What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone in her office, Lucy says, no comment… No. She doesn’t have a comment on that either. She slams the phone down and asks Maxie why they’re so rude. Maxie asks why they won’t leave them alone, when Scotty walks in and says, there’s blood in the water. Lucy says, but they’re not dead yet. If they can just come up with a product as fantastic as The Deceptor, they’d be fine. Maxie says, that could take months, even years. Why won’t Lucy just take Tracy’s deal? Scotty says, bite your tongue. Lucy’s got a sliver of the ELQ pie; she’s got to hang on to that. Maxie says, oh, okay. She hopes that sliver of pie keeps Lucy fed when Deception goes under, because after years of breaking their backs and building this company from the ground up, she and Sasha will ultimately be left with nothing.

On the phone headed for her and Chase’s apartment, Brook says she can totally guarantee the venue is perfect. She guarantees the venue will be sold out, and can even throw in an opening act if they want. She goes inside to find Chase sitting in the dark and says, she’ll have to call them back.

Gregory walks into Alexis’s office and says, here’s everything Molly was able to dig up on Judge Kim. She says, here’s everything Diane was able to dig up. They have a lot of work ahead of them. He says, good. He’s ready. Let’s nail this bastard. She says, isn’t he all fired up, and he says he’s cultivated a go-for-it attitude, hoping it translates to skydiving. She says, researching papers to skydiving; that’s quite a leap. He says, really? when Finn walks in. He says he’s sorry to interrupt the fun, but he was hoping he could steal his dad away for a cup of coffee.

The guard brings Cyrus into an empty visitor’s room, and Cyrus asks, what’s going on?  Why is he being brought here outside of visiting hours? The guard says, he’ll find out soon enough, and the warden comes in. She thanks the guard for bringing down Mr. Renault. He can leave them alone now. Cyrus asks if he should be worried.

Sonny comes through the curtains to the seating area on his jet, and Nina says, there he is. She’s all set and ready to get this wedding going. What about him? He says, just about, and she asks if they’re waiting on something. He says, yes, they are. She says, something for the wedding? and he says, she’s got to be patient and wait a while longer. She says she is the bride, so shouldn’t she know what they’re waiting on? Besides, he said the staff in Puerto Rico was handling everything. He says, this is something he could only get in Port Charles, and the wedding wouldn’t be complete without it. She asks, what is going on? and he laughs. Kristina comes out from behind the curtains and says, perfect day for a wedding. Michael and Willow follow her out.

Alone with Lucy, Scotty says he doesn’t want her to worry. He’s seen her attorney in action, and besides, she’s like a gladiator. She’s got her sword out ready to conquer. She says, thank you… I think. But they could really lose this case. Or Deception could go under financially before they even get to court. Like he said, she’s a gladiator. She really will be fine. She can survive anything. It’s just Maxie. She’s raising three little kids without any support, just her, so if she did take Tracy’s deal, at least Maxie would have a job. He says, she can’t let Tracy put the screws to her because of Maxie, but she says she can’t do that to her very best friend in the world, to her daughter and her grandchildren. She can’t do that to Felicia. What is she saying? Maxie has become her very best friend in the whole world too, and if she lets Maxie down, she couldn’t live with herself. She doesn’t feel she could do it to Maxie either. He asks if she has her noggin screwed on straight. She can’t let go of the ELQ stock; it’s the tie-breaking vote. Maxie walks in.

Brook asks Chase, what happened? and he says he got some pretty bad news at the hospital today. She says, okay… and he says, it’s the last thing he would have expected or imagined. He’s just sitting here trying to make sense of it. He’s trying to figure out the little things he missed. His dad is dying.

Gregory tells Finn that he and Alexis are in the middle of something. Instead of coffee, can they maybe grab dinner later upstairs at the MetroCourt? Finn says he was really hoping they could go now, and Alexis says, they don’t need to do this now. Go with his son; Finn needs him. She can sort through it and organize it. Gregory says he feels bad about leaving her with all this drudgery, and she says, drudgery to him. Interesting to her, because she’s going to find the little nugget that will blow this story wide open. Go, go, go. Gregory says, coffee it is, and Finn mouths, thank you, to Alexis as they leave.

Nina says she’s in shock. She’s so thrilled. She can’t believe they could make it on such short notice. It wouldn’t have been the same if they all weren’t here with her and Sonny. Michael says, Wiley and Donna are settled in. Wiley’s got enough books and games to keep him occupied for the rest of the flight. Willow says, they loved the takeoff. Wiley was glued to the window the entire time. Nina asks if Avery wasn’t able to come, and Sonny says, Pilar called. Something is wrong with Avery’s stomach. She’s sick, so she can’t come. He’s disappointed, but… He shrugs, and Nina says, that’s so sad. She hopes Avery gets better soon. When did he arrange for everyone to come? He says he made the rounds this morning and extended some invitations, and she says she knew he was up to something when he left the penthouse. He says, Dante sends his best wishes and congratulations, and she says, they’ll miss him, and miss the family that couldn’t come, but she’s going to focus on the family that could. She’s thrilled they’re here. This is the best wedding present she could ever ask for.

Alexis looks at the papers all over her desk and says, it looks like Judge Kim doesn’t miss an opportunity for a high-profile case. Her phone rings, and she says, send her in. Carly walks in, and Alexis asks, what brings her here? Carly says, Sonny told her that he asked Alexis to look into the judge who gave Drew that ridiculous sentence, and Alexis says, that’s all here, indicating the paperwork. She’s been researching it for most of the day. Carly says, great. Full disclosure, she’s the one who asked Sonny to reach out to Alexis. She also asked Diane to share any information she’s discovered on Judge Kim with her. Alexis says she’s glad Carly did. She has a vested interest in Drew as well. He’s the father of her granddaughter and she’d like to see him to come home to Scout. Carly asks if she’s had any luck, and Alexis says, from what she can tell so far, there’s a strong possibility there’s been a miscarriage of justice.

Cyrus sits down with Warden Garten and says, this is a rare and special privilege, just the two of them in this spacious room. She says, it’s private. The cameras are off except during visiting hours. There’s no record of this meeting like there would be if he came to see her in her office. He asks why she requires such privacy. Just what is it she has in store for him?

The women sit together, and Kristina asks if Nina’s visited the island yet, but Nina says, no, but Sonny told her all about it. He put in for them to go to the island, but when Willow went through what she went through, she wanted to be with Willow. Willow says, even though Nina knew she didn’t want her there? and Nina says she knew where she had to be. Kristina says, both of them are going to love it; it’s gorgeous. Willow asks what it’s like, and Kristina says, there’s a hotel and a casino, but there’s a private wing just for the family, and the gardens are just breathtaking. Nina says, Sonny told her about the gardens, and Kristina says, the smell from the flowers is just everywhere. Willow says, it sounds like the perfect spot for a wedding.

Sonny says he wants to thank Michael for getting Willow to come to the wedding, but Michael says, actually, this was Willow’s decision.

Alexis tells Carly, Judge Kim’s judicial record is solid. He’s an intelligent and effective jurist. Carly says, that’s not the news she was looking for, and Alexis says, but he has a way of interpreting the law in a way that lines up ideologically with special interests, who happen to be the ones who influence who sits on what bench and who gets promoted. Carly says, so Judge Kim rules the way these influential people want and in turn, he moves up the career ladder, whether or not his ruling is right or not. Alexis says, very good. Carly gets it. However, she hasn’t been able to prove there’s been any quid pro quo of Judge Kim accepting any favors or being unduly influenced by special interests. Carly says she can help with that. She just found out there’s proof and she can get it for Alexis.

Warden Garten says she’s offended. She’s just doing her job, checking on Cyrus’s welfare. After all, he’s such a beacon of light to the other inmates. The spiritual ministry he delivers? She’s surprised they managed before without him. He says he does provide a valuable service, which reflects quite well on her legacy here at Pentenville, and she says, it does, doesn’t it? He asks if she knows how many inmates are engaged in self-improvement as a direct result of his guidance, and she says, spare her the campaign speech. They’re alone. He says, spare him the false concern for his welfare and get to the point. Why did she want to see him? She says, because, she’s out of here.

Maxie apologizes for her outburst, but Lucy says, Maxie doesn’t have anything to apologize for. Maxie says, okay, then let’s prepare for our staff meeting. They at least have to pretend they have a plan moving forward. Scotty says, on a happier note, Cody Bell’s out of custody and Sasha’s home recuperating from all her mental problems. Maxie says she got some of the details from Mac, and Lucy says, that is good news. Did Maxie get a chance to see Sasha? Maxie says, no. She’s been giving Sasha some space. She figured Sasha needed some quiet time. Lucy says, that’s a very good idea after this ugly situation, and Maxie says, yeah. She can’t seem to catch a break. Scotty says he hears Gladys hightailed it back to Westport… Bridgeport… some port that she’s from in Connecticut. (I have the feeling Kin Shriner made a mistake here and adlibbed.) He guesses they have work, so he’ll bid them adieu. He leaves, and Maxie says, they need to prepare an agenda for their meeting, but Lucy says, that can wait. Maxie says, for what? and Lucy closes the door. She tells Maxie that she really has something she needs to say.

Brook asks if Gregory is in the hospital, but Chase says, no. She asks where he is, and Chase says, honestly, he doesn’t know. She asks if she needs to call Finn. Does he know what’s going on? He says, Finn knows… So does her grandmother. She says, what? and he says he’s the only one who didn’t know his father was dying. They kept it from him like he was a child or didn’t know how to handle it. She asks, what’s Gregory’s diagnosis? He says, his father has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. There’s no cure. It’s going to kill him.

In the park, Gregory says, this isn’t Kelly’s. He thought he and Finn were going for coffee. Finn says, it’s the first thing that came into his head. He needed to talk to Gregory in private. They sit down, and Gregory says, all right. Finn has him. Just say it. Finn says, Chase knows.

Lucy says she’s been doing a lot of thinking today, and Maxie asks if she can go first. Lucy says, sure, and Maxie says, maybe they should just find a buyer for the 25% and call it a day. At least then they’d end up with something. Lucy tells her, hold that thought. They’re calling the staff together for a meeting and no agenda necessary.

Chase tells Brook, when he got home, he got his phone out to research ALS. He wanted to see how this disease was going to take over his father’s life. How it would progress. He wanted to know how much time left he had with his dad. She says, that’s understandable, and he says, then he started scrolling through all these photos on his phone and these great shots of his dad; us camping together, tea parties with Violet, hanging out in the stands at a Chuck game. And there are all these random shots of us, at dinner… just watching sports on the sofa. And he looks so great in all of them, so vital and young for his age. It’s like there was nothing wrong with him; like nothing could ever be wrong with him. And now all he can think about is that young, vital man, his hero – he starts to cry – his dad; he’s going to be in a wheelchair, and he’s not getting out of it.

Gregory says he should have told Chase. Learning he had ALS should have come from him. How did he find out? Finn says, it was by mistake, and Gregory asks how a mistake like that happens. Finn says, Chase was arresting someone and got pepper sprayed. He came by the hospital to get his eyes flushed out, and afterwards, he told Chase to wait in the lounge. His eyes were all sort of bloodshot and teary, and Tracy Quartermaine saw him. He thinks she kind of jumped to the wrong conclusion. Gregory says, Tracy told Chase? and Finn says he’s not sure what was said initially, but whatever it was, it made Chase suspicious. He saw them talking across the Hub, but by the time he knew what was going on, it was too late. Tracy had told Chase. Gregory says he can’t believe this. So obviously Chase knows he already told Finn. Finn nods.

Carly tells Alexis, there’s a regular that comes into Kelly’s and she’s been talking to him lately. He’s a pilot for a private jet that belongs to a billionaire named Ascher Alexander. The pilot told her, the downside of his job is, whenever Mr. Alexander wants to go on a trip, and for however long he wants to stay, the pilot must go with him. Alexis says, tough life, and Carly says, the last trip they went on was to the Caribbean. He took a group of guys down there to go deep sea fishing. Guess who one of the passengers was? Alexis says, Judge Albert Kim? and Carly says, that’s right.

Willow asks, what made Nina and Sonny decide to elope? and Nina says, it started with this whole big stack of wedding materials that Olivia delivered to her from the MetroCourt. It got a bit overwhelming, and she kept putting off going through them. Kristina says, thank you. She’s the queen of procrastination, so she finds it quite reassuring to find that super organized Nina also succumbs to procrastination sometimes too. How about Willow? Is she as organized as she seems, or is she a secret procrastinator like Nina?

Michael tells Sonny that he and Willow discussed whether they should attend the wedding or not, but ultimately, he left the decision up to her. Here they are. Sonny says, they both know it’s not that simple.

Cyrus asks if the warden is going on vacation, but she says, no. She’s out permanently. She gets up, and he follows her, saying, this seems sudden, but she says, there’s nothing sudden about it. She’s been working toward this for a while, and it’s finally happening. She can’t wait to see Port Charles and its Corinthosness, this whole infected place, in the rearview mirror. He asks where she’s headed, and she says, Texas, land of the free. He says, another prison? and she says, all of them. She’ll be overseeing all of the federal prisons in the state. He says, what about him? and she says, you’ll get yours.

The staff files in, and Maxie thanks everyone for coming. She knows this hasn’t been the easiest time for them. She and Lucy really appreciate the staff sticking by them and working hard. As soon as Lucy gets here, they have an important announcement to make about the future of Deception. A woman suggests Maxie save time and just give them the bad news, and Maxie checks her phone to see where Lucy is. She says, Lucy must be on her way, so they’ll just give her a few minutes. Scotty joins them, and Maxie asks what he’s doing here. He says, beats him. Lucy told him to come back. Maxie says, what? when Lucy walks in.

Alexis asks if Carly is sure the pilot said it was Judge Kim on the fishing trip, and Carly says she wanted to make sure, so she looked up Judge Kim’s picture on the court website and the pilot confirmed it. Unfortunately, the pilot signed a non-disclosure agreement, so he can’t say who flies with him on the record, but… Alexis says, non-disclosures are her specialty; there’s usually a way around them. What she wants to know is, did the pilot give Carly a date for this trip? Carly says, dates and times, handing Alexis a paper. Apparently, they all went down there to go fishing. Alexis says, the next thing they do is check Judge Kim’s calendar, see if the dates match, and see if he disclosed his destination.  

Gregory asks if Chase blames Finn for not telling him, and Finn says, everything happened so fast, but he was definitely upset when he left the hospital. He doesn’t blame Chase for being angry at him. He handled this all wrong. Gregory says he’s not going to let Finn blame himself for this. None of it. This was all on him. This is his disease and he’s Chase’s father. It was on him to tell his son. It wasn’t Finn’s responsibility. He was selfish and shouldn’t have waited so long and delayed the inevitable for as long as he did. Now, because of him, Chase is paying the price.

Chase tells Brook that he can’t help but think about the time he spent in a wheelchair. He hoped and prayed one day he would recover and walk again. That day he stood up for the first time was one of the sweetest moments in his life. But for his dad… he won’t get that recovery. Brook says, this has to be crushing Gregory. How much does Chase know about ALS? He says, very little. He did that ice bucket challenge a few years ago. At that time, he learned that it’s degenerative, that there’s no cure, there’s no stopping it. She says she’s going to help him find out everything they can, so they know exactly what they’re dealing with. He says he can’t, not right now. He can’t even imagine what he’s going to have to say to his dad the next time he sees him.

Willow says she’s always been one of those annoying organized people, and Kristina says, admit it. How often is she making to-do lists? Willow says, almost every night. She feels comfortable knowing what she has to do the next day and then being able to check it off as she does it. Which is why she and Michael are so perfect together. Kristina asks if she’s serious; Michael is the complete opposite. He’s a mess. Michael is a great businessman – he’s brilliant – but organization? Not his strong suit. Willow says, busted, and they laugh. Willow wonders why doesn’t she put her organizational skills to good use, and Nina asks, how? Willow says, by helping Nina with the wedding. What can she do?

Sonny says, it would have been simple enough to refuse his invitation when he asked Michael, but Michael says, the invitation was for both of them. He wasn’t going to speak for his wife. Sonny says, but Michael could have made it clear to Willow that she could go to the wedding, but he wasn’t going. Why didn’t he?

Warden Garten says, Cyrus always finds a way of making it all about him. He’ll be fine. Does he want to know why? Cyrus says he’s sure she’ll tell him, and she says, because she has great trust in his ingenuity. He’s like a cat; he always finds a way to land on his feet, but now she doesn’t have to clean up his messes. Her promotion came through, and she’ll be in Texas. He says, she’s welcome, and she says, he always takes credit for everything. He says, God helps those who help themselves, and she says, he definitely helps himself, doesn’t he? She starts to leave, and he says, there’s just one more thing before she goes.

Lucy tells the group that she and Maxie want to thank each and every one of them for their hard work. That hard work has made Deception the incredible company it is today. She’s sure they’ve all heard and been talking about how they’ve been hit with a very frivolous lawsuit, one that threatens the very future of Deception. In saying that, that means they have to make some very difficult decisions. Those decisions will affect everybody’s lives in this room. So on the table is a deal where they would completely relinquish control of Deception, and they would only be left with 25%. Obviously, that’s unacceptable. Look at them. They’ve worked so very hard and sacrificed so much to just give in to some corporate bully. So, in talking to several legal advisors, and at a fairly significant personal cost, there is another deal on the table, one where they’ll retain 49% of the company. What that means going forward is that Deception can go on in perpetuity, improving and growing and being amazing for decades to come. She tears up and tells them that she guesses what she’s trying to say is, she feels that Deception is a lot more than beauty. They’re sustainability and innovation and inspiration, but what they also are is family. They’re her family. One she’s grown to love and cherish, and she’s not going to let that get away from her. She’s keeping it forever. What she’s trying to say is, nobody is going to be allowed to take anything else away from them, because they are family – fierce, fantastic, and anybody who tries to battle them, they will fight them. And they won’t win if they all just stick together. Everyone applauds, and Lucy and Maxie hug.

Brook tells Chase that she’s so, so sorry. It’s terrible news. She loves Gregory. He’s so smart and funny, and he was so welcoming and accepting of her. The thing she loves most about his dad is how much he loves their family. He and Chase have such a sweet bond; they’re so close. Chase says, just not close enough for Gregory to have told him his diagnosis, but she says she’s sure he intended to. She has to apologize. He says, for what? and she says, Tracy. She inserted herself where she has absolutely no business. He says, if she hadn’t, he still wouldn’t know his dad has ALS. Although if he’s being honest, he kind of wishes he didn’t. She asks if it would be okay if she stepped out for a little while. There’s something she wants to take care of. He says, sure, and she asks what he’s going to do. He says he’ll probably just sit here, collect his thoughts, and maybe do a little research. She says, okay, kisses him, and tells him that she loves him. So, so much. He says he loves her too, and thanks her for listening. She kisses him again, and leaves. He picks up his phone.

Gregory says he feels like such a coward for not telling Chase that he has ALS, but Finn says, he’s not a coward. Don’t do that to himself. He’s going through a lot. Gregory says, it was bad enough admitting the truth to himself, then to Finn. He imagined sitting down and telling Chase, seeing the look of fear and pain on his face, watching that perpetual optimistic smile just fade away, and dreading it. Maybe he’s just been protecting himself, because as long as Chase didn’t know, then some little part of him could stay in denial. Finn says, there’s no right way to do this, but he does know one thing, Gregory is a hell of a father. He’s the best. And Finn knows he’ll do whatever Chase needs.

Alexis hangs up the phone and tells Carly, bingo. Turns out Judge Kim was on vacation the exact dates the pilot provided. Carly says, that’s great, and Alexis tells her, what it doesn’t say on the calendar was that he was on a fishing trip in the Caribbean or that he was with a politically influential billionaire. If she was a betting gal, she would say he didn’t put it on his tax returns; it was a gift. Carly asks if it’s enough to put pressure on Judge Kim to reduce Drew’s sentence, and Alexis says, depends on one thing. How it’s presented to him.

Nina thanks Willow for her offer to help, but Sonny insists all they have to do is show up. The staff in Puerto Rico is going to take care of everything. Kristina says, the staff is amazing. They’ll want for nothing, and the food? The chef has a Michelin star so they’re both in for some incredible meals and desserts. Nina says, and he is taking care of the wedding cake, and Kristina squeals. She says she can’t wait. If Nina needs any help on the actual day – needs someone to zip up her dress or the old-new-borrowed-blue thing… Nina says, that’s not needed here, but she’d like it if both of them would help her get ready. Kristina says, okay, and Willow says, it would be her pleasure to help.

Michael says, when he told Willow about Sonny’s invitation, he let her know that the choice to attend was completely up to her. Sonny says he sees, and Michael says, but she wanted to know how he felt. Sonny asks what he told her, and Michael says, that he wanted to come. He knows they’re family, and family should show up for big moments in life like getting married.

The warden tells Cyrus not to worry, and he says he’s not worried, but their business isn’t finished yet. She says, everything they discussed is still happening. He just needs to sit tight and be patient. He says he can trust her? but she says, trust doesn’t mean anything now. She’s erased all of their interactions, eliminated any trace. They’re done. He asks, who’s replacing her? and she says she doesn’t know and frankly, she doesn’t care. She’s done her part, and now he’s on his own.

Michael buckles in next to Willow and says, they’re almost there. She says she’s really looking forward to it and she thinks Wiley is going to have a great time on the island.

Sonny says, tomorrow, Nina is going to be Mrs. Sonny Corinthos. They’re going to start a new chapter in their life, and he can’t wait to see where it leads them. She says, her too, and takes his hand. She says, he’s made her the happiest woman on earth.

Cyrus says he’s actually sorry to see Warden Garten go, and she says she wishes she could say the same, but she can’t. She turns to go again, but he says he has one final question. She says, one more is all he gets, and he asks if there’s any word on his friend Drew Cain. She asks, why in the world would he care about Drew Cain? and he says, the man saved his life, like Daniel was saved in the lion’s den. She says, it’s a hard den out there, and not everybody is as lucky as Daniel. But rest assured, Drew Cain will be taken care of. And this time, for good. She leaves.

Carly thanks Alexis and says she really appreciates this and knows it’s going to mean a lot to Drew. Alexis says she’s happy to help and asks if Carly still has the contact information for the pilot. Carly says she does, and Alexis says, use it. See if she can find out anything more. Anything she can find out would be helpful. Carly asks if Alexis really thinks the judge is going to take the bait, and Alexis says, from what she knows about the judge so far, he’s going to have a real hard time not talking about himself and bragging about his accomplishments to the press. She needs to get him in here for an interview, get him talking, and hopefully he won’t stop. Carly says, just give him enough rope, and Alexis says, then they’ve got him.

Chase puts ALS into the Spyder-Finder search engine on his phone, but ends up looking at pictures instead. Pictures of Gregory with him, with Finn, with Violet. He cries, and there’s a knock at the door. He wipes his eyes and opens it. Gregory is there.

Maxie tells Lucy, that was a great speech, and Lucy says she knows. But seriously, she couldn’t let Maxie and everybody else sink because of horrible Tracy Quartermaine. Not on her watch. Maxie thanks her and says, she’s a great friend. Lucy asks if Maxie happened to see where Scotty went, when he walks in behind her. He says, this decision is crazy… but it’s his kind of crazy, so let’s celebrate. He holds up a bottle of champagne and glasses, and Lucy laughs.

A woman looks at The Sun headline: BLQ BOOTED – DECEPTION SCANDAL – PC PRINCESS FIRED. We see she has quite a manicure, and I’m guessing it’s Lois.

Tomorrow, Curtis says he doesn’t think he can tell his daughter what to do or who to be with; Portia says she had a change of heart; Gregory apologizes to Chase; and Tracy asks, what exactly does Brook think she did?

Below Deck Mediterranean

Genoa, Italy. Backtracking a little, Tumi tells Natalya, the organization’s a sh*tshow. Natalya’s part is impeccable, but the boat isn’t set up the way she’d like. It’s just her opinion. Natalya wants to continue giving her opinion, but Tumi says, that’s it. Natalya is offended by Tumi talking with her hands, and Tumi asks to see the laundry. In Tumi’s interview, she says, Natalya did a great job, but how would she like it if someone went off right at the beginning? Her mum told her to stand up for herself at a young age. When her mum cracks the whip, run. When Tumi was in high school, the boys made fun of her race, and she put them in their place. Be kind, but don’t let anyone walk on you. Tumi says she’ll ask if she needs Natalya, and Natalya tells Luka and Jessika, she’s a bitch. Luka says he loves the drama, and Jessika says, maybe Tumi is just trying to adapt, but Natalya says, she has no warmness. In Natalya’s interview, she says, the boat is in a good place, and the way to respectfully hand it over would be to come in with good energy, but Tumi didn’t. Tumi talks to Jack about Natalya, and Captain Sandy calls Jack, Tumi, and Luka to the crew mess for a preference sheet meeting. Natalya lingers around a beat too long, then jets.

The captain says, the primary is Mecca Mamore-Henson and is the publisher for Pink magazine. Husband Antoine will be with her, along with some successful friends who like to see their wealth by enjoying luxury vacations. One of the guests owns a plant-based wellness brand, and in Jack’s interview, he says he tried veganism. He thinks it was a Tuesday. It lasted two hours. Captain Sandy says, the weather is going to be bad, so they might have to stay on the dock. She’s hoping only one day. She reads, the vibe must be immaculate, and Tumi says, got it. She’s doing better than I am, since I don’t got it. Jack reads that the guests want a Diamonds Are Forever dinner, and Tumi says, they want a pajama party with late night snacks. She loves a pajama party. After the meeting, Tumi texts Kyle, saying that Natalya had a diva moment, and she’d have no problem firing her. We flash back to Natalya having diva moments with Kyle. Natalya calls her boyfriend, and in her interview, she says, an open relationship is new to her, and they’ve never discussed rules or guidelines. She doesn’t see staying with one person for the rest of her life, but it doesn’t seem right to sleep with someone else when you’re in a relationship. She suggests he at least meet her halfway, and he tells her to get some sleep. This seems to be the way all of their conversations go, and she’s a dummy if she stays in this situation.

Captain Sandy says, the storm is six miles big. Tumi thinks they should finish the cabins, then have a meeting. Jack tells Tumi that he’s doing a buffet style lunch, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she’s lucky to have had great relationships with the chefs she’s worked with. She gets them; they’re nutcases. She worked with Aesha, who was a first-time chief stew, and learned not to let people walk on her. We see a Down Under flashback, and Tumi says, one thing she knows, don’t piss off the chef. Natalya complains to Luka, and says she wants to be in laundry for the whole trip. Kyle arrives, and in his interview, he says, you thought you were done with me? I’m back. Yay. I like Kyle.

Kyle and Tumi are excited to see each other, and he hugs Captain Sandy. In Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s an honor to be working under Captain Sandy again. You’ve got to be special to be wanted back by her. We flash back to Kyle last season, and he says he’s wishing he was coming back as chief stew. He wants to reach the next level, and he’ll get there, but people will still look at him as the service queen. Kyle meets everyone, and Lara says, he smells like a dream. He says he feels like broken memories and I literally lol. He and Natalya greet each other enthusiastically, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, her relationship with Kyle was rocky last season. We flash back to that, and she says, Kyle is good at lightening up the situation. They had a lot of fun moments. We see another flash back, and Kyle tells Natalya that she’s gorgeous and skinny. She says, it’s called stress. In Haleigh’s interview, she says, it’s hard to hang out when she’s used to exciting parts on the ship. A yacht is like a floating hotel, and if they’re not moving, she has nothing to do other than hose the charter guests off. She wants to do cool boat sh*t. In Tumi’s interview, she says, her management style is relaxed. Before she got into yachting, she managed a restaurant and a club, and had to find models for the club. She knows there will be a learning curve, but she feels prepared. Tumi passes out the stew’s ranks, and says, Kyle will be her second. Obviously. In Natalya’s interview, she says, why obviously? Tumi says, Natalya is third, and will do breakfast, and Jessika is fourth. In Tumi’s interview, she says she based her decisions on their CVs. Kyle is good with people, and Natalya is very good at housekeeping and laundry. In Jessika’s interview, she says, it’s a relief to be at the bottom of the food chain. There’s less stress, and the drama at the top makes her uncomfortable. Natalya bitches to Jack, but he doesn’t want drama. Deckhand Max arrives, and he has a French accent that the others struggle to understand. In Max’s interview, he says he’s been fired from all the jobs he’s had since he was 18 because he’s misunderstood. Yachting is like a big casino. They only thing you need to know is when to get out. He meets Captain Sandy, and in his interview, he says he has four years’ experience. It’s a crazy environment. To survive the pressure, you need to be Godzilla. Fortunately, that’s who he is. The provisions come, and Captain Sandy says, teamwork makes the dream work. I can’t. The crew gets into their whites, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, how things are starting is good for no one, and he’s in the middle. Anyone who knows him, knows he prefers front or back. He tells Natalya that Tumi said she’d have no problem firing her, so she’d better watch herself. Tumi calls for a masseuse to come to the boat, and the guests arrive. Captain Sandy says she can see they’re not happy, and yep, they come out of the taxi whining. In her interview, Tumi says, the guests look pissed off. It’s not ideal.

Captain Sandy says, this is going to suck. They welcome the guests, and the captain says, she was hoping they’d bring sunshine. Unfortunately, they’re going to have to stay on the dock today. It’s rough offshore. Primary Mecca asks about tomorrow, and the captain says, we’ll see, like she’s their mom. The guests are given champagne, and Tumi does the tour. She promises, even if they don’t get off the dock, they’ll be spoiled. Jessika wonders how Natalya felt about stepping back, and Natalya relays what Kyle said about Tumi having no problem firing her. Jessika asks if she doesn’t think Kyle might have said something to spark that which is an excellent point. I love Kyle, but he’s not just the service queen; he’s the gossip queen. The guests reject the cheese board, saying, they want food. We don’t want no cheese. Mecca says she’s real hungry, and Tumi tells Jack. She says she tried offering them snacks, but they weren’t keen on that. He tells her, 30 minutes, and in his interview, Jack says, he doesn’t like to be rushed and throwing the food on the plate like a caveman. It will look better if he’s not rushed. Luka says he doesn’t know WTF Max is saying, confirming Max’s assessment of himself. In Tumi’s interview, she says she knows it sounds crazy, but her ideal charter guest is a chaotic guest. She grew up with six siblings and gets bored on small boats. She brings out fresh baked bread, and Kyle tells Natalya that Tumi doesn’t like the chef. Natalya says he’s amazing. That’s on Tumi. In Natalya’s interview, she says she can’t bite her tongue, and thinks it’s unfair. She once kicked the Bunsen burners off her science teacher’s desk when the teacher was rude to her. Tumi came in with a bone to pick and picked the wrong bone.She tells Kyle that she’s not assisting if Kyle is being told she’s getting fired.

In Jessika’s interview, she says, her responsibility has decreased a bit, but she’s going to keep conflict away from her at all costs. When she was in school, the bickering caused her anxiety. She did cheerleading in the ninth grade, and there was so much pressure, she lost confidence and quit. The guests complain about not eating, and lunch is finally served, along with a vegan alternative. They pronounce it delicious, and I pronounce it… food porn! Luka sees Natalya in the laundry, and says, she’s living the dream. In Natalya’s interview, she says, if she was in a monogamous (a word she can’t seem to pronounce) relationship, she wouldn’t flirt, but she’s not, so hello, Luka. But she’s still confused. Vegan guest Adjula gives her dish a six, and says, Jack’s got to be more creative. Mecca tells Tumi that she just wants more. She has high expectations, and they expect something grand. Tumi tells Jack, the vegan guest wants a 10, and he says he was a bit rushed. The masseuse arrives, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, when you’re stuck on the dock, this is the type of thing that distracts guests and makes them happy. She tells the captain that the guests are difficult, but she’s had worse. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Tumi is very approachable. There’s an energy about her that’s an expectation of perfection, and she likes it. The guests look at the menu and want it totally changed. Kyle asks if Tumi’s seen his boyfriend; he’s an American Italian. In Kyle’s interview, he says, after leaving the boat, he got a one-way ticket to meet Frank in NYC. We flash back to that, and Kyle says, they had no connection, so he went to a dating app. He found Zachary, Doctor of Love, and they’ve been dating ever since. He tells Tumi that they’re super in love. They’re going to South Africa, and he’d like get engaged with his family there. Natalya tells Jack, with Tumi in charge of everything, they’re f***ed. She repeats the now getting old story about Tumi messaging Kyle and saying she’d have no problem firing her.

Tumi says, this is not how she expected this to go, and guest Samantha says, it’s lovely to see a Black women in the industry. Tumi says she’s not here changing the world, but Samantha says, Tumi is changing her world. To every person who comes in and sees a fellow Black woman, it’s a big deal. In Tumi’s interview, she says, there’s massive lack of diversity in the industry. There are People of Color working in it, but they’re usually in positions that aren’t seen. They’re not given the opportunity, but if you fight hard, you can do it. Here I am, bitch. They guests get ready for dinner, and the table looks gorgeous and romantic. In Luka’s interview, he says he hopes they leave the dock. He’s recently out of a long-term relationship and has been given an amazing position. He can’t be distracted by girls. It’s affected his work environment. Natalya gets the pajama party ready, and Adjula gives her vegan dinner a 10. Tumi tells Jack, and says, seafood is key. Tumi radios Natalya to turn in, and when the radio is off, Natalya says, go bugger yourself. There’s a whole big deal over guest Bobbi getting the wrong starter or first course or something, and Tumi tells Jack, they’re drunk and misunderstood when they read the menu. In Jack’s interview, he says, if there’s anything wrong with the boat, it’s on the captain. Anything wrong with the food is on him. And anything wrong with service is on Tumi. Tumi tells him, if the guest is confused, it’s not their problem. In his interview, Jack says, it’s always the guest’s fault. Tumi needs to have accountability. His first impression of her is really bad. Tumi tells Kyle that Jack doesn’t respect her.  

Tumi tells Jack that she never wants him to fail; he’s phenomenal. But she’ll always be honest. He says, we’re good, although it doesn’t sound like it. Tumi says, he’s had someone in his ear, but she would like a fair chance. He says he makes up his own mind up, and she says she’s just making sure. The guests get into their PJs, and Luka asks if Kyle is excited to party with the guests, but Kyle says, it’s the last thing he wants. Jack makes little pizzas and some other tasty looking snacks, and Kyle makes drinks. Poor Antoine is the only dude, and I feel sorry for him. The ladies give Kyle a hat and chain, and he poses with Antoine. Mecca says, it looks like me and my Black friend, and we all laugh. The guests go to bed, and Kyle decides to clean up in the morning.

When Natalya gets up, she sees the mess, and isn’t happy. In her interview, she says, the morning person should just have to give a quick wipe down, not clean up from the night before. She asks Haleigh for help, and Captain Sandy says, they’re leaving the dock. Jack just describing the breakfast he’s going to make is… food porn! Natalya tells Tumi about the lack of clean up, and Tumi says she wants Kyle in bed by 3 am. It’s okay for him to leave the clean-up if it means he’ll be going to bed too late. No surprise, Natalya argues, and Tumi says, she’s fine with it. End of story. Natalya tells her to stop doing things with her hands, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, it might be her first time as chief stew, but she knows what she’s doing, and Natalya has no respect for her. Natalya reminds her of a chihuahua. She’s territorial, combative, and talks all the time. I laugh because I have a chihuahua. He’s not like that, although he does tend to fear anything bigger than he is, which is most of the world. Natalya wants to have it out now, but Tumi says, they’ll speak another time, and tells Natalya, goodbye. Natalya yells, don’t talk to Kyle; talk to her, ending this show about the same as last week’s, except louder.

Didn’t like Natalya last season; don’t like her now.

Next time, Lara wants Max to work more; Tumi and Natalya butt heads; Captain Sandy calls Natalya and Tumi to the bridge and says she’s ready to put them both off the boat.

🙌🏽 Hip Hop Hooraying…

Come see me tomorrow for soap and whatever rabbits I can pull out of the internet. Until then, stay safe, stay not complaining about the cold when you complained about the heat five minutes ago, and stay not picking the wrong bone if you come in with a bone to pick.