What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ned says, for the thousandth time, he didn’t turn them in, and Tracy says, it was a smart business tactic. Olivia says, it was a gross betrayal, and Ned says he didn’t do it. Brook says, he double-crossed Michael and Valentin when he tanked the merger with Aurora by becoming Chairman of the Board at ELQ. Why does he expect them to believe him now? Ned admits he threw in his lot with Valentin, but that is standard Quartermaine family politics. It’s a far cry from turning Drew and Carly in to the SEC. Drew is family; the Q’s stay loyal to each other. Drew walks in and asks if they’re talking behind his back, and Ned says, he heard Drew brought Dr. Obrecht back from… Ned strides toward him and punches Ned in the face. Ned falls on the sofa, and Brook says, take it easy; this is hardly a fair fight. Drew says, Ned called the SEC after he came to Ned and tried to put this family back together? He wants a war, he’s got one.

Felicia says, Maxie is really doing this, huh? and Maxie says she is. Felicia hands her an ice pack, saying, this is for a sinus infection, which is a lot more effective if you’re lying down and not going to work. Maxie says, they’ve gone through this. She’s had sinus infections before. Felicia says, then she probably knows she needs antibiotics, and she definitely needs rest, but Maxie says, she’ll rest after. Spinelli has the kids, so she has the whole weekend to recover. Felicia asks why she can’t reschedule, and Maxie says, because they’re lucky the Home & Heart channel is letting them pitch their products again after what happened the last time they were there. Calling in sick at the last minute? Not an option. The future of her company is at stake. She coughs, and Felicia puts the ice pack on her own head.

At the hospital, Carly says, it’s good to see Sasha here, and Sasha says, try keeping her away. She heard everyone came home safe. Does that mean Dr. Obrecht is back and Willow is getting the transplant? Carly says, it looks like it’s happening. Willow just started her final round of chemo, and they did put her in isolation to protect from possible infection. Sasha says, whatever anyone needs, she and Gladys are here. She knows they’re going through a lot themselves. Carly says, plus being investigated by the SEC.

As Holly and Robert kiss, Diane clears her throat. Holly says, they didn’t know they had an audience, and Diane says, they did, and laughs. Holly says, Robert might consider locking his door, and Diane says, or at least closing it. Holly says, it’s entirely her fault. There’s something about saving the world that makes a woman act entirely impulsive.

Taggert comes out of the hospital elevator, and goes over to Portia, who hugs him. She says, thank goodness he’s back. It’s been a nightmare. He says he tried to get his office involved and couldn’t stand that they were stonewalling. He lost his temper and got detained. She says, he’s not the only one. Robert Scorpio got in trouble with the WSB. He says he could have gone with Curtis and Laura, but she says, don’t do that; Trina is safe. She’s on her way home. He says he still could have helped more, and she says, maybe he still can. Trina might be on her way home, but she’s still not out of danger. Not while Spencer Cassadine is in her life. He says, Portia might not have to worry about that, since there don’t seem to be many Cassadines left.

On the plane, Spencer holds Ace, as Trina naps on his shoulder. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she feels like she can breathe again. They made it.

Curtis says, they should be landing soon, and Laura says, that’s good. He says, well, they did it. They saved the day. The world has no idea. She says, and as per the WSB, they never will, and he says, it’s still good to have the W. She says, winning exacts a high price. She hates to think about what she had to pay to reach this moment.

Drew says he was picked up by Federal agents the second he got home, and Brook says, they all appreciate what he’s done, but he says he doesn’t need to be appreciated. Willow’s life is at stake, but not having him detained would have been appreciated. Ned says he didn’t make that call; it wasn’t him. Drew says, of course (🍷) he did. He said he was going to do it, and he did it. Olivia says she doesn’t care how angry Drew is at Ned; do not bring violence into this house. Drew can’t believe Olivia is defending him, and says he thought Carly was her friend. Of all the spiteful things Ned could have done, he’s going to put Carly through this now? Ned says, for the last time, he didn’t call the SEC, and Drew says, of course (🍷) Ned’s going to deny it. It’s disgusting. Ned waits until he leaves, then stabs Drew in the back, and covers his tracks like the coward he is.

Carly tells Sasha, the timing couldn’t be worse. Her family needs her right now, and she doesn’t know what’s going to happen with this SEC business. Sasha says she’s so sorry, but Carly says, right now, she just wants to focus on Willow’s health. Thank God Drew found Liesl and they’re home safe. Sasha says, it’s a miracle. She and Gladys were so relieved when they heard. Carly asks, where is Gladys? and Sasha says, she’s on the phone with a customer service issue.

On the phone, Gladys says, yes, a family emergency. She has to cancel their trip… That’s right. The deluxe spa package with all the add-ons… She knows. They were supposed to leave tonight. Like she said, a family emergency… What do they mean, non-refundable?

Felicia says she thought Deception stock stabilized, and Maxie says, for now, but in order to keep it that way, they have to take their company to the next level. And being blacklisted by the home shopping circuit? Not particularly helpful. Felicia says she gets it, but Sasha’s on-air meltdown wasn’t her fault, and Maxie says she knows that, but still, she had to call in favors to get them back on Home & Heart. If their product is successful there, it will open doors for them. Everything is riding on this. They’re launching a skincare product called The Deceptor.

In Portia’s office, she tells Taggert, from the start, he knows Spencer’s been a problem. The whole reason Trina got involved in that Esme Prince mess is because he lied to her. And Spencer keeps dragging her into all these dangerous situations. For some reason, Trina’s always willing to forgive him. Taggert says, she doesn’t have to break it down to him. He doesn’t trust that boy one little bit, but now’s not the time to push anything on Trina. Just be thankful she’s coming back to Port Charles and she’s safe. Portia says, she’s safe now, but they can’t ignore the fact that she wouldn’t have been on that boat in the first place if she wasn’t infatuated with Spencer.

Trina asks if Spencer wants her to hold Ace for a while, but he says, that’s okay. He’s just glad they got Ace out of there, and out from under Victor’s influence. She says she still can’t believe he jumped off that boat before it was hit, and he says he almost didn’t. When he heard the drones, he knew what it meant. He froze. His mind knew he had to do something, but his feet were paralyzed. Then he heard her voice clear as day. She asks what she said, and he says, Spencer, you idiot, what are you doing? Get off that boat. Jump. She says, the one time he listened to her, and he says he remembered her face and her voice and her laugh, and he knew he had to get back to her. So before he could stop himself, he dove overboard, and he could see the explosion happening above him. All he could feel were the shock waves going through the water. He thought he was going to drown, so he thought of her again, and he swam to the top and made his way to shore. She saved his life.

Laura tells Curtis that she’s glad they came through this ordeal safe, but experience has taught her, it’s the psychological scars that take the longest to heal. He asks if she’s speaking for Spencer and Trina, or for herself, and she says, both maybe. He says, she’s been dealing with the Cassadines for a long time, and she says, since she was Trina’s age. Her feud with the Cassadines has gone on for forty years. It’s affected her; it’s changed her. Being around that kind of anger toward that family has been a weight on her soul, and now the Haunted Star, her last link to the Cassadines, has exploded. He says, she’s right. It’s gone. It’s exploded. And everything that was attached to it. Does that lift the weight?

Ned says, Drew doesn’t come into his house and attack him with wild accusations, and Drew says he can’t stand being in the same room as Ned. He’s out. Brook says, wait. Can’t they talk about this calmly? Ned says, Drew and Michael tried to screw him out of ELQ by merging with Aurora, and Drew told Carly about it. That’s how this whole thing started, so don’t pretend he’s the only one making deals behind the other’s back. Drew says, Ned is out of control, and his ego wouldn’t let him consider anything else. Congratulations, because now he and Carly might go to prison, but Ned got what he wanted. He walks out, and Ned yells that he had nothing to do with it.

Tracy follows Drew out, and says, leaving so soon? and he says, if she plans on asking him to apologize, that’s not going to happen. She says, that’s the last thing she plans on doing.

Felicia says, so they’re moving into at home skincare devices, and Maxie says, they’re branching out. But Brook quit because she decided to become a full-time music manager, and Lucy lost all credibility when she faked her own death (huh?), so it’s up to her to launch their hot new product and show people how excited they are about it. She sneezes, and Felicia says, she doesn’t sound excited; she sounds sick. Maxie says she took some medicine. It will get her through. Felicia asks if Maxie is sure she’s going to be okay, because she has to get to the station to see Mac. Maxie says she’ll be fine, and Felicia asks if she can just give Maxie some advice before she goes. Delegate. This company can’t ride solely on Maxie’s shoulders, no matter how capable or brilliant she is. She gives Maxie a kiss, says, she’ll be back with soup, and leaves.

Gladys asks if she can reschedule. At their prices, she’d at least expect some flexibility. Especially since the emergency is a family member dealing with cancer. Thanks for asking, by the way… Her tone? What about their tone?

Carly asks how Sasha is after the whole Heather Webber fallout. She hasn’t had time to check in. Sasha says she’s all right. She got her closure, and she’s doing what she needs to do to take care of herself. Carly tells her, don’t forget what they say on an airplane, and Sasha says, you have to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help anyone else. Gladys joins them, and says she’s so sorry about everything that’s happening with Carly, and Carly thanks her and says she’s just focusing on Willow’s health right now. Sasha asks if Gladys is okay, and Gladys says she tried to cancel their trip, but the snooty hotel manager is refusing a refund. She asked about rebooking, but he said it’s more expensive because of the high season. Sasha tells her, book it, and Gladys asks if she doesn’t want to know the cost. Sasha says, they can afford it, and Gladys says, okay, she’ll book it right now. She leaves, and Sasha says, what would she do without Gladys?

Laura tells Curtis that she’s curious to see how her life will unfold now. Maybe Nikolas will come home, or maybe she’ll just find the peace she’s looking for now. He laughs and says he knows that race. Chasing peace is more of a marathon, but he’s here if she needs some cheering on. She says, right back at him. She’s so grateful for everything he’s done for them. She and her grandsons owe their lives to him. he says he’ll always help her, but full disclosure, he had selfish reasons for making sure everyone got home safely. She says she hopes things will open up a little more for him and Trina now. She didn’t want to pry before, but how are things going?

Trina says, something deep inside told her that she had to follow him on that boat. She’s never done anything that crazy in her life… but she doesn’t like to think about what might have happened if she hadn’t. He says, neither does he, and asks if she thinks Ace is going to remember. He was with that creepy nanny – Ace goes oooh, oooh, like he gets it – and Trina says she doesn’t know. He seems to be good, happy to be in Spencer’s arms. They’ll get him checked out when they get home, and he’ll be surrounded by family. Spencer says he just wants to protect Ace. He really loves this little guy.

Diane says, saving the world? How exhilarating. And so modest. Holly says, the only thing missing was Robert, and Robert says he was kind of busy at the time. He was stopping the situation from blowing up… literally. Diane says she doesn’t want to interrupt story hour, so she’ll… Robert says, please. Stay. Holly says, do, because she was just leaving, and she’s sure they have important legal things to discuss. She leaves, and Robert says he wants to apologize, but Diane says, no, no. She’ll settle for the truth.

Maxie paces as she says, 2023 is the year of selfcare. The Deceptor is a portable home spa device for the woman on the – she sneezes – go. Oh my God. I sound like Droopy Dog. The Deceptor tightens and brightens so you can be your best self… Be your best self. She coughs.

Ned says, how dare Drew barge in here and accuse him without a shred of evidence? Olivia and Brook don’t say anything, and he says, then again, what can he expect? His own family doesn’t believe him. They both say, we don’t.

Outside, Tracy tells Drew that she’s not getting into what Ned did or didn’t do, and she doesn’t condone physical violence. Drew says, but? and she says, his actions not only helped Willow, they avenged Luke, so he gets a pass from her… this time. So what is he going to do about the SEC investigation? He says, that’s for him and his lawyer to figure out. He’s not going to spitball with her just to satisfy her curiosity. She says she was wondering if he’s considered who the SEC is actually after. Is it him, a decorated former Navy SEAL, or Carly Corinthos. He says, Spencer, and Tracy laughs and says, that’s right; she changed her name. And she’s still the ex-wife and confidant of the most powerful mob boss in the state of New York. Doesn’t he think the SEC might be interested in hearing any dirt she has on Sonny?  

Carly asks if the guardianship thing with Gladys is going well, and Sasha says, absolutely. It’s given her the time and space to put things together. Carly says, good. She has to admit, she was concerned given Gladys’s history. Sasha says, Gladys is still Gladys, but Gladys has really stepped up for her, always acting with her best interests in mind. She’s been a real life saver.

On the phone, Gladys says, that’s right. The upgraded package with the new dates… Perfect. She’ll check her email for the confirmation info… She looks forward to her journey too. She hangs up and says, smug little creep, when her phone dings. It’s a text from Selina: Seat opened up at the table tonight. $5K buy-in.

Carly says, if Sasha is feeling better and more grounded, maybe she doesn’t need a guardian, and Sasha says, at first, that was all she could think about. But barring one major difference of opinion, things have been going really smoothly. She guesses she’s gotten complacent. Her phone dings, and she says, Maxie texting… a work emergency. Gladys comes back, and Sasha says she should run. Carly thanks her for coming by, and Sasha says, absolutely. She asks Carly to keep in touch, and she and Gladys leave.

Portia says, there has to be a way to keep Trina away from Spencer. He knows it’s going to be a mess when Spencer fights Esme for her own child, and he’s going to pull Trina right into that mess. What if Spencer tries to get Trina to help him raise that child? And what if Nikolas comes back? All of a sudden, Nikolas comes back, and wants to be a daddy again. What about that? Taggert tells her, slow down. She’s letting her mind be filled with all kinds of worst case scenarios. She says, all of them are possible though, aren’t they? and he says, first of all, if Nikolas comes back, he’s most likely going to get arrested for unlawful imprisonment. But she’s forgetting the most important thing. They can’t tell Trina what to do. She says, so he’s telling her that he condones Trina having this relationship and being in this messy lifestyle, but he says, no, no even a little bit. He doesn’t want his daughter anywhere near that boy or his lunatic family. But what are they supposed to do? If they forbid Trina to see him, that’s just going to make it worse. Portia says, Trina needs to see how dangerous and destructive Spencer is, and he asks if she’s just going to drive more distance between her and her daughter.

Curtis tells Laura, it was hard with Trina after the wedding. Neither one of them knew what to say to each other. But it’s gotten better since, slowly. Laura says, after their time in Greenland, it’s pretty obvious to her that Trina cares about him. Curtis says he agrees, but Trina is still hesitant about taking the DNA test. She’s not ready. His fear is, she never will be. Laura asks what he wants, but he doesn’t think it matters. He wasn’t the man who raised her, so it’s not his place to pressure her.

Spencer tells Trina that he just wants his little brother to have the chance to be something he never could be, a normal kid. Look what they just went through; all of the danger and violence. Ace was right in the middle of that, and he doesn’t want that kind of upheaval for him. His grandmother thinks he should be patient with Esme, but he knows what’s best for his little brother. He wants to protect Ace. Trina says, he will, and he says, damn right. He’s more sure than ever that he’ll be his brother’s guardian.

Drew asks if Tracy is suggesting he turn against Carly to save himself, but she says she’s simply watching out for a member of her family. It’s what she does. He says, and what a family it is.

Olivia says she loves Ned and will stand by him, but she’s not okay with this. He says he swears, on his Grandmother Lila’s memory, he didn’t call the SEC. Tell him that she believes him. Tracy comes back, and Olivia says she’ll go get him an ice pack. She leaves, and Ned ask if Brook has anything to add. She says she may regret this, but she believes him.

Curtis tells Laura, it’s not even Trina’s fault she’s in this position. He doesn’t want to put added pressure on her. She asks, what about him and Portia? and he says he doesn’t know. She says, no matter what Portia did wrong, she still brought that fabulous human being into the world. She doesn’t want to compare Nikolas and Portia, but Nikolas’s indiscretion is what gave her that wonderful little grandson. If it turns out Curtis is Trina’s biological father… He says he’d be so honored, and she says, maybe he could do what she’s doing. She balances out her feelings of anger and disappointment in Nikolas with happiness; something really good came out of it. He says, the wound is too fresh. Maybe she can let go of her anger, but for him, it’s easier said than done. She says, of course (🍷) it is, but we can still try.

Portia says, Taggert hates the Cassadines. He did ever since Nikolas got involved with his sister. Don’t tell her now that he’s nonchalant about Trina having a relationship with Spencer. He says he can’t stand the Cassadines. He doesn’t want his daughter with one of them. But if they come down hard on her relationship with Spencer, it’s going to backfire in Portia’s face. She says, you do it then. Trina is sensitive to him right now; she’ll listen to him. Tell her how dangerous that family is. He says, and have her pull away from him too? They have to be realistic. Just think about what Trina and Spencer just went through. She says, yeah, and it’s only going to bring them closer together is what it’s going to do, and he says, Trina’s only made up her own mind. Portia says, but she’s wrong this time; she’s just wrong. She doesn’t want Trina to learn the hard way. Spencer’s influence is just growing on Trina, and he’s leading her into dangerous situation after dangerous situation. He’s taking her daughter away from her when she’s the most vulnerable. He says, Trina called her from Greenland, but she says, only because Trina knows her number by heart. He says, it’s because she wanted Portia to help, and she wanted to hear her mother’s voice, and she says, he has no idea how much she wants that to be true. She’s just so afraid she’s damaged her relationship with Trina, and it’s beyond repair.

As Holly is leaving the station, Felicia says, she’s back, and hugs her. She’s so glad everyone got home safe and sound. Holly says, Victor, not so much, and Felicia asks if Holly sees her crying. How is Ethan? Does he know? Holly says, yes. She spoke to him. He’s in Australia, and she’s so relieved. With Victor dead, she’s a whole new woman. Felicia says she doesn’t think she could be that optimistic after everything Holly’s been through, and Holly says, when you almost lose everything, it clarifies what you want to hang on to. That’s why she’s here; she wanted to talk to Robert. Felicia asks how that went, and Holly tells her, let’s just say our conversation ended with a kiss… a very nice kiss.

Robert says, Holly kissed him, and he was totally taken aback, but Diane says, he misunderstands her. She doesn’t care who kissed who behind  the bleachers during seventh period. She doesn’t need to know the particulars. He asks what she wants then, and she looks at the champagne and says, clarification. She won’t build a relationship with someone who doesn’t want to be with her. He says he’s totally enjoying the time they’ve spent together, and she laughs and says, consider her swept off her feet. He says he’s not too good with this touchy-feely stuff, and she says she’s starting to get that, so she’s going to make it simple for him. She will not be in competition for his feelings, especially when her competition is the love of his life.

Drew goes to the hospital, and Carly hugs him. She asks how it went with the SEC, and he says, not great, but Sam called Diane for him, so that helped a lot. They really have to talk about their next steps though. And he kind of let his anger get the best of him. He punched Ned in the face. She asks if he’s going to be okay, and Drew says, he’s going to be fine, but the weird thing is, Ned insisted it wasn’t him, even after he hit Ned. She says, Michael, Josslyn, and Sonny, no one else knew, and he says, and Olivia. She says, then Olivia told Ned. Ned threatened them, specifically Drew. Drew says, the bottom line is, the date of the stock purchase implies insider trading, and she says, then it has to be Ned. Who else has to gain from telling the SEC?

Ned says, Brook believes him? and she asks if he really meant what he said about Great Grandmother Lila. He says, of course (🍷). He would never take her name in vain. She says, then yes, she believes him, and he says, that means the world to him. They hug, and Tracy kind of smiles. Ned says he appreciates Brook’s faith. Now he needs to find some aspirin. I guess Olivia went to Alaska to get ice. He leaves, and Tracy says, her granddaughter, the humanitarian. While they have some time alone together, she needs to speak with Brook on a certain matter. Brook asks if this can wait, but Tracy says, not so fast. Brook needs to hear what she has to say.

Felicia and Holly sit in the waiting area, and Felicia says she doesn’t want to speak out of turn, but Robert’s kind of seeing someone. Holly says, Diane Miller? and Felicia says, yeah. Holly says, Diane walked in on her and Robert kissing, and the look on her face spoke volumes. Felicia says, for the record, Diane is good people, and Holly says, hopefully Diane will understand she and Robert have been dancing around each other for years. They have a history that isn’t finished yet. That’s why she came back to Port Charles. She wanted to tell Robert exactly how she feels. Life’s too short. Felicia says she thinks it’s wonderful that Holly is so sure about her feelings for Robert, but does she know if he feels the same way?

Robert asks Diane, who’s talking about competition? He and Holly have a lot of history. She says, history implies the past. What she just walked in on? Definitely present. He says, she kissed him and he didn’t exactly shrink in horror. In some sense, he’s always going to love Holly, but as part of his past. Diane picks up the bottle of champagne, and says, the more she gets to know him, the more she knows not to expect a grand gesture – she reaches for the empty glass on his desk – or a statement to prove how he feels about her. She pours some champagne, and says, although midday champagne is very lovely. She drinks some, and says, she will not build a relationship with a man who is preoccupied with someone else. Hence her question – she drinks some more – has he really left Holly behind?

Brook asks if there’s anything wrong, and Tracy says, not necessarily. She recalls Brook mentioning she owed her for helping get Chase reinstated, and Brook was wondering when she was going to ask her to pay up. Brook says, when Tracy accused her of being like her father, only interested in money and stock market shenanigans, and Tracy says, relax. She’s not asking Brook for money or stocks. But there is something Brook can do as perhaps a way of settling her account.

Drew tells Carly that he just finds it hard to believe Ned would have set this whole plot in motion, especially when he was away trying to save Willow’s life. She says, Olivia must have been out of the loop, or Olivia would have warned her. How could Ned be so stupid? Does he want to ruin his relationship? He says, on the other hand, there’s an upside to this whole mess, and she says he’ll have to enlighten her. He says, they’re busted; their secret’s out. Which means he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder to do what he’s been wanting to do since he got home. She asks, what’s that? and he says, come here, and he’ll show her. They kiss.

Holly says she’ll tell Felicia this. If that kiss was any indication, then there is definitely still a spark between her and Robert. They know Robert is slow to act… Felicia says, some might say cautious, and Holly says, now that she’s back and free of encumbrances, there’s nothing to stand in their way.

Robert tells Diane, when he thought Holly had been killed, it was like someone kicked a hole in his stomach. The life went out of him. When he found her alive, everything was so much lighter. Knowing that Holly is alive and living her life is a whole lot different than wanting to live it with her. Diane thanks him, and says, that was honest. It’s also a long way around to say he’s still figuring things out. Take all the time he needs, but don’t call her until he knows what he wants. She takes the champagne bottle, and leaves.

Maxie thanks Sasha for coming so quickly, and Sasha says, of course (🍷). They would have picked up some chicken soup on the way, but she said it was an emergency. She and Gladys come inside, and Maxie says, it is. She’s not fit for television, and they have to debut The Deceptor today. Gladys says, tell Home & Heart they need to reschedule, but Maxie says, no. She practically had to beg for this spot, and she only got it because she promised them two free tickets to next year’s Nurses Ball. Sasha says, no worries. She’s sure they can find someone to take Maxie’s place. Maxie says, there’s only person she trusts to take the job. She knows it’s going to be difficult, but there’s no choice. It’s got to be Sasha.

Portia thanks Taggert for talking her off the ledge and making her see reason. But most important, she thanks him for still being a friend, especially after everything. He says he told her before, they’ll always be family. Curtis and Trina walk into the hospital, followed by Laura and Spencer holding Ace. Trina runs to Portia, and they hug. Taggert hugs them both. Laura and Spencer smile, but Curtis looks a little lost.

Tomorrow, Tracy asks Brook if it sounds like a fair deal; Curtis tells Portia that it’s over; and Maxie says, Sasha absolutely is not saying no.

🍸 VanderExcuse…

Tonight’s show was a lot. It was hard to type with all the red flags in my way, and I’ve still yet to edit some of it. Rather than do a rush job on such an important piece of the Scandoval puzzle, I’ll serve it to you tomorrow.

🏡 Leaving My Worries On the Doorstep…

Come back tomorrow for soap and the mess that is Tom Sandoval’s life. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering Mother’s Day is this weekend, and stay knowing that you have to put your own oxygen mask on before you can help anyone else.