Tag Archives: Joaquin Phoenix

September 26, 2024 – First Loser In Sidwell’s Game, New Soap Who Dis, No Party Goes Unpunished, WWDD, Teasing Us, Digipool, No Joke, Fall Films, Saved By Her Hair & Rain

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Stella meets Tracy at the park, and Tracy says, in her book, on time is five minutes early. Punctuality is a principle she holds dear, and if Stella doesn’t agree, maybe they need to rethink their arrangement. Stella asks who Tracy thinks she’s talking to.

James goes to the stables and Sasha tells him to have fun with his Uncle Cody. Cody says, fun is his middle name.

Drew tells Ned that Valentin is wanted by the FBI. His assets have been seized and it’s not going to look good for ELQ. Ned agrees, and Drew says he wishes Ned had been in agreement when he teamed up with Valentin. They need a less controversial CEO. He can’t do it, so that leaves one person. Ned says, me, and Drew says, Michael.

Sidwell says, it would be easy to kill them all, but he wants to make it more interesting. He’ll give them a chance to keep breathing. Jason asks, what’s the game? and Sidwell says, three players. If Jason wins, he and Anna live. If Lucky’s name is accurate, he and Holly will live. If he wins, they all die. No matter what happens, he can’t lose. Holly says, this is insane. Kill them if he wants to, but not her.

Tracy asks Stella if she was harsh. Timeliness is important to her. Stella says, her too, but there was an accident on Bellmont… She’s not explaining herself. She doesn’t buy that Tracy is this angry because she was late. Tracy asks what she’s angry about then, and Stella says, you tell me. Tracy says her mood has nothing to do with Stella being late. Two staff members were insubordinate and ill-mannered, and she’s annoyed about it. The cook took it upon herself to throw an elaborate brunch for another family at their boathouse and the stable hand was involved. Stella says, that is rude. Some people have no work ethic anymore, throwing a party on the job. Tracy says, the cook wasn’t on the clock. It was her day off. Stella says, it’s a shame about the stable hand, but Tracy says, it was his day off too. Stella says she’s confused. What’s the problem? Tracy says, their blatant disregard for her. Sasha got huffy and defiant, and Cody chimed in on her behalf. Stella says, problems are like onions. You’ve got to pull back the layers to get to the root. She knows what this is really about, and bets Tracy does too.

James asks if Cody is happy to be part of their family, and Cody says, the happiest. James says he can’t believe Grandpa Mac is Cody’s dad, and Cody says he can’t believe it either. He learned to be okay with being alone and leaned into the cool parts, but having a family who he cares about and who cares about him is a lot cooler.

Maxie thanks Sasha for the brunch, and Sasha says, it was fun until Tracy. Maxie says, that was a lot of hot air over a quiche. She was checking for updates on Lulu. She’s getting worse and needs a transplant now. Sasha says she’s sorry. She knows they were close. Maxie says, Lulu is her best friend. Always has been and always will be.

Drew says, Michael is the obvious choice, and Ned tells him, says who? Who authorized him to choose? Drew says he’s a member of the family, and Ned says, he made that clear when he changed his name before his run for office. Drew says he makes no apologies, and Ned never apologized for making Valentin CEO. Ned asks if the initials SEC mean anything to Drew, and Drew says, they need to replace Valentin with Michael. Ned asks why he should support that, and Drew says, because he’s a team player. He’s supporting the family over his personal interests. Michael and Willow walk in, and Michael asks if they’re interrupting.  

Holly says she doesn’t know what these people are doing and doesn’t care. She’s not involved. He’s the one who persuaded her to leave Monte Carlo, and now she’s going to be killed if someone doesn’t win a game. Sidwell says he enjoyed his time with her, but doesn’t trust her. She knew these people and didn’t tell him. She says she explained why, but he says he doesn’t like people who keep secrets. He tells the guards to get the women out and secure Lucky and Jason. He asks if they’re ready to play for their lives.

Tracy asks if it isn’t premature for Stella to presume she knows what Tracy means, and Stella says, they’re more alike than Tracy wants to admit. It all boils down to one thing. How Tracy feels about Cody.

James asks if Sasha is part of their family because she’s Cody’s girlfriend, and Cody says, some people have a hard time believing in themselves. Sasha believed in him when he couldn’t and talked him into it. James says he believes in Cody. How can he not believe in himself? Cody says, James wrote the book on cool, but James says he hates writing. Cody tells him, it’s just a saying. For the record, Sasha is part of his family. James says, then she’s part of his too, and they get ready to go for a ride.

Holly and Anna are put in a cell, and Anna looks around. Holly says, she won’t find anything, and Anna asks if she’s supposed to sit around waiting to die. The whole reason they came was to bring Lucky home to save Lulu, but that only happens if he lives. If he wins, that means Jason can’t win. She finds a paper clip and starts to work the lock. She says, that means she’s a dead woman. Why didn’t Holly help Lucky escape when she found him? Holly asks how she would know Lulu needed a transplant. She was two months into the most odious con, and two weeks was all she needed. She would have had millions of dollars, but instead, they show up, and now their lives are at risk. Anna says, Holly always survives. She needs to ask Holly a favor. When she gets out, go to Robert and asks him to tell their daughter how much she loves her. Holly says, Anna is such a bitch. Anna knows she can’t go to Robert and tell him that she left her to die. Anna says she doesn’t see what choice Holly has. Unless Holly has a magic Get Out of Jail Free card, she’s screwed.

Sidwell says he’ll do the honors, and shuffles the cards. A guard whispers something to him, and he says, something requires his attention. In case they think of doing anything stupid, there are guards outside. He leaves, and Lucky asks what Jason and Anna are doing here. Jason says, they’re here to take him home.

Drew says he was filling Ned in on his idea for Michael to take over as CEO, and Ned says, it was more like a mandate. Drew says, does Michael have time to join them? and Willow says, it’s fine. She’ll see him at the boathouse. Michael says, if they miss their reservation, he’ll make it up to her, and she says she knows. She leaves, and Michael says he takes it Ned’s not on board, and Drew says, Ned’s creating conflict where there is none. They need to get ELQ on solid ground and it’s easier if they’re on the same page. Ned says, it’s always two against one, and Drew says, Ned’s right. Ned says, that’s a first, and Drew says, no more two against one. He’s confident they’ll figure it out on their own. He leaves, and Michael says he doesn’t have an agenda. He just wants to do what’s best for the family. Ned says he believes Michael. It’s not Michael he doesn’t trust. It’s Drew.

Tracy asks if Stella is suggesting she’s harboring romantic feelings for Cody. If so, she’s ready too many trashy novels. Stella says she’s not saying that… Not that she would blame Tracy. They’ve been meeting for several months and it’s clear by how much she talks about Cody, that they’ve become close. He even took her out on the lake in that old rowboat. They confide in each other. She was one of the first people Cody told when he found out Mac was his real father. Tracy says she’s mentioned him more than she realized, and Stella says, he’s a good friend and now he’s reunited with his family and he’s with Sasha. Tracy is afraid of losing him. And why not? Look at where they are. She points to Gregory’s plaque on the bench, and Tracy says, it’s been a difficult year. She hasn’t spoken to Finn in months. Stella says, another good friend. Loss is hard. Tracy says, losing Gregory was harder. He was one of her closest confidents. And there’s Luke. She misses him most of all. Luke, Finn, and Gregory were all so compelling, especially Luke. They’re very different, but Cody reminds her of him. Maybe she just wants to see that, but she thinks they share a lot of the same qualities. Stella says, it’s safe to say he’s important to her, and Tracy says she couldn’t stand another relationship slipping away.

Lucky says he appreciates the effort, but Jason says he doesn’t understand. Lucky says, just get himself and Anna out. Sidwell talks a big game, but he’s not going to kill him or Holly. Jason says, there’s no time. Lulu had a medical crisis and needs a liver transplant. Lucky is her best shot at a donor and has to get home as soon as possible. Sidwell comes back and says, apologies. Now, where were we?

Stella says she’s sorry about Luke, Gregory, and Finn, and Tracy says, at least Finn is still alive. Stella says, but he’s not present in the way Tracy wishes he was. Grief isn’t linear. There are ups and downs, twists and turns. Tracy says, her own personal roller coaster. She wants to get off the ride now. Stella says, you think you’re making progress and you’re at peace, then out of nowhere, it hits like a ton of bricks. Tracy says, it sounds like she’s speaking from experience, and Stella says, a few weeks ago, she heard My Girl. She and Irene used to play it over and over, and dance and sing for hours. She was in her car and just lost it. She’s convinced, the deeper the love, the longer the journey. Tracy says, there’s no bond like siblings. She had a brother. He drove her crazy like nobody else. Why get involved with people when you’re just going to lose them? Stella says, everything Tracy feels is normal. Although maybe she should temper her reaction. Tracy says she guesses she owes Sasha an apology, and Stella says, that’s a good place to start. Tracy says she’s sorry for scolding Stella. It’s not going to happen again… if there is an again. Stella asks if Tracy doesn’t recognize a good friend sitting next to her. She’s not a compelling man, but she is a compelling woman if she does say so herself. Tracy says she has to agree.

Ned says he gets that Michael is in it for the family and sees he’s willing to put aside what he wants for the greater good. Michael says, but Ned doesn’t think Drew is, and Ned says he knows Drew isn’t. Michael says, no one has come through for the family more than Drew, and Ned says, they’re grateful, but Drew is a Quartermaine through and through. He wasn’t always like he is now, but maybe his struggles changed him. He knows Drew is out for himself and will take what he wants. Michael says he’s never seen anything to indicate that, but Ned says, keep his eyes open. Just because Michael’s intentions are pure doesn’t mean Drew’s are. He’ll never fully trust Drew, and if Michael is smart, he won’t either. He leaves.

Creeper Drew goes to the boathouse, and Willow asks what he’s doing here. He says he could tell she was upset and wanted to say he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to ruin her night with Michael. She says, it doesn’t matter. She’s continually asked him to stay away, but he doesn’t care. He says, of course (🍷) he does, and she says she has feelings for him that are jeopardizing her marriage, and it makes her feel like absolute crap. He says she doesn’t want her to feel that way, and she says, then stop running into her and checking on her. She needs him to leave her alone.

Sidwell says he’ll put down first, and lays his cards out. Lucky puts his down, but Jason folds. Sidwell tells the guards to take Jason and bring Holly back. Jason’s loss is English’s gain. She always lands on her feet. Give his condolences to Anna. It was pleasure playing cards with him. Lucky says he’s sorry, and Jason says, get home safe. The guards lead him out, and Sidwell says, for a savvy card player, Jason is naïve. Lucky’s not going anywhere.

Maxie sees Ned and says she has papers for Tracy and Brook. He asks if it’s Deception business, and she says, it is. She asks if he can keep an eye on James. One time, the lake; two times, a disappearing act. Ned says he’s got it, and Maxie says she won’t take long. Good luck. Ned asks, what’s new? and James asks if Ned kisses people on the lips. Ned laughs and says he does, but only one person, his wife Olivia. James says, kissing his mom makes Spinelli happy. Why would one kiss make Willow sad?

Cody tells Sasha that he and James talked about her and how grateful he is to have her in his life. James asked if she was part of his family. He hopes he wasn’t out of turn saying yes. She says, nothing would make her happier, and they kiss.

Holly says she’ll never forget the day Anna showed up, the woman from Robert’s past. Anna was awful. Her marriage to Robert was the sweetest time of her life. She thinks she knew in her heart something that special can’t last. Anna says she remembers how at peace and content Robert was with Holly. She guesses she felt bad about getting in the middle of that. She thinks Holly made Robert happy in a way she never did. Holly says, Robert will never be happy again if she lets Anna die here, but she can’t figure out how to prevent it. Anna says she doesn’t think Holly can, but Holly says she told Anna, no way is she going back to Robert and telling him that she left Anna here to die. The guards bring Jason in, and one of the guards punches him in the stomach just because. They take Holly, and Anna says, tell Robert to tell her, but Holly says, don’t give up. Jason says he’s sorry. He lost the game. Anna shrugs and says she knew he would.

Sidwell wonders what Jason’s hand was and Lucky looks at the cards. He says, a losing one, and Sidwell says, Lucky’s trend continues. Lucky says, they did what he wanted. They played his sick game and now two people are going to die. Sidwell says, that doesn’t mean the deal changed. If Lucky loses… Lucky asks if he’s not bored, but Sidwell says, not even a little bit. Lucky says he thinks it’s time they shake things up, put in something for him. They play a hand and if he wins, he goes free. Holly is brought back, and Sidwell tells the guard to take the other two to the courtyard. He welcomes Holly back, and she says she’s glad that unpleasantness is behind them. She’ll forgive him this once. Since they’re still playing, she’ll go to her room. Sidwell tells her to stay and tells Lucky that he’s right. It’s high time they reset the terms.

Cody knocks everything off the table, and he and Sasha start to get busy. Tracy clears her throat, and they see her standing in the doorway. (Why do they continually leave this door open?)

On the phone, Michael says he’s off the grid for the rest of the night. He has plans with his wife. Maxie walks in and says, he makes his family priority. She wonders how he’s not pulled in different directions. She’s having a hard time, and she only works for one company. He says, there’s nothing more important than Willow and the kids, and she says, Spinelli usually gets the short end of the stick, but he’s patient and kind about it. She hereby declares she’s making her relationship a priority. Michael suggests a standing date night. Twice a month minimum, one a week if they can swing it. She says, they’re both lucky they found their person.

Willow says, please just go, and Drew says he will, but he wants her to know that he understands. He’s going through the same thing. She says, he’s not married. He’s amazing and her heart races when she sees him. It puts what matters at risk and she wishes she could make it go away, but she’s having trouble. He can help. He helped her in Greenland. Help her now. Stay away from her. Please. He leaves.  

James asks if sad and guilty are the same, and Ned says, sometimes. James asks what guilty means, and Ned says, it means you feel bad about something and wish you hadn’t done it. He’s confused. What does that have to do with Willow and a kiss? James says he heard Willow tell Aunt Nina that she felt guilty for kissing Drew. (Rut-roh. Congratulations, Ned. You’re the new CEO of ELQ!)

Jason says, Sidwell is going to kill them, and Anna says, he made that clear. He says, their only chance is to jump them, but she says, they’re armed. She has to get the cuffs off of him. She can’t go after them alone. He picks up the paper clip and she works at the cuffs, but she says, it’s not working. It’s not strong enough. It’s just bending. She can find a nail. She searches the bed, and says, if she can get it out… Frustrated, she lifts the bed and it bangs on the floor, and Jason says, just try again. She starts to cry and says she can’t do it. He tells her, stop, and she says, sorry. This is it, isn’t it? They’re going to die in here tonight. She hugs him, and it looks like they’re about to kiss, but they’re distracted by a door clanging. Jason listens for a moment, then kisses Anna. (I wrack my brain trying to remember if they’ve ever been involved.)

Sidwell says, Lucky isn’t just playing to keep himself alive. Holly lives as long as Lucky continues to win. Holly says she refuses, and Sidwell asks if she thinks she has a say. She smacks his face and says, he brought her to this hellhole just to be part of his sad game. He grabs her and says, does she think he didn’t know she was after his diamonds? Does she think he’d let her cheat him? She grabs his gun and tells him not to lay his hands on her. And don’t think of calling the guards. She asks if Lucky can get free, and he says he’s way ahead of her, already out of the cuffs and leg irons. He asks where Anna and Jason are, and she says, they’re in the same cell he was. Sidwell knocks the gun out of her hand.  

Tomorrow, Cody says, Tracy should know if she does, he’s going too; Robert tells Diane, don’t be too sure on that; Brennan tells Carly that he’ll do as much as he can, the rest is up to them; and Sonny says he would have hoped Martin would make that happen.

🧼 At the Starting Gates…

This sounds pretty good. Doubtful I’ll watch it during its daytime slot, but I’m sure it will stream as well. Could this mean daytime is taking a turn for the soap? Premiering on CBS in early 2025.

https://deadline.com/2024/09/beyond-the-gates-cbs-daytime-drama-casts-tamara-tunie-daphnee-duplaix-karla-mosley-1236093722/

🍊 Ti Many Martoonies For Tamra…

Fancy Pants couldn’t figure out why it was two steps forward with Gina and Emily, and said there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Yeah, the piece that’s Heather’s ego. She and Terry got in a little spat, which was interesting. He was annoyed with her talking over him (ugh, same, I hate that), and told her not to admonish him on camera. They tried to hide from the camera when they had that conversation, but Andy sees all.

Johnny J. wouldn’t settle the suit with Shannon (try saying that three times real fast) because he wouldn’t sign an agreement not to say bad things about her. I’m still confused as to who asked for this in the first place, since I thought this whole thing started because she was talking smack about him. Alexis said he’d lost everything, and it was all coming out tomorrow. While we assumed she meant the videos, which he admitted keeping for blackmail purposes (!), it was just an article in the press about the lawsuit, which is par for the course. Shannon butt-dialed Tamra, who heard her wailing about it and saying she thought Alexis’s PR team was behind it.

Katie was having a couples’ dinner party so husband Matt could make friends. It was funny when Katie listed the names of the guests for Matt. I got the feeling they went right back out of his head the second she said them. Ryan had gone on a podcast and trashed Eddie, and Shane wondered if there was going to be a boxing match. I like Shane. He seems normal. In her interview, Katie said, just be kind around the wineglasses. Emily said, Fancy Pants wasn’t invited because she didn’t acknowledge Katie’s existence, but Terry had just undergone surgery to fix his snoring nose, so that could have actually been why. Gina was away, and Katie said she didn’t want Shannon feeling like a ninth wheel, although I’m pretty sure Shannon would still be offended at not getting an invite. Especially since she was whining about being all alone… except she had Archie… sniff… Hey, you can do worse than a dog. When Eddie asked if there were name tags at the table, Emily said he was by Ryan. I literally lol’d and even Eddie had to laugh. Yeah, if I was going to hang out with anybody IRL, it would be Emily and Shane.

Tamra kept downing martinis, and in her interview, Jenn said the last time Tamra got drunk like this, she (Jenn) had a napkin thrown in her face, and we flashed back to that. They discussed Alexis being looney toons and this led to Emily weeping over the whole dress thing again. It’s a shame Emily still feels like she’s overweight. She doesn’t seem to understand that the size number doesn’t matter. Even at my thinnest, my waist only gets so small. Tamra wanted to talk about the elephant in the room, or as Emily put it, the two big elephants. Because you should always discuss these things at a dinner party. At least in Housewifeland. This led to Tamra and Ryan arguing about his love of married women. Eddie kept trying to get her to shut up, while the other husbands looked at the sky, the grass, or their drinks. It didn’t take long for Tamra’s vocal register to hit screech level, and she ended up stumbling out of the party by herself, saying, I’m done.

⚰️  Spinning At You This Sunday…

The latest on Daryl Dixon: The Book of Carol. No spoilers.

https://bleedingcool.com/tv/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-our-best-look-yet-at-the-book-of-carol/

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season-2-review-book-of-carol

🌁 Something New From Last…

The latest trailer for The Last of Us. However, it’s not making the new season air any faster… sigh…

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/last-of-us-season-2-trailer/

🦸 Straight From the Merc’s Mouth…

The Amazon version sounds awesome. When it comes out on DVD, I want the Blu-ray with the pop-up Deadpool army. Yes, I bought the Game of Thrones makeup set with the pop-up throne. I’m that kinda girl.

https://www.marvel.com/articles/movies/marvel-studios-deadpool-and-wolverine-digital-4k-uhd-blu-ray-dvd

I’m not surprised. There was really nothing like seeing this on the big screen. I would have walked on glass to get there. Not broken glass, but maybe that safety glass like they use for car windows.

https://collider.com/deadpool-wolverine-global-box-office-1-317-billion/

🃏 All Joking Aside…

Lady Gaga proves once again that she’s more talented than the rest of the world put together.

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/lady-gaga-fiance-michael-polansky-joker-folie-a-deux-london-photos/story?id=114124780

https://ew.com/joker-folie-a-deux-clip-joaquin-phoenix-lady-gaga-kiss-prison-8713670

🎬 And the Rest…

A list of the movies that may or may not be in your future.

https://ew.com/your-guide-fall-movies-2024-joker-folie-a-deux-wicked-8717208

🐕 Nemesis Of Roadrunners Everywhere…

I saw this on the news and got an adrenaline rush just from watching it. Thank God she was right there and moved fast. We don’t have coyotes here, but we didn’t used to have deer in the backyard either.

https://people.com/tommy-lee-wife-brittany-furlan-saves-their-dog-coyote-attack-video-8717966

🍵 Autumn Is Calling…

Join me tomorrow for soap and whatever nuggets of entertainment I can dig up. Until then, stay safe, stay organizing your environment for inner peace, and stay peeling back the layers until you get to the root of your problem.

September 5, 2024 – Tracy Hires a Tutor For Lois, Isaiah, Her Brothers, Remembering, Bad Johnny J in the OC, His Disorder, VanderBaby, They Will, Extra Salt, New Reality, Joker Plus One, He Lied & Gurls

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Josslyn goes home to the apartment, and Trina says, it looks like she’s wearing yesterday’s clothes. Josslyn says, she may or may not have spent the night at Dex’s. He graduated from the police academy and got his badge. He’s now one of Port Charles’s finest. Trina says, he could have broken in his badge here last night, and Josslyn says she was gone one night. What happened?

In Isaiah’s room, Elizabeth tells TJ, it’s unusual to see a patient in this state. He’s not in a coma, but not unconscious. TJ says he’s not experienced in this, and she wonders if it’s a vegetative state or twilight. He did open his eyes last night. TJ says, but it was brief, likely caused by a seizure, and she says, maybe it’s the key to finding out who he is.

Jordan asks Dante how Lulu is, and he says, she’s holding steady. She says she heard Laura met her contact. She’ll let him know if there are any leads about Lucky. Dante asks if she’s ever wished she could be in two places at once, and she says, all the time. He says, Laura is off and he’s here with Lulu. He wishes there was something he could do, that there was some way to help from here.

The Invader headline is about John’s murder with his picture underneath. Ned wonders why Cates called himself Jagger. He wasn’t in a rock band. Tracy says, he wanted a name that sounded like an adolescent body spray, and Brook says she shouldn’t speak ill of the dead. Tracy says, she’s right. You should do it face to face when they’re alive. Olivia says, it’s tragic no matter how they felt about him, and Tracy, a crime was committed in her sacred space. Her bed looked like someone wrestled a bear. Who would do that? Ned says, they all have their own beds to wrestle in, and Lois says, one guest in particular came down looking a little mussed. Tracy chokes on her orange juice, and the others laugh.  

Carly says she needs coffee, and Sonny asks how she slept. She says she slept fine, but it’s kind of hard to get a good night’s sleep if you’re worried about waking up to an accessory to murder charge.

Diane goes to Alexis’s house and apologizes for not getting here sooner. Jason’s snafus present themselves at all hours of the day or night, but Jason’s misadventure is the Davis family’s good fortune.

Nina says, Cates was going to kill Ava and she came to work? Ava says she doesn’t have the luxury of taking a me day. Cates is dead, but his legacy lives on. Robert is going ahead with the ridiculous charges involving Kristina’s accident. Nina says she found a lawyer for Ava and asked him to meet them here. Ric walks in.

Diane tells Alexis that Ava took back her revised statement overseen by the late, not great, John Cates. Alexis asks why she would do that, and Diane says, Cates tried to have her killed. Apparently, he felt she might be susceptible to pressure from Sonny to recant. Alexis says, the written affidavit to her latest statement? and Diane says, that’s the one he could have used against Sonny. Alexis asks how they dodged that bullet, and Diane says, Cates allegedly hired a third party to murder Ava, but Jason threw in a monkey wrench. She’s surprised Alexis isn’t doing a victory dance. Alexis says, Kristina is out of one murder charge, but possibly face with another, and Diane asks whose murder she’s liable for now.

Nina introduces Ava and Ric, and realizes they know each other. Ava says, he’s Sonny’s brother. He represented her in the matter of… Rick says, Connie Falconari’s murder, and Ava asks if this is Nina’s idea of a joke. Nina says, obviously, she didn’t make the connection, or she never would have requested his help. This is where they’re at. Ava needs a lawyer, and Ric is an able one. He might as well give it a go. Ava says, might as well, but Ric says, not on your life.

Sonny says he’s sorry Carly lost sleep, but neither of them is going to get charged. She says she wishes she was as sure as he is, and he tells her that her help means a lot. She says, it’s a habit she’s trying to break. If she’d just taken more time or known how far he was going to take it, it would have been a different chat about the alibi. He asks if she would have thrown him to the wolves, and she says she doesn’t want him going to jail, but she’s not taking it further than she absolutely has to. She has to go. He asks, why the hurry? Is he so terrible?   

Tracy says she’s going to be sick, and Brook tells her to take a deep breath. Ned says, stop being so dramatic, but Tracy says she’s never dramatic. Olivia says she’ll burn the sheets. She’ll buy a new bed. She’ll call an exorcist. Tracy says she can’t believe those reprehensible people made her a party to their four-legged urges by using her bed, and Ned says, that sounds like the name of a new band, Four Legged Urges. Brook says, she’s not going to catch cooties, and Tracy says she’s going to be permanently nauseous. Olivia tells her to have a croissant, and a woman comes in telling her how to pronounce it correctly. It’s far kinder on the ears.

Diane tells Alexis to find out what she can from Kristina. Not as a mother, but as a lawyer. She’ll circle back and they can compare notes. Alexis thanks her, and Diane says she’ll try not to keep Alexis waiting so long next time. She leaves, and Kristina comes downstairs. She asks why Diane was here.  

Nina asks if Ric is saying he won’t represent Ava, and he says his caseload is full. She says she thought he went to the Scotty Baldwin school of law, where it doesn’t matter as long as it’s billable, but he says, even he has his limits. Nina asks why he came if the answer was no, and he says, she was careful to omit the details. Nina says she thought he’d get over his objections when she reminded him that he owes her a favor for trying to rob her blind during their mercifully short marriage.

Olivia says she doesn’t know who the woman is or what she’s doing here. She pronounces croissant the way she eats one. The woman says, incorrectly? Brooklyn, 15th Avenue and 85th Street. Maybe further inland, but no more than 83rd. Olivia says, she’s freaking her out, and Ned asks, who is she? The woman says she’s Robin Finch, dialect theorist and tutor to the stars. Lois must be her new student. She holds out her hand as if for a kiss, but Lois shakes it.

Carly says she and Sonny have a beautiful family together, and he says, they had a lot of good years. She says, the bad ones were a special kind of hell. She loves him, but they’re done. He says he knows, but what’s the harm in playing out the alibi? She says, when the family finds out what they were doing when he was really talking to Cates.  

Trina says, Chase put the whole place on lockdown immediately, and Josslyn says, Cates was no friend of Sonny’s. Trina says, she doesn’t think… and Josslyn says she’s trying not to. There’s a knock at the door, and Gio asks if he can hang with them. Lois told him to steer clear of the big house. Josslyn says, the Quartermaines must be losing it, and Gio says, most of them. Tracy is having a meltdown because two of the dinner guests used her bed. Trina says, eww, and Josslyn says, tacky. Gio says, it was his Uncle Sonny and Josslyn’s mom.  

Lois says she’s sure Robin is great, but she doesn’t know about a tutor. Robin says, it’s tyooter, not tooter, and Olivia says, Robin said she was a coach to the stars? Robin asks if they’re familiar with Meryl Streep, and Lois and Olivia both say, a dingo ate my baby, in an Australian accent. Ned asks if Robin isn’t kind of young to have worked on A Cry in the Dark, but Robin says, she worked with Meryl as a mother. She coached her daughters. Brook says, there’s nothing wrong with the way Lois talks. She didn’t hire Robin. Tracy says she did.  

Josslyn tells Gio, her mother did not sleep with Sonny. They’re messing with him. Gio says, they seemed serious… maybe, and she asks when this happened and how. He says, last night and probably the usual way, and she says, this is a mistake. Trina agrees and says, it sounds like a big game of trashy telephone. Gio says he’s sure heard the wrong thing the wrong way, and Josslyn says she’ll be back. She leaves, and Gio asks, what happened? Trina says, Carly and Sonny’s breakup was mutual, but not amicable.

Carly tells Sonny, it was one time. They’re not back together. He says, they’ll think he’s a sleaze who preyed on poor, vulnerable Carly, but she says she’s not poor or vulnerable. She walked into this with her eyes wide open. He says he’s glad he could count on her, and he’d do the same for her. There’s a knock at the door and Diane comes in. She sees Sonny and Carly, and says, oh no.

Jordan asks if there’s any update on the John Doe, but TJ says, there’s been no change. He’ll let her know if he’s coming to. He leaves, and Dante says, no ID, no phone, and no record of prints, so he’s not ex-military or had any run-ins with the law. Jordan says she’ll call the WSB, and he asks if she thinks they’ll care. She says, possibly, if she drops Laura’s name. She intends to pursue every avenue. That man matters to someone.

Dressed in scrubs, the guy from the airport walks into Isaiah’s room. Elizabeth asks if she can help him.

Ric says, good times, and Nina says, for him, rolling around in her inheritance. He says, and she was a real blast. Almost as much as the prospect of defending Ava in front of Sonny. But Ava kicked his niece out a window and killed his grandchild. Ava says, it wasn’t that way, but he says he can’t take the case. Sorry. He leaves, and Ava asks if Nina has any other bright ideas.

Kristina asks again why Diane was here, and Alexis says, Ava recanted her statement. She’s no longer claiming Kristina tried to kill her. That means without her statement, the FBI’s case is groundless. She still has to file a petition, but she can’t imagine it won’t be dismissed. Kristina says, then it’s over, but Alexis says, not quite. John Cates was shot and killed last night. Kristina says, one down and one to go.

Elizabeth says she hasn’t seen him. Is he new here? The man says he is. He’s here to clean up. She tells him to come back later. The patient needs rest. He says, of course (🍷), and leaves with her.

Dante tells Jordan that he’s going over to the scene and see if he can find anything. He goes to the elevator, and Ric comes out. Dante heaves a Jason sigh and goes into the elevator. Ric goes over to TJ at the reception desk and asks how TJ is doing. TJ says he’s doing okay, and Ric says he’s worried about Molly. She’s putting on a brave face, but he knows she talks to TJ. He was hoping TJ could tell him what’s really going on. TJ says, they’re doing okay… he thinks. They’re in different places with the loss. He doesn’t want to put any more thought or energy into what happened at the hotel room, but that’s all Molly thinks about. She wants to assign blame. Ric says, she wants to see someone punished, and TJ says, him too, but then what? There’s no Irene at the end and they’ll just go in circles causing more pain. He hopes Molly can see it before she loses more than she already has.  

Kristina says she’s not going to cry because Cates is gone, and Alexis says, it’s probably not a good idea to applaud either when Kristina openly threatened him. Kristina says, it’s a good thing only one person heard her and it was her lawyer. Alexis says she’s also Kristina’s mother and she’s concerned. Kristina is talking about a human like he was nothing. Kristina says, she’s had no sleep, had the threat of prison hanging over her, and a daughter worth dying for. Cates was worth killing. Alexis says, did she? and Kristina says, no, but Alexis thinks she did. Alexis says she was gone a good amount of time, and Kristina says she was at the grave and forgot she had the gun with her.

Ava says, maybe she’ll skip town, but Nina says she can’t go on the run. Ava says she has the money and the means, but Nina says, she’ll be looking over her shoulder for her entire life. Ava says, instead of being behind bars. She’s been in prison and doesn’t want to go back. Nina says, stay and fight. Don’t go on the run. It won’t just be Port Charles she’ll never see again. She’ll never see Avery.

Ned says, how Lois speaks is none of her business, but Tracy says, Lois is her employee. She sells products on Home & Heart, and the sales are directly linked to her presentation. Brook says, they’re doing fine, but Tracy says, if they were, Brook wouldn’t be tripping over herself getting Sonny to invest and taking on the hoochie mama that comes with it. She believes the numbers will improve if Lois’s rough edges are smoothed out. Olivia says, what about her? Does Tracy think her numbers will improve if she spoke snob? She knows some great sign language. Brook says, no one is signing anything, when Josslyn comes in the front door. Olivia goes to the foyer, and Brook says, Tracy had no right to hire Robin without her mother’s buy-in, but Tracy says, Lois implied that she did buy-in.

Josslyn says she hopes she’s not interrupting, and Olivia says, of course (🍷) not. Josslyn says, Gio told her something insane about her mom and Sonny, so she’s checking in with Olivia. She sees Olivia’s face and says, oh my God. It’s true, isn’t it?

Diane says, so while John Cates was being gunned down, Sonny and Carly were bedding down in a Quartermaine bedroom. Carly says, they got caught up in the moment, but Diane says she doesn’t believe it and doubts anyone else will. Sonny says, no one can prove otherwise, and Diane asks if they’re sure they weren’t spotted somewhere else on the property. Sonny says, it was dark and raining and everyone was inside. There’s no way they can ID who killed Cates. Diane says she’s praying it doesn’t come to that. She doesn’t relish the idea of selling this rekindled relationship. Carly says, it’s not a relationship, and Sonny says, it was a moment. Diane says she’ll need more than that to sell it. She needs an ongoing pattern. She needs an affair.

On the phone, Jordan tells someone to thank Jack Brennan for his help. TJ asks if she doesn’t think the police can ID the John Doe, and she says, another set eyes doesn’t hurt.

Ric tells Elizabeth that John Cates was murdered not long after they witnessed someone toss a gun off the bridge.

Kristina says she went to take the gun out and it wasn’t there. She thought Alexis took it or she lost it along the way. She never used it. Alexis says she thought Kristina was going to hurt herself. (Me too.) She thought she was going to lose her.

Sonny says, an affair is a non-starter, and Diane says, they have to protect themselves. Sonny says, that’s what he pays her for. Do her job. Carly says, she doesn’t know why she’s doing this… and Diane says, don’t finish that sentence or utter a similar one to anyone. Carly says she can’t do this and leaves the room. Diane says, before she goes, she has a piece of good news. Kristina is out of the woods. Ava recanted her statement. Ask Jason. One more thing, he and Carly need to be in sync on every detail and own it. She can only hold off the police for so long. Unlike her, Anna will not suspend her disbelief. She leaves.

Trina says, Gio is incorrect. He made a mistake. Gio asks her to tell Joss how sorry he is, and leaves. Josslyn comes back and says, her mom is reading her texts, but not responding. Trina says, take a deep breath. She doesn’t know what happened, and if they did, so what? They’re consenting adults with a history. Josslyn says, Sonny has a history of hurting her mom, and Trina says, Josslyn got back with Dex. Josslyn says, he doesn’t use her, and Trina says, maybe that’s how her mom feels about her relationship with Sonny. There are multiple reasons Josslyn and Dex shouldn’t be together, but Josslyn thought it was worth it. Maybe that’s how her mom feels. Does she want to get in the middle of their dynamic? Josslyn says, she’s right. Her mom is a grown adult and it’s her choice. She’s going to focus on her own life, and if her mom wants to mess hers up, she can do it by herself.

Tracy says, Lois was open to the idea unless something changed, and Ned tells Lois that she doesn’t have to give in to his mother’s classism. Tracy says she wouldn’t have hired Robin if she didn’t think Lois was on board, and Lois says she admits that the caller on Home & Heart got to her. It’s one thing to sell a band to a record label, but it’s another to look into a camera and talk to a million people. Her accent can be… Tracy says, toneless? Offensive? Unnecessarily cruel? Lois says, different, and Robin says, different is not always better. Ned tells Lois that she doesn’t have to give in to his mother, and Olivia says, it’s better to be Lois than a phony. Robin says she doesn’t wish to rob Lois of her authenticity, just give her the tools to refine it, if and when she chooses to do so. She’s coached front facing corporate personalities who choose to deploy and drop it at will. It’s not her goal to recreate Lois. She wants to empower her.

Tracy says she’s just trying to help Lois help herself, and Brook says, she doesn’t need help, but Lois says, maybe she does. She asks Robin to stick around and show her what she’s got, and Robin says she shall.  

Jordan tells TJ that if she can find out who John Doe is, it might help her feel less powerless. He says, she’s the most powerful person he knows, but she says she couldn’t help save him from his pain. She couldn’t help save her granddaughter, but if she can just find a name, maybe it will make up for all she couldn’t do. TJ hugs her.

Dante looks around the accident scene. He takes out a handkerchief and picks up a phone.  

On the phone, the man tells someone to put him through to Sidwell. He tells Sidwell that he has eyes on Gannon. Instructions?… Understood. He will never wake up.

Ava tells Nina, of course (🍷) she can’t leave Avery, but she can’t go back to prison. She needs a lawyer. Nina says she’ll talk to Ric again, but Ava says, he made it clear he’s not going to represent her. Nina says she’s sure she can convince him, and Ava asks why Nina is helping her. She betrayed Nina. Nina says she wants Avery to have her mom and Ava can thank Willow. She gave Nina a second chance and she feels like Ava deserves one too.

Carly asks if Diane left, and Sonny says, they’ll have to talk to the police soon. She says she needs to go, and he asks if she doesn’t think they can make people believe their story. They have history on their side. She says, and necessity. She wants him out of prison and in Donna’s life. They have to make people believe what they say happened, happened. He thanks her and she says she’ll add it to his tab. She leaves, and in the hallway, she runs into Josslyn.  

Kristina tells Alexis that she’s sorry. She wasn’t going to hurt herself and never would. Alexis thanks her and says she’s relieved to hear Kristina had nothing to do with the shooting. Kristina says she’d better get the gun back, and Alexis says, back where? She says, it’s dad’s. She took it from the penthouse and he’s going to notice it’s missing. Can she have it back? Alexis says, it’s gone. Possession of a gun is a bail violation. If Kristina was found with it, she’d be in jail, so she got rid of it off the bridge over Blackstone Canyon.

Sonny calls Jason and says, they have a problem. He discovered a gun is missing from his safe.

Ric says, they were witnesses to a crime, and Elizabeth says, they saw a woman drop a gun into the water. It’s not a crime. He says, she may have killed the FBI agent. The police have to know what they saw. He and Alexis have a history, and they might not believe him on his own. Elizabeth saw it and they have to come forward with what they saw together.

Tomorrow, Lucky tells Holly that he can smell a con a mile away; Josslyn asks if Carly slept with Sonny or is she giving him an alibi; and Sonny tells Jason that this is the only thing tying him to the murder.

🎓 Smartest In the Room…

All about Isaiah.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/who-is-isaiah-on-gh-sawandi-wilson-speaks-out

👠 Rich Reunion…

I didn’t watch Dynasty during its original run, but I caught it when it was on late night in the 90s and I loved it.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/emma-samms-reunites-with-her-dynasty-brothers

🥀 Tribute To a Friend…

The Talisman is one of my favorite books.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-remembers-his-friend-peter-straub

🍊 Do You OC What I See…

Fancy Pants Heather invited the group to wine country where they stayed at Dawn Ranch in some sweet little bungalows. She was having a tasting of a champagne collaboration she’d done with Family Equality, the organization getting 100% of the sales profit. Four sparkling wines had been created, loosely based on four of Heather’s children. On the way there, Tamra made a big deal about an Instagram post of Shannon sitting by herself at a bar like it was no big deal. Newsflash. Women are allowed to do that now. Shannon claimed she wasn’t drinking alcohol, but in her interview, Heather said she’d never sat in a bar and ordered a mocktail. I’ve never done that either, but another newsflash. Only Shannon and the bartender know for sure, but I have friends who do that all the time. Apparently, if Fancy Pants hasn’t done it, it just isn’t done.

Alexis prompted Katie to bring hairspray on a nature hike in case they came across any bears. I’m guessing that would just annoy the bear, so drop Alexis’s IQ twenty more points. Gina spilled the beans during a small group conversation by saying something about that video thing, prompting Shannon to say, what video thing? several times while everyone looked at the floor, into space, and anyplace but at Shannon. Emily said it was the worst, longest, most drawn out, traumatic breakup ever, and in her interview, Gina wondered, why do you want to hurt someone so badly if you’re so happy in your new relationship? My guess is, he’s not that happy. He’s just a real piece of work who wants to get back at Shannon, and when he’s done, he’s going to dump Alexis. Hey, I can dream.

My biggest question was, who did Alexis give a BJ to in order to get tickets to the Oscars?

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-shannon-beador-says-ex-john-janssen-suing-her-is-extortion-8706651

🩺 Diagnosis In the Valley…

This explains a lot, but my diagnosis is, he’s still awful.

https://okmagazine.com/p/jax-taylor-diagnosed-bipolar-disorder-ptsd-checking-inpatient-facility

🍼 Giving You Lala’s New Baby…

No name yet, but I’m sure it will be something spectacular. I’m voting for Stream or Rivulet.

💏 Charming Engagement…

Aww. Rodrigo and boyfriend Tyler are two of the few cast members I like. Hoping it’s all rainbows and more rainbows.

🧂 Salt Lake City Multiplied…

I’ll probably be skipping this one. RHOSC is enough for me.

💣 Outplaying In Secret…

Another one that probably won’t be on my list. Not that it doesn’t sound good, but I get confused when Jeff Probst lists the challenge steps on Survivor.

🔥 A Match Made In Hell…

Apparently, this is a musical. I’m intrigued.

https://people.com/joker-2-first-reactions-folie-a-deux-venice-film-festival-8697650

Taking it to the Venice streets. Amazing. Joaquin Pheonix is actually smiling. And not as the Joker.

https://extratv.com/2024/09/04/joaquin-phoenix-and-lady-gaga-bring-the-joker-to-the-venice-film-festival/

🐈 No Cats Allowed…

I’m with Travis on this, but I have to admit, I laughed at Jason’s ingenuity.

https://people.com/jason-kelce-says-it-ll-be-hilarious-when-his-kids-meet-taylor-swift-s-cats-8706379

🪁 Seeing You In September…

Join me tomorrow for soap. whatever entertainment rabbits come out of my hat, quotable quotes, and perhaps an earworm. Until then, stay safe, stay embracing the change of seasons, and stay not giving into four-legged urges on somebody else’s bed.