Tag Archives: Brook Kerr

September 24, 2024 – Alexis Meets With Martin, Excuses, Steven Lars, No Rain In Spain, Sparks In Plathville, The Brothers Monster, All Agatha, From Again, Big Baby & Flaming

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Natalia walks into Pozzulo’s where Sonny is fighting with his espresso machine. He says his old machine was temperamental, but it worked. She says, why hang on ghosts of the past when there’s a perfectly good future staring him in the face?

Jack goes to Bobbie’s, and Carly says, he can’t get enough of this place. He says he’s a fan of the food and the company, and he has news. He got word from his man in Kenya. Anna and Jason located the compound Lucky is in, and they’re in transit there. She asks if they have back up, but he says, no need. They were invited by Sidwell. She says she’s nervous, and he says, she should be. They haven’t rescued Lucky yet. Carly asks if they’re close and safe, and he says, for now. She wonders what he isn’t telling her.

TJ finds Molly in the breakroom, along with a spread of bagels, and she says she thought she’d bring them a nice breakfast. She slept on the couch because she didn’t want to wake him. He says he appreciates that, but where was she last night?

Dante walks into Kristina’s apartment with her, and she thanks him for his help. She asks how Lulu is. How is the search for Lucky? He says, there’s been no news, but Lulu is strong like her. She says she doesn’t feel strong, and he says, she is. She just needs help. She says, it feels like it’s been a thousand years since she’s been home. So much has changed. He asks if she’s sure she’s going to be okay, and she says she’s fine, but she’s worried about her mom.

Alexis tosses and turns in her bunk, when Heather hangs her head down from the top bunk and says, good morning. Alexis says she wasn’t dreaming, and Heather laughs.

Jack tells Caarly, there are too many unknown variables. Sidwell’s mysterious companion could be an operative, but she’s not theirs. The element of surprise… Carly says, it’s now lost, and he says, they haven’t seemed to raise suspicions from their host yet. She says, Jason is the most capable man she knows, but he’s a terrible liar, and he says, Anna will have no trouble. Will Jason have a problem following her lead? She asks, why? and he says, some men find strong women threatening. She says, that’s so old school. She expected more of him. He says, she knows he likes strong, confident women, when Diane walks in. She says she’ll have her usual and an introduction to the new WSB station chief. Carly introduces Jack, then introduces Diane as her attorney. Jack says, she’s also Sonny’s attorney. Her reputation proceeds her. Diane tells him, what can she say? She’s a woman not to be trifled with. They shake hands, and Diane says she assumes he’s not here for an unauthorized interrogation. Carly says, he’s here for breakfast, and Diane tells her, that’s what they all say. Can she have a word? She’ll be brief. Jack says, far be it for him to come between a woman and her lawyer. He tells Carly, they’ll talk soon, and leaves. Diane says, so much for breakfast. What about not being seen with the handsome, eligible station chief? Carly needs to maintain appearances, and make it look like she and Sonny have reunited, as she led the PCPD to believe.

Natalia says, it’s a beautiful machine, and Sonny says, if he can’t find a way to make it work, how is he going to make coffee? She says she worked at a restaurant where the manager had a ton of old kitchen appliances he’d salvaged from junkyards. He said he was a collector, but she knew he was a hoarder. She convinced him to buy a state-of-the-art machine, and once she got it up and running, he now serves the best coffee in San Juan. Change is hard and sometimes you need a push in the right direction. He says, switching could be a risk, but she says, there’s no reward without a little risk.

Heather asks how Alexis enjoyed her bed, and Alexis says her back is killing her. Heather asks if she can help, and Alexis asks if her help involves a hook, but Heather says, new hip, no hook. She suggests Alexis splash cold water on her face to help get her going, and Alexis says, it’s not her first rodeo. She cups her hands to get some water, and says, it smells like wet feet. Heather says, the first night is always rough, and Alexis says she doesn’t intend to be here that long. Heather says, in the meantime, she’d like to do what can to help. She knows it’s a hard time for Alexis. Alexis says, they’re going to drop the charges, but Heather says she’s not talking about that. She knows Alexis lost a grandbaby and almost lost her daughter and she’s so sorry.

TJ asks if Molly was working late, but she says, no. She was at the Brown Dog. She needed a drink after her mom went to Pentenville. He says he’s sorry he was in surgery, but she says, don’t worry. She ran into Dex Heller. He’s a police officer now, and he was with her mom before court. He asks if they talked about the case, and she says, he’s been helpful. He says he texted, but she didn’t respond. He’s here for her and wants to help. She says, it was just a moment, and he says, she texted and left him a message, so she wanted to talk. He loves her and she can tell him anything.

Dante says, Kristina’s mom can handle herself fine. What she can’t handle is Kristina not taking care of herself. Kristina says she’s trying. She met with a therapist and joined a support group for grieving mothers who lost their babies. He says, she’s brave to acknowledge that she needs help and she’s getting it, but Kristina says she doesn’t feel the bravery part yet. She hopes the therapist helps. She’s all over the place. He says, it gets better, and she says, the hardest part is realizing she made terrible decisions. Now she doesn’t trust herself and she’s afraid she’ll keep making terrible decisions over and over again. She needs to prove to the family that she can handle this. He says she doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. Just focus on herself and know she’s not alone. She says, he’s always had her back, and he says, of course (🍷). He’s her big brother and loves her. They hug, when there’s a knock at the door, and Dante opens it to Chase. Dante wonders if Chase was looking for him, but he says he’s here to see Kristina. She asks if everything is okay with her mom, and he says, as far as he knows. He hopes it’s not a bad time. He needs to ask her a few questions.

Diane says, Carly needs to do everything in her in power to make the alibi more convincing, and Carly says, like what? Diane says, no more flirting with overly friendly handsome, eligible men, and Carly says, they’re just friends. Diane says, it’s about appearances now that she and Sonny are back together, but Carly says, we’re not back together. It was a one-night stand. That’s all that happened. Diane says, that just sounds convenient. She and Sonny have to solidify it. Carly asks how Diane suggests she do that, and Diane says, move in with Sonny or have Sonny move in with her. Carly says, not going to happen. How about going to the park with Donna? Diane says, boring, not sexy. She’s being watched by the PCPD and maybe the Feds. She has to convince them that she and Sonny are mad for each other as opposed to arranging a custody agreement. Carly says, that’s not what she agreed to, but Diane says, too bad. It’s too late to go back on her story that they’re in love. Carly says, that’s not the story, and Diane says, if she can’t convince probing eyes that she and Sonny are reuniting, they’ll conclude it’s fiction and won’t stop digging until they find something damning. Carly says, the Feds have been after Sonny for years, and Diane says, it’s going to put Carly back on their radar. If Sonny is put behind bars, she’ll be an accessory after the fact. For now, Operation Strange Bedfellows remains in effect. Diane walks out.

Sonny and Natalia say, alla salute, and clink cups. Sonny takes a sip and says, it could be one of best espressos he’s had. Natalia tries hers, and says, it’s pretty good, but it could be better. She’s hard to please. He says, lucky he likes a challenge, and they clink cups again.

Molly says she loves TJ too, but she doesn’t know what to do anymore. Her mom is in Pentenville, and there’s a chance she’ll be staying there. He asks if it’s that bad, and she says, her mom is defending herself and should have never been interviewed by the police without a lawyer. She knows better. He asks what she thinks Alexis is doing, and she says, protecting Kristina. He says, why? From what? She says, her mom won’t say it, but she thinks Kristina is hiding something. Sam thinks Sonny did it, but her mom wouldn’t do this to save Sonny. She thinks Kristina had something to do with John Cates’s murder.

Chase says, it won’t take long, and Dante says he’s going to head back. Kristina thanks him, and he says, of course (🍷). Call him if she needs anything. When he’s in the hallway, he makes a call. He leaves a message saying, give him a call when they can. It’s about Kristina. He thinks she’s about to do something she shouldn’t. Kristina tells Chase, before he starts, she wants to make it clear. He can ask her anything about her mother, but she’s innocent. She didn’t commit a crime. He says he wants to talk about Kristina’s whereabouts the night John Cates was murdered.

Heather says she’s glad Alexis’s daughter survived the fall, but it’s so sad about her grandbaby. She had to be looking forward to being a grandma. Alexis says, she’s already a grandma, but she was looking forward to another little one. Heather says she’s spent time dreaming about being a grandma to Ace. Taking him to the zoo and playgrounds and getting him ice cream before dinner. Alexis says, before you know it, they’re at their first dance, and Heather says, that’s what she’s afraid of. She’s never held her grandson and had a shot at getting out for a minute, but nope. She’s not trying to turn the focus on her. She just wants Alexis to know she understands what she’s going through. Alexis thanks her, and Heather says, just know that if Alexis ruins one more night of her sleep, they’ve got a big problem. A guard opens the cell and asks Alexis to follow her. They’re going to see her lawyer. Alexis says, what lawyer?

Molly says, her mom sent herself to prison to shield Kristina from the consequences of her own actions. It’s the family dynamic. TJ says, Molly always had to be the strong one, but those days are over. She doesn’t have to go through this by herself. He’s with her, especially now. They’re still grieving the loss of their child. Molly’s phone dings and she says, it’s work. She has a meeting. She’s got to go. They’ll talk. She promises to try and get home early. She tells him to enjoy the bagels. She loves him. She leaves and he says he loves her too.

Sonny says, if he has more coffee, he won’t be able to sleep and he’s not sleeping well. Natalia says, Alexis or Kristina? and he says, both. He hired a lawyer for Alexis. She says, that’s generous, but she’s not surprised. Allie asked if she should reach out, but she’s not sure if it would make things better or worse. He says he thinks it would muddy the waters, and she says, let her know if there’s anything she can do to help. He asks if she can fix his toaster, and she says she’ll buy him a new one. Seriously, she’d like to help. Sonny says he appreciates it, and puts his hand on hers, when Carly walks in.

Martin says he’d like a moment alone with his client, and tells Alexis that Sonny retained him on her behalf. Alexis says she needs a moment to process. She hasn’t had her latte yet. He asks, how was her first night? and she says, all things considered, terrible. Sonny hired him? He says, she’s welcome to refuse, but he advises against it. She says she thinks she knows not to incriminate herself, and he says, yet she did at the PCPD. What was she thinking? She consents to having him as her lawyer, and he says, now it’s confidential. She says she had nothing to do with John’s murder, but considering how everything went down, she’s not sure they can convince a jury. He says, since she’s looking at spending the rest of her life in prison, tell him what did go down

Kristina says, her mother is in Pentenville awaiting trial for John Cates’s murder, but Chase is here questioning her again. He says, it’s an ongoing investigation and he’s tying up loose ends. What were her exact movements? She flashes back to Alexis saying, she doesn’t have an alibi, and had the means, motive, and opportunity to kill John. Kristina says, they’ve been over this, and Chase says, one more time for him. She says she’s realizing she was suffering from postpartum depression, and she was consumed with grief, and he says he’s sorry for her loss. She says she went to the cemetery to be with her daughter, and he asks if she saw anyone, but she says, not that she knows of. He asks if someone saw her on her way there. Did she drive? She says she must have. She’s having trouble recalling the details. He says he checked, and her car hasn’t left the MetroCourt garage since the accident. Did she drive her mom’s car?

Stella walks into the breakroom and asks if she missed the party. TJ says, Molly surprised him with breakfast, then had to run to a meeting, and she says, Molly managed to tell her where TJ was as she zoomed past. How is she doing? He says, not so good, and she says, her family is in crisis mode. He says, big time. She’s consumed with her mom’s legal troubles, but he feels it’s a diversion from dealing with losing Irene. She says, Molly will never come to terms with it unless she deals with it. That goes for both of them. He says, Molly is overwhelmed. He’s trying to be patient. He knows she’s grieving too, and he doesn’t want to blame or resent her, but he has to admit he’s starting to.

Sonny asks Carly, what’s up? and tells Natalia that they’ll do the deal later. He thanks her for her help with the machine, and Natalia leaves. Carly asks if he’s kidding her. Diane came into Bobbie’s and read her the riot act about flirting, while he’s getting handsy with what’s her name. He asks who she was flirting with, and she says, this isn’t a joke. Diane was serious. She thinks to keep them out of prison, they have to fall back in love.

Kristina says she told Chase everything she remembers. She’d love to help him find the killer, but she’s dealing with depression and things are foggy. He says he understands given what she’s been through, and she says she thinks she took a Ride Share. He asks which ones she uses, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens the door, and Diane is there with a takeout bag. Diane asks what Chase is doing here. She’s going to presume he’s her to check on his partner’s sister. That’s admirable. But if he’s in here in an official capacity and questioning her about the case, he’s going to have to make an appointment and make sure her counsel is present. He asks if that’s what Kristina wants, and she says, it makes sense. Chase asks what Diane is doing here in Noseytown, and she says, delivering soup. He tells Kristina that he’ll be in touch, and leaves. Kristina says she needs help. She thinks she said something incriminating. Diane says, not another word.

Alexis says, Kristina is in an extremely fragile state of mind, and Martin says, Sonny filled him in. She asks if Sonny told him about the chain of events beforehand. Cates was tormenting Kristina while she was recuperating from a traumatic situation. He says, that’s despicable. Does she have something to add? She says she thought Kristina would crack and found a gun in her purse, and he asks if that’s the one she threw off the bridge. Alexis says she thought Kristina would hurt herself and she wanted the gun out of her house. He says, she was deliberately shielding her daughter, and she’s got to amend her statement. Just explain why she felt she should take the gun and Krishna’s emotional state. Alexis says, no one is going to believe it, and he says, they’ll sell it. She says, then she’ll have to explain why her car ended up at the Quartermaines and the reason why, and he says, which was? She says, Kristina was looking for Cates to kill him.

Carly says she and Sonny have to seem romantically involved and need to spend more time with each other, and he says he thought it was a one-time thing. She says she thought the same, but Diane said there’s no way it will hold up as an ironclad alibi. It’s too convenient. They have to convince everyone that they’re back together. Sonny says he pays Diane a lot of money for her advice, and she says, he’s the number one suspect. They’re still looking for evidence. He asks if she’s up for doing this, and she says, what else can she do? He says he guesses she’s stuck as his girlfriend, and she says she doesn’t mind pretending for the sake of the alibi, but she’s not going to lie to Donna and Avery, especially Donna. If she thinks her parents are getting back together and we don’t, it will break her heart.

At the hospital, Dante asks if Chase is following him, and Chase says, while he was interviewing Kristina, Diane showed up. Does Dante have any idea why? Dante says, Kristina is going through a lot. She lost her baby, and her mom is in jail. It’s not a good time. Chase says he was just doing his job, investigating the murder of an FBI agent. Kristina is hiding something, and she was willing to talk until Dante got in the way.

Diane says she’s not Kristina’s lawyer, and the privilege of confidentiality doesn’t exist. Kristina says she thinks she said… but Diane says, whatever it was, don’t say it. She doesn’t need to know more. The good news is, Chase was interrogating her without counsel, so whatever he learned is inadmissible. Kristina says, thank God. She thinks she incriminated herself big time. Diane says, Kristina still has a problem.

Alexis says, if the police find out Kristina had a weapon and was in the vicinity of the murder, they’ll realize she had the – they say it together – means, motive, and opportunity. Martin says, that’s the case they’re building against Alexis. Is she absolutely confident Kristina had nothing to do the crime? She says, 100%, and he says, then amend her statement. Give the police the facts. Let them do their job and investigate. She says, if someone is going to stand trial for a murder they didn’t commit, it’s going to be her. Kristina can’t handle it. If he wants to back out, she understands. He says he should, and she asks why he’s still here. He says, there’s one other choice she can make if she’s willing to take it.

Stella says she doesn’t think TJ needs to end his and Molly’s story yet. Give Molly time and be kind to himself. Be honest about his grief. TJ says, it comes and goes, but when it comes, it’s overwhelming, and she says she knows. He says he wanted to ask Molly to visit Irene’s grave, but she bolted before he had a chance, and Stella says she has a light afternoon. They can go together.

Diane says, it’s important that Kristina retain her own counsel, and Kristina says, Diane just told her that what she said is inadmissible. Diane says, it can’t be used in court. However, if it’s truly incriminating, Chase can open up a new investigation. Kristina says she opened her mouth and wasn’t thinking about what was coming out, and Diane says, Chase is a skilled interrogator. She bought Kristina time. Now Kristina has to get busy and find an attorney. Chase isn’t going to forget what she said.

Chase reminds Dante that he recused himself from the case due to conflict of interest, and Dante asks if Chase is accusing him of something. He feels like Chase is. Chase says, he’s too close to be involved. He knows Dante cares about his sister, and she’s been through a lot, so he’s going to let it go with a warning. Do it again, and he’ll turn Dante in. (I’m failing to see for what. Dante called a lawyer for his sister to make sure her rights weren’t trampled on, and he’s not on the case. It seems more like Chase was being unethical.)

Carly says she’ll go along with Diane’s plan, but she and Sonny have to be honest with their daughter. Sonny says he agrees. They won’t play the family things, but they have to be out together, drinking and dinner. How about tonight? She says, okay, it’s a date, and he says, don’t be flirting with other guys.

Alexis says she’s willing to do anything as long as it doesn’t involve her daughter, and Martin says, if she doesn’t come forward about the gun and what Kristina was doing that night, their only chance of winning is to prove John Cates was murdered by the man paying his fee – Sonny Corinthos.

Tomorrow, Sam asks Carly to help her to save her mother; Molly says she was right to worry; and Sidwell says, this might be his lucky day.

🩺 A Lot Of ‘Splainin’ To Do…

I don’t care how she spins it, Portia seems to have times of being totally irrational. I get her weak justification, but what bugs me is how many of them jumped right to Heather being set free. She probably will be since she’s under contract, but it’s hardly likely in the real world. She’d be sent to Spring Ridge or something.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/brook-kerr-defends-portias-actions-on-general-hospital

🔎 Looking Into the Past…

A refresher course or an introduction. I remember him not at all.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/steven-lars-webber

🎂 Big Fat Fabulous Fortieth…

Whitney decided to take a trip to Spain with friends and family to celebrate her 40th birthday. At the end of last week’s episode, she broke down when a man she’d met online stood her up after suggesting she meet him at a restaurant on the beach. To his credit, he did call and say he wasn’t coming, but to his debit, he waited until the last possible minute and there was no actual excuse given. Like, I’m dead, would have been good. During her interview, poor Whitney cried that she couldn’t even get a first date, and she felt that she was truly cursed. My heart broke for her. It grieves me that any woman would be this distraught over any man, but it was also sad how she felt no one would ever love her. I believe there’s someone for everyone, and I also believe the best love is found when you’re not looking. Despite this long-distance d-bag, Whitney’s birthday turned out to be her best one after all.

https://parade.com/news/my-big-fat-fabulous-lifes-isaiah-bares-it-all-to-cheer-up-whitney-thore-exclusive-clip

https://www.accessonline.com/videos/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-hunter-pressured-to-propose-to-karen-on-whitneys-birthday

🧪 Welcome To Chemistry…

One of the most enjoyable things about this show has been the Plath offspring discovering things that we take for granted, but are new to them. Soda! Wine! Television! Sugar! Cities! In this week’s episode, Ethan talked about babysitting a three-year-old and being more interested in SpongeBob SquarePants than the toddler was. Micah buying an engagement ring for Veronica to wear as a cocktail ring was just weird, and maybe a little insulting. You’re good enough to drink with, but…

They are kind of judgy. I don’t think Olivia is a narcissist. I think the reason she believes everything is about her is that she’s immature, not unlike the Plath clan. And she, too, is experiencing things most of us would take for granted. We move out (hopefully) sometime after high school, do stupid sh*t, and eventually focus and find a path for our lives. She got a late start.

https://screenrant.com/welcome-to-plathville-real-reason-barry-plath-veronica-peters-called-olivia-plath-narcissist-think-olivia-mean-girl/

👬🏻 Monsters Joined At the Hip…

I watched all of this except the final episode over the weekend. Saving that for later. I had tried watching the Dahmer series, but only made it through two episodes. It was just too depressing, although not for the reasons you might think. I couldn’t watch a side of my beloved NYC that I never saw and never want to. But I have no investment in the Menendez story, so I binged away. The acting from everyone is impressive, but bravo to Nicholas Chavez for breaking away from GH’s Spencer. I was skeptical about his acting prowess, since I felt Spencer was often talking too fast and too loudly, but I wasn’t sure if he was just directed that way or the director was afraid to direct him and that was his style. Happens. Apparently, it was the character, because his portrayal of Lyle is incredible. The series is graphic for sure, so those with weak stomachs might want to take a pass, but it’s a fascinating watch for the rest of us.

To answer the author’s question, I think there are as many different reasons for people becoming monsters as there are monsters.

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/monsters-lyle-erik-menendez-story-review

A little bit on the celebrity one cell over.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/true-false-monsters-netflix-erik-menendez-oj-simpson-jail-1236011328/

It sounds like Murphy is right and Erik hasn’t seen it. While there were a lot of tributaries depicting scenarios that may or may not have been true, the abuse was definitely part of the story and not just hinted at. It was actually pretty disgusting.

https://people.com/erik-menendez-slams-ryan-murphy-new-monsters-series-8716430

https://people.com/ryan-murphy-has-many-things-to-say-following-erik-menendez-critiques-of-monsters-8717625

🔮 Hunting For Her Powers…

This was also on last weekend’s menu, but only two episodes were available. Being spoiled by the opportunity to watch a series in its entirety, this annoys me, but on the other hand, it brings back the excitement of the old days when we looked forward to the next weekly installment of a show. Agatha does not disappoint. It’s a load of fun, but it’s also creepy, and I love the diversity of the coven characters. And of course, Kathryn Hahn is out of this (under)world.

https://collider.com/agatha-all-along-review/

https://www.slashfilm.com/1667525/agatha-all-along-review/

🏠 Speaking Of Creepy…

This was a new season I was really looking forward to, although, like Agatha, it’s a drop a week. I had the pleasure of never having seen it until earlier last year and binged the first two seasons together. If you haven’t seen it yet, that pleasure is now all yours. It’s one of my favorite premises. A group of people, unknown to each other, find themselves in a town they can’t leave where monsters come out at night. And the Menendez brothers have nothing on these guys. At first, they look like regular folks, albeit old-fashioned – a milk man, a grandma, some preppy kids with weird smiles – but get too close and they have razor sharp fangs and claws and will literally turn you inside out. There are talismans that keep them away, but that doesn’t stop them from doing damage or stop random idiots from going out at night. Sheriff Boyd Stevens is the leader who tries to keep things together while trying not to fall apart himself, and Harold Perrineau (Lost) is magnificent in the role.

https://www.avclub.com/from-season-3-review

Warning: Spoilers ahead. But if you dare, be sure to check out the Breakdown video from Emmanuel “E-Man” Noisette.

An interview with Sheriff Boyd.

 🐧 Have Some Pesto…

He’s bringing love and joy to the world.

https://people.com/meet-pesto-the-penguin-9-month-old-sea-animal-australia-8715343

🧥 Smells Like Sweater Weather…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a little Salt. Until then, stay safe; stay starting to think about Halloween shopping (if you’re so inclined to celebrate), since things sell out quickly; and stay dealing with the hard things or you will never come to terms with them.

March 5, 2020 – Jordan Refuses To Cooperate, Dr. Robinson, Fashion Week Challenge, New Material & Matching My Day

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Cameron dozes on the couch, and dreams about when Jason showed up to save him. He tells Jason, everything went crazy. Then Curtis showed up and there was gunfire. Trina is still inside, and they’re crazy outnumbered. Jason says he’s going to help. Cameron sits up, and Elizabeth asks if he’s okay. He says he’s fine, but Franco says he doesn’t seem fine. Cameron says, it was just a bad dream, and asks how long he was out. Elizabeth says, a couple of hours. He seemed tired, so they let him sleep. He asks where Trina is, and Elizabeth says, upstairs. She just checked on Trina, and she’s resting. Elizabeth thinks they should give Trina some space. She’ll come down when she’s ready. Cameron says he’s grateful Jason and Curtis showed up. Otherwise, he and Trina could have been killed. Trina has come downstairs, and says, instead of her father.

Sonny says he knows it’s a complicated situation, and respects them for reaching out. Jordan says it wasn’t her idea, and asks Curtis to explain what they’re doing there. Curtis says, call it a meeting of like minds. It’s time they set aside their differences for a common good. They need to take down Cyrus Renault. Sonny asks if Curtis thinks that’s a good idea, and Curtis says, it’s worth a try. Jordan disagrees, and Curtis asks her to trust him. She says it’s difficult when she’s feeling ambushed, but Curtis says, joining forces makes sense. They have a common enemy, and Cyrus’s people are coming for all of them. Sonny says he gets why Cyrus wants him, but why would they be a target? Curtis says, because Jordan was on the task force who put Cyrus away in the first place.

Spinelli texts Sam, who’s at the MetroCourt. He has 👀 on the target. She texts back that she’s at the MetroCourt to meet Molly. Stay on Peter, and let her know what he finds.

Spinelli peers over some hedges at a bench where Peter sits in Rice Plaza. He’s obviously not such a great spy, since probably everyone but Peter can see him. Anna joins Peter, and thanks him for meeting her. She sits with him, and says the WSB contacted her about him. Obrecht comes up behind Spinelli and touches him. He jumps a mile, and she asks what he thinks he’s doing.

Michael tells Nelle that he’d rather not do this in a public hallway, and they all walk back into the empty courtroom. Nelle says, that’s fine, since they’re going to be in a courtroom anyway. Carly says, no one invited her there. She dropped her bomb; she can go now. Nelle says, no one is denying her rights as a mother. She’s suing for full custody of her son, and she’s going to win.

Jordan asks if Curtis has any idea what he just did. He says her identity was compromised already, but she says that’s no reason give out classified information about her career to the mob. She’s leaving. Curtis says she hasn’t heard his plan, but she says she’s heard enough. Sonny says, hold on a second. He and Curtis have worked together in the past, and he’s right. Her connection with Cyrus is out in the open; maybe they can do something about that. He asks what Curtis is thinking, and Curtis says Taggert and Jordan were part of a DEA task force that put Cyrus in prison. The two other agents turned up dead, supposedly of an overdose on opioids, and they know what happened to Taggert. Cyrus extended his business into Port Charles to do one thing; make Jordan watch it burn, and make her pay. At first it was personal, but he’s coming for Sonny’s territory too. Sonny says, then they have to do something about it. Jordan says, that doesn’t mean they have to fix it together. She doesn’t trust him. Curtis says, Sonny has sources who would never communicate with the cops, and Jordan has information not available to Sonny. Face it, they all need each other. Combine forces, and they can stop Cyrus from every hurting anyone else they love. He knows it breaks Sonny’s code, talking to the cops, so he’s willing to act as an intermediary. Jordan says she’s not working with Sonny, and that’s the end of it.

Trina asks if her mom is back yet, and Elizabeth says, her flight was delayed, but she should be there soon. Cameron says, when he said that, he didn’t know Trina was there; he’s sorry. Trina tells him, it’s okay, and they hug. Elizabeth says she and Franco will make sandwiches in case the kids get hungry, and go to the kitchen. Cameron asks if Trina slept at all, and she says, off and on. Him? He says, the same. He keeps picturing that night over and over. She says, her too. She feels like such an idiot. When Josslyn went through lockdowns, she was jealous. It sounded exciting, and that was a stupid way to think; there’s nothing exciting about that kind of life. People get hurt… People get killed. Cameron says he’s sorry. The doorbell rings, and Trina says she can’t believe he’s gone. Elizabeth answers the door, thinking it’s Trina’s mother, but it’s Ava and Nikolas.

Michael says Nelle is wasting her time and money. She has no grounds to sue for custody of Wiley. She says it turns out she does. Starting with his Uncle Brad. He kidnapped their son, and convinced them their son was dead for two years. Carly says, Brad is going to do serious jail time, and won’t be spending time with Wiley again. Nelle says, that doesn’t do anything about the family business. It’s a miracle they all survived that coordinated attack, but it’s undeniable their family poses a clear and present threat to her son. Willow says, that’s ironic, since Nelle poses more of a threat. Did Nelle forget she’s a convicted murderer? Nelle says she served her time, like Michael did. He’s just as much of a felon as she is.

Spinelli says Obrecht startled him, and she says, so she sees. Did she catch him doing something illicit? He says, certainly not, and she says, lurking in the park isn’t a good look. He says he was just admiring the foliage. The refurbishment of this public space is a huge success. Obrecht says the only thing he was admiring was the six-foot Nordic spruce named Peter. He was spying. He says he believes Peter is up to no good, and she says, no kidding. What insight from a supposedly genius hacker. He says he knows she’s no fan of Peter’s either. Who could blame her, since he’s responsible for Faison coming back. She asks what’s his point? and he says, perhaps it’s time for Peter to pay for his myriad of transgressions. She says she’s listening, and he says perhaps they could work together. She asks, how? and he says if she has anything on Peter, it could be useful to his case. She says, there’s a case? He says, theoretically, but with her help, it could be realized.

Anna tells Peter, the Bureau Chief in central Europe is conducting a forensics investigation on Faison’s operation. He turned up some interesting things. Peter says, on him? and she says his name came up, among others. Peter flashes back to Obrecht saying, like him, she has a past she’s trying to live down. There was a time she would have used his past to her advantage, but she’s not that person anymore. Anna says they’re researching Eurotech and Faison’s other shell operations. She asks if he’s heard of Luna Industrial enterprises.

Ava says she’s there to see Trina, if that’s okay, and Elizabeth invites her in. Ava tells Trina, she’s sorry about her father. She heard he saved Trina. He must have been a very brave man. Trina says, the bravest, and they hug.

Jordan asks Curtis if he really expect her to go for this. She’s not working with a mobster. Sonny says she’s worked with him and the Jeromes before, but she says that’s when she was undercover with the DEA, and the only reason she associated with Julian was to bring down his operation. And she was trying to save Sean from Sonny. Sonny says now she can work with him to save herself. She says she’s wasted enough of her time there, and walks out.

Sam and Molly hug, and Sam asks how Molly is. Molly says, mom told Sam. She’s not very subtle. Sam says, mom is in New York, and feels bad that she can’t be here; don’t be mad. Molly says she’s not, but she’d wanted to tell Sam herself over some much needed wine. They sit, and Sam asks, what’s going on? Molly says, mom didn’t give her the details? and Sam says she’d rather hear it from Molly. Molly says, TJ asked her to marry him. He had the waitress bring her the ring on a slice of cake. (How upset was Molly? It was a whole cake, albeit a small one.) He was loving and sincere, and she turned him down. Not because she doesn’t love him; she just doesn’t want to get married. But TJ does, and the more they tried to explain their positions, the worse things got, until TJ just walked away. She knows he’s upset, and she hates that she hurt him. Sam says he probably feels disappointed. She can’t blame him for being mad. Molly says she thought once he cooled down, they could talk it through, so she waited at their place for him to come back. She waited all night, but he never did. She doesn’t want to freak out, but it’s not like him. They’ve had their share of arguments, but he’s never not come home. (Are you thinking what I’m thinking?)

Peter says Luna was a front for Faison to obtain visas for his associates. Anna says, Howard did some digging, and found out that Faison arranged for some of his associates to travel to Afghanistan. She’s wondering if one of his associates was involved, and they’re trying to cover their tracks.

Spinelli says if Obrecht has anything on Peter, it could be most useful. He has to expose Peter’s lies before they hurt his loved ones. Keeping silent is never the answer. Look at what happened to Lucas. She says, what now? and he says she didn’t hear? Lucas was cruelly deceived by his husband and Nelle. The baby known as Wiley is actually Nelle’s son with Michael. Nelle persuaded Brad to facilitate the baby swap, but now their crime has been exposed, and they’ve been arrested. She says, how unexpected, and he says he never would have thought Nelle would concoct a baby swap, but now she’s back in police custody. Her arraignment is today.

Michael says one count of involuntary manslaughter while he was a minor, doesn’t compare to multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, fraud, conspiracy, perjury, and oh yeah, assault. Carly says, and Nelle pled no contest to all of them; they’re on her record forever, and admissible in family court. Michael’s one mistake happened years ago. Nelle says, a mistake? Is that what they’re calling bludgeoning Claudia Zacara to death? Carly says Nelle is a repeat offender, with a history of violent crimes, starting with killing her first fiancé, up until a year and a half ago, when she tried to kill Michael. Nelle says she was suffering from hormonal imbalance due to pregnancy, which family court will take into consideration, since they usually side with the mother. Willow asks if Nelle hears herself, gloating and snarking. She doesn’t care about Wiley as a person. She just wants to use that little boy as a weapon against Carly and Michael. Nelle says she’s a mother deprived of her child. Willow tells Michael, if he needs a witness, she volunteers. She’ll tell the court that Nelle is dangerous and emotionally unstable Nelle really is. Willow walks out, and Michael says, can Nelle picture it? Her, up on the stand with her crocodile tears, then Willow takes the stand and tells the truth. She can’t fake kindness or generosity or courage or love, because all those things are real to Willow. When Nelle is going against someone real, the judge will see through her just like the rest of them. He leaves, and Carly says Nelle knows he’s right, and she’s choking on it. She knows the judge will see her as nothing but trash.

Jordan goes back to her office, and throws her coat down on a chair. She sits at her desk, huffing and puffing. She looks at a photo of herself with TJ, Curtis, and Stella.

Sonny says, Jordan is a formidable woman. Anyone who tries to take down Cyrus is impressive. It takes guts. Curtis says, it also takes its toll. He thinks that’s why she kept it secret for so long. Sonny asks if he blames her. Curtis says he noticed they weren’t too surprised when she mentioned her history with Cyrus, and Sonny says they weren’t. Jason says they realized there was a connection between Taggert and Cyrus when he showed up there looking to team up, and then saw there was a connection between Taggert and Jordan. Sonny says, Curtis just filled in the gaps. Jason asks why Jordan hasn’t gone to the DEA, and Curtis says, she’s concerned that someone at the DEA leaked the names of the task force. Jason says, so she doesn’t want the DEA involved, and maybe pulling some records. Curtis asks what he’s saying, and Jason says, Cyrus has something on Jordan, doesn’t he? Curtis says he’s going to go find his wife. He’ll be in touch.

Ava asks if she can speak to Trina alone for a minute. Cameron says, of course (🍷), and Ava sits with Trina on the couch. She asks how many times she’s been asked if she’s hungry, and Trina says, non-stop. Ava says she won’t join the chorus, but she will tell Trina that she brought some really good chocolate chip cookies. Trina thanks her, and Ava asks how she’s feeling. Trina doesn’t know how to answer, and Ava says, that’s totally fine. Don’t feel pressure to feel okay for anyone. Don’t put a timeline on grief; it takes the time it takes. Trina asks if you ever get over it, and Ava says, no. She hasn’t; not yet anyway. She tells Trina not to be discouraged. One day, she’ll find she’s moved on from the pain she’s in now. She’ll always miss her dad, but the loss will become more bearable. Her life will fill up again. She’ll be more wounded, but stronger. Trina asks how she gets there, but Ava doesn’t know. She wishes she did, but Trina will know when it happens. And if anyone rushes her or tells her how to feel, they’ll have to deal with Ava. They hug. Trina’s mom (Dr. Portia Robinson) comes in, and Trina runs to her.

Nelle tells Carly, Zara thinks they have a strong case, and she’ll make a compelling witness. Carly says that’s because Nelle is paying her retainer. She’s going to lose. The facts speak for themselves. It’s bad enough she tried to kill Michael, but then she kidnapped his son, and hid him for a year and a half. Nelle says, Brad stole Wiley from her, and Carly says she’s sure he did. Nelle strongly suggests Carly stop harassing her, or she’ll get a restraining order. Carly says, please do what she has to. If Nelle wants to go to war with Carly and her family again, they’re ready.

In the hallway, Obrecht asks if Carly came from Nelle’s arraignment. Carly says, it’s over; all charges were dropped. She wonders why Obrecht cares, and Obrecht says she wants to interview Nelle for her medical column. Carly tells her, good luck with that, and Obrecht goes into the courtroom. She says, good. Nelle is still there. It seems they have unfinished business.

Portia says she’s sorry she wasn’t there for Trina last night. She got on the first flight back. Trina says, she’s there now, and Portia promises it will be okay. She says she’s thankful for Elizabeth looking after Trina, and Elizabeth says, of course (🍷). Portia says she’s glad they’re okay. Ava introduces herself, saying Trina interns for her at the gallery. She came by to offer her condolences. She thinks the world of Trina. Portia asks Trina to get her things, so they can head home, and Cameron says he’ll help. Ava says if there’s anything she can do, but Portia says she has it under control. Ava says if she changes her mind, if there’s anything at all, don’t hesitate. Franco says he thinks she’s got it covered, and Ava says, Trina is such a special girl. She wants Trina to have everything she needs to cope. She knows Portia is busy with work, and that’s okay, but she can keep Trina company; she’s available. Portia says she appreciates the support, but wants to keep the boundaries clear. Trina is her daughter, not Ava’s.

Sonny tells Jason, the way Curtis was acting, whatever Cyrus has on Jordan must be pretty bad. Jason asks if Sonny is considering Curtis’s proposal, and Sonny says, it’s always good to have an ally at the PCPD. Jason says, Jordan’s not going to cooperate, but Sonny says, she could change her mind. Jordan is the reason Cyrus came to Port Charles, and for whatever reason, she feels guilty about it. Maybe it will motivate her to resolve this mess fast.

Curtis goes to Jordan’s office, but she says she has nothing to say to him. He thinks she does, and she says, how dare he blindside her in front of Sonny and Jason? He says he was trying to be helpful, and she says by exposing her and her past to the local don? She tells him, wake the hell up. Sonny might be GH’s biggest donor, and fund outreach programs, but don’t forget who that guy really is; a criminal. In what universe would she work with him? He says, it’s better than ending up dead. She can be pissed at him all she wants to, but that doesn’t change the fact that her life is on the line. He’s terrified for her.

Molly asks if Sam thinks she should show up at GH, and talk to TJ. Sam doesn’t think they should hash the whole thing out there, but they could set up a time to talk. Molly says she should go. She’s sorry to cut this short. Sam tells her, go find her man. Spinelli comes in, and Sam asks if he found anything on Peter.

Anna tells Peter that Howard is texting her a list of the Luna employees, so she can see who might have gone to Afghanistan. They have turned up something very interesting. There was a large wire transfer from that company to David Black a few weeks before the attack. Her phone dings, and she looks at it. She says, it can’t be. We see Obrecht’s name on the list, and Peter asks, what is it? Anna looks at him.

Obrecht tells Nelle, she came as soon as she heard Nelle was out of court. Nelle asks if Obrecht wants to congratulate her on being a free woman, but Obrecht says she wants to make it clear where they both stand. If Nelle implicates Obrecht in her grubby little crimes, Obrecht will turn her in for kidnapping.

Michael says he wants to thank Willow, and she says, for losing her temper? He says, for calling Nelle out to her face. She was incredible. She says he’s the incredible one. How does he keep his cool when Nelle is so awful? He says, the only way to beat Nelle is to not engage. The moment you get angry, or worse, feel bad for her, is when she can manipulate you. Don’t let her. Willow says she meant what she said; she’ll be happy to testify if he thinks it will help. He says he might take her up on it. He’s willing to do whatever it takes so Nelle doesn’t get custody.

Nelle says, if one more woman threatens her today… but Obrecht says, it’s not a threat; it’s a prediction. If Nelle implicates her, she can do far worse to Nelle. Nelle says she has no intention of telling anyone about Obrecht’s involvement in Wiley’s birth, or that she knew Brad was raising Michael’s son. Obrecht says Nelle is cunning; she’ll give her that much. She knows if she implicates Obrecht, she implicates herself. How is she going to explain the babies being switched? Nelle says, she passed out, giving birth alone, and was unconscious, with her infant in her arms. Then Brad switched babies without her knowing. Obrecht says she’s pinning the whole thing on Herr Cooper? and Nelle says, better him than us.

Anna says, it was right in front of her eyes. Obrecht was involved. Peter asks if she really thinks Obrecht would engineer Drew’s death and the attack on Franco, and she says, it’s in her wheelhouse; she’s murdered before. She doesn’t have to remind Peter of Obrecht’s violent tendencies. She was running the clinic in Switzerland at the time, and it isn’t a stretch that she could have helped Faison with the logistics of the original memory transfer. She doesn’t care who dies, as long as they cover her tracks. Peter asks what they should tell Maxie, and she says, nothing. Nobody is going to be told anything until she finds out how the Bureau wants to proceed. If she’s right, and Obrecht is involved, it’s going to be an enormous shock to Maxie. She’ll coordinate with the Bureau, and be back in touch. Peter says he’ll keep the information to himself.

Spinelli regrets to inform Sam that getting damning information on Peter proved unsuccessful. He found Peter speaking to his mother, then Obrecht showed up, and pestered him with questions. Sam wonders what she was doing there, but Spinelli says, other than terrorizing him, he has no clue. Thankfully, the day wasn’t a complete waste. She asked for help finding leverage against her parole officer. He accidentally gained access to her home server, and apparently Delores has made several calls to a burner phone every day for the last few months. Sam asks if he found anything, and he says, not yet, but it’s a burner phone. It can’t be good.  

Ava says she didn’t mean to intrude, but Portia says intruding has nothing do with it. She’s beyond grateful to Elizabeth and Franco for stepping in while she was away, but her eyes are open to Ava’s history. The same kind of people Ava used to associate with, are the type of people who got Trina’s father killed.  Her daughter isn’t available to fill some emotional void Ava has. Ava says that wasn’t her intention, and Portia says, then they’re on the same page. Now she’s going to get her daughter. She heads upstairs, and Ava jets. Franco says, wait, but she keeps going. He asks if Nikolas isn’t going after her, but Nikolas thinks she’d rather be alone. Franco says Nikolas really is a selfish son of a bitch, and goes after Ava.

Jordan says Curtis doesn’t have to be afraid for her; she’s figuring it out. There are always risks. Curtis says, this is different. Cyrus isn’t some local thug; he’s the head of a major drug cartel. He can easily come after her or TJ. She asks if he doesn’t think she knows that, and he says he saw Taggert get shot, and they both watched Trina see her father die. Are her ethics worth so much that she’d risk putting TJ in the same situation with her?

Sonny tells Jason they have intel on Cyrus, but it would be nice if Jordan filled in some gaps. She knows Cyrus better than anyone. Jason says, that doesn’t mean they have to work with her, and Sonny says, they’ve had cops on the payroll before. Jason says, not the Commissioner. It’s bad news to have her around in any capacity. Jordan is smart, and got in her line of work to put guys like them behind bars. They can’t give her a chance to take them down.

Elizabeth says Ava is obviously upset, but Nikolas says, she has a flair for the dramatic. She says, and he doesn’t care at all. He says they’re nothing more than business partners, and she says, wow. He sounds like his Uncle Stephan. She hated him. Not just because he was a liar who tried to destroy the Spencers, but the way he pressured Nikolas to be just like him; calculating and detached. Nikolas used to fight against it, but now he’s given in, but he says, not completely. He doesn’t enjoy seeing Ava suffering, but whatever comfort she needs, he’s incapable of giving to her. That’s why he’s grateful she has someone like Franco in her life.

Franco finds Ava with a martini at the MetroCourt bar. He says, looks great, and she tells him, just leave, please. It’s a self-loathing pity party of one. He says, Dr. Robinson didn’t know what she was saying, but Ava says, she did. And she wasn’t wrong. She noticed something familiar in Trina the first day she bounced into the gallery. She doesn’t know if it’s Trina’s love of art, no-nonsense attitude, or that her heart is ten times bigger than anyone else she knows, but she reminded Ava of Kiki. Trina reminds her of the great potential Kiki had, before Ryan took it from her. Dr. Robinson might have been blunt, but she also had it right. There’s no bringing back her daughter. Franco puts his hand on top of hers.

Jordan tells Curtis not to dare use TJ to manipulate her. He asks if that’s what she thinks he’s doing. She can’t change the past, and she can’t help it’s come back to bite her, but she can do everything in her power to avoid hurting him and TJ. But this is non-negotiable. She’s not working with Sonny, period. Understand? Curtis opens the door, and Molly is there. As he leaves, she comes in. She asks if it’s a bad time, and Jordan says she’s been meaning to reach out. TJ mentioned that he took her out for a special dinner last night. Molly says that’s what she wants to talk about. TJ never came home, and he never showed up for work either.

Sonny tells Jason, there’s no need debate this; Jordan didn’t seem interested anyway. He only likes to work with cops he has leverage over; that way, they work for him. Jason says they don’t have any leverage, and Sonny says, not yet, but they could. Jason thinks Cyrus has something really damaging on Jordan. Curtis bolting proves it. Say Jordan changes her mind and wants to work with them. That could be their insurance policy. Sonny says it sounds like Jason is starting to reconsider, and Jason says, they need find out what Cyrus has on Jordan. Sonny says, it’s time to find out.

Sam says, Spinelli is a godsend, and he says, it’s hyperbolic, but he’ll take it. She says, seriously, if Delores is up to something shady, maybe they can convince her to back off a little, and it will give her and Jason some leeway. Spinelli says then they can double their efforts with their main priority; taking down Peter before he hurts someone else.

On the phone in the park, Peter says, the Bureau already accessed the company server. He thanks them for getting the information out in a timely manner. He appreciates it.

Willow tells Michael, what scares her is, Nelle is right. The courts have a tendency to side with the mother. He says if the mother is like Willow, yes, but Nelle has a history of everything from murder to mental instability. Carly joins them, and says she just got off the phone with Diane. She’s going to get a head start on Nelle’s custody. She doesn’t want Michael to worry. She’s going to crush Nelle, and he has to let her. No backing off, or compromising for Wiley’s sake. He says, there is no compromising with Nelle. He has to win sole custody for Wiley’s sake.

Obrecht says, so Brad was the mastermind; Nelle was just the innocent victim. She’s astonished that anyone would believe such an obvious lie. Nelle is quite adept at manipulation, and might actually succeed. As long as they’re clear, Obrecht never gets mentioned. If anyone asks about their conversation, Obrecht was interviewing Nelle for her column. Nelle says, about what? but Obrecht says, it doesn’t matter. She refused the interview. Selfish snit that she is, she didn’t care that her experience could be used to help others. Now begone with her. She’s getting on Obrecht’s last nerve. Nelle leaves, and Obrecht says, that, as they say, is that. She wonders what Maxie and James are doing for dinner tonight.

As she’s about to leave, Anna comes through the door, blocking her way. Anna says Obrecht thought she got away with it, but she thought wrong

Tomorrow, Jax tells Nina that he got an email from HR about them (hard to believe, but okay); Jordan thinks she has a lead in Trina and Cameron’s kidnapping; and Anna tells Obrecht, she can and did, and Anna has proof.

🏥 A New Face In Port Charles…

Trina’s mom is back, even though we’ve never met her.

https://soapdirt.com/general-hospital-brook-kerr-debuts-as-dr-portia-robinson-trinas-mother-played-by-passions-alum/

Project Runway – Finale – Part One

Christian was excited to see what the designers were doing, and traveled to see each of them. Nancy was first, and Christian was astonished at how organized she was. In his interview, he said he found it interesting, since it felt like Nancy was a mess during the competition. She had a cardboard stand-up of Christian saying, amazing, which Christian thought was fantastic, but a little creepy. She said she’d learned a lot creating the gown for a woman in a wheelchair; it was a challenge. In her interview, she said she’d always felt like she didn’t fit in, but had found a home where she belonged – making fashion. We flashed back to various critiques of her designs. Christian said her fabrics were beautiful and her designs were amazing, but to be careful of the fit, which was something the judges had warned her about. He told her not to overwork it, or try too hard. In Nancy’s interview, she said she was going to listen to Christian, and do some editing. She wanted to make pieces that were worthy of fashion week. Nancy showed Christian her view of the Rocky steps (before the entrance to the Philadelphia Museum of Art), and asked if Christian would run them with her. He said he’d just had a cheesesteak, so he would. He beat her, but not by much. He said it was Nancy’s moment, and to work it out. He thanked her for the Rocky moment.

Sergio was next, where Christian was sure he was going to hear about a political statement. Sergio introduced Christian to his partner Kade, and his collection. His inspiration was global warming, and his focus, the melting glaciers and ice caps. He explained his pieces went from starting with glaciers in a solid state, and ending at the point there were no glaciers; a lot of the effect made by using a color palette going from white to almost black. Christian asked how Sergio was being sustainable, and Sergio explained there was a process to grow leather using kombucha. I am not kidding – see below. He showed Christian some leather fermenting in his bathtub, which apparently smelled pretty strong. He told Christian it was a living organism, and had to be fed honey. I think this freaked Christian out a little, and he said he wanted to look at clothes, not organisms. He told Sergio that his color palette made sense, but he didn’t know if anyone would get the reference in the styles. He wasn’t sure if it translated to glacier. Christian also said the vibe he was getting was Victorian saloon, and thought the designs should be more modernized. Sergio told Christian, everything he designed had a classical influence, and in his interview, said he was always open to advice (really?), but was sticking to his guns. At the end of the day, it was his story. Christian suggested the designs should have a sense of wetness and volume. He reminded Sergio about the judges pointing out he was referential, and Sergio said he looked to history for inspiration. Christian said he should push himself to go new, different, and never been done. Sergio said he had soccer practice, and asked if Christian was into boys running around in shorts. Christian said he was always up for that, so Sergio brought him along, but Christian mostly spun around on the field, doing pirouettes. I like Sergio a lot, and especially love his helpfulness to the other contestants, but he’s still the man of excuses.

After that, Christian visited Victoria, and said her hair was bigger than ever. She told Christian that her overall story was traditional, and she was using Moldavian ornamental patterns in her work. She also had her brand, Kheopo (a pharaoh’s name), strategically placed, Christian remarked that the collection was different from what she’d done, and Victoria said Karlie had told her to focus on not just one type of woman. Her mother had helped with crochet work on hats and bags to go with the outfits, but Christian thought her work was more powerful when it was streamlined. She introduced him to her husband Dan and son Christian, who was too little to get any jokes about them having the same name. Dan seemed like an awesome guy, who was totally on board with being supportive. He’d gone from being a soccer player to a truck driver, so she could pursue her dream. He said if she rose to the top, it was a win for him too. She said if she made it big, he could retire from driving, and  the family would have a chance to stay together more.

Christian’s final visit was to Geoffrey, who’d had a skateboard accident, so he wasn’t as far along as he would have liked. It had prevented him from doing things like fabric shopping, and in his interview, he said he was frustrated. All he’d done was hypothetical sketches, incorporating futurism with clean lines and details. Christian told him to think about who was going to wear it on the runway, and who would buy it. Geoffrey said his brain was on fire. He told Christian that because of the accident, he was kicked financially, so he took on a Disney project, The Little Mermaid. He’d also broken up with his partner, so Geoffrey had quite a month. He said he did his best work when he was submerged in the design process, and Christian said Geoffrey’s ideas were never ending, but he’d have to figure out how make sense of his collection.

The designers arrived in NYC for Fashion Week, and went to see Christian’s runway show, which opened the week. Karlie met with them, saying they would be seeing their new workroom tomorrow. I would say Christian’s collection was beyond amazing, and Nancy said seeing the show gave her another push – this can be you. Geoffrey said he’s been gearing up to Fashion Week his whole career. Possibly closing it was mind blowing.

The new workroom was fabulous, and everyone opened their collections and hung them on the racks. Nancy said she’d elevated her collection after Christian’s visit. The judges had never seen pieces like that from her, and she didn’t even use horsehair. She did, however, use liquid fabric, which is the epitome of glamour IMO. Geoffrey also took Christian’s advice to heart, and  thought he’d come up with some great work. Victoria said she’d changed 99% of her designs, which shocked the hell out of me, since she never seemed to take advice very well. She said it now looked cohesive; a thread. While it wasn’t exactly a compliment when Christian called Sergio’s collection Victorian saloon, Sergio thought he’d embrace that, making it cool, new, and clever. In his interview, he said he could see problems with everybody’s stuff, including his. Karlie arrived, and said the judges couldn’t ask for a more talented group. They all had the potential to make a real impact in the industry. So they were throwing out the rule book. All four could be moving on – or three or two. It depended on what the designers could show them 48 hours from now. In two days, the designers were to show three looks. The strategy was up to them. They could show their favorites, or choose save their showstopper for impact at Fashion Week. Victoria said the hardest part was what to show. They were to decide among themselves who would get what models, and Sergio said a model could make or break a look. Geoffrey wanted a male model, but said it was difficult to choose when there was $300K on the line. At the end of the day, the designers headed for the Box House Hotel. Nancy said, at this point, they knew each other way too well.

The designers worked on finishing touches. Geoffrey said he was obsessed with metal mesh metallics. In his interview, he said he named the collection – Purple Heart – in honor of his father, who had three of them. When he was younger, their relationship had been bad, but they were friends now. Because of his father’s belief in him, he wants the proud dad moment; it would mean a lot. He told Christian that he hadn’t tried any of the pieces on a human yet (not sure what he meant by that – did he try them on dogs?), and Christian tried on a gigantic puffy, sparkly coat that made him look like he was in a Sumo wrestler costume.

Although Victoria was very excited over her mom’s contribution, Christian said her collection was very styled, but not to overdo it. Think about what would surprise the judges. He thought her layered sportswear was the most interesting and exciting, but it needed editing. Geoffrey started a feather storm while stuffing his massive coats, which Nancy called the attack of the feathers. Christian suggested Sergio modernize his dresses. They weren’t costumey, but they were period-like. He said Sergio should rock it up a little.

Nancy said Christian’s visit had helped so much, and he told her to pick strong looks that wowed, so the judges would want to see more of what she created. She got all teary over Christian being complementary, and had to take a moment. She told Geoffrey that Christian appreciating her collection was overwhelming. Christian thought everyone was being too casual, and reminded them that two could go home, which made everyone pay attention. It was time for the model fittings, and I was not crazy about all the puffy jacket stuff in Geoffrey’s collection. On the other hand, Victoria had a sparkly hoodie jumpsuit paired with a solid blazer that I loved. I seem to always love what I could never wear. Short people got no reason to wear jumpsuits. Christian thought Geoffrey needed feedback on a couple of his pieces, especially something that looked like it was possibly made for an octopus.

Christian said he was going to the Oscars, so he wouldn’t see them before the runway. He said they’d have two and a half hours the day of, and DON’T FORGET THE TRESEMME AND MAYBELLINE STUDIOS before sending their models out. The product placement is heavy with this one. Geoffrey said he was swimming in his thoughts, and Nancy said the liquid fabric was difficult to work with. She had one shot with sewing it, and couldn’t redo it or the fabric would be wrecked.

On runway day, the feather situation was still not good, with feathers floating along the floor. Sergio notice a visible panty line (or VPL as they say in the business) on one of his choices. He hadn’t realized how sheer the front of the dress was. Didn’t anyone try the clothes on anyone. Geoffrey was so wired, he kibitzed the entire time his models were in makeup and hair. In his interview, he said he thought he’d be calm during the finale, but it was getting to him. I thought he was going to have a nervous breakdown during the interview. The real Victoria came back, and said she wasn’t taking any of Christian’s advice.

The guest judge was Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA (the Council of Fashion Designers of America). In Nancy’s interview, she said, this was business; Steven was tough. Victoria looked like she was going to be sick.

Sergio felt he had a clear point-of-view. He thought his beading created an essence of wetness and water, and the feeling of Arctic ice melting. The cocktail dress he chose weighed in at 45 pounds. Nancy included her creation for the wheelchair bound model, which had a skirt that doubled as a cape. She thought her tailored suit showed her progress as a designer, and her third choice was her evening gown of liquid fabric.

All of Victoria’s pieces incorporated a blazer. She thought her sportswear separates collection was fresh, and super modern. I thought at least it was different from the same dress she kept making. Geoffrey’s goal was to be big, bold, and loud. I loved his metal mesh dress with an open bra neckline, but not so much the dude in the puffy boat paired with a simple tank top and shredded… pants? Skirt? I wasn’t sure. Karlie said one thing was certain – they all had distinct points of view. She added that if the judges didn’t think they should move on to Fashion Week, they’d be out. I wondered if all this angst was just so they could stretch this out into two episodes.

Brandon said, let the games begin. Victoria said her collection was called Revelation, and she went with her gut. Nina was concerned about the colors and the fit, saying her tailoring had to be impeccable. Elaine didn’t think the jumpsuit looked well-made, and said Victoria had to think about adjusting the fit, and it made the fabric look cheap. I had to agree, because although I loved the jumpsuit, especially with the blazer, the fabric did remind me of those cheap Halloween costumes that have shiny circles attached that aren’t real sequins. Nina said editors and retailers love separates, and Steven thought the matching caps were a good go-to piece, which every designer should have. He thought they should be her signature, as they included her heritage in her mother’s crochet work.  Karlie thought it was unnecessary to have a bag with each outfit, and Brandon said she didn’t need branding. Her brand hadn’t been around long enough for people to want something with her name one it.

Sergio said he’d gone with Ocean Anthem, explaining the glacier tie-in. Steven said it was American to have a message, but the audience had to get message, and he didn’t think it was coming across. Elaine said Sergio jumped from issue to issue, and she thought he should decide what the one thing was he wanted to stand for, and use his fashion for that platform. Elaine brought up what was more than a VPL on Sergio’s sheer gown, saying she didn’t need to see the model’s thong; it was distracting. The sheerness took away from the elegance. Nina said the styling was beautiful, but dated, and they’re looking for something modern. Brandon thought Sergio had to f*** it up. What was his version of a modern evening gown? It should be constructed well, but he needed to edit. Brandon suggested he take off a sleeve. Karlie said he was trying to prove all the techniques he could do in one look; less is more. Geoffrey explained about Purple Heart, and Brandon said makeup and hair was important for what he was trying to achieve. Everything had to look expensive. He also needed to edit. Nina told him, veer on the lux side. I was surprised they didn’t like the metal mesh dress as much as I did. Steven agreed on the puffy coat though, saying there was too much volume, and no sexiness. Nancy told the judges that her two goals were sustainability and inclusivity, and her collection was zero waste. Elaine thought she needed more modern styling. She was taking Elaine to a past she didn’t want to revisit. Nina complimented her on her evolution as a designer, saying her pantsuit was the most tailored garment she’d made. She suggested Nancy tone down the print. She also felt the neckpiece on the liquid fabric gown swallowed the model’s head, and had her take it off, then liked much better. Again the main suggestion was to edit. Brandon said there was so much going on, he wanted to examine it with a magnifying glass, but there was no time for that during Fashion Week.

At this point I started to get nervous, and… to be continued.

Next time, Serena Williams is the guest judge, and a winner is chosen.

💧 It’s Real…

Meet home grown leather.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/04/business/modern-meadow/index.html

🧗🏽‍♀️ It Certainly Has Been…

So bidding you goodnight… er, morning.