What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Britt lies in bed and groans, when Brad says, wakey-wakey. Hair of the dog? He holds up a bloody Mary. Water? She says, aspirin, and Obrecht asks if her poor little head hurts. Just wait. She’ll bring the real pain.

Sonny punches the heavy bag, when Temp Brando walks in, apologizing for being late. Sonny says he’s just early. Is Brando okay? Brando says, his mother just needed help moving the furniture, and Sonny says, it’s a helluva thing, Brando and Sasha putting up with Gladys. Brando says, that’s one way to look at it, and Sonny says he could take Gladys off Brando’s hands and put her up in her own place, but Brando says, there’s no need. Sasha seems to be happy about it. Sonny says, really? and Brando asks if he can believe that. Sonny says, no, and Brando says, whatever makes Sasha happy makes him happy. Besides, Sonny’s got enough family on his plate already.

Ned is grooming the new horse, when Michael comes into the stables, and says, impressive. Ned says, he is, and Michael asks if Leo likes him. Ned says, Leo is doing backflips, and Michael says, Leo is really blossoming; the therapy sessions are doing wonders. Ned and Olivia have really come through for him. Ned says, they’re his parents. Would he expect less? Michael says, no, not at all. Ned always stands up for his family, which is how he knows, come next week at the shareholders meeting, ELQ will finally be back under family control.

Carly tells Drew to let her be his friend. Let her help him save ELQ from Valentin. He wonders if this is the first time the words save ELQ have been uttered by anyone but a Quartermaine, and she says she was a full-fledged Quartermaine at one time; twice if you count Jason. Now she’s just an honorary member. He chokes on his drink, and she says, what? He says he’s seeing a vision of Monica tossing salt over her shoulder.

Marshall tells Curtis, the police dropped him off at a psychiatric ward. There, they put him under a 72 hour hold for observation, and that’s when they were able to diagnose him. Curtis says, with what? and Marshall says, schizophrenia. Curtis asks if this is the secret Stella has been keeping from him all these years, but she says, Curtis didn’t travel all the way to New York and back for answers from her. She knows it’s hard, but they’re just getting started, and now is not the time to turn away. Talk to his father. Curtis says, schizophrenia. When he heard about Marshall’s arrest and learned they put him in an institution, Curtis thought it was because of the war; PTSD, depression, mania, something like that. Not this. Marshall says, hearing it the first time was a surprise for him too, and Curtis asks if there were any signs when Marshall was younger. Did anybody see any signs before the arrest? Marshall hesitates, and Stella says, they’ve been playing out this moment a long time; at least until he decided to look for his son. He knew it might come to this, and now it has. The moment has arrived. Time to meet it. Marshall says, okay, but don’t say he didn’t warn them.

Britt ducks under the comforter, and tells Obrecht to go away. Obrecht says, nein, and they struggle with the blanket. Britt says she’s trying to sleep, but Obrecht says, it’s nearly noon. Brad says, actually, it’s closer to ten o… Britt smacks at him, and he says, okay. Britt sits back down on the bed, and Obrecht says, here’s the deal. From them, Britt is going to receive a long overdue course direction. She’s lost her way. Brad says, no one hates this more than him, except maybe her, but welcome to your intervention. Ta-da!

Carly tells Drew, she and Monica are doing great… for them, and he says, the detente with Monica is reason enough not to involve herself. She asks if he’s really rejecting her offer, and he says, it’s a generous offer, but even her own son turned it down. She says, Michael works for Aurora; Drew is the owner. He’s really opposed to her buying in? He says he’s opposed at her putting herself at great risk on his behalf, and she says, Aurora trades on the open market, right? So she really doesn’t need his permission to buy in. She can help him whether he likes it or not.

Sonny says, Brando knows he’s always here to help, because Brando is family, and Brando says, indeed he does. Sonny says, accept his help, and Brando says, still no good with Michael? Sonny punches the bag, and says, not likely at this point. Brando says, Sasha told him things went Michael’s way at the hearing, so he thought it might have paved the way for a truce. Sonny says, not after he gave his testimony. He just wanted to get at the truth, and said some things people didn’t want to hear, but no decision is going to help him and Michael at this point. Brando says he’s sorry to hear that. Is there anything he can do to help? Maybe talk to Michael? Sonny thanks him for the offer, but he doesn’t want anything to alienate Brando and Michael, and Brando says, let him know if anything changes. Sonny says, just so Brando knows, things are going to get worse between him and Michael. Dex walks in, and says, boss, we’ve got problems.

Britt opens the door, and says, both of you, vamoose, but Obrecht says, this behavior is unacceptable. Britt says she’s not the one who barged into her hotel room. How did they even get in? Brad says, they told the desk that Britt was going to go full world tour Guns N’ Roses, and Obrecht says, and there might be alcohol poisoning. Brad says, and it would bring EMTs and cause bad publicity for the hotel. Britt says, and that load of bull made a five-star hotelier violate their guest’s privacy? But Brad says, no. She said something like blah-blah-blah, privacy policy, yada, yada; he’s paraphrasing. Britt says, how? and Brad says, he created a distraction, and Obrecht adds, while she swiped a housekeeper’s keycard. Britt says, wow. They can’t make it to 10:30 without a crime spree? and Brad says, the hotel might not be concerned about Britt’s reputation, but Britt should be, especially once that GH rumor mill gets going. She’s going to leave poor Terry defending her while the hospital board tries to take her head. Britt says, there should be a law against this much melodrama this early in the morning, and Obrecht says, this is hardly melodrama; this is tragedy. Her reputation and livelihood will be in peril once word spreads of her bravura performance. Britt says, what performance? It’s not her fault she got dunked by an exhibitionist himbo, literally dropping out of the sky. Brad says, and objectively speaking, quite hot, and Obrecht says, yes. By all accounts Cody is a specimen worthy of study, but they’re referring to Britt’s swan dive tantrum that preceded it. Britt asks, since when did speaking her truth turn into a tantrum? and Obrecht says, since it involves public displays of disorderly conduct. Britt says, she was simply calling out the romantic industrial complex, but Brad says, it was sloppy. Britt says she’s sure, like most things she says, it fell on deaf hears, and no one will notice anything. Obrecht picks up Britt’s phone, and says, it’s all over her social media feeds. Of the world of humiliations Britt has brought upon this family, this might be the most devastating. You have become – she shows Britt he phone – a meme. Britt sees a clip of herself struggling to get out of the pool, and asks who recorded her? then looks at Brad.

Marshall says, the judge sent him back to see some doctors, and the doctors told him again what was wrong with him. It took him a while to come around to it. Even now he wakes up some days wondering if it’s all just a bad dream. Stella says, but that notion doesn’t last, and he says, no. He gets up, and feels his aches and pains, and knows that’s real. He looks around and sees the same room he went to sleep in the night before, and sees his clothes where he left them, and he knows that’s real. He goes outside and smells the air, good or bad, it don’t matter; the air is the air. Good or bad weather, he steps out into the world. He closes his eyes and embraces the noise around him. And he knows ain’t nobody after him. He’s safe in his body and safe in the world, and he knows that’s real. He steps forward into his day, every day, and he walks walk toward his music, and he knows that’s real. He’s had no break with reality. He stays on his meds, and his meds keep him level. Curtis asks if he doesn’t feel anything, and Marshall says, sure, there’s side effects from the drugs, but it beats the alternative, don’t it?

Carly says, now that it’s been decided, she’ll get a bottle of champagne to celebrate, and Drew asks if she’s trying to ditch him to call her broker before Michael intervenes. Isn’t the fact that she’s trying to end run him reason enough to let this go? She says, let her help him, and he says he didn’t ask for her help. She says, but he’s getting it anyway, and he says he doesn’t need it. She says, everybody needs help, especially those who won’t ask for it. Or doesn’t it matter if they get ELQ back?

Michael says, he comes bearing gifts, and hands Ned a velvet pouch, saying, it’s to go over the stable door. He has a forger on stand-by to make something for them as soon as Ned, Olivia, and Leo decide on a name. Ned takes out a horseshoe, and Michael says, maybe the Lucky Leo Ranch? Ned says he’ll submit Michael’s suggestion to the decision makers. In the meantime, let’s not pretend he came here to look at the horse. Michael says he wanted to talk things out; he hates being at odds with Ned. Ned says, nor I you, and Michael says, Ned is the one who insisted Valentin needs to go. Ned says, he’s done an admirable job, but he’s not a Quartermaine, and Michael says, exactly. Ned says, he is; him, Michael, and Drew, all Quartermaines. Michael says, they’ve got to keep it in the family, and Ned says, they just disagree as to how. Michael says he wouldn’t go that far. They all want a lean mean ELQ, even more nimble and profitable than it is now. Ned asks how they make that happen, and Michael says, he and Drew have been negotiating against themselves. They made Ned an offer, but he hasn’t budged. Ned says he hasn’t found much in their offer worth budging on. He’s given a lifetime to ELQ, and in return they’ve offered what? Busywork and an empty title; they can do better. Michael says, tell him how, but Ned says, he knows how, but Michael says, he and Drew agree, CEO is off the table, so put something else on it. Ned must have been working on a counter, so come on, let’s hear it.

Sonny asks Brando to excuse him and Dex for a second, and they step away. Sonny asks, what’s the problem? and Dex says, last night’s coffee shipment has been held up at the docks. Sonny asks if he talked to the harbor master. Vince will clear this up… Dex says, he got fired yesterday. There’s a new guy in charge now, and he wasn’t receptive to Dex’s suggestion to speed up inspection. Sonny says, the product can sit on the docks for a while. It’s coffee – it’s not going to get impounded – but the staff change concerns him. Dex says he’ll look into it, and Sonny says, Dex told him problems. What’s the other problem? Dex says, someone is trying to cut in on Sonny’s market share. They’ve got competition.

Drew tells Carly, of course (🍷) he wants ELQ back in Quartermaine hands; it’s his daughter’s legacy. She says, it’s his legacy, and he says, maybe to a lesser degree, sure. She asks if he doesn’t feel like a Quartermaine yet, and he says, at best a Quartermaine come lately. She asks if he’s blind. Doesn’t he see the way Monica looks up to him, or the way Michael and Brook look up to him? Or how Ned is threatened by him? She’s been around many Quartermaines, and she can say from up close and personal observation, he fits right in. He says, coming from her, he’s not sure that’s a compliment, but she says, not a Quartermaine like Edward, who was very nice down deep. He’s the other Quartermaine. He’s Lila, and there’s no better compliment than that.

Sonny says, what competition? and Dex says, the managers at the Grill and every city franchise of Haven Bistro canceled their contracts. They’re declining delivery of Corinthos Coffee. They’re buying from someone else instead. He knows he’s new, and this is probably a drop in the bucket… Sonny asks what it feels like to him, and Dex says, a sign of things to come. Does Sonny think it’s Wu? Sonny says, he and Wu have an arrangement. His connections on the docks are important to her, and Vince was his guy. Dex asks if Sonny thinks they’re connected, and Sonny says he does, and he thinks he knows who’s behind both.

Britt hits Brad with a pillow, and says, he taped her. He says he didn’t tape her; the recording is digital. Obrecht takes the pillow from Britt, and says, stop. This cavalcade of indignity has gone on long enough. Britt says, dammit, Brad, why? and he says he did it for her. So she can look back on it one day and see how far she’d come. She’ll be reclining in her, as yet unmet, husband’s arms, and watching herself at her lowest. Obrecht says, they can only hope this is her lowest, and Brad says, and he and Britt will laugh and laugh. Obrecht says, or she can sit watching this with a few dozen cats looking on with distain, on a loop, over and over and over. Brad says, it’s part of historical record, and Britt asks if historical record shows she’s the wronged party; that she was divebombed by a beefcake? Brad says, nobody’s saying she knew that hunk of a man was going to Chicken Little right on top of her, but some might say this was a prayer answered. She’d just got done with saying something about love falling out of the sky. Britt asks if he thinks this is what she meant, and he says, she could do worse. Obrecht says, they’re getting way off topic. They’re concerned Britt hasn’t been herself. Brad says, she hasn’t been herself in a long time now, her mean, but in a fun way, self. She’s been mopey and aimless. Britt says, so if she’s not stealing embryos or tormenting nurses, she’s adrift? Brad asks if she really feels like she’s running at 100%, and she says she had one bad day. Obrecht says, she had a string of bad days, and Britt says, they’re her days and she doesn’t have many of them left. So if they’re bad or not, they’re nobody’s business but hers. Brad says, she’s a thoroughbred, and she asks if he just compared her to a horse. He says, horses are beautiful and noble creatures, with long narrow faces and killer cheekbones, and Britt says, why aren’t you recording this, James Wong  Howe, for historical records? He says, first of all, he thanks her for referencing a cinematic genius of Cantonese descent, and she says she thought he’d like it, but she still hates him. He says, second, his point is, she’s strong and resilient. One of the bravest people there is, so why is she bellyaching about the days she has left? She knows she’s going to outlive them all. Britt looks at Obrecht.

Curtis asks if the meds could have had something to do with Marshall’s episode a few months back, and Marshall says, sometimes they yank his blood pressure around, but he doctors are always tinkering with the dosage and the cocktail. Curtis says, and they work 100% of the time, and Marshall wonders if Curtis is asking him if he hears voices or hallucinates. Curtis says, no. He just wants to know what to look for. If it was serious enough to drive him away the first time, it could drive him away again, and Curtis doesn’t want to lose Marshall a second time. They could have helped him. Family helps people that they love through illnesses like this. Marshall says, Curtis and Tommy were babies, and his mama had enough on her hands, and Curtis asks if it was her choice. Marshall says, no, it was his, and Irene’s. He’s not saying she agreed, more like acquiesced. Curtis says, him and Tommy believing he was dead, and Marshall says, he was afraid of the man he might become had he stayed. Curtis wore a badge for how many years? Curtis says, enough, and Marshall says, in all those years, Curtis never crossed paths with one of those lost people? Curtis says, he means homeless? Of course (🍷). Marshall says, not just unhoused, unmoored. Ambling down the street, words all garbled, carrying on to themselves, responding to something no one else can hear. And alone… always alone. When he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, that was his immediate fear, that he would end up being one of the lost. Curtis says, if Marshall had been at home, he’d have been with loved ones, who could have kept him moored, but Marshall says, he couldn’t take that chance. His delusions were of the paranoid type; he thought the government was after him. Curtis says, but Marshall told him that he’d never had a relapse, and Marshall says, he got lucky. At the time, there was no way to predict that. Curtis says, but there were hospitals. They still could have helped him. Marshall says he needed protect his wife and kids while he was still capable of making that choice. What if it all went wrong? What if the medicine didn’t work? What if the medicine stopped working? Maybe Curtis can’t imagine the hurt and shame Marshall could have brought down on him, but Marshall has, and it’s haunted him every day of his life. He was in danger of becoming someone else. Not the man Curtis’s mama married, not the man he knew. Not the father he wanted to be, or even have them be around. So he took the deal, and he took their meds, and he took off. He starts to cry, and says he’s sorry he hurt Curtis and Tommy, but at the time, he didn’t know what else to do.

Drew tells Carly, he wishes he’d met Lila, but he knows enough about her to take it as a compliment. She says, score one for her, and he says he doesn’t know if he’ll ever be completely comfortable in that house, but he doesn’t remember the last time he felt like a stranger. Carly tells him, that’s what Jason said, but he didn’t use those words, and he asks what Jason would say about her trying to buy into Aurora. She says, he would tell her to stay out of it, and he asks if she would if Jason told her too, but she says, no. She ignored Jason’s advice all the time, and he never held it against her. She’s sure at some point they were in a crisis of her making, and he said, I told you so, but she can’t remember. Drew says, she’s holding him to the same standard, but she says she’s not, because he schooled her on that. Jason is Jason, and Drew is Drew. Although there are definitely some similarities, Drew is his own person. He advised her to stay out of it, and she considered his advice; she’s just not going to take it. She thinks she’s going to make a lot of money on this merger, but he says, she is not doing this to make money. She’s doing it to back him and Michael. She says, right, because Michael’s her son, and it’s the least she can do to settle up with him. He asks what debt she thinks she’s repaying?

Sonny thanks Dex for the update, and Dex asks if he should look into it; figure out who’s making moves. Sonny says, check with the other clients, and see if any of them are thinking of making a switch, when Dex’s phone rings. Sonny tells him, take it, and Dex steps away. Sonny takes a swing at a hanging bag, and Brando asks if he still wants to spar. Sonny says, he thinks somebody has already taken a swing at him, and Brando asks if he has any idea who. Sonny says, yep; his own son.

Ned says, co-president, and Michael says he’s not sure about the co. He and Drew are already looking at that for a shared CEO position. Ned says he’s not referring to himself. He means the three of them. They share power and divide responsibilities. They each oversee a division according to their ability. The big decisions come down to a vote among the three of them. It’s equitable and it’s transparent, and it’s a sign of good faith that in the future they can move forward as a unit. What does Michael say?

Obrecht asks Brad to please leave them, and when he’s gone, she tells Britt, look at this place. It’s not fit for schwein. Britt says, everything is exactly how she wants it, and Obrecht says she finds that hard to believe, handing Britt a bra. Britt says, why? Because she prefers to store her bra on the lampshade? Or she’s not ashamed to single, and she doesn’t care if she dies alone? Obrecht says, pardon her intrusion. If Britt doesn’t appreciate her help… but Britt says, stop. She’s sorry she jumped down Obrecht’s throat. Obrecht says, don’t apologize. If anyone should apologize… Britt says, let her finish. She does appreciate Obrecht’s help and knows Obrecht means well, even if good intentions are a relatively new concept for her. She gave Society Set-Ups her best shot, and it didn’t pan out, and that’s okay, but she tried. Now she’s going to take a break from putting herself out there. Obrecht leads Britt to the bed, and they sit. She says, this isn’t about Britt meeting someone; it never was. If Britt doesn’t wish to share her life with another person, Obrecht will respect that. Perhaps her happiness with Scotty has made her a hopeless romantic. Britt says, Obrecht’s version of one, and Obrecht says she wants the people she cares about to be as happy as she is. Since her work scope is rather small, she can devote more time than the usual meddler. Britt says, maybe meddle with Nina? and Obrecht says, and her recovering amnesiac mafiosi? She’s getting nowhere near that schlimazel. As for Britt, she only wants Britt find the happiness she’s recently discovered. What she has with Scotty… Britt says, please, no details, and Obrecht tells her, she’ll just say, a gruff, sturdy, ethically flexible man who worships her is a nice change of pace. Britt says she’s happy for Obrecht, and Obrecht thanks her. She apologizes for attempting to foist her idea of contentment onto Britt, but she doesn’t apologize for butting in when she sees her only living child flailing. And make no mistake about it; she is.

Marshall asks if that was enough detail for Curtis, and Curtis says, for now. Marshall says, good. He’s going to take some rest. He gets up, and Curtis says, one more question. Marshall says he’s tired, but Stella says, just one, and Curtis says he’ll make it an easy one. About Marshall’s drug regimen. It’s been honed and refined over the years, right? Marshall says, It has, and Curtis says, and in all those years, Marshall never had an episode or a relapse? Marshall says, he told Curtis, he’s been lucky. Why? Curtis asks, how come Marshall didn’t come back years ago? Why now?

Drew asks what Carly could possibly think she owes him, and Carly flashes back to the courtroom, and telling Drew that Nina isn’t Willow’s mother. She tells him that she messed up his whole Victor Cassadine plan, but he says, that was an honest mistake. She says, and he’s been there for her since her marriage crashed and burned, but he says, that’s what friends do for each other. Nobody owes anybody anything. She says, he could have turned his back on her at any time, and let’s be honest. Before he went to Afghanistan, they’d grown apart. He says, that’s not how he thinks of it, and she asks, how can he not? He says, they hit a little bit of a rough spot when Jason came back. He didn’t know how or where they belonged in each other’s lives, but they navigated through that. He never once doubted them. He knew they would find their way back to each other; to the friendship they used to have. Or if they didn’t, they’d create a new one. And look at them now. They did it.

Sonny tells Brando, there’s a new angle, targeting his legitimate enterprises. Someone is throwing their weight around, interfering with his supply chain, messing with his clients. He’ll give Michael some credit. He’s smart, and he knows how to strategize. Brando asks if Michael has ever come after Sonny’s businesses before, and Sonny says, no, but Michael thinks he abandoned his family. Michael only sees what he wants to see, which is ironic, since when Michael got together with Willow, she was married to Chase. He only make allowances for himself, not for his own dad. Sonny leaves, and Dex looks at Brando. Brando says, problem? and Dex says, nothing he can’t solve. As Dex puts his phone away, Brando notices a gun in his waistband.

Marshall says, Curtis is the reason for why now. He kept his eyes on Curtis from afar. He witnessed Curtis’s struggles and his triumphs. Some made him proud, others broke his heart, but he never dared interfere. Not until Curtis gave him a sign. Curtis says, what sign? and Marshall says, The Savoy, his club. When Curtis opened a place for music, it was like God Itself was telling him that Curtis was ready. Or maybe that he was ready. He’s sorry he was late, but he’s here now. Stella says, and he’s staying, and Marshall says, he’s staying. Curtis and Marshall hug, and Marshall tells Stella, come here, girl. The three of them hug.

Britt says, she’s not flailing, but Obrecht says, Britt just doesn’t see it, and she’s certainly not living up to her potential. Look at herself; she’s letting life pass her by. One could make a convincing case that Britt is wallowing. Britt says, because none of the candidates put up by Society Set-Ups interested her? She’s raised her standards. She sighs, and says, she wants a man that will not only save her life, but who she can trust with her darkest secrets. Someone who can look her in the face and not flinch when she tells them that she has Huntington’s Disease, and she’ll inevitably die a horrible, debilitating death. Does Obrecht know any guys like that? Because the only one she’s met is buried under seven tons of rock on Cassadine Island. Obrecht says, Britt has had almost a year to make peace with Jason’s death and her diagnosis, and Britt asks, since when is there a time limit on grief? Or facing her own mortality? Obrecht says, Britt isn’t the only person who has to content herself with what time she has left. She has friends, and a cousin, and a nephew, and a mother who love her, and will miss her when she’s gone. Obrecht will be devastated. With the life she’s led, did Britt think she expected to outlive her children? Nathan is gone, and every morning she’s grateful for each and every moment left with Britt. She wonders when will Britt ever feel the same, and she leaves.

Michael says he’ll take Ned’s offer to Drew and see what he says, but Ned says, Michael doesn’t sound very enthusiastic. Michael says, to be honest, he doesn’t think it will appeal Drew. An equitable distribution of power among the three of them doesn’t account for the risk Drew is taking on the Aurora side. Ned says, Drew takes the risk, and Michael reaps the benefit. Then the two of them turn him into their underling. Drew has never even worked for ELQ. Michael says, maybe not, but he did. He was the CEO for years while Ned was doing his music and other stuff. Ned says, long before Michael found himself in the executive suite, he was changing Michael’s diapers. Michael says, let’s not get personal. If Ned loses sight of what’s at stake, they all lose. Ned walks outside and looks at Valentin in his phone contacts.  

Carly says she’s glad she and Drew managed to push through, although she’s probably been doing all the pushing, since he felt like everything was fine. He says, sorry. Next time, he’ll clue her in. No more secrets. How about this? He doesn’t stand in the way of her investment, and she’s got to keep him honest; tell him if he starts veering away from Lila, and heading toward Edward. She tells him, don’t worry; she will.

Brando asks if Sonny is headed out, and Sonny says, he’s got to stop the bleeding. Brando asks how he can help, and Sonny says, just asking is plenty. Brando says he gets; it’s a sensitive situation. If he can’t talk to Michael, maybe he can talk to Dante. Maybe the two of them can get Michael to the table; see if he and Sonny can’t hammer out a peace. Sonny says, Brando is a good guy; stay that way. He doesn’t want to get involved in this. Brando tells Sonny that he said it himself, this is a legit business, which means there’s nothing Brando can’t know. Since it’s also family, he doesn’t want things to get so bad between Sonny and Michael that they can’t find their way back. Sonny says he thinks they’re a little too late for that.

On the phone with Drew, Michael says he just talked to Ned. Ned came back with a counter, but he wasn’t enthusiastic. Things got pretty tense, which is average for this family, but he was hoping Drew could come up with something better… All right. They’ll talk. He turns, and sees someone there. He asks if he can help them, and Dex says he hopes so.

Tomorrow, Sasha says Gladys is driving her crazy; Dante asks if that makes Michael any better than Sonny; and Sonny tells someone, if they touch one of his kids, and he’ll kill them himself.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Marcos tells Gary about his best friend Juan Carlos’s mom dying of a heart attack, and that Juan Carlos is in Miami, and couldn’t see her. In Marcos’s interview, he says, Juan Carlos is one of his oldest friends. He was there when Marco’s grandpa and grandma died, and he couldn’t go back to Venezuela because of his immigration status. Gary tells Marcos that his situation is more important than the guests, and asks if he wants company in the galley. In his interview, Marcos says, it’s not easy. He imagines it’s his mom, and hopes that sh*t doesn’t happen to him. He and Gary go to the galley, and Marcos says, business. Co-primary Lane tells Daisy that he likes to do a crew versus guests thing, and in the galley, Marcos tells Gary, this kind of stuff always happens when you’re away from home. Daisy checks out the table setting, and tells Ashley that she has the glasses the wrong way. (Ah-ha! in Nelson voice.) Daisy says, there’s a cabin that’s free, and tells Ashley to do it, then tells Marcos that the guests are sitting for dinner. It’s seafood night, and when Gary brings up a platter, he pretends he cooked it. Marcos describes the fabulous dishes, and Lane says, they’re all allergic seafood… just joking. Marcos laughs, but you know he’s thinking, not today. He goes to the galley to get dessert prepared, and Lane says, the seafood is impressive in variety. Marcos tells Colin about Juan Carlos’s mom, and says he always gets news like this when he’s cooking. That’s how it was when his grandpa and grandma died. Colin says, that’s when you realize how strong you are, and Daisy tells Marcos, the guests are ready for dessert. The guests pronounce the mean amazing, and applaud Marcos. Gary asks if Scarlett worked this hard day boats, she says, no, and they laugh. In Ashley’s interview, she says she doesn’t blame Gary; Scarlett is f***ing hot. It’s predictable though. We flash back to Gary flirting with everyone, including jokingly with Glenn, and Ashley says, it’s actually hilarious. Scarlett tells Gary that he makes her laugh.

Lane thanks the other guests for dressing up in white, and helping them celebrate. In Daisy’s interview, she says she’d love to meet someone amazing, but it hasn’t happened in 34 years, so she’s not holding her breath. Co-primary Amanda wants to saber a bottle, and does so successfully. Guest Becky asks if Glenn will join them for dinner tomorrow, and Gary tells Daisy and Kelsie about Juan Carlos. Marcos goes to bed, and Glenn tells Gary, the wind is picking up overnight. It will interesting to see how the swell comes through. Ashley says she’s pretty sure it was like this when they dragged last time, and Glenn suggests putting a couple fenders on deck. He tells Gary to keep an eye out for drifting. In Glenn’s interview, he says he’s not worried about the Parseval, but they  might drag into all the little boats. Gary tells Kelsie to be vigilant, and know the surroundings.

The wind is 15 knots at midnight, and Marcos tells Gary that he spoke by text to Juan Carlos. He doesn’t believe it. Life is unfair. Gary says, that’s why you have to make the most of every day. By 1:40 am, the wind picks up 25 knots, and Kelsie thinks one of the surrounding boats is getting too close for comfort. In her interview, she says she needs someone who has the ability to move the boat if they need to get the f***ing hell out of there, and she wakes up Gary. He says, they’re stretching anchor, and if they start dragging, they’ll be deep in mud. In Gary’s interview, he says he learned the hard way, and doesn’t want it to happen again in his lifetime, let alone twice in one season. At 6:30 am, the wind is at 30 knots, and Gary tells Barnaby that he’s going to bed, and wake Glenn if he gets concerned. It’s guest Becky’s birthday, and Lane thinks it would be fun to go kite surfing. Colin thinks they should wake Glenn because they’re dragging so much, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, there’s no choice but to re-anchor. They won’t just be dragging in shallow water, but into other boats. He tells the deckhands to pull both anchors up and redrop them. In Barnaby’s interview, he says, it could be a serious problem if they keep dragging, and Colin sees there’s a chain wrapped around one of the anchors. In his interview, Barnaby says, if they can’t get the anchor up, they could end up hitting a little boat.

Colin tells them to bring the anchor up so he can screw around with it, and in Colin’s interview, he says, it’s chaotic. If this debris gets caught in the propellor, it could break something. He wants to scream. A rock and another anchor are attached to it, and as Scarlett serves breakfast, Colin curses the anchor. Gary tells Glenn that he’ll jump in the tender, and Colin says, they have to make sure nothing goes in the thruster. They manage to get all this crap off the anchor, and Colin tells Glenn, both anchors are at the water line. They re-anchor, and Lane asks if the captain was doing stunts. It was actually pretty exciting. Lane asks Glenn if it’s possible to sail if it calms down, but Glenn says, it woudn’t be fun, but maybe tomorrow. Lane jokes that he wants a second opinion from Barnaby.  He tells Gary about the relay they want to do with the crew, and shows him the Seaman Cup trophy. Gary thinks it’s brilliant, and Lane tells him to come up with ideas for events. Is he up for the challenge? Gary says, game on. In the galley, Marcos tries to explain molecular gastronomy to Colin, and shows him how it’s done, which is where it finally made sense to me. Simplified, he put cantaloupe in a blender; added gelatin; heated it, then used a pipe (like you use for icing), dropping it into cold water. Boom! Caviar pearls that taste like cantaloupe. Colin asked if you could do it with any liquid, and Marcos said you could. I imagine they use molds or whatever to make the various food shapes. Ashley whines loudly about wanting to be in the relay, and Gary asks that the teams be changed from four on each to six, so there will be no tears. Ashley then tells the guests about how she whined, and afterward, Daisy says, the guests shouldn’t know that stuff unless they ask. If Ashley stood back, she’d probably get her way. Gary tells everyone to get in their swims soonish.

Daisy tells Marcos that Glenn will be dining with the guests, and Marcos says, he’ll have to change everything because he’d planned for eight people, not nine. She asks if she can help, and keeps apologizing. In Daisy’s interview, she says, f*** me. She feels so guilty. In the galley, Marcos says, f*** this.

The guests dress like pirates, and the crew like sailors. Glenn gives them instructions for the sailing course. He says, after that, they’ll bring a paddleboard around the boat once, then to the jacuzzi for the finish. This is possibly the best episode of the season. Scratch that. It is the best episode. Very little Ashley bullsh*t, and more fun. The guests are keeping the crew so busy by including them, there’s no time for Ashley’s bullsh*t. Glenn is the referee for the crew, and guest Matt for the guest. Ashley is paired with Barnaby, and in her interview, she says, no way she’s losing this race. They lag behind, and in her interview, she says, Barnaby is a sailing instructor. He should be doing his job better. When they get to the paddleboards, Glenn says he thinks it’s going to be a photo finish, with a mad dash to the jacuzzi. Everyone sits in the hot tub, and guest Romeo says, they were bested by the seaman. In Colin’s interview, he says, some people would think they’d let the guests win, but a competition is a competition. In Ashley’s interview, she says, f*** yeah; told you. The crew receives their cup, and they all drink out of it. Glenn says he’s impressed; they all did well. Marcos tells Daisy that dinner isn’t going to be as molecular because of the timing. She apologizes, and says she’ll take the bullet. In his interview, Marcos says he had a small amount of time to reinvent the dinner for nine plate. Daisy feels awful, and Ashley and Scarlett decorate for the dinner.

The guests are seated, and Glenn joins them. Glenn tells them that they don’t get many Canadians, and the first course is served – it looks like a tomato, but it’s a pepper! Amanda says, finding out the chef was excellent has been a highlight, and in Glenn’s interview, he says he doesn’t really understand it. He’s good with a regular tomato. The caviar is presented, Marcos having used prosciutto and cucumber, and Lane says, even though they told him, no holds barred, Marcos was still using their favorites. Glenn suggests Marcos might be an alien from the future. They toast to birthday girl Becky, and Amanda tells Marcos that he’s a magic man. Lane does a happy food dance, and Glenn thanks them. They suggest Glenn party with them, but Glenn says he needs his beauty rest. Lane tells the story of a man being asked if he’d ever done a hurricane. He drank a shot, got water thrown in his face, and was slapped. They want the crew to do the same to the dudes in the group, because apparently it’s some weird tradition. In Ashley’s interview, she says she has a lot of pent up frustration; it’s gonna rip. In Kelsie’s interview, she says, it feels wrong since the guests are so lovely, but if the guests ask, they provide. So they provide what the guests ask, and everyone goes to bed, a jolly good time having been had by all.

Gary bugs Scarlett to talk on deck, but she tells him it has to wait until she’s done. He talks anyway, so Ashley runs to Daisy, saying, Scarlett doesn’t need to be having a heart-to-heart with Gary when she could be helping. In Ashley’s interview, she says, she’s totally f***ing with Gary’s fun. Daisy comes up on deck, and tells Scarlett, it’s not the appropriate time. Gary says, he’s been c*ck blocked, and in Scarlett’s interview, she says, the only person causing trouble in her and Gary’s relationship is Gary. Scarlett told Daisy she tried to tell Gary later, but he said it wouldn’t take long. Daisy says, that’s Gary. Later, a shirtless Gary finds Scarlett in the laundry room, and half-asleep Daisy comes out. Gary asks if they were talking loud, and Daisy just glares at him, going back in her cabin. Gary tells Scarlett that Daisy is just jealous, and in her interview, Scarlett says, it’s easy for Gary not to care. Daisy’s not his boss. It’s effecting her work and she wants him to stop. This is why she can’t do this.

Glenn tells Colin that it’s not worth going back to drop off the guests, so they’ll take them to shore in the tender. Gary says, they were the best guests they’ve ever had, and I agree. Glenn calls the crew to the cockpit to say goodbye, and Daisy says, it feels like they’re picking up, not dropping off. Lane says, they obviously wish they could have sailed, but everything was phenomenal. He’s going to keep an eye out for Marcos, and expects to see a Michelin star near his name soon. The food totally redeemed the wind and the weather. He gives Glenn the tip envelope, and Gary goes with them in the tender. Glenn blows the horn, and the guests wave from the dock. The crew does some quick cleaning, and it’s time for the tip meeting. Glenn tells them that he’s not bias, but this was the classiest, funniest, kindest group, and they were Canadians. Not going anywhere and having to entertain guests is the hardest, and it’s the first time a chef did molecular gastronomy. Marcos has been continuously outdoing himself. They got the biggest tip of the season; $23K or $2,555 each. He hates to end the meeting with bad news, but they have a charter tomorrow, at noon. Daisy says, they’re so close to the end. How is this happening? Glenn says, they start at 8 am; it’s the final charter. He can’t allow their work to go unappreciated though, and has a caterer from a restaurant coming to the yacht. He tells them, it’s a school night, and to police themselves, so they can bang it out for the last one. Daisy asks to talk to Ashley, and tells Ashley that she can see how hard Ashley works, but the whingeing grates on her. (I’m assuming that’s akin to whining.) Daisy says, it’s inappropriate, and a part of the job Ashley needs to work on. There’s no point in decorating a beautiful table if you can’t sell it. Ashley says she knows she needs to work on that, and Daisy says she wants to see amazing, happy, and helping Scarlett. One last push. Marcos tells Colin that he has to keep going like nothing happened, and Colin asks how he can help. Glenn asks Daisy, Gary, and Marcos to join him for the preference sheet meeting.

The co-primaries are Laura and Matt, who are bringing Allegra and Gabe, who were supposed to get married in 2020, but had to cancel. They want to make up for lost time, and be married by Glenn on the beach. Gary asks if captains can really marry people, and Glenn says, to make it official, you have to follow-up with a Justice of the Peace. In Glenn’s interview, he says, he knows it’s traditional for a captain to officiate, but weddings can be a lot, and he’s nervous. Daisy reads that on day one, the guests want an astrological rave, and on day two, the beach wedding, with a reception including a multi-tiered cake. Marcos reads that another co-primary, Loren, adheres to a gluten-free diet, and Marcos says, that means she’s allergic and he has to be careful. In Marcos’s interview, he says, gluten-free, dairy-free, and a f***ing wedding cake. He’s going to have to make a gluten-free cake. This is going to emotionally destroy him; the stress is too much. Glenn says, it’s an interesting finale, and they all chant, last charter. Scarlett asks Daisy if they can wipe down the stainless tomorrow, and Daisy agrees. Daisy tries to chat with Marcos, who asks her to give him some space. The restaurant caterer arrives, and the crew gets dressed for dinner. After they’re seated, Daisy asks Marcos to go for a smoke. They go up on deck, and she asks if he’s okay. He says he’s better, but he’s sad and worried. She says, he’s an incredible chef, and to see him so low makes her heart break. She hugs him, and in his interview, he says, it’s the first time the whole season that he’s thinking he’s not going to pull it off. It’s that serious. He tells Daisy, he’s human, and in his interview, he says he may reach his limit. He’s in a glass of water, and ready to drown. Daisy says, he’ll come out shining, and hugs him.

I have my favorite episodes of the OG Below Deck (Shame Cocoon for one), but this was hands-down my favorite episode of Sailing Yacht. I’ve never been that crazy about this spin-off, although Glenn has grown on me, but these guests were so much fun, and so inclusive of the crew, there was literally no time for Ashley’s machinations, and little time for Gary’s nonsense. Gary is just an idiot, but Ashley could give Jax Taylor a run for his money as Worst Human On Earth. There was also a bit of excitement with that whole anchor thing. Best. Sailing. Episode. Ever.

Next time, party on deck; Daisy says, a hangover is tomorrow’s problem; the crew deals with tomorrow’s problem three hours before charter; Glenn says, tomorrow’s problem is self-inflicted, so it’s on them; and the beach where the wedding is to be held is crowded.

⚙️ Who’s That Guy…?

Stepping in for Brando.

https://soapdirt.com/general-hospital-comings-goings-brando-corbin-recast-new-face-debuts-two-exits/

🥀 Just So Sad…

I can’t imagine how they must feel.

https://people.com/tv/general-hospitals-jack-and-kristina-wagners-son-harrison-dead-at-27/

👠 The Housewife Trap…

I wouldn’t mind seeing her in the show, but point well made that she’s neither a housewife nor a mother.

🏰 Digs In Dubai…

To counteract the sad news above. On a side note, Bravo finally backed themselves into an acronym corner. Because it might get confused with Dallas – RHOD – it’s RHODubai. Good thing they aren’t from Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoron-ukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. And yes, it’s a real place in New Zealand.

https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/5503306/real-housewives-dubai-caroline-stanbury-home-sergio/

🚂 Taking the A Train…

Delivered as promised. Feel free to come along tomorrow for a look at some soap and some Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay pursuing at least one passion, and stay not becoming a meme.