What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Shahs of Sunset
Reza tells us, when Persians are on vacation, and shelling out cash, they don’t like wasting a moment of time. Except Destiney. Everyone is in the kitchen early for breakfast, but Destiney is still sleeping. Mike asks who’s doing surfing and who’s doing the bees. He puts tattoos on everyone. In Mike’s interview, he says he thought Paulina might have a hard time, bringing the group along on her birthday trip, but they’ve been awesome. He’s helped by acting like a camp counselor. In MJ’s interview, she says she loves Mike, but he can be controlling, and the girls he’s with become subservient. We see a clip from the reunion where Mike didn’t want Jessica to come out, even though she wanted to speak her piece. MJ says, Mike is happy, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the same tendencies to be the guy he’s been for the last 35 years. GG asks where Destiney is.
MJ video chats with Tommy, and looks at baby Shams. She tells him, yesterday was hard. She felt homesick. She asks if Shams has changed, and Tommy jokes that he’s smoking cigarettes now. MJ shows him a lizard on a nearby rock. She says she and Reza had a nice, long conversation. He said his intention was to drop everything. She asks if Reza’s attorney has communicated with Tommy’s, but he says, no. In MJ’s interview, she says she’s going to be there for the man she married, and has a family with. She wants Reza to realize he’s wrong, and drop the charges. She says she’s going to try and have one nice day.
GG wants to do rosé all day, and wonders how MJ is going to surf in her thong bathing suit. Paulina says she’s going surfing, rather than joining Mike on what I find out later is a trip to a bee farm. MJ says Paulina is finally thinking clearly. In GG’s interview, she says, it’s been a while, and she’s having floating thoughts. In the car on the way to the farm, she asks the guys – Nema, Reza, and Mike – questions about sex. In Nema’s interview, he says he and GG haven’t had anything physical, although they’ve had moments that were close. We flash back to the almost-kiss on the ski trip. GG allows him to kiss her, although it’s nothing passionate. In her interview, GG says, less teeth and more lips would have been helpful. Nema says, it was a preview.
Destiney explains that her sister was stung by a bee while doing a handstand in the pool, so she’d rather go surfing. Shervin, MJ, Paulina, and Sara are also in the surfing group. An instructor shows MJ how to stay on a surfboard. She says she has an aggressive thong, which sounds painful, but she masters the stance. Although since the surfboard is on land, it’s kind of meaningless, since the ground isn’t rolling around beneath her. Destiney and Paulina just hang out on their surfboards in the sun. In Destiney’s interview, she says it’s like how Persians go to a pool party, but they don’t go in the pool. It’s same with the beach. It might ruin your hair.
At the bee farm, bee guy Joe gives the other group lots of bee information. GG tells him about seeing a shaman who said her spirit animal was a bee. She used to sting people, but now she wants to stay alive, Reza gets the complete protection suit, but the rest wear variations of gear, and GG just wears the hat and gloves. Reza says, a bitch lost 50 pounds, but the suit is still snug. GG says she knows her homies won’t sting her. Want some honey, honey? True story. The only time I was ever stung by a bee was when I was around four, and I tried to pet it. I love bees. Bee guy Joe takes out the shelves from the hive that are covered with bees. Nema thinks he and GG are two bees who need to pollinate, and Mike says he’s sweating like a whore in church.
The surfing group gets back first, and MJ wants a shot of Patron, even though she doesn’t like Patron. I don’t like it either, but that’s why I don’t drink it. MJ tells Paulina, she knows how it feels to be under a strict regime. It takes her back to her Persian boyfriend. She’s glad she married a white boy. Shervin shakes his head.
Bee guy Joe demonstrates how to make a candle, and the group gets sheets of beeswax to make one. Reza says, they’re expensive; make three or four. Paulina texts Mike, MJ is effing foul. In Mike’s interview, he says, MJ thrives off antagonizing people. It’s like a drug for her to poke at people. It gets her high. Mike says he has to go. He has to see WTF is happening.
Mike stomps in, asking, what happened? and Paulina says, MJ told her that she and Mike remind her of when she used to date Persian men. He says, WTF? and Shervin says, it doesn’t end there. Reza tells MJ that Paulina is upset. Something MJ said hurt, offended, or disrespected Paulina. In her interview, MJ says she’s shellshocked. She thought they were bullsh*tting, having fun, and bonding over men. Paulina tells Mike that MJ said she was glad she married a white guy, and Mike was so controlling. He tells her that he’s sorry she had to go through this. In his interview, he says he vowed never to be like that again, and his prayers were answered with Paulina. He says, MJ needs to know not to f*ck with him and his girl. He tells MJ that there’s been a lot of sh*t talk behind people’s backs, and he doesn’t like his girlfriend being upset. MJ says she loves Paulina; why is she upset? He says MJ told her that she was sorry Paulina was dating a Persian guy. She says she didn’t say that, and Mike says Paulina heard it that way. MJ says the Persian relationship situation reminded her that she married an American, and it’s very different. She didn’t say anything insulting, but she’s sorry Paulina heard it that way. In GG’s interview, she says, MJ is being her authentic self, someone who damages people. GG wants no more to do with it. Mike asks MJ what she’s thinking. Does she not like Paulina? MJ says Paulina is like a breath of fresh air. In Reza’s interview, he wonders why MJ would say what she did when she’s in a huge group, mostly of Persian men. MJ says, it’s a fact that American men are different, and Mike said she was pointing out that things are better. Trying to flip it, MJ asks why it has to be a comparison, and Mike says, she’s effed up. She tells him, she didn’t say he was controlling, which is exactly what she said. GG doesn’t understand how anyone can insert themselves in someone else’s life. Mike says, stop engaging. GG leaves, while suggesting MJ get her own life. Mike admits he’s opinionated, but says he’s not controlling. MJ says if they don’t want her there, don’t invite her, and Mike says he wants her to act right. She asks what she’s doing wrong, and when he wants to apologize, hopefully she’ll be open to it. Destiney says Persian men are controlling, but she loves them. Shervin tells Reza, Adam called and asked if he could fart.
GG goes outside and sits with Paulina. She says she’s sorry she wasn’t there earlier. They thought Paulina was having a great time, then all of a sudden, Mike was raging, In GG’s interview, she says, it’s confusing, having a friend like MJ. They’ve had some amazing times – we flash back to some of those – but on the other side, MJ preyed on her vulnerability – we flash back to MJ and Reza blindsiding GG with Shalom’s ex-wife. GG says they’re talking about the woman who single-handedly sh*t on everyone.
MJ tells Reza, she said Mike was strict, and he still continues to pop off. Let her cool off. Reza says, it’s Paulina’s birthday; talk to her. MJ goes out, joining Paulina and GG. GG is telling Paulina, it doesn’t make sense, and it’s not right. What credibility does MJ have? MJ says she’s sorry if she upset Paulina when she said Mike was strict. They haven’t hung out that much, and Paulina seems easy-going, so MJ let her guard down and was talking sh*t. GG slips away, and MJ sits down. She tells Paulina, she says things that sound harsh, but her intention isn’t from a bad place. Paulina says, hearing that, she wondered what going on. She felt the drama between MJ and Reza, and wondered if she was next. In MJ’s interview, she says she’s realizing, before Paulina has a chance to get to know her, she’s been told bullsh*t. Paulina says it means a lot to her for MJ to explain herself.
Nema says Paulina is adjusting to the group, and how everyone is in everyone’s sh*t. He doesn’t consider it malicious, but just thoughtless. In Destiney’s interview, she says MJ is sh*tty with her comments sometimes, and always comes back with she didn’t mean it, and how much she cares. It makes you think you’re crazy. She’s not sorry; it’s a pattern. Mike says, it’s time for the luau dinner.
A conch is blown. It reminds me of Lord of the Flies, which isn’t far off. A pig has been roasted, and there are hula dancers with a three-piece accompaniment. They toast to a beautiful evening together. MJ hugs Paulina. In Mike’s interview, he says, even though he appreciates MJ’s apology – it’s big of her – it’s more of a concern what a persona says behind his back than in front of his face. In Reza’s interview, he wonders, WTF were they thinking? Who’s eating the pig? He’s half Muslim and half Jewish. He doesn’t screw with swine. I didn’t even think of that. GG says, the pig is scary. I was at an event that included a pig roast once, and they’re gross, but the smell is incredible. It tasted good too, but by the time I got there, almost nothing but the head was left, so all I got was a taste.
Paulina thanks everyone for coming on the trip her love planned for her. Nema says, in 2018, Mike was a pain in the ass, but the 2019 Mike is amazing. Reza says Paulina made someone they loved better, and they toast to her. A beautiful cake comes out, almost like a small wedding cake, decorated with real flowers. The group sings Happy Birthday in Persian. Mike hopes all her wishes come true. Fire dancers come out, and GG ducks behind the table. In her interview, she says she has Puff the Magic Dragon with her, and she doesn’t want to die. They drink some more.
Nema compliments GG, and Mike says they want to see a kiss. Nema says they saw that once today, and the guys all make fun of him. Mike asks GG to show them again, and she says she’s definitely drunk enough. Nema tells her, come on, and she says that’s probably why he’s still single; he has no swag. Mike asks if he ever smashed Erica, and Nema says, he has a major emotional attachment to her. He had no sense of family growing up, and has a hard time letting go. In Nema’s interview, he says, not having a key maternal figure, he doesn’t process relationships the same way, and that’s why it’s hard to let go of Erica. Nema says Erica saved him after his divorce, at his lowest point. He doesn’t like their disrespectful comments. He goes inside.
GG says, Nema needed a break from the conversation. It didn’t work out, and it’s sensitive for him. Why is it fair grounds [sic] to talk about it? She goes inside and sits with Nema, but sees a roach walking across the floor, and freaks out. MJ is on her way in, and GG tries to stop her, telling her about the bug. In his interview, Nema says he knows GG likes to get high, but she’s a little crazy. Who knows what she sees? He swipes the bug outside with his foot, and she sees another one on the ceiling. She’s worried his friend is going to come for her now.
Nema tells GG, any criticism of Erica is difficult for him. GG says he should marry Erica, and he says she wants and deserves tradition, but he can’t give her what she wants. GG asks, why? and he says, it’s awkward to say that he loves her, but he’s attracted to other women. GG says he needs someone who understands that he wants to have fun. If her brain could be put into Erica, it would be perfect. Nema says he would marry her, and GG says then he’d have his cake and eat it too. He asks which she is, the cake or what he’s eating? She says she’s always an option. Paulina interrupts, and says she has a ritual she wants them to do. Nema says, saved by the bell, and GG says, he was saved by the bell. She asks what flavor cake she’d be, and Nema says, red velvet. GG thinks she’d be devil’s food.
Back at the table, Paulina says, for her birthday, she wishes they could have deep friendships, but they’re afraid to be honest. She wants them to write down, anonymously, how they feel. In his interview, Reza says, bad idea, and Paulina tells them, write down what you’re scared to say. In Reza’s interview, he says, give them a slice of coconut cake, and be done with it. Where’s the hula dancer? Where’s Don Ho when you need him? This is a bad, bad idea. Paulina says they’re going to burn them afterward. They move to the fire, and Paulina reads, Nema is passive/aggressive. The next one says, Shervin is too buff. He needs to eat a salad some time. Shervin says, it’s in crayon. It’s Mike. Mike starts to laugh. Paulina reads another one that says, if I hadn’t been vulnerable, I wouldn’t have hurt the people I love. They all seem to know it’s Reza, and she reads, I don’t like to see people who thrive on people in pain. She picks up another, and says, Sara needs to clear out the skeletons in her closet. Sara says, wow, and Mike says, that’s been the chatter amongst the group behind her back. We flash back to Sara talking to Reza about her time with R. Kelly. Sara says, none of them would know what to expect; what it’s like seeing your ex on the news. It’s a ridiculous statement. Destiney says she didn’t write it, but she’s glad someone did. GG insists on switching seats, so Destiney and Sara can talk it out. In Destiney’s interview, she says, even though she and Sam are no longer dating, there’s been some tough sh*t with the R. Kelly situation. She’d never want to make another woman feel less than. They clasp hands. Sara says she feels like everyone is on the hunt. It’s the worst thing, exploiting the situation. MJ says the people they’re closest to, are the people they pick on. Something they need to flip the script on, and learn to be better. MJ says the person she wants to be isn’t hurtful, and she wishes she’d never hurt anyone or ever gotten hurt. She wishes it was different. Reza says the situation between him and MJ was hard for him. He needed to have conversations, and make apologies and promises. Mike says, it has to stop, for everyone’s piece of mind. He wants to move forward. No more sh*t talking or back stabbing. He needs Paulina to be okay. Reza says they need to act nicely, and let this sh*t stay in Hawaii. Burn the letters. Mike throws them in the fire, and says he doesn’t want to hear one more negative thing.
The next morning, GG asks if Nema has any memories of last night. He was pretty wasted. Nema says she was too, and she says she was beyond wasted. We see her clips of GG dancing around, and saying she’s so drunk. She says, mission aborted, and Nema says, between them. In Nema’s interview, he says, GG made it clear that she was open and willing to have sex. We see GG saying, Nema, now! He says, five minutes, and she says, okey dokey, artichokey. GG says, obviously, he was comfortable enough to have sex, or at least take it where it was. Nema says, there may have been a hot tub moment. They both use paper dolls to illustrate their narrative. They got in the hot tub, and Nema put his back against the jets. GG told Nema that he looked good, and he said she did too. GG was drinking and smoking weed, and pulled Nema closer. Nema says, she bit his lip; it hurt. Her hands were feeling around, wondering, what’s going on down there? GG suddenly tosses the paper dolls in the air. In his interview, Nema says, here’s a beautiful woman, who’s been drinking a lot. He doesn’t know if she’d feel the same way if she was sober. One time GG told him that she could get any guy she wants. It’s nice to be the one. He smiles, blinding us with his teeth.
Reza and MJ sit outside on the lawn. Reza says, it took coming there to give them perspective in their lives. They have it so good, and have one another’s backs. He puts his head in MJ’s lap. He says he wants to tell her what’s been going on, and how rough sh*t has been. He can’t go through this again. MJ says they’re on the right track, but her worst fear is that he and Tommy aren’t on the right track. They’ve yet to hear what the status is on the restraining order. Reza had said he was lifting it, and not pressing charges. We flash back to MJ and Tommy talking with their lawyer. Reza says, when he gets home, he’s going to have a conversation with his attorney, and let him know that he doesn’t have an interest in pursuing it any more. MJ says when he finally follows through, it will be a big message to Tommy. In MJ’s interview, she says the judge will most likely dismiss the vandalism, and her husband won’t be a felon. Maybe there’s a chance in hell of healing this catastrophe in their relationship. MJ tells Reza, fingers crossed, they’re in the pool in 2020.
In Reza’s interview, he says, clearly, MJ wants him to drop the charges. He’s figuring out if their relationship will get better after he does. It feels like it will, but…
Next time, a Sip and See for Shams, and Mike isn’t going; Reza talks to Adam about Tommy, but Adam wants to stick by the order; and MJ tells Reza if there’s going to be future between them, please don’t do this.
🏥 On General Hospital’s Flashback Friday today – a flashback in a flashback – Sonny remembered his early days, and changed the past in his head – Dante was married to Sam, and working for the Jeromes, along with Jason; and Anna was police commissioner, but had given up on life after Robin died from AIDS. Sonny realized that whatever we choose, there’s a price to pay.
🎞 And There’s Also the Moss…
While tedious, they do their job.
https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/why-showing-flashbacks
🧼 You Know You Love Them…
My husband always gets mad when I say The Sopranos is a soap, but it is. And so is Game of Thrones.
noun: soap opera; plural noun: soap operas
- a television or radio drama series dealing typically with daily events in the lives of the same group of characters.
I rest my case. This show, detailing a look into daytime’s history, is very promising. The Story of Soaps airs Tuesday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
https://people.com/tv/story-of-soaps-first-look/
https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/dont-miss-the-exciting-new-abc-special-the-story-of-soaps
😱 I Can’t Look Away…
Seriously. It’s like a horrible accident.
https://betches.com/brandi-glanville-spills-the-tea-on-denise-richards-rhobh-season-10/
⚰️ And If You Like It Scary…
Some new stuff coming to AMC.
https://www.ihorror.com/amc-announces-changes-for-nos4a2-season-two-and-creepshow/
🎭 A Great Actor Gone…
I had the privilege of seeing Brian Dennehy in Inherit the Wind on Broadway (co-starring Christopher Plummer, no less). He was an amazing actor, who put the same amount of energy playing a neighborhood bully in a TV movie as he did in playing Matthew Harrison Brady.
🍪 In Case You’ve Had Too Many Quarantine Cookies…
Katie shares her secrets, which aren’t really very secret.
🥁 Quotes of the Week
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. – William Shakespeare (Who just got a birthday shout out on April 23rd. )
Be the change that you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide
Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. – Marilyn Monroe
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect). – Mark Twain
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. – Thomas A. Edison
A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water. – Eleanor Roosevelt
We are the forgers, the survivors, and our dance is fierce. – Patti Smith
If my answers frighten you, Vincent, then you should cease asking scary questions. – Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), Pulp Fiction
🛫 Even If Just In Your Mind…
Do something different to make the weekend separate from the week. Take in an online Broadway show or concert, tour a museum, a zoo, or Venice. Just think, it’s not often you can just hit pause and go to the bathroom or get a sandwich in the middle of a gondola ride. Do a workout. The online or DVD choices are endless, and you can still go outside. Or read a book. Remember those? Stay safe, stay moving, and stay creative.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 