What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava takes the knife out of the photo, and on the phone, Nikolas says he wants all eyes on Avery and her nanny. He wants every inch of the property searched. Whoever did this may still be on the island, or left some evidence of their identity. Ava says, there is no whoever. There’s only Ryan.

Britt walks into the hospital with Obrecht, and wonders, where’s the confetti and the balloons? Even a lousy welcome back banner. Obrecht tell her not to expect validation from menials, and Britt says, her staff aren’t menials. They’re highly valued personnel who save lives every day. Obrecht says Britt is too kind to people who will never appreciate the lengths she went to rid the hospital of Cyrus. Britt says, or they’re so focused on her brother’s murderous exploits, hers pale in comparison. Obrecht says, Peter is her half-brother. He shares no DNA with her. If she had he way, she would have rid the world of him years ago, but he’s still wreaking havoc today, causing misery wherever he goes. Thanks to Anna Devane.

Maxie looks at Brook’s MyFace page, and sees pictures of Bailey/Louise. She says, Bailey. Anna comes by, and asks how Maxie is feeling. Maxie says she didn’t sleep well, and Anna says, she didn’t ask for something? but Maxie says she wanted to be alert, in case Mac found Louise and brought her back. Anna says, but he never came, and Maxie says, no. Her daughter is gone. Another victim of Peter’s.

Willow says Chase is building her up to be more than she is. Of course (🍷) she wants to help him, and of course (🍷) she wants to see him through this, but… He says, what is it? She can tell him anything. She says, it’s just that… Finn runs in, and says he figured it out. He knows how to cure Chase. Chase says he’s joking, but Finn says, it’s real. Chase is going to be okay.

On the phone, Michael tells Nina that he and Willow have reconsidered. It’s time to give her seeing Wiley another go. They’ll make plans for another visit as soon as she likes. All she has to do is come back to Port Charles. Nina looks at Sonny, and Michael asks if she’s still there. She says she didn’t think she heard him correctly, and he says they’re willing to give her another chance with Wiley. Isn’t that something she’d want?

Nina says she’s never been more ready to see her grandson. He has no idea how she’s longed for this call. Michael  says, so he takes that as a yes? She says she’ll take any opportunity to see Wiley, and he says he’s glad to hear it. They’ll have a conversation about guidelines and boundaries as soon as she arrives. He asks when they can expect her, and she says she has a few obligations there. She might need a day or two. He says, whenever she’s ready; just let him know when she’s back. She says she’s just curious. What made him change his mind? He looks at Jax, and says he weighed the pros and cons, and made the best decision he could under the circumstances.

Chase wonders how long it will be before the cure is ready, and Finn says, not long. Chase says Finn told him not to get his hopes up, and now he says he has a cure. What happened? Finn says he got a new perspective. Everything just suddenly came together, and it dawned on him.

Elizabeth calls Jackie, who asks if it’s about Chase; has his condition changed? Elizabeth says, Chase is stable, but Finn wanted her to meet them at the hospital right away. It’s vital to Chase’s health. Can she meet them at Finn’s lab? Jackie says she’s leaving now.

Ava tells Nikolas, first a cockroach, then a plastic hand. Now he’s upped the ante with a delivery to their home. Nikolas says, this dagger (my bad) was removed from an alarmed case in this house. How did Ryan figure out the security code; how did he get that picture of them? The man can’t walk or talk. He’s a prisoner in his own body. She says, maybe it’s just what he wants the world to believe. She opens a paper in her hand and says, Ryan has left them another note.

Britt says she has a lot of patient reports to get through, and Obrecht asks if she should help Britt prioritize. Britt wonders if Obrecht is angling for her old job back, but Obrecht says she’d never exploit Britt’s situation for her own gain. Britt says she knows. She’s zinging Obrecht; it’s a reflex. She hopes they never lose the way they are together, and Obrecht says, never fear. She has no intention of devolving into maudlin sentiments. She asks if Britt plans on telling her staff about her diagnosis, but Britt says, no; her diagnosis stays between them. Got it? Obrecht asks, what about Jason? and Britt says, he won’t tell anyone. Obrecht is sure he won’t. Britt chose her confidant wisely. Britt looks at her tablet, and says, oh no. Obrecht asks, what’s wrong? and Britt says, Maxie was admitted last night.

Anna tells Maxie that she’s been working closely with Mac and the PCPD. They went to Peter’s office, and his hotel room, and searched them. They found his computer, and they’re going to go through his digital records, and everything else he left behind. She promises Maxie they’ll find him, but Maxie says, Peter escaped the hospital, despite the fact that police were crawling all over the place. Was he not seen on any security cameras? Anna says, it’s strange. The security footage didn’t pick up his exit, and his car is still in the parking garage. Maxie says, he didn’t just snap his fingers and disappear into a puff of smoke, and Anna says, there appear to be gaps in the coverage. The PCPD have put out roadblocks, and the FBI have been alerted in case he tries to cross the border, so there’s a statewide manhunt going on. Maxie asks why Anna is there, instead of out looking for him, and Anna says, because her priority is finding Maxie’s baby. They have the state police in Pawtuck, trying to pick up Chloe’s trail. Maxie says, that’s not even her real name. It’s going to be difficult finding Chloe. Anna says, what about the good Samaritan? He’s from the area, does she think he might have some information? Maxie says, no. Stop. Just forget about Louise.

Anna says Maxie has been through an ordeal, but surely Maxie wants her to keep looking for her baby. Maxie says, if anyone can find her baby, it’s Anna and Mac, but she knows how dangerous Peter is. It will never be safe for Louise until Peter is caught. So please make that her priority, and then they’ll worry about bringing Louise home. Anna says she’ll tell Mac that Maxie wants to focus on the search for Peter. Anything else? Maxie asks if Anna can find Dr. Navarro; she’d like to check out of the hospital. Anna asks if it’s not a bit soon, but Maxie says it’s not. James and Georgie need her. She doesn’t want them to feel like she abandoned them, like she did… Anna says, this is not Maxie’s fault. She doesn’t know why Maxie would think that. Britt comes in with Obrecht, and says, where is she? Where’s the baby?

Jax says he knows it wasn’t easy, but Michael made the right choice. Michael says, don’t patronize him. Jax says he’s being honest. Having Nina in his life will only benefit Wiley, although it didn’t seem like Nina jumped at the chance to see her grandson. Michael says, she was surprised. He thinks she’d given up hope of ever seeing her grandson again. Jax asks if that was all, and Michael says, it seemed like she made a new life for herself away from Port Charles and everyone in it. A life good enough might make her think twice about walking away from it. Jax says at least Nina has a choice, and Michael says, Nina has a choice because Jax took his away from him.

Nina kicks back a shot, and puts her head on the bar. Sonny asks if she wants another one, but she declines. He says, funny how she does that; make good news look bad. When they first met, she told him how much she wanted to be in her grandson’s life. What changed? She says, nothing changed. She’s always wanted Wiley to know her as his grandmother, as his family. When her ex was there, he told her Wiley’s father was considering letting her see Wiley, but so much time passed, she figured he decided against it. He says, so she hesitated, and she nods. He says, the guy probably came to his senses. He shouldn’t keep her from her grandson. Now there’s nothing to stop her from going home.

Nikolas reads, There once lived a prince oh so clever/ to Nick my true love he’d endeavor / warned him take heed from nurse ingles / lest you break out in shingles / then from your body/ your noggin I’ll sever. Ava says, now he’s not satisfied with just having her back. He has to kill Nikolas in the process. Nikolas tells Ava, call the police.

Obrecht wonders how that miscreant is still roaming free, and Anna says there’s an intra agent task force looking for Peter. Britt asks if there are any leads. Anna says no, and she’d better get back to it. She says she’ll touch base with Maxie. Britt says she’ll be right back, and follows Anna. She asks how she can help with Peter, and Anna asks what she thinks she can do. She says she spent over a year on the road with her father. She had access to Faison’s network, his contacts, and his money. Anna says she’ll inform the right people that Britt wants to help, but right now she thinks Britt should put all her attention on Maxie. She’s blaming herself for the kidnapping. Britt asks what makes Anna think that, and Anna says, because she’s a mother. It’s her job to protect her children. And when she can’t, she feels as if she failed.

Obrecht sits on Maxie’s bed, and says she should have done more than just warned her against Peter. She should have killed him, and none of this would have happened. Maxie says Peter isn’t worth spending her life in prison, but Obrecht says she could have avoided prison with careful planning. But she let Peter lure her into complacency. She was placated by his willingness to employ her. Because of her weakness, Peter is still free, claiming more victims, going unpunished. Maxie says, whatever she’s planning, do not do it. Anna and Mac will handle this. She doesn’t want Obrecht getting in any kind of trouble. Obrecht takes Maxie’s hand, and says, alas, leibchen, trouble is already here.

Anna leaves a message for Robert, saying that Maxie wants her to concentrate on finding Peter, so she’s not going to be joining him and Mac up in Port Chuck. For God’s sake, find that baby. Call her back. She goes the elevator, and pushes the button several times, then bangs it. Obrecht comes along, and says, one of those days? If Anna feels like breaking something, she can help.

Jackie arrives at Finn’s office, and asks, what’s going on? Finn says he needs a swab, and she says, what? He looks at Elizabeth, and remembers coming up with the formula. He tells Jackie that he and Elizabeth found a cure for Chase. The toxin that poisoned him was a variation on a toxin once used to poison Tiffany Hill. Anna found notes in Sean Donely’s files that helped him develop an antidote. This version of the toxin is particularly hideous. It caused Chase’s immune system to turn on itself. He needed to conceal the antidote in something Chase’s white blood cells wouldn’t attack. I have to add, he sounds like a voiceover for a third grade documentary on science. If he could sneak the antidote past Chase’s immune system, it will break down the toxin. He hands her his tablet like she’s a fellow scientist and will understand all this. She asks why taking swabs of their DNA helps, and Elizabeth says, instead of thinking it’s a foreign body, Chase’s immune system will recognize something in the DNA from which he was created. Finn says, his mother and father. I’m no scientist, but why couldn’t they use Chase’s DNA?

Willow asks what Chase is going to do first when he gets out of there, and he says he’s going to call the wine guy. She says, for a celebratory bottle, and he says, that, and ask him if he can recommend an exceptional bottle to give to Michael as thanks for letting him stay at the Quartermaines. She says she knows what Michael will say; totally unnecessary. He wasn’t even there overnight. He says he was there long enough to collapse again, and then she and Michael had to take him to the hospital. Talk about going above and beyond the call. She says, Finn is currently in his lab, saving Chase’s life. She and Michael aren’t the heroes of this story. He says, there can be more than one hero. As soon as he’s released, he plans on showing her how much of a hero he thinks she is. She says, about that… He says he’s an idiot. She was going to say something. Go ahead. What’s on her mind?

Michael tells Jax, Chase is seriously ill. That is the only reason he and Willow haven’t told him that they’re together yet. They don’t want to hurt their friend, who’s flat on his back in the hospital, but Jax threatened to do just that. Jax threatened to go to Chase, and break his heart, if he didn’t get what he wanted. Jax says all he wanted was for Nina to see her grandson, and Michael asks if he would have gone to Chase. He answers his own question, and says, probably. He’s already proved that he doesn’t give a damn about Chase, or Willow, much less him. Which he admits came as quite a shock. He always thought that they were family. Jax says, they are family, but Michael says, not anymore. Jax is Josslyn’s father, and for her sake, Michael won’t tell her what Jax did. Jax thinks Michael should rethink his anger. With one phone call, he just expanded Wiley’s family. Michael says, Jax can dress it up all he wants, but he just destroyed their relationship. Jax says, is that what he’s done?

Dante says they’ll get prints from the photo, the dagger, and the trophy case, and Ava asks if he’s sure he has the time. They still haven’t heard back from the PCPD about the plastic hand, any possible evidence that came from there, or the note that came with it. Nikolas says his wife has a point. This man broke into his house, and knew the code to the trophy case. Dante says, they’re a little busy right now. There’s a mob war, Peter August escaped, and oh yeah, there was the hostage situation with Cyrus Renault down at the pier, which Nikolas’s interference didn’t help with. Ava says he really doesn’t care that she’s being stalked by a madman. She’s curious. Would he be as dismissive if Ryan had focused on someone he cares about?

Sonny tells Nina to pack her bags; she can get to Port Charles by tonight. Don’t forget to bring presents for her grandson. She says, Wiley is buried under toys. He comes from one of the richest families in Port Charles. He says she doesn’t want to show up empty handed, so start shopping, and she asks if he’s trying to get rid of her. He says he’s just trying to make sure she gets what she wants, and Nina asks what he wants. He says, it’s pretty obvious. It looks like – he moves closer, and puts his hands on the bar on either side of her – timing is everything. She finally gets to be part of her grandson’s life at the same time he’s telling her that he wants more of a relationship with her. She says she wants more of them too, so what are they supposed to do? He says, the only answer to that is, let’s say goodbye.

Dante says he’ll make sure forensics puts a rush on it. He’ll let them know when he gets the results. As far as Ryan Chamberlain is concerned, they check in on him every week. He’s basically in a vegetative state. He can’t scratch his nose, much less walk, talk, or write. Ava says she’s sure Ryan is exaggerating this – air quotes – locked in syndrome – end air quote. And even if he’s not, he’s found an accomplice. It wouldn’t be the first time. Nikolas asks if they’ll be looking at someone other than Ryan, and Dante says, of course (🍷). He’s gotten a lot of press on the anniversary of his crime spree. Maybe somebody is studying Ryan’s crimes and decided to imitate them. Nikolas says, a copycat, who takes on Ryan’s obsession with Ava. Ava says, great, and Dante says, maybe it’s not Ava who has the secret admirer. Maybe it’s Nikolas.

Jax says he never wanted to jeopardize his and Michael’s relationship, but he did believe it was wrong to keep Nina away from Wiley. Michael says, this isn’t about Nina. This isn’t about Wiley. This is about Jax. Nina was completely irrational when the truth about Nelle came out. She blamed his mother for what happened, and she blamed Jax. (Inserting here that it doesn’t sound irrational, but okay, rewrite history.) All this is just a way of Jax to get back into Nina’s good graces, using his son, and destroying years of shared history in the process. Or didn’t he think there was going to be a price to pay? Did he think Michael would just smile and say, blackmail me all you want, because you’re such a great guy. Jax says, right, and Michael opens the door, and says, get out. Jax says, as far as he’s concerned, they’re still family. If Michael ever needs him – day or night – he’ll be there for him. Michael asks, who’s going to be there for Jax? and closes the door in his face. On the porch, Jax looks pained.

Nina asks Sonny if this has to be goodbye, and he says, seems that way. Unless… She says, unless? and he says she wants him to help her push Wiley on the swings in Port Charles in some playground. He’s sure Wiley has a grandfather. He doesn’t think Wiley’s dad would want her introducing his son to a stranger, and she says, it’s just going to be a visit. She’s not moving there permanently. He says she doesn’t have to tell him that to make him feel better. He knows what’s going to happen. She’s going to get there, and see her grandson, and her plans are going to change. She says she’s coming back, and she’ll bring him a gift. He says she’s the only gift that he needs.

Britt says, Dr. Navarro is off today, but from her notes, it looks like Maxie had a quick labor. Is she in any pain? Maxie says, just the usual, and Britt says she’ll give Maxie something to take home, in case the pain becomes too much to handle. Maxie says she’s sure it will be fine. She’d like to go home today. Britt says, Anna told her, but before she releases Maxie, she has to ask… Did she breastfeed Georgie or James? Maxie says, James, yes, but Georgie wasn’t with her. Britt says she’ll set Maxie up with a lactation consultant. She may choose to donate her milk. Maxie asks if there’s anything else, and Britt asks, what’s going on?

A guy in a hardhat and mask tells Obrecht and Anna, also in hardhats and masks, they’ve got twenty minutes to commit wanton carnage. Weapon of choice? Anna says, what? and Obrecht says, which weapon would she like? The baseball bat is popular, but Obrecht prefers the crowbar. She can wield it with incredible strength and power. The guy gives Obrecht a crowbar, and Anna a baseball bat. He leads them to a room filled with electronics, and says, happy smashing. He leaves, closing the door, and Anna says, now what? Obrecht says, now… we rage. Rock music plays as Obrecht whacks at an old typewriter.

Britt asks if Maxie went ahead with her plan, and Maxie says she couldn’t. Everything fell apart when Peter hired that psycho nurse to drug and kidnap her. Britt says she’s so sorry. She should have been there. Maxie and Louise needed her. Now Louise is gone. Maxie says, Louise is okay. Louise is going to be just fine. Britt asks how Maxie knows.

Anna asks if Obrecht comes there often, and Obrecht says, it’s good for exercising demons. Anna says, anyone in particular? and Obrecht whacks at some more stuff, and says, no way to help someone in need. She smashes something else, and Anna says she does know that feeling. She doesn’t think smashing inanimate objects is really her thing. She has more pressing problems. Obrecht says, like finding Peter, and bringing him to justice, so that Maxie can be forever grateful? Check your hero complex at the door. Cesar taught them that well. She will never find Peter. Anna says she knows what Obrecht is doing, and Obrecht says, Anna can present herself as Maxie’s avenging angel, but she sees the real Anna Devane. The weakness and uncertainty, and soon, the rest of the world will see it to. A disgrace to her profession. A failure to her family. Anna says, she could say the same thing about Obrecht, but Obrecht says, she stood her ground, saw her enemy, and called his name. She didn’t hide behind wishful thinking. And now, Peter is gone. He’s beaten Anna. And Anna has failed everyone she loves because of her lies. Anna flips her mask down, and takes swings at some electronics. There’s a music part, and Obrecht and Anna go into a smashing frenzy, pausing at one point to fist-bump. There’s a barrel that says Choose Your Weapons, and they try out other things, including a golfclub. This is one of the most fun scenes to date on this show. Right up there with the Nurses Ball. When it’s over, they sit on a bench in the midst of the debris, and Anna says she might have to get a membership to this place.

Nikolas asks what makes Dante think this is about him, and Dante says, because it wouldn’t be the obvious angle. Ava says, the cockroach and the hand were addressed to her, and Nikolas asks what Ryan has to gain by sending those sick gifts? He’s a smart guy. He should know it’s not going to win her back. Dante says, the photo with the dagger through it, the limerick, means Nikolas is being threatened, and Ava says, because Ryan wants her all to himself. Dante says maybe someone wants Nikolas all to themselves, and Ava asks if he’s saying someone is copycatting Ryan, not to get to her, but to get to Nikolas? He tells her, don’t sound so disappointed.

Willow asks Chase if it’s safe to come back, and he says the nurse had to update his chart and check his vitals. Finn should have told them he’s checking out of the hospital tonight, but she says she’s sure Finn is going to want to keep him at least overnight to make sure he’s fully recovered from the toxin’s effects. He says he can fully recover at home; he’ll talk to Finn. Willow tells him, what he said before, about the sacrifices she’s made, he’s wrong. Supporting him isn’t a sacrifice; it’s something she wants to do. And whatever happens next… Finn, Elizabeth, and Jackie come in with a cart, and Finn asks if Chase is ready to be cured. Chase says he doesn’t know. He’s come to like it there. Finn says a sense of humor runs in the family. Jackie asks what’s going on with the décor, and Chase says, it’s Nantucket until they can get to the real one. Willow asks if Gregory is coming, and Jackie says, he’s on his way. Finn sets up the IV bag, and asks if Chase is ready. Three… two… one… Chase smiles, and everyone waits.

Sonny sets up the Tan-O for the evening, when Nina comes in. She asks where Lenny and Phyllis are, and he says they went for a walk, but he can’t reach them. She says she can’t leave without saying goodbye, but he says, it’s getting late. She has a long drive, and she’s going to be back anyway, right? She says, right. She can try them when she’s on the road. She starts to go, and he says, she didn’t think he was going to let her leave without him.

Ava asks if Dante is saying she enjoys the attention, and he apologizes, saying, it was unprofessional of him. She says, yes it was, and he says whoever the stalker is after is secondary. Nikolas says, because whoever they are, they broke into their home. They slipped past security and knew the code to the trophy case. Dante says, it could be someone who works for the company, or someone who works in the house, someone from security detail, or someone from their past. The point is, they know how to get into Windymere, and get to them. Nikolas says he’ll hire a private investigator to do background checks, and Dante says it’s a good idea, but not from there. They have to get off the island. Ava asks, why? and he says because they got a death threat. If they stay on the island, they could end up getting killed.

Obrecht asks Anna if she enjoyed herself, and Anna says she never would have thought of it. Obrecht says Cesar bragged about Anna’s control, and Anna says, that must have made her happy. Obrecht says he’d drive her into jealous rages when he spoke about her. Anna has incredible self-possession. No one has more resolve than my Anna. Anna says she’s surprised Obrecht didn’t take a sledgehammer to him, and Obrecht says she wishes she had. Now here it comes. Anna says, what? and Obrecht says she’s about to ask herself, what happened to the real Anna Devane, who allowed her adversaries to think her beaten, when she was only lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to strike the killing blow? Anna says, Peter happened, and Obrecht says, in some ways, Peter was worse than his father, more manipulative, and adept at hiding his evil. Anna says she really tried to love Peter. She thought she could change him, and she lost herself trying to save him. Obrecht says she disagrees. She caught a glimpse of Anna Devane just now, swinging that bat. They both laugh, and Obrecht gets up, holding out her hand. She suggests Anna prioritize her search. She won’t find Peter and the baby, until Anna finds herself. Anna takes Obrecht’s hand and gets up. She says, thank you for this. Now she has some real work to do. She picks up an old telephone on her way out, and says, souvenir. Obrecht smiles as she watches Anna leave.

Britt asks how Maxie knows Louise is fine, and Maxie says she might fall apart if she believed anything else. Right now, she can’t afford to do that. Britt says if she were in Maxie’s shoes, she doesn’t know how she’d deal with this, and Maxie says, when it comes to her family, she has to be able to handle anything that’s thrown at them.

On the phone, Nina asks if Jax is surprised to hear from her, and he says he didn’t know if she was still speaking to him. Is she okay? She says she’s fine. Actually, she’s hopeful. Michael called, and invited her to visit with Wiley. He says, that’s great. Hopefully it’s the start of many visits with Wiley. She asks if he had anything to do with it, and he says he hopes he gets to see her when she comes to town. Which answers her question not at all, which kind of answers it. She says she’s not sure. Bye. Sonny comes out with a tote bag, and says sorry to keep Nina waiting. She says she was thinking. Lenny and Phyllis will never forgive her if she takes him away from them. He says he realized he’d be butting into her family reunion, but that doesn’t mean she can’t take a piece of him with her. He hands her a jar of sauce, and says it’s something to remember him by. She says she hardly thinks she’ll forget him. Besides, she still owes him a dance. He says he’s counting on that, and hands her the bag. She says she’ll see him soon, and he says he’s looking forward to that. She’s almost out the door when she comes back and kisses him. He tells her to remember, it’s a slow simmer, referring to the sauce, but not really, and she leaves. Sonny smiles.

Michael comes into the hospital, and Willow says, perfect timing. Chase is going to be okay. Finn found a cure. She tells him, come on. Chase will want to see him. They go to Chase’s room, and Michael asks if it’s true Finn found a cure. Chase says, is Finn a doctor genius or what? He asks if Michael is ready for softball season, and Michael asks if he means when Aurora shuts down the PCPD in the open, but Chase says he’s very wrong. Once he gets on the mound, and unleashes his secret slider, he’ll be embarrassed to call himself a player. Finn says, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Chase is going to be resting for a while. Chase says, God doesn’t want him to leave. He can already feel the antidote working. His nose starts bleeding, and Elizabeth runs for a tissue. Chase asks if this is a side-effect Finn didn’t warn him about, and has a seizure. You didn’t think it was going to be that easy, did you?

Tomorrow, Cyrus is glad someone doesn’t hold a grudge, Finn says he’s going to turn himself in to the police, Lenny tells Mike/Sonny to get on the next flight and surprise Nina, and Carly says it’s funny how things work out.     

🤷🏽 Excuses and Apologies…

It’s been more than one of those days. I have a dog who’s not doing well, and a computer that decided to update when I was in the middle of watching GH online. I did see The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but still need to edit, and really don’t want to be going to sleep as the sun comes up. So RHOBH tomorrow, and for now, stay safe, stay not coloring between the lines, and stay not playing the blackmail card too quickly. There might be a price to pay.