Tag Archives: Channel Zero Butcher’s Block

Mar16

March 15, 2018 – Franco & Drew Are Trapped, Butcher’s Block Concludes & Friday Fun

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Kim tells Elizabeth that Oscar wants to thank Franco personally for helping save his father. She’s sorry the earth swallowed up Elizabeth’s wedding day, and asks if there’s a new date.

Sam calls Drew, but gets voicemail. She’s getting worried. Alexis comes into the office with an update on Molly, but wonders what Sam is doing in Drew’s office. Sam says she hasn’t heard from him since yesterday.

Drew opens his eyes. He and Franco are lying on a concrete floor in a basement. He tells Franco to get up, but Franco is out cold.

Curtis says Ned is the mayor, a man of action; he digs it. Ned says Jim burned them; how can they burn him back? Curtis says he messed with the quality of life on Charles Street, and Ned says he was drilling for gas with no permit. Jordan says she’ll jump on the smallest mistake he makes. Ned tells them that Jim played on his political ambitions. It’s time to turn the tables, and use his biggest weakness against him – his greed.

Jim tells someone on the phone that it doesn’t make sense, but he’s in the middle of another crisis, so they’ll talk later. One of his thugs knocks on the door, and says Franco and Drew are safe and sound in a quiet place. Jim says this isn’t good. He’s not a thug; he’s a businessman. Geez, you could have fooled me. He’s pretty much been all thug since he came to town. He asks why “Bobby and Andy” couldn’t leave past where it belongs.

Elizabeth says the wedding is on hold for the moment. Kim asks if she wants to talk, and Elizabeth says Franco kept something important from her. He’s done it before, and she’s forgiven him, but he promised to be honest. Kim says she’s the last person to be giving relationship advice, but people have secrets. We keep things from each other to protect them or protect ourselves. She kept Oscar from his father. Elizabeth says it was something significant about Franco’s past, and it had everything to do with Drew. She asks if Drew ever talked about his childhood. Kim says Drew asked same thing, but she didn’t know much. They talked about almost anything except that.

Sam tells Alexis that when she and Drew were on their way out of the hospital, Jim found them. Alexis asks what that Neanderthal wanted. Sam says he claims to have known Franco and Drew when they were small, calling them Bobby and Andy. He told them Betsy sent Drew to an orphanage because Franco tried to kill him. Alexis says children of that age don’t have the sensoria to be legally culpable. Sam tells her that Franco pushed Drew down the stairs and the last she heard from him, Drew was going to confront Franco, but she doesn’t know where he was headed.

Drew touches Franco, and Franco jumps up. He tells Drew his head hurts, and asks where they are. Something tells him they’re not in Jim’s hotel room. Drew says after the thugs showed up, it’s a blur. Franco says this is what it feels like to be knocked out, and Drew says this is what it feels like to be tased. Franco says them together, where he’s guessing there’s no way out. Maybe they’re dead and it’s hell.

At the MetroCourt, Lulu tells Dante that she and Maxie were best friends. If the damage is ever going to be repaired, she’ll have to take the first step. Dante thinks it’s a bad idea, and the first step is to wait. Since she’s really stupid and pushy, Lulu says she can’t; the friendship means too much. Apparently, her feelings alone define the relationship.

At one of the tables, Maxie tells Peter all she can think about are the test results. Lulu comes to the table, and says they need to talk. Peter doesn’t think it’s the time or place, and Dante says, let’s go, but Maxie says, no. Lulu is right. They need to talk.

Jim’s thug reassures him that Franco and Drew can’t get out, and asks what he’s going to do. Jim isn’t sure, and says he’ll figure it out. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Ned, and Jim tells his thug, good work, and to keep him apprised. The thug leaves, and Ned thanks Jim for the donation; the city owes him. Jim says Port Charles has been good to him, but this can’t be a social visit. Ned says it isn’t. Jim has done so much for Port Charles; he’s there to discuss what he can do for Jim.

Elizabeth doesn’t want to give Kim the specifics of what Franco’s secret was, and feels badly dumping on her, and then not sharing. Kim says she’ll always care about Drew, but he can take care of himself. Epiphany comes by, and asks where Franco is. He blew off his clients, with no heads up or explanation. He can’t leave patients hanging because he’s in a mood. Elizabeth says that’s not like him; there must be a good reason. Epiphany says to tell him that Dr. Quartermaine is going to hear about it. Elizabeth tells Kim that she told him not to come home, after he’d said she makes him better and he’s lost without her. She has to find him.

Sam says the last time Drew checked in, he was dealing with Franco and hung up. Alexis asks how worried she is, and Sam says, how worried do you think? Her calls are going to voicemail, and he’s not getting her texts. She’s probably overreacting, but if it was Jason she wouldn’t worry. It’s normal for him. She’s been thinking a lot about Jason and Drew. She hasn’t been honest with either them or herself.

Franco yells for help, and then says of all people, he should know better that they’re in a soundproof room. It’s in Kidnapping for Dummies. Drew’s guess is that it’s a building that’s going to be demolished for reconstruction. Franco thinks that’s a good bet. He says it’s so weird that the first time they agree, it’s something like this. Drew says any workers they find, work for the man who put them there. They might try to finish them off.

Peter asks if Maxie is sure, and she says she is. He tells her, good luck, and gets up. Dante tells Peter that they should have a chat as well. Peter asks if it’s a police matter, and he says, yes. They step away. Lulu wants Maxie to know she’s done a lot of soul searching since the funeral, about her choice to lay a trap for that monster. Maxie says, it worked, and Lulu says, at a terrible cost. Maxie says Lulu was just doing her job, writing sensational stories, no matter who gets hurt. Lulu says she told Peter that she was ready to walk away, but he talked her out of it. Maxie says she never intended to walk away; it was a gesture to ease her conscience. She’s immune to rules and consequences, and nothing is ever her fault. Lulu wants to make it right. She misses Maxie. Maxie says she misses Nathan. He’s not there to help her, or tell her what to do about the baby. Lulu asks if something is wrong, and Maxie says the baby might have inherited a fatal disease from Faison.

Jordan looks at a map, telling Curtis that each pin represents the loss of a home or business, all because of that SOB Jim. It will take years to rebuild and recover. Curtis knows it’s frustrating, but she’s the police commissioner, who brings bad guys to justice, like the man who caused this devastation. She asks if Curtis is actually trusting the legal system, and he says he trusts her. This isn’t just another case. TJ could have been killed, Molly almost was, and his auntie was put in harm’s way. Someone needs to pay. Jordan says, someone will.

Ned tells Jim that he wouldn’t be mayor if not for his support, but Jim says the people voted him in. Anything he did to help was his pleasure. Ned says he’s in a position to return the favor. Jim had plans to keep the city’s original character, while building new housing and boosting the economy. Now it’s all lost in the rubble. Jim says it’s not his first rodeo. When you dream big, you have to take big risks, and sometimes they don’t pay off. Ned says he’s awfully cool about it, and Jim says, never let them see you sweat. Ned tells him that he can’t leave Jim holding a title to worthless property, but he can buy back all of the Niagara properties at a price that’s more than fair. He writes a figure on a paper, hands it to Jim, and asks if they have a deal. Jim says, sorry, and Ned laughs, saying it’s more than generous. Why not take it? Jim says he knows why.

Sam tells Alexis that she and Jason were at the Quartermaines when the earthquake hit. They took Jason’s bike to find Drew, and ended up at a construction site trailer. Alexis asks if she slept with him, and Sam says, no; they almost died. Alexis reminds her that she’s the mother of two children, and this only happens when she’s with Jason. Sam says they managed to get out before the explosion, and Alexis says, of course. Sam says she had to tell Jason the truth. She loves him and always will.

Drew tells Franco they didn’t take everything, and hands him a candy bar. Franco says Jim is lying about what happened when they were kids. Drew says they can put that on their tombstones, and Franco admires his relentless optimism. Drew says they wouldn’t be in this mess if he’d stuck to the plan. Why didn’t he leave? Franco says Jim kept talking to him. Drew knows; he was listening. The guy is a jerk, but didn’t say anything to make him freeze. When he got there, Franco was curled in a ball. What happened?

Dante tells Peter that he gave him a pass at Nathan’s funeral. He didn’t want to add to the pain. He says Peter pressured Lulu because he saw dollar signs. He didn’t care who he put in harm’s way. Peter says he almost got shot. Dante says Nathan did, and Peter got a headline. Peter says it was Nathan’s decision, and asks if Dante doesn’t think his wife is capable of making up her own mind. Well…

Maxie tells Lulu that Faison had Huntington’s disease. It explains a lot. At worst, it affects the motor control and brain function, and is inevitably fatal. It might have been passed on, and she’s waiting for the test results. Lulu asks what the chances are, and Maxie says there was a 50% chance of Nathan having it. If he did, there’s a 50% chance of the baby having it. Lulu says that’s not going to happen, and Maxie asks, why? Because she doesn’t want it and she said so? Either it happens or not, and if it does, there’s nothing she can do, except wait for the symptoms to show up. She asks, what are years to parents? You blink, and they go from diapers to the prom. There’s nothing she can do. Lulu says she can love the baby and teach it about Nathan. Maxie tells her, don’t you dare. She doesn’t get to bury Maxie’s husband, walk over his grave, and pretend like they’re besties again. Lulu starts to say she thought – and Maxie says, thought what? She had to bury her husband, and Nathan’s not here. The baby might be sick, and he’s not there to help her through it because of Lulu.

Jim tells Ned he’s a man of his word; when he starts something, he finishes it. Ned says no one is going to build a high-rise on a fault, but Jim points out San Francisco is on the San Andreas. Ned says they know what they’re dealing with. This came out of nowhere; it went from stable to unpredictable, and cost Jim millions. Jim says, you know what they say; one man’s disaster is another’s blessing. Ned asks if that’s really what they say, and Jim tells him, there’s another saying, cut the crap. Jim says Ned knows there’s a huge deposit of natural gas under the city. What kind of businessman would he be if he sold the land back? Ned says it wasn’t just discovered. Jim used him because he needed the Quartermaine stamp of approval. Jim says, and he got elected. Ned says Jim leaked the article, and Jim tells him that they both win. Ned got what he wanted, and Jim is sitting on a fortune. He tells Ned that he’s the mayor. Stop crying foul, and have a cigar; he earned it.

Elizabeth tells Kim that she keeps getting Franco’s voicemail. Kim asks if she knows where he’s staying, and she says she called Kiki, but she hasn’t seen him. His studio is on Charles Street, but she doesn’t know what condition it’s in. She’s getting worried. Kim says maybe he’s not missing, and just keeping his distance like she asked. Elizabeth says that’s not like Franco.

Alexis asks Sam what happened to not acting on her feelings? Sam say she doesn’t want to live life not telling the truth. She’s in love with both of them. She tried to shut her feelings off with Jason, but couldn’t do it, and can’t think of cutting off Drew. She has to be honest. She’s already told Jason, and now Alexis, and needs to tell Drew. Alexis wonders how he’ll react, but Sam doesn’t know. She says it’s up to him to decide. She doesn’t get to decide how he reacts, and has no idea. All she knows is that she has to be honest. Alexis thinks she should take more time, but Sam says she has to go. Alexis asks where, and she says to get answers.

Franco starts to shut down, and Drew says he’s doing it again. He thinks he knows PTSD when he sees it, and tells Franco he’s in the safest place. Tell him what Jim did. Franco flashes back to Jim calling him a liar and saying no one will believe him. He tells Drew he can’t talk about it.

Lulu tells Maxie that they’ll face it together. Maxie asks if she’s serious, and wants to use the baby to ease her conscience. Maxie tells her that for every tear she’s shed, she prays Lulu sheds an ocean full. For every sleepless night, she hopes Lulu never gets another night’s rest. She tells Lulu to stay away from her and her child. Peter and Dante return, and Peter tells Maxie not to stress for the baby’s sake. Alexis wanders over, and Maxie says her timing is perfect. She wants to file a restraining order on Lulu.

Curtis tells Jordan if Ned thinks he’s going to take down the man who played him like a harmonica, he’s dreaming. Jordan says she’s not counting on Ned. She’s counting on someone willing to take a risk, and willing to bend the law just enough not to break it. Curtis says someone with a vested interest in the evictions and harassment, who knows that the earthquake was used as a get-rich-quick scheme? She says, something like that. He thinks he knows the man.

Kim has to go back to work, and tells Elizabeth if she needs a friend, she’s there. Sam comes barreling in, and asks Elizabeth, where the hell is Franco?

Franco bangs on the door. Drew says it’s reinforced steel, and tells him to get a grip. He puts his hand on Franco’s arm, and Franco says if Drew touches him again… Drew asks what he’s going to do, calling him Bobby. He asks if Franco is going to try to kill him again.

Dante tells Alexis there’s no need; it’s a personal matter. Maxie suggests they keep it that way. Alexis is sorry about what’s going on, and hopes it works out. Lulu says she’s going back to work, or this is all for nothing. Peter asks if Maxie wants the day off, but she thinks diving into work is good for her. Her phone rings. It’s Kim, who just got word. The amnio results are in.

Curtis tells Jordan that he’s going to bring down Jim. She asks him to wait, and he wonders if she’s going to deputize him. She kisses him, and says now he’s deputized. Go be brilliant.

Ned cracks the cigar in half. He tells Jim that he’s going to the commissioner and blowing him out of the water. Jim says, be his guest. He’ll tells them that Ned always knew. They’ll never believe a savvy businessman got into bed with Niagara and didn’t know. Ned says he’ll take his chances. Jim says, do that, or do his job. The city stands to make a fortune in tax revenue. Show his responsibility to Port Charles. Ned reminds him about Charles Street, and Jim says they’ll find somewhere else to live. Ned says that most of them can’t afford it. Jim suggests he start a foundation to help them make the transition or they can move out of the city. Ned stomps out the door. Jim says how it turns out now, is up to him. He’s gone to far to stop now, and no one is getting in his way.

Elizabeth asks Sam why she’s so anxious. Sam says Drew is missing, and she thinks Franco knows something.

Franco says Drew trusted him at some point. He gave him the rabbit’s foot for Christmas, saying Franco was the best friend he ever had. He says it didn’t happen the way Jim is laying it out. He put them there to cover up what happened, and they’re stuck. He hands Drew the rabbit’s foot, and Drew asks why give it to him? Franco says he needs all the luck he can get.

Tomorrow, Peter’s test results are back, Sam threatens to take Franco out herself, and Mike asks Sonny if he’s supposed to sign his life away.

😱 Zero Time

There seems to be a bit of a lull in TV viewing this week. I haven’t seen any of this season of Once Upon a Time yet, but I did catch up with Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block, which had its finale this week. I hate that the seasons are so short with this show, even if I barely grasp what’s going on in it. Although anything is less opaque than the monster made of teeth on the first season, Channel Zero: Candle Cove. What was that thing about? Fear of dentistry?

This time around, the story centered around two sisters, a town full of disappearances, and the Peach family. The Peaches once owned much of the town, including Peach’s Meats, a meat processing plant that still looms over the center of the city. Like in Motel Hell where it takes all kinds of critters make Farmer Vincent’s fritters, there’s more to the meat than meets (ha-ha) the eye. Sisters Alice and Zoe (Olivia Luccardi and Holland Roden), move to the town for a fresh start. Zoe is schizophrenic and on medication, Alice is on the verge, or at least afraid of it, since their mother was also mentally ill. Landlady Louise (Krisha Fairchild), whose hobby is taxidermy, is trying to uncover the mystery of the missing Peach family and disappearances of locals over the years, one of whom is her brother. The Peaches vanished after their two daughters were murdered and something – probably a human sacrifice – was found in their basement. Afterwards, locals started to disappear. The sisters and Louise discover that the Peaches aren’t gone, but have merely changed energy and are still among us. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s son, Luke (Brandon Scott), has his hands full with an escaping Peach who is wreaking havoc on the town by eating some of its residents. Along with that, there is door to nowhere, a weird baby man called Smart Mouth, people in weird baby masks (which is even worse), and dinners consisting of kidney parfait with an ear wafer garnish. There is also a red door, but not the spa kind. Among it all is Rutger Hauer as Joseph Peach, patriarch and head cannibal/sacrifice leader. Rutger is a catch for any production, having played the best of the good guys (Ladyhawke) and the worst of the bad guys (The Hitcher). No surprise, he did not disappoint as the somewhat in-between Joseph, and in a way, got the last word. A lot of it was a strange foray into the human psyche, and all of it was a wild, gory ride. The three existing seasons of Channel Zero can be found On Demand.

🚂 You’re Almost There…

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Feb20

February 19, 2018 – An Election Wrench, a Weekend at Big Bear, a Little Bit of Butcher’s Block & Freyja

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Curtis tells Julian that Charles Street is lit. The polls are jumping. He says it’s more than choosing a new mayor. The future of the neighborhood rests in the balance.

Alexis and Ned vote.

Molly asks for “Julian’s girlfriend’s coffee.” Julian tells Curtis that he doesn’t know what she likes better – the drink or that he has a new friend.

Griff asks Mike to repeat the three words he’d said earlier. Mike’s brain stalls. Griff tells Mike that he’s going to show him drawings, and to tell him what he sees. Mike says inkblots all look like butterflies, but these aren’t inkblots. Griff shows him a lion and Mike says, cat. Griff shows him a rhino, and Mike says, cow. Sonny tells him to take his time, but he says he knows a cow when he sees one. Griff says he’s doing great, and wants to move on.

Peter brings flowers to Nathan’s grave. He says he can’t make them fill the hole left in Maxie’s or the baby’s life. He didn’t mean for Nathan to get hurt, and didn’t imagine it would end up like this, but here they are. He gets choked up, and says they were the only two who could stop their father’s twisted legacy, but even that won’t bring Nathan back. He wishes more could do more. Maxie appears, and says he’s done enough. I have to admit, although I wasn’t thrilled with him at first, Peter is growing on me.

At the will reading, Sam says it’s another one of Faison’s mind games. Anna adds that it was designed to create maximum destruction. Even from the grave, he’s pitting them against each other. Sam thinks it’s a crock, and Faison just wants them to destroy each other. Anna says if anyone could get satisfaction in hell, he’d be the one to do it.

Griff wants Mike to repeat some numbers in reverse. He stumbles on it, and asks for water. Sonny says he’ll go get some.

Jordan meets Curtis at Charlie’s. She says the polls are running like a machine. She’s excited about TJ and the kids canvasing. She wonders where Alexis is, but Curtis hasn’t seen her.

Alexis looks at Post-It notes in the alleyway behind Charlie’s. Bringing out the trash, Julian asks if it’s now the hangout for future mayors. She tells him it’s a madhouse, and she may very well lose the race. She’s working on both victory and concession speeches, and he tells her that she always did want to win both sides of an argument. She says he can’t fault her for being prepared.

Olivia-Q tells Ned to take a minute and relax. He says he and Alexis are still in a dead heat. Olivia is relieved that the special interest attack ad didn’t have an impact, but he says not to be so sure. Alexis is the underdog and getting the sympathy vote. He could still lose.

Maxie brushes snow from Nathan’s headstone. She wishes she’d said something sooner, but thanks Peter. He saved her and her baby that day. Nathan would thank him too. Peter says there’s no need; he’s so sorry. She knows that, and says she should feel honored about all the flowers, but it’s just annoying. She wonders if it’s selfish not to want strangers near him. She comes here to be closer to him, but it doesn’t help. It just makes her want to go home, but he’s not there either. She can’t shake the feeling that if she finds the one right place to go, he’ll be there. She knows it’s not rational, and that he’s dead, but then she doesn’t. Peter says grief is tough for the mind to accept sometimes. She thanks him. He says he didn’t do anything, and she says, exactly. He didn’t give her a bunch of platitudes, and is the first person not trying to make her feel better. He knows he can’t, and she says neither can anyone else. Only Nathan coming back can do that. How is she going to do this without him? She says coming there was a mistake, and Peter asks if he can take her home.

Jason wants the provisions of the will read again. Diane reads that Faison leaves Drew the one thing he wants more than anything else. There’s a detailed account of Andre’s work, including the reversal procedures, locked in a safe to be released when the provisions are met. He leaves to Jason the alias and last known whereabouts of his son, the man who let him live. Only his executor knows the information, and will only release it to the other if one of them dies. Sam says Andre only made one copy and it’s lost. Anna tells them Faison would like them chasing around the world as much as he would like them killing each other. He relished the ability to make people search for answers.

Molly tells Alexis the polls are off the charts. Alexis is proud that Molly is her daughter, but Molly tells her not to take anything away from her own accomplishment. Alexis doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal, but Julian does. He knows it’s not his place, but he’s proud of her too. He calls her Madam Mayor, but she says not yet. He tells her it’s only a matter of time.

Sonny asks Mike how it’s going, and Mike tells him they’re playing Simon Says next. Griff has to leave for a moment, and Mike tells Sonny the tests are pointless. Who cares if he misses a few things? It’s expected at his age. Sonny says Griff is the best, and can tell them what they need to know. Mike says he’s only doing this because Robin asked him too. She’s a sweetheart, and he couldn’t turn her down. He says Sonny must have things to do, and can go, but Sonny wants to be there. He set aside the day to spend time with Mike. Griff comes back, and Mike says they should be done by now, right?

Maxie invites Peter in. He doesn’t want to intrude, but she doesn’t mind; she’d like someone to talk to. Peter looks around, and she says it’s not just her; Peter can feel him here too. Peter says he can tell they had a happy life, and Maxie says, the best.

Jason tells Diane there must be an address for the executor. Diane says the solicitor of record died, and the papers were delivered by messenger from a Swiss bank. They claim they have no information. Someone must have been left in place, but there’s no indication of who. Drew thinks it’s a waste of time, but Sam suggests they hear the rest. Diane brings out a small display case, saying it was left to Anna. I was hoping it was the Wellington Dog, but it’s a figurine of a goddess.

Molly says it’s too close to call. There are a lot of people still at the polls, but she knows Alexis is going to win. Jordan says soon it will be official that Alexis is the next mayor of Port Charles.

Ned practices his speech. Jim comes by, and Ned tells him not to get too excited; it’s still too close to call. Jim says while Alexis has gained substantial ground in the game, a few key votes in key districts can make the difference. He suggests they have a drink and keep an eye on the race together.

Griff tells Mike the tests are done. He can’t give a diagnosis yet, but a CT scan can rule out some things. Mike says he and Sonny are overdue for a meal, but Sonny says they might as well wrap it up now. Griff goes to set up the test, and Sonny thanks Mike for humoring him. He says he’ll be right back, but I’m not so sure I’d leave this dude alone.

Sonny asks Griff what’s wrong with his dad, but Griff says he can’t discuss it without Mike’s permission. Sonny tells him not to give any details, just a general idea. Griff says the CT scan should tell them a lot, and he thinks Sonny is correct to be concerned about Mike’s cognitive abilities.

Maxie tells Peter that he has a unique connection to Nathan. He was there when Nathan was shot. Peter says he was on the floor, but Maxie says he was there. He tried to stop the bleeding like she did. She thinks she knew then that Nathan was dying. She wonders why Peter was there that day.

The figurine is of the Norse Goddess, Freyja, who represents prayer, fertility, love, sex, beauty, war and death. Anna says it’s part of Faison’s sick obsession, and wants no part of it. Diane thinks she should have it appraised. Even if it’s a reproduction, it might bring in some decent money; she could donate it to charity. Anna says Faison has put them in an untenable position, and left her a token she wants no part of. Diane tells them the remainder of the estate has been left to his son.

Curtis tells Julian that he did some additional digging into Roger Calvin, the guy who mugged Stella. Two sizable amounts were deposited into his account; one the day before Stella was mugged, and one the day after. Julian says he was a hired gun. Jordan has joined them, and wonders why pay someone to mug Stella? Curtis has a theory.

Sonny asks Griff, hypothetically, what would a CT scan tell them? Griff says it can rule out certain possibilities, like mini-strokes. He says Mike’s medical history is also important, but Sonny can’t help with that. Mike wasn’t around when he was a kid, and they only had sporadic contact after he moved to Brooklyn. Griff asks if he knows of any recent falls, and Sonny says Mike hasn’t said anything, and Rita didn’t mention it. Griff asks if there’s been any head trauma; did Mike box or play football? Sonny says Mike had a rough life, and was in plenty of fights. A few Russians beat him up pretty badly. Mike comes out in a hospital gown and robe, and gives Sonny his watch. He says Sonny’s mother gave it to him, and there was never any pay off big enough for him to pawn it. She deserved better than him, and so does Sonny. Griff walks Mike to the scan room. I’m already wondering if that watch is really the one Jason gave to Rita.

Peter tells Maxie that he was dropping off some budget changes; Nina had been fighting him on cuts. Then, Faison showed up. Maxie says if he hadn’t needed to drop off the paperwork, Faison would have kidnapped her. Peter says a glad coincidence put him there, but he wishes he could have done more for Nathan. Maxie says she remembers Nathan bleeding, and Faison was going to drag her away, but Peter showed up with Shane’s gun, and Faison took off because of him. Peter says she’s making him sound like a hero, but he didn’t know what he was doing. She says he did it anyway, and that’s what a hero is. When nothing makes sense or you’re scared, you find a way to do the right thing. Nathan was a hero too, but training only gets you so far. He was willing to put himself on the line for others, and did it every day. Peter did it for him on his last day. She thanks him.

Diane tells the group there’s no indication of which son it is, but the will was made on January 13th, 2018. Sam says it was after they wrote the article, and Anna says since he detested Henrik, Faison must have intended for Nathan to be his heir. Sam says the estate should go to Maxie then. Diane says because the son isn’t named, Henrik could make a claim. Anna was planning on visiting Maxie, and asks if she can tell her about the will. Diane says it’s Faison’s last word, but Drew says it’s just his next move in the game. He’s still taunting them.

Curtis says the dude is paid to mug Stella, and then leaves town. Big guns are going after his little aunt? Jordan asks when Curtis last saw Stella, and he says she was manning the poles. Jordan says the day she was mugged, she was out canvasing; she’s not the main target. Alexis and Molly come in. Alexis says it’s still too close to call, but Molly thinks there will be a big surge in her favor. Julian thinks someone is playing huge stakes to throw the election.

Ned says it’s still too close to call, and there could be a last minute surge for Alexis. There are still people in line to vote. Olivia says there are plenty of undecided voters out there, and Jim says it’s not over until the finish line is crossed. Wow. What a philosopher. Ned tells them he has to find a way to be gracious in victory or defeat. He thanks Jim for his support. Jim tells Ned that he’s got this.

Outside, Jim calls someone, and says, right.

Jason shows up at the hospital and asks Sonny how Mike is. Sonny says they don’t have the whole picture yet, but it’s pretty clear something is off. Once they do the CT scan, they’ll know more. Jason asks what Sonny is going to do, but he doesn’t know. He spent years despising Mike, and said he would never be like him, weak and running from things. When Mike came back into his life, he tried hard, but Sonny wouldn’t let him in. Finally, they came to terms as adults. Not father and son, but more like man to man. He doesn’t know if he can be the son Mike needs him to be right now.

Maxie thanks Peter, saying she hasn’t been able to talk to anyone else. He’s a good man, like Nathan was. Maybe when the baby is old enough, he can help her explain how brave Nathan was that day. Peter says he’d be honored. There’s a knock at the  door, and Anna gives Maxie a baby gift from Robin. Peter says he has to go. Maxie hopes they get a chance to talk again; it meant a lot.

Drew tells Sam that he’s tired of being thisclose to nothing; feeling like he has a memory, and then back in no man’s land. Sam tells him that he’s not killing his brother; that’s not an option. Drew says he’s just venting. She says it’s exactly what Faison wants; them at each other’s throats, frustrated and angry. But they’re too smart to play Faison’s game.

Molly reads some online comments, telling Alexis that people realize the attack was because of her opposition to the redevelopment project. Alexis says comments don’t prove anything, but Molly tells her that she can’t ignore the evidence. Alexis knows she’s hoping for a last minute surge (word of the day), but she’s not calling herself mayor until the polls close and the results are tallied.

Ned tells Olivia that no matter what, he couldn’t have done it without her. She thinks he can still win. He’s been honest from the start about who he is and what he wants to do for Port Charles. A city is a living thing, and generates taxes, which are used to pay for things the city needs. Ned thinks she’s the one who should have run. No one else could make road maintenance sound patriotic. She says nothing could be more patriotic than making the city and it’s people’s lives better. She believes he’ll have the chance to do that. She looks at her phone, and makes a shocked face. Ned takes a look, and says, omg.

Molly looks at her phone, and says, no. She shows Alexis. It’s an article with the headline Con Job, talking about Alexis visiting Nora on behalf of Julian.

Sam tells Drew the ornament is still out there, and he says it’s still a needle in a haystack. She says they own a media company. They can use their resources and do everything in their power to find it.

Sonny asks Jason about Faison’s will. Jason tells him that Faison claimed there was information on Henrik and the memory reversal procedure locked in a safe. The catch is, the only way one of them can get the information is if the other is dead, but he’s not playing Faison’s game. To the best of their knowledge, Henrik is still in Port Charles. Faison left his estate to his son, but didn’t specify which one. If he surfaces, Jason will be waiting.

Anna tells Maxie that Patrick and Robin donated money in Nathan’s name to the PCPD, but she also has some unpleasant news. Faison left his estate to his son. Maxie says, to Nathan? Nothing tainted by that murderer comes into her house. Anna understands, but tells Maxie that he was very wealthy. Maxie doesn’t want his blood money; she doesn’t need it. She and the baby will be fine. Anna tells her that with Nathan’s passing, the missing son could try to claim it. Maxie says he can have it – all of it. She wants nothing connected to the man who murdered her husband.

Peter finds Sam and Drew. He tells them he’s been doing some soul searching. He’s not ready to leave Port Charles after all. There are people there he doesn’t want to leave.

Tomorrow, Monica tells Nelle that her timing is perfect, Ned’s odds are improving, and Doc asks what Franco remembered.

Vanderpump Rules

Tom, Scheana, and Ariana are working some shifts at Villa Blanca while SUR is recovering from fire damage. Lisa tells us there’s a litany of things they have to accomplish. It would normally take three weeks, but they’re doing it in three days. Scheana’s boyfriend, Rob, has a house in Big Bear, so she’s taking some of the friends for a weekend. She reads a text from Jax, saying he doesn’t want to come because everyone is being mean.

Brittany, Katie, and Kristen decorate their scooters, which Brittany tells us are a necessity with LA traffic. Katie says Stassi didn’t just run off from her party, but stuck her with the bill. She’s not backtracking to the days where they enabled and coddled her. Stassi arrives, and immediately apologizes and starts crying. She seem to be the most upset over binging, rather than getting skinny, over her neurosis. Patrick called her out on causing drama for her friends and not just him. She knows she’s wrong about everything, and claims it’s stress. She and Patrick aren’t in the best place, it was eating at her, and she lost it. Patrick is a condescending twit with a man bun. Are women really this desperate? Stassi wants them to know, other than that, it was one of the best birthdays ever. Kristen tells her to just let it go, and Stassi writes a check. Kristen wonders what you do with one of those.

The girls go scootering. Stassi compares the scooters to broomsticks. I could see that.

Jax and Brittany pack for the trip. He thinks he’ll have to channel a lot of his meditation skills to get through the next few days. Lala joins them. She’s excited, but it’s early in the day for her. She tells Brittany about the driving arrangement. Brittany tells her that Jax is having problems with James. Lala says whenever James has a drink too many, a switch flips. Brittany thinks James might still have a thing for Lala, since he attacks her when he’s on a drunken, belligerent roll. Gee, ya think? Lala says others have told her the same thing, but that ship sailed long ago, and has sunk since then. She says he’d better get in the friend zone if he’s not there already.

And they’re off! Rob’s cabin is three bedroom waterfront property, hot tub included. Scheana calls Rob, whose trying to fix the boat. It’s more the life she’s envisioned for herself than the one she had with Shay. When the others arrive, Scheana goes over the sleeping arrangements, telling them that Jax said he needed a bed because of his back. In her interview, she says if she had a dollar for every time old man Jax referenced his age, she wouldn’t have to work at SUR. Ariana hopes he isn’t a bummer, and Tom says he wants to talk to Jax tonight. On the way to the cabin, Tom bought a survival knife, and has already cut himself with it. Scheana asks the group to be respectful of the property. Good luck with that. The guys make a liquor store run.

Lisa says they have to nearly rebuild the restaurant, and are limping along. She talks to a guy about painting the floor olive green. The place looks like a huge mess.

The guys buy every liquor known to man, along with some ice cream and spinners. James has cut down on drinking, but says something comes over him on group trips. The bill is nearly three hundred bucks. When the clerk asks how long they’re going to be there, they tell him two nights.

Scheana tells the girls about how Rob is the handiest person she knows, and how hot that makes him. Oddly enough I understand this. A guy building stuff or cleaning the house is the biggest turn on in the world. Lala wonders if he can rescue kittens and save babies. Raquel thanks her for inviting James so she could come along. Lala tells her that James was talking smack about her man. Raquel asks what he said, but Lala doesn’t want to repeat it. She tells Raquel that she’s about to snap, and Raquel needs to keep him in check.

Rob arrives, the boat having been fixed. Jax says the way Scheana talks about him, you’d think he invented air. He thinks there must be a lot of pressure not to fall off the pedestal.

Katie visits Stassi. Stassi gives her a drink, telling her that she has a request. Katie is handier than any boyfriend she’s had, and Stassi asks her to fix a padded bench. My husband told me that he was impressed when he found out I had my own toolbox, so I guess this works both ways. I’m not sure how else I was supposed to fix stuff though. Wait six weeks for the super to get around to it? Stassi says Patrick wasn’t happy with her meltdown. Katie thinks she’s more docile around Patrick, like she’s afraid to say something wrong. Stassi says she does walk on eggshells, and Katie says she’s better than this. Stassi tells her the same patterns are happening; the same ones she said weren’t going to this time around. It’s time to go to the tarot card reader. In her interview, Stassi says she used to pretend to be one in high school, but had no idea what she was doing. She just made it up as she went along.

Raquel tells James about what Lala said to her. James says Raquel is going by what she sees, but he’s going by what he knows. He wants Lala to be happy, but doesn’t think she will be with this guy. How can he respect a man he never sees? Raquel thinks he should be more respectful of Lala, and be supportive of her relationship. He says you can’t support something that’s rotten. That James, he’s a real raconteur.

Peter is surprised that SUR is back open so quickly. He tells Lisa everything looks brilliant. She says SUR is like her baby, and thinks they should celebrate. She orders a spicy margarita. Well, that’s a first.

At the cabin, the girls prepare dinner, and James kibbutzim. I looked this up, and it’s the only accepted plural form of kibbutz. The more you know… Lala says she’s an easy target for him when he starts drinking, and that he’s a hurt human being. Rob approves the food, and dinner is served. Brittany gives Rob a group thank you. In his interview, Jax says Scheana wants everyone to believe Rob is perfect, but she did the same thing with Shay. Rob toasts to Tom opening a restaurant. James remarks that Jax is left behind working at SUR, and Scheana says, technically, Jax could be James’s dad. Ha-ha! Jax must be feeling pretty small right about now. Ariana thinks James should reel it in with Lala.

After dinner, the group plays a card game where couples are asked a question sexual in nature. If they don’t want to answer, they have to drink. In his interview, Tom says he and Ariana are doing better, but it’s a work in progress. The game is actually pretty boring.

Stassi and Katie go to see Angie, the tarot reader. Stassi thinks after four years, she and Patrick need to figure things out. Angie has her pull out some cards, and flips things around. She tells Stassi she’s meant to have babies, and thinks she’ll be pregnant in 2019. Stassi starts crying. She’s been worried she couldn’t have children, because she has a medical condition where she only dates a-holes. Angie says she sees a guy with a lot going on, and the end of a difficult situation. Stassi says she and Patrick have been going back and forth. Katie says they haven’t been solid, and Angie is picking up on the issues. Angie says she doesn’t think it’s worth it to keep going. I think tarot cards are bullsh*t, but I agree with her. For all I know, she’s been watching the show as long as I have.

James is getting sloshed, and babbles about the country being made by people like him. Drunken idiots? Jax tells Tom they have a good time, but know when to shut it down. He thinks it’s a lot. Kelsey told him to separate himself from people who cause him anxiety and anger. He says he’s mentally burnt, and his hat’s off to Schwartz and Tom, who can still party hardy. In his interview, Tom is worried that Jax thinks just because the other guys have things going on, he’ll get left behind. He wants to help Jax, but Jax is concerned about the time frame. He says Tom is doing it, while he’s thinking about his future as a bartender forever.

Scheana and Rob go to bed, and the others decide to play truth or dare. Lala thinks there should be rules. James tells her to shut up, and Lala says one more time, and she’s going to pop him one. He starts to leave, not even realizing she’s talking to him. Lala tells Raquel he’s a bitch. James tells her to change her attitude, and she tells him to stop coming for her. He tries to hug it out, but she’s not having it. Brittany says he should apologize, and he asks what Lala wants. Brittany says he’s mean to Lala, and the girls decide to give them a moment. In her interview, Lala says they go from zero to one hundred in an instant. James says he needs respect, and starts to leave again. Lala asks if they’re friends or not, and he says not. She asks why they can’t have a conversation like friends do? He says she thinks she’s better than everyone else, but without her boyfriend, she wouldn’t have the Range Rover, the Chanel, or the private jet. Lala tells him that Raquel doesn’t like it when James insults her, and he should apologize. She talks about him goofing around with her physically, and how Raquel doesn’t seem cool with that either. She tells him that he wouldn’t like it if the roles were reversed.

Scheana comes out, and tells the group that Rob is trying to sleep. Tom suggests going to bed. Jax asks Brittany what’s up with the yelling. Lala takes James outside, and asks why he feels the need to come for her. He calls her an idiot for about the fourth time now, since he can’t come up with another word. She tells him to STFU, and the next time he talks about her man, she’ll draw blood. I believe her. Inside, Jax tells Brittany that he has super high anxiety around James, and he’s in a fragile state. Maybe he should be more concerned about Lala. Lala says she tells James things that she doesn’t tell anybody, and asks him to stop using it against her. He insists he doesn’t do it… that much. She doesn’t want him to do it at all. Jax tells Brittany that he didn’t want to come here; it’s not fair. Lala tells James to stop coming for her man. Jax wants to talk about his problems, but Brittany tells him to relax, and that she’s going to sleep. Lala says she and James were intimate at one point, and to stop coming for her and her man. He says Lala’s man has put the one he loves in jeopardy, which makes no sense whatsoever. She’s been talking about future things that he wants. He loved her, and he’s not used to it yet. Lala says he has Raquel now. He wonders why their friendship has changed, and she tells him they owe respect to Raquel and her dude. In her interview, Lala thinks James believes he’s losing her to her relationship. It doesn’t mean he’s losing her as a friend, but he doesn’t know how to make the transition. Lala tells him that they need boundaries, and asks if he’d like to apologize. He says, yes, but that might change in two seconds. Obviously annoyed, she goes back inside, telling him that they’re good, but not really meaning it.

Next time, Lisa is a guest on Stassi’s podcast, Jax almost drowns, and Scheana tells Kristen that she and Rob are in love. After which, we all roll our eyes.

🍖 I just got done watching the second episode of Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block, and it did not disappoint. Zoey came back a changed woman, apparently having been up the stairs to nowhere. We got a little more history of the Peach family, finding out that Joseph’s daughters had been murdered. Louise joined Alice in her quest to find out just what the hell is going on in Butcher’s Block, and they got a midnight supper invite from the Peach family for their trouble. It was really creepy cool when the candlelit table in the woods turned into a candlelit table in the Peach’s house, which the townspeople had burned to the ground decades earlier after finding “something” in the basement. Joseph explained that the vanished family had changed to a different type of energy. He literally got into Alice’s head, and the candlelit table turned into a table of cannibalistic delights. This show is intense, gruesome, and certainly unique.

💃 Freyja

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Feb13

February 12, 2018 – After the Funeral, Two Birthdays, an Atlanta Mention, a Creepy Town & the Visible Man

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

At the cemetery, Lulu says she’s sorry abut Maxie’s loss. Maxie says she should be; she killed him. Lulu asks how she can say that. Maxie says Lulu wanted to be the next big thing; journalism’s next superstar. She asks if Lulu got her story, and what the going rate is for her husband’s life.

At The Floating Rib, Anna asks if Felicia and Mac need anything. Felicia tells her, a time machine. Yeah, we could all use one of those.

Kim goes to Charlie’s to get take-out. Julian tells her they have couple’s dinners available for Valentine’s Day, and gives her the menu to check out. She says it’s a little over the top for her son.

Finn and Alexis are leaving an AA meeting at the hospital. Finn asks Alexis if he agrees to buy coffee, will she get off his back about sharing? She says she will, if he’ll add telling her one significant detail.

Sam asks Drew why the staring contest with Franco. He wonders why he’s making Franco nervous. Franco suggests to Elizabeth that they leave, but she wants to wait for Maxie to get there. Mac wonders where Maxie is.

Lulu tells Maxie that she didn’t fire the gun. Maxie says she didn’t shoot Nathan, but she put him in a position to be shot. And for what? A stupid article? A pat on the back from her boss? Lulu says she understands Maxie’s heart is breaking and needs to lash out, but Maxie says, no; she needs her husband. She tells Lulu don’t dare cry, and Lulu says she loved Nathan too. Maxie says she used him to advance her career. She actually believed she’d become a prize-winning journalist after two weeks. Her ego knows no bounds. She exploited Nathan. She knew he wanted to get Faison away from his family, and Nathan agreed because she put the idea in his head, making him think it was the only way when it was just her way. Peter listens from behind some bushes, looking pained. Maxie says Lulu did it to get an interview, and she knows it’s true. Dante says they’re not doing this, and Maxie tells him she knows he told Lulu to leave it to the police. Lulu says Nathan was the police, but Maxie says, no. He was a husband and father-to-be who would do anything to protect his family, and she took advantage of that. Why not? She had nothing to lose. She risked nothing, and in turn took everything from Maxie.

Oscar and Josslyn enter Oscar’s apartment. He tells Josslyn she has to be fast; his mom will be home soon. She asks what if she hurts him, but he tells her to hurry.

Finn wants to go to Charlie’s, but Alexis says Julian is Charlie. Finn wonders when that happened, and says he has to get online more. He asks if she wants to go somewhere else, but she says, let’s just do it.

Franco ponders the rabbit’s foot. Drew asks how it’s going. Franco says it’s a funeral, and leaves the table.

Spinelli tells Anna that his deepest regret is not finding Faison sooner, and Anna agrees it would have played out differently. He asks if she’s still looking for Henrik, and she says, absolutely. He could be planning on picking up where his father left off. Spinelli says Henrik’s trail is as cold as Faison himself. Anna tells him that no one can stay lost forever.

Dante wants Lulu to leave, but she says she needs to make Maxie understand. Maxie says, of course that’s her response. No I’m sorry; no I was wrong, and made the biggest mistake of my life. It’s Maxie’s problem, and Lulu has to make her see she’s right and Maxie is wrong because Lulu is always right. The one thing that could bring her closure is Lulu admitting her part, but she’ll never get it. It’s not Lulu’s style or in the Spencer DNA. Lulu says she admits it when she’s wrong, and Maxie asks when was the last time she did that. Lulu asks if she wants an example, and Maxie says she does, but she doubts Lulu will be able to find one. When Maxie screwed up, she felt terrible and apologized over and over until Lulu forgave her, but she’ll never get that from Lulu. Her ability to feel regret or remorse doesn’t exist. She’s incapable of it, and also a murderer, but a morally superior one, so there’s that.

Lulu says she can’t mean it. She asks Maxie to talk, but Maxie says it’s not her job to make it better for Lulu. Nina tells Lulu to stop; she’s done enough. She tells Lulu to please go, and leads Maxie away. Dante takes Lulu in the opposite direction. Nina asks if Maxie is okay, and suggests they go to the reception. Maxie doesn’t want to leave him; she doesn’t know how to do this. She asks Nina to please tell her how. Nina doesn’t know, but they’ll figure it out together. They hug, and Valentin takes Nina’s hand.

Drew tells Franco that he thought the condolences went well. Franco says the whole thing is sad and awful. Drew asks if Franco is avoiding him.

Julian tells Kim that she’s not walking home alone. She says a free drink, take out, and delivery, and Julian says he aims to please. She says, or make someone jealous. She sees him staring at Alexis, and he says he’s just making sure the customers have what need. Kim hands him the bags to carry. At first, he acts like the bags heavy, giving me hope that one of the actors gets it, but then, not so much. (sigh) Finn asks Alexis about getting something to eat, but she says she’s not hungry.

Peter stands by Nathan’s grave with tears in his eyes. He says it’s strange to say goodbye when they weren’t formally introduced; not as brothers at least. He wishes he’d known Nathan. He seemed like a good man; loving, kind, heroic – all the things their father wasn’t. He says it’s so clear how much Maxie loves him. He’s tempted to say he was a lucky man. He’s truly sorry that his luck ran out.

At The Floating Rib, Anna tells Maxie it was an honorable send off for an honorable man. Maxie looks at the pictures, and says she knows how much Nathan loved her. Sam tells her that she was great today. Nathan would be proud. Maxie excuses herself, and tells Nina that she can’t be there. Everyone is so sad and sorry. Nina tells her to take care of herself. Felicia wants to take her home, but she wants to be alone. After she leaves, Spinelli tells them that what Maxie says she wants and what she needs are often different things. Mac tells him to take care of their girl, and he follows Maxie.

Franco thought Drew would prefer he keep his distance, and Drew says he does. He asks how long Franco has known Jim. Franco says as long as Drew has, since they were little kids. Drew asks if Franco recognized him, but Franco says it was the other way around. Jim showed up at his studio. Drew wonders why he wouldn’t have said something about meeting someone from their past. Franco says there is no “our past,” just the past. The were toddlers, and don’t remember. Drew asks to see the rabbit’s foot.

Valentin sees Anna in the hallway. She asks how Nina is doing, and he says as would be expected. He wants to help, but can’t. Anna says he’s helping more than he knows. She tells him that she’s still processing their conversation. He wonders if there’s anything he can do or any questions he can answer. She asks why keep quiet? He hated her for so long, and all this time, had ammunition at his disposal. If anyone found out she had Faison’s child, it would kill her career and damage her personal life. He had the means to take her down, and didn’t. What stopped him? He says there’s a thin line between love and hate. He loved her, hated her, and everything in between, but could never bring himself to destroy her.

Josslyn is in front of Oscar, who’s sitting on a stool. She’s doing something, but we don’t see what. Kim comes into the apartment with Julian, and Oscar and Josslyn scramble around; Oscar running into the kitchen. Josslyn asks why Julian is there, and he says, love you too. Oscar messes around in the kitchen, and Kim asks what he’s doing. He says grabbing some food, and she tells him to say hello to their guest. He walks over, and we see he has a black eye. I laugh because I thought Josslyn was waxing his eyebrows or something.

Alexis says there seems to have been an uptake in Finn’s attendance at AA meetings, and asks if it’s because of Anna. Finn says he has a tendency not to know what has until it’s gone. Dante and Lulu come in. Lulu tells Dante it won’t shut off. It’s not just the words, but the way Maxie said them. Maxie hates her. So do I. Her point?

Maxie hesitates before going into the apartment. She finally does, and sits on the couch without taking off her coat. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Spinelli, and she asks what he’s doing there. He says her mother was right; she shouldn’t be alone. She says, but she is.

Elizabeth asks Franco if everything is okay, and he tells her Drew was just asking to see the rabbit’s foot. Elizabeth asks why, and Drew thinks he recognizes it. Franco hands it to him. Sam says, anything? Drew says, no, but he appreciates it.

Anna thanks Valentin. Felicia sees them in the hall, but goes back inside. Anna is grateful he kept quiet. She asks if he knows where her daughter is, and if he kept track of her, but he says he only knew what the midwife told him. It was a private adoption; no birth certificate, and no records exist. She went to a good family, and has a good life where Faison doesn’t exist. If Anna found her, she would have to tell her the truth. She says, Robin too; it would turn her life upside down for a multitude of reasons. Valentin says she knows what she has to do.

Oscar tells Kim that he got in a fight. Kim says, that’s clear, but with who? He asks if she remembers the friend he told her about that identifies as a girl, and says he stood up for her. She says next time, tell a teacher, and don’t provoke the bully. He says there wasn’t any time. Josslyn says if he hadn’t stepped in, their friend would have been seriously hurt. Kim says she cares about her son, not their friend.

Finn tells Alexis that he keeps making the same mistake over and over. She asks who left who, and he says this time, it was all Anna. It’s like she opens a door with one hand, and slams it shut with the other.

Dante tells Lulu that he was with Nathan every day. Nathan wanted Faison caught. Lulu admits she pushed him about the interview until he gave in. She should have stayed out of it. Dante takes her hand.

Spinelli gives Maxie some tea. She asks if he thinks it’s strange that she didn’t want Georgie at the funeral. He says on the contrary. She was looking out for their daughter, who is too little to understand what transpired. She also would have missed her school outing. Maxie brightens a little, and says, her first field trip. Spinelli tells her that Georgie went to the Portland zoo, but she doesn’t have to only imagine it. She asks if he has a video, but he was referring to her coming home with him. Their guest room goes unused, and Georgie would be ecstatic to spend more time with her. She tells him that going to Portland won’t make her forget that her husband is dead.

Peter looks for Maxie, and Sam tells him it was too much for her. He says it’s understandable. Drew and Sam hope he’s had a chance to regroup, and rethink leaving. They’re not shutting any doors.

Valentin tells Anna that she made a bold choice. Does she continue going forward with the consequences, or pass it on to her children? He gives her some advice that he ultimately borrowed from her. Let the past be the past. They’ve all made mistakes. The difference between him and her is that she wants to be better; so be better. She wonders if it will be enough, and he says it will have to be. He leaves to be with Nina.

As the kids are leaving, Julian tosses Oscar the bag of frozen peas. Josslyn says she’ll tell her stepdad that he said hello. Kim asks if Sonny is a friend of his, and he says, not exactly.

Finn asks Alexis, where is he supposed to go with this?

Maxie tells Spinelli she can’t jet off to Portland and forget Nathan. She forgot before, when she could have been at home instead of wasting precious time. She’s not wasting more by running away. Not feeling the loss, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Spinelli says he wasn’t suggesting that. She knows he was just trying to help, but don’t. She tells him don’t show up either. He doesn’t understand what happens when she hears a knock or footsteps or the elevator door. Every moment of every day is a reminder that Nathan is gone. All the brief, blissful moments of hope are the hardest to get over. She needs to be there until she does. She doesn’t need reminders. It’s horrifyingly real, and he can’t help her with that. She tells him to leave. He kisses her forehead and goes.

Peter tells Nina how sorry he is. She introduces him to Valentin. Valentin says it’s kind of him to come, and he says they’re all family at Aurora. Nina leaves them to help Felicia. Valentin says he hopes Peter has reconsidered leaving town. Some people might get suspicious. Peter thinks Valentin is overestimating his importance, but Valentin says Drew is going to follow every lead. Peter says there were complications, and Valentin says it was a shame about Nathan being collateral damage. He tells Peter to trust him, since he’s always looked out for him in the past.

Lulu tells Dante she has to quit her job. He says she loves it, but she says she loves Maxie more, and needs to make this right.

Alexis tells Finn she’s a master of mixed signals, both giving and getting them. She says that people can hold mixed truths in their hearts. If Anna is finding it that hard to keep away, she’s not ready.

Kim tells Julian that Oscar is her everything. He’s all she has. Julian says that’s not entirely true. She says she has her work, and it’s meaningful, but he says she also has friends.

Elizabeth asks where the rabbit’s foot came from, and Franco tells her it was in a box with his stuff from New York. It’s been with him ever since. She says it’s done it’s job. They’re happy, in love, and about to get married. Who’s luckier than them?

Sam tells Drew to remember the last time he got that familiar feeling. It was about Kim, and she ended up being a big part of his life. The rabbit’s foot could be a missing piece of the puzzle.

Felicia says she saw Anna talking to Valentin, and asks if she should be worried. Anna says it’s taken decades, and they have no more wars to fight.

Nina places a ticket stub from the Natural History Museum on Nathan’s grave. She talks to Valentin about taking Nathan there, and thanks him for bringing her. She needed one more chance to say goodbye. He tells her that he’s been in a lot of dangerous situations, but he never met someone as brave as she’s been today. She says she doesn’t feel brave. He tells her that she doesn’t have to, and holds her.

Maxie put on Nathan’s jacket and smells it. She talks to the baby, saying she’s so sorry. Sorry the baby won’t get to meet the dad who would have loved them; he already did. She’s sorry she lost it earlier, and hopes she didn’t scare the baby by freaking out about the future. She swears its mom isn’t psycho, just sad and angry. She’ll pull it together. It’s what the baby’s dad would have wanted. He’d want her to sing songs and make the baby laugh, like he was looking forward to doing. She’ll do it for both of them. It’s not the same, and they’ll always miss him, but she thinks if they’re brave and lean on each other, they’ll get through it and be okay.

Tomorrow, Robin thanks Jason for killing Faison, Michael says he’s selling the building, and Sonny tells Mike he’s not going anywhere.

Vanderpump Rules

Stassi and Katie go shopping at Dapper Cadaver. Stassi is having a death/murder-themed birthday party, and I guess this is the place to go. She’s celebrating the death of her 20s. When she dies, she wants to be taxidermized with a glass of wine in her hand and let people take photos with her. I actually think this is a cool idea. She has a list of the various items she wants to get, and goes over the guest list with Katie. In her interview, she tells us that Patrick blocked her when he went to Amsterdam. She tried sexting him, he turned her down, and she got angry, telling him she was going to find someone else. He’s finally unblocked her, so she’s hoping he comes to the party. She thinks she and Ariana having the same birthday is like Bride Wars.

Billie, Scheana, Lala, and Ariana go outfit shopping. Ariana is having a kings and queens party, because she’s a queen. I could make a lot of jokes here, but I’ll leave it. The girls look through the fabulous dresses, lingerie, and accessories. Billie tells Ariana that her 30s is her prime, but Ariana says she’s not having sex. In her interview, she says she’s not a fan of her nether regions. Really. She said that.

Tom and Schwartz go to the restaurant site. Today is the day to find out if the permits are approved. Without them, they can’t start the construction. Tom says they’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, and we flash back to those. Lisa and Ken arrive. Lisa says Tom smells like alcohol. He tells her the triplets are on their way home, but last night they went to a strip club and made it rain. Lisa wonders if Schwartz’s wife knows he went to a strip club. She tells them the permits have been approved, and they start Monday. Tom counts it among one of the best days of his life. He writes a check, but tells Lisa not to cash it until the end of the month. Schwartz is having PTSD from writing the check for the wedding. That’s why they catch you at the end for that. You’re a little drunk, so it doesn’t hurt as much. He didn’t say that last part. It’s my personal observation.

Ariana visits therapist Julia. She says it’s long overdue. She wants to do more to help herself and get her head right. She tells Julia about her self-criticism, and how it’s amplified over the years. Her ex-boyfriend added to the problem. She says in the beginning, she thought it was a fling, but he wanted her to stay, and after she moved in, held it over her head because she had no money. Julia asks about her support system, and she says Tom is a true partner. Julia wonders about marriage and family, and Ariana says she never wants to give birth. Her goal is to just be able to function without so much anxiety. In her interview, she wants to communicate her feelings to Tom, but doesn’t want him to think it’s him. She tells Julia she’s frozen. Well, let it go then. BA-DUM-CHH!

James, Lala, Brittany, and Schwartz go to Villa Rosa to discuss World Dog Day. Lisa wanted a festival that was diametrically opposed to the Yulan dog meat festival. In his interview, James says it’s not the most extravagant or exciting gig he’s had, but on the road to success, you have to pay your dues. Lisa suggests Schwartz make out with the guests for a fifty-cent donation. Brittany asks if Lisa is coming to either of the parties, but she doesn’t have the time. Giggy! Schwartz tells her that she wouldn’t have to dress up for Ariana’s party, since she’s already a queen. Once again, I have to squelch my jokes.

Lisa asks Brittany to stay behind. She wants to talk about Jax. Lisa says it’s been challenging to say the least, and she doesn’t want him there tomorrow. She tells Brittany that she doesn’t want him anywhere near her.

Tom makes breakfast and serves it to Ariana. He asks how therapy was. She says she’s a work in progress, but she’s glad he stuck around. He says he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her, but when they first started dating, they had sex all the time. In his interview, he says he understands the excitement dies down, but thinks she’s afraid to tell him. He tells her that he knows the newness wears off, but she says the only thing that wears off is confidence; there’s no pretending. He thinks she felt it more back then, but she begs to differ, telling him she was just saying it to impress him. In her interview, she says she knows it must be confusing for him. Ariana isn’t thrilled that they haven’t been spending much time together. Tom says he got a high off of helping Tom’s brothers and we see clips. He gets that some things turn her off, but she says there’s no closeness if they don’t do things together. In her interview, she says when he does other things, it makes her think he doesn’t want her. He tells her that he can’t read her mind.

Katie does Stassi’s makeup. She says she wants to be a hot dead girl, and is going for shot-in-the-head chic. Kristen says they’re like sluts in a morgue. Katie tells them about Kevin Lee bringing her flowers, and we see a clip. He tells her that he’s sorry, and she tells him that he should never make comments about weight to anybody. Ever. She tells the girls it was awkward. His apology doesn’t affect her, but she feels badly for him.

Tom loves dressing up and going over the top. Jax stops by while Tom is trying on costumes. He tells Tom that he and Brittany decided on prom king and queen. He’s wearing a prom style tux, and stopping by Burger King for a crown on the way there. Tom puts in creepy white contacts. Brittany calls, and lets Jax know about Lisa not wanting him at World Dog Day. He doesn’t know why Lisa is holding a grudge when others have done worse. I hate that. I hate when people won’t take responsibility, and try to deflect by pointing at someone else. He tells her just go without him. She says he’ll miss the beauty pageant, and Tom adds there are a lot of hot bitches there.

It’s party time! We visit Ariana’s party first. Tom, wearing a Maleficent costume, introduces Queen Ariana, who is dressed in gold with a huge spiky crown. James says everyone is killing it with the costume game tonight. I would agree, but Scheana and Lala are basically dressed in lingerie and wearing crowns. I’m not sure if that qualifies as a costume. Lala says she’s never missing one of Ariana’s birthdays again. Billie tells Tom that she’s heard amazing things about his drag, and we flash back to that.

Schwartz says Stassi put her name on the party – it’s macabre. He thinks the scariest thing is the ranch dressing fountain, and has no doubt people will put their fingers in it by the end of the night. Peter brings a bottle of Dom Perignon from Lisa and Ken. Stassi is thrilled, since a year or so ago, she would have gotten a bag of Giggy’s flaming dog poopy. Patrick comes in wearing a man bun, which is scarier than everything else combined. Stassi’s mother asks how the trip was, and Patrick says he had a great time. Stassi feels like she’s walking on eggshells, trying to make things work. Her best solution is to drink. She orders Jager bombs all around. Bleh. I think that’s even worse than the fountain. It tastes like cough medicine.

Jax tells Billie that he’s not going to Stassi’s party. He doesn’t want to be around the anxiety; he’s trying to surround himself with better people. Ariana tells Tom that experiencing things together is a huge thing for her, and he apologizes. He says he needs her; she’s his foundation. Well, that beats saying she completes him. It kills him that she’s doubting herself and being self-conscious. He tells her that she’s his number one, and she says ditto. She says if she doesn’t feel the closeness, it’s hard to get busy. They kiss. She says he’s not perfect, and she’s a work in progress (all right already), and she wants to be close to him. He suggests they make magic happen, and she asks if she can keep her crown on.

Katie tells Patrick that he and Stassi need to stop breaking up and making up. He says he doesn’t care if she has sex with other people, but he doesn’t want her to have emotional commitment with anyone else. Kristen says Stassi has always been the conductor in relationships, but with Patrick, she’s second fiddle.

Ariana’s brother, Jeremy, is wearing a little crown that reminds me of Blaine and Antoine (Men on Film) on In Living Color. He takes the mic, and wishes Ariana a happy birthday. The cake comes out, and Ariana tells everyone how glad she is they came. She breaks up a plastic crown, and tosses the pieces out like in Mean Girls. She says she’s not a queen amongst peasants; they’re all royalty.

Katie has brought in Arielle the stripper from her party in in Las Vegas, and wants Stassi to take a shot off of her body. Stassi says she wanted her as a guest, not a serving tray, and declines. She’s nervous about Patrick being there, because they’ve been fighting, and she’s effed-up on Adderall and tequila. She walks outside. Kristen and Katie follow. She tells them she hasn’t been able to talk to Patrick the entire night, and she’s annoyed by how everything turned out. They try to talk her into coming back in, but she tells them to go eff themselves; she’s leaving. Kristen says back in the day, she would have gone after Stassi, but she’s an adult. Get a grip and grow up.

It’s World Dog Day. This year, they’ve taken over the street where the rescue center is. Cute dogs everywhere! Brittany’s Monroe wins the beauty pageant, and title of VP Posh Pup. Brittany hopes it doesn’t go to Monroe’s head, since she can’t deal with two big-headed divas at home, the other one being Jax. Scheana asks Peter about Stassi freaking out at her party. He tells Ariana that Stassi was ticked off about the body shot. Ariana says this is why they’re not friends.

Brittany tells Lisa that Jax will have to do a lot of work before she ever makes him another sandwich. Brittany asks if Jax has texted, but Lisa says no. She tells Brittany his apology doesn’t cut it now. He was in enough trouble at the Beverly Hills Life party, but by not reaching out, he’s dug a deeper hole. Lisa says she supports them, and expects the same in return.  Stassi texts an apology to Katie. Katie says the meltdown was Stassi circa 2012, and immature bullsh*t. They also had to pick up a $1400 tab. Schwartz is surprised, thinking it had just been a mini meltdown.

This season, horses, dancing, the Toms are late for a meeting, Stassi thought it would be different with Patrick this time, drinking, more drinking, Tom doesn’t want to be around Katie, Brittany kicks Jax out, and Jax gets fired… maybe.

🍑 On The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Porsha had a vegan dinner for the ladies, and Cynthia invited them all on a trip to Barcelona. Kenya seems somewhat separated from the pack this time around, probably due to being a newlywed and having an ongoing feud with Kim. I’m lukewarm about this season, but this episode did give me what could possibly be the best quote of the millennium:

💥 What kind of fraggle knackle bullcrap is this? – Sheree Whitfield

🔪 I’m already loving Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block. In this latest effort, the plot revolves around an odd town with a strange history, where people keep disappearing. Sisters Zoe (Holland Rogan) and Alice (Olivia Riccardi) are making a fresh start there. Alice is a budding social worker, and Zoe is being treated for the “insidious onset” of schizophrenia, as well as battling a drug addiction. Landlady Louise (Krisha Fairchild) made it clear from the start that she wasn’t their mom, not even their cool aunt, but their landlady, yet she shared a joint and a story with Zoe not long after the girls arrived. Louise was also a reporter back in the day, and is working on a book about the town and the disappearances, her brother having been one of them. I adore her already, and hope she doesn’t meet an untimely end.

During Alice’s first day on the job, a child disappears while waiting to be picked up by CPS, vanishing inside her own home. Alice’s supervisor chalked it up to the mother running with the child, but Alice wasn’t so sure. That night, she followed a small, shadowy figure to an old park, thinking it was the little girl. At the entrance, she found Rutger Hauer instead, who was creepy, yet somehow grandfatherly. Out for his nightly walk, he told her his family once owned the park and he lives close by. Further into the woods, Alice discovered the figure, sitting at the bottom of a staircase that went nowhere, and what she had thought to be a little girl, was a little person, with a weird, unnerving baby’s face. It went after her with a mallet, but she was saved by a tall creature – what it would look like if Groot and the Visible Man had a baby – who took the whatever-it-was up the stairs. Later, Alice saw Louise’s research board for her book, which included a photo of the Peach family, who owned a lot of the town way back when. The focal point of the town is a huge brick building labeled Peach’s Meats with a logo of Joseph Peach’s face. He’s the family patriarch, and oddly enough, looks just like Rutger Hauer.

Zoe realized that Alice had concerns about following in her mental footsteps. Feeling smothered and weirded out – there’s also a nutcake lady running around town looking for scissors, which Louise has informed them not to give her – Zoe decides to book. While at the bus stop, she meets Joseph. Being musically inclined, I’m super aware of soundtracks (Vanderpump Rules always has a great one), and I almost fell off the couch when I heard Timothy by The Buoys in the background while Louise was working. For you youngsters, it was a hit in the 70s, written by Rupert Holmes, and is about some miners who eat one of their own when they become trapped. How this became a hit, who knows? but I do have it on a 45 somewhere. This clinched the deal for me with Louise. She also gave me the second-best quote:

🌏  When you set out to change the world, the world changes you.

Creepy babies, creepy Groots, staircases to nowhere, a strange landlady (her hobby is taxidermy) who smokes weed, a mysterious town, and Rutger Hauer. Seriously, what more could you want?

💀 The Visible Man

My sister had one of these when I was a kid, and I was fascinated with it.

Visible Man  Visible Man 2