Tag Archives: Kim Dickens

December 1, 2023 – Ava Spills To Nina, Posing, Side Gig, Shade On, VanderUpdate, Parade Pics, Windows, Finale Of Fear, More Turkey, Holiday Pets (!), Just Over 8 Quotes & Philly

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook walks into the nook where Lois is chopping vegetables. Lois says, there’s her girl, and Brook says, okay, but Lios says she can do better than that. Where’s her main squeeze? Brook asks if she means Chase, and Lois says, no, her other main squeeze. Yes, Chase. Brook says, he’s probably halfway to Canada by now after grandma’s tirade on marriage.

Kristina shows Molly into her apartment and tells her to stay there while she secures the necessary provisions. She leaves and comes back with two glasses and a bottle of wine. Molly is still standing by the door, and Kristina says she didn’t expect her to still be in the same position. She leads Molly to the sofa and says, talk to her. What happened? Molly says she realized she’s never been here before.

Elizabeth and Finn are having dinner at the PC Grill (the restaurant of the moment), and Elizabeth wonders if they’re celebrating a special occasion. He says, that depends, and she says, on? He says, whether you deem the calm before the storm special.

A tall, impeccably groomed, well-dressed man walks up to the counter at Kelly’s and Carly welcomes him. She asks if she can get him something, and speaking with a British accent, he says he certainly hopes so.

Sonny and Dex walk into Pozzulo’s, and Dex says, Hume would have been waiting for Sonny if they’d have let him. Sonny asks if he was alone, and Dex says, just him and his briefcase, which he can only assume was full of cash like last time. Sonny says, okay, let’s hear what Pikeman has to say, and takes out his phone.

At Windymere, va opens the door to Nina, who says she’s completely freaked out. Ava sounded frantic. What’s going on? Ava says, this arrived in the mail today, handing her the note with the picture of dead Austin.

Elizabeth says she takes it that it didn’t go well with the hospital lawyer. What’s her name again? Finn says, Dede Clark. It went fine on the surface. She talked a lot about cooperation and implied they’re all in this together on the malpractice suit, and that he could do his part just by answering some questions. She says, but underneath? and he says, the more questions she asked, the more clear it became that GH’s plan is to sacrifice him and save themselves.

Kristina says, that can’t be true, but Molly says, it is. Think about it. Whenever they hang out, Kristina comes to her place, or they meet up at mom’s or Sam’s or a restaurant somewhere. Never here. Kristina says, Molly’s never been to her apartment (neither have we), and Molly says, no. Kristina says, that is weird. Well, welcome. Molly thanks her, and Kristina says, for the record, it’s not like she’s throwing parties or entertaining. Her kitchen is essentially a barren desert. It’s easier to go out. She pours the wine, and Molly says, Kristina doesn’t have to defend herself, but Kristina says, doesn’t she? Molly is her sister and hasn’t even seen her apartment. She hopes Molly knows it’s not intentional. She now has an open invitation, any time she wants to come here, day or night. Molly says, be careful. She just might take her up on that. Kristina says, she better, and they clink glasses.

Lois tells Brook, tirade is a bit of a stretch, and Canada is not that far away. Doesn’t she think she’s being a little overdramatic? Brook says, no. After some of the things grandma said to Chase, she can’t even go there. It was mortifying. Lois says, it’s a good thing to know, nobody ever died from embarrassment, and it didn’t seem to bother Chase all that much. Brook says, he was being polite, but Brook says, or maybe he was seeing Gloria for who she is, a meddling Italian grandmother whose views on modern relationships are stuck in the 1800s. Lois says, exactly, and Brook says, she and Chase have never even discussed marriage. They just moved in together. Lois says, indicating that marriage is probably the next step, but Brook says, they’re nowhere near that step and that’s okay by her. Lois says, good to know, and Brook says, it is good. Lois tells Brook that she just said that, and Brook says, she and Chase are perfectly happy the way things are. Chase walks in with a bottle of wine, and Lois says, he made it.  

The man tells Carly that he’s in Port Charles on business, and he has a craving for a burger. The concierge at his hotel recommended this place. Carly says, he must be staying at the MetroCourt, and he says, she knows it. She says she knows it well, and he says, if he were staying somewhere else, would they also recommend Kelly’s? She says, absolutely. Kelly’s is a Port Charles institution, and they have the best burgers in town, if she does say so herself. He says, wild guess. She works here. She says she owns the place, third generation. So how does he like his burger?

Nina looks at the photo and says, is this real? Ava says, as real as it gets. Austin is dead. Nina asks, how? and Ava says, he was shot to death in Pautuck. Look. She shows Nina the envelope and says, a Port Charles postmark. It could have been sent by anyone. Nina asks if it was just the picture, but Ava says, no. It came with this sweet little note. She gives Nina the paper that says, you’re welcome, and Nina says she doesn’t understand. Ava says, join the club, and Nina says, clearly, the killer wrote this. Oh my God. Would they just assume Ava would be grateful Austin’s dead? Ava says, that’s her guess, and Nina says, she has to take this to the police. Ava snatches them back and says, no. That’s the last thing she’s going to do.

Sonny says, before Hume gets here, how long did Dex tail Austin? Dex says, only when that nanny was working for Sonny. Betty? Sonny asks if anyone called Dex on it, and Dex says, a couple of times at the hospital, he was asked what he was doing there, but he always had a cover. Sonny asks if he roughed Austin up, and Dex says, when Ava disappeared, he questioned Austin. He stonewalled, Dex put him in a headlock and told him if Ava wasn’t back, he’d be back for him. Sonny says, that could be a problem. Austin was murdered and if anyone saw Dex threaten him, they could assume he did it.

Ava says, Dante has already been out here to question her, and Nina asks, why? Because of Austin? Ava pours drinks and says, there’s so much Nina doesn’t know. Nina says, then fill her in, and Ava asks if Nina remembers walking in on her and Sonny having an intense conversation a few months ago, and Nina says, yeah. She asked what was going on, and neither of them would tell her. Ava says she was being blackmailed, and Nina asks, for what? Ava says, when Nikolas went missing, she had every reason to believe he was dead, and Nina asks her to define every reason. Ava says she thought she’d killed him, and Nina says, oh my God. Ava says, he came here, and he was in a rage. He was threatening to disappear and take Avery with him. She had to do what she had to do to stop him, and she grabbed a statue and she hit him. She just wanted to stop him, that’s all, but he fell. He stopped moving and she panicked. She thought he was dead. Nina says, thank God she was wrong, and Ava says she was trying to hide his body when Austin found her. He told her that he’d help her cover it up. Then the body disappeared, and Austin’s cousin Mason claimed he had it. He said he would bring it to the police if she didn’t do everything he told her to do. Nina says, so Austin’s cousin Mason was blackmailing Ava because she killed Nikolas, but he wasn’t actually dead? and Ava says, but Mason wasn’t acting alone. It turned out, Austin was working with him.

Dex says, after questioning Austin about Ava, he never went near him again, and Sonny says, if the cops decide Dex is a suspect – and that’s a big if – tell them that he’s not talking to anybody without his attorney present, and that includes his son Dante. Dex says, understood, and Sonny says he takes care of his people. If Dex gets picked up, he has the best representation. Dex says he appreciates that, and Sonny says, let’s hope that doesn’t happen. The less attention the cops pay to Dex, the more valuable Dex is to him.

Carly presents the man with his burger and says, tell her what he thinks. Don’t spare her feelings. He takes a bite, and she says she wants to know the real deal. He makes happy food noises and says, talk about the real deal. She says, really? and he says, it’s delicious. It’s full of flavor, perfectly cooked. She tells him to enjoy his dinner. She looks at the door and says, not again, and they turn to see a homeless man hanging around the doorway. She goes outside.

Carly tells the man that he can’t be out here, and he asks her not to call the cops, but she says, that’s not what she means. It’s too cold. He needs to come inside.

Kristina asks if Molly wants to tell her what happened, and Molly says, shoot. She had a folder at the park. It’s filled with really personal information… Kristina says she’s got it. She picked it up from the ground when they were leaving. Molly thanks her and says, she’s a life saver. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and takes the folder out of her bag, giving it to Molly. What’s in it? She doesn’t have to share that. It’s 100% her right. Molly says, no, it’s fine. Open it. Kristina looks inside and says, surrogacy candidates. She doesn’t understand. Is there something wrong with them? Molly says, there’s something wrong with her, and Kristina says, watch it. That’s my sister you’re talking about. Molly says she has this whole folder of potential new surrogates and TJ has no clue she’s even looking at them.

Lois brings out glasses and thanks Chase for the wine. She says, it’s very thoughtful of him, and he asks if she wants him to open it. She says, is the Pope Catholic? and tells him to pour while she works. She goes back to the cutting board, and Chase asks if they have a corkscrew. Brook gets it for him, and he asks what they were talking about. Lois says, you, and Brook says, you and Blaze. And how you used to sing together and now she sings alone. Speaking of which, what does he think of her new song?… Hello? Chase says he’s sorry. He got distracted. It’s amazing how Lois can do all that with those nails. Lois says, there’s nothing she can’t do with these nails.

Elizabeth says, Finn has to separate the hospital from the hospital’s lawyers. Sure, it may be a good legal strategy to use him as a scapegoat, but Portia and Terry would never, and she’s sure the Board would follow suit. He says he doesn’t know anymore. If the Muldoons can prove that the hospital somehow knew he was negligent and turned a blind eye, it’s possible they’d be liable for damages. Martin thinks GH’s best plan is to say that he was negligent, but he acted without the knowledge of the hospital. She says, but he wasn’t negligent and he’s going to explain that to a jury when he testifies. They’ll have to be sympathetic to him. He says, really? Has she met him?

Finn says, his testimony alone could tank the case, and Elizabeth tells him, says who? He tells her, says his lawyer; he said it a bunch of times. She says, that’s ridiculous, and he says, really? She says, if Martin Grey doesn’t believe in Finn, fire him, and Finn says, Martin does believe in him, but he’s also a lawyer. Good lawyers point out the landmines. This case at the core is about a grieving family who are looking for answers, and really, can you blame them? She says, of course (🍷) not, and he says, then it’s possible a jury might feel that way too. She says, and it’s possible to have empathy for the family, and realize their loss wasn’t his fault. He says he doesn’t know. He just feels that when he gets on the stand, the jury’s sympathies are going to be with the Muldoons, and the only way he can win them over is to get them to… like him. She says, he did it with her and she’s a way tougher sell. A bunch of strangers? Cakewalk. He says he doesn’t know whether to take that as a pep talk, but all he heard was, she likes him. She says, very much so.

Chase asks if Lois is sure she doesn’t need any help, but she tells him, just sit back and relax and enjoy the wine, which is very good by the way. Brook says, it’s delicious, and Chase says he’s got a guy. Lois says, he’s got a wine guy? and Brook says, it’s true. His recommendations are always on point. Lois says, good to know, and she’s very glad the two of them can join her for dinner. Chase thanks her for the invite, and she says, it gives her a chance to get to know him better. And to apologize for all things Gloria. He says, get out of here, and she says, not really apologize, because God knows she loves her mother, but she does know she could be a bit much. Brook says, a bit? and Lois says, but she means well. Her mother is a romantic. She’s in love with love, and for a woman from her generation, if you’re in love, you put a ring on it. Brook chokes on her wine.

Molly tells Kristina that she was contacted by the matching professional about looking for a new surrogate, and she was excited about getting things going again. Kristina asks if TJ felt differently, and Molly says, when she told him, he said it was too soon. Kristina says, too soon for whom? and Molly says, for him. For them, she guesses. He’s not ready to get back on that roller coaster again. Kristina asks how Molly feels about that, and Molly says, deflated… frustrated. This whole thing is bad enough, but to not be on the same page as your partner. Anyway, she ran into Dr. Navarro when she was leaving the hospital, and she says so kind and steady, and she really put things in perspective. Kristina asks what the doctor said, and Molly tells her, basically, the risk of miscarriage is the chance that you take, no matter who’s carrying the child. But when you weigh that against the chance of actually having a baby, so many people have had success through surrogacy. She wants to be one of those people. Kristina takes her hand, and Molly says, she took the meeting alone. Kristina asks if it was productive, and Molly says, it was, until mom showed up.

The homeless man tells Carly that he’d rather stay outside. He doesn’t like being around too many people. She says, at least let her bring him something to eat, and he says, really? Carly says, of course (🍷), and he says, that’d be great. Thanks. She says she’ll be right back, and if he changes his mind, the door’s open. She runs inside and goes directly to the kitchen, as the man at the counter watches.

Nina says, she didn’t know Austin well, obviously, but he seemed to really care about Ava. Ava says she thought so too. She thought Austin was someone she could trust. When he tried to convince her that he was being coerced, that he didn’t want to help his cousin, that he was trying to get her out from under the blackmail, she believed him. But Nikolas wasn’t dead, and she’s convinced Austin knew all along. Nina says she just doesn’t get it. What was his endgame? Ava says, per usual, in this underworld at least, all roads lead back to Sonny.

Dex shows Hume into Sonny’s office, and Sonny says, well? Hume says, Pikeman needs him to facilitate another shipment, and Sonny says he thought he made himself clear. He doesn’t do anything for Pikeman unless they tell him who the shooter was at the MetroCourt. Hume says, they’re not the police or the WSB. Pikeman is a manufacturer. Sonny says, that exports merchandise through his channels, and Hume says, and they’re willing – he puts his briefcase on the table and opens it – to pay double this time. We see the briefcase is crammed with stacks of bills.

Kristina asks if Alexis is trying to discourage Kristina from trying again, but Molly says, no. It was just typical mom. She wants what Molly wants. But when Molly told her about taking the meeting without tell TJ… Kristina says, technically, she did consult TJ, but Molly says, Kristina knows what she means. Mom said whatever she and TJ choose to do, they have to make the decision together, but she just has this sinking feeling that TJ might never be ready. So she went to the park to clear her head and ran into Willow and Amelia. It was nice. Willow was really sweet, and she got to hold the baby. Kristina asks if it wasn’t hard for her, and Molly says, at first, but it was so amazing to hold this tiny little human in her arms. Once she left them, she couldn’t stop thinking about how she might never have the child of her own. She wants to be a mom so badly. She starts to cry, and Kristina says she knows Molly does.

Chase asks if Brook is okay, and Brook says she will be once her mom changes the subject. Lois says, in a sec. The biggest thing Chase can take away from all of this is that Gloria obviously likes him. That’s not an easy feat because that’s not a woman you can win over very easily. And for what it’s worth (🍷), Lois likes and approves of him too. Chase says, it’s worth more than she knows, and Lois says, he makes her daughter happy. She can see it in her face. She can hear it in her voice and in the way she moves. As a mother, that’s all she could ask for. Chase says, for the record, her daughter makes him very happy too, when Lois’s phone rings. She says she has to take this and asks Brook to finish up for her. She leaves and Brook asks if Chase brought his shovel for the hole he’s going to dig, where she’s going to hide for the remainder of her days. He asks if she doesn’t think she’s being a little dramatic, and she asks why everyone keeps saying that to her… Do not answer that. She’s so, so sorry. He says, why? He’s not.

Finn says, it’s too bad they can’t clone her and have a whole jury box full of Elizabeths. She says, that’s a terrifying thought, and I laugh at the mental picture. He says, not to him, and she says, truth? He says, sure, and she says, sometimes he can be a little… He says, abrasive… guarded… socially awkward, and she tells him that she was going to say standoffish. But once people get to know him, they see what she sees. He says, and what’s that? and she says, a man of the utmost integrity; a brilliant researcher; a dedicated physician; a loving, sometimes neurotic, father. He says, sometimes? and she says, a person who really cares and a doctor who never quits on his patients… and someone who needs a little work on their maple tapping skills. He says, a lot of work, and she says, he’s saved hundreds of lives, and he has the potential to save so many more. He says, not if he loses this malpractice suit.

Carly takes a to-go bag out the homeless man and says she hopes he likes goat cheese. There are fries in there, she threw in a piece of pie, and here’s a coffee. She hands him a cup, and he thanks her. He asks if it’s okay if he sits out here and eats, and she tells him, of course (🍷), and stay as long as he likes.

She goes back inside to the counter and asks the not-homeless man if he’d like anything else. He says he thought she was going to run that guy off. Instead, she fed him. How come?

Nina asks what Sonny has to do with any of this, and Ava says, Austin and Mason were working for Cyrus Renault. Nina asks if Sonny knows, and Ava says, he’s the one who told her. Nina wonders why he didn’t say something, and Ava says, he doesn’t want Nina involved. God knows she wishes she wasn’t involved. Nina says, so Cyrus is the one who had her kidnapped? and Ava says, yes. He wanted Austin to testify for him at that hearing in Pentenville. Nina says, his hardship release. So he had Mason take Ava hostage to guarantee Austin’s testimony. Ava says, helluva guy, huh? and Nina says, Austin did what Cyrus wanted and testified to save Ava. That means Ava did mean something to him. Ava says, something maybe, but not enough.

Sonny closes the briefcase and tells Hume to take it back to his superiors along with this message – he’s out. He’s not moving anything else for Pikeman for any price. Find another harbor. Hume says he’ll relay the message, and Sonny says, you do that. Hume leaves and Dex closes the office door. Sonny says, Dex is going to have an opinion on what he just did. So what does he think? Dex says he thinks Sonny made a mistake.

Finn tells Elizabeth that he thinks the biggest question is going to be why he didn’t screen Muldoon for more tests that would have indicated the presence of cancer. She says, Finn told her that he wanted to, and Muldoon didn’t want to have any more tests. Finn says, he knows, but they might say something like he didn’t explain it to him fully, or maybe he was open to the tests and Finn just didn’t bother. She says, and what? Finn told him he was fine and pushed him out of his office? Finn tells her that they might say he got busy with his research or other patients. She says, he would never do that, and he says he knows that, and she knows that, but what if the jury doesn’t know that?

Brook says, all this marriage talk has got to be wigging Chase out, and he says he’s not wigged out. And he’s pretty certain no one says that anymore. She says her family just really loves weddings, in an unhealthy co-dependent kind of way, and he asks if she’s been to a lot of them. She says, weddings? Oh yeah. Between the Cerullos and the Falconaris, there are too many to count. He asks what they’re like, and she says, big, loud, enough food to feed an army… and the people there fighting. And the dancing. Nobody dances the tarantella like her grandma. He says he’d love to see that someday, and she says, he will. Not at their wedding… She didn’t mean that. She meant at a wedding, probably one of her gajillion family members. Is it hot in here? She fans herself and he says, she needs to relax, but she says she feels terrible. Everyone’s all up in his grill. He says, nobody’s up in his anything, and she says her grandma has probably already reserved a church for them, but they can’t blame her. It’s all she knows. The moment you turn 18, every nona keeps asking when it’s going to be your turn. So she understands it from her grandma. Or at least she’s trying to. But from her mother? That’s a completely different story.

Counter man says, not to sound callous, but he can’t imagine it’s good for business to have a homeless man hanging around outside, and Carly says, probably not. She did tell him to come inside, but he didn’t want to, so she just brought him some food. He says, that was kind of her, and she says, they wrap up all the unused food and send it to the homeless shelters, so she would have been feeding him anyway. At least this time he’s getting a hot meal. The man says he’ll pay the check when she gets a chance, and can she give this to her friend outside. He hands her some cash, and she says, thanks.

Ava tells Nina that Austin came to see her at the gallery the night he died. When she found out he’d known she was held hostage… He could have gone to Sonny. He could have gone to the cops, but he did nothing. He was silent. She was furious. They fought about it. She told him to leave and he left. Nina says, and that was the last time she saw him? and Ava says, yeah. She just doesn’t have any way to prove it. Nina asks if there aren’t cameras at the gallery. Can’t they prove Ava was there at the time Austin was shot? Ava says, the cameras in the back aren’t working, and that’s where she was most of the night, and Nina says, well, that is going to be an issue. Ava says, even if the cameras were working, she doesn’t think it would help her. That’s why she can’t bring the note and picture to the cops. They’re just going to think she hired somebody to get rid of Austin. Even dead, that man is still making trouble for her.

Sonny says, Dex thinks he should have taken the deal? and Dex says he thinks it’s better to play along than make himself an obstacle that needs to be removed. When he was in Afghanistan, there were a lot of these private security groups there. Sonny says, including Pikeman, and Dex says, these are powerful people. They have connections to all the major security ops, the CIA, the WSB. If they come at Sonny, it may be at a level he hasn’t seen before. Sonny says he appreciates Dex’s insight. He’s already considered all that, and he realizes his best move right now is to get out. He doesn’t want Pikeman investing any more in him. He’s betting that they think he’s more trouble than he’s worth and move on.

Molly says, it’s like she’s lost all self-control, but Kristina says she thinks that’s a good thing. Molly says, that she’s a human walking waterworks? and Kristina says, yes actually. For the first time, Molly’s allowing herself to feel what she feels, without trying to edit it or control it. Being a mom is hugely important to her. Molly says, it’s like she won’t be her if she doesn’t, and Kristina says, that’s really beautiful. Molly says, not if TJ won’t consider these surrogates. And she won’t have a child without him. She won’t do that to him. Kristina takes her hands, and they sit down. She says, TJ will come around. She knows he will, and when he does, let Kristina help her. Let her carry a baby for them.

Chase says he doesn’t want Brook to be mad at her on his account. He thinks she’s awesome. She says, he does? and he says, Brook obviously comes by her beauty and her spark naturally. Brook thanks him for the compliment and for just being overall amazing. How’d she get so lucky? He says he asks himself that every day… about how he got lucky, not her. (Ha-ha!) She suggests they agree they’re both lucky, and he asks what she say were the three most important moments of her life. She says, when she scored Jonas Brothers tickets in 2010, and he says he’s being serious. Humor him. She says, all right. The last time she ever saw her great-grandfather Edward; that’s a big one. The first time she ever wrote a song, and when she gained a little brother in Leo. He says he wants this moment right now to be on that list, and she asks what he’s talking about. He says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine – he gets down on one knee, taking her hands – will you marry me?

Finn pulls his chair closer to Elizabeth and says, she called him caring. She says, because he is, and he says he thinks he knows that somewhere deep down. He also doesn’t like being questioned or doubted, and when he gets defensive, he gets awkward. These jurors aren’t medical professionals, and this medical jargon thing will go right over their heads, and the only thing that’s going to resonate with them is that this man is dead, and his family is grieving. And there’s this doctor on the stand saying he did everything right. She tries to interrupt, but he says, no. What if he would have pushed harder for Muldoon to get those tests? Made him. Demanded he get that colonoscopy. Would Muldoon still be alive? She says, no one can answer that question. But what she can tell him is, all they can do as medical professionals is their best, and he did that. She knows that. So they need to teach him how to project that inward kindness outward, so the jury will believe him and maybe even like him. He asks if that’s even possible and she says she thinks… Yeah. They’ve got their work cut out for him. They kiss.

Kristina takes Molly’s hand and says she knows Molly was originally against it when she offered to be their surrogate. And admittedly, she hadn’t really thought it through, not fully. Maybe there was a part of her that wanted to swoop in and be the hero. Molly tells her, when she said that before, that was her pain talking. She was disappointed and bitter that Kristina could carry a child and she couldn’t. But that was unfair and she’s sorry. Kristina says she’s sorry Molly is going through this at all, and she’s sorry Molly lost her first baby. Molly says, it’s not Kristina’s job to fix it for them, and Kristina says she doesn’t think it is. Not at all. That’s not the way she sees it. Bringing Molly’s child into this world is something she can and truly wants to give her. Not just for Molly, but for this baby who’s going to be in this family with the most incredible parents. Molly says, she’s absolutely positive? and Kristina says, 100%, no backsies. Molly says, now she knows Kristina means business, and Kristina says she does. Molly says she has to talk to TJ about it; they have to be together on this. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and Molly says, no matter what they decide it means everything that Kristina has offered. Molly thanks her, and Kristina says she loves Molly. They hug, and Molly says she loves Kristina too.

Ava looks at the photo of dead Austin, then picks up the note and puts them both in the fireplace. She watches them burn.

Dex says, so Sonny will end his association with Pikeman and hope they cut their losses, when there’s a knock at the door. Nina comes in and says, Frank told her that she could come in. Sonny asks, what’s wrong? and Nina says she just came from Ava’s. She knows about Austin and Ava said he was working with Cyrus. More importantly, she said Cyrus still may be after Sonny. Sonny says, damn. Ava has no business telling her that. Nina says, no, she doesn’t really. The person she should hear it from is him.

Carly thanks the man for coming by, calling him Mr. Brennan (I guess he used a credit card). She hopes they see him again at Kelly’s soon, and he says he can practically guarantee it. He gathers up his things and heads for the door, when Hume comes in. He tells Brennan, we have a problem. Corinthos refuses to move any more of our shipments.

On Monday, Brook says, let’s take the topic off the table and forget it ever came up; Ned says, if he doesn’t figure out how to stop him, Michael will push him out; Molly wants TJ to hear her out first; Blaze asks if Kristina wants to celebrate; and Nina tells Sonny that she’ll do whatever she can to make sure someone comes home.

📸 Meant For More…

I never knew this. That photo doesn’t even look like him.

💣 Happier Villainy…

I still haven’t seen this, but it looks like a fun show.

💎 Shades Of Mess…

While I don’t normally side with Erika, I thought this was weird too. Denise seemed drunk. Maybe she was. Maybe there’s something we don’t know. First world problems.

🍸 Take Two…

If anyone still cares.

🍂 Goodbye Autumn…

In case you didn’t see the parade.

🎁 Switching Gears…

Another thing better seen online. You would not believe how crowded this stuff gets. The tree lighting looked insane.

⚰️ Rehashing the Dead…

All about the Fear finale. The best part – if you haven’t seen it, major spoiler – Skidmark made it! Even better, when he showed up, secretly thanks to Alicia, Daniel just asked, where have you been? No, how the hell did you appear out of thin air after disappearing for years? Or even, what are the odds? It was a great moment. It was a great finale. Nothing left unsaid.

https://ew.com/fear-the-walking-dead-series-finale-kim-dickens-interview-8402455

https://ew.com/fear-the-walking-dead-colman-domingo-reacts-to-victor-strand-finale-ending-8403734

https://ew.com/fear-the-walking-dead-showrunners-explain-alycia-debnam-carey-finale-return-8404001

🦃 Twice the Thanks…

I saw Thanksgiving for my birthday. They were giving out swag and I got a poster.

While it was a good time, and Eli Roth is a great director, this news surprised me.

https://people.com/thanksgiving-slasher-film-getting-sequel-2025-director-eli-roth-8409658

🫏 Practice Run…

Warming up for pets dressed as Santa, Santa’s elves, the Grinch, and whatever other humiliating holiday costume their pet parent can find.

I have no clue who these people are, but their celebrities somewhere and they have cute pets.

https://push.abs-cbn.com/2022/12/24/celebrities-flex-their-pets-on-christmas-day-1413

🐳 Quotes of the Week

My songs will pass and be forgotten. What counts, however, is that I sang them. – Father Andrew Greeley

Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.Lou Holtz

Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment.Arthur Jersild

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

No matter who you are, we’re creatures of habit. The better your habits are, the better they will be in pressure situations. – Wayne Gretzky

The world needs a-holes. Otherwise, where would the sh*t go out? – Dusan Mirkovic (Christoph Waltz), Downsizing

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 (Who knew she was such a philosopher?)

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.Ann Landers

Tomorrow I’m going to feel the pounds. – Andrei Castravet, 90 Day Fiancé, The Other Way: Pillow Talk

🐹 On the Holiday Hamster Wheel…

Take some time to stop and smell the pine needles this weekend, and join me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and that mess in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping realistic expectations of yourself and others, and stay allowing yourself to feel what you feel, without trying to edit it or control it.

May 22, 2022 – Alicia Wants the Tower, Bring Out Your Dead News & Fire

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

Victor listens to perfume commercial music as he shaves. I don’t know the name of it, but you’d know it if you heard it. He’s told Alicia is here for him, and he says, divine providence. He walks out past people farming, out onto the roof, and Wes asks, what happened? Victor says, today is the day they’re going to wipe the slate clean, and Wes says, she didn’t come alone, handing Victor the binoculars. Victor looks, and says, the gang’s all here. He picks up the phone, and asks Alicia to what he owes the pleasure. She says she thinks he knows, and he says she brought company. He asks, where’s Morgan? Is he going to make a grand entrance? She says, he’s somewhere safe with the baby where Victor won’t find him. Victor calls Morgan a coward, and says it’s auspicious of her showing up. He was going to call her. She asks, what for? and he says, to talk. She says, so talk, and he tells her, not like this. Come inside and have a drink. She asks if he’s waving the white flag, and he says, they’ll talk inside; just them. She looks at her group, and says, one drink. She hangs up, and Wes asks what Victor is doing. Victor says, he’s got it covered, and hands back the binoculars. He asks if there’s something Wes wants to say, and Wes says, Victor drove Alicia away for a reason. If he lets her in, he could lose everything he’s built. Victor assures Wes that he won’t, and asks Wes to be a gem, and get a bottle of the Luna Fonteluza he has in cold storage. And when the sun goes down, be ready.

Daniel tells a guard to get off him, and Victor tells Daniel to excuse them; they take security seriously. One of the guards says, Daniel pushed through, and almost broke a ranger’s neck. Victor tells Alicia, Daniel wasn’t invited. His agreement was only with her. Daniel says he wants to see Ofelia, and Victor looks puzzled. Alicia says, he’s not well, and Victor tells his men to take Daniel to the basement. Alicia tells Daniel that it will be okay. If Victor hurts him… Victor says, that’s what the roof is for. He’s just putting Daniel in time out. Alicia says, Luci lied and told Daniel that Ofelia was here, and Wes says, Alicia can pretend to be outraged, but at the end of the day, they’re all just like Victor. Alicia says, Wes wouldn’t be alive weren’t for Daniel, and Victor says, he saved Wes as well. Wes wonders which one he owes his life to. He pours two drinks, and Victor says, here we are. Wes says, Alicia shouldn’t be here. She and her friends left him to die in the bunker. He leaves, and Victor suggests he give Alicia the grand tour, but she says she’s good right here. He hands her a drink, and says, to new beginnings, but she says she thinks they have different ideas of what that means. He says, they’ll see about that, and notices she’s wearing the St. Christopher medal. He says he sees she still has it, and she says, she took it off Will’s body when she buried after Victor killed him. Victor says, it still means something to her, and she asks if he remembers what he said, that they needed to forget who they were, for her, for all of them. Was it worth it? Victor says, absolutely. He didn’t forget who he was; he embraced it. He knows what she thinks of him, but their story isn’t over, and she tells him, one way or another, he won’t be running this place after today. He says, it’s not about today; it’s about tomorrow. Everything he’s done was to lead them here. She says, so she and her army gets pissed off, sh*t on, and left to die? They’re ready to kick his ass. Victor picks up the phone, and says, do it, and she says, do what? He says she has her army; he has his. He tells the guard to cut the phone on the platform. He doesn’t want them giving anyone a warning. He tells Alicia that there’s a crater of walkers soaking up some nasty stuff. He’s told his rangers to lead them here. A generator starts up, and he tells her it’s to power the beacon to draw the dead, and kill her army. She starts to walk out, but Victor’s men stop her. She asks if he thinks this is the way to win her over, and he says, she’ll come around. He originally used the light to keep her out. Now it’s to keep her in.

On the roof, a ranger flips a switch, and the beacon comes on.

Alicia yells for her people to get out of here, but Victor says, they can’t hear her. She tells him, turn off the light, and he says he’s sorry it came to this. She says, he’s going to kill them, and he says, they’re not part of his vision. Once they build this place into what it can be, she’ll understand. He tells his rangers to take her downstairs, and take Daniel to the roof; an example has to be made. Wes says he’s sorry he doubted Victor, and Alicia removes her glove, revealing her crazy arm. She kicks the rangers’ asses, and grabs Victor’s gun, holding it on him. She tells him, turn off the light, and Victor says, if she does this, she’ll wipe out everything he’s built. Victor asks if she thinks Wes is going to listen to her, and she says, if he won’t turn off the light, she will, and he says, he has 50 rangers who will do as he says to protect the tower. Alicia presses the elevator button, and forces Victor into the car. As they go up, Victor says she’s making a mistake; delaying the inevitable. She says, he’s not calling shots, when the power goes out. He says, emergency protocol, and she threatens to kill him, but he says, she can’t stop what’s coming. She asks if he’d rather die than give the place up, but he says, she won’t kill him. He’s doing this for her. She says, he’s doing what Teddy did; locking her up while he destroys the things she cares about. She’ll tell him what she told Teddy – she’s not making the world the way he wants it to be. Wes calls from outside, and Alicia tries jumping up to open the trap door. Victor kicks the gun out of her hand, and draws his sword. He says he knows how she feels, but they have a long future ahead. Wes yells for them to open the door, and Alicia asks if she looks like she has a lot of time left. He says, they have antibiotics, and have a fully stocked infirmary, but she says, it’s not going to work. She’s tried everything, and it’s getting worse. He says, they’ll find a way to stop it; June will figure it out. Alicia says, no she won’t. No one survives what she’s going through. She’s not afraid to die, but it can’t end like this. Not for them. Wes bangs on the door, and Alicia says, please turn off the light, and she’ll call off the army. He has her word. He looks at the medal and says, that’s not good enough. Stay here in the tower with him. She says she’s running out of time, and he says, give him what she has left. He wants to show her that she’s wrong about him. Do they have a deal? Wes continues to bang on the door, and Alicia holds out her hand. He helps her up, and opens the door, telling his men, stand down. It’s okay. They made an agreement. He agreed to turn off the light in exchange for a cease fire. Wes says, she’s playing him, but Victor disagrees. Wes says, they’re surrounded. If the light is turned off, they’re done. Victor insists they’re not. Alicia’s agreed to live in the tower with him. Wes asks if he’s lost his mind. Does he think she’s going to accept that after what he’s done? Based on what? Victor says, his instincts. They’re what made this place, and he’s not going to stop listening to them now. Wes draws his gun, and says, Alicia is Victor’s blind spot. If Victor isn’t going to protect this place, he will. Victor says, Wes is outnumbered, and Wes tells the two rangers with him, Victor’s instincts are the same ones that lost them the baby and the safety of the moat; that told him to bring Alicia in here. They can’t trust Victor’s instincts anymore. The rangers aim their guns at Victor, and Victor says, wow. He never should have let Wes in.  The lights go off, and Victor and Alicia jet. Wes yells, get him, and Victor shoots at him. He and Alicia run into a stairwell, and Alicia says, she needs to warn them. He says, they won’t make it to the roof on their own, but they might have one ally left.  

Wes radios the head ranger and tells him that Victor isn’t in charge anymore. The ranger asks, what the hell is going on? and Wes says, they can’t take any chances. Take Victor out.  A handcuffed Daniel comes up behind the ranger, throws his arms around the ranger’s head, and pulls the handcuffs against his throat. He asks if the ranger knows why this is happening to him. It’s never too late to learn new things. When you handcuff someone, you put their hands in the back not the front. The ranger slumps to the ground, and Daniel takes off the handcuffs. He hears someone coming, and Alicia and Victor come in. Daniel raises his gun, but Alicia tells him, stop. Victor is here to help. She knows how it sounds, but if he doesn’t turn off the beacon, their people will die. Daniel suggests Victor call off his dogs, but Alicia says, they need his help. Daniel says, not until he sees Ofelia. Where is she? Alicia asks if he remembers Mexico, and Victor says he searched for her so he could reunite. She got sick, and they didn’t get there in time. Daniel has brief flashes of what happened, and says, Ofelia was sick, yes, but Victor never reunited them. He never found her. He kept lying.  Ofelia is alive and in the tower, and Victor knows where she is. Where is she? Does he want to end up like his friend? Victor says, she’s on the top floor, and Daniel says, the penthouse; smart choice. Is Victor lying to him? Victor says, she’s there. They just need his help to get to her. Daniel looks at Alicia, lowers his gun, and says, okay.

Daniel shoots a ranger in the stairwell, and tells Victor and Alicia, they probably heard that upstairs. He’s going to the next level. Victor says, they’ll hang back, and Daniel walks up. Alicia asks what Victor is playing, and he says, June, Grace, and Wen. After the Great Baby Handoff what happened with the baby, he locked them top floor. She asks what he thinks is going to happen when Daniel realizes Ofelia’s not there, but he says, it won’t matter. They need to free them, and get them on their side; he’ll have to relent. He’s finishing what Luci started, if that’s what he needs to do to keep the place standing, He knows she thinks he’s a monster, but he’s the same man he’s always been. He just stopped apologizing for it. Alicia asks if really he believes that, and he says, he does. She says, then so will she. He says, that’s why he’s willing to turn off the beacon. She’ll see everything he’s done is worth it. They hear a shot, and a ranger’s body falls past them. Daniel tells them, come on, but all of a sudden, Alicia feels dizzy, and says, she can’t… Victor catches her as she passes out, and he says, they need to get her to the infirmary. Daniel says, they have a deal, but Victor says, they need to help Alicia first.

Victor rifles through the medications in the infirmary, and Daniel says, the rangers have found them; they have no time for this. They need to move. Victor picks something out, and says, epinephrine. June had it on hand when he was poisoned. Daniel says, they need to get out fast, and picks up a clipboard. He asks what it is, and Victor says, it’s a record of everyone in tower. Daniel looks through it, and says, Ofelia’s name isn’t on here; why? Victor says, she’s not on the top floor. He only told Daniel that because it was the only way Daniel would help him. Now he can help Daniel. If he wants his daughter, there she is. He takes Daniel to the next room, where Charlie is in bed asleep. Daniel says, that’s not his daughter. Where is she? Victor says, Ofelia died in Mexico. Luci lied for the same reason he did; so Daniel had something to fight for. Daniel says, Victor is trying to fool him, but Victor says, he’s trying to save Daniel. He’s trying to save Alicia, who’s the closest thing to a daughter he has. Charlie is the closest thing to daughter Daniel has. Ofelia is gone, but it’s not as if he has nothing left. Charlie means something to him. She’s sick, and doesn’t have much time left. Daniel says, she’s not his daughter, and cracks Victor in the head with his gun, knocking him down. He says, he’s finished with Victor, and Alicia says, no. Victor says, maybe Daniel can do for Charlie what he couldn’t do for Ofelia; he can be there for her. Charlies wakes up, and says, Daniel? Daniel tells her, don’t look. He doesn’t want this to be what she remembers of him. Victor says, don’t do it, and Alicia says, he’s right. Be the man he wanted Ofelia to see. He flashes back to Ofelia, and a tear runs down his cheek. He lowers the gun.

Alicia wakes up, and Victor tells her, easy now; she got adrenaline. How’s she feeling? She thanks him, and he says he should be thanking her. Daniel would have killed him if she hadn’t appealed to his better angels. She asks, what happened to Charlie? and he says, radiation exposure. She says, that doesn’t mean… and he says, it was worse than what’s happened to the others. She was exposed to alpha particles, the same as the walkers headed here. Grace said she has a couple weeks left. Alicia asks if nothing can be done, and he says he’s afraid not. All the more reason to preserve what they have. All the more reason for her to spend what time she has left in here, not there out. He tells her, come on, and helps her up. She tells Daniel that he has to go, but Daniel says, he can’t leave Charlie. Not now; not like this. She needs him still. Charlie says, it’s okay. He can go. Daniel says, can they still get to the roof? This is where he wants to be, with her, and she says she’s so sorry she’s not Ofelia, but he says, don’t be. She helped him remember why he wanted to find her before she died. Being with her is helping him think more clearly.

Victor explains they’ve stashed weapons everywhere. After Arno’s attack, he wanted to be prepared just in case anyone was planning an encore. She asks if he meant it, and he says, what? She tells him, what he said to Daniel, about her being the closest thing to a daughter he has. He says, they want the same things, and he needed Daniel to believe that. She says, he did. He made Daniel see it. It wasn’t just her who talked Daniel down. He says, they used to save people all the time, and she asks if he means Wes. He says, it’s been a while, but despite everything, they still make a pretty good team. She says she guesses they’ll find out. They’re outnumbered. They’re going see them coming. Victor says, not necessarily, and takes out cans of tear gas. He throws them in the stairwell, and he and Alicia put on masks. She says, they’re flying blind, and he not as blind as them. Stay here. She asks if he thinks it’s going to work, and he says, it’s not the first time he’s walking into the unknown. He leaves, and we hear shouting and gunfire. Alicia waits, then calls to him. He says, it’s clear, and tells her to head to the sixth floor.

Wes says, tear gas? It reminds him of the day he and Victor first met. So much has changed since then, with him, Victor, and Alicia. He knows Victor wants to believe the best in her; he did too, but we are who we are. Victor’s come so far. To finish what he started, he has to protect what he built. It’s honest; it’s real. It doesn’t try to be something that’s not possible. Don’t throw away all of it for her. Victor says, he’s not, and jets. He calls to Alicia on the stairs, and she says she thinks the adrenaline is starting to wear off. He says he’s got her. She says she didn’t think he’d come back, and he says, of course he would. The last time they were in a wall of fog, she didn’t leave him. She knew he was trying to find her. Wes shows up, and says he can’t let Victor do this, and shoots at them.

Alicia and Victor barricade themselves in a room, and Victor asks how much ammo she has. She says, not enough, and Wes and the rangers start shooting through the door. Wes says, come out or they’re coming in, and Victor tells Alicia that he’s sorry. He wanted them to have a clean slate. He wanted them to rebuild together. He thought they had more time to know each other and to heal. Wes says, it’s their last chance. The door starts to open, and Victor says, he should have told her a long time ago that he loves her. She’s the closest thing to family he has left. That’s what this was; that’s always what this was about. He just wanted prove something to her. He hoped this place would show her the man he is. Everything he’s done; everything it’s cost him. That it was worth it, because if didn’t, it was for nothing. Wes and some rangers come in, and Wes says, hands up. Alicia tells him, don’t do this. Those people out there don’t deserve to die. Wes says, neither do the ones in here. He was thinking of the day he and Victor met. He’d told Victor, people are people. He’d said he thought Victor was the exception to the rule, but no one is. He thought Victor understood, and that’s why he kept Alicia far away. Victor says, if they help these people, the place won’t be weaker; it will be stronger. Wes says, it won’t. He found this in Alicia’s bag. He shows Victor a transmitter, and Victor says, out of all the things she could have brought, why that? Alicia says, she brought it from the bunker to broadcast a message. There are people out there who need help. They thought they’d find it with Padre, but there is no Padre. At least not out there. She thought she could use the transmitter… Victor says, so she could build Padre here. She says, she told him that she’s not afraid to die, but this place will live long after she’s gone. Wes says, she’s lying, like Luci lied to Daniel. She wants to get on the roof, and she’s just telling him what he needs to hear to get what she wants. If she sends a message, it will draw more people, and they won’t stand a chance. If Victor doesn’t protect this place, he will. He tells Alicia, sorry, and aims his gun at her. She says, it’s fine, and closes her eyes. Shots are fired, but it’s Daniel shooting the rangers with Wes. Wes shoots Daniel, and Alicia picks up a gun, and aims it at Wes. She asks if Daniel is okay, and Daniel says he’s fine. He needs to warn the others. Victor tells him where to find Grace, June, and Wen, and says, free them. Wes says, do it, and he’ll kill Alicia. He can’t let her do it. She says, she saved life. He believed in them once before, and she’s asking for the same thing again. Before Wes can make a decision, Victor runs through Wes with his sword. Buh-bye, Wes. Alicia asks why he did that, and he says, for the same reason he built the tower; so she wouldn’t have to. Wes wasn’t going to stand down, and they’re running out of time. Let’s go and turn that light off.

A zombie toddles around outside, and Dwight stabs it in the head. He says, Alicia should have been out by now, and Luci says, they can’t wait. Sarah says, as long as that beacon is spinning, the skinbags will be on them like flies on a turd. They see people coming, and it’s June, pushing Wen in his wheelchair, with Grace alongside her. Sarah asks if Wen is all right, and he says he’s better now. Dwight asks, what the hell is going on? but Daniel says, he doesn’t have time to explain. They all need to get inside. Grace asks where Morgan is, but Dwight says, they don’t know yet. Daniel says, they need to hurry. Alicia and Victor are turning the light off. Luci is surprised they’re on the same side, and Daniel says, there are dead in a crater, and the light is drawing them. Dwight asks, how far? but Daniel says he’s not sure. He urges them inside, and June says she has to patch Daniel’s gunshot wound, but he says he has to see Charlie first. Victor tried to convince him that Charlie was Ofelia, continuing what Luci started. He asks why Luci did that, and Luci says, she thought it was the only way. Some rangers start shooting at them, and they run inside. We see zombies coming toward the tower, and Wen says, they’re trying box us out. They shoot back at the ranger.

Victor shoots the snipers on the roof, and Alicia asks why they’re still shooting. He says, the rangers guarding the tunnel must have circled round, and she says, they’re sitting ducks. She tells Victor to turn the beacon off; she’ll give as much cover as she can. He goes over to the light, and she asks what he’s doing. Why is he waiting? He says, she’s never going to forgive him, and she asks what he’s talking about. He says, even if turns the beacon off, even if he helps her save everyone, the damage has already been done. She says, they don’t have time for this, and walks toward the light, but he pushes her down, and a wire snaps, hitting the tower where the beacon is. He says, it’s never going to be enough. He’ll never make her love him. She says, he ruined it by what he did to Wes, and he says he had no choice. She says, he’s always had a choice, and he always makes the wrong one. He says, he was saving her life, but she says, he was trying to save his own life. And he didn’t care who he killed to do it. He says, that’s not true, and she says, the person he used to be person, the person he said he wanted to forget, was never him. She goes after him, but gets the pokey thing on the end of her arm stuck in something, and another cable snaps, hitting the beacon. Sparks fly, and the light goes out. Alicia says, they’re here.

Alicia and Victor look down. A zombie grabs some random person, and the others run inside. Alicia climbs up, and fiddles with the fuse box. Victor asks what she’s doing, and she sets up the transmitter. Victor says, it’s too late; there’s no way out of here, but Alicia says, there’s one. Speaking into the mic, she says, this is Alicia Clark. If you’re listening to this, you’re not alone. The place you’ve been looking for, the place you heard about, Padre, it’s here; it’s at the tower. She gives the coordinates, and says, We’re going to build the new home you’ve been looking for. We can help, but first we’re going to need help from you. A fire starts, and Victor says, it’s going to spread through the whole building. Alicia faints and falls, the roof ablaze.

Next time, a road trip, still looking for Padre, and the tower burns.

⚰️ Dead Stuff…

My regular computer is wonky, so no bells and whistles, just news.

🍪 Send Cookies Immediately…

Short but sweet, join me for soap and what’s on Deck tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll be back at my normal device. Until then, stay safe, stay being the person your dog thinks you are, and stay remembering, it’s never too late to learn new things.

April 24, 2022 – It’s What Victor Would Want, Butterflies, Season Of Fever, Double Dead Duty, They Had a Secret, Origins, Lots To Spin & Skies

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear The Walking Dead

New guy Dev Ali is looking at Victor’s butterfly collection. John tells him, Victor is particular about those, and asks why he’s here. Ali says, Howard sent for him, and John says he’ll see if he can find Howard, but Howard comes in, saying, it’s not necessary. Ali asks what Victor is looking for, and Howard says, that’s between Victor and his rangers. Ali asks when he can join the rangers, and Howard says, when he’s ready. Ali asks when that will be; he thought he was closer. Howard asks how old Ali is, and Ali says, 15. Howard says he admires Ali’s ambition, and he knows Victor does, but everyone has to start somewhere. He points at a picture of a butterfly in a book, and tells Ali, it’s the Mourning Cloak. It’s rare, and only lives for a year. He knows the perfect spot; Ali just has to find one. Ali says he doesn’t know how that proves he’s ranger material, and John says, Ali should have seen what he had to go through. It was no picnic. Howard says he asked John to assist him, not spook the kid. It’s not hazing; it’s showing him how they see the world. Caterpillars started as one thing and became something better. That’s what Victor did, and it’s how they’ve survived. Ali needs to show Victor what he’s capable of, and then he’ll be ready. He can be something greater.

Ali rides into the woods, and immediately spots one of these extremely rare butterflies. A zombie is heading for him, and he puts a jar over the butterfly with one hand, and stabs the zombie in the head with the other. He goes back to where he’s tied his horse, and sees a masked woman there. He takes out his gun, and says, hands up. Turn around. Who the hell are you? While he takes a second to shoot an approaching zombie, she grabs him, but he kicks her away. He says, mask off, and we see it’s Charlie. He says, she’s just a kid, and she asks what that makes him. He asks what she was stealing, and she says she got separated from her group, while they were looking for food and water. He picks up the jar with the butterfly in it, and says she’s lucky the jar didn’t break. John and Howard ride up with a few rangers, and Howard says, they got concerned when Ali wasn’t back when he said he was going to be. John says, howdy, to Charlie, and Howard asks if they know each other. John says, she did a spell with them when they were trying to stop Teddy, and Howard says, she’s one of Morgan’s. A ranger leads Charlie away, and John tells her, it will be okay; stay calm. Ali asks Howard, what’s going on? and Howard says, Charlie is coming with them. Ali needs to show Victor what he’s capable of, and he might get his shot.

Howard asks why Charlie was stealing, and she says she wants to talk to Victor. Howard says, Victor is out assuring the safety of the tower. He needs her to tell him the truth. It’s not a coincidence she ran into Ali, was it? She says, no, and Howard says, Morgan put her up to it, but she says, Morgan doesn’t know she’s here. He asks why she is here, and she says, she’s been looking for a way to sneak in here. John wonders why she didn’t just use the callbox, and Howard says, she knew Victor would say no. He knows everything about his previous allies, and she has a checkered past. Charlie says she wants to have a chance at a normal life, like June. On the sub, they can see what day it is, and she’s turning 13 this week. She was so young when everything changed. Every day has been one fight after another, and she doesn’t want to fight anymore. She just wants a normal life. She can have that here if they give her a chance. Whatever Victor wants her to do, she’ll do it. The house phone rings, and John answers. It’s June, who says, they have a problem. She’s in the infirmary.

Garcia lies on a table, looking pretty sick, and Howard asks, where’s Victor? Garcia says, Victor split off before they got there, and the others didn’t make it. Ali says, Garcia has radiation burns; they see them a lot out there. Garcia says, too many. He wanted to protect the tower. He’d do anything for this place.

Ali tells Charlie to keep moving. Howard wants her in the conference room as soon as possible. Charlie asks how Ali got in here, but he says he’s not sharing information with her. He wonders if she wanted to be here, why she didn’t run away before. She wonders why he’d want to go out there instead of staying in the tower, but he says she wouldn’t understand. They hear a scream, and go to find out what it is.

On the roof, Ali says, Garcia jumped? and John says, he did a triple axel right off the edge. Howard says, it’s what Victor would have wanted. Garcia said he would do anything to protect this place, and couldn’t when he was alive. June says, he probably didn’t want to suffer; he had radiation poisoning. Charlie says she thought this place was safe, and Howard says, they were scouting for elevator parts. Charlie says, what if she gets them? Will they let her live there? June says, it’s too dangerous, and John says, look what happened to the other scouts. Howard tells Charlie, okay, and June says, he can’t be serious. He says, she volunteered, and Charlie says she thinks she can do it. Will she get to live here? Howard says, it’s Victor’s call, but Victor listens to him, and if she does this, she’s in. She says she’ll do it, and he says she’ll leave tomorrow. Howard takes Ali aside, and tells him to go with her. Ali can fill him in on what Charlie is really looking for, and he’ll get the chance to prove himself. Ali says, by getting elevator parts? but Howard says, it’s not about that. It’s about finding out why Charlie is here. They need to consider the possibility she’s lying. Ali says, she could die, and Howard says, if she wants to live there as much as she says she does, she’ll be careful. Ali says, it feels wrong, and Howard says, it’s never easy, but it’s what separates the caterpillars from the butterflies. It’s what rangers do, and Ali said he wanted to be one.

Charlie sits behind Ali, as they ride into the woods on a horse. She wonders why Victor collects butterflies. She thinks it’s a sh*tty thing to do for no reason. He says, they only live for about a year, and she asks if he thinks that makes it okay. Doesn’t he think they should get a chance to live no matter how short? He says, it doesn’t matter what he thinks. As long as he can prove what he can do for Victor. He stops, and sees there are Stalkers ahead. He says, they’ll use the two of them against Victor. He knows a place to hole up.

Ali brings Charlie to a bowling alley, which he unlocks with a key from under the mat. She asks why being a ranger is important to him, and he looks around, telling her, it looks clear. She says she always wanted to play a game, and he says, she never bowled? The Stalkers come to the door, and Ali tells her, don’t move, and gets a gun from behind the desk. He waits near the door, out of the Stalkers’ sight, and a Stalker calls out, is anybody in here? Another says, there’s really nothing, and they leave. Ali tells Charlie, they’re gone. He guesses they were just passing through. Charlie asks how he knew the gun was here, and the key, and he says he used to live nearby. He would come to play a game once in a while. She asks if he’s any good, and says, it can’t be that hard. She bowls a gutter ball, and he says she has to put a spin on it. She says, show her, and he says he will when they get back. She says, what if she doesn’t make it back? What if he doesn’t make it back? He says, one ball, and shows her how to place her hand. He tells her to aim for the center pin, and follow through with a twist in her wrist. He puts his hand over hers to guide her, she gets a strike, and says, that was good, right? He says, they should get going, and looks at a bulletin board where there are pictures of bowlers, including one of him with an older man. Charlie asks, what is it? and he says, let’s get going. They go outside, and he replaces the key. She says she saw his name under one of the photos, and asks if the man was his teammate. He says, it was his dad, and she says, Mohammed and Ali? and laughs. He says, his dad loved boxing, and she asks if he was in the military. He says his dad was an Imam in the Israeli army, and she asks, what happened? He says, the bomb and all the bad sh*t that went with it. It was in his blood; he didn’t make it. She asks if Ali was with him to the end, and he says, yeah.

They arrive at what used to be a town, and Ali says, this is the building. Garcia said there were dead inside. Charlie says, they’re probably at ground level, so she’ll start higher. He asks, how? and she says, she’s done this before. He says he’s coming with her, but she says, it’s better if she goes alone. She asks, what’s wrong? and he asks why she’s really doing this. She says, to live in the tower, and she wants to help him be a ranger. He gives her a walkie and tells her, if anything happens, he’ll be on channel 4. Be fast. She doesn’t want be exposed to what Garcia was. She puts on a mask, climbs onto a dumpster, and gets on the fire escape. As she goes inside, a woman tells Ali, hands up.

Ali says, if the woman tries anything, Victor will kill her, and she asks why they’re sending people to the pit. He says he doesn’t know what she’s talking about. He’s not even a ranger. She says, what about his friend? but he says, she doesn’t know anything. She asks why Charlie went in, but he says nothing, so she says, they’ll go in and find out. Move. He tries punching her, but she knocks him down, and another Stalker holds a gun to his head. They go to the door, and he asks if he can please put his mask on; it’s not safe. She says, open the door, and he opens it, stepping aside as zombies scramble out. The Stalkers try to shoot them, but there are too many, and the zombies overtake them. Ali sees a gun on the ground, and grabs it while the zombies are feeding. He puts on his mask, and goes inside.

He calls Charlie, and shoots a couple of zombies who are wandering around. He runs out of bullets before he can kill the last one, and it gets him on the ground. He’s able to keep its mouth at a distance, but he’s getting tired. In the nick (no pun intended) of time, Charlie stabs the zombie in the head from behind. She asks if he’s okay, and he says she was going to ask her the same thing. Where’s her mask? She says she lost it in a fight. They walk to elevator, and there are a bunch of zombies lying all over the floor. He says, she killed all these? and she says, one grabbed her mask as she was closing the door, but she’s not going back to get it. Besides, these are reading clean. Zombies scrabble at the door and window, and she pries open the elevator doors. He tells her, be quick, and she says she saw what he did outside. He says, it was the only way, and she says she feels terrible, but he says, it’s fine; he handled it. She says she doesn’t mean that. She didn’t tell the truth about why she came to the tower. Morgan sent her. She’s supposed to turn off the beacon to clear the way for Morgan to get Grace and the baby out. He says she made them believe she was going to help. Victor is going to be mad when he finds out. Charlie says, he won’t; she’s not going through with it. She wants what she said she wanted, but she still wouldn’t have done it if it puts him in danger. He says, they don’t have much time, and she gets to work. Howard radios, asking what’s taking so long, and Ali says, they were just leaving. He steps away from Charlie, and Howard asks if Ali found out what he asked. Ali says he did, as zombies start to bust through a door that looks like it’s made of balsa wood, and Ali tells Charlie that he’s sorry. He pushes her into the elevator, and pulls the doors shut. She begs him not to do this. If he does, she’ll die, but he says she’ll be safe.

Ali tells Howard that he’s got the board, and he’s coming back, and Howard says, just him? From the elevator, Charlie says, Ali asked why she didn’t run sooner. She didn’t want do this alone. Ali tells Howard, just him, and Howard says he made the right decision for the good of the town. Charlie says, they can do it together, and Howard tells Ali, it’s what Victor would want. Charlie says, they can get away from everyone; away from Morgan and Victor. They don’t have to be stuck in the middle. Zombie hands and arms are starting to come through the small opening between the elevator doors, and there’s suddenly shooting, the zombies dropping to the floor. Ali pries open the doors, and shoots the remaining straggler zombies. He says, he told her that he was with his dad to the end, but that’s not true. When his dad got sick, he left him. Charlie asks, why? and he says he couldn’t handle it; he couldn’t see his dad like that. He was a coward. She asks why he’s telling her this, and he says, he thought becoming a ranger would make everything okay, but he’s just being a coward again. He’s not making the same mistake twice. She said she didn’t want to run away alone. She doesn’t have to. She says, what about Victor and Howard? and he says he’s not afraid of them. Is she? He holds out his hand, and she takes it. He says, all those things she never got to do, she can still do; some of them anyway. There are still a lot things he hasn’t done either. She says, like what? and he kisses her. She says, well, that was a first. He says, and? and she says, it’s so much better than bowling. He says he found some places when he was on patrols where they can hole up until they find something better. She suddenly faints, and he radios John, telling her to stay with him.

Back at the tower, John says, it’s a good thing Ali called. This is where Charlie needs to be. June and Grace come out, and Ali asks how Charlie is. June says, she’s stable, and he asks, what’s wrong? June says, she was exposed to radiation, but he says, no, that’s not possible. She says she should check him too, and he tells her, Charlie said she was careful. Grace says, sometimes that’s not enough. There are things they can’t see. He says, but June can treat her, right? How bad is it? June says, given the amount of exposure, Charlie should make the most of every day. She’s sorry.

Looking at some Polaroids in his office, Howard tells Ali, it’s been a  hell of a day. Ali says, the scouts who never came back sort of looked like the ones in the building, and Howard says, he’ll mention it to Victor. Ali asks where Victor is, and Howard says, he’s waiting until tomorrow to journey back given the state of the state. He asks why Charlie is here. What did Morgan send her to do? Ali says, Morgan didn’t send her. She was telling the truth. Howard says, she’ll be escorted out in the morning, but Ali says, she’s sick because of what Howard made her do. Howard says, she’s sick because it’s what the world has to offer. He’ll do everything to protect what they’ve built. They can’t let personal feelings cloud their judgement. Why did Ali bring her back after what they discussed? Can he trust Ali? Ali says, yes, and Howard says, nice work, all things considered. He has to wait for Victor to officially sign off on it, but tomorrow will be Ali’s first official day as a ranger. Congratulations.

Ali goes to Charlie’s room, and asks how she’s feeling, but she says she doesn’t really know. He sits on the bed and holds her, and she says she’s scared; really scared. He asks her to come with him, but she says she’s supposed to rest. He says he knows, but there’s something he wants her to see.

They go to Victor’s butterflyarium, and he tells her to keep her eyes closed, leading her in and closing the door. He says, open them. Happy birthday. The butterflies are all flying around, and she says, they’re beautiful, but when Victor finds out… He says he doesn’t care. She’s right. Something this beautiful deserves to live, no matter how short it’s life is. He wasn’t there for someone who needed him before; this time he will. Music plays, and they lie on the floor and watch the butterflies. They dance, and he says he’ll be right there next to her every second of the way, then kisses her. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, Morgan. She was supposed to turn off the light. She needs to tell him what’s going on. He says he’ll do it. He’ll take care of everything. He kisses her again, and leaves.

Ali goes to the roof, and is about to flip the switch, when Howard comes out. He says, so this is why Morgan sent her, and a guy comes out with a gun. Ali runs, but there’s nowhere to go, and Howard says, disarm the light, then what? Ali says he doesn’t know. They want this place to change, and that can’t happen with Victor. Howard says, it’s the only way, and Ali rushes him, but the other guy aims his gun at Ali. Howard tells him, no, and he and Ali trade punches, Ali coming out the loser. Ali is backed toward the edge of the roof, and says, please don’t do it, but Howard says, sorry. It’s what Victor would do. Charlie is still enjoying the butterflies, when she hears a scream and sees Ali fall past the window. She screams, no! and runs to June. June asks, what’s wrong? and she says, Ali. He… June says, what is it? when the elevator door opens, and Howard comes out. Charlie says, Howard killed him, and Howard suggests she back off unless she wants to join him. June says, he’s a monster, but Howard says, Ali attacked him, and left him no choice. He’s trying to protect those who would undermine them, and suggests June do the same. John walks in, and says, he’s right, and June asks who’s side John is on. John says, he lost everything to that hospitable world out there, including his son, and she says, his son would be ashamed, and John says, John Jr. saw the need to protect them, and look what happened. Howard says, Ali paid the price; now it’s Charlie’s turn. June says, if Howard lays a hand on Charlie, she’ll kill him herself, and he says, if anything happens to him, she’ll have to face Victor, but she says, no. Victor knows what she knows, that he needs her more than he needs Howard. If anyone gets sick or injured, he’ll have no one to help them, and this place will fall. Charlie stays with her, under her care. That’s the deal. Howard says, fine, but he suggests she tread carefully, and leaves.

June asks John, what the hell was that about? and he tells her that he had to say it. She asks if he believes it, and he says, he needed Howard to believe it. There’s only one way he can change things, and that’s to get in Victor’s ear. Anyone will listen to reason if the right person gets in their ear. June says she thought she had Virginia’s ear, and John says, it’s the only way it works, and it has to work. He leaves, and June says, this is her fault. She never should have let Charlie go. Charlie asks why she did, and June says, ever since she got here, she’s been hiding. Charlie asks, why? and she says, she’s been scared. Until today, it hasn’t hurt anyone but her. She doesn’t expect Charlie to forgive her – she doesn’t deserve it – but she promises Charlie that no matter how much time she has left, she’ll live to see Victor go down. A butterfly lands on the windowsill, and June says she’ll make sure that happens. Charlie thanks her, looks at the butterfly, and smiles.

Next time, the Stalkers neb Luci, who ends up in a cage surrounded by zombies.

🦋 About That Butterfly…

Interesting list. I’ve had almost all of these things happen to me.

https://www.joincake.com/blog/signs-from-deceased-loved-ones/

😷 Sweating It Out…

This season, they’re giving Alicia fever.

https://ew.com/tv/alycia-debnam-carey-fear-the-walking-dead-sweaty/

And bagpipes.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-alycia-debnam-carey-follow-me-bagpipes/

👯‍♀️ Seeing Double…

Alicia’s version of Groundhog Day.

https://screenrant.com/fear-walking-dead-alicia-episode-repeat-damage/

🤫 A Secret Well Kept…

Good thing they didn’t tell any of the Housewives.

🤿 Spinning Underwater…

Now that I think of it, Dead in the Water isn’t a very promising title for a series.

https://www.cbr.com/walking-dead-zombie-origin-problem-dead-in-the-water/

⚰️ All Of Them…

Everything that’s spinning off Deadwise.

🌜 If I Can Dream…

Come join me tomorrow for the usual soap and what’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay assertive without being aggressive, and stay making the most of every day.

April 18, 2022 – Valentin Returns From His Recovery, Emotionally Drained On Deck, Dead Talk, This Year’s Festivities & Blue

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brad brings a food tray over to an outside table, and Britt says, carbs, sugar, and sugar. He says, they need energy, and she asks if it isn’t a bit overboard. He says, it’s not every day he gets to help his bestie find the love of her life. Pull up those matches, and lets pull some in.

Anna thanks Laura for coming by on such short notice, and Laura says she’s happy to do it. It actually gives Jake and Aiden some guy time with Grandpa Kevin. They join Felicia and Robert in the living room, and Anna says, she and Felicia just got back, and they have some information they wanted to share. Felicia says, they have a lead on the Ice Princess, and Laura asks if they found the diamond. Anna says, they did, and they should both know, a suspect has been arrested in regard to Luke’s murder.

At the hospital, Elizabeth calls over to Portia, and says, they have a problem.

Harmony goes to Brendon’s hotel room, and flashes back on him saying that Neil kept her file in a lockbox that he got when Neil died. He had no idea Neil had incriminating information on Harmony, such as her daughter Willow not really being her daughter. A housekeeper comes by, and asks if she can help Harmony. Is she a guest?

As Finn stacks the chairs after an AA meeting, Alexis tells him that she’s sorry she didn’t get to say hi earlier. He says, that’s okay, and she says, his understanding is very moving. She would have been there on time, but she got held up at work. He says, trouble in the Fourth Estate? and she says, pushy freelancer. He asks if she’d care to share.

Curtis sits on the bench at Pier 54, the new hangout, and flips a chip in his hands. He flashes back to telling Selena that his last term is non-negotiable. There will be no games unless she gets him the information he asked for. She tells him, then they have a deal, and they shake hands. He gets up just as Jordan walks through.

Harmony tells the housekeeper, she just checked in and seems to have lost her key. She digs in Brendon’s bag, and says she found it. She shows the housekeeper the keycard, and the housekeeper tells her to enjoy her stay. She lets herself into the room.

Alexis tells Finn that she invited Harmony to live with her, and he asks how Kristina took that. She says, better than Sam, and he says, ow. She says, Harmony was a good friend to her at Spring Ridge, so she wanted to help her out. He says, being a friend is one thing; letting them move in is… She says, temporary. It’s just until Harmony finds a place of her own. It turns out that Harmony has more than a familiarity with her house. She’s apparently been there before, knew her way around… when she was trying to recruit Kristina, that whole Dawn of Day thing. After all the time she spent with Harmony at Spring Ridge, Alexis thought she knew her, and now that Harmony is living in her house, she doesn’t feel like she knows Harmony at all.

Robert asks, so who was it? and Anna says, they arrested Jennifer Smith. He says, Jennifer Smith killed Luke? and she asks him to please hear her out, because it is possible actually. Not only was the diamond found in her safe, the WSB has information connecting her to the cable car inspector who caused the accident that killed Luke. He asks why Jennifer would kill Luke, and Felicia says, it was no secret that Jennifer still carried a torch for Luke. They were thinking she stole the Ice Princess to lure him back to her, but unfortunately, her scheme went south and he was killed in the process. Robert asks if she’s working with Victor, but Anna says, as of now, there’s no evidence that she was. He says, so with all the evidence collected over all these months, do they really believe they’ve found justice for their friend?

Brad says, obviously, the duckpin bowler is out, and Britt says, obviously. Too bad though; he’s pretty. Brad says, yeah, but he’s way too proud of those pins. Swipe. Number two’s got a nice jawline. She says, but her mother says that’s a sign of weakness. He says, she showed these to her mother? and she says, her mother was overjoyed to help. Unfortunately, she has different criteria than Britt does. Brad says, obviously. He supposes one could do worse than Scotty, and she says, given her mother’s history, he’s a step up. He says, number three seems adventurous. Danger’s sexy, right? She says, why? Because he likes to go skydiving and mountain climbing. Those are all outdoor activities. He says, sorry. He thought Jason had opened her up to more adventurous things. She says, yeah, like crossing international borders with falsified documents, not whatever that is. She points to the tablet, and Brad says, it’s called spelunking. She says, it sounds like something private, and he asks if they should keep doing this. Everyone’s boring after a killer for hire. She says, Jason was not a hired killer, and he says, right. That was a steady job. How about if they do it like this. What is her selection criteria? She has six perfectly good matches here, and she isn’t into any of them. Does she even want to meet someone?

Elizabeth says she’s missing Portia’s notes from Mr. Clark’s exam yesterday, and Portia says she’s sorry. She didn’t get to do that before she left. The notes from the physical exam are in there, and everything else is the same as it was the day before. Elizabeth says she needs the notes from yesterday so she can properly fill out the discharge paperwork, and Portia says, she’ll do it later. Just do what she can with what she has. Elizabeth says she can’t, but Portia says, Mr. Clark isn’t critical. Obviously, that’s why he’s being discharged. Elizabeth has everything she needs, so maybe she could help Portia out a little bit here. Elizabeth says she has her own work to take care of, and her own patients she needs to see. It’s not the nurse’s job to make sure the doctors turn in their exam notes.

Jordan says, she and Curtis have to stop running into each other like this. How is he? He says he’s good, and her? She says she’s still here, so she can’t complain. How are things at home? He says, the damn reporters are hounding Trina, and she asks if they need the police to step in. He says, they’re handling it, and she says, let her know. She just came from Spoon Island. Spencer and Esme gave Officer Lopez their statements regarding Josslyn and Cam’s leaked sex tape. She thought she’d follow up in person. He says, both of them, or just one? and she says, Esme Prince’s name has come up numerous times throughout this investigation, but she’s just gathering more information to fill out the case. He asks how that went, and she says, unfortunately, the staff made it clear neither Esme nor Spencer would speak to her without a lawyer, so she’ll have to try some other time. He says, she’s the Police Commissioner. Couldn’t she get a detective to go out to Spoon Island? She says, he knows her. She likes to get elbow deep in a case now and then. It reminds her of why she became a cop. He says, making sure justice is served, and she says, if she’s learned anything from her past mistakes, it’s that justice can’t be served without the truth. He says, in that case, Port Charles is lucky to have her as their Commissioner.

Britt says she does want to meet someone, and Brad says, that was enthusiastic. She says, it’s very overwhelming. She goes from zero men to six? Why does she need that many matches? He says, she doesn’t have to date all of them at once, and she says, the point is, one man is enough trouble. He says he wishes he had that kind of trouble, and she says, then let’s get you a man. What is he doing tonight? He says, watching Scandinavian crime dramas without subtitles, and seeing if he can still follow the story and crime. Why? She says, they’re going to The Savoy. She’ll be his wingwoman. He says he’s not going out. His chances are better if he had a job. Speaking of which, has she heard from Terry about him working at GH? She says she hasn’t seen Terry much lately, and he says, they’re Co-Chiefs of Staff, and Britt says, she’s seen her, but they just had other matters to discuss. He says, more important than helping her bestie get a job? and she says she put in a good word for him. She got him the meeting. There’s nothing more she can do. He says, he knows. She’s right. She’d done more than he deserves, and he’s grateful. It’s just that he hasn’t heard anything. If the answer’s no, just tell him. She says, no news is no news, and Terry puts a lot of thought into things like this. He says, how complicated is hiring an orderly? and she says, except when the orderly is him. He says, is that really it? Or is there something she’s not telling him?

Finn says, about this Harmony business. Does Alexis want some advice, or does she just want him to listen? She says she really just wants him to listen, and he says he’s here if she needs him. She says, what about him? How are things with him and Elizabeth? He says, complicated. His very presence in her life is causing problems. She says, how so? and he says, speaking of an unwanted presence in one’s home…

Portia tells Elizabeth, very succinctly put. She’ll get on it right now. Is there anything else? Elizabeth asks Portia to go to a more private spot, and says she didn’t mean to come down on her, but Portia says, Elizabeth is right. She’s not doing her job properly. Elizabeth says, Portia’s got a lot going on. It’s not like anyone got hurt. Portia says, and she didn’t run out of time; she forgot. She’s been so preoccupied with everything’s that going on with Trina. It slipped her mind; she’s forgetting things. Elizabeth says she understands. Portia’s going through a lot. Portia says, Elizabeth is too. How is she holding up? Elizabeth says, it’s overwhelming, she’s exhausted, and on top of everything that’s going on at home, she’s working extra shifts. Portia says, when Elizabeth says, what’s going on at home, she means this mess with Joss, Cam, and the video? and Elizabeth says, among other things.

Finn tells Alexis, they’ve been trying to find out who’s stalking Elizabeth, but so far, no luck. Jake and Aiden are staying at Laura’s, PCPD patrol cars are watching the house, and all of this has taken its toll on Elizabeth. She says she can only imagine. How is he dealing with all of this? He says he feels helpless. It’s hard on her, it’s hard on him, and it’s hard on the relationship. He’s not going anywhere; he’s going to be there for her, even though she believes she can handle everything herself. He’s afraid he’s the reason things are getting worse. Feel free to disagree with him or make a suggestion at any time. She says, Kevin… He asks what that means. Collins? She says, psychiatrist. He helped her; he’s good. Maybe he can help Elizabeth clarify her perception of that moment.

Harmony comes out of the room with an accordion file, and looks through it. She closes it back up, holds it to her chest for a moment, and puts it in Brendon’s bag. She looks around, and leaves.

Robert says, it’s kind of ironic about Luke dying at the hands of a scorned woman, and Laura says, Jennifer had been obsessed with him for decades. Felicia says, not to mention, she had the nerve to show up at Luke’s memorial service, but Laura says, except when she talked to Jennifer that day, she seemed like she was genuinely grieving. Anna says, and she vehemently protested her innocence. She insisted she was framed. She says she never would have done this; she loved Luke. Laura says, it just doesn’t make any sense to her. If Jennifer wanted to get to Luke, why would she need the Ice Princess to do that? And then to rig a cable car accident that would kill a lot of innocent people? That’s just not in Jennifer Smith’s league. If you ask her, that’s a Cassadine move. Anna says, exactly. They had their doubts Jennifer could be behind Luke’s death. Laura says, it has to be Victor, and Anna says, agreed. Unfortunately, they can’t connect him at this time. Meanwhile, the WSB has evidence implicating Jennifer, and their theory, no matter how implausible, is still possible. Laura says, the thing to remember about the Cassadines is, if everything points to them except the evidence… Anna says, they’ve arranged for the evidence to point elsewhere, and Laura says, exactly. There’s something else she wants to tell them about. The other day, Victor gave her the hard sell about combining forces, to protect the family from some ominous threat in the future. Robert tells them not to forget, Victor has been after Drew, hoping to trade on that mind control rubbish of Helena’s, and Felicia says, here’s a thought. Is it possible that whatever Victor’s up to is completely unconnected to the Ice Princess? Anna says, no, because Victor comes to town. He’s planning to use Drew for some nefarious purpose. At the same exact time, Luke dies, and the Ice Princess is stolen. It’s not a coincidence. She doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence no matter what the WSB says. Felicia asks what they can do to prove Victor’s involvement, and Robert says, he can think of a sure fire way to find out if Victor is involved with this.

Alexis walks into her office, and Valentin is in her chair, the back facing her. He turns around to face her, and says, he’s always wanted to do that, but she says she has the feeling it’s not his first swivel. Now hug her. They hug, and he says, it’s always good to see her, and she says, it’s good to see him too. He says he sees the rumors are true, and she says he’ll have to narrow it down. He says, word on the street is, while he was away recovering, she was greatly improving her circumstances. Nice. He loves the quote. He picks up the placard, and she says, so does she, taking it out of his hand and putting it back on the desk. Harmony Miller gave it to her. He says, who? Shiloh’s fixer with the DoD? How did that happen? She thinks Harmony found it online, and asks how he is. He says, he’s fine. He’s back and better than ever. She says she’s sure he’s glad to be reunited with Charlotte, and he says, after the incident with Peter, he sent her away to boarding school. Alexis says, Peter’s dead. She doesn’t think he can kidnap Charlotte again. He says he wishes he had been the one who killed Peter, and she says, he’d have had to take a number. He says, speaking of numbers, hers are impressive. Circulation’s up, and her online presence is spectacular. She says, why is he being nice to her? What does he want? He says he’s had some time to think, and it occurs to him that a media company in the family could be very useful. She says, could it now? and he says, as it happens, his father agrees.

Harmony goes the MetroCourt bar, and asks for whiskey, neat. Make it a double. The bartender says, rough day? and she says he has no idea. She sits at the bar, and flashes back to Brendon threatening to go to the police, and her pushing him off the cliff. The bartender brings her drink, and she remembers telling Willow that she’s the most important thing to her in the world, and she loves her. Then she flashes back to Brendon saying, what if he tells Michael this information? If Nina finds out Willow is her biological daughter, oh boy, will that complicate the visitation case. She takes out the folder with her name on it, and puts it back in the bag. Willow says, mom?  

Portia asks if Elizabeth thinks it’s the same person who put the wedding ring in her locker, and Elizabeth says, it makes sense. Portia says, this is terrifying. She’s sorry Elizabeth is going through this. Elizabeth says she appreciates it, and Portia says she owes Elizabeth an apology. She’s been so preoccupied with Trina, she hasn’t checked in. Elizabeth says he hasn’t checked in with Portia either. They’re just stressed. Portia’s phone beeps, and she says she has to check on a patient. Elizabeth says, go. They’re okay, all right? Portia says, yeah.  

Britt says, the truth is, she did speak to Terry about Brad’s interview, and Brad says, he takes it that it was a hard pass, but Britt says, no. Terry hasn’t made a decision, but she didn’t shut it down either, so that’s a good sign, right? She thinks Terry is actually open to hiring him. He says, that’s amazing. So how can he move the needle? She knows how Terry thinks. How does he get an advantage? He really wants this job. Britt flashes back to Selena saying, imagine she has all the proof she needs to send Britt back to prison for good. She has plans for Brad, and changing bedpans isn’t part of them. Britt is to keep Brad on the right path. The challenge is, while Britt is pulling Brad’s strings, he’ll never know Selena is pulling hers. Britt tells Brad, do nothing, and he asks if she’s afraid he’ll embarrass himself again. She says, no. She’s wondering if he really wants to be an orderly. He says, Terry made it clear she wouldn’t consider him for anything else, and she says, then don’t work at GH. Hold off for something better.

Jordan says she told Curtis why she’s here; his turn. He says he’s just clearing his head, getting some fresh air, and she asks if there’s any chance he’s going all the way to Spoon Island to clear his head. He says, she knows him, and she says she’ll leave him to it. Are they good? He says, yeah. Why wouldn’t they be? She says she didn’t get Marshall’s sealed arrest records for him, but he says, no. He’s past that. They’re good. She says, in that case, if his thoughts do take him to Windymere, don’t let Esme and Spencer get under his skin. He has a new family now, and they need him. He thanks her for the advice, and she walks off. Selena comes out, and says she thought Jordan would never leave.

Robert says, all he’s suggesting is that Anna use her closeness with Valentin for the greater good. Laura says, it’s a lot to ask, and Robert says, if Valentin is on the side of the good guys, as he claims to be… Anna tells him, stop it. Don’t push it. Even if she did get Valentin to tell them something, he wouldn’t trust it. He says, maybe not, but all he’s suggesting is that she uses her relationship with Valentin for something bigger, and Felicia says, what relationship?  

Alexis asks, since when does Valentin care what Victor thinks? and Valentin says, he’s had some time to think, and despite his many faults, he thinks there’s something to said about Victor’s notion of family unity. She says, Cassadines take to family like sharks take to chum. If Victor wants to get close to Valentin, he’s not being paternal; he’s hungry. Valentin says, we have a rare opportunity; it’s unprecedented. She says, you tell Uncle Victor that we don’t have a family paper. It doesn’t belong to her, and even if it did, she’d never allow the Cassadines to use it as a mouthpiece. What does Valentin think he wants it for anyway? Valentin says, the greater good, and she tells him, said no Cassadine ever. He tells her not to turn her back on what’s left of the Cassadine family, but she says she has daughters – and him. He says she’ll always have him, and she says, not if Victor’s attached. He tells her, think about it, because he has. You can’t pick your family. She says, on the contrary, you have to, and he leaves.

Willow asks what brings Harmony back here, and Harmony says, just to unwind. Please join her. Unless Willow is here with Michael. She knows she’s just a third person. Willow says, Michael went to the gym. She was planning on going to GH to study, but she’s a little under the weather, so she decided to have some soup while she studies. Harmony asks if she needs to see a doctor, but Willow says, it’s probably a stress headache from Nina. She’s sorry. Harmony said she needed to unwind. She doesn’t need Willow dumping her stress on her. Harmony says, Willow can tell her anything anytime. She’ll be here for her as long as she can. Willow says, as long as she can? Is she going somewhere?

Finn comes out of the hospital elevator and sees Elizabeth. She says she’s glad to see him. Dante called. They couldn’t find any fingerprints on the defaced painting other than hers and Jake’s, and they couldn’t trace where the paint came from. It looks like they hit another dead end. He says, for now. Chase is a good detective. He’s at her place right now, and Finn knows he’s going to turn something up. She says she wishes she hadn’t taken that stupid sleeping pill that night. Maybe she could remember what the figure looked like. He says, there’s a way she could remember.  

Britt says, this is the perfect opportunity for Brad to start over. He can do anything he wants with his life. He says he wants the life he had before prison, but since that’s not possible… She says, that’s right; it’s not. So why settle for crumbs of what he used to have. Don’t limit yourself. Has he even considered other options? He asks if she doesn’t want him working at GH, and she says she wants him to have everything he’s dreamed of, and this is not that. This is a crappy version of it – literally. Don’t limit yourself. He says he’s not qualified to do much else outside of medical fields, and with his background, no hospital will hire him without someone there to vouch for him. Working at GH is best thing for him, even as an orderly. She tells him that she’s saying, just keep his options open. He says, his only other option he has is working for his aunt, and they both know, no good can come from that.

Curtis says, Selena’s messenger said she wanted to meet him there. He’s guessing she has information for him. She says, they had a deal. She gets him information on Marshall Ashford, and he lets her host poker games at his club. He asks if she was able to get the police report, and she says, yes and no. He says, either she’s got it or she doesn’t, and she says, her people were able to access Witness Protection files, but they came up empty handed on Marshall Ashford. Her people don’t fail; there is no file. Marshall Ashford was never in Witness Protection.

Felicia says she knew Anna was spending a lot of time with Valentin, but a relationship? Anna says, they’re getting off topic now. She agrees with Laura that there are too many loose ends, and that’s because all the missing pieces are being concealed by Victor. Felicia says, they still have one bit of evidence, and Anna says, Jennifer insists she had a man in her room, a French naval captain, and that he planted the diamond in her safe. Laura asks if this French captain has a name, and Felicia says, Françoise Olivier. Anna says, but they couldn’t locate him before they had to leave, and Robert says, maybe Jennifer invented him to save her own skin. Felicia says, no. She spoke with the bartender and he confirmed there was a man Jennifer was friendly with. Robert says, maybe she lured him to her room as a patsy, and Laura says, it wouldn’t be the first time. Anna says she doesn’t want to rule anything out; Jennifer’s guilt or Victor’s potential involvement.

Brad says, don’t work at GH? Why the change… Britt’s phone dings, and he says, something urgent? She says, yes, that, and takes the tablet. She got a notification from Society Set-Ups that she has matches to review. As if she forgot. He asks why she’s dragging her feet. She has a perfect selection of guys there. She says, so great they need a matchmaker? and he gives her a look. She says, she’s different. She’s using a matchmaker because she has a pushy mother. He hopes she didn’t put that in her profile, and she says, maybe this is hopeless. What kind of future can she hope for with any of these guys? He asks what she means by that.

Finn suggests making an appointment to see Doc, and Elizabeth says, she’s all for therapy, but she doesn’t see how talking about it will solve this particular problem. She doesn’t even know where she’d find the time, but he says, nothing long term. Doc specializes in therapies that recover memories, right? Perhaps if she worked with him to clarify what she saw, it could lead them to whoever’s harassing her. She says she doesn’t know, and he says, it would be up to her of course (🍷), but it’s worth a shot. She says, let her thinks about it, and he says, of course (🍷). Is she sure she’s okay? She says she was going to ask Epiphany for a personal day, and he says, good. Go home and rest. He’ll check on her later. She says, he’d better.

Jordan sees Portia at the hospital, and tells Portia that she ran into Curtis. He told her that reporters are giving Trina a hard time. She came to offer her help. Portia says, if she really wants to help, she can get the DA to dismiss the charges. Jordan says she wishes she could, and Portia says she wishes Jordan meant it. If she did, she wouldn’t have arrested Trina in the first place.

Curtis says, he’ll just take a copy of the sealed arrest records, assuming they exist, and Selena says, they’re in her possession, where they’ll remain for now. Curtis says, they had a deal, and she says she has every intention of upholding her end, but first, he has to uphold his. He asks how he knows she has the records, and she shows him the title page on her phone. She says, safely stored away. She’ll gladly give them to him, after he does what she asks. Have his club ready for her.

Harmony tells Willow, she just meant that soon Willow will be graduating nursing school, which is amazing. She’s so proud of Willow. Then Willow is going to be working full time, and her free time will be with Wiley and Michael, her family. Willow says, Harmony is her family too. She appreciates the effort Harmony has been making over the last few months to rebuild their relationship. She knows she hasn’t exactly made it easy. Harmony says, that’s understandable, all things considered, and Willow says she’s happy to keep working on it. Harmony chokes up, and says, that means so much. All the mistakes she made with Willow growing up, getting her involved in Dawn of Day.  There was a time she didn’t even hold out hope of a relationship or forgiveness. Willow says she was angry with Harmony for a long time. She didn’t know if she could trust Harmony again, but look at her now. Every time she sees Harmony, she’s bending over backwards to make up for her past. Harmony says, unfortunately, the past keeps hanging over us, but Willow says, it doesn’t have to. She’s forgiven Harmony. Harmony says, she has? It’s so much more than she deserves. No matter how hard she tries to do the right thing, trouble keeps following her, right up to Willow’s doorstep even. Willow asks if this has anything to do with that man who approached them yesterday. What was his name? Brendon Byrne.

Jordan tells Portia, this is her job; she had no choice. Portia says, of course (🍷) she has a choice. She’s seen Jordan go outside the law for her family time and time again. Jordan says, and it’s brought nothing but  trouble, which is why she has to play everything by the book. Portia says, of course (🍷) Jordan does, because it’s her daughter, which begs the question… Never mind. Jordan says, no. Clearly Portia has something to say, so say it. Portia says she wonders if Jordan is making this personal, and Curtis walks by, seeing them. He stops.

As Robert is leaving Anna’s, Valentin is about to knock, and Robert says, if it’s not the devil incarnate. He leaves, and Valentin asks Anna if that means they were speaking about him. She says, they were, and he says, okay, because he hasn’t stopped thinking about her. She smiles.

Britt says, with her job, where would a relationship even fit in? and Brad says, evenings and weekends? She says, she works those. The only reason she had time for her last relationship was because they were on the run from the law and assassins, and she couldn’t work remotely. He says, so she’s been burned a few times. That doesn’t mean she should give up. Mr. Right is out there. She says, no he isn’t, and Brad says, Mr. Sufficient might be. Go find him. She deserves to be happy. She thanks him, and says, you know who also deserves happiness? Him. He says, no, and she says, yes. He says, who is he to argue? Here’s the plan. Step one, she gets a man. Step two, he gets the job at GH, then he gets his own man. She asks if that isn’t steps two and three, but he says, step three is them living their best lives. It’s as simple as that. She says, Brad… and he says, she doesn’t like the plan? She says she loves the plan. There’s something she needs to tell him. Selena comes by, and tells them, good afternoon. She’s sure Brad has enjoyed his time with his friend. Now he must listen to her good news. She has a job for him. He says, she does? and she says, starting immediately. Come. They have much to discuss. Brad reluctantly goes with her.

Elizabeth answers the phone at the nurse’s station, and a man’s voice says, don’t forget me. She says, what? and he says, don’t forget me. I’m in room 1011, and I asked for a blanket. She tells him to hold on a minute, and quietly freaks out.

Harmony asks, what makes Willow think this about the guy from yesterday? and Willow says, the guy said something to Harmony when he was leaving, and it wasn’t excuse me. Harmony swears it was nothing. He knows Alexis, and she met him at Alexis’s office. Willow asks why she didn’t say anything, and Harmony says she didn’t think it mattered. There she goes again, making the wrong decision. Willow asks, what’s going on? Does she need help? Harmony says, no. That’s so sweet, but don’t worry about her, ever. She can look after herself, and she’s going to be here to look after Willow too. Willow thanks her, and Harmony says she knows she’s said this before, but she truly means it. No matter what she’s done, she’s done for Willow. Willow asks, what does Harmony mean, she did it for her? What has she done?

Alexis stands at Pier 54, and sees Brendon floating face down in the water. 

Tomorrow, Portia asks if Jordan can honestly be impartial; Josslyn asks Cameron whose side he’s on; and Britt asks if Spencer believes Trina filmed that video.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

What’s interesting is, Bravo has paired Summer House, a house of the most horrible people in reality TV – including Jersey Shore – with this show that’s fast breeding horrible people.

Gary smashes his finger in the door goes to the galley. Marcos asks if he wants ice, and Gary plunges his hand into some. He goes to his cabin, while Colin and Daisy secure the doors. Gary holds his hand and yells a lot of MF words, and guest Marni is a little freaked, hearing him. Daisy asks if Gary is okay, and Gary sings, Hey-O. Daisy looks at his finger, and in her interview, she says, you haven’t worked a sailboat unless you’ve smashed a finger or toe. It’s a common injury. Glenn asks, what’s going on? and Kelsie says, Gary hurt his finger. Glenn asks her to check on him, and Gary says he didn’t want to scream outside. Glenn asks Colin if everything’s okay, and Colin says, the belt on the doors snapped, but they’ve been secured. In Gabriela’s interview, she says she feels off her game, and we flash back to her dropping the tray of champagne. She says she’s been in hospitality for 15 years. Dropping a tray is not something that happens. She’s been distracted by her thoughts and problems, and needs to focus on her work and being a better team member. It’s bothering me to no end that Gabriela thinks she’s at fault in any way. Both Ashley and Marcos are narcissists with a nasty streak. Luckily, she’s not involved with Gary, who’s a narcissist with a stupid and thoughtless streak.

Gary asks Kelsie for help with a tangled captive wench, and gets really irritated that Kelsie can’t read his thoughts, and insists she’s not doing what she’s doing. On the brighter side, the guests see a dolphin with her baby, and primary Dawn says, they’re actually aliens… Ashley tries to set the table, and the centerpiece keeps falling over. If Gabriela does have a fault, it’s being nice to those two a-holes, and she foolishly confides in Marcos that she’s disappointed in her own behavior. She doesn’t want it to affect her job or send her home. Marcos says she has to sit down and think about who she wants to be. Advice he’s clearly gotten from Sesame Street or his second grade teacher. She says she wants to start fresh, and he says, take time, which I think translates to, it will take time. She tells him, good chat, and in her interview, she says, at this point, she feels like no one likes her. She wants to crawl in a hole and disappear. Why, Gabriela? Why?

The guests take selfies, and Glenn checks out Gary’s hand. He says, there’s blood under the nail, and suggests Gary poke it with a hot needle to let the blood out. It will relieve the pressure and pain. In Glenn’s interview, he says, he had a crew member reach into a locker, when the door came down, crushing his skull. He was in the hospital for weeks, and thatclose to dying. He tells Gary, it could have been way worse. Ashley serves lunch, and the guests tell Marcos that he’s the best, making his enormous head even bigger. A guest wonders how much weight has ever been gained on charter. In the galley, Ashley tells Marcos, Gary and Daisy need to f*** already and get it over with. Gary grabs Daisy from behind, and she says, that’s the closest he’s going to get to having sex with her. Gary pretend sobs, and Glenn comes downstairs. He tells Gary that he needs to use the needle to relieve the pressure, and just the thought of it makes me uncomfortable. Even though Quentin Tarantino and Korean horror are two of my favorite things in the world, I can’t watch. Glenn says, gently, and Gary yells.

Gary’s nail bleeds like crazy, and Glenn says, it will take a lot of the pain away. Gary jokes that he’s got to go back to work, and Glenn tells him, get his ass out there. The guests get in the hot tub, and guest Tim wants to get in the real water, but Glenn says, they can’t open the door with the swell. He suggests they take the tender out and he can jump in from there. In Glenn’s interview, he says, his first mate is his right arm, and we see Gary sleeping in the crew mess. Glenn says he’ll see what he can do. The guests are paying for an experience and don’t care how they get it. Some of the guests jump into the water from the deck, and Glenn takes the tender out with Tim.  

Ashley sets the table, and Gary dances around, singing, be positive. The guests get ready for dinner, even though it seems like they just had lunch. The table looks beautiful, laden with flowers and brightly-colored  tchotchkes. Marcos tells Gary, most people don’t know sh*t about making vegan food. No surprise, he knows everything, and shows Gary the squash he’s grilling. Gary says, Marcos has a few tricks up his sleeve. Dinner is served, and Dawn says, it’s the vegan food she’s always dreamed of. Marcos and Gary bark like dogs in the galley, and Daisy tells Ashley that if she’s finished early, ask if Gabriela needs help. Ashley groans, but when Daisy asks, what’s wrong? she says, nothing. Gabriela walks through, and tells Ashley, if she needs help, let her know. In Gabriela’s interview, she says, she’s not dumb. She can read a room. She doesn’t want to make it worse, so she’ll just suck it up. Ashley tells Daisy that it’s like Gabriela is trying to exert her authority, and it’s frustrating. I’m sure Daisy can read a room too, and is reading what a delusional bitch Ashley is. Daisy tells Gabriela that Ashley can turn in early, but if Gabriela needs her, keep her. Gary tells Kelsie that he’s sorry he got mad. He was just frustrated with himself. She says she knows, and she’s sorry she can’t read his mind. The guests go to bed, and in their cabin, Colin says, the guests are crazy for Gary. Marcos says, after three weeks, all the girls are in love with Gary, and Gary says, Daisy would be a good shag. As much as she denies it, she’s been flirting with him. Gabriela radios Ashley, who’s washing glasses. Gabriela comes down, and thanks her, saying, she was going to ask Ashley to do that. Ashley says, she didn’t have to, and you can hear the eyeroll in her voice. In Ashley’s interview, she says, you’ll know if she doesn’t like you. She won’t acknowledge you, and just shut you out. Very mature, our Ashley. I can’t wait to see how she does at a real job in the real world.

Glenn tells the guests that he’s thinking of going toward Port Mahon, where they’ll have protected water for paddleboarding and kayaking. Daisy tells Marcos, there are three people up who want breakfast. Anchor is hauled and home, and the guests pronounce breakfast delicious, fabulous, and insane. Glenn re-anchors in Port Mahon, and Daisy tells Gabriela that she’s in charge while Daisy is on break. Guest Marni asks if they can go somewhere for swimming, and Glenn asks if Gary can take them in the tender to the cove. Gabriela asks Marcos for a fruit platter to take to the beach, and drinks are packed. In Marcos’s interview, he says, in yachting, you should treat your co-workers the same when you party and drink as you do at work. We flash back to his conflict with Gabriela that the rest of us have forgotten about, but he apparently holds a grudge about. He says, when he has a situation, cooking is his therapy. He becomes a freaking animal. Gabriela asks Daisy if she can go to the beach with the guests, and Daisy says, fine. She gets up, and tells Ashley to go on break. The guests get into the tender, and head for the beach. Ashley texts Daisy that she wants to talk about Gabriela.

The guests go swimming, and on the boat, Daisy asks Ashley, what’s going on? Ashley says, the other day, Gabriela was whining about wanting to quit. She said she didn’t trust any of them, and didn’t want to drink with them. We flash back to Ashley promising she won’t tell Daisy, and Daisy tells Ashley that she thinks a lot goes on behind her back, and she gets that, but she doesn’t feel right talking to Ashley without talking to Gabriela. (Kudos to Daisy for that.) She hopes Ashley is telling her the truth. In Daisy’s interview, she says, she doesn’t understand Ashley’s competitiveness; with boys, the job, everything. We flash back to Ashley being an a-hole, and Daisy says, she’s not stupid. It’s about being number one. She tells Ashley, thanks for the chat. Gary radios that the guests are coming back. Gabriela tries to make small talk with Ashley in the laundry, but Ashley claims she’s tired. In Gabriela’s interview, she says, she’s really trying with Ashley, but she just can’t. She tells Ashley to let her know if she needs help, and Ashley makes fun of her as soon as she’s gone. Marcos is making tofu that looks like fried chicken, something he learned in West Hollywood. Colin tastes it, and approves, and Marcos says, tofu is good if you know how to make it. I’ve never made it myself, but I think it’s really weird how it can be made to taste like other things. In Colin’s interview, he says, Marcos is a magician. He doesn’t know how to describe it.

Kelsie hopes the new deckhand has a good personality, is a hard worker, and makes her laugh. And is hot, but that’s third on the list. Actually fourth, but who’s counting? Dawn says, this is the best food she’s had in her entire life, and Ashley tells Colin the exact same thing she told Daisy about Gabriela. The guests finish dinner, declare they’re boring, and go to bed. Gabriela radios Ashley that if she’s finished, she can go to bed. When everyone has turned in, Gabriela finds Kelsie, who’s the only crew member she’s comfortable with. She tells Kelsie that she’s tired and had a bad day. She had a couple of chats with Ashley, but there was something weird about it. She’s not respected in the way she respects other people. She doesn’t feel like she’s part of the team. She thinks when they got loose, it had a negative effect. She knows Ashley and Marcos don’t like her, but she can’t get a read on Daisy. Kelsie says, Gabriela knew they’d have to be coexisting before they got here, but it’s tough because they wear a lot of hats. She doesn’t think Gabriela is in the gutter, and tells her, don’t dwell on the negative. They hug, and Kelsie tells Gabriela not to cry. Gabriela says, Kelsie is a good sister.

Last day of charter. Gabriela says, she’s fine, everything’s fine, she can do this. Glenn says he’s thinking about sailing, and asks Daisy about breakfast. Daisy says she can’t give him a definitive answer about time; it depends on the guests. He wants to give the guests a sail, and Daisy tells Marcos, they’re going to keel hard. The guests want breakfast and she’s in a bad mood. In the cabins, the stews put everything on the floor. The guests say they’d prefer to sail, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Everyone eats fast, and Glenn bugs Daisy until she finally says, go ahead.  The boat tilts, and the guests hang onto the table. Dawn films, and things crash. Glenn tells Gary to help inside, and Daisy says, everything is going to f***ing break.

Marcos sings in Spanish, and Daisy says she wants to put herself in a better mood. Ashley suggests she needs a hug from Gary, but Daisy says, Gary gets enough hugs from her. Glenn says he’s seen steeper. but that was pretty steep. Good sailing. Dawn says she learned what not to pack for next time, and I think, yep, like shoes. Gabriela helps with the fenders. Kelsie tells her, they’re not heavy, but they’re awkward, and Glenn doesn’t want them dragged. They dock, but it’s nothing special. Dawn thanks them from the bottom of her heart. They had fun water with the water sports, and the morning sail was spectacular. She hands Glenn the tip envelope, and Marcos pouts because he didn’t get a mention. Glenn blows the horn, and everyone waves. Marcos pouts some more, and Glenn calls everyone to the saloon for the tip meeting.

He says, it was charter six; they’re more than halfway there. The crew’s done a great job, and they’ve been keeping the guests happy, despite being short some hands and a finger. The new deckhand should be coming before the next charter. The tip is $20K, or $2500 each. Everyone is thrilled, and I think, these were classy guests. They had fun, had reasonable requests, caused no trouble, and left a big tip. Glenn suggests the crew have a nice dinner, but make it low key. Tomorrow, they have the day off, and he’s rented a local villa for them to use for their deserved downtime and fun. Daisy thanks him for organizing it, and in Gabriela’s interview, she says, she needs to recharge and reset. She needs to get out of her head, and this is the way to do it.

Daisy asks to talk to Gabriela, and they sit in one of the guest cabins. Gabriela says she wants to start over. She wants to be an extension of Daisy, someone Daisy can trust and rely on. She feels like she’s lost some of that trust, and feels defeated. Daisy says, Gabriela is a great stew. The guests love her, and she’s excellent at service and décor. Daisy wants her here, and Glenn wants her here. She has incredible potential, but she has to want it. Gabriela says she feels dismissed with Ashley, and she didn’t come to Daisy initially with her concerns. She’s been trying to pull herself out of a spiral. Daisy says, Gabriela can talk to her anytime. Don’t let it consume her because… Gabriela says, this is the result. In Gabriela’s interview, she says, she’s just going to work on herself. She feels like a complete sh*t. She’s emotionally drained, and so burned out.

Next time, the crew goes to the villa, Gary smells trouble, Kelsie toasts to a fresh start, Marcos whines that Gabriela is picking on him, and Gabriela asks to talk to Glenn.

⚰️ Forgotten Dead…

Some articles I might have missed posting.

On Madison 2.0.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-kim-dickens-madison-return-showrunners/

Lauren’s take on Maggie.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-lauren-cohan-maggie-negan-acts-of-god/

Lance’s coin flip.

🧙🏾‍♀️ Festival Vibe…

The performances.

https://people.com/music/coachella-2022-weekend-one-celebrity-photos/

The fashion.

https://people.com/style/coachella-2022-best-fashion-outfit-photos/

🤖 Hasta la Vista, Baby…

Come join me tomorrow for soap and New Jersey drama. Until then, stay safe, stay adventuresome, and stay knowing justice can’t be served without the truth.

April 17, 2022 – Alicia’s Dream Leads To Padre, Hearts Flutter Again, Sweating It Out, More On Madison, Saul’s Back, Dead Gallery & Amazing

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

A tumbleweed blows by. Alicia marches down a road leading a small group of people. She hears, Padre, and sees a zombie up ahead. She asks what they said, and tells them, I’m talking to you. There’s a high pitched sound that makes everyone cover their ears. Alicia runs after the figure, and hears, Padre, again. The figure turns around, and it’s the zombie who bit her. He attacks her, and gets her on the ground. She hears, follow me… She opens her eyes, and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy is blasting so loud, the chandelier is rocking. She realizes she has earplugs in, and takes them out. She grabs her steampunk arm, and heads downstairs. She asks if someone is there, and sees the door banging open and shut. She closes and locks it. She sees bloody footprints, and follows them. A man sitting at a piano, and she yells at him to turn the music off. She tries reaching for the volume control, but it’s on a shelf that’s too high for her. The zombie making the footprints comes up behind the man, and Alicia yells to him, then knocks the stereo off the shelf. He fights the zombie, and stabs it in the eyeball. He asks Alicia, what did you do? and she passes out. He picks up the broken stereo, and says, what did you do?

Alicia wakes up, and sees the man back at the piano. She asks how she got here, but he doesn’t turn around. She gets up, and says she’s talking to him. She taps his shoulder with her not-really-an-arm, and he whips around. He says, easy, and she asks if he can hear her. He says, no. He hasn’t heard a thing in months. She asks, what’s going on? How did she get here? He tells her, speak slower so he can read her lips, and she asks, how long has she been out? He says, two days, and she asks how she got here. He says he brought her here. He was coming back from a food run, and found her passed out in a barn two miles north. He checked her, and saw what was left of her arm. That’s quite a statement. She says she got bit, and wasn’t going to let him take it. He says he figured that was why, and that she would have turned by now. It didn’t look infected, but she was still burning up. Why is she idling so hot; is she sick? She says, that’s not it, and she wasn’t in a barn. She remembers she was on her way back to the people she was staying with. She must have passed out, but she wasn’t in a barn. A girl saved her. He says, maybe the girl got her to the barn, and asks what she’s running from. She says she appreciates his help, but she has to go. People are counting on her. He says, her dad? She said, padre. She says she must have been confused, and starts to go, but he says, hold on. She broke his stereo. She can at least help him fix it. She says she has to go, but bumps into the doorframe, and he says, she’s in no shape to go anywhere. He introduces himself as Paul, and says, she never answered his question about her fever. He hands her a bottle of medication, and she says, it’s a long story. He says, she can do better than that. She’s still breathing because of him. She says she returned the favor. He was drawing the zombies with the loud music. He says, there’s a lock on the door, and the entire house is soundproofed. She says she thought he couldn’t hear, and he says, when Beethoven was going deaf, he destroyed every piano by pounding on it. Just because you can’t hear the music, doesn’t mean you can’t feel it. She points at some bagpipes, and asks, what about those? but he says he doesn’t play them. She hears a horse outside, and asks him to hide her. He can’t know she’s here. Paul asks, who is he? There’s a knock at the door, and Paul opens it to Arno, who’s wearing his mask. Paul asks if there’s something he can help with, and Arno says, he’s looking for somebody. Paul says he can’t hear sh*t. Arno will have to show his face, but there’s been nothing dangerous in the wind for weeks. Arno takes off his mask, and says he’s looking for someone; a woman. Paul says he’s out of luck. There’s no one here but him. Zombies are reaching through a tarp over a cage in the back of a wagon, and Paul asks, what’s that? but Arno ignores him, walking past him and inside, along with his men. Paul tells Arno that he didn’t say he could come in, and Arno picks up the bottle of medication, asking if Paul is sick. Paul tells them to get out of his house, and Arno says, the girl he’s looking for gets fevers. She’s been bitten, and lost part of her arm, but she didn’t turn. She’s still walking around. Paul says he ain’t seen her, and Arno says, she’s not considerate. She has a habit of getting people hurt. Paul asks what Arno wants with her, and Arno says, that’s between them. He plays a scale on the piano, but hits a dead key. He asks Paul what the problem is, and we see the problem is Alicia hiding inside the piano, but Paul says they’re broken. Arno hits them a few times and says, all right then. If Paul sees her, give him a call. He gives Paul a walkie, and looks at a photo on his way out. He says, a deaf musician; ain’t that a bitch. He tells Paul that he appreciates his time, and leaves. Paul watches as the Stalkers drive their wagons off.

Paul makes something on the stove, and asks Alicia what Arno wants with her. Is it true what he said? Is she getting folks hurt? She says, they lived in the same place. Things went bad, and he blamed her. He asks if Arno is right to blame her, and she says, they had to abandon the place, since the blast had compromised the structure. He asks, where is that? and serves her a bowl of whatever he’s making. He says she seems nice enough to him. Then again, he may just be grateful for the company. She takes a bite, and he sees her face, and says, she’s never had haggis. The Scottish always kept cans in the pantry. He had the same reaction when he first tried it, but he grew to like it. When he was scavenging, he was surprised at how easy it was to find. Grocery stores were picked clean save for that stuff. Alicia says, Rowan. Is she…? He says, his wife, and she asks, what happened? He says, the bombs did. He lost her and what was left of his hearing the same day. Alicia says she’s sorry, and he says, so is he. He’s leaving at dawn to find a stereo. She says she really does have to go, but he says, she can’t leave. She says she’s not the person he thinks she is, but he says she has to be. Why is she in such a hurry? She tells him, what Arno said is true. People got hurt, and she doesn’t want that to happen to him. Paul asks, what happened? Why is that guy after her? She says, it doesn’t matter, and he asks, what does? She says, lives are at stake, and he says, so is his. If she leaves him without finding a stereo, he’s as good as dead. Help him get what he wants, and he’ll make sure she gets back in one piece. She says she doesn’t know where to find a stereo, but he says he does.

They go to a concert hall, and Paul asks how Alicia wound up bit. She says, the same way most people do; trying to get out of a bad situation. He asks if it has something to do with Padre. She was talking about it in her dreams. It must have meant something. She says, it’s a place she thought she could take everyone where they would be safe, and he says, and people died along the way. That’s why Arno is after her? What’s the new plan? She says, there’s a new place, or there will be. The person running it is trying hard to keep people out. She tried to get Arno and his people to fight with them. He says, it looks like she didn’t convince them, and she tells him, he said she shouldn’t lead anyone. He’s probably right. Paul says, so it didn’t work out. Big deal. She tried. She says, people died, but he says, she didn’t put a gun to their head and force them to follow her. They followed her for a reason. She says, she thought it was the way to go, and he says, and she did. Why beat herself up about it? Beethoven’s Ninth Concerto was the last concert they had here. When it premiered, Beethoven said he couldn’t conduct it himself because he was deaf. When it ended, the house went nuts and gave him a standing ovation. The story goes, because he was unaware of it, a young contralto spun Beethoven around, so he could see how they loved what they’d heard. Alicia asks what instrument Paul played, and he says, piano. Rowan played the violin. He got her the bagpipes for her 40th birthday, and learned to play them himself, part of his Scottish education. It was her dream to play Ode to Joy on the bagpipes, but she never played it. His hearing had started going, and she thought he would hear it because the bagpipes are so loud. Alicia asks, why didn’t she play it? and Paul says, he told her that’s not how it’s meant to be played, but really, he was so damn mad at the world going quiet, he took it out on her. Alicia says, he doesn’t have to go back and live alone, but he says, what else is he going to do? She says, come with her and her friends. The more people they have, the sooner they can take that place. She hears a horse, and he says, what’s wrong? She tells him, wait here, and goes outside. Why she reveals herself in this way is beyond me, but she sees Arno’s mini convoy, and a gun is cocked near her head. Arno says he knew he would find her here, and she says, she’s not alone. He says he figured that too, and yells, come out. That’s right, he can’t hear them. He looks at Alicia and shakes his head, saying, she never learns. Did she promise him somewhere safe to go? She says she thought Padre would work, and he says, tell them. One of his men removes the tarp from the cage, and reveals the zombie. She tells Arno that he’s insane, but he says, she’s the one who asked them to find Vazquez so he could lead them. How’d that go? She says, he should put them to rest, and he says he was going to, but he thought it would be more fun to let them punish her for what she did. His men drag her to the wagon.

Arno clanks Alicia’s arm part against the cage bars, and says, they’re dead because she said she knew the way. It seems only fair that she join them. She’s already halfway there. He unlocks the cage, when Paul shoots him in the hand. It’s too late though, and the zombies are released. Paul shoots, and Alicia grabs her arm part. Arno is like, waah, my hand! and Paul runs out of bullets. As he struggles to put more in the gun, he drops the stereo and it breaks. Alicia gets in a vehicle, and calls to him. He hesitates getting in, and says, he can fix it. She grabs him, and pulls him in, but he says he has to get it back. She says, it’s just a stereo, and he says, it’s the only thing that can drown it out; her voice. She was on her way back when it happened. She was so scared, and he tried to calm her. He told her it would be okay, and to stay on the radio with him. Then the warhead came crashing down with a horrible high-pitched sound while she screamed. Then everything went quiet. The last thing he ever heard was her scream; his Rowan. He couldn’t go on hearing it. Alicia couldn’t possibly understand. Alicia says she can, and he says, how? She says she has a voice she can’t get rid of either; the one from her dream. He says, what dream? and she says the one she’s had for months, that she keeps having. She thought Padre was a place she could take everyone. The first time she had the dream was after she got bit. She didn’t know if she’d cut off her arm in time. She was out for days, and when her fever was spiking, she had the dream; the most vivid dream she’d ever had. Paul says, about what? and she says, a walker; she was following it. We see her running, and she says, not just her, all of them too. She finally caught up, and the walker turned around. It was the same walker that bit her. He talked to her, and said, Padre, but it wasn’t his voice. He told her to follow him to Padre, so she did, or it’s what she’s been trying to do. She made all these people believe in her. She told them that she knew what she was doing and where she was going, and she didn’t. It was just a dream. He says, they must have had a reason, and she says, they died because of her. Now that voice is all she can hear every time she closes her eyes; every time she manages to fall asleep. He asks if she’s serious about what she said to him; him coming with her and helping with the place she’s trying take over. He’d like to take her up on it. She asks, why? and he says, something tells him there’s a reason he came across her. Maybe they can help each other drown out what they don’t want to hear. Alicia says she couldn’t get him a stereo, and he says, he’s got one right here, but she tells him, stay away. She can’t let him get hurt. Arno won’t stop until she’s dead. He’ll go to Paul’s house and hurt him. Paul says, that’s why he needs to be ready for Arno. Does she trust him? She nods, and he takes out the walkie. He says, if Arno is listening, if Arno can hear him, he’s sorry about the mishap earlier. Alicia turned on him too. The problem Arno has, Paul is ready to help solve. Come to his house after dark.

Paul sets up the stereo (which I guess he fixed?) and Alicia says, he doesn’t have to. He says, the sooner he helps her take out Arno, the sooner she can get back and stop punishing herself for what’s not her fault. She says, even with Arno gone, the voice won’t go. He says, maybe not, but maybe it’s not meant to be silenced. She tells him, but he said… and he says, he told her, it would drown out what they didn’t want to hear, but maybe she should listen. His old man was a helluva pianist; he was known as Texas Gershwin. His brother followed in their father’s footsteps, and Paul started taking lessons. He wanted to be like his father and brother, but when he did, the teacher would smack his hands with a yardstick. She asks, why? and he says, nobody makes great music imitating others. It has to come from you. Maybe that’s why it didn’t work before. Alicia thought somebody else was telling her what to do. Maybe the voice is her; so listen to it. If she doesn’t, she might regret it. He looks at the bagpipes, and says he owes it to himself and anyone who wants his help. Arno yells that he knows they’re in there, and Alicia tells Paul, they’re here. He gives her earplugs to put in, and says, it’s going to get loud. Arno and his man knock on the windows, and Arno whistles. He says he know Alicia is in there. Where is she? Come out. Paul hooks up the stereo. Arno tries the door, finds it locked, and sighs. He says, come out before she gets someone else hurt. Suddenly, Ode to Joy starts blasting, and Paul shoots at them. No surprise, zombies pop out of everywhere. Arno yells for his men to fall back, but it’s too late. Paul shoots the zombies wandering into the house until he runs out of bullets. Alicia starts smashing zombie heads with her pseudo arm, and Paul whacks them with whatever he can find. Alicia says, Arno is coming in through the back, and sure enough, they sneak in. Paul whacks one in the head with a guitar, but Alicia says, there are too many. I’m not quite sure if she’s referring to the zombies or Arno’s guys, or both. Arno kills off some zombies, and Paul grabs the bagpipes. The electricity goes out, and Arno points his gun at Paul. A zombie grabs Arno, but he gets off a shot anyway, hitting Paul. Alicia grabs Paul, and hustles him into another room. She looks at his wound, and tells him, it’s going to be okay. Where they’re going, they have medical supplies. He says, it’s too late, but she says, it’s not; they’ll get out. He says, she will, and she says she’s not leaving without him. He laughs, and says she doesn’t have a choice. Alicia says he’s in this position because of her. She said she’d take him somewhere safe… He says he would have followed her anyway, and so will they. Her friends… her people. What her dream is telling her is that they’re the ones she’d meant to lead. She tries to get him to come, but he says she just needs to believe in what she’s capable of. She says she doubted someone she cared about, and won’t make that mistake again. Zombies start to scrabble at the door, and they hear gunshots. He tells her to go, but she says she won’t make it past Arno. He says, she will if they can’t hear her. Arno knocks at the door, and says, she can’t stay in there forever. Paul starts to play Ode to Joy on the bagpipes, and Alicia cuts out the back. Paul sees her running past through the window, and Arno comes in. He points his gun at Paul, who doesn’t even turn around, although there are tears in his eyes. Alicia runs down the road through the woods as we hear the gunshot. She runs until she sees a hooded, masked little girl. She stops, and says, you again? Are you okay? The girl says she will be, and Alicia lies down in the road. The girl says, if you can help me, maybe I can help you. Alicia closes her eyes.

Alicia walks in a windy, ochre landscape. She sees a figure in the distance, and says, hey. A man’s voice says, Padre, but as she gets closer, she sees it’s a woman. A woman’s voice says, Padre. Follow me. She stops, and the figure turns. It’s her, and she tells herself, Padre. Follow me. Behind her are a group of people, including the little masked girl. Alicia says, Morgan… Morgan says, Alicia. Wake up. She opens her eyes.  

Morgan says, it’s okay. She’s all right. She asks how long she was out, and he says she showed up last night, but collapsed before they could get her inside. He puts a cool cloth on her forehead, and says, they’ve got to keep her fever down. She says, where is she? and he asks, who? She says, that girl; the one who brought her here. He says, she was alone… What is it? Is she all right? How did it go with Arno? Did she convince him to join them? She says she’s sorry. She knows they don’t have enough people to take on Victor. He says, they’ll find another way, and she says she thinks she has one.

Morgan asks why she thought a walker could lead them to Padre. She’s not too much on a straight answer to a straight question. She says she had a dream when she was in the bunker after she’d cut her arm off. The fever was at its worst, and she heard a voice. She thought it was saying a walker would lead them, and she thought it was coming from Padre. He asks who it was coming from, and she says, herself. Her mom, Nick, and Morgan all had a dream, but she never stopped to listen to her own voice. She is now. He asks where she’s going, and she says, the bunker has a transmitter. She doesn’t think Padre even exists, but a lot of people are looking for it, or a place like it. He says, she can’t lead them to a place that doesn’t exist, but she says she can lead people to them. They can become Padre, and give them what they want; a safe place to live. And that’s how they’ll take the tower. Morgan asks if she wants him to come, but she says she needs him to stay. When she comes back, they’ll make their move. He says, then he’ll be ready when she gets back, but she should rest. She says she can’t. Just be ready. She leaves.

Stalker Sage drives the wagon, the cage now empty except for a whining Arno. Sage stops the wagon, and Arno wails that he’s going to die if his hand isn’t treated. Sage says, they don’t have time, and tells Arno to look. Arno gets out, and they stand by the edge of a canyon filled with zombies. Sage says, the herd must have fell in. They’ve been stewing down there for months. Arno asks, how many? and Sage says, too many. If one of them gets out, they won’t be going anywhere. Arno says, we need to take the tower for ourselves.  

Next time, Morgan needs to protect the sub, Charlie gets herself trapped, June says Howard is a monster, and it looks like Charlie will be having a love interest (see below).

💗 Dead Love For Teens…

He was on the preview, and I knew I recognized him from somewhere.

GH Alum Ashton Arbab Joins the Cast of FEAR THE WALKING DEAD!

🔥 Is It Hot In Here Or…

They really did make her look like hell.

https://ew.com/tv/alycia-debnam-carey-fear-the-walking-dead-sweaty/

👢 Ripple Effect…

Madison’s return will trickle down. Or out. Or something.

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/fear-the-walking-dead-kim-dickens-madison-return-teased

🚑 Not Just Chasing Ambulances Anymore…

Back for a new and final season, this was a better show than I’d expected it to be. Sadly, I can’t watch them all, and I lost track of it, but you might want to catch up.

https://www.avclub.com/better-call-saul-season-6-what-to-remember-season-5-su-1848785149

⚰️ Just For Fun…

A gallery of memorable TWD characters.

https://tvline.com/gallery/the-walking-dead-most-memorable-characters-photos/

🐣 May Your Basket Always Be Full Of Treats…

Stop by tomorrow for some soap and Sailing. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your eyes open for opportunities, and stay not imitating others. Nobody makes great music that way. It has to come from you.

April 3, 2022 – Lance Searches Hilltop, Last Day, Confrontation, Still Alpha, Trust Or Not, First Look, Uncensored & April

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

The Walking Dead

Carlson is a bloody mess in a tangle of the dead. Daryl stands there as troopers mark corpses. Daryl goes up to the roof, where, Lance is telling Aaron and Gabriel, this not a good look. It puts him in a tough spot. He wants to run through it again, just to make sure. So they walked into a tense firefight, where a bunch of crazed violent strangers killed all of his trained and armed soldiers, but not the one-armed guy and the priest? They escaped, called him, and here we are. That’s their story? Aaron says, that’s basically it, and Lance asks what Daryl thinks. Daryl says they’ve all been on the road a long time; they can handle themselves. If they say it happened, then it happened. Lance says he has another theory; hear him out. It doesn’t make sense for crazed violent strangers to leave them alive, unless they’re protecting those crazed violent strangers. Aaron asks if he’s calling them liars, and Gabriel says, Lance screwed up, and they barely survived. They’re not taking the fall for this. Lance says he’s not trying to ruffle any feathers. He’s just doing his job. At the end of the day, they want the same thing – justice. Aaron says, of course, and Lance tells the troopers, keep searching. There are still monsters on the loose, and they have to smoke them out… starting with Hilltop. They should at least know dangerous people might be headed their way. He tells Daryl, suit up, soldier, and Daryl looks at Aaron and Gabriel before following Lance back down.

The alarm clock goes off, and Princess tells Mercer that they’re pretty awesome at this sex thing. They’re both adults, and they’ve both had lots of sex. He says he loves listening to her talk, and she tells him,  dude, these crack of dawn super soldier wake ups suck ass. He seems like he’s always awake. She thinks he’s part robot. He says, she’s got him. Beep-beep-beep. They kiss, and Princess asks, what’s the deal with his eyes being open all night; is it some kind of meditation thing? He says, maybe he’s basking in the afterglow. He sleeps fine. She says, it didn’t look like basking; more like stewing. He asks if she’s getting at something, and she says she’s just making sure he’s cool. He says he’s fine, and she says, cool, but if he needs to get anything off his chest, contrary to popular opinion, she’s good at listening. He tells her that he said he’s fine, and she says, message received; loud and clear. See? She’s good at listening. The alarm goes off again, and she says he’s going to be late for work. She turns over as he gets up, but she doesn’t go back to sleep.

Eugene lets Kelly and Connie into his apartment, apologizing for the early hour, but the discussion isn’t ready for public broadcast. Connie signs, and Kelly asks if he’s okay. It seemed urgent. He says, Rosita had a harrowing experience on the job. We see Rosita beside him, and he says, Connie being a truth telling newsperson, he thought Rosita should give her the deets. Rosita says, she and Daryl were forced by Sebastian and his cronies to steal some cash. They found a woman there, and found out it had been done before, but no one ever made it out alive. The authorities wanted them to stay quiet, but she thinks about that woman and what she went through. There are good people here, and they need to know the truth. Connie signs, and Kelly hands Rosita the paper that had been slipped under Connie’s door. She says, it’s a list of names, people who are ex-troopers. They tried to investigate it further, but kept hitting dead ends. She points out April Martens on the list, and says, that’s her, right? Rosita says, there are more names than people who were sent. Maybe the two things are related, but they need to know more. Connie signs, and Kelly says, if the Miltons are involved,  they could keep those people locked up. They need inside access. Eugene says he might know someone who could provide that.

Carol sends Judith and RJ off to school, and RJ waves to Ezekiel. Ezekiel tells them, drink deep from the cup of knowledge and listen to their teachers. Carol tells him that he’s looking lively, and he says, losing a tumor the size of a grapefruit works wonders. He’s healing well. He’s been thinking about what she said about how he reacted. He never thanked her properly. She says he doesn’t have to, but he says he does. He can’t imagine the lengths she went to. He took her words to heart and he’s been doing something extra with the time he’s been given. He’d like to show her, but she says she can’t today; she’s swamped at work. He says, at the bakery? but she says, no, another job. It’s complicated. It all went sideways, and there are things she needs to figure out to fix it. It’s better he doesn’t know. Just trust her. He says he does trust her, more than anyone. You’d think this place would make life easier, but it feels like there’s more grey instead. Carol says, rain check? and he says, guaranteed. He’s getting healthy again. She’s stuck with him. She says she can live with that, and walks off.

Lance and his troopers come to a zombie conga line going across the road in the woods. Lance holds up his hand, signaling for them to stop, and tells Aaron and Gabriel to take care of it. He heard they can handle themselves. What’s the problem? They walk to the front, and Daryl goes with them. They approach the zombies, who are reforming into a group, and Aaron smashes the head right off of the first one with his mace hand. Gabriel slices the next one’s head in half diagonally, and Daryl shoots two with one bullet. Lance looks like he’s getting off on it, and when all the zombies are downed, Daryl says he saved Lance a bullet, and kicks a head over to him. Lance says, and barely broke a sweat. Nice. He tells the troopers, keep moving, and tells Daryl to put his helmet on. They keep walking, and arrive at Hilltop.

Ezekiel asks Tomi if it’s a bad time, and Tomi says, it’s not the best day, but lets him in. He asks if Ezekiel is feeling okay, but Ezekiel says, it’s about a friend who’s sick and can’t afford treatment. She needs a small procedure, and he was wondering if they could take care of it outside the system. Tomi asks what the procedure is, and Ezekiel says, an appendectomy. He has the necessary equipment, and has secured a sterile area, but they need some supplies. Tomi says, it’s risky, not just for the patient, but for everyone involved. Ezekiel says, she won’t change her mind, and they both understand the risks. He wouldn’t be approaching Tomi if this wasn’t their best option. Tomi says he lost a patient this morning, and that was here in a hospital, but Ezekiel says Tomi is the only one who can do this. Please.

At the town center, or whatever it is, loudspeakers tell everyone to do their part. If you see something, say something. Max sees Eugene and asks what he’s doing here. He tells her, what he needs to talk about required an immediate face-to-face, but he took precautions. He shows her the bag of groceries he’s carrying, and says he’s an ordinary delivery boy. They go to a supply room, and she says, he wants to her to steal secret files? They’re supposed to be staying out of trouble, not looking for it. Just when she thought things were finally going right. He says, Rosita was forced into a situation by Sebastian, and she says, this involved the Miltons? He says, so far, only the young psychopath. People have died, and more are missing. Her brother can corroborate it. He was there. A janitor comes in, and says, sorry, to interrupt, but Max says, the room is all his. She thanks Eugene, taking the bag and giving him a tip, and leaves.

At Hilltop, Lance looks up to see Maggie and Elijah on the wall, and says, good to see you. Maggie asks what he wants, and he says, there are killers on the loose. They’ve lost a lot of men, and he’s hunting them down and the Commonwealth property they stole. Maggie says she doesn’t know anything about it, and Lance says, then she wouldn’t mind if he has a quick look around… to rule them out… for the paperwork. She says she gave him her answer, and Lance looks pissed. He says something to a soldier, and Daryl walks up. He says Lance is going to get people killed if he forces his way in. Lance says he doesn’t have much choice, but Daryl says, let him talk to her. They go in, and nobody gets hurt. Deal? Daryl approaches, and Maggie says, it doesn’t have to be this way. He takes off his helmet, and says, yeah, it does. Nobody is leaving until they look around, but he promises it will be quick. She asks if he expects her to trust Lance, but he says he ain’t asking that. He’s asking her to trust him. She looks at Aaron and Gabriel, and the gate opens. The troopers go in, Daryl nods to Maggie.

Max asks Mercer, whose first name is apparently Mike, what’s going on? He asks her to be specific, and she says, Sebastian pulled a heist, and people went missing. He says it sounds like she already knows, but she says she wants to hear it from him. Why did he keep it from her? He works out with kettlebells while he’s talking, and he says, it’s none of her business. What does she want him to say? This place is not perfect? They’re lucky to be here? None of that sh*t is new. It’s part of his job. She asks if that makes everything okay, but he says, no. People lost their lives because he failed them. He missed it, and it’s his weight to carry, not hers. She says she’s not a little kid. He doesn’t need to play big brother. He tells her, says the girl who was almost caught on the radio a few months ago. He doesn’t want to fight with her. She says, then let her help, but he says, forget it; he fixed it. She says, what about Sebastian? How is it okay letting him walk free? He says, there are 50,000 other lives he’s got to think about. If he goes after Sebastian, what happens to them? Does she think they’re going to let that kind of insubordination slide? What if he disappears? Who keeps this place running? If the Commonwealth falls, more people will die. She says, not everyone views lives as acceptable losses, and he tells her to take it up with her boss. She says, the community listens to him; they look up to him. He says, he’s just a soldier, but she says, he could be more. He could change this place. Then again, maybe she’s just being naïve. Maybe he’s just a poser. She leaves, and he drops the weights he was lifting.

Ezekiel and Tomi get the supplies they need. A soldier goes by the door, and they duck out of sight. Tomi tells Ezekiel that the troopers should move on soon, and they can head to the loading dock. Ezekiel says, for a guy who was worried about coloring outside the lines, Tomi knows what he’s doing, and seems to be enjoying it. Tomi says he did his share of rebellion back in the day. This place has a way of lulling you, and you think, why upset the applecart? Lance says he’s keeping them safe, but is he protecting others or himself? They slip out, and as they round the corner, run straight into a trooper.

Lance uncovers a truck, and asks if it’s new. Maggie says she’s converting the engine, but it doesn’t run. He says, they found tire tracks near the ambush, and not many cars are running these days. Daryl tells him, if he has something to say, just say it, and Lance says, he comes from a long line of gearheads (which I find hard to believe). Does she mind? He looks under the hood, and says, it’s clean for a truck that just sits here; It looks good, and they left a lot of fuel here last time. He looks at something, and says, no wonder it won’t work. The starter relay is disconnected. He hooks it back up, and puts the hood down. He says, let’s test it out, and see if he has the magic touch. He gets in, and turns the key, but nothing happens. He tries a few times, and Maggie walks over to him, and says, you have until sundown. Then you and your people can be on your way. Lance looks at Daryl, who looks disgusted. Lance can’t figure it out.

Tomi and Ezekiel sit at a table, in custody. A trooper opens the door, and Carol comes in. She tells the trooper that she can handle them from here, and thanks him for his discretion. He leaves, and Ezekiel says he was hoping her new job had connections. Tomi asks if they’re screwed, but she says, don’t worry; she has it handled. Is Ezekiel trying to get into more trouble? Ezekiel says, not all trouble is bad trouble. Since he’s already pulled her out of work, what’s a few more minutes?

Ezekiel leads Carol through the animal stalls, and Tomi says, please tell him that his friend is human. Ezekiel goes to a structure that says, veterinary treatment, and inside is a clinic where people are waiting. Carol says, he really has been busy, and Ezekiel says he has a debt to repay. Tomi’s patient Theresa is in the back. They go into another area.  

Mercer sees Princess in the hallway, and asks if she’s got a minute. She says, for him, she’s got two, and he says he wanted to apologize for earlier. This whole thing is new to him. Not the sex part, but …. us. She kisses him, and says, listen. She’s got a special sense when somebody is not okay. She’s had a lot of firsthand experience. She might put out a totally sexy carefree fun times vibe, but she can handle the heavy stuff… in case he ever needs it. He says, he killed two of his men and covered it up. He never thought he’d be that guy. That’s not how he was raised. He didn’t cross certain lines… until now. What’s really messing with his head and keeps him up is, he keeps thinking he’d do it again. He’s spent a long time trying to keep it together, be solid for everyone else. It’s all he knows, and he’s good at it, but maybe this place needs something else. Maybe he’s part of the problem. He’s tired. Princess kisses his hand, and suggests they go inside and figure it out together. He nods.

Herschel walks out of the graveyard, and sees Lance poking around behind a building. Lance says he doesn’t know if Herschel remembers him. He heard Herschel has an exciting life. Has he taken any exciting trips lately? Herschel doesn’t say anything, and Lance asks, how about his mom? The last thing Lance would want is for something to happen, especially to Herschel’s mom. He needs Herschel’s help. If he can get the truth, he can fix things. That’s what he does, but he can’t keep people safe if they keep secrets. Think hard. Is there anything Herschel wants to tell him? Herschel says he probably should get his mom, but Lance gets in front of him, and says, Herschel is a good kid. He’s a brave kid. The thing about good kids is, they deserve presents. He found this hat where bad things happened. He takes out Herschel’s baseball cap, and says, it would be a shame to let it go to waste. He puts it on Herschel, and says, he’ll be damned; a perfect fit. What are the odds? Elijah flies in out of nowhere, slamming Lance up against the building. There’s shouting, and the troopers run over, guns drawn, along with Maggie and Daryl, who also have their guns drawn. A trooper tells Elijah to release Lance or he’ll shoot, and Herschel tells Maggie that Lance said something bad was going to happen. Maggie tells Lance, plenty of others have made the mistake of threatening her family, and most of them are dead. Daryl tells Lance, he found nothing, so unless he wants to die for nothing, tell them to drop their guns before something really f***ing bad is going to happen. The F-bomb has officially been dropped by Daryl on sort-of network TV, and the Twitterverse goes wild. Lance says, sorry for the miscommunication, and they leave. BTW, closed captions actually spelled it out too.

Daryl, Aaron, and Gabriel sit around a fire in the woods, and Daryl says, they’re not going back to the Commonwealth. Lance is going to keep searching. Aaron says, if they can’t give him the killers, maybe they can find the guns and buy time. Something is about to go down. Daryl tells them to keep their eyes open. Lance tells a trooper to find something.  

Carol says Ezekiel did good, and he says, Theo did most of the hard work, but he admits he feels special. After all they’ve been through, and as close as he came, he got a fresh start. It’s important to him that his friend knows how much he appreciates her. Carol says, it must feel good, and he asks, what’s going on? Carol says she was thinking about the world, and he says, that’s a big subject. Anything specific? She says, the years… the darkness… After everything, in the midst of everything, he’s there, glowing. The light suits him. Ezekiel says, it came from a spark that she helped him find. He says, the darkness is heavy. Some carry more than others, because they’re strong enough to hold the weight. They make the light; she makes the light. She says he knows they’re not getting back together, right? and he laughs. He says, she keeps saying that. Someone runs over, and tells Ezekiel that Theo says he needs to come back; Theresa’s appendix burst. Ezekiel and Carol run back to the makeshift OR, and Tomi puts Ezekiel on breathing duty. He sends Theo to get more antibiotics, and Carol puts in gauze when necessary. I find it amusing that, with all the gore on this show, I’m grossed out watching him do surgery. Tomi tells Ezekiel that he’s doing good, and says, they have to flush the cavity. He asks Carol for saline, and the next thing we know, he’s sewing Theresa up. He says they’ll know more in the next 24 hours, but it looks good. Ezekiel says, see? A small procedure. Nothing to worry about.

Max goes to Eugene’s apartment, and asks if they can talk. He says, he regrets his earlier ambush. It was mighty uncool of him. Max says, stuff is happening, and it’s bad. He tells her, it’s not his intention to put her in a tough spot. If this makes her uncomfortable… She says, it does; sneaking around when she’d hoped things were going back to normal. Maybe she’s not built for this, but she doesn’t thinks he has a choice. He says, of course she does. They can find another avenue. She says, that’s not what she meant. She has no choice because there is no back to normal. They know what they know, and because of that, things have to change. They can’t wait for someone else to step up and help. He takes her hand, and says he can promise her this. Whatever they find, whatever comes their way, she won’t be alone. He’ll be by her side, come hell or high water. Against all odds of the cosmos and humankind, they found each other. He was never more certain of anything. They kiss, and she says, so what does she need to steal?

In the woods, Leah loads bunch of guns, and sets them up in a semicircle. She goes inside a small tent, and closes it. Some troopers come by, and open the tent, but it’s empty, and the guns start shooting, hitting a couple of troopers. Lance says, he’s here to talk; hold your fire. He’s come long way to find her. She’s not easy to track down, and since she’s caused him more than a handful of trouble, at least hear what he has to say before she kills them. Leah comes out of the woods, her gun ready. She says, talk fast, and he says, his name is Lance Hornsby, and he’s here to offer her a job.

Next time, Maggie says, it’s not ending until she ends it; Aaron says, they’ll fight their way out; Lance says, Leah gets to scout for the woman who killed her family, and he gets to do his job without interference; and Leah suits up to go hunting.

⚰️ Dead Done…

Wrapping it up.

https://movieweb.com/the-walking-dead-wraps-for-the-last-time/

https://ew.com/tv/norman-reedus-commemorates-last-walking-dead-shoot/

👨‍👦 Stand Off…

Who knows? Maybe Negan and Herschel can have a spin-off.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-negan-hershel-rotten-core/

🦹🏼‍♂️ Dead But Not Forgotten…

You’re never really dead on Walking Dead. Or a soap opera.

https://ew.com/tv/samantha-morton-alpha-tales-of-the-walking-dead/

🕶 Hidden Agenda…

What’s really behind that friendly broker personality.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-trust-lance-hornsby-leah-angela-kang/

👢 Looking Fierce…

A look at Madison’s new look.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-kim-dickens-madison-clark-first-look-photo/

🤬 F-Dash-Dash-Dash…

I have to admit, I was startled. And it’s not like I don’t use it myself.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-daryl-f-word-uncensored-f-bomb-season-11-episode-15-trust/

🛍 Bagging It Up…

See you tomorrow when it’s time for soap and to get Sailing. Until then, stay safe, stay slow to anger, and stay being the light, or at least helping to find the spark.

December 7, 2021 – Maxie Confronts Peter, Can’t Keep Her Down, Schwartz Loses Two Bets, a Break-Up, Ladies Of the Lake, Miami’s Coming, Back On Fear & There

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer comes into the gym and sees Josslyn. He says he heard about Jason. He doesn’t even know what to say except he’s sorry. She doesn’t think there’s much else to say, and he asks how Sonny is doing. She guesses about what you’d expect. They’re all just really, really sad… and shocked and angry. He says he was kind of surprised when she texted. He thought she’d be laying low. She says she’d rather be under her covers, but Jason would hate that. So instead of moping around all day, she decided to let off some steam; punch something. He says, and she thought of him, and she asks if he can handle it. He tosses her some boxing gloves, and says, lace up, Jax. She puts them on, and they fist bump.

Esme dashes into Kelly’s, going over to Trina’s table. She asks if Trina minds if she sits, and Trina says, sure. Trina is doing some work, and Esme points out that she looks busy. Trina says, the life of a college student, when Cameron comes over and asks if he can get Esme anything. She says, a large half-caf latte with soy milk, no foam, and Trina says, God forbid. Esme asks if he got all that, and he says they’ll see when she takes a sip. I have this vision of her getting a lukewarm cup of Sanka. Esme says she just loves Cameron’s sense of humor, and Trina says, he’s a real crack-up. Esme says, and now, down to business, and Trina says, they have business? Esme says their trip isn’t going to plan itself. They’re going to have so much fun.

At the hospital, Michael says he’s sorry he wasn’t there when Carly heard about Jason, but she says, it’s okay. She and his dad wanted to be the ones to tell him. They didn’t want to do it over the phone. He says he would have hated that. If he had to hear it from anyone, he’s glad it was Drew. She says, her too, and they sit. He says he can’t believe this is happening again. He knows they’ve survived without Jason before, but… She says, he doesn’t know how. They’ll handle it the second time like they handled it the first time. As a family. She puts her arms around him.

Willow stands outside the chapel, and hears Sonny tell Nina, whatever happened between them in Nixon Falls needs to come from him, and it will. Nina says she understands, but despite all the pain she caused people – and she knows they’ve gone on with their lives – she has to tell him that their love is the purest thing she’s ever known. She’s so sorry, but she can’t regret that. Willow is like, whoa, and jets. Sonny says he refuses to accept that what Nina did, lied to him and his family, was an act of love. She says, it wasn’t; she can see that now. But it went on for so long. She didn’t know how to get out of it. She didn’t know what words to use. How do you explain something like that? She felt like she was just trapped, like her lies were trapping her, and she was living this life she never intended. In a way, it’s like they have that in common.

Peter is sitting in the interrogation room, when Mac comes in. Peter asks, where’s his lawyer? and Mac says, he hasn’t arrived yet. Peter says he hopes Mac knows better than to question him without representation. That’s literally his job as acting Police Commissioner, isn’t it? To protect Peter’s rights? Mac says he doesn’t give a damn about Peter’s rights because he’s not there as the Police Commissioner. Right now, Peter’s talking to Maxie’s father.

Maxie comes into the station, and asks Anna, where is he? Anna asks, what’s wrong? and Maxie says, pretty much everything. She needs to talk to Peter. Anna thinks it’s a terrible idea, but Maxie says she didn’t ask for Anna’s opinion; she asked where Peter was. Anna says, he’s here, but he’s not allowed visitors, and Maxie says, is that what she is? A visitor? She thinks they can make an exception given the circumstances, but Anna says, that’s not up to her to decide. Maxie says she knows; it’s up to Mac, who they both know is going to say no, unless Anna backs her up. Anna asks, why, after everything Peter put Maxie through? All the physical, mental, and emotional torture. Why is it so important for her to see him?

Mac says he’s dealt with some cowards and lowlifes in his time, but Peter is in a class all by himself. Peter tells him, that’s sweet, and Mac says he takes it back. Peter is in a class with Faison. Peter says, like father, like son, he supposes, and Mac says, coming to town, pretending to be an actual human being. Meanwhile, manipulating Mac’s daughter the entire time, using her grief over Nathan to worm his way in. Peter says he loves Maxie, and Mac says, all the time Peter spent with her, and his grandkids. Peter says, i.e. James, the child he brought into this world with his own hands? Mac says, if only he could take Peter out of it, and Peter says, it’s too bad he’s in police custody then. Mac says, bad things happen in jail all the time, and Peter asks if that’s a threat. Mac says, just a fact, and Peter says, noted. Here’s another one. If anything happens to him, Louise stays gone for good.

Spencer tells Josslyn that he and Esme have been talking a lot about that trip she wants to take. Maybe they could do it on Josslyn’s winter break. Does she think Sonny would let them use his cabin? She says, whoa, and he asks if she thinks he wouldn’t. She says she’s sure he would, but she never agreed to this vacation. He says she and Cameron have to go; Esme really wants to get to know his friends better. She says, so let’s get coffee, or have lunch. Do they really have to go on vacation? She’s sorry, but she just doesn’t think a weekend getaway together would best improve their relationship, if he knows what she means. He says, a toddler would know what she means. Why doesn’t she cut Esme a break? She says, she set Ava’s car on fire, and he says he agrees she went too far, but she only did it for him. She says, in that case… and he says, Esme loves him. She asks if Spencer loves her, and he says, yeah. She asks, why? and he says, she’s gorgeous and exciting and passionate… Josslyn says, so she’s hot, and he says, it’s not the sex… It’s not just the sex. He knows Esme can be a lot, but so can he, right? She says, she doesn’t think he wants her to answer that, and he says, they fit, all right? He thinks if she just gave Esme a chance, she’d see how incredible she really is. She says, okay. Tell her about the real Esme.

Esme asks what Trina is studying, and Trina says, a lot of things, but right this second, nature photography. Esme says, like the exhibit at the gallery? and Trina says, something like that. Cameron brings Esme’s latte, and says, it was such a hit, Trina’s professor asked her to give a presentation to her class. Isn’t that cool? Esme says she doesn’t know; it sounds like a lot of extra work. Trina says, which is why she should get back to it. Esme takes a sip, and Cameron says, well? She says, no offending foam; it’s perfect. Cameron starts to leave, but Esme says she and Trina were just talking about their trip. She’s so excited. Spence is too. Cameron says he didn’t think anything was decided, and Esme says, they’re still batting around ideas. She was thinking winter break. She hasn’t been skiing in ages. Do they ski? Cameron says he does, and she asks if there’s a mountain nearby. He says there is, and Esme says, how amazing does that sound? Skiing by day, snuggling by the fire at night. Her and Spence, Cameron and Josslyn, and Trina, of course (🍷).

Sonny tells Nina not to text him again, because he’s not going to meet her, and she says the only reason she reached out was to warn him about Peter. It’s not like she reached out because she wanted to spend more time with him. She’s not delusional, contrary to popular belief. She knows he loves his wife. He says he does, and she says she’s trying to preserve that. She’s trying to protect his relationship with Carly from whatever this psycho may have planned to break them up. He tells her, don’t worry about Peter, and she says, she’s being honest. She doesn’t want to cost him any more than she already has. He might not believe her, so if Peter is trying to stir up more trouble… He says, Peter’s not going to cause more trouble. Trust him. That son of a bitch killed Jason, his best friend, his brother; he’s gone.

Michael asks where his dad is, but Carly says she doesn’t know where he disappeared to. She thinks he’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, distract her. Did Wiley enjoy Thanksgiving in New York? He says, Wiley enjoyed the holiday lights and the holiday windows. His favorite thing was the dogs. Carly says, the dogs? and Michael says, Wiley pointed out every single one of them when they passed them. She says, that’s a lot of dogs. She bets Annabelle is going to need a brother or sister this Christmas. Michael tells her, he said the same thing; they just have to get Willow on board. She asks if they took Wiley skating, and he says they went to the Central Park rink because Rockefeller Center was too crowded. He crushed it. She says, of course (🍷) he did. She asks if he remembers the first time he was on skates, and he says, she, Jason, and dad brought him. She says, her heart just dropped every single time he fell, but Jason was so calm. He’d just pick Michael back up, and make sure he went off again. He says, he always pictured Jason being there for Wiley. the same way Jason has always been there for him. She says she knows, and puts her arm around him.

Willow comes out of the elevator and sees Epiphany, who asks if she’s all right. Willow says she just heard some bad news, and Epiphany says, Sasha and Brando. Just remember they have a great team doing everything in their power to help that baby boy. Willow asks if she’s seen Michael.

Josslyn hits the heavy bag while Spencer holds it, and he says, Esme puts on a good show, but she’s never actually had a lot of friends. Josslyn says, shocking, and he says if she’s not actually going to take it seriously, they’re not going to talk about it. She says she’s sorry; she will. He says, Esme grew up in boarding schools, and her parents died when she was still pretty young. Josslyn says, that sounds awful, and he says, it was. Not that he realized it at first. He saw party Esme like everybody else, but she was one of the few students who stayed on campus during breaks. Josslyn says, like him, and he says, one night they started talking, and they clicked. She says, it doesn’t surprise her. It seems like he and Esme would have a lot in common. He says, they bonded over the loneliness they felt, and how hard it was to connect with other students. Ever since then, they’ve been together; just the two of them. Them against the world. She says, except the world isn’t actually out to get them. He says she knows what he means. He has Esme’s back and she has his. She says, partners in crime, and he says, so to speak. So after hearing all that, does she think she could maybe possibly give Esme the benefit of the doubt?

Esme tells Trina that she doesn’t have to come solo. She can totally bring a plus one. Trina says, she’s not really seeing anyone, so… and Esme says, it could be a fun start to a relationship. Someone must have caught her eye at PCU. Trina says, not really, and Cameron says, which is fine. This is not really a couples thing anyway. They’re just going as a group of friends. Esme says, right, and Cameron goes to wait on another table. Esme says she hopes she didn’t make Trina uncomfortable, but Trina says she’s fine. She’s sure the weekend will be fun. Esme says she feels kind of bad. She never would have suggested they go away had she known about Trina and Cameron. Trina says, what about them? and Esme says, he told her that he and Trina almost got together. Now he’s with Josslyn. Ouch.

Maxie tells Anna, she hasn’t seen Peter since he disappeared from the hospital, but knowing he was out there somewhere, was like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. She spent months terrified that she’d walk into her apartment or turn the corner, and he would be there. He’s taken too much from her, and she refuses to be scared of him for one more minute. Anna says, she gets it. If she was in Maxie’s position, she’d want to confront Peter too. Why should she be surprised that her fierce, brave goddaughter wants to do the same? Maxie says, so Anna will help her with Mac? and Mac comes out, saying, absolutely not. Maxie says, he doesn’t even know why she’s there yet, but he says, she wants to see Peter, and the answer is no. He’s not done fighting. Peter claims to know where Louise is. Anna says, he doesn’t. He blackmailed Nina in Nixon Falls precisely because he didn’t know where the baby was, and wanted help finding her. Mac tells her, now he’s saying that he just wanted to ascertain how far Anna and Valentin were in their search, and Maxie says, he’s lying. Mac says he’s sure he is. Peter knows his time is up, and he’s grasping at straws, but that’s his point. Anything Peter would say to Maxie would be a lie, and probably a hurtful one. Why would she want to subject herself to that? She says, it’s not about what Peter has to say to her, but what she has to say to him. Anna says, Maxie is very strong, and Mac says, and stubborn. Maxie says she wonders who taught her that, and Anna says, if Maxie says she needs to do this, she believes her.

Nina tells Sonny, it’s not fair. He’s lost so many people. His father, and now Jason. She wishes she could take his pain away. He says, that’s not how life works, and she says she tricked herself into thinking that if she could keep him away from his past, she could save him from a life of violence. He was so unburdened as Mike. He was so relaxed. She thought Nixon Falls would be a fresh start for him, and maybe a fresh start for her too. He says, it’s not a fresh start if you don’t know what came before. He was living a lie. She says she believed in her head it was real, and he says, his friends and family were stolen from him. He would take the pain of losing Jason any day, because Jason was like his brother; they would do everything together. They would protect each other… She says, she’ll regret every day of her life what her lies robbed him of, and he says, they have to move forward. Live the life they have now. She says, move forward; separate lives. He says, yeah, and leaves.  

Epiphany tells Willow that she hasn’t seen Michael. Willow says, that’s okay; she’ll text him.

Carly asks if Michael heard about Sasha and Brando, and he says, that’s why they came to the hospital. How’s the baby? She says, he’s in the NICU. They named him Liam. Michael says he likes it, and she says, he was deprived of oxygen during the delivery. It’s too soon to tell if he has any brain damage. He says, it must be hell for Sasha and Brando, waiting for news like that, and she asks if Willow is with him. He says, she went to put in a good word at the chapel, and Carly suggests they go to the nurses’ desk and see if there’s an update. They see Willow there, and Michael says, what is it? Is there news about the baby? Willow says, none that she’s aware of, and Carly asks, then what’s wrong?

Maxie says, Mac, please, and he says he’s never been good at saying no to her; why break the cycle now? She thanks him and says she loves him. He says he loves her too, but the second whatever’s going on in there feels weird to her… She says she’s out of there. He says, good, and Anna kisses Maxie’s head, saying, she’s very brave. Maxie says she feels anything but brave right now. She has to do this. Not just for herself, but for Louise.

Trina tells Esme, she’s happy for Cam and Joss; there’s no issue there. Esme says, that’s great, and Trina says she’s serious. Esme says, it’s just that, when Cameron brought it up, it sounded like… Never mind. Trina says, she’s gone this far. Just say it. Esme says, not only is it nothing, it’s none of her business. Just for the record, she’s not one of those people who thinks everyone has to be coupled up to be happy. Before she met Spence, she was perfectly fine on her own. She guesses she just never realized the beauty in having someone understand you so completely. Trina says, and that’s Spencer? and Esme says, now that she’s found him, she has no intention of letting him go.

Michael says Willow seems upset; what’s going on? Sonny comes out of the elevator, and hugs Michael, saying, he’s glad Michael is home. Michael says, so is he, and Sonny asks how he’s holding up. Michael says he’s still in shock. He’s so sorry about Jason. Sonny says, it’s good to have family, and Carly says that’s what she was just telling Michael. As long as they have each other, they can get through anything. Michael says he just can’t believe Jason is gone, and Sonny says, it’s because of Peter August. Carly says she’s glad that bastard has been caught. At least now, he’s going to pay for his crimes. Sonny says, he’s going to pay. He’ll make sure of it.

Peter says, what’s going on? and Mac says, one wrong move, and he’ll shoot Peter himself. He leaves, and Maxie comes in.

Michael says he guesses they’ll just wait for Brando, and Willow says, waiting is her specialty. He says she never answered his question; is she okay? Nina almost comes around the corner, but sees them, and stops. Willow says she’s just praying for that little boy, hoping with all her heart that Sasha and Brando can take him home soon. He says she’s been gone a while. Was she in the chapel the whole time? Willow says, she went, but she didn’t want to disturb the people inside. Nina is like, uh-oh.

Josslyn says, she guesses Spencer thinks Esme is the know all, be all, and she’s really nice – to him. But if she treats everyone else like trash, she’s sorry. She doesn’t want to hang out with her. He asks if they can be real, and she says, let’s try it. He says, it’s not like she’s been that nice to Esme either. Josslyn says, she fired the first shot, but he says, did she though? If he remembers correctly, Josslyn has been pretty cool to her from the start. She says, maybe if he’d mentioned he had a girlfriend; maybe just once instead of hanging all over Trina… He says he was not, and she says she thought they were being real. He says he likes Trina. He thinks she’s super cool. She says, and? and he says, maybe he could have been more direct when he first met her about what was happening. She says, maybe, and he says, but it has always been Esme for him. She asks, then why keep her a secret? and he says he didn’t handle things well in the beginning, okay? She says, all the lying, and the terrorizing of Ava. Ava’s not her favorite person, but even she didn’t deserve that. He says he screwed up. Why is she acting so surprised? It’s not like it’s the first time. She says, no, and she’s sure it won’t be the last, and he says, that’s what friends are, right? The people who love you anyway. She says, all right. Enough with the love talk. He says, she knows what he’s saying. They’ve been friends since forever, so as his friend, can Josslyn give Esme the chance to show her who she really is? She says she can definitely do that.

Peter says Maxie is more beautiful than he even remembered. He knew she woudn’t be able to stay away. She closes the door, and tells him, just shut up. For once, he’s going to listen to what she has to say. This little fantasy he has of them being together, living happily ever after, it’s not going to happen. And honestly, it blows her mind that he still thinks it could. After everything he’s done to her, how could he think she could feel anything toward him but hatred? He says, everything he did was out of love for her, and she says, he’s a murderer. A murderer. He hired a fake nurse to kidnap her and induce labor. That is not love. That is… She doesn’t even know what to call it. Abuse? Torture? She can’t be a mother to her child because of him. She can’t rock her to sleep, or kiss her tiny little hands. She’s missing those moments, and it’s Peter’s fault. She will never forgive him for that. He says he doesn’t believe that, but she says she doesn’t care what he believes. He says he can tell her where Louise is, and she tells him, stop it. He says he can find their little girl, and she says, he’s lying. He says, they can be a family again, and she says, oh my God. He’s in handcuffs, headed to prison, where he’ll rot in a cell for the rest of his life. He’s not going to have a family. He’s not going to have her, and he’s not going to have Louise. There’s nothing for him. Think about that. Choke on it.

Carly tells Sonny that she’d asked for a body pillow for Sasha, and he says, smart idea. She says, it felt good to do something, even if it was just a pillow. He says, every little bit helps. It’s just not easy to wait. She says, nothing is easy right now, and asks him to come sit with Michael and Willow. He says he has something to take care of, and she says, now? He says, Brando texted him, and said he didn’t need anything except good news. She says, the support of his family. What could be more important? He says, if it wasn’t important, he wouldn’t be going, and she asks, what takes precedence over a baby in the NICU? He says he doesn’t want her to worry about it. Call him if there’s an update

Mac says, the search for Louise is going nowhere, but Anna says, that can change in an instant; he knows how this works. He says he feels so hopeless right now, and she says, he’s not putting any weight on what Peter said just now? She doesn’t believe he knows where that little girl is. He says, as a cop, he knows that. Peter is just trying to save his skin. She says, but as a father and grandfather… He says he can’t discount any lead, no matter what the source.

Peter tells Maxie to look at him, and she says there’s nothing she’d rather see less. He says she made him a better man, but she says, he’s not a man; he’s pure evil. And she regrets the day she met him. Goodbye. She’s about to leave, and he says, this is about that doctor, isn’t it? Dr. Gatlin-Holt, the savior in the woods who delivered Louise. Peter met him earlier at GH. Maxie says, so? and he says, so it’s quite obvious he’s interested in Maxie. She says, this is not happening, and he says, which is of course (🍷) a no brainer to him; she’s beautiful. What surprised him is he never imagined Maxie would give him the time of day. She says, are you insane? (Yes!) This has nothing to do with Austin. He says, she’s on a first name basis with him, so they are close, and she says, so what if they were close? So what if they were dating? So what if she was dating the entire PCU football team? That is none of his damn business. She’s none of his business. He says, on the contrary, and stands up. He says, doesn’t she know by now there’s only one man in her life, and that man is him? She says, go to hell, and storms out.

Trina wonders if Cameron’s shift is over, and asks him to join them, but he says he’s meeting Josslyn at the gym. Esme says, that’s where Spence is, and asks for a ride. Trina says, it’s a bummer Esme has to leave so soon, and Esme says, Spence was so glad to have the day off. He’s been working so hard lately. Trina says, maybe Esme should get a job, but Esme laughs, and says she’s way too busy. Trina says, with what? and Esme says, all those classes she’s auditing at PCU, and her internship obviously. Cameron says he can’t imagine working in a prison, and Esme says she calls it prison light. It’s really not that terrible. Trina says, she enjoys it? and Esme says she does. It’s fascinating from a psychological perspective, but she’ll definitely be ready for a break by the time their trip rolls around.

Carly leans her forehead against the vending machine, and repeats, count to ten. Epiphany says, Carly? and Carly says she’s sorry. Epiphany says, what for? and Carly says, for blocking traffic here. There’s no one else around, and Epiphany says, there’s no traffic here. Carly says she doesn’t know why she apologized. She doesn’t usually do that. Epiphany agrees, and Carly says, she doesn’t know why she’s done half the things she’s done in the past few days. Epiphany says, grief. She heard about Jason, and she’s very sorry for Carly’s loss. Carly thanks her, and Epiphany says she means it. Jason was a remarkable person; someone she respected. Carly says, Jason respected her too, and Epiphany says she never doubted that. And she never doubted he loved Carly, without condition or reservation. He would do literally anything for her. Carly says she never doubted that either. Whatever happened, good or bad, if she was hurt, or scared, or wrong, without question, Jason would always be there. She knew he would be, no matter what. Now he’s not going be there anymore. He’s not going to be there ever again. She knows he would want her to keep going and move on, and she will, but she’s going to miss him every single day for the rest of her life. Epiphany says, when Carly is missing him, she hopes Carly thinks back on their wedding day. Jason was happy, and so was she. The love she felt that day is still there, and hers to keep.

Nina comes out, addressing Michael and Willow, and Michael asks if she shouldn’t be meeting with her lawyer. Her preliminary hearing is coming up soon, isn’t it? Nina says, Scotty is on it, but she appreciates his concern. He’s says he’s sure she does, and she says she’s just there for Sasha, not to upset them. Willow says, yet she keeps doing it, and Michael asks, what is her goal exactly? She says, to provide support for Sasha if she needs it. She’ll go wait someplace else. Willow says, good idea, and Nina moves along. Michael asks Willow if it’s selfish to say he’s glad her empathy for Nina only goes so far, and she says, his family comes first with her. He says, their family, and she says, their family. She hopes he knows that, and he says he does. It’s time like these that bring them together. With everything going on, he’s grateful for that. They hug. Wake me when it’s over.

Anna sees Sonny in the stairwell, and asks what he’s doing here. He says, one guess, and she says, she knows he’s ready to explode – they all are – but he’s got to let the authorities handle Peter. He’s being brought up on multiple charges in multiple jurisdictions; he’s not going to walk away. He says, Jason is dead because of that trash, and he wants Peter to know exactly what he’s waiting for.

Josslyn is punching the heavy bag when Cameron and Esme come in. Cameron says, nobody better mess her, and Josslyn says, that’s right. He asks, what’s up? and Josslyn says, she and Spencer were just talking about their trip. Spencer tells them, Josslyn said she thinks they can use Uncle Sonny’s cabin, and Josslyn says she doesn’t see why not, unless he and her mom are planning on using it, but she doesn’t think so. Esme says, sounds like a blast, and Josslyn says, it will for sure be memorable. Esme and Spencer go off to the side, and Esme says, good workout? Spencer says, it was fun, and she says she’s surprised Josslyn agreed to the trip. He says, they had a good talk, and she’s open to getting to know Esme better. Esme asks if he thinks she meant it, and he says, Josslyn doesn’t lie. Cameron asks Josslyn if she’s really cool about this trip thing, and she says, no, but Spencer wants her to get to know the real Esme, and she has a hunch he may be the one surprised. Cameron asks what she’s planning, and Josslyn says, her? Nothing. Esme will do all the work on her own. Until then, there’s no way Josslyn is turning her back on that girl.

Carly tells Michael that his dad had to leave. He said he had something to take care of. Willow says she’s going to check her schedule for next week, and will be right back. Michael asks Carly if everything is okay with her and his dad, but she says, they’re fine. He says, it seems like there’s tension, and she says, there is. There’s grief. Everything that’s been going on with Liam, and… It’s Nina who she’s mad at, not his dad. Michael says he just ran into her, and Carly says, she’s still here? Michael says, hopefully her trial is soon, and they’ll be sending her to jail, and out of their lives for good. She says, from his lips.

Nina sees Willow, and says she overheard that Willow was in the chapel. So was she. Funny. She didn’t see Willow there. Willow says she heard Nina with Sonny.

Peter is dozing, when Sonny comes in, and slams the door, startling him. Sonny stares at him.

Tomorrow, Maxie wishes Austin wouldn’t have done that; Brando needs to ask Michael something; Nina asks what Willow is going to do, now that she knows the truth; and Sonny says since Peter killed Jason, all the rules are out the window.

👠 What Did I Say…?

Helena will be around as long as Constance Towers is. I wonder if I’ll ever find out why Nikolas was left that painting though…

Vanderpump Rules

Brock, James, and Schwartz took a dip in some tubs of ice. Some pseudo therapist told them that it was a mindset, and Brock said it was a way to learn lessons. Yeah. Don’t get in cold water. James was trying to learn to calm down, and the foundation was learning to breathe intentionally. In James’s interview, he said he was looking past normal therapy to get out his rage and anger. He claimed talk therapists didn’t know what to say to him, but I suspect he doesn’t know how to listen. In Schwarz’s interview, he thought, since hot baths were bad for his sperm count, maybe a cold one would do the opposite. I don’t think it works that way though. James said all he could think about was that he was freezing, but it was progress. Afterwards, the guys hung out to talk, and Brock said kids had been cruel when he was young, because he only had four fingers on one hand. In his interview, he explained his hand had gotten caught in the gears of a moving gate as a child. Ouch a million times over. James said when he got in a confrontational moment, it threw him back to a defensive mindset.

Lisa visited Lala, and met dog Lily. Lala said, if Jesus had a dog, it would be Lily. Lily had high liver levels, and was on meds. Lala was waiting on some test results, and was putting out in the universe that it would be a good report. In Lala’s interview, she said Lily had been her companion, her ride or die since she was 21. Lily had gotten her through her drunken days when she couldn’t get out of bed. In Lisa’s interview, she said, Lala had come a long way, and she was happy to be part of her journey. At one time, Lala had been sneaking drinks behind the hostess stand, and now she was a mother, and it was lovely to see. Lala told Lisa about Brock’s birthday, and how she’d gone off on Schwartz for not backing Katie up. She also told Lisa about how the girls were taking pictures of their feet to raise money for Raquel’s new nose. And yes. I know how absolutely stupid that sounds.

Katie’s photographer friend Courtney came to take the foot fetish photos (say that three times real fast), and Ariana said it was the dumbest most amazing thing they’d done. In Raquel’s interview, she said she’d done everything to make the best of her bad nose job, but it needed to be redone. Ariana said she’d done a lot of weird sh*t, but never thought she’d be adding this to her resumé. Raquel told them that she was going to be hosting a picnic as a thank you,  a fancy floral scene. In her interview, she said it was an excuse to be a girly girl; she loved it. Charli brought up Brock’s friend grabbing her at the birthday party, and said she wondered why there’d been no back-up from Scheana. In Charli’s interview, she said she’d been a loyal friend, and Scheana chose a random dude’s back over hers.

Lisa escorted Schwartz to a tattoo parlor, since he’d lost a bet with her. In his interview, he said he’d been pouring his heart out to Lisa while they were drinking wine. She challenged him to a high stakes ping-pong game, and ping-pong was his forte. We saw a clip of him saying that he was going to smoke her, but if he lost, he’d have LVP tattooed somewhere on his body. She said, if she lost, she’d send some cases of wine to the new bar. He lost. He said, that’s how he ended up at the tattoo parlor, He told Lisa that the Katie Bubba tattoo had to remain prominent, since Katie wasn’t feeling supported, which didn’t surprise Lisa, since Katie had been pushed out of the new bar equation. Schwartz said he couldn’t get a home equity loan, and would have to stop with the bets. He’d bet Randall in a pickleball challenge, and if he won, Schwartz would get $2000. If he lost, Randall got a drink named after him featured prominently on TomTom’s menu. He wondered if Katie was going to kill him about the tattoo, but Lisa said Katie was going kill him for other reasons. Tell her it’s a message from God.

Raquel had her Raquel’s Dream Tea Party, and invited the usual suspects, along with her friend Paige. Everyone wore poufy dresses, except for Lala, who said, no one told her that it was going to be so chic. In her interview, she asked if she looked like a bitch who had puffy sleeves and a tutu in her closet. Ariana said she’d understood the assignment. They discussed the foot project, and Raquel said it wasn’t about the pasta; it was about the feet. She told the girls that James had been trying different kinds of therapy, and we saw a clip of him doing (I think) bioenergetics where you let the sound out. I only know about this because of a movement class I was required to take at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. The teacher was into it, and we all hated it. She was all about no one getting enough love as a child, and going back to the womb or something. We pretended to go along with it just to get through the class. But I digress. Scheana said she’d sent invites out for a photo shoot Brock was organizing to advertise his fitness start-up HomeBody. She said he’d put his heart, soul, and every penny into the company. James had been cagey about doing it for free. Charli told Scheana about the dude grabbing her at Brock’s party, and at first, Scheana claimed she didn’t see anything. Then she amended it to not saying anything because Charli had already said something. Lala said Charli had gone hard for Scheana, and Scheana expected people to defend her, but when the shoe was on the other foot, she was nowhere to be found. Charli said she was loyal and a good friend. When Scheana didn’t like someone, Charli told them to go f*** themselves, but it hadn’t been reciprocated. She thought Scheana didn’t want Brock’s friends not to like her, so she’d ignored the incident. Scheana got all teary, and wanted to go home, as she always does when anyone calls her out.

Ariana visited Katie to enlist her help with designing a drinking game, an embellished Never Have I Ever. In Katie’s interview, she said it was nice not being around an egomaniac, and being expected to kiss their ass every minute of every day. Schwartz came home in the middle of their brainstorm, and told Katie that he had one more betting gaff. He hadn’t thought Lisa would be good at ping-pong, so he hadn’t taken the bet seriously. He showed them his new tattoo, which was actually pretty small, and in Ariana’s interview, she said, Schwartz was so good at charming his way out of everything. If she had been Katie, she’d have shoved her rosé glass up his ass. Katie said Schwartz never had her back, and other people took precedent, but Schwartz said it was out of necessity, and not emotionally. He continued to try and explain himself, but she just said, no, every time he started talking.

Randall had all kinds of pickleball pros at his house for the Emmett/Schwartz 2021 Open. In Brock’s interview, he said it was like little man syndrome on steroids with Randall competing against the least competitive person. Brock wanted to talk to James, who didn’t want to do anything for free. Avoiding the tournament, Raquel and Charli got together for a workout. Afterward, Raquel told Charli that Scheana had asked her to stop being friends with Danica, and she had. Charli said she stopped commenting on Danica’s Instagram, since it offended Scheana. Scheana had been texting her about it, and she hadn’t wanted to lose the friendship over it. Charli told Raquel that when she brought up Scheana not having her back at the party, Scheana had flipped it, and played victim. She said Charli was trying to turn it into a me too moment. 

Lala came out in a cheerleader outfit, hoping they could put an end to this grandpa game. Willie, an American Idol runner-up, sang the National Anthem, and the game began. In Ariana’s interview, she said she hadn’t watched American Idol since Kelly Clarkson won, but she wasn’t going to hate on it. I haven’t watched it since Scotty McCreery won, and Lady Gaga performed at the finale. I didn’t think they could ever top that, so why bother? Randall won, scoring 11 points to Schwartz’s 4. Schwartz gave him a copy of the menu with his drink on it, but in his interview, Schwartz said it wasn’t real. Lala asked James about the photo shoot, and James called Brock over. Brock said James had told Raquel not to text him back, but James said he’d told Raquel, not yet, because he wanted to discuss it with her. I have the feeling that wasn’t the case, since James got animated, and Ariana told him to take it down a notch. Katie suggested James might need a favor from Brock one day, and in James’s interview, he said there was a time Katie was on a campaign to take him down, but she had his back now.

Lala was glad the tournament was over. It was time for Randall to get back to making those dollar signs. Ariana found out that the picture of her feet had been sold, and she tried to get a shot of Lisa’s feet, saying she’d charge extra, but Lisa said she’d better not. Charli told Scheana that she hadn’t been a good friend lately, and in Scheana’s interview, she said she’d just birthed human child, and that was her whole focus. For the unenlightened, Scheana was like this long before she had the baby. She wants to be liked so much, she’s never on anyone’s side but her own. Charli said Scheana was a dictator in friendships, and in Charli’s interview, she said if Scheana couldn’t understand where she’s coming from, they couldn’t be friends. She told Scheana that she hadn’t been getting friend energy back from her, when she’d been a good friend, and they hugged it out.

Next time, Katie and Sandoval go at it, and not in a fun way; Schwartz tells Sandoval that he needs to respect Katie; the Toms decide to take a break from each other; and Ariana has a birthday.

💔 No Festival This Time…

There aren’t many details, but according to Ariana on Watch What Happens Live, everyone was surprised.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-james-kennedy-and-raquel-leviss-call-off-engagement-taping-reunion-bravo-breakup-split/

🏔 Salty Talk…

Bringing you up to speed on Salt Lake City.

🌴 The Wives You’ve Been Waiting For…

The Real Housewives of Miami are back.

https://ew.com/tv/real-housewives-of-miami-season-4-trailer/

⚰️ Back From the Dead…

Well, we never really did see her die.

https://ew.com/tv/kim-dickens-fear-the-walking-dead-madison-clark-return/

😌 Time For Some Shut-Eye…

Come by tomorrow for some soap and an update on Fancy Pants. Until then, stay safe, stay upfront, and stay giving back the friend energy you’re getting.

May 16, 2021 – June Meets a Surprising Stranger, Connections, New John In Town, Speculation, Something Silly & Zombie Music

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

A zombie steps on a birds nest, then gets impaled on a spike because zombies aren’t too bright, and that’s what you get for stepping on a bird’s nest. Outside the gates of Morgan’s town, June walks up to Morgan. She asks, how’s she doing? and he says, she’s holed up. She won’t see anybody, him included. The baby might be alive if they hadn’t had to come to her. She says, it wouldn’t have made a difference, but he says, don’t say it. Grace has already gone there, saying the only reason the she’s alive is because the baby absorbed the bad sh*t in her body. June says she has to make sure Grace is okay, but he says there’s nothing she can say or do to make any of it okay. She tells him that she’s the closest thing they have to a doctor, and has to examine Grace, but he says he’s not letting her come in. June says, Grace needs see her, and he says, Grace does, or she does? She couldn’t do the one thing John wanted. She couldn’t stay, so why is she there when she’s not needed? Tell him again how she’s there for Grace and not herself. She turns around, and marches out.

A zombie crawls through a field, and June stabs it in the head. We see The End is The Beginning painted in huge letters on the road. June puts an X on a map, and puts it back in her pouch. She takes out John’s letter, and almost opens it, then puts it back. She checks gas cans in truck beds, but they’re empty. She hears something, and turns, drawing her gun, but it’s Dwight, who says, easy there. He tried to radio, but there was no answer. She asks what he’s doing there, and he says he could ask her the same question. He thought she had a hospital to build. She says, they can manage. She’s doing her part to figure out what they’re up against. He asks if it has something to do with what Morgan said to her, and she says, he heard it? but Dwight says, the man is hurting; he didn’t mean it. June says Dwight didn’t have to follow her to babysit her, and Dwight says, she’s the only reason he and Shari are still breathing. He couldn’t stand the idea of her out there all alone. She says, Morgan was right. She did the one thing John didn’t want her to. He didn’t want her to cut her hair, and she did. Dwight says, John was worried, and she says, John asked her to leave with him before they even got there. Dwight tells her not to do this to herself, but she says she should have just listened to John. He’d still be here. Instead he went with Ginny, and it didn’t make much difference in the end. He says, they’ve got company. She sees Shari, and says, you two…? but he shakes his head, and says she asked to come when she saw him leaving. June asks, why? and he says he’s not sure. Shari hasn’t said much. Shari says, don’t let her interrupt, and checks the gas cans in a truck bed. Dwight says, horses don’t take unleaded, and June says, there’s nothing there. They probably took the gas when they painted the messages. Dwight asks where June is going, and she says, Jimmy is on the run, and if anyone knows what they’re up against, it’s him. She asks if Dwight brought more company, and someone shoots at them. They duck down, seeing a man up on the hell. Shari says she’s going to take him out, but June says, they need him alive. He might have information. She kicks the mirror off the car she and Dwight are behind. She looks into it, and the guy shoots the mirror. Shari shoots back, and June repeats that they need him alive. Zombies are coming down the road, and June tells Dwight to cover her. He tells her, be careful, and shoots the zombies. June goes up the hill.  

June sees a trailer, and slinks around it. She tries the door, but it’s locked. She covers her gun with a blanket, and smashes the window, pulling herself up and into the trailer. She pulls out a flashlight, and looks around. She sees a bulletin board with a map and Polaroids of places where The End Is The Beginning has been written. She hears a gun cock, and turns around, seeing Keith Carradine. He asks why she’s there. Is she one of them? She says, who? and he says, the folks painting the slogans. She says she might be on the same team as he is, and he says, if that’s true, her and her pals need to kick rocks. He knows what they’re capable of, and trust him, she wants no part of it. She asks what knows, and he says, the trail ran cold. If they think he’s going to catch them, and he’s getting too close, they’ll have to move up the plan. She asks, what plan? and he says he’s going to get to the bottom of it. She asks if they shouldn’t share information. She and her friends have been searching for days. He says he’s been searching a lot longer, and she says, let her help. He asks how she can help, and she says she didn’t realize the tags went that far south. He missed one; at the orchard. He says if she wants to help, and says they’re on the same side, prove it. Bring him to the orchard so he can see what he hasn’t. If she’s lying, and wasting his time, and it’s not them, he’ll put a bullet into her. She says she’s not leaving her friends, but he tells her, drive.

Keith Carradine keeps his gun on June, and she says, it’s not necessary. She wants them as bad as he does. He  tells her, keep your eyes on the road, sweetheart, but she tells him not to call her that. He asks what he should call her, and she says, anything else. He says he didn’t ask her to gum up his investigation. She’s burning his time and resources. So with all due respect, sweetheart, shut up and drive. She jerks the RV all over, and he falls. She takes out her gun, and he sees the handle. He asks where she got the gun, and she asks why she should tell him. He says, because they belong to him. The JD on the handle, that’s him. He’s John Dorie. (But he is really Keith Carradine.)

Shari and Dwight ride, and Shari stops to pick up an empty gas container. She throws it into the woods, and Dwight says he wants to find June as bad as she does, but if they keep running the horses like this, she’s going to kill them. Even if the container was full, they’d only get six miles out of it. She says she just wants to find June, and be done with. She asks why he’s really there. Is he playing detective, or did Morgan tell him to keep an eye on June? He says, neither. When he was out looking for Shari, things got desperate. The trail got cold, and he was tired hungry and thinking about ending it. Not just the search; everything. The only reason he’s there is because John and June changed everything. She asks, how? and he says he doesn’t know. Seeing two people together, two people separated like them, made it seem possible. He thought maybe he and Shari could find each other again. Does she want to tell him why she’s there? She says, there’s no time, and gets back on her horse. She rides off, and he follows.

June looks at the gun, and says, the way John talked, the times he did, she thought he was dead. John Sr. says, as far as his son was concerned, he was. She asks when he last saw his son, and he says, he doesn’t know. He couldn’t been more than twelve. She says, he should know, John was good at sharpshooting, and he says, if his son was a good shot, it had nothing to do with him. She asks if he doesn’t have any questions, and he says, about what? She says, where his son is, or what he’s been up to for the past 40 years? He says he already knows the answer. Why else would she be there with that look on her face, and a gun on her hip? And she’s wearing two wedding rings. He was cop; he notices things. She says, so was his son, and John Sr. says, he became a cop? He thought his son would learn better from his old man. She says, oh no, and looks outside. She tells him that she lost her jacket, and needs to go back. He says she can have one of his, but she says she has to go back. He says he’s not wasting time on a jacket, but she says, it’s not the jacket. There’s a letter in the pocket. He asks what’s in it that’s so important? but she says, she doesn’t know; she hasn’t read it. He says, it must not be that important then. She’s welcome to go back, but the RV is only going in one direction; that’s forward. She gets in the driver’s seat, and starts it up, but it makes a weird sound. He says, kill it, and they listen. He says, sh*t; they have a stowaway. He looks underneath, and there’s a zombie stuck in the undercarriage. He crawls underneath and says, goddammit. She probably ran it over during her little maneuver. She asks if he has something to pull it out,  and he says he does. He tells her to rev the engine a tiny bit; look for his signal. Nice and easy. She starts the van up, and he says, whoa! Cut the engine. The zombie is shredded, but still making zombie noises. She says, anything? and he says, that ain’t just blood, it’s transmission fluid. She probably nicked the line when she hit it. She asks if he can fix it, but he says, this thing is toast, thanks to her.

Dwight and Shari gallop along. Shari goes way ahead, but when Dwight catches up, he finds her on the ground, next to her horse, who’s also down. He says he told her to slow down. The horse’s heart is giving out. She shoots the horse, and says, let’s go. He asks, what’s going on? This isn’t about those cult a-holes. Why are they chasing gas cans? She says she’s going back home to Virginia. She needs to take out the person who’s really to blame for all of this. he says, Negan? and she says she’s going to find him, and put a bullet in his head. That’s why she asked him to come with her. She wanted to find the right way to say goodbye. He says he gets it. Lord knows, he’s done things he’s not proud of. He hopes they find June, and hopes they get out of there. She tells him that he said that before. Does he mean it this time? He says he does, but they’re going at his speed. He’s not running the horse into the ground. She says, all right, and they walk as he leads the horse.

Shari rides behind Dwight, and they see June’s jacket hanging from a tree branch. Dwight takes it off. 

June looks at a newspaper article on the bulletin board about Teddy getting life in prison, and John says, he has them all up there a certain way; don’t go messing them up. Ha-ha! He sounds like me if someone touches something on my desk. She asks if this is him? and he says it’s when he arrested Teddy Mannix, the psycho killing preacher mortician, and put him away for life. He was supposed to be anyway. She asks what he means, and he says, The End Is The Beginning. He spouted the same thing back in the 70s. She says, Teddy is the person responsible for all this? and he says he should have killed Teddy when he had the chance. He guesses it’s not too late. She asks if John is sure it’s him, and he says, when he was foraging, he spotted The End Is The Beginning, and it was like a punch in the gut, seeing it after all this time. He went to the prison hoping to find a rotting corpse, but Teddy’s cell door was open and he was nowhere to be found. His life’s work wasn’t good enough for that SOB. When he put Teddy away, he wasn’t exactly clean. He did the wrong thing for the right reasons. She says, he framed Teddy? Did anyone find out? He says, people looked at him like he was a hero. He couldn’t sleep, and started drinking. His life was a lie. He was angry all the time. It was hard for John Jr. too. He thought the best thing was for him to get as far away from his family as possible. They thought he abandoned them, but they didn’t understand. She asks him to explain how, after 40 years, he checked on the man who ruined his life, but not his son? He says it was best thing did for John Jr., not showing up at the cabin. She says he may not have wanted to go before, but they can go now. It’s a lead to Teddy. He says he’s not going, and she says, it’s the best lead they’ve got. He says he has better leads; the orchard, Teddy’s childhood home. She says, Hill will be at the cabin, and he might have information. He has no time to take a short detour? He says, it’s where he left his boy 40 years ago. He won’t go back. She says she met and lost her husband at that cabin. The table has medical supplies on it, but she didn’t get the chance to save him. She’s finding Hill. What he knows will save a lot of lives, and he has something of hers. John asks, what’s that? and she says, John’s other pistol. He says, the guns. They do belong together.

John stabs a zombie in the head, and tells June, that’s Teddy’s doing. She asks how he knows, and he says, embalming fluid. Same as the first time, back when they dead stayed dead. They keep walking, and she asks what Teddy wants. John says, the same thing he’s always wanted; destruction. Teddy is spouting the same circle of life mumbo jumbo as he did before she was born. She asks, why embalming fluid? and he says, it’s how he keeps out the young horde. Preservation prevents folks from moving on to the next world. Teddy is crazy as a pet snake, but he could sell ice to Eskimos. His followers are armed and highly motivated. She says, they’re not the only ones, and he says, he doesn’t doubt it. June sees his hand is bandaged, and tells him that she’s nurse. She could take a look. He says, there’s a bait shop nearby, and she says, Bill’s. He says, she knows it. Were she and John married before or after? She says, after. John used a candy wrapper. He laughs, and she says, it was the best he could do at the time. He says he proposed to John’s mom the same way, but it was a Juicy Fruit wrapper. He was still at the Academy, and didn’t have a dime to his name.

Shari and Dwight look at John’s bulletin board, and tells Dwight, it looks like he’d been hunting for a lifetime before world fell apart. She can’t believe he’s John’s father. What are the odds? Dwight says, he never thought shooting at  June and John would lead him to her, but here they are. She says, June left a note; Hill is at John’s cabin. He’s a Ranger, and she bets he has a truck. Dwight says, there’s a good chance there’s gas in it too, and she tells him to point her in the right direction.   

John Sr. and June walk into a general store, and John says, the place has changed since he was last there. They used to eat ice cream on a bench outside. John Jr. has a sweet tooth… had. She looks on the shelves for supplies, and he sees the movie rental list. He says, John always loved movies. He warned his son that he’d wind up with square eyes. He watched Bullitt over and over. He puts the list back, and unwraps his hand. June sterilizes his wound, and asks him to tell her about the guns. She knows they were in his family for generations. He says, six. The first John Dorie brought them on the trail out west. The second JD shot Dead Eye Driscoll from Blackwater. Got his picture in the paper. His son was a good shot too? June says he taught her, and worked at Humbug’s Gulch on the weekends as a trick shooter. That’s where they were married; all their friends were there. He says, it sounds a nice affair, and tells her that his son wrote his initials on a wall in the back room. He wonders if they’re still there, and they walk to the back. June goes in first, and he closes the door, putting a bar across the handles. I had the feeling he was going to lock her in there. She asks what he’s doing, and he says, she and Junior shared a life. She’s not blood, but she’s the closest thing he’s got to family. She says, so he’s doing to her like he did to John? and he says, that’s not what this is. She says he think he’s protecting her, but he’s just punishing himself. He doesn’t think he deserves this. He says she’s the one carrying a letter she hasn’t opened. She can come at him all she wants. We all got ways of protecting ourselves. She says, she knows he thinks he’s doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, but they need to work together. He doesn’t hear her because he’s already gone.

At Bill’s, Shari checks out an old truck, and gets it started on a second try, but it dies. Dwight says, she got the engine to turn over, and she says, barely. She wonders if it’s the same truck her grandpa had, but Dwight says, her grandpa had a ’69; this is older. She asks if he remembers when they got the truck stuck in the mud on their way to the bonfire; and he says, they gave up, and drank beer in the car until they passed out. Is she sure this is what she wants to do? She does it, then what? . She comes back? Shari says, that’s the plan. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Is she really ready to say goodbye? She listens, and asks, what’s that?

John Sr. enters the cabin, and looks around, no doubt flooded with memories. He sits down, but hears something, and he cocks his gun. He goes out back, and hears a zombie. He puts the gun in his waistband, and stabs it in the head. A man comes up behind him with a gun and says, you picked the wrong cabin to rob, old timer. He gets distracted by another zombie, and John Sr. knocks him back against a tree, takes his gun, and shoots the zombie. He keeps the guy pinned against the tree, and says, this is his son’s cabin; that makes him a trespasser. The guy says he’s John’s old man, and that’s John’s gun, and John Sr. says, tell him all he knows about Theodore Maddox, or he’ll blow the guy’s head off. The guy asks who the hell Theodore is, and John Sr. says, he’s the one behind the spray paint. The guy asks what the hell it matters to John Sr., but John Sr. says that’s his business. The guy says, all he knows is, whatever they have planned, it’s big. John Sr. asks, how big? but the guy doesn’t know. He could never get anyone to talk. All he knows is, they want to kill everybody. John Sr. says, he’ll give the guy five minutes. Get his sh*t, and get the hell out of there. The guy says he lives there now. The previous occupant moved out permanently, in case you didn’t hear. He tries to get John Sr.’s gun, and they struggle. They both fall to the ground, and John Sr. knocks the guy out with a punch. He sees his son’s grave marker, a cross that says John Dorie, and gets distracted. The guy shoots him in the back, but then someone shoots the guy from behind. John touches the marker, and June runs to him, telling Dwight and Shari to help get him inside.

John opens his eyes, gets out of bed, and walks outside. He sees June with Shari and Dwight, and hears June thanking them for her jacket. John sits in the old truck, and June says he shouldn’t be out of bed. She just took a bullet out of him, and he lost a lot of blood. He says, they meant to fix the old girl up together. It was going to be his son’s first car. He didn’t run because he didn’t care. He did it because he does care. Just like he did with June at Bill’s. She says she knows, and he says, she was right. He was punishing himself, and also punishing his wife and boy. He did come back that summer. He went to Bill’s to fill up the tank, and saw John Jr. there. He looked so content eating his ice cream. He looked so happy. John had this light about him… Of course she knows. He was afraid he’d snuff it out, like the Teddy case did him. He decided to leave John Jr. there. His son would be better off without him. He went back, put the pistols on the porch, and never looked back. He never even said goodbye. June says, it’s not too late, and takes out the letter.

They stand at John’s grave, and June says, it was right there when she first met him. She was broken, and he sewed her back up with fishing line, butterscotch brittle, light, and love. She opens the letter. June. This is the hardest decision of my life and I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me for making it. For leaving you behind to save an innocent person’s life. Knowing I may not see you again, I believe you’ll forgive me one day, the same way I forgave… my dad for leaving. It took me a few years to see it from his shoes, but I forgave him. He was a good man, and in his own way, he did what he did because he loved me. Like I’m doing what I’m doing because I love you. No matter what happens, sure as the sun sets, I’ll never stop trying to get back to you. Back to those early days in the cabin – she starts to cry – and the pretty lady who washed up on my shore, and my life was forever changed. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. You rekindled the light in me, and brought me back to people. In believing in goodness, and doing good for what’s worth fighting for, like I fought for you. If I die, I will die knowing life was worth living because of a nurse by the name of June. You’re the light guiding my way. I love you, Junebug. She cries, I cry, and everyone looks sad. John Sr. puts his hand on June’s shoulder.

Dwight tells Shari, whoever did the work on the truck, did a good job. She should make it as far as Louisiana. She looks at the article about Teddy, and he asks, what is it? She says she’s not ready for this to be goodbye, and he asks what she means. She says, the man John Sr. has been chasing, he’s been chasing for how many years? He’s missed out on his entire life. She can’t let that happen to them. She’s been using Negan as an excuse for why they can’t be together. Dwight was able to change, and get back to who he once was. She thinks that’s what she’s afraid of; she won’t be able to do that. He says, he’s changed, but he’s not the same person he used to be, and she doesn’t have to be that either. She says she won’t be that for a while, and he says she’s probably right. They were young… Why don’t they just start over? He’s willing to give it a shot if she is. She says, yeah, and they hug.   

June and John Sr. load up the truck. June takes off the rings, and gives them to Dwight. She thanks him for letting her borrow them. He says she doesn’t have to, but she says she wants to, and John would too. She’s giving them back to their rightful owners. He takes them, and puts around his neck. June takes a last look at the cabin, and she and John Sr. get in the truck. Dwight and Shari get on Dwight’s horse, and ride off.

June brings John Sr. to Morgan, who apparently lives his life standing at the entrance of his town. She says, there’s someone she’d like him to meet. This is John Dorie, John’s father. Morgan shakes John Sr.’s hand, and says, pleased to meet him. Morgan asks June, how? and she says, long story. Morgan says John Sr.’s son saved his life in more ways than one, and John Sr. says, his wife just did the same for him. He thinks he’ll stay a while, and Morgan says he’ll be a welcome addition. June says, John Sr. is looking for the man who attacked Morgan and Grace. He knows everything about him. They can help each other. Morgan says, it looks like they already are. June takes Morgan aside, and says she knows she can’t change what she did… He says she doesn’t have to say it, but she says, it’s what John wanted. Now she has a chance to do the same there. Morgan says, he might have been wrong when he told her there was nothing she could do or say to make things better. June asks if she can please check on Grace, and John Sr. says they can put their heads together, and man up against Teddy. He knows Teddy, bow to stern. If he’s doing now what he wanted to do before, he’s not going to stop until they’re all dead. Morgan says, let’s get to work, and they go inside.

Next time, Alicia and Teddy go on a road trip, Teddy needs assurances before he takes the first steps, Alicia is surprised to see someone, and a zombie attacks Teddy.

🍳 Hunt For the Eggs…

On Talking Dead, Keith Carradine marveled at all the nerdy things hidden in tonight’s FTWD.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-jd-keith-carradine-aisha-tyler-john-dorie-deadwood/

🐎 Another Day, Another John…

Surprise! It’s John Dorie.

https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2567496/fear-the-walking-dead-keith-carradine-surprise-role-john-dorie-history-with-cult-leader-teddy-garret-dillahunt

⚰️ Quite a Stretch…

Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, since we pretty much saw her get eaten, but who knows?

👠 A Real Doll…

Trixie is getting around. First Overserved, now this.

https://ew.com/tv/trixie-mattel-crank-yankers-clip/

🧍🏽‍♀️ Toddling Off…

The Shahs of Sunset are back, but choices had to be made. I’ll have to catch up On Demand or on rerun. Until we meet On Deck tomorrow, stay safe, stay respecting others’ personal space, and stay not being so fast to judge a guy in an RV who’s shooting at you. It could be Keith Carradine.