Tag Archives: Fear the Walking Dead

September 18, 2016 – NJ’s Teresa Confronts Her Cousins & FTD’s Strand Confronts a Knife

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Rosie, Jacqueline and Siggy meet for drinks. Jacqueline talks about Kathy and Rosie surprising Teresa at her book signing. Rosie wants Teresa back in their lives (whether Teresa wants it or not) and was hoping to make a lunch date. Siggy thinks it’s sad that they’re estranged and has high hopes for a reconciliation. Higher hopes than I do, since I basically have none. In her interview, Jacqueline says Teresa is mad at Kathy for things she’s said herself. We flash back to Rosie’s interruption of the last Wives reunion that Teresa attended. Rosie says Teresa didn’t act like she hated her, but she wanted more than that. Siggy says family is worth fighting for. Um…that depends on the family.

Melissa takes Joe #2 go for a Botox treatment. She tells him it will help his migraines and he says he has migraines from stuff like what happened at the book signing. He says family is supposed to pick you up when you’re going down, not agree with the one who’s pushing you down. The doctor comes in and Joe expresses his fear of needles. Melissa takes a picture as he gets his treatment. He suggests a gin chaser.

Ashlee is going with Pete to check out apartments. Pete suggests checking out Hoboken first. I was going to wrinkle my nose until I saw the view. I’m moving tomorrow. They go to an observation area and Pete asks her to marry him. Geez, no fanfare, no warning, no nothing. In her interview, Ashlee recalls dreaming about this moment as a little girl. This is the kind of moment she dreamt of? They nix looking at apartments, and decide to go home to give the family the big announcement. The ring gets my stamp of approval.

Ashlee asks Jacqueline if this dress makes her look fat and then asks if this ring makes her look engaged. Okay, that was kind of cute. Brother CJ and Chris join them. In his interview, Chris says, “She’s all yours, Pete – good luck.” Ha-ha! Champagne is brought out and they all have a toast.

What is up with the windows on Siggy’s house? There’s a huge blank space on the second floor. Jacqueline calls Siggy to tell her about the engagement. She also sends out a group text.

Teresa and Melissa are out for a walk. They discuss Joe #1‘s upcoming trip to camp. The conclusion is that women are stronger than men. Teresa says Joe isn’t taking it all that well, although he keeps saying he’s good. Teresa thinks it will be a plus for Joe to detox. In her interview, Melissa talks about how the men in the family put up a strong front. She feels that Teresa got more in touch with her feelings when she was away and they’re the closest they’ve been.

Siggy comes by Melissa’s place to pick up some jeans and have champagne. There must have been a sale. Teresa is going to join them, and they talk about how exhausted she seems. Melissa says she doesn’t think everything has hit her yet, but every time they talk, more trust is established. Melissa wants to take a group trip to Vermont before Joe #1 leaves and Teresa won’t be able to get away.

Teresa arrives and Melissa presents her idea. She says it will be the girls and Joe #2, but only if Chris will come, because he doesn’t want to be the only guy. Joe #1 isn’t allowed out of the state. After some gentle persuasion, Teresa agrees. Glasses clink.

Dolores is working at the gym. Jacqueline shows up with a Quarter Pounder, with cheese no less. Dolores tells Jacqueline about her idea to empower women and have a ladies weekend at the gym. Jacqueline checks out the equipment. They talk about Ashlee’s engagement. Jacqueline is glad Ashlee and Pete are taking their time, since her own wedding was a backyard affair and she Ashlee will have time to plan.

Jacqueline, Siggy and Teresa meet for drinks. Siggy tells Teresa about how upset Rosie was and how she wants to have lunch with Teresa. Teresa says now her father is involved, since Kathy called him a coward at the reunion. I’m guessing she doesn’t mean a hands-on kind of involvement, just that Kathy dragged his name into it. Jacqueline says that Kathy feels that Teresa started it, since she said something first about Kathy’s parents. Teresa brings up how Kathy and her aunt discussed Teresa’s culpability in going to prison and we flash back to that. In her interview, Teresa says they haven’t treated her well and it’s really none of Siggy’s business. I have to agree here. Even I’m feeling the strain. Teresa tells the girls that she isn’t ready for a relationship with her cousins, and wants to concentrate on her immediate family. Siggy tries to pressure her about the lunch and Teresa says she’ll think about it. She leaves to pick the girls up from school. Siggy tells Jacqueline this is deep, so they need to have hope.

Jacqueline and Siggy go to Kathy’s for lunch. Siggy tells them about meeting with Teresa and brings up what Kathy said about Teresa’s father. Kathy immediately gets excited and talks about how Teresa said things about her family, but at the end of the reunion said she forgave Kathy. Melissa and Joe join the crowd. Siggy starts crying. She’s upset about the whole lunch thing, since she doesn’t think it’s going to happen any time soon. Joe #2 says Teresa can’t forget right now and Melissa doesn’t want to get in the middle. Rich talks nonsense about what a happily married couple he and Kathy are, and that Teresa is jealous about that. Joe gets mighty pissed. He says they all know what Rich just did and it’s got to stop. Rich acts ignorant. Joe says something in Italian, which translates to, the tongue doesn’t have bones but can break bones. Rosie gets crazy, saying they all say whatever they want and it all falls on her sister and she won’t have it anymore. Rich says if Joe thinks he’s adding to the fire, he apologizes. To his credit, he says he’ll step back and stay out of it. In his interview, Joe says Teresa needs time to trust them. Finally everyone calms the hell down.

Joe #2 meets Teresa at the gym. He tells her about Kathy and Rich. Teresa says that she’s tired of hearing about it. She says she doens’t like Richie’s company and Joe blabs about what Richie said and how he intimated that Teresa and Joe don’t have love. She says this is exactly the kind of thing she doesn’t want in her life. Joe suggests she have lunch with the girls. She brings up their father being called a coward. He says until she tells them get lost, they’re not going away. Joe offers to come along and she says she’ll do it. That was really nice of him.

Rosie and Kathy show up early for the lunch. Kathy tells Rosie that she doesn’t want to dwell in the past. She says that their parents getting older puts things in perspective. In her interview, Rosie says despite what’s happened in the past few years, she loves the Giudices. She tells Kathy she wants to make her mother proud. Rosie gets all teary and lunch hasn’t even started yet.

In the car, Teresa explains to Joe #2 that she doesn’t enjoy Rosie and Kathy’s company and Joe says he wants them to hear it from her, so they let go. Teresa tells Joe that it breaks her heart that it trickled down to the parents.

Joe #2 and Teresa arrive. Teresa says she feels badly dragging Joe into the lunch. Kathy says she just wants to be a family again. Teresa says they’ll always be family, but she just wants to be left alone. She says Rich always has something negative to say and he’s a big part of the problem. Teresa asks if he has any feeling. A waiter brings menus and Teresa says they’re not eating. Oh, snap!

Teresa says she didn’t even get a card from them the whole time she was away. Kathy says Teresa also shut everyone out, but Teresa disagrees. She tells them she feels like now that she’s in the public eye again, they’re interested in her, and she wants to be around people who were there for her during the bad times. She says there’s been a lot of turmoil and she wants to cut the cancer out. Kathy says they’re not cancer, and Rosie asks if she’s saying she never wants to be a family again. No. She’s saying get off her back right now because you two are way past desperate and she just freakin’ got out of prison.

Teresa says her heart got hardened and asks if they can respect that. Rosie says she doesn’t want to beg. But you are, Blanche! You are! Teresa says she wishes them the best. Joe #2 wakes up and astutely observes that time mends all. Kathy says they’ve opened the door, so if they need anything, they’re here for each other. Teresa says her door is open if they ever need anything. Teresa and Joe leave. In her interview, Teresa says she’s glad there’s closure. She says she reached her breaking point, she’s had enough, and she’s done. She starts to cry on the way to the car, and does that fanning motion with her hand to dry the tears. She tells Joe its exhausting and he says it’s sad.

Next time, the Vermont trip happens. Melissa and Jacqueline argue, and some woman gets involved who I don’t recognize.

Fear the Walking Dead

Francisco, his wife Ana and little girl sneak around Colonia. They head toward the bus exit. The little girl is scared, and Francisco tells her to be calm and quiet. They go through the bus. Ana tells the girl not to look, and Francisco drags a zombie in and guts him. They put the blood on themselves and walk through the zombie horde. Nice crane shot.

The family goes to the outside. Francisco says they should be at another settlement by dark. They hear a truck and hide. Too late. They’ve been seen. Gang leader Marco asks if he knows them. Francisco says he doesn’t think so. Marco continues to question him. He talks to the little girl and Francisco gives him his backpack and asks him to leave them alone. Marco takes out a canteen and pours water over Francisco’s face. He knows Francisco is from Colonia and asks where the Oxy is. Francisco says they left it in Colonia, but Marco doesn’t believe him.

Ofelia is driving around who knows where. She kicks in the door to a restaurant and gives a zombie a hammer to the head. She makes noise to see if there are any others. She looks at the ocean view. She flashes back to when she was there another time with her boyfriend who’s telling her he’s taking a job in Santa Fe. He wants her to come with him and gives her a drink with a ring in it. She says New Mexico is so far, but he says her parents will be fine. He says he’ll talk to her dad and ask for her hand. She says she’s going to talk to her mother. They kiss.

Back to the present. Ofelia peruses a map and fills a gas can.

At the hotel, Madison, Victor and company get things going, putting on the electricity and fishing for food. Hector teaches Alicia some surfing moves and she talks about her brother. Hector asks where he is now, but she says she doesn’t know. She says he’s out there somewhere. She misses who he was, but maybe not who he is now. Hector says his brother is gone. Madison brings them ice water and tells them the generator is working.

Luci and Nick are in bed. There’s a knock at Luci’s door. A guy says Francisco is gone and he took his family. Luci is surprised that he’d desert them. Nick says he’ll help with the search.

Victor, Alicia, Madison and Elena are having some coffee – which must taste really good – in one of the hotel rooms. There’s a knock at the door. Victor answers and gets knifed for his trouble. It’s the mother-of-the-bride, Ilene. I gasp and say wtf? She babbles something about her daughter and leaves. Worst. Room. Service. Ever.

The ladies tend to Victor. One of the guests, Andres, says he had a year of medical training and Elena has Alicia get the first aid kit. Andres makes excuses for Ilene, but Victor says her grief is a little extreme. No vital organs have been hit, but they still don’t have what they need. Elena, Madison and Oscar decide to make a trip to Marco’s gang supermarket.

Luci tells Alejandro about Francisco leaving. He asks if she knew, but she says no. Alejandro says he’s a coward. Luci thinks Alejandro should speak to the people, and he tells her to gather their inner circle.

Victor tells Madison to keep the drinks coming. He thinks Ilene should be exiled, but Madison says she should be locked up indefinitely. It’s either that or the street. She says they can’t have violence and if anyone raises a hand to another, they’re out. She says it’s the only way this can work.

Alejandro makes a speech about how what lies beyond the wall is worse than death, a wasteland, the end. He says death will not take them if they stick together and have faith. He asks them to stand with him, and says they’re more together than apart. Nick looks unconvinced and asks Luci if Alejandro is okay. After the meeting, Luci tells Alejandro that they’re going out. He asks if she spoke to the scouts and she says not yet. He asks if she wants to follow Francisco. She says this is her home and her people and she wants to serve. He says to speak to the scouts then. Nick says if they don’t deliver the Oxy, the gang will come looking for them. Alejandro says they stay until he says differently. Yes, boss.

Madison tells Alicia and Andres to keep an eye on Victor. She says they’ll be back in two hours. She, Elena and Oscar leave in a truck. Madison asks what Elena and Hector were arguing about. Elena was hoping she could get his brother to come home. She says Antonio chose to stay with the gang and Hector won’t forgive him for it.

Nick asks Luci if she’s okay. She’s upset about what Alejandro said, but Nick says he’s just scared because the natives are getting restless. He tells her they have to get the people their meds. She says Alejandro has always known what he’s doing. Nick says the gang could come looking for them, but she says they stay, because she’s really stupid.

Elena, Madison and Oscar go to the gang supermarket. Elena asks for Antonio. Madison and Oscar set down a cooler. The guard says they can come in, but not the guy who’s with them, only Madison and Elena.

Nick visits Alejandro, who asks if Luci is all right. Nick says she will be, and Alejandro says she’s never questioned him before. Nick says if they don’t make the trade, he thinks the gang will come looking for them. He says the danger is now and real and out there. Alejandro gets testy about them not having faith. He says he never asked to be the one to make the decisions. Nick is like, so I should just follow you blindly? Alejandro says to trust him and says he trusts Nick. Apparently, not that much.

Elena sees Antonio and he tells her she shouldn’t have brought the Americano with her. He looks in the cooler and asks if they can get more fish. Elena tells him his brother asked about him. In the meantime, Francisco is upstairs, getting shaken down in Spanish. Madison asks Elena if they’re the ones being discussed, but Elena says he’s talking about a place called Colonia. As the questioning goes on, Elena translates and Madison realizes they’re talking about Nick. She starts to move toward the stairs and Elena is like, don’t do this.

Madison gets involved and asks if they’re talking about Nick. Elena tells her they walk away now or be killed. Antonio tells Elena to get out and don’t come back. Elena tries to get him to ditch the gang, but he says they won’t be there much longer.

Nick asks one of the scouts, Renaldo, to make the trade with him. He says they need water and Alejandro isn’t a rainmaker. Renaldo says Americans always want to fix someone else’s problems, but Nick says he just gives a sh*t. Renaldo tells him they’ll meet later.

Luci tells Nick that the people need reassurance. Instead of giving into fear, the people need to bring their concerns to Alejandro’s inner circle. Nick asks her to join him inside for a drink, but I think he means something else.

Andres tells Victor that his heart doesn’t have enough blood to pump to all the organs. Victor asks if he should write his will, but Andres says Madison will be back soon. Alicia takes over putting pressure on the wound. Victor tells Alicia she has a better bedside manner than Andres. She says she’s not going to tell him it’s going to be all right because it might not be, and he laughs, which is probably a bad idea. He says he changed his mind; her bedside manner is abysmal. They agree on not liking sugarcoating. He asks what she meant when she said she’d raised herself. She says Madison was busy with Nick and his drug addiction, and her father. He says she has Madison all to herself now, but Alicia says she didn’t want it like this, and she isn’t sure Madison sees her. Victor says make her then.

Nick looks down at the zombie wall. Marco is looking back through binoculars. It’s hard to tell if Nick sees him or he just happens to be looking that way.

Ofelia consults the map. She looks at her rosary and flashes back to being with her mother. They talk about their weekend. Ofelia says her father seems unhappy whether business is good or bad. Griselda says God whispered to her about this man and that he’s a hard man. She’s says she’s a hard woman, and they survived together and came there for Ofelia. She tells Ofelia she couldn’t imagine what they saw, the violence and the blood. They didn’t want that life for her. Griselda says that Ofelia’s father still has nightmares. They didn’t want her to live in fear and would have done anything for her, like Griselda would do anything for Ofelia’s father, because that’s love. Ofelia takes her mother’s hand.

Ofelia kisses the crucifix of her rosary and says she understands now. She starts the car and heads for the US.

When Madison and company return, Elena tells Alicia about Madison’s tangle with the gang. The neon light with the name of the hotel goes on, and Alicia tells Madison she’s inviting in the same people that they want to stay away. She says Madison risked everything for a rumor about someone who may or may not be Nick. Madison says she knows it’s Nick. Alicia doesn’t get it; Nick chose what’s out there over them. Madison says maybe he changed his mind. Alicia says she never changed hers and she’s there. Why isn’t that enough?

The hotel light is extinguished, but not before Travis sees it.

Next time, Travis is digging graves, Madison apologizes, Travis wants to make a break for it – Chris not so much, and Madison insists Nick is out there.

September 11, 2016 – NJ Teresa Gets a Surprise at Her Book Signing & the Feared Dead Get a Surprise Plunge

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

We’ve already established that Joe #1 is getting mighty cranky the closer it gets to his time in the clink. Siggy says tradition is the glue that keeps the family together. She tries to educate her daughter in family history, but I think Sophie is more engaged with her phone. Son Joshua comes home and thinks he should get a car since he passed whatever grade he’s in. Siggy says all she had was a Smurf collection when she was young.

Dolores and Frank argue over the rules for their son. Frankie comes in and Dolores whines that he’s never home. He says since they don’t have a kitchen due to renovations, he’s been eating out with his friends a lot. Dolores wants Frankie to understand that he should be her shadow. Oddly enough, her son totally understands, but also stands his ground for a certain amount of freedom.

Teresa’s lawyer, Jim, comes over. Joe #1 is going to be in Freehold? That’s not far from me. They have a great mall. Jim tells Joe he has a tendency to be nice (!) and let the wrong people around him. I think this is a kinder, gentler way of him telling Joe that he’s an idiot for trying to let that felon into Teresa’s book party.

Joe #2 futilely tries to take care of his children. Melissa arrives home and he takes her to the movie theater. The one in their home. He tells her that he lost a big deal because he couldn’t make an auction, since he had to take care of the kids. She asks him why he didn’t call her and that she would have made other arrangements. She tells him welcome to the millennium and accuses him of being old school. She thanks him for manning up for his wife. He acts like she dropped out of a tree when they met, but she corrects this misconception. He tells her she brings in crumbs and he brings in the cake. The audience goes, doood! or at least I do. In her interview, she says she’ll throw the cake in his face. Go, Melissa! She says it’s not about money. She tells him he has goals and wants to feel successful, and he’s the one who taught her to work hard. She doesn’t want a guilt trip every time she walks in the door. She asks if she should hire help, but he doesn’t like that idea. She asks if they can drop it now so she can go see her kids. She’s done with this conversation.

Teresa and the two younger girls visit Jacqueline. Jacqueline wants the girls to be comfortable at her house again, since it’s been a while. Milania talks about a classmate who has autism like Jacqueline’s son. In her interview, Teresa says Milania takes after Joe #1 – she likes to act out, but inside she’s a softie. While the kids play, Jacqueline and Teresa have coffee. They talk about Nick’s autism and Jacqueline says they don’t know yet how functional he’ll be. The two of them hug it out yet again. We flash back to the ruckus Jacqueline caused when they last came to dinner.

Siggy visits Melissa, who complains about Joe #2 not liking her having a job. She says she’s not going to sit around eating bon-bons. In her interview, Melissa says that she would never let her professional life compromise her family life. Siggy says that a marriage is like a car, you have to put gas in it for it to move, but at the end of the day, Joe will wear the apron. Alrighty then,

Dolores joins the Wakiles for dinner, along with Rosie. Dolores talks about Teresa’s book party and Kathy tells her they weren’t invited. Rosie says they’ve barely seen Teresa since she got back. Kathy says she sent a text, but never received a reply. Kathy is concerned about her daughter, whose brain tumor is causing problems again, and she says that life is too short. She says true redemption is making peace and Teresa needs to put her namaste where her mouth is. In her interview, Dolores says that Italian family arguments are like a war. Rosie suggests they just show up for a book signing. Hmm… Probably not a good idea.

Teresa drags Joe #1 to a yoga massage. She says Joe is stressed, which is an under-statement, and she wants him to relax. She asks Joe what he’s told the girls. He says they’re not stupid and they’ve already been through it with Teresa. Teresa says she told them she was going to work to write a book. Joe says even Audriana knows where she was. Teresa says she’s not a bad person and the kids think bad people are in prison and she did write a book. Joe is like come on, they know. This is one of the moments that I think proves my point that Teresa was not smart enough to know what papers she was signing. I really do believe her about that one.

Dolores finally gets to the gym, and partner Maz isn’t thrilled that she hasn’t been showing up. She tells him about her dog dying and says she’ll be more dependable from now on. He says he can’t work this way and she’s letting a million dollar operation slide. In her interview, she says her fear and her comfort zone are holding her back. She tells Maz she’s going to prove herself. He wants specific advertising ideas to appeal to females. She wants to do a Saturday night ladies’ night and he suggests a weekend pass. She says she’s been there where you don’t think you deserve an hour to yourself and that’s her angle.

Melissa is making Sunday dinner for the family, including her sister and her family, and their mom. She thinks Joe #2 is missing pasta and having kids running around. She explains to her mom that things are different now and women want more. Her mom says it will work out with Joe. In his interview, Joe thanks Jesus. He says there hasn’t been a home cooked meal in months, but I’m thinking he’s exaggerating. In her interview, Melissa says everything she does is for her kids and husband, and she wants to be successful for her family.

Joe #2 insists he’s not old school, but he wants his wife at home. Melissa cuts that conversation short. The dinner looks wonderful and reminds me of Sunday dinners at my Aunt Agnes’s when I was a kid. We weren’t Italian, but my father’s sister married an Italian man who once bootlegged booze for the Mafia while she watched out for the Feds on the back of the truck. She could also cook, and the spread was amazing, everything from spaghetti and meatballs to kielbasa and sauerkraut, a staple of our side of the family’s Lithuanian heritage. Melissa asks someone to say grace and of course there’s always that one person who goes, “Grace!” The last time I heard that, I fell off my dinosaur.

Joe #1 compliments Teresa on the way to her book signing. She thanks him for coming along and he says this will be the last one before he leaves and after that, she’s on her own. She’s not ready to think about all that yet though.

Siggy’s ex-husband meets with her for a dinner out, celebrating Josh’s birthday. They got along so well as exes, she played matchmaker and he’s brought along his new wife and toddler. Siggy complains about how fast the kids grow and how Josh wants to be around anyone but her now. His father interjects that Josh has been complaining about privacy invasion, but it’s obvious they all care about each other and everyone gets teary and sappy.

Dolores is riding with Jacqueline and Chris to the book signing and tells Jacqueline about how Kathy feels. Jacqueline says that Teresa isn’t ready for whatever right now, and Dolores says she’d better be, because Kathy and Rosie are coming to the signing. As they pull up to Barnes and Noble, Chris says at least the police are there in case there are any problems. I think he’s joking. I think.

The book signing is pretty crowded. Lots of picture taking. Melissa and Joe buy books for Teresa to sign. In her interview, Melissa says she and Teresa have kept their word to be sisters. The two Joes chit-chat. Joe #2 asks Joe #1 if he’s ready. Joe #1 says he looks at it like he’s going to the military, which is a pretty good viewpoint. In his interview, Joe #2 commends him for not being a cry baby.

Josh is presented with the car of his dreams after dinner. He drives off, never to be seen again.

Jacqueline and Dolores arrive at the book signing. So do Kathy and Rosie, practically on their heels. I have to interject how wrong this is here. I don’t care if they’re family. I don’t care if they were close at one time. Let this woman get her bearings and for God’s sake, don’t descend on her in a public place. Teresa greets them all friendly, surprising us all. Kathy asks if she got the text, and Teresa acts surprised that she wouldn’t have texted back, saying some nonsense about her old phone and her new phone. In her interview, Rosie says that she thinks that’s a bullsh*t excuse, but she wants things to start fresh. She asks Teresa if the three of them can have lunch. Mic drop.

Teresa explains that her rime is precious. In her interview she says that they weren’t too nice when she went off to prison and said some mean things about her. Rosie acts desperate, saying what about just an hour, but again, I’m on Teresa’s side here. If right now, she wants to spend that hour with her kids while her husband is off at the pokey, that’s her business. Rosie says she wants them to be close again and Teresa says she’ll always be there for her. Kathy says why not lunch then? Rosie realizes how rudely they’re holding up the line and Teresa makes an apology to the hundred people standing there waiting. Rosie speaks with Joe #1 saying she misses him. She apologizes for what she’d said about them. Joe #1 tattles to Teresa about Rosie and what she’d said on New Year’s Eve. Rosie kvetches to Joe #2 about how they’re cousins and shouldn’t be distant.

Next time, Ashlee gets her proposal, Jacqueline and Teresa argue, Kathy’s husband and Joe #2 argue, and the cousin thing comes to a head.

Fear the Walking Dead

We’re back in the bar with Victor and Madison surrounded by zombies. Victor is going to town stabbing them, and Madison suddenly hears Alicia and stabs some other zombies. There isn’t much to work with weapon wise – a crowbar and broken bottles. Madison finds a cubbyhole where she and Victor drench themselves in zombie blood. Remember this trick if the apocalypse ever happens.

They walk out among the zombies, slowly stepping through the bar. She and Victor are able to separate themselves from the horde and get out the door. The truck is gone. Victor thinks the girls took it, but Madison says she just heard Alicia. They climb up onto a balcony while the horde wanders around below. They go back into the hotel.

Wherever they are, it’s pretty quiet. They rest on a staircase. Victor says Alicia is fine, but Madison says he doesn’t know that, and wonders why Alicia left. Victor says to survive. He gives Madison some water and says a tequila hangover can’t be helping. Wouldn’t they still be drunk? She hears Alicia again. They run back upstairs and let Alicia and the others in. Where we came in before.

Nick walks through Colonia to the infirmary, He goes upstairs to talk to Alejandro. He asks Alejandro if he has any compound. He tells Alejandro about what a buddy used to do when he was running low on funds and proceeds to cut the painkillers with powdered milk. Alejandro is concerned the people will know, but Nick says Alejandro is a pharmacist and he’s a junkie, so trust him. We watch Breaking Bad for a second and Alejandro says this will only get them so far.

Madison thinks thy should go after Ofelia. Victor says to focus on the here and now. Alicia says Ofelia chose to go because she thought they wouldn’t make it. Madison says they will make it. Elena talks about supplies and says the people left in the hotel still want her dead.

Madison and Victor stand outside. Madison calls for Oscar. She says there’s work to be done, nobody is leaving, so they might as well work together. Dude says drop their weapons. The do and go inside.

Nick works hard at cutting the drugs. Alejandro tells him to take a break. Nick asks what happened. He tells him Luci only told him that Alejandro was bitten, didn’t turn and that she had faith. He says he doesn’t believe in miracles. Alejandro says he calls it a leap of faith.

Oscar tells Madison about how they got trapped and how they’ve been rationing. Madison says the hotel has everything and explains how they can make the hotel into a home. Oscar says if they help, “that woman” can’t stay (and he didn’t have sex with her either). Madison says Elena did what she thought was right. The mother-of-the-bride says Elena killed her daughter, Madison says the sickness killed her. Madison says the next group who finds this place, and someone will, might not be so nice. They’re clearing out the dead and blockading the place and it would be easier with help. Oscar gives her the keys.

Madison and Victor talk on the way back. Madison is concerned about winning over the mother. Victor says her grief is driving her. He tells Madison that he’ll secure the place, but it’s not home. He had a home.

Nick tests the drugs and says it’s all good. Alejandro talks about how a boy stole from him. He doesn’t know what drug the boy took, but he was mistaken for a zombie and put in with them. He says he tried to save him, but was bitten, and Luci found him and brought him back. They waited for death to come, but it didn’t. Nick asks what happened to the boy and Alejandro says, zombie. Alejandro asks him to be brave, but careful. Nick thanks him for caring. They watch some kids play soccer with Luci and Nick joins in.

A bloody guy runs up to Alejandro and says “he’s in pieces.” Nick asks Luci what’s wrong and she says they found Pablo. Luci tells Nick that Pablo was her brother. She says Pablo looked for their mother after the apocalypse and helped her deal with it when their mother became one of the dead.

Hector suggests they leave zombies behind locked doors. Alicia says if one gets out, they have to start over and they need to clean sweep the place. Alicia goes outside and talks to Madison. She says at the rate they’re going, it will take weeks to clean the place up. Madison says they don’t have weeks. Madison apologizes for all her faults as a mother and Alicia starts walking into the water. Madison calls to her, and Alicia says they don’t have to kill the zombies and points to a sign that says no swimming – riptides. Well, yeah, that might sweep them out temporarily, but they’ll be washing up somewhere.

Alejandro gives Nick a cute little house, saying he needs the bed in the infirmary. Nick says he doesn’t need all this, but Alejandro says that it’s a gift for the time Nick bought them.

Madison tells everyone the plan for leading the zombies into the sea. Alicia doesn’t like how Madison is putting herself out there, but Madison says she needs her in the boat. Alicia tells her about how she saw the look-alike zombie and how she’s afraid of losing her mother, but Madison says Alicia isn’t going to lose her.

Hector and Alicia lead the zombies out of the hotel. Elena and Victor prop doors open inside, so the ones in there can get through. Madison give us more cowbell, luring the zombies by banging on a metal plate. She, Victor an Elena meet. Hector and Alicia separate, Alicia telling Hector to make sure he’s there for her. Madison cowbells the zombies out onto a long dock.

Oscar closes and locks the hotel. Alicia locks the side gate. We see quite a load of zombies shuffling along the boardwalk out to sea. The mother-of-the-bride looks on with disdain from the hotel. Alicia and company get an inflatable lifeboat ready. She and Hector take it out.

The zombies are getting pretty close to Madion, but the waves are kepeing the boat from getting close enough. Madison keeps looking over and wondering where the blip it is as she continues to cowbell. Alicia calls to her. She jumps off the side into the water. It’s a pretty long leap, about 40 feet.

Cool! Zombies following her like lemmings.

There’s a knock at Nick’s door. It’s Luci, saying she’s too tired to sleep. That’s a new one. He’s been reading a Spanish dictionary so he can talk to someone besides Alejandro. He says he wishes he’d taken it in school like his sister. Luci seems surprised he had a family and asks if she’s alive. Nick says he thinks so, as well as his mother, but his father died before zombieworld happened.

The crew at the hotel sit down for dinner. Oscar says his brother couldn’t handle it and is lying down, and Madison says he’ll come around. Alone, Victor goes to one of the rooms. The brother is in front of it. His wife is inside. He was the groom at the wedding. He talks about their courtship an says he won’t let Victor do anything to her. Victor says it’s not his wife anymore. He says the guy will never be the same, but one morning he’ll start thinking like someone new, the person who comes after. He asks what her name is. The groom tells him Jessica. Victor asks to let him help Jessica. The’re both shedding tears and it’s all poignant.

Luci opens her eyes and says she’s sorry she fell asleep. Nick says Alejandro claims she tests people, and she’s testing him? She kisses him. Is that part of the test?

The groom gives Victor the key to the room. Victor opens the door. There are zombie sounds inside. The door closes.

Next time, Nick says danger is coming (I don’t think you have to be a psychic to figure that out), Madison makes some rules, and Nick and Luci get it on.

September 4, 2016 – Fear the Dead Stands Alone

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

No Wives tonight because Bravo is always afraid to put on any new shows when it’s even near a holiday, or the Olympics are on, or it’s raining.

Fear the Walking Dead

I’m watching the tail end of last week’s episode again, and now that I take a better look, Alejandro sure got a chunk taken out of him with that zombie bite. I like Alejandro, but I don’t believe for a second that he has the right idea. I wonder if any of these characters will ever do a crossover to The Walking Dead.

We see a wedding celebration going on in the hotel. A little prequel to the prequel. Everyone is having a great time and the bride and groom have their first dance. The guests chit-chat and the waitstaff looks bored. The father of the bride is called up amid applause. The coordinator asks the mother if everything is okay. She says no, they have to leave, as the border might close due to the “sickness” that’s running rampant. The coordinator tells a waiter to get the vehicles.

As the mother and father of the bride dance – the last one, she says – the father drops to the floor. Zombie infection or heart attack? The bride gives him CPR. Zombie gets my vote, since he just bit off half her face as a waltz plays in the background. The music continues over the scene, making it really eerie. The coordinator locks all of the guests in the banquet room. Remind me not to recommend her.

Travis and Chris are walking down a deserted road. Travis thinks they should look for shelter. Me too, since he’s not doing too well, limping along. They see a station wagon and break into it. Chris wants to look for food at a nearby taco place, but Travis is hesitant. He tells Chris that if he sees anything to come right back and tosses him a crowbar.

Chris enters the restaurant. He sees water and a can of beans on the counter, but he also hears voices in the back. As he takes the supplies, several zombies wander in. He dispatches them, and three live guys come out from the back. He jets.

Chris runs to the car and tells Travis to get going. It’s a really cool old wagon, turquoise and white. Must be a decent car too, if it started after all this time. They drive away and Travis tries the radio. Nothing, which should be no surprise to anyone. He tells Chris to check the glove compartment (or glove box, depending on where you’re from). Not much in there, but he finds a woven bracelet and keeps it. I assume this is being noted for some future reason.

Travis stops the car and tells Chris it’s time to learn to drive since there’s no traffic. Really? We’re doing this now? In the dark no less? Chris starts and stalls a few times, and Travis gives him instructions. No Chris, don’t look at Travis, look at the road.

Meanwhile, Alicia looks out of a peephole in one of the hotel rooms and sees zombies strolling past. She counts them by carving marks on the door. One of them gets thisclose to the peephole and makes bitey faces.

Commercial break. The Blair Witch sequel is in theaters September 16. They’re claiming it’s the scariest sequel ever, but that remains to be seen. And it won’t be scary at all if they keep showing me pieces of it.

Chris continues to do the driving. They see someone walking along the road and he slows, but it’s a zombie. Travis tells Chris driving is pretty easy, except for parallel parking. He doesn’t know the half of it if he’s never tried to park in NYC. Travis says he doesn’t believe this is the end. He can’t and he won’t. He says neither should Chris and they’ll get back what they lost, but not everything. You know that song Running on Empty? Well, they are and the car slows to a stop.

They build a fire in the woods and eat out of the humongous can of beans that Chris swiped. Travis asks if he remembers camping. Chris says his mom hated it, but Travis says she endured it for their sakes. They talk about what it might be like in the mountains where they used to go, and Travis thinks a place like that might be safe. Chris asks what they’re doing, and Travis says surviving. He thinks they should go to a place with a vantage point. Chris suggests the border, but Travis says it’s dangerous. There’s water there and predators will be looking for prey. Chris asks what happens once they find somewhere, and Travis tells him they start over.

Uh-oh. Here comes a truck and you know they saw that fire. Chris and Travis hide. No surprise, it’s the guys from the taco place. The leader of the group says they’re not going to hurt anyone over refried beans, but want to camp there and wouldn’t want to pee in them on the dark. Like I believe he’d be concerned about that, but it was funny. Travis and Chris come out and leader says Chris demonstrated his badassness, killing those zombies. They introduce themselves as Brandon, Derek and Baby James (is he a James Taylor fan or something else?) Chris claims he saved their lives, but Brandon says not so much.

Alicia bides her time, watching what’s going on below from a balcony. She quietly leaves the room and sees zombies down a hallway. She runs in the other direction, calling for Ofelia. Yeah, where’d she go? She pries open some elevator doors, but no car and the zombies are getting close. She jumps in and grabs onto the cables. Talk about badass. The zombies jump too, but they’re not very coordinated because they’re dead, and they fall. A woman appears at another floor and Alicia climbs to her. Somehow, the woman manages to pull her into the hallway. She puts a fire ax to Alicia’s throat and asks, “Where is he?” Who? What? The hell? It’s the coordinator from the wedding.

Everone sits around the campfire. Brandon says they’re the first Americans they’ve met since all hell broke loose. He tells them they’ve been trying to get back to San Diego ever since. Travis tells them they came from the north, and that San Diego is gone and so is LA. He says everything is destroyed up to the Continental Divide. Brandon says they’ll come back; they always do.

Brandon tells Chris he showed some skill at taking out the “wasted.” He asks where Chris learned it and Travis says it came naturally. Chris says it gets easier with practice. Travis tells Brandon they appreciate the food, but they’ll be out of there in the morning. Brandon asks if they’d like to join them. Travis says they want to carve a place out for themselves and asks if the guys can spare gas. Brandon says they can’t, but they’ll give them a ride.

Alicia realizes the woman is the one who put the “do not disturb” signs on the doors. The woman wants to know where Hector is. Alicia says she doesn’t know who that is, but her mom and friends are there. The woman says she only saw Alicia. Alicia says her mother needs her and she has to go. The woman tries to stop her. Alicia asks who Hector is. The woman says her nephew, but he went for food and didn’t come back. She introduces herself as Elena. She’s the hotel manager and the remaining live guests want the keys from her. She says whoever has the keys controls the hotel. Alicia asks how many guests are left and she says about a dozen. Alicia says if she helps find her family, they can help in return. Otherwise they’ll die there.

In their tent, Travis and Chris talk. Travis doesn’t trust the new guys, but Chris thinks they can use the help. He says they’re willing to share their supplies and Travis asks how come they have so much? He doesn’t want to be in debt to anyone. Chris thinks Travis just wants to look for Madison, but he says he only wants to take care of Chris, and thinks the guys are dangerous. Chris says maybe that’s what it takes. Travis says they’ll go with them to the next town, but that’s the end of it. They’re going to find their own car and their own place.

Alicia and Elena leave the room and Elena leads the zombies away. Elena goes down another hallway and Alicia leads the zombies to one of the rooms. Good thing they’re slow moving. She stabs the closest one in the head and goes onto the balcony. Elena closes the room door because she’s good at that. She goes to the next room and tosses a sheet to Alicia who uses it to climb sideways and nearly falls in the process.

Alicia asks what took her so long and Elena says she needed to make sure they were all in there. Alicia asks her to come downstairs with her. She says her mother would die for her, and now she needs her. Elena agrees to go with her.

They reach the banquet room. Elena remembers the wedding. She tells Alicia about how the father of the bride had a heart attack, became a zombie and attacked his daughter. Alicia asks what she did, and she says she contained the situation. The hotel was at capacity and she had the other guests to consider. She couldn’t let the sickness spread, so she locked them in. She starts crying as well she should, since obviously this plan didn’t work very well. She says it was supposed to only be until help came, but it never did. She says they died and now they hate her. Alicia says she’s seen worse and she promises not to let them touch Elena. They leave the banquet room.

Travis and Chris hitch a ride with the new guys. Travis sits in the bed of the truck with Brandon, while Chris talks women with the guys up front. Brandon tells Travis this is awesome – no traffic, no cops, no bills – the end times has made them gods. They see a farm up ahead and stop there.

Finding nothing but dust, they decide to check the barn. Travis tells Chris that they should stay there and make it home. Chris is not into that idea and says they need other people. He leaves Travis to check out the barn with the other guys.

They hear noises from the barn and it turns out to be a flock of chickens. They get excited because it’s protein. So are beans, but I’ll let it pass. (No pun intended.) Travis sees a makeshift graveyard. Most of the Suaraz family died in 2010.

Alicia and Elena walk through the downstairs. The doors to the bar are locked, but Alicia sees a bunch of zombies inside. She calls for her mother. The group of living hotel guests, including the mother of the bride (how’d that happen?) come out with Hector. They want the keys, but Alicia says not to hand them over yet. She asks about her mother, but Elena says she’s not with them so she must be gone.

Alicia says she doesn’t believe her mother is gone. One of the guests tells Elena to give him the keys and she can have Hector. Elena is afraid they’re going to kill her anyway and the bride’s mother thinks that’s a swell idea. Alicia tells her to hand over the keys like she knows what she’s doing. Elena tosses them and grabs Hector. Alicia busts the door open, releasing the zombies.

Travis joins the others in the barn. Brandon wants Chris’s help, but Travis wants Chris to leave with him. He thinks someone might still be on the farm. He’s right, because a guy comes in with a gun and starts speaking in Spanish. Brandon and Bro’s don’t speak Spanish, but Travis says this is the guy’s house and they have no right to be intruding.

Alicia sees someone from behind in the bar who looks like Madison. She starts to turn and Alicia thinks it’s her mom the zombie (and we do too, but not really). It’s not, and she stabs the lookalike in the head.

Speaking Spanish, Travis tells Mr. Suaraz to drop the gun, that he’s outnumbered. When that doesn’t work, he says they’ll go, but instead, Mr. Suaraz shoots Baby James. Great. He was the only one I could tell apart from the other two.

Elena, Hector and Alicia make a run for it. Elena opens a trapdoor that leads to underground hallways beneath the hotel, and the go down. While they run through the corridors, zombies pop out at them and it’s pretty tense, especially since it’s dark and kind of narrow.

Travis pleads with the bro’s, but it’s Chris who shoots Mr. Suaraz. Oh yeah, didn’t he stab that other guy on the boat and acted sort of creepy in general?

Alicia is in the lead and comes up to a door. The zombies aren’t far behind and she can’t get it open. She starts pulling at it and banging on it. It opens from the other side and it’s Madison, who grabs Alicia in. Elena and Hector follow. Victor slides something in front of the door to block it.

Travis is on his knees, watching Mr. Suaraz die. He’s obviously devastated. Chris holds out his hand and we see the bracelet. Travis only looks at him with the saddest expression I’ve ever seen.

Next time, we find out what happened to Madison and Victor, Alejandro explains how he got bitten, and it looks like Nick snorts cocaine, or at least that’s what it looks like. Hmm…did he make a deal with that gang?

On a side note, a little trivia about the hotel. On Talking Dead, I learned that the hotel scenes were filmed in a real hotel, while it was in operation. That must have been quite a feat, with falling zombies and all. Production had to stop when guests needed to go through, and there was one particularly troublesome older gentleman. Maybe he was bucking to get in a scene. They should have slapped some zombie makeup on him and pushed him off a balcony. That’s show biz.

The other interesting thing is that, while doing research on the character of Elena, Karen Bethzabe discovered that the children of the workers who built the hotel later became the employees of the hotel. It wasn’t just a job to them, it was their life. This helped her to justify why Elena wouldn’t have wanted to leave and protected the place so fiercely.

Another bit of info about tonight’s episode is that the bride was played by Sissy Spacek‘s daughter, Schuyler Fisk, and the mother-of-the-bride played by Desperate HousewivesBrenda Strong (Mary Alice Young). I thought I’d recognized the latter from somewhere.

 

August 28, 2016 – NJ Wives Go to the Spa & the Feared Dead Go to a Hotel

Standard

What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Everyone is getting ready for the Crystal Springs spa trip. Dolores wonders why Melissa needs 47 bags for a weekend. So do I. Teresa asks Melissa and Dolores if they’ve talked to Jacqueline. Melissa says she has, but kind of blows off the question. In another car, Jacqueline says they should all be able to play in the same sandbox. In her interview, she says if Teresa doesn’t play nice, she’ll bury her. Not too defensive. Siggy thinks it all comes from insecurity and that Jacqueline is upset because Teresa isn’t as invested in the friendship as she is.

Teresa brings up Jacqueline’s remark about her federal offense. I don’t blame her for thinking that it was a low blow. I think that’s about all Jacqueline is capable of.

Crystal Springs looks amazing and we haven’t even gotten in the door. A butler greets them on the porch with champagne. Everyone claims their rooms. At least Ramona isn’t here. Jacqueline and Siggy arrive after the others and Jacqueline ignores Teresa. Because she’s such a grown up like she said she was. Siggy won’t let this happen and makes Jacqueline say hello to Teresa. Time stops.

In the meantime, Joe #2 is perplexed as to how to feed his kids. He struggles to make some chicken nuggets, wondering how they cook so fast. He’s appreciating Melissa to no end right now. Chris calls as Joe attempts to make some fish. Chris suggests they get together later. At least the popcorn is a success.

It’s dinner time at Crystal Springs. Everyone toasts to friendship and new beginnings. Good luck with that.

The girls discuss different trips they’ve been on. Jacqueline warms up a little when Teresa talks about the trip they went on to Italy. Dolores thinks maybe they just needed to get out of their environment. Jacqueline talks about the new company Chris is starting and how much it costs to raise a child with autism. Siggy says everyone has gone through hardships and talks about living with her parents after her divorce. She says when you’re down, you find out who your true friends are. Melissa talks about not even being able to afford diapers at one point. Teresa tell the group about how so many people thought she should leave Joe #1, but she loves him. Siggy says they’re all survivors at the end of the day, and they toast to that.

Next they go to the fire and water deck, whatever that is. They sit around a fire pit, drinking wine and making s’mores. They discuss when they had their first children, and Jacqueline brings up going ring shopping with her future son-in-law, Pete. Melissa is bummed about missing things with the kids while she’s dealing with her new business. She says when her father passed away, it was devastating for her mother because she’d never worked, and you never know what’s going to happen. Teresa talks about missing the kids when she was in prison camp. Jacqueline gets weepy about it and Teresa invites her and Chris to her book party.

The ladies don their pajamas. Teresa FaceTimes with Joe #1, and she and Jacqueline pretend there’s a big fight going on and Teresa tells him to come and pick her up. Then Jacqueline gives him a cleavage shot. What a couple of comediennes! In her interview, Dolores thinks if they can stay away from discussing the past issues, they’ll be okay. They move on to play wine pong. Tipsy silliness ensues.

Chris plays with his kids. Zzzzz…..

Melissa is the only one who wakes up in full makeup. A chef has arrived to cook a fabulous breakfast. The ladies talk about their kids again. Jacqueline leaves the table and is crying in the bathroom. OMG – they’ve run out of coffee. I’d cry too. Siggy talks to Jacqueline, who is upset because her proud mommy moments are very different from the other women’s. Siggy tells her that Nicholas doesn’t know any different, so it’s not like he’s comparing himself to the other kids. The girls gather around to give support. Melissa says you can’t always be a rock.

Teresa privately tells Dolores that maybe when Jacqueline snapped at her, she was just reacting to how much she has on her plate. Jacqueline is happy about Teresa being supportive. The ladies hang out by the pool on lounge chairs. Melissa talks to Dolores about her relationship with Teresa. In her interview, she says Joe #2 is happy with how things are, so she’s picking her battles. Jacqueline is aware that she and Teresa are being talked about and asks if they’d like to share it with the rest of the class. Dolores asks what they’re talking about, and Jacqueline says they’re talking about what she and Melissa are talking about.

Jacqueline and Teresa go for some spa treatments. Jacqueline talks about getting Nicholas involved with more children. Teresa says Milania loves him and to call her whenever she’s having a bad day. Jacqueline apologizes for saying stupid stuff. Outside, Siggy says she wishes that Jacqueline could see how much Teresa has changed, but Melissa says Jacqueline needs more proof.

The girls are making dinner. Melissa asks Teresa how things are going with Jacqueline. Teresa tells her about Jacqueline’s apology. They grill some steaks and everyone pitches in with the meal.

Chris and Joe #1 go out to eat at Reno’s restaurant. Reno sits with them and Joe talks about how Teresa’s lost weight and has a smaller behind now. He says once he leaves, it will probably be emotional, but there’s nothing he can do about anything, and his main concern is his family’s safety. He’s gotten a German Shepherd that he’s having trained.

The meal the girls have made looks freaking amazing. Everyone is thrilled about how well Jacqueline and Teresa are getting along. Jacqueline talks about how when she gets mad, she says ugly things. Siggy explains that sometimes the two of them just aren’t coming from the same place and it creates a communication problem. Everyone gets goofy during dessert. Teresa sits on some chocolate and much fun is made of the brown mess on the back of her pants.

Jacqueline calls out Melissa and Dolores for talking about her and Teresa at the pool. In her interview, Melissa says Jacqueline’s paranoia is coming into play, because she and Dolores weren’t discussing them. But they were. Teresa says Jacqueline needs to relax and Jacqueline agrees that she thinks too much.

Teresa teaches the girls some yoga. Teresa talks about yoga stimulating going to the bathroom and how you’re encouraged to pass gas. Then she has to explain what queve is. I’m not going to. Look it up. She ends the class with, “Namaste, bitches,” Dina’s old tagline.

Next time, it looks like Dolores might have had to put Boo to sleep 😟, Rosie misses everyone, and Teresa has a book party.

Fear the Walking Dead

Nick wakes up in the La Colonia infirmary. He walks out into the street and wanders around the town. There isn’t another soul to be seen. He sees a little girl crying. He goes to her and looks out to the townspeople saying good-by to one of the men who is about to walk out into a group of zombies. It’s the girl’s father.

The people chant some nonsense in Spanish as the guy walks through a bus to the zombies outside. (I find out later that they’re saying, “From death we come, and to death we deliver ourselves.”) Um…that chanting isn’t going to help anything. Nick moves the girl so she can’t see. No big shock, the man is attacked and eaten. Good job, folks. What did you think was gong to happen? Nick is appalled.

Madison and the others are out driving around looking for Nick and Travis. It’s been two days since they left. Alicia wants to go back. Victor says they’re riding on fumes and should go back to the boat. Madison goes back to the truck.

Nick wanders through the now active marketplace. A lady calls him over. Alejandro tends to one of the men who believes he’s not long for this world.

Uh-oh. The boat’s gone. Victor thinks the military was waiting for them to land and took it. Ofelia suggests they walk into the sea, but Alicia thinks finding shelter in a nearby hotel is a better idea. Alicia tells Madison that it’s the two of them now, whether she likes it or not. A message is left on the beach: Abigail Lost Head North.

The group checks out the hotel. They don’t see anything moving. Even though there might be something unsavory awaiting them inside, they figure better inside than outside. They approach, Victor breaks the front door lock, and they go inside. Alicia wonders where the person who locked up is now. Victor hits the desk bell and Madison asks if he’s out of his mind. He tells her the service stinks there.

Luci tells Nick they have work to do. He follows her. She brings Nick through the bus, fights off some zombies and pins one to a wall. She tells Nick to stay quiet. They put zombie blood on themselves. Nick asks why him and she says no one will miss him.

The group wanders through the hotel. The banquet room has been set up for a wedding. Ofelia says she almost got married once and he was a good man. Victor says not that good, since it was almost. She says he was leaving for New Mexico and she needed to stay with her parents. Victor tells her not to dwell on the past.

Nick asks what was up with the thing that morning. Luci explains that they keep a wall of zombies outside the fence for protection and when one of them gets infected, they volunteer to be one of the wall to protect their people. He asks what if the guy just became lunch for no reason. She tells him he has no faith. She compares it to the ocean cleansing itself and says the dead are returning, and when they go, the world will be new. She tells him that Alejandro was bitten and she saw it happen, but he didn’t turn.

Victor and company continue through the hotel. Alicia wants to split up, but Madison doesn’t like it. Too bad, she goes off with Ofelia anyway. Victor tells Madison she needs and drink and so does he.

Luci takes Nick to see a gang from East Tijuana who deal with supplies. She tells him to keep his mouth shut, that they’ll hang you for looking at them wrong. She gives the guy at the door pharmaceuticals. They give her a cart and tell her to fill it. She says it used to be two, but the guy says it isn’t anymore. Just like the EpiPen!

Victor makes martinis and calls Madison a Southern belle. She tells him his martini is bullsh*t and to bring her the tequila. Ofelia and Alicia go through the rooms. They hear zombie noises from some of them. Alicia notices that someone put “do not disturb” signs on the rooms with the zombies in them. They go inside a safe room and grab some supplies. They find a zombie in a shower who tried to commit suicide, but just got hung up on the shower-head. Alicia puts a do not disturb sign on the door as they leave.

Luci tells Nick to get whatever they can use for the infirmary. He wants to add a package of snack cakes, but that’s a no. No cakes for you. They get quite a few jugs of water as well.

Ofelia tells Alicia there’s still hot water. Alicia empties the mini-bar and asks Ofelia why the guy in the shower gave up. Ofelia says maybe he was tired of surviving. Alicia says you just push on. Ofelia says they’re not going to make it. She talks about her father being one step beyond hope. Alicia says it’s all they have and if they lose that, they’re dead. She tells Ofelia she’s family now.

Luci and Nick leave with the cart. One of the gang members knocks Nick to the ground. Nick has the cookies in his pocket. The guy hits Nick in the head with what looks like a billy club. Why on earth did Nick think he was slick enough to get away with that? On the other hand, technically, the crackers would have fit in the cart, so…

Commercial break. Please, spare me the car ads with Matthew McConaughey.

Gang dude says rats who steal get their paws cut off and prepares to chop off Nick’s hand. Luci translates as Nick threatens them with no more Oxy. He saw gang dude tending to his sick sister, and tells him if she’s without it for a week, he’ll hope she turns, because he’ll want to kill her. He says the gang needs Oxy and La Colonia has it. And if they want it, not only will he let Nick go, but the gang will give them another cart of water. Dude throws him down, but agrees. Nice negotiating, Nick! They could use you on The Walking Dead right about now.

When they leave the area, Luci is concerned about being followed. She says she’s never been followed, but she also never had a stupid gringo threaten them. Nick says sorry.

Madison and Victor talk over drinks. Victor talks about what might have happened had they met at another time. He says he’s a seducer of people who would have it on her and it would have been fun. He says now there’s no world to talk about; there’s not even a bar. Madison says Alicia is right. they’re never going to see Nick again. Victor says Nick is bullet proof and he’s alive. Madison says Nick was born lost, like his daddy. If you leave him alone, he heads toward death.

Victor asks how Nick’s father died. Madison says he was late coming home and went into oncoming traffic. Victor asks if he fell asleep at the wheel and she says that’s what she told the kids. She says she keeps trying to save the kids and they keep dying over and over. Travis stopped it for a while, but now he’s gone. Victor says we can only live with things, we can’t choose. Madison says she didn’t have to be a mother, but she chose to be. She’s getting a little drunk and throws her glass. Then she gets another glass and pours them another shot. They drink to false hope and she throws that glass too.

Victor goes over to the piano, but it’s all out of tune, which is totally appropriate. As he plays, we see zombies locked inside a shop trying to get out. All this noise is attracting their attention.

Alicia takes a shower. She calls to Ofelia that it’s her turn, but then can’t find her. She sees something fall from the roof. She looks over the side of the balcony and sees a couple of zombies take nose-dives off the balconies on the other side of the hotel. Zombies start falling from everywhere and Alicia runs calling for Ofelia. She opens a door to a stairwell and it’s crawling with zombies. I want to see more of the zombies taking headers. That was kind of cool. I do have to lodge a complaint here though. I realize I’m working with a huge suspension of disbelief, even accepting that there has been a zombie apocalypse at all. Cool as it was, these zombies were falling several stories and just getting up. Even if  they’re the undead, they would still have broken bones and not be able to walk away. Okay. I feel better now.

Nick and Luci make it back to La Colonia. Nick sees the little girl whose father went to the wall and gives her the cakes. Luci sees and realizes Nick isn’t the selfish dumbass she thought he was. Nick goes to see Alejandro. He says he heard Nick almost started a war. Nick says he thought the little girl needed something, some comfort, and there should be some things that are not about death. Alejandro says when they run out of cake and drugs, where will they turn? Nick says what good is faith when the water runs out? Alejandro says when the world is washed of death, the faithful will remain. He says they are the chosen who will outlast death. Nick sees the healed bite mark, and Alejandro tells him that he’s welcome to stay, but if he puts the people in danger again they’ll feed him to the wall.

Victor and Madison are getting really sloshed. Victor is banging on the out-of-tune piano and Madison is flinging glasses around. Victor looks out the floor to ceiling window and sees the zombies falling outside the widow and says they have to go now. Too late. Zombies are getting in everywhere.

Alejandro makes a speech to the people about the Lord and how life is a sigh between two deaths. He tells them the migration of the dead has begun. He says that the world is for them, the faithful, and death will not take them. The people start their chant and Nick joins them. Alejandro says as long as he lives, they’ll never leave.

This is interspersed with Victor and Madison fighting the zombies without conventional weapons, using liquor bottles and chairs. Holy! They’re surrounded.

Next time, Alicia shows what she’s made of, and Travis and Chris get involved with a new group of people who look pretty militant.

August 21, 2016 – NJ Wife Teresa Loses the Bracelet & Fear the Walking Dead Finds My TV

Standard

What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Dolores is getting a “facelift” for her house. Frank has sent a crew (where can you get an ex-husband like him?), but she wants things done a certain way and is trying to get ahold of him. She wanted to gut the kitchen and he’s only refacing it. Siggy says she’s a hustler and a survivor who’s basically living off of Frank.

Siggy and Delores visit Jacqueline (bleh) who they think looks “adorable” shoveling snow. It doesn’t take Jacqueline long to bring up Teresa, make fun of her accent, and say that she’s passive/aggressive. Siggy says the two of them are fencing by hitting each other’s trigger points.

Melissa says when Joe #2 and Teresa have tension, it trickles down. She’s miffed that Jacqueline called him, and Joe says the girls constantly twist his words around. Melissa says he shouldn’t have gotten pulled into a chick fight.

Teresa is looking forward to getting her ankle bracelet taken off. You don’t even have to go somewhere for this – Joe #1 is cutting it off with a pair of scissors. The kids are having a snow day, which Joe says is good for them, not so much for him. Teresa is thrilled that she can now pick up her kids at school and do whatever she needs to. Joe roughhouses with Milania and Teresa reminds him that he doesn’t have boys and says he’s too rough with the kids. Joe thinks yelling at them is a better idea.

Melissa meets Jacqueline <sigh and eye roll> for lunch. She asks what happened with Teresa. She’s not happy with Jacqueline calling Joe #2. She says she wishes Jacqueline wouldn’t have put him in that position. Because she has no empathy for anyone else, Jacqueline starts waving her finger in Melissa’s face, saying how much she’s done for their family. Melissa thinks something’s “off” with her and tells her that she’s creating problems. Jacqueline tells her that Teresa brought Joe up first. In her interview, Jacqueline says that the new namaste Teresa is a con artist. Jacqueline suggests that she and Melissa just never bring Teresa up again, which is beyond ridiculous. Melissa is like, why does this have to be complicated? I’ll tell you why. Because Jacqueline is a self-centered moron who wants to dictate other people’s behavior.

Siggy’s parents visit her. She tells them how her kids are growing up in a different generation and talks to her parents about getting them interested in family and tradition. Siggy grew up in Israel. Her father was a Holocaust survivor and she says she comes from a family of survivors. Her father talks about how Fridays were always family nights and they made sure to have dinner together. Siggy says after her divorce, she let things with the kids slide and wants to change that.

Ashlee tells her parents that they’re young and cool. Okay. It’s her one-year anniversary with her boyfriend, Pete, and he’s coming over for dinner. They’re talking about moving in together and Chris says it’s a big commitment and makes it known that marriage is preferable. Chris says Pete reminds him of himself. In the kitchen, Pete confides in Jacqueline that he wants to look at rings, but he’d like her help. She gets so excited, she drops the silverware.

The Gorgas go to the Giudices for dinner. Melissa asks Teresa if her leg feels lighter. They talk about health topics and Teresa confuses an enema with edamame. I literally LOL. Melissa tells her about the lunch with Jacqueline. Teresa says she’s evil and tells Melissa about Jacqueline baiting her. Melissa thinks the problem is they’re both Tauruses, but says since she’s the ram, she’s going to butt them in a minute. Teresa says she’s done with Jacqueline and her innocent act. I agree with her on that. Jacqueline loves to act like she wears a halo, but she’s always spoiling for a fight or some kind of drama.

Siggy tells her son that they’ll be doing Kiddish (a Jewish celebratory meal) on Fridays from now on. She says she doesn’t want the kids to be “super Jews,” but she does want to start some traditions. Her parents are joining them. She announces no phones at the table. She says family and tradition bring you together.

Frank goes to Dolores’s house. She tells him she wants to knock one of the kitchen walls down. Frank agrees. She moves next to wanting a tile floor, but compromises when he says he’ll do a darker finish. She suggests he just give her the money, but that’s a no.

Teresa is holding a family meeting. She says she grew up not talking about feelings, and she wants her daughters to be able to express their opinions. She tells everyone to write down what improvements they’d like and Milania suggests no sisters. Her next best suggestion is for her sisters and dad to stop calling her fat, and tells Joe #1 he’s no one to talk because he looks pregnant. I guess he deserved that one. Teresa makes a promise not to answer the phone when she’s engaging with the girls. Am I seeing this right? Does their dog have a magenta mohawk?

Sophie says she has no social life without her phone. Siggy tells her that being connected to the phone is a disconnect with the real world. She wants her son to hand over his phone as well, but Siggy’s father says he’s a good kid and to get off his back.

Teresa feels the family meeting was a success. Tomorrow is Milania’s 10th birthday and she wants to do something special.

When Milania gets home from school, a pink limo is waiting. The family goes to something called iFly, where you get in a chamber and float around like you’re skydiving. It reminds me of that scene in Willy Wonka when they steal the Fizzy Lifting Drinks. It looks like a lot of fun.

Pete and Jacqueline go ring shopping. Neither one of them believe it’s happening. Jacqueline says although Ashlee is 25, she still thinks of her as a little kid. We flash back to Ashlee being a jerkface in the past and getting kicked out of the house.

Milania says for her 11th birthday, she wants to go real sky diving. In her interview, Teresa talks about Joe not being there for Milania’s next birthday. She says when they got married, she never dreamed she’d even be having these conversations, but somehow they’ll get through it.

Dolores’s dog, Boo, is having kidney failure and I can’t bear hearing her talk about it. Jacqueline shows up with her own sledge hammer to help demo the kitchen. I’m sure she’s good at wrecking walls. Dolores’s business partner, Maz, calls her up, annoyed that she’s busy with her kitchen and not at work. She wonders if she’s sabotaging herself. She’s been divorced 18 years, and in her interview, Siggy suggests that Dolores start standing on her own.

Melissa suggests a girls trip to Crystal Springs over the weekend. Teresa wants to know who’s invited, and when Melissa hesitates, Teresa asks if Melissa really expects her to spend her first free weekend with Jacqueline. Melissa says it’s just to put things in a peaceful place and her girlfriends will be there with her.

Meanwhile, back at the kitchen, Dolores and Siggy talk to Jacqueline, and Jacqueline asks if this is a Teresa/Jacqueline intervention. Dolores says letting time go by will just create more animosity. Jacqueline acts like she’s on board with that, but no way I would trust her.

Teresa’s book, Turning the Tables, arrives in the mail. She reads the dedication to her daughters out loud and starts tearing up. She’s been on the NY Times Best Seller List three times and Joe tells her it’s a great accomplishment. Teresa tells him about going to Crystal Springs to celebrate her newfound freedom.

Next time, the girls trip happens, Teresa calls Joe to come pick her up, and Jacqueline gets stupid.

Fear the Walking Dead

Great, I have to remember all these people’s names again.

Nick wakes up next to a dead body. Sophia is in the doorway and tells him that things changed quickly. She says there’s a group headed south and he should come. He asks if there’s a place to go for someone like Celia. She says there are places that embrace the dead, but it’s dangerous on the road. He decides to head north. She gives him supplies and tells him it won’t be an easy trip.

Nick begins his journey and there’s a song part. It’s pretty desolate, no other people or zombies. He sees a couple of cars that look like they were in an accident. He flashes back to a thumb wrestling match with a girl when he was in rehab. She tells him he needs to make nice with his parents to get out more quickly and suggests they role play with her being his dad. Nick tells his “father” about how he used to be there, but isn’t any more. He gets a little emotional and the girl hugs him.

Back in the present, Nick comes across a town. He enters a house. It’s totally empty, without even any furniture. He makes a fire and has some food. His back is to an open door, which I don’t advise during a zombie apocalypse. Or maybe at any time.

Someone enters the house and wakes a sleeping Nick. It’s a woman and a little girl. The woman screeches at him in Spanish while hitting him with a baseball bat as the girl cowers in the corner. Nick quickly gathers up his stuff and gets out.

Further down the road, there are more cars, some with zombies in them. Since zombies can’t figure out seat belts, he reaches into one of the cars for supplies. He finds a radio. As he fiddles with it, a Jeep comes up the road and he ducks down behind a car. The Jeep stops and some guys with weapons get out..

They see a nearly dead man in a car, moaning, and spear him through the eye. They find it amusing and Nick starts to get concerned. Right then, the radio makes a noise and the guys know Nick is there. He runs and they chase him, shooting at him. He serpentines through a wooded area. Great, now he’s lost his backpack and the radio.

Nick stops to catch his breath and comes to an open field. We get a crane shot and it looks like he’s in the middle of nowhere. I’m assuming this is an all Nick episode? Nick examines a cactus, kicking a piece of it off to get to the inside. He tries to squeeze some liquid into his mouth and is unsuccessful. Dude, just, okay, he’s opening it up and chewing on the pieces. But they don’t stay down. Bummer. He takes a pee and drinks that. (Sorry.)

Nick hunkers down next to an abandoned truck. We flash back to rehab again. He and the girl are waiting for their parents. Madison shows up and Nick tells the girl good luck. The social worker tells Nick that he’s meeting with his mom in private for a moment.

Madison tells Nick his father isn’t coming. He was in an accident coming home. It was a head-on collision and he didn’t make it. Nick doesn’t take it well. His friend hears him yell and looks through the room window as his mother tries to comfort him.

Nick awakens to a pack of dogs that think he’s food. He beats them off and climbs to the top of the truck. Good thing they aren’t cats. Nick is seriously having the worst luck. The dogs suddenly stop and Nick sees a load of zombies coming toward them. The dogs attack the zombies who don’t really seem to react. Okay, the zombies eat the dogs. I guess they’re just slow.

Nick is baking on the top of this truck and the zombies are still hanging around. They suddenly notice him and head in his direction. He hears a horn and then gunshots. I guess the zombies do too, and go toward the noise. Nick jumps down from the truck and grabs a belt off of a zombie to use as a tourniquet. He’s able to walk among them since he’s covered in zombie blood. He imagines a female zombie is the girl from rehab and she’s talking to him.

40 miles to Tijuana. Nick continues to shuffle along and here come those guys in the Jeep again. Talk about a rock and a hard place. The guys start shooting at the zombies. WTF, Nick? The zombies get shot around him, but he’s totally focused on the front most guy. They lock eyes. When the dude realizes it’s Nick, he gets distracted, dtops his weapon and ammunition and the zombies attack. The guy who is driving the Jeep takes off like a rocket. Can’t say as I blame him. The zombies move on after eating their fill.

A group of three people see Nick through binoculars. One of them wants to help Nick, But Luci, who seems to be in charge, doesn’t want to. Nick falls to his knees as the zombies continue on. He again thinks about the girl in rehab. They’re in bed together and he’s reading a book his dad gave him. They do some heroin, so apparently their parents wasted the money on rehab. In the present, it begins to rain. Nick wakes up and opens his mouth, thirsty for water.

Nick limps into a town where there are normal dog sounds, but no people. It’s pretty big, so I’m thinking maybe this is Tijuana. He makes his way to a drug store. Nick throws things around, looking through the shelves, finding nothing of use. He goes into a barber shop where he wraps his wound. The three people who’d been watching him come in. He explains in broken Spanish that the bite is from a dog and asks for water. Luci says she knows someone who can help him. She tells Nick, “Vamos!” and even I know what that means.

They go to a medical clinic, where Alejandro, a pharmacist who speaks English, tells Nick he’s working on an infection and tends to the bite. Alejandro tells him he’s foolish; death is not to be feared, but it shouldn’t be pursued either. Nick tells Alejandro that it was safer walking with the zombies than dealing with the gunmen. Alejandro asks why he came all this way. Nick says he wants to be where the dead aren’t monstrous and Alejandro opens the double doors. Nick follows him to the street.

It’s like a normal place, with people walking around and kids playing. Nick is mesmerized. A soccer ball comes toward him. He kicks it and smiles.

Next time, Alejandro tells Nick it’s not his place, Travis and Madison deal with a lot of violence, and Madison tells Travis he has false hope.

May 22, 2016 – Sunset Shahs, Fearing the Dead & the Throne Game

Standard

What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & recaps from today’s real time TV watching)

Shahs of Sunset

Aww! Mike has a bulldog and he’s giving it kisses. Reza comes by Mike’s place and Mike asks him if he’s excited about his upcoming nuptials. Mike tells him that Jessica left. He came home from work and she was gone, calling him later and telling him she feels neglected. Reza tells him he sucks at being a husband and he needs to stop going out to clubs with his friends instead of paying attention to his wife.

GG is out with her cousin, Nima. She says she’s feeling much better about things since the camping trip and is getting back to her silly roots. They go to a bouncy house and jump around wearing monkey suits. And I don’t mean tuxedos, I mean onsies that are monkey costumes.

Asa and Reza go to the tailor, whose name is also Reza. He says it’s like John in Persian world. He’s getting fitted for wedding attire. MJ joins them. Reza is going for a pink and grey color combo, which is one of my favorites. MJ gets teary-eyed over the wedding plans. She’s not in favor of Reza springing a wedding on Adam, and in her interview wonders what happens if he doesn’t say yes.

Asa, who is wearing an absolutely gorgeous turban in her interview, says she and Reza are running on Persian time and late as usual getting to Palm Springs. They talk about Mike while they’re in the car. Reza says as he was writing his vows, he felt guilty for thinking better them than him. I guess everyone is running on Persian time because they get there first.

Mike meets Jessica at a restaurant. He says they’ve been going to therapy since she moved out. They’ve been taking things a day at a time, and he hopes everything eventually falls back into place. They order drinks and Jessica says she’s disappointed in life. Please. We flash back to when she and Mike were first dating. She tells him all he cares about is money. Well, maybe if she’d stop spending so much, he wouldn’t have to. Mike drinks a shot of Patron and I gag. I do not like tequila.

Jessica says Mike thinks being a good husband is only being a good provider. She says she doesn’t need all that, which is a surprise to me, since she just bought a three thousand dollar tea set. She starts whining that he had nothing in the beginning, yet she stuck by him. Mike agrees that he’s been neglectful and disrespectful of her feelings. He says he wants her to come home. She makes a stupid analogy about water torture and says she’s over it. Mike says pain tells you how much in love you are and that you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. What a poet.

Back at the “housewarming party,” Reza is wondering if Mike is going to get there. GG doesn’t want to get involved with Mike’s problems without being asked, and Adam is tired of hearing about it. Mike arrives. He wants to decompress and not think about his home life, and MJ keeps trying to bring it up. Reza has rented a party house for them to actually party in, since he doesn’t want to mess up his own place.

The group parties by the pool. MJ tells everyone about Tommy moving in and going to the fertility clinic. Mike tells her he thinks Tommy is moving too fast, as he’s the perfect person to be giving relationship advice. MJ basically tells him to mind his own business.

Asa says that this could be the best day of Reza’s life, or the worst, depending on what Adam’s answer is. She and MJ go jewelry shopping. MJ can’t believe he’s waited until the last minute to get a ring. Back at the house, Mike finds the tickle spot on MJ’s dog and makes her leg start going crazy. Reza picks out a platinum ring. Mike is having a hard time not saying anything to Adam, and is concerned that one of the others will get drunk and spill the beans.

Tommy makes it to Palm Springs and MJ is elated. Asa is practicing her part the wedding, and Reza is doing a facial mask. It’s two hours to wedding time and everyone starts getting ready. Mike is tired of MJ getting on his case. Reza starts to freak because his new suit fits tight even though it fit the day before.

Everyone gets to the venue and GG is having a hard time not saying anything to Adam. Reza is feeling sick and Mike says he felt the same way before his wedding. The group sits down for dinner. Reza says he wrote a tribute to Adam that he wants to read. He talks about Adam being the love of his life and Asa dons a special turban. She asks Adam to stand up and starts the ceremony. Even I’m nervous when they get to the I do’s. Adam thinks for a long minute and we go to commercial break.

It’s a yes! Asa pronounces them partners in life and everyone applauds. Reza gives Adam the ring and Tommy tells MJ they’re next. Mike is bummed because he screwed his marriage up so badly.

Next time, Mike and MJ argue, Reza does stand up comedy, and Jessica goes out with Mike.

Fear the Walking Dead

A gunshot is heard. Daniel wakes from a nightmare.

Celia tells Victor that Thomas died believing his lies. Madison tells her to knock it off. Celia says Madison isn’t Victor’s friend, she’s his fool. Victor wants to bury Thomas. Celia says he doesn’t deserve to bury her son and Victor says he wasn’t her son. She tells them all to be out by nightfall tomorrow.

Daniel finds Ofelia walking around outside. Travis is looking for Chris and Alicia says she woke up to him holding a knife over her. Delusional Travis refuses to believe it. He continues to look for Chris and finds a zombie with a knife in his head. He takes the knife. Meanwhile, Chris is wandering around with a gun tucked into his waistband.

Madison tells Alicia and Nick that Celia is dangerous and they need to get out of there. Nick says he can talk to Celia, but that’s a no.

Travis comes across another dead zombie. He hears noises inside an abandoned building and goes inside. A living guy pops out and Travis says he’s just looking for his son. He’s having a problem with his feet, so the guy gives him a glass of water, which makes total sense only if you know the guy doesn’t speak English. Holy! No wonder Travis is having foot trouble. He takes off his sock and his foot is a bloody mess.

Nick brings a zombified Luis back to the house. Celia says he’s changed, but he’s no less her son and tells two guys to put him with the others. She tells Nick that he understands and belongs here with them. He says what about his family and she says they’re not like him. He says they’re not bad people. She says they look at the zombies like monsters, but who’s the real monster? She says they can stay if Nick will be responsible for their actions. They can all stay except Victor.

Commerical break. Did I just hear them say this is the mid-season finale? Who came up with that concept?

Daniel tells Victor not to bury Thomas there. He says the place is infected, even the dirt, and Thomas won’t rest. He says Thomas will return and hate him for it. Victor asks what’s wrong with Daniel. Daniel leaves and gets Ofelia. He says her mother is at the gate waiting for them. A group of guys grab Ofelia and Daniel fights with them.

Madison says Nick has been different since they left Los Angeles. She says he’s obsessed with the dead and Nick replies that they’re not dead. She asks if he’s been talking to Celia. Nick says that she wanted her son back and that’s what he gave her. He says he can move among them like he’s invisible.

Victor continues to dig the hole. Madison tells him she knows what he’s going through and he gives her a speech about how Nick is an addict who needs something to be addicted to, and now Celia has influenced him. Madison asks where he’s going to go, and he says the boat, if there still is one. He asks if she wants to come with him, but she says not without Travis.

Travis is getting some better shoes from the stranger. He’s able to communicate enough for the man to tell him that Chris went thataway. When he gets close, it turns out that he does speak English and he tells Travis that Chris is in the bedroom, but will hurt his son if he doesn’t get Travis to leave. Travis opens the door and Chris has the little boy hostage and tells Travis to leave him alone.

Celia makes a speech at Thomas’s gravesite about how the world is being reborn. She’s a serious whackjob. She tells Victor it’s time for him to leave and he says he’s not done. She tells him it’s a long way back in the dark and he should hurry. Ofelia tells Celia she wants to see her father. Celia says he’s resting and he’s a danger to everyone.

Chris tells Travis everyone looks at him like a monster. Travis says he’s not, but he’s scaring the kid. Chris gets distracted enough for Travis to get the gun. Chris runs outside and Travis runs after him. They tussle and Chris almost cuts Travis with his own knife. Chris tells Travis he’s no good. Where is Carol when you need her?

Daniel is resting all right; he’s tied to a chair. Celia tries to feed him, but he won’t eat. He tells her the creatures she’s keeping are an abomination. She tells him to confess his sins and ask their forgiveness. He’s also hearing another voice and I’m finding that confusing. He tells Celia he has nothing to say. Celia says not to worry. She’ll take care of him and there’s a place for him there. She leaves and he sees his dead wife standing in front of him. I assume it’s a vision since she doesn’t look zombified. I also assume that’s whose voice he was hearing.

Nick finds Travis and tells him Madison needs him. Travis says so does Chris and tells Nick that he never saw them. He says Chris can’t come back now and neither can he.

Madison tells Celia she’s making a mistake and that she and her children are alive because of Victor. Celia says he killed her son and she’s surprised Madison doesn’t understand. Madison asks what about her son. Celia says he’s open-hearted and fearless, and the only reason Madison is there is because of that. She says the zombies are their responsibility to take care of. She says it’s a new world and wants Madison to see it with open eyes. Madison says she wants to understand.

Daniel has a conversation with Griselda. She says he told her his stories and unburdened his sins on her. She asks if he told her everything and he says there are so many, he doesn’t remember. She asks about the first one and Daniel flashes back to when he was a boy and shot someone. He says that was his first victim and she says the first victim was him.

Celia takes Madison to visit the zombies. She talks about them like they’re children. Ha-ha-ha! Madison locks her in with them. Good luck with that, Celia.

A guy comes in and unties one of Daniel’s arms so he can eat and he manages to knock the guy out and untie himself. Griselda says she’s waiting for him.

Victor gets walked to the gate and says don’t worry, he’ll hail a cab.

Daniel goes to the zombie den with a can of gasoline and spreads it around. The zombies just kind of stand there and he sees Griselda. He lights the gas. It’s so cool – you can see the flames reflected in his eyes. Madison sees the fire and calls to Daniel, but it’s too late. Victor comes by with a car and tells Madison, Alicia and Ofelia to get in. Madison sees Nick and walks toward him, even though the others are urging her to hurry it up. Nick says he couldn’t find Travis and asks where Celia is. Nick says she was right; they destroy everything.

Victor grabs Madison and Nick goes to join his new people. I guess this is one way to give Madison a new love interest.

FWD is returning in August.

Game of Thrones

Sansa gets a message. It’s from Littlefinger. Brienne takes her to meet him. He says he’s glad to see her unharmed. She says that’s hardly what she’d call it and tells him what an inhumane bastard Ramsay is. Littlefinger says he made a horrible mistake. Sansa says that ladies don’t talk about most of the things he did, except maybe in a brothel. Littlefinger says he’s sorry. She tells him that he was no protector. He saved her from monsters only to give her to other monsters. She says she doesn’t need him anymore; she and Jon are taking back Winterfell. Littlefinger tells her that her uncle, the Blackfish, is still alive and how she might need him to help her.

Arya does battle with the Waif. The Waif knocks her down and tells her she’s not ready and she should go home before it’s too late. Arya gets up and the Waif drops her fighting stick, but Arya still can’t beat her. The Waif tells her she’ll never be one of them and calls her Lady Stark. Jaqen enters and says she has a point.

Jaqen walks with Arya and gives her some history about the Faceless Man. He shows her the first faces of men and says the girl is one of them if she decides. He gives her a vial, says she’s been given a second chance, and tells her about an actress she is to poison, Lady Crane.

Arya goes to see a satyric performance about the Lannisters. She’s not too thrilled when they get to the part where the Lannisters behead her father, followed by an unfair portrayal of Tyrion and Sansa. Arya goes backstage and watches Lady Crane, deciding to poison her run. She reports back to Jaqen. She says Lady Crane seemed like a decent person, but Jaqen tells her death comes for both the decent and not-so-decent.

Bran and the Three-Eyed-Raven are having a vision where the Children of the Forest turn a man into a Whitewalker. When Bran awakes, he sees one of the Forest Children and says they’re the ones who made the Whitewalkers. She says that they were at war with the humans and made them in self-defense.

Yara comes forth to claim the Salt Throne. She makes a speech, but old dude stops her, saying that the male heir has returned, so she’s wasting her breath. Theon steps forward and says that Yara is the rightful ruler and revs up the crowd. Euron gets into the act and also claims the throne, making nasty comments about Theon’s manhood or lack thereof. Yara says her first act as queen will be to execute the man who killed her father. Euron says, yep, that was him, but Balon led them into two wars they couldn’t win and apologizes for not killing him years ago. Theon says Eulon wasn’t there because he was out gallivanting, but Yara was. Yara says she’s going to build the largest fleet ever and Euron says no, he will. He says he wasn’t born to be king, but he paid the Iron price.

The old dude puts Eulon in the water so he can drown and emerge anew. His body is brought to the shore and it looks like he’s done for good when suddenly he coughs up a bunch of water, and the group chants, “what is dead will never die.” He gets a driftwood crown for his trouble and says let’s go murder Yara and Theon. Too late though, they took the best ships and are headed out to sea. Eulon tells the crowd to build a thousand ships.

Dany meets with Jorah and Daario. She tells Jorah she banished him twice, he came back twice, and now he saved her life. She says she can’t live with him and can’t live without him. He shows her the greyscale on his hand and says he has to go away, but he’s going to end it before it gets really bad. She says she’s sorry, but he says he’s not because he loves her and always will. He starts to exit like Elvis in Flaming Star, but Dany stops him, saying that she’s still his queen and she commands him to find a cure and then return to her. She says she’ll need him by her side when she takes the Seven Kingdoms. Dany rides off with her troops and Jorah rides in the other direction.

Varys says it appears that a fragile peace has taken place in Meereen. Tyrion says they have to play up that Dany is responsible for that. Tyrion asks a Red Priestess for help. She says she supports Dany, and goes on about the Lord of Light and how Dany will defeat the darkness. Varys brings up how the Red Woman thought Stannis was the chosen one and look what happened. She says even honest servants of the Lord make mistakes. She says that everything happens for a reason and talks about Varys’s castration and how he heard a voice that night. She says if he is a true friend of Dany’s, he has nothing to fear.

Bran sneaks in a vision when the Raven is asleep. He’s on the other side of the Wall and sees an ancient graveyard. There’s an army of zombie-looking men that are frozen. He sees Whitewalkers on their horses and one of them sees him. The army starts to move and the Whitewalker grabs his arm. Bran wakes and the Raven says the Whitewalker touched him and now he can get in because his mark is on Bran. He says they all have to leave and it’s time for Bran to become him.

Jon says they need more men to take Winterfell. Davos says it doesn’t look good and Sansa suggests the Karstarks. She says that her father always said the North was more loyal. Davos says they still don’t want to get skinned alive. Sansa thinks that people will remember the Stark name and rally. She tells them about the Blackfish and Davos is encouraged.

Brienne wants to send a raven to the Blackfish, but Sansa is afraid it will be intercepted and wants to go personally. Brienne says Jon seems trustworthy, even if a little brooding (ha-ha!), but she’s not sure about Davos. Sansa says that he’s cool, and Brienne asks why she lied to him about how she knew about the Blackfish.

The group, including Jon, leaves on their quest with Tormund making eyes at Brienne. Edd realizes he’s now the Lord Commander.

Meera is talking to Hodor, when she gets a bad feeling. Rightly so. There’s an army of Whitewalkers outside the cave. The leader touches the ground and it makes a beeline into the cave. Meera tries to wake Bran, but he’s busy visioning with the Raven. The Forest Children throw their version of Molotov cocktails at the Whitewalkers, but all it does is start a fire that the Whitewalkers walk right through.

Yikes! The Whitewalkers are in. Meera tells Bran he has to wake up because they need Hodor. He hears her voice in his vision. The Whitewalkers are right there and bumping off the Forest Children like they’re swatting gnats. Meera manages to kill the head walker. NOOOO! The Whitewalkers get Bran’s direwolf. Bran enters Hodor’s mind and they all manage to get out. The Night’s King goes up to the Raven. In his vision, the Raven tells Bran it’s time and he must leave.

Oh man, these Whitewalkers are some kind of creepy. The Forest Child throws a fireball at the Whitewalkers and buys time for Hodor to get the door open and get Bran and Meera out. In Bran’s vision, young Hodor is having a seizure. He starts saying “hold the door” until the words merge into “Hodor.”

This absolutely sucks. While Hodor keeps the door closed so Bran and Meera can get away, the Whitewalkers attack him.

Next time, Bran on the run, Margaery stands accused, and Daario and Dany team up.

May 15, 2016 — Storybrooke Finale, Dead in Mexico, Shahs Plan & Dany Rises

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & recaps from today’s real time TV watching)

Once Upon A Time

Snow tells Regina that she doesn’t need to go through this alone. Zelena says she’s not going to, and Zelena can empathize, having been through it. David tells Zelena how sorry he is about Hades.

Violet approaches Henry. She says she’s sorry about Robin and that she was afraid she was never going to see Henry again. He says him too.

Emma tells Hook maybe he should wait outside when she goes to the diner, since Regina might be bitter over Robin’s death.

Gold tells Belle in the Box that her father was uncooperative about waking her and he’ll have to find another way. He says he needs power and messes with the Olympian crystal.

Emma sees Regina. The diner rocks (and by that I mean like there’s an earthquake, not that it’s a cool place to be) and Hook runs in asking if everyone is okay. Everybody is surprised to see him, since they didn’t think he could get back from the Underworld. Regina says only one person is powerful enough to rock the diner like that — Gold.

Regina says he’s done a tethering spell. Gold is trying to harness all the magic in Storybrooke. They surmise it’s to wake Belle. Emma says maybe Regina should sit this one out and Regina is annoyed that Emma thinks she’ll go all evil queen. Regina says fine, she’ll deal with things herself. She disappears, poof! in a cloud of purple smoke.

Henry tells Violet about Gold and how magic screws everything up. He says he used to think there was light and dark, but now he believes it’s all one. Violet says her mother died from magic. Henry asks her to come on a quest with him and she says yes. He calls it Operation Mix-Tape and says there’s one more thing they need, the pen. He writes that the crystal appeared in his hand. He tells Violet all the magic is tethered there and they’re going to destroy it.

The group is looking for Gold, and Regina is looking for Henry. Gold shows up and says Henry has the crystal and Henry has outsmarted all of them. Regina asks what happens if Henry succeeds in destroying magic, and Gold tells her that Storybrooke was created with magic, so what does she think? He disappears, poof! in cloud of grey smoke.

Emma follows Regina to look for Henry. All of the other characters in Storybrooke approach Snow with their worries. Zelena creates a doorway for them to go back from whence they came. Emma says they have to find Henry before Gold does.

Meanwhile, Violet and Henry are in New York City. Everyone goes through the door except our heros. Zelena is about to close it and something prevents her, something that looks like it’s trying to get in. Suddenly, the gang is transported to…somewhere. Zelena says they’re not in Storybrooke anymore.

In Boston, Regina and Emma get in a Volkswagen Beetle. Regina pricks Emma’s finger and the blood leaves a trail on their map, showing them where Henry is. Gold drives through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel into NYC. Violet tells Henry the city is overwhelming and he says he thought the same thing about Camelot at first. They discuss Gold and Henry tells her that his father had also been looking for a way to destroy magic and kept a journal in his apartment. He tells her she’s the only one he’s told about it.

In the beautiful forest that the Storybrooke-ites have landed in, they come across an estate. They ask a gardener where they are. The gardener says if he helps them, he’ll be punished. When David asks by who, a sorcerer pops out and says by him, and blows them all back with purple lightening bolts.

The gang wakes up in a dungeon. Although, geez, it looks like they could squeeze between the bars. A warden comes in and asks why they’re on his property. Snow says they just want to leave. The warden asks what the Dark One wants and grabs Hook by the throat. Snow says Gold is their enemy too, and explains what Gold is looking for. The warden doesn’t believe them.

Emma and Regina go to the apartment. Emma can tell that Henry and Violet have been there. Regina finds one of Robin’s books and gets all sentimental. There’s a letter from Robin to her inside. He says how proud he is of her and that no matter what separates them, he knows she’ll always do the right thing. Emma tells Regina sorry about before. Regina says she’s right, the evil queen is always trying to get out. Emma says she understands having fought the darkness, but Regina says while Emma was just at the precipice, she was consumed.

Regina says her first instinct is to rip Hook’s throat out because Robin didn’t survive, but she knows it’s wrong, so she keeps it in check. She says good always leads to loss for her, but she has to keep doing it. She talks about the horrible things she did when Snow was little. She says being a hero doesn’t matter because there’s no redemption for her. She has the curse of knowing good and evil and has to fight with it every day. Emma says she believes in Regina, and Regina says that’s because Emma is good. She says her fate is to be trapped.

Emma sees on the computer that Henry and Violet are at the midtown library. Gold waits outside the door of the apartment.

A librarian takes Henry and Violet to the rare reading room. His father was looking for something there, but never found it. Violet is skeptical that they can. A slew of Henry’s Once Upon A Time books are there, each containing different stories.

Back at the dungeon, the gardener, Albert, comes in. He says he wants to help them. He can’t let them out, but he might be able to get the magic they need. He asks to come with them when they leave. He says he’s a prisoner and wants to get away from the warden as much as they do. Zelena needs her wand fixed and Albert says he can take the pieces and put it back together in the lab. David is unsure about trusting him, but they have no other choice.

Henry thinks they came there for nothing. Violet says he’ll figure it out. She sees a chalice in a glass case and says Henry’s father never figured things out because he never visited Camelot, where the Holy Grail is the source of all magic. Henry busts the chalice out and it twirls a book around. Henry starts to leave. Gold stops him, but Henry says he’s not getting the crystal without a fight. Gold says too bad Henry is going to lose and puts both Henry and Violet to sleep, taking the crystal.

Albert goes to the laboratory. He puts the wand into a machine that looks like a Mousetrap game. He’s able to fix it, but the sorcerer comes in. Albert claims the warden wanted him to fix it, but the sorcerer says they’ll talk to the warden then. There’s a struggle and Albert turns into Mr. Hyde, who is also the warden, and starts talking about his other personality in the third person. He says Storybrooke could be the answer to what they’re looking for, and they’ve been stuck where they are for too long. He says the doctor isn’t the only one who will be going to Storybrooke; they all will.

Emma finds Henry and Violet, and the color turns to sepia tones. Henry tells Regina that magic has taken everything away from them. Every time it seems like they’ll be happy, magic wrecks things. He doesn’t want magic to take away Regina or Emma. He tells them he couldn’t find any answers. They agree they have to find Gold and they do the map/blood thing again. It doesn’t work though, because the magic is all in the crystal.

Hyde is twirling the wand around. He says he’s taking something that will give them the power they need. Gold talks to Belle in the Box in the hotel room. The room starts to shake and when Gold grabs the crystal, Belle in the Box disappears and reappears in Hyde’s hands. He says if the Dark One wants to see his wife again, he’ll have to do what Hyde says.

Albert, who is also Dr. Jekyll, wakes up in a straitjacket. There’s a note from Hyde saying he almost got free. Albert says that Hyde isn’t as smart as he thinks. He goes to the dungeon, says the warden has the wand, and unlocks the door, letting the Storybrooke gang out.

They go to what looks like a Moroccan flea market. Albert says it’s called the Land of Untold Stories.

Back in NYC, Violet tells Henry she hopes he has a good plan since they have no magic. They see lightening bolts hitting the top of a building. A room service waiter comes toward the hotel room. Gold answers the door and invites him in. There’s a pentagram and candles on the table. Gold doesn’t care about the food, only the sterling silver charger. Gold gives the waiter a hundred dollar bill and says things might get messy. The waiter leaves and Gold puts a “do not disturb” sign on the door.

Regina feels the vibes from the hotel. She says she might not have magic, but she still has a fist and Gold still has a nose. Ha-ha! She knocks on the door and tells Gold they need to talk alone. She says Emma doesn’t know she’s there. She says she knows he hasn’t been able to wake Belle in the Box yet and needs help from his best student. She says she’s ready to let the evil queen back out and makes up some story. She says he needs the evil queen and she doesn’t want to lose Zelena. He says maybe they can help one another.

Albert brings everybody to his apartment. He picks up some serum that separates the good and evil from someone. He’s going to use it on Hyde. The sorcerer comes in. Albert tells everyone to run as he turns into Hyde.

While Regina and Gold toast, Emma slips in. Gold tells Regina about how Belle in the Box was taken. Emma gets the crystal, but it disappears, poof! in a cloud of magenta smoke. Gold knew all along. He says Regina is who she’ll always be, guilt-ridden and weak. He takes something of Zelena’s from Regina that he needs for his spell, and plans on getting rid of Emma and Regina, since he doesn’t need them anymore.

Henry stops everything and works some magic on the pentagram table. Purple clouds happen outside the building and it seems like something has been sucked out of the room. Henry says he’s destroyed magic.

Hyde tells the sorcerer to go into the other room and injects himself. He separates into two people. Hyde tells the doctor it’s nice to finally meet him. He says the irony of being separate is that it’s going to destroy him. He tries to strangle the doctor and Hook comes to the rescue. David says the doctor risked everything to save them, so it was the least they could do.

Gold tells Henry he stopped him from rescuing Belle in the Box and everyone in the other realm with them. Henry says he did what he had to and it’s on Gold. Regina wonders what happened to Storybrooke, and Gold says it will be fine, he was just made that up to motivate her. He says they’ll have to work together to find who has magic.

Emma finds Henry in Bryant Park. Henry says before they knew magic existed, they were happy. Emma says it was just them then. Henry says because of what he did, they might not see their family again. Emma says Regina and Gold are working on it now.

Gold tells Regina he’s always failed to separate the parts of himself because he likes the darkness. Regina says she doesn’t, but Gold tells her she’s kidding herself an the more she keeps it inside, the more she’ll suffer.

They go to an herbal shop. Gold introduces the shopkeeper as “The Dragon.” The Dragon says he’s not in the business of helping hearts with such darkness as Rumpelstiltskin’s, but he will help Regina. He says it’s imperative she win for all of them.

The Dragon does a thing with a lotus blossom and they’re able to see Snow and the others in the parallel world. Regina says they’re in trouble. The Dragon says opening a portal is beyond his power. He says just because Henry thinks he destroyed magic, doesn’t mean there isn’t any; it’s everywhere. Emma says they have to believe and Gold says just saying it doesn’t make it so.

Henry is going to throw a coin in the fountain. He asks if Emma remembers the last time they were there and he made a wish. A few days later, the wish came true. He throws the coin in, saying he wishes his family was reunited. Each of them tosses in a coin and wishes. The crystal starts to pulse with light. Gold tosses in his coin, but Henry says they need more.

In the Untold Stories World, the Storybrooke gang meets face to face with Hyde.

Henry makes a speech about magic being real, standing on the pedestal of one of the lions on the library steps. He gathers a small crowd and asks everyone to make a wish and help them return magic to the world. Everyone starts throwing coins in the fountain. (Hmm…this might be a good way to make some extra cash.) The crystal gets stronger and Henry says, told ya so.

Coins start dropping in on Snow and the others. Snow tells David they’re not pennies, they’re wishes. All of a sudden, they’re in the fountain and immediately get arrested. Just kidding about the arrest part. Everyone applauds. Henry says they think it was an act and none of it is real. Emma says it doesn’t matter. For a moment, he did the impossible and made everyone believe.

Hyde is going crazy, smashing things. Gold appears. Hyde says now that he’s finally here, if Gold wants to see his wife and child again, he’ll do as Hyde says. Gold strangles him without touching him and Hyde says he can help him wake Belle in the Box. Gold lets go and Hyde says he’s learned a lot being the warden. He thinks it’s time they talk about a deal.

David says they can’t find Gold. Zelena says Regina wanted to be alone, but won’t say why. Snow finds Regina on the rooftop and brings her hot chocolate and spikes it from a flask. Regina says if she wants to keep the evil queen at bay she has to open herself to a lifetime of suffering. She says she wished the evil queen away at the fountain. Regina says the karma will always be there and it’s just another useless wish. Snow says maybe not.

Snow and Emma bring the syringe with Albert’s serum up to the roof. There’s enough for one more injection. Regina asks to be alone, but they won’t leave. Regina says the evil queen didn’t like Snow on a good day, so be careful. Snow injects Regina who goes through some changes, eventually splitting in two.

Regina faces herself. The evil queen tries to throw a lightening bolt at Regina, but Emma chains her. Emma tells Regina to destroy the evil queen and the queen laughs, saying Regina doesn’t have what it takes. She says Regina needs her. Regina says no she doesn’t and rips out the queen’s black heart. She says sorry and crushes it to dust. The queen disappears and only the chains are left.

Violet says she has to go. She tells Henry that her father is really from Connecticut and just ended up in Camelot. He said he’s glad she was born there though, since being a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s court was no great shakes. She kisses Henry good-by.

Everyone else joins them. David says he’ll show Albert around. Emma tells Hook that she loves him and they kiss.

Henry tells Regina she destroyed the evil queen and asks how she feels. She says free. They take the crystal ad Regina works some mojo over it. It disappears. Uh-oh. Hyde appears and is like, thanks, trapped in a town without magic would be a bummer. He says he provided Gold with some information in exchange for Storybrooke. And he’s brought some friends.

He says he’s been looking for a place where all the lost and forgotten stories can play out. Regina says the story ends with him losing. He says darkness isn’t as easy to snuff out as she believes.

In Chinatown, The Dragon hears a bell. A trail of smoke comes into his establishment. It’s the evil queen. She says he was right about one thing, there was a battle raging inside Regina and she might have won the battle, but the war has just begun. She takes his heart and says the queen is back.

I’m guessing that next season, the Storybrooke characters will get involved with different stories from the books Henry found. Kind of like Sliders.

Fear the Walking Dead

In a chapel, some choirboys sing. The padre takes the podium. He talks about their faith being tested. He says that the evil that has befallen them wants them to turn away from God and to not to give into it. He says they’ll defeat it. They take communion.

Everyone goes out and gets guns. Thomas comes up and tells the padre they’ll be dead by the time they get to the gate. The people of the congregation start bleeding from their eyes. The padre says this was her, the one Thomas is trying to protect.

On the boat. Chris tells Travis he didn’t do anything wrong. Travis says they’re saying the guy Chris shot wasn’t sick and Madison is worried about him. Even if he wasn’t sick, Reed was a menace.

In the wheelhouse, Victor says they’ll be in Baha soon. Victor sees a boat coming toward them. Luis says the guy driving is Miguel, but he doesn’t know the other one. Madison has everyone hide. Daniel translates the conversation they can overhear. A negotiation is being made and Luis makes a payment. The guy wants to make sure there are no infected on board. There’s an argument and gunshots.

It gets quiet, and the group goes back up. Luis is dead, but Victor is fine. Daniel tells the others to stay and Daniel makes sure the people involved are dead. Luis is still alive and Ofelia wants to help him. Luis gives her a coin and says to give it to his mother. Daniel takes the coin from her. He says it’s nothing, even though he obviously knows what it is, and tosses it overboard.

The group goes to shore. The place is littered with piles of bodies. Victor calls Thomas’s name and runs into the chapel, looking for him. A bunch of zombies attack and the group fights them off. Lots of eye stabbing. Daniel has to stab an altar boy and can’t do it. Ofelia runs interference. A zombie grabs Madison and Chris freezes. Or maybe not. Is he pissed because she thought Reed might not have been sick? Alicia dispatches the zombie.

They take a truck to the gated estate. There are workers tilling the soil and such. Victor leads the way to the main house. Thomas’s mother, Celia, meets them. She asks about Luis and Victor says something about the military and she says he’ll find his way back. I don’t know if Victor is talking in code or giving her a story. A lady takes their weapons.

Thomas isn’t well. He tells Victor better late than never. Victor sees a wound on his arm and tells Thomas he’s sorry. Thomas says it’s okay, he waited for him. Victor says if he’d been there, he could have done something, but Thomas says maybe not. He helps Thomas up and they hug. He helps Thomas to his bed.

Alicia watches an old movie. Chris comes in and asks if she’s mad at him. She says she saw what he did. She says he was watching when the zombie was going to kill Madison and he did nothing. He says he froze and she can’t tell anyone something like that. She says what if she does. He says he doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

Nick comes to the kitchen. It’s not dinnertime yet, but Celia says she’ll give him some pizolli if he doesn’t tell the others. He says that Luis was asking for her and he wanted her to know. She says he has a “heavy smile,” and asks him why. He says he’s sick of all the killing. She says they’re just visitors and the dead have always walked among them, but now they can see it. Madison comes in and tells Nick the shower is ready.

Celia says Nick is special. Madison tells her that Nick is fragile and impressionable. Everyone is just being weird. Or weirder than usual.

Madison brings a tray in to Thomas and Victor. Thomas says he’s usually a better host. Thomas makes Madison promise to look after Victor when he’s gone. She says he won’t make it easy and Thomas says that’s why he’s asking her.

Ofelia tells Daniel it’s dinnertime and he says he’s not hungry. She asks if everything is okay and he says yes. He says to tell everyone that he’s tired. Alicia is falling asleep watching TV, which I imagine must seem like quite a novelty right now. Madison says that’s how they used to find her when they’d come home and she was with a babysitter. Alicia says she was afraid they wouldn’t come home.

Madison asks Travis what he talked about with Chris. She tells him about Chris threatening Alicia and what Alicia thinks she saw. Madison thinks that he’s sick. Travis says what if she’s right and she needs to help him help Chris. He adds that he’s noticed she leaves him out of the picture when talking about their kids. She says Alicia needs her tonight and Travis says he’ll stay with Chris. Maybe this whole thing is just getting to everybody.

Victor tends to Thomas. He tells Thomas to go to sleep, but Thomas says he can’t. Victor says the world was never good enough for Thomas and Thomas says he doesn’t want to leave him. Victor says he could go with him and Thomas says that’s very Shakespearean of him. Victor says there’s nothing left for him there once Thomas is gone, and his mother will look after everyone.

Daniel sees a kid put a dog into something that looks like a laundry shoot and is like, wtf?

Ofelia prays at the shrine. Nick joins her. She asks when he was in a church last and he says he doesn’t remember. She talks to her mother and says she’s worried about Daniel. She thinks he’s frail and has lost his way without her. Nick looks up and sees an owl’s face carved in a tree. It makes him remember when he woke up in the church in the first episode. Ofelia finishes praying and thanks him for being there with her.

Daniel sneaks around and sees the kid talking to a closed door. He asks the kid who he’s talking to and the kid says his mother. Daniel asks the kid to introduce him. Yep, as I thought. There’s bunch of zombies in there and this kid has been feeding them dogs.

Daniel goes to Celia and asks if she’s responsible. She says they’re family and she didn’t want to refuse them shelter, that they were being hunted. Daniel says she poisoned the parishioners and she says he’s being outrageous and needs to make peace with the dead. Okay, now what Victor said about Luis makes sense. She’s bringing communion wafers in to Thomas and Victor.

Celia sings a little Spanish ditty while she gives Thomas a sponge bath. She tells Victor that when Thomas was afraid of the dark as a boy, that was the only thing that worked. She says she never thought Victor was good enough for Thomas, but she was wrong. He asks how long it will take and she says not long. She tells him to sleep and leaves.

Nick sees Celia outside. She says Nick’s mother worries about him and he says he’s given her reason. Celia asks what he wants to know and he asks if they’re really dead. She says no and he asks what they are. She says they’re what comes next. Great.

Victor is in bed with Thomas and watching him. Thomas dies in Victor’s arms. Victor looks at the communion wafer, but walks past it. Chris gets out of bed and gets something out of a drawer. A gun? He goes into Alicia’s room where she’s sleeping with Madison. He takes a knife from the neightstand and a gunshot wakes everyone. Alicia screams at him to get out.

Victor has shot Thomas in the head.

Next time, Chris disappears, Nick walks among the dead, and Victor isn’t done

Shahs of Sunset

Reza and GG are at a bathhouse. GG gas to go through some medical treatments. Reza is of a “no man left behind” school of thought, and says people need other people. That’s what differentiates them from snakes. Really. He said that.

MJ and Tommy are talking about moving in together. They call the fertility doctor about the tests results. He says Tommy’s sperm count is low and it will  be almost impossible to get pregnant. The doctor says it could be a wrong count though because of them having sex too close to the time of the test. MJ makes Tommy swear not to [insert favorite euphemism here] for a minimum of two days.

Jessica and Mike are going to couples counseling. This should be good. The therapist asks for background and Mike says they’re having marital problems. Great start. Jessica has moved out, but Mike didn’t tell anyone. He thought she’d be back in a few days, but it didn’t happen. The therapist asks if they’re in a place where they want to fix things and she’s there to help them work through it.

Jessica says she knocked herself out to show Mike how worthy and capable she was, but then the relationship bombed after marriage. Mike says he’s been working like a dog to be the bread winner and loves Jessica more than anything. She says she needs more than that. More than love and money? Mike says she’s riddled with anger and he feels like he’s failed her. I’m not sure exactly what the problem is. Did he cheat?

Shervin’s mom has come for a visit. She’s trying to cook for him even though he has no utensils. Awww! He has a cute little Pomeranian that he says is a chick magnet. GG is joining them for dinner. They talk about relationships. GG says Shervin has no game, only money. She says he’s looking for the perfect princess who doesn’t exist.

Reza and Asa get together. Asa is having a cat-themed retirement party for her mom. They pick up some fast food and head to Palm Springs. They’re going to pick out a restaurant for the surprise wedding. They check out a room that Asa says is stunning, but I don’t know if I’d go that far. It’s good for Reza though.

Tommy has his sperm count retested. MJ sits in a differnt chair this time for supersticious reasons. She also mentions that they don’t sleep on the same side of the bed every night. That seems weird to me. The test is better this time and the doctor thinks they should be good to go. The doctor says the longer they wait, the less chance of success. MJ isn’t quite ready yet though.

Asa goes to Reza’s Palm Springs place for a drink after they’re done with wedding business. Asa asks Reza what if Adam is caught off guard and Reza doesn’t get the reaction he wants. Reza says he doesn’t have a back up plan, because a back up plan is a plan for a failure.

Shervin is out on a date with Analise, who is Italian, but grew up in Australia. He met her in line at a coffee place. It sounds like Shervin doesn’t work too hard at any kind of relationship stuff. He says all he ever basically does is smile. He asks her something about “cheerio, guv’nor,” and apparently he’s not super bright either since they don’t say that in Australia. She says he must not go on a lot of dates and suggests he switch up his approach.

MJ’s mom, Vida, comes over with her dog Ziggy, who is looking like she’s recovered from MJ taking her to the groomer. Now she just has a purple pom pom on her tail. While they’re cooking, MJ tells Vida that Tommy moved in. Vida is seriously annoyed. MJ says things are moving too fast for her mother. She tells Vida about having her eggs frozen and she feels she only has another year or so to get everything into place. Vida says having a child isn’t like picking out a Louis Vuitton bag. MJ says she’s hoping to marry Tommy and Vida says she’ll get no help from her since he’s the wrong guy. And Vida ought to know.

Asa is preparing for the retirement party. Mr. Barfy makes an appearance for his favorite food, flaming Cheetos. Everyone dresses like a cat except Mike. He makes excuses for Jessica by saying she’s out of town. GG gives Asa’s mother a bottle of wine in a cat-shaped bottle.

Reza says Asa’s mom is also a sorcerer (wouldn’t that be sorceress?) and reads coffee grounds. He tells her about the surprise wedding and she says the grounds tell him to be careful and that the future is unknown. She sees someone who might interfere as well.

Asa makes a toast to her mother’s gangster ways. Reza asks GG what’s up since she looks like she has a glow. She says she’s been communicating better and it’s taken her to good places. MJ asks Mike about Jessica and he says he likes MJ’s shoes. He walks away from the table, but MJ follows. Mike tells her that he realizes Jessica thought he would change when they got married. He says they got in a huge argument, and when he got home from work the next day, she’d gone to her parents. MJ feels hurt because she didn’t realize it was a facade, which I don’t understand at all. Mike starts whining about how hard it is and how he wants Jessica to come home. Reza thinks it’s bizarre after only six months. Oddly enough, GG is the voice of reason, telling MJ it’s none of her business. MJ keeps repeating that Mike’s wife left him and Mike finally tells her to shut up, because he can hear her from halfway across the yard. He wonders who made her a marriage counselor when she has her own issues.

It’s time to cut the cake. It’s a huge white cat. MJ decides to go home and toddles off before Asa smears icing all over her mom’s face. Asa follows MJ outside. MJ says she’s done with Mike’s shennanigans and Reza says she’s had over a fifth of tequila. Yikes! GG says and everyone keeps calling her crazy.

Next time, the Shahs dress up in monkey suits (and I don’t mean tuxedos, I mean monkey suits), Tommy tells MJ to quit bothering Mike, and the surprise wedding happens…or does it?

Game of Thrones

Edd picks up his sword. He asks Jon where he’s going and Jon says south. He asks what Jon is going to do and Jon says get warm. Edd asks how Jon can leave them now when he knows what’s coming? Jon says his own brothers killed him, so how can Edd expect him to stay?.

Brienne, Pod and Sansa come to the gate. Yay! They finally made it somewhere. Jon comes out. He and Sansa hug.

Sansa has some soup and she and Jon make small talk. He says they should never have left Winterfell. Sansa says she was awful as a kid, and wishes she could change everything. She makes him forgive her. Sansa asks where Jon is going and he says she’s coming too; if he doesn’t look after her, their father’s ghost will haunt him. Sansa thinks they should take back Winterfell. Jon is tired of fighting. He says it’s all he’s done since he left home. She says if they don’t take back the north, they’ll never be safe. She wants him to help, but is willing to do it herself.

Davos approaches the Red Woman. She says Jon is the prince who was promised and she’s going to do what he commands. Davos mentions that she’d thought Stannis was the promised prince. The Red Woman tells him about the battle. When Davos asks about Princess Shireen, Brienne joins the, saying she saw what happened. I’ll bet that made the Red Woman sweat, but Davos doesn’t pursue it. Brienne also tells them she’s the one who executed Stannis.

Robin is doing target practice and Petyr drives up. He’s brought Robin a falcon. Lord Royce asks about Sansa and Petyr tells him what happened, but wonders how his secrets about Sansa got out. Royce says he’s always been faithful and Robin asks Petyr if they can trust him. Petyr says he would make a capable commander and deserves another chance. Robin agrees.

Petyr tells Robin that Sansa escaped, and was headed for Castle Black, but she won’t be safe with the Boltons after her. Robin says they should help her. Petyr says to get everyone ready for battle.

Tyrion talks to Grey Worm and Missandei about negotiations. Missandei says he hasn’t been there long enough to understand how it works.

One of the men tells Tyrion they came to meet the queen, and instead they get a eunich and a dwarf. He says Dany was offered ships and she refused them. Missandei says it’s because of the slavery situation. Tyrion says they don’t need slaves to make money. He says he grew up richer than any of them and there haven’t been slaves in Westeros for hundreds of years. Tyrion says Dany will compromise, giving them seven years to end the practice, and they’ll be compensated. They’re also to cut off support of the Sons of the Harpy. The man says they don’t support them, and Tyrion says all the same, they’re to stop their support. He gives them some girls to seal the deal.

Tyrion talks to the head guys who are pissed at him meeting with the slavers. He says the queen chose him as her adviser and as soon as she returns — but he’s interrupted as there’s concern she won’t return. Grey Worm says if there’s a chance for peace, they should go for it. Missandei says we make peace with our enemies not our friends.

Afterwards, Grey Worm tells Tyrion that he’s loyal to Dany, not Tyrion, and he’d better be right. Tyrion says he does’t trust them, but trusts their self-interest. He says their contempt is their weakness and they can use it to their advantage. Grey Worm says it will end up the other way around the way it does every time.

Jorah and Daario are hiking the hills. Daario tells Jorah that he’s getting old for all this stuff, and that it’s hard for him to keep up with Dany and he’s a young man. They observe the Dothraki camp. Jorah tells Daario that they’ve taken Dany to the temple. Jorah takes his sword off, telling Daario there are no weapons allowed. Daario suggests sneaking in to cart off Dany isn’t allowed either, but Jorah says if they get caught, it’s better if they’re unarmed.

At nightfall, they sneak into the camp, which is really rocking and rolling with Dothraki eating, drinking and being merry. Jorah sees some men and pretends he’s a wineseller who got lost. The guy says they’re not merchants and a fight ensues. Jorah nearly gets killed, but apparently Daario decided to keep one of his weapons. Jorah says if anyone finds the body, the whole city will be looking for them. Daario covers up the stab wound by beating the crap out of the body with a rock.

At the crone camp, the girls sit in a circle and the head crone tells Dany she hopes Dany is allowed to stay with them. Dany says she needs some water and the crone tells her there’s no running from the Dothraki. Dany says she’d never do that and one of the girls escorts her to the well. Halfway there, Daario and Jorah pop out. Dany tells the girl to have faith in her.

The sisters come to Margaery’s cell and bring her to see the High Sparrow. He asks her where she’d go if she could leave. She says to her brother, her family, her husband. He says that would be seeking materialism and materialism is sin. He tells her his own story. He says he sought a taste of the high life and had an epiphany and how his life was a collection of lies. He left his life and never went back, not even stopping for his shoes.

The High Sparrow takes Margaery to her brother. Loras starts to weep and she tells him he has to stay strong and that he’s the future of their family. He says he’s not strong and begs for help. She says they want her to help tear him down; that’s the only reason the High Sparrow is letting her see him. He dissolves into a puddle of tears and isn’t much help.

The Grand Maester is speaking with Tommen and Cersei kicks him out. Tommen says they need to be careful in dealing with the High Sparrow. He’s concerned about Margaery. Cersei is only concerned about herself, but says Margaery’s safety is paramount. Tommen says Cersei doesn’t like Margaery, but Cersei says it doesn’t matter, a queen should command respect.

Tommen tells Cersei that the High Sparrow told him something in confidence and Cersei says he can trust her. Hahahahahahaha!

Cersei cancels the small councel meeting. She tells Olenna that the High Sparrow has their fate in his grubby, little hands. She says her trial is coming up, but before that, Queen Margaery is supposed to have an atonement walk. Olenna is like, no way, and Cersei says that’s right. Jaime says they’re going to fight the High Sparrow. Cersei tells the King’s Hand to stand aside and his son will be avenged. Olenna says people will die no matter what route is taken, so better them than us. Amen, sista!

Theon finally makes it home. His sister says she didn’t believe it when she was told. Yara says good men died trying to rescue him. She says he was her brother, so she risked everything for him and he betrayed her. Theon says Ramsay broke him into a thousand pieces. She says they got one of the pieces and that’s why they tried to free him. Yara thinks he’s just there to claim the throne. He says he doesn’t want to be king. She asks what he wants. He says that she should rule. Damn straight.

Creepy Ramsay peels an apple. The guard shoves Osha into his room. He asks if she knows his banner. She says yes, the flayed man, and asks if they eat them afterward. Ha-ha! He says no, and she says she’s seen worse. She makes like the Starks had turned her into a slave and she thought she could ransom Rickon. He says Rickon is no longer hers, and why should he keep her around? She puts the moves on him, and he says she’s a good talker. He tells her he knows all about her past with the Starks and who helped the boys escape. Then he slits her throat. Bye, Osha.

Brienne watches Tormund eat. Edd says sorry about the food; it’s not what they’re known for. Somene come in with a message for the Lord Commander. Jon says that’s not him anymore, but takes it anyway. It’s from Ramsay, telling him to come and try to take Winterfell. He has Rickon and the skin of his direwolf is on the floor. He wants his wife back. He goes on to say how he’s going to torture everyone in graphic detail. Jon can’t read any more and Sansa reads the rest. It’s signed the Lord of Winterfell, so they know Roose is dead.

Sansa says a monster has taken their home and their brother, and they have to fight to save them both. She tells Jon people will fight for him if he only asks.

At the Dothraki camp, the Khal and his guys discuss the dead guy they found. Dany is brought in. The Khals buddy says she’s a midget. He says someone is offering 10,000 horses for her and he’s not sure if they should let her stay with the crones or use her as a whore. Dany asks if they’d like her opinion. The Khal says she has no voice unless she is Dosh Kahleen. They talk about Khal Drogo and the plans he had. She says his plans were bigger and better than any of the  piddling stuff they’re doing. She says none of them are fit to lead the Dothraki, but she is.

The Khal says fine, they’ll take turns with her and then give their horses a turn. He calls her crazy. She tells him he’s gong to die and knocks over the fire pit. The whole places starts burning. The men are all running around like crazy. It’s like Carrie — the doors are locked and everything is going up in flames, with Dany in the middle of it, cool as a cucumber.

A crowd gathers outside and Dany emerges just like she did the first time, nakey and untouched in the middle of a massive blaze. The crowd bows down to her. Jorah and Daario come forward, amazed. They too bow down. Very impressive. A beautiful and emotional scene.

Next time, Petyr and Sansa meet, Yara claims the iron throne, and Bran has a helluva vision.

May 8, 2016 — Fairy Tale, Reed Fails, the Shahs Talk & Jon Snow Walks

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & recaps from today’s real time TV watching)

Once Upon A Time

Hades is thrilled to be back in the land of the living. Zelena is worried about Regina though, as she hasn’t shown up yet. She asks Hades to take the baby to Regina’s office. He’s surprised she trusts him that much. Zelena leaves and King Arthur, who’s in handcuffs, runs up to Hades and says he’s been unjustly imprisoned and was destined to rule a kingdom. Nice to meet you too. Hades introduces himself and says he’s also destined to rule a kingdom, but he needs Arthur’s help. And then Hades kills him.

Snow tells Merida she was supposed to be guarding Arthur and now they need to get a Dwarf search party going. Merida leaves and everyone except Hook, who is still in the Underworld, shows up. David tells Snow that Hades and Zelena came back too, with Robin’s baby.

Zelena finds Regina with Robin, and tells them Hades has changed. Regina explains how Hades tried to keep them in the Underworld and says she shouldn’t trust him with the baby. Zelena insists love has changed him, but Regina says that’s what she wants to believe. Zelena says if they try to hurt him, they’ll do so at their own peril, and she disappears, poof! in a cloud of green smoke.

In the Underworld, Arthur goes to the diner where he stands out like a sore thumb in his armor. Hook approaches him and Arthur threatens Hook, but Hook says there’s not much he can do to a dead man. Hook asks who killed him and Arthur says Hades. Hook asks Arthur if he’d like to go on a quest, but Arthur says not with him. Hook tells him that when he leaves the Underworld, he can go one of two places, and since he was a terrible king, he needs all the positive points he can get.

In Storybrooke, Merida, Emma and David find Arthur dead. Emma wants to find Hades, but David tells her she needs to get a grip and look at death the way most people do.

Hades tells Zelena that if anything happened to her or the baby, he’d be crushed, so he’s going to turn himself in. She tells him she doesn’t want to risk losing him again. She says she’ll put a protection spell on the building, so no one can get to him. He unwraps a broken crystal, saying he got it from his brother, Zeus, and he’s been waiting a long time to use it.

Regina sees there’s a protection spell on the town hall. She says they’ll have to talk some sense into Zelena and can get into the building through a tunnel. Emma says she wants to come, but Regina says she’s too emotional right now. Regina and Robin enter the tunnel and Regina apologizes for trusting Zelena.

Gold visits Belle’s father and tells him about the sleeping curse. He says she needs her father to wake her, but dad doesn’t want to help him. He says until Gold is gone for good, Belle will stay asleep. Gold says he thought that’s the reaction he was going to get and brandishes a cane, threatening to beat him with it again. I guess they’ve met before. Emma comes in and tells Gold to knock it off. She says Hades is in Storybrooke and she wants to know how to kill him. Gold doesn’t want to get involved.

Arthur and Hook go to Hades’s throne room. Hook says they have to find the pages of a storybook. They start going through Hades stuff. Arthur says it’s not there, but he looked for it the same way my husband looks for things, which is basically a cursory glance. Hook begs Arthur to help. He asks where Arthur would hide his treasure. They look in the throne and sure enough, there are the pages. Hook says he has to get the pages to Emma. They contain information on how to destroy a god.

Hook and Arthur go back to the diner where Cruella is sipping a martini. Hook asks where the phone booth is and she says she destroyed it. If she’s stuck there, so is everyone else. Hook asks about the book and she says it’s in the River of Lost Souls.

Snow is pouring over some ledgers. Emma says she doesn’t have time to help. She’s bent out of shape about Hook, and Snow tells her she can help him by helping them figure out how to defeat Hades.

Hades is putting the crystal back together. He says once he does, he and Zelena can prove everyone wrong and live however they want, they can even rule Storybrooke. She says she just wants a white picket fence life. The phone rings. It’s Gold welcoming Hades to Storybrooke. Gold asks if Hades wants to make a deal. He says he’ll protect Hades for a share in the Olympian crystal.

Robin and Regina get to the town hall. Regina apologizes again, but Robin says they did owe Zelena another chance. He tells Regina she’s his future. She asks what the plan is. He says his one rule is always have a way out, but he broke his rule. Regina says she doesn’t care and he says let’s get on with finding the baby.

Hook and Arthur search for the book. Hook tells Arthur to be careful and not touch the water or he could become a lost soul too. Arthur guards the boat while Hook starts to go up the stairs. One of the souls tries to pull Arthur into the water and Hook blasts it with a tiki torch. Another soul tries to take the book and Arthur pokes it with a torch. Hook grabs the book just before it falls into the water.

Arthur wonders how one kills the Lord of Death. Hook says it calls for an Olympian crystal.

In Storybrooke, Emma looks at the storybook. She sees a picture of her and Hook (omg — I can’t stop this from rhyming) and gets nostalgic. The book’s pages flip on their own and she sees the part about the crystal.

Hades gets the crystal put back together with Underworld Crazy Glue. Zelena suggests they leave. Hades says the only way to be safe is to be strong.

Robin tells Regina they need a distraction so he can gets his daughter. Regina feels someone entering the building. It’s Zelena and Hades. They leave and Robin says who needs a plan when they have blind luck on their side.

Zelena sees Emma. Emma says she doesn’t want to hurt her. Zelena says hurting Hades is the same thing. She gets the pages from Emma and says that’s proof they’re trying to kill the man…er, god she loves.

Robin picks the baby up and says everything is going to be okay. Hades pops out and begs to differ. He says the crystal will end Regina with no afterlife. He zaps her with the crystal but Robin steps in front of her. His soul disappears, poof! in a cloud of blue smoke. Regina weeps a little over his body and Hades says not to worry, they won’t be apart long.

Zelena comes in. Regina tells her what Hades has done. Hades says they need to use the crystal so they can have a kingdom. He says there’s no better revenge than having it all. Regina tries to get the crystal, but Zelena gets it instead. Regina tells her that she wanted her to find love, but love is sacrifice and means giving things up for the person you love. Hades tells Zelena if she kills Regina she’ll have everything she wants. Zelena says all she ever wanted was love and she thought that was enough for him. Now she realizes it never will be. She destroys Hades with the crystal. He disappears, poof! in a cloud of blue smoke, not even leaving a body behind, just a pile of gravel.

Hook thanks Arthur for his help. Arthur is glad to have been on a righteous quest. Hook says he knows he was able to give Emma what she needed. A while light happens and Hook tells Arthur to come with him. Arthur says he was prophesied to fix a broken kingdom. He thought it was Camelot, but believes it’s the Underworld. Hook goes into the light.

Hook enters Olympus. Zeus meets him and congratulates and thanks him. He says he’s there to escort Hook home. He asks if Hook is ready and says it’s time to take him where he belongs.

Emma leaves a flask on Hook’s grave because she thought he’d like it better than flowers. She cries, saying there’s nothing left and she misses him. The others are laying Robin to rest, putting arrows adorned with roses on his casket. No offense to Robin, but his death didn’t exactly rock my world like they claimed it was going to in the preview last week.

Zelena names the baby Robin. Awww!

Snow tells Emma it’s not her fault. Emma wants to say good-by to Robin alone. She feels something and turns around to see Hook. They kiss and he’d better watch it with that hook. He almost got her in the back with it during the embrace. He says that as a reward for getting rid of Hades, Zeus sent him home.

Gold approaches the pile of gravel that was Hades and says he should have taken the deal. He finds the crystal and says it’s his kingdom now.

Next week, the 2-hour season finale which starts at 7 pm, Regina gets some hate going on, and Henry says he’s destroyed magic.

Fear the Walking Dead

Someone is making pesto while listening to Patsy Cline. Alicia is watching a TV and Connor comes out and serves her an Omaha steak. He says he makes sure everyone gets a hot meal every night. She asks where Jack is and Connor says he wanted to meet her alone. She asks about Travis and Connor tells her to eat. She wonders where her family is and Connor says that they have to be selective about who they let in. He leaves to deal with the generator. Alicia is stuck with Pregnant Girl who steals her food. Huh?

Left alone, Alicia tries to find a way out. Everything is locked. She goes upstairs. It’s the deck of a large ship that’s docked in a shipyard.

Jack catches her and brings her back. He tells her it’s a good thing Connor didn’t catch her. He apologizes for leaving her alone but says Connor prefers getting to know new people by himself. Alicia asks about Travis and Jack says she can’t see him right now. She asks about her family and he asks if she trusts him. She says yes, and he says give him some time and he’ll find out.

Reed apparently isn’t dead. Daniel is tending to his wound. Chris is there and Reed harasses him. He’s pretty perky for a guy who’s impaled on a giant stick. He tells Daniel that when Connor finds out, there’ going to be hell to pay. He threatens Daniel’s daughter. Daniel says men who inspire fear don’t need to say how frightening they are. I think he stole that thought from The Fonz.

Daniel and Chris leave the room. Chris is annoyed, but Daniel says Reed is just scared. He tells Chris to guard the door, but don’t engage. Ofelia tells Daniel he should be resting and Daniel spaces out for a second, saying his mind is going to places it shouldn’t.

Daniel goes to the wheelhouse and tells Madison that Reed is Connor’s brother, so that should be leverage. He looks for a cluster of five boats on the monitor. Luis wants to know why they changed course. He’s concerned they’ll miss the window of opportunity to get to Mexico. She says her family comes first.

Luis bugs Victor about it, but he says everything is negotiable. Madison tells Luis he can stay on the boat. Daniel thinks they’ll need everyone to attack, but she says no. She thanks Victor, but he says she just bought herself half a day.

Jack gives Alicia the log book to keep track of boats that are seen on the monitor, saying everyone has to pull their weight, and she’ll make contact with the boats that Connor approves. They talk about how they thought the world was a safe place before, but maybe it wasn’t.

Down below, Travis is locked in some kind of cell. He finds a book and tears a piece off of a page. He uses it to fiddle with the lock, but someone comes down. It’s Alex, the woman from the raft. She had to kill her companion. He says when Connor found him, he asked what she had to offer. She gave him Abigail (Victor’s boat) and said she wanted Travis.

Madison tells Victor not to send Nick on anymore errands. He says Nick offered to go get Luis and without Luis, they can’t get into Mexico. She tells him not to come between her and her son again.

Jack teaches Alicia about the scanner. He sees something and starts looking through the log. Alicia realizes that one of the boats is the Abigail. She asks what happens to the people on the boats that Connor approves. Jack says he doesn’t know and Alicia says she has to find her family. Jack says they’ll go together.

Madison tells Nick not to pull anything like that again. He’s loading a gun and she tells him not to get too comfortable with it.

Alicia wonders if the boat had mechanical problems. Jack asks if she’s sure that she wants to do this. He calls Connor.

Alex tells Travis that he’s the one who put them in the raft. He says they couldn’t risk her companion turning. She says she saw his face and he knew what was going to happen and the right thing to do, but chose the other.

Victor and Daniel see the shipyard and Victor says it’s time to knock on the front door.

Travis tells Alex that he has a son who watches him and he tries not to be a part of the violence. He says he can’t tell her what she wants to hear and he’s no better than the man who cut the rope. He says he had to do the same thing to his son’s mother that she did to the guy in the raft. He asks if they can be more than what they’ve become and she says she doesn’t know. He asks what’s gong to happen to her. She says Connor said he could use her, but people don’t use her.

Reed talks to Chris through the door and stupid Chris engages. Reed says Connor has plans for his sister and Chris asks if he needs to gag Reed. Reed says Chris doesn’t look like either of his parents and they have being outsiders in common. He tells Chris to be prepared, because when the time comes, the people he calls his family will put him down like a stray.

Nick comes along and asks Chris what’s wrong. Chris says if he had pulled the trigger none of this would have happened and they’d be in Mexico. Nick tells him it’s not his fault.

Alicia goes downstairs and sees Travis. She tells him that the Abigail is nearby and it’s too soon for them to have gone to Mexico and back. She says Jack wants out too and is going to help. Travis tells her not to do anything stupid. Jack comes down and says they have to leave.

On the Abigail, Connor radios Reed and tells him to dock. Madison says he can have his brother when she gets her family back. He asks what they did with Reed and she says nothing — yet. She says he’s alive, but if Connor wants him, he has to trade her family for Reed. Connor says okay. Nick says he’ll go, but Madison tells Connor she’ll see him in an hour.

Oops! Too late. Chris shot Reed. He tells Ofelia that Reed was going to turn, but that’s highly debatable. Luis says they’re going south, but Daniel says no. Chris tells Madison that Reed was going to turn. She says he doesn’t know that, but he insists he did. He tells her the gun is Reed’s and she takes it from him. He says he hopes he didn’t screw anything up and she says they’ll figure it out.

Connor tells Jack to get the girl and that the plans have changed. Travis wants to see his family and Connor tells him soon.

Ofelia tells Nick that Chris said Reed was going to turn. Well, either he lied or didn’t do a good enough job, because Reed just turned. Nick is about to put him down, but Daniel says not yet and pushes Reed back so that he’s stuck to the wall by the pole that’s through his middle. I was just thinking that my plan would be to let him turn and then give him back to his brother.

Daniel puts a sack over Reed’s head. Ofelia comes in and says it’s time.

Jack can’t find Alicia who’s hiding in a cupboard.

Nick tells Madison he’s better with the boat and the rest of them need her. She says no and he asks why. She says because he wants to. Daniel loads Reed into the boat and Madison takes off. Nick and Victor are looking at the shore through binoculars and Nick says he only sees Travis.

Pregnant Girl confronts Alicia and says she can stay in the cage. Alicia knocks her down and locks her in. Nice work. On the dock, Madison asks where her daughter is. Connor says she’ll get her when he sees his brother is okay. Alicia shoves Reed at him and he gets bitten. The guy with him starts to come after Madison, but Travis head butts him which is pretty impressive since his hands are bound

Jack asks Alicia what’s going on and she says her family came for her. Jack asks if that’s who she really wants to be with. He says they’re going to abandon her. She says sorry, and jumps off the boat into the water. Travis hauls her into the lifeboat. They leave as Alicia gazes at Jack who I guess turned out to be an okay guy

Next week, Daniel gets violent, the group heads for Mexico, Madison says they have to hide.

Shahs of Sunset

Camping — night one. MJ is looking for a corkscrew. Reza is doing some grilling and it looks mighty tasty. GG asks how everyone is doing and Shervin says how much he loves the place and thanks her for bringing them. GG tells Mike her anger isn’t about a particular thing. She says they go way back and he’s always talked down to her. He says it’s something he has to work on and realizes that he needs to fix that. He says ill feelings are toxic to him and he wants to let it go.

Reza says the talk is giving him hope. GG and Mike hug. In his interview, Reza says he hopes we enjoyed that heartfelt moment, because now we’re going to be led down another road.

Reza plants a false-positive pregnancy test and a map to a Mexican clinic, along with a few pesos, in MJ’s purse. Shervin tells MJ they just found all this in her purse. Although he doesn’t explain what they were doing with her purse in the first place. MJ says there weren’t even enough pesos to get a morning after pill, never mind a clinic.

Mike is on the phone with Jessica and the others keep trying to get him to hang up and join them. He tells MJ that Jessica comes first and asks her to have his back. They rejoin the group and MJ suggests a family meeting. Reza brings up how MJ discouraged his wedding idea. He says he loves her, but wishes she knew that no matter how the pie was sliced, the pieces were equal. I have no idea what he means by that. GG is drunk and making no sense. She says she’s done with people and doesn’t want to talk. She asks Shervin to make her a beer with hot sauce and lime, and tells Asa to go away. The girls go to bed. Reza says he realizes that the Mike and GG moment is all he’s getting tonight. The guys start goofing around and Reza chases Mike and Shervin around with the liquid poopy.

Reza makes breakfast. Asa says instead of an intervention, they had pranks. Asa has some things planned for them. She’s signed them up for some kind of obstacle rope course to challenge GG. They take the RV to wherever the course is. Mike tells the friends about trouble in paradise at home.

GG says the obstacle course looks challenging, although I would use the word impossible. She’s still recovering from her hand surgery, but she’s going to do it anyway. Everyone is encouraging. Reza says the course is representative of their lives and GG needs someone to help her. She makes it through the first course. She has to stop, but says she did a lot more than she thought she could. Asa is proud. The others do the second course and I’m exhausted just watching. The instructor has told them that only 10% finish the third one. Mike encourages Reza. This one looks scary. They’re doing a hand over hand thing going across at it’s very high up.

Afterwards for some relaxation, they do ziplining. Reza says it seems like old times.

Reza asks if they can keep an eye on GG’s drinking, since she was incoherent the night before. GG is puzzled that he should bring this up now, since they just spent an amazing time together. MJ says that the course brought up a lot of emotion and she realizes her mother has always played it safe in life. She says that when her mother is being impossible, it’s just that she doesn’t know how to do it any other way. She says Vida once got her heart broken and now she takes no risks. She says her life choices are different from those of her parents.

They stop at a restaurant, but GG isn’t hungry. Reza proposes that GG make a toast. He asks why she’s so quiet and she says she’s choosing to be. She says if anybody has a feeling of any sort to tell her, not discuss it among themselves. Reza says she gets angry when she doesn’t like something and she says it’s better than talking behind someone’s back. MJ says the talk she and GG had was disappointing and right now she doesn’t want GG to be at her funeral because her soul will affect the dirt. That’s a new one to me. In his interview, Mike says GG is a little girl trapped in a woman’s body.

The Shahs build a fire and Mike shoos a coyote away. Reza says ghosts and coyotes don’t mess with Persians. Mike tells Reza that he was a little aggressive with GG. He tells GG that being vulnerable isn’t bad and sometimes your friends can point out things you don’t see. She says her future has changed because of her arthritis. She doesn’t even know if she should have children for fear of passing it along. Mike says she has to fight. GG says she’s had it for five years and did everything right, but she’s giving up now. She says she can’t sit with her own thoughts any more and doesn’t know how to reach out.

Shervin says they want the GG back that they used to know. He tells her that some people who couldn’t be there wrote letters. One of the letters is from her dad, but she says she’s not ready for that. She tells him that she’s not strong enough. Shervin says if the letter makes her upset, she can punch him, and she agrees if she can punch him in the nuts. For Shervin’s sake, that had better be a happy letter.

Shervin reads the letter and it’s very sweet. GG says it’s a rush of emotions that she can’t hide. Asa says everyone believes in her and GG says in a weird way, she’s happy. She says it was time to listen to what her friends had to say. Mike says she’s now opened her mind to the universe and allowed knowledge to come in and guide her. Hugs all around.

GG says she thinks the trip was good for everyone and at the end of the day they’re a loving, dysfunctional family.

Next week, Shervin goes on a date, MJ tells her mother that she wants a baby, and Mike screws up with Jessica, which probably isn’t hard to do.

Game of Thrones

So now that the question of Jon Snow’s death has been answered, we might as well not watch this anymore. Just kidding.

Davos sees Jon sit up. Jon checks himself out and sees all the stab wounds. He tries to get up, and wobbles, but Davos catches him. Davos asks what he remembers and he says they all stabbed him and he shouldn’t be there. The Red Woman asks what he saw after he died and he says nothing. She says the Lord let him come back for a reason and that Stannis wasn’t the promised king, but someone has to be.

Davos says it seems crazy to him, so he can imagine how it must seem to Jon. Jon wonders why he came back, but Davos says it doesn’t matter. Jon says he thought he’d done the right thing, but he failed.

Edd and the Castle Black gang are milling around outside. Jon and Davos come out. Tormund tells Jon they think he’s some kind of god and Jon says he isn’t. Tormund makes a joke about Jon’s weenie not being so godlike. Edd asks if it’s still him in there and Jon says he thinks so.

Gilly, Sam and the baby are at sea when a storm brews up. Sam isn’t feeling well and Gilly tries to make jokes. Sam throws up. Gilly says she can’t wait to see Oldtown. Sam says there’s no women there, so they’re going to his hometown. He says his mother will take care of her, but Gilly reminds him that he’d said they’d be together. He says he cares about Gilly and the baby and wants them to be safe. She says if he thinks that’s for the best, she trusts him. Sam gets sick again.

Bran and the Three-Eyed Raven are having a vision. Bran sees his father as a younger man. Ned asks why the Kingsguards didn’t protect their king and asks where his sister is. Ser Arthur Dayne says now it begins, but Ned says now it ends. Ned’s men dispatch the Kingsguards pretty quickly until only Ser Dayne is left. Bran said that his father told him Ser Dayne was the best swordsman ever and apparently so, since he was surrounded two seconds ago and now it’s just him and Ned. Ned loses his sword and Howland comes up from behind and stabs Ser Dayne in the back. Ned finishes him off. Bran realizes this isn’t the story Ned told about it.

Ned starts going up the steps to a tower where Lyanna is and Bran calls out to him. Ned pauses and the Raven wakes Bran. Bran says he wants to see what’s in the tower. The Raven says if he stays too long in a place, he might not return. Bran says it beats sitting in a tree with an old guy. The Raven says he won’t be there forever, but for now he must learn. Everything.

Dany travels with the Dothraki to the place where widowed Khaleesis go. A woman is tending a fire and Dany gets stripped of her clothing and jewelry. She says they’ve made a mistake. The woman says she’s young and will learn — if they decide to keep her. She says Dany went out into the world after Khal Drago died and that is forbidden.

Varys meets with a woman who helped the Sons of the Harpy with their murder spree. She says if he’s going to torture her, get on with it, but he just wants answers. He says she helped the Sons of the Harpy to murder the unsullied and the queen’s guards. She says they were interlopers who didn’t belong there. He says he looks at it differently. He tells her she conspired to kill the queen’s soldiers and how will her son get on without his mother? She says if she talks, she’ll be killed, so either way she’s dead. Varys says there’s a third option, a boat sailing at dawn. She needs to decide if she wants a new life for her and her son.

Tyrion meets with Grey Worm and Missandei. He wonders what they could talk about to pass the time. He asks what they usually talk about and Grey Worm says his patrols. Tyrion says that’s a report not a conversation. He says they should play a game and Grey Worm says games are for children. Tyrion tries to think of a game that doesn’t involve drinking.

Varys comes back and tells them that the soldiers came from other cities. Grey Worm says they’ll have to leave to fight them, but Tyrion says they need him here.

Qyburn is talking to a group of children. They are Varys’s “little birds.” He gives them sweets and says he might want to hear some chirping. Ser Gregor comes in with Jaime and Cersei. The children leave and Qyburn says they’re Cersei’s little birds now. She gives him a list of things she wants to know about.

Olenna is sitting with the small counsel who are pissed at Varys. Cersei comes in and asks why Olenna is there. She says for one thing, they have her granddaughter imprisoned. Cersei says she’s glad Olenna brought it up because she wants to whine about her own indignities that she suffered. Olenna says Margaery is the queen, not Cersei. The head guy says they can’t make her leave, but she can’t make them stay either and they all walk out.

Tommen approaches the High Sparrow about Cersei seeing her daughter’s resting place. The High Sparrow says she hasn’t completely atoned yet. Tommen says as king he orders it. The High Sparrow says Cersei is deceptive, but when she speaks about Tommen, her mother’s love shines through. He says when she made her walk of atonement, she did it to get back to Tommen. He says a true leader avails himself of the wisest council he can and no one is wiser than the gods. He says the best they can do is help each other bring out the good in themselves.

The Waif asks Arya about her family. She asks where her family is now and Arya doesn’t know. She asks about The Hound and Arya says he’s dead. She says he was on Arya’s death list, but was taken off. The Waif asks if she doesn’t want him dead anymore and Arya says she does and she doesn’t. (Is this a foreshadowing?) The Waif asks for her death list, but thinks it’s too short. Arya asks what name she’d like on it. The conversation is interspersed with Arya getting trounced by The Waif.

Jaqen comes in and The Waif leaves. He says if Arya tells him her name, she can have her eyes back. He gives her something to drink and says if she is truly no one, she has nothing to fear. She drinks it and can see again. He asks who she is and she says no one.

One of the lords comes to Winterfell to talk to Ramsay. Ramsay asks why he’s there and he says that Wildings came through the wall. Ramsay says to pledge his loyalty to House Bolton and they’ll fight together. The lord says he’s not bowing down to Ramsay, but he has a gift for him. It’s Rickon Stark along with Osha. Ramsay asks how he knows that’s him and the lord shows him the head of Rickon’s direwolf. Ramsay tells Rickon, welcome home.

Jon has the men who stabbed him hanged. He asks if they have any last words. One says he shouldn’t be alive, it’s not right, and Jon says neither was killing him. Ser Aliser says he had a choice to betray him or betray the Night’s Watch, and that Jon brought Wildings into their space. Jon ponders a little while everyone watches, and then cuts the rope and the floor drops out. Pretty fancy.

Jon gives his cloak to Edd telling him he has Castle Black now. Jon’s watch has ended. Well, technically, he died, so that is an out.

Next week, Peter wants to find Sansa, Theon goes home, and Ser Jorah finds Dany.

May 1, 2016 — Leaving the Underworld, Leaving for Mexico, Leaving in an RV & What About Jon Snow?

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & recaps from today’s real time TV watching)

Once Upon A Time

Regina says she’s trying to trust Zelena. Hades pops in and says he needs their help. He went to meet Zelena for their date and found a ransom note from Pan. He wants Belle’s unborn child returned to her. Hades says he’ll give Pan what he wants, but he wants Emma to help. He says it’s her fault they’re all there in the first place, so he’ll remove their names off the headstones if she helps him.

In the past, Emma goes to a restaurant and shows the employees an article about a baby who was found, trying to find out who was involved. They don’t have any information, so Emma sits down with some food. A stranger sits down with her and says she’s the baby, isn’t she? She says she sees someone who robbed some convenience stores in Phoenix and ran. Emma runs again, but her car won’t go anywhere because it has a boot on it. The stranger approaches her car.

Hades goes to the diner and Pan arrives, poof! in a cloud of red smoke. Zelena is with him, as well as Gold. Hades rips up the baby contract. Pan says they can have Zelena back, except for her heart. Zelena says there’s a protection spell on it. Pan thinks that’s no problem, but when he tries to take it, Emma blows him back wit ha bolt of magic.

Gold splits and Pan follows, poof! in a cloud of red smoke. I guess Zelena got the green smoke first. Hades tells Zelena he’d do anything for her. They kiss and Emma goes ♫ la-la-la ♫. Suddenly Hades heart is beating again. He realizes his punishment is over and he can leave. He tells Emma there will be a portal to Storybrooke at the graveyard but it will close at sunset. Emma says he needs to keep his end of the bargain, so they’ll all be going home.

The group gathers at the graveyard. Regina tells Hades to get on with it and he removes the names. Zelena says she told them love could change him, but Hook (of all people) doesn’t buy it. Regina takes Emma’s heart to give to Hook, but it doesn’t work. Hades says his soul must have left him when he died. Emma asks if no one has ever come back. Hades says there was a rumor about someone once.

The stranger, Cleo Fox, takes Emma to a hotel room and handcuffs her to the bed. She says she’ll be right back and while she’s in the bathroom, Emma slips the cuffs and goes through Cleo’s wallet. She sees a picture of a little girl. She’s about to leave and sees some kind of tracking site on the laptop. Cleo comes back and Emma is still there. Emma says she’ll go with her to Phoenix

Hades says that it’s rumored that Orpheus used ambrosia to bring Eurydice back to life. He creates an elevator. He says it goes to the field of ambrosia under the Underworld because you can’t go there in a puff of smoke (ha-ha!). He takes Emma’s heart and gives it to her in a bag for safekeeping. She says if she’s not back by sunset, everyone is to leave without her.

Gold kisses the sleeping Belle. Nothing happens. Pan says despite Gold’s abandoning him, he accepts Gold for who he is even if Belle doesn’t. Gold says he’s only concerned with getting Belle home so her father can wake her. Pan says he didn’t get the heart he was promised. He says he’ll give Gold a Pandora’s Box he can take Belle home in, but he wants that heart first.

Henry is impatient. Regina says they’ll go as soon as Emma gets back. Henry asks about Operation Firebird and how they were supposed to help the others who are there. Hades says once they’re gone, the Underworld will turn into what it was supposed to be, but Henry says the people with unfinished business don’t even know what the unfinished business is.

Robin shows up with Zelena’s baby. He’s afraid they’re going to be tricked. Regina tells him to give the baby to Zelena so they can wait for the portal to open. He’s reluctant, but hands the baby over. Zelena leaves with the baby.

Robin says he needs a moment and leaves the room. Gold is there and says he won’t remember any of this and takes his heart.

Hook and Emma take the elevator down.

Emma and Cleo are at the town records department. A clerk gives Emma a file, but there’s only the same article she had in it. Emma thinks that there should be more information. Cleo wants to get going. She tells Emma she kept her word, and now Emma should keep hers. She says it’s Arizona, not hell. Although I have a friend who lives in Phoenix who might beg to differ. She starts whining about the heat in April.

Henry is giving out reference sheets with each person’s unfinished business. Cruella comes by and Regina says she doesn’t think Cruella will go to a happy place once her business is done. Cruella says she doesn’t want to leave. She wants to be the next ruler when Hades goes. David tells her there won’t be any people there to rule because the unfinished business will be done. She says they’re all staying there, because it’s Henry’s fault that she wasn’t brought back to life. Regina says Cruella doesn’t have the magic to keep them there. The blind witch from Hansel and Gretel comes out of the crowd and says she does. She blows them into the nearest building and locks them in. Regina tries throwing a fireball at the door, but it doesn’t work. Cruella says they’ll be released after sunset.

Hook and Emma come to a scale that says only those with true hearts can pass through. Emma says she’ll have to weigh her heart to see if her love for him is true. Hook asks why she can only admit how she feels when one of them is facing certain death? Emma puts her heart on the scale. Nothing happens, but then Emma collapses. She tells Hook to get her heart, but he’s suddenly on fire. Emma struggles to her feet and grabs him. Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner.

Emma sneaks out of the hotel room and back to the hall where the records are kept. Cleo stops her. She asks Emma what good would it be to find out about her parents now and that she should move forward. As they’re leaving, the police arrive. Cleo kicks out a window and they jump out.

Emma and hook go under the Underworld, but there’s only a tree stump and the ambrosia are dead. Hook says he knew they couldn’t trust Hades and that Hades didn’t want them going back.

Regina says that the blind witch’s spells are always half-baked and it must be Hades that wants them to stay. Hades and Zelena are at the portal. Zelena doesn’t want to leave without Regina, but Hades says they have to go for the baby’s sake, and they step through.

Pan tells Gold they’re running out of time. Gold tells him to have patience.

Emma is trying to find a scrap of ambrosia. The earth starts to shake and Hook says they’ll find a way out, but they have to go.

Cleo collapses bleeding. The glass from the window has cut her. She tells Emma to leave. Emma says she has to live for her daughter. Cleo says her daughter doesn’t know who she is and she took the picture without her knowledge. The cops pull up and Emma jets.

Hook says he’s not going to leave with Emma. She says she’s not going back without him and he says she has no choice. He says they both know they had more time than they were meant to. Emma doesn’t want to say good-by. Hook says don’t. Emma tells him not to make her his unfinished business. Emma goes into the elevator and they kiss through the gate, proclaiming their love.

Emma goes into a dress shop and shows a clerk the picture from Cleo’s wallet, saying she knew her birth mother, Cleo Fox. She thought Tasha would want to know where she came from. Tasha asks if her mother is looking for her, but Emma has to tell her that Cleo is dead. She sees a jacket exactly like Cleo’s and buys it. She says it might work.

In the underworld, Emma goes back up to the others. She says she’ll explain later what happened with Hook. Regina tells her that they can’t leave. Emma says the ambrosia wasn’t there and Hook wanted to make sure they got out even if he couldn’t. Regina says let’s give him his wish.

Regina and Emma blast the door open together. Henry leaves the folder of unfinished business instructions.

Pan tells Gold they don’t want to miss their ticket home. Gold gives him the heart, but something is wrong. Gold says he knew Pan and his shadow would be watching, so when they weren’t looking he gave Robin back his heart and replaced it with a heart filled with water from the River of Souls. He’s going to make sure Pan never gets his happy ending. Pan disappears, poof! in a cloud of white and green smoke. Gold tells him, “Good by, poppa, for good this time.”

Gold puts Belle in the box and heads for the portal, and steps through. The others are right behind him, but it’s closing. They go through, but Emma looks back, saying she got the jacket for protection. The ground starts to shake and she and David go through. Boy, is Hades going to be surprised.

Next time, Hades is in Storybrooke, Regina says they’ll do what they have to in order to protect the town, and someone dies, breaking the heart of Storybrooke forever. I’m wondering if it’s Henry.

Fear the Walking Dead

That was a bit of a depressing fairy tale, so yay! zombies!

Nick washes up on shore, nakey, carrying his clothing. A helicopter flies over heard. He pulls his clothing on and enters into a tent city where the words save us are in front on the ground. It looks deserted. We see our first zombie of the evening. Nick makes noise, trying to see if anyone is alive and distracts the zombie. He goes into a tent and zips it up. The zombie can see him but not get in. He stabs it in the head and drags it into the tent. Question mark over my head.

Oh, wait, I see what he’s doing. He guts the zombie and puts the mess all over himself.

Travis is complaining about Victor to Madison. She asks him what he’s going to do. Travis suggests throwing Victor in the ocean. but Madison says they need him. Travis says they’ll survive without him and she says she wants to do more than survive. Travis feels responsible for the people in the life raft.

Chris and Ofelia can’t sleep. Chris asks if she’s ever been to Mexico and she says no. They talk about relationships. Chris says he had a girlfriend, but they lost touch when his family moved. Ofelia tells him there are still girls on the planet and he says that’s what he’s banking on.

Another life raft comes by with two men and a pregnant woman who is in distress. Chris asks Ofelia if he should shoot them. (What?) They get on the boat before anyone can do anything. Everyone is awake now. The guy says they lost their engine and have been drifting for days. Victor gets his gun.

Madison takes the woman to her room. Alicia goes up to the deck. She recognizes one of the guys as Jack. The three take over the boat. Other guy, Reed, tells Chris if he has to ask if he should shoot, somebody should be dead. He tells Alicia to tie up Daniel and says to look for Nick. Victor leaves in a lifeboat and Reed shoots at him, saying if he didn’t get him the hypothermia will.

Back in the day, Victor is at a bar watching the news about Hurricane Katrina and talking to another patron, Thomas, about their families. He’s says he’s there to buy real estate since it will be low. Victor says he bought before the storm. Thomas says he’s an opportunist and Victor says maybe he’s optimistic. Thomas says he’s a parasite, but thanks.

Victor gets a drunk Thomas back to his hotel room, getting him a water and taking off his jacket. Thomas passes out and Victor goes through his wallet. Thomas comes to for a second and says maybe he won’t remember. Victor takes stuff from the wallet.

Out at sea, Victor is trying to get it together.

Reed asks who has the key to the boat. Ofelia tells him he shot the captain. Reed holds a gun to Chris’s head and says they have until five to tell him where the key is. Travis says Victor has the keys, but he can start the boat without them. Man, so I want to smack Reed around.

Pregnant woman comes out with Madison. Daniel tells her what happened with Victor. Reed tells Travis to come start the boat and for Jack to take Alicia. Madison objects, but Alicia says it’s her fault. Alicia calls Jack out about deceiving her. He promises she’ll be safe and says their leader,Connor, listens to him.

Nick is strolling around covered in zombie guts. It must really stink. He goes into a town and tests out his disguise. Works fine.

In the past, Victor is chilling in his hotel room and there’s a knock at the door. It’s Thomas and his friend, Luis. Thomas asks where all the money went, since it obviously wasn’t on wardrobe. Victor says he purchased credit card debt, which is how he started before. Thomas thinks he can do better. Victor says if he wants a return on his investment, he’ll get it with interest. Thomas tells him to meet him downstairs at the bar. Victor says thanks for the pardon, but Thomas says he didn’t pardon him, he obligated him.

Back in the water, Victor struggles to stay afloat and loses his phone.

Travis works on getting the boat running while Reed acts like a pita. Travis tells him it’s computerized and he’ll have to override it from the engine room.

Madison wonders where Nick is. She says there’s only three of them and asks Daniel if he can get loose. He tells her to distract the woman. Reed goes by with Travis, who says he’ll have them going in an hour. Reed says they only have 30 minutes. Madison starts to talk to the woman about her pregnancy.

In the engine room, Reed tells Travis to walk him through it. He says when Connor shows up, he’d better have it running.

Jack calls Connor who says he can’t wait to meet Alicia. Alicia asks Jack if anything he said was true. He says versions of it. She asks about his girlfriend. He says when his brother died, Connor saved him. She asks how many people came before her and how many are alive. Jack says he’s sorry and he doesn’t enjoy any of this, which doesn’t answer the question. Alicia says Victor is no better than Reed and maybe they found each other for a reason. He asks her to come back with him and she says not without her family. He says Connor doesn’t take just anyone. She says she’ll come back with him if he protects her family and she knows they’re safe. He cuts her bonds. She hugs him.

Nick is still wandering around covered in gore. He knocks on a door and a guy comes up behind him with a gun. Nick says don’t shoot.

The guy is Thomas’s friend, Luis. Nick explains he had boat trouble and asks Luis what this place was. He says it was going to be a gated community. but it never got finished. He tells Nick he’s headed to Mexico and tells him to wash up before he gets in the car.

Madison asks when the last time was the baby moved. She says she lost a baby between Nick and Alicia. Pregnant Girl says she’s healthy and Madison says if the baby died she might have turned. Yikes! Pregnant Girl says don’t tempt her to shoot and toss her overboard. Travis and Reed come in. Madion says what if the baby is born dead and Pregnant Girl hits her. Reed tells her Connor might need Madison, so knock it off.

Nick tries to talk Luis into taking everyone, but he says he has transit and money (are people still using that?) for two, that’s what Vincent and he had planned for. He tells Nick that his mother worked for Thomas and is already at the house.

At Thomas’s place, he and Victor are chillaxin’ by the pool. Victor wants to talk business, but Thomas is like, not now. Victor says it will be hard to get back to reality but if they don’t move on the parcel of land, someone else will. Thomas says why bother? He says his place and his money are enough. He says his place makes him feel like the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

Reed tells Travis that his timing is great and Connor wants to meet him. Connor and some others board the boat. Connor says he wants Travis and Madison to come with him and they’ll get the others to shore. They put hoods over Travis and Alicia’s heads and leave.

Reed says Connor has leadership skills, but is lacking in other areas. Nick is out in a small boat with the Luis and sees that there are people on the boat with guns. Luis shoots one of them. Daniel gets loose and Chris stabs Reed. Nick and Luis board the boat. Madison explains what happened to Victor and says he has to find Travis and Alicia. Luis says without Victor, they can’t get into Mexico.

In the past, Victor tells Thomas he’ll close quick and be right back. Oooh, they have a romantic relationship. I kinda thought so at the pool.

Victor is floating in the water and sees Madison coming in a lifeboat. She pulls him in.

Next time, Connor comes looking for Reed, Luis says there’s no getting Travis back, and Victor says he’ll get them to Mexico.

Shahs of Sunset

Asa gives GG some homemade spicy sauce. She says it’s the glue that holds them all together. She asks what’s going on with GG. GG says she and MJ can’t seem to get along anymore. She tells Asa about their last meeting which did not go well. Asa says they have to remember why they love each other. GG says they should go on a camping trip. She says it’s her absolute favorite thing to do, which I never would have guessed.

They call Reza and tell him they want to go camping. He says he’s excited, which I also wouldn’t have guessed. Asa is hoping GG has an epiphany on the trip.

MJ is revamping her real estate career. She and Tommy are getting new business cards for her. MJ wants to make a load of money so they can start a family. She wants to be the Condo Queen of WeHo and Tommy suggests incorporating that on the card and tells her she should put a crown on it. The clerk suggests just putting “Condo Queen” on the card.

MJ tells Tommy how she messed up at Shabbat, telling about Reza’s surprise wedding plans and now Reza is mad at her. She says she thinks a surprise wedding is a lousy idea, but she’ll be supportive if he goes through with it.

Mike and Jessica still aren’t divorced yet. Jessica says she got her phone bill and it’s over $500. She’s never paid her own phone bill before. Then she talks about buying a tea set for 5 grand. Mike says no matter how hard he works, he can’t get ahead of the spending. They sit down to eat and Jessica tells Mike to get off the phone and that he has a problem. She says she doesn’t ask much and Mike says she asks for a lot. He says he’s texting someone about his business and she’s giving him attitude. She calls him a drama queen. Really? He said it in a normal tone of voice. She’s a whackjob.

Asa is working with her assistant on her caftan business. She says her next step is being a defined brand and they need to create a lookbook for retailers. Her mother is a nurse who wants to semi-retire and work for her. She says working with your family isn’t the easiest thing.

Asa’s father says they just got their 2000th order. Asa says they’ve been through a lot together as a family and are totally bonded. She wants to make sure her parents’ lives are amazing. They all have champagne.

MJ and Tommy take Vida to drag bingo. MJ is co-hosting and using it as a vehicle for her business. Jessica has to explain how to play bingo to Asa, who is in love with the pens. MJ is introduced. Asa thinks the game is stressful. Vida thinks she won, but didn’t and a false bingo gets a spanking. MJ lets Vida spank her instead.

Reza meets Mike for drinks. He’s thrilled that their friendship is back on track. He asks Mike how his married sex life is. Mike thinks his grandparents have more sex. Reza says Mike’s “dool” has ADD and if it doesn’t get a lot of action, it goes out looking for trouble like a kid. Mike says that women are more interested in him now that he’s married. Reza doesn’t think he should be out clubbing with his single friends.

Reza says GG needs help and tells Mike about the camping trip. They toast to camping and fixing sh*t.

Reza goes to an Army Navy store. He says he wants protection from a crazy friend when they go camping. He says little does GG know that around the fun there’s going to be a GGvention. He thinks about getting a megaphone. Asa meets him there and says a megaphone in the hands of the wrong person would be a bad idea. Reza says he has a bugging people gene. The two of them crack up the clerks.

MJ meets Shervin for coffee. She asks him about the camping trip. Shervin says they’re taking an RV to get to the site. He tells her about the GGvention and MJ says she doesn’t think GG wants help. MJ says if there’s any way of getting the old GG back, she’ll do anything, but suggests they pick a campsite near an emergency room just in case.

Asa is doing a photo shoot for her caftan line at the beach. It’s a beautiful place and the caftans are gorgeous. She wants to get the brand down to five or six pictures. They’re spending 20 to 25 grand and Asa keeps telling her mother to stop distracting the models. After the shoot, Asa takes pictures of her parents. She says they took the greatest risk of their lives leaving Iran and she wants them to “fly” with her.

Let the camping commence! GG says this group isn’t camping material and she thinks Asa might have the most issues because she wants to wear her caftans. Reza checks out the RV, which he says is the Griswald’s vacation RV from 1979. He finds hair and an old rubberband in the shower and even I’m grossed out.

Shervin says GG can barely walk across the street and she’s going to drive. Mike looks pretty nervous. Asa says at every turn and every brake, everything goes flying. Reza decides to start some pranks by covering the toilet with something that looks like…never mind. It smells all the way up to GG and she nearly drives off the road. They pull over and Reza cleans up the mess. It still stinks though. They realize they’re in front of a government building and Reza says it’s not a good look for them to be running from the vehicle. They get back on the road.

MJ sits in the front. GG says it’s uncomfortable, but if you love someone, you don’t want that smell going up their nostrils. The others play cards. Mike says he’s glad to decompress and get away from what’s going on at home.

They get to the campground. They set up the tents. A lot of jokes are made about Mike and GG. Mike has everyone gather in a circle. They hold hands and Mike says he hopes they come back together as a group. He just celebrated Rosh Hashana and hopes it’s a great new year for all of them. They light the fire. Mike says maybe the trip won’t just fix GG, but fix all of them.

Next time, the Shahs go ziplining, MJ might be pregnant, and the GGvention happens.

Game of Thrones

The Three-Eyed Raven guides Bran (remember him? he’s a lot bigger now) through a vision of days long before his accident. He sees Hodor as a young man before he only said “Hodor!” The Three-Eyed Raven says it’s time to go. Bran tells him that he finally showed Bran something he cared about and then dragged him away. The Raven says it’s beautiful under the sea too, but it can drown you.

Bran tells Hodor he saw him as a boy and wonders what happened.

Bran tells Meera that it’s not safe to be outside the cave. Bran says the Raven saw there’s a war coming and she asks if they’re going to fight it in the cave. Hodor takes Bran back in. A tree fairy tells Meera that Bran needs her.

At Castle Black, Aliser tells Davos to open the door and let the soldiers in. He won’t and they break down the door. Davos and the others have their swords drawn. Attention is diverted though, when a giant breaks down the door at the wall and busts in with a load of Wildings. He’s pretty freaking big, so they give up really fast. Aliser calls Edd a traitor and Edd says the only traitors are the ones who killed Jon Snow. Edd has them put into cells where they belong.

Tormund and Edd see Jon’s body. Edd says he’ll have his men make a funeral pyre.

The news of Cersei’s walk of shame is being told among the peasants. A stand-up comic is saying that she was only used to her brother’s junk and thought he was the bomb. Yeah, right. Has he seen Jaime? Afterward, he gets his head smashed in by The Mountain.

Cersei comes out, but the soldiers won’t let her go. The king has commanded she stay in the Red Keep for her safety. She wants to go to Myrcella’s funeral, but the Tommen has left the Keep, so she can’t even talk to him.

Tommen and Jaime hold vigil by Myrcella’s body. Jaime asks why Tommen wouldn’t let Cercei come. Tommen says she’s not allowed in a sept. Jaime says everything Cersei did, she did for him. Tommen is embarrassed that he did nothing for Margaery or Cersei to protect them.

High Sparrow Jonathan Pryce comes in and tells him that they’re still waiting for Margaery to confess. Jaime tells Tommen to go see his mother. He tells the High Sparrow that he’s a brave man and the Sparrow says he fears a lot of things. Jaime says he humiliated his sister. Sparrow says she’s paying for her sins and Jaime asks what atonement he deserves.

Jaime takes out his sword and the High Sparrow asks if he’d spill blood in a holy place. Jaime says the gods have spilt more blood than anyone. The High Sparrow crew comes out and Jaime says they should be closer if they want to save him. The High Sparrow says each on his own is powerless but together they can throw over an empire. He leaves and Jaime ponders that.

Cersei looks out from the Red Keep. Tommen comes in. She asks what gown Myrcella is in. Tommen says he’s sorry for keeping her away, but he didn’t want to lose her again. He says he knows he should have come sooner and was wrong not to. He says he should have executed all of them and that she would have for him. He says he’s not strong, but he wants to be, and asks her to help him.

Grey Worm tells Tyrion they couldn’t find who burned the ships. Varys says they can’t overpower all of them. Tyrion asks about the dragons, and Missandei tells him they’ve refused to eat since Dany left. Tyrion says they must be unchained or they’ll waste away as they don’t do well in captivity. He asks if they’ve ever harmed Misandei and she says no. Tyrion says dragons are good to their friends and it’s time they had their supper.

He goes with Varys to where the dragons are chained. I have heart attacks over these dragons. I’m always worried something is going to happen to them. The dragons snarl at Tyrion who seems more fascinated than afraid. He tells them he’s a friend of their mother’s and is there to help and please don’t eat the help. He tells them a story about how he wanted a dragon as a boy. He says when his father told him the last dragon had died over a century ago, he cried himself to sleep, but here they are. He removes their chains. Poor things. Tyrion leaves and tells Varys next time he has an idea like that to punch him in the face. I love Tyrion.

The Waif starts beating on Arya again, asking what her name is. When Arya says “no one,” the Waif says she doesn’t believe it and neither does anyone else. The Waif disappears and Arya is fighting alone. Jaqen asks her name and she says she has no name. He says if the girl says her name, she’ll get fed and get her eyes back. Arya repeats that she has no name.

Jaqen tells her to leave her begging bowl as she’s no longer a begger.

Ramsay has to tell Roose about the guys getting killed who went after Sansa. He says with a small force they could take over Castle Black and murder Jon Snow. A little late for that. He says it’s time for new blood in The North. Roose says if you acquire a reputation as a mad dog you’ll be treated like one.

A page comes in to announce the birth of Roose’s son. Ramsay congratulates him and says he looks forward to meeting his new brother. Roose says Ramsay will always be his first born. Ramsay thanks Roose and then stabs him. I did not see that coming. I’m assuming baby brother isn’t far behind. He tells the page to send ravens telling everyone Roose is dead and was poisoned by his enemies. He tells him to send for Lady Walda and the baby.

Ramsay asks to hold the baby. Lady Walda asks if Ramsay has seen Lord Bolton. Ramsay tells her to follow him. No doubt to certain death. She asks where Ramsay’s father is. He says he’s Lord Bolton now. Walda tells him she’ll leave and go back to the riverland. She says the baby is his brother and he says he prefers being an only child and lets his crazy ass dogs loose on her.

Brienne tells Sansa about seeing Arya. She says she looked good, but wasn’t exactly dressed like a lady. She asks Sansa what happened at Winterfell. Sansa says she should have gone with Brienne when she had the chance, but Brienne says it was a difficult choice and they’ve all had to make them.

Theon tells Sansa they should be moving. Sansa says once they get to Castle Black, they’ll be safe. Theon says Jon will kill him and there’s no way to make amends for what he’s done to her family. She says she’ll make sure he’s safe and he tells her he would have died to get her to The Wall. He asks to take one of the horses and she asks where he’s going. He says home.

Balon is arguing with Yara on how to run things. She says they can defeat anyone at sea, but not so much on shore. Balon says they shouldn’t be sending their men on fool’s missions, but she says she’s not apologizing for trying to rescue Theon. He tells her to shut up and follow his orders, or he’ll find another heir who will.

He goes out on some rickety bridge in the wind. Someone is there and he tells them to move aside for their king. The figure says hasn’t he always for his brother? Balon supposed he was dead, but his brother says dead men never die and that he is the Drowned God. Balon tries to get across and his brother tells him he’s had his time, now let someone else rule. Balon reminds him of a storm that he freaked out during and asks what kind of Ironborn loses his mind during a storm. Balon gets tossed of the bridge. Bye, old dude.

No surprise, burial at sea. Yara says she’ll kill whoever did this. Another old dude tells her that perhaps she’ll be the first woman to rule the Ironborn, but perhaps not.

Davos visits the Red Woman. He says he’s there about the Lord Commander. She says the former Lord Commander and Davos asks if he has to be. He asks if she knows of any magic to bring him back, but she says to leave it alone. She says she met a man who came back from the dead and it wasn’t good. She says the great victory she saw in the flames and everything she believed was a lie. She says Davos was right. Davos says he was never a devout man and he’s not asking the Lord of Light for help, he’s asking her.

Will the fans get what they wanted?

The Red Woman bathes Jon’s body. She clips a lock of his hair while saying some magic words. Then she starts trimming his beard. She anoints his head. Is this a spell or a beauty salon? She lays hands on Jon, speaking some more. We all wait with bated breath.

Oh well, she tried.

Everyone leaves except Davos and Ghost. Davos leaves and Ghost stirs.

Jon opens his eyes and gasps.

Whoa.

Did you know they have a “Wolf Unit?” It’s in the credits.

Next time, Arya becomes no one, Jon is looked upon as a god, and Cersei is after blood.

April 24, 2016 — Hades, Houston, Headed for Baha, Shahs & Thrones

Standard

What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & recaps from today’s real time TV watching)

Once Upon A Time

Hades and Zelena drive to a secluded spot for a picnic. Hades shows her the glittering lights of Underworld Storybrooke from the top of a cliff and tells her she deserves more. He says once his heart is beating again, he can leave and take her back. He says he doesn’t care about his plans anymore as long as he can have her. He tells her all of the heroes will be trapped in the Underworld when he leaves. He says he knows things are dicey with Regina, but it’s her sister or the two of them. He gets down on one knee and asks her to make chaos with him.

Regina is waiting up when Zelena gets home. She asks where Zelena has been. Zelena says Regina already knows; that’s why she’s there. Zelena says she didn’t say yes, but Regina says she didn’t say no either. Zelena says she can help Hades, but Regina says what if she’s wrong. Zelena tells her to stop pretending to care.

Back in the old kingdom days, Regina tries to talk to her mother, Cora. Cora blows her off and tells her to play with her doll and she’ll see Regina at supper. Regina opens a secret box that contains a wand. She points the wand at the doll, wanting to change the doll into a sister, but she ends up getting slammed to the ground. Her mother and father come running in. Regina is unconscious, but her mother says she’ll be fine.

In the Underworld, Regina tells the others that taking action against Zelena could be messy. She says there’s only one person they can trust to destroy the love between Zelena and Hades — Cora.

Gold talks to a sleeping Belle. He says it’s time for him to fix things, but he can’t use his magic. He says there’s only one way to save their child.

Underworld Cora is toting bags of flour. A guy who looks like his clothes are from Anthropologie tells her to get back to work. She pulls out a hook and knocks the supervisor and the rest of the workers out. Hook pops in and tells her that he wants his hook back and they need to get out of there.

In the old days, a little girl is using her magic to do some chores and her father is about to beat her for it. Everything freezes. Cora comes out of the woods and tells the girl that her father is wrong to make her feel badly for being who she is and that she has a gift. She asks if the girl would like to help her and show her father her magic isn’t wicked.

David’s evil twin, James, shows up while David is coming home with Underworld groceries. David wants to talk. James says David stole his glory and that he got everything James was due, and now he’s going to pay. David tells him to fight fair, but James says he’s already dead, so there’s nothing David can do to him. David tries to grab a sharp piece of wood, but James knocks him out first. James says David had fun pretending to be James and now the tables are going to be turned.

James as David goes to see Emma. She tells him that Regina is already at the rendezvous point and asks if David got Snow something for their anniversary. “David” tells her not to let Snow know he forgot and they leave.

Regina tells Cora that she’s trapped in the Underworld. Cora says Hades is the one who can’t leave, but Regina says with true love’s kiss, he can. She says Zelena thinks she can change him. Cora says he’s been there to long to be changed by something as simple as love. They have to make Zelena forget he ever existed.

In the old kingdom, Cora brings Zelena, the girl doing the magic in the woods, to help Regina. Zelena works a spell over Regina and Regina wakes up.

In the Underworld, Cora takes Regina to the River of Forgetfulness. One drop and Zelena will forget all about Hades. Cora tells Regina they’ll have to find a way to get Zelena to drink it. She says it’s time for Zelena to meet her mother.

James reveals himself to Emma and Robin in the woods. Cruella drives up, gripes about ruining her shoes, and slaps Emma “for killing her.” She says there’s only one man who can help them — Hades — but she needs the right leverage. Robin tries to shoot James, but it does no good since he’s already dead.

Cora shows up at Zelena’s Underworld place. Zelena says she doesn’t need anything from her, but Cora says let’s not pretend.

In the old kingdom, Zelena and Regina are playing princesses. Regina shows Zelena her mother’s wand box and Zelena opens it with a touch. Regina wonders if they’re related and says they have to ask Cora.

In the Underworld, Cora tells Zelena she’s been in a kind of prison and she had to come when she heard Zelena was there. Zelena thinks Regina sent her. Cora says she’s sure Zelena’s feelings for Hades are real, but she’s trying to fill the hole in her heart Cora created when she abandoned her. Cora says she’s sorry she gave Zelena away. Zelena asks why she did it and Cora says she thought it would be best for both of them, but she was wrong. She says she can’t leave the Underworld because of both Zelena and Regina. They hug and I almost believe Cora.

Regina fixes up a glass of water in the next room and Cora gives it to Zelena. Zelena says she’s imagined this day a thousand times and it feels like a dream. But in her dreams, the apology was genuine and Cora didn’t try to poison her. She tells Regina to come out. Zelena says neither one of them ever cared about her.

Old days Zelena and Regina ask Cora if they’re really sisters and Cora says yes. Regina says they should be a family. Cora says she’s disappointed. She says Regina can only depend on herself. She says if people found out about Zelena, all the things she’s been trying to do for Regina will go out the window. Cora has Zelena taken away. Regina swears to find her, but Cora makes them forget about one another.

Zelena and Regina get some fireballs going, but Cora tells them enough. She says if they should hate anyone, it’s her. She tells them it’s time they remembered. They link hands and Cora gives them back their memories. Cora says she thought that love was weakness and she was a fool. She tells Regina she’s stronger than Cora ever was, and she got the strength from those she loved, not Cora. She apologizes to Zelena for not giving her the family and love she deserved. She tells her not to make the same mistakes she did, but Zelena says it’s not too late. Cora says being there has taught her it’s never too late, especially for family and that you never stop being connected.

James has a gun on Emma and David at he pier. James knocks it out of his hand and Hook shows up. Cruella hides. James says he didn’t think David had it in him. David says they’re family and it doesn’t have to end this way; he can help James find peace. James says killing him is his unfinished business.

David and James fight. James pulls out a knife and ends up tumbling into the water where he disappears, poof! in a green swirl. Emma tells David some people just can’t move on.

Cora, Regina and Zelena are at the bridge. Cora says whatever her fate is, she deserves it. She says bringing the two of them together will bring her all the peace she needs and makes them promise to hold on to one another. She says that in the real Storybrooke, she and Regina never got to say good-by. Zelena says they never even got to say hello. Cora says she loves them both.

Cora walks out and gets caught up in a pink swirl. It looks like she got lucky with her last move and is going to a better place. She walks into the light.

Zelena says she waited her whole life for a mother and now she’s gone. Regina says she has another love to find and tells her to go to Hades. She says maybe Zelena can change him too. They hug.

Hades has the table set for a romantic dinner. I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire is on the turntable. Zelena is about to join him when Gold pops out. He says it’s her fault that Belle is asleep now. Zelena says it was Belle’s decision, but Gold says Zelena saw an opportunity and took advantage, like he’s doing now. Zelena says they made a deal. He says he had another deal he didn’t consider taking until she messed with him and Belle.

Gold introduces Peter Pan. He says Zelena is wicked but Pan is worse. Gold puts a sack over Zelena’s head. If I was Mr. Hand, I would say the people who write this show are on dope.

Next time, Emma says they’re going home, and Hades tells Hook and Emma they’re on their own in a land of no escape.

I Am Cait

Kris gets together with Cait and friends in Malibu for girl’s night. Cait says you have to be voted in and the girls okay Kris, who gets a special girl’s night bracelet. They talk about going on a ski trip.

Ella’s dad, Peter, is visiting. They get together for lunch with Cait and Candis. Peter is very supportive. Ella says he wasn’t as accepting when she first transitioned.

Cait, Candis and Ella get in the tiniest plane ever to head to the ski trip. Ella tells Cait about her father not being so supportive early on and Cait suggests she talk to him about it. Candis seconds that.

It’s ski time! Jenny and Kate are supposed to meet them, but the flight was canceled. At dinner, there’s a request for Ella to sing. She says she’ll do it if Cait and Candis kiss. (Say that three times real fast.) The dare is taken. Excitement abounds. Hmm…no singing though.

Jenny and Kate arrive. Ella tells them about the dare. Jenny says many relationships have begun that way. Especially if they star Molly Ringwald.

At breakfast, Candis reads something on her phone about Ted Cruz being concerned his daughters might get molested in bathrooms by trans women. Yikes. They show a scare tactic from a television ad. Cait doesn’t want to get politically involved, but Jenny says she’s a leader whether she wants to be or not, and needs to understand how urgent this work is.

Jenny tells Cait that there’s a movement to demonize trans women. Candis tells Cait she needs to be careful not to say things like referring to a trans woman as a “man in a dress.” Candis says the world grabs on to what she says and they have to show it’s okay to be non-conforming. Jenny says she has to fight for everyone, not just the pretty ones. Cait thinks of some rephrasing. She says the last thing she wants to do is create more stereotypes. Jenny says they need to send out the message that no matter how you look is okay. They joke that maybe they can get a TV show to send out the message.

More skiing! At lunch, Candis asks Ella if she’s going to talk to her dad when she gets home. Ella says they have a good relationship now and wonders if it will mess things up. She says the wounds that are there have led her not to want to pursue anything better. Interesting perspective.

Another fabulous breakfast! I’m gaining weight just watching this program. Jenny says she’s concerned about the hatred against the LGBT community who were involved with changing Houston bathroom law. Jenny thinks Cait tends to hide her head in the sand. Jenny tells Cait the Republicans are “her people,” and she needs to speak up.

Jenny says Republican candidates are stirring up fear-mongering to get votes. Cait says it’s time to go to Houston. Kate congratulates all of them for having come so far and being able to discuss things without a blow up.

Ella meets with Peter. She says she’s not trying to attack him, but it was difficult to look at him as the accepting father. He says it was hard in the beginning. Ella says she was almost going to get emancipated. Peter seems shocked, but she says that’s how hard it was then. Peter says it would have been her loss and he would have fought for her. Ella begs to differ.

Ella feels like he never acknowledged her pain and he says he acknowledges it now. He says both of them have blossomed, her as a daughter and him as a father. Tears, I love yous and hugs. Peter says he’s proud of her. She admits to labeling his love as conditional and feels she’s seen him for the first time. He says they’ll continue to grow.

Houston! These ladies must be so tired of traveling. They’re meeting with some ministers to talk. A lady named Mara, who is a huge advocate for the LBGT community, meets with the girls. Cait asks about her bathroom experience and says they need to visit some bathrooms. Kate tells her she’s becoming a leftist activist and this could mean arrest. They pass water around in the limo. Ha-ha!

They leave signs in the bathrooms saying a trans woman was here and nothing bad happened. I’ve always been all for unisex bathrooms, as I’ve put in my time in lines where there was no one waiting for the men’s room. And in emergencies, I’ve gone in the men’s room.

OMG – Kate is wearing a pair of round sunglasses with pink and yellow lenses straight out of the 60s. Jenny makes a call to one of the pastors on the list. He’s not there, but she asks if, as a trans woman, she would be welcome at the service. She tries putting Cait on the phone, but when Cait says who she is, the receptionist hangs up. Being fair, if someone called up out of the blue, saying they were Caitlyn Jenner, I might think it was a prank.

Cait says that as a Christian, she’s not happy with all the hate. Chandi says that the haters don’t look at it that way. Cait says her experience has been more positive and she realizes that there are big issues that other trans people have that she doesn’t.

As they near the church, Jenny gets nervous. She thinks they may be provoking trouble, but says they should go in with love in their hearts. We don’t see the services the girls go to, but apparently there was quite a positive response to Cait. Cait also had a discussion with a certain pastor about his public comments being offensive, something that Kate says no one has said to his face. Kate says that it planted a seed of respect.

The girls go to a Tex-Mex place for a meal. Kate tells Cait she’s seen a wonderful integration with Cait and Cait has earned her respect. Candis says she’s living proof that it’s never too late to make a change in the world. Chandi says it’s a shame that they can’t always pat themselves on the back and say “good job,” but she wants Cait to know that she’s done a good job. She says Cait doesn’t have to be the savior for their community, but being happy in herself is what’s important.

Everyone has kind things to say and Cait says how much she’s going to miss them. We flash back to different scenes from the past season. We see that despite our diversity, we’re not all that different. Cait gets teary-eyed and tells them all how much she loves them. Candis says they love her in return.

This was the finale, so there’s no preview. Since this isn’t a bunch of Wives at each other’s throats, I guess we don’t need a reunion. I hope Cait wants to do another season and the program gets renewed. This is one reality show that’s both entertaining and educational, and the more I get to know Cait, the more I love her too.

The Shahs of Sunset

Mike is meeting Reza at a cigar shop. Reza says cigars aren’t exactly his thing, but it’s time to get together with Mike. Reza says it was great to see him and Jessica at the party. Mike says he’s sorry about how he behaved, but he’s also tired of being on the defensive.

Reza says since the time they decided to work together, things went downhill. They agree that working together was a huge mistake. Mike takes full responsibility. Thank you. He says he’s gotten away with charming people, and doing the least to get the most. He takes the entire blame and my mouth is hanging open at his maturity. Reza says he’s finally a man; he just had a Bar Mitzvah and didn’t even know it.

Mike says he should come over for Shabbat. Reza tells him about the flash wedding plan. They do a ton of catching up.

GG had surgery to remove tissue from her tendons and needs the stitches removed. Shervin went with her to the surgery and is there with her now. She’s freaking a little while the guy removes the stitches (it’s not a regular doctor’s office) and I’m getting squeamish watching her reaction. I really feel badly for her, having so much arthritic pain at such a young age.

A few months ago, MJ had her eggs frozen. She thinks Tommy is the one who will end up fertilizing them. She says when she’s pregnant, whatever restrictions she has, like drinking and smoking, will be restrictions for him too.

Commercial break. They show what’s coming up, and I’m already rolling my eyes about Jessica giving orders in her too loud voice.

Reza comes by MJ’s. She tells him she’s going to get a semen analysis done with Tommy, and she’s all dolled up to take pictures for him to…you know. Reza poses her and puts whipped cream in strategic places. Maraschino cherries are added. He takes pictures with his phone.

They discuss her relationship with Tommy. MJ assures Reza that it’s not baby-making time yet. They’re just seeing if it’s a future possibility.

Asa says the only thing worse than her mom driving is her mom being a passenger. I hazard a guess that she’s right while watching her mom yelling at everyone on the road. They go shopping for some accents for Asa’s turban.

GG and MJ meet at a cafe. MJ says they haven’t been around one another much lately. GG has been getting her drink on a little too much and MJ says she’s been unrecognizable. I don’t know if I’d recognize her not drinking. The cafe is a dry restaurant, much to GG’s dismay, but MJ didn’t want anything interfering with the honesty of the conversation.

They talk about MJ’s relationship. GG thanks she always goes for the underdog. GG asks her if she’d believe it if someone told her Tommy was cheating on her. MJ says she has no reason to and why is GG asking? GG says she wonders if MJ will turn a blind eye like she did with some other guy. MJ wants to know what’s really bothering her. No surprise, GG totally overreacts and wants to run, although it’s MJ who ends up leaving.

Mike and Jessica are cooking dinner. This is another show that’s semi-food pornish. They’re getting ready to have the gang over for Shabbat dinner. Jessica wants to use their Tiffany crystal that they got for the wedding, but Mike is afraid something will get broken and he’ll get pissed. They argue over where to put the table. Who cares?

Reza wants to show Adam a house, so he gets an idea of what Reza would like to build. Adam suggests maybe he has some ideas of his own. In his individual interview, Adam says MJ is right and he wants his opinion to matter as much as Reza’s.

Ewww! this house! It’s like a concrete block. No, no and no. Reza’s outfit in his individual interview however, is a whole other story. He is totally rocking it. A gorgeous matching tie and pocket square, and an exquisite lapel pin.

MJ and Tommy go to the doctor’s appointment. Tommy jokes that MJ put an ad on Craigslist and he answered it. Seriously, he might be crude, but he’s funny and really seems to love her. He says he’s been practicing for this his entire life. Tommy goes to the room and MJ sends him the pictures. He comes out and everything went just swimmingly. Pun intended.

Reza and Adam are getting ready for the Shabbat dinner. Reza is going with the vintage Gucci. No, not old, he tells Adam. Adam tells him about MJ throwing shade at their relationship. Wait, back up a second. In the last interview, he was saying he agreed with her, now he’s saying she’s being shady? Reza says it’s one thing to disagree about the flash wedding, but another to undermine the plans.

Mike says the Shabbat dinner is like his and Jessica’s coming out party to the group. They have their outdoor space done up beautifully with chandeliers and strings of white lights, and of course the food is fabulous and there’s lots of liquor. GG is the only one not coming, but drama queen Asifa is there.

Asifa says she thinks GG needs serious help. Everyone else pretty much agrees. MJ says she needs to want to help herself and it’s not happening. Reza says Asifa needs to make it right, but her boyfriend, Bobby, doesn’t agree. Reza adds that GG has medical issues as well. Jessica wants them to stop talking old stuff and move on. Asa says they need to be more sensitive to one another.

Reza asks to speak with MJ on the side. He tells her about how she dumped on his plans. He doesn’t want her creating problems where there aren’t any. She tells him he needs to change his mind about the marriage. When Reza gets back to the table, Adam tells him he’s not deaf and he heard his name. Reza makes something up about how MJ doesn’t think they should buy a new house. Adam says it’s none of her business. Reza goes over to MJ and tells her in Persian what he said to Adam.

Once again when Reza gets back to the table, Adam says he knows they were talking about him, but Reza says he was just checking MJ. MJ tells Mike about the secret flash wedding plans. Adam tells Asa he can’t trust MJ, so she says, don’t.

Shervin lets the table know what MJ said about a surprise wedding and Reza acts like he doesn’t even know what she’s talking about. I don’t blame him. Mike says enough already.

The guys put on their yarmulkes. Mike makes a speech about how much everyone means to him and Jessica. They break bread. Mike says this is part of having a grown up life with family. Reza says it’s beautiful because some are Muslim and some are Jewish. As silly as this group is, there are many who should take a page from their book. Everything ends on a happy note.

Next time, Reza asks about Mike’s sex life, Jessica complains, a camping trip and a GGvention happens.

Fear the Walking Dead

A boat has capsized. The survivors band together in a lifeboat. One of them is not too well off. When it’s nighttime, one of the passengers is going to kill him, but gets stopped. Another says they’ll starve soon and have to find shelter on land. He says they have to consider what’s best for the sick guy who should be put out of his misery. Sick guy tells the girl, Alex, that it’s okay. I wish everyone would wear name tags.

Victor is trying to make a call. He gives his coordinates and says he’s on his way.

Madison and Travis can’t sleep. She asks him if he’s “here,” and he looks pretty worried. They start to have sex when a noise interrupts them. Travis jumps out of bed.

Travis suggests something is blocking the water tank and causing a problem with the engine. Madison wants to wait until daybreak to investigate, but Travis says the boat has to move. He dives below.

Yep, I knew it. Zombie caught in the whatchamacallit. As Doc from Z Nation would say, that explains the pull to the left.

Back inside, Travis fixes the problem, getting the zombie parts out of the system. Victor asks how long, and Travis says boats aren’t his forte, so it could take all day. Victor says get it done.

Daniel looks at Ofelia’s wound. He tells her it looks infected, but she’s says they’re out of antibiotics. She says she’ll ask Madison for help and Daniel says they help their own. Ofelia says they can’t just go to Walgreens.

Up on deck, the crew sees a bunch of suitcases that have washed up on shore. Madison doesn’t want anyone being put in danger, but Nick and Alicia say they’re going on a run for supplies. They get in a smaller boat along with Chris and Daniel.

Daniel makes noises about how it would be warmer in Mexico. He takes Madison aside and tells her how he saw the maps Victor was hiding. He suggests she’d have more luck than him asking Victor what his plans are.

On shore, they find tons of stuff, along with bodies and airplane parts. Daniel tells everyone to be quick. He’ll keep watch and they’re to fill their bags and come back.

Travis has to dive again. Madison looks to shore with her binoculars. She watches for Travis over the side of the boat.

Chris breaks away from the others because he’s a real genius who wants to get eaten.

Madison sees red bubbling up from the ocean and then the body of the zombie clogging the works pops up. Travis comes to the surface.

Chris finds the body of the plane. He looks for something to use as a weapon and goes inside because he’s a super genius. He sees a zombie wearing an oxygen mask and decides to take a brilliant chance in taunting it. There are other zombie passengers as well. All of a sudden what we thought was a dead body near Chris wakes up and asks for help.

Madison approaches Victor about where they’re going. She asks if they’re going to Mexico. Victor tells her about a safe place in Baha that he’s headed to. He has a self-sustaining property there. She asks if he’s going to abandon them. He says the real danger on the ocean is people. She says they have to go back to back to get this done. She tells him if he even looks wrong at anyone in her family, she’ll throw him overboard, but he says she’s not a killer.

Daniel finds some rosary beads and gets lost in thought. Nick brings him a shirt, but he says it’s bad luck to steal from the dead. I guess that only goes for stuff that he doesn’t want. Daniel has been looking at pharmaceuticals, and Nick tells him about different ones. Daniel notices Chris is gone and leaves to look for him.

Chris gets the passenger out of his seat, but he’s badly hurt. He asks for help again, but Chris doesn’t know what to do, so he just sits there. Finally, he gets up. He brings something over and bashes the guy’s head in. That wasn’t the kind of help I was expecting, but I guess he thought the guy was too far gone.

Daniel wanders around calling for Chris. Nick and Alicia are on the beach. They decide it’s taking too long and are going to follow. Nick finds a bag with drugs in it because he has antennae.

Back on the boat, Madison tells Travis about Victor’s place in Baha. She says it’s their best chance and they should trust him. Travis asks if they have a choice. When Madison says no, he says it’s not trust then.

Daniel continues to search for Chris. He sees Alicia running down a sand dune. She says they’re coming and to run. Yep, they’re coming. Zombies. Lots of them.

Nick sees a zombie in a sandpit. It’s unclear if the zombie is eating the crabs or they’re eating him. While Nick is transfixed, another zombie comes from behind. After a short tussle, he stabs it in the head. Oh crap! Tons of zombies are above him.

Alicia finds Chris. She sees blood on him and he says he killed a zombie.

On the boat, Madison hears gun shots. She sees what’s happening on the beach and says they have to move.

The search group gathers at the shoreline, but now Nick is missing. It’s a zombie free-for-all, with Daniel shooting, the others stabbing, and zombies attacking. On the boat, Travis is desperately trying to get the yacht moving.

The zombies back the shore group against a cliff. Nick comes out of nowhere covered in blood and swinging a weapon. Nickhas realized the Walking Dead secret of covering yourself in entrails to walk among them.

The group runs like crazy back to the small boat. They drag it to the water. From the yacht, they see the others bringing in a lifeboat behind them with Alex and the sick guy in it.

Victor is like, no. Madison tells them all about the plan to go to Baha. Travis says they can’t stay on the water forever. Alicia says they have to at least help the lifeboat people for the night. Travis says they can tow them, that way they won’t be on the yacht. Travis tells Alex they can give them food and water. Alicia is pissed, but Madison says it’s the best she can do.

Victor is stressed. Ofelia tells Nick that he smells like death. Nick gives her the rosary beads.

Alex tells sick guy this is the worst it’s going to be and that every day will get better. Nice try.

Victor suddenly runs past Madison and cuts the lifeboat loose. D-bag.

Next time, Victor has a gun, Travis doesn’t trust Victor, new people come along, Daniel also has a gun and says they don’t need Victor.

Game of Thrones

If Jon Snow isn’t dead, he’s doing a pretty good imitation of it. Ghost howls and Davos tells them to bring Jon inside. Everyone just stands around.

There’s a knock at the door. It’s the Red Woman. She takes a look at Jon. She says she saw him in the flames fighting at Winterfell. Davos says he’s gone now. I can feel the audience collectively willing her to bring him back.

The announcement is made to the group at Castle Black that Jon was killed by the Night’s Watch. Jon was considered a traitor for letting the Wildings in. The knight says a terrible choice was given to them by Jon.

Bron says they all die today and they should take Thorne with them. Davos says they’re not the only ones who owe their lives to Jon. Bron tells them to lock the door and don’t let anyone in until he comes back.

Creepy Ramsay gives a speech over Myranda’s dead body, saying her pain will be paid for a thousand times over. Roose asks if Ramsay feels like a victor. Roose chides him for losing Sansa. He says he can’t produce an heir without Sansa.

Sansa and Theon run through the woods. They have to cross a river, but Sansa can’t do it. It’s probably pretty freaking cold because winter is not just coming, it’s here. They manage to get to the other side and hide under a fallen tree. Theon hugs Sansa to keep her warm.

Hounds are heard in the distance. Theon tells Sansa the commander of Castle Black will help her and comes out to meet the soldiers. He tells them that Sansa is dead. The dogs don’t think so though and lead the soldiers to Sansa under the tree. A soldier drags Sansa out, but here comes Brienne!

She and Podrick have a swordfight with the soldiers. They must be good because they’re outnumbered and still winning. Podrick is almost killed, but Theon picks up a sword and saves him. All is quiet.

Brienne puts her sword beneath Sansa’s feet and swears by the old gods and the new to always protect her. Sansa swears that Brienne will always have a place at her hearth, etc. all the stuff they say to accept.

Cersei, who has a little more hair, comes out to meet Jaime. There’s a sad, longing look on her face. They talk in private. Cersei says when their mother died, she wondered every day and night what her body looked like now. She says she thinks about Myrcella’s body and Jaime tells her not to think about it, she’s gone now. Cersei talks about how good Myrcella was and Jaime says he failed their daughter. Cersei talks about how the Red Woman predicted the death of her children.

Jaime says screw everybody and that they’re taking back everything that was taken from them and more.

A sister tries to get Margaery to confess. Margaery wants to see her brother, but the sister says she isn’t to make commands. Jonathan Pryce comes in and Margaery asks how her brother is. He says he’s not here about her brother, but her husband misses her, and that sin leads us away from the sacred and only confession can bring it back. She says she has nothing to confess and he asks if she thinks she’s without sin. She says no one is and he tells her she has a long way to go.

Doran walks with Ellaria in Dorne. They talk about Oberyn. He says Oberyn was born to be an adventurer and he was born to rule. He gets a note about Myrcella and suddenly his guard gets a knife to the back.Ellaria gives Doran a knife to the heart. (Good-by, dude from Deep Space Nine!) She tells him his son is weak like him and weak men will never rule Dorne again. Alrighty then.

Doran’s son is faced by two women who say one of them is going to kill him. And one of them does. So much for that family.

Tyrion walks with Varis, who tells him he walks like a rich person. They’re pretending to be commoners. Tyrion tries to give a beggar woman money for food, but he’s not so good at the language and she thinks he wants to eat her baby. Varis translates better.

Tyrion talks about Dany and how the people of Meereen think she abandoned them. Varis says she did fly off on a dragon and not come back. Varis says the Sons of the Harpy take orders from someone and he’s sent his little birds to find out who.

There’s a commotion and people are running. Varis and Tyrion see a load of smoke coming from somewhere. Dany’s fleet of ships have been set on fire.

Ser Jorah is looking for Dany. Daario suggests that maybe Dany no longer wants to be queen. He asks if it’s frustrating, wanting someone who doesn’t want you back, and Jorah says yes. He checks under his sleeve and looks at where the stone disease is creeping along his arm.

Jorah finds a piece of jewelry in the grass. He says they have her.

Dany is bound and being led along by some Dothraki. Two of them talk about Dany and what they’d like to do to her. They get to the campsite and take her to their Khal.

The Khal’s wives are immediately jealous. The Khal says seeing a beautiful woman naked for the first time is one of the best things in life. He’s about to touch Dany and she talks to him in Dothraki about who she is. He starts to laugh. He tells her she is nobody and tonight he’s going to lie with her. She says she lies with no one. The Khal says he likes her and she has spirit. She says she was the wife of Khal Drogo and he asks forgiveness and says no one will touch her. He cuts off her bonds and she asks for an escort back to Meereen. He says she’s going to the place where the crones once married to Dothraki leaders live.

Arya is blind and begging for alms. The Waif throws a stick to her and tells her to stand and fight. She says she can’t see and the Waif says that’s her problem. Arya gets knocked around pretty good. The Waif says she’ll see her tomorrow. I guess Arya won’t be seeing her though. BA DUM CHH!

At Castle Black, Davos has a visit by Ser Alliser, who says he’ll grant amnesty to all of them. Davos says he’ll need food if he’s going to make it south. Alliser says surrender by nightfall, and they can take or leave the Red Woman.

The Red Woman is doing some meditating or spell casting or something. She gets nakey in front of a mirror and takes off her necklace. Argghh! She’s a shriveled up old lady! She gets into bed.

Next time, Cersei fights back, Arya fights, and Tyrion meets a dragon. Maybe.