What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Nikolas punches the heavy bag, and flashes back to Ava telling him that he knows her better than anyone, and must know if anything happened to Avery, it would kill her, so they’re done. He punches harder. Lucy comes in, and throws him a towel. She says, trouble? With Ava Jerome? Good luck. Ta! She leaves him standing there with the towel in his hands.
On the phone, Nina says she thought it would be nice to hear Mike/Sonny’s voice again. She’ll call again soon. She misses him. She looks at the picture of them together on her phone. Ava says, she knows that look. That is the face of a woman in love. They hug, and Nina says, it’s good to see Ava. Ava says, it’s good to see Nina too. Clearly, they have some catching up to do.
At the hospital, Sasha runs into Brando, who asks if they didn’t just have breakfast. She says she has a vague recollection, and he says if he’d known she was coming there, they could have walked over together. She knew he was going to see his mother, and didn’t say anything. Is everything okay? She says, everything is fine. It’s just a routine OB appointment. He asks if there’s a reason she didn’t want him to know.
Valentin, Austin, and Anna are in the woods, and Valentin asks Anna if she wants to walk the area again. She says she does. She knows he’s thinking it’s a waste of time, but she can’t help thinking Dante might have missed something. That one little clue that will lead them to finding Peter and Maxie’s baby.
Laura sees Maxie at the MetroCourt, and apologizes for not coming by, but Maxie says, it’s fine. Laura has been busy, and she’s been lousy company anyway. That’s one of the reasons she couldn’t stand being alone with herself in the apartment anymore. Laura says she must be crazy with worry. There is nothing is worse than not knowing where your child is. She has the feeling they’ll find Maxie’s baby soon, and Maxie says she prays Laura is right.
In the hallowed halls of the moss bowl, Carly asks if Brick would like coffee or something stronger. He says he’ll stick with Corinthos’s finest, and says she’s sorry to call him back so soon. Not that it’s not a pleasure to see him. He says he’s always there to help any way he can, and Carly says, be honest. How much trouble are she and Jason in? He says, that depends on their next move, and Jason comes in. Jason thanks Brick for coming, and Brick says he was on his way to L.A., but Sonny’s business is always a priority; Jason knows that. Carly asks what the damage is, and Jason says, most of the shipment was saved, but the warehouse is a complete loss. She asks if he’s sure it was Novak, and Brick says, it was definitely the Novaks. His sources say this is going to amp up the pressure. Jason and Carly are running out of time to push back.
Nina apologizes for not calling Ava, and says, it was a surprise trip back. Michael invited her to see Wiley. Ava says, wonderful, and asks how it went. Nina says, wonderful; it was really great. She promised not to mention Nelle’s name, which she gets. Ava asks if she’s sure, and Nina says, does she like it? No. Does she understand? Of course (🍷). Ava asks, how long before Carly showed up? and Nina swears Carly teleported there. Ava says she’s happy Michael and Willow came to their senses. She hopes Nina will be able to see more of Wiley now that she’s home. Nina says she thinks the door’s open for her to be more in Wiley’s life, but as far as home is concerned, she honestly doesn’t know where home is anymore.
Brando and Sasha sit down, and he says he knows she’s not ready to make plans, and they’ve done this upside down. Most people don’t have their first date this far into the pregnancy. Sasha says, true. They haven’t taken the conventional route. Brando says he has every intention of being there when she needs him. He’ll also do his best to respect her privacy and need for space, but when it comes to baby’s health, and hers, he prefers to be kept in the loop, not on the sidelines. She says she appreciates that, but it’s not the reason she didn’t tell him about the appointment. It just didn’t occur to her. She’s so used to taking care of herself, it never crossed her mind. Brando says, she forgot about him? but she says she wouldn’t put it that way. He says, that’s kind of what happened, and she says, that’s exactly what happened, but she wouldn’t put it that way. It’s embarrassing. He says, maybe next time, and she promises to let him know. Definitely next time; she’s going to have lot of appointments. Brando says, now that he’s not working for a drug lord, his time will be more flexible, and she says she’s glad he’s standing by her. There’s so much she doesn’t want to get wrong. Every day there’s some new lesson, and the books only tell you so much; it can be overwhelming. He says, next time, let him know if there’s something he can do, but she says, the next item on her agenda isn’t something he can help with. He tells her, try me, and she says, okay. How does she tell Nina that she’s pregnant?
Laura tells Maxie that Mac said they’d found the kidnapper’s body, but there was no sign Louise had ever been with her. Maxie says, it was kind of a good news/bad news situation. She kept thinking, if the kidnapper has the baby, the baby isn’t with Peter. Laura asks if Maxie thinks Louise is with Peter, but Maxie says she has to tell herself that Louise isn’t. That’s another reason she wanted to get out. She kept waiting for someone to call her, and say Peter was caught, but it never happened. It’s agonizing. Laura says it’s good she got out; even an hour or two can help. Maxie says, Georgie and James were so excited to have a baby sister. She wanted to give her kids a happy, safe life. So what did she do? She opened the door, and let a monster walk in.
Anna says, there’s no sign of a struggle around the mine shaft within a 50 foot radius, and Austin says, would there be signs of struggle in a forest? Valentin says, if you know what you’re looking for, and Austin says he’s a little lost. What is Anna getting at? Anna wonders if it’s possible the kidnapper simply fell, and Austin says, when the sun goes down, it gets very dark in the forest. She might not have known there was a mine shaft there, and the wood had rotted. Anna says, obviously, she handed off the baby before she fell, or she possibly was pushed. Whoever took the baby… Valentin says, took care of the kidnapper, and Anna asks if Austin had any sense that there had been another person there when he woke up. He says he was pretty out of it, but he was focused on Maxie and the baby. Anna says, something feels off.
Brick says, right now the Novaks are playing downhill; all the momentum is on their side. Jason says, not after tonight. The Novaks are going to experience a major setback in their territory, which will make them think twice about expanding into Sonny’s. The moss bowl is suddenly gone from the kitchen island, and I desperately look for it. Brick asks if Jason needs help, but Jason says he just needs intel; the mechanics are taken care of. Carly says he can’t. When Sonny was alive, Jason was the one who handled the mechanics. Now that Sonny is gone, Jason and Brick made it clear to the Five Families focaccia that Jason is running the show. Not her and Jason together. Jason says, that’s why he’s sending the Novaks a message, and she says, he can’t be the one to send it. Brick says, Carly’s got a good point.
Sasha tells Brando that she was hoping to tell Nina in private, but Nina has been out town. Now Lucy set up a business meeting for the three of them and, given her and Nina’s history, it seems cruel to spring her pregnancy on Nina in front of other people. He takes it a text won’t cut it, and she says, the only way to do this is in private, face-to-face. He suggests she get there early, and talk to Nina before she goes in. He saw how concerned Nina was when she was in the hospital. Maybe Nina will be happy for her. She says, one of the things that makes her relationship with Nina so special, is that it’s also so fragile. After everything that happened, everything Sasha did, they reached a good place. The last thing she wants is for her pregnancy to bring back the pain she caused, and remind Nina of the person she used to be. Gladys rolls up, and says, perfect soap timing. Continue. She’s dying to hear about the person Sasha used to be.
Laura says Maxie opened up her heart, and it’s a very brave thing to do. Unfortunately, it turned out that Peter… Maxie says, was just as bad as his father? and Laura says, Peter is a very a bad man, but he fooled a lot of people. With a little luck, Maxie and her kids will never see Peter again, and when her kids see Maxie again, they’ll see what strength and resilience looks like, and that’s what they’ll remember. Nina comes in, and signals to Maxie, who says she has to go. She thanks Laura for saying that; she needed to hear it. Laura says she’s welcome, and she’s there for Maxie anytime. Maxie says she might take Laura up on that, and Laura says, good.
Maxie goes over to Nina, and says, thanks for getting her out of the apartment. Nina says, it’s her pleasure. Maxie looks beautiful. Maxie says, all things considered, and Nina says, all things considered, she looks beautiful. Maxie says, it’s amazing how makeup can hide the look of fear, anxiety, dread… Nina says, and deception.
Austin says he hates to abandon them in the middle of search, and Valentin says, he has somewhere else to be? Austin says he does. He has another engagement out of town. He gives Anna the keys, telling them, make themselves at home, straighten up before they leave, and leave the keys in the drop box. They have his number. Anna thanks him, and Valentin says he’s been a big help. Austin says, it’s been a pleasure. Let him know if there’s anything else he can do. He leaves, and Valentin asks Anna, what is it? She says, there’s something familiar about him. Is Valentin getting a déjà vu vibe. (So this is how we’re dealing with Austin looking exactly like Franco?) He says, no, and she says she forgets that their histories don’t line up as much as she thinks they do. He says she has excellent instincts, and she says, when her judgement isn’t compromised. He says her instincts were spot-on; she just didn’t trust them. He’ll always trust her instincts. She says, that’s nice of him to say, all things considered. He asks what her instincts are telling her about Austin. Did he have something to do with the kidnapping? She says, no, not that. She’s not sure. It’ll come to her.
Brick says, Jason was respected as Sonny’s enforcer, but as the person in charge, he can’t get his hands dirty. Jason suggests he get the Novaks to back off, then they can reevaluate, but Carly says, what if Jason gets shot, or arrested, or he dies? Then she’s in a worse position than she was before. He says nothing is going to happen to him, and she says when she was planning his escape, and saw him in prison, he told her that she had to consider how the plan would work, and how it would fail. What if he fails? Is it worth the risk of doing it in person? Jason tells Brick, the logistics are in place. Does Brick have a team to do the work? Brick says, just a phone call away, and Jason says, make the arrangements. Brick says, consider it done, and Carly thanks him. Brick says he’s happy to help, but with all due respect, the Novaks are just a symptom. The two of them are the problem. They still haven’t sent a message saying one of them is in charge, and the other one is out. Until they do, the competition will come right on coming. Jason sighs, and I wonder if he, too, is fretting over the moss bowl’s absence.
Scotty tells Laura that he’s looking for Ava, and asks if Laura has seen her. Laura says, no, but her head was down in her work. Scotty says he hates squeezing in emergency marital issues into his busy schedule. Ava comes up behind him, and says she’s there. Unlike her attorney/client privilege, which – from the look on Laura’s face – went out the window. Scotty says, Laura asked, but Laura says she specifically chose not to. He says, that’s how she gets him to talk. For cryin’ out loud, he assumed Ava’s soon-to-be ex-mother-in-law knew about this. When Ava called him, she said she wanted a quick, public divorce. She’s got it. Thank you. Laura asks what Ava is doing.
Ava apologizes if the news blindsided Laura. She should have known not to expect discretion from Scotty. Scotty says, the way he sees it, he did her a favor. She wanted it out there, and – he snaps his fingers – now it’s out there. Laura asks if she can have a minute alone with Ava, and Scotty tells Ava, he’s billing Ava for this. He drew up what she wanted him to. He shows her a manila envelope, and says, irreconcilable differences. Laura says he’s violating attorney/client privilege again, and he says, so sue him. As if Laura’s son wasn’t going to tell his mother. As Ava’s attorney, he’s wondering how many zeros they’re looking at. He’s looking at nine. Ava says, zero zeros. She doesn’t want to take anything from Nikolas. He asks where Ava has gone, when his phone rings. He says he has to take this, but before he does, he wants to tell her that he thinks she’s a fool. When you have a Cassadine on the hook, you take them to the cleaners. (Nothing like a mixed metaphor.) His phone rings again, and he looks at it, saying he has to call back. See what she made him do? He stomps off, and Laura says, things were going so well between Ava and Nikolas. What happened? Ava says, the first thing Laura needs to know is that she never loved anyone more than she loves Laura’s son, with the exception of her children. It’s too late for her to save Kiki, but she’s damn well going to save Avery. That’s why she and Nikolas are through.
Carly thanks Brick for his help, and he says, always. They hug, and Brick leaves. Carly asks if Jason is mad, and he says, yeah. She asks if he thinks she’s wrong about delegating, but he says, no. Brick has a team. It’s fine. Let him handle the Novaks, but it’s not always going to be like that. There are some things he’ll have handle in person. She says, some, but not all, and he agrees, but adds, Brick is right. The real problem is that they look weak. She asks how they prove they’re strong, and he says, they can’t. The Five Families fettucine are going to expect him to push her out. If he doesn’t, they’ll increase the pressure, and test them for weakness. They’re going to hope Sonny’s organization splits, then they’re going to walk in, carve up the territory, and take it. She asks what they’re supposed to do, and he says, they make it expensive. You make a takeover expensive, so the families don’t want to pay. When they’re hit, they hit back harder. She says, so peace is not an option? and he says, no.
Nina asks if Maxie is sure this isn’t not too much too fast, but Maxie says, no. She’s desperate to keep busy, and keep her mind off Louise. She would do anything to lose herself in one of those powerhouse workdays they used to have. Nina says, like everything and everyone you don’t want to face, they’re not in these pages – she pulls the magazine out of her bag – they’re not in the office; those things will just have to wait. Maxie says, it’s like having a moat, and Nina agrees. Maxie says she could really use a moat right now, and Nina says, okay. In that case, the next thing she has in her busy schedule is a meeting with Lucy and Sasha. Maxie says, ouch, and Nina says, they’re not excluding Maxie, they’re just… Maxie says, excluding her, but Nina says, no. They know how much Maxie has on her mind, and they decided not to burden her with it. If they knew how Maxie felt, they’d be really glad to have their brilliant partner back with them. So why doesn’t Maxie join her and surprise them? Maxie asks if Nina means just jump right back in, and Nina says, yes, but if it’s too much… Maxie says, it’s not. Does Nina know how wonderful a business meeting sounds right now?
Gladys says, don’t let her interrupt. She’d love to hear about Sasha’s life before. After all, Sasha is carrying her grandchild. Sasha says she doesn’t want to get into it now, but Gladys says, why not? She’s sure Sasha has come up enough in the world, that her sordid past isn’t an obstacle. Sasha says she definitely has, but she told Jackie Templeton everything – her and the rest of America. She’ll send Gladys the link. Gladys says she thinks it’s still on her DVR. When the baby is old enough, she looks forward to watching it with them. Sasha says, if Gladys is still living… in Port Charles. That sounded awful. Gladys says, good thing Sasha is the face of Deception, and not the voice. Sasha says she’s also a partner in the company, and has other responsibilities. The price of success she supposes. Gladys says Sasha must be under a lot of pressure. It must be difficult to stay on the wagon. Brando says, okay. Is Gladys ready to go? Gladys says Brando that papers need to be signed at the desk first, and he says he’ll be right back. Play nice. Gladys says it’s good to see Sasha, and Sasha says, likewise. She’s missed their chats. Gladys says, now that it’s just us girls, she wants to know what kind game Sasha is playing at.
Ava tells Laura, if it was just her and Nikolas, she’d dare the stalker to come after them. But Ryan killed Kiki, and she can’t risk losing Avery; she won’t. Laura says, of course (🍷) not. She completely understands. She just wishes there was another way. Nikolas has been so happy, the happiest she’s ever seen him. Ava says she was happy too, but she has to do what needs to be done. She should go; she shouldn’t keep Scotty waiting. Laura tells her to take good care of herself. Ava goes over to Scotty, and asks if he’s done playing phone tag. He hands her the envelope, and says he’d go over the document with her, but since she has no intention of going after money, property, or assets, he has no interest. She’s killing him. She says, not yet, but it’s on her to-do list, and he says, if she has any changes, give him a call. He has a meeting to get to. She says she’s touched by his compassion, and he says he’ll see her later. He leaves, and Nikolas comes out of the elevator. He starts to say something, but Ava says, don’t. Please don’t. He says he’s not giving up on them, and she says, that’s his mistake; they’re finished. If he can’t see that, she’ll have to make him see it. She gets in the elevator and the doors close.
Valentin tells Anna, he thinks it’s safe to say they’ve reached the point of diminishing returns. It’s an exposed crime scene, and they’ve been over it multiple times. It’s deteriorating with every moment that passes, plus it’s been 72-hours since the baby disappeared. He doesn’t have to tell her what that means. Anna says, the longer she’s out there, the less chance they have of finding her.
Lucy goes into Nina’s office, and says it’s so very good to see her. Nina says it’s nice to see Lucy too; it’s been too long. Lucy says, it’s been way too long, but it gave her the opportunity to work on the proposal and marketing for a brilliant idea she can’t wait for Nina to see. Nina says she can’t wait to see it, and Lucy says she’ll have to wait a tiny bit longer, because they have to wait for Sasha, but teaser; it’s an idea, a concept they kind of worked on a while ago. Maxie walks in, and says she’s glad Lucy is there. She had to step out for a second… Lucy says Maxie can’t be there. She simply can’t. She needs to leave immediately.
Sasha says Gladys asked what she’s playing at? She was going to use the baby to rope Brando in. She missed her shot at Michael, but Brando is Michael’s cousin, the next best thing to give her access to the Corinthos money. How does that sound? Gladys calls Sasha a little gold-digger, and says if Sasha thinks she’s not going to tell Brando… Sasha starts laughing, and says, oh my God. Gladys’s face. It was totally worth it. She and Brando are figuring things out, and whatever Brando wants to tell Gladys about the baby is up to him. Brando returns, and says, no one is bleeding, broken, or dead, and Sasha says, not yet. He says, great. Is Gladys ready to go? Gladys says she has an idea. How about the three of them going for coffee, her treat, and they can talk about living arrangements after the baby is born? She’s looking forward to being a babysitter. Sasha says she has to take a raincheck; she has a meeting to go to. Gladys asks if it’s an AA meeting, and Sasha says she goes to NA, not AA, but it’s a Deception meeting. She thanks Gladys for the offer, and Brando says he’ll see her later. She leaves, and Brando tells Gladys that she has to let up on Sasha. Gladys says she’s been nothing but cordial. Sasha was the one talking through her fangs. It’s not her fault Sasha is keeping him at arm’s length from the baby.
Laura tells Nikolas that she couldn’t help but notice what was going on with him and Ava. Is he all right? Ava told her about the divorce. He says, Scotty? and she says she thinks Scotty is the one doing the paperwork. Nikolas says, that was fast, and she says, Ava is terrified. Ava told her about the note with the knife in it, and the bear with Ryan’s voice, and how both times there was no sign of forced entry. Nikolas says, it’s all very unnerving, and Laura says, especially for Ava; she’s been traumatized. Ryan murdered her daughter, and Ava doesn’t want to leave him, but she has to.
Scotty is about to sip his martini, when Austin joins him. Scotty says, it’s nice to meet Austin, but he didn’t get Austin’s last name. Austin says, just Austin is good for now, and Scotty says Austin can call him Mr. Baldwin, Esq. He guesses this is some sort of legal matter, and Austin says, it is. He understands Scotty is familiar with the families in Port Charles. Scotty says, if he is, why would that be of interest to Austin?
Jason tells Carly that the move against the Novaks should slow them down, and she says, what If it doesn’t? He says, then they have to keep escalating. The more the Novaks lose, maybe the other families will realize their best strategy is to accept that he’s taking Sonny’s place. Carly says, taking Sonny’s place. She never thought she’d hear him say those words. He tells her that he never thought he’d say those words, and she sits. Jason says he never wanted this, and she says she knows. He says she’s probably the only person who truly understands that, but if he steps back, the Five Families bruschetta will rip the city apart fighting for control, and the people they love will get hurt. Since she went to that meeting, their first target will be her. He’s not going to let that happen.
Scotty tells Austin, let’s narrow this down a little bit. What families is he interested in? Austin says he’ll be happy to tell Scotty as soon as he knows he can trust him. Scotty says, no; he’s a lawyer, and Austin says, thank you for your honesty, and gets up. Scotty says he’s just kidding. He holds a client’s secrets very sacred. He doesn’t hold much sacred, but that he does. What can he do for Austin? Austin asks what Scotty knows about Jason Morgan, and Scotty says, find someone else to deal with Jason. He’s not interested. Austin suggests he tell Scotty specifically what he’s looking for, and then he can decide if he’s interested.
Nikolas tells Laura, Dante has a theory that it’s all for show; empty threats designed to scare them. Laura says, clearly, Ava doesn’t feel that way, and he says, in all fairness, seeing Avery hold the bear with Ryan’s voice made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Laura says she doesn’t believe it’s possible that it’s Ryan, and he says, copycat? She says, maybe, or some disciple of Ryan’s. Whoever it is, if they’re cruel enough to do this, who knows what else they’re capable of? He says he’s been asking himself that constantly, and she says she knows how much he loves Ava, and sees how much Ava loves him, but he has to see the toll this is taking on Ava. He says he sees it. Watching Ava suffer like this is excruciating. Filing for divorce is the one thing she can do that gives her peace of mind. She asks what he thinks about that, and he says he’s going to do everything in his power to avoid it.
Ava arrives at Carly’s, and says she hopes she’s not interrupting. Carly says she told Avery that Ava was coming, and Ava says she misses Avery so much. Carly says, Avery was telling her about her room at Windymere. It sounds like they’ve made her happy there. Ava says, they try, and thanks Carly for keeping Avery’s room how she likes it. She knows it will be a comfort when she tells Avery that they’re not going back to Windymere. Carly asks if Ava and Nikolas are finally moving out of that drafty castle, but Ava says, just her and Avery. Nikolas is no longer in the picture. Carly asks, why? She thought they were crazy about each other. Ava says, they are, and Carly asks if it’s because of what happened the other night. Jason has come downstairs, and asks, what happened the other night? and Ava says, long story short, she and Nikolas have been getting threats from a stalker. Now the staler has proved they can get to Avery. Jason says, if it happens again, let him know, but Ava says she’s already taken steps to address the situation.
Scotty says, well, well; a lifetime opportunity, and Austin says, it is. Scotty says, call him Scotty, and Austin says, okay, Scotty. He thought Scotty would be intrigued. Scotty says, very intrigued. They’re going to ride this all the way.
Brando tells Gladys, he and Sasha are new to this baby thing, and figuring things out. She says if he asks her, Sasha should be grateful he’s not running for the hills, which is what he should have done before he hopped into bed with her. He says, it’s a good thing he didn’t ask her. If Sasha needs time to figure things out, he’s going to respect that. She says, one of the most precious lessons she’s learned is, there are people who are private and people who keep secrets. Lucky for him, she can sniff out one from the other. He says, really? Because she didn’t sniff out Cyrus. She says, that’s her point. Cyrus was a hard lesson. One he should learn. The sooner he figures out the differences, the better. Let’s get out of here.
Lucy says, it’s not that she doesn’t want Maxie there; she simply can’t be there. It’s good to see Maxie, and Lucy thanks her for coming, and she says this with a lot of love – she makes a heart with her hands – ta! Nina tells Lucy, calm down. This is Maxie’s company too. Maxie says, no, it’s okay. She knows what’s going on. Lucy is planning a surprise party for her to cheer her up. Lucy says Maxie is absolutely right. It’s a great big… Sasha walks in, and Lucy says, surprise?
Anna tells Valentin to go home to his daughters. She’ll look around some more. He says, no. Absolutely not. She says she’ll be fine, but he says she’s not fine now. She’s blaming herself for what happened to Maxie’s daughter. He’s not leaving her alone out in the woods with only her guilt for comfort.
Laura asks what Nikolas’s plan is, and he says, it’s shockingly simple. He’s going to give Ava the peace of mind she needs right now, and let the stalker believe what he wants. Laura says, then what? and he says, then, when this Ryan knockoff is basking in the glory of their false victory, he’ll be laying a trap. And he will catch them.
Ava tells Carly, Dante is investigating, but he has no solid leads. She can’t take any chances, so she has to divorce Nikolas… Don’t both of them offer her sympathy at once. Carly says she’s sorry Ava is being stalked, and Ava says, she’s sorry it’s costing her the man she loves. It would be nice if marriage was really just a romantic pact that didn’t matter to anybody else. Just two people making a promise, a vow. It’s a sort of theater, a performance to demonstrate a legally binding contract, two people becoming one. If an enemy strikes at one, they strike at both. She used to find it comforting until a stalker got to Avery. She’d like to see her daughter if it’s okay. Carly says, of course (🍷), and Ava goes upstairs. Carly asks Jason, is he thinking what she’s thinking?
Tomorrow, Maxie asks Brook if she heard what she thought she did, Josslyn asks what changed Michael’s mind about Nina, Britt wants to make a deal with Obrecht, and Jason says it’s the best option he’s heard so far.
Below Deck Mediterranean
It’s a new crew, so bear with me. Chief stew Katie is the first to arrive, and meets Captain Sandy. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s not a typical chief stew. On her last boat, she had seven girls under her, and thinks if you’re in a higher role, you should show you can work as hard as the others can. You get more if you keep a good vibe, than by being a psycho bitch, telling them what to do. Then it’s like, f*** you. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, last season was the hardest. Everyone looks back and has regrets, but she was ready not to do this anymore. It’s the stuff that defines your character. She decided to come back because she loves mentoring people, and loves leading a team. Returning bosun Malia shows up next and meets Katie. Chef Mathew arrives, and in his interview, he says he’s worked for a lot of prominent families, as well as Hugh Jackman. He’s nervous about it being a new job, and wants to make people happy. Malia says hello to Captain Sandy, and tells her that she’s just off of a Mediterranean charter. In her interview, she says, it’s a crazy feeling being back in Croatia. The first time she was there, she was a green deckie. Captain Sandy’s guidance made her want to stick with yachting. Mathew sets up the galley.
Stew Lexi informs us in her interview that she was Miss Bahamas in 2013, but doesn’t tell other crew members or they act like the boss of her. In Malia’s interview, she says, the break-up with Tom took a toll on her. She just wants to put her head down and work. Deckhand Mzi – call me Zee – is next, and in his interview, he says he’s the youngest of five siblings, and calls himself the black sheep of the family. A joke because he’s the only Black kid in the family. The oldest has been in yachting for 20 years, and is a captain. It’s a jump for him, having never worked on this big of a boat, and he’s nervous. Malia says they’re starting washdowns, and Zee says he’s going to take notes. In her interview, Malia says she loves the notebook. That means she can teach him like Captain Sandy taught her. She’s come full circle, and that’s special to her.
The captain asks the crew to meet in the main salon. She tells them, it’s the beginning of the season, and she loves their energy. If they want a career in yachting, she’s there to help make it happen. She wants to go over the guidelines and protocol, and tells them if anyone – them or a guest – is injured, she wants to be the first to know. If they’re on prescription medication, they need to log it, and no drinking on charter. In her interview, she says, the Lady Michelle was designed for charters. There are so many stairs, the crew can go to each deck without being seen. She tells them, let’s get the boat turned around, and get ready for tomorrow. The deckhands get to cleaning, and provisions come in. It’s a literal truckload, and Captain Sandy says she’s never seen that before. In Mathew’s interview, he says he thought it would be a sh*t show before the provisions arrived. He overordered, and now he’s stressed. He tells Captain Sandy that he wanted to impress the guests. In Courtney’s interview, we find out that she became queen of laundry on yachts, but before that worked at Disneyland Paris, as a promo girl, a nanny, and a bartender. She gets bored easy. It’s the same with men. Katie meets the other stews, and Malia. In Malia’s interview, she says she learned a lesson last season in choosing a lead deckhand based off of CDs. Katie says she’s not a crazy chief stew, and in Lexi’s interview, she says she has a love/hate relationship with chief stews. When they get to that level, they can get a lazy bitch mentality.
Mathew says he has to get two floors down on a winding staircase. He’s thinking about the guests arriving in 24 hours, and has to put everything away. He makes a misstep, and hurts his knee. The captain calls Malia, Katie, and Mathew to the crew mess for a preference sheet meeting. Terez is a marketing professional, and husband Lee is in real estate. Primaries Clint and Karry had to cancel their original wedding plans, and want to have a beautiful, intimate ceremony with their closest friends in attendance. They also want to have a 40th birthday party for guest Jordan, and a neon dance party afterward. They want a bachelor and bachelorette party, and want the captain to officiate at the wedding on day three. In Mathew’s interview, he says he loves weddings, but it will be the first one he’s done alone. His parents married, divorced, and married again. He was conceived during the divorce, and they call him their bastard child.
We find out Katie’s ex is Jack from season whatever, and he got a tattoo of her face on his ass when he was drunk in Thailand after knowing her a few days. In her interview, she says, they were young and passionate, and it was never going to work out, but they spent a year and a half together, so it was worth it. Right? Mathew hopes the guests aren’t a-holes. He asks a lot. He gets up 3:30 am, and in his interview, he says he’s nervous. He couldn’t sleep since he was thinking menus, wedding, everything. He’s not prepped at all. He calls Captain Sandy, and asks her to meet him in the galley. He tells her that he feels like he can’t do this properly since he hurt his knee. She asks if he needs help, but he says it won’t be the same, and he’s freaking out. He doesn’t know what to do, and wants to get an x-ray and an MRI. Malia joins them, and the captain sends her to call the doctor.
Deckhand David shows Z what do, and in David’s interview, he says he was born in Italy, and didn’t meet his dad until he was 17. His mentors were captains, and he wants to help as many people as he can. Malia tells Katie about Mathew, and Courtney volunteers to help. In Katie’s interview, she says they have no time to be angry or upset. She doesn’t want to let her third stew go, but they have no choice. Malia says, and it’s only day one. She asks if anyone has experience in cooking, but no one does. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she’s ready to vomit, and it’s just the first day. She can’t determine if someone has an injury or not, and has to follow protocol. She can’t get a new chef because of covid, since they’d have to quarantine for seven days. Courtney goes to the galley, and helps Mathew prep for the meal. Sandy makes a call to get Mathew an MRI.
It’s 30 minutes until the guests arrive, and in her interview, Katie says, every chief stew has their own ways. She can’t stand wet towels on the floor. Dudes not using bathmats drives her insane. The captain explains to the crew that the chef injured himself, and they’re going to leave him at the dock so he can get an MRI. He’s prepared lunch, and should be coming back for dinner. David says he’s never been on a chefless boar, and Sandy tells them, don’t give up. Malia tells the deckhands, once the luggage is on board, their soul attention is on getting the boat off the dock.
Captain Sandy welcomes the guests, and introduces Katie. She says Katie will show them around, and then they’ll take off. In deckhand Lloyd’s interview, he says he has a lot of apprehension. He’s sure the guests are going to be more demanding than what he’s used to. Katie gives the tour, and tells the guests that Croatia is amazing. This is seriously one big boat. Mathew whines, and Malia curses her life. When the guests get to the bridge, Captain Sandy tells them about the chef’s injury, and says he’s getting an MRI. He did prepare lunch, and they’re going to try and make it happen. The guests are all, oh my God, and the captain says their hands are tied because of covid. Terez says she’ll have to tip them, and in her interview, the captain says this has never happened in her entire career. They could be f***ed. She tells the guests, they’ll make it happen.
In her interview, Malia says, it’s nerve-wracking docking with a new team. One little mistake can cause a big problem. The stern lines are on deck, and they move out. The guests rave over lunch, which they describe as perfect; light but filling. In Lexi’s interview, she says there’s good money in yachting, but she prefers someone handing her champagne. Malia asks Lloyd to help with the anchor, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says this coastline is more nature, country, and small villages. She loves it. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s a laid back kiwi, but sometimes turns into a stressed out bitch. She’s not perfect. Courtney says she put some of Terez’s clothes in the laundry, and Terez has a mild freak out, saying nothing should be washed. Courtney takes the clothes back out. Katie makes espresso martinis, and Terez gives Courtney glow sticks and sundries for the neon party. The dreaded slide is brought out, and the captain checks on Mathew, but so far, he’s gotten no results.
Captain Sandy asks if she can borrow a sous chef from a neighboring boat in quarantine. In her interview, she says, it’s not a chef, but they can figure this out together. She has a crew meeting in the crew mess, and tells them that she has the feeling Mathew isn’t coming back. They have a sous chef to help in the galley, but they’ll need to make dinner. Everyone looks dazed, and she says, it’s surf and turf. In Malia’s interview, she says, they’re f***ed. Captain Sandy helps with the oysters, and tells David to google lobsters. She cringes hearing how they’re prepared, and in David’s interview, he says he’s not the hunting type. The captain asks Siri how to kindly kill a lobster.
The guests get into the hot tub, and sous chef Duska arrives. She knows nothing about lobsters. In David’s interview, he says a chef that can’t cook lobsters after he murdered them? and laughs. Duska gets to work, and Malia asks, are we loving charter? Captain Sandy says, it’s not fair, and Duska says, life is unfair. You got that right, sister. The table is set, and in Lexi’s interview, she says she doesn’t do tacky. The neon theme hurts her soul. Courtney says, this is not okay, and in her interview, says the best she’s done is cook for the family she nannied for. Duska doesn’t seem to know what’s going on, and in the captain’s interview, she says, what’s happening in the galley is a disaster. In the worst case, they’ll make paninis. Lloyd puts on a red cap, and Malia says he looks like Mario. We see Mario and Lloyd side by side, and by God, he does. They try grilling the lobster.
The guests toast to Jordan’s birthday, and Duska says, meat! The guests begin to eat, and do not look thrilled. Courtney tries the lobster in the galley, and thinks it’s chewy. The guests say things like, sucks, dry, and disgusting. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s not yachting; it’s surviving. Someone asks if there’s a Domino’s anywhere, and everyone agrees it’s horrible. In her interview, Katie says, it’s not acceptable, but in terms of the situation right now, it’s all they can offer. Sandy tells Duska that she appreciates the help, but she can go now. In her interview, the captain says, dinner was a sh*t show. She prays the chef comes back. Terez says she wants to talk to Sandy, since apparently she didn’t pay attention when Sandy talked to her earlier.
Lexi tells the captain that the primary is looking for her. Heads up; she doesn’t look too happy. Sandy goes to Terez’s room, and Terez says, girl, this not acceptable. Did she taste dinner? The steak, ‘kay, but not good. Oysters not okay. She gave the chief stew lights and stuff, but they didn’t get the party they wanted. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s not easy to hear criticism, but she failed them. Terez screeches, it’s a mega yacht. A mega yacht!
There was no preview. Why? Who knows?
🛥 You Figure Them Out…
The new Med crew.
https://www.bravotv.com/below-deck-mediterranean/about
👢 We Live In Hope…
It was a dark day in Soapland when AMC and OLTL were canceled. At least we still kept Todd/Franco/Austin on GH.
🚣🏽♂️ And So It Goes…
I need sleep tonight to store up for Temptation Tuesday, along with those wacky Wives from NYC, and the usual soap. So until then, stay safe, stay making your point clear, and stay trusting your instincts, but not compromising your judgement.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 