What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Everyone applauds and cheers Violet’s song, and Violet gives kudos to Chase. Brook says, maybe she can get him a gig as a studio musician, and he says, never mind him. He thinks she’s found her next break-out performer. Finn tells him, bite his tongue, but Brook says, don’t worry. She thinks Violet’s a little young to go out on tour. Violet says, maybe, but she’s old enough to sing at their wedding. Please.

Marshall comes downstairs to find Curtis on the laptop, and he says, something tells him that Curtis isn’t working on his Christmas list. Curtis says he’s not, and if he gets his wish this year, he’s never asking for anything again.

Dex says, sorry he’s too busy to cook for Josslyn, but she says, she isn’t. He says, ouch, and she says she loves his cooking, but she was in the mood for sushi, and he hasn’t mastered that yet. He says he’s making dinner for her this weekend, and she says, if he insists. Only if she can help him. He says, deal. Any requests? She says she doesn’t know. Something cozy. Maybe his bolognaise. She knows. They can go to the store and get some ingredients and then on the way back, pick up a little Christmas tree for in here. He says, that’s okay. He doesn’t need a tree.

Sam says, they should figure out when to decorate the Christmas tree, and what is the deal with Christmas? and Dante says, she knows. A fat, jolly guy comes down the chimney, and then she buys him a bunch of presents. She throws a pillow at him and says, he’s hilarious. He says, tell him something he doesn’t know. She says she means, when are they going to go to the Quartermaines’ versus her mom’s and Willow’s… He says he doesn’t know. He thinks they have too many family members. She says, that’s not an answer, and kisses him.

Coming into the penthouse, Nina asks the guard to put her bags on the table and thanks him. Sonny comes out and asks how she is. She says, good, and they hug. He asks if she left anything at the store for other people to buy, and she says, make fun all he wants, but this is their first Christmas as husband and wife, and she’s going to go all out.

Looking at the tree, Olivia says, they do good work, and Lois says, Sister Joanne Claire would be proud. Olivia says, they’ve got a lot more house to go, but these two rooms look beaut-tee- ful. They hear the door slam, and hear Tracy say, no. They go out to find Tracy walking through the foyer with her luggage carrier, saying, no, no, no, no, no. This will not do. Not at all. Lois says, what won’t do? and Tracy says, it looks like Coney Island in here. Olivia asks if she’s got a beef with Coney Island, and Tracy says she’s home in the nick of time apparently. Leo comes downstairs and says, oh man. Christmas is ruined.

Nina pulls out some plushies and tells Sonny that she got them for Avery and Donna. She’s not sure who’s going to get which one. He says, they’ll love those, and she says she thought so too. She got ties for the guards and a new laptop for Dex. He says, she wasn’t kidding when she said she went all out, and she says, and she got riding boots for James. He’s really into riding these days. He’s even taking lessons from Cody Bell. He says, it looks like she’s thought of everything. What about Amelia and Wiley?

Dante tells Sam that he’s not too concerned about Sonny and Nina. they live down the hall, so they can stop in anytime for a drink. Sam says, there will be enough cookies for everyone. She bought two dozen from Aiden Webber. He says he’s trying to be good this year, but she says, no one’s good during the holidays. He kisses her and says, he won’t tell Santa, but she says, that’s not what she meant. Not only are Aiden’s cookies delicious, he’s using the money to pay his way to Paris. He wants to go to pastry school. Isn’t that cool? Dante takes the bag with the locker key out of his pocket at looks at it. She says, he didn’t turn the key in yet, and he says, if he had, it would have been long gone by now.

Josslyn asks if she’s dating the Grinch and didn’t know, but Dex says, no. She asks if he doesn’t celebrate, and he says he does. She asks why he doesn’t want a Christmas tree, and he says, because it’s a lot of work. You have to water it, decorate it, and sweep up all the pine needles. She says, oh, the horror, and he says, besides, Christmas is for kids anyway. She says, exactly. It’s the one time of year they’re reminded of how much interest credit cards charge all that childhood magic. He says, if you had that kind of childhood.

Brook hugs Violet and says, she should absolutely sing at their wedding, and Chase says, if not at the ceremony, definitely at the reception. Finn asks if they’re absolutely positive. Violet will remember this. Chase says, 100%, and Violet says, that’s a lot of percents. Elizabeth says, she’s got him there, and Finn says, she’s got him everywhere. Elizabeth says she’s so excited for Violet, and Gregory says, she’ll have to pick a special song. It’s a special day. Violet asks if he’ll help her, and he says he’d love to. Violet asks when they’re going to have their wedding, and Brook says, Violet would fit right in, in Bensonhurst. Violet asks if that’s a place where they have weddings, and Brook says, frequently. Violet asks if they’re having their wedding there, but Chase says, they haven’t figured that out. Elizabeth says, weddings take a long time to plan. Sometimes you have to pick a date that’s more than a year away. Violet asks if they’re going to wait a whole year.

Tracy says she’s been gone a pretty long time. Isn’t Leo happy to see her? Leo says, yes, and she says she senses a but in there. He says, but Christmas is fun and she doesn’t like fun. Olivia has to turn away, not being able to contain her laughter, and Tracy says she likes fun… occasionally, and Luke was a big believer in fun. Leo asks, when’s the last time? and she says, when she had fun? She thinks a moment and says she had fun at the luau with Brook. Lois says, luah? and Olivia says, there was a luau at the MetroCourt. Lois says, and Tracy went? and Olivia says she has photographic documentation. Lois says she’s got to see that, and Tracy asks, how is Leo? Leo says he’s good. Did she see any animals on her trip? She says she did. He should look in his Photo Ark book… a red deer and peregrine falcons. He says he will. Zoo or natural habitat? She says, okay, fine. She saw the falcon in captivity, but the deer she saw in nature. He says, cool, and she says, he should check it out. He says he will, and heads upstairs. He stops and says, the house looks pretty. Lois and Olivia thank him, and Tracy says, you know that expression, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Olivia asks, what is not beautiful about all this? and Tracy says, where to begin. Lois says, buckle up, and Tracy says, there’s way too much garland. Way too much garland. She walks into the living room and says, way too many ornaments, and the tree is in the wrong place. Face it. If her son was still in his right mind, they never would have been given free reign. Lois and Olivia look at each other.

Curtis tells Marshall, instead of taking years to possible regain mobility, he could be walking with full body support in a matter of weeks. Marshall says, it sounds like magic, and Curtis says, it may be. Marshall says, downsides, and Curtis says, it is an experimental procedure in the early stages of human trials, so there are a lot of unknowns and absolutely no guarantees. Marshall says, that’s a nice way of saying a lot of things could go wrong, and Curtis says, yeah, but what if it all went right?

Tracy says, Ned is Ned? No more Eddie Maine? Olivia says she thinks Eddie is always going to be a part of Ned, but yes. Her son’s memory is fully restored. Tracy asks, when? and Lois says, a week ago? Olivia says, give or take, and Tracy says, and no one thought to tell her. She guesses it makes sense. She’s only his mother. Olivia says she thinks they assumed Ned would want to tell her himself and in person, and Lois says, face to face. Olivia says, mano a mano, and Lois says, mano a mama. They laugh, and Olivia says, that’s a good one. Tracy asks if they’re done, and they both say, yeah. Tracy says she guesses it’s really lucky she came home. She might have gone to her grave thinking her son was lost to her forever. Olivia says, speaking of which, if Ned did not prompt this visit, why did she fly all the way home?

Chase says, they haven’t picked out a date yet, but they promise it will be way sooner than a year, and Brook says, way, way sooner. Violet asks if they mean it, and Brook says, as if she could wait any longer to marry Violet’s uncle. Violet says, give her a ballpark, and Finn says, Violet, making a cutting motion. Violet says she just wants to know how long, and would it be longer if there were two brides and two grooms there? Finn shakes his head, and Elizabeth says, oh no. Violet asks, what’s wrong? and Elizabeth says, how about them Mets? that star at the top of the tree is crooked. It has to be fixed right away. Doesn’t Finn think? Finn says, absolutely. Is there a tree doctor in the house? Violet says, Dr. Violet reporting for duty, and Elizabeth says, this is a very complicated Christmas tree surgery. Gregory asks if she’s sure she’s up for it, and Violet says, as sure as she’ll ever be. Finn says, they’ll take it. Pick up or ladder? Violet says, of course (🍷) pick up, and Elizabeth says, hurry up. The patient doesn’t have a lot of time. Finn asks if Violet is ready. One… two… three. He picks her up and brings her to the tree.

Josslyn asks if Dex didn’t have a Christmas tree growing up, but he says, they did. They did all of the ritual and all of the traditions, but it was all kind of for show. Like they were playing make-believe or something. Christmas was not a happy time in their house. She asks, why not? If he’s not comfortable, he doesn’t have to tell her, but she loves him and this is a part of him, so if he does want to share it, she’d like to hear. He says, it’s not all that original. His dad was a selfish SOB who cheated on his mom all the time. She says, and he knew? and Dex says, he didn’t exactly try to hide it. She says she’s so sorry; that’s awful. He says, the worst part is, she stayed with him, and Josslyn asks why he thinks she stayed. Dex says, he was successful. He gave her a good life, but he really thinks she just wasn’t strong enough to stand on her own. She says, that must have been really hard for him and his brothers to watch, and he says, for him, yes. For his brothers, not so much. They grew up to be just like their dad. He was the only one who didn’t play along. She says, and his brothers didn’t like that, and he says, that’s why they beat him up.

Dante says, the final arson report came back on Anna’s house, and Sam says, anything interesting? He tells her, you could say that. They found shreds of fabric in the bushes. It tested positive for the accelerant used to start the fire and the DNA was a match for this Jameson Forsythe guy. She says, the dead guy with the key, and he says, right. And because there was incriminating evidence against him in that report, Anna thinks he stole it. What she doesn’t know, is that he might have put it in his locker before he was murdered. Sam says, so Anna still doesn’t know about the key, and he says, he was going to tell her… Sam asks, what stopped him? and he says, the M.E. Get this. Forsythe’s body is gone. She asks what he means. It just disappeared from the morgue. He says, basically. The WSB had it confiscated.

Finn says, thank you, doctor, and Violet says, anytime. Brook says, her mom wants them to stop by the house. Chase asks if she said why, but Brook says, he knows Lois. She loves a good mystery. She thanks Finn for having them. This was so much fun. Finn thanks them for all the help with the tree, and Chase says, she’s a beaut. The perfect choice. There are hugs and congratulations, and Violet says she wants to know the wedding date as soon as they decide. Chase says, yes, ma’am, and Greogry welcomes Brook to the family. He asks if she’s sure about this, and she says, as sure as she’ll ever be. Gregory says, it was the best news he could get, and they go to the door, Violet calling, as soon as you decide. Brook says, they got the memo, and they leave. Finn says, okay, missy, and Violet asks who he’s calling missy. He says, the girl whose bedtime was over an hour ago, and she asks if grandpa can tuck her in. Gregory says he’d be delighted, and Violet hugs Finn and Chase goodnight. Gregory says, lead the way, and follows her to the bedroom.

Curtis says, Portia is the one who brought this procedure to his attention, and Marshall says, Portia signed off on this? Curtis says, she submitted him as a potential candidate, and Marshall says, so Portia is all right with him being a guinea pig, no matter the dangers involved. Curtis says, Marshall acts like she’s pushing him into this, and Marshall says, isn’t she? Curtis says, she’s his wife. She presented him with information and an opportunity. Ultimately, the decision is his. Marshall says, sounds like he already made it, and Curtis says, and if he has? Would that be a problem for Marshall?

Dante tells Sam, not only did the WSB confiscate the body, they confiscated everything related to Forsythe, the forensics on the accident, all of it. She says, clearly the WSB doesn’t want anyone knowing why Forsythe was in Port Charles or who killed him, and he says, does she know what else was on that list of confiscated things? The arson report. He doesn’t have access to it anymore. She says, so the WSB knows it was Forsythe who burned Anna’s house down.

Nina tells Sonny that since he’s getting Wiley Yankees tickets, she thought she could get Wiley a baseball cap or a jersey, so he could be outfitted for the game. And for Amelia, she saw this really cute lavender snowsuit. It had a really cute fur lined hood… What? Are those bad ideas? Sonny says, no, they’re great ideas, but it’s just kind of modest. Amelia’s a little girl – she’s not going to know the difference – but Wiley, why doesn’t she get him a little more? She says, he comes from a really big family. She doesn’t want to get him a mountain of gifts and overwhelm him. Like her nanny used to say, if you give so many presents, no present is special. (She’s not wrong.) He asks if that’s it, but she says, no, and he says, exactly what he thought. What else? She says she’s trying not to provoke Michael.

Tracy says, Luke’s legal affairs are impossibly tangled. Bobbie, to her credit, had been really tenacious. She won’t accept no for an answer, and she’s also charming all of the bankers and bureaucrats. It’s definitely a two-person job. Olivia says, which is exactly the opposite of explaining why she’s here, and Tracy says, in order to be effective, she has to prove her legal standing. Luckily, Luke did give her power of attorney a while back, so she came here to retrieve those documents. Lois says, Tracy flew halfway around to world to get paperwork that they could have just pulled and sent to her? Tracy says she doesn’t trust anyone with her personal papers, and Olivia says, heh. Tracy asks what that means, and Olivia says, nothing. She just thought that maybe, just maybe, Tracy flew all this way because she wanted to be with her family at Christmas.

Sonny says, there’s still tension between Nina and Michael. It should not be that way. Nina says, it could be worse. Michael is perfectly pleasant when they’re all together. He says, there’s a difference between pleasant and welcoming, and even accepting, and she says, all she can hope for is that things get better with time. It certainly has with Willow, right? Look where they’re at. She knows it’s new, but she treasures that relationship. He says, Willow is a special person, and Nina says, and for her to have Willow in her life, she has to keep the drama at a minimum. So this is her letting Michael set the pace. He says he’s going to talk to Michael on her behalf, but she says, no, putting out her hand to stop him. Please. He can’t do that.

Sam and Dante get into bed, and he says he got another piece of the puzzle from the Medical Examiner. She says, do tell, and he says, Forsythe had a burn scar on his leg. She says, let her guess. Approximately four months old. He says, lines right up with Anna’s house burning down, and she says she’s assuming the WSB took those notes too. He asks if she’s a detective or something, and she says she’s a P.I. Even better. She kisses him and says he was really smart not to log that key in. He says, they would have been all over it. The WSB must not know this key exists. She asks if he’s going to tell Anna about it, but he says, no. Not yet. He wants to look into it himself first.

Josslyn says, Dex’s own brothers beat him up? and he says, it was kind of a thing at their house. Fun for the whole family. She asks how he can joke about this, and he says, because he’s here, isn’t he? They didn’t break him. She asks why they wanted to hurt him. Was it because he protected his mom? He says he and his mom weren’t close actually. He never understood her. He was always disappointed that she didn’t leave his dad, who to his brothers was king. They worshipped him. It was so obnoxious. These arrogant, win at any cost jerks. She says, looks like she chose the right brother, and he says, she would have had even less use for them than he did. By the time he was twelve or thirteen, all he wanted was to get out. She says, that’s why he enlisted, and he says, the day he graduated high school… He’s sorry. She asked him why he didn’t want a Christmas tree, and here he is opening a vein. She says she’s glad he told her. It makes her love him even more.

Gregory reads to Violet: And I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, happy Christmas to all and to all a good night. They’re not supposed to read this until Christmas Eve. They’re jumping the gun a little bit. Violet asks if he thinks the Christmas tree is happy now, and he says, most definitely. Especially now that she fixed the star. She’s so right; it’s a special tree. She says, they made it beautiful, and he says, they certainly did. It takes a kind heart to do that, to make a home for a less than perfect tree. That really is the true spirit of Christmas. She says she really loves Christmas, and he says, him too.

Elizabeth says, it really is a beautiful tree, flaws and all, and Finn shushes her. She asks if he thinks it has ears, and he says, you never know. She says, maybe there’s a lesson in there somewhere, and he says, how so? She says, the point of a Christmas tree isn’t that it’s perfect; it’s what it represents. Love, light, warmth. He says, hot cocoa? and she says, that too. When she looks at this tree, she sees the joy in Violet’s face when she watched Chase and Brook decorating. And his dad. He really is so happy to have his family together… Tell her. He tells her that he doesn’t want to say it, but she says, it might help. He says, this might be his dad’s last Christmas.

Sam says, the reason Dante didn’t tell them about the key to begin with is that he thought the locker was potentially under surveillance, or worse. He says, worse like what? Boobytraps? She says she’s being serious. He thought Anna going to that locker might put her in danger. He says, that’s still a possibility, and she asks if he’s just willing to throw himself in the line of fire. He says, since the WSB classified everything to do with Forsythe, taking the body and all that stuff, that strongly implies they don’t know about this locker, that they’re still looking for this report. If they knew the locker was out there, they’d have found their way to it by now. She says she gets that he wants to protect Anna and loves that he has her back, but if he goes into this alone, who has his back?  

Buzzkill Dex tells Josslyn, for most people, decorating the Christmas tree is something to look forward to. It’s like the official start of the season. She says, but not for him? and he says, that tree going up was like a warning flare that things were about to get more tense. And all the parties. Either his dad would go and leave his mom alone, or she would go with him, and they’d come home fighting because he was hitting on some other woman. It was this vicious cycle that his mom refused to break, and he couldn’t help resenting her for it. Josslyn says, that must have been torture to watch. She’s so sorry. He says, don’t be. He went out and made his own life. One he’s very grateful for, especially because she’s in it. He kisses her, and she says she’s sorry their Christmas tree filled him with dread instead of joy, but she hopes that she can show him how special Christmas can be.

Marshall says, if Curtis decides to go forward with this experimental procedure, he’ll be behind Curtis 1000%. (Wow. Violet should get a load of those percents.) Curtis thanks him, and Marshall tells him that he’s not saying he’s good with the risks involved, but if it gives Curtis hope, if it gives him any chance of recovering what he lost, it’s worth a shot. Curtis says, that means a lot, and Marshall asks, what’s his timeline? Curtis says, as to when the procedure will get started? Sometime in January or February. Marshall whistles and says, that soon? Curtis says, what’s the point in wasting time? If he’s going to do it, there’s no sense in waiting.

Finn tells Elizabeth that he keeps thinking he’s going to get used to it, but every time his dad stumbles or collapses into a chair… She says, it’s torture, and Finn says, he’s getting less and less steady on his feet every day. Sooner or later, he won’t be able to hide it. She says she doesn’t think he’s trying to. What he is trying to do, and succeeding in her opinion, is basking in his family. Soaking up every ounce of joy that he possibly can. Finn says, his dad told him that he wants this to be a good Christmas. He wants that too. It wants it to be a great Christmas. For his dad, for Violet… She says, for all of them, and he says he wants to appreciate their joy, not dwell on what they’re about to lose. She says, then do that, and he says he’ll try. He asks her to do him a favor, and she says, anything. He says, if she sees him start to backslide, call him on it, and she says, okay, but if she’s not around and he feels himself heading toward a dark place, she wants him to look at that tree. It’s all the light he needs. She puts her head on his shoulder.

Violet asks if Gregory is glad Chase and Brook are getting married and he says, very glad. She asks what song she should sing at the wedding, and he suggests they talk about that tomorrow. Now’s time for dreamland. He kisses her forehead and tells her goodnight. She watches him struggle to his feet and asks why he uses a cane now. He says he recently discovered he’s needing help to walk, and she says, that’s okay. We all need help sometimes.

Tracy asks what the tree is doing in the living room. It’s always in the foyer. Olivia says, the tree is perfectly fine there, and Tracy says she sees that nobody purchased any gifts. Lois says, they just put the thing up, and Tracy says, a tree without gifts is depressing. She takes some wrapped boxes out of her bag and says, these are for Leo. Olivia says she thought Tracy just came home for some paperwork, and Lois says, but she had time to go shopping for her grandson? Tracy asks why Lois is still here. Isn’t she late for a nail appointment in Bensonhurst? Lois says she does these herself, and Tracy says, of course (🍷) she does. Lois says, circumstances have necessitated her presence, and Tracy says, like what? Brook and Chase walk in, and Brook says, it looks so beautiful in here. Olivia says, you see? and Chase says he agrees with Brook, very festive. Brook welcomes Tracy home and hugs her. Chase says, it’s good to see her, and Brook asks, how was her flight? Tracy says, Brook looks happy, and Brook says she is. Tracy says, but unusually happy. Why is that?

Curtis says he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t just a bit overwhelming, and Marshall says he’d be worried if Curtis wasn’t overwhelmed. He’s got this, and if he needs help, just look behind him. He’ll see Portia, Stella, him, Trina, all there to back him up. Curtis says he’s just not used to being propped up; it’s usually the other way around. Marshall says, good. It gives them a chance to repay Curtis for everything he’s done for them. Curtis says he’s scared, and Marshall says, that’s good too. You can’t be brave if you’ve got nothing to be afraid of.

Finn helps Elizabeth on with her coat, when Gregory comes back. Finn says, all good? and Gregory says, Violet is fast asleep. Finn thanks him, and Gregory says, it’s his privilege. Elizabeth asks if she can give Gregory a ride home, but Gregory says he’ll grab a Ride Share. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. She’ll rephrase the question. She’s taking him home. Finn says he wouldn’t argue with her, and Gregory says he’s getting that sense, and thanks her. Finn thanks him for helping take Violet Christmas tree shopping, and Gregory says, it was a very good day. Watching Finn be a father to that incredible little girl makes him insanely proud. He and Finn hug, and Gregory leaves. Finn kisses Elizabeth, and she follows. Finn watches them from the doorway, goes back inside, and looks at the tree.

Nina says she doesn’t want Sonny advocating for her. That’s the last thing she wants, and the thing she wants even less is to be a point of contention between him and Michael. She saw how sad Sonny was when they were estranged. He says he loves Michael. He knows his son. He’s loving and loyal, but he can be the worst enemy you can have. He got his stubbornness from Carly and his ruthlessness from him. Nina suggests they look at the bright side. Michael has decided to bring Willow and the kids to their place on Christmas Eve. That’s huge. That’s a step forward, a big step. Sonny agrees, and she asks if he wants a little hint of what she got him for Christmas. He says, her as his wife is the only thing he needs for Christmas, and kisses her.

Sam says she knows Dante would never let Anna do this alone, so why don’t the two of them investigate this together? He says, the WSB definitely has her under surveillance. If he involves her… She says, it will alert the WSB, and he says, that’s why he has to do this himself. He’ll get whatever’s in this locker, take it to a secure place, and check it out. She says, what if he’s also under surveillance? but he says he thinks that’s unlikely. Plus, he’ll be super careful. She says, there was a time the WSB almost destroyed his life. She doesn’t want him pulled in any deeper. He says, it’s because of his time with the WSB that he feels he has to do this. They’ve been grossly abusing their power. He feels like he has to hold them accountable.

Violet sleeps, and Finn sits beside her bed. He says, goodnight, sweetheart. Sweet dreams. He kisses her forehead.

Brook says she and Chase are getting married and shows Tracy the ring. Tracy says she knew it. Her only question is, what took them so long? Lois says, that’s Q for congratulations, and Chase says he just wanted to make sure that Brook knew that he loved her for her, not her money. Tracy says, there’s a very easy way to convince them of that; sign a prenup. Lois and Olivia protest, and Tracy says she’s just being practical. Brook says, now is not the time to be practical. They just announced their engagement and they’re on Cloud 9. Chase says, if he’s learned anything from what’s going on with his dad, it’s that the future is not promised. But whatever it holds, no matter how long it lasts, he knows he wants to face it with her granddaughter by his side. Lois and Olivia go, aww! and Tracy says, in that case, she wishes them both a lifetime of happiness. She means it. Chase thanks her, and Brook says, it means the world, and hugs Tracy.

Tomorrow, Brook says, maybe there’s something she can do for Maxie in return; Tracy says, Ned needs to stop Michael from taking ELQ; Lucy says she made a mistake; and Dante goes to the locker.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy looks for someone to be on deck and tells Luka that he needs to get his schedule straight. This is the stuff makes that her mad. She tells him to get Max up, and guest Amish yells for more ale. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, she understands where Luka is coming from. There are four stews, but if they’re busy and need help, call them. Amish announces that he’s getting f***ed up tonight. Jessika finds towels all over and feels frustrated about Lily. Dinner, aka food porn, is served, and Tumi asks how cabins are going. In Jessika’s interview, she says, Lily is too inexperienced, and she has to check Lily’s work, so she can’t help on service. In Lara’s interview, she says, the schedule is being adapted. The interior should have gotten breaks when they were on the diving excursion. They need to keep a stew up to help with service. Jessika asks Kyle, what’s wrong? and he says, it’s about how everyone feels about him. He feels like he’s back at Kyle 31. C’est la vie. I have no idea what he means. Dessert is served, and it’s mmm… lava cake. Because he’s an idiot, Amish says, three-mi is better than Tumi. There’s more of her. In Tumi’s interview, she says, this dentist is acting like an absolute twat. How embarrassing. The captain tells Luka to go over his schedule, and he explains that no one got a break. That’s why they were all down at once. Captain Sandy says, they should have had a break in the morning. He has to plan, and never have three people down, then leave the boat. It’s a safety issue. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the activities were earlier, and she knows it’s Luka’s first time being a bosun, but it’s later in the season, so her expectations are higher. It’s the same with Tumi. She didn’t know there were two stews doing cabins, and Tumi should call interior first for service. The guests want to go to bed, all except Amish, who says, they have one weekend to do cool sh*t. Don’t be a bitch. He goes behind the bar, grabbing a bottle for himself, and says, everyone else is in bed and he’s f***ed up. Lily asks Kyle if he’s the most drunk guest they’ve had, but Kyle doesn’t know. In Lily’s interview, she says, it’s going to be awkward, isn’t it? Kyle sees Amish in the hallway outside his room and tells him that his underwear is on his foot. In her interview, Tumi says, it’s been extreme stressful, with both the guests and Lily. Her lack of experience is becoming a liability. She needs a deckhand to help, and needs to figure out how to work around this. Amish yells, more ale! since he’s confused the yacht with a pub in Old Ireland. He roams around the boat, asking, where’s the hot tub? He goes to the crew mess and sits down, saying, he doesn’t know how he got here. It’s f***ing awesome. More! More! He wanders around some more and knocks on the crew’s cabin doors. Not waiting to be invited in, he opens the doors. Jessika is like, what the f***? and Luka gets up. Now Amish is just opening doors without knocking, and in Jack’s interview, he says, you’ve got to be kidding. Luka tells Amish that the crew is trying to sleep. They have to be up early. Amish wanders off, asking, where’s the hot tub? In his interview, Luka says, he’s never witnessed this. A guest trying to get in the crew cabins is not acceptable.

Amish drifts back upstairs and bounces off the walls. He continues to yell about the hot tub, and then he finds it! Lara tells Kyle that a guy is wandering around drunk. She sees why they need someone up. Amish nearly falls down the stairs and drops his glass, which shatters on the deck. Kyle asks if he’s okay, and he says he’s fine, but he dropped a glass. Kyle tells him, all that matters is him being fine, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what the hell happened. He’d put Amish to bed after pointing out his underwear on his foot. He’s not going to stay until Amish falls asleep. He deposits Amish back in his cabin, and Kyle and Lara discuss in the crew mess. They decide to tell Captain Sandy, and Kyle knocks on her door. He says he’s sorry to disturb her, but he wants to give a report. Guest Amish had been in bed, then went to the girls’ cabin and opened the door. She asks where the guys were, and he says, in bed. He’s sorry to wake her, but she says, no. A guest can’t go into the crew’s quarters. In her interview, the captain says, the crew needs a safe place, and this is a violation. The door is a barrier for a reason. The primary needs to get this under control or she’ll end the charter. Captain Sandy tells Kyle, if there’s a next time, get her. He tells Lara that the captain was thankful, and Lara goes to bed.  

In Luka’s interview, he says he feels bad, but he’s got to keep the team together. They’ll get through it and drink after charter. The tender is launched, and Jack tells Tumi that the breakfast special is Bubble & Squeak. In her interview, Tumi calls it Bubble & Squash. She asks Jack what it is, and he says, it’s an Irish breakfast with potatoes and bacon. I’m in. Kyle shows Lily some stuff in the laundry, and she tells him that she thinks he’s a great guy, but the pick a side thing felt weird. We flash back to that, and Kyle says, it’s between him and Jack because of Natalya. He wants her to give him a fair chance too. Lily says she’s not clear on what happened, so she’s not forming an opinion, and Kyle says, that’s mature. She says, it’s something she needed to say, and he says, she chose right time. They hug, and in his interview, Kyle says, leave it to the girl he didn’t know to be on the button and apologize. He still feels a lingering tension, but at the top of the list is Jack. He’s too exhausted to think about it. Captain Sandy tells Lara, if a guest is going into the crew’s area, next time, get her. Luke says he told Amish to get out, and Max says, he was about to go crazy. Tumi tells Lily that she wants her to do cabins on her own, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she’s trying to see what Lily is good at. She has patience, but she’s exhausted and has to try something new. In the galley, Jack drops a watermelon on the floor, and it splatters. Captain Sandy calls primary Mike to the bridge, and in her interview, she says, as captain, she has to keep everyone safe, but the crew is her priority. She tells Mike that last night Amish got into the crew area and opened doors. It’s not funny; it’s a problem. He needs to get it under control or Amish is off the boat. Amish strolls on deck with a blow-up doll.

Natalya texts Luka that she needs cuddles, and in Luka’s interview, he says, they had a connection, but it couldn’t go anywhere. Natalya had a lot of things to sort out. Jessika gets in Luka’s bunk with him, and I’m starting to not like him. Lily struggles making beds. Mike tells Amish that the captain talked to him and said he was out of control last night. He can’t go into the crew mess and opened doors. He can’t go into people’s private spaces. They have to be respectful of that. If he gets out of control again, he’s going to be booted off the boat. Calm it down. Kyle’s boyfriend Zach calls, and Kyle says, there’s a lot of negativity on board. Zack calls Kyle the love of his life and future husband, and says, that’s no reason not to put in the effort. In his interview, Kyle says he misses Zach so much. He’s lost so much of himself through all this. He’s tired of wasting energy on negativity, hostility, and sadness. He doesn’t know how to change people’s ideas and thoughts about him if they feel that way already. A gale warning is issued, and Captain Sandy calls Luka to the bridge. Tumi explains to the guests that Bubble & Squeak has potato, cabbage, egg, and bacon, and everybody wants one. In Jack’s interview, he says, no one can resist it. The captain tells Luka that they’re hauling anchor and going in. She tells the guests that she has not great news. They have to head back to the dock because of the weather. Since all they’re doing is drinking anyway, they don’t protest and say they trust her. Luka does a handstand for no apparent reason, and in Jack’s interview, he says, there’s no point in confronting Kyle. He plans to avoid it. If he loosens his tongue, he’ll get asked off the boat. Tumi checks on Lily and corrects her bed making. In Lily’s interview, she says she’d rather take a math test. Math is more straightforward; the numbers add up. Tumi tells Mike that she has an opera singer coming on board, and anchor is hauled and home. Tumi sees some beds aren’t made, and radios Lily to come to the cabin. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s her responsibility to teach Lily, but at the same time, she feels like Lily’s not getting it. If Lily’s not processing what she’s saying, it’s not going to work.

Lily curses her life as she makes the beds. Kyle reminds Jessika that it’s the birthday bash tonight. The docking is a tight fit again, and in Luka’s interview, he says, it’s been a tough charter season, but he’s proud of the crew docking the boat; they’re good at it. They’re pretty much touching the other boats, and there’s no room for error. Captain Sandy says hi to the people on the deck next door, and they dock. In her interview, Tumi says, Lily needs win. Blowing up balloons shouldn’t be hard. Jack says he’s making lobster and Wagyu T-bone steaks, as well as a cake. The performer and her violinist arrive. Lara says she’s disappointed not to be singing, and in Lara’s interview, a producer asks if she took lessons, but she says she has natural talent. Mike tells the other guests that he’s arranged a special gift, and opera singer Sofia Ferrara sings accompanied by the violin. Kyle goes out on deck, and dabs at his eyes. In Kyle’s interview, he says, the entire season had a heaviness. He wonders how to expel it in a healthy. There are bravos and applause as Sofia finishes. She leaves, and dinner is served. Lily explains that she’s making her own assembly line to do the cabins, but Jessika suggests they finish one cabin at a time. Mike says he’s taking the chef home, and Kyle tells Jack that all he’s hearing is wows. Jessika looks for Lily, and finds towels stacked in the hallway. She tells Lily that it can’t look like this, and Lily says she counted the towels out. Jessika says, not on the ground, and in Jessika’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what’s going on. Lily’s got her iPad out. She’s probably making TikToks. She can’t trust her. She tells Tumi about the towels on the floor and wonders, what’s with the iPad? She’d rather do it by herself. Tumi says she’ll go deal. Guest Connie says, it’s the best lobster she’d ever had. Tumi asks Lily about the iPad, and Lily says, that’s where she’s keeping her to-do lists, but Tumi says she’d rather Lily write it down. In Tumi’s interview, she says, her patience is gone. iPads and cellphones are distracting. It’s the last straw. She tells Lily that the iPad causes problems.

Lily asks why Jessika didn’t tell her instead of going to Tumi, and Jessika says, it’s not her place. In Lily’s interview, she says, great of you. Jack brings in the cake, and the crew sings Happy Birthday. Mike and guest Cliff agree the cake is impressive. Jack texts Natalya, saying he misses her, and Luka also texts her, saying he’s glad the charter season is almost over. Ugh.

Final day of charter. Amish tells the captain that everything was magnificent, which I guess is how he apologizes. The crew lines up for guest departure, and Mike says, it was once in a lifetime. He hopes from the bottom of his heart this will put a smile on their faces. He gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope and thanks her again. The guests leave, and Jessika says, the envelope looks small. Personally, I would have shaken Amish down for extra tip money. They meet for the tip meeting, and Captain Sandy says, they did a great job, but one thing she wants to address. Don’t call for one of the deck crew, when the stews have two people on cabins. They had to wake people to help them, and she apologizes; she wasn’t aware. The tip is not as Jessika predicted, but $23K or $1700 each, and Captain Sandy says, nice work. They say, cheers, clink glasses, and the captain tells them, have fun tonight. Jessika says she needs a shot or four, and Jack says, the green goblin comes out tonight. They get in the taxis, and Kyle says, I can’t wait to say goodbye to you motherf***ers. At the restaurant, they toast to Friday night. Kyle says he’s going to get very drunk and apologizes for anything that comes out. Jack says, he needs to calm down. Akuna matata. Lily tells them, play nice, and Kyle says, maybe it’s time for him and Jack to talk. Are they cool or not?

Jack tells Kyle that he was taken aback, and we flash back to the last dinner out. Kyle says he’s sorry. He was in his head and took out a lot of his emotions about Natalya. Jack says, Kyle was overemotional, but he was being a bit passive. In Tumi’s interview, she says she doesn’t recognize these people, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, a weight has been lifted. He can drink with joy instead of drink to forget. They go back to the boat, and Jessika asks Luka what the best part of his night was. He says he doesn’t know; he’s not finished. Lara and Max goof around kickboxing, and Luka and Jessika put up a privacy curtain. Thank you. Haleigh starts throwing up around 3 am, and tells the captain, something’s not right. She feels like death. In Haleigh’s interview, she says she hopes she doesn’t give it to anyone else, and Captain Sandy calls for a ride to the doctor for her. Haleigh leaves for the doctor, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what to do. She meets the captain on the bridge, and says, she feels nothing bad for Lily personally, but workwise, she’s dead weight. Lily’s not getting it, and it’s frustrating her. The captain suggests having Kyle and Jessika talk to her. She has to show that she can do it or she’s off the boat. Kyle says, he’s exhausted, and Captain Sandy calls Lily to the bridge. In the captain’s interview, she says, in her experience, being honest is the only way to motivate people. No sugarcoating. She asks how Lily is doing at the job, and Lily says, it’s a lot of learning. Captain Sandy says, it’s the third charter. Does she think she can do turn downs on her own? She needs Lily to be more aware and have initiative. She needs to do it on her own. She’s giving Lily the opportunity for one more chance. How a crew member maintains under exhausting conditions is how she decides to keep a crew member. In Lily’s interview, she says, give her a break. She can’t win.

Next time, showgirls; a repeat charter that wasn’t good the last time; Jack hates the guests already; Haleigh is still sick; Kyle has a migraine; and Captain Sandy tells Max that what he did was wrong.

☃️ Wishing For a Winter Wonderland…

Take a break tomorrow for some soap and teabits. Until then, stay safe, stay connected to your social network if you’re feeling stressed (IRL, not social media), and stay remembering we all need help sometimes. Never be afraid to ask for it.