Tag Archives: Daryl Dixon

Jul12

July 11, 2023 – Curtis Is Taken Into Surgery, Two Losses, Even Longer, Je M’appelle Daryl, City News, Birthday Bubbles & Hair

Posted on July 12, 2023 by theresakp

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Gabe says he made sure Brook got home safe and sound. Now he’s taking Sonny home. But Sonny says he’s not going anywhere until he gets an update from Dex at GH. He asks if Anna is ready to go home, but she says she can’t stop thinking about Curtis. It’s the worst that he was caught in the middle of all of this. The shooter was aiming at either her or Sonny, and Curtis got in the way.

Esme puts her hand on Spencer’s shoulder, and says she really appreciates him taking these parenting classes with her. He says he did it for his little brother. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for Ace. From the doorway, Josslyn – who is starting to annoy me to no end – says, what’s this? Hanging out after class?

Outside, Finn says, Elizabeth did great tonight, and she says she learned from the best. Epiphany always told her that she needed to compartmentalize. Put her fears and doubts aside, and just do her job. Finn says, Epiphany would have been really proud of Elizabeth. The way she stayed focused on her patient despite all the chaos, not knowing if the shooter was going to shoot again. She helped keep Curtis alive. She says, they did it together, and he says, they did, didn’t they?

At the Bistro, Stella says she’s glad she could join Marshall tonight. And for once, they’re not squabbling about the check – he’s paying. She laughs, and he says, his pleasure. It’s been a long time since they had a night out, just the two of them. She says she agrees. Even after all these years, there’s only one thing that would make it better, and that’s if there were three of them. He takes her hand and says he knows. She’s thinking about her sister Irene. Not a day goes by he doesn’t miss her. She says, Irene was so full of life, just like Curtis.

The doctor comes out and Trina says, Curtis is going to make it, isn’t he? Tell her. Portia says, she’s in shock. The doctors and nurses are doing everything they can to help Curtis. The doctor says, that’s right. He called in Dr. Barnsole, the neurosurgeon. He’s on his way. He leaves, and Portia tells Trina that she’s worked with him before. He’s the very best at what he does. Trina says, what if something goes wrong? The surgery is complicated, and the bullet is lodged near his spine. He could be paralyzed. Portia says, yes, there is a risk, but because Curtis is unconscious, he can’t speak for himself. They have to speak for him. And the Curtis Ashford she knows would do anything to be with the people he loves. Anything. She and Trina hug.

Trina says she knows Portia has Curtis’s best interest at heart, and trusts her judgement, and Portia says, it means so much to her that Trina has faith in her. The doctor gets Portia’s attention, and Portia says she has Curtis’s family’s blessing, do everything they can to save Curtis’s life… no matter the risk. The doctor says, they will, and leaves. Portia says, Trina’s so strong, but Trina says, honestly, she doesn’t feel so strong. She’s so scared. Portia says she’s so scared too, and holds Trina.

Stella says, if Irene were here, she’d tell them, don’t dwell on the past; look to the future. Marshall says, amazing, isn’t it? He came here looking for a son and found a whole family. He gets a faraway look, and she says, everything was good at Curtis’s birthday party. Has something changed? He says, it seems Curtis and Portia are still working it out, and she says, what about him? Does he think she doesn’t know what losing Epiphany Johnson meant to him? She got a chance to know Epiphany; she was a fine woman. They even hung out a little bit at Curtis’s nightclub. She cared about Marshall, and he doesn’t have to tell her the feeling wasn’t mutual, because she knows better. He says he has this memory… Just before Epiphany was going off to take her MCATs, she kissed him, and that kiss, that one kiss, is going to have to last him forever. Stella says she’s so sorry. Does he think it would help if he talked to somebody? A professional maybe, a shrink? He says he already has.

Esme says she didn’t see Josslyn there, and Josslyn says, obviously. She tells Spencer that his girlfriend’s downstairs, and he asks if something’s wrong. She says, Trina’s dad Curtis was shot tonight.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she doesn’t understand why someone would take a shot at Curtis. He left that world behind him when he traded in his P.I. license for The Savoy. Does Finn think an enemy from the past followed him? Finn says he talked to Dante for a moment at the scene. There were three shots fired, and he thinks Curtis was hit by a ricochet of one of them. She says, so he wasn’t the intended target? and Finn says, seems that way. She says, in a way, that only makes it worse, the randomness of it. If either of them had been at the pool instead of the restaurant… They both say, it could have been you, in unison.

Anna tells Sonny that it’s no secret her past has caught up with her. She should have taken someone spray painting murderer on her door more seriously. She just wanted to believe it was a teenage prank. Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was a warning of things to come. He says, three shots at long range lacks a personal touch, and she says, he’s right. It’s military procedure; not exactly his world, is it? She knows he and Valentin have gone into some business venture together, which Valentin hasn’t told her anything about. She didn’t press, but she didn’t think it was charitable work. Is that what this shooting’s been about? Nina runs in, and says she came as soon as she heard about the shooting. Thank God they’re okay. Sonny says, there was a shooting, but she needs to go home, and Nina says, absolutely not. This is her hotel. How would it look to her staff and her guests if she just went and hid? Her presence helps send a message that things are safe here. Besides, she’s not going anywhere until she finds out if anyone was hurt. Sonny says, somebody was hurt, and she asks, who was it? Please, just tell her. He says, it was Curtis.

Nina says, Curtis was shot? My God, is he all right? Anna says, Finn and Elizabeth were here. They were able to help him until the paramedics got here. Sonny says, they rushed him to GH. They’re just waiting for an update. Nina asks, how bad is it? and Anna says, he was hit in the back. Nina asks if anyone else was hurt, but Sonny says, no one else was hurt. She says she’s grateful for that, but who would shoot Curtis? Was it someone from his past with a score to settle? If Sonny knows anything, he doesn’t have to protect her; just tell her. Anna says, it’s just conjecture at this point… and Sonny says, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s it. Nina says, so someone else was the target. Did they mean to finish what they started and try to kill Sonny? Is that it?

Elizabeth tells Finn that she knows life is fragile. You pretty much learn that the first day in nursing school if you didn’t already know it. Finn says, there’s death at GH every week, in all its forms. Sometimes it’s a shock. Other times, it’s almost a relief when you see a patient struggling with a longtime disease. In med school, they teach that you have to build an armor against it. Because if you don’t do that, you can’t do your job. She says, until it’s someone you know, someone you care about… and he says, they all wake up thinking they have all the time in the world, but they don’t. Tonight taught them that they shouldn’t waste a single second.

Stella says she’s so proud of Marshall for seeking help. Did talking to the therapist give him closure; help him deal with the pain about Epiphany? He says, it helped to talk about it, but then things got even more personal, and she says, he doesn’t have to tell her if he doesn’t want to. He asks if he hasn’t kept enough things locked up inside of him, and she asks if he talked about his diagnosis from back in the day. He says, yeah. He’s been off of his meds long enough that he has a sense of his behavior and biochemistry and all that. Stella asks if the psychiatrist agreed with Portia. Is there any chance Marshall was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia over 40 years ago? He says, there’s more than a chance. It seems almost certain it was something else.

Josslyn tells Spencer that Trina is on the first floor near the trauma room, and he jets, telling Esme to call a Ride Share to get Ace and get home. Esme starts to get her stuff together, and Josslyn asks where she’s going. They’re going to have a little chat.

Trina tells Portia that she can’t believe she just found out Curtis is her father, only to maybe lose him. It doesn’t feel right. Portia tells her, no one said she’s going to lose him. She can’t think like that. She has to think positive thoughts. Trina says, Portia doesn’t have to be brave for her benefit. She just told Trina that she was terrified. Portia says she is terrified, but she also has hope. Trina’s father’s a strong man, and as much as Trina wants him in her life, Portia knows he wants to be there for Trina. Spencer comes out of the elevator, and Trina runs to him. He holds her as Dex watches from across the room.

Esme says she doesn’t think she and Josslyn have anything to talk about, but Josslyn says, that’s where she’s wrong. Spencer might have done his part for his little brother, coming with Esme to parenting class, but right now, Trina’s going through hell, and he needs to be with her. I love how she’s talking like there was some argument about this. Are we watching the same show? Esme says, then it’s lucky for Trina that Josslyn knew where to find them. Does she stalk all her friends? Josslyn says, it’s not luck actually. Her grandma runs all of the educational classes here at GH. She told Josslyn that Spencer was in this class. She thinks it’s a good thing she showed up when she did. Esme heads for the door, and Josslyn says she’s onto Esme. Esme asks what that means, and Josslyn says, it means she saw that tender little moment between Esme and Spencer. What was that? Your homework? Did the instructor tell her to get closer with Ace’s brother after class? Esme says, that tender moment Josslyn thinks she saw was just her thanking Spencer for coming to a class he didn’t want to go to. That is all. Josslyn says she saw exactly how Esme thanked him, and Esme says, look. She’s apologized to Josslyn, but that is who she was. She’s not that person anymore. Josslyn says, that’s not good enough. Esme took things from her that she can never get back, and Esme has yet to pay for them. Esme says she’s so sorry, but she doesn’t know what Josslyn expects her to do in order to believe her. Josslyn says, she can turn herself in.

Stella says, so if the psychiatrist thought Marshall was wrongfully diagnosed all those years ago with schizophrenia, did he say what he thought was really wrong with Marshall? Marshall says, of course (🍷) not. All he said was he didn’t want to speculate without reading the original file that was written by whoever diagnosed him 40 years ago, back before computers even documented everything. Even if he was able to track down a hard copy of the file, he already thinks he knows what would be in that file. She asks if he’s thinking it’s what led Portia to the same conclusion, and he says, bingo. Her phone rings, and she says, Portia. Hey. She’s in the middle of something. Can she call Portia back? Portia says she’s sorry, but this can’t wait. She’s been trying to get ahold of Marshall and she’s not getting a response. Does Stella happen to know where he is? Stella says she’s sitting with him at the Haven Bistro. What’s wrong? Portia says, Curtis has been shot, and Stella says, oh dear God. Portia says she’ll tell Stella everything when she gets to GH. They’re about to take him to surgery. Stella says, they’re on their way, and Marshall asks where they’re going. She says, pray for Curtis and come with her, and they jet.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she was working on adrenaline tonight. After they took Curtis away and the job was done, all she wanted was to be with Finn. And to see his face and hold his hand, and know that he was out of danger. He says he felt the same thing. He just wanted her to be okay. He learned the hard way, life isn’t always fair. Sometimes it’s cruel, and bad things happen to really good people. She says, sometimes good people do bad things, and he says, they’ve all made mistakes. They can’t help beating themselves up about bad decisions they made ~~five minutes ago~~ in their past. Either can move past them or… She says, or what? and Finn says, or they have to courage to admit they weren’t just mistakes. They were failures, and they’re brave enough to move on. Maybe a little bruised, but not beaten, and hopefully a helluva lot smarter.

Sonny tells Nina that he’s got his share of enemies, but there’s no reason to believe that he’s the shooter’s target. Anna says, it could have just as easily been someone aiming at her, and Nina says, Anna risked her life bringing Aunt Liesl home in time to save Willow. Does she really think there are people still out there who are loyal to Victor Cassadine? Anna says, the mercenaries who were on his payroll, no. She doubts any of them would care to honor his memory by seeking revenge. But now that her sordid past has been publicized around the world, it’s likely it’s someone from her past looking for payback. Sonny’s phone rings, and he steps away. He asks Dex if there’s any news, and Dex says, Curtis is hanging in there. The bullet is lodged in his spinal cord, so there’s a lot of concern about that. They just wheeled him into the OR for surgery. Sonny says, anything else? and Dex says he’s not a doctor, but from his battlefield experience, it feels like the odds are stacked against Curtis. Sonny asks if Josslyn is with Trina, and Dex says, yeah. She’s here at the hospital. Sonny tells him to stick close to Josslyn, and call him if anything changes. He goes back to Anna and Nina, and says, what they know right now is, Curtis is alive and they’re going to take him to surgery. Anna says, that’s good news, and Nina says, it is, but the way Sonny said that was like there’s bad news too. And she doesn’t have to guess what that is, does she?

Curtis is wheeled past Trina and Spencer, and Portia runs out. The doctor says, they’re taking Curtis up to surgery. They’re going to do everything they can. Portia says she knows they will, and everyone wastes time looking at Curtis for a moment before he’s wheeled into the elevator.

Esme says, and people tell her that she’s the dangerous one, and Josslyn says, when you hurt someone the way Esme hurt her, they pay for it. She learned that from her family. Esme asks, who taught her that? Her ex-stepdad, the mob boss? Josslyn says she’s here to protect her friend Trina. No more, no less. Esme doesn’t have any friends, so she can see why Esme would have trouble understanding that. Esme says she doesn’t know if Spencer considers her a friend or not, but he is Ace’s brother. And because Nikolas decided to skip town, Spencer has been helping her with Ace, and she appreciates that, but that’s all he is to her. No more, no less. Josslyn says, that might convince some people, and Esme says, it should; it’s the truth. She knows all of the lies she allegedly told Josslyn, but this isn’t one of them, and she isn’t the old Esme. Josslyn says, then who is she? Because this is still abrasive, and she wonders which psychopath Esme inherited that from, Ryan or Heather? Esme says, how dare she? For real. Why is Josslyn being such an asshat?

Sonny tells Nina, all Dex said was, Curtis is being sent to surgery. They both know he’s a fighter, right? Nina says she has to get to the hospital, and he says he’ll have Gabe take her, while he… She says, he and Anna were witnesses. Maybe they can help the police track down whoever did this to Curtis. Sonny asks Frank to take Nina to the hospital, and Nina kisses him goodbye, leaving with Frank. Anna asks Sonny what Nina meant by someone finishing what they started, and he says, Nina always worries that he’s going to be in the line of fire. It just goes with the territory.

Spencer tells Trina, it’s going to be okay, and gets her to sit down. She says, he doesn’t know that, and he says, okay, he doesn’t. But until the doctors give them something to worry about, they need to stay positive. She and Curtis are cut from the same cloth. Look at the way she snuck onto the Haunted Star. She stared death right in the face. She survived everything Victor threw at her, and that was a lot. Where did that will to live come from if not from Curtis? She says, when they were in their darkest times and didn’t know if they were going to make it, she knew Curtis was fighting for her. He says, now it’s her turn to keep fighting for him, when Marshall and Stella come out of the elevator.

Marshall hugs Portia, and asks, where’s his son? Stella asks when they can see him, and Portia says, they took him to the OR just a little while ago, but the surgery is going to take some time. Stella says, when she got the call, she was hoping she could see him, because she never got a chance to tell him how very much… She breaks down crying, and Marshall hugs them both. Portia says, he knows. Don’t ask her how, but he knows.

Elizabeth tells Finn, that makes her think about when she used to take the boys to the park. She remembers when each of them was finally big enough to jump off the high dive. They were fearless because they’d never done it before. But after that first time, especially if they belly flopped, they knew jumping off was a risk. He says he knows that feeling. Standing up there, looking down, thinking about everything that could go wrong, thinking about how much it might hurt. She says, it takes a lot of courage to take that plunge a second time, and he says, kind of like how she confronted her parents after all those years. It was a risky thing to do, but she seemed pretty fearless to him. She says she guesses she was, and he says, so tell him, is she ready to take the plunge again? She says, is he?

Josslyn says, how dare she what? Esme took a shot at her ex, and she can’t say anything about Esme’s nutjob parents? She remembers the sociopath Esme was before she lost her memory. Dex walks in and asks if there’s a problem, but Josslyn says, nothing she can’t handle. Back to what really matters; how’s Curtis? Dex says, they’re taking him to the OR for surgery, and Josslyn says, so there’s a chance. He says, there’s always a chance, and Josslyn says, good. She’s so glad Trina has Spencer to lean on. Esme says she needs to go get her child and relieve the babysitter, but could Dex please tell Trina that she’s thinking good thoughts for her and her dad? She leaves, and Dex asks, what was that all about? And why is she asking him to deliver a message to Trina? Josslyn says, because Esme knew she wouldn’t do it. But she thinks she just caught a glimpse of the real Esme. Okay, so she’s supposed to be Josslyn’s punching bag if she’s not a sociopath? What I said before.

Stella hugs Trina, and says, it’s just so hard for her to wrap her head around. Curtis was shot by the MetroCourt pool. It just doesn’t seem real. Trina says she wishes it wasn’t. Curtis is the most alive person she knows. And to think… Stella says, no, don’t think it. Just sweep those negative thoughts out of her mind. He needs them to think good thoughts now. Trina has to think about how much life she has left to share with her father. Trina says, her father. She wishes she’d known that sooner. Stella says, she can’t change the past, but the fact is, Trina knows he’s her father now, and Curtis knows she’s his daughter. And if there’s any justice in the world, this isn’t the end of this journey; it’s just the start. Trina says she wishes she believed that, and Stella hugs her.

Marshall tells Portia that she doesn’t have to be Dr. Robinson right now; she’s just a part of this family… his family. He never knew how much that meant to him until right now. Nina comes out of the elevator and runs over to Portia. She hugs Portia, saying, she’s so sorry. She heard about Curtis. Portia thanks her for coming, but Nina says, Portia doesn’t have to thank her. She just needs to know that Curtis is going to be okay. Portia says, Nina knows Curtis, and she knows he’s not going out without a fight, and Nina says, that’s exactly right.

Anna says, Nina might have bought it, but Sonny can’t fool her. He’s on someone’s hitlist. He says he thought they had an unwritten rule; don’t ask, don’t tell. She says, oh, that rule, and he says he’s not going to ask her about the people who could be targeting her, and he’d want the same kind of courtesy. He motions Gabe over, and asks him to get the car. Gabe leaves, and Anna asks if it’s worth it, this life Sonny’s chosen, or the one that chose her. Every single choice they’ve ever made in their lives brought them to this moment; this moment tonight, this situation. From different directions obviously, but they have to face the same violent conclusion; that they always have to watch their backs. Sonny says, let him ask her a question. If she could turn back the clock and start over, would she do things differently? She thinks for a moment, and says she’s not sure. Would he?

Finn tells Elizabeth, tonight’s a reminder of just how precious life can be. Curtis didn’t go to the MetroCourt thinking he was going to get shot, and Portia never expected she was going to have to try and saved his life. None of them get promised another sunset, another sunrise. All he knows is, if they don’t take this chance, they might not get another one. She asks if he thinks they really can, and he says, you and me, make it work? He doesn’t know. All they can do is try. He kisses her.

When they come up for air, Elizabeth says she should go home to the boys, and Finn says, Violet’s probably talked the babysitter’s ear off at this point, and she’ll be waiting for him to read her a story before going to bed. Does Elizabeth have any plans for tomorrow night? She says, no, no plans, and he says, it’s funny. He doesn’t have any plans either. He could take her out. She says, they could stay in. She’d love to cook him dinner. Does he like lasagna? He says he loves lasagna. He’s sure anything she made would be amazing. She says, then she’ll surprise him, and they stroll out of the park.

Stella asks Portia why they haven’t been given any news. It seems like a long time since they’ve gotten an update. Trina says, Portia works there. Can’t she pull some strings or something? They know Curtis is in surgery, but they could be told something, like it’s going well, or it’s not going well. Why haven’t they been told anything? Portia says she knows Trina’s scared; they all are. But the most important thing to focus on right now is the surgery. Whatever they need to do to give Curtis the best possible care, that’s the priority. So the only thing they can really do right now is pray and be patient. Stella nods and walks off, and Spencer tells Portia, let him see what he can find out. His family still donates a great deal of money to this hospital… Portia says, this isn’t about his family or their money, and he says, she’s so right. He’s sorry. She thanks him, and says she knows he’s just trying to help. She follows Stella, and Spencer holds Trina as Esme comes out of the elevator. She goes over to Trina and says she just heard about Trina’s dad. She’s so sorry. Trina thanks her, and Esme says, she and Spencer were in this parenting class when Josslyn found them and broke the news. They were both devastated for her.

Josslyn says, let’s go, and Dex asks if she’s sure she’s okay. As long as he’s known her, she’s been pretty rock solid. He’s never seen someone get under her skin like that. (Did they just meet today?) She says, that’s what Esme does. She finds all of your buttons and presses every last one of them. He asks if she’s saying Esme is pretending to have amnesia, but Josslyn says she doesn’t know. Esme’s dad is Ryan Chamberlain, and her mom is Heather Webber, so… Even before they knew that, they knew she was a sociopath. She’s more convinced than ever that jealous, spiteful Esme is in her and just waiting to come back out.

Spencer says he thought Esme was heading home because she was so anxious about leaving Ace with the new babysitter for the first time. Esme says she just spoke to Melanie, who assured her that Ace is sleeping like a rock, but she’s headed home now. They seem preoccupied, but is there a message Spencer wants her to pass on to his little brother? Spencer says, just that he’ll be home soon, and he loves him. Thanks. She says, sounds good, and tells Trina, when she tucks Ace into bed tonight, she promises to say a prayer for her dad. She walks out, giving a last look to Spencer holding Trina.

Sonny tells Anna that he’s not the type of person who spends time second guessing. When he was washed up from that river, and ended up in Nixon Falls without a memory of who he was or what he did, he created a life for himself. Cowboy Mike, the bartender. He laughs, and says, then when he got his memory back, he still had a little piece of Mike inside his heart. But at the end of the day, he’s Sonny Corinthos ~~mob boss~~. Love it or hate it, that’s the life he chose – or the one that chose him. Either way, it’s his life and he’s okay with it. She says she sees. She’s going to go home. He says he’d offer to get her a ride… She says, except he knows better, and he says, yeah, he does. She heads for the door, and he says, if she changes her mind, the offer still stands. She says she appreciates that, and tells him to take care.

Nina tells Portia, nobody loves their life as much as Curtis loves his. She knows this because he said those exact words. Portia asks if Nina minds telling her what he said, and Nina says, of course (🍷). They were talking a while back, and he said he loves running the nightclub – Marshall and Stella walk up – especially when his family can join him at night. When Portia and Trina go there to unwind after a long day at work and school. When his dad can be there – she takes Marshall’s hand – and join in the live music and maybe sing along. Then Aunt Stella – she takes Stella’s hand – joins, when they’re lucky enough to have her in town. And he said all this with a big smile on his face. Stella says, amen to that, and Marshall says, that’s a beautiful sentiment. He’s still kicking himself for all the years he wasted staying away. Watching from a distance, Trina tells Spencer that she wishes she had her Aunt Stella’s faith. Spencer says, Trina might not have the same faith in God that she does, but Trina can at least trust he’s not going anywhere. He smooths her hair and kisses the top of her head.

Tomorrow, Chase asks Brook what Tracy could possibly do for him; Cody says he’ll understand if Selina no longer wants to retain his services; Lucy tells Felicia that they’re going to find what Martin’s been hiding from her; and it’s Sasha 2.0.

🥀 Sad Soap News…

This was so sad to hear. She was always one of my favorites.

Soap Star Andrea Evans Dead at 66

Stars Remember the Late Andrea Evans

Another groundbreaker gone too soon.

ALL MY CHILDREN Actor Jeffrey Carlson Dead at 48

⚔️ Hatfields And McCoys 2023…

It’s doubtful I could sit through two hours of this. And really? At someone else’s house?

Danielle Cabral Reveals Which Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga Fight Lasted Two Hours

⚰️ Across The Dead Sea…

Daryl has a hard time communicating in his native country. It will be interesting to see how he navigates France.

https://www.looper.com/1300810/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-everything-you-need-to-know/

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-norman-reedus-branded-teaser-footage/

🗽 This Week In the City…

https://movieweb.com/the-walking-dead-dead-city-surprise-cameo-character/

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-dead-city-recap-season-1-episode-4-everybody-wins-a-prize/

🐶 Lucky Dog…

Now I don’t feel as bad about Jiggs next door not liking me too much.

https://people.com/sofia-vergara-joe-manganiello-celebrate-dog-bubbles-birthday-7558714

🏃🏽‍♀️ Sliding Into Home…

Boomerang back tomorrow for soap and trash talk about the OC. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping in touch with old friends, and stay not dwelling on the past, but looking toward the future.

Feb18

February 17, 2023 – Portia Confesses To Curtis, Farewell, Changes, In Your Eye, Deck Slam, Last Game, Dead Offshoots, Pet (!) Adaption, InstaPets (!), Close To a Dozen Quotes & Rebirth

Posted on February 18, 2023 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura meets Jordan at the crime scene, and asks, what happened? Jordan says she was on her way to Spring Ridge, when she found Mac on the side of the road. She’s glad she did. Now on a stretcher, Mac says, that makes two of them. He’s got to get to Spring Ridge. Jordan says, he has to get to the hospital and get himself checked out, but he says he’s got two fugitives on the loose. She says, he’ll go, and that’s an order, and Laura asks to be brought up to speed. Who are the inmates who escaped? Mac says, Heather Webber and Esme Prince, and Laura asks how he knows about that. He says he’s the one who found them.

Valentin asks Anna where Felicia is. She said she’d be late, but he wonders if something happened to her plan. He doesn’t think Eileen Ashby is the right one to get to Victor. Anna says, she’s all they have, and before she threw in with Valentin’s father, her record was unblemished. Anna doesn’t know what Victor has on her, but Eileen isn’t a career criminal. Valentin says, she’s a politician, and Anna says, she probably didn’t have any idea what casting her lot with Victor would cost her. She’s in over her head. If they keep spooking her, she’s going to crack. She won’t be able to live with the guilt, and hopefully she’ll flip on Victor. Then they’ll be able to get all the evidence they need to put him away. He says, Eileen has been working with his father for a while. He doesn’t know that she still has a conscience.

In a private area at the MetroCourt, Eileen tells Victor that she can’t do this anymore. She’s of no good to him. He says, she’s been moderately useful in the past, and wonders what’s happened to make her lose her grip. Eileen flashes back to hearing Anna say, you’re next, over her car radio, and says, things have gone too far. Anna and Valentin are dead. He says he doesn’t need her to remind him that his son is gone. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good, and she’s going to continue to serve as Deputy Mayor and keep him informed. She says she thinks Laura might be on to her, and he says, then she’ll have to apologize to Laura as soon as possible. Tell Laura that she realizes she overstepped her authority in a sad attempt to impress her. The power of the job went to her head, and that’s why she sent in the Federal Marshals. Do whatever it takes so she doesn’t disappoint him.

Victor finds Spencer at the bar, and says, he’s looking very dapper. Spencer says he was at Trina’s mom’s wedding, and Victor says, of course (🍷). Why isn’t he at the reception? Spencer says, the party’s over. He just thought he’d stick around in case a friend needs him.

Taggert wonders where things went south, and Curtis asks Portia if Trina is all right. Spencer told him that Aunt Stella was never sick; that she stayed away from the wedding purposefully. She’s always got her nose in other people’s business. Portia says, Stella was right. This is Curtis’s business… and Taggert’s. Taggert asks Portia why their daughter is bawling her eyes out, and Trina tells him, mom says I may not be your daughter.

Maggie says she has no idea who Esme’s mother is, but with that monster of a father, is it any wonder she gave Esme up for adoption? Who knows if she’s even alive, or how she came to bear Ryan Chamberlain’s child. Sam asks if she’s met Ryan, and Maggie blesses herself, saying, thank the saints, no. She only knows him by reputation. When she thought they’d been sent by him, she was ready to abandon her life here to keep it that way. Sam says, they have absolutely nothing to do with him. He’s a dangerous psychopath. Dante says, Ryan’s locked up, serving a life term in prison, and he’s also paralyzed, so he can’t hurt her. Maggie asks if he can still talk, and Dante says, apparently, no. He blinks to communicate, but he’s locked away. He can’t get to her.

Holding Mac’s gun on Ava and Felicia, Ryan backs them into the living room. He says, that’s right. Nice and easy. No sudden moves please. Felicia asks how he’s here. He couldn’t walk or talk. He says, she thinks she’s seeing things; he’s a medical miracle. Now be a love, and shut those doors. Felicia closes the doors, and Ava says she knew he was faking it. He says, and here he thought he was so convincing. She smiles, and he asks what she’s got to smile about. She says she’s thinking about all those times she saw him at Spring Ridge, taunting him, testing to see if he’d react, and he says, he didn’t. He wins. Thank you. She says, but he heard her and couldn’t do anything about it. He had to sit there and listen. Felicia says, that had to burn. He really was helpless. Weak. He says, not weak. Unless she’d like a further demonstration. He points his gun at Ava.

Spencer asks how Victor is doing, and Victor says, regretting lost time; things left unsaid. He’ll never see his son again. That’s the reality he has to face. The more it sinks in, the more he thinks he needs to mend the rift between himself and Spencer’s father, but he can’t reach Nikolas. Spencer doubts Victor will be hearing from him anytime soon. Ava says he left town.

Jordan asks if they’ve secured the area, and Detective Bennett says, they’ve set up parameters, and have officers to keep looky-loos at a distance while they process. CSI is en route. She tells him to keep her posted, and goes over to Mac. She says, Mac told her that he had Esme and Heather in his sites; who hit him? He says, never saw them. Everything went black. She says, there was a third person. They took his car. Mac says, and his gun, and Jordan tells the paramedics to get Mac to GH. She’ll be there soon. They leave, and Laura says, Spring Ridge reported two inmates missing. Does Jordan think Esme and Heather had a third person on the outside? And how did those two end up together to begin with? Jordan says, they were seen talking in the common room. Maybe they bonded? She leaves to follow up with Spring Ridge, and Laura wonders why Heather would side herself with a woman nine months pregnant.

Maggie says, Esme became obsessed with tracking down her birth parents. There were no records, and the only clue to their identity was a four-leaf clover brooch. It was pinned to the baby blanket that swaddled Esme when she was left with the nuns. She helped Esme track down the person who commissioned it, Connie Cooper. Ryan Chamberlain’s first victim.

Ryan says, all Felicia has to do is show him the respect he deserves, and asks what she’s doing here anyway. She’s far too self-righteous to ever be a friend to Ava. He thinks ultimately that’s why they didn’t work out. Felicia says, she thought it was because he almost burned to death in that funhouse, and he says, that too. But then again, there’s nothing like your first love. Which reminds him, Mac didn’t mention she’d be here when he saw Mac earlier. Felicia asks if Ryan saw Mac at Spring Ridge, but he says, no. He ran into Mac when he was on his way there. She doesn’t recognize his gun? He won’t be needing this anymore. She asks what he did to Mac, but he says he doesn’t think she wants the details. Not after he spent all that time in Spring ridge, pretending to be locked in. Day after day, month after month; all his rage and hatred bult up until he thought he’d explode. And then suddenly he was free, and then there was Mac. He might have gotten carried away.

Curtis asks if what Trina is saying is true. When he found out about Trina, he asked Portia if she was his daughter. She looked him in his eyes, and said it was impossible. Portia cries and says, it’s what she wanted to believe. Taggert says, Trina’s not his? and Curtis asks if he’s Trina’s father. Portia says she doesn’t know, and Trina says she can’t hear this again. She leaves, and Taggert follows her.

Sam wonders if Connie was Esme’s mother, but Maggie says, she was killed before Esme was born, by Ryan Chamberlain. The brooch was missing when Connie’s body was found. Dante says, Ryan used to collect trophies from his victims; they found one on Cabrera. Sam says, taking the brooch is the sick sense of humor Ryan has, but Dante thinks it’s a bit of a stretch; the brooch proving Ryan is Esme’s father. Maggie says, true or not, Esme was convinced.

At the hospital, Laura asks Warden Brewster how Heather and Esme got out, and Jordan asks about security footage. The warden says, there was a problem with one of the cameras in the corridor. He can tell them, none of the doors appeared to be forced. One of the guards is also missing. Laura says, Heather’s hostage perhaps? when Eileen joins them, and says, or accomplice. What kind of guard gets ambushed by two women, one of whom is pregnant? Laura thinks it’s early to assign blame, and thanks the warden, asking him to keep her posted. He leaves with Jordan, and Laura asks what Eileen is doing here.

Felicia says, Ryan’s lying; Mac’s fine. Ava says, of course (🍷) he is. Felicia knows Mac can take care of himself. Ryan says, maybe. If Mac had seen him coming. Felicia calls him a sick bastard, and Ava asks if he has a plan here. He just escaped from prison to get himself trapped on an island? He’s slipping. He asks if she’s worried about who’s going to come save her. He doesn’t think Avery would be much of a challenge, and of course (🍷) Kiki’s dead. Ava tells him not to speak her name, and he says, too soon? He’s sorry. He couldn’t think of anybody else… except for that waste of space Nikolas. He’d love to see him again. When is hubby expected home anyway? I just had a scathingly brilliant idea. Ava should show Ryan Nikolas’s dead body, shove him in the closet with Nikolas, lock it, and blame him for killing Nikolas. Boom. Win-win.

Taggert finds Trina outside, and asks what she’s doing out here in the cold, as he puts his jacket around her shoulders. She thanks him, and says, she’s not even cold; she just feels numb. Like her life is ending. He says, they’ll figure this out, but she wonders how he can say that. Her mom has been lying them her entire life. Doesn’t that matter to him? He says, no, because she has been and always will be his daughter, his baby girl. He holds her, and says he’s not going anywhere.

Curtis says, Portia lied. All those talk they had about having kids, and she didn’t tell him that he already had one – with her. She says she didn’t know for sure, and he says, because she didn’t want to find out. She says, he walked away from her. He hated her… He says, for lying to him about being married, and she says, he made it clear he didn’t want anything to do with her; no discussion. She thought he was out of her life. Taggert was making an effort for the first time in a long time. She wanted to save her marriage, especially with a baby on the way. He says, a baby that might have been his. He had the right to know if he was going to be a father. She says, in her mind, Taggert was going to be a father, and Curtis was gone. What was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to destroy her marriage and the possibility of a family because Curtis might want to be a part-time dad? With a woman he didn’t want anything to do with and didn’t trust? He says, she’s justifying her lie, but she says she’s telling him where her head was at. She was afraid of losing everything when she needed love and companionship the most. She cries, and says she knows she should have been braver. She should have been honest with him. But there was a chance Taggert was the father, so that’s what she told herself. She wanted her child to grow up in a loving family. She just wanted Trina to have a happy home. He says, a happy home without him.

Eileen tells Laura that she heard about the escape and the attack on Mac, and she came to see if she could be of any help. Laura says, Mac is going to be fine, and everything is under control. Eileen says she wants to apologize for overstepping while Laura was away. She was just eager to prove she could handle the job, and live up to Laura’s expectations. Laura says she appreciates it, and there is something Eileen can do for her. Go deal with the reporters outside the hospital. She can confirm there are two inmates missing, but don’t give out any names. Eileen says, on it, and leaves.

Victor asks if Nikolas said goodbye, but Spencer says, no. His father was furious with him the last time they spoke, when he told Nikolas that he was suing for custody of his kid. Eileen calls Victor, and he steps away to take it. He says he thought he made himself clear. The subject of her moving on is closed. Eileen tells him, Esme Prince has escaped from Spring Ridge, and he asks, when? She says, at least an hour ago. It’s not clear how she got out. He tells her to keep him posted, and goes back to the bar. Spencer asks if that was about his father, but Victor says, no, his ex-girlfriend. Seems Esme has escaped.

Valentin’s phone dings, and Anna wonders, where’s Felicia? She asks if it’s his contact, and he says, they’re all set. The next time Eileen Ashby uses her phone, they’ll be ready.

On the phone, Jordan asks if Dante found Maggie, and he says, they did. She knows who Esme thinks her father is. Jordan says, just give her the name and explain later. She’s in the middle of a situation. Esme’s escaped from Spring Ridge, and she’s with Heather Webber. Dante looks like he had a headache, and says, Esme thinks her father is Ryan Chamberlain. Jordan says, what the hell? and Laura says, more bad news? Jordan tells Dante to hold on, and tells Laura, Ryan Chamberlain is Esme’s father. Warden Brewster joins them, and says he has an update. Correction Officer Williams has been located in Ryan Chamberlain’s cell. He was dressed as an inmate, and propped up in Chamberlain’s wheelchair. Laura says, so it was staged. He’s… the warden says, dead. The report is that he was stabbed in the back. He was mistaken for Chamberlain in the initial sweep. Jordan says, Ryan Chamberlain’s on the loose too? How is that possible?

Ryan says, Ava doesn’t look very confident that hubby will show, let alone ride to the rescue. He knew she and Nikolas wouldn’t work out. Not as long as she shares a soul with him. She says, he hasn’t got a soul, and he says, figure of speech. They’re alike. Two peas in a pod. Felicia says, someone will come for them. They have people who care about them. Ava asks who helped him escape, or did they figure out he was faking? He asks if she thinks he’d give himself away. He still has Ava’s fingernail marks on his arm. His aide was valuable enough, but the person he let in on his secret was much more worthy. Chip off the old block you might say.

Portia says, everything Curtis is saying, she said to herself a thousand times. She was wrong, but did what she thought was best for all of them at the time. Curtis was gone. How was she supposed to know he’d want a baby with a woman he despised? He says, she could have kept him in the loop. He never despised her. He broke things off because she was married. He walked away from her, but he never would have walked away from his child. She says she never thought she’d see him again, and he says, but she did. Never mind what happened twenty years ago, what about the last two years? When they realized they both lived in Port Charles and her relationship with Taggert was over? Why didn’t she tell him the truth then?

Eileen calls Warden Brewster, asking for an update before she talks to the press. Have they determined how the inmates escaped? He says, actually… but there’s suddenly interference on the line, and she asks if he’s there. Anna’s voice says, you’re next, Eileen. You’re next. Eileen asks who this is, and Anna says, she knows who it is. Eileen killed her. Eileen says she didn’t know, and Anna says, yes, she did. She has blood on her hands. There’s static, and Brewster says, hello? She asks if he heard that, and he says he thinks their connection was temporarily lost.

Anna asks Valentin how she did. Was it scary? He says he thinks it was hot, and kisses her.

Laura tells Mac, this puts Esme’s obsession with Ryan in whole new light. That’s why she was so desperate to see him, especially after Doc made him off-limits to her. Mac says he can’t get Felicia on the phone; it rolls right to voicemail. If Chamberlain’s on the loose, she could be in danger. Chamberlain’s wheelchair was left behind. He could have been faking his paralysis the whole time. Jordan says, Heather Webber sometimes acted as Chamberlain’s aide: she knew how to communicate with him. She wanted Robert to use her as an informant so she could get Chamberlain talking. Laura says, sounds like they’ve been planning their escape for a while, and Mac’s call goes through. He asks Felicia where she is, and Ryan says, how’s his head? Mac says, Chamberlain? and Ryan says, he’s coming off a little needy, always calling his wife. Doesn’t he trust her? Mac tells him, put Felicia on the phone, but Ryan says, she can’t come to the phone right now. Mac says, touch her, and he’ll kill Ryan, and Ryan says, yeah, yeah; predictable. Felicia is with him as his insurance policy. If he sees a cop, Felicia dies. Mac wants her alive, stay out of his way. He hangs up.

Victor wonders if Nikolas could have sprung Esme from Spring Ridge. Could he be taking the mother of his child away, so Spencer can’t get custody? Spencer wonders if Esme has been faking the memory loss. Perhaps she’s not the blank slate she pretends to be. That means Trina could still be in danger. Victor says, the police cleared Esme of being The Hook killer, and if she’s on the run, he doubts she’d take the time to settle a score. Spencer says he’s not taking any chances. Esme is all about revenge. He jets.

Taggert dries Trina’s tears, and says, better? but she says she’s still numb, which she suspects is for the best. Did Taggert ever suspect she wasn’t his? She remembers when she was little and being a brat, he would yell to mom to get her daughter. He says he was just joking. Her mom would turn it around on him when she got frustrated with Trina’s messes, but he never for a moment thought she wasn’t his daughter. She says, even when mom cheated on him? and he says, even then. She asks how he could forgive Portia after she betrayed him like that, and he says he struggled for a bit, but it takes two people to ruin a marriage, and he left her mom hanging. He made her feel like she wasn’t important in his life, and the affair was a wake-up call. He didn’t want to lose Portia. Then he found out Trina was coming, and didn’t want to lose her. So he forgave Portia. They were happy for a while, but then he got all crazy about that Cyrus case. Trina says, after all the talks she and Portia had about being honest with each other, this whole time, she was the liar. Trina will never forgive her.

Portia says, for the last two year she’s agonized over telling Curtis, and he says, so it’s crossed her mind. She says, of course (🍷) it has. He’d be an amazing father, but Trina already had an amazing father, and they were so close. It was hard to imagine blowing that up. And when they thought Taggert died in the warehouse, Trina was grieving so hard. How could she tell Trina that the man she loved might not be her father? She couldn’t take that away from her. He says, so she lied instead.

Felicia says, Ryan was lying; Mac is fine. He says he just forgets what a hard head her husband has. He should have taken care of Mac when he had the chance. Lesson learned. Austin comes into the foyer, but before he opens the living room door, he hears Ryan say, okay, ladies, it’s time to go. They’ve taken too long already; they could be getting impatient. Felicia asks, who’s with him? and he says, kindred spirits. One of them is special, and he can’t wait for them to meet her. Ava says, they’re not going anywhere with him, and he says, she might be right. They might have a problem. Austin listens from the foyer.

Anna says, Valentin’s contact really paid off. Tapping in on Eileen’s phone call was perfect. Eileen’s afraid. He says, maybe Felicia’s plan is going to work out after all, but Anna says she’s beginning to think there’s a problem.

Mac says, Felicia’s phone immediately goes to voicemail, and tells Jordan to call IT. She says she already did. Did he hear any background sound? He says, no, and Laura says, Felicia is strong, she’s smart, and she knows how to fight back. He says, that’s what he’s afraid of. Chamberlain’s been obsessed with Felicia for decades. When Ryan fixated on Ava, he thought she was safe. Apparently not. Laura says she thinks she knows where to look.

On the phone, Victor says, his nephew Nikolas has left town, and he’s not about to lose any more family. Find him.

Taggert says, no matter what happens, nothing changes between him and Trina. She says, he always tries to make her feel better, and he says, that’s what fathers do. He hugs her, when Spencer comes out, and says he’s sorry to interrupt. Taggert says, then don’t, but Spencer says, it’s important. Taggert says, so is this, but Trina says she doesn’t really want to talk about this anymore. She’ll call him. She gives him back his coat, and they hug. She tells Spencer, get her out of here, and they leave.

Portia says she never wanted to take anything from Curtis. She loves him. The longer she stayed silent, the worse the consequences if she did speak up, so she lived with the constant anxiety and guilt. She didn’t want to jeopardize the life they planned together for something that might not even be true. He asks, what kind of life could they have had with that kind of lie between them?

Maggie jumps out of her chair, and says, Dante told her Ryan Chamberlain was in prison and helpless. Dante says, because he was the last time they checked, and Sam asks what Heather Webber has to do with any of this, but Dante has no idea. Maggie says, now that he’s taken Esme, they have to find her. They have to stop Ryan before he kills again.

Felicia asks, what’s the problem? and Ryan says, there’s not enough room in the boat for all of them. One of them is coming with him, and the other is never leaving this room. Now who’s ready to say goodbye?

Austin takes out his phone, as The Hook slips in. He turns to see the hook raised up.

On Monday, Curtis asks if Portia was ever going to find out the truth; Laura can’t shake the feeling she’s missing something; and Heather asks if there are any last words.

🥀 The Bad News First…

I kinds, sorta remember her from GH, but more so from her films.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Alum Stella Stevens Dead at 84

🌞 Now the Good News…

And some beautiful blue eyes.

Mark Lawson Shares How His ADHD Diagnosis Changed His Life

🧂 Shahmacked…

I missed a lot of this on the actual show, but kept up with the aftermath. Again, like with Kathy Hilton, it’s so convenient that there’s no footage. Although no doubt Jen is capable of giving someone a black eye.

Andy Cohen Thinks That Jen Shah Gave Heather Gay The Black Eye

Jen Shah Responds To Andy Cohen’s Claims That She Is The Reason For Heather Gay’s Black Eye

And she’s headed for the slammer anyway.

Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Star Jen Shah Reports To Texas Prison

⚓️ Bad Delivery…

Maybe fungus would have been a better choice. I see both sides, but her delivery was poor. As I’ve said they could do worse, but Captain Sandy has been a mite cranky while filling in for Captain Lee. On the other hand, Fraser was being very unprofessional, and didn’t have to overreact when called on it, regardless of the captain’s lack of tact. On the third hand (it goes with the third eye), the bottom line is, this is Captain Lee’s boat and it might have gone differently with him – the same as with Hannah, although not his boat that time – so Captain Sandy should keep that in mind.

‘Below Deck’ Fans Slam Captain Sandy for Calling Fraser Olender A ‘Cancer’

👾 No Mario Brothers…

Most of this is foreign to me, having never been a video game player. I was too afraid I’d get sucked into the void. Although in watching the series, I can see the parallel. It’s like the characters go to the next level… or not.

https://www.dexerto.com/tv-movies/the-last-of-us-all-differences-between-tlou-game-tv-show-2034193/

https://www.cbs8.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/the-last-of-us-the-biggest-changes-between-the-game-and-tv-show/603-30625a22-6ebc-40c4-86e5-733f5b9ac6e8

⚰️ Dead Byproducts…

The latest about TWD spinoffs.

https://comicbookmovie.com/tv/amc/the-walking-dead/the-walking-dead-news-for-daryl-rick-and-michonne-spin-offs-a200518

Proof things are moving forward.

https://collider.com/walking-dead-rick-and-michonne-spinoff-behind-the-scenes-image/

https://collider.com/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-images/

🐕 From Tail To Tale…

I’ll bet she never had to call the owner in Belgium to tell him that his cat had to be put to sleep. Or find out that Buttons’ woo-woo sound at 3 am did not necessarily mean he needed to go out. I was a pet sitter too.

Tara Reid To Star In & Produce Comedy Series Adaptation Of ‘The Pet Sitter’s Tale’ With Laura Vorreyer & Paper Ball Pictures

🐱 Making the World Brighter…

Celebrity pets doin’ it for the ‘gram.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/kaileyhansen/celeb-pet-owners

🐝 Quotes of the Week

Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness. – Earl of Derby (I don’t have time for illness either.)

A narcissist’s weapon of choice is often verbal — slander, lies, playing the victim in flipped tales of who was the victim and who was the abuser, gossip, rage, verbal abuse and intentional infliction of emotional pain. It is a systematic dismantling of another person’s relationships, reputation, emotional, physical and spiritual health, life and very soul. This is why narcissists are so often called ‘emotional vampires.’ – Gail Meyers

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. – Conrad Hilton

Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. – Melody Beattie

You’re only as young as the last time you changed your mind. – Timothy Leary

That’s the trouble with your whole MTV, microwave dinner generation. You want it all now. You think you deserve it just because you want it? It doesn’t work like that. You have to earn it, you have to take it, you have to make it yours. but before you do that, Guy, you need to decide what it is you really want. – Buddy Ackerman (Kevin Spacey), Swimming with Sharks

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. – Ralph Waldo Emerson (Uh-oh.)

Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go much further than people with vastly superior talent. – Sophia Loren

If exhausted from severe and long-continued thought, he had to touch the earth again to renew his strength. When this weariness set in he would stop thought, and get down with a little dog or kitten to recover. – William Herndon, Abraham Lincoln‘s business partner

If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success. – James Cameron

🐯 Can’t Be Tamed…

Let’s meet again on Monday really Tuesday for soap and more Deck drama. Until then, stay safe, stay saying what you mean and meaning what you say, and stay making your partner feel important in your life before you get a wake-up call.

Nov21

November 20, 2022 – The Ones Who Live, Dead Dissection, Finale Songs, Spin-Offs, Photos & Cult

Posted on November 21, 2022 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

The Walking Dead Finale

Running into the hospital with Judith, Daryl yells for help. He tells Judith that she’ll be okay. She sees a distorted view of the hospital, troopers running in, and Daryl falling. She sees a zombie headed for the doors, and rolls herself off the gurney. She pushes and pulls at the inner sliding glass doors, getting them almost shut as a zombie bounces off of them. More zombies have gathered, and as she shuts the doors the last few inches, hands poke through. They fight to get in, and she shoves a desk in front of the doors. She passes out next to Daryl as zombies pound at the glass.

A zombie advertises DoorDash, and it’s quite funny. Now that I think of it, I wonder what a commercial spot cost for this show.

Maggie and the others kill zombies a million different ways, as their group fights its way through the horde. Jules gets bitten, and Luke spikes the zombie through the head. He tells her that she’ll be okay, but that’s not going to happen, since he gets grabbed. I say, noo! as the zombies pull at him, and he sees Jules getting eaten. Carol, Maggie, Negan and the others jet through somehow, scooping up Luke in the process. I honestly don’t know how any of them could make it through this death machine, she says like this could possibly be a real life situation.

Daryl is lying on a gurney, and hears, hey, it’s me. He opens his eyes, seeing Connie, Kelly, Magna, and Yumiko gathered around Luke on another gurney. Luke’s legs are pretty much gone, and he’s crying, as we all would. Daryl tells Carol that he’s fine, and gets up, but Carol says, no, he’s not. He looks at Judith, and says, she’s lost a lot of blood. Yumiko tells Luke to stay with them, and Carol says, it took everything they had. Pamela is holed up in the gated community, and left everyone to fend for themselves. If they go after her, there are going be troopers. Daryl asks if Mercer doesn’t know people on the inside, and she says, Max thinks so, and he said he’d come back. He asks if they just wait, but she says, no. They’re going to take care of Judith, and him. Kelly starts to cry, and Yumiko takes Luke’s harmonica out of his pocket, telling him, they’ll keep the music alive. Kelly says, for him, and Connie signs, for everyone. They love him so much. Now we’re all crying, and Luke slips away. Magna takes out a knife and stabs him, but we mercifully don’t see that happen, and everyone sobs. Except Carol and Daryl, who are stoic. Daryl asks if Carol knows how to do a blood transfusion; he’s going to give Judith blood. She says, the types have to match, but he says, his goes with anybody. His brother made him sell it when he was a kid. A cover is put over Luke, and Carol sets up an IV. They hear clattering, and Magna says, they have to sweep the hospital. Everyone leaves, except Daryl, who stays to do the transfusion.

Mercer paces a cell in a prison uniform, which seems startling. Zombies shuffle by in the hallway, and he hears machine guns. Princess yells for him to get back and cover his head. She gets rid of the zombies in the way, and busts in. Max runs to Mercer, hugging him, then Princess jumps into his arms, and they kiss. He smiles, which I don’t think we’ve seen before.

Maggie tells Negan, get ready, and he asks if her weapon is for Pamela. She doesn’t say anything, and he says, the offer still stands. She says she’s good, and zombies begin to come. Mercer is back in his gear, and Ezekiel tells them to wait. Aaron and Lydia run up, and tell them that Jerry and Elijah are still out there. They jump in a truck, and Ezekiel drives.

The nursery is chaos, and a zombie chows down on someone. Gabriel, Eugene, and Rosita run in, and Rosita says, Coco. She sees a zombie reaching into the crib, but as she runs over, another one grabs her. But she’s mama bear now, so these undead are no match. She goes into hyper-kickass mode, and saves her baby. Eugene runs in, followed by Gabriel, who scoops up another infant. On the radio, Mercer asks if there’s an update on the kids, and Gabriel says, they found them. Mercer says, thank God.

Daryl watches Judith, and she opens her eyes. She asks, what’s happening? Where is she? He says, at the hospital, and she asks, why? Is she going to die? He says, no, but she says she feels like she is. Then she can’t find her mom, who’s finding her dad, so they can all be together. He smooths her hair, and tells her that she’s fine. She says, her mom told her this thing that she told her dad; we’re the ones… She’s suddenly out, and Daryl tells her, wake up. Carol comes back, and says, the hospital’s been breached. They’ve got to go. Daryl says, he can’t, and Rosita radios that they’re in the alley behind the hospital. They went through the horde, and their ride is f***ed. Daryl wheels the gurney to another room. He tells Judith that she’ll be okay, and locks her in. He puts another gurney in front of the door, then knocks over some shelving for good measure. He runs to the front, joining the others, and a zombie is smashing at the glass with a rock. Some zombies are already inside, and the others finally crash through, tons of them pouring in. Daryl and Carol fight them, and Daryl says, they’ve got to move. Run. He goes back to where Judith is, shoving the shelves over, and pulls he bed out. Carol radios that the hospital has been breached. They’re going out the back. When they get there, it’s another cluster of zombies, so they keep going, and find another door.

Eugene comes out of a van, shooting, and Gabriel says, back to back. Eugene says, they’ve got to find a way out. A zombie grabs Rosita, but Gabriel shoots it. Rosita suggests they go up; she’ll be behind him. They climb up a pipe on the side of a building like freaking Spiderman, but then the zombies start climbing too. Rosita gets stuck they tell her, reach up, but she falls backward, along with Coco, in a pack strapped to her stomach. She somehow pops back up, and climbs onto an overturned ambulance. Eugene tells her to jump, and jumps onto the pipe, and gets in the window. That was one heart-stopping moment.

Daryl and company rendezvous with Mercer, who helps get Judith to a safe house, where Tomi examines her. He tells Daryl that it was good he gave her blood. He’ll do what he can. He tells them to prep an IV, and clear the room. Aaron checks on Lydia, and tells her that she’ll feel it sometimes, like it’s still there. Is she okay? She nods, and says, Luke and Jules… He says he knows, and she says, it’s the same with Eli; she knows it. That’s just what happens. People die; cities fall. Things just don’t work out. People tell her they do, but they don’t. Jerry’s not coming back either, is he? Aaron says he hasn’t given up hope. They’ll find both of them. Carol hears, but says nothing. Maggie asks if Aaron has seen Negan, but he says, not for a while, and she runs off. She finds Negan climbing the stairs with a rifle, and asks if he’s going after Pamela. He asks what it matters, as long as it’s done, and she asks, what’s his angle? He says he has no goddam angle. He’s doing this for her. If she takes Pammy out with this thing, hell will rain down on her, and she ain’t gonna come back, and she has to come back. So he’s doing it. Last night, when he was down on his knees about to lose his wife, about lose everything, he finally understood what it must have felt like. He knows he probably owes Maggie more than this, but he’s so sorry for what he took from her and her son. She takes the rifle from him, and says, you comin’?

Eugene and Max doze, and Eugene sees Rosita watching Coco sleep. He walks over, and asks if she wants to take a break, but she says she just wants to soak Coco up. He smiles, and sits with her. He says he bets she can’t wait for summer. She can finally take Coco for a swim at Oceanside. In his research on child-rearing he came across an outline of the benefits that swimming has. It builds confidence; not that Coco will have a problem. Rosita has it in spades, so it’s in Coco too. He can’t wait for summer, can she? She doesn’t say anything, and he says, when she fell… She looks at him, and he asks, where? She shakes her head, and he pulls back the collar of her shirt, seeing the bite make on her shoulder. She says, it’s okay; no crying. She doesn’t want them to know yet, so pull his sh*t together. He says he can’t, but she says, he can. She’s still right here, and he’s going to be fine. Tears shine in her eyes, but yet she smiles, and Eugene says he just loves her so much. She says she loves him, he kisses her head, and leaves. He sits with Max, and she asks if he’s all right. He says he’s completely fine.

Daryl and Carol watch Judith. She stirs, and Daryl sits on the bed. He calls her a little ass-kicker, and she says, big ass-kicker. He says, damn straight, and she says she’s fine, like he promised. What she said about her mom and dad… He asks if it’s true. Is that why she never came back? Judith says she’s sorry she didn’t tell him. She was scared he’d leave too. He says he’s right here, when they hear gunshots and yelling. Mercer tells them that people are banging at the gate, and they’re shooting anyone who climbs over. Loads people are dying, and he can’t just stand by. The truck is gassed, and can get them home. It’s not their fight; these are not their people. Ezekiel says, they are; so is Mercer. They may not think this place is worth saving, given how they were treated, but it’s worth it to him. The people are worth it. He’s not allowing them to fall without a fight. Not today. Not with him. Who else will go? Aaron says, they can do more than save themselves, and they need to. Everyone is like, let’s go, and Ezekiel tells Mercer, lead the way, brother.

Pamela stands near the gates, watching all the people yelling for her to open them. Maggie looks at her through binoculars, and tells Negan, they’re almost there. Mercer comes out, along with Carol, Daryl, and company, and a group of trooper sympathizers. Pamela says, arrest them, and everyone draws their guns. Mercer says, the people outside want in, and she says, traitor. He says, no, she is. She disappeared hundreds of citizens, and lead the dead to their doorstep. She shot a child, and now she’s left thousands to die. A herd is also coming. The people yell, let us in, and Gabriel steps forward. He says he’s opening the gate, and he’ll kill anyone who tries to stop him. Trooper Vickers says, they’ll be forced to shoot him unless he stops, and Carol says, they’ll fire back. Pamela says, shoot him, and Daryl asks what the hell she’s doing. They all deserve better than this. She built this place based on the old world, a world that f***ed people over. Pamela says, if she opens the gate, the dead will get in, not just living, and he says, if she doesn’t, they lose everything anyway. We have one enemy, and it ain’t the walking dead.

Vickers tells the troopers to lower their weapons, and says, he’s right. Give the priest the key. On your command, General Mercer. Mercer says he’s arresting Pamela for high crimes against the people of the Commonwealth. Cuff her. Maggie tells Negan, she’s getting arrested, and he says, prison like that is worse than death. Gabriel unlocks the gate, and the people swarm in. Several of them help Gabriel to close and lock it behind them, and the zombies grope through the gate, still trying to get in. Eli runs to Lydia, who says she thought she’d never see him again. Jerry calls for Nabila, and Ezekiel says, come with him. Pamela looks dazed, and moves closer to the gate, seeing zombie Lance. She moves even closer, and he grabs her, pulling her toward him. She closes her eyes, and Judith tells Pamela, you have to help them. It’s not too late; it’s never too late. Maggie shoots Lance, and says, now we’ll take this place back.

Mercer says, here’s the new plan. They’re going to get a vehicle out, and clear a path. Don’t engage with the dead any more than necessary. We see them fight their way through the horde, and Aaron saying, hold the line. Mercer says, take the vehicle out back. He’s headed for the town square, and will let them know when it’s clear. Jerry is in charge of dumping the barrels of fuel from the depot into the sewer tunnels underneath. They’ll start the PA system to draw the zombies to the Estates. Eli does some wiring, and Mercer says, it’s almost go time. Get the fuel in the sewers. They only have one shot at this. They pour out the gasoline, and everyone is wiring something or hooking something up. Max says she hopes it works, and Princess says, if it doesn’t, they’re dead.

Living Colour’s Cult of Personality plays at top volume, and the zombies pour into the Estates. When the song stops, the record player arm goes back, and two flints ignite a spark. Everything blows up, and it’s quite an explosion. It rips through the tunnels, and outside, flaming zombies drop like… well, flaming zombies. Everything burns.

Pamela whines, it’s not easy having ~~a good time~~ so many lives in her hands, and she had to make ugly decision. How do you pick who does the jobs no one wants? Who gets the nicer house? Carol says, they had to make an ugly decision to keep alive after everything she’s done, because they’ve all done things. They’ll figure it out. They’ll make sure of it. At least they don’t have to worry about who gets her house. They close the cell door behind them.

Negan looks at his old Whisperer mask, and tosses it. Maggie sits across from him, and says she was thinking about what he said. She wants to thank him. She can stop wondering if he’ll ever say those words, and if she can forgive him. She knows now she can’t. Glenn was beautiful. She’ll never love anyone like that again. She remembers his smile, his goodness, and the way he made her feel. But when looks at Negan, all she sees is the bat coming down, and blood running down Glenn’s face. She hears him calling for her, and hears Negan mocking her. She can’t forgive him, even though she’s grateful that he saved her son; even though she knows he’s trying. She’s trying too, because she doesn’t want to hate him anymore. She doesn’t want to hurt like that. She doesn’t want her son to see that anybody has that kind of hold over her. If he and Annie want to stay, they’ve earned their place. But if she can’t look at him some days, work with him, or move on, that’s why. All she has are her memories, and she doesn’t want to remember Glenn like that. He nods, pain visible in his eyes, and she leaves.

There’s a big group dinner, where there’s much laughter, Landslide playing on the phonograph. DOG IS HERE!!! Yumiko toasts to Luke, and they all raise their glasses, clinking them. Daryl looks outside, and sees Negan. He nods, and Negan nods back, but keeps walking. Yumiko asks Magna if she can just say… but she doesn’t finish because Magna kisses her. Gabriel sits with Rosita, and asks if she’s okay. She says, everything is perfect. She just wants to remember this moment. She whispers something to him, and he covers her hand with his. She wipes away a tear, and Judith sees.

Carol and Maggie walk Rosita into a bedroom, and she lies on the bed next to Coco. They leave, and she cuddles with Coco, as Daryl stands in the doorway. Gabriel comes in, and kneels next to the bed. He says, receive her into Your arms of mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace. And into the glorious company of the saints and light. May her soul, and the soul of all those departed, in the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. He takes her hand, and she kisses Coco. Gabriel says, they’ll see her again someday, and takes Coco. Eugene comes in, and sits next to the bed. He says he wouldn’t be the man he is today if he hadn’t met her. He takes her hand, and she says she’s glad it was him in the end. She closes her eyes, and he cries.

One year later. Eugene leaves flowers at Rosita’s grave plaque, and we see plaques for those who are gone. We hear Ezekiel say, my fellow citizens. They’re here together today against all odds. Eugene takes Baby Rosie from Max, and Ezekiel says, they’re here to honor those who sacrificed for them, so they could pursue a more perfect union. Even though they’re not bonded by blood, they’re family. As Governor, Ezekiel is making Mercer his Lieutenant Governor. Princess lets out a whoop, everyone laughs, and she blows Mercer a kiss. Ezekiel says, they pledge to live by those words, and everyone applauds. He and Mercer bro hug, and Connie hugs Daryl. She signs, what’s up, cowboy? How’s the frontier? He says, quiet for now, and asks, how’s work? She signs, great. She’s keeping the new administration honest. He says, she seems happy, and she signs, she is. Lydia hugs Judith, and gives her a present. Judith asks who it’s from, and Lydia says, it’s a surprise, and leaves. Judith opens it, and finds her compass with JG engraved on it, along with a note that says: This has always helped me find my way. I’m returning it to you in the hope that it can guide you to your dreams. Thank you for letting me use it. Negan.

Daryl and Carol look at the Wall of the Lost in rebuilt Alexandria, and everyone around them does normal stuff. Gracie runs in and hugs Judith, and Eli hugs Aaron. Aaron tells Gabriel that he never thought they’d get back to any of this. He had hope, but they’ve been lucky. Gabriel says, it’s not luck; it’s effort. They have a lot to be proud of; family, community, our future. Maggie hugs Daryl and Carol, and says she wants to talk about the future. There’s a lot out there to find out about, and she thinks it’s time they did. It’s a beautiful day to head out. Daryl says, yeah, and tells Carol that he wishes she was coming with him. She says she knows it will be good for both of them, and he says he’s proud of her. She took Hornsby’s job and made it her own. She made everything better for her kids, and she’ll keep making it better. She says, he will too, and he says, it’s not like they’ll never see each other again. She says she’s allowed to be a little sad, and a tear rolls down her cheek. She says, he’s her best friend, he puts his arm around her, and they look at the lake.

Judith and RJ say goodbye to Daryl, and Judith says, she’ll keep an eye on Dog. Daryl tells her to keep an eye on Carol too. If he sees anything, he’ll find both her parents, and bring them home. She says, he deserves a happy ending too, and he says he’ll be back. She says he knows, and they hug. Ezekiel takes the kids, and Carol straightens Daryl’s poncho. He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too. They hug, and he gets on his bike. He looks at her, starts the engine, and heads into down the road, passing a random zombie who was apparently Greg Nicotero.

We go heavily down Dead Memory Lane, seeing all the characters we remember and those we forgot about, as…

A match lights the darkness, and we see Rick sitting by a fire, writing a letter. In a voiceover, he says he thinks about the dead all the time, and about the living… who he lost. Elsewhere, Michonne writes in a journal that she tried to get to their kids again and again, but it was too far. But they’ve got each other; they’re connected. He says, he thinks about them all every day; their faces, what he’s learned, how she made him who he is. She says, they’ll always be together, even when they’re apart. We together is the strongest thing. We’re love, and love is endless. We are endless. He says, together we’re the pieces of a whole that keeps going with what we gave each other; one unstoppable life. You showed me that. You gave me that. Michonne looks into the fire at Rick on the other side.

Michonne is in a stable with a horse, and Rick’s meager possessions. She writes, I know your brother is back there. Just as sure as I know he’s out there. Somewhere. Not just as a part of us. He’s alive out there. She will find him. She knows he’s trying to find them.

In another place and time, and with the same possessions, Rick is on a riverbank, wearing a CRM jacket.

Michonne saddles her horse, and rides out, lopping off a zombie’s head as she rides past.

On a beach rife with zombie heads poking out of the wet sand, Rick hears a helicopter, and says, no. He tosses his bag away, and a loudspeaker says, he’s been located. He’s being instructed to surrender. Remain in place with his hands up. He spikes one of the zombie heads with a tool I use for yanking out weeds from the garden. The loudspeaker tells him, it’s like she said; there’s no escape for the living.

As Michonne rides, she says, remember what she told him. It’s what he said. Hold it in your heart. It’s true. Forever.

We hear, we’re the ones who live, and we see all the highlights of the past seasons. Michonne rides into the fog, ready to do battle. Rick holds up his hands, looks up, and smiles.

Judith tells TJ, we get to start over. We’re the ones who live.

There was a thank you from each cast member to the fans.

Next on the agenda, Fear the Walking Dead, Dead City, Daryl Dixon, and Rick and Michonne. The Walking Dead Universe – bigger and deader.

👩🏾‍🏫 Explaining the Dead End…

An in depth look at the ending. For those who must.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-finale-rick-michonne-ending-explained/

🎧 Playlisting Dead…

The cast chooses songs for the finale.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-finale-cast-character-playlist-songs/

⚰️ Dead Next…

About that bigger and deader universe.

https://ew.com/tv/the-walking-dead-finale-spin-offs/

📸 Dead Snaps…

Photos from behind-the-scenes.

https://ew.com/tv/the-walking-dead-behind-the-scenes-photos/

👣 Dead On My Feet…

If you got to go to the finale, you’re a lucky dead dog, but the seat in front of the TV wasn’t bad. Lots of laughing, hugging, and reminiscing, and I definitely got the vibe they’d been passing out champagne… or something. Stop in tomorrow for some soap and OG Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay embracing, or at least accepting, the change of seasons, and stay knowing, you don’t have to be bonded by blood to be a family.