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Aug10

August 9, 2023 – Gregory Takes Alexis Hatchet Throwing, Lots Of Concern About Shannon In the OC & All

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis looks at a headline on her computer: Senator Wilkins Acquitted On All Counts. She says she can’t believe it. That son of a… He got away with it. Gregory asks what she’s talking about, and she says, look at this, and reads him the headline. He asks how that’s even possible. He was caught red-handed. She says, that’s because he has good lawyers. No. He’s got clever lawyers. He’s got expensive lawyers because he can afford to pay for them. This makes her so freakin’ mad. It’s the height of injustice. He says, not to mention inept prosecutors, and she says, right. They were so sure they were going to win. He says, they underestimated the opposition, and she says, this makes her so mad. She just wants to break something. He says, why doesn’t she?

There’s a knock at Olivia’s office door, and she says, come in. Carly says she hopes it’s okay she dropped by. Trish said Olivia was working late. Olivia asks what she can do for Carly, and Carly says, it’s so weird, being in her old office. She’s surprised Nina hasn’t taken it over. Olivia says she’d never let that happen, and Carly thanks her. She heard about everything going on since Ned left the hospital, and she wants to say she’s so sorry. Nina comes to the door, and Carly says she wouldn’t wish that on her worst enemy. Nina clears her throat, getting their attention.

Curtis is glued to his phone, when Marshall comes in. Marshall asks how it’s going, and Curtis says, whatever Marshall does, don’t ask how he’s doing. Marshall says, of course (🍷), but if Curtis changes his mind and decides he wants to tell him, he wants to know. One thing he knows without Curtis telling him is, time drags in the hospital. Curtis says, yes it does. He couldn’t even watch the big fight tonight because he couldn’t stand to watch those athletes in peak physical condition, or even the audience, all active and energetic, while he sits here doing nothing. Marshall says, maybe he should stop thinking about what he can’t do and start focusing on what he can do. Curtis says, like what? and Marshall takes out a deck of cards, tosses it on the tray, and taps the box.

Portia flashes back to telling Curtis that they’re in this together, no matter what the odds are and no matter what life throws their way. Trina comes in, and Portia says, she’s home. Trina asks if it’s okay, and Portia says, of course (🍷). It’s more than okay. It’s the best news she’s had in a long time. She hugs Trina, and Spencer walks in with a load of bags.

Jordan finds Dante in the interrogation room, working on his laptop, and asks what he’s doing in there. He says, it gets a little noisy in the squad room, so he thought he’d come in here and try to focus. Jordan asks what he’s working on, and he says he thought she hung up her Commissioner badge for the Deputy Mayor spot. She says she did, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be curious about something.

Sonny tells Donna that he liked the movie, and she says, her too. He says, now she has to brush her teeth and go to bed. She asks if she can’t stay up with him, and he says, all right. Five more minutes. She says, yay! and he puts the TV back on.

Olivia asks what she can help Nina with, and Nina says she just wanted to thank Olivia for this morning… But they can talk about it another time. Goodnight. Olivia says, goodnight, and Nina leaves. Carly asks what that was about, and Olivia says, she met with Nina to plan the wedding.

Alexis tells Gregory, it’s not that breaking this or that, or sweeping her arm across the whole desk (I’ve always wanted to do that) wouldn’t feel cathartic, and she wants to. But then her office would be all messy, and she’d be the one who has to clean it up (that’s what stops me too). So she’s not going to break anything. So she’s just going to walk away and not read another word about that miserable senator that’s making her crazy. Gregory says, she took his suggestion way too literally. He wasn’t suggesting she destroy her office. He has a much better idea.

Gregory and Alexis walk into the hatchet throwing range, and Alexis says, ax throwing? Doesn’t he think it’s a bit violent? He says, it’s not violent; it’s a sport. He’s guessing it’s going to be cathartic in getting out her frustration. She asks if he’s done this before, and he says, no, but his sons have. Anytime Finn and Chase agree on something, he has to give it a try. They say it’s very satisfying. Besides, it’s something on his bucket list. She says, he has a bucket list? and he says, actually, he has two.

Sonny watches the fight, and says, great hit. He looks over at Donna sleeping on the couch, and calls Dante. He asks if Dante is watching the fight, but Dante says, no. He’s still at work. Sonny says, he’s missing out. Ferrari is killing him. Dante says, don’t tell him anything; he’s recording it. Sonny says he won’t spoil it for Dante. Why is he still at work? Dante says he’s just going through some cases, and Sonny says he’ll talk to Dante soon.

Dante tells Jordan, it was his dad, giving him an update on the fight, and she asks if he has any updates on the pool shooting, the one that paralyzed Curtis. (Like there’s more than one.) He says, nothing much. So far, they just have more questions than answers.

Curtis says, Marshall brought a deck of cards. No doubt to play Go Fish. He knows that’s a kids’ game. Marshall says, the way he remembers it, it was Curtis’s favorite game to play as a boy. That and checkers, although he wasn’t very clear on the rules. He had this tendency to always declare himself a winner, even when he wasn’t. Curtis says he doesn’t know about declaring himself the winner, but he sure loved jumping those pieces across the board. Marshall says, he sure did. According to Trina, there’s an app on his phone where he can play checkers. Of course (🍷) if you can’t pick up the pieces, what’s the point? Curtis says, exactly, and Marshall laughs. Curtis says he remembers when he was a kid, sitting across from Marshall and looking up at him, and Marshall laughing exactly like that. He loved hearing Marshall laugh, but what he loved more was spending time with him. Marshall says he’s sorry. He deprived them both of so many years. Curtis says, none of that matters now. What matters is, Marshall was there when he was a kid and he’s here now, and he couldn’t be any more grateful.

Spencer tells Portia, when Trina asked for his help moving back home, of course (🍷) he said yes, because he knew how much it would mean to Portia to have Trina living with her again. Portia tells Trina that she’s so sorry. She’s been using Trina’s room as extra storage while she was gone. So she’ll be sure to remove all those books and extra towels later. Trina says, it’s no big deal. She’ll move them right now. She’ll be right back. She goes upstairs, and Spencer says he’ll take this stuff up to Trina’s room, but Portia says, that won’t be necessary. She’ll take it from here.

Carly says, Olivia is planning Sonny and Nina’s wedding. Wow. She can’t believe they had the audacity to ask her to do that. Olivia says, they didn’t ask; she offered. And it’s not what Carly is thinking. She’s not doing it for Nina and Sonny. She’s doing it for herself. She needed a distraction. She has to get her head out of all things Quartermaine. She can’t stop obsessing over Ned. She looks at him and sees her husband. Then he opens his mouth… Carly says, and he’s Eddie Maine, and Olivia says, being in that house, her home, it’s unbearable. Carly says she’s so sorry, and Olivia says, luckily, Michael is taking care of all things Quartermaine and all things Aurora. And Leo. Somehow that kid is able to comprehend that Eddie isn’t his dad better than she can, but he still misses his dad. How can he not? And Tracy is trying to get Ned committed. Carly says, that’s so extreme, and Olivia says, ya think? And just when she thinks she’s getting somewhere, she turns her back and he completely disappears. Carly asks how she can help, and Olivia wonders how Carly can even offer that after the way she treated Carly.

Nina asks what Sonny is reading, and he says, the commentary on the fight he just watched. She says, he has a little smile on his face. She’s guessing his guy must have won. He says, it makes him kind of happy. It went down to the wire; it was a great fight. He hates when a fight is uneven, and the one guy just pounds on the other guy. He wants it to be more competitive, like a dance… She’s not interested in boxing, is she? She laughs and says, as a sport, no, not really, but anything that makes him so excited and makes him smile means a lot to her.

Dante says, the working theory on the pool shooting is that the target was either Anna or Sonny, and Jordan says, two different ends of the spectrum. One spent most of her life fighting crime, while the other spent most of his life a criminal. Dante says, here’s the thing. The gun that was used was traced back to a storage locker at a WSB facility in Berlin, but there’s no prints. They can’t trace the bullets or the shooter. She asks what the WSB is saying about the gun, and he tells her, they said it was a break in, a security breach, and they didn’t know how it happened. But there’s no leads, no suspects. She asks if he doesn’t find it odd they’re not showing more interest, especially given that Anna was a former agent for them. He says, yeah, but it sounds like the WSB is washing their hands of Anna Devane.

Curtis asks if Marshall has a two, but Marshall says, no. Go fish. Curtis takes a card from the pile, and asks, what’s up with Marshall’s band? Marshall asks if he’s got any eights, and Curtis hands him one. Marshall thanks him, and says, they played a couple of gigs around town, plus there’s a club in Brooklyn that’s showing some interest. Curtis says, sounds exciting, and Marshall says, it does, but he doesn’t think it’s a good time to leave town. Plus the owner of the club is lowballing them of course (🍷). Curtis says, if they’re lowballing him, why is he still considering it? and Marshall says, they can expose the band to a brand new audience. Curtis knows he can talk about the music business for hours, but why don’t they talk about what they’re both thinking. He’s wondering what’s going to happen to Curtis, and Curtis says, to be honest with Marshall, he’s wondering the same thing.

Alexis’s ax bounces off the target, and she takes off her jacket. Gregory is a natural, but she keeps trying, and there’s a song part. She finally hits the target, and dances around.

Sonny and Nina cuddle, and he asks, who gave her that ring? She says, this little thing? Just some guy who says he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He says, seems like a smart guy. He’s showing her how committed he is by putting a ring on it. Why was she late? Where was she? She says she wanted to stop by Olivia’s office and talk about wedding plans, but when she went there, Olivia was in her office with Carly.

Carly says, Olivia was in the middle of a crisis and snapped at her. She gets it. During some of the worst times of her life, Olivia’s been there for her, and she’s come to depend on Olivia’s friendship, so they’re good. Olivia says, that just makes her feel worse. She was so overwhelmed with worry that Ned wasn’t going to wake up; that she was going to be stuck forever with some middle-aged rocker, but that’s no excuse. Carly says she appreciates Olivia’s apology, but who else is she going to dump on? Tracy? She was terrified, and Carly’s tough. She can take it. Olivia says, but she shouldn’t have to, and Carly says, Olivia is her best friend and they’re always going to have each other’s back. She so appreciates that and she needs that. Besides, she comes with limitations. Olivia can make a lasagna and she can only make a simple casserole, but what she can do is promise Olivia that she’ll always be there for her no matter what. Olivia cries and hugs her.

Portia tells Spencer, this is always going to be Trina’s home, no matter what. No matter how old she gets. When Trina’s done with college, she’s always going to be here for Trina. So she’s more than capable of helping her move back in her room. He says, of course (🍷). He completely understands that. It’s just that Trina asked for his help moving back in, so he thinks she’s expecting him to stick around. She says she understands that, but since her husband is in the hospital, and he’s currently paralyzed, she’d kind of like some one-on-one time with her daughter. She doesn’t think he understands how much she worried about Trina, about her safety and security. He says his Uncle Victor is dead, so that threat is gone. She says she wishes the Cassadines were the only thing she needed to worry about though. Curtis was shot by a ricochet bullet at the MetroCourt pool of all places; a place they should all feel safe, right? And the police say, there’s a possibility the bullet that wounded her husband was meant for his other uncle, Sonny Corinthos.

Jordan says, right before the shot rang out, she remembers seeing Anna having a conversation with Dante’s dad. Does he have any idea what they were talking about? He says, they’ve known each other forever. They could have been talking about anything. Maybe she was filling Sonny in on what Robin’s up to or maybe she was telling Sonny what she’s going through with the WSB. Jordan asks how Anna’s handling that, and he says, honestly, he doesn’t think she’s doing very well. Who would be in that situation, going through what the WSB’s put her through? She’s been in law enforcement her entire life, and now she’s on the outside looking in. On top of that, she was the potential target in a shooting, and she can’t investigate it. She doesn’t have WSB resources anymore. He thinks she’s having a tough time, even though she says she’s handling it well. She says, Anna always insists she can handle anything, and he says, they’ve got to find that shooter. She says, if they need her, officially or unofficially, she wants to help.

Alexis says she’s feeling a lot less stress, and Gregory says he told her so. He’s about to throw an ax, but drops it, and says he needs to take a little break. She tells him, have a seat. She could use some water too. She tosses one more ax before heading for the table, and Gregory points at the target. She sees she’s gotten a bullseye, and says, look at that.

On the phone, Dante says he loves Sam too. He’ll see her soon. He picks up the file on the pool shooting and opens it.

Olivia asks if Carly remembers the day they met, and Carly says she does. It was here in the MetroCourt. Olivia was in town for Sonny and Kate’s wedding. She grew up with Sonny in Bensonhurst, and he ran into her and asked her to be the maid of honor for his fiancé Kate Howard. Olivia says, Kate Howard was not her real name, and she spilled all of Kate’s secrets that her real name was Connie Falconari and she was from Bensonhurst, not some snotty blueblood from Connecticut. She was from Bensonhurst, just like Olivia, and she used to talk just like Olivia. Carly laughs and says, that was fifteen years ago. Can she believe it? We flash back to Olivia and Carly’s friendship over the years. Olivia says she guesses they’ll always be connected through Sonny, but Carly says, she doesn’t give them enough credit. Sure, they’ll always have a connection through Sonny, but becoming Olivia’s friend is one of the best decisions she ever made. She really does value Olivia’s friendship. Olivia says, then be honest. Does it really not bother her that she’s helping Nina and Sonny plan the wedding?

Curtis tells Marshall, when he checks out of the hospital, he’s supposed to go to a rehab facility. He’s got to say, he’s dreading that. Marhsall asks, why? Aren’t they supposed to teach him how to get around and get on with his life? Curtis says, that’s just it. He feels like going to that rehab facility is like him announcing to the world that he’s given up hope of ever walking again, and that he’s accepted this is what his life is about; life in a wheelchair. Marshall says, just because Curtis learns to get around in a wheelchair doesn’t mean he has to stop hoping he can walk someday again. He knows Curtis and knows he’s a proud man, and he’s had a very active life. He feels Curtis’s frustration, but he’s here to remind him that he doesn’t have to go through this struggle alone. Curtis says he knows Portia is so determined to be with him to support him. Just seeing her reminds him of the life they’ll never have together. It just makes it worse. Geez, Curtis might as well go to rehab, since he sounds like he’s given up. There’s a knock at the door, and Jordan asks if she’s interrupting, or is this a good time for a visit?

Spencer tells Portia that he’s so incredibly sorry for what happened to Mr. Ashford, but as he understands it, the police aren’t sure who the intended target was. The last thing he wants to do is make Portia’s life more difficult. One thing he can promise her is that he’s nothing like his late Uncle Victor or his Uncle Sonny. She says, he’s not exactly a saint though, is he? and he says, that’s true. His track record is far from spotless, and he hopes he’s earned some redemption for what happened in Greenland. But beyond that, he wants her to know that he wants Trina to be safe and to be happy. So to make her night easier, he’s going to say goodbye to Trina and take off. She says, there’s no need for him to say goodbye in person. She can let Trina know he had t to take off. He says, okay then. Goodnight. He leaves, and Portia heads for the stairs with a suitcase. Trina is on her way downstairs, and asks, where’s Spencer? Portia says, he took off.

Alexis asks if Gregory is okay, and he says, mostly just embarrassed. She says, embarrassed? He’s an ax athlete. Tell her about his bucket list. He can only have one. He tells her, says who? and she tells him, says logic. Says common sense. You get one bucket list, which means you can keep adding on as much as you want, so you don’t need a second. She sees his hand shake, and asks if it’s getting worse. He says, every single day.

Marshall tells Curtis, don’t worry, as he gathers up the cards. He’ll be back tomorrow and Curtis can redeem himself. Curtis thanks him, and Marshall leaves. Jordan says, Go Fish? Really? She always thought he played higher stakes games. He says, Go Fish reminds his dad of when they played cards when he was a kid before he took off. So if it makes him smile, it makes Curtis smile. Jordan says she’s got it, and he says he knows people are on edge when they come to see him, because no one knows what to say. So if playing a kids’ card game puts his dad at ease… She says, that’s what he’s going to do. She sees that. He wants his dad to feel better. He says, except there’s not much he can do these days, so it’s nice to do the one thing he can, and she says, which is exactly why she’s here. She needs something from him.

Trina tells Portia that she wishes Spencer had stayed. They could have gotten everything to her room a lot faster. Portia says, Spencer is probably thinking about his baby brother, and Trina says, right. She knows how important Ace is to him. Portia says, besides that, it’s her and Trina. They manage pretty well, don’t they? It’s like old times, right? Trina says, that is the reason she decided to come home, and Portia asks what she means. Trina says she didn’t want Portia tackling the biggest job by herself. This house isn’t handicap accessible. So what’s the plan? Is she going to install ramps for a wheelchair? Hand grips in the bathroom? Maybe they should move to someplace that’s all one-level. She knows how much Portia loves the beach house, but is it really the best place for Curtis?

Sonny tells Nina, Port Charles is a big city in some ways, but in other ways, it’s a community. He and Carly share kids, and Nina is going to be running into her a lot, and he doesn’t want her to feel like she’s got to avoid Carly, especially in her own hotel. She says she doesn’t. She knows Olivia and Carly are really good friends, and she didn’t mean to interfere. She doesn’t want to make things more tense than they already are. Things are going really great between her and Olivia, and she doesn’t want to ruin it. Especially now, and specifically considering what she went to Olivia’s office to talk to her about. He asks what she went to Olivia’s office to talk to her about, and she says, their future. Specifically, setting their wedding date.

Gregory tells Alexis that he has a disease that’s making his world smaller and smaller, and day by day taking away his abilities, and making him more dependent on other people. Alexis says, he must be scared, but he says, no. Angry… No. Royally pissed off. But what good is being angry going to do him?It’s just using up more of what he doesn’t have – time. Time with his sons and his granddaughter, who brings him endless joy. Alexis says, how could she not? and he says his family life is still pretty good. He has great friends, like her. He started a second chapter career. But lately, he can’t stop thinking… no, obsessing about the inevitable. When he first started getting symptoms, he was able to ignore them for a while, until he couldn’t. Then he was diagnosed. At  one doctor’s appointment, in one moment, everything changed. Everything was taken away from him, and he doesn’t want to give it up. She goes around behind him and hugs him, and he cries. Me too.

Portia tells Trina that Curtis will be in a rehab facility for a month or so, so she has some time to make this place handicap accessible. And just to be perfectly transparent, he hasn’t even agreed to come back here after. Trina says she’s so sorry. It must be killing Portia. Portia says, intellectually, she knows what’s going on. She knows how patients deal with facing paralysis, but she believes this is the time you show up for the people you love. So she’s going to wait for him to get through this and let her in. She hopes he’s going to let Trina in too. Trina says she hopes she’s ready if he does, because she’s been feeling so sad and disconnected. Portia says she’s sure Curtis is feeling the exact same way. Trina knows ordinarily Curtis would love to spend time with her. Portia thinks he’s just facing the feelings of being paralyzed. Trina says she wanted to see him and she wanted to see Portia too. That’s the reason she came home, because she missed her mom. Portia says she missed Trina so much, and hugs her.

Curtis says, as Jordan can see, he’s not really in a position to be doing any favors, but she says, he might be able to help more than he thinks. She sits down and says she doesn’t know if he remembers, but she was at the MetroCourt pool with Zeke and Portia the night he got shot. He says he remembers, and she says, the police believe either Sonny Corinthos or Anna Devane was the intended target of the shooter. Has anything come back to him about the shooting? Any details or observations that could help them track down the shooter? He asks how she’s investigating the shooting. Isn’t she the new Deputy Mayor? She says she is, and she’s doing her best, but what can she say? Once a cop, always a cop. Besides, she has a personal stake in his case. Obviously, he does too, so if anything comes back to him… Any memory, any sound, anything at all, please let her know. He says he can do that.

Gregory tells Alexis that he knows he keeps saying he doesn’t want to tell his sons about his ALS. It’s because they’d look at him differently, and he wants their time together to be special. But lately, these symptoms are getting worse. He finds himself canceling, avoiding them. While his bucket list is getting longer, he’s opting out of it. Not just the bucket list, but day to day stuff, like hiking with Chase, breakfast with Finn and Violet, because he’s so scared that he’s going to have some symptom he can’t hide or explain away. She says, how about if he just starts with Finn? He’s a doctor. Finn can help him. Gregory says, he’s been through so much already. He doesn’t want to be a burden to Finn. She says, he just told her that he wants to enjoy his life for as long as he can. So do it.

Nina says, when Sonny was talking to Brick, she was talking to Olivia about wedding plans, and she quickly realized they can’t make wedding plans without setting a wedding date. He says he already told her that he loves her, and he wants her to have the perfect wedding of her dreams. But he wants to be perfectly clear. He’ll go to a courthouse to marry her. He’ll go to Vegas and marry her. He just wants her to know he’s committed and serious about marrying her. They kiss, and he says, but they’ve got to pick a date tomorrow. They kiss some more.

Carly says she knows Olivia loves Sonny and wants him to be happy, so of course (🍷) she’s going to support him. Like she said, it’s more about distracting her from the Eddie Maine situation, so yeah, she understands that. Olivia says she really appreciates that, and Carly says, that doesn’t mean she has to like it, but she can learn to live with it. Besides, she has so much going on right now. Olivia asks, how is Drew? and Carly says, he’s okay given the situation. She’s just so worried about him, and she feels so frustrated because there’s nothing she can do except visit him… Does Olivia want to get out of here? Olivia says, sure. Where does Carly want to go? Carly says, you’ll see, and gets up. Olivia follows her out.

Tomorrow, Portia asks if Marshall doesn’t think Curtis should move back home; Curtis says he’s guessing someone isn’t visiting him for medical reasons; Sam thinks she has a solution for Maxie; and Trina needs someone’s help.

The Real Not-So-Hot Messes Housewives of Orange County

We see a lot of clips with the women with their pets. I love Fancy Pants’ dogs, and take comfort in the fact that I’m sure they poop on her floor. Emily bathes a chihuahua like mine, and I love him too.

Tamra says, closing the gym was exhausting. She wants Eddie to enjoy life, but him not having a place to go every day is getting on her nerves. He eats all day, and his chewing drives her nuts. They’ve opened an office closer to their house, and she doesn’t care what he does in it, as long as he goes there. She tells him about co-hosing the theme party with Jenn where each of the women comes as another.

Gina and Fancy Pants meet to pick out pumpkins, and Gina says she misses New York in the fall, which I totally get. Fancy Pants tells Gina that Jenn said Shannon is poking around in Gina’s relationship. Gina says, Shannon has no problem poking in other people’s relationships, but never wants them to talk about John. She tells Gina about her problems, then gets pissed when Gina voices concern. She asks if Fancy Pants doesn’t have concerns, but Fancy Pants says she doesn’t want to get involved. In Gina’s interview, she says, Fancy Pants got nervous and is pumping the breaks. Gina says, it feels like Shannon needs to talk about someone because she doesn’t want to talk about herself, and she doesn’t like it.

Jenn meets a friend named Taylor, but not that one. Taylor grilled Ryan on getting married, and he said it revolved around the timing of Jenn’s divorce. In Jenn’s interview, she says she needs someone who loves and knows her to give their opinion. She’s starting to question what she wants. Taylor asks what she’s looking for and if she’s worried something is going to come out after she’s got the ring. In her interview, Jenn says her divorce is complicated, since her ex works for the family business, the family wants to divorce him from his job too. Jenn tells Taylor that she doesn’t have to be married, but Ryan thinks it might be self-sabotage. She doesn’t want to be part of a second failed marriage, and tells Taylor that she’s happy the way things are.

Everyone gets their makeup done for the party, and while Tamra, gets done up as Fancy Pants, she blabs to the makeup guy about Fancy Pants and Shannon. Shannon’s daughter doesn’t know what pantyhose are, and I wonder if they still make them. Vicki meets Shannon beforehand and insists on dressing like herself. In Shannon’s interview, she says she knows she’s in for some crazy fun. Vicki is dating someone, but says she’s skittish. She had 18 things on her future man list, and he hit all 18. Gina hopes whoever does her, does current Gina, but she has the feeling they won’t. Shannon is doing Gina, and she’s right. Vicki asks who Shannon is budsy-wudsy with, and Shannon says, Emily is fun. But everyone is chipping in on her relationship. Ha-ha! That sounds like they’re taking bets. In her interview, Shannon says she’s had conversations with Heather about normal relationship issues, and Heather is blowing it out of proportion. I have the feeling Shannon gets drunk after a fight with John and makes emotional drunk phone calls. When she sobers up and cools off, she’s like, it was no big deal, even though she made it a big deal to her friends, and gets mad when they’re concerned about that. Maybe I’m mean, but this is the kind of so-called friend I’d distance myself from, and have.

Tamra toddles to Jenn’s door in her Fancy Pants outfit, and shoots off a money gun as Jenn gets her makeup done as Taylor, yes that one. In Jenn’s interview, she says she and Tamra are rebuilding their friendship, but she’s keeping an eye on Tamra’s tequila intake. Gina arrives as Emily, and in Emily’s interview, she says she’s impressed. Gina nailed it, except for the boobs. Heather joins the group as Jenn, and in her interview, she says she would never buy a money gun; it’s déclassé. Taylor arrives as Tamra, but in Tamra’s interview, she says, Taylor could have just worn a sign that said a-hole and it would have looked more like her. She’s disappointed. Taylor thinks Jenn did a great job, even carrying Smudge the Cat from the meme of Taylor. In Gina’s interview, she says she’s not surprised Shannon chose a version of her at her worst, but she doesn’t think Shannon could pull off current version anyway. Vicki comes as herself, lugging a keg, and immediately does a keg stand, but she can’t drink upside down and it comes right back. Shannon is next and it just looks rude. Tamra says she’s slutty Heather, and in her interview, Fancy says, apparently dressing up like Heather doesn’t mean you act like Heather. The buffet looks like a farmers market charcuterie board; definite food porn. Emily tells Gina that she opened up to Shannon, but Shannon won’t open up, and they agree Shannon keeps asking for help, but then won’t take it. Hint: What Shannon is looking for is attention and them to agree with her. And if you give her A, she’ll want B, and vice versa.

Shannon announces that she’s having an outdoor super casual event, which is what you do when you’re at someone else’s event. It’s also game night, and they play Do or Drink, and as usual it’s all sexual stuff I don’t want to know about. I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about their proclivities or see them. In her interview, Shannon is offended by Emily’s interpretation of her hand gesturing, but it’s actually pretty accurate and funny. In Emily’s interview, she says, when she heard game night, she thought Monopoly and Twister, not getting her nipple licked, but she’s not mad about it. Shannon wants to talk to Fancy Pants on the side, and tells her that she’s been hearing from Emily, Gina, and Tamra that Fancy Pants is saying her relationship is bad. At the table, Emily says, Shannon likes to tell them about John, and she gets that Shannon wants to protect him, but it gets to the point where it’s unfair. Fancy Pants insists she’s neutral about Shannon and John, and in her interview, she says, Tamra is trying to drum up allegations that she can’t keep a secret. And Shannon is more concerned about who’s talking about her relationship than her actual relationship. In her interview, Shannon says she never cared about someone so much and she doesn’t want to lose that. Fancy Pants says, some of the girls are concerned about Shannon not having a good relationship and hiding it. Shannon says she thought she could share private information with Fancy Pants, now the girls are talking, but Fancy Pants refuses to be held to the fire for something she didn’t do. Tamra polls the table about who Fancy Pants talked to, and bat-eared Fancy Pants asks why she’s whispering.

Tamra asks if Fancy Pants talked with Emily and Gina about Shannon’s relationship, and Fancy Pants asks if they all talked about it. Shannon says she’s not doing this in the group, and Emily says, Fancy Pants can’t blame it on them. In Emily’s interview, she says, Fancy Pants is trying to deflect, but this whole thing began with her talking about what Shannon shared with her. Gina says, Shannon expressed concern about her and Travis, so why is she upset about Fancy Pants’ concern? Shannon yells that they owe her boyfriend an apology, and Gina says, they’re just concerned. WOTD. Shannon says, nobody knows anything about her relationship, and screeches that she’s never been more in love and has never hurt more when they’re not in a good spot. Emily says, they’re all concerned, and in Shannon’s interview, she wonders if she’s  being ambushed. She says, they’re exaggerating, and tells them to enjoy talking about her and walks out. In Jenn’s interview, she says she’s seen Shannon and John together and they seem happy. Bless them for trying to avoid the group. Fancy Pants says, apparently she’s a Machiavellian terrible person who manipulates everyone. After quickly looking up Machiavellian, Tamra wonders why she’s being brought into this when she hasn’t said anything, and Fancy Pants says, they’ve all talked. Shannon says she’s never told Emily anything bad about her relationship, but Emily says, Shannon’s told her a lot of things, like when they were at Javier’s. Shannon puts her thinking cap on, but says she doesn’t remember. In Emily’s interview, she says, from what Shannon has told her, she doesn’t feel like John is invested in the relationship and she thinks Shannon is wasting her time when she can do better. In Fancy Pants’ interview, she gives a long list of what’s wrong with John, like Shannon pays for everything, and they always stay at her house. But she doesn’t want to talk about it. Shannon says, they’re influencing where her relationship goes. He’s done. She doesn’t know how she’s going to talk to him. Vicki comes out, but Shannon wants to leave. She tells them to give themselves a pat on the back. Her relationship is over. Good Lord. Can we have more drama? In her interview, Emily says, Shannon is trying to maintain a relationship in public that’s solid, perfect, and amazing. Shannon has said John called her names, and said she was fat and unattractive. It makes Emily’s heart hurt just to say it. At the table, Emily cries and says she’s worked hard to be friends with Shannon. In her interview, she says she’s sure Shannon’s pissed and thinks she was betrayed. But at the end of the day, who be there? John or them? She puts her money on them. She tells Fancy Pants that all she is, is concerned. I dunno. If you have to work to be friends with someone, that’s a job, not a friendship.

Shannon goes on and on about how few times she’s talked to anyone about John, and Tamra asks if Fancy Pants is lying. Shannon says, things are going around online about Fancy Pants and her husband, and in her interview, Fancy Pants says, just because Shannon’s relationship is no beuno, don’t come for hers with ridiculous sources online. Shannon yells that she doesn’t have affairs and bad sh*t. They have arguments that paralyze her. By this time, she’s outside, and tells production to stop the cameras. She’s not a crazy person. Even though no one suggested she was.🤔Vicki and Tamra follow her, and in Vicki’s interview, she says she doesn’t know John, but she knows Shannon wants her relationship to work. When people talk, it causes Shannon to have doubts. Let her figure it out. Wow. Vicki, the voice of reason. This is one way reality TV never ceases to surprise me. Sometimes wisdom is in the last place you look. Shannon is still ranting, screeching that she called them one time in 2020. Her hands go all over the place, and she says, they have normal fights, but they paralyze her. Everyone’s outside by now, and Jenn’s smoke alarm goes off, but no one seems too concerned, which is funny considering how many times that word has been used. Gina wonders if Shannon burned the house down. In Shannon’s interview, she says, they don’t know John, but they all have opinions and comments. Inside again, Fancy Pants tells Emily that she threw her under bus. If she wanted to spread sh*t, she’d spread sh*t. But she doesn’t do that. Emily is just looking for reasons to be pissed with her, and she doesn’t like it. We flash back to Emily reading Fancy Pants a few times, but she’s not wrong. Gina says, everyone violated the vault, but Shannon needs to take responsibility for her own sh*t. Outside, Vicki wants to know, who wants to whoop it up? and Shannon says, it’s a f***ing spectacle.  

My read. Oh yeah. Shannon likes to blast John when she’s had one too many and Heather is nothing but a big gossip. Gina, Jenn, Taylor, and oddly enough, Tamra, are blameless, and Emily is genuinely concerned. Again, in a total surprise twist, Vicki is the sage one.

Next time, too much tequila; Fancy Pants and Terry close on the penthouse; Gina says, Shannon was mean; Fancy Pants says, Shannon doesn’t remember that she tells lots of people lots of things; John tells Shannon, people need to STFU; Emily says, Shannon is two different people; and Shannon says she’s out. This is not what she signed up for. I’ll bet it is. She just doesn’t remember.

🍃 Blowing Through the Jasmine In My Mind…

Breeze on in tomorrow for soap and a spot or two of tea. Until then, stay safe, stay using your turn signal (didn’t they teach that in driver’s ed?), and stay not being angry. It only uses up more of your time.

Oct18

October 17, 2021 – Strand Leaves His Tower, Some Friends Are Reunited, Turning Over a Bad Leaf, Finale Talk & Wolf

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

In the aftermath of the bombs, a zombie crawls through the wasteland. A man in protective gear and mask stabs it in the head, and goes through its backpack, taking out some cans of food. He checks for radiation, and it’s off the charts. He considers a dead possum nearby, but decides against it. He looks dejected, but keeps walking. He goes inside a van, turns on a light, takes off his mask, and lies down.

The man gets back in his gear, and comes out of the van. He goes to a swampy area, and puts an X on a paper that has a grid with other Xs on it. He travels through the wasteland, and a few zombies toddle along. He waits as one approaches.

Back at the van. he peeks outside, seeing wandering zombies. Some people run out, and he draws his gun and listens.

He comes out again, and sees more zombies. He seems tired, and draws his knife.

The man walks along a path to a lighthouse, and goes inside. He hears a zombie, and sees it at the top of the stairs by the beacon. He goes up, and puts it out of its misery. He looks around, but there’s nothing worth taking. He goes back out, and back to where he’d seen the dead possum the day before. He roasts the roadkill in the woods, and cries. A zombie comes up behind him, but he does nothing, turning back to the fire. Someone shoots the zombie, and three people ride up on horses. One asks who the hell he is, and he asks if they’re the ones who have been stripping the dead. Another tells him, let’s go, but he runs. They shoot him, but not with a bullet.   

The man wakes, wondering where is, and several people in protective gear and masks strip him and hose him down, scrubbing him with brooms. Dressed again, they take him into an elevator. He asks, what hell is going on? Where are they taking him? He gets silence. The elevator door opens, and he runs, only to find a locked gate. He runs into the art studio Victor found last season, and grabs a sword. Victor says, magnificent, isn’t it? and holds a gun to the man’s head. He says, it belonged to a friend, and dates back to 1812. The man says he doesn’t want any trouble, and Victor laughs. He says, turn around slowly, and takes away the sword. The man asks, who the hell is he? and he says his name is Victor Strand, and who might he be?

A guy – Victor’s valet? – pours drinks, and serves the man a pasta dinner at a formal dining table that has a chandelier hanging above it. Howard has joined them, and Victor tells the man that he’s been given a meal and a drink. He asks, what’s in it for Victor? and Victor says he has some questions. The man dives into his food, and says, what’s that? Victor asks what his name is, and he says, Will. Victor asks what he did before, and Will says, before the dead were walking, or before they blew everything up? Victor says, both, and Will says he was a senator’s aid. Victor asks, which senator? and Will says, Elias Vasquez. Victor asks what Will did for him, and Will says, PR. Victor asks where Will came from, and Will says, originally, Oklahoma, but most recently he was at a settlement where they were protected from the blast. Victor asks who was with him, and Will says, the senator and a few other aids. Victor asked why Will wasn’t with them, and Will says, things went bad, and he wound up outside. Victor says, and the senator? and Will says, he didn’t make it. Victor asks how long Will has been outside, and Will says, 50 days, give or take. Victor asks what Will has seen and who he’s seen, but he says, not much, and Victor says, Will mentioned something about people stripping the dead. Will says he calls them stalkers. He saw them sneaking up on the dead. Victor asks why Will hasn’t figured out who they are, and Will says, there are no faces out there anymore; just masks. When was the last time Victor was outside? Victor says he has everything he needs there. Why should he? Let him show Will.   

Victor takes Will past a putting green, and tells the golfer, nice putt, Toby. Will asks where everything came from, and Victor says, department stores, homes, museums. His rangers scout out anything of value; anything worth preserving is there. They pass a yoga class, and Victor says the people were there before, and he brought them in and let them stay; they’re of value. Will asks what Victor means, and Howard says, Victor is asking the questions. Will looks at a wall of photos with memorial candles in front of it, and Victor says, they’re walkers his rangers encounter.  Even though they’re no longer walking, some have loved ones out there. Will asks if there’s anyone Victor is hoping to find, and Victor says he has everything he needs right there.

Victor says, everything Will sees there came after the destruction. The world gave them fire, ash, and devastation, but there they were given growth, vitality, and a new dawn. Everything he needed was there when he arrived, except Howard. They watched as the world was destroyed, and they thought it was the end. When the dust settled, they were still standing, as well as this place. Howard says, the weather patten took the fallout away from them, and Victor says, it’s the only inhabitable place for miles. They’re laying the foundation for a new civilization. Will asks, how? and Victor says, the same way he ended up there; instinct. He tells one of his people to bring Will’s things, and Will says, Victor is kicking him out? He answered Victor’s questions. Victor says Will’s not quite what he’s looking for. Take care, and good luck out there. Will’s things are thrown in front of him, and he says, please don’t do this. He won’t make it alone. Victor says, sorry, not sorry, and Will asks why Victor gave him the tour. Why go through the trouble? Victor says he wanted to share his vision. Will says he found this out there. It’s meant to help people carry heavy burdens. Victor needs it more than he does. He tosses Victor the St. Christopher medal Victor gave Alicia, and Howard says, let’s go. Victor says, stop. Where did he find this? He says he found it on one of the dead, and Victor says, don’t lie. Will says he’s not. He thought it would bring him good luck. Howard says, so much for that, and Victor tells Will to take him to where he found it. Maybe they can make a deal. Take him to where he found it, and help him find the owner. He can spare her the horrors of life out there, and he’ll let Will move in to his humble abode. Deal? Will nods, and Victor says, good. Give him his sword.

In the woods, Will says, the levels are low; they can take their masks off. Don’t worry. Almost all the zombies not killed in the blast, died from radiation. It’s not dangerous. Victor says, it’s not his first rodeo, and Will says he thought Victor hadn’t been out before this nightmare. Victor says, not this one. How much further? Will says, about a mile. Victor says he can see why Will had resistance to coming out, and Will says, it’s not spaghetti and scotch. Victor asks why Will didn’t return to the settlement, and Will says, Victor’s tower isn’t the only place he’s not welcome. His exit wasn’t by choice. He’s been trying to find a way to make it up ever since. Victor tells him, success is the best revenge. Don’t spend a moment trying to make it right. Focus on showing them how wrong they were. That’s how you win, and procure your place in the tower. He won’t remember his past. History is written by victims to assure them success. It begins to rain, and Will tells them to put their masks back on. He says, they won’t make it back to the tower, and Victor says, follow him, and they ride.    

They go to the underpass where Will’s van is, and Victor asks, what is this place? Will says, it’s been home for the last 50 days, and Victor says, cozy. One of his men takes pictures of the dead, and Victor looks at another body. Will asks what they’re really doing out here. Whoever the medal belongs to, Victor must know them. Victor asks what difference it makes, and Will says, Victor told him that he had everything he needed at the tower. Victor says he does, and Will asks why he’s out there looking for her. Victor says, he never told Will that he was looking for a woman. He believes they’ve been lured there under false pretenses. He suggests Will start talking, and asks, where is she? Will says, who? and Victor says, answer him. All of a sudden, some men start shooting at them, and Will says, stalkers. They duck for cover, and Will is hit. Victor grabs him, and pulls him behind Will’s van. He shoves Will into the van, and gets in the driver’s seat. Zombies have joined the fray, but the shooting continues. The zombies take the stalkers down, as Will watches. Victor tells Will to answer his question; where is Alicia? Will says he doesn’t know, and Victor pushes on his wound. He says he doesn’t know where Teddy took her. Teddy said she had to make the journey by herself. He wants to make things right with her, but why did Victor risk coming out to find her? Victor jumps out of the van, and closes the door. Zombies scrabble at the van.   

Victor rides to the lighthouse, lights a lantern, and goes upstairs. He looks at the double-dead zombie near the beacon, and picks up a map. He says, bingo, and goes back out. The fog is so dense, he can’t see, but he hears footsteps. It’s Will, who says, hold it, and trains his gun on Victor. Victor asks how Will found the place, and Will says, there are only so many places to hole up out here. Now Victor will answer his questions; sit. Victor sits, and laughs. Will says Victor tried to kill him twice today. He left the comfort of his humble abode, and sacrificed his guards to find Alicia to tell her that he was grateful. Victor says, Will knew who he was, yet lied; why? Will tells him, because Alicia said Victor wasn’t trustworthy. He was biding his time, testing Victor, to see if he was worth saving. What makes Victor think he can change Will’s opinion? Victor says, the tower succeeds because of him and his choices, all the people living there. Will says, they might give a damn about Victor, but them being afraid of what to do isn’t leadership. Victor asks if Will thinks he’s an authority because he worked for the senator, and Will laughs. He says he learned from the senator, but learned more about it from Alicia. Alicia didn’t want to be in the bunker, and locked up, while that psycho dropped bombs, so she could become a cynical a-hole like Victor. You can’t lead alone. If you want people to believe in you, you have to believe in them. Victor asks why Will isn’t with Alicia, and asks if Victor still has the medallion. Victor holds it up, and Will snatches it back, saying, he needs it as much as Victor does. She asked him to do something, but he couldn’t do it. Victor asks what it was, but Will says, it doesn’t matter. Victor asks why Will didn’t do it, and Will says, because it would have protected everyone there except her. Victor says, it must have been bad if they cast Will out, and Will says he’s been looking for a way back every day since. He thought he found it when he woke up at the tower. Maybe he could have brought Victor to her, but after what he’s seen today, he doubts she’d recognize Victor. Victor says he doesn’t think she would. He doesn’t know if Alicia told Will, but he was the one who gave her the medal. Will says, she did; she knew it would get Victor’s attention. Victor says, he gave it to her to remember who she was. He didn’t think he would see it for himself. He guesses they both held up their end of the bargain. May he? Will leans in to give him the medal, and Victor grabs him, slamming him against the wall. Will drops his gun, and they struggle. Will manages to get his gun back, and says, that’s three times now. He thought if he took Victor there, it would bring them together, but he’s better off without Victor. Victor says, everyone is, and opens the door. There are loads of dead outside, and they get close. Will is mesmerized, and Victor says, get inside, and shuts the door. He asks Will, what the hell was that? and Will says, he knows them from the bunker. Victor says, Alicia.   

The zombies scrape at the door, and Will says, it wasn’t passable. They had enough food for 10 years, water, a future to outlast all of them. Victor asks if she was gone, but Will says he didn’t see her. He suggests they find out, and they grab things for weapons. Will starts up a generator, and puts the beacon on. He tells Victor, go, and Victor stabs zombies with his sword. Will goes out on the walkway, and looks out, saying, follow the light. Victor continues slicing and dicing, and the generator dies. Victor yells for Will, who’s trying to get the generator going again. He calls to Victor, and goes out with a lantern, stabbing a random zombie in the head. More zombies are coming, and they surround him, but Victor flies out with his sword, doing all kinds of damage. Will lies on the ground, clutching his gun. He asks Victor, was she? and Victor says he didn’t see her. He helps Will up, and Will says, Victor could have walked away, but he stayed. Victor still cares about her. You don’t run into a fog like that because you want to see if someone’s dead; he ran like that because he wanted to save her. Victor says, let’s go.

Victor and Will ride to the bunker, Will riding on the same horse, behind Victor. They go inside, and check the room where the bunks were, but it’s empty. Victor says, it’s a ghost town, and Will says, whatever happened here, happened a while ago. Victor asks how many lived there, and Will says, 128; him, the senator, and some aids. Teddy sent some scouts who killed everyone there, and they stayed in the servants quarters. He yells for Alicia, but gets only silence. They turn on the lights in a conference room, and Will says, it wasn’t the stalkers; nothing was taken. Victor wonders if she panicked, and they see a note taped to the podium that ways, Will. Will looks at it, and says he thinks she did. All is says is, PADRE.

Victor asks, what’s padre? and Will says, it doesn’t matter. It will probably get her killed. Victor asks if it’s a person or place, but Will says he doesn’t know; nobody knows. It might not even exist. He always knew it was a possibility. He thought at first she wouldn’t have to. If anything happens to them, it’s on him. Victor says Will doesn’t know that, and Will says he should have been there and found a way to make things up to her. Victor says, Will loved her, and Will says, it doesn’t matter; it’s all for nothing anyway. Victor says, it wasn’t all for nothing. Will was right. This wasn’t about proving something to her; it was about proving something to himself. Will asks, what? and Victor says, that he didn’t need her, but he does, as does Will. Will says, maybe that’s the point of all of this. Maybe they’re supposed to find her together. Victor says, or perhaps she’ll find them. They walk out, and Victor draws his sword. They leave on the horse, the zombies pulling a wagon behind them with the lighthouse beacon on it. Good idea, putting them to work.

Back at the tower, the beacon has been set up on the roof. Zombies hang around outside, and Victor says, it appears his flame has already drawn moths. Will says, she’ll see it, she’ll follow it, and she’ll find this place. Victor says Alicia is the closest thing he has left to family. Will isn’t the only one who loves her, and he never had a chance to tell her, but would have if he’d found her. Will says, perhaps she would have reminded Victor of the man he was trying to be. She still can. She can help Victor be himself. Victor says, he never should have left. He almost got killed because he didn’t trust his instincts. He can’t let it happen again. It could destroy everything he’s doing. Will says, that’s not true. He’ll make this place even better; they both will together. Victor says, Will told him that he could leave because he woudn’t make it alone, but he was wrong. It’s the only way. Will says, that’s not true, but Victor says, it is. He watched others build things like he has, and they came close, but they fell short, all for the same reason; love. Attachments don’t make you strong; they destroy you. Will says, the light wasn’t to draw Alicia, and Victor says, no. It was to keep her, and everyone else, as far away as possible. Will says, it won’t work. She’ll find this place, and get through to Victor. Victor says, no, she won’t, and pushes Will off the roof, much to all of our surprise. Victor says, she won’t have anything to do with him after this. He and Howard look down, and Howard asks if Victor wants him to send someone down to take a picture for the wall, but Victor says, no. No one here is looking for him. Howard says, someone out there might be. This is going to draw more than the dead. Maybe the people Victor was with before, like Morgan. Victor says, don’t worry about Morgan or anyone else, and Howard asks, why not? Victor says, if anyone tries to get to him, they’re going to have to get through them. They look down at the zombies as they feast on Will, who’s all messy with a smashed in face.

Next time, Morgan says, they’ll build someplace else that will actually last; Morgan tells Grace that she knows why he has to do this; and Morgan rolls the car with Grace in it.

The World Beyond

A woman took the eyeballs out of a zombie corpse and replaced them with flowers.

Elton and Percy trotted down the road on a horse, Elton telling Percy that they could catch up with the others. Percy said, after what Huck did, he thought the odds weren’t good. They spied a young man and woman eating by a campfire in the woods, and remembered they were hungry.

Hope jogged around the CRM facility, checking out all the security. She also practiced some fighting.

Huck and Dennis got busy. She told him, after what he did, people got hurt. She questioned his employment choice, but he said he couldn’t move to active until he worked in decontamination.

Percy and Elton assessed the couple. Percy said there was no sign of guns, and only two sets of tracks; so they’re alone. They camped overnight, so that meant they were far from home. He could tell by the uniform shape of the turnips that they’d been harvested, and Elton suggested they grab a couple of turnips and jet. Percy said they were looking for people who could be anywhere; they might need all the couple’s food. Elton said he thought they were good people (using no reasoning skills whatsoever), but Percy said they’d thought Huck was too. Elton approached them, but the man quickly had Elton at knifepoint, while the woman patted him down. He told them that he had a traveling companion named Percy, and they were looking for their compatriots. Avoiding people was usually the smart move, but their stomachs were calling the shots. They seemed like good people. The man went to look for Percy, but couldn’t find him, and the woman told him, it seemed that Elton just wanted food. She handed Elton a canteen and a few turnips, and introduced herself as Asha and the man as Dev. Percy was caught rifling through their food stash, and Asha asked if they were conmen. Elton said, Percy had been one, but wasn’t anymore, and the two of them took off, leaving everything. The couple ran after them.    

Huck got commended for her work. The casualties had been limited, and she’d furthered the priorities of the CRM. She was cleared to resume active duty. Leo asked her about iris and Felix, and said he thought Huck and Elizabeth were lying. He asked if she’d been manipulating Hope, and she told him that Hope was there now, and Felix and Iris would be too. He said she and Elizabeth had taken their innocence, and they couldn’t get it back. He didn’t give a damn who Huck’s mother was, or what name she was going under. She was using them, and he wanted her to find his daughter.

Percy and Elton jetted through the woods with the couple in hot pursuit. The couple did martial arts moves on some zombies, which Elton and Percy admired for a while before they ran.

At CRM, Hope was in a class, the professor speaking about accelerated decay. He told the students that they should be glad they were studying decay, and not living it. Hope looked out the window, as you do in science class, and remembered good times with Iris and Felix. The professor thought she wasn’t paying attention, but she gave him an incredibly complex answer, adding that she thought making vodka out of the same properties would do more good. Why focus on the negative? This led to a debate between her and Mason, but the professor said Hope was right.  He thought she and her father should put their heads together father working on. After class, Mason asked if Hope was busy later, and did she want to join him and his friends. She declined, but he told her where and when, in case she changed her mind.

While he and Percy were running through the woods, Elton tripped and fell. Percy came back to help him, and zombies started coming up from under the ground, almost like it had been zombie quicksand. Then Percy tripped on one, and it was a losing situation, zombies grabbing at them every which way. Asha and Dev caught up to them, and killed the zombies, once again with impressive moves. Elton was still on the ground, struggling with one who had a grip on him, and he stabbed it in the head. Asha helped him up, but another zombie popped up, grabbed his arm, and bit. Asha grabbed Elton up, and tossed him aside. She was ready to kill him, but Elton told her that his jacket was bite-proof, and showed her his wound-free arm. He said, industrial corduroy. We saw Elton and Percy tied up, and Asha wearing Elton’s jacket. Asha took the eyeballs out of a dead zombie, and replaced them with flowers. She and Dev prayed over the bodies.

Leo discussed yeast in regard to decay with Hope. He thought she was trying to keep him distracted, and she said the whole place was a distraction. They’d agreed there was nothing they could do. They had to just wait and trust. Iris and Felix were okay. Leo said he knew there was something Hope wasn’t telling him. She said she’d talked to Huck, and Leo asked if Huck did something like threaten Hope. Hope asked him to do one thing; trust her. It was hard out there, but it was hard in there too. He said he understood. She hadn’t asked for this, and he wished he could give her a distraction from the distraction.

Mason toasted to those who had perished in Omaha. Hope decided to join the party, and Mason welcomed her to the bunker. He told her normally they were a fun bunch, and gave her the tour. 

Dev drove a wagon with Percy and Elton sitting in the back, their hands tied, Asha on horseback next to them. Percy told Elton that he should have listened. The world is a sh*t show. You’re going to get infected or going to die. That’s just how it is. They stopped at a sign that said, Danger Unseen Something-or-Other (okay, I wasn’t paying attention), and Dev put hoods on Percy and Elton. 

Mason told Hope that he was sorry about what happened to her. He said they’d built everything themselves in the bunker, and introduced Ian, who explained how he devised a game table. Mason said they’d been there three years, and had built a master control panel for all the labs. Everyone who did well on their tests ended up there. Getting to learn from her dad was an honor; he liked it there. She asked if he liked the soldiers, and he said his dad wanted him to go the military route, but it wasn’t for him. He decided to focus science because it would unlock the future.

At the Perimeter, Asha cut Percy and Elton free. Percy wondered how she knew his name, when Dev brought Iris over to them. She hugged them both, and said she’d thought Percy was dead. He said he thought he was too, and Elton said, Asha and Dev knew the entire time? Asha said her mom runs the place. They were going to just get them and bring them back, but when they tried to steal the food, she and Dev thought they’d have some fun. Percy said they had a screwed up way of having fun, and Elton wondered where Hope was.

Actually, Hope was playing Jenga. The blocks had tasks on them, but related to the game, not like the ones on Vanderpump Rules. Hope had to take a block out while blindfolded, which she did with ease. When Mason took his first one out, the whole thing fell. Hope flashed back it Iris saying they’d always protect each other. Hope went to Huck, and insisted Huck take her to Iris and Felix. Now. What had she been doing? Huck said it wasn’t as easy as Hope thought, but Hope didn’t give a sh*t. She needed Huck to take her, or they’ll probably try kill her. Huck said they’d go tomorrow. It was just one day. Hope said, in one day, a city of people got wiped out. If they didn’t go, her dad would start stirring sh*t up.  

Elton wondered how Hope could just be gone. Brody was pissed that Asha brought back more strays. It was putting them in danger with the CRM because of their agreement. Asha said they were there first, and screw the agreement, but he said that wasn’t for her to decide.

Dennis tried to chat up Huck, but she changed into her uniform. She said she’d left because of what he did, and when she was gone, she had to do some things she hated. She wanted to be okay, and maybe that would happen, but she was still figuring it out. She couldn’t be with him right now.  

Huck drove out, showing the guard some papers. Impressed with Huck’s name, the guard said, after Huck left, she’d been transferred there to assume Huck’s responsibilities. Her mother was an inspiration. Huck agreed, and the guard banged on the trunk, startling Hope, who was inside. After a tense moment, the guard told Huck to drive safely.

Asha showed Elton an artwork memorial to everything they’d lost, and said she was sorry for what he’d lost. She wished she’d known. He hoped he and Percy weren’t causing her any trouble, and Asha explained that the CRM supported the town in return for them encouraging people to steer clear. Elton called the zombies empties, but they called them vessels. They were holding souls, and killing them helped the souls move on. He said, and the flowers? and she told him they were her personal touch; a little beauty in the darkness left behind.

Iris tended to Percy’s wound, and needed him to take his shirt off, which I smelled coming. She thanked him for the night he surprised her, and he said, it wasn’t anything, She said he’d cut up his art books; it was. He said he agreed, and wished he could have been there, but she said he was there now. The CRM just kept taking; Hope, her dad, Silas. But he and Elton found them. It was a second chance. They just had to make it count. They heard the tinkling of an alarm.

Elton peeked out, and saw guards walking down the street. Iris saw Hope with them, and Percy had his knife at the ready.

Next time, Silas gets caught outside, Felix asks what Huck wants, and Hope tries to get Iris to come back with her.

😈 New Look…

Both Victor and the scenery got a makeover this season.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-season-7-premiere-beacon-strand-will/

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-season-7-strand-becoming-villain-colman-domingo/

⚰️ Dead Finale…

You want insight, I got insight.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-for-blood-season-11-part-1-finale-leah-daryl-judith-angela-kang/

🛌 Full Sleep Ahead…

We’re another weekend closer to Halloween, otherwise known as Free Candy Night to parents of small children. See you tomorrow for some soap and a finale on Deck. Until then stay safe, stay not comparing yourself to others, and stay knowing success is the best revenge, but attachments won’t necessarily destroy you.

Aug20

August 19, 2020 – Maxie Makes an Announcement, Buca di Shower, Text Wars, Brandi Is a Huge Selfish Baby, Stew Overboard & Machines

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Lucy welcomes us back to the Nurses Ball Telethon. She’s proud to be the mistress of ceremonies, and says the audience may have noticed that things are different. They wanted to make sure frontline workers get what they need. When those who usually attend the Ball were asked to pitch in, they didn’t hesitate, because it’s a way to thank the essential workers and their families. She tells us not to think too much has changed. It’s still all about entertainment, and the most talented Port Charles residents are waiting to entertain us. Don’t go away.

Brook tells herself, she can do this, and then says, she can’t do this. Dustin comes in, and asks if she has stage fright.

Franco thanks Elizabeth for coming, and she says since they’re raising money for the frontline workers, she’d feel selfish staying away. He asks if she’s mad at him, and she says, should she be? Ava joins them, and says she didn’t realize Elizabeth was coming. Elizabeth says, clearly not, and Ava says she’s glad Elizabeth decided to pitch in, but the phones aren’t going to answer themselves. She tells them to get back to it, and Elizabeth shoots Franco a look.

Lucy finds Maxie backstage talking to Lulu, and says, there she is. She needs to put on her mic. Lulu says she’ll help, and Lucy says, the plan is for Maxie to make a short speech. Hit the stage, be warm and winsome, and pitch her heart out. Be adorable, and introduce Brook. Lucy adds, throw in some humor. Make them laugh, and they’ll throw money at her. Brook’s song will be over-the-top. When Lucy is gone, Maxie says, no pressure or anything.

Anna asks if Peter is okay, and he says he’s proud of Maxie, and wants the night to go right. Anna is sure Maxie will be her spectacular, charming, effervescent self. Anna knows Peter truly cares for Maxie, and when she looks out, he’ll be there cheering her on.

Spinelli tells Robert, tonight, Peter’s castle of lies will crash around him. Robert says, Nelle’s baseless information is interesting, but there’s no proof, and Spinelli shouldn’t be talking about it. Spinelli says, it’s imperative that Maxie know the truth tonight.

Curtis asks Portia what she thinks about the Ball, and Portia wonders why Jordan held a press conference, singing the praises of the man responsible for her husband’s death.

A man approaches Jordan on the pier, and she says he’s looking pretty good for a dead man. She thought they’d agreed he’d stay far away from Port Charles. We see it’s Taggert, and he says it turns out he has unfinished business.

Trina, Josslyn, and Cameron run backstage, and Trina says sorry she wasn’t on time. Cameron says, they’re not late. They have plenty of time. Portia says they’re cutting it close, and Curtis tells them, break a leg. He tells Trina that she’ll make her father proud, but she says she doesn’t need him to tell her that. She tells her friends, come on guys; the show must go on.

Jordan says Taggert is taking a risk. If Cyrus or his men see him, he’ll really be dead, and if her men see him, he’ll be arrested for fabricating his death. He says, there’s no warrant out for his arrest. He’s a dead man.

Lucy introduces Epiphany, Felix, and Amy, and Felix says, it’s because of people like the viewers that they’ve raised funds for HIV/AIDS over the years. Now they’re extending that to the frontline workers. Amy says they can’t do their jobs alone, and Epiphany says, there are also firefighters, police, EMTs, and ambulance crews. They all take risks on the frontline, and are there when they’re needed. The telethon is a chance to do something in return. Lucy asks everyone to please call or donate online. It’s up to the viewers to thank them.

Brook asks Dustin why this always happens; she loves performing. He says she’ll be fine once she gets in front of the lights, but she says, what if nothing comes out? He reminds her of a performance at the bar, where he had to block the door to keep her from running away, and asks, what happened next? She says she blew the roof off, and did seven encores. He says, the same thing will happen tonight.

Sam tells TJ and Molly, Jason is going to make a full recovery, but the bad news is, he could bolt the hospital at any time. Molly says she doesn’t believe he’d do that. TJ sees Brando, and calls him over. TJ says he guesses when Brando heard about the Nurses Ball, he was never told he’d be picking up phones. Brando says if he has a choice between the phones or sitting around in a tux, he’ll go with the phones.

Jax comes into the phone bank, and tells Nina, sorry he’s late. She asks if he knows what to say, and he says, Nurses Ball Telethon; thank you for calling.

Sasha’s picture is on a big screen on stage, and Lucy says if everyone is wondering who the absolutely gorgeous woman is behind her, it’s Sasha Gilmore, the face of Deception Cosmetics. She’s proud of the image, but prouder that Deception will match every single donation given to this wonderful cause. They can do that because of the generosity of one of their partners, Valentin Cassadine. Full disclosure, she’s also a partner, but tonight isn’t about one person or a company. It’s about coming together to honor others. Lulu puts the microphone on Maxie backstage, and Lucy continues. She says she wants to welcome Deception’s own Maxie Jones. Maxie tells Lulu, that’s her cue. Lucy is going to kill her. Lulu continues hooking Maxie’s microphone up, and Maxie says, at least she’s not in a ball gown. She won’t be wearing one of those anytime soon. Lulu asks if she’s had a chance to talk to Peter, and doesn’t realize the mic is on. Everyone can hear what Maxie is saying. She says, it’s delicate and she has to find the right moment to tell Peter that she’s pregnant. Since everyone in the place hears, including Peter, I say, not anymore

Maxie says, it’s not like they planned it. On stage, Lucy says, no, no, no. Technical difficulties. Excusez-moi. Maxie says she doesn’t know how Peter feels. They’ve never even tiptoed around the subject. Lucy flies backstage, and says, Maxie… and Maxie says she knows; she missed her cue. Maxie runs out, and says she’s sorry she’s a little late. Hi, Port Charles. She tells everyone that she’s the VP and creative director of Deception, and it’s a privilege to be there. Lucy comes back out, and tells her that her mic pack is on. Maxie says, yes, it is. So everyone can hear her. Lucy says, they can, they did, and they have heard every word. Maxie says, oh no, and Lucy says, oh yeah. Her whole conversation with Lulu was broadcast through the MetroCourt and all the viewers in town. Maxie walks quickly off the stage.

Anna looks at Peter, and he dashes out. Lulu asks if Maxie is okay, and Maxie says she can handle it, but keeps walking.

Dustin says Brook is a great singer, a potential legend. If he didn’t know the first night he heard her, he definitely knew in the bar. She says whenever she got knocked down or discouraged, he was the first to pick her up, and he’s doing it again, like no time has passed. As corny as it sounds, he’s a knight in shining armor. She’s an idiot for letting him get away. She kisses him, as Lulu walks in.

Lulu says, excuse me. Would anybody care to explain? Brook says, this is awkward, and Lulu says that’s not the word she’d use. Brook suggests she not be there next time, and Dustin says, there’s not going to be a next time. He’s sorry if he gave Brook the wrong idea, but she can’t avoid her problems by using him as a crutch. It was a long time ago, and she ended it. He’s glad they’re writing together again, but he’s moved on. She says, got it; no problem, and she leaves.

Lucy says, in keeping with tradition, there are always surprises. Maxie’s was a doozy. She stole the spotlight, but they’ll hear more about Deception soon. Felix comes out, and tells Lucy, Cyrus would like to say a few words. She says, absolutely not. Tonight is about heroes, and he’s not a hero. Felix says, he’s waiting in the wings, and Lucy says, first, a bit of an announcement. She’s sure everyone is aware of the upheaval at GH lately. They’re fine, and stronger than ever, thanks to the new Chairman of the Board. She introduces Cyrus, and he thanks her. He thanks Port Charles for the warm welcome, and says he’s not much for speeches, so he’ll be brief. He came to the city with a bad rap, and a worse reputation. The community understands the importance of overcoming adversity, and has given him the opportunity to show who he really is. He’s deeply moved and grateful, and hopes it’s just the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership with the city of Port Charles.

Epiphany tells Felix and Amy, this is the start of a dire time at the hospital. Mark my words.

Alone in one of the offices, Maxie asks, why did this have to happen at the Nurses Ball? Peter finds her, and says, is it true? She says this isn’t how she wanted him to find out. On a list of all the ways, it’s all the way at the bottom. He asks if she’s really pregnant, and she nods. He asks why she didn’t tell him, and she says she’s not sure what to make of all of this. Having a baby with him is a dream she always wanted to happen… someday. But Deception is a dream she’s making happen now, and the thing about dreams is, you have to sacrifice. She’s scared she can’t sacrifice enough to do right by both dreams. He asks, who said she’s the only one who has to sacrifice? Say the word, and he’ll sell the paper tomorrow. She doesn’t have to sacrifice any dream. He’ll be there 24/7. They’re in this together 1000%. If that’s what she wants. She says, it’s their baby; of course (🍷) it’s what she wants. He says he loves her, and they hug.

Portia tells Curtis, Jordan must be working, since she’s not performing with Chase. Cyrus approaches, and says, the Commissioner performing is something he’d pay good money to see. He congratulates Portia on her new position as Chief of Internal Medicine, and says, funny how things turn out in a way that works for him. She says, lucky her, and he says, the luck is all his, and the hospital’s. He’ll see her around. She leaves, and he smiles at Curtis, who follows her.

Jordan tells Taggert that she called in every favor to get him a new ID, and had to convince Epiphany to go along with it. Evidently, they slowed his heart rate so much, even his daughter thought he died. He says he hates that Trina is grieving, and Jordan says, it was the only way to keep her safe. If Cyrus finds out he’s alive, Trina will be a target again. Is that what he wants? He says, of course (🍷) not, and she tells him, explain why he’s showing his face in Port Charles.

Lucy says, tonight, we’re seeing the best and brightest in Port Charles. What they lack in years, they make up for in talent. The kids get ready to go on, and Trina looks at a picture of Taggert on her phone. She says, this one is for you, dad. Lucy introduces Josslyn, Trina, and Cameron. Cameron plays guitar, and they sing. I have no idea what the name of the song was, but it was good, about being able to go anywhere if they just believed it.

Taggert says Jordan is acting high and mighty, after dragging his name through the mud. She says, with his blessing, and he says, that’s a strong word, She says, the only way to bring TJ home and eventually expose Cyrus, was to sacrifice Taggert’s reputation. He says she was supposed to be gathering evidence to put Cyrus away for real, and she says, that’s still the plan. He says, the last time he heard her, she was praising Cyrus in a press conference, and she says she had to convince Cyrus that she’s under his thumb. Taggert says, from where he’s sitting, Cyrus isn’t the only one convinced. She asks if he has a better plan, and he says he does. The reason he’s there is so he can kill Cyrus himself.

Jax tells the kids, they were fantastic – all of them – and they thank him.

Brook swipes everything off a desk, and says, screw you, Dustin. She doesn’t need him. She doesn’t need anyone. She looks in the mirror, and says she’s BLQ.

Portia tells Curtis, Cyrus makes her skin crawl, and Curtis says, Taggert is the reason Cyrus spent time in prison. Taggert is gone, so he’s taunting her instead. She says, son of a bitch, and he says she’s putting it kindly, She says, more than that, he made her miss Trina’s performance. He says she can catch it online; Trina will never know. Portia says, she’ll know. Trina can smell a lie just like her father. She wishes Taggert could be there to see Trina on stage. He deserved better than what she did to him.

Jax finds Nina, and says he was put to work so fast, he barely had a chance to say hello. How is she feeling about Maxie’s big moment? She says she’s happy for Maxie. Peter too. She guesses she can’t help wondering about her own child. Is she a doctor? A paramedic? In prison, or dead? Jax says his jeweler thought she had a lead, and he’ll follow up. Valentin joins them, and asks how Nina is holding up. Jax says Nina is no longer Valentin’s business, and Valentin asks if that’s how Nina feels. Nina says she has to get ready, and she and Jax leave.

Anna and Mac find Maxie with Peter. Anna says she was just checking, and Maxie says she can come in. Anna says she doesn’t mean to pry, and Maxie says, she’s a spy; all she does is pry. Mac asks if it’s true, and Maxie says it is. Anna asks if it’s good news, and she says, the best. Mac says, just when he thought he was through with dirty diapers… but he loves grandkids and dirty diapers. He leaves to call Maxie’s mom, and Anna tells Peter that she’s happy. He says, thanks, grandma. She leaves to catch up with Mac, and flashes back to Robert asking if it’s ever occurred to her that Peter is Alex’s son, not hers.

TJ asks if Brando boxes, and Brando says he started in the service. It’s a great way to stay in shape. TJ suggests they get in the ring sometime, but Molly says TJ is a doctor. He shouldn’t even be hitting the heavy bag. Sam says, working out is one thing, but sparring is a bit much. And Brando had that baseball injury. TJ says, he plays baseball? and Brando says, yes. Sam says they’re going to be late; they’d better get back. She steers Brando away, and he asks, what’s the problem? He was just making conversation. TJ is a friendly dude. She says, act unfriendly, and he says he’s not trying to bring trouble. How many times does he have to say it? She tells him that he can say it as many times as he wants to. She still won’t believe it.

Portia tells Curtis that she goes back and forth. Loving Taggert for saving Trina, and cursing him for making her a target. But she misses him. It’s been years, but she misses him every day. Curtis says he’s learned that you don’t stop caring just because you grow apart. She says the marriage didn’t end because they grew apart. Something came between them. Curtis asks, what? and she says, him. He says he thought she’d said she never told Taggert. She says she didn’t, but she might as well have. After Taggert came back, there was a distance between them; something unspoken. She thought she couldn’t get past the months Taggert had been gone while he was undercover, but what she couldn’t get over was Curtis.

Jordan says Taggert must be joking. She’s not going to let him commit murder. He says, it’s not murder, it’s justice. He’ll get away with it, since no one will suspect a dead man.

Portia tells Curtis, it was years ago; ancient history at this point. She should probably get back. She walks away, and he ponders.

Jordan tells Taggert, not cold-blooded murder. That’s not the man she knows. He says, the man she knew didn’t have someone trying to kill his daughter. She says, his daughter wasn’t in danger until he came back, and backed Cyrus into a corner. She has a plan. She’s going to let Cyrus get complacent, and do a legitimate bust. He says that’s not a plan; it’s an idea. She says, if he takes Cyrus’s life now, that’s it. He’ll lose all hope of coming home. When Cyrus begins to trust her, she’ll bring Curtis on board. He laughs, and says she hasn’t told Curtis he’s alive, has she?

Lucy says, the next couple has wowed the Nurses Ball crowd before, but with other people. She introduces a dashing corporate raider, and the stylish editor-in-chief of Crimson. If there was ever a couple totally in sync, it’s these two, a duo with scintillating and soulful moves, Jax and Nina. Nina dances to She by herself for a few measures, then Jax joins her.

Valentin broods. Peter comes by, and Valentin says he gathers congratulations are in order. Peter thanks him, and Valentin says he was a bad mentor. He failed Peter in a lot of ways, and hopes Peter allows him opportunity to make it up with his hard won advice. Whatever Peter is keeping from Maxie, tell her now. A child changes everything, so if there’s something he’s keeping to himself, tell her. Before he knows what happened, it will be too late.

Jordan tells Taggert not to make it worse. Go back to where he was relocated before someone sees him. He says he’ll stay gone for now, but don’t think he’s going to stop checking up on her. She says she wouldn’t have it any other way. He tells her, be safe, and take care of his daughter. She promises to finish this soon, and leaves.

Dustin congratulates Peter, and Peter says, they intended on staying, but this has tired them out. Lulu says, goodbye, but Maxie is hesitant, saying she doesn’t know if Lucy will appreciate it. Lulu says she’ll handle Lucy. Go home and put her feet up.

Robert tells Spinelli, he’s still going to keep his trap shut, and Spinelli says, it’s not the night Maxie will learn the inconvenient truth. Robert says, they agree on something, but Spinelli can’t tell anyone until there’s proof. Spinelli says, then find it they must, before Maxie and Peter start raising a baby. He goes over to Maxie and Peter, and says, congratulations to them both. Whatever their endeavors, he’ll embrace them without hesitation. Maxie says that means the world to her, and to Peter. They leave, and Spinelli tells Robert, they must act in haste. The child will tie Maxie to Peter more than ever.

To be continued…

Tomorrow, Anna tells Finn it’s the best possible news, Nina tells Jax to stay out of it, and Nelle tells Julian tonight will be her greatest performance yet.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

After the day I’ve had, I so wish I could slap one of these self-righteous nitwits into next week.

Back in Beverly Hills, Denise visits Garcelle, whose house is all done up for Christmas. In Denise’s interview, she says, the day she got back from Rome, she was literally in the airport the next day, going to Montana  for Thanksgiving. After Rome, she needed to decompress, and she could bring as many pairs of sweatpants as she wanted. They have some tequila, and Denise tells Garcelle that she couldn’t have done it without her. Just being her friend says everything. In her interview, Denise says she loves Garcelle. At least she felt like she had a friend there who had her back. Garcelle asks if Denise told Aaron, and Denise says, yeah. Garcelle asks what he said, and Denise tells her that he couldn’t believe how the women are – and he’s seen it. He feels bad about some of the things that were said. In her interview, Denise says she and Aaron don’t have secrets. If she told him that she slept with Brandi, he’d ask how come he wasn’t invited. Garcelle asks if Aaron is going to address it with the women, and Denise says, when he sees them, he probably will. She admits to not liking Teddi. In her interview, Garcelle says she’s known LisaR for 20 years, but in the last few months, she’s seemed harsher and relentless. Garcelle doesn’t know who this person is. Denise says something is different between her and LisaR. She feels like it will take a lot for them to get back to the way they were. In Garcelle’s interview, she says LisaR is aggressive, and wants everyone to own it. She doesn’t want to own it all the time. It’s exhausting to own it all the time. Garcelle tells Denise, girl, you were fierce that last night. She came out and had sh*t to say. She stood up for herself. Denise says she can handle that.

Dorit goes over the shower logistics at Buca di Beppo with Kyle. In her interview, Dorit says she loves baby showers, pregnant women, and babies. It’s the perfect opportunity for her to have control over the room and throw a nice party. In Kyle’s interview, she says she was planning the shower, but when they were in Italy, Dorit said she wanted to join in. We flash back to Dorit saying the restaurant room is ready, and she’s thinking about having a shower there. Dorit tells Kyle that Teddi thinks she’s coming for the room reveal. Kyle asks if Teddi knows it’s a party, so she doesn’t show up in sweats, and Dorit says she told Teddi that she’s hosting a nice dinner, and showing them what she designed. In Dorit’s interview, she says it’s the first time she’s designed a room in a restaurant; it’s a big deal. She says it like all rich people do this. We see clips from two weeks earlier, where Dorit shows the room to PK and the kids, and says, it’s a work in progress. We see before and after pictures, and Kyle says it has beauty and allure. The colors make her feel like she’s stepping into a restaurant in Capri. I’d describe it as, there’s lots of yellow and lemons everywhere. Kyle says she feels like she’s been transported, and they go over seating. Dorit puts Denise next to herself and Garcelle. In her interview, Kyle says, they tried to patch things up and have fun the last night in Rome, but she hasn’t spoken to Denise since. She asks if Dorit thinks Denise will come, and Dorit says, Denise didn’t say she’s not coming. In Dorit’s interview, she says she’s found Denise to be a stand-up girl. She’s a tough cookie, and there’s no way she wouldn’t show up to avoid a conversation. Kyle says, Kim and Brandi are coming, and Dorit asks if she thinks that’s a good idea. Kyle says she’d been planning something already, and they were invited. We flash back to Kim asking Teddi if she’s invited, and Teddi inviting her and Brandi. Dorit says she thinks everyone is an adult. Apparently, she’s on a different show than the one we’re watching. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Denise doesn’t care; she knows Denise isn’t coming. Dorit asks what she’s supposed to do. She doesn’t want to get involved.

LisaR rifles through daughter Amelia’s night table drawer. In her interview, she says Amelia is moving in a week. She’ll be in L.A., but not under LisaR’s roof. We see a clip of LisaR telling Amelia that she’ll help her out a little bit. In LisaR’s interview, she says her work is to not be a helicopter parent, and let it go. She asks Amelia about her therapist, and Amelia says she’s on anti-depressants, and feels that her mood is more balanced. LisaR says she’s noticed. In her interview, LisaR says, a lot has happened in the last few months, and we flash back to Amelia telling LisaR about her anxiety, and saying she was in a bad place, but she’s been serious about getting her mental health on the right track. Amelia says it’s the one year anniversary of her being recovered 100%, and LisaR says Garcelle was wondering if her posting on Instagram had anything to do with Amelia’s eating disorder. We flash back to Garcelle asking if LisaR thinks there’s any correlation. Amelia tells LisaR that she’d tell Garcelle as nicely as possibly to f*** off. Um… I don’t think there’s a nice way to say that, and I can’t imagine it doesn’t affect the kids in some way. It also wasn’t like Garcelle was being mean. She was genuinely concerned. Amelia says she talked to her therapist, and it seems like women get shamed no matter what size they are. At one point she did blame LisaR because she was thin, but that wasn’t fair. She did everything on her own; sitting there crying, and looking up diets. She did it herself, and LisaR isn’t a part of her stuff. LisaR says, it’s easier to lay blame. In her interview, LisaR says she pushed a button in Garcelle. She says Amelia is smarter than anyone she knows. No comment, since she knows some really stupid people.

Guests start coming, and Dorit introduces herself to Teddi’s friends. LisaR brings a gift basket, and Kim asks if Teddi gets a bunny. LisaR says, of course, and in her interview, she says, not in a million years did she think she and Kim would be laughing and talking about a bunny. We flash back to Kim bringing the stuffed bunny LisaR gave to her to the reunion, and giving it back, saying that she didn’t give it to her grandson since it had bad energy. Then the single tear rolling down LisaR’s cheek. Breaking out my violin. LisaR says Kim spent Thanksgiving with her daughter, and she didn’t. In her interview, LisaR explains that Amelia is dating a guy whose brother is married to Kim’s daughter. Maybe they’ll be related by marriage. It could happen. She tells us to picture her and Kim in the kitchen basting a turkey together. LisaR asks if everyone is coming, and in her interview, she says she vowed to be a better friend to Denise before they left Rome. She’s looking to keep the good will moving forward.

Garcelle arrives with a massive stuffed pink flamingo. Denise calls Dorit, and Garcelle asks if she’s calling to say she can’t make it. Denise says she’s been sick all night and all day. She’s sure Teddi and Erika wouldn’t appreciate it if she showed up sick. In her interview, Denise says she’s not sad about it. She didn’t want to show up anyway, so it was a blessing in disguise. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she’s not sure if Denise is really sick, or sick of these women. Actually, she does seem sick, but I’m sure she’s also sick of this group. I know I am. Dorit tells everyone to scream, surprise! when Teddi walks in. Again, I don’t know how wise it is to scare a pregnant woman. Kyle and Teddi arrive, everyone yells, surprise! and Dorit tells Teddi, welcome to her baby shower. It’s from her and Kyle. Teddi thanks them, and Dorit leads them to the Capri room. In Dorit’s interview, she says she and Teddi have come a long way. Before, they couldn’t go ten minutes without an argument. Sutton says, the room is beautiful; lemons everywhere. In her interview, she says, so far, the shower has been about Dorit. Dorit says, Denise called, and she’s not feeling well, so she’s not coming. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Denise isn’t sick, because she’s a doctor who saw Denise that afternoon. She wishes Denise would be honest and says she doesn’t feel like coming around now. That’s what creates distrust. I wonder who the blip cares. Even if she wasn’t sick, it’s called being polite. Oh that’s right, this group doesn’t know how to be that.

Erika shows up with pink hair, and says she’s wearing the baby gender on her head. Kyle says she can’t wait for the Buca di baby. She thinks Teddi is an amazing mom, and loves her. I gag, and Teddi thanks them for coming. LisaR says she and Kyle always have a good time at baby showers, and we see photos of them at Andy’s baby shower. LisaR says, the next time they see Erika will be on stage, and Erika says it’s the last time she’ll see them before she sees them in New York. They toast to that, and LisaR says she’s so excited that Erika is doing something she loved so much. In her interview, Garcelle says, let Erika have the spotlight. She tells LisaR that she’s been supportive, but at the same time, whenever Erika’s debut was brought up, she chimed in that she’d done it 18 years ago.

Dorit acts all shocked, and LisaR says if that’s what she believed Garcelle thought about her, she’d be sad. Garcelle says that’s not how she meant it, and LisaR knows her better than that. LisaR swears she hasn’t tried to take Erika’s thunder. In her interview, she wonders why Garcelle needs to be sh*tting on her. It’s almost like a backhand. I know I’d like give LisaR a backhand. LisaR says it’s not about her, and that’s on Garcelle, implying Garcelle needs to own it. Garcelle and Sutton decide it’s time for them to go, and Garcelle says she’s always been there for LisaR. LisaR says she appreciates it. Kim says Brandi just texted that she’s in the neighborhood, and wonders if she can come by, and Teddi says she was invited anyway. Erika wonders where Denise is, and Dorit tells her that Denise said she was sick. Teddi says she’d have more respect if Denise just said it was awkward being around her right now. She’s also a doctor who diagnosis people by telepathy. It looks like they’re going to gang up on Denise without Denise being there, which isn’t too much of a surprise. Kyle says, it’s not honest, and Dorit asks how she knows Denise isn’t sick. Teddi says Kim was sitting there when Brandi spilled her guts. Kyle says she’s never known Brandi to be a liar, and in Dorit’s interview, she says Kyle is quick to believe Brandi, but she’s had an issue with Denise. If it was someone else, would she believe it so quickly? Dorit doesn’t think so.

Bitch Brandi arrives, wearing a dress way too youthful for her, and a face so squinty and tight, you could bounce a quarter off her forehead. Brandi says she almost wasn’t coming, and Dorit says, if Brandi plays her cards right, she can come more often. Brandi says she used to bring her boys there to eat in the kitchen because she was screwing the chef, and Kyle says Brandi is an amazing mom. Brandi says their dad said they could come for desert on Thanksgiving. Dorit asks if honesty is important to Brandi, and Brandi says, 100%. Dorit asks if she prides herself on honesty, and Brandi says, 1000%. Dorit asks if Brandi is always honest, and Brandi says, 99% of the time. What’s happening? Kyla says they had a conversation regarding what Brandi said about her friendship with Denise. We flash back to that, and Teddi says she had major anxiety about it, but when she asked Denise about what she’d said, she couldn’t make eye contact. LisaR says she’s uncomfortable because Denise isn’t there, and they’re talking about it. She had a breakdown in Rome, because Denise said she didn’t have her back. She also points out there are strangers at the table, and if it’s true, it’s a side of Denise she doesn’t know. Brandi says she doesn’t know 95% of the people at the table, and Dorit thinks it’s not fair. Teddi says maybe it’s time for her friends to go, so they can talk smack about Denise, since the conversation is about to be not baby shower friendly. Her friends wisely leave while they still have their sanity.

Teddi says the first night at dinner, they confronted Denise about the things she said about her and Erika. She immediately distanced herself from Brandi and said they were never that close. Dorit tells Brandi, Denise said none of it is true. LisaR says she told them Brandi was a liar, and never to be believed. Erika says she asked point blank if Brandi was a liar, and Denise said she was. Brandi says she’s not trying to hurt Denise in any way, she just wants back on the show. In April, Denise did her podcast, and invited her to a movie set. Keep in mind, Denise said Brandi really wanted her on the podcast, and asked to come out there. Teddi asks if Aaron was there, and Brandi says Denise told her they had an open thing, but just with girls. Brandi says, they were making out, then Brandi bit Denise, leaving marks. There’s a lot of chatter at the table about this biting thing, and Brandi says, the next day Brandi told her Aaron could never know; he’d kill her. She was going to tell him it was from the corset she’d been wearing on set. Brandi thought, now she’ll have to keep a secret. In Brandi’s interview, she says she hates cheaters, and would never be one. Dorit says, it’s confusing. Teddi says that Denise claimed she and Brandi didn’t have a relationship, and Erika says, even then Denise was distancing herself from Brandi. Teddi says, until Brandi came back in the group, then she fed Brandi information to make it seem like they were close, so Brandi wouldn’t out her. Erika asks if Denise said things about them, and Brandi says she only mentioned two things. In her interview, she says, Denise went to Rome knowing she’d said things about them, and hoped Brandi would back her up. Dorit says, sorry, she believes Denise. In her interview, Dorit says her exchanges with Brandi haven’t been pleasant. Brandi behaves a certain way, and isn’t easy to believe. Brandi hands over her phone, and Erika scrolls through the texts supposedly from Denise. In her interview, she says, it’s pages. Brandi says she’s not an effing liar, and in Teddi’s interview, she says it clearly shows there was a relationship. Dorit is still skeptical, saying she doesn’t know Brandi, but knows Denise. Teddi says if Denise wasn’t distancing herself, she wouldn’t have said there was no relationship. Another thing, when Denise and Brandi met that time on camera for drinks, it sounded like they hadn’t seen each other too many times before that. Dorit says she’s not saying that, and Brandi says she had her bleepity-bleep-bleep in Denise’s bleepity-bleep. She’s not an effing liar. Everyone looks shocked at Brandi’s sailor mouth, except for Erika, who never changes her expression anyway. In Kyle’s interview, she says she hates when Brandi talks like that. LisaR reads a text from a year ago that says, even if they went a year without speaking, they could pick up where they left off. Loyalty doesn’t change, and Denise loves her. I also have to mention, besides the fact that Brandi has definitely been known to be a liar (although maybe with all the drinking and drugs she does, she believes her own stories), the texts don’t sound like how Denise talks. In LisaR’s interview, she says, you don’t say that you love someone; this is an intimate friendship. Again, is she kidding me? While I don’t think these are really texts from Denise, I always end conversations with friends by telling them I love them, and I don’t bleepity-bleep with any of them. It can always be the last time you talk to someone, and I don’t want that regret. LisaR says, it’s personal; a relationship. Brandi says she thought Denise was her friend, until she wasn’t. She thinks Denise is a people pleasure, and more of a master manipulator (I hate that phrase) than LVP. In her interview, LisaR says, why lie about a friendship – unless you’re hiding something. She tells Brandi, she thinks the two of them need to get together and figure this out. Why, when they have this whole group to figure it out for them? LisaR says, now they’re all involved, whether they want to be or not. Omg, I can’t. But I will. They involved their effing selves, so they wanted to be.

Erika and her assistant Laia load up the car with luggage. Tom tells Laia to take care of his buddy. In her interview, Erika says she’s excited and nervous, but you only get this opportunity once in a lifetime, and dammit, she’s taking it. She left once before to go to New York, 30 years ago, and was go-go dancing. She watched private jets go by, but never envisioned herself on one. Now she’s the girl on the private jet, starring in a Broadway musical. She’s using one of those halo lights in her interview, and it makes her look really odd. I know people like them, but it doesn’t always look attractive.

LisaR visits Kyle, and says her Christmas decorations are cute. She asks how Kyle is, but Kyle doesn’t know. It was a lot last night. She says Teddi’s friends probably think they’re crazy. LisaR says, it was a fun baby shower, until wasn’t. In Kyle’s interview, she says, at her baby shower, no one talked about anyone sucking anyone’s anything. LisaR says she really believed Denise when she said Brandi was a liar. Brandi was convincing, and her heart sunk. In her interview, she says there’s sadness in Denise not telling the truth. What else has she lied about over the years? She tells Kyle, she wants to stick up for her friend, but she can’t do that. In Kyle’s interview, she says she’s been in that position, when you want to believe so badly, but the information makes it impossible. We flash back to LVP telling her to show herself out. If Denise and Brandi did sleep together, it’s none of their business, but Brandi told them, so regardless, Denise has to deal with it now. She feels bad that LisaR is upset, and LisaR says she had a breakdown in Rome about not being a good friend. She’s said this like five times now. We flash back to Denise saying she was hurt, and LisaR displaying some crocodile tears, since apparently she doesn’t know what the word breakdown means. She wonders if it was part of Denise’s plan, and says she sounds like a conspiracy theorist. In her interview, she says she feels like Denise weaponized their friendship. (Huh?) She used everything to make LisaR feel bad. What if she’s being manipulated too? She doesn’t know, and feels duped. Maybe she’s a big, fat fool, and doesn’t like the feeling. Well, she’s not fat.

Next time, the Finale (thank God), the women go to NYC, Denise talks to Camille and blocks Garcelle, Brandi shows up in NYC, Denise tells LisaR that she didn’t go because she thought Brandi would create a Jerry Springer moment, and LisaR says it was a lie that there was a family emergency.

I am so over this bunch.

📱 She Says They’re Fake…

It’s possible, since it can be done. And considering Brandi’s face, among other body parts, is fake, why not?

https://realityblurb.com/2020/08/18/denise-richards-reacts-to-brandi-glanvilles-supposedly-incriminating-text-messages-plus-where-andy-cohen-and-rhobh-stars-stand-on-the-drama/

https://www.inquisitr.com/6230508/denise-richards-brandi-glanville-leaked-text-messages/

🎭 I’d Laugh If It Wasn’t Tragic…

I was trying to find out what the deal is with Brandi’s ex in regard to the kids, and found this gem. Brandi got pissed because it wasn’t her week to have them when the pandemic hit, and this poor big baby was all alone. Maybe there’s a reason for that. She also whined that her ex and his wife wouldn’t let her stay in their guest house. Really?

https://www.tvshowsace.com/2020/03/23/rhobh-star-brandi-glanville-calls-out-ex-husband-and-leann-rimes-for-not-letting-her-see-children-during-coronavirus-quarantine/

🛥 Goodbye Med…

Hannah has the feels about leaving the Deck. I still say it was handled badly.

https://realityblurb.com/2020/08/18/hannah-ferrier-opens-up-about-really-disappointing-departure-from-below-deck-mediterranean-plus-sneak-preview-of-whats-still-to-come-on-season-5/

🚪 Closing Remarks…

Ugh, ugh, and more ugh. Windows decided it was time for an update, and it wreaked havoc with my computer. It took all day to deal with, and I still didn’t get back to a semblance of normalcy until HP (never again) had to update because of the update. As usual, it was no improvement. Until next time, stay safe, stay proficient in what you do, and stay not fixing what ain’t broke.