Tag Archives: DOOL

September 30, 2024 – On the Ground In Port Charles, Soap Suds, Big Apples, Salty Talk, The Real Hills, Two To Watch, Final Bow, Funny Finalists & September

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly sits with Lulu, and Jack knocks at the door. He tells her, all passengers are safe, sound, and on the ground in Port Charles.

Lucky and Jason walk into the hospital, and Lucky introduces himself to Portia. She says, they’ve been expecting him. She’s been treating his sister. Terry introduces herself, and Porta says she’ll run some tests on Lucky. Jason tells Lucky that he’ll be here, and Lucky leaves with Portia. He asks how Lulu’s condition is, and Portia says, it’s deteriorating. They’re running out of time.

Anna gets home and flops onto the sofa. She flashes back to Jason kissing her, and says, Devane, what are you doing?

Nina goes to Curtis’s office and tells him that Crimson was delayed because of a hailstorm. She stares at him for a moment, and says, his new position looks good on him.

Elizabeth says she needs to talk to Aiden. His dad called and he’s on his way back to Port Charles. Aiden asks when he’s getting here, and she says, today.

On the phone, Robert says, they’re overdue for a catch up… Now? Perfect.

James opens the door, and Holly is there. She says, he may or may not remember her… He says, she’s Holly, and she says, and he’s James, like the king. He says he was named after his dad, and she says, either way, it suits him. She asks if there are any boring grown-ups around, and he yells for Mac. Mac comes out and asks what he’s yelling for… Holly… She says, hello, Mac.

Mac asks when Holly got in, and she says, just now. He says, a red eye? Her? She says, a private jet. While she’s pleased to see him, she was hoping to find Robert. She tried his house and his office, but had no luck. She thought he might be here. Mac asks if Robert knows she’s in town, but she says she wanted to surprise him. He says he has to take James to school, and asks if she can wait here. She asks if there’s coffee, and he tells her to help herself, and he leaves with James.

Felicia asks if Anna is all right, and Anna says, it was an exhaustive trip. Felicia says, Anna never gets tired. So what’s up? Anna says she thinks the mission was more than she expected, and Felicia says she needs to know everything that happened from start to finish.

Luck asks, what now? and Portia says she has to make sure he’s a match. He asks if the odds aren’t pretty good, and she says, with the same parents, the chance is good, but she still needs to confirm it. After the results come back, she’ll send him for more tests to make sure his liver is heathy. He asks if they can’t run them now, and she says, he’ll be undergoing major surgery, so she can’t risk skipping anything. She’s moving as fast as she can. He says he appreciates everything even if it seems like he doesn’t, and she says she needs to figure out if he’s in good enough physical shape to be a donor. Then all they have to do is wait for the results. He says he’s not great at waiting.

Elizabeth asks how Aiden feels, but he says he’s not sure. She says she knows they’ve been emailing and video chatting. She also knows it’s difficult when someone is in front of you, especially when it’s your dad. He says, it’s been a long time since he heard from Lucky. He’s always been the first one to reach out. One time, he waited five months, but nothing. He’s not sad or mad. He’s like, okay, whatever. She says she’s sorry, and he says he doesn’t hate Lucky. He’s glad Lucky is coming back, but it’s not like Lucky is coming back for him. His dad is here to save Aunt Lulu. How can he be mad?

Carly says she knows Jack risked his job, but he says, it’s all good. It turns out haranguing an international law enforcement agency on her friend’s behalf paid off. She thanks him and he says, they make a good team.

Curtis tells Nina, Crimson’s numbers are up, but he thinks they can make them go higher. He found a distributor in Australia. Nina says she’ll give them a call, but he says he already called. It’s a go. Nina says, it’s exciting and embarrassing for her. She should have seen the opportunity. He says, she’s been busy with Crimson and saving the nation, and she says she likes hyperbole in a man. He says, if working on Drew’s campaign distracted her, it’s the price they pay to make sure Drew gets in office. She says, he is distracting… She means, with the campaign and politicking. It’s all very distracting.

Anna tells Felicia that she planned to steal Sidwell’s phone and put it back before he realized. Jason was going to engage Sidwell in a card game, and he did very well. He occupied Sidwell and challenged him. She was about to copy the phone’s chip, and Felicia will never believe who stepped out of the woodwork to stop her. Sidwell’s girlfriend – Holly.  

On the phone and sipping champagne, Holly says, hear that? It’s the sound of ice. Which is exactly what she’s calling them about.

Portia says she’ll let Lucky know when he can see Lulu, and Jason asks how he’s doing. Lucky says he’s doing okay. They ran a lot of tests. All this time, and now he’s here. Jason says he knows, and Lucky says, it’s been a long time, but coming back is harder than leaving. Carly joins them and hugs Lucky. she says she can’t believe he’s here, and he says he can’t either. She says she’s trying to get in touch with his mom and Doc, and he asks where they’re at. She says, at the refugee camp where he was last staying, but the weather is bad, and the service has been spotty. He says he can’t believe they went to Africa, and she says, it’s Laura. What does he expect? He says he expected her to be at Lulu’s bedside, and she says, when they found out Nikolas wasn’t a match… He says, she took off. He got Carly’s email and meant to write back. He was sorry to hear about Bobbie. She says, Bobbie was a hero to the end, and he says he’s sorry he wasn’t here. She says, her mom loved him, wherever he was, when Portia comes back and says, Lucky has been cleared to see Lulu. She’ll let him know if he’s a match as soon as she hears. Lucky says he’s going to see his sister, and Carly says, she’s on 10.  

Elizabeth says, Lulu is the main reason Lucky is back, but not the only reason, and Aiden says, they both know that’s not true. Elizabeth says, Lucky loves him, even though he has a terrible way of showing it. She didn’t want him to be caught off guard. He says, Lucky might help Lulu, then take off again. There are days he doesn’t think of Lucky, and he kind of feels bad about it. Elizabeth tells him, don’t. He has a big heart and so does his does dad. She can’t imagine anything changing that. He says, it’s going to be weird, but he wouldn’t say no to hanging out with Lucky before he leaves again. She asks if he wants her to let Lucky know, but he says, Lucky knows how to reach him. Does she think he’s like his dad? She says, they’re both very handsome, and he tells her that people say he’s like her and he hopes that’s true. He knows that means they must think a lot of him. They might call him a mama’s boy, but he doesn’t care. He’s good with being his mom’s son. He kisses her on the cheek and leaves.

Jack comes to Robert’s office, and Robert says he’d like the like latest on the foray of the Bureau into the field. Jack says, he’s not with the Bureau anymore, and Robert says, tell him anyway. Jack asks, why? and Robert says, Anna is the mother of his child and almost died on Jack’s watch. Jack says, works for him, and sits down. He says, the WSB satellites pinpointed Jenz Sidwell’s location. Considering his strip-mining efforts, it wasn’t difficult. Robert asks if Sidwell converted what he stole? and Jack says, of course (🍷). Robert says, Sidwell leaves the countries he strips more destitute than ever. So Jack used the Bureau’s resources to curtail Sidwell’s operation. Is he still alive? Jack says, unknown. Nobody in the mission is safe if he is.  

Mac comes back, and Holly says, breakfast? indicating the champagne. He says, it’s a little early, but she says she’s on Africa time, calling him grandpa. He says he wears the title proudly, and she says, he should. It suits him. He says he’s getting a lot of practice, and she says, his family tree is growing. He tells her that he has a son by Dominique, and she asks if he’s met him. Mac says, he lives in town. He works for the Quartermaines. She asks if he was raised by Leopold Taub, and Mac nods. He says she’s sorry he didn’t get to know his son sooner, and she says, Dominique lived a complicated life. He probably won’t believe it, but she’ll always regret how Dominique’s jealousy of their friendship helped split them up. He says he doesn’t believe it, and she says she’ll always be grateful for their friendship. He says, back at her. He asks about Ethan, and she says, Ethan is currently out of trouble and doing splendidly. He asks what brings her back, and she says, her last visit was bittersweet. So when chance tossed her toward their shores, she took it. She asks, what’s going on with Robert? and he says, Robert has built a life post-WSB, and it makes him happy. He’s worried her visit will ruin it.  

Anna says, Holly confirmed Lucky was at the compound, and persuaded Sidwell to invite them back. Felicia says, she put her life on the line, and Anna says, they all did. They all went back, and Holly knew where Lucky was, but it was tricky to get him out. Then they found out their covers had been blown. Sidwell insisted that Jason and Lucky play a final card game. Felicia says she has the feeling it wasn’t for money, and Anna says, no. If Lucky won, Holly kept her life, and if Jason won, she kept hers. If Sidwell won, they were all going to die.

Carly asks how Jason is, and he says, fine. She says, really, and he says he’s fine. She asks, what about Lucky, and don’t say fine, and he says, Lucky is physically okay. She says, otherwise? and he says, coming back this way is tough. She says, their situations are different, but after the transplant, they can help Lucky figure things out. He says, if Lucky stays long enough, and she asks if he’s leaving. Jason says he doesn’t know, and he has no idea what Holly is doing. She says, that’s a name she didn’t expect to hear. What was she doing there? She wasn’t a part of the mission. He says, she was on her own mission, which she started before them. She helped them, and he’s got to give that to her. If Holly didn’t love Luke so much, they’d probably be dead.

Terry shows up at Elizabeth’s house, and tells Elizabeth that she can’t stay long, but she wanted to tell her that Lucky is at the hospital. Elizabeth asks if he’s going through tests, and Terry says, Portia is running them now. Given Lulu’s numbers this morning, he’s just in time. Elizabeth says, that’s Lucky, heroically skidding through the door just in time, and Terry says, he came straight from the airport. He was exhausted and anxious, and she didn’t get the hero vibe. He seemed like he’d been through some stuff, but he still looked good.

Lucky goes to Lulu’s room. He sits next to the bed and takes her hand. He says he’s here and kisses it. He flashes back to talking to Baby Lulu.

Curtis says he’s impressed. It wasn’t that long ago, Nina got Drew sent to prison. Nina says, for something he totally did, and Curtis says, and look at them now. Working together and helping each other. She says, being Drew’s campaign wife is incredible, and he says he didn’t realize that was her title. She says, people draw their own conclusions, and he asks where she finds time for herself. She says, 12 hours a day devoted to Crimson, 12 to the campaign, and 12 to her. He says, a 36-hour workday. That’s a lot of time to invest in someone who’s just a friend. She says she never thought it would happen. She thinks her and Drew’s relationship has evolved into something more, something real.

Mac says, Holly will disrupt what’s going on and say she needs help getting out of her latest jam. She wouldn’t ask if there were anyone else, and on and on until the last shoe she threw up in the air falls on the ground. Then she’ll be gone and leave Robert to pick up the pieces of the ruins she’s left behind. She thanks him for his honesty and says she’ll send over a bottle of champagne to replace the bottle she opened. He says, not necessary, but she says she doesn’t want to ruin anything more than she already has, and leaves.

Carly asks how Jason and Anna aren’t dead, and Jason says, Sidwell ordered his men to kill him and Anna, and they would have if it hadn’t been for the drone strike. She says, that was her. She knows a guy. He says, Jack Brennan? and she says, yes. She asked him for help, and he was amazing. She watched the drone strike in real time. They watched it together.

Robert says, he takes it all protocols were put in place to protect the Bureau’s exposure, and Jack says, he followed them to the letter. Robert says, they require no civilian witnesses. Were there any? Jack says, other than the intended targets, no, but he’s not worried about three of the four rescued being a risk. Jason isn’t going to talk, Anna is Anna, and Lucky won’t bite the hand that saved his sister. Robert asks, who’s the fourth? and Jack says he’s not familiar with them. That’s why he came right over when Robert called. He’s hoping Robert can tell him how worried he needs to be about Holly Sutton.  

Terry asks if there’s anything about Lucky coming home that’s a good thing, and Elizabeth says she’s happy for Lulu and the family, but she and Lucky are practically strangers. He called the hospital, and she happened to answer. Terry asks what it was like to hear his voice, and Elziabeth says, there were a lot of feelings for the person he was, the man she used to love and had a child with. Feelings for the voice she used to hear every day, but hasn’t heard in years. Terry asks if she’s okay with it, and Elizabeth says she’s not surprised Lucky would come back to help his sister. Terry says, that can’t be the only reason (like it isn’t enough), and Elizabeth says she told Aiden that, but she gets why he’s doubtful. Lucky isn’t coming to rebuild a relationship with his son and build a life here. Terry says, Elizabeth doesn’t have to answer, but part of her wonders if Elizabeth is going overboard in managing her expectations. What does she expect?  

Lucky says, the first time he met Lulu, she was so small. She made all these noises, but now she’s so… quiet. Lulu Spencer isn’t supposed to be quiet. He promised to take care of her, and he wasn’t there when she needed him the most. He was too busy hiding out in Ireland or Africa or anywhere but here. He told himself that he was doing good in the world, but they both know he was just running and hiding, and if he’d stayed in Port Charles and fought for his family, maybe he could have stopped all this from happening in the first place.

Lucky tells Lulu that their mom is looking for him too. That’s how much she loves Lulu. He loves her too, and prays she can forgive him for not being the brother she deserved or needed. But he’s here now and who knows? Maybe he can still save her and when she’s in the clear, awake and talking again as loud as ever, they can figure out then if he deserves her forgiveness… or anyone’s.

Felicia asks how they got away, and Anna says, Sidwell’s guards threw Jason in a cell with her and were ordered to kill them. There was no bomb to diffuse and no bullet to dodge. Felicia says, there was no way out, and Anna says, they had a kind of understanding that they could lose their lives. Felicia says, at least Jason was there. He must have been a comfort in that moment like he was with Robin all those years ago, when she was staring death in the face.

Jack says he was hoping he could impose on Robert, since he’s the expert. He did debrief Holly. Robert says he’s no longer part of the Bureau, but Jack says, workarounds are his thing. Off the record, does Robert think Holly is a security risk? Robert says, absolutely, but not in the way Jack thinks. After he’s spoken to her, he’ll get back to Jack. Jack thanks him and says, always a pleasure. Robert says, he’s such a liar, and Jack leaves.

Curtis asks how Drew feels about their relationship, and Nina says, the vibe between them is nice. He says, when he hears about their relationship evolving from pretend to real, it’s not that much different from what happened in Nixon Falls. She says, it’s completely different (agreed – Drew never thought he was someone else), and he says he doesn’t want to see her hurt. She asks why he thinks she’ll be hurt, and he says, when she cares about someone, she’s vulnerable. In the circles she and Drew are traveling in, she can’t afford to be vulnerable. His phone rings, and he answers. He listens a moment, and says, thanks for reaching out. He tells Nina, that was the music promotor congratulating him. His father is going to be touring with Wynton Marsalis. She says, that’s a good thing, right? and he says, yeah, but why was his father hiding this?

Elizabeth says, Lucky saved her and her sanity during a difficult time. After she was raped, he helped her realize that she’s a lot stronger than she thought and everything she didn’t think was possible, was. She’ll forever be grateful for that. Terry says, he sounds like a helluva guy, and Elizabeth says, he was. He probably still is, but 15 years can change a lot. Terry says she wishes she could stay, but she has to get back to the hospital. She’s going to leave Elizabeth with one infuriating thought. Everything she said makes perfect sense, but sometimes things that should make sense, don’t anymore. She leaves.

Anna says she doesn’t think she and Jason were a comfort to one another when they were so close to dying, and Felicia asks how they got away. Anna says, the drone strike occurred. She thinks it was a group effort. Felicia says, so the drones took out their would-be killers and left her and Jason unscathed, and Anna says, pretty much. They managed to get Lucky away from Sidwell and get away. Holly stole a jeep and drove them to the airstrip where the WSB had a jet waiting. And here she is. Felicia says, wow. All she can says is, she thinks Anna should do that more often.

Jason says he doesn’t like Carly working with Brennan, but she says she’s not. She just worked with him so that Jason could be safe, and now he and Lulu are safe. He says, she can’t trust Brennan. She seems to think he’s helping her because he likes her. She says she actually does think that, and he pulls her aside. He says, it’s what they call an investment, and Brennan is going to want a return on his investment. She says, owing Brennan it’s a small price to keep them alive, and he says he hopes she doesn’t regret it when Brennan wants to collect. She says, he already has, and he asks what Brennan wanted. She says, a burger from Bobbie’s. She’s got this. What else happened on the mission? Jason says, nothing, and walks to the elevator. She says she knows him. What else happened? He says, nothing, and the elevator doors close.

Robert looks through some paperwork, and outside, Holly is about to knock on his office door. She decides not to and walks away.

Portia looks at the computer, and Terry asks about the test results. Portia says, they just came in. (Her face looks grim, but you know they like to mess with us.) Terry asks if she can see, and Portia turns the screen toward her. She says, it looks like they found their donor just in time.

Lucky goes to Bobbie’s and looks through the window. He sees Elizabeth and goes inside. She turns and sees him.

On Thursday (we hope), Ava says she likes the sound of that; Lucky says he can’t give Elizabeth promises he can’t keep; and Heather refuses to go down without a fight.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

GH is preempted for baseball on Tuesday and Wednesday. And depending on how those games go, possibly Thursday.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-is-preempted-multiple-times-this-week

I just don’t get this. It sounds like she didn’t either.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kelly-monaco-has-taped-her-last-scenes-at-gh

I can’t keep these kids straight anymore. Lucky won’t be able to recognize him, and not because it’s been a long time.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/colin-cassidy-is-the-new-aiden-on-general-hospital

Farewell to yet another soap legend.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/days-of-our-lives/days-co-stars-remembers-drake-hogestyn

🗽 From the Wide-Awake City…

I find it hard to believe they’re going through the same sh*t everyone else is going through.

Shout out to the Bronx!

https://www.thewrap.com/who-is-racquel-chevremont-real-housewives-of-new-york-city/

🧂 Shakers Of Salt…

Well, if she doesn’t know, how are we supposed to know?

https://people.com/meredith-marks-mary-cosby-fight-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city-season-5-explained-8720027

She can’t win because she’s not doing it for the right reasons. There, I said it.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1407421/why-rhoslcs-heather-gay-feels-like-she-cant-win-after-losing-weight-on-ozempic

💎 Giving the Real Real…

So was it not real before?

I can’t imagine this show being good for anyone’s spirit or career.

👀 This Weekend’s Watch…

The critics are right. Colin Farrell is unrecognizable and amazing as Oswald Oz Cobb aka The Penguin. The show is like Batman meets Boardwalk Empire, weirdly set in today’s world, but with a 1930s feel. Admittedly, a lot of it feels cliché, like Oz’s accent – he commits a moider – but it woiks. Of course, Gotham is a city in its own world, so it can be what it wants. All of the visuals were captivating, and I was fascinated with the view of the Times Square like center of the town. TBH, I haven’t paid much attention to the Batman films. I loved the comics as a kid, but I leaned more toward the female villains like Cat Woman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy. A friend once showed up at a karaoke Halloween party dressed as Poison Ivy, and said I was the only one who recognized who she was, but I digress. Filled with murder, mayhem, and style, I thought The Penguin was a worthwhile watch, and since it’s only 8 episodes, I’m in it for the not-so-long haul.

https://www.cbr.com/the-penguin-big-splash-hbo-premiere/

Forget that other guy.

https://www.cbr.com/the-penguin-differences-from-the-batman/

How he became Oz.

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0jtmqbj/colin-farrell-describes-how-he-transformed-into-the-penguin

The other series on my short list was Grotesquerie. The story was compelling and sucked me in right away. Niecy Nash-Betts is world weary, alcoholic detective Lois Tryon, who has to solve a series of murders committed by an entity only known as Grotesquerie. Helping her track down the killer is a crime writer and amateur detective, who also happens to be a nun. Lois’s husband is in a coma, but returns in flashbacks, suggesting her drinking is turning from a pastime into a profession, and her job has become more of an obsession than a profession. The characters are captivating, the acting is award worthy, and it’s directed beautifully. Fresh off playing Lyle Menendez in Monsters, Nicholas Chavez is amazing as a young priest with some odd proclivities, who is also the nun’s best friend. IMO, if he continues with the trajectory he’s on, he’ll be up there with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, et al. My only complaint, a SWAT team sneaking around a building after loudly busting down a gate with their vehicle to get on the property. I think whoever was inside would hear that.

Only slight revelations here.

https://www.thewrap.com/grotesquerie-review-niecy-nash-betts-fx/

He had a good time.

https://www.thewrap.com/monsters-grotesquerie-nicholas-chavez-interview/

Warning: spoilers.

https://deadline.com/2024/09/grotesquerie-niecy-nash-betts-talks-premiere-episodes-fx-ryan-murphy-1236101830/

👒 Never Complain, Never Explain…

Downton Abbey will never be the same.

https://ew.com/downton-abbey-creator-and-cast-pay-tribute-to-maggie-smith-8719727

Some of her best.

https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/1108201/dowager-countess-quotes/

🦧 Same To You, Monkey…

The amusing side of wildlife.

https://people.com/2024-comedy-wildlife-awards-finalists-photos-8719560

🧶 A Sweater Is Like Life…

Join me tomorrow for a glance at NYC and who knows what else? Until then, stay safe, stay always leaving them wanting more, and stay occasionally reevaluating, because sometimes things that should make sense, don’t anymore.

May 17, 2024 – Sonny Decks Dex, Say Fromaggio, Price Hike, Rinna Shade, Hot Mic In NYC, VanderNews, No Invite, Dragons Coming, Oops, They’re Off, All Along, AKA Peggy, Ogdoad Of Quotes & Almost

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook says, they’ll have to excuse her. She’s got some rounds to make. Chase tells her to wait, then kisses her. Dante says, he’s a lucky man, and Chase says he sure is. Anna asks Sam, how’s the P.I. business? Any interesting new cases? Sam says, same old, same old.

Brook says she’s so glad Monica got Jason to come, and he says, she wanted to come herself. And he knows she’d want him to tell Brook, congratulations. She thanks him and says, it’s good to see him. She moves on.

Gloria says, they don’t see enough of Sonny. He doesn’t come around the neighborhood as much as he should. Carmine says, they have a big 4th of July party every year, and he wants to see Sonny there this year. Sonny says he’ll try, but Gloria says, no trying. Brook runs up to Sonny and hugs him. She says she’s so glad he came, and he says he wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Lois tells Drew and Jordan, say fromaggio, but Jordan says, that’s okay. Drew says, they’re not… and Lois says, they’re not the mother of the bride. She is, and she’s walking around taking pictures of everyone, so pick their favorite cheese and say, fromaggio. Drew puts his arm around Jordan, and they say, fromaggio. Lois says, beautiful, and takes their photo.

Gloria tells Blaze that their great grandkids love her music, and Blaze thanks her. Carmine says, don’t be embarrassed. Tell her. Blaze says, tell her what? and Carmine says, she loves it too. When the kids are dancing, she’s out there with them like she’s going to break something. Gloria says she’s going to break him and asks if Blaze is going to perform today. They’d love it so much. Kristina says, Blaze is a guest, and Gloria says she knows, but she’s here and she’s got that amazing voice. Natalia joins them and says, she really wanted to perform, but think about it. If Brook had her most important client perform at her wedding… Carmine says, exploitation, and Natalia says, right.

Violet asks how Michael, Willow, and Josslyn liked her song, and Michael says, they loved her song. Josslyn says, and she wrote that all by herself? and Violet says, yes, she did. Gregory watches them and smiles.

Maxie throws her arms around Jason and says, it’s so good to see him. (I hope that poor guy has recovered from his gunshot wound. Everyone is manhandling him.) At this wedding, obviously, but just in general. Spinelli joins them, and she says, Spinelli really missed him, and so did she. Jason says, it’s always good to see her, and Spinelli asks if she’s free to enjoy herself, or does she still have responsibilities? Maxie says, this is Olivia’s show now. Her responsibilities ended at the church. Spinelli says, the violinist was superlative, and she says she thought so too, but she can’t take any credit for that. He’s a cousin of the Cerullos or something. Usually when a family says they have someone they want to play at the ceremony, it’s a total mess, but she thinks he was really good.

Lois hugs Gio and tells him that his performance was perfection. He could not have given Brook a greater gift. He says he’s glad she liked it, but Brook was a little busy. He doesn’t think she noticed. She says, is he kidding her? Everybody noticed his talent. All the family is so proud of him. She hugs him again.

Finn stares at the champagne glass he took a sip from, when Violet comes up to him with Elizabeth. Violet says she needs to ask him a question and he needs to be honest with her. He says, ask away, and she says, what did he think about her song? He says, honestly? That she’s amazing. She hugs him, and Elizabeth says, it’s almost dinnertime. Why doesn’t Violet find their place cards? Violet runs off, and Elizabeth says, Finn seems upset. Did something happen? He looks at the glass again.

Cody is sweeping the stables, when Sasha comes in with a picnic basket. He says, what’s this? and she says, it’s samples. She just finished up wrapping up all the after-party prep. He says, catering for two families. What was she thinking, volunteering for such a mission? She says she honestly feels so bad that she couldn’t make it to the wedding. She wanted to go, she was planning on going, but she had no idea how much Lois and Olivia were expecting from her for this after-party. They gave her this long list of food to prepare, and being so new at the job, she couldn’t say no. He says he gets it, and she says, well, Yuri and Leo are splitting some take-out and playing video games. Monica wanted a late dinner, and being as everyone else is still at the reception – she opens the basket and takes out a bottle of wine – it seems that we have the Quartermaine manse all to ourselves.

Sonny tells Natalia, sorry. He didn’t mean to leave her stranded, but she says, not at all. Actually, it’s been really nice to see him hanging out with his really loving family and friends.

Anna goes up to Jason and jokes, for the love of God, I know this is a party, but you’re causing a scene. Can you just rein it in?… Everything okay? He says, why wouldn’t it be? and she says, three names, Cates, Brennan, Pikeman. Why doesn’t he just forget about all that for the evening? He says he will if she will.

In a Pentenville shower room, Jack washes his hands, while another inmate finishes his shower. The inmate leaves, and Jack unwraps a knife from a nearby towel. He checks the sharpness against the metal sink.

Brook thanks Gio so much for playing, and kisses him on both cheeks. Didn’t she tell Chase he was brilliant? Chase says, she did, and she did not exaggerate.

Anna says she knows it’s not in Jason’s nature, but it wouldn’t kill him to mingle. He says, she’s right… It’s not in his nature. She laughs and says, it’s not like she’s asking him to go up to total strangers and start discussing the trends in coffee… fashion… gadgetry. There’s a lot of people here who really missed him.

Dante tells Sam, no matter what his cousins say or do, they are not going to this after-party. They’re going to try to get to him through her. They’re going to get her to go and get her to drag him along. They’ve got to present a united front. She says, this is new for him, and he says, what is? She says, cowardice, and he says, wow. She kisses him.

Jack sharpens the knife against the front of the sink, when another inmate walks in and says, too slow. Jack asks what he means, and the man says he saw it. A homemade shank. Jack tells him that he’s not saying he has such an item, but if he did, what could he offer the man to pretend he never saw it? The man says, how about he just takes the item? Jack won’t want the guards finding something like that on him. Jack says, no deal. He needs it. The man says, make a new one, and Jack punches him, then karate chops him on the back of the neck, the man falling to the floor. (This is impressive, since he’s twice Jack’s size.)

Cody says he knows jack (ha-ha!) about wine, but judging from this year, he’s guessing these grapes weren’t growing in Napa last summer. Sasha says, they were not, and he says, and she didn’t just get this bottle from a local wine and spirit outlet. She says, Ned uncorked it last night and only had one glass. He says he’s wondering, are the Q’s going to be okay with them absconding with this bottle? and she says, he didn’t abscond with anything, she did, and she’s the chef. He says, even so… and she says, please. She’s had their wine before and it never bothered them, so why would it now? He says, maybe because this bottle is expensive, even for them (he knows this how if he doesn’t know jack?), she says, it probably was when it was corked, but he can be sure of one thing, that wine is good tonight, and it definitely won’t be tomorrow. He says, well then, as a budding wine connoisseur, he cannot in good conscience allow today’s good wine go to waste tomorrow.

Chase asks how Gio and Brook are related again, and Brook says, they’re cousins once removed. Or is that twice? She always gets that mixed up or confused. (Same, and the grand or great uncle/aunt thing.) Anyway, he’s a Cerullo on his mom’s side. He gets his musical talent from his mom. Chase says, so his dad’s not musical, and Gio says he doesn’t really know. He was in the military. He died before Gio was born. Chase says he’s so sorry, but Gio says, it’s fine. He’s very proud of him. Chase says, as he should be. Actually, that guy in the blue suit there (Dex), he served in Afghanistan. He’s now at the police academy. Gio asks if he likes it, but Chase says, Gio will have to ask him. Brook says, no, no, no. Do not try to recruit Gio to be a cop. Her grandmother would have a heart attack, not to mention the rest of the family. Gio is going to be a concert violinist. Isn’t that right? Gio says, that’s the plan.

Elizabeth says she knows it wasn’t easy for Finn, seeing his dad struggle. Look. He’s fine. Finn says, he seems to have recovered thanks to Tracy. She’s really good with him. Elizabeth says, she is. Who would have thought? The point is, they shouldn’t think about what happened because his dad is having a wonderful time right now. He says, she’s absolutely right. The bartender removes the glass.

Anna turns around and Sonny is there. He asks how Dex is doing at the academy, but she says she’s not about to discuss that with him. And he should know better than to ask. She walks away, and Sonny laughs. Natalia walks up and takes his hand. She asks if they should go find their seats, and he says, yes.

Maxie takes the floor and says she thinks one of the most important lessons she’s learned from Brook is that, just because you can’t stand somebody – for a very good reason, she might add – doesn’t mean your lifelong enemy can’t become one of your very best friends. A friend that is there for you when you need someone the most. She congratulates Brook, and Brook hugs her, saying, love you. Maxie says, love you… Oh yeah, and Chase. You sweet, handsome, honorable man, just do your best not to arrest her again. Good luck with that. She raises her glass and says, congratulations to the happy couple. Everyone clinks glasses and says, to the happy couple.

Brook thanks Olivia for being the best wicked stepmother ever, and Olivia says she does what she can. They hug, and Lois tells Ned, he’s done good. He says, she didn’t do too bad herself, and she puts her hand on his.

Gio introduces himself to Dex, and says, Chase was telling him that Dex served in Afghanistan. His dad did too. Dex asks if he knows where, and Gio says, no. His dad was killed in action before he was born. He doesn’t have a lot of details about his service. Dex says he’s sorry for Gio’s loss, and Gio thanks him. He says he didn’t mean to put Dex on the spot, but he thinks what Dex did was very important. Thank you. Dex says, so does he. Gio’s dad must have gone over there pretty early. 2001? 2002? Gio says, it was 2002. Did Dex like serving in the military? Dex says he did. It’s hard when you’re deployed. You spend a lot of time thinking about home. He bets Gio’s dad spent a lot of time thinking about his mom and wondering who Gio would turn out to be. Gio says, a violinist? and Dex says he bets Gio’s dad would have really liked that. When you’re surrounded by destruction, you have a lot of respect for the people who create things that are beautiful. Like music.

Sonny asks if Lois can stop Gio from talking to that guy, and she says, why? He says, he used to work for me and he’s not trustworthy. She says, it’s a wedding reception. They’re probably talking about sports scores. He says he doesn’t care. He doesn’t want Gio talking to him. She says, the bigger deal he makes of this, the bigger deal it’s going to be. So just let it go, okay? She walks away, but it looks doubtful that Sonny is going to let it go.

Spinelli asks if he’s told Maxie how beautiful she looks, and she asks if he means in the last 15 minutes. He says, that’s far too long. It’s unforgivable. He’s about to kiss her, when Sam appears. She says, got a minute? and steers him away.

Sasha says she really wonders how the wedding is going, and Cody says, it’s a wedding. It’s either great or godawful. There’s no in between. She says, if those are the options, she thinks it’s going great, and he says, you can wish all you want, but there’s about a billion things that can go wrong. They could forget the rings, someone could object, there could be food poisoning, a runaway bride, a runaway groom… She says, wow. Okay. Until she hears otherwise, she chooses to believe this wedding day is everything Brook and Chase would want, and she can’t wait to see pictures. He asks if she wants more wine. He could use some. He picks up the bottle, but she says, hey, whoa. What is with him? He says, she’s with him, and she asks if he has something against weddings. He says, not weddings per se. He just hoped it was a cliché that all women dreamed of a formal church wedding. She asks why it matters, and he says, because even if a guy like him could convince a woman to marry him, he doubts he could afford the big, fancy wedding of her dreams. (I guess no one has told him that’s not how this works.)

Sam takes Spinelli near the entrance where there are no other people, and he says he thought she didn’t want to discuss this tonight. She says she changed her mind, and he says he would love to help her, but he also values his freedom far too much to investigate – he looks around – the FBI. What’s the goal here, besides getting locked up in federal prison? She says, full disclosure? and he says, by all means. Redact nothing. She says she’s not sure, and he says, a fishing expedition is one thing, but the data stores of federal law enforcement are vast beyond comprehension. How do they even know how to start? She says she doesn’t know. Maybe he can help her. All she does know is that Jason has been working for the FBI as an informant. He says, working for the FBI? and she says she knows it sounds crazy, but Jason actually told her so himself. And the only reason he would work as an informant would be… He says, if the FBI held damning evidence against him, and she says, yeah. And they have to find it.

Olivia says, it is that time, folks, when we welcome our beautiful newlyweds to the dance floor. The guests applaud and cheer as the music begins. Brook and Chase come out and have their first dance together.

Lois dances with Chase, while Ned dances with Brook (and hey, why isn’t Chase’s mom here?). Lois whispers something to Chase, who leaves the dance floor and goes over to Gloria. He asks, may I have this dance? and she says, yes, you may. She tells Carmine, don’t be jealous, and Carmine says, of what? She says, think of a reason, and she and Chase go out to dance. Brook whispers to Ned that she wants to dance with Gregory and kisses him on the cheek. She asks Gregory, may I have this dance? and he says, um… looking at his cane. She says, he doesn’t need that, and she gives it to Tracy. He says, it would be his honor, and they go out on the floor. Olivia and Ned are dancing. Kristina tells Lois that it seems like Sonny is having a good time, and Lois says, he’s surrounded by Cerullos. How could he not be? Kristina is lucky to have a dad like him, but she thinks Kristina already knows that. Kristina says, she does, and Lois tells her, although she’s got to say, if Kristina only knew him back in the day – oh. Kristina asks if she even wants to know, and Lois says, her dad is a stand-up guy. Always has been and he always will be.

Spinelli says, and Sam is certain this would help Jason? and she says, honestly, she doesn’t know, but she thinks they have to at least try. Because Jason would do the exact same thing for them. Spinelli says he’s in, and she hugs him and says, thank you.

More contemporary music starts, and Dex asks if Josslyn thinks she can keep up with his sick moves. She says she can try (I’m surprised she didn’t burst out laughing like I did), and they join everyone dancing. Brook goes over to Sonny and says, the bride gets to pick who she dances with on her wedding day. She holds out her hand, and he says, it would be his honor. Chase asks Violet, may I have this dance? and holds out his hand. She takes it and says she thought he’d never ask. Everyone is having the best time, so you just know something is going to go sideways.

As Cody pours the wine, Sasha says, first of all, she doesn’t think all women dream of getting married in the first place. Let alone, have a big wedding that takes over a year to plan. Cody says, and at least a year’s salary to pay for, and she says, traditionally, the groom’s family doesn’t even pay for the wedding; the bride’s family does. He says, is that a part of the dowry, or is that in addition to, since they’re talking about tradition? Sasha says, and traditionally, sure, every fairytale ends with a wedding, and he says, she clearly wasn’t raised by Germans. The Grimm brothers… She says, and popular culture tells little girls that their wedding day is the one day they get to be a princess, but she thinks it’s just one way to celebrate love. He says, if she has a better way, he’s all ears, and she says, take her and Brando for example. They got married in a garage, and yeah, it wasn’t really what they imagined, but they were just so excited to get to the happily ever after part. And when that didn’t happen, yeah, she felt cheated. Because a wedding day is just one day of your life, but the marriage, a chance to grow old with the person you love, that lasts a lifetime. Or it’s supposed to anyway.

Brook says, all the single ladies, come, and the women come to the dance floor. Gloria says, ladies, keep your head in the game, and Lois says, all right. Get ready. Brook throws her bouquet and Jordan catches it, but slides it into Violet’s hands like, oops. Violet jumps up and down, and everyone applauds. Olivia is running somewhere, when Ned grabs her and says he wanted to dance with his beautiful bride. She says she loves him. She wants to dance with him, but she’s got to check the Viennese table. He says, does she really? and she says, fine, and goes with him.

Jordan sees Drew getting ready to leave, and she says, going so soon? He says he’s got a big day ahead. Can he give her a ride? She says she’s going to stay a little longer, and he says, that’s too bad. He’s been meaning to tell her about his last conversation with McConkey. She says, please don’t tell her that he wants an entire pier to go with the esplanade, but Drew says, no. Let’s just say the congressman has given me a lot to think about. They’ll talk. He leaves, and she says, you tease.

Dex asks Gloria if she’d like a water, and hands her a glass. She says, thank you, young man. With all the excitement and the dancing and everything, her head was beginning to spin a little bit. What’s his name? He says he’s Dex Heller, and she asks how he knows her granddaughter and her new husband. He says he’s a cadet with the PCPD, and she says, he’s a policeman. His family must be so proud of him. They’re so pleased and thrilled to have Chase in their family. Sonny sees them and glowers, and Dex says, Chase is an exceptional officer. She says, then of course (🍷) he knows Dante, and he says, yes, ma’am. Gloria says, he’s the fifth cop in his generation on the Falconari side of the family, when Lois joins them. Gloria says, she knows Dex, and Lois says, mm-hmm. Gloria says, he saw that she was parched, and he brought a glass of water over to her, and Lois says, that was very thoughtful of him. She thanks Dex, and he says, no problem. Gloria says, and you know what else? Dex is at the police academy. Lois should introduce him to her cousin Lucia. If they were to marry, then there would be four cops on the Cerullo side. Lois says, Gloria just met the guy and she’s already marrying him. She tells Dex that she’s so sorry about her mother, but he says, not at all. Lois tells him, although she will say, he should meet Lucia. She’s a beautiful girl and also very smart. She has a degree in computer science, but no pressure though. No pressure at all. Dex laughs and Sonny stares daggers at him.

Jack takes the knife out of the towel again and takes a few deep breaths. He plunges the knife into his own side and falls to the floor. He pulls it out, puts it in the other inmate’s hand, and passes out.  

Cody says he’s never really pondered the whole ever after thing. He makes sure the horses are healthy and cleans out their stalls. He lives day to day. Where he’s from, the whole long-term thing didn’t seem like a great option. Sasha says she gets that. When you marry someone you love, thinking long term is the default setting. Then when it’s cut short, you realize making big plans and relying on them happening sets you up for disappointment. He says, don’t get him wrong. Hoping for a future with the person you love doesn’t seem like a bad thing. It’s just in his personal experience, if you don’t plan too far ahead, it leaves you open for surprises. She says, like parachuting into the swimming pool, and he says, yeah, and like quitting your spokesmodel job because someone calls you too wholesome. She says, or finding your family even though you can’t tell them you’re a part of it, and he says, or this. Great wine, great food, great company… Hold that thought. He goes in the back and returns with a radio. He puts on some music, and says, may I have this dance? He holds out his hand and she takes it.

Sam says she remembers how much trouble Brook used to be, and Brook says, that’s why she married a cop. Needed an inside man. They laugh, and Sam says, that was good thinking. Brook says, she should try it sometime, and Maxie says, ooh. Sam jets, and they laugh. Spinelli tells Brook, congratulations, and leaves Brook and Maxie alone. Maxie says, believe it or not, she thinks she’s said all she has to say, and Brook says, and she heard it. Maxie says, she’s going to have the best life, and Brook says she just wishes she deserved it. Maxie asks what she’s talking about. Of course (🍷) she deserves it. That’s why it’s hers. They hug.

Willow and Michael join Josslyn and Dex, and Willow says, they saw the two of them on the dance floor. Nice moves. Michael says, it’s like Dex forgot Josslyn is his little sister and he’d do anything to protect her, and Josslyn says, that’s enough, thank you. Michael says, Dex knows he’s kidding. It’s a shame he’s not kidding. Dex picks something up off the floor and says he found someone’s hearing aid. Willow says, it’s probably Carmine’s, and Dex says he’s going to go find him then. Dex leaves, and Sonny follows him. Jason watches.

Patty tells Dante that he’s coming to the after-party. She won’t take no for an answer. Dante says he would love to go, but he has kids to tuck in, and… Sam says she thinks he should go, when Jordan joins them. Patty says, Deputy Mayor, are you coming? and Jordan says she’d love to, but she can’t. She has a city to… deputy run. Maxie says, don’t worry. She and Spinelli can drive Dante and Jordan to the after-party. Dante says he doesn’t want to go, and Jordan says she really can’t. Spinelli tells Dante, yes, you do, and Maxie tells Jordan, yeah, you can. Dante says, all right. They’ll meet Patty there. How’s that? Patty says she can’t wait, and leaves. Dante and Spinelli fist bump.

Chase says he can’t stop thanking Gregory, and Gregory says he’d do it again in a heartbeat. Chase tells Tracy, and thank you for… She says she certainly hopes he regrets arresting her, and he says he would do it again in a heartbeat. They all laugh, and Tracy says, good answer. She, Violet, Chase, and Gregory leave, and Finn thanks Elizabeth. She says, for what? and he says, everything. Always. They walk off hand in hand.

Dex looks around near the entrance, and Sonny pops out. He says, the Cerullos are his people. Is Dex enjoying himself, with Sonny’s people? Dex says he’s having a good time, a great time, and Sonny laughs. Sonny says, that’s the wrong answer. They’re like family to him. Stay away from his family. Dex says he was invited the same as Sonny, and Sonny says, he’s a snitch, a spy. He’s lucky to be breathing. Stay away from him and his, or Dex may not be breathing much longer. Sonny starts to walk away, and Dex puts his hand on Sonny’s arm, saying, he’s not Sonny’s enemy. Sonny punches him in the face, knocking him down.

Chase and Brook go to their room, where the fireplace is lit, and there’s a rose petal path from the door to the bed and rose petals on the bed. They close the door and lie down on the bed, fully clothed. Brook says, they did it. They tied the knot. They crossed the finish line. And he is her husband. He says, and she is his wife, and she says, wife, and kisses him. She says, now what? and he says, now, they have a great wedding night, followed by a great honeymoon in Florence. Then they spend the rest of their lives together. How does that sound? She says she’s so glad she hit him with that bottle, and he says he thought it was an accident. She says, that was no accident. That was luck. They kiss.

Natalia says she seems to have misplaced Kristina’s father, and Kristina says, sorry about that. Natalia says, uh-oh. What did she do to him? They laugh, and Kristina says she didn’t. He hasn’t seen his family in a long time, so he probably got caught up in telling stories from back in the day. Natalia says, that makes sense. She’s just ready to go up. Does Blaze want to ride up with her? Blaze says she’s not tired just yet, and Natalia asks if Kristina would tell her dad that she had a great time, thanks again, and have a really great evening. Kristina says, sure, and Natalia leaves. Kristina says, don’t judge her, but she kind of wants to get another piece of cake, and Blaze says, grab two and meet her in her room. Kristina says, done.

Cody and Sasha slow dance, looking into each other’s eyes, and she says she should probably go. The reception should be over, and Olivia and Tracy will be home soon. He says, she can’t keep them waiting, and she says she’s got an after-party to throw, so… she’s got to go. He says, okay. One more song.

Jack is wheeled into the hospital, and a doctor asks what they’ve got. The paramedic says, stab wound in the abdomen, BP 70 over 40, heart rate 130. He’s lost a lot of blood. The doctor says, let’s get him to trauma one.

Olivia is walking with Ned, when Anna runs out, calling her name. Olivia asks, what’s wrong? Who’s under arrest? They were so close. Anna says, no one’s under arrest. She just wanted to say it was a great party. Olivia blesses herself and say, thank God. It’s always good when a wedding is over and no one’s incarcerated. Ned says he’s just glad when a wedding happens at all, and Anna says, it was lovely. Congratulations. Thank you. They all say, goodnight, and Ned and Olivia continue on. Anna’s phone rings, and she says, Devane… Where’s Brennan now?… Okay. She’s on her way.

Michael asks if they can give Josslyn a lift, but she says, no. She thinks she’s okay actually. Thank you though. Michael says, is she sure… Willow says she’s sure Joss can make her own arrangements, and Josslyn smiles. Michael says, why should she… and Willow says, okay. They’re leaving. Have a fun rest of her night. Josslyn thanks her and says, them too, and they leave.

Sonny throws Dex up against the wall and punches him again, Dex’s face already bloody. Dex doesn’t fight back, but puts his hands up defensively, and Sonny throws him to the floor. Sonny says, you know what I do to traitors? and kicks Dex in the stomach as he’s trying to get up. Come on. Jason races in and grabs Sonny from behind. Sonny says, let go of him, but Jason says, no and tells Dex, get out of here. Sonny says he’s going to kill them both. They’re both dead to him. He’s going to put a gun to their heads. Kristina comes in and drops the plates of cake she’s holding. She and Sonny lock eyes.

On Monday, Chase says, whatever his beautiful wife wants; Gregory wants to clear the air about something with Finn; Anna says, Brennan is never more dangerous than when he appears harmless; and Blaze asks if Kristina wants to go to the hospital. She’d better not lose this baby because of Sonny. I’ll never forgive him.

📜 You Are Cordially Invited…

Photos from the wedding.

https://soaps.sheknows.com/gallery/brook-lynn-chase-wedding-general-hospital-photos/

🦚 More For Days…

Peacock’s prices are going up.

💎 Let’s Talk About the Husband…

What is wrong with this woman? I think the only reason they’re still together is because Harry goes on solo camping trips a lot and seems to be on a camping trip in his head when he’s home.

🗽 Shady Apple…

I went to an online business seminar where Rebecca Minkoff was a speaker and I thought she was plenty interesting. She also offered great advice.

🍸 Life In VanderLand…

They’re just waiting for Ariana to cool down.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1401659/lisa-vanderpump-addresses-rumors-vanderpump-rules-is-canceled-amid-hiatus

The cast just wants a Reunion so they can snipe at each other about what they now know happened during the season. I watched a few episodes, then some shiny new shows caught my attention, but I’ll be back.

🩰 Short Answer: They Don’t Like You…

Probably no one would do it if she came. I understand about dance teachers being kind of mean, but they scream at you about things like your form. This woman got weirdly personal with everyone, like she was a teenager with issues.

🐉 Flying Dragon Airlines…

What’s up with House of the Dragon, Season 2.

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-emma-darcy-olivia-cooke-cover-story-8646032

https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-producers-reduced-episode-count-game-of-thrones-prequel/

More spinoffs of spinoffs.

https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/game-of-thrones-prequels-positive-updates-aegon-hedge-knight/

🩸 That’s What He Gets…

I saw this on Watch What Happens Live and it was too funny. That’ll teach him to lie.

https://ew.com/joe-manganiello-reveals-graphic-sex-filled-true-blood-fan-fiction-8644633

🔮 Defying Gravity…

This looks amazing.

https://ew.com/wicked-trailer-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-8648594

🧙🏻‍♀️ Which Witch Title…

WandaVision was great and I can’t wait to see this. Kathryn Hahn is so much fun. I’ve loved her since the Bad Moms films. Beginning September 18th.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/agatha-trailer-actual-title-wandavision-all-along

🐶 The Real Superhero…

I can’t with this dog. Now I love the Deadpool franchise even more.

https://extratv.com/2024/05/13/ryan-reynolds-on-being-inspired-by-his-kids-and-casting-dogpool-exclusive/

https://ew.com/movies/deadpool-3-dogpool-ryan-reynolds/

Dogpool AKA Peggy

🥠 Quotes of the Week

Roadie. Sounds like a BJ behind a gas station in a minivan. – Danielle Cabral, Real Housewives of New Jersey

I measure success by the difference I make in the lives of others and the positive changes I can bring to my community. – Catherine Montgomery

We’re flawed because we want so much more; we’re ruined, because when we get these things, we wish for what we had. – Don Draper (Jon Hamm), Mad Men

Dogs are a really amazing eye opener for us humans because their lives are compressed into such a short period, so we can see them go from puppyhood to adolescence to strong adulthood and then into their sunset years in 10 to 12 years. It really drives home the point of how finite all our lives are.  – John Grogan

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. – Albert Einstein

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

The difference between a dream and a goal is a timeline and an action plan. – Dr. Phil McGraw

That is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. And I’m Dennis Quaid and I’ve seen a lot of crazy sh*t.Dennis Quaid as himself, Strays

🎰 Can’t Hustle Me…

Come see me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and stupidity on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay welcoming newcomers (be it a job, a neighborhood, or your family), and stay not thinking about what happened when a wonderful time is being had right now.

February 23, 2023 – Dex Leaves Sonny’s Fate Up To Josslyn, Evil Twin, Vanna, Red Carpet Reunion, New Location, Have a Nice Trip, Life’s Not a Cabaret, Villains & Border

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sam and Dante arrive back home. She complains about the airplane air wreaking havoc on her skin, but he says she’s as beautiful as ever, and they kiss.

Cody counts out one hundred dollars to the desk sergeant, and says he thought if the parking meter was broken, it was free to park there. He looks at Heather as she’s steered through the room, and she says, got a problem? The desk sergeant tells him that Heather is a raving lunatic. He can’t wait until she’s transferred to Pentenville to await trial. Sasha walks in, and says she’s here to see Heather Webber.

Josslyn wakes up, and finds Dex looking at her. She asks what he’s thinking, and he says, how much he likes waking up next to her.

Brook says, Sonny has a new granddaughter. The whole family is raving about Baby Amelia. He says he’s only seen her through the window in the NICU and in pictures. That’s why he’s here. He’s wondering if she can help him.

Nina comes out of the hospital elevator, and hears Drew telling the reception nurse that he’s extended family. He was asked to fill out the paperwork now that Willow is gone. Nina asks what he means by Willow is gone.

Wiley welcomes Willow home, and Michael says, Wiley’s been a champ, helping get everything ready for his baby sister. Wiley says he can help Willow too, and opens the door for her. Carly is inside with the baby, and says, welcome home. Willow says, home, exactly where she wants to be.

Sonny says he and Michael are still fighting, and Brook says she’s sorry. He says, it doesn’t get any easier. There was a moment, before and after Amelia was born, when he thought he was getting through to Michael, but nothing’s changed. She says, it must be so awful for him, and he says he appreciates that, but he might have a lot of years to get through to Michael. Nina and Willow might only have a few weeks. So he needs to find a way to convince Willow to see her mother.

Wiley says, Amelia is really small, but Michael says, before he knows it, she’ll be sitting up, then crawling. Willow says, Amelia will need Wiley’s help, and he asks if he should show her how to crawl. Willow says, he could show her how it’s done, so she’ll have someone to copy. She didn’t have an older brother growing up. Amelia is lucky to have him. Michael thanks Carly for taking care of the kids, and she says, of course (🍷). Anything they need, she’s here for them. He says, what he needs is a miracle, but it doesn’t seem to be coming. Carly hugs him.

Drew says, Willow is gone, as in home to the Quartermaines, and Nina says she feared the worst. He says, she checked out this morning, and Michael took her home. He’s just there to finish up the paperwork. Nina asks if she won’t get better care and more aggressive treatment at GH, but he says, there’s nothing more the doctors can do without a bone marrow donor. She wanted to be home with Michael and the kids; enjoy them for as long as she can. She asks if Willow is giving up.

Josslyn thanks Dex for saying it first. Her feelings for him aren’t casual either; she’s never felt like this before. She says she doesn’t want it to stop, and they kiss.

Dante asks if Sam thinks it’s too early for champagne. Doesn’t she think they deserve it? They took the longest of longshots, and found out Ryan Chamberlain is Esme’s dad. She says, was. Thank God that freak is finally dead. He says, the Invader article made it sound like all hell broke loose on Spoon Island last night, and she says she thinks the best thing that came out of there is that Heather Webber is in police custody, and on her way back to where she belongs – D’Archam. Dante says he’s kicking himself a little for not picking up on things. They knew The Hook was a woman. Heather’s escaped from tons of facilities, and every time he’s talked to her, she was gloating like she knew something he didn’t. Sam says, don’t do that. That’s Heather’s M.O. She likes to torment people she thinks have wronged her. He says, no wonder they both ended up on Heather’s hit list, but Sam says she’s too tired for irony. She wants to shower off the past 48 hours. He asks if she wants company, and she says, now that he mentions it, there’s a spot on her back she can’t reach. He says he can, and they run upstairs.

The desk sergeant asks if Sasha is Heather’s lawyer, and she says, yes. She needs to confer with her client. He says he’ll have Heather brought up from the cells, and leaves. Cody asks if Sasha knows what she’s doing, and she says, absolutely. That murderer killed her husband, and Sasha is going to see Heather is brought to justice.

Carly says, Baby Amelia’s been fed, changed, and she’s fast asleep, and Wiley says, she sleeps a lot. Michael says, sleep is good for babies. It’s good for all kids, Wiley included; it helps you grow. Wiley asks if Willow is growing too, because she sleeps a lot, and Willow says she was very tired when Baby Amelia was in her tummy. Wiley says, Baby Amelia is born now, and asks if Willow will be able to play with him again.

Sonny says, Carly didn’t tell Nina that she and Willow were mother and daughter; they wasted months when they could have worked toward a reconciliation. Brook says, it must be tearing him up, watching Nina go through this, and he says, all Nina wants is to be a mother. Nina’s not perfect. Nobody’s perfect, but Nina wants the best for Willow. She even decided to donate her bone marrow for transplant. Brook says, that’s so generous and loving, but Sonny says, Willow doesn’t want to see her mother. Nina’s never even held her granddaughter, and he wants to fix that.

Drew says, Willow is terminal, and made a decision about how she wants to spend the time she’s got left, and Nina says she understands. But Willow has two small children who need her, and Willow grew up without her mother. So if there’s a chance to prolong her life at the hospital until they find another donor, Willow should take that chance. He says, she was aware that she had the option to stay at the hospital, and chose to go home, but by leaving, she’s not going against any medical advice. Nina asks if Willow and Michael got a second opinion, or a third opinion. What exactly did the specialist recommend? Drew says, there’s nothing else they can do, and Michael and Willow have accepted that together. She says, with Carly’s input no doubt.

There’s a knock at the door, and Sam runs down to answer. It’s Cody, who asks if Dante is there. He called, but Dante isn’t picking up. Dante comes down, and asks, what’s going on? Cody says, Sasha Corbin’s in trouble. He can’t help her, and he’s hoping Dante can.

Sasha waits in the interrogation room, fingering her wedding ring, when Bennett brings Heather in. Sasha says she’d like to confer with her client in private, and he asks if she’s sure. She says, the prisoner is in shackles, but she’ll yell if she needs his help. He pushes Heather into a chair, and says, good luck, but be sure to keep a taser handy. He leaves, and Heather says, Sasha’s her lawyer? She’s sorry, but she doesn’t remember hiring her. Was she court appointed? She could have easily forgotten. That happens sometimes. She finds herself in a prison cell with absolutely no idea how she got there. It’s really unsettling. She can forget days at a time.

Willow tells Wiley that she still has to take it easy for a while, and Michael says, they have to be extra careful of mom. Wiley says he’ll play quietly, so he can help her get well, but Michael says, he doesn’t have to be quiet all the time. He’ll take Wiley over to the house, because Olivia and Leo are making pizza, and Olivia loves when he helps roll out the dough. Wiley asks if Willow wants him to save some pizza for her, and she says, of course (🍷). She tells him that she loves him, and he says he loves her too, hugs her, and leaves with Michael. Willow starts to cry, saying, she didn’t know it would be this hard, and Carly puts her arm around Willow.

Nina tells Drew that Carly must love having Willow home on the Quartermaine estate, where Nina can’t have access to her own child. She can’t have a conversation with her, or even look at her. He says, Carly isn’t loving one aspect of this; nobody in the family is. She says, nobody else in his family went out of their way to keep her and Willow apart. Carly chose to lie and manipulate, and hide the fact she was Willow’s biological mother. Carly not only lied to her and Willow, she lied to Drew for months. She can’t believe he’d be okay with that.

Dex’s phone rings, and he says he has an update on the Pikeman shipment. The boss is doing family stuff, so he asked Dex to handle the prep. When the merchandise arrives at Pier 55, they need trucks ready to deliver it to the warehouse, store it for 48 hours, then deliver it to Pikeman’s buyers. This is heavy ordinance, so they’re going to need six trucks. Make sure they’re checked in advance. If anything breaks down, they’re all doing federal time. Josslyn comes into the room, and asks, what’s Pikeman, and how can it land him in federal prison?

Cody tells Dante that Sasha gained access by claiming to be her lawyer. He didn’t want to  bust her, and get her in any more trouble than she’s already been in. She’s a nice lady. She’s been through hell, and she’s just putting her life back together. From what he read about Heather, she’s going to run through Sasha like a buzzsaw running through tissue paper. Sam says, Heather Webber lives to play mind games. When she finds out Sasha is Brando’s widow, it could be brutal. Cody asks if there’s any way Dante could go to the station and run interference without exposing Sasha’s lie, and Dante says, yeah. He won’t be long. Sam tells him to take as long as he needs, and Dante leaves. Sam asks why Cody cares so much about Sasha, and he says he just doesn’t want her to be Heather Webber’s next casualty.

Sonny says he understands if Brook doesn’t want to be put in the middle, but she says she’s lost count of how much she owes him. She’d be happy to help any way she can. He says, she doesn’t owe him anything. He just knows Michael will listen to her, and if she could just tell Michael that he needs to talk to him… Michael walks in, and says, there’s no need. He’s already here. What did Sonny want to talk to him about?

Dex says, the less Josslyn knows about Pikeman, the better, but she says, it’s a little late for that. She already knows there’s a shipment at Pier 55 with heavy ordinance and six trucks. He says he should have been more careful, but she says she doesn’t want him to be careful around her. That’s how it was with her mom and Sonny. He went about his business, and she pretended not to know anything, when in reality, she knew quite a lot. He says, it must have been hard for her, and Josslyn says, it was; she did a lot of pretending. Josslyn doesn’t want to pretend with him. He said he’d be done working for Sonny in six months, but what’s the point if he’s arrested on federal charges? He says he won’t be. Sonny’s the one who’s going to be arrested on federal charges.

Willow tells Carly, when she was at the hospital, all she could  think about was getting home, and it’s so good to be here, but is it good for her kids, when she’s so weak and only getting weaker? Carly thinks the answer is written all over Wiley’s face; he’s thrilled to have her home. Willow says, but he thinks she’s going to get better. She and Michael are letting him think that, and it’s a lie. How much longer can they keep lying to their child?

Drew tells Nina that he’s not okay with what Carly did. He made that very clear to her, but they’re members of the same extended family; they’re both related to Michael and Willow. She says, they seem very close these days, and he says, the whole family is rallying around Willow right now. Nina says she’d like to rally around Willow too, but thanks to Carly, she can’t even be near Willow, or have any chance of a relationship with her child. Drew says he’s sorry Willow doesn’t want to see her right now. He can’t imagine how painful that is, but Nina has no one to blame but herself.

Sam tells Cody that the coffee is probably strong; she’s fighting off jet-lag. He thanks her for the warning and the coffee, and says he’s surprised she didn’t show him the door after Dante left. She says, a couple of months ago, she may have done that. After making an entrance by parachuting into the pool at the MetroCourt hotel, he was sort of running one con after another, never saying why he was in Port Charles in the first place. Then he blackmailed Spinelli to set him up with Britt through Society Set-Ups, and he does have sealed juvenile arrest record. But ever since Britt died, he’s shown that he obviously cared about Britt a lot, and she appreciates him showing concern for Sasha. What she’s trying to say is, maybe she misjudged him.

Heather tells Sasha that she has the vaguest memory of Ryan Chamberlain dragging her and her daughter away from Spring Ridge. Ryan is terrifying. Every time she was with him, she would lose time for hours afterwards. Sometimes she thinks he was trying to hypnotize her.

Dante asks Bennett if Heather is with her lawyer, and Bennett tells Dante that they’re in the interrogation room. The lawyer wanted privacy. If it’s any consolation, the prisoner is still in shackles. Dante says, that’s not going to stop her from getting in the lawyer’s head, and goes into the room. He asks how it’s going, and Sasha says, the prisoner just gave her a demonstration of how she plans to fake insanity for The Hook killings.

Willow tells Carly that she and Michael had the perfect opening just now. When Wiley brought up how much she sleeps, they could have told him that she was sick, and that she won’t get well; that she’s going to die soon. Carly says, it’s a really difficult conversation to have with anyone, especially a child; her child. She thinks Wiley is too young to understand the concept of death. It’s okay if Willow didn’t want to tell him on her first morning home. Willow says she’s been reading all the literature about it, and knows they have to explain this to him, but when she thinks of actually saying the words, her mind goes blank. How does she tell her little boy that she’s going to leave him forever, and it didn’t have to be that way?

Dex says he’s working on the Pikeman shipment in order to get evidence on Sonny, and Josslyn asks if he’s a cop, or an undercover Fed. He says, nothing like that. He’s not law enforcement, and doesn’t work for any official authority. She asks if anything he’s told her about himself is true, and he says, everything. He’s ex-military. He did a tour of Afghanistan; he joined right after high school. What he didn’t tell her is, after the military, he went to work for a private security contractor. That’s who set him up with his current employer.

Sasha gets up, and says, Heather is a kidnapper, a murderer, a vicious maniac. She should have never been given life without parole. Truthfully, she should have been given the death penalty 30 years ago, but she repeatedly exploits her mental illness. She gets herself committed rather than going to prison, then somehow gains her release, either by escape or by manipulating the legal system. Dante says, there are plenty of loopholes in the system, and Heather’s a master at working her way through them. Sasha says, this time will be different. This time, she’ll be a witness for the prosecution, and she’s going to take Heather down for good.

Willow says she had the option to get treatment as soon as she was diagnosed, and Carly asks if it was a real option. Willow says, not for her. She would have had to terminate the pregnancy because of the damage the chemo would do to the fetus. It was unthinkable. She convinced herself that she could wait; that she could have a healthy baby and still recover from leukemia. She was half right; Amelia is healthy. Now she’s going to die and leave Wiley, which means she put Amelia ahead of her little boy. Carly says, Willow made a choice that was right for her as a mother. She gave her daughter the best chance at life, and put her own life at risk to do that. She may be leaving Wiley, but she’s also leaving behind the gift of a baby sister. She did the best she could for both her children. She’s got to stop blaming herself. Willow says she’s afraid. She loves Michael and her children so much. She doesn’t want to leave them. She cries in Carly’s arms.

Drew says, Nina and Willow are estranged, not because of anything Carly did, but because of what Nina did. Nina alienated her for years. She sued Willow and Michael for visitation rights to Wiley. Nina asks if it’s a crime for her to want to see her grandson, and he says, it’s the way she went about it that hurt Willow. And if Willow doesn’t want to spend time with her, that’s her right. She says, that all changed when she found out Willow was her daughter, but Drew says, Nina changed; Willow didn’t change. Nina says, yes, but if they had known when they were supposed to know the truth, Willow would have come to her for a bone marrow donation a lot sooner, and they would have had all this time to work out their differences and reconcile. He says, yes. Carly should have told Willow that Nina was her mother, and left the decision up to Willow whether or not to tell her. Nina says, but instead, Carly chose to lie to both of them, and Drew says, it’s not the same thing. Carly owed Willow the truth; she didn’t owe Nina anything. She says, wow. Drew is as self-righteous and unfeeling as Carly. She sees it now. And when payback comes, he’ll be just as deserving. She walks away.

Sonny says, Nina went to the hospital to try and visit Willow, and Michael says he brought Willow home this morning. Sonny says, there’s no hope for treatment? and Michael says, they’re still waiting for a donor, but they’re running out of time. Sonny says, then it’s important for Nina and Willow to connect. Is there any way Michael can persuade Willow to see her mother? Michael says, he can’t do that, and Sonny says, or he won’t because Michael’s still holding a grudge against him and Nina? Michael says, this isn’t about Sonny or Nina; this is about Willow. She’s dying. She gets to spend her last days the way she wants, not trying to make Nina feel better. Sonny says he’s done everything to reach Michael; he’s done. If Michael can’t have any compassion for Nina, even when her child is dying, then what happens next is on his head. Sonny walks out.

Josslyn asks who Dex is working for, and she doesn’t mean the private contractor. Dex flashes back to Michael saying he wanted to take Sonny down, but not at the expense of his mom or sister. He’d rather blow this whole operation up than put his sister at risk, and Dex needs to find a way to keep Josslyn at a distance. Dex tells Josslyn that he’s sorry, but that’s the one thing he can’t tell her; not until it’s over. She asks when that will be. He was beaten and tortured. Isn’t that incriminating enough to finish the job? He says, the Pikeman shipment is on a whole other level; he’s talking federal charges, potential violations of the National Security Act. When he gets the proof, and turns it over to his employer, and his employer turns it over to the Feds, Sonny’s going away forever… Isn’t that what she wants? Hating Sonny and punishing him for the rest of his life are two different things. If she wants, he’ll tell his employer that he’s out, before the Pikeman shipment ever lands. She says, and Sonny will be in the clear? and he says, it’s up to her. Whatever she wants.

Sam asks if Cody has heard of the Ice Princess, and he says, only in reference to the necklace, but no specifics. Why? She says, at one time, it was the world’s largest uncut diamond, and it belonged to her grandfather Mikkos Cassadine. He says he heard she was related to the Cassadines somehow, and she says she’s never been a particularly suspicious person, but when she found out that the diamonds in Britt’s necklace were part of the Ice Princess, she saw all these flashing lights and there were chills up her spine. Nothing but misery has ever come out of that diamond. He says he wishes he could blame all his failures on some cursed diamond, but he only has himself to blame for his mistakes with Britt. He let his greed get the better of him. She says, that’s very big of him, and he says, shocker, but greed gets the best of him over and over. She says, greed caused her to make a lot of bad decisions, but she just stopped, and he asks, how? She says she guesses she just realized there were more valuable things to chase. If she could figure that out, he could too. He says, here’s hoping, and thanks her for the coffee. She says, of course (🍷), and he leaves. In the hallway, Cody looks at Mac’s number in his phone.

Heather wails that she hasn’t done anything. All she wants is to see her daughter. Her daughter was having a baby, and they ripped her away. Ryan Chamberlain was threatening her… Sasha says she’ll give it to Heather; that’s a compelling act. But she can be compelling too. She was with Brando at Charlie’s in his last moments, before he followed Josslyn into that alley, and Heather callously, brutally murdered him. Heather says she doesn’t even know anyone named Brando, but Sasha says, the jury will know him. She’ll tell them. She was eating pie when he left. Their last kiss tasted like cherries. She’ll testify to Brando’s frame of mind, his courage, his kindness. She’ll make the jury feel the terrible injustice of her husband’s murder. Heather’s poor pitiful lunatic act won’t stand a chance against her grieving widow. And she won’t stop in the courtroom. She’ll try Heather in the court of public opinion. She’ll go on podcasts, talk shows, anyone who will give her a platform, and she will crusade about the loopholes in the legal system that allowed a psychopath like Heather to rampage through Port Charles, when she should have been stopped decades ago. She’ll do whatever it takes to see Heather is guilty on all counts of multiple murders, with consecutive life sentences. Heather will spend the rest of her days in solitary in Pentenville where she belongs. Dante says, while he looks forward to Sasha’s testimony, this interview is over. Sasha leaves through the side door, and Heather says, just the two of us, huh? He says, yeah, and she says, good. She wants to confess.

Tomorrow, Scotty says he’s about to make Robert’s life a whole lot easier; Sonny tells Spencer that he can’t fix Esme; and Heather visits Esme in the hospital.

⚰️ Dead Again…

In case you didn’t know Ryan. He has a tendency to bounce back. I fully expect him to reappear down the road, and say the dead guy was his and Doc’s triplet.

💞 Conscious Coupling…

Everyone seems to be on board with these two. I’ve been hoping for this pairing since Anna was with Finn and they had zero chemistry.

👩‍👧 Mother and Daughter Reunion…

Life outside of Port Charles.

🦚 DOOL Move…

You’ll have to pay Peacock to see Days of Our Lives, but the plans are pretty cheap.

🤸‍♀️ Tumbling Marks…

I’m not quite sure what happened here, but it’s definitely amusing.

🗽 No Jovani For You…

Nobody likes a mean drunk. The poor Countess though. Not her week.

⚔️ Conflicted…

As much as Jax is the most awful human being on earth and I despise him, I might have to watch this.

🌷 Calling Doctor Spring…

Come dig into tomorrow’s cornucopia of soap, tea, citations, and February appropriate music. Until then, stay safe, stay cultivating common sense, and stay not being self-righteous and unfeeling, or when payback comes, you’ll be deserving.