refuses. Brook says, because of Monica, and Tracy says, the children are Monica’s only saving grace. They put a smile on her face and they’re going to take that away? Brook says, they all love Monica, and Tracy says she’s glad they agree. The last thing Monica needs is more stress. Brook wonders, if Monica asks, is Tracy going to tell her that she needs to be their mother, especially if their father can’t be there for them?

Maxie says she’s happy that Dante brought Lulu home safe, but she’s sorry Valentin ran off with Charlotte. If it was one of her kids, she’d be going crazy. Lulu says she needs to find Charlotte and it’s going to take a lot of money. Maxie says, good thing her stepmom is an heiress who loves her, and Lulu says her mother and stepmother agreed to help her, but they want to wait and see what Valentin’s next step is. She needs Charlotte home now. Maxie says, Lulu never liked waiting, and Lulu says, Maxie knows her well. Maxie says, she can’t galivant across the world when she doesn’t even know the country, and Lulu says she doesn’t know where her daughter is. Charlotte lost four years of life living without her mother. She needs something she can control and the only thing she came up with was getting a job. Maxie says she gets that, and Lulu says, it’s not just the money. She wants to get a place where she and Rocco can live, and Charlotte when she finds her. Maxie says, it makes sense. Lulu was always Miss Independence, eager to get on with life. Lulu says, life has moved on and she’s racing to catch up instead falling farther back.

Drew says he’s not discussing his personal life with Martin, but Martin says, as a survivor of three divorces, does Drew mind if he offers some unsolicited advice? The heart wants what it wants, and you can’t help who you fall in love with. Drew says, exactly. He’s not going to apologize for how he feels about Willow. Martin says, as long as he stays true to his feelings, and does the best he can for himself and for the woman he’s involved with. Drew thanks him and says, that’s actually what he wanted to talk about. They sit down, and Drew says, Willow is in the hospital with Michael, as it should be, but the situation with the children is up in the air. They need to get Wiley and Amelia away from the Quartermaines and back with Willow where they belong. Martin tells him, easier said. Tracy is holding them, and he wonders if there’s a more amiable opponent he could be set up with. Like Stalin or Vlad the Impaler. Genghis Kahn comes to mind. Drew says, Tracy has no legal rights, and Martin says, she’s well-connected with deep pockets and knows how to work the system to her benefit. It’s one hell of a combination to go up against. Drew says, she thinks she’s safe behind the walls of privilege and money, but she’s wrong. He’ll do anything to reunite the children with Willow.

Wearing a sanitary jumpsuit, Carly goes into Michael’s room and says his name. He looks at her, obviously in pain.

Sidwell gives Ava a check and says he’s thrilled with his new painting. He enjoyed their talk on art. Perhaps she can come over and help him with the placement. He’d also love any suggestions on future purchases. She says, it’s her pleasure, and he says, it’s lovely to meet them both. He’ll see them soon he hopes. He kisses Ava’s hand and leaves. Ric says, it was enlightening to watch her work, and she says she barely lifted a finger, but she knows how to close a deal. Ric says, yes, you do, and takes the check from her. She says she just earned it, and he says he appreciates her first payment for his services.

Brad tells Lucas that Cody wanted him to place a bet on the PCU game with his aunt. He didn’t want to, but Cody was persistent, so he called his Aunt Selina. Cody lost and this is his payment to her. Lucas says he sees, and Brad says, once he delivers it to her, he’s not going to see her again, he swears. Lucas says, thanks for telling him, but Brad doesn’t owe him any explanations. Brad says he knows he doesn’t, but Lucas taught him that telling the truth is important, so he wanted Lucas to know. Lucas says he appreciates that.  

Maxie says she knows what Lulu is going through. She’s been there. Lulu says, now Maxie has it all – an amazing career, her children together under one roof, and a wonderful relationship with Spinelli. Maxie says she went through a lot of trial and error. No one trusted her to make her own decisions since she was shown to be flaky. She thinks Lulu is already taking the right steps to ensure the life she wants, and Maxie believes she’ll make it happen. Lulu says she needs to have a job if she really wants to make it happen. Maxie says she needs to know that Lulu can put her history with Brook aside and get along working together. Does she think she can do that?  

Chase says he gets that Tracy has the best intentions, but at the end of the day, it’s not her call. Tracy says, Brook’s husband is brave standing up to her, but she doesn’t understand why he’s defending Willow. Brook says, he’s trying to keep the peace, and Tracy should listen to him. Martin and Drew walk in along with an officer, and Tracy says, back so soon? Holding out a paper, Martin says, it’s an official order signed by a judge. They’re allowed to take Willow Corinthos’s children back to her. Drew tells Martin to ask the nanny to get the kids ready, but Tracy says, it’s a waste of time. She can’t comply. They’re not here. Drew asks where they are, and she says she hasn’t the foggiest. He says, the officer knows what to do, and the officer takes out handcuffs. Chase tells him to put those away, but he says he’s sorry. The congressman wants her arrested. Tracy pulls away and says, don’t touch her, and Drew says, resisting arrest. The officer says, she did touch him, and Tracy says, he’s so going to regret this.

Sonny says he’s glad they were able to come together to do what’s best for Michael, and Willow says, Michael is going through something terrible. He’s lucky that he has Sonny and Carly to fight for him. Not everyone has that kind of unconditional love in their life. Sonny says, they’re the lucky ones to have Michael as their son.

Michael says, mom? and Carly says she’s here. And his dad is out there. They’re here to do everything they can to help him get better, but they need his help. Tell them how to make the choice he needs.

On Tuesday (see below), Willow asks Drew if she ruined her chance of getting Wiley and Amelia back; Anna asks if someone is the one who planted the device in the penthouse; and Ava asks Sonny to do what’s best for their daughter before it’s too late.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-soaps-preempted-on-monday-january-20-2025

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

The most important story.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-alum-vinessa-antoine-asks-for-help-finding-her-brother

She will be greatly missed. After all, Alan gave her the house. It’s so weird how they must have filmed in advance, yet they’re talking up a storm about her on the show.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-star-leslie-charleson-dead-at-79

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-stars-remembers-leslie-charleson

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/wally-kurths-heartfelt-tribute-to-leslie-charleson

You never know. On All My Children, Bobby Martin came back after 40+ years of polishing his skis upstairs.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-opens-up-about-his-gh-exit-and-return-plans

Don’t do it. It’s not him.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-warns-do-not-donate-to-a-gofundme-in-his-name

💉 A Dose of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Once again Gary proves himself to be an idiot. The guests wanted some of the crew to join on a night out, and Captain Glenn, being the decent soul he is, told Daisy, Gary, Keith, and Chase, two drink maximum. And if they came back drunk, they’d forfeit their share of the tip. Gary had 10 drinks. 10. Then got pissed off when the captain called him on it. Classic Gary.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The episode focused a lot on PK and Kyle’s friendship, and Dorit’s reaction. Of course, Kyle is never wrong and while I often think Dorit is wrong – and her reactions are over the top – I can’t disagree with her on this one. If one of my close friends was texting with my estranged husband, they would no longer be my close friend. Kyle whined that Dorit made it sound like she was being inappropriate. Doubtful anyone thinks she’s got it going on with PK, but it is inappropriate for her to be buddy-buddy with her friend’s almost ex. Let’s just call it what it is now – Memegate. Garcelle, Kyle, and Sutton took Erika to Chuck E. Cheese for her birthday. A good time was had by all. It actually looked a lot more fun than any of their formal parties.

Real Housewives of New York City

If I was on a trip to Puerto Rico, I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to argue about a dead pigeon. I’d be too busy swimming in the possibly-less-than-blue water and eating local cuisine. The women did synchronized swimming at Jenna’s instruction. Apparently, she’s quite a fan of it, and it was pretty amusing until Raquel got whacked in the forehead by Jenna’s elbow. That Jenna, always full of surprises. Ubah was out of control, and Erin can’t win. If she fights back, she loses. If she walks away, she loses. As usual, Jenna and Raquel were the voices of reason. Next time, the finale.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake CIty

Heather suggested a fun dinner party game where the women pulled out the worst thing they had said about one of the others on their phone and shared it with the group. As you might have guessed, this didn’t go over all that well, and resulted in tears and Lisa running from the table after someone read something about John. Oh, horrors.

Bonus scene.

Southern Charm

Once again, two men acted like middle school girls – that would be Austen and Craig – while Whitney pretended to be the voice of reason. In her interview, Madison said she and Brett thought that Austen and Craig would be the couple least likely to break up, but it looks like they did. Craig dared to meet with JT, and Austen wasn’t having it, but it was just the opening Craig needed to scrape Austen from his shoe. As little as I like JT, I don’t get why some of them keep harping on him calling Patricia a bitch, when the footage shows clearly that he didn’t, and most of them don’t believe it anyway. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and sometimes an a-hole is right too.

Southern Hospitality

I just couldn’t even this week, but here you go.

Random Events

BTW, Bill was not happy.

https://people.com/rhonj-star-jennifer-aydin-uninvited-from-housewives-cruise-after-viral-outburst-jersey-mikes-8771411

Amazing timing.

https://people.com/karen-huger-enters-rehab-skips-real-housewives-of-potomac-season-9-reunion-after-dui-8772200

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Borderlands. It was hard to find something that was at least partially positive. There are plenty of worse films, although I actually enjoyed this. Perhaps because I’m unfamiliar with the games. I’m definitely in agreement with the writer that Night Swim was a total waste of time.

https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/borderlands-isnt-the-worst-movie-of-the-year-despite-what-the-internet-wants-you-to-think

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action. A fascinating look at a man who began as someone I admired, but chose to serve money and ratings rather than the greater good. I’d known about the coaching, but not about the murder connected to the show. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and this was just sad.

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-fights-camera-action-tv-review/

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-documentary-netflix-shocking-reveals-list/

The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. I’m there for a cult story, but missed this somehow. While this documentary has been around a while, they’ve been showing it recently on TLC, so I caught it. I have some vague memory of her in the news, but had no idea how messy this got. And the hair… What’s with the hair?

https://people.com/human-interest/what-to-know-about-gwen-shamblin-lara-hbo-max-the-way-down/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/the-way-down-hbo-max-review

🔍 One To Watch…

IMO, Baylen Out Loud is what reality TV should be about. I’m rooting for this girl, and with a supportive family like she has, I think she’ll make it after all.

https://people.com/baylen-dupree-struggles-with-boyfriend-upcoming-air-force-relocation-in-new-tlc-series-8773525

https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/baylen-out-loud-season-1-trailer-tiktok-star-takes-on-adulthood-while-tackling

🤹‍♀️ Upcoming Awaited Seasons…

The latest on The Last of Us.

https://deadline.com/feature/the-last-of-us-season-2-cast-release-date-everything-to-know-1235940502/

While you wait.

https://collider.com/grounded-last-of-us-part-2-documentary-youtube/

An understandable pause for Fallout.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/fallout-season-2-production-pause-la-fires

An Squid Game accident? Really? Highly doubtful.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/squid-game-season-3-release-date-2025-netflix

👠 They’re Not Wrong…

Sex and get away from my front door in the City.

https://ew.com/carrie-sex-and-the-city-apartment-iron-gate-tourists-8774330

☕️ His Final Thoughts…

I never did understand Eraserhead, but he did some fine work.

https://people.com/david-lynch-expressed-hope-over-divided-country-in-one-of-last-interviews-exclusive-8776098

🥇 A Mighty Fine Man…

It’s such a shame about his health issues, but he’s blessed to have such a wonderful family to support him.

https://people.com/bruce-willis-seen-in-public-dementia-diagnosis-la-police-officers-8775698

🏆 Awards Corner…

No surprise, GH is in the running.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/2025-writers-guild-awards-daytime-drama-nominees-announced

The BAFTA noms.

https://ew.com/2025-bafta-awards-nominations-full-list-8774808

🐕 No Gutter Balls Here…

I want them all.

https://ew.com/puppy-bowl-2025-meet-adoptable-dog-players-8773005

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/puppy-bowl-players-2025-super-bowl

☃️ Quotes of the Week

Just because my heart is beating doesn’t mean I’m alive. – Ish Williams (Alexander Ludwig), Earth Abides

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man (and woman) which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. – Blaise Pascal

You don’t break habits, you replace them. – Coach Mike Bayer

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker. – Hilary ‘Zig’ Ziglar

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

She took every bit of power I had and left me with household appliances. – Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Agatha All Along

🌉 Taking a Sentimental Journey…

Until next week, stay safe, stay warm, and stay valuing honesty.

January 10, 2025 – A Killer Is Revealed, Soap Suds, Reality Recaps, Weekend Watch, Award Corner, Great Moments In New Year’s Eve, Best Bowl, Cardinal Number Of Quotes & You

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday through Thursday bites and whole enchilada Friday.

Monday:

Portia confirmed that Elizabeth was suspended and told Cyrus that he was no longer welcome at the hospital again. Trina helped Josslyn pack up Dex’s apartment. Jack was pissed at Colette because she was supposed to tail Valentin, not take a shot at him. He looked at the Rice Plaza footage and saw Cyrus stab Dex.

Michael filed for full custody after seeing that Willow was with Drew in DC. Willow told Drew that Michael was punishing her for being with him. Lucy welcomed Sidwell to Windymere after he bought Spoon Island. They flirted, had champagne, and she gave him some gifts, including her book. Both Laura and Willow separately talked to Martin, and Martin told Laura that Willow would have to be smarter if she wanted to keep her kids.

Carly was supposed to have dinner with Carly at the MetroCourt, but had to cancel. Jack ended up joining her instead. Sidwell literally skipped through the Windymere living room to the terrace and watched as Sonny’s penthouse exploded. Sonny and Jason were in the hallway, and the only one inside was Michael, who turned into a fireball.

Tuesday:

No soap, funeral.

https://abc7ny.com/post/general-hospital-new-episode-tuesday-preempted-abc-news-special-report-former-president-jimmy-carters-state-funeral/15765536/

Wednesday:

Drew and Willow got busy while Jason told Sonny to call 911 and smothered the fire on Michael with a blanket. After Michael got to the hospital, Isaiah worked on him with Lucas assisting.

Carly enjoyed her time at the MetroCourt with my husband… I mean, Jack.

Josslyn wanted to stay in the place her and Dex were happy, but Trina told her that she wasn’t just grieving; she was angry. After Trina left, Josslyn looked at Dex’s gun a lot. Curtis told Nina that taking Wiley over state lines was a federal crime. She wanted to bring Willow and Wiley home, but he advised against it.

Brook was upset because she wasn’t pregnant yet, even though she was doing all the right things, including eating pineapple which she didn’t like. (Who doesn’t like pineapple?) We found out Brook had been pregnant before and given the baby away. She thought God was punishing her, but Lois said, God didn’t work that way. Chase discussed things with Sasha, who told him that he and Brook should just relax.

Lucas told Carly, Sonny, and Jason that Michael had 3rd degree burns over 40% of his body. He was critical and they didn’t know if he would live. Nina called Willow with the news.  

Thursday:

Drew showed up at the hospital since he’s an idiot and a creeper. Curtis advised him to get lost. Martin wanted Willow to petition the court for sole custody, but she said, absolutely not. Diane advised Carly to get the kids away from Willow. Nina told Willow that she shouldn’t show up at the hospital, but she went anyway. She and Josslyn got into it.

Jason said the explosion was like nothing they’d ever seen, and Sonny said they had to find the culprit and stop them dead in their tracks. Anna and Chase investigated the penthouse. Anna called Jack to come and help. Jack said, the Bureau had come across the same type of incendiary device before and thought he could be of assistance. Sonny said they’d find who did this and retaliate, and Jason said he was all for that (me too), but he also wanted to get Danny out of the line of fire.

Sonny and Kristina had a father/daughter moment on the roof of GH. Molly showed up at the hospital to offer support. Carly prayed in the chapel that God spare her son. Drew walked in to give his sympathies, but she wasn’t having it. He whined about what he’d done for her, and she hit the nail on the head telling him that he had a hero complex.

Michael opened his eyes.

Friday…

On the roof at GH, Sonny looks up and tells Morgan that he’s worried. Can he watch over his brother? Please help him. Isaiah comes out and joins him.  

At Beradino’s, Alexis sees Ric and says, her bad day just got worse. He says, nice to see her too. Despite her many flaws, she has great taste in restaurants. We see Cyrus puttering around, and Alexis asks if Ric can eat somewhere else, but he says he’s meeting a client. However, if she feels compelled to leave, don’t let him stop her. He encourages it. He tells the hostess, Lansing, party of two.  

Lucy brings Sidwell to Bobbie’s and tells him that there are other charming spots, but for an authentic Port Charles meal, this is the spot. They have the best burgers, chili, and everything in between, but no matter what, always, always, always order the fries. He says he’ll remember that and tells her that her energy is contagious. She suggests having made such a charming new friend has made her happy, and he says he appreciates that. She says, now back to the tour. Bobbie’s is named after a special, dear friend of hers, the late Bobbie Spencer. He asks if she said Spencer, and she asks if he knows the Spencers. He says, no, but he’s sure they’re lovely people, and she says, unfortunately, Bobbie passed away not long ago. She was influential in the community. She was a nurse at GH, owned this place, and was a leader for charitable causes.

Colette asks if there’s any new business, and Jack says he just spoke to Anna. She asks if it was about Valentin, but he says, no. It was about the fire that put Michael Corinthos in the hospital. The WSB may bear some blame.

At the MetroCourt, Felicia says she’s glad she was available to take Maxie and Sasha to lunch, and Maxie asks to what they owe this unexpected treat. Felicia says she needed a break from the hospital stress, and Sasha says she can imagine. Felicia says she loves her job. It’s rewarding, but it’s also difficult and draining. She sees people during the hardest times in their life and it’s challenging. She witnesses their pain, not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain. Maxie says, the patients are lucky to have her and so are they, and Felicia says, sometimes it’s hard for her to leave work behind, especially if she knows the patient. Like now, with Michael Corinthos. Sasha asks, what happened with Michael?  

Portia tells Jason that Michael is in shock. He has severe burns, and the main issue is to manage his pain. He’s on the highest dose of morphine and they can’t bring him to full consciousness for too long. It’s too much. Jason says, Michael came to, and he’s sure Michael knew it was him, and Portia says, good. That’s a great sign. He’ll likely be heavily sedated or unconscious for the next few days and it’s absolutely the best thing for him right now.

Carly tells Drew that her son is upstairs in excruciating pain fighting for his life. Does that even matter to him? Drew says, she came at him when he was speaking the truth. She needs to go make a list of the things Sonny’s done to harm Michael, but he can see it on her face that she already knows. Does she have any regrets about way back when she decided to let Sonny raise Michael instead of AJ? Was it worth Michael’s life? She says, nothing is worth Michael’s life, and he says he knows she loves her son, but none of what she did was what was best for Michael. It was all about what she wanted.

Jack tells Colette that the incendiary device left almost zero evidence. It was a unique weapon like a device the WSB designed years ago. He knew what the hardware looked like even before Anna described it. Colette says, it’s highly classified, and he says, it was meant for Sonny, not his unfortunate son. They need to find out who wanted Sonny eliminated and had access to the weapon. She says, there could have been a security breach. Maybe the specs were leaked and sold to the highest bidder. He says he’s making it top priority, and she asks if it has anything to do with the Rice Plaza footage, but he says, that has to do with his other project.  

Willow tells Josslyn that no matter what’s happened between her and Michael, she loves him. He’s the father of her children and she’s praying he recovers quickly. Josslyn says, did she forget she cheated on Michael with his uncle, and they had sex in the nursery? How skeevy can you be? Nina joins them and says, that’s enough. Leave her daughter alone.

Sitting with Ric, Ava says, it’s not like she’s destitute. The gallery is doing well, and she had money of her own before she married Nikolas. She was planning on moving the gallery to a new location and purchased a building. She was going to renovate it and have it up and running before she sold the building the gallery is in now. He says, she’s paying for mortgages on two commercial properties? and she says, unless the divorce settlement money is returned to her, she’ll have to sell the building and finding a buyer won’t be easy. He says he’s sorry, but the only way she’ll see any of the money is if the estate grants it, and she says, by estate, he means Alexis. He says, as trustee, Alexis is the only one who has the power, and Ava says, the money isn’t even Alexis’s. It’s in trust for Ace. He says, until Ace is of age, Alexis can decide how it’s spent. Considering Ava was involved in Alexis’s disbarment and Kristina fell out Ava’s hotel room window causing the death of her baby, the chances of Alexis gifting her are pretty slim.

Diane joins Alexis and says she’s represented Michael’s family for most of his life. What happened is unimaginable. She can’t stop thinking about it. Alexis says, Michael has always been so good to her girls over the years. She respects him for that. Diane says, he’s a wonderful man, and Alexis says, Kristina adores him and she’s reeling. She’s had so much loss lately. Michael has to pull through. Cyrus listens in.

Felicia says she assumed they heard, and Sasha asks why Michael is in the hospital. Felicia says, there was a terrible accident at the penthouse. Michael is in the burn unit and in critical condition. Sasha says she needs to go see him, and Felicia says, of course (🍷). Maxie asks her to text or call if there’s an update, and as she leaves, Sasha says she will.

Sonny says he comes up here to think sometimes, and Isaiah says, it’s good for that. Sonny thanks Isaiah for everything he did for Michael when he brought Michael in, and Isaiah says, of course (🍷). He has a lot of experience with burn victims from his time in Africa and he’s glad to help. Sonny asks about the percentage of recovery and tells Isaiah to be straight with him. Isaiah says, it’s serious, but GH is doing everything in their power to treat Michael and alleviate the pain. How is Sonny feeling? All the stress could complicate his condition and possibly make it worse. Sonny thanks him for his concern, but says he can’t think about himself. Isaiah says he understands that Michael is the only thing on Sonny’s mind, but he has to take care of himself too. Sonny asks if Isaiah has kids, and Isaiah says, not that he’s aware of. (Ha-ha!) Sonny says, when he does, he’ll know the love for his kids can get him through anything.  

Carly tells Drew not to preach to her about selfishness. He had sex with Michael’s wife in the nursery where his daughter plays. Did he think about Michael? Or did Willow’s hero worship give him such a high that he couldn’t control it? Drew says she can’t understand his and Willow’s relationship. What’s between them is real. She asks if that’s what he tells himself, and he says, it’s more real than what they had. (Ugh. I hate people who argue like this. Like all of a sudden it was never a good relationship to begin with. It’s so immature.) Carly laughs and asks if that was supposed to hurt her. It didn’t. He had sex with her daughter-in-law, the mother of her grandchildren. Now she sees him for who he really is. He did her a huge favor when he dumped her. He says, good. He’s a lot happier away from her too. He walks out of the chapel. (Quick. Get that man a bonnet, diaper, and baby bottle.)

Colette asks about Jack accessing the Rice Plaza footage, and he says, Josslyn asked him to because she wants to find the person responsible for stabbing Dex. Thanks to the footage, now he knows who it is. She says, mystery solved, but to what end? He can’t use top secret footage to solve a civilian case. He says, of course (🍷) he can’t. But now that he knows who Josslyn is looking for, he can leave a trail of breadcrumbs and see how well she follows them.

Nina says, Josslyn has no right to speak to Willow that way. Her husband was just in a horrible accident. Josslyn says, Michael is her brother, and nothing she said was anything less than the truth. Was there anything Willow didn’t use Michael for? Nina says, Josslyn is just like her mother, and Josslyn says, thanks. She could say the same thing about Willow right now. Nina can’t stand to be called out on her crap. On the surface, they’re both so sweet and friendly, but underneath, they’re lying liars who lie. Stay the hell away from her brother. She walks away.  

Lucy says she and Sidwell had sort of discussed Mayor Laura Collins. She’s actually a former Spencer and has two Spencer children. Sidwell says, there are a lot of them in Port Charles, and she says, quite a few and very notable. He says, she knows everything and everyone in Port Charles really well, and she says, she seems to be doing all the talking. She knows she’s doing all the talking. He has to share something about himself. He says, she handled his purchase of Spoon Island skillfully. What else does she need to know? She says she hardly thinks the transfer of information captures a person. From what she read, he’s not currently married, but does he have a couple of former Mrs. Sidwells running about? What do she and Port Charles need to know about the newest resident? He laughs.

Maxie tells Felicia, it’s awful. Michael has always been good to her. She can’t imagine what the family is going through. Spinelli is going to be devastated and poor Jason. He’s got to be losing his mind. Felicia says, Michael’s injuries are severe, but it’s still possible for him to recover, and Maxie says she’s going to send every positive thought his way. Felicia says she hopes Sasha is okay. She seemed upset and stressed after she heard the news. (Well, of course. < 🍷>) Maxie says she knows Sasha and Michael were together at one point and stayed good friends, but her reaction did seem out of proportion. It’s probably pregnancy hormones. Felicia says she wants to tell Maxie how much she loves her, and Maxie says, why? Is there something wrong? Felicia says she’s fine. Don’t worry. Her work as a patient advocate has given her a new perspective. Working with people who are grieving and people in hospice who don’t have much time left, they all say the same thing over and over. Their biggest regret is not telling the people in their lives how much they love them. Her and Maxie’s relationship hasn’t always been easy, but she’s glad they’ve moved past it. She doesn’t want a day to go by that she doesn’t let Maxie know how much she loves her. Maxie says she loves Felicia too, and takes her hand.

Sasha looks into Michael’s room window and cries. Jason arrives, and she asks, what happened? All she heard was that there was an accident. He’s going to be okay, right? Jason says, they don’t know yet.

In the chapel, Carly says, please let Michael recover. He’s such a good man and has so much to live for and so many people who love him. Sonny comes in, and she asks if there’s an update. He says he went by Michael’s room to talk to Portia. Jason was with him and Michael woke up, but they had to sedate him because he’s in so much pain. Carly covers her face with her hands, and he says, the doctor said hopefully they’ll find out something soon. She asks how it happened, and Sonny says he doesn’t know any more than he did last night, but whoever planned this is after him.

Willow thanks Nina for defending her, and Nina says, Josslyn is a bully and a hypocrite. Don’t listen to a word she says. Willow says she thought that they’d come together to support Michael and the kids through this tragedy, but Nina says, Josslyn is a lot like her mother. Their first instinct is to lash out. No empathy, no compassion, just rage. Willow wonders if she can get some alone time with Carly, but Nina says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Willow says, they were close once. Carly walked her down the aisle when she married Michael. She cares… Nina says, cared, past tense, but Willow says she doesn’t know. Nina says, unfortunately, she does. Carly sent Diane and a social worker to the apartment and took custody of Wiley and Amelia. Willow says, how? and sees Drew come out of the elevator. She runs to him, throwing her arms around him. She says he has to help her. Carly has taken the kids. Drew looks at Nina.

Josslyn literally bumps into Jack at the hospital, and says, sorry. He says, it’s fine, and asks how Michael is. She says, the same. He’s in pain and it’s horrible. He says he’s very sorry, and she thanks him for bringing her to GH last night. He says he was glad to help, and she says she’s headed to grab some air. He says, before she goes, he has an update to share with her about who stabbed Dex.

Ava says, Ric is a fantastic lawyer. He got Heather Webber set free and got her cleared of any wrongdoing in Kristina’s accident. There’s got be something he can do. He was married to Alexis and knows her so well. He has to be able to use that to his advantage somehow.

Martin comes into the Baradino’s and says hello to Cyrus. Cyrus says he’s grateful Martin came to see him, and Martin says, that’s because when Cyrus calls, he picks up the phone. Cyrus should try it sometime instead of dodging his calls. Cyrus says he’s been doing the Lord’s work. The holiday season has been busy. He needed to see Martin because GH is trying to restrict his access to patients. Martin asks what that has to do with him, and Cyrus says he wants Martin to put a stop to it. His patients need him. Martin says, there are plenty of places Cyrus can do the Lord’s work if GH doesn’t want him there, and Cyrus says, if the law won’t help, the Lord will provide a path for him to continue his work. The Lord has ways the legal system knows nothing about. Diane comes by and asks if Martin has a moment to discuss the Corinthos custody case, and Martin says, when he’s done with his brother, they can have a chat. Cyrus says, it’s fine. They’re done. He’ll leave them to their business. He moves along with his non-Lord’s work.

Ric goes over to Alexis’s table and says, may I? He sits down, and she says, you may not. Seeing he’s not moving, she heaves a sigh.

Josslyn tells Jack that she wants to hear everything, but she’s confused. She thought there was no footage from Rice Plaza. Jack says, it’s true they have no footage, but he has a lot of resources. He called in a favor from the PCPD and got the witness list from Rice Plaza on the day of the assault. She says, that would help immensely, and he says he’ll forward it to her right now. She thanks him, and he says he suggests she speak to the witnesses. Ask questions and piece the scene together. Unless it’s too much for her to handle. Then she can always hire a private investigator. She says she’s going to do it herself. It’s what she owes Dex. She looks at her phone and says she received the list. She even knows some of the people. He says he hopes one leads to the answers she’s looking for, and she sees Felicia at the reception desk. She says she thinks she already knows where to start.

Carly says, Drew was just here and said what happened was her fault for bringing Sonny into Michael’s life, and Sonny says, Drew has no business judging her. Don’t listen to him. She made the best choice she could for Michael at the time. She tells him that he’s saying that with such confidence, and he says, it’s not like he doesn’t know the feeling. It’s not the first time he’s put Michael in danger or Michael has been fighting for his life because of what he does. He was supposed to protect him from all this. She says, he didn’t know what would happen, and he says, neither did she. She says she just wants Michael to be okay, and he says he does too.

Sasha tells Jason, it’s horrible to see Michael like this. She and Michael never had a real break-up. Everything that happened with Willow, Wiley, and Chase took their lives in different directions, but the love is still there. Jason says he gets it. Sometimes life doesn’t work the way we plan. She says, Michael stood by her when everyone else hated her. When her mother told her that Robert was her dad and she and Cody broke up, he found time to comfort her when his own marriage was falling apart. He’s such a good man. Jason says, the best, and Sasha looks in the window again and cries.

Willow asks how Carly can take the kids, and Nina says, Diane brought Chase and a social worker and this court order. She shows Willow the paperwork, and Willow says she thought even though Michael filed for divorce, they’d figure it out through mediation. Drew says he just had his head ripped off by Carly because she found out they spent the night together in DC. Clearly, she wants revenge. Willow says she can’t believe they’re talking about Carly taking revenge through her kids, and Drew says, it’s a valid order. Nina says, they need to petition the court for an emergency custody hearing, and Drew says he can call in a favor, but in the best case, it won’t happen until next week. Willow says she can’t be without her kids until next week. Michael will be in the hospital a long time and the kids will be scared without either of their parents. Nina says she understands what it’s like to be without your baby. There’s no worse feeling. But they can’t defy the court order. It will work against them in the long run and there’s no recourse at the moment. Drew says, maybe there is.

Sidwell tells Lucy that his last love left him feeling wounded. It seems she was using him to get her hands on inventory. Lucy says, that’s absolutely horrible, and he says, it’s a hazard of his profession. He doesn’t think she needs to hear more detail.  She says she loves details and nothing he could say would bore her. He says she’s too kind and he’s happy to repay her hospitality with lunch. And the knowledge she imparted about Port Charles will prove invaluable in helping him acclimate. She says, it’s been a pleasure. If there’s anything else he needs, don’t hesitate to ask. They clink coffee cups.

Diane asks Martin when she can expect a response to the divorce petition, and he says he assumed it would be put on pause after last night’s events. She says she understands, but unless instructed otherwise, she’s going to proceed with her client’s wishes. And if his client thinks she can be galivanting up on Capitol Hill with her son and her husband’s uncle, she needs to think again. He says, they’ll have to see how it shakes out at the custody hearing, and she says, or they can spare the upset if his client makes a compromise now. He says, a brave attempt. Now if she’ll excuse him, he thinks he should get back to his brother. He looks around, but Cyrus isn’t there.

Ric tells Alexis that the money belongs to Ava. She’s entitled to pain and suffering for the emotional duress she suffered when married to Nikolas. Alexis says she knows a thing or two about emotional duress having been married to Ric. Ava has mistaken her for an ATM. It’s not her money. She’s just the trustee. Ric says, she knows the Cassadine money ruins lives, like with Stephan and Nikolas. Even if Ava got all of what Nikolas gave her, Ace wouldn’t miss it. Alexis says, despite her reservations in giving it to Ace, Ava is not going to see a penny, and he says, if it was anybody but Ava, she’d be singing a different tune. She says she’d like him to leave. She enjoys the food here, and staring at him is making her lose her appetite. He leaves.

Carly tells Sonny, hindsight is a funny thing. You look back and see everything clearly and it’s easy to question your decisions. He says, they’re just torturing themselves here and can’t change the past. She says, it would be nice if they could. She was thinking about if she had to do it over, knowing what she knows, would she do it differently? He says, of all the wrong turns they made, there’s one thing they did right – their kids. Michael, Morgan, and Donna, they’re amazing kids. She says, Michael is special, and Sonny says, he is. She says, they have to present a united front. Their strength will be Michael’s strength. Sonny says he’s going to check on the doctors. They’re going to go through this. Hit it face on as a family. He takes her hand, and she says, yes.

Willow asks what other recourse she has, and Drew says, even though she filed for separation and Michael filed for divorce, they’re still legally husband and wife. If Michael made her his healthcare proxy, that’s still valid. She’s holding the cards. Michael is badly injured, a lot of decisions will need to be made about his healthcare, and Carly and Sonny think they’re in charge. Nina asks if he’s suggesting using the fact that Willow is Michael’s wife as a bargaining chip to get the kids back, and he says, exactly. She can deny Carly, Sonny, or anybody else access to Michael. Willow says she would never do that. Things weren’t great between her and Michael, but Michael is a good person and an amazing dad. Even after everyone saw the video, he let her take the kids so they could be with her. She’s not going to pay him back by keeping his family from him. Drew says, it’s Sonny and Carly that she’s up against, not Michael. Carly is angry about them being together, and it could be the only leverage she has to get her kids back.

Jason tells Sasha that Sonny and Carly are on their way back from the chapel and suggests he give her a ride home. She says she probably shouldn’t drive this upset and thanks him. They leave.

Sonny asks, how’s Michael? and Portia says, his condition remains the same. Carly asks if there are any long-term burn recovery units she recommends. They’d like to get him set up as soon as possible. Willow pops out and says, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s Michael’s wife and she’ll be making the decisions about his care. She’s the only one the doctors will be talking to. (Wow. She nasty.)

Felicia tells Josslyn that she’s sorry. That’s all she remembers. She wishes she was more help. Josslyn says, even small details matter in cases like this, and Felicia says she did tell Chase there was something weird that she can’t put her finger on. She’s done everything she can to remember why she feels that way, but it still escapes her. Josslyn says, if she recalls it from beginning to end, it might come back. She was at Rice Plaza, picking out a tree with Georgie and James. There were holiday lights and carolers, the college kids fighting before Dex and his partner ran them off. The elevator dings, and Felicia says she sees what it is. It’s the bell. Josslyn asks, what bell? and Felicia says, that’s what she was trying to remember. Cyrus was at Rice Plaza taking donations and he had a bell he was ringing the entire time. Jack listens from the other side of the desk, and Felicia says, when Dex was stabbed, there was no sound. Cyrus had stopped ringing the bell.  

We see slippered feet walk into Michael’s room and gloved hands closing the door and the blinds. Standing next to Michael’s bed, Cyrus says he knows Michael is in terrible pain, but it will soon be over. He’ll be at peace. God will call him home. He puts his hand on Michael’s forehead and says, may your soul be surrounded by divine light. He takes out a syringe and prepares it. He checks Michael’s IV bag, plunges the needle in, and we see that it’s digitalis.

On Monday, Tracy tells Cody that if he invests, that money will be gone; Laura says, Dante did the right thing by going after Lulu; Nina tells Sonny not to waste precious time on this fight; and Isaiah says, Michael will die either way.

I have to say, I didn’t see another digitalis death coming. As much as I hate all these characters being killed off, it is one hell of a storyline.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

This is just horrific. I had to turn off the news the first night. While I know I’d cry over losing my stuff too, if everyone and their pets gets out alive, that’s the most important thing.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/soap-stars-share-wildfire-updates

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-opens-up-about-losing-everything

They read the room.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/2025-daytime-emmy-awards-rescheduled-to-october

In happier news. Hopefully, this gets enough viewers to stay on the air. Many a decent show has been cancelled because it wasn’t given enough time to build up an audience.

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

💊 A Dose Of Reality…

Here’s what happened all week on…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Another group of demanding, immature guests, who were – of all people – drag queens, who I would expect more empathy from even on a superyacht. TBH, Cloyce’s consistent inconsistency leaves something to be desired, but they didn’t have to make fun of him. Shame on them!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Love Boz and her boyfriend Keely. They seem like the perfect couple and it’s nice to watch. Erika and Dorit can both go pound sand. PK blindsided Dorit, saying he wanted a divorce during a 4-hour therapy session. Who has a 4-hour therapy session? I’d be done after 4 hours too. In an actual real non-screaming moment, Garcelle talked about the years she had to give Oliver tough love and how it killed her to not even let him in the house. She did it right though, because look at him now. That’s what reality TV should be about. Seeing the changes. Some of these women also need to get a vocabulary. Erika debuted her new single, Dominos, and it sounded like all her other singles. Like Jennifer said, it’s not going to win any awards for lyrics, but it’s catchy.

Real Housewives of New York City

While I do think Brynn has some good qualities, girlfriend needs to mature. She’s way too into stirring the pot and it’s not a good look. She picked on Jessel for having a penchant for glam. Really? Like she doesn’t?

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

I could barely sit through this. Meredith freaked out when she discovered out Britani was recording the back of a seat during a bus trip, screeching about how sneaky it was. I guess she forgot that Bravo recording them is actually the whole point and there are cameras on all the time. These women do nothing but find things to argue about, and they’re best response to an insult is, no, you. It didn’t sound any better when Heather had to explain what the word nefarious meant. Someone please get them a dictionary. They give me a headache. Except for Mary, who is still the MVP.

I also watched a little of Sold on SLC, and I think the crux of all their problems is the church. No judgement, to each his own, but if it isn’t lifting you up, get out. These people are all adults and feel they have to pretend to be a certain way just so they don’t get excommunicated. It’s doubtful they’re fooling anyone, so I’m guessing as long as they put their share into the collection plate or whatever, it’s all good. Seriously, if it’s making you hate yourself and everyone else, get out.

Southern Charm

Taylor’s picker still seems to be off, but hey, sometimes you need something in the moment that won’t be in your future. I’m more looking forward to next week when JT meets with Craig. Mostly because I want to see how JT makes an ass of himself this time.

This made me feel sad, but I get it.

Southern Hospitality

I still maintain that this show wants to be Vanderpump Rules 2.0, but misses it entirely. For every real moment, like the discussion between Michols and TJ about being gay in Charleston, there’s a ton of screaming, yelling, and heightened drama that belongs in a middle school.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

A Mother’s Instinct. I love the 60s time period, which is why I chose to watch this. But I stayed for the twisty-turny plot and the incredible acting.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mothers-instinct-neon-film-review-2024

Smile 2. I know a lot of people liked the first one, but I wasn’t one of them. It was okay, but I wasn’t thrilled with the ending. I’d seen the trailer for this when I saw Red One, and thought it looked promising. I was right. I actually thought this was better than the first one. This article pretty much sums up why. The costumes were also quite fabulous.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-watched-smile-2-i-need-to-talk-about-why-horrors-of-fake-smile-got-to-me

The Deliverance. More of a straight on horror film, based on so-called true events. Like both Lovecraft Country and Them, real life horror parallels supernatural horror. It was a captivating ride, capturing the truth of trying to escape poverty, along with the terror of living in a haunted house. Lee Daniels is a master and he snagged Glenn Close. It was definitely worth the time.

Nightbitch. I was looking forward to seeing this and it didn’t disappoint. You don’t need to be a mom to relate either. It gave me all the feels – it was funny, sad, poignant, and joyous. And there was an apology at the end that every man should watch. A bonus for me was seeing Jessica Harper, Janet from one of my favorite films, Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment. It was also nice to see an actress aging like a normal human.

🏆 And You Get an Award…

Golden Globe winners.

https://ew.com/2025-golden-globes-winners-full-list-8769343

Golden Globe fashion. Holy! Zendaya looks just like Elizabeth from GH.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37442/2025-golden-globes-red-carpet-fashion

https://pagesix.com/2025/01/07/style/melissa-rivers-on-the-best-and-worst-golden-globes-2025-looks/

Awards to come. The SAG nominations.

https://ew.com/2025-sag-awards-nominations-full-list-8770586

🎉 Bravo For the New Year…

Including one of my all-time favorite New Year’s Eves – the night Giggy married Grandma Wrinkles.

🐕 Bowling For Pups…

Coming February 11th. Be there or be a cat.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/get-ready-for-puppy-bowl-xxi-

🪂 Quotes of the Week

Your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think that you’ve lost time. There is no short cutting to life. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time. – Asha Tyson

It’s never too late to never give up. – Pamela Anderson

Youth has no age. – Pablo Picasso

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

Things just tend to accumulate after Labor Day. What can I tell you?Little Edie Beale, Grey Gardens

My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. – President Jimmy Carter

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me again next Friday for soap, recaps, what to watch (or not), and other entertainment nonsense. Until then, stay safe; stay helping a neighbor shovel after a snowstorm; and stay telling the people in your life how much you love them. Don’t let that be a regret.

December 30, 2024 – Valentin Accuses Lulu Of Setting Him Up, Demanding Clueless Rude Guests On Deck, Opinion, On Or Not, All Winners & What Are You Doing

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

At the gallery, Trina tells Kai that this is her favorite place, and he says he knows why she brought him here. To get away from his fans, boosters, and anyone who wants his time. This is the last place anyone would think to look for him. She says, he couldn’t be more wrong.

Lucas tells Kristina that Charlie’s looks great. He loves the changes she’s made. She says she’s worked hard so they can open soon, but needs to find a bartender. He says he can barely manage a gin and tonic, and it only has two ingredients, three if you add a lime. She says, he has other talents. She asked him to come by because she found something. She hands him a photo of Wiley and asks how old he was then. Lucas says, 18 months. Where did she find it? She says, a drawer in the office. It was probably Julian’s.

At the hospital, Elizabeth tells Lucky that she appreciates the offer, but she’ll be okay if he doesn’t stay. It’s purely a routine medical record review. He asks her to call him when she’s finished. Since it’s an internal review and not a legal one, she doesn’t have to answer any questions. She says that she, Portia, and Terry are all on the same side. They want to know what happened to Dex. Lucky says, they’re not the only ones, and she says she’ll call when she’s done. He goes into the elevator, and she goes into an office. She sees Dede Clark is there, and Dede thanks her for coming. Have a seat.  

Sonny goes to Alexis’s office, and she says she knows she was vague on the phone. He says, that’s an understatement, and she asks how things are going with him and Ava. He says, Ava won’t let up with the custody case and it’s going to turn into an all-out war. Why? She says, from what she’s learned, it may not come to that.

On the phone in her office, Laura leaves a message for Dante to call her when he’s found Lulu. She wants to know Lulu is okay. Ava comes in and says, if it’s a bad time… Laura says, it’s okay. She’s having anxiety waiting to hear about Lulu. Ava says she hopes Lulu is all right, and Laura says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Lulu hasn’t changed a bit.

Valentin comes into the café and asks if Charlotte is enjoying her visit with her mother. Charlotte says, yes, and thanks him for letting her see Lulu. He says, hello, Lulu, and Charlotte says she had to tell him. Lulu says, of course (🍷). It’s fine. Valentin asks if Charlotte minds if he has a minute in private with Lulu. He’s not cutting their visit short, but would she mind waiting at another table? Charlotte says, of course (🍷), and moves. Valentin says, Lulu looks good and congratulates her on her remarkable recovery. She thanks him and says she feels great. Now that she’s back on her feet, Charlotte can come home to Port Charles with her. He says he’s very happy to see her awake and reunited with her daughter, but that’s not going to happen. She says, Charlotte needs her, but he says, Charlotte hasn’t had her in four years. It’s been him and will continue to be. She asks what kind of life it will be on the run. Let Charlotte go home with her.

Ava says she’s happy to hear that Lulu woke up, and Laura says, it’s wonderful for the whole family. They got their girl back. There are challenges and Lulu has had to adjust to a lot. The message she was leaving is about Lulu taking an impromptu trip to look for her daughter. She wishes Lulu had told her, but they both know a mother will do anything to be with her child. Ava says, that’s why she’s here. Her custody battle is going to be very expensive. Laura says she’s not sure she’s following, and Ava says, she’s more than a little embarrassed, but didn’t know who to turn to. She was hoping Laura could help her. She has a problem with her divorce settlement from Nikolas.

Alexis tells Sonny that Martin informed her that the money Nikolas gave Ava wasn’t his, and the estate is reclaiming every penny they can get their hands on, including the money Ava received from her divorce settlement, as well as the proceeds of the sale of Windymere. Sonny says, Ava is broke? and Alexis says she doesn’t know Ava’s financial situation, so she can’t say for sure, but what she can say for sure is that she’s not getting Nikolas’s money. That will seriously hamper Ava’s ability to fund a lengthy custody battle. He says, that’s great news, and thanks her. She says she figured he would be happy, but she has an ulterior motive. She’s hoping he’ll do her a favor in return. He says, always, and she says she wants him to take Charlie’s from Kristina.

Lucas thanks Kristina and says, Brad took the picture. It was a picture-perfect day in the park and they had a picnic. Wiley was playing and they were all so happy. It seems like a million years ago. She says she’s been thinking about Wiley. He’s probably so confused, wondering why his parents are fighting and why his dad’s not living there. Lucas says he got into it with Willow last night. He probably should have kept his big mouth shut. He has no place telling anyone how to raise a child. She says she disagrees. He was Wiley’s father for his first years. He loves Wiley and is trying to protect him. He says, of course (🍷), but Willow has had a tough go of it. She says, some would argue that Michael had it tougher, and he says, no question Willow made some lousy choices, but the person he’s disgusted with is Drew. He refuses to take responsibility for anything, and he was trying to use Sam’s death as an excuse for the affair. She says, that’s unbelievably disrespectful to Sam’s memory. If she heard him say that she’d punch him in his pretty little face. Lucas says he had the same impulse and has Ava to thank for convincing him to take the high road.

Elizabeth says she was under the impression it would just be the three of them, but Dede says, the hospital thought it was prudent for her to be here in light of the new information. Elizabeth asks, what new information? and Dede says, they’ll get to that, but first she has a few questions. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think so. She feels like she’s been blindsided. Either tell her everything now or she’s walking out. Dede says, there’s no reason to be combative, but Terry says, Elizabeth has the right to know. They recently received Dex’s autopsy, and he died from a lethal dose of digitalis like Sam McCall.

Trina says she wanted to bring Kai to her favorite place, and he says he’s honored. She asks what he thinks about a painting, and he says, it’s nice. She says, nice? That’s it? What is he thinking? He won’t hurt her feelings. He says, honestly, it looks like a bunch of scribbles, and she says she gets that. She thought the same thing at first, then something made her keep coming back. Maybe it was the play of colors in the lefthand corner. She noticed the way the artist guides the eye and every time she sees it, she sees something else. She feels like every time she sees it, it teaches her something new. She thinks that’s why she’s drawn to it. It always surprises her. That’s the beautiful thing about art. If you let it open your mind, it will take you outside of yourself. She thinks that’s what everyone needs. Doesn’t he? He says he doesn’t know. He was looking at her instead of the painting. (For the record, I like this painting and stan Trina’s new hairstyle.)

Lucas says, Ava is the last person Kristina wants to hear about, but she says, it’s okay. Ava is Lucas’s aunt and she can’t expect people to stop talking about her. She wants to move forward. The jury heard all the evidence against Ava during the trial and decided she’s innocent. She got her answer. There’s no one to blame for her baby’s death. He says he knows how hard it was to make peace with the verdict. Kristina is a strong person. She says she’s a work in progress. She’s trying to move forward. That’s why Charlie’s means so much to her and she’s investing her time and energy into it. Here, she can drop her guard and be herself instead of being defined by the terrible things that happened to her. He says, a fresh start, and she says she needs one.

Sonny says, Alexis wants him to take Charlie’s away from Kristina? and she says she doesn’t want Kristina involved in any of his businesses. He says, it’s completely legit, but she says, that doesn’t mean it’s not risky. What if Kristina’s name turns up on a document or email of his? Her life could be ruined. He says he knows how to protect Kristina, and she says, he may think he does, but if he gives Charlie’s to her, that’s exactly what someone would do if they were laundering money. He says, she’s not wrong, and she says, if he lets Kristina keep it, sooner or later, she’ll be on the FBI’s radar.

Isaiah walks into the boxing gym and says he and Lucky had the same idea. Lucky says he’s working out his frustrations. There’s a lot going on. Did Isaiah see Elizabeth at the hospital? Isaiah says, no. Why? Lucky says, she’s having a medical record review, and he hasn’t heard from her. Isaiah asks if he’s worried, and Lucky says, she insisted it’s nothing and the review is purely routine. Isaiah says, no review is ever routine.

Dede says, the hospital is responsible for its patients and obligated to look into how this grave error occurred, and Elizabeth says, and they’re starting with her. Dede says, she’s the head nurse and was on duty when Dex died. He was administered the wrong medication and it cost him his life. Obviously, her actions that night are very important. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think she should say anything else without a lawyer present, but Terry tells her not to get the wrong idea. No one is accusing her of anything. Portia says, it’s just an informational review, and Dede says, Elizabeth has no reason not to cooperate… unless she has something to hide.

Lulu says, Charlotte misses her family and needs them, but Valentin says, just because she misses Port Charles doesn’t mean she should live there. Ask her. Lulu says, she’s a teenager. The parents are responsible to make the decisions. He says, it sounds like she knows Charlotte would choose to stay, and she says, he made himself the center of Charlotte’s world. She loves him so much. He asks if that’s a bad thing, and she says, yes, when it affects her world. It’s not fair to expect her to hide away from the world. That’s not the kind of life she wants. He says, don’t presume to tell him what kind of life he wants for their daughter. Lulu has had no relationship with her. He’s not saying it’s her fault, but for the moment, she’s an intriguing person to have lunch with once in a while. She’s a mother in name only. He’s the only parent Charlotte has known most of her life and he’s not abandoning her.

Isaiah says, the hospital wants to make sure the staff did all that they could to take care of their patient, and Lucky says, there’s no question about Elizabeth wanting that. Isaiah says, from what he’s seen, he agrees, and Lucky says, Dex didn’t die from his surgery. He was a healthy guy, just like Sam. Isaiah says, he’s right. It doesn’t make sense medically speaking. Lucky says, they’re not looking for a person who made a mistake. They’re looking for a person deliberately harming patients, and so far, Elizabeth is the only common thread.

Dede says, just answer, yes or no. Was Elizabeth on duty the night Dex died of cardiac arrest? Ric walks in and says his client has nothing more to say, and Dede asks who he is. He introduces himself and says he’s Elizabeth’s counsel. Dede says, Elizabeth doesn’t need a lawyer, but he says, everybody needs a lawyer, especially when they’re being questioned by one. (Absolutely. Does she think they’re stupid?) Dede suggests Elizabeth ask him to leave, and says, it’s only going to slow down the process. Ric tells Elizabeth not to answer any more questions, and Portia says, they want to clear Elizabeth and hear her side. He asks why there are no other nurses there, and Portia says, Elizabeth is head nurse and the one on duty when Sam and Dex died of cardiac arrest. Don’t make it harder. Just answer their questions. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. Her lawyer said not to talk to them, so she guesses this interview is over.

Sonny asks if Alexis thinks he won’t make sure Kristina isn’t connected to any of his other businesses, and she says she knows he has her best interests at heart, but even the appearance of impropriety will have a negative effect. He says, the last thing Kristina needs is another disappointment, and she says, Kristina needs to be safe from prosecution. He says, Kristina needs something where she can win. She needs to throw herself into something and be proud of it. He’s not taking Charlie’s away. She says, they’ll explain, and Kristina will understand, but he says, Kristina will feel like he’s lost faith in her. She was so flattered that he was giving her Charlie’s and trusted her. He’s not taking back that trust.

Kristina asks how Ava helped Lucas, and Lucas says, Ava gave him perspective in the situation. He’s not saying they’re close, but since Sam’s funeral, they’ve crossed paths a few times. Kristina says, Ava wouldn’t have been at the funeral, and he says he wasn’t there either. He ran into Danny before the service and Danny blamed him for Sam’s death. At the time, he couldn’t say Danny was wrong, so he thought the least he could do was stay away. She says she’s sorry he didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to Sam, but he says he did in his own way. He went to his father’s grave. Ava was there and they had a lot to talk about. She says, Ava is part of his family, and he says, like it or not. She says, he still hasn’t told her how Ava helped him, and he says he got into it with Willow and Drew, and Ava saw how upset he was. She got him out of there before he did something he’d regret. They took a walk and talked. She asks what they talked about, and he says, how hard it is to lose a child.

Ava tells Laura that her financial settlement is no longer hers. Somehow, now it’s the property of the Cassadine heir. Laura says her grandson Ace. She was advised he was named the new heir and the estate is being held in trust. Ava asks, who advised her? and Laura says, her brother Martin. A firm in Greece called him to be the American representative. She’s not happy about Ace inheriting the Cassadine fortune, but Martin said she can’t do a thing about it until he’s older. Ava says she wants what was promised to her. She knows Laura is a fair woman and she was hoping Laura could help her get it back. Laura says she’s sorry, but that’s not going to happen.

Lulu says she and Charlotte aren’t as close as she would wish and she knows Valentin loves her, but he wouldn’t be abandoning her. He’d be sending her to live a better life. The best parents do what’s right even when it’s hard. He says, she doesn’t know Charlotte would have a better life, but she says, Charlotte wouldn’t be a fugitive. Whoever is chasing him is going to find him, and she wants to make sure Charlotte isn’t in the line of fire. He asks if she thinks Port Charles is safe. Apparently, no one told her that Charlotte was shot last year.

Isaiah says he hasn’t known Elizabeth long, but she obviously would never harm a patient. Lucky says, someone else might, and Isaiah says, it’s rare and horrible, but it does happen that a medical professional will deliberately cause harm. Lucky says, that’s the only explanation, and Isaiah suggests he trust the process. They’re trying to get information to find the person responsible. He’s sure Elizabeth loves having Lucky’s support, but he’s seen how strong she is. She’ll be fine without him, so if he’s feeling the need to leave Port Charles, go ahead.

Lulu asks what Valentin means. Shot by who? He says, Anna Devane, and she says she doesn’t believe him. He says, ask Charlotte… Don’t. She was traumatized. She says, it makes no sense. Why would Anna shoot an innocent child? Valentin says, it was an accident. He and Anna were involved at the time, and his father convinced Charlotte that Anna was a threat to him. She says, his father manipulated Charlotte, and he says, Charlotte wanted Anna to think she was being stalked and snuck into her apartment. Anna drew before she realized it was their daughter. Lulu asks how bad she was hurt, and he says, it was touch and go, but she’s made a full recovery. Other than the nightmares. Lulu wonders why no one told her, and he says, she’d have to ask them. His point is, she can’t guarantee that Charlotte is safer in Port Charles. It’s better that she stay with him. He’ll protect her.

Kai says, the painting is just hanging there, and Trina is in front of him telling him interesting things. Of course (🍷) he’s paying more attention to her. She says, that’s sweet… and superficial, and he asks if she’s calling him a dumb jock. She says she admits there’s more strategy to football than she thought and there’s more to him than football. She read his presentation, and it was creative and insightful. Maybe he should give the painting another chance. Let it speak to him. He says, the things he does for a friend. He looks at the painting and says he gets what she’s talking about. The painting reminds him of her. Every time he looks at her, he sees something new too, and that’s not superficial. His phone rings, and he says, okay… He’s on his way. She says, he has to go, and he says, unfortunately. She says, he’s an important guy. She gets it. He thanks her for bringing him. She was right. It’s exactly what he needed. He leaves.

Laura says she’s sorry. Ava went through a lot with Nikolas and stood by him. Ava says, they loved each other, and Laura says she saw that firsthand. She was hoping Ava could help him conquer his demons. Ava says she tried, and Laura says, he made it impossible. She knows Nikolas was responsible for the things that were wrong between them and believes Ava is entitled to her divorce settlement, but it’s out of her hands. She’s sorry, but there’s nothing she can do about it.

Lucas says he’s not trying to defend Ava, but she’s conscious of Kristina’s loss and how much pain she’s in. Kristina says, it was a horrible ordeal and thinks they both want to move forward. If she had to guess, Ava is throwing herself into work at the gallery. Lucas says, Ava is having some problem with the divorce settlement and gave him the impression that money is tight. She was talking about moving to a smaller place, but maybe she just wants a change of scenery. He has to get back, but thanks her for the photo. Good luck. He’s sure Charlie’s will be popped in no time. She says, from his lips to God’s ears, and he leaves.

Sonny tells Alexis that he knows what Kristina is going through, and believes she needs Charlie’s. He’ll watch over her and make sure she’s okay. He’ll protect Kristina and Alexis has to trust him with that. Alexis says, trust is the most important thing to him when it comes to their daughter. He’s heard her concerns. He says he’ll keep them in mind, and she says, it’s the best she can hope for. It’s not like she’s asking him to get out of the mob, right?

Laura says, if it was up to her, Ace wouldn’t inherit a dime of the Cassadine fortune. It’s never brought anyone anything but misery. They both know what it did to Nikolas and in Spencer’s too short life, he spent too much time doing the same thing. It’s blood money. She asked if she could give it to charity, but Martin said no. Ava says, let her try. She’s a very convincing woman. Who does she need to talk to? She’ll fly to Greece. Laura says, that’s not a good idea, but Ava says, please… for her daughter’s sake. She’ll lose her without that money.

Lucky says he’s not going anywhere until he knows Elizabeth is cleared. Just because she doesn’t need him today, she might in the future, and he’ll be here. Isaiah says, good to know, and Lucky asks if Isaiah is practicing reverse psychology. Isaiah says, Lucky’s not the kind of guy to turn his back when he knows there’s a problem, but he doesn’t need a base jump off a cliff or an epic rescue mission to help. The best thing to do for Elizabeth is make it clear that he’s sticking around. When she calls him, pick up and show that he’s there for her.

Ric says he thinks they’re done and should go, and Elizabeth says, she’s going to listen to her lawyer. Dede asks if Elizabeth doesn’t want things settled, and Ric says, they’re saddened by the loss of two patients, but nice try at intimidation tactics. Dede says, three patients, and Terry says, there was a third, Sylvie Mullan. She died of a heart attack in August. She was Elizabeth’s patient, wasn’t she?

Lulu says, Charlotte needs to get to school, have friends, and fall in love. How can Valentin disagree? Valentin says, it’s not that he doesn’t want her to be happy, and Lulu says she believes that. She knows Valentin loves Charlotte and how much Charlotte loves him. Charlotte will do whatever he asks. Charlotte has faith that he’ll keep her safe, but can he really? What’s going to happen when whoever is chasing him finds him? It might not end well for him and if anything happens to him, Charlotte is going to blame herself. Please don’t let their daughter live with that burden. Dante walks in and goes over to Charlotte. She asks what he’s doing here, and he says he’s here to take her home if that’s what she wants. Now’s the time. Valentin says, Lulu set him up.

Ava knocks at Alexis’s office door and says she needs to speak with her. Alexis says, from what she’s heard, Ava can’t afford her, and closes the door in Ava’s face.  

Portia says, after reviewing Sylvie’s medical records, they decided to contact the family about exhuming the body for an autopsy. Elizabeth says, she was a very sick woman, and she’d like to know… Ric tells her, don’t say another word, and Dede says, the hospital will do their best to protect Elizabeth and clear her of any wrongdoing. Portia says, unfortunately, if Elizabeth doesn’t answer their questions, they’ll officially have to suspend her.

Lucky walks into Charlie’s with the help wanted sign and asks if Kristina has found a bartender. She asks if he’s applying and he says he doesn’t have a resume with him, but he can provide references, her father for one. Kristina says, fix her a mojito and they’ll talk.

Laura leaves another message for Dante, saying, she hasn’t heard from him. She needs to know what’s going on with her daughter.

Valentin tells Charlotte, let’s go, but Dante says, wait. Valentin asks if he’s with the cops, but Dante says, it’s just him. Lulu says she didn’t know he’d be here and suggests they find a safe place to talk. Valentin says, Dante was either with the cops or led someone to them. We see that someone is watching them through the crosshairs of a scope.

Alone in the gym, Sonny does some boxing moves in the ring and suddenly clutches his chest. He drops to his knees, then lies down.

Tomorrow, Michael says he’ll agree to Sasha’s plan, but needs her to agree to something in return; Drew asks if Willow is coming to DC; a shot is fired in Prague, shattering the café window; and Anna says, Emma is off-limits.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Igy Marina, Ibiza. Gary suggests he and Daisy celebrate and go for a drink off the boat. In Danni’s interview, she says, the last time she kissed someone (Gary), she was told that it could never happen again. This time (Chase), she hopes it happens all the time. She loved every second. In Chase’s interview, he says, wow. He’s been here three days and last year he had to sleep in the crew mess because sex was always happening in his cabin. We flash back to that, and he says, now here he is. Diana asks how Danni’s night was, and Danni says, fun. In his interview, Chase says he thinks Diana is stunning, but reserved. Danni saw an opportunity and took it. He’s not sorry. Captain Glenn asks if Davide had fun, and Davide says he did. The captain says, no bleeding? and Davide assures him, no bleeding. Gary tries to grill Chase, while Danni tells Diana that Chase is so damn hot. Gary says he thought Chase was into Diana, and Chase says he’s just doing his job. Diana asks which one Danni wants her to get, and in her interview, Danni says, she wasn’t going to sit back and watch Diana stare at Chase for the whole season. Danni says, Diana can have Gary, but Diana says, no thanks. In Diana’s interview, she says, Danni is moving fast with the guys. Chase just came on board, and it was expected.

At the preference sheet meeting, Glenn says, co-primaries Jillian and Sharie want to enjoy fun in the sun and great cuisine with their friends. Gary reads that they want all the water toys and amazing sailing. Cloyce says, they want a seven-course meal, along with drinks they’ve learned to make. Daisy asks him to tell her the menu and she’ll pick the cocktails. Cloyce works on his menu, and in his interview, he says, they’ve specifically requested seven perfect courses. They want a feast, and the goal is to showcase a broad range of culinary skills. Danni giggles over seeing Chase with no shirt, and Gary suggests he and Daisy go for their drink. In Gary’s interview, he says, Daisy being supportive of him not drinking is helpful. If they can do this for years as they have been doing, how could they not do it for the rest of their lives? He and Daisy walk to the corner, and she asks if he’s not drinking for the rest of the season. He says, maybe a glass of wine tonight. Diana and Danni wake up Chase, but when Danni gets in his bunk, Diana leaves. At a café, Gary says, cheers to being roomies, besties, and friends moving forward. He asks what Daisy is for, and she says, stabilizing work. She’s not looking for a relationship. What about him? He says he wants to build a relationship. He knows relationships require work. There are ups downs like they’ve had. They’ve been through sh*t that married couples haven’t and doesn’t seem like it’s going to end soon. Daisy says, when she falls, she falls hard, but it takes a long time, and he asks if she sees a relationship with him. Imagine someone else is asking her. She says she doesn’t…

Daisy says, Gary needs to be honest, and he says he is. She says, they both need a lot of work on themselves, and she’s been working more than he has. She thinks that before he has a relationship with anyone, he needs to work on himself. He says, it’s good to find someone who brings it out, and she says, for a secure relationship, you need a secure person, and they’re not secure people. He says, they’ve gone through so much working together. They’ve come a long way. In Gary’s interview, he says he’s too scared to commit. He’s selfish, but he knows what he needs and Daisy wouldn’t let him get away with murder. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Gary didn’t respect her relationship with Colin, and she took a step back. Unless he did some serious growing up fast, no way. Gary asks if it’s possible, and she laughs. They go back to the boat.

Gary says he likes hanging out with Daisy, and Daisy says, they’re working on their friendship. Cloyce says, Keith was getting along with Danni, and asks how he feels about the situation changing vibes. Gary joins them and says he and Daisy talked about where they stand. He thinks they’re at a good place. Keith says, classic high tension work relationship, and in Keith’s interview, he says he needs to tread lightly. Daisy and Gary are sharing a cabin, and he doesn’t want to put his foot in something that’s going to get stinky. Everyone goes to bed.

Provisions come in, and Chase says he had a dream that two stews drug him out of bed. He and Danni flirt, and Diana says she doesn’t want to be in a love triangle. Daisy asks if Diana is sad because Chase wanted her and he’s now with Danni. Diana says, they were vibing, but it didn’t happen on his side. Daisy says, it’s a bit sh*tty. Boys are idiots. In Diana’s interview, she says, Danni thinks it’s a competition, but she doesn’t fight over men. She has more things to do with her life.

The crew finishes tidying the boat, and Captain Glenn says, one hour until the guests arrive. He tells them that it looks good, and champagne is poured. The captain tells them to go to the cockpit now. Captain Glenn welcomes them to the Parsifal and Ibiza. Daisy will give them the tour and get them settled in. Daisy does her thing, and Diana shows Danni one of guest Marcell’s massive shoes, size 47. The guests have shots and toast to their Spain vacation. Daisy serves canapés, and Cloyce says, the prepping is insane for the seven-course dinner. Guest Tonya says, even though it’s a sailboat, it’s still not bad. She wonders if there’s a button they can press for service, and guest Jillian says she left a bottle of champagne in her room. Daisy asks Diana to get it, and the sails go up. Marcell seems okay, but the women call Daisy’s name so many times, she probably hates it already. The boat keels, and things bounce around. Daisy thinks the guests are drunk already, and guest Tonya says, it’s not what she expected. She’s about to throw up. She asks for a bag, like she’s on an airplane, and Chase runs downstairs. He says he needs a bucket or a bag, and Daisy frantically looks around.

Chase runs up with an ice bucket, and Daisy says, it doesn’t sound like anyone is throwing up. Danni says, it’s going to be a bad one, and Daisy says, it’s the energy. Captain Glenn asks if the guests want to stop, and they say yes. In the captain’s interview, he says, it’s the first time he’s been asked to stop, and he hopes to God it’s the last time. Cloyce says he has one thing prepped on his list of 40, and Gary says, his menu sounds delicious. Cloyce says, it better be. The guests take selfies, and anchor is dropped at Es Jondal.

Daisy tells Danni to try and get a dinner time out of the guests. Tonya whines that co-primary Jillian got the big room because she’s with her husband and complains about her small room. Um… First of all, it’s not small, and two people should get a bigger room. Not to mention, Marcell is a giant and Jillian is a primary. Danni asks co-primary Sharie if they want to do the cocktail thing before dinner, and Sharie says yes. Gary asks if the guests want to use the seabob and demonstrates. Danni tells Cloyce that the guests want dinner at 9:30 and he says, good. Any sooner, there will be bad things. Tonya gripes that the seabob was supposed to be fun, but it wasn’t. In Gary’s interview, he says he has no idea if the guests are having a good time. He doesn’t like it one bit. Sharie asks if he’s sure there are no sharks. She goes in for like, two seconds, and says she’s not scared, but she’s done. She tried it. Danni doesn’t see the mixology thing happening, and Diana says she doesn’t like being unprepared. Danni says she’s accepted everything is extremely unprepared and unplanned on this boat. Against Danni’s belief, the mixology thing happens, and Daisy instructs on how to make a mojito and a mango martini. In Daisy’s interview, she says she’s a people pleaser, but she can’t read what’s going on with the guests. Chase asks if they need help, but Marcell says he thinks they quit. In Chase’s interview, he says, it feels super f***ing weird how uncomfortable everyone feels.  

Chase says he can’t tell if the guests are having fun, and Daisy says, it’s a f***ing nightmare. Chase says, they’re just like, deadpan. The guests dress for dinner, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, you can pack a lot of good stuff into seven courses. He wants everything to be delicious, so the guests are excited about the next course and continue to want more. He tells Captain Glenn, the festivities have begun. One of the guests – probably Tonya – complains about having to scoot down the bench seat and thinks there should be an entryway in the middle of the table. The first course is a romaine wedge salad that looks incredible. Cloyce thinks it’s too much food, but Chase says, there should always be more food than they want. Cloyce says, ladies don’t want to feel full. They just want to eat. Cloyce comes up with the next course, a play on Oysters Rockefeller that he calls Cloycesters Rockefeller. Again, it looks amazing and I’m fond of that dish. The champagne bottle slips, and Daisy spills it on the table. In her interview, she says, it’s the worst moment of her life. Thank God it’s just one night. A guest doesn’t like oysters, and Cloyce asks if she wants him to make something else. She asks for shrimp, and he goes back to the galley. He checks her preference sheet, and in his interview, he says, she put down that she likes oysters. Sharie says her Aperol spritz tastes like cough syrup. I can’t speak to this having never had one, but so far these people seem like impossible to please idiots. When Daisy tells the rest of the crew, everyone laughs. Daisy says she thinks they’re underwhelmed, when crab cake porn comes out next. The guests are getting full, and Marcell gripes that the portions are too big. Next is French onion soup, and the guests can barely choke down the sea bass that follows. Daisy tells them not to feel like they have to drink all of the drinks, and guest Teresa suggests they only make three drinks and split them into six.

 In the crew mess, Captain Glenn asks how it’s going, and Daisy says, not amazing. She knocked the champagne over and a guest said they didn’t like oysters. The mood is okay, but not great. In the captain’s interview, he says he’s used to guests walking off happy, having had a great holiday. Daisy thinks Sharie is rude, and Captain Glenn tells her to be careful because someone could be at the top of the stairs and hear her. In his interview, the captain says he meant to bring things up to a higher level and they’re not moving in the right direction. He’s starting to worry.

Cloyce brings up filet mignon and mashed potatoes. Keith says, it’s a f***ing awful night. Dessert is apple crumble with vanilla ice cream, and Jillian says, they did good. Cloyce says, this is dragging on and on, and Tonya complains that the spoon is too small. Daisy tells the stews, worst service ever, and the guests go to bed. Captain Glenn says, they’re dropping the ball. In their bunks, Chase asks who Cloyce is most attracted to, and he says, Daisy, but she’s older than he is. Chase says, if he’s intrigued and she’s intrigued, who cares?

Last day of charter. Daisy says she’s dreading this day, and finds a bag outside one of the cabins. She asks Chase to check it out. She’s worried it’s vomit, and he takes a sniff. He says, yep, it’s vomit, and she chokes. Anchor is home, and breakfast is served. Guest Laquita takes a taste and says, not good. Daisy sees Chase and Danni chatting and tells them to find something to do. She asks if the guests are doing okay, and they say they’re doing good. Danni complains about Daisy to Diana, but Diana says, they annoy her sometimes too. Danni suggests if they do, Diana should say something to her, and in Diana’s interview, she says she agrees with Daisy. They dock and everyone complains about the heat. The guests convene in one of the lounges and Jillian asks if they think it was five-star service. Tonya says she was sick and couldn’t find a trash can. Hello? There’s a sink and a wastebasket in the bathroom. The crew lines up on the dock, but Glenn asks if the guests want to talk to him about something. Sharie says, they were debriefing about the pluses and things that could be improved. When it’s this level of luxury, they want what they paid for. Jillian says, tell the truth. Outside, Danni says, it feels sketch, and Daisy says, it’s going to be uncomfortable.

Next time, Detox, the world famous drag superstar; Keith and Daisy kiss; and something causes Daisy to walk off the boat crying.

☝️ My take. WTF, these guests? First of all, I honestly think they didn’t understand they weren’t going on a motor yacht. It’s a little less like a floating hotel. As far as their mountain of complaints – mostly from Tonya – go, they complained about the things they’d asked for: a lot of food, oysters, the water toys, and actual sailing. Then there was Tonya’s complaint that the primary and her husband got a bigger room than she did. Duh. She’s one person and they’re two. And her room was small? Hardly, and how much time did she spend in there anyway? The worst thing was her saying she couldn’t find a trash receptacle and leaving a bag of vomit outside her room. Disgusting. Like I said, sink and wastebasket right there in the bathroom. These are the kind of guests that make me want to find them online and troll them. I have no doubt the tip will be low, if anything at all.

🧼 No Soap, New Year’s…

Here’s the lowdown. GH will be showing a rerun tomorrow and is not on at all New Year’s Day.

🐕 Beauty and the Beasts…

No doubt he celebrated with a better dinner than I had tonight. Or possibly any night.

https://people.com/monty-giant-schnauzer-wins-2024-akc-national-championship-8767119

How can you not love them? Although Dogpool aka Peggy will always have my heart.

https://people.com/pets/the-ugliest-dogs-in-the-world/

🥂 Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot…

There’s nothing tomorrow, but I’ll post the celebrity roll call of the dead and a few other choice morsels. Until then, stay safe, especially on New Year’s Eve when the amateur drunks come out; stay not feeling forced to celebrate anything or make any resolutions you probably won’t keep past February anyway; and stay waiting for your own lawyer before being questioned by one.

December 16, 2024 – Portia Gives Elizabeth a Choice, Studio 50 Birthday On Deck, Opening Up, New Soap Preview, Movies Of the Season, Wildlife Jokers & Baby

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Elizabeth says, Lucky won’t believe it. Another patient with a clean bill of health died of a heart attack on her watch. It was out of nowhere and starting just like Sam. Lucky says, it’s not a coincidence, and asks if there are any updates on the investigation. She says, no, and she’s gone over everything a million times. He says, something is definitely wrong.

Jason comes into the hospital and sees Anna.

Josslyn takes Dex’s hand and says, this is real. He’s really gone.

At the Surf Lodge, Lulu says she’s trying to get a lead, and Dante suggests she take a breather. She asks how she can breathe when her daughter is missing, and he says, they will find her. She says, Valentin is as connected as they come. He could literally be anywhere. He says he knows she’s scared and overwhelmed, and she says, that’s why she broke into Windymere. She needs a clue. He says, she also needs a reality check – a big one.

Michael says he won’t leak the video to protect his children, Drew’s daughter, and Willow from her own humiliating mistake. But that also protects Drew too. He’s hiding behind them to protect his reputation. So much for Willow’s hero. Drew says, Michael knows nothing about him and Willow, and Michael suggests Drew tell him. Drew says he’ll fill Michael in, but Michael won’t like what he hears. Michael says he still wants to hear it, and Drew says, it’s not about hero worship or Willow feeling indebted to him. They developed legitimate feelings for one another. Michael asks if Willow said that, and Drew says, Michael knows Willow wouldn’t have slept with him if it wasn’t real. They fought it for months. Michael asks if Drew wants thanks for his restraint, and Drew says, they ignored what they felt until they couldn’t. He’s so sorry Michael was hurt. It was a horrible thing to do to Michael, never mind the family. Michael says, imagine if Drew understood the meaning of the word family. He never cared about anyone but himself. If he had, he would have stopped and thought twice about sleeping with his nephew’s wife and tearing the family apart.  

Willow says, they’re going to Grandma Nina’s for a sleepover, when Carly comes in. She asks where they’re off too in such a hurry. They wouldn’t be trying to take Michael’s children away. Nina tells Wiley to say hi to Grandma Carly, and Wiley hugs her. Nina says, they’re on their way to a sleepover adventure. Carly can see how excited the kids are. Carly says, if they think she’s not going to stop what’s going on because the children are present, they’re superbly wrong.

Wiley asks if Carly wants to come on the sleepover, but she says she thinks they need to stay here. Willow says, this is not the time or place for an adult conversation. They can wait until tomorrow. Carly says, then the kids can go right back to bed, and when they wake up, daddy will be here. Willow says, the kids need to be with her, and Carly says, then she can stay here too, and Grandma Nina can find her way home. Nina says, she’s not going without her grandchildren. Get out of the way.

Drew says he never meant to hurt Michael or the family, and Michael says, but he did. He tore the family apart, but him staying silent will only delay the inevitable. It’s going to come out eventually. Drew says, the Quartermaines can handle it. They’ve all cheated. Tracy walks in with Ned and says, not her, and Drew says, just stay away. Tracy says she’s not going to address Drew’s disgusting use of his grief to justify sleeping with Michael’s wife, and Ned says, that’s a new low, even for Quartermaine standards. Michael says he can’t speak for everybody. They can do what they want. He leaves and Tracy says, where to begin…

Dante asks, what if he had to tell Rocco that he’d lost Lulu again because he shot her? Think about it. Lulu says, it would be horrible, and he says he gets it, but she has to be safe. If she gets hurt or something happens to her, it does her, Rocco, and Charlotte no good. She says, one thing that hasn’t changed is that she hates that he’s right this one, isolated time. He says he’ll need that in writing.

Elizabeth tells Lucky that Dex had a stab wound. Post-op, he was alert and seemed like himself, when the alarms went crazy. Lucky asks if it was another overdose of digitalis, and she says, the report’s not back yet, but… He says, it could be identical, and she says, it can’t be a coincidence. Portia asks if she can speak to Elizabeth for a moment in her office, and Lucky says he’d like to be there. Portia says, it’s a private hospital matter, and Elizabeth asks if it involves Dex, Sam, and her future at GH. Portia nods, and Elizabeth says she’d like Lucky to be there for support. Portia says, okay.

Anna says, she and Josslyn were together when Isaiah broke the news, and Jason asks how Josslyn is. Anna says, Josslyn’s in shock. So is she. It doesn’t seem possible. Dex was fine after surgery. She called Carly, but she’s not picking up. Jason says he’ll handle it and thanks Anna for calling. Anna says she knew he’d take care of her and leaves. Jason stands in the doorway, and Josslyn tells Dex that she’d do anything for him to wake up. Or for someone to wake her up and tell her to wake up from this nightmare. She cries and says, he’s really gone. She puts her head on his chest.

Tracy asks if Ned doesn’t have some old colleagues at a communications firm, and Ned says, in Newport. She says, they could leak it for him, and he says, it would go viral before Drew is sworn in. Tracy says she can see the headlines now: New York Congressman Caught with His Nephew’s Wife on Camera. Drew asks if they think he cares about any of this coming at him. Besides, Tracy wouldn’t do that. Tracy says, wouldn’t she? and Drew says, the Quartermaine name will get dragged through the mud. She says, it won’t be the first time, and Drew asks how Edward, Lila, and Alan would feel. Tracy says, Drew isn’t one of them. Go back to Cain. He’s hidden behind the family long enough. Drew asks what criteria he needs to be a Quartermaine. Wait. He knows. Will withholding heart medication while standing over his dying father do the trick?

Carly says, Wiley and Amelia can stay here. This is their home. Willow says, they’re her family, and Carly says, and Michael’s. Willow says, what happens next isn’t up to Carly. Her children come first. Carly says, Willow wasn’t thinking about that before her last sleepover, and Nina says, that’s enough. Grandma Carly is ruining the fun. Carly says she loves a party as much as anyone, but everyone is sleeping in their own bed. Michael comes in, and Carly says, look. Daddy’s home.

Josslyn says, Dex looks like a stranger and himself at the same time. She doesn’t know what happens when we die – nobody does – but she feels him here. She thinks he’s still here. She can feel him with her. So she’ll say what she would have said if she’d known it was the last time she was talking to him. Thank you for saving my life and for trusting me with your heart and changing the way I see the world and my place in it. Which is going to change again. Jason continues to listen, and she says, the future she saw had him and them in it. She thanks him for loving her. She hopes she said it often enough, but in case she wasn’t clear, she loves him with everything in her. She kisses him, and Jason shakes his head. She sees Jason and goes to him. He holds her as she cries and says he’s sorry.

Portia says, their first priority is the patients’ health and well-being, and Elizabeth says, it happened on her watch, and she knows there are protocols. Portia says, it was unexplained and will be added to Sam’s investigation. While that’s playing out, she thinks Elizabeth should take a step back from patient care. Elizabeth asks what she means, and Portia says, she has choices. There’s the administrative choice, paperwork and schedules, or she can take a take the personal leave route. No patient interaction is the criteria she’s working with. Lucky says, until Elizabeth is cleared, right? and Portia says, as soon as she gets the green light, Elizabeth will be back to being head nurse. It could take time. There are no cameras in the patients’ rooms, only in the hallway, and they have to go through all the footage. Lucky says, pinpointing it could be tough, and Elizabeth says, and time consuming. It would feel wrong being away from the hospital, so she prefers working here in any capacity. Portia says she was hoping Elizabeth would make that choice. She’ll sign the paperwork right away.

Lulu says she hopes Dante doesn’t think she’s prioritizing Charlotte over Rocco, but he says, that’s what she should be doing. She says, Dante is an incredible father, and Dante says, Charlotte is God knows where. Lulu says, with Valentin as her father, and Dante says he gets it. Lulu says, he’s probably pulling Charlotte deeper into hiding. She had a small window where she had the element of surprise. Now she feels it’s closed and she’s afraid she’ll never see Charlotte again.

Felicia and Mac join Anna at the hospital, and Mac says he can’t believe it. Anna says she convinced Dex to join the force. She persisted and he relented. Mac says, no one puts on the badge because someone forces them to, and Felicia says, Dex was proud to be a member of the PCPD. He told her a few hours ago. Anna says, it doesn’t seem real, and Felicia says, it’s unfair.

Jason brings Josslyn to the footbridge, and she asks, why are they here? He says he likes this spot. It’s a place to think or talk. She says she can’t wrap her head around this happening again, and he says, after Oscar. She says she’s done this already. She can’t do it again. With Oscar, at least she got to say goodbye. It was awful, but she got to say what she wanted. She never got a chance with Dex. The other day, they were decorating for Christmas, and she could tell he was uncomfortable. Christmas was not a happy time for him as a kid. She promised they would make new memories together, and she’s realizing that she’s never going to make another memory with him again. Jason hugs her and she cries some more.

Michael asks, what’s going on? and Carly says, they were trying to take the kids for a sleepover. Nina says, that’s what’s best right now, and Willow says, they need their mom. Michael says, they need their dad too. It’s best they stay here. Willow says she knows they have a lot to talk about, and they will, but tonight, she needs this and so do they.

Drew says, Alan was his father, and he has as much right to the Quartermaine name as anyone. Tracy says, none of this is his. He waltzed in here and set everything up like he owned it. Like it was home. Ned says, he’s done nothing but cause chaos. He just got elected and managed to screw that up. Tracy says, with a tale as old as time, and Drew says he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Tracy says, he thinks he and Willow are unique and they’re love is special, but they’re as common as they come. From the doorway, Lulu says, stepmonster, you haven’t changed a bit, and she and Tracy hug.  

At the Surf Lodge, Lucky asks how Elizabeth is doing, and she says she’ll miss taking care of the patients, but she’s still in the building. He says, at least they didn’t ban her, and she thanks him for being with her. It was comforting having a friend there. He says he’s her wingman, remember? and they clink glasses.  

Michael tells the kids to have fun at Grandma Nina’s, and Wiley says, yay! Willow says, they’ll see him soon. She promises. Michael tells them to be good for mommy. He loves them both very much, no matter where they are. Willow says, they should get going, and Michael says, they’ll talk in the morning. They leave, and Carly says, that was a mistake.

Lulu says, Tracy can get back to whatever it is, but Tracy says she was done with whatever it is a long time ago, and tells Drew and Ned to get out. She wants to catch up with her stepdaughter. They leave, and Dante says he’ll see Lulu around. She thanks him for the ride, and Dante leaves. Lulu says, the catch-up is going to be one-sided. She’s been asleep for four years. Did Tracy miss her? Tracy says, she has no idea how much. She’s here. healthy, thriving, and as beautiful as ever. Lulu asks if Tracy struck a deal with Father Time, and Tracy asks if it worked. Lulu says, yeah… What? Tracy says she’s drinking it in. She’s been praying for this, and that’s not something she does often. Lulu says she’s flattered, and Tracy says, her prayer was answered. Lulu is home. Lulu says she’s ready to make up for lost time, and Tracy says she bets Lulu is. They hug.

Ned walks into the nook and says, good. Drew is still here. Drew says he lives here, and Ned says, for now. Drew says, they want to same thing. Annihilating him isn’t worth ruining the family name. Ned says, if he agrees that protecting Drew outweighs it, he’ll make sure his mother doesn’t go scorched earth. Drew says, Willow and the kids will be destroyed, and Ned says, they already are and whose fault is that?

Carly says, Michael just gave Willow a leg up in the custody trial. Did she tell him that she was leaving? He says, no, and she says, Willow wanted to sneak out and he didn’t stop her. He says he remembers what it was like when she took him and Morgan from dad. They were terrified and he refuses to do that to Wiley and Amelia. She says she’s sorry. She’s pushing because she loves him. He says he has no intention of losing the kids, and she says she’ll call Diane, so Diane can strategize. She sees how many missed calls and texts she has, and says, oh my God… She makes a call, and Michael asks, what’s going on? She says, Dex. He’s dead.

Josslyn tells Jason that it doesn’t make sense. Dex was healthy and just died of a heart attack. He just had surgery, and she’d questioned if he even needed it. She needs to know what went wrong or she’ll never let go. He says, it may bring her peace… and she says, but it won’t bring Dex back. He says he wishes it would.

Tracy says, Luke knew Lulu would make it back. He told everybody that she was going to wake up when she was good and ready. She didn’t like to be rushed. Lulu says she’s so sorry, and Tracy thanks her and says she is too. Lulu asks if Tracy was happy, and Tracy says, they both were. Lulu says, so they were still together, and Tracy says, and going strong. Who’d have thunk it? Lulu says, her, and Tracy says, Luke loved her so much. Lulu says, there were plenty of times he wasn’t around, and Tracy says, but the hard part is, there will be no next time. Lulu says, it hurts so much, she can barely breath, and Tracy says she knows the feeling. Lulu says, he passed down his grit, determination, and resilience to her, and Tracy says, and his sense of humor. Lulu says, he gave her so many things, but best of all, he gave her Tracy. Tracy says, Lulu’s dad binds them together. That’s what makes their relationship so special. Enough now. She wants to talk about Lulu. How is she handling everything? Lulu says, to be honest, it’s been really hard.  

Michael asks if Ned has seen Sasha, but Ned says, not recently. Is he okay? Michael says he’s not great. Willow took the kids to Nina’s until they figure what comes next. Ned says he knows they say it takes two and they’re right, but make no mistake. Willow is not the enemy; Drew is. Michael says, that’s clear, and Ned says he’s dealing with other issues right now, but Michael has his full support. Anything he needs. Michael thanks him, and Ned says, Drew didn’t just betray Michael. He betrayed all of them and he’s going to live to regret it.

Drew knocks at the gatehouse, but there’s no answer. He looks at all the messages he’s sent to Willow on his phone that have gone unanswered and calls Willow. It rings and he says, pick up.

In Nina’s car, Willow sees that Drew is calling, but Nina says, don’t answer. Drew has made her life a living nightmare. He put his needs first. Willow ignores the call.

Tracy says she can’t imagine how overwhelmed Lulu is, and Lulu says, a lot has gone down in four years. Tracy suggests she focus on the present. She’s here, surrounded by everyone she loves, especially her son. Lulu says she didn’t believe it. Looking her in the face was this handsome young man barely with barely a glimmer of the little boy she remembers. She has a lot of catching up to do. Tracy asks if it was wonderful reconnecting, and Lulu says, it was everything she’d hoped for. He was so excited to fill her in and talks a mile a minute. She loves it. She wants that moment with Charlotte too. She needs to find Charlotte. Tracy says, Lulu has all her resources, but promise she won’t go rogue like her father and be smarter. Lulu says, he’s rolling in his grave. No one is smarter than Luke Spencer. Tracy asks if she promises, Lulu says she does, and they hug.

Josslyn says she knows the answers won’t bring back Dex, and Jason says, but she wants them anyway. She says, Dex saved her life, and he says, his too. She says, Dex was an amazing, selfless person. How could he get taken so soon? Carly arrives and hugs Josslyn. She says she’s so, so sorry.

Anna says, it doesn’t make sense, and Mac says, in broad daylight at a Christmas festival. It doesn’t add up. Anna says, take her though it one more time, and Felicia says, Dex was by the garbage pouring out the alcohol he’d confiscated. He was alone. Anna says, which would imply he was the intended target, and Mac says, after surgery, he was fine. Felicia says she was sitting with him watching the game. There was no indication that anything was wrong. Mac asks if it’s possible Dex was tracked to the hospital so the attacker could finish what they started, and Anna asks if anything sticks out. Felicia says, something is nagging her about a missing detail, but she can’t put her finger on it. Anna says she’s sure it will come to her.

Elizabeth says her heart breaks for Sam and Dex’s loved ones, and Lucky says, his too. She says, people go to the hospital to heal. It’s incredibly creepy and deliberate. He says, something is going on at GH. He hopes they figure it out before someone else gets hurt.  

Tomorrow, Lulu tells Brook, let’s get something straight; Tracy asks what Sasha has to say for herself; Anna wants Jason to take the lead in finding Charlotte; and Ric tells Elizabeth, steer clear of General Hospital.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Cala Compte, Ibiza. Danni tells Daisy that she’s learned, even if you’re offended, shut the f*** up anyway, and in Danni’s interview, she says, Daisy keeps finding a way to have a go at her. Respectfully, f*** off. Captain Glenn and Daisy discuss the schedule for the evening, and Daisy says, it’s going to be a long night. She suggests Gary do a funny skit tonight to make the guests laugh, and he asks Keith to help out. In Keith’s interview, he says, he does have a creative side, but doesn’t usually exercise it. Daisy says, they’ll do it after dinner, and Cloyce asks if Davide wants to help him make pizza. The guests want it for after the club. In Davide’s interview, he says, asking an Italian if they want to make pizza is like asking if the sky is blue, and he tells Cloyce that in Italy they use sticky dough. Daisy wants Diana to work with only three hours sleep, but Diana makes a big deal out of it, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Dianna’s reaction was over the top. She’s worked yachts where she’s had five hours sleep the whole season. She got into this position by doing what she was told with a smile on her face. Diana and Danni aren’t going to progress in any career if they don’t adjust their attitudes.

Daisy tells Gary that she loves sharing a cabin with him, except she thinks he’s lactose intolerant. In Gary’s interview, he says he feels like they have best friend chemistry. If you marry someone or get together with them, you want to be best friends. When they’re in the same room, he feels better. Danni says she doesn’t know what Studio 50 is. Apparently, she’s never heard of Studio 54, since Studio 50 is primary Ronnie’s birthday spin on it . Ronnie watches Danni decorate and says she doesn’t want any black. Gold and black means over the hill. She’s seen that at Walgreens. Guest Ren says, yet she wears black, and in Danni’s interview, she says, who hates black? This is pissing her off. Ronnie suggests gold and white, and says, rose gold would have nailed it. No. What would have nailed it was her putting that on her preference sheet.

In Captain Glenn’s interview, she says, sailing can be dangerous, so it’s good to have a patron saint. The St. Carmen festival is all about asking for protection on the high seas. He doesn’t know if he’s a true believer, but why tempt fate? After the jellyfish, the guests need all the protection they can get. Geez. It wasn’t the Kraken. The guests leave with Gary and Chase, and they go to where there are a million boats on the water. A yacht with the statue of St. Carmen goes by, and Ronnie yells at someone to move so she can get a picture. In Chase’s interview, he says he has no idea what’s going on, but Carmen is a popular lady who’s difficult to take a picture of. Another guest says, they’re all here to wish Ronnie a happy birthday. The guests come back and tell Daisy that it was so much fun. They must be drunk already because it looked hella boring.

Daisy is nervous about the timing, but Cloyce says he’s ready. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, last night, he and Daisy had communication issues. We flash back to that, and he says, the chief stew and chef are like a marriage. They have to adapt to each other’s differences and overcome them to accomplish a mission. Happy wife, happy life. Gary tells Chase that his mouth gets worse when he’s drinking, and he’s alienated people on the boat already. In the galley, Cloyce says, it’s going to be a long one, but Diane tells him, don’t say that. Guest Kate says, Studio 54, here we come, even though the sign clearly says, Studio 50. Why can no one get this right? In Daisy’s interview, she says, every meal with Cloyce is a bloody roller coaster. Please be a good meal. She sees that Keith has typed out the skit, and Gary practices a horse galloping sound. Cloyce makes a smoke bomb under the cloches for the main dish. In Keith’s interview, he says he’s trying to figure out how to salvage the charter. If they can make the guests laugh, they can turn this around.

After the entrée, Daisy announces the skit, and Keith says, this is a story about something that happened on this trip. Gary pretends to be Ronnie in a wig and sparkly tube top, and Keith says, she was mastering a flight board when a great beast emerged. Someone (Davide?) has an umbrella over his head and wears streamers, pretending to be a jellyfish, and Ronnie/Gary says, not today. Get back. It’s my bloody 50th and nothing is going to stop me from dancing all night. The jellyfish slinks away, and Ronnie/Gary says she’s ready for a night on the town with her group of absolute diamonds. Happy Birthday. The cake comes out and it’s elegant perfection. Ronnie says, they’ve outdone themselves, and in Keith’s interview, he says he thinks he’s a modern-day Shakespeare. The Dr. Suess of the sea. Diana whines again about the schedule, and Daisy says, never mind. She’ll do it. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Diana has a sense of entitlement. That’s why she has to do the job. She wants to show them that she can do what she’s asked them to do. That being said, she’s pissed.  

In Diana’s interview, she says, this is bullsh*t. She was going to do the job. Daisy is just being a martyr and will act like it’s a huge favor. It’s Daisy’s mistake because of not enough planning. The guests leave for the club, and Cloyce gets the dough ready. At 5 am, the guests come back, and Daisy tells Cloyce that she can’t be bothered with this nightclub crap. Cloyce asks, how’s the vibe? and she says, quiet. He says, if he was a drunken hot mommy, he’d be happy. He makes pizza, along with some other Italian dishes, and the guests shove noodles, pizza, and nachos in their mouths. Daisy tells Cloyce that she got the impression the guests regretted the food, and the guests go to bed. In Keith’s interview, he says he loves Gary, but Gary needs to know when to dial back the fun. He thinks Daisy is more mature.

En route to Igy Marina. They dock and the guests pack. Diana tells Chase, after the season, she’s going to Portugal. There are no yachties there. In Chase’s interview, he says he thinks there’s more to Diana than meets the eye. He didn’t come in looking for a boatmance, but Diana is stunning, and he wants to see what happens. As they’re talking, Danni keeps coming in and asking Diana where various things are. In Diana’s interview, she says, what the f***? and Danni says she’s sorry for interrupting. In her interview, Diana says, Danni has been on the boat for a while. She knows what she’s doing and out of nowhere, she’s forgetting where things are.

The crew and guests say their goodbyes, and Ronnie says, it was marvelous, one hell of a trip. She says she appreciates them and gives Captain Glenn the envelope. As they leave, he blows the horn, and Gary says he thinks it went well. Diana hugs Chase, who says he had a long day yesterday. Daisy has a stew meeting, and Danni says, it was crazy, but they managed. Daisy says, they seemed stoked. Keep the energy. She always has a system, and they seemed annoyed when she tried it with breaks, asking why someone else got so many hours. It might not always make sense, but there’s thought behind it. It’s time for the tip meeting, and Captain Glenn says, unfortunately, the primary was attacked by a jellyfish. Way to go handling the sting. It was an absolutely perfect response. The deck team is jelling and working well. Gary welcomes Chase, and the captain says, the tip is $24K or 2296 euros each. They have champagne, and the crew gets dressed to go out. Daisy asks if Gary is going to be on his best behavior, and he says he’s not drinking. She says, new day, new you? and he says he thinks so. In Gary’s interview, he says, alcohol is not his friend. He drinks to escape or because he doesn’t want to kill the vibe. In Daisy’s interview, she says, if Gary is trying to grow and change, she’s behind it, but doesn’t see it lasting. In his interview, Gary says he’s not going to let alcohol control his life like it’s controlled the last 14 years, and in her interview, Daisy says she doesn’t think it’s going to last through dinner.

Chase thinks Davide looks like Sigfried and Roy and he’s right. In Diana’s interview, she says, Chase is hot and nice, but she dates people who end up treating her like sh*t. Her ex was a narcissist and when they broke up, she put up huge walls to protect herself. She’s still guarded, but Chase doesn’t seem like a f*** boy and she’s ready to be treated like a human. They take a couple of taxis to an absolutely gorgeous restaurant where they sit outside. Gary looks like he’s jonesing for a drink already, and Chase says he wants to go adequately crazy. Daisy says, Cloyce is living his best life, and Gary orders a mocktail. He says he’s going to have a chill night, and Daisy says she thinks it’s amazing. She’ll be his emotional supporter. Magnificent food porn comes out that I badly want to sample. Cloyce tells Daisy that he bets a lot of people are interested in a taste of Ireland, and everyone clinks glasses. On the boat, Captain Glenn exercises with elastic bands and does a couple of jumping jacks. He says, that’s his exercise for the year. I tried using those bands once and ended up slapping myself in the face with one.

At the restaurant, the crew drinks and drinks and drinks, and Gary looks pissed off. Chase leaves the table, and Daisy asks, what’s happening with Diana and Chase? Diana says, nothing, and Daisy says she thinks they’re sweet together. Would Diana make out with him? Diana says, probably yes, and Daisy asks how Gary feels sober. Is it enlightening? Gary says, they’re not that bad, and they all toast to vibes. In Gary’s interview, he says he hasn’t experienced this before. Everyone is sloppy and slurring their words. He’s probably worse, so he can only imagine. They go back to the boat, and Daisy says she feels she and Keith are kindred spirits. They all take shots in the jacuzzi, except for Gary who goes to bed. Davide asks what he’s doing, and Gary says he’s going to chill. Go. Have a good time. In his interview, Gary says, inside, he knows he’s lovable. He doesn’t need alcohol. He tells Davide, maybe it’s a lesson. He needs to learn how to say no and stop himself from continuing down that road. Davide says he understands, and Gary tells him not to do anything stupid.  

Davide has to bodyshot Cloyce and says he wants more. Yuk. They play a few stupid games, then Daisy says, they have to recreate their favorite movie scene make out. Danni chooses The Notebook, and she and Chase make out. In Diana’s interview, she says, what the f***? Danni gets on top of Chase in the jacuzzi, and Chase suggests they leave. They get out of the hot tub and go downstairs. Cloyce says, she’s having her walk of shame before, and Diana says she hates Ibiza. Chase and Danni go into the master cabin, and Danni admits she’s been there once before with someone else, but they didn’t do anything. Chase says he appreciates her telling him. Daisy says she thought Diana and Chase were vibing, and in her interview, Diana says, when you’re on a boat, all your life is these people. When you connect with someone and now they connect with someone else, you’re alone. She tells Daisy that Danni is obsessed with Chase and goes to sit in the wheelhouse. She says, it’s frustrating. It’s like she doesn’t belong anywhere.

To all the single ladies. Guys come and go, but girlfriends are forever. Don’t do this to each other.

Next time, Gary asks Daisy if they have a relationship; Daisy thinks the guests will be high maintenance; and Glenn talks with the guests.

🚑 Exit Interview…

He’s taking it well, although I see him as a Lifetime/Hallmark success.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/evan-hofer-opens-up-about-leaving-general-hospital

🧼 Opening the Gates…

This looks really good. I’m hoping it sticks. It’s going to be on at 2 pm EST, so no conflict with GH.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/beyond-the-gates/watch-the-first-preview-of-new-cbs-soap-beyond-the-gates

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

🎄 Get Started…

There’s over 100 new Christmas movies airing. Better get moving on that.

https://ew.com/how-to-watch-christmas-movies-2024-8728376

There’s also the ones on constant rotation throughout the season. Like Elf, Christmas with the Kranks, and the classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

https://ew.com/national-lampoons-christmas-vacation-cast-then-now-8761993

🦉 Comics In the Wild…

Comedy, it’s not just for humans anymore.

https://people.com/nikon-comedy-wildlife-awards-winners-funniest-photos-8761534

🌝 Brightly Shone the Moon That Night…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap and a dose of reality. Until then, stay safe; stay never arriving empty-handed as a guest (even if the host says the standard, just bring yourself); and stay ordering a mocktail if alcohol is not your friend.

December 9, 2024 – Sam’s Fatal Dose Is Revealed, No Rosé But a Jellyfish On Deck & End

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Josslyn and Trina go tree shopping with Dex and Gio in Rice Plaza. Josslyn says, their first tree for their first apartment, and Dex asks if they didn’t have one in their dorm room, but Trina says, it was lame. She asks if Gio has something to say, but Josslyn shakes her head at him, and he says, good things come in small packages. Trina says, let Operation Christmas Tree commence.

Lucky watches a guitarist playing in the plaza and puts some money in his case. He bumps into Elizabeth and says, fancy meeting you here.

Back home, Alexis says, Molly left the courthouse before they had a chance to talk, and Molly asks, what is there to talk about? Ava was found not guilty. Case closed. Alexis says she wasn’t referring to the verdict. She was referring to what Molly’s sister said. Molly says, that Irene wasn’t her daughter? and Alexis says, she shouldn’t have said it. It was hurtful… Molly says, stop. It’s not working.

Martin goes to Laura’s office, and she says, what a nice surprise. He says, what her daughter managed to pull off is exciting and amazing, and Laura says, can he believe it? After four years, Lulu is finally back and doing great. She has a fully functioning liver and is coming along beautifully. They hug, and Laura says, once her incision is healed, Lulu will be in perfect health. Martin says, she knows it’s a miracle, right? It feels more poignant at this time of year. Laura agrees and he says, it wasn’t without its hiccups. She asks if he’s talking about Cyrus, and he says he heard about the mix-up at Turning Woods. She says, it wasn’t a mix-up. It was a deliberate deception. Cyrus convinced the doctors that he was allowed to give orders regarding Lulu’s medical care. She wonders what he was up to.

Sonny walks into Pozzulo’s with Kristina and asks if she’s hungry, but she says she can’t even think about eating. He says, the verdict was a shock and emotions were high, but she’ll be all right. She and Molly will figure it out after things settle. She didn’t mean what she said. She says she’s not talking about that. Molly wasn’t Adela’s mother. That’s a fact and she has zero regret about saying it.

Lucky says, Lulu is doing amazingly well after her adventure, and Elizabeth says, she’s a Spencer. Lucky asks if Aiden is with her, but she says, he’s at the mall with his friends. He asks if she’s here solo, and she says, unless he wants to be her wingman. He says he’d love to. What is she doing? She says she’s picking out a tree, and he says, from the puny ones? She says she thought something small would be nice, and he says, who is she and what has she done with Elizabeth? The tree is her favorite thing about Christmas, and a small one won’t hold a fraction of her ornaments. She needs a big tree. She asks how she’s going to drag it into the house, and he says, her wingman at her service. Now let’s get a real tree.

Martin says, so Laura is telling him that Lulu freaked out about Cyrus, pulled the fire alarm, snuck out of Turning Woods, and hitchhiked to Port Charles, and she says, yes, to all of the above. He says, damn. She takes after her mama. Laura says she’s proud of Lulu’s strength, but she hated that Lulu felt she was in danger. Why did no one tell her that Cyrus was volunteering there? He says, that’s probably why Cyrus didn’t tell him. He’s sorry. He’ll make sure Cyrus knows to leave their niece alone. She says she got a restraining order. Cyrus can go nowhere near any members of her family.

Alexis says she’s worried about Molly, and Molly asks if she isn’t worried about Kristina. Alexis says, of course (🍷), and Molly says, that’s why Alexis hasn’t gotten in the middle. Alexis says she tries not to interfere, but she wants to help when Molly is hurt. She can’t lose another daughter. Molly says, that’s why she has to go. Alexis won’t lose her ever, but if Alexis looks like she’s siding with her, she’ll absolutely lose Kristina.

Kristin says, Molly is choosing to believe Ava, and Sonny says, it’s surprising. Kristina says, Molly thinks if she labels the baby’s death as an accident it will be easier to process, and she can move on. But Kristina knows what happened. Ava pushed her out a window and killed her baby. She’s never going to forget that. He says, him neither. One way or another, Ava will pay.

Josslyn and Trina find their tree, and Dex asks if they’re sure. Josslyn says she senses doubt, and he says, that’s the fourth perfect tree they’ve found. Gio says, they’ve looked at every single one. and Josslyn says, perfection takes time. Gio says, Olivia, Lois, and Tracy have been arguing about the decorations for the Quartermaine Christmas party, and Trina asks if it’s not tomorrow. Gio asks if they’re coming, but Dex says he has to work and asks how deep Josslyn and Trina’s tree stand is… They don’t have one, do they? Trina asks if they don’t sell them here, and Dex says, while they pick one out, he’ll go get coffee. Josslyn tells Gio to guard the tree with his life, and leaves with Trina. Dex goes over to put some money in a charity collection bucket and realizes it’s Cyrus ringing the bell.

Martin asks how Lulu is adjusting. Four years is a lot of time to miss out on. Laura says, she’s trying to fill in the blanks at record speed. It took everything to convince her to rest. She’d like Lulu to ease into it and take care of herself. She doesn’t realize making peace with what she’s trying to is enormous. She’s having dinner with her son tonight. He says, Rocco must be thrilled and vice versa. Imagine waking up and years have passed. Laura says she can. She lived that.

Alexis says she’s not taking sides, but Molly says, Kristina isn’t going to see it that way. Alexis says, that’s between her and Kristina. Molly needs her and so does Kristina. She wants to help them grieve. Molly says, according to TJ and Kristina, she’s doing it wrong, and Alexis says, no one has the right to tell her that. Everyone grieves in their own way. It makes Kristina feel better to blame other people, and she’s having trouble accepting the verdict. Molly says, she has no choice, and Alexis tells her that she’s not saying it’s logical. Molly asks if Alexis thinks Ava pushed Kristina.

Sonny says he’s sorry that Molly bought what Ric and Ava were selling, and Kristina says, they don’t know Ava and how she ruins live for sport. That’s why she’s enraged at how Molly believes Ava over her. Sonny says, Molly had to believe it was an accident, and Kristina says, it simplifies it. If Molly labels it an accident, that removes the painful, confusing emotional process. He says, life doesn’t work that way. Life is messy. She says, if Molly wants to believe Ava, fine. Ava is guilty and her daughter deserves justice. Kristina is going to make damn well sure she gets it.

Lucky says, the tree is being tied to Elizabeth’s car, and Elizabeth says, this reminds her of their grand plan to move to New York City when they were teens. He says, they were going to live in Greenwich Village, and he was going to make a killing playing music in the park. She was going to be a famous and hugely successful artist. She says, it was a foolproof, practical plan, and he says, you’re supposed to dream big at that age. She says, it was hard not to get caught up in it. He was the first person to ever truly believe in her. He got her to believe in herself. He says he believes she’s worthy of all of it. She still is. She deserves the world. The tree guy tells them that they’re all set, and Lucky says he has the feeling it’s going to be a great Christmas.

Martin tells Laura that he’s sorry. He didn’t know. She says, when she was well enough to go home, the little girl she remembered was a spirited teen. Martin says he was one himself, and she says her too. She was proud of the person Lulu had become and was grateful to the people who took care of her when she couldn’t. Martin asks what it was like, and she says, it was bumpy and took time, but eventually they managed to build a mother/daughter relationship. It still kills her that she missed so much of Lulu’s childhood. Michael says, Lulu must feel the same way, and Laura says, she absolutely does. She’s proud of the young man he’s become, but part of her is mourning the loss of her little boy she didn’t have enough time with. She wishes she could do more. He asks if she’s had any luck with Charlotte, but she says, no. Has he heard from Valentin? He says, no. He would have told her. She says, the look on Lulu’s face when she told her that Charlotte was missing broke her heart.  

Sonny says he’s proud of Kristina. She did everything she could for her daughter. She put her pain on display. She couldn’t do more. It’s done now. Let him deal with Ava. He knows it’s hard. She says, but it’s not honoring Adela, and he says, she has to find a new purpose.

Alexis tells Molly that she believes the jury arrived at a fair verdict given the circumstances. She knows Kristina can’t accept that yet. Molly says she doesn’t know if Kristina will ever get peace over the baby’s death. She sees it as a betrayal. Alexis says she hopes Kristina realizes that and doesn’t equate loving the baby with blaming Ava. Molly wonders why Alexis is the only one who hears her, and Alexis says, because she’s Molly’s mommy.

Cyrus says, it’s nice to see Dex, and Dex says he hopes Cyrus is obeying the restraining order. Cyrus says he’s filling his days with good works, but Dex says, that’s not an answer. Cyrus says, of course (🍷) he’s abiding by his sister’s wishes, and Dex says, he didn’t before. Cyrus says he has no idea what Dex is referring to, and Dex says he remembers seeing Cyrus in the hall at GH after Laura told him to stop visiting Lulu. Cyrus says he was distributing candy in the children’s wing, but Dex says he saw Cyrus on the 10th floor, coincidentally the floor Lulu’s room was on. Cyrus says, hand to God, he wasn’t there to see Lulu on Halloween.

Lucky and Elizabeth bring in the tree, and Lucky asks if Aiden is coming soon to help. She says, it’s doubtful, and Lucky says, it would be cool if Aiden came home to a Christmas wonderland… unless she thinks he would be upset. She says, he would be thrilled. Less work for him. Lucky says, let’s do it, and she asks if he’s offering to help decorate. He asks if she baked cookies, and she says, Aiden baked four different kinds. He says, they should be tested for quality control. They don’t want subpar cookies. Let’s get the place Santa ready. She thanks him and says, he exceeds wingman expectations. He says, there’s nowhere he’d rather be.

Sonny asks if Kristina has thought about his job offer, but she says she’s not excited about the coffee business. He says, what about the youth center? but she says she stepped aside because of the controversy about her relationship with Allie. He says, for a long time, it was her baby, and she says she’s proud of what she’s built, a safe space for queer teens, but she doesn’t think her involvement would be fair. The center needs to focus on the kids, not whether she’s a legit enough member of the LGBTQA+ community. She’s angry right now and doesn’t think she’s in the right headspace to help kids who are struggling. He says, she has more to offer – peace, love, and energy. She’ll figure out a way to channel it. She asks if he has any ideas, and he says he just might.

Josslyn insists the lights have to go on first, and Gio says, when he was growing up, there were so many cousins, everything was strictly regulated. Josslyn says, tell them more, and he says, no kids in the room until the uncles put the lights on, the low branches were saved for the littles, and no store-bought ornaments until the handmade ones were hung. One tradition he loved was that they were allowed to open a single present on Christmas Eve. Trina says she and her mom used to do that, and Josslyn asks if Dex is okay. He says he’s just trying to untangle the lights.  

Lucky says he had to tell Lulu about their dad, and it was as awful as he imagined. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. Lucky must miss him. He says, every day. He’s grateful for the time they got and the relationship they had. She says she was always envious that he was so close to his parents. They had an actual family. He says, their hyper involvement wasn’t always a plus, but for the most part, it was cool, and she says, Luke was not only his dad, but his friend. She hopes to have that with her boys. He asks, who wouldn’t want to be friends with her?

Lucky says he’s decided to stay in Port Charles for a minute, and Elizabeth says, look at him. He’s throwing that out all casual. How long is a minute? He says, the foreseeable future, and she says, Aiden will be happy to hear that. He says, what about her? and she says she’s happy… for Aiden’s sake. He says, just Aiden? and she says, he’s proven to be a dependable wingman. She’ll take it. What are his plans? He says he needs to find a job, and she suggests he revisit an old dream. He says he needs a guitar, and she goes upstairs. He asks what she’s doing, but she says, nothing.

Josslyn asks if Dex wants to get out of here. She thinks she left something at Rice Plaza. Does he want to come with her? He says he’d go anywhere with her, and she tells Trina and Gio that they’ll be right back. They leave, and Gio asks, what’s that about? Trina says she has no clue.  

Molly tells Alexis that she feels like a giant weight has been lifted. Kristina is angry and TJ claims she’s trying to forget the baby. She felt alone. Alexis says, she isn’t. Molly has her. Please don’t go. Molly says, okay, but Kristina… and Alexis says, they can’t live in fear about how Kristina is going to react. Besides, she feels alone. She misses Molly’s sister so much, it hurts. Molly says, so does she, and Alexis says, so stay. Molly agrees, and Alexis says she loves her. Molly says she loves Alexis too, and Alexis says she likes the sound of that.

Sonny says, now that Phyllis has moved back to Nixon Falls (thanks for finally telling us), Charlie’s has no owner, but Kristina says, he’s the owner. He says he needs someone to run it, but she says, he knows how to run a restaurant. He says, if he takes an active interest, the Feds will assume it’s a front, and she asks if he’s saying that he wants her to run it. He says he wants her to own it. She needs to focus on a challenge, something she’s excited about. She says she doesn’t think she can be excited right now, but he says, if she doesn’t move forward, she can get locked in her pain. She says, he doesn’t have to give her a restaurant to occupy her time, and he tells her that if she says no, from a business perspective, he’ll have to sell and he’d rather not. She asks if he’s saying she’d be doing him a favor, and he says, big time. What does she say?

In Rice Plaza, Josslyn says she thought Dex could use a break from the holiday reminders, and he says he’s not a Christmas hater, but it’s hard thinking about his parents. She says, he’s amazing. Look what he’s been through and look at him now. Her boyfriend, the police officer. He says he’s glad she was still here when he figured himself out, and she says, they’ll make great Christmas memories. Starting now. She takes out some mistletoe, holds it over their heads, and they kiss.

Still kissing, they go into Dex’s apartment. They get busy and there’s a song part. We see the mistletoe on the floor.

Kristina says she doesn’t know if she can focus, and Sonny says she has nothing to focus on. Work can be a lifeline, a way to change and make change in the world. She says, with a gastropub? and he says, it can be whatever she wants it to be. He knows she fought hard to get justice for Adela. Now it’s time to take care of herself. At least think about it. She says she will, and he says, seriously. She says, deal, and they shake hands.

Molly asks Alexis not to push her and Kristina to make up, and Alexis promises to respect Molly’s boundaries and not push. Molly says, no, oops, I invited Kristina over and forgot you were living here, and Alexis says, if Kristina doesn’t want to come over, she’ll meet her someplace else. Molly asks if her dad is allowed to visit, and Alexis says, fine. Just tell her and she’ll be someplace else. She’s happy to take care of her little girl. Molly says, they’ll take care of each other.

Laura says she should have kept a closer eye on Valentin and stopped him, but Martin says, how would she know he’d go into hiding? She says, Valentin won her over. She was starting to feel sorry for him and should have been smarter. He says, outsmarting Valentin is a challenge. He’s known Valentin for years, the way an attorney knows a client, and he’s never met anyone so expert at compartmentalizing. He’s an artist at accommodating the image he wants people to see in the moment. She saw a loving father. She says she believes he loves Charlotte, and he says, he agrees. She says she believes Charlotte is the most important person in Valentin’s life, but it’s a selfish love. He chose to take her with him, but was it for Charlotte’s good? No. He couldn’t bear to be parted from her and he put his own needs ahead of hers. That’s not going to work.

Elizabeth brings down a guitar and tells Lucky that it’s Cameron’s. He wants Lucky to borrow it. Lucky says he can’t take it, and she says, yeah. It should be collecting dust. He says he detects sarcasm, and she tells him that he said guitars were meant to be played. Play something. He says, it’s been a while, and starts to play. She says, it’s one of her favorites, and he sings a song about Elizabeth. We flash back to him singing it to her when we were all babies, and they kiss. He sings, all I want is Elizabeth, and they smile.

A woman puts a contribution in Cyrus’s charity bucket, and says, bless you. You’re doing God’s work. He says, they all have to do their part, and flashes back to going into Sam’s room. He puts the digitalis into her IV bag and smooths her hair.

Told ya.

Tomorrow, Maxie asks if Sasha has made any decisions about her plans; Trina says, Josslyn is not going to believe what just happened: Michael asks if Curtis is accepting his offer to team up and take Drew down; and Lulu tells Nina to prove she loves Charlotte.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Diana and Danni check out Chase as he swabs the deck. In Gary’s interview, he says, Chase is stubborn and stuck up in his own ways – we flash back – but he’s going to try his hardest. If Chase is anything like last season, it’s going to be quite interesting. In Chase’s interview, he says he’s going to work his ass off, but instead of trying to impress Gary, he’s going to try flying under Gary’s radar. Captain Glenn calls for a preference sheet meeting, and says, the primary is Ronnie, a CEO from Chicago. It’s a field trip for her 50th birthday, and they want a floating 7-star hotel. Gary reads that they want to sail around one of the islands and see a local boat procession. Cloyce says, they want an impressive spread the first night, and Glenn says, they want midnight snacks. Daisy says, Ronnie wants a Studio 54 birthday party, and in Captain Glenn’s interview, he says he liked the 70’s. We see a picture of a young Glenn with afro hair, and he dances. Sort of.

Provisions come in, and in Diana’s interview, she says she usually dates guys who are tall and fit. Of course she has an eye on Chase. Danni asks where Chase is from, and he says, South Carolina. In his interview, he says he wants to work on acting professional. Stay away from him. He wants to behave. Danni says she’s going to bed and tells him, don’t get in trouble. In Danni’s interview, she says her prayers have been answered. She has a lot of feelings. They’re mostly under her skort. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, the last charter went well, and the guests seemed to enjoy it. We flash back to that, and he says he’s hoping to ride that high into the next charter. A 50th is a big deal and getting worse is not an option. Chase works on doing that thing where the chef makes one food look like another and turns a mango into a fried egg. In Daisy’s interview, she wonders if rooming with Gary is the right decision. She can keep an eye on him. She’s trying to get him to be better for himself. In Gary’s interview, he says he thinks if they can share living together on a boat, living in a house together will be a breeze. She tells him that he snores loud, and he asks how she’d know.

Captain Glenn approves the boat’s readiness and calls the crew to the cockpit. The guests arrive, and the captain tells them, welcome to Spain. They’re going to get out quick, so he’s handing them over to Daisy. Daisy does the tour, and the boat pulls out. The guests get excited when Daisy tells them that Danni is a master at espresso martinis. Ronnie tells her that the rule is, always focus on her. They woo! then drink. Captain Glenn tells the interior that they’re going sailing, and in his interview, he says he’s happy to have someone of Chase’s caliber on board. He’s feeling good about this. Ronnie appreciates the glassware, and I think, she’d better hang onto it, because the sails are going up. Things slide and fall. Danni shows Chase her photos on her phone, and in Diana’s interview, she says, it’s not nice. Chase scrolls Danni’s phone while Diana serves the guests.

Daisy asks Cloyce if they can serve lunch while still sailing, and he says, it’s fine. She tells the stews to do a plain table setting. As Cloyce plates, he says, sexy and delicious. Ronnie wants to know if they have to eat every meal at this table because it will be irritating. A guest asks for rosé, and Daisy can’t find any. She asks if the rosé came in, but Diana says she didn’t see it. In Daisy’s interview, she says she can’t believe she forgot to order rosé. She f***ed up. Diana finds an open bottle, and Daisy says, it’s better than nothing. She can’t think of anything more awkward. Chase tells Gary that everyone seems nice. Only good vibes. Daisy asks Captain Glenn where she can go to get rosé, and he says, do it quick. He puts the sails down, and Daisy helps Cloyce plate. He says, these are the moments they’re going to miss, plating some salad together. Anchor is dropped at Cala Compte, Ibiza, and Daisy tells Chase to drop Danni off to get some rosé when they find a restaurant. Gary puts out the seabob for the guests, while Danni tries to find someone on shore who speaks English. She radios Daisy and says, the restaurant is closed. There’s no one there, and no one speaks English. There’s nothing there. In Daisy’s interview, she says she can’t believe the store is closed. No matter what, don’t come back without the f***ing rosé. Danni asks a neighboring boat if they have rosé, but it’s a no.

A guest wants more rosé, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she can’t believe this is happening. Chase says, this looks promising, and Danni goes into a bar/restaurant. She gets the rosé, and in her interview, she says she’s so stoked. They got it done. She reckons she and Chase are a good team. They get sh*t done and still manage to have fun. They take a selfie, and in her interview, she says, all she’s been striving for, she finally got it. Daisy suggests Cloyce work on timing, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he wants the food to be perfect. He wants the communication perfect. If it goes according to plan, everything is going to be sexy. WOTD.

Danni tells Diana that Chase is hot. He winked at her, and she liked it. The guests begin dinner, and Cloyce mumbles, rock and roll, baby, as he goes up with the yellowtail. The wind picks up, and Daisy asks if the guests want to move. Daisy tells Cloyce what’s happening, while Captain Glenn entertains the guests with a literal fish story. In Daisy’s interview, she says, they’re suddenly in this situation while they’re moving. We usually find a lull, but Glenn isn’t lulling. It’s the longest story about a fish of all time. Cloyce is annoyed, and in his interview, he says, Daisy claimed she was the greatest. Now would be a good time to enact those decades of knowledge. Tell him when the guests aren’t at the table. The guests ask how old Cloyce is, and he says, 22. He tells them that they don’t look a day over 25. Danni bitches to Daisy about Cloyce, and in her interview, Daisy says, Cloyce wants communication from her, but he’s not willing to give her the same. The communication is one-sided.

Captain Glenn wonders why the meal took so long, and Daisy says, some people don’t understand communication. He tells her not to let it get to her. They’ll solve it after dinner. When the guests find out Cloyce is 22, they decide they failed with their kids. They’re super amazed at Cloyce. They dessert is brought up and it looks like a fried egg on shredded cheese. Guest Tammy pronounces it spectacular. Danni massages Chase’s shoulders, and he says she has the hands of a carpenter. Daisy tells Cloyce that if he has a problem with timing, speak to her, not the girls. It helps if he shares what he needs. He apologizes for snapping at the girls, and she says, it’s not for her; it’s for him. Her service is great, but he needs to make the timing so that the guests aren’t sitting awkwardly. Did they reach the same conclusion? He says he thinks so, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, this isn’t how she expected it to go, but she’s glad they’re on the same level. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, Daisy’s intensity is attractive. She’s yelling, but he’s not paying attention. It’s easy to get lost in her smile and eyes. Okay. So he’s into women yelling at him.

Cala Compte, Ibiza. Anchor is home, and Chase asks if Diana needs help. He helps put on napkin rings, and she asks how he’s getting along. He says, swimmingly, and in Chase’s interview, he says, Diana is tricky to read. She and Danni are both stunning. This isn’t meant to offend, but really? They’re both good looking girls, but stunning is a bit of a stretch. Although Diana does look stunning when she’s dressed up. Chase says, all of his plans to just be single and do his job, his plans are in trouble. Guest Melanie wants sweetened coffee, but more sweet than coffee, and makes Daisy run back and forth no less than five times. In Daisy’s interview, she says she still can’t catch a break. The sexiest breakfast porn ever comes out, but Melanie still isn’t satisfied with her pseudo coffee and asks for tea. In her interview, Daisy says she can’t even. They need to get the tender and bring Melanie to Starbuck’s. The guests jump in the water, and suddenly, Ronnie wails. She’s been stung by a jellyfish. Captain Glenn brings antiseptic, and Daisy gets ice. Ronnie cries that her leg is on fire, and the captain tells Davide to grab the stinger easy and pull it out or kill it with alcohol. Ronnie says, it’s getting increasingly painful, and in Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, jellyfish sometimes leave a piece of the stinger, and it continues to release venom. They need to get it out. Davide says, it looks like it’s quite in there, but he gets it out with tweezers. Captain Glenn says, it’s going to hurt for a bit, and Ronnie says she’ll suck it up. She’s a better man than I am. I’d probably be a big baby.

In the crew mess, Chase says, the crew must be on their best behavior. He hasn’t heard any awful stories. Daisy says, Danni hooked up with Gary and almost had a thing with Keith, and in Danni’s interview, she asks if Daisy is trying to put something in Chase’s head. She tells Chase that nothing happened with Keith and Gary was a one-time thing. She leaves, and Diasy follows her. She tells Danni that she’s sorry. She shouldn’t have started anything, but everyone knows. Danni says she chose to forget, and Daisy jokes that she’s here to remind Danni. In Danni’s interview, she says, it’s petty sh*t. Why is Daisy telling him that? There’s no f***ing need. She tells Daisy, what the f***?

Next time, Ronnie acts like an ass about her birthday; and Diana says, Danni knows what she’s doing. What the f***?

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a dose of reality. Until then, stay safe, stay extending grace to others, and stay moving forward when your heart is broken, or you can get locked in your pain.

December 2, 2024 – Lulu Finds Out How Long She’s Been Gone, Gary’s Actions Lead To Punishment On Deck & Boudoir

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Drew sees Jason at the boathouse, and Jason says, there’s something Drew needs to hear. It’s important.

Ric is alone in the courtroom when Alexis comes in. She asks if he’s proud of himself.

Sonny brings Kristina to Alexis’s house, and she asks how bad she was on the stand. He says he doesn’t know. They have to wait and see what the jury thinks. She tells him not to be like mom and make it seem better than it is. She needs him to be honest and tell her how she did.

Back home, Molly thanks TJ for coming to court, and he says he knew it would be hard for her. She says, there were times she wanted to run out, but she needed to hear it all. After hearing Kristina and Ava’s versions, she’s come to terms with it all being just a horrible, tragic accident. He says, she doesn’t really believe that, does she?

Laura and her assistant Darcy are in Laura’s apartment working, when Lucky comes in. He asks for a few minutes alone with Laura, and she tells Darcy to take a break. Darcy goes in the back, and Lucky tells Laura that Lulu is awake.  

Rocco and Lulu hug, and she doesn’t even say ouch. She’s tough.

TJ says, an accident is a sprained ankle or a fender bender, not going out of your way to confront someone dangerous who would put their hands on a pregnant woman. Molly says she agrees that Kristina was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it was her choice, but she doesn’t believe Ava pushed her. He says, it’s easier to call it an accident and move on, but she says, every day has been excruciating. She can’t see a mother with her baby without crying and feels the loss constantly. He asks how he would know since she’s been avoiding him, and she says, that’s not fair. They’ve been avoiding each other. He says, clearly, they have a lot to get off their chests.

Ric suggests Alexis take the fact that she’s not in jail as a win and go home, and she says she’s curious. Did it make him feel good? Did it turn him on to terrorize a grieving mother? Who is he? What happened to him? He’s obviously getting revenge on his brother through his brother’s daughter. He’s sick and morally bankrupt. How does he sleep? He says, very well. He did his best to defend his client. The fact that it pisses her and Sonny off is a bonus. She says, Kristina is his daughter’s sister, and he says he knows, but Alexis is living in denial, consistently favoring Kristina over Molly. She pretends Kristina isn’t a trainwreck and she wasn’t wrong for wanting custody of the baby or confronting Ava. She says she’s sure Kristina didn’t go there knowing Ava was going to shove her out a window, and he says, but she did it anyway. Even when the truth is in front of Alexis’s face, she can’t realize it. It’s pathetic, even for her.

Sonny says, Kristina did great, but Kristian says she blew it. She let Ric get to her. He says, she was honest and raw, and the jury saw her pain and will respond to that. He hates that she’s going through this, losing Adela, being arrested, and now the trial. The only reason she was in Ava’s room was because of his and Ava’s custody fight. She says, it’s not his fault, and he says, and it’s not hers. If a jury can’t see that she’d to nothing to hurt her baby, it’s their fault. She says, even if they do see it, they might not find Ava guilty, and she needs Ava to pay for what she did to her daughter. Sonny says, that’s what they all want.

Drew tells Jason that he has nothing to say, and Jason says, then just listen. It’s about the kids. Danny, Rocco, and Scout are close. It’s not a good idea to split them up. He’s going to move into the main house with Danny. Drew says, absolutely not (like it’s his house), but Jason says he’s already spoken to Monica. Drew says, then he guesses he and Scout are moving to DC sooner than expected. Carly arrives and says, Drew is moving and taking Scout? Drew says, yes.  

Laura is all excited and asks how Lucky knows. Did Turning Woods call him? Why didn’t they call her? He says, they tried, and she says she has to get down there, but he says, Lulu isn’t there anymore.

Rocco says he knew Lulu would come back. He never gave up on her. She looks him over and says, he’s so tall. She can’t believe how much he’s grown. He says, she looks exactly the same, and hugs her again. She backs up and asks how long she’s been gone. He says, she’s been in a coma for four years, and she says, he’s not a little boy anymore. He’s 15. He’s a teenager and so handsome. She’s so sorry she’s been gone so long. He says, it’s not her fault, and she promises to make up for the time. They’ll never be separated again. He says, when he thought about her, he had trouble remembering her voice. It’s good to hear. He wanted to be the first face she saw when she opened her eyes. She says she’s here now. They’re going to spend so much time together, he’ll be sick of her. He says, that will never happen, when Dante walks in.

Carly says, there has to be a better solution than Drew moving away with Scout, and Drew says, it’s not about the fight. She asks, then why is he leaving? and Jason says he’s moving into the Quartermaines to be with Danny. Dante agreed it was best for the kids to be together. Drew says, the second Jason moves in, he and Scout will be gone.

Molly tells TJ that she’s sorry she doesn’t seem devastated, but she always will be. It was easier to talk to other people. TJ says, so she was talking, just not to him, and she says she’s sorry. He says, him too. Losing a child is the hardest thing for a couple to go through. He wonders what that says about him, and she says she’s not questioning his love. She never doubted his love, but their grief took separate paths. He cries and says, but she won’t talk to him and she’s the only person who loves Irene like he does. She says she can’t. It hurts too much. He says, it hurts too much not to.  

Laura asks where Lulu is, and Lucky says, it will be easier for her to understand if she looks at this. He shows her the video on his phone, and she says, amazing. She prayed for this for so long. Lulu looks determined. She just walked out? He says, nobody knows where she is, and Laura says, she’s probably trying to come back to Port Charles, to come back home.

Lulu says, long time, no see, and almost falls, but Dante catches her. He says, they should go to the hospital and have her checked out, but she says, the last time she did that, she stayed for four years. Dante and Rocco help her to the sofa, and she says she had quite a journey to get here. Dante asks Rocco to get her something to eat, and Rocco leaves. Dante says he can’t believe she’s here and talking. She’s back. She says, I’m back.

TJ says he wants to be able to talk with Molly again. It’s terrifying not to know what she’s thinking.

On the phone, Laura puts out a BOLO alert on Lulu. She tells them to search the entire area from Turning Woods to Port Charles. Her daughter just had a major operation and could possibly be disoriented or weak. She tells Lucky that they’re sending an officer, and he says, sometimes it pays to be mayor. Did she authorize Cyrus to speak for the family about Lulu’s care? She says, what? and he says, that’s what the administrator told him and Elizabeth.

Dante asks how Lulu got here, and she says she hitchhiked. He says, that was dangerous, and wonders why the doctors didn’t call. She says they didn’t know she was awake, and he asks her to start from the beginning. She says, the first thing she remembers is waking up, probably a few days ago. Then she heard Cyrus’s void. He told the staff that he was her uncle and he’d be making decisions about her care. She knew she had to get away from Cyrus. He says, there’s something she should know. Cyrus is her uncle. He’s her mom’s half-brother. She says, no way, and he says, Cyrus and her mom have the same father. Cyrus went to jail, supposedly found God, and is now a man of peace. She says, but he’s not buying it, and he says, no, and he doesn’t think her mom does either. She told the doctors to keep Cyrus away from her. Lulu tells him that Cyrus said he was moving her to a care facility in South Carolina, and he asks again how she got here. She says she told him. She hitchhiked. Then he told her it was dangerous, but obviously, nothing happened.

Carly tells Jason and Drew to take a breath. It makes sense for Jason to move in to keep the kids together. They need to be together. Drew agrees, but says, it’s his job to protect Scout. He doesn’t want her around Jason’s reckless behavior and the danger he poses in working for Sonny. Carly says, they promised Sam that they’d co-exist. This isn’t about what makes them comfortable. It’s what Sam wanted, for the two of them to put the children first.

Kristina says, Sonny’s not telling her that revenge doesn’t solve anything, and he says he already made it clear. Revenge doesn’t solve anything, and anger can keep it going. She says, that’s how she feels. Needing to see Ava punished is the only thing getting her out of the house. He says, the desire for revenge and a thirst for justice is one hell of a motivator. If that’s what it takes for her to keep her head above water, he’s not going to take it away. He’s going to tell her to embrace it.

Alexis says she’s not taking parenting advice from someone who locked a pregnant woman in a panic room for weeks. Ric hasn’t seen his own kid in years. He says, Molly thinks he’s a great parent, and Alexis says she’s not his witness. She’s not required to take him seriously. He says, as long as it gets under her skin, he’s fine with it, and she says she can’t decide who she hates more, him or Ava. He says, she hated Ava since before she lost her legal license, but if she looks at it objectively, it’s 100% true that what happened to Kristina was a horrible, tragic accident, nothing more.

Molly says, it’s too much. She’s in full-on survival mode and just trying to get through the day. She can’t think about becoming a parent again. He says, she’s avoiding the real conversation. He knows when she’s not telling him something. Say what she needs to. She says she doesn’t want another child.

Laura says she told Cyrus to stay away, and Lucky says, clearly, he didn’t listen. The surveillance video shows Lulu sneaking around and pulling a fire alarm so she could escape. Laura says she’s proud of Lulu. It’s a Spencer move. He says, the only reason she must have done it was because she felt she was in danger.

Lulu says she heard a nurse say they were going to have a busy night, and figured it was her only chance. She pulled the fire alarm and snuck out. She stole some clothes and made her way to the road, flagging down the first car she saw, then hitchhiked to Port Charles. He asks if she came straight to the Quartermaines, but she says she went to her house. She guesses it’s not her house anymore. There was a little boy there who she accidentally scared. He says, Maxie lives there now, and she says, that was James? She laughs and says she can’t wait to see Maxie. He says, she’s going to be happy. Where did she go after that? She says, here. She knew Tracy would be honest with her. She came in and saw Rocco, their beautiful, sweet little boy. He’s not a boy anymore, but he’s still as sweet as the day she left. She takes Dante’s hand and says, he’s done a good job raising him. He says he did his best, but she’s Rocco’s mom. There’s no replacing her. She asks why they’re at the Quartermaines, and he says, they’re staying here for a while. He’ll tell her more another time. She says, no way. How did she end up in a coma?

Sonny says he hates that Kristina is going through this. She’s strong, proud, and determined. She stood up for herself, and people love that. She says she learned it from him, and he asks if she’s given more thought to the job he offered. (I miss something here. Sorry.)

Alexis asks if Ric expects her to by sympathetic to the woman responsible for her grandchild’s death, and he says, she’s not the only one who lost someone. She might hate Ava, but Ava isn’t capable of pushing a pregnant woman out of a window. She says, they’ll have to agree to disagree. Some people are capable of anything. She learned that when she found out her husband was sleeping with her daughter. He says, that’s not the same as murder, and she says she’s glad she can still be surprised at how viciously treated her daughter. She’s shocked at how indecent he is. He says he did what he needed to give his client the best defense, and she says she doesn’t think he understands. That’s what she does for a living, but he didn’t have to eviscerate a grieving mother who just buried her own daughter and sister – a daughter she carried for his daughter. He’s a horrible father, but what’s worse is, he’s an unforgivable human being. When he puts his head on the pillow tonight, think about that. She storms out.

Molly tells TJ that she’d love to want to be, but she can’t be a parent. Anything but that. He says he doesn’t know how to see a future for them if they don’t have kids, and she says she doesn’t see one where they do.

Jason says he’s going to be here. What happens with Scout is up to Drew. Carly says, if this vendetta continues, they’ll pass it to their kids. Danny is happy that Jason is back in his life, and Drew is a hero to Scout. It’s only a matter of time before they feel like they have to pick sides. Do they want the kids hating each other? If Sam was here, she’d say the same damn thing. They’re different, but they’re both good men and great fathers. Do this for the kids, but more important, do it for Sam.

TJ says he was afraid of this. He wanted to give Molly space to grieve the way she needed to, but there was too much space between them. Molly says she feels the same, and he says he can’t imagine life without her. She says her either, but where does that leave them?

Dante asks if Lulu remembers what happened that night, and she says, it’s like she can picture the night, but there’s a haze around it. He asks if she remembers going to the Floating Rib, and she says, yes. Dustin asked her to marry him, then everything went dark… There was an explosion. Dustin was killed. Dante told her. She didn’t even get to go to the funeral or say goodbye. He says, they didn’t know it, but she’d gotten hit in the head, and she fell into a coma. He’s angry at himself for not getting her checked out. That’s why he wants to take her to the hospital now, so they don’t make the same mistake. She says she’s fine. It’s not like last time. She’s just overwhelmed. Rocco comes back and says he’s got her favorite, turkey and Swiss with mayo, just on one side. She says, he remembered, and he says he remembers everything about her. She says, he’s grown up so much, and Rocco says, Maxie was with her all the time. She says she wondered who gave her the manicure. She can’t wait to see Maxie. It feels so good to be back with her boys. Danny listens from outside the door.

Alexis comes home and says she’s glad Sonny is here. She was at the courthouse. She had some business to take care of. How is Kristina? Kristina says she’s actually okay, and Alexis says she thought Kristina would be upset, but she seems relaxed, like she’s come to terms with it. Kristina says she talked to dad and feels that no matter what the outcome, she’ll be able to find peace. Alexis hugs her.

Drew says he and Scout will stay if Jason gives him his word, no more violence. Jason says he will not be the one to break the peace, and Drew guesses that’s as good a promise as he’s going to get from Jason.  Carly says, it will be good for the kids and them. They’ll see.

TJ comes out with a suitcase and says he’s going to stay somewhere else tonight. They can both use space. Molly says she’s sorry. She wishes things were different. He says him too, and goes to the door. He looks back at her and leaves. She goes to the door, cries, turns her back, and slides down. He drops his bag and does the same thing on the other side. 

Laura tells Lucky to stay at the apartment in case Lulu shows up. Stay positive and pray everything is okay. Lucky says, it’s Lulu they’re talking about. She’s given them one miracle tonight. She’s back. They hug, and Laura says, our girl is back.

Rocco says he knows Lulu is here, but part of him is thinking it’s a dream. Lulu hugs him and says she’s just a little sore. Dante suggests she get checked out, and Lulu says, there’s a question she’s been meaning to ask. She has a bandage and a scar. Why? Rocco says, she had a liver transplant, and she asks, what was wrong with her liver? but Dante says he thinks she’s had enough for today. Danny slips away, and Dante says, there’s a lot to tell her. She missed a lot. She says she can wait for explanations, but first, there’s something they need to do for her.

Tomorrow, Laura says, if anything happens to Lulu, she’s holding Cyrus responsible; Lulu tells Lucky to stop saying that; Natalia says, it was the least she owed Sonny’s daughter; and Jason says he’s not going to tell somebody something.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

There’s blood everywhere on the white couch from Gary slinging a Chupa Chups lollipop at Davide and hitting him in the eye. Gary says, it’s not his fault, and Daisy sees the mess. She says, they’ll put Varnish on it and let it sit overnight. I assume that’s a brand name of some cleanser, and not shellack. Gary blames Davide for getting blood on the couch, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s not much they can do at 2 am. They’ll attack it in the morning. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Gary has zero remorse, and she’s pissed. Diana says she loves that the person who did it doesn’t care, and Danni sprays the couch. In Danni’s interview, she says, what the f***? He’s in charge, but Gary’s not giving a f***. She’s waiting for Daisy to snap out of her wine phase. She thanks Davide for saying he’s sorry, and Davide gets in the hot tub. Gary says, the whole thing is a vibe killer. Danni wonders why Keith always has an excuse not to flirt, and in her interview, she says, he always has a weird dig at her. Gary wonders why he had two tequilas, and says he thinks Daisy is sexy. Danni says she’s hoping the new deckhand is a boy. The boys at O Beach are so much better than what they have. Keith says, thank God, Glenn is coming, so he doesn’t have to talk to that f***ing girl.  

3:30 am. Daisy rolls out of bed and sees the mess. She tells Captain Glenn that they need carpet cleaner. Someone hurt themselves. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s not good, and the worst part is that it’s not her fault, but it comes down to her to figure it out. She’s dealing with morons. The captain sees the couch and says, what the f*** is this? Daisy says, blood from last night. It’s not from her. She’s not in that category. He asks why it hasn’t been cleaned. It’s a massive f*** up and he’ll deal with it later. Get in their uniforms. In the captain’s interview, he says, it’s disrespectful to the boat, the guests coming in, and him. It’s like a slap in the face. The crew is misinterpreting his kindness for weakness. If they think they can get away with it, they’re not. He tells the crew that they’re having a meeting, and Daisy says, Gary is such a knob. Gary asks if everything is okay, and Captain Glenn says, no. Daisy says, their roughhousing bullsh*t isn’t funny, and the crew sits in the saloon. Captain Glenn says he’s obviously disappointed to see something like that. It’s the crew’s night off, but if they can’t get it out, what impact will it have on the guests and what cost to the boat? How did it happen? Davide says, it was an accident. They were playing and he got a Chupa Chups in the eye. The captain asks what they were doing in here, and Danni says, she told Gary multiple times, but Gary says he doesn’t remember. Daisy says, they put Varnish on it, and Captain Glenn says, they destroyed the sofa then went to bed? It’s disrespectful to the boat and f***ing stupid. If they’re not capable of taking care of the boat, wake him up. He wouldn’t be sleeping for 8 hours with that going on. Daisy says she’s sorry. She wasn’t thinking clearly. The captain says, there was a fun day planned, but it’s not happening. They were supposed to go to the caves. He’s going, but they’re going to stay and clean up the f***ing boat.

Captain Glenn says, if they have time left, they can still go to the club. Get to work. Davide tells Danni that he’s sorry, and in Danni’s interview, she says, the one thing she wanted was to go to O Beach. Everyone knows why. We flash back to Anthony, and she says, if she doesn’t get to go, she wants to cry. Daisy says she wishes she’d taken it more seriously. Gary is f***ing up everything. Captain Glenn leaves, and the stews do the baking soda/vinegar method. I can vouch for the fact that it’s absolutely amazing at getting stains out. Look it up on YouTube. Daisy says, they’ve gotten out espresso martinis, fake tan, and makeup. They have to be able to get this out. Gary says he’s sorry. He was stupid. Davide says he’s sorry too, and Daisy says she wasn’t thinking last night. In Gary’s interview, he says he let the crew down, especially Glenn. Who’s the culprit? Him. Stop drinking, Gary. Daisy asks the stews to do the master cabin and the bar while they let the solution sit, and Gary tells Danni that he’s taking full responsibility. He tells Diana that he went one step too far, and he’s sorry everyone has to pay for his stupidity. In Diana’s interview, she says, f*** you and your fake apology. Gary does what he wants and doesn’t think of anyone else. Up until five minutes ago, he wasn’t owning up to anything.

Captain Glenn goes to the caves where he meets tour guide Joseph. Joseph tells him that the temperature is always -20 and the caves are 100,000 years old and were formed by the Pope. In the captain’s interview, a producer asks if he’d live in a cave, and he says he did in the 80s in Crete. A room was 10 bucks, but a cave was free. He lived in it for a month with some friends, and there was another cave where some nurses lived nearby who they would invite over. On the boat, Gary apologizes to Daisy, and she suggests he make a poignant effort. He makes a good apology, but he’s not changing. Glenn has a beer with Joseph and by the time he gets back, the couch looks good. Danni says, it’s as good as it going to get, and the captain examines it. He walks through the crew mess where everyone is eating, and Davide says, they’ll see what happens next. Captain Glenn, Gary, and Daisy look at the couch, and the captain says, it’s not perfect. He wants to look around the rest of the boat, and Danni says, don’t get your hopes up. Glenn calls everyone upstairs.

Captain Glenn asks, what have we learned? and Davide says, respect the boat even when you’re not working. The captain says, 100%. They may not have meant it, but they allowed it to happen. If they can’t handle their alcohol, don’t drink. Use their heads. It’s a helluva lot better, but not perfect. No more f***Ing around. He expects more from Gary and Daisy because they’re leaders. They can still go to the club. He wants them to have fun together off the boat. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s going to get her man to get her the f*** away from these a-holes. Captain Glenn says, never again, and everyone agrees. Keith says he needs 10 mimosas and a packet of chips, and everyone gets dressed. Daisy makes Gary wear a pink sash as punishment, and the girls take one taxi while the guys take another. Anthony meets them when they get there. In Davide’s interview, he says, it’s a good way to take the pressure away. He’s ready with party vibes and to have a twerk. He thinks he’s pretty good. He demonstrates and… well…

Glenn gets a text from the new deckhand saying his flight is booked and thanks for thinking of him. In Diana’s interview, she says she hates that she’s shy. She thinks it started when she was little, presenting things in school. It led to overthinking people judging her. She needs Danni to be the best wingwoman ever. Gary wants to go swimming, and Daisy hugs Keith. She says she’s in her absolute element. She loves this weather. Keith says he’s glad they’re here, and in his interview, he says he likes Daisy. She’s got a great sense of humor and she’s gorgeous. She’s got a more successful career and she’s a senior officer, so he’s feeling it out and playing it safe. Gary comes by to bother them, and Anthony bottle serves Danni. She says she’s now a guest, and he tells her that she can make demands. In Danni’s interview, she says, he’s giving what she was missing from Gary. He flirts and he’s engaging. She’s been stuck in a desert and she’s ready to climb in and get wet. She says she’s going for a swim, and Anthony makes an executive decision to join her.

On the boat, Captain Glenn gets in a bubble bath. Diana tells Daisy that she’s shy, and Daisy thinks they’re similar. Danni and Anthony kiss, and Diana says, Danni is leading the life. She’s shy as hell. It’s time to go, and Anthony decides to come with Danni. Danni asks Daisy if it’s okay, and Daisy says she doesn’t care. In the taxi, Diana says, Danni is having sex and she’s not, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he smells a little jealousy. When they get back, Daisy goes to bed, and Danni and Anthony jump into the water from the side of the boat. Keith asks why Daisy is in bed, and she says she’s exhausted. He says, she’s the only fun person here. Captain Glenn watches Predator, while Gary tries to get Daisy to come out. When she won’t, he says, love you, but f*** you, and Keith suggests he leave. Danni and Anthony sneak into the master cabin.  

Igy Marina – 7 hours to charter. Danni tells Anthony that she’s going to put him on Trip Advisor. Don’t get caught by the captain. He leaves, and in Danni’s interview, she says, thank God. Finally. It’s definitely a win for her. She tells Daisy that when she gets another man’s attention, Gary doesn’t know what to do. Desperation at its finest. Gary says he doesn’t know what to do, and Daisy asks if he remembers yesterday. He has fun, but then gets to a point where he hates everyone. He was making fun of Danni in the taxi when she was speaking to Anthony. He says he doesn’t remember. He doesn’t know when to stop. Daisy suggests he try not drinking, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t like blacking out, but he drinks to get drunk. We flash back to some of his drunken escapades, and he says he’s not drinking more than normal. He needs to learn to control it. It changes who he is for the worse. He realizes it’s a problem, but he keeps doing it.

Captain Glenn checks out the couch and says, they dodged another bullet. He calls Gary and Daisy to the wheelhouse and says, they got a new deckhand. It’s someone who knows the boat and they know him. It’s Chase. In Gary’s interview, he says, f***, and in Daisy’s interview, she says the same thing. Gary says, he’s a hell of a hard worker, but he thinks he knows more than he does. Daisy says, he’s very excited, like a puppy, and we flash back to that. The captain tells Daisy to get a cabin ready, and in his interview, Gary says, Chase is difficult to work with. He doesn’t like taking directions.  

Gary says he hates Chase, but he’s a good worker, and Captain Glenn tells him and Daisy to handle the cabin situation however they want to. Diana pumps Danni for information, and Danni says, it was beautiful, great, and phenomenal, but not great to clean up after being in the master. In Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s three girls and five guys. She doesn’t want to make the boys move and she doesn’t want to share with Cloyce. They’d kill each other. She and Keith have a flirtation, so it would be weird. That leaves Gary. In Danni’s interview, she says, it’s a bad idea. The worst part is, she can hear them through the wall. She doesn’t know if they’ll make love or war, but she doesn’t want to hear it. She tells Keith that he’s the most chill of all the boys, and he tells her, that’s the nicest thing she’s said to him all season. Danni and Anthony text, and in Gary’s interview, he says he’s worked with Daisy for four seasons, but sharing a cabin is different. They get along, but they always fight. They’ve had the weirdest relationship. Daisy says she’s anxious with a bit of apprehension. She has a lot of feelings going on. Chase comes up the walk, and in his interview, he says, it’s Britney, baby. I’m back. He’s definitely most nervous to see Gary. They butted heads last season, but he has a plan. He’s going to do things Gary’s way when he’s looking, and when Gary isn’t looking, he’ll do things the right way.

Diana asks if he’s cute, and Danni says, he’s tall and has tattoos. In Diana’s interview, she says, who turned off the A/C? and she and Danni greet Chase. He goes to see Captain Glenn, then introduces himself around. Danni says, things just got interesting. Chase bro hugs Gary, who says he’s glad to see Chase. In Chase’s interview, he says he doesn’t know if he’s saving them or the other way around. It’s costing him $40K to fix his boat. He wants to watch the captain and pick up some things. He’s not looking for a boatmance and wants to be dependable, a leader, and not say anything dumb. Gary says, boats are expensive, but Chase says, they’re worth it. Diana checks out Chase’s ass and asks if he’s Danni’s type. Danni says she wouldn’t say no, and in Danni’s interview, she says, when she wants something, she’ll fight to the death. In Diana’s interview, she says, step aside. Give her a chance. Danni says she’s been waiting all season for a hot guy, and Diana says, it’s her time to shine. Danni says she wants to climb him like a tree, and Diana says, welcome to the war.  

Later this season, Daisy says, we’re all going to burn at the stake; Daisy asks if Chase would make out with Diana or Danni; a drag makeover; Danni kisses Chase; Captain Glenn says he doesn’t want to take their tip, but they broke the rules and they’re getting upset; and Gary asks if Daisy can see them in a relationship.

🌲 The Spring Of Genius…

Come back tomorrow for soap and what’s watchable (or not). Until then, stay safe; stay not letting the media pressure you during the holiday season; and stay not throwing lollipops at your co-workers when you’re drunk.

November 25, 2024 – Michael Records Drew’s Double-Cross, Bye-Bye-Bye, More Capable Deckhand Needed On Deck, Traveling & Song

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Michael is in the living room when Drew comes in. His phone rings, and Michael asks if he’s going to answer it. Drew says, it’s Curtis. He’ll call back. Michael asks if they’ve talked today, but Drew says, not yet, and thanks Michael for agreeing to meet with him. They have urgent matters to discuss.

At the boxing gym, Curtis leaves a message for Drew to give him a call as soon as he can. It’s important. He flashes back to Michael saying that Drew is going to double-cross him after Drew is squared away in DC.

As soon as the attending nurse is gone, Lulu sits up and rubs her legs. She puts her feet on the floor and leans on the bed while working her feet.

Sonny, Alexis, and Kristina stand outside the courtroom, and Alexis asks if Kristina is nervous. Sonny says, she’ll be great, and Kristina says she just wants it over so Ava can pay for the baby’s death. Alexis tells her to keep her composure, stay calm, and don’t let Ric rattle her. Molly and TJ arrive, and Molly says, Kristina’s got this.

Josslyn and Trina enter the courtroom, and Ava smiles at Trina. Trina sits down, and Gio comes in and sits with Josslyn on the opposite side. Everyone comes in from the hallway, and the bailiff says, all rise. Court is now in session. The judge tells them to be seated and announces that it’s The People of the State of New York versus Ava Jerome. Sonny stares at Ric.

Jordan walks into the gym and Curtis says he’s working out his frustrations. She asks if he wants to talk, and he says he could use a sounding board. She says, sound away, and he says he has reason to believe someone he trusts is keeping a secret from him. It involves someone important to her. She asks, who? and he says, Drew.

Drew says, Jason didn’t explain the reason behind attacking him, but it’s no surprise. He was wondering if Michael could shed light on the situation. Did Michael tell Jason that he and Willow kissed? Michael says he did, but he didn’t know Jason would come after Drew. Drew says he believes it. Violence is more Jason’s speed, Michael says, Jason is protective of him, and Drew says he hopes he and Michael are able to work it out, and not drag others into it. Michael says, usually he’d confide in Willow, but this time, he couldn’t, and Drew says, it’s his fault (agreed) and he’s sorry (debatable). He knows it’s hard, but if Michael wants to talk, he will. If they’re going to get past it – and he hopes they can – they need to have a truthful conversation, one that neither one of them are looking forward to. Michael says, about what? and Drew says. Willow.

Lulu exercises her feet and gingerly walks across the room. She catches herself on the sofa and sits. She hears Cyrus at the desk saying, Turning Woods was a good choice for Lulu’s short-term care, but he was able to find a better long-term care facility in South Carolina. Lulu’s mother is in sync with his plans. The doctor says he’ll need written permission from Lulu’s mother, and Cyrus says, of course (🍷). When Lulu is ready to be moved, he’ll have his sister sign off on it. The doctor lets Cyrus into Lulu’s room, where she’s back in bed, still pretending to be in a coma. Cyrus tells Lulu, he’s here now. Don’t worry. He’ll take care of her.

DA Turner says, here they have a tragedy so devastating, it’s hard to talk about. An innocent baby is dead, leaving the world before she had a chance to take her first breath. The loss was compounded because it didn’t need to happen. The baby’s death was not natural. She was murdered. When the jury is presented with the evidence, it will show how the defendant Ava Jerome violently attacked and shoved an 8 months pregnant Kristina Corinthos-Davis through a window with such force, it shattered the window, Kristina plunging three stories down into the pool, where she sustained severe injuries, losing the baby. We flash back to Kristina’s fall, and the DA says, imagine the depravity, taking into account this woman’s history of dangerous behavior and the callous disregard for others. Ava’s ties to violence and organized crime are well documented. The prosecution will provide evidence and by the time they rest, there will be no doubt about Ava Jerome’s guilt. They’re here to make sure justice is served, justice for Kristina and the one person who can’t be here, innocent little Baby Irene Davis-Ashford, who is precious and deeply missed.

Ric says, before the trial is over, he’ll prove that Ava Jerome is innocent of the crime she’s been wrongly accused of. He wants them to focus on the word the DA used – tragedy. It’s beyond dispute that a tragedy occurred. A baby died and everyone involved is deeply and profoundly affected by this tragedy. But no matter how terrible, a tragedy is not necessarily a crime. The prosecution talked about his client’s past, years ago. His client has made mistakes. She’s done things she deeply regrets. But this trial is not about a long time ago. It’s about what happened on the day in question, and if at the end, they believe Ava, with intent, pushed Kristina out a window. If they do, find her guilty, but he doesn’t believe they will, because he intends to prove Kristina Corinthos-Davis went to Ava’s hotel room in anger with ill intentions, and in the resulting argument, she is the one responsible for the horrible accident. He knows how hard it is to hear. It’s sad and uncomfortable, but it is also the truth Baby Irene Davis-Ashford would be alive were it not for the actions of her surrogate mother. And by the time the trial is over, they’ll know that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Drew tells Michael that he’s sorry for what happened between him and Willow. He was completely in the wrong, no excuses. Michael says he’s glad to hear Drew say that, and Drew says he hopes somehow, someday, Michael can forgive him, and they can move past it. Michael asks why he’d want to do that, and Drew says, as bad as it was, it was one time, one kiss. It happened in the moment and with a few too many drinks. No excuses. And it’s never going to be repeated. Michael asks if he’s sure, and Drew says, absolutely. Michael’s got a terrific marriage and beautiful children. Willow is committed to Michael. Don’t let a few minutes of bad judgement on his part jeopardize that. He’ll do everything in his power to make up for the damage. Let him try.

DA Turner asks what Natalia remembers, and Natalia says she was having coffee with her daughter when they heard a loud crash. They looked up and saw a woman falling, screaming. We flash back to Kristina crashing through the window, and Natalia says, it was horrible. She violently crashed through the window, and there was broken glass and pieces of the pane falling. People were screaming and the woman was face down in the pool, not moving. The lifeguard, Josslyn Jax, immediately entered the pool and gave first aid.

Gio says, Josslyn told him to grab a backboard, so he ran to get it.

Josslyn says she slowly turned the woman over and that’s when they all realized it was Kristina. She was unconscious, and her face was cut and bleeding. Josslyn learned in first aid class that if you suspect a head or neck injury, be careful moving the person. She was especially concerned because she knew Kristina was pregnant.

Natalia says, her daughter was dating Kristina, and she was hysterical. The DA asks how Kristina appeared, and Natalia says, she was cut up and bleeding. She wasn’t moving. They weren’t even sure she was breathing. They were scared she was dead until Josslyn said there was a pulse. So all they could do was watch…

Josslyn says she didn’t want Kristina to be alone, so she rode in the ambulance. At one point, Kristina regained consciousness. She told Kristina that she’d stay with her, and she was going to be okay. DA Turner asks if Kristina said anything, and Josslyn says, she asked about the baby.

Trina says, it happened so fast, and the DA asks what she did. Trina says she grabbed some towels for Josslyn to use. She looked up and saw the broken window… DA Turner asks if there’s a problem, and Trina says, no. The DA says, let her help. Trina told the officer that she looked up and saw Ava Jerome standing in the window Kristina had fallen from. Trina looks at Ava, who sort of nods, and the DA asks what Ava was doing. Trina says, looking at the pool. Then she closed the curtains. The DA asks what she thought about her boss and friend in that moment, but Ric objects. It calls for speculation. The objection is sustained, and the DA says she has no further questions. Ric asks Trina, what was the distance between her and the room? She heard the glass breaking and the scream and looked up. Correct? Trina says, yes, and Ric says, she witnessed the fall, but not who or what caused it? Trina says, yes, and he has no further questions. (Why didn’t the DA focus more on Ava closing the curtains? It seems like an odd thing to do unless you don’t want people to see something.)

Cyrus tells Lulu that he’s working on getting her transferred as soon as possible, when two nurses come in. One of them says, they need a moment alone with the patient, and he asks if it can wait. She says, unfortunately, no, but they won’t be long. Cyrus tells Lulu that he’ll be back, and leaves. The nurses talk about three new patients coming in as they tend to Lulu. They leave, and Lulu undoes all the equipment attached to her. She listens at the door, looks around, and steps out. She closes the door and goes down the hall.

DA Turner asks Dr. Navarro if she was Miss Corinthos-Davis’s OB/GYN, and the doctor says, yes. The DA asks her to tell them about Kristina’s pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro says, Kristina and the baby were healthy, and the baby was developing normally. She projected a safe, healthy delivery…

Another doctor (whose name I can’t remember) says, Kristina fell multiple stories and landed on her abdomen. The strong impact caused blunt force trauma, which led to a placental abruption, a separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, causing massive hemorrhaging. The mother and baby were in a serious condition. DA Turner asks, what happened afterward? and the doctor says, they did an emergency C-section, but unfortunately, were unable to save the baby. The DA says, in his professional opinion, what was the cause of death? He says, blunt force trauma from the fall, and the DA has no further questions. Ric says, when the doctor examined Kristina, he found her wounds to be consistent with a crash out a window. Did his observation imply any defense wounds? The doctor says, he’s not certain, and Ric says, so he can’t be sure if Kristina was pushed or attacked, and the doctor says, her wounds were consistent with the broken window. Ric says, so no bruising came from shoving, just the fall itself? but the doctor tells him, it’s impossible to say. Ric has no further questions, and the judge calls for a recess. Ava asks when Ric is going to start acting like a lawyer and save her, and he says, when the next witness is called. She says, Kristina.  

Jordan asks what makes Curtis think that Drew is keeping something from him, and Curtis says that he believes Drew is starting to be evasive. She says, that’s not like Drew, and he says, if he told her who brought it to him, she might believe it, but it has to stay between them. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, Michael told him that Drew is planning on making him CEO of Aurora and he’s going back to Wellness. Jordan says she doubts Drew would do something like that.

Michael asks how Drew is planning on making up for kissing his wife, and Drew says he’s planning on rebuilding Michael’s trust. One way is to make him permanent CEO of Aurora. Has he thought about Drew’s offer? Michael says he’d like to take Drew up on it, but before they finalize it, is Drew offering it to him solely to get back in his good graces? Drew says, it’s partially to earn Michael’s forgiveness, but they both know Michael is the perfect person for the job. Michael says, because? and Drew says, he has C-suite experience and knows the company. Michael ran the company when he was away. Michael says, what about Curtis? and Drew says, Curtis is a great friend and an amazing employee. For an interim CEO, he was perfect, but when it comes to leading the company, Michael is the company’s future, not Curtis.

Lulu peeks out a door and goes through another hallway. She opens another door slightly and hears the doctor telling the receptionist, Lulu Spencer has been cleared for transport. As soon as they get the paperwork from Cyrus, she can be moved. She could be moved as soon as tomorrow. The receptionist says, Cyrus is dedicated to his niece, and the doctor says, the mayor is lucky to have a brother who cares so much. Lulu looks pretty worried, as we all would.

Sonny says, Kristina is doing great, and Alexis says she knows how hard it is to hear. Kristina says she’s got to keep it together. It’s the only way to get Ava convicted. The judge comes back, and DA Turner calls Kristina Corinthos-Davis to the stand.

Curtis says, Drew repeatedly told him that he was happy and proud of his performance, and Jordan says, they’re probably just playing phone tag. He says, Drew did just get elected. He’s busy. He’s sure when they connect, Drew will explain.

Michael asks when Drew is going to make the announcement, and Drew says he thinks the best thing is to let Curtis know he’s a valued employee and did a great job in the interim, but lacks the experience to do it long-term. He’ll secure board approval and put his assets in a blind trust. Then Curtis will go back to Wellness with a bump in pay and Michael will take over as CEO. Michael asks how Drew thinks Curtis will handle him breaking his promise, but Drew says he implied Curtis might get the job. It was not a promise. The bottom line is, it’s his company and he can run it as he sees fit. Curtis is capable at the helm, but Michael is family, and family comes first. Michael says he’s glad to hear Drew say that, and we see that he’s recording the conversation on his phone. Drew says he would never choose Curtis.

Lulu sees a fire alarm and pulls it. The doctor says, it’s not a drill. He has to find out what’s going on. He and the receptionist leave, and Lulu goes behind the desk, taking clothing and a duffel bag out of a drawer. She goes into another room.

The DA asks how Kristina’s pregnancy came about, and Kristina says, her sister Molly and Molly’s partner TJ were trying have baby. They were struggling, so she offered to help. DA Turner says, and they agreed, and Kristina says, yes. She was happy because she knew she was giving them the thing they wanted most in the world- a baby. She knew Molly would have been and someday will be an incredible mother. She got pregnant right away. The DA asks Kristina to tell her more about navigating a healthy pregnancy, and Ric objects due to relevance. The DA says, it’s of the utmost relevance regarding Kristina’s state of mind, and the judge overrules. Kristina says, everything went well. She felt good throughout the pregnancy. She sang to the baby, ate the baby’s favorite foods, and played music. The baby was feisty. She moved a lot, especially when Kristina ate chocolate. The baby loved chocolate. She felt like she was accomplishing something special and was the happiest she’s ever been. Ric says, they know she was happy. It’s not relevant to the charges, which the prosecution is well aware. The DA asks how Kristina knew the defendant, and Kristina says, Ava and her father had a relationship and share a child together, her half-sister Avery. DA Turner says, this is going to be painful, but they need to talk about the day Kristina was injured. Kristina says she’s ready to talk what Ava did to her.

Cyrus asks if he can go back in to see Lulu, but the receptionist tells him, because of the fire alarm, they have to do a bed check on every patient. She tells him that it was a malfunction, and it happens from time to time. He says he just doesn’t like leaving Lulu alone.

Outside, Lulu changes behind a rock and finds a ponytail band in the pocket of the hoodie she’s wearing. She says, girl, thank you.

DA Turner asks Kristina, what happened on the night in question? Why was she in Ava’s hotel room? Kristina says, Ava and her father were in a custody dispute over her half-sister Avery. Ava had subpoenaed her to testify against her father, and she went to Ava’s hotel room to ask her to recall the subpoena. She told Ava that she didn’t want to testify, and she was worried about Avery watching her mother tear her family apart. Ric objects, but it’s sustained, and Kristina says she pleaded with Ava, but she refused. Ava got furious and said she’d enjoy watching Kristina testify against her father. When Kristina said she wouldn’t, she yelled and grabbed Kristina’s arm and pushed her through the window. (I guess this is the Reader’s Digest version with… let’s call them embellishments.)

Michael says, it sounds good. He and Drew have a deal. They shake hands and Drew says he’s happy. He knows it will take time, but he’s grateful for Michael meeting him halfway. Michael says he wants to set things right and he’s optimistic about Aurora’s future. Drew says, the sky’s the limit. He’s got go check in with his DC office. They’ll talk soon. He leaves and Michael retrieves his phone from the bar. He listens to it with his earbuds and says, it’s good. He calls Curtis.

Michael says he heard Curtis reached out to Drew, and Curtis says he didn’t like the position they were in after they talked. He and Drew need to have an open and honest conversation. Michael says, how’s this for open and honest? and plays the recording.

Lulu walks down the road and yells for help.

Curtis listens as Drew says, family comes first. Michael says, Drew would have never chosen Curtis over him. Does Curtis believe him now? Curtis says, yeah, and Michael says, they can change this. Will Curtis have a word with him?

DA Turner asks what Kristina remembers after the fall, and Kristina says, the next thing she remembers is the feel of the glass breaking. She knew she was falling and remembers screaming, then everything went black. The DA asks, what’s the next thing remembers? and Kristina says, coming to in the ambulance. Josslyn was there and told her that she was going to be okay. She must have passed out, because the next thing she knows, she woke up in the hospital. She was in a lot of pain and confused. She didn’t know what happened, and the doctor told her that her baby didn’t make it. She didn’t need be told. She just knew. Mother’s intuition. She could feel the baby was not inside of her anymore. That’s when she really understood why the baby wasn’t on the inside of her. She knew because Ava had pushed her through the window and killed her daughter. DA Turner says, no further questions.

Ric says he’ll be brief. Why is Kristina lying?

Tomorrow, Lucky tells Elizabeth that the sooner they have answers, the better; Sonny says he doesn’t trust Ric, and Alexis says, he shouldn’t; Ava asks if Ric is planning on defending her at any point in this trial; and Lulu tells a driver that she could use a ride.

🧼 Another One Bites the Dust…

I have to admit, I was shocked, but I understand it. Not everybody wants to play the same character for a million years.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Captain Glenn jumps out of bed, and Gary tells someone to get Emma. He also grabs Davide, and keeps yelling, hello! The captain teleports to the deck and wonders how the other boat got so close. Gary says he thinks they’re dragging. Guest Brandon comes out to investigate, and pretty soon all the guests are up and watching the action. Keith takes some of them out in the tender. Gary says, they’re going to crash into the rocks, and Captain Glenn says, they’re dragging toward them. Emma gets Daisy and Danni up, and Gary yells, get fenders! to anyone who will listen. The captain asks where Emma is, and Gary says he told her to change. Gary tells Keith to knock on the hull. Give it a hard knock. Keith bangs on the boat and Captain Glenn tells him to try the forward cabin. Finally, a dude emerges, and Keith tells him, wake up. You’re drifting. Brandon says, smells like pot, and Keith says, he’s way to calm. They’re stoned as hell. In Keith’s interview, he says, banging into a superyacht is not a bill you want to pick up. Gary says, it’s been more than enough excitement for one night. Everyone rubs their eyes, and now that they’re all wide awake, they go back to bed. Danni and Keith dry dishes, and Danni talks about tensions between her and Diana. She says, Daisy thinks things are her fault. She’s over the bad vibes. Keith says, in a team environment, it’s easy to point fingers, and in Danni’s interview, she says she thought it would be a more enjoyable experience. It’s been a dark and stressful and dry time on the boat. She just wants to act her age and have fun. Keith says, they’re all struggling.

Last day of charter. Daisy says she’s glad the charter is over, and Emma says she’s actually ecstatic. Daisy tells her not to let her insecurity push her out. Jump up to help and do something. Emma has a hard time putting the covers on the deck furniture cushions, while Captain Glenn explains what happened last night to the guests. Co-primary Sherry says she thought they were being boarded by pirates. Emma tries to hang a flag, and Gary has to show her how to do it again. He tells her to make sure it’s at the top and not half-mast. No one’s dead. Captain Glenn tells Gary, there have been a lot of close calls. It’s a struggle to properly manage people. You can’t teach motivation. Emma bitches to Danni, and Gary tells the captain that Emma can’t drive a tender. She doesn’t get it. Captain Glenn says he’ll see what he can do. Emma tells Danni that she thinks they want to get rid of her, and in her interview, she says feels Gary’s patience wearing thin and she’s stuck in No Man’s Land. Danni says, at the end of the day, if that’s what she thinks is happening, it’s Captain Glenn’s decision. Captain Glenn texts to find out the availability of deckhands. 

The food porn that is eggs benedict is paraded out, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he’s hitting his stride. He’s excited to continue to grow and push his own boundaries and culinary capabilities. Gary asks if the guests would like the rope swing, and Emma deals with a splinter in the crew mess while Diana gags while watching her. Gary calls Emma to help with the rope and does a demonstration on how to use it for the guests. Using a pokey pole, Emma is supposed to catch it to bring it back, but she can’t seem to do it. It just keeps bouncing off and she almost falls in the water. In Gary’s interview, he says, it’s quite sad, but come on. It’s not hard. The guests swing on the rope, and it looks like mega fun. Sherry says she can’t go in the water, or her hair will be a snarly mess. Danni tells Keith that she doesn’t like him when he’s in uniform. He’s mean. He says he’ll get out of it, but she says she doesn’t know if she’d trust him. When he has his belt on, he’s the rudest person she’s ever met. He’s a d*ck. In Keith’s interview, he says, Danni can dish it out, but she can’t take it. It’s got to be on her terms and he’s over it.

Anchor is home, and Keith tells Danni that he’s sorry. He didn’t think he was mean. In Danni’s interview, she says, since they’ve broken up from doing absolutely nothing, he’s been a d*ck. She’s not even trying and she’s still getting rejected. They’d be better off with staying the f*** away from each other for the rest of their lives. Emma huffs and puffs, but can’t detach the stern line from the tender. Captain Glenn asks Gary to give Emma a hand, and in Gary’s interview, he says, this shouldn’t require two people. This is taking his time, and he can’t be there for the guests or Captain Glenn if he’s showing a deckhand how to do everything little thing on the boat.

The boat heads for Igy Marina, and the guests pack. Sherry says, the crew has been magical with their fairy wands, dust, and glitter that they spread every day. Emma tells Gary that she doesn’t know what to do because he and Keith always do it. Gary instructs her, and she realizes that he did show her before. She says she’s sorry. She hasn’t done day docking in a long time. Gary tells Captain Glenn that he can kick to port, and then has to show Emma how to tie a knot that she finds confusing. He says, it’s the most basic knot, and in Emma’s interview, she says she’s frustrated with herself. It’s something she knows she can do, something she’s done before, but for some bizarre reason, she’s overthinking everything and making stupid mistakes. She cries in wheelhouse, and Davide asks, what’s wrong? She says she keeps f***ing up, and in Davide’s interview, he says, Emma is her own worst enemy. She’s so scared of messing up, it’s preventing her from doing nearly everything. She tells him that she doesn’t want to make a thing out of this and asks him not to mention it to Gary. The captain calls the crew to be on dock to give the guests a good sendoff. After all the hugs and goodbyes, co-primary Phillip says, they delivered on everything. They were treated like family and the crew will always be family. They appreciate it. He gives Captain Glenn the tip envelope, and they leave. The captain says he loves this part and blows the horn. He tells the crew, back to work.

Daisy asks what Danni and Diana thought of charter five. Any feedback or what they could improve. Danni and Diana just look at each other, and Diana says she doesn’t know. Daisy says, it was her favorite charter. They can always improve, and they could try to be quicker with the décor. Some things are taking too long and it’s annoying. She’d rather they be done quicker so they have time to chill. It’s less stressful. There’s basically no reaction, and she thanks them. In Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s a lot being said without a lot of words. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand why she’s number one on Daisy’s target list. Daisy tells Emma that Danni and Diana are slowly starting to hate her, and Danni tells Diana that they never chill. Daisy will just ask them to do something else. In Diana’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to be involved in this situation. She needs them both. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to be chief stew. If Daisy feels threatened, it’s not her fault. If Daisy has issues that she doesn’t want to resolve, fine. She’ll just get back to work.

The boat gets straightened up and Captain Glenn calls for the tip meeting. He says, now is when the midseason blues can kick in. Keep rising above. Cloyce knocked it out of the park for the Sweet 16 party. Always be striving. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, they should never underestimate his power. The captain says he’s not sure the deck team is firing on all cylinders, but thanks them for last night. It’s important to stay vigilant. The tip is $18K or 1722 euros each, which I might normally think is cheap, but it was a quick, no muss, no fuss charter. He thanks everyone for their efforts and champagne is poured. He says he wants to point out that the boat was in good shape after last night. He’d like to find it that way every time. Let their hair down, but clean up afterward. Sounding like Scrooge talking to Bob Cratchit, he says, they have the whole day off tomorrow. They’re going to explore local caves and he’ll be joining them. He loves caves. Then he’s leaving and they can enjoy the rest of the day at O Beach Club. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s stoked. She hopes she bumps into Anthony. His text banter is as good as his real-life banter. She reads a text that says, they have unfinished business, and he’ll see her on her next day off.

In the master suite, Gary says, Captain Glenn knows he has a problem with Emma and her lack of initiative and willingness to work. The captain says he was trying to show her things, but she was struggling with basic knots. She’s not a capable deckhand. There’s only one choice. Gary says he didn’t want it to come down to that, but he has to agree, and the captain says he’s already looking for somebody new. The dreaded conversation has to happen. In Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, Emma has had ample opportunities to prove her value, but she hasn’t taken them. Gary says he’s going to cry, and after chickening out a few times, he knocks at Emma’s cabin. He asks if they can have a chat and asks her to go to the master. Emma tells Diana that she’s getting fired.

In the master, Gary tells Emma to have a seat. Captain Glenn says he doesn’t know how to put this, but right now she’s not delivering what they need. She’s not showing the initiative and experience that’s needed to do the job. They’re having to pick up the slack and need somebody that has more skills than she’s showing. They have to let her go. Gary says, it’s not easy for him. Maybe he’s not explaining things right. Emma says she’s not going to embarrass herself more. They’ve obviously made up their minds. The captain says he likes her potential, but she says she doesn’t want to continue the conversation. She jets out of her seat and to the door, and Captain Glenn tells her to come back. She can’t run away. Emma says she really doesn’t want to right now, and leaves.

Emma tells Daisy that she’s been fired. She’s not where she needs to be. She couldn’t finish the conversation. It’s literally the most embarrassed she’s ever been. Daisy says, no. Emma is thinking the worst thing now, but sometimes they need a stronger person in a situation. Emma says she can’t have that conversation, but Daisy says, sometimes you have to hear these things. In Emma’s interview, she says, no wonder Gary couldn’t look her in the eyes. He’s a coward. She tells Daisy that she’s the scapegoat, but Daisy says she doesn’t know that unless she talks to Captain Glenn. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Emma doesn’t see her own shortcomings. Emma tells Diana and Danni what happened, and they hug her. Emma says she’s going to have a cigarette, calm down, and talk again. She asks Captain Glenn if she can have 10 minutes, and he says, absolutely. She goes out on deck.

Daisy, Danni, and Diana follow Emma, and Daisy says, she’s going to be okay. Talk to Captain Glenn. She knows Emma doesn’t want to. Emma says she’s thinking about how she’s embarrassed her parents, but Daisy says, she hasn’t done anything to embarrass herself. Danni says, she’s a legend. She’s got this. Emma goes back in and tells the captain that she’s sorry. She’s ready to carry on. On deck, Diana asks, what the f*** just happened? Captain Glenn says he feels bad, but it’s not a rash decision. She needs to get more experience. She has some good experience already, but not enough. She needs to get more. That’s it. She thanks him, and on deck, Gary calls his mom. He says he’s terrible. He had to let a chick go and she didn’t take it well. She’s lazy and lacks initiative, but maybe he needed to show or teach her better. His mom tells him to stop trying to please everyone and don’t get too drunk because he’s feeling bad. Gary tells Cloyce and Davide about Emma not being able to do her job and needing more experience. Emma says, this is not how she wanted the season to end, and in her interview, she says she feels a bit at a loss. She needs a few days to absorb it. She knows her anxiety flairs up and she needs to be better at accepting something and learning from it. She’s met amazing people, and it would have been a lot harder without the people who made her smile. She’s forever grateful. She leaves, and Gary says, what the f***? She didn’t even say goodbye.

Danni wonders who’s coming, and Diana says she doesn’t want to change cabins, but Danni says she’s hoping for a new boy. The captain calls a crew meeting, and says he wants to explain exactly what’s going on. Emma is gone. He made a choice and let her go. He liked Emma, but she wasn’t able to do her job the way they needed her to do it. In Keith’s interview, he says he has mixed emotions, shock and guilt. Emma didn’t say goodbye. Captain Glenn says he’ll find a replacement before the next charter. The crew leaves for a night out, and Davide says, when Gary is in a bad mood, everybody has to be. They go to a restaurant and Keith orders a round of espresso martinis for the table, as a team. On the boat, the captain finds out he can get a deckhand in two days. Gary leaves the table, and Daisy says, it’s a sad day and a hard day, but that doesn’t take away from their accomplishments. Gary drinks some tequila at the bar inside, comes back to the table, and guzzles his martini. He says he’s going to get f***ed up and be the life of the party. Daisy asks him to go for a smoke and asks how he is. He says he’s a bit down. He feels like he could have been a better teacher and leader, but she says, they can only manage someone who wants to be managed. She doesn’t think it was the wrong decision, and thinks he knows that deep down. Don’t be hard on himself. What’s important is trying to learn and grow. She tells him to say he’s okay, and he says he guesses so. He says he’s feeling better. He’s a bit drunk. Daisy says, the day started low, but she’s happy they ended on a high. They go back to the boat.

Danni asks if Keith filled the hot tub and says she doesn’t know how Daisy does it. There’s a lot of loud reactive personalities. Daisy tells Keith that she doesn’t resonate with the girls, and he says he thinks they’re immature, especially Danni. She said he was an a-hole when he’s in uniform. Daisy says she hopes he doesn’t take it to heart. She’s had a positive experience with him. He says he can speak to her. She’s the one person he can be himself with. Gary and Davide make shots, and Cloyce eats cake in the galley. Gary starts throwing lollipops at Davide and hits him in the eye. They’re so drunk, they think it’s hysterically funny that Davide is bleeding all over the white sofa. Danni walks in and says, Gary, what did you do?

To be continued…

🐕 Pet Friendly Travel…

I can’t imagine traveling with my dogs, but if you have well-behaved furbuddies, here are some tips.

https://people.com/holiday-tips-for-pet-owners-evan-antin-8747736

🪑 Sitting At the Kids’ Table…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and my take on Red One, last weekend’s big screen watch. Until then, stay safe; stay always putting a used utensil on your plate, not the table; and stay not being so scared of messing up, it prevents you from doing nearly everything.

November 18, 2024 – Lucas Feels Responsible For Sam’s Death, One Out One In, Formal White Glove Sweet 16 Service On Deck, The Second One, This Week In From, We Aren’t Worthy & Sweater

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Maxie goes through the floral arrangements at the church critiquing them. She talks to Sam’s photograph, and says she always looked beautiful. She decides they’re going with the yellow, and Lucas walks in. He says he thinks Sam would approve.

Kai goes to Trina and Josslyn’s apartment, and Josslyn answers the door. He asks if she thinks Trina will give him the time of day and she says she wishes the odds were in his favor. Trina comes out and says, the odds are zero to none, and closes the door in his face.

Aiden finds Elizabeth at the hospital, and she says she wanted to talk to him about something. He says, it’s about dad, isn’t it?

Jack recognizes Lucky at Bobbie’s, and Lucky asks if he knows Jack. Jack says he should. He saved Lucky’s life.

Drew calls Nina and asks her to come over. He could use some help getting himself more presentable. The kids come out of the living room, and Scout sees Drew. She asks, what happened to his face? and Rocco and Danny look at each other.

Cody finds Dante going through pictures in the nook. Cody says, it’s a great looking family, but Dante says he doesn’t think it’s much of a family without Sam.

Alexis breaks her bracelet trying to put it on. She tells Molly and Kristina that she can’t do this. She doesn’t think get through this today.

Josslyn asks Trina to give Kai five minutes. If she doesn’t like what he says, she can slam the door in his face again. Trina says she did like that, and Josslyn says she has to go. In the hallway, she tells Kai that he owes her one and good luck. Trina tells Kai that he doesn’t give up easy. Why is he here? He says, to plead his case. He wants her to give him another chance.

Drew tells Scout that he’s fine. It looks worse than it is. He’s a little embarrassed. He was leaving the kitchen and not paying attention and walked into a door. He asks the boys for a minute with Scout, and they leave. He promises Scout that he’s okay, and she says, he has to tell her if he’s not. He has to keep his promise that he’ll always be with her. Mom broke hers.

Maxie says she’s glad Lucas is here, but he says, if he hadn’t been Sam’s surgeon, this wouldn’t be happening today. He says, Sam insisted on having him, but he says, Sam wasn’t a doctor. Operating on relatives isn’t a good idea. Emotions get in way and there’s too much at stake to take the risk. He knew that. She says, sometimes bad things happen and it’s nobody’s fault, and he says, Sam is gone and he’s the only one it makes sense to blame.

Alexis says she broke her bracelet, and Molly takes it. She steps away, and Kristina says, it’s not about the bracelet. Alexis says she doesn’t want to bury Sam. It’s the last gift Sam gave her. Kristina says, for Mother’s Day, and Alexis says, it has all their birthstones on it. She cries, and Kristina says, if Molly can’t fix it, somebody can. It feels like bad déjà vu. It feels like just yesterday they were burying Adela. Molly overhears.

Lucas tells Maxie that he’s been replaying the surgery over and over. Sam was healthy and there were no complications. He must have made a mistake, but he can’t figure out what it was. Maxie says, all surgeries have risks. Look at her transplant. He says, her and Sam’s situations were different and there’s a possibility he might have made a mistake. She says he’s taking the easy way out. The easiest thing is to blame himself, but she’ll be damned if she lets him get away with that.

Elizabeth asks how Aiden knew it was about his dad, and he says, the look on her face. He’s learned how to read it. What is it about dad? She says she wants him to prepare for the possibility of his dad leaving town again, but he says he knows and expected it.

Jack asks if he can buy Lucky coffee, and Lucky says, if he buys Jack’s story, shouldn’t he be doing the buying? How did Jack save him? Jack introduces himself, and says he assisted in Lucky’s extraction from Africa. Lucky says he should throw in a donut then, and wonders if the MetroCourt isn’t a more appropriate hang for Jack. Jack says, the MetroCourt has undeniable charm, but he can’t resist the pie at Bobbie’s. Lucky says, Jack has until he finishes his coffee to tell him what he wants, and Jack asks why he’s in a hurry. Lucky says he’s going to a funeral.

Cody says he thinks once there’s a family bond, it’s not broken because on of them is gone. When he came to Port Charles, he was still running cons, but Dante had a job, a woman who lit up his world, and kids who made him smile. Dante says, had, and Cody says he’d never seen a couple so supportive of each other. Dante says, Sam made that possible, but Cody says, Dante was a part of that too. Dante says, what he did right, he got from Sam, and Cody says he’s not as smart as Sam, but he thinks between the two of them, they can figure out just about anything. Dante says he’s just trying to figure out how to smile at anything again. The grief is all consuming, and he feels like it’s going to take him down.

Drew says, Scout’s mom loved her more than anything. She didn’t want to leave. Scout says, he still needs to keep his promise, and Drew says he will. He asks about the flowers Scout is holding, and she says she got them from Lila’s garden. They’re for mom. He says, she’s going to love them, and hugs Scout.

Kristina tells Molly that she’s sorry, as Molly puts the bracelet on Alexis. Alexis thanks Molly and hugs her. Kristina tries to talk to Molly, but Molly says she needs to get some air and goes outside.

Molly finds Ric outside and asks how he knew she needed him. He says, father’s intuition, and hugs her.

Nina asks if it still hurts, but Drew says, it doesn’t. He asks if it looks bad, and she says, yes. He says he’d love her to make it look… less bad, and she says she’s the best designer at Crimson. She can make it look not great, but at least better. He says, it will have to do, and she says she hopes she gets done before the kids see, but he says, no such luck. She asks what he told them, and he says, that he walked into a door. She laughs, and he says he was caught off guard. It was the first thing that popped in his head. She says, that might work with children, but definitely not anybody else.

Danny shows Rocco a drawing and says, Scout drew it for mom, so she’ll feel like she’s always with them. Rocco asks if Danny thinks Drew walked into a door, but Danny says, no. He thinks Drew is covering up what really happened. Rocco asks what he thinks happened, and Danny says his guess would be that Drew was in a fight, but all that matters is taking care of Scout. He’s going over to the church. Rocco says, no matter what happens or what anybody says, they’re brothers, and Danny says, no matter what.

Trina says she told Kai that she asked for a new partner, and Kai says he didn’t know his absence would affect Trina so much. His advisor signed him up because he thought art was easy. Trina says, anyone who loves art would take that as an insult, but Kai says, that’s what his advisor was thinking… He should probably get a new advisor. The only spot open was Art History. He knows it’s not easy. Trina tells him, then drop it. If he can’t take it seriously, she refuses to carry him. He says he wants to learn about it and he’s willing to pull his weight. She says she appreciates him coming over, but she has a tough schedule. She has a job… He says, at the art gallery, and she says, yes. He says, imagine a random guy walking in who wants to learn about art. Is she going to turn him away?

Molly says she didn’t think she’d see Ric today, and he says he wanted to check on her. She says she’s doing everything not to blow up at Kristina, and came out to cool down, and he says he has something to take her mind off of it. Happy birthday. He hands her an envelope, and she says, tickets to 12 Angry Men. He says he knows it’s her favorite, and she says, when he took her to see it when she was in high school, she thought it would be a bunch of old guys yelling and… well, angry. It was so much more. It made her want to become a lawyer. He says, when he heard there was a revival, he knew what to get her. He was hoping they could go together. She says she wouldn’t want to see it with anyone else, and they hug. He says he wishes she could have a normal birthday without the heartache, when TJ approaches. (12 Angry Men is a great play. I saw a revival on Broadway with Brian Dennehy and Christopher Plummer. They weren’t my dates; they were in the play. The acting was incredible.)

Kristina tells Alexis that she didn’t mean for Molly to hear her. They were doing so well, especially after last night. She gave Molly a necklace for her birthday. Alexis says she forgot. She doesn’t know what day it is. Kristina says, Molly will understand, and Alexis says, hold on. Who is Molly talking to? She looks outside and asks what the hell Ric is doing here. He’s the last person she needs to see.

Maxie tells Lucas that Sam wasn’t the type to make a decision based on sentiment. If she didn’t think it was right, she wouldn’t have asked him. She was great at quick decisions and was never wrong, including this time. Lucas says, if that was true, none of this would be happening, and Maxie says she knows he doesn’t believe in himself right now, but believe in Sam. Sam trusted him, so trust her.

Aiden says he knows his dad is going back to Africa. He’s doing what he does. Elizabeth says she didn’t react with his maturity, and he says, they have each other. They’ll be fine. He has a lot more than Danny, Rocco, and Scout, and she says her heart breaks for them. He says he doesn’t see his dad, but his dad is still alive and doing good in the world. It’s cool. She asks where he learned to be so kind and understanding, and he says, from her. She hugs him.

Jack says he was impressed with Lucky’s work at the Kenya/Somalia border, and Lucky says, safe and easy places don’t need human aid. Jack says, Lucky’s not shy about danger, and Lucky suggests he cut to the chase. Jack says, there’s a job opportunity up Lucky’s alley in the same region. He’d be working with the locals. Lucky says, doing? and Jack says, there’s a situation in the works there and he’s gathering intel. Lucky says, so it’s not aid work, but Jack says, of a sort. Not the sort Lucky is used to, but this time he’ll be handsomely rewarded for putting his neck on the line. Lucky says he’s selective about his work and he’s not in it for the money. Working for the WSB, there are always strings, and he’s nobody’s puppet.

TJ says he’s so sorry, and hugs Molly. Alexis tells Molly that she’s so sorry for forgetting, but Molly says she forgives her. Alexis thanks TJ for being here, and he says, of course (🍷). Molly says she has to call the minister, and thanks Ric. She and TJ go inside, and Alexis asks what Ric is doing here. He says he came to wish Molly a happy birthday. Alexis forgot about their only daughter, who’s low on her list of priorities. She says, today she’s burying her oldest daughter. She calls him a heartless son of a bitch, who gets off on her mourning, and he says, when she’s done, her youngest daughter is still alive.

Dante says, Sam was the part that made the family work, and Cody says, it won’t always feel like this. Give himself time. It’s not about losing Sam, but remembering the good times too. Like the softball game where Sam lost it. Olivia comes in and says she remembers when Sam was called out. Dante says, it was funnier because the night before, Sam had a chat with Scout about how sportsmanship is important. Olivia says, and the next day Scout watched her mom come down on them like a load of bricks. Very unsportsmanlike. Dante says, she told Scout, there’s a difference between sportsmanship and being right, and Cody says, Sam was good at getting out of tough situations. Dante says, until she wasn’t.

Nina puts makeup on Drew, and says she assumes Jason was arrested. Drew won’t have to worry about him being at the funeral. Drew says, nothing is stopping Jason from going to the funeral, and Nina says, don’t tell her that he’s not pressing charges. Dante says, Sam asked them to be there for the kids. It’s what Sam wanted. Nina says, she wouldn’t have wanted Jason to attack him. He and Willow just kissed once. Is that why Jason went after him? Jason found out or is there something he’s not telling her? He says, no. Michael must have told Jason about the kiss, and Jason deemed that the appropriate response. Nina says, it’s not payback. It’s a warning. He says he’s not worried, but she says, he should be, about how far Jason will go on Michael’s behalf.

Trina says, hypothetically, if someone came into the gallery, she’d love to talk about art, but that’s a conversation, not a project for a mandatory class. Kai says he’s a team player and doesn’t bail. He won’t bail on her. Trina asks what he knows about art, and he recites the class description. She says, all that tells her is that he read the description of the syllabus, but he says, it proves he can be taught and he has a good memory. That’s a good thing in a partner.

Dante leaves to check on the kids, and Cody says, the last thing he wanted to do was make Dante Feel worse. Olivia says, he didn’t. Grief is unpredictable, and when someone you love is gone, everything you felt about them hits you, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the sad. He says he was trying to help Dante remember the good, and she says, he did. They need good friends to get them through the dark places. There’s going to be a whole lot more of them. He says he’ll do what he can, and she says, Dante has to find his own way through the grief. All they can do is help him up when he falls.

Drew says, Danny needs Jason, but Nina says, this might be Drew’s last chance. Drew says, Jason’s not a problem, but Nina says, he’s going to be. Drew says, Sam asked him and Jason to put the kids first. It’s the last thing she asked of him and he’s not going to let her down.

TJ tells Molly that he’s sorry he forgot, especially this year. He didn’t forget. It’s actually at the apartment. She says, it’s fine. She’s fine. He says, if she’s ever not, he’s here, whatever she needs. She says she loves him. She doesn’t always say it, but she should. He says he loves her, and she says, him being here is all she needs. Kristina walks in as they’re hugging, and Alexis also comes in.  

Jack says, the WSB’s goals depend on the situation. Part of this situation will help the refugees. Lucky asks, what’s the other part? and Jack says he has an inside track about a political group on the rise who has found their footing. Lucky’s and the WSB’s causes may be very much aligned. Lucky says, it sounds too good to be true, and you know what they say, and Jack says he can get Lucky on a flight within the next 24 hours. Elizabeth walks in.  

Kai says he’ll make the best partner. He memorized the PCU playbook in six hours. Trina asks if he thinks he can handle Art History and QB1, and he says he doesn’t quit – ever. The next game is at home. Why doesn’t she bring Josslyn and see for herself? He never gives up. She says, Josslyn and her new boyfriend love football, but it’s not her thing, and he says, maybe she just has to give it a chance. She smiles.  

Jack tells Lucky that he has another matter to attend to. Call him with his decision. He leaves, and Elizabeth says she’s picking up cookies for the reception after the funeral. Who’s that guy? Lucky says, the Port Charles WSB Station Chief Brennan. Brennan offered him a job in his old neck of the woods. She says, Africa? and he says, the same region. She says, so he’s just going to leave again.  

Nina says she’s done. Hopefully, no one will know Jason laid a hand on Drew. He thanks her and Rocco watches from outside the door.

Alexis says, it’s time, and the remaining Davis girls join hands, then hug.

Dante asks what Cody thinks, and Cody says, perfect. Sam looks happy. Dante puts the photo in the window of a memory box, and we see a smiling Sam.

Danny leaves Scout’s picture on Sam’s casket and sees Lucas. He says, Lucas needs to leave. He’s not allowed to be here. Lucas was the one who let his mother die. Lucas backs out of the church and leaves.

Tomorrow, Sam’s funeral; Ava asks Lucas what his reason is for not being at the church; and it looks like Lulu will be waking up soon.

🧼 Not Missing a Beat…

Sam went out the door, and now Lulu’s coming in.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-spoilers-week-november-18-2024-lulu-wakes-up

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Daisy tells Cloyce that the meals should be more elaborate, like the most beautiful plate they’ve ever seen. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, to have someone have a glimmer of confusion about his skills is new for him and they’re wrong. He tells Daisy, hopefully, he’ll keep getting better.

One of the guests says she thinks the juice is fresh squeezed, and another says she thinks she saw it come out of a box, but it’s cute they think that. We see Danni squeezing the life out of some oranges. It’s time for the guests’ departure and co-primary Andrew says, it was great. He relaxed. Co-primary and Andrew’s wife Cecilia says she got to sit on a trampoline float and have cocktails fed to her. Andrew thanks them, and Cecilia says she misses them already. She hands Captain Glenn an envelope, and the guests leave. Captain Glenn blows the horn, and after some cleaning is done, we move on to the tip meeting. The captain says, another charter in the can, done, dusted. He loves the standard they’re reaching, but keep pushing. He tells Gary that the docking was perfect, and Daisy’s team is looking like a well-oiled machine, but Cloyce had a little trouble. He wants Cloyce to focus on prepping better and wants him to think outside the box. He likes their high standards, but wants to keep moving up, and Cloyce says, always leveling up. In Cloyce’s interview, he says he doesn’t see himself as ego driven, but Daisy’s constructive criticism is ruining his day. He prefers not to be in this situation. The tip is $22K USD or 2105 euros each. Captain Glenn says, the next charter is tomorrow, so it’s a school night. They have champagne, then do some cleaning.  

Gary says he’s excited to party, and Daisy says, there’s always been tension between them. He says, that’s not good, and Captain Glenn calls for the preference sheet meeting. The captain says, it’s charter five. They’re halfway there, the hump charter. The primaries are Sherry and Phillip, who are coming with their daughters, their daughters’ best friends, and Sherry’s gay best friend and stylist Brandon. They want a family vacation and are celebrating daughter Alana’s sweet 16th birthday. In Daisy’s interview, she says, for her 16th birthday, the went to a restaurant and she had alcohol. She thinks her friend made out with a waiter in the bathroom. Gary says, they want to use all the water toys, and Daisy reads that they want a formal white glove service dinner for Alana’s birthday. The captain tells Cloyce to go above and beyond, and Daisy says, some of the adults want to go to the night clubs. Captain Glenn thinks this will be a good group.

Emma thinks everybody hates her, but Daisy tells her not to let her insecurity push her out. Gary thinks it’s going to be a good night tonight, and I love Diana’s black babydoll dress. At the restaurant, Danni flirts with Keith, and in his interview, he says, what’s with Danni? Work is not feeling fun. He’s not too keen on her because of Gary, and it’s not banter anymore. It’s becoming something weird. Cloyce leaves the table to work on his menus. When he comes back, he says he knows he’s only here because he continues to perform on some base level, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Cloyce has taken her feedback and is putting the effort in, but dude, put those f***ing sheets away.

On the way back to the boat, Gary tells Daisy that he’s a little drunk, and she says she’s hammered. When they get back, Cloyce decides to make squid ravioli. Danni and Keith sit in lounge chairs on deck, and Keith says, she had her chance. She says, with what? and he says him. If she hadn’t hooked up with Gary… She says, nothing is going on. It was just a whoopsie. He says he doesn’t want to be involved in a triangular relationship, and in Danni’s interview, she says she hates rejection, but she wouldn’t have kissed Gary if Keith hadn’t taken this long. Her approach is to move on to the next one like it never happened. He’s like a child. She’s never met boys so emotionally dependent in her life. Cloyce thinks his raviolis look pretty legit.

Igy Marina. The crew wakes up hung over, and Gary says, f*** my life. Emma says she feels like a Barbie doll with the hair cut off and limbs ripped off by a troubled child. Gary asks, what’s hanging Keith up with Danni? and Keith says, if she hadn’t hooked up with Gary… but Gary says, it wasn’t a hook up. Danni tells Daisy and Diana about Keith saying he didn’t want to get involved in a love triangle, and her telling him that there’s no triangle to get involved in. Daisy asks if Danni isn’t interested in Keith, and Danni says she was, but the ick is him being so insecure and weird. Daisy says, she didn’t kiss just anyone. Gary is Keith’s roommate and his boss. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t like Daisy’s commentary. Butt the f*** out. Gary tells the deckhands that he’s having tender driving practice, and out on the water, he tells Emma that it’s like a car. He shows her how to go in reverse, and in Emma’s interview, she says she doesn’t normally perform well under pressure. All eyes are on her and it’s throwing her for a loop. As he scrambles eggs, Cloyce says, Operation Fuego is in full effect. Whatever that means. Gary asks Captain Glenn how you teach initiative. Emma doesn’t get the urgency. The captain says, her lack of experience is impacting the team, and in Gary’s interview, he says, Emma is an excuse maker when it comes to work. We flash back to her making excuses again and again, and Captain Glenn says he wants to give her the opportunity to prove she wants to learn or he has to find someone who wants to be here. If there isn’t a massive improvement, he’ll have to look for somebody else.

Daisy says, the rooms look great, and Cloyce says, let’s do it. Gary says, charter number five, here we go. The guests look like they belong to a polo club, and Glenn welcomes them. He says, they have a lot of fun stuff planned, and Daisy gives the tour. Glenn tells Danni that his policy is, no underage drinking, and she says, two of them didn’t take any. She tells Diana that she’s just doing her job. She doesn’t want to say anything since Daisy doesn’t give a sh*t. Co-primary Phillip watches Glenn drive the boat, and co-primary and wife Sherry says she wants to feel the full effect of sailing. Daisy asks Cloyce if he wants to talk through the menu, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, on his 16th birthday, he was the guest chef at a culinary festival in Mexico. After he cooked, he did a model walk and took a photo with 30 supermodels in bikinis. We see the photo, and he says he wants to make Alana’s birthday just as special, and giggles. The only man allowed to giggle is Anderson Cooper, so no. The sails go up, and things start falling and rolling and crashing.

Sherry tells Phillip that she has four wardrobe changes, and she gives Daisy some tchotchkes for the dinner. She asks if they can have it inside, and Daisy says, sure. Daisy tells Cloyce that they want everything fancy. Captain Glenn tells Emma to keep her eye on the mizzen, and she asks Davide to go through it with her. In the captain’s interview, he says he knows she’s done it before. When you put in the effort to train someone, you’ve got to see results immediately. He needs someone who picks up quickly and Emma’s not picking it up. The guests go swimming and use the water toys. Emma stands around. Gary asks Emma if she’s happy to be here. He wants to be honest, and he sees a lack of urgency. She always seems to be waiting and watching. We flash back to poor Keith huffing and puffing as Emma watches. Gary says, he was putting the shower up and handing out towels and she’s just standing there. She says she thought the guests could see the shower, and Gary says, when he asks her to do something, she says she can’t do it, then goes to get coffee. She says she doesn’t drink coffee – the semantics of which would infuriate me – and he says, tea, whatever. She seems like she doesn’t want to be here. She says, it’s unfair. She’s gotten no feedback until now. She works hard to improve, but all they see is a snapshot. Gary says, what he notices is the team picking up the slack. He’s telling her now so she can improve with her initiative and urgency. While walking away, she says, this is absolute bullsh*t.

Emma says, he can suck a d*ck. Gary tells Glenn that Emma thinks he’s being unfair and doesn’t know where this is coming from. Emma tells Daisy that Gary told her the others are carrying too much of her weight and asked if she wants to be here. He should have come to her sooner. Daisy says she thinks Gary doesn’t like confrontation, and in her interview, she says empathizes with Emma, but Gary needs self-motivators. She feels Emma lacks that and she’s getting in her own head. Emma says she can’t trust them as far as she could throw them, and Daisy says, prove them wrong. Cloyce blowtorches something in the galley and Danni inhales helium while setting up for the party. In Diana’s interview, she says she thought they’d be on the same side. The priority is to have everything done: the service, décor, cocktails. It all needs to be ready and it’s not the time for having fun. It’s annoying.

The guests are all impressed, and Sherry says, they’re so creative. They sit down, and Sherry wants to impart words of wisdom to Alana on her birthday. It’s always better to take the high road, enjoy life as it comes, and drop the mic. Alana thanks her for her wise words and Sherry says she needs tequila. Cloyce presents a dish that changes color when the lemon is squeezed on it, and in Captain Glenn’s interview, he says he’s pleased with Cloyce’s extra effort. I’m definitely impressed. The captain tells Gary that the guests are leaving at midnight for the clubs, and Gary says he’ll have Keith do the pick-ups. Sherry takes ten thousand pictures of her food, and Cloyce comes up with the ravioli. I expect it to be a dud, since he made it when he was drunk, but Sherry is wowed by it. Cloyce also managed to make a real cake this time, and in her interview, Daisy says she knew he had it in him. That’s what he’s supposed to be doing. Now if he can keep it up for the rest of the season, they’ll be on to the home stretch. The crew sings Happy Birthday. The cake isn’t that impressive, but it’s a lot better than the mess he served for the last birthday.

On the way to the tender, Sherry falls and laughs. Seriously though, falling down drunk before you even get to the club isn’t really funny. Keith drives five of the guests to shore where someone meets them with a flashlight on the beach.

Back on the boat in the hot tub, the birthday girl and her friends say blah-blah-blah teenager stuff and inhale helium. Alana hopes they come back in good spirits. Her dad’s not a big partier. At 2:10, Keith leaves to pick up the guests after texting Gary. On deck, Gary hears something and runs to the bow. He yells for Danni to get Captain Glenn, and Danni runs to the captain’s cabin, waking him up. She says, Gary told her to get him. A boat is too close. Gary yells for her to get Emma too. The boat is getting closer. He runs with the fenders to the bow, and yells, hello! He whistles, and Danni tells Emma that there’s a boat too close in front. Gary says, that’s close.

To be continued…

🤡 Getting Around To It…

I finally watched It Chapter Two, mostly because it’s leaving Netflix at the end of the month. It’s been a minute since I saw the first part, but it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with the story. While I’m a big fan of Tim Curry, Bill Skarsgård was magnificent as Pennywise, and the rest of the cast was just as brilliant. The special effects were jaw dropping and the writing, well it is Stephen King. I’ll even forgive Ben and Bev’s trip to the cornfield near the end.

Best quotes:

People want to believe who they are is who they choose to remember… But sometimes we are who we choose to forget. – Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa)

Was this job invented before fun? – Richie Tozier, (Bill Hader)

Let’s kill this f***ing clown. – Richie Tozer (Bill Hader)

https://collider.com/it-chapter-2-leaving-netflix-december/

This is pretty funny. I definitely get it.

https://ew.com/bill-hader-daughter-didnt-love-his-work-in-it-chapter-2-8746590

🐦‍⬛ Welcome To the Fromily…

All kinds of spoilers.

https://collider.com/from-season-3-episode-9-recap/

While my favorite From blogger/vlogger Anthony Whyte had nothing in print yet, there was this. You can also find his recap on YouTube. I always watch it immediately after watching the episode. I know I’m going to go through withdrawal when the season ends, wandering around the house on Sunday afternoons eating string cheese…

🐶 Going To the Dogs…

LVP, Trixie Mattel, and a whole lotta dogs. I can’t imagine anything better.

https://pagesix.com/2024/11/16/photos/vanderpump-dog-foundation-gala-photos-lisa-vanderpump-trixie-mattel-lance-bass-more/

No, I don’t get a kickback, but I love Paris and I love pets.

https://people.com/paris-hilton-unveils-iconic-pet-grooming-line-exclusive-8745288

💨 A Delightful Menace In the Air…

Readership seems to have gone down in the past year, and I have a lot of projects on my plate, so there are changes afoot. Perhaps shorter recaps or perhaps fewer days, but we’ll always have Friday. If you’re still reading, let me know your thoughts. Until next time, stay safe, stay not serving canned cranberry sauce, and stay never using the excuse that you ran into a door when you’ve really been in a fight.