For those who actually go to the movies on Christmas Day. I saw The Hateful 8 on Christmas the year it came out. Because nothing says Merry Christmas like a Quentin Tarantino movie. It was pretty crowded, but manageable.
Even though it’s not technically a Christmas movie, it does begin and end on Christmas. While the animated classic is beautiful, I loved the live action remake.
(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)
General Hospital
On the phone, Anna says she asked Jack to keep her informed, so if he insists on avoiding her phone calls, she’ll be forced to come down to his fancy, high-tech office to get answers. She did agree to deniability. She didn’t agree to a full-on information blackout. So if he’s going to take action to bring Sasha back, he’s going to have to give her a heads up, yeah? Thank you. Ric walks in and asks if it’s a bad time.
Olivia answers the door and it’s Alexis. She says, me again, and Olivia hugs her. Alexis says she told Scout that she would come back and say goodnight to her, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). She knows where Scout’s room is, right? Alexis thanks her and goes upstairs.
Brook finds Dante on the patio and asks if he’s all right. He’s been out here for a while. He says he came out to clear his head a little bit, but she says, he could do that inside where there’s heat. He says he’s all right, but she asks if he’s not a little cold. Dante says, honestly, he doesn’t know what he is right now.
Tracy walks into the stables, where Cody is shoveling hay. She says she has a house full of hungry children who are being forced to subsist on stale crackers and boxed beverages, and he says he has some leftover pizza in the fridge upstairs, but he doubts it’s enough for the army she keeps at the house. She says, just point her in the direction of his irresponsible and unreliable girlfriend, and he says, Sasha? She says, who else? She was willing to keep an open mind and give her a second chance, but this is how Sasha repays her, by disappearing. He says, if Sasha took off, he’s sorry, but he’s the last person she would tell.
Holly wonders why there’s not any news yet. Chief Brennan and Jason left ages ago. Robert says, these operations take time, and she says, it’s been 24 hours since Jenz abducted Sasha. If he’s touched a single hair on her head… He says, knowing Brennan and Jason Morgan, there’s not going to be anything left of this guy to kick. She says she’s going to get some air, but he asks her to stay with him. Relax. She says, that’s not going to happen no matter what she does, and he says, then be all twirly up beside him. Stay. She asks, why? So he can make sure she doesn’t do something to make things worse? Tell her the truth. Is that what she is to him? A problem?
In a warehouse stairwell, Jack radios for his men to hold their position. Nobody move without my go.
Jason walks into the warehouse, and Sidwell says he told Holly to bring them herself. Jason says, Sidwell wanted the diamonds, so here he is, and Sidwell says, apparently, Sasha was right. Her mother really doesn’t care if she lives or dies. He’s just sorry he won’t see Holly’s lovely face when she finds out her daughter’s dead.
Alexis tells Olivia, Scout was fast asleep. She envies her. Olivia asks if she can get Alexis anything, but Alexis says, no. Please thank Monica for letting the kids stay here. Olivia says, she’s their grandmother. This is their house too. Alexis too. If she wants to stick around close by… Alexis says, if she’s going to stay up all night, it’s best that she does it in her own bed, and Olivia says, just know that the door is always open. There’s a lot of beds in this place. Alexis says she thinks that Scout and Danny should live with her. She knows that Scout’s father lives here, but if he gets elected, he’ll live in Washington DC a good deal of the time. Olivia says she guesses that’s probably true, and Alexis says she’s not sure Jason is prepared to raise a teenager. Olivia says, who is? But she thought things between Jason and Danny were good. Alexis says, Sam was worried about Jason’s influence on Danny, and Olivia says, right. She thought Dante said things were good on the Sam and Jason front. Alexis says she doesn’t think Sam would want Jason to raise Danny alone, and Olivia says she sees Alexis’s point. Alexis says, so she thinks the sooner they stabilize them at her place, it will be best for them.
Brook thanks Dante for taking pity on her and coming inside. Does he want something to eat? He says, they just had dinner, and she says, they had dinner, but he didn’t eat anything. He says, with everything going on in this house, how does she know what he’s doing? and she says she knows his secrets. He forgets, when they were kids, he taught her to hide the peas under the mashed potatoes. He says, sometimes he forgets how long they’ve known each other, and she says her too, but she can still tell when he’s hiding his feelings. He asks if she wants him to fall apart in front of the kids, and she says, good thing there are no kids around right now. Tell her, what is he thinking and feeling? He says he’s thinking he doesn’t know how he’s going to take care of their family on his own without Sam.
Tracy says, Cody hasn’t heard from Sasha? and he says, nope, and he doesn’t expect to. She says, what did he do? (ha-ha! again someone assumes it must be him) and he says, for once, he didn’t mess anything up. Turns out he and Sasha are cousins. First cousins. Tracy laughs and says, how? He says, Sasha just found out that Robert Scorpio’s her father, and she says, Robert? Wow… wow. She guesses she can still be surprised. So if Robert’s her father, who’s her… He says, Holly Sutton, and she says, wow. That’s not surprising. Disturbing, but not surprising. Did Holly raise Sasha? Cody says, no. Sasha’s grandmother did, but Holly was around. She says, as upsetting as this is, consider himself lucky that he dodged a bullet.
Anna tells Ric, it’s late. She’s busy. He says, this won’t take long. Ava Jerome’s trial is coming up soon. Despite recent tragic events, he still has a duty to defend his client to the best of his ability. She says, then why is he here speaking to her instead of anywhere else talking to his client? He says, it seems Ava’s arrest is based solely on some photographs from unknown origin that were taken at the time of Kristina’s accident. And basic rules of discovery require the state to provide the defense with all known evidence. She says, he should have been provided with copies of those photos. She can check with the DA’s office. He says he has his copies. What he wants to know is, where did she get them?
Holly says she should have taken those diamonds to Sidwell herself. That’s what he wanted. Robert says, Sidwell’s demand that she bring him those diamonds was a trap, but she says, they don’t know that. He says, they’re going to find out, and she says she thought he didn’t trust Jack Brennan. He says he and Jack have had their differences over the years, but he’s always known Jack to be a good man to have on your side. She asks if he’s on Sasha’s side, and he says, as is Jason Morgan. She says, so many things can go wrong, and he says, as difficult as this is, they have to trust that Brennan and Jason can bring Sasha back to them.
Sasha tries the door again, then looks around the room. She sees there’s a vent in the wall, and rifles through drawers until she finds a letter opener.
Jason says he has the diamonds. Does Sidwell want them or not? Sidwell says he should kill Jason now, and Jason says, he can try. Sidwell says, let him see them, and Jason tosses one to him, Sidwell catching it like he’s an MLB player. He looks at it and asks, where are the rest? Jason says, show him Sasha, and he’ll show Sidwell the diamonds. Where is she? Sidwell says, she’s close by, but she doesn’t have much time. So the rest of the diamonds – now.
Cody says he thought things were getting better between Tracy and Sasha, and Tracy says, they were. Then she found out Holly Sutton was Sasha’s mother. He says, Sasha’s not her mom, but she says, please. Whatever parent you don’t want to emulate, that’s the one you become most like. (Oh great.) Her mother was a wonderful woman. You know what she got? Her eyelashes. He says, they’re very nice, and she thanks him. She says, even if he and Sasha weren’t cousins, their relationship was doomed to fail, and he says, she doesn’t know Sasha like he does. She’s nothing like her parents. She says, that’s the nature versus nurture debate. Is someone born untrustworthy, or do they learn to be that way? He says, Tracy has admitted to some underhanded stuff in her life too, but she says she’s not marrying herself and she’s not suggesting anybody else does. He says he’s not going to let her make Sasha out to be the bad guy. Even if she did pull a few cons, that just makes her more perfect for him. Tracy laughs and asks how he can say that. He says, because he’s been conning people his whole life. There was a long time when his entire focus was seeing what he could get out of this world. She says, he’s not that person anymore, but he tells her that she wouldn’t say that if she knew what he pulled the other day.
Brook says, Dante doesn’t have to make any big decisions right now. And he and the kids can stay here as long as he likes. Everyone loves having them here, even Tracy. He laughs and says, now he knows she’s lying. It just doesn’t feel like they can be a family without Sam. She says, they already are a family. He just has to keep being the amazing dad he already is. He says, she didn’t turn out so bad herself, and she says, obviously, when Chase walks in. He tells Dante, if there’s anything he needs or wants… Dante thanks him, and Chase tells Brook that he’s sorry he missed dinner. He got hung up at the station. She says, he’s here now. That’s all that matters. He asks if there are any leftovers, and she says, lots. She’ll make him a plate. They leave as Dante sadly watches.
Alexis asks if Dante has said anything about where he and Rocco are going to live, and Olivia says she thinks right now, he’s just trying to put one foot in front of the other. He loved Sam so much. Alexis says, she loved him right back, and Olivia says, she loved Rocco as her own. It’s not always that way. You hear stories. They never referred to themselves as a blended family. They were just a family. Alexis says, Sam was her wild child. She certainly never expected Sam to settle down with a family and be the anchor in it. Olivia starts to cry and says she can’t believe Sam’s gone, and Alexis says, what they say about how mothers aren’t supposed to outlive their children is true.
Ric says, Anna’s name was listed as the officer that logged the photos into evidence. That means she was the one to receive them. She says, that’s true, and he says, great. So where did she get them? She tells him, as she said in her statement, during the course of their preliminary investigation, the photos were brought to her attention depicting a physical altercation between Ava Jerome and Kristina Corinthos-Davis. He says he read it. It’s a terrific statement, by the way. She thanks him, and he says, what he wants to know is, who took those incredibly convenient photos? She says, it’s interesting he thinks they were convenient. They do make his client look rather guilty. He says, the providence of those photos matters and is at best dubious. It’s just one more example of the PCPD’s mishandling of Ava Jerome’s case and another reason her case should be thrown out.
Jack asks if there’s any movement in the rear of the building, and jets down a staircase.
Jason says he’ll hand over the diamonds after he gets proof of life, and Sidwell says, fine. He shows Jason his phone and we see Sasha messing with the vent. Sidwell says, you really do have to admire someone who doesn’t just wait for fate to fall in their lap. It’s really to bad she won’t have enough time to get out. Jason says, where is she? and Sidwell says, somewhere on the five floors. There are 30 offices in this building. Give him the diamonds; avoid the scavenger hunt. Jason says he’s good at finding things, but Sidwell says he’s not sure Jason will have time to disarm the bomb in the room with her before, boom! It goes off. Once he sets the timer, Sasha only has five minutes to live. He really does find a timer increases efficiency and cooperation. He sets the timer, shows Jason his phone, and says, your move, Mr. Morgan.
Sasha hears the beeping and starts looking around.
Jason hands Sidwell the diamonds, and says, where is she? Sidwell says, room 533, and Jason takes off. Sidwell calls, good luck. He’ll have to be very good at finding things.
Sasha opens a cupboard in the desk and sees the bomb.
Tracy asks what horrible thing Cody has done, and he says he agreed to keep quiet about what a sleaze Drew is. She asks why he’d do that, and he says, because Drew paid him $50,000. She says, he’s a politician. He paid for Cody’s silence. Cody says, Drew paid him to keep something quiet he doesn’t want the voters to know, and she says, that he made out with Willow and was banging her mom? He says, how…? and she says, the whole family knows. They actually paid someone to make sure the bar incident doesn’t go viral. He says, so they know he punched Drew, and she says, he needs to be much smarter going forward. He says he knows he shouldn’t have gotten drunk and he shouldn’t have gone after Drew, but she says, no. He should have held out for $100,000. (A woman after my own heart, but he should have held out for $6 million.)
Chase asks, how’s Rocco doing? and Dante says, he’s quiet. He and Danny are just trying to support Scout. Brook says, it’s the best thing those kids can do. Draw strength from each other. Chase says, Rocco was just so happy when he saw them at the Surf Lodge. He seemed more excited about the engagement than Dante was. Brook says, Dante and Sam were engaged? and Dante says he asked her when she woke up from her surgery. Brook says she’s so sorry and hugs him, and Dante says he’s going to go check on Rocco, and leaves. Brook says she just managed to make a heartbreaking situation even worse, and Chase says, there’s no worse for Dante right now. She says, it just keeps getting sadder, and they hug.
Ric says, there were several grievous lapses in procedure leading up to Ava’s arrest, and Anna says, enlighten her. He says, for one, she was initially interviewed by Detective Dante Falconari, the brother of the alleged victim, and Anna says, correct. Detective Falconari was first on the scene and was unaware that the room from which Kristina fell was, in fact, Miss Jerome’s. Then when Miss Jerome was brought in for custody, Detective Chase took over the questioning. He says, there was no reason for them to hold Ava, but then Jason Morgan shows up and Ava gets arrested. She asks what he’s implying, cause and effect? but he says, no. He’s asking her flat out. Was Jason the one that provided her with the photos in question? She says, the photos were taken by a private investigator by the name of Demitri Putnam. Mr. Putnam was hired by Sonny Corinthos regarding an ongoing custody case involving his… He asks if Sonny gave her those pictures, but she says, no. Sonny was at GH finding out if his daughter was going to live or die. He says, so Jason was Sonny’s errand boy as per usual, and Anna says she thinks he’s using this case to stick it to Sonny, the brother he hates, as per usual. He says he doesn’t know of any other Police Commissioner who would believe a known criminal. For the life of him, he can’t think of one. She says, he might want to sleep on it or think about it somewhere else, and he says, the fact that she’s willing to believe Jason Morgan says one of two things. Either personal malice towards his client or incredible naïveté on her part. Which is it, Commissioner?
Jason runs through the building trying doors and yelling Sasha’s name. She says she’s here, and he says, get away from the door. She says, he’s clear, and he kicks it in. She runs past him and says, 47 seconds. He runs out behind her.
On the stairs, Jack says he needs an update, dammit.
Sasha and Jason tear through the building, and we see there’s about 5 seconds left.
Jack says, come on, when the building explodes. Jack is tossed back.
Brook says she’s sorry it’s been such a sad homecoming, but Chase says, it’s part of being together, through the good times and the bad. She says she missed him every second he was in Seattle. She doesn’t sleep well if he’s not next to her. His snoring soothes her. He says he does not snore, and she laughs. He says he hopes she knows how much he loves their life together, and he never wants her to think he’d take it or her for granted. She says she loves him too. She always knew how lucky they were, but now… He says he knows, and kisses her.
Tracy says, Cody knows that Drew owns Aurora and a boatload of ELQ stock, and he settled for $50,000, but he says he had no intention of going to the press. She says, he just thought it was important for the bar patrons to know, but not the general public, and he says he was drunk. She says, that much was clear, and he says he’d love to show the people what’s under that perfect politician’s smile Drew is always flashing around, but he doesn’t want to hurt Willow or Michael. They have kids. He’d never blow up a family. She says she wishes Drew felt the same way, and he says, Drew just waltzed in here. Drew didn’t even ask what he intended on doing. Drew just assumed he could be bought. She says she thinks Drew assumes most people can be bought and he’s not wrong. He says he found it insulting, and she says she thinks this situation proves Drew is a real Quartermaine.
Alexis hands Olivia Sam’s engagement ring and says she didn’t know if Olivia had a chance to see it. Through her tears, Olivia says, he came running over here just as soon as he bought it. He was so excited to share his big plans. It’s a beautiful ring. Alexis says, it really is, and Olivia says she knows it sounds crazy, but some part of her is happy that her son got to propose to the woman he loved more than anything and have her say yes. Alexis says, she was so happy… and Olivia says she hopes this doesn’t come out the wrong way, but she’s actually glad Alexis was there with Sam. Alexis wipes her tears away and says her too. Olivia hands the ring back to Alexis.
Anna says, if Ric is done haranguing her, he can leave, and he says, Robin is close to Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos. That’s not really a question. Everybody knows it. She says, since he doesn’t need her for this conversation, please have it somewhere else, and he says he thinks she’s too close to known criminals and as a result, she’s willing to bend the rules for them. She says, that’s quite an accusation. For the record – for his record anyway – she’s done nothing wrong. He says, so she’s willing to believe Jason Morgan wouldn’t lie to her. Okay. He guesses they’ve got their answer. Naïve it is. Her phone rings, and she tells him to see himself out. She answers and says, yes… Where?
On the phone, Robert says, what?… A bomb?… The warehouse blew up? Holly says, did Sasha get out? and Robert says, what about their daughter? Is she alive? Holly says she can’t stand this. She’s going to find Sasha. She dashes out, and Robert follows.
Brook tells Chase that things have been so crazy and sad, they’ve barely had a minute to themselves. She wants to hear about everything that happened in Seattle. Every detail, preferably the happy ones. Chase says, for starters, it was so good to see Finn acting like his old self again, and she says, Violet must have been so happy to be with him again. He says, as soon as they landed, she couldn’t stop smiling, and she says she knows Violet belongs with her dad, but she really, really misses her. He says, Brook was a great mom to her while she was here. Violet wanted him to give her a message. She asks if Violet forgot something, and he says, a two-page list, but that’s not the message. Violet wanted him to remind her that she still wants a cousin, and in her words, she doesn’t want to wait forever. She says, then they’d better take this thing seriously, and he says, they weren’t taking it seriously before? She says she means, if they want to have a baby, there are things they can do to make that happen (um… like having sex?), and he says, she means something like this? and kisses her.
Cody says, Tracy sounds like she’s proud of Drew for going after his nephew’s wife, but she says, not at all. It’s just that there’s a Quartermaine trait that all of the family men have in common. He says, they cheat? and she says, eventually, even her dearly beloved father. Of course (🍷) not Jason. Although he doesn’t remember the first twenty years of his life, so he’s not off the hook yet. Cody says, it’s a great family legacy she’s got there. He’s sure she could go on for hours at the club just bragging about it. She says she doesn’t have to. Everybody knows. But it’s the nature/nurture conversation again.Philandering is definitely in the family DNA, but Drew didn’t grow up in the family. But there you have it. His roots are finally starting to show.
Dante and Alexis hug and he says he didn’t know she was here. She says she came to say goodnight to Scout, and Olivia leaves to check on the kids. Dante says, Scout was sleeping pretty good, and Alexis says, Scout was sleeping when she checked on her too. He says he guesses grief is pretty exhausting, and she says, yep. She’s been trying to work on necessary funeral arrangements. She’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to… He says, whatever she decides is best. He sees the plastic bag with the ring in it and takes the ring out. She says she brought that over for him because she didn’t know if he wanted to keep it or have Sam wear it. He says, it feels like he bought this ages ago, and he flashes back to showing it to Olivia, who tells him, it’s beautiful, and hugs him. He tells Olivia, let’s hope Sam feels the same way.
Jack – who has miraculously survived even though we don’t know how – brings Sasha and Jason to his office and says, wait here. He leaves, and Jason asks if Sasha is okay. She says she thinks so. She’s still breathing. She thanks him for the rescue, and he says, sure. She asks how he got dragged into this. They barely know each other. He says, Carly was there when Sidwell grabbed her and he was in Africa with Holly. She asks if he knew Holly made off with Sidwell’s diamonds, but he says, not until a few days ago. She asks where the diamonds are now, and he says, with Sidwell. Her mom gave up the diamonds to save her.
Anna arrives at the warehouse, where firefighters are running around, and she asks Dex what they’ve got. He says he and his partner responded to reports of an explosion. When they arrived, no other parties were on the scene. She says, inside? and he says, it’s supposed to be vacant, but they won’t know until the fire is put out. She says, forensics? and he says, standing by. She asks if they talked to anyone, and he says, canvassing the area, they turned up some third shift workers. They heard the explosion, but they didn’t see anything. They did find this though. He shows her an evidence bag, and she says, it doesn’t prove anything, but she’s pretty sure of whose it is. (It’s unclear what’s in the bag.)
Jack brings Holly and Robert to his office, and Holly runs to Sasha, hugging her and saying, thank God. Is she okay? Sasha says she’s alive, and Holly says she’s never been more pleased to see her. Robert thanks Jason, and Jack says, no worries, mate. You’re welcome. Robert asks if Sidwell got out, but Jack says, they never saw him or the diamonds after the explosion. Robert says, he got away? and Jack says, looks like it. Robert asks Sasha if she’s okay. Should they call a doctor? Sasha says she’s fine. She’s sorry Sidwell got away. He says, she’s here. That’s all that matters. He moves awkwardly toward her, and she hugs him. She thanks him for saving her.
Brook says, there are things they can do to improve their chances, and Chase says, she’s not going to stand on her head after, but she says she’s not talking about that. She’s been doing some reading herself. There’s a system they can try, like tracking her cycle and taking her temperature. Maybe they can get one of those ovulation predictors. He says he’s willing to do whatever it takes, but he doesn’t want to lose them being spontaneous, and she says, never. He says, tonight, they’ll do it the old-fashioned way, and tomorrow, they’ll get her a calendar and everything she needs. She says, it’s a deal. However it happens, she can’t wait to make a baby with him. He says, that makes two of us.
Tracy asks where Cody’s ill-gotten gains are now, and he says, his checking account? She laughs and he says he never had enough money for a savings account. She says she’s going to teach him how to invest, and he says, cool. She says, and while he’s living on these grounds, he’s going to keep his eyes on Drew. And when he strays, which he will, they’ll be waiting. He says, the two of them? and she says, the two of them. They’re in this together now. He says, anything that involves bringing down Drew, count him in. (Me too!)
Alexis tells Dante that she doesn’t want to rush into things, but she wants to give the kids as much stability as she can. He says him too, and she says she knows he’s hurting, but she wants to talk to him about something. He says, okay, and she says she thinks Danny and Scout should live with her. She’s sorry. She doesn’t know if he had other plans. He says he just thought they’d all live together here. Just for the time being. She says, for now it’s good. It’s familiar and there are a lot of people around. It will keep them from feeling lonely and alone without their mom. He says he really thought they would grow old together, and she says, that was the way it was supposed to be. He says he can’t imagine his life without her, and they hug.
A firefighter tells Anna, no signs that anyone was in the building when it went up, and she asks him to let her know when they find the origin of the explosion. He says, will do, and she thanks him. She asks an officer to tell the bomb squad that she wants to know what kind of incendiary device was used. And find out who owns this warehouse. The officer leaves, and Anna tells Dex that she wants them to do another canvas of the area. There has to be an eyewitness out there and she wants him talking to them. Surveillance footage, do they have it. Streetcams, everything. She wants him to get it.
Sasha says she couldn’t leave the room, but Jason got in. He saved her. Holly says she’s not sure she can ever thank him enough, and he says he’s just glad it all worked out. His phone rings, and he steps out to take the call. Holly says, he just goes on and on, doesn’t he?
In the hallway, Jason says, yeah, and Anna says she’s at a crime scene, an explosion at a warehouse. Meet her in her office in twenty. She wants some answers.
Sasha asks if Holly really gave up the diamonds for her or were they fake? but Holly says, they were real. She wasn’t going to risk Jenz thinking he’d been tricked. Robert says, they were real. No question. Sasha says, why, mother? and Holly says, because like those diamonds, the love she feels for Sasha is real. And whether Sasha believes it or not, there’s nothing more important in this world to her than Sasha.
On Monday, Willow says she thought she and Drew were on the same page; Felicia tells Sasha to give her mother a second chance before it’s too late; Mac wants to know what Holly’s pulled Robert into; and Anna asks how long Jason has been lying to her.
Does DIRECTV still exist? Do you know anyone with DIRECTV? I had a neighbor who had it for like, five minutes, and didn’t recommend it. Although I came very close to signing up when they took on Passions after it’s CBS cancelation. I’m glad I didn’t because the show was gone in a matter of months.
It’s no surprise she got involved in this. There’s nobody more authentic. I am surprised she never got a movie made about Susan though. She would have been perfect for the role.
Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver. – Mark A. Clement
No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has. – Henry Ward Beecher
Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. – Marilyn Monroe
Infinitely more important than sharing one’s material wealth is sharing the wealth of ourselves—our time and energy, our passion and commitment, and, above all, our love. – William E. Simon (But a little cash never hurts.)
Happiness depends to some extent upon external conditions, but chiefly upon mental attitudes. – Paramahansa Yogananda
If you’re going to be able to look back on something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now. – Marie Osmond (Preach!)
Make the choice to embrace this day. Do not let your today be stolen by the ghost of yesterday or the To-Do list of tomorrow! It’s inspiring to see all the wonderfully amazing things that can happen in a day in which you participate. – Steve Maraboli
I’m naturally adorable. If you have a problem with that, take it up with God. – Geneviève Delatour (Susan Lucci), Devious Maids
Counting to ten only makes it premeditated. – seen on a T-shirt
🌚 All theFall Feels…
Chuck your comfort zone this weekend and do something different. Or at least stream outside of your usual waters. Then join me on Veteran’s Day for soap and chicanery on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay thanking veterans for their service, and stay not hiding your peas under your mashed potatoes. Or hiding your feelings.
(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)
General Hospital
James looks for Cody at the boathouse. He picks up a frisbee and flings it, but it goes into the water. He reaches for it, but hears Willow coming toward the boathouse on the phone and runs inside.
Mac calls the station to have them help look for James, and Felicia says she thinks he’s on his way to the Quartermaines.
At the stables, Maxie says, there’s no sign of James, and Cody says he and Sasha will search the stables. If they can’t find him, they’ll search the rest of the property. Sasha suggests they go in separate directions, then meet at the stables later. They’ll find him. Maxie says, the only one in more trouble than James is his grandfather.
Tracy says she won’t allow Sonny to invest in Deception, and Brook says she can see the potential challenges. Tracy says, it will be exposing them to criminal liability and damage the brand, when Lucy comes in. She says she’s glad to see them all so hard at work. If Natalia hadn’t called her, she might have missed it. What’s the agenda? Brook says, they’re deciding on a multimillion dollar offer from Sonny, and Lucy says she loves Sonny. Tell her more.
Lois says she knows Sonny has the best intentions, but she won’t expose her daughter to RICO charges because he wants to impress a woman. Sonny says she sounds like she did when she was 12 years old, and she says, he can’t change the subject. He says he wouldn’t dream of it, when there’s a knock at the door. Sonny lets Jason in and says, if Lois can’t trust one of her oldest friends, does she think she can trust Jason?
John goes to the gallery and tells Ava that he thinks he’s got Sonny. He’s using Clement as bait. Sonny will come for him, and John will nail him in the act. It’s that simple. Ava says, Sonny is rarely simple, and he says, after all this time he’s finally got Sonny where he wants him and it’s all thanks to her. He hugs her.
Nina finds Willow at the boathouse, and says, the gardener told her that Willow was headed here. Willow says, she and the family are going to the beach, and she forgot her hat, and Nina says, it sounds like fun. Willow says, between chasing the kids and covering them in sunscreen, it will be, and Nina says she’s been thinking about Willow since seeing her outside the MetroCourt elevator. Willow says she’s so sorry she ran off. She must have looked ridiculous. Nina says, no. She imagines being stuck in an elevator is high on the list of things people want to avoid. Willow says, it wasn’t the most fun, but they both know not why she rushed out. She’s resigning from the New Tomorrow Institute and going back to GH. Nina says she’ll miss working with Willow, but Willow needs to do what she thinks is best for herself, and Willow says she has to get out of there. She starts to cry and says she’s feeling guilty for kissing Drew. James hears them from inside the boathouse, and Willow says she can’t risk that happening again.
Tracy says she won’t allow Sonny to invest, but Lucy says, an investor with deep pockets. How foolish is that? Tracy says, there’s no world where Sonny would be a silent partner. Otherwise, why bring in a stage mother who said horrible things about her daughter as his mouthpiece? Natalia says, so many insults in one sentence, and Tracy says she heard what Natalia said about her daughter and the LGBTQ community. Natalia tells her that she said things she regrets to someone she never should have confided in. It’s a lesson she won’t forget, but it has nothing to do with her navigating her daughter’s career. Tracy asks if outing Blaze was part of her master plan, and Natalia says she regrets outing Blaze, but that has zero to do with Blaze’s portfolio. Brook admits Tracy has a point. The things Natalia said are the antithesis of what Deception stands for. Natalia says she’s happy to do a public mea culpa campaign, but being CFO has nothing to do with their image. She’ll have no media presence. Lucy says she needs to go with her first reaction. She thinks it’s a great idea. Tracy says, of course (🍷). Because she’s opposed to it. Lucy says, in this case, she feels Tracy isn’t thinking it through. It’s about what’s best for Deception.
Sonny says, Natalia’s daughter left town, and she has no friends, but Lois says, she has one at least. Sonny says, it’s good for Natalia and will help Deception grow, and if it grows, it helps Brook. Lois says she appreciates that Sonny wants to do good, but donate money to an animal rescue or adopt a dog. He and Natalia would look cute with a puppy. Don’t use Deception money to park mob money. Sonny says, the money earmarked for Deception is absolutely legit and accounted for. If she wants to know where it’s coming from, Jason will tell her. Just ask him.
Ava says, John’s plan is great, and she loves it, but out of curiosity, what is his Plan B? He says he doesn’t need one this time. Someone made Clement mess with Sonny’s medication, and Sonny is going to want to know who that is, so he’ll look for Clement. John will be waiting when he does. She asks, what if Sonny kills Clement? but John says, he won’t. She says, if that happens, she’ll lose any leverage she has to protect herself, and he says, she has him. Scotty walks in and says he wanted to talk to Ava about the case, and Ava says, Scotty is a brilliant strategist. John should tell Scotty his plan. He’s not friend of Sonny’s. Scotty says, that’s a polite way to put it, and Ava says, Scotty will give John an honest objective opinion. John can trust him.
Cody and Sasha come back, and Maxie says she thinks James is on the property. Felicia and Mac join them, and Mac asks if there’s been any sign, but Maxie says, not yet. Sasha says, they should split up, and Felicia says, they’ll stay here in case James comes back. They leave, and Mac says, she can stay. He’ll go look. She says, the others have that covered. She wants to have a chat. This nonsense with Cody ends now.
Cody tells Sasha that he feels like garbage. James ran away because of him. Sasha says, James is a little kid. Running away is how they solve their problems. Cody isn’t the problem. Cody says he created the problem, but Sasha asks if he saw how frosty Maxie was with Mac. It doesn’t matter. They’ll find James together. He says, she has a nose like a bloodhound, and he has a voice that carries for miles. Together, they’ve got this. If she was a tiny cowboy, where would she go?
Willow tells Nina that after their kiss on the 4th of July, she doesn’t trust herself to be around Drew. She never thought something like this would happen. She loves her family. They’re her everything. Nina says, Willow never thought part of her could have feelings for anyone else, but she did, and Willow says she hates the feeling and it’s not going away. Nina says she’s in no position to be giving relationship advice, but she thinks the feeling will pass with time. Willow says, that’s what she thought, but this doesn’t feel like a crush, and Nina suggests they talk it through. What about Drew gets to her? Willow tells her that she wishes she could say one thing. She could get over one thing. But she’s attracted to all of him. Nina asks for an example, and Willow says she knows it sounds cliché, but part of her is attracted to him because he’s not her husband. She doesn’t have to ask him to do things around the house. She feels horrible saying it, and in the grand scheme of things, it’s nothing. Nina says, the feeling is normal, but Willow says, Drew doesn’t seem like every day normal. He risked life to save hers. His kind of courage and strength are pretty rare. Nina says she’ll be forever grateful, and Willow says, her too. Drew fought to put himself back together after Pentenville, and all he wants to do is give back and be a good dad. Sometimes she feels like there’s a part of Michael’s life that he keeps from her. It’s not like that with Drew. He gives his whole self to things… She just made a list about the man she’s attracted to who’s not her husband. Nina says, Willow can talk to her. She knows Willow loves Michael, and Michael loves her. Willow says, Michael has withheld things from her, but Nina says, the things he was withholding aren’t necessarily bad. Willow says she knows when Michael keeps things from her, he’s trying to protect her, but Drew treats her like she’s strong enough to know the truth. She knows he’d never lie to her.
Lucy says, Deception’s leadership is heavily weighted with Creatives, which isn’t a bad thing, but they’ve never had a CFO, and they need one. Tracy says she agrees. She’ll contact some people and get suggestions and set up interviews. Lucy says she needs to remember to let the candidates know they need to be ready, willing, and able to invest a large amount of cash. The last report she saw had a lot of sad arrows pointing down and she doesn’t want to see that again. Natalia says, that’s what she’d be solely focused on. It would be totally about the numbers. Brook says, it will free them up to explore the expansion initiatives they’ve been talking about, and Lucy says, they could use a large infusion of cash. Tracy says, once they accept Sonny’s offer, why stay legitimate? and Lucy asks if any of them know anything about smuggling, being a bookie, or counterfeiting. She understands that Tracy isn’t comfortable working with Sonny, so she needs to pick up the phone and call people who can come up with millions to match Sonny’s offer.
Jason says, the money set aside comes from Corinthos Coffee, and Sonny says, it’s a legitimate business, in good standing with the IRS. Jason says, the Feds audit them all the time, but they’ve always passed, and Lois says she appreciates Jason being honest. He’s also selective with what he says, and it’s nice to talk to someone who doesn’t just like to hear the sound of their own voice. She’ll tell Brook about what they discussed. Sonny says he looks forward to doing business with her, and she says, we’ll see. She leaves, and Sonny asks what Jason found out about the pharmacist.
John says, as long as he’s got the pharmacist, he can get to Sonny. Sonny has gotten away too long without paying. It’s their chance to get justice. Scotty asks if John thinks he can pull this off, and John says he does. Scotty asks how he can help.
Jason says, Ava admitted she knew about the tampering, but wouldn’t say who was behind it, and Sonny says, assuming it’s not Ava. His judgement became cloudy after she moved in. Her story is convenient. Jason says, she wants them to think she has something of value to trade, but the only way to know is to question the pharmacist.
Scotty says, Sonny is a two-bit criminal and he’ll shed no tears, but John says, he’s more than that. He’s involved in money laundering and extortion, and he’s got to be honest. There’s something personal to this piece – Karen. Scotty says he’s glad John said it. Karen deserves justice for what Sonny did to her and it’s about time she gets it. Ava clears her throat to get their attention and says, she thought they wanted Sonny to pay, but it seems to be more than that. It’s a little risky. Scotty says, they’re throwing in with the Feds. Is John going to give him a gun? John says, no, and Ava says, if this works, Clement is eventually going to disclose to the Feds that she knew he was tampering with Sonny’s medication. John says he can’t see why that would come up, and Scotty says, they’ll make a deal in exchange for giving them Sonny. John says, they need to get Clement in a secure location first. That part will be tricky. Scotty says he can handle that.
Nina says she supports any decision Willow makes. She just wants Willow to do what’s best for herself. But do her a favor and not be so hard on herself. No one is perfect and she’s trying to do what’s best for her family. Willow says, if she was trying to do that, she wouldn’t have kissed Drew, but Nina says, one tiny kiss doesn’t have to change anything. James continues to listen, and Willow thanks Nina and takes her hands. She says she doesn’t know how Nina knew the exact words she wanted to hear, and Nina says, because Willow is her daughter. Willow says, they should go back to the house, and Nina grabs Willow’s hat and says, she has a beach to get to. They leave, and James comes out. He says, huh.
Mac asks why Felicia is looking at him like he’s responsible, and she says, James adores Cody. He ran away because Mac wouldn’t let him see Cody. Mac says he just told Maxie that James could go back, but she says, Maxie should have been allowed to make her own decision about James’s association with Cody. By the time Mac issued his decree, it was too late. James is just a child. He doesn’t understand what happened in the first place. He says, it’s not something you discuss with a child, and she says, and apparently an adult. It seems like he’s deliberately punishing Cody. Mac knew Cody adored James. His ego was bruised, and he decided to get between them. It’s true and he knows it and look where got him.
James reaches for the frisbee, then thinks for a moment. He balances himself on the wall, but when he reaches out, he falls in the water. He yells for help and calls to Cody.
Maxie calls to James and says, he’s making her nervous. He’s not in trouble. Come out. Her phone rings, and she says she hopes it’s someone with their hands on James. She looks at the phone and says, sorry, Tracy. For once, you’ll have to handle the decision on your own. Spinelli joins her and she asks why he’s not talking. He says he overextended his larynx while yelling for James, and she says she should have known what would happen. She knows how James’s mind works. He says, no one could have predicted this, but she says, James was sad because he and Cody were being kept apart. Like his dad Nathan, James is loyal to the core. Mac is upset that Cody worked his way into James’s heart, but Cody’s not going anywhere.
Mac asks if he’s the only one who thinks James shouldn’t be spending time with some grifter, and Felicia says, Mac isn’t the patron saint of honesty. He came to Port Charles with his own agenda and was always working an angle. Sound like someone else? Has he conveniently forgotten the missteps he took with Robert? Robert rescued him from the water only to push him back in. He says, that was a long time ago, and she says, Mac changed. He grew up and matured, and he’s the most trustworthy person she knows. A lot of people gave him a second chance. She’s disappointed that he won’t he extend the same grace to his own son. She walks out.
Natalia is talking finance, when Lois comes in. She asks if she missed anything good, and Brook says she doesn’t know if it’s good, but Natalia is holding her own. Tracy says, the offer looks good, but it’s supposed to. It seduces you into thinking there’s a brighter future ahead. Lucy says, it’s business, not one of Tracy’s many marriage proposals she accepted from fortune hunters. Tracy says, Lucy knows all about fortune hunting. Maxie isn’t here, so it falls on her to be the voice of reason. They need to think about the company and its employees. Lois says, from in the cheap seats, she thinks Tracy is making an excellent point, and Tracy says, finally someone besides her is willing to engage in rational thinking.
Jason says, Clement worked a shift the other day at GH and hasn’t been seen since. He’s not at home, and Brick is going through GH’s security tapes to see what time he was last seen. Sonny says, he has no other talents or identities? and Jason says, no. Sonny says, he’s going to want protection, and Jason says, or a ticket out of town. Sonny says, he’ll lead them to whoever he’s working for, when Jason’s phone rings. Jason asks if Brick has something… Is it a positive ID?… Okay. Call when he finds him. He tells Sonny that Brick looked at the hospital footage, and Clement was last seen being escorted out of GH by John Cates.
Jason wonders why the FBI would take the pharmacist into custody. Why get involved? Sonny says, Ava’s been spending time with Jagger, and Jason says, maybe Cates ordered Clement to switch Sonny’s medication. Sonny says, Jagger is capable of doing a lot of things he didn’t think he was. Jason looks at his phone and says, Cates is with Ava at the gallery. Scotty is there too. Sonny says he wants eyes on all of them.
John says, Scotty thinks he can scoop up Clement and take him to a secure site? and Scotty says he knows he can. John asks, where? and Scotty says, Windymere. Ava doesn’t live there anymore, and nobody has moved in. John says, it’s perfect. It can only be accessed by boat and there are no nosy neighbors to give them up to Sonny. Okay. They’ll meet there once Scotty gets his hands on Clement. Scotty says, he’ll see them soon with the package, and leaves. Ava asks if the FBI isn’t supposed to protect the public, and John says, Clement will be fine. She says she’s not worried about the pharmacist. She’s worried about herself.
Tracy suggests they table the conversation until they calm down and Maxie is available, and Brook asks if she’s saying they’re the ones who are too emotional. Tracy tells her that she’s saying, upon further reflection, letting Sonny in is like inviting in a vampire. He’s a duplicitous crook who would sell his mother to make a deal. Lois says, whatever faults Sonny has – and he has many – Sonny is a man of his word. Lucy says, it’s his bond, and Lois says, if he claims the money is clean, she believes him. Brook says, Sonny would never invest tainted money in Deception, and Natalia says, she’ll do the forensic accounting, and if it doesn’t seem legit, she’ll kill the deal herself. Lucy says, it looks like they have themselves a brand-new CFO.
Nina and Willow find Michael back at the house, and Nina tells Michael that she was hoping to talk to Willow about the PSAs, but Willow told her that she’s going back to nursing. She thinks it’s wonderful, and Elizabeth will be so happy to have her back. She knows that GH and every patient of Willow’s will be thrilled.
Cody looks for James at the boathouse, and says he needs James to come out. He needs help with the horses. James yells, help me, and Cody takes off his shoes. He says he’s coming, and dives in.
Maxie tells Spinelli, the first thing she’s going to tell James is that he can take all the riding lessons he wants. Then she’s going to strangle him. Spinelli says, she should walk him through the consequences of his actions, and she says she wants him to learn from this and feel bad. He says, that’s reasonable. He’s a lucky kid to have so many people worried about him. She says, there could be a thousand people out looking for him, but nobody will find him unless he wants them to.
Cody grabs James and brings him back to shore. He asks if James is okay, and James says, Cody saved him. They hug, and Mac sees.
Nina says she’ll miss working with Willow, but she’s proud that Willow is choosing what makes her happy. Willow thanks her for everything. And on that note, she’s putting her hat in her bag along with all the sunblock she can find, and she’ll join them on the beach. She leaves, and Michael thanks Nina for keeping their conversation between them. Nina says, Willow didn’t need to know about it the way things are going. She hopes he has a great time at the beach with his family. He deserves it. She starts to leave, and he asks if she’s busy on Friday the 30th. The Quartermaines are having a dinner for extended family. Willow and the kids would love to see her. Drew will there too, of course (🍷). Nina says she’d love that, and she’ll be there.
Tracy says, they’ve thrown rational thinking out the window over misplaced loyalty to Sonny. What about those of them who didn’t grow up with him? Lois says she trusts Sonny and he wouldn’t put Deception in jeopardy, and Brook says she knows Tracy is nervous. Tracy says, everybody should be nervous. If they let Sonny in, it will be the end of Deception, and they’ll be lucky not to be escorted out in handcuffs.
Clement paces in a basement, when Scotty comes in. Clement asks, who’s he? and he says, Scott Baldwin. He’s here to rescue him.
Ava says, John is placing everybody at risk except himself. He’s using Clement and it’s dangerous. Now John wants to hide him at Windymere, putting her in more danger. John says, it’s ideal, and she says, if it doesn’t go the way he wants, it’s also an ideal place to dump her body. Even if she survives, she’s being charged with attempted murder. There are photos of the incident with Kristina, one of the many things that keep her up at night. He says he’s seen them. Hold on… It’s possible they don’t prove what everybody thinks. If you look at the photos another way, they could tell a different story about what happened in the hotel room. (Ugh. He’s such a jerk.)
Jason wonders how much the FBI knows about what Cates is doing. His assignment was about Pikeman. How would he explain what he’s been doing all along? Sonny says he doesn’t care. It’s personal. Jagger hates him and crossed lines to get to him. Sooner or later, Sonny is going to cross lines too.
Tomorrow, Laura tells Jack that she thinks they have a unique opportunity; Mac admits to James that it’s his fault; Ava tells John that it’s a stretch to make her the victim; and Sonny tells Jason that if Jagger forces his hand, he won’t have a choice.
👯♂️ New Faces of Rice Park…
It’s cute when the actors bring their family members into the fold.
She’s a better woman than I am. I ran for two years and I hated it. I could always tell how well it was going by how quickly I started thinking about the cup of coffee I was going to have when the run was over.
I must be a masochist on some level. Otherwise, why would I keep watching these Housewives? Nearly everyone is equally awful, but in different ways. I still kinda like Emily. I don’t believe she’s become meaner since she’s become friends with Tamra, as Gina said, but I have to admit, the friendship puzzles me. Why anyone would be friends with Tamra puzzles me. The women split into two groups to take girls’ trips. Tamra, Jen, Katie, and Alexis – who could only talk about Johnny J. and it’s getting seriously old – went to Tamra’s house in Big Bear; while Gina, Emily, Shannon, and Heather went to La Quinta to stay in a house that Gina was going to be showing. It’s beyond me why Gina would have a party in a house she doesn’t own and is the broker for. No surprise, every time someone committed a housekeeping sin, she nearly had a heart attack. Shannon told Emily about Gina’s mean girl comment, which didn’t sit well with Emily, but when she tried discussing it with Gina, Heather quickly made it about herself, and we were in the middle of the paparazzi thing again. There was some discrepancy about the time frame between Katie telling Gina what she allegedly knew and Gina telling Katie to keep her mouth shut, and Gina asked if she’d ever lied to Heather before. Heather said she didn’t know, which should probably always be the answer to that question, since if they’re a good liar, no one would. Heather decided to give Gina the benefit of the doubt, but this will only last until she doesn’t. You know it will come up again. Heather is never letting this paparazzi stuff go even if she’s the one who has to bring it up. It’s now joined the ranks of Munchausen, Pantygate, and Lucy, Lucy Apple Juicy. While I was a little jealous of them riding saucers down a snowy hill in Big Bear, I can’t even talk about Jen putting her foot in an apple pie and then… No. I can’t. Let it suffice to say she’ll be making money on OnlyFans.
I love how down to earth she is. This is a great idea too. I wish everyone would wear nametags all the time. I can remember what somebody said 20 years ago and memorized the entire score of Hamilton in a few weeks, but I’m terrible with names, zip codes, and phone numbers.
Another precious nugget gracing the cover. I totally get his desperate need for Brisket. I saw my rescue chihuahua El Wray’s picture and had to have him.
Start your downtime here tomorrow with soap, a spot of tea, a few wise (or not) words, and a little music. Until then, stay safe, stay being thoughtful about how your actions affect those around you, and stay being selective about what you say. Don’t talk just because you like to hear the sound of your own voice.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Kristina asks if Sam wants to talk, but they hear Dante’s key in the door, and she hides the pregnancy test behind her back. Dante comes in, and says, it’s over? Sam kisses Dante, and Kristina says, they’ve both been holding out. She holds up the pregnancy test.
Diane says, Alexis is going to do something ethically grey, but morally justifiable, isn’t she? and Alexis says, there’s nothing grey, but yes on the morally justifiable part. Diane says she knows how hard Alexis fights for those she feels have been wronged, but sometimes she’s in danger of overstepping. Alexis makes a call to Dean Jeffries in the journalism department at PCU, and Diane throws up her hands.
Gregory tells TJ, it’s a wonder he hasn’t caught the bug from one of his students… yet, when Chase comes along. Gregory asks if Chase is here to see his brother, but Chase says, Finn’s off this morning. He tweaked a muscle in this shoulder and he came to get it checked out. He asks what Gregory is doing here, but Gregory says, it’s nothing. He asks TJ to help Chase; he’ll find the exam room on his own. Chase asks if he’s sick.
Brook asks if Sasha thinks there’s tension between them because of Chase. She’s way off base. That has nothing to do with what’s going on here. Sasha says, then Brook admits there is something.
Spencer looks at a pamphlet along with the car seat in his lap, when Laura comes by, and says, confusing, isn’t it? He says, very, and she explains how to use it. He thanks her, and stands up holding it. He asks how he looks. She asks if she can be honest, and he says, sure. She says, like somebody who’s too young to be a parent.
Eileen backs away, saying, it isn’t real, and bumps into the drawer with the body on it. She screams, and ghostly Anna walks toward her, saying, you’re next. You’re next. You killed me. Eileen screams for help, but Anna says, there’s no one to help her. Eileen says, please. She’ll do anything. Anna says, confess. Confess to what you did to me. Confess or join me. Eileen looks at the body, then back at Anna.
Spencer tells Laura that he’s ready. At least as ready as he can be. Diane filed a petition with the court for him to take custody of his little brother, which is basically just a formality since Esme is going back to prison and his father is gone. Charlotte texted to let him know all the furniture has arrived and it’s been set up. He ordered diapers, formula, parenting books. He’s really trying. She says she knows she is, and couldn’t be more proud of him. It’s just that he’s not this baby’s parent; Spencer is his brother. He says, the baby’s father isn’t here, so it’s up to him to do right by his baby brother. His brother deserves something that ties him to his future instead of his past. She says, something that maybe severs all ties with his mother?
Sasha says, something’s been off between her and Brook. If it isn’t Chase, what is it? Brook suggests they drop it, but Maxie thinks talking things out could really help. Sasha says, Brook told Maxie, but didn’t tell her? They’re better than this. Brook says, nothing is wrong… per se. She might have mentioned to Maxie that Sasha and Chase have grown closer lately, and Sasha thinks it’s a conversation they should have in private. Maxie says, oh man, and gets up. She says she has errands she needs to run anyway, makes a call me gesture behind Sasha’s back, and leaves. Sasha says, let’s do this, and Brook asks if they have to. Sasha says, yes.
Gregory says he was just telling TJ how shocked he is that he hasn’t picked up this bug making the rounds. Now go get his shoulder treated. Chase asks if TJ can help with it, but TJ’s phone chirps. He says he has to see a patient, but tells Chase to check in at the nurse’s station and get set up. He leaves, and Chase asks if there’s a reason Gregory won’t tell him why he’s here.
Diane tells Alexis that she’s going to powder her nose and pretend she’s not hearing this. She leaves, and Alexis tells Dean Jeffries who she is, and that she’s the editor-in-chief at The Invader. She wanted to talk to him about Professor Gregory Chase; he works in the history and journalism department… Can he repeat that?… Is he sure?… No, nothing else. She thanks him for his time.
Kristina asks if Sam hasn’t told Dante yet. She’s so sorry. She shouldn’t have said anything. Dante says, someone should probably say something, and Molly comes downstairs, asking, what’s going on? Kristina says she found this, showing Molly the pregnancy test. She apologizes to Sam, and says she must have opened up the wrong bag. (And accidentally pulled out the test, looked it over, and decided to wave it around.) Dante asks if he and Sam need to talk, but Molly says, actually, it was her bag. The pregnancy test isn’t Sam’s… It’s hers.
Diane asks if it’s over, and Alexis says, yes. Diane says she sees Alexis gave Dean Jeffries a piece of her mind. So when does Gregory start at The Invader?… Is she okay? Alexis says, Gregory doesn’t work at PCU anymore. Dean Jeffries told her that Gregory hasn’t given a lecture or taught a class at PCU all semester. Diane says she doesn’t understand, and Alexis says, neither does she. His sons think he’s working at the university. It doesn’t make any sense; she knows him. Diane says, maybe not as well as she thought, and Alexis says, they’ve become very good friends. When Diane was stabbed, he wouldn’t leave the hospital, even when Alexis insisted he go. Diane says, that was very kind of him, but what kind of a friendship does Alexis think they’re building if he can’t even be honest with her? Alexis says, normally, she’d agree with Diane, but there’s something else at play here. Diane’s phone dings, and she says she has to go. Tread carefully with Gregory. No more investing in this friendship until she’s fully investigated the situation. She leaves, and Alexis says, she’s going to evaluate this all right.
Gregory explains to Chase that he thought he might run out of his migraine medication, and he needs an examination to refill the prescription. He asks about Chase’s shoulder, and Chase says he just worked too hard at the gym. He needs to lay off the heavy bag. Gregory says, Chase is usually good at pacing himself, and Chase says he has a lot going on. He’s trying to get his badge back, and there’s this thing with Brook. Gregory says he should have known. There’s only one person who gets Chase all worked up. Chase still hasn’t made peace with how he feels about her.
Brook says, they’re good, but Sasha says, obviously not. Brook says, if there are problems, they’re hers, and she’ll handle them herself, but Sasha says, it’s not healthy to bottle up your feelings. If anyone would know, it would be her. Brook says she doesn’t want to talk about this. Can’t Sasha respect that? Sasha says she can, but this is becoming a problem. Their friendship is important to her. Brook says, it’s important to her too, and Sasha says, and beyond that, they work together. At the very least, she wants to work it out so it doesn’t impact their professional relationship. Brook says, at least that’s one less thing to worry about. She’s quitting.
Spencer asks if Laura can blame him for wanting to keep his brother away from Esme. She is unfit to be a mother, and will use that baby the same way she used him. Laura says, he’s hurt, and has every right to be after the way Esme manipulated him. Remember, she was doing that on Ryan’s orders before she lost her memory. He says, so…? and Laura says, the Esme she’s witnessed in the past few days seems to genuinely care about that baby. And he knows what it’s like to grow up without a mother. Does he really want that for his baby brother? Spencer asks, what if she regains her memory? Does Laura remember what kind of person she was? Laura says she does. She’s on his side 100%, and the baby’s side, so she’s saying she doesn’t think it’s wise to completely alienate Esme. It would be better to get her to want his support. He tells Laura, say Esme never regains her memory. What kind of mother is she going to be without a past? He doesn’t want his baby brother anywhere near Esme. Period. Victor comes in, and asks, where is the newest Cassadine heir? He can’t wait to meet him.
Eileen says, what happened to Anna was an accident. It wasn’t supposed to go like that. Anna says, but it did. My death is on your hands. Eileen says she didn’t know. Please. Can Anna just leave her alone? Anna says, confess… or meet my fate. Or she’ll haunt Eileen forever. Eileen says, no, no, no, no, no. Please. Anna is right. It’s her fault, and she’ll tell Anna everything.
Kristina says, Molly’s pregnant, but Molly says she doesn’t know yet. That’s kinda what the test is for. Sam says, sorry for being weird, but she knew it wasn’t hers or Kristina’s, and figured Molly didn’t want anyone to know. Molly says, right on all fronts. Sam can’t imagine what Dante was thinking, and Dante says he’s thinking he should leave them to sort it out. He jets upstairs, and Molly thanks Kristina, but Kristina says, if Molly didn’t want anyone to find out, she shouldn’t have left it in the shopping bag. Molly says she was hiding it from TJ, and Sam tells her, she would have said it was hers, but Dante walked in. Kristina asks why Molly is hiding it from TJ, and Molly says she’s not sure how he’ll react.
Sasha says, Brook is quitting? and Brook says she didn’t mean for it to come out that way, but she did tell Sasha that she was exploring new horizons. Chase’s music career is really taking off, and she’s getting interest from a lot of new artists. Sasha says she just assumed Brook would continue to do both, but Brook says, the balancing act is a lot. If she’s going to take on new artists, she has to devote time to them. She wishes she could do both. She was going to tell Sasha and Maxie at work; give her notice. Don’t tell her yet. Sasha says she won’t, as long as Sasha is telling her the truth, and this has nothing to do with her and Chase.
Chase says, there’s no future for him and Brook, not after she lied, and Gregory says, yet he’s still working with her. Chase says, as he recalls, someone lectured him about doing the right thing on Christmas Eve. Doing the right thing is finishing what he started. Gregory says, but he still hasn’t forgiven Brook, and Chase asks, why should he? Gregory says he doesn’t want Chase to have regrets. To look back and think how much time he wasted holding onto his anger when he could maybe work things out with Brook. Chase asks if Gregory is telling him to let it go, and Gregory says, Chase was never a hothead, even as a kid. All of a sudden, he’s losing control at every turn, and it all comes back to Brook. Chase asks, what’s the point? and Gregory says, Chase is still in pain, and hasn’t resolved his feelings for her. Chase was happy with Brook. Chase says, she also drove him crazy, and Gregory says, because she challenged him. She’s different; they’re both different, but they compliment each other. Sometimes that can lead to harmony, sometimes discord. Whether the relationship is worth it is up to him. Gregory’s phone tweedles, and he says, it’s Alexis. He has to go. He’s not telling Chase what to do. He’s just suggesting Chase work out his feelings before he hurts himself again.
As he and Victor approach the nursery window, Spencer says, the baby will be discharged soon, and he’ll be taking him home. Victor says, that’s splendid news. No word from his father? Spencer shakes his head, and Victor says, he and Spencer will just have to fill that void, but Laura says, Victor’s services won’t be needed. She knows her son won’t abandon his child. Victor says he prays she’s right. In the meantime, the remaining Cassadines will step up. He’s taken the liberty of finding them a new home. Spencer can’t be expected to raise a child under Sonny Corinthos’s roof. Laura says, he’s not. Her grandsons are both staying with her. Victor says, that’s generous of her, but her plate is rather full at the moment with taking in Charlotte. She says, her grandchildren are her first priority, especially since they’re missing their fathers. Victor says, Spencer and his brother will want for nothing. He’ll arrange for round the clock care for the baby. Spencer says he appreciates it, but everything is already set up at grandmother’s house. If they’ll excuse him, he’s going to see what’s taking so long. He leaves, and Victor asks why Laura is so hellbent on keeping him from what’s left of his family. She says, her? Both Spencer and Charlotte have wisely chosen to stay away from him, and he has no one to blame for that buy himself.
Eileen says she knew Anna was being framed, and she helped. She was the one who arranged for the tourism drone to be at the waterfront at the right time. Without her, the footage of Holly Sutton shooting Lucy Coe would never have been captured. Anna never would have fled the country; she never would have been in Paris… or in that sewer. She’s so, so sorry. Please don’t hurt her. There are some electronic sounds, and Anna’s voice says, I think we’ve got enough, don’t you? The body sits up, and ghostly Anna disappears. Eileen looks like she might pass out, when Anna walks through the door. The body takes off her latex prosthetics, and Felicia says, this disguise is so convincing, it’s scary. Anna says, so scary.
Alexis flashes back to asking Gregory if he would have accepted the job had PCU not gotten in the way, and him saying, he’d have liked nothing more. There’s a knock at her office door, and Gregory says he came as soon as he could. What’s so urgent?
Maxie says, it’s so good to see Chase… unless he’s sick, but he says he just hurt his shoulder. He’s waiting for an MRI. She says, he must have been working out pretty hard to injure himself. Any specific reason why? He says, it just wasn’t his smartest moment, and she says, love does that to the best of us. He says, what? and she asks if that’s not why he’s throwing weights around; trying to impress the new woman in his life.
Brook says she would never let what’s going on between Sasha and Chase influence her professionally. She and Chase broke up. She just wants Chase and Sasha to be happy. If that’s together… yay. Sasha says, thank you, but there’s no her and Chase. They’re friends, and she’s still grieving Brando. Brook says, Sasha can still grieve and move on. She’s seen the way Chase and Sasha are together. Sasha says, what Brook’s seen is Chase being the awesome guy he is; supporting a friend in need. As for moving on, she hopes to one day. Brook says, but she’s not there yet, and Sasha says, the only romance she and Chase had was staged. He’s just being there for her as a friend. Brook says, for the record, there are more people there for Sasha than just Chase; her too.
Eileen says, this is a trick? What the hell is wrong with them? Anna says, Eileen wants to talk about tricks, after framing her for shooting Lucy? Thanks for the confession, by the way. It’s made their job a lot easier. She asks if Felicia got everything, and Felicia says, every last word, pulling a recorder out of the body bag. She plays back Eileen’s confession, and says, good thing New York is a one-party consent state. Anna says, which Eileen knows about, given her impressive political career. Eileen says she was coerced. It will never hold up in a court of law. Anna asks if she wants to take that chance. She might be right that this would be deemed inadmissible in court, but it can still be leaked to her constituents. Anna feels like the good citizens of this great city need to know what their public servants are up to. Felicia asks how long Anna thinks before Eileen is removed from office, and Anna says, not too long probably. Felicia says, Eileen can kiss her political aspirations goodbye, and Anna says, not to mention her freedom. Eileen says, there’s no need for that. She’ll see to it that Anna’s name is cleared. Anna says, thank you, but I want so much more than that.
Victor says, everything he’s ever done has been for the sake and benefit of his family, and Laura bursts out laughing. He asks what she finds funny, and she says, all of it maybe. He chased his own son away with all of his schemes, and now Charlotte is left without a father. Laura doesn’t think it’s to her benefit. Victor says, not a day goes by he doesn’t ache for his son. He’d do anything he could to bring Valentin back. She says, and Nikolas? and he says he won’t rest until he finds Nikolas and reunites him with his children. She asks if Victor didn’t help him sneak off, and he says, of course (🍷) he didn’t. She laughs again, and says, forgive her if she doesn’t believe him. He asks if she really thinks he’d keep Nikolas away from his newborn son, and she says she absolutely does. They both know the only person Victor cares about is himself. He says, that is simply not true. His family means everything in the world to him, and he’s almost lost all of them. She says, that’s because he puts his lust for power above all else, but don’t worry. His day is coming, sooner than he thinks maybe. And the fallout is going to be glorious. He asks what the hell she’s talking about, and she shrugs.
Kristina says she could be an aunt again; this is great. Sam says, is it? and Kristina says, of course (🍷) it is. She doesn’t know why Molly thinks TJ won’t react well. Molly tells her that she said she didn’t know how he’d react, not that he’d react badly. Kristina says, they’ve been together for ten years, and Sam says, maybe she’s just not ready to say anything to him yet. Kristina says, they’ve never talked about having kids? and Molly says, in the abstract maybe, but once they were established in their careers, and that day is not here yet. Kristina says, TJ won’t care; he’s going to freak. Molly says, if she’s pregnant, and honestly she doesn’t know. TJ wants to be a hands-on father. That’s going to be hard with the hours he works at the hospital, and it’s not like she’s any less busy. This is exactly why they wanted to wait. Sam says, everything is going to be okay, because they’re going to take this one step at a time. Don’t worry. Molly says, don’t say anything to anyone, and Kristina says, only mom… She’s kidding. Sam says, they won’t say anything to anyone. Right, Krissy? Kristina asks why she’s always looked at as the weak link. She’ll keep her mouth shut. Sam says, and she’ll make sure to tell Dante so they’re all on the same page. Dante comes back downstairs, and Kristina says, there’s no time like the present.
Alexis says she’s having an issue, and could use Gregory’s input. He says, all right, and sits down. She says, some of it’s clear; some of it’s obscure. She’s just having trouble sorting it out. He says, let’s hear it, and she says, actually, it might be better if he read it. She wants to turn it into an editorial, and it might be a bit one-sided. Take a look and tell her what he thinks. He says he lives for this, and starts to read.
Maxie tells Chase not to worry. He won’t get any awkwardness from her. She’s friends with Brook, but she’s also friends with Sasha, so… He says, she thinks he’s seeing Sasha? and she says, isn’t he? He says, no, and she says, now there is awkwardness, but he says he’s not dating anybody. What gave her the impression he was? She says, nothing. She just noticed he and Sasha were spending a lot of time together lately. He asks if Sasha said something, but Maxie says, no, but she was just at Kelly’s with Brook – he says, of course (🍷) – and she might have mentioned there was something between him and Sasha. Then Sasha showed up, and said there was tension between her and Brook. Clearly Maxie connected dots that shouldn’t have been connected. She’s sorry. She obviously stirred some things up. He says, it’s okay. Break-ups can be confusing. She says, doesn’t she know it, and he asks if that’s why she’s here; trying to find Austin? She says, she hasn’t spoken to him since The Hook attack, and she wanted to make sure he was okay. Chase says, but she’s debating whether or not it’s her place, and she says, wouldn’t it be great if, when relationships ended, all the feelings just went up in smoke? He says, yes, it would.
Sasha says she’s glad they talked this out, and Brook says, her too. Now she has to tell Maxie that she was right. She’s insufferable. Sasha says, maybe Maxie will surprise her… probably not. Even if she did have feelings for Chase, it woudn’t matter. It’s written all over his face how much Brook meant to him, and probably still does. She doesn’t think anyone is replacing Brook in Chase’s life anytime soon. Brook says, she’s got the past tense right, but Chase wants nothing to do with her, and honestly, it’s a relief. It took her a minute, but she’s completely over him.
Sam asks if Dante has recovered from the shock yet, and he says, almost. She says she told Molly they weren’t going to say anything to anyone, and he says, of course (🍷) not. Their secret is safe with him. She says, when he thought the pregnancy test was hers, how did it make him feel?
Laura says, sooner or later, Victor’s past is going to catch up with him, and she’s hoping it’s sooner. Spencer comes out with the baby, and says, meet the newest Cassadine. Victor asks if he has a name, and Spencer says he’s working on it, but in the Cassadine tradition, his middle name will be Niklosovich, like his. Victor says, may I? and Spencer says, of course (🍷), handing him the baby. Victor fusses over the baby, and says, technically, he’s the baby’s great, great Uncle Victor, but that’s quite a mouthful. Welcome to the family. As he’ll discover, they’re quite a formidable bunch, the Cassadines. Although he admits, in recent months, they rather lost their way. But the baby gives him hope again. Welcome to the family. Somehow, some day, his daddy is going to come back. And when he does, when they’re whole again, he’ll see how strong this family is when they come together. You, my little one, are our future, and I’m going to move heaven and earth to make sure it’s a bright and prosperous one for all of us. Spencer and Laura look at him like he’s Maleficent at Princess Aurora’s christening.
Anna says, of course (🍷) the mayor will ask for Eileen’s resignation, but she has a lot of sway with the DA. If Eileen does as they ask, and helps them to bring Victor down… Eileen asks if they’re crazy, and Anna says, help them bring him down. Working with him puts her in a unique position to get information that will help them put him away for good. Eileen says she can’t go against Victor. He’ll kill her if he finds out. Felicia says, yes, he will, because that’s the kind of monster he is, which is why they need her to get the goods on him. Anna says, they know Eileen sold her soul to Victor because of her political ambition, but she doesn’t believe Eileen is as bad as he is. Why doesn’t she do the right thing? Eileen says, it’s too risky, and Felicia says, suit herself, but once this recording goes public, how does she think Victor is going to react? Eileen says, there must be some other way, but Anna says, there isn’t. There are only two ways out of this. Either she’s with them, against Victor, or she faces the consequences of her own actions. What is it going to be?
Dante says, Sam’s definitely not pregnant, right? and she says, no, but can he just answer the question? He says, if she had been pregnant, he would have been super excited, over the moon, and she says, so would she. He says, but he looks at their life together and thinks, maybe no more kids. She says, no more kids, and he says, they’re two for two. He likes what they’ve built together. If it were to happen by accident, then bring it on, but why mess with perfection? She asks if he’s seen the playroom lately; it’s a disaster. He says, but that’s their mess, and she says, it is, kissing him.
Kristina tells Molly to stop thinking about all the reasons the timing might not be right. What does her heart say? Molly tells her, it says she really wants to have a baby with TJ, and Kristina says, her too. She means, she wants Molly to have a baby.
TJ goes into the exam room to treat Chase, but Chase isn’t there. TJ’s phone rings, and Molly asks if he has a minute. He says, for her, always, and Kristina gives Molly a thumbs up. Molly says, good, because there’s something she wants to tell him.
Outside Kelly’s, Brook tells Sasha that she was upset at first, but not only does she have zero romantic feelings for Chase, she realized not being in a relationship is the best thing that could have happened to her. Now she can focus all her energy on her management business without all the distractions. Sasha says, sounds like she’s in a good place, and Brook says she is. They leave, and Chase comes out from around the corner looking all sad.
Gregory says, Alexis’s assessment is spot-on, and she says, so it does read as one-sided. He says he made some notes as to where the argument needs to be rounded out, and where opposing viewpoints could have benefited. She thanks him for his input and for coming by at such short notice, and he says, not only does he enjoy the work, he’s her friend. She says she thinks he believes that, and he says he does. She says, then why is he lying to her?
Eileen says, fine. She’ll work with them against Victor. Anna thanks her for making the right choice, and Felicia asks if she understands the consequence of double-crossing them. Eileen says, her confession will be leaked to law enforcement and the people of Port Charles, and Felicia says, Victor included. Excellent. They’ll start tonight. Anna says, let’s nail Victor to the wall.
The nurse tells Spencer that they just need a couple of signatures, and he can take the baby home, but Diane suddenly shows up, and says, there’s been a change in plan. She’s sorry, but that baby’s not going anywhere.
On Monday, Elizabeth tells Esme that she couldn’t be more wrong if she thinks Elizabeth owes her an apology; Obrecht says she sees Willow differently; Mason pays Austin a visit; and Sonny says, that’s a lot to celebrate.
When deeds speak, words are nothing. – Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
March is the month God created to show people who don’t drink what a hangover is like. – Garrison Keillor
Tough times never last, but tough people do. – Dr. Robert Schuller
A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t. – Jack Dempsey (Apparently, I’m a champion every morning.)
When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
I find your tranquility kind of irritating. – Gina Baxter (Hope Davis), Your Honor
🍒 With a Cherry On Top…
Get sidetracked on Monday really Tuesday with some soap and the right captain on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay not getting distracted by the minutiae, and stay not investing in a friendship until you’ve fully investigated the situation.
In watching this, I understood what it is about Diana that I don’t like. She expects others to be empathetic of her without really knowing her, but she’s quick with judgements about people she doesn’t know. There was a poll on Twitter asking if she was soulless – which I think was just a dramatic word Sutton used, and not to be taken seriously – and I read she blocked people who said yes. Why? Is she afraid she might learn something about herself?
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. – Dale Carnegie
Never try to outstubborn a cat. – Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love
But instead of spending our lives running towards our dreams, we are often running away from a fear of failure or a fear of criticism. – Erin Wright
Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness. – Steve Maraboli
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. – Revelation 21:4 (NLT)
One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man. – Elbert Hubbard
I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace. – Thomas Paine
If you don’t like my shade, get out of my shadow. – Shereé (yes, that one) Whitfield, Real Housewives of Atlanta
Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. – Marie Curie
I have more in common with a three-toed sloth or a one-eyed pterodactyl or a Kalamata olive than I have with Winston Churchill. – Boris Johnson (What?)
Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music. – Jimi Hendrix
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.- Annette Funicello
🦛 Taking My Hunky Dory and Going…
If all goes according to plan, we’ll all be filling the next two days with activities that are gratifying and/or productive. Or not, if that’s what you like. Then we’ll reconvene on Monday for soap and yachting on the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay doing everything in moderation, but allowing for a splurge now and then, and stay trying to understand where others are coming from. You might not like them anyway, but you won’t hate them. Don’t be a Diana J.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
No GH today. All it said on their FB page was that it was due to ongoing news coverage, but no indication as to coverage of what. It was a network decision, since there was nothing new online either. I was pretty surprised when I turned it on, and there was Cyrus playing Chairman of the hospital, and Todd Franco was walking around. Instead, a little soap news…
Crystal was preparing for a Chinese New Year party – the Year of the Ox – she was throwing at an Asian restaurant she’d rented for the occasion. She took Erika there for a looksee, and Erika said something about it being in Kill Bill. LisaR said the same thing later, but while it looked similar to restaurant where O-Ren (Lucy Lui) hangs with her crew, I’m pretty sure that place is in Tokyo. In her interview, Crystal told us that whatever happens on New Year’s Day (or maybe Eve; it was unclear) would represent the next year. Since Erika was still mad at Sutton, Crystal was concerned. Kathy met with architect Jesse and builder Aiden at a ginormous 18,000 square foot house she was having built. She and husband Richard were originally going to move in, but Richard reminded her of all the good times they’d had in the house they were already in, and she changed her mind. My guess is, he probably just didn’t want the hassle of having to move in his 70s or whatever. Not to mention they’d be putting the new one on the market in the $52 million range. Maybe the guys from Million Dollar Listing can broker that. In Sutton’s interview, she said she could fit three of her houses into Kathy’s new one. She and Kathy discussed the trip to Del Mar, and Sutton admitted she thought things with Erika had been a little strange. In her interview, she said, it would be nice to think things were back to normal, but wondered how that was possible when it had been so volatile. Garcelle wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue with her dating coach. She’d gone on a tailgate date with her match – who’d brought sushi and champagne – but he wasn’t her type. He wasn’t as spectacular as his photos. She wondered where his abs were. She’d expected him to show up shirtless.
Because she’s dense, in LisaR’s interview, she thought she and Garcelle had progressed. I thought it was more like Garcelle was proceeding with caution. We flashed back to when the women poked at Garcelle at dinner until she finally cried, which LisaR called being vulnerable and said was beautiful. It would be if they were all decent people. Garcelle wanted LisaR to reach out to Denise, but in her interview, LisaR said her relationship with Denise was her business. She’d do what she wanted when she felt like doing it. It would be when it felt organic and natural, which was ironic, since nothing about LisaR is organic or natural. She told Garcelle, when it was time, she’d do it, which probably meant, never. In Garcelle’s interview, she said, if LisaR reached out, it would show her growth. She wanted to see more action and less talk with LisaR. Good luck with that.
Everyone trickled in to the party, which began with cocktails outside. In Sutton’s interview, she said she was willing to let go of Erika threatening her, but not so much what she’d read and heard about the situation. She didn’t need to worry though, since Erika had turned the tap back to cold, and ignored Sutton. In Garcelle’s interview, she said she’d thought Sutton and Erika were doing better, but that was a hi/bye for sure. Mauricio, who was most likely stoned, banged on the Chinese gongs at the front of the restaurant. The coolest thing was a dude making candy zodiac animals, and putting them on sticks. I want to know where to get those. Kathy brought her friend Elliot (who we’ve seen before) as her escort, and for a moment, I thought she’d sprung Tom. They look an awful lot alike.
The décor was absolutely beautiful, and Crystal said she wanted to transport everyone to Asia. Everyone sat down, and Rob raised his glass, and said, true friends didn’t make problems disappear, but they didn’t disappear when problems came. Crystal said the women had little red envelopes with money in them, and they would get it back a hundredfold after feeding the animal. Or something to that effect. Kyle looked like she was starting to panic, asking, what animal? over and over. Then she nearly hit the ceiling when a Chinese percussion band began to play in the balcony. Chinese dragons came out, and the women put the envelopes in their mouths. I would have loved to be at this party, except not with this group. No surprise, the food was fabulous, and dumplings are one of my all-time favorite foods. For whatever crazy reason – i. e. screen time – Kyle said Sutton swept things under the rug. Sutton didn’t think so, but said she didn’t want any ill will between her and Erika. And then there were crickets. Lots and lots of crickets. In Erika’s interview, she said she didn’t need an apology from someone who was willing to condemn her. Sutton said she thought she could speak for everyone in that they all wanted Erika to come out of this shining bright. Erika told them that she had nothing to say.
They went back outside where there was a dessert bar, where there were many impressive confections. In Sutton’s interview, she wondered why she was trying so hard with Erika. Then she wondered what these women even saw in Erika. I told her, thank you. I wanted to like Erika. I tried to like Erika. But even before this, she ran hot and cold, and got irrationally angry at times. Sutton told Kyle that Erika made people afraid to say anything. While everyone had a last cocktail, Erika told Sutton that she’d thought they were friends, and she’d needed Sutton to have more faith in who she was. Sutton wanted a one-on-one, but Erika said she needed time to trust Sutton. Sutton said she also wanted to be able to trust Erika, and know she could speak freely and not get the lion’s claws. Erika said that’s why she was waiting. Erika said, this life is not for wimps, but I wasn’t sure if she meant that collectively, or was just talking about her so-far-above-our life.
Since it was the finale, everyone had their final say, and there was text on what they’d been doing, none of which was all that interesting. Sutton was still waiting on that talk with Erika, but had moved out of Kyle’s house. Six months after her six week deadline. Kyle put the house on the market after Sutton’s departure. She was still tight with Kathy, and had finally gotten Kim’s new phone number. Knowing Kim, it’s possible she might have just forgotten it. Dorit had added some ready-to-wear gowns to her collection, and designed a special reunion gown for herself. PK named it, The Reunion, because he’s so original.
Due to Harry’s influence, LisaR was adding acrylic nails to her beauty line. I don’t want to know. She also now approved of Scott and Amelia’s relationship, since they’d called it quits. Garcelle was back in the studio to film The Real, and was taking a break from dating. Unless Brad Pitt called. Freshman Housewife Crystal said it had been fascinating to see how the friendships among the women morphed. Which I guess was her way of saying, wow, these women are close, then stab each other in the back, then forget what just happened. She was still color-coding her life, and hoped to visit her pop-star brother Jeff in China. Erika claimed she’d faced down everyone’s questions to the best of her ability, and was never going to apologize. Her way of saying, she managed to avoid answering any questions too directly, and back off, bitch. The text said she appreciated the support of her ass kissers true friends, although her friend circle had gotten smaller.
I would have liked a little less crap, and more of Crystal’s party.
Next, the Reunion. I believe it’s in four parts, so it should be a doozy.
🍾 After-party note. On Watch What Happens Live, people voted online about the level of Erika’s honesty from one to ten. She got a four.
Hopefully, soap tomorrow, and perhaps even some high-priced property. But for now, stay safe, stay going big or going home, and stay the hell out of Erika’s business, lest you get the lion’s claws.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
The Walking Dead
Michonne wakes up and looks at Rick. She kisses him, and gives Judith breakfast. She and Rick look out over the farm, and tend to daily chores. Michonne wakes up. She looks at her katana on the wall.
Outside zombies are feeding. Michonne slices and dices them.
Michonne studies something. She dispatches more zombies. She cleans her katana. Judith runs around playing. It’s night, and Michonne walks the perimeter of the town. She sees a zombie hanging from a noose. His wrists are also tied. While she’s staring at him flailing around, another zombie grabs her. She whacks it with a bat, and realizes it’s Lucille (the bat, not the zombie). She drops it like it’s hot.
I guess this is day to day in Alexandria.
Maggie loves on Hershel, and passes him off to the nanny, or whoever. She watches the bustle of the town from the balcony. She puts a crowbar in her backpack. Jesus says he has a letter from Georgie, but she says she’ll read it later. She’s going to pick up a few things, and Jesus wonders why she needs a crowbar for that. She tells him that he’s done a good job there, and she wants him to keep it up. She wants make things right, like they talked about. He says, like she made things right with Gregory? But they didn’t talk about that. He says, Negan deserved to die. Rick made the call when it wasn’t his to make. Jesus wants to be sure she’s not wrong in the same way, and wants her to be sure. A woman asks if Maggie is ready. She is, and Jesus watches her leave.
Rick watches the water. Eugene says Mother Nature has dealt them a serious bowl of whoop-ass. Rick asks what the chances are of the bridge holding. Eugene takes no pleasure in telling him the long-term isn’t good. He’s sorry. Rick thinks there’s got to be a way keep on with the project, but not with the numbers he currently has. Eugene says there’s a silver lining, and babbles about something neither Rick nor I understand. Rick thanks him, and Eugene says he’s sorry he didn’t do more; read more engineering books. Rick says he did do better. He’s not just a guy who read books. He made something. He got them there after everything, and that’s everything.
Rick sees Carol, and asks if she’s leaving too. She says she is. She’s taking her people home to the Kingdom. He’s seen it out there. He asks, what about the Sanctuary? and she thinks they should try standing on their own. Rick says, what if it goes down the same way as it did there? and she says, then it’s on them. The Sanctuary people don’t want them there. They don’t want Negan either; not most of them. It’s up to them to figure out who they want to be. Rick says, like she did, and Carol says, like they all did. Rick doesn’t know if he’s doing the right thing, but if anyone gives him hope for how things can turn out, it’s Carol. She says she’s still trying to figure things out like everybody else. She’s sorry. She wanted it to work. He knows.
Jerry rides into camp. Jesus told him that Maggie is going to Alexandria, and thought Rick should know. Rick asks if they said anything else, and Jerry tells him that they said he would know what it means. Rick radios Rachel at Alexandria with an urgent message. If Maggie shows up, delay her at the gate, and alert Michonne. Do not let her in without an escort. Rachel says she’ll relay the message. Rick says if Maggie is listening, let’s talk. Rachel says she thinks Maggie is done talking, and picks up her magazine without passing along the message. Daryl asks, what’s going on? Rick tells him, Maggie is heading to Alexandria. She’s about to do something she might regret. Daryl says he’ll take Rick, and they get on the bike.
There’s a knock at Michonne’s gate. It’s Nora, and Michonne says, it’s that time already? Nora says, it’s not always bad news, and Michonne asks, what kind of day it is today? I guess Nora is like the town crier. Nora says, mostly bad. A fourth of the tomato crops were eaten by crows; there are too many to control. Nora wonders if the world starting have an edge over them, but Michonne thinks it will get better when the when windmill is up and running. Nora tells her that Negan won’t eat. Michonne says she’ll handle it. It’s her responsibility.
Daryl goes the wrong way. Rick tells him, pull over. He finally does, and they get off the bike. Rick asks, what is this? and Daryl says Rick knows what this is. Rick says he already called it in; Maggie isn’t making it through the gates. But Daryl says his message didn’t go through. Rick takes out his radio, and Daryl knocks it out of his hand. They tussle, and fall down a hill into a huge man-made pit. Nice job, Daryl.
Michonne brings Negan some food, saying, the hunger strike ends today. He says he’s not on strike. He’s not in the mood to eat, but it’s nice know she cares. She says they’re keeping him alive, and the living eat, so eat. She’ll be back in an hour and wants it gone. He asks if that’s all she’s got, and she says she’s got better things to do. He says if she wants him to eat, he wants her to stay and talk. They’re supposed to be making a civilization, but it’s hard to be part of that if he’s dead from starvation. She thought he wasn’t on strike. He says he won’t be if she stays and talks. She tells him twenty minutes is all he gets, then he eats every bite. She sits and says, let’s talk.
Roots at the top of the pit are the only way out. Rick jumps and grabs one, but it breaks. He asks if Daryl set that up too, and Daryl asks if he’s really laying this on him. Rick is the one who wanted to chase after her; let things be. Rick says, keeping Negan alive means something to them, and Daryl says, Negan being dead means something to Maggie. Rick gets why it does. Why she’s avoiding coming to Alexandria, hanging Gregory. He’s not blind. Daryl says Rick wouldn’t be alive if not for Glenn; he wouldn’t have found any of them. Did he forget? Rick says he thinks about it every day. He hates what he took from her, but he did what he had to do. Daryl says she’s doing what she has to do. Rick wonders if Daryl supports it. Daryl thinks leaving him alive is a symbol to the a-holes who hope they fail. Keeping him alive gives him hope. Maggie tried, but she couldn’t live with it, like Oceanside. Rick asks if Daryl is telling him that Oceanside killed those Saviors. Daryl says, they got what they deserved. Rick says he knew, and didn’t say anything, and Daryl says he couldn’t live with it either. Rick says if they kill Negan, it doesn’t work. He’ll be made a martyr. The war was for nothing. Everyone died for nothing. Carl died for nothing. Daryl says, what about the rest of them. With all the sh*t they’ve been through, did he think they couldn’t handle it? He tells them to have faith in others, when he doesn’t have faith in them. Rick says, not true. Daryl says he’d die for Rick, and would have died for Carl; Rick knows that, but he has to hear him. He’s chasing something for Carl that ain’t meant to be – let him go. Rick says he never asked anyone to die. Daryl knows. but maybe should have.
Negan thinks Michonne’s day is more boring than his. She’s stuck here with the C-team, while Rick and his merry band of bridge builders is out there. Why is that? She says she’s not stuck. Negan says he wasn’t meant to be rotting in a cell, and she wasn’t meant to be growing kale and kissing booboos. She says it’s more than that; they’re building communities with laws. He’s grateful his wife never saw him like this. Michonne asks, as opposed to the a-hole he was before? He says she deserved better than she got, Michonne says, what happened to her? He says, cancer. They would have loved a kid like Carl; she was lucky. She says she thinks about him every day, but he’s still there in everything they do. She sees him everywhere. Negan asks if she sees him in the cell, and she says, everywhere. He says Carl wasn’t her first, and she says, ten minutes and the food had better be gone. Negan asks how he died – it was a he, wasn’t it? Negan wonders if he had her eyes. Michonne says, His name was Andre; he didn’t make it. Negan says, sorry, and she says she’s made peace with it. He says maybe it’s better this way. His wife wasn’t made for this. She was weak, and when she died, it made him not weak. It’s the same with her. They were built for more; they still are. She’s behind walls, and he’s behind bars. Out there, it’s like an addiction. He says she knows what he’s talking about. He says she should be grateful, and she asks, for what? He says, that Andre is gone. He would have made her weak. She throws the tray against the wall, and storms out.
Gabriel is tied up at the trash heap. Anne, now Tardis Jadis again, wipes his brow and kisses his forehead. She has a captive zombie, an armless woman, with a bucket on her head. He tells her that she doesn’t have to do this, but she says she does. She has only one place in life to go, and he’s the price of admission. He says he knows her. She’s afraid, but doesn’t have to be. She’s cherished. She says she’s not like him. He moved on from his past, and opened his heart; he let people in. He says he didn’t do that; others did. She did. He’s a better person because of her. She says she’s sorry it’s all for nothing. She removes the bucket from the zombie’s head, and it’s pretty decrepit, but wearing a fancy necklace. She moves it closer to him, using a metal thing gouged into its back. Gabriel says it’s his fault. She asked for help, and he failed. He pushes her away because he’s afraid. He talks about the beauty of God’s love and forgiveness. He hopes she forgives him someday, like he forgives her. At the point, the zombie is looming over him and drooling on him, but Anne pulls it back. She covers Gabriel’s mouth with a cloth, and knocks him out.
Carol tells Jerry, if they hurry, they can make it to the Kingdom by nightfall. Jed and a bunch of Saviors come out of the woods. They have guns, but so do Carol and her people. Carol suggests they lower their weapons, and no one gets hurt. Jed says Oceanside is killing them. Being that it’s war, they’ll get what’s coming to them. Carol says he’ll get everyone killed. Jed tells her she’s not the boss lady anymore. She’s a weak woman who got a lucky shot. He cocks his gun, and tells her to step aside. She lowers her weapon, and he takes her keys, She kicks the back of his knee, bringing him down. The Saviors run out of the woods toward them.
Daryl gives Rick a boost. Rick tries to grab a root, and gets it on the second try. He starts to pull himself up.
Michonne studies. She looks at her katana, and goes to the kitchen. She goes back to Negan’s cell with some food. She asks why he said those things, and he says he wasn’t trying to piss her off. She wonders why he’d care what she thinks. He says she never comes downs there; it’s always Rick or somebody else. She asks why it matters, and he says, they’re the same; all or nothing. They’re trapped, connected to the dead; same as him. He tells her that she can’t stand that they’re the same, and she says they’re not. They do what they need to get sh*t done. He gets a kick out of it, but she’s trying to make things better. She’s trying to bring people together, not pit them against each other. She compromises and sacrifices. She does get strength from the from dead, and makes no apologies for that. Her sons are gone, but the world will be better for her daughter, and every child who comes into it. Negan says she’s not scared she’s like him, but scared she’ll end up like him. Everything and everyone she loves gone, and trying to connect. It’s worse than nothing. She says as long as he’s still breathing, it’s not nothing, and tells him, time’s up. He’s going to eat one way or another. He’ll have to. He starts to eat, and asks her to wait. He says, there are things in this world we’re desperate to hold on to when there’s nothing left. Michonne says, the whole time, he thought she was his last best chance, and she laughs. He says he wants to see her, and Michonne says, no. They don’t have his bat. He asks where she is; what did they do with her? Michonne says she’s still out there. She tells him to eat, and leaves. Negan cries and bangs his head on the wall.
A zombie falls into the pit before Rick gets to the top. It’s followed by another, and Rick says there are more coming. Daryl pikes them in the head, and piles them to make a stepladder. More fall in, but Daryl and Rick are almost there. The zombies are reaching up and tumbling down. They grasp at Daryl’s feet. Rick pulls himself out. I think he should leave Daryl there, but he’s too nice. He looks around to make sure no more are coming, and grabs a sturdy branch still attached to a tree. He hangs on to it, to get him closer to Daryl. Daryl gets Rick’s hand, but slips. The next time, he gets a stronger grip, and Rick pulls him up. Daryl says, heads up, as another zombie hurtles toward Rick, and ends up in the pit. A horse with a saddle also appears out of nowhere. Rick says he’s staying. He’s not giving up; not yet. A cluster of zombies is coming up the road, and Daryl suggests Rick take them to the bridge. Rick says he’s not destroying the bridge; they need it. Daryl tells him, be safe. Rick leaps on the horse, and says, you too.
Gabriel wakes up in a metal shed filled with cobwebs. He walks out into the trash heap, and calls for Anne, Jaundice, or whatever her name is. He finds a note in his jacket pocket that says, if you want to go fast, go alone; if want to go far, go together. I need to go fast. He clutches it to his chest and cries. He sinks to his knees.
Michonne reads to Judith. It’s a story about a baseball game, and when she gets to a picture of a bat, it comes to the end pretty quickly.
Maggie and a couple of others ride to Alexandria, passing some dead zombies, which I know sounds redundant.
The zombie group follows Rick. As he rides past the bridge, there are tons of them on the other side, and he’s trapped. The horse panics and rears. Uh-oh. Rick is serious stuck. He gets knocked off, and becomes impaled on a metal pole sticking out of a cement block. He closes his eyes. The zombies come closer. This doesn’t look good.
Next time, Rick’s last episode. It’s hard to tell if he’s dead, alive, dreaming, or what. A cloud of crows is involved, and also a blast from the past.
🐓 Return to Amish is back on November 18 (TLC). Mary Schmucker is my favorite reality show cast member of all time. I can’t wait to see what those wacky Pennsylvanians are up to.
You’d think after all she’s been though, on top of being a Cassadine, Alexis could control her freak out when hearing a gunshot better. Too bad it was Julian who got shot instead of Morgan, although both of them could disappear and I’d be okay with that. Julian is down, but not out yet.
I need some kind of chart or graph to keep what kids are whose straight. Hey, you watch the same show for literally 50 years and let’s see how well you do.
Is Sonny hallucinating or does he know something about Jake being Jason? That would be a real twist, giving Sonny the reveal. Oh, why not? I’d actually hoped for Laura to return and get that job, but since it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, they can draw straws at this point for all I care. Just, please, let’s get to it already.
Commercial break. Oh crap. Once Upon a Time is premiering this weekend. While right now it won’t throw a wrench into Sundays, it will eventually. There always seems to be one day in the week where I have to stay up half the night to catch everything. I still have the finale from last season’s Once in the black hole that is my DVR. Pope Francis is also headed this way, which should make for some stellar traffic jams in the city.
Ha-ha! Elizabeth looks like she’s about to pass out. Good. And seriously, “Jake” doesn’t seem like an idiot. Has it never once crossed his mind that he might be Jason? Or even anyone else from Port Charles?
What the blip is Michael doing, showing up there with no weapon? Even wounded, Julian could probably get away, since Michael and Morgan are so busy blabbing. Michael thinks logic is going to work here. Really? He tells Morgan that Sonny sent him to stop Morgan throwing his life away. We’ll see if Morgan buys it.
Ric (whose name I’ve been spelling wrong) is trying to talk his way back into the good graces of the PC court system. (That would be Port Charles. These days, I realize that might need clarification.) While I don’t like his character all that much, I love the acting skills of Rick Lansing. (Rick playing Ric!) He does a great annoyed and flustered. Paul has replaced Ric as District Attorney. That was quick! My favorite soap character job switch was when Bo from One Life to Livewent from being a radio DJ to being Police Commissioner overnight. At least Paul was a lawyer already.
Dillon…Maxie…Dillon’s movie… These are the kinds of storylines I used to fast forward through in the old days, when we taped things on the VCR.
This is pretty good, with Carly playing along with Sonny that “Jake” is Jason. I’m rooting for Elizabeth to have a heart attack. At least she’s already at the hospital.
Holy! Michael’s blathering worked! I want Alexis to stop making those cartoonish soap faces though. Her hair always reminds me of Cruella de Vil as it is. Even though Morgan has packed up his pistol, Michael tells Julian it’s not over because he agrees that Julian had Sonny shot. Boy, would he be surprised to know the truth.
Paul should have been a salesman. I’m ready to throw in with him. “Jake” wants to help out in stopping Morgan (a day late and a dollar short), and Elizabeth is trying to boss him around. Go away already.
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKIN’ KIDDING ME. They just broke in to the last 2 minutes of the show to report on the Pope’s plane landing in Washington DC. I mean we’re looking at the plane sitting there and that’s it. He’s probably still sitting in his seat, iPad in hand, not believing that they just cut in to the end of General Hospital. This is almost, but not quite, as bad as when they broke in the day we were finally seeing what happened in Luke’s past. ABC had to make all kinds of apologies that time. Did they learn nothing?
Scream Queens
I’m taking a chance on DVR’ing this, but it’s the finale of The Haves & the Have Nots, so I’m only watching the first hour.
It revolves around a sorority, Kappa something (KKT), and a stalker/killer in a devil outfit. One that looks hot and uncomfortable. Jamie Lee Curtis (always worth watching) is Dean Munch, which leads to jokes that I’m sure shouldn’t be aired before 10 pm. Jamie Lee reminds me of Dean Wormer in Animal House. She hates sororities. Somebody has to put their foot down, and that foot is her. She makes some rule that the sorority has to open its membership to everyone, and brings in a bunch of “misfits,” again reminding me of Animal House.
I’d kill for main (evil) character Chanel #1’s closet. The main (good) character, Liz, wants to join KKT because it’s her dead mother’s legacy. Her dad tells her sororities are like Game of Thrones. Since I had the brilliant idea to go to acting school instead of college, I have no clue about them, but my sister and her peers decided to rebel by ignoring pledge week and sororities. This was in the hippie days when being a non-conformist meant something.
Commercial break. The 5th Wave looks like an incredible movie, but if it’s not even rated yet, this means I could be watching this commercial for the next year. I like Good Day New York, but there’s really nothing they can do to make my mornings “fun.” Just give me coffee.
At the end of the first hour, Chanel #1 has killed Miss Bean, the house maid whom she calls “White Mammy.” The first of Chanel’s “minons” (all named “Chanel” and called by number) is killed by the devil stalker. The dialogue is done by texts between the murderer and the victim, culminating with the victim calling for help via Facebook, rather than calling 911. I’m not sure if this is a comment on the stupidity of people today or their dependence on social media or something else.
This looks like a fun show, although a little risqué to be on at 8. I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but I am appropriate. And nobody wants to answer kids’ questions before their time.
Tyler Perry’s Temptation Tuesday
This is comprised of his nighttime dramas, The Haves & the Have Nots, and If Loving You is Wrong. Both shows are over-the-top old school style of soap. The main difference being that the latter is totally focused on middle-class families. Most of the characters are doing all right, but there are no real “haves.”
Obviously, I’m not alone in feeling that Tyler Perry has fulfilled a need left by the departure of shows such as Dallas and Dynasty, and given them a fresh spin. They might not be up for any Emmys, but people are tuning in and enjoying these updates on the classics.
Tonight was unusual in that both shows were on back to back. While The Haves & the Have Nots was having its finale, If Loving You is Wrong was starting its new season. Even the beginning credits are reminiscent of the daytime soaps in the 80s and I love it! It starts the way it ended last season, with a scene that was the height of pure soapiness.
Alex has just had her baby. It’s hanging in the balance whether the father is her Caucasian husband, Brad, or her married African American neighbor, Randall, with whom she was having an affair. (This was all exposed prior to her going into labor.) All of her girlfriends are at the window where you stare at the newborns. They gasp and stare in silence. One of them says the baby is black. Another says, “How are we going to tell Brad”?
“Tell me what?” Brad says, having just walked in behind them.
DUN-DUN-DUNNN!
Below Deck
Leon turns out to be kind of a lazy cook, which I can totally identify with, but I don’t work on a yacht.
It’s not starting off well. Some kind of tequila, that most of the guests have put on their preference sheets, isn’t in stock. Kate explains that a lot of the time, guests list things they never ask for and when something is particularly hard to get, it’s not a priority. She realizes now that it is a priority.
On top of it, the weather is not cooperating, so the guests’ requested water activities won’t be happening. I think I would be just fine, lazing around the yacht, top-of-the-line alcohol, food and service at my beck and call, but apparently some people get bored with that. This makes me take note that I’ve never once seen anyone reading while on these charters. I’ve always taken reading material on vacation.
Does it bother anyone else when, while watching an episode of a show, they air a commercial for next week’s episode of the same show? And add that it’s an “all new episode” when it’s only the third one of the season?
A new deckhand is coming to replace dickweed Don. (Ha-ha! Spell check tried to change that to duckweed. Fie on you, spell check, and I trump your correction.) Rocky is still insane, crying one minute and making up Broadway tunes about laundry the next. I don’t think this girl belongs at this job. Or maybe any job. Hope she can find a rich guy to marry. New guy Dane is too young, surfer dude looking for me, but the girls all think he’s hot.
Kate says it’s not a good sign when the guests go to bed early and would rather sleep than hang out on the boat. A couple of the lady guests try to entice Dane and Emile into the hot tub. Emile plays by the rules of no fraternization, but Dane almost gets in the tub and needs a mini-lecture on how to draw the line between having fun with the guests and having too much fun with the guests.
The weather still sucks, and Kate creates a party for the guests where they play a slightly rude, seafaring version of Twister. Lo and behold, here comes a boat bearing the liquor the guests could so desperately not live without. (The bottle cost $350, but there’s no mention of what the delivery must have cost.) I think these guests are bored because they’re boring. All is well once the booze gets on board. I hate tequila, so I’m failing to see how this was a make or break factor on the charter. I can’t wait to see what the tip is.
Whoa — 25 large! Having to entertain bored, boring people is totally worth it. Captain Lee gives Eddie some advice while they lounge in the hot tub. Eddie needs to get it together with his girlfriend because his mind isn’t totally on his work. The main thing I hear is that Captain Lee is married. Yep. All the good ones are married or gay.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 